The Ghost of Christmas Past leads the person entering the space in one of two directions, giving little context or explanation for the visions. They speak, for the most part, for themselves.

i.

There are two tow-headed youngsters lounging around the living room of a small, third-floor apartment. The brick tenement is cold and uninviting from outside, but inside the family has done their level best to make it nice.

There's one major barrier to doing this up the way it deserves: money.

There's a Christmas tree in the corner with some modest packages underneath. The boy arises to begin distributing all the gifts, wrapped in red and green paper that has begun to show some wear—it's recycled from years past. The parents and the boy begin opening their gifts, slitting the tape to save the paper once again. But the sister tears into her presents with a smirk—one which quickly falls in dismay.

"I thought we were getting a game system," she complains. "These are just clothes."

"It's okay," the boy says to her. "We'll get something cool next time."

"It's always 'next time'!" she exclaims, rising and stamping her foot.

"I'm sorry, Nat honey, but—" her father begins, but his daughter is already stomping her way to the bedroom.

"It's not fair!" she calls back to them. "It's never fair!"

The brother arises, making a motion to his parents to remain there, and follows her.

ii.

The Mother of Invention is a UNSC heavy war frigate, filled with personnel who staff it as part of the paramilitary force called Project Freelancer. This includes agents North and South Dakota, who are rare in being a pair of siblings who serve in the same unit. But there's a lot of rarities in the Project. Most of the soldiers who ended up here have done so because it was their only means of avoiding court martial.

The pair of twins serving as agents are no different in this.

Christmas day is not a holiday in the Project; those who serve here and who celebrate the day do what they can to keep the day, but they don't get any time off for it. North and South had each bought each other a gift on their last leave, and they exchange the presents after training hours are through.

"Holy shit, Drew," South says, laughing at the item she had revealed by pulling back the paper. "You remembered the game system I wanted as a kid! And now it all fits on this little device," she adds. "You stupid asshole. You really should have made dad pay for it."

"You know, he couldn't really afford this back then," North says.

"Of course I know that! I'm just fucking with you, idiot."

North chuckles a little, but shakes his head.

"I know. I had to say it, though."

South gives North a punch on the shoulder. "I know."