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20BBY
Star Destroyer Resolute
As Fives got out of his bunk, he became aware that something wasn’t quite right. Something had registered subconsciously and it took a few seconds for him to realise what wasn't quite right. It was staring him right in his face. Whilst the others also began to notice It, Fives walked up to it to get a closer look. It was a calendar but not a normal one. It only had 25 days on it and the 25th one was circled in some kind of red pen. The same pen had been used to cross out the day marked one.
“Where the hell did that come from?” Hardcase asked echoing everyone's thoughts.
“More importantly how did it get in here without any of us noticing?” Rex pointed out.
Within seconds of Rex saying that, half the troops were discussing conspiracy theories about kriff knows what.
Tup then made a valid point. “What do we do with It?”
This then spurred another round of discussion and arguments. Personally Fives didn't think it could cause them any harm but it was a little weird how someone had sneaked in. Rex took a different view and pulled the calendar off the wall, threw it in a bin and gave everyone a look that said no further argument.
After four days of the calendar reappearing on the wall with the next day crossed off, Rex gave up and was content just to leave it up there.
On the 7th day Fives was woken by an exclamation of surprise from Hardcase. The reason soon became apparent as there was a tree in one corner of the room. It was about 2.5 meters tall and about 1.5 at its widest. The calendar was bad enough but how had someone got a huge tree in the room full of super soldiers without any of them noticing. It didn't even look like it would fit through the door. Actually it definitely wouldn't fit.
The next night Rex left guards but they failed to catch the intruder. Even the security cameras outside the barracks didn't see anything. On the 10th day, the tree gained some form of weird decorations. Well Fives assumed they were decorations.
By the 15th day, these decorations had spread to the walls. The place was looking quite nice and colourful compared to the normal dull gray. Not that Fives would admit that to anyone of course.
Nothing else changed until the 24th day. It had started off the same as every other day. With that day having been crossed off on the calendar. However, after they all got back from a long day training they noticed that there were what appeared to be red socks on the ends of their bunks. The alarm bells were ringing in Fives head and he wasn't the only one.
“We need to report this to the General” Dogma insisted.
“This is getting stupid” Appo agreed.
“Nah leave them” Jesse countered.
“I'd say that it is concerning but ultimately they offer no threat” Kix pointed out.
“I agree” Fives said “We'd look quite stupid if we reported to the General and there was no threat at all. Especially since the Senator is on board.” “Besides I think these decorations brighten the place up”.
Everyone turned to Rex to see what his opinion and decision would be. “We don't report this to the
General. But if anything appears that looks like it could be a threat, we will not hesitate to get out of
here and inform the General.”
The seriousness of the situation soon evaporated with Hardcase's comment. “I wonder how well
they burn...”
Fives went to sleep that that night with a slight feeling of apprehension and strangely excitement. Once again Fives was woken up by an exclamation of surprise except this time is was from Rex. And the reason soon revealed itself. The socks were now filled with lumps inside of them that looked remarkably like crude bombs. Looking over at Rex, Fives knew he had come to the same conclusion. Rex hit the alarm button and everyone else scrambled out of bed and they all moved into the hallway. Remarkably they all got out of the room without any bombs detonating.
“The General” Rex said as he moved past Fives and set off down the hallway. The rest of them followed behind.
As Rex told the General the events, he had an expression of amusement not one of concern. And when Rex finished, Anakin chuckled and explained what Christmas actually is.
As soon as they realised what those boxes are, there was a second of silence which was followed by a massive charge back to the barracks. Fives took a more controlled approach and by the time he got back, most of the others had already unwrapped their gifts. Hardcase seemed to have a new rotary cannon, Kix had a pile of medical books and even Dogma seemed happy with whatever he had got.
And Fives got a piece of paper? Wait What? Oh. The only thing in his sock was a briefing form. He had to go to briefing room 12-C. Five minutes ago. Ah kriff. He ran out of the barracks and headed straight for the room. He wondered what it could be about and then realised it was probably an ARC mission. He then realised that he was only in causal clothing and looked absolutely atrocious. The opposite of smart.
His worries about what he looked like soon evaporated as he stepped into the room. Leaning on the opposite wall was Rabé. Fives realised that she must of come aboard with the Senator. She moved off the wall and slowly moved towards him as his legs carried him forwards. They stopped when they met and Rabé glanced up. Looking up, he noticed a plant on the ceiling.
“Mistletoe?”
Her smile was the only answer he needed. And as she stepped closer to him, she said in the softest of voices
“There's a tradition with it”.
Before he could respond, he felt her lips brushing against his. Not too bad of a gift after all.