by Cavan Scott
DOOKU:
From what Dee-Four has told me, Serenno was being raided by pirates. My brother refused to offer protection, holing up in our ancestral seat.
LENE:
And so the houses called in mercenaries.
DOOKU:
For better or worse, Ramil has continued our father’s work, dismantling the Serenno military, replacing it with security droids loyal only to him. The other houses didn’t have a choice. The Abyssin took their money and decided to stay, claiming the planet as a new base of operations along the Hydian Way.
He deactivates the hologram.
DOOKU: (CONT.)
As communications are being blocked both on- and offplanet, I have adapted our comlinks to operate on a shortwave frequency that should circumvent the jamming signal.
He passes Lene a comlink.
LENE:
When did you become so good with technology?
DOOKU:
(WITH GOOD HUMOR) Didn’t you know? I’m good at everything. Dee-Four, will you take this communicator to Sifo-Dyas in the cockpit?
D-4:
(SIGHING) If I must.
D-4 totters off.
LENE:
That droid reminds me of someone. I can’t think who.
DOOKU:
Lene…
LENE:
Dooku, it’s okay. We’re good. I know exactly why you distanced yourself. Sifo-Dyas didn’t exactly make it easy.
DOOKU:
How is he?
LENE:
Honestly? He’s barely holding together. The visions have gotten worse. Some days he’s lucid, others I find him curled up in a ball in his quarters. Nothing I do seems to help.
A chime of a comm.
SIFO-DYAS: (OVER COMM)
We’re coming out of hyperspace, Master.
The ship is suddenly buffeted, rocked by laserfire.
DOOKU & LENE:
(REACT TO THE BARRAGE)
LENE:
Sifo?
SIFO-DYAS: (OVER COMM)
We’re under attack. Multiple orb-wings.
DOOKU:
The Abyssin!
SCENE 109. EXT. SERENNO SPACE.
Atmosphere: We cut into the middle of a space battle. The Truthseeker is under attack by a squadron of orb fighters. Fire blossoms along its hull.
SCENE 110. INT. THE TRUTHSEEKER. COCKPIT.
Explosions rattle the entire ship as Dooku and Lene run into the cockpit.
DOOKU:
You take navigation. I’ll take the guns.
They rush to their stations as the ship takes another hit.
D-4:
(PANICKED) This is hopeless.
LENE:
Calm yourself, droid.
D-4:
That’s easy for you to say. I’m getting too old for this.
DOOKU:
You and me both.
Another hit. More sparks.
DOOKU:
(GRUNTS IN FRUSTRATION) Any chance of you holding us steady?
SIFO-DYAS:
Maneuvering thrusters are gone. The power core is at twenty-nine percent.
DOOKU:
I take it that means no.
Dooku lets off a volley of laser bursts. There’s an explosion outside.
D-4:
You got one. Oh, well done, sir.
LENE:
Unfortunately, there are still a dozen more.
DOOKU:
Thank you for the encouragement.
There’s an explosion from behind. A warning klaxon sounds.
LENE:
What was that?
SIFO-DYAS:
The shields are down.
LENE:
Any good news?
SIFO-DYAS:
We still have propulsion.
There’s another strike. The ship is really shuddering now.
SIFO-DYAS:
Propulsion has gone.
D-4:
What does that mean?
LENE:
It means we’re dead in the water.
D-4:
Can’t you do something?
DOOKU:
We can eject.
D-4:
That’s not quite what I had in mind.
DOOKU:
As soon as we enter the atmosphere. Are you ready?
D-4:
No. No, I am not.
SCENE 111. INT. HIDDEN ROOM.
Ventress’s lightsaber thrums.
VENTRESS:
Jenza, please. You need to remain still.
KY NAREC: (GHOST)
I don’t want to think what Dooku will do to you if you hurt her.
VENTRESS:
The thought has occurred to me. Jenza. I won’t tell you again.
JENZA:
You need to listen to me.
VENTRESS:
Do I have a choice?
JENZA:
I knew he wouldn’t let me down. Not when we needed him most…
VENTRESS:
(SARCASTIC) Yes, he’s a real hero.
JENZA:
He is. At least, he was. (LAUGHS TO HERSELF) I should have known his return to Serenno would be suitably explosive…
SCENE 112. EXT. SERENNO CAMP. OUTSIDE CARANNIA.
Atmosphere: Wind blowing over open plains.
SERGEANT ESON:
Lady Jenza? There’s activity in the upper atmosphere.
JENZA:
Let me see.
The sergeant passes her the macrobinoculars.
SERGEANT ESON:
Looks like a ship coming down.
