Upcoming Works

This is a list of stories I'm working on, hope to work on soon, and am developing ideas for. Keep in mind that this list can and will change depending on what I'm interested in at any given time and what else is going on in my life.

Currently Working On:

Star Wars Sequel Trilogy Fairy and Folk Tales: 

Brave Rey (Molly Whuppie) - Rey and her sisters Rose and Kaydel set out to seek their fortunes in the Kingdom of Crait. They stop to rest at a massive castle...that turns out to belong to the Giant Snoke and his apprentices. Now Rey has to get herself and her sisters out of this pickle and rescue the Kingdom's treasures - including the imprisoned King Han - from the wicked giant and spoiled Prince Ben. 

The Water of Life - Queen Leia, in mourning for her lost brother and husband, is dying. She tells her son Prince Ben and her adopted children Hux and Poe that whichever of them finds Luke, who alone has the water that can restore her, will rule her lands when she passes on. Hux and Ben are determined to find the water first...but it's kind Poe who proves that a gentle heart and good nature can triumph over the strongest evil.

Star Wars Original Trilogy Fairy and Folk Tales:

Thumbe-Leia - When Bail and Breha Organa wish for a child, they're given little Leia, who sprouts from a flower seed and never grows bigger than their thumbs. But size matters not, and when Leia is spirited away by a fat and greedy toad, she goes on an incredible adventure across the gardens of the Kingdom of Alderaan, ultimately rescuing Prince Han of the fairies from an icy prison. 

Coming Up Next:

Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

Fairy and Folk Tales

The Swineherd

Novels/Novellas

Resistance Kids: The Last Good Cop (Alternative Universe - 1950's) - Rey is the first student at Luke's new police school, but he's wondering if he should give up teaching after the destruction of his previous school. Meanwhile, the First Order Gang is back on the street, including Ben Solo, and they're gunning for blood...and for Finn to rejoin them. Then Poe's beloved sports car blows to bits in front of his eyes, and Hank vanishes and his business is ransacked.

Star Wars Original Trilogy

Novels/Novellas

Original Snow Queen-Inspired Action/Fantasy - Set in the three years between New Hope and Empire Strikes Back, and my first story set within the regular Star Wars universe. Han, Chewie, Leia, and Luke are on a diplomatic mission to buy supplies from a snow planet that's remained neutral in the battle between the Empire and Rebellion. Leia's hoping to sway them to the Alliance's side. Unlike Hoth, this planet is inhabited, mainly by criminals and nasty goblins. It's queen is a shrewd magician with her own ice-based powers. The goblins, determined to make mischief, get slivers of a Force-sensitive crystal in Luke's eyes and heart. It turns him into the opposite of his usual self...making him cold and distant to his two best friends. Leia, Han, and Chewie have to dodge the planet's shadier citizens and a summer witch with her own plans in order to free Luke from the goblins' spell and find out just what the Snow Queen is up to.

Tales of the Gold Wookie (Alternative Universe 1930's Adventure) - It's 1939. Layla and Luke Skylark are fresh out of the University of Arizona and ready to change the world. She's an archaeologist; he's a reporter. While Luke is content to be an intern for world-weary veteran crime reporter Benton Kennally, Layla is far more ambitious. She wants to find lost treasures for her idol, museum owner Marta Mothma. Her current obsession is rescuing the (reportedly magical) lost royal jewels of the Kingdom of Alderaan from nasty General Tarkin and the Empire.

Luke convinces her to hire Harry Solomon, a pilot with a dilapidated plane who runs his own charter service, to take them to where the treasures were last seen. Layla's not happy with the idea at first. Harry is rude, arrogant, and only cares about getting his share of the treasure. Not to mention, some of his former bosses make Tarkin look like a kitten. Tarkin has his own formidable underling, the corrupt industrialist Derek Vader. After Kennally gets into trouble with Vader, Luke insists on bringing along venerable old Asian archaeology professor Takamashi Yoda as their guide.

Fairy and Folk Tales

The Poor Miller and His Cat
Robin Hood

Remember WENN

Novels/Novellas

Once Upon a Time In the Land of WENN (Alternative Universe Fantasy/Fairy Tale) - Even when Elizabeth and the others leave Port Harbor, looking for the Emerald Talisman, trouble follows. Lady Gloria Redmond has no desire to even discuss the magic that caused her so much grief. There's also the evil candy witch Pavla Nemcova, who has both Jeff Singer and Sir Victor Comstock in her grasp, to contend with.

In Development: 

Star Wars Saga

Novels/Novellas

A Star Wars Christmas Carol (Alternative Universe - 1840's/Christmas Carol) - Anakin Scrooge is the stingiest man in Victorian London. He barely pays his son Luke to work as his clerk and mostly ignores his strong-willed daughter Leia. He learns the importance of charity when he receives visits on Christmas Eve from four ghosts...and realizes that he may still have a second chance to save not only himself, but stop his grandson Benjamin from following in his footsteps.

Star Wars Original Trilogy

Novels/Novellas

Dark Medieval Fantasy (Alternative Universe Han/Leia based fantasy) - Inspired by this Tumblr post. Leia is in search of her missing brother Luke, who was in training to be a wizard before their parents were killed and he was kidnapped. He's not the only one who has disappeared. The queen is dying. Her greedy, power-hungry adviser Palapatine is taking over the throne. The queen once had a son, Prince Hannel, but he vanished and is presumed dead. It's rumored that Palapatine is really a dark sorcerer who worked some terrible enchantment on the missing prince.

