by Cavan Scott
RAMIL:
Vultures, the lot of them. (LOOKS AT HIS SISTER) Jenza? Jenza, now what are you looking for?
JENZA:
Nothing. I’m just seeing which of the houses have sent representatives.
RAMIL:
Every single one, if they know what’s good for them. Great and small. You know Father. He’ll be taking notes.
SCENE 57. EXT. SERENNO MAUSOLEUM.
A sharp wind is blowing through the sprawling cemetery. Alien crows caw in the trees, but only one person is crying—Jenza.
CELEBRANT:
And now we commit Countess Anya to her ancestors. She will rest here, in their company, in the Serenno vault. But before we light the final flame, her daughter, Lady Jenza, would like to say a few words.
GORA:
What? Dee-Four—what’s going on? This wasn’t part of the ceremony.
D-4:
No, it certainly was not. I worked long and hard on the order of the service.
GORA:
What in the seven gods is she thinking?
JENZA: (AMPLIFIED)
On behalf of my father, I would like to thank so many of you for coming here today.
GORA:
On behalf of her father? Of all the nerve.
JENZA: (AMPLIFIED)
My mother would be proud to see so many of the houses represented today. You honor her, and us, with your presence.
GORA:
Like they had any choice.
JENZA: (AMPLIFIED)
Mother always liked Mantero. Not only because she could walk with our ancestors, but because she could look up and see Serenno in the sky. That planet was her life. She worked tirelessly, caring for those less fortunate than us.
RAMIL:
Most of the planet then.
JENZA: (AMPLIFIED)
Caring for the outsider. The…(SHE PAUSES, HAVING SPOTTED SOMEONE)
GORA:
Now what’s wrong with the girl? What’s she looking at?
RAMIL:
Over there. By the Demeci Memorial. It can’t be…
GORA:
It is! I don’t believe it. How dare he come here.
D-4:
Count, please. People are looking.
JENZA: (AMPLIFIED)
(SMILING, EMOTIONAL) I’m sorry. As I was saying, my mother was a compassionate woman. She cared passionately for the outsider and for the lost.
PROTESTOR #1:
(SHOUTING) Don’t make me laugh!
GORA:
Now what?
JENZA: (AMPLIFIED)
I’m…sorry?
PROTESTOR #1:
It’s all right for you, Lady Jenza, standing there in your furs. But what about the rest of us? If your mother cared so much, why didn’t she stop the Assembly taking our jobs?
PROTESTOR #2:
Yeah, where was she then?
GORA:
Damn protestors. This is an outrage. (CALLING TO THE COUNT OF MANTERO) Hakka. Hakka, do something.
JENZA: (AMPLIFIED)
I…This is my mother’s funeral.
PROTESTOR #1:
Might as well bury the entire planet.
PROTESTOR #2:
You’ve said enough. It’s time for us to be heard. (CHANTING) Hear our voice. Hear our voice.
The chant is picked up by protestors in the crowd.
CROWD:
Hear our voice. Hear our voice. (REPEAT)
GORA:
They’re everywhere. They planned this.
JENZA: (AMPLIFIED)
Please. This is not the time. We can talk about this.
GORA:
Like hell we can. Get her off the comm.
D-4:
Lady Jenza. Please. Take your seat.
Gora grabs the comm. There’s a burst of feedback.
GORA: (AMPLIFIED)
Now listen. This is a disgrace. You dishonor my wife. You dishonor my family.
PROTESTOR #1:
You dishonored us when you brought in all those droids.
D-4:
Oh dear.
PROTESTOR #1:
We won’t stand for it anymore. Do you hear? It is time for a reckoning. Hear our voice! Hear our voice!
The protestors start throwing moonrocks at the count. One strikes him in the head.
GORA:
(CRIES OUT IN PAIN) Maniacs!
D-4:
Count, are you all right?
GORA:
What do you think? They’re throwing rocks! Where’s Hakka’s security?
D-4:
I doubt it was deemed necessary, Your Grace.
GORA:
Not necessary? Luckily, I plan ahead. (OPENS COMLINK) This is Gora. Send them in. Send them in now.
SCENE 58. EXT. SERENNO MAUSOLEUM. JEDI POV.
DOOKU: (HOLO-NARRATION)
My hand went to my lightsaber as the mob surged forward…
The chanting continues.
DOOKU:
We need to do something.
LENE:
No, Dooku. It’s not our place.
DOOKU:
That’s exactly what it is. That’s my family out there. They’re in danger.
LENE:
And what do you intend to do about it?
DOOKU:
We’re peacekeepers, aren’t we? We keep the peace.
We hear the rumble of hovertanks.
DOOKU: (HOLO-NARRATION)
The argument became moot as the hovertanks approached, their doors swinging open…
Doors open and squadrons of security droids march out in perfect step.
