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DuracellEnergizer

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Post
#500400
Topic
Star Wars: Episode I - The Beginning (AKA DuracellEnergizer's Take On TPM)
Time

INT. CORUSCANT - DEX’S DINER - EVENING


The front entrance opens, and Anakin steps inside the diner. As soon as the door closes behind him he freezes, awestruck at his surrounds.


ANAKIN : What is this place?


All around Anakin a number of customers - mostly blue collar labourers and freighter drivers - sit at booths and a long counter situated in the centre of the room, eating their meals and drinking their drinks. Waitress droid WA-7, carrying plates of half-eaten food, walks past a young waitress, Hermione Bagwa, who is finishing up a cleanup job at one of the booths. The entire atmosphere is unnaturally clean and bright, and almost painful to look upon.

Her job done, Hermione looks up, and notices Anakin standing there.


HERMIONE BAGWA : Can I help you?

ANAKIN : Help? Oh, yeah ... I’d like a table. (cont’d) I don’t need a reservation, do I?

HERMIONE BAGWA : (laughs) This isn’t the Clarendox, kid. Find a free booth or take a seat at the counter. (cont’d) I’ll be with you in a minute.


Anakin nods once in acknowledgement, then takes a seat in one of the booths. He picks up a menu sitting on the tabletop, and begins to read through it. In a few minutes Hermione walks over to him, ready to take his order.


HERMIONE BAGWA : (pulling a stylus from her garter belt) Anything catch your interest?


ANAKIN : How about a slice of Stenness pie?

HERMIONE : Sure. Comin’ right up.


The waitress dictates Anakin’s order into her stylus, then departs. Anakin pulls the datapad Obi-Wan gave him out of his pocket, and begins to check the amount of money he has sitting in his account.

At that moment the diner door is pushed violently open, and a figure staggers in. The figure is humanoid, encased head-to-toe in gleaming blue armour, with a locked metal briefcase in its left hand. WA-7 notices the armoured figure, and moves up to it.


WA-7 : Can I help ya?

KANNEN DOOM : (anxious) I need to see Dexster.

WA-7 : Waddaya want him for?

KANNEN DOOM : (angry) I don’t have time for this! Move!!


Before the waitress droid can respond, the figure violently slams its briefcase against the robot, sending her crashing into an occupied booth. The armoured warrior runs past Hermione, who is carrying a slice of Stenness pies back to Anakin, and up to the counter.


KANNEN DOOM : Dex!!!


Hermione comes to Anakin, and hands the plate of pie to him. Anakin picks up a fork and breaks off a piece of the pie, stuffing it into his mouth. Both of them have their eyes transfixed on the armoured humanoid.


KANNEN DOOM : Dex! I need you here right now!!!


At that moment Dexster Jettster, a large, whiskered, four-armed Besalisk comes walking out of the kitchen. He freezes when he sees the armoured humanoid.


DEXSTER JETTSTER : Kannen!


The armoured figure goes up to Dex, and seizes him by the front of the shirt.


KANNEN DOOM : They’re after me, Dex! They know I have the case! I need the key!

DEXSTER JETTSTER : The key ...?

KANNEN DOOM : Yes, the key! Do you have it?

DEXSTER JETTSTER : Y-yes! Right here!


The Besalisk puts one of his hands down the front of his shirt, and he pulls out a chain; on the end of the chain is a triangular shard of circuitry-inlaid crystal.


KANNEN : (grabbing the chain and pulling it free of Dex’s neck) Good! There’s no time to lose!

Kannen takes the key and, dropping her briefcase up on top of the counter, quickly slides it into a slot in the case’s side. The armoured humanoid then begins to enter a code into the keypad set into the top of the case.

At that moment an explosion goes off at the entrance to the diner. The door, and its surrounding frame, disappears in a flash of intense light and dark smoke. Clientele cry out in fear as debris is hurtled inward, and dive for cover; only Anakin remains seated in place, captivated by the action going on around him.


KANNEN : No! He’s here!


Kannen hurries to finish typing in the code. As she moves to press the ENTER key a blaster bolt lances out from beyond the diner’s threshold, and strike’s the figure in the side of the head. Without a sound Kannen collapses, a rather nasty blaster mark burned into the helmet.

A tall, muscular Devaronian then appears in the demolished doorway, and enters the diner with a pair of large blasters in both hands. A confident grin sits upon the devilish face of Vilmarh Grahk.


VILMARH GRAHK : Now you seeing what you made me do? You had to try and destroy merchandise, to cheat Villie. And Villie had to shoot you. (cont’d) If only you had been letting go, I would have let you go.


As the Devaronian approaches the fallen form of Kannen Doom and her briefcase, Dex moves threateningly towards him.


DEXSTER JETTSTER : You lousy murdering ...


Vilmarh Grahk sets the twin blasters upon Dexster, and the Besalisk freezes.


VILMARH GRAHK : Allo’ Dex! Long time no eats, hey? (cont’d) You be backing up now, hokay?


Dex narrows his eyes, but begins to slowly back away.


