Chapter 16 Bid for Freedom
He smiled, fingering the object in his hand, as he watched the curious crowd erupt into an angry mob. All it had taken was one little thing to turn them; one fragment thrown toward the escort and the scene had turned ugly. One of them had even brought the prisoner to his knees, which delighted him even more. But he sighed as it was over so quickly and the mob first quieted down and then slowly dispersed. Well, it had been fun while it lasted; but he had more work to do.
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They took the lift up several levels and then Hannon led the way down the main corridor until they reached a side hallway where he turned and led them down to a door near the end. Leaving the escort behind, Hannon took Boba by the arm and guided him in through the door which came out behind the advocate's bench. Boba glanced out into the crowded courtroom; it was no surprise for him to see Breha with Gemma sitting beside her, and next to her, Master Kenobi and Zak. The entire Skywalker family was seated behind them with Master Skywalker on one side and Ferri and Lady Padme on the other. What was a surprise, though, was the presence of several Jedi Council members, including Master Windu and the spiritual head of the Council, Master Yoda; Boba wondered why they had come. Did they believe in his innocence? Or had they come to see that he was arraigned and brought to trial? He had expected the Vice Chancellor's presence, but not that of Ell who was sitting next to her; he stared at her in puzzlement until Hannon prodded him from behind, "Move." He ordered gruffly and then pushed him toward a seat facing the bench.
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Breha stiffened as her stepson entered the courtroom with the stone-faced examiner. He wore a hardened look on his face, a look she had not seen for several years, not since he had first come to them. But when he spotted her, and their eyes locked, the look softened and the boy she had come to love as her son became familiar to her again. His cheek was darkened from the bruising around the slash mark and Breha felt angry all over again just thinking of what been done to him that morning. The examiner with him pushed him forward as the court guard removed the binders securing his arms and then turned him around and pushed him into the chair; Hannon then strapped his arms down, "Why are they doing that, Mama?" Gemma asked.
"They do not want him to escape." Breha answered.
Gemma sighed and shook her head, "Poor Boba; this is not right, none of this." She said, trying not to cry.
"I know, baby." Breha replied putting her arm around her, "I know."
The Vice Chancellor glanced in Breha's direction, and Breha glared back her. Mon Mothma, looking apologetic, held her gaze for a moment and then turned away. Their friendship would never be the same, and they both knew it.
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Bail clenched a fist around his sheet as he caught sight of the injury inflicted by the Mon Calamari examiner, "I will have charges brought up against him." He decided.
"What happened, Bail?" Averill asked.
Bail shook his head, "After the Vice Chancellor's office was hit, one of the examiners took it upon himself to 'question' Boba about it. Apparently, Boba did not…and the being lost his temper. Had it not been for the intervention of another examiner, it would have been much worse. Apparently, this examiner was bent on beating answers out of him." He explained.
"Answers the poor lad could not give him." Averill surmised.
"Yes; it is not right, Haris. He is being framed, and no one, with the exception of the Jedi, will believe it." Bail replied.
"Well, surely, the Jedi will be able to discover the truth. Bail, who had the authority to arrest Boba in the first place?" Averill wondered.
"When I was incapacitated, the Vice Chancellor was given full control." Bail told him.
"Ah, that one; she never has warmed up to Boba. I can easily see how she could believe him capable of this. But what about now, Bail; do you not have the authority to have him released?" Averill asked.
"No; I am still considered unfit to return to my Office and even if I were, once Boba was arrested, I would not have had the authority to have him released." Bail explained.
"And the real assassin is still out there; the Maker knows who his next target is." Haris replied.
"The irony is if Boba had not been arrested, he may have been able to help find this killer before Mon's office was bombed." Bail added.
Averill sighed and shook his head, "The fools." He muttered.
"Yes." Bail agreed.
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"All rise for the Judge Advocate." A computer generated voice instructed.
Everyone, with the exception of the defendant, stood as the door behind the Advocate's bench slid open and the Advocate entered. Boba sighed heavily and shook his head; the Advocate was another Mon Calamari. Oh, this just keeps getting better and better, he thought to himself. When the Advocate had taken his seat, everyone followed suit. The Advocate glanced through the data quickly and then turned his attention to Boba's defender, "Lord Defender, how does your client plead?" He asked.
"Innocent, Judge Advocate." The defender answered.
The Advocate nodded and turned to the prosecutor, "Lord Prosecutor, do have sufficient evidence to bring against this defendant?" He asked.
"We have, Judge Advocate." The prosecutor confirmed.
The Judge Advocate studied his data pad for a moment, "Yes, Lord Prosecutor; you present a very good case." He agreed and then turned to the defender again, "And do you, Lord Defender, have a case to present to put into question the evidence against your client?"
