"Why is it so heavy?" Lee asked Lenore as they carried the air filter she had built for the vapor spire.

"It's your design, so technically this is your fault," Lenore argued, struggling to keep her grip around the filter as they walked up an incline toward the spires. "Should have used the speeder."

"Dad has it for the market today," Lee said. Riv had started taking jobs as a handyman all around the capital. He was even on campus from time to time. But ever since the casino incident he had been trying harder and making things happen for his family. The speeder was a new addition and helped anytime the Tersu's had enough to sell at the market. Only problem was that the garden was struggling now with all the pollution from the mining companies, hence the air filter experiment.

After an hour, the twins finally attached the filter to one of the spires. Lenore double checked the wiring as some had come loose during the installation. Lee looked around the encampment and noticed an imperial probe droid floating by. There were a lot around these days as well as Imperial Star Destroyers, most of which were parked over the capital. Lee sensed something was brewing. The Ghost hadn't been around lately. The residents of Tarkintown depended on the Spectres to deliver supplies and food to the encampment and with their absence things were looking dark. He hoped the filter worked. It would at least ensure them a reliable food source.

"The Empire must be on the hunt for someone. Wonder if it's the Spectres," Lee said, observing his sister's work. "Filter looks good."

"Doesn't matter how it looks. What matters is if it works," she said, firing the control panel up.

"I still don't see how you know all this," Lee admitted. He was never one for mechanics or technical jobs. He was always impressed by Lenore's ease of building and repairing things.

When they were young and still on the farm, he once had broken some of his grandfather's old farming equipment. Lee was terrified of what he and Prisa would say, especially since he hadn't asked for permission. Lenore saw what had happened and assured him all would be ok. She immediately began to tinker with the equipment and fixed it in no time. The next day, their grandfather was surprised to find the old equipment worked faster and more efficiently than when he bought it.

"Trial and error. But I'm sure they have a class on this stuff at the University if you wanna learn." Lenore always found it hard to take a compliment or accept any praise. She was more confort going unnoticed. "How's the job going anyways? You've been picking up a lot of extra shifts lately."

"Yeah. The market is slowing. Dad's able to sell some things, but we won't be able to compete with the other stands much longer. Our produce is small and only fills two baskets now." Lee informed Lenore. She hadn't been to the stand for months. He wondered where she went most days but hadn't gotten around to asking her. All he knew was when she returned she had credits, food, and supplies.

"Something's better than nothing," she said, standing and looking at the filter trying her best to be optimistic.

"You know there's an opening in the janitorial droid depot at the University. It's only part time but the pay is consistent. And there's perks. After my shift I get to sit in on a class or two–"

"Lee," Lenore groaned. She was tired of his insistence to work at the university. She knew he was worried about her. But she wished he would lay off and let her continue with her ventures. They needed them more than ever.

"I'm just saying it's a good opportunity. You've got talent. I hate to see you waste it," he pointed at the air filter as evidence. Lenore shrugged. "Hey, just think of the good we could do. I sat in on a workshop for Imperial Policies and Galactic Agricultural Engineering and I just know there is a way we can make a real difference."

"Oh yeah. How?"Lenore said slyly.

"I don't know yet. But it's safer than running off to wherever it is you go." Lee sighed. He knew how stubborn his sister could be but what discouraged him most was her lack of imagination and hope for any change on Lothal.

"Sorry, but you won't make a droid cleaner out of me, Tersu,"Lenore laughed. "I doubt there is much we can change during the occupation. But if anyone could make a difference it's you. So don't blow it."

"Oh no! See you at the market later." Lee realized he was late for his shift. He turned and started running toward the encampment's transport that headed in and out of the capitol daily. "Wait for me! I'm coming!"

"You're welcome!" Lenore called after him. She smiled and shook her head. Lee was definitely a dreamer. She just hoped that one day he could figure out a way to make them come true.

"You're late, Tersu," growled Lee's toydarian boss Borta. His wings fluttered in annoyance at Lee's tardiness. He shook his head and his snout swun from side to side. "These droids aren't going to clean themselves you know."

"Sorry Borta. Won't happen again," Lee apologized.

"Don't make promises you can't keep loth-rat," he lectured.

"I'm not," Lee said sternly. "I was late because I was attaching an air filter I designed to the encampment vapor spires–"

"Save your stories for someone who cares. Now hurry up. I need to deploy the sweepers over to the auditorium. There's a big presentation from the governor's office later."

"Sounds important," Lee said, rolling his eyes. Borta buzzed closer to him. "I mean sure things."

Lee was not usually sarcastic, that he left to Lenore, but it did feel good to sass his boss, especially when he was in a mood. He turned his attention to the line of droids he needed to clean and Borta flew away down the hall.