DEXSTER JETTSTER : You’re not going to get away with this.

VILMARH GRAHK : (rolling eyes) Yes, yes. Always I am being told this.


Vilmarh comes up to the counter and the prone form of Kannen Doom. Holstering his guns, he grabs hold of the briefcase, pulls the key from the slot, and picks the case up. The Devaronian then crouches down over the armoured warrior.


VILMARH GRAHK : Poor, poor Mandy. And was such a tasty yum yum, too.


Grahk grabs hold of Kannen’s helmet, and pulls it off, exposing a beautiful female face framed in blond hair; her eyes are open, alive and full of anger.


KANNEN DOOM : Don’t worry, Villie. I won’t hold it against you.


She then brings her knee up into the Devaronian’s groin. He cries out in pain, and falls over onto his side. Kannen scrambles to her feet, and picks up the case. She then breaks off into a run for the door. The Devaronian quickly unholsters one of his blasters and, taking quick aim, opens fire on the fleeing Doom; the blaster bolt strikes Kannen in the back of the thigh, and she goes down. Laughing, Vilmarh rises to his feet, and walks over to the groaning woman.


VILMARH GRAHK : Silly Mandy. Would have maybe let you go before.


The Devaronian comes to Kannen, and he plants one foot down on her back, pinning her in place.


VILMARH GRAHK : Now I be killing you for good. Bye bye, Mandy.


Vilmarh Grahk brings the blaster down, aiming it at her head. His grin grows wider as he begins to squeeze the trigger.

At that point Anakin bolts up from his seat. He takes the plate of Stenness pie, and hurls it at the Devaronian; the plate makes contact with the Devaronian’s head and shatters, throwing shards and bits of pie into his face.


VILMARH GRAHK : (bringing his hand up to his face) Ahhk!


Taking advantage of this opportunity, Kannen Doom twists around and sends a powerful kick into Villie’s midsection. The Devaronian staggers back, grunting in pain, as Kannen leaps to her feet and unsheathes a vibrostaff.

She presses a button, and twin blades sprout from both ends of the shaft, vibrating fiercely. She swings the weapon once, knocking the blaster out of Grahk’s hand, and swings it again, slamming the flat side of one of the blade’s against his face, knocking the Devaronian to the ground. She then steps over him, pointing the blade threateningly down toward his chest.


VILMARH GRAHK : Hokay! Hokay! I be giving up! Truce! Truce!

KANNEN DOOM : Truce?

VILMARH : Yes, truce! (cont’d) I just be taking case, and going on my way, hokay?

KANNEN DOOM : You’re a true waste of life, Grahk.


She deactivates the vibroblade, and takes a step back from the Devaronian. He sits up, holding out a hand for assistance.


VILMARH GRAHK : Little help?


Without further words Kannen kicks Villie in the head, and he falls back to the floor, out cold. She then walks over to her fallen briefcase, and picks it up. With the showdown over, the others in the diner begin to rise from their hiding places.

Dexster Jettster comes walking up to Kannen as she slips the vibrostaff back into its sheath. He hands the key of crystal to her.


DEXSTER JETTSTER : You lost your copy, I take it. Here, take mine. I’ll be happy to be rid of the damn thing once and for all.

KANNEN DOOM : (taking the key) I shouldn’t have mixed you up in this.

DEXSTER JETTSTER : Circumstances brought us together. There was no way of avoiding it. Let’s just be glad no one got hurt.


Dex leaves Kannen’s side. Kannen then walks up to Anakin.


KANNEN DOOM : Thanks for the assistance. I appreciate it.

ANAKIN : No problem.

KANNEN DOOM : The name’s Kannen Doom. If you ever need me for anything just look me up.

ANAKIN : Sure.


Kannen turns away from Anakin, and with her case leaves the diner. As Anakin stands there, his brow creases with thought. His eyes widen as an idea then comes to him.


ANAKIN : Hey, Kannen, wait!


Anakin sprints out of the diner, and spots Doom heading down the street.


ANAKIN : Hey, Kannen! Wait up!


Kannen freezes, turning to face the boy. He jogs up to her.


ANAKIN : That debt you owe me? I’d like to collect on it now. (cont’d) You know the way to a world called Nabu?

Post
#500068
Topic
Star Wars: Episode I - The Beginning (AKA DuracellEnergizer's Take On TPM)
Time

INT. HYPERSPACE - STARSHIP - PASSENGER DECK


Two rows of seats take up space on either side of the deck’s narrow aisle, packed tight with individuals of various species. Amidala sits in one of the small seats, Bail Organa seated to her right, a small window set into the hull on her left.


COL. ORGANA : ... The Castle Lands are full of these amazing mounds.

AMIDALA : (disinterested) Are they really that impressive?

COL. ORGANA : Yes, they are. Maybe you’ll get to see them.

AMIDALA : That would be nice.

COL. ORGANA : (cont’d) I’m hungry. I’m going to go and see if I can’t get the stewards to whip something up for me. You want anything for yourself, Princess?

AMIDALA : No, not really. I’m not really hungry.

