by Jude Watson
“I was fully briefed by Senator Sauro. I expect you were as well.”
“Yes,” Solace said quickly.
“Then a droid will see you to the courtroom. First Officer Dicken and I will act as witnesses for the official record.”
There was nothing to do but nod. Solace and the others left the cockpit and followed a protocol droid into the hallway.
“What are we going to do?” Trever hissed.
“Exactly what we’re supposed to,” Solace said. “We’re going to try Roan and Dona.”
The courtroom was a small conference room with no chairs for spectators. Why would there be? The trials were designed to be conducted in secret, with the prisoners escorted as quickly as possible to prison. Stormtroopers and security droids were lined up against one wall, no doubt to keep any possible agitation from turning into violence.
Solace sat in the judge’s chair, on a slightly raised platform at one end of the room. She quickly familiarized herself with the controls. “I have the capability to activate the droids,” she whispered to the others. “That should come in handy.”
Two tables faced the judge, and Trever and Oryon took their places at one of them.
Captain Tran and First Officer Dicken hurried in, followed by a law droid, who took its place at the other table.
The captain and the first officer stood at the back. Obviously they didn’t think this would take long.
“Let’s hurry this along,” the captain said. “We’ve got to finish this and make it to the Nunce system to pick up a load of prisoners. My job is to fill up the ship, and the sooner I do it, the sooner I get a better commission.”
Roan and Dona were led into the courtroom by guard droids. Trever looked at them carefully for signs of mistreatment. Dona looked thin and tired, but Roan walked in, his head high. He saw Trever and gave a small start, not visible to the officers. Then his face was impassive again.
“This trial will come to order,” Solace said, hitting an electronic gavel that emitted a soft bong.
Roan and Dona sat at the table with the law droid.
“Roan Lands and Dona Telamark, you have been accused of conspiracy against the government of Bellassa and plotting to assassinate the Imperial advisor to the government of Bellassa. How do you plead?”
“Guilty,” the droid said.
“Wait a minute,” Roan said. “This hunk of junk doesn’t speak for us. We requested a lawyer.”
“I am a court-appointed attorney, sir,” the law droid said, swiveling its head.
“This is outrageous. Under rules of the Galactic Senate, we have the right to choose our own counsel.”
“I must correct you, sir,” the droid said. “The Emperor has suspended that right in Senate Act three-two-one, point seven, when it comes to traitors of the Galactic Empire.”
“But I haven’t yet been proven a traitor of the Empire,” Roan pointed out.
“Yes, but we have the right to try you as one.”
“If you are, indeed, my attorney, then I have the right to fire you,” Roan said. “I’ll handle our case.”
The droid’s head swiveled faster, its sensors flashing. “There is no precedent for this. I must do a more extensive search of my memory banks.”
“Don’t bother,” Solace said. “The accused has a point. I recognize his right to fire you.”
The law droid’s sensors blinked frantically. “Objection!”
“On what grounds?”
“On the grounds that it violates the procedural microchip!”
“Overruled. Let us proceed.”
“What’s going on here?” Captain Tran asked.
“I’m sorry, Captain, you are a witness to this proceeding, not a participant,” Solace said. “I accept Roan Lands as attorney. How do you plead?”
“Not guilty.”
“Let’s get this show into the space lane,” the captain muttered. “I have things to do.”
Solace nodded to Roan. “Proceed with the prosecution.”
Roan stood. “Before we begin, I make the motion to dismiss the case, your honor. This case was built on illegal surveillance. Under the rules of the Bellassan Senate, an order from a security court judge must be obtained. This was never done.”
The droid’s sensors blinked. “Objection! The Emperor has suspended the need to obtain an order to run surveillance on any citizen of any world in the galaxy for any reason.”
“True,” said Solace. “But the Galactic Senate has not ratified the decision.”
“But it hasn’t been asked to consider it,” the droid protested. “The Emperor doesn’t need permission.”
