Title:  A Jaded Glance
Rating:  PG
Author:  NicolaAfyon
Disclaimer:  I don't own this, LucasFilms does. I just won any characters in here you don't recognize and if I don't own them, AdraLoran does. Summary: Just a little story I wrote to get a better grip on 'Jade Veila's' character.

Jade Veila, Jedi, Wraith, and silent woman extraordinaire, glared at the unoffending communications device she held in her hand.

Yes Antilles, she was managing fine with the prosthetic arm. Yes General, she had returned to active duty as a Wraith. Yes General, she was working on upgrading the Wraiths' communications devices. Yes General, Cloud was avoiding her.

And No Antilles, she wasn't coming to the pilots' mess hall for a victory dinner. She wasn't going to waste words being polite to Sithin' politicians and politely dancing with pilots she didn't know. And if anyone even suggested that she wear something slightly nicer than her battered black flightsuit, heads will roll.

Over the ten minute conversation, she'd said all of thirteen words, "yes sir," multiple times and "I'm not coming sir," once.

Shoving the comlink back into her belt, she turned back to her lightsaber. There was something different about it, after Ritril had used it. Not that her lending him the weapon had done much good, her arm had been severed by blaster-fire while she'd been unconscious from exhaustion on the floor and Cloud was suppose to be guarding her.

The man was now officially terrified of her and avoided her as much as possible. It really wasn't that hard, she stayed in her 'lair' and he stayed out.

* * * * *

A pounding on the door brought her out of her reverie. Tapping in the combination with the Force, the door slid open to reveal four figures, Adra Tallon, Nicola Afyon, Tyria Tainer, and Gaeriel Captison. As the four Wraiths stepped in, Jade raised a questioning eyebrow. People normally didn't come down here for no good reason.

Nicola leaned casually against a table and looked over at Jade. "Well, we're the committee whose suppose to take you to the fancy dinner, either by choice or by force. I, for one, am not going to even bother wasting my breath or strength in telling you to do something you won't do."

Jade merely nodded at the younger, shorter, and now three month pregnant woman. She then turned her green gaze towards Tyria, the second most close-mouthed Wraiths. The blonde woman merely shook her head, obviously agreeing with Nicola. She then glanced over at Adra.

"If Gaeriel wants to make an argument, I'll let her. I just came along for the ride," that was a surprise. No Sithin' sarcastic remark to accompany it. Well, three down, one to go.

Jade finally turned to 'Politics Girl,' a.k.a. Gaeriel Captison, letting her expression do the talking for her as always.

Gaeriel smiled slightly, "The General did give a direct order," Jade raised an eyebrow and shrugged slightly, an unspoken 'so?' "Which I'm sure you'll just ignore like you have the dozens of other commands received from Wedge. Technically, you could get a court martial for disobeying a direct order like this. But then again, you won't. So what excuse would you like us to give him this time?"

Jade smiled slightly, a very rare emotion from her. Taking a moment to think, she decided on the obvious and easiest course of action. "My arm," she said curtly, the first words she'd spoken the entire visit. That was fifteen words in a day, must be a new record for her. Of course on the other hand, once she had gone for almost two months without saying a word, and would've gone longer except that Wedge Antilles had come by and she'd been required to answer with a 'no sir,' instead of a mere head shake.

Identical grins on their faces, Adra and Nicola nodded and turned to leave.

"We'll tell Wedge. He won't buy it," Adra started.

"But he'll just have to live with that," Nicola finished her friend's sentence.

Adra grinned at her friend. "You've flown with me for too long, Afyon."

"You sure it isn't the other way around, Tallon?"

Rolling her eyes, Gaeriel herded the two sarcastic women out of the room, smiling slightly.

"We'll see you later, of course, we can't say how much later, but we'll see you later."

Jade nodded slightly and gave another slight smile. Tyria smiled slightly, and left in front of the other three. Dragging the two away, Gaeriel slid the door shut with the Force.

The Jedi stared at the door for another few seconds before turning her jade green eyes back to her lightsaber.

* * * * *

Wedge Antilles narrowed his eyes at the sight of the four Wraith pilots, not five, entering the hall. There should've been two red haired women entering instead of just one.

Gaeriel dragged Nicola and Adra towards him, Tyria following. Gaeriel looked calm and elegant in what she called her senatorial garb, Tyria looking calm in her military uniform, and Nicola and Adra looked ill at ease in theirs, Nicola in particular.

Raising an eyebrow slightly, Wedge waited for them to saulte before returning it and motioning for them to stand at ease.

"Captain Afyon, Lieutenant Tallon, Flight Officer Tainer, and Flight Officer Captison, might I ask where Lieutenant Veila is?" Of course, he already knew the answer, this was just a visible excuse for anyone who didn't know Jade well. He lightly kicked a smirking Tycho Celchu underneath the table as Gaeriel rolled her eyes.

"She requires a healing trance for her arm. It's still not completely healed yet and she's still getting sue to the prosthetic," Gaeriel lied smoothly to him, knowing he wouldn't buy the excuse.

Wedge nodded, pasting a look of sympathy on his face. "I see. Dismissed. 'Enjoy' yourselves," he added, earning himself glares from Nicola and Adra, a raised eyebrow from Tyria, and a fake politician smile from Gaeriel.

Finally turning back to the smirking Tycho, Wedge raised and eyebrow and held out his hand to his friend.

"Alright Celchu, pay up. That's lucky number thirty in a row she's avoided."

Grumbling slightly, Tycho dug into his pocket and tossed credit chips into Wedge's hand.

Pocketing them, Wedge thought about how best to achieve one of his pilot oriented goals; get Jade to come to a social event within the next decade. He wasn't a social gathering fan, but if he had to do this, so did his pilots.

Turning back to Tycho, Janson, Hobbie, and the rest of the Rouges, he started to relate stories to the newer Rouges, embarrassing Wes Janson by telling Ari, Aerolin, Aurra, and several other pilots who had come over about 'Lieutenant Kettch.' All thoughts of a silent Jedi pilot were gone, just as the pilot liked things.