Saga Sins of the Fathers--OT AU of Vader prosecuting a different Organa--updated 12/3

Sorry for the freaking long delay. I have no excuses... Actually I have a few, but they're not great. They’re all related either to the book that came out in March or the book I’m trying to finish by May 7. When I was feeling like writing fanfic tonight,. Kateydidnt convinced me to write on this. I hope you enjoy and thanks for the nomination!
*****
It was highly unusual for Leia to call on a thane without inviting the rest of the council. She had never been particularly close to them, so had no desire to meet with them in social gatherings. She was well-trained enough to recognize their use and place and usually left it at that. She did know that matters of foreign relations were best left to Selrieen, who had been an ambassador in the days when Palpatine was a mere senator. She could ask Antilles about education policies and expect a fair and unbiased opinion from the man who had been a university professor before his appointment.

She had never asked for a private meeting with Verlaine. The man's family had known Breha's for years, so he served honorably, but he was a man who followed the letter of the law more than the spirit of the law. Under normal circumstances, Leia found herself wishing the man had an imagination.

Tonight, however, she needed facts and figures and Thane Verlaine was the man to supply them. She ushered him into her father's office to underline the importance of this meeting and made sure that he was offered something to drink before she signaled for all servants, aides and guards to leave.

"I was wondering how long it would be before you sought my wisdom," he commented dryly.

"Not long enough," Leia responded. "If it were up to me, I would spend my entire life waiting for a situation in which I needed your expertise."

"It took your father three months," he reminisced. "Then again, those were more troubled times."

She could not imagine circumstances more troubled than ones in which the regent of a planet was arrested for treason and espionage. Then again, she had been born just after the first Empire Day and that meant the horrors of the Clone Wars were mere hearsay. She did not think, however, that her current plight was any less desperate than what the Republic loyalists had faced in the early days of the Empire.

"What questions do you wish to have answered?" the older man prompted gently.

She was momentarily grateful that he did not presume to know her mind. He could have started advising her on what he thought the pertinent issues were the moment that he was shown into Father's office. Instead, he waited on her and showed respect for her own needs.

"Is there a precedent for this?"

"Oh, many," he assured her. "Two thousand years ago, the throne was vacant because the king abdicated and there was a schism between the factions who wanted to choose the next ruler. As the king had acted before naming an heir, it became a matter for the elected representatives of each colony to nominate a successor. Some even say that this was when Naboo and Alderaan shared the most in common where their systems of government are concerned. Some five hundred years ago, the throne was vacant for a total of three years, four months and thirteen days while the family was held hostage off-world. As you know, the Jedi were able to secure their release by diplomatic means while the Twelve-Days War ousted the usurpers who attempted to establish an oligarchy int he place of the monarchy." She had endeavored to keep her expression neutral, but something must have shown in her face because he paused for a moment. When she did not ask him to stop, he uttered one final anecdote. "In the last century, the Jedi were called upon once more because of the question of ascendancy."

She knew that story well. Her parents' families were contenders for the title of rightful ruler and rather than start another war over something so simple, they had asked for the intervention of the Republic's peacekeepers. Jorus C'baoth had led the delegation and determined in the end that the house of Antilles was to claim the throne. Of course, her parents had fallen in love without consideration for the rules of ascendancy, so the next heir to the throne was both an Organa and an Antilles. As he said, there was a precedent for an empty throne, but that had not been precisely what she meant.

"Can you think of any instance in which the ruler has been prosecuted for capitol crimes?"

"Thankfully, no," he breathed. "I still have faith that when justice is done, your father will return to us because he is not the traitor they believe him to be. No one who has ever worked with him could think otherwise."

"I appreciate that," Leia assured him, "but you mentioned the Twelve-Days War and the hostage situation that caused the two-year vacancy."

"I did," he confirmed. "As it is now, the ruler was not at fault for his absence."

She nodded to signal that she was still taking everything he said into account, but required further clarification. "At what point do we consider filling the vacancy?"

His expression had been neutral, but now it seemed to be overshadowed with weariness. "A valid question, Your Highness," he conceded. "I am certain that you do not mean to stage a coup."

"I am the heir to the throne," Leia reminded him with a hint of acid in her tone. "My ascendance would be an inheritance, not a coup."

"And it would be a move that your father would support," he amended. "I'm sure of it."

"I ask because we know not how long it will be before justice is satisfied," Leia explained, her voice more steady now. "The trial could take months, years even. There are powers that I cannot exercise as a second-in-command and if it comes to the point where Alderaan needs its ruler, I cannot ask my father to intervene."

"Which is where the thanes would step in," he replied without hesitation. "Until your coronation, your father is regent. In your father's absence, his advisors act as regents. If you come of age during this time, the need for a regent of any kind will be eliminated."

That time was still one year hence. Leia could not fathom being bereft of her father for such a long time. She could not live on this knife's edge for another year and she felt an equal aversion to her father languishing in a Vader-controlled prison until she came of age.

"Are there any circumstances under which those guidelines would be altered?" she asked as delicately as possible.

That gave him immediate pause, but he did not look surprised by the inquiry. He merely seemed to be considering the best way to frame his response. He reached for the glass of wine that had yet to be touched and took a long sip to either stall or give himself a bit of courage.

"If a verdict is handed down and the sentence would put him in absentia until past your nineteenth birthday, the council of thanes would be within its rights to overrule tradition. By their order, you could be crowned as soon as a majority vote was reached."

Leia immediately wished that she had a drink herself, but she steadied her nerves by breathing deeply and clenching her hands into fists. "May Taia will that it never come to that," she murmured.

"May Taia will it," Verlaine echoed. “Did you have any other questions, Your Highness?”

“No,” Leia said quickly. “You have rendered me a great service tonight and I thank you for that.”

He rose and bowed deeply as if she were his queen instead of the nervous young woman who had yet to earn that title. “I am ever at your service, Your Highness,” he vowed.


She could only hope that her treasury advisor would have tidings that made her feel less alarmed.

 

Interesting summary of Alderaanian ascendancy laws. Looking forward to more.

 

Congrats on the nomination by the way.
I loved the legal discussion!! (You know me ;P )

And--btw--publishing one book and working to finish first draft of another are *great* excuses.

Then again, she had been born just after the first Empire Day LOL Leia--you're adorable. You've got such fantastic worldbuilding here, Ish. I really like it a lot.

