Saga - Legends Star Wars: The New Dawn (Ep. I Rewrite) *COMPLETE*

Title: Star Wars: The New Dawn

Author: Duragizer

Characters: Obi-Wan; Anakin; Siri; OC

Genre: AU; action; adventure; angst

Timeline: 14 ED (Empire Date) aka 40 BBY/46 BBE

Summary: In the days of the Third Clone War, a group of Mandalorians have begun making a series of raids against various ships and worlds in the Outer Rim, kidnapping several while slaying the rest. Anxious to put these raids to an end, the Jedi Council of Coruscant has assigned Siri Tachi to uncover the reasons behind these attacks and figure out the key to stopping them.

Notes: As this is a complete rewrite of Episode I, don't expect the GFFA as you've come to know it in the PT/EU/etc. to exist here; these are different versions of Ben, Anakin, Siri, etc., with different personalities and histories.

 

Ooh, cool stuff! A very audacious undertaking but with lots of promise.

 

TITLE CARD: A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away ...

A vast sea of stars serves as the main backdrop for the main title, followed by a rollup, which crawls up into infinity.

STAR WARS

THE NEW DAWN

It is Year 14 in the reign of Emperor Cos Da****. Cast into the flames of war, the inefficient Galactic Republic is no more; in its place now stands the Galactic Empire, a far more formidable power for a far less certain time.

In spite of the firm opposition provided by this new regime, nefarious forces continue to ravage the Known Regions of the galaxy. Members of the Mandalorian Death Watch -- a fanatical branch of the enemy defeated in the First Clone War -- have been making seemingly random attacks upon unescorted ships and backwater planets along the Outer Rim, taking only a select few of those they encounter back to their dungeon ships for destinations unknown while putting the rest to the sword.

In the wake of these attacks, the Jedi of Coruscant have assigned one of their knights to investigate and, in doing so, uncover the underlying plan of the Mandalorians ...

PAN UP

To reveal the underside of the water world codenamed KMN-0, its oceans alive with a preternatural cyan glow.

Suddenly the Radiant VII -- a Consular-class space cruiser -- comes streaking past at high velocity, its trajectory taking it beneath the hulking blue ocean planet. Behind it, hot on its heels, is a pair of Jehavey'ir-class assault ships. The twin ships fire upon the smaller Imperial craft, unleashing a torrent of intense yellow turbolaserfire. The Radiant VII reciprocates, firing green turbolaser blasts at the Mandalorians.

INT. RADIANT VII -- COCKPIT

CAPTAIN MAOI MADAKOR and LIEUTENANT ANTIDAR WILLIAMS, the two crew members of the Radiant VII currently manning the cockpit, struggle to simultaneously fend off the attacking assault ships while trying to coax more speed from the small ship's engines.

CAPT. MADAKOR: I can feel them breathing up my skirt, Lieutenant. Can't you coax more speed out of the engines?

LT. WILLIAMS: The sublights are burning at maximum capacity, Captain. If I had some time on my hands, I could probably bypass the safety protocols and give us enough of a boost to evade the assault ships long enough to make the jump to hyperspace, but it's time we don't have.

CAPT. MADAKOR: How long 'til we can make the jump?

LT. WILLIAMS: The navicomp will have the coordinates ready in five minutes.

EXT. SPACE -- KMN-0

The Radiant VII's green turbolaserfire strikes each of the assault ships, but each blast is effortlessly repelled by the larger crafts' deflector shields without leaving the slightest damage. Moving in like foreboding birds of prey, the Mandalorian ships unleash salvoes of yellow turbolaserfire upon the space cruiser. The energy bolts hit the cruiser's engines, obliterating one of the engines completely while instantly crippling the other.

INT. RADIANT VII/COCKPIT

The Radiant VII rattles violently, throwing the captain and the lieutenant forward in their seats.

INT. RADIANT VII/SALON POD

The interior of the salon pod is spacious, furnished with glamourous accoutrements. Inhabiting the pod, standing at the far end, is a tall NEAR-HUMAN WOMAN in voluminous crimson robes, SIX HUMAN WOMEN in close-fitting black uniforms, and a BLUE ASTROMECH 'DROID. Though each of the six black-garbed women are attractive in their own right, the beauty of the near-human woman -- with her long green-white hair, glittering porcelain-white skin, and radiant green-gold eyes -- puts theirs to complete shame.

When the reverberations of the blast hits the pod, both the human women and the 'droid rock on their foundations, threatening to topple over. The unearthly beautiful woman in red, however, her eyes closed and her hands clasped tightly around the chain of a crystal medallion in prayer, remains perfectly still, unaffected by the turbulent vibrations.

EXT. RADIANT VII - SPACE

With the Radiant VII dead in the water, one of the assault ships easily slides up alongside the star cruiser. Like an insectile proboscis, a mechanized airlock extends out from the assault ship and clamps down on the outer hull of the cruiser.

INT. RADIANT VII/SALON POD

Hearing the groans and feeling the shudders of the ship as it is forcibly joined with the assault ship, the human women look up towards the ceiling of the pod, gazing about as if in search of the source of the invading phenomena.

The near-human woman -- the beautiful priestess -- brings her prayer to a close, securing the medallion around her neck.

PRIESTESS: (in Seboutrexi, subtitled) It's beginning ...

One of the six human women -- a handsome woman with broad shoulders -- takes a step away from her compatriots, approaching the priestess. This woman is ZIYAL D'UKAT, a Mistryl Shadow Guard and the team prime of the other five black-garbed women.

ZIYAL: (subtitled) We can't save you from the Mandalorians. There are only six of us against their entire crew.

PRIESTESS: (subtitled) You've done what you can, Ziyal D'ukat. Consider our bargain complete.

ZIYAL: (subtitled) I don't want to see you taken by them. You should escape while there's still time.

PRIESTESS: (turns to Ziyal) (subtitled) Where would I go? (waves her arm toward the planet sitting out beyond the pod's viewport) The planet out there is a world of empty oceans and we're light-years away from any inhabited system. (beat) There is nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide.

ZIYAL: (subtitled) You've never been a prisoner of the Mandalorians. I have, and I know from first-hand experience how they treat women in their custody. Please, don't go through with this.

PRIESTESS: (subtitled) I have looked into a number of different possible futures. (places a hand atop the astromech's dome-like head) This is the only course of action left open to me.

Realizing that she cannot deter the priestess from her decision, the Shadow Guard chooses to end the conversation.

PRIESTESS: (subtitled) Artoo, begin recording ...

INT. RADIANT VII/COCKPIT

Madakor and Williams, having regained their senses, are busy undoing the restraints of their seats when a loud HISSING sound begins issuing through the sealed doors leading into the cockpit.

CAPT. MADAKOR: (twists her seat around and leaps to her feet) They're coming through! Get ready --

Before she can finish her order, the cockpit doors disappear in a terrific explosion, the walls of the cockpit lighting up with bright yellow light and the air filling with acrid black smoke. As the two officers clear their blasters from their holsters, DOZENS OF MANDALORIAN WARRIORS -- each clad in the silver-and-blue armour and blue-and-gray robes of the Death Watch -- come pouring in, cutting them down instantly with a hail of yellow blasterfire.

INT. RADIANT VII/UPPER DECK

Dropping in through a hole cut in the hull above, dozens upon dozesn of MANDALORIAN DEATH WATCHMEN invade the small cruiser. Spreading out into all available areas of the ship, they cut down all crew members they come across with their blasters and vibroswords.

INT. RADIANT VII/'DROID HOLD

Inside the small, dark, cramped 'droid hold, a number of 'droids lay strewn about its confines, all either deactivated or in low-power modes. As the door to the hold slides abruptly open, casting bright light into its interior, one of these 'droids -- a GOLDEN PROTOCOL 'DROID -- immediately comes to life.

C-3PO: (erratic) Oh, my! Oh, goodness!

The golden 'droid rises to his feet, turning towards the HUMANOID SILHOUETTE filling the open doorway.

C-3PO: Oh, dear me -- it isn't Donic Day already, is it?

The owner of the silhouette steps inside; it is a MANDALORIAN WARRIOR, a blaster rifle in his hands.

C-3PO: No, wait --!

The Mandalorian levels his blaster at Threepio and presses the trigger. A bolt of yellow energy lances out, hits the 'droid's shoulder plating, then ricochet's back, hitting the Mandalorian square in the face and knocking him back and off his feet.

Cautiously, Threepio takes a few steps toward the fallen warrior. Looking him over, he comes to the conclusion that the Mandalorian is stone dead.

C-3PO: This is no life for a protocol 'droid. I deserve far better than this.

Stepping past the dead Mandalorian, Threepio leaves the 'droid hold for the corridor beyond, eyes on the lookout for more Mandalorians.

INT. RADIANT VII/SALON POD

The priestess stands before Artoo, reciting her message.

Suddenly, loud BANGS begin to reverberate through the pod doors. The Mistryl Shadow Guards turn toward the source of the sounds, growing tense with anticipation as they unsheathe their vibroswords.

ZIYAL: (to the priestess) (subtitled) They are coming through!

Finishing her message, the priestess places a hand on Artoo, and he stops recording.

With a terrible SQUEAL of grinding metal, the doors of the salon pod are forced open. Leaping forward, the six Mistryls engage the FIRST MANDALORIANS to step through, the vibrating blades of their technological swords clashing against those of the helmeted warriors.

One of Mistryls gains immediate advantage over her Mandalorian sparring partner, knocking the blade of his vibrosword away and delivering a blow which cuts through his neck and the chain of a platinum medallion surrounding it, nearly decapitating the warrior. Her victory is short lived, however, when another Mandalorian manages to evade her defenses and thrusts the point of his sword into her side, fatally running her through.

Turning away from Artoo, the priestess can do nothing but look on with horror as the Death Watchmen quickly begin to overwhelm the formidable Shadow Guards, cutting them down with full brutality and no mercy.

INT. RADIANT VII/CORRIDOR

See-Threepio makes his way along the corridor, eyeing the twisted bodies of the slaughtered crew members strewn about.

INT. RADIANT VII/SALON POD

The priestess sits against the far wall of the pod, trembling in a ball under the transparisteel viewport, weeping with fear and disgust as Artoo stands beside her, trying to provide consolation the best he can. Ten Mandalorian Death Watchmen stand inside the pod, the bloody corpses of the Mistryl women and their slain dead underfoot, their hidden eyes focused on the beautiful priestess cowering before them.

MANDALORIAN AIDE: (in Mando'a, subtitled) The Force Hound approaches!

Snapping to attention, the Mandalorian warriors spread out, clearing the way for TWO OTHER MANDALORIANS as they step inside the pod. While the FIRST MANDALORIAN to enter is just another average Death Watchman, the SECOND is distinguished by the aquamarine robe he wears over his armour along with the trident symbol emblazoned over the visor of his helmet. He regards first the other Mandalorians, then the dead, before walking over to the priestess.

PRIESTESS: (looks up at the Mandalorian, her face twisted with hatred) Butcher! Murderer!

FORCE HOUND: I'm sorry, but it was an unfortunate necessity.

PRIESTESS: (enraged) This was a necessity?! (beat) They were civilian crew members -- they didn't have a chance against you! You could have spared them!

FORCE HOUND: I know you cannot understand. Someday, perhaps, you will. (offers her his hand) It is time to come with us.

Her face still contorted with hate, the priestess seizes the Mandalorian's hand in a hard grip. Fearing an attack, the other Mandalorians ready their weapons.

FORCE HOUND: (to the other Mandalorians; in Mando'a, subtitled) Sheathe your blades. She won't harm me.

As the Force Hound pulls the priestess to her feet, Threepio steps into the open doorway.

C-3PO: (in Seboutrexi, subtitled) Mistress, I --

Alerted to his presence, the Mandalorians spin around to face him.

C-3PO: Perhaps this isn't --

Before the golden 'droid can finish his statement, one of the Mandalorians lunges forward, ramming the blade of his vibrosword through Threepio's mechanical torso. Pulling the protocol 'droid in through the doorway, the Mandalorian twists the blade then forces it upward, cutting out and through Threepio's shoulder.

Uttering a senseless litany made up of a combination of astromech mechanical language and Huttese, See-Threepio collapses to the deck, twitching violently as his wounds flash with electricity.

FORCE HOUND: (annoyed; in Mando'a, subtitled) It was just a protocol 'droid, idiot.

Without any further words, the Force Hound steps forward, dragging the priestess behind him as he leaves for the open doorway. As he steps out, the other Mandalorians gather their dead then follow after him, leaving Artoo alone with the bodies of the slain Mistryls and the damaged form of See-Threepio.

EXT. SPACE -- KMN-0

Disengaging and retracting its extendible airlock, the Mandalorian assault ship releases the Radiant VII. As the small Consular-class cruiser drifts away, the engines both of the assault ship and its counterpart blaze to life and they rocket forward, casting their large shadows upon the derelict ship as they cruise over it. Before them, waiting in the distance like a stern parent, is the looming form of a Lictor-class dungeon ship.

Passing beyond the Radiant VII, a turbolaser cannon on one of the Jehavey'irs comes alive and swivels into position, opening fire upon the small ship. A single turbolaser bolt hits the cruiser, blowing it apart into three separate pieces.

After the assault ships have rendezvoused with the dungeon ship and together made the jump into hyperspace, the remains of the Radiant VII begin falling into KMN-0's gravity well. Entering the atmosphere, the fragments begin to glow with intense white hot heat.

 

Amazing action and vivid scenes. Will eagerly await more.

 

Am I reading this right? The emperor's name should sound like 'cause the shet'?

 

You'll have to ask Lucas -- he came up with the name.

 

EXT. KMN-0 -- TERRAFORMING STATION C31 -- EVENING

A terraforming station rises up from the black ocean of the near-empty water planet. Large and conical in shape -- with various red, orange, and white light fixtures aglow upon its surface -- the station looks like an immense, inhabited artificial island.

INT. TERRAFORMING STATION C31/GAME ROOM -- EVENING

Inside the small, cramped, sparsely-stocked, dimly-lit game room, TWO INDIVIDUALS sit around a dejarik table. With one diminutive and the other a behemoth, they are clearly unrelated by blood. Regardless, their physical characteristics bear witness to the fact that they are both the results of hideous genetic experimentations; the tall one -- MAC 73239 -- is a human-wookiee hybrid, his entire body save for his fingers, chest, and upper face covered in thick black-brown fur, while the short one -- NOR 747 -- is a Chadra-fan-Lannik hybrid, with the body of the former but the long, down-turned ears of the latter. Both are currently engrossed with the holographic creatures which are playing across the illuminated game board.

As a holographic creature resembling three conjoined trees with six tentacles entangles a creature which resembles a legless spider with bat wings and pulls it down to its death, Nor begins hooting and hollering with joy, apparently the winner in this game. Mac, for his part, nonchalantly pours his mug of iridescent black-green ale on the dejarik board, causing the board to explode in a shower of sparks and smoke.

MAC: Cheating bastard.

NOR: Hey!

INT. TERRAFORMING STATION C31/SURVEILLANCE ROOM -- EVENING

Inside the small, cramped, sparsely-stocked, dimly-lit surveillance room, four beings -- BLAI 7, GAR 79, CLA 75, and CHI 537 -- sit before large banks of computer monitors, all of which display readings for various equipment in operation aboard the station or monitor various locations in and outside of the station itself. Like Mac and Nor, these four creatures are the results of renegade scientists' attempts to create hybrids between genetically unrelated species through forbidden gene splicing experiments.

The four beings, consumed with boredom, almost miss the bright streak of light that flashes across one of the monitors, flying down from the black sky outside to hit the dark waters right outside the station.

GAR: Hey, what was that?!

CHI: What was what?

GAR: That thing that flashed across Screen #68!

CHI: I didn't see a blessed thing. Play it back.

Punching a command into his keyboard, Gar rewinds and replays the footage of the flaming trail hitting the black water.

BLAI: It's got a heavy metal content. It could be a large meteorite.

CLA: Readings are all wrong for it to be a natural meteorite. It's clearly of artificial origin.

GAR: (sighs with irritation) Great -- space junk. With our luck, it'll be some radioactive bleeder from a Type 0 planet. (to Blai) Get Mac and Nor on it right away.

Without a word, Blai acknowledges with a single nod of his misshapen secondary head.

INT. TERRAFORMING STATION C31/GAME ROOM -- EVENING

Still caught up in their argument over the botched dejarik game, Mac and Nor fail to notice when BENN 4647 -- a bizarre looking Devaronian-twi'lek hybrid with mottled blue-and-bronze skin -- opens the door and enters the murky room.

BENN: (coughs into his hand) Ahem ...

Noticing Benn for the first time, Nor and Mac stop their riotous bickering and turn toward him.

BENN: (cont'd) You're needed outside. Space junk 45.8 degrees off the starboard side of the sixteenth pylon.

NOR: Can't this wait? We're in a very important discussion right now!

BENN: (shrugs) Do you want a repeat of what happened sixteen months ago with the ninth configurator?

Realizing that they have an important job to do and that it would be unwise to postpone doing it, the two companions sigh dejectedly and saunter off past the blue-bronze hybrid and out of the game room to attend to their duty.

EXT. OCEAN -- EVENING

A small submersible cuts through the inky black depths of KMN-O's ocean waters. Looking like a large, gray eye sporting a pair of oversized crab-like claws, it is a comical sight to behold.

INT. SUBMERSIBLE/COCKPIT -- EVENING

MAC: (speaking into his headset) We're approaching the junk.

EXT. OCEAN -- EVENING

As the submersible moves closer to its destination, a thick mechanical pole reaching up from the unseen ocean depths below and stretching to the unseen surface above fades into existence. There, wedged tightly in between the main body of the pole and a projected array of sensory filaments, is the large piece of space junk -- the only large fragment of the Radiant VII to survive its fall from the heavens to this planet of unending ocean.

INT. SUBMERSIBLE/COCKPIT -- EVENING

NOR: (to Mac) What do you think it is?

MAC: Beats me. Whatever it was, it's Hutt pizza now. (into his headset) I'm readying the arms. It's in there, but it should slide out easy enough with a little gentle lovin'.

EXT. OCEAN -- PYLON 16 -- EVENING

The arms of the submersible come to life. Moving forward, they clamp onto projections on the fragment's surface. Once the grip is secure, the arms begin retracting. As they do, though, the fragment refuses to come with them, stubbornly remaining glued in place between the main body of the pylon and the sensory filaments.

INT. SUBMERSIBLE/COCKPIT -- EVENING

MAC: (licks his lips) Sonuvablaster doesn't want to come loose.

NOR: (enters a command into a control panel) Activating reserves.

EXT. OCEAN -- PYLON 16 -- EVENING

With the extra juice flowing through its engines, the submersible manages to work the ship fragment out of its prison of metal. Once it's freed, though, the weight of the thing begins to pull the smaller form of the submersible down with it toward the ocean floor far below.

INT. SUBMERSIBLE/COCKPIT -- EVENING

MAC: (panicking) More power, Nor! Hurry up! The backup arms, too! C'mon! C'mon!

EXT. OCEAN -- PYLON 16 -- EVENING

Concealed hatches on either side of the submersible slide open and a pair of second arms -- smaller and with somewhat more delicate instrumentation than that of their larger cousins -- slide out. Clamping down on the fragment along with their larger twins, the backup arms provide enough leverage for the submersible to overpower the weight of the fragment and stop the descent to the dark depths below.

INT. SUBMERSIBLE/COCKPIT -- EVENING

MAC: (sighs) I was getting worried there.

NOR: The damned thing's pretty heavy. Don't you think we should let the sucker sink and call it a day?

MAC: And take the chance that it'll just get tangled up in the pylon again, only deeper down? To hell with that! I'm bringing it topside where it can be disposed of properly!

EXT. OCEAN -- PYLON 16 -- EVENING

With the ship's fragment balanced in its four arms like the known galaxy's strangest baby, the submersible begins making the slow ascent back to the surface.