COL. ORGANA : Okay. I’ll just be a minute.


Bail gets up, and makes his way up to the hatch in the back of the aisle. Amidala turns to the window at her side, at lets her gaze fall upon the opaque surface of the small transparisteel square. In moments her eyes begin to droop, then finally close.


INT. HYPERSPACE - STARSHIP - PASSENGER DECK (DREAM SEQUENCE)


Suddenly the ship begins to shake violently. Amidala’s eyes pop open, and she straightens up in alarm as her fellow passengers begin to panic. Bail comes hurrying back down the aisle, gripping the seats along the way as the craft trembles to keep himself upright.


COL. ORGANA : Hey, what’s going on?!?

AMIDALA : Colonel?


At that moment the ship’s intercom system comes to life, and everyone in the passenger’s deck looks up toward the speaker set in the ceiling as the ship captain’s voice pipes in.


STARSHIP CAPTAIN : (O.S.) Passengers, this is your captain speaking. We’re currently passing through the outskirts of the Dania Nebula. The turbulence we’re experiencing is just a natural accoutrement of the route we’re taking, and is nothing to worry about. I advise you all to keep yourselves seated and to strap in. As I said, there’s nothing to worry about. Don’t worry. We’ll be through this in no time.

COL. ORGANA : (turning to Amidala) Amidala -


A loud bang echoes through the deck, and the ship jerks violently as it suddenly drops out of hyperspace. Colonel Organa goes flying down the aisle as the ship windows shatter inward, sending transparisteel shards flying into passengers’ faces.


AMIDALA : (shards cutting into the left side of her face) AGGHHH!


The hideous sound of rending metal cuts through the air, and the entire ship begins to fall apart, rattling to pieces. The passengers begin to scream in hysterical terror.

Bail crawls up the aisle towards Amidala, reaching outward towards her, as the hull caves in. A wicked shard of metal falls onto the Colonel’s neck, decapitating him instantly. The head flies forward onto Amidala’s lap. Her eyes widen in shock as Organa’s glassy gaze fixes upon her.

The entire front of the ship breaks away. Out there, looming before Amidala, is a large, red-brown planet. The remnants of the craft go into a spin, and Amidala screams as she starts her descent to the planet’s surface below.


INT. NABU - STARSHIP - PASSENGERS DECK - DAY (DREAM SEQUENCE)


Amidala regains consciousness within the demolished remnants of the downed spacecraft, which lies under an oppressive red sky in a large field of dead, brown grass. She groans, but other than some slight bruising and the ugly cuts in her face she is relatively unharmed. She unfastens her restraints, and drops down onto the ground. Before her stretches nothing other than plains of grass and the battered and burned bodies - and body parts - of dead passengers.


AMIDALA : (looking at the dead) Oh, no ... Lord ... Lord ...


Amidala bends over and throws up violently. The vomiting continues until nothing remains in her stomach. Once the retching comes to an end, she straightens up, wiping her mouth.


AMIDALA : Where ... where am I?


The young Princess looks all about her. Except for the sound of the slight breeze moving over the grass, the world is eerily silent.


VOICE : (O.S.) Princess ...

AMIDALA : (looking around) Who - who said that? Who’s there?

VOICE : (O.S.) Princess Amidala ... of the House of Naberrie ...

AMIDALA : Where are you?!? Show yourself!

VOICE : (O.S.) Princess Amidala Naberrie ... follow ...

AMIDALA : Follow what?!? Who are you?!?

VOICE : Follow, Princess Amidala ... follow ...

AMIDALA : (angry) Stop playing games with me!!!

VOICE : (O.S.) The path, Amidala ... follow the path ...

AMIDALA : What path? (cont’d) Why won’t you show yourself?

VOICE : (O.S.) The path ... before you ... The path ...


Amidala looks in front of her, searching for some hidden path, finding nothing other than grass and the dead.


AMIDALA : There’s nothing -


She stops, noticing for the first time that the dead bodies and parts scattered across the landscape in front of her are actually lain close together, forming a broad line that leads to a point ahead of her on the horizon.


AMIDALA : The bodies ...


Amidala waits for the voice to say something more, but it remains silent. Deciding that it has nothing more to say, the Princess begins to follow the path of damaged corpses.

Some time passes. Eventually Amidala reaches the end of the path - and the end of the grasslands. Before her stretches a barren landscape with a cobblestone path laid through it. She takes a step forward onto the paved path.


VOICE : (O.S.) Princess Amidala ...


Amidala spins around. There, behind her, stands a tall, gaunt, humanoid figure. He is clothed in a dark brown robe, his face completely hidden in the depths of a hood.


AMIDALA : You! You’re the one who -


The hooded figure brings one, gnarled arm out from the voluminous folds of his robe, and with a gesture she freezes, unable to move. He then beings to move towards her, gliding over the ground, opening his robes, exposing her to the black emptiness within as he approaches; her eyes widen in terror as he comes to her, and wraps his robe around her.


