I own nothing except a few characters and the plot.
STAR WARS REBELS
The New Spectres
Christmas 2030 Part 2
PHILADELPHIA - 2030
A few days later the event at the High School took place. Lucy, Justin, and Caleb attended along with Ty, his family, and Eric. Mrs. Archer and her husband also turned up along with Ezra Bridger and Landon McKnight and the group took seats together. Greg Washington introduced each act which lasted for a couple of hours until he reached the final act.
"Our final performance is actually not a student, but one of our teachers who came to us in September and his story has made an impact on many of our students already. He also brought to us some professional experience having worked with the Legendary Darlene Love and released an album of his own. Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome Philadelphia's very own Jedi Knight Darius Carpenter." Greg said as Darius came onto the stage and took the microphone from Greg before performing his own rendition of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" which earned him a standing ovation. After the show, Darius joined his family and everyone who was with them while refreshments were served.
"Still got it." Ezra said.
"Nice to see you made it here."
"RSB is starting to behave itself now that Lucy's Uncle is in charge there." Landon told Darius.
"I heard something about he ordered them to stop shooting unarmed civilians and anyone who did or ordered such would be court-martialed." Ty said.
"Shot and sent to the Russian Front." Justin added.
"Justin, take Caleb over to the refreshments before he misuses The Force and helps himself." Lucy told her brother who took Caleb over to where the refreshments were.
"We're having our office party day after tomorrow. My parents are coming in sometime tomorrow too." Eric told Ezra and Landon.
"Feel free to stay for it." Ty's wife said.
"We might as well. No one decorated our offices and someone lost all the decorations President Houston and General Rodgers collected over the years. General Felth said he sent the person responsible for that to the Russian Front." Landon explained.
"Are you sure AP-5 didn't do it? Chris said that he recently tried to rearrange Noah's pantry and we all know what he's done to that shoe store when no one was around." Lucy asked.
"I would think that Josh keeps him busy." Ezra replied.
The Christmas Party at the office was held as scheduled. Eric's parents had arrived that morning and were quite happy to hear that they would no longer have to deal with RSB agents being rude to them among other things.
"Is that President Bridger?" Eric's mom Melissa asked him as she spotted Ezra and Landon talking to Ty about something.
"That's him, General Marlion, and Colonel McKnight."
"Got food?" His dad Dennis asked him.
"We've got food unless the General's sister-in-law was here. She's a big eater." Eric explained as Ty's wife came over to the Schuylers.
"You must be Eric's parents. Donna Marlion, I'm the General's wife." She said.
"Dennis Schuyler and this is Melissa. We just asked him about food."
"Sergeant Schultz has orders not to let my sister in here. It's where that weequay is standing." She told Dennis and pointed at Hondo Ohnaka who had somehow gotten past Schultz. Eric fought back a groan as he knew Lucy was never happy to see Hondo, but figured that Ezra had something to do with Hondo being at the party.
"Good food. Good food." Hondo said as he took a large helping of it.
"Save some for others. Sergeant, how did he get in here?" Landon told Hondo before turning to Schultz who was helping himself to the liquor.
"I see nothing. I know nothing!" Schultz replied.
"I invited him." Ezra said.
"Okay then. Sergeant, no more drinking. There are kids around." Landon told Schultz as Caleb came over to the food followed by Justin.
"Don't take too much." He told Caleb knowing that his nephew would take way more then he could eat. Meanwhile, Lucy made her way over to Eric.
"Glad I nudged you to call them?"
"Yeah. They're happy to know that I'm no longer part of RSB. I'm guessing you're not happy to see Mr. Ohnaka here."
"Given the choice of Hondo or Brad the Bum. I'll take Hondo any day. Besides, I think Caleb's starting to like him." Lucy told Eric as Caleb used The Force to lift the tray of fried chicken.
"Hey, we talked about this." Darius said to Caleb who put the tray down on the table where they were sitting with Justin.
"You are not eating all of this and you are not one of the customers that gets chased out of your Uncle's shoe store either." Justin said and returned the tray to the buffet causing Ezra and Landon to both look at him.
"Caleb?" Ezra asked.
"Yeah. We think he learned this from Josh."
"That would explain where Rey Skywalker got it from other then Senator Skywalker took every morsel of food she could find when she was pregnant until Master Skywalker stopped her. This was before you got here." Landon said.
"You guys have any ideas for what to get Junior?" Justin asked them gaining Hondo's attention.
"Don't even think of it or you'll be spending the night in a cell here for peddling junk without a permit or whatever the local statue is." Landon told the weequay.
