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

EXT. SPACE -- TATOOINE

The Lightning Warrior sits in low orbit above Tatooine, lazily circumnavigating the diametre of the world without aim.

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR/BAIL'S QUARTERS

Admiral Bail Organa and Commander Raia Vaness sit together in his quarters, engaged in a game of three-dimensional holochess.

BAIL: Hmmm ...

CMDR. VANESS: Problem, Admiral?

BAIL: No, not really. This just feels so derivative somehow.

CMDR. VANESS: (frowns) What are you talking about?

BAIL: Nevermind. Make your move.

Vaness makes her move. Once it is complete, she grins with wicked triumph.

CMDR. VANESS: Checkmate, Admiral.

BAIL: (sighs) Fifth game in a row.

CMDR. VANESS: Forty-two, if you want to be precise.

BAIL: Pardon me?

CMDR. VANESS: Well, counting all the games we've played since arriving here, we come to a total score of --

BAIL: (rolls his eyes) Nevermind.

CMDR. VANESS: Want to try for another?

BAIL: Forget it. Just turn the damn thing off.

CMDR. VANESS: (deactivates the holographic chessboards) You do have a problem, don't you?

BAIL: Weeks spent doing nothing but flying circles around a planet gets very boring very fast. (beat) I wish the Mandalorians would just hurry up and show their faces already.

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR/BRIDGE

The OFFICERS on board the bridge of the dreadnought go about their duties like machines on autopilot, weariness from boredom etched in their features.

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER: (stretches his arms) Well, I'm taking a break. (to the weapons officer) Hey, Nebucha, can I borrow your Mermeia cassette again?

NEBUCHA: (annoyed) What, again!?

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER: C'mon, Nebucha, it's my break!

NEBUCHA: If you're gonna watch it here, you'd better not do that ... thing again, Dnezzar. You take it to your bunk if you want to do that!

DNEZZAR (COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER): Oh, that was a one-time slip up. You know how the boredom gets -- it warps your sense of discretion.

NEBUCHA: (frowns) Yeah, yeah, whatever. (reaches into his tunic and pulls out a cassette) Take it.

NEBUCHA tosses the cassette to DNEZZAR, who catches it gleefully.

DNEZZAR: Thanks, man!

NEBUCHA: (points at the communications officer) Remember -- don't do the thing.

DNEZZAR: (winks) Don't do the thing.

NEBUCHA: (rolls his eyes) Pervert.

With unbridled haste, the communications officer slides the cassette into a port set within his terminal and then picks up a mechanical visor, slipping it down over his eyes.

DNEZZAR P.O.V. -- CASSETTE RECORDING

Within Dnezzar's line of sight is a headshot of a beautiful DARK-SKINNED HUMANOID WOMAN with pink, feather-like hair set against a green, psychedelic background.

MERMEIA: I know you're searching for me. Searching, searching. I am here. My voice is for you alone. I am found in your eyes only. I exist for you. I am in your mind as you create me. Oh, yes ... I can feel my creation. (giggles) I'm getting your message. Are you getting mine?

CUT TO

Dnezzar laid back in his seat, drooling.

DNEZZAR'S P.O.V. -- MERMEIA

MERMEIA: Oh, oh! We are excited, aren't we? Just relax. Just relax. Yes! Now ... we can have a good time, can't we?

CUT TO

Dnezzar laid back in his seat, his mouth stretched in a rictus grin of absolute anticipation.

DNEZZAR: Oh, you'd better believe it, baby.

EXT. SPACE

Without any warning, the Nyax and five Jehavey'ir-class assault ships drop out of hyperspace. Without wasting any time they begin approaching the Lightning Warrior.

SENSOR OFFICER #1: (bolts upright in her seat) Heads up, people! We've got Mandalorians on our scopes!

Roughly jolted out of his simulated reverie, the visor flies off Dnezzar's face as he almost topples out of his seat.

LT. SOLO: We've got to alert the admiral immediately!

EXT. SPACE -- TATOOINE

Slowly but surely, the Mandalorian ships approach the dreadnought.

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR/BRIDGE

The door to the bridge slides open and Bail and Vaness stride in.

BAIL: (taking his seat on the command chair) What's happening?

SENSOR OFFICER #1: Six Mandalorian ships have arrived, sir. Five Jehavey'ir-class assault ships and one Lictor-class dungeon ship.

The bridge door slides open once again and Siri Tachi walks on in.

CMDR. VANESS: (turns to Siri) Mistress Tachi, six --

SIRI: (interrupting) Yes, I know -- I sensed their arrival. (to Bail) Can your ship handle them, Admiral?

BAIL: Five Jehavey'irs pack a punch, but they're no match for a Dreadnought-class heavy cruiser. We'll be sending them home to the ruins of Mandalore just in time for supper. (to Dnezzar) Open hailing frequencies -- issue them our terms of surrender.

DNEZZAR: They're not responding, Admiral.

BAIL: Well, they can't say we didn't warn them. (to Nebucha) Target the dungeon ship and open fire when ready.

NEBUCHA: Yes, sir.

EXT. SPACE -- TATOOINE

Without warning, five more ships drop out of hyperspace. These ships are Dreadnought-class heavy cruisers like the Lightning Warrior; unlike the Lightning Warrior, however, these dreadnoughts bear markings which identify them as belonging to the Mandalorian Death Watch rather than to Alderaan.

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR/BRIDGE

SENSOR OFFICER #1: Sir -- five more Mandalorian ships have dropped out of hyperspace!

BAIL: What?!

SENSOR OFFICER #1: They are all dreadnoughts, sir.

CMDR. VANESS: (turns to Siri, frowning) I thought the reports said the dungeon ship only ever came equipped with an escort of two-to-five assault ships.

SIRI: (worried) The reports were wrong.

EXT. SPACE - TATOOINE

The five Mandalorian dreadnoughts suddenly open fire on the Lightning Warrior. The forward deflector shields catch the worst of the barrage but the ship still takes a rough beating from the intense yellow turbolaserfire.

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR/BRIDGE

The interior of the bridge rattles as the Mandalorian turbolasers strike the ship, causing more than a few of the officers stationed aboard to hold onto their consoles for support.

BAIL: Open fire!

NEBUCHA: Which ship, sir?

BAIL: The closest dreadnought! Target its primary turbolaser batteries and fire!

EXT. SPACE -- TATOOINE

The Lightning Warrior releases a barrage of green turbolaserfire upon the closest Mandalorian dreadnought, decimating its primary turbolaser batteries within moments. Unfortunately for the Alderaanian ship, it still is outnumbered and outgunned by the remaining four dreadnoughts and five assault ships, all of which begin firing upon the Lightning Warrior.

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR/BRIDGE

SENSOR OFFICER #1: We're starting to lose power to our rear deflector shields!

CMDR. VANESS: Divert power from the starboard shields!

SIRI: There are too many of them!

DNEZZAR: Admiral, we're being hailed!

BAIL: The Mandalorians?

DNEZZAR: No, sir -- it's the Xuthltan.

BAIL: (incredulous) Wahr Blarh's ship!? (beat) Put him through.

Seconds later, the green nikto's visage appears on the Lightning Warrior's viewscreen.

BAIL: Whatever you're planning, Captain, don't.

CAPT. BLARH: The Mandalorians have less right to be here than you do, human. I'm going to take out as many of their ships as I can.

BAIL: Are you daft, man?! Your tin cigar can't handle one dreadnought, let alone five of them!

CAPT. BLARH: (sighs) Goodbye, Admiral.

With that, Captain Wahr Blarh cuts the connection.

BAIL: (erratic) What!? Get him back! Open hailing frequencies!

DNEZZAR: He won't respond, sir!

BAIL: (screaming at the viewscreen) You stupid son of a --!

EXT. SPACE -- TATOOINE

The Xuthltan speeds up out of Tatooine's atmosphere and over the Lightning Warrior, opening fire upon the assault ships swarming about the dreadnought as it passes by. The blasts of blue laserfire aren't enough to damage the ships but they do gain their attention, and in moments the assault ships leave the Lightning Warrior to attack the smaller cargo ship.

INT. XUTHLTAN/BRIDGE

As the Mandalorian assault ships release salvo upon salvo upon the cargo ship, various consoles, terminals, and other onboard equipment begin to fizzle, spark, and explode.

CAPT. BLARH: (to the helmsman) Program a micro-jump into the navicomputer.

EXT. SPACE -- TATOOINE

As the Jehavey'irs pound the Xuthltan, the Xiytiar-class transport leaps into hyperspace, plowing through and obliterating one of the assault ships in the process. A split-second later the cargo ship re-enters realspace, materializing directly within one of the intact Mandalorian dreadnoughts. Another split-second later, the combined dreadnought/cargo ship explodes into a bright fireball, raining debris on the already-damaged dreadnought the Lightning Warrior attacked, crippling it completely.

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR/BRIDGE

Witnessing the sacrifice of the Xuthltan and its crew, Bail puts his face in his palms, shaking his head with dismay.

EXT. SPACE -- TATOOINE

With the Xuthltan no longer around to act as a distraction, the remaining dreadnoughts and assault ships renew their concentrated assault upon the Lightning Warrior.

 

INT. NYAX/BRIDGE

The Force Hound sits upon the command chair with his aide by his side, watching the Lightning Warrior succumb to the Mandalorian assault on the viewscreen.

MANDALORIAN SENSOR OFFICER: (in Mando'a, subtitled) The Imperial dreadnought is crippled, milord!

FORCE HOUND: (to the communications officer; subtitled) Order all ships to stand down.

The Mandalorian communications officer relays this command to the other Mandalorian ships. Within moments the attack ends, leaving the crippled Lightning Warrior floating in space.

FORCE HOUND: (cont'd; subtitled) Order the Deinonychus to make its descent at the pre-arranged coordinates.

The communications officer relays this to the Deinonychus, and in moments one of the Mandalorian dreadnoughts begins making its descent to the desert planet below.

MANDALORIAN AIDE: (subtitled) All due respect, milord, but we should destroy the Imperial ship and be done with it.

FORCE HOUND: (subtitled) No, Karras, not when there is someone on board waiting to meet us. (rises from his seat) Assemble a boarding party and alert my shuttle to prepare for my arrival.

EXT. TATOOINE -- ANCHORHEAD -- DOCKING BAY 32 -- DAY

Obi-Wan and Anakin exit Docking Bay 32, various bags of luggage with them, and begin crossing the street.

OBI-WAN: Remind me again why we couldn't just leave for Alderaan in the Twilight and spare us from using the fare which will only take us halfway there?

ANAKIN: Like I said, the ship belongs to Watto -- Owen and I simply used it on his behalf to ferry down spice for him. And there's no functional hyperdrive, either -- just try making a trip to the Core on those crappy sublight engines.

OBI-WAN: (sighs) I suppose spending fourteen or fifteen months on Ogana Major won't be that bad ...

ANAKIN: If I could have spared the cash --

OBI-WAN: (waves his hand dismissively) Nevermind that, Anakin. (beat) You get used to the torrential downpours after awhile, anyway.

ANAKIN: (grins) You mean rain? That'll be awesome! I've never seen rain before!

OBI-WAN: After you leave Ogana Major you'll never want to see it again. (beat) I suppose the rate for taking a taxi to Mos Eisley hasn't changed since I was here last.

ANAKIN: Oh, I don't think so. (beat) When was the last time you were on Tatooine, anyway?

OBI-WAN: Actually, I never --

Before the Jedi can complete his thought, a strange mechanical noise begins to fill the air, growing louder with each passing moment until it becomes a deafening, causing everyone in the area to cover their ears with their hands, grimacing in pain. Looking up towards the sky, Ben and Anakin watch as the Deinonychus comes down over the town like a descending bird of prey.

OBI-WAN: (horrified) Oh, no ...

ANAKIN: (yelling over the noise) What is it?!

OBI-WAN: (yelling over the noise) Nik, run!

Roughly grabbing the young man by his arm, the Jedi knight breaks out into a run up the street. They don't get very far, however, as the Deinonychus begins firing upon the town, obliterating whole buildings with single blasts and killing hundreds in the process. As the townspeople of Anchorhead rush to flee the bombardment, the dreadnought proceeds to unleash its contingent of Kom'rk-class fighters, all of which descend upon the fleeing masses like a swarm of angry hornets.

Little can be done as the dreadnought continues to bombard the town and the fighters cut down the townspeople caught out in the open. Within ten minutes, Anchorhead is reduced to nothing more than a smouldering ruin, most of its residents dead or seriously injured.

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR/BRIDGE

Inside the Lightning Warrior's bridge, flickering light playing over him, Bail sits hunched over in his command chair, rubbing his temple to rid himself of a burgeoning headache; Vaness, trying to comfort him, massages his left shoulder.

BAIL: What a disaster ...

Siri, who alone on the bridge has tried to remain calm and in control of her emotions, begins to grow visibly uneasy.

SIRI: Admiral ...

BAIL: (looks up at the Jedi) What is it, Ms. Tachi?

SIRI: The Mandalorians are boarding us ...

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR/DOCKING BAY

A shuttlecraft enters the deserted docking bay of the Lightning Warrior and touches down on the metal deck. As the hatch lowers, over TWO DOZEN MANDALORIAN KNIGHTS begin filling out, the Force Hound himself in the lead.

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR/BRIDGE

BAIL: (rises from his seat) If those bucketheads think we're going down easy, they've got another thing coming. (beat) We go down, we take as many of them with us as we can.

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR/CORRIDOR

As the Force Hound and his warriors move along the corridor leading towards the bridge, SEVERAL OF THE CREW MEMBERS who survived the attack on the Lightning Warrior leap out of the dark corners of the ship to attack the invaders, opening fire with their blasters. The Force Hound easily avoids the blasts, using the Force to telekinetically hurl and push the Imperials out of his way.

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR/BRIDGE

Stepping away from Vaness and the command chair, Bail walks past Siri until he stands facing the sealed door which leads in-and-out of the bridge.

BAIL: Everyone get ready -- company's coming.

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR/CORRIDOR

As the Force Hound walks past the defeated Imperials lying sprawled out on the deck around him, his warriors unsheathe their vibroswords and proceed to slay the defenseless soldiers.

INT. LIGHTNING WARRIOR/BRIDGE

SIRI: (unclips her lightsaber) They're here.

BAIL: (unholsters his blaster and adjusts its settings) All right, everybody -- take out your blasters and set them on "kill".

The officers on board the bridge take out their blasters and set them on their commanding officer's ordered setting. Siri engages her lightsaber, holding the fuchsia blade before her in a defensive position.

As they stand there, their weapons armed and levelled at the closed door, they begin to sweat profusely as the sound of the door's gears grinding fills the air. With a horrible SQUEAL, the bridge door is forced open and the Force Hound steps through.

BAIL: Open fire!

Before most of the bridge officers can obey the Admiral's command, the Force Hound uses his powers to push half of them back, slamming them into consoles and seats and knocking them senseless. The advantage now in his favour, he steps aside to allow his warriors to step through, and they immediately go on the offensive, swords swinging. The rest of the officers -- Bail and Vaness included -- immediately counterattack firing their blasters, and Siri springs into action with her lightsaber swinging. However, as the Mandalorian Knights are all Force-sensitive and the vibroswords they wield are all forged from preternaturally durable Mandalorian iron, the counterattack proves less than fully effective.

Rage fueling him, Admiral Bail Organa manages to take out five Mandalorians, killing three of them with precisely aimed and fired shots from his blaster while knocking the other two right out with powerful punches and kicks to vulnerable areas to the body. When one of the Knights slashes his gun arm through the elbow, though, nearly cutting his lower arm off, and sends him hurling into the bulkhead with an incredibly powerful toss, his role in the battle comes to an end.

Commander Raia Vaness, her body toned and honed with years of exercise and training, makes progress against nine of the Mandalorians, killing nearly half of them while injuring the rest. She goes down, though, when one of the Mandalorians manages to strike her in the back of the head with the pommel of his sword, knocking her unconscious.

Swinging her lightsaber, Siri Tachi tries to decapitate one of the Knights, but he quickly brings up his impervious vibrosword, blocking the energy blade. Throwing out a fist, she punches the Mandalorian back instead, then spins around to attack another Mandalorian.

A master sharpshooter, Lieutenant Solo takes out seven Mandalorians with expertly placed shots to vulnerable areas of their bodies. He can do nothing, though, as a Mandalorian strides past his defenses up to him, shattering his knee with a well-placed kick, and then grabs hold of his face and slams his head back against the edge of the computer console behind him, killing him instantly.

Roaring with intense rage, Dnezzar leaps at the Mandalorian who killed Solo, tackling him to the deck. Grabbing the Mandalorian by the helmet, he begins slamming the warrior's head down over-and-over again until the Mandalorian stops moving. He doesn't get the opportunity to relish his victory, however, as another Knight beheads him before he can even stand back up.

Nebucha dies screaming as he is slammed through a console, electrocuting him.

Eventually, all fall except Siri, who stands before the remaining Mandalorian Knights drenched with sweat and breathing heavily, her fuchsia blade glowing with fierce intensity before her.

SIRI: (grits her teeth) Savages.

Rearing her saber back she pounces, bringing the plasma blade down towards the closest Mandalorian Knight.

Suddenly she stops in mid-strike, dropping her lightsaber as she utters a sharp gasp. An invisible grip pulls her up into the air and she reaches for her throat, gurgling as she begins to choke.

Pushing past his warriors, the Force Hound walks up to Siri, his right hand raised and clenched in a tight fist.

FORCE HOUND: We'll have no more of that, my dear.

Gurgling, Siri tries once to reach out at him with her left hand, but the intense pressure at her throat immediately dissuades her from the effort.

FORCE HOUND: (cont'd) It's time for you to go to sleep.

Wheezing, Siri's mouth begins to foam up and her eyes roll up into the back of her head. Unclenching his fist, the Force Hound releases his hold on her, allowing her to fall to the deck and breathe once more.

FORCE HOUND: (to the other Mandalorians; in Mando'a, subtitled) She's unconscious. Take her and bring her to the shuttle.

Obeying immediately, two of the Knights rush over to Siri. Pulling her up, they waste no time and move quickly to take her off the bridge.

MANDALORIAN #3: (subtitled) Some of the Imperial dogs are still alive, milord.

FORCE HOUND: (subtitled) Let them live. (beat) Let the rest of the Empire hear the tale of our day's victory from their comrades' own lips. Let them learn to fear the name "Mandalorian" once more.

With that, the Force-sensitive Mandalorians begin filing out of the Lightning Warrior's bridge, their job complete.

As the last of them exit the bridge, the Force Hound notices Siri's lightsaber lying abandoned on the deck. Reaching down, he picks the weapon up and holds it up before him. Studying it momentarily, he then lowers it to his side and proceeds to follow after his minions.

EXT. TATOOINE -- ANCHORHEAD -- STREETS -- DAY

The Mandalorians, having landed their fighters, are now searching the ruins of the town on foot for any survivors, their blasters held at the ready.

INT. DEMOLISHED BUILDING -- DAY

Ben and Anakin hide within the interior of a partially-demolished building, crouched down low over a window that looks out into the street. As the Mandalorians appear around the corner, they duck away, returning to the window only once they've passed on by.

ANAKIN: Who the hell are these guys?

OBI-WAN: Judging by the armour, I'd say they're Mandalorians.

ANAKIN: (shocked) Mandalorians? I thought they were wiped out in the First Clone War.

OBI-WAN: Not exactly. Their throneworld was decimated in the civil war that followed the assassination of Mandalore the Destroyer, and their civilization quickly disintegrated afterwards as a result, but various individual pockets survived and continue to exist. (beat) Without central leadership, many Mandalorians have since become pirates, mercenaries, and bounty hunters.

ANAKIN: What are they doing here? Tatooine has nothing of any value!

OBI-WAN: I don't know, Nik, I honestly don't. (beat) Do you know how to operate a Mandalorian fighter?

ANAKIN: What kind of question is that?

OBI-WAN: A necessary one, because we're going to have to borrow a pair.

ANAKIN: What!?

OBI-WAN: Do you have a better idea of getting us out of here? (beat) We can't use a landspeeder -- it wouldn't be fast enough to take us out of here before we were detected and destroyed. And the Twilight's out of the question as well; provided that it wasn't destroyed in the initial attack, it, too, is far too slow to evade the Mandalorian ships. That only leaves us with the fighters, which are incredibly fast, maneuverable craft.

Unable to offer up any better alternatives, Nik raises his hands in a gesture of placation.

OBI-WAN: Alright, then -- follow me.

Together, the Jedi and his ward slowly leave the crumbling building, taking care to look out for Mandalorians. Certain that they won't be spotted, they hurry along their way, staying close to the sides of the buildings while stopping to peer around corners.

Eventually, the pair finds their way to the parked Mandalorian fighters. Unfortunately, stationed on guard are THREE MANDALORIAN LOOKOUTS. Quickly, the two hide behind the large, fallen corner of a building before they can be seen.

ANAKIN: Great -- guards!

OBI-WAN: Don't worry. They're momentary obstacles at worst.

ANAKIN: Are you gonna take them out with your lasersword?

OBI-WAN: I don't think it'll have to come to that.

Leaning out around the corner of their hiding spot, Ben quickly throws his hand out toward the Mandalorian guards.

MANDALORIAN #4: (hears a sound; in Mando'a) Hey, what was that?!

MANDALORIAN #5: (points toward a space between two buildings standing in the distance; in Mando'a) It came from over there!

Wasting no time, the three Mandalorians take off to track down and ascertain the source of the sound they heard. Once the armoured warriors have disappeared between the two buildings, Ben and Nik come out of hiding and run up to a pair of waiting fighters.

ANAKIN: (feeling around the hull for an opening mechanism) I don't know how to get it open!

OBI-WAN: (turns to assist Anakin) Here, like this --

As the Jedi goes to help the boy, the MANDALORIANS who have been making their rounds throughout the demolished ruins of Anchorhead return.

MANDALORIAN #6: (in Mando'a) Set for "stun"! Fire!

Setting their blasters on "stun", the Mandalorians open fire on the two. Obi-Wan quickly pulls out his lightsaber, engaging the blade and using it to parry several stun-bolts, but in moments he and Anakin are both overwhelmed and taken down for the count.

Approaching the fallen partners, the Mandalorians stand over them, studying them from behind their face-concealing helmets.

