Disclaimer:
I do not own any part of the Star Wars franchise or any of its characters. I have not been paid for any of the stories posted on FanFiction or elsewhere. What you read here are simply the products of my own imagination based on the universe created by George Lucas .
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Author's Note:
This is actually the fourth story in my "Brenna" series (after "Skywalker's Legacy" posted by me as Nadahnefu, then "Prophecy's Child," then "The Face in the Shadows.") There is also the "prequel" to my little series, published in FFN by me under the pen name "DeniseH" (ran out of available document space under "Denisea") and entitled "The Legion Renewed." So if you want to read that backstory, go look for it under "DeniseaH".
And, as always, if you like any of my stories, a review is much appreciated. And if you don't like it, well...
This story is probably my favorite. I might mention that I have a personal connection to "victim's rights." The son of my Mom's best friend (a nice kid, who tried to teach me how to do flips off a diving board), along with another teen, was murdered many years ago. The killer was caught and sentenced to "life," but every now and then comes up for parole review. My Mom's friend was instrumental in getting the voice of the victim's family heard at the parole hearings, and has the pen used to sign that into law. She still makes her voice heard whenever the murderer becomes eligible for parole, and the killer is still sitting in jail.
Of course, Brenna's situation is different. But I got to thinking, what would happen if a society's whole justice system was based on victim's rights, and that's basically how this story came about. It was always intended to be the end of my little series, but then I started coming up with other ideas: "Shadows of the Mind," which brings back Elaan; "The Healing Circle," which brings back Jenin; "The Wizard of Kastral," which is solely about Jenin (and her new apprentice, no Luke or Brenna); and "Slaver's Grip," which introduces a couple of new characters and explores somewhat the idea that Rupert has some siblings out there. But these stories aren't anywhere closed to finished yet. "The Justice of Clan Tahl," however, has been finished for a long time, even read by a friend or two, but hitherto unpublished...
I hope you enjoy.
-Denisea
The Justice of Clan Tahl
Prologue
Brenna closed her eyes and waited for the knock she was expecting. Another spasm came over her, but the pain was not great. Then it passed, and the knock came.
"Enter," Brenna said, and Devon Martuk came into the room. Fortunately, she didn't have to stand up. One wasn't expected to stand with a belly the size of a matra fruit.
"You wanted to see me?" he asked.
She indicated the computer on her desk. "I've prioritized the financial needs of the Center for you. If you follow the list in that order, you should be able to handle things fairly well."
Devon looked at it, then said, "The engineers have finished their report. They say that the ground has shifted under Building Nine, and it needs a new foundation before it collapses."
"Then put that at the top of the list."
"Before the communications equipment?"
Brenna sighed. "It won't do us much good to have the equipment if we don't have a place to put it."
He hesitated. "What if something else comes up that's not on your list?"
"Then use your best judgment. You can handle it."
"You'd handle it better."
"Look, Devon, stop arguing with me. I have to do this."
"No. You have to have a baby. You don't have to take off for Deities know where, for Deities know how long."
"Never mind. I don't expect you to understand. Ask Norla to get me a secure com-line as soon as one is available on your way out, would you?"
"Sarcopia?"
She gave him a look that challenged him to argue with her. "Yes."
Martuk knew better than to try to get her to listen to reason. He simply nodded and started back for the door.
The cramping came over her again.
"Devon?" Brenna said, her tone stopping him in his tracks.
Devon Martuk turned and saw her fingers tightened convulsively on the arms of the chair "Are you all right?" he asked.
Brenna nodded. "Fine. But you're right about one thing. I am going to have this baby. Would you do me another favor?"
"Anything." Martuk said.
"Would you...track down Rupert and my father, and have them meet me at the med-center, please? You can take me as soon as I finish sending my message. The baby's coming..."
The Justice of Clan Tahl
Chapter One
Han Solo, the second in his family to bear that name, was born at twenty-thirteen standard time on standard calendar date 4590417. The delivery was classified as "normal," although, in fact, it was actually the first delivery to occur on Croyus Four since the native life had been wiped out in the Clone Wars. Neither mother nor baby suffered any undue complications, but the mother insisted that the baby's medically monitored crib be placed next to her own bed. She spent every moment she could with her newborn son, to the point where the infant actually spent very little time in the crib. Typically, the medical staff could only take him from his mother's arms when she was asleep. She even insisted upon changing all the diapers herself.
The baby's father, too, spent most of his time in the room, leaving only when the hospital staff insisted. Only the grandfather kept to regular visiting hours.
There were very few patients at the med-center, and so it was not difficult for the mother's husband and father to convince her doctors to keep her at the med-center longer than usual rather than send her home as soon as one might ordinarily expect, especially when a whisper or two about the reasons to keep her and a little pressure from Dr. Tibbik were applied. But eventually, her body healed itself of the worst of the ravages of childbirth, and the doctors could no longer find excuses to keep her there. As Brenna packed the few belongings she had brought with her, the baby lay sleeping in his hospital crib for perhaps the longest time during the mother's waking hours since he had been born.
Rupert watched her until she was finished closing the small travel bag, and stood up to face him. He held out to her a small box. She looked at it, then at him.
"It's for you," he said.
She took it, raised the lid slowly. Inside was a gold heart on a gold chain. She lifted it out of the case by the chain, letting the heart dangle. The chain was a simple chain, but the heart had a delicate filigree design. "It's beautiful," she said softly.
"Look inside."
It was a locket. She found the latch mechanism and used her fingernail to activate it. It would not come open accidentally.
