EXT. SPACE, OFF YORVATH - LATER
The Falling Star burns toward Yorvath -- the dark fleet
barely visible around the curve of the planet.
EXT. YORVATH, UPPER ATMOSPHERE - MOMENTS LATER
A thick layer of clouds obscures the planets surface as the
Falling Star continues its descent.
INT. FALLING STAR, COCKPIT - CONTINUOUS
Kitch and Manx are flying via their instruments as the heavy
clouds deposit water onto the viewing panel, the ship rocking
and bucking with turbulence. Kenobi and Anakin steady
themselves on the backs of the pilots' seats.
MANX
Almost through it.
And then the turbulence stops and the clouds dissipate,
revealing dense, verdant jungle.
ANAKIN
Whoa.
KENOBI
Nothing like Tatooine, is it?
ANAKIN
It's so... wet.
EXT. YORVATH, SKIES - CONTINUOUS
The Falling star cruises above the two-tiered canopy of a
rainforest -- incredibly tall, slender, Seussian trees above
and squat, alien oaks, with kelpy leaves and mammoth trunks
below.
Brightly colored, paper-flat, ray-like creatures, with
flowing wings and tails, undulate through the air like
sentient kites.
In the distance, a cloud of transport traffic darkens a
portion of the sky.
INT. FALLING STAR, COCKPIT - CONTINUOUS
MANX
Approaching his position.
KITCH
Should be fun trying to land in
this tangle.
A clearing in the trees appears in front of them.
KENOBI
(smug)
That should suffice for a landing
zone.
EXT. YORVATH - MOMENTS LATER
The Falling Star touches down in the clearing, and the
camouflaged Jedi emerges from the treeline.
The Falling Star's ramp descends, and Kenobi leads Kitch,
Manx and a fascinated Anakin off the ship and toward the
stranger. As they approach, the Jedi removes his hood,
revealing a feathery crest atop his head and a long beak.
KENOBI
Jardin, my brother.
JARDIN
Obi Wan Kenobi, as I live and
breathe.
The Jedi embrace. Pulling away, Kenobi gestures toward Kitch.
KENOBI
Captain Renzo Kitch of the Falling
Star, Jardin Canaris, Jedi Knight.
JARDIN
(extending his hand)
Captain Kitch, your reputation
precedes you.
Kitch and the Jedi shake hands.
MANX
Really?
JARDIN
Absolutely, Miss...?
MANX
Orulian. Manx Orulian, first mate.
JARDIN
The exploits of the dire pirate,
Captain Kitch and his crew are well
known to those who take an interest
in such things.
KITCH
I hope you won't hold it against
me.
JARDIN
I'm tempted, believe me, but Obi
Wan insists that you are his true
and trusted friend.
KITCH
He does?
Kenobi makes a small shrug -- aren't you?
JARDIN
And that earns you my respect and
gratitude.
Kenobi nods approvingly.
JARDIN (CONT'D)
And deepest sympathies.
KENOBI
Hey.
KITCH
He DOES make things difficult.
JARDIN
Difficult? That's the most polite
word I could possibly imagine to
describe the man!
KITCH
I thought it was a Jedi thing.
JARDIN
Heavens no.
(then, looking at Anakin)
Who is the boy?
KENOBI
Anakin Skywalker, a gifted young
pilot from Tatooine. He has begun
the training.
JARDIN
An apprentice?! Now?!
KENOBI
I know, but I feel it's the right
thing.
JARDIN
Your every impulse the will of the
Force. But, it's no use arguing
with you.
(to Anakin)
Pleased to meet you, young
Skywalker.
ANAKIN
Sir.
JARDIN
Jardin will do.
(beat)
Perhaps you've chosen well, Obi
Wan.
KENOBI
Do you doubt me, Canaris?
JARDIN
Constantly.
KENOBI
(laughs)
Is it near?
JARDIN
(pointing)
Yes, about one kilometer that way -
one of many satellite landing
fields, much smaller than the main
site. Ready your away team, and
we'll move out.
KENOBI
Alright. Kitch, you'll come with
me, and we'll take Alda and two of
the gunners.
KITCH
Agreed. Manx, Heph, and Anakin will
stay with the ship.
ANAKIN
Not a chance. First new planet I've
ever seen, and you want me to watch
from orbit?! Forget it.
