And Then There Were Nine

Posted on Sat Jun 20th, 2020 @ 9:45am by Alden Loxley & Alison Bliss & Jacob Lara & Karen Dawson MD & James Thomson & Noah-Jade True & Daiyu
Edited on on Sat Jul 4th, 2020 @ 1:26pm

Mission: The Milk Run
Location: Fortune's Echo - Galley
Timeline: Day 9 - Newhall to Hera (Morning)

Breakfast was a simple affair when you had a ship full of people and a twelve day travel time out in the Black. They were out of most of the fresh goods now, but Alden had squirrelled away a couple of packs of smoked bacon, there were plenty of canned beans and he'd made two loaves of fresh bread. The mixture of warm scents permeated through the entire ship, intended to guide the complement of assorted humans towards the galley as he rustled up a fresh pot of coffee and regarded the neatly laid-out table.

Some things just made life a tiny bit better, and communal meals were a good distraction from his inner, ongoing concerns.

Jacob had smelled the scents of breakfast so strongly they'd woken him up. He'd quickly dressed, nothing flashy, or fancy, just comfortable, and made his way down. Stepping into the galley he noted that it was just him and Alden so far, and he gave a slight smile. He still wasn't entirely sure where they stood, no matter the events of the past few days, and he felt like being careful around the man for a while longer might be in his best interest. Even still, taking in the rugged good looks, and the way he confidently made his way around the kitchen made Jacob's smile a bit wider.

"Morning, Captain Loxley," he said, as he walked in. "Anything I can help with?"

"Hey, Jacob," Alden returned, though he raised an eyebrow at the formal greeting. "Nope, you're good. Take a seat," he answered, wandering over from behind the counter with the big metal pot. "Coffee?"

Jacob grinned at the raised eyebrow, realizing his faux-pas, and that it was too late to do anything about it now. "I'd love some," he said in answer to the offer of coffee. It was one of those things he truly loved about mornings, even though it didn't really wake him up. "It smells amazing in here..."

“There ya go,” Alden noted, pouring fresh caffeinated beverage into first Jacob’s, and then, on hearing a second person approach, a second mug too. He then placed the pot down then in the middle of the table and waited to see who was inbound.

"It definitely does" James mumbled as he entered and made his way barefoot across the galley, his voice thick with sleep. His hair was unusually unkempt, and he was still wearing his pyjamas; a black t-shirt/short combination that framed him well but were modest enough. James rarely left his bunk without getting ready for the day, the exception being whenever Alden was cooking up a big breakfast. The smells, the taste's, the banter everyone would share whilst they ate reminded him of the big family meals they used to have back home. Back before he became the embodiment of familial disappointment. Easier times.

He yawned wide and stretched out before pulling a chair away from the table and sat in it, flinching slightly when his skin came into contact with the much cooler wood. "You made bread," James said matter of factly, beaming in the direction of the loaves Alden had baked. "I love your bread, it's almost as good as Meemaw Thomsons", their maternal grandmother. A high compliment indeed, universally beloved by her grandchildren, their Meemaw had always been warm but had never treated them like they were fragile. She taught them everything she knew about surviving on a border planet like Ezra and had provided James with some of the best meals in his life.

“Morning sleepyhead,” Alden addressed his cousin as he handed him that second mug of coffee. A warm smile coloured his expression at the kind words, and he nodded. “Shotgun practise at the back fence, pistols on the range in the big barn and baking lessons on the weekend. She taught us well,” he agreed, nostalgia infused happily in those words.

Alison was next, walking in barefoot with only a skimpy, stylish maroon robe that she tied on her waist for modesty. She would prefer to come nude but over years of flying with various people, she noticed people were far more prudish than she was. So, Alison learned to wear... something, most of the time.

Even so early, she was already after the morning routine, awake, and most of all with basic makeup, with her hair neatly put together into a perfect ponytail.

“Good morning everyone.” She greeted people lightly as she picked a plate and a mug. Pouring herself some coffee, she looked around. “Anyone?” She offered.

Alden watched Alison walk on through, caught James’ eye and grinned. “Morning,” was all he said though as he ferried plates across from the galley’s counter to the long table.

