The Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

Chapter 67 - Leaving Dagobah

The last days have been hectic and the whole base has been buzzing like a nest of Piranha beetles.Everyone was busy loading all the equipment into the transport ships or preparing the escort fighters. But it still took longer than expected.

Due to her pregnancy, Nomi wasn't allowed to help with the loading. She had to limit herself to packing their few belongings. Leebo helped her a lot because she was really sluggish and wasn't allowed to lift heavy objects. Despite the atmosphere of departure, the young woman had done her exercises as she had promised Luke. She kept getting better, but unfortunately her skills in the Force were still not enough to lift large, heavy objects and transport them to another location. So she had no choice but to give Leebo instructions and hope the droid would carry them out correctly. The pregnant woman slowly sat down in the only chair left in their quarters, wishing Dash were there to help with the chores. Nomi hadn't seen her husband much lately, due to his constant attendance at the briefings for the pilots who would be escorting the transports. Every night when he finally got back to their quarters, she was already asleep.
Leebo entered the room and went to his partner's wife.
"I brought the last bags aboard the Outrider, Captain Darklighter," he said in his mechanical voice, leveling his photoreceptor on Nomi.
"Thank you, Leebo," the young woman answered and stood up. "So everything is prepared for our departure. Please take the triplets and bring them onboard as well."
The droid complied, placed the three boys in the hover pram and walked to the landing pad. Reaching the YT-2400, he walked up the ramp with the hover pram in tow and entered.
Inside, he placed the Rendar offspring on the midsection floor and proceeded to stow the crates in the cargo hold, confident that Nomi would soon follow.
But the Rogue Squadron pilot took her time, looking around the now empty quarters with a sigh.

Meanwhile, the triplets crawled around the freighter, taking advantage of the fact that no one was watching them. Biggs was about to open the drawer where his father kept his stash of Corellian ale when he was lifted up.
"You're a little young for that, son," Dash Rendar said with a smile.
The little boy struggled in his father's arms.
"Want down, dada," Biggs said, struggling even harder.
Surprised to hear his second son speak, Dash put him down. Happy about his regained freedom, Biggs crawled over to his brothers.
"Nomi!" Rendar shouted.
"Yes, Dash?" His wife replied, standing at the hatch as she had just come up the ramp.
Her husband turned and looked at her with a big smile.
"Biggs is speaking, Nomi. Now it's just Junior who doesn't speak."
The young woman looked at the boys who were enjoying themselves and giggling.
"Sooner or later Junior will speak too, darling. You have to be patient," she said, picking up Corran to carry him to one of the freighter's bunks.
Dash picked up Biggs and Dash Jr. before following his wife. This time, none of the triplets protested or resisted.
"I came to tell you that the Aquarius is safely stowed aboard the Rebel Dream and to wish you and the boys a safe journey, honey," Rendar said, laying his two sons on the cot and securing them.
Nomi did the same with Corran before turning her attention to her husband.
"Thank you for taking care of everything, Dash."
Her husband smiled at her.
"You're welcome. I know what the Aquarius means to you."
He bent down and kissed his sons' foreheads.
"I want you to be good boys and listen to your mother until we reach our new base."
The triplets nodded their heads.
"Good," their father said, taking Nomi's hand and pulling her towards the Outrider's midsection.
There he hugged and kissed her.
"I wish we could fly together," he said with a sigh. "But duty comes first. Take care, love. See you in the Anoat system."
He kissed his wife again and put his hand on her stomach where he felt his daughter move.
"May the Force be with you."
Dash Rendar then left the Outrider and went to his X-wing while Nomi went into the cockpit to do the preflight check.

"Everything is stowed and secured, Captain Darklighter," Nomi heard Leebo's mechanical voice before the droid entered the cockpit and settled into the copilot's seat.
"Thank you, Leebo."
The droid tilted his head.
"You don't have to thank me, Captain."
Raising an eyebrow at the droid's response, Nomi closed the hatch and started the engines. The Outrider lifted off and a few minutes later the freighter ascended into Dagobah's orbit. There they had to wait until the other ships arrived and formed a convoy. The fighters tasked with escort duty flew around them and Nomi recognized her X-wing flown by Luke. The Jedi's trusty droid R2-D2 now sat in the socket where Fuzzy normally sat. Nomi's astromech would make the journey aboard a transport ship.
But she didn't have time to think when she heard Luke's voice after being hailed.
"Hello, Nomi," her childhood friend said in a cheerful voice. "Are you and the triplets okay?"
"Yes, everything is fine here," she answered. After a short pause she added. "And Luke, I don't want to see scratches on my X-wing."
Skywalker chuckled.
"I'll try. After all, I don't want any trouble with you, my friend."
Before Nomi could say anything, she heard her husband's voice.
"Beware of trouble with Nomi, it's not very pleasant. I speak from experience."
Nomi couldn't help but laugh at her husband's remark.
"Don't make me worse than I am, Dash," she said, still laughing.
Suddenly another X-wing appeared next to the Outrider and flew a daring corkscrew maneuver.
"What do you think of my flying skills, sis?" She heard her brother Gavin's voice.
"Damn, Gavin, who taught you that? You're almost as crazy as your brother-in-law. Dash, was that you?"
Instead of Dash, Wedge answered.
"It was me who taught your brother, Nomi," Antilles said with a touch of pride in his voice. "This time your husband has nothing to do with it. Your little brother isn't a bad pilot. The talent for flying probably runs in your family."
One by one, the members of Rogue Squadron contacted her to wish her a safe journey.
A particularly warm greeting came from the crew of the Millennium Falcon. Chewie roared so loud into the comm that Nomi had to cover her ears. The young woman smiled at the Wookiee's kind words. Then she heard Han Solo's voice.
"Hey, Chewie, don't ruin our comm," he said in a reproachful tone. "Hello, Nomi! Have a good flight and make sure you don't give birth in hyperspace again."
"I'll do my best, Han," Nomi replied. "Is Leia with you?"
"Of course I am with Han, Nomi," the princess' voice came. "I also want to wish you a good flight. May the Force be with you."
"Thank you and the same for all of you."
Nomi leaned back in the seat, feeling good knowing she was surrounded by her friends.

When all the ships were in orbit, they made their way to the jump point. Nomi looked at Dagobah one last time before Admiral Ackbar ordered them to make the jump after exiting the planet's gravity field. She obeyed the command, pushed the lever and the stars turned into the whirls and streaks of hyperspace.