01x05 - The Axe Forgets

[bunniefuu]

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)

Wouldn't you rather give it all at once
to something real?

What would we be stealing?

The quarterly payroll
for an entire Imperial sector.

PARTAGAZ: Blevin,
this incident on Ferrix.

Corporate Security, sir.
They're still in charge out there.

A stolen Imperial Starpath unit
was recovered at the scene.

VEL: Five months in?

Just plug in some new person?
It'll tear the team apart.

I'm buying you critical redundancy.

- What do you mean "buying"?
- I'm paying him.

We've been eating roots
and sleeping on rocks for this rebellion

and now you've got a mercenary on board?

LUTHEN: Take him or call it off.

- You're taking on an Imperial armory?
- Are you not joining us?

CASSIAN: Us? How many of us are there?

VEL: Now we are seven.

That's Skeen.

Taramyn.

Nemik.

- Cinta. And Lieutenant Gorn.
- Who is he?

He's Clem.
He's here. That's all that matters.

We're wasting daylight.
Let's get on with it.

As of this morning, the Morlana system

is under permanent Imperial authority.

Congratulations on that.

Mother.

Senator.

- If you can't deliver, I need to know.
- The money's there.

It's just getting very dangerous
to move it around.

You think I haven't
thought this through?

I'd be the first one to fall.

VEL: That's a vault.

We're taking crates of payroll
from that room,

loading the freighter,
and escaping out of the runway tunnel.

What we need to know is,
are you in all the way?

Let's get to it.

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)

(BREATHING SHAKILY)

EEDY: Syril.

You're slouching.

Is that how you've been
presenting yourself to the world?

It would explain a great deal.

Being a leader isn't something
one just turns on and off.

By the time you've remembered
to sit up straight, it's too late.

You might as well wear a sign that says,
"I promise to disappoint you."

Shame we couldn't have seen more

of each other when you were flourishing.

I'd have the memory to sustain me.

Well, you could've come
any time you wanted.

Any civilized being knows an open
invitation is no invitation at all.

My assumption is,
you have no prospect for the future.

I had a spare room.

(SIGHS)

Could've visited any time you wanted.

- You know that.
- I know what you tell me.

I intuit the rest.

I intuit you have no future prospects.

I'd forgotten the precision
of your predictive powers.

Ah, you've remembered how to mock me.

Forgotten how sensitive you can be.

Perhaps you've forgotten my question.

Do you have even
a single prospect before you?

I'll find a way.

I'm calling Uncle Harlo.

- (SIGHS)
- I'm calling in the family favor.

Haven't heard that in a while.

These are desperate times.

- You're assuming he'll remember you.
- That's amusing.

And you think he'll talk to you?

I know he will.

And he'll know why I called.

And he'll respect me
for having waited so long in asking

and being so prudent about my request.

(SCOFFS) What is
it you'll be asking for?

Someone who will take you on, Syril.

Setting the bar high, are we?

Uncle Harlo will know what's best.

- (BREATHING HEAVILY)
- (LIVESTOCK BLEATING)

(GASPS)

(GROANS)

(GASPS)

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)

(SKEEN SNIFFLES)

It's all there.

Vel asked me to have a look.

(SIGHS) I think
she's having second thoughts.

Go talk to her if you want.

She'll be up soon.

You didn't come with much.

That plus the bad arm?

It's pretty clear
you left wherever you were in a hurry.

Corporate issue. Interesting.

There's no sense bein' upset.

You're lucky to be alive right now.

We've been down here for months,
and the stakes are high.

- How's your arm?
- I'll be fine.

Uh-huh.

And, uh, who... whose is this?

Didn't get a name.

Oh.

You know what this means, don't you?

Yeah, I saw your eyes go right to it.

Krayt Head.

See, they don't know.

They got no idea.

What about this?

"By The Hand."

So, where were you?

Sipo.

Youth center.

Three years. I was when I went in.

I never heard of it.

- Well, you didn't miss anything.
- Yeah.

They've built a lot of cages, huh?

"The axe forgets, but
the tree remembers."

Now it's our turn to do the chopping.

So, that's it?

That's why you're here?

Revenge?

Yeah, that's good enough for now.

You?

I was told I could help.

