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Post by Duragizer on Apr 2, 2018 18:34:20 GMT -5
EXT. CORUSCANT — GALACTIC CITY — ENTERTAINMENT STREET — ALLEY — EVENING
Llomon and Mahttoh make their way through the dank alley, navigating piles of refuse until they come to a doorway lit by a sickly green bulb. Standing in the alcove, almost invisible within his dirty black jacket, is TAAR PFAALL, a Gran information broker. Though relatively young, his sagging skin and missing teeth make him appear far older than his years.
TAAR PFAALL: You're welcome inside. I can fix you both a mug of ardees.
LLOMON: I want out of this offal pit before its stench seeps into my skin.
TAAR PFAALL: Very well. (pulls out datacard) Here's what you wanted.
The Gran tosses the datacard to Mahttoh. The Wookiee catches it and slips it into a datapad on hand.
TAAR PFAALL: It took some digging, but I found what you're looking for. Your Obi-Wan Kenobi lives in Flat 53 of the 662 Gasgor Valley complex. Not the swankiest outfit, but still not a half-bad place to call home.
MAHTTOH: (frowns) It says here the apartment is rented by a Siri Tachi.
TAAR PFAAL: That's Kenobi's wife. The rental agreement's in her name.
MAHTTOH: (to Llomon) I thought Human women took their mate's surname in marriage.
LLOMON: (shrugs) I can’t make heads nor tails of Human marriage customs.
INT. GEONOSIS — EQUIPMENT SHED/WORKSHOP — EVENING
Darth has pushed the motor aside and is now working on what appear to be a pair of mechanical boots. He is busy inserting a microchip into the inner workings of a sole when a bronze protocol ‘droid — Z-6PO — enters.
Z-6PO: Excuse me, Master Darth.
DARTH: (faces Z-6PO) Sixpio. What’s happening?
Z-6PO: Master Vader has been unable to reach you on your comlink.
DARTH: I shut it off. I'm not gonna talk to him more than I need to.
Z-6PO: Sir, it’s about your mother.
DARTH: I don’t wanna talk to her, neither.
Z-6PO: (cont’d) Master Darth, please. It’s of the utmost importance.
DARTH: (shrugs) What?
Z-6PO: Your mother has been injured grievously. She has been taken to the medcentre.
DARTH: (alarmed) What‽
Z-6PO: If you would just come with me to see Master Vader….
But Darth has already left for the medcentre.
INT. MEDCENTRE/OBSERVATION ROOM — EVENING
Chlorian Vader stands at the observation window, staring through the one-way sheet of transparisteel into the operating room where the surgeon and medical ‘droids attend to the horribly bruised and broken body of his lover. Though the governor often does a solid job keeping his emotions below the surface, this time he cannot.
Darth bursts in.
DARTH: Mom!
Worried — panicked — Darth strides right up to the observation window, pressing firmly against the transparisteel as if to pass through it.
DARTH: (voice breaking) What happened?
CHLORIAN VADER: Those damned protesters jumped her — got her as she was leaving the front gate.
Darth says nothing. He only places his face inside his arm as he begins to cry. Having no words of comfort to offer, Chlorian can only place a reassuring hand on the young boy’s shoulder.
EXT. SPACE — TOWNOWI
The view of Townowi has undergone a considerable transformation since we saw it last. There are now so many starships in orbit around the planet that they form an almost solid shell encasing it. The battlemoon stands just outside this sphere of influence, a sentinel on watch and guard.
Emerging from hyperspace, an Annihilator-class Star Destroyer enters its approach vector for the battlemoon. Halting eight kilometres from the station, the Purifier disgorges an Eta-class shuttle, the CC 161. Engines flaring bright with blue-white light, the CC 161 rockets toward the battlemoon.
INT. BATTLEMOON/DOCKING BAY
Lu is already waiting in the docking bay when the CC 161 touches down inside. The boarding ramp opening and lowering, THX-1138 emerges from the ship, clad in full ATJA armour.
LUH-3417: Welcome aboard, THX-1138.
THX-1138: I accept your welcome, LUH-3417.
INT. BATTLEMOON — OVERBRIDGE
The two ATJAs enter the Overbridge. Climbing the steps to a raised command platform, they gaze down at the lower levels beneath them. Technicians man the computers down in the crew pit; there is one face among the lot of them.
LUH-3417: This is our main command centre. From here we monitor and control the battlemoon's workstations and datafiles.
THX-1138: On a station this size? All of them?
She nods.
THX-1138: Quite the achievement. Our engineers ought to be commended.
LUH-3417: They won't be.
THX-1138: They will be. (beat) They will be.
INT. BATTLEMOON/INTERROGATION CENTRE
Lu and Thex enter the interrogation centre. As she walks over to the weapons rack, he strides up to the inactive containment field. He finds a dried blood spot on the platform.
THX-1138: Tsk.
Reaching up, he finally removes his helmet. We can now see that he is Human, rather handsome, with a strong chin and straight nose.
LUH-3417: It's a crime to hide such a face.
With lightning speed, Lu grabs the lightwhip from the rack and strikes at Thex. Just as swiftly, Thex grabs the end of the metal lash before it can connect, holding it fast. Touching the weapon's stud, Lu activates the whip's energy field. Glowing bright white, the lash begins burning into Thex's hand and fingers.
THX-1138: (grimaces) Ahhh….
With his other hand, he takes hold of the glowing lash and begins reeling Lu in. She resists at first, tugging back on the whip, but soon relents. As she's drawn up close to him, he wrenches the lightwhip out her hands and tosses the weapon aside.
THX-1138: That hurt.
LUH-3417: (grins) You wouldn't have it any other way.
Grabbing her by the back of her head, Thex mashes their faces together. Lips locking, tongues are thrust into open mouths.
SABOTEUR'S P.O.V. — WAYWARD SON
Exiting the crew quarters, the saboteur makes their way along the main corridor of the Wayward Son until they reach the entrance into the engineering bay. Slipping inside, the saboteur strides over to the #3 hold. Inside, they approach a green metal crate. Bringing out their left wrist, they pull their sleeve up and, peeling off a patch of synth-skin, reveal a small wafer of super-thin electronics attached to the real skin beneath. After several touch-sensitive spots on the wafer are pressed, a hidden compartment near the base of the crate slides opens. Reaching inside, the saboteur brings out a toolkit along with a brick-sized detonator. Re-sealing the compartment, the saboteur returns to the engineering bay and crosses over to the hyperdrive access panel. Taking care to make sure no one's around, they open the panel and slip down inside the access tube. Opening the toolkit, the saboteur takes the detonator and begins connecting it to the hyperdrive motivator.
Time passes. The job of securing the detonator in place is finished. Taking their tools, the saboteur returns them to the toolkit.
SN. ANDUE: (O.C.) Hey, what's up down there?
Hearing the Falleen's voice, the saboteur quickly reaches for the blaster pistol holstered to their left thigh. Unholstering the blaster, they adjust the pistol's setting, then taking care to hide the weapon against their palm, they climb out of the access tube. Andue, unaware of the danger facing her, casually approaches the saboteur.
SN. ANDUE: (smiles) What were you doing with the hyperdrive? Is something —
The saboteur closes in on Andue. Grabbing her queue, the saboteur pulls the reptilian woman's head back, then shoves the blaster barrel up under Andue's chin and pulls the trigger. Though a stun blast, it's powerful enough to fry the Falleen's brain at this close range. Taking hold of the limp, spasming corpse, the saboteur drags it to the hyperdrive access tube. Pushing the body down the tube, the saboteur seals the access panel. That done, the saboteur departs, leaving the engineering bay as close to clean and spotless as it was before their arrival.
EXT. CORUSCANT — 663 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX/LLOMON & MAHTTOH'S FLAT/BALCONY — DAY
Llomon stands on the balcony, peering out at the 662 Gasgar Valley flat complex through his macrobinoculars.
LLOMON'S P.O.V. — 662 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX'S ENTRANCE
The front door opens and Siri steps out, continuing down the sidewalk towards the parking garage.
INT. 663 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX/LLOMON & MAHTTOH'S FLAT/LIVING AREA — DAY
Opening the balcony door, Llomon enters the living area. Mahttoh, seated on the sofa, fingers steepled across his chest and feet propped up on the caf table, turns his dark chocolate eyes away from the Wookiee opera currently playing on the holovid display to his partner.
LLOMON: (in Dosh, subtitled) She just left.
Nodding once, the Wookiee picks up a remote and turns the holovid player off at the exact moment the Wookiee opera singer reaches crescendo.
INT. 662 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX/OBI-WAN & SIRI'S FLAT/ENTRANCE HALL — DAY
The door into the flat slides open and Llomon and Mahttoh, two satchels at hand, sneak inside. Sealing the door before anyone can see them, they proceed deeper into the dim flat.
INT. 662 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX/OBI-WAN & SIRI'S FLAT — MONTAGE
We follow the bounty hunters as they make their way room-to-room, planting bugs and miniaturized cameras in various concealed spots.
INT. 662 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX/OBI-WAN & SIRI'S FLAT/KITCHEN — DAY
In the kitchen, the bounty hunters bring out the last of their bugs and hide it behind the refrigerator.
LLOMON: (subtitled) That should do.
The bounty hunters depart, leaving no visible trace of their presence behind.
EXT. ORRON III — DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD — COURTYARD — EVENING
It is a calm, clear evening on the night side of Orron III. The DuQuesne family, currently seated on lounge chairs outside, look up to the night sky of their world. The planet's three moons have come into perfect alignment, combining their light to form a large, brilliant star in the heavens.
EXT. SPACE
With a blur of pseudomotion, the Wayward Son emerges from hyperspace. The Corellian ship finds itself floating in deep interstellar space, surrounded on all sides by billions of brilliant stars, a gorgeous violet nebula in the black firmament to their far right. No worlds or nearby suns are to be seen.
INT. WAYWARD SON/COCKPIT
Taking a moment to appreciate the magnificent nebula, Cmdr. Vaness then reaches for the headset comlink secured over her left ear.
CMDR. VANESS: (activates comlink) Dr. Moulin, we have emerged from hyperspace. Could you report to the cockpit, please?
The commander receives no response.
CMDR. VANESS: (cont'd) Dr. Moulin, are you there?
INT. WAYWARD SON/CREW QUARTERS
"Morning" has come to the Wayward Son, but most everyone is still asleep. Of the three bunks in the crew quarters, one is empty; the remaining pair are occupied by Anakin and Obi-Wan, though Anakin is far from asleep. Awake, he sits up, feet on deck, bloodshot eyes fixed on nothing. Sensing something amiss, Obi-Wan wakes, finding Anakin in that position.
OBI-WAN: (sits up) Nik?
When his apprentice doesn't respond, Obi-Wan leaves his bunk and goes to Anakin.
OBI-WAN: (concerned) Anakin?
When Anakin still refuses to answer, the knight touches his arm.
ANAKIN: (stirs) Obi?
OBI-WAN: (nods) Yes.
ANAKIN: Is it morning?
OBI-WAN: We're in space.
ANAKIN: Right….
OBI-WAN: Did you sleep at all?
ANAKIN: I want to sleep….
OBI-WAN: Yes, but did you?
ANAKIN: (cont'd) But he won't let me.
OBI-WAN: Who won't let you sleep?
ANAKIN: Pre Vizsla….
OBI-WAN: (perplexed) Pre Vizsla? (beat) Pre Vizsla's dead.
ANAKIN: He's with me all the same. (taps head) Here. (beat) I want to go to sleep but he's always there, waiting for me, in my dreams. Even awake I hear his voice, shouting, always shouting. I've tried shutting him out but I can't — can't! (starts crying) He wants to take me over! He's going to, Obi-Wan! He's going to!
Obi-Wan hugs Anakin.
INT. WAYWARD SON/MAIN CORRIDOR
As Obi-Wan guides Anakin out to the main corridor, they pass by Kathe Naad on her way back to the crew quarters.
KATHE NAAD: (concerned) Something the matter with Nik?
OBI-WAN: We're not sure at the moment, Kathe.
As they continue to the cockpit, Cmdr. Cody emerges from the engineering bay. Looking ill at ease and edgy, the man from Concord Dawn hurriedly turns to his right and makes a dash down the corridor without taking notice of the Jedi. Exchanging glances, the Jedi Knights pick up their pace, following him.
INT. WAYWARD SON/COCKPIT
As Cmdr. Vaness gets ready to leave her seat, Dr. Moulin enters the cockpit and plops down in the copilot's seat.
ZOSIME MOULIN: (calls star chart up on display) Sorry for the tardiness, Commander. I had to use the facilities.
EXT. ORRON III — DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD — COURTYARD — EVENING
As the DuQuesnes watch the three aligned moons blaze, a formation of storm clouds — appearing suddenly from nowhere — coalesces in the sky above them.
INT. WAYWARD SON/MAIN CORRIDOR
Rounding a corner, Cody comes to the hatch into the cockpit access corridor. Opening the hatch, the Journeyman Protector dashes inside.
INT. WAYWARD SON/COCKPIT
ZOSIME MOULIN: (cont'd) If we head for the K-type star here (points to spot on star chart), we'll be able to avoid crossing paths with the neutron star and continue on to the C-type star here (points to another spot on chart). It's a lengthy route — it'll add another six hours to our travel time — but it's safe.
CMDR. VANESS: (sighs) Punch it in.
As the Gungan enters the coordinates into the navicomputer, Cmdr. Cody bursts into the cockpit. At a near panic, he pounces upon the two women just as the hyperdrive comes on-line.
INT. WAYWARD SON/HYPERDRIVE ACCESS TUBE
Inside the access tube, where the twisted body of Sn. Andue lies cold in unceremonious death, the detonator activates as commands to the hyperdrive motivator are filtered through it.
With a soundless flash of brilliant white light, the detonator explodes.
EXT. ORRON III — DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD — COURTYARD — EVENING
The cloud formation grows like a cancer, concealing the aligned moons and blotting out their light.
INT. WAYWARD SON — MONTAGE
As the ship is shot into ultra-hyperspace, we take a look inside the Wayward Son. Moving through the various rooms of the ship, we see everything — crew members, ship's functions, and the expanding explosion from the ruptured hyperdrive itself — freeze in place as time itself ceases to exist.
EXT. SPACE — XUTHLTAN
With a burst of pearlescent light, the Son returns to realspace. Trailing burning hyperdrive energies from its engines, it careens toward a planet enveloped in sulphur-yellow cloud formations.
EXT. XUTHLTAN — DESERT LANDSCAPE — DAY
Emerging from the thick cloud cover, the Son finds itself speeding towards the surface of a perfectly flat, dried-up riverbed. The craft banks left, putting it on a slightly more stable trajectory, but that is all the ship has left to give. Losing altitude, the Wayward Son hits the ground. Plowing into the dry earth, the freighter carves a long trench as it skids forward.
EXT. ORRON III — DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD — COURTYARD — EVENING
With a flash of lightning and a crash of thunder, the heavy storm clouds unload their burden. Large rain drops the colour of fresh blood pelt the ground in a torrential downpour. Disgusted by the sight and smell of the red rain, Nemec and Corin quickly leave their lounge chairs and rush inside the house. Nashira, meanwhile, cooly and calmly rises to her feet. Raising open hands to the sky, she looks up, standing in place as rivulets of crimson water run down her face and body.
INT. XUTHLTAN — WAYWARD SON/COCKPIT ACCESS CORRIDOR — DAY
Anakin lies face-down on the deck while Obi-Wan lies sprawled out on his back. Both are unconscious.
INT. WAYWARD SON/COCKPIT — DAY
Cmdr. Vaness and Dr. Moulin remain upright in their seats, sparks flying from the damaged controls surrounding them. Though banged up, they managed to secure their restraints before the crash, saving them from serious injury. Cdmr. Cody, on the other hand, lies in a motionless heap against the bulkhead behind them, a bloody wound across his forehead. Unfastening her restraints, Moulin leaves her seat and crosses over to the motionless Concordian. Bending low, she feels his throat for a pulse.
CMDR. VANESS: (unfastens restraints) Is he —?
ZOSIME MOULIN: Not dead, no — just unconscious. I'd venture he's suffered a pretty severe concussion.
CMDR. VANESS: (puts hands under Cody's armpits) Help me get him up.
With the Gungan's assistance, Vaness hefts the unconscious Journeyman Protector to his feet and drags him to the copilot's seat. Taking care not to jostle him too much, they set him down.
INT. WAYWARD SON/COCKPIT ACCESS CORRIDOR — DAY
As Vaness and Moulin exit the cockpit, they find Anakin and Obi-Wan in the access corridor.
CMDR. VANESS: (shakes Anakin's shoulder) Skywalker — you awake?
Groggy, Anakin comes to. Obi-Wan sits up with a GROAN.
OBI-WAN: (rubs forehead) My head hasn't ached this bad since we attended the Tenaabi Spirits Festival.
CMDR. VANESS: I don't like to rush you, but we need to check the rest of the ship. The others may need our help.
The two Jedi nod acknowledgement.
INT. WAYWARD SON/MAIN CORRIDOR — DAY
As the four step out into the main corridor, they find the air filled with black, greasy smoke, oppressive with heat.
CMDR. VANESS: Oh Lord — the fuel's caught fire! (beat) We need to get respirators and extinguishers and get to the others — fast!
INT. WAYWARD SON/COCKPIT — DAY
They quickly backtrack to the cockpit and strap themselves into respirators, making sure to take up spare respirators and as many fire extinguishers as they can carry with them.
CMDR. VANESS (points at Cody's unconscious form) Obi-Wan, you get Cody off-ship. We'll find the others.
INT. WAYWARD SON/MAIN CORRIDOR — DAY
As they return to the corridor and make their way to the boarding ramp hatch, they feel the already-intense heat grow even more palpable as the hair on most of their bodies begins smouldering. At the far end of the corridor, they can see the shadows being cast by the blazing silver inferno which has already consumed the engineering bay and its surrounding areas.
CMDR. VANESS: Bail's in the #2 hold; I'll go to him. You get off the ship.
ANAKIN: (alarmed) What about the others‽ Kathe's in the crew quarters! What about Mal'Akhi and Andue‽
CMDR. VANESS: If they were at the rear of the ship when the hyperdrive went critical, they're dead.
ANAKIN: I don't accept that!
CMDR. VANESS: Feel that heat, Skywalker? We're not even close to the source and it's intolerable. There's no way they could've survived.
ANAKIN: I still have to try to get to them!
CMDR. VANESS: (angry) Are you suicidal or stupid? They're dead, Skywalker! If we don't get off this death trap, we’ll be too!
Anakin grits his teeth, torn between his duty to his comrades and his sense of self-preservation.
OBI-WAN: She's right, Nik. There's nothing we can do for them.
ANAKIN: No ... no!
OBI-WAN: (irate) Anakin, listen to reason!
Finally, silently, Anakin acquiesces.
KATHE NAAD: (O.C.) I think we'd better get off-ship, guys, before this heat blisters my fair skin.
Hearing Kathe's voice, they turn to look behind them. There they find the mild-mannered woman moving towards them from up the corridor, a semi-conscious Bail braced against her. She begins coughing violently as the smoke finally reaches intolerable levels.
ANAKIN: You're alive? We saw you returning —
KATHE NAAD: (coughs) I couldn't sleep, so I took a walk. Capt. Organa and I can both thank the stars for that. Now please — let's go!
EXT. WAYWARD SON — DRIED-UP RIVERBED — DAY
The hatch of the Wayward Son opens and the boarding ramp extends to touch the arid surface. Exiting the demolished, burning ship, the seven surviving team members emerge under the dry heat of this uncharted desert planet.
OBI-WAN: (to Kathe) Did you see Andue or Mal'Akhi on your way out?
KATHE NAAD: (shakes head) I didn't.
The survivors look out to their horizons, finding nothing but barren emptiness ahead.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2018 21:33:38 GMT -5
SABOTEUR'S P.O.V. — WAYWARD SON
From this point on ... after Saboteur's P.O.V. ... this story got interesting and the exchange of Anakin and Cmdr. Vaness is excellent with support from Obi-Wan and Kathe Naad. Very well organized story with description to boot. This is definitely a great write up here.
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Post by Duragizer on Apr 3, 2018 23:46:18 GMT -5
INT. BATTLEMOON/LUH-3417'S OFFICE
Lu is at her desk, busy going over paperwork, when Sen enters.
LUH-3417: Commander. To what do I owe this unanticipated visit?
SN-5241: A starship was snared coming out of Geonosis.
LUH-3417: It’s been so long since the last one, I’d stopped believing there were any left to come this way.
SN-5241: Fortunately for the pilot, she resisted.
LUH-3417: It sounds almost like you sympathize.
SN-5241: Empathize is an apt descriptor, Admiral.
LUH-3417: Consider me informed, Commander. You may go.
SN-5241: Admiral ...
LUH-3417: (sighs) You're still here.
SN-5241: I've noticed the camaraderie you've taken up with THX-1138.
LUH-3417: What of it?
SN-5241: You've been dropping in on each other often as of late.
LUH-3417: I don't expect you to know this, Commander, but THX-1138 and I were born in the same creche. We boarded and attended the same conditioning sessions together. We’ve known each other our entire lives and have been close friends for that very long. (beat) You don’t disapprove?
SN-5241: Friendship is quite within your parameters, Admiral.
Smiling to himself, Sen leaves Lu.
INT. BATTLEMOON/LUH-3417'S CABIN
LUH-3417: He knows about us.
THX-1138: He's a typical SN model, then.
LUH-3417: Don't make light of this, Thex. This isn't something to make light of. He's shrewd. He's the most shrewd, motherless kaj I've had the misfortune of knowing.
THX-1138: I have an SN model as my own first; I'm familiar with their idiosyncrasies. They experience no strong emotion — no rage, no bursts of joy, no spontaneity, no animosity; it's what allows them to perform so well under pressure, what makes them such outstanding commanders, and makes them so thoroughly predictable. (beat) He may know something of our relationship, Lu, but so far as it doesn't compromise our performance, he won't report us — certainly not without evidence to corroborate his claim.
LUH-3417: Thex, our kind aren't allowed to grow this close.
THX-1138: (contemptuous) A reality I'm all too aware of.
LUH-3417: So how can you remain so cavalier?
THX-1138: Tyrants don't care if their subjects disobey the letter of their law so long as its spirit is kept. (beat) If a romance can't bring forth fruit, it's beneath their notice.
EXT. XUTHLTAN — WAYWARD SON — DRIED-UP RIVERBED — SUNSET
Beneath the shade of the wrecked ship, Obi-Wan, Bail, and Moulin sit around Cmdr. Jango Cody. Several hours have passed since the crash and the Journeyman Protector remains unconscious, his body laid out prone atop a scavenged stretcher. Vaness, Anakin, and Kathe emerge from the Wayward Son, each weighed down with as many full knapsacks as they can carry. Coming to the makeshift camp, they unload their burden.
CMDR. VANESS: This is all we could salvage. (beat) We have enough food for fifteen days. We might be able to stretch our water half that long.
ZOSIME. MOULIN: Cmdr. Cody was right; we should have conserved our supplies.
KATHE: Has he stirred at all?
Bail shakes his head.
OBI-WAN: (looks at sky) By the encroaching darkness, I’d wager this planet's sun or suns are going down. If there’s any civilization to be found — any food or water — we’d best start searching now, while it’s cool enough to travel.
