Gravity

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

The flight commander gave a snort as if he believed any of these boyos. He plopped himself down on the seat, checked his cards and then nodded to the rest.

"Right then, what will it be?' first up would be Chad, who would fold. Up next would be Janes.

"So what happened to your hands there Janes?" Odennus was curious having not quite heard the tale.

Wilson piped in, "Clumsy you see. Caf spill and all."

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

"Clumsy? No, not Janes. Easily distracted:yes. We haven't got marines on board again have we?"

Wilson snickered. Even Asmus managed a half hearted smile. Inside he was still squirming. Under the table his toes clenched and unclenched. But even if he was missing out on time with her now, there was no denying the beauty of the moments they'd just shared. His forced smile became real and he hit the corner of his lip.

"Come on, what's it going to be?"

He knew he had better than Odennus. Chad was out. If he took the cards he'd seen out of the pack and took the number of cards Wilson had... Asmus had about a thirty percent chance of winning. Sometimes you couldnt just make the logical choices, you had to take chances.

"Raise."

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]


Odennus gave Janes an amused arch of his eyebrow.

"Feeling lucky then are you?" the Flight Commander gave an amused twist of his lips and gave the nod.

"Fair be." all eyes went over to Wilson, who was eyeballing the pot and his cards. He had a good hand but he wasn't sure what his Squadron Commander held in his hand.

"I'll match." he tossed in the credits for the raise.

"Same," Odennus said, unaware that the others had seen his cards. Or more aptly, he figured and wanted to see if the others would continue to spend credits. And the fact that Janes was acting a bit off.

"It has to be marines. He's practically dancing in his seat." he joked, grinning.

"Where is Omar to confirm?"

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

"You'll get nothing from Omar!" Asmus countered.

Odennus seemed to have frozen. Then, ever so slowly, his eyebrows arched high and his mouth dropped open. As his features contorted in joy a great belly laugh filled the small ready room.

"Won't get anything..." He managed to say as he struggled for breath. "...from Omar!"

Asmus sighed, his shoulders sloping in defeat.

"And you said it... With a straight face...I'm out, I'm out. I can't handle bluffing skills like these. I'll go find out what room Omar's shacked up in and call him for the truth if I have to." Odennus threw his cards in. The infectious laughter had reached Wilson, who was now considering his hand.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

It was the worst - or best - tell for Odennus himself. His belly laugh resonated, the young Flight Commander's green eyes sparkling with growing mischief. Oh, poking fun at Janes was a common pass time; the man gave as good as he got and he always did so with a scoundrel's charm that had more than a few of the Subversion's crew annoyed at his good cheer.

Nonetheless, this proved to be a rather interesting little tidbit. Something had the man out of sorts, and Odennus was as curious as any. It was a small ship, he supposed, one way or another word would spread.

Inching closer, he recalled a bit of a scuffle outside the mess. Something having to do with one of the mechs. The redhead. A snap of his fingers came next. His eyes grew wide, and his grin split his face ever wider.

"Wait, does this have anything to do with Lucy?!"

Like her fancy of the Squadron Commander was a secret; practically everyone knew of just how often she'd been hanging about Jane's TX-100.

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

Asmus blanched at the change in conversation. It was going to a place that would upset Chad. Asmus could take plenty of teasing on the matter. The last hour was a memory that came and went as it pleased, not at his command. But it was there. Chad didn't have much of what he did at the moment: hope.


With a roll of his eyes, Asmus looked to Wilson to fill in the blanks. His wingman placed his cards down on the table and looked to the Flight Group Commander.


“Right…” Wilson said, looking to the distance as he gathered his thoughts. “This is what we've gathered so far. Whiskey girl is actually an agent who Asmus just extracted, Lucy decided to confess how Asmus…” he paused and spared a glance to Chad and altered his crude wording. “...made her feel. He was distracted and rude to her. The fiery redhead kicked off and like a fiery redhead Asmus had to do damage control. Chad then decides to admit she gets him all tingly and I get to listen to Omar describe in exquisite detail why that's on his top three imaginary threesomes. Omar confronts whiskey girl because, well, she's knew and he's an even more depraved scumbag than Asmus...”


“Thanks.”


“...dontmentionit. She turns down his Zeltron charm. Sounds like her and Asmus have gone soft in the head for each other and got reacquainted. Chad is sad and alone and will be forever because he's boring.” Wilson took in a comically large breath at the end. “Think that's it.”


Silence reigned in the following seconds.


“I'm revoking your ‘explaining things’ privileges,” Asmus declared stoically.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

Odennus gave a slow blink. His expression froze for a moment a bit taken aback by it all. Chad nailed the stoic expression well, but the slight tick at the edge of his jaw said he wasn't too happy about the situation. Fantastic.

"Whiskey girl actually exists?" was the first question, followed up by, "Chad, I'm sure she'll come around." Not really. Even Odennus knew just how much Lucy had been at Janes heels. He wasn't sure if Lucy even really had a thing for Janes or just wanted a piece of the proverbial ship pie.