EXT. NABU - WASTELANDS - DAY (DREAM SEQUENCE)


The hooded figure spins around once, then opens his robes; Amidala is once again free to move. The figure closes his robes, and takes a step back from the Princess. Afraid, Amidala begins to run from him, leaving the path. As she does so an oppressive heat and stench falls on her, and she falters. Losing her footing, she stumbles, and crashes into a wooden post, breaking her nose and knocking her to the ground in the process.


AMIDALA : (holding her crushed, bleeding nose) My nose ... ohhh ...


The Princess rises up into a sitting position, and tears a strip of fabric from her outfit. She brings the rag to her nose and tilts her head back, trying to staunch the flow of blood. She then finally sees that the post she bumped into is actually a cross - and upon the cross lies her mother, secured to the X-shaped torture device with metal spikes driven through her hands; the former Queen is clothed in rags, her skin loose and gray-green with decay.


AMIDALA : M-Mommy?


The cadaverous Queen then turns her head down towards her daughter, and her eyelids fly open, exposing completely blank, yellowish orbs.


QUEEN JOBAL : Ahhhh ... mi ... da ... laaaaaaa.


A torrent of maggots begins raining down from her open mouth, and Amidala scoots back from the cross in disgust. Turning her head away from the cross, she notices other crosses dotting the landscape, each with a figure crucified to it. Amidala scurries to her feet, hoping to make it back onto the path, only to find the path vanished and crosses surrounding her at every turn.


AMIDALA : Nooo ... nooo ...


Each of the crosses towering over her bears someone she knows - her father, sister, brother, Panaka, Anakin, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, etc. Buzzards swarm them all, pecking at their decaying flesh.


AMIDALA : You’re not real ... not real ... none of this is real.


With those words the corpses open all their eyes, and in unison begin to wail in pain and despair.


Amidala : (covering her ears and shutting her eyes tight as she collapses to her knees) Not real ... not real ... not real ...


The cadavers’ wailing grows louder, too loud for Amidala to cancel out. Taking her hands away from her ears she begins to scream, joining the dead in their lamentation.

The ground begins to shake, then, and the crosses begin to vibrate. One-by-one the corpses fall from their crosses, the rotting flesh and crumbling bone in their limbs giving way. They fall in upon Amidala in a heap, and she shrieks in terror.

The now-empty crosses begin to fall apart, raining planks to the ground, leaving only empty posts behind. The ground around the posts split open, and the beams shoot up into the air like launching rockets, disappearing into the blood red sky.

The cracks in the earth grow wider, opening into massive chasms. The dead all around fall into the open pits, and are consumed by subterranean fire.

The Princess screams on as the earthquake rages around her, the chasms disappearing as the shattered ground begins to push upward, forming jagged peaks. Eventually the cataclysm comes to an end, and Amidala finds herself on a towering mountain.


AMIDALA : (climbing to her feet) Wha - wha - wha -


She looks upward toward the summit of the mountain, where she spots a palace silhouetted against roiling storm clouds. Amidala cannot make out the details of the palace, as it is too far up.


B&W MONSTER : (O.S.) Enough of this!


Startled by the loud, unfriendly voice, the Princess spins around.

There, standing metres away from her, is a hideous monster; he is a vague cross between humanoid and insectoid, over three metres tall, with mottled black-and-white skin colouring, four arms, and a noseless, mouthless skull-like face with yellow reptilian eyes set in deep black sockets.

The monster begins to walk toward the scared Princess.


B&W MONSTER : You ... are mine!


The black-and-white horror snatches her before she can flee, pulling her up under his two left arms. He then begins to walk on, climbing a natural path up the mountain to the palace on the summit. A bolt of lightning flashes from the overcast sky above.


EXT. NABU - MOUNTAIN PALACE - COURTYARD - DAY (DREAM SEQUENCE)


The monster and Amidala arrive at the palace grounds. As Amidala sees the palace she recognizes it as a twisted, decaying, sharp-angled twin to the Theed Palace.

The monster moves forward, climbing over a warped drawbridge spanning a yellow acid-filled moat. They come to the barred entrance of the castle, which is guarded by a second monster - similar to the first, but with a horn-crowned humanoid head and black-and-red colouring.


B&R MONSTER : What is your business here?


The black-and-white monster brings out Amidala, holding her before him by her hair.


B&W MONSTER : For the Master.


The black-and-red monster steps forward, lowering his face down to Amidala’s. He takes two sniffs, then nods once. He returns to his post by the palace entrance, grabbing hold of a wheel set into the wall, and begins to turn it. The bars in the entrance begin to lift, allowing entrance.


B&R MONSTER : Go forward.


The black-and-white monster tucks Amidala back under his arm, and together with the black-and-red monster they step into the castle.


INT. NABU - MOUNTAIN PALACE - ENTRANCE HALL - DAY (DREAM SEQUENCE)


The three make their way through the entrance hall. It is a sharp-angled, nightmarish version of the original at Theed. Large torches burn upon the Gothic walls, and what isn’t bathed in cold blue light is cloaked in deep shadow. Vermin scurry across the bone-littered stone floor.


