Obi-Wan Kenobi (Part 5)

Welcome back, everyone. I hope you’ve enjoyed Episodes 1 and 2 of this Obi-Wan Kenobi rewrite.  If you haven’t read them already, I encourage you to jump back and do so.  Otherwise, let’s hit the recap and dive right into Episode 3.

Series Recap

Obi-Wan has been secluded on Tatooine for a decade.  While his skills remain sharp, his myopic focus on his mission has interfered with his ability to connect with Qui-Gon through the Force.  So tight is his focus that, when Bail Organa contacts him about Leia’s kidnapping by the Hidden Path, he refuses to help.  Things change when Jorus C’baoth, another Jedi survivor of Order 66 and the leader of the Hidden Path, appears in his hut.  While Kenobi has no interest in C’baoth mission or rescuing Leia, he realizes that C’baoth poses a potential risk to Luke’s safety, and thus goes with C’baoth to prevent Luke from being discovered.

Meanwhile, the Inquisitors are hunting for the Hidden Path.  Third Sister has been dispatched to Daiyu to pursue a lead on the organization.  If she is successful, Leia could fall into the Empire’s hands.

EPISODE 3 – INQUISITOR’S SHADOW

Opening Scene

Third Sister arrives at Daiyu with an Imperial-class Star Destroyer and its escort fleet.  Her shuttle lands at the garrison; she exits at the head of a squad of Purge Troopers, brushing past the rows of stormtroopers arrayed in honor guard on the landing pad.  An Imperial Security Bureau officer greets her on the platform and leads her into a conference room with a window overlooking the city, where Third Sister is briefed on the intel collected on the Hidden Path.  She learns that, over the past few weeks, several children listed as potential abductees of the Hidden Path have been flagged by facial recognition software at the spaceport, each time escorted by one or more suspected Path members.  At the end of the briefing, Third Sister gives the ISB officer a deadpan stare.

THIRD SISTER: You’ve been collecting this evidence for weeks, and yet you didn’t see fit to inform the Inquisitorius until now?

ISB OFFICER [frowning]: We did not want to waste the Inquisitorius’s time on mere suspicions.

THIRD SISTER: Then I trust that, once you verified the information, you moved in to seize suspects?  They are ready for me to interrogate?

[The ISB Officer shuffles his feet.]

THIRD SISTER: In that case, you’ve tailed these individuals back to the Path hideout and are keeping it under surveillance?

ISB OFFICER: No, Third Sister.

THIRD SISTER [slowly rising from her chair, still speaking calmly]: Agent, are you aware that I prioritized your little presentation over a potential lead to the Hidden Path’s leader?  I could already have him in custody.  Instead, I am here, questioning your competence.

ISB OFFICER [reddening]: This is Hutt Space, Third Sister.  These suspects are linked to their operations.  If we are not precise –

[Third Sister silences him with a Force choke.]

THIRD SISTER [speaking like a teacher lecturing a child]: The time for precision has passed.  C’baoth won’t establish his next training camp in a place like this.  Those children will be shipped off-world any day now – if they haven’t been already, thanks to your incompetence.  Now is a time for action.  Going forward, you will do exactly as I command.  If things go very well, you’ll still be wearing that uniform when you’re done.  Are we clear?

[Third Sister releases the officer.  He staggers against the table, gasping down breath.]

THIRD SISTER: Agent? I asked you a question.

ISB OFFICER [rasping]: Yes … Third Sister … What would … you have … us do?

THIRD SISTER [walking to the window and gazing across the city]: Lock down the planet, then find where those rats are hiding.  Bring me prisoners, Agent – or I’ll order the Star Destroyer above the level this city, with you in it.  If the Hutts protest, please direct me to them.  I’ll address their grievances … [A smile flickers across her face] … personally.

ISB OFFICER: Yes … Third Sister.

[He rushes from the room, leaving Third Sister to gaze hungrily across the cityscape.]

Cut to the title cards.

(My intended characterization for Third Sister is based off Amanda Waller – both the Viola Davis and CCH Pounder performances – with a more feral air to her.  She should possess an air of lethal calm that only slips when she gets the opportunity to exercise her violent impulses.  I believe this introductory scene will help to establish that.)

Arrival on Jabiim

The ship bearing Obi-Wan and C’baoth emerges from hyperspace over Jabiim and drops through the atmosphere.  As they descend, passing over the mines, C’baoth explains that the planet will serve as their latest training facility.  “We have to move every year or so,” he explains.  “I’ve been preparing this site for months.  The Empire pulled out a few years ago, after the profitable ore veins were depleted.  I persuaded the private company who picks over their scraps to let us take over an old mine.  It’s the perfect location to lay low, and the pockets of surviving wilderness will let us train for all manner of environments.”

