Merry Christmas?

Title: Merry Christmas?

Author: Delma RM

derema@hotmail.com

Merry Christmas?

December 21, Midday:

"No, you are staying home. I'll be back tonight."

"Yeah, yeah, leave the cow at home." Liam laughed, it amazed him all the different moods she went through lately.

"You are not a cow. You look beautiful." He kissed her and left her on the couch. Edana stood up and walked around, she hated having nothing to do. She and Will had planned everything out for this meeting and she didn't even get to go. Unless the roof started caving in they wouldn't call her up there. The place was secluded, few people knew where it was or that it was there. She had studied the prints for that place, it was magnificent, especially now with the Taelon upgrades. She remembered spending the week with Will going over the plans. They had talked a lot and they agreed on a plan for her, if need be. (blip, blip)

"Martinez."

"Yeah. This is Alex. Do you know where my uncle is?"

"He's at a meeting this morning. Why?"

"He was supposed to pick us up an hour ago. I'm not sure I want to go home for Christmas break but it's campus policy that we not stay here."

"I can go get you."

"Thanks but the thing is, if you come get us, the dean has to get a call from Uncle Ron immediately saying you are allowed to. It's a whole bizarre system."

"Well, I'll go and talk to the dean, Ron's not coming out of that meeting until tonight."

"Thanks." Edana turned off the global and then turned it back on.

"Augur. Can you fly a shuttle?"

---

They were all gathered in the great conference room. The four most powerful Taelons; Da'an, Zo'or, Del'an, Ke'ri, their protectors; Liam, Sandoval, Boone, their partners; Doors, Renée, and the extras; Edana, Alex, Chris, Mellie and Augur in disguise.

"You mean to tell me that we are locked in this building." Zo'or roared.

"I'm sorry, sir. The codes were changed recently but one of the commands was incomplete and when the system was activated with the new code it froze the system. It appears to me that this system has the Gates Virus." Augur tried to cover his voice. He was dressed as a tech and he wore a hat that left a shadow over his face.

"Whoa! What do you mean Gates Virus? That was wiped out a few years ago." Renée was clearly upset by this news.

"Well it seems to have popped up in your system and you know that you have to wait it out. Nothing can be done until its run its course. Just be thankful that it's relatively harmless." Augur couldn't help but laugh. "Didn't you check the buffers before completing the Human/Taelon technology installation?"

"Renée… you did check the buffers." Doors walked up to her.

"I could have sworn I did. Maybe he's right about the codes being incomplete. There has got to be some way out of this." Renée put a hand on her head.

"Here's some good news. We aren't stuck in this room. We have the run of the entire floor but that's it. No ups or downs, no hangar access, no outward communications, but this floor has a cafeteria, an infirmary, and heating. That's good because I believe I see a storm brewing out that window."

"Zo'or you fool. How could you allow us to be trapped here with them?" Del'an didn't even try to hide his contempt for humans. "And those young ones, probably here to ransack the place."

"Hey!" Alex started but a quick glance at Sandoval made her sit again.

"Everyone calm down. I'm sure it won't take long for the virus to run its course." Renée smiled, trying to convince herself as well.

"Ms. Palmer, I'm not so sure about that. The Gates Virus has never been seen in Taelon/Human technologies before, I don't think that this can be estimated in any way." Augur readjusted the hat on his head. He could not believe he was trapped with these people.

"Well folks, settle in, looks like we're going to be here awhile." Boone called. "Look on the bright side, if no one can get out, no one can get in."

"You are right Commander Boone, you may all stand down." Ke'ri ordered even through the looks he got from Zo'or and Del'an. They didn't contradict him but it was clear they didn't want to be so lenient with the Implants.

"Well, isn't this nice, I go from being abandoned at boarding school to being trapped in a research facility… I don’t know which is worse." Alex muttered to the floor, picking imaginary lint from her skirt uniform.

"Who are these young people?" Del'an demanded.

"Forgive her, Del'an. She's a bit temperamental. She and the others belong to me." Sandoval answered quietly. Then he felt a tug on his arm, when he looked Mellie was staring up at him with a pained expression.

