EXT. GEONOSIS – RAVINE – DAY
A hunting party led by the lieutenant governor explores a narrow ravine, on the prowl for prey. Unbeknownst to them, SEVERAL SILHOUETTED STALKERS prowl them, following them silently from above as they make their way through the ravine.
One of the stalkers dislodges several pebbles, and they trickle into the ravine, drawing the attention of the hunters. The stalkers quickly halt and duck out of sight, sparing them discovery. After several tense moments pass, the hunters resume their stride, as do the stalkers.
The stalkers soon make their move. Dropping down into the ravine, armed with blasters and vibroblades and improvised weapons, they attack the hapless hunters.
EXT. GEONOSIS – CONDAWNI CAMP – DAY
A Yakora sentry is seated upon a boulder, keeping a lookout through her macrobinoculars when Chlorian pays her a visit. When she remarks that the lieutenant governor’s hunting party should have returned hours ago, Chlorians takes the macrobinocs from her and surveys the horizon for a sign of the hunters, finding none.
EXT. GEONOSIS – RAVINE – DAY
At the head of a search party, Chlorian explores the ravine, looking for signs of the hunting party’s passing. It doesn’t take them long to come upon evidence that their compatriots met a violent fate; discarded/broken weapons, scraps of torn cloth, and spatters of dried blood mark the ground.
EXT. CORUSCANT – SENATE BUILDING – EVENING
Aglow with many dazzling white lights, the large mushroom-shaped Senate Building stands brilliant against the dark blue night sky of Coruscant, an entire universe in miniature.
INT. SENATE BUILDING/GRAND CONVOCATION CHAMBER – EVENING
The Convocation Chamber consists of a series of concentric tiers which surround a 30-metre-tall podium situated at the centre of the chamber. Lining the tiers are 1,024 repulsorpods, almost all of which have been filled up with SEVERAL THOUSAND HIGH-RANKING IMPERIAL OFFICERS – captains, commodores, generals, admirals, and moffs – who come from every corner of the Empire to Coruscant for this all-important mission briefing. Entering the chamber, Obi-Wan quickly finds a repulsorpod which still has standing room left and squeezes in amongst six officers.
Atop the podium, overlooking the thousands of Imperial officers packed like lemmings in shiny metal boxes, are three men: EMPEROR COS DASHIT, SUPREME CHANCELLOR VANTOS COLL, and MOFF MARTAIN. The supreme chancellor, a robust middle-aged Human with graying blond hair, addresses the gathering.
VANTOS COLL: Ladies and gentle-beings, His Imperial Majesty Emperor Cos Dashit!
As the emperor steps forward, the thousands of Imperial officers raise their right hands high, declaring in one collective voice “Hail the emperor!”
Adorned in robes of navy blue shimmersilk, Cos Dashit is a tall middle-aged Human with dark brown hair turned silver at the temples and a Van Dyke beard. Though he be the first Emperor of the Galactic Empire, he is no soft primped-and-preened royal; Dashit is ever the grizzled military commander, a man who has orchestrated and participated in a thousand fierce battles and will fight a thousand more at the drop of a hat.
COS DASHIT: Thank you all for coming. I know for many of you it was a long trip to Coruscant; I know the background checks upon your arrival were equally strenuous. With the Athans finding evermore ingenious ways to counter our screening processes, it was absolutely necessary for the welfare of our Empire.
With that said, the mission briefing commences. A large holographic map coalesces over the heads of the three beings situated at the podium; it is a detailed map of all the systems and hyperlanes which have become inaccessible since the Athans established the interdiction zone.
COS DASHIT: As you are all well aware, we have been cut off from the Townowi system, the Geonosis system, and all systems neighbouring. For six months, commerce and communication – all forms of contact – with those regions has been unobtainable. A vast interdiction field – the largest in recorded history – has been determined to be the source of this phenomena. (turns to Martain) Moff Martain?
The moff, a lean Duros male, takes the emperor’s place.
MOFF MARTAIN: With information procured from an enemy agent, we have learned that the interdiction zone is being maintained from a single node: an Athan battlemoon.
The holographic map is enlarged and expanded until it comes to focus in upon the battlemoon’s region of space.
IMPERIAL OFFICER #1: A battlemoon? But weren’t all three battlemoons destroyed above Mustafar?
IMPERIAL OFFICER #2: All three that we knew of.
