EPISODE IV: TARGET PRACTICE

 

 

 

 

 

 

“STAR WARS: HEROES OF DESTINY

EPISODE IV: TARGET PRACTICE”

by

JIM COOK

BASED ON A STORY BY MICHAEL ROMANOWSKI & CO.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JAMESJCOOK3RD@GMAIL.COM

HTTP://STAR-WARS-HEROES-OF-DESTINY.BLOGSPOT.COM

TWITTER: @JIMCOOKJIMCOOK

FADE IN

EXT. SPACE

We see a field of stars. As the theme music plays, words CRAWL across the blackness.

CRAWL

The Dancing Star, having narrowly escaped an attack by a lone fighter, now rests in the desert, her crew making repairs, plans, and preparations.

EXT. DUNE SEA – DAY

The WOMP RAT is a huge, mangy thing, two-and-a-half meters long, very lean, and hungry looking. MSDB 14-ALPHA steadies his blaster rifle, and takes careful aim.

SCOPE VIEW

The womp rat is visible through the heat shimmer coming off the sand. The cross hair adjusts slightly… The magnified view shows the creature is holding a large, torn hung of flesh in its paws, taking quick bites, warily watching for others who might want to steal its snack. A shape in green ink is just barely visible on the skin of the rat’s food.

EXT. DUNE SEA – DAY

The blaster rifle flashes and kicks, sending a bolt toward the womp rat. The rat SCREAMS and staggers for a moment before dropping to the ground. A large, heat blackened hole in the side of its carcass smokes in the still desert air.

TOVI ZAHN

Good shot!

MSDB 14-ALPHA

Thank you, Master Tovi.

Tovi takes the rifle from the droid, and lays it back into the crate of old E-5 blaster rifles provided by their employers. He grabs another and hands it to MSDB 14-Alpha The rifle is quickly stripped down, examined for damage and defect, and reassembled.

The droid brings the rifle up, aims at the dead rat, and hesitates.

MSDB 14-ALPHA

Master Tovi, the meat that animal was eating seems to be marked with a tattoo. It could be a stock brand for a domesticated animal, but the skin appears to be human.

TOVI ZAHN

Let’s check it out.

The young Togruta and the droid walk across the burning sand to the carcass of the rat. In the heat it is already starting to putrefy. The smell of dead flesh and smoking hair is very strong. Various insects are already buzzing around the body.

The droid reaches down and pries the marked flesh from the dead animal’s paws. He holds it up to Tovi, showing him a green tattoo of a stylized Krayt Dragon.

Tovi’s comlink BEEPS. He keys it on.

RENEE MARKOV (O.S.)

Time to bring it in, you two. The suns are setting and I’d rather have everyone inside for the night.

TOVI ZAHN

(into comlink)

We were just about to pack up the crate and bring you something to see… you may not like it very much.

WIPE TO

INT. DANCING STAR LOUNGE

KOYI’UNA SEROOL is working over a computer terminal intently, and doesn’t acknowledge when MYKAR ROSHENK enters.

MYKAR ROSHENK

What’cha working on?

KOYI’UNA SEROOL

Just fiddling with this code cylinder you found on the guy you killed.

Mykar looks abashed.

MYKAR ROSHENK

If I had bothered to strip him down, I’d have found that dragon tattoo on him.

KORI’UNA SEROOL

You should just be thankful that this planet is home to helpful vermin.

Mykar gestures toward the code cylinder hooked up to the computer.

MYKAR ROSHENK

14-Alpha couldn’t crack this, right? What makes you think you can do any better?

KOYI’UNA SEROOL

Nothing, I suppose. Whoever encoded this data certainly went out of their way to make sure it wasn’t read by the wrong people. I was able to find this, though.

Koyi’una strikes a few keys, and one line of code on the display is highlighted.

Mykar leans forward and examines the characters intently.

MYKAR ROSHENK

It’s the name of a ship. The Rand Ecliptic, have you ever heard of her?

