DuracellEnergizer

Don’t be Richard Brody.

HUANG CHUNG – WANG CHUNG

ALBUM: 9/10

ALBUM COVER: 5/10

And here we are, the last leg of the race. The next entry will be the final entry, then after almost three years of work, this screenplay will finally be complete.

EXT. ORRON III – DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD – COURTYARD – DAY

Finishing up their work for the day, Nemec and Corin return inside.

Not two minutes later, a speeder bike pulls up to the homestead. Cutting power to the engines, Llomon hops off and approaches the front door.

INT. DUQUESNE HOMESTEAD/ENTRANCE HALL – DAY

As the two DuQuesnes argue over who will get to take a shower first – Corin having shot down Nemec’s suggestion they take a shower together – a KNOCK is heard at the door.

NEMEC: Who could this be?

Going to the door, Nemec opens it a crack. Llomon stands there, his bionic blaster cannon hidden out of sight.

NEMEC: Anything I can help you with, mister?

LLOMON: Anakin Skywalker.

NEMEC: I’m afraid he’s not here.

LLOMON: Where is he?

NEMEC: I can’t answer that.

The Trandoshan darts his tongue out, getting a taste of the air.

NEMEC: Do you have a message for him? I’ll get it to him if I can.

LLOMON: That won’t be necessary.

As the Trandoshan turns to leave, Nemec closes and locks the door. Turning around to Corin, her gives her a quizzical look.

CORIN: What was that about?

Nemec shrugs. It’s the last thing he ever does. An orange plasma ball plows through the door, blasting it to splinters, and right through Nemec. His body hurtled forward, Corin is driven to the floor with the bulk atop her. As Llomon steps through the doorway, the muzzle of his blaster cannon steaming, she SCREAMS. Pulling herself out from under Nemec’s corpse, Corin turns to bolt. Llomon discharges another plasma blast, taking her right leg off below the knee.

CORIN: YYYEEEAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!

Moving in on the crippled woman as she tries to crawl away, the Trandoshan plants his foot on her back, holding her in place. Taking aim, he fires a third shot at point-blank range, ending her struggles.

LLOMON: (cont’d) I don’t mind the wait.

EXT. SPACE – TOWNOWI – MONTAGE

The Athan fleet surrounds Townowi, a veritable shell surrounding the crystalline world. Upon Atha Prime’s command, they will finally leave the Townowi system for Geonosis. Upon conquering that world, they will then rendezvous with their forces in the Dark World enclave. Their war machine refueled, they will continue their fight with the Empire until the Empire finally exhausts its resources and the Athan Supremacy stands triumphant.

But that will never happen. Dropping out of hyperspace from all directions – consisting of several thousand Star Destroyers, Star Defenders, Dreadnought-class heavy cruisers, and countless other battleships, cruisers, and escorts – is nearly the entire Imperial Navy. Converging upon the clone ships, they unleash enough firepower to slag a world. The Athans return fire, but they are sorely outnumbered.

The entire battle lasts an hour. Once the guns of the Imperial ships finally fall silence, all that remains of the Athan fleet is a debris field orbiting Townowi.

INT. GEONOSIS – SANDCRAWLER/CONTROL ROOM – DAY

A pair of Raiders drag Darth in, taking him to Shiiid. The Zabrak sits in his customary seat, none to happy.

ELIK SHIIID: I gave you a chance, Darth – an opportunity to become one of us, to put our food in your belly. But you do this to us! Fires! Fires everywhere! The sandcrawler will never run! Never ever never!

Darth sneaks a glance at Chlorian. He is still in the rack. Both his arms are gone now, along with an ear and a leg. If he was dangerously emaciated before, now he looks absolutely skeletal; were it not for the signs of his breathing, no one could be blamed for thinking him dead.

ELIK SHIIID: You look at your father? Your father is the side dish! You will be the main course! (to a Raider) Fire up the grill!

EXT. GEONOSIS – CONDAWN – DAY

A formation of fifteen Imperial attack shuttles pass over the cityscape of Condawn, the shuttle Seraphim at its head. The city, its streets filled with trash, debris, and bones, is empty of anything else.

INT. SERAPHIM/COCKPIT – DAY

CO-PILOT: No life readings. Continue on.

The shuttle departs, leaving Condawn alone, a monument to its own passing.

EXT. RAIDER CAMP – DAY

The shuttle passes over the Raider camp.

INT. SERAPHIM/COCKPIT – DAY

CO-PILOT: I’m registering serious life-signs here!