KENOBI
This one's too dangerous, lad.
ANAKIN
I can use a blaster.
JARDIN
Listen to your master. Obi Wan
rarely counsels caution -- when he
does, he should be heeded.
ANAKIN
Master? Who said anything about a
master?
JARDIN
(to Kenobi)
I thought you said you were
training him.
KENOBI
We've only just begun.
Canaris raises a feathered eyebrow.
KENOBI (CONT'D)
It's been rather informal.
ANAKIN
Great. I'll get ready.
Anakin marches toward the Falling Star.
JARDIN
(to Kenobi)
Hotheaded. He reminds me of you
before your beard grew in.
KENOBI
I knew there was a reason I liked
him.
JARDIN
Listen, Kenobi, another thing...
The two of them walk a few steps away from Manx and Kitch.
JARDIN (CONT'D)
(hushed)
Parts of your report may have been
treated with suspicion, but you
were right. The commander of this
fleet is a disciple of the Dark
Side.
INT. FALLING STAR, MAIN BATTERY - LATER
Gunners One and Two pull blasters out of a weapon locker.
Alda affixes a second gun belt, one blaster pistol on each
hip. He grabs a third and tosses it to Anakin, who nods
proudly.
EXT. YORVATH - LATER
Jardin Canaris leads Kenobi, Kitch, Alda, Anakin and the
gunners through the jungle. Kitch wears a giant blaster
pistol in a shoulder holster.
Kenobi mops moisture from his forehead.
KENOBI
It is wet.
Anakin smiles. He's watching a butterfly-like insect crawl on
the back of his hand.
Ahead of the away team and off to one side of their path, in
a small clearing, a large object is mostly concealed by a
camouflage tarp.
Gunner One points it out to Gunner Two.
KITCH
What's that up ahead?
JARDIN
It's my ship.
KITCH
You're OWN ship?
JARDIN
I didn't walk here.
KITCH
You hear that, Kenobi? When he
needs to go somewhere, he just
takes his own ship.
KENOBI
Where's the fun in that?
JARDIN
It isn't too much farther now. Try
to keep it down.
The sound of a ship's thrusters is heard nearby and then a
transport of the dark fleet appears above the canopy, headed
for space.
Jardin darts ahead toward where the ship took off and
positions himself behind a tree toward the edge of another
clearing, this one unnatural. Trees have been felled and
cleared, the forest floor scorched. Jardin waves the rest of
the party on, gesturing for them to find cover.
In the clearing rests one last dark transport. Two armed
guards secure the ship.
Alda begins to move toward a flanking position, but Jardin
stills him with a gesture.
A loud rustling from some trees nearby causes the guards to
look that way. Out of the forest, come five more of the
identical pale soldiers, struggling to herd three captive
animals in electrified collars.
The animals look like a hybrid of rabbits and chimps --
largish, sentient but sub-human, and damn cute.
ANAKIN
What the hell?
Kenobi and Jardin glare at him in unison.
The soldiers herd their captives onto the transport.
GUARD ONE
That's a full load. Make ready for
departure.
The transport's thrusters warm up.
Kenobi and Jardin nod at each other, and Jardin begins
circling the clearing, like Alda had done, but much more
quietly. Kenobi turns to the rest of the away team.
KENOBI
Leave this to us.
Anakin receives an extra pointed look.
When Jardin reaches his position, Kenobi makes a strange
tossing gesture in the opposite direction.
An extremely loud honking, like that of a gigantic goose,
cuts through the forest, echoing over the noise of the
transports thrusters.
The four pale soldiers who are still outside the transport
pause to look in that direction. A fifth peeks his head out
the cargo door.
And then a bright orange flash streaks across the clearing
from Jardin's position, and the five soldiers are instantly
replaced with five corpses (one of them shy a head), all
felled in one deadly-fast stroke.
And just as suddenly, Jardin is visible, standing just past
them, orange lightsaber in hand.
A sixth crewman appears in the door, sees the carnage and
yells toward the cockpit. Jardin swings his arm, and the pale
soldier is pulled from the ship directly through the orange
lightsaber, falling in a heap a few feet past Canaris.
The transport begins to lift off, but Kenobi is in the
clearing now, eyes on the cockpit, fingers to temple. The
transport's ascent falters, then it descends haltingly, and
the thrusters cut out.
