Lunch is Also a Meal

Posted on Mon 24th Sep, 2018 @ 6:00pm by

1,022 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Oblivion
Location: Somewhere on Samurai
Timeline: MD 14, 1430

It was well after lunchtime when McCord tracked Henry down. He was deep inside the starboard nacelle housing structure discussing a problem with two of his engineers. As she neared him, she could tell he was not happy about something, and she was glad she came bearing gifts.

"Guys look, this isn't that hard," Henry said as he talked sharply with two of the engineers on loan to him from Starbase 109. "All I am asking you to do is follow my specifications to the letter. If a piece of equipment is off by a centimeter, it could be disastrous." The Chief Engineer looked at the two borrowed engineers and could see that they were nervous about messing the project up.

Henry took a big sigh and put a hand on both of their shoulders. "Look, I know some of these designs might be a little unorthodox, but we are going to be on the cutting edge of what I hope to be a new starship design. Now, I need you two to follow my schematics, and let me know if you have any questions. Don't assume anything, I want you to ask if something doesn't make sense, OK?"

The look on the two engineers' faces eased up with relief as they smiled and nodded their heads simultaneously. As they walked off, Henry looked up and saw Riko had snuck her way into the work area.

"Well, well, well, look what the proverbial cat drug in!" the engineer exclaimed with an excited look on his face. Henry crossed over the small barricade that prevented individuals from wondering into the construction area and walked over to his friend. He extended his arms and gave her a hug.

"How's those quarters working out for you?" he asked while he was still embracing his friend.

Riko hugged him back. "Great, actually. I'm feeling better than I imagined I would, back in my own space. I thought I'd see more of you," she said, stepping back, "but you are one busy engineer. It sounds as if you are doing way more than rebuilding our old ship. Why don't you tell me what you are up to over lunch, Sir Henry?" She held out one of the cardboard boxes she carried. "I know you well enough to know that everyone else has eaten, but you worked right on through."

"Oh, you know me so well my friend." Henry smiled and rubbed his stomach. "I am famished, what do we have in here?" He pointed to the cardboard box that Riko was offering. As he was waiting for her to answer, Henry guided McCord over to one of the make-shift workbenches that he had made in one of the corners.

"Well, take the box and find out," she laughed, sitting down. "Whatever it is, it's better than nothing, right? And have you ever known me to steer you wrong? I promise it didn't come from the Ferengi diner or their boat."

"Steer me wrong?" Henry said as he looked at Riko with amazement and disbelief. "Have you forgotten about that time on Betazed where you tricked me into going spelunking with you?"

"Well, okay, there was that one time. But it had nothing to do with food, and I really DID think you'd enjoy it. You have to admit there were beautiful sparkling formations down there that you'd never have seen if you hadn't gone!" She pushed the box toward him across the small space that separated them. "Here, nothing will jump out at you, and it isn't squid!"

Henry took the box and jokingly examined it as if it was the scientific discovery of the century. He held the box to his ear as if he were listening for a ticking time bomb.

"Well, there is nothing..." Henry stopped in mid-sentence as a scent from the box wafted across his nose. With a look of surprise across his face, Henry looked at Riko with amazement. "Where did you get this from?" He asked with a sense of urgency in his voice. The chief smelled again as he waited for his best friend to answer. The smell of homemade French Onion Soup tantalizing his senses. The station and ship replicators could, of course, make French Onion Soup, but it never quite came out as a fresh homemade bowl could.

McCord grinned. "I could say that's my secret, but I know how you love this stuff. I used Great Aunt Kinzie's recipe. Her many-times great-grandmother married a Frenchman, maybe 1860 or so, and the recipe has come down in her family. She secretly shared it with me, making me swear a death oath not to share it with my family, because the Japanese side had been trying to get their hands on it for years. Or that's the story, anyway. I don't remember ever having it anywhere but Aunt Kin's house. She never married, and she liked me, so ...."

Aghast, Henry tore into the box and found the bowl inside with a spoon and paper napkin. Along with the sandwich were a soft roll and some mozzarella cheese.

"Riko, I don't even know what to say. Except for, you might have just opened a can of worms. Do you know how often I am going to ask you for this recipe, or to just make some for me?" Henry tore the covered bowl from the box and opened the top and let the steam of the soup waft into his face. "Heaven!" He murmured aloud as he reached for the spoon inside the box and plunged it into the soup. Just as soon as he raised the spoon out of the bowl and to his lips, he stopped and looked at Riko. "Wait, what did you bring for yourself?" he asked.

"Somewhat the same. Salad instead of a sandwich, but the same soup. I figured I couldn't be in the same room with you if I didn't eat onion soup, too," she smiled, opening her lunch box, pulled out the bowl and eating utensil and prepared to eat. "Now, what shall we discuss while we enjoy Aunt Kinzie's soup?"

 

RSS Feed