It was Christmastime on seaQuest. "C" Deck had been decorated in holiday style, with garland hanging from the electronic conduits. The lettering on the tubes was obscured by tinsel and ornaments hanging from twisted paper clips; where they used to say "JENMOBB3280" and "DKF43" now reads like an eye chart.

Popcorn had been strung on thread and hung from every console on the bridge, carefully placed so they don't obstruct the view of the crew using it. Each chair had a big red bow on top, and two had red ribbons around them. The captain's chair and the chief engineer's chairs were wrapped in ribbons, with giant tags. "Merry Christmas, Cap'n" and "Merry Christmas, Katie."

Katie Hitchcock shook her head in disbelief as she entered the galley. "Oh my god," she whispered, amazed. The room was lit up, top to bottom, string after string of Christmas lights, blinking and steady, white and colored, wound around every fixture that was sure not to catch fire. It looked like the Rockefeller center tree; the galley was ablaze with light.

Katie grabbed a yogurt and sat down, staring at the lights and wondering who went to so much trouble. As soon as he entered the room, she knew. "Ben." she said simply. "This is your work?" she asked, her mouth firm but her eyes laughing.

"Yup. You like?" he asked grandly, waving his arms.

Katie just laughed. "Wonderful. Do you really think the captain will allow it?" she asked sternly.

Ben shrugged. "If he has any Christmas spirit, he will."
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Captain Hudson stared at his chair. "What the HELL is this?" he demanded.

Tim glanced back, grinning. "Don't know, sir, but it looks like Ben's style."

"Krieg?" he snarled. "I knew it was a mistake to let that misfit back on board."

Tim kept quiet. He didn't say "but weren't you the one who practically begged him to come back when you saw how much better the crew functioned with him aboard?" He just nodded to the captain, going back to his work.

Ben bounded onto the bridge, snapping a salute to the captain. His uniform was neat, and pressed. Every button was done up, each zipper was zipped, but a little blinking light gave him away. Hudson walked over, and snatched the blinker up. It was attached to several others, on a bright red bow tie. It blinked in Hudson's hand as he sighed.

"I have an extra one in my quarters, sir, if you'd like it?" Ben suggested.

Hudson growled something unintelligible. "Nice job, lieutenant," he said.

Ben's eyes opened wide. "Sir?"

"I said "nice job". On the decorations." Hudson said, handing him back his tie.

Ben didn't move for several seconds, grinning like a wildcat. Then he took his position at his console.
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The crew had planned a holiday festival, under Ben's guidance. They gathered in the ship's largest conference room, and set up a makeshift stage. On the stage were three microphones, a little karaoke machine and a screen on which to display the karaoke's words. There were rows of chairs set up, also, enough for almost all of the crew. Come Christmas Eve, crew members who couldn't get leave to go home, those without families, and even people whose families were on board with them all gathered in the conference room, excitedly chattering.

There was a buffet table, whose supplies were rapidly dwindling. The buzz of conversation floated on the recycled air through the hallway, catching people on their way in. Captain Hudson stepped into the room, and the crew snapped to attention. "At ease, men. It's Christmas Eve." A tiny thing that resembled a smile slid onto, and just as quickly off of, his face.

Tony Piccolo grinned. "Merry Christmas to you, too, sir." Hudson just nodded.

Three chimes rang out, and the crew quieted down. Ben sidled onto the stage, dressed in a Santa suit. "Welcome!" he said into a mike. The crew began to take their seats. Tony grabbed the elbow of a brown-haired Ensign, and offered her a seat next to his. She gladly accepted, kissing his cheek gently. He blushed as red as his elf hat. "As you all know, this is our holiday special." A cheer ran through the crowd. "First up, we have Ensign Goldstein to sing a very special Hanukah song." Ben stepped back into the wings and let the Ensign on to the stage.

When Goldstein was finished, he got a hearty round of applause, and one good-natured tomato, from his friend Lucas Wolenczak. Lucas laughed as he threw the fruit, and Goldstein just grinned, bowing.

"All right, people! Next, please give a warm 'seaQuest' welcome to Lieutenant Senior Grade Tim O'Neill, who will be performing "O Little Town of Bethlehem" on the piano, accompanying Doctor Kristin Westphalen, amateur singer!" Ben smiled, and ducked into the wings, as a shoe came flying at his head. You could hear Westphalen muttering, "Amateur my bloody arse. I trained for years."