 

Congratulations on the well-deserved nomination. Excellent history and very pertinent to the current situation. Like Verlaine and his respectful and concise manner. Leia comports herself with clarity and regal poise. Hard choices but she is up to whatever they turn out to be.

 

Congratulations on the nomination. Very interesting background on Alderaan, there.

 

Transcript from Imperial News Network, Aldera affiliate:
“I come before you in great solemnity today. We have received news of the arrest and indictment of our beloved viceroy and representative, Senator Bail Organa. This news was communicated to the Attorney-General and Palace Counsel by the Imperial Judiciary Bureau. He is accused of conspiring to commit treason against the Empire and its peoples and sedition.
“He has retained Seth Cetarn, an associate counsel in the Palace Counsel’s office, in order to answer these charges. All media inquiries regarding the trial should be directed to Elena Riemann, communications director for the Counsel’s office.
“It is our intention to cooperate fully with the investigation and upcoming trial. Alderaan was settled--our society was founded--by those who craved justice and held it as the central tenet of their religion. Alderaan has stood as a beacon of impartiality and equality since those early days and the difficult days to come will not change that. Those whom I trust with the great task of returning our viceroy to his home did not wait for my command to begin compiling any and all relevant information. The Empire will demand records and testimonies subpoena and we intend to be prepared for that day.
“I wish to assure the people of Alderaan that we will see justice done. We will not rest until the charges are answered and the truth is brought to light. It is our right as well as our duty to devote our loyal hearts, our devoted souls and our best efforts to this effort. And as our ancestors prayed to Taia, the goddess of justice, we invoke her guidance in all matters . And we, the people of this great world, pledge that we will not leave our viceroy in the hands of those who believe him to be an enemy.”
*
The High Princess of Alderaan wore what must have been a dress uniform. She was known for dressing simply in white, somewhat shapeless dresses that were either meant to communicate that her messages were more important than her attractiveness. On occasion, she was even spotted in casual pants and tunics. They were appropriate clothing for an heir apparent who had yet to assume official responsibility.
Today, however, she wore a gown worthy of her late mother’s formality. It was still white--Alderaan self-righteously presented their leaders as symbols of purity--but the shimmersilk was embroidered in elaborate patterns of silver so that she seemed to radiate an added power. Over this, she had fastened a royal-purple mantle with a clasp of chalcedony to signify that she spoke officially on behalf of the High Court.
Her voice never wavered; she had clearly expunged her frustrated tears or biting fury in previous rehearsals. This was not to say that she spoke dispassionately, but not once did she refer to the accused as “my father.” She had been coached well, but the principal evidence of her investment in this matter was that she had insisted on writing the speech herself.
“Such a brave child.”
In ordinary councils, this might have sounded like a compliment or a half-hearted expression of admiration. When the words were spoken by the Emperor, they were as benign as the sharpening of a blade or the crafting of a noose. People had been quietly disposed of for lesser crimes than appearing to be brave.
“I seriously doubt that she has the necessary resources to keep these admirable promises,” Sate Pestage said with more than a hint of disdain. “Until she usurps her father’s position and assumes control of the resources available to a Queen and Commander-in-Chief, her opinion carries the same weight as any of the thanes and a majority vote is required in the quorum.”

“That will not be the case for long,” Lord Vader predicted. “The Alderaanians may be pacifists, but they loathe being defenseless. If plans are not in place to extend emergency powers to the young princess. There is ample precedent for such things.”
“What would be the wisdom of encouraging such a tradition?” The Emperor asked as though comparing the prices of bruallki and gorrnt. “In her current position, she has little to no power. She has passions, but lacks the authority to act on the resulting convictions.”
“In her current position, she will be counseled enthusiastically, but with lack of perspective. These are men who have governed their provinces with a fatherly affection in imitation of Bail Organa,” Pestage said. “They seem to feel that fostering a sense of a community where nothing more serious than a slap on the wrist is an appropriate response to capital crimes.”
That was untrue, of course. Vader knew that they were reticent to engage in the example-setting show trials that were so effective in the rest of the Empire. Some found it quaint. Vader found it an impractical method that would have to be eradicated. Alderaans practiced law as though halting sibling rivalry and the result was a society sociologically unprepared to prosecute anything more serious than a traffic violation.
The Emperor glanced sharply towards him as if he had been shouting gibberish in front of the Imperial Senate. Vader clenched his jaw, though the offending philosophies had never been spoken aloud.
“The alternative is to encourage her coronation,” he interjected. “She would have no obligation to accept the recommendations of the thanes and it would be all too easy to turn her mind to alliances with stronger forces.”

