STAR WARS:
WAR FOR THE OUTER RIM
Episode 1: The battle of D'Qar
Written by IgnusDei
Spell-checking by WarpObscura
"I once heard someone say that war makes for strange bedfellows. Bedfellows get to love one another for a moment. We aren't so lucky."
-Leia Organa
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...
EXT – SPACE - HIGH ORBIT OF PLANET D'QAR
A vast expanse of stars serves as the background for the title, as glorious trumpets and drums play that familiar score. The roll up begins its crawl towards infinity.
It is a dire time for the New Republic. Despite
the destruction of Starkiller Base, chaos reigns
across the galaxy as warlords and crime syndicates
attempt to carve out their own empires out of the
Core World territories, forcing the remnants of the
Republic fleet to fight an uphill battle to maintain order.
Meanwhile, an undaunted First Order
begins an immense assault across the Outer Rim, a blitzkrieg
that will secure valuable resources and manpower for
the inevitable final push in the Core.
The only thing standing in their way now is a ragtag fleet
gathered above the skies of the planet D'Qar,
the headquarters of the Resistance.
Thus the first battle of the Outer Rim War has begun...
PAN DOWN to reveal a massive FIRST ORDER STAR DESTROYER. A single TIE FIGHTER streaks across, then two, then three, then a dozen. We TRACK the flight of TIE FIGHTERS, then PAN towards their destination: a small fleet of various, exotic warships and transports engaged in battle with four more STAR DESTROYERS.
CUT TO: Another flight of TIE FIGHTERS. We TRACK them as they streak across the space battle, evading blaster fire from enemy turrets, firing at any target of opportunity that they come across. Eventually they are obliterated by a hail of blaster bolts, and we PAN up to see the cause of their doom: a MON CALAMARI SUPERCARRIER with the word RADDUS painted across the side of its hull, written in aurebesh. It suffers a barrage of turbolaser fire, but its shields hold fast.
POE (Radio)
This is Black One! Their point defenses are down!
ACKBAR (Radio)
Launch the salvo!
Hatches open across the side of the Raddus, and twenty Assault Proton Torpedoes emerge, trailing plasma behind them. They bypass the STAR DESTROYER's shields completely, and penetrate its hull, causing it to explode from the inside out.
CUT TO: INT – RADDUS COMMAND BRIDGE – SPACE Surrounded by crewmen, Admiral ACKBAR and General LEIA ORGANA look at a holographic map of the battle as a small bright red triangle 'explodes'. In the background, the STAR DESTROYER is engulfed in flames. At her post, communications officer KAYDEL KO CONNIX desperately attempts to sort out the frantic chorus of radio chatter – mostly casualty reports.
LEIA
So far, so good.
ACKBAR
A little too good. They're holding their trump card back.
LEIA
Their mistake.
[to KAYDEL]
Kaydel! Give me a status report on the evacuation!
KAYDEL
Aye aye!
[to her headset]
Raddus to base, ETA on complete EVAC?
EXT – RESISTANCE BASE DOCKS – SURFACE OF D'QAR
The battle rages in the sky above. PAN DOWN to the RESISTANCE BASE as TRANSPORTS arrive and land on the docks. Their doors open, and hundreds of resistance personnel scramble to get inside, carrying all kinds of important materiel. VOBER DAND, a male tarsunt, looks on as he speaks in his communicator.
VOBER
Base to Raddus, the Transports just landed and the last group
is on its way out, we just need ten more minutes before
we can take off!
KAYDEL (radio)
Understood, hangars one through four will be notified.
INT – RADDUS COMMAND BRIDGE – SPACE
ACKBAR
Good, now hail Captain Elson and order him to move his
corvettes to Navpoint Beta! Those Transports will need cover fire!
Suddenly, an alarm beeps on the console of the bridge's SENSOR OPERATOR.
SENSOR OPERATOR
Admiral! I've got a massive Quantum
Waveform on the scopes! Incoming Hyperspace Jump!
LEIA
Oh, no...
ACKBAR
Alert the fleet! Incoming Dreadnought!
EXT – SPACE - HIGH ORBIT OF PLANET D'QAR
Three STAR DESTROYERS move into battle. Suddenly, behind them, a FIRST ORDER DREADNOUGHT, the ECLIPSE, appears from Hyperspace, dwarfing each STAR DESTROYER by a factor of ten. A Blood Stripe has been painted across its hull, marking it as a Special Forces warship.
INT - ECLIPSE COMMAND BRIDGE – SPACE
CUT TO: CLOSE UP the Blood Stripe on the uniform of Captain PAXTON FELL, a grizzled Imperial war veteran from the Galactic Civil War and leader of the First Order's Special Forces, oversees the young men and women of his command crew as they work calmly in their shallow pits. The Bridge is bathed in a sickly red light, contrasting sharply with the blues of the crew's holographic consoles.
NAVIGATOR
We have arrived.
FELL
I know. I have eyes, sailor.
[To the Flight Controller]
I want all Interceptors out there and on Point Defense, and
the Bombers —
HUX (Off-screen)
Belay that. Tell the pilots to stand down. They will not be needed.
From the shadows, ARMITAGE HUX, General of the First Order, appears, and approaches FELL.
HUX
The Eclipse can deal with anything the Resistance
can throw at it. Ready the main gun, target the planet.
FELL (confused)
But the Raddus is right there. We can just—
HUX (seething)
Are you questioning the orders of your general, captain?
There is a tense moment where HUX and FELL stare at each other, and it is obvious that FELL has nothing but contempt for the young general.
FELL
...No, sir.
[To his crew]
All fighters stand down. Gunnery, ready the main gun, single reactor ignition—
HUX
Dual reactor ignition! I want the surface to burn!
EXT – SPACE - HIGH ORBIT OF PLANET D'QAR
The Eclipse's prow splits open, revealing crystalline apertures that glow a bright blue-green, the telltale light of a Superlaser.
INT - ECLIPSE COMMAND BRIDGE – SPACE
FIRST ORDER GUNNERY OFFICER
Weapon is charging, ready to fire in... ten seconds.
HUX (smirking)
Fire on my mark...
Discreetly, PAXTON FELL taps a few keys on a holographic interface mounted on a wristband.
INT - ECLIPSE FIGHTER HANGAR– SPACE
CUT TO: CLOSE UP of the same wristband on a young man. PAN UP to his face, which is marked by a prominent scar above his eyebrow. He reads the message from PAXTON:
Be Ready.
