The Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

Chapter 5 - Recovery

Several days later Nomi was finally able to leave the med bay. Tarik waited for her, still sporting the scorched feathers. It seemed as if he wore them like a mark of honor. The young woman smiled at her friend.
"I'm back, Tarik and I will be a fighter pilot if I pass the test," she said and hugged the winged alien tightly.
"I've heard about it, Nomi," her old friend answered with a smile. "How are you feeling?"
Nomi let go of Tarik realizing that those passing by were looking at them.
"I'm feeling much better, Tarik. I feel as if I could take on the whole Empire by myself."
The alien gave a chirping laugh.
"Don't get cocky, my dear. It needs more than a young woman to defeat the Empire. So when will be your test?"
His friend shrugged and started to walk towards their quarters.
"Commander Antilles said as soon as the medics give their ok. But it might still take a while. Before I left the med bay the doc had asked me to be careful and to rest as much as possible. So I still have to wait."

While walking toward their quarters they were passing the main hangar where some X-wings were standing. Nomi looked longingly at the fighters. The coast was clear and she entered the hangar. Slowly she walked over to one of the vessels, which had several markings indicating how many TIEs its pilot had shot down. She reached out with her hand and touched the hull almost tenderly.
"It's an excellent fighter; beautiful and deadly."
The young woman gave a start as she heard someone speaking behind her and turned. Wedge Antilles was standing there with a wide grin.
"Sorry, it wasn't my intention to scare you, Ms. Darklighter."
He approached the X-wing followed by his astromech, which was beeping angrily at Nomi.
"Calm down, R2-A3," Antilles said and patted the droid's dome. "He is a bit overprotective if it comes to my fighter."
"This is your fighter, Commander?" The former smuggler asked with awe. "You must be an excellent pilot."

Antilles shrugged and cast a glance at the markings.
"I would rather say that I'm good if it comes to survival," he said, while his droid began to beep a long sequence. "Yes, R2-A3...and I have a good astromech. Honor to whom honor is due."
The dark haired man chuckled as he patted the droid's dome again.
"So when will you be able to do the simulator test?"
Meanwhile Tarik had approached the two who stood in front of the fighter and heard the commander's question.
"The doc said that Nomi should rest as much as possible," he responded and inclined his head to Wedge. "So the test has to be postponed, Commander."
Antilles nodded his head thoughtfully.
"So another delay if it comes to bolster our ranks," he said more to himself than to Tarik.
Antilles' reasoning was interrupted by someone shouting his name.
"Wedge!"
A man in a pilot jumpsuit, holding the helmet casually in his hand, was approaching the group with a wide grin.
"Oh, I see you are with new pilots. I'm Zev, Zev Senesca," he extended his hand to Nomi. "And you are?"
Nomi took the offered hand and shook it.
"I'm Nomi Darklighter and this is Tarik," she answered Zev's question, introducing her friend as well and flashed a smile.
"Nice to meet you," the pilot said and smiled back. "I've heard that you were in the gunner station which exploded. And now you want to become fighter pilots?"
He cast a glance at Wedge who leaned against his X-wing.
"Even though we lack pilots they still have to pass the test, Zev," the commander remarked. "Sadly I have to delay Ms. Darklighter's test, but I'll test Tarik tomorrow. Both are experienced pilots if it comes to freighters, but an X-wing is another case. We will see if both fit in our squadron."
Zev nodded his head thoughtfully.
"I agree with you on this, Commander," he finally said. "Biggs told me about his cousin Nomi. If he wasn't lying she would be an excellent asset."
The young woman listened to the exchange and felt slightly embarrassed to hear the men talking about her. She was an excellent pilot, not only if it came to freighters and she was pretty sure that she would pass the test. As she cleared her throat the two pilots shifted their attention back to her.
"Excuse me, but I should go to my quarters now. I feel a bit tired and should rest." Wedge nodded his head.
"Of course, Ms. Darklighter," then he addressed the winged alien who stood still at Nomi's side. "I see you tomorrow at 0900 in the simulator room, Tarik."
The former smuggler inclined his head.
"I will be there on time, Sir," he responded before he left the hangar together with Nomi, leaving the two pilots behind.

They walked down the hallway toward Nomi's quarters. People were looking at them, but they didn't care. Both former smugglers were happy that they might be pilots again soon. Nomi wondered why the opportunity wasn't offered to them right after their arrival. Maybe it was due to the fact that the whole organization was in disarray after they were forced to evacuate the base on Yavin 4 in haste. It didn't take long and they reached Nomi's quarters.
The young woman smiled at her friend.
"Good luck for tomorrow, Tarik," she said. Then she turned and typed the code in the panel for the door lock. The door opened with a hiss.
"Thank you, my friend," Tarik answered and gave a chirping laugh. "I'll do my best."
Then he took his leave and headed for his own quarters.
Nomi breathed a sigh of relief as she saw that neither Jyll nor her friend were inside when she entered the crew quarters. She walked over to her cot, slumped on it and fell asleep.