The whir of macrobinoculars zooming in.
JENZA:
And not just any ship.
SERENNIAN SERGEANT:
Ma’am?
JENZA:
The markings, Eson. They’re Jedi. Where will it land?
SERGEANT ESON:
On that trajectory? Somewhere on the Delgaldon Plains.
Jenza is already running.
JENZA:
(CALLING BACK) Then I need a landspeeder.
SERGEANT ESON:
(CALLING AFTER HER) My lady, come back. If you’re spotted by the Abyssin—
JENZA:
(CALLING BACK) It’s him, Sergeant. I know it is.
SCENE 113. INT. THE TRUTHSEEKER.
The shuttle wails as it dives down, everyone’s dialogue pitching up to be heard over the noise.
D-4:
I thought you said we should eject.
DOOKU:
The mechanism’s jammed!
D-4:
That’s bad, isn’t it?
LENE:
Unless you enjoy crashing, yes.
D-4:
No, I do not. Not in the slightest.
DOOKU:
There’s something else we can do.
SIFO-DYAS:
We’re listening.
DOOKU:
Jettison the cockpit.
LENE:
The entire cockpit?
DOOKU:
We could guide it down. Cushion our fall.
LENE:
And by that you mean…?
DOOKU:
We use the Force.
SIFO-DYAS:
That’s insane.
DOOKU:
Yes.
SIFO-DYAS:
The worst plan I have ever hea
rd.
DOOKU:
Most probably.
SIFO-DYAS:
I’m in.
LENE:
We’ll have to release the clamps manually.
D-4:
Have you done this before?
DOOKU:
No. On three. One.
LENE:
Two.
DOOKU, LENE, & SIFO-DYAS:
Three!
D-4:
Oh, why didn’t I stick with Ramil!
There comes a series of resounding clunks, and the cockpit detaches from the shuttle.
SCENE 114. EXT. THE DELGALDON PLAINS.
A landspeeder zips across the terrain.
We move into the back of it.
JENZA:
Can you still see them?
SERGEANT ESON:
It’s breaking up. They’ll never survive.
There’s a crash nearby.
JENZA:
He will. Hang on.
She swings the speeder around.
SCENE 115. EXT. CRASH SITE.
Atmosphere: Burning wreckage. Sparking electrics.
D-4:
(SHORTING OUT) Master Dooku…Master Dooku.
Dooku pushes twisted metal off himself.
DOOKU:
(WITH EFFORT) I’m here.
D-4:
My vision…is impaired. Are we home?
DOOKU:
Yes. Yes, we are.
D-4:
(AS IF WINDING DOWN) Oh, I am glad. I hated being…away…
LENE:
(COUGHING NEARBY)
DOOKU:
Lene.
LENE:
I loved that shuttle. It always got down in one piece.
Sifo-Dyas stumbles up.
SIFO-DYAS:
Until now.
DOOKU:
Sifo-Dyas. You’re hurt.
SIFO-DYAS:
It’s nothing. How’s the droid?
DOOKU:
She didn’t make it.
A landspeeder approaches.
LENE:
What’s that?
Dooku ignites his lightsaber.
DOOKU:
A landspeeder.
SIFO-DYAS:
More Abyssin?
Lene also ignites her lightsaber.
LENE:
Let’s hope not.
The speeder slows to a halt.
JENZA: (OFF-MIC)
Dooku!
DOOKU:
Jenza?
JENZA: (NARRATION)
Before Eson could stop me, I bounded from the speeder, flinging myself into Dooku’s arms. He hesitated for a second, unsure what to do, before returning the hug.
JENZA:
You came. You actually came.
DOOKU:
I should never have stayed away.
Jenza pulls away.
JENZA:
Where’s the rest?
DOOKU:
The rest of what?
JENZA:
The fleet. The Jedi are sending reinforcements, aren’t they?
LENE:
You’re looking at them.
DOOKU:
Jenza, may I introduce Lene Kostana and Sifo-Dyas.
SERGEANT ESON:
That’s all there are? Three of you?
DOOKU:
And you are?
SERGEANT ESON:
Sergeant Eson of Borgin House Guard.
DOOKU:
Then I ask the same of you—where are your troops, Sergeant?
SERGEANT ESON:
I’m all that’s left.
JENZA:
That’s not entirely true. We have a number of veterans back at camp.
SERGEANT ESON:
Most of whom can barely stand. We were expecting an army.
LENE:
And you’ve got one. More or less.
JENZA: (NARRATION)
Eson looked as if he was about to argue, when the ground shook beneath us.
The ground shifts beneath them.