"That's a Summons offense unless he's selling weapons or death sticks." Ty said as he came over to get a drink.
"He isn't selling those no matter what Major Schlager told Landon and or may have had planted before he was shipped off to Russia by Tevin for that shooting incident." Ezra explained.
"Did you ask him?" Landon asked Justin.
"Not yet. I've been kept busy by Caleb." Justin admitted.
"You better ask him then." Ezra suggested. Justin nodded at them and took off followed by Hondo.
"I gotta do some shopping." Justin told Darius and Caleb who had been joined by Lucy and the Schuylers before leaving. Hondo sat down at the table.
"What are you selling?" Lucy asked.
"Nothing." Hondo replied.
"He has nothing to sell. Schlager impounded his merchandise before he was sent to Russia by your Dad for that airport thing." Eric told her.
"Ezra's trying to get it back." Hondo added. Unaware to everyone, the spirits of Mace Windu, Kanan Jarrus, and Bryan Khayman looked over the gathering.
"Jake was like that when he was a Youngling too." Bryan said.
"So was Jacen." Kanan added.
"It's still improper." Mace told them.
"Your Padawan's grandmother caused it in the first place." Bryan shot back.
Christmas morning had arrived at the Carpenter House. Lucy was the first one up and began making breakfast for everyone as Darius came down the stairs followed by Justin, Caleb, and R9-D2.
"Breakfast before presents." Lucy said.
"I'm heading up early to stop by the Pratchards." Justin told her as the doorbell rang and was answered by R9 revealing the Schuylers.
"We're here early since it didn't take us as long to get here as I thought it would." Eric explained.
"That's actually good. We have to be at 30th Street by 11:30 to catch the train to New York and I hope somebody didn't book us on a commuter train that's older then Dad." Lucy told her partner as the three entered the kitchen.
"No, I booked the Avelia and as I recall, you were the only one who complained about that." Darius said to her as she gave Caleb his breakfast before he used The Force to help himself and made coffee for the Schuylers. After breakfast, Caleb tore into his presents which consisted of a large number of toys as the doorbell rang again. This time Darius answered the door revealing Keisha Banks and her dad Jeremie Clarke.
"Come on in. We were just opening presents." He told them.
"I see we're having quite a little gathering here." Jeremie said as he noticed the Schuylers.
"Coffee, soda, cookies, bagels?" Lucy asked them.
"Who's this?" Keisha asked as she sat down next to the Schuylers.
"My partner Major Eric Schuyler and his parents. He transferred in as General Marlion and I opened the investigation into what happened to you." Lucy replied.
"Jeremie Clarke, Keisha's dad." Jeremie introduced himself to Eric's parents.
"Dennis Schuyler and this is Melissa." Dennis said as Lucy put out a tray of cookies. Eventually, everyone left and the Carpenters went to catch their train to New York while Justin drove up since he planned to stop by the Pratchards first. On the train, Lucy and Darius relaxed while Caleb pressed his nose against the window.
"Train go fast." Caleb said as the train sped through New Jersey passing stations and other trains.
"We should be in New York soon." Darius told Lucy as the train made a brief stop at Metropark.
NEW YORK -2030
At the Felth Residence, Tevin Felth eagerly awaited the arrival of the Carpenters. He had sent Chris to meet them at the train station. C-3PO said something about food as Chris returned with the Carpenters. Tevin chose to ignore the droid's comments as Chris walked in followed by Lucy and Darius who was leading Caleb with R9-D2 bringing up the rear.
"We're here." Darius announced.
"Where's Justin?" Tevin asked.
"He said something about the Pratchards. I guess he'll make it for dinner." Lucy replied.
"Shall I set a place for him at dinner?" C-3PO asked.
"What do you think?" Chris told the droid sarcastically.
"Master Christopher, it is against my programming to translate sarcasm. I simply asked the question for the benefit of your mother. Come along R9, we appear to be in the way and I am sure that R2 will be happy to see you." The droid said and left the living room followed by R9.
"Justin just left Ryan's. They were talking about outrageous scams." Lucy told everyone.
"Like that eBay Witch from like 25 years ago with the photos of the phones? I heard Judge Judy entertained herself with that woman." Chris asked.
"Ryan had one while I was taking care of Keisha until Ty found her dad. I think he had that case referred for investigation and prosecution." Darius said as Kelly Felth joined them.
"Should I bring the stuff out or do you guys want Lunch first?"
"This one wants food even though he's eaten enough already. But, best to feed him before he helps himself." Darius told her and pointed at Caleb.
