A Taelon Christmas Carol
By Peter Smith
(Jo_on@synod.freeserve.co.uk)
Rho'ha had been dead to begin with.
This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate. If we were not perfectly convinced that Hamlet's Father died before the play began, there would be nothing more remarkable in his taking a stroll at night, in an easterly wind, upon his own ramparts, than there would be in any other middle-aged gentleman rashly turning out after dark in a breezy spot -- say Saint Paul's Churchyard for instance -- literally to astonish his son's weak mind. Anyway, dear reader, back to the story....
Zo'or waved his hand in the air cutting off a human broadcast he had been monitoring.
'Foolish humans' he thought 'buying gifts, decorating their dwellings and being overly nice to each other just because of some out-dated holiday Christmas indeed!'
He turned to face John McCarthy, his aide, who had just entered the bridge of the Homeship and was approaching him.
"Zo'or, sir?" the Scotsman began
"What is it you want?" asked Zo'or bluntly
McCarthy looked nervously at him
"Well, sir it's Christmas day tomorrow sir" he replied
"What of it?"
"Well I was wondering if I may have some time off tomorrow. So that I can be with my family."
"How long is usually customary on this occasion?"
"All day sir" John replied meekly
Zo'or stared coldly at him
"All day?"
"Yes sir"
Zo'or pondered this
"I suppose that you will need the use of a shuttle to take you home and bring you back?" he asked
McCarthy nodded
Zo'or was silent for a moment, enjoying the fact that his silence made his aide more nervous, finally he spoke:
"Very well. But be here all the more earlier the next day"
John smiled
"I shall be thank you sir" he said and went back to his duties.
Zo'or's datastream beeped and he waved his hand to activate it. Da'an's faced appeared.
"Yes Da'an?" asked Zo'or
"Jo'on's Implant, Agent Daunt, has asked myself , Major Kincaid and Captain Marquette to attend a celebration of Christmas at Jo'on's embassy in England. He also wondered if you and Agent Sandoval would like to attend" replied Da'an
A scowl crossed Zo'or's face
"Why would you wish to attend such a foolish celebration?" he asked
"To further my study of human society and because I wish to" said Da'an
"Well I have no wish to take part in such frivolous pursuits! Tell Agent Daunt that I decline his offer" replied Zo'or waving off the datastream.
The rest of the day passed without incident.
The human crew of the Homeship retired to their quarters, or to their homes on Earth.
Zo'or left the bridge and made his way to his quarters.
He stopped at the bio-formed barrier that stopped unwanted access to his quarters and was about to put out his hand so that the barrier could read his energy pattern so that he could enter when the barrier seemed to warp and a face appeared! the face of Rho'ha.
Zo'or stepped back and blinked. It had gone.
"Nonsense" he said to himself and let himself into his quarters.
His quarters were dark save for the dim glow of starlight from the window.
Zo'or didn't mind the dark, in fact he enjoyed it, It gave him the ability to think without being disturbed.
He sat on a rug on the floor and relaxed himself so that he could meditate and think of some plan he could put into action to help with the Jaridian problem.
He sat there in silence for a few minutes. As he looked around, his gaze fell on to a global that was on a bench, it had been given to him when he'd first been appointed as Companion to the United Nations, but he had never used it preferring the more advanced Taelon communications systems and it had laid there ever since.
That was why he was surprised when seconds later it began to bleep as if it was receiving a transmission.
Puzzled, he got up and walked over to it, opening it.
Nothing.
There was nothing there on the screen except static.
He put it down and started to walk away from it when it began to bleep again.
He whirled around and snatched it off the bench, opening it.
Static.
Then he became aware of a sound from behind him, it sounded like somebody walking and dragging something heavy.
He was going to walk to the entrance to his quarters and look out into the corridor beyond, but before he could take a step, a white ghostly figure passed through the barrier.
Rho'ha.
Zo'or blinked in recognition as the ghostly figure of Rho'ha approached him, wrapped in chains, dragging even more chains behind him.
