THE GIFT
By
Cathy F. Bolton
Timeline: Before Pilot
Author's E-Mail: Cathyfb@aol.com
The Gift
On Planet G889, a few days after the winter solstice, a blizzard blew in from the west. The storm continued for two days, depositing a thick layer of snow on the already frozen ground. Late in the evening of the second day, a bitter wind howled down from the north sweeping the sky free of clouds and piling snow into deep drifts. The rising duel moons shone down on a night beyond beauty. Decked in a dazzling display of frozen crystal, the world sparkled, outshining the brilliant stars in the heavens.
The crew of Eden Advance could have cared less. As they huddle in isolated pockets in the main room of the BioDome, they were a group of hungry, unhappy campers and no one felt particularly social.
With the deepening of winter, food became harder and harder to find. They were all close to starving so it was only natural that everyone's thoughts dwelt on food, especially on this night. Christmas Eve found Morgan Martin reminiscing.
"You know Bess, that last Christmas we spent on the stations keeps playing over and over in my mind. Holiday parties full of food and drinks, friends, food, a warm home, good food, gifts. Did I mention plenty to eat?"
"You did, Morgan." Bess sighed heavily.
Morgan studied the dark circles around his wife's eyes, her apparent lethargy. Bess had always been the one to make a big deal about Christmas. She had almost seemed child-like in her enthusiasm. Their quarters would be decorated just so, his gifts wrapped with special care but more then that, Bess took the religious aspect seriously. Morgan wasn't sure what he believed in but it had more to do with the "Here and Now" then the "Here After."
The trouble is the "here and now" consisted of an empty, grumbling stomach. Morgan hoped the Terrian's would keep their promise and soon, Alonzo would come walking in with a basket full of wonderful things to eat.
Devon had begged Alonzo to contact the Terrians. Surely if they knew what desperate straits the colonists were in, they would help them find the food they needed to survive. But the creatures who lived in the Earth had disappeared with the first frost and Alonzo passed dreamless nights for weeks before the Terrians answered his plea.
They came to him in a dream. Having understood his request, they would show him where to find food this once but he must follow their instructions to the letter.
Accordingly, the pilot had left as instructed, just after dark. Julia Heller, the group's doctor, had insisted on going along. Alonzo relented but only after Julia promised not to interfere with what he had to do. The Terrians wanted the spot to stay a secret so as he approached the area he recognized from the dream, Alonzo told Julia she could not go any further.
"This is it. I have to go on alone. Stay here. You should be safe. I'll be as quick as I can."
Julia watched the pilot go off alone.
Alonzo walked a good distance and looked back. He could no longer see the doctor's slight figure. Using the moons as a guide, he soon found the Terrian's old twisted tree. Dropping to his knees, Alonzo began digging in the snow until he reached the ground beneath, then pulling his knife free, he continued hacking at the frozen dirt until he reached the tree's root. Just as he was told to do, the pilot took out a measured piece, some of the bark and a scooped hand full of dirt which he dumped in his jacket pocket. His hands were numb by the time he replaced the snow.
Julia waited patiently. She walked up and down trying to warm herself. She couldn't imagine where Alonzo could find something to eat in this desolated wilderness. After all, she had scoured every tree and bush with her scanner for miles around and came up with nothing.
The crunch of snow heralded the pilot's return.
"Did you find anything?"
"Yes. Everything was right where the Terrians said it would be."
"Let me see."
He opened his jacket and showed her the hunk of tree root. Julia looked at him wondering if this was some weird joke.
"It looks like a root." Running her scanner over it, she said. "It is. It's a root of a tree. Alonzo, is this it? This is what the Terrians have given us to eat?"
"Well, there's this too." He pulled out the pieces of bark.
Again Julia scanned the offerings. "Tree bark. Alonzo, I hate to break it to you but this is not edible. Not by humans anyway."
"It's not cooked yet." Trying to sound hopeful, he continued, "Besides, didn't you say we need roughage in our diet?"
"This goes way beyond roughage. All the cooking in the world isn't going to help that become edible. God, I feel so bad, they're all looking forward to us bringing something back. The only thing we have is more fuel to boil water."
"Julia, put away your glove and trust the Terrians. Think back to when your glove only picked up a reading of dirt the time they cured Uly. Maybe our technology doesn't work when it comes to the Terrians."
