The Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

Chapter 23 - One last Chance

As Nomi Darklighter was on the way to the hangar bay she saw two medics carrying a stretcher on which a covered body was lying. Wedge Antilles was following them. "What happened, Wedge?" She asked when they were about to pass her. "The incident with Wes' astromech wasn't a coincidence, it was on purpose. Sadly we can't question the one who was responsible. I was forced to shoot her," the commander told Nomi with a sigh and pointed at the motionless figure on the stretcher. His friend frowned as she cast a glance at the stretcher. "So the Empire has infiltrated our ranks?" Nomi asked when the realization hit her. Could Vader have sent the woman? But why should he want his son dead? Or has he lied to Luke back on Cloud City? "I don't think that she was an Imperial infiltrator, but she might be bribed to reprogram the astromech. But we will never know for sure," Wedge responded, interrupting the pilot's musing and resumed his pace, following the stretcher.
Nomi looked after them before she entered the hangar. The Outrider wasn't there since Dash had accepted a new task offered by Princess Leia, to make up for his actions back at Gall. He was on the way to Tatooine to keep an eye on Luke, so nothing would happen to the young man. Rendar's fiancée hoped that he wouldn't mess up this time and would regain the princess' trust.

Several weeks were gone by and the survivors of the Battle of Hoth had established a new base. Dash Rendar landed his YT-2400 on the assigned landing pad, cut the engines and took a deep breath as he unbuckled. Then he left the pilot's seat and walked over to the hatch, opened it and walked slowly down the ramp, leaving his faithful droid Leebo behind. Everybody who knew the mercenary would have noticed the change, would have noticed that something must have shaken him to the core. Rendar made his way through the base's hallways, looking for Nomi's quarters. He needed someone to speak to whom he trusted. Speak about what happened before he had to justify himself to General Rieekan or whoever would question him. Finally he found what he was looking for and entered.

Nomi sat at a small desk in her sparsely furnished quarters. The young woman looked up from the data file she just read and smiled as she saw her fiancé. But her smile vanished when she noticed the man's ashen face and his overall condition. Something must have happened. This wasn't the Dash Rendar she used to know with all his bravado.
Without a word the mercenary walked over to a table where a bottle of Corellian brandy was standing and poured a drink which he downed in one go. Nomi watched him carefully, wondering if and when he would tell her what happened. It was clear to her like transparisteel that something was very wrong. Dash sat down on a chair after he poured another glass of brandy.
"Don't worry, Honey, Luke is just fine," he began. Then he took a sip of his drink, instead of downing it also in one go. "So what is it that bothers you, Dash?" The young pilot asked him, looking at her fiancé expectantly. He should be happy because of the successful mission as Luke's bodyguard, but it was clear that he wasn't happy in the slightest. Rendar took another sip of his drink and sighed. "There was another task, which arose. An Imperial freighter with secret plans was located over Kothlis and it was me and some Bothans who should capture it." He tumbled the drink in the glass and didn't dare to look Nomi in the eye. It took several minutes until the mercenary continued to speak. "The mission failed and eight Bothans were killed. They died because of me, Nomi." The last part was nearly inaudible, but his fiancée had heard it nevertheless. She didn't say anything in response, letting Dash's confession of another failure sink in. "I can't believe that I missed every single shot," Rendar added after a while, downed the rest of his drink and stood up. "It's better to face General Rieekan now and get it over with. I'll see you later." He turned and left.

One standard hour later he came back, gave Nomi a kiss and looked better than before. It seemed that the meeting with the general didn't go as bad as expected. "General Rieekan gave me one last chance and the opportunity to make up for what happened at Kothlis. Princess Leia is held captive by Prince Xizor, the leader of Black Sun, who she has contacted. Also it will give me the option to settle a score with the Empire in helping her friends. So I will travel to Coruscant, Nomi." Nomi paled and stared at Dash in disbelief, who noticed her reaction. "What's wrong, Darling?" He asked and attempted to take her in his arms, but the young woman resisted. "What's wrong?" She asked with an ironic undertone. "Are you really asking this, Dash? Did you forget that the Rendar family was banned from Coruscant under penalty of death after the freighter accident which killed your brother and destroyed the Emperor's museum? I don't want you to go. They'll kill you." Dash finally managed to take her in his arms and caressed her face. "Don't make it too hard for me, Nomi. Everything will work out. I know what I'm doing and I'll be back. Trust me, my love." He cast a glance at the chrono. "It's time to go. Leebo has readied the Outrider for takeoff already." He let go of the small woman, went to the door and opened it. Then he stepped out followed by Nomi. Together they made the way to the landing pad.
When they reached the Outrider, Leebo stood in the hatch waiting for his friend. Before Dash walked up the ramp he kissed his fiancée as if it would be for the last time. Then he turned and shortly after he entered his ship and launched. Nomi walked back to her quarters being worried about the man she loved.

When Nomi Darklighter went to bed, sleep was avoiding her for a long time. But then she finally fell asleep. From this night on every night, a terrible nightmare haunted her. Dash stood in a sea of flames calling for her. She tried to reach him, but it never happened. The man she loved was consumed by the flames and only an ash heap was left of him. Every time she woke by her own scream and her nightgown was soaked in sweat. She hoped desperately that this nightmare would never become reality.