STAR WARS: Aphelion
"Growing Beyond"
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 V: GROWING BEYOND
AUG (V.O.)
We've arrived at last.
EXT. AHCH-TO - CONTAINMENT FACILITY - SUNRISE
Through pink clouds shine golden rays. At a distance, in an otherwise empty field, sits a small rectangular hut with a metal door-the entrance to the place that imprisoned Lucy most of her life.
AUG (V.O)
We must be very strategic in how we go about this.
Our quartet crouches behind a protruding rock. Aug, Lucy, and Mooni take a serious posture and demeanor while Nole lies back with his arms crossed behind his head, lackadaisical-like.
NOLE
When I went in, I just busted right through.
Aug turns on his heels and leans over Nole face-to-face.
AUG
When you busted in, they weren't actively expecting you, boy! Now listen to me or die.
He turns to Mooni and Lucy. Nole makes a mocking face behind Aug, brushes himself off and yawns.
AUG
I need you two to stay here, okay? You're not trained enough to be able to fight and I can't... I can't have anything happen to either of you.
LUCY
Wait, so it's just gonna be you and Nole?
Aug looks over his shoulder back at Nole. Nole stares at the ground, bored.
AUG
Yes.
He turns back to Lucy.
AUG
...And as soon as your mother exits that door, you run with her as fast as you can.
Nole furrows his brow as if Aug is the stupidest person he had ever heard speak.
NOLE
Yeah, no. That's not going to work. Actually, that's an awful plan. If you were just gonna have them run, why'd you bring them in the first place? Look. The whole planet's after us. There's no point in us sneaking around or running away. If they're gonna come at us full force, then we go at them full force.
Aug turns back to face Nole, frustrated.
Nole squints off into the distance. A faint hum comes from the same direction.
Aug turns to look at it - a police transport.
AUG
Well, what do you suggest we do?
NOLE
First of all...
He nods to Mooni and Lucy.
NOLE
...let them go with us.
Mooni lights up.
AUG
No.
MOONI
Yes... pleease.
AUG
No, that's not happening.
Lucy stays out of it. She keeps her eyes on the coming transport.
NOLE
They wouldn't kill the girls.
AUG
What, so we should use them as our own hostages?
NOLE
Sure! And they'll get some good fighting experience.
He smiles at Mooni. The humming grows louder.
AUG
I am not going to barter with their lives.
NOLE
It's not a barter if you know they're not gonna die.
AUG
I don't know that and I don't trust you!
LUCY
(quietly)
The ship is armed and its guns are poin ted at us.
NOLE
You're the one who brought two little girls into this instead of telling them to stay back wherever you came from. You're the one with no real plan! Why should I trust you?
Mooni tugs on Aug's sleeve.
MOONI
Aug, seriously. We can help. We'll be ok.
Aug shakes his head.
AUG
I- I just...
LUCY
Th-the ship is armed... and its guns are pointed at us.
MOONI
Huh?
Thoom. Thoom.
The sound of two cannons firing. We pan and zoom quick to the transport. A side door opens, revealing troopers with their blasters at the ready. The powerful cannon-fire destroys the terrain around them. The troopers start shooting.
Aug and Nole take out their sabers, deflecting the fire. Lucy and Mooni run to the other side of the protruding rock. They watch helplessly until Mooni grabs Lucy's wrist and tries to pull her away from the rock. Lucy resists.
LUCY
What?
Mooni gestures her head to the facility entrance. Lucy shakes her head.
MOONI
Come on. You've been there. You know the place, right?
Lucy shakes her head again. Mooni lets go of Lucy's wrist.
MOONI
Well... I'm going in.
LUCY
What?
Mooni struts to the entrance.
LUCY
Wait!
Mooni presses a few buttons but the door won't open. Lucy runs up beside her, hugging her arm.
MOONI
It won't open.
Lucy looks it over.
LUCY
Okay.
After a deep breath, she reaches out her hand and closes her eyes. Then she opens them, and lowers her arm.
LUCY
Yeah, nothin'.
