Christmas poems IV

Champagne and snowflakes
Holiday treats.
Late nights so peaceful.

Redemption. IV

It was dark and cold as Scratch appeared and walked down out of the alley and back onto 42 street. He stared out in amazement at the lights and the movie marquees. Everything here was different. There wasn't any porn movies or sex shops. There was a Disney shop and a new wax museum. As he looked around, a fellow came out from one of the newly remodeled theater ringing a bell dressed as Santa. Scratch laughed, this guy  knew nothing really about Santa. This guy was begging for change. That was something the real Santa would never due. Especially now with Christmas so close. He was far to busy for that.
"Ho ho ho!!" He said as he rang the bell. "Merry Christmas!!"
Scratch gave him a mad look than flipped a small coin into the red pot the man set up beside him.
"Merry whatever." He said as he passed by. Moving on, again Scratch couldn't understand. He had a contract on this area. He didn't understand how it got so clean. It had to be that god damned new Mayor. There were no porn shops or porn theaters. No hookers or pimps. There was kids here playing. What a disguising thought. Times Square had always been the devils playground. The crotch of the world. His place. Every vice known could be found here. He saw no reason that should change. He would have to pay more attention to things outside of Hell more often.
But for now, he needed to handle this 42nd street thing, and that would mean putting the corruption back into New York City. There was one sure way to do that. He would have to open a new shop right here at 42nd and 8th. It would be a porn /needful things shop. A double porn shop. Nick smiled at the thought. With a snap of his fingers, the shop blinked into existence. It had a loud neon red and yellow sign with the shape of a naked girl on it. The front was all black with loud music and a bunch of homeless people out front handing out flyers. There was a flashing light and a girl in a bikini dancing on a pole. This was perfect. He thought. In a week he would open 4 more shops here on the same street. Drug dealers would move in and start selling their products. Things would start moving again in the right direction.
"You know I'll never let that happen." The man in the Santa suit said. "I just got 42nd cleaned up and you think I'll let you just move back in?"
"I don't see you have much of a choice, old man." Scratch smiled. "I have no contract for this area, you know that."
"Things change." Santa said with a loud HO HO HO!! "Look around. Your people aren't even here anymore."
"They'll be back." Scratch said. "Give me a week and I'll have it business as usual."
"No." Santa said. "I'll give you 24 hours. You will have to re corrupt 42nd street all over again."
"That sounds like a challenge." Scratch said as he lit up one of his Cigars and blew out a cloud of smoke.

xxxxxxxxxxx

The day was September 12, nothing really special was going on. Jeff Tamber was out somewhere he wasn't suppose to. He was driving down Mercy Avenue looking for someone he knew that he could buy an 8-ball from. It need been a really stressful week. His boss ragged on him again about the update of the Pillenger file. It was going to be late again and Cole Taylor would put it all on him even though it had been all Cole's fault. If he had been at his desk working instead of screwing his secretary in the ladies room, the report could have been done. Jeff should tell the CEO everything, including why his wife disappeared from the Christmas party last year. He thought about ratting Cole out, but with his luck, the boss wouldn't believe it and give Cole a promotion and me a pink slip.

Redemption III.

