Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or have any affiliation with Lucasfilm. Jessica, Muryah, and Jessica's family members are mine.

Prequel

Daydreams

A vast expanse of blue. Above and below . . . .never ending. The deep blue of the steady ocean waves. . . .The sphere of cerulean sky. . . .Everything. . . .Blue. . .

"Jessica? Jessica, are you even listening?" Muryah questioned incredulously. Jessica blinked and peered owlishly over at her. Muryah read her blank look, "You so weren't, were you?!" She rolled her eyes then playfully pushed Jessica, who fell elbow-deep into the sand. Muryah giggled and she smiled in response.

"Hey!" Jessica halfheartedly protested as she regained her sitting position on the sand dune. Muryah shook her head, "You're such a spaz!" she groaned, then looked out into the setting sun as it drooped towards the sea, shielding her eyes with her hand. Both girls were silent as they gazed out over the ocean, watching the sun meet the waves.

Jessica's family owned a motor home and they met through this common recreational medium. The two girls knew of each other since they shared the same hometown. However, it was only this summer both their families had independently decided to spend the summer here in Pismo Beach, California.

"Alright, now that you're listening again. . ." Muryah threw a contemptuous look over at her friend. Jessica pretended to glare at her, then Muryah smiled. "Anyway! So, we were walking up this trail, surrounded by like all these trees and stuff. . ."

They exchanged a glance and Jessica nodded nonchalantly. "When this humongous cow comes onto the trail!" Muryah gestured with her hands as Jessica's eyes widened slightly.

"Yeah, and so we watched it and it watched us. And I was like, 'Do cows charge?!' And he was like, 'I don't know!'" Muryah continued, her voice rising in pitch and volume. "So we were like just standing there wondering what to do when the cow began to walk up the trail, you know, away from us."

"Well, that's good I guess." Jessica interjected.

"Yeah, and so we followed up the trail, because you know that's where we're supposed to meet the others, right?" She continued, grinning. Jessica nodded, she remembered that part of her story. Yet who her friend had been stuck on the trail with she couldn't recall, other pressing matters had occupied her mind at the time.

"So, we're walking up the trail when the cow like suddenly turns around and runs towards us!" Muryah exclaimed.

"Really, that's scary." Jessica commented.

Muryah nodded and laughed, "I know, it was so crazy! Anyway, we quickly jumped out of the way and hid behind a tree while the cow ran past us. It passed like," she held up her hand to show a small amount of space between her fingers. "Like this close to us!"

Jessica sat back. "Wow."

Muryah nodded. "Yep. It was so scary, but then he and I got to talk about it for the next few days so. . . ."

Jessica nodded, trying to remember if Muryah had mentioned who "he" was before she had gone into her reverie.

"Oh! You mean Sam Layrid!" Jessica suddenly recalled.

Muryah rolled her eyes, "Ye-es. . . .Geez Jess." Jessica shrugged.

"Sorry."

"Anyway, so what do you say?" Muryah asked as she turned around to face her.

"Ummm. . ." Jessica searched her memory for the reference. Muryah sighed.

"You're hopeless! What I mean is, will you come walk with me on the beach tomorrow morning?"

"Um, sure I guess. What time?" Jessica cautiously agreed.

"Well, I heard that he comes out here pretty early, so six-ish?" Muryah calculated.

"And what would possess you to wake up at such an ungodly hour on summer vacation?!" Jessica questioned incredulously, before a thought struck her.

"Oh, wait. He?. . ." She read the look on Muryah's face. Jessica folded her arms, "Sam's here isn't he? And now you want me to walk around all morning so he might run past us."

She watched her friend's face turn red under her gaze.

"Leave me alone. . ." Muryah moaned.

"Seriously, Maya?" Jessica sighed.

"Fine, you know what? Just don't go. Leave your best friend to wander around all alone. Just stay at home and-"

Jessica interrupted, "Alright! I'll go!"

Muryah smiled, "Good." Jessica shook her head and gauged the position of the sun.

"I guess I should be heading home now." Jessica said wearily beginning to stand and turn towards the other side of the dune.

"Ok, see you tomorrow." Muryah replied as Jessica started down the steep dip of sand. "I'll see ya bright and early tomorrow!" Muryah yelled at Jessica's retreating figure.

"Arg, the things I do for you," Jessica replied over her shoulder as she turned to her right and stepped out of view and into the fading light.

Jessica slowly picked her way across the sand to her motor home. She gazed up at the dark blue sky and sighed. She looked pensively from her outstretched hands to the blue sphere, then suddenly frowned at her thoughts and shoved her fists into the front pockets of her jeans. She attempted to walk quickly through the sand, but her forbidden secrets seemed like lead weighing her down with each step, slowly dragging her down into the sand.

Once inside her motor home, Jessica started for the wood dining table in the corner. She sat down, put her head in her hands and sighed heavily. Then realizing her thirst, she looked up at the refrigerator across the room. She called out, "Is anyone home?" But only silence reached her ears.

Satisfied, she awkwardly raised her right hand, fingers spread, palm facing toward the refrigerator door. Jessica focused her gaze on the door, and smoothed her face into a concentrated, yet relaxed, look. Suddenly, her raised hand started to glow a pale blue that quickly darkened. She moved her glowing hand to the right, and the door swung open in sync with the motion. She quickly raised her other hand, which had taken on the same sapphire glow, and held it in front of the newly exposed inside of the fridge.

Immediately, one of the water bottles in the fridge flew across the room and into Jessica's outstretched hand. Once the bottle was in her hands, their blue glow ceased and the refrigerator door swung closed with a soft thud, as if nothing had happened at all. Jessica took a sip, satisfied.

She had only used this new-found power to make sure that she hadn't imagined it all and what exactly she could do. So far everything she had tried, from summoning objects across the table to flying things across the room, has worked flawlessly.

The sound of the motor home door opening abruptly invaded Jessica's thoughtful silence. She watched her family file in through the door and the room was suddenly filled with chatter and laughter. She smiled in greeting as the family dog, Jennifur, bounded in with Jessica's grandparents and sister in tow.

"Hi. Home already?" her grandpa asked as he sat on the couch. Jessica nodded and reached down to pet Jennifur, who's eyes smiled in response. Jessica's blonde sister, Julie, bounced into the seat opposite Jessica across the table.

"So, what are we going to do now? Want to watch a movie?!" she enthused.

Jessica smiled. "Sure. What do you want to watch tonight?"

"Mulan!!" Julie replied, beaming. Jessica heard her grandpa sigh and rise from the couch, walking to the bedroom in the back of the motor home.

"Don't you ever get tired of watching the same movies over and over again?" he grumbled to Jessica. "Julie never gets to see the ends anyway because she falls asleep. Besides, what she does watch she barely pays attention to! "

The family laughed at Julie's expense, who enjoyed being the center of the attention and made no comment except a whiny, "Hey. . ."

Jessica got up from the table and retrieved the movie, then sat on the couch with her sister as they watched the opening commercials dance along the screen.