Papa's Recipe

Posted on 25 Feb 2020 @ 4:36pm by Captain Mallory Thorne & Commander Kristiana Petrova

1,230 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Changing Faces
Timeline: MD 01 - 0930 hours

=/\= Begin Log =/\=

After the staff briefing, Mallory felt like she'd gone running around the ship trying to put a pin in all of the various things that kept changing on her. She barely seemed in charge of her own staff, but given that she was over a hundred crew members down... Well, what was it they said? Beggars can't be choosers?

Mal returned to the ready room after all that was done and got herself a cup of strong, strong coffee before sitting down on the small sofa and rubbing her neck. When the chime rang, she almost didn't answer...but finally did call out a weary, "Enter."

Kristiana walked in as bade, took one look at Mallory, picked up the Captain's strong coffee, recycled it, ignored Mallory's protestations, ordered two mugs of a Russian sounding beverage, placed them on the Captain's desk, produced a hip flask from god knows where on her person and poured a dash of the clear liquid within into both mugs. "You look like you could use one of these. Papa Petrov's recipe." she mused before picking up her own and taking a sip, eyes closed.

Although this wasn't the first time Mallory had interacted with the other woman--there had been a few occasions by now--she still was never sure just how to take her. Most people wouldn't just separate a captain from her coffee, after all, but she had returned it... Maybe?

"What's in it?" Mal asked, peering into the cup.

"Water, powdered beans, cinnamon and fermented potatoes." Kristiana mused, and if she were a Caitian she'd be purring as she took another sip of her cinnamon vodka coffee. "Helps with the stress."

Mallory had to think that through for a moment. "Vodka? You're giving your captain liquor at oh-nine-thirty in the morning?"

"Best time for it." Kris took another sip. "For a dash, that is. It's not like I'm trying to get you drunk." She started to look a little bit exasperated. "Best way to start the day. But, if you don't want it, fine - I'll make you a mug of normal, boring coffee and drink that one." she shrugged.

"Bit touchy this morning?" the captain asked, raising her brows slightly as she took a drink. It was pretty good, really, although she didn't usually have alcohol so early in the day. Then again, given the Odin's present situation, maybe this was just the time to do so.

"Had an ... encounter with Talrian, trying to get my personal weapons cleared and logged." Kristiana sighed, muttering a curse in russian. "Then you make it out like I'm trying to make you an alcoholic by giving you like two drops of vodka in your coffee. I doubt that's even one percent by volume." she motioned at Mallory's mug. "You'd die from a caffeine overdose before getting tipsy, with these."

Although they had just lowered, the wiggling brows rose again. "You've just gotten to checking your weaponry in?"

"Hadn't gotten around to unpacking it yet." Kris sighed, cupping her mug in both hands, enjoying the warmth. "My transfer was a rush job, then found myself working every waking moment for a while until I finally had some free time."

"I can't imagine what's kept you so busy," Mal said dryly. "The ship only got knocked back in time to hell then returned to this place minus a huge chunk of crew... Plenty of extra time there, I'm sure."

"Well, less crew means less people to chase around swinging the chain of command at them." Kristiana mused, enjoying another sip of her drink. "Speaking of which, how are we doing? We lost a lot of crew yes, but most of the important positions are covered and I can always shift a few people around if needed."

Mallory sighed and took a longer drink before she replied. "So far, we're okay." She waved at the stack of PADDs on her desk that were full of personnel files. "Our wing is going to need a new CAG, apparently, but most of our other senior staff roles are filled and no one is voicing a need for shifting into their departments. People are working more than before, but they're okay."

"Can't help you with a CAG. I've got my shuttle flying license but that's about it." Kris glanced at the stack of PADDs. "I've been keeping myself busy lightening Gant's workload, doing the boring things, the gopher work, the department rounds, etcetera undsoweiter. I'll just keep doing that then."

"Have you read the briefing files on this group we're apparently going to meet?" Mal asked, shifting the subject since there wasn't much else to be said on the other. "This...Seelie Coalition?"

She shook her head. "Haven't gotten around to it yet. Odd name, really. Seelie. Isn't that an old word for faeries? Specifically of Irish, English, Scottish and Welsh folklore?"

Mal nodded. "You are correct," the captain said. She thought back to what she remembered from her own education as well as from the briefing on the coalition itself. "It seems that some of its original members are...particularly long-lived and also many of the old stories were of the fae's shapeshifting. The entire coalition is made up of shapeshifting races. I suppose we should be grateful they aren't calling themselves the Unseelie, though."

Kristiana made a face at that thought. "Well, just don't make a deal with them or tell them our names and we should be fine, right?"

Mal pursed her lips at the edge of her cup like it was suddenly filled with unsweetened lemon juice. "I imagine the...lovely general has already outed us on the name bit. No deals, though. Maybe we can manage that. I feel like I've already made a deal with the Devil as it is... And I don't even believe in the Devil."

"That's how he gets you though." Kris took another sip of her drink.

"If he exists," Mal said wryly. "Although after everything the Odin has been through recently, one has to wonder."

"He's a scapegoat humanity came up with to explain and put a face to evil and to use as a cautionary if imaginary boogeyman in order to scare people into behaving as an easier alternative to teaching actual morals." Kristiana mused, moving to take another sip from her drink, then making a face when she realized it was already all gone. "Or so I believe."

Mal chuckled. "I would tend to agree," she said, getting to her feet to put her empty mug into the recycler. "I may have to try this for breakfast more often."

"Is it too early to disclose my plan to take over the ship by making everyone drink this for breakfast, or should I sit on that a bit longer?" Kris asked, heading over to recycle her mug as well.

"Keep that under your hat a little bit longer," Mal said with a smirk. "Let me have a couple more mornings to really get hooked."

"Well, it's in the computer, under Petrov's Recipe." Kris mused. "Anyways, about time I head back to work. Just wanted to touch base and see how we're doing."

Mallory's smirk became a smile as she nodded. "Of course, Commander," she said. "Thanks for stopping in. Hopefully, there will be a few days of calm now..."

=/\= End Log =/\=

Captain Mallory Thorne & Lieutenant Commander Kristiana Petrova

 

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