14 year-old Evelie Dyer ran through the colorful underworld of Coruscant, her eyes bright. As she ran she glanced upward, taking comfort in the familiar Imperial insignia waving overhead on blood-red banners and admiring the TIE fighters that streaked overhead, mixed in with civilian speeders and starships in the constant stream of air traffic above. She was so focused on the TIEs, in fact, that she couldn't see where she was going and slammed into the back of her friend Lora VratÄ—, who spinned around in surprise.

"Evelie!" Lora exclaimed. "Can't believe we just ran into each other! How has your weekend been?"

"Good," Evelie said softly, only partly listening. She was still staring up at the sky, he gaze focused on one particular TIE that had begun spinning and doing loop-de-loops in the sky. Evelie imagined being that pilot, soaring above everything without a care in the world and-

"Evelie! Always looking at those starfighters, aren't you? All the teachers at school have already told you to stop spacing out- you're gonna get in trouble for that one day." Lora's sharp but teasing voice cut through her thoughts like a knife. Evelie blinked rapidly and turned back towards her classmate with a smile.
Lora punched her arm lightly, casually. "Come on, you wanna come to my house and hang?"

Evelie nodded. "Yeah, I just gotta run to the store and pick up some things for my parents first."

Lora nodded. "Ok. See you then."

Evelie turned and walked away towards the store, quickly consulting her list and picking up nutrition packs, spare data chips, and batteries for her dad's next business trip- he always seemed to be going off to some backwater Imperial world to market the products of the Redder Corporation, the company he worked for. She raced back home with the items to drop them off and tell her mother she was going to Lora's house.

The Dyer family's home wasn't exactly the prettiest on the outside- it looked the same as all the other houses on their level of Coruscant, with a tiny cramped garden in the back and a cracked foundation. The inside, however, was a sight to behold- it had blue walls in the living room, as a tribute to the skies of the planet of Oriole where they had once lived. The other rooms were colorful and chock-full of family photos, exotic plants, paintings, shells and seaglass from Oriole's beaches, and other unusual momentos. Evelie saw her mother, Taza, cleaning out the kitchen- her mother only had a small, part-time job at a hospital, so she was home most of the time- and gave the items she bought to her.

"Thanks, Ev," her mother said, using her parent's pet name for her. "Your father will be grateful- he's been so busy lately getting prepared and fixing up the old ship the company gave him."

"I'm going to Lora's, I'll be back in a few hours." Evelie said, already heading for the door and patting her peach-and-white astromech, R4-C9, on the way by.
"Oh, Ev, that reminds me, I forgot to tell you that before your father leaves for his trip, we are all going to an Imperial banquet tonight at 6:00 in their palace. Apparently there's gonna be a military parade and a party in honor of the Empire's recent success, and everyone on Coruscant is invited."

"Really?" Evelie asked. "A real military parade, with TIE fighters and everything?"

"Yep!" Her mom said happily. "Your father is getting out of work early today to come with us. Make sure you're back by then."
"Okay!" Evelie said excitedly, sprinting out the door. Happiness flowed through her. She would finally get to see starfighters up close and in action!