Dooku Read online

  RAMIL:

  Yeah, like Bolt-Head will let us split up…

  D-4:

  Bolt-Head certainly will not.

  RAMIL:

  See?

  Jenza leans into her brother conspiratorially.

  JENZA:

  (WHISPER) What’s the matter, Ramil? Scared of a protocol droid?

  RAMIL:

  (WHISPER) Of course not.

  JENZA:

  (WHISPER) Prove it.

  RAMIL:

  (WHISPER) Okay. Watch this.

  He rummages around in his pockets.

  JENZA:

  (WHISPER) What are they?

  RAMIL:

  (WHISPER) Thunderburst caps.

  JENZA:

  (WHISPER) Mother said you weren’t supposed to have them anymore. Not since the Frost-tide ball!

  RAMIL:

  (WHISPER) What’s the matter, Jenza—scared?

  JENZA:

  (SMILING) Oh shut up.

  RAMIL:

  (WHISPER) Get ready to run. One.

  JENZA:

  (WHISPER) Two.

  RAMIL:

  Three!

  He throws down the thunderbursts, which burst on the ground like little fireworks. The crowd reacts, spectators crying out in shock, the children laughing with glee as they run.

  JENZA:

  (CALLING TO HER BROTHER) Catch you later, Ram!

  D-4:

  Wait. Where are you going? Come back. Come back here this minute!

  SCENE 7. EXT. CELEBRATION—JEDI DEMONSTRATION. DOOKU’S POV.

  We hear the disturbance from the other side of the Jedi demonstration where Dooku and Sifo-Dyas are watching.

  DOOKU: (NARRATION)

  On the other side of the stage, the disturbance caused much excitement among the Initiates…

  SIFO-DYAS:

  What’s going on?

  ARATH:

  Just local kids setting off fireworks.

  SIFO-DYAS:

  Doo, are you okay?

  DOOKU:

  That girl…

  SIFO-DYAS:

  What girl?

  DOOKU:

  She was just there. By the droid.

  ARATH:

  You found yourself a girlfriend, Your Majesty?

  SIFO-DYAS:

  Shut up, Arath.

  ARATH:

  He looks pretty keen to me.

  SIFO-DYAS:

  What? (REALIZES DOOKU IS GONE) Doo? Dooku. Where have you gone?

  SCENE 8. EXT. FAIRGROUND.

  Atmosphere: An alleyway full of game stalls. Dooku is pushing his way through the crowd.

  (THE FOLLOWING WILD TRACKS ARE FOR USE IN THE BACKGROUND AS HE PUSHES THROUGH.)

  GAME STALLHOLDER #1:

  Take a leap of faith. Zero-gee diving. Just three credits. Why not have a go?

  GAME STALLHOLDER #2:

  Droid firing gallery. Hit the target to win a prize. Droid shoot-out. Hit those tin-heads between their photoreceptors.

  GAME STALLHOLDER #3:

  Whack-a-bloggin! Try your luck. Where will they pop up next? Only two credits. That’s it, son. That’s it!

  GAME STALLHOLDER #4:

  Prize every time. What have you got to lose? Everyone’s a winner!

  DOOKU:

  Excuse me. Excuse me.

  Sifo-Dyas chases after him.

  SIFO-DYAS:

  (APPROACHING) Dooku! Wait up. Where are you going?

  DOOKU:

  Si. Go back.

  SIFO-DYAS:

  And let you have all the fun? What’s gotten into you?

  DOOKU:

  That girl…I sensed something…

  SIFO-DYAS:

  I don’t believe it. Arath was right.

  DOOKU:

  No, not like that. It was like I knew her somehow.

  SIFO-DYAS:

  How? You were only a baby when Yoda came for you.

  DOOKU:

  I know. I can’t explain it. (SPOTS JENZA) There she is!

  SIFO-DYAS:

  Doo, this is crazy. You can’t just run off. If the Masters catch you…

  Dooku runs after her.

  DOOKU:

  You go back. I’ll be all right.