The mention of Whiskey girl being an agent and everything -- it seemed a bit too much like a holoflick.

"Wait was that who you went to extract? The agent?"

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

"Look, I didn't know..." Asmus started. "Oh feth it fold." The cards were laid out on the table. Face up.

"I didn't know she was an agent when I met her. She was just a waitress who needed transport out of a quarantine zone. I was working on a freighter."

"With smugglers," Wilson added as he collected his credit chits with a smirk.

Asmus didn't like talking about that part of his past with officers above him. Though he did talk about it plenty to those who he thought would find it exciting. In hindsight, not the best policy.

"Yeah. So it was a bit of a shock for both of us." He took a serious tone, he tried to sound harassed. Yet he kept looking down at his own hands. Hands that had been holding her. And he kept smiling.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

Now that was news. Odennus knew bits and pieces of Janes' past. Mainly his career in the Alliance and what he caught from his time in the Academy. It was looking to be a night with less card playing and more storytelling. Amused, the Flight Group Commander went leaning back in his chair and gave a half chuckle.

"So wait, agent ends up being some waitress you picked up some time ago and now met up with again?" he didn't miss the smile that had split Jane's face in two.

"Hah... no wonder you're distracted." he leaned forward, picking up the cards again for a reshuffle.

"So does Whiskey girl actually have a name then?"

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

"Kaile," he uttered the name softly. The smile extended to the rest of his face as he said it.

"Goodness. This is even worse than a platoon of marines in top shape. You sure that's her real name?"

"Well they don't tend to tell us fake names between operations. And she uses it last time as well."

"A few years back?"

"Yeah, but she used a different surname."

"So what's she like?"

Asmus looked down at his hands, resigned to the fact that this was happening. "She's sweet and funny. She cares about other people a great deal."

Odennus stopped shuffling his cards. He looked to Wilson out of the corner of his eye. "He didn't use any of the words tits, lips, arse, legs or eyes?"

"He did not. No."

"Oh dear Janes."

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

Odennus wouldn't quite make the connection between Kaile, agent, and waitress. What Janes didn't know is that the Flight Group Commander actually knew quite well the Lorrdian female. In fact, they'd met on Sullust on leave after graduating from the Academy. Had the Wraith commander known Kaile's last name, then perhaps the connection might have clicked then. But this was a galaxy with thousands of Kailees, Kayleighs, and Kailys. What's one more?

A snort and the Flight Group Commander shook his head. "You have it bad." he once again began to shuffle the cards, adding. "Never thought I'd see the day. " another amused snort.

"Did you really expect Omar to not say anything? That man is the worst at keeping any secret." he joked, trying to bring some light-hearted banter back into the conversation.

"So what then? Going to sweep her off her feet and give her the ol' Janes charm?"

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

"If told sternly enough he'll at least not blab about," Asmus laughed. "But if you'd asked him I'm certain he wouldn't have kept it to himself for more than the count if three. And I don't know," he admitted. "I stopped being charming when I met her before. I was even worse back then for tall tales but she saw right through me."

"We've heard that part, though not usually when sober. What about now?"

"I just want time with her. I know I'm falling all over again, but it's all...complicated."

Silence was his answer.

"Speaking of Omar wasn't he after our bothan in engineering?" Wilson asked suddenly to bring it to an end.

"It varies by the hour I think," Chad replied.

Asmus noticed the light behind the Flight Commander start flashing. Odennus stopped shuffling cards and checked his datapad. "We've got some pings. Sit tight I'm going to get the flight deck cleared."

Asmus looked to Wilson as Chad took up the cards. "Change the song. It's 'go time' music now."

https://youtu.be/Z78PjvfCVTQ

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

Janes was correct on that fact; it was go time. Odennus gave a quick thumbs up sign at the Wraiths, who immediately shot up from their seat to head over towards their aircraft. The energetic music blasted through the Flight Command briefing room, pouring out towards the hanger where the flight crew was rushing around to clear the area.

Down on D Deck, the hydraulics that kept the starfighters underground gave a slow whine. Slowly the platforms were raised, bringing them up to C deck where they were now level with the Hanger.

Of course, speak of the devil and Asmus would run into Lucy just as she was leaning over to clear up a tow block from his craft.

"You're ready to go!" the redhead called out, her short bob of red hair brushing along her cheeks. She was trying, really trying, to seek to keep things as normal as possible. In her mind, regardless of what Asmus had said or what she'd heard, there was that itty bitty sliver of hope. From what she overheard, it wasn't like the agent was going to linger for long. They rarely ever did.

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

This was good, Asmus thought as he turned towards Lucy. She must have been coming to accept what was happening between him and Kaile and was trying to move. To keep things pleasant between them.

"Anything I need to know?" He asked as he fiddled with the helmet clasp beneath his jaw. When he'd brought her in last he'd asked for them to check the loose mountings on one of the engines.