EXT. TERRAFORMING STATION C31/SOUTH DOCK -- EVENING

The submersible and fragment now topside and secure, Mac and Nor climb up out of the hatch, climbing the rails which take them up onto the dock where other members of their crew are waiting to greet them. FU 247 -- a large, burly hybrid between a human and some unidentifiable cetaceous being -- walks up to the two while six of her men run up to examine the fragment now docked with the submersible.

FU: What is that thing?

MAC: That's up to you to find out and us not to give a damn about.

FU 247's crew goes to work cutting a hole in the side of the fragment as Mac and Nor disinterestedly leave to find a dry dejarik board. NORWE 4426 -- an ugly, gaunt zabrak-Pau'an hybrid -- rubs his boney chin in hard thought as he examines the pitted surface of the fragment.

NORWE: It looks like a near-intact segment of a Consular-class space cruiser -- the salon pod itself, to be precise.

FU: Good -- maybe there's something of value left intact inside.

After a few moments, the crew finishes cutting the hole through. WIN 3697 -- a strangely attractive hybrid between an Ithorian and an amani -- peers inside. Within the dark confines of the pod, Artoo's lights come to life, causing her to reer backward with startlement. Rocking back and forth in the shadow, the short astromech unit begins blorting and warbling frantically.

WIN: (turns to Fu) Fu, I don't know if its valuable or not, but there's something inside I think you should take a look at ...

 

EXT. CORUSCANT -- ENTERTAINMENT STREET -- EVENING

Entertainment Street -- with its smoggy air, run-down buildings, flickering lights, and disreputable-looking characters -- lies at the heart of the world planet's seedy underbelly, far from the well-maintained, gleaming chrome centres of civilization that serve as the planet's public face to the rest of the Empire.

A TALL WOMAN -- her features hidden beneath the folds of a deep red, hooded cloak -- makes her way along Entertainment Street, passing several alien lowlifes, pan-handling 'droids, and upper class slummers along the way. Soon she comes to her destination: a grime-stained establishment with a dim blue neon sign identifying it simply as "NIGHTCLUB".

As she steps forward, a SCANTILY CLAD PROSTITUTE standing beside the entrance -- her body too heavily endowed to be natural -- reaches out, stopping her with a touch on the shoulder.

PROSTITUTE: How's it hangin', honey? Goin' my way?

HOODED WOMAN: (regards the woman) I doubt you're my type.

PROSTITUTE: Baby, I'm everybody's type.

As she says those words, the exotically beautiful woman changes her shape; muscles, bones, skin and hair lengthening and contracting, she transforms into a scantily-clad man with a muscular physique and trim goatee.

HOODED WOMAN: I'm sorry, but I've come here to meet someone and that someone isn't you. Goodnight.

With that the hooded woman steps past the shape-shifter, entering the nightclub like a shadow merging with a greater darkness.

PROSTITUTE: (gives a rude hand gesture) It's your loss, girly-girl!

INT. NIGHTCLUB -- EVENING

The hooded woman enters the nightclub. Looking about the dingy interior, she sees a number of clientele -- all seedy and disreputable like the people outside -- lounging around, nursing drinks and talking in hushed tones at the bar or in booths. Silently, she moves forward across the room toward the bar, her cloak trailing behind her like flowing dark blood.

As she stops before the grimy bar counter, the bartender -- A LARGE, UNWASHED BESALISK -- turns toward her, wiping a pair of dirty mugs with a pair of dirty rags in a pair of dirty hands.

HOODED WOMAN: I'm here to see Dep T'rot.

BESALISK BARTENDER: Dep T'rot, Dep T'rot ... (spits brown phlegm into a mug) Never heard o' no Dep T'rot.

The hooded woman reaches into her cloak. Pulling out some credits, she tosses them on the counter before the bartender.

BESALISK BARTENDER: (scoops up the credits) Now that I t'ink 'bout it, he might be out back. (beat) Ya know whatta knockout t'ose Rhuvian fizzes can be.

HOODED WOMAN: For him or for you?

BESALISK BARTENDER: I make it a religion neva to sample my own juice, baby. (beat) Not while the sign's lit, anyways.

HOODED WOMAN: (turns to leave) Always a pleasure, Xed.

XED (BESALISK BARTENDER): Don't be a stranger, Tachi.

EXT. ENTERTAINMENT STREET -- NIGHTCLUB -- ALLEY -- EVENING

Exiting the nightclub, the hooded woman makes her way around the building, slipping into the alley behind. As she makes her way down the dark alley, TWO SHAPES come out from the shadows behind her, blocking off the dim light coming in from the street. Spinning around, she finds herself face-to-face with a TALL, GAUNT BALOSAR and a SQUAT, FAT MUTANT YUZZUM.

VISS UTHAR: Hey, baby -- wanna have some deathsticks?

DENN JIIDET: Maybe wanna have my deathstick ...

Without any further word, the two lowlifes unsheathe small vibroblades. Their eyes and grins alive with salacious intent, they begin approaching the hooded woman. She shrinks back, fear evident on her shadow-obscured face.

Just as they reach her, though, her expression of fear transforms into one of hard determination, and she explodes into action. Throwing out her leg, she kicks Jiidet in his furry gut, sending the inordinately large yuzzum crashing into an alley wall with a heavy woof of expelled air.

Ducking as Uthar slashes at her with his vibroblade, she reaches for her side and unclips a cylindrical metal rod. Gripping it hard, she springs back up and punches the Balosar in the face, using the metal weapon to reinforce her blow. Spitting teeth, Uthar goes down.

Just as the Balosar hits the pavement, though, Jiidet recovers and attacks, grabbing the woman by the hem of her dark red cloak. As he spins her around, the cloak comes loose and she goes sailing into a heap of trash, the metal cylinder flying from her grasp.

Chucking with sinister glee, the yuzzum retrieves his fallen vibroblade. Flipping and twisting it around his fingers, he charges the dazed woman.

Just as he reaches her and pulls his knife back to deliver the killing blow, she jumps up onto her feet and springs into the air, somersaulting over Jiidet as his momentum sends him crashing into the pile of trash. Landing behind the sprawled-out yuzzum, she cartwheels across the pavement toward the cylinder, sweeping it up into her hand as she passes over it. Springing back up onto her feet, she grips the cylinder with both hands as the yuzzum climbs to his feet and charges, slashing his vibroblade through the air maniacally.

The woman presses a stud set into the side of the cylinder and a blade of fuchsia-coloured energy erupts from its top with a sharp SNAP-HISS. Startled by this dazzling weapon, the yuzzum stops mid-slash, stumbling as his momentum carries him forward toward the glowing fuchsia blade. Pivoting to her right, the woman throws her left leg out, knocking Jiidet backward onto the pavement with a high kick to the chin. Fully in control of the situation now, she strides forward, placing the tip of the blade under the yuzzum's chin.

HOODED WOMAN: Perhaps you'd like to try my deathstick.

No longer obscured beneath the heavy red cloak, we can see that this woman is human, in her early twenties, pretty, with shoulder-length ash blond hair and piercing gray eyes. Judging by the lightsaber she wields and the loose charcoal coveralls and black boots, belt, and outer tunic she wears, she is a Jedi knight of the Coruscanti sect.

HOODED WOMAN: Get the hell out of here.

Taking the blade of her lightsaber out from under Jiidet's hairy throat, the Jedi takes a step back. Wasting no time, the yuzzum scrambles to his feet and takes off, leaving his unconscious accomplice behind.

DEP T'ROT: (in Kubazian, subtitled) Impressive, Siri -- very, very impressive.

With a sigh, SIRI TACHI deactivates her lightsaber.

Clipping it back on her belt, she turns around, where DEP T'ROT -- a tall Kubaz -- stands behind her, his dark black cloak helping to blend him into the alley shadows.

SIRI (HOODED WOMAN): So are you -- I didn't even know you were back here.

DEP T'ROT: (subtitled) You can take the Kubaz out of the Jedi, but you can't take the Jedi out of the Kubaz. (beat) I have what you've come for.

Reaching under his dark cloak, the Kubaz pulls out a datacard. Retrieving her deep red cloak, Siri fastens the blood-red material around her neck as she steps up to him.

SIRI: (takes the card) What's on it?

DEP T'ROT: (subtitled) Read it.

Pulling out a datapad, Siri slips the datacard into it and calls up the information stored on it.

SIRI: (reading the card's information over) Consular-class space cruiser Radiant VII carrying Zull Uquesne ... high priestess of the Meketrex ... attacked en-route to Vuldronaii, throne world of the Sebouillia ... fragments of ship found by terraformers on KMN-0, uninhabited water planet ... no survivors. (looks up at Dep T'rot) And you're sure Mandalorians were involved?

DEP T'ROT: (subtitled) It fits their M.O. Small, lightly-defended ship, attacked out in the Outer Rim far from any heavily populated world ...

SIRI: (deactivates the datapad) I'll check up on it.

Turning around, Siri begins making her way out of the alley.

DEP T'ROT: (subtitled) Aren't you forgetting something?

SIRI: (stops and turns to face him) Don't worry. Your fee has already been transferred to your account.

DEP T'ROT: (subtitled) That isn't what I meant.

SIRI: (rolls her eyes) What do you mean, then?

DEP T'ROT: (subtitled) Aren't you going to say "thank you"?

Her face freezes. She wasn't expecting him to say anything like that.

DEP T'ROT: (subtitled) Well?

SIRI: (stoney) Thank you ...

No longer comfortable with the Kubaz, she hurries along on her way, leaving the black-clad ex-Jedi alone in the dark, dirty alley.

INT. NYAX/ZULL'S CELL

The near-human Meketrex high priestess -- ZULL UQUESNE -- sits alone within the confines of a dark and dirty detention cell aboard the Mandalorian dungeon ship known as the Nyax. Dirty and disheveled, no longer the perfect picture of perfect beauty she was before, she sits hunched over the solid metal door of her cell.

ZULL (PRIESTESS): (enraged; in Seboutrexi, subtitled) Gods!

Bearing her teeth like an animal, the disgraced priestess balls her hand up into a fist and punches the door hard. Grimacing with the pain that comes as a result, she pulls away and turns her back to the door, fuming.

After a few moments, she reaches into her robes and pulls out her medallion. Clasping it tightly, she begins to pray.

ZULL: (subtitled) Princess of the power of the air, heed my call and receive me. Pray for me in the names of the loa of the fire, the air, the earth, the water, and the aether --

Before she can continue with her prayer, the loud, harsh sound of the lock of her cell door disengaging rings out through the cramped spaces of her cell. Spinning around, her eyes go wide with fear as the door slides open and a PAIR OF ARMOURED DEATH WATCHMEN step inside.

MANDALORIAN #1: (to his companion; in Mando'a, subtitled) A pretty little thing, isn't she?

MANDALORIAN #2: (subtitled) Do you think her kind can make it with humans?

MANDALORIAN #1: (subtitled) Does it matter?

MANDALORIAN #2: (subtitled) No, I guess it doesn't. (to Zull) We could find a way to make it work, couldn't we, my green-haired goddess?

Stepping up to her, the first Mandalorian grabs her by the arm and pulls her roughly to her feet.

MANDALORIAN #1: (to Zull; subtitled) Your little courtship can wait. First, you've got a date with the coffin!

INT. NYAX/CELL BLOCK

Laughing maniacally, the two Mandalorians pull the defenseless Meketrex priestess out of her cell and into the dank, moist corridor of the cell block. Resealing the cell door, they begin pulling her along down the corridor. Futilely trying to pull away from her tormentors, Zull screams. The cries merely reverberate along the nooks and crannies of the cell block, mixing with the tortured sounds of other prisoners imprisoned within the dungeon ship.

 

EXT. SPACE -- KMN-0

As the twin blue-green suns of the water world codenamed KMN-0 dip behind their child planet, casting the side farthest away from them in darkness, a small arrowhead-shaped Delta-7 Aethersprite-class starfighter -- painted silver-and-white with a ring-shaped hyperdrive apparatus affixed to its body -- exits the realm of hyperspace. The pilot of the ship approaches the looming form of the planet at a leisurely pace, taking care not to draw undue attention towards themself.

INT. STARFIGHTER/COCKPIT

Sitting at the controls of the small fighter, a headset secured upon her brow, is Siri Tachi. Reaching forward, she activates the craft's transceiver, opening a transmission to the planet below.

SIRI: This is Siri Tachi, Jedi Knight of the Order of Coruscant, representative of the Imperial Senate. Please respond.

TRANSCEIVER OPERATOR: (O.C.) What is your business on KMN-0, Ms. Tachi?

SIRI: I am here on an official investigation concerning a series of attacks and raids a faction of Mandalorians has been making along the Western Border of the Outer Rim. We have reason to believe one such attack occurred over this planet and that the remains of an attacked ship have been reclaimed by the crew of one of your terraforming facilities. (beat) I request permission to land so that I may question this crew.

TRANSCEIVER OPERATOR: (O.C.) Just give me a minute to check your story out, ma'am, alright?

SIRI: Alright.

The radio goes silent, and Siri sits there silently, gazing out at the amazing view of the blue world beyond. After a minute, the man on the other side of the transmission re-establishes contact.

TRANSCEIVER OPERATOR: (O.C.) Well, Ms. Tachi, your story checks out -- the crew of Terraforming Station C31 did recover the remains of a Consular-class space cruiser. (beat) I'm sending you the landing coordinates now.

SIRI: Thank you.

EXT. SPACE -- KMN-0

Detaching from its hyperdrive ring, the Jedi starfighter's sublight engines blaze to life, taking it on a downward course to the water-filled world below.

EXT. KMN-0 -- TERRAFORMING STATION C31/DOCKING PLATFORM -- DAY

Opening the canopy of her landed starfighter, Siri steps up and out of the craft, stepping out onto the platform. A heavy rainstorm rages all around the terraforming station, drenching everything and everyone left out in the open. She brings the hood of her red cloak up over her head as the canopy of her ship closes.

ARKANIAN OVERSEER: (O.S.) Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?

Turning toward the source of the voice, Siri spies an ARKANIAN FEMALE standing a ways away from her on the platform. Tall and slender, the Arkanian sports the long white hair, pupilless eyes, and four-fingered hands distinctive of her species; she is not a genetically engineered hybrid like the others manning the station.

SIRI: (approaches the Arkanian) I take it storms like these are common on your world.

ARKANIAN OVERSEER: This isn't my world. (beat) But we have our fair share of sunny days. (gestures toward an entrance leading into the station) Please, come this way.

Regarding the aloof Arkanian with a raised eyebrow, the Jedi knight follows her into Terraforming Station C31.

INT. TERRAFORMING STATION C31/CORRIDOR -- DAY

As Siri and the Arkanian make their way along the antiseptic metal corridors of the station, the Jedi can't help but to notice all the strange hybrid creatures which make their way to-and-fro about them.

ARKANIAN OVERSEER: You've taken notice of our rather particular crew, haven't you?

SIRI: Yes, yes, I have. (beat) I don't claim to be an expert on xenobiology, but --

ARKANIAN OVERSEER: They are genetically engineered hybrids, created from the spliced DNA of various unrelated species.

SIRI: (incredulous) What!?

ARKANIAN OVERSEER: They were created by my people during the Second Clone War when Arkania was occupied by the Separatists. The Separatists were apparently interested in seeing how specially tailored hybrids would perform on the battle field.

SIRI: But that's illegal!

ARKANIAN: Not on my world, it wasn't. (beat) Not until Arkania was annexed into the Empire, that is.

SIRI: But the Confederacy's constitution was based on the Republic's, and the use of non-medicinal genetic engineering was clearly --

ARKANIAN OVERSEER: Social mores are trifling matters in times of war. (beat) Our children never did see combat, and after the war ended it was decided that, instead of exterminating them, they would be put to work on various projects throughout the colonies. They have served us faithfully ever since.

SIRI: (disgusted) As slaves.

ARKANIAN OVERSEER: (turns to regard her) They have wages. (beat) The ones with higher brain functions, at any rate.

As they pass out of the corridor, a HUMAN-RANAT JANITOR currently engaged in cleaning the floor stops to give Siri a short once-over. Once she has disappeared from view, he returns to his work.

INT. TERRAFORMING STATION C31/WALK-IN FREEZER -- DAY

The door to a nearly empty, ice-covered walk-in freezer slides open, allowing Siri and the Arkanian overseer to step inside.

ARKANIAN OVERSEER: This station doesn't exactly come equipped with facilities designed to deal with bodily remains and other forensic artifacts, so we've stored the bodies of those we found aboard the pod in here to keep them preserved.

Stepping further into the freezer, Siri spots fourteen humanoid-shaped bodies on the floor, each wrapped in plastic sheeting and laid out in neat rows. Approaching one of the bodies, she bends low and reaches for it, unraveling the sheeting around its head to reveal the naked face and shoulders of a Mandalorian belonging to the Kaleesh species.

SIRI: (frowns) Where are his affects?

ARKANIAN OVERSEER: We removed them for inspection.

SIRI: You shouldn't have done that.

Rising up to her full height, Siri turns away from the dead Mandalorian to face the Arkanian.

SIRI: Where did you take them?

ARKANIAN OVERSEER: They have been taken to a storage room. Trust me, the belongings of each individual body have been placed in their own separate containers.

SIRI: I want to see them at once.

ARKANIAN OVERSEER: (nods) Of course.

Pressing a button on a panel in the wall, the door slides open, allowing the two women to exit the frozen chamber.

INT. TERRAFORMING STATION C31/STORAGE ROOM - DAY

The door to the storage room slides open, and the Arkanian woman leads Siri inside. Throughout the room, strewn about the floor and in piles stacked to the ceiling, are various crates and storage containers holding various parts and supplies.

ARKANIAN OVERSEER: I'm the only one who has access to this room, so no one has been in here since the artifacts were brought in.

SIRI: I assume you have security records to corroborate your story.

Replying silently with only a half-smile, the overseer takes Siri over to the far corner of the room, which has been cordoned off with red tape. There, in a small pile -- Along with the deactivated forms of Artoo-Detoo and See-Threepio -- are fifteen identically shaped-and-sized containers.

ARKANIAN OVERSEER: You'll find everything is in its place -- nothing has been misplaced or lost.

SIRI: (points at the 'droids) The ship's only known survivors, I presume?

ARKANIAN OVERSEER: After a fashion. The astromech is in prime condition -- it has merely been powered down. The protocol 'droid, on the other hand, has been critically damaged, possibly in an altercation with the Mandalorians. (beat) We thought about having it shipped away for repairs, but then we figured that it is evidence and you wouldn't want us tampering with it ...

SIRI: (looks the containers over) There were only fourteen bodies stored in the freezer, but there are fifteen containers here.

ARKANIAN OVERSEER: Naturally, not all the trinkets we found could be correlated with an individual body, so we set them apart. (beat) The container housing them has been clearly marked with a "15".

Locating the container marked with the digit for "15", Siri grabs hold of it and pulls it away from the others.

Carrying it off, she lays it down atop the surface of a large, table-sized crate. Breaking the seal, she opens the container and begins going through its contents, laying each and every artifact out on top of the crate after she finishes examining it. Soon she stops, freezing in place, her brow furrowing at a particular object lying at the bottom of the container -- a platinum medallion on a broken chain.

ARKANIAN OVERSEER: (frowns) Is something the matter?

Reaching into the container, Siri grabs hold of the medallion and pulls it out. Placing it in her hand so the surface bearing a small, ice-blue crystal in its centre faces upward, she grips it tightly then passes her other hand slowly over it.

Suddenly, from the heart of the crystal, a small, three-dimensional holographic projection of a planet flashes into existence. With concentration, Siri makes the planet change shape, transforming it into another planet. After eight more such transformations, each into a different planet, the medallion returns to the projection of the original world it started with.

ARKANIAN OVERSEER: It's some sort of holoprojector.

SIRI: (shakes her head) Oh, no, it's not just a holoprojector -- not at all.

Relaxing her concentration, the crystal at the heart of the medallion goes dead, the projected planet winking out of existence.

EXT. TERRAFORMING STATION C31/DOCKING PLATFORM

Siri now stands before her starfighter. Though the heavy rainfall has died down somewhat, a fierce wind has picked up to replace it, blowing the folds of the Jedi knight's blood-red cloak about her. An ASTROMECH 'DROID, resting in a recess located near the front of the space-faring vehicle, eyes her with its single mechanical photoreceptor.