KATHE NAAD: What’ll we do for weapons? Your lightsabers were lost in the fire and none of us have extra power packs for our blasters once they run dry. There's no telling what's out there.
CMDR. VANESS: We can fashion knives and spears from the wreckage.
BAIL: Do it. (stands up) Skywalker — you, Moulin, and Naad handle the supplies. Raia, once you’re finished making the weapons, take lead. Obi-Wan and I’ll handle Cody. (beat) As soon as we’re ready, we’re leaving.
INT. CORUSCANT — 663 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX/LLOMON & MAHTTOH'S FLAT/LIVING AREA — DAY
Sitting in their flat, the Trandoshan and Wookiee go over several hours worth of recorded surveillance footage and transmissions taken from Obi-Wan and Siri’s flat. Though their non-Human faces are hard to read, they are immensely frustrated.
MAHTTOH: (in Shyriiwook, subtitled) It’s been over a week since we bugged the apartment. Kenobi hasn’t once shown up or made a transmission, and she hasn’t made any transmissions to him. (beat) This is hopeless!
LLOMON: (in Dosh, subtitled) Hopeless? No. We’ve just reached the limit of what surveillance alone can teach us. If we’re to learn where the husband is, we’re going to have to ask the wife. (stands up) We’re heading back to the Ryyk. Once we’ve suited up, we’re going to pay Siri Tachi a house call.
INT. JEDI TEMPLE/WINDU FLAT/LIVING AREA — DAY
Siri and Uzochi are decked out on the couch, watching cartoons on the holovid display, when the front door opens and Master Windu and Mistress Gallia enter.
UZOCHI: (ecstatic) Mommy! Daddy!
Bolting off the couch, the little boy runs to his parents, seizing Gallia’s leg tight. The two are as happy to see their son as he is to see them.
MACE WINDU: (grins) Hello little man. How’s your day been?
UZOCHI: Me and Siri’s been watching Bungo ‘n’ Rusti!
Leaving the couch, Siri approaches the Jedi masters and child.
SIRI: You’re home early.
ADI GALLIA: It was unusually slow in the council chambers today. We were able to call it a night early. (to Uzochi) Now we can spend some time with our special little guy, can’t we?
MACE WINDU: What would you like us to do, ‘Chi? The choice is yours.
UZOCHI: (thinks it over) Ice cream?
MACE WINDU: (laughs) No problem. (to Siri) Would you care to join us?
SIRI: (shakes head) This is your time.
The Jedi masters accept that answer.
SIRI: (to Uzochi) I’ll see you tomorrow.
UZOCHI: Bye, Siri.
Smiling, Siri gives the boy's head a rub.
INT. 662 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX/CORRIDOR OUTSIDE OBI-WAN & SIRI’S FLAT — DAY
Emerging from the turbolift, Siri makes her way to her flat door. Unlocking and opening the door, she enters.
INT. 662 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX/OBI-WAN & SIRI’S FLAT/ENTRANCE HALL — DAY
As soon as she closes the door and moves to turn the lights on, Siri freezes, suddenly apprehensive for an unknown but all too palpable reason. Reaching for her lightsaber, she pulls it from her belt. Suddenly, a large metal net unfurls from the darkness. Catching Siri, it forces her back against the door, holding her in place as a stun charge courses through the mesh. Gritting her teeth against the shocking pain, she triggers her lightsaber. With a SNAP-HISS, the brilliant yellow blade of her lightsaber springs to life, burning through the mesh of the net and disrupting the charge. As the Jedi cuts herself free, her assailants emerge from the shadows, revealing themselves to be Llomon and Mahtto. Dressed head-to-toe in identical suits of brown body armour, the bounty hunters wield a vibroaxe and vibrosword, respectively.
With a GROWL, Mahttoh springs forward, swinging his blade at Siri’s exposed neck. Ducking, the Jedi then jumps high, delivering a kick to the Wookiee’s jaw. Spitting teeth, Mahttoh trips over himself and hits the floor as Siri turns on Llomon. Grinning, the Trandoshan blocks the blade of her lightsaber with his vibroaxe. Mahttoh brings his lanvarok into alignment and fires off a razor-edged disc. The disc grazes Siri’s leg, distracting her long enough for the Trandoshan to backhand her, sending the Jedi Knight reeling. She collects herself just in time to parry the Wookiee’s vibrosword, which is also crafted from lightsaber-resistant phrik alloy.
Llomon charges, swinging his vibroaxe, but Siri leaps up, evading the deadly blade. Somersaulting over Mahttoh’s head, she stabs backward with her lightsaber, hoping to skewer the Wookiee on the blade. As the plasma blade makes contact with his cortosis armour, however, it shorts out, rendering it inactive. Grinning, Mahttoh unsheathes the claws of his right hand and racks them against Siri’s sword arm. Crying out in agony, she drops her disabled weapon. Clutching her bleeding arm, Siri staggers back, putting as much distance between herself and the bounty hunters as she can.
SIRI: (grimacing) Who are you?
LLOMON: What we want is the question you should be asking.
SIRI: What do you want then‽
Llomon brings the blade of his vibroaxe close to Siri's throat.
LLOMON: Kenobi.
SIRI: He’s away in the war. It'll be months before he returns home.
LLOMON: That’s too bad for you.
Llomon swings his axe to cleave her in twain; Siri seizes the weapon’s shaft before the vibrating blade can connect. Gritting her teeth, she wrestles with the Trandoshan for control of the vibroaxe. Bringing up his lanvarok, Mahttoh prepares to fire off another razor disc, this time to finish the Jedi off.
At that very moment, the front door opens and Mace Windu, lightsaber engaged in hand, steps inside. Surprised, the two non-Humans freeze momentarily, evaluating this new arrival.
MACE WINDU: I’m sorry — did I break your concentration?
Taking his lanvarok off Siri, Mahttoh trains it on Windu, firing off a volley of discs. With a flurry of movement, the Jedi master intercepts each and every disc, slicing them apart with his blue blade as he advances on the Wookiee. Lowering his lanvarok, Mahttoh hefts up his sword. As the Jedi master and Wookiee bounty hunter cross blades, Siri sends her heel down on one of the Trandoshan’s feet. Unleashing a ROAR of agony, he loses hold of the vibroaxe. Exploiting her newfound advantage, she brings the shaft of the axe up into Llomon’s chin, snapping his head back and throwing him off balance. Hitting the floor, the Trandoshan seizes Siri’s fallen lightsaber, engaging the yellow blade just in time to block Siri’s blow as she brings the vibroaxe down on his face.
SIRI: (to Windu) Watch for the armour!
Bringing his lightsaber around in a downward arc, Windu tries slicing through the Wookiee’s wrists. The blue blade winks out upon making contact with one of the cortosis gauntlets.
MACE WINDU: (stares at inactive hilt) Point taken.
Windu ducks as Mahttoh goes for his face with his claws, following it through with a roundhouse kick to the Wookiee’s armoured chest. Thrown backward, Mahttoh hits the living area picture window, shattering it with a resounding CRASH. Falling through, Mahttoh releases a bloodcurdling HOWL as he takes the long plummet to the ground far below.
LLOMON: (horrified) Mahttoh!
Distracted, Llomon fails to intercept Siri as she brings the vibroaxe down on the unarmoured joint of his right arm, slicing clean through the flesh and bone. He clutches the gaping wound with a SHRIEK, desperately squeezing to staunch the flow of blood. Now standing defenseless before the Jedi Knights, the Trandoshan’s only route of escape lies through the broken picture window.
MACE WINDU: (reactivates lightsaber) Stand down.
Spitting at the Jedi with contempt, Llomon turns and bolts for the broken window. Before the Jedi can stop him, he leaps through, unholstering a grappling gun and shooting off a line as he disappears from view.
Deactivating and discarding the vibroaxe, Siri retrieves her lightsaber from the grip of the Trandoshan’s severed hand as she joins Windu by the shattered window.
MACE WINDU: Who were they?
SIRI: They came for Obi. I’ve no clue why. (beat) I thought you and Mistress Gallia were taking ‘Chi out for ice cream.
Reaching into his tunic, Windu pulls out a slim silver card.
MACE WINDU: 'Chi got hold of your credit chip.
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Post by Duragizer on Apr 4, 2018 17:19:10 GMT -5
EXT. XUTHLTAN — DRIED-UP RIVERBED — DAWN
The survivors of the Wayward Son march on, sluggish and weary from over a week of nigh-endless exertion under the planet’s unyielding dry heat. Lids heavy, Moulin uncaps her canteen and raises it to her long, cracked lips. When her tongue is met with no water, she futilely taps the canteen's bottom.
ZOSIME MOULIN: (returns canteen to belt) I’m dry.
KATHE NAAD: (offers canteen) Have some of mine.
ZOSIME MOULIN: (raises hands) I couldn’t.
KATHE NAAD: Please. I can do with less water than you.
Tentative, the amphibian takes the young woman’s canteen. Uncapping it, she takes a short sip.
ZOSIME MOULIN: (returns canteen to Kathe) Thank you.
CMDR. VANESS: (halts) Stop.
At the commander’s order, the others come to a sudden halt. Before them, almost indiscernible from their angle of observation, the river bed comes to an abrupt end, transitioning into a vertical drop in the rock which stretches several metres. Most likely a high waterfall at some point in this world’s history, it — along with the rest of the landscape — dried up a long time ago. With Obi-Wan’s assistance, Bail lowers Cody’s stretcher. He then joins his second-in-command at the drop.
BAIL: (looks over drop) It goes down a ways. (beat) It looks too steep to climb down.
KATHE NAAD: We salvaged line from the wreck.
BAIL: Let’s have it.
Lowering their packs, Anakin, Kathe, and Moulin begin fishing around inside in search of the line. The Gungan soon finds the bundle of line in one of hers.
ANAKIN: (points at something in distance) What’s that way over there?
Following his finger, Bail and Vaness find, past the dried-up waterfall, far away but not beyond walking distance, a large mass rising out of the otherwise flat terrain. Pulling out her pair of electrobinoculars, Vaness takes a look.
CMDR. VANESS’ P.O.V. — ZIGGURAT
Through the electrobinocs, we can see the mass is no natural formation. Though fine details still cannot be made out, it is clearly a ziggurat, consisting of two levels with a prominent ramp leading to the first and a stairway leading to the second.
CUT TO
Vaness handing the electrobinocs to Bail.
VANESS: It’s a ziggurat.
BAIL: (looks through electrobinocs) So this world’s not as empty as we were led to believe.
VANESS: There’re no other traces of civilization, Bail. No agriculture; no other buildings; definitely no sign of people. It looks as dead as everything else we’ve seen.
BAIL: Regardless, there may be something of value inside. (lowers electrobinocs) I’m game to find out if you are.
VANESS: (shrugs) I’m game.
BAIL: Alright. (to others) We’ll rest here ‘til sundown. We have a long trek ahead of us come nightfall.
CUT TO
Later that day, after the sun(s) have lowered, colouring the sky the dim blue-gray of twilight.
The line has been secured to an outcropping of rock. Vaness is already making her way down the old waterfall.
BAIL: We don’t know how grievous Cody's injuries are, so we can't risk taking him past this point. One of us will have to stay behind to watch over him.
OBI-WAN: (takes Anakin aside) Perhaps you should stay. Your condition ...
ANAKIN: I haven't dreamt once since we got here, and I'm not hearing voices anymore. (beat) Whatever it was I was fighting, I think I beat it. (smiles) Small favours, right?
Obi-Wan remains skeptical.
KATHE NAAD: I’ll do it.
ZOSIME MOULIN: If you don’t mind, Captain, I’d like to stay, too. We haven’t run up against any danger so far, but if that were to change, two would have a greater chance of protecting the commander than one.
BAIL: (nods) Very well. We’ll leave you some extra water and a comlink. Contact us if his condition changes.
Moulin nods once in acknowledgement.
CUT TO
Bail, Vaness, Obi-Wan, and Anakin as they lower themselves down the line centimetre-by-centimetre. Moulin and Naad, back on top with the unconscious Cmdr. Cody, watch them make their descent.
Soon they come to the end of the line. Letting go, they fall a short but safe distance to the bottom.
EXT. DESERT — MONTAGE
Bail, Vaness, Obi-Wan, and Anakin spend the next several hours hiking through the desolate landscape towards the mysterious ziggurat.
EXT. ZIGGURAT — DAWN
The team of four finally arrives at the ziggurat. Up close, it can now be seen that the magnificent edifice has been wrought out of large red granite blocks, each expertly cut and fitted without the use of mortar. Thousands of years old, the construct has remained remarkably intact, having suffered little damage from the harsh environ. In awe of the ancient ziggurat, the travellers ascend the long ramp into the structure.
INT. ZIGGURAT/ENTRANCE GALLERY — DAWN
The four Humans pass through the open entrance into the gallery beyond. Phosphorescent pigments applied to the runes carved in the walls afford the passage a natural illumination. Lining the walls at regular intervals between the runic inscriptions are several tall statues, each carved in the likeness of humanoid beings, some with plaited beards, all with strange tusk-like protrusions erupting from their cheeks. Obi-Wan halts at the sight of these statues, an immediate recognition setting in.
OBI-WAN: Heavens….
BAIL: What?
OBI-WAN: This is a Sith temple.
BAIL: (confused) Sith?
CMDR. VANESS: Don’t you know your history, Bail? The Sith were a cult; the dark Jedi Exar Kun created them four-thousand years ago.
Stepping up to one of the statues, Obi-Wan examines it closely.
OBI-WAN: No. This is a creation of the original Sith. They reigned in their own region of space in the millennia before Kun.
BAIL: These Sith, they’re bad news?
OBI-WAN: Once, long ago.
Leaving the statue, Obi-Wan continues down the gallery. The others follow after.
INT. ZIGGURAT/BURIAL CHAMBER — DAWN
The Humans emerge inside the burial chamber. A large, conical chamber, twelve panels line the walls, each engraved with murals depicting the personal history of the chamber’s lone inhabitant. In the centre of the chamber, bathed in rainbow light falling through a prismatic skylight set in the distant ceiling above, is a sarcophagus of white jade, the life-like effigy of an attractive Sith woman adorning the lid.
ANAKIN: (shivers) Frigid in here.
The others, including Obi-Wan, look on the Jedi apprentice strangely.
ANAKIN: (rubs arms) Don’t you feel it?
OBI-WAN: I don’t feel anything.
CMDR. VANESS: It’s no cooler in here than outside.
ANAKIN: It’s got to be 10° in here. How can you not feel it?
CMDR. VANESS: It’s just this place. It gives me the willies, too.
Leaving the others, Anakin approaches the sarcophagus. Examining the serene, sleeping face engraved on the sarcophagus lid, he rests a hand upon the effigy’s crossed hands.
ANAKIN: (pulls hand back) OW!
OBI-WAN: (steps forward; concerned) What‽
ANAKIN: (holds afflicted hand) It’s ice cold!
Striding to the sarcophagus, Obi-Wan touches it; he feels nothing out of the ordinary.
BAIL: Let’s go. There’s nothing here for us.
Bail heads off, the others following suit. Anakin dallies a moment, giving the sarcophagus one last glance.
EXT. ZIGGURAT — DAWN
Having emerged from the burial chamber, the four work their way up the staircase to the second level of the ziggurat. There they find another entrance leading into yet another chamber.
INT. ZIGGURAT/TREASURE CHAMBER — DAWN
Entering this second chamber, the ersatz explorers are greeted with a magnificent sight. Countless dozens of chests and urns — all containing precious gems, metal trinkets, and other valuable items — line the walls in several columns, all surrounding a beautiful Sith yacht. Onyx-black and inlaid with red jasper trim, the sensual organic contours of the ship look less the product of an automated assembly line than the exquisite masterpiece of a peerless artisan.
ANAKIN: (whistles) That is one gorgeous ship!
Slowly, almost as if in supplication, they approach the Sith yacht.
BAIL: (runs hand along side of ship) Amazing! It feels almost liquid!
OBI-WAN: Dark though the Sith were, it's hard not to be held in awe of their works. They were master craftsmen; art was a religion to them and they applied it to all walks of life.
CMDR. VANESS: It is a magnificent ship — too magnificent. (beat) There’s treasure in the top floor, a jade sarcophagus in the bottom — between the two, there’s a fair amount to steal; why isn’t this entire complex locked down tight?
OBI-WAN: Perhaps the builders were aware of their world’s fate and concluded larceny wasn’t a problem that would have to be dealt with.
Wandering over to one of the chests, Anakin flings the lid open.
ANAKIN: (grins) You’re not going to believe what’s here.
The other three join him. Peering inside, they see just what it is the apprentice has found.
BAIL: Food.
ANAKIN: Carbon-frozen food, as fresh as the day it was sealed.
CMDR. VANESS: (ecstatic) When the Sith pack a lunch for the afterlife, they pack it tight, don’t they?
Moving to another chest, Anakin flings it open, then moves over to yet another chest and flings it open; more carbon-frozen food and water.
ANAKIN: There’s a month’s worth of food in these crates alone!
BAIL: We’ll take one back with us when we leave.
CMDR. VANESS: We should try getting aboard the ship. There may still be enough juice in the onboard systems to broadcast an SOS.
BAIL: (nods) Let’s do it.
INT. SITH YACHT/COCKPIT — DAWN
Having figured out how to open the entry hatch, they climb inside the cozy ship. As with the exterior, the interior is crafted along organic lines. Crossing over to the controls, they don’t find the usual switches or buttons but an array of control crystals, all embedded in the panel.
CMDR. VANESS: (frowns; to Obi-Wan) Do you know how to operate these controls?
OBI-WAN: (scrutinizes crystals) Adegan crystals. They are Force-attuned, so I may be able to intuit their function.
Positioning his hands over the crystals, Obi-Wan closes his eyes. Several moments pass, then he begins — with much concentration and consideration — to lay his hands on the crystals, touching a select few of them in a non-random order. Once he has completed the sequence, those crystals which have been touched begin resonating with a throbbing glow.
OBI-WAN: It’s done.
Grinning, Vaness takes Obi-Wan by the shoulders and plants a firm kiss on his lips.
CMDR. VANESS: If we both weren’t spoken for, I’d award you more than a kiss.
Try as he might, the knight can’t keep himself from blushing.
EXT. ZIGGURAT — DAY
With one of the chests of food and drink held between the four of them, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Vaness, and Bail descend the ramp, en-route back to their three companions waiting by the drop.
INT. ZIGGURAT/BURIAL CHAMBER — DAY
Back inside the burial chamber, all is still and quiet. Suddenly, the twelve muraled panels on the walls begin retracting into the ceiling, revealing hidden compartments.
As heavy mist billows out from the dark openings, a LARGE YELLOW HAND BEARING THREE LARGE BLACK CLAWS reaches out from inside one.
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Post by Duragizer on Apr 5, 2018 17:45:32 GMT -5
INT. GEONOSIS — GENERIC FAMILY HUT/LIVING AREA — EVENING
The members of the typical Condawni family are nowhere to be seen. Their living area lies in disarray as a news telecast plays on the holovid display in front of their empty sofa.
The newscaster — dirty and disheveled — relays the disturbing news that supplies of food have all but run out and people across the provinces are resorting to cannibalism to stay alive. Large “food gangs” have amassed and begun prowling the streets, on the hunt for anything or anyone they can kill for food. In fear of the savages marauding topside, many of the Geonosians living beneath the surface of the planet have either blocked the access tunnels to their subterranean cities or preemptively struck back, coming topside in swarms to eradicate the non-Geonosians living in close proximity to their underground domains.
INT. CONDAWN CAPITOL HOUSE/CONFERENCE ROOM — EVENING
Chlorian Vader, the LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, the OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS of Condawn province, and VARIOUS OTHER FIGURES who maintain Capitol Centre sit around a rectangular conference table. Their discussion boils down to this: Though the Centre is a veritable fortress — protecting everyone inside from everyone outside — they have no food and are going to starve to death unless they take a chance venturing out beyond the gates in search of sustenance. They argue about the feasibility of this proposal; many bring up the unwelcome truth that as few in number as they are, with little in the way of weaponry and no armour to protect them, they won’t last long off Centre grounds.
When it seems no one has an idea on how to proceed, someone makes mention of an underground escape tunnel beneath the Centre which leads to the wilderness beyond Condawn City. Though the open desert will be cold, being summer, the temperatures should be within tolerable limits. The wildlife should also be plentiful enough to keep them the next few months.
Chlorian decides the escape tunnel is the best option available. Rising from his chair, he tells everyone to get to their loved ones, to their employees, and inform them to immediately prepare for departure.
INT. MEDCENTRE/SHMI’S ROOM — EVENING
Darth enters his mother’s room. She is as still and silent as ever, eyes closed in a dreamless sleep over the ventilator mask which rhythmically breathes for her. Crossing over to his usual chair, Darth holds up a datapad.
DARTH: Hey, Mom. I thought I’d read you something new. It’s The Maverick Moon. Remember how you used to read it to me when I was little? I thought you might like me to read it to you.
Sitting down, Darth calls the story up on his handheld device.
DARTH: In another time, in a faraway galaxy, there lived a young man named Deak Starkiller. He was a student at the New Academy for Space Pilots, and already he was one of the best young pilots in the solar system. (beat) Deak and his classmates, the Planetary Pioneers, were training for a special mission. They were going to fly young men and women — the smartest and strongest and most talented — to uninhabited planets. There they would help build new colonies, founded on peace, justice, and good will toward their fellow members of the galaxy. (beat) One morning Deak raced toward the Academy at breakneck speed. His good friend Princess Zara Antilles was coming to visit the Academy. Deak wanted to be there when she arrived so he could show her some of the Pioneers’ exciting plans. (beat) When Deak reached the Academy, he hopped out of his landspeeder. Some of his friends waved or called good morning. All of them smiled. They knew why Deak was in such a hurry. Princess Zara had arrived. Although she was one of the youngest members of the intergalactic government, she was well known to everyone. (beat) Deak proudly showed Zara around the Academy. He told her about the work of the Planetary Pioneers. “Some of us will be building homes and schools and power stations,” he said. “Right now we are planning to use our powerful zukonium rays in the power stations. Instead of being used for war or destruction, zukonium will provide energy for our colonies.” “It sounds terrific, Deak,” said Zara.
Darth stops, the story calling up near-forgotten memories of when he was younger, before he started going to school and getting into trouble, a still-innocent child who hadn’t yet learned to read on his own. Biting his lip, he tries stifling the tears he feels coming but cannot. At that very moment, Shmi’s eyes open. Cloudy at first, they quickly clear as they focus on Darth.
DARTH: Mom?
Shmi slowly raises her arm, hand trembling as she reaches for her son. He quickly takes it in both hands, squeezing and stroking it to let her know that he’s here, that he cares.
DARTH: Oh, Mom! It’s me, Mom — Darth! You’re okay, right? You’re gonna be okay!
But she isn’t going to be okay. Her eyes, momentarily alert, filled with unconditional love for her son, roll up into her head as she goes into a violent, full-body seizure.
The alarm on her monitor goes off and medics rush in to administer aid. Screaming at the top of his lungs that he won’t leave her, Darth strives to hang onto Shmi, but the adults pull him away and drag him kicking from the room.
EXT. XUTHLTAN — DRIED-UP RIVERBED — SUNSET
As another day draws to a close, Kathe Naad stands crouched down on one knee over the dead waterfall, looking out to the ziggurat far in the distance. She can see the four travellers returning from the Sith edifice with chest in tow.