Leia finds a man imprisoned in a dungeon in a remote corner of the kingdom. The bedraggled man with the auburn hair had once worn fine robes, but now has no idea who he is. All Leia knows is he's insufferably stubborn, an excellent shot with a bow and arrow, and is always accompanied by an enormous Wookie wolf. The two are eventually joined by an eccentric old wizard and a mysterious unicorn with sad blue eyes as they try to find out who the silent man is and avenge Leia's family. 

Superhero Story (Alternative Universe 1970's Superhero/Action Fantasy) - Leah O'Malley is an intern in corrupt Coruscant City by day in 1977. By night, she's Force Girl, a superheroine who is a member of the Rebel League, a society of superheroes and vigilantes who fight the regime of the evil Mayor Palapatine and the devious Chief of Police/super villain Derek Veder. Lucas Weston is a geeky college kid and major comics fan who discovers that the owner of a local book store/comics shop was once The Negotiator, a great World War II/Golden Era superhero...and that Lucas is the inheritor of a superheroic dynasty. Lucas seeks help from Harris Arietta, a carpenter and handyman whose dog Chewbacca always rides with him and acts as a Team Pet.

Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

Novels/Novellas

Hello Leia! (Alternative Universe - Musical-Inspired) - Leia Solo-Levi is the best-known matchmaker in New York City in 1907.  She's hired by her ex-husband Harold Solo to find a match for their son Benjamin, who can't make up his mind between the severe police chief's daughter and anarchic son of one of New York's richest men. What she wants is to re-marry her husband, but he has his eyes on a woman in town. Meanwhile, she engineers a meeting between Harold's clerks Poe and Finn and two cute girls in Manhattan, Rey and Rose. They all come together at Harmonia Gardens, the restaurant owned by Leia's brother Luke, for a most memorable evening. 

Remember WENN 

Novels/Novellas

Captain Victor, Man of Power (Alternative Universe Superhero/Action) - Set directly after the first season episode "There But Before Grace." Tired of dealing with (and being run all over by) sponsors and confused about his feelings for Betty and Grace Cavendish, Victor Comstock imagines himself as one of those new superheroes that have become popular with the kids, Jeff as his sidekick, Betty as the new girl reporter on the block, C.J as a scientist, Ceila as the daughter of a missing scientist and Victor's other sidekick, Hilary as a snooty actress-turned-society-reporter, Mackie as their boss, and Grace as a Dragon Lady-type villaness.

The Best Radio Christmas Pageant Ever - A kind of "missing scene" story set during the early first season. Victor wants to present the story of the Nativity on the airwaves, but the kids starring in the show are unruly, Hilary wants a bigger role, the sponsor is turning the show into a commercial, and Ceila will have nothing to do with it. And there's reports of a major snowstorm heading for Pittsburgh...

On the Edge of the Precipice Series

The Fox and the Falcon - Betty finds herself head over heels involved in espionage when the true leader of the spy ring becomes known...and Victor Comstock returns with startling news...

Remember WENN Fairy Tale Series

Hilary's Story: Beauty and the Beast - Wrap-around segments set day after fourth-season episode "You've Met Your Match." Story based around third and fourth season. Angry at Scott and Jeff for their behavior the night before and in the past few months in general, Betty and Hilary concoct the story of two sisters who discover that the beastly owner and manager of a dilapidated theater may not be what they appear on the outside...or even inside...

Mr. Eldridge and Gertie's Story: The Man Who Minded the House - Set after and based around the fourth season episode "Work Shift." Mr. Eldridge recalls the story of how a man and a woman (him and Gertie) learn that the grass isn't always greener in someone else's work area when he takes over her household duties and she works in the fields.

Story Ideas: 

Star Wars Prequel Trilogy

Novels/Novellas

The Road to Coruscant (Mid 20th Century Alternative Universe) - Ben Kenobi and Anakin Walker are singers taking their vaudeville act on the road. Anakin is forever coming up with moneymaking schemes that get them into a few little problems with the law, to the annoyance of Martin Windu, their long-suffering manager. They have no problems romancing the ladies, either...until they encounter beautiful, elegant dancer Patricia Amidala. Patricia, a genuine noblewoman, is in a heap of trouble with the nasty Count Dooku and Lord Palpatine. Anakin says it's up to them to get her out of it. Ben...wishes they could just go home to Los Angeles, but Anakin is his best friend, so he does it anyway.

Fairy and Folk Tales

Swan Lake

Star Wars Original Trilogy

Han Solo, Galactic Private Eye (Alternative Universe) - Han is a laid-back private eye in his dilapidated ship, with his wookie partner Chewbacca by his side. Old Ben Kenobi, who sometimes gives him work, finds him a doozy - help his friend Luke Skywalker find Leia Organa, the daughter of a prince, who was carrying some very vital information to Alderaan when she was kidnapped by a nasty war lord. (Haven't decided if this one is going to stay in the Star Wars universe, or be moved elsewhere.)

Western (Alternative Universe Western Adventure) - It's 1867 in the untamed plains of Coruscant, Idaho. Former homesteader Luke Walters longs to be a sheriff, like his late daddy Anthony was before him. He may get his chance at an apprenticeship when the current sheriff, Ol' Ben MacKenner, deputizes him to help rescue rancher's daughter Leia Ortez from the bandits who have raided and burned her home. They also get more dubious assistance from Harry Solo, a shady gunrunner, and his partner, Native American warrior Chewbacca.

