Episode 2 Scriptment Posted by: Bill Cable 4-2-02 12:01am This is REAL according to my source. Proceed with caution!!! SPOILERS GALORE!!! I'm Not Joking!!!! 04/01/2002 A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... STAR WARS FADE IN: EXT. SPACE A vast sea of stars serves as the backdrop for the main title. War drums echo through the heavens as a rollup slowly crawls into infinity. EPISODE II ATTACK OF THE CLONES There is unrest in the Galactic Senate. Several hundred solar systems, under the leadership of the Rebel Leader, Count Dooku, have declared their intentions to secede from the Republic. This separatist movement has made it difficult for the limited number of Jedi Knights to maintain peace and order in the galaxy. Senator Amidala, the former queen of Naboo, is returning to the Galactic Senate to vote on the critical issue of creating an ARMY of the Republic to assist the overwhelmed Jedi... We upwards to see the massive amber planet of Coruscant. Soon after, a couple of Naboo Fighters fly overhead toward the planet, followed by the large chrome Nubian Wing which is in turn flanked by another fighter. EXT CORUSCANT SKY - DAWN The ships maneuver their way through the capital as dawn spreads it light over the massive buildings and infrastructure. The Naboo spacecraft navigate their way to a clover-shaped landing platform. EXT. LANDING PLATFORM (CORUSCANT) - DAY A small group of dignataries await to welcome the Senator of Naboo. One of the members of the group is a well dressed Jar Jar Binks, a member of the Galactic Representative Commission, and Dorme, Senator Amidala's handmaiden. Captain Typho jumps down from the wing of his fighter and approaches the female pilot of the other fighter. CAPTAIN TYPHO We made it. I guess I was wrong, there was no danger at all. The ramp of the Royal Cruiser slowly lowers and two Naboo Guards appear. Senator Amidala, her handmaiden Verse, and four troopers begin to descend the ramp. Suddenly, as Senator Amidala reaches the foot of the ramp, there is a blinding flash and a huge explosion. The dignataries and pilots are hurled to the ground as the Starship explodes. Klaxons blare loudly and alarms begin to sound. Captain Typho and the two escort pilots get up and run to where Senator Amidala lays dying. R2-D2 drops down from the Naboo fighter and rolls toward the wreckage. Amidala's decoy, CORDÉ, is among the terminally wounded. The real SENATOR AMIDALA (a.k.a. PADMÉ NABERRIE) rushes over to the dying Cordé. PADMÉ Cordé... She gathers up her decoy double in her arms. Cordé's eyes are open. She looks up at her. CORDÉ ... I'm sorry, m'lady... I'm... not sure I... CORDÉ dies. PADMÉ hugs her. AMIDALA No!... No!... No!... PADMÉ lowers CORDÉ to the ground. She gets up and looks around at the devastation. There are tears in her eyes. AMIDALA I should not have come back. CAPTAIN TYPHO M'Lady, you are still in danger. Amidala says nothing. CAPTAIN TYPHO This vote is very important. You did your duty and Corde did hers. Now come. (she doesn't respond) M'Lady, please! She turns. They walk away. ARTOO lets out a small whimper and rolls off after them. EXT. SENATE BUILDING - DAY The massive Senate Building glistens in the afternoon sun. Small patches of fog have still to burn off. INT. SENATE CHAMBER - DAY The vast rotunda is buzzing with chatter. MAS AMEDDA, the Supreme Chancellor's majordomo, tries to quiet things down as PALPATINE confers with an AIDE, UV GIZEN, riding a small one man floating scooter. MAS AMEDDA Order! We shall have order! The motion for the Republic to commission an army takes precedent, and that is what we will vote on at this time. Everything quiets down. The AIDE disperses, and SUPREME CHANCELLOR PALPATINE steps to the podium. PALPATINE ...My esteemed colleagues, excuse me... I have just received some tragic and disturbing news. Senator Amidala of the Naboo system... Has been assassinated! There is a shock silence in the vast arena. PALPATINE (C'tnd) This grievous blow is especially personal to me. Before I became Chancellor, I served Amidala when she was Queen. She was a great leader who fought for justice, not only in this honourable assembly, but also on her home planet. She was so loved she could have been elected queen for life. She believed in public service, and she fervently believed in democracy. Her death is a great loss to us all. We will all mourn her as a relentless champion of freedom... and as a dear friend. There is a moment of silence. Ask Aak, the Senator of Malastare, moves his pod into the center of the arena. SENATOR ASK AAK How many more Senators will die before this civil strife ends! I believe we must confront these rebels now, and they need an army to do it. A second pod moves into the centre of the area with Darsana, the Ambassador of Glee Anselm. AMBASSADOR DARSANA Why weren't the Jedi able to stop this assassination? We are no longer safe, under their protection. Senator Orn Free Taa swings forward in his pod. ORN FREE TAA The Republic needs more security now! Before it comes to war. PALPATINE Senator, negotiations are continuing with the separatists. Peace is our objective here, not war. The Senators yell pro and con. Mas Amedda tries to calm things down. Senator Padme Amidala, with Captain Typho, Jar Jar, and Dorme, manoeuvre her pod into the centre of the vast arena and raises her voice. AMIDALA My noble colleagues, I concur with the Supreme Chancellor. At all costs, we do not want war! The Senate goes quiet, then there is an outburst of cheering and applause. PALPATINE It is with great surprise and joy the chair recognizes the Senator from Naboo, Padme Amidala. PADME Less than an hour ago, an assassination attempt was made against my life. One of my bodyguards and six others were ruthlessly and senselessly murdered. I was the target but, more importantly, I believe this security measure before us was the target. I have led the opposition to build an army... but there is someone in this body that will stop at nothing to assure it's passage... Many of the Senators boo and yell at Senator Amidala. PADME (C'tnd) I warn you, if you vote to create this army, war will follow. I have experienced the misery of war first-hand; I do not wish to do it again. There is sporadic yelling for and against her statements. PADME Wake up, Senators... you must wake up! If you offer the separatists violence, they can only show them violence in return! Many will lose their lives. All will lose their freedom. This decision could very well destroy the very foundation of our great Republic. I pray you do not let fear push you into a disastrous decision. Vote down this security measure, which is nothing less than a declaration of war! Does anyone here want that? I cannot believe they do. There is an undercurrent of booing and groaning. Senator Orn Free Taa moves his pod next to Padme. ORN FREE TAA My motion to defer the vote must be dealt with first. That is the rule of law. Amidala looks angry and frustrated. Palpatine gives her a sympathetic look. PALPATINE Due to the lateness of the hour and the seriousness of this motion, we will take up these matters tomorrow. Until then, the Senate stands adjourned. INT. SENATE BUILDING, OUTSIDE OF PALPATINE'S OFFICE (CORUSCANT)-DAY Outside the office stand the Chancellor's guards, now dressed in red. INT. SENATE BUILDING, PALPATINE'S OFFICE (CORUSCANT) - DAY The Supreme Chancellor is already in his office sitting behind his desk, two Red Royal Guards on either side of the door. The Chancellor has assembled the venerable Jedi Masters Yoda, Plo Koon, Ki-Adi-Mundi and Mace Windu, to contemplate the recent events. Luminara Unduli and her apprentice Bariss Offee stand in the background. PALPATINE I don't know how much longer I can hold off the vote, my friends. More and more star systems are joining the separatists. MACE WINDU If they do break away - PALPATINE No! I will not let that happen! I will not let this Republic be split in two. My negotiations will not fail. MACE WINDU But if they do, you must realize there aren't enough Jedi to protect the Republic. We are keepers of the peace, not soldiers. PALPATINE Master Yoda, do you think it will really come to war? The little green Jedi Master closes his eyes to concentrate. YODA Worse than war, I fear... Much worse. PALPATINE What? MACE WINDU What do you sense, Master? YODA Impossible to see ... The Dark Side clouds everything. But this I am sure of - (opens his eyes) Do their duty the Jedi will. Palpatine's assistant, Dar Wac comes forward. DAR WAC The loyalist committee has arrived, my Lord. PALPATINE Send them in. They all stand as SENATOR AMIDALA, CAPTAIN TYPHO, JAR JAR, MAS AMEDDA, DORME, and SENATORS BAIL ORGANA, HOROX RYYDER and ORN FREE TAA enter the office. YODA and MACE WINDU move to greet the SENATOR, YODA taps AMIDALA with his cane. YODA With you the force is strong... young Senator. To see you alive brings warm feeling to my heart. PADME Thank you, Master Yoda. Do you have any idea who was behind the attack? MACE WINDU Our intelligence points to disgruntled spice miners, on the moons of Naboo. PADME I don't wish to disagree but I think that Count Dooku was behind it. There is a stir of surprise. MACE WINDU You know, M'Lady, Count Dooku was once a Jedi. He wouldn't assassinate anyone, it is not in his character. KI-ADI-MUNDI He is a political idealist, not a murderer. YODA In dark times nothing is what it appears to be, but the fact remains Senator, in grave danger you are. PALPATINE gets up, walks to the window, and looks out at the vast city. PALPATINE Count Dooku has always avoided any kind of conflict. It appears he has no desire to start a war. Why would he kill you? To what end? PADMÉ I don't know, but everything in my being tells me he was behind it... After gazing out of the window for several moments Palpatine turns to Mace. PALPATINE Master Jedi, may I suggest that the Senator be placed under the protection of your graces. BAIL ORGANA Do you think that is a wise use of manpower during these stressful times? PADMÉ Chancellor, if I may comment, I do not believe the... PALPATINE ..."situation is that serious." No, but I do, Senator. PADMÉ Chancellor, please! I don't want any more guards! PALPATINE I realize all too well that additional security might be disruptive for you, but perhaps someone you are familiar with... an old friend like... Master Kenobi... Palpatine nods to Mace, who nods back at the Chancellor. MACE WINDU That's possible. He has just returned from a Border dispute on Ansion. PALPATINE You must remember him, M'Lady... he watched over you during the blockade conflict. PADMÉ This is not necessary, Chancellor. PALPATINE Do it for me, M'Lady, please. I will rest easier. We had a big scare today. The thought of losing you is unbearable. Amidala lets our a sigh while the Jedi are getting up to leave. MACE WINDU I will have Obi-Wan report to you immediately, M'Lady. Yoda leans into the senator's ear. YODA Too little about yourself you worry, Senator, and too much about politics. Be mindful of your danger, Padmé. Accept our help. EXT. REPUBLIC EXECUTIVE BUILDING (CORUSCANT) - DAY The windows of the building glisten in the sun as shadows of passing vehicles are cast onto the walls. INT. OUTSIDE AMIDALA'S APARTMENT (CORUSCANT) - DAY Anakin and Obi-Wan reach Padme's room. Jar Jar is waiting for them. He greets the two Jedi. OBI-WAN It's Good to see you too, Jar Jar. JAR JAR And dis is yousa apprentice, No Annie? Noooo! Little bitty Annie? Yousa so biggen. ANAKIN Hi, Jar Jar. Jar Jar gets over over excited. JAR JAR Annie! Annie! Yiyiyiyiyiyiiii! Jar Jar hugs Anakin then suddenly gets a little embarrassed and turns to Obi-Wan. JAR JAR Excuse me, Master Obi-Wan. I completely forgot myself for a moment there. She's Expectin yousa. Annie, meesa no beliven! He ushers the two Jedi into Padme's apartment. INT. SENATE BUILDING, PADME'S APARTMENT, MAIN ROOM (CORUSCANT) - DAY Jar Jar brings Obi-Wan into the room where Padme and her entourage are waiting. JAR JAR Lookie, lookie Senator! Desa Jedi arriven. Obi-Wan shakes hands with Padme. OBI-WAN It's a great pleasure to see you again, M'Lady. PADME It has been far too long Master Kenobi. I'm so glad our paths have crossed again. But I must warn you that I think your presence here is unnecessary. OBI-WAN I'm sure the Jedi Council have their reasons. Padme looks passed Obi-Wan and sees Anakin. PADMÉ Annie? My goodness you've grown. ANAKIN So have you... grown more beautfiul, I mean... and much shorter... for a Senator, I mean. PADME Oh Annie, you'll always be that boy I knew on Tatooine. Padme offers seats to the two Jedi and the conversation turns to the assassination attempts. OBI-WAN Our presence will be invisible, M'Lady I assure you. CAPTAIN TYPHO I am very grateful you are here, Master Kenobi. The situation is more Dangerous than the Senator will admit. PADME I don't need more security, I need more answers. I want to know who is trying to kill me. OBI-WAN We're here to protect you Senator, not to start an investigation. ANAKIN We will find out who is trying to kill you Padme, I promise you. Obi-Wan glares at Anakin. OBI-WAN We are not going to exceed our mandate, my young Padawan. ANAKIN I meant in the interest of protecting her, Master, of course. OBI-WAN We are not going through this exercise again, Anakin. And you will pay attention to my lead. ANAKIN Why? PAMDE What??!! ANAKIN Why else do you think we were assigned to her, if not to find the killer? Protection is a job for local security, not Jedi. It's overkill, Master. Investigation is implied in our mandate. OBI-WAN We will do as the Council has instructed. And you will learn your place, young one. PADME Perhaps with merely your presence, the mysteries surrounding this threat will be revealed. Now if you will excuse me I will retire. Padme leaves to go to her room. The two Jedi get to their feet. CAPTAIN TYPHO I'll have an officer on every Floor and I'll be at the command Center downstairs. JAR JAR Mesa busten wit happiness seein Yousa again, Annie. Deesa bad times, bombad times. Captain Typho leaves. ANAKIN She didn't even recognize me, Jar Jar. I thought about her every single day since we parted. And she's forgotten about me completely. She does notice him and was trying to hide her excitement because she was in the Chancellor's office at the time. Jar Jar and Obi-Wan picked up on this. JAR JAR Shesa happy. Happier den mesa see-en her in long time. OBI-WAN Anakin, you're focusing on the Negative again. Be mindful of your thoughts. She was glad to see us. Now lets check the security here. ANAKIN Yes, my master. EXT. CORUSCANT LOWER LEVELS - NIGHT A dragster speeder pulls up onto a balcony with neon advertising boards in