Chapter 2: Forges of Ithyari

[Vergere 1]

Her eyes crinkled as she smiled a bit more. "Everything's fine. Don't worry, okay? Leave that to the guys in charge."

[Mara 29]

He came back with the pole and looked at Szen, perplexed. He didn't know if she meant himself or the Intel woman, so he remained silent.

[Rogue 4]

"That's all the posts." Layla said a little too cheerfully. "Let's get the tarp up."

She was getting a lot of mixed emotions from everyone around, and being a Zeltron, if everyone wasn't perfectly happy neither was she. The strangest thing she was sensing was fear and suspicion. She hoped neither were directed at her.

[Mara 29]

Finishing what he was doing, Kaden headed off with the others to pick up the tarp, taking ahold of one of the sides.

[Drake 53]

Takeshi laughed at Aston's comment. "Or maybe I could smack you upside the head?"

Having worked in black ops as something of a spy, Tak was able to read the body languages of those around him almost as easily as Layla's pheremonal sense. He could tell that, somehow, the tension had risen between Kaden and Brier and that Szen wasn't helping by questioning it. He could also see that Layla wasn't happy with the situation.

To try and offset her bad mood, he went over to Layla exuding happier emotions like confidence in the mission and, most of all, affection for her. "Hey Legs. Don't let their domestic troubles get you down."

[Rogue 4]

Layla smiled at him. "Thanks babe, I just don't like to see people upset...and...there's something else too but I can't say it in present company."

[Drake 53]

"Copy that, Sexy Leader," he said with a grin. He looked over at the work they had to do. "Did anyone happen to bring some labour droids to set these tents up?"

[Rogue 4]

"Maybe the Captain has some hidden in his flightsuit." Layla suggested.

[Vergere 1]

Walking close enough to overhear as she passed, "Or maybe he just wanted to see if we could do it." She stuck her tounge out as she passed, grinning and teasing them. The tension in her body eased off as she distanced herself from Kaden, becoming more relaxed again once she was around the people she had been working with for the last several hours.

[Mara 29]

Having finished checking out Kaden's X-wing and wandering around the clearing checking things out and whatever else he wanted to do on his own, Artie wheeled up next to Kaden.

He looked down and chucked. "Sorry, Artie, but I don't think you can help with this."

The droid blew a raspberry.

[Princess 35]

Nima finished her end of the tarp and decided that she should probably go check on Arlan to see how he was doing now that they were groundside. She looked around and found him by his fighter. She jogged over to him.

[Chickenman 9]

With the tarp finished, Aeric down on a stump, thinking. He really wished he could light a fire, but it might give away their position, and thus was too big a risk. Oh well, he'd just have to think up another way to inspire squadron camaraderie.

He was starting to notice some problems among the squadron. Tak and Layla's relationship could pose a problem in the future. Aeric knew, from previous units, that relationships between squadron members were a bad idea. It causes the two to become unpredictable in combat, taking tremendous risks if the other is in danger. It takes away their tough edge. It might be fine for now, but he was going to have to keep an eye on them.

Arlan's claustrophobic incident was also a problem, and Aeric would need to speak with him.

Nat's by-the-book approach was creating a rift between him and the rest of the squadron. In fact, it was creating one between him and Aeric, as shown by Aeric's deliberate misleading of him with the Mynock incident.

Also of concern was Kaden's avoidance of any social activity. The squadron needed to work as a team, and Kaden wasn't a team player. The arrogance that Kaden had noticed before was still there, but not nearly as bad as Aeric had believed. Rather, Kaden seemed to be cutting himself off from everyone around him...

And of course, the single greatest problem threatening the squadron:

Aeric Tunon.

[Ayingel 24]

Szen rubbed her hands together to warm them as she walked around the little camp. Things certainly seemed a little unorthodox around here with all the relationships she's seen. Even the friendships she's made could be considered unorthodox. This was definitely very different from how things were at the academy. She even managed to smile as she passed Artie and Kaden. I never thought things could be like this at all...

"Hey, Kaden...Sorry things took so long..."

[Mara 29]

He glanced up, smiling at her. "Hey, things happen."

[Ayingel 24]

Szen suddenly felt a little awkward. "So..uh...are you hungry?"

[Vergere 1]

Giving the pilots some space, she sat a distance away and rubbed her temples, before lying on her back and staring at the stars, singing quietly to herself in that soft, melodic voice, allowing herself to relax some after all the action and stress from earlier as well as think about things.

Okay, recap of the day. Gave a mission briefing, came planetside, blew a lot of stuff up, got shot, now resting and waiting for phase two. Definately a full day. I should probably sleep at some point... I've not really gotten to do that since I left to give the briefing. Need to remember to give the pilots their space. They're not Intel, and I'm not a fighter pilot. Definately doesn't mean we can't work as a team.... well, some of us at least. A lot of them are afraid of me or nervous around me. Wonder if it's because I'm an officer, or because I'm Intel? I should probably look into that. Not that I can do much about either - it is what it is. I wonder if I can get leave soon... I need a break. With her eyes closed as she thinks, and still singing softly to herself without thinking about it, she loses track of time, figuring someone will make sure she's awake or listening if they need her.

[Ender 8]

Jaim, after checking the perimeter to make sure no one was around, walked over to where Brier was sitting and collapsed heavily onto the ground, letting out a sigh of relief. He then looked at Brier.

"So, are you really Intel, or an actual military member in disguise?"

[Mara 29]

His eyes brightened slightly. "There's food?"

[Ayingel 24]

Szen smiled at his enthusiasm. "Well, something close to it."

[Mara 29]

"Food is food, to me. Lead the way." He smiled and gestured.

[Vergere 1]

Her eyes still closed, she grinned, "Are you saying Intel isn't worthy of being military?" She opened her eyes and looked up at him from where she lay. "I'm Intel, why?"

[Ayingel 24]

Szen laughed and led Kaden over to the crate of rations. She pulled what was left of hers out of a pocket and sat down with Kaden under the tarp. "So, is this what I have to get use to? Field rations in the middle of nowhere on an enemy planet?"

[Drake 53]

"Pretty much," said Tak, interrupting the conversation, as he came over and dug around in the crate for another ration pack. "Such is the life of a pilot/commando/spy/whatever. Ah!" He finally pulled out the ration he was looking for. "Tasty Nerf. I don't think it's real nerf but it's certainly tasty." He bite into it and, to prove his point, made a, "Mmmm."

With a laugh, Tak left the two to their meals and made his way over to Layla. "Hey Legs, what's shakin?"

[Mara 29]

Kaden pulled out various items out of the crates to make himself a nice lunch or dinner or, well, a meal. Thinking about it, he wasn't sure what time it was on this planet.

He sat down next to Szen and pulled open one of his packages. "Better than the bars I had in my X-wing," he remarked after tasting it. "This has some flavor."

Sitting in silence a moment, he finished it off and dug into another one before turning back to Szen. "It's not bad, once you get to used to it. I've had dinners much worse.

Actually, I'm not sure if this is dinner. What's the local time here?"

[Rogue 4]

"Hmm, come over this way and I'll tell you." She replied, leading him off farther away from the group. "Okay, so when we were leaving the radar station earlier we got stopped by one of the new Boomers. I gave him your ID, but the damn thing actually has artificial intelligence. It recognized that I wasn't an Intel agent and ran a background check on all of us."