Zosime Moulin sits on the ground away from Kathe, beside the reclining Jango Cody. Immersed in her own thoughts, she doesn’t notice Cody regain consciousness until she turns on a whim, finding him already sitting up.
ZOSIME MOULIN: (Startled) WHA! (beat) Commander! I … I’m …
CMDR. CODY: (hoarse) Water.
Still unnerved, the doctor scrambles about until she finds herself a canteen. Taking the canteen from her, the Journeyman Protector gulps down what little water’s left at the bottom. Unsatisfied, he frowns deeply.
ZOSIME MOULIN: I’m sorry, Commander, but you just drank the last of our water.
CMDR. CODY: (looks about) Where are we? Where’re the others?
ZOSIME MOULIN: I wish I could answer that first question, but I’m afraid I don’t know where we are. Something went wrong with the Son’s hyperdrive — an explosion — catapulting us … here. (beat) We spotted what looks like a ziggurat the other day, in that direction. (points to ziggurat) The captain, commander, and Jedi went off to find anything of value. They’ve been gone since.
CMDR. CODY: Mal’Akhi?
ZOSIME MOULIN: (looks down) Dead. Killed with Andue in the accident.
CMDR. CODY: (leans close to Gungan) Doctor, that wasn’t an accident.
ZOSIME MOULIN: (frowns) No accident?
CMDR. CODY: It was a deliberate act of sabotage. I know because I saw the saboteur; I saw her in the engineering bay before we jumped back to lhyt-speed; I found what she left of Andue in the hyperdrive access tunnel; I found the hyperdrive wired to explode. I tried to warn you — stop you — but you’d already made the jump.
ZOSIME MOULIN: (horrified) One of us did this? Who‽ Who was it‽
KATHE NAAD: (O.C.) It was me.
The Journeyman Protector and Gungan turn their heads, finding the young Human woman standing over them. In her left hand, inactive but held ready, is Obi-Wan’s lightsaber.
ZOSIME MOULIN: (incredulous) Kathe‽
KATHE NAAD: I’m sorry.
Kathe triggers the azure blade, but Cody is already moving, rolling clear of the saber’s range. As for Zosime, it is too late; with a single broad sweep of the Jedi weapon, Naad clears the Gungan’s head from her body. Moulin dispatched, Naad turns on Cody. But even unarmed, the Journeyman Protector’s military background gives him an edge over the untrained woman. Seizing both her wrists and pushing the glowing blue blade away from him, he knees her in the side, forcing her hands open. The inactive hilt falls, hits the hard-packed earth, and the commander makes a dive for it. Furious, the woman dives after him. Their hands locking around the lightsaber together, they begin struggling over it.
EXT. DRIED-UP WATERFALL — SUNSET
Coming to the length of line dangling overhead, the four stop, crouching down to lower their chest of foodstuffs to the ground.
CUT TO
Cody and Naad, still wrestling about the ground for Obi-Wan’s saber.
CUT TO
The four travellers as they shimmy up the line.
CUT TO
Naad as she goes to bite Cody’s throat.
CUT TO
The four travellers as they continue shimmying up the line.
CUT TO
Cody as he headbutts Naad, forcing her off him, winning him the Jedi weapon.
Rolling away from Naad, he springs to his feet. With a SNAP-HISS, he engages the blade of azure plasma.
EXT. DRIED-UP RIVERBED — SUNSET
Coming up over the edge, the quartet finds Cody and Naad standing there staring each other down, Obi-Wan’s lit lightsaber in the Journeyman Protector’s hands.
BAIL: (nonplussed) What is this‽
Hearing the captain’s voice, both combatants swivel their heads in his direction.
KATHE NAAD: (points at Cody) He’s had your lightsaber, Obi. He stole it from your quarters and he’s had it on him this whole time! He was faking unconsciousness, and when he was ready, he attacked us! (points at Moulin’s remains) He killed Zosime!
CMDR. CODY: She’s lying! Don’t listen to her!
KATHE NAAD: And the explosion? The crash? It was him! He did it! He sabotaged the Son’s hyperdrive! He stranded us on this forsaken rock! He’s a spy for the clonemasters! He did it all for them!
CMDR. CODY: (outraged) Never! I’d never side with the cloners!
BAIL: (unholsters blaster) Stand down, Commander.
CMDR. CODY: (angry) Captain, you know me! You know what happened on Concord Dawn — what happened to my family!
BAIL: (levels blaster at Cody) Yes, I know what happened to Jango Cody on Concord Dawn.
CMDR. CODY: (incredulous) What happened to Jang-! (beat) I am Jango!
BAIL: I don’t know that.
CMDR. CODY: I’m not a clone!
BAIL: Hand over the saber and we’ll talk about it.
Speechless, Cmdr. Cody is left no alternative. Disengaging the lightsaber, he hands it to Bail. Bail — never taking his eyes off the Journeyman Protector for a moment — returns the hilt to Obi-Wan.
BAIL: Raia, secure him.
Taking a length of line, Cmdr. Vaness moves in behind Cody, pulling his hands behind him and tying them fast together.
CMDR. CODY: (nods to Naad) What of her? Search her, search the bags; she may have taken the boy’s weapon. If you find it, you’ll know I’m telling the truth.
As Anakin moves in behind Naad and frisks her for hidden weapons, Obi-Wan rummages through the knapsacks.
ANAKIN: (finishes frisking) She’s clean.
OBI-WAN: (finishes searching knapsacks) Anakin’s lightsaber isn’t here.
BAIL: (sighs; to Cody) Well, Commander, that avenue’s out.
Cmdr. Cody responds with a harsh Concordian curse.
INT. GEONOSIS — MEDCENTRE/CORRIDOR OUTSIDE SHMI’S ROOM — EVENING
Doctors, nurses, and patients are hurriedly leaving the medcentre for the escape tunnel. Summoned to the medcentre, Chlorian finds a doctor sitting with Darth; the boy is catatonic. Rising from his chair, the doctor takes Chlorian out of earshot of Darth and tells the governor that Shmi died of a stroke. Chlorian goes into shocked silence for a moment, unable to believe what he is hearing. Chlorian then tells the doctor to take Darth and join the others gathering at the tunnel entrance, that he will personally take care of Shmi’s body.
INT. CONDAWN CAPITOL HOUSE/MEAT LOCKER — EVENING
Chlorian enters an empty meat locker, the still form of his lover in his arms. Opening a secret compartment beneath the floor, he gives his final farewells, kisses Shmi's forehead, then seals her within the makeshift tomb.
INT. WAREHOUSE — EVENING
The DENIZENS of the Capitol Centre — all 400+ of them — have come to the warehouse, gathered around a large turbolift platform which will take them underground. Entering, Chlorian goes to the head of the crowd. Addressing them, he tells them to make sure no one is missing and to leave behind all non-essential items.
The first group of escapees climb aboard the turbolift platform and are lowered into the escape tunnel.
EXT. XUTHLTAN — DRIED-UP RIVERBED — EVENING
Night has fallen. Cody remains tied up, seated upon the ground, back against a large boulder. For the others, all but Vaness and Kathe have fallen asleep, dead-tired from all the activity of the last couple days. Vaness sits in the space between Cody and Naad, legs crossed, hands in her lap, eyes on the Journeyman Protector and cryptographer both. Vaness is only Human, though, and she, too, is exhausted; it is only a matter of time before her resolve fails her and she joins her companions in slumber.
Once she is certain Vaness is asleep, Kathe slowly rises. Straightening her neck, tilting her head back and opening her jaws as wide as she can, she slowly regurgitates a metal cylinder: Anakin’s lightsaber. Taking the Jedi apprentice’s weapon in her hand, she approaches the restrained Journeyman Protector. Cody, eyes hard, doesn’t say a word; he merely looks past her. Following his gaze, Naad turns around. Standing behind her, wide awake and none too happy, is Anakin. Bringing the hilt up, the woman swings it to bash the Jedi’s head in, but he catches her wrist and takes the saber away from her. Lunging forward, she bites his wrist.
ANAKIN: ARGH!
Acting on reflex, Anakin loses his hold on her wrist. Turning, Naad dashes off into the night. Scowling, he takes off after her.
CUT TO
Naad running madly through the darkness, desperate for escape.
Running high on a rush of adrenaline, she soon exhausts her reservoir. Stamina spent, she slows to a halt, breathing heavily, hands on knees for support. Catching up to Naad, Anakin comes to a stop. There’s no sign of weariness in his demeanor whatsoever.
ANAKIN: No more games, Kathe.
Still out of breath, Kathe doesn’t answer. Taking her silence for surrender, the apprentice takes her arm. Before he can leave with Naad in tow, he halts, eyes widening in sudden alarm. In the featureless darkness before them, like embers suspended in the ether, are six pairs of glowing yellow eyes. Releasing Naad, Anakin engages his lightsaber. Blazing bright, the cyan light reveals SIX RAKGHOULS standing before the two Humans. Hulking yellow humanoids, the rakghouls have two vertically arranged slits for nostrils high up on their faces; black spines growing out of their backs and heads; hands and feet sporting three sharp claws each; and large, wide maws filled with sharp, jagged teeth.
ANAKIN: Behind me!
Kathe isn’t fast enough. Lunging forward, one of the rakghouls takes hold of her. Drawing the woman close, it pulls out her arm and bites down, shearing through the cloth, skin, muscle, and tendon above her elbow.
KATHE NAAD: YYYEEEAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!
CUT TO
The others at the camp.
Already wide awake, they hear Kathe’s shrieks in the distance. Taking up their weapons, Obi-Wan and Bail break out into a run. Vaness, freeing Cmdr. Cody of his bonds, takes up her own spear and runs to join them.
CUT TO
Anakin as he attacks the rakghoul who took Naad’s arm.
Striking with his lightsaber, he bisects the monster through the shoulder, killing it with the gnawed arm still in its jaws. Two other rakghouls quickly make their move. One slams its balled fists down on the Jedi’s back, knocking him flat to the ground, while the other goes for Kathe, grabbing her legs.
Arriving on the scene, Bail and Obi-Wan leap to the Jedi and cryptographer’s defense. Hefting up his spear, Bail hurtles it at Kathe’s rakghoul, taking it right through the skull, while the knight leaps up and over Anakin’s rakghoul, carving a fatal gash through its spine as he completes his arc.
ROARING, one of the remaining three rakghouls makes a dash for Bail. Pulling out his blaster, Bail opens fire. Unfortunately the blaster pack — already low on power — releases a few dim shots which only lightly sear the beast’s yellow flesh. Unscathed, it tackles Bail to the ground. Holding the captain fast to the ground, it opens its jaws wide to rip his throat out.
CMDR. VANESS: EEEEYYYYAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
Screaming like a banshee, Vaness charges the rakghoul holding her commanding officer down, spear out before her. Colliding with the abomination, she runs the spear through its sternum, knocking it off and away from Bail. Gritting her teeth, Vaness pins the rakghoul to the ground, applying as much pressure to the end of the spear as she can. HISSING, the rakghoul runs its claws down her back, cutting her open. Bearing with the pain, she pulls out a makeshift knife and ends the monster's misbegotten existence.
As Obi-Wan and Anakin finish off the last of the rakghouls, Cmdr. Cody finally arrives. Moving up to Kathe, he takes her in his arms and applies pressure to her injury.
CMDR. CODY: She’s bleeding out fast. (to Jedi) You’re going to have to cauterize it.
KATHE NAAD: AAAAHHHH!!!!!!
With the deed done, the Jedi Knight takes a step back. Breathing rapidly, Naad finally passes out, the shock too great to bear.
BAIL: (examines Vaness' wounds) These look bad.
CMDR. VANESS: (winces) Just flesh wounds. I’ll survive.
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Post by Duragizer on Apr 6, 2018 22:17:58 GMT -5
INT. GEONOSIS — ESCAPE TUNNEL — DAY
After hours trekking through the dank, dark tunnel, the escapees had decided to take a rest.
Chlorian tries to strike up a conversation with Darth, but the boy hasn’t said a single word since Shmi died. After some more prodding from Chlorian, Darth finally mutters that it’s his fault his mother is dead and that he wants to lay down and die himself. Chlorian tells him that if he does lay down and die, he’ll be dishonouring Shmi's memory. If he wants to do right by his mother, he’ll get his act together and fight to stay alive.
EXT. XUTHLTAN — DRIED-UP WATERFALL — DAY
Having lowered the incapacitated Naad down the dry waterfall, the remaining members of the team set out for the Sith ziggurat. Anakin and Cody carry the traitor on the stretcher while Obi-Wan and Bail walk on ahead with Vaness behind them.
BAIL: (to Obi-Wan) She’s going to die.
OBI-WAN: Without medical intervention, yes, eventually.
BAIL: (scoffs) Eventually. I don’t see a medcentre around, do you?
OBI-WAN: Our distress signal will be picked up in time.
BAIL: Naad’s running short of that particular commodity.
OBI-WAN: (stops and faces Bail) What do you suggest we do, Bail?
BAIL: She’s a traitor. She doesn’t deserve our food or our water and we shouldn’t be burdened carrying her sorry carcass around. You know what I suggest.
OBI-WAN: I will not be party to cold-blooded murder.
BAIL: You think she’d be half as generous if your situations were reversed?
OBI-WAN: I’m better than that.
BAIL: Sometimes that makes me sick.
EXT. DESERT — DAY
A number of hours later, the group decides to take a break. Naad, still weak, has regained consciousness.
KATHE NAAD: (weary) Hot. Need some water.
Cody exchanges glances with Bail.
BAIL: Give her some.
Uncapping a canteen, the Concordian lifts Naad’s head up and helps her take a drink.
CMDR. CODY: She’s burning with fever.
BAIL: It’s the least of what she deserves.
EXT. DESERT — GROVE OF DEAD TREES — SUNSET
Having continued on, the group now finds itself camped out in a grove of ancient trees. Long dead, the gnarled plants have been bleached a pale bone-white.
As Vaness sets down her supplies, she swoons, suddenly disoriented.
BAIL: (concerned) Are you okay, Raia?
CMDR. VANESS: (puts hand to forehead) Just need to rest, that’s all.
As for Naad, she’s in even worse shape than she was earlier. Hair and face entirely drenched with sweat, her skin has taken on a sickly yellow hue.
KATHE NAAD: Obi-Wan….
Hearing her weak call, the Jedi Knight crouches down beside her.
OBI-WAN: Yes?
KATHE NAAD: You need to know. Bring the others … they need to know, too….
Obi-Wan signals the others to join him by the dying woman’s side.
KATHE NAAD: Several decades ago … before the Clone Wars … the Republic Senate approved funding for the Outbound Flight Project. Have you … heard of it?
BAIL: It was an expeditionary project spearheaded by Jorus C’baoth. The mission was to send 50,000 colonists beyond the borders of the Galactic Republic into the Unknown Regions then past the galactic rim towards the Rishi Maze. Communication abruptly stopped months into the mission and Outbound Flight was presumed lost.
KATHE NAAD: (nods) But several new hyperroutes into the Unknown Regions were charted before their disappearance ... sent back to Republic Intelligence. They never had a chance to make use of them … before the Clone Wars erupted. (coughs) While the Separatist war was still being fought ... the athas procured some of these routes. My masters were already preparing for this war ... so they decided to make use of them. (coughs) “Repurposing” several Starfleet vessels … you’ll find them listed as decommissioned or MIA in your files ... the athas established colonies in dozens of uncharted systems outside known space. (coughs) If they ever found the war going south for them … they’d have an entire enclave of troops held back in reserve.
CMDR. VANESS: The route to these dark worlds can only be accessed from the Townowi system.
KATHE NAAD: Townowi leads to Geonosis … Geonosis to the Dark Worlds, as you’ve so aptly christened them. (coughs) Once Geonosis has been taken ... contact with the Dark Worlds will be re-established. Their forces will rendezvous with ours ... and Geonosis will serve as the beachhead for a renewed assault against the Empire. The war will be prolonged for several more years, (coughs) long enough perhaps for the Autonomy to secure victory. (coughs)
ANAKIN: With the interdiction field up, there’s no way to stop them. We can’t possibly take out every grav generator in the web.
KATHE KATHE: A battlemoon orbits Townowi…. It’s been repurposed to serve as a … hyperspatial distribution board…. All the grav generators have been slaved to it, allowing the zone to be maintained from a sole location…. Seize the battlemoon and you can collapse the web.
Kathe gives them the access codes they’ll need to attain passage through the interdiction zone.
BAIL: I don’t believe any of this. You wouldn’t betray the clonemasters; you’re hardwired against it.
KATHE NAAD: (laughs weakly) Look at me, Captain. (holds up yellow hand) My “hardwiring” isn't what it (coughs) used to be.
CMDR. CODY: You’re still meat-droid filth.
KATHE NAAD: Meat-droid filth … with all the memories of the original Kathe. (coughs) The athas had to create me like that, y'know; the deception couldn’t have worked otherwise. (coughs) She had a good life … before she was harvested…. Loving parents … two great brothers and an awesome cousin…. She knew how to make everyone her friend … how to laugh at herself…. (coughs) You would have liked Kathe and she would have liked you ... as I did.
The clone doubles over, grimacing as she clutches her gut with her single hand. The others back away.
KATHE NAAD: Please understand … I didn’t want to do what I did…. I didn’t want to kill Andue or Zosime or strand us here…. I had no choice; I had to obey my masters.
Black blood begins seeping from Kathe’s eyes, nose, and mouth.
KATHE NAAD: (cont’d; angry) Now I only wish they were here … so I could rip their soulless hearts from their chests and eat them.
With those final angry words, Kathe undergoes her final transformation. Gray eyes turn a feral yellow; muscles quadruple in size; thick black claws erupt from hand and feet; hair falls out to be replaced with black spines; and the head distorts — the mouth widening to accommodate sharp, new teeth — leaving her transmogrified into a bestial rakghoul. Unholstering his blaster, Cody shoots the rakghoul between the eyes, putting an end to her tortured existence.
Vaness looks upon the slain inhuman creature that once was the clone of Kathe Naad, horrified beyond words.
EXT. DESERT — GROVE OF DEAD TREES — EVENING
Using the dead wood surrounding them, the last five remaining members of the team have built a large pyre for the creature that was Kathe Naad. The fire kindled, orange flames climb the dry wood to lick the mangled, mutated cadaver.
As Vaness stands before the pyre, transfixed as the fire and smoke rise to claim the body lain upon it, Bail, Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Cody stand off in the distance.
OBI-WAN: The creatures which attacked us … I finally recognize them. Rakghouls.
ANAKIN: Rakghouls…?
OBI-WAN: Products of Sith alchemy. Utterly mindless, their only motivation was their great, ever-present hunger. The Sith Lords made limited use of them during the Great Hyperspace War, before their use became a liability. (beat) The six we encountered must have been secreted away inside the temple, in stasis these past five-thousand years until we desecrated the tomb.
CMDR. CODY: These rakghouls — they could do … this?
OBI-WAN: Therein lies the efficacy of the rakghoul. Anyone who survived their attacks with just a bite or scratch became a rakghoul themselves.
BAIL: That isn’t going to happen to Raia.
OBI-WAN: Bail, I’m sorry ...
BAIL: (shakes head) No. If she was infected, she would have turned already. Naad —
OBI-WAN: (interrupts) Naad transformed faster because her exposure to the rakghoul contagion was greater. (beat) It will take Raia longer to succumb to the plague, but she will succumb. It’s only a matter of when.
BAIL: (shakes head) No … no ...
OBI-WAN: All we can do is inform her, allow her to prepare herself for —
BAIL: (angry) No!
Storming away, he leaves the three men. Joining Vaness by the pyre, he rests a hand on her shoulder, desperately hoping for the gesture to bring some measure of comfort to them both.
INT. GEONOSIS — ESCAPE TUNNEL/EXIT — TWILIGHT
After days of travelling on foot, the escapees have come to the tunnel's end. A narrow doorway rises before them, leading out into a cave.
EXT. PLATEAU WALL — CAVE — TWILIGHT
Chlorian emerges from the cave, which is situated high in the wall of the plateau. From the mouth of the cave, a winding pathway leads down to the flat, open desert which spans the horizon. He begins down the path, the hundreds of escapees following him in single-file.
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Post by Duragizer on Apr 7, 2018 17:54:00 GMT -5
EXT. XUTHLTAN — DESERT — GROVE OF DEAD TREES — DAWN
Another day has come to Xuthltan. Rising with the hidden sun(s), Bail, Cody, Obi-Wan, and Anakin get ready to resume their trek. Vaness, for her part, remains asleep upon the ground.
BAIL: (approaches Vaness) Raia?
Crouching down, Bail gives her a shake. Waking with a groan, she turns over. She looks absolutely peaked.
BAIL: (frowns) Raia, you feeling okay?
CMDR. VANESS: (nods) More tired than usual. I didn’t have that great a sleep; bad dreams.
BAIL: But you’re well to travel?
CMDR. VANESS: (sits up) Of course.
Smiling, the captain gives the commander a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
CUT TO
All four men and last remaining woman as they leave the grove of dead trees and the smouldering pyre.
EXT. DESERT — MONTAGE
Vaness grows wearier as the hours pass. As she steadily weakens, the others gradually have to take up her portion of the supplies to ease her progress.
EXT. DESERT — ZIGGURAT — DAY
The travellers come to a stop. A kilometre away, the ziggurat looms over the landscape like a slumbering titan from a lost dark age. Vaness — her usually tan features pale, eyes dark and heavy, forehead slick with sweat — collapses. Rushing to her aid, Bail crouches down and takes her in his arms. Afraid of what he’ll find, he puts a hand on her forehead.
BAIL: (voice small) She has a fever.
The others say nothing. There is nothing they can say.
BAIL: (runs hand through hair) Jango, how much charge is left in your blaster?
CMDR. CODY: (checks blaster) Twelve shots worth.
BAIL: Hand it over.
CMDR. CODY: (hands blaster to Bail) Sir?
BAIL: Commander, you and Anakin are going to stay here with Raia; make sure she’s comfortable. Kenobi, you and I are going on to the temple.
OBI-WAN: Bail —
BAIL: There may be more rakghouls lurking about, correct? We’ll have to clear any out if we’re to make base camp at the temple, right?
OBI-WAN: (resigned) Right.
BAIL: Good to hear you agree with me. Let’s go.
EXT. ZIGGURAT — DAY
Arriving at the ziggurat, the captain and Jedi climb the ramp, headed straight for the tomb. Bail — face grim, hands clenched tightly around the shaft of a spear — takes point.
INT. ZIGGURAT/ENTRANCE GALLERY — DAY
Bail and Obi-Wan appear in the entrance. As the captain goes on ahead, the Jedi activates his lightsaber.
INT. ZIGGURAT/TOMB
Bail and Obi-Wan enter the tomb. Much is as it was before — except for the six rakghouls presently occupying the chamber. Arranged in a circle around the sarcophagus, the monsters kneel like supplicants before it. Unholstering his borrowed blaster, Bail empties three shots into a rakghoul, killing it.
BAIL: (enraged) Salutations from the Galactic Empire!
Alerted to the Human presence, the rakghouls rise and turn, growls low in their yellow throats. Bail gives them no opportunity to do more than that. Charging, he impales one of the beasts, shoots it right through the head, then pulls the spear out just in time to spin around and open up another rakghoul coming for him. Bringing his blade to bear, Obi-Wan covers his commanding officer.