SIRI: (to the 'droid) Arfour, relay this -- "scramble code five" -- to Coruscant, care of "the old folks home".

ARFOUR beeps and whistles. A transmitter disk extends from the starfighter and the astromech begins to transmit the Jedi knight's image.

INT. CORUSCANT - JEDI TEMPLE/COUNCIL CHAMBERS - TWILIGHT

Within a stately room located at the apex of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, twelve Jedi masters -- MACE WINDU, MICAH GIIETT, KI-ADI-MUNDI, PLO KOON, SAESEE TIIN, EVEN PIELL, YARAEL POOF, OPPO RANCISIS, YADDLE, EETH KOTH, ADI GALLIA, and DEPA BILLABA -- sit in seats arranged about in a semi-circular formation. Though dressed in uniforms nearly identical to Siri's, they also sport large, heavy black capes indicative of Jedi masters of the Coruscanti Order.

A holographic projection of Siri flashes into existence within the Council's semi-circle, standing at attention before the masters.

SIRI: Greetings, Masters. (to Adi Gallia) Mistress.

ADI GALLIA: (smiles) Hello, Siri.

MACE WINDU: (stern) We take it you've found something of importance?

SIRI: (nods) T'rot's information was correct -- the Mandalorians attacked and destroyed a Consular-class cruiser in orbit above the Arkanian colony KMN-0. Several Mandalorian cadavers survived intact aboard the ship's salon pod when it fell to the planet and was recovered by the crew of Terraforming Station C31.

YADDLE: Able were you to uncover the reasons behind the attack?

SIRI: No, but I think I know who was behind it and where they'll strike next.

Reaching into her tunic, Siri withdraws the platinum medallion and holds it out for the Jedi masters to look upon.

MICAH GIIETT: Isn't that --?

KI-ADI-MUNDI: It's a Jedi meditation device!

SIRI: (nods) An initiate's tool for helping to focus one's concentration in the Force -- a child's plaything.

MACE WINDU: Are you sure it belonged to the Mandalorians?

In response, Siri turns the medallion around until the back side faces the Council; there, stamped into its surface, is the symbol of the Mandalorian Death Watch.

SIRI: This isn't a keepsake, a spoil of war -- it was manufactured by the Death Watch itself.

ADI GALLIA: This can only mean one thing.

EVEN PIELL: That a fallen Jedi has joined the ranks of the Death Watch.

OPPO RANCISIS: More than that -- they're training Mandalorian sensitives to use the Force.

MACE WINDU: You said you knew where they'll strike next?

SIRI: (nods) When activated, the meditation device projects holographic images of ten planets -- nine of which have each been attacked by the Mandalorians, each in the order in which they're displayed on the device.

Bringing up the medallion, Siri activates it. Cycling through the planets, she comes to the ninth -- the water world KMN-0 itself.

SIRI: This is KMN-0, the last planet we know of that the Mandalorians have staged an attack around.

Siri switches to the next -- and last -- planet encoded into the meditation device, a barren desert planet with no apparent water on its surface.

SIRI: This is the next and final planet on the list -- a world located on the outskirts of the Hutt Empire known as Tatooine.

 

INT. PASSENGER LINER/PASSENGER DECK

Several passengers sit in their seats aboard a passenger liner currently passing through the extradimensional corridors of hyperspace. One of these passengers is a young human man in his twenties, clean-shaven, his nearly-white blond hair cropped short except for a pair of braids which hang down from his temples, and dressed in all-black clothes. This man, OBI-WAN KENOBI, is fast asleep.

ZOOM IN

On Obi-Wan's sleeping face. As the camera moves in closer, we see that his slumber is fitful, uncomfortable. As his brow furrows and the muscles of his face begin to twitch, the dim sound of lightsabers clashing -- sounds from the depths of his dreaming mind -- can be heard.

As the ship is rocked by sudden turbulence, the young man starts awake from his slumber, breathing heavily with his eyes wide open and his forehead moist with perspiration. As he looks about at his surroundings, trying to recall where he is, the deck's intercom crackles to life.

PILOT: (O.C.) We have dropped out of hyperspace and are now on approach towards the planet. We will be making the descent momentarily, so please secure your restraints. Thank you.

Gaining control over his breathing, Obi-Wan wipes the sweat from his brow, then secures his seat's harness.

EXT. SPACE -- TATOOINE

The passenger liner flies toward Tatooine, appearing to shrink to the size of a gnat as it passes before the looming form of the desert planet.

EXT. TATOOINE -- MOS EISLEY -- DOCKING BAY 94 -- DAY

The passenger liner descends from the sky, coming low over the spaceport city of Mos Eisley, where it slips down through the open maw of Docking Bay 94.

INT. MOS EISLEY -- DOCKING BAY 94 -- DAY

Having landed and with its loading ramp descended, the passenger liner disgorges its load of passengers. Obi-Wan, in a long, black overcoat with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder, makes his way with the other travellers out of the docking bay to the greater city beyond.

EXT. MOS EISLEY -- DOCKING BAY 94 -- DAY

Standing out on the curb beyond the docking bay, Obi-Wan looks to his left and then to his right, surveying the streets for something or someone of importance. When he fails to find what he's looking for, he sighs with disappointment then proceeds to walk on, resigned to find his way to his destination alone.

EXT. MOS EISLEY -- STREET -- MARKETPLACE -- DAY

Obi-Wan eventually finds his way to a bustling marketplace, where several stalls manned by food vendors have been erected to serve the hungry masses of this portion of the city. His stomach grumbling, the young man decides to partake of the available cuisine and walks up to a VENDOR serving some kind of deep fried meat on a stick.

VENDOR: What can I do for ya today?

OBI-WAN: (eyes the food) Is the bantha tongue fresh?

VENDOR: As fresh as my wife's mouth every time she finds me with her mother.

OBI-WAN: I'll have one tongue-on-a-stick, then.

VENDOR: That'll be seven truguts.

As Obi-Wan reaches into his coat for the money, an UGLY DUG strides up to a BURLY GUNGAN over at another stall. Visibly intoxicated and angry, the dug spits at the Gungan's feet.

UGLY DUG: You! Chuba!

BURLY GUNGAN: (turns to regard the dug) Me?

UGLY DUG: Yes, you!

BURLY GUNGAN: What do u'sa want?

UGLY DUG: (pushes his face up in front of the Gungan's) I don't like you.

BURLY GUNGAN: That isn't my problem. Be going.

UGLY DUG: (pokes the Gungan in the chest) I don't like you, you toad-faced worrt! You smell like a nexu's wet 'atch!

BURLY GUNGAN: (pushes Sebulba's wrist away) Leave, barbarian. Your insults will put you down.

UGLY DUG: Try me, maggot!

The dug violently pushes the Gungan, causing the frog-like rephibian to fall back and crash into a stall of fried roach candies, tipping several trays of the candies over. Enraged, the burly Gungan unsheathes a knife. Grinning with bloodlust, the ugly dug pulls out a blaster.

Without hesitation, Obi-Wan strides up to the two combatants and, stepping between them, pulls each weapon from their hands. The two non-humans turn to regard the human, dumbfounded expressions on their faces.

OBI-WAN: (pocketing the weapons) I'm sure you can resolve your differences without needless violence.

UGLY DUG: (incredulous) What do you think you are doing?!

BURLY GUNGAN: (sneers) Give me back my weapon!

OBI-WAN: Knowing how you intend to use it, why should I?

UGLY DUG: (giving Obi-Wan the evil eye) Don't you know who you are dealing with!?

OBI-WAN: Two individuals who have better things to do with their time than kill each other over absolutely nothing.

UGLY DUG: (gives Obi-Wan a once-over) Kill each other over absolutely nothing, eh? (beat) Maybe I wanna kill you over absolutely nothing!

Without warning, the dug jumps forward, pushing Obi-Wan hard. Unprepared for the assault, the young man stumbles backward.

UGLY DUG: Where's your big talk now, peacemaker? Can't you muster it up, boy!?

The dug pushes Obi-Wan again. This time the strength behind the attack is enough to make the man nearly topple, causing him to drop his duffel bag.

UGLY DUG: (contemptuous) Spineless sissy. (spits on the ground) I'll teach you to stick your ugly simian nose in my business.

Planting himself firmly on the ground, the dug rears back, preparing to deliver Obi-Wan a powerful kick with his arm-like legs. As he kicks out, though, the human pivots, avoiding the blow effortlessly, and grabs hold of the dug's feet. Bracing himself, Obi-Wan spins the dug around then releases him. With a shrill cry of fear, the ugly dug flies into a food stall, shattering it and bringing splintered wood and hot stew down upon himself.

As the dug lies there, mewling like a wounded cub, Obi-Wan walks up to him. Reaching into the waistband of his trousers, he pulls out the dug's blaster.

OBI-WAN: (removes the blaster's power pack) Here is your weapon back, my friend. (drops the powerless blaster on the ground between the dug's sprawled legs) Try to find more worthy battles to use it in.

Without any further word, Obi-Wan turns his back to the dug and walks off. The dug, groaning, sits up. Looking after the departing human, his features contort with hate.

UGLY DUG: You'd better watch your back, human, 'cause this isn't over! One way or another, I'll find you and pay you back for this! Count on it!

Refusing to pay the dug any further mind, Obi-Wan returns to the burly Gungan's side. As with the dug and his blaster, the young man withdraws the Gungan's knife and hands it to him.

OBI-WAN: The message I gave him goes for you, too. Use this for a worthy cause or don't use it at all. Am I making myself clear?

Taking the knife the Gungan nods, his face creased with contemplation.

BURLY GUNGAN: I will heed your advice.

Silently, Obi-Wan goes and retrieves his duffel bag then begins walking off. As he passes by the smashed stall, he tosses a bag of truguts to the UNFORTUNATE VENDOR.

OBI-WAN: Sorry for the damages. I hope this'll pay for the repairs.

The vendor finds himself without a word to say, and merely pockets the money, his eyes fixed on the young man as he continues on his way, all the weight of the worlds seemingly pressing down on his shoulders.

 

EXT. DESERT -- SUNSET

Obi-Wan, at the controls of a rented speeder, races over sand and low dunes. Small animals scamper to get out of the way as the vehicle passes toward them.

EXT. LARS HOMESTEAD -- COURTYARD -- SUNSET

As he approaches a moisture farmstead erected in the middle of a flat plain of hard-packed sand, Obi-Wan pulls back on the speeder's controls, cutting power to the vehicle's engines. As he glides to a stop a ways away from the small igloo-shaped rock entrance to an underground dwelling, he hoists up his duffel bag and climbs out of the speeder.

Standing there, the man surveys his surroundings, taking the sight of the familiar farmstead in with a wistful expression on his face. As he looks over toward a lone moisture vaporator in the distance, TWO YOUNG BOYS and A MAN -- ghosts from the past -- fade into existence beside it. They are Obi-Wan and OWEN LARS as young children -- twelve and nine, respectively -- with their father, CLIEGG LARS; the two boys are at work repairing the vaporator, Cliegg standing over them, content merely to watch over them but ready to step in if they need an extra hand.

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: (squatting down low beside the vaporator) Okay, Owen, I'm ready to bolt this sucker back in place -- hand me a 12mm.

NINE-YEAR-OLD OWEN: (crouched down low next to Obi-Wan) 12mm?

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: (frustrated) Yes, 12mm -- hurry up, would ya?

Reaching into a bag full of assorted bolts, young Owen scrambles around inside until he finds a bolt of the right size. Pulling it out, he hands it to Obi-Wan.

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: (places the bolt into place under the vaporator) Alright, now hand over the hydrospanner.

Owen picks the hydrospanner up off the ground beside Obi-Wan and hands it to his older stepbrother. Placing the hydrospanner against the bolt, he tries driving it into place.

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: Dammit, it won't go in!

NINE-YEAR-OLD OWEN: Move over, Ben, and let me try.

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: Oh, be quiet and stay where you are! I know what I'm doing!

NINE-YEAR-OLD OWEN: (looks up at Cliegg) Dad ...

CLIEGG: Ben, give your brother a chance.

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: (frowns) He's not my brother, and you're not my father.

CLIEGG: (facepalms) Alright, boy, now you've really pushed my buttons -- back the hell away from there right now before I give your ass a bare-knuckled thrashing!

Fuming but in no mood to receive a bare-knuckled ass-thrashing, young Ben puts down his tools and steps away from the vaporator. Grinning, Owen takes Obi-Wan's place, sticking his tongue out at his older stepbrother.

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: (glowers) He's just a kid. What does he known about vaporators, anyway?

NINE-YEAR-OLD OWEN: (examines the side of the vaporator) Here's the problem, you dunderhead! You need a 16mm bolt for this panel, not a 12mm!

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: (furrows his brow) What?

NINE-YEAR-OLD OWEN: Bend down and take a look!

Crouching down beside Owen, Ben looks at the panel his stepbrother is now working on.

NINE-YEAR-OLD OWEN: (smug) See? 16mm!

Able to see that his stepbrother is right but unwilling to admit it, Obi-Wan silently picks up the bag of bolts and fishes out a 16mm bolt, handing it to Owen angrily. Owen takes it and puts it into place.

NINE-YEAR-OLD OWEN: (holds out his hand) Hydrospanner.

Sulking, Obi-Wan hands Owen the hydrospanner. Owen takes the tool and places it against the bolt.

YOUNG OWEN: Hey, Ben ...

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: (moody) What?

NINE-YEAR-OLD OWEN: You want to screw it in?

Obi-Wan looks down at his younger stepbrother, who is now offering him the hydrospanner. Turning his nose up at him, the older boy crosses his arms across his chest in defiance.

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: I'm not your grease monkey.

NINE-YEAR-OLD OWEN: Oh, c'mon, don't be such a sore loser!

Turning back to regard Owen, Obi-Wan sees that the younger boy is now wagging the hydrospanner at him, teasing him with the prospect of using it. Sighing loudly, Ben gives in to the temptation.

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: Okay, fine.

Grinning, Owen scoots over so that Obi-Wan can join him by the open panel. Once Ben is there beside him, Owen hands him the bolt and hydrospanner. Taking them, Obi-Wan starts driving the bolt into place.

NINE-YEAR-OLD OWEN: Hey, wait! You're using too much --

Before Owen can finish his warning, Obi-Wan drives the bolt in too far, punching it through the panel, through the machinery beyond it, and into a storage tank. Before the two boys can do anything, a cascade of pressurized water comes shooting out into their faces, soaking them.

CLIEGG: (alarmed) Ah, dammit! Look what you've done! (beat) I'm taking this out of your allowance!

The boys, for their part, merely begin laughing, finding the ordeal nothing short of funny.

The three spectres of the past fade away, and we return to Obi-Wan in the present. Turning away from the vaporator, he finds Owen -- now a grown man in his late teens who is almost the spitting image of his father -- standing before the entrance into the underground homestead. Dressed in the sand-coloured clothes of a moisture farmer, Owen regards his stepbrother gravely.

OBI-WAN: Hello, Owen.

OWEN: It's been awhile. (beat) You're a long way from the Empire.

OBI-WAN: I told you I was coming home.

OWEN: Yes, I know. (beat) Look, I've got some errands to run. You go inside and I'll be with you later.

OBI-WAN: I can help you if you'd like.

OWEN: (shakes his head) No, no, forget it. Just go on inside and make yourself at home.

Without anything further to say, the grown up Owen leaves to do what he has to do. Obi-Wan, for his part, simply stands there, watching the man he grew up with as a boy saunter away into the approaching night.

INT. LARS HOMESTEAD/LIVING AREA -- SUNSET

Obi-Wan steps through the doorway into the living area of the Lars homestead, where he immediately notices that he isn't alone. Seated on a chair before a low-set table is BERU WHITESUN, a pretty young girl with sandy brown hair; it is apparent that Beru is a number of years younger than the seventeen-year-old Owen.

OBI-WAN: Oh, I'm sorry -- I didn't expect to find anyone down here.

BERU: (rises to her feet, smiling) You must be Owen's brother. I'm Beru, Owen's girlfriend.

The young girl holds out her hand. Obi-Wan takes it, shaking it lightly.

OBI-WAN: Beru Whitesun? One of Mir Whitesun's girls?

BERU: The very same.

OBI-WAN: I met your father once at Anchorhead. I don't think I was much younger than you are now. (grins) He made quite the impression on me.

BERU: (laughs) He tends to do that.

Beru returns to her seat. Pulling up a chair, Obi-Wan joins her on the opposite side of the table.

OBI-WAN: Frankly, I'm surprised you're here so late. Shouldn't you be getting home before the suns go down?

BERU: Oh, but I am home. (beat) I moved in here a few months after we started dating, shortly after Jadzia --

Upon the mention of Obi-Wan's mother's name, the young man's face grows hard, his expression dark.

BERU: (places a hand on Obi-Wan's) Oh, I'm so sorry -- I forgot --

OBI-WAN: -- that I was her son. It's alright. (beat) How did your parents take your decision? Moving out of your parents' home and in with someone else for the very first time is a pretty bold move, especially at your age.

BERU: Well, when I told them I was going to move in with Owen, they didn't want to hear a word of it -- they kept saying that I was too young, Owen was too young, that we wouldn't be able to support ourselves, so on and so forth. (beat) When they realized how grown up -- how responsible -- Owen was, though, they came around. (beat) Nik still hasn't warmed up to the idea, though, even though he and Owen are the best of friends.

OBI-WAN: (confused) Nik?

BERU: Nik's my brother. (beat) My very protective brother.

OBI-WAN: (nods) Yes, of course. (beat) Owen was outside when I got here, but he told me he had places to be. Do you know where he'd be going off to at this time of day?

Beru's expression goes stern.

BERU: Probably off to run an errand for Watto.

OBI-WAN: The Toydarian junk dealer?

BERU: (nods) I don't have to remind you that Cliegg had a gambling problem.

OBI-WAN: No, you don't. (beat) It was the main reason I left.

BERU: (cont'd) A few years after you left for the Empire, Cliegg's debts got so bad that he had to ask Watto for money. Watto gave it, of course, and Cliegg was okay for awhile. Of course, he just exchanged many small creditors for one very large one, so in the end he didn't do himself any favours at all. (beat) He fought hard to give up gambling and worked himself to the bone to pay off his debt to Watto. It was too much for him, though, far too much ...

OBI-WAN: I know. Owen told me as much in the last message he sent me.

A tear runs down Beru's eye. Noticing it, she wipes it away.

BERU: Once he was gone, Owen and your mother had to take up his debt. Jadzia couldn't take it ... just couldn't take it ... Oh, God!

Unable to hold back the overwhelming sadness, Beru begins to sob into her hands. Her display of emotion proving to be too much for him handle, Obi-Wan begins to weep as well.

 

Oh how utterly fascinating. The family connections literal and otherwise.

 

Thanks.

 

INT. NYAX/TORTURE CHAMBER

The Nyax's torture chamber is a large chamber, filled with cruel and foreboding instruments of torture. Gloomy as it is within, it is hard to make out the various living forms which have been subjected to these devices, but their cries and moans of agony can be plainly heard.

Standing before one of the many devices of torture -- a coffin-like encasement -- are the Force Hound and the DUNGEON MASTER. Unlike most of the Death Watchmen, the dungeon master wears neither the polished armour or elegant blue-and-gray robes of his brethren; he instead wears a heavy cape of dark gray sackcloth over armour so worn and dull that most of the coloured paint has worn away.

FORCE HOUND: (in Mando'a, subtitled) Open it.

DUNGEON MASTER: (subtitled) As you wish, milord.

The dungeon master presses a release on the encasement and it splits open, revealing the prone form of the Meketrex high priestess Zull. Heavy drugged, she is unable to keep herself from collapsing to the deck in a heap.

ZULL: (weary) No more ... no more.

FORCE HOUND: Give me what I want and it will end.

ZULL: What? What do you want?

FORCE HOUND: Tell me who you are.

ZULL: (coughing) What?

