5 BBY

The brisk winds of a chilly Coruscant night led many indoors, but a Coruscant bar always stayed open.  

Pam Beesly reflected on this fact as she strolled into the Outlander Club.  It was a typical night at the club; blaring music, countless games of sabacc going on, some shady dealings of death sticks and of course drinking.  

Because of the day she has tomorrow, she needed a drink.  So, Pam took a seat at the marbled bar and immediately flagged the bartender for a glass of Corellian Brandy.  

“Wow, Corellian Brandy.  You’re gonna have a tough time getting up tomorrow.”  

She looked to her right to see where the words had come from and saw a shaggy brown haired man sitting next to her with a grin.  

Pam chuckled, “I can handle my liquor thank you very much.  I’m from Corellia for pete’s sake.  We practically have an innate gift for that.  

The man grinned, “No wonder you are having that drink, you’re Corellian!”  

Pam smiled, “Yup, nothing better than some good ol’ brandy.”  

The man shrugged and lifted up his blue colored drink.  “In my opinion, there’s nothing better than spotchka”, he said as he swirled around the glass.  

“Hmm, I’ve actually never had it, what’s it like?”  

The man’s eyes widened, “You’ve never had spotchka?  Wow.  You are missing out.”  

When Pam gave him a glare that would rival a fuming Nexu he put his hands up in mock surrender.  “Ok ok”,he said as he laughed, “It kinda tastes like beer but with shrimp.  It’s essentially that if you think about it.  I love it.  In fact, it was the first drink I had.”  Pam nodded knowingly. “What’s your name anyways?”, asked the man.  

Pam shyly smiled, “Pam Beesly.”  

“Jim.  Jim Halpert”, supplied the shaggy haired fellow.  “So”, drumming his fingers on the table nervously as if he was dreading his own question.  “Do you want to play a game of sabacc with some of my friends over there”, as he pointed his fingers to two men and one Sullustan in the corner laughing roaringly.  

“Sure, I would love to”, Pam smiled.

A few hours later, Pam had certainly lost some credits, quite a few, but it was all worth it.  Sitting next to Jim Halpert was one of the great joys in life she had come to believe.  The man was hilarious to begin with and it didn't hurt that he was devastatingly handsome.  His hair made her want to run her fingers through its locks and his defined muscles felt like they were bulging out of his leather jacket.  

“You calling that Pam?”  Her train of thought was interrupted by Jim.  She instinctively blushed as if he could read her thoughts.  She glanced at the table and her eyes widened at the large pile of credits that Jim’s Sullustan friend Dunt Yavi had just put in.  

She peeked at her hand.  A Pure Sabacc.  This would be an easy way to win back all her money that she lost tonight.  She took some credits from her pile and shoved them into the middle of the table.  

“Wow Beesly, confident huh?”, Jim chuckled.  

Pam blushed, hearing his newfound nickname for her.  She looked at Jim and his other friends.  Everyone had folded after Dunt’s massive bet except her.  

She laid her cards on the table and smugly grinned and anticipated one of the long winded Sullustese swear words.  Her smirk was wiped off her face when she saw Dunt’s hand.  An Idiot’s Array.  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jim’s jaw drop in utter shock at the rarest hand in the game.  The Sullustan started cackling and grabbed all of the credits.  

“That.  Is.  So.  Lucky”, Pam muttered.  

She was all out of credits, so she got up from the table and went back to the bar to hopefully find the bartender for another drink.  She smiled as she heard Jim follow her to the bar.  

“Soo, not feeling too lucky tonight, am I right?”, Jim asked with good humor.  

Pam swung her head around to scowl at him.  As Pam flagged for the bartender Jim widened his eyes.  “Another?  I hope you don’t have to do anything tomorrow morning.”  

Pam laughed.  “No, the opposite.  I’m starting at the Royal Imperial Academy tomorrow to be in the Imperial Navy.”  

A look of elation appeared on Jim's face.  “No way?  Really?” asked Jim with a huge grin on his face.  

“I’m starting there tomorrow too!”  

Pam grinned.  “Wow, that’s awesome.  Well, I guess I’ll see you there.” 

Yeah, you will be the first one I look for, Jim thought silently.  They both smiled at each other, the rowdiness of the Outlander Club disappearing as they thought of the next day and what it would bring.

