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]

If you think you're only annoying enough to strike one nerve, you're wrong.

[heresyandlace]

Ooo, I've hit several?

[he plays up looking pleased as he delicately fishes the plate out of the microwave, just to annoy her further.

and by the way the mush is still dramatically sizzling, he really should be scorching his hands. but he's just gingerly shifting the plate around on his fingertips with casual discomfort]

And I didn't even try this time.

[amarant]

[ As long as he's proud. ]

Your presence is annoying, that's all.

[heresyandlace]

Oh, well. If that's all there is to it, then I suppose you and I are not as alike as I'd thought.

[he picks at the overcooked mush with his fingers]

[amarant]

What would we have in common?

[heresyandlace]

If those freckles around your eye marked you as something worthy to be judged by some people, it would have given us a point of similarity.

I would have been able to commiserate with that feeling. At least on some level.

[amarant]

[ Ugh, she does not want to have anything in common with this guy.

Stabs her food again, like that's a response. ]

[heresyandlace]

[he contents himself with picking at his food for a bit, like he's not waiting for a response at all.

eventually, he holds his plate wordlessly out in her direction, just in case she wants to have a forkfull of his chickenmush?]

[amarant]

[ Shakes her head. ]

...why do you want to talk to me, after what happened?

[heresyandlace]

Because you're interesting.

[he takes his plate back and resumes picking at it]

And if I avoided every person who wanted to kill me, I'd have far fewer friends.

[amarant]

I'm not-- that interesting.

[ Somehow, she feels like he really is honest about that whole "everyone wants him dead" thing. ]

You don't know that I won't try it again.

[heresyandlace]

I didn't say you were that interesting, don't worry. Only marginally so.

And... trust me. You won't kill me.

[amarant]

I may hurt you, though.

[ Don't try to act so cool. ]

[heresyandlace]

I'm sure I'll be fine.

[sooo he might be a little cocky.]

[amarant]

...I'll try not to do it again, though.

[heresyandlace]

I do appreciate it.

It will make you a lot easier to live with.

[amarant]

The current method of living together is working already.

[ Yes, this whole "avoiding each other" thing is working well. ]

[heresyandlace]

You think so?

Do you enjoy sneaking around, trying to move about a tiny space while guessing where everyone else will not be?

[amarant]

I see little reason to complain.

...I do have one thing to ask, though.

[heresyandlace]

Oh?

And what's that?

[amarant]

A request. Don't worry, I don't think it's something you'd mind.

If I do that again, I'd prefer that instead of trying to stop me, that you'd kill me instead.

that's not the icon I picked...

[heresyandlace]

[he blinks...]

...And why's that?

it is now :I

[amarant]

People feel uneasy about hurting a child, so I'm sure that's why you didn't properly fight back. It'd be much easier this way, wouldn't it?

[heresyandlace]

Define 'easier.'

...And are you requesting this of me because you would like to die, or just don't want to be treated like a child?

[amarant]

Less guilt, if you have any sense of that.

I'll be fine, so it won't have any lasting effects, either.

It's only that...I'd rather not do anything I regret, and it's the most definite way to stop me, right?