Okay, now I’m bored and I need something to get exercised about. I won’t see Indy 4 until it’s on DVD (not because I don’t think I’ll like it), so not much to rag on there. Except whenever Lucas gives an interview at a movie premiere.

Anyway, I’ve cracked open the ROTS script and I’m looking at what I need to do just to get started. There’s a lot of “dang it, why wasn’t this in the movie!” and I’ve only begun doing the opening scene.

No promises on a schedule. Only soon.

It’s April and still no shredding of ROTS? What gives? Mostly laziness and not wanting to slog through the script so soon after AOTC. I think this one deviates from its last draft more than the others. For instance, in the draft the opening scene was much longer and had much more dialog, some of which is fairly decent. And Vaderkin said more than “NOOOOOO!!!!!!” But it only makes him sound like a bigger whiny baby than he already is.

I’m holding off on doing anything until I update software across the entire site. There are some problems with the new Wordpress update, so I’ll probably wait for a fix to come out, which might be as early as next week.

EXT: SPACE - CORUSCANT

Count Dooku’s sailship approaches Coruscant’s night side. As the ship descends, the sails collapse and retract.

I don’t know why, but for some reason I feel the sail should be behind the ship. Weird.

EXT: CORUSCANT, OLD TOWN - DAWN

Dooku’s ship glides past glittering towers and industrial complexes into a deserted, dilapidated part of Coruscant. It heads for one of the towers. A door lifts, and the ship enters the building and lands.

INT: CORUSCANT, SECRET LANDING PLATFORM - DAWN

The ramp lowers. Dooku emerges and walks to where the hooded figure of DARTH SIDIOUS has come out to meet him. He bows.

COUNT DOOKU: The Force is with us, Master Sidious.

DARTH SIDIOUS: Welcome home, Lord Tyranus. You have done well.

They turn and leave the ship.

COUNT DOOKU: I have good news for you, my Lord. The war has begun.

DARTH SIDIOUS: Excellent. Everything is going as planned.

EXT: CORUSCANT, JEDI TEMPLE - SUNSET

The temple basks in the red glow of the setting sun.

INT: JEDI TEMPLE, COUNCIL CHAMBER - SUNSET

Obi-Wan and Mace stand at a window gazing at the cityscape.

OBI-WAN: Do you believe what Count Dooku said about Sidious controlling the Senate? It doesn’t feel right.

YODA: (O.S) Joined the Dark Side Dooku has.

Yoda is seated in the chamber’s only chair.

YODA: (Con’t) Hmm…lies, deceit, creating mistrust are his ways now.

MACE WINDU: Nevertheless, I feel we should keep a closer eye on the Senate.

YODA: I agree.

MACE WINDU: (To Obi-Wan) Where is your apprentice?

OBI-WAN: On his way to Naboo, escorting Senator Amidala home.

Have you been watching the movie, Obi-Wan?!

OBI-WAN: (Con’t) I have to admit that without the clones, it would not have been a victory.

YODA: (O.S.) Victory?

Obi-Wan and Mace turn and looks at the sad little Jedi.

YODA: Victory, you say? (Shaking his head) Master Obi-Wan, not victory. The shroud of the Dark Side has fallen. Begun, the Clone War has.

EXT: CORUSCANT, MILITARY STAGING AREA, BALCONY - SUNSET

Tens of Thousands of clone troops are drawn up in strict formation or move forward in neat files to climb the ramps of the Assault Ships.

Palpatine, Bail Organa, Mas Amedda and other dignitaries stand looking down at the square below. Everyone watches somberly as, in the square, loaded Assault Ships take off. The sky above is thick with transports.

Looks to me that Palpy wants to say “they’re mine, they’re mine, they’re ALL MINE!!!” so badly.

Bail Organa bows his head at the sight and in grim resignation lightly punches edge of the balcony with a closed fist.

EXT: NABOO LAKE RETREAT, GARDEN - LATE DAY

In an arbor overlooking the sparkling lake, Anakin and Padmé stand before a NABOO HOLY MAN. He blesses the happy couple and leaves as they clasp hands. Anakin’s right hand is replaced by a golden prosthetic one. They kiss. Threepio and Artoo stand by, watching. Anakin and Padmé turn to look at the lake.

