C6 / Jasmine

Posted on Wed 30th Jan, 2019 @ 9:34pm by Commander Jasmine Collins-Keller

574 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Oblivion

It was… a Torii gate, perhaps, or a megalithic trilithon rendered in jacinth. A clear and obvious demarcation at the top of a ridge, seperating one realm from another. Dawn Addams paused. “Do not release each others’ hands,” she reminded her companions. With a look of determination, she took the last few steps to the ridge, and passed through the gate.

The Echos had been designed to be the perfect spies and assassins. In embodied life, they had simply known what those around them knew; understood their needs and desires and purposes. In the moment when the Witch, her matrilineal descendants, and their friends stepped into the valley they had closed, the Echos turned their attention their way. In that moment, they knew who had arrived, and why. They considered the Witch’s purpose, understood her points, reluctantly agreed.

There was a flash of light, and time was rearranged, reality was changed.

---

Jasmine smiled as she watched the little girl making faces at her daughter. Lani giggled and squirmed in her seat and the Zeta Reticulan spider kept watch over the pair as Chlamydia and Jasmine drank their tea. Jasmine had dropped in on the doctor and her daughter as she made her Christmas rounds.

"She's so good with Lani." The young woman noted. "She's such a sweet little girl Chlamydia. I hope I do as well with Lani." Jasmine had been making her Christmas visits to her friends and dropping off hand-picked gifts for everyone. She held a bag with two gifts in it for Chlamydia and for Six.

"There is no such thing as a tender child," Chlamydia observed dryly. "You parbroil them for hours, and they're still barely edible." She took a sip of her tea, then went on, "I can take no credit for her personality. I alternate between being a neglectful parent and being a smothering one. I suspect that children will be who they will be, and parents have only a small influence on that."

"Perhaps, but I still think children become who they become at least in part because of the nurturing they receive as children." Jasmine grinned. She pulled a small package from the bag she carried. "We wanted to celebrate Earth's Christmas this year with our friends so Adam and I chose a gift for everyone." She handed the package to Chlamydia. "This is for you. I hope you like it." She pulled another box from the bag she was carrying. "This one is for Six." She handed Chlamydia the other box.

"Oh," Chlamydia said, genuinely taken aback. She accepted the two small packages, held them awkwardly. "I don't celebrate giftmas; I'm terribly sorry, but I didn't get you anything!"

"Oh no." Jasmine waved her hand. "We don't expect anything in return. We just enjoy giving gifts to our friends. I hope you like them." She smiled at the woman. "It's a tradition from my father's family. We did it every year when I was growing up."

Chlamydia smiled warmly, the kind of smile that made her subordinates in the medical department start thinking of things they should be doing in another compartment, all while imagining leather restraints, Jacob's ladders, and bubbling retorts. "The greatest celebration of the year for the Addamses is Hallows, and you were quite brave in coming and participating. It is good to have..." she hesitated just a fraction of a moment, seeking the right word. "Friends."

 

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