The Queen and Knight of Wands and the Queen of Cups

Posted on Wed May 12th, 2021 @ 7:44am by Alison Bliss & Jonas Bailey & Kindra Graham

Mission: Back in Black
Location: Galley, Fortunte's Echo
Timeline: En route to Ghost

The Fortune's Echo was moving across the space at the stead speed. It was still far enough from reaching the destination that Alison was able to leave the bridge and eat something. The ship was humming in the typical merge of various sounds that Alison knew so well: the creaking of bulkheads, reverberation of the hull and distant sounds of the crew.

Alison picked the plate with a warm meal from the preparation area. It were just reheated leftovers from the early dinner, now nicely smelling in the air. She walked toward the table and being barefoot, she did so noiselessly. She was dressed in a short, blue pleated mini skirt and a cropped, black, scalloped tank top.

Putting the food down she went back for something to drink and after a brief consideration, she filled a glass with some water. On the surface, she was focused on preparing the meal, and even though part of her mind was submerged into various thoughts, she could hear approaching steps. “Do you want some of those delicious leftovers too?” She called out. She was almost sure who was going to appear even if she wasn’t used to those steps yet.

Jonas' footfalls continued into the galley. "Well, at least they're leftovers," he said with a grin. "Callin' them delicious is pretty grateful." He was dressed in one of his brown, earth-tone ensembles. The big guy grabbed a plate and reheated some of the leftovers. He got a glass of water and went over to the table. Jonas never bothered to ask if he could join Alison. He just sat down with is plate and water and picked up a fork. "Ship must listen to you pretty good if you can leave the pilot's seat for a few minutes."

"I am part of the ship." She winked. The statement was true to an extend, considering that by now Alison knew Echo so well that she could almost sense it. "It is like an extension of me." She said digging the fork into the food while she used her free hand to gently caress the table. "Or in less metaphysical sense, I can recognize all the subtle changes in how the ship vibrate. So don't worry, if anything happens..." She gave the big man a wide smile before changing the subject. "I take it that you are not fancy of our food? I guess it requires a bit of time in the Black to acquire taste for it."

Kindra had slipped into the galley and listened with interest to Alison's poetic description of her rapport with the ship as she set the kettle to boil and made herself a cup of tea. Everyone on board the Echo ate the same meals, and Kindra would never think of complaining, but the leftovers on Alison and Jonas' plates could not truthfully be described using the word appetizing. "It smells very nutritious," Kindra offered diplomatically, and joined them at the table with her cup.

Jonas swallowed the bite he'd taken. "Eh, food's food. Some of it's delicious. Some of it's edible. Some of it's in between. And I've had my share of being in the black. Probably not as much as you've had, Alison. Most of my time was just back and forth to places. But maybe now that I'll be out here for a while, I can acquire that taste you mentioned." He took a drink of water, looked to Kindra and nodded.

Alison giggled amused by the comment from Kindra. "Food is food, just as sex is sex." She shrugged. "The flavor depends on the people, the place, and the time." She said philosophically. "To be honest, if any one of you have skills, go ahead..." She mentioned with a free hand the kitchen with an invitation and smiled making the invitation genuine. "We don't have a true cook around." She graciously shoved some of the food in her mouth and chew on it before swallowing. "I guess I am just used to this food by now." She concluded. "So, you plan to stay with us for longer?" Alison asked Jonas with barely noticeable predatory hint.

Kindra sipped her tea with a small, knowing smile, and wondered if this was going where she thought it might be going. Alison had expressed her interest in Jonas, and from what Kindra knew of Jonas, the two would make a good match. Or at the very least, a few spectacular hours of matching. She winked at Alison, and waited for Jonas' reply.

"Oh if there's one thing I'm not, it's a cook," said Jonas after he swallowed a bite. "You don't want me near that kitchen. As for staying, I reckon I'm here for a while. Besides, if I went back to Hera, or anywhere near there, I'd have to deal with an angry little man. Don't feel like shootin' him just yet," he added with a wink. "Unless either of you two have plans to leave me behind somewhere, I plan to stay around."

"Behind?" Alison said with rather lustful tone and scratched her lower lip with her upper teeth, and then she giggled leaning back. She put some more food in her mouth and her eyes darted between Jonas and Kindra with a playful glint. Chewing it for a moment she finally turned to Kindra and swallowed before continuing. "What about you? Do you want the position of the cook?"

Only because it was Alison doing the asking, and in a sultry voice to boot, did Kindra respond, "That depends on if by cook's position you mean some variation of the old French maid roleplay." She sipped her tea thoughtfully and added, "I can follow a recipe, when I have the right ingredients. It takes real skill to prepare a meal using whatever ingredients are at hand and make it taste good. Especially for the number of people on board the Echo." Kindra smiled and raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure there are other activities besides cooking to occupy your time on long trips across the black."

Jonas paused with his fork in mid-air as Kindra mentioned the cook's position and French maid roleplay. He looked from Kindra to Alison and smirked, followed by a chuckle. He put the fork down and took a drink before leaning back in his chair to hear the rest of the conversation.

Alison burst in amused laugh. She knew she could always count on Kindra when it came to a good flirting. Putting aside the fork, she slowly calmed down. "Cook's position... that is a good one." She commented and turned to Jonas. "And you made our handsome newest addition speechless." She teased Jonas who took more passive role in the conversation. "Yeah, cooking as preparing meals was never near the top of the list of things I like to spend my time on. Especially on long trips across the Black." She said quoting Kindra with dreamy softness before she sighed. "Anyway... I probably should go before I start convincing you two for a threesome in the thing I do like to spend my time on."

Kindra smiled playfully, and gave a slight shake of her head. "An enticing proposition, but I do try to maintain certain professional boundaries." She'd made an exception once before, and she hoped to again with that same person. "Of course, the two of you are free to make plans together, after Alison's shift." With a wink for Jonas and a smirk to Alison, Kindra picked up her cup of tea and headed back to her shuttle, leaving Alison and Jonas alone.