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Post by Duragizer on Mar 22, 2018 15:04:20 GMT -5
Now is the time for Knight of the Empire, the second entry of my prequel rewrite.
Whereas the villains of TND were Mandalorians, for KOTE there are two new, separate main adversarial forces: the clone hordes of the Cartan Autonomy and the ancient Sith. Minor villains will include a pair of bounty hunters named Llomon & Mahttoh, a planet of cannibals, and an individual whose identity will a mystery for now.
As a warning, I must make it clear that KOTE is quite a dark story. To be perfectly honest, it's a gruesome, often depressing horror story, and thematically has more in common with films such as The Road, The Road Warrior, and The Evil Dead than Star Wars; it's not the type of story I set out to write, but its where the zeitgeist directed me. Regardless, I will censor the most graphic descriptions to make the narrative as all-ages as possible.
I'm currently working on the seventh draft of this script. As such, updates may be infrequent.
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Post by Duragizer on Mar 22, 2018 15:31:08 GMT -5
TITLE CARD: A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….
A vast sea of stars serves as the main backdrop for the main title, followed by a roll up, which crawls up into infinity.
STAR WARS
KNIGHT OF THE EMPIRE
Five years have passed since Anakin Skywalker was discovered by Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi. As his apprentice, Anakin has learned much of the Force and emerged a great Jedi warrior.
The two Jedi have joined the Imperial Starfleet in its crusade against the Cartan Autonomy. Once powerful enough to challenge the Empire, the eugenic zealots have lost their foothold in Imperial Space, their clone hordes driven back to their home sector.
Yet as the power of the Autonomy wanes, another evil — a darkness out of the ancient past — stirs….
PAN UP
To reveal the head and shoulders of a man hung upside down, eyes open and glazed over in death.
ZOOM OUT
To reveal the man is a dead Imperial trooper strung upside down from a gnarled, dead tree. Beyond, in a field between the tree and a large duracrete fortress, a fierce battle is underway.
EXT. OPHUCHI — BATTLEFIELD — EVENING
The TROOPERS OF THE IMPERIAL ARMY are engaged in pitched, deadly battle with the GEN-KNIGHTS OF THE OPHUCHI ARMY. Attired in dark gray armour and open-faced helmets, the Imperials are easily distinguished from the Gen-Knights, who wear polished black armour and face-concealing helmets with mirrored visors. The Imperial troopers press against the Gen-Knights, mowing those they catch in their sights down with red blasterfire. The Gen-Knights reciprocate with their own blue blasterfire. Soldiers on both sides go down in agony, but those who remain press on, using sheer force of will to continue against their opponents.
Descending from the star-studded night sky, two LAAT-class dropships cross over the battlefield. As the Imperial ships draw near the warzone's epicentre, Gen-Knights train their plasma cannons on the craft and open fire. With a series of twists and turns, the first dropship evades the plasmafire. The second is not so lucky; caught in a crossfire, it erupts into a vibrant fireball before plummeting like an ungainly phoenix to the ground below.
Landing amidst the Imperial troops, the sides of the dropship slide open, disgorging a new squad of troopers onto the battlefield. Leading the squad, adorned in gray trooper armour with burgundy pauldrons, are the Jedi Knights OBI-WAN KENOBI and his apprentice ANAKIN SKYWALKER. The two Jedi have changed much in the years since we saw them last; Obi-Wan sports long hair and a short beard while Anakin has grown taller and honed with lean musculature.
As one, the two Jedi draw their lightsabers. Two blades — one azure, the other cyan — ignite with a pair of sharp SNAP-HISSES. Bringing their weapons to bear, the sergeant and corporal lead their squad into the fray against the armoured Gen-Knights. The pinnacle of Ophuchi eugenic science, the black-armoured soldiers still prove little match against two Jedi; one-by-one, they fall to the plasma blades of the mystical warriors.
ANAKIN: (blocks blaster bolt with lightsaber) These guys are supposed to be the end result of five centuries of controlled, selective breeding, right?
OBI-WAN: (literally disarms Gen-Knight) That's correct.
ANAKIN: (kicks Gen-Knight in face) So why do they fight like Hutts coming from an all-you-can-eat buffet?
OBI-WAN: Pride and perfection go hand-in-hand. The greater the perfection, the greater the pride.
ANAKIN: And pride comes before a fall.
OBI-WAN: Though I detest cliches, you're correct again.
Working together, Anakin and Obi-Wan cut a swath through the Gen-Knights, working their way closer to their goal: the towering fortress yonder.
EXT. FORTRESS/BALCONY — EVENING
Standing on a balcony overlooking the battle beyond, lips twisted in a scowl, is LORD-COMMANDANT YAJUJ JUKASSA, despot of Ophuchi. A stocky man with a trim beard and great head of silver hair, he wears a dark blue cloak over a black military uniform.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: (angry) This isn't right! This is wrong — all wrong!
With a flashy toss of his cloak, Jukassa turns to face his companion, a COLDLY BEAUTIFUL RATTATAKI WOMAN dressed in white cloak, robes, and veil. In place of organic eyes, she sports a pair of glowing white photoreceptors.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: (approaches YYO-7117) The Imperials are overwhelming my troops — troops which are supposed to be faster, more intense than mere Imperial soldiers! (beat) You promised us victory!
YYO-7117: (half-smiles) Am I to blame for the complete failure of your eugenics program?
YAJUJ JUKASSA: (points at her) Don't take that tone with me! You're here only by my blessing!
YYO-7117: (grins evilly) Are you threatening me, Lord-Commandant?
Seeing that shark-like grin, Jukassa falls silent, his expression of anger replaced with one of fear.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: They're going to spoil everything we've worked towards.
YYO-7117: Our failure doesn’t guarantee their success, Lord-Commandant.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: Are you saying…?
She nods.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: (sighs) Will you cover me?
YYO-7117: I will keep them from flaying your hide long enough for you to get the job done.
Running a hand along his immaculate hair, Jukassa leaves the balcony. YYO-7117, like a graceful swan, moves along after him.
EXT. FORTRESS — EVENING
Breaking through to the last line of Gen-Knights, Obi-Wan and Anakin come across an awesome sight. Engaged in battle with six of the armoured Gen-Knights, a vibrosword in her hands, is a FEMALE MANDALORIAN WARRIOR encased in violet-blue armour.
As two of the Gen-Knights attack the female Mandalorian, slashing their wrist-mounted vibroblades through the air, she pivots on her heels, spinning to simultaneously behead one warrior while running the other through. Pulling her blade free, she twists around as another Gen-Knight attacks. As the ebon-armoured soldier throws his bladed gauntlet forward, she locks their blades together, twisting hers at an acute angle, dislocating his wrist. As he howls with pain, she throws her leg up, kicking him squarely in the head, ending his part in the fight.
Before she can dislodge her blade, two of the remaining three Gen-Knights tackle her to the ground. As they pin her to the ground, the third Gen-Knight takes up her vibrosword. As she struggles to free herself, the black-armoured warrior with her weapon raises the sword, blade pointed down to run her through. Unsheathing a vibroblade, Anakin activates it and sends the weapon spinning through the air. The blade of vibrating durasteel plunging into the Gen-Knight's back, he cries out, dropping the vibrosword. Purchasing slack, the Mandalorian pushes up with her legs, somersaulting herself free of the two Gen-Knights' grasp. With a heavy punch and kick, she lays the two warriors down.
Retrieving her vibrosword and Anakin's own vibroblade, she turns to the two Jedi. Lifting both weapons, she points them at the knight and apprentice.
KANNEN DOOM: It's about time.
Deactivating the vibroblade, she flips it back to Anakin, who catches it effortlessly.
KANNEN DOOM: (cont'd) I figured you were leaving me to take the glory for myself.
ANAKIN: (grins) Lady, textbooks and treatises will be written about this battle one day. Not speaking for Obi-Wan, I won't be content relegated to footnotes.
KANNEN DOOM: Wanna write history? Let's write it.
Leaving the Imperial troopers to handle the remaining Ophuchi forces, the two Jedi and their Mandalorian escort enter the duracrete fortress.
INT. FORTRESS/SUBTERRANEAN TUNNELS — EVENING
A squad of Gen-Knights stands before the closed doors of a turbolift, watching the numbers on the readout change as the cab descends. The doors sliding open, the Gen-Knights open fire, unloading a hail of blue blasterfire into the turbolift. Several seconds pass, then they lower their weapons. The squad leader steps inside the blaster-scored interior; there are no bodies — living or dead — within.
GEN-TEMPLAR: (faces men) No one inside!
As he steps back out of the turbolift, the top hatch of the cab is blown inward, allowing the Mandalorian and Jedi to leap down from above. Spinning around, the Gen-Knight only has time to heft his blaster up before Anakin engages his lightsaber and slices the soldier's arm off at the elbow. Kicking the ebon-armoured Gen-Knight in the gut, Anakin knocks him out of the way. Then, with Obi-Wan and Kannen at his side, he makes short work of the remaining Gen-Knights.
ANAKIN: These guys are just too easy.
KANNEN: (points down tunnel) The chamber's that way.
INT. FORTRESS/SUBTERRANEAN TUNNELS/ANTECHAMBER — EVENING
Entering an antechamber at the end of the tunnel, the three compatriots find themselves before a large vault door.
KANNEN DOOM: As sharp as my sword is, it isn't quite up to cutting durasteel. You boys mind giving me a hand?
Engaging his lightsaber, Obi-Wan steps up to the door, thrusting his blade deep into the durasteel plating. With effort, he begins carving through the thick door. Activating his own lightsaber, Anakin moves in to assist him. Once they complete the circuit, they disengage their lightsabers and kick the freed metal out.
OBI-WAN: (points at hole) Ladies first.
KANNEN DOOM: Much obliged.
Ducking down, Kannen slips through the hole into the chamber beyond. Ducking down, the two Jedi follow.
INT. FORTRESS/CLONING CHAMBER — EVENING
Through the breached door, the trio finds itself inside a vast cloning chamber. Cylindrical in shape, the chamber stretches down farther than the eye can follow. Spaced along the walls of the chamber, all occupied, are thousands upon thousands of Spaarti cloning cylinders. Catwalks lead from the walls to a platform surrounding a large power conduit situated in the centre of the chamber. Standing on the platform, busy at work at a computer terminal, is Yajuj Jukassa, the white-garbed YYO-7117 by his side.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: (to YYO-7117) They're here already! You said we'd have more time!
YYO-7117: (sighs) Continue working the system. I'll deal with our friends.
YYO-7117 turns and strides down the catwalk toward the three newcomers.
YYO-7117: Welcome, Jedi, to our humble cloning chamber. (stops midway on catwalk; gestures to Spaarti cylinders) As you can see, over four-thousand clones of Ophuchi warrior stock are in utero. Within four months, they'll reach maturity and emerge to serve the Autonomy. (beat) Of course, that was the goal before you came here, overwhelmed Jukassa's pitiful forces, and foiled our plans.
OBI-WAN: Do us both a favour and surrender peaceably.
YYO-7117: Surrender? (smiles) Perhaps at the end, after Jukassa takes the cylinders off-line, aborting every clone and leaving your Imperial Starfleet one conscript battalion short.
OBI-WAN: (frowns) That’s just not going to happen.
YYO-7117: (grins) Try to stop me.
OBI-WAN: We won't try.
Bringing their weapons to bear, the Jedi and Mandalorian move down the ramp towards YYO-7117. Bearing her shark's grin, she unclasps her cloak, then allows a pair of short black lightsaber hilts to slip down from hidden sheathes under her sleeves into her hands. With the reflexes of a darting snake, the Rattataki engages the three others, using the pure white blades of her twin shotos to intercept their strikes. Without enough width on the catwalk to fan out, the two Jedi and Mandalorian find themselves unable to properly counterattack the insidious warrior.
YYO-7117: (laughs) The athas hold you in such high esteem!
As Anakin goes to run his lightsaber through YYO-7117, she side-steps the blade and counter-strikes. Throwing himself backward, Anakin barely avoids losing his throat to one of the white blades.
YYO-7117: (cont'd) Surely you can do better!
ANAKIN: Better?
Springing into the air, Anakin somersaults over the woman, landing behind her.
ANAKIN: (cont'd) How's this for better?
Now less encumbered, Anakin swings his cyan blade, aiming to slice into the Rattataki's clavicle. She blocks the Jedi blade.
As the four duel on, Jukassa continues working at the terminal. With the press of the "ENTER" key, a large red square on the terminal screen turns white.
OBI-WAN: Anakin, stop Jukassa!
Anakin turns his back on the Rattataki and sprints down the catwalk toward Jukassa.
CUT TO
Kannen as she brings all the strength she can bear against the white-garbed woman.
Swinging her beskar blade with the ferocity of a gundark, Kannen makes the Rattataki work to intercept both her blows and Obi-Wan's.
YYO-7117: You're a worthy opponent, Mandalorian. We could use your stock. Through you, the Mandalorian civilization can live again.
KANNEN DOOM: I'd sooner see every remaining Mandalorian in the grave.
YYO-7117: Take the night to think it over.
Pushing downward, YYO-7117 forces the blades of her combatants against the catwalk.
CUT TO
Anakin as he reaches Jukassa.
The lord-commandant turns to face the Jedi, contempt evident on his face.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: You think you can stop me, boy‽ My great grandmother was of the soldier caste! Warrior's blood flows through my veins!
Jukassa unsheathes a vibrosword. Activating it, he brings the blade around to cleave Anakin's skull in twain. With a casual pass of his saber, Anakin slices through the metal blade as it meets the plasma shaft.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: (stammering) B-b-but —
Reaching for the base of Jukassa's neck, Anakin delivers him a Jedi nerve pinch. Eyes rolling into his head, the lord-commandant sinks to the platform out cold. Anakin then takes his place at the terminal, working furiously to bring the Spaarti cylinders back on-line.
CUT TO
YYO-7117, witnessing Jukassa's defeat.
Incensed, the Rattataki takes the ferocity of her attacks against Obi-Wan and Kannen up a notch. Kicking Obi-Wan back, she turns on Kannen and locks the blade of the vibrosword between the blades of her shotos. With a twist, she wrests the weapon out of the Mandalorian's hands, sending it over the side. Before Kannen can compensate for the loss of her weapon, the Rattataki stabs her through the left kidney.
OBI-WAN: Kannen!
Springing back up, Obi-Wan rushes YYO-7117. Pulling her blade from Kannen's side, the Rattataki turns to engage Obi-Wan. As he brings his azure blade arcing downward, she intercepts it with her left-hand shoto. Forcing his saber down, she brings her right-hand shoto up, slamming the pommel of the weapon into his temple. He collapses to the catwalk in a stupor.
Focusing her attention on Anakin, YYO-7117 leaps over Obi-Wan's form and comes racing down the catwalk toward the Jedi apprentice. As she reaches him, he spins around, catching her twin white blades with his cyan one. GROWLING, she drives him back, pinning him against the power conduit. Looking past their locked blades, she grins at him with salacious desire.
YYO-7117: I'm going to eviscerate you, but first ...
Leaning forward, she licks Anakin across the face.
YYO-7117: (cont'd) some fun.
ANAKIN: "Fun?" I thought your kind couldn't have "fun."
YYO-7117: We compensate.
ANAKIN: I see. Slip on the latex, strap me into binders, and power up the lightwhip. Am I near the target?
YYO-7117: Bullseye.
ANAKIN: That's not exactly my scene, but I'll try anything once.
Obi-Wan moves in behind the Rattataki. Grabbing her by the throat with his left hand, he drives the emitter of his inactive lightsaber into the small of her back with his right.
ANAKIN: (cont'd) Just not today.
Sighing with resignation, YYO-7117 lowers her shotos and deactivates them.
OBI-WAN: Now drop your sabers.
YYO-7117: You'd like to take me, wouldn't you?
OBI-WAN: (cont'd) Drop them.
YYO-7117: (cont'd) You want to take me. The both of you, together. You want me ... like this ... between you….
OBI-WAN: (frowns) I won't ask again.
YYO-7117: (grins) I’m not taken so easily.
The Rattataki headbutts Obi-Wan. As he releases her, she raises one of her shotos. Before either Jedi can bring up their sabers, she turns the emitter of her weapon inward and engages it, running herself through on the white plasma blade. Collapsing to her knees, she releases an almost sexual SIGH, then falls face-forward onto the platform.
Using his foot, Obi-Wan turns YYO-7117 over. As he reaches to take her pulse, the veil enveloping her head slips back, exposing the barcode tattooed across her forehead.
OBI-WAN: (looks at Anakin) Dead.
ANAKIN: (examines YYO-7117) An ATJA. Didn't think these were still being produced. (looks to Obi-Wan) Takes 'em, what, twice as long to gestate as untailored clones? To accomodate all the hardware?
OBI-WAN: And to prevent clone madness.
ANAKIN: (smirks) Put this one back in. She's not done yet.
EXT. SPACE — OPHUCHI
Leaving Ophuchi, the Dreadnought-class heavy cruiser Lancer joins the other ships of the fleet amassing beyond the planet's gravity well.
INT. LANCER/CORRIDOR #1
Obi-Wan and Anakin stride through the corridor. They've discarded their battlefield armour for the burgundy uniforms of Imperial Jedi personnel.
As they near the the sick bay, the sick bay door slides open, allowing a Caamasi officer exit. Once she is past, the Jedi slip inside.
INT. LANCER/SICK BAY
Obi-Wan and Anakin pass a number of beds before coming to the bed of Kannen Doom. Stripped of her armour, we can now see Kannen is a very handsome Human woman with thick, voluminous blond hair. Though visibly weary from her severe injury, she is conscious and alert.
KANNEN DOOM: (weary) Hello.
ANAKIN: (puts hands on belt; smiles) Hello yourself. (beat) How are you?
KANNEN DOOM: The 'droid says I'll be in tip-top shape inside two weeks. Few more immersions in a bacta tank, I'll be good as gold. (chuckles) Two more weeks like this. Gods, I'll go stir crazy.
OBI-WAN: (grins) You never could sit still for too long.
KANNEN DOOM: Any more than you could resist my wiles. (winks)
ANAKIN: I'm sure the weeks'll fly by. Don't sweat it.
KANNEN DOOM: (sighs) I guess I'll make do. (beat) You're going on leave?
OBI-WAN: Sixty days for us both.
KANNEN DOOM: Going home, spending time with kith and kin, all that jazz?