He fooled her.  He actually fooled her.  Somehow Jim actually managed to convince this cute girl that he was some cool guy and someone who knows all sorts of drinks and what they are made of.  He made her think that he was from another Core world like her.  But, no he is just from a backwater world that isn’t full of the blooming technological advances of Coruscant and Corellia.  

Growing up in Jedha was not a fun experience.  It didn’t help that his family lived in the middle of nowhere.  His only social interactions were with his only neighbors, the Yavis.  He and Dunt were best friends and all they had were each other.  Jim had heard rumors of the supposed “Holy City”, but he never visited.  He almost never left his village.  If you could call it that.  It was merely a large brick hut that his parents and him lived in along with the Yavis’ hut.  

But back to the fooling.  Jim somehow made her believe that he was this alcohol connoisseur, but really he had spotchka for the very first time yesterday when he arrived in Coruscant.  Corellian Brandy?  He just heard her ask the bartender for it and made an estimated guess that it was a strong drink.  

Sabacc?  He and Dunt learned it yesterday as well when they arrived in Coruscant, the Imperial Academy for Jim and an apartment maintenance worker job for Dunt.  His best friend was not destined for a glorious job, but Jim on the other hand was ready for the Imperial Academy.  

Anything to get away from his family’s accursed hut.  Not that it was really theirs, it was more his hut than theirs based on who was there most of the time.  His parents were rarely home.  When they weren’t farming and selling it to the folk from Jedha City, they were off drinking at the pub near their farm.  

When they arrived home late with a starving Jim, his mom always went straight to the kitchen to start making dinner for him and slurred the same thing.  “Sorry, I lost track of time.”  

But, there was not an ounce of genuineness in her words.  And half the time his father would come in and say, “The boy is fine.  He can last till tomorrow.”  

And she would just nod and leave Jim in his wake of hunger.  

Growing up in the wild on a backwater world didn’t provide him much time to become proud of the Empire he was a part of, he wasn’t joining for some brand of patriotism.  He just wanted to get away from his parents and to have a purpose in life besides finding the scraps of foods that his parents wouldn’t give him.  

As Jim reflected on all of this in the cover of a Coruscant night, he realized that tomorrow would be the final symbol of escape from his past.  All his hard work at the preparatory academy, finding food, practically on his own, it all accumulated to this: this new beginning of his life.

Wow, I’m actually doing it.  I’m about to start at the Royal Imperial Academy of all places, thought Pam.  

As she dressed into the academy’s uniformed dark jacket, dark trousers, and black boots she could feel the excitement for the introductory ceremony bursting out of her beating heart.  

Her roommate in the Imperial dorm room, Tydie, told her yesterday that about seven and half thousand students were in their class.  This made Pam’s heart fill to the brim with pride that thousands and thousands will be dressed in this Imperial attire just like her, all brought together by a single purpose: to serve their Empire and make the galaxy a better place.  

She couldn’t wait to take her patriotism to the next step and do something almost as worthy as a senator or an admiral.  

As Tydie and Pam made their way from their dorm to the ceremony, she pondered whether all the students were as elated as her.  Tydie, a Coruscant native, wasn’t too jazzed about it, considering her entire life she could see the Academy from her window.  Plus, her parents badgered her about her future here constantly.  

They made the ceremony on time and stood next to a boy with slicked back hair that was coated in a shiny brown.  He leered at them and grinned, “Hey girls.  The name’s Roy.  How, you doing?”  

Tydie just rolled her eyes while Pam inched away from him as she remembered the strict Imperial policy of no romantic or sexual relationships between fellow cadets.  

Luckily, any further comments from the boy were interrupted by the booming voice of Commandant Deenlark.  “You are here today to not merely become soldiers, but to become patriots of your Empire.  You are here not to represent your planet but as an Imperial.  Abandon your familial and planetary loyalties and pledge your allegiance to the Empire.”  

Pam was taken back by this statement.  She had always been a firm believer in the Empire in her 17 years of life, probably because of her raising, but she will always think of herself as a Correllian.  But, perhaps they cannot coexist peacefully.  If that is what was required, she would attempt to let the past die.  

After the ceremony ended and dinner was eaten, students were allowed to congregate amongst themselves and get to know each other.  As Pam and Tydie were talking to a girl named Idonia, Pam noticed the shaggy haired boy from last night talking to a few guys.  

Jim.  That was his name.  

She excused herself from the conversation about how unfair the braided hair rule was and walked over to him.  

“Hey, long time no see”, Pam smiled.  

Jim turned around and his face lit up in a joyous smile.  “Hey!”  