They land within one of the mining facilities.  Kenobi masks the lower half of his face before exiting the ship.  He looks over the various workers around the landing site.  When he asks why there are no children, C’baoth explains that they’re being housed on transports for now, but that the first transport will arrive tomorrow. One of the workers approaches C’baoth – Kawlan Roken, from the show.  C’baoth instructs another worker to show Kenobi to quarters while he speaks to Roken.  (Throughout this scene, C’baoth will only refer to Obi-Wan as “Ben.”)

Rampage of the Inquisition

The next scene is a montage of Third Sister scouring the cities of Daiyu for the Hidden Path.  We see stormtroopers and Purge Troopers raid a Hutt drug den, mowing through armed mercenaries with minimal casualties.  The Star Destroyer and its escort maintain a constant vigil over the skies; a freighter that tries to evade them gets blasted apart.  The flaming debris streaks over the city as walkers and stormtroopers stalk the streaks.

The local Hutt summons Third Sister to complain.  (Let’s call this Hutt “Sotola”.)  In response, Third Sister ignites her lightsaber and kills Sotola’s guards before proceeding to Force torture Sotola herself.  Upon determining that Sotola knows nothing, she says, “If you want business to return to normal, I advise you help me find my prey.  The alternative is to be the queen of a heap of slag.”

Amidst the turmoil of the city, we see Haja Estree.  In this show, he is not a con artist, but a Jedi working for the Path, hiding a safe house for Path recruits beneath a shop that sells various spiritual paraphernalia.  A stormtrooper raid trashes the shop and nearly exposes the safehouse.  After the close call, Haja enters the safe house, discussing options with the Path operatives there, and ultimately makes a distress call to C’baoth.

Children of the Path

The Arquitens-class ship carrying Leia and at least a hundred other children arrive at Jabiim.  Obi-Wan is at C’baoth’s side as they disembark, shepherded into formation by rough-looking mercenaries.  His focus briefly settles on Leia, being pushed into position by the girls to either side of her, but he quickly looks away.

C’baoth appraises the students, then asks Obi-Wan if he wants to see what the children can do.  We then watch as the children run a rough obstacle course and practice shooting with training blasters.  Obi-Wan is troubled as he bears witness to their efforts.  We get flashes of his own training in the Jedi Temple as a child, intercut with the Fett clones are Kamino (with some new shots showing the young clones training, implied to be from his tour on Kamino).  Obi-Wan spots Leia among the children; from his eyes, we can see that he recognizes her, but he makes no move towards her. Eventually, C’baoth asks him, “Magnificent, aren’t they?”  Obi-Wan nods in silence.

As Obi-Wan and C’baoth depart, the focus shifts to Leia.  She is proving to be a decent shot with the blaster.  When the instructor compliments her shooting, she sullenly answers with, “Thank you, ma’am.”  She is clearly frustrated, but very aware that she is powerless.

Elegant Weapons

We see Obi-Wan training in an empty room with the staff.  The vision of Anakin again intrudes as he fights.  Once again, the staff is replaced by a lightsaber.  Anakin prods Obi-Wan.

ANAKIN: You admire what C’baoth is doing here, don’t you?

OBI-WAN: I understand it.

ANAKIN: You see what he’s making my daughter into.  Is this what you want for my son?

The vision vanishes as C’baoth intrudes.  The older Jedi enters the room with his own staff, asking Obi-Wan to spar with him. “I have few Jedi by my side here, and most of them were young when the Order fell.  They never learned the finer points of swordplay.”

They proceed to spar with the staves.  Obi-Wan has an overwhelming edge over C’baoth in skill as well as strength.  As he bests C’baoth again and again, C’baoth comments that he’s kept his skills sharp.  Obi-Wan admits to it; C’baoth then asks why.  The question throws Obi-Wan off-guard long enough for C’baoth to land a strike.

What follows is a back-and-forth about the value of the lightsaber.  Obi-Wan plays the “elegant weapon of a civilized age” card.  C’baoth waves that off, countering that lightsabers were merely part of the Jedi’s image as servants of the Republic.  “We shackled ourselves with primitive weapons.  We chose to wield tools that would put the average citizen at ease – and thus, we left ourselves open to being overwhelmed by the Sith.  Had we focused less on presentation and more on practicality, perhaps we would not be here now.”

Again, they engage in a bout.  This time, C’baoth wins via underhanded means.  A holdout blaster springs from his sleeve; he zaps Obi-Wan with a bolt that’s just strong enough to sting.  Obi-Wan leaps back.

C’BAOTH [with a grimace]: See what comes from being a symbol?  [He tosses Obi-Wan the holdout blaster.]  We can’t win this war with elegance, Obi-Wan.  More assertive means are necessary.

