There was much to do.

Tiingilar had been the original plan for dinner (and there would still be plenty of that), but a stew was not a feast. Unfortunately, there wasn't any shatual available. Roast shaak would have to do. Rook checked the meat and rotated it slightly. Then she moved on to the next dish, and then the next.

She hummed softly to herself as she worked. As chaotic and overwhelming as it all seemed, Rook found cooking calming and soothing.

The pepper, what a wonderful vegetable. No matter what shape, color, size or world of origin it always held a promise of enhancing the flavors you could get from a dish as long as you had the right touch.

Or willful mischief in mind

Either or, really.

And so Suis'louche approached the kitchen trying not to get unwanted attention, his eyes darting around for those small red peppers he knew to be...delightful

The peppers weren't hard to find. Rook had several of them ready to slice up and add to the tiingilar. At the moment, however, she was focused on preparing gi dumplings for soup.

The gungan froze when he saw who was prepping the meal and cursed himself: Of course it would be her acting as a head chef. One of life's most important lesson usually is 'Don't kriff with the cook' and that was doubly true for this one...triply if he had not been mando'ade himself.

You don't kriff around the Beskar Chef, ever.

Not only was she handling the food you'll eventually eat but that food was also friggin' fantastic. You don't usually get that level of cooking when you are on the field so her presence here might as well be heaven sent.

He knew it, the rest of the base knew it and anybody who would get on her bad side would get on the bad side of the entire enclave.

That's food power for you

It would be better just to ask at that point

''Ahem''

"Take one, but only one." she said, offering a small grin. She knew his tastes. She tried to learn what everyone liked. "You may be able to help me, actually. I'm roasting shaak for the main course. I'd like to add another Naboo dish or two."

He tilted his head slightly.

''Of course Rook. You want me to keep de roast going?''

Allright, so, there was some goud news. She was not mad, yet, and she misinterpreted the reason why he wanted hot peppers.

''Or you want to talk fish?''

She nodded and motioned towards the dumplings. "I have some for the soup. But, I'm undecided on what else to prepare. There isn't a lot, but I could grill or fry some fillets or make a few noodle bowls."

''You lack fish? You could have tald me.'' he shook his head ''Haw about fish paste? Not enough meat for averyone bat enough for proper sauce perhaps?

"There wasn't time to ask you." she shook her head. "I'm not sure fish paste is right for a feast. Unless, I combine it with a variant haarshun bread... That could work as an appetizer."

''How about for filling den? Mix de fish paste with herbs and other staff and stuff it in a bigger thing?''

She nodded. "That's what I was thinking. Something like that, at least. How has the fishing been?"

''Not too bad'' he replied, continuing on his task ''Dere are big catches but de traps are only so large. De lake goes surprisingly deep...have you visited yet?''

"Not really." she shook her head. "I've seen it, of course, but that's about all."