Star Wars: Cross Paths
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Chapter 85 – The Trial
Luke was sitting with his baby on his lap, in his apartment, still playing with his toy and babbling, completely unaware what was going on. Luke couldn't believe what just happened, an hour ago the Guards of the New Republic arrested Ines, charging for treason. According to Leia, the Senate received a valid information that a Talia member survived the destruction of their Planet Alderaan, and that person worked all along for the Empire and the Emperor. Of course the only Talia family member who survived was Ines, so of course they arrested her right away. But what hurt him was the fact that he step back when she tried to hug him. How could he have done that? He knew she was innocent. He knew that she was not that person and now she must thinking he believes in those accusations.
Leia entered and he looked up at her, holding his son closer to him
"Leia, you know Ines is innocent. How the Senate can think of that? She is married with me."
Leia sat down next to him
"I know. I believe in her innocence as well, but I can't do anything alone Luke. I'm just one person"
"What is going to happen to my wife?"
"She will have a trial later in the Senate, where she can be heard and it depends on the vote of the Senate she can get free or if they think she is guilty she can get live sentence for treason or execution"
Luke gasped
"I will not allow that. Leia there is something we can do to prove she is innocent"
"Look, Han is doing that right now with Lando. I believe we can prove Ines is innocent."
Luke nod. Somehow the force kept telling him to be patience.
"Where is she?"
"In the capital prison" she replied to him
"I need to see her"
"Luke I don't think they allowed her to get any visit"
"I can handle that."
Standing up, Leia looked at him and to her nephew who smile at her, making her smile
"The trial is in an hour. Chewie can stay here with him" Leia told him making Luke smiled at her
"Thanks. I'll be there" and kissing his son head he handle to Chewie and left to capital prison. He needed to see his wife and tell her how much he was sorry for his reaction.
Capital Prison:
Luke entered inside the Prison and walked the stairs to the first floor. At the entrance of the prison, the guard was sitting on his chair. The first moment he saw Luke he stood up and walked towards him.
"I want to see my wife" he asked "Her name is…" he started
"I know who you are Master Skywalker. I'm sorry but the prisoner is not allow to have visitors. So I can't let you enter"
Luke sighed. Looking at the guard, he moved his right hand and said
"You will allow to visit my wife"
The guard looked at him and straighten up he repeated
"I will allow you to visit your wife"
Luke continue
"You will take me to my wife's cell"
"I will take you to your wife's cell"
"Move along" Luke said
"Move along" the guard said and stepping aside, he allow Luke to entered the room and he took him to the prison cell where Ines was.
Ines was sitting alone in her prison cell. She had her head resting on her hands. How the senate could think something like that of her? If she was working for the Empire all along why she would be with Luke all these years?
Luke she thought.
His face when he heard that accusation but specially the fact that he step back when she tried to touch him, hurt her. Did he think she was a traitor? That would kill her more than the Senate. Closing her eyes she started sobbing, feeling alone.
Hearing steps she looked up and saw the guard standing at her cell and opening the door he spoke
"You have a visit. Make it quick" he said and stepping aside Luke entered inside, while the guard closed it and left.
The moment they stood alone, Luke walked towards her and pulled into a hug, letting Ines sobbing on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry my love by my reaction earlier in the Temple." he said and made her look at him "I know you are innocent. And the force is tell us to be patience."
"I know but the only thing I wanted was for you to believe in me and knowing that it is enough. But the force keeps telling me that too."
Luke smiled and wipe her tears and kissed her
"How did you enter? I thought I was not allow to have visits! You use the Jedi mind trick, didn't you?"
Luke nod
"I needed to see you and tell you I believe in you"
Ines smiled and hugged him again. She loved being in his arms and even knowing that the force was on their side, she was afraid this was the last time she would be like this with him.
"What is going to happen?"
"You will have a trial in front of the Senate and then they will vote if you are innocent or guilty"
"Luke, if they think I'm guilty I will be execute for treason" she told him
"That is not going to happen. I know and you know it too. Let trust the force my love. I have to go the Senate. Han and Lando are doing something to prove your innocence."
Ines nod and smiled when Luke kissed her. If he believe in her and the force was on their side then she would calm down. She just hope Han would be able to do that before it was too late.
Senate Building:
An hour later, Ines was standing, with binders around her wrists, facing the Senate and its Senators. She looked at Leia who sitting on her place and then to Luke who was sitting aside, being allowed to watch the trial.
