First Reply Good Soup (Lothal)

[Aliris Tremiru]

Lothal had become home. After everything, the pain, the coma, the fear, she'd found herself settling into a more.. Normal life. Or as normal as it could be trying to be a Jedi. She'd even regained some strength so she could at least walk on her own. Help around the new temple on Lothal, doing various chores between lessons. They helped keep her focus, keep her eyes forward on what to do next.

Not to stop and think about if Braze and Loomi were okay or not. She hoped they were, but until she could properly stand on her own, she didn't want to burden them.

Today was kitchen duty. Soup was the go to to help feed people, given how easy it was to make in a large batch and sustain. She'd gotten good at making it. Even now she was slowly mixing in the different ingredients, simmering over a low temperature, the like. All with a soft smile on her face. She might not be out and about in the galaxy, but she was still able to help people, right? She looked up, giving a little wave to one of the people coming close. Locals who appreciated the food offered.

"Just a little longer, then it'll be ready."

 

[Yondir Fenn]

Today was kitchen duty. He might be a Knight but he was not exempt from pitching in when the occasion called for it. All he had to do was fulfill his assignment, carry out his mission, and if those who consume the food find it delicious then all the better for his efforts. Perhaps the only difference in that outcome was how some hands in the kitchen had been preparing soup. His? Yondir washed the dishes.

He scrubbed this plate and that spoon. He knew there was a dishwasher in the sense of an electronic object to take in the utensils and that any fool could accomplish this mission. His superiors could have simply sent in a droid to do this too and it would not have been the wrong choice. However, this was a task that Knight Fenn considered to be a privilege. It was a humbling experience. If a bit troubling that this dish soap carries the scent of wet fish.

"Wrong soap!" Someone said. "That liquid is for the floor."

"Oh." Yondir said. Though that did not quite explain the scent. Moving on, he caught the scent of soup and, hands in the sink, he turned in the direction of the young lady in her late teens.

"Excuse me," he beckoned her attention with no expression on his face. "The soup you are making smells most appropriate," he attempted to compliment. "I believe it will provide fine sustenance upon its consumption."

Aliris Tremiru

 

[Aliris Tremiru]

There was a slow pause as another voice reached her ears. A calm, robotic voice, or at least what she assumed was. Aliris tilted her head as she looked over to the source. Not a droid, but- oddly devoid of emotion. Different species, different tones, then? She gave a kind, relaxed smile as she nodded her head in agreement.

"It should, yes."

Her gaze drifted back to the pot as she stirred, watching the ingredients within swirl and shift. Nothing would burn or scorch, so now it was all about making sure it was cooked evenly.

Yondir Fenn

 

[Yondir Fenn]

His contemporary seemed to nod in agreement. At least, that was the extent that Yondir had since learned to interpret when it came to a gesture of acknowledgement such as the nod of the head. The smile, on the other hand, the spreading of the lips, was the opposite of the other direction, which he had since discovered to acknowledge as a frown. Now there was a contradiction.

"Yes, it should."

He was glad that she agreed even if such an emotion did not show on his countenance. However, she was surely too busy tending to her soup to even notice, and he spoke only in a tone of indifference. Yet he meant every word of his sentence. Just then, Knight Fenn realized he had no more items to clean. So he dried his hands and decided to take his leave.

"Might I provide assistance?"

He didn't intend to leave this kitchen. Dishes would eventually accumulate and could not be left unattended. However, for the moment, Yondir figured he could at least help the one individual making the stew. He only hoped he didn't intrude.

Aliris Tremiru

 

[Aliris Tremiru]

"The soups just about done. How about.." A long hum of thought escaped Aliris as she glanced about the kitchen. Part of her assumed that the guy talking to her was just trying to get out of doing the dishes. Was he the one who used the wrong soap earlier, then? Ah. The smile returned as she pointed towards a couple of loafs of bread. Freshly baked, and just cool enough she figured.

"Can you get those sliced up? We'll be serving a couple slices with the soup for those who want it."

Slicing bread shouldn't be too hard, right?

Yondir Fenn

 

[Yondir Fenn]

Spoiler: Music IC

Someone turned on the radio
​

So, Yondir’s assignment had shifted from dishes to slicing bread. That seemed fine enough in his opinion. Truthfully, he knew what this lady was expecting of him the moment she pointed. He had a choice, of course, but kept silent, made no noise. The sword does not decide where it is positioned. Neither did the knife, in her opinion.

“As you wish,” Yondir nodded. He would oblige as bidden. Slicing bread shouldn’t be too hard, right? He certainly had experience. So he took a loaf, set it on a countertop, took a knife, and began to slice. “How am I doing?” He figured he was doing fine but he wasn’t the judge, right?

Aliris Tremiru

 

[Aliris Tremiru]

It was right back to the soup for Aliris now, her focus on finishing it up to ensure nothing was burned. Then to the crowd that had started to shuffle through. It was the same as always, people either down on their luck or just happy for the companionship coming to eat. Talk. Be part of the community. It brought a smile to her face.

Her gaze drifted over to the stranger as he sliced up the bread, nodding once. "Fine. We'll stick with three loafs for now, then chop up another if we need it. Most just want the soup." It was good soup. She started to ladle them out, bowl after bowl with the brightest of smiles. This was what she enjoyed. Giving out food to those who were hungry.

Yondir Fenn

 

[Yondir Fenn]

Three loafs sounded fine. If most just wanted the soup then Yondir would chop up the other loaves when the occasion called for it. Certainly the guests of these hosts were hungry. In his opinion, however, bread was just a complement to the main attraction.

“It is a most exquisite scent,” he complimented again. Was she a chef? Or was she simply given an assignment like the Knight? Perhaps it did not matter in the end. She performed her duty and she did so truly.

“Bread for you,” Yondir offered as they came through. He and his partner performed a perfect rhythm of providing soup and bread in unison. “Bread for you,” he said again to the next person. “Bread for you.” Again.

“Soup and bread for the hungry, please!” Someone said as he dipped back behind in line to get fed twice.

Yondir could recognize a face and no mistake. Wait. He already had it. This isn’t right. “No soup for you,” the Knight said. “Or bread.”

Aliris Tremiru