Mess Sergeant Rupert Gardner gives a final few wipes with his cloth to the insides of the waste disposal unit, pleased with the job, then closes the gleaming lid and gives the top couple of satisfied taps, then wipes the finger marks he just made and claps his hands.

"Ready for another day!" he shouts out.

Whistling, he goes to the large refrigerator, opens the door and taps his foot, while holding his chin.

"What today? What today...?" he ponders, pleased with the greater selection that Shepard had secured.

"Screw it! You can't go wrong with the classics!" he says as he begins taking eggs and cooked meats from the 'fridge, then bread from a dry store cupboard.

Jacob Taylor wanders into the mess.

"You're waaay too early, sir!" Gardner says cordially.

"I'm not looking for a cooked breakfast, just a few eggs if you can spare them?"

"You want 'em raw?"

"Yea! It's like nature's own protein pack." Jacob replies, with a slap to his firm stomach, "This body doesn't just take care of itself, you know."

"They're on the counter there, sir, help yourself. Gotta keep Shepard's team in tip top condition!"

"How you guys holding up down here?"

"We'll keep the wheels turning, don't you worry about us, sir. You just worry about getting to the bottom of the these abductions."

"Yea... Well thanks for the eggs."

"No worries, sir." Gardner says with a salute, then begins cracking eggs into a large bowl to whisk them for scrambled, whistling once again.

Jack bounds into the mess without even acknowledging Gardner and goes straight to the 'fridge to open it.

"Woah there, missy!" he shouts with a pointing finger. "You can't just go helping yourself. I've a whole ship to cater for here."

"I wanted some juice." she says, as though that explains it all.

"I haven't even set out the pitchers or the beakers yet."

"I wanted juice now."

Jack takes a large carton and swigs from it.

"Oh did you have to...?" Gardner says with frustration. "You may as well take the whole damn carton now!"

"I intended to."

"Well, shoo, shoo, shoo, I got work to do." he says trying to wave her away with his hands, until he is right in front of her.

Reapers, Collectors, pirates, that's what Gardner usually fears will take him. But standing in front of Jack, and her reaction to his attempted shoo'ing, he fears for his life right now. She looks almost through him, as though he is of no consequence, and it makes him back away with a slight flinch. Her work done, Jack turns to head nonchalantly back towards the life shaft with a swagger in her step. Gardner sighs with relief.

"Now that girl's daddy did not love her enough. I'm calling it now, yep." then returns to his work.

Faucets. It's as though they are designed to cause problems. Problems that give Gardner extra work to do around the place. He doesn't mind these sorts of menial jobs so much, at least he appears productive. Arriving at the ladies' shower block with his toolbox, the door is not locked but he knocks first regardless, then shouts, "Hello? Just Mess Sergeant Gardner, come to fix the faucets!" with no response.

He hits the panel on the door and it opens. Standing under one of the showers with her back to him is Samara, quite oblivious. Gardner's jaw drops a little at the fine form before him, the water trickling teasingly down the curves of her mottled blue skin. The sensible thing to do would be to just close the door and come back later, but Gardner has a schedule to keep, evening meals to prepare, further maintenance to perform, this will only throw all his plans off.

"Sorry, I did knock and call through. I'm here to fix the faucets." he says, causing Samara to spin, exposing all her modesty.

"Oh!" Gardner shouts, as he turns to avert his eyes.

"Oh. I am sorry. I did not hear you call. I was deep in contemplation as I cleansed myself. I shall leave you to your necessary work and do not worry, I am not vain or ashamed of what the Goddess has given me."

She casually takes a towel from the rack, wraps it around herself, picks up her clothes then leaves. Gardner shakes his head with a smile as he gets out his tools.

"One for the bank..." he chuckles to himself with a tap to his head with a finger.