Ch.2 Motives
It was three days after Barriss's incarceration when a miltary transport craft entered Coruscant's atmosphere and approached the Jedi temple. Although able to fit more then a dozen troops inside the ship had only one passenger, a Jedi master named Luminara Unduli. The Mirialan woman was brought to the temple alone at her own request. It had become a common thing since she had learned of recent events, isolation made it easier for Luminara to focus on wondering how her padawan could do such terrible things.
Once a proud master and teacher, Luminara's usual poise and self-assurance had been were lacking after she heard the news. Years of being taught to keep emotions in check had allowed her to hide the distress to most, but the Jedi that spoke to Luminara could sense her true feelings. The news had struck harder then any physical pain she had ever felt.
There were few greater losses a master could experience then to have their padawan turn to the dark side. Luminara had heard stories of other masters who had gone through the same, such as the deceased master Qui Gon Jin with his first student and even grandmaster Yoda with Count Dooku. As her transport began to land in the hanger, Luminara hoped Barriss was nothing like those who had fallen before.
The hanger was cleaned and reopened to ships since the bombing orchestrated by Barriss, but the damage could still be seen. Melted scorch marks from the blast, holes in the walls and floor from shrapnel. The clearest sign was the still mourning faces on many people in the hanger, the memories of those killed in the explosion were still fresh.
Since the incident, security in the temple had to be increased for cautions sake. Because of this, two masked temple guards accompanied three members of the Jedi council who stood in the hanger to greet Luminara. The group was made up of masters Yoda, Saesee Tiin, and Mace Windu.
"Greetings Master Unduli." Mace said after Luminara stepped off the transport and began to approach.
"Greetings, masters." Luminara replied with a respectful bow of the head.
"I'm sorry you had to return under these circumstances." Saesee said.
"A tragic thing, this is." Master Yoda said as he closed his eyes and remembered the lives he felt lost when the bombing happened. "A bright student, Barriss always was. To lose her way, I had never imagined." He said after opening his eyes to look at Luminara.
"Neither had I..." Luminara said in a somber tone. "When can I see her?"
"We've arranged everything with the detention center, the shuttle should arrive in less then two hours." Mace answered.
"Good." Luminara said, despite feeling tense at the thought of seeing Barriss.
"Do you know what you are going to say?" Saesee asked.
"No, but I have to see her. I need to know what drove her to do...this." Luminara said as she looked around the hanger.
"Understand this, I do." Yoda remarked. "But as you wait, wishes to speak with you; someone does."
"Who would that be?" Luminara asked.
"Master Urr'ek, are you familiar with him?" Mace said.
"No, I don't recall that name." She replied.
"A surprise, that is not." Yoda said. "Away from the temple, Master Urr'ek often was."
"I see." Said Luminara. "Where may I find him?"
"He is waiting for you in the archives." replied Saesee. "Would you like us to take you to him?"
"No, that will not be necessary." Luminara said, once again preferring to be alone.
"As you wish, we will contact you when the shuttle arrives." Mace said.
"Thank you." Luminara said with another bow of the head and an attempt at a smile.
The three masters and the guards accompanying them stepped aside for Luminara. They waited until she had left the hanger before speaking to each other.
"She is still struggling." Saesee stated.
"Clear, that is." Yoda said while looking up at his fellow council members. "Important, the bond between master and padawan has always been. To have that bond broken, terrible it is." Yoda said, the truth in his words coming from experience. "Hope we must, that Master Unduli can find a way to reach her padawan."
The masters returned to the council chamber, as they did Luminara made her way to the archives. She noticed the looks on peoples faces as she passed them. Fellow Jedi looked at her with pity and those who worked in the temple looked with anger. The workers were told that Barriss's master was not involved, but some still looked at Luminara like she as an accomplice.
As she entered the archives, Luminara looked for any jedi she did not recognize. It was not long before she heard a greeting from a deep, gravely voice behind her.
"Hello, Master Unduli."
Luminara turned around to see a whipid male who was large by even his species standards. He stood almost seven feet tall, his body thick with muscle and and dark brown fur. His face was the only part with skin exposed, with two large tusks protruding from the lower jaw. He wore only a belt with a loin cloth attached and on the belts right side was a lightsaber with an extended hilt fitted for his large hands.
"Master Urr'ek?" Luminara asked.
"Yes, it is nice to meet you." Ur'ekk said earnestly.