INT. NABU - PALACE - THRONE ROOM - DAY


The two monsters with their human captive enter the throne room.

The throne room is a massive chamber, with rough-hewn stone walls rising in a triangular formation to a flat ceiling above. From the walls hang midnight blue velvet tapestries, with skeletons and cadavers chained to the walls between them.

The creatures stop when they see the hooded figure seated upon a throne of bones in the centre of the chamber - their Dark Master.


DARK MASTER : My servants ...

B&R MONSTER : Our Master ...

DARK MASTER : This is she? She whom I sought?

B&W MONSTER : It is her, Master.

DARK MASTER : Come forth.


Their heads bowed in reverence, the two creatures step forward toward the throne. As they move closer Amidala sees the Dark Master clearly for the first time; he is a pale human figure, all but his mouth and chin hidden in the shadows of a hooded, blue robe embroidered with turquoise patterning.


DARK MASTER : Release her.


The black-and-white monster unceremoniously throws Amidala down to the floor.


DARK MASTER : You have done well, my servants. (to Amidala) As for you ...


The hooded man rises from his throne, and begins to walk toward her. Amidala, along with the two monsters, back away as he approaches.


DARK MASTER : You, my dear, you are the final obstacle in my path, the last barrier to be crossed.


The Dark Master raises his hands. Cyan electricity begins to dance across his fingertips.


AMIDALA : (Backing away) Please, no ...

DARK MASTER : The King is dead. Love live the King!

AMIDALA : No!!!


From within the depths of the hood eyes open, exposing bright yellow irises. The hooded figure throws his hands forward, and a barrage of cyan lightning flashes outward, falling upon Amidala. She collapses to the floor, screaming in agony as the tendrils of dark side energy seep into her bones.


INT. HYPERSPACE - STARSHIP - PASSENGER DECK


AMIDALA : (awakening) Nooooooo!!!!!!


The Princess’s loud scream startles the other passengers. Amidala rockets forward, her eyes wide open in terror, her nails digging into the seat in front of her.

Qui-Gon, who has been sitting in the seat behind her, stands up quickly, putting his hand on her shoulder.


QUI-GON : Amidala, what is it?!


Bail Organa comes racing down the hall, coming back to Amidala’s side.


COL. ORGANA : What is it?! What’s happening?!

OBI-WAN : (rising to his feet beside Qui-Gon) I think she fell asleep - a bad dream.


A stewardess comes walking down the aisle briskly, coming to the Colonel.


STEWARDESS : Is everything alright here?

COL. ORGANA : Yes, it’s fine. She just had a nightmare. (to Amidala) You okay, Princess?


Amidala refuses to respond, hers nails locked into the back of the seat before her, eyes wide with terror.


QUI-GON : Amidala, are you alright? Princess?


STEWARDESS : Miss, I can get you a drink. Would you like that? Miss?

AMIDALA : What is it -

OBI-WAN : Princess?

AMIDALA : What are we dealing with?

Post
#499737
Topic
Star Wars: Episode I - The Beginning (AKA DuracellEnergizer's Take On TPM)
Time

EXT. CORUSCANT - COCO TOWN - NOMANSINBOTZ MOTEL - EVENING


Two landspeeders pass over the road, crossing each others’ path as they move past a motel. The motel is inconspicuous and small, tucked in between two larger buildings; it is an older, somewhat-ramshackle building, with a large neon sign plastered above the front entrance.

A taxi races down the road, comes to the front of the motel and jerks to a suddenly stop. The side door opens, and Anakin quickly climbs out.


CABBIE : That’ll be 15.50, kid.

ANAKIN : (handing him the credits) Keep the change.


The cabbie nods his head once, grunting in acknowledgement, and closes the door before Anakin can do so. The taxi then takes off, roaring off down the road, leaving Anakin standing there alone.

The former moisture farmer turns around, looking at the motel.


ANAKIN : Nomansinbotz Motel ... Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Nomansinbotz.


Anakin walks forward toward the Nomansinbotz Motel.


INT. CORUSCANT - NOMANSINBOTZ MOTEL - LOBBY - EVENING


The door opens, and Anakin steps inside, closing the door behind him. The lobby is small, dimly-lit by flickering florescent lights set in the ceiling, with countless black gnats flying about in the air. In the left corner of the room stands a false wood counter, and in the right a corridor leads off into darkness. The counter is unoccupied.

Anakin walks up to the counter, and sees a button set into the top. He presses it, and a loud buzzer goes off; he jumps, startled by the unexpectedly loud sound.

A sealed door behind the counter opens, and a gangly, four-armed, two-headed Troig with three insect swatters in his hands walks in. The left head is Noman, and the right Botz; together, they are Nomansinbotz.


NOMAN : Hi.

BOTZ : There.


As Nomansinbotz closes the door, the gnats in the lobby move in around him, visibly annoying the Troig.


ANAKIN : Hi. Do you have any rooms?


The Troig doesn’t respond. He’s too busy swatting at the flying insects moving around about him.


NOMAN : Stupid little -

ANAKIN : (coughs)

BOTZ : (noticing Anakin) Oh, sorry. Didn’t hear you. Distracted
by the gnats.

