INT. GEONOSIS – EQUIPMENT SHED/WORKSHOP – EVENING
Darth has pushed the motor aside and is now working on what appear to be a pair of mechanical boots. He is busy inserting a microchip into the inner workings of a sole when a bronze protocol ‘droid – Z-6PO – enters the chamber.
Z-6PO: Excuse me, Master Darth.
DARTH: (turns around to look at Z-6PO) Sixpio. What’s happening?
Z-6PO: Master Vader has been unable to reach you on your communicator –
DARTH: (interrupts) I shut it off. I don’t wanna talk to him more than I need to.
Z-6PO: Sir, it’s about your mother.
DARTH: I don’t wanna talk to her, neither.
Z-6PO: (cont’d) Master Darth, please. It’s of the utmost importance.
DARTH: (shrugs) What?
Z-6PO: Your mother has been injured grievously. She has been taken to the medcentre.
DARTH: (alarmed) What!?
Z-6PO: If you would just come with me to see Master Vader ….
But Darth has already left for the medcentre.
INT. MEDCENTRE/OBSERVATION ROOM – EVENING
Chlorian Vader stands at the observation window, staring through the one-way sheet of transparisteel into the operating room where the surgeon and medical ‘droids attend to the horribly bruised and broken body of his lover. Though the governor often does a solid job keeping his emotions from showing on the surface, this time he fails.
Darth bursts in.
DARTH: Mom!
Worried, also panicked, Darth strides right up to the observation window, pressing his hands firmly against the transparisteel as if trying to push himself through it.
DARTH: (voice breaking) What happened?
CHLORIAN VADER: Those damned protesters jumped her – got her as she was leaving through the front gate.
Darth says nothing. He only places his face inside his arm as he begins to cry. Having no words of comfort to offer, Chlorian can only place a reassuring hand on the young boy’s shoulder as he sobs without sound.
EXT. SPACE – TOWNOWI
The Townowi system in the immediate area surrounding the primary world has changed considerably since we last saw it. Whereas the last time there had been enough ships to blockade one hemisphere of Townowi, now there are so many capital ships in orbit around the planet that they almost form a solid 400,000-kilometre-thick shell around it. The battlemoon stands just outside this sphere of influence, however, a sentinel on watch and on guard.
Emerging from hyperspace, a white Imperator-class Star Destroyer makes its approach towards the battlemoon. Coming to a rest five kilometres away from the station, the Purifier disgorges a Lambda-class shuttle – the CC 161 – from its docking bay. Engines flaring bright with blue-white light, the CC 161 rockets toward the battlemoon.
INT. BATTLEMOON/DOCKING BAY
Sigeu is already waiting in the docking bay when the CC 161 touches down inside.
The boarding ramp opening and lowering, a FIGURE emerges from the ship. Though clad in the exact same uniform as Sigeu, this individual is male.
SGW-0027: Welcome aboard, Officer THX-1138.
THX-1138: Officer SGW-0027, I accept your welcome.
INT. BATTLEMOON – OVERBRIDGE
The two clone admirals enter the Overbridge. Climbing the steps to a raised command platform, they gaze out at the lower levels beneath them. Technicians man the computers down in the crew pit; there are about three different faces among the lot of them.
SGW-0027: This is our main command centre. From here we monitor and control the battlemoon’s workstations and datafiles.
THX-1138: On a station this size? All of them?
She nods.
THX-1138: Quite the achievement. Our engineers ought to be commended.
SGW-0027: They won’t be.
THX-1138: They will be. (beat) They will be.
INT. BATTLEMOON/INTERROGATION CENTRE
Sigeu and Thex enter the interrogation centre. As she steps over to the weapons rack, he strides up to the inactive containment field. He finds a dried blood spot on the platform.
THX-1138: Tsk.
Reaching up, he pulls the veil hiding his face away. We can now see that he is Human, rather handsome, with a strong chin, straight nose, and eyes that are – in spite of what he is – rather warm. Like all clones, he wears his blond hair in a buzz cut with a barcode across his forehead.
SGW-0027: It’s a crime to hide such a face.
Sigeu removes her niqab. She, too, is Human, with buzz-cut blond hair, intense aquamarine eyes, and full pink lips.
THX-1138: Yours isn’t half-bad, either.