"Thank you." Luminara replied. "Please tell me, why did you ask to meet with me?"
Master Urr'ek paused before answering the qesution, sighing with grief before he spoke.
"Please, take a walk with me." Urr'ek said.
Luminara nodded her head and walked beside master Urr'kk through the many records of history collected by the Jedi order.
"I have heard of you Master Unduli, but the words of others is not enough to truly know a person." Urr'ek said as they walked side by side.
"I agree." Luminara said. "But I must admit, I've heard nothing of you until today."
"I am among the jedi who lived and worked outside of the temple. Before the war I was often defending delegates and clearing out smugglers dens. When it began I was quickly put on the front lines...along with my padawan." Urr'ek said with obvious grief.
Luminara stopped walking and looked at Master Urr'ek with concern, his intentions had become more clear to her.
"I understand what you're going through, far more then most." Master Urr'ek said earnestly.
"Then please..." Luminara said. "Tell me about your padawan."
"His name is Lhod. He is strong, capable; a fine student throughout the years. Seeing him rise to knighthood was one my most treasured moments." Urr'ek said.
"I felt the same for Barriss." Luminara said, briefly smiling as she remembered the day she was able to tell her padawan that her training was complete.
"I thought he would grow into a fine master one day, but almost a year ago Lhod suffered a loss so severe he could not recover from it." Urr'ek stated before looking left and right to make sure no one else would hear him. "It broke the boy, and in his rage Lhod killed Master Var Nul."
"Excuse me?!" Luminara asked, almost to baffled to keep her voice down.
Luminara knew of Var Nu and had exchanged brief words with him on occasion. He was a middle aged devaronian Jedi master who Luminara saw as wise, courteous and a pleasantly lighthearted in conversation. But she also remembered being present for Var Nul's funeral.
It was a ceremony performed far too often since the war began, many Jedi would gather around veiled corpses while Yoda or another council member talked about the deceased and how they would go on to become one with the force. Recalling that day and the words that were said about Var Nul is what made Luminara so puzzled by Urr'ek's claim.
"I was there to see the body." Luminara said quietly. "Master Yoda told us he was assassinated by Asajj Ventress."
"The council had decided it was best to hide the truth." Urr'ek admitted,
Luminara was shocked, while not a member of the council she had been one of the few Jedi they would occasionally turn to when they wanted an extra opinion on important matters.
"I cannot imagine them doing such a thing." She said.
"Nor could I, but it was decided that the Master Var's murder should be falsified. At first I was against it, but I agreed when Master Mundi said the truth could create worry among the order and make the republic afraid of other Jedi doing something similar." Urr'ek explained.
"I see, but...why did he do it?" Luminara asked hesitantly, she was not sure how sensitive the subject was.
Urr'ek opened his mouth to speak but said nothing at first, after a moments thought he spoke again but with a heavy heart.
"It was my fault." Urr'ek confessed somberly. "I knew taking him could be a risk, I saw the signs but did not do not enough to stop Lhod from reacting the way he did. But that is no excuse for those he's killed."
"Var Nul wasn't the only one?" Luminara asked with worry.
"No." Urr'ek said as he shook his head. "The first were pirates, then Var Nul and the last were clones that stood in the way as tried to escape."
"But what actually happened to him?" Luminara asked.
"He lost...everything." Urr'ek said while he eyed the ground. "His home was destroyed by the pirates, all those he knew before I met him were killed." Urr'ek's words became harder to say, his throat began to feel tight.
She wanted to ask more, but felt like his vague answers were intentional. Instead, Luminara decided to change the subject.
"How far did he get before the clones stopped him?" Said Luminara.
"They didn't." Urr'ek said to correct her after a long sigh. "I did. He tried to take a ship, but I stood in his way. Nothing I said would calm him down. He told me to stand aside, I refused. So he attacked." He said with a hint of pain in his voice.
Luminara was speechless, she understood what it was like for a master to see their padawan fallen but was fortunate enough to not know what it would feel like to face them.
"Lhod tired to overpower me, but couldn't. The fight was not long but as it happened Lhod made me lose focus, it almost me cost my life but In the last moment I reacted and I..." Urr'ek struggled to make himself say it. "I severed his leg."
Urr'ek's words made Luminara gasp in shock, he simply sighed in response.
"He was detained, and then I told the council what happened. They went to the Chancellor, and after some debate they decided to hide the truth." Urr'ek explained with his arms crossed. "A week later, I lead my troops on a mission to capture separatist factories. The official story is that Lhod was caught off guard by commando droids."