EXT. RAIDER CAMP – DAY

With the arrival of the shuttles, many of the Raiders scurry out from under their tents and take off into the open desert.

INT. SERAPHIM/MAIN CABIN – DAY

Obi-Wan is seated with a squad of Imperial troopers. His face, back to its old self, is unreadable.

As the Seraphim touches down, the Jedi and the troopers under his command stand up. The hatch opening, they file out into the desert.

EXT. RAIDER CAMP – DAY

Leaving their shuttles, the troopers spread out, moving deep into the camp. While most of the Raiders continue to run away, some of them choose to stay and fight the Imperials, costing most of them their lives in the process.

IMPERIAL TROOPER #1: Why are they attacking us? Can’t they tell we’re the good guys?

OBI-WAN: I’m afraid they’re too far gone to tell much of anything.

EXT. RAIDER CAMP – SANDCRAWLER – DAY

As the Jedi and his men close in on the sandcrawler, several Raiders guarding the entrance open fire with their blasters. Whipping out his lightsaber, he engages the cyan blade and parries the orange blaster bolts. Raising their blasters, the troopers mow down the crazed Raiders down before they can cause real harm.

The Imperials proceed to enter the derelict land vehicle.

INT. SANDCRAWLER/PRISON AREA – DAY

Obi-Wan and his men enter the compartment housing the few remaining Condawni captives. The sight and smell of the starved creatures within assault them with equal force.

OBI-WAN: (grimaces) Get them checked out then loaded aboard the shuttles.

IMPERIAL TROOPER #2: Yes sir!

The Jedi leaves.

INT. SANDCRAWLER/CONTROL ROOM – DAY

The grill of the barbecue is hot and ready. Darth, strapped into the rack with his dying father, is just about to be lowered onto the red hot coals with Obi-Wan and four troopers burst inside.

ELIK SHIIID: (surprised) WHA!

The troopers gun the Raiders down. Dancing about like a spastic marionette as the green bolts bore through him, Shiiid dies most satisfyingly.

Walking up the rack, Obi-Wan cuts Darth free of his restraints.

OBI-WAN: Are you alright, son?

DARTH: (shocked) Y-yeah.

As Darth steps down from the rack, Obi-Wan leans in close over Chlorian. He rests a hand on the older man’s prominent ribs.

DARTH: (worried) How is he?

OBI-WAN: (shakes his head) It won’t be long now.

Darth steps back up to Chlorian.

DARTH: Chlorian.

Chlorian stirs, sunken eyes cracking open ever so slightly.

CHLORIAN VADER: Daaaahhhhhh …

DARTH: Yes, it’s me. (beat) I need to know – am I your son?

CHLORIAN: (brittle) You … are … my … son.

DARTH: (cries) Darth Vader does sound better than Darth Warka, doesn’t it?

For the first time, for the last time, through a veil of tears, the Vaders share a smile.

EXT. SPACE – GEONOSIS

Leaving the benighted desert of Geonosis, through the debris field, the attack shuttles head out past the cold, dead battlemoon into open space.

INT. SERAPHIM/MAIN CABIN

Darth sits in the shuttle with Obi-Wan and the troopers.

DARTH: (eyes Obi-Wan’s lightsaber) You’re a Jedi Knight, aren’t you?

OBI-WAN: (half-smiles) What makes you think that?

DARTH: Your lasersword. Only Jedis carry that kind of weapon.

OBI-WAN: Perhaps I killed a Jedi and took it from him.

DARTH: I don’t think so. No one can kill a Jedi.

OBI-WAN: (pensive) I wish that were so.

jedimasterobiwan said:

DuracellEnergizer said:

MalàStrana said:

“31 jerks old”

Ah, so jedimasterobiwan’s a test tube baby who hasn’t been conceived yet.

Rather gross, but interesting just the same.

good one how many years did it take to come up with that one jackass

Would you believe 31?

Lord Haseo said:

DuracellEnergizer said:

Kevin Smith has always come off to me as a thirteen-year-old boy trapped in a man’s body, and not in a good way.

I can’t really think of a way that one could contort that sentence to seem like a compliment. If you can feel free to prove me wrong.

To be young at heart can be endearing if done right.

Tyrphanax said:

Glad Episode VII wasn’t shit.

Imp’scum sock disconfirmed.

I secretly fear that I might actually be too sexy.

On second thought …

Kevin Smith has always come off to me as a thirteen-year-old boy trapped in a man’s body, and not in a good way.

I’m afraid I’m not very good at prose. I’ve written maybe two short stories in my life I’ve been satisfied with; I couldn’t handle a full novel.

