Work Text:
"CHRISTMAS ON BABYLON 5"
A "Babylon 5" short story
Written by Alison M. DOBELL
* * * * *
It is Christmas Eve on the "Babylon 5" Space Station. All is quiet over Epsilon 3 Eridani and nothing is stirring not even a lurker. Suddenly a jumpgate forms and a strange craft comes through it, with bells and tinsel and the sound of many wings beating. The space sleigh docks in one of the landing bays in Grey 17 and Santa Morden steps down with his bag of delights. First he calls on the Captain.
MORDEN: "What do you want?"
SHERIDAN: "I want to know what happened to the Icarus and how come my wife and everybody else on board died, yet here you stand without a scratch on you?"
MORDEN: "So you don't want these oranges or the plums, the black ones not the red ones?"
SHERIDAN hesitates.
SHERIDAN: "Oh Hell! Well it *is* Christmas!"
MORDEN hands him the basket of fruit and passes on to Mr GARIBALDI's quarters.
MORDEN: "What do you want?"
GARIBALDI: "How about my favourite thing in the Universe?"
MORDEN hands him a brightly wrapped package. GARIBALDI rips the paper off.
GARIBALDI: "Duck Dogers in the 25th Century! How did you know?"
Next MORDEN calls at IVANOVA's quarters.
MORDEN: "What do you want?"
IVANOVA: "Believe me, MORDEN, you are not *it*. And where did you get that stupid red outfit?"
MORDEN passes on to Amabassador MOLLARI's quarters.
MORDEN: "What do you want?"
LONDO: "I believe we have already had this conversation!"
MORDEN: "It's Christmas Ambassador! What do you want?"
LONDO: "What is Christmas?"
MORDEN: "It's the season of goodwill and the giving and exchanging of presents."
LONDO: "I see, and I am supposed to give you something too, yes? Very well, Mr MORDEN, I want you to go, to leave. That is the best present you could give me. For my part, just to show no hard feelings let me
give you a word or two of advice. Red is definitely *not* your colour!"
MORDEN goes next to Vir COTTO's quarters.
VIR: "What do you want?"
MORDEN hands him a long thin package wrapped in brightly coloured paper. Suspiciously, Vir opens it and his face immediately lights up.
VIR: "It's a Pike Staff! How thoughtful."
MORDEN: "Merry Christmas, Vir!"
As MORDEN walks off down the corridor, Vir calls after him:
VIR: "When do I get the rest of my present?"
MORDEN then calls on Citizen G'KAR of the Narn Regime.
MORDEN: "What do you want?"
G'KAR: "Something you do not have the power to give me."
MORDEN: "How do I know if you don't tell me?"
G'KAR: "Exactly! Good day, Mr MORDEN."
Next MORDEN calls on DELENN.
MORDEN: "What do you want?"
DELENN: "Why do you ask when you already know the answer?"
On the way out, MORDEN sees LENNIER.
MORDEN: "What do you want?"
LENNIER: "I want an end to the war between the Narn and the Centauri. I want the other races to work in Peace. I want Satei DELENN restored to her rightful place on the Grey Council. I want a motorbike like Mr GARIBALDI and I want to see you and your Shadow friends disappear down the nearest Black Hole and vaporise into anti-matter!"
MORDEN: "There is no need to be sarcastic."
MORDEN next stops off at MEDLAB. Dr Stephen FRANKLIN is up to his ears in assorted aliens, all needing urgent medical treatment. He has been up for the last three days and nights with no sleep.
MORDEN: "What do you want?"
Dr FRANKLIN: "Another pair of hands would be a start."
FRANKLIN yelps as he sprouts another pair of hands. He glares at MORDEN.
Dr FRANKLIN: "Great! You choose *now* to give me *exactly* what I ask for! It just proves my point - the Universe hates me!"
As MORDEN returns to the landing bay in Grey 17 he bumps into Ambassador KOSH.
MORDEN: "What do you want?"
There is a flash and MORDEN disappears leaving only a puff of smoke where he was standing. Ambassador KOSH turns around slowly, admiring his new bright red coat.
KOSH: "You are not yet ready for Christmas..."
end