Chapter 1

Sarusa Sabasoo swirled her wine glass around as she stared blankly at her datapad, thinking of the next article she could write that would refocus the Republic on the importance of winning the war. She hadn't filed anything for a couple of weeks since the Jedi Knight Kai-kwon Deo sent her the datafile with his plea to the Republic citizenry for their continued patience and support. It wasn't the interview she wanted but it had had an effect none the less. Heroes like Deo could rouse the public from its apathy, but it took the daily grind of reporters like her to keep it from going dormant again.

She was currently on the snow covered, mountainous continent of Escua on the planet Lantilles. It was a rural human world on the very edge of the northern Slice. More specifically she was in the Hotel Ayote bar in the small mountain town of the same name, overlooked by the Republic Army's Fort Koa. Lantilles was the current staging area for the 305's invasion of Contruum, just across the invisible border that separated the Slice from the Trans-Hydian.

She couldn't imbed until a beachhead was established on the enemy planet, so until then she was killing time and looking for being-interest stories.

She drained the last of her wine and set the empty glass back down. She was just getting ready to turn off the screen when she felt someone step up next to her.

"Ex-excuse me miss? Can I get you another…of whatever you were having"?

The voice was meek and timid, not trying to be suave or overly confident…which she hated. But she wasn't in the mood to put up with the advances tonight.

"No thank you. I'm fine," she said without taking her eyes off the datapad on the bar.

"O-ok…sorry to bother you," the young voice answered.

As she felt him walk away something made her shut off the screen and turn to look at the fleeing suitor. He was young, human, and in a private's dress uniform. She looked ahead of him to see if he was returning to a group of other young drunken humans, she knew her race was considered very attractive and a rare 'get', but there was none. He was walking back to a small empty table.

"Private," she called and he turned around rather quickly. She beckoned him to come back.

When he did she patted the seat next to him. He took it with a shy grin and said, "change your mind"?

"Not about you buying me a drink." He looked confused. "But I'll buy you one".

He didn't put up a fuss or act emasculated, which was nice. He got a Lomin ale and she another wine. He was handsome. With his short brown hair combed forward and deep green eyes with cheeks that blushed easily…but he was also probably ten or twelve years younger than her. She could tell he was nervous, and she didn't want to make this painful for him.

"So are you with the 305?"

He nodded over a gulp of ale. "Yes miss…"

"Sarusa".

"I'm Uli," he said in kind and they shook hands.

"What kind of name is Uli"?

"I'm from Dantooine."

"Wow...Dantooine eh? Were you there under Imperial rule"?

His eyes darkened with anger and he looked away. "Yes".

"I can sympathize," she said earnestly.

"Your planet was under their rule too? She thought for a moment he might've been playing coy.

"You mean you don't know where I'm from"?

"No…I'm sorry, should I"?

"Not necessarily. Do you know what I am"? He looked embarrassed but shook his head.

"I just thought you were beautiful". She blushed despite herself.

"I'm from a small farm family…we weren't really connected to the rest of the galaxy," he added sheepishly.

She was slightly surprised, considering her people had become something of a hyper-sexualized race for humanoids throughout the galaxy…but he was from Dantooine, a planet she heard made Lantilles look like Galactic City. "It's okay. I'm a Pantoran from Aruze"

He looked relieved. "That's just a system over" he said excited for her.

She gave a knowing smile before putting her glass down. "I know. And I'll be there when we free it."

"So are you with the resistance movement?...if it's alright to ask?"

She took a sip of her wine and nodded as she swallowed. "In my own way I like to think…I'm a reporter".

His look turned flustered. "Oh…really? What bureau do you work for?" He threw in abruptly to cover his unease.

"I'm with RNS." His relief returned in the form of a large exhale.

"I see you've gotten the run down from your superiors about which reporters are on your side and which aren't?" she asked, smiling over her wine glass.

He nodded. "Pretty much. We're told to stay away from HG, Holo-net Galactica".

She gave him a rye chuckle at that. "I don't blame you at all for that".