Yeah, but you won't say by who.

Working with other people is never easy.

Yeah.

I didn't mark you for a team player.

It always breaks at the weakest point.

Oh, you're worried about the kids.

Nemik's a surprise.

He's green, but he's all in.

He's a true believer.

Nothing but the cause for him.

Then there's Cinta.

Cinta Kaz.

She's stone cold and fearless.

Probably the toughest one here.

She's already sharin' a blanket,
if that's what you're wonderin'.

(SCOFFS)

And the Lieutenant?

Without him, there's no plan.

He could be walking
us right into a trap.

They would've taken us down by now.

Or maybe that's what you're here for.

I'm here to win and walk away.

Wouldn't that be lovely?

PERRIN: The driver's here.

MON: Kloris.

Yes.

You know his name.

Is Leida ready?

I'm not sure.

Where is she? Leida?

Hmm. Did you eat?

When would that have happened?

I just came down.

MON: Take something for the ride.

- What?
- MON: We need to be going.

Oh. Change in plan.

Dad's taking me.

You're taking me, right?

Got to clear it with her.

I don't have early class today.

- We planned this.
- You did.

Get your coat. It's
not up for discussion.

Are you serious?

MON: Am I serious?

Just go. You're off the hook.

Enjoying this?

Get your coat.

It's out of your way anyway,
so what's the point?

The point is, we have a schedule,
the driver's waiting,

I've planned on this, and we're going.

You're only doing it to show off.

- What?
- Just go.

What would I be showing off?

That you're involved somehow.

What? That's just...

Nobody cares. You can relax.

That's just so hurtful.

- See? There you go.
- Go where?

That's my point.

It's all about you, isn't it?

It's always all about you.

Is this really
how you'd like to start the day?

I didn't choose this conversation.

(SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING)

I so appreciate the support.

Dray milk.

You can live on it.

You may question your existence
after a few days, but...

(SNIFFLES)

(GROANS)

Memorable, isn't it?

(DEVICE CLICKING)

That's an old one.

Old and true.

And sturdy.

One of the best
navigational tools ever built.

Can't be jammed or intercepted.

Something breaks,
you can fix it yourself.

Hard to learn.

Yes, but once you've mastered it,
you're free.

We've grown reliant on Imperial tech,

and we've made ourselves vulnerable.

There's a growing list
of things we've known and forgotten,

things they've pushed us to forget.

Things like freedom.

Nemik sees oppression everywhere.

Skeen pretends not to listen,
but I know the message is sinking in.

(CHUCKLES)

He's writin' a manifesto.

Did he tell you?

Apparently, the only thing keepin' us
from liberty is a few more ideas.

Few more ideas. (CHUCKLES)

It's so confusing, isn't it?

So much going wrong, so much to say,

and all of it happening so quickly.

The pace of repression
outstrips our ability to understand it.

And that is the real trick
of the Imperial thought machine.

It's easier to hide behind
atrocities than a single incident.

But they have a fight on their hands,
don't they?

Our elemental rights
are such a simple thing to hold,

they will have to shake the galaxy hard
to loosen our grip.

I'd like to hear what Clem believes.

I know what I'm against.

Everything else will have to wait.

- You're my ideal reader.
- (SKEEN SCOFFS)

Now you've done it.

Haven't titled it
yet. I've been waiting.

It's a work in progress, and I know

that there's a great deal left to say.

I mean, look.

Right here.

Fresh inspiration.

Two seemingly random objects,
and yet this charts an astral path,

this maps the trail
of political consciousness.

Both systems based on truth,

both navigating toward clear
and achievable outcomes.

- Basic facts expanded to...
- TARAMYN: Clem.

To be continued.

(CHUCKLES)

Busy day, Clem. Finish your milk.

(SCOFFS)

- You don't trust him?
- (SIGHS)

- I barely trust you.
- Hmm.

VEL: Obviously, it's a track launch,

so there's an adjusted thrust ratio
to make it up the ramp.

- CASSIAN: Okay.
- It's on an overhead rail.

- Has to be, yeah.
- So calibrating the weight...

- What about it?
- How would you do it?

How would I know the weight?

Is this a test?

It's a simple question.

You don't know
how to get it off the runway, do you?

