I own nothing except a few characters and the plot.
STAR WARS REBELS
The New Spectres
Eric In Charge
PHILADELPHIA - 2030
It had to happen sooner or later, Ty and Lucy left Eric in charge of the office. Both of them and their families had left town for the weekend. Lucy to New York to her parents and Ty to somewhere near Washington to spend time with Steve and Marty's families. Eric had taken the time to decorate his office with a few knick-knacks he had picked up from a few stores around the city. He had placed a few books on a shelf when he heard a car horn honking outside.
"Schultz, tell whoever that is out there to knock it off." He called out to Schultz.
"Yes, Sir." The Sergeant replied as Eric went back to what he was doing. Satisfied with how his office looked for the moment, he went to see what was going on outside. He stepped outside to find a man in a dark suit with a fedora, a Remnant Officer in uniform, and a squad of Death Troopers with someone in handcuffs who appeared to have a blaster wound.
"Do I know you? And don't try to deny it." The man in the fedora asked Eric sternly with a faux-German accent. It took Eric only a second to realizer that this man was with Remnant Security and that he had never seen this man before.
"Obviously you don't know and I have no idea who you are other then an RSB officer." The man sized Eric up and down.
"Perkins, Major Perkins?"
"Schuyler, Eric Schuyler. I was assigned the Ord Mantell smuggling case and then I was transferred here because a few members of the RSB were developing questionable psych profiles."
"I am Major Schlager. We spotted this man trying to breach the security fence at the airport. He was ordered to stop and he didn't. So, I ordered them to shoot."
"Why isn't he at a hospital then?" Eric asked the Major.
"I brought him here for processing. I hope you are not going to be difficult about this, Major Schuyler. I would hate to have to inform your commanding officer of your uncooperativeness."
"He's out of town and so is his second-in-command. You're stuck with me."
"Where is your commanding officer then if he is not in the city?"
"He and his family are somewhere near Washington D.C. I believe that they are visiting with Generals Laramie and Rawlkins and their families. He has asked that they not be disturbed and I believe that they have no reception where they are."
"Where is the Second-in-Command of this base if he is not in the city?"
"She is with her family in New York. As in they are visiting with her parents. That would be both General Felths in case you didn't know or have that in your file on her. I've been given orders not to disturb them unless it is an absolute emergency as well." Schlager froze at the mention of the Felths. He didn't need to be court-martialed, shot, demoted, or sent to Siberia because he had rubbed the Felths the wrong way.
"Please supply me with the required forms so that I may fill them out while I get this prisoner proper medical attention for his wound and tender him to your custody for the proper legal processes. I hope this shooting does not cause any problems. As you were one of us, you should know how we tend to react to things like that."
"Attempting to breach an airport security fence and not listening when told to stop. I would have had him shot too. Just that I would have used Stun instead." Eric said as he went back into the building to get the paperwork for Schlager to fill out.
An hour later, Eric had received word from the hospital that Schlager's prisoner would recover from the blaster wound to his shoulder and had reviewed Schlager's report about the incident. He had gone up to the hospital himself to talk to the prisoner about what had happened. A Stormtrooper led him over to where the prisoner was located.
"Did anyone ready you your rights?" He asked.
"You mean the guys who shot me? I think they forgot about that." The prisoner replied as Eric pulled a card out of his pocket.
"Then I'll do it before that guy in the hat and suit gets back here. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say and do will be used in court later. You have the right to an attorney. If you can't afford to hire an attorney, one will be provided to you upon request. We're also not allowed to force you to make statements that may incriminate you. Understand that?"
"Yeah."
"Having those rights in mind, did you want to talk to me now or later?"
"Get this over with."
"Why were you climbing an airport security fence? I mean the razor wire alone should have been a deterrent."
"Some guy paid me $500 dollars to do it. He said he needed to distract them to get something on a ship and off the planet. I should've said no, but I needed the money and he was willing to pay me in cash up front. Gonna cost me a lot more then that now."
