Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #122: Butt Load of Bang (2/15/01)
HT walks through the Mess tent, and straight out the back to the kitchen tent. He intends to check on his favorite whipping-boy.
HT sees Storm peeling potatoes and is filled with a sense of accomplishment.
HT realizes that it could be so much worse. He could be hanging off a cliff trying to keep greenies from killing themselves.
HT has come to tell Storm that his KP duty is over.
Storm looks up from the umpteenth potato he was peeling at HT. Sgt. Edka, with the genius typical of sergeants, had assigned him to KP duty as punishment for that still. Pointing out he hadn't done anything except talk hadn't helped. So here he is in a dim kitchen, staring up at HT.
HT frowns down at Storm.
HT: On your feet soldier!
Storm looks down at the pile of potatoes on his lap. Smiles, "Sure." He stands up, spilling the potatoes all over the floor.
HT realizes that Courier Corps isn't as spit and polish as most other branches of the service but this is ridiculous.
HT shakes his head and wonders what god he has offended to get stuck up here at the back of beyond with greenies, slacker, idiots and no cat houses!
Storm wonders if there is enough of the flour and milk to make potato soup. Yes, he decides. Only a very thin one.
HT: Private Storm, I hereby relieve you of Kitchen Patrol duty. You will however be on probation for the next six months and any infraction will have you back here peeling potatoes until you have to move your beard to find them.
HT: Do I make myself clear?
Storm: Yes, sir. But there's one problem with that.
HT is astonished that Storm wants to stand and talk when anyone else would have saluted and run.
HT: And what would that be?
Storm: Sergeant Edka told me to do KP duty until he told me otherwise, and he hasn't told me otherwise. And he does outrank you, sir.
HT shakes his head and counts to ten. Then he counts to twenty.
HT: Son, how long you been in the service?
Storm: Depends on how you define the service, sir.
HT: Don't try to get smart with me boy!
Storm: If you're including basic training, which ended under... er... unfortunate circumstances, two years and a half.
Storm: Sir.
Storm: [Storm tries to salute, only to find the peeler poking him in the temple. He transfers it to his other hand, and then finally salutes.]
Storm: Can I at least finish peeling the potatoes?
HT: Private Storm -- [sighs loudly] you may volunteer to peel the potatoes but the Sergeant has lifted your punishment.
Storm: [a little surprised] Yes, sir. [blinks at HT] Why, sir? He seemed... a little pissed off when he told me he was putting me on KP duty. What cooled him down?
Storm: [picks up a potato and starts to peel it, purely out of habit.]
HT wonders why on earth anyone relieved of KP would not be running from the kitchen as if his life were threatened.
HT: Sergeants are mysteries of nature boy. Ain't you figured that out in two and a half years?
Storm: Yes, sir, I have. But I haven't stopped trying to figure them out. You know, like a weathervane.
HT barks a laugh at this.
HT: Well more power to you son. But if you find out please tell me.
Storm: [smiles] Sure will, Sir.
Storm: Probably will give up pretty soon. [sigh] This soup is gonna be thin.
Storm: See if I can make up some bread.
Storm: [finishes peeling potato, starts looking for a knife.]
HT: If you're trying to thicken up that soup son, you should just make a rue and add that to it.
Storm: Hmmm. Do you know where one is? And I can't find that knife....
HT: You don't get one you make one.
HT: Besides who ever heard of potato soup with out a good thickening rue in it?
HT: Give it good flavor too.
Storm: Wonder whose Sime came in here and took it... if they did.
Storm: Sir, do you think you could find an onion for me? And do you have a knife I can borrow?
HT mentally checks his duty roster for the next hour or so. There is nothing pressing. Why not? Besides he likes potato soup.
HT: Sure, and here [reaches into his belt holder and pulls out his utility knife] try that. [hands Storm the knife carefully].
Storm: Oh, much thanks. [takes knife just as carefully] Remember to ask for it back--knives have a really bad habit of disappearing around here.
HT: Don't I know it. I think the Simes take 'um.
Storm: I don't think, I know. I caught a Sime in here once, said he was looking for the Sgt. After he left, I couldn't find the kitchen knife anywhere. How the heck do they know we got knives, anyway?
HT rummages through the multitude of sacks and splintery wooden boxes until he finds two of the sorriest excuses for onions he has ever seen in his life.
HT: They can zlin 'um. I think that zlinning us is their favorite pastime.
Storm: It is. Mama said once it's like the blankie I had as a kid. Security, I think she said it was.
HT: They also got this phobia about Gens hurting themselves. Ask me, if they would stop zlinnin' us they wouldn't know when we got hurt.
Storm: [growling under his breath] Damn them. Did it ever occur to them we need knives to cut things, like potatoes, [gesturing at the pot full of potatoes] for example? [sigh]
HT: [holds up the onions he has found] These are all I could find. Peel 'um and dice 'um and I'll show you how to make a rue.
Storm: I'll be happy when we head back across the border.
Storm: [takes onions] Least they won't make our eyes water.
HT will be happier.
HT: Got that right. But they will add somethin to the soup.
Storm: [peeling onions, commencing to cutting them up] Flour is over there. [nods to a cabinet]
HT: Right. [smiles at the way Storm has anticipated his question]
HT: Got any lard?
Storm: The cabinet next to it. Sir, I'm a little concerned.
HT retrieves the flour and the lard.
HT: Concerned about the rue?
Storm: No, about the food. I know... sir, I know the merchants are going to town on us.
HT shakes his head. Of course he will not discuss Edka's solution to the problem with Storm.
Storm: They're gouging us, in other words.
HT: Yeah. But we won't go without so don't you sweat it. It's bein' handled.
Storm: [puzzled look] Handled how? [sigh] Ain't gonna ask no more questions. Forget it, I am. Sir, are they also gonna move us to the Gen camp they're settling up?
HT: No. Can't be sittin' on that butt load of bang in the middle of a hoard of civilians.
Storm: No way, sir. Are we caught between that load and the Simes?
HT: Nah, it's under control and that is all that needs sayin' for now.
Storm: Hmm. All right. What do you wanna do now with this? [holds out the diced onions.]
HT: Let's get it all over to the stove and I'll do the rest.
HT grabs the lard and flour and heads to the stove.
Storm: All right. [grabs the pot and drags it over to the stove. The stove is an old fashioned wood burning kind, and Storm is careful of his arms, where they touch.]
HT: Now, [puts a convenient skillet on the burner] you start off by lettin' the pan get good and hot before you put in the lard.
HT lets the pan get hot and adds a bit of lard to it. A real rue would use butter but there isn't any.
Storm: I wondered where that skillet went.
HT grins at Storm. He really isn't a bad sort. But that blasted mule....
HT: Now, give me some salt and pepper.
Storm: Right there. [nods to the counter, where before the pot hid the salt and the pepper]
HT adds salt and pepper to the hot lard. The smell of frying pepper makes him sneeze.
HT adds the flour and stirs until it browns nicely.
HT: Get some water. Cold is best.
HT hasn't been on KP duty so the layout is unfamiliar to him.
Storm: I'll pump some out. Let's hope no one else is using the shower right now....
HT: Right.
Go on to Episode #123: A Simple Solution
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