KOYI’UNA SEROOL

She’s listed as an Imperial frigate assigned to the Outer Rim Territories.

Suddenly, and alarm BUZZES through the ship.

MYKAR ROSHENK

That’s the proximity alarm. There’s a ship incoming

RENEE MARKOV (o.S.)

(via ship’s comm)

Looks like trouble, everyone. Arm yourselves and get to emergency stations.

INT. DANCING STAR BRIDGE

DELOR SEROOL is powering up the ship’s weapons. Tovi at the systems operator console is busily working his controls.

TOVI ZAHN

Shields are up.

Kori’una peers out the viewport.

KOYI’UNA SEROOL

It looks like an airspeeder.

TOVI ZAHN

Sensors show it as a T-16 Skyhopper, coming in fast, weapons hot!

MYKAR ROSHENK

We can’t lift off. The engines are exposed. The droids and I have been trying to run new duct work to vent plasma away from the damaged hull plating.

RENEE MARKOV

Doesn’t matter now, he’s nearly on top of us.

EXT. DUNE SEA – DAY

The SKYHOPPER ROARS over the grounded freighter, plasting away with its gun, missing.

It circles around to begin another attack run.

INT. DANCING STAR BRIDGE

RENEE MARKOV

I guess negotiations are off the table.

EXT. DANUE SEA – DAY

The Skyhopper fires again. Crimson bolts from the gun causing cyan flares on the shields. The shields hold, and the Dancing Star returns fire.

The Skyhopper is untouched, and turns once again to make another attack run.

INT. DANCING STAR BRIDGE

RENEE MARKOV

Who taught you how to shoot, Delor! Try to actually hit him next time.

DELOR SEROOL

(annoyed grunt)

The ship shudders and shakes from the pounding she’s taking. One of the overhead lighting units bursts into sparks, and smoke pours out.

TOVI ZAHN

Shields are holding… barely.

Delor pulls his trigger, firing back at the attacking speeder. The fire control system shows his shots going wide.

DELOR SEROOL

Shut up! I know what I’m doing!

Delor tracks his guns around, lining up the targeting cursor on the fire control monitor with the Skyhopper. He pulls the trigger but none of the bolts hit the mark.

EXT. DUNE SEA – DAY

The Skyhopper flashes overhead again, dodging more shots from the Dancing Star’s weapon.

INT. SKYHOPPER COCKPIT

The PILOT’s hands skillfully maneuver his control stick, and his fingers pull the trigger.

EXT. DUNE SEA – DAY

Blasts from the Skyhopper’s weapon rip into the Dancing Star. Smoke and sparks rise from the hull.

INT. DANCING STAR ENGINEERING COMPARTMENT

Equipment sparks and smokes. Mykar and the DROIDS are working feverishly to contain the damage.

MYKAR ROSHENK

(into ship’s comm)

WE can’t take much more of this! The shields have almost had it!

DELOOR SEROOL (O.S.)

(via ship’s comm)

I’ve got this, dammit! Now be quiet, all of you!

EXT. DUNE SEA – DAY

The Dancing Star’s weapons, under Delor’s control, continue blasting away at the airspeeder. The Pilot of the Skyhopper is just too good at anticipating the pattern of fire, and avoids each shot. The smaller craft returns fire, hitting the grounded ship again, causing her to nearly flip off her landing gear.

INT. DANCING STAR BRIDGE

An alarm on Tovi’s panel WAILS.

TOVI ZAHN

There go the shields!

RENEE MARKOV

(into ship’s comm)

Mykar, we need the shields back up!

Delor stares intently at the fire control and targeting monitor. His tongue sticks out past his lips, his concentration evident on his face. He lines up his shot carefully.

DELOR SEROOL

(to himself)

Come on, you bastard… come on…

He pulls the trigger.

ext. dune sea – day

The Dancing Star’s guns fire.

Crimson bolts leap into the sky.