Noah just shook his head. He wasn't much of a coffee drinker. He had arrived at the table quietly, his entrance almost unnoticed. He wore dark clothes: a bit more ragged than what he usually wore. This seemed more fitting for a mechanic, less like a Core worlder suit. He kept a distracted glance as he made himself a plate, as if there were other things on his mind. This was a pretty common look for him. At least he remembered to show up to breakfast this time... half the time when there was a group meal he wouldn't show up unless you knocked on his door like he were a kid. Even when he was the one making breakfast, which was fairly often, he would forget to tell people about it, and already be done eating and gone by the time the others discovered the prepared food. But this was Noah. What else did you expect?

Alden looked in the direction of the crew rooms and briefly frowned - no Kai as yet. Didn't bode well. She'd been spending a lot of time alone in there, for fairly obvious reasons, but it concerned him more deeply with each passing day. He put some food on a plate, filled a mug of coffee and put them to the side to take directly to Kai.

Then, with no sign of everyone's favourite stowaway yet either, he duplicated those efforts on Tristan's behalf. It didn't take a minute to deliver both meals to their respective cabins and return. He'd talk to them both after they'd eaten something.

Last of all was Daiyu. She peeked a lone eye around the corner of the galley door. Half her face was obscured by the door frame. The bustle of voices and activity made her want to stay hidden in her bunk, but the aroma of hot food and coffee proved too compelling. Still, she was very hesitant to enter a confined space with so many strangers.

Recognizing a timid person when she saw one, Karen came around Daiyu in a pair of jeans and a teal and gold Ariel University School of Medicine sweatshirt on. She winked at the shy woman and said, "They don' bite... Alden might spit food at you, because he eats like a caveman, but they won't harm ya."

Daiyu wasn't so easily convinced, but it had been so long since she'd had a full meal. Hesitantly, eyes panning back and forth for any sudden movement, she took an empty seat. The palms of her hands were fixed on the table, ready to spring up at a moment's notice or the first provocation.

"Who are you?" The question was posed in a cautious tone.

"Karen," the doctor smiled. "I'm the ship's doc."

Noah looked up at the new voice. Yes; he was very bad at names and faces, but he didn't recognize her. Had he been introduced to this person? Surely he would've remembered her. She didn't look like any of the other people on this ship. And the fact that she was asking who Karen was... well... this had to be a stranger. "Who's this?" Noah asked casually, starting to eat his food.

With no one taking her on the offer, Alison put the pot of coffee back. She picked her full mug and sat at the table. Stretching like a kitten, she waited for everyone to seat down. Hearing Noah she turned to the newest crew member.

"Oh, that's another stray soul that our glorious captain accepted on board." She said and invited Daiyu with a gesture to sit at the table wherever she desired. "How about you introduce yourself shao jeh."

"I'm Daiyu..." Alison and Noah did not seem as friendly as Alden, which made Daiyu look toward the captain for a cue or perhaps reassurance. If they wanted her to leave the table, then she would leave, but she did want some food first. It smelled so good...

“Here we go,” came a friendly call from across the galley, as the Captain slipped a ton of bacon from battered griddle pan to big dish and turned to face the table. Alden’s gaze sought that of the newest foundling on board and he gestured to the gathering with a flourish of his free hand.

“C’mon, Mei Mei,” he told Daiyu, tone wrapped with a bossy affection. “Take a seat, have some food.”

“And, James, c’mon, wake up, slice the bread,” He instructed his cousin. “Pass it round.”

"Yes, sir" James joked, now feeling more alert from the coffee. After drawing the loaves in he made short work cutting them into slices, sending on up the table and the other down.

With that Alden strode the few steps to join the others and made a point to offer that giant plate full of crispy bacon to Daiyu first. “Bacon, bread and beans,” he told her, gently. “Help yourself to whatever you want.”

"Xiè xie," Daiyu said. She reached out a demure hand for a piece of toast.

Alden placed a second piece gently on her plate, pushed the butter dish in Daiyu's direction and then put his dish down in the middle of the table so everyone else could dig in.

"Alright." Noah took a couple bites of food. After all, they took Tristan aboard. Why not? This just felt... sudden. Was this some sort of prank? Who all was in on it. He couldn't just drop it there. "But uh... like... how exactly? We're in the middle of space, it's not like we stopped to pick up passengers. Did she stowaway as well?"