They look over to Aug and Nole. The ship has now landed and the three remaining troopers storm out wielding vibroblades. As Nole and Aug engage with them, Aug glances over and sees Mooni and Lucy.
AUG
Hey! What are you doing!?
Mooni puts her hand up to Lucy's ear.
MOONI
(whispering)
I have an idea.
Mooni sprints over past the rock and bends over a downed police trooper. She yanks a blaster rifle out of his dead hands.
AUG
Mooni, stop!
One trooper takes a violent swing at him. Aug ducks and parries but the trooper blocks it.
Mooni runs back to the entrance of the facility. She aims the blaster at the door controls and presses the trigger. The control panel explodes and the door slides open.
A security guard stands with her gun at the ready! But she is surprised to see children and hesitates to shoot. Just as surprised to see the guard, Mooni instinctively presses the trigger again and shoots her. She falls to the ground, dead.
MOONI
Woah.
LUCY
You killed her!
Mooni stands breathing heavy. She stares at the guard's body.
LUCY
Mooni, you killed her!
MOONI
Yeah.
She looks at Nole and Aug who finish off their remaining troopers with a flourish.
MOONI
They killed those troopers.
LUCY
Mooni.
Mooni stares back at the dead body. She blinks harder than normal.
Nole runs over after sheathing his saber and assesses the situation. He wipes his brow and looks at Mooni.
NOLE
Nice.
He leans over and grabs the pistol out of the security guard's hand. He tosses it to Lucy who clumsily catches it.
Aug hurries up to the group and immediately takes the gun from Lucy.
AUG
I don't think that's a good idea.
Nole gestures at the dead guard.
NOLE
It's point and shoot. They obviously got it.
Aug holds the gun up.
AUG
I'm gonna keep this.
LUCY
Ok...
He tucks the gun into his belt. Aug looks at Mooni holding the blaster. He sighs. They enter the facility and go down the lift.
INT. CONTAINMENT FACILITY - DAY
The lift opens to reveal a series of unlit corridors. An alert blares, causing bright white lights to flash through the entire facility.
NOLE
Gah, that's blinding.
Everyone shields their eyes from the flashing lights.
AUG
Was this not a feature when you visted before?
NOLE
Huh-uh. This is new.
Right next to the lift, a door opens and five troopers pile out, visors down, with their guns pointed straight at our quartet. They circle around them.
TROOPER #1
We have you surrounded. Put your hands up.
Not knowing what to do, Mooni and Lucy try to look to Aug through their squinting. He puts his hands on his head, interlocking his fingers. The girls and Nole do the same.
The troopers lower their weapons and approach the group with cuffs in hand.
Aug closes his eyes. The lights continue to flash. He unlinks his hands and forcefully pushes them past each other above his head. The five troops go flying back against the walls, causing them to shoot at random. But Aug, with his eyes still shut, freezes the blaster fire.
AUG
Get to cover!
Nole, Lucy, and Mooni run through one of the corridors and behind a nook in the wall. Aug releases the blaster fire. The shots ricochet, hitting three troopers. One of the shots ricochets and hits Aug in the leg.
AUG
Agh!
He opens his eyes and hobbles over to the rest of the group. They hear the lift open on the other side of the corridor and the footsteps of more troopers coming into the facility.
Our quartet starts hurrying down the corridor. Blood trickles down Aug's leg. He grunts in pain as he walks.
AUG
Where was Mooni kept?
NOLE
Mooni?
AUG
Sorry, Lucy. Where- where was Lucy kept?
NOLE
It was the corridor just across this one. Back the other way. You think that's where her mom is?
AUG
I don't know.
The footsteps grow louder. Nole and Aug enter into another nook. Lucy and Mooni enter one on the opposite side of the hall.
Two troopers run down the corridor and as soon as they reach the right spot, Nole and Aug jump out and attack, slicing them down.
But in doing so, they gain the attention of four more troopers down by the lift. They start shooting down the corridor. Nole and Aug retreat back into their nook.
Mooni and Lucy look nervously across the hall at Aug and Nole.
The lights continue to flash.
NOLE
(whispering)
I can't see anything down the hall.