"Uncle Ronny…. I have to go to the bathroom." She whispered loudly.

"Please excuse us." All the humans desperately tried to contain their laughter until they were gone from the room.

---

"Estimate on how long we're going to be here?" Doors growled.

"I've been watching for patterns… for one minute every other hour the system is fine but that's not enough time to fix it." Augur pulled the cap over his eyes. "Just keep the Taelons and that Implant out of this room and I'll be fine."

"Great. Got the genius in the little room, the Taelons have separated themselves, the children are complaining, and everyone else is pretending this is normal."

"Relax… I'll figure this out soon. Hey you got any food in this iceberg?" Doors rolled his eyes and left.

"Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer (reindeer), had a very shiny nose (like a light-bulb), and if you ever saw it (saw it), you would even say it glows (like a flashlight). All of the other reindeer (reindeer), used to laugh and call him names (like Pinocchio), they never let poor Rudolph (Rudolph), join in any reindeer games (like monopoly). Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say, "Rudolph with your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight." Then how the reindeer loved him (loved him), as they shouted out with glee (Whoopee!). Rudolph the red nosed reindeer (reindeer) You'll go down in history! (like George Washington)." Mellie sang loudly as she colored with pens and high-lighters on blank computer paper. Liam looked around the room from his chair. Edana and Renée were talking about something in the corner. Boone was standing near them with his eyes closed. Sandoval was looking out the window. Alex was cracking gum and playing hangman with Chris. Zo'or and Del'an were sitting in another corner not talking. Da'an and Ke'ri were watching the game of hangman and Mellie coloring on the floor with great interest. Doors just kept walking around and bothering Augur in the control room every so often.

"Okay this is getting too easy. The boy cannot concentrate on thinking of difficult words if he's thinking about food."

"What?" Liam chuckled.

"Well look at these words he's been coming up with."

"Alex, it was just two."

"No it's not. Apples, papaya, mango, Slim Jim, which by the way is illegal because it's a brand name, also they aren't even made of real meat… are the adults seeing a pattern?"

"Field-trip! I think the humans need nourishment, follow me and we'll go to the cafeteria. I believe Marcus said we had access to that." Renée stood and led the way.

"Ms. Palmer, this is an interesting complex. It seems you have everything you need here."

"Thank you Da'an. This complex is a great distance from any cities or towns so it's completely self-sufficient. The employees live here most of the time. Right now however, they have all gone home for Christmas." She walked back into the kitchen and pulled open the huge refrigerator door. She frowned and then tried another door.

"Is something wrong? Don't tell me there are all empty." Boone muttered.

"No, but it seems all we have is the leftovers from the Christmas party. Cake, cookies, pies, candy, eggnog, cider and fruitcake."

"Hey, we're not complaining. Ow!" Chris rubbed his arm.

"Ok, I guess we have to make do with what we have. Go out and sit and we'll get plates loaded with sugar out there." Edana said looking around for plates and napkins.

"This does not appear to be a nutritious meal." Ke'ri commented.

"Justify it." Alex replied.

"What is your meaning?"

"Well, breads; cake, fruits; fruitcake, protein; also fruitcake and walnut cookies, milk; eggnog. It's all here… technically."

"I believe I see, you find what you need where you may and it is justified." Edana chuckled to herself at the Taelon's astute assessment.

"Wait a minute, Alex, what is in your cup?" Sandoval demanded, he stopped walking around to pick it up, he sniffed it and threw it away. "Alright, who gave the alcoholic eggnog to the minor?"

"I'm sorry Agent Sandoval, I didn't realize there was alcohol in the eggnog. Have some cider?" Renée said sweetly.

"Thank you. Is there any more millionaire pie?" The Agent looked around for the desired dessert.

"Alex, be a sweetie, would you mind taking this plate to Marcus?"

"Marcus?"

"The technician in the control room."

"Right." She beat it out of the room to avoid a lecture from dear old Uncle Ron. She knocked on the door and when it opened she almost dropped the plate. "You."

"What?"

"I've seen you before."

