Chapter 37: No Justice
"All arise for the honorable Judges of the Republic Supreme Court."
Siri doesn't have to move since she stands alone on a floating platform, more for the others sitting on raised platforms or pods. Her eyes linger on the line of twelve judges as they filed in to sit on chairs on a long, elevated platform above, looking down on her. She wondered idly if they had any inkling of what Sidious would one day do to this place. That it would one day be him deciding on what was or was not justice in his empire. That she might have one day done the same if she replaced him. The only strength they would have would be as puppets to his whims, or if he was to busy to be bothered with a case that came to the courts. As for Sidious current influence in here, she wasn't quite sure. Sidious hadn't had her do any missions involving the courts.
Then again, Supreme Court justices had an extremely long duration to their terms. She didn't think any had been replaced during her apprenticeship.
She stands on her isolated floating platform, hands bound in front of her, two Senate Guards on the long walkway a bit behind her. The Jedi Council, Dooku, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan on one row of seating, several senators or judicial figures on another. Camera droids fly around, scrutinizing the proceedings. The Supreme Chancellor rests on a seat high above, overlooking the proceedings, but not directly leading them. That rests on the Chief Justice if she recalls. That will be one of the first things to go, perhaps even before Sidious twisted the Republic into his Empire, of that Siri's sure, Sidious would not tolerate anyone but him having the final say. She wonders how long it will take him to dismantle or convert the system to something of his designs.
She quiets her wandering mind as the side doors of the room open, and the prosecutor entered the large room, moving along the walkways adjacent to her platform. Siri resists the urge to raise an eyebrow, because she faintly recognizes this one. Sano Sauro, one of the Senate's many prosecutors, particularly for the wealthy and influential. But also had the penchant for ending up leading the few Jedi related cases that ended up in the Supreme Court during his lifetime. He is also, she faintly remembers, the one who prosecuted Obi-Wan for the death of Bruck Chun. If the Force wasn't murky from the binders, she'd imagine he'd be gleeful of having another 'Jedi Trial' under his belt.
Unfortunately for him, she was no Jedi, and she had no intention of letting him run this show.
The Chief Justice stands and looks down at her, his face guarded and focused. "Siri Tachi. You have been charged with Sedition against the Jedi Order, and the Republic. With Murder. Extortion. Bribery..."
Siri tuned him out until he's finished listing her sins, "Before this court of law, you admit to willingly having waved the right to a public or private attorney and wish to represent yourself?"
"I have, your honor," she states.
The Chief Justice peers down at her. "As you wish. Do you then, understand the charges levied against you?"
"Mostly, but I do have two particular questions, if you would be so gracious to answer them, your honor, that will determine how I plea to my charges," she answered in a civil tone, because like hell is she going to piss off the Chief Justice without a reason to.
"One would think," spoke up Prosecutor Sauro, "That if you needed to pose a question on legality you would have asked for a lawyer to explain it rather than waste the time of this court."
Siri doesn't need the Force to see the pompous arrogance and disdain all about him. "It wouldn't have made a difference, as in my research in preparation for this trial, I was unable to find a previous concrete answer to my question having come up in prior trials."
There is an air of skepticism about the Chief Justice, but, "For a fair trial, we will allow it, ask your questions."
All or nothing then. Either this worked, or she'd be making her escape by nightfall. "The first question will determine whether or not I need ask the second. According to Chancellor Palpatine, in his own words during my initial questioning session in the Senate, he compared extended exposure to Force Suppression to sensory deprivation, and that it would be considered a form of torture for the duration I was kept in it consider the temporary damage it did. Is that correct? Is that something this court of law would determine to be a valid statement? I haven't found anything on it in my research."
She watches, out of two separate corners of her eye, Palpatine and the Prosecutor. The Chancellor had gone still, eyebrows furrowed down at her in thought before a stiffness entered his posture. Oh, he figured out her angle quite quickly, he's far more intelligent than he appeared then. The Prosecutor is simply staring at her with incredulous.
