Christmas Carol Place Holder

Posted on Tue Mar 11th, 2025 @ 9:18pm by Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami & Lieutenant Fang Lee

2,604 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: UnKnown
Timeline: A long Time ago - Memory Log

ON:

===Present Day===

Vance was in Engineering staring at the readouts quite pleased with himself. His new add ins were working and the engines were just that much stronger, of course it helped that Zai was open to his ... unorthodox ideas. Nonetheless it was a win, win for all.

As the numbers scrolled a little ditty came to his mind.

“And as the Pendragon was released, its engines ignite,
Captain Adams’ voice echoed through the star-speckled night:
‘Enjoy your regulations, paperwork and bark with no bite,
We’ll toast to your failure– Merry Christmas to all and to all… and to all, a damn good night!’”

He barked a laugh as his mind took him back to many years ago when he was still the CO of the Pendragon and when he was on the other side of Starfleet. Even then his little elf of mischief made his life fun...

===Many Years ago===

Adrianna watched as everyone seemed to get more and more drunk at the ‘Christmas’ party onboard the Pendragon. She'd been drinking, sure, but she was watering down hers subtly. She was hoping that once the crew was blind drunk or sufficiently distracted, she could attempt to check in with her handler and potentially her family too. At the least she needed to give a health update further to the glitter bomb incident. She'd recovered well but was still sore and on light duty, though she masked the pain well without the need for painkillers.

When she could see everyone swaying, a game of truth and dare started up. It was childish, sure, but she couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing. But the smile didn't seem to reach her eye. Everyone in the mess, which was all but 2 crew members got involved, except for Adrianna, who opted out. As entertaining as the dares and questions were, she just wasn't feeling up for it.

Adrianna wasn't quite feeling festive in general. It was her first Christmas without even getting a message from her family and it was proving to be more difficult than she had anticipated. It was bothering her enough to get the nickname ‘grinch’ from the humans in the crew and those that knew of the old Earth Jim Carey film, and even 'Scrooge'. Between tearing down tinsel and fairy lights from the doorframe of her quarters a few times, not to mention that she'd removed a stocking with her name on it from a central console in the ship in lieu of a fireplace, there were whispers around the crew, wondering why Adrianna wasn't in festive spirits.

A few persons had their turns with truth or dare, and everyone seemed to be slurring and getting very obscene with the dares and truths. She started backing out slowly, with her bottle of diluted grappa, appearing to just want to be alone and to sulk. As she rounded the corner, she walked straight into Vance– literally, who seemed to be putting up more decorations, as if possible. “Scusa, sorry, Capitano,” she apologised, keeping her head down and going to continue walking back to her quarters.

Vance was distracted with putting on the tinsel when Adri bumped into him. He looked over and did a double take. "Wow, wait a second."

Adrianna stopped in her tracks but didn't face him, she just merely kept her head down and continued the joke that everyone else on board seemed to follow, "sorry-- this Scrooge needs a break from the festivities. My ghosts of Christmas past, present and future haven't been yet,.so I am yet to have my revelation that Christmas is good."

Vance dropped the tinsel and moved after her. "Wait a second. Being not happy is not allowed on this ship."

She kept her head down, not moving, her back to him, "Madonna, capitano, it's only Christmas. You cannot expect everyone to be happy all the time. For some of us, the only good thing that Christmas brings is a day off." She finally looked over at him and sighed, "don't worry about me. I'll be ok once we get back to a place where I can call home."

"Yes well you are forgetting the golden rule."

She looked at him curiously before flatly and sarcastically questioning, "that you're all insane on this ship?"

"Well okay two golden rules. I meant that those with lack of Holiday spirit get visited by three nasty ghosts."

She smiled a little but shook her head, "don't be a fool, Vance." She gestured above them, "would you mind telling me why you have a weird plant hanging on the ceiling. It looks like sage. And the only thing that wards off are bad spirits allegedly."

He laughed. "That's mistletoe not sage."

"What the cazzo is mistletoe?" She asked, "it looks like sage-- I'm telling you: I cannot be visited by three ghosts if you keep it there." Her bad mood was faltering, and a small, miniscule smile started to grace her lips.

"Pfft. Well you mean to tell me you were born on Earth and you don't know what the significance of mistletoe is?"

