Chapter Seven – That's 'Goddess' to You

Nicola's gaze jerked up sharply from grinning at Face and Adra just as she made a very violent move towards Vana. Several lightsabers flashed on to stop her, including Bror's silver one. Her hand reached automatically for her own, only to find it gone. Taking her eyes off Vana for more than a second, she saw that it's now in Bror's hand. VANA SAGE! I am going to kill you! And I'm going to kill Adra as soon as she's done with Face! If the Council hears that I'm "dating" my Jedi Master, they will kill me! And you never know, I might just set Gaeriel and Kell up; or maybe even you and Kell! Her voice seemed to echo through the Force, as she had hoped it would.

More than Vana's face was in shock, however. Kell looked between Vana and Gaeriel, taking an involuntary step back. "Nicola, you wouldn't really do that to me, would you? No offense, Gaeriel, but really Nicola, please, don't!"

Kell's sister, meanwhile, was gaping at Vana. "Vana, I thought you were my friend! I've already got a brother who loves explosives and now you want me to date someone who loves them?"

A smile creased Vana's face for a moment, then she looked over at Nicola incredulously, shaking her head. Nicola, however, glared at the Jedi; Vana Sage might be a Jedi Knight, but she was still younger than Nicola by a year. Besides, she was still one up with Targeter training. Nicola, that's not fair. Adra had nothing to do with this. Neither did Gaeriel or Asyr. If you don't want it out, then talk to Jedi Girl who's got Mace Windu begging her not to leave. So just set them up and you're home free if two Council members get married.

Then she turned over to Tyria, smiling a cross between feeling sheepish and apologetic. You're right, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. Her gaze returned to Nicola as the other Jedi shrugged slightly.

Who said life was fair, Vana? Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to talk to Wedge and a certain Rogue. And with that, Nicola gave a sharp yank to her lightsaber through the Force, causing it to leap from Bror's hand and jump to her own. Clipping the cylinder to her belt, she went over towards the Droid Luck and it's owner sitting inside. As she walked over, she carefully aimed a thought to Jaina. I think it's time Vana meets Janson.

Tyria looked after Nicola, shaking her head and frowning slightly. "You Jedi do know that some of us can't mind speak, right?" Without really waiting for the reply, she looked over towards Vana, smiling slightly now. "It's fine. And I'd watch out for Nicola if I were you." With that, the pilot walked over to her X-Wing, settled on one of the S-foils and went back to work.

* * * * *

Jaina smiled very slightly as she followed Nicola. Don't tell him I'm here, but I want to have a bit of my own fun with him before you "introduce" them, okay? A sardonic smirk rose on her face as she laughed slightly. The smirk of a Trickster...Wes was going to get a shock at realizing that he had chosen the Yuuzhan Vong Goddess Yun-Harla to 'flirt' with. He told me to...er...'look him up' when I was back on the ground, so I think I will. And I'll scare the Sith out of him in the progress.

Her friend grinned, a smirk rising on her face, no doubt at the thought of what Janson would do. No problem. Let me go talk to Janson real quick. I figure that I'll tell him to 'jump in that yellow piece of Sithspit he calls an X-Wing and get over to Wraith headquarters'. With that, Nicola used the Force to jump easily onto the right wing of Asyr's X-Wing.

* * * * *

Looking up from her comm, she smiled hopefully at Nicola as the Jedi came up behind her. Nicola merely smiled and shook her head. Then she explained in a lowered voice so the comm wouldn't catch it.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to bite your head off. I just need to talk with Wedge; well actually Janson, but you get my drift." At that point, she heard the reactions coming from Rogue headquarters. A smile ran along her face, Asyr's a mimic of it.

Nodding to Nicola, Asyr turned back to her comm. "Wedge, I'd say the latter of your two ideas. My bet is that a change may have to be made to the register on Adra's name in the future. Anyway, is Wes right there? Nicola wants to have a chat." What are you planning to do anyway? Her suspicion rose quickly as she watched the smirk on Nicola's mouth broaden.

Nicola, however, just shook her head and rolled her silver eyes. Just watch and listen Asyr. And learn from the master.

A reply came over the comm. before Asyr could reply, Wedge's voice sounding a bit amused. "Yeah, Wes is here. Let me put him on."

They could hear the comm trade hands, and unconsciously, thanks to the Force, they could hear Wedge thinking, Face and Adra? That's almost as controversial as Leia and Han. I'm getting too old for this. Nicola and Asyr both grinned at this.

