I own nothing except a few characters and the plot.
STAR WARS REBELS
The New Spectres
The Court-Martial Part 1
PHILADELPHIA - 2031
It had been about a month since J.J. arrived in Philadelphia and moved into what Ty referred to as his Senior Officer's Quarters which was actually the house Eric had been living in. Luckily, there was enough room for the two to spread out and the Neighborhood Mail Thief as Eric put it was serving a 20 Year Prison Sentence.
"Something special being planned?" J.J. asked as Eric appeared wearing a suit.
"Dietrich's court-martial for the two murders and everything else starts today. Lucy's in charge while the General and I are gone. I have to pick up my witness too." Eric replied as he clipped on the necktie that went with his RSB Suit. It wasn't a dress uniform, but his dress uniform was covered in RSB insignia and Schultz kept forgetting to order him a new one.
"You haven't dressed up since you hauled everything but the kitchen sink out of that bank and threw the manager in jail for obstructing justice and hindering a murder investigation."
"I left the plants and the brochures that explain their programs. Schultz isn't exactly the most attentive when it comes to plants and the brochures would have only gone in the trash which would have hopefully stopped Schultz from eating pastries out of the trash again. That is the same look I gave Lucy when she told me about the time she caught Schultz doing an imitation of George Costanza and eating baked goods that he took out of the trash. I'm surprised there was even food in the trash given what I know about the eating habits of Donna's sister. She will eat anything and everything she can get her hands on." Eric said as J.J. gave him a strange look.
"In short, I've been lucky that my lunch hasn't disappeared on me yet."
"It was two months before she started stealing my lunch and eating it. When I asked Schultz, he said he saw nothing, heard nothing, felt nothing, and knew nothing."
"Felt?" J.J. asked confused.
"Lucy said she once threw a fit in 2028 that was rated as a 2.8 on the Richter Scale and shifted the unstable ground at Wyoming Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard. Rumor has it that Wyoming Avenue split down the middle there when she did that."
"Sounds like the story my uncle that I was named after told me about a pig monster. Well, he's not really my uncle. He's actually a close friend of my Dad's and I've known him as Uncle Jason basically since I was born."
"That sounds like a suspect's fairy tale." Eric said.
"I could say the same thing about the General's sister-in-law setting off the Richter Scale by throwing a fit." J.J. shot back.
"Well, I think Lucy made up some of those details or stories. I've been here since October and have never seen Schultz doing what George Costanza did with the eclair." Eric told J.J. conceding the point as he left to start on his journey to New York. The first thing he did was stop for some breakfast and coffee since he was hungry after talking about food with J.J. After that, he stopped to pick up Mr. Peterson whose leg had healed nicely from the injury he had suffered as a result of Dietrich shooting up a bar.
"I hope they put that man away for a long time." Mr. Peterson said as he got into Eric's car.
"He's facing the Death Penalty. They're also trying him for a murder he did a few years ago in San Francisco among other charges." Eric explained.
"Good. Doc says the leg healed as well as she expected with that stuff."
"We should be in New York in about 2 hours or so. Depends on traffic." Eric said as he set the car's GPS and drove off.
J.J. walked into the Remnant Office at the Navy Yard and was greeted by Schultz.
"Major, I put a visitor in your office. He said he wasn't sure of where you were living and decided to come here instead."
"What sort of mayhem goes down in this city when the General's not in town?"
"Of that, I know nothing. Nothing." Schultz said as J.J. made his way to his office where he found his dad Tommy Oliver waiting for him.
"Hey Dad."
"This is your new assignment? Seems quiet." Tommy said.
"It's anything but quiet around here, but the relationship between us and the Philadelphia Police is that they call us when they have something that off-world visitors to the city. Plus whatever our troops find on their own." J.J. explained as R9-D2 rolled into his office beeping something.
"What does the droid want?"
"Colonel Carpenter wants us." J.J. replied as he and Tommy followed R9 to Lucy's office.
