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“Look pilot, that’s what we need. Crichtons life depends on it.”
Pilot’s large purplish face regarded Chiana sadly and he sighed. “I hardly think that finding a planet with this kind of climate will save Commander Crichtons life.”
“Come on Pilot, remember the fun we had last cycle? Can you think of something that John would need more? After all we’ve been through it’s not too much to ask.” Chiana pleaded, pouted and actually stomped her foot. Asking nicely didn’t get her anywhere and there was really nothing she could offer Pilot to get him to change his mind so Chiana had to use her old fall back; whining and pouting. They sometimes worked although not as well as they did when she was 10 cycles old.
“Chiana,” sighed Pilot, “I’m going to have to emphatically say…” just then he was interrupted by Moya heaving unexpectedly into a turn, she turned so fast that Talyn could barely keep up. Pilot studied his console, his arms waiving over the controls ready to spring into action, his head swiveling side to side as he struggled to understand what just happened. “I’m going to have to emphatically say,” he continued, “that Moya agrees whole heartedly with you and says we will arrive at a planet with the climate and geographical conditions you desire in five solar days.” Pilot looked as astonished as he sounded.
“Oooooohhhh Thank you!” Cried Chiana as she leapt over the console and gave Pilot a kiss before he could gently push her away.
“Don’t thank me, thank Moya. She says she likes the singing.”
Chiana smiled and left Pilots den trying to remember the words to one of the songs John taught her a cycle ago and as she left the chamber she broke into song for Moya. “Five golden things! Four coughing birds, three dench pens, two tomato doves, and a Partridge Family CD!” Yep, she thought proudly, just like he taught me.
* * *
It didn’t take long for Chiana to get the rest of the crew involved. Of course besides herself and John only Aeryn, Rygel and D’Argo knew what she was talking about. As the self appointed Morale Officer, Chiana went to all the crewmembers to arrange the party and educate those that weren’t there for the Christmas Party last year. Naj Gil, the Scarren, didn’t seem to excited about the idea of playing in a cold environment, but D’Argo assured Chiana that not only would Naj Gil participate, he would ensure that the Scarren appeared to enjoy himself. Stark had returned only a few days before and still wouldn’t talk about his search for Zhaan, but he reluctantly agreed to joining them in this endeavor to help John, as he called it.
Aeryn agreed reluctantly to participate but refused to purchase any gifts, and that’s when Chiana realized that she didn’t know if the planet they were headed for had shops or even had any civilization for that matter. To be on the safe side she decided that there would be no gifts needed to be exchanged because of the short notice. Rygel agreed to participate even though he was hoping for marjools, which he could gobble down faster than they could be served.
The Boolite was still in pieces and just wanted to rest but Jool was all up for the party as was Crais. Crais came from a Sebacian colony planet, which had a holiday very similar to John’s ‘Christmas’, and he actually enjoyed some of the activities that Chiana described including one called ‘sledding’, which she had heard John mention before. Jool had plenty of ideas because she had spoken at length with John during his long separation from Aeryn and several of those conversations revolved around this holiday. Jool felt that she could help make this very memorable.
The Plan was coming together…
* * *
“D’Argo, how the hezmana are we going to test your new heat shield design, it’s freezing out here.” Complained John as he, D’Argo, and Crais stood on the crest of a long hill overlooking a valley filled with pine trees. A gentle snow was falling and the wind was calm. John looked over the scenery and smiled, almost made him wish he were a northern boy. He glanced over at Crais who was trying to catch the softly falling flakes with his tongue.
“Like I said John, the heat shield has to stand up to cold also.” He gestured with the large concave disk he was holding. “There’s more cold in space than heat.”
“But we’re talking ‘freeze you solid in a second’ cold up there.” Said John as he idly packed the perfect snowball and started taking a bead on the back of Crais’s head. “Here it’s just ‘cool your coffee down’ cold.”
Crais turned and threw his heat shield down on the snow next to John. “We’re here to insure that the design can take the buffeting of a reentry. To do that we must submit these shields to different levels of stress, pressure, and G forces."
“And Just how do you plan to do that Mister Goodwrench?” said John taking a combative attitude and letting Crais know that he had a snowball and wasn’t afraid to use it.
“Like this!” Growled D’Argo as he stepped up behind John and hoisted the human into the air.
“D’ARGO! WHAT THE FRELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?” Shouted John as D’Argo plopped John down on the heat shield. A massive shove sent John rocketing down the hill.
“Merry Christmas John!” Shouted D’Argo and Crais as they mounted their shields and took chase down the hill after John.
The shields were of perfect design, their frictional coefficient was so low that snow didn’t stick to them, and the three whizzed down the hill through the lightest powder like greased lightning. NOW John realized why D’Argo insisted on the straps on the inner surface of the disks as he grabbed them and held on for dear life. D’Argo must have gone out of his mind! Suddenly a snowball hit John in the back of the head and he turned and saw Crais grinning at him as they raced down the hill.
