Before the Saga The continuing, continuing, continuing saga of the Ultra-Stressed Jedi Students

Woohoo! 100 replies! Go us!

I had this big plan of writing a stack load more than this but then there was a laundry to fold and an exam exemplar to write and then suddenly its 10:30pm but at least there was something even if it is very short!

*

“What did Master Zahalin want?” T’lor asked as they raced down the corridors. Kit shook her head unwilling to answer. She had been so pleased to see her Master but then having to answer what she was doing leaping off the top of the waterfall after just getting out of the healer’s hall and what had happened that morning had been rather uncomfortable. It had only gotten worse when she’d related what had happened with Eena. She didn’t like it when her Master was annoyed with her. The simple remonstration was twisting itself around her head growing larger and larger with each passing moment. She bunched her fists until she felt her knuckles pop.

“Did you tell her about Eena?” T’lor continued. Kit nodded and shot her friend a worried look.

“I think I stuffed up. Namia seemed so worried about what I’d said to Master Buthu. I know I went a bit overboard, but I’m just a bit sick of not knowing what Pynde-gard wants.”

“I don’t think any of us know what Master Pynde-gard wants,” T’lor put in comfortingly, she held up her hand and the rest of the group came to a grinding halt.

“Alright, robe check. Students first.” Kit turned to Kells, flipping edges of her robes and tugging parts until they were text-book perfect. Around her the others were seeing to the other exchange student’s robes.

“What are you doing?” Kells asked confused as Kit tried to straighten one of the folds. ''

“Master Delfig is rather particular,” Kirsten said finishing with T’Lor’s robe. “Right dress. Right action. Right behaviour. Right learning. That’s the code he lives by.”

“And you die by if you don’t get it right.” Jazz said quietly.

"You won't die." Kirsten said raising an eyebrow, "but once we are around that corner don’t talk unless you’re spoken to. Make sure you line up. Make sure you have your data pad and a pen.”

Kit felt her heart sink. A pen. She didn’t have a pen. Why was she always forgetting things? She shut her eyes hard trying to work out a way of getting around it. A hand rested on her shoulder and she looked up to see Kirsh smiling down at her.

“I’ve got a pen if you need one,” he said offering it to her, “I brought Eena’s stuff too. Make sure she gets it before she gets inside.”
Kit nodded and then frowned, “won’t you need it?”

Kirsh shook his head, “my timetable got switched too. I’ve got to head back down to the Healer’s Hall. I’m sure that Leona will have something for me to do down there. I’ll see you at cooking.”

He waved at the others, “I’ll catch you later guys. See you Eiko.” The big padawan smiled shyly and then then turned and made his way down the hall. Kit watched him go and then turned to Eiko.

“See you Eiko? Wow. I think someone likes you.” She sang.

The Noorian flushed and twisted her robes. “I don’t know about that.”

Kit shrugged and scrunched her nose, “it’s just cute.”

“Come on,” Jazz said running his hands through his hair, “we can discuss the big one’s love life later. For now though we’ve got to run the Delfig gauntlet.”

 

Eiko absorbed the information about the oh-so-correct Master Delfig. Oh, dar.
Kirsh bid goodbyes to them as his schedule had been changed and was headed back to the Healer's Wing.

He singled Eiko out for a goodbye, which made her tummy flip-flop.

“See you Eiko? Wow. I think someone likes you.” Kit sang.

The Noorian flushed and twisted her robes. “I don’t know about that.”

Kit shrugged and scrunched her nose, “it’s just cute.”

Eiko grinned. Kirsh did have a way of making one feel comfortable and like they'd been friends for ever.

That was all there was ... ?

---



Master Delfig Naw, LOL

 

Short and sweet?

***

“Padawan Rinani, are you with us or are you somewhere else today?” Kit’s head snapped up alarmed. She’d gotten so entranced in working through the problems that she hadn’t noticed that Master Delfig had been calling her names.

“Sorry Master Delfig, I was finishing off the exercises.”

“Good to see you finally concentrating,” the Master added peering over her shoulder, “but remember that you also need to keep your attention to the here and now as well.”

“Yes Master, I’m sorry. I will try harder.”

There was a snigger from the back of the classroom and Kit’s eyes narrowed. She’d lost the thread of concentration now and it was going to be so hard to get it back. Sometimes she hated her brain with a fiery passion. It wasn’t fair that she couldn’t sit still like the others or switch her attention between tasks easily. She bit the inside of her lip and stared at the words and numbers again but they twisted and flew like tiny insects.

