Jedi Temple, Main Hallway - Obi-Wan walks through the main hallway to the training area.
Training Veranda - Obi-Wan comes out onto the veranda and stops, watching twenty or so four-year-olds doing training exercises, supervised by Yoda. They wear helmets over their eyes and try to strike little Training Droids with their miniature lightsabers. The Droids dance in front of them.
Yoda: Reach out. Sense the Force around you. Use your feelings you must. (he sees Obi-Wan) Younglings. Younglings! A visitor we have. Welcome him.
The children take off their helmets and turn off their lightsabers.
Children: Hello, Master Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan: Hello. I'm sorry to disturb you, Master.
Yoda: What help can I be, Obi-Wan?
Obi-Wan: I’m looking for a planet described to me by an old friend. I trust him, but the system doesn’t show up on the archive maps.
Yoda: Mmm. Lost a planet Master Obi-Wan has. How embarrassing. How embarrassing.
The children giggle.
Yoda: Liam, the shades.
The young Liam presses a button on the wall, dimming the room.
Yoda: Gather round the map reader. Clear your minds . . .
The map reader is a small shaft with a hollow opening at the top. The children gather around it. Obi-Wan takes out a little glass ball and places it into the bowl.
Yoda: . . . and find Obi-Wan's wayward planet we will.
The reader lights up, projecting the star map hologram into the room. Obi-Wan walks into the display.
Obi-Wan: It ought to be... here, but it isn’t. Gravity is pulling all the stars in the area towards this spot.
Yoda: Hmm. Gravity’s silhouette remains, but the star and all the planets disappeared they have. How can this be? Hmm? A thought? Anyone?
There is a brief pause. Then a child speaks up.
Jedi child: Master? Because someone erased it from the archive memory.
Obi-Wan stares; Yoda chuckles.
Yoda: Truly wonderful the mind of a child is. The Padawan is right. Go to the center of gravity's pull and find your planet you will. Hmm. The data must have been erased.
Obi-Wan: But Master Yoda, who could have erased information from the archives? That’s impossible, isn’t it?
Yoda (frowning): Dangerous and disturbing this puzzle is. Only a Jedi could have erased those files. But who and why, harder to answer. Meditate on this I will.
Naboo Spaceport - The Starfreighter lands in the giant port city of Theed.
Naboo palace, grand courtyard - The speeder bus flies in and lands. Padmé and Anakin their way across the grand courtyard. Artoo trundles behind them.
Padmé: I wasn't the youngest queen ever elected, but now that I think back on it, I'm not sure I was old enough. I'm not sure I was ready.
Anakin: The people you served thought you did a good job. I heard they even tried to amend the constitution so you could stay in office.
Padmé: I was relieved when my two terms were up. But when the Queen asked me to serve as Senator, I couldn't refuse her.
Anakin: I agree with her. I think the Republic needs you. I'm glad that you chose to serve.
Anakin and Padmé walk toward the palace. Artoo continues to follow.
Naboo palace, throne room - Queen Jamillia is seated on the throne, flanked by Sio Bibble and a couple of advisors. Four handmaidens stand close by, and guards are at the doors.
Padmé: If the Senate votes to create an army, I'm sure it's going to push us into a civil war.
Sio Bibble: It's unthinkable! There hasn't been a full-scale war since the formation of the Republic.
Jamillia: Do you see any way through negotiations to bring the separatists back into the Republic?
Padmé: Not if they feel threatened. My guess is they will turn to the Trade Federation or the Commerce Guilds for help.
Sio Bibble: It's outrageous! but after four trials in the Supreme Court, Nute Gunray is still the Viceroy of the Trade Federation. I fear the senate is powerless to resolve this crisis.
Jamillia: We must keep our faith in the Republic. The day we stop believing democracy can work is the day we lose it.
The Queen Jamillia gets up, and they all start to leave. All the other advisors and attendants bow and leave the room. They all exit down the main staircase.
Padmé: Let's pray that day never comes.
Jamillia: In the meantime, we must consider your own safety.
Sio Bibble (to Anakin): What is your suggestion, Master Jedi?
Padmé: Anakin's not a Jedi yet. He's still a Padawan learner. But I was thinking...
Anakin glares at Padmé.
Anakin (nettled): Hold on a minute!
Padmé: Excuse me. I was thinking I would stay in the Lake Country. There are some places up there that are very isolated.
Anakin: Excuse me. I'm in charge of security here, M'Lady.
Padmé: And this is my home. I know it very well. That is why we're here. I think it would be wise for you to take advantage of my knowledge in this instance.
Anakin (takes a deep breath): Sorry, M'Lady.
Jamillia: Perfect. It's settled then.
Space - It's just like the star map hologram, plus the storm-shrouded planet of Kamino, which is exactly where it ought to be. Obi-Wan's Starship heads down toward the planet.
Tipoca City, Kamino landing platform - Heavy rans and hard-driving winds lash the platform as Obi-Wan's Starship approaches. The huge, ultra-modern city of Tipoca rests on great stilts that keep it above the pounding and ever-present waves that cover the surface of this watery world. The Starfighter lands. Obi-Wan gets out and makes his way through the bowling wind toward a tower on the far side of the platform. A door slides open. A shaft of brilliant light pierces the swirling rain. Obi-Wan passes through it and goes inside.
Corridor entrance - A Brilliant white light. Obi-Wan pushes the soaking hood from his face.
Taun We: Master Jedi. The Prime Minister expecting you.
Obi-Wan wipes the rain from his face and blinks in surprise at a tall, pasty-white alien named Taun We. The alien has large, almond shaped eyes.
Obi-Wan (warily): I'm expected?