"Zo'or" said Rho'ha
Zo'or was lost for words for a moment. Finally he spoke:
"Rho'ha how can you be here?, You embraced the void."
Rho'ha looked at him
"Yes I did and as my energy raced for the void, it was trapped by these" he said shaking the chains
"How?" asked Zo'or
"By my human attributes, the parts of Captain Johnson that were within me. This is my punishment for killing Major McIntyre. You face the same punishment" he replied
"How? I have no human within me"
"Oh but you have Zo'or, you have antibodies given to you by Commander Boone. His death, the other deaths and suffering you were responsible for forges chains for you that are far heavier and longer than mine. Unless you repent"
Zo'or was starting to be a little concerned.
"How am I to avoid such a fate?" he asked
"You will be visited by three spirits Learn from them if you wish to escape this" replied Rho'ha shaking his chains for emphasis
"Spirits?"
"Yes, they will take forms that you know. Expect the first when the clock chimes one" said Rho'ha and he faded away, leaving Zo'or with his thoughts.
An hour later, Zo'or retired to his energy stream to regenerate.
Later, Zo'or would never really know what brought him to an awareness of the outside of his energy stream.
The shipboard chimes, installed for the human crew and set to Earth time, chimed one.
He sat up, breaking the stream.
Then his quarters were filled with a blinding light, he shielded his eyes from it.
It gradually started to dim, forming into a humanoid shape. Zo'or recognised the form.
"Commander Boone!" he exclaimed
The spirit, outlined by an ghostly light, turned to him.
"In form only. I am the spirit of Christmas past" the spirit-Boone replied in a voice which sounded just like Boone's
"Long past?" asked Zo'or
"Your past" came the reply
"Come!" said the spirit, walking towards the window
"Spirit! There is nothing out there but airless vacuum!" exclaimed Zo'or
The spirit smiled at him and held out his hand
"Do not fear, for a touch from me will protect you"
Zo'or was wary, but he took the proffered hand, he and the spirit moved towards the window and through the virtual glass.
They floated in space just beyond the glass for a few seconds, before the spirit lead the away from the Homeship, leaving it, Earth's moon and the Earth itself behind.
All of a sudden everything around Zo'or seemed to blur and stretch and he seemed to be moving down a tunnel, with flashes of light all around him. It reminded him of the view one sees when travelling in a shuttle in dimensional.
After a while, Zo'or didn't know how long, a bright light appeared ahead.
"Spirit, what is that light?" he asked
"It is the past" came the reply
Reality stretched back into place around him and he saw....
Taelon!, he was floating above his home planet!
Zo'or turned to find the spirit looking at him.
"You are wondering why we are here and what your planet has to do with Christmas?"
Zo'or nodded
"All the events I am about to show you, if you were to take your calendar and match it to the human calendar, they fall in or around Christmas" said the Spirit.
Zo'or was slightly surprised.
The Sprit lead him down into the planets' atmosphere and to ground level.
When they landed, Zo'or looked around in total amazement at the sights and sounds around him and the memories that they invoked.
"You recognise this place?" the Spirit asked
"I do! This is the dwelling of my family group!" he said
They entered the building by passing through a wall.
Zo'or was surprised and more than a little relieved that he'd made it through in one piece.
The Spirit lead Zo'or through the dwelling and into a room.
On the floor laid on a meditation mat was Zo'or's parent, Deh'r, his eyes were closed and he had a look of pain on his face.
Zo'or started at the sight of his grandparent and his sibling, Eh'har, entering the room.
Eh'har was carrying a bundle, Zo'or realised that it was himself as an infant!
Deh'r opened his eyes and a look of horror passed over his face.
"Take it away!" he snarled, " I will not raise that thing!"
Zo'or's grandparent and Eh'har shared a surprised look
"But Deh'r...." started Eh'har, concerned for his sibling's welfare, but he was cut off.
"I said take it away!" Deh'r said "It is not Taelon!, It whispered to me while it was forming!, It influenced me to do shameful acts!. Take it away!"
Deh'r's parent and Eh'har shared one final concerned look and Eh'har left the room.