With lightning speed, Sigeu grabs the lightwhip from the rack and strikes at Thex. Just as swiftly, Thex grabs the end of the metal lash before it can contact, holding it fast. Touching the weapon’s stud, Sigeu activates the whip’s energy field. Glowing bright white, the lash begins to burn into Thex’s hand and fingers.
THX-1138: (grimaces) Ahhh …
Bringing out his other hand, he takes hold of the glowing lash and begins to reel Sigeu in towards him. She resists at first, tugging back on the whip, but soon relents. As she’s drawn up close to him, he wrenches the lightwhip out her hands and tosses the weapon aside.
THX-1138: That hurt.
SGW-0027: (grins) You wouldn’t have it any other way.
Grabbing her by the back of her head, Thex thrusts their faces together. Locking lips, they thrust their tongues into their open mouths as they begin to undress.
Since they’re incapable of making love, they do the next best thing. Securing magnetic cuffs around Thex’s wrists and ankles, Sigeu leads him to the containment field platform and activates it, trapping him there. Retrieving the lightwhip, she then goes to work on his back and hindquarters, adding fresh new gashes to the already heavily scarred tissue present.
SABOTEUR’S P.O.V. – WAYWARD SON
Exiting the crew quarters, the saboteur makes their way along the main corridor of the Wayward Son until they reach the entrance into the engineering bay.
Slipping inside, the saboteur walks on over to the entrance which leads into the #3 hold. Entering the small hold, they step up to a green metal crate. Bringing out their left wrist, they pull their sleeve up and, peeling off a patch of synth-skin, reveal a small wafer of super-thin electronics attached to the real skin beneath. After several touch-sensitive spots on the wafer are pressed, a hidden compartment near the base of the crate slides opens. Reaching into the compartment, the saboteur pulls out a toolkit along with a brick-sized detonator.
Re-sealing the compartment, the saboteur returns to the engineering bay and crosses over to the hyperdrive access panel. Taking care to make sure no one is around to see them, they open the panel and slip down inside the access tube. Opening the toolkit, the saboteur takes the detonator and begins connecting it to pathways which link the hyperdrive motivator up to the hyperdrive itself.
Time passes and the job of securing the detonator in place is eventually finished. Taking their tools, the saboteur returns them to the toolkit.
SN. ANDUE: (O.C.) Hey, what’s up down there?
Hearing the Falleen’s voice, the saboteur quickly reaches for the blaster pistol holstered to their left thigh. Unholstering the blaster, they make an adjustment to the pistol’s setting, then taking care to hide the weapon against their palm, they climb out of the access tube. Andue, unaware of the danger facing her, casually approaches the saboteur.
SN. ANDUE: (smiles) What were you doing with the hyperdrive? Is there something –
Pressing their advantage, the saboteur moves right up to Andue. Grabbing the Falleen’s queue, the saboteur pulls the reptilian woman’s head back. Quickly bringing out the blaster, the saboteur shoves the barrel right up under Andue’s chin and pulls the trigger. The energy discharged from the pistol is only a stun blast, but at this close range it’s powerful enough to fry the Falleen’s brain.
As Andue collapses to the deck, eyes rolling up in their sockets, body spasming, the saboteur proceeds to take hold of the dead Falleen’s shoulders and drags the corpse over to the hyperdrive access tube. Pushing the body down into the tube, the saboteur then re-seals the access panel. Once that is done, the saboteur departs, leaving the engineering bay as close to clean and spotless as it was before their arrival.
EXT. CORUSCANT – 663 GASGAR VALLEY APARTMENT COMPLEX/LLOMON & MAHTTOH’S APARTMENT/BALCONY – DAY
Llomon stands over the balcony rail, peering out through his macrobinoculars at the 662 Gasgar Valley apartment complex which stands on the other side of the street.
LLOMON’S P.O.V. – 662 GASGAR VALLEY APARTMENT COMPLEX’S ENTRANCE
The entrance door of the building opens and Siri steps out. Making sure she has her wallet on her, she proceeds to continue on her way down the sidewalk towards the parking garage.