Alison glanced at Noah, and then gave Alden a long amused look. Yeah. She had a comment on the tip of her tongue, but decided to take a sip of coffee instead.

"Nah, I checked the ship after we found the last one," James commented between bites of bacon. Once everyone had accepted the stowaway Alden's younger cousin had swept the entire vessel, top to bottom. Embarrassment was one hell of a motivator. The acknowledgement did make him curious though, where had she come from? He didn't dwell on it for too long, he was hungry and Alden would tell them eventually.

"Stowaway? Not exactly," Alden answered and he shot a look back at Alison, one that clearly said he understood the sentiment, didn't mind her point of view, but wasn't about to discuss it while the food was still hot. "Where is Tristan by the way?"

After the rest had had a chance to start to get settled Jacob smiled across the table at the new arrival. "I'm Jacob, Daiyu, it's very nice to meet you," he said, and then took a sip of his steaming coffee.

"Is it?" Daiyu asked, genuinely interested and confused. "Why is it very nice to meet me?"

Jacob didn't miss a beat, he gave her an even broader smile and a playful wink over the mug he was still holding near his face, grasped in both hands. "I like meeting new people, they always have such interesting stories, and every one of them is a mystery to get to start trying to understand," he said.

"I don't have any stories," Daiyu said defensively. She grabbed a few strips of bacon and shoved them all into her mouth at once. The smacking sound of her chewing was something awful.

Jacob was taken aback slightly by the woman's reaction, and more than a little trouble by how defensive she'd replied, but he kept his expression friendly. "Well, then you will be all the more interesting then. I've never met someone without stories," he said, and then returned his attention to his coffee and the food before him. "This is all so good," he said, nodding to the handsome captain who'd laid all this wonderful breakfast food out for them.

He couldn't help but chuckle at the sounds coming from the tiny little new addition to the ship's complement, and Alden didn't comment on that score either. She seemed happy, and very hungry, and seeing her eat was reward enough for the overnight effort.

"Why thank you," Alden answered Jacob, with the remnants of a grin. He munched on some bacon, sipped some coffee and took a glance from face to face about their table. "So," he said, addressing the mostly unspoken curiosity in the room. "Daiyu here joined us in the middle of the night when we came across, and scooped up, her escape pod. I'm keeping her safe with us for now. Anyone have any issues with that?" Alden asked, a raised eyebrow inviting comment.

"No." Noah ate a couple more bites of food, seemingly uncaring about this whole ordeal. Then he paused for a moment, as if in thought, slowly chewing his breakfast. "Do you still got her escape pod? I think we could use it for parts."

"We do," said the Captain with a soft smile. "And it's all yours. I can't see that anyone else is gonna want it," he added, though his gut silently warned him that might not be a great assumption.

"Great," Noah said, continuing to eat. Yes; this whole affair with picking a passenger confused him, but it wasn't his place to judge. The escape pod, however... that he could do something with. Not only could he use it for parts like he said - but taking it apart might reveal something about where it came from. If the Captain seemed to want to make a non-deal out of this, Noah could find out answers his own way. "I'll go find my tools." At that, Noah stood up, tossed his empty plate into the sink, and walked towards the exit. "Thanks for the breakfast," he added on before leaving the room.

Daiyu appeared relieved at hearing the pod was going to be scrapped. "Please," she called after Noah. "I have some belongings in there. Bags of seed and the like. I would like to keep those."

"I'll bring them to you. I won't throw anything out," Noah reassured her as he left the room.

"Xie xie..." Daiyu said around another mouthful.

As the food diminished rapidly around the table, and all that was really left was the faint scent of its presence, and the hint of caffeine in the air, Alden stood up. "I'm gonna go check on the helm," he said. "James, you're on clear-up duty."

Jacob took the last sip of his coffee and then stood. "I'll help, if you don't mind," he said, giving James a small smile.

"And I'll go back to bed for a nap," Karen smiled with a tiny yawn. "Good meal, as always."

"You're all welcome," said Alden from the doorway as he headed out. He turned back though, briefly, just to take a moment to see them all together in one place. Kinda cute, in a messed up found family kinda way, which was always good enough for him. "Someone else is making dinner!" Alden called over his shoulder as he headed up to the bridge.

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