“Nevertheless, I feel this is a gray area,” Solace countered.
“This is contrary to the information in my pro-cedural memory banks,” the droid said. “Highly irregular…overheating circuits. I must be repaired immediately!” It quickly bolted from the room.
Captain Tran stamped his foot. “Gray area!” he exclaimed, exasperated. “There are no gray areas in the Galactic Empire! The Emperor has done away with gray areas! That was the problem with the Republic!”
“May I remind you to keep quiet, Captain?” Solace asked. “Political speeches are out of order in the courtroom.”
Oryon stood. “We recognize the prisoner’s legal point. Upon careful review of the case, your honor, I respectfully submit that the charges against the accused be dropped.”
“This is outrageous!” the captain blustered.
“I am the judge,” Solace said. She hit the gavel gong. “Case dismissed! Furthermore, I charge you, Captain Tran, and your first officer Dicken with obstruction of justice—and mutiny.”
“Mutiny!”
“Mutiny, sir, for interfering with an Imperial court case.” Solace pressed the security droid button. She pointed to the stormtroopers. “Take them to lockdown.”
The captain reached for his blaster, but Oryon was there in less than a moment. He pressed his own blaster against the captain’s temple. “I’d rethink what you were about to do.”
“But you have no right!”
“When we walked on board, we gained that right. We represent justice in the Empire,” Solace answered. “Surrender your weapons.”
Captain Tran and First Officer Dicken handed over their blasters to Oryon.
The security droids and stormtroopers began to march them from the courtroom. “You’ll be hearing about this,” the captain said to Solace and the group. “You’re all going to wind up in an Imperial prison!”
“Looks like that’s where you’re headed!” Trever called.
As soon as they were out of the room, Dona slumped at the table in relief, but Roan laughed. “Thanks for the save.”
“We’re not safe yet,” Solace said, leaping to her feet and taking off her judicial robe. “We’re going to have to take the ship.”
“Let’s go,” Roan said. “Anybody have a blaster?”
Oryon tossed him one of the three blasters.
Dona stood. Color had flooded her face, bringing her strength and vitality back. “Who are you people?”
“Wait, let me guess. Friends of Ferus?” Roan asked.
“Good friends,” Oryon said. “I am Oryon, and this is Solace. You already know Trever. Ferus is safe, but we’ll tell you about him later.”
“I’m willing to take over an Imperial cruiser,” Roan said. “No problem. But aren’t we about to meet a bunch of enraged droids? And we’re only five?”
“And one of us is a bad shot,” Dona put in.
“We got the schematics of the ship,” Solace said. “It runs with a light crew. Most of the droids are kept in the hold. They’re only there in case of attack. If we can take control of the cockpit, we can lock down the hold.”
“How many will be in the cockpit?”
“About three officers and twenty droids,” Solace said. “It won’t be a problem.”
“Did she just say it’s not a problem?” Roan turned to Oryon.
“Trust me,
” Solace said.
They strode out into the hallway. Solace took the lead.
They hadn’t gone very far before a protocol droid met up with them. “Crew awaiting captain’s orders,” it said.
“The captain has been arrested,” Solace said. “I am in charge.”
“That’s a violation of authority,” the droid said. “I’ll have to summon—”
In a flash, Solace moved forward, lightsaber in hand, and sliced his head off.
“Oh, dear,” the disembodied head said.
With an expert slice, Solace disabled its control panel even as she continued to race down the hall.
“Ah, now I get it,” Roan said. “Ferus found his Jedi.”
They raced down the hallway, following Solace to the cockpit. Trever was impressed at how quickly Roan integrated himself in the group. He moved to Solace’s right, letting Oryon cover her left. Dona stayed behind with Trever. The five of them weren’t exactly an elite attack group, but Trever had no doubt they would win.
Solace activated the doors of the cockpit and charged in, lightsaber in hand. The new security droids began to fire their laser cannons, raising their forearms. Fire pinged through the cockpit in streaks of energy. Trever dropped and rolled.
