Bacon and Eggs

Posted on Tue Aug 18th, 2020 @ 11:03pm by Hak

Mission: End of Line
Location: Diplomatic Galley, Deck 2
1938 words - 3.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Hak had only intended to slip down to the galley for a glass of real fruit juice while Jane slept in which explained, perhaps, why he was dressed in a pair of blue silk boxers, a button-down gauzy tunic that he'd just tossed on and hadn't bothered closing up, and a pair of pink fluffy bunny slippers.

The juice, of course, was easy. He'd poured a tall thin glass from a carafe in the refrigerator unit and then had been distracted by a plate of crispy bacon that someone had left in there as well. He was eating the bacon, cold but somehow just as delicious as ever, when the lights to the galley came up to full brightness.

Still rubbing sleep from his eyes, Patrick walked into his galley then stopped dead in his tracks when he saw used items. He glanced around then spotted the barely clad male over near the counter. "Who are you and what are you doing in my kitchen," he demanded, hand reaching for a ladle in case he'd need to chase the intruder out.

Hak gave a startle at unexpectedly getting caught, but it was only momentary. He couldn't help but chuckle at the man and his ladle and slowly put his hands up in the air, "You got me. Caught me pork-handed..."

"You think it's funny?" Patrick held the ladle up. "Tell me who you are or I'll call security. And why couldn't you wait for service."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" the other man said. "You must be Chef Patrick. I'm Hak. I should have waited, I'm sorry."

The chef dropped the ladle, eyes widening. "You're Hak? Captain Saulitis' Hak? The one who sent me that sundae recipe?"

"I heard it went over well," Hak grinned. "We make a good team."

"It was quite the hit among the crew too, and a few other recipes as well." The younger man paused. "So..you're a chef too then? Jane doesn't elaborate much where you're concerned. The mystery husband..."

"Oh, no, no.. not at all. I mean I can make a few things, but I'm not usually inclined to cook, too much effort for just one guy." Hak shrugged. "Yeah. We both enjoy our privacy. Not much for sharing our personal lives."

Patrick nodded. "Comes with the job I guess. Murph doesn't want me to get involved in his job either so these days I stay away from engineering. And he doesn't cook." He grinned. "Much as I prefer it because he can't even bake an egg... Even so I'd prefer you didn't sneak into my kitchen, I consider this to be my domain. Me on this side, crowd on the other side, rather as I prefer it."

"I'm not on the ship often," Hak promised. "So, I definitely appreciate if you would endulge me on occasion. We don't have a fresh food stock where I'm usually living. In return, I'll make it up to you. I'm not sure how, yet, but there must be something nice I can do for you."

"I don't know. Other than keep the quarters we live in now.... We had a visitor and so were moved to larger quarters. I'd like to keep them."

"Oh, that sounds like something I can work with," Hak said, thinking about it as he helped himself to another slice of bacon. "Maybe starting a family?" he asked, popping the piece into his mouth and chewing.

"In time... Murph doesn't think it's safe to raise a child on a starship and I think I'd like to get married first, sometime." Patrick looked sad as he confiscated the bacon then fired up the stove. "Eggs are up there," he said, pointing towards a cabinet. "Bacon tastes better when it's hot and crispy."

"Mm, up here?" Hak turned and opened the indicated cabinet, then pulled out four eggs, balancing them together in one hand as he closed up the cabinet again. "So, that seems reasonable. You don't think he'll go for it?"

"We both lost a husband," Patrick clarified, "we're both afraid to lose another I think, but I have hope." He smiled as he pushed a bowl forward. "Can you mix and spice?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I can't even imagine," Hak said softly as he set all the eggs on the counter then tried to keep them all from rolling out of reach or onto the floor for several moments. Finally, satisfied the eggs weren't going to end up landing somewhere on his -- er, Jane's -- bunny slippers, he picked up one, cracked it on the edge of the bowl and let the contents fall from the shell. He was feeling quite pleased about the first few, then noticed a piece of shell in the bowl. "Oh, crikes. I'm rusty at this."

"Use the large shell to just fish it out," the younger man suggested, "or two halves works too. Don't be sorry, it happened and we're happy together. I'm in no rush to get married, it'll happen when we're ready. Same as for children... I'd love one or two but we'll see... Do you want children?"

Hak smirked as he used a shell to fish out the erant shell in the mix. "This is next-level genius." He looked quite proud of himself when he'd finished that task and started cracking the rest. "Oh, Patrick, I'm flattered you asked, really, but I think Jane would be jealous."

"You've never used the shell before?" Patrick frowned despite his surprise. "Flattered? I don't get it why would she be jealous?"

Hak chuckled. "Oh, that was an attempt at a really bad joke and it apparently didn't work. You asked if I wanted to have kids. I should have said, 'Oh, that's a kind offer, maybe if things fall through with Jane,' maybe that would have landed better." He mixed up the eggs a bit. "Salt? Pepper? A little hot sauce?"