the background and the bounty hunter Zam Wessel emerges from it. She is alerted to a dark figure emerging from the shadows covered from head to toe in armour - Jango Fett. Jango makes it clear that Zam must not fail him again. JANGO We'll have to try something more subtle this time, Zam. My client is getting impatient. There can be no mistakes this time. Take these. Be careful. They're very poisonous. Zam takes the deadly kouhuns and Jango disappears into the shadows again. Zam puts the creatures into an ASN-121 ASSASSIN DROID which leaves the balcony and moves into the city. INT. JEDI TEMPLE, HALLWAY LEADING TO COUNCIL CHAMBER (CORUSCANT) - NIGHT Mace Windu and Yoda are walking down a long hallway leading to the Jedi Council Chamber... MACE WINDU Why couldn't we see this attack on the Senator? YODA Masking the future is this disturbance in the Force. MACE WINDU It's been ten years, and the Sith still have not shown themselves. Do you think they are behind this? YODA Out there, they are. A certainty that is. MACE WINDU Do you think Obi-Wan's apprentice will be able to bring balance to the Force? YODA Only if he chooses to follow his destiny. There is a silence as they walk away. Only footsteps are heard. INT. SENATE BUILDING, PADME'S APARTMENT, MAIN ROOM (CORUSCANT) - NIGHT Anakin is standing in the living room. He is in a meditative state. It is quiet. We hear distant footsteps in the corridor outside the apartment. Suddenly Anakin's eyes pop open. His eyes dart around the room. He reaches for his lightsabre, then smiles and puts it back in his belt. The door to the apartment slides open, and Obi-Wan enters. OBI-WAN The security systems are working and Captain Typho has more than enough men downstairs. No assassin will try that way. Any activity up here? ANAKIN Quiet as a tomb. I don't like just waiting here for something to happen to her. Anakin checks his view finder of Padme's room. OBI-WAN What's going on? ANAKIN She covered that camera. I don't think she liked me watching her. OBI-WAN What is she thinking? ANAKIN She programmed Artoo to warn us if there's an intruder. OBI-WAN It's not an intruder I'm worried about. There are many other ways to kill a Senator. ANAKIN I know, but we also want to catch this assasin, don't we Master? OBI-WAN You're using her as bait? ANAKIN It was her idea. She insisted, in fact. Don't worry, no harm will come to her. I can sense everything going on in that room. Trust me. OBI-WAN It's too risky. And your senses aren't that attuned, young apprentice. ANAKIN And yours are? OBI-WAN Possibly. EXT. BALCONY - PADME'S APARTMENT (CORUSCANT) - NIGHT The two Jedi walk out onto a balcony outside the room to get some air. OBI-WAN You look tired. ANAKIN I don't sleep well, anymore. OBI-WAN Because of your mother? ANAKIN I don't know why I keep dreaming About her now. I haven't seen her since I was little. OBI-WAN I'm not sure what it means... But dreams pass in time. ANAKIN I'd rather dream of Padme. Just Being around her again is... intoxicating. INT. SENATE BUILDING, PADME'S APARTMENT, MAIN ROOM (CORUSCANT) - NIGHT They return inside and the window slides shut behind them. OBI-WAN Mind your thoughts, Anakin, they Betray you. Remember you've made a commitment to the Jedi order... a commitment not easily broken... and don't forget she's a politician. They are not to be trusted. ANAKIN She's not like the others in the Senate, Master. OBI-WAN It's been my experience that Senators are only focused on pleasing their corporations that fund their campaigns, My young Padawan... and they are more then willing to forget the niceties of democracy to get those funds. ANAKIN Not another lecture, Master. At least not on the economics of politics. It's too early in the morning... and besides, you're generalizing. The Chancellor doesn't appear to be corrupt. OBI-WAN Palpatine's a politician, I've observed that he is very clever at following the passions and prejudices of the Senators. ANAKIN I think he is a good man. My instincts are very positive about... Anakin senses something in Padme's room. OBI-WAN I sense it, too. INT. SENATE BUILDING, AMIDALA'S BEDROOM (CORUSCANT) - NIGHT As Padme sleeps, a siloutte moves along the walls. There's something outside! A hovering ASN-121 ASSASSIN DROID attaches a little tube to the window...two deadly Kouhuns Assassin Centipedes exit the tube. Artoo sounds an alarm and shining a light on her bed. The Kouhuns are inches from Padme's face, mouths open and "stinger tongues" that flick out. Obi-Wan and Anakin burst into the room. ANAKIN Padme!!! The kouhons stand on their hind legs and hiss as Padme wakes up. Anakin throws himself in front of her, whacking in half the deadly creatures with his lightsaber. Obi-Wan then notices the droid and leaps onto it just as it flies out the window, its mission uncompleted. Anakin and Padme stare at the sight of Obi-Wan being carried off by the droid. Anakin turns to her, she pulls her nightdress around her shoulders ANAKIN Stay here! Captain Typho and Dorme come into the room in time to see Anakin running out. EXT. HEAVY TRAFFIC AND BUILDINGS OF CORUSCANT - NIGHT In an effort to unload the dead weight of Obi-Wan, the droid sends several electrical shocks across its surface, causing Obi-Wan to almost lose his grip, but he hangs on. As they move in and out of the Coruscant night traffic, Obi-Wan disconnects a wire on the back of the droid but it shuts all power off to the droid. They immediately drop towards the surface but Obi-Wan realises what he's done in time and plugs the wire back in. The droid lights up again and resumes its course. EXT OF SENATE BUILDING Anakin charges out of the Senate building, bustles through the cityscape and finds a line of parked vehicles. He vaults into a yellow one and takes off, gunning it fast. In all likelihood this is not Anakin's speeder, rather one he is "borrowing" and possibly has to hot- wire. EXT. CORUSCANT SKY-NIGHT As Obi-Wan hangs onto the assassin droid with his life, it bumps against a wall hoping to knock the Jedi loose. However it fails and instead races behind the afterburner of a speeder, trying to scorch him loose. Again, it fails. EXT. CORUSCANT SKY-NIGHT - ELSEWHERE Anakin turns up a side street, zooms up several small passageways, then stops, hovering about fifty stories up. EXT. CORUSCANT SKY-NIGHT The droid takes the Obi-Wan wildly between buildings and finally skims across a rooftop as Obi-Wan is forced to lift his legs, then run across the roof, tenaciously hanging onto the droid. The droid heads for a dirty, beat-up speeder hidden in an alcove of a building about twenty stories up. When the pilot of the speeder, a scruffy bounty hunter called Zam Wesell, sees the droid approach with Obi-Wan hanging on, she pulls a long rifle out of the speeder and starts to fire at the Jedi. Explosions burst all around Obi-Wan. OBI-WAN I have a bad feeling about this. Finally, the Droid suffers a direct hit from Zam's rifle and blows up. Obi-Wan falls fifty stories, until a speeder drops down next to him, and he manages to grab onto the back end of the speeder and haul himself toward the cockpit. The Jedi struggles to climb into the passenger seat of the open speeder and sit down next to the driver, Anakin. ANAKIN That was wacky! I almost lost you in the traffic. OBI-WAN What took you so long? ANAKIN Oh, you know, Master, I couldn't find a speeder I really liked, with an open cockpit... and with the right speed capabilities... and then you know I had to get a really gonzo color... OBI-WAN If you'd spend as much time working on your saber skills as you do on your wit, young Padawan, you would rival Master Yoda as a swordsman. They zoom upward in hot pursuit of Zam as she fires out the open window at them with her laser pistol. ANAKIN I thought I already did. They move in and out of oncoming traffic. OBI-WAN Only in your mind, my very young apprentice. Anakin darts across lanes of traffic. OBI-WAN (C'tnd) Careful!! Hey, easy!! Anakin flies between two buildings and miraculously through a construction site. ANAKIN Sorry, I forgot you don't like flying, Master. Zam Wesell continues to fire at them. OBI-WAN I don't mind flying... They barely miss a commuter train OBI-WAN (C'tnd) ...but what you're doing is suicide! ANAKIN Master, you know I've been flying since before I could walk. I'm very good at this. OBI-WAN Just slow down! Anakin and Zam race through a line of cross-traffic made up of giant trucks. The speeders bank sideways as they slide around right-angle turns between buildings. Zam races into a tram tunnel. OBI-WAN Wait! Don't go in there! Anakin zooms into the tunnel after Zam. Suddenly, they see a tram coming at them. They brake, turn around, and race out, barely ahead of the charging commuter transport. OBI-WAN You know I don't like it when you do that! ANAKIN Sorry, Master. Don't worry, this guy's gonna kill himself any minute now! Zam turns into oncoming traffic, delibrately trying to throw the Jedi off. Oncoming speeders swerve, trying to avoid Zam and the Jedi. Zam does a quick, tight loop-over and ends up behind the Jedi. She is now in a much better position to fire at them with her laser pistol. To avoid being hit by the laser bolts, Anakin slams on the brakes and moves alongside Zam. She now fires point-blank at Obi-Wan. OBI-WAN What are you doing? He's gonna blast me! ANAKIN Right - this isn't working. Anakin slides underneath Zam's speeder. They race along in traffic, one speeder right on top of the other. The Bounty Hunter skims over the rooftops, causing Anakin to drop behind. Anakin goes through his gears, zooming around traffic. They race at high speed across a wide, flat surface of the city planet. A large spacecraft almost collides with them as it attempts to land. OBI-WAN That was too close! They round a corner and clip a flag, which gets caught on one of the front air scoops. ANAKIN Clear that! OBI-WAN What?? ANAKIN Clear the flag! We're losing power! Hurry! Obi-Wan leans out of the speeder and crawls out onto the front engine, pulling the flag free of the scoop. Suddenly, the speeder lurches forward with a surge of power. OBI-WAN Whooooaaa! Don't do that! I don't like it when you do that! ANAKIN So sorry, Master. They head for a power refinery. OBI-WAN It's dangerous near those power couplings! Slow down! Don't go through there! But Anakin follows the bounty hunter through the power refinery. Huge electrical bolts shoot between the buildings as the speeders pass. OBI-WAN Yiiii, what are you doing? The speeder is zapped by the bolts. ANAKIN Sorry, Master! OBI-WAN Oh, that was good... ANAKIN That was crazy!!! Zam slides around a corner sideways, blocking an alley, firing point- blank as Anakin approaches. ANAKIN Ahh, damn. OBI-WAN Stop!! ANAKIN No, we can make it! Anakin barely misses Zam speeder as he dives under it, and through a small gap in the building hitting several pipes and going wildly out of control. He struggles to regain control of the speeder, narrowly missing a floating crane and barely clipping a pair of giant struts. OBI-WAN I'm crazy... I'm crazy... I'm crazy. A giant gasball shoots up, causing Anakin to spin and bump a building, stalling the speeder. ANAKIN But it worked... we made it. OBI-WAN It didn't work. We've stalled! And you almost got us killed! ANAKIN I think we're still alive. Anakin works to get the speeder started and it quickly races to life once again. OBI-WAN It was stupid! ANAKIN I could have made it... OBI-WAN But you didn't!!! And now we've lost him. Suddenly, there is an ambush. Laser bolts fire everywhere as explosions surround them. They look up to see Zam Wesell take off. A small fire begins in their speeder from the explosions. ANAKIN No we didn't... Out of a cloud of smoke and ball of flames the Jedi tear after Zam. Obi-Wan slaps out the small fire on the dashboard. Zam goes up and down, through cross-traffic. There is a near miss as a speeder almost hits them. Zam turns down and left between two buildings. Anakin pulls up and to the right OBI-WAN Where are you going?! He went down there, the other way. ANAKIN This is a shortcut... I think. OBI-WAN What do you mean, 'You think?' What kind of shortcut?! He went completely the other way! You've lost him! ANAKIN Master, if we keep this chase going, that creep's gonna end up deep fried. Personally, I'd very much like to find out who in the hell he is and who he's working for... OBI-WAN Oh, so that's why we're going in the wrong direction. Anakin turns up a side street, zooming up several small passageways. He comes to a stop, hovering about fifty stories up. OBI-WAN Well, you lost him. ANAKIN I'm deeply sorry, Master. Anakin looks around front and back. He spots something. He seems to start counting to himself as he watches something below approach. ANAKIN Hold on a second. Anakin jumps out of the speeder. Obi-Wan looks down and sees Zam's dragster about five stories below them cruising past. Anakin miraculously lands on top of the Bounty Hunter's dragster and it wobbles under the impact. Zam looks up and realizes what has happened. Up in the speeder Obi-Wan looks down at this. OBI-WAN I hate it when he does that. Zam takes off, and Anakin slides to the back strut and almost slips off, but he manages to hang on. He works his way back to the dragster's cockpit. Suddenly, Zam just stops, and Anakin flies forward to the left front fork. Zam shoots at him with a laser pistol. There is a blast near Anakin's hand, which breaks off a piece of the dragster. Anakin slides to the right fork of the speeder, where Zam can't reach him. He scrambles to the top, holding onto an air scoop. Obi-Wan has jumped into the driver's seat of his speeder and is deftly gaining on the rogue speeder. The two speeders dive through oncoming traffic and then through cross traffic. Soon Anakin is able to get hold of his lightsaber and starts to cut his way through the roof of the speeder. Zam takes out her laser pistol and starts firing at the helpless Jedi, knocking the sword out of Anakin's hand. Obi-Wan races under the dragster and catches the Jedi weapon in the passenger's seat. Anakin sticks his hand into the cockpit and, using the Force, pulls the gun out of Zam's hand. She grabs the Jedi's hand, and they struggle for the weapon. It goes off, blowing a hole in the floor of the dragster which careens wildly out of control. Zam struggles to pull the dragster out of it's nose dive. Obi-Wan gets slowed down by traffic and loses sight of the Bounty Hunter's vehicle. Just as the dragster is about to nose dive into the ground, Zam pulls it out, and it slides hard on the pavement in a shower of sparks. Anakin goes flying into the street. EXT. NIGHTCLUB (CORUSCANT) - NIGHT While Anakin is stunned, Zam