SOLISTICE CAROL
By
Maxine McBrinn
Timeline: On way to New Pacifica
Author's E-Mail: kwhoward@lucent.com
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Once again I find that there is just something right about this time of year for writing Earth 2 Fan Fiction. This story was inspired by the score of "Christmas Carol" adaptations out there. You know, you've seen them. Even "Xena" got into the act this year. Well, by golly, if they can do it, so can we!So here's a bit of fudge: it's sweet and small and best enjoyed around holidays. The first Solstice celebration on G889 is described in my other Christmas/Hanukkah story, "Silent Night". Andy has it in his FF archive, but I'd be happy to send it to anyone who'd like a copy.
The Terrians depicted in this story are completely uncanonical, but they are the only beings who had the powers to do what I needed them to do. I promise that I'll go back to the inscrutable, opaque Terrians we all know and love in the next story.
I gratefully thank the kind souls who gently corrected my mis-steps and, more particularly, my mis-spellings: Jayel Wylie, Laura Pickering and Lisa Morehart. Helpful editors are gifts from heaven.
As always, any comments will be cheerfully accepted.
Standard Disclaimer: The characters belong to Universal. This story belongs to me (and to the Late Mr. Dickens.)
And now, on with the show!
A Solstice Carol (1/2)
With Apologies to Charles Dickens
by Maxine McBrinn
Copyright 1996In the five years since its founding, the town of New Pacifica had grown. Not yet a city, it had become large enough that all varieties of human lifestyles could be found, and all varieties of human behavior. Most of the town was still contained in a small enough area that even the richest people walked about town, and a few multiple-story buildings were starting to crop up. Among the tallest at 3 floors was Morgan Enterprises, owned and run by the founding citizen, entrepreneur and popularly acclaimed Robber Baron, Morgan Martin.
It was late in the afternoon when Morgan Martin looked up irritably as his assistant walked into his office. Bob Allegro stood awkwardly in front the large desk, his hands twisting of their own accord as he tryed to work up the nerve to say something. Morgan didn't say a word, but drummed his fingers in impatience.
"M- M- Mr. Mar- Martin." Allegro paused for a deep, confidence building breath and squared his shoulders. "Mr. Martin," more firmly this time, "The staff would like you to know that we intend to take tomorrow off as a holiday. We want to spend it with our families."
"Spend it with your families!" Morgan derisively spat. "Sure, go right ahead. But you're not going to get paid for the time! In fact, I should insist that you work the weekend to make up for it." He watched in glee as Allegro's face fell in dismay. "Stupid sentimentality. No wonder you're all poor as church mice. Hmmph. I didn't get where I am now by goofing off all the time, you know." He paused and reflected guiltily that he had been known at one point for goofing-off. He hurriedly reminded himself that those were different circumstances. Never-the-less, his tone softened somewhat, "But everyone should be here bright and early the day after. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir. I'll let everyone know that tomorrow is an unpaid holiday." Allegro was already backing out of the office, having to stop himself from bowing his way out.
Morgan stood and walked over to the window. He had a magnificent view, with the ocean visible on one side and the wooded hills of the coastal range on the other. He had made his fortune from those woods, providing lumber and expertise to the thousands of people who moved to New Pacifica, then discovered that they had to build a house. His firm had a monopoly on the trade, since his early start had allowed him to squash all competitors by lowering his prices until they declared bankruptcy. He'd made another fortune buying out the pitiful assests of his former competitors and hiring their employees, at reduced wages, of course. His third fortune had come from charging navigation fees on the Morgan River, and for use of the turnpike he had built across the coastal range. Almost all he surveyed out that window had been built by him, belonged to him, or garnered him fees. Usually, this view cheered him up, let him see how much he had accomplished. But he felt empty, and had for weeks. His wife, Bess, had left him, taking their young son with her. *She* had said that he had lost his heart, here in New Pacifica, and was in danger of losing his soul. "As if such things existed," he thought. Bess was a sweet woman, and usually pretty smart too, but she had a seriously false world view.