MANDALORIAN #6: (in Mando'a, subtitled) Inform the Deinonychus that we've caught another two bugs for the Force Hound's collection.

 

EXT. SPACE -- TATOOINE

A shuttle leaves the Deinonychus on a course straight for the Nyax.

INT. NYAX/DOCKING BAY

His RETINUE of Mandalorian Knights at his side, the Force Hound watches as the shuttle slips into the landing bay, landing before him with the release of various pressurized gases. The hatch of the shuttlecraft pops open and lowers, and Obi-Wan and Anakin -- their arms bound behind them in heavy-duty energy shackles -- are led out with an ESCORT of heavily-armed Mandalorian warriors surrounding them.

MANDALORIAN #7: (approaches the Force Hound; in Mando'a, subtitled) These are the Jedi our men captured on the planet, milord.

FORCE HOUND: (regards the two captives; subtitled) Were any weapons found on them?

The Mandalorian reaches into his belt and pulls out Obi-Wan's lightsaber.

MANDALORIAN #7: (subtitled) Just this one lightsaber found on the older male.

FOUND HOUND: (takes the lightsaber; subtitled) Good work, Lieutenant. (to Ben and Anakin; in Basic) Welcome aboard the Nyax, gentlemen. This will be your home for the next week and a half, so I suggest you get used to the accommodations we've provided you. (to the Mandalorian lieutenant; in Mando'a, subtitled) Escort them to their cell.

Turning to his men, the Mandalorian lieutenant signals for them to start moving the captives along. Prodded at gunpoint to start moving, Obi-Wan and Nik begin following the Mandalorians to their waiting cell.

INT. NYAX/SIRI'S CELL

Siri sits against the wall directly facing the cell door, her arms propped up against her knees. Beyond sporting a large, reddish-purple bruise above her left temple, she is none the worse for wear.

The cell door suddenly unlocks and opens. Ben and Nik, freed from their bonds, are roughly pushed inside. Collapsing to the floor, they have no time to right themselves before the door is resealed.

OBI-WAN: (sits up and brushes himself off) Well, that was a pleasant experience. (to Anakin) Are you alright, Anakin?

ANAKIN: (sits up, rubbing his wrists) Yeah, I'm fine. (notices Siri) Looks like we've got a cellmate, Ben.

Siri, sitting there, merely stares at the two new arrivals without saying a word. Looking upon her for the first time, Ben freezes; underneath her disheveled appearance Siri is an attractive woman, and Obi-Wan -- a ladies man at heart -- is immediately taken with the female Jedi.

OBI-WAN: (cocks an eyebrow) Well, hello.

SIRI: (nonchalant) Hello.

OBI-WAN: (offers his open hand, grinning broadly) I don't believe we've been acquainted.

SIRI: (ignores his hand) Siri Tachi, Jedi Knight of the Order of Coruscant.

OBI-WAN: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Knight-errant.

SIRI: (cocks an eyebrow) You're a Jedi?

OBI-WAN: Not a Jedi of your calibre, I assure you, but a Jedi nevertheless.

SIRI: (nods toward Anakin) You look a little young to have an apprentice.

OBI-WAN: (glances at Anakin) Anakin isn't my apprentice.

SIRI: He's Force-sensitive, though.

OBI-WAN: (nods) Yes. I was planning on finding a master who'll take him on as an apprentice. (grins) You wouldn't be interested in the prospect, would you?

SIRI: Like you, I'm a little too young to train an apprentice. Besides, he's too old.

ANAKIN: (frowns) What do you mean, "too old"?

OBI-WAN: (growing serious) The Coruscanti Jedi aren't taken with training anyone who's over five years of age. It's usually forbidden, actually.

SIRI: (notices Ben's expression) You don't approve, of course.

OBI-WAN: I can't say I'm overly fond of separating children from their families and raising them in isolation to believe that relationships with non-Jedi are evil, no.

SIRI: (smirks) We are the largest denomination of Jedi in the Empire, so we must be doing something right.

ANAKIN: (rolls his eyes) Alright, okay. Siri, do you have any idea why the Mandalorians took us?

SIRI: These Mandalorians have been attacking worlds and ships along the Outer Rim's Western Border for almost a year now, capturing and killing hundreds who've crossed their paths. The Council assigned me the task of investigating and determining their motivation.

OBI-WAN: Which is?

SIRI: We didn't know at first -- their pattern seemed random. I think I've figured it out, though. (beat) On the last world they attacked, I uncovered evidence that linked the Mandalorians to a Force-user -- probably a Dark Jedi -- who was teaching some of their sensitives how to use the Force.

OBI-WAN: Our friend in the aquamarine robes.

SIRI: (cont'd) I didn't think it had any real bearing on the case, though -- fallen Jedi often end up allying themselves with rogues and criminals -- but the pattern is so clear now.

OBI-WAN: (frowns) I don't follow you.

SIRI: I put the final piece in the puzzle when you two arrived. Do you understand?

ANAKIN: You're being as clear as the sweat off a womp rat.

SIRI: (shakes her head) We're all Force-sensitive, each of us!

OBI-WAN: (realization dawning in his eyes) You think the Mandalorians are ...

SIRI: They're rounding us up -- Jedi and non-Jedi, trained and untrained -- and taking us to some boot camp Force knows where to serve as slave soldiers within their ranks. (beat) They're looking for recruits who can wield the Force, and they're not asking for our co-operation nicely.

INT. DANIA VII -- BUNKER 13/ZULL'S QUARTERS/BEDROOM -- DAY

Zull lies asleep upon her small bed within her small, spartan quarters, her face peaceful in sleep. Though her long hair has been shorn down to a unisexual bob -- and her body lies adorned in plain, unflattering undergarments -- she remains preternaturally beautiful.

The room's lights suddenly flare to life, casting bright illumination down on her face. Her peaceful expression disappearing beneath a frown of interrupted sleep, Zull opens her eyes. Silhouetted against the open door of the bedroom is a MANDALORIAN WARRIOR.

MANDALORIAN #8: (in Mando'a, subtitled) It's time to report for training. Wake up and get yourself ready.

ZULL: (in heavily accented, broken Mando'a, subtitled) I hear. You go.

Obeying, the Mandalorian leaves the doorframe. Zull, groaning with weariness, pushes herself up into a sitting position on her bed.

INT. BUNKER 13/ZULL'S QUARTERS/REFRESHER -- DAY

Opening the door to her quarters' small refresher, Zull steps inside and walks up to the sink. As she turns the faucet on she looks into the mirror before her. Staring into the reflection she becomes like a statue, entranced by her own mirrored image.

FLASH TO

An image of a human embryo floating within its mother's womb.

FLASH TO

Zull as she recoils from the mirror, unconsciously cracking it with the Force as she does so, her eyes stretched open wide.

Horrified, the disgraced Meketrex high priestess looks down at her womb, her hands beginning to tremble as an unwelcome truth reveals itself to her.

 

INT. NYAX/OBI-WAN, ANAKIN, & SIRI'S CELL

Sitting within their collective cell, Anakin looks upon the two Jedi, both in meditative trances. Bored out of his mind, he picks up a small pebble and flicks it at Ben, hitting him in the forehead and rousing him from his meditation.

OBI-WAN: Ow! (beat) Anakin, I was meditating!

Feeling her peer's pain through the Force, Siri's meditation is broken and she, too, comes up from her trance.

ANAKIN: (sighs) That's all fine and dandy like Mos Espan candy for you -- you get to meditate yourself out of this boring reality we're stuck in. Meanwhile, I'm stuck having to face it hour after torturously boring hour.

OBI-WAN: (sarcastic) It's not my fault the Mandalorians didn't provide us with some holodramas to watch.

SIRI: (sighs) Just teach him some meditation techniques, Kenobi.

OBI-WAN: (turns to Siri) I already told you I am not his teacher.

SIRI: (annoyed) So what? If you can't so much as teach a kid how to meditate then you shouldn't even be a knight.

OBI-WAN: What do you care? You don't believe in teaching apprentices who are "too old", anyway.

SIRI: I care because I'm sick of listening to his complaining day in and day out! Maybe if you taught him how to meditate, I could get some of my own done!

OBI-WAN: Then you teach him!

SIRI: (smirks) He's too old, remember?

OBI-WAN: (fumes) You aggravating --

The Jedi knight cuts himself off before he can complete the curse and turns his back to Siri, deciding to ignore her.

ANAKIN: (angry) What's your problem, anyway?

OBI-WAN: My problem?

ANAKIN: Yeah, your problem. First you tell me to forget about the Force, and now you won't even show me how to do something as small as voyaging to Cloud #9. I'm getting fed up with it, Ben, and I want to know what the hell your deal is!

OBI-WAN: I don't want to talk about it.

ANAKIN: I frankly don't give a damn if you do or don't! I deserve a goddamn answer!

A moment of silence passes between them.

OBI-WAN: (sighs) You're right, Anakin, you're right. (beat) It's hard for me, though. It's still so fresh in my mind.

ANAKIN: (his expression softening) What is it?

OBI-WAN: Before I was knighted, I met and befriended a Jedi master named Jard Doku.

SIRI: (scoffs) Jard Doku? You're friends Master Jard Doku?! (laughs scornfully)

OBI-WAN: (ignores Siri) He had an apprentice named Qui-Gon Jinn, who was only a few years younger than I was. (beat) We became very close friends, he and I -- almost brothers. (beat) While on a mission to break up a Black Sun spice operation on Orbos IX, Doku was badly injured, leaving him unable to continue with Qui-Gon's training. As I had been knighted by this time and was no longer with Master Yoda, it was decided that Qui-Gon would be placed under my care until Master Doku fully recuperated. It wasn't a master-apprentice arrangement, per se -- more like a relationship between a mentor and a protégé.

ANAKIN: Something happened to him while he was with you.

OBI-WAN: A few months ago, the Federation Neimoidia invaded the world of Nabu and began killing off the planet's ruling family. As I was assigned to the team sent in to rescue the heirs apparent, Qui-Gon came along with me. (beat) While on Nabu, he and I encountered a dark warrior who engaged us in a lightsaber duel.

SIRI: This dark warrior ...?

OBI-WAN: We never uncovered his identity. He could have been an underling of the Neimoidians, perhaps even their employer -- it doesn't really matter. (beat) During the fight we got separated, leaving Qui-Gon to face the darksider alone. (beat) In the end, Qui-Gon couldn't stand up to him and he died. (beat) Now you know why I haven't been eagre to share my knowledge of the Force with you, Nik.

ANAKIN: You're afraid what happened to Qui-Gon could happen to me.

OBI-WAN: (crying) I played at being teacher once and failed. I won't do it again -- never again.

INT. NYAX/FORCE HOUND'S MEDITATION CHAMBER

Standing within his meditation circle, the Force Hound -- his body completely naked and shrouded in shadow -- moves to each tall candlestick surrounding him, passing his left hand over each of them and igniting white-hot flames through the Force in turn. Once the circle of flames is complete, the Mandalorian sits down in the centre of it, crossing his legs as he does so. Bracing his arms against his crossed legs, he bows his head and begins his meditation.

Nothing happens at first, but gradually the glow of the white flames grows brighter and brighter. Soon, it glows so bright that a fog of pure white light fills the circle, casting almost everything beyond it into complete pitch black darkness; only the artificial stained glass window, lit with a myriad of colours, hovers alone in the darkness before the circle.

As the Force Hound lifts his head back, the fog of white surrounding him coalesces, focusing into a tight beam of almost-solid white light. Beyond the circle, the stained glass window begins to glow brighter until it becomes a miniature, multicoloured sun. As the Mandalorian draws in a huge breath, a beam of varicoloured light fires down from the window and strikes the column of white light, piercing and passing through his body.

The Mandalorian's closed eyes fly open and his body begins to radiate with yellow brilliance, dissolving into multicoloured light. Transforming into an amorphous mass of multicoloured energy, the Force Hound begins to ascend up the beam of white light, streams of rainbow light rising along with him.

EXT. SPACE

The COLOURED MASS OF ENERGY that was the Force Hound finds itself flying through the depths of space, streams of varicoloured light passing beside and beyond it.

Passing through the universe at speeds faster than light, the stars move past CMOE like blazing white fireflies. As it moves through the universe, Cmoe finds itself accelerating to greater-and-greater speeds; soon the stars become long strings of white light, the rainbow-coloured streams like rods of solid light. Eventually Cmoe decelerates, and the starlines and rainbow beams fade away as it phases out of the physical universe.

EXT. TARTARUS

Cmoe enters a dark universe where the blacker-than-black sky is criss-crossed with thin vein-like lines of blood-red light. Under this abysmal sky lies a surface like partially-solidified magma, black-and-red. Though desolate, the surface of this world is not empty; rising up like misshapen trees, wailing and gnashing their mouthparts, are the CONJOINED FORMS of countless immortal souls damned to eternal torment in this place. All noticing Cmoe passing over them, they reach out to it, grasping, all to no avail.

Passing over this nightmarish landscape, Cmoe fades out of this existence.

EXT. GEHENNA

Cmoe emerges into a world made up of shards of stone which rise up like billions of long, jagged teeth towards a dark purple-black sky. Atop each of the stone teeth, amassed like ants on food at a picnic, are millions upon millions of BLACK, VINE-SHAPED CREATURES. Unable to all fit together on the shards of stone, many lose their hold and plummet to the surface below, where they are chewed to pieces against the wickedly sharp rock surface.

Passing through this universe, Cmoe fades away.

EXT. SHEOL

Cmoe now finds itself in a windblown universe where the sky is completely dark. The surface below is covered in trillions of crumbling bones, the only inhabitants a few TRANSLUCENT BLACK SHADES which barely move over the face of their world.

Flying over the shades of Sheol, Cmoe disappears.

EXT. CHAOS

Emerging, Cmoe finds itself in a cosmos that is empty and dark save for an eerie, swirling green vortex which sits at its heart. As Cmoe moves toward the green vortex, the sound of atonal flute playing can be heard.

Passing into the immense green vortex, Cmoe is sucked down into it.

INT. VORTEX

As Cmoe speeds down along the swirling, liquid green sides of the vortex, the blasphemous chantings of an unseen chorus can be heard.

UNSEEN CHORUS: (O.C) Yog-Sothoth fhtagn. Azathoth fhtagn. Yaldabaoth fhtagn ...

EXT. VOID

Cmoe emerges from the vortex into a deep, dark void. In the centre of this void lies the DEMIURGE -- an amorphous blob made up of many conjoined, inverted suns.

As Cmoe moves toward the Demiurge, the Nuclear Chaos throws out tendrils of coloured light in an attempt at ensnaring and smothering the smaller entity. Cmoe flies through these tendrils effortlessly, cutting them asunder like a hot knife through butter. Uttering a galaxy-shattering bellow, the Lurker at the Threshold throws out more-and-more tendrils to capture the ball of glowing radiance. The increasing numbers of tendrils prove to be powerless against Cmoe, and the sphere of shimmering radiance speeds along its course, transforming into a razor-edged, multi-dimensional star as it reaches the Blind Idiot God.

Like an arrow of radiance, Cmoe collides with the All-in-One, piercing through to Its all-consuming heart. Releasing a death cry that could shatter the multiverse itself, the Demiurge dies and explodes.

The resulting pure-white conflagration quickly spreads throughout the black void, overtaking and consuming it completely, leaving a solid gray blankness behind in its wake. Within the centre of this virgin blankness floats the infinitesimal form of a HUMAN MALE INFANT, his feet and hands drawn into his chest and his eyes tightly closed.

As the infant begins to grow -- rapidly aging into a TODDLER, a PREPUBESCENT, an ADOLESCENT, and finally into an ADULT -- the grayness fades away, replaced with the familiar form of the physical universe, its infinite black sky filled with infinite white stars.

FLASH TO

The Force Hound sitting naked, cross-legged, within the centre of his meditation chamber. The flames of the candlesticks surrounding him have gone out and he is awake, his eyes open, his meditation at an end.

 

EXT. DANIA VII -- TRAINING ARENA -- DAY

The training arena lies at the heart of an enormous amphitheatre, wide-open to the deep emerald sky of the planet Dania VII. The base of the amphitheatre serves as the main training centre for the recruits while the outlying rings have been converted into various obstacle courses, each with varying levels of difficulty. Standing at regular intervals along the perimetre of the outermost ring of the amphitheatre are several armed Death Watchmen, each on alert for any captive lucky enough to get through the obstacle courses and make a break for freedom.

Entering the centre of the amphitheatre through a tunnel coming up from underground, Zull steps out into the intense light from Dania VII's three primary-coloured suns. Grimacing, she averts her gaze -- shielding her eyes with her hand and focusing her vision on the ground at the centre of the arena -- and walks forward, the TWO DOZEN OTHER RECRUITS of her regiment following in after her. Waiting for them is a MANDALORIAN DRILL SERGEANT.

DRILL SERGEANT: Hurry up and take your places.

The slave recruits file in up to the Mandalorian, organizing into two neat columns of a dozen each before him. As each regiment is made up of recruits sorted by their proficiency in the Force, all the members of this regiment stand on roughly equal footing with one another.

DRILL SERGEANT: You'll be practicing swordplay techniques today. (pulls a pair of vibroswords out from scabbards strapped to his sides) Each of you pair up with a partner.

Obeying the Mandalorian, each member of the regiment pairs up with a partner. Zull finds herself paired up with TILOS METIYA, a ruggedly handsome human male with dark blond hair and steel gray eyes.

TILOS METIYA: (winks at Zull) I promise not to rough you up too much, Zullie.

Zull refuses to respond, her face grave.

One-by-one, each pair moves to the centre of the arena, taking turns sparring while the Mandalorian stands nearby, giving them advice each and every time they slip up.

Eventually, it is Zull and Metiya's turn.

TILOS METIYA: (slaps Zull on the rear) We're up, Zullie.

Her eyes flaring with sudden anger, Zull rears back her hand and throws it out, her fingers twisted into claws, eagre to slice ribbons of flesh off his face. Effortlessly, the human male catches her wrist before she can make contact.

TILOS METIYA: (grins) Save it for the show, Zullie baby, okay?

Violently wrenching her arm out of his grip, Zull speed-walks up to the Mandalorian sergeant, taking and activating one of the two proffered vibroswords eagrely. Metiya, for his part, nonchalantly walks up to the sergeant, absentmindedly accepting the remaining sword.

DRILL SERGEANT: Beg --

Before the Mandalorian sergeant can finish his proclamation, Zull attacks, bringing her vibrosword down on Metiya with a ferocious strike. Barely able to register the attack in time, the human sloppily blocks the blow and is thrown off-kilter. Unwilling to give Metiya any opportunity to catch his bearings, Zull dives in for another attack.

Empowered by her rage and the dark side of the Force, Zull delivers unrelenting blow upon unrelenting blow Metiya's way, giving him no opportunity to activate his weapon and go on the offensive, forcing him to use his vibrosword merely as a shield. The human feebly tries to use the Force to repel her attacks, but she shrugs the counterattacks off, using the Force herself to deliver blow upon bone-splintering blow to his face, torso, and groin.

Eventually, Zull brings the outmatched battle to an end. Slashing through the tendons of his sword hand, she disarms him, and with a Force-assisted kick, she drives him off his feet to his back on the ground.

DRILL SERGEANT: (walks up to Zull) Flawless victory, Zull. Next time, however --

The fallen priestess gives the sergeant no time to finish his speech. Teeth bared like a beast driven to an unquenchable rage, she rears back her vibrosword and, with a savage howl, attacks Tilos Metiya, who lies defenseless on the ground trying to staunch the flow of blood running out from his slashed wrist.

Reaching Metiya, the near-human woman brings her fiercing-vibrating weapon down on him, slaying him. Her rage unsatisfied, she continues her attack, again-and-again-and-again, until Mandalorian guards are finally sent to restrain and pull her away.

 

INT. NYAX/OBI-WAN, ANAKIN, & SIRI'S CELL

Ben, Nik, and Siri all lie prone within their cell, fast asleep.

ZOOM IN

On Obi-Wan's sleeping face.

EXT. TATOOINE -- DESERT (DREAM)

Obi-Wan stands out in the middle of the Tatooine desert, completely naked save for a simple loincloth hanging down over his nether regions. Though the suns are low in a dark sky -- indicating that the time of day is twilight -- the landscape is brightly lit as if under a midday's full suns.

Standing before Obi-Wan -- towering over a large, elaborate altar wrought out of platinum and gold -- is a TALL, GNARLED TREE, it's branches ablaze with green flame.

OBI-WAN: (gets down on his knees) What is thy bidding, my master?

BLAZING TREE: If train you not the boy, another will he turn to for guidance.

As a shadow falls over him from behind, Ben turns to look over his shoulder. Standing there, clad in the armour and robes of a Mandalorian Knight, is Anakin Skywalker. His teeth needle-sharp points in his mouth, his eyes a pair of burning red coals in his face, he carries a bloodstained vibrosword of Mandalorian iron aloft in his hands.

Before Ben can act, Anakin lops his head off with a single stroke.

INT. NYAX/OBI-WAN, ANAKIN, & SIRI'S CELL

Obi-Wan bolts upright awake as the cell door is unlocked and opened, allowing a PAIR OF MANDALORIAN KNIGHTS with FOUR HEAVILY-ARMED 'DROID ESCORTS to step inside. While Siri immediately awakens as these sinister figures enter the cell, Nik remains sound asleep.

MANDALORIAN #9: (to Mandalorian #10; in Mando'a) Grab the boy.

The Mandalorian obeys his comrade and grabs hold of Anakin, violently pulling him awake.

ANAKIN: Hey! What --?

Leaping to his feet, Ben shoves the Mandalorian back away from the boy and into his comrade, toppling them both over. With Siri awake and by his side, they turn in unison toward the four 'droids.

Lunging at one of the 'droids, Ben wrenches the large blaster out of its hands and, taking aim, fires. The resulting bolt strikes the 'droid but to absolutely no effect. Looking down at the weapon, Ben sees that it is set on "stun" with no visible dials or switches available to change it to a heavier setting.

Caught off guard, the Jedi knights fail to get out of the way as the other 'droids level their blasters and fire, bringing them both down with incredibly potent stun-bolts.

Regaining their wits, the two Mandalorians climb back to their feet. Walking over to Obi-Wan, Mandalorian #9 kicks the unconscious Jedi once in the gut.

