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

Post 200! LOL, yeah, it's a pretty solid line of condemnation and understanding on Leia's part.

 

Great post! The anger and bitterness between them is so perfect.

"I don't trust myself, either, which is why I allow a dozen guards, my future son-in-law included."

That line really stood out in my mind, just because he said 'allow.' Great job!

 

Yes, the allow was very important.

 

I've like how you've woven in the ROTS events. Very nice.

 

Thanks. I'm glad that's turning out all right.

 

Really like the way these two are getting along. It's more realistic than others I have read. Not to say that those wern't good, but I can see Leia having a lot of inner conflict. And Vader/Anikin, whichever you prefer being rapt with uncertainty. Beautifuly portrayed.

 

I'm glad you like that inherent conflict which, I think, is one of the more important things about this story.

 

The trial was coming together piecemeal, with format decided upon one night, admissibility of charges another. Usually, she or Luke would be the one to mention the decision to their father.

Tonight, however, the matter that they had deliberated was serious enough that Mon Mothma had asked her to be the personal envoy of the High Command.

She was simply unsure that she could do it.

It was a cruel duty and an unusual punishment that brought her finally to the cramped quarters assigned to the prisoner.

She was not on an errand of mercy or to tell him something surprising. Indeed, he would have known this time would come from the moment he decided to return with Luke.

But they had both probably hoped it would come in a less personal way.

"It might be best coming from someone he knows," Mon Mothma explained mildly. "He has hard days ahead..."

"He doesn't know me," Leia snapped, fists clenched beneath the table. "He knows me as a punching bag, a bargaining chip, or an enemy, not as a daughter."

She had never spoken this harshly to Mon Mothma, never chosen to fight the woman who had led the Rebellion when all other helps failed. She had never fought back because there was rarely something to argue against. Mothma was a woman who would have done well on Alderaan, but now she was asking something beyond the Minister of State's capacity.

She still had yet to meet Leia's gaze.

"Nevertheless," Mothma continued blandly, "he must know and it is not my place to inform him."

She had tried logic, arguing, or even pleading, but nevertheless, her efforts resulted in her standing in a helpless state outside an unmarked door flanked by guards.

"Minister," Lieutenant Varsch, a Corellian, greeted. "We didn't expect to see you around this corner."

She offered a wan, forced smile. "Duty calls, gentlemen. Anything to report?"

There were glances exchanged, but no deceptions. Only a bit of sheepish fear. "Been quiet as a tomb in there, Leia," Wedge Antilles reported. "He's not given us the slightest trouble."

"Even thanks us every time we come in," the Varsch butted in. "For the food, for our attention to duty. It's blasted unnerving."

She understood exactly what they meant. She was unsure herself how to deal with the man emerging from the shadows of Vader, if she could even believe that there was such a thing.

It had to be difficult for all of them. Each of the fewer than a dozen people that knew about the situation had a very concrete reason to dispense their own brand of justice. For Wedge, it was anything from the millions of innocents he had seen murdered to the friends he had lost throughout this endless war. For Varsch, it was many things, but most prominently, his wife and unborn child. He had come back from the victory at Endor to find his fighter pilot wife in critical condition and had arrived in time to hold her hand as she left this life.

As for herself, it was too extensive a list to even begin to count.

And yet, they were willing to do their duty, to see justice done, even when they had begun to reestablish that justice only a few days ago.

Clasping their shoulders, her smile became genuine. "You're good men," she assured them. "I trust you with this task and I thank you for your diligence. I know it can't be easy."

Not for any of us.

Grin wide, Wedge turned, entering the security code. "Will you be wanting an escort?"

For a moment, she was sorely tempted by the offer, could use a friendly face in there, but there was no amount of comfort that could make this bearable for her. She would have to face this madness sooner or later and if she waited, she would most likely not be able to handle it as well as today.

"No, thanks."

The door slid open and she passed wordlessly into the chamber.

The lights were at half-strength, the man's eyesight not yet accustomed to life without the eyeshields, so she could see his hulking form, sitting on the bed, but she could not distinguish his features. A small comfort, since she had no particula

 

I love that bit. Especially the line about the stars. They've been the only constant in Anakin's life, and they remain that way now.

Can we have some Luke and Ani scenes? Please?

 

Yes, coming tomorrow or friday, depending on my mood.

 

I loved every bit of this chapter, from the listing of all that the Empire had done to the Rebellion to the last with Leia asking if Anakin cursed Leia for being like Padme.

More please?

EDIT: I don't know what Anakin/Vader you're using Ishy, but I picture Sabastian Shaw in this. Maybe it's just because I have cherished memories of the OT or something. But I see your writing of Vader in this and I see Shaw.

 

Yes, I wrote the original version before Hayden-insertion, so it's Sebastian Shaw Vader. I'm glad you liked this. It's actually mostly direct from the old version because I thought this version of that exposition had so much power that I couldn't detract from it without hating myself.

 

Hi, DarthIsh. I've just started reading, and I'm interested and hooked already. I'm trying to catch up, just wanted to let you know.

 

Thanks for reading, Briman!

 

I didn't really like the "paste Hayden into ROTJ" thing.
It's funny though, how I still had Sebastian Shaw stuck in my mind while I was
reading this!

He just strikes me as a better Anakin post Vader. Besides, Obi Wan didn't revert in ROTJ to look like he did in ROTS, so why did Anakin have to?

 

And besides, having post-ROTJ Anakin look like a Canadian with a bad haircut would be weird.

 

Wow, this is so good that it's got me on the Beyond board. Love how all the different roles Leia plays in relation to Anakin are affecting her. I'll definitely have to watch this one.

 

AHHHH! I missed the post AGAIN! How do I keep doing that???

Oh well - Leia not trusting anyone to defend Anakin except her is quite interesting. I feel so bad for her, being stuck in such a position.

 

raisedbywolves--Wow, this is so good that it's got me on the Beyond board. Love how all the different roles Leia plays in relation to Anakin are affecting her. I'll definitely have to watch this one.

LOL, that's flattering. I'm glad yo ulike this.

Laura_Anu--AHHHH! I missed the post AGAIN! How do I keep doing that???

Oh well - Leia not trusting anyone to defend Anakin except her is quite interesting. I feel so bad for her, being stuck in such a position.

It's simple, you get guilt trips once a week and speed-read everything I've written. And Leia chose that position.

 

Hey, it's not speed reading...speed reading was when I read "Pilgram's Progress" - I finished the book, and had no idea what the heck happened.

And I don't get guilt trips...very frequently. I was only guilted into reading a fic ONE TIME. But not by you, so no worries.

Oh, and I can't remember - is Padme dead in this? I'm sure that you've already covered that, but I just can't remember, and i know she lived in the first one.

 

Um, you'll see...

If you need a guilt trip, I have a few fics that aren't being read at all.

 

I'll be updating this properly tomorrow morning, which is why I'm not posting tonight. I don't want to be a dork.

 

OOoooooo...well, I guess I'll just have to keep on reading, since you won't tell me if Padme's alive or dead...

 

That'll be resolved...in a while.

 

I'm getting closer, Ish, I can almost smell the newer posts