The Stranger
An Earth - Final Conflict Christmas story by Tina Price
(TinaP@prodigy.net)
Original Story Ideas ©1998, Tina Price. All rights reserved.
Preview: An unexpected visitor unintentionally brings hope to
those who have gone so long without...
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Earth - Final Conflict, all characters and images
therein, as well as story elements put forth in the series are the property
of the Tribune Entertainment Company. Several characters appearing in this
story are my own creation. Any similarity with anyone living or dead is
purely coincidental.
Authors notes: Happy Holidays to everyone!
This story owes a huge nod to "The Gift of the Magi", a short story written
by O. Henry. My personal thanks to my good friend, Janet Spruill White
for serving as my Beta. As always, I am in no way receiving 'privileged
information'. Any advice, criticism and kudos are always welcomed. Please
contact me at the above e-mail address. Yes folks, that is a picture of
Leni Parker below. I took it from a movie called Bleeders. I don't remember
which company owns it, but I just plugged the movie, so I hope they forgive
my use of the pic. The line which Boone reads is from "The Left Hand of
Darkness", written and copywrited by Ursula K. LeGuin and published by
the Walker Publishing Company, Inc.
The Stranger
"Da'an, where are you off to?"
the security guard asked the departing Taelon.
"I have things I must attend
to."
"I see. Like doing some
last minute Christmas shopping for a gift for the Commander?" the guard
smiled.
Da'an merely smiled slightly,
unwilling to either confirm or deny the guard's guess. As she passed by
him and through the double doors that led to the elevator, he spoke again.
"I won't tell anyone you
left unless they ask, but be careful out there. The snow is falling faster
now and the weathermen are saying it could get bad."
"Thank you." Without further
ado, she entered the lift and by the time she exited it in the church's
basement, she wore her Dana disguise. Climbing the steps which led to the
vestibule, she paused for a moment to watch the many humans who had collected
within the sacred structure. The late afternoon sunlight shone through
the stained glass windows, lighting the aisle with splashes of pleasing
color and the candles around the periphery flickered with soft light, making
moving patterns upon the walls.
Although she did not believe
as these worshippers did, she often frequented the church in the dead of
night, finding a peace and tranquility within its walls. She found it an
excellent place to meditate upon her changed life and sometimes, though
not often, she actually arrived earlier, relishing the opportunity to sit
amongst the humans and observe their own meditations. She was still empathic
enough to pick up on their tranquility or agitation and would often seek
out the most depressed or distressed, touching their hand at an unexpected
moment and calming them with her touch.
Boone had cautioned her
against doing such a thing except on rare occasions, for he feared that
she would one day attract too much attention to herself, but she found
it difficult to ignore those whose minds cried out in pain.
Buttoning her long, woolen
coat and winding her scarf firmly about her neck, she turned and ventured
out the front doors, stopping on the top step to take in the spectacular
view of the snow-covered cityscape. The white precipitation was falling
at a steady rate, the large flakes chilling her head and clinging to her
coat. Still, it was good to be free of the underground fortress, even if
only for a short while.
William had headed out less
than an hour ago and she knew he planned on purchasing some gift or other
for her as part of the holiday tradition. Little did he guess that she
planned on presenting him with a gift as well. In her possession was an
item which Agent Sandoval had managed to obtain from her chamber upon the
mothership. he had passed it to Liam, who had delivered it safely to its
owner.
Reaching into the small
shoulder bag she carried, she ran her hands over the hard, carefully wrapped
memory sphere. It was the last one in her possession and one of the very
last left aboard the home ship. All the remaining spheres were now for
exclusive use by the Synod - their sole means of sending news back to their
home world in any speedy manner.
Da'an surmised that the
item would fetch a decent enough price to enable her to purchase something
appropriate for her love.
With a small smile upon
her face, she moved off in the direction of a nearby bus stop. She planned
on visiting a local mall and then walking down the street to a small group
of shops which included an antique bookstore.
Boone sat in the food court
of a mall in nearby Alexandria and sighed as he pushed his salad around
on his plate. He had scoured every inch of the place and still had not
found anything appropriate. What did one buy for one's alien lover anyway?
As well as he felt that he knew Da'an, he had no idea of where to begin
in the gift selection process. She showed absolutely no interest in material
possessions outside of the collection of memorabilia she had compiled during
visits to many alien worlds, but that collection now resided somewhere
within the bowels of the embassy which Zo'or now called his own. The only
thing she had managed to have rescued, which could be called a personal
possession, had been an unused memory sphere. She had shown it to him the
night that Liam had returned it, explaining its purpose and how rare it
now was.
That had been two weeks
ago. Since then, she had kept it upon a carefully coiled piece of material
atop the old dresser they shared.
Wait a minute... Suddenly
standing, he carried his tray to a trash receptacle and then headed back
toward the nearest escalators. He knew exactly what to get her.
Dr. Nivian Ibraham stood before
the fountain in the snow covered embassy garden and simply delighted in
the view and the fat, sticky flakes which clung to her hair and lashes.
It was cold out and the wind was picking up, rendering her sweater nearly
useless. Still, she wrapped her arms about herself and remained where she
was as the sun slowly sank below the horizon, causing the snow to almost
glow in the dimming light.
She still could not believe
that things were as they were.
After Da'an had led her
back to Zo'or, she had been whisked back to the embassy, where, in the
privacy of the Synod Leader's chamber, they had finally bonded - completely.
The truth had finally come out - Zo'or had not betrayed her. He had lied
to Quo'on about using her research, when in fact, it had never been his
intention to let Ne'eg make use of her carrier viruses. It was a case of
his scheming going very awry.
After the entire truth had
been revealed, Zo'or had attempted to hold her close, feeling that everything
was resolved, but...
She had not been able to
share the moment. Still confused, still mentally scarred by her long ordeal,
she had withdrawn, telling him that she needed time to herself. He had
not protested, merely nodding and telling her that she could have the chamber
next to his own.
That had been six weeks
ago.
Since then, she had made
a great deal of progress, thanks in part to Da'an's and Boone's counseling
during her confinement. Each had spent a great deal of time with her, reassuring
her, letting her know that she could overcome this situation, that she
had a say in her own future. She and Zo'or had spent time together each
day, awkward in their attempts to reassure each other that they did care
about what the other was going through, but they had not shared a single
embrace, nor had they even shared.
