[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/z5wRGV7.jpg?1[/img]

[h2][b]The Bald Hook[/b][/h2][/center]

Joe Hooker woke up from a restless sleep. His [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5285209]recurring dream[/url] about the death of his brothers gripped him as it did every night. It was a horrific nightmare he relived night after night. But not every night did he awaken, screaming. Fatigue, a constant companion for the cook and deck hand aboard the class three Firefly ship named [i]China Doll[/i].

He showered and shaved. His reflection in the mirror reminded him he had cut his hair prior to their landing on Osiris as well as his beard. Undoubtedly the crew would say he looked [i]different[/i]. Yes, he was now [b]bald and clean-shaven. No more beard.[/b] He’d been growing and trimming that beard for three years now. It almost felt good to be clean-shaven again.

After his shower, he returned his toiletries to their rightful place and dressed in a white tank top, navy blue polyester and cotton blend trousers, his work boots, and his gun belt, which he always wore with his Ruger Redhawk in its holster. He looked himself over in the mirror one more time and almost had a hard time recognizing himself without hair on top of his head or his beard. [i]‘Joe, who you think you be?’[/i] Joe shook his head and gave off a few [i]mmpfhs[/i]. Then he headed to the galley.

The first step was to clean out the coffee pot, which was actually a stainless-steel urn holding almost four gallons of water, and used two and a half cups of ground coffee. He didn’t always fill the urn all the way, but the first mate told him to expect new crewmembers and more passengers. This next sortie would see the [i]China Doll[/i] with more people aboard than previously he had seen.

While the coffee percolated, he gathered the ingredients for coffee cake. An hour and a half later, the fresh pastry was complete and cooling on the galley table. Joe had already finished three cups of coffee and was working on a fourth. His hand was shaking, but no one could say if it was the intake of caffeine or the deliberate denial of alcohol.

With the food and coffee set on the table, he turned his attention to cleaning the ship’s head and gathering up laundry from the crew members to begin cleaning clothes. With one load in the washing machine and one in the dryer, he brought out his H&K 770. Insuring it was clear of all ammunition and magazine, he grabbed that, the cleaning kit, and a rag and returned to the Galley. He cleaned the rifle while waiting on the laundry.

[i]‘Miss Abbey is in rough shape. Ah saw what she lookt like after they brought her in. It was all mah fault. She must be so upset wit me.’[/i] Joe had a lot of respect for the eighteen-year-old deck hand. [i]‘Miss Abby always appears hardened, independent, and spirited. Ah kin git behin’ a person like Miss Abby. She a good shot too. [/i][b]Abby Oakley[/b].’ That thought put a smile on his face. [i]‘But ah don’ wanna see her yet. Ah’s so embarrassed by mah behavior…mah actshins on Greenleaf. That poor fella ah dun’ kilt. That was so wrong. Ah am shorely gonna go ta hell. I mus’ see a Shephard about this. Mebee I kin go seek one out on Pelorum?’[/i] In the meantime, Joe made a plan to avoid Abby while aboard ship. He knew it would be difficult, but nonetheless necessary.

A few hours into the day, the First Mate showed up with his groceries. “Thank ya, Mister Yoo Ree! Ah knows you kin’t carry the heavy stuff, but mebee some of the lahter items? We’ll git them up to the galley fo’ storage.” Joe carried the heavier items, while the first mate carried some of the other stuff. “Mister Black ne’er helped me carry foodstuff. Might kin’ of you, mister Yoo Ree.”

When the stores had been put away, Joe completed an inventory of the cold storage, frozen and dry storage. He now had the following items on hand:

[hider=Food inventory][indent]Fifty pounds potatoes
Fifty pounds rice
Protein paste, twelve one-gallon tubs
Two cases Captain Bob’s Cola
One case Boom-Boom Lemon
Peanut butter
grape jelly
Lemon Powder Mix
Orange Powder Mix
Cherry Powder Mix
Raspberry Powder Mix
Frozen Pork Tenderloin
Frozen Rib Meat
Frozen Chicken wings & drumsticks
Nacho Chips
Cheddar Cheese
Swiss Cheese
Cheddar Cheese Sauce
Mild salsa sauce
half a bushel of green peppers 
half a bushel of red peppers 
bag with eight cucumbers
two dozen ears of fresh corn
asparagus
green beans
peas, carrots
beets
lettuce
cabbage
onions
celery
five pounds of MacIntosh
five pounds of Cortlands 
five pounds of Spencers
several pieces of meat in the freezer 
some spices 
candy red hots 
Beef Stew (Made after taking off from New Melbourne)
Apple Pie (4 days old)
Blueberry Pie 
Peach Cobbler
chocolate chip cookies
oatmeal raisin cookies
Sugar Cookies[/indent][/hider]

He added the Apple Pie, Blueberry Pie, Peach Cobbler, and assorted cookies to the coffee cake. They would be tossed at the end of the day. [i]‘Five days was long enough for these.’[/i] He dumped the Beef Stew out and then planned meals for the day.

[i]‘Looks like mashed potatoes would do fine along with some Pork Tenderloin and asparagus for dinner. Ah kin do a rub for the pork. For lunch, chicken wings, hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, and salsa or cheddar sauce.’[/i] He started getting the meals ready. [i]‘Mister Yoo Ree named the new crew. Mister Yee Junk? That don’ soun raht…and a Mister Tommy would take Miss Penelope’s place on the bridge. Ah hope he kin fly this tub as well as her. She was good. Also a few passengers this trip. Miss Quill. She seemed nice, of what ah could see of her and Miss Ee-Mahn-ee. Not shore what the deal wit her is.’[/i] Joe contemplated the new arrivals and what Yuri told him. Joe almost forgot about Sister Lyen. [i]‘Ah dun know if’n that Sister is comin aboard wit us. Mebee her too?’ lot’s ah mouths ta feed. That’s fo shore.’[/i] Joe allowed a smile as he continued his work in the Galley.

[i]'Ah think ah'll let the beard grow out agin.'[/i]