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Author	Topic: Thursdays with my Father (ANH-ESB. Vignette)
oqidaun Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 8/24/05 12:12pm Subject: Thursdays with my Father (ANH-ESB. Vignette) - Date Edited: 11/30/05 11:01am (2 edits total) Edited By: oqidaun
	Title: Thursdays with my Father Author: oqidaun Timeframe: ANH-ESB Characters: OCs / Canon Politicos Genre: vignette Summary: Sometimes lies are easier than truth… I visit my father on Thursdays and every Thursday when I leave his room I tell myself that this is the last time I’m going to visit him. My other siblings have not been sucked into his mind games to the same degree that I have and I envy them for it. They were smart and when the opportunity presented itself, they left home and made certain that they would never have to return. For example, I have a brother who fought to get an Imperial accountant’s position on some pathetic little backwater world in the Outer Rim. He’s making about ten percent of what he could have had he stayed on Coruscant, yet he was willing to sacrifice his financial for his mental health. However, as my lot in life must to be to suffer and I am youngest, it is my responsibility to go and visit the old man. I hate the lift ride with a passion. It is so sterile and cold and invariably there is always some miserable person who is anxiously going to see some beloved relative in their last hours. Unfortunately, I am not that lucky—the old cheater will probably outlive me just for spite. Stoicism is the hallmark of our species. Outside his door I plaster my dutiful-son expression on my face. It is a cheap imitation of the one I wore quite honestly for my mother all those years ago when she lay in a hospital bed dying and the old man was too busy to visit, as apparently someone more important needed a bribe put in the right direction or their backside kissed. The suite is well appointed and made to look more like home than hospital. He’s awake and I begin my routine queries about his aches and pains, the quality of service and whether or not he’s been responding to his treatments. Seems all those years he sucked on nico-baac inhalers have given him a pretty nasty case of cancer that puts up a hell of a fight with the overpriced therapies his pension guarantees him. I think he tells them to let the cancer win its share of the battles so that I have to keep coming. The master manipulator to the very end... I prepare to discuss the weather and tell him about the opera I saw last night. I will not bring up my life partner as they do not approve of one another. Addar tells me every Thursday morning that I should tell him I won’t be coming back. Addar has it easy as both his parents are dead. I am not so fortunate. “Look what Nadrah brought me from home,” he affects an especially pathetic rasp and shows me an image-holo the housekeeper has dropped off to amuse him. Poor Nadrah, she always thought the day my mother died she’d have him all to herself. She got the same bargain my mother did, except he never had the time to marry her. I imagine he’s got her twisted around his rotten blue finger the same as the rest of us—or at least me as I’m closest and not as smart as my siblings. Why did I turn down that post on Alderaan? Granted I’d be blown bits, but at least I would have my Thursdays free. “That’s fabulous, Da. What is it?” I settle in my seat, refresh the good-son smile and attempt to look interested while I think about whether or not I should refinance the loan on my apartment—the interest rates are really quite good these days. “These are old,” he coughs. “From the days of the Republic,” he keys through the images of beings I don’t know and don’t particularly care about. He was something back then, but I was in college and my mother was dying. I paid as much attention to him as he to me. Da only showed up for the good things. I get my law degrees and he’s there. I get my seat on the bench for the Imperial Court of Criminal Appeals for Alien Species (don’t laugh, occasionally we overturn a sentence) and he’s there. I receive an Imperial commendation for honor after I uncovered a rebel cell in the Office of the Judiciary (quite accidentally to be honest, I thought they were talking about the holo-cinema) and he’s there for the awards dinner. He chose to be my father when it suited him. Conversely, he avoided the unpleasant events. Mother dies and he can’t be bothered because he has to go to Naboo to offer official condolences for some dead senator. My sister’s husband dies and Da sends her a credit transfer to cover her living expenses—not even a message. I didn’t even bother to tell him when our pet felinius died. “Those are great, Da,” I try to feign interest. Forty two minutes longer and I can go home. Once