Tython Jedi Council Chambers
Anris turned to look at her father as he stood in front of the assembled Jedi Council for judgement. As soon as Anris had reported what had happened on Balmorra, the council had ordered her back to Tython with Toryal and Vette as fast as she could. Although he had given his daughter to the Jedi to save her, despite the number of Jedi he had spared over the years, the Jedi Council had still decided that he must be judged for the crimes he had committed against the Republic in his service to the Sith Empire.
And to the surprise of nearly the entire Jedi Council, Toryal had agreed to submit to the Jedi Council without a fight. His armor and lightsaber were sitting on the floor, leaving him in a simple grey shirt and pants as he stood in front of Satele Shan as she looked over the former Emperor's Wrath. Toryal stared straight ahead.
"The Jedi Council has heard of your actions during your service to the Sith. You killed countless Republic solders as you fought across the galaxy. Is this correct?"
"Yes."
"You caused destruction on nearly every world you set foot on. You were responsible for the loss of a promising padawan known as Jaesa Willsaam when you turned her to the Sith. Is this correct?"
"Yes."
Satele Shan looked the former Emperor's Wrath directly in the eye, as if she was staring directly into his soul.
"I have also heard tales of the mercy you have shown to your enemies. You had the opportunity to kill Jedi Master Yonlach on Tatooine, You had the opportunity to kill Master Nomen Karr on Nal Hutta. Instead you sent Karr back to us. You had him at your mercy and yet, you let him live. Why?"
"Because I do not enjoy killing." Toryal said simply and Anris felt pride surge through her. "I never kill unless it is in self-defense and even then I regret it. To kill indiscriminately, for no reason is not my way. To be cruel for no reason is not my way. If I had sent Karr to Darth Baras, he would have taken his time in killing him, instead I saw that even though he called upon the Dark side in our fight on Hutta, I could sense compassion and mercy in him. That is why I sent him back to you."
Master Shan looked over at Anris and kept a neutral expression on her face as three figures entered the chamber. Two of them carried Lightsabers on their belts while the third was a blue skinned Twi'lek who looked over at Anris and smiled before looking back at Toryal.
"Masters Yonlach and Karr. You have had dealings with this Sith. You both fought against him. You have both seen what he is capable of. If you have anything to say, now would be the time."
Master Yonlach stepped forward and bowed his head. "I fought against the Emperor's Wrath on Tatooine. I fully expected to die. I expected to feel his lightsaber pierce my heart but it didn't. He simply wished to send a message. In his time on Tatooine, he didn't take a single life unless he was attacked first."
Master Yonlach looked over at Master Karr and nodded as the other Jedi stepped forward and he looked over Toryal before turning to look at Satele Shan.
"It is true, I fought this sith on the world of Nal Hutta and during the fight I called upon the power of the Dark Side and yet I still failed to defeat him. I expected to die that day, I expected him to gloat about how he had stolen my Padawan from me and then I expected him to kill me but he didn't. Instead he sent me back to Tython where at the time I refused to commune with the force for many months before I had a realization."
Karr turned to look at the Wrath.
"If I had continued down the path I was going I would have ended up being the very thing I fought against. I would have become a man who took pride only in the fight against the Sith and his victories against them, not in saving the lives he should have. I would have become focused solely on the battle and not in the results of the battle. I'm almost certain that I would have sacrificed innocent lives, I would have done anything to achieve victory."
"But you...when you defeated me, I was shown that my way was not the only way. I learned that I can be wrong and that I was wrong."
Toryal simply nodded at him as Karr looked down at the ground. "I ask only one question: What became of Jaesa? Is she safe?"
Toryal let a small smile appear. "You would be proud of her, Master Karr. Jaesa has saved the lives of many sith who have chosen to forsake the Dark Side. Many of them owe their continued lives to her. She has become an underground force of change in the Empire and has taken a padawan of her own."
"Good." Karr said quietly. "If I ever do get the chance, I would speak to her...apologize for what was said before I was sent back to Tython."
Satele Shan looked at the Wrath and raised an eyebrow before turning to look at the Jedi Council. "I ask the Jedi Council...is this truly a bad man? He gave his daughter to the Jedi to save her life, Through his actions he and his apprentice Jaesa have managed to save many, many lives and he continues to follow the Light Side and resist the Dark Side."
The Council debated amongst themselves as they whispered to one another before a Twi'lek Jedi approached Satele.
"Release him."
Satele Shan nodded and picked up the Wrath's Lightsaber and handed it to him. "You are free to leave."
Toryal took the offered Lightsaber and shook his head. "With Respect, Grand Master, I would like to stay amongst the Jedi, even if it is only for a short time. My wife and I...we wish to visit with our daughter for what little time we may have here."
Vette moved past Masters Karr and Yonlach and grinned as she pulled her daughter into a hug. "We missed you every day you were gone..." She whispered as she held her daughter close. Anris could feel tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I...I'm glad I'm going to get a chance to meet my mother and my father." She said as Toryal approached her with a large smile on his face.
"I've been waiting to meet you for a very long time..." He said softly as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Now that I'm here...we can finally get to know our daughter."
Vette smiled widely as she let go of her daughter. "Now...is there a cantina around here? I want to buy my daughter a drink." She said with a laugh.