“Rinani, see to your pen.” She realised that she’d been tapping lost in her thoughts. Master Delfig was staring at her, one eyebrow raised, “I asked you to answer question fourteen but you still haven’t responded.”
“Sorry Master, uh fourteen…uh”


Idiot.


Beside her at the desk Eena moved slightly and her fingers indicated the question. Kit nodded her thanks. She hadn’t managed to ask Eena about what Master Pynde-gard wanted and it was eating at her.

“Ah, Miss Plum, perhaps if you’d like to help Padawan Rinani so much you can answer number fifteen. That is if Rinani actually gives us an answer sometime this year.”


Great now you’re getting others in trouble. Double idiot.


“Uh, the answer to fourteen is ninety-five.”

“Correct Rinani, impressive. Miss Plum?”

“Forty-seven point nine five. Although…”

“Although?”

“If you calculate the sum of the square-“

Kithera realised that she was staring open mouthed as Eena rattled off an impressive sounding challenge to previous answer. Master Delfig, standing at the front of the classroom was nodding as she talked. As she neared the end of the challenge Eena’s face suddenly turned red and she came to a stumbling halt.

“Ah, but that wasn’t what you wanted was it? I’m sorry, I just-“

“No need to apologise Miss Plum. I see that we have acquired some Maths talent in this exchange program.”

Delfig turned and began to explain another principle on the board. Kithera blinked rapidly at her new friend and roommate. Eena smiled shyly at her although the blush remained.

“I just like maths?” She whispered quietly.

“I can see you like maths, but I like a quiet classroom more.” Delfig’s voice came from the front of the class and Kithera winced. Now she’d gotten Eena in trouble twice. Eena’s smile dropped instantly and she stared at her book.


Good going. Idiot.


“Sorry Master Delfig.”

“Apology accepted, just see that you respect the rules. Respecting rules is something that is integral to maintaining peace and order in the universe and the Jedi must hold themselves up as exemplars of that. Something that some of the Padawans in this room would do well to remember, wouldn’t they padawan My-ran?” From the other side of the room Kit watched Jazz’s eyes go wide as he quickly hid what she assumed was a doodle under his hand. He nodded quickly. “And that’s why Padawan My-ran is going to come up and dispose of his drawing and then go back and answer questions sixteen to twenty-one.”

Jazz’s face, normally so relaxed went pale. He stood up, his chair scraping across the ground. Kit’s heart ached for her friend but at the same time she was relieved that the focus was, for now, off herself.


Selfish idiot.


“And,” Master Delfig was continuing, “if you get stuck I’m sure that you too will find an exchange student who is willing to help you.”

With that last pronouncement, the Jedi Master turned back to the board and began to write up a new set of equations.

 

Eiko cringed in sympathy for Kit and Eena, and silently applauded Eena's very complex and detailed maths answer. When Jazz was "called out" for attention, she glanced at him in profound sympathy. He apparently had been drawing something? As someone with an artistic leaning, that struck a chord with her.


All these equations made her brain hurt. She worked at each and hoped not to be "noticed."

 

Lovely @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha! Just make sure Eiko doesn't think too loudly, otherwise she might be next

 

After this post then it's off to Galactic cuisine!

***

Eena finished the last of the equations and put her pen down. She glanced sideways to watch as Kit, a frown upon her normally happy face, was struggling through one of the harder questions. Eena liked maths, the numbers made sense, they didn’t judge her and there was always, eventually, a right answer. She glanced around the class to see all the young Jedi faces and most of the exchange students engrossed in their work. She checked for any more extension questions but realised that she had, unfortunately, finished them all. With a start, she realised that Master Delfig was watching her, a thoughtful look on his face. Alarmed that she’d drawn attention to herself and would receive another verbal dressing down, she tried to make a show of checking over her work but the next second the Jedi Master was beside her, seemingly having crossed the room in two giant, silent steps. He didn’t say anything, just picked up her work and looked over it thoughtfully. Eeena gave a tight smile, wishing that the volcano her mother had teased her about would suddenly appear. How much had she gotten wrong because she had been rushing? What errors would be find in her work?

Somewhere in the distance a bell chimed softly signalling the hour. Around her heads came up but Master Delfig ignored them, placing Eena’s datapad back on the table.

