The Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

Chapter 93 - Shadows of the Past

A few standard days later, Nomi woke up in the middle of the night, startled. Something didn't feel right.
Half asleep she felt for the other side of the bed.
"Dash?"
There was no answer. She sat up and used the Force to turn on the light. Dash's side of the bed was empty. Nomi ran her hand over the mattress, still warm from his body. That showed her that he couldn't have been gone long. Maybe he just went to the refresher. She could have called for Dash, but then she would have woken up the children who were sleeping in the next room. So the Jedi got out of bed and headed for the refresher. When she opened the door, she found the room empty and frowned. Where could Dash be? Nomi went back into the bedroom and sat on the bed to think.
She was sure that her husband was still in the palace. The only question was where. Suddenly she remembered what he had once told her about his grandfather's death.
Should he be there?
Nomi quickly got dressed and went into the children's room to see if the triplets and Tasherit were okay. All four of them were sleeping peacefully in their beds when she tiptoed into the room.
After making sure everything was in order, she left the room as quietly as she had come and made her way to the door of the suite.
When she opened the door, she saw the dark hallway. The Jedi picked up the lightsaber that was lying on a small table and left the suite. She activated the weapon and with a hiss the red blade came to life, lighting up the hallway. Then she walked slowly towards the large hallway.

Unsure where her destination was, she reached out with the Force and searched for her husband. Over time, she had learned to distinguish the Force signatures of her family members from those of others. It wasn't long before she sensed Dash and followed the trail.
The faint glow of the lightsaber blade cast eerie shadows across the walls. There was dead silence, and she felt the aftermath of the late Emperor's evil presence.
Finally, the Jedi had reached the great hallway with its Ch'hala trees. As she passed, she brushed against one of them, causing an explosion of different shades of red on the bark.

At the end of the great hallway she felt Dash's presence very clearly. In front of her was a large set of double doors. Nomi was pretty sure the throne room and her husband were behind the doors. She carefully opened one side of the double doors and slipped into the room. The Jedi was right if it came to her guess. She had entered the throne room. It was shrouded in complete darkness save for the light of her lightsaber.
As she walked on, she was almost overcome by the dark emotions that still existed as shadows here in this hotbed of evil. Even after the Emperor's death, they were still very strong.
Slowly she walked in the direction where she suspected the throne.
"Dash?" She asked loudly, breaking the silence.
There was no answer and she continued walking.
Suddenly she heard a sound like someone hitting the floor with their fist. It came from where she suspected the throne. As she approached, a figure loomed before her in the diffused light from her lightsaber blade. Nomi was sure that she had found her husband. She could clearly feel his presence in the Force, though overshadowed by the dark shadowy presence. The Jedi approached slowly so as not to startle Dash.
There were steps leading to a dais on which the throne stood.
Dash Rendar knelt at the foot of the stairs, repeatedly pounding the marble floor with his fist.

"Dash," Nomi whispered, standing behind the man she loved with all her heart, who hadn't noticed her yet.
The former mercenary stopped pounding the floor and turned his head.
"Nomi? What are you doing here?"
The expression on his face was a mixture of sadness and anger. Of course, none of these emotions were intended for his wife.
Nomi smiled at her husband and felt his feelings, the turmoil in him. She knew it wasn't easy for him to be here.
"I was looking for you because you weren't in our bed or anywhere in our quarters."
The Jedi deactivated her lightsaber and the room was shrouded in total darkness.
"How did you find me, darling?" He asked, trying to keep his emotions under control.
"You forgot I'm a Jedi, Dash."
She knelt down and took him in her arms to calm him down.
"I understand you, Dash and haven't forgotten what you told me. But your anger won't bring your grandfather back."
Nomi held her husband and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"I know it's a small consolation, but your grandfather became one with the Force. He didn't give in to the dark side of the Force to save his life. Ultimately, he triumphed in death over Palpatine."
"Nevertheless, it hurts, Nomi," Dash replied. "I never thought that I could ever stand where my grandfather had to die many years ago because a cruel tyrant wanted it."
He broke away from his wife's embrace and stood up.
"His only crime was being a Jedi. It seemed impossible to me that the Empire would cease to exist, Nomi. But now it's defeated and we have to rebuild the Republic. We will do our best so that what happened to my grandfather and all other Jedi will never happen again."
His wife rose from the cold marble floor.
"Yes, we will ensure that the sacrifices were not in vain. But now we should return to our quarters. It's cold here and the walls are steeped in the shadows of the past. I don't feel good because here I can feel the presence of the evil that was embodied in the Emperor."
Dash nodded.
"You're right, we should go back."

Nomi activated her lightsaber again and in the faint red glow of its blade they exited the throne room and entered the great hallway. They walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally they reached their quarters and went inside. Dash went straight into the bedroom, but his wife checked on the children again. The triplets and Tasherit were still sleeping peacefully. Reassured, Nomi left the children's room and followed her husband.Nomi undressed and climbed into the bed where Dash was already lying and snuggled up to him. It wasn't long before they both fell asleep.