Morgan Martin pulled away from the view and straightened his shoulders. He adjusted his jacket and tie, then walked to the outer office where his employees worked in isolated cubicles. Most of them were gathered by the coffee pot, talking furiously in low tones. The low buzz of speech stopped with a tell-tale suddenness as he appeared around the corner.
Bob Allegro stepped forward. "Mr. Martin," he said, "We wanted to wish you a Happy Solstice before we go."
A few in the group behind him mumbled out a dispirited "Happy Solstice".
"Do you have any special plans, sir?" Allegro asked?
"No. I'll come in here and catch up with my work." Morgan answered cooly.
"You're welcome to come share the Solstice with me, sir. My family would be happy to have you join us. We've a few other folks with no family..." Allegro stopped in horror. *Oh no! Mr. Martin was very touchy about his wife leaving him.*
"Thank you, but I'll be happier here." Martin said firmly. "Now, since it's after quitting time, I guess you'll want to leave? I'll see you all here bright and early the day after tomorrow. And don't forget, I'm not paying you for tomorrow."
"Good night, sir!" chorused the group, as they grabbed their coats and hurried out, leaving Morgan Martin alone. Morgan was left to consider that Bob Allegro reminded him of Bess in his determined efforts to be "nice". It was a trait that crippled them both.
By the time Morgan Martin left his office, the sun had set and an evening chill had started to settle in. Not for the first time, he was glad that the coastal environment kept the weather equitable. He didn't miss the snow they had endured for two winters as the Eden Advance Group had struggled toward New Pacifica. Bess had always enjoyed the snow. She said it made their camps look like pictures of the old days on Earth. Solstice had always been her favorite time of the year, and she especially loved to have snow then. Despite the lack of snow, or of really cold weather, he could see bonfires blazing across the settlement, and could hear the sound of carols drifting through the still air. The first winter the Eden Advance group had spent on the planet, Bess and Yale had organized a Solstice/Christmas celebration, in thanks for their health and for the blessings of life on G889. They had focused on the Solstice since many members of the original group were not Christians, and the holiday had become an important celebration for humans on the planet. But Morgan had come to see the holiday as a waste of time, and was notorious for his dislike for it. "Bah Humbug!" he muttered to himself, remembering vaguely that the expression used to be associated with Christmas.
He let himself into his empty house, the largest and showiest in the town. Bess had taken very little with her when she had left, but somehow the life had been sucked out of the place. His footsteps echoed on the hard wood floors as he went into the kitchen to make himself an omelette. He could afford a cook, but couldn't see the sense of paying someone to make a meal for just one person. Unfortunately, he was an inexperienced cook. Bess had enjoyed cooking and had been very good at it, so he had never moved beyond how to make her an occasional breakfast in bed. He'd been eating eggs and toast for weeks now. "Bah Humbug!" he repeated. The phrase felt right for his mood, so he growled it again as he trudged upstairs for bed an hour later.
The bedroom was the emptiest room in the house, even though Bess hadn't taken any furniture from it. She'd taken a mattress from one of the empty "guest" rooms in the house, instead. Over the years they'd been together, though, he had gotten used to having a warm body to snuggle with at night. The bed felt huge and cold, an empty expanse he could never hope to fill or warm by himself. He tossed and turned before falling into a fitful sleep.
Morgan's eyes opened, and he bolted up in his bed, screaming loudly. Gaal was standing in front of him, right beside his bed. Morgan's screams faded to a whimper as he realized that no one could hear him. Gaal looked just as he had the last time Morgan saw him, with his rags and dreadlocks, but his face was curiously blank.
"What are you d- d- d- doing here? You're dead! You're dead! The Terrians pulled you into the earth!" Morgan stuttered, a nervous squeak in his voice, but Gaal's expression never changed. Morgan took a closer look; was that a Terrian standing next to Gaal? "Oh no," he breathed.
