Beyond - Legends Lest Ye Be Judged--Vader war crimes trial--Voted Best All-Around, thanks!

LOL. I'd write today, except my computer is busted and I'm at a place where you can only get on in 10-minute increments.

 

Ouch, well, at least it will give me a chance to catch up without having you posting more, not that it is a bad thing.

 

LOL, yes. The advantage.

 

10 mins connection?! Whoa, that is unfair. Oh well, it gives you more time to beta it . . .

 

Yes, and now I've got 105 minutes to get it finished up and posted before I have to change computer labs.

 

"Still surviving?"

Leia leaned back, shooting an amused glance at her brother who was lurking in the doorway. "As best as can be expected," she retorted. "What are you doing up this late at night?"

"Early in the morning," he corrected. "I've got duty patrol in an hour and thought I'd see if my insane other half had time to get breakfast."

"Only if you're willing to share my company with a few thousand thoughts," she sighed. "I don't know how I have time to sleep."

"According to the guards, you don't," he countered. "Not in the last three days."

She scowled, but turned away so he couldn't see it.

"I know you're scowling," he accused.

I miss the old days when I could have a feeling without you wanting to intrude on it. It's the sort of thing that your father... Our father...

He would do it.

That's what made me afraid of your powers in the first place.

"Can't hide anything from a Jedi, eh?" she snorted.

"Can't hide anything from a brother," he reminded. "I know you too well."

He reached out, taking her hand to pull her to her feet, then knocked the datapad from her hands before she could protest.

"You said a few thousand thoughts," he explained. "You never said anything about a few thousand thoughts and the research to go with them."

She made a small noise of protest for his sake, teasing him gently, but he ignored it. Her hand slid around his elbow, then down his forearm to clasp his hand.

"Thanks for rescuing me," she said quietly.

"Ah," he grunted. "I thought we'd have to give you some food to get you to say that."

"It's early in the morning," she responded. "I'm more docile at this point."

"I'll keep that in mind for future reference," he assured her.

"That's what I'm afraid of."

Since it was just before dawn, the mess hall was virtually deserted, which had the advantage of giving them some privacy and the disadvantage of allowing their voices to carry with surprising ease. They were silent as they retrieved the food and found seats at a corner table, but as soon as they had relative seclusion, their barriers dropped.

"So, what was last night's project?"

"Well," she sighed, "now that we've established that this will be a civilian trial, we have the need to establish what kind of civilian trial."

"Meaning..."

"He was born on Tatooine, lived on Coruscant, got married on Naboo, and was arrested on Endor," she recited. "The New Republic, until we have our formal judiciary in place, will respect Old Republic laws with the caveat that, if requested, we will respect the individual judicial systems of native worlds."

"Which means Father has four native judiciaries to choose from?" Luke guessed.

"Well," she amended with a grimace, "two. He did not have citizenship or rights on Tatooine, because property was not afforded such an honor."

"And Endor isn't strictly habited," Luke agreed, "unless he wants to be judged by Ewok law."

"I don't think they have a death sentence," she mused, "just a lifetime sentence to clean up after the harvest."

His smile was genuine, but the remark about a death sentence obviously did not sit well with him. At least he didn't bother to argue with her this early in the morning.

"I wouldn't wish a lifetime of farming on anyone," he said simply.

"Good," she said shortly, "then he's left with Naboo and Coruscanti or the general provisions of the Old Republic courts."

"And you were trying to decide what was in his best interests?"

"Exactly," she said.

"And your conclusions?"

"The Naboo would be best," she admitted, fork prodding at the piece of meat on the right side of the plate as her eyes focused somewhere over his right elbow.

"But," he prompted.

"But there are certain complications that it would bring."

He let out a quiet burst of laughter at her choice of words. "We're trying our own father for the war crimes of the last two and a half decades," he pronounced. "What isn't complicated about it?"

Finally, her smile returned tentatively, but her ey

 

Curse you Ish! Always updating when I'm not looking

 

LOL, so what did you think of the post while you weren't looking?

 

I haven't read it yet, Ish, I'm still catching up. I'm on page 5 now, but I'm really enjoying it.

 

LOL, okay, I"ll be patient. It was just an odd thing to say.

 

Leia is such a workaholic. I like seeing brother/sister interaction.

 

Yeah, she's a workaholic. Or at least, I figured that if she was bad in the Zahn trilogy, she had already mellowed with age.

 

Nothing is ever simple for Leia. I always thought it was easier for her to throw herself into work than confront her own feelings. She has got quite a job ahead of her, with her father and with herself.

 

Yes, it is easier to put yourself into work rather than face your feelings.

 

So, Naboo has different laws than Coruscant? That's cool, I always just figured they all went by the same "intergalactic" laws!! Sounds good to me! I wonder what the special part about Naboo is...other than maybe we'll get to see Padme...

 

LOL, you're dying to know if she'll be in this, I swear. Okay, here's the scoop:

Padme is alive. She was reported dead 10 years after ROTS, as in keeping with the universe of In Sickness and In Health, but that was a ploy by Palpatine's agents. She is, in fact, in a prison camp and will be liberated while Luke's looking for someone else. This is in keeping with Lest Ye Be Judged, version one. In this version, however, she will not die before the trial is over, but I'm not saying nothing about after!

 

Nice scoop, Ish. And nice update! Loved the sister/brother interaction! ::grins::

 

Thanks and enjoy this next post.
*****
Leia couldn't pinpoint the exact reason why, but at some time just before dawn, she awoke with her breath catching in her lungs and her eyes darting frantically about the room, seeking out the source of the half-perceived danger.

