FADE TO
The wedge-shaped form of the Deliverer sitting motionless in the star-studded depths of space.
Without warning, we pull away from the star defender, and at velocities greater than the speed of light, we begin to travel through this sector of the galaxy. In a span of moments, we visit over sixteen different systems, each with worlds exotic and unique, before finally coming to Dania VII, home of the Mandalorian Death Watch.
INT. DANIA VII - TRAINING CENTRE 25 - DAY
Inside Training Centre 25 -- a spacious, one-room building -- various residents of Level 9 have come for their day's training session. All twelve students are sitted crossed-legged upon the stone floor, their instructor -- an unarmoured human female -- sitting before them, watching them intently.
Before each of the students sits a crystal sphere, hollow and half-filled with a pearlescent liquid. Their eyes closed, they concentrate on the spheres. Many succeed in making the colours within the liquid glow, while others manage to get the liquid to bubble or slosh around inside; only two, however, are able to go beyond that.
As Anakin and a MALE TOYDARIAN concentrate on their spheres, not only do they succeed at making the pearlescent liquid glow and move about, but they manage to form three-dimensional shapes -- cubes, spheres, pyramids -- within them. The Mandalorian instructor, noticing this impressive display of talent from them both, smiles with pleasure.
INSTRUCTOR #1: (raises an arm) Alright, everyone, relax your concentration. That'll be all for the day.
The students all open their eyes, and the liquid within their spheres goes still. Standing up, the instructor walks over to Nik and the Toydarian. With a smile, she gestures for them to get up, and they quickly rise to their feet or -- in the Toydarian's case -- their wings.
INSTRUCTOR #1: I am very pleased with your progress so far, students. You are all progressing wonderfully. Orowi and Anakin even managed to form simple shapes within their spheres today. Keep this up, and you'll all upgrade to Level 10 before the year is out. (beat) I'll see you all Zhellday.
As the other students rise up and proceed to file out of the centre, Nik and Orowi turn to acknowledge one another.
ANAKIN: You're getting good with the meditation spheres, Orowi. I'm starting to get envious.
OROWI: (astonished) You're getting envious? It took me five months to get this far, but you've only been here four weeks and you're already good at it. If anyone's envious, it's me of you, not the other way around.
ANAKIN: (laughs) But it comes easier for you. I have to concentrate a full minute before I can get a simple cube to take shape.
Together, Nik and his Toydarian friend follow the other students out of Training Centre 25. One of the other students -- a tall Abyssin -- stands off to the side, however, watching them as they go with his single eye narrowed with loathing.
EXT. TRAINING CENTRE 25 - DAY
Stepping out of the training centre, Nik and Orowi make their way towards Bunker 13.
OROWI: Want to go to the recreation centre? You still owe me for letting you win that last dejarik game we played.
ANAKIN: (smirks) Letting me win, you say? What a recollection you have.
OROWI: Well, we Toydarians are noted for our impeccable holographic memory.
ANAKIN: (laughs) Really? I thought it was your shrewd business sense everyone knew you for.
OROWI: That, too.
ANAKIN: Of course, of course. I knew that -- really, I did. (beat) I'd love to take you up on your offer, but I'm expected back. Nashira and I are having dinner with Ben and Siri tonight.
OROWI: Ah, yes, your two Jedi friends.
ANAKIN: It's been two weeks since we were able to meet up with them last. We've been looking forward to it. (beat) You can join us if you want. There'll be enough for five.
OROWI: Sure. (beat) It won't be any trouble, will it?
ANAKIN: No, of course not. Why ask a laserbrained question like that?
OROWI: Well ...
ANAKIN: Well what?
OROWI: Well ... to be honest, I don't know how I feel about socializing with Jedi.
ANAKIN: Hey, I'm a Jedi!
OROWI: You wish. (beat) It's not that I have any real problem with Jedi. It's just that I don't know how the Mandies will take it.
ANAKIN: What are you getting at?
OROWI: They say we have free reign of the place and can see who we want to see, but I can't help but feel that they don't like Jedi associating with their less "enlightened" students.
ANAKIN: You think they might do something if they catch you talking to a Jedi?
OROWI: The Jedi and Mandies are virtually blood enemies, Nik, they loathe each other. The Mandalorians can't stand the idea of any of their new recruits getting tainted with Jedi philosophies.