It was late in the fall when  Thomas Harris sat on a bench and stared out at the evening sky. The stars were just starting to show themselves in the random pattern over the orange and reds of the descending sun. This was Thomas favorite time of year. It was cool but not cold. You could wear a lite jacket, but it was to warm for a heavy coat. The trees had that beautiful array of colors going from green to brown and all the shades in between. The time of year was perfect, He felt good. For some reason his ALS hadn't been bothering him much. Thomas had hoped that the diagnosis was wrong but the pain and the second doctor had put his hopes to rest. He really had ALS and his wife and children would have to be told. Dr. Regis, his neurologist told him the disease was in its second stage. He would have severe pain in his arms and legs leading into spasms and convulsions.  All this would be starting in the near future. He had given him the name of a specialist who he had been in contact with to take over his care. Dr, Regis said he was sorry, but there was no cure. He had maybe a year and he should get his affairs in order before it was to late. That had been the day that Thomas opened his eyes and finally looked around him. He had a wife who was so distant that he wasn't sorry if she would care at all. He had three children who he had tried his best to ignore for most of their lives. In reality he had no one that cared and he only had himself to blame.
For years Mary had begged him to slow down. To stop working so hard and enjoy his family. But Thomas would have no part of it. There was always a new company to start or to destroy or some lease he had to take. To him, money meant more then the love of his family, so he kept on working until his family left. His name was now on five buildings and there was two hospital with his picture in the lobby. But in the end what really mattered? None of these hospital could help him. It didn't matter how many buildings bore his name. Ne was alone now and it was all his own fault.
As Thomas got up off the bench, he dropped his medical reports in the trash can next to the bench. To say he was depressed was an understatement. He was sad and sorry. He thought back to the days when him and Mary were dating and the first few years of married life. He had that old Chevy that smoked like hell if its oil was low. He didn't have much. White Castle was the only place he could afford to take her to. It wasn't much but it was good memories. Watching fireworks from a blanket in the park and using tin foil for Christmas decorating in their first apartment. He didn't have money for a gift back then but that never held him back from making Christmas special. Those carriage rides through the park and bottle of wine they shared while watching the skaters on Messingers Pond.
As he thought back, he wondered how he managed to chase away the ones he love the most. And what was he to do now without them?
As the tears rolled down Thomas's face he walked deeper into the dark part of the park. He knew this was a dangerous place to be, but who cared? Maybe death was the best thing he could do for his family. Mary and the kids were still the principal holders on his life insurance. Maybe his death could bring them the peace he had always wanted them to have.
As Thomas walked down the lane in the dark park, he heard something behind him. It sounded like foot steps. As he turned around to look, something slammed into his head and he was out.
"Thomas?"
"Thomas, wake up"
Grogging Thomas opened his eyes. He was in Messinger park laying in a pile of leaves. Moaning he sat up rubbing a lump on his head.
"What happened?" He asked looking around. There standing beside him was a young girl with amazing red hair. It was shades of copper with streaks of auburn and golden highlights. She looked to be in her teens with a beautiful smile on her face. At Thom sat up, she lent him a hand to keep him from falling back.
"What happened."
"My name is Clare. " She said with a smile. "You were mugged. Bashed in the head. He took you wallet and all your money."
Did you see where he went?"
"It doesn't matter." She said. "You have more important things to worry about."
"Like what?" Thom asked.
"Life and death. She stood up and let her gown shine out. Thom was dazzled by the light reflected off her dress. Speechless. Thom looked up at her. He could almost see wings on her back and a halo floating above her hard.
"Am I dead?" Thom asked.
"Yes and no." She said in her sweet voice. "You said this would be better for your wife and kids. Did you mean it?"
"Yes." He said looking away. "I'm sick. Very sick and I've been a ass for years. I don't have a wife and kids anymore. What I have is a big house and alimony and child support. I don't even get visits with my children. I gave that all up. I made such a mess on my life ts not worth living. Death is all I have to look forward to."
