Clara gently tapped her fingernails on her jeans, waiting patiently as the clerk finished writing on the paper. She was trying to distract herself, so she wouldn't keep thinking about how paranoid she was being right now. Michael had left after a quick breakfast this morning, but for some reason, she didn't feel safe even though he was gone. Her eyes scanned the office around her, flying across the wall texture and design, over the computers and machines, over the workers in the office, the cubicles, almost everything. Ever since he had arrived last night, Clara hadn't been able to sleep, relax, or feel comfortable. Though she loved Michael, as a friend, she couldn't help but think that the Empire was about to come down on her; arrest her, torture her since she had given asylum to someone who was considered a criminal. She knew that was unlikely, but she couldn't help thinking that it was coming to her, or worse to her husband, who she loved more than she could love anything. Trying to bring herself back to reality, she snapped her eyes back to the clerk, wishing he would finish up.

She got her wish.

The clerk finished writing his last letter on the paper, put his pen down, and handed her the paper. "There you go ma'am."

"Thank you," Clara said, folding the paper and putting it in her pocket.

"It'll be delivered tomorrow at around Three."

Clara smiled graciously. "Okay. Thank you again."

"Your welcome ma'am. Have a nice day."

"Thanks. You too."

"Thank you."

Clara walked, at a faster-than-normal pace, towards the exit, still very nervous. She felt unusually hot for some reason. However, as the doors to the post office swung open, a cool breeze of Sudia's clean air flew right into her body. Clara closed her eyes, allowing herself to be somewhat revitalized by the cold blast; so she was surprised when she heard a familiar baritone voice call her name from somewhere in the crowd.

Opening her eyes, she scanned the crowd, puzzled, not finding the voice at all at first. Then, much to her fear and dismay, she saw Michael rushing towards her though the crowd, a neutral look on his face. Clara took a step back, not knowing what to do. She didn't want to run away, which would have been very rude, but she didn't want to necessarily be seen with him either. Oh don't be ridiculous, she prodded herself. So she smiled wryly at him as he came out from the bulk of the midday crowd. "Hi," she said quickly.

"Hi." He stopped a few feet away from her, hesitating. "Glad I saw you. Sorry, I know you don't want to see me again, but I need to ask another favor."

Clara felt her heart skip a beat. "Okay," she said. "What?"

"Um, the transport I had booked had an engine fault this morning during takeoff. Latest I can get off this planet will be tomorrow, and I'm sure you know what the hotels here do," he said with dry laughter. He then got serious. "So I need a place to stay for another night."

Clara's heart skipped two beats, and she blinked. "What?" She said in disbelief.

He didn't answer, but simply stood where he was, afraid to say anything.

Clara shook her head. "No Michael. I can't."

Michael closed his eyes in desperation. "Please. I wouldn't ask you if I didn't have to but I have to. Please."

"Michael," Clara sighed in frustration. "No!" She let out a breath and started back for Bates Street and home. Nonetheless, as she had guessed, he followed her, still pleading like...like a criminal. Oh shut up, she prodded herself again. He's your friend nevertheless.

"Come on, Clara. Just one more night. I wouldn't ask you—"

"No!"

"—unless I really needed it."

"I said no. Find someplace else."

"There is no place else. That's why—"

"No you can't. I'm sorry, but you can't. Your asking too much."

"How am I asking too much? One more night. I mean, it's not like–!"

"You're asking me to harbor you as a criminal, Michael." She laughed as she said "No" again.

"Come on. It's not like the Empire's gonna figure it out. I could be anywhere right now. We're light years away from them. That's why you chose to come out here, because you are light years away from their territory—"

"That doesn't matter. They could have spies here. Anyone one of these people could be an Imperial spy."

Michael fixed her with a sour look. "Don't you think you're being a little naive for an adult?"

"What?" Clara snapped in return. She suddenly sensed the breath she had been holding and released it. "I'm sorry. But you have to understand. I don't want to risk getting involved in all this. I have too much to lose."

Michael rolled his eyes. "They're not gonna find me. As far as the Empire is concerned, I could be anywhere. Here, Degos VII, Earth...the possibilities are almost endless—"

"No!" Clara said defiantly. She turned away from him and started back up Market Street, not wanting to look at him anymore.

Nevertheless, he was persistent, and Clara didn't have a fondness for persistent people. "Clara, please," he pleaded, jogging up next to her. "Just one more night. That's it, I promise."

Clara wanted to explode in his face, for she was now as sick of his begging as...she didn't know. As Bryan was a long time ago, she thought with a humorous inner grin. But she didn't explode. She had to handle this with a calm attitude. Exploding would cause a scene probably. "No, Michael," she denied softly. "I'm sorry, but no. Now please stop following me." She accelerated her pace, walking faster up the road.

"You know you really want to!" Michael called up to her. "And you know they won't find me!"

But Clara ignored all his pleas, forcing them through one ear and out the other. He didn't follow her this time, her finally having gotten through to him, which was a great relief to her. Her mind slowly becoming at ease, and her thoughts less frantic, Clara now let herself enjoy the cool winds, taking in all the soothing cold air they offered. She preferred to walk to Market Street on beautiful days such as this. Sudia was a beauty queen in itself, it's breathtaking, lovely weather attracting tourists from all over the galaxy. Deser City was number two on the Tourist Guild's Sightseeing Guide to the Galaxy. And Clara could not have been more proud to live in it. She loved Deser City, and loved Lionel even more for showing it to her and then buying a house in it.

Checking to make sure Michael wasn't behind her anymore, Clara turned onto Bates Street and started for her house. Opening the door, she stepped in and took off her shoes, placing her green spring coat on a hook. Taking the post office slip out of her pocket, she quickly rushed upstairs and put the slip on the top of her bureau. Then coming downstairs again, she went into the kitchen to try and find Lionel. She wanted to make sure he didn't forget to put his telescope away. He usually forgot to.

There on the kitchen counter was a mug. Clara soon discovered that it was half full of Lionel's favorite, Tunesean mud tea. Shaking her head and almost laughing at how forgetful he could be at times, Clara turned towards the living and started for there, about to call his name when she stopped, her eyes locked ahead of her, on a spot on the floor in the living room.

A spot that was red. Blood red.

There were two of them. Two huge red spots in the middle of her living room floor. It was then that she sensed the fowl smell of fresh blood, and she suddenly became very scared. Walking gingerly towards the living room, Clara felt her body begin to shake. She finally forced herself through to the living room, and saw a trail of blood red spots, leading up to a blood-stained couch in the direct center of the room. With Lionel's body laid sprawled, telescope smashed against the coffee table, a giant, black, gutted hole in his chest, dripping furiously; fresh, his face stuck in a gaping, petrified stare at the wall.

Clara didn't hear her soul-wrenching scream a she ran from the room.