Chapter Six – Face Loran and Who?

Face glared around at Adra, but behind the apparently level and even somewhat calm gaze, he had to smile at her. It wasn't that he exactly liked having to yell at the Jedi...but what else was he supposed to do about the girl he liked? Had she been openly smitten with him, as some had been a long time ago, he would've been able to cope; however, her plainly shown disinterest was enough to set him off in an insane little world of his own.

"Oh, thanks. Too bad you couldn't have done it before," Face said snidely.

Then he looked over at Kell and Trickster Goddess that was releasing the former to go after Adra. Jaina looked over at Tyria, shaking her head.

"You know, I've got no clue what you just said, but hey! It must be working!" Her unusually light temper was gone in the time it took her to look over to Face. "And you know, even if it might be impossible, if you don't appreciate Adra's work, I'd be more than happy to file for a transfer with Wedge or Jag for Adra to be moved into Saber." All this she snapped very irritably at Face. You know Nicola, I think I like your idea.

The smile on Adra's face told her that her friend had not, or so it seemed, been listening in. The smile quickly faded as she gave Face a sour look. "You know, I could've done it before. That is, if you didn't give me job after endless pointless job to do around headquarters." Fixing him with a cold gaze for another second, Jaina could then see her friend look over towards herself and Nicola.

You know that wouldn't be quite possible. I can give you a few reasons. One, I'm in Vanguard under Jag anyway. And two, Wraith is more like a volunteer thing, but hey, if I keep having to take the blame for stuff, there might be an opening for you! Then you can yell at Face all you want without having to worry whether of not you'll be getting a dismissal notice, thanks to that 'goddess' status of yours.

Jaina smiled at her friend's voice as it came through the Force. Then the doors of the building swung open again, revealing Cloud Ritril as he reemerged from his singular moment inside the building..

The pilot stopped after taking all of two steps out of the building, his fellow explosion expert coming over to stand by him. "So what'd I miss?" Cloud said jovially.

Jaina noted with a bite of pleasure that Gaeriel appeared to be quite fed up with the demolition experts for the day. The other Jedi came back to the fighting group and then grabbed an ear on each of them, leading then towards the building Cloud had just left. "It's way over your politically-challenged heads."

Nicola glanced up at Jaina, hiding a grin at the exact moment Gaeriel began leading the explosion duo inside. I'd ask you which one of my fabulous ideas, Goddess, but I'm pretty sure which one you mean. Right now, I'm toying with the idea of planting an idea in Face's brain. Something along the lines of him spontaneously kissing Adra.

Jaina had to smile in spite of herself; Nicola could be too much sometimes, but then again, those two really needed to quit fighting. All the power to them if it worked.

* * * * *

Kell winced as Gaeriel pulled on his ear, "You missed a hell of a lot, Cloud. A heluva lot. And Politics Girl, can you get off my ear? I promise not to blow anything up."

Gaeriel, however, didn't look too impressed. She merely raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Hmm, let me think about that. How about...No." Rather than making them go into the building, she turned, allowing them to finish watching the scene.

Looking suspiciously between Jaina and Nicola, Adra glared at the former, guessing at the jist of the conversation inevitably going on between her friend and Jaina. Of course, she didn't exactly know that what she was thinking was wrong, but that was beside the point. Adra merely looked around the yard, her confusion rising at seeing nearly the entirety of Wraith squadron outside.

"What's going on... Nicola? Jaina?"

Adra could see Bror watching his padawan from his A-Wing, a smile playing on his face. Not daring to guess what was going on in his mind to give him the grin, she looked back at Nicola and Jaina, hoping that maybe they'd answer her.

Nicola, however, seemed to have other ideas because she grinned at Adra, then looked around the group. Nearly everyone in the squad was outside, with the exception of Vana and Jade, both off in their 'lairs', and Asyr was Sith knew where. Nicola looked towards Adra, smiling as to give nothing away. "Oh nothing, Adra. Absolutely nothing."

Nearly the second the words were out of her mouth, Jaina suppressed a smile as Face whirled around to face Nicola. "No! I'm not doing that!"

* * * * *

Adra looked at Nicola, her suspicion seeming to fly through the roof. "Alright. What are you trying to get people to do?"

But Nicola didn't seem to notice her, as she was currently occupied with giving Face a Targeter glare. "Do it Face; you really don't want me to hurt you." Leaving him with a mental push towards Adra, she absently 'answered' her friend's question. "Just shut up for a moment Adra. I'm a bit busy right now."

Face made a mental note to possibly kill Nicola later on. Possibly. Half by choice and half by the force of Nicola's mind, he walked over to Adra and kissed her.

Adra was totally taken aback; she stayed in a mental shock for a few seconds, then unconsciously returned the kiss, her arms linking behind his neck. She seemed to be totally oblivious to the fact that just about the entirety of Wraith Squadron was here to view this 'interesting' point in their squad leader's life.

* * * * *

Gaeriel gaped openly at Face and Adra, unconsciously releasing Cloud and Kell. A smile began to creep across her face as she looked over towards Nicola, wondering just how much of a part she had really needed to play. Gaeriel looked over towards the Goddess, her smile broadening at Jaina's remarks.

Jaina herself remained silent for a minute, then shifted her position to scratch her chin, as if she were perplexed with a 'seemingly usual' scene. "So...I guess I should just chuck the idea of asking for a transfer with Jag then." Her words came off quietly, so as not to interrupt the couple.

