You walk in silence towards the door that opens up to the room you’ve always hoped to have a seat in. But now that dream has been shattered. You start to slow down, dreading every moment. A guard shoves you forward and reluctantly you keep moving. The two guards open the door, and a blinding light shines into the hallway. You stop walking. A guard pushes you forward again, but you don’t budge. You feel a shove again and continue walking, one step at a time. Finally, you reach the center of the room.
You look down at the patterns on the floor, the ones you always admired as a youngling. Now it looks like the room is pointing at you, as if you have done something wrong. At least, that’s what everyone says. But you know the truth. You bow down in front of your role models, your idols, who now believe that you are to blame. But you’ve done nothing wrong.
“So young Padawan, do you have anything to tell us here today?” Master Mace Windu’s voice echoed throughout the room.
“Yes, sir,” you reply.
“Go ahead, we’re all ears.” A smile creeps onto your face and you picture Master Windu with ears everywhere. You try not to laugh as you speak.
“Sir, I didn’t do it. It wasn’t me”
“Ah. Know what we speak of, you do?” Master Yoda spoke, as he always did, in a code you had to silently crack.
“Yes, sir,” you reply honestly. “And I know it wasn’t me”
“How are we to believe you?” Windu asks, clearly not believing you.
You look around the room. The view over Coruscant always hits the same. Seeing it from the temple, you think about the first time you were in this room, the first time you were in this temple.
“So we’re on the same page. Let me tell you what you’ve done,” Windu spoke.
You focus back on the masters in front of you.
“So, you organized an unauthorized attack on the council five days ago. This attack resulted in many of our fellow masters passing, and you weren’t there for the funerals,” he explained. “What do you have to say about that?”
“Sir, I was unaware of any deaths or funerals that have occurred since I left to Alderaan to reunite with my mother. You can check the flight records. I left to Alderaan a week ago and came back last night when I was informed of the attack, and that the jedi were going to blame it on me,” you explain.
“So you fled the planet without permission,” Windu started.
“No, sir, I was not fleeing anything or anyone, and I was authorized by my master to leave”
“Well, your master passed away during the attack that you yourself launched”
Your hands start to tremble. No. No, master was strong. She wouldn’t die. Not so soon. She couldn’t. No, that was impossible.
“You didn’t sense it? The attack and the death of your own master?” Windu questioned, clearly gaining suspicion and evidence against you each second.
“Sir, my master and I are very close. It would take a lot more than a bunch of untrained bounty hunters to kill her. She is still alive. I know she is,” you say, your voice shaking.
“Yes, she is still alive, but she is in critical condition,” Windu said calmly.
“You lied to me!”
“Not as much as you’re lying to all of us. The attack was organized through your account. You weren’t there at the attack or at the funerals. You fled without permission to another planet, so you wouldn’t be at the temple, so you wouldn’t get caught. Guards, lock this traitor up and keep them in jail for life,” Master Windu finished.
If you choose to run away from jail, turn to page 8
If you want to figure out an escape plan while in jail, turn to page 21
To be continued…