The Music Han

Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

Novels/Novellas

The Wizard of Oz (Alternative Universe Fantasy-Wizard of Oz-inspired) - Rachel "Rey" Gale lives with her Aunt Leah and Uncle Harry and their two farmhands on a farm outside of Jakkuson, Kansas in 1939. She feels like her life is as gray as the world around her, especially after the nasty man who runs the First Order Manor near-by threatens to take her beloved Westie Terrier BeeBee to the pound and her grouchy cousin demands his share of the farm. A tornado whisks Rey and BeeBee over the rainbow and into the land of Oz. Oz is under the tyrannical rule of the Warlock of the West and his apprentice. Queen Leia was imprisoned in her own magic bubble and banished to the lands of the South, where she amasses an army to stop him. She once ruled with her husband and her wizard brother, but her husband vanished after he was attacked by her son, and her brother is hiding in the Emerald City. Rey has to go to the Emerald City to find the Wizard Skywalker, with the help of a cowardly lion-soldier, a scarecrow who had once worked for the queen, and the Tin Smuggler, who seems to know a lot more about the queen and the Warlock of the West and his apprentice than he'll let on...

1920's Reporter Melodrama (Alternative Universe - Roaring 20's Action/Adventure) - Rowena "Rey" Knight has traveled all the way from England to work with the great Luke Waterson, the most decorated and popular reporter to ever have written for the Hosnia City Daily Star. But when she arrives, Hosnia is under siege from the First Order Company, a criminal organization that uses a legitimate business as a front for everything from bootlegging to kidnapping to gambling. Luke Waterson has gone into hiding behind his desk at the Daily Star. His sister, Leia Waterson-Solomon, is the town's mayor, but she and her task force, including bush pilot Poe Damerez, can't hold out much longer against Arlington Snoke and his protege Kylo Ren. The arrival of Rey and former First Order Company worker Finn Finnegan may be what Leia needs to turn the tide. 

Remember WENN

Maltese Falcon Film Noir Spoof II (Alternative Universe Film Noir/Mystery) - Wrap-around set during the late third or early fourth seasons. Hilary and Scott give two different sides of the tale of a dame who may or may not have gotten a private eye involved with smuggling and murder.

Ceila Short Story - Missing scene set during the first season episode "A Capitol Idea." Ceila says good-bye to the station after she's hired by the guy who wanted her to promote Blondie cartoons.

Fairy Tale Series

Jeff's Story - Aladdin and His Magic Lamp
C.J's Story - Jack and the Beanstalk
Victor's Story - King Arthur
Ceila's Story - Goldielocks and the Three Bears
Mackie's Story
Eugenia and Mr. Foley's Story

Original Children's Short Stories

Stories based after childhood memories, including:

Painting someone else's fence.
Little kids running through other people's yards when Mom and Dad aren't looking.
Beach frolics - walking home from the 

Introduction - BB In Toyland

This is my Star Wars version of one of the oldest and most beloved of all Broadway musicals, the operetta Babes In Toyland. The opening was mostly inspired by the infamously cheesy 1986 TV version, and there are some parallels to The Wizard of Oz as well. This was supposed to have been the Christmas story for 2017, but I got so caught up with the holidays and a lot of trouble over New Year's, I didn't have the chance to finish it until now. At any rate, I hope you enjoy it as a bit of the holiday season in bleak January.

Eight-year-old Barbara Beatrix "BB" Dameron is excited to go with her brother Poe to visit Skywalker's Department Store in downtown Philadelphia. While she's there, she overhears a plot by the owner's son to force his mother to sell the company to Alexander Snoke and his First Order Value Department Stores chain. Worried but tired, she falls asleep in the mini-train in the toy department...and wakes up in Toyland, a land of houses made of gingerbread and factories that make nothing but toys. Here, she has to help Poe the Piper's Son and Rey Quite Contrary stop the evil Barnaby Snoke and Sir Kylo Ren from taking over the Factory and destroying all of Toyland forever! 

BB In Toyland, Part 1

Rating: PG (fantasy violence)

Pairings: Han/Leia, Poe/Rey, Rose/Finn

Disclaimer: The franchise belongs to George Lucas and the Walt Disney Company. 

My name is Barbara Beatrix Dameron, but you can call me BB. Everyone does. (But never call me Babs! I hate that.) I live with my papa Kes, mama Shara, and my sisters and my big brother Poe in a townhouse in Northeastern Philadelphia in 1986. Papa and Mama run a book store with all our aunts and uncles and cousins. We sell a lot of Spanish-language books for people who just moved here, along with English books and some books in other languages, too.

I mostly like riding the Septa buses with Poe to Market Street. Market Street is really fun at Christmas! There's all kinds of decorations and lights and people around, carrying big paper bags with names of all the stores. We even dropped coins into a jar besides a singing group in colorful outfits performing a song I didn't know. Poe lets me look into the windows to see the mannequins in sparkling dresses with lots of sequins and the big thick furs and velvety coats. When I'm older, I'm going to have a really sparkly dress and a fur coat and hat, and I'll look like Joan Collins on the grown-up TV show Dynasty.

I told Poe that as we went into Skywalker Department Store. “I'm going to look just like Joan Collins when I grow up,” I said as he held the door open for me. “But I won't be mean. She's always fighting with Krystle.”

Poe raised an eyebrow. “How do you know that? You're too young for that show, Squirt.”

“I'm 8 years old, Poe,” I said to him as he opened the second door with the brass trim. “I'm big enough to know stuff. Besides, Mama and our aunts talk about it all the time.”

Mama and Papa were busy getting ready for our family Christmas Eve party tonight, so Poe brought me along to Skywalker's Department Store while he works with Mrs. Leia Weston-Solo, the head of the store. It's six stories of everything you could imagine - clothes, books, furniture, candy, electronics, pots and pans. It looks more like a castle than a store, with lots of pretty gold trim and huge sparkly chandeliers and an organ that plays concerts. Every time I go in there, I feel like a real princess. I always say we should take a pumpkin coach there.

“Can we go to the toy department first?” I asked as we got on the escalator.

Poe smiled. I know a lot of girls think his smile's really cute. “Sure, kiddo! You can look at the dolls while I meet my boss, Mrs. Leia Weston-Solo, and Mr. Alexander Snoke.”

