Honda's Christmas Eve

==Honda's Christmas Eve by Nyoko==
It was late for the Asian Captain. Although for many of the crew the celebration of Christmas may or may not have had significance, Captain Honda wasn’t among those in the holiday sprite. But unlike her friend and comrade Talia, who is so tuned to earth customs that she and her bridge staff went so far to design a lyric spoof on the ancient holiday song the 12 days of Christmas. Nyoko’s perception of the religious holiday that celebrates the child of god in the christen faith was certainly different. Growing up in a region of the world where Shinto and Buddhism had been the root of religious believes. Nyoko from a very young age was to respect the Kami. Often these sprites were assonated with natural forces of the universe such has mountains, rivers, wind and the waves.
Although through the centuries with science and cultural changes the effect of a wind spirit had transformed into some what laughable notion. Nyoko wasn’ at all religious nor did she care for the fanaticism. In fact the religious ways of the Bajorin culture made her roll her eyes at the fact prophets are personified as gods. As her scientific up bring taught specifically all things have a explanation defined through fact. For Nyoko the profits were an advance set of life forms, Khalus was heroic klingon warrior and Greek gods an advance civilization of titans that fell in love with ancient humanity.
Chrismas however in Japan however held no official status. To Nyoko it was two day after birth of Japan’s ancient imperial emperor, and seven days before the start of the New Year. So the concepts of gift given had no religious basis and the holiday signified nothing more then happy time, or perhaps even a valentines day in Japan. There was no exception to Christmas being commercialized holiday in Okinawa. For the Japanese took this opportunity to use Christmas Eve to exchange romantic commitments, Christmas day to exchange gifts with friends and family, as well as eat Christmas cakes, and lastly pay back debts acquired the past year.
This was what had perhaps pressed Nyoko to lamenting quietly in her quarters while her starship cursed through out the cosmos. She had no Christmas eve valentine this evening, no family to make her Christmas cakes, and no one had gotten her gift, at least she not yet. She had thought to call Captain Hann but something had stopped her. Perhaps it was dangerous territory involving him in a romantic implication of charismas eve. It also might create a miss understanding between the two. That there friendship may have slipped into more feelings then friendship. This of course was always an uncomfortable situation for Miss Honda.
Then her computer tweaked notifying her she had a message. It was a welcome disruption as the thoughts about Her and Hann started to get scary. She went to the screen and pressed it’s smooth surface forcing the computer out of stand by mode. In just a few taps she had loaded the mail box.
Much to her surprise its address was unfamiliar to her and its origin equally baffling. The address read 235393@Earth.NewZealand.Insitutte.gov. After long thought of who she might know on New Zealand she was at a loss. She tapped the mail and opened it up and attached was Christmas graphic. Imbeded to the Christmas-gram was a voice transmission and she hit play with her finger tip. The recording played and the voice was hauntingly familiure.
“Hey Boss Lady, Marry Christmas, they only give you two minutes so, I hope everything is going well out there in the cosmos,” the message played. Then half way through it dawned on her who had sent her the Christmas gram. It was Dramas.
Her heart sank real low for a moment. In fact the card didn’t do anything at all to lighten the mood at first. Dramas was dear friend during the days when she was the most junior command officer. This went back to when she was an administrator on Admiral Spenta’s staff. As she and Mathias in the later years had so much hope for his career an instance involving unsanctioned rescue effort of Ensign Xonei that resulted in grand theft starship had ended his career with criminal charges. Despite all her efforts to try and lessen the consequences of his actions by offering to personally represent her friend Commander Bolin in his court marshal. He refused representation and pleaded no conflict. Ultimately he was sentenced a 25 years of rehabilitation at a federation penal colony.
“Welp, not much to say, Food’s not bad and they let us use the holasuite once a month. So they make you Admiral yet? Ha. Be the youngest admiral on the fleet and perhaps the best. Well kido, now I can call you that, they are pointing at there watches so I gotta go. You keep safe out there, and Marry Christmas.” The transmission ended.
As Nyoko scrolled down to see the second page of the message. She saw picture of Dramas and some of the new friends he had made at the penal colony. His appearance was much as she expected and he had santa hat as they all smiled for the photo.
The thought of Dramas with santa hat did make her give a laugh out loud. She smiled to herself and she said softly. “You can be my Christmas eve date this year Dramas.” Although the honor was all Dramas’s he wasn’t getting out of prison any time soon get that date. Then she sat back to soak in memories of 22nd Mobile, three years ago now. Although that was a trip down memory lane she looked about her room and nodded to herself as she had come to a proclamation in her mind.
“I think it’s time for Christmas Cakes.” She said out loud to an empty room and of she went.