Chapter 18

Luke was up at the Solo's apartment trying, again, to get Leia to talk to him. Nomi had made him try. Nomi decided it would be best if she stay and start unpacking.

It was nice to have her things back. She folded tunics and pants. She hung up the few evening dressed she had. She put her shoes in the closet. She placed her picture frames around the apartment. She knew Luke wouldn't mind, since most of them were of her, him, and Biggs.

She could tell Luke was coming back. She could sense him outside the apartment. She walked into the kitchenette to get something to drink. She heard the door slid open and Luke walk in.

He comes into the kitchenette. "She can be so stubborn."

"Well she is related to you. You can be stubborn too." Nomi said as she took as sip from her cup. "Did you tell her we were getting married?"

"Yeah, I told her." Luke said, as he got himself a cup. "I'm just glad the kids weren't there."

"Why?" Nomi was confused.

"Leia said a few choice words. Words that sounded like they would've come from Han, not her."

"Maybe I should go talk to her." Nomi offered.

"No!" Luke almost shouted. "I just don't think that's a good idea. She needs some more time to cool."

"If you say so." Nomi said as she walked into the other room to continue unpacking.

Luke followed her and they went into the bedroom. He watched Nomi as she hung up some of her tunics and put them in the closet. "Do you have a dress in there somewhere?"

"If I have one it doesn't mean I'm going to wear it." Nomi said.

"You wouldn't wear it for me?" Luke said while trying to act hurt.

"Depends on where I'm going." Nomi said as she continued unpack.

"Dinner, tonight, at a big fancy restaurant." Luke said trying to tempt her.

"I don't know, what's in it for me?"

"Well, you don't go to dinner and you don't get the second part of your surprise."

"Luke, that's not fair."

"All you have to do is put on a dress. Nothing fancy, something simple."

"The things I do for you." Nomi rolled her eyes.

Nomi was getting ready and Luke was doing the same. She was wearing a rather simple red dress. It was sleeveless and cut low. Luke noticed how it hugged every curve the right way. He looked back at what he was wearing. He was wearing one of his nicer tunics as well as a nice jacket.

Luke was reaching for his commlink, on the dresser when he saw a small blaster fly by his head. "I really wish you wouldn't do that. I'm glad you're excited about increasing your Force abilities but I just don't want it to lead to any Dark Side tendencies."

"I'm sorry Luke. I'll try to keep from using it unless I absolutely need to."

"Thank you. I just worry about you that's all." Luke paused for a moment. "Wait, why are you taking your blaster?"

"Don't worry; I'm taking my lightsaber too. I'm just putting that in my purse. I don't have a thigh holster for it." Nomi said chuckling as she pulled up her dress to put the blaster in its place.

"That's not what I meant. Why do you need it?"

"I just have a feeling I'm going to need it." Nomi said uneasily.

"I don't sense anything. Plus, I'll be there with you."

"I don't doubt your ability to protect me but I still feel like I need them. Maybe it's just a security thing."

"Okay. If you think you need them then take them."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, almost ready?"

"Yep let's get this over with." Nomi said.

They walked into the restaurant arm and arm. Nomi was worried that with Leia and Luke not speaking, that people would bother them. To her surprise only one person came up to them as they sat at the table. It was one of Luke's old friends.

"Hey Wedge, what are you doing here?"

"You sound surprised." Wedge answered.

"Only a little." Luke said with a grin on his face.

"Are you going to introduce me to your friend or am I suppose to pretend she isn't here?"

"I'm sorry. Nomica Darklighter this is Captain Wedge Antilles. Wedge, this is Nomica."

"Darklighter? Any relation to Biggs?"

"I'm his little sister."

"Well it's nice to meet you. Biggs actually talked about you a lot." Wedge replied. "It's nice to place a face with the stories."

"Same here, Luke talks about the Rouges all the time."

"He should bring you to the Hangar and you can meet the rest of us." Wedge invited.

"That would be great!" Nomi replied excitedly.

"Only one problem with that." Luke reminded her.

"What?" She asked him.

"You were banned from the Hangar unless you were leaving the planet."

Nomi blushed, she had forgotten that part. "Oh yeah."

"Why were you banned?" Wedge chuckled, "what did you do?"

Nomi looked at him seriously, "I tried to start an X-wing."