The pilot puts on his helmet and prepares to board his TIE Interceptor just as it is being fitted with missile pods. The words ALPHA ONE is stenciled on his helmet, and the INTERCEPTOR is emblazoned with a White Crow over a Black and Burgundy shield, the emblem of the 181st Carrion Crows Elite Starfighter Squadron. He makes it several steps on the boarding ladder before FLIGHT CONTROL's voice blares over the loudspeakers.
FLIGHT CONTROL [Off-screen]
"All fighters stand down."
Alpha One, whose name is MALEK FELL, pointedly disobeys, and steps into the high-tech, advanced cockpit of his starfighter. He is followed in by a floating, octahedron-shaped black droid with a red optic, which slots itself behind the pilot's seat.
INT – MALEK'S INTERCEPTOR's COCKPIT
Malek begins the start-up sequence by flipping switches and manipulating holograms, as mechanical arms put his ship into a launch tube. Then... he waits, patiently, for his father's signal to deploy.
INT - ECLIPSE COMMAND BRIDGE – SPACE
The GUNNERY OFFICER watches the Superlaser's status on his console.
FIRST ORDER GUNNERY OFFICER
Weapon is fully charged, sir!
HUX (eagerly)
FIRE!
EXT – SPACE - HIGH ORBIT OF PLANET D'QAR
Particles gather in the mouth of the superlaser into a ball, and it spews a ray of blue-green energy. PAN to the planet D'QAR...
EXT – SPACE - LOW ORBIT OF PLANET D'QAR
The beam streaks past a squadron of X-wing starfighters lead by a BLACK X-WING, blowing through the hull of a red ASSAULT FRIGATE MKII, and continues on through the atmosphere of D'QAR. CLOSE UP of the BLACK X-WING's cockpit, as its pilot, POE DAMERON, looks on in horror.
POE
No...
EXT - SURFACE OF D'QAR
The beam impacts the ground, which shatters under the raw firepower of the superlaser. A shockwave erupts from the impact.
EXT – RESISTANCE BASE DOCKS – SURFACE OF D'QAR
VOBER looks behind him and sees of a wall of dust and fire, rapidly making its way towards the base. He is almost awed by its size, and utterly terrified.
VOBER
TAKE OFF! TAKE OFF NOW! WE—
He is cut short by an earthquake, and the ground cracks beneath him, splitting into deep chasms with the bright orange glow of lava at the bottom. VOBER and his crew fall into the chasms, screaming in terror, and are quickly followed by the one transport that failed to engage its repulsorlifts in time. The Transports that managed to take off switch on their afterburners, a desperate move to stay ahead of the shockwave and make it to the RADDUS.
TRANSPORT PILOT 1 (radio)
Keep going! Keep going! We're almost safe!
TRANSPORT PILOT 2 (radio)
This is transport 2! Our engine's too hot! We're not—
TRANSPORT PILOT 2's ship lags behind significantly, and is torn apart by the shockwave, then another Transport's engines fail, then another, and another...
INT – RADDUS COMMAND BRIDGE – SPACE
LEIA puts her hand over her chest, stumbles, and leans against the holotable. Through the Force, she feels the death of every man and woman on D'Qar as she watches the once verdant planet turn into a ball of ash and lava. Every death is a stab in the heart. ACKBAR looks at her, worried.
ACKBAR
Princess...
LEIA
I'll be fine...
She composes herself.
LEIA
[to the sensor operator]
How many transports did we lose?
SENSOR OPERATOR
I've confirmed four of the twelve signals going silent, the rest...
[narrows eyes at his consoles]
IFF confirmed! They're alright! They're alright! ETA six minutes!
KAYDEL
Elson is reporting in! Nav Beta is secure!... wait...
[To Leia]
The Dreadnought is transmitting across all frequencies - it's General Hux!
LEIA
Of course it is... put it through.
HUX [Radio]
Rebels...
EXT – SPACE - HIGH ORBIT OF PLANET D'QAR
TRACK POE DAMERON and his BLACK SQUADRON as they fly through the battle, and it becomes apparent that the sight of D'QAR turning volcanic is demoralizing their fleet. While the RESISTANCE ships are holding the line at great cost, their allies, who are PIRATES, MERCENARIES, or MILITIA, are breaking formation and singled out for destruction by the STAR DESTROYERS and their TIE FIGHTERS. As they do so, HUX keeps transmitting.
HUX [cont'd, off-screen]
You are beaten. Your cowardly assault
on Starkiller Base was all for nothing.
Our numbers are limitless, and the might
of our weapons is matched only by our resolve.
Look upon the world below you as it turns to ash,
and know that all your homeworlds and all your peoples will suffer the
same fate... unless you surrender, and submit
to the mercy and grace of the Supreme Leader!
INT - ECLIPSE COMMAND BRIDGE – SPACE
HUX [cont'd]
You have five minutes to comply.
Hux motions the comms officer to cut the channel.
FELL
You underestimate Organa. She didn't break at Alderaan,
and she certainly won't shed tears for some backwater.
HUX [sneering]
That was then, this is now. Organa is old, and weak...
HUX nods at the holotable, as a handful of MILITIA and MERCENARY warships attempt to break off their engagements and hyperspace away. The radio station picks up their demoralized chatter. HUX smiles.
HUX [cont'd]
She could not hold her pitiful alliance togther,
and now it falls apart before her very eyes.
Her surrender is inevitable.
COMMS OFFICER
General! Incoming hail from the Raddus! It's Organa!
HUX
[to Fell]
See?
[to comms officer]
Patch her through on the holotable.
LEIA, clad in her officer's uniform, appears before FELL and HUX as a hologram. She looks defeated.
FELL [respectfully]
Your Majesty.
HUX
So you come to your senses at last!
Order your ships to stand down, before
I lose patience and show you the real power
of this mighty warship!
LEIA
General Hux, I have received your message, and as the leader
of the Resistance I speak for every man, woman and droid within it
when I say...
BEAT
HUX
Yes?
LEIA
Go kiss a wookie, you snot-nosed, arrogant little boy.
HUX's left eye twitches as he trembles with rage, while FELL suppresses a chuckle.
FELL
That's some surrender.
HUX
It's disintegration, then.
[to the helmsman]
Helm! Keep the prow trained on the Raddus!
[to the gunnery station,]
Target their flagship and FIRE!
FIRST ORDER GUNNERY OFFICER
Sir, we can't fire!
HUX
WHAT?!
FIRST ORDER GUNNERY OFFICER
Our heat sinks are still cooling the main gun!
If we fire now the primary reactor will blow!
HUX
How long is it going to take?!
CUT TO: INT – RADDUS COMMAND BRIDGE – SPACE
SENSOR OPERATOR
Four minutes, based on my readings.
LEIA
Those transports can't go any faster.
