Deception on Havara

by KittyGreene

On the brink! The galactic senate discusses a dangerous bill to pull funding to a peacemaking division in the middle ring! Senator Padme Amidala is sent to the Cass system to make new allies in her opposition. As her protection, she is accompanied by Jedi Knight Obi Wan Kenobi, and the newly instated Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. But the threat of the separatists is always present.

Screenplay: Deception on Havara

Takes place just a few months before the beginning of The Clone Wars.

Cast:

ANAKIN

OBI WAN

PADME

LU KARR

INTERPRETER

CHAMPION

EXTRA HAVARANS

INTRO:

On the brink of disaster!

The galactic senate discusses a dangerous bill to pull funding to a peacemaking division in the middle ring! Senator Padme Amidala is sent to the Cass system to make new allies in her opposition. As her protection, she is accompanied by Jedi Knight Obi Wan Kenobi, and the newly instated Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. But the threat of the separatists is always present.

Scene 1

Opening shot: Nabooian cruiser, flying through space. Shot switches to the pilot, ANAKIN. Then OBI WAN and PADME enter, talking about a political debate.

PADME: If they pull funding to the peacemakers division, we'll lose influence on the poor planets of the middle ring.

OBI WAN: I agree. It's a bad decision. However-

ANAKIN: No politics in my cockpit.

PADME: Sorry. This is just such an important debate. I have to be prepared.

OBI WAN: And she has to get to the Cass system on time.

ANAKIN: Don't worry about it. We're almost there.

(Suddenly, a separatist ship appears, and ANAKIN starts readying the ship's small guns.)

ANAKIN: Separatist cruiser, six o'clock. Obi Wan, I'm gonna need some help!

(OBI WAN sits down and takes hold of the guns.)

PADME: This is a political ship! We don't have enough firepower to take out that ship.

ANAKIN: It's either fight back, or crash land on Havara. Your choice, senator. Obi Wan are you ready?

(PADME reaches over ANAKIN's shoulder and steers the ship towards Havara.)

ANAKIN: (Exasperated) What are you doing?

PADME: Choosing the better option!

(The ship is engulfed in flames, and speeds towards the dusty red surface of Havara. PADME holds onto ANAKIN, who is trying to slow the ship down. OBI WAN is pressed back into his seat, his eyes closed tight. ANAKIN laughs as he stabilizes the ship.)

ANAKIN: I did it!

(The ship shudders as it shifts back into freefall.)

Nevermind.

(The ship makes contact with the ground, and the hull of the ship is completely destroyed. Sand cloud clears.)

OBI WAN: Is everyone okay?

ANAKIN: Well, the ship's not.

PADME: I'm okay, yeah.

(OBI WAN brushes himself off, and looks around.)

OBI WAN: The nearest settlement is in that direction. We'd better get the supply kits from the ship.

ANAKIN: How do we know they won't attack us?

OBI WAN: Havara is a neutral system. They don't have any reason to attack us.

PADME: I think its suspicious that there was a separatist ship so close by.

ANAKIN: Yeah. They were really far from their last captive system.

(Thoughtful silence)

OBI WAN: We can't worry about that now. We have to get moving.

Scene 2

(Shot of them walking through the desert, and entering a large walled city. They are lost, so they start asking where they are.)

PADME: Excuse me! (Havaran ignores her.)

ANAKIN: Hey!

(He taps a Havaran on the arm, and they turn to look, then grunt something. They look at him questioningly.)

Do you speak English?

(The Havaran "shrugs" and keeps moving. ANAKIN makes his way over to OBI WAN.)

They don't speak our language. We can't find a way out like this.

OBI WAN: I'd beg to differ. Look- there's the leader's palace. He's bound to have an interpreter.

(PADME finally gives up and walks over to them.)

OBI WAN: Who's the leader on Havara, senator?

PADME: If I remember right, Lu Karr. He used to be a member of the Galactic Senate, until the war broke out.

OBI WAN: We have to ask him for help.

PADME: Then let me do the talking. I know him better than you two do.

Scene 3

(Jump cut to them standing in a line, in front of a large ceramic throne. There's an INTERPRETER coated in ceramic plates. You can't see the leader's face in this shot. Then the camera circles and you can see only the trio's backs, the INTERPRETER droid and LU KARR.)

LU KARR: (grunts)

INTERPRETER: My master welcomes senator Amidala. It has been a long time.

PADME: Thank you, Leader Karr.

LU KARR: (grunts)

INTERPRETER: My master wishes to know why you are here on Havara.

PADME: Our ship was attacked by a separatist cruiser. We crash landed here.

LU KARR: (grunts)

INTERPRETER: There is a tradition on this system. If you want transport or the get off this planet, you must defeat our strongest warrior.

PADME: What?

INTERPRETER: Yes. However, since there are three of you, you have another option.

(ANAKIN looks at OBI WAN and sighs relief.)

You may take your weapons into the ring, if the three of you are tied together at the wrists.

PADME: What?