"I shall take it to a community nursery" said Deh'r's parent
"I do not care" came the reply
His parent left the room.
Zo'or blushed blue in shame at what he had just witnessed.
The Spirit turned to him
"Even before you were born you had to control and dominate! You helped caused the death of two sentient beings! An act that Deh'r never forgot and always felt guilty for" it said
Zo'or lowered his eyes to the floor
The Sprit's gazed softened.
"Such a sad start in life, perhaps it is no wonder that you have become bitter and ruthless"
Zo'or digested this for a moment
The Spirit placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Come," he said, "There is more to see"
The room around began to change and he found himself in a place he knew very well
"It is the laboratory where I was first put to work!" he exclaimed
The Spirit pointed to somewhere behind him,
"And is he also familiar?" it asked
Zo'or turned and saw a younger version of himself
"Obviously. It is I" he said
He turned at the sound of someone entering the room through the entrance archway.
It was an older Taelon.
Zo'or recognised him almost instantly!
"It is Na'shel, the scientist to whom I was apprenticed!" he said
Na'shel crossed the room and stood in front of the younger Zo'or.
"Zo'or, it is late." he said "Return to your dwelling and finish this in the morning"
The younger Zo'or looked at him.
"But I can finish this tonight!" he said
"If you finish it tonight or tomorrow, will the outcome be any different?" asked Na'shel
"You have a point" replied Zo'or and he tidied his things away and walked with Na'shel to the archway and was about to step out into the walkway beyond when he collided with a Taelon who was passing by.
"I apologise" he said and looked straight into the other Taelon's eyes and felt an instant attraction.
The other Taelon returned his look
"Zo'or this is my sibling's offspring, Tee'sha" Na'shel said
"Pleased to meet you Tee'sha" said Zo'or
"Likewise" came the reply
Zo'or remembered all this like it was yesterday.
He watched as his younger self, Na'shel and Tee'sha walked away.
He turned to the Spirit and the Sprit looked at him.
"There is another occasion with Tee'sha that fell near to Christmas"
The room blurred and settled down.
Once more, he was faced with a younger version of himself working in the laboratory.
Tee'sha entered the room and walked up to him.
"Zo'or" said Tee'sha
"Yes, just a minute Tee'sha" replied Zo'or not looking up from his work
"Zo'or" pressed Tee'sha
Zo'or finally looked up.
"What is it?" he asked, slightly annoyed.
"I was talking to my parents about our relationship and they wondered if we shall bond soon" replied Tee'sha
"I cannot bond with you yet" he replied
"Why?"
"I am busy with the Jaridian problem"
"But that makes no difference to us bonding"
Zo'or shot Tee'sha an annoyed glance
"It is an important matter" he hissed and returned to his work
"It is always an important matter." said Tee'sha leaving the room.
The older Zo'or watched in sadness as Tee'sha walked out of his younger self's life, remembering how he had felt when he had found out that Tee'sha no longer wanted him and remembering years later, when he finally found someone else to love (ironically a human), Nivian Ibraham, whom he stilled cared deeply for and how he had driven her away as well.
He closed his eyes in pain.
"Leave me" he said to the Spirit.
When he opened his eyes again, he was back aboard the Homeship.
Zo'or sat in a chair in his quarters and selected a book off a nearby table and began to read.
His mind must have wandered because he started when the ship's chimes sounded two
Nothing.
Nothing happened for a full minute. Then Zo'or noticed that the entranceway to his quarters was glowing, as someone had a bright light on the other side
He got out of the chair and went to the entrance and opened it.
Light streamed in from the other side. Zo'or stepped over the threshold and not into the corridor as he expected, but into a lavishly decorated room.
There were Christmas decorations everywhere! and the food! every type of seasonal human food he had ever seen was there, Mince pies, turkeys, Christmas puddings and many, many more!
In the centre of all this was a plush, high back chair and sat in it, dressed in a simple green robe was.........
......Jonathan Doors!
Zo'or was about to summon Agent Sandoval when he realised who is really was.