“Alliances hand-picked by those in this room,” Pestage considered. “You think that it would be prudent to give her more power?”
“I think she knows nothing about the burden she is about to assume.”
“I find it curious,” the Emperor interjected in a tone that brooked no interruption, “that with a high-profile trial about to commence, a rebellion on the rise, a fractured senate divided against itself and the less bellicose matters of the vast Empire clamoring for our attention, we are dedicating a single thought to the whims of an audacious child. She spoke bravely and comported herself admirably when given prepared remarks and a microphone. Does the matter merit any more concern?”
Pestage’s tone was perhaps more aggressive than was wise, but the man was rarely chastised for disclosing the whole truth in the Emperor’s presence because in his thorough assessment of a situation, one could find strategy cloaked in his tirades.
“It merits concern because she stands at a crossroads,” the man declared. “The rebels will want to use this perceived injustice as a rallying cry and draw her into their treasonous embrace, As the daughter of a suspected traitor, she must know that she is under suspicion as well. Given the right circumstances, the appropriate pressure and the imminent threat of prosecution, she could be...reformed into a reluctant, but staunch, Imperial ally.”
“I will neither seek her approval nor attempt to buy her loyalty,” the leader of the entrapped Galaxy sneered as though someone had suggested a brunch with the Hutts. “If she is wiser than her traitorous father, she will prove her fidelity to the Empire in due course. If her loyalties lie elsewhere, it is only a matter of time before she will be punished for such foolhardiness.”
There was an underlying command in those words of the same variety that demanded that Anakin Skywalker do what must be done at the Jedi Temple. He lived to serve the Emperor and, by extension, the Empire. At this moment, Bail Organa was little more than a stopgap. In the Emperor’s eyes, he was the only acceptable reason to delay inflicting a proper sense of duty to the galaxy at large on the young Princess of Alderaan.
“I will be vigilant,” Vader promised. “Senator Organa was a festering wound before the Republic fell and we failed the Empire in not purging him then. I assure you that the disease will not go untreated with his daughter.”
*
“Such a brave child,” Mon Mothma murmured regretfully.
“She is no child,” Rieekan amended in a nearly-identical tone, “but yes, she is brave.”
He was not part of the High Command, was little more than an Intelligence operative with well-placed connections, but he had been called in as an expert witness on the High Court of Alderaan.
“Senator Organa went to great lengths to ensure that such bravery was not required of her,” Rieekan continued. “He knew the toll it took on her mother and knew that she could not avoid it forever.”
Mon Mothma wondered for a fleeting moment which mother Rieekan was referring to, but it mattered not. Senator Amidala had given her life in an attempt to stop the Empire’s establishment. Queen Breha had never formally taken part in her husband’s revolution, but she had stood firmly against Vader’s all-or-nothing tactics and the strain had killed her just as surely as her poor health had. Leia Organa should have been too young for such a burden, but she was the offspring of a queen who had reclaimed her world from the Trade Federation at fourteen and a man who had once been the nine-year-old savior of an entire world. She came by her precocious valor honestly.
“Bail has not left her unprepared,” Bel Iblis protested as if sensing the thread of her thoughts. “She may have never committed herself to her father’s private agendas, but he has not raised her to stand idly by.”
Rieekan dipped his head in assent, but his frown remained in place to match his debate partner’s expression. “I never said she was unprepared, Senator,” he pointed out. “I mean that she has been raised in the eye of the storm. Princess Leia sees the stormclouds on the horizon, but trusts that the downpours are yet to come.”
“She is brave,” Mon Mothma reiterated, “but this is a burden that should not be on her shoulders.”
“We have no time for regret, only repentance,” Bel Iblis countered. “SInce we cannot turn back time, what shall we do looking forward?”
“Ideally, we would be able to rescue her father from imprisonment,” Mon Mothma said. “We cannot accomplish that by covert operations…”
“Pardon me, ma’am,” Rieekan dared to interject, “but that’s not entirely true.”
“It is,” the Corellian Senator rejoined. “There is no way to stage a prison break in a way that Bail would be allowed to return to Alderaan.”
“Then we give up on a prison break,” Rieekan advised. “We let the trial run its course, but ensure that anything that would be truly helpful to the Imperial prosecutors was made unavailable.”
Mon Mothma stifled a sigh and instead focused on her datapad for a few moments. “I fear that may be impossible as well. I doubt the Imperial prosecutors are so incompetent that they would rely solely on the evidence at hand. They will examine ties to other systems and that means obtaining records from beyond our reach.”
“Which is why it’s important to alter the records,” Bel Iblis said. “With the appropriate access, dozens of systems and their leaders could fall in the name of Organa. I agree with Carlist; containment of the damage is of paramount importance.”
“Then the full force of Vader’s wrath falls on Bail,” Mon Mothma replied. “I thought we were more loyal comrades than that.”
A silent exchange seemed to occur between the others and it was Bel Iblis who spoke the next unpleasant truth. “Vader is not known for being level-headed. He murdered countless Falleen seven years ago because a few thousand were infected with a plague. It takes little imagination to see how he would respond to evidence of a widespread alliance. It would set the rebellion back years for millions to fall for the crimes of a few.”
“Or it would inspire those who turned a blind eye to the atrocities to stand for something,” Rieekan suggested. “They might see any hammer blow by the Imperial Fleet as striking too close to home.”
The original members of the alliance had stood behind the philosophy of “no more.” It had been an effective rallying point, but it had also produced far too many martyrs. She let out a slow breath this time and lifted her eyes to meet her comrades’ gazes in turn.
“No,” she stated. “Convenient as it may be to fan a revolutionary flame in the ashes of a single system, it should not be our way. When we next meet, I expect to hear plans that bear that in mind.”
*
Leia had little experience in theatrics, but she had seen enough plays to know that bravery often began with a few well-chosen lines and the right posture. So far, that had served her well for the duration of her father’s imprisonment, but she had no idea how long she could maintain the facade. In the dark of the night, she prayed that it would stop being a ruse any day now.
Today, her courage was only needed to give her father’s attorney marching orders. She knew Seth Cetarn as the slightly irreverent man who was a ferocious defense counsel when he was not endeavoring to make light of near-disasters. She could not let him leave Alderaan with the impression that he could have a sense of humor about the fate of the royal bloodline.
“I doubt that they are mistreating him,” she stated. “It would look bad when Lord Vader has been so precise in his prosecution efforts. Nevertheless, he must be monitored. If you feel the need to bribe a guard to feel sentimentally protective of him, do it. I will hold you responsible if he has so much as a black eye at the arraignment.”
“You know that I would blame myself for such an oversight,” Seth said as gravely as she had ever heard him. “I will also be addressing another denial of prisoner rights.”
“Communication?” she guessed.
“Yes,” he confirmed. “His level of security allows him a weekly comm call. I would advise against discussing anything more than trivialities, but I know that it will do you both good.”
“Do you foresee any barriers to that?”
“The privilege might be denied for misconduct,” he conceded, “but I will dare them to find fault with his conduct.”
This was why she had agreed with his appointment. He was dedicated to the minutiae of the justice system, While others might see it as a quirk that he could cite long-forgotten things like the number of socks allotted to each prisoner by a centuries-old statute, she trusted that he would apply the same obsession to thwarting some of Vader’s more brutal practices.
“Do not dare too much just yet,” she advised him nonetheless. “We’ll need uncanny courage to be with him in that courtroom and I charge you with the task of keeping that boldness in stock.”
“I will do my best, Your Highness,” Seth promised.
Leia stood and clasped his shoulder firmly, as if sending him off into battle. “Alderaan thanks you and I send you with what grace I can give. May the justice we adore be your constant companion.”
He bowed deeply at that valediction. “I will not return without your father,” he vowed.

It was clearly meant to be a reassurance, but the ultimatum scraped against her mind long after his shuttle left for Imperial Center.

 

At last! She has returned! I hope your books are doing well.

