driftfleet | (no subject)

[Erik is in the process of dicing some of the vegetables from the planet when Bucky enters, the tuber-esque one that could resemble a potato, if you were being generous. He glances up when Bucky speaks, and makes a gesture at the pot sitting on the oven nearby.]

Vegetable soup. If it's chilled, it should last for a while. Better to have some real food on hand while we're travelling.

There should be some bread in the cupboard that would go well with it.

[ He glances into the pot, and it does look good. Though, anything is better than protein paste. ]

Do you need a hand?

Sure. [Erik shifts along, leaving more space for Winter to step in. He gestures with a knife at some of the items on the table.] The red bulb ones need to be skinned then sliced.

[ It's only a little awkward maneuvering the dead arm onto the counter so he can stabilize these vegetables while skinning them. Maybe not super efficient yet, but it's not a race. ]

Hope I'm not intruding. Some people like to cook alone.

[Erik's gaze flicks to the arm for a moment, wondering when Winter would seek to fix it. That's his business, though Erik can't imagine it's easy walking around with dead weight flapping around like that.

He sighs in response, going back to dicing some other vegetables.]

I'm used to people being in my space while I cook. Back when I did it for my team, they would hardly leave me alone until I was done.

[ It's still up in the air whether it's going to be fixed. It's all still speculation at the moment. Until a decision is made, he'll deal with what comes. It's a little awkward, but the vegetables get skinned and sliced. ]

I've tried it a few times, but I don't think I get the same benefit from cooking that others do. Do you prefer having an empty kitchen, or people around?

I learned out of necessity. Doing more with it is where the pleasure lies for me. [Anyone could boil or burn something. Mixing ingredients into something new and different, though, was a trial to be faced and there was satisfaction in getting it right. Erik drops a handful of diced pieces into the nearby pot.]

Empty is easier. [But an empty kitchen can also remind him that the people he once cooked for are far away.] I don't mind, either way, as long as I can do the work.

Have you been getting decent use of that cook book?

[ He's not aware of anyone else on the Heron who would use it, but he does hold secret hope that Erik has at least been peeking at it. ]

I've had a look through it, yes. [Erik is never one to ignore a cook book that's there for the taking.] And tried a couple of recipes, where I can find the equivalent ingredients. I had to ask a friend to make flour for me, since they don't provide that.

Should I be looking out for any particular ingredients at our next stop? Or utensils?

[ Winter steps out of Erik's space, letting him monopolize the counter again and picks up his discarded mug. He moves to the drinks dispenser for some tea. Coffee's better, but this will work. ]

[Erik takes over smoothly, placing more diced food into the pot. It won't take much more before it can be cooked.]

Staples, mostly. Fresh food is easy enough to find on worlds like the last one, but standard cooking bases like flour and sugar aren't as easy to locate.

I'll be sure to keep an eye out. We have more than enough places to store an inventory.

And plenty of incentive. Hopefully the next place has decent supplies.

[He moves to shift the pot onto the stovetop, and starts fiddling with the knobs to light it. This oven has never wanted to cooperate, despite his considerable time spent trying to work out the best settings.]

I'd also like to get more metal. I've used up everything I had from the moon, in making Charles's new chair.

Here's hoping. The last planet was decent for supplies, but there wasn't too much variety.

[ Bucky sits at the table, back to the corner so he can watch Erik as well as the entry to the kitchen. ]

Probably a good idea. I should go looking. [ Though he doesn't really have any idea what he needs to be looking for as far as supplies for his arm goes. The technicians always made sure he had to rely on them for repairs. ]

[Erik glances back at Winter, then down to his mangled arm briefly.]

On the moon, I got most of my supplies at a scrapyard. There may be something similar in the next place.

I'm sure there's a list of things I need. I'll have to ask, but I'll take a look and see what's available.

[ He's just not sure when. Who even knows what the next planet is going to have. ]

I'll stock up like last time. [The stove finally lights, and Erik steps back.] I also want to look for an additional refrigerator.

A way to freeze things might be an alternative if one can't be found.

A freezer... what a luxury.

It's possible to get one working. Or a refrigerator. There are enough engineers in the fleet willing to help with something like that.

I'll look into it.