Barrett lands his ship in the forested area of Coruscant. He departs and makes his way to an abandoned temple.
Looking around his mind drifts back to a time when the Rebel Alliance was just in its infancy and he was a commander one of the youngest and highly decorated the Alliance had ever seen up to that point. This is where he and others would meet in secret to cultivate their plans to overthrow the Empire.
This is also where he was brought forth in shackles and chains for breaking several laws of within the Alliance. Weapons violations, blackmarket deals with smugglers, illegal ship modifications were among them and there were others. All those charges he could accept with but the charge of conduct unbecoming an officer was the one that angered him to no end. He was a soldier and his mission was to defeat the enemy by any means necessary, and Mon Mothma and the rest of the so-called leaders robbed him if that opportunity.
"Guilty as charged", Mothma stated. "Commander Alexander James Barrett you have been found guilty of violating no fewer than 20 laws and statues as detailed in these indictments."
Barrett looked up with steely resolve and listened as Mothma read each charge aloud. Barrett knew the serverity of his situation because Mon Mothma had been in hiding for years but she came out of hiding to deal with this situation.
Barrett looks to his right where his advocate Ball-Organa stood by him throughout his unit's operations and the trial. His support of Barrett was unwavering. If it hadn't been for Ball-Organa Barrett would've ended up in the Spice Mines of Kessell working alongside the droids for the rest of his life.
"If I may have the court's attention I have a deal in place...." Ball stated
An outcast and a piriah to the Alliance is what he had become. Then came that fateful day when Ball's daughter Leia came to him.
"I suspect you never thought you would be standing here again," a voice says from behind him.
Barrett doesn't even turn around he knows the voice anywhere.
He replies, "I'll bet you never thought you would be contacting me again."
He turns and sees Mon Motham standing before him.
She says, "It's actually good to see you again; Alexander. You look well."
Barrett says, "The years have been good to you as well. You've done some admirable work for the Alliance since I was exhiled."
She bows out of respect to Barrett.
He says, "Now that the Diplomatic song and dance routine is over let's get down to business."
Barrett sits on a fallen pilar and lights a cigar.
Mon Mothma moves towards Barrett and says, "You always were one for being direct and to the point."
Barrett takes a drag and says, "
I see no other way to be. I try to be an open book on where I stand on a subject."
Mothma chuckles a bit and says, "Very ironic someone who is so open leading a covert military unit."
Barrett pauses for a moment and chuckles as well saying,
"Point to you. Now why am I here?"
Mon replies, "I need to know what your intentions are. How are you planning to operate? How your existence once again will impact the alliance? For the good that you did on your most recent operation there are already questions being raised. Questions that I am not sure I will be able to answer openly or if I should even try to answer. The existence of your unit as made things, once again, somewhat complicated."
Barrett stands up and looks out into the sky. He turns back to Mon Mothma taking a drag and letting itgo says, "
To be honest I don't know."
He puts out the cigar and says, "
I wish I could give you a more direct answer, but we live in a galaxy where the lines between good and evil can sometimes get blurred for those of us in the trenches doing the work that diplomats don't want to know about."
Mothma stands and says, "There is never a blur between right and wrong Alexander, and in terms of diplomacy tell me honestly would you not give up everything tomorrow for a chance to see peace happen in our galaxy without a single shot being fired or a single soldier dying?"
Barrett replies, "
I certainly would but you and I both know that is never going to happen that's why you came to me to try and stop the Empire's invasion on Roon."
Mothma looks at him inquisatively and he continues, "
Leia despises me she didn't come willingly, and there are only two people who knew where I was. You and Ball-Organa were the only ones so you figured out of my loyalty to him by sending her I would just fall in line. You figured wrong I didn't do it out of loyalty to the Alliance or anyone. I got invovled there because there were good people on that planet being slaughtered and tortured who didn't deserve anything like that. I saw a great injustice being enacted against them and I took action. Not to mention there are those in the Empire that would love to see me dead, and I have no intention of letting that happen anytime soon."
Mothma nods and says, "Good deduction on your part Alexander. Answer me this though; why are you back? Why didn't you just go to another planet and stay in hiding."
Barrett closes his eyes and remembers the little girl he helped save. Whose family he saw slaughtered, because he chose not to get involved. The guilt and pain begin to pound on him.
He steadies himself and replies, "
You have no clue what you're asking about. My reasons are my own. Know this though I'm doing this so the next generation may have the chance of knowing a galaxy knowing a life without the specter of the Empire."
Mothma crosses to him and says, "Your intentions are certainly pure, but there are lines that you maybe crossing that could put us at cross puposes how do you purpose I deal with that? There are those who would like nothing more than to see the Alliance painted as the new Empire and the actual Empire seen as sympathetic."
To be continued....
