=/\= Mess Hall Kitchen =/\= It took a bit of doing but Athena finally persuaded Cookie the chef to let her use his kitchen to bake some cookie. {This will be much better than my cube of a kitchen} she thought as she looked around. She foraged through the cupboards until she found all the ingredients and the utensils that she might need. It wasn't long before Athena was totally lost in the chore she was doing. She had baked several different kind of cookies sugar, ginger, snickerdoodle, chocolate chip and others. As in all things Athena had thrown herself into her task and was almost entirely covered by flour. Cookie hadn't let Athena have total control of his kitchen as he came back and checked on her several times. Much to his surprise the often flaky counselor could bake. {I'll be damned} he thought on his fifth visit to the kitchen to find it still in one piece (messy but in one piece) and not burning in some fashion. Athena had put the last batch of cookies in the oven when she actually looked at the clock with interest for the first time. {Oh, shoot, I'm going to be late!} She ran out of the kitchen picking up the cream pie she had made first upon her arrival. She wove between the tables in the mess hall and past the chef who had actually dozed of in the corner where he kept watch over his kitchen. {If I don't get there in time Shane is going to kill me.} Other similar thoughts rushed through her head as she raced to the Ready room. She came to an abrupt halt and waited outside the door hoping she wasn't too late. She took in one deep cleansing breath and then another. Athena was beginning to breath a bit easier when the door slide open. {Yes!!!!} she thought as she recognized Mercedes and threw the pie in her face. Athena gave the new Lt. a bright smile, "I'm glad its your favorite," she responded to the other woman's comment and smile. At least Athena assumed it was a smile. She offered her congratulations to Mercedes and then the thought of burning cookies hit her as she took off again. Hopefully she wouldn't be putting a fire out when she got there. When Athena arrived back at the kitchen Cookie was standing there with a grim look on his face. Athena smile sweetly in hopes of disarming the older man with charm and soon he was smiling back. "I'd be more upset if you hadn't set that infernal timer," Cookie said as he gave Athena a warning look. "I bet that charm of yours works on most men .... doesn't it, Missy," he continued in a lecturing tone. In looking around Athena noticed order had been restored to the kitchen in her absence as well and had the decency too look ashamed for leaving the mess. Athena had decided to use the ginger cookies for her part and only picked up the container holding them. "You can have the rest of the cookies," she replied innocently. The old man smiled at her and shook his head. "Lucky for you I have a sweet tooth," he answered and sent the counselor on her way. =/\= End Log =/\= Lt. Athena Wellington Counselor USS Chimera