FORCE HOUND: Tell me who you are.

Regaining some of her strength, Zull pushes herself up into a sitting position, half-leaning against the deck with her arms to brace her.

ZULL: (coughing) I am Zull Uquesne, daughter of Egon and Stantz. I serve the Gods of Light and Darkness as Their intermediary to my people, the Meketrex of Sloar.

FORCE HOUND: You have power, don't you? Power beyond that of any mere mortal.

ZULL: I am empowered by the Breath of the Gods. Through Their grace I am able to pierce the veils of reality and glimpse the worlds as they really are.

FORCE HOUND: You can see through space, through time, into the hearts and minds of living souls throughout the galaxy.

ZULL: (nods) Yes.

FORCE HOUND: You could also move mountains, stop the rotation of planets, or even darken a star if you wished.

ZULL: (shakes her head) The Meketrex use their power to commune with the universe and the realities beyond, not to bend them to their will. (beat) That is a privilege granted to the Sebouillia alone.

FORCE HOUND: The Sebouillia were one with the Meketrex in ages past, weren't they?

ZULL: Before the Great Division of 14,019 we were one people, harnessing and communing with the Breath as we wished.

FORCE HOUND: Until a select few among you chose to take the power you wielded to subjugate the masses, to force them into submission under penalty of torment and death.

ZULL: It isn't that simple. Trying to commune with the worlds while also trying to influence them went against nature itself. It drove us to madness and tore our world apart.

FORCE HOUND: A convenient lie. Here is an honest truth -- harness the Breath, use it as a weapon, and kill me where I stand.

ZULL: (outraged) What!?

FORCE HOUND: (cont'd) Reach out with the Breath and kill me, kill the man beside me, kill every Mandalorian alive on this ship, break your bonds and escape! The power is within you -- use it!

ZULL: No!

Enraged, the Force Hound throws out his hand, clenching his fingers. Instantly, the near-human woman begins to grasp at her throat, choking as an invisible force cuts off her air supply.

FORCE HOUND: Reach out and break my hold! Crush my heart! Boil my blood! Rupture my brain!

The Force Hound continues his hold for long seconds, bringing the priestess to the brink. Finally he releases his hold, allowing her to suck in a deep breath of air.

FORCE HOUND: (yelling) What are you waiting for!? Take your vengeance -- strike me down!

ZULL: (coughing) Never!

FORCE HOUND: Then your torment will continue -- later. (turns to a pair of Mandalorian guards standing a ways away from the centre of activity; in Mando'a, subtitled) Take her back to her cell.

Responding immediately, the two Mandalorians walk up to Zull and lift her to her feet. As they escort the Meketrex priestess from the premises, the Force Hound looks after them, his breath heavy with restrained frustration.

INT. TATOOINE -- LARS HOMESTEAD/OWEN & BERU'S BEDROOM -- EVENING

Obi-Wan stands over the bed of Owen and Beru, placing a cover over the sleeping form of the girl. Staying a moment to make certain she is comfortably asleep, the young man then leaves, his expression solemn.

INT. LARS HOMESTEAD/OBI-WAN'S OLD BEDROOM -- EVENING

Stepping inside his old room, Obi-Wan finds that, beyond a bed, a sofa, and a single table, the area is almost bare of accoutrements; it is obvious that most of Obi-Wan's old belongings have either been sold or put into storage.

Sighing, Obi-Wan places his duffel bag on a chair then makes his way over to the bed, sitting down on it, his back turned to the open door.

OWEN: (O.S.) I figured you weren't coming back, so I gave your stuff away.

Turning around, Obi-Wan finds his stepbrother standing there in the open doorway.

OWEN: (cont'd) I figured you Jedi aren't into physical attachments, anyway.

OBI-WAN: (stands up) That depends on the Jedi.

OWEN: I take it you met Beru.

OBI-WAN: (nods) Yes. (beat) She really is a lovely girl, Owen. Congratulations.

OWEN: (steps into the room) Save your congratulations for the wedding.

OBI-WAN: (surprised) You're getting married?

OWEN: (smiles) Maybe one day. That's in the future, though, once we've got everything sorted out.

OBI-WAN: She told me about the debt to Watto.

OWEN: (loses the smile) Just forget about it.

OBI-WAN: (steps up to Owen) Owen, I want to help you.

OWEN: (throws up his hands) I don't need you getting mixed up in things that don't concern you.

OBI-WAN: (incredulous) Don't concern me!? I'm your brother, Owen -- I think this concerns me!

OWEN: (angry) What are you doing here, anyway? You write us off and then you think you can just come back --

OBI-WAN: I never wrote you off!

OWEN: No, you just packed up and left so you could play at being a grand wizard master, leaving us in the real world behind to rot on this backwater cesspool --

OBI-WAN: I had to leave, Owen, don't you understand? As much as I loved you, as much as I loved Cliegg, I couldn't stand slaving away on this farm day-and-night knowing that any profit we made would be thrown away as soon as we could make it on some poorly placed bet or fixed sabacc game. I couldn't stand to watch him whittle his life -- your life -- all our lives away on nothing anymore.

OWEN: So you just abandoned us. Mighty fine tradeoff, I must say.

OBI-WAN: (angry) Goddammit, Owen, I kept in touch!

OWEN: Five messages in six years -- that has to be some kind of record!

OBI-WAN: (shakes his head) Training with Master Yoda kept me away from civilization most of the time, and then with the war ... (beat) When I found out that Dad had died -- that Mom had died -- I wanted to come to their funerals. Believe me, I did.

OWEN: But you didn't.

OBI-WAN: It was too late.

A moment of silence passes between the two brothers.

OWEN: So why now, after all this time?

OBI-WAN: (crying) I lost someone out there ...

OWEN: A girl?

OBI-WAN: (shakes his head) A friend, a friend I had come to see as a second brother. (beat) I came back ... because I don't know if I can handle it anymore. I don't know if I can be a Jedi anymore.

OWEN: (runs a hand through his hair) I'm sorry -- really, I am -- but I can't be the loving brother who's standing by to be a shoulder to cry on. I have my own sorrows to deal with.

Finished with Obi-Wan, Owen turns around and leaves the room, shutting the door behind him. Taking in a deep, shuddering breath, Obi-Wan walks over to the barren table.

Removing his overcoat, he reveals a lightsaber clipped to his belt. Tossing the coat onto the sofa, he unclips the lightsaber and then holds it up before him, examining it before carefully setting it down atop the table and then returning to his bed.

INT. NYAX/TORTURE CHAMBER

Zull stands against a metal rack, her wrists and ankles secured to prevent escape. With wicked-looking electrodes secured to her joints and extremities, the beautiful priestess can do nothing but scream as volt after volt of painful electricity is sent coursing through her body. Surrounding her, bearing witness to this cruel torture, are several HEAVILY-ARMED SECURITY 'DROIDS and four Mandalorians -- TWO ESCORTS, the dungeon master, and the Force Hound himself.

FORCE HOUND: (in Mando'a, subtitled) She's had enough. Let her down.

DUNGEON MASTER: (subtitled) As you wish, milord.

Pressing a few buttons and turning a dial set into his control panel, the Mandalorian dungeon master cuts the power to the electrodes. Finally free of the pain, Zull collapses into semi-unconsciousness. Moving over to the rack, the two escorts open the shackles of the rack, allowing the Meketrex high priestess to collapse into their arms.

FORCE HOUND: (subtitled) Return the girl to her cell.

The escorts nod once in acknowledgement. Hefting the loose form of the beautiful woman up so as to get a firmer hold of her, they begin half-carrying, half-dragging her off.

The Force Hound, his features hidden behind his Mandalorian helmet, watches them as they leave.

INT. NYAX/CELL BLOCK

The two Mandalorians guide Zull down the corridor of her cell block. Having regained some of her wits, she is now able to support some of her own weight.

INT. NYAX/ZULL'S CELL

The door to the cell slides open and the Mandalorian escorts push Zull inside, allowing the disheveled near-human girl to unceremoniously collapse to the filthy floor in a heap. The door slides closed and the intricate locks engage, leaving Zull there on the floor in near-pitch darkness.

MANDALORIAN #2: (O.S.) Hello there, goddess.

Hearing the voice, Zull slowly pushes herself up into a sitting position, looking toward the source of the voice.

ZULL: (scared) Who's that? Who's there?

A figure steps out of the deep corner of the cell into the scant light at the centre, revealing himself to be one of the two Mandalorians who first escorted her to the torture chamber.

MANDALORIAN #2: You wouldn't believe how long I've been waiting here. I was afraid you weren't going to come back.

The Mandalorian takes a threatening step forward. In fear, Zull scuttles back away from him.

ZULL: Stay away from me ...

MANDALORIAN #2: Oh, come now, goddess, don't be like that. Let's be friends.

Reaching upward, the Mandalorian removes his helmet. Underneath the cauliflower ears, slightly twisted nose, and light scars, the Mandalorian is a bona fide pretty boy with light blond hair and piercing blue eyes.

MANDALORIAN #2: See now? I'm not a harsh sight am I?

Zull scurries back further, pressing herself up against the far wall to get as far away from him as possible.

MANDALORIAN #2: (frowns) Alright, enough of that. I want to be friends, so we're gonna be friends -- good friends.

Tossing the helmet aside, the Mandalorian crosses the room to Zull.

INT. NYAX/CELL BLOCK

As the screams of the high priestess of the Meketrex begin pouring through the walls outside her cell, the Force Hound appears, standing by the locked door. He scrutinizes the sealed cell door, his mind full of thought, before hanging his head in shame and walking off to leave the Mandalorian within to satisfy his foul appetites.

 

EXT. SPACE -- KMN-0

A box-shaped cargo shuttle leaves the atmosphere of KMN-0, flying past the derelict hyperspace ring of Siri Tachi's starfighter as it heads for open space.

INT. SHUTTLE/CARGO BAY

Siri, the hood of her deep red robe pulled up over her head, sits atop a crate in the otherwise empty cargo hold of the cargo-hauling shuttle. There, palmed in her outstretched hand, is an activate holoprojector displaying the blue-white image of her Jedi mistress, Adi Gallia.

ADI GALLIA: (cont'd) ... and we'll dispatch an acolyte to retrieve your starfighter and bring it back to Coruscant.

SIRI: (nods) Thank you, Mistress. (beat) All the paperwork's in order?

ADI GALLIA: (nods) Each and every document has been scrutinized and gone over a thousand times to make sure nothing is vague and everything is legitimate. You should have no problem with the local authorities once you reach Tatooine.

SIRI: Still ... I can't help but have a bad feeling about this.

ADI GALLIA: Look inside yourself, Siri, find your centre. There you will find the living Force. Let it flow through you and soothe you and erase all doubt from your mind.

SIRI: (unconvinced) I'll try.

ADI GALLIA: The Force be with you, Siri.

SIRI: And with you, Mistress.

Leaving her with a smile, the holographic Jedi mistress winks out of existence, leaving Siri alone with her uneasy thoughts.

EXT. SPACE

The shuttle soon comes in reach of the Lightning Warrior, a large Dreadnought-class heavy cruiser. Emblazoned on the side of the dreadnought is the design of an intricate, down-turned gold triangle -- the Crest of Alderaan, indicating that the ship belongs to the Alderaanian fleet.

Sidling up with the bow of the heavy cruiser, the small shuttle slips into the craft's docking bay.

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR/DOCKING BAY

Gliding into the bay, the cargo shuttle touches down atop the polished metal plating of the deck. There in the bay, waiting for the ship, is a TALL, BROAD-SHOULDERED MAN in his late twenties with a full head of thick, black hair. This man, clad in the crisp gray uniform and decorated with the insignia of an Imperial admiral is BAIL PRESTOR ORGANA, the Prince of Alderaan himself.

The side hatch of the shuttle opens and Siri steps out. Tossing a fold of her cloak back, she approaches the admiral.

SIRI: Admiral Organa?

BAIL: (smiles) Call me Bail.

SIRI: If it's all the same to you, Admiral, I would prefer to address you by your rank.

BAIL: (shrugs) If that's what you prefer ...

SIRI: Thank you, Admiral.

BAIL: (gestures toward the doors leading out of the docking bay) Shall we?

Siri nods with affirmation. Together, they walk off for the wider regions of the ship.

SIRI: I have to say I'm astonished to find a ship of the Alderaanian fleet so far out from the Core Worlds. The Outer Rim territories are far beyond your usual patrol range, aren't they?

BAIL: After my promotion to admiral I felt like getting as far away from the war as possible, so I requested an assignment which would take me out of the thick of things. I was assigned a tour of duty patrolling the border regions between Imperial and Hutt space. (beat) It sure beats having to deal with Neimoidian mercenaries and Dark Jedi conspiracies.

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR/TURBOLIFT

Siri and Bail now stand within a turbolift, on ascent to a higher deck.

BAIL: So from what little information I've received, you've been having problems with Mandalorian raids along the Western Border. Can you give me any more details?

SIRI: Well, there isn't much more I can tell you. From what we gathered from what witnesses there are, a Mandalorian dungeon ship with an escort of two-to-five assault ships has been attacking lightly-defended ships and backwater settlements -- Imperial and non-Imperial alike -- taking whom they wish while slaughtering everyone else. We haven't been able to determine a motive.

BAIL: Maybe there isn't a motive. The Mandalorians of old were berserker warriors, fighting for the sheer pleasure of it. It isn't hard to imagine them slipping back into an old routine, especially following the collapse of Mandalore.

SIRI: I don't believe that, Admiral, not for a second. (beat) There's a dark design at work here -- I just have to figure out what it is.

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR/BRIDGE

A door slides open and Siri and Organa step out into the bridge where several officers are moving with activity, preparing the ship for the journey ahead. A TALL, OLIVE-SKINNED WOMAN not much older than the Admiral rises from the command chair and walks over to the newcomers.

BAIL: (to Siri) Ms. Tachi, this is Commander Raia Vaness, my first officer and trusted confidante. (to Vaness) Raia, this is Siri Tachi, Jedi Knight on loan from Coruscant.

CMDR. VANESS: (bows her head to Siri) It is a pleasure to meet you, Mistress Tachi.

SIRI: (returns the bow) Likewise, Commander.

BAIL: (to Vaness) Are we ready to go?

CMDR. VANESS: Just give the word, Admiral.

Moving away from Siri and Vaness, Bail walks over to the command chair. Sitting down, he turns toward the ship's helmsman -- a LEAN, YELLOW-SKINNED NEAR-DUROS.

BAIL: Set a course for Tatooine, Lieutenant Solo, hyper-factor 8.

LT. SOLO: Yes, sir.

The near-Duros helmsman punches the coordinates for Tatooine into the Lightning Warrior's navicomputer. Once the course has been charted, he pulls back on a lever, activating the hyperdrive.

EXT. SPACE

The form of the dreadnought elongates and then shoots forward with a blur of pseudo-motion, punching through the fabric of realspace and into the extradimensional maelstrom of hyperspace.

INT. NYAX/ZULL'S CELL

Within the confines of her cell, Zull lies cowering in a heap on the floor in the centre of the room, clutching the torn remains of her robes about her as she sobs uncontrollably. The Mandalorian who violated her is long gone.

The cell doors unlock and the door slides open. Zull barely turns to regard the Force Hound as he steps inside, a set of clean coveralls folded against his arm.

FORCE HOUND: Your journey is almost over. We'll be reaching our destination within the hour. (holds out the tan coveralls) Here -- you need these. Please take them.

Zull merely looks upon the Mandalorian, her eyes burning with hate.

ZULL: Why have you done this to me?

Walking up to her, the Force Hound crouches down on one knee before her. Setting the folded coveralls down he reaches out to her, touching her cheek gingerly. The priestess, her face bruised, flinches upon contact.

FORCE HOUND: (voice breaking) I don't want to do this to you -- I have to do this to you.

ZULL: (grinds her teeth) Why?

FORCE HOUND: (strokes her hair) From birth you were taught to believe -- as so many others have before you -- that what you call the Breath is divided into distinct halves, at war with itself. (beat) This is a lie, perpetrated by fools who -- too afraid to embrace the great potential within themselves -- would also deny that right to others, using fear to poison their minds against any evidence that runs contrary to their dogma. (beat) There is no distinct dividing line between the light side and the dark side. They blur together, because they are one -- a unified Force.

With gentleness, the Force Hound takes the high priestess by her shoulders and draws her to him, embracing her.

FORCE HOUND: (crying) In order to open your eyes to the truth, I must break you -- force you into the abyss so that you may embrace it. Only then, with both sides of the Force as your ally, can you be made whole.

ZULL: And if I don't break?

FORCE HOUND: Then I will have failed and I will have to live with the horror of knowing that what I did to you, I did for nothing.

Slowly, the Mandalorian releases the Meketrex priestess. Standing up, he walks over to the door and opens it.

ZULL: You don't have to worry, Mandalorian.

The Force Hound turns to face her. Her eyes glowing with rage, she bears her teeth at him.

ZULL: (cont'd) You've broke me.

Unable to respond, the Force Hound merely steps out of the cell, sealing and locking the door behind him.

 

EXT. TATOOINE -- LARS HOMESTEAD/COURTYARD -- DAY

Obi-Wan, Owen, and Beru stand together outside the entrance to the Lars homestead. With his duffel bag slung over his shoulder once again, it is apparent that Obi-Wan is leaving.

OBI-WAN: (hugs Beru) It was nice meeting you, Beru. I wish I could stay longer, but I have business I must be getting to.

BERU: (punches Ben playfully in the chin) Don't be such a stranger in the future, Ben, okay?

OBI-WAN: (smiles) I'll see what I can do.

Turning away from Beru, Obi-Wan regards his stepbrother. The two look upon each other, their expressions serious.

OBI-WAN: Goodbye, Owen.

OWEN: Obi-Wan.

With that, Obi-Wan leaves the couple, walking towards his landspeeder. Once he has reached the vehicle he hops in and engages the engines. Making a U-turn, the Jedi knight takes off, leaving the homestead behind.

EXT. DESERT -- DAY

Sometime later, Obi-Wan stands alone in the desert, perched atop a large boulder. Off in the distance, far enough away so that Ben cannot be seen but not so far that Ben cannot see it, is the Lars homestead. Looking down and behind him, the Jedi sees his speeder down below, parked in between the large boulder and another smaller boulder; loaded in the back seat of the vehicle are three-days worth of supplies.

EXT. DESERT -- BOULDER -- TWILIGHT

Hours have passed and Ben is still on the lookout atop the boulder. Now seated and eating a protein bar, he looks out at the homestead through a pair of macrobinoculars.

OBI-WAN'S P.O.V. -- LARS HOMESTEAD

Stepping out of the entrance, Owen makes his way across the courtyard. Passing by the nearest vaporators, he makes his way to the outskirts of the property, where a parked landspeeder is waiting for him.

CUT TO

Obi-Wan adjusting his macrobinoculars as he finishes his protein bar.

OBI-WAN'S P.O.V. -- PARKED LANDSPEEDER

Zooming in, we can now see the details of the SPEEDER DRIVER. It is a boy dressed in the light off-white clothes of a moisture farmer; tall and lean with dark black hair, he is only around fifteen years of age. As Owen jumps into the passenger seat, the driver brings the speeder's engines to life and takes off.

CUT TO

Obi-Wan bringing down his macrobinoculars, making haste to climb down the side of the boulder to his parked speeder.

Reaching the bottom, he runs over and jumps inside. Tossing the macrobinoculars beside him, be brings the vehicle to life and, gunning the engines, shoots out from between the boulders with a burst of high speed. An expression of grim determination on his face, Obi-Wan tries to keep a safe distance away from the other speeder to avoid detection without losing sight it.

EXT. ANCHORHEAD -- EVENING

Sometime later, after the light from the twin suns of Tatooine has completely disappeared, Owen's speeder enters the settlement of Anchorhead, Obi-Wan's tailing behind at a discreet distance. The first speeder soon comes to a stop at Docking Bay 32, Anchorhead's only starship harbour. Obi-Wan parks his speeder on the other side of the street, a building behind.