In less than a minute, Solace had sliced through three droids and somersaulted in the air to knock down another before burying her lightsaber in its control panel. Then she reversed to take down four droids standing guard. Oryon and Roan took care of the rest.
The cockpit was now filled with smoking droids and fused metal, and Solace had her lightsaber pointed at the chest of the officer in charge. “You don’t want to push me, do you?” she asked. She wasn’t even breathing hard.
“What do you want?” he asked.
“We’ll give you safe passage to a spaceport. All crew must depart. We’ll leave you with your lives if you leave us with the ship.”
The officer shared a glance with his crew. “I’m not dying for this ship. I agree.”
Oryon sprang to the controls. Roan held his blaster on the three Imperial officers as he settled into a chair and crossed his legs. “I’m going to enjoy this ride,” he said.
Keets and Curran sat in the Senate retaining room, where those who violated security were kept. They were relieved they hadn’t immediately been shipped off to an Imperial detention center.
Zackery sat at a table, watching a broadcast of a gladiator droid contest on his datascreen, ignoring the prisoners. Keets considered whether to overpower him, but he knew there was additional security behind the closed door. They were waiting for something, and he had a feeling he knew what it was.
The doors hissed open, and Sano Sauro appeared. Despite the fact that it was the middle of the night, he was dressed and groomed impeccably.
Zackery sprang to his feet. “Here they are, sir. We caught them red-handed in your office.”
“Leave us.”
“But they could be dangerous.…”
“I hardly think so.” Sauro plucked a piece of lint off his black sleeve. “Go.”
Zackery left hurriedly, tucking his datapad under his arm.
Sauro seated himself at the table and folded his hands. “Who are you working for?” he asked.
“No one,” Curran said.
“Don’t waste my time. Either you tell me or I hand you over to Imperial interrogators. From what I understand, you,” Sauro said, turning to Keets, “were a third-rate journalist, and you,” he continued, turning to Curran, “were a low-level Senate aide until the Empire was established, after which it was determined that you both had violated the laws of the Empire, and warrants were issued for your arrests.”
“Third-rate?” Keets reared back. “You can torture me all you want, but there’s no need to call me third-rate.”
Sauro’s gaze was dark and neutral. “I have enemies,” he said. “I accept that as an inevitable part of power. It is necessary for me to know who they are. Now, you will either tell me or you will be forced to talk by an Imperial interrogator. Who hired you?”
“Bog Divinian,” Curran said. He didn’t think it was possible to surprise Sano Sauro, but he saw the flicker in his gaze.
“You’re lying,” the Senator challenged.
Curran didn’t answer. It was enough to have planted the suspicion in Sauro’s mind. Better to keep Bog and Sauro off balance and not trusting each other.
“I don’t have time for lies,” Sauro said, rising smoothly, “so I—”
The door hissed open behind him. Sauro didn’t turn, but they saw his anger at being interrupted.
“I didn’t summon you.”
Zackery took a hesitant step into the room. “Urgent communication for you, sir. The True Justice has been hijacked.”
“You fool, tell me outside!” Sauro’s face was white.
Keets kept his face impassive, but he could have cheered at the look of fury on Sauro’s face. The guy was panicking, that was for sure.
And he had no doubt that Solace and Oryon and Trever had done the impossible: They had freed Roan and Dona.
“Do not tell anyone this news,” Sauro hissed at Zackery. “It must not reach the Emperor.” He turned back and looked at Keets and Curran with hatred. “I’ll deal with them later,” he said. Then he hurried out the door.
Darth Vader was used to being called to Palpatine’s office at any hour, so he was not surprised at the summons that called him there in the predawn hours. He didn’t need much sleep now. If not for the demands of what was left of his body, he wouldn’t sleep at all. Sleep brought dreams.
