Lieutenant JG Roy Bancroft - 'Twas the Night Before Christmas Aboard the Artemis-A
Carter Schimpff
’Twas the night before Christmas aboard the Artemis-A,
Not a console was buzzing, not one system astray.
The corridors gleamed in the starlight they wore,
As the ship cleaved the dark between here and before.
The crew were all settled, each post duly manned,
With confidence earned through a steady command.
From Sickbay to Engineering, Tactical to Ops,
All ready, all watchful, all minding their shops.
On the bridge stood MacKenzie, composed and clear-eyed,
With the calm sort of presence that steadies the tide.
Some whisper strange rumors – absurd, overwrought –
That ensigns displeasing are airlocked on the spot.
But such tales drift away when the truth comes to light:
She leads not by fear, but by judgment and right.
Close by was Munro, with a knowing, keen gaze,
Who read rooms and people in subtle, sure ways.
Where orders met hearts, where the balance must hold,
She bridged them with wisdom both measured and bold.
Brexis kept systems precise, every detail aligned,
When problems arose, she was already inclined
To solve them with rigor, with focus so clean,
The sort of sharp excellence rarely unseen.
K’Wara stood steady, reflective and calm,
A moral north star in the ship’s measured psalm.
Where chaos might tempt or conviction might bend,
They weighed every choice with integrity’s end.
Bergmen brought warmth like a lantern-lit room,
A grin and a word that could soften the gloom.
Through humor and hope, through sincerity bright,
He reminded the crew what they worked toward each night.
In Engineering, Imril adjusted a flow,
Already three steps past what others might know.
With logic and grace and a mind razor-sharp,
They solved what they faced with remarkable art.
Cole checked her gear with a spark in her eye,
For danger, she’d meet it – and never ask why.
Explosions, it’s said, tend to follow her wake,
But never without cause – for lives are at stake.
Storm moved with purpose, intensity clear,
Every motion deliberate, every instinct sincere.
No wasted emotion, no moment misread –
When action was needed, she forged straight ahead.
Jovenan observed with a seasoned regard,
A mentor who’d weathered both brilliance and scars.
His presence alone lent perspective and depth,
A reminder of lessons hard-won and well-kept.
In Sickbay, Bancroft checked scans with a grin,
“Doc Crashcart,” they teased – yet when moments went thin,
He was steady at hand when the crisis set in,
Doing what needed to be done time and again.
Jira stood ready, efficient and fast,
With focus unbroken, no moment held past.
A Bajoran calm – faith carried, not shown,
Red hair like a beacon: they’d chosen their own.
Silveira kept watch with a quiet resolve,
The kind built on loyalty – steady, evolved.
No speeches required, no need to impress –
Just strength you could count on in moments of stress.
So there on the Artemis, steadfast and bright,
Twelve voices, twelve strengths, bound tight through the night.
Different in nature, in method, in view –
Yet unified deeply in all that they do.
And as stars drifted past in the velvet-black sea,
The ship carried more than just duty and decree:
It carried a crew, bound by trust, choice, and care –
A family forged in the cold vacuum there.
So here’s to the writers, the hearts, and the hands,
Who breathe life and meaning through distant starlands.
From one crewmate to all others, with OOC cheer –
Happy Christmas to all… and a calm, steady year.
OOC: Grateful to have landed amongst each and every one of you. A finer group of people and writers both, I’ve never encountered before. Good health and great cheer to you and those you care about!
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Lieutenant JG Roy Bancroft
Medical Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240205RB1