"Good morning." He called out to her from the far control panel as she entered the bridge.

"Morning." Ivanova growled sleepily. It was on the wrong side of 0700 for her to be cordial yet.

"Breakfast is in your chair." He called out chirpily from his startup checklist.

"Oooh, Thanks..." she said removing the bag taking her seat. "Just what I've been needing today."

"What? No tip?" he teased feigning a look of insult. "Well, I never!"

"So, I've heard," She smirked, her eyes twinkling playfully as she pulled out her hot caff cup out of the bag and taking a large, long sip. "Ahhh... this place makes the best caff. It almost tastes like it's actually coffee. Wish I knew how they did it."

"Ceronn Root." He said fighting the red rise in his cheeks that was straining to come to the surface with her jab at his confession a few months earlier.

"Hmm?"

"Ceron Root. In the pot. That's the secret. I saw them put it in once."

"Oh. Never would have thought of that. Have to try that sometime." She looked around the bridge. "So, We all ready to go?"

"Just waiting for you." Marcus replied softly. As always, he thought.

Susan's eye caught his, and she was obviously debating on what to say next. Finally she ripped her eyes away and stared forward. "Let's go."