"Calling it torture is a stretch," said Sauro, "You are a dangerous criminal that needed to be kept pacified and contained, and even if it could be considered torture, it cannot be used to throw out the entire trial. "
She did not answer him, as that is not her goal, she merely stares up at the Chief Justice. The man had drawn back to confer with his fellow justices, datapads drawn out to look up quick facts and talk quietly among themselves. Siri's head shifts in a brief flick to take a glance at the Jedi, most are impassive, but judging by the stiffness in Dooku's posture, and the fact that he is glowering at her, he's probably figured it out to. Which is proof that it was a very good thing she didn't give any hints of what she intended to ask prior to this session, less time for them to adjust and plan.
Finally, the Chief Justice breaks from the group and speaks, "This is admittedly the first time this has come up in a trial within this court, as it is rare for matters of Force Sensitives to be dealt with outside of the Jedi Order. However, we find that the Supreme Chancellor's words were well thought out, and accurate, especially corroborated by the Jedi themselves both in that session, and in other instance this court has born witness to. This court finds that Force Suppression can be correctly labeled as Sensory Deprivation, and extended exposure to it, considered torture."
He holds up a finger. "However, we do differentiate in the degree of it. As we understand it, the cell you were kept in was almost a complete deprivation, while the binders on your wrists is at best a 'murky' clouding I believe it has been described as."
She gives a tight smile. "That would be accurate, your honor. As much as they grate, I'm not particularly concerned about any long term effects of being in binders, as I can still feel the Force itself."
The Chief Justice nodded slowly. "Very well, and your second question?"
"I believe, in this court of law, and in the Republic, any information obtained from torture is inadmissible in court," she said, watching as Prosecutor Sauro stiffened and finally caught on, the justices growing still, a slight scowl appearing on Palpatine's face, and the Jedi staring down at her, "And as such, anything said in that cell cannot be used in this trial. Is this correct?"
The Chief Justice looks visibly displeased, but relents. "Yes, you would be correct."
"Thank you, your honor," she replies, staying for the long haul it is then, "Now, to answer your question..."
She locks eyes with the Judge. "I understand the charges levied against me, however, I would like you to clarify which charges are aimed at me, and which are aimed at, I believe the name listed on the court's holonet site was 'Iris'?"
She smiles. "I don't know anyone by the name of Iris, and that is most certainly not my name."
Prosecutor Sauro spoke out, "You claim ignorance when it is a confirmed alias of yours!"
"Confirmed by whom?" challenged Siri.
"By...," the Prosecutor begins before pausing, glancing up at Dooku, and then at her, a dark scowl etched onto his face as he realizes that Dooku saying she gave any confirmation in that cell cannot be used. That even trying to mention that in passing could be grounds for a mistrial. It takes great effort to not let the smugness show on her face. It feels so damn good to use their own laws against them, it truly does.
Sauro takes a moment to think. "Whom else could it be but you, a confirmed..."
"A confirmed what, Prosecutor?" she challenges, "A darksider? I'm hardly the only one in the galaxy. A person who uses a red lightsaber? Not unique in that either. A person who wears dark clothing? Not even close to the only one. If you have any evidence to confirm that I am this 'Iris', I ask that you provide it now. Otherwise, I ask that the charges be separated and either dismissed, or given the chance to be refuted..."
The death penalty is lost.
Sidious recognized that the moment his apprentice revealed her strategy. He had taken the careful approach in not planting any evidence that could be used against her, that would drive her to reveal information on the Sith out of spite. She cannot dodge the attempted murder of Jinn and Kenobi, or the sedition charges in relation to Naboo. But he's already considered many different ways she can lessen the charges. She had revealed her medical records not just to gain sympathy, oh no, she was more intelligent than that. She'd use that in court, she could imply that she was forced to obey her master's whims, under punishment of pain or death, which was true. She wont win the trial, but she wont get the death penalty either, he is certain of that. In fact, while she will almost certainly not get away freely, she might get as little as a decade or two in jail if she plays her cards right, not to mention the possibility of parole.
