Chapter Eight – Ground Coverage

Nicola half-glared at Jaina from her perch on top of Asyr's X-Wing, acting as if she were offended. Of course, one could hardly blame her. She'd gone from being in total control of the situation to being almost the person they were talking about. So much for keeping her and Bror's feelings to themselves, eh? Nicola jumped from the X-Wing's hull, walking over toward her friend.

"Love-struck Wraiths? I find that very offensive, er, Jaina. I worked very hard to get Face and Adra where they are now."

Wes, meanwhile, was sighing with relief at the removal of blasters. Nicola watched him, her silver eyes piercing the air around him, but he non-the- less walked over towards her, speaking as he did so. "Thanks for the help back there Nicola," he looked at her cynically. Then he looked towards Jaina. "And there isn't really any gossip from Rogue; unless you count the fact that Mirax got herself in trouble with the Council again." He shook his head, as though half-ashamed and half-amazed that she could get in that much trouble.

However, Jaina was pulling out her datacard. "Already knew that. You thought it yourself: you didn't know what the Council was thinking. That doesn't mean I'm not on it." Nicola smiled at Jaina as she glanced over, grinning. "And they also decided on the date for your trials. You've got a week, thanks to my meddling." She winked, half-joking. "That way you don't have to worry about one of us swooping down on you with the sudden revelation that a padawan is in love with her master."

Nicola couldn't help grinning as Jaina told Janson off once again. The Sith spawning koochoo deserved to be put in his place and, fortunately, Jaina didn't seem to have any qualms about doing just that. At Jaina's news on the trials, she grinned, a bit surprised. "They finally fixed a date for my trials? Amazing!" Then her face darkened into a glare at Jaina's next words. "Why is everyone talking about that today? And especially when Wes Janson, who can't keep his sithing mouth shut, is here!"

Grinning, Jaina pulled out her blaster, waving it again slightly. Wes recoiled away from her, as if the thing could brand him...or other. "Wes Janson won't be saying anything. Besides, should a message be sent, I'll change it to irrelevance." Jaina glared at the cowering Wes pointedly for a minute, then put her blaster away.

Not being able to do anything but smile at Wes's face, Nicola nodded slightly, then pulled out her own blaster to threaten Wes- just as Jaina put hers away. "So if I hear anyone outside of Wraith talking about this, Wes, I'll know whose big mouth was open."

With that, her blaster found its holster again. Moving over to stand behind Jaina, she smiled slightly to her. Torturing Wes is more fun than setting people up. I'll have to do this more often.

Not being the only one looking at Wes's face, she was sure, Nicola was pleased to find Jaina laughing just the same. Then she nodded in agreement. "Quite right. Oh and Wes, always remember that if you have grudged against a squad leader and they know about it, they have 12 times the number of guns to command than you do."

Jag had moved during Jaina, Nicola and Wes's little chat; now he was standing next to Jaina. An uncommon smile crossed his face for all of a moment, if that. Jaina looked over at him once, then looked back to Wes.

"And, of course, when the squadron leader is rather good, shall we say 'friends', with another squadron leader, that makes 24 times the laser cannons aimed at you."

Nicola smiled at Jag and Jaina as the two cast each other second-long glances. The two then looked at Nicola, a bit of a grin on Jaina's face. "Well, that's ground coverage. Of course, there might be more to threaten with. However..." Jaina trailed off, leaving Janson to imagine what Jaina and Jag might do to him.

* * * * *

Two weeks later, a group was present at the Jedi Temple. Coming into the Council chamber she hardly ever entered, Jaina looked over to Masters Yaddle, Astarta and Windu. Smiling very slightly, she walked to the center of the room and looked over to watch the rest of their 'group' walk in. Jaina nearly sighed at being in the room she'd so thoroughly tried to avoid. Jag came in to stand next to her, glancing at the three Council members present. Both Jaina and Jag nodded in greeting to the only Council member and pilot besides Jaina and Wraith's Thracia, Astarta.

Adra was next into the room and, Jaina was pleased to see, trying very hard to not laugh at her boyfriend's face. Jaina herself had to laugh, considering Face was making a very clear effort to stay out of Master Yaddle's line of vision. She looked over at the green Jedi Master for a moment, wondering what she was thinking. The look of amusement plainly showed on her face was enough. No doubt Face was hoping he wasn't presenting the Jedi another reason and excuse to hit him over the head again.

While calm, as a Jedi was supposed to be, Jaina could see the fun and amusement flickering in Yaddle's eyes. Then the master glanced over at Mace Windu, no doubt sizing up his mood. You couldn't hoodwink Yaddle easily; she knew, undoubtedly why their group of eight was there.

Next entered the seldom-seen Lucas Skywalker, along with his new girlfriend, Vana Sage. Nicola, Jaina grinned slightly, had been furious. In the matter of the time Vana had slipped from Wraith headquarters' clutches to right now, she had managed to thwart all of Nicola's hopes of setting the 17-year-old Vana Sage up with 42-year-old Wes Janson. For both Vana's and Lucas's sakes, Jaina was almost glad her uncle wasn't present on council duty today.

Nicola and Bror were last to enter the Council room. She was glaring at Lucas, her thoughts broadcast for their party to hear. That's not funny Lucas. I've told all of you guys before that padawans are not supposed to date their masters and that is the reason Bror and I were the last to be open about our relationship. The rest of you don't exactly have that problem.

In all seriousness, Jaina could see what Nicola meant. She was dating a pilot, even if it was behind closed doors. Adra was dating her life's love, Face Loran. And then Lucas and Vana were already Jedi Knights. They could, technically, engage in a relationship, even if the Order wasn't exactly 100% a-okay with Jedi marriages.

Jaina nodded to the assembled group just as Bror put a hand on Nicola's shoulder, and she smiled to herself. Bror's voice broke the Force-attuned silence. "Calm down, Nicola. In a few minutes, hopefully everything will be settled."

At this point, however, Mace Windu looked up, an eyebrow raised at the large group. Jaina saw him glance at Yaddle and she had to wonder if there wasn't a conversation going on between them. At last, he spoke to them, his voice calm. "You seem to all be having the same dilemma, is that right?"

Jaina glanced around the group, deciding to speak up. One never could tell if they would do anything; besides, maybe she could persuade the Council not to explode.

"Yeah, that's about the jist. Unsurprisingly, you all know what the dilemma is. So, Master Windu, Master Yaddle, Master Astarta, how about you figure out between all of you if you're okay with it...considering you let my cousin marry Alex Gallia, my brother marry Celtic Wesell and my uncle marry Tahiri Daragon, etc, etc. Let's not have this turn into a debate."

To Jaina's inward delight, the look on Astarta's face was one of almost surprise at the amount of information she was bombarding them with. Yaddle's face was one of something closer to amused. Or pleased? Whatever it was, it made Jaina realize how slim the possibilities they were going to be yelled at by Mace Windu.