The New Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

Chapter 7 - Secret Meeting

It was just before 0600 when Nomi and Dash made their way to Tarik. The embassy was not far away and they were on foot.
"Any idea what Tarik might want from us, Nomi?" Dash asked as he walked by his wife's side.
The Jedi tilted her head and looked at him.
"I don't know, Dash, but it seemed urgent."

Finally, they reached the embassy, where a security droid was guarding the entrance.
"Please put down your weapons," he addressed the new arrivals in a mechanical voice.
Reluctantly, Dash opened his holster, slowly took out his blaster and placed it in the box next to the droid.
"Thank you. I will inform the ambassador of your arrival."
The droid walked over to a small wall-mounted comm unit and spoke into it. Meanwhile, Dash nudged his wife.
"What about your lightsaber?" He whispered.
"It seems the weapon is so unusual that the droid didn't recognize it," she whispered back.
Shortly afterwards, the double doors opposite the entrance area opened and Tarik appeared.
The winged alien ran towards them and hugged first Nomi and then Dash.
"I'm glad to see you. Come on, let's go to a room where we won't be disturbed."
The Jedi and her husband followed their friend to a small room at the end of a hallway. Tarik waved invitingly after opening the door.
"Come in, my friends. The room is bug-proof. I have to tell you something I don't want anyone else to hear."
He laughed his chirpy laugh that Nomi hadn't heard in ages.
"Please take a seat," the ambassador said, gesturing invitingly to a seating area in the corner of the windowless room.
His guests headed to the seating area while he grabbed drinks from the bar. Dash has already made himself comfortable while Nomi was about to sit down. Tarik looked at her with wide eyes.
"How did you manage to get the lightsaber past my security droid?"
"You should reprogram him, my friend." Nomi grinned. "He only noticed Dash's blaster."
Tarik sighed.
"It's not distrust my friends, but since the assassination of Tai-Lin Karr, I have been cautious. Especially because, like him, I'm a Populist. When I found out you were on Hosnian Prime, I took the opportunity to talk to you." He took a deep breath. "The peace treaty with the remnants of the Empire isn't worth the flimsiplast it's written on, Nomi. There's something going on, the defamation of Senator Organa, the assassination of Tai-Lin Karr by an Imperial sympathizer... It's not a coincidence. And what is the Senate doing? Nothing! Populists and Centrists are tearing each other apart. They don't see the danger of a revived Empire." He sighed again. "What I'm about to tell you must remain strictly between us."

"Senator Organa is secretly building an organization called the Resistance," Tarik continued after Nomi and Dash nodded. "She sees the danger and doesn't want the New Republic to be defenseless. Me and a few other Populists support them as best we can. Through clever manipulations we were able to equip the Resistance with weapons and fighters. Not those outdated X-wings we flew during the Civil War, but the latest model, the Incom T-70 X-wing fighter. It's faster and more heavily armed. It's much better than our jalopies. The Resistance needs good pilots like you two." He looked at them expectantly.
"No, Tarik," Dash shook his head. "We're too old to fight, my friend."
The ambassador smiled at Dash's comment.
"You never get too old to fight for peace and justice. Even the 80-year-old Admiral Ackbar joined the Resistance."
He winked at Nomi, but the Jedi shook her head like her husband.
"We can't do that, Tarik. It's not about age like Dash is trying to convince you, there are personal reasons my friend."
Tarik knew only too well that there was no point in probing. He knew his old friend's stubbornness, which she hadn't lost even as a Jedi. So he waited patiently for Nomi to tell him these personal reasons. He took a sip of his drink and leaned back.
"Our children are missing," Nomi finally said.

Tarik frowned and sat up.
"But I thought the four of them were in Luke Skywalker's academy."
Nomi shook her head.
"The academy is gone. It was destroyed and there were many victims. Luke told us before he disappeared." She sensed what her old friend was about to say as he looked at her doubtfully. "I am sure our children are still alive. I would have felt if they had died, Tarik."
The ambassador stood up.
"I'm sorry that the Resistance will have to do without your support. Perhaps you will join after all, once you have found your children. I hope so. Still, it was a pleasure to see you again. Is there anything else you need?"
"No, there is nothing you could do for us," Nomi replied.
The two of them stood up as well and Tarik accompanied them to the entrance of the embassy. Nomi hugged her old friend and former comrade warmly.
"May the Force be with you, Tarik."
The winged alien returned the hug while Dash retrieved his blaster from the box the security droid held out to him.
"May the Force be with you and your children," Tarik replied and let go of Nomi.
He tapped his forehead as a thought occurred to him.
"Why am I only thinking about this now? You could ask Maz Kanata if she knows anything about your children. Her castle on Takodana is a meeting place for smugglers, bounty hunters and all kinds of space travelers. Perhaps one of them has heard of your children. As Jedi they can't keep a low profile at these times."
"Thanks for the tip," Dash smiled at Tarik, holstering his blaster.
Shortly afterwards, Nomi and Dash left the embassy arm in arm. Tarik watched them go for a long time before turning to his security droid. He would reprogram it so that it could recognize lightsabers as weapons. Sighing, he began his work.

When they had arrived at the Outrider and entered it, Dash went to the small bunk and flopped down on the cot. He leaned back and relaxed.
"Now that we've done everything here, we can finally look for our children." He frowned. "Do you think it's true that the Empire is breaking the treaty and arming itself again?"
Nomi, who was packing her bag, looked up from her task.
"I don't know, but Leia always had a keen sense of impending danger. She will not have set up the Resistance on a whim. That could be true, based on what Tarik told us about what's going on in the Senate. I have a bad feeling about this, Dash."
Her husband nodded.
"If we weren't looking for our children, I would join the Resistance sooner rather than later."
Nomi gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Me too, darling."
Dash laughed and ruffled his wife's slightly graying copper-red hair.
"What did Tarik say? You never get too old to fight for peace and justice."
Nomi stroked his face gently and traced the wrinkles. Then she picked up her packed bag to go to the Aquarius.
"I'll see you on Takodana, my love. Safe flight."
"Same to you."
The Jedi left the ship and Dash went into the cockpit to prepare everything for takeoff.