TITLE CARD: A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away ...
A vast sea of stars serves as the main backdrop for the main title, followed by a rollup, which crawls up into infinity.
STAR WARS
THE NEW DAWN
It is Year 14 in the reign of Emperor Cos Dashit. Cast into the flames of war, the inefficient Galactic Republic is no more; in its place now stands the Galactic Empire, a far more formidable power for a far less certain time.
In spite of the opposition provided by this new regime, nefarious forces continue to ravage the Known Regions of the galaxy. Members of the Mandalorian Death Watch -- a fanatical branch of the enemy defeated in the First Clone War -- have been making seemingly random attacks upon unescorted ships and backwater planets along the Outer Rim, taking only a select few of those they encounter back to their dungeon ships for destinations unknown while putting the rest to the sword.
In the wake of these attacks, the Jedi of Coruscant have assigned one of their knights to investigate and, in doing so, uncover the underlying plan of the Mandalorians ...
PAN UP
To reveal the underside of the water world codenamed KMN-0, its oceans alive with a preternatural cyan glow.
Suddenly, the Radiant VII -- a Consular-class space cruiser -- comes streaking past at high velocity, its trajectory taking it beneath the hulking blue ocean planet. Behind it, hot on its heels, is a pair of Jehavey'ir-class assault ships. The twin ships fire upon the smaller Imperial craft, unleashing a torrent of intense yellow turbolaser fire. The Radiant VII reciprocates, firing green turbolaser blasts at the Mandalorians.
INT. RADIANT VII - COCKPIT
CAPTAIN MAOI MADAKOR and LIEUTENANT ANTIDAR WILLIAMS, the two crewmembers of the Radiant VII currently manning the cockpit, struggle to simultaneously fend off the attacking assault ships while trying to coax more speed from the small ship's engines.
CAPT. MADAKOR: I can feel them breathing up my skirt, Lieutenant. Can't you coax more speed out of the engines?
LT. WILLIAMS: The sublights are burning at maximum capacity, Captain. If I had some time on my hands, I could probably bypass the safety protocols and give us enough of a boost to evade the assault ships long enough to make the jump to hyperspace, but it's time we don't have.
CAPT. MADAKOR: How long 'til we can make the jump?
LT. WILLIAMS: The navicomp will have the coordinates ready in five minutes.
EXT. SPACE - KMN-0
The Radiant VII's green turbolaser fire strikes each of the assault ships, but each blast is effortlessly repelled by the larger crafts' deflector shields without leaving the slightest damage. Moving in like foreboding birds of prey, the Mandalorian ships unleash salvoes of yellow turbolaser fire upon the space cruiser. The energy bolts hit the cruiser's engines, obliterating one of the engines completely while instantly crippling the other.
INT. RADIANT VII/COCKPIT
The Radiant VII rattles violently, throwing the captain and the lieutenant forward in their seats.
INT. RADIANT VII/SALON POD
The interior of the salon pod is spacious, furnished with glamourous accoutrements. Inhabiting the pod, standing at the far end, is a tall NEAR-HUMAN WOMAN in voluminous crimson robes, six human women in close-fitting black uniforms, and a BLUE ASTROMECH 'DROID. Though each of the six black-garbed women are attractive in their own right, the beauty of the near-human woman -- with her long green-white hair, glittering porcelain-white skin, and glowing green-gold eyes -- puts theirs to complete shame.
When the reverberations of the blast hits the pod, both the human women and the 'droid rock on their foundations, threatening to topple over. The unearthly beautiful woman in red, however, her eyes closed and her hands clasped tightly around the chain of a crystal medallion in prayer, remains perfectly still, unaffected by the turbulent vibrations.
EXT. RADIANT VII - SPACE
With the Radiant VII dead in the water, one of the assault ships easily slides up alongside the star cruiser. Like an insectile proboscis, a mechanized airlock extends out from the assault ship and clamps down on the outer hull of the cruiser.
INT. RADIANT VII/SALON POD
Hearing the groans and feeling the shudders of the ship as it is forcibly joined with the assault ship, the human women look up towards the ceiling of the pod, gazing about as if in search of the source of the invading phenomena. The near-human woman -- the beautiful priestess -- brings her prayer to a close, securing the medallion around her neck.