He had been incredibly patient,
never pushing her and actually keeping her company during most of her meals.
Once, she had awakened to find him sitting beside her bed, content to simply
watch over her...
A snowflake blew in her
eye, jolting her back to the present. She had awakened this morning, suddenly
feeling like her old self, and had avoided Zo'or, instead spending the
entire day thinking about what her life should be from here on out. Now,
with the sun down and the snow falling faster, she felt cleansed in some
strange way.
The Holidays were nearly
here, followed close behind by a new year. She would make it a year to
remember and in the meantime...
"Nivian..."
She turned to find Zo'or
standing behind her, a coat held in his hands. Draping it about her shoulders,
he wrapped his arms about her and held her close.
"You are cold. Please come
inside now before you harm yourself."
She leaned back against
him and shivered slightly, only now feeling the chill. "It's beautiful,"
she said. "The first snow of the year. It makes me feel new."
"We are new," he whispered.
Turning in his arms, she
hugged him, causing him to stiffen slightly in surprise before he seemed
to melt against her. "I love you," she murmured. "and I think that this
could turn out to be the best Holiday ever..."
He looked down at her. "You
know that I do not celebrate..."
"I don't expect you to.
I was speaking for myself. Hanukkah begins tomorrow at sunset and although
I have not celebrated for many years, I wish to make arrangements to do
so this year. Please allow me to visit my old Synagogue and speak with
a Rabbi."
"Of course."
"Let's be going then!"
He frowned. "The weather
is turning bad. Perhaps we'd best wait until tomorrow morning..."
"No! I can't afford to wait!
Besides... you have a limo and a shuttle can pull us out of almost any
stranding situation which might arise."
He attempted to look stern,
but as she stared at him, his face finally relaxed. "Very well. Let us
go inside and make our arrangements."
Together, they left the
garden.
Hours after having arrived,
Da'an exited the front of the mall, frustrated beyond belief, for she had
not found anything which seemed appropriate to gift William with! She made
to head in the direction of the bookstore when the it dawned on her that
the street was nearly deserted. Snow was piled high along the road as well
as in the parking lots where the snow plows had passed and it didn't appear
as though the buses were running - no one was waiting at the stop.
In confusion, she turned
and looked behind her. People were fairly swarming out of the mall, heading
for their cars and leaving. One woman noted her lost look and stopped for
a moment.
"They're ordering people
off the streets," she explained. "Bus service was canceled an hour ago
and the mall and many stores are closing early. You'd better get home before
you end up stuck somewhere."
"I... was planning to visit
the shops down the road," Da'an admitted. "It's relatively important."
"I'll be glad to give you
a lift there."
"I thank you." Da'an smiled
at the woman, cheered by her friendly demeanor. Together they walked to
the car, and in no time at all, Da'an found herself standing before the
bookstore, again thanking the woman for her thoughtfulness.
"Don't mention it," she
replied with a wave of her hand. "Just be careful - and don't wait too
long before heading home!" With some slipping and sliding, she managed
to drive off as the disguised Taelon turned and entered the shop.
"Good evening," the proprietor
greeted her. "I'll be glad to help you with something, but you should know
that we'll be closing in thirty minutes."
"May I... look around?"
she asked.
"Be my guest. The rare books
are upstairs. If you'd like to see any of them close up, yell down to me
and I'll unlock the case."
With a nod she headed up
the stairs.
"What do you mean, my credit's
denied?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Arrington,
but it appears that the lines are all busy - the computer is unable to
verify your card," the teller apologized, looking embarrassed. "I'm afraid
that it's been like this on and off all evening. If you wait a bit, we
could try again."
Boone looked at his watch.
"I don't have time. This place is closing in about five minutes..." He
bit his lip as he thought fast about his options. He could perhaps put
some cash down to hold the gift... Just then, his eyes lit upon his watch.
Given to him by his father, and having belonged to his grandfather before
that, it was an antique. It's European craftsmanship made it a work of
art - something of great monetary value as well as sentimental value. Still,
it was something that belonged exclusively to him, unlike the bank account
which Jonathan Doors had gifted him with. When all was said and done, the
money was Doors', recompense for the fact that Boone could no longer access
his own funds, which had been seized by the Taelons upon his apparent death.
It seemed right and appropriate,
that he purchase this particular gift by trading something of value to
himself.
By now, the store owner
had wandered over and instantly noticed the watch as Boone eyed it. "I'll
tell you what," he addressed the man. "I'll trade you this beauty for the
hand crafted display stand."
Removing the watch, he handed
to the owner, who checked it over carefully. Looking up, he fixed Boone
with a wide smile. "You have a deal, my friend," he beamed.
A few minutes later, Boone
left the shop, elated with the purchase he had made. The gift was perfect,
well worth the sacrifice.
And Da'an need never know
about the watch.
Da'an called a cab from the
bookstore, having traded the globe to the owner for a first edition copy
of an Ursula K. LeGuin book which Lili insisted she and Boone must someday
read together and taxi fare home. The owner escorted her out to the waiting
cab, still amazed by the fact that he had obtained such an item as a Taelon
memory sphere. Da'an's demonstration had convinced him of its authenticity.
Opening the cab door for
her, the bookstore owner helped her in and was about to hand over her gift
when a young boy of no more than ten sped by, snatching the bag out of
his hands.
"Thief!" the stunned man
bellowed, turning to give chase. He headed off through the heavy snow,
which was becoming blinding in its intensity and was quickly swallowed
from sight.
Exiting the taxi, Da'an
asked the driver to wait.
"Sorry lady, but I need
to be getting home myself!"
"Go then," she frowned at
him.
He quickly pulled away as
she moved off in the direction that the boy had taken. He had something
meant for William and she would retrieve it. The boy might elude the shop
keeper, but he could not hide from her. His projection of both excitement
and fear marked his trail as plain as day.
The boy ran on as fast as his
legs could take him, hoping that the package he had snatched contained
a gift he could give his mother. He was well aware that the man he had
taken it from was following, attempting to pick out his footprints in the
snow, but the wind and the heavily falling snow would eventually lead him
to give up the chase.