"I believe so, Judge Advocate; I have witnesses to testify to the character of my client, and I have a witness to prove he could not have committed this most heinous of crimes." The defender informed him.
Boba turned to look at him, and then tried to turn so he could see Ell, "Is there something more interesting than the proceedings here, Defendant Fett?" The Judge Advocate asked.
"What? I…no….no, sir; I was…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disrupt anything." Boba stammered.
"Who was it that you wanted to see so badly, son?" The Advocate asked.
Boba shook his head and looked down, "No one, sir; I apologize again for my behavior." He answered.
The Advocate stared at him for a moment and then shook his head, "Very well; it appears there are sufficient grounds for trial, and it appears there is also sufficient evidence on the part of the defendant. In the interest of expediency, if there is no objection, I would look to begin trying this case two days hence. Is that agreeable to both parties?" He asked.
"It is, Judge Advocate." The prosecutor agreed immediately.
The defender turned to look toward the Jedi present, and when a nod came from Yoda, he turned back to the bench, "It is, Judge Advocate." He consented.
"Very well, we shall reconvene in the morning, two days from now. Is there any other business to be brought before the bench at this time concerning this case?" The Judge Advocate asked.
"Yes, Judge Advocate; it has been brought to my attention that there is a very large crowd gathered outside this building. When my client was brought here, the crowd turned hostile. I would like to request that he remain in custody here rather than risk his safety further by transporting back to the detention center." The defender requested.
"Lord Prosecutor, do have any objections to this request?" The Advocate asked.
"As long as he is sufficiently secured, no, Judge Advocate." The prosecutor answered.
"Very well, request granted, Lord Defender." The Advocate consented, "I would also like to extend the right of visitation within reason, so that he may have the opportunity to visit with his family…and whoever it was he wanted to see so badly earlier in the proceedings."
"Thank you, Judge Advocate." The defender replied.
"It is not an unreasonable request." The Mon Calamari said, "Now, if that is all…very well, court adjourned."
"All stand until the Judge Advocate has left the courtroom." The voice instructed.
As before, everyone stood as ordered until the door closed behind the Mon Calamari. Most of the spectators filed out leaving only the Vice Chancellor and her daughter, the Jedi and Anakin's family and Boba's family. Hannon came forward and loosened the straps binding Boba to the chair and then pulled him up, "Can you give us a moment here." The defender requested.
"You will have sufficient time when he is back in a cell where he belongs." Hannon answered curtly, pulling Boba's hands behind his back.
Breha appeared, wrapping her arms around him, "Are you alright?" She asked.
"Yes, all things considered." Boba told her.
"Ma'am, I'm sorry but you're going to have to wait." Hannon told her, gently pulling her arms away.
"Breha glared at him, "No, you should be sorry for what you have done to him." She retorted.
"I had nothing to do with what happened to him this morning; and with all due respect, had he been more cooperative…." Hannon began and was cut off when Breha slapped him sharply across the face.
"If by that you mean he should have confessed, then I am pleased that he did not; because then he would have been a liar. My son has not done what he is being accused of; and when the real assassin is found, you will all look like fools." She stated angrily.
"He will be in the holding cell in about ten minutes. All of you have been given permission to visit him there if you wish." Hannon announced, turning away from Breha.
"Boba, it will be alright, I have everything under control." Ell assured him, having made her way down to the courtroom floor.
"What is this? I said you can visit him when he's in a cell." Hannon commanded, taking Boba by the arm and forcing toward the door behind the bench.
Boba turned to look over at Ell, "What are you going to do, Ell?" He asked.
"Fix this." Ell answered.
He tried to respond, but Hannon shoved him through the doorway before he had the chance.
"Why is that man so cruel, Mommy?" Leia asked.
"I don't know, honey; I guess because he thinks Boba is a killer." Padme answered as she stood up to go down to the floor to join the others gathered there.
"I think Zak and I are going to go with Boba; something doesn't feel right." Obi-Wan announced and headed toward the bench doorway with Zak right behind him.
"We'll come with you." Anakin replied, giving Padme a peck on the cheek before following the pair.
Once out in the hallway, they caught up quickly with the escort taking Boba to the holding area.
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Boba flexed his wrists, more trying to ease the irritation of the tightly clamped binders than anything else, and felt a slight give. He flexed again, and the binder loosened further; intrigued, Boba tugged gently and the binder on his right wrist fell away. Barely able to contain his excitement, Boba waited until they reached the main corridor before shouldering Hannon into the guard next to him then barreling into the guards leading the way. Still dangling the binders from his secured left wrist, Boba bolted down the corridor toward the rear exit as the rear guards brought their weapons up.