"I've never seen it. It must not grow in Italy," she shrugged, "why? What is it's significance."

"If you want the good luck there is a ritual you must perform when you stand under the mistletoe like you are standing now."

She looked at him like her was a moron but nodded, reluctantly trying to get on board, "am I lucky yet?"

"Well you have to perform the ritual."

"If it involves dancing, I'm really not in the mood, capitano," she sighed but then a mischief appeared in her eyes, "blood sacrifice kind of ritual-- I can get behind that."

"Simple one. Close your eyes."

She looked at him flatly but took a breath and closed her eyes, "fine."

Smiling he walked over. "Okay now take a moment and make a wish for the new year. Tell me when you have it."

Adrianna thought about it for a moment. She wished for life to be more simple, knowing that the light flirtation with Vance and the deep conversations she had with him whilst recovering from the glitter bomb incident, was getting to her. It had been a few weeks, but she was scared that she was falling in love. She nodded, "got it."

"Wonderful. Now count back from five."

She sighed, cocking her head to the side a bit whilst still having her eyes closed, "cinque... quattro... tre... due..."

Vance smiled and leaned in giving her a kiss on the lips, feather light and quick before he pulled back. "Ritual complete."

Ade quickly opened her eyes at the feeling of him being so close. She froze, her eyes gazing into his. Her jaw went a little slack and her eyes flicked down to his lips then back to his eyes, her heart pounding out of her chest. In a bold move, even though she knew she'd have her butt handed to her by Fleet, she put her hands on his chest and slowly moved them up to his shoulders, going to kiss him properly.

As she was about to, alarms started blaring as a message came across the tannoy 'Cap, we have got Starfleet asking us for a stop and search', which snapped her out of her wandering train of thought.

“Merde-- I unfortunately know why-- they were daring each other to send Christmas related distress signals and whatever, just before I left,” she cussed under her breath, “you know what? I can be cazzo di festive. Get me a Santa costume– beard and all. I have an idea to get them to not search the whole ship.” She had an idea that would satisfy all parties, inclusive of letting her handler know that she was ok.

He sighed. "How do these Fleeters always zero in on us?"

"It's your crew that triggered them, no doubt. A prank gone wrong," she shrugged, "this time anyway. Blame alcohol. I'll sort this, just get me the suit and move anything not kosher to people's quarters. I know a loophole."

He sighed. "Thanks." He placed a hand on her arm. "I mean it. I'm gonna go take a break I feel a headache coming on."

***

As the ship was brought onto the station, having been escorted there by Fleeters. Everyone was forced off the ship and to put their hands on the ship’s edge, so that each one of them could be searched.

Adrianna watched everyone leave the ship, popping her final touches to her plan. She'd laid the Santa costume on the captain's chair with a note, giving hints of her mission name and update, alongside an amusing festive tale. The woman nodded subtly to the officer that came aboard, instantly recognizing him as someone she was at the academy with. There was a look of recognition and a silent acknowledgement.

The woman joined the crew outside having been the last to exit the ship. Standing next to Vance, both hands on the ship, she kept her head down not wanting to draw attention to herself. To anyone else, it looked like it was because she was speaking to Vance, but in truth it was the fact that they were on an Intel base and she didn't want to be recognized. Adrianna turned her head a little, her eyes admiring the captain for a brief second as she thought about what had just been interrupted. She kept her voice rather quiet, just for his ears, a small smile gracing her lips and a bit of a blush forming over her cheeks, “so… about what almost happened back there… Was it just the festivities? If I read what happened wrong, I'm sorry-- forget what happened and I'll go back to just being your translator.”

He sighed. "I want to say yes but that would be a lie." He paused. "Remember what I told you the first time we met?"

“I thought that you had been joking about me being your future wife– you know, an ice breaker,” she blushed and looked back at the ship as an officer walked over to search her, “well, I can't say that I'm disappointed that it wasn't just a ploy. I mean, maybe I would like to see where this–”

Adrianna suddenly yelped and flinched, spewing off obscenities as she glared at an officer patting her down. She then switched to standard, “Madonna! Take me to dinner first, bello! I'm not carrying anything and for the love of Doner, Blitzen and Cazzo di Rudolph, warm your hands up before you run your fingers around my belt!”