Pam smiled shyly, now all of the sudden nervous about speaking to him.  “So, are you taking it all in?  Are you nervous at all?”  

Pam shrugged.  “A little.  I’ve been to Coruscant before and I’ve been training my entire life for this, but still.  It’s a little overwhelming.  We aren’t at a preparatory academy anymore, are we?”  

Jim chuckled.  Jim looked at Commandant Deenlark’s commanding presence, the countless artifacts of Imperial regalia, and the few Stormtroopers surrounding the room with their weapons with a somber face.  He realized that was going to require far more than just wanting to get away from his family.  His throat tightened and answered, “No.  No we are most definitely not.”

The preparatory Imperial Academies were hard.  Most definitely difficult.  But nothing was in comparison to the course load at the Royal Academy of Coruscant.  

Pam noticed that the welcoming nature of the first day was gone by the first minute of day two.  Science, mathematics, physical training, piloting, mental training, and many more challenging tests competed with students’ own thoughts for domination of the students’ time.  Slacking off was not even a concept for Pam and many of the other students.  Free time?  That was called meal time and listening to the Chalice and Alter, and even then that was studying for the Core Worlds Culture Class.  By the time Pam finished that class, she had learned to hate Igern, once a childhood favorite of Pam’s, for composing that song.  

She was just grateful that she had managed to dodge the Large Vessel Design class.  She had heard the horror stories from Jim and though she wanted to be in the Imperial Navy, she was not too fond of the prospect of having to learn every single detail of the schematics of an Imperial II-class Star Destroyer.  

The brutality of the coursework came as a glaring realization as she flopped down on her bed.  She was exhausted.  She hadn’t gotten a proper full night’s sleep in 5 months, 2 nights before she started at the Academy.  

A few moments after she had landed on her bed, Tydie walked in.  “Hey.”  A simple greeting left Pam’s tired mouth.  

Her roommate grinned.  “Wow, someone’s tired.  What is it?  Are you sore from you know who?”  

Pam’s eyes widened.  “What?  Of course not.  Eww.  No.  Just no.  Why would you even say that?”  

Tydie smirked and shrugged as she climbed into her own bunk.  As Pam turned her side to snuggle into her bunk, an annoyingly loud buzzing noise came from her pocket.  Ugh.  Who could be calling her at this hour?  

Above her, Tydie sighed.  “Can you freaking answer that thing?  Some of us are trying to sleep.”  

Pam rolled her eyes.  “I know, I know, I know.”  

She grabbed her holoprojector from her side pocket and flipped it open.  Her eyes widened as an holographic image of her mother crystallized.  “Mother?”  

Her mother smiled faintly.  “Pamela.  How have you been, my dear?”  

“I’ve been good, busy but good.”  Pam smiled.  

Her mother laughed.  “Well that’s good.  I just wanted to check in on you.  I worry about you.  You are just one girl in the wide world of Coruscant after all.  Nevertheless, it would be better than being here right now.”  

Pam’s smile faded, as concern began to appear on her creases.  “What?  Why?  What’s going on?”  

Her mother waved her off,  “Oh, nothing too bad.  Your sister has just been getting in a lot of trouble at school and the environment at home isn’t too pleasant to say the least.”  

“Oh, well that’s unfortunate.  Let me know if you ever need anything and I can try to take a leave of absence.”  

Her mother scoffed.  “Honey, your focus should be on the academy right now.  Don’t you worry about us.”  

Pam shrugged.  “Mother,  my first priority will always be you guys.  Family is more important.”

“Family is more important.”  

Commandment Deenlark scowled.  “She said that?”  

“Yes sir.”  

Deenlark’s scowl remained even while he gave a toothy grin.  “Thank you for this information Cadet.”  Confusion appeared on his face as he asked, “What was your name again?”  

“Leb.  Tydie Leb, sir.”  

“Well thank you Cadet Leb.  Your loyalty is noted.”  

Once the cadet walked out, Deenlark turned to Lieutenant Raxur.  “This is an unfortunate turn of events.”  

“Certainly.  Beesly was one of the top students of the class”, Raxur agreed.  

“Yes, but I can’t say I am surprised.  I heard rumors of her constant contact with her mother.  I had merely thought of them as mere flimsy rumors.  But now that we have heard this, we must tread carefully.  The power of her father is something we cannot underestimate.”  

