Final Confrontation
A few days later, Nomi came up with a plan to escape.
Her father hadn't been seen since their last meeting and hadn't let her be brought to him either.
Nomi knew she couldn't influence her father with a Jedi mind trick, but with ordinary stormtroopers it would work.
She stood up carefully, putting weight on her injured leg. The Jedi gritted her teeth as she felt a sharp pain. When she realized that her leg hurt but it could support her weight, Nomi smiled. Yes, it could work like that.
Her father had stationed two stormtroopers outside her cell, and she focused on their minds. On Algarian she had already manipulated several minds at once. So why wouldn't it work for these two?
She closed her eyes, concentrated, and reached out with the Force to touch the troopers' minds.
"You are tired from guard duty and would like to get some rest. Come to the cell, you can lie down there."
At first nothing happened, but then the door hissed open and the two who were supposed to be standing guard entered.
The Jedi could have danced for joy. It worked. But she couldn't let her joy distract her or she would lose control of the stormtroopers' minds.
"Yes, you are terribly tired and only want one thing – sleep," she continued to influence them and make them her puppets on a string.
The stormtroopers removed their helmets and yawned as they approached the cot. There they lay down, closed their eyes and quickly fell asleep.
After one last look at the sleeping troopers, Nomi left the cell and locked the door behind her.
The young woman hoped that no one would notice her disappearance so quickly. She slowly moved towards her destination, the Star Destroyer's main hangar.
Along the way, she managed to influence the minds of the crew members she encountered in the hallways so that they didn't notice her. Her leg was hurting badly, but there wasn't time to worry about it.
It wasn't easy even for her to find the way, but eventually she saw the main hangar ahead. Freedom was within her reach when she sensed danger.
The young woman turned around and looked at her father, who was standing there.
"You can't escape me so easily, my daughter. You will have to fight for your freedom. If you can defeat me in battle, I will let you go."
At the same moment he activated his lightsaber and the green blade came to life with a hiss, before he threw her lightsaber to her.
His daughter caught the weapon in midair but didn't activate it.
"You could have killed me, father. Why didn't you do it?"
"I am a warrior, not a cowardly murderer, Nomi."
For the first time, Ulic had addressed his daughter by her name and she wondered what that meant.
"Come on, Nomi, show me what you learned from your so-called Jedi Master," her father said, swinging his activated lightsaber back and forth.
His attack came in a flash, but Nomi activated her own lightsaber at the same moment and parried the attack. The blades clashed and sparks flew.
Bel-Baal easily managed to Force leap over his daughter and land behind her. As fast as lightning, Nomi turned around and blocked the blow aimed at her arm that wielded the lightsaber.
"You've learned a lot, Nomi," her father remarked before attacking again.
The Jedi didn't answer, instead concentrating on defending herself. She fought not only for her freedom, but also for her husband's life and that of Luke.
With a quick succession of blows, Nomi finally managed to corner her father. It seemed as if she had gained the upper hand.
"Let me go, father," she demanded, panting.
Ulic shook his head and Force pushed his daughter, who stumbled backwards. Then he attacked her mercilessly.
The pain in the Jedi's leg was getting worse, but she couldn't and wouldn't give up.
Still, she defended herself as best she could. The air around them crackled with electrical discharges as their blades clashed again and again.
Nomi wondered why her father didn't use the dark side to defeat her like he did on Algarian.
Finally, they stood so close to each other, their lightsabers locked, that no one could strike. Nomi's father was breathing heavily.
"Give up and let me go,father," the young woman demanded again.
"Never!"
Bel-Baal kicked her, her injured leg gave way and she fell. He looked down at her.
"Get up and fight, Nomi. You won't give up so easily, will you?"
His daughter struggled to get up but eventually managed. Her broken leg hurt even more now, but she gritted her teeth and attacked her father with a fierce strike. Bel-Baal easily fended off the attack and counterattacked.
Nomi's strength slowly weakened. Her defense slowed and attacking became almost unthinkable. Ulic's blows followed in quick succession.
Suddenly an announcement could be heard over the Destroyer's intercom.
"Lord Bel-Baal, Corellian freighter approaching. Its ship ID identifies it as the Outrider. What are your orders?"
It was a brief distraction, but Nomi knew how to take advantage of her father's inattention and kicked him with full force. He stumbled and fell, dropping the lightsaber, which immediately deactivated.
The Jedi stood over him and held the tip of her blade to his throat.
"You will ensure that the Outrider can land here in the main hangar. And you will guarantee me, my husband and Luke safe conduct," she said after sensing that Luke Skywalker was also on board the YT-2400.
