(Author's Note: written for Round 4 - Part 1 of the Fabulous Spec-Fic Smackdown. Prompt was:

This round, we challenge you to write a Christmassy science fiction story featuring a spunky heroine. )

Megan pushed her way through the noisy, crowded pub, searching for her friend Molly. The place was packed, not surprising for Christmas Eve. Full of office workers celebrating the start of Christmas holidays, already half flush from office parties, many of them decked out in red Santa hats, crazy jumpers and flashing ornamental earrings.

With her red sparkly jumper, green skirt and Christmas tights, Megan thought she fitted in rather well.

Someone jostled roughly against her and Megan flung up a hand to protect her festive headband. Decorated with small golden bells interspersed with costume pearls, she'd chosen it to stand out from the plethora of velvet reindeer antlers. Mind you, it had cost a bit more that the antlers. It was an investment, really, she'd told herself. The headband would last for many more Christmases to come, unless it was knocked from her head and trodden under foot!

Fruitlessly wishing she were taller, Megan stood on tiptoe, and scanned the room, peering through her glasses. Ah, there was Molly, seated at the end of the bar. Only a few yards away, it might have been a mile, considering how tightly the crowd was packed. Megan made sure her bag was zipped tightly shut, her purse and the tin whistle she had received from Secret Santa, safely tucked at the bottom, then slung the bag crosswise over her body and grimly began to push her way through, muttering a constant stream of 'excuse me's, and holding on to her headband with one hand.

~~

Hundreds of people reported seeing a huge fireball shooting across the sky last night.

Concerned callers speculated on a plane disaster or a falling satellite, but scientists have confirmed it was a large meteor. Debris fell over a wide area. Damage is still being assessed but first reports suggest the King's Head pub has been totally obliterated. Emergency services are combing the wreckage for survivors.

~~

Megan opened her eyes to find herself sitting in the desert, her legs splayed out in front of her. Apart from some scrubby bluish bushes, there was nothing nearby except for red sand. A cluster of stony outcrops stood off to the right, several hundred yards away.

What the hell had happened? She felt dizzy and for a moment thought she was going to be sick. She put up a hand to her head and felt cold metal.

What the-? She whipped off the helmet and stared at it, turning it over between her hands as if she had never seen it before. Then she blinked. How odd. Of course it was her helmet, made of golden metal, the one that had saved her life more than once.

How could she have forgotten? Had she been in an accident or something?

Cautiously, she got to her feet and took stock, running hands down her arms and legs. Apart from the dizzy feeling, she appeared to be unharmed. Her scarlet tunic and dark green leggings were intact, with no rips or tears, and her leather satchel was still safely on her back.

What had happened? What was she doing out here in the desert? Why couldn't she remember?

Before she could slide into panic, she heard shouting and the sound of pounding hooves.

A rider appeared from behind the nearest outcrop, his six-legged steed ploughing up the dust as it galloped in her direction. Even from that distance her eyes were sharp enough to see the rider was a man, dressed in leathers, a black wide-brimmed hat pulled firmly down on his head. His lips were drawn back in a grimace.

Behind him ran three... creatures... evidently in hot pursuit. For a moment Megan's brain struggled to make sense of what she was seeing. Their heads were blue—skin or scales, she couldn't tell—and shaped more like a lizard than a human, with a crest of five spikes on top. She would have thought they were wild animals except for the fact that they were running upright on two legs... and wearing brown cloaks over brightly coloured tunics. They seemed to be gaining on the rider.

If she didn't move soon, they would all be right on top of her.

Megan darted to one side and reached into the satchel, searching for something she could use to help the rider. Her hand grasped cold metal and she whipped it out. Her silver sonic rifle. How could she have forgotten that? Now she knew what to do. She pointed the rifle and fired, three times, once at each of the pursuers. As one, they clutched the sides of their heads and fell to the ground, rolling over and over.

The rider turned to stare behind him in astonishment, then, instead of pulling up as Megan expected, stuck his heels into his mount and swerved toward her. Megan only just managed to leap out of the way before he thundered past, saddle bags clinking.

What the-? Hands on her hips, she glared after him then turned to face the three creatures which were now on their feet and dusting themselves off.

Closer up, she could see that the blue colouring on their heads and hands consisted of tiny iridescent scales. Rather beautiful. Although their jaws were elongated, they looked less lizard-like than she had first thought, which was strangely reassuring. Their eyes were round and slightly protuberant, but the colour of the amber irises varied from creature to creature, rather like humans.

Megan gripped the rifle, ready to defend herself in case the creatures attacked, but the three kept their distance, content to raise their voices and not their fists.

"Who are you?"

"Why did you stop us?"

"Why did you help that thief?" asked the shortest one, angrily.

Megan felt a sinking sensation.

"'Thief'?" she repeated, weakly.

"Didn't you see? He had his saddle bags stuffed full of zircons."

"Our zircons. That we mined under our licence."

"A whole season's worth!"

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry. I thought..."

"You thought we were the bad guys, right?"

"You must be a newcomer to Calafia. Everyone else here knows we Venturi are a peaceful race."

"Not like Humans!" added one, sourly.

Anger appeared to be turning to resignation. "Well, it's too late now," sighed the tallest, ready to trudge back the way they had come. "Let's go home."

Megan turned to look after the rider, now a dot in the distance. She had made a mistake, leaping to conclusions. She supposed the Venturi might be lying about owning the zircons, but they weren't the ones who had tried to knock her down.

Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. She squinted down the barrel of the rifle, aimed at the fleeing rider and fired.

There was a puff of dust. Then nothing moved.

"My sacred egg!"

"You got him!"

Grinning, their eyes wide with excitement, the Venturi set off running to retrieve their zircon. The third one paused and turned back to Megan.

"Will you wait for us, here? We could use a Protector like you!"