We know how to fly it.

CASSIAN: Yeah, but you've
got to get it up there first.

Answer the question. (SIGHS)

You really don't.

Do you?

You don't know how
to get it out of there.

How do you input the weight?

(SCOFFS)

- You sure it's on the rail?
- Yes.

It's mounted?

It's ready to go?

That's how they keep it,
you're sure of that?

Yes, we're sure.

(SCOFFS)
Lieutenant Gorn is in there every day.

Okay.

There's a load clutch.

It... It's a big ugly handle
just right next to the booster throttle.

There's a gauge just below
to read out the weight.

TARAMYN: Why isn't this in the manual?

Because it's a custom job.

It's an add-on.

(SCOFFING) What were you gonna do
if I wasn't here?

(SIGHS) Might have been ugly
but we'd have figured it out.

(STAMMERS) We wanted to be sure.

- Oh. Okay. I'll pilot.
- VEL: No, you'll do as you're told.

Ah, I'm flying it.

We can say it's your idea. I don't care.

But if it's my ass on the line,
I'm pulling this thing out of there.

(SIGHS)

- Okay.
- Okay.

(SNORTS)

(LIVESTOCK BLEATING)

TARAMYN: Clem.

The tower yard.

The dam.

The garrison HQ
and the barracks up top by the east end.

The Rono tunnel.

The flight control tower.

And objective number one,
the door at the base of the tower.

The Temple Path.

Now, the real thing has a downhill
pitch, but the distance is right.

And down there,
where we'll be coming from,

The Old Temple.

Got it.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

LIEUTENANT GORN: What's this?

Target practice?

(CLANKING)

(SIGHS)

Where are they?

This was to be cleaned up yesterday.

- Where are they?
- They should be back soon, sir.

LIEUTENANT GORN: Back from where?

I believe they're in the tower, sir.

The Commandant's wife needed help
moving furniture for the dinner.

I'll be back in an hour.

This had better be well on its way,
or I promise you,

I'll be revisiting
the schedule for winter furloughs.

You are Imperial Private Clem.

You're a sentry from the Alkenzi Airbase
transferred for special duty.

Shoulders back.

- More.
- Don't touch me.

You want something, you tell me.

Can you walk like a soldier?

I've seen it done.

Let's find out
if you've been payin' attention.

Form up.

(BUSY CHATTER)

TIGO: I don't care where it goes.
Just get it out of here.

SOLDIER: Yes, sir. Right away, sir.

Captain Tigo!

There you are.

They're still clearing out some guests.

What do you think?

As a hotel?

Do you want it or not?

The assignment?

No, you're taking the assignment.

I was asking if this would do
as your headquarters.

Could I be made Prefect?

The title.
I know it doesn't come with extra pay.

You can wear a ball gown if you'd like.

Just get this up and running
before my next staff meeting.

TARAMYN: It's about confidence.

We belong here.

We're followin' orders.

The door's bein' opened as we approach.

Lieutenant Gorn will be out front.
He's the leader.

He's the gatekeeper.

So eyes on him at all times.

We're locked in. We're listenin'.

We're ready to adapt.

And last man in bolts
the door behind him.

Squad, halt.

Questions?

What are they doing?

Never mind about them.

You got enough to worry about.

Let's walk it again at speed.

You should switch.

What?

He's left-handed.

Should swap sides.

Why don't you get a handle
on what we're doing here

before you start making suggestions.

VEL: Why?

Why switch sides?

Skeen is left-handed.

You want your w*apon on the outside.

- What am I?
- Right-handed.

VEL: Taramyn?

- Right.
- VEL: Cinta?

CASSIAN: Right.

Nemik?

Favors right, but sh**t left.

Fine.

Let's switch.

Any other suggestions?

(WHIRRING IN DISTANCE)

Wait!

(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)

Cover the g*ns.

(ALL PANTING)

TARAMYN: Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!

(WHOOSHING)

- He's gone.
- VEL: I don't think so.

(WHIRRING)

- (LOUD WHOOSHING)
- (ALL GASP)

(LIVESTOCK BLEATING)

They'll soon see.

Surprise from above
is never as shocking as one from below.

(LOUD WHOOSHING)

Corporal Kimzi.

Sir.