Julia's heart was heavy with the dread as she followed Alonzo back to camp. She hated facing all the people who had put their hope in the Terrian's kindness. Poor Alonzo must be out of his mind with hunger if he thought a tree root looked like something good to eat.
Back at camp, the crew of Eden Advance waited. Devon stood watch over a large pot of boiling water in the small room that Julia cordoned off as a medical lab. In the larger, common room, Cameron whittled a piece of wood while the children watched. Yale had told Devon lessons were of no use, the children were too hungry to concentrate. As for the others, most slept. It was the favorite pastime of those deeply depressed
As Alonzo and Julia trudged back through camp, the Bio-Dome glowed a warm welcome to the half frozen travelers. Just before the pilot opened the door, Julia stopped him.
"Alonzo, we can't let them see what we brought back. It'll break their hearts. Maybe we can say we couldn't find the area and we'll try again tomorrow."
"Oh yea of little faith. Don't worry, no one gets to see dinner until it's ready."
Before she could stop him, he swung the door open. Hiding the root beneath his jacket, Alonzo walked in to find everyone staring with anticipation.
Morgan was in the pilot's face. "Alonzo, we're so happy to see you're back and more importantly, see you've come back with something big." He poked the pilot's jacket with his finger tips. "You wouldn't be hiding a big juicy steak under your coat would you?"
"You'll just have to wait and see Morgan. But I promise you this, we will all eat well tonight."
Morgan was ecstatic and grabbed his wife. "Do you hear that Bess?"
Everyone seemed to catch some of Mogan's enthusiasm. True and Uly broke out into grins and clapped each other on the back. Danziger gave Devon a hug as they both went up to talk to the younger couple.
"What is it? What did the Terrians give you?" Devon eyes were misty with happiness and relief.
Julia tried not to cringe.
"They've given us something to eat but I have to prepare it, so I'll ask you all to be patient."
Devon turned to the doctor. "I take it you've tested it."
Julia felt the blood drain from her face and she stuttered. "I...ahh.."
Alonzo pulled her away with his free arm. "Julia is going to help me. We shouldn't be long so why don't you all set the table."
With that, the young woman was whisk into her lab and the door was closed on a the slightly confused leader of the Eden Project.
"Alonzo, how could you?" Julia hissed in a whisper.
"How could I what?"
"Get their hopes up like that. We'll be luckily they don't eat us when they see what you've brought back."
She refereed to the crusty lump the pilot plopped into the boiling water. He blew some snow off the bark and dumped that in too.
"Didn't know I could cook did you?"
"I still don't." Julia said ruefully. She sat down and dropped her head into her hand, suddenly feeling very weary. "Alonzo, it's just a hunk of wood." He started to correct her. "Okay, a few hunks of wood."
Ignoring her, he said cheerfully, "There's an old Solace saying, 'A watched pot never boils.' What do you say we find something to occupy us while we wait."
He took her in his arms. Julia looked glumly over his shoulder, as she watched, the thawed wood began to float to the top.
"Ops, I almost forgot."
The pilot pulled something from his pocket and dropped it into the boiling water which became dark and cloudy.
"What was that you dropped in there?"
"Secret Terrian spices to give it flavor."
"Really? It looked like dirt to me."
"Julia, I think you're becoming cynical."
"And I think you've lost your mind."
The group outside waited impatiently as the aroma filled the hut. No one could agree on the smell. Denner thought it smelled like the rich beef stew her mother use to make, Danziger and True agreed it was a roasting turkey. Magus knew it had to be chicken and dumplings. Walman favored Ribs. Mogan envisioned a huge leg of lamb. The truth was, it seemed to resemble whatever anyone wanted it to be.
Just when they thought they couldn't wait any longer, Alonzo appeared with the kettle. He carried and placed it in the center of the table. Everyone gathered around and gazed in but the heavy steam shrouded the mixture.
"Have a seat, everyone." They dropped like obedient children except for Devon who looked to the doctor.
"Julia?"
"I've tested it." Julia wondered how she was going to get out of this one. The truth was, she found the root had a strange, nutty smell. Boiling had reduced it to a soft mushy mass that held no nutritional value but wouldn't hurt them either.
"And?"