Ducking between buildings,
he made for a residential area and cut through several properties before
heading back to the street he now sheltered on. Pausing in an alley, he
waited to make certain that he had lost his pursuer and, as five minutes
ticked by with nobody showing, he exited the other end and headed down
the street.
He had only gone a block
when he passed another alley and nearly jumped out of his skin.
A woman stood there, her
form nearly hidden by the swirling snow, but there was something very unnatural
about her... Though the wind blew her scarf, not a hair on her head was
ruffled and about her head there seemed to be a halo of some sort, for
the snow never seemed to touch her. Most disconcerting of all, in the dimness
of the alleyway, her eyes glowed a vivid blue...
"Why have you taken that
which is not yours?" she asked calmly.
Too frightened to even scream,
he turned and bolted down the street, running for all he was worth. Although
already tired, he moved at top speed all the way to the shelter and entering,
he locked the door behind him.
Two of his friends instantly
met him.
"Whoa! Have a little trouble?"
Aaron asked.
"Someone after you Tom?"
Ginger likewise questioned him.
"Come on," he gasped out
and led them away from the entranceway and back towards the common room.
The shelter was full again
this night, people even sleeping on mats because there were no more cots.
In a corner, many were gathered around a heater, for the room was quite
chilly. Making certain that his mother hadn't spotted him, Tom led his
friends into the kitchen area.
"I just saw an angel," he
confessed in hushed tones.
Aaron laughed. "Yeah, right!
You gonna ask her for a date?"
"I'm serious! It was a REAL
angel!"
"Why would an angel ever
appear to you?" Ginger scoffed.
"It's mad at me. It asked
me why I stole this." He indicated the bag, which Aaron immediately took
from him.
Sticking an arm in, the
older boy withdrew and unwrapped a heavy object within. "A book?" He was
incredulous. "You stole someone's book?"
Tom wilted. "I didn't know
what it was. I just wanted something for Mom. I'll return it to that store
tomorrow..."
"Return it? Are you crazy?"
Ginger asked, as she exchanged looks with Aaron.
"The angel! I HAVE to bring
it back or I'll probably end up... you know..."
"Listen man, there ain't
no Santa Claus, there ain't no Devil and there definitely ain't no angels,"
Aaron sneered. "We all know that. Those are just stories meant to control
our behavior. You were probably running too hard and saw something the
wrong way."
"I know what I saw..." Tom
shivered. Rewrapping the book, he placed it back in the bag.
"Let's go look outside and
see if we can see the angel," Ginger suggested. "Maybe it'll appear to
Tom again!"
"You're such a baby! Haven't
you heard what I said? There is no such thing as angels. Tom was seeing
things!"
With a pout, she turned
and headed for the entranceway, but she was back within the minute.
"Tom! Tom!" she yelled,
as she burst back in. "She's out there!"
"What?" both Tom and Aaron
exclaimed.
"It is an angel!" Ginger
declared to Aaron. "and she's coming this way!"
Together they made a dash
for the front, coming to a shocked stop behind the front door. Through
its glass, they could clearly see the apparition moving in a straight line
for them, her eyes glowing calmly, her hair unruffled and a halo about
her head where the snow simply vanished.
Frozen in place, they watched
with a strangely excited sense of dread, as she reached for the old doorknob.
Her entire form glowed blue for an instant as she twisted it. There was
a loud <crack> as the lock snapped and then the door blew inward.
She stepped inside amid
a flurry of snow and looked them over before closing the door behind her.
Boone cursed when his attempt
at rocking the car out of the snow failed again. He had made it back from
Alexandria and had barely re-entered the DC limits when an icy patch had
caused him to skid sideways into a deep drift. Now the car was well and
truly caught and he was stranded without so much as a global. How could
he have forgotten it, especially on a night like this?
"I may not screw up often,
but boy, when I do!" he grumbled under his breath. With a sigh, he picked
up his shopping bag and exiting the car, locked it up tight. He'd come
back for it with some help in the morning. In the meantime he didn't relish
the long walk through the elements, but he needed to get somewhere warm
- somewhere with a phone. Fortunately, he was on a well traveled road,
so perhaps some kind soul would stop and offer him a ride...
The three children stared as
the apparition turned back around to face them and they found themselves
quaking under the stern look she fixed them with.
Without a word she held
out her hand.
"Uh... the package..."
Tom stammered. "It's in the back..." He turned and headed towards the back,
surprised to see her following him while his friends in turn trailed a
good fifteen feet behind her.
She paused in the common
room, staring sadly at those who were already huddled in their blankets
or about the heater, and seemed not to notice as Ginger sidled up to her.
The little girl somehow
found the courage to take the figure's hand, drawing her attention. "Please,"
she said softly. "Please, can't we have some nice things just this one
Christmas?"
"Ginger..." came a whispered
warning from Aaron.
"I'm not afraid of her!
Angels are good and they do good things, so why don't they ever do anything
for us?" she asked, pouting at him.
Again the stranger's unnatural
eyes swept over the room and when they turned back to take in the children,
there was a slight smile upon the mouth below them.
"And what have you done
for others recently?" the amazing voice asked them. "Have you helped anyone
in need yourself... or merely helped yourselves to their possessions for
your own selfish reasons?"
Both Tom and Aaron lowered
their eyes, certain that she already knew all their deep dark secrets,
but Ginger thought hard.
"I helped a lost boy find
his mommy again! Does that count?"
The angel smiled. "It does."
As she spoke, both Tom and Aaron scurried off, returning a few moments
later. Tom held out the bag with the book and Aaron...
"What is this?" she asked
him as he held out an old watch to her.
"I took it from a woman's
purse last year," he confessed. "I don't know why she was carrying it around,
but I grabbed it when I meant to get her wallet. I'm sorry..."
"Stop the limo!" Nivian shouted
to the driver as she peered out the window.
"We must not stop - we could
become trapped here," Zo'or countered.
"It's Boone!" she continued,
pointing back towards the figure they had passed.
"Driver, stop the vehicle!"
Zo'or waited for the chauffeur to comply and then asked his next question.