"Are you another of the Spirits whose coming was foretold to me?" he asked
The spirit nodded
"I am the ghost of Christmas present"
Zo'or took in the sight before him for a moment before addressing the Spirit again.
"Spirit" he began, "I went forth with the other Spirit and was taught a lesson which is working now, Perhaps in our travels I will learn more" he said
"Perhaps" replied the Spirit, who got up out of the chair in which it was lounging and walked over to Zo'or, "We have many things to see. Touch my robe"
Zo'or did so and the room around him faded away.
When Zo'or next looked at his surroundings, he was stood in a city street!
"Welcome to Christmas Day!" said the Spirit joyfully (for indeed the Spirit was a lot more happy than he whose guise the Spirit wore!)
Zo'or looked around as people wandered to and fro, greeting friends and strangers alike with a cheery 'Hello!' and a 'Merry Christmas!'.
Zo'or and the Spirit walked amongst these cheery people for a while, the Spirit revelling in the happiness that was around him.
Presently they stopped in front of a small town house.
"Why have we stopped here?" asked Zo'or
"Do you not know the abode of your own aide?" asked the Spirit in response
Zo'or was surprised
"This is McCarthy's abode?"
The Spirit nodded
"He is Companion Personnel, he should have more than this!" Zo'or stated
"Ah, but you never bothered to check his circumstances did you? Had you have done, you would have known that he deserved more" replied the Spirit
Zo'or lowered his eyes, again ashamed.
The Spirit lead him into the house.
Inside, all was in preparation for Christmas dinner.
The McCarthy children, a boy and two girls, in their Sunday best, laying the table and helping their mother prepare their meal.
Mrs McCarthy was at the stove stirring pots and pans.
The elder McCarthy child, the boy, approached his mother.
"I think that this has to be one of the best Christmases ever mum!" he said
she looked at him.
"I think you're right Ben." she said, smiling.
She turned to the two girls.
"Joanna, Linda, hurry up setting the table. Your father and Tim will be home soon" she said
"Okay mother" they said in unison and hurried on with their task.
They heard the front door slam and their father walked into the kitchen.
The children rushed to greet him, nearly knocking him off his feet.
"Whoa!, kids!" he said cheerfully as he extricated himself from them.
From behind them came a cough and a sickly looking child entered the room.
Mrs McCarthy rushed to her son and gathered him up in her arms, carried him across the room and placed him on a chair.
"There you go Tim" she said as she looked at him lovingly
Zo'or was taken with Tim. He turned to the Spirit
"What is wrong with the child?" he asked
"He has a genetic disorder" replied the Spirit
Zo'or turned his gaze back to the scene in front of him.
Tim looked around eagerly.
"Oh Wow!" he said "All the decorations and the smell!"
He punctuated his last remark with a sniff.
Zo'or and the Spirit watched as the family carried on with their preparations, finally they were all sat around the table.
John stood to make a toast.
"It is only fitting that I make a toast to the founder of the feast, Zo'or" he said
"Founder of the feast indeed!" replied his wife, "He wasn't even going to give you the day off! If he were here, I'd give him a piece of my mind to feast on and I hope he'd choke!"
Zo'or was taken aback by her forcefulness.
"My dear," said John, "The children. It's Christmas!"
She looked guiltily at the Children
"But, I'm sure that wherever he is, he is keeping Christmas in his own way" she said.
They started their meal. The Spirit lead Zo'or out of the McCarthy household.
"Do you know what will happen to the child?" asked Zo'or
"I cannot see the future. But, if something is not done I do see an empty seat at the table and a great sadness hanging over the household" replied the Spirit as he and Zo'or walked away from the McCarthy's house.
Zo'or wondered where he would be taken next.
The Spirit took Zo'or to Jo'on's embassy.
"Why are we here?" Zo'or asked
"People are celebrating Christmas here as well" the Spirit replied as they walked into Jo'on's audience chamber. In one corner of the room a Christmas tree had been erected and decorated, underneath were some wrapped gifts. A couch, table and some armchairs had also been added.
Zo'or turned as he heard a sound from behind him.
