CUT TO:
An interior corridor of the Viceroy's Battleship. A squadron of battle droids stomps by. The three heroes and their fairy-like droid come out of hiding and slip by the other way. They pause at another intersection, backs against the wall.
SLATE (whispering loudly): This is crazy! I'm supposed to be researching a cure, not playing Jedi...capture the flag!
QUI-GON: Your expertise is still critical to our mission's success, Doctor.
OBI-WAN: Wait a moment, Master.
QUI-GON: What is it?
OBI-WAN: I sense something...Suffering. There's a prisoner on board.
SLATE: Shhh, here come's another patrol.
ODD-1 darts out into the open, whistling loudly.
OBI-WAN: Odd One!
Obi-Wan checks the corridor, and sees the droid greeting a squadron of elite Neimoidian soldiers lead by Minister Yinray. A silver 3PO series protocol droid waddles after the minister.
OBI-WAN: What's he doing?
But Qui-Gon is already strolling confidently out into the open, too.
QUI-GON: Minister Yinray?
YINRAY: Ah, good. Our Jedi guest has come out of hiding.
Obi-Wan reluctantly steps out as well.
YINRAY: ...there are two of you?
QUI-GON: We're the security detail. (He looks back toward Slate, who sheepishly shows herself) This is Doctor Slate Morgon, the galaxy's foremost expert in virology.
ODD-1 flies closer to Minister Yinray and squawks insistently at him.
QUI-GON: And...that's our Odd One.
YINRAY (dubiously): I can see that. Well, I'm glad my transmission fell into such capable hands. This way, we have much to discuss.
They come to the entrance of a conference room, the large interlocking doors opening at the minister's gesture.
YINRAY: Please.
The heroes enter, only Qui-Gon seeming confident. Once they are inside, Yinray turns to his honor guard.
YINRAY: The rest of you, guard the door.
The Neimoidian troops spread out in front of the door with blasters drawn.
CUT TO:
INT. COMMAND BATTLESHIP - CONFERENCE ROOM
A large window overlooks the blockade and a stunning view of the planet. The door closes as Yinray joins them, the protocol droid scurrying in to stay at his side. The heroes turn warily from the window to face their host.
QUI-GON: So. The Trade Federation isn't helping Naboo, but conquering them.
SLATE (unable to contain herself): You're criminals!
Minister Yinray strolls past them to the window, his calm somewhat undercut by the 3PO droid hurrying to remain close at hand.
YINRAY: Quite right, Doctor. The Trade Federation has long been little more than a crime family masquerading as an interstellar corporation.
OBI-WAN: Then why should we trust you?
YINRAY: Maybe you shouldn't. But I tell you this. Viceroy Dothrin has been lying to the Republic and subjugating an entire planet. I alone, have come forward with the truth.
SLATE: Why?
YINRAY: Dothrin's gone too far. Trade is disrupted, and our cousin franchises are not pleased. We must intervene and restore status quo.
QUI-GON: What can you tell us about the battle droids?
YINRAY: A3PO, show them the specifications of the IG-4.
A3PO walks to a wall display and calls up a series of reports and test footage of the tall battle droids in action. ODD-1 flies up to get a closer look and A3PO bats it away like an annoying bug.
A3PO: Shoo! ...The Interstellar Garrison, or IG battle droid, 4th iteration. Armaments include blaster rifle, flamethrower, and of course, thermal detonators.
YINRAY: I cannot condone the creation of so many killing machines. Would you believe he has built one million such battle units?
OBI-WAN: One million! That's enough to take on the Republic itself!
YINRAY: More come online every day. I believe Naboo is just a testing ground, and he will follow the plague wherever it goes with an army that is--by its very nature--immune to it. Quite clever, really.
SLATE (appalled): Not the way I would have put it...
QUI-GON: Minister Yinray, is the Queen of Naboo imprisoned on this ship?
YINRAY: No. She's--
A3PO: Oh dear. Minister, the hallway...
The wall video feed changes to a security camera outside their conference room showing an advancing death squad of IG-4s.
CUT TO:
INT. COMMAND BATTLESHIP - HALLWAY
We're now outside with the Neimoidian troops as they nervously back up against the closed conference room door as the droids advance. Blasters are already leveled between the two groups.
IG-4 SQUAD LEADER: Stand aside, there's been a security breach.
NEIMOIDIAN SQUAD LEADER (shaking his head): No one enters. Our orders come from the Minister to the Viceroy.
IG-4 SQUAD LEADER: And ours come from the Viceroy himself. Stand aside.
The Neimoidian's look at each other, unsure what to do. Behind them, the door opens and everyone in the hallway turns to look. ODD-1 flies out unexpectedly, spewing a cloud of opaque vapor onto the IG-4 units.
IG-4 TROOPER: What the--?
In the ensuing confusion, the Jedis, the Doctor, and the minister run out.
YINRAY (to his honor guard): Quick, storm the bridge!
QUI-GON: We'll cover you.
IG-4 TROOPER: It's them! Blast them!
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon ignite their lightsabers, blue for the Apprentice and green for the Master. Obi-Wan cuts down a droid stalking through the mist while the Neimoidians retreat up the corridor. Qui-gon lets Obi-Wan do most of the dirty work. ODD-1 flies around chirping and discharging more thick clouds of vapor. A3PO runs the wrong way and throws his hands up when confronted by a battalion of IG-4 reinforcements.
A3PO: Ah...They went that way!
A gunfight / chase scene ensues through the labyrinthine corridors of the ship. A dozen or so Neimoidian troops charge ahead and stay close to Yinray, while the back few take potshots at the droid pursuers. The Jedi act as the rear guard. Lights flash and sirens wail in a state of general alert. Laser bolts burst into the walls around them, sending sparks and molten debris skittering across the floor. Slate is running for her life, trying to stay ahead of the defensive sweep of the lightsabers and stay out of the line of fire at the same time.
SLATE: Son of a Hutt, at least someone give me a gun!
A Neimoidian soldier is gunned down, and she manages to catch the blaster he happens to throw up.
SLATE: Oh!
The pursuing IG-4s are gaining on them, more joining from side corridors. The fleeing group rushes up a flight of steps, lasers rebounding off the dancing lightsabers. Yinray and his troops are slowed down by a blast door that started to close on them, but they managed to override it while the gap was still about 2-feet wide. It's jammed, and it's taking a while for everyone to fit through one at a time. The rest take cover along the walls and return fire at the droids. The Jedi and Slate take a moment to regroup to one side. That's when Obi-Wan notices an offshoot hallway.
OBI-WAN: Holding cells. The prisoner is that way.
QUI-GON: It's not Queen Amidala.
OBI-WAN: But it's more than that, Master. I feel the Force.
QUI-GON: I don't sense anything, but you've piqued my curiosity. Rendezvous in the real supply dock, and we'll steal another shuttle.
SLATE: Wait a minute, what about me?
ODD-1 seems to echo her sentiment.
QUI-GON: Go with Obi-Wan. I'll draw them this way.
The last Neimoidians have made it through the jammed doors, and Qui-Gon makes himself a distracting target as he readies to duck through himself.
OBI-WAN (dashing and young): Follow me!
Obi-Wan, Slate, and ODD-1 rush toward the offshoot hallway. As the heroes escape, the main force of IGs stay on Qui-Gon and the Neimoidians. However, a trio of IG-4s stop and decide to go up the offshoot as well.