  SIFO-DYAS:

  No. No you won’t!

  SCENE 9. EXT. FAIRGROUND. JENZA’S POV.

  Atmosphere as before.

  STALLHOLDER #1:

  Test your strength against the tractor beam. Only three credits. (SPOTS JENZA) What about you, little lady? Feeling strong today, are we?

  JENZA:

  (UNSURE) No. Thank you.

  She hurries on.

  STALLHOLDER #1:

  (CALLING AFTER HER) Go on! Have a go. You never know your luck.

  JENZA:

  Really. It’s fine. Thank you.

  She bumps into an alien who answers angrily in Huttese.

  ALIEN:

  Chuba! Doompasha lo! [Hey! Watch it!]

  JENZA:

  I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to walk into you.

  ALIEN:

  Oosa do nawee, eh? [Use your eyes, eh?]

  She rushes off.

  JENZA:

  I really am sorry.

  She wanders for a minute, totally lost.

  JENZA:

  Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

  She activates a comlink.

  JENZA:

  Ramil? Ramil, are you there?

  RAMIL: (OVER COMM)

  What do you want?

  JENZA:

  Where are you?

  RAMIL: (COMM)

  Heading toward the droid pavilion. Why?

  JENZA:

  I thought I might come with you after all. Can you wait for me?

  RAMIL: (COMM)

  Ha! I knew you’d get scared on your own. (TEASING) Perhaps you should ask the Jedi for protection?

  JENZA:

  Don’t be such a smog-wart.

  RAMIL: (COMM)

  Where are you?

  JENZA:

  I don’t know. There are games and—

  Someone barges into her.

  JENZA: (CONT.)

  (REACTS) So many people.

  RAMIL: (COMM)

  Okay. Wait there. But you’ll owe me. Do you hear?

  JENZA:

  Yes. I—

  Someone else brushes past her, roughly.

  JENZA:

  (SHOUT) Hey!

  RAMIL: (COMM)

  What is it? Jenza?

  JENZA:

  Someone stole my purse.

  RAMIL: (COMM)

  What? Who?

  JENZA:

  A scraggy little Hoopaloo. I can see it. (SHE STARTS TO RUN, BARGING PAST PEOPLE) Excuse me! Let me through!

  RAMIL: (COMM)

  Jenza, no. Don’t go after it. It could be dangerous. Jen—

  Jenza trips.

  JENZA:

  (GASPS)

  And there’s a crunch as the comlink breaks, cutting Ramil off.

  JENZA:

  Oh no.

  She scrabbles up to run after the thief, clicking the comlink button repeatedly.

  JENZA:

  Ramil? Ramil, can you hear me?

  With more clicks, she realizes the unit is broken.

  JENZA:

  No. Mother’s going to kill me. (SHOUTS AFTER THE THIEF) Come ba
ck!

  SCENE 10. EXT. FAIRGROUND—BEHIND THE STALLS.

  Jenza runs between the attractions, finding herself behind a large tent.

  JENZA:

  Where did it go? (SPOTS IT) There you are!

  DOOKU: (NARRATION)

  The Hoopaloo was crouched behind a large repulsor tent, rifling through the contents of the girl’s bag.

  JENZA:

  Give that back! It’s mine!

  She grabs the purse.

  BRY:

  (SQUAWKS) Don’t snatch.

  JENZA:

  Don’t snatch? You stole my purse. (SHE LOOKS THROUGH IT) Where’s the crystal? What did you do with it?

  BRY:

  Don’t know anything about a crystal.

  JENZA:

  Look, you can keep the credits. I don’t care about them, but I need that crystal. It belonged to my grandmother.

  A male Karkarodon—Jorkat—and a female Askajian—Velek—approach suddenly.

  JORKAT:

  Well, well. What have we here?

  DOOKU: (NARRATION)

  A shadow fell over Jenza. She turned to see a shark-faced Karkarodon and a substantial Askajian stalking toward them. The Karkarodon grinned, revealing four rows of tiny pointed teeth.

