The Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

Chapter 56 - Trouble in Paradise

The next morning Nomi and Dash were woken up by a loud knock on their door. They looked at each other and wondered who it could be so early in the morning.

Dash pulled on his pants, grabbed his blaster, got out of bed and opened the door. Seeing Hal Horn standing in front of him, he holstered his blaster and let the CorSec officer enter.
"You both have to get out of here quickly," Horn said bluntly. "Your cover has been blown. The stormtroopers are already on their way to arrest you."
Nomi had gotten out of bed and dressed before Dash answered the door and was now hurrying to pack their belongings. Rendar put on his uniform jacket.
"Come on, we don't have much time left," Hal Horn urged them to hurry. "There is a speeder waiting outside to take you to the spaceport."
When everything was packed, Horn led them outside and to the speeder. There he opened the door.
"Hurry up, my son will take you both to the spaceport safely."
Before Nomi entered she turned to the CorSec officer.
"Why are you doing this for us?" She asked, still unsure if they could trust the man.
"I'm doing it for your daughter, Mrs. Darklighter," he answered almost inaudibly and smiled. "May the Force be with you."
It was an odd answer, but the young woman didn't have time to think about it further. She got into the speeder, sat down next to her husband and Horn closed the door.
As soon as they were seated, Corran Horn started the engines.

In one wild ride they drove to the spaceport. Hal Horn's son really was an excellent driver. Nomi spoke to him as he weaved the speeder through the heavy traffic. She was still thinking about the young man's father's remark about their unborn daughter.
"What did your father mean when he said he's doing it for our daughter, Corran?"
The young man turned his head slightly as he answered the question.
"Father said your daughter will be important to the galaxy. You must know that he often has feelings or premonitions when it comes to future events," he hesitated for a split second before continuing. Perhaps he was unsure whether to tell a stranger. "It happens to me too and it scares me."
Nomi had no idea what to say, and Corran turned his attention back to driving.
Eventually they reached the spaceport and Horn stopped the speeder in front of it. All three left the speeder.
"Goodbye, Mrs. Raviul. Goodbye, Commander Raviul. Safe journey," said young Horn, hugged Nomi and whispered in her ear.
"I hope to see you again soon, Captain Darklighter. I know the Alliance is always looking for good pilots. May the Force be with you."
Then Hal Horn's son let her go, entered the speeder, activated the engines, and drove away.

Dash took their bags and entered the spaceport followed by Nomi. There they lined up and waited patiently until they reached the ID checkpoint. Rendar sighed when he saw the same border official at the checkpoint who was on duty when they arrived the day before.
The Rogue Squadron pilot handed the ID cards over and the man put them in a reader. As he was about to return the ID cards, he looked at Dash.
"I thought you and your wife would stay here on Corellia for a standard week, Commander Raviul," the border official asked, raising an eyebrow.
Dash shrugged. At the same moment, out of the corner of his eye, he saw stormtroopers approaching.
"I have received a message that my leave has been canceled. Increased rebel activity has been reported and I must report to my unit," he said, slowly lowering his hand to his holstered blaster.
"I have to check that," said the border official and turned to the stormtrooper commander who had just arrived. The commander nodded his helmeted head slightly and motioned to two stormtroopers, who approached, blaster rifles at the ready.
Now the two rebels had to act quickly. In one swift movement, Nomi drew her vibro knife and held it to the commander's throat, while Dash drew his blaster and fired at the approaching stormtroopers. The troopers fell dead to the ground.
"Nomi, run to the shuttle! This place will soon be swarming with stormtroopers!" Yelled Rendar, realizing at the same moment how right he was.
Ten stormtroopers with blaster rifles charged them and Dash sought cover. Nomi saw an opening and retreated towards the shuttle, using the stormtrooper commander as a human shield.
The commander didn't resist when he felt the young woman's knife at his throat, knowing full well that one wrong move would mean his untimely death. But as a blaster bolt nearly hit him he barked at his subordinates.
"Stop shooting right now, you idiots! Do you want to kill me?"
The troopers didn't listen and kept firing as Dash Rendar ran towards the shuttle. Being a better shot than the Imperials, he'd already taken out quite a few of them. But he knew it wouldn't be long before reinforcements would arrive.
"C'mon, Nomi, run! Stop hugging the other! I'll cover you! Hurry up!" He yelled, not being sure his wife could hear him.
The noise of battle and the screams of innocent bystanders trying to flee the battle area were deafening.
Rendar breathed a sigh of relief as he saw his wife push aside the stormtrooper commander, who fell to his knees, desperately trying to get out of the line of fire.
Nomi drew her blaster and fired at the reinforcements that had just arrived. Finally she reached the shuttle, ran up the ramp and entered. Shortly thereafter she sat in the pilot's seat and started the engines.
"Close the hatch and then all power to the shields."
She heard her husband's voice behind her.