"Sorry kid, I doubt that."

"Right… I'm sorry Marcus, Renée asked me to bring you this plate."

"Is that what she said my name was? That woman I tell you, never make her angry, she'll find every detail about your life. Thanks for the food."

"Yeah, your welcome." She walked back to the cafeteria remembering that his face was in the black box. She had seen his picture before she heard them. She shook it off before she walked back in, she was determined not to think about it.

"I tell you what we need, we need music." Boone sat up.

"No radio genius." Liam replied.

"I meant, we could sing."

"Alex, I heard that you had quite a voice, care to share?" Renée piped up.

"I only know one song."

"It's okay." Renée smiled. "Sing a Christmas song, I'm sure you know one or two of those."

"Well, I guess…" Alex took a drink of cider and cleared her throat. She walked around so that she faced everyone, except for Sandoval who was standing at the window. The song started out in a low alto then it grew to a beautiful soprano and back down again.

"O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining. It is the night, of the dear Savior's birth. Long lay the world, in sin and error pining, 'til He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices. For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angel voices. Oh night, divine. Oh night, when Christ was born. Oh night, oh holy night, oh night divine." She breathed. "Led by the light of faith serenely beaming. With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand. So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming, Here came the wise men from Orient land. The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger. In all our trials born to be our friend. He knows our need, Our weakness is no stranger. Behold your King, before him lowly bend! Behold your King, before Him lowly bend."

"Wow. That was amazing." Liam whispered.

"So since we're on Christmas carols… I want to hear the men sing."

"What are Christmas carols?" Ke'ri asked.

"Humans sing songs called carols at this time of year they call Christmas." Da'an answered.

"It's a little more than that. The songs celebrate the birth of Christ… well most of them do anyway." Boone explained.

"Hey I can be all boring and tell the truth about Christmas." Edana offered.

"And what's the truth?" Boone challenged.

"Well, Christ was actually born on the 28^th and not the 25^th. The reason we celebrate on the 25^th is that the so-called pagans worshipped the solstice on the 21^st, tonight. The church decided to move the celebration of Christ to break up the heathen and blasphemous celebration of the solstice."

"Ed, my dear, you are right that was boring." Liam just barely missed getting hit.

"Go get Marcus, all the men should be in here." Edana said.

The men all stood lined up against the wall, they looked like they were in front of a firing squad. Alex had just finished giving pitches, she raised her hand and they started.

"We three kings of orient are, bearing gifts we traverse afar. Field and fountain moor and mountain, following yonder star. O star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright. Westward leading, still proceeding guide us to thy perfect light…" Will stepped forward. "Born a King on Bethlehem's plain, Gold I bring to crown him again, King forever ceasing never Over us all to reign… " Chorus then Sandoval moved forward. "Frankincense to offer have I, Incense owns a Deity nigh; Prayer and praising all men raising, Worship Him God on high…" Chorus then Doors takes his turn. "Myrrh is mind its better perfume, Breathes a life of gathering gloom; Sorr'wing, sighing, bleeding dying, Sealed in the stone cold tomb." Chorus and then the men took a bow.

"Incompetent fools! You waste your time in such child's play while we remain trapped in this facility." Del'an's voice boomed from the doorway.

"Del'an, I agree this was a waste of energy but there is no apparent way to be free of this facility. Ke'ri has allowed them to stand down and they have used their time in this fashion because he has allowed them to." Zo'or said knowing that his words could be taken two ways and not one being can say which for sure. Del'an smirked and walked out of the room once again followed by Zo'or.

"Chris, what's that above the lady's head?" Everyone turned to the doorway where Renée and Will were standing. Sure enough hanging right above them was a sprig of mistletoe. "Well what is it?"

"It's mistletoe. Come on guys, you have to."

"What is this mistletoe?" Da'an inquired.

"It's tradition to hang mistletoe in a doorway and any two people caught underneath it have to exchange kisses." Liam explained to the Taelons. "I don't know how it started but… Go on, kiss her man."

"Well Commander… you going to kiss me or what?" Renée goaded him and he complied. A cheer went up in the room, along with a small 'ew' from Mellie.