I frowned. So did my brother. “Who's he?”

“He owns the First Order Value Department Stores.” Poe made a face. “They're like Jamesway and K-Mart. Lower-quality stuff than what we sell. Good toy sections, though. I think Mama has taken you to the First Order Value store in South Philly a few times.”

We got off the escalator on third floor, which lets you off right in the toy department. It's the most wonderful toy department in Philadelphia, maybe the world! They have all the best toys here. One aisle was all pink, Barbies and Hot Looks and Jem and the Holograms. There were the boys' section with all the G.I Joes and Transformers and MASK. Another row had the science and food stuff, the rock tumblers and Snoopy Sno-Cone Makers. There was another aisle with video games, Nintendos and Ataris and Segas and Mario and Alex Kidd. A little red and green train tootled around the floor. A huge Santa throne surrounded by a mini train and giant fake lollipops sat in the center, though Santa wasn't there. I guess he was getting ready to take the reindeer out for Christmas Eve.

Poe and I had just arrived when we saw a whole group of grown-ups come out of a door behind the . The first was Mrs. Leia Weston-Solo, my brother's boss. She and her brother own the store. She's an older lady in a black-and-white checked suit with a dark red blouse, her gray hair up in braids around her head. I think she's really pretty. She kind of reminds me of the old lady on TV who solves mysteries.

“Mr. Snoke,” Mrs. Leia Solo was saying, “Skywalker Department Store has been in my family for over thirty years. My parents, Pamela and Andrew Weston, bought it from Quinton Jenson's family after he died. They ran it together until Father left to start Empire Five and Dime with Stephan Palpatine. After Father and Mr. Palpatine died in a fire, Skywalker's absorbed Empire, and my brother and I took over the management from Marta Mothma.”

“I'm aware of the recent history of this business.” Mr. Alexander Snoke was ugly. He was tall and wrinkled and looked like Freddy Kruger in a black and gray suit. I was afraid he might pull out claws and start stabbing everybody. “I'm also aware that Skywalker's Department Store has been steadily losing money for nearly two years now. Even after you opened stores the malls at Cherry Hill and Exton Square, you're still in the red. Your inventory is overpriced and your sales can't compete with ours or other value chains like Zayre and Ames.”

“We're working on ideas for that.” My brother gave Snoke the same look he gives Papa when he argues with him over missing family events for store meetings. “Our plans for the next two years should increase profits by nearly thirty percent by the end of 1988.”

“That's not enough.” The tall young man with the black hair was also skinny, but he was a lot better-looking than Snoke. He had a long thin nose and big brown eyes that reminded me of Miss Leia's. “Mother, come on! Malls are the wave of the future, Mother. Value is the wave of the future. This old barn has seen its day. I say we should sell the store and company, tear this down, and build something new and up-to-date, or at least drop a few departments and restructure our business model.”

Miss Leia gave the young man a look that sure scared me, but didn't seem to scare him at all. He just gave her a lazy smirk. “I've been to one of those First Order Value stores, Ben. Shoddy merchandise, barely-paid employees who know nothing about what they're selling and are nasty to customers, maybe two registers opened at one time with outdated computers to save money on running costs.”

Another thin guy, this one with red hair that was so slicked down, it looked like a shiny red rock, raised his hand. “Mrs. Solo,” he said with an accent that sounded like it should have been on PBS, “as your lawyer, I think it's in yours and Mr. Weston's best interest to sell the chain. Take the money and retire somewhere warm and tropical. You and your husband could take a nice, long vacation.”

“That's right.” Ben gave his mother a smile that wasn't very nice. “How is Dad? Is he still running around with Laurence Callman and all his old gambling buddies in Atlantic City? Or is he off racing boats somewhere in the Pacific?” He crossed his arms. “And why isn't Uncle here? Still hiding in the toy department somewhere? He's going to have to stop being a hermit someday.”

Miss Leia was really mad. She looked like she wanted to take Ben and spank him, even though he was twice her size. If Mama looked at me like that, I'd be running for the Drexel Hills. “Mr. Weston and Mr. Solo are at work.”

“And my Uncle Larry and I live on Rittenhouse Square nowadays.” Finn gave them a look from the teddy bears. “He owns a couple of nightclubs here and in Atlantic City.”

The smaller guy with the black hair shuffled papers. He looked like a little black mouse in a gray suit. He had little eyes and a nose that kept twitching. “As your accountant, I've been going over your books, Mrs. Solo. It would seem that someone is skimming from the company.”

I didn't know what that meant, but it didn't make Miss Leia happy. “Mr. Mitaka, I know everyone who works here, and I can assure you that...”

“I've seen some suspicious activity in his paychecks.” Ben pointed at Poe. “I wouldn't be surprised if that little Hispanic kiss-up's been sticking his fingers in the till.”

My brother said something in Spanish that Papa yells at me for saying, then went on angrily in English. “I would never steal from this company, Mr. Solo. Your mother raised my salary because my family needs the money.”

Now I thought he were just being mean. I got so mad, I went right into the meeting room and said so. “That's not true!” I stomped right up to Ben Solo. “My brother's not a thief!”

“What is this?” Snoke looked at me like I was something gross on his shoe. “Why is that child here?”

I gave my best “Papa is mad” look to Benjamin Solo. “You take it back! Poe's never hurt anyone in his life! I'll bet you're the thief!”

“A thief? Me?” Benjamin made a face, wrinkling his long nose. “I'm the vice-president of the store. I work here, too.”

“You,” Mr. Snoke snarled to me in his raspy old voice, “are a meddling brat who should keep her nose out of things that don't concern her.”

