STAR WARS: Aphelion
"The Chiss"
Based on the enthralling galaxy and characters within by
George Lucas
Story and Script by: Silas McCord
I DO NOT OWN ANY COPYRIGHTED CHARACTERS, PLACES, NAMES, IMAGES, OR MUSIC. THIS IS A FAN-FICTION. I MAKE NO PROFIT OFF ANY CONTENT HERE WITHIN.
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
STAR WARS
APHELION
EPISODE II: THE CHISS
EXT. AHCH-TO - OCEAN - DAY
The diamond-shaped lift hovers above the rough Ahch-to waters. Waves occasionally rise and hit the side of the make-shift boat. Lucy and Mooni sit on opposite sides, both looking down. They are both solemn.
Tied to the edge, hangs a net. It makes a sudden shift which tugs on the boat. Lucy, startled, looks to Mooni, but she does not seem to notice.
Another shift. Still, Mooni does not react.
LUCY
Mooni...
Mooni stares down for a little while longer before looking up.
MOONI
What?
Another shift.
MOONI
Oh.
She gets up, sets her elbows on the side of the boat, and stares at the net. But she can't bring herself to do anything. She rests her head in her hands and starts to cry.
LUCY
Hey. Wo- uhh.
Lucy gets up but doesn't know what to do. She puts her arms out as if to hug Mooni but can't bring herself to go through with it. She awkwardly puts her arms down. Mooni, who didn't notice the attempt, turns to Lucy and looks at her through tear-soaked eyes.
MOONI
I- I don't know how... I don't know how to do it.
LUCY
...You don't know how to bring the fish up?
Mooni shakes her head.
Lucy looks out at the net bobbing up and down in the sea. A piece of scrap metal is caught in the jumbled mess of a net floating atop the water. She takes the end tied to the boat and begins to reel it in, lifting it up to reveal just how tangled it is. She purses her lips and looks back at Mooni.
INTRO: embed/ODOZ-gCnIW8?start=196
EXT. AHCH-TO - PENINSULA - LATER
Mooni and Lucy walk through the grass, their lift left by the edge of the cliff in the background. Mooni, frowning, stares at the ground. Lucy glances off to the side as she rubs her arm.
The wind blows.
EXT. AHCH-TO - PENINSULA MARKET - LATER
Mooni sits against the side of an alleyway and puts her face in her hands. Lucy sits next to her. She gets up and starts pacing.
LUCY
I'm gonna- I'll be right back.
She briskly walks away. Mooni looks at her leave, worried-almost distraught.
EXT. AHCH-TO - PENINSULA MARKET SQUARE - CONTINUOUS
Lucy enters the market square and looks through the crowd at all the different booths. She walks up to the old merchant's booth.
MERCHANT
What are you doing back here?
Lucy draws a deep breath.
LUCY
Mooni's grandpa died and we don't have any food and we don't know how to get fish with the net that we have and-
The merchant's eyes widen with every new revelation.
MERCHANT
Wait. Hold on. Her old man's dead?
Lucy nods. The merchant frowns.
MERCHANT
Well... gah- blast it all.
LUCY
What?
The merchant's voice gets gravelly. He wipes his eyes.
MERCHANT
I didn't mean- didn't mean for that. Um. Where is that girl? What's her name?
LUCY
Her name is Mooni. She's over there.
Lucy points to the alleyway.
MERCHANT
Ok. You said you needed food?
Lucy nods again.
MERCHANT
Well... I- I'm not one for givin' out free food. But I could maybe strike a deal.
Lucy raises her eyebrows.
MERCHANT
I could use some extra workers 'round here. Why don't you both work for me for a little bit, huh?
LUCY
Um. Ok. I'll talk to Mooni.
MERCHANT
Yeah.
The merchant nods and halfheartedly waves her off as she darts toward the alley.
EXT. AHCH-TO - PENINSULA MARKET - CONTINUOUS
LUCY (O.S.)
Mooni!
Mooni looks up and sees Lucy running in.
LUCY
The old guy is gonna give us jobs!
MOONI
Who? The merchant?