  JENZA:

  (GASPS)

  BRY:

  Jorkat. Stealing from me, she was. Got me purse.

  JENZA:

  That’s a lie! It’s my purse.

  JORKAT:

  Stealing from my friends, eh? A rich little thing like you. What do you think about that, Velek?

  VELEK:

  Keea milek. [Selfish little brat.]

  JORKAT:

  Yeah, she is selfish, isn’t she? All those pretty trinkets, and poor Bry, not a credit to his name. Perhaps we’ll have that coat of yours. How would you like that? That’ll warm your feathers, won’t it, Bry?

  BRY:

  Yeah. Nice and toasty.

  JENZA:

  No. You can’t have it. It’s mine.

  VELEK:

  (MOCKING) “Minaar. Minaar.” [“It’s mine. It’s mine.”]

  JORKAT:

  (GRABBING HER) Let’s see what else you’ve got…

  JENZA:

  (SCREAMS) Let go of me!

  Ramil runs up.

  RAMIL:

  Let her go!

  JORKAT:

  And what’s this? A little rich boy to complete the set. Grab him.

  Velek grabs Ramil.

  RAMIL:

  (STRUGGLING) Get off me! Let me go!

  BRY:

  Perhaps we should take ’em with us, Jorkat. See what Renza will give us for ’em.

  JORKAT:

  The Hutt? She likes more meat on the bones, that one. But I suppose we could—Ow! The little scutta bit me.

  JENZA:

  Leave my brother alone!

  Jenza rushes at Velek, who swats her back.

  JENZA:

  (CRIES OUT)

  JORKAT:

  Get her, Bry.

  BRY:

  Come here, you little—

  DOOKU: (NARRATION)

  Without warning, the Hoopaloo was thrown through the air, crashing into the tent’s heavy canvas.

  BRY:

  (CRIES OUT)

  JORKAT:

  What are you doing? Get back on your feet.

  BRY:

  Something knocked me over.

  JORKAT:

  Nothing touched you!

  BRY:

  I know what I felt.

  JENZA:

  Let us go!

  DOOKU:

  Do as she says!

  JORKAT:

  What the—?

  DOOKU: (NARRATION)

  Now it was the Karkarodon’s turn to gape…

  BRY:

  It’s a Jedi!

  JORKAT:

  (LAUGHS) It’s a child! It hasn’t even got a lightsaber.

  DOOKU:

  I don’t need one.

  DOOKU: (NARRATION)

  I flicked my wrist, a telescopic rod extending from the hilt I’d hidden in my palm, a rod that crackled with unfettered energy.

  JORKAT:

  Ha! What’s that supposed to be?

  DOOKU:

  It’s called an electroblade. We use it to practice against dummies. Like you.

  He strikes Jorkat with the blade, electricity arcing. Jorkat cries out as he falls.

  DOOKU: (NARRATION)

  I wheeled around, my blade smacking into the brute’s legs…He crashed to the floor, staring up at me in disbelief.

  DOOKU:

  Do you want more?

  JORKAT:

  You wouldn’t dare.

  DOOKU: (NARRATION)

  How wrong he was.

  The young Dooku strikes Jorkat time and time again, electricity sparking with each blow.

  JORKAT:

  Argh! Stop it!

  BRY:

  I’ll get him, Jorkat!

  DOOKU:

  No, you won’t.

  DOOKU: (NARRATION)

  The Hoopaloo scrambled forward, only to be plucked from the ground and sent spinning the way he came…

  BRY:

  (CRIES OUT AGAIN)

  DOOKU: (NARRATION)

  Even the Askajian, for all her bulk, was no challenge. A flick of the wrist took her feet out from beneath her. Gravity did the rest.

  Velek crashes forward, hitting the ground.

  VELEK:

  Carek nada khan? [How is he doing that?]

  Jorkat grabs at Dooku.

  JORKAT:

  How am I supposed to know how he’s doing it? Come ’ere, you little scumslug.