The two halves of the heart, joined by miniature hinges, lay on her open palm. Inside there was a tiny braid, painstakingly woven from three small locks of hair. She recognized the locks without having to ask: the dark, thicker strands had come from Rupert; the silver-and-white strands had come from her father; and the fine, soft reddish-gold strands had come from the baby. Brenna touched the braid, then looked back up at her husband. Three small locks of hair. Three large reasons not to go.
"Stay?" Rupert begged.
"I can't."
It was the same answer she always gave.
She looked down at the locket in her hand, closed it, and then stretched up to kiss her husband. There was more meaning in the kiss than a simple thank-you for the present. It was a good-bye, as well.
She broke the kiss off first, then held the necklace out to him. "Would you put it on for me?"
She turned her back to him and lifted her hair with her hands, and so did not see the grim expression on her husband's face as he fastened the chain around her neck.
But Rupert's father-in-law saw, and laid a reassuring hand on the younger man's arm. Luke dropped the hand as Brenna turned back around.
"Thank you," Brenna said simply. Then she went to the crib and picked up the baby with practiced movement. The infant stirred, but did not awaken. Luke picked up her bag and the baby's carryall, and waited. Rupert could do little except follow his wife out of the room. He didn't try to take the baby from her, but caught up with her and put a hand around her waist.
Outside of the med-center, Devon Martuk was waiting with the ground-transport, one of the few such vehicles actually on Croyus Four. It held two occupants per seat. Luke put the bags he was carrying into the boot, and moved to the front with Martuk. Rupert helped Brenna into the next seat back with the baby, and climbed in after her. Martuk activated the passenger restraining system, and pulled away from the med-center, heading for the docking bay.
Not one word was spoken on the trip. It had all been said already. Martuk took them right to the Millenium Falcon's gangplank, and stopped.
Brenna allowed herself to be helped out of the transport, but stopped at the bottom of the gangplank, turned, kissed her husband, and carefully transferred the baby to his arms.
Luke, meanwhile, had taken her bag from the boot. The baby's carryall he left. Little Han would not be going with his mother on this trip.
Brenna started to take her bag from him when he got to the gangplank, but he held onto it.
"You need a pilot," Luke said. "Your doctor hasn't cleared you for flying yet, especially not for a long distance trip like one to Sarcopia."
"Devon said he'd get me a pilot," she said.
"So he has. I'm qualified."
"You still won't be allowed into the Chamber of Councils."
"You still need a pilot," Luke reminded her.
She shrugged. "I guess I've got one."
"Why don't you start warming her up, while I do a quick inspection?"
Luke, Rupert, and Devon watched her go up the ramp to the interior of the ship.
Rupert handed the baby into Devon Martuk's somewhat awkward arms, and accompanied Luke to the underbelly of the Falcon. "I wish we could stop her."
Luke jiggled a connection, found it tight. "Me, too, Rupert, but I don't think we can."
"She can do a Hell of a lot more good working as the administrator of a rescue facility than rotting in some prison in the middle of nowhere."
"I'm open to any ideas you might have on how to get her to change her mind."
"I know I promised I wouldn't interfere, but...couldn't we just hog-tie her and take her to some nice, quiet, out-of-the-way little asteroid?"
Luke understood Rupert's emotions. Like himself, his son-in-law had never approved this quest of Brenna's, and now that zero hour had arrived, he liked it even less. Knowing Rupert, he'd probably been serious about hog-tying Brenna. "We could, but I think her private demons would follow us, no matter how far we traveled or how well we tried to hide our tracks."
"At least it might buy us some time. She's going through that post-partum depression thing, right? Once she's had a chance to get used to the baby, and us being a family…"
"Your son is too young to go planet-hopping," Luke pointed out, interrupting him, and ignoring the fact that Brenna's decision had been made when she first decided to keep the baby, well before post-partum. "And I don't think Brenna's going to let herself get used to being part of a family until this thing is behind her." He checked a suspicious-looking panel, but it was secure. That was the thing about the Falcon. It looked like it was all going to fall apart any second, but she was, in fact, very solid.
"I don't trust Sarcopian justice. Everything I've read says that their punishments are extremely severe."
"She has to be convicted first."
"I wish I had your faith. But why does it have to be you who goes with her? Why don't you stay and take care of the baby, and I'll fly her to Sarcopia. It is my ship, you know."
Luke turned and regarded him calmly. "There are three reasons why I should be the one to go with her. First, Han is your son. He's not my responsibility. Second, he needs at least one of his parents with him, and he's too young to be spacing. Third, and most important, I have connections on Sarcopia that you don't."
"What do you mean?"
"A friend who can get me into the Chamber of Councils. I've already contacted him. He's expecting me."
Rupert stared at him for a moment, then asked, "Does Brenna know?"
"Do you think she'd let me pilot her, if she did?"
"Why didn't you tell me before?"
"I didn't want to put you in the awkward position of having to keep a secret from your wife. This way you can truthfully say you didn't know anything about it until it was too late to tell her."
"Do you really think this friend of yours can help?"
"Sah'vo owes me a big favor. He's promised me all the resources of his clan, of which I intend to take full advantage, to see that justice is served. He says that the two things Sarcopians pride themselves on the most are their honesty and their fairness, and we can be certain that Brenna will get a fair hearing."
"Luke…according to what I was able to find out, the last time someone was convicted of murder on Sarcopia, the prisoner was starved to death."
"I know."
"If Brenna is convicted….I don't even want to think about it."
"Me, either, Rupert." Luke's inspection was finished. He clapped Rupert on the shoulder and headed back towards the gangplank, holding the younger man back from entering the ship with a firm pressure. He traded final looks with Rupert, then headed up the gangplank to take his daughter to her murder trial.