again I will have served my sentence at the bedside of the blue devil. I must have been a real brute in a past life, because I’m sure as hell paying for it now. I wonder where we’re going to eat tonight. Maybe I’ll try to cook something. Or this the night we’re supposed to go across the hall for that pushy attorney’s cocktail party? I hope not. I hate lawyers. “I imagine you’ve never seen this one?” He points to a picture of the city skyline. I don’t see the significance aside from the fact it’s the only picture without any beings in it. “No, Da, can’t say I have.” If this was supposed to be an artistic attempt at landscape imaging, he fell pretty damn short of his mark. It’s a terrible grainy image. “Look at it. What do you see?” I’m surprised he’s so agitated about this one image. I look closer—maybe there’s a naked female in it somewhere. On closer inspection, where I thought I saw clouds, I was actually looking at smoke. “Is that a burning building?” “Yes, that was the day after. That was the first Empire Day.” I’ll be damned to Ryloth without any shoes, he’s right! I’m looking at a really bad image of the old Jedi Temple on fire. I’ve got A-7 security clearance, which is about as high as a nonhuman Justice can get and I’ve never seen one of these. “Wow, Da. That’s something you don’t see everyday. Where’d you it take from?” I have to admit I’m a history buff and do find this interesting. “From the Chancellor’s office,” he whispers with his raspy voice. I continue to study the picture. “I need to tell you something.” He coughs again, which is really unnecessary as he’s already got my attention—there’s no need for melodrama. “Sure.” Secretly I’m hoping that he’s going to finally give up the account numbers for the family fortune, if we have such a thing—that will show my older brothers. “It was a lie.” I didn’t understand him when he said it as my thoughts were still on the family fortune that does or doesn’t exist. “What?” “It was a lie.” He grabs my arm and looks straight into my eyes. “A lie? What was a lie?” This could take hours, Da was a politician. If he’s about to start coming clean on telling lies, I’m going have to cancel my evening plans and send out for dinner. Addar will kill me. He points at the picture. “The Jedi.” “Oh, of course, I know. They lied about the war and were traitors and the Emperor was forced to arrest them before they attacked the Senate and seized control of the Republic, blah, blah, blah. Crazy religious fanatics, everyone remembers the story, Da.” I remember those HoloNet reports quite vividly because I was sitting in a waiting room in the other wing of this hospital with my brothers and sisters as our mother let go of her life. I even remember what shoes I was wearing that day. Some things you don’t forget. “No,” he starts to get excited and I’m tempted to ring for the nurse. “We lied.” “You lied?” I don’t know if I want to know what he’s talking about. “They didn’t do anything. He just wanted them dead.” What is he telling me? Please let it be the medication… “Da,” I scoot the chair closer to the bed so he doesn’t have to talk so loudly and I pat his shoulder trying to keep him calm. “You’re confused that’s not what happened.” “I was there!” That’s the kind of reaction I’m trying to avoid as that’s the kind of thing that’s going to bring a nurse who might call for a COMPNOR officer who might end my career and put me on the missing beings list. “Settle down, Da, remember where you’re at and lower your voice.” I can’t believe I’ve just shooshed my father. It doesn’t feel right. He grabs my hand and his cold fingers feel like my mother’s. Never has he held my hand or even shook it. What if he’s serious? “What happened Da?” I coax modeling an acceptable “inside” voice. “He wanted them dead. That’s all he ever wanted aside from the boy.” He loosened his grip, yet continued to hold my hand. “He told me the day after he was elected that he planned to kill them all. It was so businesslike, just like he was telling me what color he wanted the walls painted. He was going to kill them all and it was my decision…” He coughs again and I’m beginning to find this respiratory issue to be annoying. “What was your decision, Da?” “I could continue in my place, serve in my capacity as Speaker, or he’d kill all of you.” He’s looking at me with a pair of eyes, I’ve never seen before. “And I knew he would.” “Da, Pal—” “No,” he raises a hand not wanting to hear whatever I have to offer to the conversation. I’m relieved because quite frankly I don’t have anything to contribute that would make any difference. I’ve stopped thinking about my job and I don’t care if the Emperor himself walks through the door. It suddenly starts to make sense why he was never there. “The war was a farce—we made it up. There was a list and beings