The ship's canopy opens slowly -- Kenobi standing directly in
front of it, unmoving -- revealing two pilots, each drawing a
blaster pistol. Alda and Kitch take aim.
But, before they can fire, the pilots simultaneously fire on
each other and slump over, dead.
Kenobi shakes his head and shoulders, and makes a brrr sound
with his lips.
KENOBI (CONT'D)
Nasty, that.
Alda and Kitch exchange a look -- wow -- and stow their
weapons.
ANAKIN
You heard I'm training to be a
Jedi, right?
INT. FALLING STAR, COCKPIT - MINUTES LATER
Manx sits in Captain Kitch's seat. The comms crackle to life.
KITCH (V.O.)
Alright, Manx -- here goes nothing.
MANX
Roger that, Captain.
EXT. YORVATH - CONTINUOUS
The Falling Star lifts off.
EXT. YORVATH, SECONDARY LANDING SITE - CONTINUOUS
The captured transport rises off the jungle floor.
INT. CAPTURED TRANSPORT, COCKPIT - CONTINUOUS
Kitch is at the helm, Canaris seated next to him, Obi Wan
hunched between them.
KITCH
Those guys we killed. Know where
they came from? Don't think I've
ever seen their kind before.
KENOBI
No, I don't.
Jardin shakes his head.
KITCH
I don't like it. This plan better
work, Kenobi.
KENOBI
Tell him not to worry, Jardin.
JARDIN
Don't worry, Captain Kitch, I'm
fairly certain that I, at least,
will make it through in one piece.
KENOBI
You see, if he were concerned, he
wouldn't joke.
Kenobi opens the hatch to the cargo bay and steps through.
INT. CAPTURED TRANSPORT, CARGO BAY - CONTINUOUS
JARDIN (O.S.)
Who says I'm jo-
The hatch hisses shut behind Kenobi. The cargo bay is filled
with force field cages housing the rabbit/chimps, dozens of
them. The most recently captured creatures -- let's call them
eeps -- are loose, investigating their surroundings,
communicating with their caged friends, etc.
One of the eeps is sitting on Alda's lap. It's much too large
to be comfortable, but it doesn't seem to mind. Alda, on the
other hand looks less than comfortable. Anakin's petting it.
KENOBI
Alda, you've made a friend.
ALDA
He's made me, more like. Get him
off me, would ya?
Anakin scratches the eep under its chin. It purrs and coos.
ANAKIN
He's awful cute.
ALDA
Cut it out, would ya?
Kenobi paces in front of the cages, a pensive look on his
face.
KENOBI
What could they possibly want with
you, my friends?
EXT. SPACE, OFF YORVATH - MINUTES LATER
The captured transport falls into formation with other
transports heading toward the dark hulk.
INT. CAPTURED TRANSPORT, COCKPIT - CONTINUOUS
A transmission on the comms.
FLIGHT CONTROL (V.O.)
Ship one four seven seven. You are
cleared for landing. Acknowledge.
KITCH
(in crisp English)
Roger.
Jardin gives him a look.
KITCH (CONT'D)
I know a few words. Don't tell
Kenobi.
KENOBI (O.S.)
Don't tell me what?
EXT. SPACE, OFF YORVATH - CONTINUOUS
The dark hulk looms in the foreground as the captured
transport approaches.
INT. CAPTURED TRANSPORT, COCKPIT - CONTINUOUS
The hatch opens, and Kenobi steps in behind Jardin and Kitch,
who both look a bit awed, a hard edged shadow rising through
the cockpit and over their faces.
KENOBI
There's no use pretending you
didn't say...
(stopped short by the view
through the port)
Goodness, that is a big ship.
Over their shoulders and through the viewport, the dark hulk
grows ever larger. A hangar door yawns open, ready to swallow
the captured transport and the other ships in its formation.
Kitch hits the comms.
KITCH
Manx, we're going in. Are you in
position?
INT. FALLING STAR, COCKPIT - CONTINUOUS
Through the viewport the hulk and the rest of the ships are
visible at what seems like a safe distance.
MANX
Aye, Cap, we see you. You be
careful in there, Renzo, you hear
me?
KITCH (V.O.)
It's too late for careful, I think,
but I'll try my damndest not to
die.
INT. DARK HULK - CONTINUOUS
The captured transport cruises into a giant hangar bay.