MANDALORIAN #9: (in Mando'a, subtitled) Forget the kid. Let's bring this trash to the doctor instead.

INT. NYAX/TORTURE CHAMBER

The two Mandalorian Knights drag Obi-Wan into the torture chamber, the four armed 'droids following behind, and carry the unconscious Jedi over to the dungeon master, who is currently engaged in injecting a series of nasty-looking chemicals into an EMACIATED HUTT strapped down onto a table.

DUNGEON MASTER: (scolding; subtitled) You knocked him out.

MANDALORIAN #10: (subtitled) You expected him to come with open arms and kisses?

DUNGEON MASTER: (sighs; subtitled) My stimulants don't come cheap, you know. In the future, try to bring captives to me in a conscious state, will you please?

Reaching over to his tray full of hypo-syringes containing various different coloured fluids, the dungeon master picks up one containing a dirty yellow liquid. Grabbing hold of Ben's left arm, he pulls it out and jabs the needle into the Jedi's wrist, injecting the entire contents of the syringe into his bloodstream. In moments Obi-Wan comes fully awake, screaming in agony.

DUNGEON MASTER: Welcome back to the land of the living, Master Jedi. Don't worry about the pain -- it'll pass momentarily.

After about a minute, the burning pain passing through Obi-Wan's veins begins to subside and the screaming comes to an end.

DUNGEON MASTER: (ecstatic) It has been some time since I've worked on a bona fide Jedi.

Reaching back to his tray, the Mandalorian dungeon master picks up a hypo filled with a blue-black liquid.

DUNGEON MASTER: (cont'd) This'll be such a pleasure!

Grabbing Ben by the chin with his free hand, the dungeon master then brings forth the syringe with the other. Planting the tip of the needle directly against Obi-Wan's forehead, he pushes it through his skull and into his brain, injecting the chemicals directly into his cerebral cortex.

As the Jedi's eyes roll up into his head and his muscles begin to involuntarily shudder, the Mandalorians holding him drag him over to the coffin-like encasement. Opening it, they throw Ben inside and then seal it shut, closing him up in complete darkness and silence.

EXT. DARK WORLD (HALLUCINATION)

Blue-white fog begins to billow up within a completely empty black void, and Obi-Wan comes running through it in slow motion. Terror etched on his face, he keeps turning to look behind him at something chasing after him.

Without warning, the ground goes out from under him, and the Jedi falls through the thick fog, disappearing from sight.

INT. TUNNEL WORLD (HALLUCINATION)

Obi-Wan falls through a carved rock tunnel leading into the earth deep below. As he plummets, several nightmarish creatures -- flickering balls of sparking light, skeletal horses, skulltulas, and batwinged skulls -- come flying out of the darkness to assail him, swirling about him, wailing and cackling.

CUT TO

Bright electricity coursing over a blue background.

CUT TO

An inverted-colour shot of Obi-Wan reaching the end of the tunnel, breaking through a thick cover of cobweb and falling past it.

EXT. SEA WORLD -- TWILIGHT (HALLUCINATION)

Ben breaks through the dark water of an endless sea, gasping and thrashing about as he struggles to draw air into his lungs. Once he has caught his breath, he begins to swim through the blue-black water, soon disappearing into the horizon in the distance.

Suddenly, the seascape shatters like a pane of glass, dropping away in shards to reveal a close-up shot of a blazing orange sun beyond.

INT. FORTRESS WORLD -- EVENING (HALLUCINATION)

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jinn stand within the labyrinthine interior of the ruins of an ancient fortress. Clad in the armour of the ancient Jedi Knights, they wield swords of emerald and azure fire, respectively. Standing before them, clad in a red-and-black suit of biomechanical armour, is the dark warrior, a wicked crown of long horns encircling his head and a quarterstaff of ruby-red fire blazing in his hands.

Bringing their weapons to bear, the two Jedi attack the dark warrior, meeting his flaming red staff with their swords of blue and green fire.

As one, the three combatants make their way up the labyrinthine interior of the ruins, moving with the grace of dancers in a cosmic ballet as lightning and thunder strikes through the open holes of the ruins, lighting the interior up with intense sound and dazzling illumination.

As the three warriors near the apex of the ruined fortress, the ground around Obi-Wan's feet suddenly turns to liquid tar and he finds himself unable to move forward with any haste. As he struggles to move through the syrupy black mess, Qui-Gon and the dark warrior move on ahead in their duel, leaving him behind.

With immense effort, Ben manages to walk through the tar and climb the rest of the distance to the top of the ruins.

As he arrives, he finds himself too late to offer the apprentice any aid; having gained the advantage in their duel, the dark warrior runs Qui-Gon through with his quarterstaff, killing him.

FLASH TO

Obi-Wan and the dark warrior suddenly engaged in a fierce duel, sword of green flame clashing against sword of red fire. They are like two perfect mirror images of one another, two different sides of one whole coin.

The duel reaches its crescendo, and Ben finds himself faltering against the zabrak warrior. As he loses his footing, the darksider takes his advantage and knocks the Jedi off the top of the ruins. With his reflexes at his command, Ben saves himself by grabbing hold of a stone outcropping, but he loses his flaming sword in the process; looking down, he watches as the vibrant emerald blade disappears in the black void below.

Standing over the Jedi, the dark warrior throws his hands up into the air, releasing a ROAR of final victory. Looking down at the helpless Jedi, he grins -- bearing needle-like teeth -- then rears his ruby sword back for the killing blow.

Without a moment's hesitation, Obi-Wan flies up through the air, passing over the dark side warrior, and lands behind him. Bringing forth his hand, Qui-Gon's sword of azure fire materializes in his hand. As the dark warrior turns to face him, Obi-Wan lashes out with the blue blade, slashing the zabrak through the shoulder.

His face growing slack, the dark warrior's eyes glaze over and he falls over the side. Looking over, Obi-Wan watches as red lightning courses out of the zabrak's wound as he plummets into the darkness.

CUT TO

Inverted-colour electricity coursing over an orange background.

CUT TO

Obi-Wan running his hands down his face as tears of blood stream down his cheeks from bloodshot eyes.

CUT TO

The decayed head of a GREEN, GNOME-LIKE CREATURE WITH LONG, TAPERED EARS rising up out of a black void. As it reaches the camera, its mouth opens, releasing a hideous shriek as it swallows everything up.

INT. NYAX/TORTURE CHAMBER

Ben lying outside the open coffin-like encasement in the Nyax's torture chamber. Traumatized by the hallucinatory experience he just witnessed, he can do nothing but tremble uncontrollably, his eyes frozen open in stark terror.

 

INT. NYAX/CORRIDOR

The Force Hound walks along the corridor at a quick pace, his aquamarine robes billowing up behind him as he hurries toward his destination.

INT. NYAX/SICK BAY

Within the sick bay, Ben lies prone in a hospital bed surrounded by a PAIR OF MEDICAL 'DROIDS who are busy examining his readings. Standing off to the side, looking out of place in this clean, white environment, is the Mandalorian dungeon master.

The door leading into the sick bay slides open and the Force Hound steps inside. As the Force-adept Mandalorian approaches Ben's bed the dungeon master turns to face his lord.

FORCE HOUND: (in Mando'a, subtitled) What happened to him?

DUNGEON MASTER: (subtitled) He had such a bad reaction to the visions he experienced in the coffin that he fell into a catatonic shock. (beat) I'm amazed this happened, to be honest -- I've seen latents and novices who've come out in better condition.

FORCE HOUND: (angry; subtitled) Amazed?

Reaching out with the Force, the Force Hound begins to strangle the dungeon master. choking, the professional torturer falls to his knees, clawing at his throat.

FORCE HOUND: (vehement; subtitled) Your duty on this ship is to break the new recruits, not to carry out another one of those twisted experiments you and the rest of your sick kind performed during the First Clone War.

The dungeon master collapses on his hands, wheezing horribly.

FORCE HOUND: (cont'd; subtitled) If this Jedi suffers any permanent damage from what you've done to him, I swear you'll suffer a fate worse than those you've inflicted upon your many subjects, my dear Doctor.

The Force Hound releases his grip, and the dungeon master collapses to the deck completely. Sucking in big, heavy gulps of air, he begins coughing violently.

FORCE HOUND: (subtitled) Get out of my sight.

Continuing to cough, the dungeon master climbs to his feet and hurries out of the sick bay with all the grace of a dog who has been kicked multiple times in the ribs.

Once the dungeon master is gone, the Force Hound turns toward Obi-Wan laid out on the bed; the Jedi's body twitches fitfully, his eyes staring unblinkingly at nothing.

FORCE HOUND: (to the medical 'droids; subtitled) Leave us.

With unquestioning obedience, the two 'droids leave the bed of the young Jedi knight to attend to duties elsewhere.

Stepping up to the prone form of Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Force Hound reaches out to him, placing his hand on the young man's forehead.

INT. SWAMP PLANET -- CAVE (MINDSCAPE)

A six-year-old Obi-Wan sits within the dark depths of the cave, huddled up against a vine-covered stone wall with his knees drawn up into his chest; cold and wet, he flinches with absolute terror at every nightmarish sound or shape that moves throughout the dark cave.

Suddenly, a yellow glow comes to life behind the young boy. Spinning around, he watches as a SILHOUETTED HUMAN FIGURE steps out of the light towards him.

SIX-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: Leave me alone!

SILHOUETTED FIGURE: It's alright, I'm not here to hurt you.

SIX-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: You're lying! You're another monster! Another part of the darkness! Go away!

SILHOUETTED FIGURE: I'm not part of the darkness, child.

With a bright flash of light, the figure is illuminated by an inner glow, revealing his features. The figure is a tall human male adorned in the charcoal-and-black garb of a Coruscanti Jedi knight; his eyes and smile are both warm and friendly.

SIX-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: Who are you?

SILHOUETTED FIGURE: (crouches down beside Ben) My name is Pre. I'm a Jedi Knight. I'm here to take you out of this place.

SIX-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: (crying) You can't. It's too strong.

PRE (SILHOUETTED FIGURE): What's too strong?

SIX-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: The darkness. It destroys everything ... everything.

PRE: (places a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder) No, it doesn't. Not if you don't let it.

SIX-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: It's taken friends and family from me. How can I believe you?

PRE: Have faith in me, Ben Kenobi.

Standing up, the Jedi knight simply named Pre offers the young Ben his open hand.

PRE: (cont'd) Please -- trust me.

Wiping tears from his eyes, Ben tentatively takes Pre's proffered hand. Gently pulling the boy to his feet, the Jedi draws his lightsaber out with his other hand. Engaging the exotic white blade with its pure black core, the Jedi holds it up before him.

SIX-YEAR-OLD OBI-WAN: I'm afraid.

PRE: There's nothing out there but shadows, Ben. We can beat them back together.

With his white-black lightsaber held out before him like a torch against the darkness, the Jedi leads the young boy out of the pitch black cave into the bright yellow glow. Together, they disappear into it.

INT. NYAX/SICK BAY

Obi-Wan bolts upright in his bed, breathing heavily. Turning around, he finds himself looking into the visor of the Force Hound's polished helmet.

OBI-WAN: You!

FORCE HOUND: Welcome back, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

OBI-WAN: You pulled me out -- why?

FORCE HOUND: Because you don't deserve to be trapped in the darkness of your own mind.

Just as Ben prepares to make a move against the Force Hound, the Mandalorian quickly brings out a filled hypo-syringe. Burying it in Obi-Wan's neck, he injects the full contents into his bloodstream. Wracked with sudden numbness, the Jedi begins to sink back into his bed.

FORCE HOUND: Don't worry, Jedi. This one is a simple sedative, nothing more.

OBI-WAN: Who ... are you?

FORCE HOUND: My compatriots know me as the Force Hound. (removes his helmet) But you may know me by the name my parents gave me.

His helmet removed, we can see that the Force Hound is none other than Pre, the Jedi knight who escorted Ben out of his black dreamscape. He is older than his dream counterpart, though, his face gaunt and tired; he is a man who has witnessed too much evil in his lifetime and has, as a result, come out emotionally and spiritually scarred.

FORCE HOUND: (cont'd) My name is Pre Vizsla.

Losing all his consciousness, Ben's eyes close. Pre Vizsla, his sad face pale under the bright light of the sick bay, turns to leave the Jedi to his slumber.

 

I've introduced a fair number of new characters since the last time, so I think now's a good time to play another game of "assign a face to the name".



Pre Vizsla AKA the Force Hound looks and sounds like Lance Henrikson.

When I watched the 1991 adaptation of Poe's The Pit and the Pendulum last year, I was incredibly impressed by Henrikson's performance as the sadistic, tormented Grand Inquisitor Torquemada. When I decided to make Vizsla the villain of the story, I noticed that Vizsla from TCW and Torquemada shared a strong physical resemblance, and I immediately thought that Henrikson could have played a live-action version of the character when he was younger. With that in mind, I immediately patterned Vizsla off of the actor and the Torquemada character.



Nellith looks and sounds like Brooke Shields (sans heavy makeup ).

When I was developing Nellith's character, I'd considered basing her off of the actress Heather Langenkamp. When I decided that I'd rather save Langenkamp's likeness for a more important character that I'm going to feature in my eventual Sequel Trilogy, I patterned Nellith after Shields instead.



The dungeon master looks and sounds (under his helmet) like (a very old) Jeffrey Combs.

While I didn't intend to pattern the character after Herbert West from the Re-Animator films, enough similarities developed between the two that I couldn't help but to imagine Combs under that ancient suit of Mandalorian armour.



This is basically how Qui-Gon -- the Jedi apprentice Ben keeps having nightmares and visions about -- looks like in this universe. Just imagine a sixteen-year-old Liam Neeson with this hair, and the image is complete.



As you've no doubt guessed, the "dark warrior" who killed Qui-Gon is patterned after Darth Maul.

In my universe, the character wears black robes with red trim like in this image and has perfect white teeth (a deliberate reversal of how they were presented in TPM).

And JFTR, the character isn't called "Darth Maul" in my universe. In my canon, "Darth" is a name, not a title used by Sith or any other darksiders. His name, if you're wondering, is Khameir Sarin, the name he was given at birth.



Watto's enforcer Craetorius looks and sounds (Or should that be looked and sounded?) like Jackie Earle Haley.

There's not much for me to say on this choice; I just thought his features and voice suited the character.



I figured it would be neat if at least some of the Tuskens in this screenplay looked different from the typical Sand Person, so I patterned them off of the Tuskens in this image.

Perhaps they're a different type of Tusken -- members of a more feral species or subspecies -- or perhaps they just simply belong to a different tribe than the ones shown in the original Star Wars.

 

INT. NYAX/OBI-WAN, ANAKIN, & SIRI'S CELL

Anakin sits cross-legged on the deck, shirtless, looking down upon Siri, who lies beside him unconscious with his balled-up shirt placed under her head to serve as a pillow.

Groaning, the female Jedi knight slows regains consciousness, sitting up with considerable effort.

SIRI: (touches the side of her head with a grimace) What happened? (looks about the cell) Where's Kenobi?

ANAKIN: You were both stun-blasted and Ben was taken away. (beat) That was four hours ago, I think.

SIRI: (grave) For suborning, no doubt.

The cell door is suddenly unlocked and opened, allowing the two Mandalorian Knights to haul the unconscious form of Obi-Wan inside. Once they have dropped him to the deck, Anakin scurries over to examine the Jedi.

ANAKIN: (angry) What have you done to him, you bastards?!

MANDALORIAN #10: He'll survive.

Without further ado the Mandalorians leave. Once they are gone, Siri scurries over to Nik and Ben's side.

ANAKIN: Can you tell if he's okay?

SIRI: (places a hand on his cheek then forehead) He's suffered a severe shock but he's recuperating fast. He should come to soon.

ANAKIN: We'll let him rest, then. (beat) Get my shirt.

Siri obeys and scurries over to grab the wadded-up shirt she'd been using as a pillow. Returning to Anakin's side, she places it under Ben's head.

ANAKIN: What did they do to him?

INT. NYAX/SPARRING CHAMBER

Fuelled by his anger and hate, a BPFASSHI DARK JEDI strikes out at the SIX MANDALORIAN KNIGHTS surrounding him with incredible ferocity, lunging and slashing at them with the buzzing chartreuse blade of his lightsaber. Though each of the Mandalorians are seasoned warriors, they have to struggle to maintain themselves against the Bpfasshi's violent defense.

One of the Knights dives forward, somersaulting across the deck to the Dark Jedi, bringing his Mandalorian iron vibrosword up in a slash that will sever the Bpfasshi's legs at the knees. Anticipating the attack, the Dark Jedi leaps up into the air, then lands on the blade of the sword, pinning the weapon down. Before the Mandalorian can move away, the Dark Jedi slays him with his lightsaber.

Taking advantage of the sudden disorientation of the Mandalorian Knights, the Dark Jedi leaps up into the air, somersaults over the Mandalorians, and lands outside of the circle they had formed around him. Lunging forward, he runs one of the Mandalorians through, killing him instantly.

Pulling his weapon free, he turns to face the remaining four warriors as they rush at them.

Swinging wildly, he misses the first warrior, who manages to land a nasty blow to the bicep of his right arm. Grunting with pain, he manages to bring his saber up in time to parry the blow of the second Knight. Throwing out his hand, he pushes the Knight back into the Mandalorian behind him, skewering him on his companion's vibrosword; before he can free his blade from the form of his companion, the Dark Jedi cuts them both down.

Breathing heavily, the Bpfasshi Dark Jedi turns to face the remaining two Mandalorian Knights. The Mandalorians rush forward toward the Dark Jedi and as a team strike out, the one of the left aiming for the Bpfasshi's head with the one on the right aiming for the legs. Throwing himself backward, the Dark Jedi avoids losing his head, though he does receive a nasty slash through his left ankle.

Grunting with pain, the darksider sends his chartreuse lightsaber spinning across the floor towards the Mandalorian on his right. The Knight fails to avoid the spinning saber in time and the energy blade cleaves through both her ankles, cutting her feet off and sending her crashing to the deck.

The Bpfasshi gets back on his feet, using his dark side-enhanced adrenaline to block the pain shooting up from his wounded ankle out, and retrieves both his lightsaber and one of the fallen Mandalorians' vibroswords. Then, with yellow-green energy blade in one hand and vibrating blade of Mandalorian iron in the other, he pounces upon the last Mandalorian.

The remaining Mandalorian Knight defends herself well against the Dark Jedi's fierce attack, but in the end she falls to the darksider, losing both hands and the right side of her face to the combined blades of her adversary.

Exhausted, the Bpfasshi Dark Jedi deactivates his lightsaber and throws the sword of Mandalorian iron to the deck. Surveying the wounded and slain strewn about him, he runs the back of a hand across his sweaty brow.

BPFASSHI DARK JEDI: Mandalorian bastards, I've won! It's over!

A door to the chamber slides open and Pre Vizsla steps inside. As the Mandalorian approaches the Dark Jedi, the latter brings his lightsaber back up, reigniting the yellow-green blade.

BPFASSHI DARK JEDI: You're dead!

The Dark Jedi lunges forward, bringing his saber down in a straight stroke toward the Mandalorian's head. Without the slightest effort, the Mandalorian seizes the darksider's wrist before the blade can connect and, with a twist, snaps it, causing him to drop his weapon.

PRE VIZSLA (FORCE HOUND): Rage and hate are powerful emotions -- they fuel the Force and, in turn, fuel you.

Reaching out with the Force, Vizsla calls the Dark Jedi's fallen lightsaber to his free hand.

PRE VIZSLA: (cont'd) But the power they give you is fleeting. Once it's gone you're left tired and weak, defenseless as a small child.

Throwing out his hand, he releases the Dark Jedi. As the Bpfasshi staggers back, the Mandalorian ignites the darksider's weapon and, with one clean stroke, beheads him.

PRE VIZSLA: (cont'd) It is a lesson your kind rarely come to learn.

Disengaging the Dark Jedi's weapon, he lowers it to his side, his eyes behind the all-concealing visor of his helmet focusing on the remains of the fallen Bpfasshi.

 

INT. NYAX/OBI-WAN, ANAKIN, & SIRI'S CELL

Obi-Wan sits against the far wall of the cell away from Anakin and Siri, watching them as they sleep. A few days have passed since his experience in the torture chamber and he is visibly worse for the wear.

With a yawn Siri rises from her sleep. Sitting up, she notices Obi-Wan staring.

SIRI: Good morning, Obi-Wan.

OBI-WAN: Morning, Siri.

SIRI: (cocks an eyebrow) That's the most you've said in the past three days. I'm glad to see you coming around.

OBI-WAN: (absentminded) Coming around? I suppose I am.

With that, their brief conversation comes to an end; as Ben continues to stare at Anakin, Siri moves over to the corner of the room which serves as the cell's lavatory to relieve herself of last night's meagre meal.

Minutes pass, and finally Anakin awakens.

OBI-WAN: Nik ...

ANAKIN: (looks up at Ben) Obi-Wan?

OBI-WAN: Come here.

Getting up, Nik walks over to Ben and crouches down beside the Jedi.

ANAKIN: What is it? Are you okay?

OBI-WAN: I'm alright, Nik. Just listen to what I have to say.

ANAKIN: Okay, what is it you have to say?

OBI-WAN: You remember what I told you about the Force?

ANAKIN: Yeah. You said it's the "soul of the universe", that it binds everything in the universe together and gives those who can touch it amazing powers.

OBI-WAN: That wasn't the full story. (beat) My master taught me that the Force has two main sides -- a light side and a dark side. The light side is the positive side of the Force -- in harmony with love and life and peace. The dark side, on the other hand, is the negative side of the Force -- chaotic and in tune with fear, hatred, and death. (beat) My master also taught me that while the dark side is easier to follow than the light, it is not stronger.

ANAKIN: I'm following you.

OBI-WAN: After Qui-Gon died, I started to fear that Yoda might be wrong -- that the dark side actually is stronger than the light. (beat) I'm still afraid the dark side's stronger.

ANAKIN: There's an "and" or "but" somewhere in all this, I hope?

OBI-WAN: (cont'd) But I realized that I don't have to lie down and let the darkness roll over me. I can fight it -- even if I can't win, I can fight. (beat) I'm going to fight the dark side, Anakin, and I'm going to help you fight it, too.

ANAKIN: What do you mean?

