Training Session

Two standard weeks had passed since Ulic Bel-Baal's death and life was returning to normal.

Nomi had barely known the man who was her father and they never had the chance to develop a real relationship, but she was still sad. The young woman was sitting in a chair, lost in thought, Corran on her lap. She was looking at the red Mandalorian armor that had belonged to her father and given to her after his death, which she was now displaying on a mannequin, when there was a knock on the door.
Sensing her childhood friend, she used the Force to open the door and Luke Skywalker entered.
"Good morning, Nomi. Good morning, Corran," he said and continued without waiting for an answer. "What do you think, Nomi? Should we resume your Jedi training? I think you've neglected your exercises for far too long. Your leg is healed. So there is no longer any reason for you to be idle, my friend."
The Jedi nodded and placed her youngest son on the ground.
"Good morning, Luke," she said, smiling. "Yes, let's practice. I really need it. However, we have to take the children with us because Dash and Leebo aren't there."
Skywalker laughed.
"Your offspring won't bother us. It's also time for me to continue training the triplets. I've already found the ideal place for training," he paused for a moment before continuing. "It's the Emperor's throne room."
When Nomi heard this, she swallowed hard and gave her friend a horrified look.
"You can't be serious. Haven't you felt the shadows of the dark side lurking there?"
Her Jedi Master nodded his head.
"Yes, I felt it and that makes it an ideal place for our training."
Nomi frowned, wondering if Luke had lost his mind.
"But, Luke…," she began and was interrupted by him.
"There are no buts, Nomi. We'll train in the throne room," he said firmly. "It's an opportunity to see if you can resist the dark side."
His friend was still staring at him, thinking about it. She might be able to resist the temptations of the dark side, but what about her children? They would be with them in this haunted place.
"Why are you hesitating? Change your clothes and come with me."
Nomi finally stood up and went to the bedroom, where she changed into her black training clothes. As she left the bedroom, she hooked the lightsaber to her belt. She called her sons and took Tasherit from her crib. Luke came towards her and held out his hands.
"Give me your little princess, Nomi."
The Jedi handed him the baby and the young man held it carefully and tenderly in his arms. Tasherit smiled at him, chuckled, and stuck a thumb in her mouth. Luke then turned around, opened the door with the Force and left the room, followed by Nomi and the triplets.

They slowly made their way to the throne room. When they had reached their destination, Luke turned to Nomi.
"Open the door, Nomi."
His friend stepped forward, took a deep breath, and opened one side of the large double doors. As soon as the door opened, the triplets pushed past their mother into the huge throne room, which was dimly lit.
Nomi and Luke followed them, closing the door behind them.
As before, the young woman was almost overwhelmed by the shadows of the Emperor's dark presence. But this time there was also an unbearable pain throbbing in her head. She looked at her children and Skywalker. They didn't seem to notice anything.
The triplets ran around before climbing up the steps leading to the dais with the throne. Without hesitation, they seized the chair that once belonged to the Emperor.
Luke watched Nomi carefully and the look on her face told him something was wrong. He opened the clasp of his cloak with one hand and let it slide to the floor before laying Tasherit on it.
"You need to shield your mind, Nomi. Use the techniques I taught you."
He approached her after covering his friend's daughter with his cloak.
"Have you forgotten everything I taught you, Nomi?"
The young woman shook her head.
"No, Luke, I haven't forgotten anything. I'll try to shield my mind," she replied.
At that moment she knew that was the wrong answer, but she couldn't take it back.
"Do or do not. There is no try," Skywalker quoted Master Yoda. "What's wrong with you? I feel like you're scared."
"Dammit, Luke, I'm not scared! I fear nothing and no one!"
There was a subtle change in the woman's expression, but it escaped the attention of her childhood friend.
Corran hurried down the steps of the dais, running towards his mother and looking at her with wide eyes.
"Why are you so mad at Luke, Mama?"
But instead of answering, the boy was pushed aside by his mother.
"Leave me alone, Corran, and go to your siblings!"
Luke grabbed her arm while Corran stood a safe distance away.
"What are you doing, Nomi?"

The pain in the Jedi's head became more and more unbearable and then she suddenly heard a calm and enticing voice in her head. There was an eerie fascination in that voice.
"Yes, my apprentice, that's good. Give in to your anger. It makes you powerful and strong. Nobody can defeat you. You will kill the son of the traitor Skywalker. The day of revenge has finally come. When Luke Skywalker lies dead at your feet, the Empire will rise again to new power and greatness."
And then in her mind's eye she saw the Emperor looking at her viciously.
"You will be the instrument of my revenge, Nomi Darklighter."
"Never!"
The Emperor laughed evilly.
"Oh, I think you will, Nomi. You will serve me as your father once served me. There is no escape. You will bow before me and avenge my death by killing Skywalker. Take your lightsaber and attack him."
How could someone who had been dead for so long still be so powerful? Palpatine even knew how to masterfully manipulate the dark side from beyond the grave and turn Nomi into his puppet. The Jedi tried in vain to shield herself from the Emperor's whispers.

