The Trace Which Remains

Chapter 5: ... for the test to begin...

Coruscant, midnight, fifthmonth six:

An ancient woman crept through the permacrete alleys in the industrial district, heavily cloaked to ward off the chill of night- and the eyes of the curious. No one could see her face, and it was just the way she liked it to be. If people knew your face, they held power over you.

Her garb was black, allowing her to fade into the shadows, and she used this to her advantage, slipping between the cracks in the lower levels of the massive mega-city as she snuck towards a hidden alcove behind a compacter. Once within, she pressed a button on the wall, causing the hole in the wall to shimmer and change the holographic cloak to hide the turbolift as it began plummeting towards the heart of the planet.

If her face had been uncovered, one would find a smug grin on her skeletal features. The day's news had been good indeed.

Darth Sidious was dead. Now Darth Morata would rise.

Myka Severeth was seated, ramrod straight, at his immaculate desk in his makeshift office aboard Home One, when two people abruptly burst in, one from the back room, one from the hallway. One was Skywalker, the other his sister. Severeth narrowed his eyes at Skywalker, and snapped, "I told you to page me for emergencies."

The Jedi ignored him, and rushed to Organa, who blurted, "The Alliance arrested him."

"When did they find out?"

"I have no idea. They were practically waiting for us at the village."

Skywalker groaned, and turned to Severeth. "Where are my clothes? I need to leave."

"You can't. I'm not done running tests on you to check for after-effects of the lightning."

"I HAVE to." Skywalker turned bloodshot eyes to the physician, who was unfazed by the glare.

"It won't help anyone if you pass out- you can't do anything yet anyway."

"Luke," the Princess interrupted, "I've offered to serve as his Arbiter. It won't be easy, but Dr. Severeth is right- you need rest."

With a frustrated sigh, Skywalker sat down on a crate of papers. "I guess you're right... but what am I supposed to do? Sit around picking my nose?"

"We'll need your testimony to get him off the hook. We should totally leave... certain things... alone, because nobody will believe you, but he's dead meat without your evidence." Organa rested her hand on Skywalker's shoulder, and leaned down to whisper in her brother's ear. Severeth strained to make it out, but even his well-trained ears missed it.

Whatever it was, it made Skywalker smile weakly, with a nod of understanding. She then muttered more loudly, "Well get him free. He might not have an easy time, but he'll be free, if I have anything to do with it. Now get some rest."

Rising to his feet, Skywalker nodded, and retreated to the back room of Severeth's office, mumbling an apology to the physician before the door slid shut. Organa then turned to Severeth, and asked, "How's he doing?"

"He should be fine within a couple of weeks- there are some internal injuries that'll need some time, but nothing that'll kill him unless the traumatic incidents recur."

"The lightning?"

Carefully, Severeth responded, "Among other things."

With a growl of annoyance, the Princess stood and circled the desk to look down at Severeth. "What happened to him?"

Bluntly, Severeth replied, "Your brother was raped while he was in the past."

Her dark eyes widened, and she asked, "By who?"

"I haven't determined yet. Genetic results have been corrupted, but it is clearly an anal rape by a male human."

She stiffened, and asked cautiously, "Is there any chance that it was from consentual sex?"

"No. The torn muscles and membranes wouldn't be enough evidence on their own, but there is also heavy burning from Force lightning that centers there more than anywhere else. This leads me to believe it was Emperor Palpatine who committed the act, although I have absolutely no proof- he is, after all, not the only man to ever use Force lightning."

The Princess seemed to relax for a moment, before suddenly remembering something. "What do you know of the Force?"

Severeth studied her face for a moment, before answering, "I am familiar with the effects that the Force has on physiology- injuries, enhancements, corruptions. It has been my area of focus throughout my studies."

"What do you know of Vader? Is it possible that he did this?"

Severeth smirked wryly. "No. Not at all. Vader never knew Force lightning- and besides, the genetic material is definitely not Skywalker."

She stifled a gasp. "You know?"

With a devious chuckle, Severeth replied, "I've known for my whole life who Vader had been- it's good to see him no longer serving that Palpatine bastard."

"Could you help me gather information about how Vader became Palpatine's servant? It's important."

Turning to his datapad, Severeth asked, "What do you think I can help you with? I'm sure that your brother knows better than I do- after all, he was there."

"But what if nobody believes him? He is, after all, rather... biased."

Severeth snorted. "What makes you think I know anything that will be helpful to you? What makes you think I'm any less biased than he? Or perhaps biased in the favor of the other side?"

She considered his words, before returning, "You knew that Luke was Vader's kid- but you didn't turn Luke in... OR Vader."

Rolling his eyes, Severeth muttered, "Not everyone hates Vader. Not everyone loves him, either. Some of us just don't really give a fuck."

"Is that your answer? You're not going to help me?"

Severeth let out a sharp, barking laugh. "Don't assume that you know what I mean the moment I say it, Princess. I'll help you get your information- it doesn't do me any good to see either one of those two dead. But I have my own reasons- and they really don't have anything to do with right or wrong. I deal with facts, Princess, and that's what I'll help you find. I don't fuck around with morality."

Groaning, Organa asked, "Well why didn't you say you would to begin with?"

"I was testing you, Princess- seeing how you reacted. Like most people, you assumed that because I was stating reasons to NOT help him, that meant I wouldn't. I was stating the reasons that other people might not help- but I'm not really a normal person. I have my own justifications for doing things, and they don't really have anything in common with the average person."

"Fine. Just... compile all the information you have on Vader and Palpatine, and try to find anything that might help my case."

"If I have time. Your brother's not in the best health right now, and I'm probably going to be busy studying that DNA from the rape- I trust you want to find out who did it?"

"Of course. But why don't you ask Luke?"

"Because I have a theory I'm working on, and I need to research this with as little pre-conditioning as possible- I don't want to wind up just looking for things to agree with. I need to do this as blindly as I can."

"Fine. Could you get back to me as soon as you can?"

Severeth waved her off, and nodded. "Now get out of here. I need to study this crap."