OBI-WAN: Vizsla is going to do whatever it takes to twist you over to his way of thinking. I'm not going to let that happen. (beat) I'm going to use whatever remaining time we have on this ship together to prepare you for his assaults -- I'm going to teach you how to use the light side of the Force.

INT. DANIA VII -- DETENTION CENTRE -- DAY

A THIN MAN in light blue coveralls stands outside a sealed cell door, a tray of food in his hands. Crouching down, he sets the tray on the floor and reaches through an open slot set in the bottom of the door, pulling out another tray of food that has gone cold from neglect.

CELL BLOCK WORKER: (sighs; in Mando'a, subtitled) If you don't eat, you'll get sick. You know that, don'tcha?

When he receives no response from the prisoner inside, the worker sighs again with disappointment, then slides the new tray of food through the slot and into the cell. Standing up, he presses a button set into a remote strapped to his wrist, closing the slot, then takes hold of the handle of his hovercart of food trays and saunters off to attend to the other prisoners.

INT. DETENTION CENTRE/ZULL'S CELL -- DAY

Zull sits alone in the far corner of the small, bare, dimly-lit windowless cell, her legs uncomfortably crossed, her arms lying limp at her sides. Though she is in a meditative trance, her black-rimmed, bloodshot eyes are wide open.

CUT TO

A shot of the embryo developing within her womb.

CUT TO

A close up shot of Zull's face.

ZULL: (in Seboutrexi, subtitled) I don't want you, I don't want you. I hate you, I hate you inside me. Die, Gods damn you, just die!

CUT TO

The embryo stirring within her womb.

CUT TO

Zull as her face twists with rage.

ZULL: (screaming; subtitled) I don't want you inside me! I don't want anything from that son of whore inside me! Get out of me! Get out! I'll cut you out of me! I'll cut you out! I'll kill you, you bastard, I'll kill you!

As tears begin to run from her eyes, she falls face-forward, pounding the floor of her cell with her fists.

ZULL: (subtitled) Why have the Gods done this to me? Why ...?

DUAL-TONED VOICE: (O.C.; subtitled) It is not what the Gods have done to you, but what you have done to yourself.

Hearing the unearthly voice, Zull immediately looks up, towards the source. Across from her, on the other end of the cell, a dull orange glow appears and -- from that glow -- a BLACK HUMANOID SILHOUETTE fades into existence; the silhouette -- feminine, tall, and sporting a pair of large, curved horns -- is an intimidating sight to behold.

ZULL: (confused; subtitled) Great Princess?

Before Zull looms the black, featureless shape of the GREAT PRINCESS, also known as the Princess of the Power of the Air, the spirit which serves as the primary intermediary between the Meketrex and their gods.

GREAT PRINCESS (DUAL-TONED VOICE): (subtitled) I am she, Zull Uquesne, daughter of Egon and Stantz.

ZULL: (subtitled) Great Princess, please -- deliver me from this! Save me!

GREAT PRINCESS: (subtitled) You had the means to deliver yourself but chose not to. Why do you think I have come to do what you yourself did not?

ZULL: (subtitled) What do you mean?

GREAT PRINCESS: (subtitled) You looked into the myriad futures available to you, and out of all the possible universes you could have chosen to enter you chose this one. (beat) Do not ask for deliverance from a destiny you chose to accept.

ZULL: (subtitled) But the other futures I saw were less certain -- many would have led to my death!

GREAT PRINCESS: (subtitled) So what if they had? You know more than any Meketrex alive that death is merely a transition, a means of escaping the prison of flesh so as to set upon the path to ascension. Would the fleeting pain, the passing fear, have been a greater burden to bear than what has transpired?

ZULL: (subtitled) I had a duty to the Meketrex, to the Sebouillia!

GREAT PRINCESS: (subtitled) You served the Gods faithfully, and as a reward They offered you the chance to sit with Them under the All-Seeing Eye of the Almighty Father. (beat) Your only duty then was to yourself and you betrayed yourself.

ZULL: (yelling; subtitled) I betrayed no one! I was the one who was betrayed!

GREAT PRINCESS: (points down at Zull) (subtitled) By yourself! You betrayed yourself. You perverted the gift of the Breath of the Gods by using it to kill, and by doing so, you betrayed yourself!

ZULL: (screaming; subtitled) I was violated, damn you! I was beaten, and I was defiled! I was treated like an animal -- I was made into an animal!

GREAT PRINCESS: (subtitled) And that gives you the right to murder an innocent soul?!

ZULL: (subtitled) That Mandalorian bastard was no innocent!

GREAT PRINCESS: (subtitled) I do not speak of Dus Ubbs, Zull Uquesne, but of Tilos Metiya.

ZULL: Tilos ...?

GREAT PRINCESS: (subtitled) Metiya's only sin was to bear a scant resemblance to your defiler, and for that you slew him -- slew him like an animal -- with no feelings of guilt, of remorse -- just to satisfy your own wrath. (beat) You have betrayed all that you were taught and all that you were -- you are the basest of heretics.

ZULL: (voice growing small) (subtitled) Please, no ...

GREAT PRINCESS: (subtitled) Seek me out no more, Zull Uquesne, daughter of Egon and Stantz, for you have been written out of the Book of Heaven and are thus shut out and cut off. You have forsaken the Truth of the Gods, and for that you will suffer in the Hell you have created for yourself alone.

With those final words the Great Princess begins to fade.

ZULL: (reaches out toward her) (subtitled) No! Don't leave me!

The shadowy apparition disappears and the dull orange glow that accompanied it goes out, returning the interior of the cell to its previous dim gray state.

ZULL: (crying; subtitled) Don't leave me ...

The only response Zull receives is dead silence.

 

EXT. OGANA MAJOR -- CLIFF -- DAY (MINDSCAPE)

Obi-Wan and Anakin stand together on the world of Ogana Major at the edge of a cliff covered in blue-green grass, the breathtaking view of a roiling sea beyond them; they watch, unblinking, as the midnight blue waves flow and overtake one another under a sky that is half blue with white sun and half silver with rain cloud.

ANAKIN: Where are we?

OBI-WAN: Ogana Major.

ANAKIN: (smiles) This is the rain planet you told me about.

OBI-WAN: I thought you'd like it. (beat) This is only the dry season, though -- when the clouds are at their peak, the rain's so thick you can't see a metre in front of you.

ANAKIN: God, it looks so real! (beat) But it's all in my head, right? You didn't teleport us here through the Force or anything like that.

OBI-WAN: (laughs) It's all in my head, actually. I'm simply sharing it with you through a rapport in the Force.

ANAKIN: Can you do this with anyone?

OBI-WAN: Establishing a rapport is easy if both parties are receptive to one another. If I were to try it with someone who was not receptive -- or not willing -- it would be far harder.

A moment of silence passes between the master and his apprentice.

ANAKIN: (strokes his chin) So, why did you take me -- us -- here, again?

OBI-WAN: I didn't create this mindscape from my imagination. This is a memory from when I was on this planet -- a moment suspended in time. I recalled the emotions I felt on that day and I used them to create this illusion.

ANAKIN: I pretty much had that figured out. What's the point you're driving at?

OBI-WAN: Your emotions -- love, excitement, curiosity, amusement, and so on -- are the keys to the Force. By drawing on them, you free yourself and gain the ability to consciously tap into the Force and to call on its power. Without your feelings, you would be like a blind man groping about the darkness in search of a light.

ANAKIN: So without emotion you can't feel the Force or use it? You can't link up with anyone's mind or create dream worlds within in?

OBI-WAN: Exactly.

ANAKIN: Why?

OBI-WAN: Because the Force is not of the rational world. It cannot be studied, analysed, or quantified. It is a primal energy, a thing of intuition and of the heart, alien to conventional logic and the mind.

ANAKIN: So feelings are the key. Is that all feelings or only specific ones?

OBI-WAN: Any emotion fuels the Force, but that doesn't mean all should be called upon.

ANAKIN: You mean negative emotions, right? The ones that lead to the dark side?

OBI-WAN: Unbridled anger, hatred, lust, fear -- they are all of the dark side and should never be called upon.

ANAKIN: But it's only natural to feel anger, hatred, lust, and fear. It's a part of what makes us who we are.

OBI-WAN: The key word is unbridled. There is nothing wrong with getting upset with a person who has wronged you or finding yourself aroused by a beautiful woman -- it's only when you give yourself wholly to those emotions, when you cast aside all discretion and restraint for them, that they become of the dark side.

ANAKIN: How do I know when to restrain them? How do I learn how to control them?

OBI-WAN: You know how to use your common sense, don't you? You know when not to eat or drink too much. The same applies to your feelings; know when enough is enough, and stop feeding.

A moment of silence passes between the master and the apprentice.

OBI-WAN: Tell me, Anakin, what do you feel right now? What emotions are stirring within you?

ANAKIN: A lot -- too many.

OBI-WAN: Tell me.

ANAKIN: Anxiety ... confusion ... anger ... trepidation ... longing ... love ... elation ... excitement!

OBI-WAN: Catch hold of all those feelings, Nik. Reach out with them, reach out to the Force.

ANAKIN: But you told me not to give in to the bad ones.

OBI-WAN: Let them flow out of you, not through you. (beat) Let your emotions flow out of you and into the Force. Let the Force recognize them and you. Let it reach back to touch you.

Closing his eyes, Anakin begins to concentrate on Ben's commands. As he does so, a whirlwind of colours begins to swirl around the two Jedi, growing in size and intensity the longer Anakin concentrates.

As Obi-Wan watches, countless images begin to form within the centre of the vortex -- countless faces of loved ones and enemies, various landscapes from different locations, all drawn from memory or imagination -- and he smiles.

ANAKIN: I can feel it working, Ben! I can feel the Force!

OBI-WAN: That's good, Anakin, that's excellent! The Force is with you now! (beat) Now reach out with the Force! Find your horizons and expand them!

The coloured whirlwind of whirling images reshapes into a perfect sphere and begins to expand outward, overtaking and erasing the illusionary world of Ogana Major as it grows. Soon the images swirling through the walls of the sphere enhance, growing in clarity and significance, showing people, places, and things beyond Anakin's immediate experience.

Suddenly, without warning, Anakin reels over, grimacing with pain, clutching his head as he collapses to his knees.

OBI-WAN: (alarmed) Anakin!

ANAKIN: (tears streaming down his tightly-shut eyes) God, Ben, what is this?! My mind -- it's being torn apart!

Before the Jedi knight can respond, the sphere bursts like a bubble. Psychic energy lashes out, and with a joint scream the two Jedi disappear in a sudden flash flood of absolute blackness.

 

As it has some bearing on how my screenplay is meant to be read, I figured now would be a good time to go into some topological depth in regards to the GFFA in this universe.



In my canon, the Known Regions and the Unknown Regions of the Galaxy have basically switched places; all the familiar interstellar communities and civilizations -- the Galactic Republic/Empire; the Hutt Empire; the Corporate Sector; the Centrality; the Tion Hegemony; the Hapes Consortium; the Gree Enclave; etc, etc. -- all take up roughly one-third of the Galaxy, with the remaining two-thirds remaining uncharted and unexplored.

The reason I went this route is three-fold:

1. To bring a more Trek-like feel to the GFFA by making it a more mysterious, wide-open place full of countless unknown worlds, races, and civilizations.

2. To make hyperspacial travel feel less like a two-hour drive and more like a month sailing at sea.

3. To get rid of that stupid "hyperspace disturbance at the edge of the galaxy", which I have never liked all that much. Intergalactic travel in this universe is impractical simply due to the great distances which lie between the galaxies (It would take decades to travel to the nearest satellite galaxy.), not because the car gets stuck in the mud.

 

INT. NYAX/OBI-WAN, ANAKIN, & SIRI'S CELL

Obi-Wan's eyes fly open and he finds himself back in the cell, blood flowing from his nose. Pinching his nostrils shut to staunch the nosebleed, he turns to his left, where Anakin lies shaking -- his eyes rolled up into the back of his head and his teeth chattering rapidly -- caught in a violent seizure.

OBI-WAN: (alarmed) Lord, Anakin!

Disregarding his own paltry nosebleed, Ben moves quickly, grabbing Nik by his upper right arm while placing his own right hand down over the boy's forehead. Closing his eyes, the Jedi knight opens himself to the Force. Within moments Anakin's violent tremblings subside, leaving the boy in a peaceful unconsciousness.

Once he is certain Anakin is alright, he turns to face Siri, who sits kneeling before him with her hands crossed in her lap, her face completely blank of expression.

OBI-WAN: (wipes blood from under his nose) What the hell just happened!?

Siri doesn't reply. Instead her eyes roll up into her head and she falls face-forward, collapsing with all the grace of a rag doll.

OBI-WAN: Siri!

Scrambling forward toward the female Jedi Knight, Ben pulls her upright, bracing her against him. Pushing her hair out of her face, he turns her head left then right, trying to determine whether she is dead or alive. As her pupils dilate and she continues to breathe, it is apparent that she is alive, though in a deep state of catatonia.

PRE VIZSLA: (O.S.) Don't concern yourself with her, Kenobi. She will be well momentarily.

Obi-Wan turns toward the source of the voice. Pre Vizsla -- clad in full armour -- steps out from the deep shadow at the far end of the cell and walks up to the Jedi.

OBI-WAN: (angry) What did you do to them?

PRE VIZSLA: I merely deactivated certain portions of their brains. It is a relatively simple task to do for one with my skills, and it isn't permanently debilitating -- usually.

OBI-WAN: Bring them back!

PRE VIZSLA: Of course.

Without even a gesture Pre Vizsla follows through on his promise. Siri and Anakin instantly regain full consciousness and awareness, their eyes opening wide in stark terror, their chests heaving with rapid breathing.

OBI-WAN: (to Anakin and Siri both) Are you alright? Are you okay?

ANAKIN: Yes.

SIRI: I'll be fine in a moment.

OBI-WAN: (turns back to Vizsla) Why did you do that?

PRE VIZSLA: Consider it a demonstration or, better yet, a warning. (beat) I know what you're trying to do, Kenobi, and it won't work. Every paltry doctrine you try to instill upon the boy will be shattered with the awesome truth of the Force.

As one, the three Jedi rise to their feet, facing the Force-wielding Mandalorian warrior.

SIRI: You made a mistake coming here alone, Mandalorian. There's three of us and only one of you.

PRE VIZSLA: (laughs) As a revered Jedi master once said: "Size matters not".

Throwing out a hand, Vizsla seizes the three Jedi in an all-encompassing grip, immediately freezing them in place.

PRE VIZSLA: (cont'd) Two knights and a novice are no match for me. It would do you well to remember that, my friends.

Vizsla turns to face the cell door and it immediately unlocks and slides open, allowing FIVE SECURITY 'DROIDS to step inside.

PRE VIZSLA: You're going to take a trip with me, Jedi. There's something I'd have you see.

INT. NYAX/SPARRING CHAMBER

The main door leading in-and-out of the sparring chamber slides open and Obi-Wan and Siri are violently shoved inside. Just as they right themselves and turn around, the door slides shut and locks. Turning away from the door, they find themselves standing alone in the vast empty chamber.

SIRI: (to the chamber) Where am we? What are we doing here?

The Jedi wait to receive some sort of response from somewhere in this vast, empty sparring chamber.

INT. NYAX/OBSERVATION DECK

Vizsla enters the observation deck overlooking the sparring chamber, Anakin and the security 'droids behind him. As they step up to the transparisteel observation windows, the Jedi down in the chamber below look up, spotting them.

INT. NYAX/SPARRING CHAMBER

SIRI: (angry) Speak, damn you!

INT. NYAX/OBSERVATION DECK

PRE VIZSLA: You sound frustrated, Mistress Jedi --

INT. NYAX/SPARRING CHAMBER

PRE VIZSLA: (O.C.; cont'd) -- is there a problem?

SIRI: You tell me!

PRE VIZSLA: (O.C.) Such passion in your voice, Mistress Jedi!

INT. NYAX/OBSERVATION DECK

PRE VIZSLA: (cont'd) You sound almost angry! Anger is not the Jedi way!

INT. NYAX/SPARRING CHAMBER

OBI-WAN: Don't worry, darksider, we can control our anger.

INT. NYAX/OBSERVATION DECK

PRE VIZSLA: Can you now? Can you really?

INT. NYAX/SPARRING CHAMBER

OBI-WAN: Come on down and find out for yourself.

PRE VIZSLA: (O.C.; laughs) Walk to the centre of the room. I've left a gift there for each of you.

Cautiously, the two Jedi walk away from the main door towards the centre of the chamber. There, sitting upon the floor, are a pair of small lightsabers.

SIRI: (picks the sabers up) Neither of these is my weapon.

OBI-WAN: Nor mine.

INT. NYAX/OBSERVATION DECK

PRE VIZSLA: That would make it too easy.

INT. NYAX/SPARRING CHAMBER

PRE VIZSLA: (O.C.; cont'd) No, they're training sabers, taken from two initiates. (beat) They have no further use for the weapons.

SIRI: (grits her teeth) Monster.

PRE VIZSLA: (O.C.) You misunderstand, Mistress Jedi -- they have no further use for the sabers because they've both grown proficient with weapons worthy of Mandalorian neophytes. Yes, they have grown strong and will grow stronger under the firm guidance of the Mandalorian Death Watch. After all, not all of the children you've brainwashed are incapable of escaping your indoctrination.

SIRI: (regards the training lightsabers) What are we supposed to use these for?

PRE VIZSLA: (O.C.) What else? Defense.

At that, several doors lining the chamber slide open, allowing TEN MANDALORIAN KNIGHTS to step inside. In each of the robed figures' hands are long force pikes.

INT. NYAX/OBSERVATION DECK

PRE VIZSLA: Let's see how you fare against my elite warriors, Jedi.

INT. NYAX/SPARRING CHAMBER

The ten Mandalorians begin circling the Jedi, bringing their force pikes to bear. Siri tosses one of the training sabers to Ben and they both engage the pure white blades of their weapons, holding them out before them in defensive stances, muscles tensed and eyes narrowed.

The Mandalorian Knights move in like ravenous sharks, lunging at the Jedi Knights with their weapons. Ben and Siri counterattack, parrying blows and striking at the Knights. The low-powered blades of the training lightsabers are incapable of cutting through the weapons or the warriors, however, leaving the Jedi incapable of doing little more than slowing the Knights down momentarily.

INT. NYAX/OBSERVATION DECK

Moving away from the 'droids guarding him, Anakin steps up to Vizsla. Though the menacing automatons quickly level their blasters at him, the young Jedi initiate pays them no heed.

ANAKIN: Stop this! Let them go!

PRE VIZSLA: (turns to face Nik) Is there a good reason why I should, boy?

ANAKIN: (points down at the battle between the Jedi Knights and Mandalorian Knights) It's ten against two! They don't stand a chance!

PRE VIZSLA: Size doesn't matter, boy, remember? (turns back to look down into the sparring chamber) If the Force is truly with them, it will grant them victory over my warriors.

INT. NYAX/SPARRING CHAMBER

In no time at all, the Mandalorian Knights overwhelm the Jedi knights; knocking the training saber out of Siri's hands, they strike out with their pikes, disabling her with powerful shocks to her limbs and torso. Soon she collapses, partially paralysed from the violent electrical shocks. Obi-Wan fares better, and he continues to hold his own for a couple more minutes before he, too, eventually falls.

PRE VIZSLA: (O.C.) That's enough. Power down your weapons and leave them.

INT. NYAX/OBSERVATION DECK

The Mandalorians obey Vizsla's orders automatically and quickly leave the chamber. Once they have all gone, Vizsla turns to regard Anakin, who glowers at him with smouldering hatred.

PRE VIZSLA: (strides up to Anakin) You have something to say to me, boy?

ANAKIN: Bastard! I swear I'll kill you!

PRE VIZSLA: Good -- kill me.

Without warning, Vizsla backhands Anakin across the face, sending the teenager reeling backward into the security 'droids. Before the boy can catch his bearings, the Mandalorian moves up to him, pulling him forward by his shirt before striking him across the face again.

PRE VIZSLA: Open yourself up to the anger -- the hatred -- novice. Embrace the full power of the Force and use it to destroy me.

Vizsla continues to push, pull, and slap Anakin around the observation deck, using violence to drive the boy closer and closer toward the breaking point.

PRE VIZSLA: Come now, child! You swore to kill me! You have the power! Use it!

Vizsla gives Anakin another slap across the face -- his hardest yet. With a sharp CRACK, Nik's nose breaks.

ANAKIN: (cups his nose in his hands) AAAAHHHH!!!!!!

PRE VIZSLA: (sighs) Pitiful. You talk with strength but your actions are weak. You are unworthy of the Force that has been bestowed upon you. (beat) I'll make your end quick and painless, boy, though you don't deserve such an easy death.

Balling his right hand up into a fist, Vizsla throws a punch out towards Nik's face. Before the death-dealing blow can connect, however, Anakin throws up his left hand and catches it. Bearing his teeth in an animalistic snarl, he closes his hand over the Mandalorian's, breaking it.

PRE VIZSLA: AAAAHHHH!!!!!!

Anakin wrenches Vizsla's arm back, nearly dislocating the Mandalorian's shoulder, then balls his own right hand up into a fist. Before he can send a Force-reinforced punch into Vizsla's gut, however, one of the 'droids aims its blaster at the Jedi initiate and fires, taking him out with a precisely aimed stun blast.

PRE VIZSLA: (gingerly holding his crushed hand) That was good, boy, very good. You'll be a full-fledged neophyte before the year is out.

INT. NYAX/SPARRING CHAMBER

The door to the sparring chamber slides open, allowing Vizsla along with an escort of FOUR MANDALORIAN KNIGHTS to step inside. Walking up to the two defeated Jedi, Vizsla looks down upon them.

PRE VIZSLA: (to Siri) That was a pathetic display, Jedi. I've seen Force adepts who refuse to even touch a physical weapon put up a better fight than you just did. It's obvious you Coruscanti Jedi rely more on the power of your lightsabers than you do upon the power of the Force. (to Ben) As for you, you fared far better than your comrade here, though you, too, still rely too heavily on physical prowess to assist you in besting your enemies.

SIRI: (stammering) The lightsaber is the life of a Jedi.

PRE VIZSLA: Then it's a life that's going to be cut frightfully short.

OBI-WAN: Then you may as well cut ours now because neither of us will serve in your slave army.

