but seriously, what's the deal with space food?

[amarant]

Who: Emblica
Broadcast: Network, voice-only.
Action: Fellow members of the SS Dysfunction Pathstone
When: In the middle of the night. Space night. Insomniacs, ARISE.

[ It's kind of weird that even in space, people still have a sort of schedule. Sleep during the same few hours, wake up and then stay awake for a while, then go back to bed. Even the fact that all around them, it's dark, doesn't seem to take away from that. In a way, it's almost impressive.

Of course, there are always people who don't...quite adhere to that "normal" sleep schedule. Maybe you can't sleep. Maybe you were taking a shower before bed and then you ran out of hot water and the cold water woke you back up. Maybe your bunkmate snores way too loud.

If you are one particular member of the Pathstone (hint: the one who basically only leaves the sickbay about four times a day), then it's a combination of weird unpleasant dreams and the knowledge that there's a good chance of most of the others on board being asleep right now.

Also, hunger. It's not like she's particularly craving weird solid protein stuff, but when you have to eat, you have to eat.

And so she's sitting in the little dining room, trying to find something among the options here. It is not easy. So, to the network (the ones who aren't sleeping): ]


Has anyone thought of a good way to eat the food here? I keep trying, but it still feels wrong when I eat it.

The flavors don't make sense to me, either. I only know what a few of them are. Are they strange for everyone else?


[ If anyone from the Pathstone is around, she'll be hanging around, poking at some chicken solid and some mixed vegetable solid. And actually not hiding her face. It's...kind of hard to eat with it on. ]

Comments

[amarant]

...you don't have to apologize.

[ Sh...she appreciates it. For now. Though she still isn't looking directly at him. ]

I just couldn't sleep.

[ Partly because she didn't want to since she figured certain people would be asleep, partly because...she just doesn't sleep that well anyway. ┐(￣ヮ￣)┌ ]

[heresyandlace]

I know the feeling.

[and, finally, he nods toward the... foodstuffs.]

I'm also hungry. Have you figured out anything useful about that garbage yet?

[amarant]

Only that it's no good.

[ Stands up like she plans to leave. ]

I was just finishing up here.

[ The practically-untouched "meal" and the fact that her stomach seems to be protesting that, rather loudly, would beg to differ. Whoops. ]

[heresyandlace]

Oh, I just think you're being unfriendly.

You should stay.

[still giving her space, but he casually ambles toward the protein machine]

Surely there must be a way to make this edible.

[amarant]

[ Why thiiiiis...

Sits...back down. ]

I haven't gotten any advice yet.

[ Trying this whole "sounding civil" thing. You can do this, breathe. ]

[heresyandlace]

[he taps the option that reads 'chicken']

...Have you tried warming it up or anything?

[amarant]

It doesn't make it any more real.

[heresyandlace]

Palatable is a good first step, though.

...Unless you feel like hunting the creatures scurrying through the vents.

[which, he doesn't sound completely opposed to, actually]

[amarant]

[ Yeah, but who knows what kind of weird space diseases they've got. ]

I'd sooner starve.

I imagine dying that way would be more pleasant than dying from whatever they have.

[heresyandlace]

[oh, right... catching diseases is a thing to most creatures. he forgets about stuff like this sometimes.]

Well, I guess you're out of options, aren't you?

So... asking again, have you tried warming it up?

[amarant]

[ It is, and it's not fun at all. ]

Yes, I tried it.

[ A bit sharply. ]

I don't need to be supervised in my eating habits.

[heresyandlace]

[her sharp tone just makes him smirk. again.]

You were asking for help, were you not?

I'm only trying to help.

[amarant]

I was asking for methods that aren't obvious.

[ Stabbing the protein solid with her fork, though not actually eating it. ]

[heresyandlace]

How would I know what things you have and have not tried.

...You don't exactly look kitchen-savvy, you know.

[amarant]

[ Stubbornly continues stabbing her "food" with the fork.

He is SO ANNOYING. ]

[heresyandlace]

[he just chuckles low to himself and starts serving himself up a plate of "chicken," proceeding to squish it out of its cube-shape with a fork.]

So... where's your mask?

[amarant]

I left it where I'm sleeping.

[ It might be more or less obvious where that is, based on how often he tries to visit the sickbay. Or how often he hears someone shuffling around in there. ]

I didn't think I would have to worry about being seen.

[heresyandlace]

Why are you trying to hide your face?

[at least he's asking the questions casually and openly, as he pops his mashed-up food into the microwave]

[amarant]

I don't like people looking at me.

[ It's more or less true. ]

I'd rather them look at that than my face.

[heresyandlace]

Is that so? Do you think there is something wrong with your face?

[he leans near the microwave, waiting for his food, but isn't facing her directly. still giving her space, even if it's mostly metaphorical in this small room.]

[amarant]

If it isn't obvious to you, then it wouldn't matter.

[heresyandlace]

...So, it's something that I would see as wrong with it, and not something you see wrong with yourself?

[microwave still humming away, probably for too long...]

[amarant]

It wouldn't be a problem if not for others' way of thinking.

[ Rests her chin in her hand, watching the microwave. ]

[heresyandlace]

[on a hilariously-on-target hunch, he leans forward to give her face a quick, thorough glance-over, before he relaxes and looks away again]

...If you tell me that it's the freckles around your eye, I'm going to laugh.

[and boy that foodstuff is really sizzling and popping now]

[amarant]

...go check on your food.

[ R U D E ]