ANAKIN: Those Jedi are also recruits.
OROWI: Not like us, though, not at all. The Mandies don't treat them like they treat us. We're treated almost like royalty. They, however, don't get anywhere near the same amount of luxury. While we spend our time meditating over crystal balls, they have to deal with hard labour, heckling, humiliation, even physical abuse. (beat) The Mandalorians use the carrot to get us onto their side, but with the Jedi, they use the stick -- the hard, heavy, pointed stick.
Anakin shrugs in reply, and the two continue on their way in silence. Before they can get very far, however, the Abyssin who eyed them back at the training centre moves up on them from behind, grabbing them by the shoulders and pulling them to a stop.
ANAKIN: Wha --!
OROWI: Gurkan!
Twisting around, the two friends come face-to-face with the Abyssin named Gurkan. With sinister glee, he grins a hideously toothy grin.
GURKAN: What a surprise to meet you here, my dear friends. What brings you out this way?
ANAKIN: We're going back to Bunker 13, same as you.
OROWI: And we're not your friends, cyclops.
The Abyssin's grin falters, but only for a moment.
GURKAN: You wound me, Toydarian. (turns to Anakin) But you still appreciate my company, don't you, Skywalker?
ANAKIN: (nonplussed) What do you want, Gurkan?
GURKAN: Just to chat, see how things are, and all that jizz.
ANAKIN: Well, neither of us have anything to say to you, so if you don't mind --
GURKAN: (dropping his phony grin) Are you saying you don't want to be my friend?
ANAKIN: No, it's not that. I wouldn't mind being your friend -- if you weren't a complete jerk. But unfortunately, you are a complete jerk.
GURKAN: Very well, then, we aren't friends.
ANAKIN: I'm so very glad we got that cleared up.
GURKAN: (his grin reappearing) So, how's your pretty girlfriend?
ANAKIN: She's fine, and she's not my girlfriend.
GURKAN: That hasn't stopped you from living together.
ANAKIN: When we got here, she was emotionally unstable and I was the only person she knew who was also staying on Level 9. I chose to stay with her to keep her company and keep her safe.
GURKAN: That hasn't stopped you from sticking your hydrospanner in her sockets, has it?
ANAKIN: (angry) She's only eleven, you disgusting pig.
GURKAN: Which makes it all the more sweet, doesn't it? The younger they are, the firmer they are, and the firmer they are, how oh so more --
Before the Abyssin can complete his sentence, Anakin's rage boils over, and he gives in to it. Growling like a ferocious beast, he lunges at the cyclopean creature more than twice his height and tackles him to the ground. Before the Abyssin can catch his bearings, the human begins to rain blow upon blow upon him, punching him fiercely in the face. Within scant seconds, dark Abyssin blood begins to fly through the air.
OROWI: Nik! Nik, that's enough now! Let him up!
Anakin doesn't hear his friend. His face red with rage, he continues to pummel Gurkan, who finally goes completely limp.
OBI-WAN: (O.S.) Anakin!
Upon hearing the voice of his master, Anakin snaps out of his rage and stops. Twisting his head around, he sees both Ben and Siri standing a ways away from him.
OBI-WAN: Anakin, what are you doing?!
ANAKIN: (stammering) I-I-I ...
His mouth going agape, Anakin turns back to look down upon Gurkan, who lies bloody and unconscious beneath him. Unable to say a word, he simply rises to his feet, looking down upon his bested foe.
ANAKIN: (to Obi-Wan) He's alright, isn't he? I didn't really hurt him, did I?
Obi-Wan and Siri walk up to Anakin, Orowi, and Gurkan, and the latter crouches down beside the Abyssin, laying her fingertips down upon his forehead.
SIRI: The Abyssin's alive. You knocked him out, but I don't sense any major injury.
ANAKIN: I didn't want to hurt him, but what he said about Nashira and me ... it was sick ... I couldn't take that from him ... I couldn't take ... what he said ...
OBI-WAN: (rests his hand on Nik's shoulder) It's alright, Anakin, we'll worry about it later. Let's just get to Nashira.
As one, the three Jedi and the Toydarian depart, leaving Gurkan lying in the dust.