jumps out and makes a run for it. Anakin pursues the bounty hunter to a nightclub. He's just about to follow her inside when there is a sudden swirl of litter from down thrusters. People start moving out of the way, and the open speeder lands in the street beside him. Obi-Wan gets out and walks over, holding out Anakin's lightsaber. OBI-WAN Anakin! ANAKIN She went into that club, Master. OBI-WAN Patience. Obi-Wan starts to hand Anakin the lightsabre Anakin dropped. OBI-WAN (cont.) Here. Next time try not to lose it. ANAKIN Sorry, Master. ANAKIN reaches for the lightsabre, but OBI-WAN holds it back. OBI-WAN A Jedi's saber is his most precious possession. ANAKIN Yes, Master. OBI-WAN He must keep it with him at all times. ANAKIN I know, Master. OBI-WAN This weapon is your life! ANAKIN I've heard this lesson before. Obi-Wan finally holds out the lightsaber and Anakin grabs it. OBI-WAN But, you haven't learned anything, Anakin. ANAKIN I try, Master. Anakin make their way to the entrance of the nightclub. They are stopped by a tall alien bouncer who won't let them in. Obi-Wan uses a mind trick on him and the two Jedi enter. INT. NIGHTCLUB (CORUSCANT) - NIGHT Anakin and Obi-Wan walk into the nightclub. Anakin looks around at the patrons then at Obi-Wan and makes a quip about their attire. OBI-WAN Why do I think you are going to be the death of me? ANAKIN Don't say that Master... You're the closest thing I have to a father... I love you and I do not want to cause you pain. OBI-WAN Then why don't you listen to me? ANAKIN I will. I'll do better, I promise. Obi-Wan settles with this. He looks around for the bounty hunter. OBI-WAN Can you see him? ANAKIN I believe that 'he' is actually a 'she'. Obi-Wan begins to walk off. OBI-WAN Be extra careful. He nods to a room. OBI-WAN (C'tnd) Check it out. ANAKIN Where are you going? OBI-WAN To get a drink. Obi-Wan calmly walks over to the bar and orders a drink. A young troublemaker named ELAN SLEAZEBAGGANO who irritatingly tries to sell them some kind of drugs soon disturbs him. ELAN You want some death sticks? You want some death sticks? Obi-Wan casually waves his hand in front of Elan's face. OBI-WAN You don't want to sell me death- sticks. ELAN I don't want to sell you death- sticks. OBI-WAN You want to go home and rethink your direction in life. ELAN I want to go home and rethink my direction in life. Elan then blankly turns and walks out of the club. Obi-Wan knows Zam is around. As was his plan, she creeps up behind Obi- Wan and raises her gun to the back of his head. Obi-Wan quickly spins around and chops her arm off at the elbow with his lightsaber. Zam lies in a heap at Obi-Wan's feet. Her arm - and blaster - lie in a pool of blood a little to one side. The crowd and band go silent. The patrons eye the Jedi. Anakin then comes running up to Obi-Wan and uses Force persuasion on the nightclub patrons. ANAKIN Go about your business... The two Jedi begin to drag Zam out the door into the alley. EXT. BACK OF NIGHTCLUB-CORUSCANT (NIGHT) The Jedi drag Zam into the alley and begin to interrogate her. OBI-WAN Do you know who it was you were trying to kill? ZAM The Senator from Naboo. OBI-WAN Who hired you? ZAM It was just a job. And the next one won't make the same mistake I did. ANAKIN Tell us! Tell us now!!!! ZAM It was a Bounty Hunter named - Tere is a 'fzzzt' sound and Zam slumps to the ground. Obi-Wan is kneels down beside her and she puts her remaining arm up on his shoulder, keeping her up off the ground. Her face begins to get a little wider, her eyes get bigger and more oval and her nose gets wider and flatter. Lines start to appear in her facial features and her cheeks get sucked in a little as it becomes greener. Finally, her skin becomes wrinkled and she falls backwards onto her back, arms outstretched. They realise she's a Clawdite - an alien shapeshifer Obi-Wan pulls a wicked looking dart out of her neck. OBI-WAN Toxic Dart... The Jedi look up to see an armoured Rocketman shoot into the dark Coruscant night from a roof high above. He quickly disappears. The weapon that killed Zam is very mysterious to the two Jedi. INT. JEDI TEMPLE, COUNCIL CHAMBER (CORUSCANT) - DAY Anakin and Obi-Wan appear before the Council after the second assassination attempt. YODA Track down this Bounty Hunter you must, Obi-Wan. MACE Most importantly, find out who he's working for. OBI-WAN What about Senator Amidala? She will still need protection. YODA Handle that, your Padawan will. Mace turns to address Anakin. MACE Anakin, escort the Senator back to Naboo. She'll be safer there. And don't use a registered transport. Travel as refugees. ANAKIN It will be very difficult to get the Senator to leave the Capital. YODA Until caught this killer is, our judgement she must respect. MACE Anakin go to the Senate and ask Chancellor Palpatine to talk to her. Obi-Wan and Anakin bow then leave. INT. SENATE BUILDING, PALPATINE'S OFFICE (CORUSCANT) - DAY Anakin is talking with Palpatine about getting Padme to go back to Naboo. PALPATINE I will talk to her. Senator Amidala will not refuse an executive order. I know her well enough to assure you of that. ANAKIN Thank you, Your Excellency. PALPATINE So my young Padawan, they have finally given you an assignment, your patience has paid off. ANAKIN Your guidance, more than my patience. PALPATINE You don't need guidance, Anakin. In time you will learn to trust your feelings. Then you will be invincible. I have said it many times you are the most gifted Jedi I have ever met. ANAKIN Thank you, Your Excellency. The two walk down a set of steps towards the exit of the office. PALPATINE I see you becoming the greatest of all the Jedi. Even more powerful than Master Yoda. He smiles at Anakin. INT. PADME'S QUARTERS - BEDROOM (CORUSCANT) - DAY Daylight shines into all corners of Senator Amidala's apartment. Security is on full alert after Senator Amidala's assassination attempt in her bedroom the previous night. Anakin and Jar Jar stand near the door of the anteroom to Padme's bedroom. Dorme is packing luggage as she gets Padme ready to board a bus for the journey back to Naboo. PADME Representative Binks. I know I can count on you. JAR JAR Yousa betchen mesa bottums. PADME What?! Jar Jar tries to cover up and clears his throat. JAR JAR Oh, pardon-ay, Senator. I am honoured to accept this heavy burden. I take on this responsibility with deep humility tinged with and overwhelming pride. It is not every day that I am called upon to... He is cut off as Padmé gives him a hug and kiss on the cheek, as Jar Jar blushes. PADME You're a good friend, Jar Jar. I don't wish to hold you up. I'm sure you have a great deal to do. JAR JAR Of course, M'lady. He bows before the Senator and flashes a dazzling smile towards Anakin as he leaves the apartment. Padme is in a very bad mood. PADME I do not like this idea of hiding. ANAKIN Don't worry. Now that the Council has ordered an investigation, it won't take Master Obi-Wan long to find that bounty hunter. PADME I have worked for nearly a year to defeat the Military Creation Act and now I have to leave at a crucial time when its fate is to be decided in the Senate. ANAKIN Sometimes we have to let go of our pride and do what is requested of us. PADME Pride?!? You believe you have a firm grip on politics but you are way too young to understand the situation. I suggest you reserve your opinions for some other time. ANAKIN I was only trying to... PADME Annie, no! ANAKIN Please don't call me that. PADME What? ANAKIN Annie... PADME I've always called you that. It is your name, isn't it? ANAKIN It's Anakin. When you say Annie it's like I'm still a little boy and I'm not. PADME I'm sorry, Anakin. It's impossible to deny you've... She pauses and smiles at him. PADME (C'tnd) ...that you've grown up. ANAKIN Master Obi-Wan manages not to see it... PADME Mentors have a way of seeing more of our faults than we would like. It's the only way we grow. Anakin is eager to clear-up the situation. ANAKIN Obi-Wan is a great mentor. As wise as Master Yoda and as powerful as Master Windu. I am truly thankful to be his apprentice. Only... (slight pause) ...although I'm a Padawan learner, in some ways... a lot of ways... I'm ahead of him. Padme looks at him, knowingly. ANAKIN (C'tnd) I'm ready for the trials. I know I am! He knows it too. He believes I'm too unpredictable for the trials but I'm beginning to doubt him. I see other Jedi, the same age as me, going through the trials and making it as Jedi Knights. I know I started my training late but he won't let me move on. Padme continues to pack as she speaks. PADME That must be frustrating. ANAKIN It's worse... he's overly critical. He never listens! He just doesn't understand! I do not believe it is fair that Obi-Wan is holding me back. Padme trying hard to suppress a laugh shakes her head. PADME I'm sorry... You sounded exactly like that little boy I once knew, when he didn't get his way. ANAKIN I'm not whining! I'm not. Padme just smiles at him as Dorme laughs in the background. PADME I didn't say it to hurt you. ANAKIN I know... There is a brief silence. Padme comes over to Anakin and they look into each other's eyes for the first time. PADME Anakin, don't try to grow up too fast. Anakin looks deep into Padme's eyes. ANAKIN I am grown up. You said it yourself. PADME Please don't look at me like that. ANAKIN Why not? PADME Because I can see what you're thinking. ANAKIN Ahh... so, you have Jedi powers too? Suddenly, Dorme looks up and watches Padme with concern. PADME It makes me feel uncomfortable. ANAKIN Sorry, M'lady. He begins to back away as Padme turns and goes back to her packing. EXT. CORUSCANT AIRBUS (CORUSCANT) - MORNING Amongst the busy spaceport in Coruscant's Industrial area, where floating cranes are unloading passengers and goods, a commuter bus arrives amongst the shadows of an intergalactic freighter. INT. WESTPORT (CORUSCANT) - MORNING Senator Amidala and Anakin Skywalker, dressed in Outland peasant clothing, get off the bus and greet a small farewell party. Included in the party is Obi-Wan Kenobi, Captain Typho and Dorme who is dressed identically to Senator Amidala and has Amidala and Anakin's luggage with her. CAPTAIN TYPHO Be careful, m'lady. PADME Thank you, Captain. Take good care of Dorme. DORME He'll be safe with me. Her joke brings laughter to a serious situation. The laughter stops and Padme turns to Captain Typho. PADME The threat is now on you and Dorme. Dorme starts to weep as Padme tenderly embraces her surviving handmaiden a fond farewell. PADME You'll be fine. DORME It's not me, M'Lady. I worry about you. What if they realize I'm not you? Padme looks towards Anakin cheekily. PADME Then my Jedi protector will have to prove how grown up he is. Dorme smiles once again as Padme grins towards Anakin. However, Anakin only frowns and is pulled aside by Obi-Wan. OBI-WAN Anakin, you stay put on Naboo. Do not attract any attention to yourself or the Senator. Do absolutely nothing without checking in with me or the Council. ANAKIN Yes, Master. Obi-Wan turns to Padme. OBI-WAN I will get to the bottom of this plot quickly, M'Lady. You'll be back here in no time. PADME I will be most grateful for your speed, Master Jedi. The last of the passengers board the Starfreighter. ANAKIN Time to go. PADME I know. She gives Dorme one last hug. Anakin picks up the luggage, and the two exit the speeder bus, where Artoo is waiting for them. OBI-WAN May the Force be with you. ANAKIN May the Force be with you, Master. Padme, Anakin and Artoo head off toward the giant Starfreighter. PADME Suddenly, I'm afraid... ANAKIN I'm kinda scared too. This is my first assignment on my own. PADME There's nothing to worry about... we have Artoo with us. The two laugh. Obi-Wan and Captain Typho watch Anakin and Padme disappear into the vastness of the spaceport with Artoo trundling along behind them. OBI-WAN I hope he doesn't try anything foolish. CAPTAIN TYPHO I'd be more concerned about her doing something, than him. The freighter slowly takes off from the huge docks area of Coruscant. It soon moves into the crowded skies. EXT. JEDI TEMPLE (CORUSCANT) - DAY Establishing shot of the Temple. INT. JEDI TEMPLE, JEDI ANALYSIS CUBICLES (CORUSCANT) - DAY Obi-Wan is at the Analysis Cubicles of the Jedi Temple and sets the dart on the tray waiting for him. The PK-4 Analysis Droid whirs to life and begins analysing the small weapon that had killed Zam just a short time ago. The droid comes up with little information, only suggesting that it is a custom and unique weapon made by a warrior for battle. It doesn't match the markings of any known culture. The droid is limited in its searching capability, but does offer that if it can't identify it, no one could. EXT DEX'S DINER Surrounded by run-down buildings and warehouses, and traffic consisting of everything from old, beat up speeders to new fangled freighters, Kenobi makes his way towards a diner. The windows, which are covered by steam, have the words "Dex's Diner' spelled out on them. Kenobi walks in, leaving the busy traffic behind him. INT. DEX'S DINER (CORUSCANT) - DAY Hermione Bagwa, a waitress, stops wiping down tables to welcome the Jedi as he enters the restaurant, various aliens and patrons line the tables and booths. HERMIONE Do you need assistance? OBI-WAN I'm looking for Dexter. HERMIONE Waddya want him for? OBI-WAN Dexter's not in trouble. This visit is of a personal nature. A brief pause follows, while the waitress inspects the Jedi, she turns and proceeds to a hatch between the diner and it's kitchen. She opens the hatch. HERMIONE Someone to see ya, honey... I think he's a Jedi. A large alien head pokes through the hatch, which Hermoine spoke into. This is Dexter Jettster. Dexter's head is surrounded by steam as he looks across to see Obi-Wan Kenobi waiting on him. DEXTER Obi-Wan! OBI-WAN Hey Dex. DEXTER Take a seat! Be right with ya! Kenobi takes a seat at a nearby booth while he waits on Dexter, Hermione Bagwa then offers him a cup of ardees. OBI-WAN Thank you. Dexter Jettster comes out from the kitchen area to come what Obi-Wan wants. Dex is a very big alien with a stained white t-shirt and apron, just as you'd imagine any diner owner or cook. He has four arms with four fingers on each hand. He has a big bulging neck like a bullfrog. His lips are thick and in close proximity to his eyes and small nose. He has large, round feet with pointy toes and a very big belly that sticks out under his shirt. He's a very big guy, bald and sweaty - not someone to tangle with. Dex approaches the seat opposite Obi-Wan. DEXTER Hey, ol' buddy! OBI-WAN Hey, Dex. Dexter is so big he can hardly fit into the small diner seat. Hermione brings the two fellows two