"Justin says he's been doing the self-help to food thing almost daily." Lucy told Tevin as Kelly led Caleb to the kitchen. Justin joined them an hour later followed by Josh, Noah, Tori, and BB-8.
"All we're missing are Justin's friend and the Pietts." Josh said.
"I thought you guys were tormenting Jacen Syndulla until later." Tevin told him.
"We were there already. I had to give Jacen his daily cup of soup." Noah explained.
"I already saw Junior today and he still thinks you're an idiot with a filthy mouth. He also thinks you're a bad influence on Caleb." Justin told Josh.
"The Pietts will be here later. I hope Mike is sober when they do get here. What did Josh teach Caleb?" Tevin said.
"How to use The Force to help himself to food." Justin explained.
"That was defense of stomach from Sylvia." Josh told Justin earning a dirty look from Tevin as he did. Everyone knew Tevin tended to get annoyed at the mere mention of Sylvia Jacobs and her constant desire for food.
"Josh, mouth running over." Tori said.
"Where's Caleb anyway?" Noah asked.
"Upstairs playing a game with Chris." Tevin replied as Tori darted up the stairs to Chris' room.
"I have to admit. He has his faults, but Darius says he's good with the kid." Noah said to everyone.
Mike and Mitch Piett arrived later that afternoon as dinner was being prepared.
"I see everyone's here." Mike said.
"No liquor." Kelly told him.
"Doctor said I have to lay off of it."
"He nearly flunked his yearly physical." Mitch said.
"Who takes over the Navy if you're bounced on Medical?" Chris asked.
"Either Vitor Reige or Eli Vanto." Tevin replied.
"When do you start pilot training?" Mike asked Chris.
"After the New Year." Tevin replied.
"What was the delay on that?"
"Same thing with his blaster training, paperwork. I'm having the person responsible for that screwup sent to the Russian Front too."
"I don't think he's expecting me to be as good with that as Lucy." Chris said.
"Lucy learned from the Syndullas. We all know Hera's claim to fame about snagging Darth Vader in his own tractor beam trap."
"I'm asking Jacen to train you. So you don't make like your dad or Han Solo and fly into an asteroid field." Kelly told her older son.
"Let it go already." Tevin said. An hour or so later, dinner was ready. Kelly had made a huge ham with all the trimmings. Noah supplied a tomato bisque which Caleb basically drank in one gulp.
"Whoever made this soup, it's missing." Mitch said.
"No soup for you." Noah told Mitch and took the soup away from him.
"Never insult a chef and that was a mild reaction." Josh added. After dinner and dessert, Chris darted upstairs to get something before everyone left.
"I wonder what he forgot." Justin said.
"Something AP-5 didn't include on an inventory of something he wasn't supposed to inventory in the first place." Josh quipped.
"Like my refrigerators and pantry. According to him, I should buy more lobster. That's why I don't want that droid in my store even again." Noah told everyone.
"How's the Philly location coming?" Darius asked Noah.
"Signed a lease on a spot near the Market East Gallery." Noah replied.
"When's construction starting?" Kelly asked as Chris returned and sat down next to Tori.
"Sometime next month. I'll probably be back and forth on the Avelia for a few months."
"Once it opens, I'll be in and out every so often to keep an eye on things. I do claim part ownership of that location." Darius told Noah.
"I was counting on that."
"What'd you forget?" Lucy asked Chris.
"A ring." Chris replied and showed it to Tori who reacted with surprise.
"Are you?" Was all Tori could say.
"I think he is." Tevin told her.
"Of course I'd marry you." Tori finally said and kissed Chris.
"Now, we will officially be one big, happy family with all the trimmings." Josh told everyone.
"What trimmings?" Kelly asked.
"Junior, the Pietts, the Marlions, Tyler, probably the unborn Banks child, and others that I've forgotten about." Tevin replied.
"The Schuylers. You know Hochster screamed at Eric's mother." Lucy added.
"He's on his way to Russia too. He screamed at Landon again and got put on report for insubordination again."
"Speaking of RSB, where is Uncle A.J.?" Justin asked.
"Working as usual." Tevin replied.
"You guys forgot about Hondo." Josh said earning a nasty look from Lucy.
"You're lucky today is the one day you're immune to being tossed out on your head." She said. On the train ride back to Philadelphia, Caleb curled up under a blanket Darius had gotten him from the café car while Lucy and Darius watched him sleep.
"They're technically riding without tickets." Darius said softly as the spirits of Mace, Kanan, and Bryan watched over the Carpenters while the Avelia sped across New Jersey towards Philadelphia and Washington D.C..