Gaal raised his rag enshrouded arm and Morgan's heart thudded painfully in his chest and ears as the dead murderer seemed to point directly at him. Then Gaal's hand turned so that the palm was up. Did he think Morgan was an idiot? There was no way the businessman was going to touch the convict, or ghost, or whatever he was.
Morgan backed up, across the bed, until he was clutching the edge farthest from the dead penal colonist. "W- wh- what? What do you w-- want?"
Gaal walked around the bottom of the bed, as Morgan whimpered an invocation to send the vision away, "This is just a nightmare. That's what this is. You're dead. You've been dead for years. I don't believe in ghosts. You're dead. Go away. Go away."
Gaal didn't pay any attention, but held his hand out again, clearly wanting Morgan to take it.
The Terrian walked over to the shaking man in the bed and reached out, grabbing his hand before Morgan thought to pull it behind him. The alien placed Morgan's hand in Gaal's, who grasped it tightly in an ice cold fist, and the Terrian trilled.
The snow was thick around them; the sunlight reflected so brightly off that white surface that Morgan was forced to squint. The smell of wood smoke was in the air, and he could hear cheerful shouts from the woods beside him. He looked around, trying to discretely tug his hand from Gaal's. He knew this place...If only he could remember...
Cameron walked toward him, shouting "Bess! Bess! I found a great one, over here!" And Bess appeared from behind a grove of trees.
"Is it really pretty? How tall is it? Show me!" She was happy and excited, as Morgan hadn't seen her in years. His eyes misted over as he noticed, as he hadn't in years, how beautiful she was. And suddenly he knew where and when they were. The biodome was just around that hill. This was where they had spent their first winter on G889.
He turned to Gaal, "This our first winter on the planet?" Gaal nodded, his face expressionless. Morgan was vaguely aware of the Terrian, still standing behind them, but his attention was focused on the penal colonist they had met soon after they had crashed.
Morgan didn't resist when Gaal pulled him toward the biodome, although he stopped short as Bess looked right at him. But her gaze didn't pause, but continued on around. "Walman! Walman! Oh, Danziger, come help us! Cameron's found a great tree! It'll look perfect in the Common Room."
The big mechanic sighed theatrically, then growled, "And I guess you want me to come help you drag this poor tree inside."
Bess smiled sweetly, "Yes, but only after you help us cut it down." She reached forward to grab his gloved hand, "Come on, we need your help."
Danziger followed happily, although he grumbled for appearances sake. "Yeah, and you probably want me to think up a gift for True, and help you decorate the place."
"Yes, and to think of some good stories for around the Yule log too. The tree's over here."
As their voices faded into the distance, Morgan looked into Gaal's face again. "They can't see us, can they?"
The convict solemnly shook his head.
Morgan looked behind them, and noticed that his little group hadn't left any tracks in the thick snow. "Hey, how come we aren't leaving any footprints? Are we ghosts? Are we dead? Am I dead?" Hysteria raised the pitch of his voice, so that he squeaked a bit on that last question.
Gaal pointed, still expressionless.
Morgan saw himself sneaking something into the tent he and Bess shared. He was up to something, but what was it? The camp was full of people, all the crew members they had shared the journey with, and many of them had decorations in their hands. Julia and Alonzo strolled by, not touching, but obviously in love. Devon stepped out to shout for Uly and True, then waved as Yale appeared with the children in tow. Baines was talking to Magus and Eben. A strange feeling shuddered down Morgan's spine and into his stomach, where he felt a strange emptiness that had nothing to do with hunger. Eben! This was before she died. A small lump formed in his throat, as his jaw cramped and his eyes misted.
Reality rippled, and it was night time, a relatively balmy evening. The stars shone overhead, unbelievably bright and sharp away from the light of the moons. New Pacifica's lights drowned out the starts at night and he had forgotten how beautiful they could be. The whole camp was gathered around a huge fire as Eben and Baines sang a carol from long ago, a carol he remembered slightly from his childhood. The voices were untrained but sweet in the firelight. He and Gaal, shadowed by the Terrian, stood just outside the circle where Morgan could see himself holding hands and sitting with Bess. They had been so much in love then, just a few months after they had remarried forever. The lump in his throat got bigger, so that he had to work to swallow past it. He turned to Gaal, "This was the year that Bess and I gave each other gifts we had made from her dried plants. And Magus made a cake from Spirolina flour!"
