Disabled ship, far from searchers, no transmitter, cold and dark at Christmas. Team, feeling lost, exchange thoughts, fears and gifts. CO sends the 1968 Apollo 8 Genesis message. With mysterious help, team does just enough to make it home.
When the Marines are stranded in enemy territory on Christmas day, they receive a cryptic transmission which tells them how to "hitch a ride" back to safety on an incoming comet's orbit.