INT. 663 GASGAR VALLEY APARTMENT COMPLEX/LLOMON & MAHTTOH’S APARTMENT/LIVING AREA – DAY
Opening the balcony door, Llomon enters the living area. Mahttoh, seated on the sofa, fingers steepled across his chest and feet propped up on the caf table, turns his dark chocolate eyes away from the Wookiee opera performance currently playing on the holovid display and centres them on his partner.
LLOMON: (in Dosh, subtitled) She just left.
Nodding once silently, the Wookiee picks up a remote control and presses a button, turning the holovid player off at the exact moment before the Wookiee opera singer reaches crescendo.
INT. 662 GASGAR VALLEY APARTMENT COMPLEX/OBI-WAN & SIRI’S APARTMENT/ENTRANCE HALL – DAY
The door into the darkened apartment slides open and Llomon and Mahttoh, two satchels at hand, sneak inside. Making haste, they reseal the door before anyone can see them and proceed to make their way deeper into the apartment.
INT. 662 GASGAR VALLEY APARTMENT COMPLEX/OBI-WAN & SIRI’S APARTMENT – MONTAGE
We follow the bounty hunters as they make their way room-to-room, planting bugs and miniaturized cameras in various hidden spots.
INT. 662 GASGAR VALLEY APARTMENT COMPLEX/OBI-WAN & SIRI’S APARTMENT/KITCHEN – DAY
Entering the kitchen, the bounty hunters step on over to the refrigerator. Taking hold of the unit, they pull it back away from the wall. Reaching into his satchel, Mahttoh then pulls out the last of their bugs; activating it, he steps in the space between the refrigerator and wall and secures it in place to the unit.
LLOMON: (subtitled) That should do it.
Stepping out from behind the refrigerator, the two non-Humans then push the unit back in place.
LLOMON: (nods toward the door; subtitled) We’re done here.
The bounty hunters depart the apartment, leaving no visible trace of their presence behind.
EXT. ORRON III – DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD – COURTYARD – EVENING
It is a calm, clear evening on the night side of Orron III. The DuQuesne family, currently seated on lounge chairs outside, look up into the night sky of their world. The planet’s three moons have come into perfect alignment, combining their collective light to form a large, brilliant star in the heavens.
EXT. SPACE
With a blur of pseudo-motion, the Wayward Son emerges from hyperspace. The Corellian ship finds itself floating in deep interstellar space, surrounded on all sides by billions of brilliant stars with a distant varicoloured nebula situated in the black firmament to their far right. No worlds or nearby suns are to be found anywhere, however.
INT. WAYWARD SON/COCKPIT
Taking one long glance out at the magnificent view of realspace situated beyond the cockpit, Cmdr. Vaness then reaches for the headset comlink secured over her left ear.
CMDR. VANESS: (activates comlink) Dr. Moulin, we have emerged from hyperspace. Could you report to the cockpit to calculate our next hyperroute, please?
The commander receives no response.
CMDR. VANESS: (cont’d) Dr. Moulin, are you there?
INT. WAYWARD SON/CREW QUARTERS
Having a need to keep to their daily exercise routine even aboard the Wayward Son, Obi-Wan and Nik have decided to take up jogging through the length of the ship. Currently dressed in their lightest, coolest clothes, they make their way out into the main corridor, passing by Kathe Naad as she makes her way inside towards her quarters.
ANAKIN: (nods to Kathe) Hey, Kathe.
KATHE NAAD: (grins) Hi, Nik.
INT. WAYWARD SON/MAIN CORRIDOR
ANAKIN: (checks his chronometre) So, how long should we go for today? Sixty-nine minutes?
OBI-WAN: Let’s make it an even eighty-six and then we’ll hit the showers.
Just as they get ready to begin their jog, Cmdr. Cody exits the engineering bay. Looking ill at ease and edgy, the man from Concord Dawn hurriedly turns to his right and makes a sprint down the corridor without noticing the pair of Jedi. Exchanging glances, the two Jedi Knights silently agree to follow him.
INT. WAYWARD SON/COCKPIT
As Cmdr. Vaness gets ready to leave her seat, Dr. Moulin enters the cockpit and plops down in the co-pilot’s seat.
ZOSIME MOULIN: (calls a star chart up on a computer display) Sorry for the tardiness, Commander. I had to use the facilities.
