Minerva (Minn) Darv's Story

Regina

The captain listened to her crew converse. They all seemed to be getting along well, which pleased Reggie. It was always difficult to captain a crew that were at odds with each other. The food was starting to smell really good. Just the butter melting in a pan was making her mouth water.

She loved food, about as much as she loved flying, and getting to eat on her ship was the best of both worlds. She couldn't wait to eat whatever it was Minn was cooking. Reggie propped her elbow up on the counter, resting her chin in her hand. She laughed along with her crew, and smiled, but she said nothing.

She just wanted to listen to them.

[b]Alexander[/u]

Alex practically jumped out of his skin when Arc finally spoke. He tried to keep himself composed as he spoke with her, but he could feel his heart still beating. He laughed along with her, but didn't speak.

The doors to the kitchen slid open and Alex was hit with a wave of smells. It smelt delicious in the hallway, but the kitchen, it was glorious. There were already several people in the kitchen, including the captain. They all seemed to be having a great time, and Alex felt awkward coming in in the middle of their conversation. But he stepped forward, moving to take the seat next to Regina.

She had noticed their arrival and smiled, waving them over. He immediately plopped down on the empty stool, pushing his coat out so he wouldn't seat on it. "It smells great in here. Who's our chef?"

Alex looked up to see the bright pink hair he had seen on many of the women he had grown up around. The pink skin that matched triggered something in his head that meant familiarity. He was immediately transported back to his old home planet, playing with the Shariva children. He remember Nora, his first girlfriend. Her purple skin and hair burning in his brain.

Looking up at the chef of the Nightwing, he couldn't help but feel his heart pounding, his face getting warm. She was beautiful.

“But I don’t understand why you have a problem with the doctor. You’re going to have to undress for him sooner or later.”

Eddie snapped out of his naughty thoughts and looked at Saein with a frown. "Don't remind me...." he sighed. "Well, I guess that is misery we'll both share," he teased back with a laugh as the countered the statement. "Remember to do everything the doctor says because I can tell you that having health complications while stuck on a ship will not be fun,"

His glance turned over to their doctor as they mentioned him and Eddie gave him a strange look as he noticed a blush forming on the doctor's face. He followed the man's eyes from his face to Minn. Turning to the Shariva, he laughed. "Looks like the doctor is stunned by your beauty," he whispered to her.

Dlew looked as two new face's entered the room so he finished up drawing the Firni, he went to draw the two new people who entered the room.

Dlew noticed the new guy was looking wierdly at the cook and he wondered what he was thinking about.

Dlew realized that the guy hadn't seen him yet and wondered if he ever will take his eyes off of the cook.

Alexander

Alex knew that others had noticed his sudden blushing, and his staring at Minn. He coughed, quickly averting his gaze anywhere, but at the young Shariva. His fingers tapped heavily on the counter, making the awkwardness even more prominent.

He looked over at Regina, smiling, and she shook her head with a laugh. "Um, for all those that don't know, I'm Dr. Alexander Greenhaven. Just call me Alex." He introduced, remembering that most of the crew hadn't gotten a chance to meet him.

Regina had ushered them all over to the land cruiser as soon as he had accepted her offer.

Reggie

The doctor had managed to bring in an awkwardness to the kitchen. Reggie knew from when she had met the young doctor that he was a bit awkward, but she didn't think it was this bad. She watched him tap uncontrollably on the counter and the captain was ready to smack him.

Awkwardness she could handle. Constant tapping for no reason, she hated. The repetitive sound triggered something in her brain that made her think something was broken. She disliked it. She slammed her hand on the counter, collectively stopping him from tapping and stood. She smiled at him, showing that she wasn't angry at him, just having fun, and pushed away from the counter.

Where was Colin? He should have gotten the message from MAK, and he was never one to pass up food. Where was the rest of her crew for that matter.

When Alex announced him self Dlew felt like his curiosity was barely satisfied and every thing felt awkward so Dlew thought to keep his mouth shut because alot of people were already uneasy with his presence on this ship.

Dlew then heard another loud grumble indicating he was really hungry, Dlew thought that every one in this room heard his stomach but only people who were around him heard it. So basically everyone who was watching him draw heard it.

