101 Over Outer Space 101
Title Crawl
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...
STAR
WARS
Episode VII
THE HIDDEN DANGER
The Rebellion has liberated thousands
of planets from the evil grip of the
Galactic Empire! Only a few remain in
tyranny.
Most liberated planets choose to
stay out of the lingering war, leaving
the REPUBLIC CLUSTER with few
members. Only LUKE SKYWALKER
and his JEDI KNIGHTS can approach
these many isolationist factions.
The remains of the Empire seek grand
resurgence against this small
Republic, and their plan begins on a
forgotten planet along the Outer Rim . . .
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102 Faldur — night — int. 102
The view from outer space backs up, revealing it as a ground-level view shared by two men. They shift nervous looks from the sky to a small city in the distance. They are hiding within a dark, unfinished construction of an Imperial Star Destroyer, with 50 fellow Republic soldiers keeping a low profile behind them. Two medium-size shuttles and eight "Pulsar.9" fighter ships rest nearby. All is quiet on the soft Faldur sands. Until:
POE It's been too long. Let's push our advantage while we have it and destroy their base.
CPT. VANNEL Finger off the trigger, Poe. Have some faith. If intel's right, we can't risk a mission this important to get some pot-shots off on a handful of Imps.
POE Empire doesn't leak anything. They lay bait. The best information we ever got was tax records, and they still killed our spy and his family. The fact you and Organa think they let THIS slip is delusional—
Vannel stops Poe and points below them.
CPT. VANNEL Look.
Two hovercraft approach. The shrouded soldiers silently perk up. The ships arrive and open. One soldier jumps out as the rest haul instruments off.
EXCITED SOLDIER We got it! We have everything! It's real!
CPT. VANNEL Survey! Engineering! Get over here! Show us what you got.
Excited Soldier shows a hologram of the inside of an active reactor —crowd gasps.
EXCITED SOLDIER There it is, boys, the last piece to make a Death Star.
Poe leaves as the crowd of soldiers and local informants gather. Poe hops on and readies his Pulsar.9. He keeps the hatch open and looks toward the horizon.
CPT. VANNEL How live is it? Can we take it out right here, right now, without annihilating the surface of the planet?
ENGINEERING It may be missing the radial insulation here. Do you have more displays of this area?
EXCITED SOLDIER We have plenty. (to survey team: give 'em everything!) We were able to visit the location itself with the help from our locals. Group three is still taking some of the deeper internals.
Poe sees shadows move by the sand folds. He looks around and sees movement encircling them.
Poe starts to warn the crew when a black spear takes out of their first medium shuttle. Panic sets in. The men grab their blasters as plasma shots pound into their makeshift base. The spear retracts and flies back where it came. Poe gets ready to take off.
POE Captain Vannel! I'll cover you, get as many people off as you can.
CPT. VANNEL Keep an eye out! That's a Knight of Ren going for our cruisers!
POE Got it, you get our tax records off to Organa!
Poe in his Pulsar.9 fights hard. From his efforts, two small ships escape.
The black spear rips into his engine. After he goes down, no more ships successfully flee. Poe lays unconscious. Vannel puts on a good fight with the ground troops until Kylo Ren slaughters him and two others through a wall. The line breaks after Kylo's push, and the stormtroopers destroy the remaining ships. Our surviving soldiers and the local informants are lined up against walls. Poe wakes up and grabs his gun. Kylo Ren and the spear wielding Knight of Ren, Eepha Ren, stand in front while all stormtroopers assemble in line. They point their rifles.
KYLO Keep them on the wall. Search them for technology. Kill those that resist.
Poe readies his shot. When Kylo lifts a lightsaber to kill a soldier, he fires. Kylo Force-freezes the shot in place and has Poe dragged before him by troopers.
POE Haha, THE Kylo Ren? Luke's star drop-out! What, now you give the Empire what he destroyed?
KYLO Poe Dameron. The general sent his famed Elites. Were those still searching inside Elite as well? Their heads rolled just as easily.
POE Glad your sweet on us. We got two ships out. You'll be seeing a lot more heads soon.
A silence falls between the two men.