"How do you know this person is Boone? Do you recognize his disguise?"
"I can tell," was all she
replied. Rolling down the window, she waved the approaching figure over.
As he peered into the window, she greeted him. "William, what are you doing
out here? Please let us give you a lift wherever you need to go."
The man she knew to be Boone
looked startled, but nodded and joined them within the vehicle. With a
nod to the other disguised occupant, whom he had to know was Zo'or, he
turned to face her.
"Thanks. My car got stuck
and I didn't relish the thought of walking even another block in this mess.
If you could just drop me off somewhere with a phone..."
Zo'or reached over his shoulder
to rap on the glass partition with his knuckles and within seconds the
limo was again moving. He then pulled a global out of his coat and handed
it to the surprised resistance member.
"Go on. Contact your people
and we will drop you wherever you may wish. I owe you much and am unwilling
to displease Nivian by allowing you to freeze."
With another nod, Boone
took the device and flipping it open, contacted the base, careful to leave
the video off. As the connection was made, he entered his personal code,
taking care that his rescuers could not see it.
"Commander Boone, we were
becoming worried about you!" came Jose's voice.
"I'm all right. My car's
stranded though and I've been given a lift by some old... acquaintances,
so be careful what you say. Can someone pick me up at St. Michael's?"
There was a slight pause
before Jose answered. "It's going to be difficult to get one of the cars
out, but I'm sure we can manage it. Commander... before we arrange a meeting
time, I think you ought to know that Dana's missing."
"What?"
"She went out to do some
shopping... I think, and she has not returned."
"Any idea where she might
have gone?"
"All I know is that she
took the bus."
Boone lowered the global
and stared out the window at the viciously blowing snow. How would he find
her in this?
"We'll help you," Nivian
said, as she placed a hand on his arm. Tell us where to begin looking."
He patted her hand and turned
to look at Zo'or, who smirked back at him.
"Lost your companion? It
would seem that you no longer serve the sole function of protector..."
As Boone scowled, he smiled charmingly. "No matter, we cannot have a Taelon
expiring in this. Where do you suggest we begin our search?"
"There's a mall not far
from here. Somehow, I think she might have begun her quest there." Boone
got back on the global as the limo driver received his new orders. "I'm
going to look for our missing person," he informed Jose. "I'll call when
I'm ready for that ride." Quickly he cut the transmission and handed the
global back to the amused Synod Leader.
Da'an stared at the old watch
in disbelief, for on the back was engraved the name, "Boone". Had the boy
taken it from Sara Boone when she had visited William last year? It appeared
to be the twin to the one which William himself wore, but this watch was
clearly nonfunctional. Still, it had its original wristband and the replacement
band on Boone's own was nearly worn out...
The chances of this particular
watch finding itself in her possession were astronomically small and she
couldn't help but smile, for she did believe in a higher power, and her
feet had apparently been meant to lead her here this night.
Slipping the watch into
her coat pocket, she stooped down so that she could look the young ones
in the eyes.
"I know the owner of this
watch. It shall be returned to him," she told the one named Aaron. She
knew they thought her to be a celestial apparition and she could feel how
badly they wished to believe. They had so little, these people. It was
time to bring them hope...
Reaching out, she took their
hands, one by one and with little effort, allowed them to feel a moment
of complete calmness and serenity, thus strengthening their belief in her.
"You shall have your Christmas,"
she told them. "Nothing can take it from you if you believe."
"But can we have presents?"
Ginger asked.
She nodded. "Tell everyone
here what you have seen this night. There is a church not far from here
- St. Michael's. Those adults among you who will show up there to keep
vigil, one at a time, after dark on this day next week shall be given a
gift by me."
"What if they're Jewish?"
Aaron asked.
"It matters not. All that
matters is that they be willing to believe in a higher authority. It does
not signify that the place I have chosen is a church. It could just as
well be a synagogue. This too, you must make clear."
"If we do this, we'll get
presents?" Ginger persisted.
"Help them to believe, and
you shall have a Christmas to remember." On that note, Da'an rose and lifting
the bag she had recovered, headed for the front door. The snow was coming
down even more heavily, but she felt Boone's presence nearby. She had little
doubt that she could bring him to her, for their bond was well and truly
established.
With a last glance at the
children, she stepped out and was quickly swallowed up in the storm.
"She's nearby," Boone announced.
"Turn left here!"
The partition between the
driver and the rear had been lowered and the driver quickly complied. They
went another three blocks before Boone had him make a right.
They were on a small street
in a poorer section of the community. Run down shops and abandoned buildings
abounded. Despite his disguise, Zo'or wore an expression of shock.
"Why would Da'an be here?"
he asked. "What could have possessed her to..."
"There!" Boone nearly shouted,
pointing toward a nearly invisible figure fighting its way against the
wind.
The limo pulled up, with
the Commander opening the door and jumping out almost before it had come
to a full stop. In moments he had returned with his missing companion.
Nivian moved across to sit beside Zo'or as Boone handed Da'an into the
limo and climbed in beside her. After closing the door, he turned towards
her.
"Are you all right?" he
asked anxiously, seeing how she shook.
"I shall be fine once I
have warmed up," she replied in a quivering voice.
Boone had his coat off in
an instant and pulled her tightly against his side as he draped it over
her like a blanket. Across from them, Nivian smiled and snuggled up to
Zo'or, which caused his knowing smirk to vanish, replaced with a tender
look.
"St. Michael's Church,"
he ordered the driver before turning to lock eyes with his old rival. "You're
looking... lovely these days," he managed to say. "The disguise suits you."
"As does yours."
Boone snorted. "He looks
like an SS officer."
Seeing the frown which quickly
appeared upon the Synod Leader's face, Da'an quickly changed the subject.
"I thank you for offering both William and myself transportation."
"You must thank Nivian,
for had she not recognized your disguised... lover, none of us would be
having this conversation."
"And yet, you didn't need
to help me locate Da'an," Boone observed.
Zo'or frowned. "I owe Da'an
a gesture of good will for having returned Nivian to me. I assume that
it is because of her association with you that the Resistance still offers
her shelter?"
