Chapter 6- The Breakfast Strategy

The next morning arrived with undue haste. Cassie was determined to act the same around Zaldin. She hadn't gotten to talk to Andros again, he and Zhane had left early to help in the shipyard. If Zaldin had to endure hours of conversations with people discussing the battle and Zordon, then she thought it's the last thing he'll want me to come in there and talk about. Cassie was standing in the hall way just a few feet before the door that she and Andros had used yesterday. She was trying hard to keep the giddy girl side of her self down. And trying to deny that tiny voice in her head that said she had a small crush on him, because she couldn't have, not really, she was in love with the phantom ranger. She raised her hand to knock on the door but before she could place knuckles to wood the door opened.

"Good Morning Mrs. Bale" Cassie said smiling as she stepped through the doorway.

"Good Morning Cassie" Mrs. Bale replied as she shut the door. Once the door was shut it was like Cassie had stepped back into yesterday, the outside world seemed very far away. It was like the season had changed.

Zaldin was already seated in the same chair he had been in yesterday, there where a stack of papers on the small table to his left that he appeared to be reading through. The table in front of him had a large assortment of breakfast foods, he hadn't been joking when he had said Mrs. Bale liked to cook a lot of food.

Zaldin looked up from his paper work when they came closer. "Cassie, it is good to see you again." He extended his hand towards her and rather then shake it simply gave her hand an affectionate squeeze.

"It's good to see you too, but um are you sure you don't want to invite a few more friends… maybe the planet? That is quite a bit of food."

He laughed, as she knew he would, she loved it when he laughed his whole face lit up and he seemed so lively.

"I'm sure we we'll mange to make a small dent in it, after that we call in reinforcements."

"All joking aside, it looks lovely Mrs. Bale, Thank you." Cassie said as she sat down, Mrs. Bale was at the door to Zaldin's room but she smiled and nodded towards the two of them before exiting.

"I don't even know where to begin," said Cassie eyeing all of the food.

"I find it best to start with the toast, jam and tea, moving to the bacon and then to take a left turn to nibble at the fruit."

"That sounds like a good plan, but I just realized how many different kinds of jam there are on this table."

Zaldin smiled "I think you'll like this one, it is from my planet and is a lovely elderberry jam, or this one, which I think I will have, that comes from KO35. I think it is something close to Earth's strawberry… I think."

"So it's not just the earth rangers who ponder over what's on their plates each night then?"

Zaldin shook his head; he was very easy to talk to thought Cassie, no different then talking to the other rangers. "I think I shall go with the elderberry jam then," said Cassie "why don't you do the toast and I'll pour the tea. Then we shall reconvene at the bacon."

Cassie remembered Mrs. Bale saying he shouldn't be lifting the teapot, at least not when it was full, but she didn't want to make a huge production out it being her that was doing the pouring.

Zaldin chuckled as he spread the toast with jam and cut them into triangles. "My lady your breakfast" he said handing over a plate.

"Such service!" said Cassie grinning. "So what are you working on today?" she gestured with her eyes to the huge stack of papers.

"Banquet seating arrangements of all things" he said "It does have the advantage that I don't have to sit next to anyone I don't want to, but then I have to make sure no one is offended either."

"You get all the fun jobs," Cassie said over her tea, "Do you want help, I mean I don't know any of the people, but if you run into someone difficult maybe you can describe them and we can figure out where to put them and just how long you would have to make it to the exit should they wish to engage you in boring conversation. "

Zaldin nearly chocked on his tea. "I've just had the most wonderful mental image go though my head." He chuckled. "It was of the two of us jumping the banquet tables like hurdles as one of the Aquitar rangers ran after us still describing the science of water particles" he chuckled again. "I would welcome you help your help with this Cassie, but not until we've at least touched the fruit."

"Agreed, so until you're ready to draw up escape routes may I ask you a question?"

"You may although I reserve the right to not answer", he looked slightly worried.

"Don't worry it's an easy one, I was just wondering what your planet looked like, because any place that has jam as yummy as this is probably worth a visit."

Zaldin held his cup in both hands as he thought of how to do his planet justice. "It is difficult to describe, so much of is now desert and canyons, it is a very old planet. When the sun shines on the planet it looks like a purple jewel. In the sky at night I suppose it resembles your moon. The rocks and craters glow and there outlines can be seen from space. The place where I was born was very beautiful, there where so many trees, their silver leaves would sparkle in the sun. We are a very organic people in many ways, we live in the natural carvings of rock, although there still cities and buildings.

"It sounds lovely, especially the trees and the homes."

"It is lovely, although so much was destroyed in the battle of Eltar and we have not recovered yet."

"Rebuilding is going to be hard on many people I think, but a lot of good will comes from it too."

"I agree. Now many we ask you something? "

"Anything"

"What are you doing tomorrow?"

Cassie's voiced seemed to answer without her realizing what she was saying until she had said it." Hopefully this nice man I just met will ask me to keep him company tomorrow and defend him from the enormous piles of food that where sent him."

Zaldin smiled kindly at her." I was hoping that's what you'd say."

They spent much of the day chatting, never very deep conversation or much about themselves, although towards the end of the day they started to quiz each other about their favorite things. Cassie was sitting at the piano playing while Zaldin was making notes in his paper work when he asked about her favorite gem stone. She had answered Ruby without thinking much of it. Zaldin had become so quite she stopped playing. He looked up at her. "It's my favorite too."

They had looked at each other and smiled then, it was like they could reach others hearts, simply by being together.

Eventually Cassie had to leave to allow Zaldin to meet with other dignitaries, but before she left he handed her book. "Since you seemed interested" he said.

As Cassie left the room, she once again had the feeling that reality had returned to her after a lovely and perfect dream.