The Parthenon sparkled with lights, streamers, and many other small delicate decorations as well as the traditional Grecian decor everybody on board the Athena was accustomed to by now. It smelled of pungent conifers and other near Earth species. Marishka had taken time decorating the Parthenon to represent many world’s end of year celebrations. Some called it Christmas, others had interesting names for such things and others didn’t celebrate anything at all. Her own Klingon people had end of the year hunting and gathering type celebrations and Orion’s never needed a reason to celebrate, they just did. She had decided that after everything the crew had been through lately that they really didn’t need a reason to celebrate but the timing was perfect. Stepping out into the near empty space in a gold and red gown she glanced about several times before declaring everything fit to open. It was at that moment that Ted stepped up beside her dressed like some Earth nearly mythical figure in a red hat and some gaudy beard, he swore it was tradition of some kind but Mariska hadn’t quite checked into it yet.

“Hey boss lady, lieutenant Dexter says he’s got the scent of the snow right and he’ll be ready for it whenever you signal. Also, I think I have just enough cinnamon in the coffee cake if you’re still interested in having that on the dessert menu. Do you even celebrate christmas?”

Marishka turned to Ted and smiled. She counted him as a type of friend indeed she had several aboard the Athena and he had been one of the first that she had made.

“Of course I celebrate christmas, if it’s a holiday I usually celebrate it. Hell, I don’t really need a reason to celebrate it’s in my Orion blood, my Klingon blood too if I think about it. Thank you for the update on the snow and the cinnamon. So, who do you think will be the first to show up?”

• Marishka