“Complete exercise 15, questions 1-75 for next lesson. Even though there was total silence Eena could almost feel the unspoken groan reverberate through the air. Master Delfig gave the class a cursory glance, seemingly still lost in thought. “You may go,” he intoned solemnly. Around her chairs scrapped back and the padawans and exchange students headed towards the door at an almost run. Eena was one of the last to leave, quietly picking up the pen that Kit had left behind on the desk and heading for the door. Outside she found the blonde Jedi patting down her pockets.

“Are you missing this?” Eena asked softly holding out the pen. Kithera’s worried face as immediately wreathed in smiles.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!” She gushed pocketing the pen as she stuffed her data pad in another pocket of her voluminous robe. “Kirsh would kill me if I lost another one of his pens.” The young padawan continued the words coming out in a rush, “aren’t you glad that’s over. Although the answers that you gave to that question were amazing. When did you learn to do maths like that? How did you learn to do maths like –“

“Miss Plum,” the deep voice intoned her name from the doorway. Eena spun to find Master Delfig watching her, “may I speak with you a moment?”

“I’ll wait for you here.” Kit said quiety.

“I won’t eat her padawan Rinani,” Delfig said quietly and then as Kit went pale he continued, “I have heard the rumours that students spread. I have not eaten a padawan…yet. Miss Plum will be fine with me, although if you are concerned that I will devour your new found friend and spread her on toast, you may wait over there by that column. I will only be a minute.”

Eena watched her friend pack up her things and make her way to the pole across the hall where she was joined by the others. Eena turned back to Master Delfig, wondering why the padawans thought he ate children.

“Miss Plum,” the Jedi Master seemed be thinking deeply, “I would like to know what you are considering doing after you finish the exchange program.”

Eena brain stuttered to a halt. After the exchange program? She hadn’t really thought that far ahead. Her main ideas had been to get here and find some help to rescue her sister and then…and then…

“I’m not sure sir,” she managed after a moment. It was, at least, the truth. Master Delfig’s eyebrows raised slightly.

“I am going to make enquiries through some of my contacts at the university. I understand that your world maybe…uh…lacking…in proper educational facilities.”

Eena felt her face grow warm. It was true that her little village had a tiny library and that all the children were crammed into the two classrooms that served as the village school, but the Grandmothers were proud of the education that they provided and in part Eena was too, even when she’d read every book in the library three times over. Master Delfig continued without seemingly having noticed Eena’s silence.

“I have been looking at all the notes about the exchange students Miss Plum. After reading those and watching you today, I would like you to give some consideration as to what you might like to achieve in your life Miss Plum and, if it is related to maths or engineering, then I may be able to help you.”

“Why me?”

The words were out of Eena’s mouth before she could call them back. First Master Pynde-gard taking a special interest and now Master Delfig. She wasn’t anything special. She was just Eena. And she’d never given any thought to what the rest of her life would look like apart from marrying who the grandmothers told her to and bearing many, many children because that’s what the women in the village had always done. The exchange program had been a big gamble but Eena had figured that after she’d saved her sister then life would just go back to how it had always been. The idea that it could be different was somehow simultaneously terrifying and alluring and…dangerous. Master Delfig was regarding her rather seriously.

“I don’t find students who argue about the right way to answer a question particularly often Miss Plum, nor ones who complete the set exercise questions and the extension questions flawlessly and with time to spare. It is, shall we say, intriguing.”

Eena half smiled. Flawlessly? She had just been doing the same thing that she’d always done. Maths and numbers just made sense to her.

“Uh, thank you. I’ll give it some thought. I promise.”

“See that you do. Now I see that padawan Rinani is getting rather impatient. I suggest that you go to her before she bounces off somewhere that we cannot reach.” Master Delfig’s eyebrows rose further and Eena had the sudden impression that the rather dour man had been making a joke.

“Thank you, sir, I’ll get back to you. I promise.” Eena turned and headed towards where the other’s stood waiting, her head spinning with what Master Delfig had said.

 

Onto Galactic cuisine!

***

Kirsh leant up against the metal countertop watching his group of friends bustle in. T’lor, carefully evaluating the situation without even realising she was doing so, Kirsten confident about her place in the world, Kithera bouncing from spot to spot and Jazz moving smoothly and elegantly like he didn’t have a care in the world. From his already claimed spot at the back of the room he watched the exchange students that their group had so readily adopted join them. Kells, who seemed to have something to prove; Eena, shy and permanent embarrassed. Kirsh frowned to himself, he felt weirdly protective about Eena kind of like how he’d once heard someone describe their sister. Last in was Eiko, and Kirsh found his face growing warm. The exchange students had been here just over a day but there was something about Eiko that was making his heart beat faster. She just seemed so sweet and gentle and… Kirsh realised that he was staring as the group neared them.

