Traitors To The Heart

Chapter 8: Loyalty

"Here we are." He showed them the door with a flourish as it opened.

"Thank you." Nova chirped, happily waltzing in. Lyra grunted in thanks which Fives reveled in. After the door shut behind the two girls, the troopers faced each other with contrasting looks.

"Told ya she likes me." Fives said with a triumphant grin.

"Oh please, you're tolerable at best." Echo rolled his eyes and walked away from his delusional brother. Fives panicked internally, second guessing himself.

"You think she does too, right?" Echo groaned at his brother starting this conversation up for the twelfth time since getting on board the 212th cruiser. Now on the bridge, Nova and Lyra waited to the side for Obi-Wan to notice them.

"Ah, girls. Would you come here please?" Nova was unsure until she saw his smile. She found it weirdly comforting even though his beard covered most of his face. Knowing that he didn't hate her was a comfort more than anything. Lyra gently touched Nova on the back to get her moving.

"What is it?" Nova asked, leaning forward and back on her tip toes.

"We were on our way back to Coruscant, but we were given another mission on the planet of Christophsis. Anakin tells me he saw you two spying on him from the toward in the city. Could you point to which two you were in?" Nova panicked, not knowing how to tell them she didn't know. It was kinda the very last thing on her mind that day.

"She stationed herself right... there, I think? And I was right here." Luckily for the both of them, Lyra was trained to pay attention to the finer details. Plus, she wanted to make the two of them look good.

"How good was the view from those towers to the Main Street?" Captain Rex asked them.

"Good enough for us to see your little battle strategies with a nice set of binocs." Lyra said with a smirk. Rex wasn't as apprehensive of the two girls as he was on Orto Plutonia, but he still didn't trust them. Especially Lyra. A part of him wanted to give in every time he saw sweet little Nova's smile, but when he looks at his General all he could think about was her trying to take him away.

"Good enough for us then. Thank you, ladies, that will be all." Lyra got the message and nodded curtly before turning to leave. She noticed Nova didn't do the same.

"Aren't we going with you again?" She innocently asked.

"You only got to be a part of the mission last time because you were stow aways, and it won't happen again." Anakin glared at the girls, trying to formulate a plan to keep them on the cruiser and out of trouble while he spoke.

"Yes, I'm afraid he's right. You two should stay in your rooms and try to get some rest, and don't get into any trouble while we are gone." Obi-Wan said the same thing as Anakin, just less hostile. It made Nova more inclined to listen to him as she gave a firm nod and followed Lyra peacefully out the door.

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So, Nova didn't try to cause trouble, but she certainly found it with Fives.

"Is that the best you've got?" She was using all of her night so yes, it was the best she had. An awful idea did pop into her mind though.

"You kidding? This is nothing." Hands squashed together in a tussle to figure out who's stronger, Fives and Nova had an arm wrestle in the middle of the cafeteria. At first they were all rooting for Fives, but Nova won their hearts and Fives' respect in one final push.

"Yes!" She cheered. All the men with yellow and blue painted armor on around congratulated her, some jumping at the chance to wrestle next. Fives patted her on the back and everybody hushed nearby to hear what would be said.