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Page 8
EXT. TATOOME - MOR PRESLEY - STREETS
A couple of gothtroopers at a check-point get a general alarm call on their phones. They hear a roaring sound getting nearer
to them, and look up in shock as the Emu roars past them.
The Emu races down the winding streets, avoiding pedestrians but side-swiping several other vehicles. Gothtroopers rush after
it on foot, chattering to each other over cell phones. A couple of troopers chase after it on sleek motorbikes.
INT. ANCIENT EMU
Man Dingo hands Tabacca a CD, which Tabacca inserts into the player. Loud rock music plays as the Emu dashes out of Mor Presley,
and hits a stretch of four-lane road.
Aryoo is watching the pursuit, and tries to get Tabacca's attention, pointing behind the vehicle at several motorbikes slowly
making up the distance.
EXT. SUBURBAN TATOOME
The Emu picks up more speed, kicking up dust and debris from the poorly-maintained road.
INT. ANCIENT EMU
Tabacca desperately gooses more speed from the Emu. Aryoo is jangling anxiously, and Thirteenpio has covered his eyes with
his hands. Lance is watching Tabacca's driving, eyes wide.
TABACCA: Dingo, it looks like you're going to have to persuade those guys to get off our backs, man. This is what we get
for taking on passengers.
Man Dingo nods at Tabacca, who is watching the rear-view mirror. He clambers into the back storage area, opens a hatch in
the roof, and climbs on top with a rifle.
EXT. ROOF OF ANCIENT EMU
Man Dingo lies full-length on the roof of the Emu, and aims carefully at the pursuing troopers.
INT. ANCIENT EMU
Over Tabacca's shoulder, it is plain to see that the bikes are creeping ever closer.
Tabacca thumps on the roof of the Emu. He starts hauling the steering wheel from side to side, causing the vehicle to swerve
wildly back and forth across the road.
TABACCA: Hold on to something, guys!
LANCE: Why don't you outrun them? Isn't this thing supposed to be fast?
TABACCA: Watch your mouth, sonny, or you're going to do a tuck'n'roll. We'll be safe enough once we can get those goons
off our ass.
EXT. ROOF OF ANCIENT EMU
The troopers start to fire at the Emu. Man Dingo seems pasted to the roof, and he aims at their pursuers.
INT. ANCIENT EMU
The Emu bounces as an explosion pounds the pavement behind them.
TABACCA: Whoo! We're havin' some fun now!
KIMONO: Is your friend going to take out those troopers, or what?
TABACCA: It'll take him a minute to set up his shot. Don't worry about it....
The Emu shakes violently as an explosion flashes to the side of them.
LANCE: Are you serious? At this rate we're gonna be road pizza!
TABACCA: You don't hurry an artist, son.
As the Emu continues to bounce and swerve, Thirteenpio looks increasingly more nauseated. A warning light on the dash starts
to flare red.
LANCE: Is it supposed to do that?
TABACCA: Shut up!
EXT. ROOF OF ANCIENT EMU
Man Dingo lines up his shot, riding the roof of the Emu like some kind of Zen bronco-buster. He squeezes the trigger, and
the front tire of the closest motorbike explodes, sending the bike and rider tumbling in a hyperbolic trajectory. He repeats
the shot until the pursuers are scattered across the road behind the rapidly escaping Emu like so many tumbleweeds.
The Emu rapidly pulls away from the scene, and Man Dingo climbs back into the vehicle. The light fades to white again, and
remains steady. Lance sits back and releases his white-knuckled grip on the dash, and the others settle back into their own
seats. Thirteenpio swallows, and finally opens his eyes.
They race on along the road, eventually disappearing into perspective.
EXT. TATOOME – STREET OUTSIDE THE ALDERGOTHS CLUB
A Mourning Star drives up the street towards The Aldergoths. It is a matte black Winnebago, huge and intimidating. The Aldergoths
is in a shining, silver and white, Art Deco building.
INT. ANTIGONE SECURITY CONTROL
Admiral Mottli enters the quiet room and bows before Governor Barkin, who stands before the huge wall screen displaying The
Aldergoths and the Mourning Star creeping up to the club.
MOTTLI: It's close enough, Governor.
Trader and two gothtroopers enter with Princess Leiza. Her hands are cuffed in front of her, and she appears bruised, her
clothes torn.
LEIZA: Governor Barkin, I knew you were the one holding Vader's leash. I smelled your stench on him while he was torturing
me.
BARKIN: Charming. Do they teach you that at Princess school? You don't know how easy it's going to be to order your termination!
LEIZA: I'm amazed you'd have the gall to order my death yourself.
BARKIN: Before you die painfully, Leiza, why don't you watch our little ceremony? We're baptizing our new battle-wagon by
fire, as it were. No one will dare oppose the Emperor now!
LEIZA: The tighter his grip becomes, the more people will slip through his fingers, Barkin.
BARKIN: Hardly. After we demonstrate our new weapon against your petty little Rebellion, the people will fall to their knees,
begging the Emperor to rule them.
Barkin moves to a control panel, his hands stroking the buttons and dials.
BARKIN: Since you've expressed reluctance to provide us with the information we need, Princess, it is you who helped us decide
what our first demonstration should be.
The display zooms in on The Aldergoths, then pans around to where the Mourning Star is idling at a safe distance. Leiza gazes
at the screen in horror.
LEIZA: Oh my god! No! The Aldergoths is a sanctuary! They're no threat to you there, you can't possibly.....
BARKIN: How about another target then? Where is the Rebel base?
Barkin pounds on the top of the control panel with his fist.
BARKIN: The question is beginning to bore me, so I'll ask just one more time: Where is the Rebel base?
Admiral Mottli looks up from his console.
MOTTLI: They're awaiting orders, Governor.
LEIZA: (softly) Dansonme.
She bows her head.
LEIZA: They're in Dansonme.
BARKIN: Good girl. See Lord Vader? One just has to know how to deal with these things. (addressing Mottli) Fire when
ready.
LEIZA: What?
BARKIN: You're very naive. Dansonme wouldn't be spectacular, not for my purposes. Don't fret, though, we'll get to it soon
enough.
LEIZA: Bastard!
Leiza snarls and dashes past her guards to attack Barkin. Her guards grab her, and she struggles with them in vain.
TRADER: Fire!
INT. MOURNING STAR
A black armored and helmeted trooper jabs his finger at a button on a console in the rear of the battle-wagon. A humming
sound builds till it reaches a loud crescendo, as the occupants of the battle-wagon brace themselves.
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