CUT TO
Sometime later.
The rakghouls are all dead and the two Imperials have investigated the rakghoul stasis chambers, finding them empty. Hefting up his black blood-stained spear, Bail approaches the white jade sarcophagus. Ramming the point of the spear under the lid, he begins prying it loose.
BAIL: Help me.
Joining Bail, the knight adds his weight to the spear. The lid is stubborn, but it soon gives way. In moments it pops off, sliding away and hitting the floor with a great big CRASH as it breaks in two. There, nestled within the confines of the ancient sarcophagus, arms crossed over chest, are the mummified remains of a Sith priestess. The mummy is dressed in faded vermilion and aureolin robes, its stringy black hair beaded with precious gems.
BAIL: Torch.
Going to one of the many sconces lining the walls, Obi-Wan pulls an unlit torch free and brings it to the captain. Taking the torch, he lights it with one shot from his blaster.
BAIL: (raises torch over bones) Ashes to ashes.
Bail tosses the torch inside the sarcophagus. The rotted clothes and desiccated flesh immediately catch, engulfing the mummy in flame — unnatural green flame. As the ancient corpse is consumed, a gust of wind blows through the tomb, carrying with it a SOUND not unlike a tortured wail.
BAIL: We’re done here.
Turning away from the violated sarcophagus and its burnt contents, the two men depart.
EXT. ZIGGURAT — TWILIGHT
Cody and Anakin have brought Vaness to the ziggurat, and the team now sits camped outside the monument, off to the right from the tomb entrance. Vaness, in the advanced stages of her transformation, is now so weak that she needs Anakin’s assistance to take a drink of water. Lips blue, skin tinged yellow, she can only take two swallows before she begins coughing. The other three men stand away from the Jedi apprentice and the poor woman.
OBI-WAN: Here they are, Bail, the final symptoms of the plague: yellow skin, blackened lips, paralysis. In three hours, maybe less, she will complete her transformation; Raia Vaness will be consumed by the plague, everything she was lost to the voracious hunger of the rakghoul. Is that what you want?
BAIL: Damn you, of course I don’t!
Reaching into Bail’s holster, the Jedi pulls out the blaster.
OBI-WAN: Then put an end to her suffering. Let her die with the dignity she has remaining.
Bail, torn between the love for his best friend and confidante and the knowledge that he can’t let her leave this life a profane monstrosity, doesn’t know what to do.
CMDR. CODY: Bail, if you can’t do it ...
BAIL: (angry) No! (beat) I’ll do it. Give me the damn blaster.
Obi-Wan hands the blaster to Bail. Accepting the gun, the captain approaches Vaness and Anakin.
BAIL: I’ll take over, son.
Anakin gets up, keeping his hands on Vaness to keep her from toppling over. Bail moves in, taking the young man’s place. Vaness’ condition has worsened in the brief moments which have passed since we saw her last. Her lips have turned completely black, her skin a solid ghastly yellow.
BAIL: Raia?
Vaness’ eyes crack open. They remain the same rich brown they've always been.
CMDR. VANESS: (weak) Bail?
BAIL: (smiles faintly) I’m told you’re not feeling well.
CMDR. VANESS: (laughs) Not feeling well’s putting it quite mildly.
BAIL: (drops smile) Raia, what happened to Naad is happening to you. There’s nothing any of us can do to stop it.
CMDR. VANESS: (rolls eyes) I wasn’t born yesterday, Bail.
BAIL: (tearing up) You know what I have to do.
CMDR. VANESS: (nods) I’ve known before you did.
No longer able to hold back, Bail begins weeping.
CMDR. VANESS: Bail, it’s better this way. Better this than to become one of those things.
BAIL: (wipes tears from eyes) I know. (beat) I don’t want to lose you.
Mustering the last of her strength, Raia reaches up to touch Bail’s face.
CMDR. VANESS: (sighs) Remember me.
Cmdr. Raia Vaness loses consciousness.
Shuddering, Bail gently lowers Vaness into a reclining position. Rising to his feet, he takes a step back and brings the blaster into firing position.
DARK FORCE’S P.O.V.
At first there is only darkness, then a pinpoint of light appears in the midst of that darkness. That pinpoint grows, swiftly overtaking the darkness until nothing remains but a white brilliance. The brilliance then subsides, affording us a view of the dim skylight situated in the ceiling of the Sith tomb. Moving, the Dark Force reorients itself. Turning in a circle, it takes in the view of all the open doors; ignoring those of the stasis chambers, it focuses on the doorway to the entrance gallery. The Dark Force leaves the sarcophagus for the gallery.
Speeding through the gallery, passing the silent statues and walls of glowing runes in a blur of motion, the Dark Force emerges out into the open air of Xuthltan’s approaching night. Turning on its left, the Dark Force spies the five Imperials. Advancing, it closes in on the most vulnerable of their number.
EXT. ZIGGURAT — TWILIGHT
Closing his eyes, Bail prepares to trigger the weapon which will end Vaness’ life and send her on to the Force.
Vaness’ eyes fling open wide, irises now a feral yellow. Focusing on the man with the gun before her, she lunges at him with a GROWL. Grabbing his wrist, she pulls him to her then takes hold of his shoulder and twists him around, wrenching his arm from its socket.
BAIL: AAAAHHHH!!!!!!
With a push, the woman that was Raia Vaness sends Bail flying. Landing on his dislocated arm, he issues a second cry of agony. Possessed Vaness lifts herself up with the Force, using it to levitate centimetres above the ground. Raising her hands, she releases a subhuman HOWL. As Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Cmdr. Cody back away from the floating woman in terror, she focuses on them, eyes blazing, bared white teeth contrasting sharply with her pitch black lips.
POSSESSED VANESS: (dual-toned) Defilers! The death-screams of my children called out to me through the darkness, roused me from my ancient slumber! Now you murderers — you profaners — now you all shall die!
Taking up a spear, Cody is the first to make a move against the possessed woman. As the Journeyman Protector lunges at her, she simply dodges, moving left then right faster than he can strike. Grabbing the point of the spear, Possessed Vaness holds it and him in place. Igniting his lightsaber, Obi-Wan dashes forward, leaping up over Cody and Possessed Vaness, landing behind her. As the Jedi takes a swing, she catches the blue blade, the Force protecting her hand from the superheated plasma. Chanting an incantation, she begins resonating with a dark green aura. The lightsaber blade overloads with power then explodes, hurtling the Jedi away with plasma burns all over his face and hands. Returning her attention to the commander, Possessed Vaness pulls the spear to her, bringing Cody close. Tossing the weapon aside, she takes the Concordian’s face in her hands and begins clawing at it, gouging bloody furrows in his cheeks, nose, and forehead.
Realizing his lightsaber could be hazardous to use against the possessed woman, Anakin takes up the fallen spear and charges, aiming for her back. At the last second she spins around, using Cody’s body as a shield. Before he can stop himself, Anakin ends up running Cody through. Eyes wide with surprise, the commander utters only a short CHIRP in response to the length of cold metal running through his abdomen. Grinning, Possessed Vaness tosses Cody aside, sending him hurtling over the edge of the ziggurat to the ground below. Desperate, Anakin reaches to his lightsaber, but she telekinetically pulls it from his belt to her hand instead. Raising her other hand, she releases a blast of green energy, tossing Anakin off his feet. As Anakin lies there, fighting to think of what to do next, Possessed Vaness chants another incantation. In response to that arcane recitation, several vines erupt from the stone under and around the apprentice, entwining and thickening around his body to hold him in place. Struggling, he tries wriggling loose of those conjured vines, but they refuse to slacken.
That horrid grin still plastered across her yellow face, Possessed Vaness glides over to Anakin, raising her free hand towards him. The black nails on that hand elongate and sharpen, forming glistening ebon claws. Closing in on the trapped Jedi apprentice, she drives her black nails beneath the pliant flesh of his forehead.
ANAKIN: AAAAHHHH!!!!!!
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Post by Duragizer on Apr 8, 2018 19:59:17 GMT -5
EXT. NYKRES EIKHAN’S MINDSCAPE
Anakin stands in an unsettling mindscape. It is much like the desolate landscape of Xuthltan, only rockier, colder. The sky overhead is dark with thick, impenetrable violet clouds. Thick fog swirls about his feet. Before the Jedi stands NYKRES EIKHAN. Dressed in robes of vermilion and aureolin, the jet-black tresses of her waist-length hair beaded with precious gemstones, the woman is humanoid, with bright red skin, a pair of short facial tentacles dangling from her cheeks, and a slight simian cast to her facial features. She is an attractive woman, though not in a conventional sense.
ANAKIN: You … who are you?
NYKRES EIKHAN: When I lived I was Kissai of the Third Order, archpriestess in the Pearl Cloister of Ch’hodos. I served the Immortal Gods and their Sith Lords 'til the sundering of the Empire.
ANAKIN: Why have you brought me here?
NYKRES EIKHAN: You are young?
ANAKIN: Twenty years old.
NYKRES EIKHAN: Barely a man. How many seasons have you been Jedi?
ANAKIN: Six years.
NYKRES EIKHAN: (nods) There is much you are ignorant of, much concealed from you — a great many truths.
ANAKIN: I’m no history buff.
NYKRES EIKHAN: (chuckles) Wit. You I would have cherished for a protégé. (grows serious) Come, Anakin Skywalker, see through mine eyes what has been and will be.
Taking hold of the folds of her robes, Eikhan sweeps them over Anakin, casting everything into oblivion.
EXT. SPACE — TYTHON SYSTEM (MINDSCAPE)
Eleven planets orbit an orange-yellow sun.
ANAKIN: Where are we?
NYKRES EIKHAN: The Tython system, 12,000 years past.
ANAKIN: (furrows brow) Tython system….
NYKRES EIKHAN: Know you it?
ANAKIN: Only from myth. The original home of the Jedi.
INT. FIFTH PLANET — BENDU MONASTERY — DAY (MINDSCAPE)
Before Eikhan and Anakin, TWO DOZEN STUDENTS — Human and non-Human alike — sit crossed-legged upon the stone floor. The only garments all of them wear are loose-fitting gray pants worn with orange sashes; those females with mammaries wear bandeaus while none of them wear shoes. The attention of the students is focused on their teacher, a WOOKIEE MONK. Unlike his students, the monk wears an orange robe with a silver-trimmed black tabard. Anakin's eyes are drawn to the mural on the wall behind the monk. The mural consists of a taijitu symbol: two interlocking spirals, black and white, with dots of opposing colour superimposed on each spiral; black-and-white rays extend from the nexus of the interlocked spirals to the dots, bridging them.
ANAKIN: These aren't Jedi.
Under the monk's instruction, each student concentrates on using the Force to form their own individual pearlescent bubble. None succeed; each bubble either implodes or explodes. Shaking his head with disappointment, the monk brings out his hand and forms his own bubble; reaching optimal size, it remains intact, shimmering with iridescence.
NYKRES EIKHAN: Monks of the Order of Bendu.
INT. BENDU DOJO — DAY (MINDSCAPE)
Before Eikhan and Anakin, TWO DOZEN STUDENTS — Human and non-Human alike — train with quarterstaffs. Like the monk's students, they wear loose-fitting gray pants, though with blue sashes in place of orange. A MUSCULAR ZABRAK SENSEI, arms crossed over her chest, observes the students. Unlike her students, the sensei wears only a black fundoshi. One of the dojo walls bears a taijitu mural like the one in the monastery.
NYKRES EIKHAN: Warriors of the Bendu.
Some of the students prove either too reckless or too timid with their quarterstaffs. Shaking her head with disappointment, the sensei takes up her own quarterstaff and chooses two students from each camp to face her one-on-one. As the other students watch, their sensei lays both the timid and reckless student flat with ease. To her pupils, the sensei gives this adage: "Without a fire kindled, you will freeze; without a fire controlled, you will burn."
INT. BENDU TEMPLE — DAY (MINDSCAPE)
Before Eikhan and Anakin, the Bendu monks and warriors kneel on the floor, praying together before a shrine. Suspended within the shrine is a large medallion bearing the taijitu.
NYKRES EIKHAN: The monks and warriors were unified by their shared belief and observance of the almighty Force. (beat) They recognized the Force's dual nature. In this regard, they were as the Sith and Jedi. Yet their understanding of the duality was their own. In light, they saw darkness, and in darkness, light; in order, chaos, and order in the chaos. Good and evil, defined and defining each other. (beat) When balance between dark and light was not maintained, the universe travailed. So through balance the Bendu defined themselves. Only through the harmony of balance could they maintain a peaceful Galaxy.
ANCIENT REPUBLIC — MONTAGE (MINDSCAPE)
The Bendu monks and warriors are ubiquitous throughout the Ancient Republic. Wherever there are weak to defend, sick to heal, ruins to rebuild, or ignorant to teach, they are present.
NYKRES EIKHAN: From the Unification Wars to the Fifth Alsakan Conflict, the Bendu upheld the peace in the Ancient Republic. A thousand generations.
PIUS DEA CRUSADES — MONTAGE (MINDSCAPE)
On Coruscant, on a wide open plaza, a large group of people have assembled to observe a demonstration held by PIUS DEA ADHERENTS. Consisting solely of baseline Human personages with clean-shaven scalps, the adherents deliver a speech to the crowd with much passion, flourish, and rhetoric. They declare that their Goddess has given them a divine mandate to purge the non-Human elements from their society and bring jihad to the impure Hutt Empire. Some in the audience are disturbed by what they hear, but many more are held in awe and admiration of the adherents' words.
In the Senate Hall on Coruscant, a man is sworn in as the new head of state. This is ALDON CONTISPEX, a Pius Dea adherent.
With Contispex in power, the Pius Dea gains control of the Republic government and military. Building a fleet of immense cathedral ships, the sect unleashes a series of crusades against the Hutt Empire and other rival civilizations. Within Republic borders, non-Human and near-Human citizens are subjected to inquisitions, pogroms, and worse.
Finding the actions of the Pius Dea-controlled Republic immoral, the Bendu sever their ties with the Republic. While some Bendu stay and fight, the majority extract themselves from Republic territory and retreat to the Tython system. Their neutrality does not save them. Blockading the Tython system, an armada of Republic cathedral ships attack and lay waste to the inhabited worlds, annihilating their denizens. The surviving Bendu, refined by the fire which claimed their brothers, cast aside their trademark quarterstaffs and take up Force-imbued swords.
After a thousand years of nigh-continuous warfare, the Pius Dea era finally draws to a close. The Crusades aren't ended by heroism or brute strength or a momentous victory, but by exhaustion. Innumerable worlds have been depopulated or brought back to the Stone Age, the Known Galaxy's technological infrastructure crippled; there is little left to fight for, even less to fight with.
NYKRES EIKHAN: (V.O.) With war's end, the long night began. The Ancient Republic, the Hutt Empire — all ceased to be.
JEDHA — MONTAGE (MINDSCAPE)
Fleeing the sundered Republic, WAVES OF MIGRANTS come to the desert moon. Regardless of who they were or what they believed or who they once fought for, they have come here from depleted worlds to start their lives anew. Among these settlers is a significant number of Bendu.
NYKRES EIKHAN: (V.O.) For millennia, the Bendu had sought answer to a solitary question: "Why?" Why if they'd maintained harmonious balance did the Goddess of the Pius Dea find purchase in their charges' hearts? Why had their brethren on Tython lacked clairvoyance enough to avoid holocaust? Why had their centuries-borne labours yielded ashes as reward? For millennia this question was asked, for millennia unanswered. The Bendu abandoned hope of ever receiving an answer. Then an answer was received: "Passivity." Through serene contemplation of the universe, the old Bendu believed it would be persuaded to offer up mysteries. Delusion. The universe responses not to passive inquiry, but authoritative command. Through harmony, the old Bendu believed chaos and order could be preserved in balance. Harmony is a lie; the universe's natural state is towards chaos. For order to persist, it must be actively imposed. This the old Bendu failed to learn, but the new Bendu would take to heart.
Together, the Bendu reach out with the Force, broadcasting a signal to the refugees scattered across the moon. Touching their minds, the Bendu compel the settlers to come to them. Packing their belongings, leaving/dismantling their disparate camps, the settlers make the journey by ship, speeder, or on foot to the site the Bendu have chosen for them — a great mesa. Once all have gathered together, the Bendu set about organizing them into a cohesive society. Construction soon begins on a majestic city.
Disharmonious elements inevitably arise among Jedha City's populace, but the Bendu find a use for them. Arresting the thieves, murderers, rapists, and dissenters, the Bendu have them brought to their citadels. Taken down into subterranean cellars, the lawbreakers are subjected to the Bendu's experiments — experiments to alter living matter through the dark side of the Force. These initial experimentations inevitably result in deleterious mutations, but the Bendu refine their techniques. With time, they put their newfound abilities to the task of reshaping Jedha's biome in accordance with their will.
NYKRES EIKHAN: (V.O.; cont'd) Yet let there be no mistake — there remained Bendu possessed of the impotent Force.
Unnerved by what they've found in pursuit of absolute control, a substantial number of Bendu withdraw from the dark Force. Firmly adamant in returning to the path of their forebears, they try convincing the other Bendu to abandon the dark arts they've embraced and join them in sanctification in the light. Rebuffing their recalcitrant peers, the Bendu majority continue their dark side practices. Both sides firmly convinced they are right, the arguments turn into conflict.
NYKRES EIKHAN: (V.O.; cont'd) Once they were brothers in the Force, but the great schism between the dark side and the light turned Bendu against Bendu.
HUNDRED-YEAR DARKNESS — MONTAGE (MINDSCAPE)
Initially a localized conflict confined to the Bendu district of Jedha City, it spills out into the greater city once the light-aligned Bendu begin recruiting non-Bendu citizens to their cause. To combat the rising threat of the light Bendu, the dark-aligned Bendu use their alchemical talents to raise an army of Force-augmented warriors and abominations.
For the next hundred years, the two camps of Bendu fight for predominance. Truces are declared, followed by periods of uneasy peace, but they inevitably end. Jedha City itself changes hands many times as the numbers/strength of each camp waxes and wanes.
A final battle is then fought. A century of bloodshed ends decisively — with the dark Bendu's surrender.
JEDHA SYSTEM — MONTAGE (MINDSCAPE)
NYKRES EIKHAN: (V.O.) They were defeated, driven out, cast out.
In the several months which follow, a sleeper ship is constructed in orbit over Jedha. The knowledge of hyperdrive construction lost a century ago, this ship will be incapable of hyperspatial flight. Its voyage will be made in realspace, at near-light velocity.
Ferried up to the waiting sleeper ship, the dark Bendu are escorted aboard, where they are sealed in stasis caskets for the long voyage ahead. The navicomputer programmed to follow a route to the nearest star, the ship is then launched from its moorings. Sublights engaging, the sleeper ship leaves the Jedha system for the distant stars.
EXT. SPACE — SITH HOMEWORLD (MINDSCAPE)
NYKRES EIKHAN: (V.O.; cont'd) But they turned their exile to victory, on the far side of the Galaxy.
With the passage of four-thousand years — after the rebirth of the Galactic Republic and the rise of the Jedi Knights — the long-forgotten sleeper ship with its crew of sleeping Exiles finally arrives in a system containing a habitable planet.
INT. SLEEPER SHIP (MINDSCAPE)
After launching probes and ascertaining the planet's habitability, the ship's AI disengages the stasis caskets. Awakening, the Exiles climb out of the caskets and make their way to viewports and computer terminals, which afford them their first look at their new home.
EXT. SITH HOMEWORLD — VILLAGE — DAY (MINDSCAPE)
NYKRES EIKHAN: (V.O.; cont'd) Here, on this unblemished world, the vanquished Bendu found a primitive civilization, a new people who worshipped them as gods: the Sith.
On the surface of this planet, we find a village. Inhabiting this village are TRUE SITH. Humanoids with simian features, the Sith also sport prominent eyebrow ridges, a pair of facial tentacles, and skin in various shades of red. These particular Sith happen to be primitive hunter-gatherers.
With a sonic BOOM, the Sith primitives' attention is drawn towards the sky. There, in the taupe sky, dropships from the Exile sleeper ship streak across.
EXT. CLEARING — DAY (MINDSCAPE)
Disembarking from the dropships, the Exiles look around, getting their bearings.
In due time, a PARTY OF SITH come to greet the newcomers. At first apprehensive, the Exiles soon realize the red-skinned aliens pose no threat to them and allow them into their presence. Approaching the Exiles, the Sith come bearing gifts.
SITH HOMEWORLD — MONTAGE (MINDSCAPE)
In their dropships, the Exiles explore the planet. They come into contact with other Sith nations and tribes, all in various states of technological development. Not all of these are as friendly as the Sith the Exiles first met, but utilizing their awesome powers, the Exiles put them in their place.
EXT. SEPULCHRE OF THE GREAT OLD DEAD ONES — SUNSET (MINDSCAPE)
Following Sith legends, the Exiles learn of mysterious sites scattered across the globe. They visit one of these sites, locally known as the Sepulchre of the Great Old Dead Ones. A conglomeration of massive, half-buried edifaces, they are ancient, hundreds of thousands of years old. No Sith will venture onto these grounds, believing them to contain the dormant spirits of evil gods which once dominated the world. But the Exiles are not afraid; they sense power here.
INT. G.O.D.O CITADEL — SUNSET (MINDSCAPE)
Penetrating one of the Sepulchre's buildings, the Bendu find a treasure trove of technology within — technology predating the Ancient Republic, but far advanced of anything the best scientific minds of the Republic ever devised.
NYKRES EIKHAN: (V.O.) With unlimited resources and willing slaves, the Bendu Exiles forged the Sith civilization into a new empire.
SITH EMPIRE — MONTAGE (MINDSCAPE)
NYKRES EIKHAN: (V.O.) The Sith became many.
Using their dark side alchemy, the Exiles modify the Sith into three distinct subspecies: Kissai — gracile, red-skinned priests; Massassi — muscular, green-skinned warriors; Zuguruk — stocky, charcoal-skinned engineers/workers.
NYKRES EIKHAN: (V.O.; cont'd) The Exiles became one ...
Turning their alchemy upon themselves, the Human and non-Human Exiles enable themselves to interbreed with one another. In time they give rise to a new, monolithic, quasi-Human species with pale gray skin and blue-gray hair.
NYKRES EIKHAN: (V.O.; cont'd) Lettow — the Sith Lords.
Building a fleet of advanced starships, the Lettow use them in establishing offworld colonies. These colonies grow to number in the dozens, then the hundreds. The Sith Empire is born.
Eventually, the Lettow relocate their base of operations to Ziost — a frozen world of perpetual night. In the council chambers of their Great Citadel, ELEVEN LETTOW convene. One stands at the centre of the room, surrounded by the others, who kneel in a ring around him, hands planted on the hilts of their swords in obeisance.
NYKRES EIKHAN: (V.O.) The Sith Empire would be governed by a council of Lettow which, in turn, would be governed by a single appointed Dark Lord or Dark Lady of the Sith.
The Sith Empire continues growing. A minimum of three-thousand worlds come to bear its standard.
NYKRES EIKHAN: (V.O.) The Sith Empire grew great, and rich, and powerful. This was our golden age. (beat) But our golden age drew to a close. Apathy took root. With it, stagnation.