LUCY
The guy who ran after you.
MOONI
Yeah. Wha- why?
LUCY
I asked him!
MOONI
Lucy! That guy sucks!
LUCY
Ok... but he's gonna give us jobs. And he'll let us eat food.
Mooni remains unenthused, but a look in her eye says she's convinced.
EXT. AHCH-TO - PENINSULA MARKET SQUARE - LATER
Lucy and Mooni, both wearing "Emmy's Convenience Shop and Wares" hats, sweep the booth floor. The old merchant is nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, Mooni stops and grabs the bottom of the broom and holds it up like a lightsaber. Waving it around, she starts to make lightsaber humming sounds. Her arms swing and the pole swishes through the air toward Lucy before she stops it just shy of Lucy's shoulder.
MOONI
Come on. Fight!
Lucy looks around, worried they're going to get in trouble. But she's able to drum up the resolve and she slides the broom up her hand, now wielding it as her own saber.
Broom handles clash! Lucy backs away first before parrying toward Mooni's leg. But Mooni lifts up her legs and hops on one foot to avoid it. Lucy, getting way too into it, pushes her hand forward, as if to force-push her.
LUCY
Huwah!
To her surprise, Mooni's one foot on the ground actually gets swept underneath her. Mooni falls to the ground.
MOONI
Oww! I slipped!
(whispering)
Ahaha, that looked just like you force-pushed me, though!
LUCY
Yeah...
The old merchant comes down a set of stairs to investigate the commotion.
MERCHANT
The hell is goin' on!?
Mooni immediately gets up and brushes herself off. Lucy stands up straight.
MOONI
Nothing.
MERCHANT
Bah! Just get back to work.
He starts back up the stairs but Mooni catches him.
MOONI
Um, sir. When will we get food?
The merchant grumbles something and points to a cooler next to the wall.
MERCHANT
Grab somethin' from there.
Mooni and Lucy look at each other excitedly. They drop their brooms, run over to the box and open up the door. Acorn capsules, filled with ice cream, are piled high.
LUCY
What is that?
MOONI
Ice creaaam!
Mooni takes a capsule and twist-pops the cap off. She licks the ice cream. Lucy watches as the ice cream gets all over Mooni's face.
MOONI
Try it!
She grabs another capsule and hands it to Lucy. Lucy struggles to pull the cap off before Mooni takes it back and twists it a little before popping it off. She hands it back to Lucy. She takes her very first lick of chocolate ice cream. Her eyes widen.
LUCY
Woah.
MOONI
I know right.
Lucy starts licking the ice cream like a dog. Mooni watches with a huge smile as Lucy's face gets covered in it.
A bell rings at the counter. Both girls look over and see a Chiss male with a light beard and hair up in a bun. He wears a tattered, brown kimono. A worn, black lightsaber with gold highlights hangs visibly on his belt. This is Aug (37).
AUG
Hey!
He points to Lucy, smiling.
AUG
I could sense you. Just now! You used the Force.
Lucy, still covered in chocolate ice cream, stares at him slack-jawed. She burps.
LUCY
What?
Mooni gasps.
MOONI
You can use the Force?!
Lucy looks confused.
LUCY
I don't-
Aug leans across the counter.
AUG
When does your shift end?
Lucy and Mooni look at each other. They both shrug.
MOONI
What's a shift?
AUG
When do you stop working?
LUCY
Wait. Work stops?!
Aug laughs.
The old merchant comes running down the stairs and waves furiously at the Chiss.
MERCHANT
Hey! You! Get away from my kids you lapis creep!
MOONI
Hey! He was being nice!
MERCHANT
(ignoring Mooni)
You know you're not welcome here!
AUG
I'm very sorry, sir.
Aug backs away but before he leaves, he looks to Lucy.
AUG
(to Lucy)
You should come see me! The north-west end of the peninsula.
He continues on his way.
The merchant bends down to the two girls and gets very serious.
MERCHANT
Listen. You do not go and meet that man, ya understand? You don't talk to him, okay?
Mooni and Lucy are saddened by this but they both nod.