  DOOKU:

  I don’t think so.

  DOOKU: (NARRATION)

  I buried my blade in his side, and sparks danced across his newly cracked teeth.

  JORKAT:

  (CRIES OUT)

  DOOKU:

  Haven’t you had enough yet? (TO VELEK) And as for you, Askajian, what is it they say? The bigger they are…the louder they scream!

  DOOKU: (NARRATION)

  And scream she did as she was thrown across the litter-strewn floor to slam into her Hoopaloo cohort.

  VELEK & BRY:

  (CRY OUT)

  DOOKU: (NARRATION)

  The Askajian took one last look at my blade and decided that no coat was worth further humiliation. She pushed herself up, all but crushing the Hoopaloo in the process, and fled like the coward she was.

  JORKAT:

  Velek! Come back!

  DOOKU:

  I’d run, too, if I were you.

  JORKAT:

  I’ll rip yer head off.

  BRY:

  Jorkat. Please, let’s get out of here.

  JORKAT:

  Gah! (SCRABBLING UP AND RUNNING) Jedi scum. Why don’t you go back where you came from!

  DOOKU:

  (SHOUTING AFTER THEM) I already have. Unfortunately!

  DOOKU: (NARRATION)

  I stood there, scowling at the ruffians, so consumed with indignation that I failed to notice the girl reach out to me…

  JENZA:

  Are you okay?

  DOOKU:

  (STARTLED, SPINNING AROUND, ELECTROBLADE BUZZING)

  JENZA:

  I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.

  DOOKU:

  You…you didn’t. Are you hurt?


  JENZA:

  No. Thanks to you.

  RAMIL: (OFF-MIC)

  I’m fine. Thanks for asking.

  Dooku goes to assist him.

  DOOKU:

  I’m sorry. Here, let me help.

  RAMIL:

  (PUSHING HIMSELF UP) I can manage. Jenza, are you—

  JENZA:

  I’m fine. Did you see it, Ramil?

  RAMIL:

  I saw.

  JENZA:

  The way you took on that…I don’t know what it was. The shark-thing.

  DOOKU:

  A Karkarodon. You were lucky.

  RAMIL:

  I don’t feel very lucky.

  JENZA:

  Stop moaning. We’re safe, aren’t we? Thanks to…

  DOOKU:

  Dooku. My name’s Dooku.

  RAMIL:

  Well, yes. Thank you, Dooku. But we’d better be off.

  JENZA:

  I don’t want to go.

  RAMIL:

  Dee-Four will be looking for us.

  JENZA:

  What about the security droids?

  RAMIL:

  What? Oh, we can see them another time.

  JENZA:

  Go and see them now. I want to stay.

  RAMIL:

  With him?

  JENZA:

  Bye, Ramil.

  RAMIL:

  Jenza. You were the one who called me!

  JENZA:

  And what good were you, exactly? I don’t know what would have happened if Dooku hadn’t come along.

  RAMIL:

  I could have handled those creeps.

  DOOKU:

  Looked like it.

  JENZA:

  (SNICKERS)

  RAMIL:

  What did you say?

  DOOKU:

  I mean, that Askajian…She was pretty scary. You could have been smothered.

  DOOKU: (NARRATION)

  Glaring, Ramil went to grab her hand.

  RAMIL:

  Come on, Jenza. We’re leaving.

  JENZA:

  (PULLS AWAY) No, we’re not.

  RAMIL:

  Fine. (HE STALKS OFF) Just don’t blame me when you get eaten by a pack of ravenous Karkran or something!

  DOOKU:

  Your brother’s an idiot.

  JENZA:

  You don’t have to tell me.

  DOOKU:

  Karkran don’t even eat humans.

  JENZA:

  Oh. They don’t?

  DOOKU:

  They don’t like the way we taste.

  JENZA:

  (GIGGLES) You know a lot about…well, all this.

  DOOKU:

  I…I like to study.

  JENZA:

  It’s weird. You’re going to think this is crazy, but I feel like I know you.