Home is where the tart is [Open]

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Despite not requiring much in the way of food, Zouichi did know how to cook. But with friends and acquaintances from wildly different backgrounds, he figured he could stand to expand his repertoire. So today he was trying out desserts. The inside of one of the Sensoriums had been transformed into a brightly-lit kitchen, its counters covered with baking pans, bowls, fruit, flour, and a multitude of other ingredients.

Zouichi, wearing a dark blue apron, was just taking a batch of chilled dough out of the refrigerator, rolling it carefully out between waxed paper sheets. It was looking pretty good, or so he thought. Nothing had even exploded yet!

From somewhere within the kitchen, the smell of cake wafted up into the air. Caaake.

Comments

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

So apparently not all Eldar lived on a Craftworld. Hmm.

Zouichi made an open gesture. "Be my guest. You can imagine any supplies you want that aren't here, but I'm sure you knew that already."

[quick_strike]

She did just that, imagining up and mixing together ingredients to make the dough. And this was where humans would fail since they hardly had the precision or delicacy to make dough as thin as Alendian was pushing it.

"Are you following?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Zouichi watched, curious, as Alendian worked. "Yes."

It was true that working a task like this required quite a bit of accuracy and control... but he'd argue that humans had accomplished quite a bit to circumnavigate their own shortcomings. Put enough of them on the problem, and he had no doubt they'd fashion the right tools to do the job.

Still, it was fascinating to watch.

[quick_strike]

Good, which was something she didn't voice but it was obvious. She started stacking up layer upon layer of dough. The more thin layers, the better in baking. Once she was satisfied, Alendian put it in a pie dish.

"What fruit do you prefer?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Strawberries," he said, watching her work. All this preparation to make a pie?

He thought back to what Ildraniath had said before, about the Eldar taking different paths throughout their lives, and wondered if Alendian had ever been a chef.

[quick_strike]

Not just a pie. An Eldar confectionery. Sheesh. Summoning up some strawberries, she grinds them up and mixes them with another batch of dough. The reddish dough then gets the same treatment of thin layers and laid on top of the dough already in the pan. That, in turn, get more regular dough on top of it to protect the sweetness from the heat. In the end, it's all tossed in the oven.

"Humans would consider this more of a cookie." And yes, she picked up on that off thought. "No, I never became a chef. Try not to seem surprised, I can read it on your face. I have spent a century or two living essentially on my own. You learn things like that."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

She learned how to make pastries by living on her own? Where had Alendian been living, a planet of patisseries? Well, in any case, she seemed pretty confident about her skills.

"It just seems a little out of character for you to be making cookies," he said. "So? How long does it take to bake?"

[quick_strike]

"A few minutes. Otherwise, it will burn." She turned back and crossed her arms.

"Does it? If you know so much about the Paths the Eldar take, have you heard of the Path of the Outcast?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Boy, was she still mad about that? He'd only been trying to ask a few friendly questions! That's how you got to know people!

"I'm afraid not. Sounds a little depressing." Outcast, Aspect Warrior... Zouichi was starting to see a pattern here. "Care to elaborate?"

[quick_strike]

And the only reason she explains is because the farseer says he's okay. "When an Eldar feels constrained by the rules of the Craftworld, they simply leave. I joined with the nearest Raider crew and became a Ranger. From there, I have done business with humans and lived among our Exodite cousins. Learning things like this becomes natural."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"But it seems that your contact with humans hasn't much improved your opinion of them. So, what were these terribly constraining rules that drove you out?"

Odd that she'd refer to the Exodites as 'cousins'. Weren't they Eldar, too?

[quick_strike]

"That is for members of my Craftworld to know. Even the Farseer here would not be able to answer that for you." A shame but Eldar Craftworlds rarely mingle with each other and sometimes, even fight wars against another.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"They must have been pretty chafing for you, though, to inspire you to leave." Alendian were you like a delinquent or something

[quick_strike]

"Whether or not that was the case, there is no shame in following the Path of the Outcast. Not only can one return when they wish without question, the outcasts are often called to serve if war comes as they serve a unique roll on the battlefield."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Oh? And what role is that?" Zouichi had never said anything about shame; where was she getting this all of a sudden?

[quick_strike]

"Infiltration, tracking, and sniping." Now, at least where Alendian got those skills comes out.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Well, that made sense. Zouichi glanced in the direction of the oven, from which the rather pleasant smell of baking pastry was issuing.

"I don't think I've ever seen you sniping. I'd appreciate the opportunity to observe."

[quick_strike]

Speaking of that, it's about time to pull it out and let it cool down a little.

"I doubt the proper weapon would be found here."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

He offered her some oven mitts. "Any weapon may be found here, if you can imagine it. On the rest of the ship, perhaps not... but you could always check Weapons and Possessions."

[quick_strike]

"Are you attempting to say they stock Eldar weaponry here?" Unheard of. But she applies the mitts and pulls out the pan, setting it on the cooler counter.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Not stock, exactly. But the individuals the ship picks up have their possessions stored away here. And Weapons and Possessions is one such storage area."

Zouichi observes with some interest as Alendian sets the pastry to cool. What, no comment about inferior mon-keigh oven mitts?

[quick_strike]

"I no longer possess the weapon and equipment I used. That would make a difference, I believe."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Then perhaps you might gain something from a visit." Most of Zouichi's possessions had been included in his locker... but that wasn't always the case.

"So, do Rangers and Aspect Warriors always follow the orders of a Farseer?"

[quick_strike]

Under her breath, she clicked a tongue. He really was persistent with questions, wasn't he? "Farseers have visions of the future so following the orders of one is the intelligent thing to do. They are what would be termed a superior officer but they are not a military commander. That position belongs to the Autarch."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Jeez, Alendian, it was called making conversation. Someone asks you a question, you answer, you ask them a question...

Also, he tended to be very curious. Just ask Ildraniath.

"Of course. But you seem to defer to her judgment even outside of military concerns."