Star Wars: Episode VII - "The Face of Darkness"

This was started back in 1999. It was intended as an extension of the mythology built in the previous episodes (found here). The initial inspiration led to these fifteen pages' worth. The remainder of the story melted away like a dream. If I took the time, I'm sure I could figure it out from all of the clues I left in the other scripts. Time has not yet seen fit to smile on those actions. Considering that I will never be able to make a dime on my Star Wars stories, it seems that my energy is best put to better uses.

Nearly two centuries after the formation of the New Republic,

the corrupt Jedi Council has divided the Senate through treason.

Only a handful of Jedi Knights, sworn protectors of peace in the galaxy,

still follow the living force and believe in freedom for all.

Two Jedi Knights, Bastion Keskar and Zianne Day,

search desperately for support in their bid for peace.

Little do they realize that salvation lies beneath their feet,

deep within the bowels of Coruscant ...

Characters:

  • Folo Minh
  • Ssuruvi'a
  • Markis Keskar
  • Zianne Day
  • Yaxel
  • Feenix Uplore
  • Brigwar
  • Bastion Keskar
  • Yiglet
  • Wug

Continuity Note:

Remember what happened at the end of Episode III - The Path of Darkness?

If not, click here to go to the last page of the script.

FADE IN:

Against a background of stars, the opening monologue scrolls into infinity.

MONOLOGUE

Nearly two centuries after the formation of the New Republic,

the corrupt Jedi Council has divided the Galactic Senate through treason and fear.

Only a handfull of Jedi Knights, defenders of peace in the Galaxy,

still follow the living force, and believe in freedom for all.

For these Jedi Knights, freedom comes at a high price,

as one by one they fall under a mysterious dark hand ...

EXT CORUSCANT - ESTABLISHING

A lone starship, THE SERPENT'S EDGE, races through the space traffic and drops toward the planet.

The single pilot, a human Jedi Knight, FOLO MINH, addresses a holoprojector.

FOLO MINH

Master Jedi, it is imperative that I speak with you immediately. I have information about the slain Jedi Knights and their murderer.

In the holoprojector, a serpentine humanoid, SSURUVI'A, gestures angrily with his hands.

SSURUVI'A

Folo Minh, you are under strict orders to maintain silence. The Council cannot protect you if you do not obey the Code.

FOLO MINH

My apologies, Master SSuruvi'a, but I feel that this new information could lead us to "The Killer Who Walks In Darkness."

SSURUVI'A

Do not speak that name again. The Council will see you when you land.

Folo Minh pilots his ship through the thick clouds of the city planet. He lands on a floating platform outside the new Jedi Temple.

INT JEDI TEMPLE - CONTINUING

Folo Minh walks quickly through the wide corridors. Behind him, another Jedi watches from the shadows.

Suddenly Folo Minh stops, sensing something. He turns his head slightly, then glances backward. He sees nothing.

He turns and walks through a door into a HANGAR.

Folo Minh quickly strides past dozens of starships. He stops and ducks between two and crouches in shadow.

FOLO MINH

(muttering)

Can never be too careful.

Nearly imperceptible footsteps approach quickly, then slow as they near Folo Minh's hiding place.

A tall blonde Jedi, MARKIS KESKAR, stops and looks down between the ships. His hand drops to his lightsaber.

Folo Minh reaches out with the force and jerks Markis Keskar down between the ships. He claps his hand over Markis' mouth before he can cry out.

FOLO MINH

What are you doing?

MARKIS KESKAR

I found something.

FOLO MINH

So did I. I have to see the Council right now.

Markis pulls out a crystalling Holocron from a pouch at his belt.

FOLO MINH

Is that ...?

MARKIS KESKAR

Tell no one. What did you find?

FOLO MINH

I left an encrypted file in my ship's computer. Remember when we were assigned to patrol the sub-levels?

MARKIS KESKAR

Yeah. What about it?

Folo Minh gets to his feet.

FOLO MINH

I've got to talk to to the Council. I'll find you later.

INT JEDI TEMPLE - COUNCIL CHAMBER - CONTINUING

Folo Minh stands in the center of twelve richly dressed Jedi Masters, including Ssuruvi'a.