---

"Come they told me, Pa-rum-pa-pum-pum…” Augur murmured while helping Mellie draw Santa Claus. Liam had his eyes closed and his head on the back of his chair. Da'an sat next to him talking softly to him and Ke'ri. Sandoval was teaching Chris the finer points of poker and twenty-one. Zo'or and Del'an were no where to be seen. Doors and Boone were catching up on disagreements. Alex wandered the room aimlessly while appearing to be reading a book. Edana and Renée were talking quietly.

"That's how it's going to work."

"I see… just let me tell you, if anything and I mean anything goes wrong… I will come after you."

"I completely understand. So the lab is fine?"

"Yes in the beginning, I'm leaving as soon as everything is settled. Just make sure everything is perfect." Edana glanced around at everyone else.

"It's done. My people are and have been on stand by for this. It will run like clockwork."

"Good. Now, tell me… I saw your face when Will kissed you… so spill."

"How? Liam is not required to tell me anything anymore but he did tell me you were back. I admit I didn't believe it until you showed up at that damned candidates shindig."

"Call it magic, mystical, whatever you want… I can't explain it. I still don't know if I’m glad to be back but it's been hell trying to stay on top of everything."

"I take it you've been told about Liam."

"Yeah. It amazes me, but I've seen with my own eyes. I'm actually surprised you stepped down."

"I have to admit, I was against it but three to one and I had to give in. The only thing that worries me now… those kids of his. The official resistance is dead yes but I've got others well hidden and in powerful positions. It's whatever she gives birth to that worries me. I heard from Renée about those hybrids, she's keeping an eye on them for me. Maybe we'll know what to expect from them."

"Good luck."

"Liam, I have told Ke'ri of the situation. He agrees with me. They should be brought to us to care for."

"I will not. They are mine and Edana's. She and I will not allow it. Who gave you leave to inform Ke'ri? I didn't."

"Da'an has allied himself with me because I am the only other high ranking member of the Synod who believes we must find a way to co-exist and cooperate to survive. You are a great gift to us, as will be your children… the hybrids will need help from us to control themselves. The same to your children."

"I will consider it, but I promise nothing."

"Hey, since the system is still down… are there any sleeping quarters on this level? I've got a good candidate for dreamland over here." Augur called.

"Just the infirmary beds. Quarters are on the second level." Renée called back.

"Well, then I'm going back to figure out how much time we have left."

Sandoval watched as 'Marcus' disappeared into the control room. He then motioned for Liam to go over.

"Major, Is it just me or does Marcus look remarkably like the Russian fugitive that escaped from the Mothership?"

Liam looked aside and bit his lip before turning back to the shorter man. "I guess it's just you."

---

"Guys hurry! I can get us up to the second floor in three minutes!" Augur burst out of the control room and ran for the staircase. "In just a few minutes, the system will clear for a max of three minutes. What we need to do is this: Doors you open this door with your code and we pray that works if it does then Renée needs to run up the flight of stairs and open that door. We need to keep it open until the system fails again."

Everyone look at him.

"Shouldn't we use that time to fix it?" Doors stared at him.

"It's not enough time but there are beds on the next level, and blankets and pillows. Anyway we don't have much time to do this or else we won't get another chance for hours." Doors nodded and Renée took off her heels. "Okay, three.. two… one… Go!"

Doors punched in the code and much to their relief the light turned green. Liam opened the door and Renée ran in and up the stairs and opened the door on the next level.

"Now hurry we need to keep the doors open. Get a chair!"

"Can someone help me up here?!" Renée called down. Boone ran up after her and then the doors started to shut on their own. Luckily, they got the chairs in the doorways in time.

"Now tell me what was the point in all that?" Doors demanded.

"Okay. If it comes down to it… Next window like that and I’m shutting down the system."

"Excuse me if you do that, then not only will we be locked in here, but we'll freeze to death as well." Renée panted as she hopped over the chair.