If I could commission a professional writer like Timothy Zahn to adapt them for me, on the other hand – or better yet, an artist like George Perez to illustrate a comic adaptation …

MalàStrana said:

“31 jerks old”

Ah, so jedimasterobiwan’s a test tube baby who hasn’t been conceived yet.

Rather gross, but interesting just the same.

I think I’m going to bow out of this thread now. Spoilers be accumulatin’.

You’ll see me here again after I see the movie itself (which should be, oh, a number of months from now.)

ray_afraid said:

That avatar is terrifying.

It undresses you with its eyes.

I currently have four posters on spiritual ignore. Who’s the fourth, you may ask? Why it’s Spuffure, our resident case of Internet jock itch, of course.

Spuffy, I’d like you to meet the best gif ever created:

EXT. VALLEY OF THE SLEEPING KINGS – SLIPSTREAM – SUNSET

Anakin has returned to the Slipstream. The Blade of the Saarai-Kaar tucked under his arm, he signals Dahlia who sits at the cockpit viewport. In moments the boarding ramp lowers and Dahlia climbs out.

DAHLIA: You’re back.

Anakin nods.

DAHLIA: (grins) You found it. You found them.

Anakin starts to return her grin, then he sees the blaster she has held on him.

ANAKIN: (frowns) Wha --?

Dahlia pulls the trigger. With a CHOOM, an orange blaster bolt burns into Anakin’s shoulder.

ANAKIN: ARGH!

Dahlia advances, firing the blaster. This time Anakin is on his guard; bringing the warblade to bear, he blocks each of the plasma bolts. As Dahlia moves in too close, Anakin swings the sword, slicing through the blaster. Taking a wary step back, casting the useless gun aside, the Pantoran pulls the hydrospanner strapped to her thigh free. With a BUZZ, a humming blade of dark blue plasma extends from its socket.

ANAKIN: (shocked) You’re a Jedi?!

DAHLIA: No, but Daddy was.

Bringing the blade around, the blue-skinned woman strikes. The Sith brings the warblade up at a downward angle, blocking the lightsaber. He then makes a strike for her forearm, hoping to disarm her, but she parries the attack easily.

DAHLIA: (cont’d) He taught me how to mask my Force-sensitivity so none could recognize me for what I really am. He taught me many things.

Fast and agile, Dahlia attacks with a flurry of motion, feinting and striking at Anakin with such ferocity that were she facing a non-sensitive swordsman, he would be lying in pieces on the ground already. Though Anakin is certainly a formidable warrior in his own right, he isn’t accustomed to duelling one-handed or with a blade with actual weight. As such his blocks and attacks are sluggish and unbalanced.

DAHLIA: (cont’d) Daddy taught me all about the Sith. He used to regale me with tales of their exploits, of the vastness of their empire, of the magicks they wielded.

Dahlia lands a glancing blow to Anakin’s left thigh. Distracted by the pain, Anakin fails to prevent her from kicking him square in the chest, knocking him flat on his back.

DAHLIA: (cont’d) Daddy desired the power of the Sith. Oh, how he dreamed to see the Force through their eyes, to master the esoteric arts deemed unnatural by Jedi ages past. He knew amongst the thousands of worlds that once made up the Sith Empire, at least one must have escaped plunder – a virgin bastion of Sith wisdom.

Bringing her saber down, Dahlia tries to skewer Anakin. Rolling out of the way, the Sith springs back up and lunges at the fallen Jedi. Crossing blades, their eyes connect.

DAHLIA: (cont’d) Together we would go out into the Sith Worlds. For months at a time we just wandered the stars, the ancient hyperlanes, following up any rumours or old legends which promised us our El Dorado. We never came close once. (beat) After Daddy’s passing, I abandoned hope of ever finding our lost world; I consigned it to the dustbin of old childhood myths and dreams. Then you came along – you with your dazzling Force presence and haunted eyes, on a mysterious quest for unknown Korriban. Korriban: a name which had never come up in our searches, a name which promised the Galaxy itself. I knew right then you were the key to everything.

Grimacing, Anakin pushes against Dahlia, forcing her back. Parrying one of her lunges, Anakin ripostes, opening her cheek up.

ANAKIN: (sneers) You used me. Everything you said to me, everything we shared together – it was all done to get you here. You never cared for me; I was just your ticket to the big time.

DAHLIA: (wipes blood from her wound) My feelings for you are real. I could never feign those.

ANAKIN: So you love me. You just covet my title more.

