EXT. CORELLIA - SPACE

Several Republic Dreadnaughts and destroyers leave the surface of the brown-and-blue world of Corellia, flowing together into a massive armada.

A small shuttle moves with the larger cruisers off the planet on a course toward the titanic Dreadnaught flagship Sunsabre.

INT. SPACE - SHUTTLE - PASSENGER DECK

Two Jedi, a Knight and an apprentice, sit together in uncomfortable seats.

The older Jedi is Obi-Wan Kenobi. He is twenty years old, his brown hair cropped short except for the two braids which hang down from his temples. Qui-Gon is sixteen years old, with his long thick hair done up in a topknot.

Qui-Gon stares out the window to his side, an expression of uncertainty etched on his face.

QUI-GON : I have a bad feeling about this.

OBI-WAN : I don't sense anything.

QUI-GON : It's not about the mission, Obi-Wan. It's something ... elsewhere ... elusive.

OBI-WAN : Keep your concentration here and now where it belongs.

QUI-GON : Master Dooku said I should be mindful of the future ...

OBI-WAN : I’m certain Master Dooku would also tell you not to do so at the expense of the moment. (cont’d) Be mindful of the living Force and don’t focus on your anxiety.

EXT. SPACE - SUNSABRE - DOCKING BAY

The shuttle cruises slowly through the opening of the Sunsabre's dock.

INT. SPACE - SUNSABRE - DOCKING BAY

The shuttle touches down on the scuffed surface of the docking bay's floor, and the hatch pops open and lowers. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon exit the shuttle.

Two soldiers, Lieutenant Colonel Bail Organa and his major Raia Vaness, approach the Jedi, greeting them. Colonel Organa is a broad shouldered man in his late twenties, with a thick head of solid black hair. Major Vaness is a young olive-skinned woman not much older than Organa.

OBI-WAN : (embracing Organa) Bail Organa. It has been too long.

COL. ORGANA : You're on the team, you slick trickster? Good! Glad to have you aboard. (nodding to Vaness) this is Raia Vaness, my trusted major and future wife - if she agrees to it, that is.

MAJ. VANESS : (saluting Obi-Wan) It is a pleasure to meet you, Master Kenobi.

COL . ORGANA : (to Obi-Wan) Three years ... How’s life been to you? Have you gone through the trials yet, or are you still carrying Yoda about on your shoulders?

OBI-WAN : I did go through the trials ...

COL . ORGANA : And ...?

OBI-WAN : (cont’d) I passed. The Council granted me Knighthood four months ago.

COL . ORGANA : Congratulations! (cont’d) You should have informed me, though. We could have thrown a party.

OBI-WAN : (placing a hand on Qui-Gon's shoulder) Bail, this is Qui-Gon Jinn.

COL. ORGANA : (shaking Qui-Gon's hand) Pleased to meet you kid. (to Obi-Wan) So the teacher’s on vacation?

OBI-WAN : Hmm?

COL. ORGANA : Just wondering why an initiate’s tagging along with you on your missions. You’re obviously not his master.

QUI-GON : Master Dooku thought it best that I stay with Obi-Wan until he resumes active duty.

OBI-WAN : Master Jard Dooku was his instructor. He was badly injured fourteen months ago during a mission on Orbos IX.

COL. ORGANA : Well, he's in good hands. (cont'd) Come, lets show you the scrap pile we'll be riding down to Nabu on.

The two soldiers escort the Jedi to the shuttle Swift Strike. They pass through the open hatch, entering the craft.

INT. SWIFT STRIKE - COCKPIT

Organa and Vaness bring Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon into the shuttle's cockpit. Several officers take up the small space, checking & calibrating the onboard instruments.

COL. ORGANA : (to a technician) How goes it, Andross? The engine tape holding?

ANDROSS : Just checking the flux capacitor readings, Colonel.

COL. ORGANA : Good job. Wouldn't want to make .85 with that thing hanging loose.

ANDROSS : No sir!

COL. ORGANA : Keep it up. (to Obi-Wan) Sure is something, isn't she? The ship, I mean.

OBI-WAN : I wouldn't know, Bail. I'm not much for flying, much less taking the time to understand the quirks of typical starship capabilities.

COL. ORGANA : Well, the Strike's nothing special, to tell you the truth. Standard armour and shields. Limited offensive and defensive capabilities. Hyperdrive rates at the low end of the average spectrum. She’s definitely not much of a warship.