"Which is why we need to get to the second level. You said that's where the living quarters were. There are blankets and if need be we can borrow some extra clothes. If worse comes to worse I am going to shut down the system, which there is no guarantee it will start back up again. Thank me later for thinking ahead." Augur turned and slammed the door to the control room behind him.

---

Up on the second floor:

Augur told them to get ready just in case. He said he would shut the system down the next chance he got… no warnings. So they were all up on the second level rummaging around for whatever they could find. Flashlights, blankets, choosing a few rooms to occupy.

"I'm telling you, the warmest way to go about this is to choose the one room with the most beds, access to a restroom, and all of us cram in there. It gets all our body heat together, we won't freeze, just slightly crowded."

"Liam there are ten humans and four Taelons, that's fourteen bodies and to put them all in one room is torture." Renée spoke up.

"Where's Melanie?" Chris spoke up then began checking the rooms. Alex and Sandoval followed suit.

"I found her. I think she found the room the Major was speaking of too." They followed him into the room. There was Mellie, curled up in a ball on one of the beds fast asleep. It was a bunker of sorts. 6 bunk beds lined the wall, and two more beds lay flat. The adjoining bathroom was small but would do.

"I told you this is what we needed. Get all the blankets we gathered in here. I don't even want to guess the temperature outside." Liam turned to look out the doorway and a pillow hit him in the back of the head. "Hey!"

When he spun around everyone was trying to contain their laughter. Sandoval had a slightly amused look in his eyes, but his face dared Liam to accuse him of throwing it. He just leaned against the wall and picked an imaginary piece of lint from his jacket. Edana took a seat on the bed next to the sleeping Mellie, knowing full well she couldn't get involved in what was about to happen. Chris was kneeling on the top bunk of the nearest set and Alex on the bed under that. Boone stood in the middle a sly grin on his face, pillow in hand. Renée gave Doors a look that said, 'Trouble?'

Then Liam ran out and grabbed an armful of pillows from the stack in the corridor and began pelting people left and right with the pillows. Soon pillows were flying everywhere. Doors somehow managed to avoid the ongoing war and made his exit. Four grown men and women were suddenly reduced to children. Sandoval pushed Liam out of the way to get at a pillow only to be knocked down by Renée who had just gotten slammed by a pillow from Boone. Chris jumped off the bunk he was on and joined the chaos on the ground. "Geronimo!" Alex promptly clobbered him with pillows and then tossed one her uncle's way, knocking him back to the ground. Liam and Boone started wrestling over a pillow and Renée pelted them with her stash but slipped in her heels. Only one thing could stop the fun. A wayward pillow flew out the door and struck Zo'or. Then it got really quiet.

"What is the meaning of this childish behavior?!" He glared at them all in their rumpled clothes and tussled hair. Their eyes were laughing even as the frozen expressions held place, trying to look ashamed but not quite getting it. Not one person dared to speak. It wasn't until then anyone noticed that Melanie had woken up.

"You're mean. You're just like the Grinch my mom used to read to us about. You don't want anyone to have fun at Christmas do you?" She hopped off the bed and walked up to the tall Taelon. "I'll bet your mommy never read to you when you were little did she? I'll bet that's why you're such a grouch!" If Taelons felt like humans did, Zo'or would have cried out when she stomped on his foot then ran away to hide behind Sandoval. Instead, he blushed and stormed off with Del'an not far behind.

The moment they were out of sight the laughter rose up in that room, louder than ever. Then Augur walked in and took quick survey of the room before speaking.

"So, I missed the good fun." Then he was bombarded by pillows. "Thank you very much, I needed that. Now if we could move on to more serious things, Renée, I need to borrow you for a moment."

"And we need to organize this room. Ron, remember when we used to play in your room…" Edana started, picking up a blanket and walking to the bunk beds.

"Oh yeah, the tents." Sandoval knew what she wanted to do. "Commander, Major, help me push a few of these bunk beds together."

---

Da'an and Ke'ri walked in on all the hustle and bustle. "Agent Sandoval, what is all this?"

"In the event that the system is shut down, this will be the best way to keep us alive. We've pushed the bunks together and covered the open ends with blankets. It'll help concentrate heat within, which with the combined body heat, should keep us from hypothermia."