PRE VIZSLA: In nine hours we reach our destination. We'll see if you can abide by your decision then.

With that, Vizsla turns his back on the debilitated Jedi knights and leaves.

 

EXT. SPACE

With flickers of pseudo-motion, the Nyax and its escort of dreadnoughts and assault ships drop out of hyperspace. They move forward toward the three primary-coloured suns of the Dania star system in the distance. Soon the ships arrive at Dania VII, the seventh planet of the star system. Somewhat larger than Earth, Dania VII is a deep scarlet world criss-crossed with large blue-green lines of water.

Making their descent, the Mandalorian ships enter the atmosphere of the scarlet planet.

EXT. DANIA VII -- LANDSCAPE -- DAY

The Mandalorian ships fly through the emerald sky of Dania VII, passing over a breathtakingly beautiful landscape of red rainforest. As the roar of the ships' engines passes over the scarlet trees, flocks of exotic birds take to flight in sudden alarm.

As the ships pass over a majestic waterfall, the red forest suddenly gives way to a vast, sprawling metropolis. Though most of the city is of modern construction -- composed out of duracrete and durasteel -- the largest structures consist of immense pyramids and towers carved from stone in long-forgotten, ancient times; composed of black basalt, the ancient structures stand like ominous sentinels over the smaller Mandalorian buildings.

EXT. METROPOLIS -- DOCKYARDS -- DAY

Arriving at their destination, the Nyax along with the assault ships and destroyers make their descent, touching down upon the vast dockyards of the Mandalorian metropolis. Standing in wait for them is a large prison transport and an ENTIRE PLATOON of armed Mandalorian warriors.

Once secure upon the ground, the Nyax begins disgorging its CREW OF PRISONERS. Each of the prisoners -- all thirty-three of them -- are led out of the dungeon ship at gunpoint and herded toward the prison transport. As the prisoners are directed toward the open hatch of the transport, the members of the platoon standing directly before the vehicle move aside to allow the captives access to it. One-by-one, the prisoners come to the prison transport, slipping past the open, dark hatch and climbing aboard.

Once all are inside, the hatch is sealed shut and the engines of the transport come to life. Then, without further ado, the vehicle departs, leaving the dockyards for the greater city beyond.

INT. PRISON TRANSPORT/PRISONER COMPARTMENT -- DAY

The thirty-three prisoners -- each of various ages, genders, and species -- sit on a pair of benches bolted to the inside of the compartment walls, despondent expressions on many of their faces. While most of them are obviously untrained in the ways of the Force, there are a few who carry an air about them which hints that they are skilled Force practitioners.

Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Siri sit together on one of the benches; while Ben and Siri stare straight ahead, their faces expressionless, Nik can't help but to look about him, turning his head this way and that way like an inquisitive bird. Currently, his attention is grabbed by the sobbing of a child located somewhere inside the large compartment.

ANAKIN: You hear that?

SIRI: It sounds like a young girl.

ANAKIN: I'm going to check it out.

OBI-WAN: Be careful, Anakin. Not all of our fellow prisoners are our friends.

ANAKIN: I'll be careful.

Rising from his spot between the two Jedi, Nik begins making his way up the aisle between the two benches, following the sound of the heavy sobs. Soon he comes to its source -- a YOUNG HUMAN GIRL, no more than eleven years of age, with pretty features and strawberry blond hair; hunkered down between a seemingly oblivious TALZ and WHIPHID, she cries into her hands, visibly afraid of her surroundings.

ANAKIN: (kneels down before the girl) Hey.

The girl looks up at him, sniffling.

GIRL: Hey.

ANAKIN: I couldn't help but notice you were crying. Seems to me you could use someone to talk to.

GIRL: (wipes her eyes) That'd be nice.

ANAKIN: (smiles) My name's Anakin or Nik for short. What's yours?

GIRL: Nashira.

ANAKIN: Don't you have anyone with you, Nashira?

NASHIRA (GIRL): (shakes her head) I was returning home from school when we were attacked. (beat) Everyone else -- all my friends -- were killed. I was the only one they took back with them.

ANAKIN: (frowns) Your parents --?

NASHIRA: They're back home on Orron III.

ANAKIN: I'll bet you miss them, don't you?

NASHIRA: (nods) I haven't seen them since before school started.

ANAKIN: I haven't seen my mom in a while, either.

NASHIRA: You go to an offworld school, too?

ANAKIN: (laughs) Something like that. (beat) I had to leave my mom and sister behind on Tatooine to become a Jedi.

At this news the strawberry blond girl perks up a bit, her pretty blue eyes sparkling.

NASHIRA: You're a Jedi!? That's so amazing! (beat) Is it true that those midi-chlorian injections hurt?

ANAKIN: (confused) Mido-what?

NASHIRA: Do you have a kyber crystal? For your energy-spear? (beat) No, I guess you don't. They would have taken it from you.

ANAKIN: I've only started my Jedi training, Nashira. I haven't learned what moto-corinthians or kyber crystals are yet.

NASHIRA: (disappointed) Oh ...

ANAKIN: (laughs) Hey, don't give up on me yet. I've already learned how to use the Force a bit.

NASHIRA: It's not that. I just thought you'd be able to save me, save all of us. (beat) No one can beat a Jedi.

ANAKIN: (sighs) Even if I was a fully trained Jedi I don't think I'd be able to get us out of this jam.

NASHIRA: (astonished) But Jedi are invincible!

ANAKIN: (puts his hand on her shoulder) I'm sorry to disappoint you, 'Shira, but I came here with two Jedi, (looks back over his shoulder toward where Ben and Siri are seated) and they couldn't do much more than you or I could. (turns back to Nashira) It's going to take a little bit more than Jedi powers to get off this planet and get back home.

In reply, Nashira smiles.

ANAKIN: (noticing her smile) I didn't know happiness went hand-in-hand with dashed hopes.

NASHIRA: You called me 'Shira. It's what my mom and dad used to call me when I was little.

ANAKIN: Your parents, eh? Why don't you tell me about them?

NASHIRA: Will you tell me about yours?

ANAKIN: It's a deal. (beat) How about we go back to my friends, Ben and Siri, first? (looks at the whiphid and Talz sitting on either side of Nashira) I think they'd make better company than your babysitters here.

NASHIRA: (grins) Alright!

Climbing off her bench, Anakin takes Nashira by the hand and leads her back to where he was seated with Ben and Siri.

OBI-WAN: (to Nashira, smiling) Hello, there. Who might you be, Princess?

NASHIRA: (grins) Nashira DuQuesne.

OBI-WAN: (offers her his hand) I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, at your service.

Nashira takes his hand and give it a loose shake.

NASHIRA: Nice to meet you, Obi-Wan.

The young girl then turns to Siri, who regards her with a half-smile.

SIRI: (offers Nashira her own hand) I'm Siri.

Nashira takes Siri's hand and give it a shake as well.

NASHIRA: Pleased to meet you, too, Siri.

Moving aside, the two Jedi Knights open up enough space for Anakin and Nashira to sit down between them. Nik sits down first then helps Nashira in beside him. No longer alone, Nashira's face glows with hope and happiness.

EXT. METROPOLIS -- HIGHWAY -- DAY

The prison transport threads its way along the wide duracrete highway, making its way past the ultra-modern edifices and the teeming throngs of passersby.

Passing through the heart of the city, the transport then emerges into the suburban areas and then, passing through those, out onto the open highway, which is surrounded by wide open vermilion plains where no buildings can be seen.

INT. PRISON TRANSPORT/PRISONER COMPARTMENT -- DAY

Having moved out from between Siri and Ben, Nik and 'Shira are now seated together on Siri's right; the two kids are asleep, with Nashira's head resting peacefully on Anakin's shoulder, allowing the two Jedi Knights to focus their attention on one another without distractions.

OBI-WAN: Where do you think we are, Siri? What luxurious pleasure world do you suppose our hosts have generously taken us to?

SIRI: (smirks) Impossible to tell without knowing more about the environment and terrain. What little we saw of the spaceport when we were unloaded isn't enough to figure out where we are. For all we know we could be deep inside the Unknown Regions.

OBI-WAN: (regards the walls of the transport) They've incorporated Mandalorian iron into the walls.

SIRI: Looks like an alloy with Mandalorian iron as a component. Not as tough as the pure thing but still incredibly strong.

OBI-WAN: Making an escape far more difficult.

SIRI: The framework is probably the same, making the armour even stronger.

OBI-WAN: But if we all could establish a rapport, pool our collective power in the Force --

SIRI: (shakes her head) It's not going to happen. Were everyone aboard fully trained adepts it'd be possible, but most of the prisoners lack experience. There simply isn't enough time to teach them how to coordinate like that.

OBI-WAN: (sighs) I suppose it wouldn't be an advisable course of action, anyway, without knowing more about the world outside. The air could be unbreathable, toxic, or the surface bathed in intense radiation. We could be high up in the sky or deep under an ocean. Breaching the walls of this transport could mean certain death for us.

SIRI: All melodrama aside, you're correct. (beat) Even if we were to make a clean getaway, there's no guarantee the Mandalorians wouldn't be able to track us all down and round us all back up.

OBI-WAN: This is their home ground, they have the advantage. (beat) Perhaps our horizons will broaden once we reach our destination.

 

EXT. HIGHWAY -- SUNSET

After a short number of hours have passed, the transport finally arrives at its destination. Ahead, where the duracrete highway comes to an end, are massive closed doors set into an immense wall that stretches out for kilometres at both ends; this is the entrance into the Mandalorian complex which houses the nascent Death Watch army.

As the transport slows down to stop outside the walls of the complex, the massive front doors slide open, allowing the minute transport access into the area within. Its repulsors revving back to life, the prison transport moves forward, passing through the doors into the complex.

With the vehicle inside, the doors slide closed and the complex becomes impenetrable once again.

EXT. MANDALORIAN COMPLEX -- SUNSET

Now past the entrance, it can now be clearly seen that the Mandalorian complex is massive -- the size of a large town -- consisting of numerous hangers and bunkers, all of which have been built around several ancient ruins, including the converted amphitheatre -- with kilometre-long walls enclosing the entire area. Countless Mandalorian warriors and workers can be seeing moving to-and-fro about their business throughout the stronghold.

INT. PRISON TRANSPORT/PRISONER COMPARTMENT -- SUNSET

The transport comes to a complete stop and the prisoners inside immediately take notice of that fact.

SIRI: We've stopped.

EXT. BUNKER 13 -- SUNSET

The prison transport has arrived at its final destination -- the entrance leading down into Bunker 13. Waiting for them are FIFTY ARMED MANDALORIAN KNIGHTS.

INT. PRISON TRANSPORT/PRISONER COMPARTMENT -- SUNSET

The hatch leading out of the vehicle opens, spilling bright light into the dim interior of the compartment. The prisoners all turn towards the light, instantly aware of the Mandalorian Knights who await them beyond.

SIRI: (shaking the sleeping forms of Anakin and Nashira) It's time to wake up.

Groggily the two children rise from their slumber, and with their Jedi guardians, proceed to join the other prisoners in filing out of the transport.

EXT. BUNKER 13 -- SUNSET

The prisoners file out of the transport in single file, taking care to walk at a cautious pace so as not to attract any undue attention from the Mandalorians flanking them on all sides, and proceed to walk towards Bunker 13's entrance, which is merely a large, enclosed turbolift platform.

Once all thirty-three prisoners have been loaded onto the platform, it begins to descend, taking them down into the main complex of the bunker below.

INT. BUNKER 13/ENTRANCE CHAMBER -- SUNSET

Moving out from a dark tunnel, the prisoners step into the entrance chamber of the bunker, where EVEN MORE Mandalorians await them. Octagonal in shape, the walls are close together yet very tall, leading far up to a balcony that encircles the top near the ceiling; standing atop the balcony, looking down upon the prisoners, is the armoured form of Pre Vizsla.

PRE VIZSLA: Welcome, friends, to Dania VII, your new home. All the basic necessities and comforts of life will be provided to you, and you are allowed free reign throughout the complex -- you are not prisoners here, but honoured new arrivals.

ANAKIN: (rolls his eyes) Oh, I'm sure that's the case.

PRE VIZSLA: (cont'd) However, you will have to work hard in service to the Mandalorian cause, and as such, you will have to adhere to the strict schedules and curfews we have put into effect. Any violation of these schedules and curfews will result in severe punishment, so take care not to breach them. (beat) As you all show varying proficiency for the Force, you will all be subdivided and assigned to different levels of the bunker. There you will be among others with power levels equal to your own, making your training easier and reducing the chance of abuse between you. (beat) You all received an injection while in captivity aboard the Nyax, an injection containing a radioactive isotope tailored to mark the level of proficiency you each were identified as having. Please step forward and present yourselves to our doctors so that you may be scanned and assigned to your level. (beat) I trust that in time, you will all come to welcome your place here and join with us in mind and soul as well as in body.

Vizsla turns and leaves the balcony, and the prisoners begin stepping forward to be scanned by their captives for the identifying markers flowing through their veins.

ANAKIN: (turns to Ben) Ben ...

OBI-WAN: We can't fight it, Nik. We have to do as they say.

ANAKIN: But --

OBI-WAN: Just remember what I've taught you. Don't let them break you down.

NASHIRA: (panicking) No, no, no, no, no! I don't want to leave you! Don't let them take me away from you! Please, Ben, Nik, Siri -- please!

ANAKIN: (grabbing Nashira in a tight hug) I'm not going anywhere, 'Shira. You and me are stuck together like glue.

As that is said, ONE of the Mandalorians with a scanner steps up to the pair of children.

MANDALORIAN #11: Alright, break it up -- I need to scan you individually.

ANAKIN: (brings Nashira closer to him) Go to hell.

One of the other Mandalorians -- A HARDENED WARRIOR, not a doctor -- joins the Mandalorian with the scanner, unsheathing a vibrosword and pointing it with threatening malice Anakin's way.

SIRI: Let her go, Anakin. You can't protect her if you're dead.

Reluctantly, Anakin releases Nashira and allows the less menacing Mandalorian to scan them both individually.

MANDALORIAN #11: You both have the same marker. You'll be going to Level 9.

With that, the Mandalorian lowers his scanner and pulls out some sort of sticker gun. Placing it against the front of their shirts he pulls the trigger, slapping them both with identical white stickers bearing the number "9".

ANAKIN: (turns to Ben) Be seeing you.

The Mandalorians lead Nik and 'Shira off and the Mandalorian with the scanner refocuses his attention on Siri.

INT. BUNKER 13/LEVEL 9/CORRIDOR -- SUNSET

The captives assigned to Level 9 -- all SEVENTEEN of them -- are led down a corridor by TEN DEATH WATCHMEN, where they are each assigned a set of quarters. As they come to a door labeled "9-75", the HEAD MANDALORIAN turns to face Anakin and Nashira.

MANDALORIAN #12: (takes hold of Nashira's hand and pulls her toward him) 9-75 will be your quarters.

ANAKIN: (pulls Nashira back to him) She's with me.

MANDALORIAN #12: If you wish to change your lodging arrangements, you can fill out a form and send it to the main office for consideration at any designated rest period. Until then, you'll be staying in the rooms assigned to you.

The Mandalorian pulls Nashira back to him, and when Anakin tries to resist, two other Mandalorians grab him by the shoulders and forcibly hold him back.

MANDALORIAN #12: (opens the door to 9-75) This unit comes stocked with food, has running water, and is equipped with a week's supply of fresh clothes and a refresher unit. Should you run out of food, simply place an order for more and it will be delivered immediately. Should something in your quarters require repairs, that, too, can be requested. Cleaning and laundering, however, is your responsibility.

Nashira simply looks up at the Mandalorian, tears streaming down her face.

NASHIRA: Please don't separate us. I need him.

The Mandalorian looks down at the young girl and some of the rigid formality leaves him.

MANDALORIAN #12: I'm sorry. (beat) Everything you'll need to know about your upcoming study and training schedules will be found on the datapad provided to you inside. It is important that you read them over tonight, for you'll begin tomorrow morning at first light. (beat) I trust I have made your rights and duties clear you?

Nashira responds with sniffles and silently steps into the dark quarters. As she turns around, she gives Anakin one final pleading look before closing the door between them.

The Mandalorian turns to regard Anakin then leads him to the door marked "9-76".

MANDALORIAN #12: As I said, you can fill out a form requesting shared lodging for you and the girl. There shouldn't be any problem getting it done. Until then, you can visit each other during rest periods.

ANAKIN: (opens the door, his face dark with rage) Nothing had better happen to her between now and then.

Fuming, Anakin steps into his quarters, closing it in the Death Watchman's face.

INT. BUNKER 13/LEVEL 34/CORRIDOR -- SUNSET

Obi-Wan and Siri are led down a corridor through Level 34 of the bunker. In sharp contrast to the captives taken to Level 9, the two Jedi are being led roughly to their destination, their arms wrenched violently behind their backs as they are pushed forward by their MANDALORIAN KEEPERS.

MANDALORIAN #13: Let's put 'em in 34-63 with Primeday Surprise.

As they come to the door marked "34-63", the Mandalorians stop, dragging their captives to a halt. Opening the door to the dim interior beyond, the Mandalorian Knights then push the two Jedi inside, resealing the door behind the disgraced knights with mocking laughter.

INT. BUNKER 13/LEVEL 34/UNIT 34-63 -- SUNSET

OBI-WAN: It was nice of them to show us the way to our quarters.

SIRI: They'll forgive me if I don't leave a tip.

Brushing themselves off and straightening their disheveled clothing, the two Jedi take in the sight of their new quarters; although very spartan, the unit is clean and tidy, with everything kept in its proper place. Walking deeper into the main room, Siri comes to a small round table, upon with sits a datapad already loaded with a datacard.

SIRI: (picks up and activates the datapad) Here's a list of all the various schedules we're supposed to keep. (scans through the first few pages) I don't understand -- are we supposed to follow the same schedule? There's only this one card and no alternate schedules are listed.

OBI-WAN: Perhaps new recruits all attend the same inauguration ceremony their first day. After that, we each get our own separate schedules.

SIRI: Perhaps. (deactivates the datapad and sets it back on the table) What was that they said about "Primeday Surprise"?

OBI-WAN: Sounded like a name to me -- a roommate.

Siri walks over to the bedroom, checks it, then walks over to the refresher and checks it, too; no one is in either room.

SIRI: Where do you suppose he, she, or it is at?

OBI-WAN: Perhaps she's training.

SIRI: Shame he couldn't be here to greet us.

FLUTEY VOICE (O.S.): Oh, but I am!

Hearing the voice, the two Jedi spin around to look behind them; there -- standing at the door where no one was standing scant moments before -- is a SHORT FEMALE H'NEMTHE clad in a set of tan coveralls, her three-fingered hands clasped tightly around the head of an ornate ebony cane.

SIRI: (startled) Wha --!

OBI-WAN: (shocked) where did you come from?

FLUTEY VOICE: (looks about the room) Here, there, everywhere. Perhaps nowhere.

The two Jedi exchange glances.

SIRI: Primeday Surprise, I assume?

PRIMEDAY (FLUTEY VOICE): I don't know -- do you?

SIRI: (confused) Excuse me?

PRIMEDAY: Do you assume?

SIRI: (frowns with bewilderment) I suppose ...

PRIMEDAY: Well don't. After all, when you assume, you make an ass out of you and me.

With that, the short H'nemthe walks forward, passing between Siri and Ben on a course for the refresher. Turning to watch the strange female creature go, the Jedi again exchange glances.

 

INT. DETENTION CENTRE/ZULL'S CELL -- EVENING

Zull sits against the back wall of her cell, facing the door. Her knees drawn up into her chest, she hangs her head low, her eyes closed in silent prayer; she doesn't immediately notice when the door to her cell slides open, allowing Pre Vizsla -- sans helmet and robes -- to step inside.

PRE VIZSLA: Zull.

Hearing his voice, the near-human woman looks up at the Mandalorian warrior, her eyes puffy and stained with shed tears.

PRE VIZSLA: I heard of what you did to put yourself here.

ZULL: Did you?

PRE VIZSLA: I am disappointed in you. What you did to that man wasn't simply barbaric, it was evil. He did nothing to deserve such a cruel death.

ZULL: Why tell me this? I already know. (beat) I will have to live with what I did.

PRE VIZSLA: Zull, when I came to you, you were blinded to an entire half of the Force. What I had done to you on the Nyax was to clear your vision, to show you the side of the Force that had been closed off to you, but you've only traded in blindness for blindness; you've embraced the darkness but have discarded the light. (beat) To be whole, you must embrace both sides of the Force. There is a time for rage, but you must never let it oppress you. Temper anger with mercy, hate with pity, despair with hope. Otherwise you will only lose yourself and be consumed by an abyss of your own making.

ZULL: The anger is gone, the hate is gone, but the despair remains. I have nothing left.

PRE VIZSLA: Zull, please stand up.

The fallen priestess looks up at the Mandalorian. She does nothing for a moment, then -- slowly -- rises to her feet. She stands there, her face expressionless but her eyes sorrowful. Reaching to his side, Vizsla withdraws a lightsaber -- the same lightsaber he took from the slain
Bpfasshi Dark Jedi -- and hands it to her.

ZULL: A Jedi lightsaber?

PRE VIZSLA: It's a Force-activated lightsaber. The triggering mechanism is built within the casing.

Reaching into the weapon with the Force, Zull engages it. With a soft, burning HISS, the brilliant chartreuse blade extends into existence. Eyes widening with awe, she turns the blade around in the air, listening as it hums and buzzes with each movement.

PRE VIZSLA: There are few so-called darksiders out there who truly reject the light side of the Force in sole favour of the dark. Most who have been branded with the label merely see the Force for what it is and embrace it in its entirety. There are exceptions, however, those who have abandoned the light and allowed the darkness to rule their lives, to consume their very souls. The owner of this weapon was one such exception. He refused to acknowledge the light and paid the ultimate price for his lack of vision.

Zull stops playing with the lightsaber and her eyes fall upon Vizsla, her green-gold irises glowing as the burning yellow-green light of the lightsaber reflects in them.

ZULL: I could take this weapon and kill you now. Not even you could avoid the blow from this distance.

PRE VIZSLA: (nods) That is true. You could kill me now and have your final revenge. (beat) But you don't want to. You are tired of how the rage and hatred has blinded you, tired of how it has taken hold of everything you are and twisted it into a diseased mockery.