“You right there big one?” Jazz inquired punching him lightly on the arm, Kirsh frowned at his friend, “you looked like you were away with the starships.”

“Uh, just thinking,” Kirsh realised he was stammering, “how was maths?”

This time it was Jazz’s turn to frown. “Fine, I’d have rather been folding bandages with you than doing equations, but some of us have all the luck.”

“Padawan My-ran and Aleski, am I interrupting you?”

Kirsh turned with a start. Master Samukay had snuck up behind them and was regarding them bemusedly. Kirsh stepped back from Jazz and bobbed his head in a tiny bow.

“Sorry Master. I didn’t realise you’d started class.”

“We were about to padawan Aleski, I had been asking people to find their pairs.” The Jedi Master turned and addressed the rest of the class, “seeing as our class dynamics have changed again with the new timetables and with the addition of our very welcome guests, I would like you to pick a partner for today’s lesson.”

Kirsh edged towards where Eena was standing. He’d actually learnt something from her yesterday and there was no way that he wanted to end up cleaning dishes again. Master Samukay held up one finger and he stopped dead.

“It cannot, padawan Aleski, be the person you were paired with yesterday. I’m going to give you three minutes to find your partner. I am also the arbitrator of the pairings. If I think they will be particularly disastrous or advantageous I will do the choosing. I would like something to eat for lunch today that is at least somewhat edible.”

The finger stayed up a moment longer and then dropped. Kirsh looked around the room panic stricken. Who would want to go with someone who couldn’t even boil water?

 

So Master Particular has a sense of humor, I see.

Relax, Kirsh, you'll be fine. Correllians like a challenge.

 

Eiko sauntered up to Eena and Kirsh in time to hear that they couldn't partner up; she also noticed Kirsh's dismay.

She asked, "What was the amazing dish Master Samukay mentioned?"

Eena answered, "A dish with eels, sauce, and vegetables."

"Sounds delicious!" Eiko said. "I love anything with sauces, sweet or otherwise. Hey, Kirsh, I wouldn't mind teaming up with you? Cooking happens to be a hobby of mine."

Kirsh looked relieved; apparently he was going to be partnered with someone else who knew the correct end of a spatula.

"Sure, Eiko, I'd erm, like that."

"Let's wait to see what other instructions we get, as to what to make, or maybe we can make our favorite dish?"

 

Everyone seemed very pleased when Master Samukay announced the class would be allowed to choose their own partners. However, when he added that it could not be the person that you were with yesterday, Kells noticed that Kirsh started to look worried. She started to head over, but Eiko reached him first.

"Kells!"

She looked to see who was calling, and saw Kirsten waving at her. She went over.

"Hey, Kirsten."

"Kirsti is fine. Wanna be my partner?"

"Sure."

Just then Master Samukay approached them. "While I appreciate your enthusiasm, I am not sure it is wise to have a pair consisting of two Correllians. Padawan Lien, perhaps you could work with Miss Plum today. And Miss Solo, it would seem that Padawan Hisbana is now the only other person without a partner."

Rujeno came over reluctantly, looking disgusted. Before he could say a word, Kells cut him off.

"I know. You weren't my first choice either, but it looks like we're stuck with each other, so let's just make the best of it, okay?"

A few moments later, the class was called to order.

"Now that everyone has found their partners, let us begin. I am sure everyone remembers our last adventure together, which, for the sake of believability, we will pretend occurred some time ago, instead of merely yesterday. Today, unfortunately, we once again find ourselves stranded rather far from civilization, and must prepare a meal from available ingredients while we wait for rescue. Fortunately, however, it would seem that the owner of the ship upon which we are traveling is something of a gourmet. Within the well appointed galley you find a large bag of flour, an ample canister of sugar, a container of cocoa powder, a larger than usual assortment of spices and dried herbs, including but not limited to, cainéal, muskatnuss, a large tub of Davencor's, and a large jar of Mrs. Swift. There is also a large jug of generic cooking oil, a large bottle of elivo oil, a bottle of vinegar, a bottle of hot sauce, and in the conservator, lucky us, a large block of bantha cheese, a container of grated zarmepan cheese, and two bottles of wine, one red and one white. You have also managed to catch some local lizards."

The instructor pauses here to display a bright green lizard, about 10 inches long, with a pair of jagged white stripes running down its back, then, gesturing to the pantry, he continues.