DAHLIA: (shrugs) There can be only one Lord – or Lady – of the Sith at a time.

The battle is renewed. Fueled by his rage at Dahlia’s gross abuse of his affections, Anakin no longer flounders in his use of the Sith weapon. Lunges are parried, ripostes made. The sounds of superheated plasma kissing nigh-indestructible metal reverberate through the still valley.

Dahlia is finally the one to get the upper hand. Locking her blade around his, she twists it, prying the Sith sword right out of his grasp. Reversing her grip on the lightsaber, she punches Anakin in the face, the metal hilt reinforcing her blow. Blood spurting from a split lip, he goes down.

DAHLIA: (points her lightsaber at Anakin’s throat) I don’t want to kill you. Just relinquish your title, Anakin. Give it up to me and we can go home together.

ANAKIN: No. You haven’t earned it. You do not deserve it.

DAHLIA: (heartbroken) So be it, Lord of the Sith.

Raising the lightsaber high, she prepares to deliver the killing blow. Before she can, a coat of ice forms over the lightsaber hilt. Sparks flying from the emitter, the dark blue blade flickers then goes out.

DAHLIA: (puzzled) What?

As she begins examining the inert weapon, a shadow rises up from the ground, towering over her, its silhouette quite familiar. Dread sweeping over her, the fallen Jedi drops the lightsaber, throwing her arms up as the Sith spirit passes its dark hand over her.

ANAKIN: (frantic) Ragnos, wait! Don’t!

But the bygone Lord of Sith heeds him not. Finally tasting the forbidden power she long desired, Dahlia is consumed by it. She passes through youth into middle age into old age in the span of seconds. Her firm blue skin loses its elasticity and sags; her luscious black hair turns coarse and brittle as its colour fades to white.

ANAKIN: No!

As the mummified remains of Dahlia Karin collapse to the ground, the silhouette of Marka Ragnos departs. Dragging himself over to the cadaver still clad in the wrinkled blue jumpsuit, touching the hard, dessicated shoulder which was once warm and soft with life, Anakin Skywalker weeps.

INT. GEONOSIS – SANDCRAWLER – MONTAGE

Having proven himself to be an excellent mechanic, Shiiid has put Darth to work repairing the systems of the sandcrawler as promised. But Darth has other plans; he’s going to use this opportunity to destroy the sandcrawler, killing everyone – the Raiders and their captives, himself included.

Working over the period of a week, Darth secures materials he can use to fashion makeshift detonators. Once he has assembled the detonators, he sets about planting them in the vital areas of the sandcrawler, taking great care to avoid being seen by the Raiders.

INT. GEONOSIS – SANDCRAWLER/ENGINEERING STATION – DAY

Crammed in a tight space too small for any adult to squeeze into, Darth plants the final detonator. Worming his way back out of the space, the boy fishes out the ‘droid caller he rewired to serve as a remote trigger for the detonators. Closing his eyes, he presses the ignition switch.

Darth overestimated the destructive capability of his jury-rigged detonators. Instead of setting off a series of tremendous explosions powerful enough to obliterate the sandcrawler and set the surrounding camp ablaze, several less cataclysmic but still very deadly fires have been ignited. A blaze quickly breaks out in the engineering station, right in the tight space Darth was. Feeding off the gritty old oil saturating the area, it spreads fast. Air filling with greasy black smoke faster than Darth can get to safety, the boy swoons, rapidly succumbing to asphyxiation.

EXT. MEADOW – DAY (VISION)

Opening his eyes, Darth finds himself in a meadow.

Standing up, the boy takes his strange new surroundings in. In stark contrast to dry, barren Geonosis, bright chartreuse grass covers the ground here as far as the eye can see, with large white clouds floating across the electric blue sky above. In the distance a metropolis of iridescent crystal rises from the ground, sunlight filtering through it to dazzling effect. Music – the most beautiful, melodic, uplifting Darth has ever heard – wafts up from the city, filling the air with its harmony.

SHMI WARKA: (O.C.) Beautiful, isn’t it?

Spinning around, Darth finds his long departed mother standing a ways behind him. Dressed in blue and white robes, holding cherubic Mitra in her arms, all the weight she once bore on her shoulders has been lifted. She looks radiant, a matron of matrons.

SHMI WARKA: (smiles) Hello, love.

Eyes heavy with tears, Darth runs up them. Lowering Mitra to the ground, Shmi takes her son into her arms as they come together, sweeping him around in a joyous embrace.

DARTH: (cries) Mom! Mom!

