"–So I think if there was some sort of pollution tax on the Mining Companies, that money could be used to build more housing for the displaced farming community. Or even build real housing out in the encampments," Lee discussed with Rya. They were sitting on the steps of the janitorial droid depot.
"It's practical," Rya agreed. "But try getting that passed in the Imperial Senate. The Empire have a huge contract with the Mining companies to expand galacticly. It'll be hard to convince senators about local problems."
"Well then maybe we need to start with Governor Pryce," Lee smirked.
Rya smiled and took a bite out of the meilroon Lee had brought her. In the past three weeks she had seen him everyday after his shift or after class. She had taken a liking to him for his thoughts and ambitions, but it also was the fact that he brought her a meilroon.
"Lee, Governor Pryce's family is Pryce Mining. You won't get anywhere with her. Those who try usually meet their end. Three years ago there was a massacre. Many peaceful demonstrators in the Westhills who were petitioning Governor Pryce were killed."
"I never heard of anything like that," Lee said. "And Lenore listens to the Imperial Report religiously. Well she did until our radio was destroyed."
"The Empire covered it up. They said the demonstrators were insurgents who had attempted to steal Imperial mining equipment and attacked personnel," Rya explained.
"Can they even do that? Lie like that?" Lee sounded so innocent that Rya couldn't scold him for his naivety.
"The Empire will do what they need to in order to keep its hold on the galaxy and fear in people's hearts," she said strongly.
"But there's people fighting to change that, right?" Lee questioned optimistically. "Didn't you hear the broadcast by the Spectres?"
"I don't think that's a topic we should discuss openly," she said as she watched a patrol unit of stormtroopers walk by. There had been an uptick in military presences ever since the Spectres had sent out their call to action broadcast. Troopers were everywhere; wandering the halls of the university, inspecting inventory at the market, screening passengers at every transport center. "But many people heard it. I think it gave them hope."
She reached out and squeezed his hand. Lee's stomach fluttered at the gesture. He had never met anyone like her. She was smart, encouraging, and could talk with him for hours. He hoped she felt the same way about him but he hadn't found the courage to bring up the subject.
"Well I need to go. Thank you for the meilroon. See you tomorrow?" Rya stood up and straightened out her dress.
"Sure thing," Lee smiled. "I need to check in on the market. Afraid my air filter hasn't been up long enough to do much good. Our produce is still mediocre. Dad could use some encouragement."
"Be careful Lee." Rya warned.
"I always am," Lee winked.
"I mean it. You never know when something is going to give with the Empire on high alert," she looked down as though something was troubling her. Tensions between the Imperial Stormtroopers and local citizens were extremely high.
"Hey, don't worry about me." Lee smiled and kissed her on the cheek. It was the first time he kissed her. Rya was surprised but grinned. Lee turned and walked away hoping the fear that filled Rya's mind was unfounded. But as he made his way to the market and saw probe droids and patrol units he knew she was right to worry.
"Hey nerfherder!" Stobo called Lee. "Where have you been?"
"Hey Stobo," Lee was glad to see his friend. He felt guilty he had been spending most of his time with Rya. The two were still good friends but as they grew older more responsibilities were falling on them and they found less time to spend with one another. "Sorry, I've been busy."
"You Tersus always are," Stobo remarked. "But maybe we need to make a night of it and catch up. How's Lenore? I haven't seen her either."
"Unfortunately I haven't either," he admitted. She had been making trips outside Tarkintown daily now. "I think she's stealing."
"What makes you say that?" Stobo asked but quickly fell silent at the sight of Riv.
"Stobo! Nice to see you," Riv greeted him. "How's your father?"
"He's good," Stobo said awkwardly, hoping he hadn't heard Lee's suspicion about Lenore. He didn't want to get her in any trouble.
"Well help yourself to anything on the table. Doesn't look like we'll make much in sales today," Riv sighed. He walked over to a blurrg he had taken in from the communal pen. He had sold their speeder the week before since the market was struggling.
"She's gone half the time and then rides into Tarkintown like a mynock out of hell on some unmarked vehicle with food and supplies," Lee said.
"Well we need it. If anyone was going to get into thievery it would be her. She was the best one at Skylark," Stobo said in defense of her. He knew Lee was worried about her safety but what he also knew was Lenore was trying to pick up where the Ghost crew left off. It was not nearly as much as the Spectres used to bring but it was something.
"Excuse me?" Lee was offended.
"Ha! What part of that true statement offended you? Truth be told Lee the crops are not looking so good. Also last time we played Skylark I remember you getting us nearly shot to death," Stobo poked through what was on the table trying to hide his disgust.
"I know, I know. There's more toxins in the air than I expected and it's ruining the soil. I'm gonna check the air filter on the moisture vaporator soon and see how the readings are. If it's good, I can ask Lenore to start building another."