"Tommy Oliver, Schultz didn't tell me you that were here." Lucy said to Tommy.
"I'm surprised that you didn't go to New York too." J.J. told her.
"Better I be here in case some RSB guy shows up with a civilian that they had shot for no reason again. General Marlion is in New York dealing with a court-martial as is Major Schuyler." Lucy explained as Darius emerged from the kitchen.
"Another introduction. Tommy Oliver, retired Power Ranger meet Darius Carpenter, Jedi Knight."
"Andros told me about you and what he said Troy referred to as your rude friend."
"Josh has standards about who he makes fun of. It's going on seven years since we found out that Jacen Syndulla's hair was naturally green and Josh hasn't insulted him about that." Lucy said.
"General Marlion's sister-in-law? Eric told me about the Richter Scale fit."
"One day we're going to hear about an EMS call to her place. See him? He likes hanging out in bars and fighting with people. He's wanted by General Terrik for putting the last guy he beat up in a coma. Here's a copy of the warrant. Forbes left the real one at the District Court and a copy with her office before she left for New York herself. She's going to be prosecuting Dietrich. Now, go bring this troublemaker down here so we can ship him back to Texas. Take Darius, your Dad, and a squad with you." Lucy told J.J. and gave him a paper. The three arrived at a bar about an hour later and went inside.
"Major Oliver, Remnant and this is Jedi Knight Carpenter. Seen him recently?" J.J. asked the bartender and flashed his badge followed by showing the bartender a picture of the man he was looking for. Darius placed one hand on his Lightsaber as if he expected some sort of trouble.
"What do you think?" The bartender replied nastily.
"I think your sprinklers aren't supposed to be used for hanging decorations. I think I see rat droppings next to your open bottle of scotch. I think I'll ask the Building Inspector to come take a look around here while I'm at it." The bartended nodded at a couple of people who were sitting at a table in a corner. The two got up and came over to the bar.
"I don't care who you are, you and your pals are not welcome here. Throw them out." The two goons made a grab for Darius only to find a Lightsaber swung at them. Another goon went after Tommy who kicked the guy in the gut sending him crashing into a table. He got up ready for a second round with Tommy as a squad of Stormtroopers came in and pointed their blasters at the goons who quickly put their hands up.
"They're under arrest for assault and obstruction. So's he." J.J. told the troopers who put handcuffs on the goons and the bartender before taking them outside.
"You wanted excitement? Here you go." Darius said to Tommy.
"It's amazing what people think they can do with a few rounds of liquid courage. Sergeant, search this place from top to bottom." J.J. added and gave an order to a Stormtrooper who directed her troops accordingly.
"I've seen Putties and monsters that were smarter then them." Tommy told the two as they walked outside so J.J. could inform the four people arrested of their charges and rights.
Darius and J.J. walked into another bar while Tommy waited outside.
"Hey! I don't serve his kind." The bartender said and pointed at Darius.
"Congratulations, you just admitted to a Remnant Officer and a Jedi Knight that you knowingly violate United States Code Title 42, Chapter 21, Subchapter II, Section 2000a. I'll see if Jedi Carpenter's wife can send some Stormtroopers up to secure this place pending whatever penalties the Court decides to impose on you." J.J. shot back and flashed his badge.
"What do you want to know?" The bartender asked after a sigh. He was in no mood to deal with Lucy seizing his business or anything else that came to her mind.
"Seen him lately? My guess is that he likes places like this." One of the patrons decided to slip out as J.J. showed a photo of who he was looking for. Darius followed the man outside.
"Hold it." Darius called and put one hand on his Lightsaber.
"Why?"
"Because I said so." At that moment, J.J. came out of the bar as the man got on a motorcycle
"This is your bike with the expired out-of-state tags. Let's see your paperwork." He said as the man handed three cards to Darius.
"You do know your license is expired too." Darius told the man.