NOMAN : Damn things - always come out on dirty nights like these.

ANAKIN : Do you have any rooms?

BOTZ : Sure ... twelve vacancies, twelve rooms.

NOMAN : We don’t get much clientele, as you can see.

BOTZ : But we keep lighting the lights and following the formalities.

NOMAN : It’s business as usual.

ANAKIN : How much for a room?

BOTZ : It’s twelve credits a night.


Anakin pulls a pouch out from one of his pants’ pockets, empties some credits into his hand, counts the money, then hands it over to Nomansinbotz. The Troig looks the credits over.


NOMAN : Staying a week?

ANAKIN : Shouldn’t be any longer than that. I hope, anyway. (cont’d) Say, you don’t happen to have a vending machine around here do you? I’m kinda hungry, and I could use a bite.

BOTZ : Ah, no ... Sorry.

NOMAN : We took the last one out after we found out it attracted the wrong kind of clientele (eyeing the gnats) If you catch my meaning.

ANAKIN : So there’s no place -

BOTZ : Well, there’s a diner -

NOMAN : Dex’s Diner -

BOTZ : about two kilometres up the road.

ANAKIN : That close, huh?

NOMAN : It’s nothing special, but it’s awful homey.

BOTZ : Their ardees is to die for.

NOMAN : (smirking) You can say that again.


Botz sees three gnats land on one of Noman’s arms. He swats the insects, leaving a welt and drawing Noman’s ire.


NOMAN : Watch it, Botz!


At that moment another Troig - a female shorter than Nomansinbotz - comes walking out from the corridor, passing by Anakin towards the door.


BOTZ : Hey! Where do you think you’re going, Mahrsinycan?

MAHR : Out, Father!

NOMAN : Out where?

YCAN : Just for a walk.

BOTZ : A walk, huh? Does the basket need some exercise?

MAHR : (looking down at the basket of food in her lower left hand, then back up at the elder Troig) I was just -

NOMAN : Just going out to have a quiet, romantic dinner under the stars with that Semsinlumsis boy?

YCAN : We’re grown women, Father! We can do -

BOTZ : And after dinner, what then, girl? Music? Whispers?

MAHR : Father -

NOMAN : I’ll not have them appease their ugly appetite with my food ... or my daughters!

YCAN : (angry) This isn’t fair!


Mahrsinycan throws the basket down on the floor in rage, spilling its contents. The young teenaged Troig then retreats back down the corridor, slipping into her room and slamming the door behind her.


BOTZ : (turning back to Anakin, an embarrassed grin on his face) Kids.

ANAKIN : Yeah, kids ... (cont’d) Listen, thanks for telling me about the diner. I think I’ll go for some of that ardees you told me about. See you later.


As Anakin moves toward the door the Troig holds up a hand. Anakin stops.


NOMAN : (pulls a large datapad out from under the counter top) Would you mind signing the register first?

ANAKIN : (going back to the desk, taking the datapad) Okay, sure.

Post
#499523
Topic
Star Wars: Episode I - The Beginning (AKA DuracellEnergizer's Take On TPM)
Time

EXT. CORUSCANT - SENATE LANDING PLATFORM - EVENING


Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Anakin stand on the platform. The two Jedi are close together, arguing. Anakin stands off to the side, watching them.


QUI-GON : ... It is not disrespect, Obi-Wan. It is the truth.

OBI-WAN : From your point of view ...

QUI-GON : Anakin is dangerous. They all sense it. Why can’t you?

OBI-WAN : His fate is uncertain, not dangerous. The Council will decide Anakin’s future. That should be enough for you.


Organa, Vaness, Tarpals, Amidala and her bodyguards arrive. Obi-Wan greets them, then walks over to Anakin.


ANAKIN : Obi-Wan, I don’t want to be a problem.

OBI-WAN : You won’t be. Qui-Gon is simply employing caution. Too much caution perhaps, but he will come to understand in time.

ANAKIN : (cont’d) You’re not taking me with you, are you?

OBI-WAN : No. Nabu will be a dangerous place to be. It is no place for you.

ANAKIN : But I can fight! I can fly!

OBI-WAN : Can you now?

ANAKIN : I’ve got the skills. Me and my friends Kitster and Wald had a refurbished skyhopper back home. The controls aren’t that different from the ones on Headhunter starfighters. (cont’d) C’mon, don’t leave me here!

OBI-WAN : I have no doubt in your skills, but without training -

ANAKIN : I’ll enlist! They’ll have to let me -

OBI-WAN : (cont’d) You are too young. The military will never accept a fifteen-year-old.

ANAKIN : But -

OBI-WAN : No buts, Anakin. You will remain here on Coruscant.

Obi-Wan reaches into his tunic and pulls out a datapad. He hands it to Anakin who tentatively accepts it.

ANAKIN : (sarcastic) I can play games to pass the time - yay!

OBI-WAN : (cont’d) I’ve created an account for you. You’ll have access to enough money to pay for temporary housing, food, and other essentials. It will last until I return.