"I'll see what can be done when my Commander gets back." Eric said and stopped by the Stormtrooper as he left.
"If Major Schlager comes back and tries anything, contact me at once. Also, inform the Major and his posse that this man has been read his rights."
"Yes, Sir." The Stormtrooper replied. Eric decided he needed to tell Ty and Lucy sooner rather then later. Ty's orders to him were to not bother him unless something happened and an RSB man ordering Death Troopers to fire on someone who was paid to attempt to breach airport security was something worth reporting. He also knew that Lucy had left no order on her end and that her parents would want to know about another case of RSB using excessive force. He pulled out his phone and began typing a text to Lucy hoping she wasn't in the middle of something important.
NEW YORK - 2030
The entire Felth Family was keeping the house bustling with activity. The house had become somewhat crowded with the additions of Josh, Noah, Tori, and Ryan Junior to the mix followed by the arrival of the Pietts.
"You wanted the nest full again. Now, everyone's here and you're still complaining. What would you like?" Kelly asked Tevin.
"The extended family is a bit much." Tevin replied as a phone made a noise.
"Lucy, your phone's beeping." Kelly called out to the backyard where everyone was mingling.
"It's probably just a spam text about some non-existent outstanding student loan payments or my non-existent extended car warranty." Lucy called back to her mom as the house phone rang and was answered by C-3PO who turned to Tevin.
"Excuse me, Sir. But there is a Major Schuyler from Philadelphia on the phone and he wishes to speak with Mistress Lucille." The droid said.
"I'll take it." Tevin told 3PO and took the phone.
"If that's not important, he's on his way to someplace in Russia." Kelly interjected.
"Hello, Eric. I'm guessing that was you messaging Lucy's phone just now and that this is something important. Who? Schlager? I thought he was in Chicago. Word's getting around the RSB that I'm getting tired of some of their stunts. That's clever. I'll tell her what's going on. I always want to know when RSB shoots somebody and puts them in the hospital or the morgue. Thanks, Eric. Bye-bye." Tevin hung up the phone.
"What did RSB do now?" Kelly asked as Chris walked into the kitchen.
"One of their Majors had a guy shot for scaling a fence at the Philadelphia Airport. Eric Schuyler dropped our name in the conversation and has Major Schlager tied up in paperwork while he went to the hospital to check on, Mirandize, and see if he could get a statement from the guy Schlager had shot. The guy was running interference so someone else could smuggle something onto a plane. I'll know more once all the loose ends are tied up."
"Was that Lucy's new partner?" Chris asked.
"Yeah. One of the few RSB guys who actually did real work as opposed to acting like an escapee from Creedmoor." Tevin replied as Mitch Piett appeared beside Chris.
"Dad wants to know if you have any more beer or if he needs to go out and buy some." Mitch told Tevin who was writing down some details about the phone call for Lucy.
"Tell him there's another case of 30 in the basement fridge and to come get it himself. Also, remind him that the Remnant Security Bureau and their trigger-happy agents one of which shot someone today are also under my command."
"I'll go get it. That was a fresh case this morning. Who drank it all?" Chris asked Mitch.
"My dad and your girlfriend are the top two drinkers. Your sister is buzzed and somebody better do something about your brother's friend because he is wasted and I think he might do something that nobody needs to see. Especially the neighbors."
"Guys, never mind about the other case of beer. This house party is going on the wagon. Some people don't need anymore liquor." Kelly told the two as Lucy entered the kitchen.
"Where's the refreshments? Uncle Mike said if he doesn't get a beer soon, somebody is going to be sent to the Russian Front or thrown out an airlock." She said.
"Your mother just cut off the liquor supply. Also, RSB was trigger-happy this morning. Major Schuyler left a message for you with the details of who was shot, who gave the order, and the stories they gave him." Tevin replied and gave her the note.