SIFO-DYAS:
I don’t believe it. Are those…?
DOOKU:
Security droids!
SIFO-DYAS:
At a funeral?
DOOKU:
This can’t happen.
SCENE 59. EXT. SERENNO MAUSOLEUM. JENZA’S POV.
More tramping of robotic feet.
JENZA:
Father? What is this?
GORA:
Protection. (TO THE DROIDS) Surround the protestors.
SECURITY DROIDS:
Order confirmed.
Droids clank.
RAMIL:
Father, we need to get out of here.
GORA:
The HoloNet wanted a show. Well, we’ll damn well give them one. A show of strength.
COMMAND SECURITY DROID:
Protestors, desist.
PROTESTOR #1:
Like hell we will!
A rock is thrown and bounces off the command security droid.
COMMAND SECURITY DROID:
This unit has been struck. Protect the family. Open fire.
SECURITY DROIDS: (IN UNISON)
Confirmed.
The droids’ blasters click, ready to fire.
Dooku runs up, putting himself in front of the droids’ guns.
DOOKU:
No! Wait!
JENZA:
Dooku?
DOOKU: (HOLO-NARRATION)
It was hardly the reunion I had hoped for, you all standing openmouthed as I positioned myself between the droids and the protestors.
GORA:
What is the meaning of this?
DOOKU:
I could ask the same question, Father.
DOOKU: (HOLO-NARRATION)
One word, that’s all it took. One powerful word. I felt the ripple going around the crowd
, the surprise and speculation, the other houses wondering if they’d heard correctly…
Sifo-Dyas and Lene run up.
LENE:
Dooku. Stop this.
DOOKU:
No, Master. I need to understand what’s happening here.
PROTESTOR #1:
What’s happening? Those damn droids, that’s what’s happening. When they’re not pointing blasters at us, they’re working the mines, transporting the ore, serving his kind.
GORA:
They’re serving Serenno!
LENE:
Your Grace. May I suggest that your guards stand down.
GORA:
No. You may not.
PROTESTOR #2:
They’re not even the guard. He disbanded the guard and brought in machines. More lives ruined so he can line his pockets!
PROTESTOR #1:
People are starving. His people. Not that he cares.
DOOKU:
Father, is this true?
GORA:
I’m not your father.
Dooku ignites his lightsaber, speaking over the noise.
DOOKU:
Is it true?
GORA:
Is that what you’re going to do, freak? You’re going to cut me down where I stand? Droids. Shoot him.
DOOKU: (HOLO-NARRATION)
It all happened so fast. The droids’ blasters coming up. The screams from the crowd. I didn’t even see you run forward until it was too late, until you had thrown yourself in front of me. When I reacted, calling on the Force, it was to protect you, Jenza. Not me.
I wanted to push the droids back, but I was so…so angry. I didn’t even realize what I had done, not at first, not even as you and Father and Ramil were thrown back…not even as the crowd scattered, mob and mourners running for their lives. Running from me.
Then Father came at me, lips drawn back into a snarl. I acted on instinct, ready to strike, my lightsaber drawn…
JENZA:
Dooku, no!
DOOKU: (HOLO-NARRATION)
You stopped me, Jenza. Your cry stopped me. But it didn’t stop him.
GORA:
I’ll kill you.
Gora slams into Dooku, knocking him to the ground, striking him over and over.
DOOKU: (HOLO-NARRATION)
I could have fought back even as he pummeled me into the ground. Could have snapped his neck. But I knew that was wrong, even as Ramil pulled him away.
LENE:
Dooku, are you—
DOOKU:
Leave me alone.
LENE:
We need to go.
DOOKU: (HOLO-NARRATION)
I knew pushing Lene back was wrong, but all I cared about was you…
DOOKU:
Jenza. I…
JENZA:
No. Dooku. Please. Stay away.
DOOKU:
But I—
JENZA:
I mean it!
DOOKU: (HOLO-NARRATION)
And that’s when I saw it, Jenza, the coffin lying on its side, the lid open, our mother’s body…
It was an accident, Jenza. You have to believe me. I tried to put it right.
DOOKU:
Jenza, I’m sorry. Here, we can…
JENZA:
(SHOUTING) Leave her alone!
DOOKU:
Jenza.
JENZA:
Your friend is right. You need to go.
DOOKU:
But…
JENZA:
Just go, Dooku!
SCENE 60. INT. THE TRUTHSEEKER.
DOOKU: (HOLO-NARRATION)
I expected Father to be angry. To sense his rancor and fear, but I never expected it from you. It haunted me even as the Truthseeker sped from the sector…It haunts me to this day…
We hear Dooku practicing his lightsaber moves, shifting from one stance to another, grunting, and breathing hard as he drops into every position.
Lene enters.
LENE:
Need a sparring partner?
DOOKU:
I am practicing.
