A Nyxmas Carol - Part One
Posted on Sun Jun 21st, 2020 @ 8:42am by Captain Nycolas Temple
Edited on on Tue Jul 7th, 2020 @ 1:51pm
Mission:
Into the Wild
Location: Ready Room
A Mission Post by Captain Nycolas Temple
Mission: Into The Wild
Location: Ready Room
Timeline:
Sun Dec 24th, 2017 @ 1:37pm
Nycolas Temple huddled his arms close to his shivering chest as he quickly walked the corridors back to the Captain’s Ready Room. It had been a trying day, full of the kind of hard decisions and difficult choices he was supposed to make as Captain. Chased by the Ravagers, unknowingly making first contact with the Mendazians, almost violating the Prime Directive, and a potential sabotage of the Transporters - it had been challenging for this new Captain.
With everything going on, it was a low priority on the Engineering’s list to fix the climate controls on Deck One. Minor faults had been arising since the Pandora’s trip through the Dark matter, and now it was effecting the environmentals in sporadic locations. For the past two hours it had felt like an icy winter chill had fallen across the deck, forcing the crew to either rush through the corridors or simply avoid this level all together. Nyx didn’t have much of a choice, so he held his body close to him as he rushed to his office.
“Captain?” Came a young voice from behind.
Nyx turned in a huff, displeased at having been stopped in the cold. “Yes?”
“Crewman Cratchitt, sir,” The young Officer spoke, “Anything we can do about the cold, sir?”
The Captain gave an impatient sigh, as if he didn’t have enough concerns on his plate, now he was taking requests from junior crewmen. “No, not yet.”
“It’s just, I have to work in this area today and it’s awful.” Catchitt replied earnestly.
Nyx shrugged, “I’m sure someone will fix it soon. Once we’re done fixing the mess we are in with the Ravagers.”
The crewman looked down at his feet, feeling the Captain’s annoyance. “Of course. Sorry to interrupt.”
Nyx continued on without giving much of a farewell. Usually he would try his hardest to seem approachable and kind to the crew but right now he just wanted to get into his Ready Room.
After reaching the office, the doors opened swiftly enough for Nyx but strangely the lights remained unusually dim. He was greeted by a barely visible luminance in the room.
“Lights.” He snapped at the computer. There came an unhelpfully cheery tone and the lights flickered for a moment before returning to the same low glow. “Lights!” He commanded again to no avail.
Giving another sigh, Nyx found his way around his desk to the chair and sat down with a displeased grunt. Another problem to report to the repair crews. Thankfully his console was still working and after tapping to awake the screen, it provided a bright glow into the otherwise dim room.
Nyx noticed there was a sub space message waiting for him on his console. As the Pandora was now closer to Federation outposts, they had begun to pick up reports and communications from Starfleet and other sources; something he was actually pleased to receive after so long out of contact. He tapped on the message and saw it was from his mother’s residence on Earth and immediately felt the joy leave his body.
After grabbing a dress jacket from his cupboard and wrapping it around his shoulders like a cloak, Nyx returned to his desk and played the message. He noticed that it was an old recorded communication, sent over a week ago...
“Nycolas!” Came his mother’s voice. “I’ve been trying to get into contact but those damned fools at Starfleet say you’re too far away or some nonsense. So I’ll send a recording instead. Now, It’s Saint Lucy night here and we’ve just been lighting the lanterns at Marienbourg. I do hope you’ve been following your Julekalender and giving advent presents to little Katrine.”
Nyx sighed at this message from Christmas’ past, an unnecessary reminder that he had dragged his family away from Earth and this meant they would never experience a normal Christmas again. It was a long distance subspace telling off, something only mother Temple was capable of doing. Nyx grimaced at the thought, another addition on his list of things to do. He could hardly ask the Ravagers to take a day off because his family liked to celebrate ancient traditions.
His mother continued, “And I hope you haven’t forgotten how much this holiday means to us.”
At this, Nyx couldn’t help but huff in disdain...
[Copenhagen, Earth, 2362]
Snow fell down the windows of the Temple family home as young Nycolas and his brother Magnus stared out at the winter wonderland outside. From behind them, two staff members cleared away a large table with many dishes of only partially eaten food. Another meal the boys had spent just with their nanny, another meal prepared but not attended by their parents.
Magnus turned to his older brother and asked with doleful eyes, “When is min mor coming?”
Nyx was always the peace maker, the one who promised Magnus that their parents really would make it this time. And he was always left making excuses when they undoubtedly disappointed once again.
“Soon,” Nycolas replied with a sympathetic pat of his shoulders. “Come, let’s look at the candle again.”
The two boys climbed off the stool against the window and ran over with their little legs to the fireplace. Sitting on top of the mantle piece was the remnants of a once tall candle, now a short and stubby stick of wax in a silver lantern. Once it had been a long candle decorated in red glittery numbers that counted down the days until Christmas Eve. Now it was the final day of the holiday season and the flame was burning through the remainder of a “24”.
Suddenly from behind, the front doors opened wildly, a gush of wind and snow blowing into the hallway. Both boys turned with excited eyes, wondering if perhaps the Julemanden had come earlier than expected. Instead, Brigitte And Spencer Temple rushed inside, cursing and jumping around from the bitter winter chill outside, as they shook off the snow and their many coats.
“Worst snow in years.” Nyx’s father complained.
“Can’t believe the transporters were out.” Agreed his mother.
“Mum!” “Dad!” Cried the boys as they ran over to their parents and hugged them both tightly. .
“Boys, you should be in bed!” Their father warned, eyes darting to the small parcels they had placed on ground inside the doorway.
Nycolas took a step back and gave them both a wary eye himself. “We were waiting for you. You said you’d be home for dinner.”
“Nycolas, please don’t take that tone.” His mother sighed warily, “I had a very trying day at the Palais de la Concorde, dealing with much bigger problems.”
“No!” Nycolas suddenly screamed, “You SAID you would BE HERE!”
The boy suddenly ran out the door and into the snow covered streets, as his parents called out after him.
[Present Day]
Nyx blinked away the memory, realising he hadn’t thought of that for years. It hadn’t been the last time he’d been disappointed by his parents, but it certainly left an undeniable impression on him. He wondered whether this might be why, now as an adult, he always had the compulsion to please people and never let them down. He thought of Crewman Crotchitt and grimaced in guilt.
Meanwhile, his mother was still talking, “...And I can’t send you presents from Julemanden so I will need you to replicate Katrine something outrageously big and put it under the tree for me.” His mother added. She looked down at her hands for a moment and Nyx could tell she was regretting her scornful tone. She looked back up again with a teary eyed smile. “Please be safe, my son. Look after yourselves.”
The image faded to black, dimming the room around him once more. Nyx leaned back in his chair and pulled his jacket closer around his neck. “Hypocrite!” He scoffed to himself, as he dismissed the message.
[To be continued...]