MOFF MARTAIN: (cont’d) It is located in the Townowi system itself. (beat) Using Athan passcodes, we will send a squad through the interdiction zone. Upon rendezvousing with the battlemoon, they will commandeer the station’s Overbridge, where they will be able to deactivate all the inter-field generators and restore the hyperlanes. (beat) Three-fourths of the Starfleet will be standing by just outside the interdiction zone. Once the squad’s mission is complete, they will radio the fleet, giving them the go-ahead to proceed with the attack. (beat) We don’t know precisely how many ships the Athans have stationed in the Townowi system, but the number must be considerable. We rout them there, I believe this war will be all but won.
The overhead hologram is then deactivated, signalling the briefing is nearing its end.
IMPERIAL OFFICER #3: Who will command the squad?
MOFF MARTHAN: Lt. Cmdr. Wilhuff Tarkin of the Imperial Navy.
With that name spoken, one of the repulsorpods detaches from its moorings and drifts out into the open air. In amongst the several officers dressed in the gray-green and black uniforms of the Imperial Navy and Army is WILHUFF TARKIN. A Human male, he is only twenty-nine years old, though some genetic condition or wasting disease has left him looking decades older. With graying brown hair already receding from the forehead, hawkish features, and deep-set, flinty blue eyes, he isn’t quite a handsome man. He’s traded physical allure for indefeatable self-confidence, and in this he glows.
INT. 662 GASGAR VALLEY APARTMENT COMPLEX/OBI-WAN & SIRI’S APARTMENT/COMM BOOTH – EVENING
Returning from the briefing, Obi-Wan enters the booth. As the messages haven’t been checked since Siri left, he figures he see what news he has in store for him. Activating the comm, he begins to watch through the recorded message.
Very soon the grim face of Dr. Nida Reyem appears on-screen.
DR. REYEM: Mr. Kenobi, I don’t know when you’ll get this message. (beat) I have very dire news. Anakin … he’s escaped. (beat) Not long after you left, he managed to somehow get free of restraints. (beat) He overpowered a nurse and snuck out of the building without anybody seeing him. We’ve alerted the authorities; they’re out looking for him. (beat) Please get back to me when you have the opportunity.
As the message ends. Obi-Wan quickly cycles through the remaining messages. There are eight more messages from the doctor; in all of them she admonishes the Jedi to get in touch with her; in none of them does she mention Anakin having been apprehended.
Turning off the comm, the Jedi Knight puts his hands to his head, in shock with mounting dread.
INT. SLIPSTREAM/ANAKIN’S QUARTERS
Anakin is seated upon the floor. Cross-legged, eyes closed, he is in deep meditation.
The door opens and Dahlia enters with a food tray in her hands, breaking Anakin’s meditation.
ANAKIN: (irate) Do you knock?
DAHLIA: Sorry. So used to having full run of the place, I forgot my manners. (hands Anakin the tray) Nerfloaf. Not very good but filling.
ANAKIN: (takes a bite) Better than MREs.
DAHLIA: You in Starfleet?
ANAKIN: Was. Army.
DAHLIA: You resigned?
ANAKIN: You could say I was discharged.
DAHLIA: Dishonourable?
ANAKIN: It certainly was.
DAHLIA: (laughs) What were you doing when I came in anyway? Starving a headache?
ANAKIN: Meditating.
DAHLIA: Meditating? (grins) What, you some sort of Jedi?
ANAKIN: (hesitates) No.
DAHLIA: You hesitated.
ANAKIN: Don’t you hesitate when someone asks a ludicrous question?
DAHLIA: What’s ludicrous? You being a Jedi?
ANAKIN: Do I look like a Jedi?
DAHLIA: What’s a Jedi look like?
ANAKIN: (points to his empty belt) Where’s my lightsaber?
DAHLIA: Perhaps you’re between lightsabers. You tell me.
ANAKIN: I have nothing to tell. I’m no Jedi.
Dahlia shrugs. Anakin continues eating.
DAHLIA: So, No Jedi, what are you hoping to find on Korriban? You’ve yet to tell me.
ANAKIN: Hope.
DAHLIA: (sighs) I’ll need a cryptographer to decrypt you.
Anakin can’t help but smile at her remark.
DAHLIA: You’re smiling; first time. You look good with one; cute. (beat) What do you need hope for?
ANAKIN: (absentminded) By the pricking of my thumbs. Something wicked this way comes ….
DAHLIA: Come again?
ANAKIN: (shakes his head) You shouldn’t concern yourself with my affairs. It’d be safer.
DAHLIA: What you just said could be considered a veiled threat.
ANAKIN: I’m not threatening you, Dahlia.
DAHLIA: You’re certainly hiding something.
ANAKIN: Only to protect you.
DAHLIA: Are you dangerous?
ANAKIN: Not directly.
DAHLIA: Akira, you’re a tough nut to crack. I’m going to love squeezing you ‘til you burst.