knew. It was like a game and it was all pointless. Billions died because he wanted the Jedi destroyed and he wanted the boy as his own apprentice. Like arrogant fools, we made jokes about it all,” he pauses and chews on his bottom lip. “No one acted like we were playing with lives. Although, I was selfish and made certain that Champala was spared and it was—a reward for my loyalty.” He slaps his hand to his chest above his hearts. “I was loyal. He only had to threaten me once. If I was anything I was loyal. I was the perfect assistant.” “Da, you’re going to tire yourself out.” I try to calm him. I was the one who was getting weak. I really couldn’t handle much more. I’d hated him for years only to find out that he was aloof because a crazy megalomaniac, whom I have now sworn an oath to, threatened to kill us—kill his family? Then he tells me the Clone Wars were fabricated and the Jedi murdered as part of a conspiracy to get a hold of some kid? Oh, he’s not talking about Vader… Please, not Vader. I hate Vader. I can’t handle anymore. I need a stiff drink and I don’t even drink. I drink juice at cocktail parties hosted by pushy lawyers! “No, I need to tell you.” A knot forms in my stomach and my mouth is dry. “Da, these are dangerous things and you’ve told me so much already.” “I can’t take these things with me. Stay a little longer, please.” Who is this man in front of me? Where has the monster gone? I resign myself to the rest of his confessions and do my best to offer absolution at the end of the evening. What do you say? It’s impossible to be eloquent when you’ve been hit in the gut with a lifetime’s worth of truth. The secrets he freed were unbelievable. It would have been easier had he simply said that the past thirty four years has been an utter and complete lie. Finally, he’s quiet. He looks old and weak. When did he get so old? I am heartbroken and I do something I would have found both revolting and comical only four hours before—I kiss my father. I leave the hospital, skip the cab and decide to walk home. How am I going to go to work tomorrow morning? I can’t just quit and walk away, people don’t really do that. I can’t escape, but now I have to go in knowing the truth. I’ll have to walk through security and give my good mornings to all the others who have been lied to with a smile. I’ll sit in my courtroom and listen to others lie to me and I’ll lie back to them. On Monday morning I’ll go, like I do every week, and meet with the other justices and make our lies into precedents built on lies. I live in a world of lies. I’ll know the truth, but can’t do a damn thing about it. I can’t even tell Addar. This is a horrible burden. What am I supposed to do with this knowledge? Should I hate him for telling me the truth? Am I that dependent on the lies that my world has been ruined by the truth? I feel nauseous. On Monday morning I missed my meeting—everyone did. The old man didn’t make it past Thursday night. No sooner than I’d crossed the threshold of our apartment, I was called back to the hospital. I can’t remember what shoes I was wearing this time or even how I got there. In honor of his exemplary service to the Empire my father is given a state funeral. It is a big political affair. Palpatine addresses me by name, which as none of my other siblings were around I suppose it was obvious that I was his son. I nod my head stupidly as he tells what a remarkable man my father was. He says that my father will forever be connected to his own rise to power. He says that my father played a key role in making a reality of his dream of the New Order. The Emperor talks about how history will remember my father as one of his most dutiful assistants and supporters. There will be statue erected of him near the now empty Senate Rotunda and one capital ship of the Empire’s fleet christened in his honor. He promises me that Mas Amedda will forever be connected to the triumph of the Empire. These are incredible honors, but I don’t know if the old man really wanted all that. Deep down, I knew he didn’t and that’s why he told me. Thursday afternoon comes and only after I step into the lift full of the usual miserable people does it hit me that he’s not on the ninety-third floor anymore. He’s gone and my Thursdays will never be the same. -----signature----- . . . . I'm so bad, I banned myself.
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aldocassidy Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 8/24/05 12:20pm Subject: RE: Thursdays with my Father (ANH-ESB. Vignette)
	Moving, touching vignette. I've always wondered about Amedda and his complicity in the entire plot. It was chilling how Palpatine revealed his plans to him immediately after he was elected, as he was still portrayed as such a meek and humble senator in that first movie.
