"Judges Call (Timothy Zahn)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zahn Timothy)

Star Wars

Judge's Call

by Timothy Zahn

An original exclusive short story



The two small, potbellied aliens bowed low in front of Luke Skywalker. "I
hear the Jedi and obey," one of them intoned, his nasal voice hitting three
distinct notes at the same time.

"I also hear and obey," the second said, somewhat less enthusiastically.
Bowing again, they backed away.

With a quiet sigh, Mara Jade Skywalker looked at her datapad. These two
had been the twenty-ninth and thirtieth complainants since Luke had started
this session at sunrise this morning. Thirty complainants down. Five billion
to go.

She set the datapad aside, trying hard not to let her simmering annoyance
get the better of her. No, of course the entire planet wasn't lining up to
talk about their problems and get their share of Jedi wisdom and justice. But
today, at least, it sure as Coruscant vermin felt like it.

The robed Presenter was approaching the platform now, his own datapad
clutched reverently in his hand as he no doubt prepared to outline the
situation and problem of complainants thirty-one and thirty-two. The last time
Mara had looked out in the waiting chamber, there had been at least fifty of
the aliens sitting in stony silence, either marshalling their thoughts or
glaring across the room at their opposing complainant. Ten or more arguments
yet to hear today, and the sun was already dipping low in the sky.

Mentally, Mara shook her head. Yes, she resented these people for
demanding so much of her husband's time and energy. And to be honest, she had
to admit she even resented Luke a little for his quick and unselfish
willingness to give up that time for them.

But she could also see that his presence here was accomplishing more than
the raw numbers would indicate. At least five of the controversies Luke had
delivered judgment on today had been churning for ten years or more, with
neither party willing to budge an inch. Two of those five had been
multigenerational, in fact-stretching back some forty years to disputes
between the complainants' fathers. And yet, despite the long histories, in
every one of those cases both sides had accepted Luke's ruling and agreed to
abide by it. Not necessarily happily, but they had agreed.

They would most likely stick to those settlements, too. The planet had a