"Ingenious, what inspired this idea?"

"Something many children do as play. Build forts or tents out of sheets and their beds. Will you and the others need some sort of accommodations for…"

"Thank you for your concern but as you will remember, Taelons do not feel as humans do. We will be fine." Ke'ri reassured the Implant. "Please proceed."

---

Nearing Midnight:

Boone was reciting A Christmas Carol to everyone, including the Taelons who were in a sort of meditative state nearby. Augur had shut down the system and it was in the process of running a virus scan, forcing them to use their make-shift cave to keep as much heat in as possible. "… and God bless us everyone."

"Thanks Will. I had not heard that story in years." Renée whispered to him.

"My pleasure."

"Uncle Ronald? I've got to talk to you about something, when we get out of here." Alex whispered as quietly as she could in the close space.

"What about?"

"Let's just say it's similar to a problem Joan of Arc once had."

[This is a complete waste of time!] Del'an communed with his companions.

[It is necessary they rest to keep up their strength if they are not successful in correcting the complications with this system.] Ke'ri tried to explain.

[Ke'ri is right. If they are unsuccessful, it may take brute force to liberate us from this situation. Once out I am sure, we can leave at our leisure.] Da'an added.

[Cannot the three of you be silent? I have not been near an energy stream in hours, as I believe is the same with all of you. I am trying to conserve my energy so that I may be in this life when I leave this facility.] Zo'or silenced them with his all too true words.

Zo'or let himself drift higher. He opened his eyes and received a shock.

"Ma'el! How?"

"Zo'or, I am here to deliver a message. You must alter your ways or be guided to ruin."

"Alter my ways? I am attempting to lead our people to victory, something you could not do."

"Three beings from beyond the void will attend to you and aid you to find error in your current track and guide you to a more applicable one."

"Wait, Ma'el!?" Zo'or called as his ancestor vanished before his eyes.

Zo'or opened his eyes and looked around. "Qo'on?!"

"This is just a face, but yes the face of Qo'on. Look on young one. You will recognize your past."

The scene unfolded. They were on the Mothership. Young Da'an and young Zo'or were playing a game.

"I wish I could see where we are going." Da'an looked out the portal with longing.

"What ever for? All these planets are alike. Full of weak races, waiting to be shown their destiny through us."

"Who has taught you these things?"

"It is plain for all to see. Taelons are the most superior race in the universe. You are weak Da'an. Your way of thinking would leave us in the control of the Jaridians."

"Your way of thinking would destroy us." Da'an stood and left Zo'or alone in the cool alcove of the ship.

"Qo'on please, take me from this place."

"Does this place better suit you?" Qo'on waved his hand and the scene changed. The place around him was very familiar, a place he had not been in years.

"I see that you recall our home-world."

Young Zo'or was receiving his lessons, when another slightly older Taelon entered the room. He stealthy moved across the room to the youngest Taelon and spoke quietly, full of excitement. "Zo'or, come, there is a great game of Foov'lasha in the main. You already know these lessons in any case. Please, follow me."

"I'd prefer to stay, Ju'lin. The more I know the better I am. Please leave me be." Zo'or whispered back.

Qo'on and Zo'or watched from the side of the room. "Ju'lin was my best friend. I should have gone. Maybe then I would still be with him."

"You remember what happened in the main?"

"The Jaridians attacked. They killed him and I escaped. I was coarse with him and I never saw him again. I can still feel the moment he embraced the void." Zo'or blushed. "Why do you show me such things?!"

Zo'or closed his eyes and when he opened them he was on the Mothership and his predecessor was gone. For a moment he thought he imagined the whole ordeal, being trapped in the facility with all those humans, and the encounters of Ma'el and Qo'on. It was a very short moment.

"Why hello Zo'or. Long time no see." The sarcastic voice spoke from behind him.

"Capt. Marquette?"

"You recognize me… should I be flattered? No, it wouldn't do any good. I would still try to blow this ship up."

"Why am I here?"