EXT. ORRON III – DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD – COURTYARD – EVENING
As the DuQuesnes watch the three aligned moons blaze, a formation of storm clouds – appearing suddenly out of nowhere – begins to coalesce in the sky above them.
INT. WAYWARD SON/MAIN CORRIDOR
Rounding a corner, Cody comes to the hatch leading into the cockpit access corridor. Opening the hatch, the Journeyman Protector dashes inside.
INT. WAYWARD SON/COCKPIT
ZOSIME MOULIN: There, I’ve finished charting our course. If we head for the K-type star here (points to a spot on the star chart), we’ll be able to avoid crossing paths with the neutron star and continue on to the C-type star here (points to another spot on the chart). It’s a long route – it’ll add another six hours to our travel time – but it’s safe.
CMDR. VANESS: (sighs) Punch it in.
As the Gungan begins entering the coordinates into the navicomputer, Cmdr. Cody bursts into the cockpit. At a near panic, he pounces upon the two women just as the hyperdrive comes on-line.
INT. WAYWARD SON/HYPERDRIVE ACCESS TUBE
Inside the access tube, where the twisted body of Sn. Andue lies cold in unceremonious death, the detonator activates as commands from the hyperdrive motivator are filtered through it.
With a soundless flash of brilliant white light, the detonator explodes.
EXT. ORRON III – DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD – COURTYARD – EVENING
The cloud formation grows like a cancer, concealing the aligned moons and blotting out their light.
EXT. ULTRA-HYPERSPACE
A wound in the fabric of spacetime is torn open, catapulting the Wayward Son deep into hyperspace. The ship accelerated to unfathomable velocities, the very topography of hyperspace has changed around it; the ordinary corridor of swirling blue light is gone, replaced with two planes of writhing blue energy which come together at an ever-receding white horizon. The YT-1300 freighter tumbles end-over-end on an uncontrolled flight through this uncanny landscape toward an unknown destination.
INT. WAYWARD SON – MONTAGE
We take a look into the Wayward Son. Moving through the various rooms of the ship, we find everything – crew members, ship’s functions, and the expanding explosion from the ruptured hyperdrive itself – frozen in place, affixed in time.
EXT. SPACE – XUTHLTAN
With a burst of pearlescent light, the Wayward Son returns to realspace. Trailing burning hyperdrive energies from its back end, it careens toward a planet enveloped in sulphur-yellow cloud formations.
EXT. XUTHLTAN – DESERT LANDSCAPE – DAY
Emerging from the thick cloud cover, the Wayward Son finds itself speeding towards the surface of a perfectly flat, dried-up riverbed. The craft banks left, putting it on a slightly more stable course, but that is all the ship has left to give.
Losing altitude, the Wayward Son hits the ground. Plowing into the dry earth, the freighter carves a long trench through it as it skids forward.
EXT. ORRON III – DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD – COURTYARD – EVENING
With a flash of lightning and a crash of thunder, the heavy storm clouds unload their burden. Large rain drops the colour of fresh blood pelt the ground in a torrential downpour.
Disgusted by the sight and the smell of the red rain, Nemec and Corin quickly leave their lounge chairs and rush into the house. Nashira, on the other hand, cooly and calmly rises to her feet. Raising her open hands to the sky, she slowly looks up, standing in place as rivulets of crimson water run down her face and body.
INT. XUTHLTAN – WAYWARD SON/COCKPIT ACCESS CORRIDOR – DAY
Anakin lies face-down on the deck while Obi-Wan lies sprawled out on his back. Both are unconscious.
INT. WAYWARD SON/COCKPIT – DAY
Cmdr. Vaness and Dr. Moulin remain upright in their seats, sparks flying from the damaged controls surrounding them. Though banged up, they managed to secure their restraints before the crash, saving them from serious injury. Cdmr. Cody, on the other hand, lies in a motionless heap against the bulkhead behind them, a bloody wound across his forehead.
Unfastening her restraints, Moulin leaves her seat and crosses over to the motionless Concordian. Bending low, she feels his throat for a pulse.
CMDR. VANESS: (unfastens her own restraints and joins the Gungan) Is he --?
ZOSIME MOULIN: He’s not dead, no – just unconscious. I’d venture he’s suffered a pretty severe concussion.
CMDR. VANESS: (puts her hands under Cody’s armpits) Help me get him up.
