swtor story

[veritedonato]

The prisoner awoke from her deep, drugged sleep to find herself locked in a prison cell. She didn't remember anything of her previous life, only that she was now a prisoner. Depression sought to drag her down, but she resolutely pushed it away. Somewhere in her mind, she knew she didn't belong here, but she could not conceive of where she did belong.

 

Many hours passed until someone approached her cell. It was a young man, dressed in an unfamiliar uniform that looked vaguely military in appearance. "Hello", the woman said, grateful for any semblance of human companionship. "I don't remember anything at all. Can you tell me what I'm doing here, where I came from?".

 

The young man seemed troubled. "I'm afraid I cannot answer many questions about your predicament, young lady. I wasn't the one who found you, and I wasn't told much about your origins. I do know that we found you at the scene of the murder of a prestigious Senator, with his blood on your hands and all evidence pointing towards you being the one who killed him."

 

The woman placed her head in her hands. With chagrin she said, "I can't imagine that I would have killed anyone, but... I remember so little of anything that perhaps I... I did?"

 

The young man nodded, "We are trying to sort it out, but it doesn't look good for you. The murder was cold blooded and extremely vicious. The Senator's relatives want vengeance on you, they want your execution."

 

The woman nodded, "I suppose I should prepare for death, then."

 

The young man said, "I must remind you, your fate is not yet decided. This is the Galactic Republic, not the Sith Empire. However, the evidence against you is substantial. They say you are a psychopath and that you murdered the Senator viciously in cold blood."

 

The woman said carefully, "Instead of execution, could I be sent to an insane asylum? That would be a gentler fate than death."

 

The young man sighed, "You could propose it to the judge, but I'm not sure it would work. There are so many people against you, and the judge must decide in favor of the majority. They want you executed."

 

The woman nodded, "I see"

 

The young man continued, "I'm here to take you to the trial. You will be tried fairly and justly according to the law."

 

The woman followed the young man down the hall, feeling strangely separated from her body. It was as if she watched from a great distance, not part of the events that were cascading around her.

 

"Woman", the Judge said, "We find you guilty of murder in cold blood of the Senator Yeles-Ka. We sentence you to execution by lethal injection. Any last words?"

 

The convicted woman couldn't say anything. She was rooted to the spot. Words suddenly flowed past her ears... "Melinda, wake up! This isn't real... you have to wake up..."

 

"Get this over with", the Judge said. The executioner stood ready with a needle loaded with the fatal fluid.

 

"Doctor, she's going into a coma... get me 3 ccs of tralithorine, now!"

 

The executioner stabbed the woman with the needle, allowing the fatal fluid to seep in. The nameless woman blacked out, allowing death to take her. Then, suddenly, images rushed up into her vision, bringing her back to reality.

 

Melinda was lying on a medical table in the Coruscant General Hospital. "Wh... what happened to me?", she asked.

 

"Oh thank goodness!", Nadia Grell sighed in relief, "You're back with us now, Melinda!"

 

Melinda nodded, "Ugh, head hurts... had a horrible dream... But it's already fading fast."

 

The doctor said, "Melinda, you agreed to participate in a dangerous and experimental psychic energy transfer to save a mentally ill patient from dying of neural overload. However, we didn't anticipate the patient's condition overpowering your synapses, and we almost lost you. According to our readouts here, you were experiencing a very vivid psychotic hallucination."

 

Melinda said, "Yes, I remember now. I was going to be executed for killing a Senator. It seemed so real...."

 

Nadia Grell exclaimed, "Yes, but it's over now! And we saved the patient. He's completely stable now."

 

Melinda nodded, "That's good to hear."

 

As Melinda and Nadia departed the hospital, Melinda thought about her adventures and being a hero, and all that it had earned her. Loyal companions, a steady income, and the gratitude of thousands. It was a jedi's life, and she wouldn't have it any other way.