IRIS OUT.

And after many fits and starts, this journey through CGI Land comes to a merciful end. What’s next? Why, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith of course. It’s not quite as bad as AOTC, but that’s like saying botulism isn’t quite as bad as salmonella!

This Sith will be celebrating the holidays, but come 2008 I’ll be back to dissect ROTS with a rusty scalpel. Or sooner if I get bored.

INT: GEONOSIS, SECRET HANGAR - LATE DAY

Count Dooku increases the tempo of his attack. Obi-Wan is pushed to the limit to defend himself. Dooku presses. The two lock sabers. Obi-Wan strains to push Dooku’s blade away. Dooku grins and flashes his blade, quickly wounding Obi-Wan in the shoulder, then the thigh. Obi-Wan cries out and falls. His lightsaber goes skittering across the floor.

And Obi gets taken out of the fight early. Might become a habit.

Count Dooku waves his lightsaber with a flourish. Anakin sees what he is about to do. Dooku raises his lightsaber for the final blow. Obi-Wan looks up at him helplessly. Anakin leaps across the room with saber activated. Dooku’s lightsaber flashes down and CLASHES against Anakin’s lightsaber. Dooku and Anakin stare eye to eye.

COUNT DOOKU: Brave of you, boy. But I would have thought you had learned your lesson.

Obi-Wan stretches his hand out toward his lightsaber. It returns to his grasp.

ANAKIN: I am a slow learner.

I had a snarky remark for this, but Anakin beat me to it and dissed his own self.

Anakin backs off.

OBI-WAN: Anakin!

Obi-Wan tosses his lightsaber to Anakin. With two lightsabers, Anakin attacks. Count Dooku parries and ripostes. It’s no contest. Anakin is driven back. Dooku slices one lightsaber in half. Anakin retreats, slicing a power cable on the floor and plunging part of the chamber in darkness. Nothing can be seen except the glowing blades and their light as they illuminate the combatants’ faces. They mirror each other’s moves as the battle brings them back into the light.

Finally, Count Dooku, in one flashing move, sends Anakin’s arm, cut off at the elbow, flying, still gripping his lightsaber. He uses the Force to push Anakin across the room. He comes to rest against Obi-Wan, unconscious. Dooku heaves a hard breath and shuts down his lightsaber.

He hears footsteps approaching and turns at the sound. Shuffling into the chamber, grunting with every step, is the diminutive figure of Yoda.

COUNT DOOKU: Master Yoda.

Yoda stops, resting his hands on top of his walking stick.

YODA: Count Dooku.

COUNT DOOKU: You have interfered with our affairs for the last time.

Count Dooku raises his hand and pulls pieces of machinery off the walls and hurls them at the tiny figure of the Jedi Master. Yoda drops his stick and deflects the machinery. Count Dooku then causes great boulders in the ceiling above Yoda to fall, and again, Yoda deflects the
boulders and throws them aside.

YODA: Powerful you have become, Dooku. The Dark Side I sense in you.

COUNT DOOKU: I’ve become more powerful than any Jedi. Even you.

Dooku raises his hand and unleashes Force lightning. Yoda deflects it back. Dooku quickly deflects it off into a wall. The Count tries again, and Yoda holds out his hand against it. The energy goes off in all directions, having no effect. Dooku stops and reaches for his lightsaber.

YODA: Much to lean you still have.

COUNT DOOKU: It is obvious that this contest cannot be decided by our knowledge of the Force…

Dooku activates his saber.

COUNT DOOKU: (Con’t) …but by our skills with a lightsaber.

Count Dooku whirls his lightsaber in a formal salute. Yoda draws his lightsaber from his belt with the Force and ignites it. Suddenly, Count Dooku leaps across the space at Yoda. He rains down blows upon the tiny figure. Yoda doesn’t budge an inch. For the first part of the contest, he parries every cut and thrust that Count Dooku aims. Nothing the great swordsman tries gets through. His energy drains. His strokes become feeble, slower.

Yoda attacks! He flies forward. Count Dooku is forced to retreat. Words are insufficient to describe the range and skill of Yoda’s speed and swordplay. His lightsaber his a humming blur of light. Finally, their blades cross and the fighting slows.

