The New Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

Chapter 96 - Facing the Enemy

While Dash and his sons abducted Draco with the help of Tarik and his comrades, Nomi sat in her cell, still on her way to who knows where.
She was still thinking about how she could escape. There was the ventilation shaft above her cot, which was closed with a grille. The commander had already examined it, but without tools or the Force, there was no way to remove the bars. This time she really would be done for.
The door to her cell opened with a hiss and Canady entered, followed by two stormtroopers. Once they had entered, the troopers lined up at the door while the commodore moved towards Nomi, who was sitting on the cot.
"When I enter, you have to stand at attention, Darklighter," the man glared at her and let his hand linger over his blaster.
The older woman looked at the commodore unimpressed and made no move to obey his order.
"Stand up, damn rebel," growled the man as he took another step in Nomi's direction.
His face was turning red and the vein on his right temple was clearly visible. The stoic calm of his prisoner annoyed and irritated Canady.
The Jedi Master looked up at the man towering over her. Those eyes, the commodore felt as if they were looking into his soul. His hand was still over his blaster. One shot and those eyes would be closed forever. But something made him hesitate. It would be too easy a death.

Meanwhile, on board the Outrider, Draco stared at Dash Rendar, who had turned his seat to face his prisoner.
"You killed my men and destroyed my ship, Rendar. Is this the way the Resistance treats its allies?"
Dash locked eyes with the pirate, who was still being held by Corran.
"No, this is how the Resistance treats traitors, Draco," he said in an even tone. "What have you done with my wife?"
"Your wife?" The counter question came. "The commander left my ship and was on her way ho..."
He was unable to finish the sentence as Corran put him in a chokehold from behind.
"Nice try, sleemo, I'm sure you can do better," Nomi's son hissed in Draco's ear. "Tell us the truth or I'll kill you with my bare hands."
Corran was pretty sure Master Skywalker wouldn't have approved of what he was doing, but he didn't care. He would do anything to get his mother back. Just like Biggs and his father. He was sure of that and tightened his chokehold.
Draco gasped for air. He couldn't free himself because his hands were still cuffed.
Corran's father looked on impassively, because in his opinion, the pirate deserved no better. They had made an agreement and the man had trampled on it. Perhaps he had lost his wife because of him, or was about to lose her. It made him sick to see that man's face.
"Stop it and take him to the cargo bay, Corran. We'll find another way to loosen his tongue," Dash ordered.
His son let go and Draco gasped as the pressure on his throat disappeared. Corran didn't give the pirate much time to regain his composure, dragging him out of the cockpit and into the cargo hold. There he shackled him to a girder and left.

"And what do we do with this guy?" Corran asked his father and Biggs, who was now also sitting in the cockpit and looking at his brother expectantly.
Dash sighed and leaned forward in his seat.
"Honestly, I have no idea."
He looked at Biggs, who only spoke when it was necessary. And it seemed like now was the time. The young Jedi rubbed the scar on his forehead before he spoke.
"You know that I have always followed the Jedi way, as Master Skywalker taught us," he took a deep breath before continuing. "But now it's time to do what must be done. There is a way to get what we need to save Mama."
He looked at his younger brother.
"I wonder why you didn't think of that."
Corran shrugged and settled into one of the empty seats.
"I thought it would be enough just to question him."
His brother gave him a look that would have melted durasteel.
"You nearly killed Draco. We wouldn't have gained anything by killing him. This man is our only way of knowing what happened to our mother. We can't reach her through the Force, but I think we can all agree that she's still alive."
Their father followed the conversation in silence, but now he cleared his throat to get his sons' attention. The two young men looked at him now and he nodded his head thoughtfully.
"Whatever you want to do, Biggs, do it," he finally said.
That was exactly what Biggs had been waiting for. He stood up and made his way to the cargo hold.

Aboard the First Order dreadnought, Canady was still staring at his prisoner. They had thought the Resistance had been destroyed after the Battle of Crait, but now there was this woman who had taken up the fight. She and a bunch of lowlifes were threatening the convoys bound to and from Exegol, the staging area for a new Empire. An Empire that would rise from the ashes, an Empire that his late father wanted to help create. And now it was up to him to make this dream come true. But this woman in front of him was an obstacle.
"Where is your base, Darklighter?" He asked with a demanding undertone as he moved even closer.
His prisoner looked him defiantly in the eye.
"You'll never find it, Canady."
The commodore grinned.
"Are you so sure about that?"
Nomi had to admit to herself that she wasn't sure. Without the Force, she was as vulnerable as any normal being, and Canady knew that all too well.
She cursed inwardly. But there was still hope. The commander was pretty sure that her family would come looking for her if she didn't return. And she could escape herself if she found out the ysalamiris' sleep rhythm. If she remembered correctly, she only had 5 minutes after the animals fell asleep when she rescued Kyle Katarn.
It was important to find out when this would happen and be prepared.
Canady gave Nomi an evil smile before waving to the stormtroopers standing guard at the door.
"Take the prisoner to the interrogation room."
The two troopers walked over, forced Nomi to stand up and shackled her hands before dragging her out of the cell, followed by the commodore.

It didn't take long for them to reach their destination.
"And now we're going to have a little conversation about the location of your base, Darklighter."
The troopers strapped the Jedi Master to a torture device, walked out and closed the door.
When they heard the first screams, they were eager to leave.