HEROES AND VILLAINS By Kondoru.
Alternative ending to RotJ
Standard Disclaimers.
Thanks to Budgie for Beating.
Chapter Thirteen; Hard Labour.
Anakin Skywalker shrugged his shoulders, twitching the webbing in to a more comfortable position. He had eaten his nutrient gruel breakfast, managing to not bring it up.
The door opened and Governor Norran came in.
"Good morning."
Anakin narrowed his eyes in obvious distaste "same to you," he growled. He had not had a good night, being plagued with dreams.
"Well, then Basket." Noting his victims doubt he continued "The guards call you Basket, as you are a basket case."
"It could be a lot worse." Anakin agreed humbly.
Governor Norran nodded. "We considered naming you Bedwetter, but half the inmates here are incontinent. We have an awful lot of Bedwetters."
"Thank you very much." Anakin said with relief. "I am working to get over that problem." He was heartily sick of seeing his daughter screw up her face in distaste at his latest excretory efforts. (Part of him took sadistic joy).
"Anyhow, Lady Mon Mothma has Holoed, she has instructions for your servitude." He smiled. "Hard labour, but something you even with your physical limitations are capable of."
Basket managed not to sigh; He was about to be subjected to the red headed lady's considerable ingenuity.
"She has put you in charge of addressing the prison overcrowding problem."
Anakin made a face that suggested that he and his wayward daughter were adding to this.
"The Alliance have agreed that a blanket pardon will not work; many convicts are real criminals and most don't seem to have a place to go to; releasing them will not be in anyone's interests." Governor Norran started.
Anakin nodded thoughtfully to himself. "Mon Mothma's thought this out well." (He was not surprised).
"Your task is to review each convicts file; judge if they should be freed, contact their families if they have them, and arrange transport home."
"Ah"
"In return for this work I will see to it you live in reasonable comfort; in fact if you are diligent, in a few years' time I will see to it you are sent somewhere just as secure but more congenial. "
"Hard times." Said Anakin sadly.
"Did you think you were going to get your wrists slapped?" Governor Norran laughed at his joke.
Basket shook his head in agreement. "No, not after all I have done." He had to admit.
"When they are free, you will receive a full pardon...Indeed our Senator has already written you one."
"How many are there?" Anakin asked, heart sinking, sometimes it seemed that the entire population of the Empire was in jail or the military.
The Governor wrinkled his lip. "I don't think anyone knows the true number." He said sadly. "It wouldn't surprise me if it was at least a billion."
Anakin brightened, "looks like I'm going to be busy the next few centuries, eh?"
Anakin wriggled, trying to scratch his back on the chair. Why was he even worrying about this? He had itched abominably in his suit, -and he couldn't scratch then.
He had viewed statistics on the files Mon Mothma had sent him. Though well aware that there were thousands upon thousands of prisons in the Empire, it was brought home to him just how Sando Aqua Monster sized the problem was…And he was set the task to solve it. Mon Mothma really was having a laugh at him! Basket had to smile. He was really getting his just deserts.
He sighed and contacted Mon Mothma over the possibility of allowing his ex-convicts into her military rehabilitation system. Governor Norran was quite right; most had nowhere to go.
It was looking like most of his new responsibilities would be dead of old age before they were released. (Briefly he considered putting them all into stasis…But was sure that Mon Mothma would not regard this as a very good idea.)
He would sleep on this.
In the morning Anakin felt better...He had a plan. Time for action.
He pulled up a random file and selected a subject quite at random. Anakin Skywalker would have used the Force for this; Basket just used his instincts.
Basket contacted the Governor of a labour camp somewhere near Kessel; these details were not important. He introduced himself to the Governor, (Governess actually, though that is not important to the story either). She nodded wisely. Like him she believed in going slow. The warders were sent out for Anakins test subject.
Garro Dderi was a surly looking Mirulan man in his late fifties. Anakin had checked his records and found he had been arrested for sedition, that and a whole string of petty misdemeanours. Anakin laughed to himself. He was going to change all that.
"I am Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker." He announced proudly. (Well, it was mostly true, wasn't it?)
"Ain't any more Jedi." Garro Dderi told him.
Basket was ready for this. "There are a few survivors…I am one of them."
Garro Dderi looked at him with a grim air. "You look like you have been dragged through a black hole backwards." He commented.
"I've been a bit injured." Anakin admitted.