POE It's over, Kylo. Take my men and these civilians prisoner. When they come back and glass this place, you will be given a fair trial. 'might at least get ol' Luke to forgive you!
KYLO They have no value to us. However, you have value in torture. Kill the rest.
By his command, the stormtroopers fire on the crowd. Only one stormtrooper puts down his gun. A soldier with a hidden weapon fatally hits the trooper next to our non-combative. As the man dies, he marks our trooper's helmet with a bloody handprint. The survived trooper stands, shaken from the horror of war. He and Kylo lock a tense stare at each other as Poe is taken on a ship.
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103 Faldur Imperial Base — Dawn 103
The marked soldier enters a small, scrappy quarters. His bunkmate inside has his head in a machine, totally absorbed. Our soldier takes off his helmet, panicked. He quickly tinkers with his firearm.
STORMTROOPER CPT. FN-2187!
FN-2187 turns around, calm and loyal.
FN-2187 Sir!
STORMTROOPER CPT. Trooper, you failed to perform your duty. Answer for your dearth of glory.
FN-2187 Sir! My EG-8 was defective! In the future, I will triple-check, sir!
STORMTROOPER CPT. You better. I will take your gun for inspection. Remain in your quarters in the conditioning unit until questioning.
FN-2187 Sir! I am one of those whose conditioning unit is malfunctioning.
STORMTROOPER CPT. Urgh, right... Stay in your quarters and triple-check all your equipment.
FN-2187 For the glory of the Empire!
STORMTROOPER CPT. May the Empire never fall.
The captain leaves with Finn's rifle. Finn looks at his bunkmate in the Conditioning Unit, then looks at his bunkmate's armor.
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104 Torture Room — int. 104
Poe is in a dark room with dim red and yellow light. He is strapped to a raised table. Kylo gets ready.
POE How's this work? You talk first? I talk first?
KYLO No talk. You break, then I have all I need.
POE Hey, we do the same with Royal Family members! And when we get our hands on you—
Kylo has had enough talking, hovers his hand over Poe's eyes. Poe's veins pop out, and his eyes start to swell. He holds but soon screams.
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105 Hall Outside Torture Room — int. 105
Kylo Ren exits the torture room with Poe still wailing inside. Vice Admiral Hux meets him outside, sickened by Poe's screams.
HUX Well?
KYLO Four soldiers in total. They left in two top-speed Pulsar.9s. They believe the reactor is real. They are arriving straight to General Organa himself in three standard hours.
Hux is overjoyed.
HUX Excellent news, Kylo! All the pieces we put have fallen into place, the Republic will die today, and our glory will have reached new heights!
Hux begins walking and gestures Kylo to follow.
KYLO I am unsure of what glory may be awarded to a Knight of Ren.
HUX When I become Admiral of the entire 1st division, no glory will be out of reach. We can even reinstate your status as a prince, like me. Cease chatter. We have a direct line to Emperor Zaltan.
They enter a makeshift hologram deck. They stand at attention until a hologram of Emperor Zaltan suddenly pops up.
HUX & KYLO For the glory of The Empire!
ZALTAN At ease. Is it done?
HUX Of course, your excellency. Two Republic ships have left with haste and complete trust in their scans of the reactor. The plan has gone perfectly.
ZALTAN Very good... very good. You impress me Vice Admiral Hux, very well, then we shall—
KYLO The plan has not gone perfectly, your excellency.
Hux and Zaltan turn to look at Kylo
ZALTAN Explain, Knight of Ren.
KYLO Repurposing a former base required twice the time we have used. As a result, we have experienced mass failings in our conditioning units. Insubordination has risen, now in our most crucial operation, a trooper completely neglected command. I fear he may be Force-sensitive.
Hux holds a face of suppressed outrage. Zaltan in shock.
ZALTAN Impossible! Can you be sure, Kylo?
KYLO I was to confront the trooper now to confirm my suspicions, but Vice Admiral Hux wanted to report these matters to you first.
ZALTAN Is that right. Your vessel will be arriving in ten parsecs. Address this matter before then. If this trooper can contact a Jedi, it will spell doom for our entire operation. Hux. This matter has top priority. Understood?