Enjoying the view?

Yes, sir.

Gets a bit stale in there sometimes.

(SIGHS)

It's always inspiring, isn't it?

KIMZI: I suppose.

Is it true they're
tearing this all down?

It's been discussed.

Move the airbase here?

That makes sense.

It's a big project.

Not too many Dhanis
to worry about anymore though, eh?

How many do you think
we'll have tomorrow?

I don't know.

It was less than a hundred last time.

Still enough to smell 'em, right?

Can you imagine this place
with a couple of thousand of them?

Yes.

I can.

Get about your business, Corporal.

I'll be making rounds tomorrow night,
and I expect you at your station.

Sir. Yes, sir.

(BOTH PANTING)

(BOTH STRAINING)

- CINTA: "Hello."
- CASSIAN: Nahrvai.

Again.

CASSIAN: Nahrvai.

"Stop."

CASSIAN: Naishe.

Naych.

It's hard.

Naych.

How's your arm?

It's good. You're a healer.

Hey! What are you doing?

I'm just moving your stuff.

- Don't.
- (GRUNTS) It was in the way.

Don't ever.

I thought you were checking the comms.

(SIGHS)

Hey.

And you can dress yourself.

NEMIK: Who packed these charges?

CINTA: That would be me.

VEL: I can fit three more in here.

TARAMYN: Let's have a look at you.

Make a soldier of you yet.

BLEVIN: So, I'll want
weekly reports from Ferrix.

And I want to keep
a tight hand on the budget.

Now, what did I miss while I was gone?

WOMAN: The Finkly Conference.

They have agreed to
move up your speech...

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

DEDRA: Hosnian Prime?

HEERT: It's useless.

They haven't broken,
misplaced, or mislabeled

a single m*llitary component
in the past quarters.

Well, maybe there's, uh,
an unofficial ledger.

I... I wouldn't trust
anything coming out of there.

Imperial Navy is the only account
they have left at this point,

and they'd never admit anything's wrong.

You should go.

I didn't realize how late it was.

I'm staying if you are.

(SIGHS) I don't know what I'm doing.

About any of it.

Yes, you do.

You're onto something.

Kessel, Fondor,
targeting consoles from Jakku,

proton warheads from Base Cay,
the Steergard Starpath.

He's right though.

It's too spread out to be organized.

But you don't believe that.

I know this.

If I was them, this is how I'd do it.

I'd spread it out.

Never climb the same fence twice.

It's too random to be random.

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

Two more files each?

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)

(CRACKLING)

Stay focused, Clem.

(SNIFFLES)

To the Rebellion.

NEMIK: To the Rebellion.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

EEDY: I needn't tell you how wrong
you were about Uncle Harlo.

But you will.

He said he never felt police work
was your chosen path.

SYRIL: 'Cause he knows me so well.

And whose fault is that?

Can I guess?

Perhaps you'll study Uncle Harlo
with more energy in the future.

What field is it
he thinks I should be pursuing?

He said he wanted to think about it.

I struggled with how best to describe

to him the events that have led us here.

I told him how sorry you were
about what happened.

I stressed that it was a large enough
mistake to be deeply educational.

Yes, I heard some of that.

Our conversation?

Your side of it.

Hard to miss.

Sadly, I wasn't able
to study Uncle Harlo's response.

He knows how much we're counting on him.

- VEL: Stairs to the hangar?
- (ALL PANTING)

CASSIAN: Four flights, four landings.

VEL: Vault cage weak point?

CASSIAN: Top corners.

Distance to load ramp?

Twenty-eight meters.

Emergency comm signal?

Red-Red.

Clear signal?

My turn.

Lieutenant Gorn.

What's an Imperial lieutenant doing
getting involved with this?

What difference does it make?

Everyone else seems to know.

He fell in love with a local woman
and lost a promotion.

Then he lost the woman.

Then he lost his taste for the Empire.

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

Everyone has their own rebellion.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

- (MACHINERY WHIRRING)
- (INDISTINCT CHATTER)

MAN: Is the shipment secure, sir?

LIEUTENANT GORN: Attention!

BOTH: Sir.

LIEUTENANT GORN: As you were.

I prepared
a reduced schedule for tomorrow.

