Chapter 54: Great Men Never Die

There had been only a few times in Rey's life when she had been in awe over a person speaking. To her, words were just words; they couldn't feed people or protect them from sandstorms. However, recently, she had begun to learn just how powerful words could be. She could use them to teach, persuade, and even inspire billions. Hearing Admiral Primidian at the Parle had amazed her and shown her firsthand that, if used right, words could even have power over people. When listening to the man in the hologram, the ghost of Senator Organa, Rey was once more amazed by the power of words.

The man spoke about the morality of war. He based his argument on several classic texts and even made reference to the Jedi on several occasions. His dialogue discussed the responsibility of soldiers as well as their commander, the duty of citizens as well as their rights. From wartime battles to street skirmishes, he analyzed at what point a person was right to fight and at what point they became wrong. He boldly acknowledged that people sensing the dawn of time had been willing to fight and die for what they believed in. These people could be dodgers, freedom fighters, bounty hunters, pirates, or even ordinary citizens pushed to extremes, and he demonstrated through logic at what point conflict changed from being a willing sacrifice to an abuse of power. His speech fussed morality, logic, and even theology into a cohesive and easy-to-understand system of truth.

Rey had always heard that Senator Organa was a great man. He was so influential even the Emperor, at the height of his power, could not remove him from his public office. No assassin would dare touch him, and no general would dare arrest him despite almost bluntly supporting the Rebellion. In the end, it took a blast from the Death Star and the destruction of his homeworld for him to die, and yet his legacy lived on. The respect people had for his household lived on, allowing Princess Laia and Minive to rise to the top of the Galactic social circles.

The Jedi had always assumed he simply possessed a lot of political power, but now, seeing the man even in hologram form, she realized her assumption had been wrong. Even as a phantom, he radiated a righteous aura that filled her with hope. His words were so smooth and deep that she felt like a student ready to learn more about life and the harmony that could exist between all people. He demonstrated a sense of self-respect that made him appear regal but also an outward respect that made one feel valued.

Rey had always considered Princess Leia and Minerva to be two of the strongest people she had ever known. Now, she knew that they had not been simply born this way but learned from this man. Having now witnessed Bail Organa himself, the Jedi could see parts of his spirit passed on to his adoptive daughter and niece. Their radiant spirits, brave hearts, and dedication to doing what's right were clear marks of their familial bond. Senator Organa did not just radiate greatness but seemed to actively spread it, passively encouraging everyone around him to strive to be the best they could be.

His speech was long and lasted almost an hour, yet everyone was captivated by every moment. At the very end, he smiled honestly and concluded, "In the wake of war…" It occurred to her that he was probably referring to the Clone Wars and had no idea what the Galaxy was going to experience in the coming years. Rey put this depressing thought out of their mind and refocused on the hologram, "We can not fixate on vengeance through diplomacy. Peace born on sacrificing those who fought for it is a betrayal of the very ideals we stand for. If something is not worth dying for, then it is not truly important. I stand before you in the wake of death, the likes of which our Galaxy has not seen in a millennium; all of this is a testament to the people's desire for change, justice, and peace. As delegates of these people, it is our duty to actualize this dream so as to honor their will as well as those we have lost." Bail Organa bowed at this and finished, "I have concluded my case. My associate will now discuss our remediation strategy. I thank the delegates for their time."

In the wake of this speech, the room was left in stunned silence as though a pool of murky water had suddenly grown incredibly clear. It didn't feel right to clap or applaud; after all, the speaker was only a projection, and yet the audience couldn't help feeling indebted. Like a classroom full of children who had just been taught a valuable and sincere lesson by a teacher. Almost a full minute passed, during which Rey could see the frantic scheming behind the eyes of Admiral Adolfus and the chairmen of the Corporate Alliance. At this point, the audience couldn't hold back anymore, and a roar of applause filled the room.

Admiral Adolfus tried to silence the room but seemed to have lost all his power as people rose to their feet. After more than a minute, the man slammed a gavel and shouted, "Order!" Many delegates cowered back at this, and the applause quickly died down. The man let out a sigh and added sternly, "I remind the delegate we are on a tight timeline." Once he had the room's full attention, he turned on the two wookies and addressed them, "Representative Dukmar, as moving as this testimony is…" His eyes grew almost violent as he concluded, "Given that the arbitrator can not offer a full argument nor format any rebuttal to questioning, I will be left with no choice but to excuse it from these proceedings." Disgruntled noises filled the room, but no one could refute this, leading to the man dawning a disheartened expression, "Then with no objections I…"

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From Rey's own, both a firm and masculine voice sounded, "I object."

