I own nothing except a few characters and the plot. There are a few Law & Order things included just to add some New York flavor.

TROOPS: NEW YORK

CHRISTMAS IN THE EMPIRE 2014


Colonel Tevin Felth walked into the squadroom at the Federal Building in Manhattan.

"Joe's standard decorating?" He asked as he saw the Christmas decorations all over the walls and desks.

"Wasn't Joe who did this." Said Lieutenant Colonel Darnell Hollister as General Joseph Rodgers walked in carrying a box.

"How did Houston forget we have decorations here?" He asked Tevin.

"She doesn't think to look in boxes marked "Kitchen Utensils"." Darnell said.

"Drop the sarcastic commentary about how I store things in here Darnell." Joe said placing the box on a table and taking out an electric menorah.

"I'm glad Max had the sense to buy an electric one for Derik after he transferred in. We can't have candles in here anyway." Tevin said.

"Probably the only thing Max has done to Derik that didn't end in Derik chasing him around the building trying to kill him." Joe told him as Kelly Felth walked in.

"Wanda beat you to it again? She asked Joe.

"Like she does every year." Joe said as Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi came through a pair of double doors carrying a tree followed by Wanda Houston.

"Put it there and finish putting everything on it." She told them and walked over to the gathered officers.

"Why did Padme volunteer us for this?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Probably to keep us busy or keep you out of trouble on the streets." Anakin replied.

"Anakin, we have been through this already. I do not cause trouble on the streets of New York."

"Are we plugging this in yet?" Anakin asked ignoring Obi-Wan.

"I'll plug it in when everyone's here. I'm interested to see what Padme's done with the other offices. I want everyone back here at 1700 in Class A Uniforms to take the Christmas picture. Pass the word." She said and left.


Admiral Firmus Piett had his hands full trying to keep up with his grandson who was running around Toys R Us in Times Square.

"Mitchell, settle down." Firmus told the child who finally stopped at a display of toy dinosaurs.

"I want this one." The boy said as he picked up an item.

"Tyrannosaurus. Don't you have this one already? I know you don't have this one. Brachiosaurus." Firmus picked up a second toy and showed it to Mitchell as his cell phone rang.

"Admiral Piett. Yes. I have Mitchell with me. That's not a problem? He's looking at dinosaurs right now. He has that little blue tank engine and his friends. You should be able to find some at the Transit Museum. There's a store in Grand Central. Bye." Firmus put his phone away as Mitchell handed him the Brachiosaurus. Firmus then discreetly grabbed the Tyrannosaurus off the shelf and put it in the basket that contained the items he was buying for the kids while Mitchell was looking at something else. Firmus and Virar Needa had taken Mitchell and the rest of the kids from the office to the Museum of Natural History when a topic of discussion had shifted to a subject that he and Needa thought the kids were better off not hearing about until they where older. Chris Felth had taken an interest in the dinosaur exhibit and the kids enjoyed the space exhibits which Firmus and Virar had helped the museum expand to include exhibits on the cultures of other planets as well as clearing up some confusion about what happened to Endor following the explosion of Death Star II.

"Mitchell, come." Firmus said. Mitchell followed along as Firmus paid for the items and took him into the subway to head towards the office. The Empire had offered him a car and driver, but Firmus found it easier to take the subway instead.


Later that afternoon, Wanda had gathered everyone in their Class A Uniforms and placed them under a banner in the office which she had hung on a wall that had no doors, windows, or hanging papers on it.

"This spot is perfect. There's nothing in the background to ruin the photo." She said as she directed people to where she wanted them to stand. Michael Myers joined them wearing a suit and stood behind Max Walertin and Derik Lavi.

"The only suit I will ever own. I wear it for court Obi-Wan." He said.

"Max stop giving Derik devil horns before he rips your arms off and that's an order." Joe said as Michael tapped Max's head. Wanda was not impressed at all.

"Company, Ten-Hut." She snapped realizing that calling them to attention would be the only way to stop the fooling around.

"Now I'm setting the timer on the camera so no foolishness. Firmus, take the hat off please. Thank you. Company, smile." She said and ran to a spot next to Tevin. The camera went off and Wanda went to check the picture. Satisfied, she looked up at everyone.

