Tribunal?
Here, have this. Stay tuned to the A/N at the end.
Reviews and criticism are always welcome.
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars.
It was only a few hours before I had to get up and let Plo take a break as well. I should have slept longer, but Plo had taken on the brunt of the fight in my opinion. I could let him have some time to rest. When I walked through the doorway to the cockpit, Plo remained there, checking over the instruments for some time.
"I'll take it from here." I said.
Plo nodded, but didn't move, and continued to monitor the screen. He turned the chair back to look at me directly.
"The Council will investigate Damask's every move during his life. All of his associates. Associates which include you."
I nodded in resignation while I leaned on the doorway to the cockpit.
"Your defense, while valid, isn't exactly airtight. Many will see you as corrupted." Plo sounded disappointed. He stood up and moved to stand in front of me.
I sighed, nodding in affirmation. This was not going to end well.
"Until such an investigation has ended," I reached down and unclipped my lightsaber. I handed it to Plo, the emitter pointed up in the air. "I surrender myself to your custody."
Plo nodded and took the weapon.
"Just to satisfy my curiosity. How exactly did you bring down the Sith?" I waited for his response.
Plo looked to the side and seemed to play the moment back in his head before answering. "He allowed himself to be killed."
"It was suicide?" I was surprised. I supposed it did make sense.
"Subtly so, but yes. He staged it. Had he not been in a hurry I would have believed that I did kill him of my own accord. Luckily preventing your interruption of the ritual was his primary focus." Plo admitted.
"His spirit was connected to the holocron… It really was a close run thing." I said. Had I not destroyed the holocron when I did. I mentally shivered at the thought.
"Now, I have a question for you." he said.
"There was a point after I told you to focus on stopping the ritual, you were distracted. It takes much to offset a Jedi as well trained as you. May I ask what could have distracted you during such a crucial junction?"
I didn't know what to say. Did I lie or tell the truth? Plo had gone through Hell and back with me. Did I repay that with a lie? Not really.
"It was a Yinchorri Blade." I said with reluctance.
Plo nodded. He was there with the rest of the strike force that day. It was after Komari and I were separated from the main strike force in the Yinchorri base that she fell. I didn't want to remember what happened, but I powered through the best I could.
"It was the same or similar to the one that killed Komari Vosa in the Yinchorri's Secret Command Base." I said, doing my best to not dreg up that awful day in its entirety.
"I see. She was the only Jedi to fall that day. Many more would have no doubt fallen had you not discovered the Fourth Moon." Plo said.
"She saved my life." I admitted. "One of the Yinchorri Elders was not as thoroughly knocked out as he could have been. I couldn't sense his intent due to their unique abilities. I remember her seeing something and shouting. She grabbed me in an attempt to shield me from the primitive weapon he threw at me. It all happened so fast." I don't know how I kept from simply bursting in a tearful mess. Being a Jedi had its advantages I guess.
"You blame yourself." Plo said.
"More or less." I said.
"So that is why you wandered off after the battle. You were dealing with a loss under your command." He said.
I simply nodded.
"There are those at the temple that could have helped." Plo said.
I sighed, "I wasn't in a state where I wanted help. After Komari was cremated I just needed to get away from the temple for sometime." I admitted. "I didn't even care about the destination, I just hopped on a transport and went where the Force took me."
He nodded and stood to the side, allowing me to take the pilot seat. I went and began going over the controls. He went to meditate. However he stopped just before the lift's threshold.
"I am sorry for your loss." he said looking back over his shoulder. I closed my eyes as the tears welled up. I was glad my back was turned. A single tear fell down my left cheek. I just barely managed a nod. Plo left me to pilot the ship.
After the lift went down, I found I needed something to do while I monitored the ship. I picked up the Driod head and pulled out my datapad and unfolded it. It was smaller mobile design. The dinner with Plagueis taught me I should be more prepared for data retrieval. Linking the two I accessed the memory core. 11-4D had no back ups or firewalls. Had Plagueis really been so arrogant? I mean yes he was, he let himself be shocked and choked to death in the OG timeline after all. Still not even a basic password. It still felt too easy. Which meant that was by design.
Then again I wasn't complaining, I was terrible with tech. I searched for specific events, mostly looking for mentions of Sidious. What I found wasn't good. The records seemed to go out of their way to make Palpatine and Sidious look like different people. In fact some records were added to make Palpatine look like an unwitting pawn and a well meaning one to boot. I didn't have the knowhow to tell if the records were forged despite knowing they were.
I looked up myself in the records and noted the only real mention was that Plagueis thought I was a decent convert should Dooku fall through. Dooku, would he leave the order still? Part of me hoped he would stay, but with Qui-gon dying the way he did, and Komari too. I failed or at least felt I had.
There was no mention of Bal'demnic which I found odd. That was a relief and what was there corroborated my half of the story. All in all, I was both annoyed and relieved with the information contained in the droid memory.