Poe had a fist out. Uh oh. Even Mama's rules about fighting won't stop Poe when he's really mad. “Don't you talk to my sister that way!”

Miss Leia put one hand on my shoulder and took Poe's fist with the other. “Under the circumstances, Mr. Snoke,” she said in a voice that would have frozen the Schuylkill River in the middle of July, “I think you had best leave. We'll continue the negotiations in January, after the holidays.”

“Very well.” He handed Miss Leia a thick stack of papers. “Some light reading for your vacation. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas.” Miss Leia turned to the others as soon as Snoke left. “Hux and Mitaka, we'll discuss the books the day after Christmas.” She then went to her son as they walked out. “As for you Ben, I can't believe you'd even think of saying something like that about an employee and family friend, especially in front of the owner of one of the top department store chains in the country!”

“You know I wouldn't steal from Mrs. Solo!” Poe exclaimed. “That money was a bonus for a job well done.”

“See?” Ben waved his finger at my brother and me. “How come he gets a bonus and I don't?”

“You don't have a family's you're providing for.” Miss Leia narrowed her eyes. “Not to mention, as junior vice-president of the company, you also get a larger salary than him.”

“So there!” I added, even though I'm pretty sure our vice-president is named Mr. Bush, and he's a lot older than Benjamin.

“Mother, why don't you just listen to me?” Benjamin's voice was getting even more whiny. “I don't know why you won't cut more departments. We don't need the book department anymore, or electronics and records, or the toys. There's other, cheaper places for people to buy them.”

“You can't drop the toy department!” I wailed. “That's the best part of coming here!”

“What about all those jobs?” Poe took my hand. “And I happen to like the book department myself. If I can't find it at my parents' store, I can find it here.”

“If we can't raise our revenue, all those people will lose their jobs anyway.” Benjamin sniffed. “The only reason you want to hang on to the toy department is because Uncle Luke hides there. Is he still trying to invent paper airplanes?”

Miss Leia gave him that freezing glare again. “Why don't you check his office and find out? If you see him, tell him I need to talk to him and that he needs to stop hiding. I can't blame him for wanting to avoid Snoke, but he's the senior vice-president of this company.”

“We'll find him.” Poe patted my shoulder. “This is my sister BB. I told my parents I'd keep an eye on her tonight, since I'm just helping on the third floor.”

“Well, it's nice to meet you, BB.” Miss Leia leaned over to shake my hand.

I turned my eyes up to Poe. “Can we go see the toys now?”

Poe and Miss Leia laughed. “I think we'd better.” Poe took my hand. “Finn and Rey are waiting for me, and I need to talk to Snap and Kaydel. We shoud probably give Luke a heads-up that Ben is coming his way, too.” He smiled at his boss. “It was nice of you to come to my parents' party tonight. We love having you and your husband there.”

When Miss Leia smiled, her eyes crinkled, and she lit up the whole room. “We wouldn't miss it. Your mother makes the best chili rellenos in the whole city.” She patted my head. “Go look at the toys, while they're still there to look at. And Merry Christmas!”

“I like her,” I told Poe as we went to the girl's toys aisles. “She's the most beautiful old lady I've ever seen.” He smiled as he lead me to the dolls. “I wish her son was as nice as his mom. Why did he accuse you of stealing? You'd never steal!” I giggled. “Except that one time I caught you sneaking churros from the Goya cracker tin in the cabinet in the kitchen.”

“Ben has a lot of problems.” Poe sighed. “His mom and dad weren't always around for him when he was little. He doesn't have a lot of aunts and uncles to watch over him like we do. He got sent away to a lot of boarding schools. He thinks his mama and papa don't love him, and he has to be mean to get their attention.”

“That's not an excuse,” I grumbled. “It's not nice to pick on people!”

“You know that, and I know that,” Poe frowned. “Ben doesn't. I will give him some credit. He is smart, and he does have some good ideas, but I don't think cutting so many departments is going to help. This store used to be even bigger. When I was your age, it was nine stories, not just six. They sold the upper stories to other offices. We can't cut too many more departments, or we won't be selling anything at all.”

Finn and Rey were tossing stuffed animals onto a shelf. “Hi Poe!” Finn has a great big smile that makes him look like a happy puppy. He was wearing a blue and red sweater with a giant snowman on it. “We're just about done with the new Steiff teddies, then do the video games. Nintendo's huge. My uncle Larry let me open mine for an early Christmas Eve present. We got so caught up playing Super Mario Brothers, I was almost late for work!”

“We got ours as a family Easter present. I like Legend of Zelda myself. I've played that for hours with BB. She reads the map for me, right BB?” Poe gave me his own smile. I saw Rey blush out of the corner of my eye when he smiled.

“Right! I'm a good reader. I'm ahead of my class in school.” I took Rey's hand. “Do you want to hear me read? I can read big kids' chapter books now. I just read one called The Pigman. It was kind of sad. It was about two kids who make friends with a lonely old man.”

Rey's eyes widened. “But that's for teenagers! And you can already read that?”

“Uh huh.” I nodded. “I'm the best in my class at reading.”

“Someday, I'll have to have you read to me.” Rey started putting teddy bears on the shelf. “But not tonight. Tonight we have to get these teddy bears on the shelves”

“They're so cute!” I hugged a brown bear with big eyes and a red bow. “Can I have one, Poe?”

“Not tonight.” He gave me a big grin. “Right now, why don't you go look at the She-Ra and Golden Girl dolls? I'll catch up with you in a minute. I'm going to help Finn unload the Nintendos.”

“Ok!” I went around the corner to look at the action figures. Golden Girl is kind of like She-Ra, only with a gem theme instead of a fantasy theme. I like them, too. Sure, Barbies are fun to dress up, but they don't fight Catra and Hordak and the Moth Lady. She-Ra and Golden Girl have outfits and hair you can brush AND swords.