"That must have been terrible to go through." Luminara said sincerely. "I'm sorry."
"I can say the same to you." Urr'ek remarked. "But instead I'll get to the point. You see, my padawan was placed in the same prison as yours. You will likely see him. When you do, I hope you understand how crucial that time with Barriss is." Urr'ek said before his tone turned serious and he stepped closer to Luminara, making Urr'ek have to look almost straight down to see her face. "You must choose your words with the utmost care, do not let anything she says dishearten you. As her master, you may be the only one who can help her. Do not forget that, above all else."
Luminara knew this was not idle advice, Urr'ek's words came from his own tragic experience.
"I understand." Luminara said with a nod.
"That is good, I do not want another master to fail as I have." Urr'ek said grimly.
"I promise to head your words Master Urr'ek." Luminara said reassuringly.
"Please do." Urr'ek replied.
He was about to speak again but was interrupted by something tugging at back of his right leg. Urr'ek turned around and looked down to see four small younglings standing behind him. All of them appeared to be no older then seven.
"Hello little ones." Urr'ek said, quickly hiding his feelings behind a big smile. "Will you greet Master Unduli?"
"Hello Master Unduli." The younglings all said politely.
"Hello." Luminara replied, her mood somewhat lifted by the younglings presence.
"Master, can we practice outside today?" Asked a little rodian girl.
"Of course." Urr'ek said, making all the children happy. "Forgive me, but I must go." Urr'ek said as he looked back at Luminara.
"I thought you worked outside the temple." Luminara said out of curiosity.
"Not for some time, war has left a bitter taste in my mouth. Now I prefer to help find and guide our future." Urr'ek said as he looked at the younglings proudly.
"That is a noble cause." Luminara said with a real smile, able to see the way Urr'ek coped with his problems. "I hope you have all have a good lesson." She said while looking at the younglings.
"And I hope I was able to help." Urr'ek said as stuck out his hand. "Both you, and Barriss."
"So do I." Luminara said as she shook his hand with hers, the size of Urr'ek hand made him grasp almost half of her forearm.
"Farewell, Master Unduli." Urr'ek said after shaking hands.
With that said, Urr'ek left the archives. The younglings followed after saying goodbye.
Luminara decided to spend the rest of her spare time meditating. Her eyes were closed, her legs crossed and her mind tried to clear out all negative thoughts. She meditated for more then an hour but stopped when Master Yoda entered the room.
"Arrived, the shuttle has." Master Yoda said as he approached Luminara with the help of his cane.
"Thank you Master." Luminara said as she stood up. "I will leave right away."
"Difficult, I know this is." Yoda said. "Luck I wish you, Master Unduli."
Luminara thanked the grandmaster for his best wishes before heading back to the hanger. The shuttle had two shocktroopers assigned to accompany her for procedures sake, aside from a brief greeting she ignored them during the flight.
She looked out of the window as the shuttle left the temple and flew through Coruscant. Hundreds of buildings and thousands of vehicles passed by her. In the midst of it all, the senate building came into her view. It made Luminara look away from the window and think about the day of her padawans trial.
She had not been there physically, the month long defense of a republic fuel depot forces kept her away from Corucant. After hearing the terrible news about Barriss, Luminara was told by the council that she would have a chance to speak at the trial via holoprojector.
Things did not start out well, when Luminara's presence was projected in the middle of the courtroom she was greeted with cold stares and whispers among the many members of the court. Aside from a few senators and the row of court members that were made up of Masters from the council the majority of the court had become callous towards Barriss and perhaps the Jedi in general.
Before being given a chance to speak Luminara had to hear the prosecutor, a man named Tarken; suggest something horrible. He believed the most reasonable punishment for Barriss's crimes was death.
"If the court allows the likes of Barriss Offee to live it will only show that we are forgiving to those who commit acts of treason and murder. She is a dangerous, delusional Jedi turned terrorist that would likely try to convince others to join her cause if given the chance. I insist the court make the most logical choice and let the rest of the republic know we will not allow the likes of this young woman to go unpunished."
Luminara spoke in Barriss defense, but her case was not taken well. She spoke of her history with Barriss, of the many difficulties they had faced and lessons they had learned together. After that, she tried to convince the court that Barriss committed her crimes because she was confused and at some point must have been misguided by something or someone. Tarken response was claiming Luminara's sentimentalism made her unable to be taken seriously as the defense.