Mother and son kiss. Neither wants to leave the other’s arms.

DARTH: I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! It’s my fault you’re both dead! I couldn’t save you! I couldn’t save either of you! Forgive me! Please forgive me!

MITRA: (kisses Darth on both cheeks) Don’t be sad, Darth; I’m not. I’m back with my mommy and daddy again. We all live together in the big city.

SHMI WARKA: You have shouldered much guilt needlessly, son. Let it go.

Darth BAWLS, letting all the sadness and grief and shame he has let build in his system finally out.

DARTH: (wipes his tears away) W-where are we?

SHMI WARKA: Beyond the thousand natural shocks flesh is heir to.

DARTH: Are gramps and gram here?

SHMI WARKA: They are. They’re all here, all our ancestors. They are as they were in youth, at peace and content.

DARTH: I want to meet them all!

SHMI WARKA: And you will – when your time has come.

DARTH: (confused) My time? What do you mean? I’m here now, aren’t I?

SHMI WARKA: (shakes her head) Your pain was too great; I had to bring you here, to offer hope, but you cannot stay. You must live your life first.

DARTH: (voice breaks) What life?

SHMI WARKA: (runs her fingers through his hair) A man is coming, Darth – a friend. He will free you and take you away – far away from Geonosis. You only have to hold on a little while longer.

DARTH: But I want to be with you.

SHMI WARKA: (kisses Darth’s forehead) Have faith. You will see me again.

INT. GEONOSIS – SANDCRAWLER/ENGINEERING STATION – DAY

Darth regains consciousness. The other mechanics managed to extinguish the fire, with one of them performing CPR to resuscitate the young boy.

MECHANIC: (angry) You started this fire! It was you! I saw you! You’re ground chuck now, boy!

I know Spuffure’s a troll. I just can’t tell if he’s a deliberate or accidental troll.

TV’s Frink said:

So much rapid eye movement can’t make for a very good night’s sleep.

DuracellEnergizer said:

/thread

I wasn’t satisfied with Marka Ragnos’ dialogue, so I rewrote most of it. Hopefully now it reads more naturally.

generalfrevious said:

Casey Affleck is still a predator.

Is he also one ugly motherfucker?

If your life ain’t worth livin’
And you’re ready to give in
Just remember that it’s only the Internet
Yeah, that’s all

The real travesty is Spuffure doesn’t live in a century where the Internet doesn’t exist.

The Da Vinci Code certainly was bland, uninspired, and boring. Add overlong to the list, too.

INT. BATTLEMOON/CORRIDOR #1

Obi-Wan, Sev, and the two Beral apprentices race through the corridor, passing several clones who float aimlessly about around them.

SEV BERAL: The battlemoon’s no longer operational. Do you suppose its complement of starfighters still are?

OBI-WAN: I do.

SEV BERAL: Then it is vital we rendezvous with the Steed before our time runs out and the ship decloaks. It would dishearten me greatly to lose our only mode of transportation away from this place.

OBI-WAN: You and I both, Sev.

INT. BATTLEMOON/CORRIDOR #2

Sigeu and Thex, accompanied by a squad of shocktroopers, stride through the corridor on the hunt for the fleeing Jedi.

SGW-0027: (into comlink) They are headed towards Airlock 43. Stop them!

INT. BATTLEMOON/CORRIDOR #1

A SQUAD OF CLONE SHOCKTROOPERS appears at the opposite end of the corridor from the Jedi.

SHOCKTROOPER COMMANDER: Halt!

Taking his lightsaber – Anakin’s former lightsaber – Obi-Wan engages the cyan blade. Following suit, Sev triggers the alizarin blade of his own weapon. As the shocktroopers begin firing upon them, the two knights use their blue and red sabers to block and parry the blaster bolts.

OBI-WAN: Jano! Thermal detonator!

Reaching into a pouch on his utility belt, Jano fishes out a thermal detonator and arms it.

OBI-WAN: Now!

The young Duros tosses the detonator to the shocktroopers. The four Jedi leap across into an adjoining corridor as the weapon detonates. With a massive BOOM and an even more massive fireball, the clones are flash-fried, their suits of armour reduced to twisted lumps of blackened plasteel.

INT. BATTLEMOON/CORRIDOR #3

SGW-0027: (into comlink) Officer SEN-5241, come in. SEN-5241, do you read me? (to THX-1138) I’ve lost him.

THX-1138: We can still cut them off. This way.

Thex heads into another corridor. Sigeu and the shocktroopers follow.