"Not too hot. And you haven't answered the question... Would you want children?"

After he added some seasoning, but left out the hot sauce, Hak gave a shrug. "I have reservations, not because I don't want children. I grew up without a father. I don't want that for my kids. You can make a marriage work remotely, but I don't think it's fair to do that to a child or to the other parent."

Patrick took the bowl and poured the contents into a pan. "And what if you reassigned here?" he asked as he started to whisk the solidifying eggs around. "Me and Andy were just ready for children, just discussing our options when he was killed. I think Murph is mostly scared about a child getting hurt because his husband was killed and because I was badly hurt a while ago, when an explosion destroyed his quarters, and nearly killed me. I wish he wasn't so worried sometimes."

"I think reassigning isn't possible." Hak said, but didn't elaborate. "And that sounds like something you'll both work through in time. Maybe the bigger quarters will help."

"Maybe...a man can hope? And I think having Min with us helps too. She adores him you know... Papa Murphy this, Papa Murphy that... she wants to be an engineer.." He smiled. "She's adorable, and so wise for her age. I think...I'd want a daughter like her."

"I'd bet that it will make an impact on him, too," Hak shrugged. "Sounds like it was a good experience."

Patrick chuckled. "It sure tested him...Murph doesn't like birds... but how could he not love Min? She's adorable." He grabbed a plate and pulled two slices of bread from a toaster. Tossing them on the plate he then shook the bacon and eggs from the pan onto the toast. "here." He shoved the plate forward.

Hak smiled as he accepted the plate. "This looks great, thank you. Now, I suppose I should get out of your hair and go eat this in our quarters." He picked up the glass of juice in his other hand.

"Wouldn't you want a second helping for the captain then?" Patrick asked without second thought.

"She won't be awake for another hour, at least," Hak smirked. It wasn't that he knew Jane's schedule very well, having rarely been around her while she was captain of the Majestic, it was more something that he just knew. At this distance, just a few dozen meters away from her quarters, he could still read her as if they were in the same room. "Married intuition," he reasoned with a wink.

"Or Betazoid intuition?" Patrick chuckled, having noticed the darker eyes. "You don't have to leave... you can get into the mess and eat there." He paused. "Or help with breakfast prep? The first crewmember should be coming in, in about an hour."

"Something like that," Hak confirmed, chuckling at bit. "Alright, Chez Patrick, since you made me this nice breakfast, the least I can do is help out for a few hours until she-who-must-not-be-awoken awakes."

"That bad huh?" Patrick grinned. "Here... you can measure the quantities for the porridge, unless you'd rahter busy yourself with the Vulcan breakfast fruits?" His smile widened. "Is she really that bad in the morning then? Sometimes I'd wish Murph sleeps in but he's often already gone before I even wake up."

"Oh, porridge, that's a new one... um... what do I do? How much water?" Hak wondered.

Rummaging in a drawer, Patrick shoved a PADD towards him. "Milk, not water," he said, looking horrified, "instructions are on there."

"I... Okay... milk it is," Hak had not expected to be tested on this so early in the morning. He picked up the PADD and skimmed over it. "Oh, this seems pretty simple." He went to retrieve the dry ingredients from the pantry.

"It is. Please don't burn the milk though." Patrick went on with preparing the fruit salads and other items. He worked with practiced speed and precision, almost forgetting he has company as he worked.

Hak's part of the process progressed without further conversation as Patrick worked. "Uh," he eventually said. "I think it's gone. Is it supposed to be like cement?"

Giving an almost exasperated sigh, Patrick moved over to look. "Add more milk," he suggested, "it should be the consistency of custard, or like a thick sauce. Maybe we can save this."

"This really seems like a lot. Does all this actually get eaten?" Hak asked as he poured some more milk in and tried to stir it. The handle of the metal spoon bent under the pressure.

"Yes," Patrick answered, "otherwise I wouldn't be making it. Mostly by Humans though, usually they add syrup or sugar. Ill make you a proper portion someday, so you can taste."

"Well, I thought maybe it served double duty as an bonding compound. Emergency hull patches, sealing bulkheads together..." Hak half-joked. "I don't know, something is still wrong." He was regretting volunteering.

"I should've known better than to let you help," Patrick answered, clearly annoyed at the ruined porridge. "I'll fix it, you got take breakfast to Jane, she'll be up by now."

"Let me help?" Hak asked, a bit stunned by the chef's quick turn of emotion. "You asked me, remember?" He shook his head at the waste of time it had been. He went to get the plate of eggs and bacon, now grown cold since he hadn't gotten a chance to eat it earlier. He dumped it into the reclamation unit. "You're right though, I should be getting back. Thanks, Chef."

OFF:

Hak, pnpc Murphy

Patrick O'Malley, pnpc Lhaes