A new Rebel Cell
When they went to bed Nomi huddled up against Dash enjoying the warmth of her husband's body. There was still a deep love between them despite the years and the conflicts they have had. Dash stroke his wife's graying hair and kissed her neck.
"So we have founded a Rebel cell," he said with a chuckle. "This is really crazy, love."
"Not as crazy as to join the Resistance recently or the Alliance decades ago. I'm glad that our children are with us. Even Jaden agreed in what we plan. Have you seen Kyle?"
"Of course," her husband answered kissing Nomi's neck again. "Do you think he will fight together with us?"
"You know how he reacted when we asked him, Dash."
"He might have changed his mind, love. I saw him speaking with Jaden and it seemed they were getting along."
His wife shifted a bit to get more comfortable in her husband's arms. "I hope so. It would be good to have another Jedi in. I'm glad that Jaden and Kyle seem to have settled their issues."
"So am I. It isn't good if father and son are at enmity. I don't want to imagine if it were this way with our sons." Dash enjoyed his wife's closeness and let his hands roam over her body.
Nomi turned in his arms and kissed her husband deeply. Dash was unable to resist and passion ensued. It distracted both from the galaxy's misery for a few hours.
At the same time Kyle Katarn was lying on his bed staring at the ceiling. He had promised his son to think about to join in the fight against the First Order. When Nomi and Dash had asked him he had refused. At this time the odds were better than now. He sighed. Maybe his decision was wrong. The Jedi activated a tiny holoprojector and the bluish image of his late wife appeared. The image of Jan Ors smiled and moved the lips. Kyle remembered even after all those years what she had said in this moment. He smiled sadly and mouthed: "I love you too, Jan," as an answer. He missed her so much. She would have known what to do. Jan was always a good counselor when he was unsure. But Jan was long gone. She died because of a disease the doctor had no cure for. After her death everything fell apart. Kyle looked at the image and a tear was running down his cheek. "I failed our son, Jan."
He heard a knock on the door and wiped the tear before he answered it. "Who's there," Kyle asked.
"Tasherit Rendar," the answer came. The young woman straightened her jumpsuit and waited for Kyle to allow her to enter.
Jaden's father stood up, went to the door and opened it. "Good evening, Tasherit." He gave his future daughter in law a faint smile.
"May I enter?" The Resistance pilot smiled back at Kyle.
The elder Katarn made place and Tasherit entered the room. She glanced at the bed where the holoprojector was still activated. Kyle saw where Tasherit looked at.
"This is Jan… Jaden's mother," he said and Tash felt the grief in him. Kyle went over to the bed and took the tiny device.
"I'm sorry for your loss." The young Jedi sat down in a chair while Katarn deactivated the holoprojector.
"It was years ago she died but it still hurts," he said silently wondering why he opens up to this young woman he hardly knew. "Why are you here?"
"I thought I should get to know my future father in law." She smiled at him and stretched her legs to make herself more comfortable.
Kyle Katarn felt the Force in his son's fiancée and raised an eye brow. She was strong, very strong. It was the moment he really regretted that he never showed his son the ways of the Force. "Do you want something to drink?" He walked over to the mini-bar and came back with a bottle of Savareen brandy and two glasses.
"If you don't mind, Sir," Tasherit answered.
Katarn smiled while pouring a good quantum of the brandy in the glasses. "There is no reason to call me sir. It's just Kyle since we will be family soon." He handed Tash one glass, sat down in the chair opposite of hers and raised his own glass. "To the Resistance or what is left of it," he said and downed the brandy in one go.
The young Jedi looked at him raising her own glass. "To the Resistance," Tasherit answered before she took a swig of the brandy savoring its flavor. "Not bad… It's still the best brandy of the galaxy. Luckily there are things which didn't change." She sat her glass down and raised an eye brow. "I thought you don't care for the Resistance, Kyle."
Jaden's father poured another drink for himself before answering the young woman. "It was madness to fight the First Order." He didn't gulp this drink like the first one and was savoring its flavor like Tasherit did. "The odds were against the Resistance. To take an enemy head on without knowing what he has up his sleeves…"
Tasherit interrupted him. "Wasn't it the same when you were fighting the Empire back then? You didn't know about the first Death Star until you held the plans in your hands. Matching them with those the Rogue One team captured on Scarif gave prove what the Empire was up to. Until then everybody believed the lie about a mining accident on Jedha which destroyed the Holy City. My mother told me about this. You took on the Empire against all odds, Kyle. You and all the others who followed Mon Mothma and Bail Organa after the Alliance declared its Rebellion against the Empire. Don't tell me about madness. If it comes to this it was also madness." The small person was looking with blazing eyes at her future father in law. "The Resistance is still alive, Kyle."
"The Resistance is dying a slow death, Tasherit." He took another swig.
Tash shook her head. "We will rebuild it with what's left and we will find new allies." She took also another swig and smiled at Katarn. "I'm currently looking for new allies and I think you would fit." The young woman gave Katarn the best smile she was able to muster.
Her counterpart laughed. "Has Jaden sent you?"
Tash shook her head. "No, I came of my own. There is still hope, Kyle. Rebellions are built on hope."
Katarn nodded thoughtfully. "I know, Tasherit. Hope was the only thing we had sometimes back then. We carried on despite the odds."
"So will us. Why are you denying us your help? We need you, Kyle. The galaxy needs you. Don't let the dark times come back."
The elder Jedi sat his glass aside and activated the tiny holoprojector. The bluish image of his late wife came to life. "Jan fought by my side… she wouldn't want that everything falls apart we fought and suffered for." He hesitated and took another swig.
Tasherit leaned over and looked expectantly at him giving him all the time he needed to make up his mind, to come to a decision.
Finally Katarn nodded his head. "I'm in, Tasherit. Actually I think I'll regret it at some point, but Jan would have wanted me to do it. If she would be still alive she would also fight."
Tasherit stood up, walked over to the man with the gray hair and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Kyle. Jaden will be happy when I tell him you've joined."
Kyle smiled at her and caressed her cheek. "Jaden is a lucky man to have you."
Tasherit blushed. "I must leave now. Jaden is waiting for me. Have a good night."
She turned, walked over to the door and left.
Kyle Katarn looked after her, and then he looked again at Jan's smiling image. "Thank you for your help, love," he whispered before deactivating the holoprojector.