The New Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

Chapter 41 - The new X-Wing

After a while, Poe Dameron's broken ribs had healed. Only a small scar under his right eye and a discoloration on his left temple were reminders of what he had suffered during his captivity on the First Order Star Destroyer. Whether and to what extent his mental wounds had healed remained to be seen.

Dash met him on the landing pad as Poe examined his new X-wing. The commander lovingly stroked the wings of the fighter, which was painted black with orange stripes.
"Isn't it beautiful, Dash? I can't wait to fly it." He grinned broadly. "From now on, you can call me Black Leader."
Rendar walked around the fighter and looked at it from all sides.
"Yes, the fighter is truly exceptional, Poe. However, I fear that you will become a target if the First Order learns that you are flying this X-wing. Nomi told me what you and Finn destroyed on your escape. They will surely hunt you now for revenge"
"Yeah, the guy was pretty good with the laser cannons," Dameron replied. "I wonder what happened to him and hope he survived the crash. Hopefully he put as much distance as possible between himself and the First Order, Dash. Have you ever flown a TIE? Wow, that fighter moved really fast."
The former mercenary shook his head while Poe continued.
"A TIE like this is almost as maneuverable as an X-wing. I now know what such a fighter can and can't do. We can use this knowledge in battle." There was a gleam in Dameron's eyes. He was back in his element. "By the way, I took a look at the simulators General Organa brought. I'm pretty sure you and the other pilots have already spent a few hours in them."
Dash laughed.
"Probably a few hours too much for Jess' taste. It looks like she doesn't like the simulator."
Poe also laughed.
"I'm curious to see how the simulator training will affect our performance in battle."
Dash became serious again.
"I'm afraid we'll all soon have to prove our skills with the yoke and the laser cannons. The First Order will not rest until we have destroyed them or they have destroyed us."
The commander waved it off.
"Oh c'mon, why would they be a threat to us?"
Rendar shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know, I have a bad feeling about this."
It would soon become clear that Dash's concerns were right.

The Resistance received more and more reports that the First Order was advancing further and further into the territory of the New Republic and establishing itself there.
Nomi was reading when Snap Wexley burst into her quarters. She looked up from her datapad. Somehow Snap's behavior reminded her of Wedge Antilles, who had always barged into her quarters without knocking.
"We're to get to Poe at the landing pad immediately. I ran into Dash on my way to your quarters and told him. He should already be there."
After Snap had disappeared in the direction of the landing pad, Nomi put on her pilot's gear and left the quarters to go to the landing pad of the Resistance base as well.

When the Jedi arrived, all the pilots from both squadrons were already assembled, with the exception of Tasherit, who had left on another solo mission. It was still difficult for her parents to accept this, but they knew they couldn't stop their daughter from doing what she had to do.
Nomi saw her husband and went over to him.
"I wonder why we're here," she said quietly.
Dash turned his head slightly and looked at his wife.
"I'm sure we'll find out in a few minutes. But with both squadrons here, I don't think it will be a drill."
Leaning casually against his new X-wing, Poe looked at those gathered.
"Now that we're complete, I can tell you what it's all about. Snap has discovered First Order activity on Kuat during a recon mission. We should give them a rap on the knuckles. Okay, Blues and Reds, man your fighters and may the Force be with us."
The pilots climbed up the ladders, got into their X-wings and readied them for take-off.
Minutes later one fighter after another ascended into the orbit of D'Qar. When they had left the gravitational shadow of the planet behind them, Dameron gave the order to jump into hyperspace.