EXT. SPACE - TATOOINE
The Light Hammer sits in low orbit above Tatooine, lazily circumnavigating the diametre of the world without aim.
INT. LIGHT HAMMER/BAIL'S QUARTERS
Admiral Bail Organa and Commander Raia Vaness sit together in his quarters, engaged in a game of three-dimensional holochess.
BAIL: Hmmm ...
CMDR. VANESS: Problem, Admiral?
BAIL: No, not really. This just feels so derivative somehow.
CMDR. VANESS: (frowns) What are you talking about?
BAIL: Nevermind. Make your move.
Vaness makes her move. Once it is complete, she grins with wicked triumph.
CMDR. VANESS: Checkmate, Admiral.
BAIL: (sighs) Fifth game in a row.
CMDR. VANESS: Forty-two, if you want to be precise.
BAIL: Pardon me?
CMDR. VANESS: Well, counting all the games we've played since arriving here, we come to a total score of --
BAIL: (rolls his eyes) Nevermind.
CMDR. VANESS: Want to try for another?
BAIL: Forget it. Just turn the damn thing off.
CMDR. VANESS: (deactivates the holographic chessboards) You do have a problem, don't you?
BAIL: Weeks spent doing nothing but flying circles around a planet gets very boring very fast. (beat) I wish the Mandalorians would just hurry up and show their faces already.
INT. LIGHT HAMMER/BRIDGE
The officers on board the bridge of the dreadnaught go about their duties like machines on autopilot, weariness from boredom etched in their features.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER: (stretches his arms) Well, I'm taking a break. (to the weapons officer) Hey, Nebucha, can I borrow your Mermeia cassette again?
NEBUCHA: (annoyed) What, again!?
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER: C'mon, Nebucha, it's my break!
NEBUCHA: If you're gonna watch it here, you'd better not do that ... thing again, Dnezzar. You take it to your bunk if you want to do that!
DNEZZAR (COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER): Oh, that was a one-time slip up. You know how the boredom gets -- it warps your sense of discretion.
NEBUCHA: (frowns) Yeah, yeah, whatever. (reaches into his tunic and pulls out a cassette) Take it.
Nebucha tosses the cassette to Dnezzar, who catches it gleefully.
DNEZZAR: Thanks, man!
NEBUCHA: (points at the communications officer) Remember -- don't do the thing.
DNEZZAR: (winks) Don't do the thing.
NEBUCHA: (rolls his eyes) Pervert.
With unbridled haste, the communications officer slides the cassette into a port set within his terminal and then picks up a mechanical visor, slipping it down over his eyes.
DNEZZAR P.O.V. - CASSETTE RECORDING
Within Dnezzar's line of sight is a headshot of a beautiful dark-skinned humanoid woman with pink, feather-like hair set against a green, psychedelic background.
MERMEIA: I know you're searching for me. Searching, searching. I am here. My voice is for you alone. I am found in your eyes only. I exist for you. I am in your mind as you create me. Oh, yes ... I can feel my creation. (giggles) I'm getting your message. Are you getting mine?
CUT TO
Dnezzar laid back in his seat, drooling.
DNEZZAR'S P.O.V. - MERMEIA
MERMEIA: Oh, oh! We are excited, aren't we? Just relax. Just relax. Yes! Now ... we can have a good time, can't we?
CUT TO
Dnezzar laid back in his seat, his mouth stretched in a rictus grin of absolute anticipation.
DNEZZAR: Oh, you'd better believe it, baby.
EXT. SPACE
Without any warning, the Nyax and five Jehavey'ir-class assault ships drop out of hyperspace. Without wasting any time, they begin approaching the Light Hammer.
SENSOR OFFICER #1: (bolts upright in her seat) Heads up, people! We've got Mandalorians on our scopes!
Roughly jolted out of his simulated reverie, the visor flies off Dnezzar's face as he almost topples out of his seat.
MR. SOLO: We've got to alert the admiral immediately!
EXT. SPACE - TATOOINE
Slowly but surely, the Mandalorian ships approach the dreadnaught.
INT. LIGHT HAMMER/BRIDGE
The door to the bridge slides open, and Bail and Vaness stride in.
BAIL: (taking his seat on the command chair) What's happening?
SENSOR OFFICER #1: Six Mandalorian ships have arrived, sir. Five Jehavey'ir-class assault ships and one Lictor-class dungeon ship.
The bridge door slides open once again, and Siri Tachi walks on in.
CMDR. VANESS: (turns to Siri) Mistress Tachi, six --
SIRI: (interrupting) Yes, I know -- I sensed their arrival. (to Bail) Can your ship handle them, Admiral?
