=/\= Mess Hall Mostly =/\= Athena went back to get the kids to take them to dinner in the mess hall. There were only a few complaints about the room or who they were rooming with mostly. It was obvious to Athena that Gina was jealous of Tessa's sweet nature and the Barnhart twins could be more than anyone but a loving parent could handle. {They should come with a warning label} she thought as she patiently answered Julian's 12th question. Michelline was the one with the most to say about her young roommate and Athena cuddle the girl closer to her. They had reached the mess hall doors and Jules grabbed his brother's hand and they ran past all the other and into the large room first. Scott glanced up at the door and blinked. The counselor stood in a positive 'sea' of children, holding a little girl in her arms and looking slightly harassed. Scott stood up and began to make his way towards the crowd, stepping back sharply when a child whizzed by at speed followed a moment later by a second one. Scott grinned at the pair and turned to Athena. "Need a hand," he asked a mischievous humour showing in his eyes. "Several," Athena answered just before a crash of plates was heard. "Could you grab those two," she asked quickly. "Their names are Julian and Jules," were the words that chased Scott's progress. Athena looked at the others and said to the older children, "Please, help the younger ones. I'm sure we can find you all something delicious." Philip rolled his eyes at her and the fact that he thought she was inept was apparent on his features. "Hey...hey hey...juuuuuust a minute," Scott leaned forward across a table and grabbed hold of Julian's arm. "Can you just slow down a minute," he grinned at the boys surprised face and released him when Julian stopped and asked, "Who are you?" "Scott Fisher," Scott replied as he looked at Julian's brother. "Twins!..hey I bet you have some fun with that." Julian and Jules exchanged glances. "You hungry?" Scott asked them checking over his shoulder on the progress of Athena who was winding her way among the tables like a female pied piper. Athena had almost caught up to Scott when Philip asked her, "Do you have a clue how to do your job?" Athena knew Philip was upset at being asked to do small simple tasks. She silently wondered when he would learn that even leaders had menial tasks to perform. "No," she answered him not willing to give him the answer or reaction the teenager was expecting. She ignored Philip for the next few minutes as she began to help with getting the meals. It only took her about twenty questions to find something that Melissa sat at a table playing with while Athena helped some others. Scott helped to serve the children but it was some time before all were happy with their choices. Taking a seat opposite Philip, Scott saw derision on the boys face as he looked at his meal. Scott said nothing and checked the others on his table. He felt someone staring at him and looked to his right meeting the grey eyes of a blonde girl as he did so. Gina looked a Scott adoringly; she loved his smile. She sat down next to Scott and snuggled into his side as much as possible, "Hi, I'm Gina," she said. Taken by surprise Scott eased himself backwards gently but firmly pushing Gina away. He gave the girl a half smile not quite sure what to do about this over the top introduction, but his attention was distracted by a movement opposite. "No, no...don't do.....that," he finished too late. Julian's face was a picture as he looked at the mountain of pepper sitting on his plate, the empty pepper pot in his hand. Athena looked up from getting Melissa to eat at Scott's words. She sighed and got up. "No worries Julian. Just get another plate and be more careful," she said pleasantly as she ignored the shaking of Philip's head. Scott removed the pepper pot and the salt sellar too for good measure and looked out of the corner of his eye. Gina sat chin in her hand elbow propped on the table gazing at him with a melting look in her eyes. Scott shifted in his seat and gave her a friendly smile attempting to ignore the grey gaze that followed his every move. Eventually, unable to fend off the feeling any longer he looked at her. "Aren't you hungry?" he asked indicating the full plate beside her arm in an attempt to make light conversation. Gina looked at her plate and then back to Scott face, "Not really," she answered smiling at Scott and the attention he was giving her. {Poor Scott} Athena thought as she sat back down and encouraged Melissa to eat some more. Athena watched as Gina batted her eyelashes at Scott and before she knew it mashed potatoes went flying through the air. The spoonful splattered in Minnie's hair. Athena looked over at Scott's table and saw the look of guilty innocence of Jules face. Before Athena had another thought go through her head applesauce landed on Julian's cheek and ran down to land in his lap. Not wishing to be bested Julian scooped up peas onto his spoon and let them fly. The spoonful of peas had maximum coverage as Julian managed to hit several of the other children. Athena stood to stop the on coming assault of a full blown food fight but she wasn't quick enough as Jules and Julian began to rapidly empty their plates and several of the other children followed suit. Scott grabbed at Jules arm to prevent another volley of peas being fired from the spoon the boy aimed at Ruth. The spoon dropped its load into a shallow dish of gravy and the resulting splatter traveled quite a way. "Good shot!" somebody called and assorted food came flying thick and fast towards Scott's end of the table. He sprang to his feet only to be hit sideways on by a high velocity bread roll, butter side out. "You are all scrubbing this room with your tooth brushes," Athena yelled over the din of the children's' squeals and