At 728 meters long with a beam of 275 meters, the SNT-A is the largest vessel in Earth Central Mining & Transport’s (ECMT) fleet of bulk carriers. Built in 2292, the ion energy-powered transport makes just one run per year, from its supply base in western Canada to the mining colonies on Saturn and its moon Mimas, Jupiter’s moon Callisto and Mars’s moon Phobos before beginning the four-month trip back home.

 

The SNT-A earned its nickname, the Santa Ship, following its first run to Phobos the year following its commissioning. It was based on three things. First, the ship’s name itself. Second, its captain, Loren C. Bopcar, is portly, has long white hair and a beard and, like all ECMT captains, wears a red uniform with white trim and black boots. But it is the third reason that matters most — at least for the children on Phobos, all of whom are accustomed to a bland diet of artificial protein and syntha-carbs. The ship, which arrives during the last month of each year, brings a supply of candy — a real treat.

 

So, it should come as no surprise that the children living on Phobos are always excited on the day the SNT-A is due to visit. And this year, no one was more excited than four-year-old Lucas Melrose.

 

“Da-da,” Lucas said the morning he had been waiting a year for, “when will San-Santa be here?”

 

“It’s Santa,” said Robert Melrose. “One word.”

 

“Bob — stop!” said Robert’s wife, bending down to hug Lucas.

 

“Rose, we have to do something about the boy’s stuttering,” Robert countered. “What did the speech therapist say?”

 

“I never got past the virtual assistant. One speech therapist for nearly nine hundred colonists. We’ll be lucky if he gets in before he’s twenty-one. Honey, maybe it’s time to return to Earth.”

 

“Aw,” said Robert, rising to fill his coffee cup. “It’s just for a little while longer. Promise.”

 

“Da-da,” Lucas said again. “When will Sant-ta be here?”

 

“He’s already here. I heard his ship come in early this morning while you were sleeping. You know, I have some pull with the big guy.”

 

It was true. Robert was a supervisor, first level, which gave him access to everyone and everywhere on the Phobos base.

 

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year," Robert continued, glancing at his watch. “Uh, oh. I better get going or I’m going to miss the morning shuttle.” Turning to Lucas, he added, “I’m looking forward to checking out your haul when I get home tonight.”

 

Lucas nodded.

 

With that, Robert grabbed his jacket and shut the door to the living unit as he left.

 

“Mama, will I always stah-stutter?” Lucas asked.

 

“Don’t worry, hon. Now you better hustle your bustle. You don’t want to be late when Santa and his crew visit your class!”

 

Forty-five minutes later, Lucas began the walk to his classroom. He had almost arrived when an older boy stepped out of the shadows and grabbed him.

 

“Well, it’s the-the-the-the stutterer,” said the boy.

 

Lucas froze. It was Manas Johnson, a fourth grader who bullied all the preschoolers.

 

“Here’s the deal, you runt,” said Manas. “You’re gonna give me all your candy from Santa on the way home and you live another day. If you don’t, I’ll beat the crap out of you.”

 

Tears streamed down Lucas’s cheeks.

 

Manas let go of his victim and stepped back into the darkness. “Cry all you want. I’ll be waiting for you.”

 

It was four o’clock by the time Lucas returned home that afternoon.

 

“It’s about time,” Rose called from the kitchen when she heard the front door open. “You’re nearly ten minutes late. I was just about to come look for you.”

 

“Mama!” Lucas cried, running to her side. “Oh, Mama!”

 

Rose picked up her son, whose left eye was black and swollen. Between tears, Lucas told of his encounter with Manas and how he had tried to fight off the bigger boy.

 

Rose glanced away and, in her most confident voice, said, “Your father will take care of everything.”

 

When Robert got home that evening, Rose emerged from the kitchen holding a martini.

 

“Here, sweetie,” she said.

 

Robert, grinning, took a sip and said, “A special occasion?”

 

“I need to tell you what happened to Lucas today. So, relax.”

 

When she was finished speaking, Robert stood and swallowed the remainder of his drink in one gulp.

 

“Don’t hold dinner,” he said as he left.

 

It was nearly eight o’clock when Lucas, who was in bed, heard his father return home. He pulled the covers over his head.

 

“Are you awake?” Lucas heard his father say, switching on a light.

 

“Ye-yes.”

 

“I’ve got something for you.”

 

Lucas turned to see his father holding a large bag.

 

“Wh-wha-what is that?”

 

“Candy from Santa!”

 

“What?”

 

Robert sat on the edge of the bed and explained that after leaving he had gone to the spaceport to pay Captain Bopcar a visit.

 

“I told Santa everything you told mom, and the next thing you know, Capt…, er — Santa and I were at Manas’s home. We had a long talk — a very long talk — with his dad. Well, not only did we get your candy back, but his father felt so bad about what happened that he gave us Manas’s candy as well.”

 

“But... but…”

 

“I know what you’re thinking: There’s more candy here than five kids would get in two years. And you’re right. Once we got back to the spaceport and Capt... I mean, Santa... told the crew what happened, well, they took a vote and decided to give you a share of their own personal stash of candy too.”

 

Lucas did not know what to say. He didn’t have to. The look in his eyes said it.

 

“See,” said Robert, “I told you I had some pull with the big guy. It really is the most wonderful time of the year.”