The only thing I changed in the two paragraphs above is that Yoda draws his saber with the Force and that Dooku jumps at Yoda to start the fight. (Well, they both jump.) “Words are insufficient to describe”? Isn’t that an understatement.

YODA: Fought well you have, my old Padawan.

Okay, two Sith lords came directly or indirectly from Yoda. Not a very good track record.

COUNT DOOKU: This is just the beginning.

Dooku gestures to one side and uses the Force to pull on one of the cranes in the hanger. It comes crashing down toward Obi-Wan and Anakin. Dooku runs toward his ship. YODA closes his eyes and concentrates, trying to stop the crane. Obi-Wan looks up. Dooku runs up the ship’s ramp, throwing a look back before going inside. The crane stops just feet above Obi-Wan and Anakin, hanging in midair for a few moments before Yoda moves it aside and drops it to the floor. The sound of the Sail Ship’s engines are heard starting up.

EXT: GEONOSIS, SECRET HANGAR - LATE DAY

A Gunship pulls up to the landing platform. Padmé and four clonetroopers get out, just in time to see Dooku’s ship taking off. They fire at the craft to no avail.

EXT: GEONOSIS, SPACE

Count Dooku’s ship leaves Geonosis, passing escaping Trade Federation craft. The ship extends its sails and heads into deep space.

INT: GEONOSIS, SECRET HANGER TOWER - LATE DAY

Anakin is awake. Yoda sighs heavily and retrieves his walking stick with the Force. Obi-Wan and Anakin painfully get to their feet.

PADMÉ: Anakin!

Padmé runs to Anakin and throws her arms around him. Anakin is barely able to stand up.

How about a hug for Yoda? He saved your lousy boyfriend’s life after all.

…which I’ll be doing here. All to get past the rest of this CGI orgy pointless battle between faceless clones and faceless droids (oh joy), and faceless Jedi who are really no more effective than missiles and blasters. We do find out that termites designed the Death Star, though. Guh.

Anyway, now Dooku is bugging out. On a speeder bike, no less.

INT: REPUBLIC GUNSHIP - DAY

The Gunship breaks through a cloud of dust.

OBI-WAN: (Pointing) Look over there!

Below, a speeder flies ahead flanked by two beak-shaped fighters. On the bike is the unmistakable figure of Count Dooku.

ANAKIN: It’s Dooku! Shoot him down!

CLONE CAPTAIN: We’re out of rockets, sir.

Now if he had said “we’re out of ordinance”, like it says in the draft, I would have understood what he meant, and a lot of others. Why change it? Give us some credit, why doncha?

ANAKIN: Follow him!

PADMÉ: We’re gonna need some help!

OBI-WAN: There isn’t time! Anakin and I can handle this!

If by “handle” you mean having your lunch handed to you.

Dooku looks behind him. He presses controls on his speeder and signals to the two fighters flanking him. They veer off left and right, loop around, and come up behind our heroes’ Gunship. To avoid the Beak-Wing fire, the Gunship banks up a steep dune but is still hit. The ship lurches on its side, and Padmé and a clone officer tumble out.

ANAKIN: Padmé!!!

Anakin stares down in horror as Padmé hits the dune below. She rolls down the slope, reaching the bottom unconscious.

ANAKIN: (Con’t; to Pilot) Put the ship down!

OBI-WAN: Don’t let your personal feelings get in the way.

OBI-WAN: (Con’t; to Pilot) Follow that speeder.

The Gunship continues its pursuit of Dooku’s speeder, followed by the two Beak-Wing fighters.

ANAKIN: (To Pilot) Lower the ship!

OBI-WAN: I can’t take Dooku alone! I need you! If we catch him we can end this war right now! We have a job to do!

ANAKIN: I don’t care! (To Pilot) Put the ship down!

OBI-WAN: You will be expelled from the Jedi Order!

ANAKIN: I can’t leave her!

OBI-WAN: Come to your senses! What do you think Padmé would do were she in your position?

ANAKIN: (Resigned) She would do her duty.

EXT: COMMAND CENTER - DAY

Yoda stands next to the clone commander. He senses something.

YODA: Hmmmm…

CLONE COMMANDER: The droid army is in full retreat.

