[Log] Chocolate chip cookies

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Crew Commons, Grace O'Malley
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Bishop nods a bit and after cracking the lid of his beer and taking a sip, he tilts his head then frowns. "Alright, I gotta ask and if I am crossing some sort of unwritten boundary or what not, just let me know. I really don't get insulted to often but I've always been curious." Pausing, Bishop goes on. "Did you always want to do this?"


"It is very kind of you to ask so politely, and yes; you can ask this without offending me. I think," there is another moment of silence as the spoon is gracefully discarded. "That I first thought of becoming a companion when I was eight. I saw one, and thought she was so beautiful, so glamorous. Of course," her smile widens, "there is much more to it than that. But I learnt."


"I, obviously, ain't the most cultured person in the verse." Bishop says in a moment of refined self-identity. "But... well, How much more can there be to what it was besides being beautiful and glamorous?"


Saienne steps quietly into the Commons from the portside quarters, a small bamboo tray held in one hand and her canvas satchel in the other. On the tray are balanced a small ceramic teapot, a plate with nothing left but crumbs, and an empty teacup, pea green in colour - lunch, presumably. She pauses briefly as she enters the room, spying Bishop and Sirah by the galley, and then makes her way towards them. "Afternoon," she says, in a good-natured voice. "Bishop. Miss."


And this time, Sirah looks at the other in earnest surprise. But the expression is soon doused by one of warmth."You need to know a lot of politics, for one," she explains, taking a sip of her tea with a glance at Bishop. "And the ability to engage in almost every conversation. Then there is the spiritual side as well." The cup is turned slowly between her hands, her green gaze cast down."It takes years to learn, many years. And even then, some fail, for the ability to connect with another both spiritually and physically," the Companion looks up again, "it is... oh, good day, Saienne." A smile is sent at the newcomer before she turns back to Bishop, eyes sparkling: "Some find it too hard to learn, and give up."


Bishop looks over at Saienne and nods his head in greeting to the other, flashing a smile before looking back to Sirah. "Spiritually? Huh... I always thought it was just leg spreading." Blinking, he looks aghast and clears his throat. "Sorry."


"Bishop," begins Saienne, in a voice abruptly sharp. "Ain't it possible for you not to insult folk for five minutes?" She regards him through dark eyes, a very slight frown crinkling the crowsfeet at the corners of her eyes. "It's pathological, I reckon." She offers this last to Sirah, with a faintly embarrassed shrug and an uncertain smile. She slips then past them, through into the galley, and begins to rinse out her teapot.


Despite the pilot's apology Sirah's smile stiffens, and then fades.%r%rShe lifts the red cup to her lips and sips from it, a prolonged gesture, with her eyes closed. When her eyes open again, it is to send a warm gaze at Saienne; and her mien is relaxed and pleasant as ever -- not the least trace of embarrasement lingers in her face. "Did you ever call the lady back, then," the Companion turns to Bishop with a friendly expression. "The one who sent you the flowers?"


Bishop blinks and starts to blush, brilliantly red already after what he said. "I have tried to tell y'all I don't have tact... dunno why folks dont' understand that and let me just hide in my room all the time." His voice is quiet then he shakes his head and looks at Sirah when she asks about the flowers, blush deepening further. "No. Not... not yet. I don't know what to say."


Saienne glances back over at the pilot, using her fingers to flush any remaining tea leaves from the belly of the teapot. "Tactlessness ain't so bad," Saienne says, mildly. "But when it slips over the line to downright rudeness..." She shrugs, a fluid gesture, and then sets her teapot upside down on the draining board. "Well, that's different, ain't it?" Her serious expression shifts into a bit of a crooked smile as Sirah asks her question and Bishop answers it - and she drops the previously subject. "She must've thought a lot of you to lay those on," Sai says, good-natured again. "Real pretty flowers." A pause. "An' I reckon you just say thank you. An' reschedule your outin'."


Sirah listens to Saienne's words in silence at first, silent eyes suggesting approval at the woman's speech. Then her blonde head tilts at the pilot, a hand adjusts the emerald, silken shawl that covers her shoulder. If she notices the other's blush, then she does - tactfully, perhaps - not mention it."Do you like her?"A beautifully arched brow lifts slightly at Bishop.


Bishop looks first to Saienne and shakes his head a little, "That's just it Sai, I don't..." Then Sirah speaks and he looks over to her and nods his head, "That's it exactly. I have someone. Not her, and... I mean I was just being friendly, I don't want to send the wrong message. I ain't got no problem being friendly with folks or going out and doing things, I'd like to meet people and just get to know them. But flowers like that? That says she was thinkin' something else I think and... well yeah. I'm not interested in her like that."


Saienne wrinkles her nose at Bishop, her expression turning serious again - although she doesn't question him further. She just nods, a little bob of her head. She is stood at the sink washing out her teapot and tea things while Bishop and Sirah stand talking at the galley counter. "That ain't quite so easy, then," Saienne says, as he explains the flower-related situation a little more clearly. "An' I reckon I'm hardly the best person to give you sage advice on the matter, an' all." She grins crookedly, and absent-mindedly twists the silver ring on her right hand. "However..." she says, turning to Sirah, expectantly.