HUX At your request, your grace.
ZALTAN May the Empire never fall.
Zaltan leaves.
Hux unloads:
HUX You treacherous Vaxlaia! Is that helmet crushing your frontal lobe?!
KYLO You neglected an important—
HUX I have been notified and disregarded the matter. The rifle had a maintenance issue, and the trooper a midichlorian count lower than mine. Good fortune for you, Kylo, because if I had even one more part per million, I'd have ripped the head off your shoulder blades!
KYLO He is still a threat—
HUX Silence, Knight of Ren! This is to be our crowning glory. Do not unveil irrelevancies that tarnish our future reputation as heroes. The troopers tag is blocked from all access for now. Begin preparing for transit. Our destiny awaits.
Kylo exists while Hux is still fuming.
.
106 Torture Room exterior 106
Two troopers guard the torture room door. FN-2187 has taken the clean armor of his roommate CR-3932, and he approaches them across the hallway.
FN-2187 (as CR-3932) SL-2001, SN-7765, both your conditioning units are operational now. You are required to check on them immediately. I and FN-2187 will take your post till you return.
SL-2001 Urgh, I prefer it being busted CR.
SN-7765 Saying that out loud proves you need to get in your unit immediately. And not reporting you proves I need the same. CR- 3932, where is your partner?
FN-2187 (as CR-3932) FN-2187 received his EG-8 from inspection and received prior order to triple-check all weapons. He will be here before you get back.
SL-2001 Haha, I heard about that. And I thought his unit wasn't working? He doesn't need it. He is for the glory of the empire. See you around CR.
The troopers leave, FN-2187 enters the torture room. Once inside, he takes off his helmet and checks on the Republic Elite. Poe may still be shaking from his ordeal, but his pride will never be given up, so he finds any joking jab he can to keep it. FN-2187 takes off his restraints during the conversation.
FN-2187 Hey! Hey! Are you okay!?
POE I'm doin' peachy Imp, get your boss in here. My brainstem is sore, and I need another massage.
FN-2187 Uh, okay. Um, I can get you out of here instead.
POE …yeah
FN-2187 Please! I need to get out of the Empire. You're a pilot, right?
Poe now gets a more serious face and makes eye-contact with FN-2187.
POE You're defecting from the Empire? Get outta here...
FN-2187 We don't have a lot of time. I think I have a plan that can work, but we need to get going—
Once the last leg harness is removed, Poe pins FN-2187 on the wall, perhaps channeling the torture room's energy for this interrogation.
POE Why should I trust this?! Why would you want to turn traitor?!
FN-2187 ...because it's the right thing to do.
Poe has a smile made only by an instant bond.
POE Now I am counting on you having planned nothing past step two here.
FN-2187 Ah, I really haven't!
FN-2187 places handcuffs on Poe and puts the helmet back on.
POE It's no adventure if you have!
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107 Makeshift External Hangar — Daybreak 107
FN-2187 pretends to be escorting Poe at gunpoint. About 15 Imperial Ships are scattered across the sand with two large artillery cannons protecting them. A few soldiers can be seen working on their ships. FN-2187 first reaches the guard at the front gate.
FN-2187(as CR-3932) Orders from Kylo Ren. Ready him to be dropped from a TIE-I.N.
GUARD I'll let him know you're at the hangar.
FN-2187(as CR-3932) For the glory of the empire!
GUARD May the empire never fall—
POE —without me there to see it.
FN-2187 hits Poe in the back for the remark, corralling him across the sand.
FN-2187 Oh, it is happening now.
POE Don't keep looking around. You seem like a traitor.
FN-2187 I am a traitor!
POE Not the word for it, hey —you… are a Republic SPY!
FN-2187 I am a spy!...that does sound better.
POE And every pair of spies need their escape vehicle. This your pick?
FN-2187 stops Poe at a more secluded ship.
FN-2187 Yeah! Are you able to fly in this?
POE I can fly anything, but... I am a Republic agent, you know? None of us have gotten near the inside of these.
FN-2187 Oh, I am a traitor.
POE Yeah! But you're not a dead traitor! Let's get outta here!
