Outrider
The flight went smoothly, but when we dropped out of hyperspace in the Corellia system, we had a nasty surprise.
The planet Corellia was teeming with Imperial Star Destroyers and TIEs, and we got into trouble. They immediately opened fire on us.
Dash cursed.
"Damn, I thought they had already freed themselves from the Imps."
But cursing didn't help us now. I got up cumbersome and headed for the gunner station. Dash's call stopped me.
"Where are you going, Nomi?"
Sometimes Dash could ask strange questions.
"To the gunner station, of course. Someone has to operate the cannon while you're flying."
He looked at me as if I had lost my mind.
"Yes, somebody, but not you. Leebo can fly the Outrider and I go to the cannon."
A hit rocked the freighter.
"Damn, Dash, when we discuss here a long time, then it doesn't matter who does what."
I headed again to the gunner station.
The Outrider was shaken repeatedly by hits despite Dash's evasive maneuvers. It was difficult to keep my balance, but at last I was at my destination.
Meanwhile, we were circled by half a dozen TIEs and had already had a significant loss of energy at the deflector shields. It was only a matter of time before they would fail.
"Dash, I would be able to aim much better if you didn't fly like a wild space jockey!"
Dash's reply came over the intercom.
"Hey sweetie, if I didn't fly like that, your butt would have been grilled long ago."
At last I had a TIE in my targeting device. Direct hit! One less.
Suddenly I felt a dragging pain in my womb. The pain ceased and I thought that I had only imagined this.
From all sides TIEs pressed upon us. Again and again I fired at the fighters, but for every TIE I shot down, at least two new ones came. Luckily, the Star Destroyers have not yet participated in the fight. Our situation was desperate enough already.
I hoped that we would be able to clear a path so we could make the jump to hyperspace.
There came this dragging pain again.
Now there was no doubt for me, it were contractions. The triplets wanted to be born in the middle of the battle.
"Dash, get us out of here!"
"I try that all the time!"
Another contraction.
"Then try it a little faster, please. I think the babies are coming."
Dash asked doubtfully: "You're joking, right? It was supposed to be in a month."
I answered him while I fired incessantly at the attacking TIEs.
"I don't feel like jokes now, Dash. Get us out of here."
There was finally a gap between the attackers, big enough to slip through with the Outrider and jump into hyperspace.
"Hold on, sweetheart, we make the jump now."
That was damn close, the shields would have failed with the next hit.
Instead on Corellia, the triplets were born in hyperspace with the help of their father and Leebo's. It was a difficult birth. For hours I was in labor before the first head was visible.
But then everything went very fast. Thankfully, there were no complications.
Dash had done everything so well, as if he's doing it every day.
Although they were born one standard month too early, Dash Jr., Biggs and Corran were three healthy, strong babies.
I had fallen asleep from exhaustion and when I woke up, Dash sat next to me. He was very pride at the little wonders we created together.
Dash stroked my face tenderly while he thoughtfully watched the triplets lying asleep in a container turned into a crib.
"You can't imagine how happy you have made me by giving birth to these children, Nomi."
"Don't you have to be in the cockpit, Dash?"
"No, Leebo flies the Outrider. He knows the way to Nar Shaddaa."
I looked at him in surprise.
"We're flying to the Smuggler's Moon?"
Dash nodded.
"But why? Wouldn't it be better if we go back to Endor?"
"It might be better, but the forest moon is too far away from here. Nar Shaddaa is faster to reach. Besides, there are some friends where we can stay with for a while. After this difficult birth you need rest."
Then I must have fallen asleep again.
A standard hour later, I was awakened by the cries of the triplets. They vigorously demanded food. After nursing them, I put them back in their makeshift cot, where they fell asleep contentedly.
Dash came to me.
"Hello, Nomi, how are you and the little ones? I just wanted to let you know that we will reach Nar Shaddaa in two standard hours."
I smiled at him.
"As you can see, I and the babies are fine. I hope we don't have a welcoming committee in Nar Shaddaa like near Corellia."
Dash kissed me.
"I hope so, darling. But so far the smugglers have been able to keep the Empire from gaining a foothold there."