"What name do we have?"
"Percy Gerald Baker." Darius said to J.J. with a slight chuckle.
"They call me Tiny." Percy told the two.
"Expired tags from another state, expired out-of-state license. We better see if Schultz can find anything on Percy here like outstanding warrants."
"What is it you two want?" Percy asked.
"See him? I asked about him and you walked out the door. We might as well have this bike impounded as a Live Stop." J.J. said and showed Percy the photo.
"I saw him at a bar in New Jersey. He said he was heading to Canada. Said something about a Jedi and a Remnant Pig giving him trouble in Texas."
"Okay Tiny, if you see him again call us and maybe we'll hold off on that records check." J.J. told Percy as Darius came back from their car.
"These are your documents and I need you to sign this. It's a fix-it ticket for your tags and license. Present that to the Judge with your new documents and they'll probably dismiss it. Your insurance and registration are good." Darius said as Percy signed the ticket and received his copy of it.
"Where to now?" Tommy asked.
"I know one more bar that's on Lucy's Public Nuisance List. Frequent fights. We'll have Schultz send some troops up to meet us while we have him send this to New York." J.J. replied.
NEW YORK - 2031
"All rise, the special court-martial is now in session. A Remnant Army Trooper called as Grand Admiral Thrawn entered a courtroom that had been set aside for Dietrich's court-martial.
"Please be seated." Thrawn said as everyone sat down.
"This is the matter of the special court-martial of Major Hans Dietrich. Charges are two counts of Murder, one count of Attempted Murder, one count of Forgery, and three counts of Witness Tampering." The trooper read off the charges against Dietrich and gave the paper to Thrawn.
"Who is representing the Prosecution?" Thrawn asked.
"Shirley Forbes, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Most of the crimes being charged occurred within the City of Philadelphia." Shirley said as she stood up. Behind her sat Chris Felth who no one really noticed since he had removed his trademark Yankees hat.
"Defense Counsel?"
"Colonel Karl Wagner for the Defense." An RSB Colonel replied. After opening statements, the first witness to testify was Mr. Peterson who gave a detailed description about what happened when Dietrich opened fire in the bar and what happened at the hospital. Colonel Wagner then asked Mr. Peterson about a prior arrest.
"Objection. This evidence was never made available to the Prosecution." Shirley said.
"Colonel Wagner, you will abide by the Rules of Evidence from here on out. This is still a Court of Law within the confines of the United States." Thrawn told Wagner as Shirley sat down.
"Withdrawn. Nothing further." Wagner said. The next witness presented was Eric.
"Major Schuyler, how did you determine that the Defendant had forged the signature in question on People's Three?" Shirley asked Eric and showed the evidence to Thrawn.
"The Defendant reacted with what I would describe as a bit of fear when I suggested that I contact General Marlion to confirm that he signed the paper in question. The Defendant then collected his troops and left the hospital Emergency Room after I suggested that I might find a better conversation about the matter with General Rivers."
"What happened the second time you interviewed Mr. Peterson about the incident that you were investigating?"
"With the proper treatment of his injuries, Mr. Peterson was able to recall more about what had happened and said that the first shot which killed the victim that we were investigating the death of was fired by a Remnant Security Agent which explained to me the Defendant's interest in him. Mr. Peterson was then taken for a bacta treatment which was supervised by General Marlion's wife and upon being returned to his room we found the Defendant ransacking the room looking for something. As I was confronting the Defendant about his activities, General Marlion, Colonel Mackey, and my fellow officers arrived and placed the Defendant under arrest."
"Your witness." Shirley said returned to her table as Wagner came over to question Eric.
"Major Schuyler, you were assigned to Remnant Security yourself at one point?"
"Yes I was."
"And you never engaged in any of these tactics yourself?"
"Ripping people out of hospital beds and killing them is beneath me as is blasting unarmed civilians in the back. Unlike most members of the RSB, I was born in the United States and raised better."
