Night 35: Kal'tsit, Meng Bean Drink with Chrysanthemum Bulb
The Late Night Diner is a part of Rhodes Island's canteen. That goes without saying – to whom had anyone ever heard of a diner in the boiler room?
As the name implies, it opens around midnight. There are only a handful of customers at a time.
Operators off their night shift could take an order and bring back to their quarters. Night owls could sit dining-in while leeching off the Diner's wi-fi. The Doctor would come for instant noodles from time to time.
Drinks are in the cooler. Anyone burdened by their own thoughts could take one and chug it down, anytime.
Menu? No such thing exists. What the Chef prepares is what you get. It all depends on his mood of the day.
Welcome to the Rhodes Island Late Night Diner. In here, you might even meet a familiar face or two.
The Chef never had much chance to meet Doctor Kal'tsit in person before. He only caught glimpses of her during her speech on ship-wide staff meetings or canteen-wide food safety inspections. So when she showed up in the Diner late that night, the Chef felt that this land must be one step closer towards complete and utter doom for her to disregard her duty like that.
"Good evening, doctor." The Chef greeted Kal'tsit while adding a ladle of cold water into the roiling pot. "It had been awhile since the last time we met. When was it? The day the Battle of the Four Emperors ended?"
"You are making me feel old." Kal'tsit said with a half-smile." It was about four month ago when I came for supper. The item of the day was stir-fried leafy greens with white porridge. It was a light meal."
"Good thing that you still remember the meal of the day so clearly. I heard from the grapevine that you just saved the life of another Infected? The girls from the Medical couldn't stop talking about the operation. They said you stood there for almost forty hours in the theatre. It was incredible."
"Just part of the job." Kal'tsit shook her head slightly. "Saving another life from the grasp of Oripathy and that was all what's important. It was worth it..." Her voice suddenly trailed off, and she stumbled. Thanked to her quick reaction she held onto the edge of the bar counter and didn't completely collapse. She was lucky.
"Doctor Kal'tist! Aare you alright?!" The Chef dropped his utensils and rushed out from behind the counter. There was no other customers in the dining area to help her.
Just as the Chef came to her aid, Kal'tsit gestured for him to halt. "It was alright." She said. "Just a bit dizzy. A breath of fresh air and I would be OK..." She sat down on a stool near the counter, and pinched hard on her nose ridge. It was then the Chef noticed the dark rings under her eyes. She was exhausted. Everyone on the land ship knew a tale or two about Doctor Kal'tsit's work habit, of how she worked tirelessly to save the lives of her patients. Although they didn't know that there were countless needle points on both her arms from stimulant use. They were hidden beneath her coat. Each one of them was a testimony of a lengthy medical operation, or a days-long combat mission. It was the evidence of her overexerting beyond the limit of her body over and over again.
"You should've had a long rest, my deer doctor. Hadn't Miss Amiya criticize your work habit before? Overworking yourself was no help to her, the Doctor, nor yourself, or even the Rhodes Island as a whole." The Chef chided. It was rare anyone would chide the head of the company, even among those who were close to her on the land ship.
Kal'tsit did not refute. She propped herself up on the counter, and rested her head on her folded arms. She closed her eyes. Even under the effect of the drugs, her body could not manage the prolonged, highly stressful workload she had subjected herself to. It only took a moment before she was sound asleep.
It was the change of the season then. The weather shifted from warm to cold, and the air was dry. It was the time when cold sores and other micro circulation imbalances would spring up on staff of the Rhode Island. It was especially profound on the body of those who worked in disregard of their own well beings like Doctor Kal'tsit. The Chef could already spot a few small cold sores around her lips. He had seen it coming, and had thus bought meng beans and dried chrysanthemum bulbs from merchants. He had also exchanged a handful of recopies for meng bean drinks from famous chefs of Yan. Even before Doctor Kal'tsit had arrived he had heated the water and started boiling the beans. A pinch of baking soda made a more vibrant colour, and a bit of cold water into the pot each time it was brought to a boil would make the beans break a part easier and faster. It didn't take long for the beans to be cooked and ready – only a short while after Doctor Kal'tsit fell asleep. The Chef carefully put the boiled beans into the blender. He worked as cautiously as possible so that he would not wake up the good doctor.
Kal'tsit was not a deep sleeper. The rumbling of the blender easily woke her up. The quick nap gave her a small headache, and she pressed her hand on her forehead trying to quell it just a bit. She watched as the Chef wrapped a piece of cheesecloth around the blended meng bean paste. The fresh scent of the beans alleviated her sense of fatigue, yet also made her stomach growl. After all, stimulants would only kept her alert and awake. They cannot resupply her with much needed energy.
"Take your time resting. This stuff takes time to make." The Chef took a small spoon and pressed it hard against the the cheesecloth-wrapped paste. Smooth meng bean paste filtered through the cloth, leaving behind large solid grains and other impurities. "I thought you must be starving. There are still some bread in the fridge. If you are in a hurry I could make you a sandwich for now, then send the drink to your office later on."
"It was alright. I can wait. I want to have a chat with you." Kal'tsit sounded weak. Her voice lacked energy and she was almost whispering. "I remember the first time we met in Kazdel."
"Ah yes, this ship wasn't even out of the ground when we first met. I was only an Infected cook living off my handicraft without even a formal licence back then, travelling from nation to nation. And I would never realise that the customer before me would be among the ones who shaped the fate of the Infected of this land."
"Thank you for your kind words. Though my research into Oripahy was not that extensive. But I'm glad that I reached out that day and invited you on board. Otherwise our operators would have to settle their hard earned wages for pre-packaged snacks from Closure's store at inflated price."
"Heh. Never let she hear about this." The Chef chuckled.
Fresh chrysanthemum bulb was steeped, and the water was poured into a large pot. Filtered meng bean paste and a few cubes of rock sugar were added, and the Chef poured in some starch water to thicken the drink. Kal'tsit reminisced about the past they spent together, and on and off the Chef replied, keeping up with the conversation. Not long after the refreshing aroma of meng beans and chrysanthemum came spilling out from the pot, and the chilly autumn air blew from the sliver on the side window into the empty dining area. Kal'tsit shivered.
"Here we go. Please enjoy." The Chef poured the warm drink into a bowl and placed it on the counter. "Usually it should've been served chilled, but the weather's getting cold. Not a good time for cold drinks. Especially not for you." Along with it he also produced a small dish of rock sugar. "Some more sugar just in case."
No matter how well it was prepared, in essence it was still a simple bowl of meng bean soup. Yet the taste was smooth and thickness was just right. Kal'tsit took a sip. The rich scent of beans danced at the tip of her tongue, and when the silky bean paste slid down a faint sweet aftertaste swayed at the back of her throat. The aroma of fresh chrysanthemum then came and lingering in-between her teeth. Although the drink was hot, she felt as if a cool breeze had travelled down her throat and untied all the knots for unease all the way down into her stomach. She sipped on the drink and savoured its taste. Yet some part of her wanted to also finish the entire bowl in large gulps so that her newfound craving could be satisfied.
When she was done she put the bowl aside. Her hunger had eased somewhat, and the sense of fatigue from the past few days was nearly swept away. Still, it was not enough to lift her weariness. What she needed was a good night's sleep.
"I'd better make a bowl of noodles for you. This drink could only serve as a refreshment but not a proper meal." The Chef readied a small pot on the stove and said. "It's the middle of the night, I can't just let you go to bed on empty stomach."
"It was ok. No need for that." Kal'tsit replied. Then she caught the sound of rustling from nearby and turned her head.
Not far from where she sat, a shady figure was creeping towards the fridge. In their hand was a bright blue water kettle.