Chapter Text
Excited humming and buzzing thrummed throughout the large room as he waited, standing before them all calmly. He did not recall having been in this room before. He had been the dispenser of justice--such as it was--in his time and had no need to see the inside of a courtroom. It was large and stately as all such buildings were upon Coruscant, but it was older than the Senate (Justice was indeed a far older thing than politics) and so was more attractive, being built with stone and marble and glass, rather than the modern metal and smooth architecture.
And, while it was large, easily seating 5,000 beings, it was still utterly dwarfed by the massive Senate building which could be glimpsed out of the west windows.
And didn’t that sum up so much of the current time , he thought, politics was given far more weight and importance than justice.
This trial really ought to take place in the smaller court of military justice, but it wouldn’t have held the amount of reporters and viewers and politicians that were needed to put on a show such as this.
Besides a court martial might backfire. After all, a large portion of the Imperial navy clearly supported him.
No, his captors needed this to be a very public trial for treason and murder. Sensational topics that would be broadcast around the galaxy.
The amount of holonet cameras guaranteed that this would not be a problem in the least. However, it also meant that it would cause great…..distress to those dearest to him. Well, one at least would be distressed, he wasn’t sure how much it would bother the other to be honest. They had made some progress in their relationship, after all.
He knew she didn’t hate him and after what he had done to her, it was more than he could ever have hoped. He also knew however, they would never have the sort of close relationship that he was building with his son. And again, that was all right and more than he deserved. He was able to watch her build close relationships with others and because it made her happy, he was happy.
Unfortunately, because of him, one of those relationships was under threat now, and thus, why he was not certain what she would feel when she saw this. He looked to the side, to the ante chamber where witnesses waited right before coming into the courtroom and could see the two men. He had no right to be proud of them---they were who they had become in spite of him, not due to anything he had done for them. But, illogically, he was proud of them. They stood with all the posture of impeccable military training despite extreme fatigue and emotional toll.
The shorter one was very pale, and yes, that was definitely a black eye. But then any hope of ethical treatment had vanished the moment the two of them had set foot in the building on his behalf. The taller one was as steely as ever and met his eyes, giving him a slight nod.
And that was hard. Because to protect them he was going to be vicious. They may or may not understand what he was going to try to do, but it would hurt them both. Faithful officers, and he would have to try and break that trust to keep them safe.
People were settling into their seats and the sound was ebbing as though someone was turning down the volume gradually.
The jury filed in, resplendent in their pompous robes, and remained standing.
“All rise!”
The assemblage did so. He sought out the gaze of the steadfast one, the one he was most sorry for dragging into this, and gave a slight nod which was acknowledged before their attention was given to the three judges filing in.
“The honorable Judge Vandron, the honorable Judge Chireen, and the honorable Judge General Nariff presiding.”
The three stood prominent behind the massive black marble bench. Vandron smirked down at him--yes, that was to be expected and he had no illusions about whether the man would be unbiased. He had ever supported the Emperor slavishly. He did not know much about Chireen; she was an unknown factor and without his senses being available to him, he could not read her. The General had a striking scar down his left cheek and was an Imperial through and through. He would interpret this in a military way and thus, the verdict would be likely already in his mind even now.
This made the prisoner more concerned for the other two with him than for himself. Their actions, as judged by Nariff, were almost certain to get them shot. Yes, he was more determined than ever, that he must distance them from this as much as he possibly could. He would take full responsibility for it all and they were mere cogs in the machine. It was not a great defense, but it was the best he could offer them.
And there could be no…. personal attachment revealed in any way. They were officers, he was the commander, nothing more. He must take years of sacrifice, serving together, and shedding blood together, and throw it away as though it meant nothing. He hated himself for that---but he had always done what was necessary and this was no different.
“The accused, Anakin Skywalker, sometime known as Darth Vader, sometime commander of the Imperial Navy and advisor to the Emperor, is charged with the crimes of treason and murder at the highest level. These crimes bear the punishment of death. How plead you?”
Anakin looked right at Vandron as he answered, clearly and loudly.
“I plead, not guilty.”