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The Trial of Darth Vader
Chapter 2
Anakin looked around at what he assumed had to be a courtroom. Actually, he had no idea as to whether he was really in a room or not. He'd always thought there would be no need for buildings of any kind in the afterlife. Buildings were meant as shelter, and he just couldn't imagine why anyone would need shelter after they had died. It just didn't seem like there'd be any weather to worry about.
Yet it seemed as if he'd been wrong in that belief. After all, it did appear that he was in a building. Despite that fact, he still couldn't be sure if what he saw was true or not. Obi-Wan and Yoda had brought him straight to the room from the celebration on Endor. The rather short tunnel they'd passed through was a bright light, and it ended in the courtroom. He'd immediately looked behind him to see if he could catch yet another glimpse of Luke and Leia, only to find a set of doors behind him. He didn't remember seeing them open, or seeing Obi-Wan or Yoda open them. Nor had he felt them use the Force to do so.
"Is this real?"
"Real it is, yes," Yoda said.
"As shocking as it may seem Anakin, even in the afterlife there is a strong need for shelter. Perhaps even more so than in the mortal world," Obi-Wan explained. "We do have weather here, but it is different from what you came to know when you were alive. For one, it is dependent upon the balance of the Force. As long as the Force in the mortal world is balanced, the weather in this world tends to be calm, with storms being an occasional problem. But when the balance shifts, the weather changes. Storms arise. If the light side were to rid the mortal world of the dark side, these storms are wind storms. It's a strong and biting wind, cold, sapping one of their energy. But if the dark side becomes the dominant force in the mortal world, the storms become more violent. Tornadoes. Thunder. Lightning. Even a form of other worldly rain that seems to burn when it touches."
"Even in death we can't escape the problems of life," Anakin sighed as he took in what his old master had told him.
"Those who become one with the light side may live forever in relative comfort. But the weather is a reminder of what life was. And bad weather is an understanding of the torment those banished to the lands of the dark side must suffer. Those who are one with the light side see bad weather for a fairly short span of time when the Force is balanced, and so they have shelter to get out of it. Homes, other buildings. Bad weather, as I have already explained, saps one of their energy, and helps to lead to their utter destruction if they can not get out of it. There is very little shelter offered to those who become one with the dark side, all shelter in those lands is purely natural. And the lands of the dark side almost always suffers from poor weather.
"But shelter in the lands of the light side is what we make it. With the exception of natural shelter of course. We can envision our dream home and it will become real. It's really that simple. Even the lowliest street urchin could live in a grand palace here."
"What about food and stores? If there are shelters here then surely people eat and purchase things they need or would like to have."
"Stores! " Yoda asked, more than a little upset. "Money to spend stores require. Material wealth money is. Greed material wealth leads to. The dark side greed leads to. Why sell things when you can just wish them. Exist they will."
"Yes, Yoda is right. It's just like having a home here. If you wish it, it can be yours. Because of that, there is no need to buy things. And you can wish such things away as well. Our minds in this world are what make wishes possible, therefore anything we may wish to own becomes real. Though people still give gifts.
"As for food, there is no real need for it. Food is, of course, meant to sustain you in life. Here, where you live forever, there is no need of something to sustain one. Yet if you wish to eat, you can do so. No harm in it, in fact it might be something one would find to be a simple pleasure.
"And while restaurants and such places do exist, they don't charge. It's the same as with stores, really. Why bother to charge when one can simply wish it to be. But restaurants exist in this life as a place where chefs can still show off their art. People can enjoy what the chefs prepare, and that brings some pleasure to both those who are dining and to the chefs."
Anakin nodded as he listened to both Obi-Wan and Yoda. There was so much to learn here, and yet all of it could be denied to him. All that he learned of the differences between the lands of the light and dark sides made him hope that he'd not end up banished. Palpatine had taught him that the dark side was stronger. Yet here strength really didn't seem to matter.
"Have either of you ever visited the lands of the dark side?"
"Yoda has been here for a very short time, only a few days really. His trial was quick, and over almost as soon as he arrived. And while there have been trials of those who have had witnesses brought from the lands of the dark side to testify for or against them since he entered this world, he has not been sent to those lands to gather any witnesses yet.
