Smoke rose into the night air, blocking some of the stars from view. Others danced around in the sky as they were looked upon through the rising heat. No less than one hundred beings stood around a fire. Burning in the flames were the bodies of all the fallen dead. Several SSD soldiers had died in the fight, along with three of Meltdown’s swoopers.

     It had essentially been a one-sided battle, but there were still losses. Battle was never without loss to both sides, in one form or another. Skate couldn’t guarantee that everyone who had fought in the battle was fighting for the cause. Some may have been fighting for the love of combat in general, some for money, but the fact was that those who had died had died fighting in a battle for a cause. A cause that was dear to some. Their sacrifices would be remembered in her heart, and she hoped they would be by everyone else present.

     Skate looked over at Meltdown, who was standing on the other side of Ryvo. The big man’s eyes were welled up with tears. Ryvo put his arm around his friend, which touched Skate. Ryvo was forever surprising her with his complex personality.

     “We’re here to thank our dead for their bravery,” Jace said, standing on a rock. “Their deeds will long be remembered.” The Tatooine native paused. “At the same time, we’re here to thank those who are living.” He looked at Dark Star Hellion leader. “Meltdown, without you and your people’s assistance, we would have lost many more of our people. For that, I thank you. In appreciation, I offer you the opportunity to stay with the SSD as our head of the motor pool.

     “Now to the man standing next to him. The fact that the man we were hunting down turned out to be one that would help strikes me as ironic. Ryvo Lorell, you suffer the same plight as we do. Your parents are being held by the enemy. We can sympathize with that. You took a risk by providing us with information on the location of this planet. You rescued one of ours in a selfless act. You fought along side us. For these things, on the behalf of Sith Squadron, I thank you. You have redeemed yourself in our eyes. I invite you to stay with us on the SSD as we continue our search for Baron Reno…and your parents.”

     Ryvo nodded to Jace.

     “And I thank the everyone else involved in this,” Jace said, looking around at the people surrounding the fire. “Your efforts are appreciated. Let’s move on from here with momentum until we achieve our goal, which is the total annihilation of the TOS Force.”

     As Skate returned to her quarters after giving Jace her full report, she ran into Jen.

     “Hey.”

     “Hi,” Jen said. “How bad?”

     “Oh, he’s pissed, but he told me he’d tell me my punishment later.”

     “What torture, making you wait like that.”

     Skate shook her head. “I’m willing to wait, because I don’t want him issuing the conditions of my reprimand while he’s in that mood.”

     “True.” Jen smiled. “I was talking to Ryvo for a few minutes. He really is a nice guy.”

     “He’s a bit on the cocky side, but yeah, he’s nice.”

     “He did a lot for you. Have you thanked him? Besides Jace’s collected gratitude from all of us?”

     Skate winced. “Yeah, I thanked him. But I need to thank him better.” She grinned in an evil manner.

     Jen only raised her eyebrows.

     The door slid open and Ryvo entered the room. It was lowly lit and warm. Off to the left there was a large room with a glass front, obviously a sauna. Next to it was a huge curtain, probably the changing area. And against the back wall were five spas, made of fine carved wood and stone. But what was standing in front of one of the spas was even finer.

     Skate wore a red two-piece bathing suit that matched her hair. Over that she wore an untied, waist-length, see-through, green robe, which accented her eyes. Black, high-heeled sandals made her seem a bit taller, even from this distance. The little light the room did have reflected off of the gold waist necklace she was wearing. All of these things, combined with her natural beauty and the long cigarra she slowly smoked made her the sexiest woman Ryvo had ever seen.

     She dipped her hand into the water as she looked at him. “The water’s just right.”

     “You’re beautiful,” was all that Ryvo could say.

     Skate smiled at him seductively. “Thank you.”

     “Why didn’t you tell me you wanted to get in the spa? I would have brought some shorts.”

     “I’m sure there are some in the changing room you can use. But that’s not the only reason I asked you to come down here.”

     “Oh really?”

     “Really,” Skate said. She set down her cigarra on the edge of the spa and walked towards Ryvo. He looked up and down at her creamy, white skin as she approached. She stopped in front of him and ran her hands across his chest. “I never really got to thank you for rescuing me.”

     “Now’s your chance,” Ryvo said, smiling.

     Skate smiled back and ran her hands up behind his neck and pulled his face down to her own. Ryvo met her mouth with his and they locked lips. He placed his hands around her waist and rubbed her lower back as they kissed. It lasted for more than twenty seconds, and it was the most sensuous kiss he had ever had.

