The sun beat down mercilessly on the dusty streets on Marisa.

No breeze eased the stifling heat of late summer so everybody who could was staying inside the thick walls of their houses, where the temperature was a bit more bearable.

Just one group of men dug in the heat, sweating and groaning in the summer heat. The few people who had to be outside made a big circle around them and their valiant guards in white armour.

So it came as a surprise to Lucia when someone knocked on the wood of her open door.

"Come in, it's open."

With a sigh she took her dusty boots off of the seat she had put them up.

The beads, keeping the insects out while allowing air in jingled as her visitor stepped inside the cool shade.

"Good morning my dear, sorry to get you during the mid day break, but I wanted to ask when you would have the speeder ready. You said it would be sometime this week."

Lucia stood up and stretched.

"Morning Kera, should be today or tomorrow. Sorry it is taking longer, but Marien and her husband had big time trouble with their tractor. They really needed it done and ready for harvest."

Lucia stood up and shook her customer's hand before she walked over to the scuffed, but generally well cared for Speeder and pointed out a few things.

"Also, the parts took longer than expected. With harvest season coming fast everyone wants to get their stuff ready. I had none of your model in stock and Old Gears up in Medena needed to order some themselves. Your brakes are already out, the new ones should come in today. As soon as they are here I will pop them in and that should really be it."

"Thank you Lucia. That is just what I wanted to hear. With all the new workers we need something to get the food out and run errands on. You know our fields are so far out from the city on foot just doesn't make sense."

Lucia leaned on the tractor behind her and nodded as she listened to Kera's chatter about new hires and the plants on the fields. Customer service sometimes included listening to them talk, especially in such a small town. Everybody knew everybody. Step on one foot and you have trouble with them all.

Usually Lucia didn't mind, she actually enjoyed talking to customers, who usually were her neighbours and oftentimes friends, but lately things had been bothering her.

"Lucia? Are you listening?"

Kera had stopped talking and looked at her, head leaning slightly sideways.

Lucia perked up, suddenly nervous. "No, sorry, I just have a lot to do lately and didn't get too much sleep lately, must be tired."

She tried a smile, but feared it came out rather forced.

"Oh dear." Kera sighed. "It isn't about him is it? You know you can come to me at any time right?"

She reached out and put a broad hand on Lucia's shoulder, squeezing it lightly.

Lucia smiled, this time for real and took a deep breath.

"I will come to you, I promise. It is really just the work."

Kera nodded, clearly not convinced, but letting it go. "I wish you a good day then."

She shook Lucia's hand and walked towards the door, but stopped and turned around just before the door.

"Just one more thing, if you have the time."

Lucia, already sitting on her chair again perked up.

"Sure, something extra for the speeder?"

"No, just, do you feel safe with the…" Kera hesitated shortly. "With the new workers of the imperium?"

Lucia shrugged her shoulders. "Well, they are well guarded, so I don't really care."

She chuckled and smiled.

"I am sure looking forward to the new water system though. Will be nice not to have to lug every last to drop you from the fountain to your house."

Kera fidgeted, coming closer, as if she feared someone over hearing.

"Yes, sure having the water outlets closer and closer to the fields would be will be nice, but didn't you hear the rumours?"

The mechanic chuckled. "Kera, which one? There are so many."

The other woman pulled her hat a bit lower and leaned forward.

"Well, they say they are clones, ones that fought in the wars." She lowered her voice even further.

"And they say that they ran from the army and are now here as prisoners as punishment, because they killed. I just don't feel safe going out alone and you are living here, all alone."

She let the 'now' slip and continued.

"If you would like to move for the next weeks, I mean, they will be laying the new pipes just down your street and you have the door here open."

Lucia chuckled.

"That's what the guards are for, aren't they? Besides," She smiled, "I am not weak Kera. If someone I don't want here so much as peaks in he will have a hydrospanner flying at his head. Don't worry."

Kera nodded. "Alright, but don't hesitate to call me if you feel uncomfortable."

"I will, don't worry."


A.N.:

hello everybody and thank you for reading my new story.

Everyone waiting for updates on my ongoing ones, I promise I am working on them, but my plot bunnies kind of ran away.

I am trying to lure them back to my key board, but until then I hope this one will keep them for now.

Please tell me what you think, every feedback is welcome as I am trying to improve my writing.