Welcome back, everyone! We're starting the first chapter of this next story, which begins a week after "Didn't go as Planned…", and I'm so excited for this! Calling of Hearts, of course, is the title I've decided on, thanks to input from Obsidian Tear! Thanks a lot, my friend!

Anyway, I don't own Star Wars, only the plot and OCs.

Embo walked out of the clinic on the seventh day after being brought in. He still had a bit of a cough, and his voice was still hoarse when he spoke, but it wasn't nearly as severe as it had been at first.

"Embo! Over here!" a voice called, and he looked over to see Cad Bane waving at him from a speeder.

"Cad; good to see you," the Kyuzo said hoarsely, going over to his friend. He got in the speeder, and the Duros drove out of the small parking lot. "So, have I missed much?"

"Not really," Cad said, grinning. "We've worked out a timeline for the military base project, and now we're talking about alliances and trade routes."

"Sounds rather boring," Embo said wryly, grinning behind his mask. "Though more fun than lying in bed and coughing up my lungs."

"Ouch," Cad said, wincing, "score one for the Kyuzo in the 'who had the worst week' competition."

Embo laughed for the first time in over two months, though it was hoarse. It felt good, finally feeling like he could relax and have a good time.

During the time he was sick, he kept waking up thinking that he was still leading the group through the snow-covered mountains, only to remember that he was at the Colony moments later, when the coughing started. That had only stopped that morning.

Soon, they arrived in the residential part of town, where most of the Hunters lived in houses. Suddenly, upon seeing the colorful lights decorating the houses, Embo realized that he had lost track of what day it was!

"Cad, what's the date?"

"December 16th," the Duros replied, turning into the driveway of his two-story house.

He and Embo were neighbors; Cad's house was white with pale blue frames around the doors and windows, and light gray shingling on the roof; while Embo's house (two stories high, plus an attic and basement) was a warm brown color, with dark green frames and roof shingling. Both of them had rather sizeable yards around their homes.

"Are the Younglings coming for the holidays?" the Kyuzo asked, getting out of the speeder. His friend got out as well, pocketing his keys.

"Yep. The Boss convinced the Jedi to let them come back for a couple of weeks; they're due to arrive sometime tomorrow." Embo smiled, headed across the lawn to his own house, Cad following him. Just as he got to the door, however, he realized that he didn't have his house key on him.

"Hey," he said, turning to the Duros, "do you still have my spare key?"

"Got it right here," Cad replied, pulling the requested item out of his pocket and handing it to the Kyuzo.

"Thanks." Embo unlocked his door, opened it, and went inside.

The house was dark, but a flick of a switch solved that, wall lamps lighting up with a warm glow. The floor had short, dark green carpeting, the walls painted a dark, warm brown, which faded to a dark rainforest greed halfway up and continued on the ceiling.

And there were boxes in the hallway.

"I let the others in a few days ago, when they came to drop off your stuff from the ship," Cad explained, seeing the confused look on his friend's face. "There's a box of the 'get well soon' presents you were too sick to open in there somewhere, too."

"Thanks, Cad," Embo said gratefully, turning to his best friend.

It had been too long.

And there we go, everyone! Now, to clear up any confusion as to why I'm using dates from Earth, my OC Tanoka, who founded the Colony, is a fanatic for stuff from what she calls 'Ancient Earth' (aka our current irl planet), and thus has set up an Earth calendar for her Colony so that she could let them experience all of the holidays that Earth has to offer! Now, I can only do so many, since I'm not really accustomed to many holidays outside of those celebrated by Christians, so please, forgive me for that! In future fics, I will try to figure out a way to incorporate holidays from other religions into them, but I don't know how well I'll do! If anyone can help me with them, please, send me a message and help!

TO BE CONTINUED...