We need more time...
ACKBAR
We'll get it.
[to KAYDEL]
Get Commander Dameron and Vice-Admiral
Celchu on the line, plan B is go!
INT - POE DAMERON'S X-WING'S COCKPIT - SPACE
POE
Roger that, plan B is go! Black Leader to
Black Squadron, report booster status!
INT - 'SNAP' WEXLEY's X-WING'S COCKPIT - SPACE
SNAP
Black Two, boosters charged and standing by!
INT - JESS PAVA's X-WING'S COCKPIT - SPACE
JESS
Black Three, standing by!
INT - NIEN NUMB's X-WING'S COCKPIT - SPACE
NIEN NUMB
[in Haya]
Black Four, standing by!
INT - KARÉ KUN'S X-WING'S COCKPIT - SPACE
KARÉ
Black Five, standing by!
INT - C'AI THRENALLI'S X-WING'S COCKPIT - SPACE
C'AI
Black Six, standing by!
INT - POE DAMERON'S X-WING'S COCKPIT - SPACE
POE
Good! Follow my lead and ready your Mag Pulses,
we're taking the Eclipse to the dentist!
Taika, think your boys can keep up with us?
EXT – SPACE - HIGH ORBIT OF PLANET D'QAR
A squadron of nine REFITTED V-WING STARFIGHTERS, painted in various personalized paint jobs, blast their way past some TIE FIGHTERS and form up alongside BLACK SQUADRON.
INT - TAIKA'S COCKPIT - SPACE
TAIKA, a Weequay man clad in the trappings of a space pirate, grins eagerly under his transparent helmet.
TAIKA
Ha! Keep up?! Black Leader, by the time you reach
the dreadnought you'll be choking on my exhaust!
Suddenly, TAIKA's spherical radar readout blinks orange, and twelve pips appear on it.
EXT – SPACE - HIGH ORBIT OF PLANET D'QAR
JESS [Radio]
We've got incoming!
A squadron of TIE/FO FIGHTERS moves in to intercept BLACK SQUADRON and the PIRATES, and just as they reach optimal firing range most of them are quickly shot down by a group of VULTURE-CLASS DROID STARFIGHTERS. TRACK The VULTURES as they come around for another pass at the scattered TIE/FO FIGHTERS, then we PAN up to a PROVIDENCE CLASS CRUISER that has been extensively patched up over the years.
INT - PROVIDENCE BRIDGE - SPACE
A tall tactical droid stands in the center of the bridge, cables running through the back of his head as he micromanages his crew's every task.
KALANI
This is Captain Kalani, Vulture droids
A1 through A10: protect the X-wings at all costs.
VULTURE DROIDS [Radio]
Roger-Roger. Glory to the Free Droids Alliance.
EXT – SPACE - HIGH ORBIT OF PLANET D'QAR
POE [radio]
You heard the clanker, we're clear! Lock S-foils into cruise position...
TRACK the X-wings as their wings close. As they line up towards something? CLOSE UP of an X-wing's rear, modified with a booster. The booster's nozzle begins to glow...
POE [radio]
Go into overdrive on my mark...
CUT TO: The spherical astromech droid, BB8, swivels his head around, and beeps fearfully as it looks at the ECLIPSE.
INT - POE DAMERON'S X-WING'S COCKPIT - SPACE
POE
[aside, to BB8]
Don't worry, buddy. The Force is with us.
[loudly, to the squadron]
...MARK!
EXT – SPACE - HIGH ORBIT OF PLANET D'QAR
The BLACK SQUADRON X-WINGS' boosters light up, sending them forward at triple their normal acceleration. Almost as quickly, both the VULTURE DROIDS AND V-WINGS activate their afterburners. They streak past enemy and allies, X-wings and TIEs, Assault Frigates and Star Destroyers. The squadron clears the melee completely, and we ZOOM OUT to see that they are rapidly crossing the starry void between the ECLIPSE and the cluster of fighting warships.
INT - ECLIPSE COMMAND BRIDGE – SPACE
FIRST ORDER SENSOR OPERATOR
[confused]
Sir? Incoming X-wings and... ships I haven't seen before.
Twenty-eight readings, coming in fast.
Concerned, FELL checks out the readings on the holotable, and recognizes the VULTURE DROIDS.
FELL
Fighter-Bombers. They might be a problem.
Should I send out the Interceptors now?
HUX glances at the holotable and refocuses his attention back to the raging battle hundreds of kilometers in front of the Eclipse.
HUX
[dismissive]
Obsolete machines from a time best forgotten.
Let the flak towers take care of them.
They'll be dead before they can reach torpedo lock range.
EXT – SPACE – DORSAL HULL OF THE ECLIPSE
Twenty gun towers come to life, each equipped with turreted cannons of various sizes. The larger ones fire first, loosing bolts of plasma that burst six kilometers away, forming a curved wall of plasma flak that would dissuade any sane pilot from even approaching the massive capital ships. Of course, POE was not known for his sane flying.
INT - ECLIPSE COMMAND BRIDGE – SPACE
FIRST ORDER SENSOR OPERATOR
They're not slowing down...
HUX
An attack of desperation.
FELL
Wait, how fast are they going?
FIRST ORDER SENSOR OPERATOR
Two-hundred and forty megalights, sir.
At this rate they'll be in torpedo lock range in ten seconds.
HUX
And dead in six.
Fell checks the holotable, and sees the x-wings clustered closely together. Realization dawns on his face.
FELL
...They're giving their torpedoes a boost!
[yelling]
THEY'RE IN RANGE! STOP FIRING! EVASIVE MANEUVERS!
The helmsman, a young man barely out of his teens, freezes in confusion and uncertainty, unable to comprehend the threat. Before he can fire the lateral thrusters...
EXT – SPACE – D'QAR HIGH ORBIT
POE
FIRE MAGPULSES!
In bursts of three, the X-wings fire three salvos of Mag Pulse torpedoes, aimed at the three forward Flak towers of the ECLIPSE. The torpedoes fly past the wall of flak, some of them exploding before they can reach their target. The rest bypass the Eclipse's shields completely, and impact against the gun towers. The electromagnetic pulses of the warheads cause the electronics in the three defense towers to fry, leaving a huge gap in the Flak wall that the resistance squadron takes advantage of. The fighters fly past the disabled towers, and spread out amongst the rest.
POE
Time to pull their teeth! S-foils open! Full power to guns!
WEXLEY[radio]
Remember, don't play chicken with those things!