With the Gungan’s assistance, Vaness hefts the unconscious Journeyman Protector up to his feet and drags him over to the co-pilot’s seat. Taking care not to jostle him too much, they set him down in it.
INT. WAYWARD SON/COCKPIT ACCESS CORRIDOR – DAY
As Vaness and Moulin exit the cockpit, they find Nik and Obi-Wan in the access corridor.
CMDR. VANESS: (takes hold of Nik’s shoulder and gives it a shake) Hey, Skywalker – you awake?
Groggily, Anakin comes to.
ANAKIN: What in the Holy’s name just happened?
CMDR. VANESS: (half-smiles) Here I was hoping you’d be the one to tell me.
Regaining consciousness, Obi-Wan sits up with a groan.
OBI-WAN: (rubs his forehead) Ooh, my head. It hasn’t ached this bad since that time we attended the Tenaabi Spirits Festival.
CMDR. VANESS: I don’t like to rush you guys, but we need to check out the rest of the ship. The others may need our help.
The two Jedi acknowledge this with a pair of nods.
INT. WAYWARD SON/MAIN CORRIDOR – DAY
As soon as the four step out of into the main corridor, they find it filled with black, greasy smoke, the air heavy with an oppressive heat.
CMDR. VANESS: Oh Lord – the ship’s fuel has caught on fire! (beat) We need to get respirators and extinguishers and get to the others – fast!
INT. WAYWARD SON/COCKPIT – DAY
They quickly backtrack to the cockpit and strap themselves into respirators, making sure to take up spare respirators and as many fire extinguishers as they can carry back with them.
CMDR. VANESS (points at Cody’s unconscious form) Obi-Wan, you get Cody off the ship. We’ll find the others.
INT. WAYWARD SON/MAIN CORRIDOR – DAY
As they return to the corridor and make their way down toward the hatch leading to the boarding ramp, they feel the already-intense heat grow even more palpable as the hairs on most of their bodies begin to singe. At the far end of the corridor, they can see the shadows being cast by the blazing silver inferno which has already consumed the engineering bay and its surrounding areas.
CMDR. VANESS: Bail’s in the #2 hold; I’ll go get him. You guys get off the ship.
ANAKIN: (alarmed) What about the others?! Kathe’s in her quarters! And what about Mal’Akhi and Andue?!
CMDR. VANESS: If they were at the rear of the ship when the hyperdrive went critical, then they’re dead.
ANAKIN: I don’t accept that –
CMDR. VANESS: Feel that heat, Skywalker? We’re not even close to the source and it’s intolerable. There’s no way they could’ve survived.
ANAKIN: I still have to try and get to them!
CMDR. VANESS: (angry) Are you suicidal or just stupid? They’re dead, Skywalker! If we don’t get off this death trap, we’ll be, too!
Anakin grits his teeth, torn between his duty to his comrades and his sense of self-preservation.
OBI-WAN: She’s right, Nik. There’s nothing we can do for them.
ANAKIN: No … no!
OBI-WAN: (irate) Anakin, listen to reason!
Finally, silently, Anakin acquiesces.
KATHE NAAD: (O.C.) I think we’d better get off-ship, guys, before this heat blisters my fair skin.
Hearing Kathe’s voice, they turn to look behind them. There they find the mild-mannered woman moving towards them from up the corridor, a semi-conscious Bail braced against her. She begins to cough violently as the smoke in the air finally reaches unbreathable levels.
ANAKIN: Kathe, you’re alive?! But I saw you returning –
KATHE NAAD: (coughs) I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to take a walk. Capt. Organa and I can both thank the stars for that. Now please – let’s go!
EXT. WAYWARD SON – DRIED-UP RIVERBED – DAY
The hatch of the Wayward Son opens and the boarding ramp extends to touch the brown ground. Exiting the demolished, burning ship, the seven surviving team members emerge out into the dry heat of this uncharted desert planet.
OBI-WAN: (to Kathe) Did you see Andue or Mal’Akhi on your way out?
KATHE NAAD: (shakes her head) I’m sorry … I didn’t.
The survivors looks out to their horizons, finding nothing but empty, barren nothingness before them.
ANAKIN: Now what?
CMDR. VANESS: Now we wait for the fire to burn itself out and see what happens from there.