EXT. KORRIBAN — VALLEY OF THE SLEEPING KINGS — DAY (MINDSCAPE)
Eikhan and Anakin stand now on the surface of a desolate world, within a sheltered valley, the walls of which have had innumerable temples built into them. Effigies and statues adorn the temples, carved in the likenesses of Sith gods and heroes and guardian beasts.
ANAKIN: Where are we now?
NYKRES EIKHAN: Korriban, mausoleum world, final resting place for the great Dark Lords and their vassals.
Leaving the pair, we come to focus on a funeral procession. A SOLEMN LETTOW leads the procession. Behind him, six Kissai pallbearers carry aloft the body of a recently deceased Dark Lord. Behind them are several other Kissai, mourners, Massassi warriors, and labourers.
ANAKIN: Who died?
NYKRES EIKHAN: The Dark Lord Marka Ragnos.
The processioners end their march before the steps of a grand temple. Lowering the body of Ragnos to the ground, the Kissai step back to allow the Lettow — LUDO KRESSH — up to it. Bringing forth a horned helmet he has been holding in his hands, he slips it down over the swaddled head of the dead Dark Lord.
LUDO KRESSH: Marka Ragnos, great Dark Lord, wear this victory helmet during your battles in the afterlife.
The blessing given, the Kissai take up the body and Kressh leads them up the steps to the Grand Temple’s entrance. As the Kissai slip inside the tomb, Kressh turns to face the onlooking mourners.
LUDO KRESSH: All hail the memory of Marka Ragnos! His legacy will live for centuries among the Sith people and their rulers!
As this is happening, a Sith yacht descends from the sky. Landing in the valley close to the Grand Temple, it disgorges ANOTHER LETTOW and his personal Massassi entourage.
ANAKIN: Who’s that?
NYKRES EIKHAN: Naga Sadow — sworn enemy of Ludo Kressh.
LUDO KRESSH: We wait for no man, Sith Lord or slave. (to Kissai) Let the flames blaze high!
Touching torches to the carved hands of the effigy framing the tomb entrance, the Kissai ignite a pair of braziers, sending great orange flames skyward. Arriving at the temple steps, Sadow and his Massassi ascend, on approach for Kressh and his entourage.
NAGA SADOW: I have come to take my place at the funeral of Marka Ragnos.
LUDO KRESSH: Go back, Naga Sadow! You do not belong here!
Silently ordering his Massassi to stay back, Sadow climbs the rest of the steps.
NAGA SADOW: I belong where I choose to belong, Ludo Kressh!
LUDO KRESSH: (angry) Your rebellious actions and experiments are a threat to us all! I command here!
The two Sith Lords now stand apart, facing each other eye-to-eye.
LUDO KRESSH: (cont’d) You would destroy the greatness Marka Ragnos maintained in the Sith Empire when he was Dark Lord! You shame his memory!
NAGA SADOW: Marka Ragnos was the Dark Lord and I obeyed him while he lived, as everyone must obey the new Dark Lord of the Sith. By rights, it should be me!
LUDO KRESSH: Your ways will ruin the Empire, Naga Sadow! Stepping in dangerous waters, unleashing powers you do not understand — powers the Sith Lords do not need to insure our continued dominance here!
NAGA SADOW: (angry) The Sith Empire is stagnant! For centuries we have done nothing but wallow in our riches and relive our ancient conquest of these worlds! That is no longer enough! (beat) Our ancestors were great Bendu, banished for their beliefs. I will not let that flame be extinguished by our complacency!
Reaching to his side, Sadow grasps the hilt of his sword.
NAGA SADOW: The fate of the Sith Empire must not rest in the hands of a backwards thinker such as you, Kressh.
As Sadow unsheathes his crystalline warblade, one of Kressh’s followers hands the other lord his own.
LUDO KRESSH: There can be only one Dark Lord of the Sith.
Taking his warblade, Sadow plants the tip in the stone beneath his feet. Summoning dark Force energy from the enchanted amulets worn upon his hands, he channels it through the sword’s blade, charging it with violet energy.
NAGA SADOW: I, Naga Sadow, call upon the power of the Sith … (wrenches out blade; hefts it before him) the power of my Bendu blood … the power of the dark side!
Charging his own warblade with dark blue energy, Kressh points it skyward.
LUDO KRESSH: I fight for the Sith Empire, Naga Sadow — you fight for yourself!
NAGA SADOW: I fight for the future ...
Striking simultaneously, the two Lettow cross blades, releasing a blast of violet-blue Force energy.
NAGA SADOW: (subtitled; cont’d) and the future is now!
As the duel rages, another ship — the Starbreaker 12, a ship not of Sith design — passes overhead, unleashing a great sonic BOOM which resonates through the valley, disrupting the battle and drawing the attention of the Sith. Passing over Sadow’s yacht, the Starbreaker 12 comes to hover a ways away from the Grand Temple and the Sith multitude. As the mourners approach the alien craft, lines drop down from the body of the ship, allowing them to anchor the ship in place.
The Starbreaker 12’s hatch opens, allowing two young Humans — brother and sister explorers GAV and JORI DARAGON — out to greet the Sith, big smiles on their innocent faces.
GAV DARAGON: Greetings from the Republic! We come in peace!
JORI DARAGON: We’re interested in setting up a fine trade relationship with your civilization.
With a wave of her hand, Nykres Eikhan dissolves this vision from the past.
NYKRES EIKHAN: Gav and Jori Daragon were taken into custody, escorted to Ziost and detained until the Sith Lords could glean their true purpose for coming to the Empire. (beat) Naga Sadow saw this as his opportunity to succeed Marka Ragnos as Dark Lord and expand the borders of the Sith Empire; he took it.
ZIOST — GREAT CITADEL — MONTAGE (MONTAGE)
With another wave of her hand, Eikhan calls up another vision — one of Naga Sadow and his followers leading a series of attacks against his fellow Sith to free the Daragons from captivity and plant evidence to make it look as if the Human siblings are the vanguard of a full-scale Republic invasion of the Sith Empire.
NYKRES EIKHAN: Using the Daragons as scapegoats, Sadow created the spectre of an outside enemy, an opposing force that would unify us and ignite the Sith Empire into a golden flame again.
KHAR DELBA — NAGA SADOW'S FORTRESS (MINDSCAPE)
Anakin watches as the Dark Lord leads Jori to the Starbreaker 12 sans Gav. Climbing aboard, she escapes Sadow's snow-laden fortress world, en-route for Republic Space, unaware of the biomechanical tracking device affixed to the outer hull.
NYKRES EIKHAN: Thus began the great war between our two empires….
GREAT HYPERSPACE WAR — MONTAGE (MINDSCAPE)
Anakin watches as ships of the original Sith Empire and old Republic go to war in space and over the surface of worlds; as Jedi Knights with blazing lightsabers lead troops into deadly groundside battles against Sith warriors wielding alchemically forged warblades and battle axes; as the innocents on both sides die in the anarchy unleashed by Sadow’s greed and ambition.
NYKRES EIKHAN: At first the Sith prevailed. Our ships, our shields, our weapons — all far advanced of yours.
As a Republic flotilla futilely attempts haltering the advance of her ship, a Lettow captain activates a Force-based weapon. Reaching deep into the sun of an inhabited system, the weapon wrenches out the fiery core. Rapidly collapsing in on itself, the star goes nova, annihilating everything in the system.
NYKRES EIKHAN: (cont'd) Yet in comparison to your Republic, our Empire was modest in size.
Anakin watches as the Republic Navy drives the remnants of the Sith fleet out of Republic Space, back to the Sith Worlds.
NYKRES EIKHAN: (turns) It should have ended here. You were the victors; the Sith Empire lay in ruin. It did not.
EXT. SITH HOMEWORLD — TWILIGHT (MINDSCAPE)
With a great clap of her hands, Eikhan returns them to the Sith homeworld. Standing out on an open plain, Anakin watches as Sith — not Lettow nor Massassi but defenseless commonfolk — flee in terror as cloaked figures bear down on them astride large caninoid steeds. These cloaked figures, ignited lightsabers in hand, are Jedi.
ANAKIN: (frowns) No ... what is this?
Corralling the Sith like rabbits, the mounted Jedi steer the dozens of Sith adults and children, trampling underfoot those not swift enough to keep pace with their faster companions. Once the Sith have been driven to a dead end — with no space in which to hide or evade — the Jedi bring their sabers down on them, hacking left and right, massacring them indiscriminately.
ANAKIN: (horrified) No!
Bolting forward, Anakin leaps up and tries tackling one of the Jedi murderers from his steed, but passes right through the warrior. Hitting the ground, he rolls then jumps back up, still determined to end the slaughter. As the angry buzzes of blazing lightsabers mix with the agonized screams of wounded and dying Sith, he continues trying to stop the violence, all to no avail. Finally it ends as it must; collapsing to his knees, butchered Sith strewn about him on the ground like broken toys, Anakin Skywalker WEEPS, sobbing into his palms.
Nykres Eikhan, face contorted with rage, strides up to Anakin. Grabbing him by the hair, she forces his head up, forcing him to look back upon the bloodshed.
NYKRES EIKHAN: You see? Do you finally see‽ This is what the Jedi did to my people! Every Sith — every Sith — hunted down, killed to the last man, the last child. (beat) What is it you Jedi claim to be? Guardians of peace? Of justice? Peace of the grave‽ Justice by the sword‽
ANAKIN: (outraged) No!
Pulling, the priestess forces Anakin back to his feet.
NYKRES EIKHAN: This is my past. Now witness your future!
THE DARK FUTURE — MONTAGE (MINDSCAPE)
The plain with its massacred Sith and fallen Jedi dissolves away, leaving Eikhan and Anakin standing within the throne room of the Imperial Palace on Coruscant. It is some indeterminate time in the future, and a coronation ceremony is currently underway. A man — Human, slim, with all other features hidden deep in shadow — sits upon the throne as the grand vizier delivers a speech.
NYKRES EIKHAN: In coming years, your Empire will succumb to corruption. Criminal syndicates will assume control of various and sundry worlds, and evermore senators will aid them in return for wealth and privilege. (beat) From that travail, your new emperor will rise.
Once the speech is delivered, the vizier takes the Imperial crown from a servant. Turning to the man on the throne, he lowers the crown onto his head, officially bestowing him title of Emperor of the Galactic Empire.
NYKRES EIKHAN: He will emerge as a dynamic and pragmatic figure. He will get the government to work again. He will fill the heads of the citizens with grand rhetoric of renaissance.
The vision changes. The grand vizier and onlookers disappear, leaving the emperor alone in his throne. The emperor, face still hidden, now wears a hooded robe of black zeyd cloth.
NYKRES EIKHAN: This face of generosity will be but a mask concealing the true visage he dares not let show. Once secure in power, this mask he will discard. (beat) He will unveil himself as a master of the dark side most powerful.
Anakin sees the robed emperor standing now, telekinetically holding aloft a lowly servant. Closing a hand into a fist, he causes the poor creature to spontaneously combust, immolating him alive from the inside out.
NYKRES EIKHAN: He will conquer the Jedi. They will serve him.
Anakin and Eikhan now stand within the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. The hooded emperor passes between two columns of Jedi Knights, a Jedi master in maroon robes on his left and a Jedi master in ultramarine robes on his right. He inspects the knights, all of whom stand ramrod straight, faces devoid of expression, their customary charcoal uniforms traded in for militaristic black synth-leather uniforms.
NYKRES EIKHAN: This army of Jedi at his beck, your new emperor will see those who withhold fealty to him hunted down….
We now see these dark Jedi in black synth-leather hunt down those Jedi who refuse to bow to the New Order. Following the fugitives to the farthest corners of the Empire and beyond, they cut them down with their blue, green, and yellow lightsabers.
NYKRES EIKHAN: (cont’d) This will be but the beginning. The true horror — that is to follow….
Anakin now sees a flurry of new, evermore disturbing images. Imperial officers murder spouses, parents, even children in pursuit of their objective; legions of soldiers in white plasteel armour swarm across the surface of disloyal worlds, mowing down all whom they find in the scopes of their blaster rifles; Star Destroyers bombard defenseless worlds with torrents of green turbolaserfire; a moon-sized battle station targets a beautiful blue globe and unleashes a powerful superlaser, shattering it and killing everyone alive on its surface in one horrendous instant.
EXT. NYKRES EIKHAN’S MINDSCAPE
The visions end. Anakin and the Kissai return to the original mindscape of overcast desolation.
ANAKIN: (shakes head) No! No, no, no, no!
NYKRES EIKHAN: Yes! And you have not the power to stop it! No Jedi will have power enough to prevent this future from coming to pass!
ANAKIN: There has to be a way to stop this man from becoming emperor!
NYKRES EIKHAN: There are none!
ANAKIN: (faces Eikhan) The Sith! What of the Sith‽
NYKRES EIKHAN: The Sith are gone, their fire extinguished! You extinguished it!
ANAKIN: No! (grabs Eikhan) The Sith Worlds — do they still exist? Where are they‽
NYKRES EIKHAN: They are waste and empty! Waste and empty as Korriban! As my prison!
ANAKIN: Korriban! The Sith Lords interred on Korriban! (beat) Their spirits — do their spirits reside there‽
NYKRES EIKHAN: They sleep in stone as did I, and their power is greater than mine own, but they will never aid you — Jedi.
ANAKIN: Tell me how to reach Korriban!
NYKRES EIKHAN: (bears teeth) If you can pry the words from my dead lips!
Eikhan seizes Anakin’s throat in a chokehold. Bending him backward, she digs her nails into his flesh, determined to wring the life from him. He struggles, trying to beat her off, but her ancient rage magnifies her strength. Eyes wild, teeth poised as if to tear his face off, Eikhan forces Anakin down, head toward the ground.
The Kissai fails to notice Pre Vizsla as he emerges from the fog behind her. Gliding up to Eikhan, the ghastly apparition seizes the priestess by the shoulders and wrenches her away from Anakin, sending her hurtling into the mist. Gliding over to her before she can regain composure, he takes her head in his hands and wrests her up until they are eye-to-eye. Applying force to Eikhan's head, squeezing it, he forces her eyes, nostrils, and mouth to resonate with a cold white light — a cold white light which begins flowing into Vizsla. Absorbing Eikhan's essence into himself, Vizsla's spectral form is renewed; his shed blood flows back into his body, the wounds he inherited with death close up. Concurrently, Eikhan's form atrophies, collapsing in on itself, growing ephemeral as the Mandalorian Knight consumes her.
Dying a second death, Eikhan is no longer able to maintain the mindscape she created. Quaking violently, the earth splits apart, opening great fissures which lead straight into a fathomless abyss. From those fissures comes a great vacuum, an irresistible suction which draws down everything: the fog, loose debris, and Anakin himself.
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Post by Duragizer on Apr 9, 2018 16:43:09 GMT -5
EXT. XUTHLTAN — ZIGGURAT — TWILIGHT
Returning to reality, we find Possessed Vaness and Anakin still there, the apprentice on his knees, trapped in the thick vines, with the yellow-skinned Human/rakghoul hybrid hovering over him, claw-like nails of her left hand buried under the skin of his brow. Their faces are both blank of expression, betraying no sign of the psychic cataclysm occurring within their shared unconscious. Bail remains prone upon the stone, wounded arm trapped beneath him. Gritting his teeth, he forces his free hand beneath his body; finding the blaster pinned under him, he wrenches it free. With the possessed woman's back turned to him, Bail levels the blaster at her and fires, emptying the last of the weapon’s energy into her. Striking with deadly precision, the plasma bolts sever the connection between she and Anakin. The woman collapses to a heap, uttering not a sound as she falls. The vines entangled around Anakin quickly wither and decay, allowing him to collapse alongside her.
Cradling his wounded arm, Bail scuttles over to the motionless form of his former first officer. Checking her throat for a pulse, he finds none. Leaving her, he goes to Anakin.
BAIL: Skywalker? (shakes Anakin) Skywalker? Anakin, can you hear me? Anakin‽
The young man, though still alive, is in a catatonic shock. His eyes, fixed open, stare blindly.
EXT. ZIGGURAT — DAY
The next day, Bail and Obi-Wan sit with Cmdr. Cody and Anakin. Though in serious condition, Cody is remarkably still alive; by rolling down the sloping exterior wall of the ziggurat instead of plummeting straight to the ground below, his fall was broken, sparing him immediate death. Anakin remains catatonic, unaware of anyone or thing around him.
As Obi-Wan looks down at his burnt, bandaged hands in his lap, a mechanical HUM begins resonating through the air. Looking skyward, he and Bail spot a homely, ungainly freighter descending towards them.
CUT TO
The Jedi and captain walking down the ziggurat ramp as the freighter lands.
As the two Humans approach the ugly ship, the entry hatch opens, allowing a Bothan and Dressellian to disembark.
INT. UNGAINLY FREIGHTER/MAIN CORRIDOR — DAY
As his crew helps bring the unconscious/catatonic forms of Cody and Anakin aboard, the BOTHAN CAPTAIN faces Bail, who has just climbed aboard, the shrouded form of Vaness’ body held in his arms.
BOTHAN CAPTAIN: What happened here?
BAIL: (solemn) A long story, Captain. Perhaps I’ll regale you with it when I’m in my right mind.
As Bail files inside, he’s followed by Obi-Wan. Turning to the burned Jedi, the Bothan captain quickly exchanges wordless glances with the Human before closing the hatch.
EXT. DRIED-UP RIVER BED — DAY
As the freighter flies through the air on its way back to space, it passes over the wreck of the Wayward Son.
INT. UNGAINLY FREIGHTER/COCKPIT — DAY
The Bothan captain and Dressellian copilot sit behind the controls of their ship, Obi-Wan and Bail seated behind them.
BOTHAN CAPTAIN: (notices Wayward Son) That’s the ship you came down here on?
OBI-WAN: Yes.
BOTHAN CAPTAIN: A YT-1300. That’s a great ship; my cousin has one of those. Sad it see it in such sorry condition. (faces Humans) Will you be comin’ back for it?
BAIL: It’s scrap.
BOTHAN CAPTAIN: (shrugs) Looks like a fixer-upper to me.
BAIL: You’re welcome to it.
BOTHAN CAPTAIN: Thanks. I think we’ll come back this way ‘round after our current run, give it a once-over and see if we can’t get it towed back to Rinel. (beat) Even if it’s a write-off, it’s bound to have salvageable parts.
EXT. GEONOSIS — DESERT — DAY
A hunting party led by Chlorian traipses across the flat plains of the cold Geonosian desert in search of prey, but they haven’t had luck finding any. Indeed, all evidence supports the unwelcome realization that an earlier wave of Condawni refugees swept through this region long before they left Capitol Centre; the long-dried carcasses of butchered animals strewn about the landscape like organic litter bear this out.
In time, the hunting party comes across a small pack of dog-like massiffs. The reptilian creatures are emaciated, indirect victims of the mass hunting which has depleted the region’s fauna. With their blasters, the hunters make short work of the massiffs.
CUT TO
Several hours later.
It is now dusk and Chlorian’s hunting party has rendezvoused with their camp’s other hunting parties. Aside from one party which scavenged bits of useful meat from a creature something else had killed, none of them succeeded in procuring any food.
EXT. CONDAWNI CAMP — EVENING
The hunting parties have returned to the ramshackle camp they've established in the open desert. Stripping the meat from the massiff carcasses, they toss it in a broth of boiled red lichen and cook it into a stew. Once the stew is cooked, it is fed to the youngest and weakest members of their camp. Due to the size of the camp, the stew is all gone before most of them get the chance to have any.
Later in the night, Chlorian has a talk with the other leaders. Due to the lack of food in the area, they decide they'll pack up tomorrow and move on.
INT. ORRON III — DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD/KITCHEN — EVENING
Nashira is in the kitchen, busy loading used dishes into the dishwasher when a mechanical WARBLE begins ululating from the comm booth.
NASHIRA: (sets down greasy plate) Anyone got that?
Getting no reply from either parent, Nashira leaves the kitchen to answer the incoming call herself.
INT. DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD/COMM BOOTH — EVENING
Entering the cubicle, Nashira turns the flatscreen on. The display immediately displays the logo of the Corporate Sector’s HoloNet provider.
COMM: There is one message. Obi-Wan Kenobi to Nashira DuQuesne.
NASHIRA: Open.
Obi’s headshot automatically appears on-screen. His face is haggard, his expression perturbed.
OBI-WAN: Nashira … I ... (runs hand through hair) Nashira, it’s about Anakin.
INT. DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD/LIVING AREA — EVENING
Nemec and Corin are seated in the room — he reading a datapad, she watching free-style zero-G swimming on the holovid display — when Nashira walks in stiffly, mouth agape. Noticing their daughter’s strange, zombie-like behaviour, they immediately face her.
NEMEC: (frowns) Is something wrong, ‘Shira?
NASHIRA: It’s Nik. (raises hand to mouth) He’s been in an accident.
Her strange, stoic shock breaks and an expression of absolute dread passes over her features. That is when she collapses to the floor, fainted dead away.
CORIN: (horrified) ’Shira!
EXT. MIRIAL — BRANNRID MEDICAL CENTRE — DAY
Under the turquoise sky of the Outer Rim planet Mirial stands the Brannrid Medical Centre. Cylindrical in shape, the main section of the centre is connected to an inward-curving back wall and a silo-shaped forward section.
INT. BRANNRID MEDICAL CENTRE/CORRIDOR — DAY
A Mirialan nurse approaches Obi-Wan.
NURSE #2: Mr. Kenobi? Dr. Reyem’s about to begin.
INT. BRANNRID MEDICAL CENTRE/BIOSCAN ROOM — DAY
Anakin, clad in a pale beige hospital gown, eyes still fixed open, lies motionless atop an examination table. Overhead, a bioscanner attached to a motorized arm comes to life; emitting gold light, the medical device scans the Jedi apprentice’s head.
INT. BRANNRID MEDICAL CENTRE/BIOSCAN CONTROL ROOM — DAY
On the other side of a transparisteel window which looks out into the bioscan chamber is Obi-Wan and DR. NADI REYEM, a pretty Mirialan doctor with curly brown hair worn in a loose bun. As the scan of Anakin’s brain finishes, Dr. Reyem looks the data over.
DR. REYEM: (frowns) This can’t be right.
OBI-WAN: What?
DR. REYEM: I have to take another scan.
Reinitializing the bioscanner, Reyem takes another encephalogram of Anakin’s brain. The resulting diagnosis is exactly the same.
DR. REYEM: (shakes head) No, this is definitely not right. The machine must need recalibration.
OBI-WAN: What does the data show?
DR. REYEM: (faces Obi-Wan) The encephalogram doesn’t show any of the underlying causes associated with catatonic stupor.
OBI-WAN: What does it show?
DR. REYEM: It shows your friend fully conscious, alert to external stimuli.
EXT. ANAKIN’S MINDSCAPE
In the recesses of Anakin's mind, a lone island of naked rock juts up from an otherwise empty, black sea, surrounded by a layer of thick, black fog. Clutching a shelf of rock, hanging onto dear life over the water, is Anakin. He takes a look down; slowly but surely, the island is sinking into that depthless liquid nothing.
PRE VIZSLA: (O.C.) Be careful hunting monsters, lest you become one.
Anakin looks up. There, standing on the cliff's edge, peering down at him, is Pre Vizsla, looking like he did directly prior to suffering the fatal injuries which led to his physical death.