The fighters begin their strafing runs, and quickly the ECLIPSE loses its point defense coverage as TAIKA's V-WINGS fire impressive barrages upon the First Order's guns. None of them can keep up with POE, who manages to take down four by himself, before firing one last Mag Pulse at the dorsal shield generator.
KALANI
[Radio]
X-wing Bombing run successful.
Attack of opportunity detected.
Vulture droids A1 to A3, arm proton torpedoes,
destroy the Eclipse's bridge.
VULTURES A1, A2 and A3
[Radio]
Roger-Roger.
INT - ECLIPSE COMMAND BRIDGE – SPACE
As HUX rants and raves at the command crew, FELL sees the VULTURES coming and presses a key on his wrist comm.
EXT – SPACE – D'QAR HIGH ORBIT
The VULTURE DROIDS ready their single torpedo launchers. We assume one of the Droids' POV, and see a target lock reticle centered on the ECLIPSE's bridge, quickly shrinking.
VULTURES A1, A2 and A3
Target locked. Firing—
They don't have a chance to fire as MALEK fires his INTERCEPTOR's four wingtip beam cannons. One of the droids explodes, while the rest scatter and are picked off by lances of green light.
VULTURE A3
Error, error, it came from—
A3 is the last to be destroyed.
JESS [radio]
Interceptors! They've launched Interceptors!
SNAP [radio]
Wait, I only see the one!
MALEK outmaneuvers and kills another flight of VULTURES.
SNAP [cont'd]
Who in Malachor is that guy?!
TAIKA [radio]
A dead man! Poe! Drop the buoy! My boys will handle that Interceptor!
INT - ECLIPSE COMMAND BRIDGE – SPACE
HUX points at MALEK's INTERCEPTOR.
HUX [outraged]
Who is that?! I gave no order to launch!
Activate that fighter's self-destruct immediately!
FELL
That interceptor just saved your miserable life, you lunatic!
EXT – SPACE – D'QAR HIGH ORBIT
POE flies his X-WING a kilometer above the Eclipse's dorsal hull. A small hatch on the underside of the fighter opens, revealing a small beacon. The beacon ejects, and activates, signaling LUMI CELCHU's ship to jump in.
INT - ECLIPSE COMMAND BRIDGE – SPACE
FIRST ORDER SENSOR OPERATOR
Captain! Detecting a quantum waveform
above us! Cruiser displacement!
EXT – SPACE – D'QAR HIGH ORBIT
The STORMBLOOD, an MC45 Assault Frigate, hyperspaces in, along with a squadron of Mark II Y-wing light bombers and a flight of H6 medium bombers. Their escorts, a wing of RZ-2 A-wing starfighters led by TALLIE LINTRA, form up on their flank. The STORMBLOOD's side hangars open, making way for four STARFORTRESS heavy bombers.
INT - ECLIPSE COMMAND BRIDGE – SPACE
HUX [enraged]
WHERE ARE THE FIGHTERS?! I NEEDED
THEM LAUNCHED FIVE MINUTES AGO!
Fell glares daggers at Hux.
EXT – SPACE – D'QAR HIGH ORBIT
To meet them, the ECLIPSE (finally) manages to launch a squadron of TIE/FO and SF space superiority fighters, and a wing of TIE/SF INTERCEPTORS. Before the ECLIPSE can launch more, the STORMBLOOD fires its ion cannons on the Dreadnought's dorsal hull, causing hangar malfunctions that expose crews to empty space, Turbolaser servos to lock up, and launch tubes to stay closed.
But something is wrong - we PAN to POE's X-wing and the buoy, and we see that the STORMBLOOD is nowhere near it.
INT - POE DAMERON'S X-WING'S COCKPIT – SPACE
POE
No, no, NO! They misjumped!
The Stormblood's too far!
SNAP [Radio]
The Starfortresses will be cut
to ribbons before they can even fire!
C'AI [Radio, furious]
If we survive this, I'm personally
going to strangle their navigator!
INT - RADDUS' COMMAND BRIDGE - SPACE
KALANI appears as a hologram on the holotable.
KALANI
Our strategy has failed. We will not
destroy the ECLIPSE in time.
We must initiate emergency
hyperspace protocols immediately.
ACKBAR [pleading]
Leia, the boy can still pull it off;
you must have faith in him!
LEIA [grimly]
Navigator, spool up the hyperdrive.
ACKBAR
Leia!
LEIA
[to KAYDEL]
Signal the fleet: Emergency jumps,
rendez-vous at meeting point Alpha
EXT – SPACE – D'QAR HIGH ORBIT
The ECLIPSE's fighters, outnumbering the RESISTANCE bombers and their escorts two-to-one, attempt to swarm the huge, slowly-accelerating T-shaped STARFORTRESS bombers. The STARFORTRESSES manage to keep the TIEs at bay, thanks to their ball turrets outfitted with rapid-fire pulse lasers. The First Order pilots brave enough to evade the laser fire manage to land a few hits on the STARFORTRESSES, managing to take out their flimsy shields but doing nothing against their tough armour. The Resistance pilots are valiant, but the casualties are slowly mounting, and Resistance comms are full of frantic calls for help and enraged cries, until LUMI CELCHU's voice cuts through it all:
LUMI [radio]
This is Vice-Admiral Celchu to Storm Squadron!
We have been ordered to retreat.
All StarFortresses RTB!
All fighters are to blind jump immediately!
POE assists TALLIE in taking out two TIE/SFs chasing her, and she returns the favour by taking out an INTERCEPTOR about to fire at POE.
POE
Storm Squadron! Belay that! We can still take this thing out!
No, we MUST take this thing out!
LUMI [radio]
Black One! You are out of order! Abandon
the attack immediately or I—
INT - POE'S X-WING'S COCKPIT
POE presses a few buttons on his console and tunes out LUMI's signal.
POE
Everyone! Listen to me! You all saw it! The Eclipse is a planet killer, and
we can run and let another Hosnian Prime happen, or we can
be heroes and save billions of lives! Who's with me?!
STORM SQUADRON BOMBER PILOT 1 [radio]
We're with you Poe!
STORM SQUADRON BOMBER PILOT 2 [radio]
Let's make these bastards pay!
STORM SQUADRON BOMBER PILOT 3 [radio]
FOR HOSNIAN PRIME!
INT - STORMBLOOD'S BRIDGE - SPACE
LUMI CELCHU watches as the emboldened RESISTANCE FIGHTERS fight harder than ever, and no one hyperspaces out. She is less than pleased by this, but her ice-cold demeanor hides her anger well.
LUMI
Black Squadron! Storm Squadron! I am ORDERING YOU TO—
STORMBLOOD COMMS OFFICER
Ma'am, our bombers have switched channels. They're not longer listening to us.