INT. KORRIBAN – OUBLIETTE/LABYRINTH – DAY

Anakin continues his hasty passage through the labyrinth. Several times he has come across dead ends, forcing him to turn back and retrace his steps, more than a few times coming narrowly close to crossing paths with the Daemon of the Labyrinth. He tries to use the Force to navigate through the maze, and it has bought him some measure of success, but with the Daemon hounding him he has found it difficult to concentrate.

Coming to another dead end, Anakin sighs with exasperation. Quickly turning around, he comes face-to-disfigured-face with the Daemon.

ANAKIN: AH!

The serpent weapon uncoils from around the Daemon’s forearm and slithers back into its hand. There it flattens and stiffens, configuring into an organic sword. Anakin dives between the Daemon’s legs as it tries to take his head off. Twisting around, the Daemon flips the serpent weapon over, pointing it head-first towards Anakin. Opening its mouth, the serpent projects another stream of venom. Splashing against the young man’s back, it begins to eat through the armour.

Turning a corner, Anakin hurriedly presses up against a wall. Dragging his back along it, he hopes to clean the worst of the corrosive fluid away. Where the venom touches the wall, the wall starts rapidly dissolving.

Coming around the corner, the Daemon heads toward him. Looking about for a weapon, Anakin quickly spots a loose rock lying on the stone floor. Picking it up, he rubs it into a dissolving spot on the wall then hurls it with pinpoint accuracy right into the Daemon’s face. With a solid THWACK of the rock, the Daemon SCREAMS with more pain than the impact alone could bring.

The Daemon momentarily standing in place, violently wiping its melting face, Anakin takes the opportunity to put as much distance as he can between himself and it.

INT. BATTLEMOON/CORRIDOR #4

The Jedi are closing in on the airlock.

TEYF BERAL: Y’know, taking a ship across to the Steed would be a much better plan than going back out there in suits, not to mention safer.

OBI-WAN: Alas, Athan ships are not easily commandeered.

Halfway through the corridor, they stops. SGW-0027, THX-1138, and the shocktrooper squad stand before the Jedi cutting them off.

The two admirals step forward, placing them between their troops and the disguised Jedi.

SGW-0027: It has been a long while since I danced with Jedi.

Unveiling her lightsaber, Sigeu triggers the white blade. Thex does likewise. The four Jedi, in turn, ignite their lightsabers.

OBI-WAN: (beckons to SGW-0027) Shall we cha-cha, sweetheart?

INT. KORRIBAN – OUBLIETTE/LABYRINTH – DAY

Anakin finally comes to the end of the labyrinth. Instead of finding an exit, he finds a large stone platform with a short stone column standing atop it. Furrowing his brow, Anakin approaches the platform. On the platform, before the column, are situated two curious objects: a Sith warblade, embedded deep in a large block of stone, and a crystal sarcophagus containing the body of a Sith child.

Climbing atop the platform, Anakin takes a look at the warblade. A single-handed sword, the shaft of the blade is onyx black, marked with Sith runes. Taking the hilt, Anakin tries to pull the warblade free but it refuses to budge. Abandoning the effort, he turns his attention to the sarcophagus. A Sith child indeed lies within – a boy, about seven years old. Skin bright red, his features uncorrupted, he looks asleep, not dead.

MARKA RAGNOS: (O.S.) He sleeps.

ANAKIN: (surprised) What?

MARKA RAGNOS: (O.S.) The child before you has not gone on to the Force. He has lain in death-like slumber these five millennia; if need be, he will lie five more until the Sith are born anew.

ANAKIN: (shocked) You put him in here with that thing?!

Speaking of the devil, that very thing arrives. The venom having dissolved half its face and one of its eyes, it looks even more gruesome than when it emerged from its stasis. Growling, it lurches towards the platform.

ANAKIN: Stop it!

MARKA RAGNOS: (O.S.) I will not.

ANAKIN: It’ll harm the boy!

Leaping off the platform, Anakin charges the Daemon. Taking a running leap, he tries to tackle the Daemon, but the Daemon merely takes hold and tosses him over its head, sending him hard into a stone wall. Unveiling its serpent weapon, the Daemon slashes down, but Anakin rolls out of the way in time to avoid bisection; the serpentine blade cuts deep into stone only.

INT. BATTLEMOON/CORRIDOR #4

Having tried to take on the Jedi Knights, the shocktroopers all lie dead upon the deck, leaving the Force-adept clones alone to take them on. Sigeu concentrates on fighting Obi-Wan and Sev while Thex concentrates on the apprentices.