"Here's hoping," Stobo said, taking a bite out of a jogan and then immediately spitting it out. "Over ripe. Sorry."
"Vender License and Identification," a stormtrooper approached Lee. Lee was startled by the abrupt command. He reached down under the table and handed over both. The stormtrooper inspected the license and then looked at the identification. He looked at Lee and then Stobo who had just burped. The trooper glared at Stobo until he cowarded away a few steps. "Your identification doesn't back the name on the license. Who's Riv Tersu?"
"Hello there," Riv said as pleasantly as he could. He hated stormtroopers as much as the next Lothalite, especially after their eviction from their farm. But he found if he humored most troopers on patrol he was usually left in peace. "I am Riv Tersu."
"Your identification," the trooper repeated to him. Riv reached into his vest and pulled out his identification. He handed it over and the trooper scanned it with a data pad.
"Lovely day isn't it?" Riv tried to coax the trooper into small talk. "Must be nice to be out on patrol."
"You have an outstanding warrant issued by the Imperial Agricultural Committee for unpaid loans from eight years ago. You shouldn't have been issued a Vendor's License in the first place. How did you get this? The Black Market?" The trooper interrogated him.
"I applied for it," Lee confessed. The trooper turned his attention to Lee. "My father is the owner, so I put his name down on the license."
"How old are you, kid? You have to be 18 to even apply," he said as another trooper walked over.
"Is there a problem?" the stormtrooper asked his partner.
"No problem," Riv interjected. "Just a mixup."
"You'll have to come with us," the trooper said as he held Riv's identification.
"I'm afraid I don't understand," Riv asked.
"Are deaf? Or do you not speak basic?" the other trooper raised his voice. "You need to come with us. That's an order."
"And if I don't?" Riv questioned. He didn't want to leave Lee. He knew if he left with them, he would not return.
"Don't make a scene buddy. Especially in front of the kids," the trooper warned as he motioned to his partner to get the binders ready. Riv had reached his breaking point. He would not go willingly or quietly.
"I'm not. And I won't be going anywhere with you. I am an Imperial Citizen and I have rights," Riv said loudly as the other vendors turned to watch. "The Empire promised us peace and prosperity. And I for one believed them. But now all of Lothal see what the Empire truly is– a tyrant. Squeezing every last resource from its citizens until we have nothing left to give. Shackling us with fear and shattering our hope. I've had my home taken from me, my family ripped apart, nearly starving day in and day out, and I'm tired of it. Today the only way I will comply with you is if the Emperor comes down to the market from his throne and removes me himself."
The vendors and locals began to gather around and surround the two patrol troopers. They heard Riv's speech and felt the power of his words. They were tired of the Empire and its presence on Lothal. The troopers exchanged looks as they could see they were clearly outnumbered.
"TK-299 here, we're gonna need backup," the main trooper radioed out. "Market Sector. Non Compliant Vendor."
"Enough out of you insurgent," his partner pulled his blaster out and pointed it at Riv. "You don't comply then you'll be dead."
"I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees in fear," Riv said proudly.
The trooper aimed and prepared to fire. As he pulled the trigger a neighboring vendor lunged at the trooper causing him to miss. The shot ricocheted off an overhead panel and hit Stobo in the chest.
"Stobo!" Lee yelled and rushed to his friend who fell to the ground.
"The troopers shot the young rodian!" A woman yelled. A group of farmers pulled the two troopers to the ground and disarmed them.
"Hey!" TK-299 yelled as his blaster was ripped away.
"Soldiers down! Hurry!" The other stormtrooper sent a distress signal out.
"Stobo," Lee said as he tried to apply pressure to his wound, ignoring the chaos ensuing around them, "Hang in there. You're gonna be fine."
"Lee, we need to get out of here," Riv said as he saw a small unit of twelve stormtroopers arrive and jump off their transport. Stobo squeezed Lee's hand tightly as his breathing slowed.
"Go," Stobo said, closing his eyes and passing.
"Lee!" Riv pulled his son from Stobo's body. Lee's heart sank. He couldn't believe what had happened. Stobo was dead. He was in shock, but not for long as the blaster fire overhead snapped him back into the present moment of mayhem. Riv covered his son with his body as a smoke bomb went off and the small unit of troopers entered the market in attack position. He looked around and tried to find a way out. The crowd began to scatter down multiple side streets.
"We've got them on the run," a lieutenant trooper announced.
"Close off the street and force them to the center of the market. Call in a walker so we get visuals from above," the captain of the unit ordered over his comlink.
Riv took Lee by the arm and pulled him the opposite way of the crowd. Things were looking bad. He needed to get them out of there. As he turned the corner he saw another patrol unit arrive with shields.
"They're cutting us off at all the exits!" a man yelled.
"We're sitting jawas," another said before getting hit with blaster fire and dropping to the ground.