mugs of steaming "ardees." DEXTER What can I do for you? Obi-Wan takes out the dart he retrieved from the body of Zam Wesell. He lays it on the table. OBI-WAN Do you know what this is? Dexter seems startled and his eyes get big. He puts down his mug to pick up and examines the dart. DEXTER Well, whattaya know. I ain't seen one of these since I was prospecting on Subterrel beyond the Outer Rim! OBI-WAN Do you know where it came from? Dex gives him a big grin and puts the dart down. DEXTER This baby belongs to them cloners. What you got here is a Kamino Saberdart. OBI-WAN (thinking out loud) Why didn't the dart show up in the Jedi analysis archive? DEXTER I'll show you just how I know it's from Kamino. The funny little cuts on the side give it away. Those analysis droids you've got over there only focus on symbols, you know. I should think you Jedi would have more respect for the difference between knowledge and wisdom. OBI-WAN Well, Dex, if droids could think, we wouldn't be here, would we? They laugh a bit at that and then Obi-Wan asks about Kamino itself. OBI-WAN Is it part of the Republic? I've never heard of it. DEXTER No, it's beyond the Outer Rim. About twelve parsecs outside the Rishi Maze, toward the south. It should be easy to find, even for those droids in your archive. These Kaminoans keep to themselves. They're cloners. Damned good ones, too. Obi-Wan then picks up the dart, holding it midway between them. OBI-WAN Cloners? Are they friendly? DEXTER It depends. OBI-WAN On what? Dexter just grins. DEXTER On how good your manners are and how big your pocketbook is. EXT. SHOT OF FREIGHTER (SPACE) We see the freighter flying through space at great speed. INT. CORUSCANT FREIGHTER (SPACE) The great, gloomy hold of the Starfreighter is crowded with emigrants and their belongings. R2-D2 makes his way through the crowd to the head of a food line, where servers are ladling out bowls of mush. R2 picks up two bowls and joins the line. FOOD SERVER Keep moving! Keep moving! R2 moves along the bar, slipping a little tube into a tub of mush and sucking up a large quantity. With one of his little claw-arms, he grabs several chunks of something that looks like brown bread. The server spots R2. FOOD SERVER Hey! No Droids! R2 beeps and takes one last big suck. He quickly moves away from the food line as the server shouts after him angrily. The little droid moves past groups of eating or sleeping emigrants including Sullustans, Aqualish, Ishi Tib and other species. He comes to where Anakin is sound asleep. The young Jedi seems to be having a nightmare and is very restless. ANAKIN No, no, Mom, no... He begins to sweat. Padmé leans over Anakin and begins to wipe some of the sweat from his forehead. Suddenly, he wakes up with a start, then realizes where he is. ANAKIN What? Anakin is still dazed as R2 fills up the two bowls with mush. Padmé looks at him. PADME You seemed to be having a nightmare. He stares back at Padme closely, trying to see if he has revealed any of his secrets to her. R2 fills up the two bowls with mush. PADME Are you hungry? Anakin takes the bowl from her. ANAKIN Thank you. PADME We went into lightspeed a while ago. ANAKIN I look forward to seeing Naboo again. I've thought about it every day since I left. It's by far the most beautiful place I've ever seen... Padmé becomes a little unnerved by his intense stare. PADME You were just a little boy then. It may not be as you remember it; time changes your perception. ANAKIN Time has given me more mature feelings to enhance my perception. Padmé is a little uncomfortable and changes the subject. PADME It must be difficult having sworn your life to the Jedi... not being able to visit the places you like... or do the things you like... ANAKIN Or be with the people I love. PADME Are you allowed to love? I thought that was forbidden for a Jedi. ANAKIN Attachment is forbidden. Possession is forbidden. Compassion, which I would define as unconditional love, is central to a Jedi's life, so you might say we're encouraged to love. Padmé smiles. PADME You've changed so much ANAKIN You haven't changed a bit. You're exactly the way I remember you in my dreams. I doubt if Naboo has changed much either. PADME It hasn't... ANAKIN I can't wait to breathe the sweet breeze that comes off the rolling hills. Whenever I try to visualize the Force, those hills are what I see. I love Naboo. This creates another an awkward moment. Padmé, once again, changes the topic. PADME Were you dreaming of his mother before? ANAKIN (nods) Yes. Because I left Tatooine so long ago, my memory of her is fading and I don't want to lose it. I've been seeing her in these vivid and scary dreams. I'm worried about her. Padmé gives Anakin a sympathetic look. EXT. OF NABOO The Starfreighter, carrying Anakin and Padme, comes out of hyperspace and approaches the planet. EXT. NABOO LANDING PLATFORM - DAY The freighter approaches the giant spaceport of Theed, Naboo. It lands at a huge industrial port. Emigrants begin streaming from the Starfreighter into the vast docking area. Included in the emigrants are Padme and Anakin, disguised as peasants, and R2-D2. They exit from the docking area and head to the main plaza where they board a speeder bus. EXT. THEED GRAND COURTYARD (NABOO) - DAY The speeder bus soon pulls up in the Grand Courtyard of Theed and stops. Padme, Anakin, and R2-D2 get out. The great courtyard stretches out before them; the sun sparkles off the rose-colored domes of the palace on the far side. ANAKIN If I grew up here, I don't think I'd ever leave. PADME I doubt that. They pick up their suitcases and start to cross the courtyard. Artoo trundles behind them. ANAKIN No, really. When I started my training, I was very homesick and very lonely. This city and my Mom were the only pleasant things I had to think about... The problem was, the more I thought about my Mom, the worse I felt. But I would feel better if I thought about the palace - the way it shimmers in the sunlight - the way the air always smells of flowers... PADME ...and the soft sound of the distant waterfalls. I remember the first time I visited the Capital when I was a child. I had never seen a waterfall before and I can remember how beautiful they looked. I never dreamed one day I'd live in the palace. ANAKIN Well, tell me, did you dream of power and politics when you were a little girl? PADME No! That was the last thing I thought of. My dream was to help in the Refugee Relief Movement. I never thought of running for elected office. But the more history I studied, the more I realized how much good politicians could do. So when I was eight, I joined the Apprentice Legislators, then later on became a Senatorial advisor, with such a passion that, before I knew it, I was elected Queen. Partly because I scored so high on my education certificate, but for the most part it was my conviction that reform was possible. (pause) I wasn't the youngest Queen ever elected, but now that I think back on it, I'm not sure I was old enough. I'm not sure I was ready. ANAKIN The people you served thought you did a good job. I heard they tried to amend the Constitution so you could stay in office. Padme looks at Anakin warily, making their way to the Palace. PADME Popular rule is not democracy, Annie. It gives the people what they want, not what they need. And, truthfully, I was relieved when my two terms were up. Padme looks at ground in contemplation. PADME (C'tnd) So were my parents. They worried About me during the blockade and couldn't wait for it all to be over. Actually, I was hoping to have a family by now... She looks up at Anakin with eagarness and passion. PADME (C'tnd) My sisters have the most amazing, wonderful kids... but when the Queen asked me to serve as Senator, I couldn't refuse her. ANAKIN I agree! I think the Republic needs you... I'm glad you chose to serve. I feel things are going to happen in our generation that will change the galaxy in profound ways. PADME I think so too. EXT. PALACE BALCONY (NABOO) - DAY Anakin and Padmé walk across the side of the palace overlooking the grand courtyard with R2-D2 still following them. They enter the palace through a side entrance. INT. THEED ROYAL PALACE (NABOO) - DAY The pale-faced Queen Jamillia is seated on the throne, flanked by Sio Bibble and a couple of advisors from the Royal Advisory Committee. Four handmaidens, dressed in orange and puce robes stand close by, and guards are at the doors. Jamillia takes Padme's hands in her own. QUEEN JAMILLIA We've been worried about you. I'm so glad you're safe, Padme. PADME Thank you, Your Highness. I only Wish I could have served you better by staying on Coruscant for the vote. SIO BIBBLE Given the circumstances, Senator, you know it was the only decision Her Highness could have made. QUEEN JAMILLIA How many systems have joined Count Dooku and the separtists? PADME About two hundred. And more are leaving the Republic every day. If the Senate votes to create an army, I'm sure it's going to push us into a civil war. SIO BIBBLE It's unthinkable! There hasn't been a full-scale war since the formation of the Republic! QUEEN JAMILLIA Do you see any way, through negotiations, to bring the separatists back into the Republic? PADME Not if they feel threatened. The separatists don't have an army, but if they are provoked, they will move to defend themselves. I'm sure of that. And with no time or money to build an army, my guess is they will turn to the Commerce Guilds or the Trade Federation for help. QUEEN JAMILLIA The armies of commerce! Why has Nothing been done in the Senate to restrain them? PADME I'm afraid that, despite the Chancellor's best efforts, there are still many bureaucrats, judges, and even Senators on the payrolls of the Guilds. SIO BIBBLE It's outrageous! After all of the hearings, and the four trials in the Supreme Court, Nute Gunray is still the Viceroy of the Trade Federation. Do those money mongers control everything? Queen Jamillia looks at him. QUEEN JAMILLIA Remember, Counselor, the courts were able to reduce the Federation's armies. That's a move in the right direction. PADME There are rumors, Your Highness, that the Federation Army was not reduced as they were ordered. ANAKIN The Jedi have not been allowed to investigate. It was considered to be too dangerous for the economy. Queen Jamillia looks at Amidala. QUEEN JAMILLIA We must keep our faith in the Republic. The day we stop believing democracy can work is the day we lose it. PADME Let's pray that day never comes. QUEEN JAMILLIA In the meantime, we must consider your own safety. Sio Bibble signals to the Royal Advisory Committee and all the other advisors and attendants bow and leave the room. He then turns to Anakin. SIO BIBBLE What is your suggestion, Master Jedi? PADME Anakin's not a Jedi yet, Counselor. He's still a Padawan learner. I was thinking... ANAKIN Hey, hold on a minute! PADME Excuse me! I was thinking I would stay in the Lake Country. There are some places up there that are very isolated. ANAKIN Excuse me?! I am in charge of security here, M'Lady. Sio Bibble and Queen Jamillia exchange a look. They quickly see that something is not right. PADME Annie, my life is at risk, and this is my home. I know it very well... that is why we're here. I think it would be wise for you to take advantage of my knowledge in this instance. ANAKIN Sorry, M'Lady. Sio turns to Anakin, half amused. SIO BIBBLE She is right. The Lake Country is the most remote part of Naboo. Not many people and a clear view of the surrounding terrain. QUEEN JAMILLIA Perfect. It's settled then. Anakin glares at Padme. Then Queen Jamillia gets up, and they all start to leave. The Queen's handmaidens follow. As they walk down the stairs, the queen turns to Padme. QUEEN JAMILLIA (C'tnd) Padme, I had an audience with your father yesterday. I told him what was happening. He hopes you will visit your mother before you leave... your family's very worried about you. Padme grows concerned as they continue the descent down the main staircase. EXT. JEDI TEMPLE (CORUSCANT) MORNING The main entrance at the base of the huge Jedi temple is bustling with activity. Jedi of all descriptions are entering and leaving the building. INT. JEDI TEMPLE Obi-Wan walks up the stairs and enters, making his way to the Jedi Archives. INT. JEDI TEMPLE, JEDI ARCHIVES (CORUSCANT) - MORNING A bronze bust of Count Dooku stands among a line of other busts of Jedi in the Archive Room. Obi-Wan stops in front it, studying the striking features of the chiseled face. On the walls, lighted computer panels seem to stretch into infinity. Farther along the room in the background, five Jedi are seated at tables, studying archival material. Obi-Wan studies the bust for a few moments before Madame Jocastu Nu, the Jedi Archivist comes up and stands next to him. She is an elderly, frail-looking human Jedi dressed in a yellow and brown robe. She is as tough as old boots and smart as a whip. JOCASTA NU Did you call for assistance? OBI-WAN Yes... yes, I did... JOCASTA NU He has a powerful face, doesn't he? He was one of the most brilliant Jedi I have had the privilege of knowing. OBI-WAN I never understood why he quit. Only twenty Jedi have ever left the Order. JOCASTA NU The Lost Twenty... and Count Dooku was the most recent and the most painful. No one likes to talk about it. His leaving was a great loss to the Order. OBI-WAN What happened? JOCASTA NU Well, one might say, he was always a bit out of step with the decisions of the Council... much like your old Master, Qui-Gon Jinn. Obi-Wan looks at her in surprise. OBI-WAN Really? JOCASTA NU Oh, yes. They were alike in many ways. Very individual thinkers... idealists... He was always striving to become a more powerful Jedi. He wanted to be the best. With a lightsaber, in the old style of fencing, he had no match. His knowledge of the Force was... unique. In the end, I think he left because he lost faith in the Republic. He believed that politics were corrupt, and he felt the Jedi betrayed themselves by serving the politicians. He always had very high expectations of government. He disappeared for nine or ten years, then he just showed up recently as the head of the separtist movement. OBI-WAN Interesting... I'm still not sure I understand. JOCASTA NU Well, I'm sure you didn't call me over here for a history lesson. Are you having a problem, Master Kenobi? He explains the problem he discovered trying to find the planet Kamino. She gives him all the help she can but recomends he visit Master Yoda. EXT. JEDI TEMPLE BALCONY (CORUSCANT) - DAY Obi-Wan walks through the main hallway of the Jedi Temple to the training area. He comes out onto the veranda and stops. He watches twenty or so four year