The New Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

Chapter 77 - Conflicts

The next day, Corran was fully recovered. He stood in front of the mirror on board the Trader's Luck and shaved, having decided that a beard didn't look good. He then combed his long curly hair and put it in a ponytail. The young Jedi was glad that the wounds he had suffered on Crait had not left any scars thanks to the Kaiburr crystal.
He had just finished when there was a knock at the door. After putting the hairbrush aside, he went to the door and opened it.
"Hello, Corran," Jaden said, wanting to see how his future brother-in-law was doing. "May I come in?"
"Hello, Jaden. Of course," Corran replied and let Tasherit's fiancé enter.
"How are you?"
The Jedi turned with a smile after closing the door.
"Better than before, Jaden," he replied.
"You know it was a close call, right? We were beginning to think you wouldn't make it."
Corran grinned broadly.
"As you can see, I'm still alive. It takes more than the First Order to kill a Rendar."

Jaden Katarn sat down on the cot and stretched out his legs.
"I wonder why you weren't with your family. I mean, they were smart enough to leave the base before the First Order fleet showed up at D'Qar. I would have left too if I had been there and not on a mission."
When Corran heard this, his good mood disappeared and he gave Jaden a look that would have melted durasteel.
"So you're also a coward who runs away when your comrades need you most? I thought better of you."
"It's not about cowardice or bravery, Corran."
"What do you know? You weren't even there!"
"No, I wasn't there," Katarn said in a calm voice. "But wouldn't it have been better to spread out the forces instead of gathering them? The enemy had such an easy game. Think about it. When we picked you up on Crait, we saw the bodies and the damaged vessels. There can't be much left of the Resistance. It's sad but true, Corran, the Resistance is almost history and the First Order will rule the galaxy as the Empire did."
Corran glared at Jaden and clenched his fists.
"I'll never give up! As long as I'm breathing, I'll fight them!"
"So will I," Jaden said. "But we might lose."
Tasherit had entered the freighter and the bunk unnoticed by the two squabblers and had heard the last two remarks.
"You've just been snatched from the jaws of death, Corran. If I were you, I'd take a while to recover, brother, and not jump right back into the fight. We all want to fight them. But now we should go to Rimmer's Rest. They're waiting for us."
She walked over to Jaden and gave him a kiss.
"Don't be mad at my brother, he's been through a lot, love."
The young Katarn stood up and looked at the woman he loved with all his heart.
"I know, Tash. Let's go."

A few minutes later, the three arrived at Rimmer's Rest and entered the public room. The parents and siblings of Corran and Tasherit were sitting in a booth. They all looked expectantly at the new arrivals.
Jaden was about to follow Tasherit to the table when he saw a man sitting at the bar with his back turned to the entrance. With his rudimentary senses, he felt the man's presence in the Force. Oh yes, he knew this man very well. The young man hesitated.
Kyle Katarn knew who had just entered Rimmer's Rest because he could feel his son's presence in the Force. He turned and beckoned him over. Jaden stared at his father.
The Resistance pilot was still upset about his argument with Corran Rendar. No one had called him a coward yet. He was anything but a coward, and Corran knew that very well. So Tasherit's brother's remark had hurt him even more. After that, maybe it wasn't a good idea to meet his father here and now when he was in this mood. Their last meeting had not gone very well. It was characterized by mutual reproaches and they parted disappointed with each other.
Tasherit followed her fiancé's gaze and recognized the older man's resemblance to Jaden.
"You should go to him," she said gently, squeezing his hand, which she held.
"It wouldn't be good to meet my father, Tash," Jaden replied to her. He was about to ignore his father and go to the people he now considered his family.
Tasherit sensed his inner conflict and gave him a shove in Kyle's direction.
"He's your father, despite what's between you two. Give him a chance, love."
Jaden nodded and slowly walked over to his father.