In that bright shining moment of clarity, that one sparkling flash of realization, John was suddenly reminded that it wasn’t all dark and gloomy, it wasn’t all about killing Scorpius. There was so much more to life, there was an entire bright side of life that he hadn’t been in touch with for ages, and it took the man that once dedicated his life to killing John to make John realize that.
John reached out to scoop up some snow to return fire but his action caused the disk he was sitting on to start spinning as he raced down the gentle slope. Crais smiled and scooped snow from both sides of the disk onto his lap, which prevented an unwanted spin and gave him plenty of ammo for several rounds. John soon started emulating Crais and within moments the snowballs began to fly between the men
D’Argo was concentrating on controlling his shield. Steering was a matter of leaning in the direction you wanted to go and waiting. The disk would eventually head in that direction. But not by much. He tried using his Qualta blade as a rudder and that worked well at getting you out of a spin, and it worked equally well at putting you in one. One thing D’Argo was very successful at was steering his shield into the path through the snow that was created by John’s shield. In that path D’Argo was able to go faster than John because the shield moved faster on packed down snow, and D’Argo was able to catch up to John and was preparing to ram him.
John noticed this almost too late. While spinning slowly to fire at Crais John saw D’Argo bearing down on him and sacrificed the snowballs he had created with Crais’ face in mind. The barrage caught D’Argo by surprise and he fell back to duck the snowballs and flipped out of his shield. John started lauging so hard he forgot to watch where he was going and soon found himself flipped out of his shield when he collided with a sapling. This threw him in the path of Crais who also had to bail out to keep from hitting John.
The three snow covered men sat up and looked at each other and then started laughing, They laughed until their sides hurt. When they calmed down Crais tried to say something but they all burst out laughing again.
* * *
It was not long after that the three finally reached the bottom of the hill where the rest of the crew waited. It was so good to laugh again! thought John as the three stopped by slamming into the warming hut at the bottom of the hill and lay in the snow laughing while the gentle flurries continued to cover everything in a fresh blanket of white.
There at the base of the hill in a crude wooden three-sided shed Chiana and Jool had set up their party. They decorated the shed with boughs of pine and bits of red ribbon. A warm fire in a metal drum warmed the shed and provided heat for a large simmering kettle of chowder and a pot of something that smelled strikingly familiar to John. “Is that…” he asked as he sniffed the aroma and Jool poured him a cup.
“It sure is, I’ve studied your descriptions of the stuff and I think I was able to synthesize the flavor.” Said Jool happily as she handed the steaming mug to John.
John sipped and enjoyed the best cup of coffee he ever had in his life, he was just about to say so when Jool asked “So do you like your hot chocolate.”
John just smiled and tried not to choke and answered “It’s the best I’ve ever had.”
As the day wore on everyone had a chance to sled down the hill and all were greeted with a barrage of snowballs at the end of their ride. Rygel displayed his talent at snow sculpture by creating a squad of snow hynerians, while D’Argo showed Jool how to make a snow fort. Even Aeryn, who was quiet and cheerless through the afternoon snuck off into the woods to enjoy the solitary pleasures of creating a snow angel while the scent of pine filled her senses and reminded her of a happier time. She returned singing a Christmas carol that John had taught them last year. John, D’Argo, Chiana and Rygel joined in the carol.
“And so I’m offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety two
Although it’s been said many times many ways
Merry Christmas to you”
All to soon they boarded the transport pods and headed back to Moya and their Christmas feast. And what a feast it was! There in Pilots den so Pilot and Moya could join in they feasted. Meats and vegetables and breads from all over the Uncharted Territories. Wines and stronger beverages, sweets and cheeses. Stories and laughter, and even a little bit of a food fight when Rygel tried to eat the pine cone Stark had brought back with him.
“I want to thank you all for this day folks, it’s been great. A shame we didn’t have time to learn how to ice skate though.” Smiled John.
“Say it John! Say it!” cheered Chiana.
“Merry Christmas Charlie Brown!” cried John
“No! Not that, you know what she means.” Scolded Aeryn.
John smiled and held up his goblet “This is one of the good days people!” he called out.
“Hear hear!” Cried the crew in unison and drank to that toast.
“Sorry you weren’t here to join us Zhaan.” Whispered John. But he just echoed Starks sentiments.
“John, ummmm…” Aeryn nudged John in the shoulder. It was the first direct thing she said to him in days. “I know we agreed on no presents and all but I made one for you.”
“What is it?” asked John softly, oblivious to the laughter around him. Even Naj Gil was getting into the spirit of things, although a Scarran’s laughter is quite unsettling.
“It’s a tradition of yours that you told to Jool who told it to me.” Aeryn opened her hand and showed John what she had – a small branch of a plant with rounded green leaves and white berries.
“Mistletoe.” Whispered John.
With a shaking hand Aeryn held it over her head and regarded John with tear filled eyes. “Merry Christmas, John.”
John leaned forward for the sweetest kiss he had ever experienced. “Merry Christmas Aeryn.”