Green eyes linger upon the flowers before they turn to Bishop once more."Then you should tell her," the woman says gently, and with conviction. "The longer she carries false hopes, the harder it will be for her to find out. What exactly to tell her is rather obvious; the nerve, perhaps, is harder to come by."A smile graces Sirah's lips at this, and she turns to the dooway with a look at Saienne - briefly flicking a glance at the silver ring on her hand."I have to watch something at the Cortex," she says quietly. "But I will return once I am done."


Bishop blinks at Sirah's explanation and shakes his head, "Yeah... because I've got a lot of nerve saying what I don't mean to say. It's only when I have to say something I get all chickenfied." He grumbles then resumes what he was originally doing, mixing ingrediants in a mixing bowl and preheating the oven to destroy the ship.


Neither singing, dancing, twirling, /or/ skipping, Josephine walks out from the starboard section of the ship in a decidedly conventional fashion, looking rather uncommonly serious...for her, at least. She leans against the bulkhead for a moment, there at the entrance to the commons, her dark eyes scanning the scene. "Well, Mister Bishop," she says, in her sing-song tones, "You truly are a man of many talents. I didn't know you could cook. Good morning..or afternoon..or evening, everyone. I fear I've lost track of time!"


"Sirah's got the truth of it, mind." Saienne agrees as the Companion leaves to attend to the Cortex. She wipes her hands on the towel to dry them. "Longer you keep them flyin' along with you, further they got to fall when the truth of things comes out." She hangs the towel back on its hook and comes back towards the counter. "An' thinkin' on the task as the lesser of two evils might help you find the nerve, an' all." She shrugs, and peers down into the mixing bowl. "What you cookin'?"


"At present, I'm leanin' towards making chocolate chip cookies... or some semblence of them." Bishop explains as he keeps mixing, watching Sirah leave then shaking his head to look over towards Sai. "I didn't mean no offense to her. Just... words come outta my mouth."


Invisibility is a fascinating and rare talent. With her question unacknowledged, Josephine simply wanders further into the common room, staying clear of the galley where there is already a crowd. She seems to be looking for something, peering here and there with apparently mild concern.


Saienne looks sideways at Bishop, her lips pursed in a bit of a frown. She hesitates, and then places her be-ringed hand very briefly on his shoulder in a gesture of conciliation. She slips the hand into her pocket not soon after, and steps back a little. "Least you said you were sorry good an' quick," she says, quietly. "An' I'm sorry an' all for comin' on all holier-than-thou an' all." A shrug again. "It just was... quite rude." She grins crookedly and her tone suggests she's speaking now in jest. Josephine's arrival causes Sai to look over her shoulder: "You lost somethin'?" she asks, curiously.


Bishop tilts his head and looks around, "I thought I heard something..." He says softly and finally turns enough to let his eyes fall upon Josephine. "JOSIE!" He exclaims out towards the woman. "Why are you standing wandering over there instead of over here giving your drunken pilot a hug?!"


Josephine seems startled at the sudden yelling, but her expression shifts all of the sudden to that warm smile that everyone knows so well. "Oh, Bishop.." She hurries over to give him a good, long hug. "I didn't know my drunken pilot liked hugs," the little woman admits, granting him a kiss on the cheek in apology. "You've been well? Doing okay? Learning to bake?" After taking a good long look at Bishop, as if to make sure no one has exchanged him for someone who isn't quite him, she turns her warm smile to Saienne. "I'm trying to find Larry, that's all. Do you know where Tyr's stashed his crate?"


Saienne shakes her head in response to the question. "I ain't got the foggiest, Josephine," Saienne says. She pauses. "Although, knowin' Tyr, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Larry ain't all safe an' snug in his bunk." She smiles lop-sidedly. "We've all been havin' to improvise in your absence," Sai says, gesturing at the mixing bowl. "I've eaten some real... interestin' things these past few weeks, ain't it so?"


Soft steps can be heard in the portside gangway again, and soon the green-clad Sirah appears into view once more. Looking a little paler than before the Companion still carries her tea-cup, silken shawl wrapped around both her shoulders this time.A smile is given to everybody present - along with a courteous nod at Josephine - and the lady seats herself by the table.


Bishop smirks towards Josephine at her questions but does reward her with a good one armed hug while he holds the mixing bowl in his other hand. "He does when the situation calls for it." He says softly towards Jo. "And I'm well, doing okayish, and I've known how to bake for a long while, I just don't do it." However Larry conversation gets him out of things and he resumes his mixing, looking up and over at Sirah as she returns, flashing a little smile.


Josephine eyes the cookie batter speculatively. "It looks good, Bish," she says with an encouraging smile. "I'm kind of new to baking myself, so if you have any tips you'd be willing to share, I'd welcome them whole-heartedly." Although she is about to reply to Saienne's suggestion as to how to locate the missing Larry, the woman finds herself at a loss for words to behold the delicate and graceful appearance of the woman who has now reappeared. "Ah..this must be one of our new passengers." Smiling warmly, she makes her way over for a proper greeting. "I'm Josephine Lefevre.." she begins, politely, "although some people call me Jo, or Jose..and Bishop here calls me Josie. My reputation probably precedes me, but here I am in person. I'm afraid I have yet to learn your name?"


Saienne navigates her way out of the galley and steps across towards the door down to the cargo hold. "I got an appointment I need to run to," Sai says, somewhat abruptly. And, on cue, her PDA begins its cheerful burble in an effort to remind her of that fact. She smiles a little ruefully and pulls the shining silver thing from one of her many pockets, poking at it with sharp fingers. "Be lost without this thing..." she murmurs as she vanishes through the door.