Gaal nodded, then pointed in front of them.
When he looked back at the circle, Yale was describing how this was the shortest day of the year, and how the days would get longer from now on, giving them a sign that spring was on its way. And then he stood, and started to sing a beautiful song, "Silent Night." The entire group joined him, their voices soft against the stillness of the night.
And Morgan was standing, shivering in his bedroom. Gaal was gone; the room was empty. "Whoa! What a dream! That's the last time I eat eggs and cheese before going to sleep. It's just indigestion," he said out loud to reassure himself. Morgan crawled back into his empty bed, tucking himself in after fluffing up the pillows. He had just gotten comfortable when he heard a floor board creak. A familiar voice rang out from behind his bedroom door as a sudden light flowed through the crack under the door. "Morgan Martin, come out! Morgan, come to see the present."
Morgan cowered under his blankets, covering his head with the pillow and murmuring, "No, I don't want to see any more. I've seen enough, thank you. I'll just stay here and sleep."
"Morgan, it's your destiny. You must come out."
"If I come with you, will you leave me alone after?" he whispered, not expecting whoever was out there to hear him.
But the voice chuckled and said, "If you come out, I'll leave you alone after. But come you must."
He reluctantly pulled himself from his warm, comfy bed, and shrugged into his robe and slippers. Hesitantly, he walked toward that light under the door. As he cracked the door open, he stopped in shock. Alonzo Solace stood there, wearing the flight suit he had long since abandoned, the flight suit he had worn when they crashed onto this planet.
"Alonzo?"
"No, I'm not Alonzo. But I wear his form. I'm here to show you the Solstice celebrations of today. Solstice is to the humans what Mooncross is to us. There is no ability to not celebrate."
"Look, if you are trying to 'reform' me, don't bother. I'm the way I am, and that's the way I'll always be. Don't waste your tricks on me," Morgan dragged himself upright from his cower.
"But you are worth the effort -- you know what is right and good, deep inside. That's why you are so unhappy. We are here to help you find the right path again. You've walked it before; you can walk it again."
"Okay, let's get this over with. But I still think you're wasting my time and yours."
Morgan looked up to see that they were in a house, a house he'd never been in before. "What a dump!" he groused at Alonzo. "Honestly, you'd think that they'd try to furnish it better."
Alonzo pointed at a group of people gathered around a table, laughing and talking. There were a couple of small children he'd never seen before, one with the tell-tale signs of a recovering syndrome child, and 10 adults. The plates were full, and there were platters of food taking up all the remaining space on the table top. Each of the people had a wine glass in front of them, even the children, although theirs were filled with milk. He recognized his assistant, Bob Allegro, sitting proudly at the head of the table. Allegro stood, tapping lightly on his glass with a spoon to ask for quiet, then raised his glass for a toast, "To this beautiful new home, and all the dreams it made come true."
"Hear, Hear!" All the glassed were raised, even the children's.
"To Absent Friends!"
"Hear, Hear!"
"To Mr. Martin, who couldn't make it here today."
And there was silence.
The woman sitting at the far end of the table looked familiar, and Morgan was trying to think why when she said, "But dear, *he* doesn't celebrate the Solstice. And he won't pay you for today, either, even though every other employer in New Pacifica does." Morgan remembered. Allegro had a photo of her on his desk.
Morgan's face burned with embarrassment. He turned to Alonzo and asked, "Is this today? You're showing me today's Solstice, right?"
"Yes, this is now. You see that Bob Allegro celebrates the Solstice with generousity."
"But he's poor. I certainly don't pay enough for him to be generous."
Alonzo just turned back to the table.