AUG
(whispering)
Me neither. ...Can you tell where the source is?
NOLE
(whispering)
Huh-uh. It's all up and down the halls.
Mooni holds her blaster up. She slowly steps out of her nook. Lucy looks shocked. Aug waves at her to stop.
AUG
(whisper-yelling)
Stop! Go back!
The troopers near the lift raise up their blasters.
TROOPER #2
Hold your fire.
TROOPER #3
Is that the girl?
Mooni squints and looks around. She finds the sources of the light and shoots them. Lights in the distant corridors continue to flash, but it's no longer blinding. Moony quickly goes back into the nook with Lucy. Lucy is amazed.
Nole and Aug step out into the hall, igniting their sabers.
TROOPER #2
Fire! Fire!
The troopers fire but Nole and Aug deflect the shots back at them. Four more troopers with vibroblades begin to funnel through the hallway. Nole and Aug take them all on. Nole quickly turns to Mooni and Lucy.
NOLE
Go!
Mooni heaves up her blaster and runs down the rest of the hallway. Lucy, scared, follows her.
At the end of the corridor are 6 cells, 3 on each side. Mooni and Lucy quickly examine each cell. They are all empty. The two girls turn to each other, breathing hard.
MOONI
Were these empty?
Lucy shakes her head. They look at the numbers above the cells. 07, 08, 09, up to 12.
MOONI
You were six, right?
LUCY
Yeah.
MOONI
That must be on the other side, then.
Mooni takes a moment to really look at the cells. SDevestated, she furrows her brow and her eyes get teary. She looks at Lucy.
MOONI
You were in one of these?
Lucy remains blank-faced. She nods. Mooni, holding on to her blaster, hugs her. She does not let go.
Nole and Aug finally make it to them. They are scraped up from the close-quarters battle. Nole keeps his saber out, while they look around.
NOLE
Empty? These weren't empty before.
Nole looks at Aug.
AUG
They were moved beforehand.
Nole nods, exasperated. Aug's face fills with despairing revelation.
AUG
We were set up.
NOLE
I tried to tell you this was a stupid plan! I bet they have 10 more transports up on the surface, filled with more troopers. Just waiting to kill us on the spot! ...Damnit!
AUG
They won't kill us. Not as long as we have Lucy. They won't kill her.
Nole turns to the girl in question.
NOLE
Why do they need you alive? What makes you so special!?
Lucy does not respond. She doesn't know. Mooni hugs her tighter.
NOLE
What the hell is this place, anyway!?
He stabs the wall with his lightsaber.
AUG
Hey, calm down! Look. I'll accept the blame for this. But we have to figure something out. And we can't do that if you're just going to yell about nothing.
The lights continue to flash throughout the facility.
AUG
We must keep looking.
Cells 01-06 are empty, too. As they go, they destroy most of the flashing lights. They leave a few, just enough to see in the dark. The next corridor down, 13-18, are empty. 19-24 are empty. 25 all the way to 96 are empty. The cafeteria area is empty. The group convenes outside the lift.
MOONI
There's nothing! How do we get out?
NOLE
We can dig.
AUG
With lightsabers?
NOLE
One of these corridors has to be close to the cliff.
AUG
Oh, and then we jump into the rocky, shallow waters below?
Lucy ignores the argument. She presses a button to enter through a door next to the lift.
AUG (O.S.)
We don't even know for sure that anybody is waiting for us up there.
INT. CONTAINMENT FACILITY - CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
The room is lit normally.
The argument stops as they watch Lucy. She goes to a corner that holds several small containment units. Each one has a number on it going up to 96. She opens 06. Within it are small children's clothes and a lone datapad.
The rest of the group enters the room. Nole and Mooni sit at a conference table while Aug goes up to Lucy and touches the datapad.
AUG
I can play this if you want me to.
Lucy nods.
Aug connects the datapad to a port under the table. A still holograph of Iyela appears. Dumps of biographical info scrolls up and dissipates into the air.
Lucy stares at the women in amazement.
LUCY
Mom.
They all sit in silence as Lucy takes it in.