"As for myself, I have been here for four years. And I have been sent several times to those lands to bring forth a witness. Few are chosen to do so, and most of those who are chosen are Jedi, both in life and in death. It is best to choose a Jedi for that task, I think. The lands of the dark side are foreboding, and easy to get lost in. The poor wretches that are sent there beg to escape, and if they are not helped they'll either fall to the ground howling in their despair or will try to attack you and force you to help them escape. If one is not careful, if they become lost, even those who become one with the light side could eventually become destroyed in those lands. But Jedi can still use the Force, it will guide us to where the witness we are searching for is, and will help us find our way out again. And Jedi even are requested to search for those poor souls who become lost over there. No one in their right mind would travel to those lands if they didn't have to."
Anakin shivered as he listened to a description of what the folks sentenced to the lands of the dark side had to face. Now he knew that he had to be allowed to stay.
At the same time he started a further inspection of the courtroom. It was truly magnificent to behold, with a high vaulted ceiling and ornate pillars. The room rivaled the Imperial throne room on Coruscant in size and the majesty of the Royal Palace throne room in Theed on Naboo. And it was already full.
He suspected that most were spectators, come to see if Darth Vader would be sent to the near eternal damnation he no doubt deserved. Others had to be witnesses, probably those who had been blessed with an eternity as a part of the light side. Anakin doubted that witnesses from the dark side would be allowed to spend a fairly long time in the lands of the blessed based on what Obi-Wan had said. Yet he knew that he couldn't be certain.
At the front of courtroom he could see two figures standing behind a pair of tables, smiling as they looked at him. Beyond was another pair of figures, ghostly lightsabers glowing gold and silver. Obviously, they were Jedi charged with the duties of a pair of bailiffs. Yet neither the judge nor the jury appeared to be in. Anakin pointed to the figures behind the tables.
"Who are they?"
"The one on the left is Tristain," Obi-Wan explained. "She will be defending you, as she has defended so many Jedi before you. The one on the right is Gareth. He has prosecuted nearly all Jedi who have fallen to the dark side. And he normally wins. But then, so does Tristain. They were selected for this trial because of who you are. Both will try their very best to see to it that you end up where you belong. I only hope that it is here with us, my friend."
"I hope so to. Who will be judge and jury of this trial?"
Before either Yoda or Obi-Wan could reply the Jedi with the silver blade stepped forward. "All rise and show your respect for our honored judge and jury."
Everyone climbed to their feet, clapping and cheering as the jurors entered the court room. To Anakin's ears it sounded more like some sporting event than a trial. The applause died as the jurors took their seats and was replaced by everyone, with the exception of the bailiffs, bowing ever so slightly from the waist as the judge entered. Obi-Wan, placed a hand on Anakin's shoulder and gently forced him to bow as well. But he couldn't prevent him from peaking out at the dark haired man with the tattooed forehead.
"I don't believe it!" Anakin gasped, whispering as loudly as he dared so as not to show his disrespect.
"Quiet," Yoda whispered, giving him an annoyed glance.
Silver blade motioned for all to sit down. She chuckled ever so slightly as she watched Anakin seat himself on the floor. Yoda prodded him, whispering in his ear that he wasn't suppose to sit yet.
"Friends, we are here today to witness the trial of Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, betrayer of the Jedi, terror to billions."
"My name is Anakin Skywalker," Anakin whispered, a bit annoyed.
Silver blade seemed nonplused by the interruption. "His life began and ended as Anakin Skywalker, a good man. But this hearing shall decide if the evil and destruction caused by the evil that was Darth Vader out weighs the good that was Anakin Skywalker.
"The jury for this hearing shall be composed of Jedi Master Thon, Jori Daragon, the Empress Teta, Jedi Master Nomi Sunrider, Lord of the Beast Riders Oron Kira, Jedi Master Arca Jeth, Jedi Master Vodo-Siosk Baas, Freia Kallea, Jedi Knight Torr Snapit, Jedi Knight Pernicar, Jedi Master Bodo Bass, Lorn Pavan, Jedi Padawan Darsha Assant, Jedi Knight Jude Rozess, and Jedi Master Micah Giiett. The judge shall be Jedi Master Ulic Qel-Droma."
"Qel-Droma was Sith warlord, Obi-Wan. Why is he the judge, much less a Jedi Master?" Anakin whispered.
"Master Qel-Droma redeemed himself, much as you had. His only Jedi pupil was Vima Sunrider, daughter of Nomi Sunrider. At the end of the Sith War, Ulic killed his brother, something he did not truly want to do. Cay Qel-Droma was also a Jedi and a friend to Nomi, who had been Ulic's love. Seeing what Ulic had done, and not realizing how upset he was at having killed his brother, Nomi used a Jedi power which would temporarily blind a Jedi or any other Force-user from being able to use the Force. Only Nomi went too far, and permanently blinded him to the Force while he lived.