Riv pulled Lee back the way they came when a trooper ran up behind Riv and hit him in the back causing him to fall. Riv and Lee tumbled to the ground. The trooper jumped on top of Riv and handcuffed his hands behind his back. Riv looked up at Lee and yelled, "Run!"
Lee sprinted down a side alley and began to try and push with the crowd against the Imperial Forces to break the barrier they had created.
"Push!" a woman yelled. "It's our only chance out!"
The crowd began to crush him. He tried to move and turn but it was impossible. One false move and he would fall and be trampled.
"WALKER!" A Rodian cried at the sight of AT-RT's appearing behind the barrier they were trying to breach. It adjusted its guns and fired a warning shot. The people began screaming out of panic and ran back to the center of the market square.
This is it. It's all over, he thought.
As he tried to find a way out he heard a whistle come from above. He looked up and saw Lenore on the rooftop.
"Lenore!" He cried out to her.
She motioned to him to move toward the side of the building. She climbed down the railing off the side and launched a fiber-cord whip around Lee and pulled with all her strength. He began to scale the wall until he reached her hand.
"Gotcha," she said and pulled him up onto the small emergency escape platform.
PEW PEW!
They ducked as shots from the AT-RT fired over their heads. They quickly climbed to the rooftop. When they were safely out of fire range, they both looked down on the sea of people being rounded up below and the bodies that laid in the streets. It was a horrific sight. This was their life. The two looked at one another and knew they weren't safe.
"We need to move," Lenore said out of breath. "Follow me."
He followed Lenore from rooftop to rooftop. He didn't question her when she said to get down or to hurry up. His mind was racing as fast as his heart. He hadn't told her what had happened to Stobo. He hadn't told her what happened to their father. He had no idea how she would take the news, but once she stopped at the final building and peered down at the ground he had to tell her.
"We can hit the street level once the sun starts to set. But if we wait too long we'll get caught by the curfew. So don't get comfortable," she said, seeing Lee's odd expression. "Lee? What's wrong?"
"Stobo's dead," Lee said. "Dad's in custody."
Lenore looked at him as though he was speaking another language. She took a few steps back and could feel a heaviness in her chest set in. She liked Stobo. She always knew he looked out for Lee and also called him out when he needed to be. As for their father she had a strange sense of relief that he would no longer be around to cause them problems. But she couldn't tell Lee that. Not at the moment anyways.
"Lenore, did you hear me?" Lee asked.
"Yes," she said, composing herself. "I'm sorry about Stobo. Does Toja know?"
"I don't think so," he said. "There was a patrol unit checking licenses and they said dad had a warrant out for unpaid debts…"
"Yeah but how did all this happen?" Lenore asked.
"He took a stand…" Lee stopped to catch his breath. Lenore could see the shock beginning to set in in her brother's face. She shook him by the shoulder.
"Hey! We're not out of this yet. We need to get home where it's safe."
"What about dad?"
"Well we can't help him if we're dead," she said matter-of-factly motioning him to duck down as a patrol ship flew overhead. "Now's our chance. Let's go."
They climbed down toward the street and began walking at a casual pace as to not stick out. They started their way back to the transport headed to the encampments. They boarded with only five other passengers. Everyone looked grim as they pulled out of the capital.
"How did you know about the market?" Lee asked as he looked up from his seat in the rocky transport.
"This isn't the best time for questions don't you think?" she tried to avoid the question.
"Answer me," he repeated. His tone forced Lenore to look her brother in the eyes. "Today of all days, give me an answer. Please."
"I was scoping out a crate of food and supplies," she admitted and looked to the other passengers to make sure they weren't listening. She pulled out a small hand held device. "It scans the imperial troop channels. Make it easy to figure out easy targets to hit. I heard a call for backup to contain a riot in the Market Sector, so I came to find you and dad."
"So, you are a theft," Lee said, disappointed. But the only thing he wanted to do now was figure out a way to help his father. And he had a feeling the only person who would have an idea where to start was Rya. He wanted to see her. He needed to see her. "Tomorrow morning I'm going to the university."
"Lee, don't you think we should stay clear of the capital for a while," Lenore argued. "We'll figure out our next move in time. Weigh all our options ok?"
"Options?" Lee said realizing that Lenore in this moment was the naive one for once. She couldn't see that the Empire had ripped all their options away from them. They had pushed them into a corner. They had shot down multiple citizens like they were loth-rats. The only option left was to fight.
"I don't know." Lenore replied, unsure of her brother's strange tone. She couldn't imagine what it was like to be front and center in the Market when the riot broke out. He must have been horrified seeing Stobo killed, seeing their father taken into custody. She was just glad she was able to get to him and help before something happened. "Someone needs to tell Toja what happened to Stobo."
"I'll handle it, like always," Lee said. Lenore shot him a look. She wanted to fight him on the comment but too much had happened. So she decided to let it slide. Instead she nodded as they rode back in silence to Tarkintown.