"Do you have a chip on your shoulder towards the RSB?" Wagner asked Eric as Shirley stood up.
"Objection." She said.
"You do not have to answer that." Thrawn told Eric as Shirley sat down.
"Do you associate with a known criminal named Hondo Ohnaka?"
"It's my understanding that he's a friend of sorts to President Bridger and is doing his best to stay out of trouble while President Bridger is President. My interactions with him have been limited to an operation and a Christmas Party that President Bridger was also at."
"I have nothing further." Wagner said and sat down.
"Redirect?" Shirley asked getting a nod from Thrawn.
"Major Schuyler, why were you transferred out of the RSB?"
"Three officers of higher rank then mine came to the conclusion that I didn't fit in there after working with me on an operation in the Ord Mantell System. Two of the three didn't find out that I was from this planet until the Christmas Party I mentioned after the transfer went through."
"You were treated rather harshly by members of RSB. Why was that?"
"I wasn't engaging in conduct that was considered part of the Standard Operating Procedure which includes intimidation and violating people's Civil Rights. I first considered putting in for a transfer after an incident in which an Agent named Hochster screamed at my mother to the point I was told that she never wanted to see or hear from me again."
"How did you end up assigned to Remnant Security?"
"They drafted me while I was in the Academy." Eric replied.
"Thank you Major." Shirley said followed by Thrawn excusing Eric. The next witness to testify was Marty Rawlkins who testified about the incident in San Francisco where Dietrich had shown up and thrown his weight around and how Marty's key witness in that case later turned up dead. Wagner asked Marty about his dealings with Steve Laramie until he finally accused Marty of treason to which Shirley quickly objected to and Thrawn ordered Wagner to stop that line of questioning.
At Lunch, Eric sat in a park by himself and picked at the food he bought when he found himself joined by Chris Felth.
"Hey." Chris said.
"It's Chris right?" Eric asked as he tried to remember what he knew about Lucy's brothers.
"Yeah. My Dad wants me sitting in on the trial since he can't. He thinks he might be called as a witness." Chris replied as he sat down at the table.
"I didn't notice you in Court." Eric said.
"That's because I'm usually wearing this hat." Chris told Eric and pointed to his Yankees hat.
"I've seen the picture in your sister's office. Why are you here?"
"Dad thought that this may have opened up an old wound or two." Chris replied.
"It didn't. But, I remember Wagner from when I was at RSB. According to him, the only way out of RSB was in a body bag. I guess I was lucky that my transfer orders were signed by your dad himself and Colonel McKnight had just brought Hochster up on charges among other things that put RSB under a microscope. I know your parents weren't too happy when they heard about Hondo's comment regarding Hochster screaming at Caleb or that he breached security at The Pentagon and screamed at two Generals." Eric said.
"I was there when Hochster screamed at Caleb. The minute Darius said something to him, the attitude changed from yelling to leaving."
"Did he yell "Bah" as he left?"
"Is that a trademark of his?"
"Yep. So is slamming doors after saying that."
"Considering Dad nearly let Darius crush Hochster's windpipe about six years ago when he yelled at Lucy. Getting jacked up by Landon and demoted is nothing."
"Before or after?" Eric asked Chris who knew that Eric was asking if Lucy had given birth to Caleb or if she was still pregnant with Caleb when that happened.
"She was pregnant with him. Dad wanted to bust him on the spot to a Buck Private, but decided that letting Darius do a Vader on Hochster would be much more satisfying." Eric let out a chuckle as he suddenly found his appetite and began eating.
"Whatever your dad sent you to do, it worked." Eric said between bites.
"If you're still hungry, try Noah's soup stand and order either the Mulligatawny or the Lobster Bisque. But, don't consume it while you're driving. If you're lucky, you might run into Jacen Syndulla there. Jacen is also part of the extended family. Noah is set to be married into the family soon by way of his sister." Chris told him and left.