Story-

They say that Christmas was the time of miracles, peace on Earth, good will towards men, and a bunch of advertisements meant to separate the populace from their hard earned money to buy materialistic goods that had no baring on the first 3 things mentioned. I had always thought of getting presents as a way to show that, yeah you're thinking of the person and that you care enough that you wanted to show your appreciation for what they have done for you over the past year.

At least that was my line of thinking when I was still on Earth...

-

I was doing my after work routine, sitting in what would be described as an old Mom and Pop's dinner like they had way back in the 1950's finishing my plate of food. The place did look the part, everything was a throwback to that era, even the paper calendar hanging behind the old style cash register. The only things that wasn't part of the 50's decor was the actual register under the old fashion one, the wall display that was on a news network, and the calendar itself which displayed December 223 AE on it.

“So, how was it?”

I looked up from my plate to see an older woman smiling at me from the other side of the counter that I was sitting at.

“Delicious as always Maggie.” I say once I finished swallowing what was in my mouth.

“Good.” she chuckled “I got a new guy working the grill.”

“Oh?” I asked. “What happened to your husband? Is he okay?” I had came to the diner enough to know that Maggie was married to a guy named Clark and had been childhood sweethearts. While both enjoyed cooking, it was usually Clark manning the kitchen with a part time hire lending a hand while Maggie waited on everyone with her trademark smile.

“He's mostly okay,” she said calmly. “Came down with the flu. The doctors already checked him out to make sure that it wasn't anything more serious or deadly.”

“Such is the way the frontier.” I say thinking of the possibilities of stumbling across an unknown virus or something that could prove deadly to unprepared humans. “Well, I'm glad that its just the flu than something else and hope he makes a speedy recovery.” Maggie nodded in agreement and after taking my plate away, she came back with her data pad and I inserted my pay card into it and paid my bill, leaving a little more than my usual tip. “My complements to the chef.”

Maggie turned towards the builtin window to the kitchen and spoke up louder than normal. “Hey Vin, you hear that? Keep up the good work.”

It surprised me slightly when a brown and gray furred Lycan stepped part way out of the kitchen and gave both of us a toothy smile and a thumbs up before disappearing back inside.

I make a little laugh as I lightly spoke. “You do know that they do have better hearing than us, right?”

“Of course” She laughed herself before leaning in closer. “Sometimes though I enjoy razzing the 'fresh blood' a little. I got to have my fun too.” She says in a lower voice than I used.

“Har... Har... Har...” Vin spats from the kitchen, earning another laugh from us.

“Well, I suppose.” I say as I grab the few things of mine around me.

“Say Calvin,” My head perk up in hearing my name. “When are you going to find someone?”

If I had just taken a drink, Maggie might have been wearing the liquids or I would have had to choke the liquid down quite hard when she ask. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” She says looking at me like any mother looking at their adult child. “When are you going to find someone? I've known you for the last 18 months since you've started coming here and I have yet to see you with anyone.”

“Well...” Being put on the spot like this always causes my mind to blank out. More than a few arguments I had lost was because I froze to the silent anxiety attack I had. At least Maggie let me get some of my wits back as she crossed her arms in front of her. “It... never came up before.” I wasn't fully lying as I did had a few crushes in the past, but I never acted on them as I did see them with other people and I didn't want to ruin anything for anyone. “Besides, who would want to date me? I'm almost a workaholic and a dork. I don't think I'm that good looking either.”

“I think you're too hard on yourself.” Maggie sighed and shook her head. I could almost see my own mother doing the same thing next to her.

“Maybe.” I say as I put my heavy jacket on. “Who knows, maybe Santa Clause will come all the way from Earth to Severa to deliver a few presents if I behave for the rest of the month.” I tap the bobble head of the Christmas decoration of the named character near us.

Maggie laughed and shook her head. “Just be careful heading home, the blizzards here are a little worse than they are on Earth.”

I nodded as I approached the old fashion swing door. “I will Maggie, Happy Holidays.”

“Merry Christmas Calvin.”

I open the door and quickly left the sanctuary of the warm brightly decorated diner for the dark cold outside. From what I have gathered in my time here, Severa only had two actual seasons; the summer growing months that lasted for seven of Earth's months and changing over to the five or six cold winter months. There was almost no transition between the two seasons, when winter hits, you barely had two week to prepare for it. Once it comes, its almost a constant blizzard, leaving visibility to only 50 or so meters in unprotected areas which would leave the original Caushae colonist of Servera basically isolated for their winters due to the limitations of their technology in the blinding snow and never taking any other precautions.

As I start the walk home, I think of what I had been tasked with. My company was one of several that came here to “set up shop” and to provide protection for the settlements. One of the first projects I did was to over see construction of “snow fences.” Arriving in the mild summer months I had quietly questioned why build the fencing and why the size of a four story building. Of course, once winter hit, I had my answers. While I did travel to the other locations to supervise the installment of other fences, I was more or less in charge of the fences at this settlement. Surprisingly to me, after the winter is done, there will be a lot of maintenance needed to prep each one for the next time the storms hit.

Lost in thought, I start to walk pass the alleyway that leads behind the building where the diner is when a commotion draws my attention towards the darkness. I barely had time to register the shouting in the alien dialect before a figure wrapped in tattered rags plowed right into me, knocking the two of us onto the ground. I had instinctively grabbed the mystery figure as we fell, making me take most of the punishment of the fall and knocking the wind out of me. Thankfully the body was light when it fell on top of me. Glancing at the figure, I could see two emerald eyes looking back at me.

“Hey,” I said lightly, “What's the rush?”

I watched them turn back towards the alleyway with fear in their eyes as soon scrambling to get off of me and ran as I heard heavy feet crunch the snow underneath. I watched the figure dart off into another ally as a string of alien curses followed after them.