SNIP

She didn’t care if he lied about his age, his background or even that he was half Klingon on his mother’s side. But it was the looming fear of someone, or someones out there that made her chest tighten with dread and a touch of jealousy. But better to know now, right?

Kristi

“I don’t think you need to worry about anyone else in my life. There were a few… interests, but it never developed into anything worth mentioning. There are only two more secrets I can think of.... and no, i don’t have a working replicator but man I would earn a fortune if i had. First secret is.. that while I did make this in our kitchen, half the ingredients are replicated. A while back I found a few things worth replicating. If our kitchen staff would actually bother to experiment a bit, I’m sure we’d have much more diverse selection. ” He shrugged. “I don’t really bother cooking just for one. There’s rarely enough time as it is. But tonight was an exception.” He smiled. Then leaned forward and whispered. “The last secret is… that desert is 100% pure organic, no replicator what so ever. Just don’t ask how I got it, or I won’t let you have any.”

He grinned. “So you got any secrets as well?”

Lt. Mike Stone, CE

Kristi relaxed. He wasn’t married… it relieved her on a surprising level. As he made comment to two more secrets, she paused in her eating, waiting for the other shoe to drop. But when the confessions were about the food, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, maybe we should ask the Captain to promote you to head chef, instead… great cover, yes?” She laughed and nodded to the dessert. “Oh, that sounds too good to give up and risk not eating. So I give you my word.”

His query about her secrets made her think. Didn’t everyone have them? Her’s were from before the fleet and not something she was willing to mention.She felt her face slip slightly then realized it and smiled once more. But this time she couldn’t help but grin mischievously. “I have managed to make my replicator spit out a fairly decent chocolate ice cream. But you can’t tell anyone or I won’t share,” she tossed his own threat back at him with a laugh and finished up her soup.

Kristi
(wrong name)

“That’s a good one. And better not share it with too many. If have a feeling that if you find a dish tasting ok, if you reproduce it too often it somehow.. loses it’s taste. Which of course shouldn’t be possible. The information about the dish is constant, the replicator is the same, and power from the warp core should be the same as well. And even if you go to another replicator, the result is the same. Mostly something tasteless.”

He sighed “Viking truly is an engineers worst nightmare. But I’d probably go crazy if I was a Chef here. Constant lack of quality ingredients, forced to do mediocre dishes that taste funny all the time. No thanks. Better to stay an engineer and try and fix what you can. I get to be around you more often as well.” He said with a smile.

Lt. Mike Stone, CE

Kristi laughed. “If you were the Chef, I’d eat your mediocre food.”

The finished the soup in short order and she smiled. “So… do tell me about our main course.” She was laughing with him about the failings of the ship and the mood was light and comfortable.

Kristi

“Pfft, please, even a burnt toast could pass as a delicacy in our mess hall. Something mediocre would be a god’s send. And my cooking looks so great only because there’s no real competition.” He talked as he took the empty plates and started to prepair the main course. He topped off her glass with some white synthehol. “Wait till we get back to Earth and you get to taste some of my mom’s cooking. Now that’s some high quality stuff.”

“But for today you’ll have to settle for chicken with a cheese sauce and some veggies.” He said and lifted the lid from the covers. Steam rose and filled the whole place with pleasant smell. In a blink of an eye, two plates were neatly stacked and placed on the table.

“Dig in, and if you want, don’t be shy to ask for seconds.”

Lt. Mike Stone, CE