"I'm not going back to deal with this mess right now. I'm in no shape to drive or even deal with this Schlager dummkopf and whoever he had with him. On top of that, Darius took Caleb somewhere after Uncle Mike's sixth beer. Looks like he has everything under control with this. There's no interplanetary flights out of PHL. This would not be a Remnant matter outside of Major Schlager's Death Troopers shooting the guy climbing the fence." Lucy said as she read the note.
Darius and Caleb came back to the Felth House that afternoon. The first thing he found was Junior passed out on one of the couches with Justin standing over him.
"What happened to him?" Darius asked.
"Drank too much." Justin replied.
"It is simply disgraceful that people would consume so much liquor to the point that they simply cannot handle the end results of it. I have never seen such boorish behavior from anyone, even from members of the Solo Family on their worst days. I am so glad that this child was not around to witness this kind of behavior. Come along R2. I think our services are needed in the kitchen." C-3PO added as he headed towards the kitchen followed by R2-D2.
"Whatever." Darius muttered towards the two droids as Tevin appeared.
"I'm guessing that he's hungry again." Tevin said as Caleb ran towards the kitchen.
"Probably looking for snacks." Darius told Tevin as Caleb returned with a cookie.
"Grandma gave me this." Caleb said and showed off the cookie.
"What else did I miss?" Darius asked.
"Kelly cut off the booze supply. Besides this one passing out, Mike Piett had two more after you left with Caleb and Lucy is in no shape to drive by her own admission. That leaves Schuyler to deal with Major Schlager and the person he had shot today." Tevin explained as Chris joined them.
"Who is Major Schlager and what does this person have to do with us?" Justin asked.
"Another RSB man riding around with Death Troopers that have itchy trigger-fingers. They shot someone climbing a fence near the Philadelphia Airport."
"I'll take Caleb up to my room and set him up with the game system so he can't hear these details or see the worst of the drunks." Chris said and took Caleb upstairs. At dinner and after their guests had left with a little coaxing from C-3PO and Mitch Piett, the Felths gathered around the family dinner table. Kelly had made a rather large meatloaf and everyone had taken some along with the offered sides. Darius had to make sure that Caleb didn't take too much.
"What's going to be done about these trigger and torture-happy RSB men before they accidentally kill an innocent civilian?" Lucy asked.
"Psych evals, retraining, and reassignments to those who either fail the eval or show signs that they don't belong there based on the observations and recommendations of others like I did after I read Landon's note about Eric." Tevin replied.
"Did you guys hear the other bit of news?" Chris asked his siblings.
"What other news?" Justin asked back.
"There was a robbery attempt at the shoe store. Attempt as in when we got there, Chris had the perp at the point of his own gun and BB-8 was threatening him with his prod." Kelly explained.
"Where's this story going?" Darius asked as he tried to stop Caleb from moving the condiments around with The Force.
"We're giving him a gun. We'll probably give one to Justin too." Tevin replied.
"Cool. I guess we get trained when the paperwork is done?" Chris asked.
"We'll train Chris and I take it Lucy will teach Justin how to use it. Being that you two are Felths, handling a blaster should come naturally. Your sister was an expert with a blaster at 14. The weequay she put in a burn unit for three months her first time outside of the range and simulations is up in Attica serving life without parole."
"Don't worry, it's easy. I'll help too. Mr. B. had a good teacher with the blaster. An old Clone Captain from the 501st. His name was Rex." Darius reassured Justin as he remembered his own first time with a blaster and with his Great-Grandfather's Lightsaber.
PHILADELPHIA - 2030
"Major Schuyler. When am I getting my prisoner back?" Major Schlager asked Eric with a hint of annoyance in his voice.
"There's a few problems with that. The hospital hasn't discharged him yet. I've already interviewed and informed him of his Miranda Rights. There's a couple of ongoing investigations involving him based on his story and your report. Finally, General Felth took offense to your men not using Stun on this suspect. In other words, he's my prisoner and he will be processed through our system like any other prisoner. Meaning he will be arraigned on the charges that I can legally file on him and the Judge will set bail that he will most likely be able to post." Eric replied.