ANAKIN : If you return.


Before Obi-Wan can respond a starship drops down from the sky and touches down on the platform.


OBI-WAN : This is our ride. (cont’d) May the Force be with you, Anakin Skywalker.

ANAKIN : And with you, Obi-Wan Kenobi.


The retinue begins to board the transport, leaving Anakin to watch as they climb aboard. Once all passengers are on-ship, the hatch closes, and the craft lifts off and climbs into the air.

As the craft shrinks to a point in the sky Anakin turns to leave, and bumps into something in his way. Looking down he spots a blue R2 unit droid sitting in his path. The droid’s dome swivels and a series of beeps and whistles are released.


ANAKIN : Sorry, little guy. I wasn’t watching where I was going.


The R2 unit issues a few good-natured beeps, then continues on its way. Once the droid is past Anakin starts forward, leaving the platform for the city beyond.


EXT. NABU - HALES - CITYSCAPE - MORNING


Within the heart of the city several construction droids are hard at work building a towering mechanical pyramid. A trio of Federation cruisers fly overhead.


INT. NABU - NEIMOIDIAN CRUISER - PASSENGER DECK - MORNING


Nute Gunray looks out the side window at the construction going on down below. Beside him sits Rune Haako. A serving droid - TC-14 - approaches the two Neimoidians carrying a tray loaded with two glasses.


TC-14 : Your drinks, sirs.


Haako takes the two drinks, and the droid returns to its serving area. Haako sips on his drink, then holds Gunray’s out to him.


RUNE HAAKO : Your drink.


Gunray snaps to attention, drawn out of his deep thoughts.


NUTE GUNRAY : Ah - yes - my drink! Thank you.


Gunray takes the glass, taking a deep gulp.


RUNE HAAKO : Go easy! That’s a strong drink!

NUTE GUNRAY : I need it ... to calm my nerves.

RUNE HAAKO : You’ve been overly agitated these past few days. I think you should see a medic before you have a nervous breakdown.

NUTE GUNRAY : We shouldn’t have taken this assignment, Rune. It was a bad mistake.

RUNE HAAKO : Mistake?

NUTE GUNRAY : We are in danger. Grave, grave danger!

RUNE HAAKO : We are a federation of mercenaries, My Lord. We make our profits off the backs of hungry despots and squabbling factions. There’s very little difference between this contract and any others we’ve taken on before.

NUTE GUNRAY : Oh, no. This time is different - very, very different. We’re facing destruction from three opposing fronts. The Republic on one, our own Directorate on another, with Ma -


Gunray goes silent, refusing to say anymore. He downs the last of his drink.


RUNE HAAKO : With? With what?

NUTE GUNRAY : Never mind.


Gunray then steals Haako’s drink, putting the glass to his lips.


RUNE HAAKO : Hey!

NUTE GUNRAY : Go order another one.

Post
#499336
Topic
Star Wars: Episode I - The Beginning (AKA DuracellEnergizer's Take On TPM)
Time

INT. CORUSCANT - JEDI TEMPLE - COUNCIL CHAMBERS - SUNSET


Anakin stands before the twelve Jedi. Mace Windu holds a small hand-held viewing screen. Images flash across the screen in rapid succession.


ANAKIN : A ship ... a cup ... a speeder.


Windu turns the viewing screen off, nodding to Yoda.


YODA : Good, good, young man. How do you feel?

ANAKIN : Cold.

YODA : Afraid are you?

ANAKIN : No, sir.

MACE WINDU : Afraid of what life might hold in store for you?


Anakin hesitates a moment.


YODA : See through you, we can.

MACE WINDU : Be mindful of your feelings ...

MICAH GIIETT : Your thoughts dwell on your mother - your family.

ANAKIN : I miss them. I can’t help that.

YODA : Afraid to lose them, I think.

ANAKIN : (annoyed) What’s that got to do with anything?

YODA : Everything. Fear is the path to the dark side ... Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate ... hate leads to suffering.

ANAKIN : (angry) I’m not afraid!

YODA : A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. I sense much fear in you.

ANAKIN : I am not afraid.

YODA : Then continue, we will.


INT. CORUSCANT - JEDI TEMPLE - TWILIGHT


Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Anakin stand before the members of the Jedi Council.


YODA : You were correct, Obi-Wan.

MICAH GIIETT : The Force is strong with him.

OBI-WAN : He is to be trained, then.


The Jedi Masters look to one another.


MACE WINDU : No. He will not be trained.


A fleeting expression of anger passes over Anakin’s face.


OBI-WAN : No?!

MACE WINDU : He is too old. There is already too much anger in him.

OBI-WAN : You have seen the statue! You know there is a resemblance! You must see that he is the Chosen One!

MICAH GIIETT : I sympathize with you, Obi-Wan. But the resemblance is just that - a resemblance. An uncanny resemblance perhaps, but a resemblance nonetheless.

YODA : Clouded this boy’s future is.

OBI-WAN : I will train him, then. I will take Anakin as my apprentice.


YODA : A ward you have, Obi-Wan.