OBI-WAN: Anakin'll be off to Orron III; I'll be returning to my wife on Coruscant.
KANNEN DOOM: Wife? You got married?
ANAKIN: (elbows Obi-Wan's arm) Three months ago.
KANNEN DOOM: To that Coruscanti Jedi, Sara, right?
OBI-WAN: Siri, yes.
KANNEN DOOM: (smiles) My belated congratulations, Kenobi. You should've invited me. I would have loved to have been at the wedding. (grins salaciously) Better yet, the bachelor party.
Obi-Wan GROANS.
KANNEN DOOM: (frowns) What?
ANAKIN: (smirks) The party wasn't exactly what you'd call the last great hurrah for bachelorhood.
OBI-WAN: It would've been the last great hurrah, period.
KANNEN DOOM: My interest's piqued. Tell me more.
OBI-WAN: (waves hand) No, no more!
ANAKIN: (grins) I'll tell you later.
KANNEN DOOM: I want every juicy detail.
ANAKIN: I've a holographic memory for juicy details.
OBI-WAN: (facepalms) Grant me mercy….
KANNEN DOOM: (yawns) It's been nice catching up, gents, but it's time we called it a night. The drugs are kicking in and I'm getting a mite sleepy. See you in transit, okay?
OBI-WAN: Alright.
ANAKIN: See you.
Kannen closes her eyes to rest. Turning around, Anakin and Obi-Wan leave her.
INT. LANCER/CORRIDOR #1
Emerging from the sick bay, the Jedi Knights make their way back along the corridor.
OBI-WAN: That was certainly a robust conversation.
ANAKIN: (grins) You're not sore over me bringing the party up again, are you, Obi-Wan?
OBI-WAN: Yes, yes I am. I wish for the life of me I could erase the memories of that party from my mind forever. Your resurrecting it doesn't help me accomplish that.
ANAKIN: From what I recall, you enjoyed the party.
OBI-WAN: I did — until the Felacatian had a panic attack, shifted into her feral form, and tried to kill us all.
ANAKIN: (raises hands) The catalogue gave Occica's measurements, attributes, and one fine portfolio of snapshots, but no info on her species. Blame them, not me.
OBI-WAN: (sighs) At least the ordeal taught you a valuable lesson.
ANAKIN: (frustrated) Yes, yes, yes. Always do background checks on individuals or groups you plan on hiring in advance of hiring them.
OBI-WAN: Right. Now never bring this matter up again — ever.
ANAKIN: Of course, of course. (smirks)
OBI-WAN: (rolls eyes) You're going to be the death of me.
ANAKIN: Maybe next incarnation. (beat) Kannen. (beat) Still hard to think of her as a Mandalorian. She's nothing like the Death Watchmen.
OBI-WAN: Mandalorians aren't all like Vizsla and his ilk, Anakin. They're as diverse as the Jedi.
ANAKIN: It's hard to forget first impressions.
OBI-WAN: Don't forget them, Anakin. Just remember to keep them in perspective.
THE VOICE: (O.S.) Skywalker….
ANAKIN: (stops and turns around) Yes?
But there's no one behind him.
OBI-WAN: Something the matter?
ANAKIN: Someone right behind me. (frowns) Voice sounded familiar.
OBI-WAN: I heard no one.
They resume their stride.
INT. LANCER/CORRIDOR #2
ANAKIN: Y'know, Nashira would like to see you and Siri again. It's been two years since the last visit.
OBI-WAN: I know, and she and I'd both like to take a trip to Orron III….
ANAKIN: It's the baby, isn't it?
OBI-WAN: (nods) This is our first successful pregnancy, but the danger she could miscarry is still high. Neither of us want to risk a long-distance journey right now.
ANAKIN: I understand. (beat) Maybe we could visit you.
OBI-WAN: The DuQuesnes don't have the funds to charter a flight to Coruscant.
ANAKIN: I'm sure I could pull a few strings. (smiles) I am a Jedi corporal, after all.
OBI-WAN: An enlisted rank. Jedi or not, I don't think it carries much weight among the top brass.
ANAKIN: It wouldn't hurt to try.
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Post by Duragizer on Mar 24, 2018 3:39:09 GMT -5
EXT. NAR SHADDAA — CORELLIAN SECTOR — TWILIGHT
Countless starships and airspeeders swarm about like angry hornets in the heavily polluted sky of Nar Shadda, passing around and between the innumerable rusted skyscrapers which reach up from the decaying surface of the moon.
INT. MELTDOWN CAFÉ — TWILIGHT
A dank, filthy place illumed with red lighting, the Meltdown Café is packed with clientele, most of whom are visibly disreputable types. Sitting at a small round table in the back corner of the establishment, out of place in his surroundings, is a relatively clean-looking H'drachi, IMUNAFAS. Visibly nervous, Imunafas chain smokes cigarette after cigarette, crushing one out and lighting another before finishing its predecessor. Resting on the floor beside him is a metal briefcase.
As the H'drachi worriedly smokes, a waitress — an incredibly emaciated Human with sparse, stringy hair and a lazy eye — approaches his table.
WAITRESS: (takes out datapad and stylus) What'll ye be havin'?
IMUNAFAS: (looks at waitress; stammering) Oh no, nothing, please. I'm not hungry. I'm just waiting for someone.
WAITRESS: (sighs) Look, this is an eatin' and drinkin' establishment. Ye come in here ta eat or drink, not ta sit 'n' stare like a stuffed bird. If all yer gonna consume is that goddamn smoke, then ye can take yer ass out o' here and free up space fer payin' customers.
IMUNAFAS: I'll have a glass of Saurin brandy, then — a small one.
WAITRESS: (takes order down on datapad) Yer wish is meh command, meh lord.
The waitress saunters off, leaving Imunafas back to himself. Getting back to his chain smoking, he takes a glance at his wrist chronometre.
Minutes pass, then a new figure — a TALL KUBAZ adorned in a dark green overcoat — enters the Meltdown. Taking a gander at the sapients packing the place, he notices the H'drachi at his secluded spot and approaches him.
IMUNAFAS: Are you Akkhar? Are you the one I've been waiting for?
AKKHAR utters something in Huttese. Judging by the artificial sound of the words, they come from a mechanical device rather than his own vocal cords.
IMUNAFAS: I'm sorry, I don't understand Huttese.
The Kubaz adjusts the settings of his wrist-worn translator control unit.
AKKHAR: Did you bring my money?
IMUNAFAS: (places hand on briefcase) It's here.
AKKHAR: Very good.
As Akkhar reaches for the briefcase, the rotund H'drachi slaps his hand away.
IMUNAFAS: No, not until you fill your end of the bargain.
AKKHAR: (rubs slapped hand) Outside, then.
IMUNAFAS: The alley?
AKKHAR: The alley.
Turning, the Kubaz walks away. Hefting up his briefcase, the H'drachi follows him.
EXT. MELTDOWN CAFÉ — ALLEY — TWILIGHT
Imunafas stands waiting in the alley alone. Clutching the briefcase to his chest, he taps his foot impatiently.
AKKHAR: (O.C.) Here she is.
From the shadows Akkhar emerges, a small H'drachi child led before him. In Akkar's right hand is a blaster pistol, the barrel of which is pressed into the back of the child's neck.
IMUNAFAS: Kleu!
KLEU: Papi!
AKKHAR: Alright, Imunafas, here's your daughter. Now slide the case over.
IMUNAFAS: Kleu first!
AKKHAR: No dice. The case.
Imunafas sets the briefcase down and pushes it to Akkhar with his foot. Taking care not to lose his grip on Kleu, the Kubaz pops the lid of the case open with his foot, revealing the contents: several small bars of gold.
AKKHAR: Wait a minute. (looks at Imunafas) This is only half! Where's the rest‽
IMUNAFAS: The rest?
AKKHAR: (angry) We agreed — 100,000 peggats! This is fifty! (repositions blaster against Kleu's temple) I don't like being toyed with, H'drachi. Now you tell me —
Before Akkhar can finish his thought, a razor-edged metal disc comes whirling out from the darkness of the alley at nigh-invisible speeds. As it impacts against the Kubaz, it passes through him — through his chest, through his right wrist. Releasing an untranslatable Kubaz SCREAM, Akkhar collapses, already dead as he hits the damp pavement. Kleu runs to her father, who hugs her to him.
KLEU: Papi!
IMUNAFAS: Oh, Kleu! Kleu!
As Imunafas holds his sobbing daughter close, two tall, intimidating figures emerge from the shadows: LLOMON the Trandoshan and MAHTTOH the Wookiee. Mahttoh — his black fur streaked with silver — is naked save for a gunbelt worn about his hips and a lanvarok secured to his left wrist. Llomon — sporting midnight green scales and attired in a black-and-white spacer's suit — carries a slugthrower rifle in his long arms. Striding up to the remains of Akkhar, they look upon the corpse, inspecting their handiwork.
IMUNAFAS: Thank you.
LLOMON: (speaking through translator) We don't care for your thanks.
Bending down, the Trandoshan closes the briefcase and hoists it up.
LLOMON: Our business is concluded.
Turning, Llomon leaves and re-enters the shadows, leaving the two H'drachi momentarily alone with his partner. Giving them a short Wookiee LAUGH, the hirsute bounty hunter turns and follows the Trandoshan into Nar Shaddaa's night.
EXT. SPACE — ORRON III
A freighter drops out of hyperspace and makes its run for the green-and-blue agricultural world.
EXT. SPACE — CORUSCANT
A passenger liner drops out of hyperspace and makes its run for the bronze ecumenopolis.
INT. FREIGHTER/COCKPIT
As the Ithorian pilot and copilot maneuver the ship's controls in the seats before him, Anakin looks out the window to his right, at Orron III beyond.
INT. PASSENGER LINER/PASSENGER DECK
As a sleeping Ithorian snores in the seat beside him, Obi-Wan looks out the window to his left, at Coruscant beyond.
EXT. ORRON III — SPACEPORT/TARMAC — SUNRISE
The freighter has landed and its few passengers are filing out. Anakin is among them.
EXT. CORUSCANT — GALACTIC CITY — SPACEPORT/TARMAC — SUNSET
The liner has landed and its many passengers are filing out. Obi-Wan is among them.
INT. ORRON III — FLOWER SHOP — SUNRISE
Anakin hands a bouquet of flowers to the Neimoidian teller. Taking the flowers, she brings out her scanner and scans the barcode.
NEIMOIDIAN TELLER: That'll be 32 ingots.
ANAKIN: (hands her ingots) Keep the change.
INT. CORUSCANT — CANDY STORE — SUNSET
Obi-Wan hands a box of chocolates to the Duros teller. Taking the box, she brings out her scanner and scans the barcode.
DUROS TELLER: That'll be 23 credits.
OBI-WAN: (hands her credits) Keep the change.
EXT. ORRON III — DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD — COURTYARD — SUNRISE
A taxi glides to a stop before the quaint, cozy house of the DuQuesne family. Opening the side door, Anakin steps out.
EXT. CORUSCANT — GALACTIC CITY — 662 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX — SUNSET
A taxi glides to a stop before the 662 Gasgar Valley flat complex. Opening the side door, Obi-Wan steps out.
EXT. ORRON III — DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD — COURTYARD — SUNRISE
Anakin stands before the front door, the bouquet of flowers in his left hand. He tugs at the tight collar of his black shirt as the door opens.
INT. CORUSCANT — 662 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX/TURBOLIFT — SUNSET
Obi-Wan stands in the turbolift, the box of chocolates under his arm. He tugs at the tight collar of his white shirt as the turbolift completes its ascent and the doors open.
INT. ORRON III — DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD/LIVING AREA — SUNRISE
As Anakin enters the living area, he finds two individuals — NEMEC and CORIN DUQUESNE — waiting for him.
ANAKIN: (grins) 'Shira?
INT. DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD/ANAKIN & NASHIRA'S BED CHAMBER — SUNRISE
Entering the bed chamber, Anakin finds Nashira. Seated on the chair to the left of her bed, dressed in pajamas, Nashira stares into the mirror, brushing her short red hair as bright yellow sunlight falls upon the back of her head from the uncovered window. The joy upon her face is evident.
NASHIRA: (faces Anakin) Nik!
Rising from the chair, Nashira moves up to her boyfriend. Wrapping her arms around him, she plants her lips on his, kissing him passionately. His fingers opening, the bouquet of flowers falls from Anakin's grasp, hitting the floor with a light RUSTLE.
INT. CORUSCANT — 662 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX/OBI-WAN & SIRI'S FLAT/LIVING AREA — SUNSET
As Obi-Wan enters the living area, he finds it empty, the lights off.
OBI-WAN: (frowns) Siri?
INT. 662 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX/OBI-WAN & SIRI'S FLAT/BED CHAMBER — SUNSET
Entering the bed chamber, Obi-Wan finds Siri. Seated on the chair to the right of their bed, dressed in a nightgown, Siri stares out the window, the heavy orange sunlight falling upon her face from between the window blind's slats. The sorrow upon her face is evident.
SIRI: (faces Obi-Wan) Obi….
Rising from the chair, Siri moves up to her husband. Wrapping her arms around him, she plants her face in the hollow of his neck, weeping bitterly. His fingers opening, the box of chocolates falls from Obi-Wan's grasp, hitting the floor with a hollow THUD.
INT. ORRON III — DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD/ANAKIN & NASHIRA'S BED CHAMBER — SUNRISE
Anakin and Nashira stand together silently in each others' arms.
INT. CORUSCANT — 662 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX/OBI-WAN & SIRI'S FLAT/BED CHAMBER — SUNSET
Obi-Wan and Siri stand together silently in each others' arms.
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Post by Duragizer on Mar 25, 2018 2:42:29 GMT -5
EXT. ORRON III — DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD — MAIZE FIELDS — DAY
Nemec DuQuesne rides his combine through the vast, sprawling fields of maize, mowing down and harvesting thousands of ripe stalks as he moves onward. Driving alongside him in a trailer, collecting the freshly mowed-and-ground maize, is Anakin. Due to the advanced age of both vehicles, neither has functioning air conditioning, leaving Anakin and Nemec to sweat profusely within their cabs under the full midday sun.
Without warning, the engine of Anakin's trailer begins shuddering violently. With an unwelcome SPUTTER and COUGH, the engine blows out and the vehicle dies. Unaware of what just transpired, Nemec keeps the combine rolling forward, leaving ground maize to pour upon the ground.
ANAKIN: Oh, for the love of —
Opening the cab door, Anakin leaps out of the trailer. Running after the combine, he begins yelling and waving his arms.
ANAKIN: (shouting) Nemec! Hey, Nemec! Stop the combine! You're dumping maize everywhere! Stop, man! Stop!
Hearing Anakin's panicked cries, Nemec hits the breaks. As the large combine grinds to a halt, Nemec powers down the thresher, discontinuing the maizefall.
NEMEC: (opens cab door; leans out) What happened‽
ANAKIN: Dunno. The engine just seized!
NEMEC: (sighs; runs hand through hair) Figures. (beat) I guess that's that for the day. We'll look at the engine tomorrow and see if we can't get the old girl purring again. (beat) Hop in.
ANAKIN: (waves hand dismissively) You go ahead. I think I'll catch the breeze.
Closing the cab door, Nemec starts forward again, leaving Anakin behind. Anakin puts his hands in his pockets and begins his leisurely walk, whistling as he takes in his surroundings.
THE VOICE: (O.S.) Skywalker….
Anakin stops whistling and walking.
THE VOICE: (O.S.) I'm here, Skywalker.
Sensing the voice's owner behind him, he spins around to face them. There is no one there.
THE VOICE: (O.S.) Skywalker….
EXT. DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD — COURTYARD — DAY
Arriving at the DuQuesne homestead, Anakin finds Nemec and Nemec's wife, Corin, in wait for him. Corin stands with a tray of iced tea in her hands, Nemec seated in a sun chair with a glass in his hand beside her. With the two spouses so close together, it's impossible not to compare them. Both tall, both blond, both attractive, one couldn't be blamed if they thought they were siblings rather than spouses.
CORIN: You must be thirsty after all that work and that long walk, Anakin. Have a glass.
ANAKIN: Thanks, Corin.
Taking the glass of iced tea, Anakin downs it in one long, uninterrupted swallow.
CORIN: (eyes widening) My, you must be thirsty. Have some more. (pours more tea into Anakin's glass)
NEMEC: Pull a chair up, Nik. Take a load off.
ANAKIN: (takes sip of refreshed tea) Thanks, but I think I'll head inside for a shower first.
Nodding to Nashira's parents, he steps past them for the door. The man and wife exchange glances, cocking their eyebrows in unison.
INT. DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD/REFRESHER/SHOWER — DAY
Stripping off his sweaty clothes, Anakin steps inside the shower. Closing the door, he turns the water on, allowing a stream of fresh, clean water to hit him full-on in the face. Taking a bar of soap, he begins lathering himself up.
As Anakin works himself clean, a SHADOWY HUMAN FIGURE can be seen entering the 'fresher. Silent, the silhouette crosses over to the occupied shower. Completely oblivious, Anakin doesn't notice as the dark shade approaches the closed shower door, slowly raises an arm to grip it, then suddenly — violently — wrenches it open.
ANAKIN: YAH!
Surprised, Anakin jumps back, nearly slipping in the shower. Nashira, for her part, laughs hysterically.
ANAKIN: (irate) Nashira! I could've slipped and broke my damn neck! Don't ever do that again!
NASHIRA: (pouts sexily) Ohhh, you big bad baby. As if you'd ever slip, man o' mine.
ANAKIN: Close the door, will ya? Water's getting all over the floor.
NASHIRA: (looks at water spraying out onto floor) Hmm, I guess I should. (looks at Anakin; grins salaciously) Shouldn't I?
At that, Nashira begins undressing. Taking her time, Nashira unbuttons her powder blue blouse, pulling it open and down to expose her naked shoulders and flat stomach. Once that is done, she unzips her dark brown pants and slowly works them down, exposing her long, shapely legs. With both shirt and pants off, Nashira stands there in her black undergarments, bearing her body to her man. In the years that have passed since we last saw her, Nashira has matured from a pretty young girl into a beautiful young woman with the sensuous body of a love goddess.
ANAKIN: (eyes Nashira) ...
Grinning broadly, Nashira steps into the shower. Closing the door behind her, she slips her arms around Anakin's neck.
