Kale looked from one face to the other, "Ah, come on Geoff ... Walton?  I ain't that bad, my food just takes 'o bit a gettin' used ta." he followed after the other three.  A smile still on his face even though he was the butt end of all their teasing ... he was just so glad to be here.  Shaking his head he said, "Everybodies makin' a fuss."

Geoff followed after the professor and looked over his shoulder at the captain with a wry grin. "No, Cap'n. A bullet wound takes some gettin' used ta. Yer cookin' is one o' those things that just ain't ever gonna be right no matter what. Just one o' those facts o' life, ya know? Can't be helped.", he said and then chuckled,"Don't let it get ya down though. It ain't like cookin' comes up all that often in our business. Now, if'n ya ever decided ta be leavin' the captain-ing business ta take up cookin' as a profession, then there'd be problems. Problems that hafta do with fire an' all sorts o' sickness. Wouldn't be pretty at all."

Wei-Li smiled and nodded, not completely amazed by his remembering her name, he had after all been a professor, and that meant having to learn everyone's name in the class.

She shook her head as the others spoke. "I, for one, do not want to get used to either." she admitted.

She stopped speaking and smiled as they entered the kitchen.  She could tell that this kitchen belonged to someone who enjoyed cooking and being in the kitchen.

"Alright, boys, boys." Walton said briskly as they entered the kitchen, although he gave a small wink to Geoff and said, "You do have a point however."  Then he looked around the kitchen, surveying the room, it was obvious that he was very comfortable here.  The looked to Wei-Li, "Now dear, if you wouldn't mind putting the salad together, supplies are all in the refrigerator.  You'll have to chop some of the vegetables and the like.  Geoff I believe you could perhaps help me with getting the potatoes and corn cooked and seasoned. Kale, all I want you do do is carve the chicken which is-" there was a small 'ding' from the oven, "Which is now done cooking.  See, so no cooking invovled, can you manage it?" he said with a smile.

Kale frowned and made a face, "Sure I can carve up a chicken, best damn chicken carver there ever was, I'm tellin' ya." he said and began reaching to open up the oven and take the chicken out.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Walton said, "Hands washed and aprons on, no touching anything til then." he washed his own hands and then grabbed an apron off of the small peg in the corner of the room.  Grabbing the others he handed them to Wei-Li, Kale, and Geoff.

Wei-Li laughed and smiled at the Professor's demeanor.  She slipped on her apron and pulled her hair back into a ponytail as the others washed their hands, then proceeded to wash hers.

She found the salad supplies and a cutting board and knife available.  She paused for a moment, selecting a slightly smaller knife and smiled as she felt its balance.

She tapped the butt of the knife on the table twice before setting into a quick rhtymic stacatto of butt taps and decisive cuts.  As everything Wei-Li did, there was a show involved.

Ren smiled as he led Acacia to the dining room and opened up the buffet table, pulling out a table cloth and some napkins.

"I'll go get the plates... you okay here?"

Acacia laughed and dance away from him.  "Ren, I've set up operating tables... I think I can handle this one." She shook her head and laughed and then stood on her toes to kiss him.

"You go get the plates, I'll get started here."

She waited until he'd turned and gave his butt a gentle pat.  When he turned he was rewarded with a very loving look.

Ren headed back towards the kitchen as if to ask the professor where the plates were.  Once he was out of Acacia's eye sight he moved back into the main room and nodded towards Charlie.

He looked around to make sure that no-one was looking before signalling her over.  "Charlie... I need your help."

Charlie looked up at Ren as he spoke, her eyes coming off the opening pages of one of Walton's books.  It was so easy to get sucked in, and with all these new pretties to read, it was almost like christmas.  With a simple nod, Charlie opened up the bag and slid the book back inside, tying it shut again after that.

"Yeah, ah'd just...y'know, nothin'."  She muttered as she stood back up, walking over to Ren and crossing her arms.  "What'cha need me t'be doin, Bear?"

Ren looked at her and began pacing slightly.  "I... he sighed and shook his head.  "Charlie... you.. you're a girl.."

He stopped, realizing how stupid he sounded.  "Acacia.. she talks to you... you know what... what she likes and ... expects... I .. uh.."

He shook his head as he stopped again and finally pulled out a small box and handed it to her. "Mei mei... do you think she'd like it?"

Charlie smirked at Ren's newfound shyness.  It seemed each sentence was stopping and starting so awkwardly...this from the gypsy that could string a line of words from one end of the 'verse to the other.  She knew what he was saying before he said it, taking the box from him.  "Aww, Baby Bear."  She reached forward, brushing a bit of hair out of his face.  "Y'need t'be jus' takin'a calm breath'n such, kay?"

She popped the lid on the box, looking inside...a smile growing at the corners of her mouth.  Her eyes took in the sights, but she closed it again before anyone else in the house would see what was going on, giving it back to Ren.  "She's gonna...y'know, forever.  She's gonna love it'n all forth, so don'cha be worried.  When're ya gonna do it?"

Ren smiled.  "Calm breath" he repeated.  "Calm breath..."  He shook his hands nervously and nodded.

He visibly relaxed when Charlie handed him the box back.  He put it back in his pocket and then looked at her again.

"Tonight... I think... I."  He paused then looked into Charlie's eyes.  She of all of his friends understood him the best.