LUMI
Curse him! He's committed us to a suicide attack...
STORMBLOOD HELMSMAN
Hyperdrive spooled up, ma'am, ready to jump out on your order.
LUMI seems to struggle as to what to do next for a moment, then:
LUMI
Standby on lightspeed. Gunnery! Keep those ion cannons firing!
Keep the Dreadnought unbalanced for as long as possible!
INT - POE'S X-WING'S COCKPIT
LEIA[Radio, very angrily]
POE! What the hell are you doing you
insane—
POE
Y-wings, get those heat sinks!
EXT – SPACE – D'QAR HIGH ORBIT
At POE's command, the Y-WINGS split off from the StarFortresses at full speed, shooting TIEs with their small turrets. They take a few losses, but they manage to loose their torpedoes at the radiators that line the ECLIPSE's side trenches. Alarm klaxons blare as the hexagonal reactor pit in the middle of the First Order Dreadnought opens up, releasing coolant fumes into the void.
POE [radio]
There's our opening! Everyone, focus on that reactor!
Do as much damage as you—
TAIKA
POE! POE! I could REALLY use your help here!
CUT TO: TAIKA'S painted V-WING as it dodges and weaves around MALEK's autoblaster fire.
TAIKA [radio]
That ace just downed all my boys by himself, and now
he's after me!
MALEK scores a hit.
TAIKA [radio, desperate]
Shields down! I don't know how long I can last!
TALLIE [radio]
I see the ace! He's got friends coming!
POE [radio]
I'll take care of his friends; you go help Taika!
TALLIE [radio]
Roger that!
TALLIE's A-wing afterburns towards MALEK's interceptor, and he disengages from TAIKA to focus on her. MALEK lets TALLIE chase him closely, dodging her blaster shots, and briefly reverses thrust, getting behind her. Computer tones confirm target lock, and he fires a SIDEWINDER-class concussion missile from one of his INTERCEPTOR's missile pods at her. TALLIE attempts to evade the missile by dropping chaff, but it doesn't work. Her only option is to engage her boosters and outfly the missile.
TALLIE [radio]
Got a sidewinder on me! Need to make a getaway!
As TALLIE escapes, MALEK sees POE engage his reinforcements, and watches helplessly as the two INTERCEPTORS's hulls erupt in flames under a barrage of blaster fire from POE's X-wing.
INT- MALEK'S COCKPIT - SPACE
CLOSE UP of MALEK's face, covered by his helmet, with an intense gaze visible through the eye slits.
MALEK
You're going to pay for that, Rebel scum.
INT- POE DAMERON'S COCKPIT - SPACE
CLOSE UP of POE's uncovered face, with a determined smile on it.
POE
Come and get it, Imp.
EXT - D'QAR HIGH ORBIT - SPACE
POE'S X-WING and MALEK'S TIE/SF INTERCEPTOR face each other off, about to play a deadly game of chicken. We can hear them both growl as they come nose to nose, neither of them willing to disengage.
INT- ECLIPSE COMMAND BRIDGE - SPACE
Two dots, one green, one red, fly past one another in the middle of the holotable as FELL, in the background, glares intensely at the hologram of the battle raging just above the ECLIPSE. HUX, in the meantime, barks orders that nobody can really obey.
HUX
ANY AND ALL TURBOLASERS, FIRE AT THE HEAVY BOMBERS!
FIRST ORDER GUNNERY CHIEF
We can't! Their rotors are still glitching!
FELL
Comms! Patch me through to Beta and Gamma flights!
FIRST ORDER COMMS OFFICER
Patching through! You're on, sir!
FELL
Beta, Gamma, focus fire on the outermost STARFORTRESSES.
Dumbfire your missiles at max distance
at their wings and get them to huddle!
BETA LEADER
Understood!
GAMMA LEADER
Roger that, killing locks, preparing to dumbfire...
FELL [to his wrist comm]
Alpha One? Alpha One!
INT- MALEK'S COCKPIT - SPACE
FELL [radio]
Malek! Do you read?
MALEK
I read you! I'm a little busy!
FELL
Get ready to disengage on my mark
and take out that central Starfortress,
just like we practiced on the sims!
MALEK
I've got three aces to deal with!
FELL
Son, have faith: if anyone can do it and save this ship it's you!
Now go full evasive and wait for your cue!
MALEK
...understood, sir.
INT- ECLIPSE COMMAND BRIDGE - SPACE
FIRST ORDER SENSOR OPERATOR
Sir! Starfortresses will be in assault torpedo range in twenty seconds!
HUX
SUPERLASER STATUS!
FIRST ORDER SENSOR OPERATOR
Two minutes!
HUX
No!
[turns to Fell]
Fell, what are you doing?!
FELL
Saving our hides!
EXT - D'QAR HIGH ORBIT - SPACE
The Resistance fleet manages to down another Star Destroyer, clearing the way. The lighter picket ships make their blind jumps while the larger workhorse vessels sync their navigational computers to the RADDUS'. The Transports are still trying to make it to the Raddus's hangar on time. One of them blows an engine, but still accelerates.
TRANPORT PILOT #6 [radio, scared]
Raddus! What's happening?! Why are the corvettes leaving?! Why aren't the hangars open?!
TRANSPORT PILOT #5 [radio, panicking]
Please! Don't leave us! Don't abandon us!
CPT. ELSON [radio]
Elson to transports, don't worry! We're still with you! We're still with you!
INT - RADDUS COMMAND BRIDGE - SPACE
KAYDEL hears this, and looks back at LEIA, unsure what to say next.
KAYDEL
...What do I tell them?
LEIA
Tell them nothing.
[to the helmsman]
Lightspeed.
The RADDUS' mighty hyperdrive begins to hum across the entire ship. The stars on the viewport begin to stretch...
...Only to snap back to normal. The hyperdrive sputters and shuts down.
LEIA
What the hell?!
KAYDEL
Engineering reports the hyperdrive's been sabotaged!
Lightbringer and Vigilance report their hyperdrives are malfunctionning too!
LEIA
How long until they can fix the problem?!
ACKBAR
Not before the Eclipse fires... we're trapped.
LEIA turns to the holotable, and sees BLACK and STORM Squadrons still fighting the ECLIPSE.
LEIA
It's up to them, now...
EXT - D'QAR ORBIT - SPACE
STARFORTRESS 1's PILOT [radio]
We're almost in range! Readying Assault Torpedoes...
Hatches on STARFORTRESS 1's long thick wings open up in the front and back, revealing the massive warheads of capital-class assault proton torpedoes, and their corresponding engine nozzles to prevent the backblast from cooking the inside of the ship.