"Where's your hands?"
"Um, yes, I was wondering that myself." Anakin wanted to Force choke the man. "Do you want to see my feet?" He asked politely.
"Naaw."
"That's just as well because I haven't any." Basket played for sympathy.
His new victim just snorted.
"I am here to discuss with you your crimes, sentencing and what to do with you." Basket said. His subject looked around in distaste.
"Nuffin much to say." The Mirulan told him.
"That's helpful." Anakin straightened. "You are hereby found guilty of the crime of Annoying Darth Vader. " Anakin said in what he hoped was a sufficiently legal voice.
"He's dead." Garro Dderi informed.
Anakin shrugged. "Don't look at me, I don't pass these stupid laws, I just enforce them." He made a show of looking at his datapad screen. "The penalty for this is for you to contact and discuss the release of ten of your fellow prisoners." He told the grumpy green skinned man. "Your Governor will be discussing who and how and why when you sign off this holo." Anakin paused, letting it sink in. "The crimes will be like yours, Annoying Darth Vader, and the sentence likewise. And then you will be released yourself." He ended.
"Honestly?"
"Yes. The penalty isn't a very big one."
"What about my other crimes?" Garro Dderi replied suspiciously. If he was pleased at such a light sentence he gave no sign of this.
Basket was ready for this. He had checked. Garro Dderi had a record of several minor crimes, all long ago.
"They aren't very serious ones." Anakin said.
"And who are you to say all this?"
"I'm a Jedi Grandmaster." Anakin reminded him. "Yes, I do have the authority. I'm working for the Senate in the capacity of dealing with the prison problem."
"Huh."
"You can check with your Governor if you like, and Mon Mothma."
"She's the redhead in the Emperors boots?"
Anakin shook his head. "I wouldn't say that in front of her." He warned. "You could get both of us in trouble."
"I have heard that Princess bint is in jail now." Garro Dderi prodded.
Anakin thought a bit more about Force choking. "Yes, you are correct. Leia Organa is in remand for attempted murder of her Father." He smiled to himself. "I am almost certain she will be charged with `Annoying Darth Vader` herself."
The old Mirulan gave a humourless laugh. Anakin signed off. He shook his head sadly. The man would be out of jail in a few days…Yet he had not even bothered to thank the Jedi.
Anakin allowed himself a slight smile; He would be out of here in a few years at most.
Over the next few weeks Anakins pyramid scheme grew and grew. Slowly at first. Anakin only did a few cases each day…He mostly concentrated on the more problematic ones. Soon the trickle of pardons grew to a flood.
"I see you have been busy." Leia told her father at dinner. (She was his feeder that day.)
"I hope you are too." He relieved evenly. Mon Mothma had sent all the really stupidly boring paperwork of the New Republic to keep his daughter busy. He had a feeling she was not having as much fun as he did.
Mon Mothma beamed at her nemesis. "You are doing wonderfully as I thought you would. I'm glad to have such a genius as you on my committee" she praised.
(How many years had it been since he had been spoken to so kindly?) "I'm only doing as you ordered." Basket replied humbly.
"It's a good idea, the petty troublemakers are dealt with quickly and efficiently leaving the difficult cases to be further examined."
"This is what you wanted yes?" Anakin said. "The convicts are keen to help, as a rule, seeing as it's in their interests…plus they are getting a very nice and real crime on their rap sheets…much different from being simply told they are innocent and it's a big mistake." He paused, the Holo flickering. "Are you going to put `Annoying Darth Vader` on the books?"
Mon Mothma nodded to hide her smirk. "Yes." She told him. "I've discussed your living conditions with Governor Norran and he agrees that a slight leniency might be in order. Your behaviour is indeed exemplary."
"I am glad to be of help."
"The senate has voted on your medical treatment. I'm glad to say that every effort will be put into proper surgery that you have been denied for so many years."
He gave a chuckle, "I saw how they enjoyed my operation."
Mon Mothma gave a grim smile but said nothing more.
They would discuss the order of his surgery. It was hoped that his lungs could be restored to most of their former function, his skin could be regrown with bacta treatments. There would be no more infected sores, his limbs would prove difficult to replace without cloning technology, but a full set of the best cybernetics had already been ordered.
Anakin smiled to himself. It was only a few scant months ago that Darth Vader had been hung in chains as proof of Leia's victory.