DuracellEnergizer

the stainless steel rust bucket

ATMachine said:

In another board Luke has himself lost his mechanical right hand, and the severed cyborg hand crawls of its own volition toward the lightsaber hilt that he has dropped.

I'm glad this was dropped. Disembodied hands moving of their own volition have no place outside of an Evil Dead film. ;-) 

It's odd that with him being such a micromanager, he'd couldn't take the time to have the actors pronounce the names the way he wanted them pronounced. But then I guess he thought it could be fixed in the editing room. ;-)

Oh, I know what Primeday is in a physical sense. It's her thoughts and motivations which remain utterly alien to me.

I loathe it when important/prominent supporting characters are dropped from a TV show with no warning, no fanfare, and/or no explanation given for their disappearance. If you want to remove a character from a show, do it properly and with respect; don't treat them like a goddamn set piece.

hot pink Rickenbacker guitar strap

Thanks. I can't really say where I'm going with Primeday yet, though; she's a mystery even to me.

Anchorhead said:

*Dooku sounds like something a 6-year-old would come up with while playing in the front yard. 

I've heard that Lucas personally pronounces it Doh-ku, which actually makes it sound cool. I don't know why everyone else decided to run with the infantile pronunciation. 

The micro-series is too rushed, I don't like the over-the-top action, and it relies too much on the viewer having read the comics and whatnot to understand what became of Ventress, how Anakin got his scar, etc.

The newer series has a better pace, better characterization, and better storylines. Unfortunately, there's also a lot of prequel-style universe-shrinkage which bogs it down a little too much, and I just don't like how the animators have made Rodian eyes look all sparkly blue-and-green.

Both series have lame villains (except for Cad Bane, who's awesome).

^Impossible scenario. It would take hundreds of years before Boba was digested that far. 

obsession with Heather Langenkamp

Siri Tachi

Siri is a Jedi of the Coruscanti Order and Ben's future wife. She and Obi-Wan meet in my first prequel when they are both taken prisoner by the Mandalorian Death Watch and forcibly recruited into the Death Watch army. Because Ben and Siri come from very different Jedi sects, they often don't agree with one another when it comes to Jedi religion and philosophy.

Siri has a fairly prominent role in my first prequel, but I think she's going to have a smaller role in my next two. I'm not going to give too much away, but she and Anakin eventually have a violent confrontation after he becomes the Lord of the Sith. 

Bail Organa

Bail is the prince of Alderaan and an admiral in the Imperial Navy. He and Obi-Wan met and became good friends some years before the events in my first prequel, when he was still a captain and Ben still an apprentice under Yoda, when they had to work together to defend Alderaan against the Clonemasters during the Alderaanian Incursion.

I haven't quite worked out Bail's overall role throughout my PT rewrite, but as of right now he's mainly a minor character who doesn't have a whole lot of interaction with the main characters.

Well, I admit that there are times when I feel this physical universe is ruled by a corrupt Demiurge ...

If von Sydow plays Plagueis, I'm out. I don't care if he happens to be one of my favourite actors, I don't care if he plays the part to perfection; if the name "Plagueis" rears its ugly head even once in Ep. VII, I will refuse to watch it or any of the sequels after it.

INT. MESS HALL - DAY

Within the public mess hall, Siri stands in a lineup with a metal tray in her hands, patiently waiting her turn to reach the food counter. Once she reaches the counter, she picks up a garto egg salad sandwich and a slice of Stenness pie and then, paying for both, moves off to find a table.

NASHIRA: (O.S.) Siri! Hey, Siri! Over here!

Siri looks about the mess hall and finds Nashira sitting alone at one of the tables located roughly in the centre of the complex. The eleven-year-old girl grins broadly, waving her right arm enthusiastically around in the air.

NASHIRA: (cont'd) I saved you a seat!

Giving Nashira a polite nod of acknowledgement, Siri walks over to her table. Placing her tray down on the opposite side of the table facing Nashira, the Jedi knight sits down with the young strawberry blonde. Nashira, still grinning broadly, shovels a large bite of bluish pasta into her hungry mouth.

NASHIRA: (talking with her mouth full) What'd you get?

SIRI: (takes a small bite out of her sandwich, chews it, then swallows) garto egg salad sandwich and Stenness pie.

NASHIRA: (swallows) I'm having spacoghetti.

SIRI: (eyes the saucy blue noodles warily) Looks great.