YODA: Well done, Commander. Bring me a ship.

EXT: GEONOSIS, SECRET HANGAR - LATE DAY

Dooku flies over a landing platform and into a opening built high on a cliff face.

INT: REPUBLIC GUNSHIP - DAY

Anakin and Obi-Wan watch as Dooku’s speeder disappears inside the cliff. The Gunship parks next to the landing ramp. Obi-Wan and Anakin, lightsabers activated, leap out with two troopers and run inside. The Gunship flies off, but is soon destroyed by the fighters.

INT: GEONOSIS, SECRET HANGAR - LATE DAY

Count Dooku throws switches on a control panel. His Interstellar Sail Ship is parked nearby. He gives orders to a nearby droid, and the droid quickly rolls inside the ship.

Obi-Wan and Anakin enter the chamber. Dooku turns toward them, his hand on his lightsaber.

ANAKIN: You’re gonna pay for all the Jedi that you’ve killed today, Dooku.

OBI-WAN: (To Anakin) We’ll take him together. Go in slowly on the left–

ANAKIN: I’m taking him now!

Anakin charges across the open space at Count Dooku.

OBI-WAN: No, Anakin! No! No!

Dooku smiles faintly, watching him come. At the last moment, Dooku thrusts out an arm and unleashes a blast of Force lightning. Anakin is hurled across the room, and slammed into the opposite wall. He slumps to the foot of the wall, semi-conscious. Count Dooku and Obi-Wan circle each other slowly.

I really hate that now force lightning is available to any old Sith lackey.

COUNT DOOKU: As you see, my Jedi powers are far beyond yours. Now…back down.

Dooku sends a blast of lightning at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan calmly catches it with his lightsaber blade.

A little trick Obi-Wan and Yoda seems to have forgotten to teach Luke.

OBI-WAN: I don’t think so.

Dooku ignites his saber. Obi-Wan comes in fast, swinging at Dooku’s head. Dooku parries the cut easily. As they fight, it quickly becomes clear that Dooku is the complete swordsman,
elegant, graceful, classical - a master of the old style.

COUNT DOOKU: Master Kenobi, you disappoint me. Yoda holds you in such high esteem.

Count Dooku parries another cut and then thrusts. Obi-Wan steps back quickly, panting for breath.

COUNT DOOKU: Surely you can do better.

Obi-Wan takes a deep breath, gets a fresh grip on his lightsaber and comes in again. For a moment, he drives. Dooku’s superior skill begins to tell again, and he forces Obi-Wan to retreat. Anakin remains where he had fallen, writhing in pain.

A lot of good you are, Chosen One.

EXT: GEONOSIS, DUNES - DAY

On the ground, Padmé groans in pain. A CLONE TROOPER approaches.

CLONE TROOPER: Are you all right?

PADMÉ: Uh-huh.

She gets to her feet.

CLONE TROOPER: We’d better get you back to the forward command center.

PADMÉ: No. No. Gather what troops you can. We’ve got to get to that hanger. Get a transport. Hurry!

CLONE TROOPER: Right away!

They both run off across the sand.

Um, how did you know where they went? You were knocked out at the bottom of a sand dune by the time they get to the hangar.

Well, for one, I’m back into my own writing and moving old stuff into new software. Second, I’m still running to the hospital for dressing changes, and the pain loves to interfere with what I’m doing, so sometimes I’d rather take pain pills and go to bed than endure it. Third…well, the last part of AOTC makes me want to gag! You too?

I can’t get to ROTS until I finish shredding AOTC. I’ll find a way.

It was a solid month of hospital visits, doctor’s offices, and x-rays. And a medical procedure I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. Much of the running around had to do with something that potentially could have been life-threatening. But all the tests came back negative and I can go back to dealing with the RA, which is bad enough by itself.

Once this week is over and I can update the software, I’ll be back to work.

EXT: GEONOSIS - EXECUTION ARENA - DAY

Geonosians are gathering in the arena seats.

Reminds me of termite season in my old apartment.

INT: GEONOSIS, TUNNEL TO EXECUTION ARENA - DAY

In a dark tunnel, Anakin and Padmé are standing into an open cart. They are tied so that they stand facing away from each other. The murmur of a vast crowd is heard offscreen.