Dlew felt like he was going to go out like a light soon but was holding on. (of course he didn't show any of it on his face, but the people who heard his stomach grumble knew that he was in need of food soon)

Minn

"Roomie?" Minn asked in response to Saein's question. She considered, thinking about her response as the conversation continued. Before she could respond however, Eddie leaned over pointing out the doctor's interest in her. Jumping a little and meeting the doctor's eye, she tilted her head. It wasn't the first time she had been called beautiful, nor that someone had looked at her in such a way. She wondered about the blush on his cheeks...

She went to check on the food while the talks continued and more people showed up. Food was almost ready and there were plenty of mouths. Good.

A few more minutes remained and Minn took her seat again, smiling to Saein. "Sure," she said with a sweet smile. "I'll room with you. Never had my own room before anyway. Would probably get lonely." She smiled to the other pink haired girl, glad to have a friend.

Eddie glanced over to the android, who seemed to be near death. He felt kinda bad but... he was going to dine first. He called it and he'd make sure of it. Smiling as he turned to Minn, he spoke. "So you two girls are actually roomies no-" a familiar and dirty thought crossed his mind when he spoke and a blush overtook his face for a second. He shook the thought out of his head. "...you guys are becoming roomies? That was really nice of you, Saein," he praised.

"I'm afraid I'll be sleeping alone... wouldn't want to accidently kick the doctor in my sleep or anything if he's going to be working on lives," he laughed. "As a gentleman, I must tell you that you are free to use my room if you girls have an argument or something like that. I hope not, seeing as we're confined in the ship with you, but it does happen sometimes, and I'd much rather sleep in the barracks than listen to two ladies fight," he explained.

"But! That we can worry about later! Right now..." he mouth started watering. "My nose is in heaven.... this waiting is killing me....."

Regina

Shortly after she had stood, Reggie had backed up only to hit something hard and fall to the floor. She looked up to see Cassandra staring down at her. The Xylamar was smiling down at the captain, and with a laugh helped her up.

"So sorry, Regina. I'm getting too interested in my job."

Feeling her knee pop beneath her as she was raised to her feet, Reggie held back a grimace and smiled at her. "Oh, it's alright. Glad to see everyone is enjoying themselves. Some a little more than others."

She eyed certain members of her crew with a knowing smile. She had no problem with relationships forming under her command, it was when their work lacked because of it that made Reggie frustrated. As long as they kept performing as they have been, she would have no problem.

Brushing some dust off her black pants, Reggie counted heads. A habit she had come into doing when she was leading a large group. In her position, she found it best to constantly keep track of everyone, especially when she was putting their lives on the line.

They were working for her, without any real knowledge of what their voyage was leading them to; the least she could do was keep them alive. They were still missing a few people. Colin, Bond, Cassiopeia, and Inqueta.

"Where could they be."

Alexander

Alex tapped his foot nervously, glancing from left to right, observing the members of the crew. Except the chef, he had observed her enough. He listened to everyone, wanting to chime in with a funny quip or a witty remark, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. He was a nervous wreck trying to decide if they would find him funny or not.

He was told he was quite funny, but it was never really intentional. The words always stumbled out of his mouth when he was nervous, trying to ease himself into uncomfortable situations. It was only when he was really comfortable with people that he could be his sophisticated, suave self. He didn't really think of himself as suave, but he was told by friends that he was.

The food was starting to smell even more delicious, and Alex was ecstatic to eat. He noticed Regina counting heads, probably looking for the rest of her crew. Alex had briefly seen the others when Regina had flown them up to the ship, but he had yet to speak to most of them. He was eager to meet them, but couldn't help but feel his nervous twitch come back.

Dlew had heard something about room mates and wondered if he would get a room or would he sleep on a floor some where like the previous ship he was on. Thinking about sleep was making Dlew get even more tired and Was starting to nod off trying to fight the battle between hunger and conchiness. Dlew was just slipping and started to hang his head down until he droped his head on the table with a loud BANG! and fell asleep then about 20 - 30 minutes he woke back up.

Dlew then woke up screeming and panting then looked around the room to notice every one looking at him with compleate curiosity and then Dlew stood up and moved to a corner of the room and started drawing away from every one. He was not looking at anyone just sitting in the corner drawing.

"Remember to do everything the doctor says because I can tell you that having health complications while stuck on a ship will not be fun" Eddie warned her.

Saein agreed, but jokingly pointed out “It’s even worse to disobey the cook, dieing of hunger is one of the worst ways to go. Of course nobody is going to be mean to Minn, this kitchen smells like we could start a new religion.” Thinking about her own joke, she added “Actually, we’re all trusting each other with our lives in some way or another.”

