EXT. DESERT - DAY
Obi-Wan makes his way deeper into the barren, empty desert on his landspeeder. Every now and then he stops and gets out, taking short treks out into the sand to look about his surroundings with a pair of macrobinoculars; though the wind has all but erased the bantha tracks, he occasionally finds a trace of the Tuskens' passage, allowing him to narrow down his search and continue.
Hours pass, and the twin suns begin to set. Ben, in his speeder, passes beyond the mundane track of desert and enters the Sunland Wastes -- the vast, rocky area of caverns and canyons which the Tusken Raiders -- among various dangerous beasts -- call home.
EXT. JUNDLAND WASTES - TWILIGHT
Eventually, Obi-Wan finds his way to the end of a narrow valley which opens out into open air; beyond, far to the bottom, lies a large stretch of flat, open rock. Unable to proceed any further in the landspeeder, the Jedi parks his vehicle and shuts it down, climbing out.
Walking to the edge of the valley, Ben pulls out his set of macrobinoculars and begins to survey the plain of desolate rock.
OBI-WAN'S P.O.V. - TUSKEN RAIDER CAMP
Out on the rocky plain is a large Tusken camp, complete with tents and burning campfires.
CUT TO
Obi-Wan as he puts the macrobinoculars down. Returning to the speeder, he retrieves his supplies -- two large blaster pistols, a blaster rifle, and a satchel of power packs -- and, holstering the blasters and slinging the rifle behind his back, begins to make his way down the face of the cliff on his long trek toward the camp in the distance.
EXT. TUSKEN RAIDER CAMP - TWILIGHT
In the centre of the camp, Nellith and Beru have been tied to a large, wooden rack. Surrounding them is the leader of the tribe -- a tall, intimidating warrior wearing a headdress made up of varicoloured wires -- and his immediate family members, all of which look upon the women as visitors to a zoo would look upon the animals therein.
The Tusken leader beckons to one of the other Tuskens -- a son, perhaps -- who walks over to the older, taller Sand Person. Grunting and growling, the leader points down at the younger warrior's belt, upon which hangs Obi-Wan's lightsaber. Responding with his own series of hoots and groans, the younger Tusken unhooks the weapon and hands it to his elder.
The leader turns the metallic cylinder over in his hands, trying and failing to make out its purpose. Grunting, the other Sand Person shows him how to hold the lightsaber and then gestures toward the activation stud on the pommel. Upon pressing the button, the blue blade of the weapon shoots out with a sharp snap-hiss.
Startled, the tribal leader drops the weapon, honking aggressive Tusken expletives. The younger Tusken, incredibly amused, replies with what passes for laughter among the Sand People.
CUT TO
Obi-Wan as he reaches the camp. Avoiding the sentries posted at watch, the Jedi silently slips in between tents, cautiously making his way into the camp.
CUT TO
The Tusken tribal leader and the rest of his family surrounding Beru and Nellith.
Picking the lightsaber back up, the Tusken leader reactivates it; now that he knows what to expect from the weapon, he has no fear of it. Turning toward the two women, he approaches them, the glowing azure blade held out before him menacingly.
BERU: (panicking) Oh, please! Oh, please! Oh, please, no! No, no, please! Please, don't hurt us! Don't --!
With the precision of a surgeon, the Sand Person places the tip of the lightsaber against Nellith's forehead and begins to draw it across her hairline. The energy blade burning into her flesh effortlessly, she screams in complete and total agony.
CUT TO
Ben, standing behind one of the tents which overlook the tribal leader and his family members surrounding Nellith and Beru. His face twisted with desperation, he throws out a hand.
CUT TO
The Tusken Raider leader as he traces the tip of the lightsaber around Nellith's face, unfazed by the horrific screams coming out of her mouth.
Suddenly, from the other end of the camp, the ferocious bellow of a large and powerful krayt dragon sounds out with deafening force.
Alarmed by the blood-freezing sound, the tribal leader, his family members, and the other Sand People turn toward the apparent source of the sound. Pointing forward toward where the krayt is believed to be, the leader orders his people to take up arms against the invader. Hooting and hollering, the Tuskens pour forth to combat the dragon, their leader alongside them, Obi-Wan's stolen lightsaber raised above his head.
Once the Sand People have left the area, Obi-Wan steps out of hiding and hurries over to Beru and Nellith. Pulling out a knife, he begins cutting through the straps holding them to the rack.
OBI-WAN: (concerned) Are you alright, Nellith?
NELLITH: (grimacing in agony) I-I'll be okay.
Ben cuts through the final bonds, and the women are free. Bracing Nellith against her, Beru follows the Jedi on out of the camp.
Having found no sign of the krayt dragon they plainly heard, the Sand People begin to return to where they were before.
Returning to the centre of the camp, the Tusken leader and his family find the rack empty, the two captive women gone. Enraged, the tribal leader roars a command, and with two of his sons joining his side, he runs off after the escapees.
CUT TO
Ben and the women making their way away from the Tusken camp.
As soon as they leave their camp, the Tusken tribal leader and his sons immediately notice the Jedi with the women. Honking out a battle cry, he charges them, lightsaber swinging and his warriors right beside him.
OBI-WAN: (to Beru) Go on! I'll hold them off!
Obeying, Beru -- Nellith by her side -- takes off into a run toward the faraway valley.
Turning toward the approaching Tuskens, the Jedi knight pulls out his two blasters. As the Sand People approach, he fires. The shot from the blaster in his left hand catches one of the leader's sons in the hip, the shot from the blaster in his right catches the other in the leg; both shots knock the Tuskens down, taking them out of the fight, leaving the Jedi the tribal leader to defeat.
Hollering in anger, the Tusken leader swings the blue lightsaber. Ben jumps back, but the blade slashes through one of his blasters, destroying it. Bringing up the remaining blaster, he fires, but the blue bolt merely grazes the Tusken's side, leaving him alive and still hungry for blood. Roaring, the Tusken kicks the blaster out of the Jedi's hand, and then takes another swing at the human.
Crouching down, Ben springs into the air, somersaulting over the Tusken and landing behind him. Throwing out his hands, he uses the powers granted him through the Force to reinforce his strength, shoving the Tusken warrior violently forward. Hollering in surprise and fear, the Tusken flies through the air ungracefully, dropping the Jedi weapon in his hand before finally hitting the hard ground with enough force to knock him unconscious.
Collecting the intact blaster and his lightsaber, Ben runs off to rejoin Beru and Nellith.