These are some excellently written discussions here. To get a peek into a private conversation between Vader, Pestage, and the Emperor himself? I had chills reading such casual discussion of evil. The Rebellion also has some choices to make.

You know that a story like this is compelling and well-written when it can go nearly eight months without an update, and as soon as I start to read the new chapter, I immediately remember what has been going on up to that point. That is what happened when I opened this chapter. Well done.

 

I swear I'll update more regularly. After the book, I wrote another one and am doing revisions. I've started two new projects. I started having months where there was a commitment every weekend and I went on two vacations. On the first day of nanowrimo, I was standing at a crosswalk when something went wrong with my back (doctor says herniated disc, but until an MRI, I don't know more details) and I've spent a lot of the last month not wanting to sit at my computer. But yesterday, I promised myself that if I spent an hour writing on a book and an hour of fanfic, I could watch a movie and have ice cream. So here we are. I think I'll make that a Saturday rule until I feel like writing fanfic habitually again.

 

Excellent discussions and look into all their minds. I love that each conversation started off the same, then diverged to their due course.

 

Please get better, DarthIshtar! I hope it is not a herniated disc. And if writing exhausts you, do not mind us greedy fanfic followers of yours. Your health comes first!

But I am glad that I stumbled over your breathtaking story, that shows the true drama of a good man in the wrong hands. Of an Empire, ruling by fear and dirty handy men like Vader. And of the courage of an inspiring princess, who loves her father.

 

It was almost laughable to think of ordering Lord Vader around, but there were those who had the authority. Vader was the Emperor’s right-hand man, but had yet to be given the political influence of a Moff or the jurisdiction of a Grand Admiral. He served at the Emperor’s pleasure and that meant that few if any of his missions were ever documented. It was presumed that what he did, he did under the Emperor’s command and few sentients dared to challenge it.

The fact remained that, while telling the most infamous Dark Lord of the Sith to follow orders was inadvisable, there was a time and a place for such foolishness. Or so Sorcer Debas had been told by the last man to hold the post of Director at the Bureau of Imperial Prisons and Penitentiaries.

The man had been encouraged to retire with every indication that he would be retired with extreme prejudice if he resisted. The reorganization had come one week after a massacre had been permitted within one of the work camps and while no one could pin the blame on the man, he accepted early retirement with a wholeheartedly frightened enthusiasm for the idea of being out of touch with the Imperial Court.

Debas had yet to meet Lord Vader in person, which he presumed was to his advantage. He had no rapport with the man if such a thing was possible, which meant that Vader also had no reason to hold a grudge against him.

Today, he posted a notice to the prison visitation guidelines page. He could have gone as far as having a courier droid bring a copy to the Imperial Palace, but as one of the interrogators permitted to come into direct contact with the prisoners, Lord Vader’s comm unit would receive a notification of the update. If the man chose to ignore the message, he would have to explain the new guidelines in person and it was not a prospect that he looked forward to.

His first chance to bring up the memo was not, however, with Lord Vader. A sandy-haired young man in a simply-cut suit handed over his identichip and a datacard to the guard at the front desk and the chip raised a red flag on Debas’ personal computer.

This kid, who held himself like a Senator but had a slight frame reminiscent of a protocol droid, was apparently the designated attorney for Viceroy Bail Organa of Alderaan. He typed a quick instruction before heading to the atrium: Stall him.

He reached the desk before Guardsman Tocher finished the retinal scan that would match his physical presence to his alleged identity. It was a standard protocol for anyone who was to be a regular visitor to the prison and also allowed them time to run some basic background checks. Tocher could have even looked into the man’s credit history if he so chose.

“Counselor Cetarn,” he greeted. “You should have told us you were coming.”

“I need no special attention,” Seth Cetarn remarked. “Your man here is being very vigilant.”
“Still, we could have arranged a time for you to do this preliminary datawork,” Debas replied with a grimace of feigned sympathy. “We can’t retrieve your client until you have been safely shown to the conference rooms and protocol demands that we wait until your identity and authority have been satisfactorily proven before allowing you past the first guard station.”

Cetarn chuckled as though they were old friends instead of nominally on the same side. “I expected nothing less. Did you think this was my first time in an Imperial prison?”

Tocher’s computer beeped and Debas resisted the urge to glance over the information. No information on the screen was outlined in red, so it was a non-criminal record. He hadn’t expected a convicted criminal to come where Sith Lords dared to tread, but the young man was intending to fight a losing battle against the Imperial courts and that made anything possible. He kept his gaze on Cetarn as Tocher encrypted a temporary pass.

“You will have to surrender this at the end of the visit,” he recited. “We will know if it has been altered or tampered with and doing so will result in immediate impoundment of your vehicle and detainment while we investigate the security breach. You must keep this in a visible place at all times and submit to all scans as demanded by officers of the BIPP. Do you understand the access guidelines as explained to you?”

“Yes.”

Tocher had the man mark the written record of those guidelines with his thumbprint before handing over the card. It was at this point that the man usually would have waited for a guard to escort him to the next station, where he would be assigned a conference room and a station guard for the duration of his client interview. Debas swooped in instead.

“I’ll take him back,” he offered in an off-hand tone.

“I appreciate that courtesy,” Cetarn replied with a respectful nod of his head.

It was less a courtesy than an opportunity to establish the pecking order here. The next station was down the second hall on the right-hand side, but they never reached it. At the first left, Debas led him to a separate passage. If the decision to delay his client meeting further surprised Cetarn, the other man didn’t show it.

“How may I be of service?” Debas asked once a seat had been offered and accepted. “I presume that your client will be caught off-guard by your arrival.”

“I assume so,” Cetarn echoed, his tone frosting over slightly while his expression remained unchanged. “After all, he has been denied the right to prisoner communication.”

“Yes…” Debas’ response was an almost indifferent murmur. “I did receive the list of grievances.”

“They are not grievances as much as violations of prisoner rights,” Cetarn retorted. His tone was now frozen solid and the expression was what Debas imagined the man used when dealing with a hostile witness. “Our first business with the court will be to appeal his detention in this facility, as he is being treated with the brutality usually afforded a convicted felon.”