NASHIRA: No water getting out on the floor now.
ANAKIN: No, no ... of course not now.
Leaning forward, Anakin brings his face close to Nashira's and reaches behind to rest his hands on the small of her back. Pressing his lips against hers, he slides his hands up to her shoulder blades and begins working to remove her bra. As water cascades down the bodies of the two lovers, Nashira's satin undergarments drop to the shower floor.
INT. CORUSCANT — 662 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX/OBI-WAN & SIRI'S FLAT/DINING AREA — EVENING
Obi-Wan and Siri sit on opposite ends of the small dining table, facing one another. Though they both poke at the food on their plates, neither are hungry.
OBI-WAN: The recipe called for twenty minutes, but I left it in an extra five. I didn't overcook anything?
SIRI: (sullen) It's fine.
OBI-WAN: Do you need salt?
SIRI: I don't need salt.
An awkward moment of silence passes between them.
OBI-WAN: Siri, maybe we should talk about ... what happened.
SIRI: No. Just eat.
OBI-WAN: We can't avoid this. We have to —
SIRI: (enraged) I don't want to talk about it!
In anger, Siri stabs her plate violently, breaking it in half.
SIRI: ARGH!
Bolting from her chair, she races from the room. Abandoning his dinner, Obi-Wan follows her.
EXT. 662 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX/OBI-WAN & SIRI'S FLAT/BALCONY — EVENING
Siri stands out on the balcony, her grip around the railing tight. Eyes shut tight and teeth bared in a grimace, she weeps. Slowly, cautiously, Obi-Wan joins her, placing his hands on her shoulders to comfort her.
SIRI: I lost our baby, Obi-Wan! I lost him! I lost him!
Wrapping his arms around her, Obi-Wan kisses her temple, then rests his head on her shoulder.
OBI-WAN: He’s gone home to the Force.
SIRI: I wanted to see him, Obi, to hold him in my arms once. I wanted him to know I loved him. (beat) That I wanted him.
OBI-WAN: We'll try again.
SIRI: (faces him) Try again? For what? For another miscarriage? For another baby born dead?
OBI-WAN: We'll wait ‘til the treatments have run their course. We will be parents. I promise.
Taking hold of him, Siri buries her face in his chest.
SIRI: I need out of here! Away from this dead city, this dead planet! (beat) Please, Obi-Wan….
Siri continues sobbing, clutching her husband to her tightly. Rubbing her back gently, Obi-Wan looks up, regarding the durasteel buildings sprawled out beyond the balcony, windows aglow with artificial light.
EXT. OPHUCHI — PRISON — LANDING PLATFORM — DAY
On a duracrete platform stationed beyond the prison, under a stormy gray sky which matches his disposition, Yajuj Jukassa stands, surrounded by six armed prison guards, arms and legs shackled. His black military uniform traded in for a set of unflattering flannel coveralls, he no longer carries the same imperious bearing he once had. Beside before him stands the warden, four armed guards, and the entrance ramp to a transport shuttle.
WARDEN: There's a nice, clean breeze today, isn't there, Lord-Commandant? (takes deep breath) Have yourself some of that crisp, fresh air while you can; there won't be much of any where you're going. (to four guards) He's all yours.
The four guards motion with their weapons for Jukassa to board the shuttle. Expression grim, the ex-dictator complies; the four guards flanking him, he climbs the ramp.
Once Jukassa and the guards are aboard, the ramp in drawn into the shuttle and the shuttle lifts off.
INT. SHUTTLE/LOADING COMPARTMENT — DAY
Yajuj Jukassa faces the four guards. The dark visors of their helmets pulled over their eyes, it's impossible to read the guards' expressions.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: (brings restrained hands forward) Well, aren't you going to free me of these?
GUARD #1: At once, Lord-Commandant. (faces guard on his right) Unfasten his restraints.
Nodding once, the guard takes a key and unfastens Jukassa's chains.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: (rubs wrists) We're off to Nar Shaddaa?
GUARD #1: Yes, milord. The Imperials will be unable to persecute you in the heart of Hutt Space. They have no jurisdiction there.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: (sighs) The Lord-Commandant of Ophuchi reduced to seeking sanctuary on a polluted cesspool like Nar Shaddaa. It's criminal.
GUARD #1: It's only temporary, milord. Ophuchi will be yours once more.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: Much as I would like to believe that were true, I must face reality. My reign on this world is over — completely and finally over. (beat) But I can still have vengeance — my complete and final vengeance.
EXT. SPACE — OPHUCHI
Free of Ophuchi's gravity, the shuttle housing Jukassa and his loyalists leaps to hyperspace.
INT. ORRON III — DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD/ANAKIN & NASHIRA'S BED CHAMBER — DAY
Anakin is seated at his desk, immersed in a datapad, when he hears a RAP-RAP-RAP at his door.
ANAKIN: It's open.
Setting the datapad down as the door opens, Anakin looks up, into the mirror affixed to the wall over the desk. The face he sees in the door behind him is male, gaunt, stained with dirt and blood. Startled, Anakin spins around. It's only Corin standing there, as fresh-faced and feminine as ever.
ANAKIN: (takes breath) You wanted something?
CORIN: You've got a message on the comm: Obi-Wan Kenobi.
ANAKIN: I'll be right there.
Rising from his chair, Anakin follows Corin out the door.
INT. DUQUESNE HOUSEHOLD/COMM BOOTH — DAY
Entering the small, windowless room, Anakin strides over to the controls of a medium-sized comm unit. With the press of a blue button, Obi-Wan's face pops up on the wall display.
OBI-WAN: Hello, Nik. I'm not disturbing you, I hope. (beat) Anakin ... (sighs) Siri lost the child. It happened a few days before I got back.
ANAKIN: Stars.
OBI-WAN: (cont'd) She and I feel it'd be best to leave Coruscant, see some friends. Is it alright if we came to stay with you awhile? I know you'll have to get permission from the DuQuesnes. Get back to us when you receive the word. And thank you.
With that, the recording ends. Rising from the chair, Anakin turns around; Nemec stands in the open door.
NEMEC: I heard everything, Nik. (beat) Tell your friends they're welcome to come right on over.
Thanking Nemec with a slight nod and smile, Anakin returns to the comm unit.
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Post by Duragizer on Mar 26, 2018 3:56:02 GMT -5
DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD — MONTAGE
With the rising of a new sun on this side of Orron III, we watch the events of Anakin's morning unfold from beginning to end. Following a rude awakening when Nashira, shrieking like a harpy, bursts into his room, jumps on top of his bed, and begins beating him over the head with one of his pillows, Anakin promptly hurries to get ready for the day and joins the rest of the DuQuesne family at the breakfast table. Following a hearty breakfast of green eggs and ham, he joins them on farm chores. While Nashira and Nemec team up to work with the combine and trailer to finish the season's harvest, Anakin helps Corin take inventory and work on repairing faulty equipment.
EXT. DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD — DAY
With the passing of morning into afternoon, Anakin's chores have ended for the day. Tonight is the night Obi-Wan and Siri are due to arrive after a long voyage from Coruscant, and Anakin has to leave to pick them up at the spaceport.
Having promptly showered and dressed in fresh clothes, Anakin guides the DuQuesne family landspeeder out of the garage. As he uses a remote control to close the garage door, Nashira and her parents appear from out the house, coming around to Anakin's right side to see him off. Nashira has a satchel slung across her left shoulder.
ANAKIN: I'm off, guys.
Unslinging her satchel, Nashira dumps it in the back seat.
ANAKIN: What's in there?
NASHIRA: Supplies.
ANAKIN: I already have everything I need.
NASHIRA: And you know me; I hate sharing.
Anakin throws Corin and Nemec a look.
CORIN: She's going with you.
ANAKIN: (incredulous) It's a six-hour trip.
NASHIRA: (narrows eyes) What are you insinuating?
ANAKIN: Nothing! But it's six hours!
NASHIRA: (jumps in passenger seat) Enough time to be back for a late dinner.
Reaching around to the back seat, Nashira takes the satchel and unzips it. Reaching inside, she fishes out a small music disc.
CORIN: It's good to get her off the farm once in a blue moon.
ANAKIN: (resigned) I suppose.
Grinning broadly, Nashira punches Anakin in the arm — hard. Wincing in pain, Anakin rubs the tender spot. He then kicks the speeder into overdrive, burning repulsorlift as he peels out of the driveway. Grinning grins as broad as their daughter's, Nemec and Corin wave after the pair as they move off into the distance.
EXT. HIGHWAY — MONTAGE
As they emerge onto the open highway, Nashira slides her disc into the landspeeder's music player; instrumental theremin music begins playing over the speakers. As the speeder makes its way along the long highway, the intense music reverberates across the empty grasslands surrounding the duracrete road, seeming to transform the entire landscape into one vast echo chamber.
Nashira spends the drive alternating between silently listening to music and chatting with Anakin while he keeps his eyes out on the open road. As the sun moves across the sky and lowers toward the horizon, Anakin and Nashira pass by another small farm, a herd of grazing jackalopes, and eventually an old, burned-out ruin.
EXT. HIGHWAY — SUNSET
After almost three hours, the music has come to an end and the sun has begun to set.
INT. LANDSPEEDER — SUNSET — TRAVELLING
As the spaceport appears as a spot on the horizon in the far distance, the radiance of the departing sun bathes Nashira's face in its warm light. Seemingly transfixed by the red glow, a wistful expression passes over her features.
NASHIRA: Nik?
ANAKIN: Hmm?
NASHIRA: You never told us why they chose to visit now, after all this time.
ANAKIN: Why would you visit old friends?
NASHIRA: They're really here because of the baby.
Anakin clams up. Facing him, Nashira regards him, intense blue eyes almost aglow.
NASHIRA: Have you ... ever thought about our future together?
ANAKIN: I have. Of course I have.
NASHIRA: Have you ... thought about children?
ANAKIN: I ... I mean ... (sighs) I haven't really.
NASHIRA: Do you — if we choose to — do you think ...?
ANAKIN: (uncomfortable) Another time, Nashira.
Nashira starts to say something more, but cuts herself off. Turning from him, to the setting sun, she surrenders herself to its scarlet radiance.
INT. SPACEPORT/TERMINAL — SUNSET
Obi-Wan and Siri stand in a line as they proceed through a security checkpoint. Guarding the checkpoint, clad in their brown uniforms and riot armour, are several ESPOS — officers of the Corporate Sector Authority's Security Police. Though they make no overt motions of hostility toward the new arrivals, they radiate pure, undiluted menace, their stun batons deliberately held out in the open as a warning to any and all not to cross them.
As Siri and Obi-Wan's turn comes to cross the checkpoint, an Espo with a weapon detector approaches them. As he runs the detector over the length of their bodies, the detector's warning light begins flashing.
ESPO #1: (to other Espos) Got something!
Five other Espos step forward, activating their stun batons. Taking a collective step back, Siri and Obi-Wan raise their hands in compliance. Approaching them, one of the Espos begins frisking them. It takes only a moment for him to uncover and procure their lightsabers.
ESPO #2: What are these?
SIRI: Lightsabers.
ESPO #1: Jedi?
OBI-WAN: Yes.
ESPO #1: Do you have authorization to carry these weapons inside the Corporate Sector?
The spouses slowly reach inside their utility belts and withdraw a pair of identical cards. A third Espo takes their cards. Pulling out a card reader, he runs each of the cards through in turn. When the green LED lights up for both, he nods to Espo #1.
ESPO #1 (to Espo #2) Give them back their weapons.
Espo #2 hands the lightsabers back to the Jedi. Silently, they clip the weapons back on their belts, eyes focused on Espo #1.
EPSO #1: (grins) Enjoy your stay on Orron III.
Passing through the checkpoint, the Jedi make their way to the exit. Once out of earshot of the Espos, they face each other.
OBI-WAN: It's nice to see Espo security still as tight as ever.
Siri responds with a SCOFF.
EXT. SPACEPORT — SUNSET
As Obi-Wan and Siri step out of the terminal into the open air of Orron III, they spot Anakin and Nashira already there, just beyond the front doors in wait for them.
As the two parties converge, Siri breaks away from Obi-Wan and strides up to Nashira. As the two women embrace, Siri — overcome with emotion — smiles and weeps in unison.
INT. DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD/DINING AREA — EVENING
Another three hours pass, and Anakin and Nashira have returned home with Obi-Wan and Siri. They have all joined Nemec and Corin at the dinner table, where they are currently engaged in light conversation.
CORIN: Siri, I don't believe I've commented on your hair.
SIRI: I don't believe so, no.
CORIN: Well, it's simply a gorgeous hairstyle. It looks absolutely stunning on you.
SIRI: (smiles) Thank you.
CORIN: Does it have a name? The style.
SIRI: It's a vaddul chignon.
CORIN: Strange name — curious.
SIRI: It's named after its creator, Vaddul Aiisio Huiun.
CORIN: Sounds like a Hutt name.
SIRI: He is a Hutt.
Corin gives a silent "Ah."
NASHIRA: I've an idea.
Everyone at the table regards the young lady with open ears.
NASHIRA: (cont'd) That old amusement park in town's having its grand reopening in two days.
NEMEC: Zorqo's Zoo of Zaniness?
NASHIRA: With the harvest over, we could take the trip out there, have a day of fun for ourselves.
CORIN: Wasn't the new owner run out of the Tion Hegemony? Something about shady business dealings?
NASHIRA: (waves hand dismissively) Idle gossip.
NEMEC: Corin?
CORIN: I suppose it wouldn't hurt to check the old place out….
NASHIRA: (grins) Prime!
INT. NAR SHADDAA — KORBEE TOWER/PENTHOUSE/LIVING AREA — DAY
Within the living area of Korbee Tower's penthouse suite, we find Mahttoh decked out asleep on a large sofa. Judging by the litter strewn about the room — along with the two female wookoids asleep in Mahttoh's arms — a rather rowdy party was hosted here the night before.
INT. KORBEE TOWER/PENTHOUSE/LLOMON'S BED CHAMBER — DAY
As with the living area, this bed chamber, too, is a mess, with a pair of female trandoids curled under the covers with Llomon. As he wakes from his booze-induced slumber, Llomon sits up with a reptilian YAWN. Caring not a bit if he disturbs his companions, the Trandoshan kicks the covers off himself and rises.
INT. KORBEE TOWER/PENTHOUSE/KITCHEN — DAY
Passing through the living area, by the sleeping simians, Llomon enters the kitchen. Crossing to the refrigerator, he gets out a single mauve egg the size of a football. Smacking his lizard lips hungrily, he takes a seat at the small kitchen table. Placing the egg in a large egg cup on the table, Llomon punches a hole in the shell with his pinky claw. Then, with a great big Trandoshan smile, he inserts a straw through the hole.
INT. KORBEE TOWER/PENTHOUSE/LIVING AREA — DAY
Awakening, Llomon's two reptilian lady friends saunter into the living area wearily, nursing strong hangovers. As they pass within range of Mahttoh and his girls, they draw their muzzles back in disgust as the strong odour of lingering mammalian pheromones washes over them.
A comm unit on the wall begins TRILLING with an incoming transmission. Leaving his half-finished egg, Llomon re-enters the living area. Uttering curses in Dosh, he strides up to the sleeping wookoids and violently shakes them awake. As they come to, the Trandoshan turns to his trandoid companions. As the comm continues its siren, Llomon herds all four women to the front door, opens it, and kicks them out, slamming the door in their faces. Racing over to the unit, Llomon picks up the line. The Human face of one of Yajuj Jukassa's loyalists appears on-screen.
GUARD #2: I trust this is Llomon the Trandoshan I am addressing?
Llomon responds in the affirmative; the Human fails to understand his Dosh. Realizing for the first time he doesn't have his translator on him, the Trandoshan holds a claw up for the Human to wait then leaves to find his translator. Moments later Llomon returns, the translator apparati affixed to his neck and wrist, set to transmit in Basic.
LLOMON: (in Basic) I am Llomon.
GUARD #2: I trust this is a secure line?
LLOMON: (annoyed) I wasn't hatched yesterday. What is it you want?
GUARD #2: After arriving on Nar Shaddaa several weeks ago, my employer set me to the task of finding a bounty hunter or hunters who would be adequate for an endeavour which he has determined to be of the utmost importance. After making a series of inquiries, we have come to the conclusion that you along with your partner are the most qualified candidates.
LLOMON: Has anyone ever told you you use too many words to say so little?
GUARD #2: (sighs) My employer has a job for you and Mahttoh.
LLOMON: I gathered as much.
GUARD #2: He wishes me to tell you no more. Agree to meet in person and he'll reveal the details personally.
LLOMON: Where and when?
GUARD #2: In his chambers at The Chance Castle, 6100 tonight.
LLOMON: Room number?
GUARD #2: You'll find me waiting at the main entrance. I'll give you the number then.
Llomon nods his acceptance. The comm display goes dark.
Deactivating his translator, Llomon leaves the comm unit and strides over to the sofa, where Mahttoh — in spite of all the commotion caused by the comm and the ladies' departure — is still asleep. Placing a clawed foot on the Wookiee's shoulder, the Trandoshan pushes the Wookiee off the sofa. Hitting the floor, Mahttoh wakes with a Wookiee WAIL.
MAHTTOH: (in Shyriiwook, subtitled) What the kark‽ (looks about room) Where are Suroow and Ghueew?
LLOMON: (in Dosh, subtitled) A potential client called. He wants to meet us tonight.
MAHTTOH: (subtitled) What time?
LLOMON: (subtitled) 6100 at The Chance Castle. So get up, go to the 'fresher, and have a shower. He won't hire us if you come stinking of Wookiee love musk.
INT. CHANCE CASTLE/CORRIDOR — EVENING
Slipping discreetly inside, Llomon and Mahttoh are led by Jukassa's man to a door guarded by his comrade-in-arms. After exchanging salutes with his peer, the guard steps aside and opens the door.
INT. CHANCE CASTLE/JUKASSA'S QUARTERS/LIVING AREA — EVENING
Inside, the three find Jukassa seated in a spacious armchair in wait for them, an active datapad in his hand. The former despot is reading the contents of the pad casually and without haste, seemingly oblivious to the presence of his guests.
GUARD #2: Lord-Commandant.
Taking his eyes off the pad, Jukassa looks at his servant. In all other regards, he remains immobile.