There was also the questioning of her sentencing, and just where she would be held. There were several of the more secure prisons, but nothing short of the Citadel could pose a serious challenge to his apprentice in escaping. Though that prison was long outdated and underused, he wondered if the Republic would bother to consider it or not. Since he cant get her the death penalty and smuggle her out while in a fake-death state, he leans towards no. All she needs is a more secure prison, kept in Force Binders, and she'll eventually get out on her own, even if there are Jedi guards.
He relaxes his rising anger, at her finding a way to twist his own words against him and to her advantage (which he supposed he should be proud of, she'd more savvy than he had thought, with a bit of training in the area, she could become very skilled in politics). This is still to his advantage. The Republic will convict and imprison her, and regardless of her escaping or even biding her time to wait out her sentence, she will still come back to him in the end. She is drawn to what she hates, she cannot become even close to strong enough to challenge him outside of his tutelage. She belongs to him. She is nothing without him.
He will have his apprentice back, all he needs to be is patient.
He refocuses as the Chief Justice finishes separating and listing the separate charges, "...your motion to dismiss the charges is however not granted. The prosecution has expressed their wishes to argue against your claim of not being Iris."
"With respect your honor," she said civil, "In the Republic, we are innocent until proven guilty. It is on them to prove that I am Iris without a reasonable doubt, not on me to prove that I am not, and I severely doubt they can do so."
Oh yes, Sidious settles back to watch the show all the while keeping 'Palpatine's' face masked with displeasure. To marvel at his apprentice using his lessons and tutelage to pick apart the Republic, turning its laws and concepts against them. He already knows there is basically no physical evidence to tie her to being Iris, and even the more public instances that were caught on camera were at a distance, sighting a hooded dark figure with a red lightsaber, no identifying features otherwise. In fact, he had made it a point to be stressed to her that she give no name in the instances where she interacted with her targets. So many things can't even be tied to an Iris, let alone to Siri.
"We will see," snuffed Sauro, a sour tone to his voice.
"If that is all," said the Chief Justice, "Then I will move for the initial session to be finished, and set the date for the preliminary hearing a week from today..."
"Your honor," called our Siri, "Perhaps I'm not well versed on how to go about doing this, but, if possible, I wish to enter a plea deal with the courts."
Sidious narrowed his eyes. What was she doing?
The Chief Justice frowned. "A plea bargain is made with the prosecution, not the courts."
"Ah, my mistake," she said simply, turning to look at Sauro.
"It is something to be discussed in private, but, why would we agree to a plea bargain?" said Sauro, sneering, "When you are assured without doubt to be convicted of at bare minimum attempted murder and sedition?"
"Because of you don't, and you take this to actual trial," she said in a mockingly sweet voice, "Then you won't get a single ounce of information from me on my master, and I assure you, I am perhaps one of the only beings in the galaxy who can shed any light on Sidious and his plans."
Sidious stared down at her, barely containing his incredulous and rage.
WHAT.
WAS.
SHE.
DOING!?
She looked smug. "The deal is simple. I will plead guilty, and in exchange for a lesser sentence, I will one: Remain under Jedi parole within their temple for the duration of my sentence, and two, provide information on my Master to the Jedi and the Republic. Hells, I'll even give the Jedi lessons on how to fight and track Sith if they want."
There is pure, destructive ice rushing through Sidious's veins. How dare she...
Prosecutor Sauro frowned intently. "I will discuss this with the Jedi and the rest of the prosecution."
"By all means," she said, tilting her head, "The choice is yours, be left completely in the dark on my Master, or accept the deal. I look forward to hearing your answer."
Sidious's mind is scrambling on all the implications of this. She had the audacity, the nerve, the arrogance, to strike out at him like this? Was she truly so blinded by her obsessive hatred towards him? It is risky to do so with so many Jedi present, but he carefully samples the Dark Side...
...and comes away with the sensation that she is not doing this by fancy. Nor driven to it by her hate, an emotional response. No, this is calculated. That puzzles him. Is she serious about offering actual information, or will she be leading the Jedi on a goose chase? If she's not simply getting herself out of trouble from the courts, and is serious about turning on him... is this... is she truly trying to dispose of him eight years into her apprenticeship? She can't be so arrogant to think she is ready to become the Master. She is nowhere near close to that, she hasn't even passed her sacrifice!
