Demms Ryx

Demms Ryx was a Volpai male who bartended at The End of the World tavern on Koda Station. Around 1 ABY, he met flight instructor Arvel Crynyd there, Ryx comforting him about the death of Raf, one of Crynyd's former students. Ryx eventually left Koda Station for an abandoned spacedock to join Crynyd in the Rebel Alliance. The Volpai served as a chef for the Alliance and trained to fly in an RZ-1T A-wing. He was present at the Alliance's Echo Base on the planet Hoth and cooked for rebel pilots on a nameless asteroid after the base fell in 3 ABY. He and Crynyd eventually became romantic partners and raised a daughter named Starr. By 4 ABY, the family kept a home on the planet Cerea, safely removed from the fighting.
==Biography==
===First meeting===
During the Rebel Alliance's war against the Galactic Empire, Demms Ryx was a bartender at The End of the World tavern on Koda Station. Around 1 ABY,"The Impossible Flight of Ash Angels" dates Demms Ryx and Arvel Crynyd's meeting to around three years before the Battle of Endor, which Star Wars: Timelines dates to 4 ABY. Ryx noticed bar patron Arvel Crynyd, who was a flight instructor for the Rebel Alliance, storm out after learning that one of his former students, Raf, had died. Concerned, Ryx followed him outside of the bar. Because of the appearance of Ryx's blue skin in the light streaming from the tavern, Crynyd told him that he looked like hyperspace come to life. Ryx laughed before holding out his hand, drawing Crynyd in, and offering him a drink.
Ryx politely sent Dagger, a woman who Crynyd had learned of Raf's death from, on her way. He then had someone cover his shift so he could sit at a table next to Crynyd and talk to him, asking Crynyd about hyperspace. As Crynyd explained how the impossibility of hyperspace made people who willingly harmed each other hard for him to comprehend, Ryx pointed out that was a potentially rebellious rhetoric. Crynyd insisted he was not a rebel and only an instructor and got up to leave. Ryx placed his hand on Crynyd's shoulder and asked him to stay, convincing him to by asking him about his student who had died.
Ryx apologized to Crynyd for his loss, assuring him that teaching Raf mattered and that teaching itself was an act of belief in the possibility of becoming better. Crynyd insisted he did not believe in anything, but Ryx doubted him. When Crynyd pointed out that Ryx was rebellious too, the bartender embraced it, with Crynyd admiring him for being sure of who he was. Though this unsettled Ryx, he joked that they had decided he was hyperspace come to life, Crynyd responding that he could see stars in his eyes. The Volpai told him to follow the stars but to come back to him when he wanted to talk. Ryx waited for Crynyd to return, smiling and offering him a drink when he finally did. Meeting up to have a drink and comfort each other became a habit between them until Crynyd left for an abandoned spacedock where rebel pilots trained.
===Making a difference===
Ryx eventually hitched a ride to the spacedock with only a bag and found Crynyd, who recognized that Ryx had many questions. Ryx revealed that he wanted to plot his own course, explaining that he did not want to become a pilot but wanted to make a difference to both the cause and Crynyd. Crynyd assured Ryx his presence there did not make him uncomfortable and told him that they could use a chef, joking that constantly eating polystarch ration packs made him want to jump out of an airlock. Ryx agreed to the position, saying he could not lose Crynyd after just finding him.
Crynyd eventually taught Ryx how to fly a RZ-1T A-wing starfighter, though Crynyd later moved to the pilot's seat to show Ryx hyperspace. They continued to find each other and comfort each other as time passed, being together at the Alliance's Echo Base on the planetStar Wars: Timelines Hoth and finding each other after the base fell in 3 ABY. After that, the two stayed together on a nameless asteroid, where Ryx cooked for rebels while Crynyd ran supply missions and taught pilots. The two having fallen in love, they eventually had a daughter together named Starr and made a home together on the planet Cerea, away from the rebel fleet.
Three days before the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY, Crynyd came to visit Ryx and Starr on Cerea. Starr wanted to know more about ash angels, as Ryx had told her that they were the only featherless birds in existence. Ryx explained that the birds' impossibility made them miraculous and worth holding onto while looking into Crynyd's eyes. Three days later, Crynyd perished in the Battle of Endor.
==Personality and traits==
Demms Ryx was a Volpai male with four arms, blue skin, and stripes on his face and arms. Arvel Crynyd believed Ryx resembled hyperspace come to life and considered him headstrong and rebellious. Ryx was considerate and caring and believed deeply in the power of teaching. Though he self-identified as a rebel, his desire to do more and to matter to both the Alliance's cause and to Crynyd led him to join the Alliance formally. Ryx would always offer comfort and support to Crynyd and go out of his way to be with him, the two finding love and home with each other. Ryx believed that elements of life that seemed impossible were worth holding onto and made the galaxy miraculous.
==Skills and abilities==
Ryx was a skilled cook and capable bartender. Crynyd believed that Ryx made the best rations in the rebel fleet and once taught Ryx to fly a RZ-1T A-wing.
==Behind the scenes==
Demms Ryx appeared in flashbacks in the short story "The Impossible Flight of Ash Angels," written by Marieke Nijkamp and published in 2023 as part of the anthology From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi. Nijkamp confirmed that Ryx's gender was male.
==Appearances==
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==Notes and references==
Category:Alliance to Restore the Republic members
Category:Bartenders
Category:Chefs
Category:Individuals with he/him pronouns
Category:LGBTQIA+ individuals
Category:Males
Category:Volpai