Raxur gave his agreement with a nod.  Deenlark sat quietly and schemed and finally came up with a plan.  “I believe that there is a test in order for Pamela Beesly to really prove where her loyalties lie.”

She liked Pam.  She truly did.  She was kind, funny, and a good roommate.  But, at the Imperial Academy no one is truly friends.  The Academy is competitive.  Like really competitive.  Having friends in high places is far more useful than being friends with another cadet.  And apparently Commandant Deenlark had sent many cadets on a fast track to promotion when given “helpful” information.  At least that’s what Kelly and Idonia said.  

She didn’t enjoy betraying Pam, but a girl's gotta do what she’s gotta do to succeed.  Pam would understand.  She’s one of the top students in the class, so she probably already knows of these tactics.  And she would never know that Deenlark found out from her.  What was the worst he could do?  It’s not like he could kick her out of the academy or anything.  Right?

The sheer power of the Lambda-class shuttle’s wings practically tore the roof off as it landed right before the oak doorstep, incinerating the carefully crafted yard that had taken many workers to perfect.  Five stormtroopers, with their terrifying white mirroring armor, stomped out.  As they trudged through the yard's ashes carelessly, a man dressed in all grey, donned with a command cap came striding out.  His face was of stone.  No emotion, no sympathy, and certainly no remorse for the game he was about to unleash.

“No”, Pam chuckled at the absurdity of the tale, “his family does not have a meiloorun farm!”  

Jim shook his head vehemently, “I promise you Beesly they do.  Dwight showed me a picture of it.  It’s hilarious.  He even tried to sell some to me.”  

Pam giggled without control.  “Wait wait.  Does he have meilooruns with him here at the academy?”  

Jim chuckled and shook his head.  “No, he said that if I gave him the credits he would give them to me one day.”  

Pam laughed at Jim’s roommate’s antics.  When the laughter subsided Pam finally started on her food.  This was a common attribute of meal time.  While Pam was supposed to be eating during this limited break, she ended up just laughing and talking with Jim most of the time, the food all but forgotten.  

Pam had grown to become best friends with Jim.  As much as she loves being in the academy, the workload got a bit much occasionally and Jim was the one who helped her get through the day.  Whenever she was sick and tired of studying the schematics of ships or doing complex calculus problems in her room, Jim would be the one to cheer her up with a joke or his animated retellings of his pranks on his roommate.  But, there is not a shot in hell that she has the feelings for him that Tydie thinks she does.  Plus, that’s not even allowed at the academy.  Tydie could be a bit dramatic at times.  Just because Pam hung out with Jim most of the time and they had grown close, this doesn’t mean they have a crush on one another.  Or at least Pam didn’t. 

“Hey, I forgot to tell you why I wasn’t at class yesterday.”  

Pam’s train of thought broke away and she perked up to listen to Jim.  “Oh yeah?  I was wondering where you were.”  

Jim smiled at that.  “Well I got called to Deenlark’s office and apparently I’ve been reassigned,” Pam's eyes widened, “to the track of being an agent of the ISB.”  

“Wait what?”  Pam was shocked.  “You’ve been training to be a pilot like me, not to be some secret agent.”  

Jim shrugged nonchalantly.  “I dunno.  It’s not like flying was my passion like you.  They said that I had done well on all the mental tests and was better at hand to hand than flying, so I guess I’m better suited for the ISB than the Navy.”  

“Oh.”  Pam wouldn’t admit to Jim, but she was disappointed that now there would rarely be a chance for them to see each other after the academy.  She would need to cherish the time they had together now, they were on different paths now.

“Forgery?  Certainly not.  You’ve got the wrong person.”  

The Imperial officer dressed in all grey did not waver.  “The Empire is never wrong”, he pointed to the woman standing in the oak doorway, “Helene Beesly you are under arrest for the forging of Imperial documents.  Your trial will be in 72 hours.”  

The stormtroopers accompanying him stepped forward and grabbed her by the arms.  Despite her husband’s protests, they marched her away to the shuttle without even a glance back.  Along with the stormtroopers’ fearsome march, the Imperial officer strided away with a smirk on his face, knowing the roles the Beeslys would play in this little game he had orchestrated.

Pam was walking back to her dorm after her lunch with Jim when the piercing noise of the academy’s PA system erupted.  

“Cadet 2061, please report to academy headquarters immediately.”  

Confusion filled Pam’s features as realization hit her.  She was Cadet 2061.  With confusion trailing her, she made her way to academy headquarters.  She walked through the automatic doors and into the office of Commandant Deenlark.  

