Lucky Day
Timeframe: Post ROTJ
Characters: OCs only
Summary: A prime piece of real estate has just opened up - the old Jedi Temple and Nartei is eager to get an apartment there. But is it haunted? Her kids thinks so.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Star Wars concept; Lucasfilm does. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No credits have changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended. These characters are mine.


"Children… Amlery, Slen, Gelzog, stop running in the hallways." The squeals of happy children seemed to echo off the empty spaces and Nartei just sighed. It was going to be one of those days.

She had read the ad on the Holonet, local version of course, and was intrigued by the description of a new apartment complex opening up. Coruscant was teeming with billions of people, always scrambling to get the best, the brightest, the tallest buildings in the vast city planet. Architects, politicians, sycophants of the blue blood elite were first in line for anything new, unusual or with a history that went back millennia. But this time, the newscast had been very specific. The New Republic Government, in an effort to be more approachable and understanding, had opened up a piece of prime real estate to the hordes of the middle-class who worked in the government district but could not afford to live there.

When she had read that, Nartei scrambled to the site, determined to be first in line to rent at the Jedi Towers.

Never mind that her little girl, Amlery, were less than enthusiastic to be living in a place where people had been murdered and had actually gone as far as to say that she refused to move. Slen, on the other hand, was thrilled. He had read about the Knights and that awful long ago Empire day when the blood of Jedi soaked the tiles and wanted to know if their apartment would be haunted. He was very clear that nothing else would do.

At that, her other boy began to chase both siblings, pretending to be a Force ghost, ohhhhing with the best of them. Amlery shrieked, Slen joined in and the trio raced down the corridor and out of sight. But she could still hear the echoes of laughter and squeals bouncing off the beauty of the carved stonework.

At least, with the kids gone, she could think again. Turning to the real estate agent who stood there looking distinctly annoyed and glaring at her with all the grace of a used speeder salesman, Nartei began to haggle.

A few minutes later, some heavy wheeling and dealing and it was settled. She had an apartment overlooking the government building with three bedrooms and a lovely view. Pretty cheap too. Things were definitely looking up.

And just in time it would seem, because her kids had come tearing back, breathless. Amlery, in her typical fashion, was shaking with fear. Everything set her off, especially her brothers who loved to torment her. The two boys were grinning like they had just found the golden orb of Ryloth and they were whispering and nodding excitedly.

She tried to ignore it. Sometimes her kids drove her crazy and after all, she had planning and packing to do. But when Amlery clung to her and wouldn't let go, she finally had enough.

Sharply and thoroughly annoyed by now, she said, "Gelzog, what is the problem?"

Laughing, he smirked down at his sister, "Force ghosts." Then he made another ohhhh sound and sending Amlery shrieking behind her.

"Stop it right now, you two or there will be no holovids for a week." When Slen just snorted and began to giggle, she growled out, "A month, if you two don't stop."

That shut them up but the boys were still eyeing each other and grinning. And Amlery was clinging and glaring at the pair.

She couldn't deal with this now. She had to pack; she had a million things to do before they moved into their new apartment. And she needed to get going before the agent changed his mind and rented it to someone else.

Besides, it was a wonderful place and, imaginary Force ghosts or not, she wasn't giving it up.

Herding her boys ahead of her, holding on to Amlery's hand for reassurance, she took one last look at the Jedi Towers main lobby. The beauty of the place was so peaceful and serene, just the antidote for her rambunctious kids. The carved stonework, the browns of the inlaid tile floor, the hall streaming with sunlight. Even the far-off shimmer of blue from the stained transparasteel figures in the windows was breathtaking. The pictures were so finely detailed that it almost looked as if they were dancing in the brilliance.

Stopping for just a moment and staring intently at the windows, she thought she could see movement up there in amongst the blue images. How odd. But then she blinked and shook her head, pushing aside such a ridiculous notion. Force ghosts, indeed.

She began to grin. At last, it was finally going to happen, a beautiful place she could afford and room enough for the kids.

It was her lucky day.

The end