Distress Call from Daiyu

The next day, C’baoth summons Obi-Wan to his office in the manager’s office of the mine.  He explains that Haja and several recruits are pinned down on Daiyu, trapped between an Inquisitor and Sotola.  Obi-Wan is his best option for getting them out.

OBI-WAN: I agreed to help you train your recruits, C’baoth.  I said nothing about throwing myself in front of the Inquisitors.

C’BAOTH: We may not have an operation if this safehouse is exposed.  Haja knows we were going to move the recruits to Jabiim.  If he is captured, we’ll need to relocate again – assuming the Empire doesn’t crush us before we can evacuate.

OBI-WAN: Then you should evacuate.

C’BAOTH: We can’t remain mobile indefinitely, Obi-Wan.  Fueling warships isn’t cheap or untraceable.  Sites like this are also harder and harder to come by.  Saving Haja is the best option.

OBI-WAN: And the younglings with him?

C’BAOTH: That goes without saying.  Come on, my friend.  Is this not what a Jedi should do, old Order or new?

[Obi-Wan walks to the window of the office, pulling up his mask as he does.  He sees Leia and the other Path recruits training outside.  After a long pause, he finally faces C’baoth.]

OBI-WAN: If I do this … I want something in return.  We need to train your soldiers in swordsmanship.

C’BAOTH: We’re not going to arm them all with lightsabers, Obi-Wan.  The Empire controls Ilum.  All the Kyber is theirs.

OBI-WAN: It’s not for battle.  It’s for discipline.  It’s to teach them –

C’BAOTH [smirking]: To be elegant symbols of a civilized age?

[Obi-Wan nods.]

C’BAOTH: Very well, Obi-Wan.  Bring me Haja.  We can discuss the details when you return.  Now, what do you need to get to him?

Hutt Favors

We cut to Obi-Wan arriving at the Daiyu blockade in a freighter.  Accompanying him are Tala Durith and NED-B (whose names will be established within dialogue, and who will refer to him as “Ben” throughout).  Tala will field an inquiry by the Imperials as to the nature of her business, putting up a convincing act about having time-sensitive cargo before being instructed to hold in orbit.

The freighter is equipped with a communications ditch.  As they orbit, Obi-Wan instructs Tala to point it towards Sotola’s palace.  They then issue a tight-beam transmission to Sotola.  Her majordomo answers.  Obi-Wan plays the part of courier, claiming to have brought a gift from Jabba (an exotic Hutt delicacy), but that he fears that it will expire if they are trapped by this blockade.  Sotola’s majordomo tells them to hold.  Several minutes later, Obi-Wan’s freighter is cleared to land by the Imperials.  As they descend, he comments, “Greed is a powerful ally.  We’d better be fast, though, before more honest Imperials notice what we’re doing.”

As they drop through the atmosphere, heading towards Sotola’s palace on the fringes of the main city, Obi-Wan directs Sotola to dive into a canyon on the outskirts of the city.  They manage to slide the transport into a cave before TIE fighters come roaring overhead, searching for them.

OBI-WAN: Wipe the computer.  Navigation, fuel expenditure – all of it.  Throw a detonator into the computer core, if you have to.

TALA: We’re not going to be able to take back off if we do that, Ben.

OBI-WAN: They’re going to find this ship long before we get back.  We’ll need to find other transport off-world.

TALA: What?  You brought us here without any plan to get back off?

OBI-WAN: One thing I learned in the Clone Wars: sometimes, you need to improvise.  Let’s get to it.  I don’t want to be here before stormtroopers show up.

The next show shows Obi-Wan, Tala, and NED-B trooping through the rain, making their way out of the canyon and up towards the city.

The Game is Afoot

Third Sister and her Purge Troopers show up at Sotola’s palace.  As they approach Sotola’s throne, Third Sister flings a laden, head-sized bag at the Hutt.  “I found something of yours,” she declares.  “Now, where’s the ship you let through?”

Sotola explains that the ship never arrived.  When Third Sister ignites her lightsaber, the Hutt insists that she’s being honest, and that Jabba deceived her.  Third Sister verifies that Jabba is the Hutt lord of Tatooine.  When Sotola confirms, Third Sister smiles.

THIRD SISTER: I see.  C’baoth got his claws into Jabba, then.  [She turns to the Purge Troopers.]  Alert the garrison that C’baoth is here.  Let’s turn up the heat.  We’ll take him and his followers when he jumps out of the fire.

She sweeps from the throne room, with the Purge Troopers trailing in her wake.

CONCLUSION

And thus, Obi-Wan and Third Sister are on track for their first clash – one where, if his identity is compromised, he could have far worse than a lone Inquisitor to deal with.

Thanks for tuning in.  Join me next week for Episode 4, “The Wretched Hive”.  I’ll see you all next Monday.