He was waiting for her.  “Welcome Cadet.  I have some news for you.”  

Pam quickly sat down on the seat in front of his desk.  

“Oh.  May I ask what it is, sir?”  

“Unfortunately, your mother has been arrested.”  

Pam gasped with shock, “What?”  She shook her head vehemently.  “Certainly not, you’ve got the wrong person.”  

Deenlark smirked.  “That’s what your father said.  But I assure you the Empire has found the right person.  She was found forging Imperial documents.  Disappointing isn’t it?  I have to say I was disappointed in her behavior considering her husband and daughter’s role in the Empire.  Nevertheless, her trial is in less than 3 days.  But, I am allowing you to take time off to go and attend the trial.”  

Relief filled Pam.  “Oh, thank you very much sir.”  

Deenlark nodded, “Your welcome Cadet.  Be sure to represent the Empire well”, his eyes darkened as he emphasized the word ‘Empire’.  

Pam swallowed nervously as she got up and thanked him again.  She quickly made her way to her dorm, packed up some supplies and proceeded to the academy’s hangar bay.  A shuttle and its pilot were waiting for her.  As the shuttle took off and began its journey from Coruscant to Corellia, she contemplated the situation that had begun to unfold.  She was worried about her mother.  The Empire had to have made a mistake.  She was always a valid rule follower and would have never done anything to jeopardize her husband’s business.  Pam wondered how her father was doing.  His work at the Imperial shipyard was crucial to her family’s well being and the Empire’s naval production.  With his important relationship with the Empire, he was in a sticky situation.  Much like her, he had to make a choice between duty to the Empire and loyalty to family.

A Few Hours Earlier...

Waiting.  

That is what Deenlark has been doing for quite some time.  Waiting on an update from Admiral Tko has been quite frustrating.  Tko was known as an effective officer, he did make it to the prestige of being an admiral after all, but all the same Deenlark was getting impatient.  He did not doubt that this plan would work, though.  Even though William Beesly was a brilliant engineer and shipbuilder, he was still a gullible man.  When he was presented with the evidence that Deenlark had crafted, he would resign to the truth: his wife was a criminal and rightfully going to prison.  Also, Deenlark knew from personal experience that William Beesly was an ambitious man.  He would not risk his position by lobbying against such substantial evidence.  It’s not like he would have any choice.  Once the cadet’s reaction was revealed, the trial would be of futile concern.  

Beep.  Beep.  Beep.  Deenlark’s musings were interrupted by a loud beeping noise coming from the center of his desk.  He turned on the holoprojector and an image of Admiral Tko appeared.  The hologram revealed his finely trimmed beard and his hair coated in the whiteness of old age.  “Commandent Deenlark.”  

“Admiral”, acknowledged Deenlark.  

The admiral had a thin smile on his aging, creased face.  “Helene Beesly has been apprehended and is in custody.  Her husband merely protested and said that we had the wrong person.”  

Deenlark gave a big wide smile.  “That is excellent news Admiral.  All there is to do now is to wait.”  

The Admiral nodded and agreed, “Yes, I will be in position at the trial and let you know what happens.  I will make the necessary measures based on the cadet’s actions.”

Present Day...

Jim had just gotten out of the Core Worlds Culture Class and he was perplexed.  Where was Pam?  She hadn’t been at the cafeteria earlier, but he dismissed it as a sign of her being busy.  Now, not so much.  She would never miss class like that.  She would never miss her studies.  She would never miss her demands at the academy.  It wasn’t like her.  

As he was pondering over her absence he walked through the corridors of the academy.  He spotted her roommate Tydie talking with another girl he didn’t recognize.  As he neared them, he heard them discussing Pam.  

“I know.  I feel bad for her.  I can’t imagine my mom getting arrested”, said Tydie.  

Jim jogged up to them and frantically asked, “Hey guys.  Do you know where Pam is?”  

Tydie looked up and her eyes lit up, recognizing Jim.  “Hey, Jim.  Didn’t you hear?  Her mom got arrested or something and she is there for the trial.”  

Jim’s eyes widened in shock.  “Wait, what?”  

The other girl nodded.  “Yeah, the rumor is that it was something about forgery.  The Commandment allowed her to go to the trial.”  