"By foraging in the surrounding area, you may even find additional ingredients to use, provided, of course, that you can identify them. You have one hour. I look forward to tasting your creations later."

Spoiler: Author's Note

cainéal = cinnamon
muskatnuss = nutmeg
Davencor's = Cavender's (seasoning mix)
Mrs. Swift = should be obvious, but Mrs. Dash
Elivo oil = olive oil

 

Love it! Also Master Samukay why don't you live dangerously and let the two Correlians work together? I mean what is the worst thing that could happen?

Trying to think of what they could possibly make out of bantha cheese. Just a nice platter of cured meats and cheeses for everyone!

 

I know he said he was breaking up the Correllians, but pay attention to who Kells and Kirsten ended up being paired with. Also recall that Kells has already proved she can handle Rujeno, and the gossip grapevine has no doubt already spread that story far and wide within the Temple, just as it did the story of Kit's altercation with the pole. Think about it.

Oh, I know exactly what Kells and Rudy are going to make. Warning: character development incoming!

Also, I just remembered another ingredient everyone was supposed to have, so I better edit that in.

 

Oh I saw that Kells and Rujeno are together. I almost feel sorry for rujeno - he’s had a really bad 48 hours. New people, coming second at cooking, being trounced at sword fighting to a girl who doesn’t even have a lightsaber and now has the indignity of having to be paired with that girl. It’s enough to almost make me feel sorry for him. Almost...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Story post edited.

 

Eiko smiled happily at the list of ingredients, which were familiar to those she had used in the past to make dinner pies with flour, seasonings, cheeses, and wine. When she saw the large lizard, she cringed and whispered to Kirsh, "Don't worry. That is not going into the dish!"

"Glad to hear it," he whispered back, suppressing a shudder. "A bit too ... exotic for my taste."

 

Eena took a big breath and looked around the room. She had kind of wanted to go with Kirsh again but Master Samukay had put that idea to bed pretty fast. She frowned feeling lost and confused. She looked around desperately at the group. Kit and T’lor had claimed a table and were chatting excitedly, Jazz had been put with that boy she’d met earlier and Theo was paired with the boy’s rather odd looking friend from the stairs. Theo was looking rather apprehensive and Eena’s heart went out to him. Her interaction with Castin and his friend before had let a funny taste in her mouth. She wasn’t sure what to make of either of them. The way he’d described Kit didn’t pair up with

//You’re being unfair// her brain whispered and Eena suddenly felt guilty. She shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. She knew that better than anyone.

She watched as Kells and her partner were separated by the Jedi Master and quietly crossed her fingers that she’d be put with either one of them. The Goddess Tiviali must have been smiling on her because Master Samukay lead the Jedi padawan over to her.

“Miss Plum, this is Padawan Lien, she’ll be your partner for this exercise.”

“Thank you Master Samukay,” Eena gave a rather small and timid smile. Kirsten was, like every other Jedi she’d met, rather striking – maybe it was a requirement to be beautiful. What did they do with the ugly ones – send them away? Eat them?

“Eena?” Eena realised with a start that she’d been wrapped up in her thoughts she hadn’t realised that the girl was trying to get attention.

“Oh sorry,” she felt the now familiar heat slowly creep up her face.

“I’m Kirsten,” the girl smiled at her, “got any ideas about what we can do with all of this stuff?” She waved in an expansive gesture at all the ingredients. Eena shrugged.

“There’s some stuff here I’ve never heard about. Maybe we could keep it really simple?”
“Sure. I mean we’ve got a bit of time. I’m sure we’ll come up with something.”

Eena smiled at her. The other girls’ natural confidence was infectious. From behind them there was a pop and a giggle as wine corks loosened. Both girls turned to see Kit and T’Lor giggling together and whispering as they stared at the two bottles of wine. Kirsten made a face and shook her head.

“I don’t know how on earth those two managed not to get split up. Maybe Master Samukay is getting soft in his old age. There’ll be trouble by the end of the lesson, Eena trust me.”

Eena frowned.

“I didn’t think T’Lor got into trouble. She seems so calm and stable.”
Kirsten laughed. “Wow, she’s pulled a swift one on you. Luckily Rani’s not here, if those two were paired together it would be infinitely worse.”

“Really?” Eena’s frown deepened. Who was Rani and why did it seem like the Jedi presented one face in public and a completely different one in private? Had she chosen the wrong group of friends? Had Castin been right in his characterisation of Kit?

Kirsten laughed again, “don’t look so terrified Eena. You let your emotions show all over your face. Tell you what, once we’ve thought of something to cook I’ll fill you in on some of the juicer stories.”