GUARD #2: (gestures to Trandoshan and Wookiee) These are Llomon and Mahttoh, Lord, the bounty hunters I sought out for you.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: Yes, I know. (to bounty hunters) You can come forward. (to guard) You — leave.
As the guard goes to leave the room, it is clear from his body language that in spite of his own bearing as a born-and-bred warrior, he lives in abject fear of this ex-tyrant. Conversely, as the pair of merciless killers approach Jukassa, it is clear fear is the last emotion the man elicits from them.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: You're precisely on time. I admire that in a sapient. Were either of your races bred for punctuality?
LLOMON: (sneers) What?
YAJUJ JUKASSA: (cocks eyebrow) I gather not. Still, your kind have potential. They would do well to adopt eugenic programs in the near future.
LLOMON: You have a job.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: Yes — yes, indeed I do. (beat) My name is Yajuj Jukassa, out of Lilitu by Majuj. Have you heard of me?
MAHTTOH: (speaking through translator) No.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: (sighs) Unfortunate. (beat) I was the Lord-Commandant of Ophuchi, the 45th of one-hundred sons. Ours was a proud dynasty, one which endured for over twelve generations. We shepherded our people faithfully, keeping them free of genetic contamination and regression.
LLOMON: How sad. The point you're driving at?
YAJUJ JUKASSA: (frowns) The point I am "driving at" is that I was dethroned and exiled. In disgrace I was forced to leave my Ophuchi — my beautiful, gem-oceaned Ophuchi — for this rancid Hutt cesspool. Forced by infidels and apostates to wallow amongst impure filth. (angry) I crave retribution! It will be mine!
Jukassa hurls his datapad across the room, dashing it to pieces against the opposing wall.
LLOMON: We aren't soldiers-for-hire.
MAHTTOH: If you want help retaking your world, hire the Federation Neimoidia.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: I'm not looking to recapture the throne. I'm too keenly aware that I don't have the finances to support such a crusade. All I seek is a pure and final revenge.
LLOMON: Who's our target?
YAJUJ JUKASSA: Your targets (reaches inside tunic) are these.
Withdrawing a pair of photographs, Jukassa hands them to Llomon. Taking the squares of flexible plastic, the lizard man looks them over.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Jedi.
MAHTTOH: Jedi?
YAJUJ JUKASSA: They humiliated me in dishonourable combat. They have earned my wrath above all others.
LLOMON: Jedi will cost you extra.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: All that I still have will be yours if need be. Honour is of greater worth to me than coin.
MAHTTOH: Info on the pair?
YAJUJ JUKASSA: What I have compiled I have saved to datacard for your perusal.
Reaching back into his tunic, Jukassa pulls out a datacard.
YAJUJ JUKASSA: The basics, though, are these: Kenobi shares a home with his wife on Coruscant. Skywalker, meanwhile, calls the Corporate Sector home. He lives on one of the planets in the Orron system.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2018 15:50:24 GMT -5
Still loving reading these stories and loved your new avatar ...  |
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Post by Duragizer on Mar 26, 2018 23:17:36 GMT -5
EXT. ORRON III — ZORQO'S ZOO OF ZANINESS/ENTRANCE — DAY
The DuQuesnes, Kenobis, and the Skywalker kid enter Zorqo's Zoo of Zaniness with thousands of other visitors. A medium-sized amusement park, a fair amount of different attractions and rides can be seen over the throngs of people.
CORIN: We could visit the Wormhole of Love.
NEMEC: Wormhole of Love?
CORIN: Like we did when we were teenagers. (beat) Stars, how long ago was that? Seventy years?
NEMEC: Seventy-three.
CORIN: Remember our first ride through the Wormhole —
NEMEC: Fifth.
CORIN: (cont'd) It was the most romantic night of our lives. The night we realized we'd be together always.
NEMEC: (smiles) 'Til death do we part. (sighs) That was a good night, dear, but I'm too old for cliched rides like that. (claps Anakin on back) The Wormhole of Love's perfect for our girl and her snot-nosed punk boyfriend.
ANAKIN: (frowns) Who's snot-nosed?
Nemec pulls Anakin and Nashira to him then lightly pushes them out, away from the group.
NEMEC: Go on, Nik. Take Nashira and go ride the Wormhole. There's a good chance you'll never get the opportunity again.
Deciding to do as the man asks, Anakin and Nashira join hands and head off in search of the Wormhole of Love. In short order, they're both lost from sight.
NEMEC: (places hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder) I'm hungry. Are you?
OBI-WAN: I suppose —
NEMEC: (interrupts) I'll treat you to a sausage or burger — whatever levitates your skiff. We'll leave the girls to their own entertainment.
OBI-WAN: I wouldn't want to ditch Siri and Corin like that….
SIRI: (wry) I wouldn't mind.
CORIN: You boys run off, enjoy yourselves. That's what we're all here for, after all, isn't it?
NEMEC: (grins) See? They can't wait to be rid of our ugly mugs. Let's be off!
At that the two men depart, Nemec's hand placed firmly on Obi-Wan's back to lead him along. Obi-Wan turns to look back at Siri, staring daggers her way. She merely gives him a parting wave and smile in response.
EXT. ZORQO'S ZOO OF ZANINESS/PLAZA — DAY
Some minutes have passed and Anakin and Nashira are utterly lost in the park.
ANAKIN: Where're we going?
NASHIRA: Haven't a clue.
ANAKIN: Where ever this Wormhole is, we'll never find it.
NASHIRA: (frowns) Don't be a ship in the mud. We'll ask someone for directions.
The two spend the next few minutes asking others for directions to the Wormhole of Love. No one seems to know where it is. Nashira then notices a CROLUTE CLOWN standing propped up against a sign post with a DIMINUTIVE NEAR-HUMAN NELWYN sitting on the ground beside him. Both are currently smoking cigarettes. Anakin behind her, Nashira approaches the odd pair.
NASHIRA: (smiles) Hello.
The Crolute clown — RUSTYK — takes a drag on his cigarette, takes one glance at Nashira, then takes his gaze back off her, exhaling a big cloud of purple smoke without the slightest change coming to his apathetic face.
NASHIRA: We're looking for the Wormhole of Love, but we're kinda lost.
RUSTYK: Lost, eh? (takes puff on cigarette) Shoulda bought a map at the front entrance, kid.
Flicking his cigarette butt away, Rustyk looks down at his companion.
RUSTYK: You know where the Wormhole of Love's at, Mr. Eenyt?
MR. EENYT points up. Following his finger, Nashira finds a sign with "WORMHOLE OF LOVE" stencilled in big white letters on the signpost pointing the way to the ride.
RUSTYK: Have the time of your life, kid.
EXT. ZORQO'S ZOO OF ZANINESS/ROUTE 999 — DAY
Having followed the sign, Nashira and Anakin come to their destination. Instead of finding the Wormhole of Love, they find instead a ride labelled "HYPERROUTE 999", the ride entrance a large, monstrous head with an open mouth leading deep into a dark abyss. The ride's barker — a TALL, GAUNT PAU'AN dressed in a black top hat and tailcoat — directs visitors over to the ride with dramatic flourish.
BARKER: Do you pitiful, vulnerable, ephemeral creatures have the heart, the spirit, the gumption, the cajones to brave the sorrows and torments of the Nine Corellian Hells and emerge unscathed? If so, take your chances on Hyperroute 999!
Nashira and Anakin approach the barker.
BARKER: (removes hat; bows) Greetings, my fine young kidbits. My name is Karyon Adder and I'll be your usher into the harrows of hells! Do you wish to endanger, to offer up, your immortal souls travelling down Hyperroute 999?
NASHIRA: Isn't this supposed to be the Wormhole of Love?
KARYON ADDER (BARKER): (deadpan) It was — forty-five years ago. (resumes shtick) Kids today don't want rides into dimensions of mushy gushy romance, though — they want descents into chaos universes of desecration and evisceration — so it was deconverted into the cannon into carnality which now towers before you!
ANAKIN: (points behind him with thumb) The sign there pointed to the Wormhole.
KARYON ADDER: (annoyed) The sign was meant to be replaced before reopening, but someone obviously forgot to get to it. (smiles) A temporary oversight, I'm sure. (beat) Now, again, must I reinquire? Do you wish to ride Hyperroute 999?
Nashira and Anakin exchange glances.
NASHIRA: Since we're here….
They take a collective step forward. As they pass by Karyon, though, the Pau'an takes the diamond head of his black cane in-hand and unsheathes a thin sword. Striking the ground before the pair, he blocks their advance.
KARYON ADDER: (frowns) Tickets please.
Dumbstruck, Nashira and Anakin give the Pau'an a pair of tickets. Exchanging his frown with a grin, he accepts the tickets.
KARYON ADDER: (resheathes sword) Carry on, kidbits! Carry on!
Karyon Adder LAUGHS MANIACALLY as the two lovers disappear into the open maw of Hyperroute 999.
INT. HYPERROUTE 999 — DAY
Sitting within a repulsorcart, Anakin and Nashira travel along Hyperroute 999. Surrounding them is a holographic panorama of the nine hells from Corellian myth. All about the young couple can be seen a plethora of unholy images. In one corner, a squat imp smacks down a floating torso with no legs or head; in another, a young man with an old man's voice plummets into a bottomless pit; in still another, a man with a flailing, broken neck dodges a flurry of flaming arrows launched from the bow of a reptilian/insectoid demon. Unfortunately for the lovers, the ride's a complete bust; the holograms, already poorly rendered, constantly go staticky and often wink out. As a result, the expressions on the young man and girl's faces are far from ones of terror.
NASHIRA: (deadpan) The banality of evil.
EXT. ZORQO'S ZOO OF ZANINESS/PROMENADE — DAY
The VERPINE VENDOR at a sausage stand takes out a fresh packet of sausages, tears it open, and lays the lengths of pale green pseudo-meat on his grill as Obi-Wan and Nemec approach.
NEMEC: Hey, there.
VERPINE VENDOR: (speaking through translator) Well, howdy! What can I do ya for?
NEMEC: (scrutinizes sausages) What kind of sausages are those?
VERPINE VENDOR: Why, those are bona fide processed magenge weiners, hoss. The finest this side of the Roche system!
NEMEC: Magenge? Never heard of it before. What kind of animal is that?
VERPINE VENDOR: Not a creature, hoss. No, not a creature. It's a fungus.
NEMEC: (cocks eyebrow) A fungus?
VERPINE: Indeed, hoss. A sweet fungus. My peoples' main consumable, to tell ya the gods' honest truth. Its taste is like the seventh heaven, I can tell ya.
Nemec and Obi-Wan exchange glances.
OBI-WAN: (shrugs) I'm game if you are.
NEMEC: (to vendor) Alright, I'll take a pair.
VERPINE VENDOR: Either of ya like ketchsup on yours?
NEMEC: None for me.
OBI-WAN: I'll take some.
The vendor quickly assembles the sausages. Obi-Wan cringes when he sees the ketchsup — a dark plum-coloured condiment totally unlike the ketchup/catsup he's familiar with — squeezed onto his sausage.
VERPINE VENDOR: That'll be 6 ingots, if ya please.
Nemec promptly reaches into his right pocket for his wallet. When he doesn't find it there, he goes for his left. Not finding it there, he begins patting his shirt down in search of it. He doesn't have the wallet on him.
NEMEC: I forgot; I left the wallet with Corin.
OBI-WAN: I'll pay.
Pushing aside the fold of his coat, he goes for his utility belt and, reaching into a pouch, pulls out six Corporate Sector ingots.
OBI-WAN: (to Verpine) Here you are.
Obi-Wan hands the ingots to the Verpine, who promptly hands him the two sausages.
VERPINE VENDOR: And here ya are.
OBI-WAN: (takes sausages) Thanks.
Leaving the stand, Obi-Wan and Nemec head off down the promenade. The Jedi hands the farmer his green sausage.
NEMEC: (turns sausage over in hands) A sausage made of fungus. What the hell was I thinking paying for this?
OBI-WAN: It may not be bad.
NEMEC: Only one way to tell.
In synchronous tandem, the two men take bites out of their magenge sausages.
OBI-WAN: (disgusted) UGH! Revolting!
NEMEC: (shrugs) It's that purple crud. You shouldn't have gone for any.
Spewing the unpalatable mash from his mouth, Obi-Wan is quick to toss the rest of the sausage in the nearest trash bin. Nemec hangs onto his, quickly finishing it.
NEMEC: Not bad. They don't hold a candle to real sausages, but they're decent for all that. (beat) We should have a barbecue next Benduday. Corin makes the best sausages, and I mean makes them; she grinds the meat, mixes in the starch, the whole works.
OBI-WAN: I didn't know Corin was such the gourmet.
NEMEC: She took a course offworld fifty years ago. She hasn't set the spatula down since. (beat) Does Siri cook at all, Obi-Wan?
OBI-WAN: (smiles) Afraid not. I'm the breadmaker in the family.
NEMEC: When you have fifteen children to take care of, it helps to have two parents who can cook.
OBI-WAN: (nonchalant) Fifteen children? Is that all?
NEMEC: (laughs) I'm ninety years old, Obi-Wan. I married Corin when I was in my twenties. When you've been in a prosperous marriage that long, you've plenty of time to sow, grow, and harvest your own oats.
OBI-WAN: (sighs) I suppose so.
Nemec's brow furrows as he hears the forlornness in Obi-Wan's voice.
NEMEC: I'm sorry. I forgot about the situation with Siri.
OBI-WAN: You haven't offended me. (beat) We should have waited, but we were too eagre to become parents, too damned impatient.
NEMEC: You going to try again?
A long pause.
OBI-WAN: I'm no longer sure.
EXT. ZORQO'S ZOO OF ZANINESS/SHOOTING GALLERY — DAY
With ice cream cones in-hand, Siri and Corin walk along the promenade, making idle small talk. As they pass by a shooting gallery booth, a CARNIE WITH IMPOSSIBLE HAIR lunges out the open booth window, a preternaturally wide, toothy grin plastered across his wizened face.
CARNIE: (chipper) Why, hello ladies! You wouldn't happen to be interested in a little target practice, would you?
Hearing that exuberant voice, the two women stop in their tracks. As they face him, his already unnaturally huge grin expands tenfold.
LARGE CARNIE: (cont'd) Why, of course you'd be! So step right on up, my dears! I don't bite! Scout's honour!
Finishing their cones, they approach the booth. Drawing back into the booth, the carnie leans to a gun rack housing a small number of lightweight toy rifles. Collecting two, he activates their power packs before returning to his customers.
CARNIE: (hands rifles to women) Here you are! Two laser rifles! These are true laser rifles now, mind you, not blasters! They project low-powered laser beams, not concentrated plasma bursts! Fit for family fun on all civilized worlds, but if you're looking to fight a pitched battle with enemy forces on an open battlefield, this is not the ordinance for you! (lowers voice) I have to say all that for legal reasons, you understand. The Authority would flay my hide if I did otherwise.
Accepting the toy weapons, the ladies give them a once-over, looking for all the world like they don't know how to handle the guns or to what purpose. Reaching to the wall at his right, the carnie presses a large red button. Almost instantly, thirty small holograms representing various game birds and other flying creatures familiar throughout the Known Regions flicker to life at the far back wall of the booth. Every couple seconds, the various holograms wink in and out of being along an irregular pattern.
CARNIE: Your objective is to shoot out as many of the holograms as you can within a minute! Repeat hits do not count! I repeat — do not count! (beat) Now begin, and be careful not to shoot yourselves or me in the eye!
Stepping off to the side, the carnie allows the two blondes a clear shot at the holograms. Not used to handling firearms, it takes a couple moments for Siri to get a grip on how to handle her rifle. Corin, on the other hand, wields the toy like a pro. In a microsecond, she has the rifle held at the ready, eye focused along the sight of the barrel with her finger tensed over the trigger. A minute passes. Siri hits eleven of the holograms, not counting repeats. Corin hits twenty-nine.
CARNIE: (whistles) Wow-ee! I've never seen a soul hit twenty-nine of the thirty holograms in non-repeating succession before! Not in sixty years on nineteen worlds!
CORIN: (hands rifle back to carnie) What's my prize?
CARNIE: (flabbergasted) Your prize? (beat) Ah, right — your prize! A moment, if you please!
The carnie crosses over to a shelf loaded with various prizes. Reaching for the top shelf, he takes and pulls down the top prize.
CARNIE: (hands prize to Corin) Here you are, my lovely girl! A prize worthy of a prize such as yourself!
Corin accepts the stuffed bantha with subdued joy.
EXT. ZORQO'S ZOO OF ZANINESS/PROMENADE
Corin and Siri walk along the promenade.
SIRI: You're an amazing shot, Corin. I'm serious; you handled the toy like a professional sharpshooter.
CORIN: (shrugs) I've had practice.
SIRI: Tell me — where'd you get your "practice"?
CORIN: My father was a police officer. He used to take me to the shooting range on weekends. That’s where I learned to handle a blaster.
SIRI: Police officer? You mean —?
CORIN: He wasn't an Espo. (beat) He was, but before the Authority became militarized, so corrupt. He was an honest man; he hated what the Security Police became.
SIRI: Is life here so bad?
CORIN: When Nashira was young, Nemec and I could take her out into the hinterlands on hunting trips. That changed ten years ago, when the Authority declared all undeveloped regions of Orron III "ecological reserves". Anyone who goes into a hinterland without authorization is picked up by Espo scanners and "detained".
SIRI: Did you ever consider leaving? Packing up and moving out of the Corporate Sector?
CORIN: That would be nice. Stars know the Authority's eagre to buy the remaining independent farms out. We could sign our land over to them, charter a flight out of the Corporate Sector, start over on a world where we could dip our feet into a running brook without receiving so much as a dirty glare. (beat) It’ll never happen.
SIRI: Corin, you must know Obi-Wan and I'd be perfectly willing to help you get settled. I have connections; I could —
CORIN: (holds hand up) This isn’t about money or emigration or any of that. (beat) Were it my decision, we’d have sold the farm and left the Corporate Sector decades ago. Unfortunately, the farm’s Nemec’s birthright; he's more married to it than he is to me. He’ll part with it when he's dead.
SIRI: That's a true shame. The war aside, the Empire's a wonderful place to live. You never have to go about life under the shadow of autocracy.
CORIN: Your Empire sounds like a dream. (sighs) I’ve never placed much stock in dreams. (beat) To hear you speak of it so, the Empire's an egalitarian paradise, a near-utopia. But wasn’t the Wookiee homeworld placed under martial law at the end of your previous war?