olds doing training exercises, supervised by Jedi Master Yoda. The younglings wear helmets over their eyes and try to strike little training droids with their miniature lightsabers. The droids dance in front of them. YODA Don't think... feel... be as one with the Force. Help you, it will. He notices Obi-Wan enter. YODA Younglings - enough! A visitor we have. Welcome him. The children take off their helmets and turn off their lightsabers. YODA Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, meet the mighty Bear Clan. CHILDREN Welcome, Master Obi-Wan! OBI-WAN I am sorry to disturb you, Master. YODA What help to you, can I be? OBI-WAN I'm looking for a planet described to me by an old friend. I trust him. But the system doesn't show up on the archive maps. YODA An interesting puzzle. Yoda he gathers the younglings around the map reader. YODA (C'tnd) Master Obi-Wan has lost a planet. Find it, we will try... The map reader is a small shaft with a hollow opening at the top. The children gather around it. Obi-Wan takes out a little glass ball and places it into the bowl. The window shades close darkening the room and the reader lights up, projecting the star map hologram into the room. The children laugh. Some of them reach up to try and touch the nebulae and stars. Obi-Wan walks into the display. OBI-WAN This is where it ought to be... but it isn't. Gravity is pulling all the stars in this area inward to this spot. There should be a star here... but there isn't. YODA Most interesting. Gravity's silhouette remains, but the star and all it's planets have disappeared. How can this be? There is a brief pause. Then a child puts its hand up. Yoda nods. JK BURTOLA Because someone erased it from the archive memory. The rest of the children join in. MARI AMITHEST That's right! Yes! That's what happened! Someone erased it! If the planet blew up, the gravity would go away. Yoda chuckles as Obi-Wan stares at the spot. YODA Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is. Uncluttered... To the center of the pull of gravity go, and find your planet you will. OBI-WAN But Master Yoda who could have erased information from the archives? That's impossible, isn't it? YODA Much harder to answer, that question is. EXT. STREETS OF NABOO The Naberrie household is a sort of middle class house in the Naboo backstreets. INT. MAIN ROOM - NABERRIE HOUSE (NABOO) - DAY Padme, Anakin and R2-D2 arrive at her family home. As they get there they discover lunch is being served by Padme's mother Jobal and sister Sola. Her father Ruwee is also present. Padme's mother could not be more happy at her daughter's return and points out that she would prefer Padme to have a family life than continue her political work. INT. MAIN ROOM - NABERRIE HOUSE (NABOO) - AFTERNOON While eating, Anakin then has a brief conversation with Ruwee about the recent assassination attempts on Padmé. RUWEE How long have these attempts been going on? Anakin explains that he is not for sure, but he is to protect Padmé, and that his mentor, Obi-Wan is currently trying to find the true assassin. During the meal Padme and Anakin flirt with each other. The Naberrie's family friend Jev Nerran arrives with Sola's daughters Pooja and Ryoo who were at his home. They're excited about seeing their Auntie Padme. During this scene they play with R2-D2. EXT. ESTABLISHING SHOT OF CORUSCANT We see the magnificent planet in space. INT. LARGE CORRIDOR - JEDI TEMPLE (CORUSCANT) - DAY Obi-Wan meets up with Mace Windu and Yoda who floats around on an anti- grav seat. They discuss Anakin and his mission. OBI-WAN I am concerned for my Padawan. He is not ready to be given this assignment on his own yet. YODA The Council is confident in this decision, Obi-Wan. MACE The boy has exceptional skills. YODA Very powerful he is. OBI-WAN But he still has much to learn, Master. And his abilities have made him, well, arrogant. YODA Yes, yes. It is a flaw more and more common among Jedi. Too sure of themselves they are. Even the older, more experienced ones. MACE Remember, Obi-Wan. If the Prophecy is true, your apprentice is the only one who can bring the Force back into balance. OBI-WAN If he follows the right path. EXT. LANDING PLATFORM (CORUSCANT) - LATE AFTERNOON Obi-Wan's starfighter is ready for takeoff. Obi-Wan and Mace Windu stand beside it. MACE WINDU Be wary, the disturbance in the Force is growing stronger. OBI-WAN Master, Anakin should not be given this assignment. I'm afraid he won't be able to protect the Senator. MACE WINDU Why? OBI-WAN He has a... an emotional connection with her. It has been there since he was boy. Now he is confused, distracted. MACE-WINDU Obi-Wan, you must have faith that he will take the right path. Obi-Wan then climbs into the cockpit of his starfighter. OBI-WAN Has Master Yoda gained any insight into whether or not this war will come about? MACE WINDU Probing the Dark Side is a dangerous process. He could be in seclusion for days... May the force be with you. EXT. NABERRIE HOUSE (NABOO) - NIGHT Establishing shot. INT. MAIN ROOM - NABERRIE HOUSE (NABOO) - EVENING Padme, Sola, and Jobal are clearing the table from lunch. SOLA Why haven't you told us about him? PADME What's there to talk about? He's just a boy. SOLA A boy? Have you seen the way he looks at you? PADME Sola - stop it! SOLA It's obvious he has feelings for you. Are you saying, little baby sister, that you haven't noticed? PADME I'm not your baby sister, Sola. Anakin and I are friends... our relationship is strictly professional. Mom, would you tell her to stop it? Sola begins to laugh. SOLA Well, maybe you haven't noticed the way he looks at you. I think you're afraid to. PADME Cut it out. JOBAL Sola's just concerned... we all are. PADME Oh, Mom, you're impossible. What I'm doing is important. JOBAL You've done your service, Padme. It's time you had a life of your own. You're missing so much! INT. MAIN ROOM - NABERRIE HOUSE (NABOO) - NIGHT Padme has realised that her family noticed the way they act around each other and is worried about being discovered. She's nervous about what would happen if they got into a relationship. ANAKIN It wouldn't have to be that way... we could keep it a secret. PADMÉ Then we'd be living a lie - one we couldn't keep up even if we wanted to. My sister saw it. So did my mother. I couldn't do that. Could you, Anakin? Could you live like that? A brief silence. ANAKIN ...No, you're right. It would destroy us. Anakin and Padme, most likely for privacy reasons, decide to go to the Naberrie's summer home on a lake. INT. PADME'S BEDROOM - NABERRIE HOUSE (NABOO) - MORNING While Padme is packing to head to the Lakeside Retreat, Anakin looks at the framed holograms of Padme throughout her life in the her bedroom. While looking at the photos he notices one of an alien child and asks about it. Padme says it is N'a-kee-tula, a child she helped when part of the Refuge Relief Movement and visited the dying system of Shadda- Bi-Boran to rescue orphaned children. Padme is clearly very fond of children and discusses her political career and the family life she wants, but does not have. INT. MAIN ROOM - NABERRIE HOUSE (NABOO) - DAY Anakin and Padme say goodbye to her family. RUWEE I don't want anything to happen to my daughter. ANAKIN Neither do I. INT. THEED ROYAL PALACE (NABOO) - DAY Anakin and Padme return to the palace one last time. Queen Jamillia gives them access to the Royal Starship. EXT. THEED PALACE (NABOO) - DAY The Royal Starship takes off and heads for the Lake Country. EXT SPACE OUTSIDE KAMINO Obi-Wan's ship nears the planet. INT. OF STARFIGHTER Obi-Wan prepares for landing EXT. KAMINO The planet is completely water and it rains continuously. All the "cities" are built on top of the water and are supported by columns that go underneath the surface of the water. They look like oil platforms out at sea, but much more elaborate and impressive. Waves are crashing everywhere and rain pouring down, while the cities and structures remain unharmed in all their technological glory. EXT KAMINO LANDING PLATFORM Obi-Wan simply walks/runs in the soaking rain to a structure at the end of the platform. INT. TIPOCA CITY, CORRIDOR ENTRANCE (KAMINO) - DAY A Brilliant white light. Obi-Wan pushes the soaking hood from his face. TAUN WE Welcome to Tipoca City, Master Jedi. Obi-Wan wipes the rain from his face and blinks in surprise at a tall, pasty-white alien named TAUN WE. He has large, almond shaped eyes. TAUN WE (continuing) Everything is ready. The Prime Minister expects you. OBI-WAN I'm expected? TAUN WE Of course! He is anxious to see you. After all these years, we were beginning to think you weren't coming. Now please, this way! Obi-Wan follows Taun We cautiously. EXT. LANDING PAD - LAKE COUNTRY (NABOO) - DAY The Royal Starship takes Anakin and Padme from Theed to the Lake Country. Paddy Accu, the groundskeeper at the retreat. is waiting for them and ferries the couple from the landing pad to the Retreat. EXT. LAKE COUNTRY (NABOO) - DAY By the time the ferry has arrived at the Lakeside Retreat it is late afternoon. Anakin and Padme walk up the stairs, from where the water speeder has parked, and onto a terrace overlooking a lovely garden. Behind them, Paddy Accu continues to watch over the two serving girls, Nandi and Teckla, as they carry the bags into the Lodge. EXT. LAKESIDE RETREAT - GARDEN TERRACE (NABOO) - DAY Strolling along the terrace, the couple stop at a balustrade. Padme looks out across the garden to the shimmering lake and the green mountains rising beyond. Anakin looks at her silently. PADME When I was in Level Three, we used to come here for school retreat. See that island? We used to swim there every day. I love the water. ANAKIN I do too. I guess it comes from growing up on a desert planet. PADME We used to lie on the sand and let the sun dry us... She suddenly becomes aware that Anakin is looking at her PADME (C'tnd) ...and try to guess the names of the birds singing. ANAKIN I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere. Not like here... He touches Padme's arm. ANAKIN (C'tnd) Here everything's soft... and smooth... Padme begins to grow receptive to the way Anakin is looking at her, but she is still nervous. PADME There was a very old man who lived on the island. He used to make glass out of sand... and vases and necklaces out of the glass. They were magical. She tries to place her focus away from Anakin who looks into her eyes. ANAKIN Everything here is magical. PADME You could look into the glass and see the water. The way it ripples and moves. It looked so real... but it wasn't. Their eyes meet. ANAKIN Sometimes when you believe something to be real, it becomes real. Real enough, anyway... Anakin slowly touches her chin but Padme continues with her story. PADME I used to think if you looked too deeply into glass, you would lose yourself. ANAKIN I think it's true... He kisses her. She doesn't resist. But then she comes to her senses and pulls away. PADME I shouldn't have done that. ANAKIN I'm sorry. When I'm around you, my mind is no longer my own. PADME It's the situation... the stress... ANAKIN ...the view. PADME I am not going to give into this. I'm not going to throw my life away. I have more important things to do than fall in love. She goes into the lodge. Anakin follows her. INT. LAKESIDE RETREAT - LODGE (NABOO) - DAY Anakin wants to know what's wrong. Padme asks him to stop showing her affections. They argue a little but he finally agress albeit reluctantly. INT. CORRIDORS OF TIPOCA CITY (KAMINO) - DAY Obi-Wan is guided inside Prime Minister Lama Su's office by Taun We to discuss the matters at hand. INT. TIPOCA CITY - CONFERENCE ROOM (KAMINO) - DAY During the meeting, Obi-Wan is introduced to Lama Su, the Prime Minister of the planet. He starts talking about how, with 200,000 units ready and another million following. OBI-WAN That is... good news. LAMA SU Please tell your Master Sifo-Dyas that we have every confidence his order will be met on time and in full. He is well, I hope. OBI-WAN Who commissioned this cloning activity? LAMA SU It was Master Sifo-Dyas, head of the Jedi Council. OBI-WAN (feigning knowledge) Oh yes. Sifo-Dyas. Lama Su proposes to show him their progress and give Obi-Wan the tour around the various cloning facilities. INT. TIPOCA CITY - CLONE LABORATORY (KAMINO) - DAY Obi-Wan is then given a tour of the facility. Obi-Wan is walks with his hands together inside the sleeves of his robe and Lama Su with Taun We right behind them. Lama Su takes Obi-Wan past a large window where he can see where the Clones are manufactured and brought to the point where they can function outside of a tube. While walking past the window, Obi-Wan sees hundreds and hundreds of these containers on round platforms and they're sticking out of the platforms from all angles. Lama Su mentions that the clones are grown at an increased pace to ensure they are ready as soon as possible. INT. TIPOCA CITY - CLONE CLASSROOM (KAMINO) Obi-Wan is taken to see the second batch in a classroom. There are several ten year old boys wearing blue jumpsuits in a classroom studying through headsets. Taun We happens to mention that the clone template has a son this age. Lama Su explains that the clones learn at double pace to humans and they wear headsets all the time to continually feed them information. OBI-WAN You mentioned growth acceleration. LAMA SU Oh, yes, it's essential. Lama Su points out that these children are from the second batch, produced five years previously. INT. TIPOCA CITY - CLONE CAFETERIA (KAMINO) Several clones around the age of 20 wearing red jumpsuits are sitting close together eating. EXT. OF LAKE/PICNIC SITE Anakin and Padme walk to it. EXT. HILLS NEAR A LAKE (NABOO) - DAY Anakin and Padmé have a picnic together in a beautiful area of the Lake Country. Apparently, Padme throws fruit at him and laughs ALOT! Anakin is trying to get Padme to talk about any past boyfriends. PADME I don't know... ANAKIN Sure you do... you just don't want to tell me. PADME Are you going to use one of your Jedi mind tricks on me? ANAKIN They only work on the weak-minded. You are anything but weak-minded. PADME All right... his name was Palo. I was twelve. We were both in the Legislative Youth Program. He was a few years older then I... very cute... dark curly hair... dreamy eyes. ANAKIN All right, I get the picture... whatever happened to him? PADME I went to become a Queen. He went to become an artist. ANAKIN Maybe he was the smart one. PADMÉ (laughing) You're making fun of me. Anakin grins and shakes his head. ANAKIN (chuckling) Mm, no, no. I'd be much too frightened to tease a senator. PADME You're so bad! INT. TIPOCA CITY - CLONE BARRACKS (KAMINO) Obi-Wan and