NASHIRA: It looks like crap and tastes worse. (beat) I had real spacoghetti back at school, you know, with real bantha cheese sauce. It was excellent. (beat) How's your sandwich?

SIRI: (grins) It tastes like melted plasteel. (lifts up her sandwich and peers between the slices of bread) It looks like melted plasteel.

NASHIRA: (giggles) I hope the pie's better.

As the two continue to eat their meals, Primeday Surprise makes her way over to their table, a tray loaded with a plate of Primeday Surprise in her hands. Noticing the H'nemthe, the two humans turn to regard her.

SIRI: Primeday!

PRIMEDAY: You wouldn't mind if I joined you.

SIRI: No, of course not. Take a seat.

PRIMEDAY: (cocks a brow) You make it sound as if I was asking a question.

Placing her tray down on the table, Primeday sits down beside Nashira.

SIRI: I don't believe the two of you have been introduced. Nashira, this is Primeday Surprise. Primeday, this is Nashira DuQuesne.

NASHIRA: (turns to Primeday, her hand held out in greeting) Nice to meet you.

Turning to acknowledge the young human girl, Primeday opens her mouth and her long, razor-sharp tongue whips out. As it writhes like an erratic snake before Nashira's face, the girl recoils, her eyes wide with terror. Then, with a loud slurping sound, the H'nemthe's impressive tongue returns back into her mouth.

PRIMEDAY: Charmed.

Her eyes frozen wide open, Nashira turns to regard Siri with a questioning expression on her face.

SIRI: (shrugs) Traditional H'nemthe greeting. It's their way of shaking hands.

PRIMEDAY: I never understood your genus' penchant for clasping hands as a form of greeting. It's an excellent way of exchanging filthy germs.

SIRI: I didn't know you had any rest periods this time of day, Primeday.

PRIMEDAY: I don't.

SIRI: (frowns) You don't? Then what are you doing here?

PRIMEDAY: (takes a bite out of her Primeday Surprise) I was hungry and I felt like eating out.

NASHIRA: But you'll get in trouble.

PRIMEDAY: Only if I want to.

NASHIRA: (confused) What?

SIRI: (to Nashira) She talks like this all the time.

PRIMEDAY SURPRISE: That is true, but only from a three-dimensional point of view.

NASHIRA: (frowns) Three-dimensional ...?

SIRI: Don't bother asking. You won't get an answer that makes any sense.

The three compatriots then continue eating their meals. As they eat, four towering male figures -- a dark-skinned human, a blue-skinned Pantoran, a gran, and a Muun -- saunter over to their table. Surrounding the three females, they loom over them menacingly.

HUMAN: Hello there, girlies. Having lunch, are you?

SIRI: (finishes her sandwich) Yes.

PANTORAN: Wouldn't you like us to join you?

SIRI: (starts on her pie) No.

GRAN: No!?

MUUN: Did you hear that?!

HUMAN: But my dear blond bonnie, you are just three females, all here by your lonesome. You need male companionship.

PANTORAN: Male companionship to keep you safe.

GRAN: After all, three females all alone? That's a recipe for abuse.

MUUN: You wouldn't want to be abused, would you?

The four punks giggle fiercely at their own poor attempts at humour.

HUMAN: C'mon, babes, join us outside. We've got a nice dessert for y'all.

NASHIRA: (annoyed) Get lost, feebs!

The four punks recoil from her words with mock outrage.

PANTORAN: Did you hear that? Did you hear what she called us?

GRAN: She called us feebs!

MUUN: Feebs? We?

HUMAN: How rude!

The punks giggle again. Her annoyance now turning to anger, Nashira pushes herself upright and then strides over to face the human punk.

NASHIRA: You think you're prime stuff, don't you? Well, you want to know what you really are?

PANTORAN: What are we? Really?

NASHIRA: You're all just scruffy-looking nerf herders!

All four punks go silent. That silence only lasts a moment, however, and is immediately broken by their riotous laughter.

GRAN: Nerf herders? Scruffy-looking?

MUUN: What kind of laserbrained insult is that?!

Hearing their dismissive laughter, Nashira loses her composure. Grinning animalistically, the human steps forward towards her, forcing her to step back into the Pantoran.

HUMAN: You've got a nasty mouth on you, girl, you know that?

NASHIRA: (afraid) I --

HUMAN: Yeah, young and nasty, just the way I like 'em.

Suddenly, the human punk grabs hold of Nashira. Wrapping her in an iron bear hug, he lifts her flailing form up.