ZULL: (a tear running from her eye) Yes.

PRE VIZSLA: Zull, I have done you wrong, but I can still help you. I can help you out of this. Come with me, be my apprentice, and help me to help you find the light again.

Crying, Zull lowers the lightsaber, deactivating it. Gently, Vizsla draws her to him, wrapping his arms around her as she rests her head on his shoulder. Her arms, along with the deactivated lightsaber, now sit pinned between them.

PRE VIZSLA: I love you, Zull.

Zull says nothing and merely cries silently into his shoulder. Closing his eyes, Vizsla begins to dance slowly, creating a slow waltz with the Meketrex woman in his arms.

INT. BUNKER 13/LEVEL 9/UNIT 9-75/BEDROOM -- EVENING

Nashira lies atop her bed, turning about uneasily in her sleep. She moans and groans fitfully, her brow slick with sweat.

ZOOM IN

on Nashira as the darkness of the room closes in on her, forming an opaque blackness which surrounds her like dark light.

Suddenly, dozens of arms coalesce from that darkness and fall onto her, seizing her in vice-like grips. Her eyes fling open, wide with terror. From above, an amorphous shape bulges down from the DARKNESS above her, coming to hover right before her face. The shapeless bulge contorts, gaining definition, until it forms a SKULL-LIKE FACE with blazing white eyes.

THE DARKNESS: Luuz, rekcurtrehtom, luuz!

As Nashira releases a blood-curdling scream, the lipless mouth of the skull-like head transmogrifies into a torrent of black liquid which flows down into her mouth, choking off her shriek with a harsh gurgle. Air cut off from her lungs, Nashira begins to thrash violently against the limbs restraining her, but she cannot break free of their oppressive grasp.

It is then that Anakin, like an angel in the night, materializes out from thin air. Lunging forward, he seizes the nightmarish head of the Darkness and, grimacing, pulls it back with all the strength he can mustre. With a hideous sucking sound, he peels the entity away from Nashira and tosses it away from her.

THE DARKNESS: Luuz, rekcurt --

Before the Darkness can finish its mantra, Anakin holds up his arm and an engaged lightsaber manifests within his hand. Swinging the azure blade, he lops the Darkness' head off and it drops away, dissipating into nothingness.

NASHIRA: (panicking) Nik!

Turning back to Nashira, Anakin goes to work hacking away the black limbs which pin the girl down to her bed. Once they have all been dealt with, Nik grabs her by the hand and hauls her up off the bed and to his side.

ANAKIN: How's about we get out of here?

NASHIRA: Where to?

ANAKIN: Anywhere.

Swinging his lightsaber, Anakin cuts right through the inky blackness surrounding them, revealing a blinding white light beyond. With Nashira at his side, he plunges into the rip, leaving the Darkness behind.

EXT. WHITE VOID (DREAM)

Nik and 'Shira now find themselves standing within a perfectly white void. Looking down at the lightsaber in his hand, Anakin releases it and is dissolves away as it never was.

NASHIRA: What the hell was that!?

ANAKIN: A bad dream.

NASHIRA: You mean --

ANAKIN: Yep. You're asleep, dreaming, and I'm in here with you.

NASHIRA: Does that mean you're --

ANAKIN: No, I'm real.

NASHIRA: How's that possible?

ANAKIN: Obi-Wan called it a rapport. A sort of mind-link Jedi can do with other people who are open to it.

NASHIRA: How did you know I was in trouble?

ANAKIN: (grins) Are you really asking me that? I knew you'd be an emotional mess without any friends to keep you company.

Nashira then seizes Anakin in a fierce hug, squeezing him tightly as her lips part in a massive grin.

NASHIRA: Oh, thank you, Anakin! Thank you! I needed you, and you came! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

ANAKIN: (eyes bulging) Take it easy, kid! You'll bruise me like a Rrakis grape!

'Shira releases the young man but continues to beam at him.

ANAKIN: (looks about their surroundings) While a damn sight better than where we came from, this place is kind of bland and boring. You think we should go somewhere more lively?

NASHIRA: Where?

ANAKIN: How about your homeworld? I've never been to Orron III and I wouldn't mind checking it out.

NASHIRA: Orron III? But it's just an agricultural world -- there's nothing much there.

ANAKIN: (gestures at the whiteness surrounding them) There's less than nothing here. (grins) C'mon, we'll make it fun.

NASHIRA: (smiles sheepishly) Oh, alright ...

Nashira then closes her eyes and concentrates. After a moment passes, the void surrounding them fades away, replaced with a vast landscape of grain situated under a clear, sunny sky.

ANAKIN: Race ya?

NASHIRA: Yeah!

At that the two children take off into a run, laughing wildly as they race through the tall stalks of grain.

FADE TO

Nashira asleep peacefully in her bed in her room, a smile on her lips.

 

Due to a number of glaring imperfections I've found with this screenplay, I've started upon re-editing it. While this isn't going to be a major re-write -- I'm mainly just making a few cosmetic changes and tidying up the writing and formatting -- it is going to take a little while before I'm done, and once I am done, I'm going to have to go back and re-edit the older entries here; since that's going to take some time, I may not get around to posting new entries until next week.

 

I've finished editing the first half of this screenplay and have re-edited my posts here to reflect the changes. I haven't finished editing the final portion of the screenplay, however, so it will still be sometime before I post new material.

For those who don't feel like re-reading what I've posted already, the changes I've made are:

• Reformatted the screenplay to reflect the standard screenplay format (Most italics have been replaced with underlines, stuff like that.)
• The font's been changed to Courier New.
• Rewrote some of the dialogue to make it less stilted.
• Fixed/altered a fair bit of the grammar to remove excess commas.
• The Mandalorians now primarily speak Mando'a.
• Vizsla and Zull now speak Basic when conversing with one another.
• Changed the conventional swords of the Mandalorian Knights into vibroswords.
• The colour of Anakin's hair has been changed from dark blond to black.
• Ben now refers to Anakin as "Nik" instead of soley as "Anakin".
• The Light Hammer has been renamed the Lightning Warrior.
• When Ben first mentions the Jedi to Anakin, instead of being ignorant of the Jedi's existence Anakin thinks the Jedi are nanotech-enhanced monks.
• Various other minor additions/subtractions/alterations.

 

EXT. SPACE

Out in some region of deep, rarely-traversed space, a ship drops out of hyperspace. This ship is the Deliverer, a Venator-class star defender; a hastily-recommissioned junker that was retired before the end of the Second Clone War, it still bears the colours of the old Republic Navy along with many of the battle scars acquired during its last, long-forgotten fight.

From the open docking bay of the star defender come dozens of hyperspace jump pods, all containing dormant probe droids. Falling away from their mothership, they scatter in all directions, each leaping into hyperspace towards a different region of the galaxy.

INT. DELIVERER/BRIDGE

Within the ramshackle bridge of the Deliverer, Admiral Bail Organa of Alderaan sits at his post upon the command chair, his left arm in a heavy cast and a determined expression set hard on his face. Standing at his side is, as always, Commander Raia Vaness.

BAIL: Ensign Wessel, report.

ENSIGN WESSEL -- a SHORT, SLIM DEVARONIAN -- pivots around in his seat to face the admiral.

ENS. WESSEL: Pods are away, Admeeral.

Bail simply nods in reply then presses a button set in the arm of his chair.

BAIL: What's the word, Bonney? Can we make another jump soon?

INT. DELIVERER/ACCESS TUBE

Within one the ship's many access tubes, BONNEY, the ship's engineer, is busy working on repairing damaged connections responsible for the operation of the star defender's hyperdrive. A lanky lepi with big feet and hands, blue-green fur, long, drooping ears, and prominent buck teeth, he's a comical sight to behold.

BONNEY: You're gonna have to hold your eopies again, Bail. This clunker's not going anywhere for at least nine hours and a half.

INT. DELIVERER/BRIDGE

BAIL: I thought you'd've reached 47% efficiency by now.

INT. DELIVERER/ACCESS TUBE

BONNEY: By the Holy Hutch, man, I'm an engineer, not a Sorcerer of Tund! It's a royal mess in here! When those bloody 'Wrights made sure the hyperdrive was functional, that's all they made sure of -- they didn't bother checking to see if any of the connections or circuits responsible for synching the hyperdrive to the main computer themselves were in order. It'll take me another week before I've made enough repairs to get her working at even half the peak of efficiency.

INT. DELIVERER/BRIDGE

BAIL: (sighs) Alright, Bonney, I'll leave you to your work.

Bail presses the button in his chair arm, severing the connection with Bonney.

CMDR. VANESS: Another long wait, I see.

BAIL: When I asked for this assignment, I assumed they were going to take me seriously, but what do they do? They stick us with a decaying old star defender that was decommissioned seventeen years ago, a star defender that can barely limp its way through hyperspace.

CMDR. VANESS: Resources are spread thin, Bail. With the Lightning Warrior undergoing repairs in drydock, this was the best they could supply us in such short order. Considering how low the importance of this endeavour is it's a miracle they gave us this much.

BAIL: Tachi is out there somewhere along with Lord knows how many others. The Mandalorians are up to something and they have to be stopped before it's too late. If that's low importance, I do not want to know how bad things have to be to be considered high importance!

CMDR. VANESS: Bail, even if we were in a top-of-the-line cruiser with the highest rated hyperdrive available, we'd still be blindly searching Wild Space in the hope of stumbling upon the Mandalorians' hidden base of operations. It's a needle in a light-years-large haystack.

BAIL: They're out there somewhere, Raia, and I don't care if I have to go straight out into the Unknown Regions to find them, I'll get it done. (beat) I owe it to our people.

Vaness doesn't respond to this. The pain of losing so many of her crewmates aboard the Lightning Warrior is as evident on her face as it is on Bail's.

EXT. SPACE -- MONTAGE

We pull away from the wedge-shaped form of the Deliverer and at velocities greater than the speed of light, we begin to travel through this sector of the galaxy. In a span of moments, we visit over sixteen different systems, each with worlds exotic and unique, before finally coming to Dania VII, home of the Mandalorian Death Watch.

INT. DANIA VII -- TRAINING CENTRE 25 -- DAY

Inside Training Centre 25 -- a spacious, one-room building -- various residents of Level 9 have come for their day's training session. All twelve students are sitted crossed-legged upon the stone floor, their instructor -- an UNARMOURED HUMAN FEMALE -- sitting before them, watching them intently.
Before each of the students sits a crystal sphere, hollow and half-filled with a pearlescent liquid. Their eyes closed, they concentrate on the spheres. Many succeed in making the colours within the liquid glow while others manage to get the liquid to bubble or slosh around inside; only two, however, are able to go beyond that.

As Anakin and a MALE TOYDARIAN concentrate on their spheres, not only do they succeed at making the pearlescent liquid glow and move about, but they manage to form three-dimensional shapes -- cubes, spheres, pyramids -- within them. The Mandalorian instructor, noticing this impressive display of talent from them both, smiles with pleasure.

INSTRUCTOR #1: (raises an arm) Alright, everyone, relax your concentration. That'll be all for the day.
The students all open their eyes and the liquid within their spheres goes still. Standing up, the instructor walks over to Nik and the Toydarian. With a smile, she gestures for them to get up; they quickly rise to their feet or -- in the Toydarian's case -- their wings.

INSTRUCTOR #1: I am very pleased with your progress so far, students. You are all progressing wonderfully. Orowi and Anakin even managed to form simple shapes within their spheres today. Keep this up and you'll all upgrade to Level 10 before the year is out. (beat) I'll see you all Zhellday.
As the other students rise up and proceed to file out of the centre, Nik and OROWI turn to acknowledge one another.

ANAKIN: You're getting good with the meditation spheres, Orowi. I'm starting to get envious.

OROWI: (astonished) You're getting envious? It took me five months to get this far, but you've only been here four weeks and you're already good at it. If anyone's envious, it's me of you, not the other way around.

ANAKIN: (laughs) But it comes easier for you. I have to concentrate a full minute before I can get a simple cube to take shape.

Together, Nik and his Toydarian friend follow the other students out of Training Centre 25. One of the other students -- a TALL ABYSSIN -- stands off to the side, however, watching them as they go with his single eye narrowed with loathing.

EXT. TRAINING CENTRE 25 -- DAY

Stepping out of the training centre, Nik and Orowi make their way towards Bunker 13.

OROWI: Want to go to the recreation centre? You still owe me for letting you win that last dejarik game we played.

ANAKIN: (smirks) Letting me win, you say? What a recollection you have.

OROWI: Well, we Toydarians are noted for our impeccable holographic memory.

ANAKIN: (laughs) Really? I thought it was your shrewd business sense everyone knew you for.

OROWI: That, too.

ANAKIN: Of course, of course. I knew that -- really, I did. (beat) I'd love to take you up on your offer but I'm expected back. Nashira and I are having dinner with Ben and Siri tonight.

OROWI: Ah, yes, your two Jedi friends.

ANAKIN: It's been two weeks since we were able to meet up with them last. We've been looking forward to it. (beat) You can join us if you want. There'll be enough for five.

OROWI: Sure. (beat) It won't be any trouble, will it?

ANAKIN: No, of course not. Why ask a laserbrained question like that?

OROWI: Well ...

ANAKIN: Well what?

OROWI: Well ... to be honest, I don't know how I feel about socializing with Jedi.

ANAKIN: Hey, I'm a Jedi!

OROWI: You wish. (beat) It's not that I have any real problem with Jedi, it's just that I don't know how the Mandies will take it.

ANAKIN: What are you getting at?

OROWI: They say we have free reign of the place and can see who we want to see, but I can't help but feel that they don't like Jedi associating with their less "enlightened" students.

ANAKIN: You think they might do something if they catch you talking to a Jedi?

OROWI: The Jedi and Mandies are virtually blood enemies, Nik, they loathe each other. The Mandalorians can't stand the idea of any of their new recruits getting tainted with Jedi philosophies.

ANAKIN: Those Jedi are also recruits.

OROWI: Not like us, though, not at all. The Mandies don't treat them like they treat us. We're treated almost like royalty. They, however, don't get anywhere near the same amount of luxury. While we spend our time meditating over crystal balls, they have to deal with hard labour, heckling, humiliation, even physical abuse. (beat) The Mandalorians use the carrot to get us onto their side, but with the Jedi, they use the stick -- the hard, heavy, pointed stick.

Anakin shrugs in reply and the two continue on their way in silence. Before they can get very far, however, the Abyssin who eyed them back at the training centre moves up on them from behind, grabbing them by the shoulders and pulling them to a stop.

ANAKIN: Wha --!

OROWI: Gurkan!

Twisting around, the two friends come face-to-face with the Abyssin named GURKAN. With sinister glee, he grins a hideously toothy grin.

GURKAN: What a surprise to meet you here, my dear friends. What brings you out this way?

ANAKIN: We're going back to Bunker 13, same as you.

OROWI: And we're not your friends, cyclops.

The Abyssin's grin falters, but only for a moment.

GURKAN: You wound me, Toydarian. (turns to Anakin) But you still appreciate my company, don't you, Skywalker?

ANAKIN: (nonplussed) What do you want, Gurkan?

GURKAN: Just to chat, see how things are and all that jizz.

ANAKIN: Well, neither of us have anything to say to you, so if you don't mind --

GURKAN: (drops his phony grin) Are you saying you don't want to be my friend?

ANAKIN: No, it's not that. I wouldn't mind being your friend -- if you weren't a complete jerk. But unfortunately, you are a complete jerk.

GURKAN: Very well, then, we aren't friends.

ANAKIN: I'm so very glad we got that cleared up.

GURKAN: (his grin reappearing) So, how's your pretty girlfriend?

ANAKIN: She's fine, and she's not my girlfriend.

GURKAN: That hasn't stopped you from living together.

ANAKIN: When we got here, she was emotionally unstable and I was the only person she knew who was also staying on Level 9. I chose to stay with her to keep her company and keep her safe.

GURKAN: That hasn't stopped you from sticking your hydrospanner in her sockets, has it?

ANAKIN: (angry) She's only eleven, you disgusting pig.

GURKAN: Which makes it all the more sweet, doesn't it? The younger they are the firmer they are, and the firmer they are, how oh so more --

Before the Abyssin can complete his sentence, Anakin's rage boils over and he gives in to it. Growling like a ferocious beast, he lunges at the cyclopean creature more than twice his height and tackles him to the ground. Before the Abyssin can catch his bearings, the human begins to rain blow upon blow upon him, punching him fiercely in the face. Within scant seconds, dark Abyssin blood begins to fly through the air.

OROWI: Nik! Nik, that's enough now! Let him up!

Anakin doesn't hear his friend. His face red with rage, he continues to pummel Gurkan, who finally goes completely limp.

OBI-WAN: (O.S.) Anakin!

Upon hearing the voice of his master, Anakin snaps out of his rage and stops. Twisting his head around, he sees both Ben and Siri standing a ways away from him.

OBI-WAN: Anakin, what are you doing?!

ANAKIN: (stammering) I-I-I ...

His mouth going agape, Anakin turns back to look down upon Gurkan, who lies bloody and unconscious beneath him. Unable to say a word, he simply rises to his feet, looking down upon his bested foe.

ANAKIN: (to Obi-Wan) He's alright, isn't he? I didn't really hurt him, did I?

Obi-Wan and Siri walk up to Anakin, Orowi, and Gurkan, and the latter crouches down beside the Abyssin, laying her fingertips down upon his forehead.

SIRI: The Abyssin's alive. You knocked him out but I don't sense any major injury.

ANAKIN: I didn't want to hurt him, but what he said about Nashira and me ... it was sick ... I couldn't take that from him ... I couldn't take ... what he said ...

OBI-WAN: (rests his hand on Nik's shoulder) It's alright, Anakin, we'll worry about it later. Let's just get to Nashira.

As one, the three Jedi and the Toydarian depart, leaving Gurkan lying in the dust.

 

INT. BUNKER 13/LEVEL 9/ANAKIN & NASHIRA'S QUARTERS/KITCHEN -- DAY

Nashira is busy preparing a meal on the small stove when the door into the main room slides open and Obi-Wan, Siri, Anakin, and Orowi come sauntering in. Turning to face them, she sees the grim expressions on all of their faces and her face in turn goes stoney.

NASHIRA: What's happened?

SIRI: Anakin got into a fight with an Abyssin.

OROWI: Gurkan.

Hearing that, Nashira rushes over to Anakin and takes his face in her hands, cradling it worriedly.

NASHIRA: Oh, Nik, are you okay?

ANAKIN: Yes ... yeah, I'm fine, 'Shira. Just fine.

Pushing past her, he walks over to the main round table and props down in a seat behind it, where he proceeds to massage his left temple.

NASHIRA: (turning to the others) Why did he get into a fight with Gurkan?

OROWI: Gurkan made some rather ... unflattering comments regarding the relationship between the two of you.

NASHIRA: (dumbfounded) Anakin and me? But we're just friends.

OROWI: Gurkan's a straight-up bastard. He can't sleep at night without spewing trash in other peoples' faces.

NASHIRA: But Nik's okay, right? Gurkan didn't hurt him?

OBI-WAN: (grave) No, Nashira, Gurkan didn't hurt him.

NASHIRA: (relieved) Well, that's good then, right? He could have if he really wanted to.

OBI-WAN: (cont'd) Anakin hurt him.

NASHIRA: (narrows her eyes) You're not serious.

OBI-WAN: Dead serious.

OROWI: Nik really wailed on him -- beat the living pus out of the monocular bastard.

SIRI: He could have killed him if we hadn't arrived when we did.

Her mouth agape, Nashira turns to face Nik.

ANAKIN: Are they on the level, Anakin?

ANAKIN: (shakes his head wearily) Yeah, yeah, it happened like they say.

Nashira then walks over to Anakin and, sitting down beside him, puts her hands down over one of his.

NASHIRA: Is he gonna be alright?

ANAKIN: Siri said so.

NASHIRA: (smiles) Then there's nothing to worry about.

Obi-Wan's mouth drops open upon hearing those words.

OBI-WAN: (incredulous) Excuse me?

NASHIRA: (turns to Ben) Nik didn't really hurt him. I mean he didn't hurt him bad enough to put him in the infirmary.

OBI-WAN: That's beside the point, Nashira. He let his anger get the best of him -- he opened himself to the dark side. Don't you realize how dangerous that can be?

NASHIRA: (rolls her eyes) Oh, not this again.

OBI-WAN: (stepping towards Nik and 'Shira) You may not believe in the dark side, Nashira, but it is very real and very present and Anakin is exposed to it. If he continues to let his anger slip, it will bring him in tune with the darkness and eventually corrupt his soul.

NASHIRA: (frowns) Gurkan's a bully and a pig. He got what he deserved. (turns back to Anakin, her frown turning to a smile) Besides, Anakin did it for me. That's so dashing.

Obi-Wan, realizing nothing he can say will ever be able to break through Nashira's childish naiveté, goes silent, pursing his lips in indignation.

INT. BUNKER 13/LEVEL 34/OBI-WAN, SIRI, & PRIMEDAY'S QUARTERS/MAIN ROOM -- TWILIGHT

Hours later, Ben and Siri return to their quarters on Level 34. Opening their door, they step inside to find Primeday Surprise sitting in wait for them at the small round table. Together, the two Jedi walk over and plop themselves down on the couch sitting to the right side of the H'nemthe.

PRIMEDAY: Have a good time? How was your supper?

SIRI: It was very good, Primeday. You should have joined us.

PRIMEDAY: (waves her hand dismissively) They weren't serving my dish.

OBI-WAN: You can't eat Primeday Surprise every day -- that's why it's called "Primeday Surprise", not "Everyday Surprise".

PRIMEDAY: Each day is Primeday if you think beyond the three dimensions.

SIRI: Primeday, it isn't good to eat the same thing all day everyday. You get sick without a balanced diet.

PRIMEDAY: Bah! More three-dimensional thinking! A diet of Primeday Surprise is a balanced diet.

OBI-WAN: Not in this universe.

PRIMEDAY: Exactly! Now you begin to understand!

Ben and Siri exchange glances.

SIRI: Do you?

OBI-WAN: Ask me when I'm less than sober.

PRIMEDAY: Anyhow, I put some tea on the stove for you. Go have some if you feel like it.

SIRI: That sounds like a good idea. Thank you, Primeday.

Siri enters the kitchen, walks over to a cabinet, opens it up, then reaches in to retrieve a hard plastic cup.

