A
series of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons vignettes for Christmas 2003
by Tiger Jackson
“Well, you’re looking much
better, Captain Grey,” Doctor Fawn flipped open the chart he was holding. “Have
you seen these photos the hospital at Spectrum Sydney sent up last week?”
Grey took them and grimaced. A month
ago, he’d been on a mission in the Australian Outback when his SPC was forced
off the road. Fortunately, he hadn’t been seriously injured, but the extensive
bruising had left him stiff and sore.
Fawn grinned. “No worries, Captain.
You’ve got your good looks back all right. And you had yourself a good bit of
rest.” He began the examination with Grey’s eyes, which had both been blackened
in the crash. “I hope you took advantage of it, saw a bit of Sydney dressed up
for the holidays?”
Grey returned the doctor’s smile. “Yeah,
I did. But it wasn’t my first visit, you know. I was stationed in Sydney for
several years after I first joined the World Navy submarine service. Christmas
was sure different there. I didn’t mind the holiday coming in the summertime;
winters are pretty mild in San Diego. We often went to the beach after
Christmas dinner, and had pretty much the same kind of meal — you know, turkey
and mince pie and all that. But there were a lot of differences, too. I’d never
a bush covered with red berries used as a Christmas tree or seen a sleigh
pulled by white kangaroos! All the same I’m glad to be on Cloudbase instead of
in Sydney for the holiday.”
“Good to hear that someone is,” grumbled
Fawn.
Grey raised an eyebrow. “Uh, I take it
you had other plans?”
The doctor was silent as he made a note
in his patient’s medical record. “Did you meet a Doctor Rose while you were in
hospital, by any chance?”
“Yeah, I did. She came by to see how I
was doing and asked about you. I take it you two know each other well?”
Fawn grinned broadly. “Fair to middling.
She’s my wife.” He continued Grey’s examination as he talked. “We met in
medical school, married after we completed our residencies, and joined Spectrum
together. I briefly considered refusing the offer to come to Cloudbase, but
Tathra insisted I take it. She’s the Chief Medical Officer of Spectrum Sydney’s
hospital now.” He noticed Grey’s expression and laughed. “Long distance
marriages do work for some people, Captain. We never have a chance to get tired
of each other’s company.” His face fell. “But we haven’t been together for
quite a while now. I was looking forward to joining Tathra in Sydney for
Christmas this year.”
***********************
There was always paperwork waiting to be
done. Doctor Fawn swore that it bred while he was out of his office.
Fawn looked again at the photograph of
Tathra, his beloved wife. He’d wanted so much to be with her for Christmas this
year. But orders are orders. He pushed aside his disappointment and
concentrated on his paperwork. He was well into it when someone knocked at his
door.
“Come in,” he said, not bothering to
look up. The interruption annoyed him. As long he was working, he didn’t have
to think about how much he missed Tathra.
“Happy Christmas, Ned.”
Doctor Fawn’s pen fell from his nerveless
fingers as he slowly raised his head and stared at the woman clad in a
rose-coloured Spectrum uniform.
She smiled. “You couldn’t get
leave this Christmas. But I could. So here I am.”
“Tathra. Tathra!” Edward Wilkie
couldn’t take his wife into his arms fast enough.
OTHER
STORIES BY TIGER JACKSON
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