The New Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

Chapter 36 - Meeting the General

A few standard days later, Nomi and Dash were on the landing pad getting their fighters ready for takeoff when a Resistance transporter, accompanied by two X- wings, landed.
The hatch opened, the ramp lowered, and in the morning sun of D'Qar, a woman familiar to Nomi stepped out.

The woman was Leia Organa, no longer Princess of Alderaan, but General and founder of the Resistance. Behind her came C-3PO, the faithful protocol droid, who strangely enough had a red arm. The general squinted into the sun and shielded her eyes with her hand as she looked in Nomi's direction.
Suddenly a smile lit up her face as she recognized her old friend. She hurried towards her, then stopped abruptly and walked on with deliberate steps. It seemed she had remembered that a general should not run like a little girl.
Nomi went to meet her, and they met halfway. Leia smiled, but the Jedi saw that the smile hid deep sadness. The two women embraced. Then Leia broke free of the embrace and looked at Dash, who was slowly approaching.
"I should have guessed that it wouldn't be long before you joined us. You'll be pleased to hear that I was able to get flight simulators. They're just about to unload the cargo."
She pointed to the transporter behind her, to which binary load lifters were being taken.
"And then I have something else, or rather someone on board that you will be very happy about."
At that moment, a young, red-haired woman stepped out of the transporter.
"Tasherit!"
Nomi ran towards her daughter, while a black-haired pilot jumped out of his fighter and also headed towards the young woman. Lieutenant Katarn, for he was the black-haired pilot, was faster than Nomi and reached Tasherit before her. The Jedi couldn't believe her eyes when the young man leaned down to Tasherit and gave her a long, tender kiss.
Dash suppressed a grin when he saw this.
The two were startled when Nomi stood next to them and cleared her throat. Tasherit blushed and looked down at the ground, embarrassed. The Jedi shook Katarn's hand, who was also slightly embarrassed, and looked into his amazing blue eyes.
"Thank you for finding our daughter and bringing her back, Lieutenant."
"You're welcome, Commander." He wrapped his arm around Tasherit. "Your daughter is very important to me, you know. As soon as I heard she was missing, I volunteered. I was sure I would find her."
"I can imagine," Nomi replied. "Your father is Kyle Katarn, right?"
Jaden nodded as the Jedi looked at him thoughtfully. She carefully reached out with the Force and searched for a specific spot inside the young man. When she found the spot, she was pushed back slightly.
"You're as Force sensitive as your father, Lieutenant," Nomi said with a smile. "But he didn't train you, otherwise the reaction would have been stronger. I wonder why he didn't train you. You have potential, otherwise you wouldn't have been able to find Tasherit so quickly."
The young lieutenant shrugged his shoulders.
"My father wanted nothing to do with the Jedi and the Force. He was shocked when he realized that I could use the Force."
Nomi looked at him in amazement.
"Your father must realize that leaving you untrained is dangerous."
Jaden laughed.
"I'll be careful, Commander."
The Jedi could only shake her head at such recklessness.

Dash had approached them and heard the last part of the conversation. He looked at his wife and then asked the question Nomi had hoped he wouldn't ask.
"Can't you train the young man, darling?"
The Jedi shook her head.
"No, Dash, I'm not a Jedi Master like Luke. I can't do that, otherwise I could have trained our children myself. And you know why we went to Dagobah."
Her husband nodded thoughtfully. He vividly remembered how his wife had almost killed her childhood friend Luke during a lightsaber training session in the throne room of the former Imperial Palace when she was under the influence of the late Emperor. Her children were also in danger of succumbing to the whispers of the evil presence. The former mercenary sighed.
"You're right, Nomi. Luke should train the young man."
"My father would never allow that," Jaden said, turning on his heel and leaving, followed by Tasherit.

Leia, who was standing not far away, took notice when her brother's name was mentioned and stepped closer. Again, Nomi sensed the hidden sorrow behind her friend's smile.
"Can I come to you tonight?"
Nomi and Dash nodded.
"Thank you, my friends."
Then she left the landing pad, followed by C-3PO.
"I wonder what she wants from us," Dash said, looking after the general.
"We'll see in the evening, darling," his wife replied.