I unhooked the droid head, set it down again. After Plo's rest I would give it to him. I was annoyed but perhaps if the Jedi began looking for Sidious, I believe it would connect back to Palpatine somehow. It had to. I wondered if I should announce my suspicions or keep it quiet. If Palp's thought he was in the clear he may let down his guard. Then again connecting him to the Sith, may even be easier than finding info on Damask. A lot of Damask's dealings were through the Intergalactic Banking Clan. They would no doubt stall the Jedi for years, but Palpatine didn't have that luxury. At least I think he didn't did.
I sighed, leaning back and resisted the urge to throw the damn head against the wall. I watched the readouts as the window of hyperspace sailed past.
While I sat there meditating in my room back at the temple, I took stock of the general attitude the Jedi held through the Force. Other than being shook up a bit with the return of the Sith, the temple still felt like the temple. While there was an undertone of unease, the false sense of security the temple brought tended to dull such worries.
I knew Obi-wan still hadn't awoken, and I was worried. I wanted to see what happened and had asked for any testimony or camera footage of the duel in the Palace at Thebes. I would later learn there was no footage other than Obi-wan and he wasn't going to tell anyone in his current state.
Apparently Padme still managed to capture Gunray. I thought Damask would have stepped in and had things go the other way. The only explanation I could come up with was that the Muun was laser focused on acquiring Anakin. Once he had the boy, everything else be damned, he took off. It made a certain sort of sense. Or he let the Trade Fed's be fucked over to give Palps a perceived win straight out the gate the moment he assumed the Chancelorship.
It wasn't long before the temple guard took me to the trial chambers. One of the Temple Guards' presence was familiar. I did my best to walk with a measure of ease yet concern. I couldn't be sure what aura I gave off. I don't know. Part of me feared that the Council were at the end of their rope. I wouldn't be surprised.
It was a dark chamber with a dull light illuminating my form as I was brought to the center. The Sentinels that led me here stood just off to the side. I had given the droid head to Plo. I was confident it would show my innocence to a degree. It had been a month since I was confined to quarters. I had spent that meditating and mostly trying to level out. To feel like the Jedi I was as well as look the part.
My translucent arm was mostly covered except for the hand that poked out. I didn't bother covering it up, because of how it would be perceived if I did attempt to hide it. That and it would no doubt be trotted out as evidence regardless.
I saw seven platforms ignite and the Council Members walk forward. Yoda was in the center, flanked by Windu and Master Micah Giiett. Masters Koth, Gallia, Tiin, and Rancisis made up the other seats.
Windu would open the proceedings.
"We are here to deliberate and pass a verdict on the actions of Knight Luminara Unduli. The charges include collusion with enemies of the order, and possible corruption of Jedi tenants."
"Dispute these claims, the Defendant does?" Yoda asked.
"That is a very complicated answer Grandmaster." I admitted.
"Explain, you must." The Grandmaster insisted.
"It started after my trip to Bal-demnic. Damask contacted me with the intent of offering me knowledge from an associate of his. I played along taking the information in hopes of uncovering this associate. I had met Damask when Dooku introduced me a year prior."
"And this knowledge involved commanding and experimenting on midichlorians." Poof asked.
I nodded my head, "Yes for the most part, and it was what allowed me to… require my missing limb during my fight with the assassin."
"You admit to using knowledge of a Sith Lord to aid in your battle." Rancisis said. He was clearly in the "lock me up," camp. If the tone of his voice was any indication.
"There is no Ignorance,.." I let the rest of the line hang, as I continued. "While I have know doubt the information was learned through less than humane research. I stated previously that I recalled no more than had already been granted by the Force in the restoration of my arm. I will admit my worry at the possibility that the assassin would strike at Anakin was my key motivation."
"You're freely admitting to tampering with the midichlorians as they had begun to be rejoined into the force." Koth said.
"I merely let them know that their job wasn't quite finished yet." I said. I did my best to rein in the snarky edge to my voice. This wasn't the time.
There was a pause. "You still failed to enlighten the council of this threat, and ran off to confront the Sith Lord alone. Were it not for the intervention of Plo-Koon, you would have either perished or worse fallen to the dark side."
I nodded, conceding his point. It was pretty stupid.
"There wasn't time, and I feared I would have been incarcerated. I did everything with the concern of Anakin's safety." I stated.
I could tell no one liked hearing that, even those who weren't hardcore traditionalists. Since no one was asking me questions I continued.
"My initial secrecy was necessary. Like the Shadows of I old, I understood that there was a possibility that the Sith had an insider in the order who could and would report to them even if unintentionally or unknowingly. The Sith have become more secretive over the years. I kept this information close in order to not tip my hand. Had I not been attacked by the assassin, I was going to disclose what I had learned to Qui-gon once I finished my visit to the Queen Of Naboo."
"You invoke the name of an order long since disbanded." Poof said. His tone was mildly disappointed, but I could tell he wasn't feeling as heavy handed as Rancisis.