Because of the sound of everyone talking to each other, she didn’t quite catch what Eddie whispered to Minn, something about the doctor. A glance at Alex told her it was probably about him looking at Minn and blushing. Right there was someone else whose job she wouldn’t have wanted back in her wild days. But perhaps he had different ethics, and as long as he didn’t try to apply those to her or someone else who wasn’t interested, that was fine.

Thinking about the doctor reminded her of something. She had to make sure he got her complete files. RMEE, the company she had worked for for the longest time, took great care to keep medical information from going anywhere automatically. The rest of the world didn’t need to know the management told employees to ignore health and safety laws when their own judgment told them to. Saein remembered a few situations in which she or someone else could have died if she had strictly obeyed the law. An outsider might say the risks that led to those situations should never have been taken, but she disagreed. Maybe the few friends who had left RMEE in boxes would agree now, except they couldn’t.

Minn brought Saein’s thoughts back to something much happier: "Sure," she said with a sweet smile. "I'll room with you. Never had my own room before anyway. Would probably get lonely." Saein’s heart jumped. “Great!” she exclaimed.

Eddie blushed while talking about the two women sharing a room. Saein had a good idea what he might be thinking about, but before she thought of a way to tease him with that, he praised her for sharing her room. She chuckled and told him “It’s not as selfless as you might think.”

He joked about kicking the doctor in his sleep. “Funny you should mention that, I have thought about what might happen if I got kicked in my sleep. I’ve dreamed my pillow was a person and didn’t wake up freaking out because of it, so I think I can be touched when I’m not awake.”

Eddie offered the use of his room if there would ever be an argument. “That’s very kind of you, but if anything happens I’ll let Minn and you have rooms. It doesn’t matter if it’s because of me being wrong about what I just told you, or because of me being wrong because Minn says so” she joked.

Dlew interrupted all conversations at once by falling over. Saein hoped he wasn’t broken, just in need of food, and that that food would be ready when he recovered. Although she wasn’t starving like Dlew, she could hardly wait to eat. If the food tasted as good as it smelled (and she had no doubt it would), she would also have a lot of fun praising Minn. She felt so very happy about how everything was turning out, about all the people around her, and about the food (soon!), however being a bit worried about Dlew she wasn’t sure her big smile was appropriate.

Minn

A few minutes later, the food was ready.

Eddie was first to be served as promised, then Minn dished out more plates and bowls, finding glasses and twelve different kinds of canned juices for beverages. She wondered if anyone would want alcohol, but inwardly despised the idea since they were trying to run a ship and all. So she didn't suggest it. Once everyone had a plate, even those who were not present yet, she stood with her hands behind her back and nose tingling with excitement as she smiled to Eddie.

"Well?" she asked.


Bond

The room was satisfactory, a bit big, but hardly anything to complain about. Roaming the corridors, he knew he had been called to the kitchen, but shrugged it off. He was sure the pink haired girl's cooking was great, but he wasn't hungry. In fact, he found himself back at the engine after a few rounds through random hallways and rooms. The whirring was music and he sat down, smiling to the cylinder with adoration.

"If only we all could run so efficiently," he sighed, tapping at his chest and then his forehead once. It had been a salute on one of his last ships, a symbol that he had been among friends and those he trusted. Most were dead now.

He tinkered with his screwdriver in hand, muttering about parts and gears, simply living in a separate world in his mind.

Dlew looked over his sholder when he heard the food was ready, he put away his notebook and returned to normal and went to get his food. When Dlew got there he just looked at the food and it took him a while to find what to eat (mostly because he would be fine with anything) and went to sit back down were he originlly was next to Regina. He looked at his food and insted of just eating it like he was a starved person, Dlew was eating slowly and politely. Dlew thought the taste of the food might be good, but this was the first time in a while that he had eaten something decent and didn't know how to react so he just sat there not saying a word and keeping his emotionless face on.

“It’s even worse to disobey the cook, dieing of hunger is one of the worst ways to go. Of course nobody is going to be mean to Minn, this kitchen smells like we could start a new religion.”

Eddie nodded seriously and then, with a smile, spoke. "You're right there." he said. "On both occasions too," he went to say something but Saein cut him off before he could do so.

"Actually, we're all trusting each other with our lives in some way or another,"

He smiled at the statement before sitting back in his chair and speaking. "Yeah... Well, you shouldn't have to worry about me. I promised not to get us all killed," he said. "I would be kinda sad if I killed everyone on this ship... especially if it was something dumb like running into a star or something," he said. He let out a small laugh.

