A First Christmas
TITLE: A First Christmas
AUTHOR: Ilphi (ilphi@hotmail.com)
RATING: G
SPOILERS: None whatsoever.
SUMMARY: The crew and Rommie's first Christmas together.
Rommie walked ever so slowly towards the bridge. Dylan had just summoned her, for no reason. She had tried to ask herself in the computer what was going on, but she had refused to tell herself. Frankly, she didn't know what was going on. Her brain was running possibilities over and over - possibility of spatial contacts with enemies or unknowns: 45.587%. Possibility of her been boarded and Dylan forced to call her for a trap: 1.065% Possibility of computer errors: 56.154%. None of them came above eighty though, so she abruptly switched off the subroutine. She was almost at the top of the walkway to herself when the holographic incarnation of herself appeared.
'Before you go in there, do you know what the date is?"
Rommie cocked her head at the unusual question.
"Local time: 9:47 December 25th. Persied standard time: 45 phase of 19th trimecycle. Imperial Nietzsche-"
"And what is special about today?" asked her Hologram.
Rommie was now even more confused. "We are approaching another year after I was unthawed? Um.. It's almost the Dilgar festival of moon eclipses. The Human tradition of Christmas, the Melin-"
"And what race are Dylan, Harper and Beka?"
Suddenly Rommie understood. Her Hologram smiled at her and disappeared. Now a little less surprised at what awaits her on the bridge, she strode onto it. She walked onto the bridge to find it covered in lights. Mainly red and blue they twinkled and in the centre of the bridge on the pilots chair were a huge tree, it too covered in lights.
Dylan, Beka, Harper and Trance sprang up saying: "MERRY CHRISTMAS!", in slightly less than unison. Around her androids were serving drinks from trays. She strode towards Dylan.
"The bridge. its-"
"Festive" he responded.
Trance walked up and offered Rommie a glass of some sort. She quickly examined it. "Champagne. Or some approximation"
"Harper's been busy brewing this stuff. And so has Trance-"he said, pointing to the tree in the centre of the Bridge.
"It's not really Earth spruce-"she told Rommie "but I made a hybrid that was almost a perfect replica."
"Wow... all this" Said Rommie in bewilderment.
Dylan gathered everyone around. He raised his glass and said: "A toast. To the first year together of the new crew of the Andromeda Ascendant."
"Here here" said Beka and they all gulped down the champagne. Harper strolled towards her with a package.
"For you, RomDoll. No seriously. Open it."
She raised her eyebrows and tore off the packaging. Inside a small box was a model of herself, or of the ship. It was pretty finely done; she had to give him credit for that.
"You did all this yourself?" she asked in amazement.
"Well, Trance helped with the outline. But I did most of the detail".
He then reached into his pocket and yanked out some mistletoe and held it above Rommie's head. "She also gave me this, your gorgeousness.."
Rommie sighed and pecked Harper on the cheek. He gave her a massive smile and walked off. She noted that all of them had packages to give each other. She backed away from the preceding and sat on a rail towards the back of the bridge. She noted Beka giving Dylan a stone of some sort, and Harper flashing his mistletoe above Beka's head as well. She sighed and leaned back. Then she noticed that someone else had sat down beside her. It was Rev Bem.
"Hi, Rev. Not joining in the fun?"
"No, Rommie. A bit of a silly human tradition if you ask me, considering the religion that first spawned the tradition is buried and forgotten. But I see no reason for you not to enjoy yourself."
"I would like to. I just wish someone told me about it. I mean, I don't even have a gift for Dylan."
"I know. Which is why I got you this to give to him."
He passed her a small package. She had a peak inside, and it was a book. It looked like an ancient earth text. She blew of the dust and read the title: "A thousand leagues under the sea". She looked on the inset.
"Rev! This book is over six hundred years old! I can't ask you to part with this!"
"Rommie, I got it just for an occasion such as this. Go give it to him."
She smiled and hugged Rev. Then she walked over to Dylan and handed him the book.
"For you. Merry Christmas"
"Why, thank you Rommie." He said, hugging her.
The bridge door swung open and Tyr strode in.
"Well if it isn't Santa clause himself." Said Harper.
"Quiet, you annoying little man, or else your present will be my fist".
"Why Tyr, your in a better mood than ever" said Beka sarcastically.
Tyr huffed and went to sit down. Rommie took another glass of Champaign and went to sit next to him.
"Well, I've already been helped by Rev, so it seems only best for me to pass on it to you."
"I don't follow Christmas."
"No. Neither do I really, but there is no need to be anti-social."
"What is the point of this?"
"To er, well, look it's just a bit of fun and showing the crew how much we care for each other."
"Then I better give myself a present. I care for him a lot"
Rommie sighed and walked over to the Party. Trance then unveiled another surprise of the evening, the Christmas cake. They all gathered round and ate a slice. After that was over they went down to the Airponics bay to gaze at the stars for a while. It was early into the next morning when the festivities had died down and Rommie was on the bridge alone clearing up mess. Her Hologram form appeared again.
"Thanks for the warning. You could at least of told me to get a present."
"Yeah, but I like seeing to look on my face."
At this Rommie had to smile.
"Next year I will be ready"
Her Holographic form began to fade away. "I don't doubt it...."
The End
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