He considers, as the courts disperse and he receives a comm to meet with the prosecution and the Jedi, her offer to train the Jedi on how to fight and track a Sith. She is a mere apprentice, not even a Lord, there is only so much she could give them. Not to mention, that would be self-destructive, anything she gave them could in turn be used against her. The concept of using the Jedi as pawns isn't a new one for the Sith, in fact a large part of his currently planned endgame involves this. If she thinks she can challenge his supremacy by trying to wield the Jedi as her tools and weapons, she will be sorely disappointed, especially since he doubts the Jedi will allow themselves to truly be used by her knowingly. The art of what he himself intended was that the Jedi would never realize he was using them until it was to late, Tachi did not have that advantage. Not to mention the arrogance and complacency of the Jedi, they may not believe or even act on everything she reveals, stuck in their ways and bound by Republic law.
Still, if she is serious about this, then potentially everything he had ever involved her with is now at jeopardy. The amount of damage control he would have to do is inane, and perhaps even impossible for him to cover everything without a ready tool to do his bidding, perhaps without several. And if she spills information about his planned superweapon... no she couldn't possibly consider it, not when she would surely crave it for herself.
He contemplates whether he needs to kill her or not in order to maintain the Grand Plan. The shake up of the Senate, while irritating, is not a true danger. So he considers what else he has involved her with, considers if she has enough information to truly endanger the goals of the Sith. She knew nothing of his and Plaguies's manipulations of Sifo-Dyas. With the revelations of the existence of the Sith, the foolish Jedi was all but assured to fall into the Sith's trap and place an order for a Clone Army. However, he still needs Dyas killed after, and to find a suitable candidate for the army to be cloned from. Something to think on later, the point is she has no knowledge of that side of the Grand Plan.
She knows he has manipulations of the trade conglomerates, that he had her spread and influence dissatisfaction with the Republic in the outer rim. She has some awareness of the Trade Federation's armies, but not to the true scope of which he intends to take it. She can make the Jedi wary, can most likely realize and point out what he's doing as the state of the Galaxy shifts, but can she actually do anything that could stop it? He is doubtful.
In fact...
If she reveals and points out to much, she shoots herself in the foot. If she had turned her back on the Dark Side, then at this point he wouldn't hesitate to kill her with her having revealed her desire for a plea bargain. But the point stands that she is still Dark, still openly professes to being a Sith Apprentice. She runs the risk of destroying her own ascension if she gives the Jedi to much information. She can't be aiming to ruin the Sith, that would ruin her as well, if anything, she would be aiming to usurp him either during or shortly after the execution of the Grand Plan.
He takes a moment before entering the meeting room with the gathered Jedi and prosecution, the scope of what he thinks she is trying to do. To outplay him. To manipulate the Jedi and use them against him. To try to usurp him and take his place. He scoffs to himself. She doesn't have the experience or the position to do so. She may make things difficult, may stall him, but she can't win in the great game of the Sith. He intends for the end of the Jedi within the next two decades, and she is many more decades away from being ready to actually challenge him.
She doesn't stand a chance in a battle against him until she's at least fifty years old, well experienced and knowledgeable, if not older. He himself hadn't been planning to fight Plaguies head on even with his current power, had been leaning more towards poison or catching him sleeping. Tachi and Plaguies had forced that confrontation, and he had been near dead even with his Master. Sidious himself wasn't even at the pinnacle of his power and knowledge yet, he knew this.
In all honesty, Tachi would fail if she was truly trying to challenge him now. Even if by some distant impossible miracle she succeeded in toppling him, there was no way she could ascend to becoming a Sith Empress of a willing galaxy like he intended with how things looked now, even with some public sympathy given towards her. She must realize this. He rubs his chin in thought and decides to wait in his decision. He needs more time to think, and meditate on this. To see if he is correct on his apprentice's goals and aims or not.
He walks into the meeting room, a circle of Jedi councilors sitting down while Prosecutor Sauro paces the room, briefly looking up and bowing, "Thanking you for joining us, Chancellor."