"To see the present." She waved her hand and voices filled the room.

"Would we really be better off with that young one in power? We should learn from the humans. They would never allow their youngest being to lead."

"You are only right on one count. Zo'or should not be in power, his hatred blinds him to the many possibilities for this race. If there were one younger than he with half of Da'an's sense, I would select that one over Zo'or." The two Taelons blushed with laughter.

"What is the meaning of this?" Zo'or demanded of Lili.

"I'm only showing you what is. Maybe I could show you something else." Lili waved her hand and they were in the bunk room just as the pillow fight started. Sandoval heaved that first pillow at Liam's back. Soon the room was alive with laughter, shouting and the air was full of joy. Zo'or was beginning to enjoy watching. Then he saw as the young man hurled a pillow at Agent Sandoval and missed. The pillow soared out the door and struck Zo'or. Zo'or watched himself become angry at the group of humans, he regretted having done that now. Then the little one. She was so young and yet so perceptive. Her little stomp on his foot was insulting but was done in her just judgement. What surprised him was the laughter at the young child's actions when he had gone from view.

"This doesn't offend you? You must be getting soft Zo'or." Lili prodded.

"It was deserved. I see that. But they were wasting time. Time is something very precious and these humans, these in particular continue to waste it. It is as if they do not realize the full threat of the Jaridian invasion."

"They act this way now because they cannot do so under your watchful eyes and grueling schedule. My time is done, you have wasted mine." Lili vanished and it was dark. Then a glow appeared and out of it came the hooded figure. This one he recognized from childhood fables. He only appeared before one embraced the Void.

"What do you want from me?" Zo'or was frightened of this being. It was a being and yet was not. Of the void and beyond it. The figure pointed. Earth appeared before him. Not the Earth he had seen before, or the way it looked now but devastated with war.

"Is this the earth that will be?" The figure just stared at him. Zo'or could not see its eyes but could feel them. When Zo'or looked back, he appeared to be in a bunker of some sort.

"You will never guess what I heard." A young woman who seemed vaguely familiar approached an older Major Kincaid.

"What did you hear honey?"

"You remember that heinous being that you've been trying for years to be rid of."

"You'll have to be more specific."

"Well, he hated you, tried to have you killed, killed my mother and brother, and Ron, and Chris…. Well I see you know who I'm talking about."

"Dara… "

"Where's Melanie? She'll want to hear this too. I mean he killed her family too."

"Did I hear someone calling me?" An older version of little Melanie Escobar, wheeled into the room.

"Mellie! You will never guess what I heard. Think of the being you hate most in this universe… ok. Now imagine him dead."

"Dara, don't get my hopes up."

"I’m not lying. He's dead. The Taelon just dispersed. No one left to order around. No others of his kind to turn to. Not even a human Implant in a mile radius. He died all alone." The Major chuckled at his daughter's description.

"Well he finally got what he deserved."

"Yes, he did. You know my Uncle Ronald hated him, hated everything he made him do. I'm glad his plot to take over blew up in his face. Just too bad the Jaridians are here anyway." Melanie spat. "That's what I think of Zo'or."

Zo'or was shocked. He turned to the figure. "Is it true? Did I fail? Did the Jaridians take Earth? Please speak. Tell me this is not happening. That little Melanie does not become that bitter invalid. I need to know I can stop them from taking over this planet and my people!"

The figure raised its arms and threw back its hood to reveal a Kimera soldier. "Zo'or you will get what you deserve for your crimes." The Kimera advanced, shaqarava glowing and took hold of Zo'or's head. Zo'or screamed.

---

Zo'or came out of his meditative state with a jerk. Del'an looked at him with wide eyes. They turned and Da'an and Ke'ri also had the same expressions. They had shared the same vision. It could not have been a dream, Taelons do not dream. How much of the vision was real? The monsters and visitors had not been the same for all four but the message was ever clear. Change your wicked ways.