"Ulic lead the Jedi to Yavin IV, the home of his Sith Lord Exar Kun. The Jedi defeated the Dark Lord and Ulic then became something of a hermit, waiting for the day he'd die and searching to avoid as much contact with others as possible. Yet several years after the end of the Sith War, Vima sought him out. She asked him to teach her the ways of the Jedi. Reluctantly, he did.
"Vima had done so without the permission of her mother. She was still a mere child and Nomi worried about her daughter. She requested the help of the Cathar Jedi Sylvar in finding her daughter and Ulic. Sylvar was herself searching for Ulic. Her mate had turned to the dark side, becoming a follower of Kun's, and she blamed him. Her blame had turned to an anger that was leading her to the dark side, and she sought to kill him.
"Sylvar found Ulic, though it was only after Nomi had done so, and had learned that not only was her daughter safe, but Ulic had taught her to be a Jedi and not a Sith.
"Ulic and Sylvar fought a lightsaber duel, with Ulic strictly remaining on the defensive, never the attack. Sylvar managed to back Ulic up to a cliff, a point where he had to decide whether to attack and protect his life or let her kill him. Ulic chose to let her kill him, reminding her that anger was not the way of the Jedi. Sylvar refused to do so, finally able to let go of her anger thanks to the one man who she would never have expected to help her do so. By training Vima and helping Sylvar let go of her anger and turn away from the dark side, Ulic redeemed himself.
"But the man who had brought him, then Vima, then Sylvar to the planet where he chose to live out his life, took his chance to become historically important. It was a simple shot by a simple man who believed he was ridding the galaxy of a great evil, a shot that cost a redeemed man his life. As Ulic lay dying, he simply faded away, proving to the three Jedi present that he had been a Jedi Master despite having lost his ability to touch the Force.
"Because he fell to the dark side and then returned to the light, finding his redemption, Ulic almost always presides over trials such as this where other Jedi have found redemption after having fallen. It is lucky for you that he is the judge. His own fall and redemption makes him a bit more kind to others like himself. But he can also be harsh in his judgment of others like him. Especially when they fail to show any signs of true remorse."
As Obi-Wan spoke, Ulic contemplated the room before him. Never had he been tapped to act as a judge to a case that was obviously so important to so many. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is a trial to decide the ultimate fate of a Jedi who fell from grace and found redemption. Despite the fall and the redemption, this is still a trial of a Jedi. As such, the jury is made up mostly of Jedi.
"Yet it must never be totally up to the Jedi to try their fellow Knights. Ordinary people are also required to try Anakin Skywalker. Their judgment is just as important as that of a Jedi, if not more important. For it is the ordinary people who truly are the most affected by the protection or harm offered or caused by the Jedi. Jedi may be too lenient with their judgment of other Jedi, allowing any evils they commit to pass if they decide that the good they did in their lives far out weighs the evil. Or they may be even harsher, punishing them for the evil they did when others might say that the good they did far out shone the evil. So it is the judgment of the non-Jedi which shall be so crucial to this case.
"Jedi Trugg, if you will please call forth the defendant."
Trugg, the bailiff with the gold bladed lightsaber, stepped forward. "Anakin Skywalker, step forth."
Anakin did as ordered, moving until he stood between the two tables and realized Trugg would not let him move any closer. He knelt down and bowed before Ulic much as he had done so often with Palpatine. Trugg smiled at Anakin's show of respect, though he would have preferred it if he had given a simple bow to the judge instead of the kind of bow Anakin had shown for so many years to his Sith Master when he had been Vader. Trugg motioned for Anakin to rise.
"Who sponsors this man that he may be allowed a chance to live for eternity in the lands of the light side?" Trugg asked.
"Jedi Master Yoda and I, Jedi Master Kenobi, sponsor him," Obi-Wan replied as he and Yoda moved to stand behind Anakin.
"Anakin Skywalker, do you understand why we are here today, as your sponsors have explained it to you?"
"I do."
"And are you prepared to live by the decision of this hearing?"
"As much as I wish not to be banished to the lands of the dark side, I have no right to overturn the justice of this court. I have spent so much of my life committing acts for which I deserve no mercy. Therefore, yes, I shall obey the decision of this hearing."
"Very well. Take your seat and the trial shall begin."