Luke hadn't noticed what was going on and was therefore completely surprised when his friend activated her lightsaber and attacked him. At the last moment he jumped aside, otherwise she would have beheaded him. Skywalker jumped onto the steps leading to the dais with the throne and activated his lightsaber.
"Don't give in to the dark side, Nomi," he said almost imploringly as the Jedi slowly walked up the steps.
"The dark side? What do you know about the dark side? Nothing! Because you are too cowardly to use the Force to its full potential," Nomi laughed, while her sons were hiding behind the throne. "Our fathers knew the power of the dark side and weren't afraid to use it, Luke. But they too were weak at the end of their lives and betrayed the true teaching."
Luke backed away from her and walked down the steps, keeping a wary eye on his opponent.
"Listen to me, Nomi! Something or someone is manipulating you."
The young woman didn't react to his words and followed him down the steps, the lightsaber with the red glowing blade firmly in her hand. Her sons now stood before the throne, paralyzed with fear, watching the scene unfold at their feet.
Luke and Nomi had reached the bottom of the steps. Skywalker still shied away from fighting.
"C'mon, Jedi Master, fight!"
Nomi used the Force to slam and lock the door.
"You can't escape me now, Luke. Get ready to face the Force."
Skywalker approached her, lightsaber activated.
"You won't kill me, Nomi," he said in a strange voice.
His childhood friend laughed at the poor attempt at manipulating her with a Jedi mind trick.
"Oh yes, I will, Luke. You can't escape your fate. Be a man and fight."

Something made her hesitate, but then she stabbed with the lightsaber. At the same time, Luke raised his green blade to parry her blow.
Nomi Force jumped, somersaulted, and swung her lightsaber in a wide arc. Sparks flew as the blades collided. Only superhumanly fast reflexes allowed Luke to escape the full impact of the blow. He looked at her in surprise. She felt fear rising within him. That was good, that was actually very good.
But then Luke regained his composure and she felt him reach for the Force.
His lightsaber whizzed down. She dodged the blow. He kept attacking and she parried. They continued the duel of life and death.
Out of the corner of her eye, Nomi saw Biggs hurrying down the dais steps and towards the door. Using the Force, he unlocked it, opened it, and ran out.
His mother could have stopped him, but she didn't care. It wasn't important. She was sure that Luke Skywalker would be dead at her feet in a few minutes. The young woman was constantly attacking now.

Luke had to use all his strength and skill to defend himself. A counter-attack was out of the question for him. The dark side had made Nomi Darklighter strong and powerful.
Nomi struck and Luke brought up his lightsaber to parry. At the last moment, the Jedi changed the direction of her strike. The tip of the energy blade flashed across Luke's midsection, cutting through his Jedi robes and leaving a burn mark on his body. The sweet smell of his burnt flesh hung in the air.
A strange excitement gripped Nomi as she saw him wince in pain and briefly press his hand to the wound. He looked at her in fear.
She didn't give him a break, but continued the attack relentlessly, again using a complicated form of attack. This time she grazed his right upper arm. Luke slowed down. It was only a matter of time before the Emperor's death would be avenged.

Skywalker reached for the Force and suppressed the pain with a Jedi relaxation technique. Seconds later he was swinging the lightsaber with renewed vigor. The man was stronger than Nomi expected. She blocked his blow and stepped forward to strike again. Although he was able to block the blow, it was so violent that Luke fell to the ground. His opponent followed him relentlessly as he tried to crawl away and get back to his feet. Nomi's lightsaber left a long burn mark on the back of his right leg. Nevertheless, he managed to get back up. He limped away from Nomi, who followed him and threatened him with feints, which he tried to block. His resistance gradually weakened. The Jedi's lightsaber found its mark again, grazing his chest.
"You're weak, Luke. Fight!"
The young man stood in front of her, panting.
"Please, Nomi…"
But she didn't listen and attacked him again. He was only able to fend off the blow with difficulty.

At the same moment, the door burst open and Dash stormed in with his blaster drawn, followed by Biggs.
"Nomi! What are you doing? Do you want to kill the boy?"
His wife turned her head slightly in his direction, keeping her eyes on Luke as he tried to retreat to the open door.
"Stay out of this if you love your life, Dash!"
The former mercenary was still pointing the blaster at his wife.
"Nomi, darling, you can't kill Luke. Think of Biggs and what you swore after he was killed in action during the Battle of Yavin. You can't have forgotten everything."
Nomi clenched her fist and summoned the dark side to unleash its destructive energies on her husband.
"You asked for this, Dash!"
"No, Mama, don't do it!" The triplets shouted.
Even Tasherit, who had been sleeping peacefully despite the noise of the battle, suddenly screamed. Nomi was distracted for a moment, but it was enough for Dash to act. With a shot from his blaster he stunned his wife and she collapsed unconscious.

When Nomi regained consciousness, she was lying in her bed. Her husband sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her worriedly.
"What happened, Dash?"
At first he hesitated, but then he told her what had happened, as far as he knew.
Tears welled up in Nomi's eyes. She had failed and given in to the dark side.
"How is Luke?"
"Not very good, Nomi. You hurt him badly. He'll probably have to spend a few days in the medbay."
When she heard that, she tried to get up, but Dash gently pushed her back into the pillow.
"Why did you want to kill Luke? What's wrong with you?"
She suddenly remembered what happened before the fight.
"The Emperor - he ordered me to kill Luke to avenge his death."
Dash looked at her and frowned.
"The Emperor? But he's long dead, Nomi. How can a dead man give you orders?"
His wife sighed.
"Never underestimate the dark side of the Force, Dash."
Rendar jumped up and paced the room.
"If it's true that the Emperor's ghost has influence over you, then we need to get out of here as quickly as possible, Nomi. I could never forgive myself if something happened to you, the children, or Luke. We're leaving today, darling. Somewhere we'll find a place where we can live a quiet life. Maybe we should go to Tatooine."
The Jedi shook her head.
"No Dash, I can't just run away from the problems, I have to face them."
Dash leaned in and gave her a kiss.
"As you wish, honey. You have to do what you think is right."

Nomi hoped that staying on Coruscant and in the former Imperial Palace was really the right decision.