MOONI
Yes, sir.
The merchant gets up and goes to sit in a chair by the counter.
LUCY
Hey. Does our work end?
MERCHANT
Of course it ends.
Lucy and Mooni smile at each other.
The merchant grabs a device off the counter and looks at it.
MERCHANT
You both got... six more hours.
Their smiles quickly fade.
LUCY & MOONI
Whaaat!?
EXT. AHCH-TO - NORTH-WEST PENINSULA - NIGHT
Mooni carries a small cooler and walks alongside Lucy, panting. She sets the cooler down and puffs.
MOONI
It's so heavy.
LUCY
Are you okay?
Mooni stretches her arms and takes several deep breaths.
MOONI
Hey, Lucy.
LUCY
What's up?
Mooni frowns.
MOONI
I'm still really sad about Grandpa.
I've never been sad for this long. And... I- I think there's something wrong with me.
LUCY
I don't think there's anything wrong with you, Mooni.
MOONI
It really feels like there is...
Lucy takes a breath and hugs her.
LUCY
It's ok.
Lucy breaks off from the hug. She bends down and opens the cooler. She takes a capsule and twist-pops off the cap. She holds it out in front of Mooni. Mooni takes it and rubs her weary eyes. She is still sad, but now she at least has ice cream.
The land begins to slope down into a series of basalt columns. The column-filled land curves around on both sides, creating a moon-shaped cove. On one end of the cove sits a wooden cottage, glowing with torchlight.
EXT. AHCH-TO - AUG'S DWELLING - NIGHT
Lucy and Mooni carefully cross a precarious wooden walkway sat above the basalt columns and sandy grass. They walk up the final few stairs to reach the wooden hut, built atop a few of the larger and higher-up columns. Mooni knocks.
Waves crash on the cove.
Footsteps come to the other side of the door and then it opens. Aug, wearing only an undergarment wrap, motions for the girls to come in, smiling.
AUG
Come in.
Mooni steals a quick, nervous glance at Lucy. She gulps.
INT. AUG'S DWELLING - CONTINUOUS
Aug moves the two girls into the hut and shuts the door behind them.
AUG
I'm so glad you two could make it.
MOONI
Yeah. So-
AUG
Sit. Sit.
He gestures to a stone bench sitting in front of a fire. He takes a seat on a ripped and torn green recliner. The two girls sit.
Aug leans in.
AUG
My Chiss name is Ange'lodeaug'us'tinemayug'ago'nzal'es. But... you may call me Aug.
MOONI
Ok.
AUG
What are your names?
LUCY
My name's Lucy!
AUG
Lovely!
(to Mooni)
And you?
Mooni fidgets with her fingers.
MOONI
Um. I'm Mooni.
AUG
Ooni... Interesting.
LUCY
No. Mooni,
AUG
Oh, Mooni! Fantastic!
He clasps his hands together happily. After another moment, Aug scratches his head and looks into the fire, his brow furrowed.
AUG
Well... I was not actually expecting you both so soon. Forgive me. Let me- let me get dressed and I'll cook something for us all to eat.
He smirks at both of them, putting his hands on his knees, ready to stand up.
AUG
Is that alright?
Lucy nods.
LUCY
Yeah.
Mooni only half-smiles. He gets up and walks to his kitchen.
When she decides that he is out of ear-shot, she moves closer to Lucy and whispers to her.
MOONI
(whispering)
This guy FREAKS me out!
Lucy is confused.
LUCY
(whispering)
What. Why? You were all excited about him before...
MOONI
(whispering)
I dunno, he just seems-
Aug walks back into the living area and sits down at his recliner.
AUG
Everything alright?
MOONI
Yup!
LUCY
You freak her out!
Mooni freezes and her face turns bright red. Aug lets out an awkward laugh.
AUG
Um. Oh. Why- why is that?
MOONI
No! No. It's just-
AUG
I mean... I understand. You come from the town. They don't think highly of me there. But-
MOONI
It's not that!
(to Lucy)
Lucy, what the heck! Why would you say that!?
LUCY
What?