“Wow.”  Jim was shocked.  From what she had told him about her family, this was a surprise.  It seemed like they were good people and at the very least law abiding citizens.  He felt bad for his friend.  He knew she had a very close relationship with her mom and seeing her on trial would be hard.  Although Jim would not care if his parents were thrown in jail, it's not like they would be there for him any less, he knows how much it would hurt Pam to see her mother in a cell.  But on the other hand, the Empire is imprisoning her mother so she is kind of on both sides of the coin.  Nonetheless, the Empire arrested Pam’s mother for good reason, most likely.  They wouldn’t make a mistake like that, so although it may sting for Pam, it is the right move.  Right?

“Ma’am, prepare for landing.  We are approaching Corellia’s spaceport.”  

Pam glanced up from her seat to look at the cockpit, seeing her home planet just outside the window.  She had an overhead view of her hometown, Coronet City.  She spotted the mag-lev trains and subway stations.  She saw Juni Street Station, the train station where she got separated from her parents for three hours when she was six years old.  She saw the casinos her older cousins frequented.  She saw the expansive shipyard where many Star Destroyers and Tie Fighters were being built.  Finally, she saw the large spaceport that their ship was approaching.  

“This is shuttle one-two-six-five, sending clearance codes now.”  

As the shuttle began to descend, she heard the voice on the intercom.  “Shuttle one-two-six-five, you are cleared for landing.  Head to Bay 6.”  

Once they landed, Pam walked off and was greeted by an Imperial officer she recognized as Admiral Tko.  She had never met him, but his speeches on the HoloNet were frequent.  She bowed her head in respect and said, “Admiral Tko.  It is an honor.”  

“Cadet Beesly is it?”  

“Yes sir.”  

“Well Cadet Beesly, come right this way.  I made room at the Imperial barracks for you.  They are not too far from the courthouse.”  

Tko started to stride away without a turn back, but stopped in his tracks when he realized no footsteps were following him.  He slowly turned around to find Pam awkwardly shitting from one foot to another.  “Is there a reason you are just standing there?”  

“I, uh, was wondering if I could visit my father?  I just want to check on him.”  

Tko was surprised by her boldness, but glad that her intentions were becoming clear.  He made a mental reminder to tell Commandant Deenlark about this. “Oh.  I think that can be arranged”, Tko replied.  

He turned to two stormtroopers standing nearby and pointed towards a landspeeder that was a feet away from them.  “Hey you two, drive this cadet to William Beesly’s house.”  They nodded and proceeded to the landspeeder.  Pam’s eyes scrunched in confusion, wondering how they knew where her house was so well.  She shrugged it aside and followed them into the landspeeder.

Knock.  Knock.  Pam waited for a response from the oak door she had come to know so well throughout her 17 years of life.  After a few seconds of silence, she knocked again.  Finally, she heard some familiar footsteps.  They reached the door and it opened revealing her father.  

His eyes widened in complete surprise.  “Pam?”  

Pam smiled.  “Father?”  

“Oh my daughter, come in, come in.”  She stepped in, completely oblivious to the stormtroopers outside that were getting listening devices out of the landspeeder’s storage compartment.  As she stepped into her childhood home, she noticed that her father looked tired.  Very tired.  He looked like he hadn’t gotten any sleep in days and she didn’t blame him.  

When they reached the dining room table where the family had many wonderful dinners together, Pam’s father turned to her and a look of desperation appeared on his face.  His hair seemed grayer than usual.  The thin hairs guarding his head seemed frail and wispy.  The lines under his eyes seemed almost to express a message of sadness.  The stress lines on his face were like a maze.  A maze where every corner and crevice was stress looming like a ferocious rancor.  “I assume you are here for the trial?”  

She nodded.  “Yeah, they allowed me some time off to go to it.  I am surprised I got it, to be honest.”  

“Yeah, I am quite shocked too,'' he agreed.  He turned to look his daughter in the eyes and remarked, “I don’t know why they took her.”  

Pam stepped forward to give him comfort, but he continued on.  “She wouldn’t commit that crime.  You know that, Pam.  She isn’t a criminal.”  His voice broke at this, “they’ve got it all wrong.”  

Tears formed in his aging eyes.  Pam put her hand on his arm in an easing way.  “I know, father.  The trial tomorrow will be okay, I promise.  There can’t be any substantial evidence.  The judge will see what kind of person she is and know that this accusation can’t be true.  The Empire may have made a mistake, but they will see that they made one and fix it.  I promise you that mother will be back here in just a couple of days.”  

He shook his head and looked up at her and uttered a whisper.  

“How can you be sure?”