Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in Dasca’s Apartment- Dinner with Kenzo

Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Dasca’s Apartment- Dinner with Kenzo

Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in Dasca’s Apartment- Dinner with Kenzo
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

She lifted her glass. “And I am delighted I have had the opportunity to cook for you. To home cooked meals and pleasant company.”

Eela took a sip of the wine and let him serve the fish and vegetables while she helped herself to some of the salad and passed over the bowl. “You know, this is a tradition for me. Once a week, if at all possible, I cook. Or at least I did. When Cory and I first got married, it was just something we did amongst juggling our busy schedules. And I managed to keep it going for most of my career too. Even during the war. That story about the rations was as close as I could get to it. But Haliian culture all but demands we find ways to build connection. And I never found a better way with someone I didn’t know very well than sharing a meal. That and it carried on a tradition my parents started. This is the first meal I’ve properly cooked in, oh… months, sadly. So I’m very glad for it.” In the dining room, the music was a bit more audible but still not intrusive, comprised of a mix of instrumental and traditional vocal from a multitude of cultures, including her own.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

“Food is the great equalizer.” Kenzo said while serving himself some of the salad. “Without it, we are nothing. With it, we are community. And understanding cuisine breeds familiarity that can be used to put new acquaintances at ease. Before any contentious negotiations, I always insisted on a meal between all parties. No business could be conducted. They always started off awkward and quiet; but by the end the majority were very positive experiences.” and he set the salad aside. “And only twice was there bloodshed; so statistically the reasoning remains sound.” and he smiled slightly as he took a drink.

Kenzo

She laughed. “Only twice, huh? I’d take those odds as well.” In a tiny motion that was habitual but no less reverent, Eela touched two fingers to the edge of her plate and then her lips before she picked up her knife and fork.

The fish was as she remembered it, even if had been a a good three years since she had made it. The kappen was an oily fish with a hint of sweetness, and she’d always thought the herbs and kouinay balanced it nicely. And of course the root vegetables were earth and comforting. “I’m curious, if you don’t mind sharing, what sort of traditions from your father do you try to uphold?”

Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Kenzo contemplated his fish as he took a bite and chewed somewhat slowly. There was a hint of reservation as he spoke after swallowing and taking a sip of wine. “My father was a… complicated… man in many ways. But his desire to maintain his people’s traditions was always a source of great pride to him. The Japanese are rich with tradition in a myriad of settings. But at the core of those traditions are echos of long past times. Honor is very important. But unlike other cultures or species, Japanese honor is very precise. The Klingins wield honor as a weapon. For us, it is a precious gift. A gift that can be passed down from generation to generation… as can the stains that accompany it. We also hold family of high importance. In that, he and my mother agreed. I believe that helped them through the turbulent times before he was killed. As far as literal traditions go, however, there are ceremonies and such he taught me. They are, at least to me, quite beautiful. Each gesture, movement of an object, sound, word, and material has meaning. I find solace in them.”

Kenzo

She nodded as she chewed and listened, understanding that Kenzo was a private man and that anything he deemed worth sharing was important. In this she knew to listen carefully. “Solace is a good word. There is something grounding about the repetition of something that so many people have done over so many years. It was something I strived to pass along to my children as well, to ground them in a tangible of part of their heritage.”

“Is there a particular ceremony you look forward to more than others?” she asked before taking a sip of her wine.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.