"But Myrna, he's an unhappy man. If he was happier, he'd be more generous." Allegro said, "We may not be the richest here in New Pacifica, but I'm willing to bet that we may be the luckiest and the happiest. Let's not forget, " he smiled fondly at the small child to his right, "Dara is well. We never thought we'd see her live past her 8th birthday, but now she's here to stay. We can afford to be charitable."
The people around the table nodded solemnly, then lifted their glasses and repeated, "To Mr. Martin."
A Solstice Carol (2/2)
With Apologies to Charles Dickens
by Maxine McBrinn
Copyright 1996In a flash, the scene changed. Now they were standing in the living room of the small rented house Bess and Oliver, their son shared. Bess had decorated for the Solstice, like she always had at their house. The tree was trimmed with ornaments, most of which were cherished for other, earlier memories, and the room was laced with garlanding. A fire blazed in the fireplace. Bess had Oliver on her knee, and was telling him about other Solstices, starting with Christmas when she was a girl.
"Mommy, what about Daddy? Didn't he have Christmas when he was my age?"
Bess hugged the 5 year-old even closer, then moved him so that she could look into his eyes. "No, Oliver. Your father's family never celebrated Christmas, or the Solstice. Some people don't, you know."
"But, why Mommy? It's fun."
"Having fun isn't important to everyone. Your father's family was more interested in looking forward, to what they might do, than in looking back at what wonderful things had already happened. That's why Daddy doesn't pay much attention to Solstice, now."
"Tell me about when you were a little girl, Mommy. Tell me about how you and Grandpa made Christmas!"
Bess hugged her son closer as she sat in front of the fire, the glow reflecting on her lovely face. "When I was a little girl, my family was very poor. Your grandpa was a miner, which meant that he worked very long hours in the mines -- tunnels deep under the ground. Christmas was one of the very few days he didn't have to go to work, so it was already special. We always had a big party for Christmas. We spent weeks getting ready for Christmas Day, saving money for the feast and the presents. We'd have a special dinner; we'd roast a big bird called a turkey and once we had a goose. That's another kind of bird. We had what we called all the trimmings. Stuffing, and mashed potatos, those taste kind of like white root, and lots of desserts. We had pies and a pudding, that we served on fire!"
"On fire Mommy! Didn't it get burnt?"
Bess laughed gently, "No. Just the alcohol burned, but, Oliver, it was so pretty. It would burn all blue and yellow, and we'd turn out the lights. And then after dinner, we'd open all the gifts under the tree. We didn't have much money, but we all tried to make or buy things the other person needed, or even better, what they wanted. One year your grandpa gave me this necklace." Bess pulled out the wild flower necklace she always wore. "He made this for me. He said that I was the last wild flower on Earth." Her voice trembled a bit, but she continued on. "That's because the Earth had been so polluted that wild flowers had quit blooming."
"Can I see it, Mommy" Oliver grabbed at the necklace.
"Sure, honey. But be gentle with it. It's very special to me."
"Okay. I'll be careful." He looked at the flower, as he had done many times before. "Tell me about the first Solstice here. When Aunt Magus made a cake, and Uncle Cameron helped you find the tree."
Alonzo turned back to Morgan, and pulled him away from the fire.
"No! I want to stay!" Morgan tried to pull his hand out of the pilot's grasp. "Damn it, this is my family!"
Alonzo somberly shook his head. "But you told them that you didn't want to celebrate the Solstice with them."
"But what if I change my mind? Is it too late?"
"Too late? You'll see too late." Alonzo pulled firmly on his hand.
And Morgan was back in his room, alone and shivering, although the room was certainly warm enough. But the glow of love that he had felt in Bess' little living room was not there.
"Well, okay. So what was I supposed to get from that?" he grumbled. But he was alone.
He sighed, then reached to plump his pillows again, and crawled wearily into bed for the third time, hoping that maybe this time he'd be allowed to sleep. Before he closed his heavy eyes, there was a strange glow, and two bodies appeared out of the gloom.