"Yes." He said. "No one cares about me. All they care about is the check in the mail ever month."
Looking down into Thom's sad eyes, Clare could feel the sadness rolling out from him. She had this one chance to save him before Scratch got here and to him his way. But she would have make him lose all the self doubt and depression.
"Have you really looked at your life? Clare asked. "Have ever looked at what your family really means?"
"No." Thom said. "I haven't done a thing to help make this a better world. All I've done is destroy people's lives and steal away what some of them worked their whole lives to make. My life is useless and I mean nothing."
With a smile, Clare reached down and helped Thom up on his feet. Now she knew what had to be done. She had to show Thom what the world would without him.
"Come with me." She said as she took his hand. "The world is made up of many different possibility. and you my friend have caused many changes. Come with my and I will show you how much you mean to the world."
With a wave of her arm, a great cloud of smoke appeared around them. It had a sweet shell like  freshly bloomed  flowers. As they walked, Clare to them to their first destination.
Stepping out of the cloud they emerged at the building where Thom and Mary had first lived after they got married. It  was there old apartment down on Benard St. But it was different. It dark and dirty with garbage piled everywhere. With her finger to her lips to keep him silent, Clare lead him in through the busted and graffiti covered door.l From the entrance, she lead him up to the second floor and into their old apartment.
All the furniture had been smashed and it smelled like a urinal in there. Thom held his nose as the moved from room to room. The place was full of junkies fight each other over wine and scraps of food. In the living room, two junkies were shooting up. And in the made bedroom, the was a woman laid out on a dirty mattress. Her eyes were closed and her pants were half way down exposing bottom half for everyone to use and see.
"This place is disgusting." Thom said turning away. "Why am I here? This place means nothing to me."
"Look." Clare said pointing to the girl on the bed. "Do you recognize her?"
Thom looked closer. There was something about her that looked familiar. As he got closer, he looked at her face". Surprised he jumped back. It was Mary Andrews his wife.
"Its Mary!" He said. "What happened? why is she here?"
"She's here because she never met you." Clare said. "This is her life now though I doubt she'll be her much longer. She'll be dead in a few weeks."
"Can't you help her?" He pleaded. "Can't you do something?"
"Me?" Clare looked at him with a shocked look on her face. "You did this not me. I can't fix it."
As they stood there watching, an old junkie came in the door. He dropping his pants and crawled over to where she was laying. Thom tried to jump on him and drag him away, But his hand went right through them. Mary was raped right there while they were watching. Covering his eyes, Thom run out of the room.
"Do you still think you didn't mean anything?"
"Its not my fault if she couldn't make her life worth some." Thom said with red eyes. "She's one person."
"One person who once meant a lot to you. Can you leave her for this to happen? If you can, your not the man I thought you were."
"What about my kids?" Thom asked. "I'll bet their lives are much better."
"Kids?" Clare started do at him. "What kids? You don't have kids remember. You were never born so there are no kids. And that's a shame. Your kids were going to have suck a great future. You son Micheal was going to be the president of your firm and he was going to clean Trigon Bay and save and the whole shrimp industry by himself. He was going to do so much good in his fathers name. Yes, in your name. You got him started in the Environmental changes, but none of that matters now."
"What about my daughter Julie?"
"Well she would have gave you five Grand children. Three boys and two girls. One would have even bore your name."
"Then I did make a difference?" He said with a smile. "I really did matter."
"Yes you did." Clare said sadly. "But all that's changed since you were never born."
"No!" Thomas said with pleading eye. "I want to be born. I want Mary to have a better life then that. Please tell me I can fix this. Tell me its not to late."
As the sun shined down behind Clare, she reached down and took his hand to lift him up to face her.
"I can give you a choice." Clare said. "I can live things the way they are without you, Or you can join your family and live out your last year. There will be a lot of pain, but you will have a family that loves you. You must choose."
"I want to live." Thomas said with his eyes filled with tears. "I want to see my daughter walk down her wedding aisle and I want to be there to give them all what they deserve. I want to live.
"Your wish is granted."