Palpatine nods and moves to sit down, opening with a self-deprecating remark, "I must profess, I was caught offguard, both with her strategy, and with her offer of a plea bargain."
"Agreed," muttered Sauro sourly.
Dooku cleared his throat. "The Jedi were not dismissive of the possibility of a plea deal. However, we were anticipating on being the ones to offer it when she was backed into a corner, not having her being the one to initiate it from an advantageous position."
Sauro glowered a bit. It was not often he was on the side of the Jedi, to be working with them on this case had to be grating. "Do the Jedi actually wish for the prosecution to take this deal?"
Dooku scowled. "She is not incorrect that we will have no leads on Sidious outside of her. The Sentinels and Shadows are investigating into possibilities, but we have little to nothing to go on in the search for the Sith Master. She has recognized she has what we want, and with the very real possibility none of the charges related to her Iris alias will stick, even if we refuse this deal she will not be in prison for more than a decade, two at most. Since she is being tried through the courts rather than the Jedi being allowed to handle her alone, we would be required to release her at the end of her sentence."
Sauro sputtered. "Master Jedi! Surely you can give me more credit than that! I swear I can get near the maximum sentence even for just attempted murder and sedition!"
"Unfortunately, Prosecutor," chimed in Sidious with faked-regret, "I agree with the Jedi. From what I understand about the Sith, from the records that were revealed, there is a likelihood that she will go for the argument that she was forced into this life. That it was obey her master or die. That alone may give her some leniency. If this goes to trial, she wont be arguing against not being convicted, but against the severity of her sentence."
"It's not untrue though," said Obi-Wan quietly, "She did admit to me that she was abducted and tortured into being a Sith, admitted it to Master Ur Manka as well."
"Perhaps," said Sidious, sighing with fake-sadness, "But answer me this young Jedi, is she capable of caring about that at this point? Or is this merely a tool to be used to her advantage?"
Obi-Wan pursed his lips for a moment. "She is warped by her experiences, yes, but she's not completely lost, not yet. She was raw in that cell, she does feel guilt and regret. It is something usually drowned out by the Dark Side. I firmly believe that with time and effort, she can turn away from the Sith and the Dark Side."
Sidious hummed aloud, while in his mind he hissed. Was she truly STILL held back by such pathetic emotions? "I profess that I do not believe the public in general will care about what faction she is nor what aspect of the Force she uses, they would not understand the intricacies of such things. So long as she serves her time, and is believed treated, when she is released and is reintroduced into society, there would be little backlash. I am not unaware, that after the second session, there is a public leaning of sympathy for her."
"Yes," said Sauro, running a hand down his face, "That medical reveal was something I had a challenge for planning against. I had intended to argue that, from what I've read, Sith draw power from pain, that she would not actually care about it. That she is to warped and dangerous to be allowed to freely roam in society."
"Mmm," grunted Yoda, shaking his head "Arguing this, pointless it is. Information on Sidious, need this the Jedi do. Understand this, Young Tachi does. Admit defeat now in prosecuting her, to win the larger conflict, the Jedi will hesitate not."
"And what about the Republic?" questioned Sauro hotly, "The Jedi have already been reluctant to provide information in this matter unless forced to. The Republic has a right to any information this Sith, this former Jedi, would reveal. Considering that her Master is encouraging and enacting sedition, the SBI needs to be informed and involved. This is not solely a Jedi matter."
There is a disgruntled air about Yoda, but he relents. "Share any information Young Tachi gives us with the SBI, with the Chancellor, we will. But keep such information controlled, and known by few, we must, unless want Sidious to circumvent our efforts, we do."
Sidious's thoughts on killing Tachi dwindle. If he is informed of everything she tells the Jedi, then he can plan and adjust. In fact, he might be able to use it to his advantage to further his own plans, or maybe even discredit Tachi in the eyes of the Jedi if he so decides to. He could focus his damage control, and deal with each revelation from her one at a time, making the Jedi believe it's been dealt with while his manipulations continue on in secret. Oh yes, if she thought she could play this game against him and win, she would soon see the error of her ways.