OBI-WAN : Pity.

COL. ORGANA : I tell you something, though. It really all comes down to the sublight engines. The Strike puts all other standard light freighters to shame in that regard. You aware of how fast it takes a blaster bolt to fly from Point A to Point B?

OBI-WAN : Well -

COL. ORGANA : The Strike can travel to Nabu faster than that. And boy, when it comes to dodging, this hunk of junk can really dodge!

OBI-WAN : Bail ...

COL. ORGANA : Yes?

OBI-WAN : Only you can make flowery praise more poisonous than outright criticism.

The Colonel and the Jedi laugh. The four allies then depart the ship, leaving the officers to finish their work.

INT. SPACE - SUNSABRE - BRIDGE

A door slides open, and Organa, Vaness and the two Jedi enter the bridge. The bridge is moving with activity, the officers preparing the ship for the journey.

A grizzled gray-haired man in his late sixties rises from the seat placed at the centre of the bridge. He turns to the newcomers and steps over to their section of the bridge.

COL. ORGANA : Admiral Malthus Antilles, this is Obi-Wan Kenobi and his ward Qui-Gon Jinn - the Jedi Knights assigned to our rescue team.

ADM. ANTILLES : Kenobi, eh? I heard of your work during the Alderaanian Incursion. From what I gather you saved a lot of lives and the world itself.

OBI-WAN : It was a team effort, sir.

ADM. ANTILLES : Regardless, if you're only half as good as Organa and the holovids let on, you'll still do all right.

OBI-WAN : Thank you, sir.

COL. ORGANA : (to Obi-Wan) We should go and get ready for the trip. (to Antilles) Request for dismissal, sir.

ADM. ANTILLES : Denied.

COL. ORGANA : (taken aback) Excuse me?

ADM. ANTILLES : Joking, Colonel. Go do your job.

COL. ORGANA : Thanks sir. (to Obi-Wan) Obi-Wan.

Organa, Vaness and the two Jedi leave the bridge through the door whence they came.

Once they have gone the admiral turns back, returning to his seat, his eyes on the forward viewscreen.

ADM. ANTILLES : Alert all ships. Tell them to prepare for the jump to hyperspace.

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER : Right away, sir.

EXT. CORELLIA - SPACE

The Dreadnaughts and destroyers move into formation.

INT. SPACE - SUNSABRE - BRIDGE

ADM. ANTILLES : Punch it.

EXT. CORELLIA - SPACE

The fleet elongates into several luminous strings of light, jumping forward and vanishing into the depths of hyperspace.

INT. NABU - DUKE JUSTIN'S MANSION - VAULT - SUNSET

Justin Naberrie, Duke of Hales, sits at a small table playing dejarik with the small droid ICU-132, a single lamp illuminating the small rough-hewn stone walls of the vault.

DUKE JUSTIN : (gleeful) I'm winning Eye-Seeyou.

ICU-132 : That is because you programmed me to lose, My Lord.

DUKE JUSTIN : Don't be absurd. This time it's all fair.

ICU-132 : You are a bad loser, Lord Justin. Though it pains you
to hear that, nothing in my protocols prevent me from
making that clear.

DUKE JUSTIN : (annoyed) It's your move ... you bucket of bolts.

Before the droid can make it's move, sparks begin to fly from the thick durasteel door of the vault. Justin freezes with dread as an orange circle is slowly cut into the metal door.

Once the circuit is complete the cut metal is pushed out, allowing Supreme Commander Sheelal to enter the vault with a pair of Neimoidian soldiers.

DUKE JUSTIN : What are you waiting for Eye-Seeyou?! Defend me!

A pair of vibroblades extend from ICU-132's wrists, and the little droid pounces upon the intruders. A Neimoidian aims his blaster at the droid and fires, blasting ICU-132 apart. Justin stands up and backs away into a corner as Sheelal approaches him, drawing a vibrosword.

DUKE JUSTIN : Please, don't kill me! I’ll give you anything you want - anything! I'm very, very rich! I mean it!

COMMANDER SHEELAL : (activating the vibrosword) There’s only one thing you have that I want, Duke ...

DUKE JUSTIN : Ancestors preserve me!

Sheelal slashes upward, cutting the Duke's head from his shoulders, throwing blood back on the stone walls.

COMMANDER SHEELAL : (cont'd) Your head.

Sheelal turns away from the decapitated corpse, and leaves the cold vault. The two soldiers follow after him.