OBI-WAN : Qui-Gon is not my apprentice. Once Master Dooku has fully recuperated Qui-Gon will go back to him. (cont’d) I am ready to take on my own Padawan.

YODA : Ready are you? What know you of ready? A Knight you may be, but headstrong you are and much have you to learn about the living Force. (cont’d) Our own council we will keep on who is ready.

MACE WINDU : Now is not the time for this ... Princess Amidala will be returning home, possibly with Alderaan’s royal navy with her.

MICAH GIIETT : The Princess’s attacker may be drawn out.

YODA : Events are moving fast ... too fast.

MACE WINDU : Go with the Princess to Nabu and discover the identity of this dark warrior. He may be the key to unravelling the mystery of who is behind this invasion.

YODA : Young Skywalker’s fate will be decided later.

OBI-WAN : I brought Anakin here. He has nowhere else to go.

MACE WINDU : He is under your care, Obi-Wan. We will not dispute that.

YODA : Protect the Princess, and may the Force be with you.


Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Anakin leave.

Post
#499090
Topic
Does Romero's Dead series depict the same zombie apocalypse?
Time

asterisk8 said:

I've always argued that at least the first three Dead films are not a true trilogy, but more like a triptych where the films work together as a whole thematically, but actually depict three different zombie apocalypses in separate "universes".

I certainly hope that's the case, 'cause everything after Night of the Living Dead is IMHO crap.

Post
#499029
Topic
Star Wars: Episode I - The Beginning (AKA DuracellEnergizer's Take On TPM)
Time

EXT. CORUSCANT - JEDI TEMPLE - BALCONY - SUNSET


Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon stand out on the balcony, looking out at the city lights beyond.


QUI-GON : Skywalker will not pass the Council’s tests, and you know it. He is far too old.

OBI-WAN : Anakin will become a Jedi. I promise you.

QUI-GON : Don’t defy the Council, Obi-Wan.

OBI-WAN : I will do what I must.

QUI-GON : They will not go along with you this time.

OBI-WAN : There is still much for you to learn, Qui-Gon.


INT. CORUSCANT - HOTEL - AMIDALA’S CHAMBERS - SUNSET


Amidala is sitting in a grand chair, facing the window, watching the sunset. Her face is expressionless, her eyes sunken and dark. Silently, her door opens, and a guard steps in.


GUARD : Your Highness, you have a visitor. He wishes to speak with you.

AMIDALA : I told you I don’t want to be disturbed.

GUARD : It is a Colonel Bail Organa that wishes to speak with you, milady. He says he has news on the Senate’s decision regarding the situation on Nabu.


Amidala stands up, turning to face the guard.


AMIDALA : Send him in.


The guard moves aside, allowing Bail to step inside. The guard leaves the room, closing the door to allow them privacy.


AMIDALA : Well, what has happened? Will the Senate send a second fleet to liberate Nabu?

COL. ORGANA : The Senate debated the issue ... and many good arguments in favour of the mission were put on the table ...

AMIDALA : And?

COL. ORGANA : They decided that the crisis on Nabu is too much a burden to deal with at this time. They voted not to send another fleet.

AMIDALA : (enraged) No! Dammit! Damn them all!


Amidala races over to her night stand, picking up a solid metal statuette. With a scream of pure rage she heaves the piece at her window, cracking it in several places. The door to the room is quickly opened and the guard pounces in, levelling his blaster at Organa.

GUARD : What is it?! What’s going on?!

AMIDALA : It’s ... there’s no problem. I just reacted to some very bad news.

GUARD : (lowering his blaster) You’re okay?

AMIDALA : I’m fine ... You can leave, now.


The guard retreats back through the door and closes it. The Colonel and Princess turn their attention back on each other.


AMIDALA : So there’s no hope for my people. There’s nothing.

COL. ORGANA : The Senate won’t sanction a second liberation mission, no.

AMIDALA : In other words, “No, there isn’t”.

COL. ORGANA : I said the Senate wouldn’t. I can.

AMIDALA : What are you talking about?

COL. ORGANA : I’m a member of the Royal House of Alderaan, remember? I can use the influence on my homeworld to arrange the formation of another fleet. It’ll take some time, but I’m sure -


Amidala embraces Organa, wrapping him in a big, tight hug.


AMIDALA : Oh, thank you! Thank you, Colonel! I’ll never forget this!

COL. ORGANA : Princess ... you’re hurting me ...

AMIDALA : Oh ...!


Amidala releases the Colonel. He rubs his shoulder.


COL. ORGANA : Has anyone ever told you’ve got a strong grip?

AMIDALA : Only all the time. (cont’d) Thank you again, Colonel. I can’t thank you enough.

COL. ORGANA : Think nothing of it. You just stay here on Coruscant and relax, and I’ll have everything taken care of on Nabu.

AMIDALA : No, Colonel. I’m returning to Nabu.

COL. ORGANA : What!? No! There’s no way -

AMIDALA : Nothing you say or do is going to keep me from going back. (con’t) My brother needs me. I’m going back for him.