The one-time implant ignored
the question, instead turning to rub Da'an's shoulder and arm, trying to
help warm her. His obvious concern for her caused Nivian to cuddle even
closer to Zo'or, her arms sliding around his waist. He in turn seemed to
melt, his face becoming serene, all trace of arrogance wiped away.
The trip was completed in
contented silence. As the limo pulled up to the front of the church, Da'an
handed Boone back his coat and the two exited, packages in hand.
"Boone, Da'an, wait a minute!"
Nivian got out as well. "If I don't see you before the holidays, Merry
Christmas." She threw her arms around the resistance Commander's neck and
gave him a peck on the cheek.
"And if I don't see you,
Happy Hanukkah!" he kissed her cheek as well.
Nivian moved to Da'an and
simply took her hands, sighing as they made brief contact, their wishes
communicated silently. Then she returned to the limo and with a final wave,
it drove off and was quickly lost in the snow.
Boone and Da'an entered
the church, removing their coats in the vestibule and dusting the melting
snow from their heads. The place was deserted and Boone pulled her close
for a quick kiss.
"You had me frightened nearly
to death," he whispered. "I can't wait to hear the story behind this!"
She looked sheepish. "I
fear that you will wish you had not..."
Together they moved towards
the stairs.
"Da'an..."
"I know that you feel it
is a risk, however, I feel strongly that this is something I am meant to
do." The two of them were in Da'an's room, the Taelon seated in the overstuffed
chair while Boone paced the floor before her. Stopping suddenly, he knelt
and took her hands.
"You can't go around impersonating
an angel..." He groaned. "I know you mean well, but... "
"I have asked very little
from you, William," she countered, reaching out to place her palm against
his cheek. "Please support me in this. I know that it will bring about
much good."
He sighed. "Are you that
set on doing this then?"
"My course is plotted and
may not be altered."
"I know I'm going to regret
this - I'll probably have nightmares about angry angels for months..."
She wrapped her arms about
him, pulling him close for a kiss. "You will not have nightmares," she
murmured. "Only pleasant dreams will follow this endeavor." Again she kissed
him, this time pulling up his shirt and sliding her now-warm hands beneath
it. "You will speak with Jonathan then?" she mumbled as he nibbled at her
upper lip.
"Uhhh... if I didn't know
better, I'd think that you were attempting to manipulate me," he somehow
managed to say.
"Then I must be slipping.
Usually you don't notice..." Her hands explored further.
"...I'll talk to Jonathan
in the morning," he groaned, just before he pulled her from the chair and
tumbled her to the carpeting.
With a smile lighting her
face, she pulled him down beside her.
Making her way towards the distant
church, Madeline Perry thought about her son. The boy, along with two other
children, whose mothers frequented the Blair Street shelter, were adamant
about having been visited by an angel the week before and no amount of
scolding or derision on the part of their parents and the other transients
had been able to sway them from their tale. As the days had ticked by,
they had become more and more frantic to make their elders believe them,
with Tom and Ginger bursting into tears this very day. Only her final promise
to visit the church had calmed her son.
Ginger's mother had likewise
promised to visit as soon as she returned.
Finally arriving at the
front steps, she paused at the bottom and stared up at the steeple. It
had been a long while since she had been in a church... No, that wasn't
exactly true. She had, on occasion, napped in some of them to escape the
cold, but it had been a very long time since she had last entered one for
any reason other than to seek shelter there.
"The things I do for that
boy..." she mumbled as she finally climbed the steps.
The church was deserted,
the foul weather apparently keeping away those who stopped by in the evening
to pray. Pausing for just a moment, Madeline moved forward and took a seat
at the far right end of the last pew. A few minutes ticked by.
"This is..." she began to
murmur, only to be startled nearly out of her skin when a woman stepped
out of thin air at her side.
She had long, dark hair
and blue eyes which seemed to glow in the dim light.
It was the angel!
Madeline froze as the hair
on the back of her neck stood on end. So shocked was she, that she couldn't
even protest as the apparition reached out and took her hands.
A feeling of utter calm
seemed to settle over her at the touch and she found herself held firmly
by the angel's gaze.
"Welcome Madeline Perry..."
the incredible voice greeted her...
Georgia Carlyle was heading
up the steps when Madeline exited the church, her face alight like a child's
who had received a much sought after gift.
"Well?" she asked, suddenly
excited by what she sensed she was about to hear.
"There is an angel! She
talked to me, told me to go somewhere tomorrow and that I would have both
a job and a place to stay!" Madeline took her hands. "Georgia, hurry! It
is a miracle! Perhaps she'll give you news as well. I have to go back and
tell the others!"
With that, Tom's mother
withdrew her hands and moved quickly down the steps and in the direction
of the distant shelter.
Georgia gave the church
another look, pausing to stare up at the steeple before finally moving
toward the front doors.
From the window at the top of
the steeple, William Boone watched as the shelter residents came and went.
Over the course of the past few hours nearly all of them had shown up.
In they trudged, with both hope and doubt stamped across their faces. Out
they all walked, with identical looks of wonderment and joy.
Da'an was giving them information
on where to meet with those resistance members who ran companies or had
influence within them. Her plea for help for these people had rallied those
below to their aid. Realistically, he knew that many of those they sought
to help would not keep their meetings, but many would and for them a new
life lay around the corner. It was a chance to begin again. To work for
an employer who didn't mind that they didn't own but one decent set of
clothes, that they had no permanent address. Given a steady job and a place
to live, eventually they would have all those things.
Boone sighed. He still didn't
feel right about allowing these people thinking Da'an was an angel. True,
the Taelon had never said that she was one, but...
...But she was helping them.
The resistance was helping them, and that in itself could not be a bad
thing...
He suddenly smiled. Tomorrow
the final surprise would be sprung...
There was no way that he
would miss it.
"I don't understand," Lorraine
told the man, as she looked over the invoice he had handed her. "you're
saying that all this is for us?"
The man grinned from ear
to ear. "Yes Ma'am. Compliments of a certain philanthropist who lives in
the area." He noted her dazed look and continued. "Just give us the word
and we'll unload the truck."
Lorraine nodded numbly.