 

“Alright, so what are we going to do?” Kit titled her head to one side and bounced up and down on the spot, staring at the plethora of ingredients in front of them.

“I have no idea. Just serve the wine?” T’lor asked and both girls giggled.

“We could do a tray,” Kit giggled, “wine, cheese, sliced meat.”

“The lizards aren’t cooked.”

“We could fry them over our lightsabres for extra crispiness.” Both of them grinned at the image and then dissolved into laughter.

“Laughing doesn’t fill bellies…” Master Samukay’s silken tones cut across the class. Kit half poked her tongue out and then thought better of it.

“Okay, so what do we do then?” T’lor’s face was serious, “I really don’t want to spend the afternoon scrubbing dishes.”

“How about we taste the wine first?” Kit offered, “that might be a good start.” She scrabbled around until she found a corkscrew and popped the top off. T’lor poured each of them a small glass and sniffed it.

“This isn’t the best. I mean it’s not an exploding rancour…”

“Don’t remind me,” Kit groaned, “I never want to get that drunk again in my life.”

“Ha! Hardly." T’lor sniffed the wine again and then sipped it. “Nope. So don’t want to be drinking this. You’re platter idea is out. Next?”

“Uh…we could do some sort of casserole thing. Master Zahalin makes them all the time. They use a bunch of these herb-thingajigs. I think I saw her make them once.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll chop the lizard things. You go find us any more of the ‘herb-thingies’ that your Master uses.”

Kit nodded and bounded away to the pantry. She pushed through the other padawans and exchange students who were sorting through the various items until she found the spice rack. Kit screwed up her face. They all looked identical. She closed her eyes and tried to listen to the beat of The Force, but in here, surrounded by the others, the noise was almost overwhelming. Eyes closed, she let her fingers touch the top of each canister, letting the force tell her which ones to pick. She had grabbed two before her hands touched someone else. Her eyes sprung open to find Rujeno staring at her. The Twi’lek sneered.

“I think you’ll find that canister is mine Rinani.” He said and then grinned, “but you can have this one instead. It’s almost identical." He tossed a pot he’d be holding towards her.

“Gee, thanks?”

“Eh. You need all the help you can get and I don’t just mean in the kitchen.” Rujeno sneered heading back to where Kells was standing. Kit looked at the canister, it didn’t look like the Twi’lek had done anything to it, in fact it was still sealed in its original packaging. She shrugged and bounced back to where T’lor was trying to dismember and slice up one of the fatter lizards.

“Did you get everything?”

“Yeah, but I wanted something Rujeno had. He gave this to me instead.” Kit held up the canister.

“And you trust him?” T’lor’s voice was sceptical.

“No, but he hasn’t tampered with it and maybe the battle with Kells taught him a lesson?”

T’lor shrugged. “We’re running out of time so we’ll have to use it. It’ll be fine. I mean what’s the worst that can happen?”

 

In the midst of their meal prep, Eiko noticed the merriment between T'lor and Kit. "They seem to be having a super time." Eiko commented noticing that the girls were indulging in a bit of wine-tasting.

Kirsh grinned. "Hey, maybe we should do that too."

"Mmm. Fruity. This will make the dish even better." Eiko said, and proceeded to pour a half cup of wine into the mixture.

 

Oops. Looks like I dropped the ball on this one a bit, huh? Maybe this nice long post will catch me up.

----------

Rujeno made a pretense of carefully examining the ingredients on their table as he tried to ignore Kells. She refused to be ignored.

"Look Hisbana, here's the deal. I know you don't like me, and honestly I don't care for you that much either, but like I already said we're stuck with each other, so let's combine our knowledge and cook something amazing, okay?"

"Fine, but only because I don't want to be stuck doing the dishes with you too."

"Fair enough. Now we have a lot to do and not a lot of time, so let's get started."

"I assume there's a plan?" He said somewhat acidly.

"Yes. There's a plan." Kells picked up two large bowls and handed one to Rujeno. "Let's go foraging."

"Wait a second," he scowled, "you said something about combining knowledge. What knowledge do you have that's gonna give us an edge?"

"The lizards are Zarkian skinks, from the planet Ozarka. They live near mountain springs, which offer not only fresh water but a rich bounty of other edibles. Ozarka is inhabited, but sparsely populated. Be careful gutting the big lizard. It's a female. We want to save the eggs so we can use them." She walked briskly toward the party as she talked.

