The New Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

Chapter 19 - New Comrades

At 0900 the next day, Nomi and Dash entered the mess hall to meet the pilots they would be flying into battle with.
Poe Dameron was right, they were not kids, but humans and aliens who knew exactly why they had joined the Resistance. Suddenly, Nomi spotted a familiar face.
"Nien Nunb? What are you doing here?"
The Sullustan laughed.
"Well, I think I'm doing the same as you," he replied in broken Basic. "But before that, you've already sent your children to assess the situation. And by the way, they're not bad pilots."
He winked at his Civil War comrades.
"C'mon, I'll introduce you to Snap Wexley. He's the best recon pilot in the Resistance."
He led Nomi and Dash to a young man who was about to walk to a table with a glass in his hand.
"Snap, may I introduce you to my friends? These are Nomi Darklighter and Dash Rendar."
Wexley shook their hands.
"Temmin Wexley. My father Brentin was a Y-wing pilot in the Battle of Endor. I understand you flew in the attack as well, Commander."
Nomi nodded her head.
"Let's drop the formalities," she offered with a smile. "I'm just Nomi to you, after all, we're comrades."
Wexley laughed.
"Then you have to call me Snap, Nomi. The same goes for you, Major Rendar."
"Dash, just Dash to you, Snap," Nomi's husband replied with a grin.
Snap smiled at both of them.
"May I invite you for a Corellian ale?"
At that moment, Poe Dameron joined them.
"Oh, you've already introduced yourselves, Commander Darklighter, Major Rendar."
Wexley slapped him on the back.
"Hey, Poe, since when are you so formal? Did the High Command clip your wings or what's wrong with you?"
Dameron shook his head.
"You know they'll let me get away with almost anything, Snap. No, the Commander and the Major are two of the heroes of the Alliance that my parents told me a lot about. I have to treat them with respect."
When Dash heard this, he had to laugh.
"No offense, Commander, but we're not going to be put on a pedestal."
"In that case we should drink to our camaraderie, Dash. Drinks are on me," Poe said with a winning smile.

Soon after, they were sitting together at a table drinking Corellian ale while Nomi and Dash told the two young men about their combat missions during the Galactic Civil War. The Jedi avoided mentioning that she was only able to carry out some missions with the help of the Force.
Gradually, it became more and more crowded around the table until almost all the pilots from both squadrons were gathered together, either standing or sitting. They all wanted to hear what the Civil War veterans had to say. Rendar was reporting on the evacuation of the base on Hoth when Dash Jr. approached the table. He leaned down to his mother and whispered something in her ear.
She stood up and followed her son to a quiet corner of the mess hall.
"What's the matter, Junior?"
Dash Jr. flinched briefly, but restrained himself from saying that he didn't want to be called Junior. Even though it was hard for him, his mother and father were the only ones he tolerated it from.
"I want to practice with the lightsaber, Mama."
He pointed to his bionic arm.
"I don't know if I can wield a Jedi's weapon anymore since I got this. And I'm afraid to use the Force. Help me, Mama." He looked at his mother pleadingly.
"I'll help you, Dash. Come to our quarters tomorrow night and bring your lightsaber," replied Nomi, who was happy that one of her children finally wanted to be what they were meant to be again.