INTERPRETER: The other option is that neither your champion or ours shall have weapons.

ANAKIN: That still doesn't seem like a good option.

INTERPRETER: It is tradition. Now these servants shall show you to your rooms while you are here.

(Three Havaran servants put their hands on their backs and lead them out of the room. Then there's another shot of the INTERPRETER in an upshot, with ominous music.)

Scene 4

PADME: I wasn't aware of any traditions that affected visitors on Havara. Something is off here.

ANAKIN: What do we do?

OBI WAN: We have to get out of here, I say we follow their conditions. I'll challenge the champion tomorrow.

ANAKIN: Why does it have to be you?

OBI WAN: This isn't a competition, Anakin. I have more experience than you do. We still want to get there on time.

(ANAKIN folds his arms.)

PADME: I agree.

(He unfolds his arms.)

I can't afford to miss this debate.

OBI WAN: It's settled then. I'm going to tell Lu Karr. (He eyes ANAKIN, then glances over at PADME. ANAKIN nods.)

Scene 5

(OBI WAN stands on a pedestal in the center of a ring shaped arena, ready to fight. A door underneath the stands opens, and the CHAMPION comes out. He's large, bigger than Lu Karr, and his arms are beefy. He wears tribal makeup on his face. He snarls, and OBI WAN flinches just slightly.)

INTERPRETER: Let the battle begin!

(The CHAMPION charges forward, screaming. OBI WAN adjusts his foot position, and then winds up to strike. He punches the CHAMPION in the face, then kicks him where it would hurt. Except it doesn't. The CHAMPION head butts him in the side, and his spikes rip OBI WAN's clothes and give him a small gash. He is hit so hard he goes flying to the stands, and hits the wall of the arena, before his legs give way and he falls to a sitting position. The crowd laughs, and he sighs as he is taken away to his shared room where PADME and ANAKIN wait. )

Scene 6

ANAKIN: That didn't work very well.

OBI WAN: You were right, Anakin. He's faster than me. You actually have a chance of beating him.

PADME: It's too dangerous.

ANAKIN: It's our only choice.

OBI WAN: You said this conference was extremely important. Let us do our job of getting you there.

PADME: Look at you, OBI wan! You can barely walk. What use to me are a couple of Jedi who can't even walk on their own?

ANAKIN: One Jedi.

PADME: Soon to be two!

ANAKIN: Who's to say I'll get hurt?

PADME: I know you'll get hurt!

ANAKIN: It's fine, Padme, calm down. We'll be alright.

(PADME takes his hand, and looks at him with tears in her eyes.)

PADME: Be careful, okay?

ANAKIN: Yeah. (He moves to hug her, and then realizes that OBI WAN is still in the room. So he just squeezes her hand.)

Scene 7

(Upshot of ANAKIN, standing in the arena. He squares his shoulders and cracks his neck.)

INTERPRETER: Release the champion!

(The CHAMPION steps menacingly out of the holding area, and grins. ANAKIN laughs lightly, and smirks. He adjusts his stance. The CHAMPION tries to attack, but ANAKIN is faster than he is. He keeps dodging. When the CHAMPION tries to strike, he misses and ANAKIN taunts him. But the CHAMPION suddenly lands an upward strike on him, which cuts through his face just under and just above his eye. ANAKIN lets out a scream, and the shot changes to PADME, who turns around to look at the lights as they flicker because of his scream. Then it switches to OBI WAN, who runs like hell towards ANAKIN, who is hunched over clutching his eye.)

OBI WAN: Up we get, let's go.

(ANAKIN grunts.)

I know, I know.

(OBI WAN leads him off the field.)

Transition scene:

OBI WAN: I left the medical supplies with Padme. Does it hurt?

ANAKIN: Did you think it would tickle?

(They round a corner and find PADME in her room, holding a box of first aid supplies. OBI WAN lets ANAKIN walk on his own for a moment, and then PADME leads him over to the couch in her room. OBI WAN leaves to talk to the leader of the planet.)

PADME: Oh no, no! That looks really serious.

ANAKIN: It's just a scratch.

PADME: Scratches don't bleed like that. (She sighs.) If we were any closer to Coruscant I could get you a real medical kit. But all that's in this is a bit of gauze and medical tape.

(She dresses his wound.)

It looks like this is gonna scar.

ANAKIN: It's okay.

PADME: I was so scared. And then you did get hurt, you idiot!

(She hugs him)

ANAKIN: I'm getting blood all over you.

PADME: It doesn't matter.

(He wraps his arms around her, pulling her closer. She breathes in his smell, and smiles. He kisses her cheek. )

ANAKIN: I love you, Padme.

PADME: I know.

(She kisses him on the mouth.)

Scene 8

OBI WAN: I know that this competition is a tradition on your planet, leader Lu Karr,

(shot of LU KARR)

but this is dangerous. My comrade almost lost an eye.

