[h2]Brew a Cuppa Tea[/h2] [h3]en route to Greenleaf[/h3] OOC: JP between [@Aalakrys], [@MK Blitzen] [img]https://imgur.com/sn9wbri.png[/img] [hider=Have a Cuppa Tea] [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqDVK0IyJPQ][/youtube] [/hider] Cyd danced in place, a combination of actual steps and hopping to keep warm as she waited for the water to boil. Somewhere in the verse, there was a saying about that and how it would never happen if she continued to stare, but that didn’t stop her from egging it on. “Come on, kettle,” she urged, holding her hands adjacent to the pot in an attempt to keep them warm. As Penelope shuffled on through the galley, carefully wrapped in all her blankets so no skin except that around her eyes was exposed, she spotted Cyd. It seemed like she was attempting to give the kettle a pep-talk. Given her own recent musings with bits and circuits, Penelope couldn’t do much but smile beneath the folds around her lips. “Ya know what they say about a watched kettle…” “Ja, nee, but I’m trying to prove them wrong,” Cyd replied, returning the smile. “Lekker take off, my sibs and I barely knew we left atmo.” Penelope didn’t mention that Cyd had lost the battle then since she just took her eyes off the kettle. Her natural want to tease folk didn’t extend out to those she didn’t rightly know too well. Abby and the Cap’n, she had a feel for. Not much for the rest of those who called the Doll a temporary home for now. But, she liked the compliment, and found her habits getting the best of her. Her eyes shone out still. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing since we were in updrafts from the passing hurricane ‘fore we tilted up.” “Isaac can doss through near anything,” Cyd clarified with a giggle. “Ever since he was little. Mathias is the light sleeper mostly. How long you been flying for? As a pilot I mean?” Penelope had near about tilted her head as she thought, customary for her in habit but the sliding of the shawl over her cap stopped her short. “Unofficially... since I was ‘round sixteen. Ran out of Greenleaf, mostly drops like the last two runs with the Doll actually…” The cheer in her tone and gaze faded a bit with that. It wasn’t good memories, not anymore. Even the best had been tainted. But she caught ahold of the tail of that thought before it ran off. “Got plenty of practice hoverin’, which is good since my first job saw a lightnin’ storm and then that rescue had us in the tail of a hurricane. Not that I’m braggin’... suppose I should ask Mathais for the honest review sometime, light-sleeper that he is.” “He’d like that,” Cyd decided for him. She called it ‘twintuition.’ Not to his face or anything, she’s been mocked mercilessly, and that was a job best left to Isaac. “You haven’t been with the ship all that long, oweh?” "Nah-uh. Cap'n hired me on at Persephone. Was just lookin' ta go home, but reckon the Doll has grown on me some. Flyin' a Firefly is …" She paused, eyes turning as she thought of the right way to sum that feeling up. It was more than words could do justice, so she kept true and simple instead. "Like a dream, a pretty incredible, wild one." And far better than her alternative plans. But, ain't no use goin' on that. "How 'bout you? Not many folk sign on as ten'native long-term passengers. From what I could tell, ya weren't actch'ly part of that dumpin' job no one seemed to know was happenin' till it done gone wrong... You an' your brothers been with Cap'n Cal long?" Though it was passed, Penelope still had some sort of feelings on that one. Mostly concerning the siblings, funnily enough. Her own want for her family made her more empathetic than usual, but it couldn't be helped so close to home as she was getting. But she had let that mood lie as she asked the return question, genuine interest and returned lightness in her tone. “Not long,” Cyd replied with a shake of her head. “Since Persephone, us too, me and my sibs are wanderers…” she snapped her fingers to remember the word in English. “Nomads.” Funny word. No-mad. You had to be a little mad to travel all the time. “And I still don’t know what was all the bosbefok in the cargo bay. We were light on credits, I helped out half to try and get a better rate next trip for me and the boys so we didn’t end up doss on the street, and half,” she lowered her voice, “because I was curious to who needed my help with what in a cargo bay. If curiosity kills the cat, I’m lank lucky they have nine lives.” Penelope chuckled at the comparison. Cyd liked the pilot off the bat, she had the sort of eyes that put a person at ease, and the fact that she was from Greenleaf was even better! “But you said you’re from Our next stop? My sibs and I have some temp work, but we love to see sights! I heard about waterfalls as tall as buildings, anything else we should see, oweh?” “Oh, there’s