Hey Sweetie Part

Serena carried the bin of dishes from the passenger rooms to the sink in the galley, cussing under her breath in Chinese about the ‘grazing herd’ on the ship who ensured dishes would never truly be done.

Estaban was perusing the book selection when the young deckhand came in burdened with her load. “My … that Crew Cheif of yours has you sprinting about.” He said with a tsk moving in to help the child with her burden.

“Oh!” Serena startled, covering it with a nervous giggle that turned genuine seeing who it was. “Esteban… no, he...we just have a lot of passengers, and we’re short on crew, please don’t tell ‘em if you heard me swearing about it.”

“Not to worry sweetie your secret is safe with me. Hard worker like you.” He complimented assisting with placing the dishes in the sink. “Short staffed with all these folk … must be a bit of a handful this go around.”

“You have NO idea.” Serena said, grateful for the company, the help, and for being given a pet name that made her insides giddy. “Crew is bunking out in the cargo bay we’re so full up. I been in the bay at night, it gets kinda noisy. “ She replied. “I got this, can I make you some tea or something maybe?”

“Got the heart spacer ya do Sweetie.” He said with a smile. “Now what kinah of gentlemen would ah be if ah left a sweet girl like you to suffer the dishes ahlone.” He said as he started to help clean them. “Though tea aftah sounds like an excellent reward. Ah have this most lovely blend, mayhap you might spar a moment to join me? Tea tastes infinitely better with company.”

“The kind who paid good money t’be on a ship and shouldn’t hafta do them.” She said back with a giggle. “And I’d like that! Soon as I finish these up. Would you like me to put some water on for yah?”

“Well this tea requirahs a bit of ah delicate touch and by that ah mean you boil the bejeezus outta it.” He said with a wink and a smile. He swished the soap and water about briskly wiping plates clean. “Why not get the water ready? Some cups and all?” He suggested. “Ah find it difficult to let a girl such as yourself handle so much with both my hands still working fine. Ah been a working man all mah life. This leisurely lifestyle is taking some getting used to.”

“What’d you used to do for a living, Mr. Cortez?” The teen asked, giving Esteban her full attention. “I’ll wash, if you dry? We’ll be done in no time!” In the meanwhile, she brought down the tea kettle and filled it with fresh water.

“Well Ah have gone done worn many a hats Sweetie. In mah youth, I was a bounty huntah I turn mercenary duran the war. Not much call for bounty huntin’ after all when everyone is shooting each othah. Made my fortune and here I am. Enjoyen’ it while I can and still got a bit spring in mah step.”

“Roose is a hunter, maybe you an’ him can trade stories.” She offered, “Course, I’m not quite sure what a bounty was or how you’d hunt one.And that sounds nice, real nice! Enjoyin’ yourself and just travelin’ the verse. I think I’d go crazy if I had to just pick myself one planet to live on.” With his help, they were making short work of the dishes, plus he just had this way of speaking, she hung on every word that he said.

Estaban chuckled. “Well, you refreshing like spring rain on Shion. My undahstanding is you crewmate Roose is a big game huntah. Bounty huntahs hunt down other folk, Bail skipahs, Criminals of all kinds, for a price. Evah seem them wanted posters outside a sheriff’s station? Them be bounties.” He explained with a smile.

“Ohhhh.” Serena said, knowingly. “So you collected rewards and such? That must’ve been exciting! I bet you have all kinds of great stories from it!” She finished off the last of the dishes. “Yeah, sorry, that’s a little different than Roose, n’ account of he just hunted deer and wolves and things.”

“You must have some excitin’ tales yourself.” Cortez prodded. “Ship like this must run into all sorta colorful folk.”

“Sure do!” She replied. “I mean, I met you, and there’s Tojiro Yamamoto, lotta great people. I haven’t been on this ship long. I been a spacer my whole life, but only been on the El-Vee for about a month now, ‘fore that my ship was the Skyhook.”

“How does the compare to life on the El-Vee?” He asked curiously.

“The El-Vee is a much bettah ship.” she said, falling slightly into his vernacular. “The Skyhook… I guess we were kinda hunters too. I usually recruited people. Lunar Veil ain’t like that, it’s more like… family. Well, most of us, anyway.”