In to the chamber walked Liam Kincaid, Lili Marquette, Agent Elliot Daunt and behind him came Da'an and Jo'on.
They all gathered about the tree and the three humans exchanged and unwrapped their gifts while the two Taelons looked on.
But they had not been forgotten.
Elliot Daunt picked up two gifts and walked to Da'an and Jo'on with Lili and Liam close behind him.
"When we arranged this we knew that we would be giving gifts to one another. We decided that since you two were partaking in a human celebration that you should not be left out" he said, holding out the gifts. "These are from us to you"
Da'an and Jo'on exchanged surprised but pleased looks as they took the gifts.
"We then had the problem of what to get a Taelon or in this case Taelons for Christmas" said Liam
"So we had a think and we hope you like them" added Lili
Da'an opened his present. It was a book.
"A Charles Dickens Treasury" Da'an read off the cover, "My favourite human author, Thank-you" he was obviously pleased.
Jo'on opened his present, it also was a book.
"The Complete Works of Shakespeare!" he said happily "Thank-you!"
Zo'or was surprised at the enjoyment that Da'an and Jo'on felt from such simple gifts.
"Gifts given from the heart and out of kindness are always best received" said the Spirit as if he'd read Zo'or's thoughts.
Together, Zo'or and the Spirit watched as the others spent their Christmas Day together.
From the gifts to Christmas dinner through the evening until they retired for the night.
The Spirit lead Zo'or away from the Embassy and to a foggy, windswept plain.
When they stopped, Zo'or turned to look at the Spirit as he did he caught sight of something protruding from the bottom of the Sprit's robes.
"Spirit, what is that I see protruding from your robe, is it a foot or a claw?" he asked
"It might be a claw, for the flesh there is upon it," was the Spirit's sorrowful reply. "Look here."
From the foldings of its robe, the Spirit brought two children; One was human and the other was Taelon. Both were wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable. They knelt down at its feet, and clung upon the outside of its garment.
Zo'or was horrified.
"See what the future holds for Humanity and the Taelons!" the Spirit lamented, "Both races inextricably linked and both sharing a terrible fate"
Zo'or was speechless!
"But that fate is for the next visitor to show you"
Zo'or peered closely at the Spirit and he saw that it looked a lot older than before.
"Are the lives of Spirits so short?" he asked
"Yes. I must leave now. I leave you here to await your final visitor" said the Spirit.
The Sprit vanished and Zo'or was left alone.
It wasn't long though before he felt a strong presence behind him.
Zo'or turned and almost gave a human shudder at what was before him.
It was tall and dressed in a grey robe with a hood hiding it's face from Zo'or's view.
It reminded him of a picture he once saw in a human book.
A picture of Death.
"Are you the last of the Spirits whose coming was foretold to me?" he asked
A solemn nod was the reply.
"Are you the Spirit of Christmas future?"
Another nod and the Spirit pointed onward with a bony finger.
In the blink of an eye, Zo'or's surroundings had changed. He recognised where he was.
"This is the place of Remembrance for Companions and Companion personnel that have passed on to the next level" he said, "Why have you brought me here?"
The finger pointed towards a group of people clustered around a headstone.
Zo'or walked towards them, when he got close he saw that it was two human adults and three human teenagers. He heard sobbing, One of the adults turned around.
John McCarthy.
Zo'or quickened his pace and he reached the grave and looked at the headstone, it read:
Here lies
Timothy McCarthy.
Beloved son of
John & Elizabeth
Brother of
Benjamin, Joanna & Linda.
He was with us for just a short time,
but we treasure every moment
in our hearts.
We shall always miss him.
Zo'or closed his eyes in pain and lost his facade, blushing a deep blue.
"Why?" he asked the Spirit
No reply.
Zo'or remained at the graveside for a few minutes.
'I will not let this happen! I will remember' he thought
Then his surroundings began to blur and he knew that he was being
taken through time, to the future. How far he did not know.
He was in a Taelon Embassy, in a audience chamber.
He looked around, the chamber had black streaks on the walls and there were sparks coming from the datastream.
