"We recieved the news exactly one week after the battle of Endor. As my prior instructions indicated I assemblied the troops under my command and prepared to link up the main rebel fleet." Cronin cleared his throat and reached for the glass of water that sat in front of him.
He was seated behind a podium in a small circular room. In front of him sat the members of an Imperial Court. Although most rebels would have you think that justice had no place in the Empire, most Imperials understood that it did. Lady Justice still played an integral role in the day to day lives of most ordinary citizens.
"Go on, Captain Cronin," said the judge sitting directly in front of him. He wore a black gray suit draped with a black cape. The judges white hair had been slicked back, that combined with the high cheek bones gave him the look of nobility.
Cronin nodded at the head judge and began his story in earnest. It was a difficult one to tell, but in order to save his own life, Cronin had been forced to explain to a great number of powerfull Imperials. Several times Cronin was forced to stop and choke back tears. It may sound melodramatic but Cronin was betraying everything he had once held sacred; just to save his own hide.
As he concluded the silence of the room was broken by only a few coughs. The head judge frowned and asked Cronin, "Is that all Captain?"
Cronin nodded glumly. "Yes sir, that is it."
The head judged seemed to explode with life and activity. He stood quickly and in a booming voice, that echoed through out the small circular room, pronounced Cronin guilty of treason, attempted overthrowing of a soveriegn government, and high crimes against the state. Cronin sank in his chair as the last remnants of the judges voice slowly faded from his mind.
He watched in disbelief as the judges stood, none looking directly at him, and walked out of the room. As soon as the last one of them had walked out a squad of Imperial Stormtroopers marched in, their feet drumming out a death beat. The Stormtrooper in charge grabbed Cronin and with the help of another dragged him out of the room.
The head judge was waiting in the cold metallic corridor next to the door. He smiled cruelly when he saw Cronin's distraught face. "I was disappointed you did not disclose all the information available to you, Captain," the judge hissed.
From Cronin's viewpoint the man seemed to stand seven feet tall and had developed all of the intimidation skills of Lord Vader in a mere five minutes. Still Cronin did not speak. The judge ignored Cronin's silence and continued to stare menacingly at the handcuffed traitor for a few more minutes.
"You could have saved yourself, although now I am afraid you will be executed. Such a pity," the judge spit out the last sentence. "But you were not a total waste my friend. Several of your cohorts have been rounded up, they will die just as slowly and painfully as you. How unfortunate." The judges face became that of a very amused predator.
Cronin suddenly went white. He had never ment for his comrades to become captured. That was why he had changed many of the details in his story to protect his friends. This was horrible news. Not only had he failed in saving his own life several of his friends would die because of him.
The judge continued to smile. "You just think about that. You will soon have plenty of time to think, or whatever rebels do when they die."
Only fifteen minutes later Cronin stood erect against a wall, a cloth tied around his eyes. He waited for that last barrage of laser bolts to slam into his frail human body. And as he waited for that final stab of pain before the dark plunge into the abyss of death he reflected on the long story that got him into the situation he was in today.
He was seated behind a podium in a small circular room. In front of him sat the members of an Imperial Court. Although most rebels would have you think that justice had no place in the Empire, most Imperials understood that it did. Lady Justice still played an integral role in the day to day lives of most ordinary citizens.
"Go on, Captain Cronin," said the judge sitting directly in front of him. He wore a black gray suit draped with a black cape. The judges white hair had been slicked back, that combined with the high cheek bones gave him the look of nobility.
Cronin nodded at the head judge and began his story in earnest. It was a difficult one to tell, but in order to save his own life, Cronin had been forced to explain to a great number of powerfull Imperials. Several times Cronin was forced to stop and choke back tears. It may sound melodramatic but Cronin was betraying everything he had once held sacred; just to save his own hide.
As he concluded the silence of the room was broken by only a few coughs. The head judge frowned and asked Cronin, "Is that all Captain?"
Cronin nodded glumly. "Yes sir, that is it."
The head judged seemed to explode with life and activity. He stood quickly and in a booming voice, that echoed through out the small circular room, pronounced Cronin guilty of treason, attempted overthrowing of a soveriegn government, and high crimes against the state. Cronin sank in his chair as the last remnants of the judges voice slowly faded from his mind.
He watched in disbelief as the judges stood, none looking directly at him, and walked out of the room. As soon as the last one of them had walked out a squad of Imperial Stormtroopers marched in, their feet drumming out a death beat. The Stormtrooper in charge grabbed Cronin and with the help of another dragged him out of the room.
The head judge was waiting in the cold metallic corridor next to the door. He smiled cruelly when he saw Cronin's distraught face. "I was disappointed you did not disclose all the information available to you, Captain," the judge hissed.
From Cronin's viewpoint the man seemed to stand seven feet tall and had developed all of the intimidation skills of Lord Vader in a mere five minutes. Still Cronin did not speak. The judge ignored Cronin's silence and continued to stare menacingly at the handcuffed traitor for a few more minutes.
"You could have saved yourself, although now I am afraid you will be executed. Such a pity," the judge spit out the last sentence. "But you were not a total waste my friend. Several of your cohorts have been rounded up, they will die just as slowly and painfully as you. How unfortunate." The judges face became that of a very amused predator.
Cronin suddenly went white. He had never ment for his comrades to become captured. That was why he had changed many of the details in his story to protect his friends. This was horrible news. Not only had he failed in saving his own life several of his friends would die because of him.
The judge continued to smile. "You just think about that. You will soon have plenty of time to think, or whatever rebels do when they die."
Only fifteen minutes later Cronin stood erect against a wall, a cloth tied around his eyes. He waited for that last barrage of laser bolts to slam into his frail human body. And as he waited for that final stab of pain before the dark plunge into the abyss of death he reflected on the long story that got him into the situation he was in today.