PRIESTESS: (in an alien language, subtitled) It's beginning ...
One of the six human women -- a handsome woman with broad shoulders -- takes a step away from her compatriots, approaching the priestess. This woman is Ziyal D'ukat, a Mistryl Shadow Guard and the Team Prime of the other five black-garbed women.
ZIYAL: (subtitled) We can't save you from the Mandalorians. There are only six of us and an entire crew of them.
PRIESTESS: (subtitled) You've done what you can. Consider our bargain complete.
ZIYAL: (subtitled) I have no wish to see them take you. Why don't you escape while there's still time?
PRIESTESS: (turns to Ziyal) (subtitled) Where will I go? (waves her arm toward the planet sitting out beyond the pod's viewport) The planet out there is a world of empty oceans, and we're light-years away from any inhabited system. (beat) There is nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide.
ZIYAL: (subtitled) To be taken by warriors of the Death Watch --
PRIESTESS: (subtitled) I have looked into a myriad of possible futures ... (places a hand atop the astromech's dome-like head) this is the only course of action left open to me.
Realizing that she cannot deter the priestess from her decision, the Shadow Guard chooses to end the conversation.
PRIESTESS: (subtitled) Artoo, begin recording ...
INT. RADIANT VII/COCKPIT
Madakor and Williams, having regained their senses, are busy undoing the restraints of their seats when a loud hissing sound begins pouring through the sealed doors leading into the cockpit.
CAPT. MADAKOR: (twists her seat around and leaps to her feet) They're coming through! Get ready --
Before she can finish her order, the cockpit doors disappear with a terrific explosion, the walls of the cockpit lighting up with bright yellow light and the air filling with acrid black smoke. As the two officers clear their blasters from their holsters, dozens of Mandalorian warriors -- each clad in the silver-and-blue armour and blue-and-gray robes of the Death Watch -- come pouring in, cutting them down instantly with a hail of yellow blasterfire.
INT. RADIANT VII/UPPER DECK
Dropping in through a hole cut in the hull above, dozens upon dozens of Mandalorian Death Watchmen invade the small cruiser. Spreading out into all available areas of the ship, they cut down all crew members they come across with their blasters and swords.
INT. RADIANT VII/'DROID HOLD
Inside the small, dark, cramped 'droid hold, a number of 'droids lay strewn about its confines, all either deactivated or in low-power modes. As the door to the hold slides abruptly open, casting bright light into its interior, one of these 'droids -- a GOLDEN PROTOCOL 'DROID -- immediately comes to life.
C-3PO: (erratic) Oh, my! Oh, goodness!
The golden 'droid rises to his feet, turning towards the humanoid silhouette filling the open doorway.
C-3PO: Oh, dear me -- it isn't Donic Day already, is it?
The owner of the silhouette steps inside; it is a Mandalorian warrior, a blaster rifle in his hands.
C-3PO: No, wait --!
The Mandalorian levels his blaster at Threepio and presses the trigger. A bolt of yellow energy lances out, hits the 'droid's shoulder plating, then ricochet's back, hitting the Mandalorian square in the face and knocking him back and off his feet.
Cautiously, Threepio takes a few steps toward the fallen warrior. Looking him over, he comes to the conclusion that the Mandalorian is stone dead.
C-3PO: This is no life for a protocol 'droid. I deserve far better than this.
Stepping past the dead Mandalorian, Threepio leaves the 'droid hold for the corridor beyond, eyes on the lookout for more Mandalorians.
INT. RADIANT VII/SALON POD
The priestess stands before Artoo, reciting her message. Suddenly, loud banging noises begin to reverberate through the pod doors. The Mistryl Shadow Guards turn toward the source of the sounds, growing tense with anticipation as they unsheathe their vibroswords.
ZIYAL: (to the priestess) (subtitled) They are coming through!
Finishing her message, the priestess places a hand on Artoo, and he stops recording.