A small, blue-skinned alien with great pointy ears and a thick mane of white hair, YAXEL, sits at the head of the council.

YAXEL

What news have you, so important that could not wait?

FOLO MINH

Master Yaxel, I think I have found a clue to the identity of The Killer Who Walks In Darkness.

Yaxel steals a searching glance to his left, at Jedi Master FEENIX UPLORE, who narrows his eyes coldly.

FEENIX UPLORE

We have no proof that this is a single entity. We have lost more than forty Jedi Knights, if you will recall. We of the Council do not believe that this is anything other than the work of a terror group.

FOLO MINH

But Master Uplore, I have proof. As I was investigating Yariel Tyne's disappearance, I sensed a single entity.

Ssuruvi'a rises from his seat and gestures to the group.

SSURUVI'A

A single entity is just one of a group. You have heard the voice of the Council. Trouble us no more.

FOLO MINH

May I continue?

Yaxel waves his hand dismissively.

FOLO MINH

Thank you. As I sensed this single entity, I felt a distinctness ... it was Vendag.

Yaxel's eyes widen.

FEENIX UPLORE

That is outrageous. The Vendag are extinct. Their race died out long ago.

FOLO MINH

The impression was distinct. I studied for a time under Vendag Master Bomma Quintoca, before he passed on. I know Vendag.

FEENIX UPLORE

If you are certain ...

Folo Minh nods his certainty.

FEENIX UPLORE

The Council will look into this potential threat. You are dismissed.

Yaxel gestures his hand and the door opens behind Folo Minh.

FOLO MINH

May the Force be with you.

Silence is his only response from the Council. Folo Minh exits.

YAXEL

Ciara Noll, Remina Core, and Virri Voxciss.

Three Jedi Masters stand up.

YAXEL

Assigned to this investigation you will be. Search you must. Before it is too late.

The three Jedi Masters bow slightly and leave. Feenix Uplore bares his teeth to the rest of the Council.

FEENIX UPLORE

This is intolerable.

SSURUVI'A

He has learned much in the last year.

Yaxel gestures, and a hidden door opens in the wall. A huge, crimson-cloaked warrior enters, his face covered by a war mask. He is flanked by two smaller warriors, clad in similar garb.

The huge warrior drops his hood. A gray skinned, tattooed face glares out at the Jedi Masters.

YAXEL

Aware you are?

The huge warrior, BRIGWAR, nods slightly.

FEENIX UPLORE

He knows you are Vendag.

SSURUVI'A

Take much care in your hunt. He must not breathe to a soul.

FEENIX UPLORE

Kill him.

INT APARTMENTS - NIGHT

Markis Keskar knocks on an apartment door. It opens, bathing him in bright light. Beyond the light, A red-haired woman, ZIANNE DAY, smiles her greeting.

ZIANNE DAY

Come in, Markis. Have you heard from Folo Minh yet?

MARKIS KESKAR

I spoke with him briefly in the hangar earlier. He said he'd find me.

ZIANNE DAY

I heard from Bastion today.

Markis' face darkens.

MARKIS KESKAR

(tightly)

And how is he?

ZIANNE DAY

His search is nearly over. He has narrowed it down to two systems - Dagobah and Tartraeus.

MARKIS KESKAR

Any more dreams?

Zianne pours a pitcher of steaming green liquid into two smaller cups. She hands one to Markis.

ZIANNE DAY

You have them, too. It is your legacy. You will be a Jedi Prophet, Markis.

MARKIS KESKAR

Unfortunately, one of the common side effects of being a prophet is becoming a martyr. I happen to like being alive.

A piercing SCREAM rips through the air. Markis leaps to his feet, his lightsaber jumping to readiness.

Zianne throws her hand out, and her lightsaber flies into her grip from the table nearby.

The two Jedi race out to the corridor.

MARKIS KESKAR

It's down there.

He runs toward the sensed danger.

ZIANNE DAY

Markis, no!

Zianne glances behind her. A CRIMSON CLOAK disappears around a distant corner.

ZIANNE DAY

Markis, we have to go.

Markis pushes the call button on the elevator. The doors open. Folo Minh leaps through the open doors, his lightsaber at the ready. The elevator rises up behind him. A cut piece of the ceiling lays on the elevator floor.