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Kudzu Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 8/24/05 12:34pm Subject: RE: Thursdays with my Father (ANH-ESB. Vignette)
	Nice Tuesdays with Morrie feel to this, but inverted. Mas Amedda doesn't talk about the wonders of life or any such thing. He doesn't say that his life is complete. He says that his life has just been a lie and he's just been a pawn of a very evil man. I've always thought that there might have been something more to him. Bravo. -----signature----- Super Golden Ewok™ Recipient It should be the right of every American to go out and get wasted the day they're told that they're being sent to war. Ron Paul for U.S. President 2008
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NaomiOrganaSolo Registered: Apr '05	Date Posted: 8/24/05 12:48pm Subject: RE: Thursdays with my Father (ANH-ESB. Vignette)
	Wow, very moving insight that I'd never even begun to think about before. Liked it a lot. -----signature----- "Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean "Coffee is fine for the body but tea is the drink of the soul." Proud Member of the JTC - Official Sarcasm Provider
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GrandAdmiralV Registered: May '05	Date Posted: 8/24/05 2:01pm Subject: RE: Thursdays with my Father (ANH-ESB. Vignette)
	Wow, oqi, you keep hitting them out of the ballpark! This was a very moving piece, and unexpected as well. Once again you took a minor character and breathed life into him -- really a tragedy, when you think of the lie he had to live and all the resentment it caused in the family -- and all again because of Palpatine. The consequences of the Emperor's manipulations truly touched every being in the galaxy...the implications are quite appalling. Bravo! -----signature----- Imperial propaganda...um...fics in profile. Master to His_Tallness, MsLanna, and unknown_shore. Official Grammar Queen. Mortal danger is an effective antidote for fixed ideas.--Erwin Rommel
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Indra Registered: Dec '03	Date Posted: 8/24/05 2:21pm Subject: RE: Thursdays with my Father (ANH-ESB. Vignette)
	That was great. You showed his reluctance to know the truth very well and how everyone was lied to and took it for truth without any doubt, because their leader had said it. And I loved the little details you dropped in there, for example how he remembers which shoes he had been wearing on that day. It makes the story seem very real, because it's always those odd little details you remember in life. Very well done. -----signature----- I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by. - Douglas Adams Picking Every Blade of Truth http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/23113954/p1/?1 - collaboration with VaderLVR
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VaderLVR64 Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Feb '04	Date Posted: 8/24/05 2:50pm Subject: RE: Thursdays with my Father (ANH-ESB. Vignette)
	Whoa! That was awesome! Sorry for the cliche review, but I was blown away! -----signature----- Team Eric: Because undead never looked so good. Soldiers' Angels http://soldiersangels.org/ 2114 soldiers waiting for someone to care
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stormqueen874 Registered: Aug '05	Date Posted: 8/24/05 4:23pm Subject: RE: Thursdays with my Father (ANH-ESB. Vignette)
	Oh wow! (feels like she's been hit by a ton of bricks) I don't usually read OC centric fics, but I made an exception for this one because it intrigued me. Beautiful job! I love the way you had the confessions of the father; that poor son! I can't imagine what he's going to do know, with the knowledge that he gained. Gahhh. Thursday afternoon comes and only after I step into the lift full of the usual miserable people does it hit me that he’s not on the ninety-third floor anymore. He’s gone and Thursdays will never be the same. So poignant and powerful. Bravo! Stormqueen -----signature----- Master to kenobiwanobi Shadows of the Future: TPM timetravel AU, Obi/Ani/Qui bonding http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/24413082/p1/?0
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oqidaun Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 8/24/05 8:38pm Subject: RE: Thursdays with my Father (ANH-ESB. Vignette)
	I'm beyond flattered. It was just one of those stories that had to be written as it was running laps in my head all morning. Again, I'm honored by the responses--thank you all for reading this. -----signature----- . . . . I'm so bad, I banned myself.