Climbing out of the speeder, Owen and his driver enter the dark depths of the docking bay. Ten minutes later, a medium-size starship -- a G9 Rigger freighter -- ascends from within the docking bay. Climbing upward, it speeds for open space, soon disappearing among the countless nighttime stars.

OBI-WAN: Owen, what are you up to?

EXT. ANCHORHEAD -- STREET -- EVENING

An hour later, the freighter returns from its trip into outer space. Obi-Wan, still parked and waiting, watches as the freighter makes its descent, slipping back into Docking Bay 32 without attracting any undue attention to itself.

After a few minutes pass, Owen and his accomplice exit the bay, returning to their speeder. Instead of returning to the path that brought them into Anchorhead, however, they instead head down a street that takes them deeper into the settlement. Starting his own speeder, Obi-Wan follows after them.

EXT. ANCHORHEAD -- STREET -- WATTO'S SHOP -- EVENING

Within a few minutes, Owen's speeder comes to a stop outside a junk shop. The large, currently unlit, sign installed above the main entrance reads "WATTO'S SHOP". Parking a fair ways away behind them, Obi-Wan narrows his eyes as Owen and the younger boy climb out and slip into the shop.

OBI-WAN: What are you making my brother do for you, Watto?

Shutting down the speeder's engines, Obi-Wan climbs up and out of the vehicle. Making sure that no one is watching him, he quietly follows after the pair.

INT. WATTO'S SHOP -- EVENING

Like a thief in the night, Ben slips inside the dark junk shop. Looking about him, he notices the many items of machinery laid in piles and placed on shelves within the dingy interior. Closing his overcoat, he begins making his way deeper into the shop. Soon he comes to the far end of the room, which opens out into a smaller room in the back.

Peering into the room, making sure he cannot be seen, the Jedi knight sees Owen and the boy at a desk with WATTO, the flying blue Toydarian owner of the shop.

WATTO: (gestures down at a datapad resting on the desk's top; irate) Whatta's this? This is a payment, you say? Payment!? Bah! I wouldn't have been able to make a down payment for my mother's funeral with this!

OWEN: We can't help it, Watto. We・re in a funk right now. Ever since Ash-It Eeyoo Naim started up his business, the suppliers haven't been eagre to fly with us.

WATTO: Excuses, excuses! Bah! (beat) It's-a time, I think, that I got a cut of the profits thee are bringing in on your moisture work.

OWEN: (alarmed) Watto, no! We're barely getting by on what we make already!

WATTO: Thee think I give a ranat's rear if thee get by? I don't-a. I want what's due to me. I've been more than fair waiting for thee to pay off your debt.

DRIVER: (irate) You're paying interest, you old bird. That's being fair?

WATTO: I was at a low point when I loaned to Cliegg Lars -- rest his soul -- as thee well know. I took a big loss pitying the fool. That's why there's-a interest. (pushes his face up in front of the boy's) I want-a cut of the farm, boy -- that, or a cut of your momma and sista's fine, soft flesh. How's that bargain for you, eh?

DRIVER: (enraged) You lousy piece of --!

The black-haired boy strikes out, hands twisted into claws for Watto・s throat. Owen grabs him, wrestling him away from the Toydarian.

OWEN: Nik, no! Calm down! You're gonna get us in trouble! Cut it out!

NIK (DRIVER): (struggling against Owen's grip) Stupid rotten -- (to Owen) Let me go, dammit!

OWEN: Nik, stop! Stop it!

Nik squirms for another several seconds. Finally he stops, letting out a deep breath. Slowly, Owen releases him.

NIK: Okay ... I'm okay now. (beat) Let's get out of here. I don't want to stand in this dump a minute longer.

The spice-hauling partners leave the Toydarian・s desk, moving on their way out of the room. Watto follows them with angry eyes.

WATTO: You've made your decision, then ...

As the two young men cross the room, Obi-Wan flees into the shadows of the shop to avoid getting caught. Crouching down behind a partially-disassembled protocol 'droid, he watches as they make their way to the shop's entrance, slipping outside into the quiet night.

EXT. ANCHORHEAD -- WATTO'S SHOP -- EVENING

Owen and Nik walk over to their speeder. As Owen jumps in the passenger seat, Nik just stands there on his side of the vehicle, looking down at the moisture farmer.

OWEN: (noticing Nik's stare) What? Let's go already.

NIK: (frowns) You never stand up to him.

OWEN: What?

NIK: You never stand up to him, Owen. He walks all over you and you take it like a Mos Eislan whore!

OWEN: (frowns) What would you like me to do about it, Nik? He's powerful, with powerful friends -- I can't just put a blaster bolt between his eyes!

NIK: You could still resist him, show him that you aren't going to take his garbage sitting down!

OWEN: We can't all be blessed with your brand of assertiveness, Mister Anakin Skywalker.

Sighing, Nik -- full name, ANAKIN -- decides to give up the discussion. Hopping into the speeder, he brings the engines to life.

ANAKIN (NIK): This deal's getting worse all the time.

OWEN: Don't I know it.

Punching the controls, Anakin takes off, racing up the street like a mynock out of Hell.

A few seconds later, Obi-Wan steps out of Watto's shop. Looking to his right, he spots the speeder in the distance as it turns and disappears around a corner.

 

EXT. DESERT -- BOULDERS -- EVENING

Some time has passed, and Ben has returned to the two large boulders in the desert beyond the Lars homestead. Laid out in the front seat, his arms crossed behind his head, he looks up into the night sky, gazing at the three moons glowing a pure white amongst the stars.

Reaching under the collar of his shirt, the Jedi knight pulls out an aquamarine crystal on a fine gold chain. Holding it up before his eyes, he's drawn in as the moonlight plays through the facets of the crystal, making it glow from within as if alive with its own cyan fire.

EXT. NABU -- MANSION/BALCONY -- EVENING (FLASHBACK)

In another place in another time, Obi-Wan, still the same age he is today, stands on a balcony overlooking a beautiful pond with a LOVELY GIRL in ornate robes by his side. This world Nabu -- like Tatooine -- has three moons, the light of which plays upon the liquid surface of the pond like white fire.

LOVELY GIRL: Obi-Wan?

OBI-WAN: Yes?

LOVELY GIRL: Give me your hand.

OBI-WAN: (frowns) What for?

LOVELY GIRL: (giggles) Just give me your hand.

With a shrug, the Jedi holds out his right hand. The girl, a young beauty with long, curly, dark brown hair and deep brown eyes, reaches around her neck and unfastens a gold chain bearing an aquamarine crystal. Placing the beautiful crystal in his palm, she closes his fingers around it.

OBI-WAN: (surprised) Amidala, what --?

AMIDALA (LOVELY GIRL): (smiles) A gift, Obi-Wan.

OBI-WAN: (looks down at the crystal) But this has been in your family for generations -- I can't just take it!

AMIDALA: (reaches out and touches Ben's cheek) I don't need it to remember them, Obi-Wan. (beat) Wear it to remember me.

Taking his hand once again, the beautiful young woman known as Amidala brings it up to her face, kisses it and then rests the side of her face upon it, her lips spread in a smile of contentment. Obi-Wan, touched by her display of emotion, smiles in return.

Suddenly, without warning, a row of blade-like metal teeth erupt from Amidala's mouth, spraying a mist of red blood over the Jedi's hand. Rearing back, she opens her violated mouth and, with a cat-like hiss, buries her inhuman teeth into Obi-Wan's hand.

OBI-WAN: YYYEEEAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!

EXT. DESERT -- BOULDERS -- EVENING

Obi-Wan, here and now, comes suddenly awake, his right hand red with his own blood. Bringing his wounded hand up close to his face, he looks up to find a robed-and-masked TUSKEN RAIDER standing before him atop the hood of his speeder, a bloody gaffi stick in his hands. With the Tusken Raider, surrounding the vehicle, are SEVEN OTHER TUSKENS.

As the Sand Person brings his gaffi stick down for a killing blow, Obi-Wan springs into action, somersaulting out of the seat and the speeder, spinning through the air to land on the ground right behind the nearest Tusken. As this Tusken spins around, swiping at Ben with his weapon, the Jedi ducks then punches the Sand Person in the face, throwing the creature forward into the speeder, knocking him out instantly.

Backing away from the Tuskens, Obi-Wan reaches for his lightsaber with his unwounded hand. Closing in together, the remaining Tuskens move in on Ben, their gaffi sticks ready for battle. Bringing forth the weapon, the Jedi knight presses the button set into the pommel, and a bright azure blade springs into existence with a sharp SNAP-HISS.

FLASH TO

Obi-Wan, on a catwalk within the reactor core of some complex in another place and time. The same age he is now, he stands with another Jedi -- a SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD APPRENTICE with his long, dark hair done up in a topknot -- both of them wearing uniforms taken from Neimoidian soldiers. Both Jedi wield lightsabers, although here the boy carries the lightsaber with the azure blade while Obi-Wan brandishes a weapon with an emerald blade.

Standing before the Jedi, clad in black robes with red trim, is a DARK WARRIOR. His crown of horns identifying him as a member of the zabrak race, his skin is covered in red-and-black designs. In his hands, blazing with hellish intensity, is a double-length lightsaber sporting two ruby-red blades on each end. His piercing yellow eyes aflame with evil glee, the dark warrior smiles, revealing a row of pristine white teeth.

FLASH TO

Obi-Wan in the here-and-now.

As a Sand Person charges, the Jedi knight swings his lightsaber, cutting into the creature's shoulder.

FLASH TO

Obi-Wan with the Jedi apprentice and dark warrior.

Lashing out with his lightsaber, Obi-Wan attempts to decapitate the darksider, but the villain merely ducks the blow. Before Obi-Wan can recover himself, the dark warrior kicks him in the chest, knocking him off the catwalk and sending him into a free-fall through the void.

FLASH TO

Obi-Wan with the Tusken Raiders.

As two Sand People swing at the Jedi, he dodges backward, allowing their blows to connect with each other instead.

As the two Tuskens fall to the ground unconscious, another decides to attack the Jedi. Slashing with his lightsaber, Obi-Wan cuts the warrior's right arm and head off.

FLASH TO

Obi-Wan as he falls through the length of the reactor core.

Using his powers, the Jedi knight slows his descent enough to allow himself to reach out and grab the edge of another catwalk. The force of the fall working against him, his own velocity almost yanks his arms out of their sockets and he gasps loudly with pain. He fights through the pain, however, and hoists himself up onto the catwalk.

As he stands on unsure legs, he looks up to the levels above where he sees the other Jedi fighting against the dark warrior alone.

FLASH TO

Obi-Wan with the remaining three Tusken Raiders.

Standing before a wounded Tusken, the Jedi knight draws back his lightsaber. Before he can strike, however, one of the other Sand Persons hits him in the back with his gaffi stick, causing the Jedi to drop his weapon with a cry of pain.

As the Tusken hoists his weapon high, Ben quickly recovers and lashes out, grabbing the warrior by the throat and pushing him back, using the Force to send him hurtling into one of the large boulders with fatal force.

FLASH TO

Obi-Wan standing within a corridor, a wall of impassible energy blocking him off from the other Jedi, who continues to fight alone against the dark side warrior.

As the energy field drops, the Jedi breaks into a sprint down the corridor. Before he can reach his comrade and rejoin him in battle against the zabrak, though, another wall of yellow energy springs up in front of him, blocking him off once again.

FLASH TO

Obi-Wan as he kicks a Tusken in the throat, breaking his neck. As the robed warrior collapses lifeless to the sand, the Jedi knight finds himself facing the last of the Tusken Raiders -- the same warrior who wounded his hand.

Releasing a loud battle cry, the Sand Person charges him, swinging his gaffi stick. Anticipating the warrior's movements, the Jedi easily side-steps the Tusken, wrenching the gaffi stick from his grasp in the process. Losing his balance, the Tusken Raider falls forward. Somersaulting across the sand, he comes to a stop beside Obi-Wan's fallen lightsaber. Noticing the weapon, the Sand Person swipes it up eagrely.

As he rises to his feet, the Tusken engages the weapon, casting blue light across the features of his swaddled head. Grimacing, Obi-Wan raises the gaffi stick into an attack position. In unison, the combatants charge one another.

FLASH TO

The Jedi apprentice engaged in lightsaber battle with the zabrak warrior inside a small, enclosed chamber. Obi-Wan, trapped behind a field of yellow energy at the end of the corridor leading into the chamber, can do nothing but watch as his friend begins to falter beneath the ferocious attacks of the dark warrior.

Visibly tired, the apprentice successfully blocks a blow from one of the zabrak's ruby blades. His counterattack is sloppy, though, and he overextends himself, allowing the dark warrior to bring the shaft of his saberstaff up and into the Jedi's chin, knocking his head back with teeth-loosening force.

Before the young Jedi can regain his composure, the dark warrior pulls his double-bladed saberstaff back. Smiling with dark glee, he strikes.

FLASH TO

Obi-Wan and the Tusken Raider as they come at each other, weapons swinging. The azure blade passes over the Jedi knight's head harmlessly, but the butt of the gaffi stick makes contact with the Sand Person's face with a sickening wet CRUNCH. The fabric of his face covering quickly growing dark with blood, the Tusken drops to the ground, the lightsaber deactivating as it falls from his hands.

Tossing the gaffi stick to the ground, Obi-Wan looks about at the carnage surrounding him; five of the Tusken Raiders are dead, the other three unconscious.

Sighing, the Jedi knight retrieves his lightsaber -- a lightsaber that was once the weapon of that unnamed Jedi apprentice -- and clips it back to his belt.

 

EXT. SPACE

With a blur of pseudo-motion, the Nyax and its contingent of assault ships drop out of hyperspace.

INT. NYAX/FORCE HOUND'S MEDITATION CHAMBER

Within a circle of burning candlesticks and under the varicoloured glow of an artificial stained glass window sits the Force Hound, his legs crossed and his head -- unhelmeted but turned away from us -- bowed in deep contemplation.

The door to the chamber slides open and a Mandalorian warrior steps inside. Roused from his meditation, the Force Hound turns his head slightly to regard the newcomer.

FORCE HOUND: (in Mando'a, subtitled) Remove your helmet.

Without the least resistance the Mandalorian obeys; lifting the helmet free, the beat-up-but-handsome face of the Mandalorian who defiled Zull is revealed.

MANDALORIAN #2: (subtitled) You requested my presence, lord?

Without a word the Force Hound rises to his full height, donning his Mandalorian helmet as he does so. As he turns to face the lesser Mandalorian, the rugged pretty boy involuntarily flinches, overwhelmed by the Force-sensitive warrior's aura of formidable menace.

FORCE HOUND: (subtitled) What is your name, warrior?

MANDALORIAN #2: (swallows audibly; subtitled) D-Dus Ubbs.

FORCE HOUND: (subtitled) You have served me well, haven't you, Dus Ubbs? Dedicated yourself to the cause without question or remorse, all for the glory of the Mandalorian people.

DUS UBBS (MANDALORIAN #2): (subtitled; stammering) Y-yes, milord.

FORCE HOUND: (subtitled) You would give your life to see our lost honour restored, wouldn't you?

DUS UBBS: (subtitled) Of course, lord, without question.

FORCE HOUND: (subtitled) So be it then.

With a wave of the Force Hound's hand, SIX OTHER MANDALORIANS -- all previously hidden in the deep shadows of the far corners of the chamber -- step out into the light, revealing themselves to the Mandalorian called Dus Ubbs. Nervously, he looks about at these intimidating warriors.

DUS UBBS: (to the Force Hound; subtitled) Milord, what --?

Before the Mandalorian can finish his thought, one of the Mandalorian Knights lunges out at him, sending an armoured punch to his face. His jaw snapping with the blow, Ubbs spins around, blood and teeth flying from his open mouth.

The Force Hound, radiating with extreme satisfaction, watches as the Knights proceed to beat Dus Ubbs to a bloody pulp.

INT. NYAX/ZULL'S CELL

Zull sits in the far corner of the cell, hugging her knees to her chest. Clad in the coveralls the Force Hound gave her, she is a fair sight better than when we saw her last, though her haunted eyes are still dark with bruises and unpleasant memories.

With an audible CLICK, the cell door is unlocked. Turning to regard it, Zull watches the door slide open and the Force Hound -- the horribly beaten and shackled form of Dus Ubbs in tow -- step inside. Turning to face the girl, the Force Hound pushes the rapist to the floor in front of her.

FORCE HOUND: A gift, my dear.

With that the Force Hound departs, leaving the battered Mandalorian warrior alone with his traumatized victim.

DUS UBBS: (smiles weakly) Not such a grand sight now, eh, goddess?

Silently, the priestess draws herself to her feat. Her eyes wide with murderous intent, she takes a step forward.

DUS UBBS: (frowns) Hey now, girl --

Her eyes and lips twitching, she crosses over to the Mandalorian and, seizing his head in her hands, drives her fingertips into his skull.

DUS UBBS: YYYEEEAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!

Thin tendrils of sickly green energy begin to snake out from her hands, driving themselves into the violator's head. The Mandalorian's body immediately begins to shudder violently, his eyes rolling up into his head. Zull, for her part, merely increases the dosage, intensifying his shudders until they become full-blown seizures.

DUS UBBS: Ubbaaadduuubbaaabbbbdddduuubbbaaaaaa ...

His head vibrates rapidly in her hands, tongue and saliva trailing from his mouth with his eyes rolled up in their sockets; smoke begins to rise from the wounds surrounding Zull's fingers.

Her teeth bared in an animalistic snarl, Zull wrenches her fingers from the Mandalorian's head. Dus Ubbs collapses to the floor, stone dead and not a pretty sight in the least.

EXT. SPACE

The dungeon and assault ships pass through the void of space, an infinitude of white stars glowing behind them.

 

I feel now's a good time to play a game of what I've come to call "assign a face to the name". Basically, this is where I give insight on how I envision the various people, places, and things in this screenplay to look and sound like and why I envision them thus.



In my Star Wars Universe, the young Obi-Wan looks and sounds like a young Kenneth Branagh.

Originally, I had pictured Ben looking the same as Ewan MacGregor. Once I saw Branagh's version of Hamlet, however, that all changed. His platinum blond hair in the film brought to mind Obi-Wan's gray-white hair in the OT, and his black outfit brought to mind Luke's black outfit in ROTJ; the image just screamed "young Obi-Wan" to me, so I adopted it into my canon.



Fifteen-year-old Anakin looks and sounds like a young Leonardo DiCaprio.

Originally, I had considered Anakin to look the same as Hayden Christensen, but I just couldn't image his voice saying the words I'd given him to say -- it just sounded alien to me when I tried. Also, I just couldn't see the Anakin of ROTJ -- the Anakin played by Sebastian Shaw -- as being an older version of Hayden; the two look absolutely nothing alike.

Knowing about the rumours that Leo was originally considered for the part during the pre-production of AOTC, I looked to see if he could fit the image of the young Anakin I'd come to see inside my mind, and everything just clicked perfectly; not only could I hear his voice saying the dialogue I gave him to say, but I saw enough physical resemblance between him and Shaw that I could easily imagine the former growing to look like the latter with time.



Siri looks and sounds like Naomi Watts.

There's not much to say about this choice. She just fits the look of Siri more than anyone else I could think of.





Zull looks like the Canadian singer Alannah Myles but sounds like the Irish singer Dolores O'Riordan.

Originally, I had envisioned Zull looking like O'Riordan along with sounding like her; during the writing of this screenplay, I'd listened to a lot of music by the Cranberries, and the sadness and strife in her lyrics matched the sadness and strife Zull was going through, so her visage seemed a perfect fit for the character.

Later, though, while I was watching some of Myles' music videos on YouTube, I found that her physical features and overall demeanour had come to match Zull's far better than O'Riordan's did -- their eye colours were even an almost-perfect match. With that in mind, her physical appearance changed in my mind, though the voice remains the same.



Bail looks and sounds like Jimmy Smits, just like in the PT; the only difference is that Bail is younger in my rewrite, his personality is closer to that of Lando's than his counterpart in the movies, and -- as indicated in the photo above -- he's clean shaven.