Poe enters first and FN-2187 after
FN-2187 Roger!
.
108 Inside TIE-I.N. 108
The inside the ship are wall to wall blinking buttons, the glass cockpit opaque. Poe studies the canopy, then presses and holds a button: everything turns on. The glass cockpit snaps to transparent, letting light inside.
POE There we go, alright, this ain't much different from the TIE/ BO model. No N-s6 Navcon, but I see it's got —what is that— shields? Oh, that's an easy trade. Yeah, it's tighter, but I can make this work!
FN-2187 Wait, we're good?
POE Not quite. I'm still gonna need you to be the gunner.
FN-2187's face freezes at that.
POE (cont. ) And one more thing too. I need to know the name of the man I'm in a coffin with.
FN-2187 FN-2187. You?
POE Name's Poe! But yours has too many numbers. Can I just call you Finn? How's that sound?
FINN ! ! ! Finn… yeah, I like it! That's a good spy name.
POE It's a gunner's name now. We're taking off! Get ready to hit those cannons!
FINN Okay! Got it!
The TIE-I.N. hovers up.
Some troopers turn their heads, confused. The craft steadies itself against artillery.
POE Alright, it's free. Take the shot.
Finn sees his fellow troopers on the cannons, starts to breath fast. He notices the power cable connecting the cannons to the generators inside the base. Finn shoots an extended volley at the chord. The chord's resistance finally snaps, and the severed end launches high up with the cannon powering down.
POE What, all those shots and you miss?!
The chord falls back down on a fuel tank, the explosion destroys several aircraft, but no people. Finn is horrified. Poe is way into it.
POE WOOH! Nice! They know we're here now.
At this moment, Finn now fully grasps the gravity of becoming a traitor. Poe swings the ship to the last cannon.
POE Hey! Don't gawk! Other cannon! Go! FINN!
Finn snaps back and begins to shoot the other cannon's wire. The thick wire cannot be shredded in time. The cannon fires a shot right as the wire is severed! Poe evades just in time, but the wing is clipped. The TIE-I.N. spinning out of control, but Poe stabilizes. Many foot soldiers shooting at them now.
POE Not as good a shot, Finn! Quick, take as many ships as you can. We need to break atmosphere, fast!
FINN Alright! On it!
Finn shoots every single ship outside. He notably waits on one till a trooper jumps off it.
POE Nice! Nice! Nice! Hold on: this will be rough.
Poe flies a now smoking craft out of the area once he sees Eepha Ren and other anti-aircraft troopers arrive.
POE Is that all the ships they had?
FINN No, there are a few still in maintenance.
POE Well, let's hope they stay there. Ohhhhh man. Looks like we aren't going anywhere either, Finn.
FINN What?
POE We aren't breaking atmosphere with this… and we're going down. I'm getting us as far as I can. Get your ejection ready.
FINN I don't know where that is!
POE Ahhh I can't believe this. I'm a great pilot! How am I crash landing twice today!?
The ship skips along the sand until it crashes into a massive stone, launching it high into the air. The back has been flattened by the impact, pieces of the craft scatter. It finally lands between two rocks, scrapping to a halt. Poe opens the door and drags out an injured Finn behind the rocks just before the TIE-I.N. explodes.
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109 Desert — Early Morning 109
Poe is roughed up but functional. Finn looks bad. Barely conscious. A worried Poe pulls him out.
POE Finn! Finn! Stay with me Finn, you're fine. We got to find you help.
FINN No...no...help...no...no
POE Not an option Finn, we can manage this.
FINN Not a town! Guh…
Finn summons all his will:
FINN We search towns first. No town.
Finn's eyes dart to the background. Sees another unfinished Star Destroyer construction silhouetted. Finn is blacking out as he says:
FINN Witch. Locals say. There. Heals, magic. Big Price. Heals. No towns. No towns.
POE What? Finn, that's crazy. Not even a Jedi can heal wounds like these, Finn. Finn! Stay with me!
Poe sighs. He contemplates leaving what would be just another dead stormtrooper behind him. Instead, he picks up the dying soldier and marches to where Finn pointed. Finn is a good man and in a massive galaxy that remains the rarest find.
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