growing tide of anti-Jedi feeling and the best of us cannot seem to stop
it. It is full of lies and half-truths, all twisted to fit an agenda."
Palpatine opened his palms in a gesture of helplessness. "I am at a loss to
explain it, except to say that in a galaxy so mired in conflict some might
turn to a scapegoat to further their own plans."
"Or deflect attention from those plans," Mace said.
"That is true, Master Windu," Palpatine said. "And wise. But what
these plans are, I do not know."
"Is Sano Sauro behind this?" Obi-Wan asked. Senator Sauro was an enemy
of the Jedi, and Omega had been his prot©g© as a boy.
Palpatine shook his head. "Not this time. The leader of the anti-Jedi
faction is a formerly obscure Senator from Nuralee. His name is Bog
Divinian."
Obi-Wan started. Bog Divinian! He was married to Obi-Wan's good friend
Astri Oddo, the daughter of Didi Oddo. Obi-Wan had met Bog on a mission
during the Galactic Games. Bog was not yet a Senator at that time, but he
had lied in his testimony to an official investigation in order to protect
the Commerce Guild. Obi-Wan had no doubt then that Bog had the makings of a
politician. He was not surprised to hear he had succeeded in his career. No
doubt the gratitude of the powerful Commerce Guild had helped.
Obi-Wan glanced at Mace. Now he knew there was another reason he had
been called to help.
"I know Bog Divinian," he said. "His wife is an old friend."
Palpatine looked relieved. "That is good news. I urge you to speak
directly to him. Perhaps a personal appeal can help."
Obi-Wan doubted this was the case, but he inclined his head in
agreement.
"I must inform you of a recent development," Palpatine said. "Roy Teda
has arrived on Coruscant. I know that the Jedi were recently involved in
the coup on his planet of Romin."
Obi-Wan felt this news pass like electricity between him and the other
Jedi. Perhaps his idea about Omega being involved here wasn't so far-
fetched.
"Teda has lost no time in joining the anti-Jedi faction, I'm afraid,"
Palpatine continued. "He's already given testimony that the Jedi were
responsible for aiding the unlawful coup on his planet."
"Unfortunately this is technically true, though a misreading of
events," Mace said, arching an eyebrow at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan knew that Mace
was still annoyed at him and Siri for aiding a coup without first
consulting the Jedi Council.
But Teda's arrival on the planet could be good news, Obi-Wan thought.
It would give them a chance to observe him closely. Perhaps they could
learn more about Omega. Teda was not a bright creature, and no doubt it
would be possible to discover how he fit into Omega's larger plans.
"He has also claimed that the Jedi were responsible for a factory
implosion on Falleen. He's managed to get the Falleen Senator quite upset
about it." Chancellor Palpatine steepled his fingers and looked over them
at the Jedi. "I'm afraid there is nothing I can do about this. There is
just enough evidence in the charges to make them credible. Teda has the
right to petition for asylum on Coruscant. It is up to the Jedi Council to
refute the charges."
"Are the charges formal?" Mace asked, somewhat surprised.
"Yes. That is the reason for this meeting. There will be a hearing
this afternoon. I suggest that a Jedi presence is needed."
Mace stood. "Master Kenobi will attend the hearing."
"He must," Palpatine said. "He has been called as a witness."
Once again, Obi-Wan inclined his head, but he seethed inwardly at the
distraction. Just my luck, he thought. A meeting and a Senate hearing, all
in the same day.
Omega could be in his grasp, but if he wasn't careful, he would spend
all his time in meetings and hearings and never accomplish a thing.
Just like a Senator, Obi-Wan thought with an inward groan.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The hearing was held in a smaller meeting room at the Senate. It
wasn't as big as the main chamber, but it held twenty tiers with seating
for onlookers and pods for several hundred Senators. The room was packed
with an overflow crowd. Senators, aides, HoloNet news correspondents, and
curious Coruscant natives crowded the seats and the aisles in the tiers,
and every pod was full.
Obi-Wan sat in a pod with Mace Windu, docked in a mid-level tier. "I'm
surprised there is such a crowd for this hearing," he murmured to Mace.
"Usually meetings like this are so dull that no one attends."
"Note who is here," Mace said in a low tone. "The room is packed with
Bog Divinian's supporters. I hear that one must obtain tickets to observe,
and supporters of the Jedi were told there were no seats."
Obi-Wan watched as Bog Divinian leaned forward to call Roy Teda to the
stand. Teda's pod floated forward.
"I greet you hello, fellow rulers, amazing Senators, all wonderful
beings who love democracy and truth," Roy Teda said. "I, too, am a believer
and a lover of the democratic principles of many voices, all saying the
same thing."