Taun We: Of course. He is anxious to meet you. After all these years, we were beginning to think you weren't coming. Now please, this way.
Obi-Wan masks his surprise as they move away along the corridor. Obi-Wan follows Taun We cautiously.
Prime Minister office - The door slides open. Obi-Wan and Taun We enter and cross to where Lama Su rises.
Taun We: May I present Lama Su, Prime Minister of Kamino. And this is Master Jedi . . .
Obi-Wan: Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Lama Su: I trust you're going to enjoy your stay. . . Please. . .
Lama Su indicates a chair. Obi-Wan sits. Taun We hovers. The room is bathed in brilliant white light. The whole place is ultra high-tech.
Lama Su: And now to business. You will be delighted to hear that we are on schedule. Two hundred thousand units are ready, with a million more well on the way.
Obi-Wan (improvising): That's good news.
Lama Su: Please tell your Master Sifo-Dyas that his order will be met on time.
Obi-Wan: I'm sorry Master - ?
Lama Su: Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas is still a leading member of the Jedi Council, is he not?
Obi-Wan: Master Sifo-Dyas was killed almost ten years ago.
Lama Su: Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. But I'm sure he would have been proud of the army we've built for him.
Obi-Wan: The army?
Lama Su: Yes. A clone army, and I must say, one of the finest we've ever created.
Obi-Wan: Tell me, Prime Minister, when my master first contacted you about the army, did he say who it was for?
Lama Su: Of course he did. This army is for the Republic. But you must be anxious to inspect the units for yourself.
Obi-Wan: That's why I'm here.
Naboo Lake Retreat - An ornate structure with a dome roof. Anakin and Padmé spend time together on Naboo.
Lake Retreat Lodge, Garden Terrace - Anakin and Padmé walk up the stairs onto a terrace overlooking a lovely garden. They stop at the balustrade. Padmé looks out across the garden to the shimmering lake and the mountains rising beyond.
Padmé: We used to come here for school retreat. See ? We would swim to that island every day. I love the water. . . We used to lie out on the sand and let the sun dry us... and try to guess the names of the birds singing.
Anakin: I don’t like sand. It’s coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere. Not like here. Here everything’s soft... and smooth.
He touches her shoulder. Padmé has become receptive to the way he looks at her but is nervous. Padmé becomes aware that Anakin is looking at her. Anakin kisses Padmé. She doesn't resist. She comes to her senses and pulls away.
Padmé: No. I shouldn't have done that.
Anakin: I'm sorry.
Kamino, Tipoca City, Clone Center, Hatchery - They enter a space filled with great racks of glass spheres, which are filled with fluid in which embryos are suspended.
Obi-Wan: Very impressive.
Obi-Wan gazes at the nearest embryos.
Lama Su: I'd hoped you would be pleased. Clones can think creatively. You will find that they are immensely superior to droids. We take great pride in our combat education and training programs. This group was created about five years ago.
Clone Center, classroom - The tour continues through a classroom filled with identical young boy clones.
Obi-Wan: You mentioned growth acceleration.
Lama Su: Oh yes, it's essential. Otherwise, a mature clone would take a lifetime to grow. Now, we can do it in half the time. They are totally obedient, taking any order without question. We modified their genetic structure to make them less independent than the original host.
Clone Center, Commisary - Lama Su conducts Obi-Wan through a large eating area. Taun We follows as they walk by hundreds of Clones who look exactly alike, all about twenty years old, seated at tables, eating.
Obi-Wan: And who was the original host?
Lama Su: A bounty hunter called Jango Fett.
Obi-Wan: And where is this bounty hunter now?
Lama Su: Oh, we keep him here. Apart from his pay, which is considerable, Fett demanded only one thing: an unaltered clone for himself. Curious isn't it?
Obi-Wan: Unaltered?
Lama Su: Pure genetic replication. No tampering with the structure to make it more docile . . . and no growth acceleration.
Obi-Wan: I should very much like to meet this Jango Fett.
Taun We: I would be very happy to arrange it for you.
Parade Ground - Obi-Wan, Lama Su, and Taun We come out onto a balcony. Below is a huge parade ground. Thousands of Stormtroopers, faces covered by helmets, are marching and drilling in formations of several hundred.
Lama Su (beaming): Magnificent, aren't they?
Obi-Wan nods slowly.
Naboo, mountain meadow - Padmé and Anakin are in the middle of an idyllic hilly meadow, its lush grasses sprinkled with flowers. At a distance, a herd of Shaaks graze contentedly. Beyond is the shimmering expanse of waterfalls. The warm air is full of little floating puffballs. They sit on the grass, in a playful, coy mood, talking. Padmé is picking flowers.
Padmé: I don't know.
Anakin (chuckles): Sure you do. You just don't want to tell me.
Padmé: Are you going to use one of your Jedi mind tricks on me?
Anakin: They only work on the weak-minded.
Padmé: All right. I was twelve. His name was Palo. We were both in the Legislative Youth Program. He was a few years older than I. Very cute. Dark curly hair. Dreamy eyes.
Anakin: All right, I get the picture. Whatever happened to him?
Padmé: I went into public service; he went on to become an artist.
Anakin: Maybe he was the smart one.
Padmé: You really don't like politicians, do you?
Anakin: I like two or three, but I'm not really sure about one of them. (smiling) I don't think the system works.
Padmé: How would you have it work?
Anakin: We need a system where the politicians sit down and discuss the problems, agree what's in the best interests of all the people, and then do it.
Padmé: That's exactly what we do. The trouble is that people don't always agree.
Anakin: Well, then they should be made to.
Padmé: By whom? Who's going to make them?
Anakin: I don't know. Someone.
Padmé: You?
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