ANAKIN: Don’t be afraid.

PADMÉ: 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?

PADMÉ: I love you.

ANAKIN: You love me?!

ANAKIN: (Con’t) I thought we decided not to fall in love. That we would be forced to live a lie and that it would destroy our lives…

PADMÉ: I think our lives are about to be destroyed anyway. 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.

And the love theme starts to swell to tragic heights just as you frantically search for a barf bag.

The driver cracks his whip over the ORRAY harnessed between the shafts. The cart jerks forward. Suddenly, there is a HUGE ROAR and blinding sunlight as they emerge into the
arena.

INT: GEONOSIS, EXECUTION ARENA - DAY

The great stadium is packed with tier upon tier of yelling Geonosians. The cart trundles to the center, where Obi-Wan is chained to one of four upright columns that are three feet in diameter. The cart stops. Padmé and Anakin are taken down, dragged to the columns and chained to them. Anakin is in the center. Padmé pulls a wire from her belt and places it in her mouth.

OBI-WAN: I was beginning to wonder if you had gotten my message.

ANAKIN: I retransmitted it as you requested, Master. Then we decided to come and rescue you.

OBI-WAN: (Glances up at his manacles) (sarcastically) Good job!

Yeah, really.

Their arms are pulled high above their heads, their chains attached to the top of the columns. The cart drives away. There is another ROAR as Poggle the Lesser, Count Dooku, Nute Gunray, the Fetts and dignitaries arrive in the archducal box and take their places.

POGGLE: (subtitled) Settle down, settle down.

The crowd becomes quiet.

POGGLE: (subtitled) Let the executions begin.

The crowd goes wild.

The other picadors poke the monsters toward the center.

ANAKIN: I’ve got a bad feeling about this.

Yeah, because we’re about to embark on another CGI orgy.

The monsters toss their heads, looking around, roaring or screeching. Then they catch sight of the three captives and start moving toward them.

OBI-WAN: Take the one the right. I’ll take the one on the left.

ANAKIN: What about Padmé?

OBI-WAN: She seems to be on top of things.

She seems to be the only one attempting to do something.

Padmé has used the wire she concealed to pick the lock on one of the hand restraints. She turns around and pulls herself up by the chain to the top of the post. Within a moment, she is standing on top of it, trying to pull the chain free.

The Nexu arrives at Padmé’s column and rears on its hind legs. Its claws dig deep into the stone. It reaches the top of the post and takes a swipe at Padmé. She hits the creature with her chain and it backs off down the pole. The Nexu makes another lunge and swipes at her again. She turns and the claws barely catches her shirt, leaving superficial claw marks across her back. She screams in pain. The Nexu slips down off the column and prowls.

In the archducal box, Nute Gunray beams and laughs.

In the archducal box, Nute Gunray fumes.

NUTE GUNRAY: She can’t do that! Shoot her–or something!

Padmé climbs back up the column, scrambling to the top. The Nexu gets up, still whining and bit less vicious than before.

Obi-Wan fights off the Acklay with his spear.

I bet ya Ewan felt pretty silly jabbing at empty space when he was filming this.

Padmé finally manages to work the chain loose. Anakin comes charging up on the Reek. The creature gores the Nexu with its horns.

ANAKIN: Jump!!!

Padmé leaps from the top of the column to land on the Reek behind Anakin. She and Anakin briefly kiss, and the Reek charges away.

Obi-Wan throws his speak, stabbing the Acklay in the shoulder. The Acklay screeches in pain. Then it removes the spear with its teeth and bites it in half. The Reek passes the wounded Acklay and Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan runs and jumps on the back of the Reek behind Anakin and Padmé.

In the archducal box, Nute Gunray turns angrily to Count Dooku.

NUTE GUNRAY: This isn’t how it’s supposed to be! Jango! Finish her off!

Count Dooku motions for the Viceroy to calm down.

COUNT DOOKU: (smiling enigmatically) Patience, Viceroy, patience. She will die.

Droidekas roll to the center of the arena where they transform and surround the Reek and contain the Jedi.

INT: GEONOSIS, EXECUTION ARENA - DAY

In the tunnel outside the archducal box, a robed figure approaches quietly.