Wedge looked at her, his eyes got big. "That was you? You're the reason we're still grounded. They didn't tell us it was a girl. That's kind of funny." Wedge chuckled a bit.

"Yeah, well I guess the Palace wasn't too happy that a woman could get past their security system." Nomi said.

"Probably right. Well, I was about to leave so I will see you two later. Bye Luke." Wedge said.

"Bye, Wedge, see you." Luke replied and Wedge turned to walk away.

"He seems nice." Nomi commented.

"He is."

Their waiter walked up and proceeded to take their order. They had a wonderful dinner. They had an Ithorian soup and some typed of steaks. They finished it up with dessert. Nomi had a few glasses of Alderaanian wine. Music started to play as they sat and talked.

"Nomi?"

"Don't."

"Oh come on. It'll be fun." Luke tried to convince her.

"No, sorry. Not going to happen. I got into the dress. You never said I had to dance."

"Nomi?"

Nomi chuckled as he once again attempted, "no. I'm not going to give up."

"Okay."

"I'm actually ready to go home, I'm kind of tired." Nomi said unconvincingly.

"You just want part two." Luke said, not believing that she was the least bit tired.

"Well maybe." Nomi said with a grin on her face.

"Okay, we can go." Luke was kind of wondering what she was going to say about part two. "I'll go pay and then I'll get the speeder."

"Okay, I'll be waiting for you at the doors. I need to go to the bathroom first."

"It's nice to not hear it referred to as the lady's room."

"Go get the speeder Luke." Nomi said as she rolled her eyes and left the table.

Nomi walked out of the restroom and proceeded toward the door. Then she heard someone call out her name.

"Nomica?"

Nomi turned around to see a big man walking toward her. "Yes?"

"Your little brother is Decame Darklighter, is he not?"

"Yes? How do you know my brother?" Nomi didn't know this stranger and was wondering how her brother would be associated with the individual.

"He owes me money." The man lowered his hand to his side. "He promised me 25 thousand credits."

"How do you know me though?"

"You don't remember me? You wouldn't let me stay with you and your aunt, even after I told you I was a friend of Decame's."

"I remember you. Well, I'm sorry Decame never gave you your money." Nomi said as she saw the man's hands sit on his blaster holster. She decided now would be a good time to head to the corridor of the restaurant. The man followed her.

"See, the thing is I'm going to get my money from your brother. Even if it has to be ransom money."

"Excuse me?" Nomi said as she turned around just in time to see a blaster pointer in her face. As a reflex she kicked the man in the leg.

He stumbled back but kept his balance pretty well. Nomi took his stumbling as a chance to get out of the small space. The man grabbed her by the arm and threw her into the doors that led into the restaurant.

"Like Sith am I going to let you get away." He pulled up the blaster to aim at Nomi's shoulder.

In the seconds that she hit the door she saw her purse lay open on the floor. She used the Force to draw her lightsaber out and ignited it. The man was so shocked he sent four blaster shots her way.

Nomi twisted to the left and used the lightsaber to block the blaster bolt. She quickly moved the lightsaber in front of her chest to block yet another bolt. She then turned the lightsaber down at an angle to deflect the third shot. She looked up at the man to see where he was going to aim next. However she became distracted when she saw Luke pulling up with the speeder.

Her draw on the Force weakened because of the distraction. The fourth and final blaster bolt hit her. She felt as if someone had just set fire to the area just inches above her armpit. The shock of the injury made Nomi stumble back.

The man turned and left the building realizing that most likely one of the creatures in the restaurant would have called the police. He pushed past Luke as he began to run.

Luke saw the man running away from the building and picked up his pace. He ran into the corridor to see Nomi sitting on the floor. She was bleeding and her breathing wasn't normal.

"Oh Sith!" He sat down next to her.

"It's not as bad as it seems." Nomi said between breaths.

"Yes it is. I'm taking you to the Medical Bay."

"Luke, it's not necessary. I'm fine, promise."

"Nomi! You just got shot! You're not fine." Luke couldn't believe she was acting so calm about the whole thing.

"Luke, it isn't the first time I've been shot. And as long as I keep hanging around with you, I have a feeling it wont be the last." Nomi was trying to joke her way out of going to the Medical Bay.

"You're going."

"Damn it, Luke, I'll be alright." Nomi said as she gritted her teeth together. She wasn't convincing him.