SIRI: It wasn't a decision the Senate made lightly. You have to understand, Kashyyyk had become a hotbed of Separatist activity; the Separatist presence was so firmly entrenched that the standard disarmament procedures weren't working. For the sake of the Wookiees, for all concerned, we had to crack down. It was better than the alternative.
CORIN: You can tell me tensions haven't eased after nineteen years?
SIRI: (frowns) We've been at war with the clonemasters for those nineteen years. Our resources have been stretched to near exhaustion. We haven't had the luxury of devoting attention to Kashyyyk and the Wookiees.
Corin decides to let the conversation die there.
EXT. ZORQO'S ZOO OF ZANINESS — MONTAGE
Eventually Anakin and Nashira, Siri and Corin, and Obi-Wan and Nemec regroup. From there they go to various different attractions together, enjoying the fun parts and suffering through the painful bits together as one collective family.
As the suns lower on the horizon, the collective family leaves for home.
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Post by Duragizer on Mar 27, 2018 13:43:26 GMT -5
I've made some alterations to the script. I removed the Akkad 14 scene (it'll return later in the story), and added another Llomon & Mattoh scene at the end here. |
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Post by Duragizer on Mar 27, 2018 20:59:55 GMT -5
EXT. SPACE — TOWNOWI
Somewhere in the depths of the Arkanis sector lies the crystalline planet Townowi. In orbit above Townowi is a long metal cylinder with a clawed torus built around its diametre. This is Akkad 14, a space station built by the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Second Clone War. While it has long since been appropriated by the Empire, it still serves its purpose as a way station between the Geonosis system and greater Galaxy.
INT. AKKAD 14/CMDR. JEFFREYS' QUARTERS
Inside her quarters, buried under the covers of her bed, is COMMANDER SHERIDAN JEFFREYS. A lean, lovely blonde nearing middle age, Jeffreys is locked fast in the deepest, most peaceful sleep.
As Townowi's blue sun rises out beyond the room's large transparisteel viewport, the chronometre off to the right side of the commander's bed begins TRILLING. Groaning, she rolls over in bed, burying her head inside her pillows in a desperate attempt to block out the noise.
CMDR. JEFFREYS: Shut up….
When the chronometre refuses to comply, Jeffreys resorts to a final desperate action. Reaching under her mattress, she pulls free a small blaster. Turning over, she levels the weapon at the chrono, takes careful aim, then pulls the trigger. A blue stun bolt flares out, catching the chronometre, frying its systems, silencing it now and forever. Lowering the blaster, she gets out of bed and meanders over to her desk. Opening a drawer, she pulls out a recorder wand.
CMDR. JEFFREYS: (activates wand) Memo to self: Order a new chronometre at the next earliest convenience.
Deactivating the wand, she replaces it inside the desk.
INT. AKKAD 14/CORRIDOR OUTSIDE JEFFREYS' QUARTERS
The door to Jeffreys' quarters slides open, allowing the commander out into the corridor. Now showered and clad in her gray Imperial uniform, she is the very picture of no-nonsense efficiency. Turning on her heel to her right, she begins her stride. The large door at the end of the corridor behind her left slides open, allowing a portly Barabel, KURASIJ, inside.
KURASIJ: (grins) Cmdr. Jeffreys!
Stopping in mid-stride, Jeffreys turns to face the Barabel. Spying his unwelcome grin, she sighs deeply.
CMDR. JEFFREYS: Mr. Kurasij, without the proper clearance, Red Deck is off-limits to non-military personnel.
KURASIJ: This is known to me. What of it?
CMDR. JEFFREYS: Get off Red Deck, Mr. Kurasij.
KURASIJ: You wound me deeply, Commander. Do you regard me so poorly that you'd immediately assume I'd use improper channels to procure access to the command section?
CMDR. JEFFREYS: (sighs) I haven't time for your games, Kurasij. Get your ass off Red Deck before I have Gardo haul it off to the brig!
KURASIJ: (steps forward) Surely, Commander —
Activating her wrist comlink, Jeffreys raises it to her lips.
CMDR. JEFFREYS: Gardo?
GARDO: (O.S.) Commander?
KURASIJ: (raises hands; steps back) Nevermind, Commander. I can see you are a busy woman. Perhaps we can establish a dialogue at a later date, yes?
The Barabel briskly leaves Red Deck.
CMDR. JEFFREYS: (into comlink) Nevermind, Gardo. False alarm.
Deactivating the comlink, the Commander resumes her stride.
INT. AKKAD 14/COMMAND CENTRE
The doors to the command centre slide open and Cmdr. Jeffreys steps inside. Within the circular room, several MEN, WOMEN, AND BEINGS OF INDETERMINATE GENDER man their stations, each monitoring interstellar space for incoming vessels or communications. Installed in the wall before them is a large viewport which looks out to star-studded space.
OFFICER #1: Good morning, Commander.
Jeffreys takes her seat at her station.
CMDR. JEFFREYS: There is no morning in space, Kirova.
KIROVA (OFFICER #1): Of course not, Commander.
CMDR. JEFFREYS: Kirova?
KIROVA: Yes?
CMDR. JEFFREYS: Be a good boy and fetch me a mug of caf. I never think straight without my caffeine.
KIROVA: Right away, ma'am.
Kirova hurries off to find the commander a cup of caf.
EXT. SPACE
Out in the blackness of space, past Townowi and the space station, a massive starcraft emerges from the depths of hyperspace. Unseen, the ship moves toward Akkad 14. Coming upon the station, the craft casts a vast, overwhelming shadow over the much smaller habitat.
INT. AKKAD 14/COMMAND DECK
OFFICER #2: Commander, a craft's emerged right on top of us! It's —!
EXT. SPACE — TOWNOWI
The unseen vessel discharges a red superlaser beam. Akkad 14 is vaporized instantaneously.
INT. ORRON III — DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD/ANAKIN & NASHIRA'S BED CHAMBER — EVENING
Anakin lies on the left side of his and Nashira's bed, curled up asleep beside her under the covers. Oblivious in their slumber, they fail to notice a peculiar fog as it flows inside the room, moving like liquid over the floor. As it swells to fill the air, rolling over the bed, Anakin is roused by the sudden chill.
ANAKIN: (drowsy) Huh...?
The fog thickens to such density that the details of the room beyond the bed vanish in its opaqueness, leaving the two lovers situated in the midst of what appears to be a cloudy void.
ANAKIN: 'Shira?
As Anakin rests his hand on Nashira's shoulder, she disappears into the mattress, the covers collapsing. A cloaked figure then rises from where she had lain. Shrouded in mist, the figure doesn't speak. It only reaches out, dirty, bloody hands ready to seize the Jedi.
CUT TO
Anakin bolting upright in bed with a GASP.
Breath heavy, body slick with cold sweat, he turns to his left. Beside him, right where she should be, lies Nashira. Judging by the frown creasing her lovely brow, her dreams are no sweeter than Anakin's.
INT. DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD/DINING AREA — DAY
It is another new day on this side of Orron III. Corin is busy brewing a fresh batch of caf when Siri staggers in, eyes dark and hair mussed from sleep.
CORIN: (faces Siri) Can I fix you a cup?
SIRI: (combing hair with fingers) Yes — please!
Corin takes out two mugs and fills them to the brim with steaming black caf as Siri plops herself down at the table. Corin takes care not to spill any of the hot caf as she carries the mugs over to the table. Setting the mugs down as she takes her seat, she slides one over to the Jedi. Siri takes a sip.
CORIN: Good?
SIRI: (smiles) Yes, very good. Thank you.
CORIN: (takes sip) You're leaving for Coruscant today.
SIRI: Yes. The men return to active duty in four weeks; I have to report to the Jedi Council for my next assignment.
CORIN: Siri, how are you?
SIRI: (sighs) I'm still grieving, but it's easier. (smiles) Being here has helped.
Returning Siri's smile, Corin reaches out and touches Siri's hand, giving it a gentle, supportive squeeze.
INT. DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD/ANAKIN & NASHIRA'S BED CHAMBER — DAY
Anakin is busy making the bed when Nashira appears in the doorway. Standing there, she regards him silently until he turns her way, noticing her for the first time.
ANAKIN: (grins) Hey.
NASHIRA: (smiles weakly) Hey.
ANAKIN: I won't bite.
Tentative, Nashira enters the bed chamber. Noticing her grave expression, Anakin abandons the chore and goes to her.
ANAKIN: (rests hands on her shoulders) Why the long face? Something wrong?
NASHIRA: (gazing into his eyes) Nik ...
ANAKIN: Yes?
Seizing him in a tight hold, Nashira hugs her man close.
NASHIRA: Don't go, Anakin. Don't go.
ANAKIN: I'll miss you too, 'Shira. But I'll be back — I promise.
NASHIRA: I had a dream last night — a nightmare. You were here, in this room; you were crying. You told me not to go with you, then you stepped through the door. (points at door) I ignored you; I followed, followed you through to a barren planet. There was a woman — this odd red-skinned woman — but the shadow she cast was of a man, in a great cloak.
This gets Anakin's attention.
ANAKIN: Great cloak?
NASHIRA: (cont'd) She said something about the past, the future. Then ... then ...
Anakin pulls away from her. She stares at him gravely.
NASHIRA: (cont'd) You changed. You changed into this ... this ... thing, took out your lightsaber — no, not a lightsaber, a sword. Then ... Stars, Nik! It was horrible!
ANAKIN: It was only a dream. (laughs uneasily) Only a dream.
NASHIRA: (pulls him close) It was a warning, Anakin. Something's going to happen to you out there, and it'll change you. When I see you again, you won't be you. You'll be someone else.
Kissing Nashira gently on the forehead, Anakin returns to making the bed, trying to mask his own anxiety as she just stands there silently, watching him work.
EXT. DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD — SUNSET
Later in the day, the DuQuesne family, the Kenobis, and the Skywalker kid make their final farewells. Climbing into a taxi, the latter three take off, waving goodbye to their hosts.
As Nemec, Corin, and Nashira stand there, watching the taxi shrink into the distance, the young woman's features darken, her brow creasing with worry.
INT. TAXI — SUNSET — TRAVELLING
THE VOICE: (O.S.) Skywalker! I am here, awake! You will hear me! Skywalker!
Anakin shuts his eyes tight, futilely hoping that will be enough to shut the spectral voice out once and for all.
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Post by Duragizer on Mar 29, 2018 5:31:38 GMT -5
EXT. GEONOSIS — CONDAWN CITY — DAY
Located atop a plateau surrounded on all sides by open, barren, cold desert is Condawn City, capital of Geonosis’ Condawn Province. Though there are veritable metropolises built deep underground in immense subterranean caverns, at 122.19 km2 in area, Condawn City is the largest settlement on the planet's surface.
EXT. CONDAWN CITY — STREET — DAY
SIX KIDS — the olive-skinned boy KITSTER; the fat Rodian boy WALD; the red-haired boy SEEK; the “twin” Zeltron girls AMEE and MELEE; and the ringleader, dark-haired, blue-eyed DARTH — have gathered together on the streets of Condawn City. They stand outside an abandoned duracrete building, huddled close together at a public comm station. As Darth dials a number, the others start giggling, quickly falling silent once he shushes them.
INT. KALSYZ’S CANTINA — DAY
The Gran bartender AKS MOE is working the bar when his comm rings.
AKS MOE: (answers comm) Kalsyz’s Cantina.
EXT. CONDAWN CITY — STREET — DAY
DARTH: (grins) Hi. Could I speak to Blo, please? Blo Zedong?
INT. KALSYZ’S CANTINA — DAY
AKS MOE: Wait, I’ll ask. (to patrons) Blo Zedong? Blo Zedong! C’mon, step forward! I wanna Blo Zedong here!
The barflies erupt into uproarious laughter.
BARFLY: Are you sure you wanna Blo Maidong?
EXT. CONDAWN CITY — STREET — DAY
The kids guffaw along with the barflies.
INT. KALSYZ’S CANTINA — DAY
As everyone continues laughing at his expense, Aks’ orange face deepens to vermilion.
AKS MOE: (into comm; enraged) If I ever get my hands on you, I’ll ream you out with a hydrospanner! (hangs up)
EXT. CONDAWN CITY — STREET — DAY
The kids continue chuckling.
KISTER: That was so wizard, Darth!
WALD: (claps Darth on back) Yeah!
DARTH: (checks chrono) Oh, man! We gotta zoom! C’mon!
Leaving the comm, Darth brings out his skimboard. Dropping it to the ground, he hops onto the hovering board then takes off. Following his lead, the five other children hop on their skimboards and take off after him.
EXT. CONDAWN CITY — STREET — CONTINUOUS
The kids race through the streets of Condawn City, zooming along the sidewalks, over obstacles, and between pedestrians. They are, quite frankly, making nuisances of themselves.
MELEE: Where we going, Darth?
DARTH: The Kwisatzhader Mart's having a 2-for-1 1-day-only sale on sludgies! We gotta get there before closing time; that's in thirteen minutes!
As the kids get ready to cross a street, a landspeeder comes passing through. Instead of halting to let the vehicle pass, Darth makes a jump, skimming along the roof of the speeder to the other side. Unfortunately for the ne’er-do-well, a PAIR OF POLICE ‘DROIDS seated in a clear-top speeder spot his dangerous, foolhardy stunt.
KR-L: Let’s roll, LO-U.
Engaging the engines, turning on the siren, the ‘droids take off after Darth.
CONDAWN CITY — ALLEY — DAY
Noticing the cops on his tail, Darth makes a sharp turn to the left and ducks into an alley, counting on the narrowness of the passage to cut the ‘droids off and make good his escape. LO-U simply realigns the vehicle vertically, allowing them admittance into the alleyway, continuing the pursuit.
As Darth barrels down ahead, he sights what lies at the end of the alley: a solid, stone wall. The only way out is back the way he came.
KR-L: You’ve reached the end of the line, son! Submit to the law!
Gritting his teeth, Darth coaxes more power from his skimboard. Reaching the end of the alley, he throws his legs up, allowing him to ride up the wall. Even the maneuverable speeder can’t make that climb in the space available. Not designed for vertical ascents, the skimboard can’t take Darth all the way up the wall and onto the roof. Flipping over, Darth realigns himself upright, urges more juice from the repulsors, and passes right over the speeder.
EXT. CONDAWN CITY — STREET — CONTINUOUS
Emerging from the alleyway, Darth continues down the street. The police speeder, still hot on his heels, emerges from the alley after him.
DARTH: (looks behind him) What does it take to shake these guys?
The chase continues. Darth eventually comes to a body of water: a reservoir, very spacious, with much distance between this end and the other.
DARTH: (grins) Water. They can’t follow me across water.
EXT. CONDAWN CITY — RESERVOIR — DAY
Reaching the edge of the reservoir, Darth leaps over the levee. Continuing on across the liquid surface, he looks behind him. The cops have parked their speeder and climbed out of the cab; they now just stand there at the edge, watching him.
DARTH: (laughs) Eat my slacks, sucke-!
Darth falls silent as the skimboard loses velocity. He forgot that if the ‘droids’ speeder can’t make the crossing over water, then neither can his simple skimboard.
Darth falls into the water with a large splash.
INT. WARKA HUT/KITCHEN — DAY
A slender, middle-aged woman is busy in the kitchen preparing dinner. Her pleasant face marked by laugh lines and crow’s feet, her brunette hair long and braided, she is SHMI WARKA, Darth’s mother.
A KNOCK at the front door rouses her attention.
INT. WARKA HUT/MAIN ROOM — DAY
Coming to the front door, Shmi opens it. Standing outside are the two police ‘droids KR-L and LO-U.
SHMI WARKA: (frowns) May I help you?
KR-L: Are you Shmi Warka, Darth’s mother?
SHMI WARKA: Yes.
KR-L: Madam, your son is no more ...
LO-U brings Darth front-and-centre, strong metal hands clamped around the nine-year-old’s shoulders to keep him from getting away.
KR-L: (cont’d) than an ill-bred troublemaker.
Shmi looks upon her son. Darth keeps his eyes averted to the ground.
CUT TO
Sometime later.
The police ‘droids have departed. Shmi now paces about the room, rebuking her son.
SHMI WARKA: (cont’d; irate) I keep getting reports from your teachers about you skipping school, about you getting into fights with the other children! Your grades are terrible and you’re this far from expulsion, so what do you do‽ You go into town with that pack of hooligans to cause more trouble, to leave more messes for me to clean up! (beat) I’ve tried talking with you, helping you, but nothing I do seems good enough. Nothing works. (sighs) I’m at my wit’s end with you, Darth.
DARTH: (sullen) Can I go to my room now?
SHMI WARKA: (incredulous) Go to your room‽ So you can bury yourself in some stupid game to avoid everything I’ve been telling you‽ (angry) No! You can’t go to your room! We’re staying right here together until we’ve worked out what to do with you!
DARTH: (angry) Work it out yourself!
Turning away from his mother, Darth crosses over to the front door.
SHMI WARKA: Where do you think you’re going‽
DARTH: Out!
Shmi strides up to Darth and pulls him away from the door.
DARTH: Let me go!
Darth begins wrestling with his mother, struggling to pull free. When that doesn’t work, he bites her on the wrist — hard.
SHMI WARKA: OW!
Shocked and enraged, Shmi smacks Darth against the face. He goes down. Putting his hand to his red cheek, the boy looks more startled than hurt.
SHMI WARKA: (horrified) Oh, Darth!
Crouching down, Shmi sweeps Darth up in her arms.
SHMI WARKA: (crying) Darth … Darth….
There on the floor, cradling her troubled son, Shmi Warka weeps, at the end of her rope.
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Post by Duragizer on Mar 29, 2018 22:25:14 GMT -5
INT. CORUSCANT — JEDI TEMPLE/COUNCIL CHAMBERS — EVENING
Siri, now attired in the uniform of a knight of the Coruscanti Order, stands within the chamber doorway, her gaze focused on the twelve Jedi masters seated at the centre of the room. Having assembled to discuss hot topics revolving around acolytes of their order hours before, their conference now draws to a close. Rising from their seats, the masters file out. Stepping aside, Siri allows them exit, deferentially bowing her head to them each as they pass. Only ten of the twelve leave the room; MACE WINDU and ADI GALLIA remain positioned by their seats.
