EDEN'S FIRST CHRISTMAS
By
Kristen Saari

Timeline: Years after
Author's E-Mail: EISAARI@venus.cambrainc.on.ca

AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Hello everybodie!

Okay, this is a little something I came up with a couple weeks ago, that tries to 'splain how holidays go on the Stations. So, any comments (the good, the bad, the constructive) are more than welcome (I'm looking for ways to improve my "writing").
Enjoy!

Eden's First Christmas (1/4)
By Kristen Saari

An Old True with her grandchildren
** "Grnadma! Hey Gram! Can you tell us about the first Christmas you had at home again? Pleeze?!" True's grandchildren clamoured around the base of her rocking chair. She looked down at them lovingly, and nodded. "Of course I will. Now get confortable and I'll tell it to you." The soft glow of the firelight made True seem years younger as she began to tell her favorite story.
"It all began when we reached New Pacifica...." **

Uly's Voice
// If I ever thought that life would get easier when we reached New Pacifica, I was wrong!
Mom has everyone working night and day to get the colony ready for the Syndrome kids and their families. We got a bunch of building supplies from some more cargo we found, and with them, we managed to finish a hospital and a huge room with a great big kitchen were everyone goes to eat...but right now, everyone is working on getting some houses built. Even though everyone is busy working, True and I still have to have our lessons everyday with Yale. Yesterday he told us this story about this guy who lived on Earth thousands of years ago, and did a lot of nice stuff for people...anyway, before everyone went to live of the Stations, they had parties on this guys birthday...I think Yale called it Christmas...Bess and Alonzo said that they had celebrated Christmas too, but only when they were on Earth.
Maybe now that we're back on the ground, we should have this holiday too! //

Devon was going crazy.
Ever since Uly had brought up that suggestion that the Eden crew have a Christmas party, Alonzo and Bess hadn't let anyone in the dining hall! No one knew what they were up to, but the two of them could be seen periodically leaving it's locked doors and collecting items from the buildings going up around them.
Devon really didn't like that idea of not knowing what was going on. She walked up to the door and tried peering through the small window, but jumped back when the door suddenly swung open infront of her. "Oh God! Alonzo, you scared the hell outta me!" 'Lonzo grinned at her sheepishly. "Sorry Dev, but we can't have you trying to spoil our surprise now can we." Devon tried to look over his should, but Alonzo raied his arm to block her view.
"I don't think so Adair. Now c'mon, go back to the hospital and working on something over there."
"But, but--"
Devon tried protesting, but Alonzo cut her off. "Look, we're almost finished. You guys can have to place back in a couple days." "But why so long?" she asked as he turned to go back inside. "Because then it'll be Christmas!" he called over his shoulder. "Great." Devon muttered to herself as she stomped off to the hospital.

"So how is the dining hall situation going?" Yale asked as Devon charged into her office.
"Don't ask me, I wouldn't know." she bit back at him. She stopped for a moment than lkooked back to him. "I'm sorry. But you know I hate being kept in the dark, especially when it's my friends who are keeping me there!"
Yale chuckled. "I know Devon, I know." then turned and left. Devon sat down and put her head on her desk. and sighed deeply. "Hey, what'ya up to?" a deep voice called from the doorway. She lifted her head and smiled at Danziger, who now stood infront of her desk. "Oh, nothing much, c'mon in."
Danziger sat down on the corner of her desk. "Stressed out huh?" Devon grinned at him. "You don't know the half of it." Danziger smiled back at her. "Did Uly tell you about their surprise?" "No, he didn't why? Is this something else being kept from me?" she asked good-naturedly.
"Well, True told me that Alonzo had asked the kids to make something, kind-of a Christmas present for the colony...but she restrained herself enough not to tell me what it was. I was just wondering if you knew." Devon sighed again, and stood up. "Nope." Danziger reached out and pulled her infront of him. "What about you Devon...what do you want for Christmas?" Devon smiled and looked around. "I already have everything I could ever ask for. I have my son back, I have the colony," she looked back to his face. "and I have you."
Danziger squeezed her hand. "Well, I was on my way back to my room for a nap. Walman has everything under control at the down at the housing complex, so I decied I needed a break...." he trailed off. "Sure no problem, I think that tomorrow, everyone can take the day off..I think everyone deserves it."
Danziger laughed and got up. "It seems like you're not such a Scrooge after all!"
Devon laughed and tried to throw a ball of paper at him. "Why you...you..." Danziger ducked and ran out of the room, and could be heard laughing all the way out the building.
Devon sat back down and looked out her window. 'God, I still can't believe we made it."

