Aerek had tried to walk next to every one of the group for at least some of the journey; up front with Skyka, with Cai and the Wookie at the rear guard, or with Bud'd in the center of their little squadron. He was trying to make sure everyone stayed alert, and to find out more about the two newcomers.
Aerek, you aren't their commanding officer. You don't have to act like you are. Somebody did, or at least he thought that way sometimes. Maybe I've got too much soldier in my blood; both parents, three grandparents, a brother, a sister, and most of my cousins were in uniform once, or still are. How long have the sons -- and more and more often lately, the daughters -- of the Nexia family gone to serve the Republic in its wars, anyway? A long time, certainly. If he hadn't tested out well as a potential Jedi, he had no doubts of where he'd be instead. He was half-sure Lysa was force-sensitive, for that matter; you couldn't be that good as both a pilot and a commander without some help from the Force.
But there was the matter at hand. "I don't suppose anyone sees -- or senses -- anything that would let us know what's past the front door?" Aerek asked.