She had managed the shelter for over fifteen years. She had wheeled and
dealed and fought so hard all that time for even the smallest of improvements;
a new blanket here, a new cot there, some volunteers, but never had she
ever imagined...
"This is for real?" she
asked the red headed man who had approached her. "No catches?"
"It's all yours," he grinned
back. "Happy Holidays!"
Watching as the six men
began carrying things inside, she burst into tears.
Madeline returned to the
shelter shortly after noon to find a large moving truck outside. The moving
men were loading the last of the shelter's cots into the back and fearing
that something dreadful had happened, she ran inside.
"Mom! Mom!" Tom instantly
greeter her. "Come and look! You're not going to believe this!" Grabbing
her hand, he all but dragged her to the back room.
Her mouth dropped open at
the sight.
Row upon row of new cots,
with new sheets and stacks of blankets filled the room. New heaters were
strategically placed amongst them and small rugs lined the rows between
them. In one corner stood a beautiful Christmas tree which the children
were decorating from boxes of ornaments and lights which had become strewn
about it. An plug-in Menorah stood on a table in another corner, about
which were hung Hanukkah decorations.
"That's not all," Tom said,
leading her to the kitchen. He pushed the door open, revealing two moving
men stocking the freezer, refrigerator and cupboards to full capacity.
"The angel came through for us," he beamed.
"Yes, it did," she agreed,
as they moved back into the common room. Lorraine stood there, beaming
from ear to ear.
"It's a miracle," she sighed
as Madeline moved to join her.
Just then Ginger and Aaron
ran up, each holding a wrapped present.
"Look what I found under
the tree!" the little girl exclaimed. "It has my name on it and there's
one for Tom and most everyone else!"
"I found mine under the
Menorah," Aaron smiled. "There are some others there as well."
"Did you get a job, Mom?"
Tom turned to beam up at her.
Dropping down, she hugged
him tightly. "I did! And a place to stay as well! Starting right after
the holidays, we'll be living in our own apartment!"
Behind them, a dark haired
woman stepped out of the shadows, her eyes glowing calmly. Ginger was the
first to notice her.
"The angel!" she shouted.
"She's here!"
As one, everyone in the
shelter turned to look and most caught sight of the smile which crossed
her face just before she seemed to vanish into the shadows again.
Boone stood beside the moving
truck's rear cargo loader and waited for Da'an to join him. Everyone had
finished up and was either in the cab or sitting in the back. Once she
returned, they'd be going.
He smiled again as he looked
over his fellow volunteers. Each one wore a smile and seemed happier than
he'd ever seen them. He himself felt... wonderful...
"William."
He turned to find that he
had been joined by the red haired young lady who had once carried him out
of the DC embassy when he was an infant.
"This is a year we won't
soon forget," he told her. "What you've accomplished here is..."
"Nothing more than what
should have been done long since," she finished. "Come, let us be off."
As they turned to climb
in, a man on the sidewalk waved frantically at them, drawing Boone's undivided
attention. He moved toward the stranger, even as Da'an moved with him and
together they followed him as he moved toward the front of the truck's
far side, still waving for them to approach.
Boone stopped half way up
the truck. "What is it?" he yelled suspiciously and then found himself
jumping as a horrifyingly loud noise seemed to explode behind them. Running
back to the rear of the truck he was shocked to see that a car had slammed
into the loader at the precise location where he and Da'an had been about
to climb in. Exchanging an amazed look with the disguised Taelon,
he immediately turned back around to find that the tall man who had drawn
them away from that spot was missing, vanished apparently into thin air.
"Where did he go?" Boone
asked a woman who had been there the entire time.
"Who?"
"The man who waved us back
here. You had to have seen him. He was tall and slender and wore a long
dark coat..."
She shook her head. "The
only thing I saw, was that you two decided to walk this way. Good thing
too, huh?"
Again he and Da'an exchanged
looks and then they moved to join the others.
Fortunately the young lady
who had driven the car, along with her distraught mother, were unharmed,
as were all those in the rear of the truck, but if he and Da'an had not
moved, he would have been killed outright and Da'an...
"The collision would not
have killed me," she assured him. "but if I had lost you..."
"You saw him, didn't you?"
"No, William. I only followed
you when you walked away. I saw no one."
For a few shocked moments,
he could say nothing, but merely looked towards the spot where the being
had vanished. "An angel..." he finally whispered. "The real thing, beyond
any shadow of a doubt, for if it were anything else, how could I alone
see him and you not?" Feeling almost faint at the enormity of what had
happened, he pulled her close. "Why? Why would he only allow me to see
him? You're the one who brought all this about..."
"It appeared to you so that
it might save your life," she answered. "It was not necessary that I see
it, for I was never in danger, however, it's gift was perhaps meant for
me also, for I could not carry on if I lost you again. I live only so long
as you do..."
Grasping her hand, he kissed
it and then led her to the bus stop across the street. The police had arrived
and the others would stay until the report was completed. He hadn't brought
his holo device, which was recharging, and dared not chance having the
police recognize him.
In moments they had boarded
a bus and were headed back in the direction of the church.
Nivian lay in her bed and listened
to the wind howling outside her window. It was snowing again and the flakes
as they passed before her window cast shadows upon her and the wall of
her room. Outside it was cold and nasty, while here she was wrapped up
toasty warm in her bed. It was perfect sleeping weather... so why wasn't
she sleeping?
She groaned and rolled over
as thoughts of Zo'or again ran through her mind. He had asked her to stay
with him again this night, this time promising that he simply wished her
near, that he wouldn't push for anything else. She had nearly given in,
but despite her visible hesitation, sanity had won out and she had once
again retreated to the safe loneliness of her own bed.
The truth was that she feared
him even as she yearned for him... Not that he would ever do anything to
harm her. No. She knew that she of all humans, was safe where he was concerned.
Since their bonding his feeling for her had been laid bare, even as her
own feeling for him had. They loved each other truly, but...
She had gained a window
into his very soul and knew what he was capable of. Her race, this entire
planet was nothing to him if it could be used to stop the ancient enemy.
He would sacrifice humanity to ensure his people's survival and, although
she had seen that the wrongness of such an act was beginning to dawn on
him, she still feared the atrocities he was yet capable of.