the two Kaminoans make their way along a walkway several metres above the troops who are marching towards a centre ring where they pick up their helmets. Lama Su guides Obi-Wan further on. INT. TIPOCA CITY - CLONE "SHOWROOM" (KAMINO) Hundreds of fully armoured clones march in procession as Obi-Wan watches through a Plexiglas window. He is amazed. LAMA SU Magnificent, aren't they? Obi-Wan can't help but agree. Lama Su mentions how they modified the clones' genetic structure to make them less independent. LAMA SU They are totally obedient, take any order without question. Obi-Wan finally inquires about the original host. Lama Su tells him about Jango Fett. He explains that they thought a Jedi would have logically been the perfect choice to clone, but that Sifo-Dyas hand- picked the bounty hunter himself. Since Jango Fett resides in Tipoca City, Obi-Wan requests a meeting with him and Taun We agrees to set it up. EXT. JEDI TEMPLE Shot to establish it still exists. INT. JEDI TEMPLE, MACE WINDU'S QUARTERS (CORUSCANT) - EVENING Obi-Wan contacts Mace Windu by hologram and reports on what he has been told and shown by Lama Su. His image fades in and out as the conversation takes place... OBI-WAN They're using a bounty hunter named Jango Fett to create a clone army. He also explains that the cloning was commisioned by a Master Sifo- Dyas. OBI-WAN I have never heard of the Jedi called Sifo-Dyas, have you, master? MACE WINDU No. Whoever placed that order was no Jedi, I can assure you. YODA Who he is working for... discover that you must. OBI-WAN (V.O.) I will, Master, and I will also find out more about this clone army. May the Force... The hologram switches off, and Obi-Wan fades away. WINDU A clone army! Ordered by someone in the Senate perhaps... Someone's out to start a war. YODA Inform the chancellor of this, we must. WINDU Who do you think this impostor, Sido- Dyas, could be? INT. NABOO LAKE RETREAT, ANAKIN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT ANAKIN moves restlessly in his sleep. He mutters to himself. Sweat forms on his forehead. He turns violently. He cries out. ANAKIN No...No...No...Mom!...Don't, no, don't! EXT. LAKESIDE RETREAT - GARDEN TERRACE - MORNING ANAKIN is on the balcony overlooking the gardens. After a moment, PAMDE comes onto the balcony behind him. She sees he is meditating and turns to go. ANAKIN (eyes closed) Don't go. PAMDE I don't want to disturb you. ANAKIN Your presence is soothing. Brief pause. Anakin's then tells Padmé that his concern for his mother has grown so strong that he needs to leave Naboo and go to Tatooine. He knows that he is under strict orders by the Jedi Council to stay on Naboo, but he decides to defy his orders and leave as soon as possible. Padmé decides that she will accompany Anakin to Tatooine. EXT. NUBIAN SPACESHIP (SPACE) The starship flies through space. INT. NUBIAN SPACESHIP Anakin, Padme and Artoo travel to Tatooine in the royal starship. INT. DOOR TO JANGO FETT'S APARTMENT - DAY Obi-Wan and Taun We then arrive at an apartment. Taun We waves her hand to ring the bell. As they wait, Obi-Wan notes the door lock mechanism. The door slides open to reveal a young boy identical to the ones in the classroom before... his name is BOBA FETT. TAUN WE Boba, is your father here? There is a brief pause, then Boba Fett nods. TAUN WE May we see him? BOBA FETT Sure. Another brief pause, then Boba Fett steps aside and Taun We and Obi-Wan venture deeper into the apartment. INT. JANGO FETT'S APARTMENT - DAY Obi-Wan looks around the room. BOBA FETT Dad! Taun We's here! Jango Fett comes in from the bedroom. He wears a jumpsuit. He is unshaven and mean looking, his face pitted with scars of old wounds. There are a couple of weird tattoos on his muscular forearms. He eyes OBI-WAN with suspicion. TAUN WE Welcome back, Jango. Was your trip productive? JANGO FETT Fairly. Obi-Wan and Jango Fett size each other up. Boba Fett studies both of them. TAUN WE This is Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. He's come to check on our progress. JANGO FETT That right? Jango Fett's eyes fix coldly on Obi-Wan. OBI-WAN Your clones are very impressive. You must be very proud. JANGO FETT I'm just a simple man, trying to make my way in the universe, Master Jedi. OBI-WAN Aren't we all? Obi-Wan catches a glimpse of the half-open bedroom door where he can see a couple of pieces of Jango's body armor. Jango Fett notices this immediately and moves in front of him, blocking Obi-Wan's view of the room. OBI-WAN Have you ever been to Coruscant? JANGO I've made it out there once or twice. OBI-WAN Have you been there recently? JANGO Possibly... Fett continues to eye up the Jedi visitor. OBI-WAN Do you know Master Sifo-Dyas? Jango knows the conversation is getting a little tense and turns to young Boba. JANGO Close the bedroom door. The boy obeys and Jango gives Obi-Wan a thin smile. JANGO (C'tnd) Master who? OBI-WAN Sifo-Dyas. Isn't he the Jedi who hired you for this job? JANGO I've never heard of any Sifo-Dyas. I was hired by a man called Darth Tyranus on one of the moons of Bogden. Obi-Wan is confused, thinking about what Lama Su told him but Taun We steps in to clear up the matter. TAUN WE Sifo-Dyas told us to expect him and he showed up just when your Jedi Master said he would. We have kept the Jedi's involvement a secret until your arrival, just as your Master requested. OBI-WAN Curious... JANGO Do you like your army? OBI-WAN It seems to me that it's really your army being that they are all clones of you. Jango gives a slight grin. JANGO They'll do their job well, I'll guarantee that. Obi-Wan feels it's time to go. OBI-WAN I look forward to seeing the clones in action. Thank you for your time. JANGO Always a pleasure to meet a Jedi. Obi-Wan and Taun We leave the apartment but as the door slides closed, Jango turns to his son, deep in thought. BOBA What is it, Dad? JANGO Pack your gears, we're leaving. EXT. NUBIAN SHIP The ship leaves hyperspace. EXT. TATOOINE FROM SPACE Nubian ship flying on in. INT NUBIAN SHIP Anakin and Padme prepare to land. EXT. MOS ESPA (TATOOINE) The ship comes down into a docking port in the middle of the town. EXT. MOS ESPA STREET(TATOOINE) - DAY Once in Mos Espa, Anakin and Padmé meet a rickshaw droid who will pull them in a Rickshaw Speeder to travel across the sands to meet Watto. R2-D2 trundles behind them. Many townspeople walk passed them. The rickshaw comes to a stop and Anakin helps Padme down. EXT. WATTO'S SHOP (TATOOINE) - DAY Anakin's old slave master, WATTO, is at his shop. He is outside his front door chasing a pit droid around. He finally picks up a stick and slaps the droid in the nose, causing it to fold up and stop running around. Anakin, Padmé (who is wearing a long hooded robe to remain low key), and Artoo watch and then approach him. When he sees the two coming he doesn't recognise them. WATTO Whatever it is, I didn't do it. He suddenly recognises Anakin and asks how he's doing. ANAKIN I'm a Jedi. WATTO A Jedi whaddayaknow? Anakin explains that he's looking for his mother. WATTO Shmi's not mine no more. I sold her to a moisture farmer named Lars. I heard he freed her and married her. Can you beat that? Long way from here, someplace over on the other side of Mos Eisley. EXT. MOS ESPA - DAY The two leave for the homestead. EXT. TIPOCA CITY Establishing shot. EXT. OBI-WAN LANDING PLATFORM (KAMINO) Obi-Wan is preparing to leave Kamino some time after his meeting with Jango Fett and heads towards his parked Jedi Starfighter. It's raining pretty heavily and is very windy, as usual in Tipoca City. Obi-Wan looks around to see if anyone's watching him and then decides to head back inside to Jango's apartment. INT. CORRIDOR - TIPOCA CITY (KAMINO) He follows the deserted corridor to the door where he was led by Taun We, the Fett apartment. Obi-Wan reaches up and runs his fingers along the door, locating the locks. Then the door slides open. INT. JANGO'S APARTMENT - TIPOCA CITY (KAMINO) When Obi-Wan gets inside he finds the apartment in disarray and there are clear signs of a hurried departure. All of the Fetts' personal belongings are gone. Obi-Wan then walks over to a computer screen and punches up an onscren picture of Jango and Boba getting the SLAVE I ready for departure. Jango is in full armor and Boba is helping climbing up the ramp. EXT. LANDING PLATFORM (KAMINO) - EVENING Jango is handing some cases to Boba who all of the sudden spots Obi-Wan charging at them through the rain. BOBA FETT Dad look! Jango immediately draws his pistols as Obi-Wan ignites his saber and tells Boba to get inside. Jango turns from his son to see Obi-Wan ready, with lightsaber ignited. Jango then opens fire with one blaster. Obi-Wan deflects the bolts. As Jango continues firing, he moves behind and around pillars. Obi-Wan shuffles while deflecting the bolts. As Jango moves behind a pillar, Obi-Wan charges forward. Jango then unholsters a second blaster and begins firing with both weapons. Obi- Wan has trouble deflecting the barrage of bolts. Jango takes off (using his jetpack) over the top of Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan swings his lightsaber in attempt to take Jango down, but misses. As he is flying past, Jango pivots in the air and fires down at Obi-Wan from a high angle. Obi-Wan deflects the bolts from above. Jango continues to fire with both blasters as he flies away from Obi-Wan. Under the barrage of two blasters, Obi-Wan struggles to deflect every bolt. He then rolls off to the side to avoid the bolts as Jango flies off behind a tower. Emerging on the other side the tower, Jango fires a rocket that is protruding from the top of his jetpack. Obi-Wan avoids the explosion, but is stunned. Jango flies higher and out of the picture. Obi-Wan then recovers and looks around for Jango (who seems to have disappeared). He is tense in the silence. Obi-Wan then senses something and turns just in time to see... young Boba Fett in the cockpit of Slave-1 taking aim with the ship's heavy blasters. The shots begin to fire, but miss Obi-Wan as he accidentally drops his lightsaber. Jango appears from above and jumps down. Obi-Wan recovers, and with a yell, leaps forward to jump-kick Jango in the face. Jango crashes back onto the landing platform. Obi-Wan lands on his feet. Jango quickly recovers and charges forward. In close quarters, Obi-Wan blocks Jango's attempt to raise his blaster to fire as the pair struggle for the weapon. Obi-Wan then elbows Jango hard in the face. HIGH ANGLE shot as Obi-Wan then judo flips Jango over his back. Jango hits the ground hard but recovers quickly as Obi-Wan moves in for an attack. Jango grabs and traps Obi-Wan's foot. Jango spins Obi-Wan (in mid air) and brings him down face-first onto the ground. Obi-Wan retaliates from the ground with a sweep kick to Jango's head, knocking him back. Obi-Wan gets to his feet; as does Jango who takes aim with his arm- mounted blaster. Obi-Wan leaps over the bolts and onto Jango's shoulders, then flips himself back and over, flipping Jango over and onto his back. But Jango then rolls to his feet. Obi-Wan charges with a punch. Jango moves in to attack, chopping at Obi-Wan's head. Obi-Wan blocks it. Jango ducks a wild punch and grabs Obi-Wan by his waist. He then sweeps Obi-Wan off his feet and flips him over, bringing him crashing down over his bent knee. Obi-Wan (momentarily stunned) is thrown by Jango. He lands and skids over the wet surface. Obi-Wan then comes to a halt on the ground and spots something... his lightsaber. Jango suddenly appears, flying towards Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan gets up and reaches for his lightsaber (to summon it with the Force). Jango fires his cable and it wraps around Obi-Wan's hands as he fails to catch his lightsaber. Jango takes off into the air (with jetpack again), still tied to Obi- Wan. Obi-Wan is dragged along the ground. LOW ANGLE behind Obi-Wan as he is being dragged. HIGH ANGLE on Jango, who is still flying. Obi-Wan then rolls to one side while being dragged. He manages to roll around, to the other side of one of the oncoming pillars. Obi-Wan then jumps up and wraps the cable around the pillar. Jango crashes to the ground. The jetpack shoots off on its own and into the side of a building. Obi-Wan (with his hands still tied) charges. He kicks Jango over the side of the platform. Jango begins to slide down the angled side of the platform. Obi-Wan, who is still connected to Jango by the cable, gets pulled to the edge of the platform. Almost over the complete edge, Jango activates the claws on the side of his forearm. Jango then digs his "claws" into the platform. Obi-Wan continues down, past Jango and falls over the edge. Still tied to Jango, Obi-Wan hangs, nothing between him and the raging sea. Obi-Wan then begins to swing back and forth. Jango is gradually getting pulled more and more down, so he releases the cable. DISTANT SHOT as Obi-Wan free-falls. Obi-Wan then reaches for and grabs a service platform with the tips of his fingers. He pulls himself onto the platform. CUT TO Jango as he has made it up and is entering Slave-1. Obi-Wan, who is already back on the platform (remember that Jedi can jump pretty high), summons his lightsaber as he runs. Obi-Wan catches the lightsaber as Slave-1 begins to take off. Obi-Wan then takes a seeker pod (tracking device) from his belt and throws it. The seeker pod sticks to the side of the ship. Obi-Wan watches from the platform as Slave-1 takes off into the rain. EXT. LARS RANCH (TATOOINE) - LATE DAY A Naboo Starship hovers and lands on a bluff overlooking the Lars Homestead. Anakin and Padme walk down a trail towards the moisture farm, leaving R2 to guard the ship. A naked 3PO is outside working when the two arrive. THREEPIO Good evening. How may I be of service? I am See - ANAKIN Threepio? THREEPIO Oh, my. Oh, my maker. Master Anakin! I knew you would return. ANAKIN I've come to see my mother. THREEPIO I think... I think... perhaps we'd better go indoors. INT. PIT - LARS HOMESTEAD (TATOOINE) - DAY They walk down some steps into the pit of the homestead and are met by Owen and Beru. Anakin introduces himself. OWEN I guess I'm your stepbrother. I had a feeling you might show up someday. ANAKIN Is my mother here? CLIEGG (O.S.) No, she's not. Anakin turns to see Cliegg Lars. He is in a hovering wheelchair and has a missing leg. CLIEGG Shmi is my wife. Come on inside. We have a lot to talk about. Cliegg ushers the two visitors inside. INT. LARS HOMESTEAD - DINING ROOM (TATOOINE) They all sit around a table. Cliegg explains what happened. CLIEGG It was just before dawn... They came out of nowhere. A hunting party of Tusken Raiders. Thirty of us went out after her. He