InsaneJournal

Root poked at her food, a curious expression on her face. “It’s amazing. You can get a chicken salad right from a window. I wonder what other kinds of food we could ask for.”

She knew, of course that the operative word was ‘food’ when it came to Shaw. She took a bite, and swallowed. “And yet it doesn’t quite taste the same does it? I’ve had the food in the galley. Now that’s real. It doesn’t make sense, but it’s real.”

For her part, Shaw was digging into a steak that tasted remarkably natural for being...whatever exactly it was. “‘S good to start simple.” The coffee wasn’t bad, either. But the steak had most of her full attention. She did, however, briefly wonder if she could get a proper Beatrice Lillie sandwich is she told it the correct ingredients. Sometime when she was less impatient to eat, she might try it.

“This does a decent steak.”

Surprising Shaw with the proper sandwich sounded like something Root would do, and she was certainly considering it.

"Well, if it meets your approval, it must be good. But it still doesn't make sense."

Root tossed her hair back over her shoulder and leaned in towards Sameen. "Why waste space and weight on actual food, when you can replicate whatever you want from a storage of mass?"

She decided not to tell Shaw exactly what some of that mass that got remade into food was.

Shaw didn’t want to think about where the food came from. It was usually better not to know that, no matter what you were eating. “Most of this ship doesn’t make sense,” she noted. “The talking compute makes sense, but that’s about it.”

"She's kind of dumb. No personality." Root rested her chin on her hand. The whole thing was a little disappointing. Here they were on a fantastic voyage, and the computer system was simply a much more powerful version of what she was used to. A little bizarre in some ways, though she enjoyed the voice commands.

"Imagine what Harry could do with this hardware."

Shaw snorted. “He’d faint from the excitement. Then probably wonder how long it would take them to notice he was messing with things.”

“I’m still figuring that part out.” Root rocked left and right. She was done with her meal and impatient for Shaw to finish her steak. “How much we can get away with. I’m going to go into their sciences division. That’ll give me some access.”

“Be careful with that,” Shaw said. “I don’t want you ending up in the brig.” She finally finished her steak--she’d gotten a big one, because she could.

“I’ll be careful,” Root sang, nudging her foot at Shaw’s. She ran it up her ankle and winked. “Will you throw me into the brig yourself? I might enjoy that.”

Shaw raised an eyebrow. “I’m tactical, babe; security handles the brig. Might send the guy they gave the too small shirt to to take you in, though.”

“What about one of those pretty ladies in short skirts,” Root replied. She thought she’d seen the man Shaw was talking about. Handsome, but definitely not her type.

“They might try,” Shaw admitted. “Probably underestimate you.”

“Why aren’t you in a skirt?” If Root’s smile could be described as anything, it could be described as mad.

Shaw just gave Root a look. “Because I don’t want to be.”

Root was practically laying on the table at this point, moving in closer to Shaw. “Not even for little old me?”

Shaw rolled her eyes. “What would I get in return?” There was a hint of a smirk forming on her lips.

Oh, but Root loved it when Shaw played along. She might flirt and tease other people, but the real serious emotions and the real serious flirting was always reserved for her shooty ... whatever-they-were.

"My eternal worship."

“Hmmm. Maybe.” Shaw really did want to see what Root had in mind. “But only behind closed doors.”

“I promise to never share my knowledge with another human being,” Root replied, knowing full well there were non-human crewmembers and guests that didn’t fall under that umbrella.

“In that case....maybe you’ll get to see me in a little red uniform dress sometime.” Shaw leaned back in her seat. “As for what you wear...surprise me.”

Really now. Root took a deep breath, sitting back in her seat while trying to keep her face neutral and in general failing miserably. Excitement was writ clear across her features. "I'll endeavor to do so!"
Shaw grinned. “I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“I am interested in a work out,” Root mused. She slipped to her feet to dump the tray back into the replicator. That part at least made sense to her. Recycle. No trash, and even better no cleaning!