End of part 1
cont...part 2

Eden's First Christmas (2/4)
By Kristen Saari

"Alonzo! Careful with that tree!" Bess exclaimed in a loud whisper. "You almost knocked over my nativity scene!" "Sorry, but pulling this thing is easier said than done!" Alonzo was dragging a large evergreen across the floor of the dining hall. The main eating area had beenm converted into a veritable "winter-wonderland" with tree boughs made into mistle-toe, strings of popcorn (from the colony's first harvest), sea-shell and coral decorations from the beach...which in any other siutation would've looked horrible, but that's to Bess' gift of decoration, looked beautiful. Bess had been working on stringing more popsorn to wrap around the tree and polishing small rocks to use as ornaments. As she worked, she thought about the Christmases she'd had back home on Earth with her father. They'd had special oraments, and things like tinsel, but then again, they'd never been able to use a real tree, so this was her first real Christmas tree, and was looking forward to it, even if they didn't have all the trimmings.
"Bess...c'mon, we have to get this thing up!" Alonzo was fighting with the long trunk, trying to make it fit into the make-shift stand Yale had made for them.
Bess put down the string she had been working on and helped Alonzo put the end into the small wooden stand.
They both stood back and admired it for a moment. Alonzo knew that Devon would love to know what they had been up to, as would the rest of the group, and he smiled as he remembered the incident that morning when she had tried to find out. Only Bess, Yale and himself were allowed in through that door...not that it stopped the others from trying of course, but one of the three had always managed to detour the tresspasser in another direction.
"Well," Alonzo said. "we'd better get started on decorating this thing if we want it done before everyone wakes up, and tries to get in again." Bess nodded. "Yeah, and I would like *some* sleep before the party tonight, so let's go."
She grabbed some of the ornaments and as she was placing them on the tree, she wondered how Uly and True were doing with their surprise.

As Bess had hoped, both of the kids were hard at work. They were in a small storage room of the hospital, surrounded by various coloured paints...both in cans, and on thier clothes and faces from numerous paint fights.
"C'mon True! Hurry. If my mom finds me gone she'll go nuts!" Uly was drying off one of his hands after cleaning them with different soaps Yale had provided.
True looked up at him with an exasperated sigh. "Look, if you don't want you mommy upset then go run home, but I'm going to stay here a while longer, at least until the nest watch comes out." "Fine, but why are we here now? Why can't we do this during the day?" Uly sat down beside her.
True put down the dish of paint she had been working with. "Because if we did it during the day, someone might walk in on us...besides, this is when Alonzo and Bess are doing all their stuff too! Now stop complaining, and if you're going to leave, then leave, if not, help me by handing me the yellow."
Uly sighed and, not wanting to be out done by a girl, handed True the paint. If she could stay up longer, so could he.

End of part 2
cont. in pt 3

Eden's First Christmas (3/4)
By Kristen Saari

That Evening:

Everyone had gathered around the door of the dining hall, waiting for either Bess or Alonzo to open the door...Devon was at the front of the line. "What's taking them so long?" Devon asked. Danziger looked at her. "Don't worry, Bess told us to be here at sunset, we're here, and she's in there...she'll open the door when they're ready." he gave her a sweeping galnce. "Did I tell you how beautiful you look yet?"
Devon looked down at the simple burgendy dress she had on. "Thank you." she looked back at him. "You don't look that shabby either." Danziger played around with the collar of his shirt. "Thank you." The two of them smiled at one another. Bess opened the door and suddenly all eyes were on her. "Everyone here?" she asked, only opening the door enough to put her head through.
There was a chorus of yeses as the group surged towards the door. Bess stepped back and let the door open the rest of the way. Devon, Danziger and Uly were the first through the door, and when they got in, they simply stopped and started, their mouths hanging open. Alonzo was standing beside a beautifully decorated tree, playing around with some small luma-lights that were attached to its branches. Under that tree was a large pachage, wrapped in coloured cloth, and decorated with sea-shells. The old tables had been pushed to one side of the hall and were covered with various salt-fruits, rations, and on the far table was a huge, frosting-covered cake.
When Julia and the others came in, Devon had pretty much recovered from the shock of finding the dining hall a banquet hall, and she began asking Bess how she had done it.
Bess grinned and swept an arm around the room. "Well, I did all the baking and Alonzo and Yale took care of getting the tree, Zero moved the tables, and we all did the decorating." Uly ran up to the two women and stared up at Bess. "What kind of cake is that?"
Bess laughed and knelt down to his level. "Remember that chocolate Morgan and I gave you for your birthday?" Uly nodded. "Well, it's a chocolate cake with salt-fruit bits and icing...I guess you could call it a fruit-cake!"
Alonzo stood and got up on a chair. "Hey everyone! Can I have you attention!"
Conversations were lulled as the small group of people all turned to look at him.
"It seems I have the pleasure of presenting to you...G889's first ever Christmas tree!" he leaned over and plugged the luma-lights into a small generator, and the crowd all gasped similtaniously, as the tree lit up. Bess turned off the lights in the hall and the Eden crew was left standing in the hall, with only the tree and some lights on the tables left to light the room.
Julia went over to stand by Alonzo.
"As if you didn't prepare me for what you did in here!?" she said playfully. Alonzo grinned at her and put an arm over her shoulders. "Yeah I know, but I wanted you to be surprised."
Julia smiled back at him. "I was."
The two kissed, walked over to the tables, and fed each other dinner. Everyone was slowly making their way to the tables at this point, putting chairs around the hall.
The next few hours were spent talking, laughing and enjoying a happiness that was shared by all.