SIRI: Will you be having any, Obi-Wan?

OBI-WAN: That depends. (turns to Primeday) What type of tea is it?

PRIMEDAY: (smiles) It varies.

OBI-WAN: Clear, concise, and to the point as always. (to Siri) Make me one, anyway.

Siri retrieves the two cups and then saunters over to the stove. When she reaches for the kettle, however, she finds that not only is the burner not on, there is no kettle upon it at all.

SIRI: There is no tea.

PRIMEDAY: Pardon?

SIRI: (gestures toward the bare stovetop) The stovetop, Primeday, there's no tea on it. It's completely bare.

PRIMEDAY: (sighs) It is there, Siri, just not here and now.

Hearing this, Obi-Wan facepalms. The H'nemthe notices this action and it doesn't please her one bit.

PRIMEDAY: (gestures towards him with her cane) I saw that, Ben Kenobi, don't think I didn't!

Slowly pulling his hand away, Obi-Wan merely stares at this strange non-human woman.

PRIMEDAY: (fuming) Always -- always -- you disregard my wisdom! Condescend to me like you would a child and regard me with all the affection of a serpent, you do! Well, I am not going to stomach it any longer! (rises to her feet) I'll be going to bed early! Goodnight!

SIRI: (resigned) But Primeday --

PRIMEDAY: (throws up her hand) I say goodnight!

With that, Primeday walks away into the single bedroom. Not a minute later, the sound of her gentle snoring can be heard coming from within.

SIRI: (sighs) I'm going to put on some tea myself. You still want some?

OBI-WAN: Not really, no. Primeday's killed my thirst.

Retrieving the kettle, Siri fills it with water and then puts it on the stove burner. Turning away from the stove, she walks over to Ben and sits down beside him on the couch.

SIRI: It's still getting to you, isn't it? What happened with Anakin?

OBI-WAN: Of course -- shouldn't it? He's my apprentice and it's my job to see that he learns the proper ways to channel the Force.

SIRI: But it's hard, isn't it?

OBI-WAN: Yes, it is. He's exposed to Vizsla's teachings every day, but I can only be there for him for a couple of hours and only on a day or two a week. It's impossible to train him as a Jedi under these circumstances. Perhaps if we'd had more time together before we were captured, if he had received more training ...

SIRI: If he had been selected for training at a younger age, you mean.

OBI-WAN: Yes, I suppose. (beat) And then there's Nashira. (beat) She needed Nik at the time, and I'm glad that he was there for her, but I'm starting to think that she may turn out to be a bad influence on him.

SIRI: Yes, I see what you mean. She's ignorant of the dark side. She coddles Anakin when she should chastize him.

OBI-WAN: She's only a child and she's never known the Jedi way, so I don't hold it again her, but she and Anakin have grown close and they are growing closer. (beat) I don't think Anakin's emotionally dependant on her -- not like she is on him -- and so I don't think he's ... become enslaved to her -- her whims, her opinions -- but that could change in the future. If he hasn't learned to discipline himself by then, if he hasn't learned to resist the dark side, then God help us.

SIRI: (sighs) This is why it's easier for us.

OBI-WAN: (confused) Easier? Easier for whom? What are you talking about?

SIRI: I was talking about the Coruscanti Order. (beat) It is easier for us because we train our children from infancy, build them up from the beginning to be resistant to the dark side, and keep them from being reared alongside those who hold to beliefs contrary to the Jedi Creed.

OBI-WAN: (laughs incredulously) I don't believe it.

SIRI: (frowns) What?

OBI-WAN: You're proselytizing me -- giving me a sermon on the blessed virtues of the Coruscanti Order. (beat) You should hear yourself.

SIRI: Well, you have to admit that if Anakin had been discovered at a young age and reared by us, he never would have grown up vulnerable to the temptations surrounding him now.

OBI-WAN: No, instead he would have grown up to believe that he's some sort of chosen one -- a demigod superior to everyone who wasn't blessed with the gift of becoming a Jedi Knight.

SIRI: (angry) That isn't what we believe at all. That isn't what I believe at all.

OBI-WAN: Then enlighten me, Siri.

SIRI: Non-Jedi are not evil and they aren't inferior. However, their philosophies often run contrary to Jedi doctrine. Exposing nascent Jedi to these philosophies could skew their outlook on the Force, poison their minds against the Jedi way and lead them on the path to the dark side. Isolating our children from non-Jedi until they are of a discerning age only serves to remove stumbling blocks from the straight and narrow path that is our way of life.

OBI-WAN: That may be all well and good for the children born into the Order -- children who have friends and family who are also Jedi -- but what of those Jedi who weren't born into the Coruscanti Order, those who came from non-Jedi families? Why must they be denied the love and companionship of their mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters for the sake of a "straight and narrow path" that they weren't of discerning age to choose for themselves in the first place?

SIRI: Personal sacrifices must often be made for the greater good. That is a fact implicit in the Jedi Code.

OBI-WAN: Ah, yes, the Jedi Code: "There is no emotion; there is peace. There is no ignorance; there is knowledge. There is no passion; there is serenity. There is no death; there is the Force". (beat) You are aware of the history behind the Code, aren't you?

SIRI: Of course. Any Jedi worth his or her salt knows the history of the Jedi Code.

OBI-WAN: Then you know that the Jedi Code wasn't originally a code at all but a fragment of an unpublished volume written by the Jedi master Odan-Uur -- a volume which was destroyed in the Great Sith War, a volume which we know very little about. Divorced from its original context, the Jedi Code was only codified as such centuries after the fact, in the wake of the Kunist Insurrection. Therefore the words of the Jedi Code -- and the message behind those words -- are completely open to interpretation.

SIRI: In your opinion that may be true, but Coruscanti tradition teaches that there is a plain, straightforward reading of the Code which has been made clear to us.

OBI-WAN: Then I'm thankful that the Coruscanti tradition is not the only Jedi tradition available to choose from.

 

EXT. TATOOINE -- DESERT -- DAY (DREAM)

On a vast, flat, wide-open desert plain, a FIGURE attired in the garb of a Tusken Raider rides alone atop his bantha mount, the wind of the suns-scorched planet whipping his robes about him.

As he rides on, the incredible heat increases and the bantha begins to pant heavily, its already slow gait becoming positively sluggish. In moments, the heavy panting turns to harsh wheezing, and before the Tusken can prepare himself, his mount collapses, throwing him off violently.

The Sand Person lands face-first on the sand but is unharmed. Groaning, he pushes himself up and rises back to his feet. As he turns to face his fallen bantha, he watches as it suddenly dries up -- mummifying instantly -- before crumbling to dust. Sighing despondently, the Raider turns away from where his dead mount was and continues on his way.

As the Tusken makes his way along the sand, he, too, begins to pant harshly, the unholy heat of his environment penetrating his protective coverings and seeping through into his body underneath.

FEMALE VOICE: (O.C.) You have reached the end of your journey, weary traveller. Discard your robes.

TUSKEN: (confused) What?

FEMALE VOICE: (O.C.) Discard your robes.

TUSKEN: What!? No! If I do that, I'll die!

FEMALE VOICE: No, you won't. You will be protected. (beat) Discard your robes.

Reluctantly, the Sand Person decides to obey the disembodied voice. He strips off his robes, unravels his head coverings, and removes his protective goggles and filter mask, revealing that he is actually Anakin underneath. His skin immediately begins to smoulder under the furnace heat surrounding him.

ANAKIN: (in pain) Oh, God! The heat! The heat! It's burning me! It's burning me!

FEMALE VOICE: (O.S.) Have faith -- you will be delivered.

With those words, Anakin's surroundings begin to change. From out of nowhere, blood-red clouds begin to fill the clear sky of Tatooine, blocking out the suns for the first time in uncounted eons. The heavy red clouds then release their burden and a torrential rainfall drops from the overcast sky, hitting the thirsty sands of Tatooine with the force of liquid bullets.

As each drop of blood is eagrely absorbed into the arid earth, red vegetation sprouts from where they fell, growing and spreading rapidly with unbridled ferocity. As the vegetation spreads across the face of the desert, the rains comes to an end, leaving the once-desolate landscape transformed into a vibrant red rainforest.

ANAKIN: (astonished) What?

FEMALE VOICE: (O.S.) Turn around, dear one.

Hearing the voice immediately behind him, Anakin spins around. There, standing before him, is a WOMAN; tall with bronze skin, she is attired in only the scantest of translucent garments, her entire face concealed behind a veil. Behind her, towering over them both like a dark god from a lost age, is an immense pyramid of black basalt.

BRONZE PRIESTESS: (gestures for him to follow) Come. Follow me inside.

Turning around, she walks into the pyramid's open entrance and vanishes from sight, merging with the black edifice's ebon interior. With hesitation and fear, but also too much curiosity, Anakin follows after her into the towering pyramid.

INT. PYRAMID/ENTRANCE TUNNEL -- DAY (DREAM)

Cautiously, Anakin makes his way through the tight tunnel. Though the tunnel is pitch black, there is a bright white light waiting for him at the end.

INT. PYRAMID/WHITE ROOM -- DAY (DREAM)

Anakin enters the room at the end of the tunnel and finds it filled with a blinding, sourceless white light. In the centre of the room -- standing on end before the mysterious bronze-skinned woman -- is a sarcophagus carved elaborately out of semi-luminescent pearlwood.

BRONZE PRIESTESS: (turns to Anakin) Open it.

ANAKIN: Excuse me?

BRONZE PRIESTESS: (a hint of anger in her voice) Open it.

Shrugging, Anakin steps forward, passing her and walking up to the sarcophagus. Reaching forward he grasps the lid of the sarcophagus and, with visible strain, pulls it away.

Inching the lid away from the rest of the sarcophagus, he pushes it forward, allowing it to fall to the floor away from him, then turns to regard the contents of the sarcophagus.

Though centuries dead, the desiccated corpse within the sarcophagus is unmistakably Anakin's.

Recoiling in horror, Anakin spins around to face the strange woman who led him into this place. Lunging forward, he grabs hold of her veil and pulls it off; there, her eyes glowing a preternatural yellow and her black lips spread wide in a hideous rictus grin, is the face of Nashira.

ANAKIN: Nashira!

BRONZE PRIESTESS: Hello, lover.

Lunging forward, this horrifically beautiful woman with Nashira's face grabs Anakin by his. Pulling him to her, she opens her mouth and a long, teal-black tongue covered in tiny razor-sharp teeth darts out. Bringing her tongue upward, she licks him across the face, splitting the flesh of it wide open.

INT. DANIA VII -- BUNKER 13/LEVEL 9/ANAKIN & NASHIRA'S QUARTERS/MAIN ROOM -- EVENING

Anakin wakes up on the sofa to find Nashira sitting over him, her lips pressed down over his in a kiss. Horrified, he shoots upright in bed, pushing her violently away from him. She falls backward onto the floor, landing hard on her backside.

NASHIRA: (angry) What did you do that for?

Anakin can't answer. All he can do is stare at her, breathing heavily with fear from the terrifying nightmare he just experienced.

 

EXT. RAINFOREST -- DAY

Zull races through the heart of Dania VII's untouched rainforest, running with the grace and speed of an agile gazelle. To cope with the humid climate of the forest, she has traded in her black bodysuit for a pair of tan shorts and tank top, allowing the sweat on her toned arms, legs, and midriff to glisten under the sunlight. Through all the hard work she is putting her body through, her breathing remains calm and even.

Soon she breaks through the trees and comes to the edge of a ravine. Taking a great leap, she lands on a dead log sitting on the edge of the ravine then catapults herself high up into the air, taking her across the ravine to the other side. Hitting the ground feet-first, she somersaults across the red-orange grass then springs back up, taking off into a run again.

Entering a thick cover of trees, Zull takes a running leap and scampers up one of the thick trunks until she comes to the first thick branch. She then proceeds to jump tree-to-tree, using the Force to guide her to the safest landing point on each massive plant.

Reaching the last of the towering red-brown trees, the former Meketrex priestess finds herself looking down into a sheltered gully, within which stand black basalt ruins. Taking out her lightsaber, she ignites it and uses it to cut one end of a thick vine from the tree. Then, deactivating the lightsaber and replacing it on her person, she takes hold of the vine and launches herself off the tree, swinging all the way down to the gully below.

Once she reaches a safe distance, she releases the vine and allows herself to free-fall the rest of the way down. Using the Force, she directs herself to a large pond, and with a large SPLASH she lands. Rising up out of the water with the grace of a swan, she makes her way out of the pond and begins walking toward the nearest ruin.

PRE VIZSLA: (O.S.) You've arrived. I'm glad you could make it, Zull.

Turning toward the sound of the voice, she finds Vizsla seated up on a half-crumbled stone wall. Like Zull, he has ditched his Mandalorian regalia for more convenient clothing -- in his case, a simple pair of brown pants; his naked torso bears countless scars from countless battles.

PRE VIZSLA: (cont'd) It's exhilarating, isn't it? The sounds of the animals and the water rushing, the smells of the flowers and wet earth, the feel of the grass and soil under your feet, the flow of the wild air passing over you -- this is what it means to be in tune with all living things, to be one with the living Force. It is here where you find the divine; not in a sterile academy or a closed-in temple, but in nature, where life exists open and unchained.

ZULL: (closes her eyes and breathes in deep) I can feel the Breath flow through this place. It is incredibly strong here.

PRE VIZSLA: These ruins were built thousands of years ago by a race of powerful magi allied with the Force. When they were pristine and new, these buildings served as focusing lenses, conduits for the Force. Even now, long after the builders have died away and their magnificent works crumbled into dust, sites like these still retain their power.

ZULL: Is that why you're here?

PRE VIZSLA: (nods) I found this world a long time ago, when I was still a Jedi and an apprentice to my mistress. Even then I recognized the significant this world held, and when I joined forces with Death Watch, it was I who suggested we make this our capital.

ZULL: You were a Jedi?

PRE VIZSLA: A lifetime ago, yes.

ZULL: You never told me that.

PRE VIZSLA: I'd never got around to telling you before now. (stands up) Let me join you and I can tell you the rest.

Crouching down slightly, Vizsla leaps off the wall, landing beside Zull. They then begin to walk on towards one of the ruined temples.

PRE VIZSLA: I was born seventy-four years ago on the third moon of Abdju, before the Clone Wars, back when the Empire was still the Republic. (beat) As a child, I was often sick. My parents tried their best to take care of me, but they were poor farmers on a poor world ... they couldn't do much. All they could do was pray, and that was what they did -- when I was burning with fever, when I was vomiting from nausea, they prayed. (beat) Then one day, their prayers were answered; from the heart of the Republic came a Jedi, a knight working on behalf of the Acquisition Division of the Coruscanti Order. She came to my village, and there she discovered me -- a small boy of six, weak and sick to the point of death. (beat) Normally, the Coruscanti Jedi do not accept children over five years of age for training, but an exception was made in my case as I didn't have much time left to me. (beat) So, in the hands of my new teacher, I was taken from Abdju III, taken from my parents, and brought to one of the Inner Rim worlds, where I was immediately placed into medical care and nursed to full health.

ZULL: It sounds to me that without their intervention you would have died. Why do you hate the Jedi so much?

PRE VIZSLA: When I was separated from my parents, I doubt either of them truly knew what that entailed. My mistress had made it clear to them that the Order didn't accept older children into their ranks, but she had failed to mention that once children were taken away for training, they were never allowed to see their parents again. There was to be no sending of letters or transmissions -- no communication or contact of any kind.

ZULL: Didn't you try to contact them anyway?

PRE VIZSLA: I had been taken from them at a young age, and my training kept me occupied, so my thoughts of them went to the back of my mind and sat there, collecting dust until I barely remembered them at all. (beat) That changed when I was twenty-five, when my brother -- a brother I had never known -- managed to make contact with me. From him I had learned that my parents had tried to get in touch with me for years, had tried to convince the Jedi Council to allow us to meet, but that they had been denied every time.

ZULL: What did you do then?

PRE VIZSLA: Then, I did nothing. (beat) I was still ensnared in Jedi dogma at the time and felt it was my duty not only to ignore my family, but reject them. So I told my brother to leave me alone, to tell our parents to leave me alone, to let me serve my purpose as a Jedi for the Republic. (beat) So he left me alone. They all left me alone.

ZULL: You never heard from them again.

PRE VIZSLA: No, I heard from my brother again, one last time, several years later. (beat) He called to inform me that our parents were dead, both killed in the same farming accident.

ZULL: That is why you grew to hate the Jedi.

PRE VIZSLA: I hated myself but I hadn't learned to despise the Jedi. That came later, after I met Kryze ...

ZULL: Your lover.

PRE VIZSLA: My wife. (beat) We met during the First Clone War, on some backwater planet the name of which I don't even remember. (beat) I was thirty-seven at the time, a lieutenant in the 373rd Jedi Regiment.

ZULL: Jedi regiment?

PRE VIZSLA: The Jedi were greater in number in those days. It wasn't uncommon to find battalions consisting solely of Jedi pitched in battle against the Mandalorian hordes. (beat) This was before the wars took their toll on them. (beat) Kryze was a non-sensitive, a soldier in an average Republican regiment which had been reinforcing our position against the Mandalorians. She wasn't classically beautiful, but she had a way about her -- an aura of strength and determination -- that I found instantly appealing, alluring. In spite of all I had been taught to believe, I wanted to hold her, to touch her ...

ZULL: To make love to her.

PRE VIZSLA: Yes. More than anything, I wanted to make love to her, to join her body with mine and share myself with her, because I knew -- I knew -- that I was missing something; a part of myself had been stolen away when the Jedi stole me away from my mother and father, a part that could only be replaced by this woman, this Force-blind woman my teachers had taught me to shun and disassociate myself from. (beat) It took time. Our love didn't blossom in a day, and when it did, we still took it slow, so very slow, but we loved each other -- we learned to love each other -- and it was beautiful.

ZULL: But something happened to her.

PRE VIZSLA: She died. This was after the first war, in the years leading up to the war with the Separatists. It wasn't even in battle; she died of disease. Ironically, it was a strain of the very same virus which caused my sickness as a child that took her life. (beat) In the aftermath of her death, in all the legal hassle that followed, the Council finally learned of our marriage. Only months after her funeral, while I was still grieving, they berated me for falling in love with her, stripped me of my rank, and excommunicated me from the Order.

ZULL: (bows her head) I'm sorry.

PRE VIZSLA: For a very long time I was lost. I became a mercenary and fought for both sides during the Second Clone War. I didn't have any loyalties, no cause -- I was dead inside and only wanted to strike back at everything and everyone, to make them feel as dead as I felt. (beat) But then I was hired by some minor warlord and put to work alongside a band of Mandalorian mercenaries in his employ. (beat) We had absolutely nothing in common; fact of the matter was that I loathed Mandalorians. But as we worked together, I came to see them in a new light; in spite of how far they had fallen following their civil war, they still had honour and dignity and a yearning to see their civilization restored; they had everything I had lost after Kryze died and the Jedi abandoned me. I envied them, and in time, I grew to admire them. As I admired them, I began to learn from them.

ZULL: They taught you to embrace both sides of the Force?

PRE VIZSLA: They taught me how to teach myself what I already knew.

Having completed their short trek, Vizsla and Zull now stand within the ruins of an ancient temple. Beams of sunlight stream in through the various holes and windows of the place, cutting thick lines of yellow illumination through the gloomy darkness within.

PRE VIZSLA: The galaxy has grown rotten, poisoned from within by the Empire, the Jedi, and the Clonemasters, but here, on this planet, there is purity. From here, we will bear witness to the new dawn of the Mandalorian civilization. From here, we will go forth with our army of Mandalorian Knights and, like a spear of light, pierce the hearts of our enemies. We will bring peace and restore order to the galaxy.

Absentmindedly, Zull reaches down and puts her hand across her belly, placing it over the slightly swollen area her three-month old fetus lies developing within.

 

INT. TRAINING CENTRE 14/ROOM 112 -- DAY

Within Room 112 of Training Centre 14, several students sit seated at desks, their attentions rapt upon the INSTRUCTOR standing at the head of the class. The instructor, for his part, desperately tries to get a malfunctioning projector to work to no avail.

INSTRUCTOR #2: (sighs) Well, this piece of garbage's busted. (to Anakin and Orowi) I want you two to go to the supply room and bring back another projector.

OROWI: Why both us?

INSTRUCTOR #2: (rolls his eyes) Do you know how heavy one of these things is? I send only one of you and it'll take you half an hour dragging it here.

OROWI: I don't know if I can lift something that heavy.

INSTRUCTOR #2: You can fly, can't you? You'll be air support. Now go!

With the instructor's command, Anakin and his Toydarian friend both rise to leave the classroom.

INT. TRAINING CENTRE 14/CORRIDOR -- DAY

As they make their way down the empty corridor to the supply room, Orowi flies up beside Anakin, who stares blindly ahead with his mind a million kilometres away.

OROWI: I never studied the uprising in school, but from what I did hear about it, it didn't happen the way Poule says it did. What do you think?

ANAKIN: (absentminded) Uh-huh, yeah.

OROWI: (annoyed) Anakin!

ANAKIN: (snaps out of his trance) Hu-wha!?

OROWI: You weren't listening to me.

ANAKIN: Sorry. I've got a trillion things on my mind.

OROWI: I noticed. You've been like that all day. What's the matter?

ANAKIN: I don't know if I should talk about it.

OROWI: Why not?

ANAKIN: Well, it's kind of embarrassing.

OROWI: Oh, c'mon -- gimme the prize.

ANAKIN: (under his breath) It's about Nashira.

OROWI: It's not that time of month, is it?

ANAKIN: (cont'd) She kissed me last night.

The Toydarian freezes, hovering in mid-air.

OROWI: Kissed you?

ANAKIN: (alarmed) Not so loud!

OROWI: (covers his mouth) Sorry! (beat) What did you do? Did you ... you know ... return it?

ANAKIN: (frowns) Of course not. (beat) I pushed her.

OROWI: (cocks an eyebrow) Pushed her?

ANAKIN: I didn't mean to, but she kissed me right when I was waking up from a nightmare.

OROWI: Must have been some nightmare.

Anakin's face goes stoney for a moment.

OROWI: Hit a nerve?

ANAKIN: Yes.

OROWI: I guess we shouldn't talk about it anymore.