AUG
Mooni. It's ok. It's ok. I appreciate your friend's honesty. I know I probably look very different from what you usually see at the market. But... perhaps I can tell you a little bit about myself and where I come from-
MOONI
No! I'm not racist! You're just weird!
Aug runs his fingers through his hair and sighs.
AUG
(to himself)
Oh, I was never good with children.
(to Mooni)
Look.
He uses his whole hand to point at her. The look in his eyes changes to a more authentic and frustrated glare. His voice speeds up and his Chiss accent comes out.
AUG
I don't know anything about human kids. YOU freak ME out.
MOONI
What!?
Mooni grins in disbelief. Lucy seems extremely confused at the whole situation and so continues to sit in silence.
MOONI
Why'd you come up to us, then!?
AUG
Because! Because I can feel her-
He points to Lucy. Mooni scoffs.
MOONI
You may not!
AUG
I can feel her presence! It's strong with the Force... And I saw you two play-fighting. I swear... I saw her use the Force! Do you know how rare and amazing that is!? That I might have a chance at getting someone as an apprentice!? I NEVER thought that could happen and I couldn't pass that up!
Mooni sits back on the bench, smiling.
AUG
Is that good enough for you?!
(under his breath)
Little k'tah...
Mooni whips her head to Lucy.
MOONI
There we go.
LUCY
What the heck just happened!?
Aug sighs again. He covers his face in his hands.
AUG
What is my life.
MOONI
So... Lucy is a Jedi?
AUG
Well... not a Jedi, but she's certainly force-sensitive.
MOONI
Are you gonna train her!?
Aug crosses his arms and sits up.
AUG
If she agrees.
Mooni turns to Lucy, who at this point has become completely vacant-faced.
MOONI
Do you!?
Lucy stares at Mooni.
LUCY
What?
MOONI
Do you wanna be a Jedi like Luke?
LUCY
Yes! Of course!
Awkward silence then fills the room. The sizzling of distant heating water fills the gap.
LUCY
Waait... so... why are you blue?
AUG
Oh my Lanaian god.
INT. AUG'S DWELLING - LATER
Mooni lies sprawled across the bench, asleep, drool hanging out her mouth. Lucy sits on the floor, hugging her knees and facing Aug who is now standing behind a holomap. She takes a final slurp of her soup.
Aug scratches his head. He moves around the map and points to the far left side.
AUG
Ok, so nooow... we're here. This is where we are. This used to be uncharted territory for most of recorded history. ... Uh, Palpatine-you know him, right?
Lucy nods.
AUG
Palpatine charted this whole entire place out... because! Because my people, the Chiss, told him about a growing threat. And... he either-
Aug looks up and around, thinking for a second. Lucy waits patiently for him to gather his thought.
AUG
(out of breath)
Well, he either wanted- he was either afraid of it, or he wanted to harness it. And...
(looking directly at Lucy)
what was the growing threat again?
LUCY
... uh, trick question! We don't know.
AUG
Yes! You're getting it! Although several threats have come from the unknown-
LUCY
Like the Grisk!
AUG
Yes!
LUCY
And Exogol.
AUG
Also yes. But the Ascendancy only knows of one powerful darkside presence that continues to grow. And it remains unknown.
Lucy raises her hand.
AUG
Question?
LUCY
What's the "asidancy?"
AUG
Oh, the Ascendancy? They're a bunch of pompous, awful rubbish beings. Really smart, though. You can- you can trust them on this.
LUCY
Hm. Nuanced.
AUG
Nu- what? Nuanced?
LUCY
That's a nuanced view.
Aug nods.
AUG
...Yeah. It is.
He coughs into his elbow.
AUG
It's essentially my people's government.
LUCY
Oh, like the co-too?
AUG
Yes. The Ascendancy and the co-too border each other.
He draws an imaginary horizontal line with his finger through the left side of the holomap.
AUG
And they're somewhat close allies. But mostly the Ascendancy just hates everyone but themselves.
LUCY
...Do they hate you?
Aug pauses. He shuts off the holomap and takes a deep breath.
