The Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

Chapter 81 - The Cure

After a long journey in hyperspace, they reached Anoat.
Talon Karrde contacted ground control with a request for clearance to land, and reported on the Imperial officer on board.
"Permission to land, Outrider," the smuggler heard a female voice.
"Thank you," Talon replied, steering the freighter towards the planet.
After entering Anoat's atmosphere, he flew carefully so as not to damage Dash's beloved ship. He knew that if the Outrider got a scratch, his friend wouldn't take it lightly. Karrde sighed as he thought of Dash, who might never fly the ship again because he was blind. The smuggler landed the freighter smoothly on the landing pad and shut down the engines. Then he opened the hatch and lowered the ramp.
An Alliance Intelligence officer walked up the ramp and boarded the freighter. Lando, who had been watching the defected stormtrooper commander during the flight, got to his feet.
"I'm here to take the Imperial for questioning," the intelligence officer said, looking at the man sitting on the bench, still wearing his stormtrooper armor.
The commander rose slowly.
"What will happen to me?" He asked, looking at the agent while holding his helmet in his right hand.
"It depends on the questioning's outcome," was the brief answer. "Follow me."
The stormtrooper commander took one last look at Lando before following the agent out of the freighter and hopefully into a new life.

Nomi woke her husband up when she realized they had landed. She was grateful he slept most of the flight.
"We're home, darling," she said softly.
Her husband opened his dead eyes and felt for Nomi's hands.
"Home," Dash repeated almost inaudibly.
"C'mon, I'll take you to the medbay."
The young woman helped her husband up and led him to the mid section of the Outrider where their smuggler friends and Lando Calrissian were gathered.
"It's time to say goodbye," said Salla Zend. "We fly to Tatooine in an Alliance transport and take a civilian transport back to Coruscant. No one can link us to Dash's escape so we can pick up our own ships and fly home without any Imperial entanglements."
Nomi smiled at them all while holding Dash's hand.
"Thank you for your help, my friends. It would have been an impossible task without you."
"There's no need to thank us," Talon Karrde replied. "That's what friends are for."
One by one, the smugglers and Lando said goodbye before exiting the Outrider and making their way to the waiting Alliance transport.
Nomi squeezed her husband's hand.
"We're going to the medbay now, darling. Leebo will take care of your ship."
Dash Rendar nodded and walked down the ramp, led by his wife.

It took them a while to reach the base's medbay.
There 2-1B was waiting for them, apparently informed by Leebo beforehand. The medi droid led them into an examination room, where Nomi helped her husband lie down on the exam table.
"Please wait outside, Captain Darklighter," the droid said in its mechanical voice.
Nomi gave her husband a kiss before complying with the request.
2-1B examined Dash very carefully while Nomi waited impatiently, pacing the hallway.
Eventually, the droid exited the exam room and approached Dash's wife.
"Please come with me, Captain," he said before leading Nomi into a room with two bacta tanks. In one of the tanks was Dash, floating in the healing fluid.
"The examination is complete, Captain Darklighter," he said to the pilot who was watching her husband. "The wounds caused by the torture will heal without scars. Lieutenant Rendar responds well to the bacta."
Nomi Darklighter nodded her head before asking the question that mattered most to her.
"What about Dash's eyes? Is it possible to restore his sight?"
She turned her head and looked at the droid, afraid to hear the answer because she was almost sure what it would be like.
"I'm sorry, Captain Darklighter, but the optic nerves are damaged beyond repair," 2-1B answered without any emotion. "Lieutenant Rendar will never see again. There is nothing we can do for him."
When she heard that, Nomi covered her mouth to keep from crying out in despair. Her worst fears came true, her husband would be blind forever. She had hoped so much that there would be a way to restore his sight. Nomi knew Dash would have a hard time accepting the diagnosis.
After one last look at her husband in the bacta tank, she left the room without a word. She wanted to be alone.