Suddenly, she yanks the datapad out of the port and hugs it close to her chest. Her eyes well up.
Nole scratches his head as Mooni sympathetically watches.
Finally, with a heavy sigh, Aug limps out of the room.
INT. CONTAINMENT FACILITY - DAY
He sits down, cross-legged, at the lift. He puts his fingertips together and closes his eyes. The rest of the group walks out of the room and stands around him.
MOONI
What are you doing?
Aug continues to concentrate. Sweat drips from his brow. He opens his eyes and takes a sudden breath, startling Lucy.
AUG
I saw only one transport.
NOLE
Did you just project?
Aug shakes his head.
AUG
Just enough to see.
Mooni snickers, garnering some inquisitive looks from the group.
MOONI
I'm sorry. I just had this picture in my head where you only projected your eyeballs. Sorry.
Aug smiles.
AUG
Oh, my dear Mooni.
He gets up and places his hand on her head.
AUG
Well. I think we can take one more transport-full of troopers. Though we best be quick before anything else arrives.
MOONI
They've worn you guys out pretty good.
Aug looks at his leg.
NOLE
Yeah I'm exhausted, man. Bruised up. I've had two shots graze me.
AUG
I as well. And a few good hits from a vibroblade. But there's not much else we can do.
NOLE
Are you kidding me. The one time I think fighting head on isn't a good idea.
Aug looks around... like he's spaced out, receiving a message. Then he looks directly at Lucy.
AUG
Lucy. The transport wasn't the only thing I saw.
LUCY
What?
AUG
Listen. I... am what you grow beyond. Don't hold yourself to me for I am flawed beyond repair. Flourish into who you're meant to be. And, my dear girl, you will be spectacular, I know it. I see it more lucid than I see you now. ...Regal. Far greater than anything I could have dreamed of.
He smirks in confidence, leaving Lucy bewildered.
LUCY
Why are you talking like that?
Aug turns around and opens the lift. He enters in.
LUCY
Aug?
Aug waits for the rest of the group to enter.
NOLE
...I guess this is what we're doing.
Lucy stares at the floor, confused. Mooni and Nole move past her and enter the lift. Lucy snaps out of it and enters last. The lift closes, leaving nothing in the facility but the flashing lights.
EXT. AHCH-TO - CONTAINMENT FACILITY - DAY
The door opens. A lone transport has appeared off to the right, near the entrance. The landscape is torn up by the downed ships and bodies from before. Other than that, nothing.
AUG
They're behind us.
He ignites his saber. Nole does the same.
AUG
Lucy. Mooni. Do as I say... and run.
Not again. Lucy shakes her head, refusing. Mooni stays with her in front of the shack.
Aug steps around the corner with Nole at his side.
Ten troopers, blasters at the ready and vibroblades on their hips, stand in a line on the edge of the cliff. They start firing on Nole and Aug.
They deflect most of the fire, killing four of the troopers, but a stray shot hits Aug in the shin. He grunts as his leg buckles and he falls to the ground.
Mooni turns around the corner and starts shooting. After a few misses, she successfully hits one of the troopers in the thigh and takes a satisfied breath.
Nole continues to deflect fire and kills another one. With four still standing, Nole rushes in to attack one more. The trooper drops their gun and grabs their vibroblade, briskly moving it up so that it clashes against Nole's lightsaber!
Aug gets up and leans against the shack, blocking Mooni's view. He reaches out with the Force and pulls the other three troopers' blasters out of their hands, flinging them off the cliff. They immediately grab their vibroblades and two of them converge on him while the other goes to attack Nole.
Mooni sidesteps around Aug and shoots one of the troopers coming for him. The other one runs up and slashes at Aug's shoulder. Aug barely blocks it, allowing the blade to still cut his shoulder! The trooper pulls his blade away and swings for Aug's head! He ducks, but without the stable support of both his legs, he falls all the way to the ground. Mooni gets a clear view of the trooper but before she is about to shoot, the trooper notices her, spins their vibroblade around, and spears it at her! Aug quickly uses the Force to pull Mooni away and the vibroblade sticks into the ground. Mooni's shot goes up into the air as she falls onto her back. But as soon as she orients herself, she sees the trooper and takes another shot. The trooper is blasted off the edge of the cliff. Mooni rushes back to Aug.
