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“Zari?” Rip rubbed his eyes.
“Sorry,” Zari said. “Did I wake you?”
“I don’t sleep well. What are you doing up?”
“I have trouble sleeping too. I know this ship is fine but...”
“I understand,” Rip said. “I don’t remember much from before the Refuge. I do remember how fascinated I was by the fabricator when I first saw it.”
“I know a few people who could have used one of these,” Zari said.
“I still used to keep cereal under my bed. Cereal keeps well if you store it right, it’s easy to eat, you can eat small bits at a time, it's got a lot of energy in it and a lot are fortified with vitamins, not that I knew about that back then, I just liked the sugar. Don't tell the others, it's a habit I never grew out of. There's a compartment in my office that's full of cereal I've collected from different points in time. And tinned soup and beans, things like that, but I tend to eat the cereal and keep those so I know they’re there in an emergency.”
“My maman was a really good cook,” Zari said. “She could make anything taste good. Even tins of beans. You keep saying time wants to happen.”
“That's what we were taught by the Time Masters.”
“But this is all about changing time.”
“I don't know if I can or not. But I know I’d never forgive myself if I didn't try.”
“I hope we can. She taught me how to cook. I hardly ever get the chance to anymore but I always make iftar. It makes me feel close to her.”
“Gideon can keep track of your calendar. So you know when everything is. The Time Masters don't encourage religion either so I'm afraid I don't know much. But this is a fully working kitchen. The fabricator is convenient and cooking is certainly not part of the curriculum the Time Masters set, but if you want to cook, you can.”
“Thank you. Food is best if you share it. I can teach you how to cook if you show me how to use your fancy kitchen.”
“Yeah,” Rip said. “I’d like that.”
Ray turned to the kitchen then ducked back against the wall out of sight. Rip and Zari both looked busy. And happy.
“Did they see me?” he whispered.
“No, Doctor Palmer,” Gideon said.
“Good. Do you have another fabricator?”
“The one used to make clothes is functionally the same as the one in the kitchen and the one in the med bay.”
“I’ll get a drink there. Leave the two of them to their thing.”
“May I make a request, Doctor Palmer?”
“I won't mention this to anyone.”
“Thank you. If I print a book after your drink, could you place it in Ms Tomaz’s room?”
“Of course. What book?”
“One of my creators’ favourite recipe books.”
“Cisco or Barry?”
“Cisco.”
“Cisco is good at baking. He made some really good gluten free doughnuts when I dropped in to tell them I'm alive. Do you have that book?”
“The original recipe is not gluten free but that is the book I was thinking of. The doughnut recipe is on page 74.”
“Zari does like doughnuts. I think I have some post it notes in my room. I assume neither of us are going to mention this?”
“I won't say anything if you don't.”