I was trying to decide whether I liked Mermista or Rubee better when I saw Ben come skulking into the

toy department. Oh boy. What did he want? He looked a lot happier than he did before. Too happy, if you asked me. I peeked around a shelf with the Crystal Castle and Crystal Falls on it, trying to hide behind the boxes so the adult kids wouldn't see me, but I could hear them.

“Hello there, Miss Kennally.” Ben's grin was kind of goofy. “Working diligently, I see.”

Rey turned to the teddy bears and ignored him. “Which is more than can be said of you.”

“You know, one of the heads of this company.” Ben crossed his arms and looked smug. “I could fire you for saying that.”

“And I could sue your rear end off for harassment.” Rey shoved a teddy bear into his arms. “Why don't you do something useful, for a change?”

“You're so smart, Rey.” Ben tossed the teddy bear on the shelf, but he was really paying attention to her. The teddy bear landed with a pile of bunnies. “You could do so much more than labor in this dingy little department. I've got tons of ideas that will revolutionize the industry...”

“Why don't you tell them to someone who wants to hear them?” Rey turned her back on him, looking over a list on a clipboard.

Ben pushed his way in front of her. “I could be your teacher. Just give me a chance.”

“I'm not interested.” Rey stepped away from him. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to finish this.”

“Come on, Rey!” Ben was almost whining. “You need a teacher. I need an assistant.”

“Please go away.” She was making marks on her clipboard. “I'm very busy. And no, I'm not going on a date with you, either. You've asked me three times in the last week! I'm not interested!”

Ben grabbed her arm. “I could make it very unpleasant here for you if you don't, Miss Kennally.”

“Bothering Miss Kennally, Mr. Solo?” Poe popped up just as I hurried out from behind the boxes. “The lady said she wasn't interested.”

“He was!” I made a face at Ben. “She doesn't like you. Can't you take a hint? When a girl says 'no,' she means 'no, you're a bully, leave me alone.'”

Ben's glare was almost as icy as his mother's. “I'm starting to not like you, little girl.”

“Good! I don't like you, either!” I stuck my tongue out at him.

“Why don't you lay off the ladies?” Poe pushed himself in front of Ben. “I've heard you've been bothering Rey for months now. And I don't like you talking to my sister that way. She's an 8-year-old child!”

“I was just asking her to change departments. The toy department is on the way out. I thought she might want to have a job.” Ben pointed at me. “And your sister is a brat.”

“So are you!” I yelled back. I was really steamed now! How dare he call me a brat when he's a lot worse!

“Mr. Solo, please leave.” Poe's lips went up in a little smirk. “Or I'll call the security guard.”

“I really don't feel like dealing with him at the moment.” Ben wrinkled his nose. “Don't think this is over Dameron, because it isn't.” He put his nose in the air and ran into a giant teddy bear. I giggled as he managed to shove the bear aside and stomp off.

“Poe, that was very sweet of you,” Rey began, “but I can take care of myself.”

“I was just...worried, that's all. As your co-worker. Ben can be pretty intense.” He just kept looking at her in that goofy way he gets when he thinks a girl is cute. “You were handling him pretty well. In fact, I admire that about you. You're tough. Nothing gets you down.”

“Really?” Now Rey was smiling. She looked even prettier when she smiled. She wore a red-and-green Santa sweater and a pretty pleated green skirt. “I sort-of admire you, too. You're a hard worker, you're funny, and you're kind. You're looking after your kid sister for your parents. Not many people would take their sisters to work with them, especially on Christmas Eve.”

“You know, I wouldn't mind getting to know you better.” Poe leaned against the shelf, trying to look cool. “Maybe you and me and Finn could get together for lunch at Reading Terminal Market sometime next week? We could get gyros and talk about anything but the store.”

Rey's smile was blinding now. “That would be nice, Poe. Finn and I have been so busy with work, we haven't had the chance to really eat together for a while, ever since he moved in with his uncle.”

“Poe!” Kay, a small girl with long blond hair who is a friend of Rey's, came hurrying over. “I don't believe this. I lost my inventory! I can't find the box with the stuffed sheep anywhere! If Miss Phasma finds out I lost them, I know I'll into trouble!”

“Calm down.” Poe patted her on the shoulder. “Why don't we check the stock room and see if we can find the box? It has to be somewhere.”

He bent over me, trying to give me the same smile he always gives our parents when he wants out of something. “You're small, sis. You can help us look for the them. You can reach under places we can't get to.”

“Well, ok.” I nodded. “I'd like to help. Just as long as I can go back to the She-Ra dolls later. I haven't decided what Santa should bring me yet!”

“Well, well.” I had just ducked behind the toy department counter when I saw a lady in silver heels and shiny silver pants walk in. “And what is this?” the lady boomed with a voice as deep as my papa's.

I moved a box of Barbies so I could see better. The lady was the tallest female person I'd ever seen. Her spiky high heels just made her look even bigger. She wore a silvery pantsuit with a wide black belt and shoulder pads that made her look more like a linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles. Her short hair was very pale blond and set in stiff waves that probably took a gallon of hairspray. She waved her blood-red nails at the piles of boxes my brother and Kay left of the floor. “I thought you were doing inventory, Miss Connix, not making a mess.”

“We were looking for something, Miss Phasma.” Poe tried to give her his easy smile. “We'll only be a minute. We promise.”

“Very well. But you'd better put everything back,” Miss Phasma huffed. “I don't want to be cleaning up after you the day after Christmas.”

“We will!” My brother's tried to grin. “By the way, is that a new outfit?”