“Ah, don’t worry not a judgmental bone in mah body regardin’ that. Life ain’t always give us a good hand. Though seems thing are looking up for ya.” He said as the tea water came to a boil. Estaban set to sprinkling fragrant leaves, buds, and other bits from a packet letting it continue to boil. “Well the new crewmates sometime to settle in, mah understandin’ is ya ride in a boat long enough and you’ll all get ahlong eventually.”

Serena shrugged at the prospect. “Way I see it, plenty of people like me well enough that it don’t matter none if one or two or just that one don’t. You’re really smart… like our doctah. He always makes me feel bettah too -- and that…” She breathed in deeply. “I don’t think I never smelled tea that was so….” she breathed in deep again. “Good.”

“You are quite ah personable girl.” Cortez agreed. “I did make an effort to further mah education. It sadly something far to ovahlooked.” He explained. “I do like ta think of mahself as a bit of connoisseur in regards to tea. This one in pahticular is very fragrent and sweet, no sugah needed. I feel compelled to asked since you seemed rather specific on tha one person you may not be so much gettin’ along with ...”

“Connoisseur! Oh, I know that word. I banked it on New Kasmir when me an’ the crew chief was comparing hot cocoa to hot chocolate.” she replied brightly. “Me an the mechanic batted heads, I think. I dunno,” She replied.

“If ya want ta talk about it ah am happy to hear ya out? It can help mayhap, an outside perspective.” He said offering a friendly ear.

“Uh-uh.” She replied. “On account of I don’t wanna waste my time and conversation. Like I said, plenty of other people like me well enough. But thank yah for the offet.”

“Hard not ta. Kinda hard to imagine anyone buttin’ heads with a ray ah sunshine like yourself.” He said turning off the heat. “With a sunny perspective like you have ah am sure you’ll set it to rights. That or you know they leave.” He said pouring them each a cup. The smell of coconut and flowers blooming even brighter.

Serena giggled at his compliments, not knowing which she liked better, those, or the smell of this tea. “I near don’t want to drink this…” She said. “Just save it and inhale it just to have around… but I also can’t wait to see if it tastes as good as it smells!

“By far tastes bettah.” He promised. “Make sure ta take ah nice deep breath … bring out the sweet when ya taste it.” Estaban recommended.

Serena did just as he instructed, breathing in nice and deep before taking a sip, the flavors making her eyes go wide with delight. “This is… it’s like… a whole vacation rolled into a cup of tea!” she exclaimed, pacing herself before taking another sip.

“Indeed Sweetie.” Estaban said pleased as pie. “The wondahs of good tea.”

“It’s wondrous all right! That’s another word I banked. Oh!” She spotted the Crew Chief. “Crew Chief--” She held up her cup. “You have to try this tea. But inhale deep first ‘fore you sip.”

“Maybe later.” Vas said somewhat curt. Clearly he was busy and distracted. Though … it was somewhat odd behavior. Tea was after all his thing. Odder still when clearly he thought she wasn’t looking was the barest glance he gave, not to Serena. To Estaban. It was almost as if one predator meeting another in the wild.

“It’ll be cold by then.” She prompted,. “And then it won’t have this steam to breath in. I don’t mind sharin’, I know how much you like tea, like that tea you made that was like Yazmina’s name that time.” The glance - if noticed - was overlooked by the teen in favor of the tea cup which she wished was bigger.

Vas waved it away as he walked on about his business.

“A bit rough around the edges that one.” Estaban noted taking a long sip of hot tea.

Serena dropped her eyes to the tea cup, raising them to look after the crew chef as he passed through “He’s crew, he looks after his own, but… I… best get back to work.” She took another deep breath in and drained the tea cup. “Thank you, Mr. Cortez, I really appreciate the help with the dishes and the best tea I ever had in my whole life an’ for the conversation.”

“Nevah a problem.” Estaban smiled. “Stop by tomorrah … that way you can pick the flavah.”

“Honest and swear?” Serena replied, enthusiastically. “I’ll be here, for sure! Please just leave the dishes, I’ll clean ‘em up later.”

“Honest and true … now as you were Sweetie. Don’t let me stop you from doing what you do, Glad you liked the tea.” He said with a cordial smile.