Westphalen came on the stage, dressed in a red velvet gown, with a cute, red velvet Santa cap. Tim settled down at the piano and began to play.

"O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie...above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by." Westphalen's low alto slowly rolled over the notes, as her soul poured into the song. When the last note slid off her tongue, she got a standing ovation. Even the military crew was impressed. Her senior science officers wolf-whistled as she gave a curtsey, and laughed. She exited gracefully, stage left.

A few more acts followed, including Lucas' elf-juggling (don't ask!), Miguel's rendition of the Spanish carol "Feliz Navidad" and Jonathan Ford's sorry attempt at Christmas humor. It was truly painful, be glad you went to the bathroom during that one!

Ben stood on the stage, amidst the applause, and shushed the crew. "Ladies and gentlemen, this will be the conclusion of our holiday special. I hope you enjoyed it, and please join us for the holiday dinner in the galley!" Cheers rang out, and you could hear comments like, "Turkey?" "Oh, god, I hope Ben didn't cook it!" and "Merry Christmas, salmonella!" Ben mock-glared at the offenders. "As I was saying, you may have seen our final performer in the blues clubs of New Cape Quest, or you might have caught her act in the gold mining camps of Australia's underwater outback..." Katie glared at the reference to her short-lived career as a lounge singer. Ben smiled. "Give it up for our last act of the night---Lieutenant Commander Katie Hitchcock!"

Katie appeared on stage, and a gasp went through the crowd. She was in a tight-fitting green gown, with a slit up the side that went nearly all the way up her thigh. On her head was a wreath of mistletoe. She looked like a Christmas angel...the naughty kind. She nodded to Tim, and the first notes of the song were tapped out.

"Take back the holly and mistletoe, silver bells on strings," she sang, closing her eyes briefly. "If I wrote a letter to Santa Claus, I would ask for just one thing..."

Katie grabbed a hand mike and slunk her way off the stage, making her way through the front of the crowd. "I don't need sleigh rides in the snow, don't want a Christmas that's blue." She ran her hand down Jonathan Ford's cheek, and he turned bright red with embarrassment. "Take back the tinsel, stockings and bows. Cause all I want for Christmas is you." His mouth dropped open, but Katie had already moved on to Lieutenant Cooper, shimmying up and putting an arm around his neck.

"I don't need expensive things, they don't matter to me." She quickly said, "But jewelry would be nice!" and continued with the song. "What I want can't be found, underneath a Christmas tree." She waved toward the tree in the corner of the room. She made her way slowly to the middle of the crowd, and wandered up next to Lucas. "You are the angel atop my tree." She slid a makeshift halo off the angel on the tree and plopped it on his golden head. He laughed. "You are my dream come true. Santa can't bring me what I need..." On 'what' she dipped her voice really low, bringing out a bluesy tone, and ran her hand over Lucas' chest. "Cause all I want for Christmas is you."

Katie moved away from a very happy Lucas, and slunk back up towards the stage. "I don't need expensive things, they don't matter to me." She climbed the temporary stairs to the little stage, "All that I want, it can't be found underneath the Christmas tree." Tony kissed the girl next to him, who giggled, and kissed him back. Katie reached back into the wings, and pulled a surprised Ben out onto the stage. The crowd went wild, until she took up her song again.

"You are the angel atop my tree," she sang to Ben. "You are my dream come true." Katie slid one arm around Ben's neck, pressing close to him. "Santa can't bring me what I need..." Someone slipped a chair onto the stage, and Katie pushed the Ben-Santa down into it, sitting down on his lap. She crossed her legs, and the guys whistled loudly, yelling "Angel!" Katie knew she'd probably regret this in the morning, but she'd had about three cups of eggnog already, and it was too late now, anyway. "Cause all I want for Christmas is you..." Katie leaned down, lowering her voice. "Cause all I want for Christmas is you..." her mouth came closer to Ben's. "Cause all I want for Christmas is you." She dropped the mike down into her lap, and kissed Ben hard, wrapping her arms around his neck, and leaning into him.

The crew went wild, as Ben just sat there in shock. Katie climbed off his lap, and bowed deeply, grinning. She got a standing ovation.

"Merry Christmas, all!" Katie laughed.


THE END