"Yes, which I believe was a mistake. Had they still been around, the Jedi would have never been blind to the machinations of the Sith while they hid in the dark."
"Maybe's and "Could have been"'s," Windu said with a hint of annoyance. I simply shrugged.
"How did you connect Sojourn to Damask?" Gallia asked. I found the sudden switches in topic irritating, but I must have been a tactic to off balance me. I knew Gallia had taken over Tal'or's job in underworld information. I recalled what I told Plo on the way to Sojourn.
"It was something Master Tal'or and I learned. We were going to begin digging into it when we got back to Coruscant. I kept looking into it after his death. It was listed as belonging to the IBC. However I gave up after discovering that the Gathering being held there stopped that very year. Even you must have heard the whispers of it. The IBC covers their tracks well. Not so much the guests in attendance. In the end I was acting on a hunch."
Gallia nodded. I could tell she was not completely satisfied with my answer, but offered no more questions. It would take hours to dissect the underworld dealings and sources that I carefully constructed and uncovered over the years. I was beginning to sense that this trial was a formality. The only reason I could come up with was that I had killed one of the Sith Lords by myself and aided in the destruction of another. How would the Council look if they punished me for that?
"Talk enough, we have. Deliberate we will." The light of the platforms died and I was left there alone. The sentinel's didn't come to take me back so I assumed that I was to stay here. That meant the deliberation time was going to be short.
It all still felt half-assed though. My curiosity made the seconds tick by all the slower. There was a voice in the back of my mind that told me I was going to the Citadel to rot. I found the prospect horrifying. The place would be a nightmare to try and escape from. They did return after about fifteen minutes.
Yoda had a neutral expression. I did my best to appear calm and poised.
"Found the verdict, this tribunal has." Yoda announced. He turned to Mace who read the charges.
"On the charge of Collusion with the Sith, we find the defendant…" There was an annoyingly long pause. Almost as if he was dragging it out.
"Not Guilty."
There was still one charge left. This was the one I felt the most worried about. It was so arbitrary.
"On the charge of the Corruption of the Jedi Tenants. We find the Defendant, not guilty." That last part surprised me somewhat. I thought for sure they would find something to pin on me. I found that might have been Plo's doing with his testimony.
Then Mace spoke again. "However the proceedings have yet to end."
What now? I thought with annoyance.
"May I ask why?"
"Nothing to do with the tribunal. That has concluded. Since we have you here, we have a bit more to discuss." Master Tiin said. He had an amused expression.
"What would that be?" I asked.
"Your promotion to Master." A voice came from behind at the entrance. I turned to see Plo.
"You must really like dramatic entrances?" I said.
"What better way to make an impression?" He said with a hint of mirth. He unclipped my lightsaber from his belt and handed it to me.
I nodded, accepting the blade back and clipping to my own belt.
"There is one condition." Mace said as the platforms descended.
"Which is?" Because of course there was.
Rancisis spoke up as he slithered off his pad. "Since you are a staunch advocate of the old ways, you must complete an ancient right, the ancient Jedi practiced millennia ago." I could tell he was having fun with this. Hoping to see me waver at the prospect. I wouldn't let him have it.
Mace spoke up seeing the building tension. "You must go to an ancient Jedi site and meditate there, and unravel mysteries buried within the force."
"Just point me where to go and I will." I said not giving them the satisfaction.
The Grandmaster hobbled up to me.
"Insistent, Master Katri was, you go to Mirial for this right."
Any confidence or sense of combativeness faded. If I thought Gren was annoying, Katri was way worse. I met her once with Master Tal'or. No doubt Gren had convinced her to do this. Katri was a Mirialian traditionalist, but not so to go out of her way like this. I wanted to sigh or groan. I kept my cool. If they wanted to send me back to the ol' dustball. It was a small price to pay for the rank of Master.
"Well. I will depart with haste then, I wouldn't want to disappoint Katri or the Order." I said coolly. I remembered something crucial.
"Will Anakin be folded in with some one of the other classes of younglings." The council member's looked at each other.
"Yes, he will." Gallia said.
"Good, am I dismissed?" I asked. Yoda nodded.
I bowed and turned to walk out of the chambers. While I sort of admired the whole, "Oh, you want to return to old ways, here put your credits where your mouth is." Just why did it have to be Mirial? I didn't hate the place in particular. It was just so boring. I found myself grumbling as I made my way to my quarters. I would have to tell Anakin I would be gone for a while.
Then it was off to karking Mirial.
A/N: So I guess you could consider this the end of Part I. My plan right now is to go back and refine certain areas of the text. Perhaps add some chapters. I will be adding more meat in as well and refining some aspects in the chapters that need it. Not exactly an overhaul, but I do have some oil to change and some spark plugs to swap out.
On a more positive note I am honestly surprised I got this far. This story started out as a stupid bet and a random roll of a die. Never thought it would get this far. So I would like to thank all of you who have stuck with me this far. Hope it doesn't take me too long to start on Part II.