The two then end their conversation, continuing on their way to the supply room.

ANAKIN: The nightmare was about Nashira.

OROWI: I thought we weren't going to talk about it anymore.

ANAKIN: (cont'd) She appeared in my dream, but she wasn't really Nashira. She was this beautiful woman who wore her face, but it wasn't her.

OROWI: This doesn't really sound like a nightmare to me.

ANAKIN: She led me into a pyramid, to a stone coffin. When I opened it up, I found my own body inside, then she licked my face.

OROWI: Odd but still kinky.

ANAKIN: (frowns) Would you quit it with the stupid jokes? It isn't funny.

OROWI: Sorry ...

ANAKIN: (cont'd) Her tongue was long and a dark blue or green, covered in tiny, sharp teeth. When she licked my face, she tore it right open. (beat) I can still feel those teeth cutting into me.

OROWI: Odd that you should have that dream right when she was kissing you. Coincidences will happen, I suppose.

ANAKIN: But was it a coincidence?

OROWI: I'm not following.

ANAKIN: Maybe it's a sign, a warning. Maybe the Force is trying to tell me something about 'Shira.

OROWI: Like what?

ANAKIN: I don't know.

OROWI: Did you tell her about the dream?

ANAKIN: I just told her I had a nightmare. I didn't tell her she was in it or that she was a face-eating monster.

OROWI: Maybe you should tell her about it.

ANAKIN: What good would that do?

Orowi simply shrugs.

ANAKIN: (cont'd) Telling her would only freak her out. She's sensitive enough as it is.

They finally come to the door leading into the supply room. Reaching out, Orowi pushes a button set into the door's control panel and it slides open.

INT. TRAINING CENTRE 14/SUPPLY ROOM -- DAY

Stepping inside, they find the room pitch black within.

ANAKIN: It's like a black hole in here. Turn the light on, would ya?

Orowi presses the button for the lights and a dim, gray illumination barely fills the room.

ANAKIN: (sarcastic) Oh, that's so much better.

OROWI: Don't complain to me about it. It's not my fault they haven't changed the tubes.

Taking care not to trip or fly into any obstacles, they make their way deeper into the heavily cluttered supply room.

OROWI: You see one of those projectors lying anywhere?

ANAKIN: Not yet, I --

Anakin freezes as a shape moves in the corner of his vision. Turning to his left, he finds a hulking humanoid shape standing in the deep shadow, its arms wrapped around a cylinder-shaped piece of machinery.

Before either Anakin or Orowi can say or do anything, the shape lunges out of the shadows and takes off into a sprint towards them. Emerging from the deep shadow, the shape reveals itself to be Gurkan the Abyssin. Without so much as a growl, he plows right through Anakin and Orowi, knocking them both sprawling to the floor as he dashes out the door.

OROWI: (rubbing his head) What just hit us?

ANAKIN: I think that was Gurkan. He was holding onto something.

OROWI: What?

ANAKIN: Some piece of machinery, I guess. I didn't get a good look at it.

Together, the two friends right themselves.

OROWI: The way he took off when he saw us tells me that he wasn't supposed to be in here. Maybe we should tell someone.

ANAKIN: Tell someone? Why should we do that?

OROWI: He could be planning to do something with whatever it was he took.

ANAKIN: Oh, really? Like what?

OROWI: You tell me. Maybe he's going to build a bomb with it.

ANAKIN: If he's building a bomb, then let him build a bomb. Maybe he'll blow this place straight to hell and give us the chance to escape. It'll give the Mandies a great big headache they deserve, that's for damned sure. (beat) C'mon, let's find that stupid projector.

Orowi goes quiet. Silently, they continue their search for the elusive projector.

 

INT. MESS HALL -- DAY

Within the public mess hall, Siri stands in a lineup with a metal tray in her hands, patiently waiting her turn to reach the food counter. Once she reaches the counter, she picks up a garto egg salad sandwich and a slice of Stenness pie and then, paying for both, moves off to find a table.

NASHIRA: (O.S.) Siri! Hey, Siri! Over here!

Siri looks about the mess hall and finds Nashira sitting alone at one of the tables located roughly in the centre of the complex. The eleven-year-old girl grins broadly, waving her right arm enthusiastically around in the air.

NASHIRA: (cont'd) I saved you a seat!

Giving Nashira a polite nod of acknowledgement, Siri walks over to her table. Placing her tray down on the opposite side of the table facing Nashira, the Jedi knight sits down with the young strawberry blonde. Nashira, still grinning broadly, shovels a large bite of bluish pasta into her hungry mouth.

NASHIRA: (talking with her mouth full) What'd you get?

SIRI: (takes a small bite out of her sandwich, chews it, then swallows) garto egg salad sandwich and Stenness pie.

NASHIRA: (swallows) I'm having spacoghetti.

SIRI: (eyes the saucy blue noodles warily) Looks great.

NASHIRA: It looks like crap and tastes worse. (beat) I had real spacoghetti back at school, you know, with real bantha cheese sauce. It was excellent. (beat) How's your sandwich?

SIRI: (grins) It tastes like melted plasteel. (lifts up her sandwich and peers between the slices of bread) It looks like melted plasteel.

NASHIRA: (giggles) I hope the pie's better.

As the two continue to eat their meals, Primeday Surprise makes her way over to their table, a tray loaded with a plate of Primeday Surprise in her hands. Noticing the H'nemthe, the two humans turn to regard her.

SIRI: Primeday!

PRIMEDAY: You wouldn't mind if I joined you.

SIRI: No, of course not. Take a seat.

PRIMEDAY: (cocks a brow) You make it sound as if I was asking a question.

Placing her tray down on the table, Primeday sits down beside Nashira.

SIRI: I don't believe the two of you have been introduced. Nashira, this is Primeday Surprise. Primeday, this is Nashira DuQuesne.

NASHIRA: (turns to Primeday, her hand held out in greeting) Nice to meet you.

Turning to acknowledge the young human girl, Primeday opens her mouth and her long, razor-sharp tongue whips out. As it writhes like an erratic snake before Nashira's face, the girl recoils, her eyes wide with terror. Then, with a loud SLURP, the H'nemthe's impressive tongue returns back inside her mouth.

PRIMEDAY: Charmed.

Her eyes frozen wide open, Nashira turns to regard Siri with a questioning expression on her face.

SIRI: (shrugs) Traditional H'nemthe greeting. It's their way of shaking hands.

PRIMEDAY: I never understood your genus' penchant for clasping hands as a form of greeting. It's an excellent way of exchanging filthy germs.

SIRI: I didn't know you had any rest periods this time of day, Primeday.

PRIMEDAY: I don't.

SIRI: (frowns) You don't? Then what are you doing here?

PRIMEDAY: (takes a bite out of her Primeday Surprise) I was hungry and I felt like eating out.

NASHIRA: But you'll get in trouble.

PRIMEDAY: Only if I want to.

NASHIRA: (confused) What?

SIRI: (to Nashira) She talks like this all the time.

PRIMEDAY SURPRISE: That is true, but only from a three-dimensional point of view.

NASHIRA: (frowns) Three-dimensional ...?

SIRI: Don't bother asking. You won't get an answer that makes any sense.

The three compatriots then continue eating their meals. As they eat, four towering male figures -- a dark-skinned HUMAN, a blue-skinned PANTORAN, a GRAN, and a MUUN -- saunter over to their table. Surrounding the three females, they loom over them menacingly.

HUMAN: Hello there, girlies. Having lunch, are you?

SIRI: (finishes her sandwich) Yes.

PANTORAN: Wouldn't you like us to join you?

SIRI: (starts on her pie) No.

GRAN: No!?

MUUN: Did you hear that?!

HUMAN: But my dear blond bonnie, you are just three females, all here by your lonesome. You need male companionship.

PANTORAN: Male companionship to keep you safe.

GRAN: After all, three females all alone? That's a recipe for abuse.

MUUN: You wouldn't want to be abused, would you?

The four punks giggle fiercely at their own poor attempts at humour.

HUMAN: C'mon, babes, join us outside. We've got a nice dessert for y'all.

NASHIRA: (annoyed) Get lost, feebs!

The four punks recoil from her words with mock outrage.

PANTORAN: Did you hear that? Did you hear what she called us?

GRAN: She called us feebs!

MUUN: Feebs? We?

HUMAN: How rude!

The punks giggle again. Her annoyance now turning to anger, Nashira pushes herself upright and then strides over to face the human punk.

NASHIRA: You think you're prime stuff, don't you? Well, you want to know what you really are?

PANTORAN: What are we? Really?

NASHIRA: You're all just scruffy-looking nerf herders!

All four punks go silent. That silence only lasts a moment, however, and is immediately broken by their riotous laughter.

GRAN: Nerf herders? Scruffy-looking?

MUUN: What kind of laserbrained insult is that?!

Hearing their dismissive laughter, Nashira loses her composure. Grinning animalistically, the human steps forward towards her, forcing her to step back into the Pantoran.

HUMAN: You've got a nasty mouth on you, girl, you know that?

NASHIRA: (afraid) I --

HUMAN: Yeah, young and nasty, just the way I like 'em.

Suddenly the human punk grabs hold of Nashira. Wrapping her in an iron bear hug, he lifts her flailing form up.

HUMAN: Let's take her out back and have some fun, boys!

Realizing where this is going, Siri springs into action. Lunging at the human, she wraps her arms around his throat and pulls him backward, forcing him to let Nashira go as she flings him back over her shoulder to crash into the neighbouring table.

PANTORAN: Jedi slut!

The remaining punks then go on the offensive and attack the girls en masse. Screaming, Nashira runs away, leaving Siri and Primeday to fight the punks. The human punk, regaining his composure, rises up from the smashed remains of the table to stiffly run after her.

EXT. MESS HALL -- DAY

Leaving the mess hall, Nashira screams out at the bystanders.

NASHIRA: Help us! Please, help us! We're being attacked!

Before Nashira can continue her entreaties, the human punk comes limping out of the mess hall entrance behind her.

HUMAN: (angry) Come here!

Seeing him, Nashira releases a piercing shriek then takes off into a run again. Grimacing, the punk follows after her in a half-limp, half-run.

INT. MESS HALL -- DAY

Together, Siri and Primeday face the remaining three punks. Like the Jedi and the H'nemthe, they are all well trained in the Force, but unlike the Jedi and H'nemthe, they happen to be armed with fully-charged-and-activated vibroblades.

GRAN: We have the Force, too, ladies.

MUUN: We also have weapons, which you don't.

PRIMEDAY: But you don't have any weapons.

MUUN: (confused) Huh?

To elaborate, Primeday shoots her long tongue out at the Muun. Unwisely standing too close to the H'nemthe, he has no time to move out of the way as her razor-sharp tongue pierces his throat. Gurgling, he drops his vibroblade and collapses to the floor.

PANTORAN: Muun!

GRAN: You iced Muun!

The Gran lunges at Primeday, his violently-vibrating blade held high. At he brings it down, though, instead of slashing into her flesh, it seems to merely pass right through her, the blade itself fading from existence as it emerges from her body.

GRAN: What in --?

Bringing forth her ebony cane, Primeday slams the head of it into the Gran's temple, knocking him out instantly.

The Pantoran then attacks Siri, making a series of violent slashes with his vibroblade as he comes at her. Siri dodges each strike, but as he moves forward he increases the ferocity of his attack, forcing her to fight to stay out of reach of his blade.

Finally Siri takes a misstep and the vibroblade glances across her flank. Crying out in agony, she falters, dropping to her knee. Grimacing, she presses a hand against the wound to staunch the flow of blood.

PANTORAN: Feel my penetration, witch!

As the Pantoran punk moves to deliver the killing blow, Siri opens herself to the Force and allows it to invigorate her and drive the pain from her body. Springing back up, she catches his wrist in a vice-like grip and, with a sharp twist, snaps it, disarming him instantly.

SIRI: Not today, handsome.

Throwing her head forward, she head-butts the Pantoran. Knocked senseless, he collapses into the table behind him, flipping both it and himself over in the process.

SIRI: (turns to Primeday) Are you okay?

PRIMEDAY: Yes and no.

Siri then looks about the mess hall, searching the awestruck spectators surrounding the two of them for Nashira; the preteenaged girl is nowhere to be found among them.

SIRI: (frowns) Where's Nashira?

EXT. ALLEYWAY -- DAY

Fleeing down a narrow alley between two buildings, Nashira soon comes to a dead end. Panicking, she looks around for an unlocked door to escape through but can find none.

HUMAN: (O.S.) C'mere, girl!

Unable to escape, 'Shira just stands and waits as the human punk enters the alleyway. Grinning, he limps his way over to her. Frozen in terror, Nashira can do nothing but cry as the punk grabs her by the collar and forces her up against the wall.

HUMAN: Oh, stop that crying, girl. (sticks a finger in her open mouth and runs it across the front of her teeth) Behave and it won't hurt any more than it has to.

Just as the punk leans forward to plant a lecherous kiss on the young girl's mouth, another shape enters the alley behind them, interrupting him.

ZULL: (enraged) You, there! What are you doing?!

Hearing the force behind that strong voice, the human punk spins around to look behind him with fear in his eyes. Standing there in the alley, attired in the full robes and armour of a Mandalorian Knight, is Zull Uquesne.

HUMAN: Uh, I was only playing with her. I was just playing --

Full of silent menace, Zull strides toward the punk. Unhooking her lightsaber, she engages the chartreuse blade.

HUMAN: Hey! Hey, now! I said I was just --

With a flash of yellow-green fire, Zull lops both of the punk's arms off at the elbow.

HUMAN: YYYEEEAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!

His arm stumps smouldering, the punk collapses to his knees, his mouth wide open in extreme pain. Stepping closer to him, Zull levels the point of her lightsaber towards his open mouth.

ZULL: I know exactly what it was you were trying to do with this girl, you swine, and it certainly wasn't "playing".

HUMAN: (grimacing) Don't kill me!

ZULL: If you'd gotten further with her, I would have.

Zull then lowers the blade of her weapon. Believing himself to be in the clear, the punk laughs lightly with relief. That laugh quickly turns to a scream as Zull disarms him of his primary weapon.

ZULL: If your right eye offends you, pluck it out.

Drawing her saber back, Zull allows the punk to collapse forward. As he whimpers with pain, she deactivates the lightsaber and returns it to her belt. She then turns to regard Nashira, who remains standing against the wall, frozen in stark terror.

ZULL: (reaches her hand out toward 'Shira) It's alright now. He won't try to hurt you ever again.

Nashira remains standing there, afraid of both her disarmed assailant and this terrifying Mandalorian warrior.

ZULL: It's alright, beautiful, you don't have to be afraid of me. I'm a friend.

When the strawberry blond girl still refuses to comply, Zull reaches up and removes her helmet, exposing her beautiful face to the child.

ZULL: (smiles) You see? I'm a friend. I won't hurt you. I would never hurt you.

Tentatively, Nashira leaves the wall and walks over to Zull. Smiling down on the girl, Zull takes her by the hand.

ZULL: What's your name, beautiful?

NASHIRA: Nashira.

ZULL: Where are you supposed to be right now, Nashira?

NASHIRA: My next course starts in eighteen minutes.

ZULL: Consider it cancelled.

NASHIRA: (disbelieving) Really?

ZULL: You've earned the rest of the day off. I'll see to it that it's made official.

NASHIRA: (smiles slightly) Thanks. (beat) What's your name?

ZULL: My name's Zull.

NASHIRA: That's an unusual name.

ZULL: (laughs) I'm sure it is in this part of the galaxy.

As they stand there, human and Meketrex, hand-in-hand, Siri and Primeday arrive. Running up to them, Siri drops down in front of 'Shira and puts her
hands on the young girl's face.

SIRI: (concerned) Are you alright, Nashira? Did he hurt you in any way?

NASHIRA: He would have, but Zull saved me.

Looking up at Zull, Siri regards the near-human woman for the first time, an expression of distrust on her face.

ZULL: I got here just in time to stop him. (beat) He didn't defile her.

SIRI: Thank you. (stands back up) Can we take her back with us now?

ZULL: (nods) She's allowed the rest of the day off. Take her back to her residence and see that she gets some rest.

SIRI: I will.

Releasing her hand, Zull allows Nashira to leave with Siri and Primeday. As they leave, Zull watches them, her eyes brimming with tears waiting to be shed.

 

EXT. VOLCANIC MOON -- PLATEAU -- TWILIGHT

On the surface of a moon several light-years away from the Dania system, a Theta-class shuttle and three TIE fighters sit atop a plateau overlooking a landscape dotted by several smouldering volcanoes. The air thick with ash, the mother planet of the moon can barely be seen as a hazy, dirty purple half-disk in the dark black-and-gray sky.

A ways away from the shuttle and TIEs, FIVE FIGURES can be seen fleeing from a LARGE SWARM OF HOSTILE NATIVES; they are all crew members of the Deliverer, a search party led by COMMANDER SALEM PIKER. As the hostile natives -- heavily-armoured humanoid feminoids with prominent forehead ridges, pointed ears, and dark green skin -- close in on the party, they take aim with their staff-shaped energy weapons and open fire, sending beams of devastating orange-and-yellow energy toward the visitors; the party members return the favour by firing green blaster bolts at them.

CMDR. PIKER: C'mon, now! Hurry it along! Move, move, move!

In a few short minutes, the crew members of the Deliverer make it to their ships. Wasting no time, they hurry to climb aboard their starcrafts.

INT. THETA-CLASS SHUTTLE/COCKPIT -- TWILIGHT

Clambering into the shuttle, Piker enters the cockpit and quickly sits down beside the pilot.

CMDR. PIKER: Take us out of here!

Obeying instantly, the pilot engages the shuttle's engines and prepares for liftoff.

EXT. PLATEAU -- TWILIGHT

The alien warriors arrive just the four starships take off. Aiming their weapons skyward, they open fire; while one of the TIEs is quickly overtaken by the devastating beams and reduced to an orange fireball, the remaining craft manage to evade the lances of energy and escape to the ash-filled sky above.

INT. THETA-CLASS SHUTTLE/COCKPIT -- TWILIGHT

CMDR. PIKER: (exhales loudly) That was too close.

PILOT: It isn't over yet, Commander. I'm picking up ten alien fighters closing in on us from behind.

CMDR. PIKER: (annoyed) Oh, for the love of Clapton!

EXT. SPACE -- VOLCANIC MOON

As the Theta-class shuttle and its escort of twin TIE fighters escape the atmosphere of the moon behind them, ten medium-sized fighters shaped like foreboding birds of prey converge on them, discharging orange-yellow energy beams their way. Two of the beams pass right through the shields of the shuttle and burn through the left wing, severing it from the rest of the craft.

INT. THETA-CLASS SHUTTLE/COCKPIT

CMDR. PIKER: What the hell was that!?

PILOT: Whatever those beams are made of, they passed right through our shields. Our left wing has been sheared completely off.

CMDR. PIKER: How long to hyperlaunch?

PILOT: Just under a minute, sir.

EXT. SPACE

As the seconds pass by, one of the enemy fighters succeeds in blowing one of the TIEs away.

INT. THETA-CLASS SHUTTLE/COCKPIT

PILOT: Coordinates locked ... now!

CMDR. PIKER: Punch it!

The pilot pulls back a lever and the stars outside the cockpit window suddenly elongate into infinite strings of white light.

EXT. SPACE

Both the shuttle and the remaining TIE fighter make the jump into hyperspace, leaving the enemy ships behind.

INT. THETA-CLASS SHUTTLE/COCKPIT

CMDR. PIKER: (sighs) I hope they can't follow us through hyperspace.

INT. DELIVERER/DOCKING BAY

Sometime later, the Theta-class shuttle and the last remaining TIE fighter return to the Deliverer through the open docking bay. As they touch down, Bail arrives to greet them. The shuttle's hatch opens and lowers, allowing Piker and the rest of the team members aboard the craft to climb out. As the commander wearily runs a hand through his hair, Bail walks up to him.

BAIL: How did it go, Commander?

CMDR. PIKER: I'm sorry, sir, but the moon was a dead end. When we went to check out that base, all we found were natives -- very beautiful, very deadly, natives. (beat) If there were ever any Mandies there, they left or were slaughtered by the locals a long time ago.

BAIL: (sighs) This was our best lead.

CMDR. PIKER: I'm sorry, sir.

BAIL: Don't be. (beat) We'll just have to keep looking.

Turning his back on Salem Piker, Admiral Bail Organa leaves.

INT. DANIA VII -- BUNKER 13/LEVEL 9/ANAKIN & NASHIRA'S QUARTERS/MAIN ROOM -- DAY

The door to the room opens, allowing Nashira to step inside. Turning around, she makes eye contact with
Siri, who remains standing outside.

SIRI: I have another shift coming up, but if you want, I can request a reprieve so I can stay here and keep you company.

NASHIRA: Thanks, Siri, but it's alright. I'll be fine 'til Nik gets back.

SIRI: The Mandalorian told me you should get some rest --

NASHIRA: (interrupting) Zull. Her name's Zull.

SIRI: (cont'd) Zull told me you should get some rest, so that's what I want you to do. Lie down, take a nap, do whatever, just take it easy, okay?

NASHIRA: (pouting) I'm not a baby, Siri.

SIRI: That's right, you're not. Babies can't follow directions -- you can, and you will, won't you?

NASHIRA: (bobs her head side-to-side in an exaggerated manner) Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SIRI: Good. (beat) Goodnight, 'Shira. I'll catch you tomorrow, hopefully.

NASHIRA: Goodnight.

With that, Siri turns and leaves. Sealing the door shut after her, Nashira then turns and walks over to the room's solitary sofa. With an exaggerated sigh, she throws herself down onto it then, picking up and activating a datapad, begins to read.

NASHIRA: Now, where was I ...?

Scanning through the story datacard, she finds the last page she was on. Meanwhile behind her, the door to the refresher slowly slides open.

NASHIRA: (shakes her head) Why do I read this junk? Arul Sthein can't write for squat.

As 'Shira continues to read, a dark humanoid shape steps out of the 'fresher and slowly heads toward her. As it holds out its hand, light gleams off the blade of a crudely-fashioned, homemade knife.

NASHIRA: Stang! Reva's a real bit --

The shape suddenly grabs Nashira by her head and pulls it back, exposing her naked throat to the crude blade it places against her.

GURKAN: If you want to live, you'll keep quiet and come with me now.