“Funny you should mention that, I have thought about what might happen if I got kicked in my sleep. I’ve dreamed my pillow was a person and didn’t wake up freaking out because of it, so I think I can be touched when I’m not awake.”

Eddie went to open his mouth to speak, but ended up being unable to do so. The statement more or less caught him offguard. Eventually, he pushed the confusion out of the way of his mouth and mustered a few words. "That's.... interesting to know...." he said unsurely. "I wasn't aware that you wanted to be touched in your sleep...."

He listened to Saein decline his offer for his room had they ever been in an argument. While right now he didn't say anything, he would heavily insist on one of them stealing his room until they cooled down if nothing but to help it blow over and not be a big problem. So, he simply shrugged until he heard some commotion from their android buddy, who seemed to be nearing Death's door by the second. Almost made it look like the robot was as eager as he was for the food. He wasn't.

When Minn got up and delivered his plate to him, his eyes nearly teared up at the beautiful meal before him. He almost cried at the sight, but wasted no time picking up his utensils and digging into the food with a passion. He was overjoyed that the meal turned out to taste even better than it had smelled, and his face reflected this as his impaled pieces of the feast on the fork and promptly guided it to his mouth before chewing and grinding it with his teeth. He finished the food in his mouth before answering Minn, who was obviously eager to see his opinion on her food.

He smiled. "I was wrong when I said your food would be good....." he began. "...It isn't good.... it's great....."

Minn

"Really!" she cried happily and hurriedly hugged Eddie tightly, relieved and more relaxed now. His words were like liquid butter flowing over her and smoothing the tenseness in her body. She spun about and waved for everyone to start eating. "Where are the others? They need to taste too!"

She plopped down across from Saein, smiling broadly. "What do you think?"


Bond

Finally he found the kitchen. He decided he didn't want to get on Reggie's bad side, so he loped over to her with a small smile. "So, our cook having fun?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at the energetic pink alien. He laughed a little as she began nearly dancing. "She must really like her food."

Noticing the other plates set aside, he grabbed one and stuck a piece of pork with his fork before gobbling it down in only a few bites. It was heavenly and he grinned to Reggie, mouth a bit full still. "Good call, Reg. Nice chef."

"I wasn't aware that you wanted to be touched in your sleep...." Her subtlety was lost on Eddie. After finishing her giggle fit, she tried to get the message across in a more direct way. “I was trying to remind you that skin contact while I’m awake is a problem. Your face a few moments ago made me figure you were distracted by thoughts of me and Minn doing things involving lots of... staying awake.”

When there finally was a plate full of food in front of Saein, Minn sat down opposite to her and asked her for her opinion. Saein took a few bites. Her face already gave a clear answer to the question, but of course this opinion deserved to be put into words. “I see that instead of simply making a few different things to match the tastes of different species, you’ve made things that all could like. That’s a bit risky, but you managed to make the best food I have ever put in my mouth. You really are a goddess of cooking.”

While eating, Saein looked at Minn every once in a while. Her expression reminded of the one that had been on Alex’ face earlier, though it wasn’t exactly the same. She didn’t notice Bond and Colin arriving, all of her mind was occupied with admiring the food and the person who made it.

After the meal, the captain explained their route and the purpose of the mission, so those who considered it too risky could back out. As soon as Reggie had finished speaking, Saein made sure to be the first to voice her approval. “I’m in.”

Bond

He was already intrigued by the idea, but allowed everyone else to voice their opinions. Bond smiled and continued eating at his almost empty plate, nodding to Minn at his side in approval. "Very, very fine job," he commended, smiling wider at the pink girl's excited giggle. He listened to Reggie speak more before turning to Minn and asking, "So, what do you think?" He gestured to the captain.

Minn tilted her head a bit and shrugged one tense shoulder. This girl had to relax a little. "It's...interesting..." she admitted, eyeing him with a small smile on her deeper pink lips. Bond found himself wondering if every single part of her was such a pink. He had never actually been with a Shariva before... Minn went on, "I really just want to cook. History always fascinates me though, it was my second favorite subject in school...while I was still in school anyway..." She broke off, green eyes distant, but for only an instant. She snapped back up to a straight back and smiled brightly. "It's exciting, the human histories! There's so many holes in the stories they teach. So...I suppose I'm grateful I found the Captain. This is...an adventure!"

