Scarlet Veil

by PlatonicPangolin

A washed-out private detective living in the slums of Nar Shaddaa is hired by a myserious Jedi to help her track down an old colleague, who she claims could be vital to the Republic war effort. The problem: this colleague is currently hidden somewhere within the isolated Adebra system, which is fortified by a near-impenetrable Imperial blockade known as the "Scarlet Veil".

11. Toys & Takeoffs

INT. THE LADY FORTUNE, DOCKING BAY 4-11, MEZENTI SPACEPORT

Nomi paces anxiously around the cockpit of the Lady Fortune, Sanya's freighter, looking through the viewport for any sign of Thatcher. Beside her, Sanya sits silently in one of the pilot chairs.

NOMI

I can't imagine what's taking him so long.

SANYA

If I had to guess, I'd say it was the Cartel.

NOMI

Yeah? That your Jedi intuition?

SANYA

My Jedi intuition is that your friend Thatcher seems prone to trouble.

NOMI

Guess I've rubbed off on him.

SANYA

So it would seem.

At that moment, Nomi spots an elevator door opening across the docking bay, and Thatcher steps out, clutching a blaster rifle. He begins running towards the ship. Nomi hurries out of the cockpit and runs down the ship's boarding ramp, waiting for Thatcher.

INT. DOCKING BAY 4-11, MEZENTI SPACEPORT

Thatcher runs up to Nomi and stops in front of the ramp.

THATCHER

Did anyone get here before me?

NOMI

No, they haven't found us yet. Let's go.

THATCHER

Dammit.

NOMI

What do you mean, 'dammit'? Who are you looking for?

THATCHER

Joylock. I told him he could come with us.

NOMI

What? Jet? Why?

THATCHER

Long story.

Sanya appears from behind Nomi.

SANYA

Did you invite more people onto my ship, Mr. Cordell?

THATCHER

Just one. He's in the same boat, and it's my fault. Mostly.

NOMI

Well, that's very considerate of you, but we can't wait for him. We've gotta haul jets here. No pun intended.

THATCHER

I told him he could come! I'm not leaving him behind.

NOMI

Bad time to start feeling noble, Thatcher.

THATCHER

Everyone's got to at some point.

Just then, a voice booms over the docking bay's intercom.

KOHDO TANE

Leaving us so soon?

The three look up towards the docking control platform. Through the observation window, Kohdo Tane is visible, smiling coldly at them. He is flanked by a squad of Cartel soldiers, and standing beside him is Jet Joylock.

KOHDO TANE

Not very kind of you to leave your friend here to the wolves, Mr. Cordell.

THATCHER

(Under his breath)

You son of a bitch.

KOHDO TANE

I'm afraid this rust bucket of yours isn't going anywhere. And I have orders to bring your heads to Ommgar. Minus the rest of your bodies, of course.

NOMI

Kohdo, you're never going to be half as frightening as you think you are.

KOHDO TANE

I'm sorry you feel that way, darling. Your friend Mr. Happylock here might disagree.

One of the Cartel soldiers walks up behind Joylock and draws a knife from his belt. He rams it into Joylock's back and twists it, causing Joylock to scream in pain.

KOHDO TANE

You've got nowhere to run. You can't open the bay doors, and I've locked down the elevator. Don't make me fish you out of that ship. Surrender, and I'll grant your friend a merciful death.

The soldier pulls the knife out of Joylock's back, and he collapses to the floor on his hands and knees. Nomi turns to Thatcher.

NOMI

What do we do?

THATCHER

(To Kohdo Tane)

You're forgetting about our Jedi.

KOHDO TANE

Not this time, I'm afraid.

Kohdo raises his hand. He is holding the hilt of Sanya's lightsaber in it.

KOHDO TANE

Our boys found it near the wreckage. Seems your Jedi should keep a better hold on her toys.

THATCHER

Doesn't matter. She still has the-

SANYA

(To Thatcher)

Cordell. Don't. We have no choice. We must surrender.

THATCHER

What? They'll kill us. What about the Force?

SANYA

It will do us no good.

THATCHER

I thought Jedi could-

SANYA

You thought wrong.

Sanya turns to Tane and raises her voice.

SANYA

We surrender.

Sanya raises her hands in surrender. Nomi reluctantly does the same. After a moment, Thatcher curses and then tosses down the blaster rifle. Kohdo Tane smiles.

KOHDO TANE

I knew you'd come around.

Tane walks out of the control room, flanked by the Cartel soldiers. He is about to head down the stairs towards Thatcher, Nomi and Sanya, when another voice rings out over the intercom: Jet Joylock's.

JOYLOCK

Thatcher! Go!

Joylock, propped up on the control terminal, slams a button on the docking interface. Immediately, the docking bay doors above them begin to slowly slide open. Kohdo glances back at Joylock, then looks to his men.

KOHDO TANE

Stop them!

The Cartel soldiers hustle down the stairs towards Thatcher, Nomi and Sanya, firing at them. Thatcher picks up the blaster rifle and returns fire as Nomi and Sanya run up the boarding ramp. Once they are safely inside the ship, Thatcher turns and follows them. In the control room, Kohdo grabs Joylock by the scruff of his neck and throws him across the room.

INT. THE LADY FORTUNE, DOCKING BAY 4-11, MEZENTI SPACEPORT

Sanya rushes into the cockpit, followed by Nomi and Thatcher. She quickly jumps into the pilot's chair and fires up the ship. The engines roar to life, and the Lady Fortune begins to rise off the ground. The Cartel soldiers continue firing at the ship, their blaster bolts scorching the dull gray hull. Finally, the ship rises up and out of the docking bay doors. Sanya angles the nose of the ship up towards the atmosphere and accelerates. The Lady Fortune zooms off into the dark ruby sky.

INT. CONTROL ROOM, DOCKING BAY 4-11, MEZENTI SPACEPORT

Kohdo Tane watches the escape from below, fuming. He turns and walks over to where the dying Joylock lies on the ground. Tane ignites one side of Sanya's lightsaber and stabs the pale blue blade through Joylock's heart, killing him instantly. He then deactivates the lightsaber and kneels down. He notices a datapad sticking out of Joylock's jacket. Curious, he reaches down and pulls out the datapad, reading over its contents. A few moments later, a smile crosses his lips.

KOHDO TANE

Adebra, huh?