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Post #497120

Author
DuracellEnergizer
Parent topic
Star Wars: Episode I - The Beginning (AKA DuracellEnergizer's Take On TPM)
Link to post in topic
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/497120/action/topic#497120
Date created
6-May-2011, 4:39 PM

INT. TATOOINE - LARS HOMESTEAD - GUEST ROOM - EVENING


Amidala lies in the Spartan room’s only bed, her eyes closed peacefully in sleep.


ANAKIN : (O.S.) Amidala ...


The soft voice registers on Amidala’s ears, and her brow slightly creases with a small frown.


ANAKIN : (O.S.) Amidala ... Amidala!


Amidala’s eyes crack up, and she sees a shadowy figure standing in the open doorway of her room. She pushes herself up on her elbows, squinting to get a better look at the figure.


AMIDALA : Who is that? Anakin? Anakin Skywalker? What time is it?


The figure takes one step forward, allowing the sparse light in the room to fall upon his face. A slight smile creeps upon Anakin’s face.


ANAKIN : Come ...


AMIDALA : What? What is it?


Anakin says nothing more, gestures for her to follow, then steps out and disappears from view.


AMIDALA : Of all the ungodly ... (cont’d) I’m coming, I’m coming.


Pulling the covers back, the Princess climbs out of bed and starts after the boy.


INT. TATOOINE - LARS HOMESTEAD - ANAKIN'S ROOM - EVENING


Anakin lays prone upon his bed, his hands behind his head. He is sound asleep, snoring lightly.


AMIDALA : (entering the room) All right! What is it?

Anakin springs up in sudden surprise, awakened by her loud voice. He looks around the room and spots Amidala, who is standing in the open doorframe, her arms crossed over her chest with one foot tapping with impatience.


ANAKIN : Hi.

ANAKIN : (exasperated) Hi. Now what is it?

ANAKIN : What?

AMIDALA : I’m not in the mood for games, Skywalker. You called me over here for something, so what is it?

ANAKIN : I don’t know what you’re talking about.

AMIDALA : Yeah, right. (cont’d) Look, you’d better have a good reason for disturbing me in the middle of the night ...

ANAKIN : Hey, c’mon! I’ve been here asleep! I didn’t wake you up! You must have imagined it - dreamed it up or something! I haven’t moved from this spot since I went to bed!

AMIDALA : (Nonplussed) Just dreamed it up ... or something.

ANAKIN : Yeah.

AMIDALA : Or maybe you’re a sleepwalker.


Amidala shakes her head slowly, then walks over to a chair. She drops down into it, releasing a heavy sigh as she brushes her hair back from her eyes.


AMIDALA : Well, I can’t go back to sleep. I’m wide awake now.

ANAKIN : (checking his chronometer) It’s after midnight. There’s not much you can really do ...

AMIDALA : Would you like to talk?

ANAKIN : Talk?

AMIDALA : Yes, talk.

ANAKIN : What about?

AMIDALA : About anything, anything at all. (pointing toward the wall opposite to her) Why don’t you tell me what’s with your droid?


Anakin looks over to where she’s pointing. In the far corner of his room stands an inactive protocol droid. The droid is incomplete, missing plating.


ANAKIN : You mean Scrappy? He's just a protocol droid I'm putting together out of some scrap I stole from behind Watto's shop.

AMIDALA : (astonished) You stole him?!

ANAKIN : I stole the parts he’s made of. (cont’d) It’s not like the bird was going to put them to any good use. Half his junk just sits there until it rusts, anyway, then he throws it out.

AMIDALA : Well, I don’t condone it.

ANAKIN : I’m not asking you to, sister.

AMIDALA : (cont’d) What’s he for?

ANAKIN : I’ve been meaning to give him to Mom to help her with chores around the house, but I haven't found the right parts to get him working good yet. (cont’d) He doesn’t even have a vocoder.

AMIDALA : He works though?

ANAKIN : A little bit. Moves and everything. But he can’t do any labour - nothing with his hands. (cont’d) They’re corroded pieces of junk.

AMIDALA : Let me see him work. Go ahead - turn him on.

ANAKIN : I’m not sure -

AMIDALA : He’s not dangerous, is he?

ANAKIN : Not really, no ...

AMIDALA : So go for it.


Anakin sighs, then gets out of bed. Amidala climbs up out of her chair to follow him across the room to the motionless droid. Anakin reaches behind the automaton, pressing a button set into it’s body.

Suddenly the droid’s photoreceptors light up, and the machine explodes to life, spasming violently. Anakin moves to restrain the agitated robot. Before the droid can damage itself Anakin deactivates it, making it motionless once again.


AMIDALA : He's a jittery thing, isn't he?

ANAKIN : He's afraid of us. I've tried communicating with him, tried calming him down, but he never responds. I suppose there’s something wrong with his circuitry or programming. Once I learn more about VerboBrains I’ll figure it out.

AMIDALA : I think he's wonderful, Anakin.

ANAKIN : Really? Thanks ... it's Amidala, right?

AMIDALA : That's right. Amidala Naberrie.


Anakin leaves Amidala and the droid, jumping back onto his bed, putting an arm behind his head.


ANAKIN : Nice name - cute. Makes me think of the name of some queen or princess in a story book or something. “Queen Amidala Naberrie - Empress of the Moons of Iego”!

AMIDALA : I actually get told that quite a lot.

ANAKIN : Really?

AMIDALA : Well, not really. (cont’d) Maybe sometimes.


The two giggle at that. Anakin then spots the aquamarine pendant clasped around her neck.


ANAKIN : That’s a nice stone you have there.

AMIDALA : (looking down at the pendant) My pendant?

ANAKIN : Yeah. Is it genuine?

AMIDALA : Yes. It’s been in my family for generations. (cont’d) We have a tradition - the stone must always be handed down to the firstborn of each new generation. It was my mother’s until she gave it to my sister Sola.

ANAKIN : Your sister? Then why ...?

AMIDALA : They ... She died.

ANAKIN : I'm sorry ... I ...

AMIDALA : It's a long story, and I ... I don't want to talk about it.

ANAKIN : That's okay ... I don't need to know the details ... (cont’d) It’s a very beautiful pendant.

AMIDALA : I see you have a pendant of your own.

ANAKIN : (looking down at a small wooden pendant secured around his neck) This? I carved it from a japor snippet. It’s nothing special, really.

AMIDALA : (yawning) I - I think my sleepiness has finally caught up to me. How about we call it a night?

ANAKIN : Sure. I’ve got to get up early, anyway.

AMIDALA : Goodnight, Anakin.


Amidala turns to leave, stepping through the doorway.


ANAKIN : Goodnight ... Queen of Iego.


Amidala stops, turning to face him, and gives him a silent grin. Anakin gives her one final wave, then puts his arms behind his head, and within moments is asleep.

Amidala leaves the doorway, moving on her way back toward her bedroom.