Roy Teda began his testimony, and began to lie. Obi-Wan listened to
the lies fall from his mouth. He was not surprised.
"I beseech you, Senators, rulers, fellow citizens of the galaxy," Teda
concluded, spreading his arms. "Stop this outrageous outrage before it
overtakes us completely! The Jedi came to my planet and secretly plotted in
an underhanded way with an unlawful army to bring about the destruction of
the elected government!"
Obi-Wan snorted. "Hardly an army," he said quietly to Mace. "And we
didn't plot with them."
"The truth has no place here," Mace replied. "They don't want to hear
it. But you must tell your truth anyway."
"They overthrew my government! They rampaged through the streets! And
it is no accident," Teda said, leaning forward on his fists, "that the
Romin treasury of wealth disappeared!"
"Yes, because you looted it," Obi-Wan muttered.
"Jedi interference must be outlawed on every planet in the galaxy!"
Teda thundered. "Let them go back to their Temple and practice their secret
hidden arts on one another!" he shouted. "Leave governing the galaxy to the
Senate!"
Blocs of Senators roared approval. The crowd hooted and stamped.
High above Teda, Bog Divinian hovered. He did not dock his pod the way
the presiding Senator usually did. He remained in midair, so that he would
be in full view of the crowd.
"Senator Divinian, I have signaled for questioning and have been
ignored!" Bail Organa's voice was a shout. He stood, maneuvering his pod
closer to Bog's.
"If you have a question, of course the presiding official - which is
me, may I remind you - will recognize it," Bog said, clearly displeased at
the interruption. "The Honorable Senator from Alderaan has the floor."
Organa's pod zoomed closer. "Do you have any evidence of your claims,
Former Ruler Teda?" he asked. His handsome face was stern, and his robes
were thrown back off his shoulders as he faced the former dictator.
; "Yes, of course," Teda answered smoothly. "The evidence is on Romin,
only I am in exile and cannot reach it."
"The committee has ruled that a subcommittee will be formed in order
to investigate the charges," Bog announced.
"And who will be appointed to this subcommittee?" Organa asked,
turning to Bog.
"Some members of my committee - "
"All enemies of the Jedi!" Organa thundered.
" - who will choose its members, according to rule 729900, subsection
B38 of the subcommittee rules - "
" - which are currently being revised by a committee headed by Senator
Sano Sauro, another enemy of the Jedi!" Organa pointed out. There were few
Senators who studied the bureaucracy as extensively. Organa knew that the
tedious work of keeping up with the bureaucracy netted results. Injustice
often began when the powerful Senators who headed committees changed
obscure rules that they knew no one would notice.
No one but Bail Organa.
"The Honorable Senator from Alderaan must agree that no matter how
unhappy he may be, it cannot be argued that procedure isn't being followed,
" Bog said smugly.
"The procedure was changed by the same Senator who has been asked to
investigate unfounded charges that suit his own agenda," Organa pointed
out. "It is the very definition of unfair. It is also an outrage."
Obi-Wan was impressed. Organa spoke with authority. He did not bluster
or shout. He made his points with acid, not with blows. He spoke truth, but
Mace was right - this crowd did not want to hear it.
"The presiding official refuses to get bogged down in procedural
details," Bog said, waving his hand. "The Honorable Senator from Alderaan
will now yield the floor. Your objections will be noted in the log. The
presiding official calls Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi for testimony."
Obi-Wan stood at the front of his pod. He pressed the lever that
controlled its movement. The box moved forward to the center of the room.
Bog did not acknowledge that he knew Obi-Wan or had met him before,
not even with a slight nod.
"Tell us, Jedi Kenobi, did the Jedi secretly meet with the resistance
army on Romin?"
"Members of the resistance movement captured two of our apprentices,"
Obi-Wan replied. "The Jedi were on Romin to pursue a galactic criminal - "
"Ah, let's talk about that. Isn't it true you were on Romin illegally
and using false ID docs?"
"It is true that we used false ID docs. Sometimes the Jedi need to
travel in secrecy," Obi-Wan answered. "We were on the trail of an extremely
dangerous criminal who had the means to destroy - "
"I am not asking your intent, merely clarifying your means," Bog
interrupted. "Which, as I pointed out, were against the laws of Romin. Did
you have personal dealings with the criminal Joylin who has seized power on
Romin?"
"An action that the Senate sanctioned due to the criminal activities
of Roy Teda," Obi-Wan pointed out.
"There are some in the Senate who pushed through this initiative, it's
true," Bog said, implying that this action was highly suspect. "That
initiative is currently under investigation."