Uli loosened up over the next forty minutes as they talked about her work. The different battles she covered. Her expose on the now famous Jedi Kai-Kwon Deo, which was the only thing that took his attention from her. He told her how he and his friend Aron used to play in the Jedi ruins on Dantooine as kids, pretending to be the warrior monks saving the galaxy. She found out he was nineteen, which made him ten years younger than her. At some point in the conversation he had seen her wedding necklace and asked if she was married. Maybe just to see what he would do, she had said she was. But after a moment of what could've been disappointment, he was lively and talkative again, uncaring that she was seemingly unavailable. She also found out he had just completed basic, and tomorrow he would leave for his first combat operation.

"So did Aron enlist with you?" she asked, taking another sip of her new glass of wine.

This time he was quiet for more than a moment. He didn't have to say it. She put a hand on his. "I'm sorry".

He tensed at the contact for a moment, but nodded his gratitude. He swallowed visibly before looking up into her eyes, his hazel eyes glassing over. "He was killed for throwing a dumb bomb at an APC convoy…I tried to stop it…maybe I should've tackled him…"

"-don't" she said sternly but warmly…"don't blame yourself. Don't go down that path".

He gave his head a quick shake. "I know I shouldn't…but I knew how angry he was. The Empire had just seized his family farm in the 'interest of the war effort'. They had nowhere to go so they moved in with us…they were too proud for that and my father…my father was too much of a coward to let them stay for long," he shook his head, angrily this time.

"After Aron was killed my father forced them out…didn't want to be tied to the parents of an agitator. It wasn't too long after that they disappeared…arrested for subversive activities we heard later."

He looked up finally, a streak running down each cheek. "A couple years later we got the news of Yag'Dhul through the underground. It wasn't long after that the Republic ships moved in. My father did everything but chain me to the wall to keep me from helping the resistance. But once the Republic got control of Dantooine again, I said goodbye to my mother, my little sister, and left for the nearest recruiter…that was six months ago".

He took a long pull from his ale, almost choking as it washed over the lump in his throat. "You know, your father was just trying to protect you"

"Yeah?" he half-coughed. He looked bitter but assured. "Where would this galaxy be if everyone just did that?"

She had no answer to that. "Remember I said I was married?"

He nodded, unsure of where this was headed.

"I was married. In a way I still feel I am. My husband was killed when Azure was annexed by the Empire".

He looked stunned and reciprocated her earlier gesture by placing his hand on hers and squeezing. "I'm so sorry Sarusa".

She felt an ache in her stomach, both for herself and his genuine sympathy.

They were silent for a long minute before Uli stood up. "It-it's been really nice talking to you…But I should head back to the barracks. Will you be on Lantilles for a while?"

She finished the last swallow of her wine before turning to look at the young human. "What time is check in for you tomorrow?"

He flushed, even more unsure of where this was headed. "Midday. We debark at starset".

She reached out and took his hand. "Then stay".

The lift doors had barely closed before she pushed him up against the wall and kissed him forcefully. She hadn't kissed anyone since her husband died and had never kissed a human at all. They tasted different. He tensed for a moment, but the moment passed quickly and he reciprocated, turning her back into the lift wall and moving his lips down her neck.

They got to her room in a fit of laughter as he tripped over the foyer step.

"You must be a really good journalist", he said looking around at the suite visibly impressed.

"I am" she answered truthfully. She grabbed his hand and led him to the room.

Kissing him as he walked backward before stumbling back onto the bed.

She parted, before looking into his eyes, "Uli have you ever been with a woman? Human or otherwise?"

His eyes darted left and right before he stammered, "you mean…?"

She nodded, biting the corner of her lower lip. He shook his. "No, not like that".

"Alright…I'll be right back".

She left him sitting there stunned, before disappearing into the fresher.

She looked at herself in the mirror for a good long while. She had told herself that she was doing this for Uli, and she knew a big part of that was true. She had grown so attached to these men, many still boys like Uli, who died face down or crying out for their mothers on planets they had never heard of. She knew the statistics for new recruits opening a beachhead like Uli would be doing tomorrow night; he had less than a thirty percent chance to make it back. If he couldn't beat the odds she wanted him to have one night to remember. But in truth she was doing this for herself as well. She had spent two years wallowing in grief over Ves. She wanted to be touched again, held, and loved. She wiped the beginnings of a tear and opened the door.

Uli's mouth fell open visibly as she sauntered to the bed and she had to try to hide a chuckle at his innocence. He at least had his jacket and shirt off under the covers.

Technically they would make love three times throughout the night. Each time Uli got more comfortable. By the end it turned into a night they both could hold on to.