Making a lunge, Jano tries to skewer Thex on his cerulean blade, but the clone parries the move. Kicking the lightsaber out of the Duros’ hand, he then attacks with his white blade, cutting clean through the apprentice’s left knee. Without a leg to stand on, Jano collapses. Before the admiral can finish the boy off, Teyf comes to his cousin’s aid; coming in behind Thex, he beheads the clone with one downward strike.

SGW-0027: (screams) Thex!

The one person she cares about in this life taken from her, Sigeu loses it. Ramming her shoulder hard into Obi-Wan, she drives him hard into a wall, where he bounces off and collapses to the deck in a daze. Turning on Sev, she attacks with heavy, brutal blows. Blade of white relentlessly battering down on blade of red, the Force-adept clone forces the Durosian Jedi back. Then driving the point of her lightsaber through his shoulder, cutting up out through it, she removes Sev from the fight.

WAILING like a banshee, she then turns her anger upon the slayer of her lover. Frightened, Teyf brings up his blue blade and tries to ward off the enraged clone, but it does no good. Cutting his arms off at the elbows, she then slices the apprentice clean in half.

With the SNAP-HISSES of two lightsabers igniting in tandem, SGW turns to face Obi-Wan. He stands there, both Anakin’s and Sev’s lightsabers in hand.

INT. KORRIBAN – OUBLIETTE/LABYRINTH – DAY

Jumping up, Anakin kicks the Daemon hard in the wounded side of its face twice. The second kick manages to send the abomination reeling back. Taking hold of the serpent weapon, Anakin pulls it free of the stone, intending to use it against the Daemon. Once in the Human’s hands, the serpent reverts to its natural shape and snaps at Anakin. Panicked, Anakin tosses it at the Daemon.

At that moment, a previously hidden doorway set in the wall over the stone column slides open. This is the exit.

MARKA RAGNOS: (O.S.) The exit. You are free to leave, to return to the craft which bore you here and depart Korriban forever.

Retrieving the serpent weapon, The Daemon configures it into a razor-edged whip. Snapping it, the creature manages to slash open the front of Anakin’s suit. Dashing away from the Daemon, Anakin returns to the platform.

ANAKIN: The child –

MARKA RAGNOS: (O.S.) The Daemon of the Labyrinth will saite its bloodlust.

ANAKIN: (shocked) You’d let the last of your kind die – like this?!

MARKA RAGNOS: (O.S.) You would spare the boy? Take up the warblade.

ANAKIN: It’s jammed in the block! I can’t move it!

MARKA RAGNOS: (O.S.) The Blade of the Saarai-Kaar will yield to the one who keeps the truth.

ANAKIN: (nonplussed) Keeps the truth!?

Anakin grabs the hilt of the warblade, pulling and jostling to loosen it. It will not loosen the slightest.

MARKA RAGNOS: (O.S.) The truth of the Force!

The Daemon walks up to the platform. Anakin tries to kick it in the face again, but it grabs him by the ankle before his boot can connect. Yanking Anakin off his feet, the Daemon drags the former Jedi off the platform. It then kicks him in the back, hurtling him across the floor.

INT. BATTLEMOON/CORRIDOR #4

His Jedi comrades no longer able to assist him, Obi-Wan fights alone against the clone. Blades of cyan and alizarin plasma at hand, he attacks, blocks, and counterattacks, but the nine Corellian hells hath no fury like a clone woman scorned. Striking with her white lightsaber, Sigeu relentlessly beats the Jedi down. Twisting Sev’s saber out of his left hand, knocking Anakin’s out of his right, Sigue kicks Obi-Wan’s legs out from under him.

SGW-0027: Give my regards to oblivion.

As she twirls her blade once, preparing to deliver the death blow, Sev quickly comes up behind her. Fallen Teyf’s lightsaber in hand, the Durosian Jedi runs her through with the cerulean blade. At the sight of the metre-long glowing blue shaft rising up through her chest, her eyes bug out. His strength spent, the Durosian knight lets go of the hilt, allowing the saber to disengage and the clone to collapse.

SEV BERAL: (weak) Jano….

The Durosian Jedi Knight then falls atop Sigeu.

Standing up, retrieving both Anakin’s and Sev’s lightsabers, Obi-Wan goes to help the crippled but still living Jano Beral.

INT. KORRIBAN – OUBLIETTE/LABYRINTH – DAY

ANAKIN: (coughs up blood) Truth of the Force. (beat) Not light or dark ….

In pain, Anakin stands back up.