STARFORTRESS 1's PILOT [radio, cont'd]
Arming warheads...
CUT TO: MALEK gracefully evading POE's blaster barrage. TAIKA and TALLIE join in, putting even more pressure on MALEK by raining red bolts upon him. Despite this, the First Order ace manages to take an opportunistic shot at Jess, who had tried to surprise him from the flank. The autoblaster shots tear past her shield, her engines, and her astromech droid...
POE
Jess!
JESS [panicked, screaming]
EJECTING! EJECTING!
INT- POE'S X-WING'S COCKPIT
POE watches as JESS's cockpit breaks off, microthrusters pushing it away from burning X-wing as it breaks apart. It explodes, but JESS's pod is far away from the blast.
JESS [radio]
I'm okay! I'm okay!
POE [to himself]
That guy's really starting to piss me off.
[to his radio]
Snap! Get her out of here!
SNAP [radio]
On it!
INT - ECLIPSE COMMAND BRIDGE - SPACE
At the holotable FELL waits... and the moment he was looking for arrives.
FELL
[to his wrist comm]
Now.
EXT - D'QAR ORBIT - SPACE
MALEK is galvanized into action, setting his throttle to maximum as he beelines across the battlefield towards the central STARFORTRESS. He makes his INTERCEPTOR spin and twist, firing his lateral thrusters to confuse POE, TALLIE and TAIKA's tracking. Glancing hits are landed, but MALEK doesn't slow down, not even to get out of a H6 BOMBER's way.
POE
Kamikaze! He's going for StarFortress 1! Stop him!
TALLIE
I'm trying!
TAIKA [radio]
Bastard just won't die!
POE [radio]
StarFortresses, you've got an Interceptor packed
with missile pods coming at you fast!
STARFORTRESS 1 [radio]
Roger that, full power to shields.
All turrets, focus on that interceptor!
The StarFortreses' turrets fire a hail of blaster bolts at MALEK...
INT – MALEK'S COCKPIT – SPACE
MALEK's breath becomes louder and more ragged as TALLIE, TAIKA and POE's blaster fire go from controlled bursts to continuous in a desperate attempt to take MALEK out. He presses a few keys on his console, and a screen blinks ALPHA STRIKE – FULL SPREAD in aurebesh. Malek fingers the secondary trigger on his joystick, waits the right time... and pulls it.
EXT- D'QAR ORBIT – SPACE
MALEK'S INTERCEPTOR empties its four missile pods, unleashing a swarm of twenty-three SIDEWINDER concussion missiles. They veer off course, well away from the STARFORTRESSES.
TALLIE
What's he doing?! He can't take them out without— OH, KARK!
Suddenly, MALEK ejects his now empty missile pods, making his ship lighter by tons and therefore even more agile. TALLIE barely dodges one in time, but her left engine is hit, and she loses control. Meanwhile, the turret gunners, panicking at the sight of so many dangerous, agile missiles, begin firing on them, hoping to take them out before they hit their marks.
POE [radio]
He's making cover! Gunners, keep shooting the TIE!
Those missiles aren't going to—
TURRET GUNNER [radio]
Are you nuts?! Ignore him! Take out those missiles!
POE keeps shooting and narrowly missing the Interceptor, and MALEK gets closer to his target...
POE
Taika! Keep firing! Keep firing!
And closer...
TAIKA
My guns are melting, Poe!
I can't keep this up!
The missiles explode, creating a wall of fire. TAIKA panics and veers away. The Turret gunners are utterly confused and stop shooting.
POE's guns run hot. Malek gets closer...
POE
Come on...
POE's guns begin to deform and slag, ruining his accuracy.
POE [desperately]
Gunners!
Shoot him! Shoot him!
GUNNER
We can't see anything!
STARFORTRESS PILOT 1
TORPEDOES HOT, FIR—
MALEK's INTERCEPTOR emerges from the black clouds, trailing wisps of smoke behind him. Time stops as he cuts his twin ion engines, letting the inertia carry him forward while vernier thrusters turn his ship towards STARFORTRESS 1's cockpit. CLOSE UP on one of the interceptors' wingtip beam guns, fully charged and about to fire.
INT - MALEK's COCKPIT - SPACE
CLOSE UP of MALEK's visor, the reflection of the bright orange cross-hair blinking over his right eye.
MALEK
I win.
Malek pulls the trigger.
INT – STARFORTRESS 1 COCKPIT- SPACE
The pilot looks to his right, as a overcharged green lance of light hits the something on the left of the cockpit, hitting nothing important as far as he could tell. He watches as the INTERCEPTOR speeds away, ion engines glowing bright.
STARFORTRESS 1 Pilot [relieved]
Huh. He mi—
And then the ASSAULT TORPEDOES that MALEK did in fact hit explode, killing the pilot immediately. The crew and the gunners have just enough time to scream in agony before the other warheads detonate, obliterating the heavy bomber.
EXT – D'QAR ORBIT – SPACE
The cyan fireball of energized protons expands slowly, and engulfs the other two nearest STARFORTRESSES, whose payloads detonate in turn. The fourth one manages to get away from the blast, only to get ravaged by shrapnel. Its crew section, along with its engine, gets gutted like a fish, spilling people and parts into the void. All fighters, friend and foe alike, attempt to outrun the fireball. Most make it, but are disabled by the shockwave. Others are destroyed by the shrapnel, causing a small Kessler effect.
INT – RADDUS'S BRIDGE
LEIA and ACKBAR hang their heads in defeat.
LEIA [grimly]
We're doomed.
INT – ECLIPSE'S BRIDGE
Fell sees the heavy bombers destroyed and breathes a sigh of relief.
FELL
We're saved.
HUX adjusts his hair, and a drop of sweat flows down the side of his face.
HUX [smugly]
As if there were any doubts.
This ship is invincible.
FELL
Status of the Reactor core?
CREWMAN
Still venting heat. The Y-wing's torpedoes have put
a few dents in the core, but its nothing critical.
FELL
Sitrep on the battle?
FIRST ORDER SENSOR OPERATOR
A handful of friendly and enemy fighters are still engaged, sir.
Their lighter bombers are making blindjumps.
FIRST ORDER COMMS OFFICER
Star Destroyers Galvanizer and Enforcer report
they are still engaged with the Resistance Flagship and request fire support.
HUX
Status of the main gun.
FIRST ORDER GUNNERY CHIEF
Ready in sixty seconds!
HUX
Good. Order the Galvanizer and Enforcer to keep their distance.
Set Superlaser aperture to a three degree spread. We will wipe out the
Resistance fleet in one blast!
