It had been a long and tiring night aboard the Labyrinth. The last paleontologist group had just returned from an exhausting two-year trip on some barren, lifeless planet. Soot covered and more than a little groggy. Athur had welcomed them aboard with the rest of the crew, but his heart fair broke at the sight of them. Ragged, tired, and annoyed. It had been a waste of time, apparently. This in mind, Athur had immediately retired to his kitchens and began the makings of the evening meal. It would be splendid, a well deserved treat, and a much better change from the crud that they'd no doubt been fed while on the job. Fowl of ever sort lined his stoves, covered in succulent sauces and spices, and stuffed with the finest of bread crumbs and seasoning. He and his chefs had scrounged together every last vegetable they could find, preparing soups, salads, and individual entrιes to tantalize the tongue and pamper the taste buds. Wine was uncorked, champagne uncovered, and more than a little fine scotch retrieved from the make-shift wine cellars of the ship. And that was nothing compared to his deserts; Thick fudge truffles lovingly decorated with a hazelnut cream and sprinkled with fine cocoa shavings. Lemon meringue smothered in the finest whipped cream and flecked with strawberries and kiwi. Chocolate cake, three layers thick, coated in a rich cream-cheese icing and top off with a few engorged cherries, placed delicately along the edges of each layer. It had taken the rest of the night, without breaks, but it was finished. And it was perfect. Athur's heart was warmed at the sight of the crew's bright eyes and gaping mouths as he and the dining crew rolled it out into the main dinner hall. Half-way through the meal, running out of steam himself, Athur decided to join the crew before desert. He seated himself between the leader of the excavation, a tall, brawny fellow by the name of Tien, and one of the lower ranked workers, a brightly colored avian-hybrid named Beti. He didn't know them particularly well, besides their names and species (Tien was human, or at least in appearance. Looks were often deceiving when it came to humans, and Athur was a living example of that), but it didn't matter. "Enjoying your meal?" he greeted, smiling pleasantly as he approached their table. "Oh, goodness yes,” said Beti,"Never had better." "Thank-you,"Athur moved toward the booth,” Mind if I join you?" "Not at all,” said Tien, shifting toward Beti to make room for the slighter fellow. Athur slid into the booth beside them,” I heard the excavation didn't work out. That's too bad. You did find something, didn't you?" "This and that,” said Beti between mouthfuls of teriyaki chicken. Athur refused to linger on the implication of that particular dish, being consumed by an avian. "And where are you headed next?" "We're not going anywhere for a few months, yet, need to take a bit of a vacation after that last trip,"Tien frowned,” But we'll be going to a planet called Avengaea, I believe. The details haven't yet been worked out, and we still need permission from their government, or ministry, or whatever it is they have, but a few of the scouting parties have mentioned it had some potential dig sites." "And if we don't get to go, the researches will,” added Beti,"The planet's supposed to have spectacular history. They're home to some sort of dragon, you know?" Athur sat up a bit straighter,” Is it?" Beti nodded,” They’ve got bonding projects and everything. Last I heard there was a few of their native species, asandus, is it?" Tien shrugged,” I don't follow dragonries much." "Yes, well, anyway...they've got a few of them ready to bond, and a clutch in their nidus. You know what a nidus is, right?" Athur nodded. He understood the basic principles of the thing. "Anyway, they've got a new clutch or two on the sands. Just finished two big batches. A copper frenzy and a Halloween one." Tien cast Beti a wary glance from across the table,” How do you know all this? We've been stranded on a deserted planet for over two years. I don't see how you could have kept up with something-." Beti grinned,” I’m subscribed to Nexus-Watcher's Weekly. With regular updates as to my address, of course." Athur let out a little chuckle. He folded his hand on the table and leaned toward the anthro,"They're not a pern agency, are they?" "Nidus's generally aren't." Athur nodded and lent back in his seat. A nidus, aye? With a clutch looking for candidates. Across the room, a clock chimed to signal the arrival of seven o'clock. Athur rose from his seat with a short bow,” Excuse me, sirs. I believe it's time to serve desert." "Oh, goody! I love desert!" "Yes,"Athur grinned genially,” We all do, don't we?" .:.:.::.:.:. The next morning, after a few hasty hours of tracking down the head chef and cook coordinator(who had taken a few nights off due to a rather nasty slip, vowing never to work with wet noodles again), Athur found himself tucked away inside the recroom. "You want to what?! But Athur, you're one of our best cooks! We'll be cooking rubbage without you here to make us those extraordinary meals." Athur beamed up at the man, bobbing his head just the slightest little bit in amusement,” Well, that may all be true-" he and the few crew members listening into the conversation let out a little waver of laughter,” But I'm dead set on going. I'm terribly sorry about it, sir, but I won't be gone for very long. It shouldn't take more than a few months." "Months! But Athur!" "I'll leave behind all my recipes. Please, sir, It's a once in a lifetime experience, and I really want to go." The coordinator sighed, and slumped back against one of the mats,” Fine, Athur. But at least wait until tomorrow? One more meal for the journey?" Athur nodded, smiling brightly,” I’d be more than happy to." "Thank-you Athur." "Thank-you, sir,"Athur stood, which was to say, he sunk below eye-level as he slipped off the chair and onto his feet. He gave the coordinator a little salute before toddling out of the rec room. He had a meal to cook. The last one he'd ever do before reaching Avengaea, and hopefully the last he'd cook without a bond.