"Dad?" A voice slipped into his unconscious mind. It was a familiar voice. A voice he loved since the day he was born.
"Please wake up Dad."
Thomas slowly opened his eyes and looked up to see his wife and the kids standing around him. He smiled to them weakly
"Dad?"
"I'm here Chris." Thomas said. He reached out and took his hand. With a tearful smile Chris buried his face in his father's shoulder and cried.
"I'm here. No more work," He said as he stroked the boys blond hair.  "I'm not going anywhere ever again."

The Jefferson Endeavor.

Dear Max.
  I'm sorry it took me so long to write but I have been busy. Really busy. Last week I took my final exams in stellar cartography, warp theory and biochemistry. The stellar cartography wasn't bad. I do pretty good in that area, but warp theory is a little harder. I'm pretty sure I passed. I've been getting tutored by Sopak. You remember me telling you about him, he's my Vulcan room mate. With his help I think I made a B average on the exam. I gotta tell you if it wasn't for him, I'd be on the next transport out of here instead of graduating and getting assigned to duty on the USS Thomas Jefferson. That's right, I said the Jefferson Starship. I could hardly believe it, Its a new ship coming right out of the ship yards just out from Mars. Its not a really big ship. I was told it will hold only 75 crew members and I'm one of them. Me, Adam Parker an Ensign on a Starfleet saber class fast frigate.
Our captain is Evan Taylor. I don't know very much about him except the fact that he was captain to one of the ships destroyed by the Dominion. From what I heard, he was very badly injured. He had burns on 60 percent of his body and a broken legs but he and 5 others managed to set the self destruct and get to the life boats as the Jem 'Hadar were boarding the ship. I heard the blast lit the Bajor night sky. He was in the John Glen lunar station for 5 months recovering.
I have a lot to tell you and I'm not sue where to start. I might as well start from the beginning.
After graduation, me Sopak and Orin Ren my Bajoran room mate were invited to a graduation party by David Mastetson. You remember him, he's the son of Admiral Masterson. You know, invited isn't the right word. Actually we were trapped into going. You know how I feel about Dave Masterson from your last visit. He was always an arrogant ass showing off and using his fathers name to get what he wanted. Well, he might be in it deep this time because he didn't get the assignment he was always bragging about. Let me explain. For the last five months Dave kept bragging about how his father had gotten him assigned to the officer's training academy in Norfolk. He told us that after two years of training he would be promoted to lieutenant and assigned to one of the constitution class ships in the fleet. For that to happen, Dave had to keep up a 4.0 to a 3.67 average. Well, he was a good student, but he wasn't a genius and as you know, Dave was never one to pass up a good party.So even with his father's influences at Star Fleet academy, he could only manage a 3.32 average. Unfortunately that wasn't good enough. His application for entry in to Arihan academy was denied. No officer training for David Masterson. Instead he was to be assigned to a ship as an ensign just like the rest of us. If he was going to be on the road to command, he'd have to earn it the hard way.
That will be enough about graduation and Dave's party which was a total drag. Let me tell you about our first day on board the Jefferson.
After a night of party hopping, Sopak, Orin and I reported to Cape Grissom where we were to catch a shuttled to the moon that get a flight out the the ship yards where the Jefferson was still docked. At the lunar station we met up with a few others heading out to the Jefferson. There was Lt. Carlson, who was to be the chief engineer and Lt. Graz the ships security chief. Lt. Graz was a joined Trill. He was pretty hot and kept smiling at me as we lifted off from the lunar base. Afterward he came over and we had a chance to talk.
The flight from the lunar base to Utopia Planitia took about three hours. After we docked we were met by Lt Commander Zach Archer. Curious thing I learned a few weeks later. Commander Archer's great grandfather was the first captain of the USS Enterprise. He had joined Starfleet following in his family's tradition of service to the UPF. Commander Archer was tall with dark hair with a very handsome face. He was dressed in an immaculate clean red and black uniform with three pips on his collar showing his rank.
Anyway, as Commander Archer joined us at the spaceport he introduced himself.