EXT – D'QAR ORBIT – SPACE
POE's X-wing's shield emitters short out, illuminating scars on its hull.
INT – POE's COCKPIT – SPACE
POE's head hangs, his face covered in blood. His eyes are shut. BB8 beeps frantically, hoping to wake him up. Suddenly, his eyes snap open, and he takes in the sorry state of the Resistance squadrons. A handful of fighters are still shooting at each other, but its only a matter of time before the ECLIPSE spits out all four of its fighter wings and overwhelms them all.
The STORMBLOOD tries to break off, but it's soaking turbolaser fire. TAIKA makes his blind jump, getting the last laugh on three TIEs, but abandoning his friends.
POE [sighing]
We had to try, buddy.
BB8 beeps sadly.
POE
We did our best... it just wasn't good enough.
Static bursts into his radio.
SNAP [radio, static]
Jess? What are you doing?!
POE
Snap? Snap! Are you still alive?
SNAP [radio]
Jess, don't do it! The radiation will kill you!
POE tries to catch Jess's response, but it's not clear through the static.
POE
BB8? I can't see too good;
can you see what's going on?
BB8's head swivels, scanning space with his big optic. He beeps excitedly. POE sees what looking at: Jess' escape pod just docked with the tumbling STARFORTRESS 4.
EXT – STARFORTRESS 4 COCKPIT.
JESS, her helmet fully closed and a radiological alarm blinking on the side of her helmet's visor, pulls out the dead pilot of the ruined cockpit and floats into his seat, pushing past floating shards of transparent plastic and twisted metal. She tries to switch on the ship's HUD and holo-displays, and succeeds after giving the computer a few kicks.
SNAP [radio]
Jess, don't do this! This is crazy!
KARÉ [radio]
You've got no engines!
JESS
You're wrong.
The flickering displays show the STARFORTRESS's payload's status. All missiles read fully armed and operational. Jess presses each of the holographic missiles, overriding safeties and triggering their mag clamps.
JESS
I've got twelve.
JESS presses the joystick's secondary trigger, launching all the missiles. The mag clamps hold fast, keeping them inside the ship as the backblast propels it forward. The acceleration is powerful but turbulent, and JESS has to keep the verniers firing to make sure it stays on target: The ECLIPSE's reactor pit.
INT – ECLIPSE COMMAND BRIDGE
FIRST ORDER SENSOR OPERATOR
STARFORTRESS! COMING IN HOT!
FELL
Alpha One! Intercept kamikaze, now!
HUX
FIRE EVERYTHING!
EXT – D'QAR ORBIT
MALEK is just about to finish TALLIE off when he hears his father's warning. He immediately spots STARFORTRESS 4 and makes a bee line for it.
INT – POE'S COCKPIT
POE watches in horror as JESS evades turbolasers against all odds only to see MALEK's interceptor move in for the kill. He quickly restarts his X-wing, the engines struggling to rev up.
POE
BB8, can you give me guns, missiles, anything?
BB8 beeps frantically.
POE
Slower beeps! What DO we have, then?!
BB8 keeps beeping, and the booster gauge and hyperdrive readouts light up.
POE
Okay, I can work with that.
EXT – D'QAR ORBIT
BLACK SQUADRON valiantly attempts to keep enemy TIES off JESS's back long enough for her to get a good angle to loose the torpedoes. A Gunner inside STARFORTRESS 4 wakes up, and manages to down a TIE before dying from his wounds.
INT - MALEK's COCKPIT
MALEK approaches, lines up a shot at the ruined STARFORTRESS 4's cockpit, and manages to fire a short burst before a loud thud echoes through the hull and he suddenly veers out of control.
MALEK
What?!
POE [radio]
STILL ALIVE, SCUMBAG!
EXT – D'QAR ORBIT
ZOOM IN on POE's X-wing and MALEK's Interceptor, their wings interlocked as they spin out of control, their verniers pumping out plasma plumes as MALEK tries to wrestle his ship away, but it's no use – the s-foils are closing tight. POE makes a rude gesture at MALEK as BB8 pops out of his Astromech slot and clamps on POE's cockpit with his magnetic harpoons. The X-wing's cockpit breaks off, and the hyperdrive spools up. MALEK screams impotently as he is dragged along the blind hyperspace jump.
POE [radio]
And so long!
NIEN NUMB
[in Haya, radio]
Someone get Poe's pod!
TALLIE [radio]
On it! On it!
POE [radio]
Jess, you've got a perfect angle at the core!
Cut the torpedoes loose!
Jess doesn't respond.
POE [radio]
Jess? Jess! Do you read me!
EXT – STARFORTRESS 4's COCKPIT
Jess is wounded. Two of the autoblaster shots had hit close, causing slag to pierce her leg. One of the autoblaster shots managed to graze her suit, letting the cosmic radiation in. She goes in and out of unconsciousness, and POE's pleas in her helmet's speakers gets her to focus on her situation. She's still lined up with the reactor; all she had to do now was disengage the mag clamps on the torpedoes and they would win. She tries just that. It doesn't work.
She sees the engine light go green, and she laughs.
JESS
Oh, that's just perfect. [gasps] Now? Really?
POE [radio]
Jess! Jess! Cut them loose and bail out,
Snap's ready to pick you up!
JESS [coughs]
Everyone? Anyone...anyone, do you hear me?
I need you guys to do me a favour, okay?
Tell my sister...
CARÉ
You'll tell her yourself, okay? Bail out!
JESS
Tell her I love her with all my heart...
Jess sets the throttle to maximum, and speeds up towards the core. She takes more fire.
JESS
And that I'm sorry...
Missiles and blaster shots hit the STARFORTRESS, but it earns its name, soaking up blast after blast until finally the entire cabin ignites and bathes JESS in fire. Her pained cries echo across the battle through every radio in the Resistance Fleet, and every rebel watches somberly as the heavy bomber, now a small comet of plasma, slowly sinks into the Reactor pit...
INT – ECLIPSE COMMAND BRIDGE
FELL
ALL HANDS BRACE FOR IMPACT!
EXT – D'QAR ORBIT
THE ECLIPSE'S insides erupt into flames. Thick armour plates fly off, ejecting thousands of First Order crewmen and fighters and empty escape pods.
POE, his pod clamped on TALLIE's underside, watches the Eclipse explode, his expression weary. TALLIE flies her A-wing and forms up on BLACK SQUADRON and what remains of the Droid fighters and Storm Squadron.
POE
Jess did it... She saved the Resistance.
NIEN NUMB
[in Haya, radio]
The Force was with her, and now...
TALLIE
Hyperdrive is go... Blue Squadron, let's get out of there.
