The New Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

Chapter 60 - Nar Shaddaa

While Poe Dameron was planning his mutiny aboard the Admiral Raddus, the Aquarius and the Outrider landed on the Smuggler's Moon.

Dash Jr. unstrapped himself and stretched after shutting down the engines of his mother's battered freighter.
"Finally," he said with a wry smile. "I'm looking forward to a freshly poured Corellian ale."
His mother smiled at him and unstrapped herself too. She stood up and stretched.
"Then what are we waiting for, Junior?"
Her son winced inwardly.
"Do me a favor and don't call me that when we're in the cantina, Mama."
His mother grinned broadly at him and bowed mockingly.
"If you wish," she replied to her son.
Then she went to the hatch, opened it and lowered the ramp. Her son followed her and took a deep breath. The young Jedi smiled.
"Nothing has changed since the last time I was here. It's the same smell, the same dirt and the same pollution as always."
Mother and son walked down the ramp just as the Outrider's ramp was lowered as well. Dash Rendar had landed the YT-2400 next to his wife's ship.

Nomi's heart skipped a beat as she watched her husband step out of the ship and walk down the ramp. Even after all these years, his movements were still those of a predator, a very dangerous predator.
She smiled at him, and the former mercenary smiled back and hurried towards his wife.
"Hello, Nomi, I've missed you."
"I've missed you too, my love. It's been a long flight," she said, tiptoeing up to kiss him.
Behind his father, Biggs walked slowly towards the rest of his family.
"Hello, Mama. Hi, Dash," he said almost inaudibly.
Nomi turned to hug her son, but he backed away from his mother.
"Don't," he said, brushing his hair back so that the scar on his forehead was visible. "I don't want this."
The Jedi looked at her son sadly. After the failed attack on the First Order freighter, something had broken inside him, she could feel it.
Dash Jr. patted his brother on the shoulder.
"Let's go to the cantina."
Biggs just nodded.
"That's a good idea, Junior," Dash laughed. "Let's go see if The Burning Deck is still here in the Corellian sector."
He took his wife by the hand and headed in the direction he knew the cantina had to be. Their two sons followed them.

Shortly afterwards, they reached the cantina called The Burning Deck.
Dash Rendar grinned when he saw the sign above the door.
"Some things never change. I wonder if they still serve the best Corellian brandy I've ever had."
He opened the door and entered, followed by his family.
The room was dimly lit, but relatively clean for a cantina on Nar Shaddaa. The older Rendar made his way to the bar while his wife and sons sat down at an empty table in a booth.
When Dash cleared his throat to get his attention, the bartender turned around. The man looked at him as if he were seeing a ghost.
"Dash Rendar? What are you doing here? There were rumors you were dead, you old fossil."
"As you can see, I'm alive, alive and thirsty, Tagg." The former mercenary winked at him. "Do you still have the Corellian brandy? I'd like two glasses of it for me and my wife. And my two sons are eager to try the Corellian ale you're serving."
Tagg smiled as he poured the alcoholic beverages.
"It's good to see you again, Dash. Where have you been all these years?"
Nomi's husband made a sweeping gesture.
"Sometimes here, sometimes there," he replied vaguely.
"Still the secret keeper," laughed the bartender.
Dash laughed with him and took the tray with his order after tossing a few credits on the counter.
"My family's thirsty, Tagg."
The bartender nodded.
"Okay, maybe we can talk later, Dash."

Dash walked over to his family, served the drinks and sat down at the table. He raised his glass and looked at his wife.
"To you, my love."
Nomi raised her glass too.
"To you, darling."
She took a sip of the amber-colored brandy and savored the taste.
Dash Jr. and Biggs looked at each other grinning and clinked their glasses before taking the first sip of their Corellian ale.
"Ok, now we're on Nar Shaddaa, do you have any idea what we should do now?" Dash looked at his family expectantly.
His eldest took another sip of his ale before answering.
"We could organize weapons and other supplies for the Resistance," he said.
His younger brother shook his head.
"The Resistance is dead, Dash. Look, they didn't show up at the rendezvous point."
"Don't say that, Biggs," Dash Jr. looked at him angrily. "It ain't over yet. I'm pretty sure they got away. The general may have adjusted the plans to fit the current situation. We should listen to see if there are any transmissions from them."
Biggs raised an eyebrow.
"Then why haven't they contacted us?"
His father shrugged his shoulders.
"I have no idea. Maybe the First Order is jamming their transmissions. There could be many reasons."
The red-haired Resistance pilot took another sip of his brandy and leaned back to savor the taste. Biggs nodded thoughtfully.
"It seems they're in big trouble this time. And Corran is with them. I don't like it, to be honest."
"I don't like it either, Biggs," his mother said. "But as long as Corran is hiding in the Force, we have no way of contacting him. We can only hope for the best."
She drained her glass and stood up.
"Let's get back to our ships. I'll contact Shug tomorrow, maybe he'll have an idea how we can still support the Resistance."
Her family also stood up and together they went back to their ships. Dash opened the hatch of the Outrider and lowered the ramp.
"Biggs, you and Junior will sleep here, and your mother and I will sleep aboard the Aquarius."
His sons walked up the ramp.
"Good night," they said almost in unison before boarding the freighter.
"Good night," their parents replied before they both boarded the Aquarius.
"Alone at last, darling," Dash said with a welcoming smile as he closed the hatch. "We have a lot of catching up to do."