“Stow it.” Miss Phasma narrowed her eyes. “I know you have Miss Kennally and Mrs. Solo wrapped around your little finger, Dameron. I'm not that easy. I'll be keeping my eye on both of you. You, Miss Connix, are far too easily distracted. Yesterday, you lost your scissors. Last week, it was a shipment of Centurions. One more lost item, and I report you to Mrs. Solo and Mr. Weston. Got that?”

“Ye...yes, Miss Phasma.” Kay turned red as Phasma stormed off. “We have to find it, Poe!” the poor girl wailed. “I could lose my job!”

“Phasma's just blowing hot air. You're a good saleswoman, Kay. People like you.” My brother shook his head at all the boxes stacked around him. “But no one will like us if we don't get these cleaned up. Let's get going.”

“We'll help.” Finn started going through boxes. “I'm done with the teddy bears, anyway.”

Rey tossed her pens and pencils aside. “And if I look at another word on that clipboard, I think I'll go cross-eyed.”

“Can I go check the aisles for the boxes, Poe?” I asked him, trying to look innocent. “Maybe someone mistook them for She-Ra and Jem toys.”

He laughed and gave me a hug. “You nut! You just want to go look at She-Ra again.”

“Maybe we could compromise.” Rey nodded at the shelves. “You can look at the toys, but only the ones near the counter.”

“You have to come back here in ten minutes if you don't find them,” Poe added.

“Ok!” I started towards the She-Ra dolls again. I was peeking around Sweet Bee and the boxes with the horses when I heard people arguing in back aisle with all the board games and building sets. “I wonder what that is?” My feet tip-toed along the worn tan floor. They were so loud, I couldn't help hearing as I peered around a corner.

“Uncle,” that whiny Ben Solo was saying, “why won't you listen to me? If we eliminate the toy department, you'll have all the time in the world to work on your new toy ideas.” That skinny bully gave him the mean smirk again. “Besides, you may not have the money to pay everybody. Someone's been skimming money off the company. You barely have enough to keep running.”

Miss Phasma and Hux and Mitaka were there, too. “Mr. Weston,” Miss Phasma boomed, “I'm leaving after the holiday season. What these men are saying makes sense. And if someone's stealing from the company...”

“We'll make the payroll this month, Miss Phasma.” Mr. Weston was small like my brother, but a bit bigger around. He had short, grayish hair, a thick gray beard, and a little round belly like Santa's...but it wasn't shaking with laughter now. “Ben, I don't know how that money went missing.” His blue eyes flicked towards Hux. “You and Mr. Mitaka were supposed to be keeping an eye on our accounts. Maybe you could tell us how you figured this out.”

Mr. Mitaka opened and closed his mouth, but Mr. Hux just raised his long nose and sniffed. “That is confidential, Mr. Weston.” He looked at his watch. “Oh dear. It's getting so late! I really have to get home and feed my cat before I go to my parents' house for their party.”

He elbowed Mr. Mitaka, who was still gaping like a fish. “Oh yeah,” he said quickly. “I have to iron my dog.” Hux rolled his eyes, and I tried not to giggle.

“Uncle, the best thing you could do would be to sell.” Ben leaned right at him. “Then you could forget all this.”

“Ben, I have a headache.” Mr. Weston rubbed his temple. “Could we please discuss this after the holidays, when we're less busy?”

“Fine!” Ben snapped. “Maybe you'll listen to me then!” He and his friends stormed into the next aisle. I couldn't help hearing his voice as they went past the other shelves. “We won't be here next month. We'll be at Mr. Snoke's corporate headquarters in Boston, making deals with someone who actually listens.”

“He's offered us three times as much money to be his lawyer and accountant as your mother.” Hux sounded smug. “And even more if we get her and the old geezer to sell.”

“And I'll finally be a vice-president,” Phasma grumbled, “not some low-level manager. Those fuddy-duddy Westons don't understand my talents.”

“I'll have enough money to finally get away from this dumb store.” Ben's whine could probably be heard half-way to Camden. “We'll see how well they do when they can't pay their employees or for the lighting or heating in this rock heap.” They were getting further away. “I'll bet, if Grandpa Andrew was still alive, he wouldn't have let things get this bad! He'd listen to me!”

Oh no! I had to tell someone. Ben and Hux and Phasma were the ones who stole that money, not my brother! No sooner had I turned to find Mr. Weston than I almost ran into someone who was coming from the escalators.

“Ouch!” I jumped aside as the girl dropped her box. It landed with a clatter. “I'm sorry, Miss...”

“Rose.” The girl leaned over and started picking up her tools. I helped her out, putting the hammer and screwdriver in the box. “Rose Tico.” Rose was cute and round, with plump pink cheeks under the grime and exotic almond-shaped eyes, like my Rockers Barbie doll Dana. She wore dirty overalls and a t-shirt with Drexel University on it. “Thank you, kiddo. Say, where's your folks?”

“I'm here with my brother.” I pointed to Poe at the counter. They were stacking boxes, probably hoping one would have the stuffed sheep. “That's him over there.” I brushed off my white dress with the high collar and ruffles and orange sash. “How come you're here?”

“I was fixing the escalator going down to the next floor,” Rose explained. “They're always breaking down. I get a lot of jobs here because my sister Paige works in Housewares.” She shrugged. “It makes money for school. What I really want to do is become an engineer and build escalators. Or maybe I'll do something fun, like design toys.”

“You should do that!” I'd never met someone who wanted to make toys who wasn't an elf. “Have you talked to Mr. Weston? I heard Ben Solo say he makes toys. Maybe he'd like your ideas.”

“I don't know.” Rose's round cheeks turned all...well, rosy. She wasn't really watching me. She was watching Finn shelve Little People houses. Finn's sweater was coming up, and you could see his strong back. “I don't really work here. I just get repair jobs sometimes.”

