Thanks for all the reviews, will edit previous chapters for clarity.
According to Star Wars Wikia, Wexley is a Captain in the Resistance. Doesn't fit for me since Poe is a Commander (in real life the latter rank is lower than the former—if we stick to Naval ranks.) So I made Wexley/Snap/Temmin a Lieutenant Commander.
Resistance Base Headquarters
Jess stared at the three senior Resistance commanders for a few seconds before the tears swelling up in eyes streaked down her cheeks. Her mouth open to say something foul, then she thought better of it and ignoring military protocol, she dashed out of the room.
"Lieutenant! Lieutenant Pava!" Poe called, running after the junior pilot. "Lieu…"
"Stop Lieutenant-ing me!" Jess spun around and yelled at her senior officer. "You sent him on that mission, didn't you?"
"I ordered, but it was a…"
"Well, you can suck this!" Jess shouted, spat, and threw her rank insignia at him, nearly striking Poe's forehead. "Hey, Jess," Rey emerged from another corner but the fuming your pilot ignored her new friend and ran off. "What did I run…into?" She queried. Poe just shook his head and moved away.
"Rey," General Organa gestured. "A short word with you." With her mind more on the incident she just witnessed, Rey did and Leia double locked the door. "Thank goodness you're alright; that dessert could have killed you."
"I'm fine, thanks to the Force," Rey answered, her head glancing back and her mind more focused on her new starfighter pilot friend.
"We have the chef in custody and under interrogation. It's certainly an increasing threat by the First Order against you so you really have to be cautious. I know you're strong with the Force especially with Luke's training, but you still need be covered. How about some security details, a droid or so?"
"I'm fine, General, really," Rey replied, hoping to check on Jess. "I don't need a minder to cover my six all the time," she remembered hearing that slang in the hangar bay.
"Nevertheless, some precautions have to be taken. While you're here, I'll have at least a guard droid on your room door." Rey nodded and then learnt about what happened to Jess earlier. "Oh my..." she said and after a quick 'thanks' to Leia, she dashed out. Using the Force, she found Jess' quarters easily and press the door bell. "Jess?" She called. "You there?"
No one answered after a few more attempts with the doorbell, but Rey could sense her friend through the metal. "Jess, I know you're there..."
"Go away!" Came the reply followed by a series of sobbing.
"Jess, come on, talk to me," Rey pleaded.
"I am. Now go away," Rey could still sense the young starfighter pilot sobbing.
"Jess, I know Temmin was special..." The door snapped open.
"He IS SPECIAL TO ME! AND THEY TOOK HIM AWAY FROM ME!" Jess cried out loud, her black silky hair masking most of her face. Rey reached out to hug her new friend but she shrugged it off.
"I'm so sorry..." Rey apologised for her grammar mistake and expressed her sympathy.
"You are now let me wail in peace!" Jess slammed the door shut and Rey considered using the Force to unlock it but had second thoughts. Staring at locked dorm, she closed her eyes and thought, what would a Jedi do in such a circumstance? Master Luke, she thought quietly, what would you do?
More guided by the Force than anything else, Rey found her back in the hangar area where she heard a familiar voice and beeping. "No, I don't have time to set you up for a defragmentation of your hard drive. You can get others to do it or roll down to the shop yourself. No, I'm not being uncaring, I just don't have the time."
"Hi Poe, uh Commander Dameron," Rey began, trying to be more formal. "I was wondering about uh Temmin Wexley..."
"Oh you as well," Poe interjected, trying to hand-comb his hair in place. "He's just reported missing that's all."
"But...uh Jess... I mean Lieutenant Pava,"
"She's going through what ever starfighter pilot goes through: a phase of disbelief. She'll get over it." He replied with a strong tone of indifference.
"But..."
"But I'm busy. Look you can have a short spin in the T-47s or their simulators ok? See you." Poe spun on his heels and moved off.
"Beeep boo boop," BB-8 whined.
"Yeah, I guess that's not like him," Rey bent down and patted the droid which whistled another question. She quickly explained the situation and the droid whistled again.
"Send them to the medical bay? No, I don't think Jess warrants drugs...ok, but how long should I wait for her to calm down? Ok, ok," Rey patted the droid again and led it to the droid bay to clean its internals. That area was adjacent to a gymnasium where she spotted the person she really cared about.
"Let me help you with that Finn," she called, lifted the weight with the Force rather than her arms.
"Perks of befriending a Jedi," he smiled, reaching to kiss her but she moved back. "Sweaty body," she chirped.
"I'll fix that soon. The Resistance seems to make me exercise more than I ever did as a Stormtrooper. What's up?"
Rey filled him in about Jess adding a 'what should I do?' at the end of the update. "Well, back in my horrible Stormtrooper days, we used to settle arguments or disagreements with a fight."
"A fight? Finn, I can't get Jess to fight Poe."
"Well no, yeah you're right. But something wil..." Suddenly, Rey smiled. "What?"
"Finn dear, you gave the best idea! Now..." she lean forward and forgetting his sweaty body, she whispered her plan.
A while later, Jess with her hair slightly re-arranged and her face showing a curious rather than a dejected look. "Rey, for the umpteenth time, where are you taking me?"
"Don't worry, I'm helping you feel better."
"This better not be any Jedi trick. I've read about you people. You.." Jess found herself he a small meeting room and before she knew it, Rey closed the hatch. Suddenly, another side panel opened and Finn pushed Poe inside.
"Rey, curse you! I knew it! Lemme out!" Jess pounded the locked door.
"Finn! You tricked me!" Poe also hollered.
"Hey you two, talk it out," Rey called via the intercom.
"I'm sure you both can settle it," Called Finn.
The Commander and the Lieutenant gave angry look at the speaker and each other before turning back to back.
"Ok, tell me I'm being court-martial," Jess began a few minutes later. "I shouted at a senior officer, threw my insignia at you, threw a tantrum. Tell me how unbecoming an officer of the Resistance I..."
"Lieutenant..." Poe called but she stilled rumbled on.
"Jess!" he called then she looked up.
"I...I'm sorry about Snap as well. He brought all the jokes whole starfighter fleet. He brought life amongst the dreariness of fighting and duty. Most of all, he was the best reconnaissance I've ever known. He could literally draw out maps of any region or system with a quick glance. He could guide pilots and whole squadrons through the best possible path. And he..."
"And?" Jess prompted.
"He was...is the best with the Galaxy Expansion game," Poe gave a short laugh. "I always came second to him."
"I could never figure out that game," Jess added. "Just used to sit by him, hug him and kiss him as he played it." Her hands and fingers moved around to imitate such actions. "Now, I've to imagine him by me at the ball."
"Jess, I'm sorry again. Look, he's just classified as missing ok? We'll put a lookout on him, get intelligence to focus on any leads on him. And, uh, I'm in the same spot as you. I don't have any girl to take to the ball."
"That's because you work too hard...sir."
"BB-8 been telling you stuff?"
"No, that's an honest opinion Commander. But thank you for this," she reached out and shook his hand.
"Uh Jess," he called just as she found the door unlocked. "You might want to have these back, Lieutenant," he pinned her insiginia back on her shoulders.
"Thank you sir!" She snapped to attention. Then, shuffling her feet, she cleared her throat and asked, "Sir, permission to take you as my date to the ball?"
To be Continued