Beep beep beep, the A-LT Utility droid laughed at him.

"What're you laughing at?"Lee crouched down to the droid's level."Just thank your maker that Borta hasn't removed your dome to serve hors d'oeuvres in the professor's lounge."

Beep beep beep, the A-LT Utility was alarmed by the suggestion and fell quiet as Lee got to work.

Three hours later, Lee had finished cleaning the sweeper droid fleet and deployed them. He had worked quickly to make up the time he missed. He had moved so quickly that he finished his work two hours earlier, which was perfect because he wanted to sit in on a few extra classes. He walked to Borta's office to let him know he was done.

"What are you doing here? Get back to work," He said, annoyed at the sight of Lee.

"All done," Lee informed him

"Then deploy the sweepers," Borta muttered as he listened to his radio broadcasting the pod races from Tatooine.

"Already sweeping," Lee smiled.

"Then why are you bothering me? You have two hours of your shift left," he snorted. "Find something to do."

"I thought since all my work was finished you could pay me now. There's a class I'd like to sit in on."

"That's your problem." Borta turned away from the radio. "You thought wrong."

"I got the job done in half the time. You should take that into consideration," Lee remarked. Borta's wings fluttered as he tossed some credits to Lee. Lee looked over the credits and frowned.

"This is only half," Lee remarked.

"Let's say I took what you said into consideration. Half the time, half the credits," Borta sneered.

"But the amount of work is still worth a full shift's pay," Lee argued.

"Save your breath loth-rat. You can't negotiate with me with that fancy business talk they teach you in those classes you're not even getting credit for. Now off with you. And don't be late again or you won't have any shifts at all." Borta scolded him and waved him away.

Lee was angry by the loss in pay. Perhaps Lenore was the smart one. Seemed nothing was guaranteed and the only way to make it these days was to take risks and make your own luck. He made his way to the agricultural building and stopped to look at the bulletin board to see if there was anything interesting coming up. Then he saw the wanted ad:

WANTED:
Armed and Dangerous
Report these Insurgents
to the Empire immediately.

The ad flickered and shuffled through the photos of each Spectre member. The excessive presence of probe droids made sense now. The Empire's squeezing tight to keep its hold on Lothal. Lee feared how much more the planet and locals could take.

"Anything interesting?" a girl with golden hair braided neatly around the crowd of her head asked looking over the board.

"A few things," Lee responded shyly. He didn't interact much with the students outside in class.

"You were in my Imperial Policies for intergalactic taxations class last week," the girl continued.

"Probably," Lee said. It was a boring class if he was being honest.

"I thought you looked familiar. How come you weren't there today? Do you need notes?" She offered.

"No thanks. I decided to drop," Lee became flustered. His heart began to race and his palms grew sweaty. It was the strangest feeling. One he had never had before.

"It is a mouthful to say isn't it? Well, what are you studying?" the girl smiled and tilted her head, fully aware of her affect on him.

"Um, that's something I'm trying to figure out. Isn't that what you do here?," Lee stumbled through his words. The girl was pretty and seemed smart. Lee had never had much interest in girls. A couple of them from the encampment had made attempts to catch his eye, but he was too focused on improving his family's living situation and never gave it much thought. But this girl had piercing green eyes that seemed to look straight into his soul and see him. It was terrifying and exciting at the same time.

"Yes I suppose you're right," she acknowledged. She held out her hand,"I'm Rya. Rya Dax. I'm in my final year here."

"Oh," Lee said. She was older than him and probably on her way out to bigger and greater things. He looked at her extended hand and shook it awkwardly. "I've been here two years."

"And what's your name, two years?" She teased.

"Lee…uh…Tersu. Tersu. Lee Tersu. I'm Lee. And I'm late. I need to get going to a Moisture Farming Equipment Workshop," Lee abruptly turned to leave. "Nice meeting you."

"Do you want to be a farmer?" Rya asked, walking alongside him.

"I already am one sorta," he said.

"Then what's a farm boy like you doing out here in the capital?" She asked. "Have enough droids to do the crop dusting for you?"

"No," he chuckled.

"Are you always so talkative?" She attempted to continue the conversation. "I see you at a bunch of different classes but I never see you complete one."

She had been watching him. Lee would have to explain he wasn't a student. But he frowned, wondering why he felt the need to explain himself to a girl he just met and was clearly bored.

"I like how you debate. I think you have a lot of interesting ideas,"she said.

"You do?" Lee stopped walking and looked at her. It was the first time someone had actually complimented him on his ramblings. Lenore always did him the courtesy of listening but he wasn't sure how much of his ideas got through to her.