peals of laughter. At the thought of either scrubbing or using their toothbrushes to do it; the food stopped flying. Athena had peas and mashed potatoes stuck in her hair and cherry pie filling on her cheek and who knew what on the front of her uniform. Athena took another step as the children looked at her in disbelief and then she slipped on a dalop of applesauce that was on the floor. For a second it looked as though she might keep her balance, but with a wild flailing of arms, the counselor went down with a thump. Two seconds passed and the room erupted into a frenzy of squealing, shouting children who returned to the food fight with renewed effort. "Captain in Mess Hall!!" Scott yelled "Attention all hands" The effect was immediate. Food stopped flying and a somewhat frightened silence reigned. Some of the dinner guests looked guilty, one crawling across a table top stopped and tried to get down without being seen. All looked around at each other and then at Scott. "Where is the Captain?" Philip asked, removing a lump of pie from his shoulder and flinging it to the floor. "I don't see 'anyone' except you!" Scott's lips formed a line of displeasure at the mocking expression on the teenage boys face. He ignored the question and turned to the other children. "You can thank your lucky stars he isn't' here.." he told them, looking from one to another. "...because if he was... he'd wipe the smiles off your face before you could say Omega Fleet. You!..get down off there." Scott had raised his right hand and pointed to Mickey who jumped off the chair he was standing on. "Is this anyway to behave?" Scott continued. "Are these the manners you display as guests on an SSF ship?" No one answered; "Your parents would be 'ashamed' of you if they could see this mess." Minnie Jones face crumpled and two huge tears welled up, spilled over and trickled down her cheeks. Her sisters lower lip trembled. "You will NOT be having dinner here tonight. Instead you can clean this place up...all of it...every single bit...and you can just hope that the CO 'doesn't' come in here while you're about it." There was an instant movement to obey Scott's order but it halted when Philip asked sarcastically, "And what would captain..Guzman is it?...what would he DO exactly?..put us all in the brig?" Philip sniggered at his own wit. Scott turned slowly to look at boy he was now actively beginning to dislike. Twenty-three people waited for the reply. "Yes," Scott said, his face and voice deadly serious. "He might very well do that." Mickey gulped, Julian and Jules exchanged fearful glances. Minnie, Mollie and Sapphire began to cry. "Commander Guzman..." Scott said quietly, stressing the rank "...is NOT a man to be crossed or upset. He runs a tight ship here and expects the highest standard from ALL on board...now get a tray and help clear this mess up." Philip met Scott's gaze but couldn't maintain it, frowned and turned away, punching Jules on the back. "Hurry up," he told the smaller boy. Scott looked around, saw the children begin to make a start and turned to Athena, still sitting on the floor. She was looking up at him in something resembling awe, for never before had she seen or heard the mild mannered AMO take such a stance. He bent down, offering her a helping hand to get to her feet. With a wink and a flash of his usual smile he said, "Just quoting what my mother used to tell me and my brother!" Athena took hold of Scott's hand and flashed him a smile of her own. She looked around and saw the smaller children doing what they could through their tears. Philip was directing but doing very little cleaning himself. Tessa was trying to comfort the smaller ones while working to clean up. Mollie, Minnie, Sissy and Missy cleaned slowly as they made sure they let Jules and Julian know it was all their fault. Michelline stood only cleaning up herself; while she dropped bits of food on the floor. Gina put up a tray of food and then came to stand by Scott and said, "I could use some help over there." She pointed over to a corner that hadn't been messed up by the food fight. "Could you help me, " she asked as she batted her lashes at him. Athena leaned in close and whispered, "If I thought our reputations would survive the rumor mill, I'd kiss you and cure her of her case of puppy love on you." Athena smiled as she walked past and found a passing cadet who was willing to do her a favor. Scott laughed and watched Athena walk away. A light touch on his arm brought his attention back to Gina. "Well?" she asked, giving the AMO a saucy smile. Scott shook his head. "I think our help is needed more here...where the mess is," he replied in a kindly tone which did nothing to dash her hopes. As she walked back to the middle of the mess, Melissa ran up to her with tears in her eyes clutching her ever-present teddy and held on to Athena leg. Once the child had a firm grasp she held up the food plastered bear for Athena to inspect. Athena knelt down and looked at the little girl warmly, "if I promise to get teddy cleaned will you go help the others pick up." Melissa gave Athena a watery smile but went to right to work picking up some food from under the tables. It was then the cadet returned with the items Athena had requested. "Ma'am," he said hold out a handful of toothbrushes to her. She smiled and told the cadet, "Thank you." Athena walked over to Philip, Gina, Michelline, Julian and Jules and handed them their toothbrushes. Athena smiled as Cookie showed up with a bucket of sudsy water. "You all can start scrubbing the table with those brushes," Athena prompted. She ignored the blank stares and disbelieving gasps. {This should let them know that I mean what I say.} =/\= End Log =/\= Lt. Athena Wellington Counselor USS Chimera & LtJg. Scott Fisher AMO NPC apb:Rangi & Children apb: Rangi and Athena