At that point the only person who could sway the courts opinion was Barriss. But she did not just ignore Luminara's help, she spoke against it.
"My mind is clear as it's ever been and I have not been misguided. Every action I took was done in sound mind and by my own design. I will not pretend to feel guilty, no matter how much my former master may want me to."
The words were like knives in Luminara's heart. Barriss would not even look at Luminara's hologram as she dismissed her attempts to help.
The prosecution felt assured in their victory. Tarken chose to rest his case so the court so the court would move on to deciding a verdict.
Luminara wanted to speak again, but was silenced by the court. The chancellor agreed with Takren's points, making hope seem all but lost for Barriss. She remembered the tense knot in her stomach that was felt as the chancellor was about to call the court in to decide the verdict but also remembered the feelings of hope and relief that came when another person stood as Barriss's defense, senator Padme Amidala of Naboo.
It was a surprise to everyone in the courtroom, the senator had walked in unannounced and referring to herself as Barriss's spokeswoman upon arriving. Tarken tried to object her involvement the senator was shrewd enough to make his complaints seem irrelevant to the court.
Barriss did not refuse the senators help because of what appeared to be curiosity, she either wanted to know why Padme walked in or because she wanted to see if the senator would actually help.
No words were spoken between Luminara and Padme but the senator did give the Jedi master one look before giving the court her official case. Even though it was seen as a hologram, the senators confident smile was enough to make Luminara believe Barriss had a chance to live. Padme's speech that day had an effect on Luminara, and likely other members of the court as well.
"Senators, Masters, esteemed Chancellor. It was just days ago when I stood here to defend a Jedi that I believed did not commit a heinous crime. Therefore, I understand if you are confused to see me again now that the true culprit has been found." Padme said while gesturing towards Barriss. "It would be foolish of me to argue Barriss Offee's innocence, that is not why I'm here. The reason I once again stand before the court is to convince you all that Tarken is wrong and that death is not the answer." Her conviction echoed with her voice throughout the court. "We must face so many dying already, no one could count the number of lives lost since the clone wars began. I cannot deny Barriss Offee has taken lives, but I will not let the republic think killing a killer is the answer."
The prosecution tried to object again, saying such ideas would create a republic that appears weak to it's enemies. But it was not considered a legitimate reason to object, so Tarken was overruled once again. With him silenced senator Amidala was free to continue.
"Weakness would be resorting to our enemies tactics. Victory means nothing if we must become what we are fighting, we must prove that we have superior strength in both our conflicts and ours morals. I believe we could rehabilitate Barriss, make her see that she is a criminal and not the patriot she thinks she is. If we succeeded, it could be the first of many offenders that could be turned into proper citizens. Please, members of the court; give this young woman a chance to be given the help she needs instead of throwing her body on top of an already massive pile."
Her speeches impact could be seen on members of the court, it was enough to make the debate regarding Barriss's sentence last a few hours. Luminara was on edge for every second they took to decide, she had faced many life threatening situations in her life but the seasoned master had never felt so nervous in her entire life until that day.
A small relief from the wait came when Senator Amidala briefly appeared in front of the courts holoprojector to speak to Luminara.
"I am sorry I can't do more Master Unduli, a friend asked me to come and help you. I cannot say who, but I promise they want to help Barriss as much as you do. I might not be here for the sentence, it seems the chancellor wants to speak with me about barging in. But I wish you both the best of luck."
They did not speak again, after Padme left she was not again until the court had finished debating. The sentence was given out by none other then Supreme Chancellor Palpatine.
"After much debate, the court has decided to favor the defense. Though Barriss Offee has committed terrible crimes against the republic, the court and I agree with senator Amidala; we should not allow the republic to become cold and unforgiving. Barriss Offee's life will be spared, but she will be imprisoned for crimes of treason and murder."
Tarken was quiet but obviously angry, Padme and the council were relieved. All Luminara felt in that moment was joy, smiling for the first time since she heard about what her padawan had done.
When the trail was over Luminara was offered the chance to speak to Barriss but refused. She decided it would be best to confront Barriss in person. That decision lead her back to the temple and onto the transport shuttle that was about to arrive at the prison Barriss was sent to.
Luminara then realized how close she was to facing her. She was nervous and uncertain about what she would say, but Luminara knew this was something that had to be done. She had to find out what made Barriss become what she saw at the trial.