[ It is part of command training to know how to boost the morale of each member of your crew, or is that a skill specific to one Christopher Pike? She's never met anyone quite like him. Even when she'd admitted to lying by omission during their first mission together, he'd found a way to offer her advice and hope with a simple anecdote and a place on his ship. It was a day that changed her life more than any other since her colony ship was captured. If anyone had tried to tell her just how much being onboard the Enterprise would change her for the better, she's not sure she would have believed them. ]

You really are quite excellent at these pep talks, you know. [ She looks over at him with a small, slightly watery but completely genuine smile. And then, after much ado, she selects a brownie, picking it up to take a small bite. Chewing carefully, she savors the flavor for a moment before her smile grows. ] And these are far more than just adequate. They're delicious.