“I wish you luck with that.” Debas was not accustomed to letting prisoners slip through his fingers and Lord Vader was even more obstinate. House arrest or even a minimum-security facility was reserved for constables who had accepted bribes, not planetary leaders who had murdered thousands by association with the Rebel Alliance. “Since you have taken the trouble of coming all the way from Alderaan, I will look further into these violations as you have listed them and have a response by the time your conference is concluded. We wouldn’t want you to return to the Royal Court empty-handed.”

“Director,” Cetarn snorted, “I have no intention of returning to Alderaan without a verdict. I do appreciate that you will be reviewing the violations; I read your revised visitation guidelines before coming here and expect you to enforce them.”

The guidelines included the demand that counsel be present for all interviews with law enforcement; no matter Vader’s station within the court, his duties meant that the restriction would apply to him. He would also be denied all physical contact with the prisoner, though that was no trouble at all for a Dark Lord. Nor would Debas put it past the Dark Lord to be given a special dispensation to carry his lightsaber as some kind of religious artifact.

He couldn’t wait to introduce the man who had exterminated the Jedi to meet this man who seemed to think he could still count on the political good manners of the Republic.

 

*claps* Thank you! lovely little interaction of two OCs! Now I do want to see Vader encounter Cetarn. Though if Vader has been visiting Bail Organa, it probably takes some creativity for the facility manager to avoid him.

Does Vader technically count as law enforcement? I wonder if they're going to claim civil or even criminal procedures don't apply as it is a "military matter".

Thank you again!

 

These two play off each other so well. Excellent warm-up for the confrontation with Vader that is sure to come soon. I look forward to that.

 

I am so glad that this is online again. Your fic is so intense with intrigue and law battle that it makes me nibble on my fingernails. Things look bleak for Bail, but I hope there is a light of hope for him still.

 

Very nice interaction. I liked how you outlined what each step was meant to convey. Great to see this updated again.

 

Awesome updates. I enjoyed the discussions on each side: Palps with his minions and Mothma with her colleagues. Lots to mull over on the latter side of things. You don't want to lose sight of the bigger picture by sacrificing a friend/ally.

 

Great to see this updated! Loved the interactions.

 

I'd love to be notified of updates!

 

Merry Christmas. My resolution for this next year is to write fanfic one day per week for my own sanity and since I have ideas roiling around in my head for this story and its sequel, I will make it the priority.
*
Seth was something of a student of political body language. In his secondary school debates, he had practiced the confident stances of great legislators and orators in order to make himself appear more forceful. Eventually, he had developed his own oratory presence, but he found it a pleasant diversion to watch the powerful in action.

His client had been Alderaan's incumbent senior senator since before the foundation of the Empire, so Seth had no shortage of experience with the man's public image. His height helped his stature and his greying hair and goatee lent him a venerable air. He had a deep, rational voice and was articulate. He had been the voice of Alderaan for so long that he practically had his own dialect.

The Organa who was brought to the conference room attempted what confidence he could, but the manacles inhibited his usually purposeful strides. He still seemed regal in prison garb, but he looked undeniably tired.

"VIceroy Organa," Seth greeted.

It was customary for prisoners to be reduced to a registration number or first name, but Seth's acknowledgment of his title expressed the unspoken promise that the Empire would not deny Alderaan its regent.

"Counselor Cetarn," Bail responded amiably. Unable to clasp hands, he bowed his head respectfully. "It is good to see you again."

"The pleasure is mine as always." Though I wish it were under more pleasant circumstances was the expected addition, but the Viceroy had often demonstrated a talent for succinct understatement and Seth strove to do the same. Commentary on how well he was looking or the quality of prison food would have been equally as unnecessary. "Your daughter sends her greetings and we hope to establish a more direct method of interaction soon."

"Send her my love," Bail said without shame or hesitation. "I will go into more detail once the lines of communication are open once more."

"Yes, Viceroy."

The conversation came to a halt while the guard secured the elder statesman of Alderaan's leg shackles to the chair and unbound his hands. Seth kept his eyes focused on the procedure, not because the corrections officer might accidentally cuff an ankle to a wrist, but because the guard would probably scoff to his superiors that Counselor Cetarn noticed everything. Taia willing, that would make the guards wary of misbehaving where Bail Organa was concerned. He couldn't be sure that all personnel would be so cautious, but Lord Vader was another problem altogether.

"As your counsel, I will be receiving the discovery from the Imperial prosecutors." Seth continued once they were both seated. "The indictment itself provided some clarification on their strategy, but the burden of proof is on the prosecution."

"I know," Bail responded. "That is, presuming that I am afforded the rights of any other citizen."

"They are providing you with due process," the defense attorney pointed out. "I am giving the prosecutors the benefit of the doubt in trusting that they will continue to do so. In that same vein, in addition to granting you the right to comm access, I have contracted a physician to give you a full medical evaluation."

Beyond the fatigue, Bail seemed to be in a good condition. but he owed it to the High Princess of Alderaan to know every un-lanced boil or abscessed tooth. A regular examination schedule would also assure that any changes in the prisoner's condition were documented and accounted for.

"Are there any immediate concerns that you would like addressed?"

"The Royal Court's physicians have records of my medication for elevated blood pressure," his client stated. "I take no other medicines on a regular basis. I have gotten less sleep of late than I would like, but my accommodations are not always conducive to a full night's rest."

In other words, the Empire was trying its usual regimen of sleep deprivation to make a prisoner more cooperative. The Viceroy mentioned it as though complaining of neighbors blasting music at inappropriate hours.

Have they been beating you for information? Seth was willing to stake money that the man sitting erect across the table was not about to list bruises and lacerations. He was known for his diplomacy and would undoubtedly only admit a vulnerability when it appeared on a medical scan. What has Vader been doing during your chats?

"I understand." Seth marked it on his datapad,though the information was already filed away in the mental faculties devoted to knowing every aspect of this case. "Was your medication with your personal effects when you were transferred here?"

The man's grimace was fleeting and probably unintentional. "I doubt that those are at Lord Vader's chambers for safekeeping. Whatever was not confiscated as evidence is likely to have been diverted to the nearest incinerator."

Given the time gap between when his ship had been captured and when the Empire had been forced to admit that they were pressing charges, Seth could not see this as hyperbole. The lack of action in this case suggested that Viceroy Organa had been meant to disappear quietly either without a record of probable cause or before anyone suspected that Darth Vader had been involved.

