The Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

Chapter 77 - Missing in Action?

Dash hadn't come home all night and Nomi was starting to worry about him.
The triplets had been asking about their father all morning.
"Where Dada?" Biggs stood in front of his mother and looked up at her. The little guy didn't talk much, but now he also wanted to know where his father was.
Nomi picked him up and placed him on her lap.
"I don't know where your father is, Biggs," she replied, lovingly stroking her son's curly brown hair.
Her son slipped off her lap.
"Look for Dada," he said, walking to the door.
"You're right, I should look for your father, sweetie," Nomi said, standing up. "Leebo!"
The droid didn't answer and a suspicion formed in her mind. She pulled Tasherit out of the bed and turned to the triplets, who were hot on her heels.
"We're going to Luke."
They then left their quarters together after donning the masks and made their way to the Jedi's quarters.

After they reached their destination, Nomi knocked on the door. It wasn't long before Skywalker opened the door and looked at the young woman and her offspring. He made way for them and they entered. The triplets rushed to R2-D2, Luke's trusty astromech, and giggled. Nomi envied them for being so easily distracted from worrying about their father.
Luke poured a mug of tea and handed it to his childhood friend, who sat down at the small table with her daughter.
"I sensed your restlessness, Nomi. What happened?"
The young woman's hand shook as she took the mug.
"Dash's gone, Luke," she began after taking a sip of tea. "His bed was untouched this morning. Leebo has also disappeared. I have to look for my husband. Can I leave the triplets with you?"
Luke nodded thoughtfully. It struck him as odd that Dash left without telling his wife. He had no idea about the couple's argument yesterday.
"Of course you can leave your sons with me, Nomi."
The young woman gave him a faint smile and rocked Tasherit, who was sleeping in her arms.
"Thank you, Luke," Nomi said before turning to the triplets who were playing with R2-D2. "Dash, Biggs, Corran, you'll stay with Luke. Be good boys. I'll be back soon."
The three boys smiled widely and nodded, then continued playing.
Their mother stood up, went to the door and left.

Tasherit was still sleeping in her mother's arms as she walked to the hangar. Nomi still had hope that she would find her husband there. Maybe Dash went to the Outrider and stayed the night after their argument. But her hope was dashed. Where her husband's YT-2400 used to stand was just an empty space. So Dash had left her. It couldn't be otherwise. Without a word of farewell, without an explanation, he just disappeared from her life. She stared at the blank space in shock and felt tears running down her cheeks.
"Captain Darklighter?"
She was startled when she heard General Rieekan's voice because she hadn't noticed the man's approach. Nomi hastily wiped away the tears, turned and stood to attention, which was a bit difficult with the baby in her arms.
"At ease...may I ask what you are doing here, Captain?"
"I'm looking for my husband, sir."
The general looked at her carefully, not sure if he should tell her. It didn't take long for him to make up his mind. The young woman deserved to know.
"Lieutenant Rendar left for Coruscant last night. He should get in touch with Targeter there."
Nomi looked at the general in astonishment.
"Why didn't he tell me, sir?"
"Your husband wasn't allowed to tell you. He was under strict orders to remain silent to avoid jeopardizing the mission, Captain Darklighter."
"I see, sir. Why did you choose my husband? I figured we should stay out of the line of fire and just be liaisons with Targeter."
"As Lieutenant Rendar was born and raised on Coruscant, it made sense to entrust your husband with this mission. He knows his way around there and is known to have good connections to the underworld there. We expect him to be back in two standard days."
"Thank you for the information, sir."
Nomi looked at General Rieekan with relief.
"You're welcome," the general replied, turning and exiting the hangar, hoping he hadn't promised the former Rogue Squadron member too much.

