Star Wars_ Fate of the Jedi 05_ Allies - Christie Golden [101]
“So by this point, you were officially working with Darth Caedus.”
It was accurate, as far as it went. Tahiri knew now that by the time Jacen had begun seeking her out in order to have her assistance, he had gone over to the dark side. Eramuth’s ear twitched slightly, but otherwise he seemed calm.
“Yes.”
“There were several orders that you were asked to carry out that most beings of conscience might find unpalatable. What were your thoughts on doing such things?”
“Many beings obeyed orders from Jacen Solo,” Tahiri replied, keeping the sharpness out of her voice with an effort.
“Ah yes,” Dekkon said, turning away to give the jury a knowing glance. “‘I was just following orders.’ Famous words, uttered by many who did not wish to take responsibility for the harm they caused. Yet without beings who obeyed orders, Darth Caedus could not have wreaked the havoc he did. Many would be alive today had not beings simply said, ‘yes, sir.’”
“Objection,” said Eramuth. “My esteemed colleague knows full well what the consequences would have been to anyone who challenged a Sith Lord, which was what Jacen had either fully become or was well on his way to becoming by the time he got his claws into my client. Also, this was not a civilian corporation. Tahiri Veila would not have been a simple whistle-blower. She was in a military organization and could not have challenged an order from a superior officer without extremely dire consequences. Especially when that superior officer was Colonel Solo. I trust I do not need to remind anyone here of the power he wielded at that point in time.”
“Sustained,” the judge said. Clearly, Eramuth didn’t need to remind anyone.
Dekkon nodded, as if he wasn’t at all disappointed. With his grand, almost theatrical robes sweeping the marble floor, he continued, hands clasped behind his back.
“May it please the court. I withdraw my implication that the accused should have disobeyed a direct order issued from her military superior. Ah—”
He came to a dead stop, looking as if the thought had just occurred to him. “That is, of course, assuming that the instruction to murder—”
“Objection!”
“—to assassinate,” and Dekkon glanced at the judge, who nodded. “To assassinate Admiral Gilad Pellaeon was a direct order. Was it a direct order, and phrased as such?”
“Objection!” Eramuth cried again, leaping to his feet. “When coming from a Sith Lord, surely this court recognizes that even the merest hint of that Lord’s preference must be construed as an order!”
“Your Honor,” Dekkon said, “We are all in agreement that in a military organization, orders must be followed. I am simply trying to establish whether such an order was actually issued or if Tahiri Veila acted on her own initiative.”
“Overruled,” Zudan said. Her face betrayed no hint of emotion. “Continue with your line of questioning, counsel. Defense Attorney Bwua’tu, please take your seat. The court is worried about your injuring yourself in your ebullience.”
“Thank you, your honor,” Dekkon said, inclining his head as a titter swept through the courtroom.
Eramuth’s ear twitched. Despite his display of energy, Tahiri didn’t miss that he reached for the arm of his chair to ease himself down. His face was impassive, but she was sure her own burned sympathetically in response to the rebuke her lawyer had just received. It was an unnecessary and, frankly, petty attack against his age, and she knew he felt the sting. She wanted to use the Force to even out her color, but of course she couldn’t. Instead she took deep, calming breaths. She didn’t want to give this anooba of a lawyer the satisfaction of knowing that he’d gotten to her.
“Miss Veila,” Dekkon continued, smiling at her as if they were just two friends having a pleasant chat over caf, “No one questions