MOONI
Are you alright?
Aug struggles to shake his head. His shoulder bleeds profusely.
Nole ducks beneath the attack of one trooper and parries an attack from the other. He counters, quickly bringing his blade around, and cuts the trooper's arm off and then slices their torso. He takes a few breaths before facing the final trooper. The trooper takes a swing at him. Exhausted, Nole backs out of the way. He barely blocks the next couple of swings. The trooper, frustrated, notices the downed Chiss from afar and pushes pass the boy.
TROOPER #4
Out of my way.
NOLE
(out of breath)
What? Hey!
Nole rolls his eyes and half-heartedly jogs after him.
Lucy sits in front of the shack, her arms covering her head. But through the corner of her eye, she sees movement. A different trooper limps to the transport. They get into the pilot's seat and the guns begin to move. Lucy starts breathing rapidly.
LUCY
(screaming)
Mooni!
Mooni turns around and sees the ship's guns pointed right at them. She gasps.
Aug bends around the corner and with his good arm, he chucks his saber into the ship, causing it to explode!
The last trooper runs up behind Aug.
TROOPER #4
Die, you lapis scum!
Aug quickly turns around and the trooper stabs him in the chest, killing him.
Mooni's attention is taken away from the exploded transport as she quickly turns back around to see Aug on his back with a blade sticking up through his chest. She is stunned.
Lucy sees it all. She reaches out for the gun on Aug's belt. Mooni watches as it zips past her face and into Lucy's hand. She shoots the trooper twice and he falls to the ground, dead.
As Nole runs up, he puts his hands to his head.
NOLE
Oh no. Oh no.
Lucy stands up and looks around, nearly hyperventilating. She drops the gun and kneels beside Aug, shaking him.
LUCY
(defeated)
Aug?
They hear the dreaded distant hum and see a transport coming from afar.
NOLE
We gotta go.
Lucy holds onto Aug, not even able to cry. Nole yanks her up and starts running with her arm in hand.
Mooni rips the other vibroblade up from the dirt and wielding both blade and blaster, she starts running alongside Lucy and Nole.
EXT. AHCH-TO - CONTAINMENT FACILITY - LATER
The transport flies through the sky and lands among the wreckage. Ten troopers exit and examine the area, keeping their blasters up. One of them checks around the shack and sees a pile of robes skewered to the ground by a vibroblade.
The robes blow in the wind like a flag attached to its flagpole.
EXT. AHCH-TO - SVARTIFOSS WATERFALL - SUNSET
Our trio walks, miserable, tired, and sad.
NOLE
I know they've got a lot more food stored down in those caves.
They stop and Mooni sticks her blade in the dirt and lies down. Her stomach growls.
MOONI
...How would we get it?
Nole thinks for a second. He moves toward the waterfall, fingering his lightsaber.
Lucy falls to the ground.
MOONI
Lucy?!
She passes out.
EXT. AHCH-TO - SVARTIFOSS WATERFALL - SUNRISE
Lucy's eyes open. Nole grabs a loaf of bread out from a big tweed sack and takes a bite. He notices Lucy.
NOLE
Oh. Here.
He grabs another loaf and sets it in front of her. Lucy sits upright and takes the loaf. She looks around for Mooni and sees her, still sleeping right behind her.
She swallows, looking at the bread and then the sack. She stares at Nole. He looks back at her calmly, raising his eyebrows.
NOLE
You're welcome.
Lucy takes a bite out of the bread, unhappy. She scoots back to rest against Mooni. Mooni wakes up and turns over, putting her arm around Lucy. She looks to Nole, squinting with morning grogginess.
Nole takes another loaf out of the bag and hands it to Lucy who then hands it to Mooni.
They continue to eat bread.
CUT TO BLACK.
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, terms, and phrases are owned by Lucasfilm LTD. and Walt Disney Studios.
END.