CARÉ
Wait... wait, something's wrong.
That explosion should have be bigger.
Suddenly, the Eclipse's flames go out.
INT – RADDUS' COMMAND BRIDGE
The command crew had been rattled and shaken off their seats, and HUX was scrambling to get up while FELL tends to a wounded crewman. All around them consoles are erupting in showers of sparks, and some of the crew are putting out fires with extinguishers. The entire room is lit by emergency lighting and flickering displays.
HUX [livid]
STATUS REPORT!
CREWWOMAN
Primary core is down! Bulkheads are sealed,
Death Star protocols are engaged and damage is contained!
Secondary fuel cells are coming online!
HUX [still livid]
GUNNERY!
The gunnery officer doesn't respond, and HUX sees him unconscious at his post.
HUX [still very livid]
Up to my ARMPITS in incompetence!
HUX scrambles up to Gunnery and sees that the weapon is ready to fire. He raises his fist gloriously...
HUX [rapturously]
FOR THE FIRST ORDER!
… and brings it down upon a big red holographic button.
EXT – D'QAR ORBIT
The Eclipse's armored prow opens to reveal the superlaser aperture once more, revealing the glow of the superlaser, and the growing sphere of energy inside...
TALLIE [radio]
Oh, no... no not like this, it can't all have been for nothing...
A cone of green light emerges, bathing the entire Resistance fleet in energy particles. The heat isn't quite enough to destroy everything, but it soon would be.
CARÉ [radio]
Somebody fire a torpedo at its mouth!
Or-or a hand blaster, a kriffing rock! Anything!
C'AI [Radio]
It would take a miracle to save the fleet now!
INT – CHISS WARSHIP'S BRIDGE
A man stands in shadow as Chiss crewmen calmly go about their duties. Having observed the battle since the beginning, he gives the order that will change the fate of the Galaxy.
CHISS CAPTAIN [calmly]
Fire.
EXT – D'QAR ORBIT
From a far point above the fleeing Stormblood as it clears enough ion interference to make its blind jump, we see a flash of light, and we track a glinting ray of metal as it flashes across space. It hits the ECLIPSE's prow from above, and under several gigatons of kinetic energy its armour and structure buckles like so much paper before exploding. With the aperture unable to contain the energy, the cone of light vanishes, and the sphere of light begins to slowly expands, devouring the prow, and slowly, the ship.
INT – RADDUS' COMMAND BRIDGE
RADDUS FLIGHT CONTROLLER [elated]
Transports are in! All are accounted for!
KAYDEL [hopeful]
Engineering reports hyperdrive is ready to go!
ACKBAR
[to himself]
They've done it. They've really done it.
Get us out of here. Now!
INT – ECLIPSE'S COMMAND BRIDGE
HUX's expression of pure rapture vanishes, replaced with utter despair as the Resistance fleet escapes and the sphere of energy approaches him...
HUX
No... no, this isn't fair.
Behind him, FELL moves quickly to a nearby wall, smashes a glass panel surrounded by red metal, pulls out a metal cylinder, turns it, and pushes it back in just before the Eclipse's bridge disappears into the light. The Eclipse was gone, utterly annihilated by its own weapon.
Against all odds, the Resistance had just won a victory. A costly one, but a victory nonetheless.
INT – CHISS WARSHIP'S BRIDGE
The Chiss have a reputation of being one of the most technologically advanced civilization of the galaxy, and while the machinery that surround The CHISS CAPTAIN and the EXECUTIVE OFFICER is just as utilitarian as the empire, it looks definitely more modern, dominated with holographic haptic displays and chairs designed to accomodate cybernetic interfaces. The two officers confer over their own version of the holotable, with a spherical display set up to observe the aftermath of the recent battle.
CHISS EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Humans. Such mad creatures. The odds were not in their favour
and yet they still attempted that suicidal bombing run.
CHISS CAPTAIN
And technically, they succeeded.
CHISS EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Only with our help.
CHISS CAPTAIN
Give them some credit. We merely... hastened the inevitable.
The heat from the core was already melting the ship, after all.
CHISS EXECUTIVE OFFICER
What happens now?
The Chiss Captain approaches the globe, and its blue light illuminates the aged, scarred face of THRAWN.
THRAWN
Now? Now, my dear commander S'jet,
we send our report back to Command. Once they've seen
what the Resistance is capable of, they will be easier to convince of the plan.
EXECUTIVE OFFICER S'JET
The plan?
THRAWN
The plan to rally the Resistance.
To rebuild it, improve it, enhance it...
and with that weapon in hand we will slowly,
but surely destroy the First Order, ship by ship, crew by crew...
Every man, woman, and yes, even child.
S'JET
And if they don't approve of
your revenge, Thrawn? What then?
THRAWN smiles confidently at S'JET, turns away, and steps back into the shadows.
THRAWN
Dump the railgun's heat and
engage stealth systems.
We will stalk the Raddus until Command sends a response.
S'JET
Understood.
THRAWN stops for a moment, recalling something.
THRAWN
Oh, and one last thing: signal Omega-1 that her request is granted.
Her great interest in that X-wing pilot appears to be quite warranted.
TRACK S'JET's gaze as he looks at a holographic bust of POE DAMERON.
SMASH TO BLACK.
END OF EPISODE 1
PREVIEW of EPISODE 2
EXT. AHCH-TO ISLAND – STONE STRUCTURES - DAY
On an island on the remote planet of Ahch-To, a girl named REY, who had trekked across entire star-cluster following a star-map to this place, approaches a robed man standing in a clearing of rock and grass. He notices her, and pulls back the hood on his robe to reveal his face. Despite never meeting him before, REY feels she recognizes him. This is LUKE SKYWALKER.
He is much older than she expected, white haired and bearded. He looks at Rey with a confused kindness in his eyes. He doesn't ask her who REY is, or what she's doing here. Rey assumes it's because he already knows.
She pulls something out of her ruck-sack: a metal cylinder of chrome, long as two hand spans. This is ANAKIN SKYWALKER'S LIGHTSABER, once wielded by LUKE against DARTH VADER in the depths of Bespin Cloud City.
LUKE stares down at the weapon of a bygone age for a moment, then back to REY. The girl smiles, and eagerly awaits his response, no doubt a revelation, or a pearl of wisdom, or...
LUKE [confused]
What is this?
REY's expression falls, as she realizes something terrible. Old age had ravaged LUKE's mind. He had forgotten everything.
Everything.
COMING SOON:
STAR WARS: THE WAR FOR THE OUTER RIM
EPISODE 2:
THE SIRENS OF AHCH-TO
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