The Skyhopper blossoms into a bright red fireball.

Debris rains down across the desert.

INT. DANCING STAR BRIDGE

Silence reigns aboard the ship momentarily… until Koyi’una looks over Tovi’s shoulder.

KOYI’UNA SEROOL

More contacts heading this way!

 

RENEE MARKOV

Speeders?

 

TOVI ZAHN

Negative. Surface contacts, closing quickly. Six contacts, bearing two four three, thirty three hundred meters.

 

KOYI’UNA SEROOL

They are closing fast. Probably swoops.

 

DELOR SEROOL

We won’t have much luck engaging them with the ship’s guns.

 

RENEE MARKOV

Fair enough. Everyone, arm yourselves and meet me up on the dorsal hull. We’ll meet them gun-for-gun, and home for the best.

EXT. DUNE SEA – EVENING

The crew stands atop the hull of the Dancing Star. They huddle as best they can among the equipment housings. Sand and grit cover everything, and the wind picks up, blowing it around.

The WHINE of swoop engines gets closer.

MSDB 14-ALPHA

Master, I can engage them now, if you wish.

TOVI ZAHN

Not yet. Let them make the first move.

Moments later the fast moving dots approaching from the deep desert resolve themselves as individual swoops. The riders are masked, dressed in leathers, and have their weapons ready.

They come closer, rapidly closing the distance.

The riders begin firing. Blaster bolts sparkle in the desert twilight.

One of the bolts grazes Koyi’una’s lekku. She SNARLS in pain and anger, and drops to the ship’s hull.

The crew of the Dancing Star’s crew begins returning fire.

One of Delor’s shots catches a swoop, causing it to disintegrate into a fireball. The other riders continue on toward the ship.

DELOR SEROOL

Here they come!

The remaining swoops continue to attack. None of the crew speaks. There is only the exchange of blaster fire between the two sides.

Renee aims carefully at one of the riders and shoots. He hits his target in the belly, sending a corpse sprawling on the sands. The swoop goes tumbling across the flat desert, trailing flames, smoke, and sparks.

Mykar braces his heavy blaster pistol against an engine housing, and fires at a rider. His bolt catches the thug, ventilating his chest, causing him to slump over the control bars of his swoop. The vehicle goes off course, heading out into the desert on a death ride.

The surviving riders wheel and return the way they came, amid a hail of blaster bolts.

DELOR SEROOL

Koyi’una! Are you alright?

KOYI’UNA SEROOL

I’ll live.

Delor begins to apply burn gel to his sister’s singed head tail

TOVI ZAHN

They’ll be back, you can count on it.

RENEE MARKOV

You’re probably right. How soon until the ‘Star is air worthier, Mykar?

MYKAR ROSHENK

An hour, maybe two. We got shot up pretty bad. I can’t make you any promises, Renee!

RENEE MARKOV

Just do the best you can, Mykar.

Koyi’una winces a bit, and lets out a HISS of pain as her brother continues to apply the burn gel.

RENEE MARKOV

You alright?

KOYI’UNA SEROOL

Like I said, I’ll live.

TOVI ZAHN

We need to set up a defensive perimeter, extend the range of our sensors, and improve their ability to pick up ground targets. The way things are now, we’re just fresh meat on the fire.

Renee twitches his facial tendrils in a display of humorless Khil laughter.

RENEE MARKOV

I’ve already thought of that, actually. Grab your field kit, kid. You and I are going for a little ride.

CLOCKWISE WIPE CUT TO

EXT. DUNE SEA – EVENING

An old, beat up Aratech speeder bike ZOOMS across the desert. Renee Markov is at the controls, with Tovi Zahn hanging on behind.

TOVI ZAHN

(yelling over engine noise)

What are we doing, exactly?

RENEE MARKOV

(over shoulder)

These canyons are too steep and windy for our sensors to get a good reading. I want to set up a top of that tall spire. Once we get up there, we’ll be able to keep watch on everything for kilometers all around.