When Tachi was either dragged back before him, or came crawling back to him, she would be punished as never before.
"So that's in then," said Sidious, closing his eyes in fake-resignation, "There will be no true justice here against Siri Tachi."
"Always a reckoning, there is," said Yoda sagely, "What form it takes and when, only the Force will know."
"Or a penance paid," countered Obi-Wan.
A dreamer, that one.
Yoda grunted. "Much penance would she have to pay, if repent she truly wished to."
Sidious probed the troll. "You don't believe there's any chance of that?"
Yoda was silent for a long moment. "Hope I may have, but a small hope it is. Still so dark, is she. Some changes, already have I noticed, but not necessarily towards leaving the Dark Side, do they mean."
Sidious held back a frown. "Changes? With due respect, she's been gone from your order for eight years Master Yoda, she is already vastly changed from what she once was."
Yoda shook his head. "Attached to Young Kenobi, she is. Normal for a darksider, this is not. Selfish they usually are, isolated, so alter her and how she acts and thinks, this attachment does."
Hmm...
Was that why she wanted to stay with the Jedi Order for the time being? Did she want to tempt and turn and train Kenobi? He doubted she'd succeed if that was her intent. Though... wait... perhaps...
Yes...
Leia.
The grand apprentice that he foresaw. Perhaps Leia was Tachi and Kenobi's daughter? If Tachi succeeded in turning Kenobi into a dark consort, then there were many Jedi who could potentially strike him down, any one of them could be the 'old bastard' Leia mentioned in the vision she wanted revenge against. Or alternatively, Kenobi has a moment of weakness, and Tachi becomes pregnant and has Leia with Kenobi staying light, and the young Sith to be is referring to someone else, or better yet, perhaps Kenobi himself. Though he's not sure on that, the vision was years ago, and the memories of the details weren't as clear as they once were. Still, the creation of a Sith Bloodline is a very tempting idea, an enduring legacy that will rule the Galaxy long after the Jedi have been wiped out.
Perhaps he'll refrain from having Kenobi killed for the time being, and let Tachi have her fun with the Jedi if she can produce a successor to the Sith line. He doubts his apprentice can do any significant damage that can endanger the Grand Plan anyway. As the meeting breaks up with the decision to accept the deal, he decides he will see where this goes, planning and adjusting accordingly. He will win, he will come out on top, he will have his apprentice back, and the Sith Order's eventual heir along with her...
Author's Notes:
Not quite right on Leia, Sidious, but points for coming to a conclusion to try and make sense of it all. So... the trial didn't turn out how I imagine most would think it would. Sorry if its a let down, though considering the reflection of society, perhaps not. I can't speak for other countries, but looking online into how many arrests/charges end in plea bargains rather than actual drawn out trials in the USA is absolutely staggering to realize. I personally had no idea how widespread it was before I looked it up.
Also, thank you Pauljaquet21 for a name to use in the trial, perhaps his efforts weren't as impactful or meaningful as they could be, but having a named character rather than being forced to make up an OC was a relief. With the Judges, I literally just didn't name them or just referred to the Chief Justice by his title.
Review Responses:
EclipseTobias: The questioning/trial is pretty much over. Its a transnational one that leads into a Sith in the Jedi temple and the next ten years. And yes, this will be a very long story. Though, the Vong is only if I truly want to go all the way. I COULD end it at Sidious dying followed by an epilogue and call it quits early, but I'd like to go the distance.
1saaa: Siri does not wish to resubmit to Sidious. While her exact role will come into question, and perhaps readers may think she leans towards redemption, this IS a Sith/Dark Siri story, she will be dark at bare minimum, of that I promise. More along the lines of trying to reinvent the Sith.
Pauljaquet21: Thanks for the names, I'll look into them when I get the chance.
Nerdman3000: Komari will be a number of chapters off yet. And yes, if Anakin goes Vader, there's no way in hell Qui-Gon beats him and puts him in the suit. Hell, he might not even lose the one arm. Thanks for the names to look into, I'll read up and consider how/if to use them.
To everyone else, thanks for the support.