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They were coming. The tension inside Base 767 was intense, so intense you could have shot a hole through it with a blaster. But nobody tried to do this, they were far too busy and blaster shots were being reserved for other purposes.

Lieutenant Ronma Skylon sat at her post in the docking bay and was trying to concentrate on the report she was supposed to be filling out about the condition of the lighting fixtures in the docking bay. These were hung with clamps manufactured by The Light Source since they were best clamps around and the base was a top quality base. Since she was not writing about the clamps hanging the lighting fixtures which would have been more interesting simply because they were made by The Light Source and had excellent designs and features Ronma was having difficulty concentrating on the lighting fixtures and the condition thereof, especially when they were coming. Still, routine work had to go on but more persons than Ronma Skylon were having difficulty concentrating on it.

Ronma had just managed to get about halfway done with the report when she heard familiar footsteps entering the docking bay. Without raising her head she lifted her eyes and glanced towards the entrance in time to see handsome young Captain Strono Ryles enter. She did not observe that he looked in her direction, probably because he didn’t, but still she couldn’t resist a slight flutter of the heart in case he would notice her and before she was done thinking about how delightful it would be if he did notice her she realized that her communicator was buzzing loudly. Quickly she picked it up and said with a sigh, “Hello”, then recollecting herself she said in the most professional voice she could manage, “Lieutenant Ronma Skylon speaking.” The conversation that followed was strictly routine and was primarily about making sure that a warm reception was ready for them. Fortunately for the officer who was attempting to talk to Ronma Captan Strono Ryles had just walked out of the docking bay.

It was not long until they could be seen in the far distance heading rapidly towards the base. Emergency sirens started blaring though everyone on the base, with perhaps the exception of the oldest of the janitors who habitually slept through every announcement and meeting, knew that they were coming and when they were coming. Soldiers quickly lined up. Docking bay workers scrambled to get to their correct positions. Twelve cooks came rushing in followed by eight soldiers carrying a large table and five more soldiers carrying plates and Bill Brutlock, the strongest man on the base, carrying an immense container of silverware while beside him walked his pretty girlfriend carrying napkins.

All of the officers on the base with the exception of a few who were on duty positioned themselves near the table. Ronma still hadn’t finished her report yet and worked harder at forcing herself to concentrate on it despite Captain Strono’s reentrance into the docking bay.

A few tense moments went by then the great docking bay doors swung open and they landed. Tension, excitement, apprehension, curiosity, and several more words similar to them were very appropriate to the situation though perhaps breathless agony of expectation might explain best the moments between when the monthly supply ships landed and when the great doors on them finally opened and several persons came out bearing chocolate cake. There was a huge sigh of relief throughout all those assembled. They had come, and they had brought the chocolate cake and that was all that mattered to the generality of those on the base.

Several cakes were quickly onto the table. The fragment chocolate cake spread it’s aroma throughout the room and once again there was silent expectation. The chief chef took up his careful sharpened and polished knife and began to cut. As Captain Strono glanced around he noticed that all eyes were on the cake being cut, all eyes save one pair and those belonged to Ronma. He noticed this because when he looked in her direction he observed that she was looking at him. Their eyes met for a brief moment then Ronma blushed and dropped her eyes and began working on her report with an alacrity which hitherto had not been observable.

Due to his high rank Captain Strono Ryles got a piece of chocolate cake rather earlier than most and once he had gotten it instead of commencing eating it right away as anyone would have expected he slowly walked over to Ronma’s desk and once again caused her to become rather oblivious to her report but since she had fortunately just finished it that didn’t matter.

The sweet aroma of the chocolate cake perfumed the air and Ronma looked up, as she would have done even without the aroma of chocolate cake. Captian Strono smiled and said, “Would you like some cake?” and Ronma said “Yes, I would” and he promptly handed her the piece of chocolate cake and she, after giving him a beautiful smile, started eating it. The chocolate cake was delicious, which was why everyone was always excited around the time for its arrival, and for a moment while savoring the first few bites of it Ronma almost didn’t think about the fact that Captain Strono had finally noticed her. Though as a matter fact he hadn’t just noticed her, he had been noticing her for quite some time but she just hadn’t noticed the fact that he had noticed her as he had not before noticed the fact that she had noticed him and while noticing each other neither had noticed the other noticing them and can I make this more confusing? Probably but I’ll get on with the story.

Ronma was not long allowed to eat the cake uninterrupted. After a few bites Captian Strono asked her to the dance that evening that was to be held in honor of the arrival of the chocolate cake and as soon her her mouth was empty Ronma accepted. They went to the dance that evening and danced every dance together when they didn’t sit them out and though there was no moonlight there was chocolate cake and that worked quite as well.

Little more remains to be said. As you probably guessed at the point of the story when Captain Strono was first mentioned, he and Ronma got married and lived happily ever after and if you didn’t know that this was going to happen until know then Surpirse! Perhaps I should have written more of this story but for a short little story this is probably long enough. Otherwise it might go into the category of merely Short Story instead of Short Little Story or perhaps it really belongs in the category of Short Science Fiction story or Short Romance Story or perhaps something completely different but be that as it may I shall now say THE END