Bond smiled gently and nodded. She was like a child, so full of innocent curiosity and bubbly-ness. He could dig it, for sure. But for some reason he suddenly hoped nothing happened to the ship or the mission that would wipe that smile off Minn's face. She was so young...

Thoughts darkening, Bond cleared his throat and added a soft agreement to Minn's words before facing the front again, raising a hand. "We're in!"

“I was trying to remind you that skin contact while I’m awake is a problem. Your face a few moments ago made me figure you were distracted by thoughts of me and Minn doing things involving lots of... staying awake.”

"What?!" he strongly denied the possibility of him doing such a thing. His blush betrayed the fact that she caught him. "...uu..." he quieted down and started looking towards Reggie as she spoke about what the mission was and what their possible course was. He liked the idea of finding Earth, as it was possibly the lost human homeworld. He'd only heard of it a couple times in stories and definetly not much detail about it was in those stories that were passed down over the generations. He raised his hand and spoke. "I guess only someone with my piloting skill will get us through this voyage in one piece, so I'll tag along," he agreed.

His fork hovered over his food, which he had most definetly taken seconds of. Looking over to the chef of said deliciousness, he smiled and was about to say something when Bond had taken the chance. He listened intently as the two spoke, Bond eventually asking the question Eddie was about to. After they answered, he smiled yet again. "Couldn't do this without such a great cook," Eddie commented, his fork digging into the food. "Maybe 'great' isn't a great enough word for it... more like 'excellent' or 'lifesaving'," he laughed at that joke, seeing as she pretty much just did save an android with her cooking.

Once again, Saein was walking around the ship looking for potential problems. She could tell repairs had been made in some places, and in other places things had been replaced by completely different things (just like bedrooms had been repurposed). For some reason she was especially interested in making sure nothing in the kitchen was broken.

Bond seemed to be in love with the engine. Saein didn’t notice a hint of the smell of coolant anymore, so either she had guessed correctly where that microleak was, or there was no leak at all and someone had simply spilled a drop while performing maintenance, and that little was gone now the engine was in real use instead of running standby. It was best to postpone figuring that out until shortly before their next stop - don’t touch something that is working the way it should.

She asked Bond “Is there something special about this engine, or do you just really like engines?”

Bond

Bond noted the land cruiser suggested, but shrugged and answered her second questions. "I was thinking to the kitchen, more food, nice view," he added with a smirk and a wink, referring to Minn but he suddenly realized that Saein might not catch this and turned forward again. "Really good food," he went on to say, but was interrupted by the Captain announcing their official take-off. Bond grinned.

"To the bridge?" he asked Saein.

They took off quickly, the ship vast and the path to the bridge a bit odd, but they cut through the kitchen to shorten the distance and Bond rushed over to Minn and tugged her away from the sink of dirty dishes.

"Wha...what are you...?"

He laughed and pulled her along. "Your first take-off and you're not even going to see it? I don't think so, come on now."

So with Bond in the lead, he led the two pink haired ladies to Reggie and grinned happily as Eddie readied himself to perform his magic. Bond assured the engine was in tip top ship shape and he dropped into a seat beside Reggie, grinning toothily to the female captain. "Excited yet?" he asked rhetorically. It was quite obvious she was just by looking at her fidgety movements and unable-to-be-contained smile. Bond ushered Saein and Minn to sit as well and buckle in. The initial take-off could be bumpy no matter how perfect his engines were running.

And the roar of life burst through all of them like a rumbling roar of a monstrous creature, but Bond was hardly afraid. Eddie was having the time of his life, Reggie was elated, Saein was used to this by now but wore and smile and Minn...was terrified. Her delicate hands gripped the cloth of her pants above her knees as she stared out the front windows into the vastness of blackness and stars zooming closer and past the ship. Bond chuckled a bit and placed a hand on her shoulder, which made her jump into a straighter position.

"You're fine, Pinkie," he assured.

Dlew looked at the four people who ran into the Bridge and then looked at the captain who looked about ready to explode with anticipation. Dlew reported to the captain "Our current course has been plotted."

Dlew then sat back an waited for the ship to take off and when it did Dlew felt amazed at how the stars were zooming past the ship. Dlew forgot how amazing it was to watch the stars and apperantly so did the others.

When the ship calmed down and they could walk around the ship again Dlew just decided to stay at his post and draw the stars and how they looked from were he was.