Her eyes returned to Vance and she relaxed with a smile as if nothing had happened, “scusa, capitano, what was I saying?”

Vance's face flushed. His hands clenched. "Mind what the lady says or I don't care what fleet you come from you will be taking a one way trip out the airlock."

Adrianna's focus went back to Vance. She blushed and smiled, teasing, "seems my future husband is quite protective."

He grinned. "Quite protective, yes."

"Interesting," she mused. She went to go say something she when she spotted sk.ethjng red in her peripheral.

The man that she had recognized soon walked out of the ship, carrying the Santa suit over his shoulder and the note in his hand. He read out loud, for all the crew to hear… well… most of it anyway– evidently, the officer understood the assignment.

“No need to search the place boys. Just a bunch of drunkards pulling a festive prank. Listen to this: Twas the Night Before Christmas – A tale for our StarFleet friends…

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the void,
The Pendragon drifted, its crew overjoyed.
With treasures and trinkets, their ill-gotten gain,
They schemed and they plotted, as rogues often feign.”

The paper was folded so that the next two paragraphs would be hidden from immediate view, and so the officer skipped reading them out loud, but they said:

“A shadow moved softly, their steps careful and light,
Keeping their course in the cover of night.
Though among thieves and smugglers, they carried no fear,
Their mission stayed true, their purpose stayed clear.

The stars twinkled faintly, a silent ballet,
And whispers of hope seemed to dance in their sway.
If one looked quite closely, perhaps they would see,
A sign they were safe where they needed to be.”

Continuing outloud, the officer continued to read out loud:

“But the drinking was shattered by a festive intrusion,
A man beamed aboard in a red-clad illusion.
He carried a sack with a hearty ‘Ho, ho!’
But the crew took his suit, and his pride took a blow.

Seems Rudolf's red nose shone so bright for a reason,
Not only Mrs. Clause knows of mistletoe season,
Seems Santa was keeping something from his beloved Mrs. Clause,
A gambling addiction and a love for hooves and paws.

With his uniform gone, and his temper alight,
He vanished, declaring, ‘You’ll pay for this night!’
To the stars, he proclaimed with a flick of his wrist,
‘The Pendragon's crew is on my naughty list!’”

The paper, once again folded, so he again skipped a verse but it read:

“As silence returned and the engines did hum,
A faint voice arose, cryptic and numb.
‘All is not lost,’ the message conveyed,
‘Even in darkness, some shadows don’t fade.’”

He finally finished the poem aloud:

“And as the Pendragon was released, its engines ignite,
Captain Adams’ voice echoed through the star-speckled night:
‘Enjoy your regulations, paperwork and bark with no bite,
We’ll toast to your failure– Merry Christmas to all and to all… and to all, a damn good night!’”

Before StarFleet, and certainly before Intel, Adrianna had a fascination with literature and it came in handy that day. “Si, I admit… I ran out of brain power at the end,” Adrianna bit her lips, stifling a laugh, looking over to Vance as the rest of the crew and a few Starfleet officers started an eruption of laughter mixed with grumbles of frustration. Without cause, without evidence, they would have no choice but to take a prank at face value and so let them go with a warning at most.

Vance grinned. "You should have been a writer."

"It's what I wanted to do growing up," she beamed with pride-- it was a truth.

He laughed. "You can be the ship chronicler through. Adventures of the Pendragon."

"Adams and the Pendragon, I believe it was Arthur Pendragon, not Vance though," she laughed.

"Who is in charge?" The man bellowed.

Vance sighed. "Keep your voice down. I'm in charge and we're leaving."

"Look," the officer stepped forward and dropped his voice, "I'm all for pranks, but none of us want to work Christmas. Sober up your crew and have a good Christmas. I'll let you off with a warning this time."

His eyes flicked to Adrianna for a moment, "you seem like his second. Ensure he follows through in sobering up the crew."

Adrianna muttered something in her native tongue, rolling her eyes before nodding.

===Present day===

Vance patted his pocket. The sheer absurdity of the poem had made him memorize it and even when he was lost and his mind was not his own he remembered the poem. It was his one bit of control when he was locked in darkness. He smiled. He carried it with him all the time and when things got uncertain he'd pull it out and read it. Maybe he'd tell Adri about that some time.

OFF:

 

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