"I will request an inventory," he suggested. "The prison infirmary should be able to take charge of dispensing your medication in a timely manner and if those doses have been mislaid, our physician will see to the refill as needed. He may be able to address your other concern at that time as well."

This was a perfectly ordinary conversation as if he were a public defender introducing himself to a common prisoner. On the one hand, Seth intended to insist on equal rights for a leader of a Core World. On the other, the Empire might be treating Bail Organa with such disregard because it demonstrated that not even the father of a future Queen deserved to escape punishment. Both angles could be cheerfully used for public relations purposes.

"I appreciate your diligence," Bail replied mildly. "I trust that you were assigned to my case because the Court counsel appreciates it as well."

"In every one of my extra-planetary trials, I have cooperated effectively with my imperial counterparts," Seth corrected. "I have more familiarity with the ways of the Empire than the biases of our people. I believe that might have played a part in my selection as well."

It was often around this moment that he found a reason to outline the details of attorney-client privilege. Bail had upheld the law and written many of its particulars, so there was no need.

Besides, they would plead innocent, but Seth harbored a secret hope that the rumors of the Organa involvement in the Rebellion were well-founded.

 

At last! So Bail finally has contact with a lawyer. I look forward to hopefully see Seth dealing with Vader.

 

I like Seth very much. He is observant and very much the professional; competent and resourceful; but above all, not about to be blind-sided and is loyal to the Organas and to the Rebellion.

 

Dang it, you stole my response. But yeah, Seth seems like a bright guy. He takes in everything. he sees.

Anyway, great Christmas present, Ish. Or maybe Life Day present? Anyway, thank you!

 

Author’s note: So, I used Aach in Post 1 because I remembered him being an associate of Bail Organa and Garm Bel Iblis in Interlude at Darknell from Tales from the New Republic. Today, while obsessively double-checking who joined the Rebellion when, I discovered that they’ve now finally said “Oh, yeah, since we’ve now met Cassian Andor, we can tell you that one of his codenames was Aach.” You’ll see why this is important in chapters to come. But a lot of this chapter comes from new canon and you’ll recognize a few of my fanon things like the reasons for Alderaan’s disarmament. It’s a bit of buffet fanon. The references to the Day of Demand come from Claudia Gray’s wonderful Leia, Princess of Alderaan book, as does the ceremony itself. Oh, and I figured out the name of the sequel since I last posted. “Hearts of the Children.” It has very interesting complication to come with the title.

*

It was a matter of fact that the Alliance to Restore the Republic was a fairly new entity. Many insurgent groups had sprung up in the rise of the Empire and it had taken years for the disparate groups to band together. Some Rebels still self-identified by affiliation with one of those groups. Others found strength in their unity. The latter knew that it was prudent to trust Bel Iblis’ judgment or Bail Organa’s discretion, but almost universally, Mon Mothma was seen as someone who was not to be disappointed. She had demanded plans at the last meeting of the council and Senator Bel Iblis offered a name first.

“Saw Gerrera.”

“Absolutely not.” Mon Mothma was known for her quiet dignity, but she responded to the suggestion with more than a hint of durasteel in her voice and she consciously ensured that the sternness was mirrored in her gaze. “At best, he is a dangerous ally and at worst, an uncontained animal.”

“He picks and chooses when to consider us allies,” General Cracken added. “I would not entrust this mission to a man who might find our scruples inconvenient in the midst of the extraction.”

His presence here was an exception, since the Chief of Rebel Intelligence delegated the bulk of his council duties to Davits Draven, but this was not a discussion to be conducted by proxy and the information was not to be relayed. She had restricted attendance at this conference accordingly.

“Then one of his associates,” Bel Iblis proposed. “If we cannot rely on the man himself, we may be able to call upon his resources instead.”

The “resources” were formidable; Gerrera’s brutality from the Clone Wars onward was almost as infamous as that of Lord Vader, but credit was often due to those who acted in his name. As it was with many radicals inside and outside the political spectrum, his affiliates ranged from the rational to the absurd. No matter who in Gerrera’s operation was involved, however, one thing was certain to be true of any upcoming operations.

“You are proposing to pick a flower by using an excavator,” Mon Mothma interjected. “His associates may not have the lethal tendencies of the leader, but they believe in his fight and we have not the time to screen each one for more than a trace of conscience.”

“We have not the time for long deliberation and selection criteria,” Bel Iblis countered. “We cannot go out and recruit the people we need. We must pull from our existing allies.”

“Then not Gerrera,” Cracken insisted, “but this is an Alliance for a reason. You are proposing to use a fringe operative while we have Alliance Intelligence and Special Services at our disposal.”

Bel Iblis shifted in his seat with an expression that suggested his discomfort had nothing to do with the shape of the repulsorchair. “Alliance Intelligence officers have been identified in the past,” he pointed out. “and invariably, that has led to the dissolution of a cell for security purposes or to erase a trail. When Lord Vader is involved, he tends to patiently identify those with ties to known agents and strike on a large scale.”

“As we have seen when he arrested Bail Organa for a known friendship to a man who may have funded saboteurs,” Cracken agreed. “That was the catalyst, but I have no doubt that, should the trial go forward, Lord Vader would find a way to hold the Petition of the Two Thousand against the Viceroy as evidence of his anti-Imperial activities.”

At that time, the Petition had been a group of Republicists who were anti-Imperial, but no one had yet dared to declare himself Emperor. It had been unsurprising how many of the signers had been baldly accused of Rebel collusion.

“You truly expect that Bail Organa will remain prisoner long enough for a trial to matter?” Bel Iblis asked.

“I truly expect that we must have a contingency plan in place in the event that none of the extraction plans is found to be viable,” the Chief or Alliance Intelligence responded.

While Bel Iblis seemed to be on the edge of his seat, Cracken had the air of a student defending a thesis. His tendency towards excellent foresight was one of the reasons that he was a capable leader for those involved in covert operations. It sometimes made Mon Mothma feel as though she were impulsive, but she prided herself on being surrounded by intelligent, capable men and women and Cracken was no exception.

“We did not convene this meeting to compare success statistics,” Mon Mothma said after a moment of silence. “Our primary purpose is to ensure the survival of the Alliance and I believe that Senator Bel Iblis already knows the person in whom we can repose our trust. He is a long-time associate of the Senator and our imprisoned ally.”