EXT: GEONOSIS, EXECUTION ARENA - DAY

In the archducal box, amid the uproar, Mace Windu ignites his lightsaber and holds it to Jango Fett’s neck. Count Dooku turns to see Mace standing behind him. Count Dooku masks his surprise elegantly.

COUNT DOOKU: Master Windu, how pleasant of you to join us.

MACE WINDU: This party’s over.

At strategic places around the arena there are sudden flashes of light as about ONE HUNDRED JEDI switch on their lightsabers. The crowds in the stands begin to flee.

COUNT DOOKU: (to Mace Windu) Brave, but, uh, foolish, my old Jedi friend. You’re impossibly outnumbered.

MACE WINDU: (Scoffs) I don’t think so.

COUNT DOOKU: (Smiling) We’ll see.

The approach of heavy metallic footsteps echoes from the tunnel behind Mace. A troop of SUPER BATTLE DROIDS fire on him. The Jedi quickly blocks their shots. Jango Fett fires his flamethrower at Mace, igniting Mace’s robe. He jumps into the arena, and upon landing, tosses away his smoldering robe. The battle begins. Geonosians fly away everywhere. Droids fire at Jedi, who deflect the bolts and cut down the droids.

More battle droids enter the arena. Threepio’s body with the battle droid head marches with them, armed with a blaster.

C-3PO: (Synthesized voice) My legs aren’t moving. I must need maintenance.

Ugh…

The Geonosian troops fire ray guns that are more difficult for the Jedi to deflect. The Reek is spooked by the battle. The beast bucks the riders off its back and stampedes around the arena. The Jedi go into action while Padmé picks up a discarded pistol and joins the fight.

More droids enter the arena. The battle droid body with Threepio’s head marches with them, carrying a blaster rifle.

C-3PO: What’s all this noise? A-A battle! Oh, there’s been some mistake! I’m programmed for etiquette, not destruction!

Obi-Wan and Mace Windu fight back-to-back, lightsabers flashing.

Threepio’s body with the battle droid head fires at one Jedi. He blocks the shots, deflecting one shot back. The battle droid head goes flying off Threepio’s body.

Another Jedi leaps into the archducal box and prepares to confront Count Dooku. Jango Fett fires on him, knocking the Jedi over the edge of the platform.

The Reek charges and separates Obi-Wan and Mace. The Reek chases Mace across the arena. Jango Fett, watching from above, rockets down into the arena. Mace slashes at the Reek but loses his lightsaber. Jango lands and dives for Mace’s weapon.

Mace retrieves his lightsaber with the Force. The Reek roars and tosses Jango away. Jango ends up under the Reek, avoiding the creature’s massive hoofs. Finally, Fett is free and kills the Reek with a single shot. Mace fights fiercely with Jango. Finally, the bounty hunter falls. His helmet goes flying. The bounty hunter’s body falls to the ground.

A look of concern crosses Dooku’s face. Boba stares blankly at what occurred.

Threepio’s droid body is blasting away at the enemy.

C-3PO: Die, Jedi dogs! Oh! What did I say?

The fight is getting too close for Nute and his aide as blaster shots detonate against the wall behind them.

On the arena floor, Jedi Kit Fisto faces the Threepio battle droid.

C-3PO: Oh, dear. I’m terribly sorry about all this.

Kit uses the Force to knock backward onto the arena floor.

C-3PO: Oh!

A downed Super Battle Droid falls on top of Threepio’s battle droid body, pinning him to the ground. Kit grins and goes back to the fight.

C-3PO: Excuse me. I’m trapped. I can’t get up.

A droideka blasts at the orray pulling the execution wagon. The wagon overturns, throwing Padmé and Anakin to the ground. They crawl back to the wagon, using it for cover.

ANAKIN: You call this diplomacy?

PADMÉ: No, I call it aggressive negotiations.

Is this supposed to mirror Han/Leia banter? I don’t think so.

Obi-Wan fights two battle droids, but they suddenly start backing off.

BATTLE DROID ONE: Uh-oh

BATTLE DROID TWO: Roger, roger.

The Acklay closes in on Obi-Wan from behind. He turns around and slices through the creature’s front legs. It shrieks and crashes to the ground. Obi-Wan plunges his lightsaber into the Acklay, killing it.