Nicola smirked over at Jaina after she spoke, then proceeded to answer, though through the Force. I could've told you that a while ago Jaina. Sithspit, do I love being a Jedi. Now, who wants to tell Wedge that Face has finally found love?

The two retreating figures of Kell and Cloud were scooting quite quickly out of Gaeriel's reach, Kell leading his friend. However, they pair had gone all of three paces before Kell stopped. Jaina smiled at the look he wore and the thoughts going through his head.

Yes, Face was, in fact, kissing Adra. And yes, he had been yelling at her only a few hours earlier. But quite frankly? There was nothing wrong with that picture. The two just had issues with showing each other they were in love.

Across the docking bay, Bror rolled his eyes, his voice playing through the Force. Nicola, you had better not be playing with Face's mind.

A smile flashed across Jaina's face as one of fake-indignation passed Nicola's. She was pulling a good act of being offended; Jaina had to give her that. She was not at all perturbed by Nicola's voice answering her Master's. Why Bror! Would I do that? No but really, all I did was dig through Adra's mind a bit and then give Face a mental push in the right direction.

Any further thoughts were cut off at the sight of Vana Sage walking out of the building's headquarters. Had it been anyone else, it wouldn't have been a bit deal, but Vana Sage left her 'lair' about once every two months, sometimes more if she was feeling pleasant. Of course, she was nothing in comparison to Jade. If people wondered how Vana could live in seclusion, it was probably not wise to introduce them to the silent Jedi, Jade Veila. Jade had the wonderful ability to avoid social functions, no matter how many direct orders from a General came. Jade left her 'lair' about once a year at best; and the reason had to be really good to get her that far.

Hmm, I dunno Nicola. How about...yes? Jaina suppressed a grin at Vana's cynical sarcasm. Of course, you couldn't really blame the kid. She was all of 17, after all. Considering you've already hooked yourself up with Bror. Wait! I know! Next you're going to be trying to get Kell and Gaeriel to agree, then Tyria and Cloud! Oh, oh! Then you can see if you can't get Jag to get hitched with Jaina? It all comes together now! Oh, but wait! I know! Then you'll be aiming to get Thracia hooked up with Windu! That'll be the end of us.

Vana moved away, shaking her head, and went over to Tyria instead. She handed over a datapad to the computer hacker, then looked up at Coruscant's sun. It had been a long time since she'd last ventured out to see it.

* * * * *

Asyr came off the top of the building known officially as Wraith Squadron Headquarters. She quickly sent a knowing smirk and a nod to Vana and her remarks about Nicola's having already found her love. Of course, Wedge had to be told these things... But Nicola had left one little detail out. Nicola; I'll tell Wedge that Face has found love... if you tell the Jedi Council that Adra has.

Considering she didn't exactly know Nicola well enough to know her reaction to the proposition, not that she really cared about it either, the Jedi walked over to Vana with a hand calmly resting on her lightsaber.

"What's the datapad for then?" A smile etched across her face as she looked over at Face and Adra, a slight laugh bit back before it met the air. Then she remembered what she had come out for, in all seriousness, and told her news. I got word: there's a new squad starting up. Comet squad, of something. I guess it's an ancient squad from early-Empire days that got decimated. Supposedly, the Senate has given an 'all-systems-go' order on restarting the squad.

Speaking through the Force to buy Vana a bit of time for her 'quick argument plan', she moved quickly away as Nicola made a very violent move toward her friend. Several lightsabers chose that moment to stop the padawan, but even so, Asyr decided now might be a good time to get on the comm with Wedge.

She climbed carefully into the cockpit of her X-Wing, keeping her head down and out of the way of any possible blaster bolts in the near future. Tapping her comm on, she smiled unconsciously at the green light announcing she could speak and would be heard.

"Rouge Leader, this is Wraith Eight speaking. I've got some news for you concerning, eh, Poster Boy and Computer Girl that you just might want to hear."

* * * * *

Inside Rouge Headquarters' lounge, Tycho's head jolted up as beep coming from the comm caught him completely off-guard. Hearing the comm's message, however, he looked towards the other end of the room.

"Hey Wedge? Message for you concerning Face and Adra. Asyr Sei'lar is speaking."

Wedge nodded sharply, pulling out his own comm and flipping it on. "Alright, what is it Asyr? Did Face and Adra kill each other?"

A muffled laugh came over the comm as Asyr seemed to think of the right words to answer him with. "Actually...er...they seem to be feeling quite the opposite. The direct quote is 'Face seems to have found love'. They were kissing, last time I checked."

Having been about to ask her to clarify what she meant, Wedge found himself only just managing to keep his comm in his hand as she finished. Before replying, he turned the speaker on, yelling into it. "Hey Wes, get over here!"

He toggled with the speak button on the comm, continuing his talk with Asyr. "Asyr, is this a joke? Or are they expressing interest in each other?"

Silently, his conscience began its disbelieving remarks. Sithspawn! Who would've thought... Face Loran and Adra Tallon.

Wes entered the room just behind where Wedge sat, his lips parting to allow the first snide remark of a greeting, "What the Sith now Wedge?" Well, he tried. He got to the word 'the' before her heard the part about Adra and Face liking each other. "Sithspawn! Face Loran? Garik 'Face' Loran?"