Rolling over again, she
heard the sound of her own heartbeat echo back to her ear, no doubt channeled
in some way by the mattress. For several minutes, she listened to its steady,
calming and yet somehow accusing tones.
Da'an had told her that
she had as much control over Zo'or as he had over her, that she alone could
influence him where no other could... But she had not influenced him since
her return. She had not even tried. He had stopped to help Boone and Da'an
in order to please her, not because she had demanded it of him.
Manipulation was something
foreign to her nature. Zo'or was good at it - an expert, but she preferred
to influence and direct those her around her, not manipulate them.
Da'an had also told her
that she would play a large part in what was yet to come, that her action
or indifference with regard to Zo'or could destroy or preserve humanity's
future. It had been an enormous burden to lay at her feet, one which she
had since ignored, but now she heard Da'an's prediction everywhere, even
in her sleep. She could not go on hiding away, ignoring the thoughts and
schemes which moved through her other's mind.
It was time to shoulder
that burden.
Rising from her bed, she
pulled on a warm robe, tying it at the waist as she slipped her feet into
her slippers. Then she bent down and pulling a gift from under the bed,
dusted it off.
It was time to find Zo'or...
Down in resistance HQ, the Christmas
Eve party to end them all was in full swing. People laughed and talked
as wrapping paper flew about and punch flowed freely. Jonathan Doors was
seen walking about with green foil tinsel circling his head as though he
were some old Roman senator. Augur was dressed in a green lame
top and brilliant red velvet pants while Lili wore a tasteful burgundy
velvet dress. The two if them were attempting to dance to the tune of "I
Saw Three Ships". Augur began bellowing it out as he moved and the song
was quickly taken up by all present, even Boone.
As the song ended, Augur
tripped over a chair causing Boone to lean back in his chair and howl with
laughter. The other humans at his table - Joshua, Belman, Park, and Beckette
all laughed as well, with Beckette wiping tears from her eyes.
"You know how to party as
well as the Irish," she gasped, as she lifted her mulled cider for another
sip.
Da'an smiled at them from
her seat beside William, for their happiness was infectious. She had spent
three previous Christmas' on their planet, but never before had she actually
been among them when they celebrated it. The last three hours had been
priceless and she would forever cherish the memory of these serious people
suddenly laughing and joking with each other.
Gifts had been exchanged
and Boone embarrassed by the large number he had received, for each was
simply to have left something under the tree, grab bag style. Yet, as the
presents were pulled forth, many were found to have his name scrawled on
them.
It had become one of the
highlights of the evening, with people laughing more and more hysterically
every time Boone was presented with another gift and sheepishly asked,
"What? Another one?!" That he was well loved by these people could no longer
be denied, not even by him.
Another funny moment had
occurred when Da'an had picked a gift from under the tree and opened it
to find that it was a box of Godiva chocolates. "Go on, try one," William
had encouraged her. As everyone watched, she had taken her first taste
of chocolate candy, generating laughter around her. People had told her
afterwards that her face had first looked surprised then slipped into an
expression of pure bliss. She had since polished off two entire chocolates,
which for her, was something of a feat.
As Jonathan Doors snatched
Belman away for a dance, Boone rose to his feet and, swaying slightly,
reached down to give her a hand up.
"I think I've had enough,"
he said, managing not to slur his words. "and rather than risk passing
out here, I bid you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!"
A chorus of, "Merry Christmas,
Boone!" rang out, as Da'an took his arm and helped lead him down the corridor
to his room.
Nivian found Zo'or standing
before the windows of his room, staring at the swirling snow outside. Although
his back remained to the door and to her, she was aware that he knew she
stood there. He seemed both elated and terrified, though she could not
say why.
As if in answer to her thoughts,
he slowly turned to face her, his face guarded, his demeanor one of...
distrust.
"Are you here to tell me
I am unworthy?" he asked. "You might have saved yourself the trouble. I
know how you feel about me, how you fear me. It whispers to me through
our link during every moment you are awake. Try as I might, I am unable
to read your actual thoughts, to find the cause of this distrust. I had
thought things settled between us, that all would eventually be... as it
was before..." His face hardened suddenly, all emotion draining from it.
"Are you here to tell me you are leaving?"
She moved forward quickly,
stopping before him and taking his hands so that a direct link was formed.
She wanted him to believe, to know that what she said next was the truth.
"I'm not leaving you, not
again," she said forcefully, "but you're right in that I do fear you! Not
for myself, but for what you are capable of with regard to my people. Zo'or,
I love you, but that doesn't mean that I can turn a blind eye to the contempt
in which you hold humanity." She threw her arms about him then, hugging
him tightly as she buried her face against his lower chest.
His arms instantly crushed
her even more tightly against him and she felt his cheek rubbing against
the top of her head.
"Is there no way to make
things right between us?" he whispered hoarsely.
"Only time... and your own
heart will reveal that," she sighed.
As she lifted her face to
look at him, he grasped her chin and kissed her. For one brief, wonderful
moment she responded, melting against him as she kissed him back. Then
she regained control and gently pulled away. "I've brought you a gift,"
she said shakily, pulling the small box from her pocket and holding it
out to him.
"A gift? But why? I thought
you didn't..."
"I don't celebrate Christmas,
nor do I give gifts for Hanukkah," she affirmed. "but this is something
I wish you to have and I could think of no better time to give it to you."
She looked up into his confused eyes. "Go on. Open it."
Quickly, he tore the wrappings
away and opening the small box, withdrew a small, silver locket from within.
"It's a locket," she explained,
as he stared at her. "Open it."
The Synod Leader managed
to pry it open and then looked more baffled then ever. "I do not understand...
Why are there pictures of these people within?"
She pointed to the very
old, brown photo of a woman. "This is my great grandmother," she explained.
"It was taken one year after her release from the concentration camp at
Auschwitz." She stared solemnly at him. "You're aware of this most abominable
chapter of humanity's history. All those people killed outright or starved
and abused, then killed. They were treated like this because their jailers
were convinced that they were animals - not human, but rather some inferior
subspecies. If this woman you see here had not survived the camps - and
she was the only member of her family who did - then you never would have
met me. I would not be here with you now."