FOLO MINH

Run.

The three Jedi rush through the huge apartment complex. Occasional blasts richochet behind them, spurring them onward.

ZIANNE DAY

Something is hunting us.

FOLO MINH

We need to get out.

ZIANNE DAY

This way.

Zianne leads them out onto a balcony. Markis glances down at the clouds blanketing the sheer drop. A retractable bridge spans the thirty meter chasm.

MARKIS KESKAR

You've got to be crazy.

FOLO MINH

You've jumped this far many times, Markis.

ZIANNE DAY

Follow me.

Zianne backs up a few steps, runs, and leaps out over the bottomless chasm. Her force-aided leap lands her easily on the other side. She immediately turns and leaps to another building across another chasm.

MARKIS KESKAR

The things I do ...

FOLO MINH

After you.

Folo Minh takes a defensive stance, facing the open corridor.

Markis leaps the distance, stumbling as he lands. He turns and gestures to Folo Minh.

MARKIS KESKAR

Come on.

A blast shatters the wall next to Folo Minh. He leaps into the air, his hand reaching out for Markis.

Zianne watches in horror as a barrage of bolts sear the air around Folo Minh.

Markis reaches out to grab his friend's hand.

ZIANNE DAY

NO!

A BLAST pierces Folo Minh's back as he flies through the air. His trajectory flattens, and he crashes into the wall.

Markis throws himself out over the edge and grabs Folo Minh's cloak before he falls.

Blasts decimate the wall around the two Jedi. Through the flying debris and smoke, Folo Minh looks up to Markis, his most trusted friend.

FOLO MINH

Markis ... find the truth.

Folo Minh twists around to look at their attackers. Three Crimson Cloaks swirl in the thick smoke.

MARKIS KESKAR

I can save -

FOLO MINH

Go. I am already dead.

Dark stains grow on his robes.

A blast shatters the entire wall next to them. The platform cracks beneath Markis.

FOLO MINH

Save them.

Another blast loosens the platform further. It groans as it begins to collapse.

MARKIS KESKAR

I'm sorry.

Markis lets go of Folo Minh's cloak. The wounded Jedi drops silently through the clouds below.

On the distant building, tears spring into Zianne's eyes. She grabs Markis as he twists in the air. A blast catches him in the arm.

Without looking back, the two Jedi disappear into the crowded building.

Brigwar stares down at the clouds below.

BRIGWAR

Follow them.

The two Crimson Hunters turn and disappear around a corner.

EXT CORUSCANT - LOWER LEVELS - CONTINUING

A huge Crimson Cloak floats behind Brigwar as his speeder slowly surveys the rough outcroppings.

At last he finds the object of his search. A crumpled Jedi body clings to an alien gargoyle carved into the dark stone of the building wall.

BRIGWAR

You have a healthy constitution, Jedi.

Folo Minh peers through blood crusted eyes at his attacker. Through all of the pain, his broken body twists, and his hand reaches toward his lightsaber.

BRIGWAR

Ah, a worthy adversary. Broken and dying, you still fight.

Brigwar reaches out with his hand. He gestures and Folo Minh's lightsaber flies into his huge hand.

BRIGWAR

I've killed Jedi twice your age. You have no more surprises. Only death.

Brigwar pulls out his blaster and pulls the trigger.

INT STARSHIP - TWILIGHT GUARDIAN - SAME TIME

A dark brown haired Jedi, BASTION KESKAR, opens his eyes from a deep meditation, and mouths a single name.

BASTION KESKAR

Folo Minh.

His eyes turn to a thick journal lying on the floor.

BASTION KESKAR

And our numbers drop further.

A thin shadow appears in the doorway. YIGLET has huge ears, a floppy nose, and only a wisp of hair on his bald head.

YIGLET

Didja say sumt'n, Bastion?

BASTION KESKAR

Folo Minh is dead.

YIGLET

No, no, no, no, no, no. He still owes me money. You Jedi are getting a bad reputation for dying.

BASTION KESKAR

Better to die honest ...

Yiglet sniffs once.

YIGLET

Where now?