BAIL: Five Jehavey'irs pack a punch, but they're no match for a Dreadnaught-class heavy cruiser. We'll be sending them home to the ruins of Mandalore just in time for supper. (to Dnezzar) Open hailing frequencies -- issue them our terms of surrender.
DNEZZAR: They're not responding, Admiral.
BAIL: Well, they can't say we didn't warn them. (to Nebucha) Target the dungeon ship and open fire when ready.
NEBUCHA: Yes, sir.
EXT. SPACE - TATOOINE
Without warning, five more ships drop out of hyperspace. These ships are Dreadnaught-class heavy cruisers like the Light Hammer; unlike the Light Hammer, however, these dreadnaughts bear markings which identify them as belonging to the Mandalorians rather than to Alderaan.
INT. LIGHT HAMMER/BRIDGE
SENSOR OFFICER #1: Sir -- five more Mandalorian ships have dropped out of hyperspace!
BAIL: What?!
SENSOR OFFICER #1: They are all dreadnaughts, sir.
CMDR. VANESS: (turns to Siri, frowning) I thought the reports said the dungeon ship only ever came equipped with an escort of two-to-five assault ships.
SIRI: (worried) The reports were wrong.
EXT. SPACE - TATOOINE
The five Mandalorian dreadnaughts suddenly open fire on the Light Hammer. The forward deflector shields catch the worst of the barrage, but the ship still takes a rough beating from the intense yellow turbolaser fire.
INT. LIGHT HAMMER/BRIDGE
The interior of the bridge rattles as the Mandalorian turbolasers strike the ship, causing more than a few of the officers stationed aboard to hold onto their consoles for support.
BAIL: Open fire!
NEBUCHA: Which ship, sir?
BAIL: The closest dreadnaught! Target its primary turbolaser batteries and fire!
EXT. SPACE - TATOOINE
The Light Hammer releases a barrage of green turbolaser fire upon the closest Mandalorian dreadnaught, decimating its primary turbolaser batteries within moments. Unfortunately for the Alderaanian ship, it still is outnumbered and outgunned by the remaining four dreadnaughts and five assault ships, all of which begin firing upon the Light Hammer.
INT. LIGHT HAMMER/BRIDGE
SENSOR OFFICER #1: We're starting to lose power to our rear deflector shields!
CMDR. VANESS: Divert power from the starboard shields!
SIRI: There are too many of them!
DNEZZAR: Admiral, we're being hailed!
BAIL: The Mandalorians?
DNEZZAR: No, sir -- it's the Xuthltan.
BAIL: (incredulous) Wahr Blarh's ship!? (beat) Put him through.
Seconds later, the green nikto's visage appears on the Light Hammer's viewscreen.
BAIL: Whatever you're planning, Captain, don't.
CAPT. BLARH: The Mandalorians have less right to be here than you do, human. I'm going to take out as many of their ships as I can.
BAIL: Are you daft, man?! Your tin cigar can't handle one dreadnaught, let alone five of them!
CAPT. BLARH: (sighs) Goodbye, Admiral.
With that, Captain Wahr Blarh cuts the connection.
BAIL: (erratic) What!? Get him back! Open hailing frequencies!
DNEZZAR: He won't respond, sir!
BAIL: (screaming at the viewscreen) You stupid son of a bitch!
EXT. SPACE - TATOOINE
The Xuthltan speeds up out of Tatooine's atmosphere and over the Light Hammer, opening fire upon the assault ships swarming about the dreadnaught as it passes by. The blasts of blue laserfire aren't enough to damage the ships, but they do gain their attention, and in moments the assault ships leave the Light Hammer to attack the smaller cargo ship.
INT. XUTHLTAN/BRIDGE
As the Mandalorian assault ships release salvo upon salvo upon the cargo ship, various consoles, terminals, and other onboard equipment begin to fizzle, spark, and explode.
CAPT. BLARH: (to the helmsman) Program a micro-jump into the navicomputer.
EXT. SPACE - TATOOINE
As the Jehavey'irs pound the Xuthltan, the Xiytiar-class transport leaps into hyperspace, plowing through and obliterating one of the assault ships in the process. A split-second later, the cargo ship re-enters realspace, materializing directly within one of the intact Mandalorian dreadnaughts. Another split-second later, the combined dreadnaught/cargo ship explodes into a bright fireball, raining debris on the already-damaged dreadnaught the Light Hammer attacked, crippling it completely.
INT. LIGHT HAMMER/BRIDGE
Witnessing the sacrifice of the Xuthltan and its crew, Bail puts his face in his palms, shaking his head with dismay.
EXT. SPACE - TATOOINE
With the Xuthltan no longer around to act as a distraction, the remaining dreadnaughts and assault ships renew their concentrated assault upon the Light Hammer.