With a terrible squeal of grinding metal, the doors of the salon pod are forced open. Leaping forward, the six Mistryls engage the first Mandalorians to step through, the vibrating blades of their technological swords clashing against the primitive blades of the helmeted warriors. One of Mistryls gains immediate advantage over her Mandalorian sparring partner, knocking the blade of his sword away and delivering a blow which cuts through his neck and the chain of a platinum medallion surrounding it, nearly decapitating the warrior. Her victory is short lived, however, when another Mandalorian manages to evade her defenses and thrusts the point of his sword into her side, fatally running her through.
Turning away from Artoo, the priestess can do nothing but look on with horror as the Death Watchmen quickly begin to overwhelm the formidable Shadow Guards, cutting them down with full brutality and no mercy.
INT. RADIANT VII/CORRIDOR
See-Threepio makes his way along the corridor, eyeing the twisted bodies of the slaughtered crew members strewn about.
INT. RADIANT VII/SALON POD
The priestess sits against the far wall of the pod, trembling in a ball under the transparisteel viewport, weeping with fear and disgust as Artoo stands beside her, trying to provide consolation the best he can. Ten Mandalorian Death Watchmen stand inside the pod, the bloody corpses of the Mistryl women and their slain dead underfoot, their hidden eyes focused on the beautiful priestess cowering before them.
MANDALORIAN AIDE: The Force Hound approaches!
Snapping to attention, the Mandalorian warriors spread out, clearing the way for two other Mandalorians as they step inside the pod. While the first Mandalorian to enter is just another average Death Watchman, the SECOND is distinguished by the aquamarine robe he wears over his armour along with the trident symbol emblazoned over the visor of his helmet. He regards first the other Mandalorians, then the dead, before walking over to the priestess.
PRIESTESS: (looks up at the Mandalorian, her face twisted with hatred) (subtitled) Butcher! Murderer!
FORCE HOUND: (in the alien language, subtitled) I'm sorry, but it was an unfortunate necessity.
PRIESTESS: (enraged) (subtitled) This was a necessity?! (beat) They were civilian crew members -- they didn't have a chance against you! You could have spared them!
FORCE HOUND: (subtitled) I know you cannot understand. Someday, perhaps, you will. (reaching a hand out to her) It is time to come with us.
Her face still contorted with hate, the priestess seizes the Mandalorian's hand in a hard grip. Fearing an attack, the other Mandalorians ready their weapons.
FORCE HOUND: (to the other Mandalorians) Sheathe your blades -- she won't harm me.
As the Force Hound pulls the priestess to her feet, Threepio steps into the open doorway.
C-3PO: (in the alien language, subtitled) Mistress, I --
Alerted to his presence, the Mandalorians spin around to face him.
C-3PO: Perhaps this isn't --
Before the golden 'droid can finish his statement, one of the Mandalorians steps forward, ramming the blade of his sword through Threepio's mechanical torso. Pulling the protocol 'droid in through the doorway, the Mandalorian twists the blade then forces it upward, cutting out and through Threepio's shoulder.
Uttering a senseless litany made up of a combination of astromech mechanical language and Huttese, See-Threepio collapses to the deck, twitching violently as his wounds flash with electricity.
FORCE HOUND: (bemused) It was just a protocol 'droid, you fools.
Without any further words, the Force Hound steps forward, dragging the priestess behind him as he leaves for the open doorway. As he steps out, the other Mandalorians gather their dead then follow after him, leaving Artoo alone with the bodies of the slain Mistryls and the damaged form of See-Threepio.
EXT. SPACE - KMN-0
Disengaging and retracting its extendible airlock, the Mandalorian assault ship releases the Radiant VII. As the small Consular-class cruiser drifts away, the engines both of the assault ship and its counterpart blaze to life, and they rocket forward, casting its large shadows upon the derelict ship as they cruise over it. Before them, waiting in the distance for them like a stern parent, is the looming form of a Lictor-class dungeon ship.
Passing beyond the Radiant VII, a turbolaser cannon on one of the Jehavey'irs comes alive and swivels into position, opening fire upon the small ship. A single bolt of turbolaser fire hits the cruiser, blowing it apart into three separate pieces.
After the assault ships have rendezvoused with the dungeon ship and together made the jump into hyperspace, the remains of the Radiant VII begin falling into KMN-0's gravity well. Entering the atmosphere, the fragments begin to glow with intense white hot heat.