Her father looked up at her and felt the heat of the lightsaber blade, uncomfortably close.
"You defeated me, Nomi," he said, breathing heavily. "My life is in your hands. I will release you and you can go wherever you want with your husband and Skywalker."
Nomi sensed that her father no longer wanted to fight with her. He was defeated once and for all. She deactivated her lightsaber and reached out her hand to help him up. Bel-Baal took her hand and stood up. Then he went to the main hangar's comm unit and activated it.
"Give the Outrider permission to land, Commander Xale."
"I give the Outrider permission to land," the commander confirmed the order, slightly irritated. "As you wish, my Lord."
Ulic turned to his daughter and gave her a warm smile.
"Your lightsaber skills are very good, Nomi. Skywalker taught you well," he paused for a split second before continuing. "I've thought about your words for a long time. Maybe it's not too late for me. Please help me turn away from the dark side, my child."
Nomi nodded her head.
A few minutes later, the Outrider landed aboard the Ulic's Revenge.
The ramp lowered and the hatch opened after the pilot shut off the engines. Moments later, Dash Rendar walked down the ramp with his blaster at the ready. Behind him was Luke Skywalker, keeping an eye on the surroundings, his hand lingering over his lightsaber dangling from his belt.
Ulic Bel-Baal wanted to approach the two men, but was prevented from doing so by his daughter.
"Please wait, father. Let me talk to Dash first, who, for understandable reasons, doesn't respond well to you."
Her father nodded his head and she slowly approached her husband and her childhood friend, limping slightly.
As she got closer she saw Dash's horrified expression as he looked at her. Then Luke whispered something to him and he holstered his blaster and ran towards her. When he reached her, he gently touched the wounds on his wife's face that were still visible.
"What did they do to you, darling?" He asked after kissing her gently. "I thought I lost you forever. Then a few days ago Corran stood in front of me and told me that he had spoken to you. At first I didn't want to believe him, but then I remembered that you two had often spoken to each other in the Force. When our son told me that you were being held captive by your father, I couldn't believe my ears. Until then I thought Bel-Baal was dead."
He glanced at Nomi's father, who was standing in the background.
"I see he's actually still alive. But not for long, because I'm going to kill him."
Dash's hand dropped to his holstered blaster, but Nomi stopped him.
"No, Dash, you won't kill him. My father turned away from the dark side. I've forgiven him and I want you to do the same."
Rendar gave her a look that would have melted durasteel.
"Damn, Nomi, do you know what you're asking me to do? Your father almost killed me on Algarian. And now I should forgive him? Do you know how many people Lord Ulic Bel-Baal killed? How many tears and suffering is he responsible for?" He took a deep breath before continuing. "No, darling, I can't forgive your father. But I promise I won't kill him right now. He should get a fair trial. I will bow to the judges' decision."
Nomi carefully stood on her tiptoes without putting any weight on her right leg and gave her husband a kiss.
"Thank you, Dash."
Then she turned around and motioned to her father, who then slowly walked towards them.
As he stood in front of the couple, he looked Dash in the eyes and held out his hand.
"I want to ask your forgiveness for what I did to you and your family, Dash."
But his son-in-law was unforgiving and ignored the outstretched hand.
"You're lucky I promised Nomi I wouldn't kill you."
Then he turned abruptly and walked back aboard the Outrider.
After Dash left, Luke Skywalker walked over to Nomi and her father.
"We are taking you to Coruscant, Lord Bel-Baal. There the judges will decide your fate."
Ulic bowed his head.
"They will sentence me to death, Skywalker. I have committed too many crimes in the name of the Empire. They can't let me live."
Luke shook his head after glancing at Nomi.
"That isn't certain, my Lord," he said, showing respect to the defeated enemy in addressing him by his title. "I'll see what I can do for you. What should happen to your crew and your ship?"
Nomi's father shrugged.
"I think most of them will be happy to no longer have to fight for a long-lost cause. They will want to join the Alliance. As for the Star Destroyer, my daughter Nomi will get it," as he said this, he raised his head and looked at his daughter. "You'll know what to do with it if you don't want to keep it."
Nomi looked at him in surprise.
"Thank you, father. But she should no longer be called Ulic's Revenge, I'll call her Jedi Hope."
Once the crew and stormtroopers on board the Star Destroyer were informed of the situation, they almost completely joined the Alliance. Those who decided against the Alliance were taken to the nearest inhabited planet and dropped off there.
Then the Jedi Hope set off for Coruscant, escorted by the Outrider.