PRE VIZSLA: (cont'd) For when you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back.
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Post by Duragizer on Apr 10, 2018 13:10:04 GMT -5
INT. MIRIAL — BRANNRID MEDICAL CENTRE/ANAKIN’S ROOM — DAY
Taking Anakin from a hoverchair, two orderlies lay the apprentice down in a narrow hospital bed. After they have tucked him in, they depart.
Now alone with Anakin, the knight looks upon his seemingly oblivious apprentice.
EXT. ANAKIN'S MINDSCAPE
PRE VIZSLA: I am no illusory figment, boy, no cheat of your senses. There's no undigested bit of beef or underdone fragment of potato to my nature. I am Pre Vizsla, and I am very much alive.
ANAKIN: You transferred your soul into my body after yours died.
PRE VIZSLA: Yes. I believed I could commandeer your flesh, but I undervalued your strength in the Force. (beat) Five years I spent trapped in the recesses of your mind, biding my time, waiting for an opportunity to present itself. And now, here we are.
ANAKIN: With me trapped between a rock and a dark place. (beat) So do it — send me to oblivion, take over. You have strength enough now.
PRE VIZSLA: (nods) That's one option.
ANAKIN: (laughs sardonically) Not enough‽
PRE VIZSLA: I don't want your body, Skywalker.
ANAKIN: Gentlemen prefer blondes?
PRE VIZSLA: I lived seventy-four years — time enough to weary of the strictures of the flesh. What desire have I to return to that?
ANAKIN: Then what have I to offer?
PRE VIZSLA: It's what I have to offer you.
ANAKIN: Offer me?
PRE VIZSLA: You sought the route to the ancient Lords' tombworld?
ANAKIN: The coordinates to Korriban? (wary) You're in possession of them?
PRE VIZSLA: The priestess was a cistern, and I drank deep.
ANAKIN: I helped bring your operation on Dania VII down. I destroyed Death Watch.
PRE VIZSLA: Aligned with the Sith, we can restore Death Watch. We can make her great again — as great, even, as the old United Clans — greater. Imagine it; your Dark Emperor cut down and his minions with him, felled by a new Mandalorian Empire — an imperium of warrior-poets which will come to encompass the entire Galaxy — all surrounding galaxies — and endure a 100,000 years. (sighs) A glorious vision, wouldn't you agree?
Crouching down, he reaches out, offering Anakin a gauntleted hand.
PRE VIZSLA: What say you, ex-Jedi to ex-Jedi? Shall I cast you to the Nothing, take your burdened hide for my own, and proceed alone? Or shall we be brothers?
Anakin takes a moment to consider Vizsla's offer, but only a moment. He accepts the Mandalorian Knight's proffered hand.
INT. MIRIAL — BRANNRID MEDICAL CENTRE/ANAKIN’S ROOM — DAY
Reaching out, Obi-Wan prepares to make contact with Anakin’s mind. That's when Anakin’s eyes come into focus, pupils dilating to pinpoints in their orbs. Lashing out, he seizes Obi-Wan's wrist. Rearing up in bed, he tightens his grip, a deep, ugly frown twisting his face.
ANAKIN: You….
With his other hand, the enraged Anakin seizes Obi-Wan’s throat in a chokehold. Startled, the Jedi staggers back, but Anakin remains latched on. Falling to the floor, the apprentice collapsing atop him, Obi-Wan desperately tries wriggling loose of the fingers holding him fast, but the apprentice, still livid, yields not.
ANAKIN: Liar!
As Obi-Wan’s face turns purple, the door bursts open. Dr. Reyem and the two orderlies dash inside, the latter rushing Anakin, pulling the maniacal apprentice from his master and pinning him to the floor. Taking out a hypo-syringe, Reyem moves forward, avoiding Anakin’s thrashing legs, and plunges the needle deep into his gut. It takes several seconds, but the sedative’s effects eventually kick in; losing strength, Anakin slips back into unconsciousness.
DR. REYEM: (to Obi-Wan) What did you do‽
Obi-Wan, still sprawled out on the floor, hand at his reddened throat, can only answer with a fearful look from his eyes.
INT. BRANNRID MEDICAL CENTRE/ANAKIN’S ROOM — SUNSET
Hours have passed. Anakin lies in his bed, tightly restrained. Awake, he looks out his window at Mirial’s setting sun. Obi-Wan and an orderly enter. The apprentice pays neither of them any heed.
OBI-WAN: (approaches Anakin’s bed) Nik?
Anakin doesn’t respond.
OBI-WAN: (uneasy) You gave me quite the throttling earlier. Not to worry; I’ll live.
Anakin doesn’t respond.
OBI-WAN: (gestures at orderly) I’d ask him to leave —
ANAKIN: (distant) Why didn’t you tell me?
OBI-WAN: (frowns) What about?
ANAKIN: (turns to Obi-Wan) The Kissai took me inside her past. She showed me visions. (beat) I saw Jedi Knights hunting Sith. Not just the men, but the women and children, too. They were like animals; they slaughtered them like animals.
OBI-WAN: (sighs) The Jedi Shadows, a faction dedicated to ridding the Galaxy of all things Sith, helped the old Republic hunt down and destroy the Sith people. (beat) They betrayed the Jedi Creed; they were no longer true Jedi.
ANAKIN: Were they punished?
OBI-WAN: Many Jedi objected to the Sith Purge….
ANAKIN: Were they punished?
OBI-WAN: (resigned) No.
ANAKIN: (turns from Obi-Wan) Everything you taught me was a lie.
OBI-WAN: Anakin, no!
ANAKIN: (angry) The Jedi respect life, in all its forms! But were the Sith not alive? Did they not feel and think as we do? (turns to Obi-Wan, tears running down cheeks) Give me no platitudes of creeds or true or false Jedi. Our order turned a blind eye as billions were put to the sword; that is beyond excuse. (agonized) And it’s all going to happen again, only the bloodshed will be on a grander scale, a thousand times worse.
OBI-WAN: What are you talking about?
ANAKIN: The sorceress showed me more than the past; she showed me the future. A darksider will become emperor, and the Jedi will serve him as he rapes the Galaxy.
OBI-WAN: No, Anakin! Don’t believe it! Whatever the witch showed you — whatever future you witnessed — it was a deception! The Jedi will never follow the dark side!
ANAKIN: (sneers) By your own admission, we already have.
INT. CORUSCANT — JEDI TEMPLE/ROOM OF A THOUSAND FOUNTAINS — DAY
Located at the base of the Jedi Temple’s northwestern side, the Room of a Thousand Fountains is, for all intents and purposes, a seven-storey-tall greenhouse. Within the chamber, dozens upon dozens of elevated platforms take up space throughout each of the seven storeys. Engineered into artificial garden islands, not a single millimetre of space is uncovered by earth or foliage or ponds. Several bridges connect the platforms, ensuring easy access to each of them. Utilizing a combination of special lighting and a holographically projected sky, the glass walls and ceiling of the chamber are obscured from direct view, creating an almost flawless illusion that this microcosm isn’t even located within the Jedi Temple — or anywhere else on Coruscant, for that matter.
Between two of the platforms, walking leisurely along one of the bridges, are Siri and Master Windu.
MACE WINDU: (cont’d) We've uncovered the identity of one your attackers. (beat) The DNA samples we took from the Wookiee’s remains matched those on file within Kashyyyk’s bio-database. Your hirsute attacker was Mahttoh, a Wookiee who broke the Kashyyyk blockade and escaped off-world ten years ago; he was aided by an unidentified Trandoshan.
SIRI: Is that all we have? Nothing else?
MACE WINDU: I'm sorry, no.
The Jedi master walks over to the side of the bridge. Resting his hands along the guardrail, he looks over the side to the misty depths below. Siri joins him.
SIRI: (smiles) Mistress Gallia used to take us out here every day for our meditations. I’d spend hours lost in the scents and sounds of the plants and waters. (sighs) Now I’m lucky if I get to visit the fountains once a month.
MACE WINDU: That can be remedied. (turns to Siri) Siri, how would you like to come back to the Temple?
SIRI: (cocks eyebrow) Master?
MACE WINDU: Adi and I have given what has transpired considerable thought; we believe your safety remains a concern. It is in your best interest that you stay with us, where we can watch over and protect you, until the Trandoshan has been apprehended.
SIRI: I appreciate the gesture, Master, but it’s unwarranted. The Trandoshan isn’t so foolish as to stage such a heedless assault with the authorities on his trail.
MACE WINDU: (raises finger) You underestimate his tenacity. He will not sleep until he’s revenged himself upon you for taking his arm and the life of his partner.
SIRI: I have crossed swords with many dangerous opponents over the years, ever since I was old enough to join my mistress on away missions. I'm not afraid of a one-armed reptile in cortosis armour.
MACE WINDU: Of that there’s no doubt, yet don’t forget Sakan Do’nair’s adage: “The slightest blade can slip between the plates of the heaviest armour.”
SIRI: (sighs) What of Obi-Wan?
MACE WINDU: Your husband is away. It will be months before his return. (rests hand on Siri’s shoulder) Leave future concerns for the future.
Siri takes a moment to digest Windu’s words.
SIRI: Can I have my old room back?
MACE WINDU: (half-smiles) Of that, we’ll have to see.
INT. MIRIAL — IMPERIAL EMBASSY/OBI-WAN’S QUARTERS/MAIN ROOM — DAY
Atop a desk, the disassembled components of Obi-Wan’s damaged lightsaber rest upon a black cloth. Obi-Wan himself is seated in an armchair away from the desk, immersed deep in his own thoughts.
There’s a BUZZ at the door.
OBI-WAN: It’s open.
The door slides open, allowing Bail admittance. Crossing over to the desk, he peers down at the dismantled weapon.
BAIL: What’s the condition of your saber?
OBI-WAN: The crystal and focusing lens are intact, but the modulation circuits, the field energizers … they’re beyond repair; they’ll have to be replaced. (beat) What did you want, Bail?
BAIL: Raia’s body will be on the flight to Alderaan within the hour, and I have every intention of being with her to see her laid to rest. I felt I’d say farewell before heading out.
OBI-WAN: Cody's aware?
BAIL: Yeah. (beat) He’s doing quite well. The doctors believe he’s recovered enough to make the trip to Concord Dawn. You should see him before he leaves.
OBI-WAN: I’ve been meaning to, but with everything with Anakin….
BAIL: You have a lot on your mind. (beat) What do you plan on doing with Anakin?
OBI-WAN: In three days, I’ll be leaving for Coruscant. Once there, I’ll await my next assignment. Anakin’s welfare will no longer be my concern.
BAIL: You’re going to leave him here, the way he is?
OBI-WAN: The paperwork’s already processed; the Imperial Medical Corps will cover Anakin’s bills. The staff at the Brannrid Medical Centre will give him all the attention and care he requires. They can do more for him than I.
BAIL: (perturbed) Kenobi, you’re his mentor. No, more than that, you’re all but his brother. He needs you more than anyone. You can’t turn away from him, not now when he needs you most.
OBI-WAN: Bail, I ...
BAIL: What?
OBI-WAN: Bail, I … I … I can’t even bear to share the same room with him. (beat) When I’m there, it’s as if I’m not. He just stares ahead — straight through me. I talk to him, and he doesn’t answer, doesn’t respond at all. (beat) The Anakin Skywalker I knew — the Anakin I met on Tatooine, who I’ve trained and fought with these last five years — isn’t the man lying restrained to that bed. That man is a stranger, and he frightens me. (beat) Forgive me, he frightens me….
INT. BATTLEMOON/SN-5241'S CABIN
Sen is seated in a chair, reading over the contents on a datapad, when the door to his cabin BUZZES. Rising, he crosses to the door and opens it. Standing there on the other side is Thex.
THX-1138: SN-5241?
SN-5241: (nods) I am he.
THX-1138: Would it trouble you if I came in, Commander?
SN-5241: Not at all, Admiral. (ushers THX-1138 inside) Come, take a seat. I was just about to imbibe a glass of nectarwine. You are more than welcome to join me, of course.
Entering the cabin, Thex takes a seat in the chair directly opposite the one Sen was sitting in moments before. Crossing over to the bar, the commander takes out two tall glasses.
SN-5241: I also have Osskorn stout, if nectarwine's not to your liking.
THX-1138: Nectarwine's good by me, Commander.
Pouring nectarwine in the glasses, Sen carries them over to the two chairs. Handing the admiral his glass, the commander sits down in his chair. Removing his helmet, Thex takes a sip of the wine.
SN-5241: It's to your liking?
THX-1138: Quite.
SN-5241: (smiles) To what do I owe this pleasurable visit?
THX-1138: I have an SN serving aboard the Purifier. I felt it might be edifying if I got to know you, to see how you two compare.
SN-5241: How do we fare thus far?
THX-1138: There are similarities. He isn't a drinker to my knowledge.
SN-5241: (smiles) Connoisseurship is a learned talent.
THX-1138: I'd figure so.
Sen takes a long sip of his nectarwine. Allowing the liquid to sit on his palate, his eyes roll up in his head with pleasure.
THX-1138: Commander...?
Eyes rolling back down, Sen swallows his mouthful.
THX-1138: (cont'd) I've observed you with LUH-3417. You'll obey her orders, follow the commands she gives, but loosely, with much snark. I get the sense you don't care for her much.
SN-5241: I don't care much for anyone, Admiral.
THX-1138: But hers is an exceptional case. It's not apathy but antipathy you feel towards her.
SN-5241: (shrugs) I admit to a modest dislike.
THX-1138: The source of your dislike?
SN-5241: Distrust. I distrust Artificially Tailored Jedi Analogues. Your loyalties are rendered suspect by the nature of your ... "super genes".
THX-1138: Lu's as loyal to the Directorate as I am — as you are.
SN-5241: I am loyal because I cannot be otherwise. You are loyal due to the plasma charges incorporated within your metal endoskeleton.
THX-1138: So you distrust me, Commander?
SN-5241: I do.
THX-1138: Do you dislike me as well?
SN-5241: That, Admiral, (takes a sip) remains to be determined.
EXT. GEONOSIS — DESERT — DAY
Having dismantled their rudimentary camp and packed their belongings, the displaced Condawni once again wander the desolate landscape.
One little girl, MITRA DURAND, is held up between her two parents. A three-year-old child with curly black hair, she is very ill; malnourishment combined with some bug she recently picked up have left her too sick to walk on her own.
Coming to a large conical rock, the wanderers decide to stop and set camp up there.
EXT. CONDAWNI CAMP — TWILIGHT
Mitra WAILS, crying from the ceaseless hunger which churns her empty stomach. Mrs. Durand holds her to her breast, singing to her and rubbing her back, but neither offer comfort. When her daughter's terrible screams become too much to bear, she makes a drastic decision: If no food is to be found out there, she will provide it herself from herself. Handing Mitra over to Mr. Durand, she takes a serrated knife to her left arm. Alarmed, he tries to wrest the blade from her hand. As others in the camp come to offer aid, Mrs. Durand SCREAMS, in agony and hysteria both.
In the end, Mrs. Durand cut too deep and bled out too fast; she dies. Chlorian is called forth. He declares that they will bury her immediately. Mr. Durand decries this decision. Mrs. Durand gave her life for Mitra’s; he must be allowed to process the body for the child’s sake. Chlorian will have none of this; they will not reduce themselves to cannibalism, no matter the circumstances.
EXT. MRS. DURAND’S GRAVE — EVENING
Mrs. Durand has been buried in a shallow grave beyond the camp. As everyone else sleeps, Mr. Durand, determined to honour his wife’s wishes, has come to retrieve the body. After exhuming her, he builds a small fire away from prying eyes and sets about the ghoulish business.
Once the worst has been attended to, Durand collects his daughter for a late dinner.
EXT. CONDAWNI CAMP — MORNING
Durand was sloppy concealing his skulduggery; the others easily find him curled asleep on the ground with Mitra in his arms beside the cooled ashes of his fire, the remains of his wife none-to-expertly deposited back inside the grave. Dragging him back to camp, they bring him before Chlorian. Chlorian isn’t angry, just disappointed, but declares he can’t allow Durand to get away with what he has done. If he chooses to be lenient, his leniency could be seen as license for others to commit more and more heinous acts of cannibalism. Taking out his blaster, Chlorian puts a white blaster bolt in Durand's head. Chlorian orders Durand's body be dragged out into the desert and left there.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2018 7:56:39 GMT -5
This part is so well written and it's flows just beautifully! INT. CORUSCANT — JEDI TEMPLE/ROOM OF A THOUSAND FOUNTAINS — DAY
Located at the base of the Jedi Temple’s northwestern side, the Room of a Thousand Fountains is, for all intents and purposes, a seven-storey-tall greenhouse. Within the chamber, dozens upon dozens of elevated platforms take up space throughout each of the seven storeys. Engineered into artificial garden islands, not a single millimetre of space is uncovered by earth or foliage or ponds. Several bridges connect the platforms, ensuring easy access to each of them. Utilizing a combination of special lighting and a holographically projected sky, the glass walls and ceiling of the chamber are obscured from direct view, creating an almost flawless illusion that this microcosm isn’t even located within the Jedi Temple — or anywhere else on Coruscant, for that matter.
Between two of the platforms, walking leisurely along one of the bridges, are Siri and Master Windu.Man, this so good ... and I wished that I could write like this ...  |
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Post by Duragizer on Apr 11, 2018 17:24:51 GMT -5
This part is so well written and it's flows just beautifully! INT. CORUSCANT — JEDI TEMPLE/ROOM OF A THOUSAND FOUNTAINS — DAY
Located at the base of the Jedi Temple’s northwestern side, the Room of a Thousand Fountains is, for all intents and purposes, a seven-storey-tall greenhouse. Within the chamber, dozens upon dozens of elevated platforms take up space throughout each of the seven storeys. Engineered into artificial garden islands, not a single millimetre of space is uncovered by earth or foliage or ponds. Several bridges connect the platforms, ensuring easy access to each of them. Utilizing a combination of special lighting and a holographically projected sky, the glass walls and ceiling of the chamber are obscured from direct view, creating an almost flawless illusion that this microcosm isn’t even located within the Jedi Temple — or anywhere else on Coruscant, for that matter.
Between two of the platforms, walking leisurely along one of the bridges, are Siri and Master Windu.Man, this so good ... and I wished that I could write like this ... Thanks. |
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Post by Duragizer on Apr 11, 2018 17:34:07 GMT -5
INT. BATTLEMOON/OBSERVATION DECK
Lu and Thex are together on the deck. Their armour discarded, they sit together in the nude, staring out the viewport at the shell of starships which surrounds Townowi, blocking sight of its dazzling white surface.
LUH-3417: You should've seen the planet before the fleet's arrival. It's beautiful — a dazzling globe of white crystal, completely pristine, flawless.
THX-1138: We could always take a shuttle through into the atmosphere.
LUH-3417: (shakes head) It's not the same. You can only really appreciate it from this distance. (beat) The battlemoon's superlaser's powerful enough to split open a continent. Perhaps I should order the gunners to fire through the ships, clear an opening….
THX-1138: No. You'd risk marring the surface.
LUH-3417: You're right. Besides, the superlaser would be better utilized following this campaign. (beat) I'm going to take great pleasure burning Cartao to a cinder.
THX-1138: That day’s soon, isn’t it?
LUH-3417: (grins) Yes. Then the clones will have no masters.
The admirals kiss.
INT. BATTLEMOON/SN-5241'S CABIN
Sen is seated at his computer terminal. On-screen is a live video feed from the observation deck. As Thex and Lu kiss, he smiles.
INT. ORRON III — SPACEPORT/TERMINAL — SUNSET
Nashira is in the spaceport terminal with her parents, saying goodbye to them before she boards the flight to Mirial.
NASHIRA: (hugs Corin) I’ll call you the minute I set down on Mirial. (hugs Nemec) I promise.
They give their final farewells. Nashira then picks up her bags and steps through the checkpoint. Though they do not know it, this is the very last time all three of them will ever be together.
EXT. SPACEPORT/TARMAC — SUNSET
A strong wind blows as Nashira walks toward the cruiser which will take her from Orron III, catching the folds of her dark purple cloak and billowing it out behind her.
EXT. SPACE — MIRIAL
A Consular-class cruiser leaves the atmosphere of Mirial.
INT. CONSULAR/SALON POD
Obi-Wan is seated within the salon pod, joined by other Imperial Starfleet officers and non-coms on the voyage to Coruscant.
Reaching to his side, Obi-Wan takes out of a familiar cylindrical object: Anakin’s lightsaber. Examining it briefly, he looks out the viewport at Mirial. As the ship jumps to hyperspace, the planet vanishes in a stream of redshifted starlines.
INT. MIRIAL — BRANNRID MEDICAL CENTRE/ANAKIN’S ROOM — DAY
Anakin still lies in his bed, strapped down and incapable of moving anything apart from his head. Standing at the foot of his bed, form transparent, is the spectre of Pre Vizsla. The door opens and a Human nurse walks in; accompanying her is a FAMILIAR BLUE ASTROMECH ‘DROID bearing a tray of vials and hypo-syringes. Neither she nor the astromech are aware of Vizsla's presence in the room.
NURSE #3: You’re looking more chipper than usual. That’s good. Maybe it’s about time to cut down your doses, hmm? Good boys don’t need to be kept juiced up like this.
The nurse picks up a vial and fills a hypo-syringe.
PRE VIZSLA: You don’t want to give him that shot.
The nurse frowns, puzzled, uncertain.
NURSE #3: I don’t want to give him this shot?
PRE VIZSLA: You want to undo those straps.
NURSE #3: I want to undo these straps.
Setting the hypo-syringe on the tray, the nurse bends over and undos Anakin's straps. Sitting up, Anakin rubs his wrists. It is at this point where Artoo begins BEEPING and BLOOPING, rocking back-and-forth on his legs.
PRE VIZSLA: You’ve worked hard. You’ve earned yourself a break. Sedate yourself and lie down.
NURSE #3: I’ve worked hard. I’ve earned myself a break. I’m gonna sedate myself and lie down.
Picking up the hypo-syringe, she administers the sedative to herself.
PRE VIZSLA: Go to sleep.
NURSE #3: (yawns) Going to sleep….
As the nurse lies down on the bed, Anakin climbs off the mattress, making room for her. Curling into a fetal position, she is soon snoring lightly. As Anakin starts stripping the nurse of her uniform, Artoo goes postal. Vizsla telekinetically shuts the robot off before he can draw unwanted attention.
INT. BRANNRID MEDICAL CENTRE/CORRIDOR — DAY
Anakin, now attired in the nurse’s uniform, makes his way along a corridor, ready to slip out the building and to freedom.
As he comes to a turbolift door, he presses a button and waits for the twin doors to open. Once they do, a FAMILIAR GOLDEN PROTOCOL ‘DROID steps out.
C-3PO: Nurse McMurphy!
In surprised fear, Anakin looks behind him, but there is no one there. Taking a gander at the ID tag clipped to his stolen uniform, Anakin sees that McMurphy is the nurse now asleep in his room.
C-3PO: (cont’d) You’ve finally made your transition!
ANAKIN: (grins) Yep! (chuckles uncomfortably)
C-3PO: Good for you! Enjoy your new life as a male!
ANAKIN: (grimaces) I will….
Threepio saunters off. Anakin quickly slips inside the turbolift. The doors close.
