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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 ca
"The committee has ruled that a subcommittee will be formed in order to investigate the charges," Bog a
"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 ca
"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.