MACE WINDU: Knight Tachi. Please, come forward.
Siri joins the two masters, hands clasped behind her back and her back ramrod straight.
ADI GALLIA: (smiles) At ease, Siri. Save the rigid formality for Starfleet commanders.
Siri loosens up.
MACE WINDU: How was your vacation, Siri?
SIRI: It was ... good, Master Windu. Very relaxing. Getting away from the capital was just what I needed. I'm back now, though, ready to resume my duties to the Order.
MACE WINDU: Good, because we have a special assignment lined up for you.
ADI GALLIA: As of late, our duties on the Council have kept us preoccupied long into the night. We haven't been able to devote as much attention to our son as we'd like. The nanny 'droid's taking excellent care of him, but he's a four-year-old child; he needs interaction with people.
SIRI: You'd like me to be his caretaker.
MACE WINDU: Afternoons only. The 'droid can handle Uzochi the rest of the time.
The masters give Siri a moment of silence to think things over.
SIRI: Master Windu, Mistress Gallia, I'd be honoured. When shall I start?
The two Jedi spouses smile.
EXT. GEONOSIS — CONDAWN CITY — CONDAWN CAPITOL HOUSE — DAY
Located near the heart of Condawn City is the Condawn Capitol House. Once a resplendent monument at some early point, unnameable generations of wear and tear wrought by the planet’s harsh elements and fierce battles have left it only a little less nondescript — a little less shabby — than the buildings neighbouring it.
INT. CONDAWN CAPITOL HOUSE/CHLORIAN VADER’S QUARTERS/BED CHAMBER — DAY
Within the spacious chamber, Shmi lies beneath the dark brown silk sheets with GOVERNOR CHLORIAN VADER. A robust man in late middle age, Vader is somewhere in the neighbourhood of 115-120 years old, at least ten years Shmi’s senior.
Climaxing, the two come apart. While Chlorian is content to lie where he is for the time being, Shmi wastes no time slipping back into her clothes.
CHLORIAN VADER: You don’t have to get right back to work.
SHMI WARKA: (slips on skirt) I know.
CHLORIAN VADER: Then stay, lie with me.
SHMI WARKA: Chlor, I … have a lot on my shoulders.
Sitting up, Chlorian lays his hands on her shoulders and begins kissing her back.
CHLORIAN VADER: Lot on your shoulders? I know how to fix that….
SHMI: (frustrated) Chlorian, please….
Leaving the bed, Shmi picks up her blouse and pulls it on. Walking up to the full-length mirror before the bed, she begins buttoning up, the eyes of Chlorian’s reflection attent on her.
CHLORIAN VADER: What’s the problem, Shmi?
SHMI WARKA: (faces him) Darth.
CHLORIAN VADER: What about Darth?
SHMI WARKA: The police brought him in last night. After jumping a speeder, he led the ‘droids on a chase through the city on that damned skimboard of his.
CHLORIAN VADER: (upset) Was he hurt‽
SHMI: No! Thank the Force for that! But he could’ve been — or he could’ve gotten others hurt. (beat) Someone is going to get hurt. The more trouble he gets into, the more chances he takes — the worse he becomes.
The two stare at one another silently for a moment.
SHMI WARKA: Darth needs a father.
CHLORIAN VADER: (sighs) We’ve discussed this….
SHMI WARKA: (irate) Yes! Your precious wife on Jatir! (beat) Do you honestly believe there’s any chance — any real chance — she could find out about us‽ Who would tell her‽ Who would have reason to tell her‽
An ugly expression comes upon Shmi’s face.
SHMI WARKA: (cont’d) I have reason to tell her.
Slipping on her shoes, Shmi turns to leave. Leaping out of bed, Chlorian stops her.
CHLORIAN VADER: Shmi, stop for a moment. Stop for a moment and think!
SHMI WARKA: I have, Chlor! I have! I’ve thought about what’s going to happen to our son at the rate he’s travelling! Chances are if he doesn’t get kicked out of school, he’ll drop out. Then he’ll move on from jumping speeders with his punk friends to jacking them. Then he’ll start using drugs, deathsticks or spice; he might even start dealing them. The downward spiral only continues from there. (beat) I’ve tried raising Darth right, tried being the best mother I can be for him; I’ve failed. He needs a father now, and you’re the best candidate for the job on this planet. (sneers) By God, you will do the job or I will make the journey to Jatir and tell the lovely Mrs. Chlorian Vader to her face how often and in how many different ways you’ve had me in your bed.
EXT. SPACE — GEONOSIS
The Sojourner, a YU-410 light freighter, makes its departure from Geonosis, sublight engines burning at maximum.
INT. SOJOURNER/COCKPIT
Within the cockpit sit ONGOONGO and KRELMAN. Ongoongo, the pilot, is an insectoid Geonosian while Krelman, the copilot, is a humanoid with a secondary mouth located atop his head.
ONGOONGO: (clicks in Geonosian)
KRELMAN: Coordinates for C-Foroon laid in. You can make the jump anytime.
ONGOONGO: (clicks in Geonosian)
EXT. SPACE
The Sojourner is launched into hyperspace.
CUT TO
Nine hours later.
The hatch into the cockpit slides open and RACHNE NOSTRO walks in. A handsome Vultan woman clad in gray-and-red coveralls and a matching cap, she is the Sojourner’s captain. Krelman, more than half-asleep at his station, barely registers her arrival.
RACHNE NOSTRO: (claps Krelman on shoulder) Krelman.
KRELMAN: (drowsy) Wha-huh? (shakes himself awake) Cap’n.
RACHNE NOSTRO: (smiles) Shift’s over.
KRELMAN: (yawns) Alright, Cap’n. (rises) The station’s yours.
Nostro reaches into a front pocket and pulls out a red metal flask. Unscrewing the cap, she offers it to Krelman.
RACHNE NOSTRO: Help you sleep.
Accepting the flask, the humanoid raises it to his secondary mouth and takes a swig of the golden yellow liquor. Wiping his cranial orifice, he hands the flask back to the captain, then steps aside to allow her access to the copilot's chair.
KRELMAN: G’night, Cap’n.
ONGOONGO: (clicks in Geonosian)
KRELMAN: Same to you, Ongoongo.
RACHNE NOSTRO: Goodnight, Krelman.
Krelman departs.
Settling into the copilot's seat, Nostro sips from her flask.
RACHNE NOSTRO: (offers flask to Ongoongo) Swig?
The Geonosian accepts the flask and downs some of the liquor.
ONGOONGO: (clicks in Geonosian)
RACHNE NOSTRO: Precisely my thoughts.
As Ongoongo goes to hand the flask back to Nostro, the Sojourner begins rattling with violent turbulence. The flask is jolted out of the Geonosian’s hand, sending its contents spraying about the cockpit as the Sojourner is wrenched out of hyperspace.
EXT. SPACE — TOWNOWI
The Sojourner has been forced to stop in the Townowi system, several light-years short of their intended destination. Before them looms a Cartan battlemoon. A perfect sphere 36 km in diametre, the battlemoon’s gunmetal gray surface is almost featureless save for a single superlaser protruding from its northern pole. The battlemoon is not alone with the small freighter; surrounding them from every direction are hundreds of white Annihilator-class Star Destroyers, Victor-class Star Destroyers, Nebulon-B escort frigates, and an assortment of cruisers.
Detecting the Sojourner, the battlemoon intercepts the freighter, engaging and training a tractor beam upon the ship. Caught by the invisible gravity beam, the freighter is drawn towards the spherical station.
INT. BATTLEMOON/OBSERVATION DECK
Aboard the battlemoon, a solitary figure stands on the observation deck, staring out the wall-length viewport at magnificent Townowi beyond. This is LUH-3417, an ATJA-type clone, admiral in the Cartan Warfleet, and commander of the battlemoon. Though clad in a full-body uniform consisting of white plasteel body armour, tabard, cloak, and face-concealing helmet, we can still tell from body language alone Lu is a woman.
At that moment, the comlink attached to her left gauntlet CHIRPS. Raising comlink to helmet, she opens a channel.
SN-5241: (O.S.) Admiral.
LUH-3417: Commander.
SN-5241: Another trader ship has been brought aboard. How shall we proceed with the crew?
LUH-3417: Detain them for questioning.
SN-5241: (O.S.) The usual it is, then. (beat) When would you like to begin the interrogation?
LUH-3417: When I'm in the mood, I'll contact you, Commander.
SN-5241: (O.S.) Quite right.
Lu severs the connection, returning her attention to Townowi.
INT. IMPERIAL BARRACKS/BUILDING E7 — EVENING
In this well-lit barracks building, several enlisted personnel are getting ready for lights out. On the surface, they appear no different from other enlisted men. Looking closer, however, we glean what sets them apart; all of them, regardless of gender or species, are Jedi.
At their bunk bed, Obi-Wan and Anakin finish up what small chores they have before lights out. Obi-Wan, on the bottom bunk, clears lodged pebbles out from the grooves of his left boot while Anakin, on the top bunk, makes calibrations to his lightsaber. Finishing his adjustments, Anakin triggers the activation stud, engaging the vibrant blade. Rotating the hilt to get a feel for the blade, he listens to its thrum as it moves through the air. Cyan light playing over Anakin, it accentuates the wanness of his face; the Jedi apprentice appears to be in need of sleep.
TEYF BERAL: (O.C.) That's a mighty fine blade you've got there, Jedi.
Turning in that voice's direction, Anakin spies TEYF BERAL seated on the bunk directly across from his. A lean Duros male with viridian skin and scarlet eyes, he's not much younger than Anakin himself.
TEYF BERAL: You wouldn't mind lending it to me a second?
ANAKIN: (deactivates lightsaber) Here.
Anakin tosses the hilt to the Duros, who, snatching it, activates it in one graceful movement.
TEYF BERAL: (testing feel of blade) Nice. Not as finely tuned as mine.
ANAKIN: (cocks eyebrow) Show me this "finely tuned" saber of yours, Jedi, and let me be the judge.
TEYF BERAL: (deactivates lightsaber) Sure thing.
Returning Anakin's lightsaber to him, the Duros Jedi goes to his footlocker and opens it. Reaching inside, he pulls out a bronze lightsaber hilt.
TEYF BERAL: Here you are. (hands hilt to Anakin)
Taking the bronze hilt, Anakin shifts it around until it sits comfortably in the palm of his left hand.
ANAKIN: Balance is good. (activates lightsaber; passes blade through air) Solid blade cohesion. (smirks) Better than mine?
Extinguishing the deep cerulean blade, Anakin tosses the weapon back to its owner.
TEYF BERAL: Seems we've got ourselves a dispute.
ANAKIN: (yawns) That it seems.
TEYF BERAL: (points at Anakin) You, (points at himself) I, one-on-one. How 'bout it?
ANAKIN: Name time and place.
TEYF BERAL: Gymnasium at 2250 tomorrow.
ANAKIN: (nods) May the Force be with you.
OBI-WAN: (sighs) Boys, boys, boys. Bickering over blades is unbecoming of apprentices. You should be ashamed.
TEYF BERAL: (cocks brow) An apprentice? Perhaps I'm a knight, with all the esteem and privilege that rank entails.
SEV BERAL: (O.C.) He isn't, of course.
SEV BERAL makes his appearance. Like Teyf, he, too, is a Duros. Unlike Teyf, he is older, with dark teal skin and deep crimson eyes; a seasoned Jedi Knight.
SEV BERAL: (to Teyf) You were getting ready for bed, weren't you, apprentice?
TEYF BERAL: (humbled) Yes, Uncle. As soon as the lights are out, so am I.
OBI-WAN: (to Anakin) The same is true for yourself?
ANAKIN: (lies down on bunk; places hands behind head) Consider me on Dream World.
SEV BERAL: (offers hand to Obi-Wan) I'm Sev Beral, Jedi Knight of the Durosian Order.
OBI-WAN: (shakes Sev's hand) Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Knight-errant. (beat) I haven't meet you before. You stationed here fairly recently?
SEV BERAL: (nods) I spent the last eleven years out of the war, training Teyf and my son Jano on Duro. Now that they've passed their first trial and built their first lightsabers together, we have left sanctuary and joined our brethren in the fight against the clonemasters.
OBI-WAN: Perhaps you should have stayed on Duro. The last of the Tripartite puppet states have been liberated; Cartan territory no longer extends beyond the Prackla sector. Once we've broken their lines there, Cartao will have no course of action but to surrender. The war'll be won within the year.
SEV BERAL: Then my boys and I will fight all the harder to see this war won sooner.
A IST LIEUTENANT OF THE IMPERIAL ARMY enters the barracks. As she strides over to Obi-Wan and Anakin's bunk, all four Jedi present snap to attention, greeting the woman in the black uniform with salutes.
OBI-WAN KENOBI: Lt. Esson.
LT. ESSON: (returns salutes) SgM. Kenobi, I'm here to see you about a reassignment.
OBI-WAN: (puzzled) Anakin and I were to be stationed on the Resolute under Capt. Wullf Yularen.
LT. ESSON: If you'd follow me, Sergeant….
OBI-WAN: (nods to Anakin) My apprentice?
LT. ESSON: This is for his eyes as well.
Turning on her heels, the blonde lieutenant departs. Obi-Wan and Sev exchange glances.
OBI-WAN: We'll continue our palaver another night, Knight Beral.
INT. IMPERIAL BARRACKS/MESS HALL — EVENING
The two Jedi and the lieutenant stand within the mess hall, which is abandoned for the night.
ANAKIN: I take it we're not here for a midnight snack.
Reaching into her tunic, Esson pulls out a hand-held holoprojector.
LT. ESSON: (hands projector to Obi-Wan) It's from Capt. Bail Organa.
Accepting the holoprojector, Obi-Wan presses a button set in the side. A clear, full-colour holographic recording of BAIL ORGANA'S head flickers into existence. Almost as if it could see Obi-Wan standing there, the disembodied head smiles.
BAIL: Hello, Obi-Wan. I wish I could be there in person to talk with you, you slick trickster, but my duties have forced me elsewhere.
OBI-WAN: (half-smiles) So what's new?
BAIL: (loses smile) Five weeks ago, we lost contact with the Townowi system. Townowi in located in the Arkanis sector and lies along the Crystal Passage, one parsec from the Geonosis system. It serves as a junction between Geonosis and the rest of the Empire. (beat) Here's the kicker: We haven't simply lost contact with Townowi — we've been cut off from it.
Anakin frowns.
BAIL: (cont'd) Cut off. All primary, secondary, and tertiary routes into the system have been rendered impassable. We suspect the Autonomy's established a vast interdiction zone, covering key entry points along the hyperlanes to effectively sever Townowi from hyperspace, isolating them and neighbouring systems from the rest of known space.
ANAKIN: That's impossible; there's too much area to cover. The number of gravity generators needed alone —
BAIL: (cont'd) It's infeasible, yet it’s been done. (beat) Top brass has sanctioned a recon mission into the Townowi system; one ship, one team. By charting a roundabout course along the bottom edge of Wild Space, we believe we can find a back door the Autonomy failed to cover. Our team will slip in, find out what we can of the Cartans' dealings, then high-tail it back to Imperial Space. (beat) Kenobi, I want you for our team. I won't lie; this'll be a perilous mission. We'll be travelling through a region of space we know very little about, along routes never travelled before. But you know how to strive under pressure; you proved that a thousand times over on Alderaan, Nabu, and Dania VII. (beat) This isn't an order — accept it or decline, as you wish — but I'd appreciate your help. The vatheads are planning something, Obi-Wan, and whatever it is, it's insidious.
With that final word, the recording ends. Obi-Wan hands the holoprojector back to Esson.
OBI-WAN: How soon do we leave?
EXT. SPACE — NAL HUTTA
The Scorekeeper's Ryyk — a heavily modified J-type 327 Nubian starship — leaves the gravity well of Nar Shaddaa and it's parent Nal Hutta.
INT. SCOREKEEPER'S RYYK/COCKPIT
Inside the Scorekeeper's cockpit sit Llomon and Mahttoh. As can be expected, the Trandoshan sits in the pilot's seat while the Wookiee sits in the copilot's.
MAHTTOH: (in Shyriiwook, subtitled) Which of the cretin Jedi do we disintegrate first? The blonde or that Bladerunner twerp?
LLOMON: (in Dosh, subtitled) That name's Skywalker. (beat) Kriffed if I can decide.
MAHTTOH: (sighs; subtitled) We'll flip for it. Have a coin?
LLOMON: (subtitled) Yeah, I'm sure I do….
Reaching into a pocket on his flight suit, the Trandoshan fishes around for a loose coin. Finding one, he hands it to Mahttoh.
MAHTTOH: (subtitled) Heads Toblerone IV, tails Coruscant.
LLOMON: (subtitled) Orron III, you matted hairball.
The Wookiee flips the coin.
EXT. SPACE
The Scorekeeper leaps to hyperspace.
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Post by Duragizer on Mar 30, 2018 18:16:57 GMT -5
INT. GEONOSIS — GENERIC FAMILY HUT/LIVING AREA — DAY
The members of a typical Condawni family sit on their living area sofa, watching a news telecast on the holovid display.
The newscaster reveals that all contact and communication with the larger galactic community has been lost; ships from offworld haven’t been coming in; access to the HoloNet and other interstellar communication systems has been cut off; and all outgoing hyperwave transmissions have gone unanswered. All evidence indicates that, for reasons unknown, a hostile force has established an impenetrable blockade around the Geonosis system.
EXT. CONDAWN CITY — STREET — CONTINUOUS
Few people walk the streets and even fewer vehicles pass along the roads. Before the blockade, there would’ve been more activity going on in a city this size at this time of day, but with all valuable resources now finite, everyone strives to conserve what they have for as long as they can.
One landspeeder — an old, green, closed-canopy speeder — is en-route to the Capitol House.
INT. LANDSPEEDER — DAY — TRAVELLING
At the speeder controls is Shmi Warka. She looks to Darth, who sits in the seat beside her. The boy, sulky and silent, refuses to reciprocate.
EXT. CONDAWN CITY — CONDAWN CAPITOL CENTRE — FRONT GATE — DAY
The green speeder arrives at the front gate to the Capitol Centre grounds. Already gathered there are HUNDREDS OF PROTESTERS. As Shmi rolls down her window and leans out to enter her passcode into the access terminal, they begin shouting at her, demanding to know who is behind the blockade and what her bosses are doing to lift it.
