Battletech: Planet's Fall

John continues the scrubbing and cleaning, moving on to the serving dishes after all the individual plates and silverware have been washed. Fun times celebrating the new year... for others. He worked and remembered grandma's egg nog, missing her and working with an invisible storm cloud over his head.

With things looking a little quieter, Alison took a chance to sneak through the kitchen. She might be able to snag a coffee before the long night ahead. Twirling a partly eaten breadstick in her fingers she paused at hearing a sound before walking further in. Stopping when she noticed the big man scrubbing like his life depended on it and leaned on a nearby wall.

"Oh, hola. Did you spill some oil and get banished from the party?" she put the breadstick in her mouth, holding it there like a cigar as she bit the end of it.

He doesn't turn when he answers. "Nah. Volunteered for kitchen duty. Parties aren't my thing and I prefer working."

Placing his current serving dish in the washer, he finally turned to see who it was, wearing oversized green dish gloves with his sleeves rolled up. The front if his shirt was soaked and he was sweating from the scrubbing.

"One of the newer people right? Sorry, forgot your name."

He turns back and starts scrubbing the next serving dish.

"Really? You don't look like the washing up type" she said, taking the breadstick out of her mouth as she spoke. Alice was for once not dressed overdramatically. She had a purple t-shirt that matched her hair, and a pair of black leather pants. She wasn't wearing glasses either for once.

"Suppose someone needs to do it. Any cups I can grab laying about? Nobody ever makes my coffee right?

At the new person comment comment, she tilted her head.

"New people? Well I suppose it's only been a few months, but I'm sure that isn't new. I'm Alison. I feel like I've seen you around but not spoken with you."

He shrugs at not looking like the washing type. "Been in here plenty, when I got nothing better to do or get myself in trouble."

Reaching into the washer, he pulls out a cup that had only been water scrubbed. Applying some soap and thoroughly cleaning it by hand before rinsing, drying and handing it off to her.

"Coffee machines been scrubbed down too. Know where everything is?" He pauses to see if he's going to need to show her or if he can get back to scrubbing.

"Oh! Gracias" Alice quickly moved to collect the cup, giving the much taller man a dazzling smile "I know how to do it. Is there cream or just milk? Where is the sugar in here? I don't think I've ever actually been in the kitchen here, never needed to. Was all brought out and made for me."

Made wrong she mentally added but didn't say out loud.

"You cleaned the machine too? You have been busy."

He nods, takes off his gloves and sets them aside. "I'm no good at making stuff. But I've helped out with inventory and cleaning enough that I know where everything goes."

He doesn't seem annoyed, but also not pleased to help. Like this is just another chore that he doesn't mind doing. He shows her the way to the pantry, then points out the different items. "Ground coffee, powdered creamer or powdered milk if you want, sugar, and cause the creamer is pretty basic you can add a drop of vanilla or almond extract if you want. We're gonna lose gravity soon, so make sure it's all sealed back up when you're done. Not the best ingredients, but if you know what you like you can make it work. Want better, buy your own stash or get into the officer's lounge. Or make friends with someone that has their own stash."

It was all explained, not patronizingly, but with respectful detachment.

"Mi amigo suggesting an invastion into the officers lounge?" Alison laughed, before moving to the machine and adding more than the usual amount of coffee in, then putting the breadstick between her lips again to free up a hand slowly poured both the cream and water in at the exact same time before reaching for the sugar and adding a generous amount. The drink ended up looking about a third cream, a third water and a third sugar.

"What do you fancy? Oh, you never said your name."

"Wouldn't suggest an invasion, but you can potentially get invited or promoted. I've only ever been in for cleaning detail, but they got nice stuff."

Since she seems to be good with what she's doing he nods and starts back to the sink.

"John, Butcher, either one is fine," he says, putting his gloves on. "And I only drink coffee in the morning. Black mostly, but if I got some dark chocolate I'll mix it in."

Scrubbing begins again. "I don't like dry or powdered milk stuff. Tastes like trash to me. Dairy farm spoiled me as a kid."

"I'll see if I can cut a deal with someone to see what this good stuff is like" Alison said with a nod, walking out of the pantry with her cup sipping her drink. "Chocolate is better eaten than mixed into coffee I think."

Taking a moment to finally finish the breadstick she'd been carrying around, she looked thoughtful.

"John Butcher? Or John, sign butcher?"

"John Slaktare, callsign Butcher, last name translates to Butcher. So all the same to me," he explained while scrubbing.

"I don't like eating sweets. Keep a diet and workout to keep healthy."


He looks back for a moment. Social, use your words. Turning back to the dishes.

"Do anything for fun?"

"Got it" Alison nodded, sipping her coffee "do you have a preference?"

When he moved to ask his question she walked over to sit on one of the nearby tops, nodding.

"Well, yeah. Quite a lot. Less fun socially is reading. Slightly more social is anything tech based, although I guess if you don't understand that it doesn't' seem fun. Music is my calling in life, sometimes I miss the stage but at least I can sing for social right? What about yourself?"

"No preference. Long as I know you're talking to me, 'hey you' is good enough," he answers.

"And I had fun surgically removed. Replaced it with a desire to fight. Closest I get is near death experiences, though I avoid them if I can." It was if course a joke, but was it really?

Scrub, scrub, scrub...

"What you singin when you're singin?"

Alison shook her head, idly kicking her legs out as she spoke.

"This I don't believe. I'm sure you just haven't found what you enjoy. As for me? I sing what I feel like. As most know I preferred to sing metal or rock, but I'm still partial to a ballad. Singing is singing Mi amigo, it stirs the heart and soul. Maybe in a few years I can go back to what I used to do, but for now this is the life. Kitchens, fighting, and having to make your own coffee so it's just right!"

"Maybe I haven't."

He shrugs at that. "Oh? Fan of metal myself. I can get behind a good mosh. You just trying to get some cash together for music related stuff?"

He clearly has no idea how the music industry works.

"Ah, haven't seen a good mosh in years. Man, it's been too long. Think the CO would let me put on a show? Ah, I'd need to find musicians first, damn" Alison frowned "Ah well, maybe soon."

She shook her head.

"Money aint an issue. Well, I like having more money, but pretty certain if I returned home I could just restart my career with the snap of my fingers. I was that good after all."

"Plenty of musicians around here. Always someone making some noise somewhere. Some are pretty good," he confirms.

"You're just out here for a bit of excitement and adventure then? Or you got a specific goal?"

"Oh? Is that so? I'll have to keep my ear out for some then" Alison nodded, taking another sip of her coffee.

"Eh, not excitement or adventure. More money. I don't need money to get back on the stage, but I still need money. Plus it pays a hell of a lot better than my last job, and lets me put my name further out there as well. How long you been here anyway?"

"With the angels a bit over 2 years. Only merc outfit I been with. Solaris before that, in the arena. Money was better back there once I got going. They do pay good here though."

"So you involved in the electronic warfare stuff? Gonna be hacking enemy systems and all that?"

"Huh, it's over 2 years old? I didn't realise" Alison nodded "I did a bit of I guess freelance, not attached to anyone. Pay was decent, but it was more risky. It's better here for sure. And yeah, I'm the tech expert. Doing anything with computers, and pretty much everything. Quite good if I do say so myself. Although I'd say I can likely do anything if I put some time to it. You strike me as a fighting type though, got any interest in the tech side or is it boom smash kill for you."