The New Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

Chapter 40 - A Failed Mission

Poe Dameron returned to base ten standard days later. After reporting the results of his mission to General Organa, he went to Nomi and Dash's quarters. There he knocked on the door.

Nomi opened the door and stared at the man standing in front of her. This was no longer the self-confident young man who had set off on an important mission some time ago.
Dameron had a gash under his right eye, a bloody lower lip, dark circles under his eyes and clotted blood on his left temple. He really didn't look well and Nomi had the feeling that he wasn't feeling well mentally either.
"Can I talk to you, Nomi?"
The Jedi stepped aside.
"Of course. Come in, Poe."
The commander walked slowly to the table and sat down on one of the folding chairs in front of it, groaning in pain. He began to speak after Nomi had closed the door and sat down opposite him.
"I've already reported to General Organa, but I'd also like to talk to you about my mission on Jakku," he paused to collect himself. "The mission failed, Nomi. When I received the data storage device from Lor San Tekka that you had given him on behalf of Master Skywalker, First Order troop transports suddenly landed near the village. The stormtroopers attacked immediately and destroyed the engine of my X-wing. I gave the device to BB-8 for safekeeping and sent it far away so that it wouldn't fall into the hands of the First Order. Then I grabbed my blaster rifle and took cover nearby. I shot at the stormtroopers and killed a few, but it was no use.
All the villagers were herded together at the evaporator cistern.
Finally, a shuttle landed, from which a black-clad, masked man got out. The troopers dragged Lor San Tekka to him. The old man said something to the masked man that I couldn't understand because of the distance.
Suddenly, the man activated a lightsaber and killed Lor San Tekka. And then I did something really stupid, Nomi. I went out of cover and fired at the murderer. You won't believe it, the shot stopped in mid-air and I couldn't move.
Then two troopers came and dragged me to their leader. They threw me to the ground in front of him and he knelt down to me. He knew about the map and had the troopers search me. When they found nothing, they took me to a troop transport. I was on the access ramp when the order came to kill all the villagers. Why did they do that, Nomi?"

The Jedi looked at Poe in horror. The First Order was obviously just as cruel as the Empire once was.
"They took me on board a Star Destroyer to the detention block. They threw me into a cell with my hands cuffed. I regretted that I didn't have the chance to swallow the poison capsule I had with me, Nomi," Dameron continued his report. "A little later, the cell door opened and two stormtroopers came in. One of them brutally dragged me up by my bound hands. They drove me through a long hallway. As I slowed down, I was hit in the back of the knee with the butt of a blaster rifle, causing me to stumble and fall. Again they brutally dragged me up by my bound hands. I suspected that what lay ahead would be much worse." Poe interrupted his story again. "Do you have anything to drink, Nomi? My throat is quite dry."
Nomi rose and went into the small kitchen to fetch a bottle of Corellian brandy and a glass. Then she went back, poured a glass and handed it to Poe.
"This will do you good, I think."
Dameron looked at her gratefully and took a sip before continuing.

"When we finally arrived at our destination, the stormtroopers forced me into a room dominated by a strange-looking apparatus. One of the troopers unlocked my handcuffs and together, despite my desperate resistance, they dragged me onto the apparatus and strapped me down. Then they left me alone and closed the door behind them.
When the door opened again, a man in an officer's uniform entered the room. Behind him hovered an Imperial interrogation droid. I'll spare you the details of the torture, Nomi. The officer asked for the map again and again. And each time, the pain he inflicted on me grew stronger. Finally, I must have lost consciousness, because I woke up in the holding cell.
My head hurt terribly and I tasted blood in my mouth. When I lifted my shackled hands and stroked my face, I felt a wound under my right eye. I soon lost track of time and I couldn't remember how many times they had taken me out of my cell and tortured me."