After General Rieekan left, Nomi went back to Luke to pick up the triplets. Tasherit was awake now, surveying the surroundings curiously as she was carried by her mother.
When they reached their destination, they found the Jedi sitting on the ground in front of his quarters with the triplets. The boys were busy using the Force to levitate leaves. When Luke saw Nomi, he stood up and approached her.
"I sense that you are relieved, Nomi," the young Jedi said, smiling.
"Yes, from a certain point of view," his friend replied, shifting her daughter to the right so the little girl could see her brothers better. "Dash has a mission on Coruscant, but I've a bad feeling about it. He took the Outrider and I wonder why. The ship and its owner are known and sought by the Empire across the galaxy. I hope Dash doesn't get in trouble."
"You should know your husband. No one can match him when he's at the controls of his beloved Outrider. Also, Leebo is with him. He'll come back safe and sound."
"I hope you're right."
Nomi desperately wished she could share Luke's optimism.
"Dash, Biggs, Corran...it's time to go. Thank you for looking after them, Luke."
The boys stood and rushed to their mother, waving goodbye to the Jedi.
"See you later, Nomi," Luke said before heading back to his quarters.
The young woman nodded and headed back to her quarters, followed by the triplets.

In the afternoon Nomi went to training.
Luke was waiting for her in front of his quarters.
"I'm glad you came despite your concern for Dash, Nomi. Let's start."
Everything was going well. As they fought with the lightsabers, Nomi managed to break through the Force blockade that Luke had set up. Her Master was very pleased with her.
"You did very well, Nomi. You have taken a giant step into a bigger world. Before we end the training, I would like you to meditate."
Nomi sat on the ground, closed her eyes and opened up to the Force. It wasn't long before she saw her children in the distant future as Jedi Knights, the keepers of peace and freedom in the galaxy. She smiled when she saw this, but then the images changed and her smile disappeared.
The young woman saw her husband making his way in Coruscant's Southern Underground, wearing stormtrooper armor. Hateful looks from humans and aliens followed him. A squad of stormtroopers was coming towards him from the other direction. Suddenly stormtroopers appeared behind him too. He was surrounded.
"Set your weapons to stun. Ysanne Isard wants the rebel scum alive."
Dash fired at the approaching stormtroopers, taking out some of them. But then a stun shot hit him and he fell to the ground unconscious.
Then Nomi saw Dash sitting in an Imperial prison cell. His hands were cuffed behind his back. With a hiss the door opened and two stormtroopers entered.
"Come on, rebel scum...someone special is waiting for you."
Dash slowly stood up.
The scenery changed again.
Another door opened and the stormtroopers pushed Dash into an interrogation room. There they untied his hands and strapped him to a torture device.
As Nomi's husband was strapped in, a woman in a red Imperial uniform entered the room. She had black hair with two strands of white and eyes of different colors. The one on the right was blue and the one on the left, oddly enough, red. As soon as the woman entered, the stormtroopers snapped to attention. She approached Rendar and jerked his head up by the hair. Dash spat in her face. Disgusted, the woman wiped the saliva away.
"You will learn to respect me. Sooner or later every man licks my boots. You don't know who I am, am I right?"
The woman's voice gave Nomi a chill.
"Well, you should know that you're at Ysanne Isard's mercy and there's a reason they call me Iceheart. When I'm done with you, you'll be on your knees begging me to put you out of your misery and kill you. But now we should start the interrogation."

It was the last thing Nomi saw and heard before the vision ended. She opened her eyes and met Luke's gaze, who had been watching her intently.
"You had a vision," the Jedi stated simply when he saw the tears in his friend's eyes.
Nomi nodded and wiped away her tears.
"I have to go to Coruscant, Luke. Dash is in grave danger. If I don't go, he'll die."
Skywalker shook his head.
"You don't know that, Nomi," he began cautiously, knowing his friend's temperament. "You can't go. Think about your children. Should they lose father and mother? Coruscant is teeming with stormtroopers. You should keep in mind that the planet is still the heart of the Empire. Your chances of survival are limited under these conditions, Nomi."
Nomi didn't want to admit that he was right.
"I have to try, Luke. With the Force as an ally, I can do it. Can you take care of the triplets while I'm away? When it comes to Tasherit, I ask Gista Topol, who also has a baby her age."
"Of course, my friend, but I still think it's madness."
Nomi rose.
"I must do what must be done, Luke. You can't turn me away from my plan."
Then she left to prepare everything for her rescue mission.