"It's...ahhh...safe to eat."
"Pass the bowls. I'll serve." Alonzo called out.
They eagerly did just that and where about to dig in when Yale stood up and stopped them.
"I've been going through my data base.." This is it Julia thought, he's analyzed it and found out the truth. "..and I found an appropriate Thanksgiving prayer for all denominations. If you don't mind, I will say a few words to express our thanks to the Terrians who haven provided our meal and to Alonzo for finding and cooking it." They stared longingly at their bowls until the tutor finished. Finally, they dug in. For a long time the only noise was the clinking of spoons and forks against the metal bowls.
Julia watched her crew mates faces. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the best meal of their lives. Julie stirred the piece of bark and hunk of white paste and wondered if she was dreaming.
Alonzo leaned over and whispered. "For once in your life, switch off that scientific brain and eat!"
What did she have to lose? Her stomach was stronger then anyone else's. The doctor closed her eyes and sipped a spoonful of the broth. Her eyes flew open in surprise.
Alonzo winked at her across the table.
They ate until they were stuffed. Everyone agreed it was the best meal they had ever tasted. What they couldn't agree on was what it tasted like, still no one cared. Best of all, there was more then enough left over for a few more meals. Stomachs full, they were no longer depressed. The dome seemed to have grown warmer and more friendly. Everyone began talking and laughing again. Bess had a sudden urge to decorate and she pulled Morgan outside. Soon they came back with evergreen. Denner pulled out some scraps of clothing and used the brightest colors to tie the branches. They draped the greenery across the shelves, down the ladder and around the doorway. It began to smell like Christmas.
When they settled down to enjoy the sight, Cameron had a surprise of his own ready. Pulling out the whittled tube, he put it to his lips and blew a few notes to test his make-shift flute. Finding it worthy, he went on to play a haunting melody that had a profound effect on the others, no matter what their belief.
"Silent Night, Holy Night, all is calm, all is bright...."
Bess snuggled down into Morgan arms and he kissed the top of her head. The bureaucrat couldn't help but think that was the best lamb chop he ever tasted.
Danziger sang along with True but his thoughts were full of thankfulness and gratitude to the diggers. He couldn't have asked for more then to see his little girl happy. Her stomach so full she was growing drowsy with sleep.
Devon shared a look with Yale and together they gazed at a healthy Uly. Life was good. Tonight at least the future seemed secure.
When Cameron was done, they all applauded and begged for more songs. He went through every one he knew before finally begging off. Then he presented the children with identical instruments which he had been working on in secret. He promised to show them how to play, so that next year, they could be a Christmas trio. The kids were overjoyed and rushed to their parents to show off their treasure. Devon mouthed a thank you to the big bearded man.
In the midst of this, the door suddenly the door flew open, and Baines who had gone out on watch, rushed in. "Get your coats on, you've got to come out and see this."
Worried that something was wrong, they donned their coats and jackets and followed him outside. The man pointed to the sky where a star seemed to be falling from the heavens.
"Wow!!" Uly exclaimed. "Yale, what is it?"
"I believe it's a comet, Uly."
Danziger patted Baines on the back. "Since you saw it first, you get to name it. How does Baines' Comet sound?"
"It sounds great." The black man was elated but grew serious when Bess remarked, "I remember my mother telling me the story of Christmas was I was little. There was a part that went, 'And suddenly a star appeared in the heavens..."
"But that happened long ago, so far away. It's just a coincidence, right?
They all looked back to the heavens and wondered.
Alonzo glanced over at Julia. The doctor moved closer and spoke softly so no one could overhear, "I'll never understand what happened here tonight."
"Maybe we're not suppose to understand."
Julia's looked confused.
"Weren't you the one who once said that there are things we'll never know. The key is to know what they are and to leave them alone."
The doctor thought about this before replying. "So you're saying, I shouldn't try to understand it."
Alonzo smiled, hugged her and looked back at the sky. The pilot knew the comet was nothing more then a dirty snowball passing close to the sun, yet, as the celestial body blazed its greeting across the heavens, he found himself filled with wonder and understood the unique joy of being human.
"Let's just say some gifts are best accepted with the heart and not the head."
The End.
This text file was ran through PERL script made by Andy. Original text file is available in Andy's Earth 2 Fan Fiction Archive.