The voyage to Techne Prime was anticlimactically smooth.
Without space pirate raids or engine hiccups, the Sperm Whale glided through the silent star-sea as if sliding on glass. It was so peaceful that boredom had become my biggest enemy. When that happened, there was only one thing to do.
"I’m making soup curry today," I announced.
The crew members relaxing in the lounge all reacted at once.
"Ho, curry? A fine choice..." Professor Stein closed his e-book, adjusting his glasses. "Though the last one you treated us to was a thick, heavy roux. I take it this version possesses a different character?"
"Exactly. Today’s version is a thin, smooth soup designed to let you enjoy the spice aromas directly."
I began lining the ingredients up on the counter. First, the spices. These were a parting gift from 'The Spider' when we departed Oasis. I’ll spare the details, but the set covered almost everything an Earth-style curry requires. While the plants themselves weren't identical to Earth’s flora, their flavor profiles were eerily similar—if anything, growing in the harsh void of space had made their scents wilder and more pungent.
Then there were the stars of the show: the vegetables. Large, brown bulbs known as 'Pseudo-Onions,' and a vivid orange root that looked like a carrot—another mystery vegetable I’d scavenged from the market at Freeport Nova. Today, I’d be staking the meal’s success on these two.
◇
Cooking commenced.
I heated oil in a stockpot and began thoroughly sautéing minced Pseudo-Ginger. Once the fragrance bloomed, I tossed in the coarsely ground spices.
Sizzle!
The marriage of hot oil and spice released a pungent, invigorating aroma that filled the kitchen.
"Whoa... that smell is intense," Mina called out from the lounge. "My nose is tingling, but man, it makes me hungry."
Simultaneously, I heard a faint whir of motors as a small drone drifted into the kitchen. It was a terminal controlled by 'Pumpkin,' the bio-core down in the Engine Room. It hovered by the exhaust fan, its camera eye blinking rapidly in excitement.
Now for the turning point. I pulled a crimson fruit from the refrigeration unit: a tomato.
Back at Ceres Marche, these went for 3,000 credits a pack—ludicrously expensive fresh produce. Even at the local markets, the price barely budged. I crushed it in my fist and dropped it into the pot without a second thought.
Sizzzz!
The red pulp burst, sending up a plume of acidic steam. A waste? Hardly. Soup curry lives or dies by this acidity and umami. On this ship, if money can buy better flavor, we spend it.
Once the tomatoes reduced to a paste, I added water. I would’ve killed for a real bone bouillon, but I had to settle for our stock of 'Instant Consommé.'
Then came the meat. I laid out a high-grade synthetic meat block. Unlike the cheap 'rubber meat' we usually ate, this premium stuff mimicked the texture of real muscle fibers. It was good enough to serve as a steak, but I took up two knives and started a rhythmic staccato.
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!
I shredded the fibers at high speed, turning the block into mince. No matter how high the grade, synthetic protein eventually toughens when simmered. My solution? Break it down and turn it into a sponge to soak up the soup.
I browned the mince in a pan until it developed a savory char, then added it to the stockpot to simmer over low heat. While the soup matured, I prepped the vegetables. I peeled the Pseudo-Onions into large wedges and roughly chopped the carrots.
Then came the deep-fryer. I heated a generous amount of oil and tossed them in.
Swaaaaaaah!
The roar of bubbles signaled the moisture escaping, concentrating the vegetables' natural sugars. Once the onions turned amber and the carrots glowed vermilion, I pulled them out. The waiting drone sidled up, clicking its manipulator arms impatiently.
"Hold your horses. We're almost there."
I combined the fried vegetables with the soup, where the minced meat had puffed up into juicy morsels. A dash of Garam Masala finished it off. I lacked dried basil for a garnish, leaving the dish a rustic brown, but it looked incredible.
"Alright, it's done. Here, this is your portion."
Before plating for the humans, I prepared a small deep dish. I carefully served plenty of soup, mince, and the fried veg, and placed it on the drone's arms. It chirped happily and flew off, balancing the bowl with mechanical precision.
◇
Seconds later, the monitors flickered with a low hum. Strings of glitched text scrolled by:
—<<OVER-INPUT>>...<<STIMULUS SIGNAL>>...<<NEURON ACTIVATION>>...!!
"Wh-What’s happening?!" Emulgand squeaked, ducking behind the Professor.
"Report," Lucia said calmly, her fingers dancing across a terminal. "The bio-core’s activation levels are spiking. It seems the volatile oils from the spices are being registered as intense electrical stimuli. To use a human analogy... it is experiencing a cerebral rush that pierces the crown of the head."
"Haha, looks like he’s getting his first taste of the spice life," I chuckled.
We gathered around the table. The reddish-brown soup curry was served in deep bowls, the flash-fried vegetables sitting like islands in the center. Our starch was 'Turmeric Synthetic Rice.'
"Let's eat!"
Everyone dove in. Mina’s eyes went wide at the first sip.
"It’s spicy! It’s got a real kick, but... it’s so clean!"
The base of instant consommé, the high-end tomato acidity, and the wild spices created a complex, refreshing profile. It was rich, but the aftertaste was surprisingly crisp.
"And then, this meat," the Professor noted, scooping up the mince. "Ho! This is quite clever. By mincing the high-grade meat, you’ve allowed it to absorb the soup while maintaining a tender mouthfeel. I daresay the umami is more pronounced than in a standard steak."
I nodded, stuffing my cheeks. As expected, expensive meat made a difference; even as mince, the fibers came apart naturally.
"U-Um... these fried vegetables are also amazing..." Emulgand added, huffing over a hot Pseudo-Onion.
Crunch, squish.
The contrast between the crispy, fried exterior and the sweet, molten interior was perfection. When the spicy soup soaked into that sweetness, it created a flawless harmony.
"It’s so sweet...! Is this really just a bulb?!"
To someone used to industrial paste, this must have felt like a miracle. Even Lucia was eating faster than usual.
Outside the window, the sea of stars remained still. But inside the ship, the air was alive with the heat of alien spices, the crunch of vegetables, and the satisfied voices of a crew well-fed.
"Phew. I'm stuffed."
I rubbed my belly, staring at the empty plates with satisfaction. Energy recharged. We still had a ways to go to Techne Prime, but we were ready.
I didn't remember eating soup curry more than a few times in my old life, but this was a definite win.