Valuable Cargo-Coffee

Posted on Tue Sep 19th, 2017 @ 4:28am by

Mission: Mission 4 - Combustion
Location: Mess Hall
Timeline: shortly after departing the cargo bay.
692 words - 1.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Tran and Noelle moved up from the cargo bay where they had met and were talking. They had stopped along the way at Tran's quarters, and the quartermaster had pulled the bag of beans from out of one of several hidey holes he had established.

They entered the mess hall, and approached the food prep area. Quang was fully aware of the relative value of coffee, and he used it sparingly. This was something unexpected and improvisational. He slid the cabinet open and pulled out an archaic object.

He set it on the counter and scooped out a quantity of aromatic beans. There was a strong and comforting odor to them. They were poured into the object, and it was sealed. The Vietnamese smiled as he tapped the on switch. "Old fashioned device. Used to be very popular. Called a coffee grinder. Back before replicator dulled everyone's taste buds."

"We don't really use that technology despite having our floating city." Things was still refreshing cooked where possible. Replicators were left for basic items and equipment.

"Better than us, then," answered the Vietnamese. "We make everything faster and supposedly better. Something are meant to take time. I grew up in Ho Chi Minh City on Terra. Not the best place, but we held onto old customs longer. Don't know why, just did."

Quang took out the ground beans and placed them in an equally old fashioned device that he pulled from the cabinet. "This is a coffee maker. Take the beans, add water, and magic happens."

After Tran had poured the water into the coffee maker, he activated it. Slowly an aromatic and comforting odor began to rise up from it.

Nollel sniffed the air and smiled. "I remember that as a child. We were on earth. Everyone was drinking this." She said leaning closing sniffing the coffee maker. It made her sneeze, in a very lady like way.

"For a good reason. It's pleasantly addictive. Not really but once you get used to it." With that he pulled mugs out of a Mess Room cabinet.

"It'll be ready in about five minutes. So what did you see on Earth when you were there?"

"Museums mostly. We were in San Fransisco as my father is the Ambassador. I was barely a teenager." She admitted thinking compared to him she was still a child. She shrugged, her father did his thing and she did hers, she just wasn't happy about this highly illegal arranged marriage.

Quang grunted softly. "That's a shame, they should have shown other parts of the planet. It's a garden spot after all. Sydney, Kyoto, Taiwan, Chicago, London, Beijing, and so on. When you're exploring new options and situations, explore."

With that he poured the coffee into two ceramic mugs, and handed her one. "I can replicate cream if you want, but give this a try. Tell me what you think."

The woman took a pensive sip and smiled a little at the warmth that went through her. "He was there a month or so." She shrugged. She had been too young to care at the time, it had just been changed. "It's bitter but nice?"

"Yes," he replied quietly. "Sort of like life, earth, and sometimes family."

He smiled and then continued, "But's it's also comforting in that it's familiar. But you can allow for change. Coffee's like that. Adjust when ready. Sorry I get unnecessarily philosophical at the time. A professional danger of being an ex-bartender. We tend to be philosophical as well."

"I don't want change." Nollel realised what he was getting at. She shook her head. "I know what you are hinting at." She smiled shyly at him as she took another sip of her coffee.

Tran was frustrated but hid it. He had plenty of practice from his days behind a bar. Nothing different here. Well yes, he heard views like hers before but hadn't seen them come out well. But while you might lead a horse to water, you couldn't ...etc.

"Understood," Tran answered amicably. Understood."

Nollel Livaam
Passenger
SS Mary Rose
(PNPC Gregol)

Quang Van Tran
Quartermaster
SS Mary Rose