Happy Lunar New Year!

I do not own.

Tuck's eyelids started drooping as he stared at the different monitors. He caught himself just as his head was about to hit the table.

"Ugh, I need more coffee." He groaned getting up. "Hey Nyquist. Can you cover for me for a few minutes?" He said into him comlink. He waited for an answer. "Nyquist?" Static answered him.

He frowned. He glanced at the monitors. He didn't see anything wrong. "Hey, Fortier? Are you there?" He rattled off several other names. But there was more static. Tuck started to have a bad feeling in his guts. He thought about contacting White Knight but didn't want him to think that he was unable to handle the situation. He gulped and hesitantly pressed his comlink.

"Tuck!" He suddenly heard his name.

Tuck managed not to scream like a girl. But reflexes made him draw his firearm and point at the voice.

"Woah, woah." It was Cricket. "It's just me."

"Cricket? I thought you went to hang with Walter." Tuck put his gun away.

"She did." Walter stepped into the room. "But we decided that Christmas wouldn't be the same without you."

"Yeah, we're such suckers." Cricket smirked.

"Well, I'm on duty…" Tuck said nervously.

"Well, get someone to cover for you. You're entitled to a break." Cricket said.

"I tried but I can't find anyone." Tuck said.

"I'll go find someone." Cricket turned around.

"So, congrats on moving up." Walter said to Tuck when Cricket was gone.

"Oh thanks. Honestly, it's been boring, so far." Tuck sighed.

"Hey, better than what happens a few years ago." Walter reminded him.

"Nah, that's not going to happen again. I mean what are the chances." Tuck said dismissively.

"Hey, don't jinx it." Walter joked.

They heard footsteps pounding down the hallway. Both stuck their head out the door.

Cricket was running down the hallway. "Run!" She shouted at them.

"Huh?" Tuck was confused until he saw a practice droid rolling after her shooting.

"Go, go, go!" Tuck gripped Walter by the arm and dragged him away. They were soon joined by Cricket.

"What happened?" Walter panted.

"I don't know. I went to the common room and when the door opened this bot came out and demanded I surrender. Over here." They turned a corner. Cricket pressed a few minutes on a console. A door slid open and they tumbled in before securing the door. They were in Cricket's room.

"Your room's still a pigsty." Walter observed.

"Shut up." Cricket said still panting. "I don't have time to clean."

"I gotta contact White Knight." Tuck touched his comlink. "White Knight?" There was more static. "Why can't I reach anyone?"

Cricket tried her comlink. "I can't get anyone either. I think there's something interfering with the signal." Her eyes widened. "That could explain why the droid is going nuts."

"You think we're being attacked?" Tuck wondered.

"Well, we're definitely being attacked by something." Walter groaned. "I really need to stop coming back to Providence."

Everyone jumped when a loud bang dented the door. More dents appeared as the banging continued.

"We can get out through the vents." Cricket hopped onto her bed and yanked out the grating above her headboard. With one jump she pulled herself up into the vent. Tuck and Walter followed. As soon as Walter disappeared through the vent, the door broke down.

They emerged in the briefing room.

"Where is everyone?" Cricket looked at the empty room.

"I don't…" Walter fell over. "Uh, guys…"

Tuck and Cricket ran over to help him. For the first time they noticed bodies on the floor.

"Oh my gosh…" Cricket checked for a pulse. "He's still alive."

"Same here." Walter said checking another grunt.

"They're all still alive. They're just knocked out." Tuck said.

"Who did this?" Cricket asked.

"Um, I can guess." Walter said nervously.

A droid holding a taser rolled out of the shadows.

The trio took a step back as the droid menacingly came closer.

0o0

Holiday glanced around the table. Her father was talking to his brother while her mother and aunt brought food to the table. Six sat stiffly next to her. Her Nanna sat across from him glaring at him. Beverly sat next to her while Caesar sat on the other side of Beverly.

"Are you going to keep those silly sunglasses on?" She asked Six tersely.

"Yes." Six answered just at succinctly.

"Oh, Nanna, Six can wear whatever he wants." Holiday's mother intervened.

Holiday gave her mother an appreciative smile while her mother gave her a small wink.

"Humph," Was all Nanna offered.

"Why are we still at the children's table?" Holiday could hear Rex complain.

Circe elbowed him. "Shhh." She hushed him.

"I mean Beverly and Caesar are sitting with the adults. Owww." Rex rubbed his shin where Circe kicked him.

Beverly's face turned red. Rebecca patted her on the knee to let her know it'll be ok. She hoped for Caesar's sake that he did not act his oblivious self.

After grace, they started eating.

"So Beverly, it's good to see your young man again." Nanna said.

"Oh yes, well last year we visited Rex and Caesar's family in Mexico." She said.

"And how was the trip?" Nanna turned her steely gaze at Caesar.

Caesar seemed nonplus. Maybe being oblivious was good for Caesar. "It was a good trip." He answered.

"I suppose Christmas is quite different in Mexico?" Nanna continued.

"On the contrary, there are many similarities. We focus on family, traditions, and food." Caesar said.

Nanna tried several more times to question Caesar but he gave pretty bland, non-offensive answers. Holiday could feel Beverly relax a bit. She was glad for Beverly until Nanna turned her attention onto her.

"When are you going to give me some great-grandchildren?" She suddenly asked.

Rebecca choked. Beverly gave her a few thumps on the back as Rebecca tried to hold back her coughs.

"We are taking it one day at a time." Six answered for her.

"Don't take too much time. I'm not getting any younger." She said.

"Or any less blunt." Rebecca heard Six say under his breath. She resisted the urge to kick him and laugh at the same time.

"What was that?" Nanna glared at him.

"I believe it's time for dessert." Mrs. Holiday got up and picked up some dishes. She returned with a Christmas pudding.

The lights went off as they flambe the pudding. Rebecca was glad for the distraction. To her surprise she felt Six's hand on hers.

She looked at him. He didn't look at her but squeezed her hand. She relaxed. Six was telling her that he will take care of everything. Rebecca was overwhelmed with emotion. She smiled at him.

After the flames died down, the lights went back on and the pudding was served. As Rebecca started eating, she saw Rex come up to Six. She could feel him tense.

"Caesar, can you come with us?" Six pushed his chair back. "Excuse us." He addressed the family.

Rebecca watched them walking into the hallway. Rebecca excused herself as well and went over to join them.

She caught the word "situation."

"What's going on?" She asked.

Six looked at her. "Rex was unable to make contact with Providence."

"Is that bad?" She asked.

"Usually, someone can be reached. But since none of are able to get through…" Six left the rest unsaid.

"Then we should go back to check." Holiday said.

"Not all of us need to go. You can stay and…"

"And let my Nanna browbeat me?" Rebecca finished. "No thanks. I'll go with you."

"As you wish." Six smirked.

"Then let's go." Rex said.

Six went over to let the family know.

Beverly walked over to Rebecca worriedly. "What's happening?"

"It's probably nothing but when we can't reach Providence we need to go check." She reassured her sister. "You can stay here with Circe. We don't all have to go."

"Ok." Beverly said uncertainly.

Beverly and Circe watched as Six, the Salazar brothers, and Rebecca head to Caesar's Research Pod. With a loud boom, the ship disappeared into the skies.

"You think they'll be ok?" Beverly asked Circe.

"Sure." Circe said. "Six is there. What can go wrong?"

This is the slowest Christmas story ever. Much apologies. I'm trying to finish in two more chapters. I have this week off maybe I can get some dent into things…

But don't hold your breath.