Zo'or stared at her, a look
of agitation upon his face.
"This other picture is of
an infant," she continued. "Just a little thing, isn't she? She cannot
fight or reason or do much of anything. Would you sacrifice her in a war
against the Jaridians? She's nothing, right? What is one infant compared
to you or the life of your people..."
"This is you," he whispered,
suddenly certain of it.
"Yes."
Slowly, he closed the locket
and turned away from her, his hand clutching the silver ornament to his
chest.
She moved to stand beside
him and was momentarily startled to see that his facade was fading away.
Within seconds, he stood before her in his true form, his phosphorescent
eyes staring out the window at nothing at all.
"Boone said that you looked
like an SS officer in the limo the other night," she said. "How very appropriate
his description was, for I had noted it myself. What I fear most of all,
though, is that he was seeing the future, not the present. You cannot love
me if you believe me to be less sentient than yourself, and yet that will
be the excuse your people use to destroy us. In a flash, you will annihilate
not only us, but everything we could be... and everything good your own
people might aspire to." She placed her hand upon his shoulder. "This is
what I have seen in you," she said, choking back a sob. "It is the reason
why things are not... right between us..."
She turned to go, but his
hand grasped her own and held her back. Those incredible eyes were finally
turned her way and she was startled to see that some great pain had stirred
their normally placid depths. She sensed a great confusion rising up within
him as well as a fear she hadn't thought he was capable of.
"Nivian, I..." he began.
She placed a finger over
his mouth. "Shhh. There is nothing to be said. You cannot apologize for
your future actions, or convince me that what I fear will never happen.
Best to simply think upon this. Keep the locket and remember how easy it
is to allow injustice to occur. Only the exceptional have the strength
to fight against it. Find your strength... and you will find me."
She hurried from the room,
returned to her own and huddled under the covers, shaking with reaction.
Less than an hour later
she awoke to find that her companion had slipped under the covers with
her. He lay beside her, shivering, not touching her, but only watching
her intently in the dark. Her heart flip flopping in her chest, she opened
her arms to him and he was instantly embracing her, his head cradled against
her chest.
"Don't push me away," he
pleaded. "Please, let me stay..."
Tears ran from the corners
of her eyes. "I can't. I won't."
They remained that way the
remainder of the night, fearing the future and trying desperately to hold
on to the present.
Boone quickly retrieved
Da'an's gift from his dresser and waited for his companion to return from
her own room. He didn't have to wait long. In a moment, the Taelon returned,
sat on the bed beside him and presented him with a gift.
"Merry Christmas, William,"
she smiled as he took it from her.
In return he passed her
gift over. "Happy holiday, Da'an," he replied.
They quickly fell to unwrapping
their gifts and then each looked up at the other in shock.
Boone nervously explained
his gift. "It's a stand for your memory sphere."
The renegade Taelon's eyes
fell. "I know this, however, I fear that I traded my sphere for this book
upon my lap and ultimately the gift I brought you."
As the truth sunk in, he
began to snicker and soon he found himself flat on his back, laughing so
hard that he was too weak to even sit back up.
"I do not understand..."
Da'an loomed over him, a look of such confusion upon her face that he laughed
even harder.
Several minutes ticked by
before he finally struggled back to a sitting position and wiped the tears
from his eyes.
"Da'an..." he gasped out.
"I traded my watch for the globe stand!"
For a second she stared
at him and then she blushed deeply. When she regained her human facade,
she was smiling.
Then the most amazing thing
happened...
Da'an laughed!
It wasn't much of a laugh,
but for her...
Boone pulled her close,
rocking her against him as the amusement slowly faded away. "Where did
you get that watch band?" he asked. "It's amazing that you'd locate an
original in such good condition."
She looked up at him. "More
amazing than you could guess." Reaching into one of her caftan's pockets,
she withdrew the watch the band had been attached to and handed it over
to him.
He gaped at it. "This has
to be the watch my sister promised me last year! It was somehow lost during
her trip, though. How...?"
"One of the boys at the
shelter took it from her purse last year," Da'an explained. "How is it
that your family came to own two such watches?"
He smiled. "My great grandfather
gave them to his sons as Christmas gifts. My great uncle accidentally wore
his into the water hole one day, ruining it for good, but he held onto
it for sentimental reasons. Before visiting me last year, Sarah received
the band from a cousin. She had mentioned that I still had my grandfather's
watch and that it ran perfectly..."
Da'an held up the book which
had been lying in her lap. "I have purchased this for both of us, for it
has come highly recommended by a mutual friend."
He took it from her and
unwrapping it, smiled at the title. Sliding up to the head of the bed,
he arranged the pillows and turned on the reading light before settling
in and opening his arms to her. In a flash she lay against him, with her
head in the crook of his shoulder so that she could also see the book as
he opened it.
"I'll make my report as
if I told a story, for I was taught as a child on my homeworld that truth
is a matter of the imagination..." he read aloud.
Together, they lost themselves
in the wonder of the novel and the perfect contentment of simply being
together.
When the book slipped from
Boone's fingers some thirty-odd minutes later, Da'an carefully took it
from him and placing it on the night stand, switched out the lights.
He awoke as her cool hand
stroked back his hair so that she could plant a kiss on his forehead.
"Pleasant dreams," she murmured
near his ear.
He gathered her close to
him and sighed contentedly. "Is it possible to love someone too much?"
he mumbled.
Her blush lit her features,
making her frown briefly visible in the darkness. "It is," she answered
seriously. "But then... we are both guilty of it and it is something beyond
our conscious control."
He lifted his head and tried
to make out her features in the darkness, well aware that she could see
him perfectly. "You seem troubled by this."
She gently pushed him back
down and suddenly leaned over him, her strength again reminding him of
what she truly was. In a flash, she had meshed her fingers with his own
and pushing his hands above his head, leaned down to kiss him. At the moment
that their lips met a sharing was initiated.
Forty seconds later she
lifted her head. "Do you doubt my feelings for you now?" she husked out.
Breathless, he shook his
head in reply and then pulled her back down. "I will never, ever regret
having you as a part of my life," he whispered, as he kissed her again.
Together they spent a most
joyous night.
Happy Holidays