I'd seen that look on her face before. It was the same goofy stare Poe has when he's drooling over Rey. “You like Finn, don't you?” I giggled. “Why don't you go up and say 'hi?'”

“Oh, I...I could never do that!” Now Rosie was really rosy. She held her tools up to her chest, as if to protect her. “He's so...him...and I'm just...well, me.”

“I think you're nice!” I nodded at Finn. “Go over and talk to him! It couldn't hurt.”

“Well...ok.” Rose was still clutching her tools to her chest when she inched slowly over to Finn. I thought about following her, but then I remembered I needed to find Poe and tell him about Ben and his friends and them forcing Miss Leia to sell.

The first person I saw in the hall between the shelves and the back offices and storage area was a tall policeman and a big brown dog on a leash. The dog had so much brown fur, he looked more like a furry mountain with paws. His owner was big and shaggy, too. He was much taller than me, with thick silvery hair under a shiny policeman's hat. When I looked up at him, I saw greenish-gray eyes that twinkled and a lazy little smirk that I knew I'd seen somewhere before. There was a patch on his pale blue shirt that said “security guard,” and a tag on his chest that said “H. Solo.”

“Hey there, kid,” he said in a deep, grouchy voice. “Where's your parents?”

“They're at home, getting ready for their Christmas Eve party. I'm here with my brother Poe.” I laughed as the big dog sniffed at me, shoving his nose right at my chest. “Silly dog! You tickle!”

“His name is Chewbacca. He's a good old dog. We've been a team for years.” His smile got a little bigger. “Aw, go ahead, kid. You can pet him. I think he likes you.”

“Well, ok.” I ran my fingers through his messy fur. I'd never felt such soft fur. “I need to get back to my brother, or find Mr. Weston or Miss Leia. I heard something really, really important.”

“That important, huh?” He gave me that little smile again. “I can take you to him. We've been friends for a long, long time.” He looked over his shoulder as the little Santa man with the short gray hair and thick mustache came down the hall. “Hey kid, look what I found, roaming in the hall.”

“There you are!” Mr. Weston smiled. His smile was warm like his sister's, and it made him look at least ten years younger. “Poe told me he was looking for you. He and Rey have to help a customer with their order. He said he's going to be a few more minutes. I'm supposed to take you to my office until he's ready to go.”

“Well, ok.” I wasn't sure, but he was my brother's boss. “I have to tell you something, anyway...”

“Tell me in a few minutes, all right?” He nodded at Officer Solo. “Tell Poe I have his sister in my office. I'll keep an eye on her there.”

Mr. Weston's office was a small room, barely bigger than a closet, but it was filled with all kinds off stuffed. Every shelf held dolls or toy soldiers or wind-up cars or tops. “Wow!” I'd never seen so much stuff. “This is really great. May I look at the toy soldiers?”

“Please do!” He handed me one of the little tin figures. “I designed them myself. I wanted to sell them in the store, but Leia says they're too old-fashioned.”

“Well, I like them!” I turned the soldier over in my hand. He wore a red, gold, and black uniform with shiny buttons, and carried a tin gun that was almost as big as him. “I wish he was as big as a real soldier. Wouldn't that be cool? Mr. Solo could have help guarding the store!”

Mr. Weston grinned. “He does complain a lot about needing more help. He says he feels like we're hiding him in the dungeon or something.” The older man sighed, his smile vanishing. “I don't think most people are interested in toys like him anymore. They want electronic toys and video games that make noise. I'm starting to wonder if that toy soldier and I are really out of step.”

“Not every kid likes electronic stuff!” I reassured him. “My favorite toys are my She-Ra dolls. They don't make noise.” That was when I remembered what I needed to do. “Mr. Weston,” I began, “I heard your nephew Ben Solo talking a couple of minutes ago...”

“Luke?” Poe poked his head in the door. He grinned when he saw me. “BB! Good, Mr. Weston, you found her. We're still looking for that missing box of stuffed sheep, and a customer wanted to make an exchange and asked to talk to you. BB, you stay here. I'll be around for you as soon as we figure this out.”

“I'll be there in a minute, Poe!” Mr. Weston sighed. “We'll continue this in a few minutes, ok, BB?”

“But...” I didn't get the chance to say anything else before he left. Poe did say to stay in the office, but this was too important to wait! I ducked out the door after him.

“Mr. Weston?” I had no idea which direction he and Poe went to. “Poe? Rey? Finn? Officer Solo?”

I came out by the big train that runs around the toy department on its own track. There was no one there now. A sign by the train's entrance said “Sorry, conductor is out to lunch.”

I sat down in the very front of the train. “I guess I'll just wait here for the conductor to come back.” I've always liked the train in the toy department. It looks like an old-fashioned train, with red cars and a green engine and a black caboose. It was nice and quiet here, not busy like in the front.

“Maybe I'll just close my eyes for a few minutes,” I murmured with a yawn. “Mama said I should take a nap before the party anyway.” I leaned back on the hard black benches and relaxed a little. I'd tell Mr. Weston what Ben and his friends said in a few minutes, and he would tell Miss Leia, and they would save the store. My brother and Rey and Finn and Rose wouldn't lose their jobs. I wondered if my brother got somewhere with Rey, or if Rose talked to Finn? She seemed really nice.

“I wish I could tell Ben why he should keep the toy department,” I yawned as I curled against the side of the train. “I wish I could go to a place that was nothing but toys! That would show him how important toys are!”

It wasn't hard to nod off over here. It was so much quieter. You just heard the sound of people's voices behind you, and their footsteps, and the swaying of the train, and the clickety-click as the wheels moved along the track...

Wait? Clickety-click? The train wasn't moving! Unless...