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wendynat Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 8/25/05 3:27am Subject: RE: Thursdays with my Father (ANH-ESB. Vignette)
	Brilliant viggie!! This is one of those times when I'm speechless and have no idea what to say other than that I loved it, so I'll just say that -----signature----- Severing the Past (WIP, OCs): http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=20380216 The Dutiful Wife (WIP, OCs): http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/21549940/?0 Other stories listed on my userpage!
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lindemacil Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 8/25/05 9:50am Subject: RE: Thursdays with my Father (ANH-ESB. Vignette) - Date Edited: 8/25/05 9:58am (1 edits total) Edited By: lindemacil
	Oqi, I have one word for this fic: perfect. From the first sentence, it had me riveted in place. As always, your characterization is astounding; I am at once sympathetic with and intrigued by your OC, and you have brought a depth to Amedda that I hadn't really thought possible. Thank you so much for another brilliant piece of work. -----signature----- - Lindy - "What I say is not half as important as what I don't say." A Year and A Day, a Dear Diary Challenge: http://boards.theforce.net/before_the_saga/b10475/26653402/p1/?2
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JadeSolo Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Sep '02	Date Posted: 8/25/05 12:17pm Subject: RE: Thursdays with my Father (ANH-ESB. Vignette)
	oqidaun posted: Da only showed up for the good things. I get my law degrees and he’s there. I get my seat on the bench for the Imperial Court of Criminal Appeals for Alien Species (don’t laugh, occasionally we overturn a sentence) and he’s there. I receive an Imperial commendation for honor after I uncovered a pro-rebel terrorist cell in the Office of the Judiciary (quite accidentally to be honest, I thought they were talking about the holo-cinema) and he’s there for the awards dinner. I really liked how you worked in so many details about the narrator through little remarks - it gives his voice life. And I especially loved how you built up to the end revelation through building up the characters - like the guy says, it suddenly makes sense why Amedda acted the way he did towards his family. Plus, I enjoyed the bit about the life partner. That's the way to work within the rules. -----signature----- "If you expect a kick in the balls and you get a slap in the face, it's a victory." "May God bless you and keep you always...I mean that in a civic deist way." -Prof. Siegel "No guaranteed money, but all guaranteed fun!"
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rhonderoo Title: Former Head Admin Registered: Aug '02	Date Posted: 8/25/05 1:03pm Subject: RE: Thursdays with my Father (ANH-ESB. Vignette)
	You did a terrific job of bringing a background character to life and making us take notice of his story! Bravo! -----signature----- DT421 FYI: You don't deal with me. I deal with you. Damned right the Jedi's fire has gone out of the universe. I was the bad-ass Class C extinguisher who snuffed them. - @darthvader (Darth Vader on Twitter)
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Elana Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 8/25/05 2:55pm Subject: RE: Thursdays with my Father (ANH-ESB. Vignette)
	I enjoyed this very much. Very vivid portrayal of the character. -----signature----- "Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within." - James Baldwin The Slumbering Princess http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=23230496&brd=10475 My original fiction http://groups.yahoo.com/group/elanafic/
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Darth_Scroobius Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 8/25/05 3:41pm Subject: RE: Thursdays with my Father (ANH-ESB. Vignette)
	I will not bring up my life partner as they do not approve of one another. - Sneaky. “Look at it. What do you see?” I’m surprised he’s so agitated about this one image. I look closer—maybe there’s a naked girl in there somewhere. If he’s about to start coming clean on telling lies, I’m going have to cancel my evening plans and send out for dinner. Very interesting. It says something about the son that he almost immediately believed Mas when he told him everything was a lie. I'm not sure what it says, but it seems important . -----signature----- I might be a rocket scientist, but when I get up in the morning I put my pants on both legs at a time, just like everyone else, ROTO (ANH AU): http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/20767721
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oqidaun Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 8/30/05 1:43pm Subject: RE: Thursdays with my Father (ANH-ESB. Vignette)
	Thanks for all the positive feedback. I'm still amazed by the responses this little thing got. Thanks so much! And of course I'm sneaky... -----signature----- . . . . I'm so bad, I banned myself.
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