AUG
Yes. They do.
He sits down cross-legged across from Lucy and stares down at the floor. Lucy yawns, beginning to nod off, but tries to pay attention. Aug's speech is slow and thoughtful.
AUG
I'm considered mentally ill by the Ascendancy. Maybe I am, I don't know. But somehow... I got it in me to value individuality... which, to them, only brings chaos and disorder. That alone would've been fine-several Chiss develop that and there are accommodations for it-but I also developed what they call "third sight." Which is what you call the Force.
LUCY
Mmm.
AUG
For most Chiss, it goes away. But I guess since it was coupled with my mental illness, it just kept growing in me. So... when I was about-
He pauses to think again and fidgets with his fingers.
AUG
-14? 15? They forced me onto an escape pod with no food-or anything-and blasted me off. I was found by a tourist transport annnd... brought here.
Aug takes another deep breath. Lucy stares off into the distance.
LUCY
Hmm. That sucks.
AUG
It is what it is. I can't blame them. Well-
He keeps fidgeting with his hands, contemplating.
AUG
I don't blame them. And I also consider myself extremely lucky to have ended up here... where it is so, so strong in the Force. It's the birthplace of the Jedi, and the resting ground for Luke Skywalker. It is so rich and filled with life... Ha, the Force seems to work like that sometimes...
LUCY
Hm.
AUG
I have learned so much about what it means to be one with the Force. To have that be what identifies your individuality. And hopefully... I can pass all that on to you. And you'll make it all worth it.
Lucy yawns and lies down with her eyes shut. Aug solemnly stares at the ground before giving a conclusive nod. A single, loud snore belts from Mooni. Aug smiles. He gets up and takes the two girls' bowls with him to the kitchen.
EXT. AHCH-TO - NORTH-WEST PENINSULA COVE - DAY
The waves are gentle within the cove. Mooni lies in the sand with her arms behind her head, sunbathing. She looks over at Lucy and Aug, somewhat frustrated.
Aug wields his purple lightsaber and adjusts something on the handle with a spindly device. As he does so, the plasma blade shortens. He hands it to Lucy.
AUG
Be very careful. Don't wave it around. I just want you to hold it in front of you, okay?
Lucy nods and firmly grips the lightsaber. Her arms straighten and she stiffly lifts the saber vertically in front of her.
AUG
Okay. Good. Now relax. Take a deep breath. And I want you to move the tip of the blade from here-
He points to an area at the upper right of the blade.
AUG
-to here.
He moves his finger to an area at the bottom left of the blade.
AUG
Slowly... and intentionally.
He steps back. Lucy takes a deep breath and slowly moves the tip of the blade from the upper right to the lower left.
AUG
Good.
Lucy sheathes the saber. Aug looks over at Mooni, who still seems mildly annoyed.
AUG
(to Mooni)
Mooni, would you like to try?
Mooni glares over at him before finally getting up. She brushes the sand off her and walks over next to Lucy, side-eyeing her.
AUG
Lucy.
Aug gestures for her to give Mooni the lightsaber. Lucy does so. Mooni wraps her fingers around the hilt and inhales. She tries to hold back a smile but a slight smirk still breaks through. Lucy shares the smirk. Mooni ignites it. As the purple blade reflects in her eyes, she breaks into awe induced laughter.
MOONI
Woah.
EXT. AHCH-TO - NORTH-WEST PENINSULA COVE - LATER
Embers burn and smoke rises as our trio sits around, eating fish on a stick.
AUG
Lucy. Sorry if I got emotional last night. I don't get a lot of opportunities to share my story.
LUCY
Uh. It's fine. I was pretty tired. I don't remember most of it.
Aug gives a sarcastic look like "are you kidding me." Mooni is slack-jawed in disappointment.
MOONI
Lucy!
LUCY
What? You just fell asleep!
Mooni gets ready to retaliate but Aug chuckles and shrugs it off, sensing the tension between the two.
AUG
It's alright. Anyway. I've been meaning to ask. ...What are you two doing? I mean, working at the square. Training with me. Don't you have guardians.