HUMAN: Let's take her out back and have some fun, boys!

Realizing where this is going, Siri springs into action. Lunging at the human, she wraps her arms around his throat and pulls him backward, forcing him to let Nashira go as she flings him back over her shoulder to crash into the neighbouring table.

PANTORAN: Jedi slut!

The remaining punks then go on the offensive and attack the girls en masse. Screaming, Nashira runs away, leaving Siri and Primeday to fight the punks. The human punk, regaining his composure, rises up from the smashed remains of the table to stiffly run after her.

EXT. MESS HALL - DAY

Leaving the mess hall, Nashira screams out at the bystanders.

NASHIRA: Help us! Please, help us! We're being attacked!

Before Nashira can continue her entreaties, the human punk comes limping out of the mess hall entrance behind her.

HUMAN: (angry) Come here!

Seeing him, Nashira releases a piercing shriek then takes off into a run again. Grimacing, the punk follows after her in a half-limp, half-run.

INT. MESS HALL - DAY

Together, Siri and Primeday face the remaining three punks. Like the Jedi and the H'nemthe, they are all well trained in the Force, but unlike the Jedi and H'nemthe, they happen to be armed with fully-charged-and-activated vibroblades.

GRAN: We have the Force, too, ladies.

MUUN: We also have weapons, which you don't.

PRIMEDAY: But you don't have any weapons.

MUUN: (confused) Huh?

To elaborate, Primeday shoots her long tongue out at the Muun. Unwisely standing too close to the H'nemthe, he has no time to move out of the way as her razor-sharp tongue pierces his throat. Gurgling, he drops his vibroblade and collapses to the floor.

PANTORAN: Muun!

GRAN: You iced Muun!

The Gran lunges at Primeday, his violently-vibrating blade held high. At he brings it down, though, instead of slashing into her flesh, it seems to merely pass right through her, the blade itself fading from existence as it emerges from her body.

GRAN: What in --?

Bringing forth her ebony cane, Primeday slams the head of it into the Gran's temple, knocking him out instantly.

The Pantoran then attacks Siri, making a series of violent slashes with his vibroblade as he comes at her. Siri dodges each strike, but as he moves forward he increases the ferocity of his attack, forcing her to fight to stay out of reach of his blade.

Finally, Siri takes a misstep and the vibroblade glances across her flank. Crying out in agony, she falters, dropping to her knee. Grimacing, she presses a hand against the wound to staunch the flow of blood.

PANTORAN: Feel my penetration, bitch!

As the Pantoran punk moves to deliver the killing blow, Siri opens herself to the Force and allows it to invigorate her and drive the pain from her body. Springing back up, she catches his wrist in a vice-like grip and, with a sharp twist, snaps it, disarming him instantly.

SIRI: Not today, handsome.

Throwing her head forward, she head-butts the Pantoran. Knocked senseless, he collapses into the table behind him, flipping both it and himself over in the process.

SIRI: (turns to Primeday) Are you okay?

PRIMEDAY: Yes and no.

Siri then looks about the mess hall, searching the awestruck spectators surrounding the two of them for Nashira; the preteenaged girl is nowhere to be found among them.

SIRI: (frowns) Where's Nashira?

EXT. ALLEYWAY - DAY

Fleeing down a narrow alley between two buildings, Nashira soon comes to a dead end. Panicking, she looks around for an unlocked door to escape through but can find none.

HUMAN: (O.S.) C'mere, girl!

Unable to escape, 'Shira just stands and waits as the human punk enters the alleyway. Grinning, he limps his way over to her. Frozen in terror, Nashira can do nothing but cry as the punk grabs her by the collar and forces her up against the wall.

HUMAN: Oh, stop that crying, girl. (sticks a finger in her open mouth and runs it across the front of her teeth) Behave and it won't hurt any more than it has to.

Just as the punk begins kissing the young girl in a lecherous manner, another shape enters the alley behind them.

ZULL: (enraged) You, there! What are you doing?!

Hearing the force behind that strong voice, the human punk spins around to look behind him with fear in his eyes. Standing there in the alley, attired in the full robes and armour of a Mandalorian Knight, is Zull Uquesne.

HUMAN: Uh, I was only playing with her. I was just playing --

Full of silent menace, Zull strides toward the punk. Unhooking her lightsaber, she engages the chartreuse blade.

HUMAN: Hey! Hey, now! I said I was just --

With a flash of yellow-green fire, Zull lops both of the punk's arms off at the elbow.