"Senator Divinian!" Bail Organa called.
"Senator Organa, you are out of order!" Bog thundered. "I am
questioning this witness!" He turned back to Obi-Wan. "Answer the question.
Isn't it true that the Jedi assisted the takeover?"
Obi-Wan hesitated a fraction of a second. It was true that the Jedi
did assist Joylin and his band. But the plans had already been in place.
"Answer, please." Obi-Wan saw a flash of mean triumph in Bog's eyes.
"Yes. We offered them assistance."
"So you overthrew a legally elected government for your own purposes."
"No. We - "
"The record will note that the question has been answered," Bog
snapped.
Bog looked down at his datapad, but Obi-Wan was sure it was for show.
Bog knew exactly what his next question was going to be. He wanted Obi-
Wan's admission to hang in the air. The chamber was silent now, every face
turned toward Obi-Wan. He was in an impossible position, and he knew it. He
could not save the Jedi here. He could not save the Jedi with words, with
truth.
Obi-Wan rarely felt helpless. He hated the feeling. He felt it burn
inside.
"Isn't it also true that the Jedi were involved in a factory implosion
on Falleen?"
"We happened to be in the vicinity."
"Oh," sneered Bog, "Jedi Knights are factory workers now?"
"Two of us were," Obi-Wan answered honestly.
"Do you mean to tell me that you got jobs in a factory? That's hard to
believe."
"Truth is sometimes hard to believe," Obi-Wan said evenly. "That's why
ignorant minds have a difficult time with it."
Bog's face reddened. Obi-Wan realized he had done an ignorant thing
himself. He had allowed his temper to get the better of his judgment.
Always a bad idea - and, for a Jedi, a severe lapse.
"So you sabotaged the factory - "
"No." It was Obi-Wan's turn to interrupt. "We were caught there. The
factory was deliberately destroyed by its owner to cover up violations."
"And you were there, after hours, after everyone else had gone home."
"Yes."
"I see. So you were the only ones there during the implosion, but you
did not trigger it."
"I don't know if we were the only ones there. How do you?"
Bog flushed again. "What I see before me is arrogance and a complete
lack of remorse at the destruction of property - "
"Oh, I feel remorse," Obi-Wan said.
"That is unusual," Bog snapped.
"I never received my paycheck."
Guffaws exploded throughout the chamber. Bog looked helpless and
angry. Obi-Wan followed his gaze to a dark corner of the chamber, where a
pod hugged the wall. Obi-Wan recognized the slim, dark form of Sano Sauro.
Sauro must have sent Bog a private message on his datapad, for Bog
looked down. He nodded vigorously, while the laughter slowly died down.
Obi-Wan had succeeded in something, at least. He knew now that Sano
Sauro was controlling Bog like a puppet.
"The witness is dismissed," Bog said. "The hearing is adjourned."
Obi-Wan maneuvered the pod back to the wall. He crossed to sit next to
Mace. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be, Obi-Wan. You did the best you could."
Mace looked out over the chamber crowded with beings. "Something is
here," he murmured. "Some darkness. We feel it growing, but every time we
look, we see nothing at all. You spend your time on missions, Obi-Wan. You
are not here, like the Jedi Council is. Lately, I have been wondering..."
"Yes, Master Windu?" Obi-Wan asked respectfully. It wasn't often that
Mace revealed what he was thinking.
"We send the Jedi throughout the galaxy. To help. To keep peace. To
bring aid to suffering populations. But in the end, I wonder..." Mace's
stubborn gaze raked the chamber "... if our real job lies here."
"I hope not," Obi-Wan said, gazing over the room. "Out of all my
missions, this is one place where I do not want to stand and
fight. It's
like shouting into the wind.
"None of us want to be here, Obi-Wan," Mace said. "Perhaps that is our
undoing."
He took a step back, then turned and disappeared into the interior
hallways. Obi-Wan looked out over the crowded chamber. How, he wondered,
had it come to this? Why were so many willing to believe the worst of the
Jedi Order?
He glanced over at the shadowy box where Sano Sauro sat, receiving
guests. Obi-Wan had first tangled with Sauro as a mere boy, when Sauro had
questioned him in a hearing to investigate the accidental death of a
student at the Jedi Temple. Sauro had twisted Obi-Wan's words even then,
and Obi-Wan suspected that the Senator had crafted Bog's questions today.
Disgusted, Obi-Wan turned and headed out of the box toward the
interior reception room, where most of the crowd was now congregating. He
saw Bog Divinian hurrying toward him, a wide smile on his face.
"Obi-Wan! So good to see you again!" Bog thumped him on the shoulder.
Obi-Wan gazed at him incredulously.