SERGEANT ESON:
Lady Jenza!
JENZA:
I’m fine. Really.
DOOKU:
You’re still getting groundquakes?
JENZA:
No. Not for years.
The ground shakes again, splitting asunder nearby.
LENE:
It’s getting worse.
SIFO-DYAS:
I’m so glad you brought us back.
JENZA:
We should check on the camp.
DOOKU:
Is it nearby?
JENZA:
On the side of the mountain.
SERGEANT ESON:
If the mountain’s still standing!
SCENE 116. EXT. SERENNO CAMP.
JENZA: (NARRATION)
Eson’s fears were confirmed as we reached camp. A rockslide had demolished half the tents, scattering supplies across the mountainside. The wounded were everywhere…
There is general chaos as the speeder sweeps in, children crying, the wounded groaning.
JENZA:
We must help the survivors.
DOOKU:
I can’t believe you’re living like this.
JENZA:
It was this or the castle. I chose our people.
JENZA: (NARRATION)
We leapt from the speeder, Dooku and the others fanning out to help the wounded.
HAGI: (CALLING OFF-MIC)
I need a bandage!
DOOKU:
Here, use this.
JENZA: (NARRATION)
Lene moved to stop him as he began to unwind a length of cloth from around his arm.
LENE:
Dooku, do you think that’s wise?
DOOKU:
Her need is greater than mine.
He continues.
DOOKU:
Will this help?
HAGI:
Yes, thank you. Can you hold it in place, while I wrap it?
DOOKU:
Here?
HAGI:
Perfect.
They go to work, Hagi winding Dooku’s bandage around her patient’s head.
PATIENT:
(GROANS)
DOOKU:
Remain calm.
HAGI:
Nice bedside manner. I take it you haven’t performed much field medicine.
DOOKU:
And you have, Countess…?
HAGI:
Hagi, of House Malvern. Or what’s left of it. You’re Jenza’s brother. The Jedi.
DOOKU:
I am.
HAGI:
I can see your father in you.
DOOKU:
I trust you won’t hold that against me.
HAGI:
Not if you can help us. Press there.
DOOKU:
You’ve certainly done this before.
HAGI:
My family has mined Serenno for centuries. I’ve witnessed enough accidents over the years. (TO THE PATIENT) There. Try to rest.
The ground rumbles again.
DOOKU:
Easier said than done.
HAGI:
Must be an aftershock.
The quake passes.
Jenza and Lene run up.
LEN
E:
Everything okay over here?
HAGI:
Does it look like it?
JENZA:
Hagi. Please. They’re only trying to help.
DOOKU:
I had no idea it was this bad.
JENZA:
No one on Coruscant does. Here. Let me show you.
SCENE 117. INT. HIDDEN ROOM.
JENZA:
I took him to the lookout, so he could see Carannia. The city was…(SHE COUGHS)
It was…
She descends into a coughing fit.
KY NAREC: (GHOST)
We need to get her out of that restraint. She’s not well.
VENTRESS:
Thank you, Doctor.
Ventress burns through the last restraint. It clatters to the floor.
Jenza slumps forward.
KY NAREC: (GHOST)
Catch her.
Ventress’s lightsaber snaps off as she catches Jenza.
VENTRESS:
Careful. I’ve got you.
An alert bleeps.
KY NAREC: (GHOST)
What’s that?
VENTRESS:
Jenza. I need to check Fellidrone’s security feeds. Can you sit here?
JENZA:
(WEAK) Yes.
VENTRESS:
This won’t take long.
She moves to the console, working the controls.
KY NAREC: (GHOST)
Well…
VENTRESS:
Fellidrone’s handlers. They’re on their way.
KY NAREC: (GHOST)
She’s in no state to be moved.
Ventress reaches for her holocomm.
VENTRESS:
I’m so glad you’re here.
JENZA:
(CONFUSED) I’m sorry.
VENTRESS:
Just talking to myself.
She activates the holocomm, the unit beeping as a hologram shimmers into view.
VENTRESS:
Master.
DOOKU: (HOLOGRAM)
You have news?
VENTRESS:
I’ve found your sister, but we’re about to have company.
DOOKU: (HOLOGRAM)
And?
VENTRESS:
And I can’t risk moving her, not on my own.
DOOKU: (HOLOGRAM)
I will send assistance.
The holocomm disconnects.
VENTRESS:
As chatty as ever.
KY NAREC: (GHOST)
You can’t trust him.
VENTRESS:
(HISSING) Not now.
She moves to Jenza.
VENTRESS:
Jenza. Jenza, listen to me. Your brother is sending help.