"Charlie... She gave up-- everything to be with me-- here... This has to be right.  It has to be perfect, she deserves..." he shook his head.

"She deservers the moon, and the stars, and, everything beautiful in the world, and I want to do everything I can to give it to her... I just..."

He paused.  "What can I do to make it... perfect?"

After looking over the table of contents, Lei looked up the most important information, she read it and skimmed through some of the other pages, already having a theory in mind as to what they were going to elaborated on. She was quickly bored with the book after about ten minutes. She placed it back on the floor and went on to look for more.
She wondered around the house looking for something that would rouse her intrest. She could feel her heart beating in her chest as she walked on. She had some thoughts on the conversation between Reiner and Charlie, but reading was more important now. She would speak to Geoff about it later.
In the mean time, her mind was swirling with various information on geography, anthropology, Earth-that-was history, mathematics, astronomy, volleyball and agricutlure. The science of agriculture fascinated her the most and after reading about new technology that allowed a green house to easily be integrated into a ship she couldn't put the book down. After reading 8 books on the subject, she went back to the shelves, hungry for more. Her clothes were already covered in dust, but she was far too focused on other things.

"Ren, hun...you'd best be worryin' a whole lot less, 'cause Acacia's gone'an gotten herself someone who'll give'r all'f that.  Y'know, knowin' that'cha were keepin' it secret n'all, that was somethin' else...an' youd've kept that secret fer ages, wouldn'cha?  I know how much y'love her."  She smiles, re-crossing her arms as she looks back into his eyes.  There's a bit of a twitch at the corner of her eye when she says the word "love," but she smiles through it, turning around to stand beside him.

"So you're askin' what she'll like, right?  I mean, she's a doctor'n all that, but she's still a woman.  More proper'n some of us, y'know?  Ask her tonight...well..."  Charlie scratches the back of her neck as she thinks, looking around the room.  "Tell her, ah...I dunno.  Tell her that'cha love her.  Also, she comes from proper blood...suits'n ties, and all th'like.  I'm not sure what'cha do for tradition, comin' offa Paquin, but it'd mean more t'her if you do it traditional.  Y'know...on one knee, askin' her proper and th'like.  Also, don'be lettin' her think that you're hidin' it anymore.  You'd best ask her in front'f everyone, instead'f alone..."

Rhaef extinguished his cigarette as he walked by the bay window. He saw Acacia and Ren talking close to each other and smiled. Despite everything else, he was glad to see someone was happy, the two of them deserved it.

He walked about fifty yards and found the Professor's ice house. Grabbing a saw that was outside, he entered and hewed a block of ice to bring back. He grabbed it with some claipers and pulled it on to his shoulders. His musclues bulged and strained under the weight a bit until he got it adjusted and began the long trek back to the house.

Geoff took the apron that was offered to him and put it on with a wry grin. "Hey now, don't I jus' make a pretty picture? Honestly, I think it looks right good on me.", he said with a chuckle as he gestured to himself wearing the apron, "'Course, I like ta think I'm too damn pretty not ta look good in jus' 'bout anything, ya know?"

He laughed then as he moved to wash his hands and then, finishing that, turned to the professor. "All right then, Professor! Jus' point me at them potatoes and corn an' such an' I'll get right down ta business!", he said as he cracked his knuckles as if getting ready for a fight.

Ren's jaw dropped and his exprression fell from a nervous smile to a heartbroken look, as Charlie told him hat Acacia already had someone who'd give her all the things he felt she deserved, until he realized that she was talking about him.  His smile quirked slightly, and there was a question in his eyes for so brief a moment she might have missed it.

He simply filed his question away, knowing this probably wasn't the time, and continued to listen to Charlie, as she told him how he should do this.  When she finished he nodded.  "So no clever... hiding it or anything... One knee... front 'a family?"

He grinned at her then his eyes sparkling.  "Hell of a way to let the proffessor know eh?"

Charlie smiled, shaking her head.  "Bear, th'Professor prolly knows already, y'know?  There's no keepin' th'things from him n'all."

Ren laughed and bowed his head slightly, rolling his eyes upward, so that he still maintained eye contact with Charlie.

"Uh... hell of a way to find out...that I'm hoping to get married?" he asked, correcting himself, in the same tone he had in the holding cell when he found out that the only one who thought he had a secret was him.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:23, Sun 23 Apr 2006.

Rhaef reached the veranda door in the hall that seperated the kitchen and the dining area, he, none to subtly, knocked on the door with his head, hoping someone heard it and would come open the door for him.

Acacia smiled at Ren as he left, then got to work setting the table.  It was both comforting and odd to find someone as refined and civilized as the professor on the rim.  As she pulled out the table cloth she counted out napkins, then put one back, remembering that Kyoko wasn't there.

Once the tablecloth was on the table, she began folding the napkins as her mother did before any formal family dinner.  The thought of home make her smile as she thought of making her own with Ren.

Wei-Li laughed at Geoff's comment, and the way he looked, acting tough in an apron.  Smiling, she went back to work, this time on the carrots.  The cutting became a rythmic flouris.

Tap-ta-tap, chop chop chop. Tap-ta-tap chop chop chop as she worked her way through the carrots.

Walton pointed Geoff over to the stove top as he went to let Rhaef inside, "Ah perfect, go ahead and set that down in the ice chest." he said, heading back towards the kitchen.