Lt. JG S'Rorr - Flammable Gas and Rotten Fruit

[S'Rorr]

(( Shuttle Terminal, New Orleans, Louisiana, Earth ))

S'Rorr: Oh, is that Molly's van?

All four catians eyes glowed in the dim evening twilight as the headlights of the boxy brightly colored van swept over them and reflected off of the mirrors in the backs of their eyes. The van pulled up with Molly at the wheel and S'Rorr could already tell by the sound and the smell that it was an old combustion engine burning oil. It also looked, at least to S'Rorr, like it was 200 years late for a tune up. Or at least an upgrade.

Shivara: How interesting. I bet it is a fun ride.

C'Reem: :;chuckling:: Relax. It rides smoother than you would think. Molly

takes good care of it.

V'Nille: I’ve heard of these. This is the first time I’ve seen a human

vehicle quite like this in person.

Molly got out and walked around the vehicle to meet the others.

Molly: Alright, here we are! ::beat:: Oh right. Don’t worry. It’s quieter

inside the car. Mostly.

C’Reem put a paw-like hand on V’Nille’s shoulder and rubbed her little

sister’s head.

C’Reem: “All aboard” is the term we use here, I believe.

V’Nille sighed and pulled her sister’s hand off her head and shook her head

at her.

V’Nille: I can’t believe I’m about to get into a van.

They piled into the van one by one and S'Rorr came in last with his luggage. He had to cram himself against the interior hull of the vehicle to pass the second bench seat to get into the rear seats where he sat and began messing with the belt. After a few failed attempts to strap himself in 'the usual way', he just tied the seat belt ends tightly over his lap.

S’Rorr: ::quietly:: C'Reem must be used to the engine smell.

Shivara: So, this Cajun flavor, what’s it like?

C'Reem: It’s delicious is what it is.

V’Nille: I think she was asking about the specific flavor profile, C’Reem.

Molly: ::chuckles:: It’s on the spicy side, but it doesn’t have as much

heat as a lot of what humans consider spicy does unless you really pile it

on. We use a lot of cayenne pepper, garlic, onion, paprika, and black

pepper. There are a few others depending on the dish, but if you want the

basics, that’s where you start.

C’Reem: Oh, V’Nille. A lot of Cajun dishes are seafood, which I know you

have a bit of a fondness for.

V’Nille nodded eagerly. S'Rorr remembered that she had served fish the few times he'd had dinner with her. Caught on shore leave on Risa.

oO She must like fish. I haven't had much. Oo

S’Rorr: D'you think ::the UT failed to translate S'Rorr's butchered pronunciation of etouffee:: will be on the menu?

Shivara: I am excited to try it.

C'Reem: I’m excited to see your reactions to it! If you have any favorite

dishes from home that you think might work, let me know and we’ll figure it

out.

Once everyone was buckled in to Molly's satisfaction, the van began to roll out and S'Rorr watched the city move by through the glass windows.

Molly: Alright, here we go. Anyway, from what C’Reem has shown me of

Caitian cuisine, it’s a very natural match for Cajun, I think. You guys all

seem to like it really spicy and flavorful, and Cajun will definitely

deliver on that!

V'Nille: C’Reem describes you as a chef. You went to school?

Molly: I did! More than that though, my family has been living here for

generations. I’ve got all sorts of recipes passed down through the

centuries.

S’Rorr: Can't wait.

He could have sworn he had just seen someone through the window wearing nothing but colorful beads.

(( Molly's House, New Orleans, Louisiana, Earth ))

The ride wasn't a long one. The vehicle didn't even get up to proper traveling speed as the main thoroughfairs and 'interstates' were likely reserved for more modern, faster, safer, and more efficient vehicles. The route they took was pleasant though and showed a lot of the old parts of the city. Once they were parked, the four Caitians and Molly the human got out of the van one by one and escaped the cool now-night air of the city in winter to the warmth of the house and a cozy dining room.

S'Rorr placed his luggage by the door and hung up his coat before having a seat at the dinner table beside Shivara, across from sisters V'Nille and C'Reem.

Molly: Righty then. So what would you like to drink?

V’Nille: What do you have?

C’Reem: Well, we do have a replicator so anything you can get from one.

Other than that, I think we have some whisky and wine.

Molly: What about that mead you were making? Isn’t that ready about now?

C’Reem seemed to get excited about that notion and nodded.

C’Reem:  Right, I got a box of different fruits from Cait and I have mead

ready that used them. Also an option.

S’Rorr: Oh! Certainly, I'll try a mead. What about you, Shivara? Try it with me?

Shivara: Response

V’Nille: One of those for me too.

C’Reem: I’ll be back with those then. Molly, why don’t you show them the

kitchen?

C'Ream ran off to fetch the drinks and Molly gestured for the others to follow her into the kitchen. S'Rorr joined them, looking curiously around.

Molly: I don’t think there’s much different here than there would be in a

Caitian kitchen. Counters, silverware, sink, pots and pans, stovetop and

oven….

V’Nille: Well, we don’t cook the meat as much so not nearly as many heating

elements.

Shivara: Response

Molly: Huh. That makes sense. You can eat raw meat. Humans can’t. We have

to cook just about everything that’s not a fruit or a vegetable. Oh, all

the spices are over there and that’s the fridge and freezer. C’Reem said

Caitians prefer fresh whenever possible and honestly, I feel the same way

so we managed to get our hands on some decent salmon, shrimp, and crawfish.

Tonight’s chicken and beef are going to have to be replicated though.

::beat:: The gator meat too, if you want to try that.

V’Nille: Are chicken and beef harder to get?

Molly: Not really. C’Reem just forgot to grab some and I’ve been too busy

getting everything else ready for the restaurant.

Shivara: Response

S’Rorr: ::Inspecting a bit of kitchen nick-nackery:: I love the decor. This thing is so cute. We should get one for our quarters, Shivara.

Shivara/Molly/V'Nille: Response

S'Rorr: You named a lot of different meats. Is it pretty typical to have lots of different animals together in a dish?

Molly: Response

S'Rorr: Oh, that makes sense. And what kind of fish is a craw?

Molly/V'Nille/Shivara: Response

Feeling a little embarrassed but still in quite good spirits, he was glad when he heard C'Reem returning with the good spirits.

S'Rorr: Sounds like C'Reem is coming back with mead. Before we head back, though, could you show us how you cook? You use.. Is that.. ::sniffing at the air:: a flammable gas burner? And you cook over that?

S'Rorr seemed genuinely curious about the process of cooking in the same way that someone might be curious about the tools used in sculpting had they never seen them. S'Rorr had just eaten all his life and never really put much thought into how his food was prepared beyond what the name of a dish was so that he could tell a computer to replicate more of it for him.

Molly/V'Nille/Shivara: Response

S'Rorr: Good idea. I'm starting to get thirsty.

Lieutenant JG S'Rorr

Counselor

USS Valkyrie-A

A240206S04