explains that they were attacked and he was injured. CLIEGG I couldn't ride anymore. Anakin gets angry, blaming Cliegg for not helping her. CLIEGG Those Tuskens walk like men, but they are vicious, mindless monsters. He tries the calm the Jedi down. CLIEGG This isn't the way. Anakin wants to help her. CLIEGG She's been gone a month. There's little hope she's lasted this long. Anakin gets up to leave. INT. PIT - LARS HOMESTEAD (TATOOINE) - DAY Owen and Padme follow Anakin out. OWEN Where are you going? ANAKIN To find my mother. I can feel her pain, and I will find her. OWEN Take my speeder bike. Anakin thanks him. ANAKIN I know she's alive. (to Padme) You are going to have to stay here. These are good people, Padme. You'll be safe. I won't be long. (to Owen) I'll trust you'll watch over her, Owen. Anakin and Padme walk up the steps outside the homestead where the speeder is waiting. They kiss before he jumps onto the speeder and fires the engine. He looks back at Padme before racing into the Tatooine desert, the twin suns slowly melting into the horizon. EXT. SLAVE ONE Jango and Boba fly through space away from Kamino. EXT SPACE We see Obi-Wan's starfighter closing in on Slave-1. EXT SPACE Jango decides to fly his ship into an asteroid field to hopefully lose the Jedi but Obi-Wan follows. The two ships swerve in and out of asteroids. INT. SLAVE ONE - COCKPIT Boba points out that Obi-Wan is still in pursuit. JANGO He doesn't seem to be able to take a hint. Well, if we can't lose him, we'll have to finish him. EXT. ASTEROID FIELD Jango turns around and begins to fire on Obi-Wan's starfighter. The two ships move in and out of the asteroids as Obi-Wan tries to avoid the blasts. INT STARFIGHTER The ship shakes at the impact of an asteroid as well as the bombardment of blaster fire he's receiving from Jango. Obi-Wan desperately pulls on the controls. OBI-WAN Blast! This is why I hate flying. INT. SLAVE 1 Jango looks very serious as he manoeuvres. Boba points out that Obi-Wan is still in pursuit. JANGO He doesn't seem to be able to take a hint. Well, if we can't lose him, we'll have to finish him. He continues to fire at Obi-Wan, constantly checking his targetting scanner. He looks over to his young son. JANGO Prepare the sonic mines... Boba presses some buttons with an evil, delighted giggle. Jango looks at him and smiles. JANGO Smart move. EXT. ASTEROID FIELD A torpedo is fired from Slave 1. It follows the Jedi fighter in and out of several asteroids, swerving as Obi-Wan tries to maneavour out of its way. Obi-Wan takes his fighter through a huge hollow asteroid. Just as he gets through the rock, the torpedo hits it, sending a massive explosion after Obi-Wan and shattering the asteroid. Obi-Wan's fighter is screaming toward another immense asteroid that seemed to appear out of no where. There is no chance for him to pass, it is simply too large to avoid. In a last ditch effort to get free, the Jedi fires two torpedos into the giant tumbling rock. The Starfighter slams into the huge explosion and presumably the asteroid itself. INT. SLAVE 1 - COCKPIT Boba Fett laughs in glee as he and his father watch the explosion. JANGO We won't have to worry about him anymore. EXT. ASTEROID FIELD (GEONOSIS) They clear the field, and hurtle towards the red rock planet of Geonosis. EXT TATOOINE DESERT Anakin races across the sands on the speeder. EXT. DESERT HILLS (TATOOINE) - DUSK Anakin continues to speed across Tatooine. A side note, the swoop is faulty in some way. Do not know the significance, if any, but it has been noted that the swoop bike is faulty in some way. It is now dusk. While searching, Anakin finds the remains of the rescue team. EXT DUNE SEA (TATOOINE) - DUSK Anakin meets a Jawa, who directs him to the Tusken encampment. EXT. ROCKY REGION (TATOOINE) - NIGHT The encampment is stationed around an oasis beneath a bluff and filled to the brim with Tuskens. It is night time when Anakin reaches the camp. He is up on the bluff, looking down on the camp. There are about a dozen weird bulbous "meringue-dollop" shaped canvas tents with curved skyward protective spikes pointing from them. The tents are scattered around a bare waterhole, no vegetation, where Banthas are drinking. There are about 30 to 50 Tuskens. The Tuskens have made an encampment around an oasis. EXT TUSKEN ENCAMPMENT NIGHT He infiltrates the camp and finally finds the tent holding Shmi. INT. TUSKEN TENT Anakin cuts through the back of a hide tent that Shmi is in. She's tied to some sort of rack, and all bruised and bloody. He cuts her down from the rack she is tied on. She is barely conscious. ANAKIN Mom. Mom. SHMI Annie? Is it you? ANAKIN I'm here, Mom. You're safe. Hang on. I'm going to get you out of here. Shmi manages to open her eyes weakly to look at him. SHMI Annie? You look so handsome. My son... My grown-up son. I'm so proud of you, Annie... So proud. I missed you so much. Now I am complete. ANAKIN Just stay with me, Mom. I'm going to make you well again. Everything's going to be fine. She tries to smile at him. SHMI I love... Her body becomes horribly, finally still. Anakin stares at her numbly. After a moment, he reaches over and closed her eyes. When he opens them again they are filled with violent anger. EXT. TUSKEN CAMP (TATOOINE) - NIGHT Raiders are all over the place. Mothers and children begin their chores. Anakin leaves the tent and kills the two guards with a Force choke. A child runs around the corner of the tent to see the slain bodies and Anakin, his face a grim mask. A sharp hum as Anakin ignites his lightsaber and proceeds to kill all the Tuskens in the encampment. The tuskens fight back but are unable to defeat the powerful young Jedi. EXT DESERT (TATOOINE) - NIGHT All night, Anakin stays with her in his arms, meditating in an attempt to keep a hold of his emotions. EXT SPACE We see Obi's starfighter, not obliterated exiting the asteroid field. We see the planet Geonosis, with a couple of huge droid control ships in orbit. Obi-Wan sneaks passed them and heads towards the planet. EXT. GEONOSIS (PLANET) The fighter carefully navigates the rocky landscape. GEONOSIS (SURFACE) Obi-Wan lands his fighter and the cockpit opens for him to exit. He uses a set of binoculars to look around for any trace of Jango. Obi-Wan begins to scale one of the large stalagmite towers in search of Jango. He is alone and there is a sheer drop off on his left. The tall cliffs extend upward and out of sight on the right. It is a sheer cliff face but nothing can stop Obi-Wan and his mission. He is all alone. EXT GEONOSIS TOWER He then enters the tower through a small blue window opening. It is from this window that Obi-Wan sees the Geonosisan building thousands of super battle droids. Obi-Wan comes to the conclusion that Count Dooku and the Separatists are obviously preparing for war. The central spheres of the Trade Federation droid battleships lift off out of massive hangars on the surface of Geonosis. Obi-Wan watches hundreds of these things lift off absolutely stunned at the sight. They are loaded with the new and improved Battle droid Armies, newly out of the secret factories under the planet's surface, that are being shipped out to fight all across the galaxy. INT. SENATE BUILDING - CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE (CORUSCANT) Several red robed guards stand outside. INT. CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE (CORUSCANT) Inside Chancellor Palpatine's office on Coruscant a hologram of Obi-Wan flickers in front of a group, made up of Yoda, Mace Windu, Ki-Adi-Mundi and Senators Bail Organa, Ask Aak, Darsana, and Jar Jar. Palpatine and Mas Amedda are in the middle of the group, watching with growing concern. OBI-WAN Starships from the Trade Federation and the Commerce Guilds are taking deliveries of battle droids from the foundries of the planet. BAIL ORGANA That's outrageous! The treaty forbids the Trade Federation from building up an army. What are they doing? OBI-WAN The droid foundry seems to be working at full capacity. I'm going down to investigate. I will bring Jango Fett back home for interrogation. PALPATINE Those Geonosian foundries are part of the Techno Union. We will call in their representatives and ask them a few very pointed questions. OBI-WAN One more thing. Jango mentioned he was recruited by someone named Darth Tyranus. Do you have any idea who that may be? YODA With the forename Darth, a Sith he must be. MACE WINDU Our missing apprentice. They are playing their hand at last. OBI-WAN Do you believe he could be the mysterious Sifo-Dyas, who made the deal for the clone army? YODA Perhaps too many pieces are missing from this puzzle, there are. MACE WINDU Be careful. The investigation is becoming less than routine. Do you need help? OBI-WAN Let me see if I can figure out what's going on first. The hologram of Obi-Wan fades off. Palpatine stares at the spot where the hologram was in disbelief. BAIL ORGANA The Commerce Guilds are preparing for war... there can be no doubt of that. There is a somber atmosphere. PALPATINE Count Dooku must have made a treaty with them. MACE WINDU We must stop them soon before they're fully ready. SENATOR ASK AAK The debate is over, we need that clone army now! BAIL ORGANA The debate is not over. The Senate will never be able to approve the use of that army before the seperatists attack. Mas Amedda, who had been silent up until now suddenly speaks up. MAS AMEDDA This is a crisis! If the Senate votes the Chancellor emergency powers, he could approve the use of the army in a minute. PALPATINE Please, please, I don't wish to have emergency powers. I believe it to be too extreme a solution. It's akin to a dictatorship. We must rely on the Jedi. Master Yoda, how many are available to go to Geonosis? Mace Windu and Yoda look at one another. Yoda begins to calculate the number of Jedi at their disposal. YODA Two Hundred... less or more. BAIL ORGANA With all due respect, two hundred will be no match for hundreds of thousands of battle droids. MACE WINDU Patience. We must wait for Obi-Wan to report back. We don't know that Count Dooku has made a treaty with the Corporate Alliance, it's speculation. SENATOR ASK AAK We must prepare for the worst. I'm going to propose a motion granting emergency powers to the Chancellor at the next session. We must not wait! PALPATINE Out of the question, Senator! You and I are too closely aligned. The issue will become partisan and debates will begin. The proposal must come from a neutral source. MAS AMEDDA If only Senator Amidala were here. JAR JAR Supreme Chancellor... my august colleagues, I would be proud to propose the motion in question. This is a grave situation, and I'm sure Senator Amidala, and the Queen of Naboo would agree. SENATOR ASK AAK Thank you, Representative Binks. Silence. Then Palpatine sighs deeply. PALPATINE If called upon, I will serve. But it will be the saddest day of my life. EXT GEONOSIS TOWER Obi-Wan continues to investigate and finds proof that Count Dooku is involved. He tries to send a message to the Republic but can't and so sends a distress signal to Anakin. Before he can finished he is attacked by winged Massifs. EXT LARS HOMESTEAD Establishing shot. INT. LARS HOMESTEAD GARAGE (TATOOINE) - DUSK While Anakin is searching for his mother, Padmé completes C-3PO by applying his plating in the Lars' garage. PADMÉ There! Padmé then stands back. Owen is with her. They both look at C-3PO. Padmé has had to use whatever she could find in the garage. He is multi-colored and several different textures, but he is complete. THREEPIO Um, How do I look? OWEN Great! You look perfect! THREEPIO Perfect? Oh, Miss Padmé, I'm so happy. (Extending his arm to shake hers) Oh, pardon me. (THREEPIO drops his hand and bows formally) Thank you. Before leaving, Owen offers Threepio to Padme. OWEN Well, Padme. I think he should be yours from now on... I know that is what my Mom would want. The mood suddenly changes when Padme hears Beru's voice calling from the outside. BERU (O.S.) He's back! He's back! EXT. LARS HOMESTEAD Padme gets outside to see that Shmi's body is tied to the swoop. Anakin carries her limp body up to Cliegg, and stops to look him right in the eye. Then he makes a move inside. INT. LARS HOMESTEAD (TATOOINE) - MORNING Anakin and Padme walk sadly into the main part of the homestead to give the news to the Lars'. Anakin is wracked with guilt. ANAKIN If I hadn't gone away, none of this would have happened. We'd be happy. CLIEGG But you'd still be slaves. ANAKIN But at least she'd still be alive and we'd be happy. As the conversation proceeds, the two begin raising their voices at each other. Anakin is obviously extremely jealous of his mother's love for the Lars family. The argument abruptly stops as Padmé gently places her hand on Anakin's shoulder. INT. LARS HOMESTEAD - GARAGE (TATOOINE) Anakin goes into the garage to fix the broken swoop bike. Padme follows him. PADME You're not all powerful Anakin. ANAKIN I should be! Someday I will be! I will be the most powerful Jedi ever! PADME Anakin -- ANAKIN It's all Obi-Wan's fault! He's holding me back! Anakin hurls something against the wall. He suddenly breaks down, tears forming in his eyes. PADME Annie, what's wrong? ANAKIN I....I killed them. I killed them all. They're dead, every single one of them. Not just the men. The women and children too. They're like animals, and I slaughtered them like animals. I hate them! She holds him in her arms as he continues to sob. INT. NUBIAN SHIP - COCKPIT Artoo is minding Anakin and Padmé's ship as a transmission comes through. He dutifully turns and starts to play it. A robed figure pops up as a hologram. EXT. LARS HOMESTEAD (TATOOINE) - DAY A sombre air hangs over the Lars homestead on Tatooine as Shmi Skywalker is laid to rest. Standing around her grave are Cliegg, Owen, Beru, C-3PO, Padmé and Anakin. Cliegg says a few words There is a pause, and then Anakin steps forward and says a few words There is a short moment of silence when suddenly Artoo comes out of the starship bleeping and chirping. Threepio translates and says there is a message from someone called Obi-Wan Kenobi. Anakin and Padme rush into the starship. INT. NUBIAN SHIP - COCKPIT Anakin and Padme watch the message that Obi-Wan is relaying. OBI-WAN War is inevitable... Alliance have pledged their armies to Count Dooku and are forming an... Wait!... ah... attack... I don't... make it... aaaggghhh! The hologram cuts off. ANAKIN jumps up. ANAKIN I'm going after him! PADME I thought the first thing he said was to retransmit his message to Coruscant. Anakin immediately calls the Jedi Council and alerts them of the army of battledroids. The Council recognises this as an emergency