LENE:
So I can see. Put down the lightsaber.
DOOKU:
No.
LENE:
(FIRM) I said put it down.
The lightsaber clatters to the floor.
DOOKU:
Why did you do that?
LENE:
Because I need to ask you something.
DOOKU:
What?
LENE:
Do you trust me?
DOOKU:
I’m sorry?
LENE:
Do you trust me?
DOOKU:
Yes.
LENE:
Good. Sit with me.
Chairs are pulled up.
LENE:
I’ve checked the HoloNet and all official channels. There has been no mention of the fracas at your mother’s funeral.
DOOKU:
Fracas?
LENE:
It is my opinion that Count Gora is suppressing the scandal. He won’t want the Senate to know…
DOOKU:
That I’m his son?
LENE:
How bad things have become on Serenno.
DOOKU:
But when we tell the Council—
LENE:
When we tell the Council, you will face a hearing, as will I for allowing you to assault your family.
DOOKU:
It was an accident.
LENE:
I know, but I also know how the Council thinks. I will be shackled to the Temple, Sifo-Dyas reassigned.
DOOKU:
But none of this is your fault.
LENE:
Nor is it yours, Dooku.
DOOKU:
Lene. The way Jenza looked at me…
LENE:
She was confused. Scared.
DOOKU:
Master Yoda was right. The past must be left alone.
LENE:
You truly believe that?
DOOKU:
Yes.
LENE:
Then you should cease communication, as you promised the Council, at least until passions have cooled. I propose we keep this to ourselves. Count Gora obviously doesn’t want the galaxy to know what happened.
DOOKU:
But I failed. Master Yoda…
LENE:
Master Yoda would overreact. And if he doesn’t, the rest of the Council certainly will. Do the right thing, Dooku. Make amends.
DOOKU: (HOLO-NARRATION)
I am truly sorry for what has happened between us, Jenza. You will never know how much I have cherished our friendship, how much I have…relied on our communication. You have been my rock, my confidante, but now it must end.
Cut straight into:
SCENE 61. EXT. ROOFTOP. RAIN.
DOOKU: (HOLOGRAM, CONT.)
I wish you well, Lady Jenza. You are a strong woman…stronger than you give yourself credit. May the Force be with you, now and forever.
The hologram cuts off.
VENTRESS: (NARRATION)
I stare into the space where Dooku’s holoform had been, the rain hissing on the still-warm projector.
KY NAREC: (GHOST)
What’s wrong? Asajj?
VENTRESS:
Their story isn’t over.
KY NAREC: (GHOST)
Well, obviously. He sent you to find her.
VENTRESS:
No. It’s more than that.
She reaches into her pocket, pulling out a leather-bound datapad.
KY NAREC: (GHOST)
Dooku’s journal.
VENTRESS: (NARRATION)
I shift under the cover of a cooling tower to protect the screen.
She swipes through pages.
KY NAREC: (GHOST)
What are you looking for?
VENTRESS:
(DISTRACTED) The Force will guide me.
More swipes.
VENTRESS:
Here.
KY NAREC: (GHOST)
What is it?
VENTRESS:
The rest of the story. (READING) “Lene is correct. I know she is, but it still hurts. And if we are to keep it from Yoda…” This is it, the missing link.
KY NAREC: (GHOST)
Missing link?
VENTRESS:
If I am truly to serve Dooku, I must understand him. I thought I understood you, but I was obviously mistaken…
KY NAREC: (GHOST)
Asajj…
VENTRESS:
Don’t you see? This is Dooku. The holo-letters, they were meant for someone else. But this…this was for him. His thoughts. His truth. The Force led me to it.
KY NAREC: (GHOST)
I led you to it. Oh, I forgot. I’m not real, am I?
VENTRESS:
(SUDDENLY NOT SO SURE) No. You’re not.
KY NAREC: (GHOST)
Then humor me. Tell me what it says. If I’m only a delusion, you’ll be talking to yourself. Does that really matter? We all do it, after all.
VENTRESS:
Some more than most, it seems.
She swipes another page.
VENTRESS:
“I had thought that Lene would take me straight back to Coruscant, but she reminded me that we still had work to do, her mission in the Gordian Reach, or so I thought. It turned out…”
As she reads, we hear the twenty-year-old Dooku echoing the words, taking up the narration.
DOOKU: (NARRATION)
…that we still had work to do, her mission in the Gordian Reach, or so I thought. It turned out Lene had been somewhat economical with the truth. I don’t know why I was so surprised…
SCENE 62. EXT. THE PLANET ASUSTO. HIGH ATMOSPHERE.
The Truthseeker soars through the sky.
SCENE 63. INT. THE TRUTHSEEKER. COCKPIT.
DOOKU:
What is this place?
LENE:
Sifo-Dyas?
Sifo pilots the ship as he talks, pressing buttons and pulling levers.