LU KARR: (grunts)

INTERPRETER: My master wants you to know that unless you beat his strongest warrior, you cannot leave this planet. It does not matter what damage comes to you and your comrades.

OBI WAN: All we need to do is transport our senator to the Cass System. We have no intention of violence.

INTERPRETER: That is irrelevant. This is our planet, you play by our rules. Now leave before my master calls the guards.

OBI WAN: Thank you for your help. (He bows and leaves.)

Scene 9

(PADME is holding a bag of ice against ANAKIN's head. He is smiling up at her, and holding her free hand.)

ANAKIN: I'm glad I fell in love with you.

PADME: I am too, but I'm not appreciating the consequences.

ANAKIN: What can I do?

PADME: (She shakes her head.) There's nothing you can do. (Beat) Unless...

ANAKIN: Unless what?

(Shot of OBI WAN outside their door, and about to knock. He hears them talking, and stops.)

PADME: We could tell Obi Wan.

ANAKIN: No, he'd never understand. This has to be a secret.

PADME: I know. But I just, I can't leave him in the dark about this.

ANAKIN: We have to. It's the only thing we can do.

PADME: Okay.

(Silence.)

(Shot back to OBI WAN, who is bewildered that there's something they don't want to tell him. He takes a deep breath, and knocks.)

PADME: Coming!

(She opens the door.)

Obi!

OBI WAN: How is he?

ANAKIN: Doin' better. But she says I might have a scar.

OBI WAN: Well, you can't always have a perfect face.

ANAKIN: I know. I can tell.

OBI WAN: I'm sorry, was that directed at me?

ANAKIN: (Laughing) Well you didn't get those wrinkles from nothing.

(OBI WAN smacks ANAKIN on the back of the head.)

PADME: What did Lu Karr say?

OBI WAN: Same thing he said last time. Or rather, his interpreter said it.

PADME: Anakin can't fight with a cut like that. He has to heal. What are we going to do?

OBI WAN: I don't know.

(Silence. PADME gets an idea. She turns to ANAKIN)

ANAKIN: No, I know that face. You're not going to do whatever you're thinking. You can't get hurt, you're too valuable.

PADME: But I think it'll work!

OBI WAN: Well, what is it?

PADME: It's a crazy idea.

Scene 10

(The three stand in the circle. ANAKIN has his eye taped up, so he doesn't bleed anymore. Their hands are cuffed together, ANAKIN to PADME's right, and OBI WAN to her left. The boys are holding their lightsabers, and PADME has her Nabooian blaster. Her right hand is attached to ANAKIN's left, so he can move his lightsaber freely. He has to move his hand in order to let her shoot. PADME has to let OBI WAN use her arm in order to move his lightsaber.)

ANAKIN: This is going to be impossible.

OBI WAN: We have no other choice, Anakin. Let's just get this over with.

INTERPRETER: Let out the warrior!

(The CHAMPION emerges again. The crowd roars, and the CHAMPION wields his weapon, which is a long spear, covered in spikes and spines. He grins and trots his way over to the trio. The shot switches to their terrified faces, ANAKIN's mouth turned down into a grimace, OBI WAN shielding his eyes from the reflection of light, and PADME standing tall, keeping her emotions back.)

PADME: On three. One, two,

(The CHAMPION swings.)

Three!

(The trio jump into the air, the Jedi pulling PADME up with them by the wrists. She gasps as they land, gently, back on the platform. Stage fight ensues. It mainly consists of jumps and powerful punches, and ends with the trio, standing over the champion, triumphant.)

Scene 11

(CHAMPION is defeated. The crowd roars.)

PADME: We won!

(She hugs both of the boys.)

OBI WAN: (Turning to look at LU KARR) We beat your challenge, Karr! Give us passage.

INTERPRETER: Of course. (The droid motions, and a separatist ship comes into view.) The separatists will pay a hefty price for the senator of Naboo.

(ANAKIN curses.)

OBI WAN: Oh dear.

(PADME turns around, still connected to the boys, and starts booking it towards the nearest separatist ship.)

ANAKIN: What are you doing?

PADME: Just trust me.

(ANAKIN and OBI WAN destroy the droids on board the ship, and PADME leads them to the cockpit.)

Can you fly this thing?

ANAKIN: I can fly anything.

OBI WAN: Yes, we're all very impressed. Get moving, will you?

(The ship takes off. Shot switches to a close up of the INTERPRETER.)

INTERPRETER: Shoot that ship down!

LU KARR: (grunting... Subtitles-) What's going on here?

INTERPRETER: (also subtitles) Nothing. The senator has finished her business and is leaving.

LU KARR: Then why is she getting on a separatist ship?

INTERPRETER: Ah,

LU KARR: You were lying to me! She didn't want to organize this event! You were trying to kill her!

INTERPRETER: I'm sorry master! The separatists-

(LU KARR motions to his bodyguards to shoot him. Shot switches to our heroes.)

PADME: How long were we there?

OBI WAN: A few days, why?

ANAKIN: We are so late.

(Credits)