 TOVI ZAHN

(yelling over engine noise)

What if we run into Sand People?

RENEE MARKOV

(over shoulder)

You have a blaster, right? If you see one, shoot him…and any friends he might have with him!

EXT. TOP OF PEAK – EVENING

Tovi and Renee are on top of a rocky peak, about ten kilometers from the Dancing Star. There is a beautiful view; the surrounding desert for many kilometers in all directions is presented for viewing pleasure.

Renee pulls out a pair of electro-binoculars and begins to carefully scan the surrounding canyons, arroyos, and desert.

Tovi shields his eyes against the twin lowering suns’ glare, and peers into the distance also.

TOVI ZAHN

What are we looking for?

RENEE MARKOV

Anything out of the ordinary. I don’t… Wait. Look there.

Tovi takes the electro-binoculars proffered by Renee.

BINOCULAR VIEW

Long columns of bantha-mounted SAND PEOPLE, riding single file through the desert to hide their numbers head toward the peak.

EXT. TOP OF PEAK – EVENING

RENEE MARKOV

Damn! There must be two hundred of them down there, and they are headed this way. At the rate they are going, they will be at the village in two hours.

TOVI ZAHN

They will be on top of us in half that time.

A blaster bolt strikes a rock next to Renee, splitting it into a thousand pieces with a CRASH.

RENEE MARKOV

…or maybe even faster.

Renne and Tovi turn around, raising their hands in the air. A trio of Sand People stand at the edge of the escarpment. Two are armed with blaster rifles and Gaffi sticks.

The one in the middle is huge; a giant almost, tall and strongly built. Around its neck is a cord from which dangle Human fingers. Some fresh, some desiccated and nearly mummified. This is OLD FANG.

Old Fang and Tovi stare at each other, Old Fang’s eyes invisible beneath his mask, but Tovi’s show a feral intensity.

RENEE MARKOV

Listen, friend, we don’t want any trouble. We are just here long enough to fix our ship, then we go home. WE are stocked with trade goods, we could give you gifts. A peace offering! Maybe you’d like to see…

Old Fang, keeping his wrapped and masked gaze on Tovi, casually raises his hand toward Renee.

The Khil captain goes tumbling backward, as if struck by a hammer blow. He lays on the ground, GASPING and GURGLING. He COUGHS, and his lips are flecked with bloody foam.

Old Fang, with his attention focused on Tovi, reaches into his robe with his other hand. He slowly removes a silver cylinder with a black grip. At the press of a button, there is a SNAP-HISS and a green blade of light appears, HUMMING.

FLASHBACK

INT. DANCING STAR LOUNGE

Tovi is walking through the crew lounge of the Dancing Star. He drops his kit bag, spilling the contents. A cylinder, silver with a black grip, rolls across the deck. The other crew members all see it rolling, and Tovi’s nervous scramble to recover it. All have the look of recognition for this object. It is an elegant weapon from a more noble time. The hilt of a Lightsaber, the weapon of a Jedi Knight.

The members of the crew turn their eyes away, back to what they were doing. All save Renee, who stares into Tovi’s eyes.

END FLASHBACK

OLD FANG

I have much to teach you, young one…if you are willing to learn. Will you join me?

TOVI ZAHN

Yes.

Tovi walks away from Renee, leaving him still GASPING for air. Old Fang now turns his attention to Markov.

The now obviously masked Human lowers his hand, seemingly releasing Renee from under a great weight. Renee’s hands go immediately to press against his ribs, but his breathing is suddenly easier.

OLD FANG

You will leave this place, Outlander. Leave my desert. Never come back to the Dune Sea. If I see you on the sand again, it will mean your death.

Old Fang shuts down his lightsaber and walks away, joined by his Tusken companions and Tovi.

Renee Markov is left alone, in the gloom, on top of the peak, listening to the soft footsteps fade away across the desert.

FADE OUT