Citizen Reilly stood before him, immaculately dressed, and shadowed by a Terrian. *Is that the same Terrian* he wondered? "No, I'm not going with you. I need my sleep. I need lots of sleep." He resolutely rolled over, only to find Reilly and the Terrian on that side of the bed, too. "Geez, my subconscience is working overtime tonight!" He heaved a great sigh. "Okay. But make it quick. I've got work to do tomorrow."
He stood, shrugged on his slippers and robe again, and walked over to Reilly. "What is this? 'Villain of the Planet' Award Night?" he snarled at the Terrian. Reilly never spoke and the sardonic expression on his face didn't change as he suddenly grasped Morgan's wrist with his icy cold hand.
"Are you going to show me something too? Are you really Reilly? What's happening?"
The government agent pulled sharply on Morgan's arm.
They were standing in an old and unkempt graveyard. The grass was long and ragged around the graves, as if it had never been trimmed, and seed heads waved in the damp night air.
"Why did you bring me here? What are you trying to tell me?"
Reilly pointed at the grave they were standing on, the one directly in front. It said "Morgan Martin" on it. His heart began to beat harder in protest. "I'm not dead! I'm alive!" Doubt touched him, and he added, pitifully, "aren't I?"
Reilly pointed again, lower.
He peered closer, and read the date. Next year!
"Does this mean I'm going to die next year? But I'm still young and healthy! What-- what happened? Is going to happen? Damn it! How do I die?" Morgan felt himself start to babble, and the whine he hated had taken permanent root in his voice.
A small breeze kicked up, blowing dust and trash through the graveyard. Reilly caught a stray sheet of newspaper as it blew by, then smoothed it and held it out. Morgan took it from him with a hand that trembled. The lead article on the page said:
Founding Citizen Dead!
Rich Man Eats Bad Food
Dies Eating VR Feast.
"This is preposterous! Bad food, indeed!" He squinted, to better read the smaller type. "This says I ate old food that had gone bad while using a VR feast program." He fell silent. The truth was, he admitted, he had taken to eating his dinner to a VR feast. He couldn't stand the taste of eggs and toast anymore, and drowned them out with a VR dinner more to his liking. He turned back to the Council contact, and grabbed his sleeve in distress. "Is this absolutely going to happen? What can I do?"
Reilly pointed again. They were in a small house, decorated for the Solstice. Bess and an older Oliver sat at a table with a strange man.
"More dinner, honey" Bess offered.
"No thanks. That was wonderful! I'm a lucky man to have such a good cook for a wife!"
"Thanks Jack. Oliver, could you help me clean up?" Bess stood and started to clear plates.
"Okay Mommy! Can Daddy and I tell stories after we finish?" His young son lifted his plate and silverware.
"Okay, but first I have to go deliver some food to the Allegros. You know that they are too poor now to afford a lovely dinner like we had. Would you like to come with me, Oliver? You know how much they like to see you."
"Mommy, can Daddy come too?" Oliver begged.
"Sure, son, I'll come too. That way I can help your Mommy carry the food and clothes."
Morgan turned to Reilly, "But I'm his father! He even looks like me! Why does Bess let him call this man 'Daddy'?"
Reilly just watched with him as the strange man patted Bess on the bottom, as she walked by with the dishes.
"Hey, hands off buddy! That's my wife!" Then he remembered. "Is this a Solstice without me? Is that what you are trying to tell me? Bess will marry a man like that? And poor Bob Allegro will be even poorer?"
Reilly nodded again.
"No, no! I can't let this happen! NO!" Morgan tossed his head from side to side, as if he could stop this from happening by shaking his head. "NO! NO! It's not too late! I can change. I swear I can. I will."
He squinted his eyes open as the sun poured into his room and a beam focused on his face. He leapt from bed, hitting the rug in a slide that whisked him across the room. Morgan lay where he had landed, trying to gather his wits while he caught his breath. Shakely, he got up and staggered to a chair.
Once he had control of himself, he reached for the telecommunications node on the table, and dialed Alonzo and Julia.
"Yes?" Julia answered, looking alert, obviously thinking this was a medical emergency. "Morgan! Are you all right? You look terrible!"
