Ensign Blaine McCray - Lookin' Forward to It
JB Dunham
(( USS Constitution - Saloon ))
McCray: I really enjoy it there, especially the history. One of the neighbor ranches had a Native American battle site on it. I’d spend days riding along the river breaks. Though I love the family estate in Shir’khar too. My human grandparents actually sent a few horses there and we built stables there too so I could ride.
T’Seva: I've been on a horse a couple of times. You took horses to Vulcan...I'm assuming the hotblood variety.
Arabians or Akhal-Tekes could probably take the conditions...draft horses not so much.
McCray: Actually, Quarter Horses, so hardy enough for Vulcan. What about you, ma’am? What’s Bajor like?
T’Seva: Well, it depends. I grew up in a medium-sized town in a more rural province...in a flower shop.
Hence, no doubt, the shared interest in plants.
T'Seva: Bajor's a highly varied world, much like Earth. Where I grew up was temperate in climate, but we were still restoring the land from the Cardassians.
They hadn't exactly cared about the Bajoran ecosystem.
McCray: An’ what’s it like servin’ here? The records really only tell so much about the culture of a ship.
At that point Elias showed up with springwine and cornbread.
Kincaid: It’s a right, treat it is pardner. As tha lady said before, hard ta find a crew that ain’t biased fer their ship. But this here crew is as exceptional as they come. Reckon havin’ a Mama Bear like Jalana is a good part of that. ::he chuckled:: One springwine, darlin’. And I reckon yer a feller that can appreciate a good cornbread, Ensign…?
McCray: I’d love some. I haven’t had homemade cornbread since my graduation leave.
Blaine took a square and took a bite, the flavors rolling on his tongue.
McCray: Now that’s amazin’!
T'Seva: And you know I'll take cornbread. And this crew is pretty tight knit and it's one of the less formal ships. Lots of people on first name terms.
Kincaid: Pleasure ta make yer acquaintance, McCray. Yer particular twang, Georgia or Florida abouts if I had ta guess, yes?
McCray: Texas Panhandle, actually. Biggest town is Amarillo, but our ranch was northeast of there by about an hour.
T'Seva sipped her springwine, then claimed a square of cornbread while listening to McCray's response. She was familiar with Kincaid's background.
Kincaid: ::he tipped his hat slightly, then gestured to the picture of a ranch beside a replica of his blackfoot headdress above the bar behind him:: Montana. Family ranch outside a Bozeman. Been in mah family fer generations. ::he chuckled:: Nice ta meet a kindred spirit. If’ ya want anythin’ food wise my people can make damned near anythin’ from anywhere in tha four quadrants. And at least some of its not replicated.
McCray: Right now, I’d love a good steak. The replicator is good, but I haven’t found out how to tweak it enough to get it exactly right.
T'Seva: Which reminds me, Elias. I have an idea.
Kincaid: Response
Blaine listened, leaning forward as he sipped his beer then grinned.
McCray: I’m all ears too.
T'Seva: We're going to be stuck on Tucker Shipyards for a while. It's pretty barebones, so we'll be having to make our own entertainment. And it occurred to me that a cookoff would be a good idea. And maybe...
She indicated the cornbread.
T'Seva: A *chili* cookoff. Every world has something resembling chili.
It was, after all, a good way to make a tasty meal from whatever was at hand.
T'Seva: And I was wondering if you would like to judge.
Who better?
Kincaid: Response
Blaine grinned hearing this, already thinking about his grandmother’s recipe and how best to get it done on ship.
McCray: My mouth is already waterin’.
T’Seva / Elias: Response
McCray: I’ve got to say I’m lookin’ forward to it. Most of the small towns where I’m from have one every year.
T’Seva / Elias: Response
Ensign Blaine McCray
TAC/SEC Officer
USS Constitution-B
C240302BM1