What he didn't know was that this was going to be an exceptionally short flight. The sensor signals were nothing more than a a few rocks coming out of the nebula, their velocities leaving a wake of excited nebula gases that looked a lot like engine signatures.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

But Lucy wasn't moving on. Just biding her time. The girl would leave soon enough and Lucy will still be here. That's what she had to look forward to.

"Tightened up those loose mounts. Should be right as rain now." She told him, lingering a bit longer. Across the way Chad caught sight of the exchange as he climbed into his snubfighther. A muscle ticked across his jaw for a second, the pilot sitting down in his seat before his attention was taken by his own flight mechanic.

"if you catch anything else just tell me."

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

"Excellent, thank you!" He called as he took the ladder two steps at a time. Technically his fighter was a two seat trainer. It had been a prototype for Incom before the gulag. Modern metals on the right conditions lasted for hundreds of years with no sign of degradation, but it had still been a hell of a job to get her back together with her sister.

He settled down into the forward chair. Words flashed across the virtual HUD that was holoprojected onto his canopy.

"Guys, sit tight we're just confirming those readings," came Odennus' voice.

"Don't say Brice in tactical smeared food on his scanner again?" Chad replied. Asmus noted an odd tone in his voice.

"Well then..." Asmus said with a sigh. They couldn't continue their conversation; everything they said was now being recorded and logged. The forward bay doors started to slide open and his HUD projected a set of chevrons down the hangar that banked right out of the doors.

It took them a long time to realise they were picking up space dust and warm gas.

When they passed through flight control and into the ready room, helmets tucked under arms, Asmus turned to Chad.

"I need to give you that brief tomorrow, in case you need to take over the extraction."

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

The Fondorian set down his helmet on the table beside him and gave Janes a nod. If anything Chad might be straigtkavee but still very professional. He came from a family who had served previously in the Protectorate. It was rare to see any from Fondor so far away from home but he was of a lower caste, allowing him to travel more freely.

"Fourteen hundred?" He suggested a briefing time, running a hand over the smooth dome of his head. He had no problems with hair sticking to his scalp with sweat under the helmet compared to Janes.

"Well at least it wasn't Brice spilling his food again." Odennus joined the three, half grinning as he tossed them all bottles of water.

"But at least an hour left or so isn't too bad." Which meant that the next round of cards or so would help the time pass by faster.

"I'm picking the next song," Wilson piped up before Asmus could claim it.

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

And Asmus had been in the mood for something a little bouncy. Wilson however returned to the old playlist Asmus had adapted from his rock days. All driving riffs and singing that was closer to shouting. Maybe he could bring them around to some light electronic music, something relaxing.

It wasn't to be.

The list was still playing some time later. Odennus had left them sharply when someone suggested the Captain was on his way down to have a look around. The chance of a launch seemed ever less likely as they cleared the phenomena. Clear sailing now until they reached the refuelling station and then a jump to hyperspace to take them to beyond the system where Asmus would take Kaile to extract the defecting First Order officer.

Without Odennus around, Asmus decided to broach the difficult subject.

"So Lucy seemed a bit more relaxed," he said, as he raised the stakes. There was no response. "Look, I know this is all beyond awkward. I'll do what I can do help?" But what could he do. If they tried too hard now, perhaps Chad would always feel like the cast off's rebound.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

So Janes had to poke the pink Bantha in the room. There was a mild annoyance that went rippling over Chad's expression, the tick of the lower jaw providing more information about the inner workings of the normally by the book pilot. Wilson often teased that Chad was as boring as an unsalted nerf steak, but typically Eston didn't mind the quips or remarks.

However, when it came to the topic of a certain redhead now that the others were aware of Chad's interest, it made things all the more difficult to keep to himself. Mainly, because now they had additional ammunition to fire and Chad had no desire to become part of the gossip flowing on the ship. When he kept his interest to himself, no one would bother him. Now that it had come out, well it was only a matter of time before Lucy picked up on it as well.

Not that she was really picking up on anything when Chad went out of his way to ask her for lunch.

Before Chad could reply, Wilson piped in, "Help how? Give in to let her get you out of her system so Chad can finally have a chance?" he meant it as a joke, but the sudden kick the followed to catch Wilson right on the shin and the glare the followed shut him up quick.

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

Asmus gave Wilson a withering stare to match. He enjoyed the squadron banter, but at the same time he was still their commander. He had their welfare at heart. You could say that Janes was not always the most efficient or professional commander, but he looked after his people. He'd defended them bitterly in front of senior officers on several occasions.

"I don't know," he replied honestly, turning his attention back to Chad. "Short of stealing Omar's tongue. But if there is anything I can do, you just let me know alright?" It was all messy, but Chad seemed genuinely put out by it all. Even if, in hindsight, Asmus should have left this for a few days.

Wilson quickly averted his gaze, leaning across the table as he rubbed his shin beneath it.