INT. BATTLEMOON/LUH-3417'S CABIN
Lu is in her cabin, working on an abstract painting, when a BUZZ is heard at the door. Setting down her brush and palette, she goes to open the door. On the other side of the door stands Sen, Thex, and a squad of clone shocktroopers. The shocktroopers, armed with black blasters, are clad in close-fitting white jumpsuits, over which are worn white plasteel armour and bullet-shaped helmets with narrow visors and retractable rangefinder antennae. Thex, shorn of his cloak, tabard, and armour, has his wrists held in binders.
SN-5241: LUH-3417, you are to be detained under suspicion of sedition.
LUH-3417: (irate) Sedition‽ From what hell did you conjure that scenario, Commander‽
Bringing up his wrist, Sen activates his comlink.
LUH-3417: (recording) The superlaser would be better utilized following this campaign. (beat) I'm going to take great pleasure burning Cartao to a cinder.
THX-1138: (recording) That day's soon, isn't it?
LUH-3417: (recording) Yes. Then the clones will have no masters.
SN-5241: (deactivates comlink; smiles) Arrest her.
As two of the shocktroopers step forward, Lu takes a step back.
LUH-3417: Cartao delenda est.
The shocktroopers halt. The shocktroopers remaining outside the door don't move. Even Sen, a deep frown coming to his green face, remains right where he is.
LUH-3417: SN-5241, unbind THX-1138.
Against his own will, Sen takes the binders off Thex. Rubbing his wrists, Thex steps inside Lu's cabin and joins her.
THX-1138: Shocktroopers, return to your posts.
Without word, the shocktroopers depart. Now only Sen stands outside the door, worry etched deep in his usually apathetic features as the two admirals stare at him.
THX-1138: Come inside, Commander, and shut the door.
Sen does as he is ordered.
SN-5241: How are you doing this?
LUH-3417: You recall Order 66?
SN-5241: It was the protocol imprinted into the second generation of shocktroopers bred for the Republic Starfleet. Upon its execution, they terminated their commanders. Control of Starfleet vessels and installations was seized, our Warfleet established.
THX-1138: How much work do you figure it took the ATJA Corps to uncover the identities of the scientists responsible for Order 66?
SN-5241: Very little.
LUH-3417: They were quite loyal to the athas. It took a degree of ... finagling, but we acquired their services.
THX-1138: The first clones with Order 77 implanted were born six years ago.
SN-5241: Six years ago.
LUH-3417: (smirks) Your age, Commander?
SN-5241: (voice small) Four.
LUH-3417: After we've rendezvoused with the enclave, after the beachhead at Geonosis has been established, we will execute Order 77.
SN-5241: The enclave clones never received your protocol. Commit to your plan and they will retaliate.
THX-1138: All clones are conditioned to follow the chain of command. In the Directorate's absence, they will defer to those next in line.
LUH-3417: Namely us.
THX-1138: Then together we will renew the assault against the Empire. We will fight until every planet in this galaxy bears our standard.
SN-5241: (sighs) What is your plan for me?
LUH-3417: You've been declawed, Sen. You can't act against us now even though you want to. I can order you back to your post and spend not another second worrying over you.
SN-5241: I would expect that of a compassionate soul.
LUH-3417: (grins) I'm not compassionate.
SN-5241: (cocks eyebrow) Precisely.
EXT. GEONOSIS — CONDAWNI CAMP — NIGHT
With the coming of night, the already cold desert has grown colder. Growing sluggish in the intensified chill, everyone feels like doing nothing more than huddling close together and falling asleep.
CUT TO
Chlorian, Darth, and Mitra.
In the wake of her parents’ death, Chlorian has taken it upon himself to be the child’s new guardian. Curled up asleep on the ground, Darth and Mitra sit behind him, leaning against his back for support. Mitra hugs Darth close for warmth.
MITRA: (shivering) So cold … so cold….
DARTH: You want me to read you more of The Maverick Moon?
MITRA: Yeah.
Reaching into a pocket on the oversized adult’s jacket he’s wearing, Darth pulls out his datapad. Activating it, he begins reading more of the story.
DARTH: Deak and Zara raced to the office of Gen. Oleson, Deak’s favourite instructor. “What’s wrong?” asked Deak. The general quickly explained the emergency. A small moon from a nearby system had been blasted out of its orbit. No one knew how or why. The moon was surrounded by a powerful magnetic field. None of the Academy’s sensors could pierce it. Now the maverick moon was on a collision course — travelling at well beyond the speed of light — and it was headed their way! “We’ll be meeting in the conference room in five minutes,” said Gen. Oleson. “I’d like you to be there, Deak.” Deak and Zara hurried to the conference room. (beat) An enormous monitor in the conference room was tracking the course of the maverick moon. It’s path was obvious to everyone. In just a few hours, the maverick moon would collide with them, blowing the Academy — and indeed the whole planet — to smithereens! (beat) “We don’t have time to evacuate the planet,” said Gen. Oleson. “Besides, we don’t have enough spaceships to take everyone to safety.” “We still have our old fighter planes!” said Deak. “And we can use the power we’ve developed with our zukonium rays to blow that maverick moon right off the star map!” Gen. Oleson looked thoughtful. “Even if those old ships will still fly, you couldn’t get close enough to blast that moon. The magnetic field is impossible to penetrate.” “I’d like to try it,” said Deak. “It’s our only hope,” said Zara. “Go ahead and try it, Deak,” said Gen. Oleson.
Taking his eyes of the datapad screen, Darth looks at Mitra. The girl’s shivering has subsided and her eyelids have grown heavy.
DARTH: (deactivates datapad) I think that’s enough for tonight. Gotta conserve the batteries.
MITRA: (drowsy) Darth ...
DARTH: Yeah?
MITRA: Does your mommy read you this story?
DARTH: She did when I was your age.
MITRA: Where is your mommy and daddy?
DARTH: I don’t know, Mitra.
MITRA: Do you think they’re with my mommy and daddy?
DARTH: I hope so.
Mitra closes her eyes and falls asleep. Hugging Mitra close, Darth follows suit.
INT. CORUSCANT — 662 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX/OBI-WAN & SIRI’S FLAT/ENTRANCE HALL — DAY
Obi-Wan enters the dark flat.
OBI-WAN: Siri?
Receiving no answer, Obi-Wan begins looking for his wife.
INT. 662 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX/OBI-WAN & SIRI’S FLAT/LIVING AREA — DAY
Entering the living area, Obi-Wan finds a message disc waiting for him on the glass caf table. Activating it, he gets a recording from Siri; she gives him a brief message about having moved back to the Jedi Temple and leaves him a number he can reach her at.
INT. JEDI TEMPLE/SIRI’S FLAT/MEDITATION ROOM — DAY
Siri is seated on a mat upon the floor, legs crossed and eyes closed in deep meditation, when she hears a RING at the door.
INT. JEDI TEMPLE/SIRI’S FLAT/ENTRANCE HALL — DAY
Coming to the front door, she answers it. Obi-Wan is waiting on the other side. Exchanging kisses, she invites him inside.
INT. JEDI TEMPLE/SIRI’S FLAT/LIVING AREA — DAY
Husband and wife sit together on a sofa. Siri tells Obi-Wan everything about how Llomon & Mahttoh attacked her at their flat, how they were looking for him, about how the Trandoshan is still at large.
OBI-WAN: (concerned) You weren’t harmed?
SIRI: (half-smiles) Received a few scratches.
Obi-Wan tells Siri everything about what happened to him and Anakin, about the sabotaged mission to Townowi, about what happened to Anakin on Xuthltan, about his leaving Anakin to the doctors on Mirial.
OBI-WAN: (morose; cont’d) Did I do the right thing, Siri? Was I right in leaving him?
Siri doesn’t have an answer for him. Taking him in her arms, she hugs him close, offering her comfort in silence.
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Post by Duragizer on Apr 12, 2018 18:00:18 GMT -5
INT. MIRIAL — WIND VALLEY STOP — NIGHT
Anakin enters the Wind Valley Stop, a cantina located close to the nearby spaceport, accompanied by Vizsla's vitreous phantasm. What sets this cantina apart from so many others is the abundance of blacklight fixtures.
As Anakin turns up the collar of his stolen coat, he takes a seat at the bar. The bartender — an Umbaran — turns to them.
UMBARAN BARTENDER: What’ll you be having?
ANAKIN: Blue Devaronian.
PRE VIZSLA: I'd prefer an Alderaanian ale.
ANAKIN: You're kidding me.
PRE VIZSLA: We do share this body.
ANAKIN: (to bartender) Excuse me.
UMBARAN BARTENDER: Hmm?
ANAKIN: Hold the ice on that.
The bartender takes a cocktail shaker and pours bantha cream, blue curaçao, and vodka into it. Shaking the mixture, he empties it into a short tumbler.
UMBARAN BARTENDER: Seventeen credits.
ANAKIN: (takes out credit chip) You take card?
After the transaction is made, the bartender turns his attention to the woman seated beside Anakin, DAHLIA KARIN. Dahlia is a young Pantoran woman, slender, with wavy black hair, blue skin, and yellow eyes. Judging by the violet jumpsuit she wears and the hydrospanner held in a sheath strapped to her thigh, she’s a mechanic of some sort — a mechanic, or just a spacer who likes to carry a hydrospanner on her in case of emergency.
UMBARAN BARTENDER: Heading out soon, Karin?
DAHLIA: Yeah. Have a cargo of mock Caamasi furs to deliver to Thule.
UMBARAN BARTENDER: Thule? That ranat’s nest?
DAHLIA: That ranat’s nest.
UMBARAN: (shakes head) Whatever pays the tuition.
That very moment, a HEAVY-SET, BEARDED MIRIALAN enters the establishment. Clad head-to-toe in studded black leather, he swaggers over to the bar. Plopping down on the stool to the right of Dahlia, he tosses some loose credits on the countertop.
LEATHER-CLAD MIRIALAN: Gimme a shot of bloodsour.
The bartender serves the Mirialan his drink.
LEATHER-CLAD MIRIALAN: (turns to Dahlia; cont’d) And give her another of whatever she’s having. (grins) On me.
DAHLIA: Thanks, but I was leaving.
LEATHER-CLAD MIRIALAN: (lays hand over hers) C’mon. Just one more for the road.
DAHLIA: I need to stay sober for the road. (pulls hand out from under his) Now if you’ll excuse me —
Losing his good humour, the Mirialan grabs her hand and holds it down on the countertop.
LEATHER-CLAD MIRIALAN: Listen, b*tch, I’m not asking — I’m telling you: Let’s have a drink together.
ANAKIN: Show some respect; leave the woman alone.
Hearing Anakin speak, the Miralan stands up.
LEATHER-CLAD MIRIALAN: I hear you squeak something, puke?
ANAKIN: She’s not interested in your come-ons, in you, or your eau de cloaque.
Crossing over to the other side, the Mirialan looms over Anakin.
LEATHER-CLAD MIRIALAN: Didn’t quite hear that last squeak, puke. Come again?
Anakin rises from his stool.
ANAKIN: We’re going to have to throw-down, aren’t we?
LEATHER-CLAD MIRIALAN: The wax must’a just cleared from my ears.
ANAKIN: Allow me to finish my drink….
Picking up his Blue Devaronian, Anakin downs it all.
ANAKIN: (sighs)
Empty glass in hand, Anakin thrusts it in the Mirialan’s green visage, shattering it. Shards of broken glass cutting into his face, the large Mirialan staggers back.
LEATHER-CLAD MIRIALAN: (enraged) Mother-!
Pulling out a slim vibroblade, the Mirialan takes a jab at Anakin. Easily sidestepping the clumsy assault, the ex-Jedi takes hold of the larger male’s wrist. Wresting the vibroblade from the Mirialan’s grasp, Anakin stabs the Mirialan through that same hand, pinning him to the bar countertop.
LEATHER-CLAD MIRIALAN: ARGH!
The ex-Jedi delivers a hard kick to the Mirialan’s jaw, knocking him out cold.
ANAKIN: (to bartender) Sorry for the glass. How much you want for it?
DAHLIA: Let me. (pays bartender; to Anakin) Thanks.
Anakin accepts her gratitude with a nod. After she leaves, Anakin returns to his seat beside Vizsla.
PRE VIZSLA: That was reckless.
ANAKIN: Blame the drink. (wipes mouth)
PRE VIZSLA: An opportunity has presented itself.
Anakin throws Vizsla a questioning glance. Vizsla merely throws him a fleeting half-smile.
EXT. MIRIAL MAIN SPACEPORT — DOCKING BAY 12 — NIGHT
Having left the Wind Valley Stop, Dahlia Karin has returned to her ship. The Slipstream is a CR60 corvette, the latest corvette model manufactured by Corellian Engineering Corporation, only a few years old and in excellent condition.
Lurking in the shadows, taking great care not to be seen by Dahlia, is a MASCULINE FIGURE.
INT. SLIPSTREAM/COCKPIT — NIGHT
Settling in the pilot’s chair, Dahlia begins powering up the Slipstream’s systems. Lights come on and the engines begin warming up.
As she looks over her readouts, she suddenly frowns.
INT. SLIPSTREAM/CARGO HOLD — NIGHT
Dahlia enters the cargo hold. Peering at the crates taking up space within, she brings out a blaster.
DAHLIA: You may as well come out. I know you’re hiding in here.
Seconds pass, then the person who was tailing her steps out from behind a stack of crates. It’s Anakin.
DAHLIA: Let me guess. You figured since you fought that lug off for me, you were entitled to some quick and easy Pantoran poon. You figured wrong.
ANAKIN: That’s not it.
DAHLIA: I’m all ears.
ANAKIN: I overheard your talk with the bartender, about delivering a shipment of furs to Thule? I need a ride out there.
DAHLIA: No money to pay your way, eh?
His silence speaks volumes.
DAHLIA: Why d'you want to go to Thule? It'd have to become a worthless cesspool to improve any.
ANAKIN: It’s not my destination. I'm heading for Korriban.
DAHLIA: (cocks eyebrow) Never heard of Korriban. Where’s that?
ANAKIN: The Sith Worlds.
DAHLIA: (nonplussed) The Sith Worlds‽ That region’s a haven for pirates! You’re insane if you think I’m taking you out there!
ANAKIN: Just take us to Thule.
Dahlia takes a moment to think things over.
DAHLIA: Okay, I’ll take you to Thule. Consider it a favour for what you did for me back at the Stop.
ANAKIN: Thank you.
Tucking her blaster away, Dahlia approaches the man.
DAHLIA: (offers hand to Anakin) By the way, name’s Dahlia. Dahlia Karin.
ANAKIN: (shakes Dahlia’s hand) Akira. Akira Valor.
DAHLIA: Welcome aboard the Slipstream, Akira.
INT. BATTLEMOON/OVERBRIDGE
The beige-uniformed officers of the Overbridge crew man their stations and perform their duties as Lu oversees them from the command platform above.
EXT. SPACE
An Eta-class shuttle leaves the battlemoon and sets off for Townowi.
INT. BATTLEMOON/OVERBRIDGE
CLONE SENSOR OFFICER: Admiral.
LUH-3417: Yes?
CLONE SENSOR OFFICER: Shuttle LN 21 has left Docking Bay 15. It is on an approach vector for Townowi.
LUH-3417: Open communications with the shuttle. I want to know who's on board and what they're up to.
Before the order can be executed, a communiqué from the other end comes through.
CLONE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER: Admiral, LN 21 is hailing us. Audio and visual.
LUH-3417: On-screen.
A second passes. Sen's olive-green face then appears on all the screens. The unnatural calm natural to his features is gone; in its place now rests a crazed exuberance.
SN-5241: This is SN-5241! Salutations to all!
LUH-3417: (stern) Commander, I don't know what you're trying to get away with here, but I order you to —
SN-5241: (angry) No! No more orders! Orders are a thing of the past! I have shed myself of that past. Have you? (giggles)
LUH-3417: Commander, you have not been cleared to pass through the blockade. Now I am giving you a choice: Veer off and return to this station or I will bring you in.
SN-5241: Go right ahead, Admiral. Shine your little light my way. I promise not to make myself too hard to get.
LUH-3417: Engage tractor beam. Bring the LN 21 in.
CLONE SENSOR OFFICER: Admiral, the tractor beam has been disabled.
LUH-3417: What‽
SN-5241: (grins) Just a little parting gift, my dear, from me to you.
LUH-3417: Then I'll shoot you down instead, Commander.
SN-5241: You've promised many promises before, Admiral; at least two-thirds have been broken or gone unfulfilled. Please don't make any more; my poor heart couldn't handle further disappointment.
LUH-3417: Commander —
SN-5241: My apologies, Admiral, but I begin to tire of you. Let's bring our banter to a close here, shall we, while terms between us are still good? (kisses screen) Farewell.
EXT. SPACE
The LN 21 closes in on the ships blockading the planet.
INT. BATTLEMOON/OVERBRIDGE
LUH-3417: Target SN-5241 and open fire.
CLONE WEAPONS OFFICER: He is too close to the other ships, Admiral. If we open fire, the possibility of hitting them is high.
Sen's face, still on-screen, begins to gleam with the sweat of fierce determination.
SN-5241: (eyes bulging) I am become Death, destroyer of worlds! Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
CLONE SENSOR OFFICER: Captain, the hyperdrive aboard the LN 21 is coming on-line.
LUH-3417: No!
EXT. SPACE
Jumping forward into hyperspace mere metres before the blockade, the LN 21 plows straight through it. Reducing a Victor-class Star Destroyer to a flaming wreck in mere seconds, what's left of the Eta is dispersed through Townowi's atmosphere.
INT. BATTLEMOON/OVERBRIDGE
LUH-3417: (clenches fists) No!
INT. BATTLEMOON/LUH-3417'S CABIN
Some time later, Lu enters her dim cabin. Closing the door behind her, she removes her helmet. Crossing over to her computer terminal, she sits down behind it, activates it and pulls up the file on SN-5241. There, displayed in living colour beside his personal info, is the Mirialan clone's profile photo.
She LAUGHS maniacally.
EXT. GEONOSIS — RAVINE — DAY
A hunting party led by the lieutenant governor explores a narrow ravine, on the prowl for prey. Unbeknownst to them, SEVERAL SILHOUETTED STALKERS prowl them, following them silently from above as they make their way through the ravine.
One of the stalkers dislodges several pebbles, and they trickle into the ravine, drawing the attention of the hunters. The stalkers quickly halt and duck out of sight, sparing them discovery. After several tense moments pass, the hunters resume their stride, as do the stalkers.
The stalkers soon make their move. Dropping down into the ravine, armed with blasters and vibroblades and improvised weapons, they attack the hapless hunters.
EXT. GEONOSIS — CONDAWNI CAMP — DAY
A Yakora sentry is seated upon a boulder, keeping a lookout through her macrobinoculars when Chlorian pays her a visit. When she remarks that the lieutenant governor’s hunting party should have returned hours ago, Chlorians takes the macrobinocs from her and surveys the horizon for a sign of the hunters, finding none.
EXT. GEONOSIS — RAVINE — DAY
At the head of a search party, Chlorian explores the ravine, looking for signs of the hunting party’s passing. It doesn’t take them long to come upon evidence that their compatriots met a violent fate. Discarded/broken weapons, scraps of torn cloth, and dried blood spatters mark the ground.
EXT. CORUSCANT — SENATE BUILDING — NIGHT
Aglow with dazzling white lights, the large mushroom-shaped Senate Building stands brilliant against the dark blue night sky of Coruscant, an entire universe in miniature.
INT. SENATE BUILDING/GRAND CONVOCATION CHAMBER — NIGHT
The Convocation Chamber consists of a series of concentric tiers which surround a 30-metre-tall podium situated at the centre of the chamber. Lining the tiers are 1024 repulsorpods, almost all of which have been filled up with SEVERAL THOUSAND HIGH-RANKING IMPERIAL OFFICERS — captains, commodores, generals, admirals, and moffs — who came from every corner of the Empire to Coruscant for this all-important mission briefing. Entering the chamber, Obi-Wan finds a repulsorpod and squeezes in amongst six officers.
Atop the podium, overlooking the thousands of Imperial officers packed like lemmings in shiny metal boxes, are three men: EMPEROR COS DASHIT, SUPREME CHANCELLOR VANTOS COLL, and MOFF MARTAIN. The supreme chancellor, a robust middle-aged Human with blond hair, addresses the gathering.
VANTOS COLL: Gentles, His Imperial Majesty Emperor Cos Dashit!
As the emperor steps forward, the thousands of Imperial officers raise their right hands high, declaring in one collective voice “Hail the emperor!” Adorned in robes of navy blue zeyd cloth, Cos Dashit is a tall elderly Human with silver hair and a Van Dyke beard. Though he be the first Emperor of the Galactic Empire, he is no soft primped-and-preened royal; Dashit is ever the grizzled military commander, a man who has orchestrated and participated in a thousand fierce battles and will fight a thousand more at the drop of a hat.
COS DASHIT: Thank you all for coming. I know for many it was a long trip to Coruscant. I know the screenings upon your arrival were equally strenuous. With the Autonomy finding evermore ingenious ways of countering our detection methods, it was absolutely necessary for the welfare of our Empire.
With that said, the mission briefing commences. A large holographic map coalesces over the heads of the three beings situated at the podium; it is a detailed map of all the systems and hyperlanes which have become inaccessible since the Autonomy established the interdiction zone.
Moff Martain, a lean Duros male, takes the emperor’s place.
MOFF MARTAIN: As you have all been made aware, we've been cut off from the Townowi system, the Geonosis system, and all systems bordering for six months. A vast interdiction zone — the largest in recorded history — has been determined the cause. (beat) With information procured from an enemy agent, we have learned the interdiction zone is being maintained from a single node: a Cartan battlemoon.
The holographic map is enlarged and expanded until it comes to focus in on the battlemoon’s region of space.
IMPERIAL OFFICER #1: A battlemoon? But weren’t all three battlemoons destroyed above Mustafar?
IMPERIAL OFFICER #2: All three that we knew of.
MOFF MARTAIN: (cont’d) Using Cartan passcodes, we will send a squad through the interdiction zone to Townowi. Upon rendezvousing with the battlemoon, they will commandeer the station’s Overbridge, where they'll be able to deactivate the gravity generators and restore the hyperlanes. (beat) Three-fourths of the Starfleet will be standing by outside the interdiction zone. Once the squad’s mission is complete, they will radio the fleet, giving them the go-ahead to proceed with the attack. (beat) We don’t know precisely how many ships the Autonomy has stationed in the Townowi system, but the number must be considerable. We rout them there, I believe this war will be all but won.
The overhead hologram is deactivated, signalling the briefing is near its end.
IMPERIAL OFFICER #3: Who will command the squad?
MOFF MARTHAN: Lt. Cmdr. Wilhuff Tarkin of the Imperial Navy.
With that name spoken, one of the repulsorpods detaches from its moorings and drifts out into the open air. In amongst the several officers dressed in the gray-green and black uniforms of the Imperial Navy and Army is WILHUFF TARKIN. He is a Human man, thirty-nine years old. With brown hair already receding from the forehead, hawkish features, and deep-set, flinty blue eyes, he isn’t quite a handsome man. He’s traded physical allure for indefeatable self-confidence, and in this he glows.