"Save the eggs to use? What for? Lizard caviar?"

"Exactly. Those racks will be the herbs and spices we're allowed to use. I want parsley, arglic powder, chili powder, salt, romarin, and then start browsing the bins for good stuff. I'll start at the other end."

A couple minutes later, they met back at their station.


"Okay, let's see what we got."

Rujeno stacked the seasoning containers on the counter, then proceeded to list the other items as he took them out of the bowl. "Yellow woodsorrell, pomméterres, fresh mint, crescione, lamponi, and romel mushrooms.....What do you have?" He challenged.

"Swamp lattuga, wild mostassa, junipera, and Zarkian quail eggs."

"I have more things." He gloated.

"The competition isn't between us. And this is all good stuff we can use. By the way, what was that with Kit?"

"What? She's a jerk."

"Have you ever considered that maybe the reason people are jerks to you is because you're a jerk to them?...... You didn't give her anything nasty, did you?"

"Just cilantro."

"Let's get to work. Start cleaning those lizards. Careful with that female."

Kells smashed the hard junipera berries, put them in a tea strainer, and dropped them into a cup with warm water, sugar, and flour, and set it aside. "The junipera has natural yeast. Let that sit for a few minutes and it will be a great leavening agent."

"So we're making bread?"

"Biscuits, but yeah."

"Lizard and biscuits. That's okay, I guess. Are we gonna taste the wine?"

"Of course. How else will we know the best way to use it?"

They tasted the wine. "You know, Solo, on some worlds we're technically too young to be drinking this."

"I know. And I know how we're using this."

She got a clean dry cup and two bowls, and put 3 cups of flour and a couple large pinches of salt in each. To one bowl she added a cup of sugar and half a cup of cocoa powder, and to the other she added a cup of grated Zarmepan and some crushed dried romarin. After the dry ingredients in both bowls were stirred together, the junipera water, which was now quite bubbly, and some oil went into the bowl with the cocoa.

"Done with the lizards." Rujeno displayed a plate of lizard meat and a small bowl filled with tiny dark orange spheres.

Kells passed him the bowl and spin she was working with. "Here, stir this."

As he stirred the first bowl, she added half a cup of the white wine, oil, and the quail eggs to the second, stirring everything together to form a dough.

"This good?" He tipped the bowl to show her a very thick sticky batter.

"That's great." She turned the oven on to heat up. "Now peel those pomméterres, and slice them as thin as you can get them. And turn those greens into a salad. Not the mint, though. I'm saving that for something."

While he processed the vegetables, she kneaded her dough, rolled it out thin, poked it all over with a fork, and cut it in squares, which she placed on a flat baking tray, smeared with elivo oil, and salted. She then took the chocolate batter, used the mixing spoon to drop it in large blobs on another tray, and slid both trays into the oven.

"Hey Solo," Rujeno showed Kells a handful of flimsi-thin slices of pomméterre. "What are we gonna do with these?"

"Fry 'em." She half filled a pot with cooking oil, and while it heated, smashed the lamponi in a saucepan, stirring in cainéal, muskatnuss, sugar, and some of the red wine, setting it to cook down into a sauce. Once the oil was hot the pomméterre slices were dropped in and quickly fried to a crisp. Then they were scooped out with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper napkins, and while they were still fresh and hot, sprinkled generously with chili powder and salt.

The romels were then sliced and fried as well, and set aside. The pieces of lizard meat were generously seasoned with Davencour's on both sides and cooked in a frying pan greased with a thin layer of oil.

The smell of chocolate was the signal to remove the baked goods from the oven and turn it off. As the three minute warning was given, the dough squares, which had baked into crispy crackers were dumped into a bowl lined with a kitchen towel. A second kitchen towel was spread on the empty tray. The lizard eggs were quickly seasoned with salt and some hot sauce. Two of the herb crackers were topped with a slice of bantha cheese, a spoonful of lizard eggs, a slice of fried romel, and a sprinkle of dried parsley. The salad was put on a large plate beside a slice of lizard meat and some pomméterre crisps, and dressed with a drizzle of elivo oil and vinegar, and a sprinkle of Mrs. Swift. A chocolate biscuit was sliced in half and put in a bowl with some of the lamponi sauce, and garnished with a sprig of mint. The food was arranged on the tray and the wine poured - one glass of red and one of white - just as time was called.