The humans slept late into the morning unaware of what their Taelon Companions had endured during the night. Finally the cold morning crept into the make-shift cavern. Augur hopped out and took two blankets, he ran out of the room and down the stairs. Blowing on his hands all the way to the control room. He pulled out the piece of paper that Renée had written the codes on and started to go over the programs, singing as he typed. "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas, just like the one brewing outside. Where treetops glisten and children bitchin' about playing in this cold. I'm dreaming of a White Christmas, with every virus I decode, may we get out of this freezing hell, and be warm at home by night…"

Two hours later, Augur bounded back up the stairs. "Who's ready to kiss a genius?"

Several heads poked out of the fort. "Well since you are all so eager. I have fixed the problem and the heat should be on in four, three, two... HAHA. Let's get out of here!"

---

December 24. Aboard the Mothership:

"Ke'ri, every Taelon I have spoken with… they had the same visions we did."

"I know Da'an. I do not know what this means for our species. We should weigh our actions and consequences carefully just to be certain."

"I agree. Zo'or has sent the Implants to Earth for 72 hours. Do you know why?"

"I did approve of it. I believe it has something to do with his particular version of the vision. He mentioned that many of his Implants had responsibilities that needed attending to at this time. Time is not what he first thought. Although it is precious, there is an abundance of it. I believe Zo'or is beginning to see the larger picture."

"I agree."

The Sandoval home:

"I thought you weren't going to be here." Alex said in disbelief as her uncle entered the apartment.

"I have a small vacation. It surprised me as well. Where are the others?"

"In the kitchen, eating."

"Well, let's go, then we'll open a present or two."

"First I have to ask you. Two weeks ago, did you almost die?"

"What are you talking about?" Sandoval lied.

"I heard your voice, in my head… right before I got called to the nurse for a blood test."

"I'll tell you later. I am starving and whatever you have in there smells great."

Doors International:

"What are you still doing here?" Doors asked Renée, who was sitting at her desk.

"No where else to go. You know that. Anyway, parties are beginning to bore me."

"Come with me. I know one party you'd love to go to."

Augur's Lair:

"Hey, you made it! And you brought a friend! Come in!" Augur was over-exuberant at the moment.

"Augur, are you drunk?" Doors growled.

"Maybe just a little but I was teaching Boone how to take a shot."

"What Augur forgot about an hour ago is that I have an advantage over him." Will stepped forward to shake hands with Jonathan.

"And what is that Commander?" Renée raised an eyebrow at him.

"My little Taelon gift doesn't let me get drunk."

"Ah, I see. Just a perk of the job right."

"Something like that."

Then the lift opened one more time to admit Liam and Edana to the room. Liam had some papers in his hands.

"Alright, the whole gang is here, let's party!" Augur hit a button and the tree lit up. "Food and drinks on the table, presents at midnight."

"Hey Augur. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure Liam shoot." Everyone else moved to the indicated area of the lair.

"These pictures… did you draw them?" Liam showed him the papers he walked in with. One of a girl and the other of a boy.

"Yeah, during those messed up hours up in Montana. The little one… Melanie, she described her imaginary friends to me, so I drew them. She said I could keep them but I forgot in the rush to leave."

"And these names… they're her imaginary friends' names."

"Yeah, Dara and Daniel, why?"

"Ed, she saw them and freaked. She said those were the names she had picked. The girl if you'll notice, looks like Ed."

"Wow, you know I didn't even notice. What do you think that means?"

"I don't know… Hey look, it's almost midnight."

"Alright guys, let's pass out the presents." Augur turned to the group and clapped his hands. Then he stopped and smiled slyly. "Renée, since we didn't know you were coming… I think Will there can give you a present anyway."

"What?" Boone sputtered in confusion until Augur pointed up. Mistletoe.

"It is now 12:01, December 25^th. Merry Christmas everyone." Doors announced.

Sandoval home:

"Merry Christmas Uncle Ron." The chorus of voices piped up as a gift was thrust into his hands.

"Merry Christmas, Alex, Chris, Mellie." He turned and handed each a present.

Mothership:

Da'an looked at the still blue orb called Earth and thanked the higher being for the vision that rocked the Commonality. He smiled as he remembered a line from a Christmas tale he had heard the year before. "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night."