Morgan rubbed his face with his hands, then looked up to answer her. "Julia, I'm fine. Or at least I think I am. What day is it?"
Julia's face took on the "clinical diagnosis" expression everyone from the Eden Advance crew had come to know well. "It's Solstice, Morgan."
Morgan grinned and exclaimed, "It's not too late They did it all in one night!"
Julia frowned and said, "Are you *sure* you're all right? Who did it in one night? What are you talking about? Maybe I should come over just to check you out."
Morgan could hear Alonzo exclaiming against such a silly trip away from the camera, then Julia covered the camera with her hand as she turned to tell Alonzo that this was her business. Alonzo grabbed the gear from her.
Morgan felt his face pale as he remembered his middle visitor from the night.
Alonzo's face sobered as he saw the businessman, "Morgan, you okay, man? You look like you've seen a ghost!" Concern colored his voice.
"No, I'm fine. Or at least I think I'm fine. I just had some really strange dreams...Alonzo, did you dream last night?"
"No. At least I don't remember dreaming." The pilot looked confused. This was not a normal conversation with the usually money-focused Morgan Martin. He visibly shook himself, then asked, "So, what happened in these dreams?"
"I was shown the Solstice in the biodome, that first winter on the planet. You remember? We were all so happy then."
Alonzo smiled, "Yeah. That was a good time. Julia gave me that hat, and told me to wear it! And you and Bess were so sweet."
"Yeah, we were." Morgan paused, then forced himself to continue. "Then you appeared and showed me today. My employees and Bess and Oliver. And then Reilly showed me the future. You sure you can't remember?"
"I showed you today? Morgan, that's impossible." Alonzo protested, but then he grinned. "Say, just what did you have for dinner last night?"
"No, the Terrians were there! Alonzo, it happened! It did!"
Alonzo looked off-screen, "Julia, I think we should go check him out. I haven't seen Morgan like this in years." He looked back into the camera, "We'll be right there, man. We just need to find someone to watch the baby."
"I'm okay, but it would be good to see you. Thanks." Morgan signed out.
Ten minutes later, the two arrived at his door. Julia immediately sat him down and scanned him with the diaglove she'd brought with her. "Well, you're right. Except for being tired, you're fine." She leaned back and relaxed, and let Alonzo take the lead.
"So, the Terrians appeared to you and showed you the past, present and future. What do you think they wanted?" the pilot asked.
"I think they were trying to tell me that I need to change my priorities. It's strange though. Why me?" Morgan's face was earnest. His disbelief in his own importance was refreshing; they hadn't seen this Morgan in years. There was no whine in his voice as he continued, "I'm not important to them like either of you are, or like the syndrome children. I don't get it."
"Just be thankful if they sent you a message you needed to hear. We miss the old Morgan, you know. And Bess really misses you," Alonzo soothed.
"Thanks. I'm sorry to drag you out. I know you had plans, and I hope I didn't upset them." Morgan walked them to his door.
"No, don't worry about it. You know you are welcome to join us-- ?" Julia offered as she and the pilot walked to the door arm-in-arm.
"Thanks. But I've got some work to do. I'll talk to you soon. Happy Solstice!" He shook hands with them both, then watched as they walked toward their house.
Morgan bustled upstairs, throwing armloads of things in bags. In a few minutes, he followed his friends out the door.
Bob Allegro was surprised by the knock at his door, and even more surprised when it turned out to be his boss.
"Happy Solstice! Happy Solstice!" Morgan's face was creased in a big smile. "Bob! Happy Solstice! I brought a few things to make the day merrier. Can I come in?"
"Uh-- Sure. Come on in. Myrna, look who's here!" He led the way back to the living room. "Sit down. Please." Allegro relaxed a bit when his wife joined them.
"Mr Martin! Happy Solstice!" She looked sidelong at her husband in question, but received a shrug in reply. "What can we do for you, sir? Would you like to join us for dinner?"