The Jedi looked over, startled, just as Admiral Adolfus began to sputter before calming himself and speaking out, "Chancellor Ultor, this is quite unexpected." Turning a bit visions, he added, "I didn't think your name was on this conference's attendance. I, of course, won't bar you from participating, but this is quite irregular."

The Chancellor's face was stern and his eyes cold as he responded, "I know very well what Conferences I'm registered for, Adolfus ." The older man seemed to emit pressure that engulfed the entire room, causing no one to question his blatant lack of respect for the Admiral. Marcus then placed a hand on Rey's shoulder and continued, "My scheduled Conference happened to conclude unexpectedly early, so I'm here to relieve Master Skywalker of her duties."

Both the Jedi and Admiral were surprised to hear this, as was the rest of the room. The ex-imperial pounced at the opening made by the Chancellor and stated, "But Master Skywalker has presented herself quite admirably; our committee has found her insight truly enlightening." With challenging eyes, he concluded, "Unless meaningful evidence can be provided that the Jedi is unfit to finish the meeting, I must insist she continue to participate."

Rey was stunned that, for once, she actually agreed with the Admiral; she wanted to stay and finish what she had started. As if reading her mind, Emi subtly grabbed one of her hands and squeezed firmly as if to soothe and warn her. The Jedi calmed herself and inwardly acknowledged the conference had escalated far beyond what she could understand or add to meaningfully. The Chancellor seemed unphased by this and rather became even more serious as he responded, "Adolfus, you should be more aware of the circumstances of your conference participants." He nodded to Rey and explained, "Earlier today, in the course of Master Skywalker's investigation, she and her aid were ambushed by nearly a dozen members of the Dark Apostles. If not for their spectacular heroism, both they and many innocent bystanders may have died." Eyeing the Admiral fiercely, his tone escalated, "I only hope to afford them the time they need to rest and respect so they may continue with their investigation." His words were now coming out so intensely they caused even the Jedi to shiver, "Unless, of course, you didn't truly hope for these terrorists to be brought to justice."

Having been put on the full defensive, the Admiral responded hurriedly, "Of course, I want to see the Dark Apostles brought to justice." Becoming venomous, he shot back, "I also find it very strange that I haven't heard any news of this attack."

The Chancellor snorted and held up a device that projected a large hologram into the air, "Remarkable, your own media seems to know about this affair." A video of Rey and Emi fighting the terrorist appeared before everyone, showcasing the scene where they had leaped from one exploding speeder to another. The sound of shocked and awe-filled gasps rang through the room. The Chancellor waited a few more moments, then added, "The event was so well documented, one might be surprised that it was an ambush at all." He swiftly ended the hologram and put the device away before concluding, "I believe all the delegates will be able to access this footage individually and that it meaningfully showcases my representative's need for rest in order to prepare for further investigation of these heinous villains."

Everyone began to murmur affirmations, causing the Admiral's expression to twitch before he forced a smile and responded, "Of course, if I had known, I would have found a replacement for her immediately." With a pleasant expression that contained unspeakable hatred hidden below, he looked at Rey and concluded, "Master Skywalker, you and your aid are dismissed in order to recover. I wish you luck in investigating these terrorists."

Rey recalled her etiquette and rose to her feet before being slightly, "It's my pleasure to participate in the concord as well as defend it."

The hall applauded for her approvingly as she turned to leave, but the Chancellor stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder once more and leaning into her ear. The Jedi shivered at this, feeling a little intimidated, till the man spoke softly, "You did a good job; go and rest now."

Rey froze up when this started, but Emi assisted her by sneakily shoving her forward. The two swiftly exited the conference room. As they left, he heard the Chancellor speak once more in his cold and commanding voice, "I intend to utilize the speech of Bail Organa as the keystone to my proposed plan of achieving justice for war crimes committed during the reign of the Empire and its post-seeding governments in accordance with presidents that can be established through the reference of the Galactic War Time Registry of Conflicts. As the speech is no longer testimonial, there is no need for rebuttal or its withdrawal from the pool of evidence."

This confident statement went well over the Jedi's head, but from the sound of outbursts that came from the room, she liked what it implied. Her mind lingered momentarily on the Chansilors' kind words, but her thoughts were distracted as she saw Finn talking with a political figure intensely. His gaze was more focused than he ever had been during training, and she had a sudden urge to punch him. Her old Padawan was so engrossed in his conversation that he didn't even notice or sense her presence. Rey was determined to tell him off, but Emi guided her body and spoke quietly, "You two can't make a scene; it's best to leave immediately."

The Jedi glanced at her aid and saw the cyborg posing a face full of seriousness. To a normal person, the petite woman might have looked mildly concerned, but being more familiar with the woman, Rey knew this was a matter of life and death. She let go of her irritation and nodded, "Right, I'll follow you."