Mooni shakes her head.
MOONI
My grandpa died.
AUG
Oh. I'm sorry to hear that.
MOONI
It's fine.
LUCY
No, it's not.
Aug scratches his head.
MOONI
Lucy, don't answer for me!
LUCY
You were just saying yesterday that you didn't feel right!
MOONI
Ok well, your mom is dead and you're fine!
AUG
Um-
Lucy drops her nearly finished fish as her eyes well up.
LUCY
She isn't dead.
A tear falls down her face. A moment of awkward silence.
AUG
We will talk about this some other time.
MOONI
Hmph.
Lucy wipes her eyes and crosses her arms. Mooni scowls.
AUG
Here. Hold on. I'll be right back.
Aug gets up.
INT. AUG'S DWELLING - CONTINUOUS
Aug scrambles through a couple of containers and pulls up small metal box full of various colored gems.
EXT. AHCH-TO - NORTH-WEST PENINSULA COVE - CONTINUOUS
He sets the box down between the two girls, who have not appeared to talk to each other since he got up.
Aug sits down with a smile.
AUG
Look.
He points at the box. Lucy pulls it over to her and looks inside. She beams and looks to Aug for permission.
Aug nods.
Mooni crawls over the sand to look in the box and gasps.
MOONI
Can I?
AUG
Of course. Though, a crystal doesn't typically bond with someone not graced by the Force.
MOONI
Well, screw the Force.
AUG
(sternly)
Mooni.
Lucy and Mooni grab a few of their favorite colors out of the box.
LUCY
How'd you get all these? It must've cost a fortune!
AUG
No, actually. There used to be a small planet filled with kyber. The Empire was gonna mine it all but ended up turning the whole planet into a base. And when the base blew up, it sent kyber filled meteors all across the unknown regions. It's very common now.
LUCY
Was that the one Luke blew up?
AUG
Um, I don't think so. It was a while after his prime. Perhaps some of his good friends, though. Anyway, Consolidated Kingdom monarchies have hoarded most of the crystals. But I've found a few in my day.
Mooni leans over to Lucy.
MOONI
That's what co-too stood for! Consolidated Kingdoms of the Unknown Regions.
LUCY
Wait... wouldn't it be like... ko-tor, then?
Mooni looks around, thinking for a second.
MOONI
Oh. World! Not regions.
AUG
I wouldn't pay much mind to that.
Lucy and Mooni look up simultaneously.
AUG
The Force goes deeper than the struggles of this world. Governments come and go. Pay no mind to them.
Mooni picks out an elegant shard of dark purple kyber while Lucy finally narrows down her crystals to three different shades of blue.
LUCY
Hm. How do I know which one of them is bonding with me?
MOONI
I dunno, but I'm definitely bonding with this one.
She holds her purple crystal up to the sun, causing a glimmering, purple shadow on the sand.
AUG
Here.
Aug scoots around closer to Lucy.
AUG
Close your eyes.
Lucy closes her eyes.
AUG
Put your hand out.
Lucy puts her hand out.
AUG
And feel the crystal meant for you. Let that feeling flow through you like an energy-deep into your soul.
Lucy takes a deep breath. Her three blue crystals begin to shake. But suddenly, a green crystal from inside the box rises out and flies right into her palm. She catches it and opens her eyes. Confused to still see the three blue crystals in front of her, she opens up her hand.
LUCY
Green!?
Mooni gasps.
MOONI
That's the color of Luke's lightsaber!
Aug watches them as they ooh and ahh each other's crystal. He smiles and leans back as we draw back further and further over the ocean.
OUTRO: embed/9zNS-YD-zso?start=28&end=163
Based on story and characters by George Lucas
Written by Silas McCord
MUSIC:
"Win" by Disasterpeace, arranged by David Peacock, and performed by Augustine Mayuga Gonzales
"Requiem - Instrumental" by Shey Baba
COVER ART:
"Cliffs of Mohar 2" by Conor McGuire
All copyrighted characters, locations, terms, and phrases are owned by Lucasfilm LTD. and Walt Disney Studios.
END.