Tales From The Kronos

Sepide hurried into the kitchen, trying her best to not be late. When she arrived, Ina was already cooking by herself. The kitchen was way too big for only one person, Sepide had some trouble imagining Ina working as a cook every day by herself. The cook turned toward her when she noticed the door open and greeted her with a smile.

"Sepide! I'm glad you were able to free yourself to come!"

"I'm really sorry, I said I would help you but I had something to do before."

"It's nothing, I just asked for your help since I wanted to learn more about you. I can manage the cooking if I need to."

"No no. I'm here now, I want to help."

Ina smiled merrily and gave her new assistant an apron. Together, they worked on the different meals they would do for tonight. There was so much that Sepide not only wondered how Ina would do by herself but also who was going to eat all of that. There was enough to feed thirty people.

"You're doing good so far, I'm impressed." Said Ina with a bright smile on her face.

"But I charred half of what I worked on so far..."

"If it's your first time cooking it's already great! We have more than enough anyway, so if a bit goes to waste it's not that bad. Be careful about the pizza, it will burn."

"Oh, right!"

Sepide hurried to take the pizza out of the oven. She thought it was impressive that Ina worked on her things, talked, and managed to notice that the pizza was ready.

"How long have you been cooking? You're very talented."

"Don't flatter me." Ina chuckled merrily while waving her hand "I was in an orphanage my whole childhood, that's where I learned how to cook. Later, I took care of the orphanage I was raised in. I was the director and cook there, so I pretty much cooked my whole life. By the way, I think it's time you get the dough out of the fridge."

Sepide hurried to take the dough out while Ina continued with her story.

"I miss the orphanage, it was a lively place. But the ship seems more festive too lately, so I don't miss it too much."

Sepide stayed silent. Most of the people here lost their home world, she could imagine that something happened for Ina to be here. noticing the worry on Sepide's face, Ina quickly tried to cheer up her worried friend with a smile.

"Don't worry about it, I'm glad about my life on the ship. I've only been here for a year, but I'm happy here. I'm actually glad you arrived, I feel less like a newcomer now." Ina laughed cheerfully before continuing "But I think your cake had been in the oven more than enough."

"How can you keep track of everything I'm working on?" Sepide asked while turning off the oven.

"I'm just used to it, I'm careful about everything. As the cook, it's also important that I know everyone's taste. They rarely tell me, so I need to pay attention to it. I noticed most of them enjoyed the food from the world they come from, so I asked Neige for help with it."

"It's a lot of work for only one person."

"Maybe, but I find it lovely. I can help save the universe in my way, everyone is useful here. The only thing I don't know yet is your tastes. I could guess, but you can just tell me since you're here!"

"I don't really have things I like." Sepide said with a neutral face, surprising Ina.

"Of course there are! We just need to find them!"

Ina took a candy from her pocket and handed it to Sepide. She seemed unsure at first but accepted the candy and ate it.

"Silva loves sweets, maybe you do too!"

"It's good, but it's nothing special."

"I see." Ina took a slice of the pizza that Sepide just cooked and fed it to her "What about salty things? Like Neige."

"Are we really supposed to eat while cooking?"

"Of course! It's what it's for!"

Sepide ate the slice under the smiling gaze of the cook. Just like with the candy, she seemed to enjoy it but not love it.

"You're a tough one but I'll find what you love!"

Sepide was a bit worried about all the things she would need to eat, she thought the only thing she would have to think about was the cooking.

After a few more hours, the two of them finished cooking. Sepide was exhausted and sat on a chair while Ina clapped happily.

"Congratulations! You did very well for a first time. You could be a great cook!"

"Really?" Sepide thought for a moment before asking another question "If everything is over, do you think I could be a cook?"

"By everything, do you mean saving the universe? It seems like an impossible goal, but you could be a cook if it happens."

Sepide seemed happy about the answer, unlike Ina who showed a bit of her worry.

"Are you afraid to not have any hobbies? I'm sure you could find something you want to do, cooking isn't easy. Why don't you go on the internet eventually and search around? I'd love to have you in my kitchen, but I don't think you should force yourself to find something to do."

"I supposed you're right... But I don't want to have nothing to do once everything is over. Everyone on the ship already has something and I feel I was doomed since birth to only do one thing..."

"Don't worry, I know that even if you're made for something, you can always do something else you genuinely want! You're not limited by your past." Ina took a deep inspiration before mumbling to herself "Or so I hope..."

Sepide's head tilted when she heard those weirdly ominous words from her. Ina quickly smiled back and changed the topic.

"You'll find something, don't worry. Now we should go prepare for the leader's party!"

Sepide and Ina both took some of the meal they prepared and headed toward the main hall.

When they arrived in the main hall, Silva and Emely were here talking with the leader. When she noticed Sepide and Ina coming here with food, the leader turned back toward Silva and Emely

"So you decided to hang out here for no reason AND bring food?"

"That's just a coincidence, I swear!" Emely said in panic while looking back and forth between Ina and the leader.

"It is a funny coincidence!" Interrupted Ina "I was teaching Sepide how to cook, we just decided to stock the meals here since we didn't have space!"

"You didn't have space?" Asked the leader unconvinced.

"Yeah."

"In your kitchen that is as big as all our rooms combined?"

"Yep!"

"And all your ingredients fit in your kitchen, but when you cooked them they suddenly didn't fit anymore?"

"I know, crazy right?"

The leader stared at Ina, even more skeptical than before.

"Can I see it?"

"No." Ina answered quickly with a smile.

The leader headed toward the kitchen despite her answer. Wanting to keep the surprise, Silva went in front of her leader in a desperate attempt to interrupt her.

"By the way leader, Neige wanted to see you!"

"Really? I called him and he said he was busy."

"He must have been suddenly unbusy?"

The leader let out an annoyed sigh while looking at everyone in the room.

"You're going to cause an uprising, right? Why else would you not want me around and dodge me?"

Everyone stayed silent and wanted to admit that they throwing a party for her. It was becoming obvious now that their leader understood something was going on. But before anyone could admit it, Silva spoke up.

"Exactly, we plan on overthrowing you and making Neige our leader. Maybe if you talk to him you can convince him to make us stop!"

The leader looked at Silva even more confused than before, desperately trying to understand.

"I don't know why you want me to see Neige but fine. I'm going to cut your salary in half if you do anything behind my back!"

The leader left was anger in her voice. The rest of them grouped in a hurry, talking for a moment. Silva let out a relieved sigh before talking to the rest of her friends.

"Shoot, it was got close. I hope Neige can distract her long enough, is everything over for you?"

"It is!" Answered Ina with a cheerful expression "If you help me bring the food here, we should be able to be ready before she comes again."

"Great! Let's go then! But before that..." Silva took a moment of silence and continued her sentence with a hint of confusion in her voice "She always threatens our salary, but are any of you getting paid?"

"I don't think anyone here had even seen money in their lives." Emely replied.

"Yeah, it was just to make sure. Let's hurry before she comes back!"