The Tankini Series: Episode I
Summary: Luke and Mara get stuck on a turbolift together. So, what does that have to do with tankinis? Well, we're glad you asked that. You see, we do not understand those tanktop/panty sets either, and this is our attempt to answer the universal question of, "Do people actually sleep in those?"
Disclaimer: This story is ours. Star Wars is not.
Luke Skywalker began to walk towards the turbolift that would take him swiftly up to the floor his apartment was on, but he paused as he briefly felt a familiar presence with the Force. Suddenly, that presence was cloaked. He turned to see a familiar woman with red-gold hair striding in the direction of the turbolifts, an annoyed expression on her face for being caught and a basket of clothes cradled in her arms.
"Mara!" he called out.
Wincing, she stopped and waited for him to walk over to her.
"Why were you hiding your presence?" Luke asked with a frown. He felt hurt that she didn't want to see him.
"I didn't feel like talking to you today, okay, Skywalker?" Mara Jade bit out, her green eyes menacing slits.
"Where are you going?" he inquired, not letting her rage and frustration throw him off.
"Up to my apartment. Is that a crime?"
"No," Luke said smoothly. "I'm going up to Leia's for dinner. How about we go in the turbolift together?"
"Whatever pleases the esteemed Jedi Master," Mara muttered, her bad mood showing clearly.
Luke waited for Mara to enter the turbolift, not wanting to have his back to her. He followed quickly behind and gave the computer directions to both her floor and Leia's. The two rode in an angry silence (well, Mara was the one who was mostly angry; Luke was mostly fearing for his life) until the turbolift came to a sudden and complete stop two floors below Mara's.
Luke blinked at the computer panel, then moved in front of it, hoping Mara hadn't noticed. "Uh oh," he whispered under his breath.
"Uh oh?" Mara scolded. "Uh ohs are never good when they come from you!" she said accusingly.
"There are good uh ohs?" he responded.
It was right about that time that an automated voice came over the turbolift's speakers.
"Due to a temporary lull in power," the feminine voice began, "we are unable to complete your turbolift requests at this time. We will, however, have you to your designated positions in approximately fifteen standard minutes."
"Uh, well," Luke said, looking a little nervous, "that's not so bad, then. Fifteen minutes..."
"Skywalker!" Mara exclaimed. "Fifteen minutes with anyone is a little more than I am willing to deal with right now."
"Tough week at the Senate?"
"You would be long gone by now if it were you!" the redhead asserted.
"Which is exactly why I leave the politics to my sister," the Jedi Master responded.
There was silence for a few moments before Luke finally broke it. "So, uh," he ventured, looking at her nervously, "when are you going to come to—"
"Skywalker!" Mara growled, eyes flashing, "if you ask me one more time when I'm coming to your blasted Jedi Academy, I'll shove my lightsaber so far down your throat people will think you've become a Corellian glowworm!"
Luke didn't even want to go near that analogy.
After a few more moments of almost complete silence, he suggested, "If we talk it'll make the time go by quicker."
"Will it now?" Mara glared at him.
He quickly backtracked. "Nah, forget it. Talking's bad. Very, very bad. I personally can't see how people handle it. All that communicating really puts a damper on my day, and—"
"This is all your fault you know," Mara stated, breaking through his seemingly incessant talking about not liking to talk.
Luke blinked. "Me? What do I have to do with our getting stuck in a turbolift?"
Mara bit a scathing comment back, preferring to just glare menacingly at him.
The turbolift seemed to start up a bit as the horrible 'turbomusic' died down.
But alas, they were thwarted again as it came to a halt between two stories. So close, and, yet, so far.
The music began again.
In a fit of impatience, Mara flung the clothes basket in her arms onto the floor of the lift.
Out flew the entire contents of her laundry basket: jumpsuits, robes for the Senate, and every day wear, including what looked to be like a blue athletic tank top.
"And you call my clothing selection bad," Luke commented dryly. "Hm. Interesting that you have a large variety of everything, but you only have one tank top. Did you just work out one day this week, or..." and that was when Luke's poor innocent eyes fell upon the tank top's matching pair of underwear.
The underwear was the same color as the tank top, but unlike the tank top it had a small heart with the initials 'L.S.' printed on it, with a pair of lightsabers crossing behind the heart.
Luke's mouth gaped open in utter disbelief. "Wh-wh-what is that?" he stuttered.
Quickly, Mara spat an answer, "It was a gag gift for my birthday! Now, if you please—" Mara's hand fell limp as she realized he had seen the second tank top and underwear set. This one was green instead of blue, and it had the same heart insignia, though the insignia was on the top instead of the shorts.
"Two gag gifts?" Luke's hand started to venture towards the tankini sets before he realized what he was about to do and snatched it back.
Mara went into babbling mode, "Well, the first one fit so well that I had to get another, and your initials are the only things on them anymore, so—"
Luke interrupted her. "Do you actually sleep in those?"
And for the first time in her life, Mara's face turned slightly pink.
Authors' Note: Next chappie coming fairly soon. Please read and review!