The Phoenix soars away from the sandy planet and back into the depths of space.
INT. NAVIGATION ROOM – NIGHT
Anakin sits back in his chair, punching buttons at the controls. Padme watches him, quietly admiring his skill.
ANAKIN
I have the course plotted for Annarasis.
Chorus replies over the intercom.
CHORUS
(voice only)
Its good to have you back Skywalker.
EXT. SPACE – NIGHT
The Phoenix zips into hyperspace disappearing amongst the stars.
INT. SHIPS MESS HALL – DAY
Obi-wan stands explaining his plan as Anakin, Padme, Captain Chorus and the two droids sit listening.
OBI-WAN
We’ll have to land undetected if possible, then we’ll find the Viceroy and with any luck our elusive assassin.
He takes a deep breath.
OBI-WAN
This is going to be very dangerous.
PADME
Why don’t we just contact the senate, once you tell them what C3P0 said surely they’d send re-enforcements, more Jedis…
OBI-WAN
All we have at the moment is evidence, what we need is hard proof. Until then I’m afraid we’re on our own.
CHORUS
He’s right. Besides, the spacing guild has a lot of influence in the set and corporate sector. Any number of senators may be on their payroll. If we call for help we may lose the element of surprise.
EXT. HYPERSPACE CORRIDOR – DAY
The Phoenix continues to zoom through space and time.
INT. MESS HALL – DAY
Captain Chorus’ men are preparing their blasters. Behind them Obi-wan is teaching Anakin to fight with his lightsaber. Padme watches with interest while sitting on one of the tables, Chorus approaches her.
CHORUS
Have you ever fired a gun?
She looks a bit shocked as he hands a blaster rifle to Padme.
PADME
Yeah. I think I can manage.
Though she doesn’t seem entirely confident.
As Chorus shows her how to properly use the blaster, we focus on Anakin and Obi-wan.
Anakin is practicing with his lightsaber deflecting tiny laser blasts that fire from the hovering remote orb, as Obi-wan watches with interest. Anakin misses one of the blasts and it strikes him in the shoulder.
ANAKIN
Ah!
OBI-WAN
Don’t try to react to the remote. Listen to your instincts and act as they tell you, anticipate what it will do next, and you’ll find that it is the remote that reacts to you.
Anakin shakes his head in frustration.
ANAKIN
I just can’t wrap my mind around that.
OBI-WAN
Tap into your unconscious the same way you do to chart a course for this ship. Chart a course for your hands then they need only follow the path you lay out for them.
Anakin nods in understanding.
ANAKIN
I’ll give it a try.
OBI-WAN
That’s all I ask.
He steels himself for another round with the remote. In a flash he deflects three blasts, anticipating the remotes moves.
He turns, smiling in disbelief to Obi-wan.
ANAKIN
I don’t believe it!
Obi-wan smiles back. As Anakin continues to practice, Kenobi approaches Chorus, handing him the shoulder pad he took from Jango.
OBI-WAN
I’ve been meaning to show you this.
Chorus studies it carefully.
CHORUS
It’s a Reek skull. Where did you get this?
OBI-WAN
From our assassin, does it mean anything to you?
Chorus seems hesitant to elaborate.
CHORUS
It’s probably nothing, but…
Obi-wan raises an eyebrow.
CHORUS
But I have heard stories, in the cantinas of distant space ports late at night, stories about an elite team of republic commandos, operating in secret, carrying out missions all over the galaxy.
OBI-WAN
Missions for whom?
CHORUS
Nobody knows. But supposedly the leader of this group is a man named Jango Fett, a hardened Colonel who bares the Reek skull as his emblem.
OBI-WAN
Is their any validity to these stories?
CHORUS
I never use to. It seemed like little more then the ramblings of drunken pilots who’d been out in space too long. But given everything that’s happened since we left Alderaan…
(beat)
Well let’s just say I’m becoming a believer.
EXT. ANNARASIS – NIGHT
The planet is harsh and inhospitable. A series of large grey craterous islands sit surrounded by lakes of bubbling green acid. The air is hazy and urine in colour, there is no wild life save for a few beasts that soar through the acrid fog like giant bats on great leathery wings.
The various rocky islands are connected by a series of bridges, which are elevated over the deadly sea of corrosive fluid, and bare tracks for futuristic train.
Near the base of one of the smaller more remote islands at the base of the summit close to the acid lake sits Slave I.
INT. BRIDGE OF SLAVE I – NIGHT
Jango is conversing with the holographic image of Commander Tarkin again.
JANGO
I’ve reached Annarasis, and I’m ready to execute the final phase of the operation.
TARKIN
Good, we’re running out of time, can your team have the charges planted within the hour?
Jango hesitates a moment before answering.
JANGO
My team is dead, all save one.
Tarkin does his best to suppress his shock and rage.
TARKIN
Dead? How?
JANGO
A rogue Jedi, he tracked us from Alderaan. Do you know anything about this?
TARKIN
He is acting alone, in violation of his orders from the senate.
JANGO
If you knew this, why didn’t you warn us? My team could of…
TARKIN
My superior was very specific that I was not to take action against this rogue Jedi, or impede his investigation.
Jango is becoming angry.
JANGO
This is insane! How can you do this? Those wizards are the enemy!
TARKIN
I believe he is being used as contingency, should fail in your mission, which you now look in danger of doing so.
Jango slams his fist down on the console.
JANGO
I will see this operation through to the end, and if I see that Jedi again I’ll make him wish he died back on Alderaan with all the others!
TARKIN
Just make sure those charges go off Colonel! Or this Jedi will be the least of your problems.
Jango deactivates the hologram and exist the bridge.
EXT. SLAVE I – NIGHT
Jango walks out of his ship, a large laser rifle in one hand, and a heavy pack filled with military equipment slung over his other shoulder. Boba is already standing outside the ship, two more packs of equipment at his feet.
JANGO
This is it Boba, we’ll have to split up to get all these charges planted on time.
He picks up a high-tech looking device with an antenna.
JANGO
Did you program the trigger frequency into this detonator like I asked?
Boba nods.
BOBA
Yes.
JANGO
Good, then we’ll rendezvous back here when we’re done, and I’ll set them off. Lets move.
Boba looks a bit annoyed, but throws the two packs over his shoulder and follows Jango onto the ghastly new planet.
EXT. PLANET ANNARASIS – NIGHT
The ship drops out of hyperspace and soars towards the sickly green planet.
INT. BRIDGE OF THE PHOENIX – NIGHT
Our heroes look through the window at the ominous new world, Obi-wan is now wearing his Jedi knight uniform again.
JETTER
I’m detecting high concentrations of sulphur and other acidic compounds.
CHORUS
Are you reading any ships or life forms?
He studies the computer screen for a moment.
JETTER
I’m picking up a lot of activity just below the planet’s surface. It’s some kind of underground complex from what I can tell, but its too deep for me to do a proper scan.
EXT. ANNARASIS CANYON – NIGHT
The Phoenix lands in narrow canyon, a moment later the landing ramp lowers and Obi-wan w