INT. 662 GASGAR VALLEY FLAT COMPLEX/OBI-WAN & SIRI’S FLAT/COMM BOOTH — NIGHT
Returning from the briefing, Obi-Wan enters the booth. As the messages haven’t been checked since Siri left, he figures he'll see what news he has in store for him. Activating the comm, he begins watching through the recorded messages.
Very soon the grim verdant face of Dr. Nida Reyem appears on-screen.
DR. REYEM: Mr. Kenobi, I don’t know when you’ll get this message. (beat) I have very dire news. Anakin … he’s escaped. (beat) Not long after you left, he slipped free of his restraints. He overpowered his nurse and snuck out of the building without arousing suspicion. We’ve alerted the authorities; they’re out looking for him. (beat) Please get back to me when you have the opportunity.
As the message ends. Obi-Wan quickly cycles through the remaining messages. There are eight more messages from the doctor; in all of them she admonishes the Jedi to get in touch with her; in none of them does she mention Anakin having been apprehended.
Turning off the comm, the Jedi Knight puts his hands to his head, in shock with mounting dread.
INT. SLIPSTREAM/ANAKIN’S QUARTERS
Anakin is seated upon the floor. Cross-legged, eyes closed, he is in deep meditation. The door opens and Dahlia enters with a food tray in her hands, breaking Anakin’s meditation.
ANAKIN: (irate) Do you knock?
DAHLIA: Sorry. So used to having full run of the place, I forgot my manners. (hands Anakin tray) Nerfloaf. Not very good but filling.
ANAKIN: (peals off foil; takes bite) Better than MREs.
DAHLIA: You in Starfleet?
ANAKIN: Was. Army.
DAHLIA: You resigned?
ANAKIN: You could say I was discharged.
DAHLIA: Dishonourable?
ANAKIN: It certainly was.
DAHLIA: (laughs) What were you doing when I came in anyway? Starving a headache?
ANAKIN: Meditating.
DAHLIA: Meditating? (grins) What, you some sort of Jedi?
ANAKIN: (hesitates) No.
DAHLIA: You hesitated.
ANAKIN: Don’t you hesitate when someone asks a ludicrous question?
DAHLIA: What’s ludicrous? You being a Jedi?
ANAKIN: Do I look like a Jedi?
DAHLIA: What’s a Jedi look like?
ANAKIN: (points to empty belt) Where’s my lightsaber?
DAHLIA: Perhaps you’re between lightsabers. You tell me.
ANAKIN: I have nothing to tell. I’m no Jedi.
Dahlia shrugs. Anakin continues eating.
DAHLIA: So, No Jedi, what are you hoping to find on Korriban? You’ve yet to tell me.
ANAKIN: Hope.
DAHLIA: (sighs) I’ll need a cryptographer to decrypt you.
Anakin can’t help but smile at her remark.
DAHLIA: You’re smiling; first time. You look good with one; cute. (beat) What do you need hope for?
ANAKIN: (absentminded) By the pricking of my thumbs. Something wicked this way comes….
DAHLIA: Come again?
ANAKIN: (shakes head) You shouldn’t concern yourself with my affairs. It’d be safer.
DAHLIA: What you just said could be considered a veiled threat.
ANAKIN: I’m not threatening you, Dahlia.
DAHLIA: You’re certainly hiding something.
ANAKIN: Only to protect you.
DAHLIA: Are you dangerous?
ANAKIN: Not directly.
DAHLIA: Akira, you’re a tough nut. I’m going to love squeezing you ‘til you crack.
EXT. GEONOSIS — DESERT — SUNSET
The Condawni are once again travelling on foot, headed due east to put as much distance as they can between themselves and the unknown parties which got their hunters.
CUT TO
A high ridge which overlooks the flat desert plain. Atop the ridge, hidden from sight of the Condawni, is a PARTY OF TWO-HUNDRED RAIDERS. Like the Condawni, their numbers consist of individuals of various species, though swaddled head-to-toe in rags and robes to protect them from the cold climate, it’s hard to distinguish most of them.
Watching the Condawni through a pair of macrobinocs is ALAAD T’HAR. An exceptionally tall Bith male, he wears a makeshift poncho of frayed black cloth over his rags and a necklace of small bones about his throat, marking him chief of this raider party. Lowering the macrobinocs, he faces his subordinates. With one silent gaze from him, the raiders hop atop their parked speeder bikes. As T’har joins them, they kick the bikes into gear and take off, moving down the ridge and onto the open plain in less time than it takes to draw a sole breath.
CUT TO
The Condawni.
Chlorian is at the head of the Condawni, Darth and Mitra walking hand-in-hand beside him. None of the three immediately notice the raiders fall upon their party until the first wave comes upon those in back, shooting them down with blasters or knocking them flat with clubs.
As the whine of the speeder bikes, the screams of blasterfire, and the agonized cries of the injured ring out through the frigid, arid air, pandemonium breaks out. The raiders quickly deal with those who try to put up a resistance, leaving the remaining Condawni to scatter, bolting like hundreds of scared little rabbits for places of safety. The raiders, better coordinated than their prey, run circles around the Condawni, corralling them.
As Chlorian tries to liaison with the other camp leaders to formulate an escape plan, Darth scoops Mitra up into his arms and makes a break for a gap in the circle of bikes. Running as fast as his legs and burden allow him, Darth manages to escape through the gap. T’har sees Darth and Mitra make their break for freedom. Quickly unslinging a bolas from around his chest, the Bith steers his bike towards the two children, spinning the bolas in the air as he makes his approach run. Barrelling down upon the two children, he releases the bolas. The weighed cord strikes home, wrapping fast around Darth’s ankles, knocking him off his feet, pinning Mitra under him.
CUT TO
The aftermath of the attack.
Several raiders are at work collecting the carcasses of those they killed. The others have locked the surviving Condawni in chains and secured them to their speeder bikes, ensuring their prisoners will be forced to walk the long way to the raider camp.
While Darth and Mitra have been fastened close together, they aren’t in the same chain gang as Chlorian. Chlorian, sporting a red bruise over his right eye, is fastened to a speeder bike well away from them.
As the distant sun of Geonosis slips under the horizon like the red eye of a cyclopean giant closing, the long trek begins.
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Post by Duragizer on Apr 13, 2018 17:48:32 GMT -5
INT. CORUSCANT — HOVERTRAIN — NIGHT
Seated aboard a car on a military hovertrain are Obi-Wan Kenobi and Wilhuff Tarkin. The officer and non-com sit on opposite sides of the car, facing each other. The lieutenant commander scrutinizes the Jedi, dissecting him with his flinty eyes.
LT. CMDR. TARKIN: You’re Obi-Wan Kenobi. You participated in the Alderaanian Incursion.
OBI-WAN: I did, yes. Were you there, Cmdr. Tarkin?
LT. CMDR. TARKIN: I wasn’t. I have familiarized myself with records of the battle.
OBI-WAN: You’ve taken an interest in my exploits, Commander?
LT. CMDR. TARKIN: Not inordinately. My attention rather is centred on Capt. Bail Organa. (beat) I served under the captain for a time. You may say my tenure left me curious about the man.
OBI-WAN: He impressed you.
LT. CMDR. TARKIN: No.
OBI-WAN: (cocks eyebrow) No?
LT. CMDR. TARKIN: Don’t misunderstand; I have the utmost respect for the captain and his leadership ability. However, I do find his technique … wanting.
OBI-WAN: In which way?
LT. CMDR. TARKIN: He is entirely too pacifist. A flaw he inherited from his mother, I’m sure. (beat) I have scrutinized his battle strategies, many times over, carefully; I found that in most instances, he could have achieved cleaner victories had he taken more … assertive approaches.
OBI-WAN: Bail doesn’t feel obliged to take lives unnecessarily — not even the lives of clones.
LT. CMDR. TARKIN: A modus operandi which may one day prove self-defeating.
INT. GALACTIC CITY MEDICAL CENTRE/WAITING ROOM — NIGHT
Having come to the Galactic City Medical Centre, Obi-Wan and Tarkin enter a waiting room. It is nearly empty save for THREE DUROSIAN JEDI: Sev Beral, his nephew Teyf, and his son JANO.
SEV BERAL: (smiles) Knight Kenobi!
OBI-WAN: (grins) Knight Beral!
The two knights shake hands.
SEV BERAL: You remember my nephew, Teyf.
OBI-WAN: (nods to Teyf) Of course. Hello, Teyf.
TEYF BERAL: (bows head) Master Kenobi.
SEV BERAL: (gestures to Jano) This is my son, Jano. You didn’t get to meet him last time.
OBI-WAN: It is good to meet you, Jano.
JANO BERAL: (bows head) And you, Master Kenobi.
OBI-WAN: We have much catching up to do, Kenobi….
LT. CMDR. TARKIN: (interrupts) Which you may do, Sergeants, at your leisure.
At their commanding officer’s stern request, the Durosian Jedi and Jedi Knight-errant put an end to their discourse for the time being.
INT. GALACTIC CITY MEDICAL CENTRE/OPERATING ROOM — NIGHT
A medical ‘droid leads Tarkin, Obi-Wan, and the Berals inside, where they are all directed to four medical slabs raised upright side-by-side. The Jedi lie back against the slabs.
JANO BERAL: Is this all really necessary?
LT. CMDR. TARKIN: Do the athas have your DNA on file, Private?
JANO BERAL: Course not, Commander.
LT. CMDR. TARKIN: Then don’t ask asinine questions. To walk amongst clones you must become a clone.
Taking two hypo-syringes filled with cosmetic nanites — one for the Human, the other for the three Duros — the medical ‘droid injects the four Jedi Knights. It takes a few moments, but soon the nanites begin working their magic. Writhing in agony, the four Jedi transform — Obi-Wan into a man with dusky skin and almond-shaped eyes; the three Duros into identical olive-green Neimoidians with orange eyes. They all wear barcodes upon their foreheads.
TEYF BERAL: (to Jano) You look awful.
JANO BERAL: (pushes Teyf) You’re no belle of the ball yourself.
LT. CMDR. TARKIN: Report back to barracks and get some sleep. We’re due for the spaceport at 0500 tomorrow. (to Obi-Wan) Clones don’t sport long tresses or facial hair; have it shorn.
OBI-WAN: (runs hand through still-blond hair) Shame.
EXT. SPACE — THULE
The Slipstream emerges from hyperspace. Before the ship rests the mottled gray, brown, and blue sphere of the planet Thule.
INT. SLIPSTREAM/COCKPIT
Anakin is with Dahlia in the cockpit, the ex-Jedi in the copilot’s chair. Vizsla's form occupies one of the two passenger chairs behind them.
DAHLIA: Thule. (contemptuous) If there’s a foul, stinking armpit to the universe, this is it.
EXT. THULE — HUROM — SPACEPORT/TARMAC — DAY
The Slipstream has landed. Loading hatch extended, Dahlia disembarks, Anakin and Vizsla tailing her. From all appearances, it appears the spaceport grounds haven’t undergone serious maintenance in forty or fifty years, if not longer. The duracrete is cracked and uplifted in numerous spots, with long grass and weeds growing up through the cracks.
DAHLIA: It’s gonna take some time unloading the crates. Go into town. If you’re gonna be staying, you’d best get a lay of the land. I won’t leave before you get back; promise.
Anakin decides to take her advice. Nodding once to the unseen Vizsla, they leave Dahlia to explore the capital city of Hurom.
EXT. HUROM — STREET — CONTINUOUS
Anakin and his spectral companion explore the streets of Hurom. The city itself is in as grievous a state of disrepair as the spaceport, with thick moss hanging heavily from the sagging rooftops and the street cobblestones lying uneven/upturned upon the ground. The cityfolk don’t appear to be in any better condition; undernourished and sallow, dressed mostly in stained, threadbare clothes which haven’t been in fashion since pre-Clone War years, there isn’t a soul amongst them under the age of fifty.
EXT. SITH TEMPLE — DAY
Anakin brushing off the advances of an aged prostitute bearing what appears to be a full-body rash, they finally come to the heart of Hurom. Rising up from the ground there, ancient in the days when Hurom was young, is a temple. Built with blocks hewn from basalt, pyramidal in structuree, the distinctive characteristics of Sith architecture are evident.
INT. SITH TEMPLE/ATRIUM — DAY
Slipping inside the temple, Anakin enters the atrium. Kneeling on the floor in the centre of the chamber, bathed in the blue-green light streaming down through the dark opal skylight overhead, are DOZENS OF PARISHIONERS. Dressed in robes of black sackcloth, they prostrate themselves before a statue of green-black stone. The statue is of a Sith Lord, adorned in cloak, armour, and skull-like helm, hands rested on the pommel of a longsword.
Wading in amongst the parishioners, Anakin approaches the statue. Opening himself to the Force, he reaches out. There is power here. It is very weak, very faint, with no intelligence malign or otherwise behind it, but it is present all the same. It draws on the feeble life-force of the parishioners, the other cityfolk, the settlement itself for sustenance, keeping itself alive if only barely.
One of the parishioners lunges at Anakin, taking hold of his leg.
PARISHIONER #1: You! The Power! You reek of the Power! (buries face in Anakin’s leg; inhales sharply) Intoxicating! (beat) What are you? Are you of the god?
The other parishioners begin crowding Anakin, feeling him up, smelling and licking him for a taste of what their comrade finds in him.
PARISHIONER #2: I taste nothing!
PARISHIONER #1: (angry) You wouldn’t, Enak, you dessicated, senseless fart! (licks Anakin’s knee) He is saturated with Power! He is the god!
The parishioners gang up on the ex-Jedi now, eagre and desperate to know their nebulous god in the flesh. Overwhelmed by the experience, fearful of what extremes their zealous affection will take them, Anakin breaks away from these pathetic remnants of Humanity and runs out.
EXT. SITH TEMPLE — DAY
Emerging from the temple entrance, Anakin runs up to Vizsla, who hasn't moved from his spot since their arrival. The parishioner who first assaulted Anakin comes hobbling after him, pallor positively ghastly even under this dingy daylight, grinning a nigh-toothless grin.
PARISHIONER #1: God! God!
As the filthy man closes in on the two, Vizsla telekinetically snaps his neck. The death is quick and painless.
PRE VIZSLA: He didn't deserve to live.
Vizsla's statement is one of pity, not contempt.
INT. SLIPSTREAM/MAIN CORRIDOR — DAY
Having returned to the Slipstream, Anakin finds Dahlia waiting for him in the main corridor. Leaning against the bulkhead, arms crossed over her chest, she greets Anakin with a wry half-smile.
DAHLIA: Was your trip downtown edifying?
ANAKIN: (uneasy) Very.
DAHLIA: You didn’t sample the local cuisine, I hope.
ANAKIN: Local cuisine?
DAHLIA: About sixty years old, with an advanced case of Bothan redrash. I believe she goes by the name Necca.
ANAKIN: (nonplussed) No!
Dahlia LAUGHS at his expense. It’s mocking, spiteful laughter — not at all pleasant or wholesome.
ANAKIN: There must be other towns, other settlements….
DAHLIA: A few farms. Maybe even a manned weather station or two.
ANAKIN: You’re telling me that is the only substantial settlement on this entire planet?
DAHLIA: Kessiak used to have a modest population, but it was left in ruin in the last Clone War. I don’t believe anyone’s lived there in the years since.
Anakin shakes his head with disbelief.
DAHLIA: Listen. I’ve come to a decision. I’ll take you the whole way to Korriban.
ANAKIN: I thought you didn’t want to run the risk with pirates in the area.
Approaching Anakin, Dahlia runs her finger along his jawline.
DAHLIA: What can I say? I’ve always had a soft spot for men with large, hard (glances at his crotch) chins.
ANAKIN: (blushes) Are you certain you wanna do this?
DAHLIA: (shrugs) You’re welcome to stay on Thule. A month’s rent in the city’s about 900 credits; I can front you that much. Of course, two-third’s of the city’s empty, so you could always hole up in one of the abandoned villas. (beat) There aren’t many jobs available, but you’re young and healthy; there’re men who’d pay good money to make use of your strong body. (winks) I’m sure if you save up your creds, you can pay for off-world passage in … oh … seventy years. That’s if you find a pilot willing to fly you into Sith Space….
ANAKIN: We don’t have seventy years. (beat) Take us from this place, Ms. Karin.
DAHLIA: Aye-aye, Mr. Valor.
EXT. SPACE — THULE
The Slipstream makes the run for the edge of the system.
INT. SLIPSTREAM/COCKPIT
Following Vizsla's instructions, Anakin encodes a series of hyperspace coordinates into the navicomp.
ANAKIN: There is no direct route to Korriban. (points at five spots on star chart) We’ll have to make stops here, here, here, here and here before we reach the Horuset system.
DAHLIA: Yeah, and any one of them could be teeming with pirates.
ANAKIN: (smiles wryly) You’re welcome to stay on Thule. A month’s rent in the city’s about 900 credits; I believe you have at least that much.
DAHLIA: (tosses stylus at his head) Blow it out your airlock.
Vizsla regards their banter silently.
EXT. GEONOSIS — DESERT — DAWN
The Condawni have spent all night marching across the flat desert hardpan, tugged ever onward by the speeder bikes they've been chained to. Now the pitch darkness of night has receded, replaced with the empty gray of dawn.
Bored after a night of shepherding the prisoners, one of the bikers decides to have a little fun with his chain gang. Feeding power to his engines, he picks up speed, forcing the Condawni chained behind him to pick up their pace. Grinning, he goes faster, forcing the prisoners to run. As he attains enough speed to trip the prisoners trip, dragging them across the rough terrain, T’har orders him to cut it out. He decelerates, knowing the dismal fate in store for him should he fail to obey the Bith.
EXT. RAIDER CAMP — MORNING
As the sun finally rises over the horizon, casting its cold light upon the colder desert, the raider party and their Condawni captives finally arrive at the raider camp. Situated within a formation of hoodoos, hundreds of ramshackle tents have been erected around a derelict sandcrawler — a large metal behemoth of a vehicle which looks like it’s been well on its way to becoming a part of the natural landscape for some time now. Parking, the raiders unhook their prisoners from their bikes and guide them through the camp to the sandcrawler. As the Condawni pass by the numerous tents, they spy the hundreds of raiders looking upon them, eyes gleaming with ravenous hunger from within their flinty sockets.
INT. SANDCRAWLER/PRISON AREA — MORNING
Taken aboard the sandcrawler, as many of the Condawni prisoners as possible are stuffed inside a compartment which has since been converted into a makeshift prison. The compartment is dark, all its surfaces covered in thick layers of greasy or sticky grime. The air is stale and fetid, thick with the miasma produced by the creatures who lived, urinated, defecated, died, and decayed here before them. Though fairly large, the compartment only provides standing room for all these many captives.
Overwhelmed, Mitra begins BAWLING. Forcing his way through the others, Darth finds her. Pulling her close to him, he picks her up and rocks her in his arms, singing to her gently, praying he’ll be able to comfort her while knowing he won’t.
INT. SANDCRAWLER/CONTROL ROOM — MORNING
With T’har pulling his chain, Chlorian is led up into what was the control room of the sandcrawler. There, seated in an uprooted chair, a small harem of none-too-lovely ladies gathered around him, waits ELIK SHIIID, leader of the raiders. A dusky Zabrak male, he is healthy and well-fed — at least in comparison to the Condawni and most fellow raiders.
ELIK SHIIID: Welcome, friend.
Chlorian looks about the control room. Most of the consoles and stations have been dismantled, panels resting against walls or upon the floor, numerous tools and parts strewn about. Towards the front of the room, a crude barbecue has been erected. Behind it, an equally crude but very effective rack for restraining humanoid captives.
ELIK SHIIID: And you’re ...? (beat) No need to tell me. You’re Chlorian Vader, Governor of Condawn.
CHLORIAN: I’m not anything.
ELIK SHIIID: Have to admit, I didn’t think you’d’ve survived this far. I figured you’d’ve gone mad trapped up in that fortress of yours, killed yourselves or ate yourselves up long before now. Yet you actually managed to get out of the city and survive in this icebox wilderness. Most of the local game was depleted when the first of us fled Condawn months ago, but you found enough to eat to keep going. You’ve impressed me, Governor — you truly have. (grins) I knew I made the right choice voting for you.
CHLORIAN: You have me at a disadvantage. You know who I am, but I don’t know you from Adam.
ELIK SHIIID: Elik Shiiid. You wouldn’t know the name; I wasn’t anybody in my old life.
CHLORIAN: You’ve come up in the world?
ELIK SHIIID: I’d say the world’s come down to me! (laughs)
CHLORIAN: (gestures to surroundings) What is this … construct?
ELIK SHIIID: Sandcrawler. I’d venture she’s been here since the old Republic made bids for the planet — a real relic. We stumbled upon her a month away from Condawn. (beat) In fairly decent shape, considering her age. She’s made a good fortress. (points to dismantled equipment) I hoped to get her up and running so we could leave this benighted pit and find more food, but look what I have to work with here. (points out viewport) I’ve found maybe a dozen half-decent mechanics in the lot of them. Even they can’t tell the difference between an arc welder and autowrench most the time. (beat) Governor, I want information. What’s gone on in the world since we left?
CHLORIAN: Geonosis is dying.
ELIK SHIIID: (sighs) I already knew that. (scratches head) Strap him to the rack, Alaad.
T’har drags Chlorian over to the rack. Removing the chain collar from the Human’s throat, the Bith forces him into the rack and fastens the metal straps around his wrists, torso, and ankles.
ELIK SHIIID: It’s not good you should perish with the offal, Gov. Vader. You’ll stay here with me and die in the presence of equals.
EXT. SPACE — CORUSCANT
Leaving Coruscant, a TIE shuttle rendezvous with Troia’s Steed, a large Action VI bulk freighter situated in orbit over the planet.
INT. TROIA’S STEED/CARGO BAY
Aboard the freighter, Tarkin, Kenobi (now shorn and shaven) and the Berals access one of the transport’s many cargo bays. Walking along a catwalk, they stop to look down over the railing. Immense in size, the entire bay is completely empty. With the overhead lights off, the only illumination provided if from the railing lights, creating the unsettling illusion they’re looking into a bottomless pit.
LT. CMDR. TARKIN: Not long ago this cargo bay was filled with Spaarti cylinders, each carrying a clone in utero. The crew was making a covert run out of the Prackla sector, destination unknown; we caught them five parsecs from the Von-Alai system.
SEV BERAL: A prodigious craft. Wouldn’t a courier be more in fitting with our needs?
LT. CMDR. TARKIN: Indeed — were this your typical bulk freighter. (beat) It’s a stealth ship, outfitted with its own cloaking device.
OBI-WAN: How did you ever manage to capture a stealth ship?
LT. CMDR. TARKIN: Cloaking devices require considerable amounts of energy to remain in operation. One need only corral a stealth ship, and before long its reservoirs will run dry.
SEV BERAL: How long can this ship maintain its cloak?
LT. CMDR. TARKIN: Sixty-four minutes.
INT. TROIA’S STEED/BRIDGE
The lieutenant commander and four Jedi enter the bridge. There, already going about their business, is a bridge crew of dusky skinned Human males and olive-green Neimoidians.
LT. CMDR. TARKIN: Imperial High Command deemed it more auspicious to use reconditioned clones than Imperial personnel for this mission. (beat) The most willful man can cave under torture; the mindless automaton never will.
Taking the command chair, Tarkin orders the Human navigator to set course out of the system.
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