"No. Actually, I have lots to do today, but I wanted to drop off a few gifts. Here are some VR programs for the children. Sorry I didn't get a chance to wrap them. And, for you, here's a bottle of wine to brighten your dinner."
"But-- This is real wine, from the Stations! Sir, we can't take this!" Bob Allegro was flustered. This happy gift-bearing man was nothing like his business-obsessed boss.
"Nonsense! Enjoy it with my blessing. It's the least I can do. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to visit some of our co-workers. Happy Solstice!" Morgan bustled out again, leaving two very confused people in his wake.
Late that morning, once his bags were empty and all his employees had been visited, Morgan turned toward Bess' house. He walked up to the door and knocked. He shouted out "Happy Solstice" as Bess opened the door. She was wearing an apron and brushing her hands as if trying to remove something from their surface. Through the door, he could smell a something roasting, and the smells of baking.
"Morgan? What are you doing here?" Bess asked, surprised, although she didn't step aside to let him in.
"Bess. I've been a fool! How could I ever think that being rich was more important than being happy with the people I love? I made a mistake, taking you for granted. Oh Bess, I need you, and I need Oliver. Please let me make it up to you?"
Bess reached to feel his forehead. "Morgan, are you feeling all right?"
"I'm fine! Never better! Ask Julia. She and Alonzo came over to check me out this morning." He paused, "Bess. Can I come in?"
She hesitated, then sighed. "Oh. Sure. I guess so. Oliver will be glad to see you." She turned and led him into the living room. Their son ran into his arms from across the room, hitting him like a stone from a slingshot.
Oliver shouted "Daddy! Daddy! Happy Solstice! Did you come for dinner, Daddy? Are you going to stay?"
Morgan hugged his son into him, cherishing the small warm body. "Hmmm, you smell like wood smoke! Are you helping your mother with the fire?"
"Daddy, Mommy let me light it! I got to hold the match! And I'm helping her make dinner, too!"
Morgan realized his son was dusted with flour, and now so was he. "You sure are! Do you think I could help too?"
Oliver looked at his mother. "Can he, Mommy?"
"Sure." Bess said, then held her hand out for Oliver. "Come on, son. Let's show Daddy what we're making."
As Oliver ran ahead, she looked at her husband. "I'm surprised to see you. I thought you'd be working today, or would play with your VR."
"Bess, I had some very strange dreams last night, and they showed me how screwed up I've let my life get. I'm richer than I ever imagined, but I'm not happy. And I've been making everyone around me unhappy too. So I gave away my VR programs today, and I gave a bottle of wine to each of my employees. From now on, I'm going to try to enjoy life, and to help the people around me enjoy it too. Especially the people I love. That's you and Oliver, and all the people we traveled here with. Can you forgive me for being such an insensitive ass?"
Bess paused, looking sceptical. "And some strange dreams showed you this?" Her disbelief was clear.
"Bess, somehow the Terrians were involved. They showed me that Solstice celebration we had that first winter here, that winter in the biodome. Then they showed me today, Bob Allegro's family dinner and you and Oliver."
"Me and Oliver?" Bess interrupted.
"Yes, the two of you talking beside the fire, and you explaining how you used to celebrate Christmas when you were a girl. And then they showed me the future if I didn't change my ways." Morgan reached soberly for her hand, "Bess, it was awful. I died, and you remarried-- You married a pig! And the Allegro's got even poorer than they are now." He paused to look directly into her eyes, "The Terrians told me that my priorities were all screwed up, and that I had to change now if I hoped to make it up to you, and to our friends, and to my employees."
"Oh Morgan...I hoped...But I never thought you'd realize, or at least, not until it was too late." Tears ran down Bess' cheeks, and he reached out to brush them away with his thumbs while he cradled her head in his hands. He looked at her tenderly while he drew her in closer for a kiss.
"Bess. Forgive me. I love you," he breathed.
"Oh Morgan, I love you too," she sighed.
"Daddy! Mommy! Come help!" Small flour covered hands pulled at their pants insistently as they laughed and let their son drag them into the kitchen.
-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.