He looked out the virtual glass windows and saw Washington.
In flames!
Buildings were burning, belching plumes of black smoke into the air.
This was Da'an's embassy!
He turned to the Spirit.
"Spirit, what has happened here? Where is Da'an?" he asked
The Spirit pointed a bony finger to the entranceway.
In walked Da'an and Jo'on, an air of concern about them.
Following them was a dishevelled Liam Kincaid, behind him was Agent Sandoval, who had a bandage on his head, then came Lili Marquette, who had one arm in a sling and following her, surprisingly was Jonathan Doors, his clothes mere tatters.
They stood in silence for a moment before Doors spoke:
"What are we going to do?" he asked, "The Jaridians have taken control of every Taelon Embassy except this one, they've taken your Homeship and moonbase."
Zo'or was taken aback at the news.
"I mean" Doors continued, "Most of the Companion personnel are dead or have been captured, everyone I could get from the Liberation has been killed"
"Poor Augur" said Lili
"Poor Zo'or, killed when his shuttle was targeted as he was heading for the Homeship" remarked Liam
"Poor Zo'or nothing!" Doors snapped, "If he had been truthful at the outset, instead of being secretive and doing his dirty little experiments, we might be winning this fight!"
Zo'or lowered his eyes, Doors spoke the truth.
"We shall do what needs to be done" said Da'an
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Doors
Before Da'an could reply, they heard a tapping, clicking noise and they all turned to the entranceway.
In walked, leaning heavily on a walking stick, Elliot Daunt. His left eye had a patch over it and he had a livid scar down one cheek.
"Well, that's it" he said, "They've broken through our outer defence perimeter. I've posted troops at every entranceway and blocked all access to this level, but we're outnumbered and I estimate that they'll be on this level within thirty minutes, probably less"
"Have you completed your task?" asked Jo'on
"Yes. I got to the central processor and sent the signal to every Embassy, the Moonbase and the Homeship" Elliot replied.
"What is going on?" asked Doors.
"You are aware that our buildings are organic, and are controlled from the central processor which acts as a brain" said Jo'on
Doors nodded
"The processors of each Embassy are linked and are continually update each other on timetables, rosters and other information. What is known to one is known to all." continued Da'an.
"Kind of like your Commonality" stated Lili
Da'an nodded
"Agent Daunt has utilised this link to send a signal to all the Embassies as well as the Moonbase and the Homeship" he said
"A self-destruct signal" added Jo'on
"What!?" exclaimed Doors
"As you yourself said Mr Doors, the Jaridians are mainly contained to our Embassies, the base and the Homeship. By destroying these we hope to decrease Jaridian numbers enough so that the remaining humans can defeat them" said Da'an
"How will the Embassies self-destruct?" asked Liam
"The signal sends the generators powering the Embassies into an overload sequence which will occur in..." Jo'on look at Elliot
"Seven minutes" Elliot replied
"...In seven minutes." finished Jo'on
Da'an took the humans in with a look.
"We, of course, cannot ask any of you to stay and die. Please leave if you wish" he said
"But how do we get out?" asked Lilli
"The subterranean tunnels are still open, the Jaridians haven't found them. If you leave now, you'll escape the blast" said Elliot
"Well then we can all escape" said Sandoval who had been quiet up until now.
"No. If the Jaridians were to detect us, they would hunt us down" said Jo'on
"We will make our stand here." added Da'an
"I'm staying" said Elliot and Jo'on shot him a sorrowful, yet grateful look.
"So am I" agreed Liam and Sandoval in unison
"If Liam's staying, then I am as well" Lilli said
The Taelons turned to Jonathan Doors.
"Mr Doors, you may go. After the explosions you could organise the fight against the Jaridians" said Da'an
Doors looked uncertain -for a moment- then he made his decision.
"No. When the Taelons came to this world I worked with you. When you leave, it is only fitting that I should be with you" he said.
With the decisions made, they waited. Da'an waved his hand in the air and the datastream came fitfully to life, displaying a countdown.
Five minutes.