Artoo finds the battle droid with Threepio’s head attached.

C-3PO: Artoo, what are you doing here?

Artoo shoots a projectile from his body that attaches a suction device to Threepio’s head.

C-3PO: What are you doing? Oh, stop that! You’re going to strain something. My neck!

Artoo pulls the head away from the battle droid and drags it across the arena.

C-3PO: Now where are you taking me? Oh, this is such a drag.

Truer words have never been said.

Artoo beeps.

Artoo arrives at Threepio’s fallen body.

C-3PO: Oh, I’m quite beside myself.

Artoo begins reattaching Threepio’s head.

C-3PO: Artoo, please be careful. You’re singeing my circuits! (Artoo beeps) Yes, but is my head on straight?

As Artoo works, Threepio’s limbs twitch to life.

From the archducal box, Count Dooku senses that the battle is nearly over. Mace, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Padmé and an exhausted group of about twenty Jedi stand in the center of the arena surrounded by a ring of battle droids. The bloodied sand around them is strewn with the bodies of dead Geonosians, shattered droids and Jedi.

Count Dooku lifts his hand. The droids stop firing and lower their weapons. Obi-Wan stoops to check on a fallen comrade.

The Count calls out to the Jedi.

COUNT DOOKU: Master Windu! You have fought gallantly. Worthy of recognition in the history archives of the Jedi Order. Now it is finished.

Ki-Adi-Mundi, Plo Koon and other survivors from the raiding party are herded into the circle by Geonosians.

COUNT DOOKU: (pauses briefly) Surrender, and your lives will be spared.

MACE WINDU: We will not be hostages to be bartered, Dooku.

COUNT DOOKU: Then, I’m sorry, old friend.

The droids raise their weapons. The Jedi prepare to fight. Padmé looks up suddenly.

PADMÉ: Look!

Above, SIX GUNSHIPS are descending fast through the open area in the arena ceiling. The droids fire on them. The ships circle the arena and blasts droids into scrap metal. Yoda appears at the door of one of the Gunships.

YODA: Around the survivors a perimeter create.

The Gunships land in a cluster around the handful of Jedi. CLONE TROOPERS spill out and start firing at the droids. The surviving Jedi dash to the Gunships and scramble in. Once the clone troopers are back aboard, the Gunships, firing all their weapons, rise out of the arena up and over the topmost rim.

On the arena grounds, Artoo beeps as Threepio tries to sit up.

C-3PO: What happened? I had the most peculiar dream.

In another part of the deserted arena, Boba Fett finds his father’s battered helmet. Kneeling down, he picks it up and lowers his head in sorrow.

INT: CORUSCANT, MAIN SENATE CHAMBER, UPPER CORRIDOR - EVENING

Mace Windu walks down an upper corridor and meets Yoda, who is sitting on a ledge overlooking the Senate chamber.

Inside the great rotunda, Jar Jar is addressing the Senate from his floating pod.

JAR JAR: It’s-a clear desa Separatists have made a pact wesa desa Federation du Trade.

JAR JAR: (Con’t) Senators, dellow felagates. In response to this direct threat to the Republic, mesa propose that the Senate give immediately emergency powers to the supreme chancellor.

Applause and voices of approval spread through the rotunda.

SENATORS: (Chanting) Palpatine! Palpatine! Palpatine!

MAS AMEDDA: Order! We shall have order!

The applause dies down. Palpatine rises.

PALPATINE: It is with great reluctance that I have agreed to this calling. I love democracy. I love the Republic. (scattered applause from Senators) The power you give me I will lay down when this crisis has abated. And as my first act with this new authority, I will create a grand army of the Republic to counter the increasing threats of the separatists.

INT: CORUSCANT, MAIN SENATE CHAMBER, UPPER CORRIDOR - EVENING

MACE WINDU: It is done, then.

YODA: Hmm.

MACE WINDU: I will take what Jedi we have left and go to Geonosis and help Obi-Wan.

Wow, that’s a smart strategic move, dude. Go out in the middle of nowhere and possibly get everybody killed so there’s nothing left but kids and old folk. Nice.

YODA: Visit I will the cloners on Kamino, hmm…and see this army they have created for the Republic.

Mace leaves.