Once the terminal accepts the code, the gate slides open. Rolling the window up to dampen the onslaught of curses and threats, she pulls on through.
INT. CONDAWN CAPITOL HOUSE/ENTRANCE HALL — DAY
Entering the building, Shmi and Darth make their way to the end of the hall. Chlorian is already there waiting for them. Clad in a simple brown Imperial uniform stripped of any and all rank insignia, he keeps his hands held behind him, a none-too-genuine half-smile worn upon his face.
SHMI WARKA: Darth, this is Governor Vader.
CHLORIAN VADER: (offers hand) Darth, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Your mother talks the world of you.
DARTH: (ignores hand) Yeah, I’m sure.
SHMI WARKA: (sighs) Please, Darth, be polite.
DARTH: (smirks) Okay.
Spitting into his hand, he clasps Chlorian’s.
DARTH: (grins broadly) Pleased to meet ya!
SHMI WARKA: (facepalms) Don’t do this. Not now.
DARTH: (angry) What's it matter to you? You finally got me out of your hair.
Getting down on one knee, Shmi puts her hands on the boy’s shoulders. She is emotional, on the verge of tears, but she keeps her composure — barely.
SHMI WARKA: I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to hand you off to someone else. But Governor Vader can give you the care and attention you need — all the care and attention I can’t give you. Can’t you understand?
Darth’s mood remains as dark as ever.
SHMI WARKA: (voice breaking) Darth, I love you.
DARTH: Frak you and your love.
Rising to her full height, Shmi steps back.
SHMI WARKA: (wipes tears from eyes; to Chlorian) Do what you have to.
Shmi turns on her heel and leaves for the door as quickly as her feet can carry her there.
INT. CORUSCANT — JEDI TEMPLE/WINDU FLAT/LIVING AREA — DAY
Mistress Gallia stands with her son Uzochi, hand over the hilt of her lightsaber to prevent the child from plucking it from her belt, when a KNOCK is heard at the door.
ADI GALLIA: It's open.
Opening the door, Siri enters the flat of the Windu family. Approaching her teacher, Siri bows in greeting. Mistress Gallia responds in kind.
ADI GALLIA: You didn't get stuck in traffic, I hope.
SIRI: I cut it close, but I managed to avoid the rush. (beat) Where's Master Windu?
ADI GALLIA: Mace couldn't be here. He's been in conference with the emperor and chancellor since 0800. (to Uzochi) 'Chi, darling, this is Siri. She's a good friend of mine. You remember her, don't you?
Siri looks upon the child and smiles. Uzochi, a small child in spite of his age, looks almost cherub-like in the simple white tunic and pants he wears.
SIRI: (crouches down) Hi there, 'Chi. I'm gonna be your new caretaker from now on. You know what that means, don't you? It means I'll be spending a couple hours with you everyday for awhile. We'll play games, go out for treats, stuff like that. That sound good to you?
A shy child, Uzochi grabs his mother's leg and clings close, wary brown-and-indigo eyes on Siri.
ADI GALLIA: (places hand on Uzochi's head) It's alright, 'Chi. Siri's my friend, remember? She'll take good care of you while Mommy and Daddy are at work.
UZOCHI: Nan takes care of me.
ADI GALLIA: Nan's a machine, 'Chi. You need to be with people once in awhile.
Pulling her boy off her, Gallia steps to the front door.
ADI GALLIA: (faces Siri) I don't know when Mace will be back, but I should be here around 1915. (waves to Uzochi) See you tonight, honey. Have a good time with Siri, okay? Love you.
UZOCHI: Bye, Mommy.
At that, the Jedi mistress leaves the flat. Once she has left, Siri turns to Uzochi.
SIRI: So, 'Chi, what do you want to do? What do you and Nan usually do this time of day?
Uzochi turns his back on the knight and runs off for a place to hide. Sighing, Siri sets off after him.
INT. CONDAWN CAPITOL HOUSE/DARTH’S QUARTERS/MAIN ROOM — DAY
Opening the door, Chlorian lets Darth inside. Darth takes a gander at his new dwellings.
DARTH: (nods with approval) Swell digs.
Crossing over to a plush armchair, Darth throws himself onto it.
DARTH: When do I get my stuff?
Closing the door, Chlorian strides up to Darth. His face is as harsh and cold as rough-hewn stone.
CHLORIAN VADER: Listen to me. That sithspit you pulled in the hall? Your mother may cave to it, but I won’t. I am not temperamental, not emotional. Cross me, and I won’t break down and cry; I will break you down. I am quite the uncompromising, unforgiving bastard, as each of my eight children can attest to. We clear on this?
If Darth could disappear into the folds of the chair he is sitting in, he would.
DARTH: Crystal.
Satisfied with Darth’s response, Chlorian turns to leave.
CHLORIAN VADER: (opens door) A servant will bring your belongings around shortly.
Stepping out, the governor closes the door behind him.
INT. CORUSCANT — JEDI TEMPLE/WINDU FLAT/UZOCHI'S BED CHAMBER — DAY
Cautiously, Siri enters Uzochi's bed chamber. A small room, it doesn't contain much; a bed, a closet, a dresser, two small chairs, and a couple toys are all that take up space within. Uzochi has hidden himself somewhere here, but it's only a matter of time before Siri finds him.
SIRI: 'Chi, I know you're in here. There's no point hiding — I know where you are.
Treading softly, the Jedi Knight makes her way to the closet door. Pulling it open, she finds it stuffed bottom-to-top with various stuffed toys. There, wedged between a plush Krevaaki and Asogian, is Uzochi's young head.
SIRI: (grins) Gotcha!
Unfortunately for Siri, Uzochi doesn't share her good humour. Discovered, the young boy SHRIEKS in terror and bursts through the pile, dashing past Siri and out the open door as stuffed creatures bombard the poor woman like soft meteoroids.
SIRI: (sighs) Ancients preserve me….
EXT. WESTPORT — DOCKING BAY 77 — DAY
At the Westport spaceport, right outside the entrance into Docking Bay 77, Capt. Bail Organa waits. Leaning against the wall, he checks his wrist chronometre for what must be the fiftieth time that afternoon.
As if materializing from the shadows of Westport itself, Obi-Wan and Anakin appear.
BAIL: About time you arrived. We were about ready to take off without you.
ANAKIN: We had business to take care of.
The three men proceed to enter the docking bay.
INT. WESTPORT — DOCKING BAY 77 — DAY
Within the dim interior of the docking bay, Bail leads the two Jedi to the ship they will be making the trip to Townowi on.
BAIL: Gentlemen, I present you the Wayward Son.
Standing before them, like a great big cheeseburger with a bite taken out of it, an olive stuck in its side, is the Wayward Son. A YT-1300 light freighter which rolled off the assembly line twenty-five years ago, the ship's surface bears the tell-tale signs of weathering, patching, and scoring that come with almost three decades of constant action.
ANAKIN: (smirks) What a piece of junk.
BAIL: Weren't you taught to never judge a book by it's cover, son?
ANAKIN: I haven't ever seen a book to judge its cover.
BAIL: (to Obi-Wan) You've never taken him to a museum?
The Jedi Knight merely shrugs.
INT. WAYWARD SON/MAIN HOLD — DAY
Bail, Obi-Wan, and Anakin enter the main hold, where they find six individuals waiting for them: CMDR. RAIA VANESS; CMDR. JANGO CODY; MSC. KATHE NAAD; DR. ZOSIME MOULIN; SPACEMAN PETRA ANDUE; and SN. MAL'AKHI. The officers and scholars all stop whatever it is they're doing to focus on the Jedi.
BAIL: You met at the briefing; I don't believe you were formally introduced.
OBI-WAN: Other than Cmdr. Vaness, I haven't had the pleasure, no.
CMDR. VANESS: Greetings, Knight Kenobi. It's good to see you again.
OBI-WAN: (smiles) You, Commander.
CMDR. VANESS: (nods to Anakin) I don't believe I've met your handsome companion before.
ANAKIN: (bows) Anakin Tan Skywalker at your service, madame.
CMDR. VANESS: (grins) Handsome and genteel. You must do some lucky girl proud, Knight Skywalker.
ANAKIN: (smiles) You flatter me, Commander.
BAIL: As for the rest of the team…. (points at lanky Gungan female) That's Dr. Zosime Moulin, our resident astrocartographer.
ZOSIME MOULIN: (waves at Jedi) Salutations.
BAIL: (points at willowy Human woman with pale skin and long, brown hair) That's Kathe Naad.
KATHE NAAD: (smiles) Cryptographer.
BAIL: (points at Human male, muscular Falleen woman, and black-scaled Barabel) And that's Cmdr. Jango Cody and Spacemen Petra Andue and Mal'Akhi, the group's muscle.
OBI-WAN: Hello.
ANAKIN: Hey.
A stocky man of average height, Cmdr. Cody has close-cropped black hair, a swarthy complexion, and a face so stern it could have been chiselled from granite. Cocking an eyebrow, he issues one low GRUNT.
OBI-WAN: (under breath) Not the talkative type.
BAIL: Jango's a man of action, not words.
OBI-WAN: Worked with him before?
BAIL: (nods) Last year, in the Battle of Concord Dawn.
OBI-WAN: Not Imperial. Journeyman Protector?
BAIL: Yes.
OBI-WAN: Word is they're excellent warriors.
BAIL: Word is correct.
INT. JEDI TEMPLE/WINDU FLAT/MACE & ADI'S BED CHAMBER — DAY
Uzochi, having fled his bed chamber for that of his parents, is now hiding under their large bed.
Having surmised Uzochi's probable location, Siri enters the bed chamber, a food tray in her hands. Reticent to scare the child any more than she already has, she remains motionless in the doorway.
SIRI: 'Chi, is it alright if I come in? (beat) I prepared a snack for us. (beat) I'm going to come inside now, okay?
Taking small steps, Siri makes her way to the end of the bed.
SIRI: I made two sandwiches, 'Chi, one for you and one for me. I'm going to set this tray down now and have one. You don't have to join me if you don't want to, but it'd be sad if the sandwich I made for you goes to waste.
She slowly lowers the tray onto the carpeted floor, right in front of Uzochi's eyes. Just as slowly, she sits down, crossing her legs before her. Then, picking up a sandwich, she begins to eat. His hunger overpowering his fear, Uzochi crawls out from under the bed and cautiously sits across from Siri.
SIRI: (smiles) Would you like your sandwich?
UZOCHI: (reserved) Yes, please.
Her smile broadening into a grin, Siri hands the boy his sandwich.
EXT. SPACE — CORUSCANT
The Wayward Son leaves the bronze surface of Coruscant.
INT. WAYWARD SON/COCKPIT
Raia Vaness sits in the pilot's seat, hands at the controls, while Bail stands over her.
EXT. SPACE
Carried forward on pseudomotion, the Son is catapulted into hyperspace.
Moments pass, then the Scorekeeper's Ryyk is deposited into realspace.
INT. SCOREKEEPER'S RYYK/COCKPIT
Llomon and Mahttoh sit at the controls. Situated beyond the viewport, massive even from this distance, is Coruscant.
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Post by Duragizer on Mar 31, 2018 19:04:48 GMT -5
INT. ORRON III — DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD/ANAKIN & NASHIRA'S BED CHAMBER — EVENING
Nashira is seated by her bed chamber window, looking to the stars sparkling in the sky above, when her mother opens the door and peeks inside.
CORIN: Getting ready for bed?
NASHIRA: (faces Corin) Yes, Mom. (looks out window) I was just saying goodnight to Anakin.
CORIN: Alright. Plesant dreams, beautiful.
NASHIRA: (smiles) You too, Mom.
Soon after Corin leaves, Nashira leaves the window. Crossing over to her bed, she discards her nightgown, revealing the turquoise nightshirt worn underneath. Sliding beneath the sheets, she claps her hands twice, shutting off the lights. Shrouded in deep shadow, she pulls the covers to her chin.
INT. WAYWARD SON/MAIN HOLD
Decked out on a short wraparound couch in front of a derelict hologame table, Anakin looks toward the ceiling. Eyes dark and heavy with weariness, he finds himself nodding off.
EXT. SUMMERLAND — DAY (DREAM)
Leaving the conscious world, we find Anakin and Nashira sitting together in the Summerland, a dreamscape of rolling grain fields situated beside a sparkling blue ocean.
ANAKIN: (smiles) It's good being with you again, 'Shira. It gets lonely without you.
NASHIRA: (sneers) Don't give me that "I get so lonely without you" jive. I know you've a girl at every port of call. You're about as lonely as a Black Sun vigo.
ANAKIN: (frowns) 'Shira, you wound me! What need have I for port girls? (grins salaciously) I'm plenty satisfied with the ladies on-ship.
NASHIRA: (cocks eyebrow) You don't say?
ANAKIN: There are four of 'em aboard the Son with me right now. (beat) Well, three. Moulin's a Gungan and I've never been interested in Gungan women. They can do amazing things with those tongues of theirs, but they're not exactly eye candy.
NASHIRA: You don't go for Gungans, but you know all about Gungan tongues.
ANAKIN: (shrugs) I've dabbled.
NASHIRA: Degenerate.
ANAKIN: Cmdr. Vaness and Sn. Andue, on the other hand — wow. Andue doesn't have much of a chest, but she's got an amazing tush. She's Falleen, too. Can you picture it? Make a mental image of it in your mind. There they'd both be, laid out on the king-size bed — as I waltz in the bed chamber — wearing nothing but skimpy lingerie.
NASHIRA: You're a cross-dresser? Why've you never told me before? I've a scarlet kimono that'd look simply corking on you.
ANAKIN: (cont'd) Andue would start pumping out those pheromones of hers —
Nashira slips Anakin across the face. Hard.
ANAKIN: OW!
NASHIRA: I can't abide an unfaithful boyfriend.
ANAKIN: How about a feisty boyfriend?
NASHIRA: Can you abide a feisty girlfriend?
ANAKIN: I can abide.
NASHIRA: Then give me some sugar, baby.
Locking their lips in a passionate kiss, the lovers lower themselves onto the grass.
FADE TO
Anakin and Nashira sometime later, cuddled together under the bright sunlight, naked, contemplating the clear blue sky overhead.
A gentle breeze begins rustling the stalks of grain. The lovers enjoy the breeze at first, but it quickly gathers strength, beating the grain against their bodies. Rising to their feet, they see a bank of heavy, dark cloud has formed over the water, which has become a blue-black mass of roiling waves. The lovers go to retrieve their clothes, but as the clouds blot out the suns, their articles of clothing are driven from them.
Now in the midst of a gale, Anakin and Nashira huddle together against the cold, driving wind. Lightning flashes from the dark clouds overhead, followed quickly by thunder.
THE VOICE: (booming) Skywalker!
A rift opens in the clouds over the ocean. The figure which has been haunting Anakin's dreaming and waking thoughts emerges from the rift. His soiled aquamarine robes unfurling, the eyes in his otherwise dead face alive and alight with cold fire, PRE VIZSLA glides toward the pair.
ANAKIN: (enraged) You again! Always you! (yelling) What is it you want from me‽
PRE VIZSLA (THE VOICE): Release!
INT. WAYWARD SON/MAIN HOLD
The ship has dropped out of hyperspace, jolting Anakin out of his nightmare.
INT. ORRON III — DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD/ANAKIN & NASHIRA'S BED CHAMBER — EVENING
Nashira bolts upright in bed, shaken.
INT. WAYWARD SON/COCKPIT
CMDR. VANESS: Next route is three light-minutes out.
BAIL: (rests hand on her shoulder) Get some sleep. And take one of the bunks this time.
Yawning, Vaness rises from the seat and leaves the cockpit, leaving the copilot's seat open for someone else to take.
INT. WAYWARD SON/MAIN CORRIDOR
Moving out into the freighter's main corridor, Anakin finds Kathe Naad coming towards him from the right end of the corridor.
KATHE NAAD: (smiles) Hi.
ANAKIN: Hi.
KATHE NAAD: (takes in Anakin's fatigued appearance) Did you just come in from outside?
ANAKIN: I look that good?
KATHE NAAD: Y'know, with our next jump we'll be in Wild Space, the galactic frontier. (ecstatic) It'll be dangerous, but how exciting!
ANAKIN: Yeah, it's almost enough for me to bail and hitch a ride back to civilization.
KATHE NAAD: Where's your spirit of adventure?
ANAKIN: I left it behind with a good night's sleep.
PRE VIZSLA: (O.S.) Let me out!
Rubbing his temple, Anakin turns and walks off as quickly as he can without breaking into a run.
EXT. SPACE
The Wayward Son returns to hyperspace, leaving the relative safety of the Known Regions of the Galaxy for the uncertain paths of Wild Space.
INT. BATTLEMOON/INTERROGATION CENTRE
Standing at the centre of the chamber, trapped within a magnetic containment field, is IAM PUSHMAN. A lean Human male of average height, with sandy brown hair and an aquiline chin and nose, his would be described as handsome features. Judging by the gray-and-red uniform he wears, he is one of the Sojourner’s crewmen.
As the doors to the room slide open, Pushman looks up to regard his visitor. It is Lu. Resolving to stand firm, Pushman makes direct eye contact with the helmeted woman in a show of defiance. Upon doing so, however, she removes her helmet. She is of Human extraction, beautiful, with full pink lips. Like all clones, she is bald, with a barcode across her forehead. Being an ATJA, she also sports burning white photoreceptors in place of organic eyes. Those photoreceptors bore into him, slicing through his confidence like a white-hot laser. Unable to withstand her gaze, he recoils, turning away.
LUH-3417: Why do you turn away?
When he refuses to respond, the clone walks up to him. Reaching out with her gloved right hand, she gently takes his chin, turning his face to hers.
LUH-3417: Again — why do you turn away?
Squeezing his eyes firmly shut, he violently wrenches his chin from her grasp.
LUH-3417: (angry) You're not answering my question!
Throwing all gentility to the wind, Lu seizes Pushman's throat in a choke hold and squeezes, pinching his windpipe shut. She holds him there for several seconds, grasp tight, until he starts WHEEZING. As soon as he begins thrashing against his bonds, she releases him, allowing him to breathe again.
LUH-3417: Now ... are you going to give me an answer?
IAM PUSHMAN: (coughing) I-I couldn't ... couldn't look at you. Your eyes ... your eyes ... I couldn't stand them.