He found his Master standing at the window overlooking the lights of Coruscant. It was where he plotted his strategy. They had done so much, but power gained must still be consolidated. How thrilling it would be at last to hold the galaxy firm in a fist, to know that because of his efforts it would run smoothly, without the petty systemwide wars that had plagued it in the past, without the inefficiency of many voices clamoring for different things.
“Things are not going well on Samaria,” the Emperor said without preliminaries. “I haven’t troubled you about it because it seemed a minor problem. Yet Samaria is necessary for us, a strategic link to the rest of the Core.”
“I am not surprised, my Master,” Vader said. “I did not understand why Divinian was put in charge.”
“There are reasons to keep him occupied,” Palpatine said.
“Sano Sauro.”
“That is one reason. Sauro is useful. He is trying hard to please me. He sent me a secret memo about the Academy.”
Vader waited. Sauro was not a problem, not yet. He knew well that Sauro would plot against him. Sauro was more annoying than threatening.
“He has an idea,” the Emperor said. “It’s about Force-sensitive children.”
Vader grew alert.
“We have eliminated the traitorous Jedi, but not the Force-sensitive. Sauro claims he is the only one in the galaxy who has the ability to discover a Force connection in children.” Palpatine gave a mocking smile. “Can you imagine the arrogance? He had a protégé, long ago—a fallen Jedi named Xanatos.”
“He was once the apprentice of Qui-Gon Jinn. He turned to the dark side.”
“I knew of him, but he was not my apprentice. Sauro said that Xanatos told him many secrets of the Jedi. He knows about midi-chlorians.”
Vader was keeping his anger in check. “He inflates his importance.”
“No doubt. But he thinks this will please me. He doesn’t know that he is dealing with a Sith. It’s quite amusing to listen to him.”
“What does he want?”
“To bring Force-sensitive children to the Academy,” Palpatine responded. “He believes that the Force can be used to train pilots. Reflexes, instincts. He thinks in ten years we could develop an invincible fleet.”
“He doesn’t understand the Force,” Vader said. “You can’t train children to develop the Force as pilots.” He spit out the last word in disdain.
“This
, from a former Podracer?”
Vader didn’t move. He knew his Master brought up his childhood from time to time to test him, to prod the place that was most painful.
“Of course you are right,” Palpatine said. “But I am going to let him have his little idea—for now.”
Vader knew better than to disagree with his Master, but he had to make his objection. This news troubled him. He did not want other Force-connected beings to be gathered together. Order 66 had eliminated the Jedi. He thought they were gone forever.
“It is a waste of time,” his electronically-enhanced voice said.
His Master turned to him then, and once again Vader saw the extent of his power. Palpatine knew him down to the bone.
“If it makes you uncomfortable, you can find your own way to stop it,” Palpatine said. “You and Sauro are headed for a showdown. It is up to you to choose when it will take place. I will not interfere.”
“Yes, Master.”
“I have just received word that the True Justice has been stolen. Sauro thinks I am unaware of this.”
“This is another example of his poor planning,” Vader said. “A ship can be more vulnerable than trying prisoners in a court.”
Palpatine waved a hand. “It was an interesting idea to try. But this is why I have called you here. Sauro is overextended. He has to find that ship and cover his tracks. He cannot afford to take care of Bog Divinian.”
Vader guessed what was coming. “So I must?”
“You must control the situation. Samaria must be ours.”
“It will be done, Master.”
Vader turned and walked out, his cape sweeping behind him.
Palpatine heard the doors hiss shut.
He had worried his apprentice. Darth Vader did not want Sauro to gather any Force-sensitives. Especially children. It would serve as reminders of things he thought he needed to forget.
He didn’t need to forget them.
He needed to glory in what he had done.
He needed to scorn what he had lost.
Sauro would not be successful in his quest. He was not as clever as he thought. Only a Sith or a Jedi could find a Force-sensitive. Perhaps Sauro could stumble across one or two and point to his success. It did not matter.