Then Wes's voice crackled over the comm for Nicola. "What did I do this time, Nicola?" Asyr smiled and got up out of the cockpit of her X-Wing, letting Nicola take it. Before she let her take over the comm though, she replied.

"Oh, I don't think you're in trouble this time. It's more like one of our squadmates."

Oh shut up for a minute Asyr; you're giving away my wonderful plans. Nicola joked with the other Jedi, then hopped into the cockpit. Returning to the comm, she smiled at it. "No Janson, just get in that yellow piece of Sithspit you call and X-Wing and come over to Wraith Headquarters. You had better not have forgotten where we are."

* * * * *

Wes seriously considered telling her that had forgotten, but then realized it wouldn't be smart to do. Instead, he found a sarcastic remark to fit. "I really don't like your description of my X-Wing Nicola, but I'll come. And please, don't use any of that Targeter training on me. I'm too old for that crap."

With that, Wes grabbed his helmet and rolled his eyes in an odd form of farewell, then left for Wraith headquarters. The flight over was short and uneventful, and all-in-all, he was almost glad when he saw the landing platform of Wraith Headquarters. He landed his yelled X-Wing at an empty spot, jumped out, threw his helmet into the cockpit, then looked around for Nicola.

* * * * *

A smirk rose on Jaina's lips as she watched the yellow X-Wing land and its owner jump out. She walked calmly around from the other side, her lightsaber jumping to her hand and activating so that the blade was a centimeter under his chin.

"Rouge Four, this is Saber Leader. You told me to look you up when I got on the ground, so I am. Though, you arrogant little monkey-lizard, I'm not impressed at all by your calling me 12."

"Oh Sithspawn! I'm dead," was the reply Jaina got almost immediately. Wes started to back away, but had hardly gone two steps when he bumped into something very solid.

Jagged Fel raised an eyebrow at Jaina, nodding slightly to the rapidly retreating Janson, who had just bumped into him. As Wes turned around, he spoke mildly. "Hello Janson. Long time no see. Though we've certainly heard more than enough about you." His blaster held casually at his side.

Jaina grinned very slightly at Jag, using the Force to speak, rather than enlighten Janson. Didn't know if you'd show up. I'm glad you could make it on such...er...short notice. Returning her gaze to the quietly cursing Wes, she closed down her lightsaber and returned it to her belt. Only now she had a blaster in hand. "So, let's see. Wes Janson's dead, by his own proclamation; what else can we stack on him to maybe allow me the chance to kill him."

Behind Wes and his paling face, Jag couldn't help but offer a small smile. "We could always add the fact that he's an arrogant little lizard-monkey. Or the fact that his X-Wing is in serious need of repainting."

"Why the Sith do people keep making fun of my vapin' X-wing?" Wes's voice broke nervously. Mentally, he was making a note to himself to track Nicola down after; she had obviously set this up. Of course, that was always assuming he was alive to track her down later.

The blaster Jaina had been toying with was removed from its holster as she went to stand next to Wes. Putting the blaster arm's elbow on his shoulder, she grinned at him in a sickly sweet way. Knowing that he would, undoubtedly, be wishing he hadn't answered the call, she grins in spite of herself. "Yeah, I suppose you'd like to know. How about because we can."

On a rather stupid impulse, Wes rolled his eyes. "Was the Council under mind control the day they let you join them? Because you seriously need to tone down those threats."

Jaina's face let up on all pretences of her being in a nice enough mood to take the jokes. She knew Janson got the idea as her blaster leveled easily with his head. "You know, sometimes I wonder the same thing. Then I remember that Jacen and me are direct relatives to Luke Skywalker, and also very talented with the Force. Meaning we're more of an asset to the future of the New Republic than you are. Get the picture? Oh, and I almost forgot: being a Goddess might also come into play on this one."

On Wes's other side, Jag's blaster raised to mirror Jaina's. His, too, found a good niche to hold itself at. "Here's a golden opportunity to apologize, Janson. Though, knowing the Goddess, she probably won't accept it." Jag winked over at Jaina as the Jedi nodded in agreement.

Wes, however, was making a vain attempt to get away from the blasters. Though, with the combined holds of both Jaina and Jag, he couldn't budge. "Okay, fine. I apologize, Great One," he began, sarcasm holding back surprisingly well, "for anything that I might've done. Can you lose the blasters now?"

Jaina's sarcasm, however, matched what he was holding back. "Decisions, decisions." The blaster finally moved away from his head, though her finger remained on the trigger. "Fine. Apology accepted. And that's 'Goddess' to you. Now come and give love-struck Wraiths some gossip."