BASTION KESKAR

I have Master Yoda's journal. We'll head back to Coruscant now.

Yiglet nods, his ears wiggling. He disappears from the doorway.

Bastion closes his eyes. He opens one as Yiglet peers back in the door.

YIGLET

I know he was your friend.

Bastion nods, then enters his meditation again.

INT STARSHIP - TWILIGHT GUARDIAN - COCKPIT - CONTINUING

Yiglet sits down next to a short, squat fellow, WUG. Wug has deep set eyes and protruding lower teeth. He grumbles as Yiglet sits on his sandwich.

WUG

Get off, you floppy proboscid.

YIGLET

If you'd pick up, you wouldn't need worry, now wouldja?

WUG

Never trust a Schlossinn. That's what my brood-mother said. Now look at me.

Yiglet rubs his knuckles on Wug's thick head.

YIGLET

Bestest buddios. Schlossinn and Daeger. Mortal enemies to life-debtors.

WUG

You should be shot.

YIGLET

And you, should get your teeth fixed.

Wug grumbles silently.

YIGLET

Folo Minh is dead.

WUG

Figures. Always digging into forbidden mysteries.

YIGLET

Like Bastion.

WUG

Humph. Coward.

Yiglet punches in the coordinates for Coruscant.

YIGLET

We're going back to Coruscant.

WUG

Humph.

The ship jumps to hyperspace.

INT JEDI TEMPLE - HANGAR - NIGHT

Markis creeps through the darkened hangar. A few droids beep and repair ships in the distance.

Zianne keeps a watch from atop another starship.

INT STARSHIP - THE SERPENT'S EDGE - CONTINUING

Markis slides into the pilot's seat. He punches up the computer.

MARKIS KESKAR

"Remember our patrol of the lower levels" ... what's that supposed to mean?

Markis scrolls through the available files.

MARKIS KESKAR

Chasing. Running. Fighting. We fell. Garbage.

(snaps fingers)

Garbage.

He pulls up the files on Garbage. Downloads them into the holoprojector, then sets his acquired Holocron onto the projector, uploading the files.

INT JEDI TEMPLE - HANGAR - SAME TIME

Two droids totter toward The Serpents Edge ship. Zianne raises her hand and blocks them with the force. They push against the invisible wall. Zianne pushes harder, and one of them falls over backwards.

ZIANNE DAY

(telepathically)

Markis. Something is happening.

The floodlights come on in the hangar.

A ship floats through the outer doors and turns to face the half-hidden Jedi.

The droids open up compartments on their torsos and extend blasters and open fire.

Zianne leaps down and chops the droids to pieces with her lightsaber.

ZIANNE DAY

Markis!

INT STARSHIP - THE SERPENT'S EDGE - CONTINUING

Markis grabs the holocron off the projector, severing the connection before the upload completes. He jumps out the door.

The holoprojector continues to play. The ghostly image of Folo Minh speaks.

FOLO MINH

(as hologram)

"This Lord of Destruction is known only as Shiivex. I believe it is a Dark Lord of The Sith ..."

INT JEDI TEMPLE - HANGAR - CONTINUING

The floating gunship opens fire, obliterating THE SERPENT'S EDGE and four other ships.

Markis and Zianne slip out the door and disappear into the lower levels of the Jedi Temple.

INT JEDI TEMPLE - HANGAR - LATER

Feenix Uplore looks over the destruction with much disapproval.

FEENIX UPLORE

Absolutely unnecessary. I send in two droids, and this happens.

Ssuruvi'a walks beside him. He notices two droids in pieces nearby the wreckage.

SSURUVI'A

Are those the droids?

The droids hiss and crackle as their exposed wiring tries to make their severed parts move.

FEENIX UPLORE

Perhaps.

Feenix raises the droids in the air with a wave of his hand. He rips the memory circuits from their positronic brains. The droids scream in robotic agony, then drop silently to the ground.

FEENIX UPLORE

We shall see what they saw.

SSURUVI'A

This damage looks like it was done by another ship.

Ssuruvi'a points out scorch marks on some other ships between the wreckage and the outside door.

SSURUVI'A

It appears to come from outside.

FEENIX UPLORE

There may be another force we must reckon with.