Spoiler: Author's notes

Romel mushrooms = morels

Pomméterre = potato, tweaked slightly from the French "pomme de terre"

Junipera = juniper. The yeast thing is something I heard once upon a time which may or may not be true. The Wikipedia page doesn't say anything about that. And if it's not true, this is fiction anyway. However, juniper berries having culinary uses is 100% fact.

Yellow woodsorrell is an actual edible plant that grows in backyards. There's some in my backyard. It's tasty.

The other foreign sounding food words new to this entry can be deciphered by running them through Google Translate.

Also, I know this slips into passive voice at the end. I did it on purpose because I was tired of trying to decide who was doing what.

 

YUM!!! Got the entire meal, including the snack/dessert. All tasty! Inspiring for Eiko and Kirsh

------------

The lovely smell of chocolate wafting from Kells' and Rujeno's station made Eiko decide to make cupcakes with the cocoa powder; she had Kirsh spread a butter icing on top and popped them in the oven as soon as the dinner pies were done.

 

Ooo! @Cowgirl Jedi 1701 I think Rujeno and Kells are going to give everyone a run for their money! The descriptions of the food made me hungry even though its very late at night and I still don't know what half the ingredients are! Think the lizard eggs might give Kit and T’Lor a bit of a problem though - thanks for the inspiration.

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha - mmmm, cupcakes. Think I might have to make some in real life tomorrow now.

This is silly short. My aim this week is to concentrate a bit more on USJS and the unpublished Namia/Kit fic as I've been neglecting both and I feel terrible!

***

“Uh, I don’t think this is quite going to plan,” Jazz looked across at Eena’s table with its smooth order and then to where Kells and Rujeno were making what looked like a feast. Jazz looked at Castin and sighed. “I don’t see how we can do this and after yesterday I’m all out of ideas.”

“I heard about the eels from Dexter’s Canteen,” Castin said as he chopped vegetables, “it would have been amazing, if it had worked.”

“Yeah, well it didn’t and now Master Samukay is on my case.”

“I had noticed that he has come over and checked on our progress more than is strictly necessary. Look, we can do what we can. As long as we aren’t scrubbing dishes at the end then I call that a win.”

Jazz nodded. “Just tell me what to do.”

 

As to that, if @Cowgirl Jedi 1701 cooks like that in RL, woohoo, that's the place to gather for happy grazing

 

If nothing else, I don't remember ever cooking anything that was Yoda stew levels of terrible.

Once as a kid, I just kind of randomly mixed together some flour and sugar and spices and water, and I didn't know what I was doing, I just knew I was hungry and this stuff tastes good when you mix it together. Then mom came in and thought it looked like cookie dough, so we baked it and had a few good cookies.

Then there was one time in high school(?) That I thought it would be nice to make pumpkin pie, and we had all the ingredients, so I just...did. Without help. It's possible I might have even been the only one home at the time, but I'm not sure. And yes, I did burn the back of my hand putting it in, and as a result spilled half the filing onto the oven door. But I just stuck my hand under the faucet for a sec, scooped the filling back into the pie, washed off the door, and baked the pie. And I didn't burn the pie. Just my hand.

Also I have made Julia Child's bouef bourgignon, and it turned out good on the first try.

So yeah, I'd say I'm a pretty good cook.

 

I agree with you, Eena, numbers are simple and true.

Now this sounds tasty!

Ow!

It's been quite some time since I read about An-Paj and Leona over on hellschancecantina.

 

Uh, I have and frequently when I was younger - luckily I know have some idea of what I'm doing in the kitchen (I've always been okay when it came to sweets or cakes but dinners were another story).

I once had a flatmate who tried to make mashed potatoes by first grating the potatoes before she boiled them. Needless to say, it didn't work.

Another time my husband and I went through a period where we were really struggling for money. We ended up buying the cheapest mince and what we thought was tomato soup. The mince came out of the packet grey and lumpy and the soup was a lightly burnt orange colour. We made tomato mince (roll balls of mince and then cook in the soup - filling and cheap). There was a good 2 centimetres of orange/red oil on the top of our soup by the end. We ate it because we had no other option but it still gets brought up as the worst meal either of us has ever made.

I'm a bit of the opposite of Eena. I like numbers but much of the time they are just a weird language I don't quite get. The quote came from my husband who loves numbers and often says jokingly that "they make him feel safe"

I love HellsChance and the whole Jemima Chronicles. They were good times and had some amazing characters. I think Kit and Jemima both flitted between the two universes of Hells Chance and USJS. Although the stuff (not Kit) I wrote for that was much, much darker. Thank you for reminding me about ti though, I'm going to go and see if the website still exists.