"Company, dismissed. I'm sorry I had to be military with you, but I didn't want to have to retake it because half of you looked like you were about to fall asleep where you stood like in last year's picture." Tevin came over to see the picture.

"We look like wooden soldiers." He said.

"It's better then that picture where Walertin gave Chavez and Lavi rabbit ears. Which I'm still annoyed about after the fact." Michael said. A soldier walked in wearing a red outfit.

"Mrs. Claus, where's your husband?" Richie Terrik asked.

"Klinger, what is it now?" Joe asked.

"A bunch of stuff just came up on the freight elevator for the Secretary of State." He said and left.

"That stuff was supposed to go to my office in the other building. Someone must not know how to read instructions." Wanda said.

"More like somebody wants one of Joe's Free Trips to Russia after being demoted for stupidity and being on the receiving end of a blaster shot." Erica Rex chimed in detailing Joe's usual threat of punishment for almost everything.

"Radar!" Joe called.

"Yes, Sir. You want me to find Master Kenobi and Master Skywalker and tell them you need them to move boxes." Joe's clerk said from behind him.

"Find Anakin and Obi-Wan. Tell them if they have nothing to do, I have stuff that was sent to the wrong place."


IMPERIAL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

The sounds of the season were spreading throughout the halls and offices even though the decorating was taking longer then expected. It didn't help that the workers were taking their fourth coffee break for the day. That part annoyed Krissy Houston more then her mom's text message saying that most of the decorations were delivered to stopped to look at a somewhat finished Christmas Tree with a pair ofworkers standing around eating donuts.

"You know, my mom will make you two regret this slop job."

"We're not done yet." One worker said.

"Put down the donuts and get back to work then before my mom gets here, sees this, and has you two sent into combat somewhere." She walked to an office and entered without knocking causing Senator Padme SKywalker to lookup from the latest complaint about the behavior of Michael Myers and the Empire's Stormtroopers.

"Does Michael Myers even know how to be nice to people?" Padme asked.

"He's nice to some people. Others it's growling at, smacking them on the back of the head, or having their dirty laundry made a matter of public record by letting the Ledger publish it among other things. Mom said he's not much for playing politics. I heard Khayman was the same way. Except Khayman didn't have the dirty laundry published in the Ledger. He preferred having it shown on the evening news." Krissy's phone beeped.

"Joe's looking for Anakin and Obi-Wan. Someone in Transportation screwed up somewhere and the decorations that are supposed to be here are at Ops ."

"Ani's getting dinner and I think Obi-Wan's wandering aimlessly somewhere. Michael had what goes on in some doctor's exam room put on the evening news so it will be in tomorrow's Ledger."

"Unless Jersey's answer to Jabba the Hutt and his goons do something out of spite again. Did someone tell you about that Bridge Thing already?"

"Someone told Ani about the so-called traffic study."

"Either Admiral Piett, General Felth, or Myers told him. There was no traffic study done, just some cones moved to gridlock a town on the Jersey side of the bridge in the name of Political Revenge. Anyone who says it was a traffic study to the Empire is risking a visit from Myers and a squad of Stormtroopers with an arrest warrant on a perjury charge at the very least. I'll ask Jake and Jeremy to do some of the trees in here. They don't take breaks every two hours for no reason. " Krissy left Padme to finish reading the papers left on her desk. Padme quickly decided to make a phone call.

"Ani, I need you and Obi-Wan to swing by Ops and pick up some boxes that were delivered there from Storage by mistake. Joe probably gave them to Radar so ask him. We also need help decorating here because the paid staff thinks breaks every two hours is written in their so-called labor contract. And don't forget my gift or I'll have Max superglue a note about it to your head. I'll have Obi-Wan remind you every day then. Try Queens Center or Jersey, but do it tomorrow. Wanda's gonna throw a fit when she sees nothing done here. Worse then one of your alter-ego's fits. Krissy's getting the Twins to help so you and Obi-Wan can help too. Bye, Ani." Padme hung up the phone and returned to an e-mail from the New York State Division of Parole about Michael using Imperial Intelligence and Stormtroopers to harass a parolee on request from the District Attorney's Office.