“Aach,” Bel Iblis responded immediately. The man was clearly not the first choice, but Mon Mothma’s criteria had eliminated all other candidates.

“We know that Aach and Organa were both involved indirectly in the destruction of the Exsanguinator,” Cracken protested, looking for the first time as though the proposal had caught him off-guard. “If we are attempting to stage an operation that does not further incriminate Organa, it might be best to look elsewhere.”

“The Empire knows the name, but the face has been affiliated with many names,” Bel Iblis considered. “And you cannot deny that he is one of the most capable agents within Rebel Intelligence.”

“Moreover,” Mon Mothma added, “one of his primary associates would be perfect for infiltration of an Imperial prison.”

“On an outer world, perhaps,” Cracken protested, “where KX-series droids are more reliable than mercenaries who are hired as local security, but this is Imperial Center and a prison personally monitored by Lord Vader. The prisoners of most interest to the Empire will be guarded by sentients, not machines with little capacity for creative thinking.”

Droids and aliens were suspect members of the Empire. Non-humans had filled the ranks of the Confederacy of Independent Systems and were thought of as traitorous, easily duped or mentally deficient by association with that fallen government. Droids were easily reprogrammed and the fact that Aach’s companion had been tweaked into service to the Alliance could have been seen as evidence of their untrustworthiness. Of course an Imperial Center prison would be staffed by humans from Core Worlds that had rejoiced at the fall of the Republic.

“That does not mean that this K-2SO would be of no use to the operation,” Bel Iblis said. “Aach and his squad would need an insider’s perspective on the workings of the system and an ambulatory databank such as a KX-series would be an excellent resource.”

“Where are they now?” Mon Mothma forestalled any further discussion of the merits and returned to Cracken’s more preferred ground of logistics. “Would they be available for reassignment?”

It took a few moments for records to be accessed, during which Bel Iblis had the self-restraint to not change the subject or suggest another candidate. Aach was, she knew, close enough to the Senator for this to be a potentially monumental personal loss if the mission went badly.

“We had planned for him to lead a raid in the F’tzner system,” Cracken said at last.

“Such an ordinary assignment for a trusted operative.”

“They all endure ordinary assignments at one point or another,” Cracken deadpanned. “What they do with such postings tends to demonstrate their extraordinary skills.”

Cracken’s half-truth drew a smile from both Senators, but Cracken had once observed that top agents were put on routine assignments so they would not be missed if a life-changing mission came along. She might have believed that the raid in the F’tzner system was unexceptional if she did not know that Aach was one of the agents waiting for progress on Operation Fracture.

“By your leave, I will ask him to return to headquarters for reassignment,” Cracken offered.

Mon Mothma nodded and, to her surprise, Bel Iblis added, “You have my leave.”

General Cracken excused himself moments later and silence reigned in the room for nearly a minute. Finally, Mon Mothma met Bel Iblis’ gaze and held it without a hint of anger or antagonism on her face.

“Thank you.”

“You are right,” Bel Iblis commented. “Aach has the cunning and resources to mount a successful operation.”

“I am thanking you on behalf of Alderaan.” She drew in a deep breath and held it before releasing it in a quiet sigh. “I am here in Bail’s stead and I know that he would have balked at the idea of using a man as ruthless as Gerrera. And I am here on behalf of the High Princess of Alderaan, who will someday know what was needed to save her father and who would rather have trusted a man like Aach.”

“Because he has more caution?”

“Because he has been finding ways to oppose injustice since the days when he could do no more than throw stones at clone troopers. Leia understands everyday resistance better than outright war.”

“If only because she was raised on a world where they disarmed rather than stand up to the Empire.”

Alderaan had peaceably disarmed, but Bail Organa had been the one to accept the Imperial incapacitation of Alderaan’s military in order to protect his daughter from the Empire. She would never know what other ordinary measures had been taken on her behalf.

“If only because she has a proud heritage of seeking out alternatives to fighting,” Mon Mothma corrected him.

By the time she returned to her quarters, General Cracken had left a report on her comm. Cassian Andor, one of whose codenames was Aach, would be arriving within the week.
*

Formally, Leia had been awaiting her Day of Demand for only months. She had eagerly watched several days ago as the guests of the High Court began to arrive from distant worlds to witness a ceremony as vital as her future coronation. For hours, she had wished that she could dispense with the formalities and stride into the throne room on her own schedule.

Informally, she had prepared for this moment her entire life. Every time she had heard of the history of the Rhindon Sword, she could clearly picture the weapon that hung on the wall of the antechamber, where she often had waited for Father to finish his business or where she would hide from her tutors. When she heeded their lessons, she knew the duty that awaited her as the future queen of Alderaan. When she admired her father and mother, she felt that duty to be a privilege. Today, it felt as though she were about to embark on a pilgrimage that she had prepared for since childhood.

With her hair in elaborate braids and her simple dress in a shade of Senatorial white, she looked as regal as befit a princess of Alderaan, but she still worried about missteps and forgotten words. When her arms trembled with nerves, she anticipated the horrifying possibility that she might drop the ancient sword on her slippered foot.

When she retrieved it from the wall, however, she found that no weakness accompanied her nervousness. The weight of the Rhindon Sword was heavier than she had expected, but her strength was equal to it. She took her place in the center of the doorway and lifted the blade upright with her arms close to her body.

It was not until she entered the throne room that she understand why her strength was equal to the weight of her weapon. She was not the eager sixteen-year-old who had strode down the blue and gold carpet in the sight of the gods and two hundred guests of the Queen to demand her right to the throne. She was the eighteen-year-old who had been unnerved enough by her father’s disappearance to vomit, but brave enough to speak for the High Court when he was charged with criminal activity.

On her first Day of Demand, she had vowed to summit Appenza Peak and to undertake missions of charity and mercy. For her Challenge of the Mind, she had intended to join the Apprentice Legislature, but two days before the Day of Demand, the court physicians had quietly informed Queen Breha’s family that Alderaan would find itself without a queen in an appallingly short time. She had, instead, vowed to undertake further studies at the university to improve her ability to rule as effectively as her mother.

“The challenges are worthy,” Mother had said then, though the proud tears that she had managed not to say had concealed her bitter sorrow at not knowing if she would live to applaud Leia’s graduation or admire the far-reaching impact of Leia’s mercy missions.