and decides to dispatch a Jedi army. Mace gives Anakin orders to stay where he is and not go to Geonosis. It is unknown whether Mace is aware of Anakin being on Tatooine. Padmé feels the need to go to Geonosis, but Anakin doesn't agree - ANAKIN ...He's like my father, but you heard Master Windu. He gave me strict orders to stay here. PADME I'm going to save Obi-Wan. So if you plan to protect me, you will have to come along. Anakin agrees to follow her. INT. CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE (CORUSCANT) The Loyalist Committee receive Obi-Wan's second message. OBI-WAN War is inevitable... Alliance have pledged their armies to Count Dooku and are forming an... Wait!... ah... attack... I don't... make it... aaaggghhh! They realise they have to do something now! BAIL ORGANA We must stop them before they're ready. They all agree. EXT. LARS HOMESTEAD Before Anakin leaves, he gets on his knees and pays his last respects to Shmi at her grave. Padmé, Threepio and others are also there watching the sullen moment. EXT. NUBIAN SHIP LEAVING TATOOINE The ship leaves the planet in the distance. EXT. SENATE CHAMBERS Establishing shot. INT. SENATE BUILDING (CORUSCANT) - DAY The Senate is in session discussing whether or not Palpatine should be given emergency powers. Jar Jar raises the idea. JAR JAR Senators... Dellow fellogates... He puts forward his argument to the Senate. JAR JAR Who can deny these are exceptional times? Exceptional times demand exceptional measures! Exceptional measures demand exceptional men! Several people boo at him when he makes this suggestion. MAS AMEDDA We must vote the Chancellor emergency powers. Eventually the majority appear to agree. After the motion has been passed. PALPATINE My first act would be to raise a grand army to protect our sovereignty from the Seperatists. Senators are unsure about whether or not this is legal. PALPATINE Sometimes we must break the law in order to act in its best interest. INT. DUNGEON (GEONOSIS) - NIGHT Obi-Wan is suspended in the air, held by glowing energy binders. He senses someone's presence and turns to see Count Dooku. DOOKU Hello, my friend. This is a mistake, a terrible mistake. They've gone too far. This is madness. OBI-WAN I thought you were their leader, Dooku. DOOKU This has nothing to do with me, I assure you. I promise you, I will petition immediately to have you set free. OBI-WAN Well, I hope it doesn't take too long. I have work to do. DOOKU It's a great pity that our paths have never crossed before, Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon always spoke very highly of you. I wish he were still alive. I could use his help right now. OBI-WAN Qui-gon Jinn would never join you. DOOKU Don't be so sure, my young Jedi. He was once my apprentice, just as you were once his. He knew all about the corruption in the Senate, but we would never have gone along with it if he had known the truth as I have. OBI-WAN The truth? DOOKU What if I told you that the Republic was now under the control of the Dark Lords of the Sith. OBI-WAN No. That's not possible. The Jedi would be aware of it. DOOKU The Dark Side of the Force has clouded their vision, my friend. Hundreds of Senators are now under the influence of a Sith Lord called Darth Sidious. OBI-WAN I don't believe you. DOOKU The Viceroy of the Trade Federation was once in league with this Darth Sidious, but he was betrayed. He came to me for help. The Jedi Council would not believe him. I've tried many times to warn them, but they wouldn't listen to me. You must join me Obi-Wan and together we can destroy the Sith. OBI-WAN I will never join you, Dooku. Dooku shrugs and gives Obi-Wan a subtle threat. DOOKU It may be difficult to secure your release. EXT. GEONOSIS - NIGHT Anakin and Padme's ship descends on the planet. It enters a darkened hanger in one of the towers. INT NUBIAN SHIP Before they descend their spaceship, the Royal Cruiser, they have an argument on board. ANAKIN I'm not letting you go out there. It's too dangerous. PADME What?!? ANAKIN It's my job to protect you and it's too dangerous. You're not going, and that's final! PADME Don't you give me orders, Annie! I'm a Senator of the Galactic Republic. You have no authority to contain me, restrain me, or direct me! You remember your place, young man. She stands up and prepares to leave the ship. PADME (C'tnd) Now you can come along and protect me or stay here. It's up to you. Padmé storms out of the cockpit of the Naboo Starfighter. Anakin stands scratching his head, then follows. Artoo beeps and whistles THREEPIO Yes, it is most confusing. One moment they're generating a pleasant mutual attraction and the next, waves of violent hostility. Even though I'm programmed to understand them, I doubt if I ever shall. Artoo whistles a plaintive sigh. INT GEONOSIS Anakin and Padme set out from their transport and enter the stalagmite city. They look around the corridors curiously. PADME It's empty. They press on, but above trouble is brewing. Atop the great pillars, the formations appear to swell and pulse. Then some of the winged Geonosians sort of "grow" from the pillars and detach themselves... Anakin and Padmé approach the "Central Square" and get to the center but as they do, a group of Geonosians intercept them. Anakin instantly reaches for his lightsaber. PADME Wait! A large group of armed Geonosians appear in front of them and attack. Anakin Force throws some out of their way so that they can attempt to escape. INT GEONOSIS - DROID FOUNDRIES Padme and Anakin run through a door and find themselves in the droid factories. The Geonosians that are chasing them are coming behind them. The platform they are on disappears and they fall down into the heart of the foundries. Anakin is fighting several Genosians and droids as the factory churns out the battle-ready infantry. Anakin jumps onto the conveyor belt towards Padme, but it is running the opposite way, taking him away from Padme who is trying to avoid being crushed by massive battle droid moulds. There are Genosians all over the place, and two more of the winged creatures land in front of him, blocking the way between him and Padme. Anakin hides behind several droids as the Genosians begin to move toward him. The droid parts get mixed up during the fight. The Genosians see Anakin and begin to run right at him. A moment later he is about overwhelmed by a dozen and two more drop in just behind him. He doesn't see them until it is too late, and runs away with them in hot pursuit. They are finally beaten and are surrounded by a huge group of Geonosians. The group parts and the elegant COUNT DOOKU walks through. He bows to them in greeting. DOOKU Senator Amidala, I've heard so much about you. PADME Count Dooku, I assume. DOOKU I'm delighted to finally meet you. We have a great deal to talk about. He leads them towards a Conference Room. DOOKU (C'tnd) I hope you can keep your young Jedi under control. PADME Don't worry he's housebroken. INT. CONFERENCE ROOM (GEONOSIS) - DAY Count Dooku sits at a large conference table with Padme on the far side, Anakin standing behind her. Jango Fett stands behind Count Dooku. Ten Geonosian guards are spread watchfully around the room. PADME You are holding a Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi. I am formally requesting you turn him over to me, now. DOOKU He has been convicted of espionage, and will be executed. In just a few hours, I believe. PADME He is an officer of the Republic. You can't do that. DOOKU We don't recognize the Republic here. But if Naboo were to join our Alliance, I could easily hear your plea for clemency. Anakin has just about had enough and grabs his lightsaber but doesn't turn it on. Padmé intervenes. PADME And if I don't join your rebellion, I assume this Jedi with me will also die? DOOKU I don't wish to make you to join our cause against your will, Senator, but you are a rational, honest representative of your people and I assume you want to do what's in their best interest. Aren't you fed up with the corruption, the bureaucrats, the hypocrisy of it all? Be honest, Senator. PADME The ideals are still alive, Count, Even if the institution is failing. DOOKU You believe in the same ideals we believe in! The same ideals we are striving to make prominent. PADME If what you say is true, you should stay in the Republic and help Chancellor Palpatine put things right. DOOKU The Chancellor means well, but is incompetent. He promised to cut the bureaucracy, but the bureaucrats are stronger than ever. Senator, the Republic cannot be fixed. It is time to start over. The democratic process in the Republic is a sham, a shell game played on the voters. It will not be long before the cult of greed, called the Republic, will lose even the pretext of democracy and freedom. PADME I cannot believe that. I will not forsake all I have honoured and worked for and betray the Republic. I know of your treaties with the Trade Federation, the Commerce Guilds, and the others. What is happening here is not government that has been bought out by business... it's business becoming government! DOOKU Are you willing to betray your Jedi friends? Without your cooperation I can do nothing to stop their execution. PADME What is to happen to me? Am I also to be executed? DOOKU I wouldn't think of such an offense. But, there are individuals who have a strong interest in your demise, M'lady. It has nothing to do with politics, I'm afraid. It's purely personal, and they have already paid great sums to have you assassinated. I'm sure they will push hard to have you included in the executions. I'm sorry but if you are not going to cooperate, I must turn you over to the Geonosians for justice. I've done all I can for you. Jango Fett moves over to Anakin. JANGO I'll take that weapon. Anakin hesitates. DOOKU You may cause a lot of bloodshed, my young Jedi, but you will not escape. PADME Anakin... Anakin hands his lightsaber over to Jango Fett. Anakin and Padme are escorted out. EXT. NUBIAN SHIP (GEONOSIS) Artoo knows they've been captured, or at least has a good idea... THREEPIO Danger? Oh, no I shouldn't think so. It looks like a very dull planet to me. They should be back shortly. Just stop worrying, Artoo. Artoo doesn't listen and leaves. Threepio reluctantly follows. INT. GEONOSIS - DROID FOUNDRIES Threepio and Artoo arrive at a door near one of the huge rock structures. As they approach, the door slowly opens to reveal the droid foundries. The two droids arrive in the room where Anakin and Padme were befor they were captured. Thousands of droids are being assembled on massive production lines as far as the eye can see. C-3PO and R2-D2 now stand under a large chasm after wondering into the huge factory. As Threepio surveys the surroundings Artoo takes off only moments later to see Threepio and a battle droid together. Threepio and the droid falls into the battle droid making machine and emerges with a battle droid head attached to his shoulders while C-3PO's head gets attached to a battle droid body After an exchange of laser fire, including the golden droid getting some action with the weapons as well, R2 cuts the head off of the enemy droid and reattaches it to Threepio. INT. HIGH AUDIENCE CHAMBER (GEONOSIS) - DAY Anakin and Padmé are standing in the center of what resembles a courtroom. Seated before them in a tall, boxed-off area is Poggle the Lesser, Archduke of the planet, accompanied by his underling, Sun Rit. Off to one side side the Separatist Senators Po Nudo, Tikkes and Toonbuck Toora. Right next to them are the Commerce Dignitaries, Shu Mai, Nute Gunray, Passel Argente, Wat Tambor and San Hill of the Intergalactic Bank Clan. Along the wall approximately a hundred Geonosians are waiting for a verdict. SUN RIT You have been charged and found guilty of Espionage. POGGLE Do you have anything to say before your sentence is carried out? PADME You are committing an act of war. I hope you are prepared for the consequences. Poggle laughs. Count Dooku, who is also present, simply smiles. POGGLE We build weapons... it is our business! Of course we're prepared! NUTE GUNRAY (Raising his voice) Get on with it. Carry out the sentence. I want to see her suffer. Poggle turns to Padme. POGGLE Your other Jedi friend is waiting for you. Take them to the arena! Four guards take hold of Padmé and Anakin. They are escorted out of the chamber to the sounds of chuckling. INT. TUNNEL LEADING TO ARENA (GEONOSIS) - DAY Anakin and Padmé are tossed into an open cart in a gloomy tunnel leading to the execution arena. The murmur of a vast crowd is heard in the background. Guards extend their arms along the framework and tie them so that they stand facing each other. The driver gets up onto his seat. ANAKIN Don't be afraid. PADME I'm not afraid to die. I've been dying a little bit each day since you came back into my life. ANAKIN What are you talking about? PADME I love you. ANAKIN You love me?! I thought we decided not to fall in love. That we'd be forced to live a lie. That it would destroy our lives... PADME I think our lives are about to be destroyed anyway. My love for you is a puzzle, Annie, for which I have no answers. I can't control it... and now I don't care. I truly, deeply love you, and before we die I want you to know. Padmé leans toward Anakin. By straining hard, it is just possible for their lips to meet. They kiss. ANAKIN I have no desire to be cured of this love either. Long or short, I vow to spend the rest of my life with you. EXT. GEONOSIS EXECUTION ARENA (GEONOSIS) - DAY The arena looks like a giant pit, literally built into the ground like a swimming pool, although it's not quite circular all the way around. It has been built into the landscape, flowing with the rock, forming around giant columns. It's huge. There are futuristic looking gladiators carrying shields and weapons, entertaining the thousands of alien spectators, who are the organic basis for the battledroids. We see soldiers emerge out of a tunnel into the main arena. The crowd cheers. Overlooking a grand arena in a VIP style "box" area sit Count Dooku, archduke Poggle the Lesser (alien leader of the Geonosians), Nute Gunray from the Trade Federation, and Jango Fett, who is standing calmly behind him the Nemodian. The four dignitaries are watching a huge four-legged beast called a Reek as it devours the slaves. There is a Geonosian Picador, riding a horse-like creature called an Orray and carrying a spear all to the enjoyment of the raging crowd. The shiny armor of the combatants glistens in the sun of the rocky planet in an arena equal or superior to the size of the Coliseum. There are three monsters. The reek, the acklay and a Nexu, all imported from other worlds