Instead of finding wraiths on the prowl or demons of vision, she found only empty shadows and unoccupied corners. Nevertheless, the sensation of something wrong did not fade.

Not here.

She automatically threw back the covers and her feet barely registered the freezing touch of the floor as she hastened to her storage cubicle.

There was no time to dress properly and it seemed ridiculous to be belting her holster over her nightgown and robe, but there was also no time to be concerned with appearances. She slipped her feet into low-heeled shoes, grabbed her commlink off the bedside table, and was out of the door and headed towards the east wing within a minute of awakening.

She was hardly surprised to find Luke approaching from the opposite direction and he, despite having full knowledge of her hostility towards Vader, did not seem surprised in the slightest to see her.

?Any idea of what this might be about?? she asked breathlessly. ?I just sensed danger??

He grimaced, but did not answer, simply handed her a datapad.

It was standard Intelligence report format, with a security classification that should have kept Luke from ever seeing it.

It took only six words for her to realize what had inspired the danger sense.

?Confirmed location of Vader at Noquivzor.?

?Oh, Sith,? she snarled, slapping the anunciator chime. ?I don?t have time to read this, so just give me the vile details.?

?Apparently,? Luke said grimly, ?Imperial Intelligence took an interest in whether or not the Alliance was harboring Imperial prisoners. They were able to access medical records and match genetic specifications. Alliance Intelligence intercepted the results and some??

He seemed unable to find the words to curse such a person, just shook his head.

?And this appeared on your datapad when??

?Not just mine,? he retorted. ?Every datapad that?s linked to the base?s mainframe.?

She swore vehemently, then pressed the chime once more. Han opened immediately and ushered them in without a word.

?We have to get him out,? Leia said shortly. ?At the very least, every person on duty will know about this and we don?t know??

?Security already reports a crowd heading our way,? Merije Chaf reported. ?We might have to fight our way out.?

?That,? Luke said quietly, ?is what a lightsaber?s for.?

Leia rounded on him, eyes blazing. ?These are our allies, whether they still realize it or not,? she snapped. ?I?m not letting you??

?I?m not letting me either,? he soothed. ?It?s just a deterrent. ?People aren?t too fond of things that can bisect them in two seconds flat. I?ll act as rear guard to make sure??

There was the sound of splintering wood and they turned abruptly to stare at the door, which, being old-fashioned, wouldn?t last long.

?How about you act as the vanguard first and we assume we all know the plan?? Han suggested.

?Best idea I?ve heard all night,? Leia agreed.

Luke ignited his saber automatically, then sliced away what was left of the rapidly disintegrating door. Immediately, he had to snap the saber to the left to deflect a bolt into the ceiling, then stepped through, wrists twisting and angling to catch the rest.

?Quick,? he called over his shoulder. ?I don?t want to wait for them to get reinforcements.?

?We should stay here.?

It was the first time Anakin had spoken since they arrived and a quick look at his face suggested that this was a more suicidal suggestion than a pragmatic one.

?Get him out of here,? she commanded Merije, ?before he gets delusions of nobility.?

She was the last to leave the room, sprinting to catch up to Han with Luke following closely behind.

?Any suggestions on a haven?? Anakin panted.

?We?re going to the Falcon,? Han bit out.

 

Just a quick reply, I've got to go somewhere in two minutes and I need to change...but I'll edit later to tell you more than THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE 411!!! You're my favorite.

 

LOL, my pleasure with the 411. Now it'll keep you from mentioning it in every response.

 

?Well,? the older woman admitted quietly, ?this could have been handled better.?

That's an understatement. Wonder how Leia will be viewed on Coruscant?

 

My favourite line . . . uh, lines!

?I?m not letting me either,? he soothed. ?It?s just a deterrent. ?People aren?t too fond of things that can bisect them in two seconds flat. I?ll act as rear guard to make sure??

There was the sound of splintering wood and they turned abruptly to stare at the door, which, being old-fashioned, wouldn?t last long.

?How about you act as the vanguard first and we assume we all know the plan?? Han suggested.



This is more like it!! And thanks for the spoiler regarding the Naboo suprise!

 

Is going to Imperial Center realy a good idea?

 

Juliet316--?Well,? the older woman admitted quietly, ?this could have been handled better.?

That's an understatement. Wonder how Leia will be viewed on Coruscant?

LOL, yes, that was a bit of the understatement of the year. I imagine she'll be viewed very unfavorably on Coruscant because of who she is as a daughter of Vader, but also who she represents. They will probably see her being his defense attorney as indicative of her loyalties and priorities.

Sethathoryunet--My favourite line . . . uh, lines!

?I?m not letting me either,? he soothed. ?It?s just a deterrent. ?People aren?t too fond of things that can bisect them in two seconds flat. I?ll act as rear guard to make sure??

There was the sound of splintering wood and they turned abruptly to stare at the door, which, being old-fashioned, wouldn?t last long.

?How about you act as the vanguard first and we assume we all know the plan?? Han suggested.

LOL, I like the last one best.

This is more like it!! And thanks for the spoiler regarding the Naboo suprise!

LOL, you're welcome.

ccp--Is going to Imperial Center realy a good idea?

Definitely not.

 

Oh, I can still mention it every time I reply. Ahem. [face_annoying_Laura]Is Padme in this?? [/Face_annoying_Laura]



?Gone?? Leia repeated dubiously. ?I?d think execution to be a slightly drastic measure for me.?

Nice little bit of humor, in a very scary post! I was afraid Janson was going to open fire on them for a minute, but then I remembered you're not killing people on screen anymore, so everyone would be okay. Mon Mothma is way cool in this, nice to see her not as the evil dictator that I usually like to think of her as!