Cmdr. Raia Vaness looks -- but probably doesn't sound -- like the model Vanessa Raia (The name just gives it away, don't it? ).

I admit it's kind of odd to picture a bimbo with fake boobs in the role of a strong female military officer, but somehow my mind's able to make it work (Imagining her without heavy makeup, as taller, and with natural boobs probably helps. ).



I imagine Owen and Beru looking and sounding like the same actors who played them in the PT, just aged differently.



Dus Ubbs looks like the actor Jeff Fahey. I imagine the character speaking with a Cockney accent, though, which I'm not sure Fahey can do.

There's not much to say about the character other than that his name is based on "Dustin Stubbs", the name of a jerk who bullied me in high school.



This is Obi-Wan's haircut in the screenplay.

Ever since I started developing my PT rewrite back in 2008, I looked to old concept art from the OT and PT for inspiration. I was taken with this look for Ben since the moment I first saw it, and I knew right away this was the hairstyle I wanted him to sport in my Ep. I.



This is Zull's hairstyle in this portion of the screenplay.

There's not much to say on this choice beyond the fact that it's my favourite '80s hairstyle for women and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to give one of my main female characters such gorgeous hair.



This is the outfit Obi-Wan's wears in the early portion of the screenplay.

Unlike Siri, Ben does not belong to the Order of Coruscant. Instead, he is a ronin Jedi -- a Jedi who belongs to no sect. As such, he wears casual civilian clothes as opposed to monastic robes or a uniform.

I chose this look in particular because while it isn't a uniform, it's still black like Luke's ROTJ outfit, and a black motif I something I want applied to Ben's clothing throughout my PT rewrite.



This is the uniform of Jedi knights belonging to the Order of Coruscant.

I don't like the idea that the Jedi of the prequel era went around dressed like Tatooine moisture famers, so I've deliberately avoided giving any of the Jedi in my PT that look. For the Coruscanti Jedi, I've instead based their uniform on that of this design made by Doug Chiang during the pre-producution of TPM.



This is the uniform of Jedi masters belonging to the Order of Coruscant.

When I read the novel Children of the Jedi, it was mentioned in passing that Jedi masters wore black cloaks. I decided to take that little factoid to heart and applied it to the Jedi masters of the Coruscanti Order.



This is the uniform of the Mandalorians belonging to Death Watch.

In the Imperial Sourcebook, it was clearly stated that the uniform of the Royal Guard was based in part on that of the Mandalorian Death Watch. It's a fact which the modern EU chose to ignore (for some stupid reason), but I've chosen to incorporate it into my version of Death Watch.

 

EXT. ANCHORHEAD -- WATTO'S SHOP -- DAY

Ben stands before the entrance into Watto's Shop, looking up at the unlit sign with no expression on his face. The shop, and the area surrounding it, looks far grimier in the daylight than they did in the darkness of evening.

Looking down, the Jedi opens his left hand; seated in his palm is the aquamarine crystal. Closing his eyes tightly with emotional discomfort, he steps forward.

INT. WATTO'S SHOP -- DAY

Watto is hovering about his shop taking inventory of the parts he has on sale as Obi-Wan enters.

WATTO: Back already? Can't -- (looks up, notices that the new arrival is not someone he knows) Ah! (beat) I don't open for another two hours. Whatta thee want?

OBI-WAN: (approaches Watto) I'm here on business, Watto.

WATTO: (waves his hand with dismissal) I don't talk to solicitors during business hours. Call me later and we'll make an appointment.

OBI-WAN: Personal business.

Hearing the edge in the human's voice, the Toydarian decides to deactivate and set aside his datapad, focusing all his attention on the young man instead.

WATTO: (flies up to the Jedi) If you're with the Power Converters, I'll tell thee what-a I told the other one -- I didn't assault that girl. I'm not even attracted to humans --

OBI-WAN: This is about Owen Lars.

WATTO: (relived) Oh, him. (beat) Whatta ya got to tell me?

OBI-WAN: I know he owes a large sum of money. I'm here on his behalf to settle the score.

WATTO: (narrows his eyes at Ben) And who the hell-a are you, anyway, that thee care? (beat) You look-a kinda familiar -- I know you, don't I?

OBI-WAN: I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, Owen's brother.

WATTO: Ah, yes -- little Benny! I thought I recognized you! (chuckles) You can pay me off, eh? You, the brother of a water farmer! And I'm sure you struck it rich out there, out on the moons of Iego, what with such fancy clothes you wear! Ha! (beat) I like a good joke. For that one, I'll bring your brother's debt down-a 10%.

OBI-WAN: I'm serious, Watto.

WATTO: (suddenly angry) So am I -- get out!

Deciding now is the time to act, Obi-Wan brings out the crystal, dangling it by its glittering gold chain before the Toydarian's large eyes. The Toydarian, the blue-green facets of the jewel reflecting in his eyes, is instantly entranced, his mouth dropping agape in wonderment.

WATTO: (Amazed) Is that --?

OBI-WAN: A corusca gem, of the finest quality.

Taking the jewel, Watto reaches into his workbelt and retrieves a mechanical eyepiece. Activating it, he places it against his eye and manually adjusts the telescoping lens, placing the crystal before his line of sight.

WATTO: By the goddess' bulge -- corusca!

OBI-WAN: I believe it is enough to settle my brother's debt.

WATTO: (lowers the eyepiece from his eye) Boy, this is enough to settle the debt of every brother!

OBI-WAN: (satisfied) Then our business is concluded.

Turning his back to the Toydarian, the Jedi begins to leave.

WATTO: (his face growing dark) Oy, I forgot ...

OBI-WAN: (halting) What?

WATTO: Your brother and his friend got on my bad side. I sent Sebulba and Craetorius to teach 'em a lesson.

OBI-WAN: (turns around, walks up to the Toydarian) What are you saying?

WATTO: My boys, Sebulba and Craetorius, my ... personal negotiators.

OBI-WAN: (frowning) Enforcers.

WATTO: (shrugs) If I had-a known thee were coming, I would've let bygones be bygones and called it all off. (beat) They've been gone-a half hour. They'll hit the Whitesuns first.

Without any further hesitation, Obi-Wan takes off in a dead run, bolting out of the shop with what is almost preternatural speed.

The Jedi gone, Watto turns to regard the aquamarine corusca gem.

WATTO: (overjoyed) Corusca! (kisses the jewel)

EXT. DESERT -- DAY

Obi-Wan drives his landspeeder over the hot desert landscape, pushing his engines to their outer limits.

EXT. WHITESUN HOMESTEAD -- COURTYARD -- DAY

Ben arrives at the Whitesun homestead. Pulling up to the front, he finds two people -- a gray-bearded man and an elderly woman -- dead on the ground, the victims of blasterfire. From the homestead's entrance billows a thick cloud of greasy black smoke.

Wasting no time, the Jedi knight pulls away from the Whitesun homestead, speeding away for the home of his brother and his brother's girlfriend.

EXT. LARS HOMESTEAD -- COURTYARD -- DAY

Outside the Lars homestead, Owen and Beru have come to greet a pair of visitors -- her half-brother Anakin and their mother NELLITH. Nellith, a woman who was beautiful in her youth but has become merely handsome after almost two decades spent under the harsh suns of Tatooine, has magenta hair and fuchsia eyes, indicating that she is a human-Zeltron hybrid.

BERU: (hugs Anakin and then Nellith) Oh, Nik, Mom, it's so good to see you!

ANAKIN: (grins) Long time no see, huh, sis?

BERU: (rolls her eyes with exaggeration) Too long. (beat) Where's Dad?

NELLITH: I'm sorry, baby, but he couldn't make it. (to Owen) You know how Mir is -- there's always too much work to do around the farm.

EXT. DESERT -- DAY

Five swoop bikes shoot across the landscape. This is Watto's GANG OF ENFORCERS, led by CRAETORIUS and SEBULBA. Craetorius is a horribly disfigured Zeltron and Sebulba, as we can now see, is the very same dug Obi-Wan confronted and disgraced on his first day back on Tatooine.

EXT. LARS HOMESTEAD -- COURTYARD -- DAY

ANAKIN: Is lunch ready?

OWEN: (grins) Dewback ribs sound good to you, buddy?

ANAKIN: (ecstatic) Right on!

As the pair of four prepare to step inside, the five swoop riders arrive. Alerted by the whine of the bikes, the four moisture farmers turn to regard these new arrivals.

Without any apparent urgency, Watto's men casually climb down from their swoop bikes. As Craetorius begins walking up to them, hands on his gunbelt, Anakin slowly begins reaching around behind him.

OWEN: What do you want?

CRAETORIUS: (draws a blaster) Watto's come to collect his due.

With mind numbing speed, Anakin pulls out a hidden blaster and fires. The bolt strikes the Zeltron's weapon just as he pulls back on the trigger, knocking his aim off just enough so that the blaster bolt blasts Owen in the shoulder instead of through the throat. With a cry of intense pain, the moisture farmer staggers backward, falling upon the stone facade of the homestead entrance.

ANAKIN: (to the others) Go, grab Owen, get inside!

As Nellith and Beru grab Owen and scurry away inside, the boy turns toward the five swoop gangsters. Dodging a round of blasterfire, he fires off another shot, catching one of them right between the eyes. When another swoop rider blasts the gun out of his hand, Anakin quickly grabs a large rock lying with reach and throws it with pinpoint accuracy at his attacker, knocking her out and over.

With the element of surprise gone and he no longer in possession of a weapon, Anakin finds himself surrounded, outnumbered, and outgunned.

SEBULBA: Stupid move, dirt farmer.

CRAETORIUS: (unholsters a second blaster) I would've killed you fast, boy. But now -- now you're gonna burn.

Stepping toward Anakin, the Zeltron nonchalantly adjusts the setting on his blaster. Nik, afraid but determined to protect his loved ones at any cost, braces himself before the entrance into the Lars home, shielding it off from the attackers.

As Craetorius levels his blaster at Anakin, a sneer twisting his burn-scarred lips, Obi-Wan steps out into the open, unlit lightsaber ready in his bandaged right hand. Immediately captivated by the aura of this intense young man, each of the swoop gangsters turn away from Anakin to face him.

OBI-WAN: I suggest you leave now before I am forced to teach you your manners.

SEBULBA: (recognizes Obi-Wan) You!

CRAETORIUS: You know this fellow, Sebulba?

SEBULBA: Know him!? (spits on the ground) This chuba-lover has a blaster bolt waiting for him, and my name's all over it!

OBI-WAN: If you have a score to settle with me, then let's settle it away from here. The Lars have no part in this.

CRAETORIUS: (to Obi-Wan) Lars owes a debt to Watto. He's been loose with his payments, (nods towards Anakin) and the boyfriend's been loose with his tongue, so now he's gonna take the farm -- the farm and the ladies, too.

OBI-WAN: The women are not yours to take.

CRAETORIUS: Now that ain't true, is it? See, Watto's got the influence to do whatever he wants, so he gets whatever he wants. Girls have a way of making money and Watto can take advantage of that. (beat) The girlfriend's gonna do some hard, sweaty work to put some peggats in the old bird's account. The mother too, probably. She's going to seed, sure, but she's still got some bounce left in her.

OBI-WAN: The debt's been paid. I finalized it with Watto myself.

CRAETORIUS: Is that so, now? (clucks his tongue) See, that might be true -- probably is. The problem, though, is that when I'm put to work on a job, I always follow that job through.

OBI-WAN: I see that there's little point trying to dissuade you. You are obviously set in your ways.

CRAETORIUS: Quite right, stranger ...

The Zeltron pulls his blaster on Obi-Wan, aiming the barrel toward Obi-Wan's face. Before he can pull back the trigger, the Jedi's blade blazes into life and the Zeltron's arm and throat are slashed away in one swift stroke. Stepping in to take his fallen partner's place, Sebulba opens fire on Ben, but the Jedi knight deflects each and every bolt back at the dug, cutting him down with his own blasterfire.

OBI-WAN: (speaking in dual voices) Leave this farm -- now!

Terrified by the Jedi's inhuman voice and incredible prowess with his saber, the remaining thugs toss down their weapons and retreat with panic to their swoops. The vehicles roar to life and the gangsters quickly move off, zooming off away from the Lars homestead and disappearing into the landscape.

Deactivating his lightsaber, Obi-Wan turns to regard Anakin, who simply stands there frozen, his mouth agape with amazement at the feats he just witnessed. Beru, Nellith, and Owen -- clutching his wounded shoulder -- exit the house, attracted by all the commotion.

BERU: Obi-Wan! (turns to Anakin) Nik, are you all right? You're not hurt, are you?

ANAKIN: (snaps out of his trance) What? Oh, no -- no, Beru, I'm fine ... just fine.

BERU: (to Obi-Wan) Ben, how about you? Are you okay?

OBI-WAN: (smiles) I'm alright.

As Beru turns back to regard her brother, Owen -- stepping past his girlfriend, her brother, and their mother -- approaches Obi-Wan. Noticing the bodies of Sebulba and Craetorius, he is astonished -- astonished and enraged.

OWEN: What have you done!? You'll bring disaster down on our heads! Oh, God, the trouble you'll bring us -- the trouble!

OBI-WAN: (clips his lightsaber to his belt) You were in trouble to begin with.

OWEN: (holding back the worst of his rage) Damn fool. (beat) You're gonna kill us! We're all gonna die because of you!

Anakin slowly approaches the two fallen adversaries, peering down at their dead bodies.

ANAKIN: Owen's right, mister. Watto's not going to be happy about this.

OWEN: (yelling) That's it, Anakin! Tell him! Tell this ... tell him what he's done to us!

OBI-WAN: I've dealt with Watto.

OWEN: (taken aback) Huh? What?!

OBI-WAN: I traded in a precious gift for your lives and livelihood. Your debt -- Dad's debt -- has been settled.

Without any further elaboration, Obi-Wan steps away from his stepbrother. Walking up to the others, he puts his hand on Beru's shoulder, his eyes grave.

BERU: (looks up at the Jedi) Ben, what is it?

OBI-WAN: I'm not happy to be the one to tell you this, but I have bad news. (glances toward Anakin then Nellith) Perhaps we should take this inside.

Silently, they slip inside. Owen, taking one last look at the two dead bodies of Sebulba and Craetorius, follows after them.

 

EXT. SPACE - TATOOINE

With the blurring of pseudo-motion, the Lightning Warrior drops out of hyperspace, its trajectory carrying it on a course directly toward the mottled orange globe of Tatooine.

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR - BRIDGE

LT. SOLO: (to Bail) Our trajectory is taking us straight along toward the planet. Shall we maintain present course?

BAIL: (strokes his chin) Let's play it safe and go into a high orbit. We don't want the people down there to think we're unfriendly.

CMDR. VANESS: (scrunches her nose up at the sight of the ugly desert planet filling the viewscreen) Even if we were, there's not much they could do to repel us. (beat) I doubt the Hutts would even bother putting a patrol on duty to defend this worthless rock.

As those words come out of her mouth, a ship appears on the viewscreen, leaving the atmosphere of the planet on an intercept course. As the craft grows larger in the viewscreen, it becomes apparent that the ship is an ungainly Xiytiar-class transport; though outfitted with some modified weapons systems, the bulky cargo ship is nowhere near the match for a dreadnought like the Lightning Warrior.

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER: We're being hailed, sir.

BAIL: Patch them through.

The view of the cargo transport before the orange orb of Tatooine disappears from the viewscreen, instantly replaced by the image of a GREEN-SKINNED NIKTO CAPTAIN.

NIKTO CAPTAIN: I am Wahr Blarh, captain of the Defense Fleet of Tatooine. State your identity and business in this system.

BAIL: I am Bail Organa, Prince of Alderaan and admiral of the Galactic Empire. We are here under the suspicion that your world may be in for an attack from Mandalorian renegades who have been attacking ships and making raids on worlds all along the Western Border. (beat) I believe our government made arrangements with your masters prior to our arrival and that you were made aware of our coming.

CAPT. BLARH (NIKTO CAPTAIN): (sighs) You are beyond your borders, Admiral. The concerns of your Empire are no concerns of ours.

BAIL: This isn't strictly an Imperial matter, though, is it Captain? From what I've been made aware, your side of the border hasn't been all that safe from Mandalorian attacks, either.

CAPT. BLARH: (sighs) So it is, Admiral, so it is. (beat) I have been ordered to provide you with any assistance you may need should you need it. Should you or any of your crew find yourselves in the need to go planetside, please register with us first -- unauthorized Imperials are not welcome on Tatooine.

BAIL: Thank you, Captain, we'll keep that in mind.

Without any farewell, the nikto discontinues the transmission, restoring the image of the cargo ship stationed in front of Tatooine back to the viewscreen.

BAIL: (turns toward Vaness) Well, that went well.

Vaness, in response, merely smirks.

EXT. TATOOINE -- WHITESUN HOMESTEAD -- GRAVESITE -- SUNSET

Obi-Wan, Owen, Anakin, Nellith, and Beru stand before a freshly-buried grave, the simple tombstone placed at the head of it identifying the occupant as Mir Whitesun. The faces of all five mourners, in sharp contrast to the beautiful fiery light of the setting suns, are grim and dark.

NELLITH: (cont'd) When I came to Tatooine I didn't think I'd ever be able to find love again, but then I met you and you awoke something in me that I thought I'd lost forever. You were the most loving husband a woman could have, Mir, and I thank you. (beat) Until God reunites us, my love, goodbye.

Eyes tearful but with a slight smile of fondly remembered memories on her lips, Nellith walks up to the gravestone. Kissing the tips of her fingers, she presses them on the warm stone. As a tear falls from her eye onto the fresh earth of the plot, the handsome magenta-haired woman returns to her side by her daughter.

Leaving the others, Anakin walks up to the grave and kneels down on one leg before it.

ANAKIN: I'm sorry, Dad -- I'm sorry I couldn't save you. Maybe if I'd been here I could have stopped them or distracted them somehow, given you and poor Jira the chance to escape. (beat) You may not have been my biological father, but you were always there to love and support me, to teach me wrong from right, and I'll never forget you. (beat) I don't know how, Dad, but I'll find a way to give your death meaning. I won't let you be forgotten.

With that, Anakin's speech and the funeral both come to an end. Silently, the members of the Lars and Whitesun family move off towards their landspeeder. Only Ben remains behind, looking upon the grave with deep contemplation. Owen, noticing his brother lagging behind, leaves the others to join him.

OWEN: What is it?

OBI-WAN: I never knew Mir Whitesun all that well, but I know what it means to lose a loved one to senseless violence. (beat) Perhaps time can heal all wounds, but the scars'll never go away.

Hearing these words, Owen can't help but to laugh sardonically.

OBI-WAN: (frowns) What's so funny?

OWEN: I'm sorry, it's not funny, but I'd built you Jedi up to be these aloof, demi-godlike lobotomy patients. It's strange to see that you're human after all.

OBI-WAN: Jedi may be able to touch the Force, but that doesn't change our fundamental natures. We're as prone to human virtues -- and failings -- as any other man. (beat) What's going to happen with Nellith and Anakin?

OWEN: There's nowhere else for them to go, so they'll stay with Beru and me. As for the farm, I suppose we'll sell it -- I certainly can't run it, not without some hired help, and for that, I'd need to bring in a greater profit than I'm getting at the moment. (beat) You never got around to telling me how you paid Watto off. How'd you manage to accomplish a minor miracle like that?

OBI-WAN: I gave him a corusca gem.

OWEN: (Astonished) A corusca gem!? Where in God's name did you get your paws on a corusca gem?!

OBI-WAN: It was a gift from Amidala Naberrie, the Princess of Nabu. We'd ... formed a bond of sorts during my time stationed there, so when it came time for us to part ways, she gave it to me.

OWEN: Why didn't you stay there with her?

OBI-WAN: The worlds of a Jedi Knight and a queen-to-be are worlds apart -- we couldn't have made it work, not in the long run. (beat) The gem was her way of keeping us together; if we couldn't be one in the flesh, we could in spirit.

OWEN: Obi-Wan, I'm sorry. (beat) What are you going to do now? Are you going back to Yoda?