"Yes. I think the Empire is missing a huge opportunity to ensure a high quality of life for its citizens. Not to mention its disregard for local environmental preservation. I know I haven't seen a blue sky in my lifetime," she said. The two looked at one another and felt a spark. They gazed at one another in silence as other students hurried around them to get to class.

"I'm not a student," Lee confessed to break the awkward silence. "I actually work here part time cleaning the janitorial droids."

"I thought you were a farmer," she said, unphased by the confession.

"I'm that too. My family has a market stand. In the market. We sell stuff at a stand," he stammered.

"Thanks for making that clear," she said, trying to calm him. "Perhaps I'll stop by one of these days and try your produce. Got any meilroons?"

"We used to, but with the toxins from the mining company in the air, it's been hard to harvest any lately," Lee finally felt at ease speaking on a subject he knew like the back of his hand.

"Well, I guess I'll see you in class?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah definitely," Lee smiled.

"And maybe outside of class?" She ventured.

"Sure," he looked away as he felt his cheeks grow hot.

"Good. See you later Farmer Tersu," she said and walked away.

"Later Rya," he called out after her. She looked back at him and waved. Lee felt giddy and immediately liked her. As dark as things seemed, at least there was some light. He decided to head to the market to help Riv pack up what was left of the day.

"Is she pretty?" Riv asked his son after noticing his demeanor was unusually merry.

"What?!" Lee gasped and caught off guard. He hadn't noticed that he had been whistling and humming for the last hour.

"Relax," Riv said and packed what was left of the inventory. "Your mother was eighteen when we met. And smitten as a loth-kitten. Have I ever told you this story?"

"No," Lee shook his head.

"I guess we haven't talked much about her over the years," Riv said. "Well I had just made my way to Lothal to apply for some Imperial grants and loans for entrepreneurs when I was half starved and looking for something to eat in the marketplace. Clearly I wasn't watching where I was going and knocked over her whole display. Oh she was furious. Only way I could make it up to her was to buy the whole stand. That did put a smile on her face. After that I always found myself at the stand telling her stories of my travels before Lothal. She didn't say much. She was always on the quiet side. But her eyes just lit up and always asked me to come back the next day."

"So… you guys were happy once," Lee remarked. It was nice to see his father fondly remember his mother. He hadn't remembered much of her. He felt he was forgetting her.

"Yes, we were," Riv admitted. "We both thought that we'd have an easier time once we got married. But then it was just one thing after another, and then with the Empire, well….that seems to be the constant doesn't it."

Riv showed Lee a notice from a small message puck:

Attention Vendors–
In order to ensure high quality and safety standards for our citizens
We will require each vendor to submit an application
to acquire an Operational License to continue to sell in the capital.
Those who fail to apply and pay the 500 credit filing fee
will no longer be permitted to sell at your current location.
Please see the Imperial Agricultural Committee for further inquiries.

"Don't worry dad. Lenore and I can manage to pay the filing fee," Lee said. He knew the amount would mostly fall on Lenore since his pay was cut.

"It's not that son... I just wonder when people are going to realize that the Empire doesn't care what happens to them. The promise of peace and order is an illusion. When are people going to take a stand?"

"Lee!" Lenore rushed over to the stand. She seemed to be in a panic. "Where's the radio?"

"What is it?" He asked. She quickly pulled the radio out of the packed speeder and turned it on.

"What are you doing, Lenore," Riv asked. "We just got packed."

"Listen," she said, turning the volume to the max setting. "It's all over Lothal."

The other vendors and late shoppers gathered around to listen to a young boy's voice:

–fighting for the people, fighting for you.
I'm not that old, but I remember a time when things were better on Lothal.
Maybe not great, but never like this.
See what the Empire has done to your lives, your families, and your freedom?
It's only gonna get worse…unless we stand up and fight back.
It won't be easy. There will be loss and sacrifice.
But we can't back down just because we're afraid.
That's when we need to stand the tallest.
That's what my parents taught me.
That's what my new family helped me remember.
Stand up together.
Because that's when we're strongest—as one.

PEW! PEW!

The radio exploded from blaster fire. The Tersus turned to find a small patrol unit of Stormtroopers assembled in the marketplace. One was still in an attack stance as he pointed his blaster at the fried radio. Riv protectively stood in front of his children as the other vendors watched to see what the troopers would do next.

"Move along," the Commander said to Riv. "The market is closed. Curfew will be enforced daily. Anyone violating that curfew will be arrested and fined. This is all for your safety as long as the insurgents run free. If any of you have any information, report these criminals immediately. Long live the Empire."

"Let's head home you two," Riv said and ushered his children toward their speeder to head back to Tarkintown.