[h2]Supper With Shipmates - Part 1[/h2] [img]https://i.imgur.com/3hmyNZI.jpg[/img] JP/collab from [@wanderingwolf], [@Psych0Pomp], [@Aalakrys], [@Xandrya], [@Gunther]. [@Winters]. [@MK Blitzen], [@Yule], [@sail3695], and [color=ffd700]@LuckytheParrot[/color] Hook had been in the galley preparing the food at least an hour before the meal was ready. He gathered all the ingredients from the pantry after cleaning the table off. He had prepared everything with cutting boards to keep surfaces clean. He preheated the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the topping was ready for the Salmon filets, he laid them across a few foil lined cookie sheets. The asparagus were treated with the garlic and lemon and then again laid out on a cookie sheet. When they were ready, they were inserted into the oven. The potatoes took a little more time to cut up into manageable chunks and then treated with some garlic, olive oil and sea salt. He cut up the carrots, placed them in a pot to boil on top of the stove. Once all the food was in the oven or on the stove, he cleared away all the utensils used for food preparation and then cleaned them all up in the sink. After drying the cutting boards and knives, he put them away and set the table for eight people. In a few minutes, the crew started filing in. “Take a seat, dinner will be ready soon,” Joe told the crew. As the timers were going off, he pulled the food from the stove and oven and transferred them to serving bowls and plates. These were then transferred to the table for everyone to access along with serving utensils. Reaching over the sleeping first mate, Captain Strand plucked a fried tomato from mid-table, gingerly setting it on his plate. “Rex,” Cal called in a booming voice, “you wanna say grace?” His grin stretching from ear to ear. “Aw, Cap’n, don’t go botherin’ him,” Pen said with that same faint smile that always lingered, this time more to do with the pastel rainbow ‘shawl’ across those large, hunched shoulders that she’d put there. She sat cross-legged at the table, with a foot hanging down swinging, cheek pressed to a palm as she glanced over at the big guy. “He’s cozy.” Mid-bite Cal continued, “Cozy? That man could sleep through an Alliance raid, and he has before.” He finished his mouthful, before nudging Rex with the butt of his chopsticks. “What’d I tell ya? Kids, this is what happens when you party too hard.” Amused at his own joke, Cal went in for another bite. “Must be nice to get that level of shuteye… Some nights even a feather dropping will pull me from my beautiful slumber, though a couple of drinks does help,” Alana mused, serving herself some more potatoes. “Nothing bad happens from partying too hard,” Cyd replied with a knowing smile. She flashed a quick glance to the captain and the passed out man beside him who looked as if he’d raved the night before. She and Mathias managed to make it to the galley fashionably late. “Ever.” Their first of many [i]shopping trips [/i] was a success, but the shuttle still needed a scrub down, and that itself was an understatement. Mathias made an iffy hand. “I can think of a few times you had to nut someone... “He snorted, ready to be jabbed at by his sister. “On them, not on me,” Cyd defended, jabbing him in the ribs. ”We heard there’d be a lekker dinner, Abby said plates at six.” “Ah, the prodigal Skyes return. Pull up a chair. What, no small-fry? That’s okay; way I hear there’s not enough food in the ‘verse to fill that pit.” Cal made a sweeping gesture to the empty chairs and bench at the galley table. “Small-Fry is getting his alley cat on. He may drop by after.” Mathias said with a bit of pride. Cyd pulled up one of the chairs leaving a few spaces, Mathias sitting at her side. “Is that Rex?” Cyd asked, tilting her head. “Huh. Maybe we should hold off on first week’s rent?” They’d never had trouble paying anyone before. Why couldn’t this ever happen when they’d been short? Penelope was polishing off a spoonful of rice pilaf when that notion came up, her eyes twinkling but smile hidden by the spoon still popped in. The Skyes were all sorts of amusing. “Good for him. More for us.” Captain turned from the Skye twins to Penelope, “How’d the shore treat you? Abigail chewed my ear off over some shell or other.” “Went right nice,” Penelope summed up. “Got plenty of shells to make up. Heard-tell we’re going to Greenleaf, so want to make sure my affairs are in order.” “‘Deed we are. In fact, I was hoping we could have a chat about some business later on. Got a pickup tomorrow after midday ‘fore we take off for Greenleaf.” Cal reached for another salmon steak. “That’d be shiny, Cap’n, since I was hopin’ for the same.” The pilot said as she helped herself to some garlic roasted potatoes, not real keen on sharing the details with the group at the moment anyhow.