Today, she strode down the blue and gold carpet where two hundred stormtroopers stood bathed in the light of the stained glass. The candledroids were here as they had been last time, but they could not drive out the darkness of the throne room, where a dark lord held court.

“Who is this who disturbs the court?” Vader rumbled with a hint of disgust and a strong current of menace in his voice.

Two years ago, she had recited the traditional text with confidence and the bravado of someone who has not yet earned their right to command absolute respect. Today, she had no need to call the words to mind because they were as much a part of her as her name.

“It is I, Leia Organa, Princess of Alderaan.” She kept her arms steady, though she would have loved to drive the Sword through his chestplate. “I come before you to hear you acknowledge that on this day it is known that I have already reached my sixteenth year.”

“I acknowledge that you are of age,’ he said dismissively. “You are no queen.”

This deviation gave her momentary pause, but it mattered not one whit if Lord Vader considered her to be equal to her mother’s legacy. He had no right to judge her as a beloved father would have.

“Why do you come before me armed?” he continued.

“I come to declare my right to the crown.”

Having proven herself in body, mind and heart two years ago, she had been granted the rights of the heir and acknowledged as the future of Alderaan. Today was not to be a repeat of the ritual in which she sought approval for her life’s ambitions. Nor would she kneel before the throne as she had on that day, when she submitted herself to the wisdom of her parents.

“On this day, you will acknowledge me as adversary.”

His modulated breathing seemed to quicken. “Princess Leia, you are heir to a legacy of treachery and disloyalty,” he accused. “You are the student of a man who was a traitor from the moment that the Empire rescued the galaxy from the Republic. I have always considered you an adversary, but do you truly believe that it is prudent to set yourself against me?”

“As long as you are an enemy of Alderaan, I will stand in your way,” she declared. “As long as you are an opponent of freedom, I will not consider you an ally. As long as your darkness seeks to eradicate the light of justice, I will never join you.”

His breath did not resume its normal pace, but his next words seemed almost amused, as if he could not treat with solemnity the idea that she would be able to stand against him. “The stewardship of Alderaan is not merely inherited. It must be earned. My adversary must prove herself equal to the task in body, heart and mind. Are you prepared to do so?”

In truth, this kind of outright antagonism had been a hallmark of her father’s courage while Leia learned from his shadows. With the throne of Alderaan standing empty and this Sith hulking on her father’s seat, she could not demur.

“I am, Lord Vader.” She could have lowered the sword at this point, but she could not let down her guard with her enemy within striking distance. “I have chosen three challenges. When I have undertaken these challenges and succeeded in them, you must acknowledge me as the queen who would not let Alderaan kneel before your tyranny.”

“Reveal these challenges and I will decide whether they are worthy of your status.” He stood and descended the steps until she would have had to stare directly upwards to look him in the eyeshields. “Reveal these challenges, Princess.”

The words poured forth automatically, though her heart thudded against her ribs. “For my Challenge of the Body, I will stand in my father’s stead until he is returned to his home on Alderaan. For my Challenge of the Mind, I will discover your weakness and arm myself to strike at it. For my Challenge of the Heart, I will not lose faith in the freedom that my father would gladly give his life to protect. Through these challenges, I will prove my continued right to the crown.”

She stared straight ahead and could see the beat of his heart only in the monitor of his life support system. He breathed deeply, as though he had no need to respond in a timely manner. He was close enough that he could have seized her or struck her. His hand rested on the hilt of his lightsaber, and he could have struck her down before a single person could have intervened.

His hands wrapped around the hilt of the sword she clutched for dear life as he echoed her mother’s words. “The challenges are worthy. May all those bear witness. If Princess Leia fulfills these challenges, she shall have proven herself her father’s daughter and heir to his legacy.”

His grip tightened and when he let go, the Rhindon Sword fell from her nerveless fingers as he retook her father’s place on the throne. “May you reap what you have sown, Your Highness.”

While applause had rung out on her Day of Demand, today, she heard only the rattle of two hundred blaster rifles being brought to bear on her.

*

Owing to the attorney for the defense and the Emperor’s bemused command to allow Organa due process, Vader had not been granted another private audience with the traitor. The man had even been admitted to the prison’s infirmary for three days to recover from exhaustion. Holos of the man showed him to look disgruntled, but no longer worn down. It was an abomination to see him treated well for his crimes, but sulking over the details of court proceedings when the man was in shackles was beneath him.

The man languished in a cell while the Imperial courts prepared to methodically assassinate him, while elsewhere, Tarkin’s grand scheme neared its completion. It would not be long before the influence of one dissident Senator was nothing compared to the ruthless cunning of an Emperor who could eliminate entire worlds if one of their inhabitants stood against him.

But it was not the influence of one dissident Senator. Even when an angry young man named Anakin had stood against his wife’s cause, it had been a cadre of madmen who would have handed the Republic over to monsters and murderers in the name of what they thought of as freedom. Organa had not been alone then and he certainly was not alone now.

Vader could not visit the cell unaccompanied and interrogation drugs were off-limits, but he waited for the man to succumb to sleep once more and delved into a dream that might lead to an incriminating memory.

Instead, he found himself staring at the blanched face of the man’s adolescent daughter as she brandished a sword and pretended to ferocity. The currents of the Force pulsed with Organa’s pride at his daughter’s unwavering loyalty while a sick fear for the life of his only child.

“For my Challenge of the Body, I will stand in my father’s stead until he is returned to his home on Alderaan. For my Challenge of the Mind, I will discover your weakness and arm myself to strike at it. For my Challenge of the Heart, I will not lose faith in the freedom that my father would gladly give his life to protect. Through these challenges, I will prove my continued right to the crown.”

They were brave words for a child who had never fired a blaster in anger and who would struggle to swing that absurd ornamental sword. She could strike as many times as she chose at her adversary, but she had not the strength to find him vulnerable.

Still, she would strike at an enemy rather than trying to hide her opposition from him. One thought remained with Lord Vader as the dream ended.

She is no daughter of yours, Organa.

 

Super discussion about the merits of an agent to send for an extraction. Cassian is indeed a good choice.
Leia was well-portrayed and the Ceremony as well.

Her poise and resolve are very much in character.

 

The long wait for your updates is always worth while. The words are like an elegant dance, showing so much emotion underneath. You also keep the reader glued to the text. So much intrigue and sacrifice is going on.