The Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

Chapter 30 - Dawn of Hope

The next morning Nomi woke again by the hiss of the cell door and Vader's mechanical breathing. It seemed that the Dark Lord wanted to make a habit of it. The Noghri walked over to a wall and opened a door the Rogue Squadron pilot didn't notice until now. Then the alien motioned at her. She rose from the bedstead and walked over. When she looked in the small room she saw a shower and on a stool fresh clothes.
Nomi was well aware that she must smell horrible after being all day and night in the same coverall. So she was grateful for the opportunity to take a shower.
Vader had kept silent and watched his prisoner carefully. The confrontation yesterday wasn't what he had expected. It seemed that the woman was stronger than he had thought. He turned and left the cell.

After the Dark Lord left, his prisoner entered the small room and closed the door, while the Noghri stood guard outside. She undressed, entered the shower and enjoyed the warm water after she activated it. Her pregnancy wasn't showing yet, but soon there would be a little bump. She smiled for the very first time after her abduction. A few minutes later the young woman deactivated the shower, dried off and dressed. When she left the room, the Noghri waited there for her.
"Come, my master is waiting for you," he said and this time Nomi followed the alien immediately.
When they arrived at the room, she was in for breakfast yesterday, the table was laid for one person again. Vader sat on a chair and watched her approach.
The pilot sat down without being asked to do so. Next to the plate she saw the flask with the red medicine. She took it and opened it. Then she took a sip of the bittersweet liquid, since she didn't want to give the Dark Lord such a pathetic sight like the morning before.
Vader seemed to be pleased with her behavior as she began to eat. He watched her in silence and only his mechanical breathing broke this silence.
It gave her a start when Vader suddenly addressed her, since she was concentrating on her meal.
"When the Executor captured your freighter, you were alone on board. Why wasn't your mate with you? It's surprising that he was so reckless to let you fly alone in your condition."
Nomi almost choked on the bite she was just about to swallow because of the question. Tears came to her eyes when she was finally able to answer him.
"Dash...Dash is dead," she said nearly inaudibly, but Vader heard her nevertheless.
"Dead," he leaned back on the chair and steepled his fingers. "This is very unfortunate. With his help I would have been able to create a whole army of Dark Jedi."
Nomi wiped her tears and stared at the Dark Lord, but this time she kept her temper in check.
"If Dash had been with me, you wouldn't have gotten us. We would either have escaped or Dash would have killed me first, and with me the unborn and then he would have committed suicide. You would have lost in any case," she stated with an even voice.
Vader nodded thoughtfully.
"This might be, but as you said, Dash Rendar is dead and can't help you anymore. Barakhkha!"
The Noghri approached his master and inclined his head.
"Yes, Mylord?" The alien guard asked with an obedient tone.
"Bring Lieutenant Darklighter back to her cell."
"Yes, Mylord," Barakhkha acknowledged the order.
Then the guard walked over to the young woman who stood up from the chair already, after she had taken a last sip of water.

When the Noghri had left her and locked the cell door, Nomi sat down on the bedstead. She touched her belly and gave in to daydreaming. She tried to imagine after whom the triplets would take, being well aware that she wouldn't see them grow up if she wouldn't manage to escape from Bast Castle and Vader. The young woman wondered which gender her children would have and gave a start when she heard Vader's deep voice out of a sudden.
"You will give birth to three boys, Lieutenant," he said standing in the doorway.
She stared at the Dark Lord realizing that he had read her mind again and grew angry.
"I would prefer if you wouldn't read my mind," Nomi said in an aggressive manner.
The Dark Lord didn't flinch and looked at the small woman unmoving. Her anger played into his hands, so it wasn't unwelcome.
"It's very useful to read someone's mind," Vader explained with an even voice. "Unfortunately you aren't Force sensitive, so you will never experience the benefits of mind reading. Now as you know that you will have three boys, you should think about the names you want to give them," he continued. "You should decide quickly before I change my mind, Lieutenant."
Taken by surprise the pilot had to collect herself. At least she would be able to give her sons their names. But it was difficult to think with Vader being around, who still stood in the doorway waiting for her to come up with names. After a few minutes she had found names which had a meaning for her. She took a deep breath.
"I wish my first-born to be named after his father Dash, the second-born should be named Biggs, after my cousin who was killed in action at Yavin, and the last-born should be named Obi-Wan in honor of the great Jedi."
As soon as she had said the third name she had a feeling as if invisible hands were choking her. She gasped and tried desperately to breathe. From the corner of her eye she saw Vader clenching his right fist, while the pressure at her throat increased. When she almost passed out, the pressure suddenly lessened. The Dark Lord had unclenched his fist and released her from the Force choke. There was a lot of anger in his voice when he spoke now.
"I can tolerate you wanting to name two of your children after a mercenary and a rebel. But the third name... How dare you mention this man in my house? You are lucky that I need your children, otherwise I would have killed you on the spot. So, how do you want to name your youngest?"
Nomi looked at the Dark Lord in fear and rubbed her throat which hurt badly. Finally she was able to speak.
"My youngest shall be named Corran," she said with a raspy voice.
Vader nodded his head.
"Let this be a warning to you," he growled.
Nomi noticed that Barakhkha had witnessed the whole incident standing outside the cell, as the Emperor's enforcer turned and left the cell. Shortly after the door slammed shut and locked.
Nomi laid down on the hard bedstead, feeling awful. It seemed she stirred up a Piranha beetles' nest by mentioning Obi-Wan.

She had fallen asleep and woke when Barakhkha entered, carrying a tray with food and water. Her throat was still hurting and she did hard to swallow the bites. The Noghri was watching her as always, but this time he looked at her with pity. Something had changed in the alien's behavior.
After she had finished her meal, the Noghri took the tray, but didn't leave immediately. He leaned over and whispered in her ear.
"It wasn't right what my master did to you."
Then he turned and left. Nomi looked after him in astonishment and hope was dawning in her.
When she fell asleep again, she dreamed that her comrades were searching for her and that Wedge, Tarik and her brother finally found and rescued her.