End of part 3
cont. pt 4

Eden's First Christmas (4/4)
By Kristen Saari

After, when everyone had eaten their fill and were gathered around the tree, Yale pulled the large package out from uner it. "Excuse me!" he paused and waited for everyone to quite down. "We have survived this journey. We have gone and done the impossible, and so, to remember this journey, and those who did not complete it, the children have donated their time to prepare a gift for the colony and all of those in it..." he began unwrapping the package. "So without further due...our trip to New Pacifica."
The last of the wrapping fell away, and the large painting was uncovered. Devon looked down at Uly, who was sitting in her lap. "So this is why you weren't in your bed last night!"
Uly looked at his mother; shocked. "You knew? And you didn't come looking for me?"
Devon smiled, and nodded.
Uly looked at her again, questioningly, then shrugged, accepting the fact that he no longer lived in a glass jar. Danziger and True walked over to take a closer look at the picture. "You did good True-Girl." Danziger smiled and reached out to ruffle her hair.
"Thanks dad." she ducked the hand coming towards her, then ran away laughing.
Morgan came up and stood beside Danziger. "Hey! I remember that valley! It was the one where we found the winged-terrians." The picture was mostly if the scenery they had seen, roughly finger-painted on an old piece of material from one of the tents. There werre also several noticable scenes painted on it, like the crash site, cargo pods, Martin canyon; there were terrians, grendlers, and kobas...and other things such as the winter camp, and a large terrians covered in a white block.
"Say, isn't that the frozed terrian we found?" Julia asked, pointing to it. "Yup." The two children said in unison. As everyone stood there admiring the painting, Yale began singing in his deep baritone voice...
"The First Nowell, the angles did say..." Soon, the rest of the Eden crew, or almost everyone had joined in and were singing, or humming, around the tree. Devon took the opportunity to sneak out of the hall for a breath of fresh air; but she didn't leave unnoticed. Danziger saw her just as she disappeared through the door, and decided to follow. When he got out, a cold wind made him wrap his jacket more tightly around him. He looked around and saw Devon heading towards the beach and began jogging after her.
When Devon got to the water's edge, she stood there, as the waves crashed against her boots and the wind blew through the thin cloth of her dress. She shivered and drew her arms together, trying to stay warmer. She though she had been alone, which was why, when Danziger came up behind her and put an arm over her shoulder, she jumped. "God John! You scared the living daylights outta me!" "Sorry." he said slowly, removing the arm. Devon smiled up at him. "I said you scared me, I didn't say you had to move your arm."
Danziger smiled back at her. "I came out here becaue there was...well, I wanted to give you something."
"Oh?" Devon looked at him warily, not knowing what to expect. Danziger reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "What's this?" Devon reached out and took the box from his outstretch hand. She gasped as she opened it and saw a small gold ring cushioned in its depths. "Where did you get this?" she whispered, stunned. Danziger gave her a nervous smile. This had been his mother's wedding ring, and would have been Ellie's engagement ring had she agreed to marry him. He had kept it with him the whole time since her death, and only now had let anyone know of its exisitance.
"Do you like it?" he asked carefully.
Devon looked from him to the box, and back to him again. "Why, of course! Its beautiful!"
Danziger took the box from her and took the ring into his calloused fingers. "You know that I'm no good with words, or anything like that, but Devon, there's only one person I love like I love you, and that's my daughter...and that's another thing, I figured we're both here on this planet...well, no, since both our kids need...aw hell! Devon will you marry me?" he held his breath.
Devon had never been more shocked in all her life. Suddenly she began to smile like she had never smiled before. "What?" Danziger frowned.
Devon wrapped her arms around him. "Of course I'll marry you, for any reason you can come up with."
Danziger smiled and took her left hand. The ring felt cool against her hand, but then again, there had never been anything that had felt so good either.
The two began laughing, they hugged and kissed one another, and in the back-ground, the sounds of singing and children laughing, could be heard for miles.

"Grandma!"
True snapped out of her reprieve, and looked down at the small figure standing in front of her.
"Yes dear?"
"Can we open the presents now?"
True laughed. "Yes we can, but go wake up your grandpa Uly from his nap first."
She was still laughing as she stood up, and walked over to the door of the room. She leaned over and truned out the lights while she closed the door.
The moonlight flooded the room as the door closed, and on a far shelf, there was a small frame with a picture inside...and as the moonlight struck the picture, a small sparkel of gold could be seen, reflecting off the small gold band on Devon's left hand, which was gently resting on Danziger's shoulder.

-The End-

Hope you liked it...again, questions, comments, anything, are welcome.

This text file was ran through PERL script made by Andy. Original text file is available in Andy's Earth 2 Fan Fiction Archive.