[center][h2]The Helper (Shore Leave, Day 1 Morning)[/h2][/center] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/HhCmVGc.png[/img] [/center] Question: How do you help out on a boat when you don’t know a gorram thing about living and working in the black? Answer: Do any little thing you can. Right now, that was cooking. There was no equal for Joe Hooker in China Doll’s galley, a fact that the crew and passengers all learned abruptly. Hook’s decision to cast his lot with the Anabaptists had come as a shock, apparently as much to him as anyone else. Edina recognized his torment at leaving this crew, but the look in his eyes as he told of what he’d found in the faith made an even more powerful statement to those who’d listen. In the end, his departure was met with smiles, hugs, and tears among all of his shipmates…accompanied by a precipitous drop in the quality of grub. The college kids were the easiest. They devoured anything and everything that required no waiting or minimal prep. As a result, all the packaged cereal, snack foods, and sandwich makings were completely gone. Watchful of her own crew, Edina the ad hoc cook had squirreled away the final two slices of bread, an unappetizing pair of heels, for Abby’s usual morning toast and jam. Even that simple repast took effort, as the students’ ravages left precious little jam in the jar. “Sorry, Abby,” she apologized as she laid the sad result before the deckhand. “Yuri promised to help me restock the galley today…” “Don’t worry on my account,” the teeneager answered. “I can live on peebee an’ jays whole time we’s here, if it helps. Long’s we cot coffee,” she added with a smirk. Sister Lyen seemed just as easy to please. Though Edina had noticed a preference for fresh fruits and rice concoctions, the newest member of the crew was always one to graciously accept whatever pitiful fare the volunteer cook might wrench from a near empty pantry. She’d managed to preserve an orange for the nun, which had been served as slices framing a laughably poor attempt at sticky rice balls, all of which Lyen treated as a banquet. Imani Ozuka seemed every bit as hardy as her nature. She ate whatever Edina placed before her, offering no complaint…though she was a fan of salt and pepper. The new kitchen helper decided to engage her in conversation…feel her out for any preferences. By far, the most interesting challenge was Elias, their phantom mechanic. Before his departure, Hook had explained what he knew of the towering man’s wounds and his own efforts to provide nutrition. Every meal was centered on basic protein paste, generally cut with milk, eggs, or water to ease in the process of swallowing. She dove into research, attempting to come up with the best approach on his behalf. What little the cortex could offer her did tell Edina that taste buds weren’t only found on the tongue, but also the roof of the mouth. This epiphany set the woman onto a course of pursuing solutions for the mechanic. First, the food itself required some structure, enough to lift it to the roof of his mouth. From there, it was all about seasonings She had no clue as to the nature of the taste buds residing up there, so every meal was a different attempt at flavoring. So far, they’d agreed on hot seasonings. Now, she was working on sweet, sour, and savory, with an equal effort to give Elias’ nose something to look forward to at mealtime. Quill Casidy entered the galley. For a woman so supremely well put together, she was the simplest of the lot. Edina smiled and greeted her with the steaming mug. After a gracious nod and a few pleasantries, she joined the little group at the long table, her breakfast of a single cup of coffee cradled in both hands as she added to their conversation. Edina returned to her work on Elias’ breakfast. The other men aboard were typical in their preferences. Bacon, sausage, eggs, all of which she’d guarded jealously to have something for them on this first morning of shore leave. Tommy, the pilot, had taken off before dawn to grab an eastbound shuttle to some sort of ranch. She knew that Yuri was about, busying himself to hand over their cargo to the Earth-That-Was museum. As for the captain, and for that matter, the one woman she hadn’t seen today, the doctor? Edina hoped that they were beginning a well needed break by sleeping in together. She smiled to herself, a secret understanding that lately, similar notions had crossed her mind. “Who needs more coffee?” she piped up, to be greeted with a small sea of hands. She could help. She could make this home. She set Elias’ breakfast before him, then attempted to sign. “Sweet,” Edina signaled. “Let know me.” Around them, the conversation was lively. Abby was talking about the beach and buying herself a bikini, a topic that both Quill and Imani offered to share their expertise. The modest Sister Lyen looked on in quiet amusement. And then, there was Yuri. Upon reading his grim expression, her blossoming smile faded. “Hey,” she asked, “Is everything alright?” “No,” he replied, before quieting the group. “People? People!” he stepped to the head of the table. “I’ve got news.” The crew was now silent, all eyes directed to the first mate. “Captain wanted me to let you know that our doctor has decided to leave the boat. Sorry,” he lifted a hand to still mouths opening to spill questions, “She’s already gone. That’s all I know.” Under a deepening pall of silence he turned aft, making his way down to the cargo bay. Among those who remained in the galley, not a word was spoken, as if the simple act of doing so might prove inappropriate or rude. After a minute’s silence, Abby scooted her chair. Rising quietly onto her bare feet, the deckhand took her dishes to the sink. Edina could see the furrows on the girl’s brow…furrows that threatened to become storm clouds over glistening eyes as she hurried past. She knew that of the current crew, none were closer to Alana than Abby, except for the captain himself. But as she quietly studied the eyes of shipmates leaving one by one, Edina understood that pain was a deeply personal thing, not to be compared or measured by degree. Again, feeling her own sense of loss, she thought of the two questions. How do you help out? Do any little thing you can.