The clone returns her hand to his face. Afraid that he's earned her displeasure once more, he draws his head back, straining against his bonds for escape. She merely begins running her fingers through his hair, stroking it as a pet owner would the fur of a beloved animal companion.
LUH-3417: What's your name?
IAM PUSHMAN: (petrified) Iam, ma'am. Iam Pushman.
LUH-3417: Iam, you're a handsome man. A handsome man with a handsome face. You know that, don't you?
When he fails to reply, she pulls his hair, forcing a pained YELP from his lips.
LUH-3417: Don't you?
IAM PUSHMAN: (grimaces) Yes — yes!
LUH-3417: The women back home must like it, your handsome face.
IAM PUSHMAN: Yes….
Releasing his hair, she moves over to a rack. On the rack are cruel instruments of torture — each one more terrible than the last. Removing her cloak, she picks up a metal gauntlet and slips it over her right hand. With the turn of a small dial, the filaments embedded in the palm and along the fingers crackle with angry orange energy.
LUH-3417: Do you like your face?
Moving up close to Pushman's face, she brushes a finger against his cheek. Where the filaments touch, energy is discharged, burning the flesh, drawing a wince from the poor man.
IAM PUSHMAN: (voice breaks) Yes! I like my face! I like it!
LUH-3417: (lowers hand) I like it, too.
The clone seizes Pushman's shirt with her free hand. With a strong pull, she tears it off, exposing his naked torso with its sparse hair and lean musculature.
LUH-3417: (cont'd) I'm going to leave the face….
Deactivating and removing the gauntlet, she replaces it on the rack and takes up another instrument: a metallic whip. Unwinding the lash, the clone admiral walks around behind Pushman. As she does so, she presses a stud set in the handle; a white energy field forms around the metal lash.
IAM PUSHMAN: (desperate) Please! I just work the hand truck! I don't know anything! I don't have anything! What do you want‽
LUH-3417: What do I want?
Raising the lightwhip, she draws it back.
LUH-3417: I want to hear you whimper, I want to hear you moan.
Lu cracks the lightwhip. The glowing lash cuts across Pushman's back, leaving behind a red line of cauterized flesh. Pushman SCREAMS with excruciating agony.
LUH-3417: (cont'd) Most of all, I want to hear you scream.
Lu cracks the lightwhip again, cutting another line across Pushman's back. His second scream makes the first sound like a cry of ecstacy.
INT. BATTLEMOON/CORRIDOR OUTSIDE INTERROGATION CENTRE
In the corridor directly outside the interrogation centre stands SN-5241, clone commander and LUH-3417’s first officer. A slender Mirialan male, he wears an expression of utmost serenity on his olive green face. Reaching for the doors' controls, he opens them and steps inside.
INT. BATTLEMOON/INTERROGATION CENTRE
As the Mirialan clone enters the room, he finds his commanding officer there in the aftermath of her session with Iam Pushman. Pushman, shrouded in shadow, is held limp within the containment field, grisly in death. Lu, turned away from Sen, stands over the corpse.
LUH-3417: I didn't call for you.
SN-5241: Shall I summon the cleaning staff to take care of your — um — latest sparring partner?
The admiral turns to face the commander. She radiates silent, lurking menace. He gives her his laid-back smile in return.
INT. GEONOSIS — GENERIC FAMILY HUT/LIVING AREA — TWILIGHT
The members of the typical Condawni family sit on their living area sofa, watching a news telecast on the holovid display.
The newscaster reveals that the situation on Geonosis has gotten worse. Resources are at an all-time low, violence at an all-time high. Mobs are looting supermarkets and homes for food. Hospitals and clinics have been unable to adequately care for many of their patients due to dwindled medical supplies. Furthermore, thousands of desperate souls — hoping to break the blockade — have been taking/stealing starships and leaving the system in droves. None have been heard from since.
INT. EQUIPMENT SHED/WORKSHOP — TWILIGHT
A workshop has been set up in the rear compartment of an equipment shed located somewhere on the Capital Centre grounds. Darth sits at the workbench, busy tinkering with a small motor, when his mother enters.
SHMI WARKA: Hi.
Darth barely turns to look at her.
DARTH: (cold) Hi.
Shmi walks up to Darth. Casually, she leans over his shoulder to see what he’s working on.
SHMI WARKA: What you up to?
DARTH: (irate) I’ve already done my homework, alright?
SHMI WARKA: I’m just curious to know what you’re working on.
DARTH: I’m just tinkering. A hobby, you know? I’m still allowed to have hobbies, right?
A moment of uneasy silence passes.
SHMI WARKA: Chlorian’s told me you’re doing well in school. You’re not skipping classes or assignments anymore….
DARTH: Yeah. Gov’nor’s a real hardass.
SHMI WARKA: (frowns) Please don’t talk of him that way.
DARTH: Why? Is he my dad or something?
SHMI WARKA: (swallows) Darth, I’m not here to fight with you.
DARTH: What you here for?
SHMI WARKA: (irate) I’m your mother!
DARTH: So?
SHMI WARKA: In the Holy’s name, are you going to be angry with me the rest of your life‽
DARTH: Just yours, Mommy. Just yours.
SHMI WARKA: (angry) Ungrateful shavit. How did I ever produce a child like you?
Fed up with her son’s attitude, she leaves.
EXT. CAPITOL CENTRE — FRONT GATE — TWILIGHT
Her work shift over, Shmi sits behind the controls of her aging green speeder, ready to leave and return home. As the gate slides open, she finds a wall of protesters cutting her off.
SHMI WARKA: (sticks head out window) Out of the way!
Silent, eyes dark with smouldering anger, improvised weapons at hand, they approach. Shmi swiftly ducks back inside, but that proves no deterrent against the large cinder block which is violently thrown against her windscreen, denting the pane of transparisteel. The mob rushing in around the speeder, one of their number reaches in through the open window before Shmi can roll it up. She begins cursing and beating at the assailant, but neither keep him from grabbing her by the shirt and pulling her out.
As Shmi is deposited on the hard ground, they begin kicking and clubbing her, turning her angry shouts of protestation into panicked screams of terror.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2018 16:53:47 GMT -5
Excellent Story, Very Descriptive and its has a very good flow of things ... Nicely Done! |
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Post by Duragizer on Apr 1, 2018 18:52:16 GMT -5
EXT. CORUSCANT — GALACTIC CITY — CORUSCANT PLAZA — SUNSET
Through Coruscant Plaza — a large, wide-open plaza whereupon stand various shops and restaurants tailored to suit the various needs and wants of Coruscant's residents and visitors — walk Siri and Uzochi hand-in-hand. A sufficient amount of time has passed since we last saw them together, enough for Uzochi to have grown comfortable in Siri's presence.
As the two pass by a VERPINE ICE CREAM MAN selling cones from a small stand, Uzochi halts in his tracks, eyes fixed on the inviting insectoid.
UZOCHI: (tugs at Siri's sleeve) Siri, ice cream!
SIRI: No, 'Chi. We have to be getting home.
UZOCHI: (hopping enthusiastically) Please, Siri! Please!
Stopping a moment, the Jedi Knight ponders the situation. She sighs with frustration.
SIRI: Alright, but let's make this quick. I don't want a repeat of the other day with the toy store, okay?
Siri takes the small boy to the ice cream stand.
VERPINE ICE CREAM MAN: (speaking through translator) Hello, ma'am. What would you like today?
UZOCHI: Beebleberry-chocolate swirl!
SIRI: (to Verpine) One cone.
Scooping out a blob of beebleberry-chocolate swirl, the Verpine plops it down on a cone and hands it to the Jedi.
VERPINE ICE CREAM VENDOR: That'll be 2 credits, please.
Fishing out the credits, she hands them to the Verpine. Taking the cone, she hands it to Uzochi, who begins licking with great relish.
VERPINE ICE CREAM MAN: How about you, ma'am? Would you like anything?
SIRI: Hmm….
VERPINE ICE CREAM MAN: How about a scoop of magenge cream?
SIRI: Magenge cream?
VERPINE ICE CREAM MAN: Yes, magenge cream. It's made from magenge fungus, a favoured staple among my people.
SIRI: I knew that. I've just never had it before.
VERPINE ICE CREAM MAN: Well now, this'll be a new experience for you! Why not give it a try?
SIRI: (smiles) Oh, alright. It won't kill me, after all. (frowns) Will it?
VERPINE ICE CREAM MAN: Magenge is compatible with the Human digestive tract.
SIRI: That'll be another 2 credits?
VERPINE ICE CREAM MAN: Correct.
Siri gives the Verpine another pair of credits. Accepting them, he gives her a cone of pale green magenge cream.
VERPINE ICE CREAM MAN: Give it a lick and tell me how it tastes.
Accepting the cone, Siri looks it over a moment before giving it a taste. Her eyes bug out.
VERPINE ICE CREAM MAN: Is it to your liking?
SIRI: It's excellent!
VERPINE ICE CREAM MAN: Glad to hear it.
SIRI: Thank you!
VERPINE ICE CREAM MAN: Have yourself a pleasant evening, ma'am.
SIRI: You, too.
Taking Uzochi by his free hand, Siri leaves the ice cream stand.
EXT. GALACTIC CITY — TEMPLE DISTRICT — SUNSET
Now behind the wheel of her airspeeder, Siri flies over the city blocks of the Temple District, on-course for the Jedi Temple which rises from the cityscape like a titan in the distance.
INT. AIRSPEEDER — SUNSET
As Siri drives, Uzochi looks upon her fondly, a smile across his chocolate coloured face.
SIRI: (notices Uzochi's stare) What's up, 'Chi?
UZOCHI: Siri ...
SIRI: Yes?
UZOCHI: You're nice to me. You take me to the park every day. You buy me ice cream. I like being with you.
SIRI: (smiles) That's nice of you to say, 'Chi. I like being with you, too.
UZOCHI: I wish you were my mommy.
SIRI: (frowns) Why do you say that, 'Chi?
UZOCHI: (sullen) Mommy and Daddy are never around. They hate me.
SIRI: Oh, 'Chi, don't say that! Your mommy and daddy love you more than the worlds themselves!
UZOCHI: Then why aren't they ever home?
SIRI: The reason your mommy and daddy aren't home so much is because they're busy being Jedi. They'd like to be with you more, but they can't right now.
UZOCHI: (frowns) Then why don't they stop being Jedi?
SIRI: It's not that simple, 'Chi.
UZOCHI: Why not?
SIRI: It's hard to explain right now, but you'll understand when you're older, when it's time for you to become a Jedi.
UZOCHI: Maybe I don't want to be a Jedi.
SIRI: (sighs) Maybe you won't, but give it time before you make up your mind, okay?
UZOCHI: Okay, Siri.
Siri gives Uzochi's shoulder a rub and squeeze, a small smile coming to her lips.
EXT. GALACTIC CITY — ENTERTAINMENT STREET — XED'S CANTINA — SUNSET
Entertainment Street — with its smoggy air, run-down buildings, flickering lights, and disreputable-looking characters — lies at the heart of the world planet's seedy underbelly, far from the well-maintained, gleaming chrome centres of civilization that serve as the planet's public face to the rest of the Empire.
Arriving at the entrance to a grime-stained establishment bearing a blue neon "XED'S CANTINA" sign above its door are Llomon and Mahttoh.
INT. XED'S CANTINA — SUNSET
The bounty hunters enter the cantina. Looking about the dingy interior, they see a number of clientele — all seedy and grungy as the people outside — lounging around, nursing drinks and talking in hushed tones at the bar or in booths. Silently, they stride across the room to the bar. As they plop down on a pair of stools before the grimy bar counter, a Balosar sitting beside Mahttoh — ELAN SEL'SABAGNO — turns to them.
ELAN SEL'SABAGNO: You wanna buy some deathsticks?
LLOMON: We don't want any deathsticks.
ELAN SEL'SABAGNO: I'm selling them at prime rates. (leans forward) C'mon, you can't tell me —
Grabbing the Balosar by the back of the head, Mahttoh slams Sel'Sabagno's face down on the counter, crushing it in, then flings the body halfway across the room. Witnessing the altercation, cantina owner and bartender XED is quick to reach under his counter and pull out a blaster rifle.
XED: Alright, ya twos. Ya gonna cause trouble, ya get out o' here now!
Mahttoh lunges forward, taking the rifle by the barrel and wrenching it out of the Besalisk's hands before he can pull the trigger. Visibly frightened, the bartender takes several cautious steps back.
LLOMON: We're not looking for trouble, just information.
XED: (stammering) I-i-information?
LLOMON: Yes. You see, we're looking for a man, but we're new to the planet and don't know where he lives.
XED: T'at so?
MAHTTOH: (sneers) Yes.
LLOMON: Furthermore, he's Jedi.
XED: A Jedi.
LLOMON: We need to get in touch with someone who might have access to the information we seek. We would appreciate it if you'd give us a name and address to such an individual.
XED: No problem. (beat) What ya gonna offer me for t'is info?
LLOMON: Your existence.
To punctuate this point, Mahttoh squeezes the barrel of Xed's gun with both hands, crushing it, then twists it, hopelessly mangling the weapon.
XED: (swallows audibly) Point taken.
Llomon grins.
INT. WAYWARD SON/FORWARD HOLD
Sn. Mal'Akhi and Dr. Zosime Moulin currently stand together over a large crate, at work preparing supper. Opening metallic foil ration packets, the Barabel takes out the self-heating foodstuffs and arranges them on a makeshift platter, the Gungan at his side offering assistance.
SN. MAL'AKHI: (finishes arranging meat logs; sucks gravy off fingers) And there we are.
Hefting the ersatz platter up, he turns around and starts off with Moulin for the main hold.
INT. WAYWARD SON/MAIN HOLD
A hatch opens, allowing the Barabel and Gungan entry into the Wayward Son's main hold. Waiting for them — empty plates ready — is the rest of the crew.
ZOSIME MOULIN: Dinner is served.
Making his way to each of the awaiting teammates, Mal'Akhi gives each of them a serving of the items from the tray.
KATHE NAAD: (looks upon food with distaste) What is it tonight?
SN. MAL'AKHI: Processed meat logs in gravy, a slice of maize bread, and candleberry pudding for dessert.
KATHE NAAD: (takes bite of meat log and gags) When was this packaged? 8000 PE?
SN. ANDUE: (grins) There's a reason they're called MREs, little sister. Meals Regurgitated by Elom.
KATHE NAAD: Not even Elom would touch this food.
SN. MAL'AKHI: Sorry, Ms. Naad, but I'm only a gourmet chef. I can't work miracles.
KATHE NAAD: This doesn't require a miracle worker, just an undertaker. This stuff's long overdue for a proper burial.
OBI-WAN: Hold your nose, Kathe. It'll go down easier.
Heeding the knight's advice, the slender woman pinches her nose shut before taking another bite.
CMDR. CODY: We shouldn't be going through our rations like this. We should conserve them in the event we find ourselves stranded in inhospitable territory.
CMDR. VANESS: (smirks) Still quite the iron warhorse, aren't you, Cody? Have you ever considered lightening up a bit, Commander?
CMDR. CODY: "Lightening up" has never saved anyone under my charge, Commander. Keeping an eye out for the future — being prepared — has.
ZOSIME MOULIN: (takes seat) Can we not get into another one of these conversations, please? I’d much prefer to eat in peace.
CMDR. VANESS: I have no problem with that. (to Cmdr. Cody) You?
Cody merely takes a bite from his slice of bread.
KATHE NAAD: (turns to Obi-Wan) Sgt. Kenobi, I —
OBI-WAN: (holds up hand) Please, Kathe, call me Obi-Wan.
KATHE NAAD: (cont'd) Obi-Wan. (beat) I've been meaning to ask you for some time now, and — well — I guess I've been a little shy to ask before ...
OBI-WAN: (smiles) Go ahead.
KATHE NAAD: How long've you been in the service?
OBI-WAN: Close to sixteen years. I enlisted shortly after I was knighted.
KATHE NAAD: What're your plans for the future, after the war's over?
OBI-WAN: (smiles) My wife believes I should return to the Academy and work towards a commission. Personally, I feel like hanging up my armour and leaving the Army behind when all’s said and done. (beat) I think I'll take a course in journalism, become a reporter.
KATHE NAAD: I’ve never heard of Jedi reporters.
OBI-WAN: Oh, there are some.
KATHE NAAD: (to Anakin) Do you have any future plans?
Anakin stares into space, a million parsecs away.
OBI-WAN: Anakin.
ANAKIN: (turns to Obi-Wan) Hmm?
The knight nods to Kathe.
ANAKIN: (perplexed) Yes?
KATHE NAAD: What are your plans after the war?
ANAKIN: I'll be returning to Orron III to live with my girlfriend and her parents on their farm.
KATHE NAAD: (smiles) No grandiose plans to become the next galactic super-celebrity? Doesn’t the prospect of owning sixteen-hundred mansions on every major world in the Inner Core with harems of beautiful women in each hold any appeal?
ANAKIN: (smiles) After five years of adventure, I think I'm ready to give the quiet family life a go.
KATHE NAAD: So you'll hang up your lightsaber? Quit being a Jedi?
ANAKIN: No. If my services as a Jedi Knight are needed, I'll be there. I'll always be a Jedi. (takes out lightsaber) My children will be Jedi. My firstborn? They'll receive my lightsaber when they’re old enough.
KATHE NAAD: (smiles) Well, I think you'll make a great dad.
ANAKIN: (smiles) Thanks. I like to think so, too.
INT. WAYWARD SON/MAIN CORRIDOR
Following dinner, Anakin goes to walk off the indigestible meal. Coming up behind him, Obi-Wan puts a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.
ANAKIN: (irate) What?
OBI-WAN: (eyes Anakin) Are you alright?
ANAKIN: Why wouldn't I be alright?
OBI-WAN: It's just that you look —
ANAKIN: (interrupts) Like sithspit.
OBI-WAN: (cont'd) Peaked. Though sithspit, if you like.
ANAKIN: I haven't been sleeping well.
OBI-WAN: Something on your mind?
This brings Anakin to laughter — somewhat hysterical laughter.
ANAKIN: Insomnia. Just insomnia. It's being aboard this ship. I haven't gone this long in space ever; I don't think I'm built for it.
OBI-WAN: (skeptical) If there's anything that can been done ...
ANAKIN: Meditation helps some. I'm gonna do a little of that. Okay?
OBI-WAN: Okay.
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