     She pulled away and looked at him. “That was for rescuing me.”

     Ryvo started to say something, but her hand hit his mouth before he could form the first word. The slap turned his head to the side, and when he looked back at Skate, she wore a feral grin.

     “That was for telling me I look ugly when I wake up.”

     The curtains to the changing room pulled back and the lights came on. Sith Squadron, Meltdown and his crew and Benny’s band stood there and began to laugh.

     Ryvo winced and looked at Skate. “Right now, I feel lower than a stormtrooper I.Q.”

     Skate smiled and shrugged.

     Everyone came into the main part of the room. Benny and his band carried their instruments. Several people patted Ryvo on his back and made derisive remarks, all of which he took like a good sport.

     “Skate, you can do green, but only I can do the lime green thong!” Thunder exclaimed.

     “It’s true,” the Toprawan woman said.

     “Where is Nuprin?” Seven asked.

     “He should be here soon,” Star replied.

     The door parted and Nuprin came into the room with a large drum full of ice and bottle heads. Ryvo pulled one out before everyone else mobbed the barrel and made his way over to Skate.

     “Have a seat?” he offered, gesturing to the steps up to one of the spas.

     “Sure.”

     Ryvo waited until she sat before he sat next to her. He popped the top off the Whyren’s and took a big swig. “Care for some?”

     “But there’s no glass.”

     Ryvo shrugged. “Drink it from the bottle.”

     Skate smiled and took the bottle. She took a drink and looked over at Ryvo. “I really appreciate what you did for me, you know.”

     “I could tell,” he said, and ducked from her playful slap.

     “So it seems that now is a good time for you to tell me what speaks volumes.”

     “It is, isn’t it?” Ryvo looked down for a second, and then back at her. “All the things I did for you speaks volumes of how much I like you. In fact…I think I’m in love with you.”

     The look on Skate’s face was one of surprise. Ryvo knew it couldn’t have been a surprise to her. She must have known that he had feelings for her, or else he wouldn’t have risked his life to save her. Perhaps it was actually hearing him say it that surprised her, because he was actually taken aback a bit by it himself.

     “Well, I like you, too, Ryvo. There may even be more than just platonic feelings, but I don’t think I’m ready to get involved with you, or anyone, for that matter.”

     Ryvo’s heart sunk and he nodded.

     “But I like you a lot and I want to count you as a friend,” she said, rubbing his back.

     Ryvo looked at her. “I want you as a friend, too.”

     Skate smiled and kissed him on the cheek, which made him feel better. She took another drink from the bottle and looked over at him. “Everything didn’t turn out as well as it could have, but for some reason, I have a positive feeling. I’m sure they’ll find something in the base or on the strike cruiser that will lead us to Reno and your parents.”

     “I hope so.” Ryvo put one arm around Skate and took the bottle from her with the other. He took a drink and looked at her. “Let’s make a pact that we won’t give up until we find them.”

     Skate smiled. “Deal.”

     In the middle of everyone else, Benny stood holding his hands up, pushing away the bottles being shoved at him. “No, I don’t drink the hard stuff!”

     “Come on, Benny!” Ryvo shouted. “Drink from the bottle! Go! Go! Go! Go!”

     Everyone joined in with Ryvo’s chant and Benny finally took a good-sized gulp from a bottle, prompting everyone to cheer.

     “Okay, now we’re gonna play a song,” the band leader said, picking up his Kloo horn, shaking his head.

     “Too bad Jace isn’t here for the music,” Jen commented.

     “Where is Jace, anyway?” Ryvo asked.

     In the captain’s ready room, Jace looked out at the unnamed planet. The intelligence teams were down there going through the base for any information that may be clues to Reno’s whereabouts. Soon, he would personally begin interrogation of the command crew from the strike cruiser. There had to be something—anything--that would lead him to Reno.

     He knew that the rest of the Sith and their friends were having a party, but he didn’t feel like celebrating. It wasn’t that they were celebrating, because there wasn’t really anything to celebrate, but they were rewarding themselves for their hard work. Still, he didn’t want to attend. Other matters were on the forefront of his mind.

     It wasn’t a question of whether or not he would find Reno, it was one of when and how. Reno would be found, had to be found, that much was for sure to Jace.

     I’m coming for you, Reno.

The End