ANAKIN: (cont’d) More than that … order and chaos.

MARKA RAGNOS: (O.S.) Yes!

ANAKIN: The Force exists in levels of order and chaos ….

MARKA RAGNOS: (O.S.) Since the culling of the Kissai, the Lords have ever sought to maintain order in a disordered universe – to seek out the fruits of chaos and weed them. (beat) The Jedi vilify hatred, yet hatred of chaos is love of order. Can there be a greater love?

ANAKIN: No ….

MARKA RAGNOS: (O.S.) The Daemon is of the chaotic Force.

ANAKIN: Yes.

MARKA RAGNOS: (O.S.) Submit to your righteous hatred! Bring order to the chaos!

ANAKIN: Yes!

Opening himself up the Force – the entire Force – Anakin forces his pain to recede, to fade like an ephemeral dream. Renewed, he springs over the Daemon, somersaulting high through the air to land on the platform behind the monster. Taking hold of the warblade, Anakin pulls it free of the block. The runes on the blade begin to resonate with a fierce red glow as the ordered Force flows through it.

The Daemon leaps atop the platform, the serpent weapon shifting back into its sword form. Swinging the alchemically forged warblade, Anakin easily cleaves through the serpentine weapon. As the remaining end of the serpent weapon goes flaccid in the Daemon’s hand, quite dead, Anakin lops off that hand. As the Daemon SCREAMS – a most inhuman, unholy sound – Anakin flips the sword around. Baring his teeth, Anakin drives the hilt into the Daemon’s face – through its nose, through the sinuses, into its brain. The Daemon of the Labyrinth finally vanquished, Anakin pulls the hilt from that pulped mess, allowing its lifeless bulk to unceremoniously collapse backward off the platform.

Turning the warblade back around, he raises the sword high. Squinting, he examines the runes.

MARKA RAGNOS: (O.S.) Saarai-kaar. Keeper of the truth.

With those disembodied words, a bright flash of violet light fills the chamber, consuming Anakin.

INT. BATTLEMOON/CORRIDOR #4

Sigue lies there upon the deck, the cooling form of Sev Beral atop her. Though mortally wounded, she’s not yet dead.

Removing her helmet, she tosses it aside. Lying there before her almost within reach, mercifully still in its helmet, is THX-1138’s severed head.

SGW-0027: Someone else will carry the torch, lover. (beat) Someone always does.

She expires.

EXT. SPACE – BATTLEMOON

Obi-Wan and Jano return to the vacuum of outer space. As the ronin Jedi radios the Troia’s Steed, the bulk freighter decloaks. Firing their suit thrusters, the Jedi rocket up and away, leaving the surface of the battlemoon behind them as the Steed comes to pick them up.

INT. TROIA’S STEED/AIRLOCK

The Jedi enter the ship.

OBI-WAN: (removes helmet) Take us away from here!

LT. CMDR. TARKIN: Easily arranged, Knight Kenobi.

EXT. SPACE – BATTLEMOON

Turning around, the Troia’s Steed departs.

INT. KORRIBAN – GREAT TEMPLE – DAY

The violet flash receding, Anakin finds himself back in the Great Temple. The spirits of the Lords and Ladies surround him now; like anthropomorphic shadows they surround him. Standing within the circle of Sith spirits with Anakin, aglow with pale blue luminescence, is the spirit of Marka Ragnos.

MARKA RAGNOS: You have passed the trials of skill and tenacity, of intelligence and intuition, and of honour and passion. You have proven to have the heart of a Sith born. You are worthy of our tutelage. (beat) Step forward, acolyte.

Anakin approaches Marka Ragnos. Planting the tip of his warblade into the floor, Anakin kneels down on one knee before the ancient Lord.

MARKA RAGNOS: Anakin Skywalker, by the right of the ancient Lords, by the will of the Force, I dub thee Lord of the Sith …

Reaching out, Marka Ragnos places his ghostly hand upon the crown of Anakin’s head. As the spirit holds it there, Anakin grimaces with pain, the slight sound of flesh searing accompanying the grimace. The moment is brief, however, and Ragnos soon takes his hand away. Branded upon Anakin’s forehead, the red glow already receding from it, is his own personal crest: an arrowhead within a circle.

MARKA RAGNOS: (cont’d) … Knight of the Empire.

SPACE – MONTAGE

Receiving word of the interdiction zone’s nullification, the thousands of Imperial ships stationed on the former edges of the zone jump to hyperspace, speeding towards Townowi at the fastest possible speeds.

/thread