OBI-WAN: I tried that, but he couldn't help me. (beat) I suppose I'll just drift around from place-to-place until I find what I'm looking for.

OWEN: Ben ...

OBI-WAN: Yes?

OWEN: I suppose with Anakin and Nellith helping us, Beru and I can start getting ahead, but it'll be a while before they get over this. Why don't you stay with us awhile -- at least until they're back on their feet again.

Turning to regard Owen, Obi-Wan gives him the first truly happy smile he's had to give in a long time.

BEN: I left you alone once, and look where it got you. It seems you can't make anything work without your big brother around to help you out.

Grinning broadly, Owen uses one hand to trap Ben in a headlock, using the other to give the Jedi a vigorous noogie. Laughing broadly, the two brothers go off together to join the others at the speeder.

INT. LARS HOMESTEAD -- DINING ROOM -- EVENING

The combined families of the Larses and Whitesuns sit together around a dining table, finishing off a modest supper.

OBI-WAN: (to Beru) That was a delicious meal, Beru. My compliments to the chef.

ANAKIN: Yeah, sis -- excellent meal, like always.

BERU: (beaming) Thanks.

Once the food has been cleared from their plates, Nellith stands up and begins to collect the used dishes.

BERU: Mom, let me do that.

OWEN: Yes, please sit down. We'll take care of it.

NELLITH: Oh, shush. You don't want to make me feel like a freeloader, do you?

OWEN: Don't say that, Nellith. You're family and a part of the household now.

NELLITH: Still, just this one time, I want to do it. I've got to, to --

The death of her husband still painfully fresh in her mind and heart, Nellith starts to cry again. Standing up, Anakin goes to assist her, taking the plates and utensils from her arms.

ANAKIN: We'll take care of the dishes, Mom. You go to bed.

NELLITH: (wipes tears away) Alright, Ani, alright. (kisses Nik on the cheek) Goodnight.

ANAKIN: (Returns her kiss) Goodnight, Mom.

Once Nellith has given her farewells to each of the others in the room and leaves, all four of them proceed to collect the dishes and tidy the table up.

EXT. LARS HOMESTEAD -- COURTYARD -- EVENING

Sometime later, Obi-Wan sits upon the ground outside the homestead, his legs crossed and his back turned to the entrance. His eyes closed, his face is tranquil, without burden. Sitting there, he doesn't seem to notice as Anakin silently steps outside, crossing his arms across his chest as he leans back against the stone entrance to look upon the Jedi.

OBI-WAN: (opens his eyes) Hello, Anakin.

ANAKIN: (smirks) You heard me?

OBI-WAN: (rises to his feet and turns to face Anakin) Not exactly, no.

ANAKIN: I like going outside at night when I want to get away from things, too. With the stars and moons out so bright, it helps to make me feel like I'm in tune with something larger -- nature, I guess. The whole universe, even.

OBI-WAN: I know what you mean, Anakin, perfectly. (beat) Did you want something?

ANAKIN: What are you?

OBI-WAN: (frowns) Pardon?

ANAKIN: What are you, exactly? A cyborg? A spice junkie? I saw how you dealt with Sebulba and Craetorius -- no normal human can do what you did.

OBI-WAN: (laughs) I'm no cyborg, Nik, and I've never touched a single gram of spice in my life. What you saw was perfectly natural.

ANAKIN: (shakes his head) Don't give me that. Maybe if you were an alien or some kind of evolved near-human, I could buy into it, but you're as normal as I am. (beat) Wait a minute -- are you telling me that you've received genetic enhancements? I guess that could be considered natural from a certain point of view, but --

OBI-WAN: No genetic enhancements, Nik. What I have is something I was born with.

ANAKIN: You're a mutant, then!

OBI-WAN: (sighs) Have you ever heard of the Jedi, Anakin?

ANAKIN: Jedi? Those nanotech-enhanced monks?

OBI-WAN: Close, Nik, but not quite. Jedi aren't enhanced by nanotech.

ANAKIN: Well, that's what Nebar Foxis told me.

OBI-WAN: You told me that when you go out to stare at the stars, you feel like you're in touch with the universe.

ANAKIN: Yes, so?

OBI-WAN: I am in touch with the universe, Anakin. Not figuratively, but literally -- through the Force.

ANAKIN: Force?

OBI-WAN: The Force is the soul of the universe, an energy field which generates -- and is generated from -- all life. It surrounds us, permeates us, and binds us together.

ANAKIN: (smirks) You're talking about hokey religious stuff.

OBI-WAN: (shrugs) If that's what you want to call it.

ANAKIN: (rolls his eyes) Get real.

OBI-WAN: Nik, hold out your hand.

ANAKIN: (confused) What?

OBI-WAN: Just hold out your hand, like this.

The Jedi holds up his hand, fingers out and palm facing outward. Tentatively, Nik mimes his gesture.

OBI-WAN: Now close your eyes and empty your mind.

ANAKIN: What --?

OBI-WAN: Just do it, Anakin. (beat) Close your eyes, empty your mind, place yourself in the state that brings you in touch with the greater reality surrounding you.

Shrugging, the boy does what is asked of him. Smiling with contentment, Obi-Wan brings his hand up close to Anakin's until they almost -- but not quite -- touch. He then closes his eyes, returning to the meditative trance he was in earlier.

Standing there together, eyes both closed and hands nearly touching, nothing seems to be happening; all is still and silent. As the seconds pass, though, something non-visual begins to happen. Nik's brow first furrows, then his head tilts as if in search of the source of some unheard sound. Finally his eyes shoot open and he exhales loudly.

ANAKIN: (amazed) What the hell was that?!

OBI-WAN: What do you think?

ANAKIN: (shakes himself as if cold) The Force?

OBI-WAN: (nods) All life is born with a connection to the Force, but only some of us are gifted with the potential to actively perceive and touch it. You and I are among those few.

ANAKIN: And you knew I was like you?

OBI-WAN: (nods) I sensed you were strong with the Force from the moment we met.

ANAKIN: But I've never --

OBI-WAN: Force-sensitivity is inherent but not immediately apparent. It takes time and effort to hone your connection with the Force and harness the powers it can give you.

ANAKIN: Powers like parrying blaster bolts and speaking in multiple voices at once?

OBI-WAN: Among many others. (beat) Too many others.

His expression growing suddenly grave, Ben ends the conversation there. Silently, the Jedi walks past Nik on his way back inside. Anakin quickly reaches out, grabbing him by the shoulder.

ANAKIN: You can teach me, can't you?

OBI-WAN: (brushes his hand off) No.

ANAKIN: (frowns) Why not?

OBI-WAN: It's not my place. I'm no teacher, Anakin.

ANAKIN: If you've told me this much then you can tell me more!

OBI-WAN: (shakes his head) Just forget I said anything.

ANAKIN: (angry) Forget!? You can't just open my eyes and expect me to forget shape and colour!

OBI-WAN: As someone who has seen far more than you ever have and -- God willing -- ever will, believe me when I say that shape and colour are not all they're cracked up to be.

Without another word, Obi-Wan leaves Anakin, stepping through the entrance and down into the household. Anakin remains motionless, watching the Jedi knight leave. He then turns toward the horizon, looking up into the sky of bright stars and moons, fuming with a silent frustration he cannot rid himself of.

 

EXT. SWAMP WORLD -- CAVE -- DAY (DREAM)

Obi-Wan stands looking into the mouth of a dark, foreboding cave with thick ground mist swirling about his ankles. Here, Ben is only about sixteen years old, with shaggy blond hair and clad in a simple tan flight suit. Standing beside the Jedi apprentice is a very tall humanoid figure clad in a black, hooded robe that conceals all but his pale white hands.

SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: (turns to the figure) What is in there?

The figure responds by silently lifting an arm and pointing with one long finger toward the cave.

SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: (turns toward the cave) Only what I take with me.

Tentative, Obi-Wan steps away from the dark figure towards the cave. Coming up to the mouth he stops, cautiously peering about the dark interior for hidden dangers. When he has satisfied himself that there are no immediate threats to his person, he slowly slips inside.

INT. CAVE -- DAY (DREAM)

Ben makes his way along the length of the cave's interior, taking care to avoid tripping in the overgrown vegetation which runs along the walls and floor. Soon he stops, his eyes growing wide.

At the end of the cave is a figure clad in the uniform of a Coruscanti Jedi apprentice with thick, dark hair tied up in a topknot; the figure stands with his back turned to Obi-Wan.

SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: (walks up to the figure and gingerly places a hand on his shoulder) Qui-Gon?

Suddenly the figure spins around, revealing himself to be the young Jedi who fought with Ben against the zabrak darksider. His skin gray and his eyes glassy, the Jedi is plainly dead.

QUI-GON: (echoing) Obi-Wan ...

The cadaver's eyeballs roll up into his head and a sticky, yellow ichor oozes out from under them, running down his cheeks. His black lips part, and a centipede slides out of his mouth.

Before Obi-Wan can react to this apparition standing before him, an arm wielding a ruby-bladed saberstaff bursts through the corpse's chest.

INT. TATOOINE -- LARS HOMESTEAD/OBI-WAN'S BEDROOM -- DAY

Obi-Wan bolts upright in bed, breathing rapidly with his face wet with heavy perspiration. Awake, he is no longer in the dark cave on the swamp planet with the apparition of Qui-Gon Jinn, but that is no cause for comfort; from outside can be heard the shouts of Owen and Anakin, the hollerings of Tusken Raiders, and the screams of blasterfire.

EXT. LARS HOMESTEAD -- COURTYARD -- DAY

Owen and Anakin, blasters firing, fight desperately to repel a RAIDING PARTY OF TUSKEN RAIDERS. The Tuskens, hollering and hooting, gallop in a circle around the entrance to the homestead, shaking gaffi sticks and blaster rifles above their heads in defiance.

INT. LARS HOMESTEAD/OBI-WAN'S BEDROOM -- DAY

Having hurriedly dressed himself, Obi-Wan grabs his lightsaber and rushes out the door.

EXT. LARS HOMESTEAD -- COURTYARD -- DAY

OWEN: (to Anakin) My pack's running low!

ANAKIN: (quickly pulls a fresh blaster pack from a satchel at his side) Here!

The young black-haired man tosses the fresh blaster pack to Owen, who catches it easily. As he hurries to replace the old pack, five Sand People dismount their banthas and come charging. Unable to snap the pack in in time, Owen can do nothing but use the blaster rifle as a shield as one of the Tuskens comes at him, raining down blows with his gaffi stick.

INT. LARS HOMESTEAD/ENTRANCE -- DAY

As Ben reaches the sealed entrance that will take him up to the surface above the homestead, he finds Beru and Nellith crouched down in defensive positions, blasters in their hands.

OBI-WAN: What's happening?

NELLITH: Tuskens!

BERU: They came out of nowhere and just started circling the house, hollering and shooting at us!

With desperation evident in his eyes, Ben crosses to the door, opening it.

OBI-WAN: (to Nellith) Do you have another blaster?

Nellith nods.

OBI-WAN: Then give me the one you have.

Nellith tosses the blaster to Ben, who catches it effortlessly.

BERU: Be careful, Ben.

Saluting her with his lightsaber, Obi-Wan runs out the door, sealing it behind him.

EXT. LARS HOMESTEAD -- COURTYARD -- DAY

Owen and Anakin fight on bravely, with Anakin taking out every Sand Person he can find in the scope of his blaster rifle while Owen uses his powerless weapon as a club to keep the others at bay. With half of the Tusken Raiders having dismounted their banthas, however, the two moisture farmers are sorely outnumbered.

Having taken all the damage it can, Owen's rifle snaps in two as a Sand Person gives it one, strong whack with his gaffi stick. Suddenly defenseless, Owen can do nothing as the Tusken swings the gaffi through the air, hitting him in the head with the butt of the weapon and knocking him out cold.

As Owen collapses to the ground, Obi-Wan comes bursting out from the dome entrance, the azure blade of his saber engaged in his left hand with the cold blaster gripped in his right. Sighting the Tusken who took out his brother, he aims the blaster and shoots the warrior in the head before he can deliver a killing blow to the unconscious moisture farmer.

ANAKIN: (seeing Obi-Wan) Ben!

Together, Obi-Wan and Anakin press their counterattack against the Tusken Raiders. With his skills as a Jedi at his command, Ben makes significant progress against the desert warriors, cutting them down in droves with both his lightsaber and the blaster; Nik, with the blaster rifle and a smaller blaster pistol, covers him, firing upon each and every Tusken who escapes the Jedi's offense to attack him in turn.

In the end, though, the numbers of the Sand People prove to be too overwhelming a force even for the Jedi to overcome. Four of the last six remaining Tuskens gang up on him, pulling the Jedi to the ground and knocking him out; when Anakin rushes to offer his aid, the other two turn on him, with one of them hurling a shuriken which strikes the boy in the shoulder and cuts into the underlying flesh and bone, knocking him head-over-heels to the sandy ground.

With all three men down for the count, the six Tusken Raiders turn their attention to the entrance dome leading down into the underground homestead. With fierce determination, they break through the locked door and file inside. Blaster bolts ring out from within, and the pained grunts and cries of injured Sand People follow.

After several moments, four of the Sand People come out, Nellith and Beru struggling in the arms of two of them. As they come to one of the banthas, the Tuskens grab some metal cable and proceed to tie the two women up with it. Once that is done, the two women are tossed up onto one of the banthas and secured into place. The remaining Tusken Raiders then tie their banthas together and take their place atop their mounts.

With cries of victory, the Tuskens take off in a gallop with their captives toward the horizon. They disappear into the distance as a fierce wind begins to pick up, scouring the sand and erasing the tracks the banthas leave behind.

An hour or so later, Obi-Wan returns to consciousness and pushes himself up into a sitting position, groaning with the effort. Looking about him, he tries to locate his lightsaber but cannot find it; one of the Tuskens has obviously taken it.

Rising to his feet, the Jedi makes his way over to Anakin; with the blades of the shuriken embedded in his flesh, the boy is in very bad shape.

OBI-WAN: (pained) Dammit, Anakin ...

Having regained consciousness as well, Owen slowly walks over to Ben and Nik, rubbing his bruised head.

OWEN: (concerned) How is he? Is he okay?

OBI-WAN: He's losing a lot of blood. (strips his shirt off and crumples it up, placing it around the wound and pressing down on it) We have to get him medical attention immediately. Bring the speeder around.

OWEN: Yeah, sure, just -- (freezes) Beru! Oh, God, I forgot about them!

With new matters of importance on his mind, Owen takes off in a run for the entrance into the homestead.

INT. LARS HOMESTEAD/ENTRANCE -- DAY

Stepping through the entrance into the home, Owen begins searching through the house for Beru and Nellith. While he finds the bodies of the two Tuskens they managed to kill before been captured, Beru and Nellith themselves are nowhere to be found.

Consumed with fear and rage, the moisture farmer falls to his knees, releasing a mindless, animalistic roar as he clenches his fists into tight, hard balls.

EXT. LARS HOMESTEAD -- COURTYARD -- DAY

Having brought the Lars landspeeder out of the garage himself, Obi-Wan, carrying the still form of Anakin in his arms, walks up to the vehicle. Climbing inside, he lays the unconscious boy down in the back seat carefully.

Just as he climbs back out of the speeder, Owen comes at him, grabbing the Jedi by the shoulders and dragging him down to the ground.

OWEN: (panicking) They took them, Ben, they took them! They took Nellith, they took Beru! They took them!

Rage starting to well up within him once again, the moisture farmer starts shaking Ben by the shoulders.

OWEN: (enraged) What were you doing when those monsters took them, you bastard!? Why weren't you protecting them?! Answer me, goddamn you!

Without a word, Obi-Wan slaps Owen hard in the face.

OWEN: (releases Ben and collapses to a heap, sobbing) Oh, God, Ben! They took her! They took her! What are they going to do to her?! What!?

Pulling Owen up into a sitting position, the Jedi slaps him hard in the face again.

OBI-WAN: (firm) Snap out of it, Owen! Get a hold of yourself now!

Sobbing, Owen begins to recover his bearings.

OBI-WAN: (cont'd) Nik has been badly injured -- we have to get him to Anchorhead immediately. If we don't, he'll die. Do you understand?

OWEN: (nods) Yes, yes, I understand.

OBI-WAN: Alright. (beat) I've bandaged the wound as best I can and placed him in the speeder. You have to be the one to take him to Anchorhead.

OWEN: But what about Beru, about Nellith?

OBI-WAN: With that attack you sustained, you're in no condition to track down those Tuskens. (beat) I'll find Beru and Nellith.

OWEN: But they took your weapon!

OBI-WAN: The lightsaber is a tool, nothing more. I don't need it to be a Jedi.

 

EXT. LARS HOMESTEAD -- COURTYARD -- DAY

Two landspeeders comes to life and zoom off in opposite directions. The first is the Lars family speeder -- with Owen at the controls and Anakin injured in the back seat -- headed off toward Anchorhead, while the second is the rented landspeeder of Obi-Wan, who is headed out into the deep desert, on the search for the Tusken Raiders who kidnapped Nellith and Beru.

EXT. DESERT -- DAY

Obi-Wan makes his way deeper into the barren, empty desert on his landspeeder. Every now and then he stops and gets out, taking short treks out into the sand to look about his surroundings with a pair of macrobinoculars; though the wind has all but erased the bantha tracks, he occasionally finds a trace of the Tuskens' passage, allowing him to narrow down his search and continue.

Hours pass, and the twin suns begin to set. Ben, in his speeder, passes beyond the mundane track of desert and enters the Jundland Wastes -- the vast, rocky area of caverns and canyons which the Tusken Raiders -- among various dangerous beasts -- call home.

EXT. JUNDLAND WASTES -- TWILIGHT

Eventually, Obi-Wan finds his way to the end of a narrow valley which opens out into open air; beyond, far to the bottom, lies a large stretch of flat, open rock. Unable to proceed any further in the landspeeder, the Jedi parks his vehicle and shuts it down, climbing out.

Walking to the edge of the valley, Ben pulls out his set of macrobinoculars and begins to survey the plain of desolate rock.

OBI-WAN'S P.O.V. -- TUSKEN RAIDER CAMP

Out on the rocky plain is a large Tusken camp, complete with tents and burning campfires.

CUT TO

Obi-Wan as he puts the macrobinoculars down. Returning to the speeder, he retrieves his supplies -- two large blaster pistols, a blaster rifle, and a satchel of power packs -- and, holstering the blasters and slinging the rifle behind his back, begins to make his way down the face of the cliff on his long trek toward the camp in the distance.

EXT. TUSKEN RAIDER CAMP -- TWILIGHT

In the centre of the camp, Nellith and Beru have been tied to a large, wooden rack. Surrounding them is the LEADER OF THE TRIBE -- a tall, intimidating warrior wearing a headdress made up of varicoloured wires -- and his IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS, all of whom look upon the women as visitors to a zoo would look upon the animals therein.

The Tusken leader beckons to one of the other Tuskens -- a son, perhaps -- who walks over to the older, taller Sand Person. grunting and growling, the leader points down at the younger warrior's belt, upon which hangs Obi-Wan's lightsaber. Responding with his own series of hoots and groans, the younger Tusken unhooks the weapon and hands it to his elder.

The leader turns the metallic cylinder over in his hands, trying and failing to make out its purpose. Grunting, the other Sand Person shows him how to hold the saber and then gestures toward the activation stud on the pommel. Upon pressing the button, the blue blade of the weapon shoots out with a sharp SNAP-HISS. Startled, the tribal leader drops the weapon, honking aggressive Tusken expletives. The younger Tusken, incredibly amused, replies with what passes for laughter among the Sand People.

CUT TO

Obi-Wan as he reaches the camp. Avoiding the sentries posted at watch, the Jedi silently slips in between tents, cautiously making his way into the camp.

CUT TO

The Tusken tribal leader and the rest of his family surrounding Beru and Nellith.

Picking the lightsaber back up, the Tusken leader reactivates it; now that he knows what to expect from the weapon, he has no fear of it. Turning toward the two women, he approaches them, the glowing azure blade held out before him menacingly.