"My men arrested him. Not yours. I get to decide what his fate will be."
"You arrested him. A Judge in a court of competent jurisdiction gets to decide his fate. You're forgetting that I know the RSB Playbook."
"I wish to speak with the commanding officer of this base about this. NOW!" Schlager said raising his voice at the end.
"I told you when you showed up that he was out of town and left orders not to be disturbed."
"Then get me the Second in Command. at once." Eric knowing what Schlager had planned for the prisoner in question dialed the number for the Felth's house phone and put it on speaker where it was answered by a very annoyed Tevin.
"Major Schuyler, is there some reason you have called me again? Mrs. Felth is ready to have someone court-martialed or worse."
"I demand you order him to release my prisoner to me AT ONCE!" Schlager shouted into the phone.
"Major Schlager I presume."
"Yes, Sir. That is him." Eric told Tevin.
"Well, I am not deciding things on decibel level. Seeing as the prisoner has been booked and read his rights. The prisoner will remain in the custody of Major Schuyler and go before a Judge while this other matter is investigated. Major Schlager, I suggest you go pack up your office and pack up your quarters. You're being reassigned to the base in Volgograd effective immediately for shooting a civilian with intent to injure and for screaming at me."
"Yes, Sir." Eric said.
"As you wish." Schlager told Tevin who ended the call.
"I know your playbook, but I also know the accused have rights too. Also, General Marlion has it as policy that Remnant prisoners in this city are to be treated the same way he and General Rawlkins were treated by General Laramie all those years ago. No torture and no summary executions." Eric explained to Schlager.
"BAH!" Schlager shouted and stormed out of Eric's office passing a dumbfounded Schultz on the way out of the building.
"I heard the shouting and wanted to make sure no one needed an ambulance."
"Just somebody who's being sent to the infamous Russian Front that Lucy always talks about." Eric said with a slight chuckle.
Lucy and Ty returned to the office on Monday and read the reports about Schlager.
"Where's Eric?" Ty asked.
"Walking this prisoner through arraignment in case Schlager left orders to kill that man behind Eric's back as his last laugh before shipping out for Russia." Lucy replied.
"I always thought that was an inside joke from the New York base when General Rodgers ran the place and not a threat."
"Schlager did a Hochster imitation on my Dad. He's fed up with RSB as a whole. Eric when he was there was one of a few people there who were actually doing something of value. He and my Uncle Mike are tired of smugglers. If anymore are caught going into or coming out of Onyx, Eli Vanto is going to be told that he can start landing troops on that planet and install law and order." Lucy explained as Eric entered Ty's office.
"Judge Greer released the guy without bail since all we had was an attempted trespass. He took issue with Schlager's men shooting the guy with intent to cause injury or death as did both lawyers. I told Schlager's crew to leave town and that General Felth has promised Russian Winters to anyone who shoots an unarmed civilian." He said.
"Which means he pleads No Contest, pays a fine, picks up trash off the ground in Rittenhouse Sqyare or whatever they have him do for a few weekends, some Probation, and files a million dollar lawsuit against RSB and Major Schlager for what amounts to Police Brutality which is probably what General Felth is so ticked off about." Ty explained.
"He's looking to purge RSB of troublesome people one way or another. Psych evals, transfers, that sort of stuff. I think he's planning to assign my Uncle A.J. to that. It didn't come up, but I'm sure he wants to start at the top." Lucy added.
"Failure to supervise. What I would get if you two went off the deep end, did something crazy, I knew about it, and did nothing to stop it." Ty told them.
"You mean like the stunt I pulled on that bank?" Eric asked.
"Forbes didn't object to that and you were serving a subpoena on them."
"Just do what Schultz does when you find out your sister-in-law raided the kitchen and say you know nothing, you hear nothing, and you see nothing. Nothing." Lucy said.
"Luckily for us, she'll be cleaning out a buffet or two in Atlantic City today."