Corran had now reached the booth where his family was sitting. Dash smiled broadly when he saw that his youngest son was alive and well. The young Rendar's older brothers looked at him.
"Good to have you back, kid," Dash Jr. finally said.
Biggs grinned at his younger brother and pointed to the only unoccupied chair.
"Good to see you," he said, and that was a lot for the usually silent Rendar offspring.
Corran sat down and ordered a Corellian ale as the waiter came over.
"Yes, I'm back," he said after taking the first sip of the ale he had just been served. "I didn't think I'd drink that again, to be honest."
He leaned back in his chair and looked at his mother.
"Thank you for your help, Mama. I wouldn't be sitting here without you."
"It wasn't just me, Corran, without Jaden and Tash you'd still be on Crait."
She sensed something strange in her son at the mention of Jaden Katarn and raised an eyebrow.
Tasherit took a chair from a neighboring table and sat down at Corran's side. She had heard her mother's remark.
"That's true, Mama, but that didn't stop my brother from telling Jaden he was a coward."
Her brother frowned.
"He told me that he would have gone with you, that he would have left his comrades behind like you did."
Nomi closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths before answering her son. But her husband was quicker and jumped on what his youngest son had just said. He glared at Corran.
"So we're still cowards in your eyes? It would have been madness to stay together, evacuate everyone at the same time and send everyone in the same direction. You know what happened..."
Corran lowered his gaze and his reply was almost inaudible.
"They destroyed one ship after another. Crait was our last stand. I don't know how many of us made it off the planet and if they managed to escape."
"And yet you still call us cowards? You'd be dead now if we hadn't separated from the others, young man. Think twice before you accuse anyone of cowardice. We will regroup and fight again when the time is right. Believe me, we won't let the First Order win," Dash Rendar said, frowning at his son.
"Your father is right, the separation was the only way to ensure the survival of the Resistance, Corran," Nomi finally said. "We didn't have enough time to explain everything to you when we asked you to come with us. I'm sorry..."
Her youngest son frowned.
"No time to explain, huh?" He leaned across the table and gave his parents a weak smile. "Okay, no hard feelings. What's the plan now?"

As Corran reunited with his family, Kyle Katarn looked expectantly at his son, who slowly approached him. When Tasherit saw Jaden walk over to his father, she left her family and followed him. She sat down at the other end of the bar and ordered a drink.
"Hello, father," Jaden said as he sat down on the bar stool.
"Hello, Jaden. It's been a long time... Too long, son."
Kyle waved the bartender over and ordered two drinks.
His son ignored the drink and looked at his father.
"Why are you here?"
"I wanted to meet you," Kyle answered his son and took a sip of his drink.
"You couldn't have known I'd come here, father," Jaden replied.
"Believe me, I knew it," the older Katarn smiled at his son, but Jaden didn't return the smile.
"If you had taught me how to use my gift, I could do the same. That wasn't fair."
Jaden stared at his father and Tasherit could feel the emotions of father and son in the Force.
"You know the reasons," Kyle replied.
"It was wrong and you know it, father. Others have been through a lot too and still taught their children how to use the Force."
Jaden tapped his fingers impatiently on the counter.
"You... can still learn," his father said, looking in Tasherit's direction. "Your girlfriend or her mother can teach you."
Jaden forced a brief smile and looked at Tash.
"We're engaged to be married soon." Then he changed the subject before his father could say anything. "You could teach me too. We need you, father, the Resistance needs you. Join us and show me everything you know about the Force. Don't deny me what you've given to others."
"The Resistance," Kyle frowned. "The Resistance is destroyed. It's over, Jaden."
"It's not over yet. As long as there are people who want to be free, as long as we are breathing and willing to fight, the Resistance is still alive. You fought the Empire, you never gave up. I want back the man you were during the Rebellion against the Empire."
"That man no longer exists," the older Katarn replied and took another sip.
"He's still there, father. I'm pretty sure of that. Come with us. We need you."
Kyle looked at his son and then at Tasherit, who was still sitting at the bar. Then he sighed.
"I'll think about it, Jaden."
His son stood up.
"That's all I ask of you. Thank you, father."
Then the young pilot walked over to Tasherit.
"I think he'll join us, Tash."
His fiancée nodded.
"I hope so," Tasherit said, inclining her head to Kyle before walking over to her family, followed by Jaden.