BERU: (panicking) Oh, please! Oh, please! Oh, please, no! No, no, please! Please, don't hurt us! Don't --!

With the precision of a surgeon, the Sand Person places the tip of the lightsaber against Nellith's forehead and begins to draw it across her hairline. The energy blade burning into her flesh effortlessly, she screams in complete and total agony.

CUT TO

Ben, standing behind one of the tents which overlook the tribal leader and his family members surrounding Nellith and Beru. His face twisted with desperation, he throws out a hand.

CUT TO

The Tusken Raider leader as he traces the tip of the lightsaber around Nellith's face, unfazed by the horrific screams coming out of her mouth.

Suddenly, from the other end of the camp, the ferocious bellow of a large and powerful krayt dragon sounds out with deafening force.

Alarmed by the blood-freezing sound, the tribal leader, his family members, and the other Sand People turn toward the apparent source of the sound. Pointing forward toward where the krayt is believed to be, the leader orders his people to take up arms against the invader. hooting and hollering, the Tuskens pour forth to combat the dragon, their leader alongside them, Obi-Wan's stolen lightsaber raised above his head.

Once the Sand People have left the area, Obi-Wan steps out of hiding and hurries over to Beru and Nellith. Pulling out a knife, he begins cutting through the straps holding them to the rack.

OBI-WAN: (concerned) Are you alright, Nellith?

NELLITH: (grimacing in agony) I-I'll be okay.

Ben cuts through the final bonds and the women are free. Bracing Nellith against her, Beru follows the Jedi on out of the camp.

Having found no sign of the krayt dragon they plainly heard, the Sand People begin to return to where they were before. Returning to the centre of the camp, the Tusken leader and his family find the rack empty, the two captive women gone.

Enraged, the tribal leader roars a command, and with two of his sons joining his side, he runs off after the escapees.

CUT TO

Ben and the women making their way away from the Tusken camp.

As soon as they leave their camp, the Tusken tribal leader and his sons immediately notice the Jedi with the women.

Honking out a battle cry, he charges them, lightsaber swinging and his warriors right beside him.

OBI-WAN: (to Beru) Go on! I'll hold them off!

Obeying, Beru -- Nellith by her side -- takes off into a run toward the faraway valley.

Turning toward the approaching Tuskens, the Jedi knight pulls out his two blasters. As the Sand People approach, he fires. The shot from the blaster in his left hand catches one of the leader's sons in the hip, the shot from the blaster in his right catches the other in the leg; both shots knock the Tuskens down, taking them out of the fight, leaving the Jedi the tribal leader to defeat.

Hollering in anger, the Tusken leader swings the blue lightsaber. Ben jumps back, but the blade slashes through one of his blasters, destroying it. Bringing up the remaining blaster, he fires, but the blue bolt merely grazes the Tusken's side, leaving him alive and still hungry for blood. Roaring, the Tusken kicks the blaster out of the Jedi's hand and then takes another swing at the human.

Crouching down, Ben springs into the air, somersaulting over the Tusken and landing behind him. Throwing out his hands, he uses the powers granted him through the Force to reinforce his strength, shoving the Tusken warrior violently forward. Hollering in surprise and fear, the Tusken flies through the air ungracefully, dropping the Jedi weapon in his hand before finally hitting the hard ground with enough force to knock him unconscious.

Collecting the intact blaster and his lightsaber, Ben runs off to rejoin Beru and Nellith.

EXT. JUNDLAND WASTES -- EVENING

Obi-Wan -- with Beru and Nellith beside and behind him -- steers his landspeeder over the rocky terrain of the Jundland Wastes.

Suddenly, without warning, a mechanical cough issues forth from the vehicle and the repulsorlifts go dead. Without antigravity to suspend it, the landspeeder collapses to the ground, hitting the ground with a strong jarring jerk.

BERU: (weary) What now?

Wordlessly, Ben hops out of the speeder and walks over to the engines in back. Looking them over, he recoils as oily black smoke billows out in his face.

OBI-WAN: (coughs) I don't think we'll be going any further with this speeder.

BERU: (looks back over her shoulder at the Jedi, frowning) Are you sure?

OBI-WAN: (waving smoke away) I can't fix something like this out here. (beat) We have to continue on foot.

BERU: (climbs out of the speeder and walks over to Ben) We can't walk through this! The farm's two -- maybe three -- weeks away from here! We'll die long before we ever get home!

OBI-WAN: (puts his hands on her shoulders) Beru, we can make it. (beat) If we rest in the shade during the day and move only at night, we can just make it.

BERU: But water --

OBI-WAN: We can stay hydrated on the prey we catch. (beat) It won't be much, but it should be enough to last us the rest of the way.

BERU: (looks over at Nellith, who looks back at them) What about her?

OBI-WAN: As bad as they look, Nellith's wounds are merely flesh wounds. If we can continue going, so can she.

Resigned, Beru sighs. Silently, the three individuals proceed to retrieve as many supplies as they can carry with them from the speeder. Then, exchanging glances, they start about on their trek through the desert on foot.

 

EXT. JUNDLAND WASTES -- MONTAGE

Time passes. Working together, Ben, Nellith, and Beru manage to cover ground, finding shelter during the day and hunting down prey during the night as they find themselves closer to home. As the days roll into weeks, though, they grow wearier and wearier, their bodies growing gaunt from the lack of adequate food and water.

EXT. DESERT -- SUNSET

After more than two weeks, the trio finally crosses the boundary separating the rocky Jundland Wastes from the flat, sandier desert. A fierce sandstorm has picked up, however, and they have no cave or hollow to protect themselves from the powerful sand-filled wind.

As the wind blows stronger and the sand begins to accumulate around them, Nellith is the first to falter and then collapse, Beru quickly following after her. The only one remaining conscious, Ben turns and heads back to the two women, unwilling to abandon them. He can do nothing to help them, though, and in moments he, too, succumbs to the sandstorm.

Moments pass, and soon the three travellers are nearly completely buried beneath the sand. A low drone begins to barely resound through the thick air, though, drawing Obi-Wan out of his semi-conscious fugue. Looking upward, he watches as a familiar G9 Rigger freighter descends from the brown sky over them.

As the freighter touches down beside them, the main hatch lowers and Owen comes out from the ship. Running over to Ben, he helps pull the Jedi knight up.

OBI-WAN: Get Beru -- I'll help Nellith.

Quickly, the Jedi and the moisture farmer help the two women to their feet. Together with the girls, they climb aboard the ship.

INT. FREIGHTER/COCKPIT -- SUNSET

Entering the dingy cockpit of the freighter, the three desert-weary travellers collapse to their knees on the deck. The pilot of the ship -- Anakin, his shoulder wound covered in a bacta patch -- rises from the pilot's chair, a pair of canteens in his hand.

OBI-WAN: (frowns) Nik?

ANAKIN: (tosses the canteens to Owen) Welcome aboard the Twilight.

OWEN: (hands the canteens to Ben and Nellith) Don't drink too much -- you might get sick. (to Anakin) Get us the hell out of here!

Getting back into his seat, Nik closes the hatch and proceeds to bring the craft back up into the air.

OWEN: (notices Nellith's wound) God, Nellith -- what did they do to you?

NELLITH: (takes a gulp from her canteen before handing it to Beru) Nothing compared to what I've seen done to others.

OBI-WAN: (to Anakin) What the hell are you doing out here? You should be in Anchorhead recovering from your injury!

ANAKIN: And leave you and my two favourite girls in the world to die out here in the middle of nowhere? Forget it, Ben.

BERU: How did you find us?

Anakin doesn't answer right away. After a moment passes, he turns around to look behind him, making direct eye contact with Obi-Wan.

ANAKIN: I brought myself in touch with the greater reality surrounding me.

EXT. SANDSTORM -- SUNSET

As the Twilight climbs higher into the sky, the winds of the sandstorm intensify immensely and the freighter begins to rattle with incredible turbulence.

INT. TWILIGHT/COCKPIT -- SUNSET

NELLITH: What's happening?

ANAKIN: The sandstorm's growing stronger. I don't think --

Before he can finish his sentence, he looks directly out the viewport, freezing at what he sees before him.

OWEN: Nik, what is it?

ANAKIN: (eyes wide) Oh, shi --!

EXT. SANDSTORM -- SUNSET

Without any warning whatsoever, three immense tornados of swirling sand-filled air have taken shape in the path beyond the spice freighter. Though there is some room between the sand twisters to allow passage, the immense size and force of the combined swirling vortices will make such passage incredibly difficult.

INT. TWILIGHT/COCKPIT -- SUNSET

Standing up, Obi-Wan leaves Owen and the women and walks up beside Anakin, looking out the viewport at the titanic twisters.

OBI-WAN: You can do this, Anakin.

ANAKIN: (incredulous) Are you crazy?! In case you haven't noticed, the Twilight is an old, slow spice freighter long overdue for a date with the scrap heap, not a T-7 Skyhopper! She's not exactly made for navigating multiple sand twisters!

OBI-WAN: You can do it, Anakin, if you put your mind to it.

ANAKIN: Tell me how, and I'll try.

OBI-WAN: You'll do.

ANAKIN: (frustrated) Yeah, yeah -- just tell me!

OBI-WAN: First close your eyes, then relax.

ANAKIN: (laughs scornfully) That'll be easy!

OBI-WAN: (frustrated) Goddammit, Anakin!

ANAKIN: Alright, alright! I'm relaxing! (closes his eyes) OBI-WAN: Good. (beat) Now visualize yourself reaching out toward the twisters, feeling the spaces between them. Explore them all. (beat) Now, find all the possible routes you can take through them. Abandon all but the safest and fly on through.

His face oddly serene amongst all this chaos, Nik responds to Ben's commands and pushes the controls of the ship forward.

EXT. SANDSTORM -- SUNSET

The Twilight surges forward, banking left and plummeting into the space between the two left-most twisters. Entering the rending wind currents, the ship twists first left, then right, falling headlong towards the central tornado.

INT. TWILIGHT/COCKPIT - SUNSET

OWEN: I have a bad feeling about this.

EXT. SANDSTORM -- SUNSET

Just when it seems that the freighter is going to get swept up into the twister, it instead twists around it, corkscrewing around to the top, where it is then thrown upward, clear out of the reach of the triplet tornadoes.

INT. TWILIGHT/COCKPIT -- SUNSET

OBI-WAN: (pats Nik on the back with a pleased smile on his face) Good work, Anakin. I told you you could do it.

Turning to look up at the Jedi, Anakin grins, pleased with his piloting and Ben's praise.

OBI-WAN: (cont'd) Now get us up over this storm and head on back for home.

As Anakin does as he's told, Ben rejoins the others.

OWEN: What just happened? How did he do that?

OBI-WAN: (serious) Don't you know?

Owen returns Obi-Wan's serious expression. He knows exactly.

EXT. SKY -- SUNSET

Breaking through the top of the sandstorm, the Twilight emerges into the clear darkening sky of Tatooine, the vermilion light of the setting suns gleaming off its hull as it rockets toward home.

EXT. LARS HOMESTEAD -- COURTYARD -- SUNSET

Descending from the sky, the Twilight comes in over the Lars homestead, touching down on the ground just beyond the outlying moisture vaporators. Once the freighter is firmly down on terra firma, the hatch pops open and lowers, allowing the Larses and Whitesuns to climb out into the open air.

BERU: (puts her arm around Nellith's shoulder) It'll be nice to have a good, long shower again, won't it, Mom?

NELLITH: (laughs lightly) I'd settle for a tall, cool glass of bantha milk.

Stepping up behind the two girls, Anakin places his hands on their shoulders.

ANAKIN: (grins) I think both can be arranged.

Together, the Larses walk off toward the homestead, leaving Obi-Wan and Owen alone together by the Twilight.

OWEN: How long have you known Anakin was ... (trails off)

OBI-WAN: Like me?

Owen nods.

OBI-WAN: (cont'd) I knew almost immediately.

OWEN: When did you tell him?

OBI-WAN: After Mir's funeral.

OWEN: Why?

OBI-WAN: (runs a hand through his hair) I don't know.

OWEN: (cocks an eyebrow) You don't know?

OBI-WAN: I honestly don't know why I told him. (beat) I regretted it as soon as it was done.

OWEN: But what's done is done.

OBI-WAN: (puts his hands on Owen's shoulder) Owen, nothing has to change.

OWEN: (smirks) I know Nik too well to believe that, Ben. (beat) Now that you've opened his eyes to a greater universe, he won't be content staying here as a moisture farmer. (beat) He's like you in that regard.

OBI-WAN: I can't train him, Owen. You know that.

OWEN: But you can take him to someone who can, can't you? (beat) Just do me one favour.

OBI-WAN: What is it?

OWEN: Don't get him mixed up in the war. Take him to Yoda's planet or wherever, just don't get him involved with the war. (beat) He's my best friend -- I don't want him getting killed or harvested fighting those goddamn whitefaces. Do you understand me?

OBI-WAN: I understand, Owen, and I won't pressure him to join the fight. You have to understand, though, that if Anakin chooses to join of his own free will, I can't stop him.

OWEN: Just take him as far away from the war as possible. (turns to look after Anakin with the women in the distance) God willing, the war'll be over by the time any damn fool notions of defending the galaxy from the Clonemasters enter his head.

 

INT. LARS HOMESTEAD/LIVING AREA -- SUNSET

As Owen and Ben enter the living area of the Lars homestead, they find Anakin sitting on a sofa, checking his healing wound under the bacta patch.

ANAKIN: (reseals the patch) The girls are in the 'freshers getting cleaned up.

OBI-WAN: Then it can wait.

ANAKIN: (cocks an eyebrow) What can wait?

Neither Ben nor Owen say anything, merely taking seats within the room. After several minutes pass, Nellith and Beru both enter the room -- clean, refreshed, and radiant in fresh new clothes.

BERU: (beaming) Lord, it feels so good to be clean after all that time in the Wastes!

Rising to his feet, Owen glances at Anakin, Nellith, and Beru.

OWEN: Nik, Beru, Nellith ... Ben has something he has to say.

Crossing over to the sofa, Beru and Nellith both sit down beside Anakin.

NELLITH: What is it, Ben? What do you have to say?

As Owen retakes his seat, Obi-Wan stands up.

OBI-WAN: When I arrived here, I made a discovery -- an incredible discovery none of you save Owen and Anakin know about. (beat) Anakin, like me, is Force-sensitive. Like me, he has the power to perceive and harness the Force.

Hearing this, Nellith and Beru turn to regard the black-haired young man; while Nellith doesn't seem all that surprised by this news, Beru's eyes are virtually popping from their sockets with the revelation.

BERU: Force-sensitive!? When did this happen?!

ANAKIN: Ben told me it's something I was born with.

OWEN: (to Nellith) The Force --

NELLITH: (cuts him off with a raised hand) I know what the Force is, Owen. (turns to Ben) When did you reveal this to my son?

OBI-WAN: The night of your husband's funeral.

NELLITH: (turns to Anakin, irate) You've known all this time and you never told us?!

ANAKIN: (taken aback) Mom, what's wrong? What are you getting angry about?

Without answering, the Zeltron-human woman turns back to Obi-Wan, glowering at him with her intense fuchsia eyes.

NELLITH: Why didn't you say anything?

OBI-WAN: I regretted telling your son about his abilities. I was hoping any interest in the Force would go away if I left it alone.

NELLITH: (angry) You should have thought about that before you said anything to him in the first place!

OBI-WAN: I know. (beat) But I can't ignore your son's need anymore.

NELLITH: (grits her teeth) What need?

OBI-WAN: To realize his potential by becoming a Jedi. (beat) I personally can't teach him, but I know many others who --

Simmering with rage, Nellith bolts upright and quickly leaves the room before the Jedi knight can finish what he has to say.

BERU: Mom!

Jumping from the sofa, Beru hurries after his mother, leaving Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Owen alone in the room.

ANAKIN: (turns to Ben) I thought you didn't want me to become a Jedi.

OBI-WAN: (sits down) I opened your door to a much larger world -- I have to be the one who helps you take your first step through it.

INT. LARS HOMESTEAD/CORRIDOR OUTSIDE NELLITH'S ROOM -- TWILIGHT

Entering the corridor, Anakin makes his way down to the closed door leading into Nellith's room. As he arrives, the door opens and Beru steps out. Closing the door, she makes eye contact with her half-brother.

ANAKIN: Can I talk to her?

BERU: Sure.

Without further words, Beru walks past Anakin on her way out of the corridor, leaving Nik free access to the closed door. Opening it, he steps inside to find Nellith sitting on the edge of her bed, her head bowed and her hands clasped together in her lap.

INT. LARS HOMESTEAD/NELLITH'S ROOM -- TWILIGHT

ANAKIN: (closes the door) What was that all about with Ben, Mom? Why did you freak out at him like that? What's wrong?

NELLITH: (sighs) I was hoping this would never happen. (beat) I didn't want you to find out about your connection to the Force.

ANAKIN: (sits down beside Nellith) I don't understand. Before I met Obi-Wan I didn't even know what the Force was, but you sound like you're an expert on the subject or something, like you knew this might happen one day.

NELLITH: I'm not an expert, but I know enough about it to know I don't like it. (beat) I don't want to you to go with Kenobi to become a Jedi.

ANAKIN: (frowns) Why, Mom, why? I've never asked you for anything before -- why deny me the opportunity to get off this dustball world and make something for myself?

NELLITH: Because of your father.

ANAKIN: I don't see what Mir has to do with any of this.

NELLITH: I'm not talking about Mir. (beat) I'm talking about Kane.

Hearing the name of his biological father, Anakin goes silent, taken aback by the weight of this revelation.

EXT. LARS HOMESTEAD -- COURTYARD -- DAY

Anakin, Obi-Wan, Nellith, Owen, and Beru stand together outside the entrance dome, each exchanging their farewells.

BERU: (cont'd) I wish you could stay, Nik, but it's your decision, and I want you to know I support you all the way.

ANAKIN: Thanks, Beru. I always could count on you. (tearing up) I'm gonna miss you.

BERU: (smiles through tears) It'll be hard getting used to you not being around. (beat) Goodbye, Anakin.

Anakin and Beru embrace, drawing together in a tight hug.

ANAKIN: You take of Owen, now, hear? Without me around, you'll be the only one around to keep that anger of his in check.

BERU: (laughs) Now you're projecting.

As Nik breaks away from his half-sister, he turns to face Nellith.

ANAKIN: Well ...

NELLITH: Well?

ANAKIN: Are we okay?

In response, Nellith walks over to Anakin, wrapping him in a tight hug.

NELLITH: Oh, Ani, we're more than okay. (kisses him on the cheek) I love you and there's nothing in this universe that can change that!

ANAKIN: (embarrassed) Mom, I told I didn't want you calling me that anymore. "Ani" is a little kid's name.

ANAKIN: (laughs) Whatever you say, Nik. (kisses him on the forehead) Whatever you say.

Having made their peace, the mother and her son part.

OWEN: (smirks) It won't be the same around here without you, Nik. Good luck, though, kid -- you'll need it.

Grinning ear-to-ear, Nik flashes his friend a thumb's up.

OWEN: (turns to Obi-Wan, his expression growing serious) Well, it's time to say goodbye again, isn't it?

OBI-WAN: Yes, it is. (beat) It's not going to be like the last time, is it?

OWEN: (shakes his head) No, Ben, it isn't.

Without another word, Owen embraces Obi-Wan in a strong hug, patting him roughly on the back.

OWEN: (crying) I'll be seeing you, brother.

OBI-WAN: (returns the embrace, smiling) You too, brother, you too.

Once Owen and Ben separate, the Jedi and his young ward begin walking on over towards the Twilight, which is sitting in wait for them with its hatch lowered.

ANAKIN: (stops and turns to face the others) Once I become a Jedi, I'll come back for you all! I'll find a beautiful water-filled world full of flowering plants to make our home and I'll take you there to live with me! I promise!

Owen, Nellith, and Beru wave farewell to Anakin, and he waves back. Then -- turning around without a look back -- he and Obi-Wan make their way to the Twilight.