"Welcome to your first day of service to Starfleet Command. I am LT commander Zachery Archer, first officer and second in command of the USS Jefferson. I will be escorting you to the ship. Is everyone here?
"This is everyone sir." Lt Carlson said. "Everyone from the Lunar base."
"Then we only have to wait for three member to arrive from Betazad Prime." Commander Archer said. "While we wait I will tell you what the Captain and I expect from you. You will report to all your duty stations on time. We run a very tight ship and will not accept tardiness of any kind. You will keep my ship clean and in order. We house three members to each room and there will be absolutely no fighting among the crew, do I make myself clear?"
"YES SIR!" Echoed from each crew member.
"If you work hard there will be a chance for advancement, but if me or any of the senior officer see anything we don't like, you will be put on report which may be one step closer to your expulsion from Starfleet."
Jake looked from Orin to Sopak. They were both looking straight ahead as they listened to the Commander.
"Now the Artllies isn't suppose to dock for another hour." He said as he checked his time piece. "This will be your only chance to see this station. One hour, be right back here. Dismissed."
Once dismissed, Sopak, Orin and I headed straight for the promenade it see what the station had for entertainment. There were a large number of shops. An Andorian tailor, the shops  windows were covered in different and exotic types of clothing. There was a Klingon weapons shop filled with Klingons and Nausicaans bantering over prices on various weapons. We were going to go in, but changed our minds after seeing the Klingon at the door with a bat'leth. There were restaurant that catered to many different species. Klingon, Bajoran, Bolian, and believe or not, Ferengi. Yeah there were Ferengi here. Which didn't shock me since there were also two Ferengi casinos on the station.
After stopping for Bajoran jimji sticks, we wandered on to the port side of the station to look out to the construction of the new ships. There were two constitution class ships and a few smaller battle cruisers under construction. Sopak explained to us what  he knew about the construction of a starship. He talked about the propulsion, weapons and the shielding on each class of ships. Mostly about warp theory which I now understand much better. The weaponry and the different types of deflector shields. It was interesting but what we really were looking at was the different Aliens on the station.
We saw the usually Vulcans, Andorians and Tellerites. The three core members of the federation. There was three Bajorans haggling with a Ferengi dealer over the price of a used impulse regulator. An adult female Caitian dragging a stubborn cub from in of a restaurant where two rodent like Cassiains were eating. And a group of Cardassians heading into a Ferengi casino for a night of gambling. Orin suggested we go into and take advantage of the casino's holodeck, It was good idea, but Sopak said we didn't have time. The Artillies would be docking in less the ten minutes and we shouldn't be late reporting in for duty. So off we went to find the Jefferson and start our careers in Star fleet.
Finding our way to the ship wasn't hard. Lt Commander Archer was waiting at the docking port for everyone to take us all on a shuttle up to the Jefferson. As we arrived at the shuttle bay, the Commander nodded as he checked our names off his duty roster. I was glad we we're the last to report in. After another fifteen minutes we were all together and ready to board the shuttle. One by one we filed in as the Commander checked our names off. I have to tell you, you have no idea how exciting it was. I felt like a kids on his first flight off planet. As we took our seats, I felt the shuttles impulse engines kick on. Commander Archer took his seat just as we lifted off and headed up to the shipyard in orbit out over Mars.
As we gazed out of the shuttles windows, we passed a few ships still under construction. First the Prometheus a constitution class ship. It was huge with its twin nacelles and saucer style section. We could see the three lead phaser ports and the twin torpedo bays on each side of the saucer section. We were told that class would have eight phaser ports and six torpedo bays. It was also going to be equip with the most powerful multi resonating unimatrix energy shields and a new cloaking system just like the Jefferson.
As we came around the engineering section of the Prometheus, there it was. It was small, half the size of Voyager but three times as fast and powerful. The Jefferson was mostly saucer section with two nacelles on each side. It had a arrow shaped upper deck with twin phaser banks forward, aft and in the center of each nacelle. It was smooth, sleak and could turn on a old earth dime. While we stared admiring the features of the ship, the shuttle came around the aft compartment and sled into one of the ships two decking bays. Once the shuttle sat down, The bay indicator flashed red. We heard the ringing of the claxon's indicated air was being pumped into the docking bay. As the light flashed green we all started to exit the shuttle.
Looking around the bay area, Sopak explained the different features in the bay area. Each bay held two shuttles