HUMAN: YYYEEEAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!

His arm stumps smouldering, the punk collapses to his knees, his mouth wide open in extreme pain. Stepping closer to him, Zull levels the point of her lightsaber towards his open mouth.

ZULL: I know exactly what it was you were trying to do with this girl, you swine, and it certainly wasn't "playing".

HUMAN: (grimacing) Don't kill me!

ZULL: If you'd gotten further with her, I would kill you.

Zull then lowers the blade of her weapon. Believing himself to be in the clear, the punk laughs lightly with relief.

That laugh quickly turns to a scream as Zull forces the chartreuse blade between his legs.

ZULL: If your right eye offends you, pluck it out.

Drawing her lightsaber back, Zull allows the punk to collapse forward, whimpering with pain over his exorcised manhood. Deactivating the lightsaber, she returns it to her belt and then turns to regard Nashira, who remains standing against the wall, frozen in stark terror.

ZULL: (reaches her hand out toward 'Shira) It's alright now. He won't try to hurt you ever again.

Nashira remains standing there, afraid of both her disarmed assailant and this terrifying Mandalorian warrior.

ZULL: It's alright, beautiful, you don't have to be afraid of me. I'm a friend.

When the strawberry blond girl still refuses to comply, Zull reaches up and removes her helmet, exposing her beautiful face to the child.

ZULL: (smiles) You see? I'm a friend. I won't hurt you. I would never hurt you.

Tentatively, Nashira leaves the wall and walks over to Zull. Smiling down on the girl, Zull takes her by the hand.

ZULL: What's your name, beautiful?

NASHIRA: Nashira.

ZULL: Where are you supposed to be right now, Nashira?

NASHIRA: My next course starts in eighteen minutes.

ZULL: Consider it cancelled.

NASHIRA: (disbelieving) Really?

ZULL: You've earned the rest of the day off. I'll see to it that it's made official.

NASHIRA: (smiles slightly) Thanks. (beat) What's your name?

ZULL: My name's Zull.

NASHIRA: That's an unusual name.

ZULL: (laughs) I'm sure it is in this part of the galaxy.

As they stand there, human and Meketrex, hand-in-hand, Siri and Primeday arrive. Running up to them, Siri drops down in front of 'Shira and puts her hands on the young girl's face.

SIRI: (concerned) Are you alright, Nashira? Did he hurt you in any way?

NASHIRA: He would have, but Zull saved me.

Looking up at Zull, Siri regards the near-human woman for the first time, an expression of distrust on her face.

ZULL: I got here just in time to stop him. (beat) He didn't defile her.

SIRI: Thank you. (stands back up) Can we take her back with us now?

ZULL: (nods) She's allowed the rest of the day off. Take her back to her residence and see that she gets some rest.

SIRI: I will.

Releasing her hand, Zull allows Nashira to leave with Siri and Primeday. As they leave, Zull watches them, her eyes brimming with tears waiting to be shed.

Sounds to me that the writers of TOR are so unoriginally crazy about making the Empire a modern incarnation of the Sith Empire that they're retroactively assigning Imperial motiffs to TOR's Sith Empire in order to make it look like Palpatine deliberately designed his Empire to emulate the Sith Empire. 

Ziggy Stardust said:

(to darklordoftech) Thank you. I was really worried that my idea wouldn't be looked kindly upon.

Frankly, it's one of the best story ideas I've ever come across. I'm surprised you'd think it wouldn't be well received.

As someone who generally appreciates theism, your theology still makes me sad.

Alanis Morissette's yellow toenail clippings

"Hell Is for Children" by Pat Benatar

You can't respect Star Wars if you respect Lucas. The two are mutually exclusive.

Lil Ani is what you get when you choose to have an abortion in any of the universes of George Romero's zombie films.

Puggo - Jar Jar's Yoda said:

What is "True Law"?  It sounds kinda scary.

The laws of physics. And even that's questionable. 

When it comes to fictional universes that are set in outer space, I like it when most of space is left uncharted and mysterious; it makes the universe feel immense, that just about anything can be found if one only travels far enough beyond the horizon.

But when most of that space has been charted, explored, and colonized, it makes the universe feel small and too familiar; it makes it so that it feels like everything worth discovering has been discovered, that there is nothing of any great importance left to find. 

Happy 103rd birthday, Mr. Price! Here's to hoping that your career's doing as well in Heaven as it did here on Earth.