o p e n p o s t

[quasaar]

o p e n p o s t

Comments

[quasaar]

Wait, does that mean you are going to eat them?




... how old are the fries?

[quatrain]

The last time I was drunk was... last night? So they might still be fresh and new! Anyway they're in a sealed Nano-Pak, I think they're probably still crispy-ish.

You wanna break it open?

[quasaar]

[ That answer shouldn't surprise him, it really shouldn't, and yet--]

You were supposed to be on watch for half of last night.

And no, no I want nothing to do with your questionable fries.

[quatrain]

And I WAS on watch. My eyes were open. My fries aren't questionable. They are mostly fresh and perfectly edible.

Do we have ketchup?

[quasaar]

That isn't watch and you know it. Also, they are questionable because you managed to get them and we don't have fries on this ship, nor have we been to port in the last three days. So, questionable.

I seriously doubt that you made them.

[quatrain]

What do you mean? :(
You don't think I can cook??

Anyway nothing happened last night

[quasaar]

I saw you burn rations once, so no I don't think you can cook.

Great, so glad you noticed nothing wrong while you were drunk.

[quatrain]

I don't suddenly go blind when I'm drunk!
And it was a charring technique. Burnt on purpose. It's totally a thing.

Anyway, when was the last time you cooked anything?

[quasaar]

Maybe not, but your reaction times and judgement calls are seriously compromised. You're lucky we're in dead space right now.

Why would you burn rations? They are barely tolerable as is.

[ Ignoring your question? Yes, yes he is. ]

[quatrain]

Uh-huh... yeah...

[ The text equivalent to nodding along without listening. ]

I was experimenting. Something you never do!! With food or otherwise.

[quasaar]

[ Why are you calling him out like this right now. Wow. Chill.]

Experimenting. What am I supposed to experiment with out here, in space exactly?

[quatrain]

Ration preparations? Sleeping arrangements? French fry storage? When to drink/when not to drink?

[quasaar]

I really don't see how any of those are experiments more than poor choices. You merely made the rations worse, have no idea about the state of the fries, and put people at risk by drinking when you shouldn't have.

[ He isn't going to touch sleeping arrangements. If only because he doesn't quite get it and also doesn't really want to deal with that. ]

[quatrain]

They are choices that lead to entertainment and fun and that's all I want!
Anyway, we are all safe. :) Isn't that what matters?

[quasaar]

[ You have been sent here to test him, haven't you. ]

....this time we're all safe.

And there is a tomato-based condiment in the fridge.

[quatrain]

[ He Ming tests... most people. ]

I know when we're safe. I always know! :)

Soooo you're saying you wanna eat some french fries and tomato-based condiment with me. I'll toss the fries in the air fryer first! See you in the canteen in 15 mins?

[quasaar]

[ Perfect. You're gonna make him wish he did drink, aren't you?]

That-- is both comforting and horrifying at once.

And that--





Yeah, sure.

[ Why is Ras agreeing to this? Because there is no fighting decay or something like that. So yeah, Ras will be in the canteen when you get there, sitting with some tea that he was going to come to make anyway. Probably. Maybe. ]

[quatrain]

Seeeeee youuuuu

[ While in the kitchen area, He Ming has reheated his fries and mixed the tomato-based sauce with a little extra salt and vinegar before sliding into the canteen. ]

Hi-hi. Fries. [ He sets them onto the table and flops into a chair. ] Eat!

[quasaar]

[ It shouldn't surprise Ras any more just how much space He Ming manages to take up with his presence. The strategist looks up from his tea, one eyebrow already raised with some kind of remark waiting surely but--

But then there are fries and what smells like vinegar and Ras is just too many levels of curious to bother with his usual level of dismissal.]

I mean, they don't look sentient I guess....

[ Okay, so maybe he was still gonna make one comment. Who can blame him? He snags a fry, just one thank you, and takes a bite.

He doesn't spit it back out right away so that's a win. ]

...did you put vinegar on them?

[quatrain]

Hey. They are probably fresh.

[ He Ming grabs one of the fries, drags it through the ketchup, and munches. ]

No, just some in the ketchup, because it wasn't ketchup-y enough. I like it a little more sour... like real tomatoes. What do you think?

[quasaar]

[ Probably. Right. Okay. Very persuasive there.

Still, Ras grabs another and dunks it into the mess being passed off as ketchup.]

I don't know, I've never had real tomatoes.

[ At least, he is pretty sure he hasn't. Is that what you were asking him? ]

[quatrain]

No?

[ Tomatoes are difficult to get at most ports, as they're not able to grow in most areas. But maybe, with the right kind of light... ]

Well, they don't taste like this. But it's closer than how this sauce started. If we get some dirt and tomato seeds, you know, we could grow some on this ship. What about the fries?

[quasaar]

Mmm, no. Not really something readily available where I'm from.

[ Maybe they had something similar on his home planet, but honestly Ras mostly ate meats and sweets because he was a spoiled brat. And those gross health pods that he was forced to consume so that he was healthy. Ew, space vitamins.]

You honestly think that we could grow something here? [ He isn't sure that he has the same level of confidence as you there, He Ming.

Ras shoves the rest of the fry in his mouth and chews, shrugging a little.] I'm not a fry connoisseur honestly but could be so much worse.

[quatrain]

With the right light, we can do it. [ He Ming moves on to eating two or three fries at a time. ] And—see!

[ He is the master of reheating fries. Leaning back in his chair, satisfied now, He Ming thumbs a bit of salt from the corner of his mouth. ]

I told you, drunk-me makes good decisions in stashing fries.

[quasaar]

Light? [ Right kind of light.... he vaguely remembers talk about plants needed specific light rays from certain planets but -- that wouldn't help him charm a kind or figure out how to outmaneuver an enemy so Ras really didn't pay as much attention as he should have in those lessons.

There is a poorly hidden almost smile as Ras shoved another fry in his mouth, watching He Ming as he looks so proud of his fry discovery.]

Or you just found the one person who has so little experience with fries that anything seems decent...