They stood in silence, listening to the sounds of fighting coming from outside, the sound of weapons fire and the screams of pain.
Two minutes .
The building was rocked by a blast and a monitor on Liam's desk began to bleep. Elliot, who was closest, went to check it. He called up a display.
"They're in the building" he said simply
One minute.
Jo'on went and sat down on the ramp that lead to Da'an's private quarters. Elliot joined him, Jo'on smiled at his Implant and friend, holding out his hand which the Implant took.
The had one, final sharing.
Thirty seconds.
Lili sat on Liam's desk, trying to make her last moments a little more comfortable.
She was joined by Doors.
Fifteen seconds.
Da'an sat in his chair.
He was Companion to North America for one last time.
Sandoval and Kincaid took up their positions either side of him.
The countdown continued on it's endless march.
Five
Four
Three
Two
One
Zero.
Zo'or watched as they were all engulfed in a ball of fire.
He fell to his knees, hands covering his face. Had he been human he would of cried.
He could imagine that all over the Earth, Taelon Embassies were exploding in a ball of fire, claiming the lives of those Taelons and Humans within.
"Please Spirit!" he said, "Tell me that these events are not fixed, that they can be changed. I will change them, I will not allow anymore suffering, Human or Taelon!"
He took his hands from his face, to look up to the Spirit.
He was back in his quarters!
He looked around, surprised.
He then summoned Agent Sandoval, the Implant entered his quarters in his robe, looking tired.
"You wanted me Zo'or?" he asked
"What is the date?" asked Zo'or in reply
Sandoval was confused.
"The date?" he repeated
Zo'or nodded
"Christmas Day" he said
"Christmas Day!" exclaimed Zo'or.
"Good, I have not missed it, they did it in one night!" he continued to himself.
He looked at Sandoval as if wondering why he was there, before the Implant could ask the question that was on his mind, Zo'or cut him off.
"Will any stores be open?" Zo'or asked
Sandoval was now even more confused!
"I.....expect so" he said
"Good. Dress yourself, we have errands to run"
"We do?"
"Yes"
Sandoval turned and left the room.
At Jo'on's embassy, Daunt, Kincaid and Marquette had risen and had the gift giving.
As the Spirit of Christmas Present had predicted, Da'an and Jo'on were not left out.
They were looking at their presents when Zo'or walked into Jo'on's audience chamber with Sandoval behind him, carrying parcels.
He gave each human a gift and wished them a Merry Christmas, they all looked at him in surprise!
He approached Da'an and Jo'on holding out his hands, palm up.
Da'an and Jo'on gave each other a quick look before placing their palms in his.
They all closed their eyes and lost their facades a little.
Then they were back to normal.
"Thank you for sharing with us Zo'or" said Da'an
"Yes. But what you have planned is....unprecedented" added Jo'on
"But necessary." replied Zo'or
"Possibly, the Synod shall decide" said Jo'on
Zo'or nodded in agreement.
Elliot Daunt cleared his throat and the three Companions looked at him.
"Zo'or, would you and Agent Sandoval like to join us?" he asked
"Alas, Agent Sandoval and I have more errands to run. But if we could return after they have been completed?"
"That would be fine" said Elliot
Zo'or and Agent Sandoval turned and started to walk out the room.
"Agent Sandoval!" Elliot called
Sandoval turned.
"Yes?" he said
"My original invitation for Christmas was not just for Da'an, Liam and Lili. But for you and Zo'or as well. So I got you this, I was going to ask either Liam or Lili to give it to you"
Elliot tossed a wrapped parcel to Sandoval who caught it. He unwrapped it.
It was a book, "Celtic Myths and Legends".
Sandoval immediately thought of Siobhan Beckett, whom he had secretly loved and had been too stupid to admit it to her.
'And now it's too late' he thought sadly
"Is it okay?" Elliot asked, he'd seen the look on Sandoval's face.
"It's fine, thank-you. I shall enjoy reading it" Sandoval replied.
He and Zo'or left to complete their errands.
The McCarthy family were just sitting down to dinner when there was a knock on the door, John got up to answer it.