plenty that can be done in the jungle, ‘pendin’ on how froggy you’re feelin’.” Penelope was grinning full through her eyes at that question. “Might lose another life’r two if’n ya don’t got the right guide on a Jungle Cruise or Walk. Plenty’a critters don’t like their home bein’ traipsed through. That’s deep in though, away from the city. Barefoot guide, if ya can score one, could get ya through jus’ fine. Hard’ta come across one that’d take a tourist though…” Cyd pictured feeling froggy as having happy toes - and she did love to dance. She also planned to wear shoes, especially in a jungle. She didn’t think she’d like stepping naked sole on squishy moss. Listing off all the things she knew about home got her near about as excited as she came, joy in her rhythmic words as her home accent flowed through naturally at the speech. “Plenty’a river to paddle board or kayak, whatever your fancy. Jus’ stick ta the marked rivers’r you’re libel ta run across ‘gaters and toothie fish. One sector’a’tha city built ‘round what they could and got river dolphin swimmin’. Safest place to go campin’, too, if’n ya wanna hear the jungle at night. Oh, an’ can’t forget the aerial, though ya got a shuttle at your call ya should take up a glider. They’re ‘stricted’ta certain areas, power down if ya get outta range. Alliance watches ‘em and shuttles like raptors.” There may have been a hint of annoyance at the last bit, at least as close could come from one of Penelope’s disposition. The kettle went to piping, which was a good interruption or she might have went on. As it was, her hazel eyes moved to the steam coming from the kettle. With a hint of longing and fondness, she added the final bit the shrill call brough forth. “Bird watchin’. Ain’t no color you won’t find in the canopy, and the songs… it’s worth the Walk.” “Izzit? Isaac will like that,” Cyd said happily, carefully removing the tea kettle with a dishcloth, in case the handle was hot. Some lessons you only needed to learn once. She liked how the pilot’s accent grew thicker when talking of her home. Toothie fish she planned to adopt as a new word as soon as she had the chance. “Your home sounds sommer great. I’d like to take up a glider with my sibs, and show Isaac the birds, and Mathias can swim with the dolphins!. Best part of seeing the verse is actually seeing the verse, ja nee?” She rooted around the cabinet for some cups. “You want to come and warm up some? The shuttle has heat and I just made a billy of Honeybush, it’s sweeter than rooibos - but I still add a little sugar anyway. We can talk more about Greenleaf, it’s nice to have a foondi… er… expert. Abby came to pay us some time, I think we were going to play cards or mah jongg.” “I ain’t got no idea what that is, but I’ll be glad to have a cup if it’ll warm me up quick-like. Ain’t used to the cold, though I bet ya can’t tell.” Even her jokes were given as if she were relaxed, still relaxed back into her native mindset. “I was sent your way anyhow, so I’m glad I at least got an official invite. Need help with any’a that?” Cyd wasn’t sure how many people would show, but figured eight was a safe bet. There was the kettle of Honybush and what looked like a fresh brew of coffee. It’d take a while, she realized, to get to know people on the ship and their particular tastes on things. “I should be kiff,” she decided, setting the kettle and cups on a cookie sheet. “I wait a lot of tables, there’s always someone looking for temp help for parties and such. It gets us by. Abby brought a few more blankets too, if you want you’re welcome to use them. We thrifted some on New Melbourne, so we have plenty for tonight.” She carefully lifted the makeshift tray and ticked her head for the pile of patchworks to follow. It didn't cross Penelope's mind that Cus could've been teasing her - though she did make a joke at her own expense as she followed behind. "Only place left is my eyes to cover, though I wouldn't complain at this point. So cold…" She chuckled softly to herself, knowing she must be a sight. But she wasn't used to all this frigid chill. "Least I can see to get the door. For now, anyhow." Just as they were getting ready to leave, Cyd with her serving tray filled and Penelope just focused on keeping her blanket shield closed to the elements, Alana came in. She, too, wanted tea - for her and the patient, the new passenger. She updated them briefly on the man’s condition and name, and sat to getting her own kettle ready to take back. Penelope worried about her clothes - they looked wetish, what poked through the white smock, which also looked damp. After assuring them that the doctor wasn’t going to get herself sick, which left them unconvinced - especially Penelope who was bundled up beyond normal means - they left her to her tea preparation, in hopes it would go faster without them distracting her.