Mon Mothma stood up and started to speak, looking at Ines
"Ines Talia Skywalker, I believe you know why you are in, facing the Senate, don't you?"
Ines looked at her and nod
"Yes Ma'am"
"You were accused of treason, for conspiring against the Alliance and the Republic and working alongside the Empire and the Emperor. What do you have to say in your defense?"
"I'm innocent" she said right away.
"We got an information that a member of the Talia family worked all along for the Empire and the Emperor and that family member left Alderaan right before it was destroyed. Did you left Alderaan before the Empire blew it up?" Admiral Ackbar asked
"Yes, but I got a message from Senator Leia to meet her in Tatooine" Ines said
"How convenient, don't you think?" Senator Tamzi Goff said right away
"If I may say something she is telling the truth. I did sent that message to her" Leia replied looking at him
"This is absurd. If I worked for the Empire don't you think Luke would notice that?" Ines asked them "I killed Shira. Why would I kill a companion?"
"Maybe because you were afraid that she would reveal to whom you real work" Senator Jokba from Corulus, which made the other Senators nod.
Ines sighed.
"The fact is, there is a Talia who is alive that worked and still works for the Empire, and you are the only Talia alive. Not to mention that Senator Organa message for Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi don't mention you. Why?" Senator Leonor from Naboo
"I don't know why" she answer
"I can answer that: I didn't know if Ines had got my message so I prefer not to mention her. If she got it, I knew she would meet him" Leia informed
"Once again very convenient" Senator Goff spoke
"Besides she got pregnant with Luke child and the Empire drugged her and took her to the Death Star" Leia continue.
"Because that was the only way she would be there with him. And maybe that was her job, get a child from Skywalker" Goff continue.
The Senators started talking, making Ines looked at them. They didn't believe in her innocence.
Mon Mothma raised her hands and the room stayed quiet.
"We need to vote now. Who thinks she is innocent raise your hand"
Luke looked around and only count a dozen of hands, including Mon Mothma and Admiral Ackbar and of course Leia
"Who thinks she is guilty?"
Most of the hands raise, making Luke bow his head. Ines looked at him and with tears in her eyes she told him through the force since she knew what that meant.
I will always love you Luke
Luke looked up and looked at her
I love you forever
"Ines Talia Skywalker as for decision of the Senate, you are found guilty of treason and with that you are sentence to execution" Mon Mothma said with sorry look in her eyes.
The guards entered the room ready to take Ines away, when Han and Lando entered in the room. Leia looked at them and ran towards them. After a while she spoke to the guards
"Stop!"
The room went quiet
"Let her go" she order the guards
"Senator Organa what are you doing?" Ackbar asked her
"I just got the proof that Ines is innocent"
"How?"
Leia nod to Lando and stepping forward he spoke
"A few days ago we got some suspicious gentleman. He said his name was Fabio and he was there for his business. I didn't find anything bad, but then my people started to tell me that he was starting to get questions, and into places that he shouldn't. We got surveillance camera and yesterday they sent me. Han and I ran his face through the data and we got an identification" he said and putting the little disk, the holo showed a gentleman around 28 years old. The image stop when his face was revealed and Ines gasped when she saw the young man face, so did Leia's.
"Who is this man?" Mon Mothma asked
"There is another Talia member that is alive" Leia said
"What do you mean?"
"Because that man in the holo is my brother Edmar" Ines spoke, making everyone in the Senate whispered.
Ackbar looked at Mon Mothma and nodding she spoke
"As we can see there is evidence that Ines Talia Skywalker is not the only Talia alive, meaning this young man left the planet for some reason. I vote in her innocence"
Luke looked around and sighed when only Goff and two more Senators didn't vote.
"Ines Talia Skywalker as for the decision of the Senate you are innocent of all charges and please, accepted our apologies"
With that the guards took the binders from Ines wrists and once she was free Luke ran towards and took her into his arms and kissed right there, not caring if the Senators were seeing, he wanted them to see that Ines would never worked from the Emperor.
"I told you the force was on our side my love"
"I know but Luke, my brother betrayed us all along. One of my brothers is alive and he is a traitor." she told him with pain in her eyes.
Pulling into her arms, he knew what she was feeling.
So, Ines middle brother, Edmar is alive, and he worked all along for the Empire. But what he is doing in Bespin and what is he looking for?