It was Zo'or and Agent Sandoval!
"Mr McMcarthy, you did not report to the Homeship for duty this morning" said Sandoval.
McCarthy visibly quaked.
"B..B..But Zo'or said..." he replied
"Said what?" asked Zo'or
"Y...Y...You gave me the day off!" he stammered
"I? gave you the day.." Zo'or was going to say 'off' but he was cut short by Elizabeth McCarthy who had come to the door.
"Yes you did! and you're not going back on it! Think you can just come here and drag him to work!" she said
"Fine" replied Zo'or
"Who do you think....what?" she asked surprise
"I said, fine. John can have the day off and tomorrow as well. The day after you and he will come to the Homeship and we shall discuss improving your circumstances and see about treating Tim" Zo'or said
Both McCarthy's were surprised. Tim came to the door to see what was happening. Zo'or was happy to see him.
"Did I just hear you say something about treating me?" he asked Zo'or shyly
Zo'or smiled down at him.
"Yes, I am sure that Taelon science can help you" he replied
Tim was overjoyed! he went to Zo'or and put his arms around him. Zo'or was momentarily surprised but he returned the embrace.
John and Elizabeth had gotten over their surprise.
"Thank you, We don't know what to say!" John said
"Just say that you will let us...me help" Zo'or replied
"Of course!" Elizabeth said
"Will you join us in a toast?" asked John
"I do not drink fluids. But Agent Sandoval will drink and I will share in the spirit of the Toast" replied Zo'or.
He and Sandoval were quickly shown into the living room and a glass was raised to Zo'or's health.
"This is the best Christmas ever!" said Tim
They raised their glasses to that.
Days later Da'an, Jo'on and Zo'or entered the bridge of the Homeship.
Holographic images of the rest of the Synod awaited them.
They all stood there in a circle.
"We are here to discuss Zo'or's latest plan in connection with the Humans" said Jo'on
"You are aware of the possible ramifications of such a plan. We now must decide if Zo'or is to be allowed to proceed with it" continued Da'an
The Synod communed.
"It is decided. We shall allow Zo'or to proceed with his plan" Jo'on said minutes later.
Excerpt from the New York Times:
In a unprecedented move today, a joint statement was given by three Companions.
The statement detailed the exact nature of experiments on Humans by the Companions in their search to find a way to fight their enemy, the Jaridians.
The statement, released by Da'an (Companion to North America), Zo'or (Synod Leader) and Jo'on (Companion to the United Kingdom), called for total honesty between Humans and Companions.
The statement also contained plans for a joint Human/Taelon defence against the Jaridians, as Da'an said:
"We can no longer work in secret. To fight and defeat the Jaridians, Humans and Taelons must fight side by side, in open honesty and friendship"
The statement has lead to calls that the Companions should leave our planet.
But Governments say that the Jaridians will come here anyway and without the Taelons' help the human race would perish.
A council containing representatives of every government on Earth has been created to investigate the Jaridian situation and the Taelons actions while they have been on Earth.
Their conclusions will be made known in two months.
There you have it, dear reader. The story of how Zo'or changed his ways and changed not only his life but the life of those around him.
What of Tim? I hear you ask.
Well, Tim did not die. He was given the treatment he so badly needed and he and Zo'or became a big part of each others lives. It is said that on some days onboard the Homeship, in the corridors, you could hear the echo of a child's laughter and the contented sigh of a Taelon.
The End.
Author's note & Disclaimer:
I would like to thank Tina Price for writing some wonderful Earth: Final Conflict fan fiction which inspired me to write my own. The characters of Deh'r, Eh'har, Nivian Ibraham and Zo'or's grandparent are her creations and I used them here with her permission.
The characters of Jo'on, Elliot Daunt and the McCarthy family are of my own creation and should you wish to use them, I would appreciate an e-mail telling me of your intentions. The address is below.
Earth - Final Conflict, all characters and images therein are the property of the Tribune Entertainment Company.
Thank you for reading.
Peter Smith
Jo_on@synod.freeserve.co.uk