- I know you were eager for that.
- It'll mean a great deal to the men.

And now,
I see the gantry's still unpainted.

I've spoken to them about it, sir.

LIEUTENANT GORN:
And yet it remains undone

with an engineering
officer from Coruscant

arriving today and in our business.

Let's see if painting it tomorrow night

will make the point more clearly.

KIMZI: Sir.

May I speak plainly, sir?

Plainly and quickly.

Aldhani, sir.

It's not many people's
first-choice assignment.

The thing you hear
when posted to Aldhani

is that perhaps you'll be lucky enough
to be there for the Eye.

The idea of being this close
and not seeing it,

and I know we can't all be up there,

but I fear morale might be crushed
by having anything more

than an essential roster
down here tomorrow night.

(SNIFFLES)

I want it painted the
day after tomorrow.

I'll be here midday,
and I expect to see it shine.

- Absolutely, sir.
- Thank you, sir.

Make sure the men know
how close they've come.

(SIGHS)

(SIGHS)

- (GRUNTS)
- Don't move.

- 'Cause you know what'll happen.
- Hey, what are you doing?

There we go.

I knew it.

I knew you were lying. I knew it.

- Look.
- What is it?

SKEEN: Kyber.

Sky kyber.

He's been hiding it.

Skeen?

- Sky kyber. Look at it glow.
- What's going on?

I warned you.

He comes here with nothin'
but the clothes on his back

and a stone worth , credits?

- You have a problem, you come to me.
- Here I am.

I've topped out on questions, Vel.
I have reached my limit.

He won't say why he's here,

where he's from.

He doesn't say what he believes in.
And now this?

Who brings a treasure to a robbery?

We don't have time for this.

I need to know who I'm riding with.

You know exactly who I am.

- And you know I'll k*ll you for it.
- Okay.

Okay, so, I guess we know
it's not a fake, huh?

- CASSIAN: It's your call.
- Let's not go too far, Clem.

- I just want what's mine.
- Yeah, don't put me on the spot.

Enough!

Everyone stands down.

Everyone!

NEMIK: There's something coming!

There's a... There's
a ship in the valley!

VEL: Get your packs up.

Move!

Put the w*apon away.

Give him the stone.
You can k*ll each other later.

You'd be right where I am.

Tell yourself whatever you want.

NEMIK: I think we're okay!

It's heading towards the garrison!

Get your stuff! Move!

(SHIP WHOOSHING IN DISTANCE)

VEL: We'll talk when we're safe.

I'm being paid.

Paid to be here.

You need to know?

That's it.

- What?
- Yeah, I'm here for the money.

You can't live with that?

I'm not worth it?

I'll walk away and wish you luck.

But that's what it is.

(SCOFFS)

I don't want to walk in
looking over my shoulder.

You knew this?

The choice was take him or call it off.

- Call it off?
- You should've told us days ago.

Maybe so.

It just would've been something else.

What's that mean?

The day before is always hard.

Too much time to worry.

TARAMYN: You think we're scared?

I know you are.

It's really only the money?

To take a risk like this?

Come on.

Maybe you're the one that's afraid.

CASSIAN: Of course I'm afraid.

But there's a difference
between fear and losing your nerve.

You want out of this?

Make a choice.

Don't use me as an excuse.

Cinta?

No.

She didn't tell me.

Let's get to the camp in one piece.

You can all chew on it there.

All of you.

Move.

(SNIFFLES)

(PERRIN SIGHS)

You saw me talking to Gar Tafeed.

Mmm. You were busy tonight.

He knows more about
what you're up to than I do.

- Must be embarrassing.
- (SCOFFS)

When were you planning to tell me
about this new foundation?

Well, I didn't think
you'd be interested.

Why is that?

It's charitable.

Hmm.

What's his name?

Kloris.

- PERRIN: Kloris?
- Sir?

Would you mind taking the Expressway?

KLORIS: Yes, sir.

(ALL PANTING)

Looks just like your model.

Should do.

I've had plenty of time to study,

and we've been
sneaking up here for months.

VEL: We need to signal soon.

Let's get a fire up. Let's go.

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)

(DEVICE CLICKS, WHIRRING)

VEL: Okay, that should do it.

Skeen.

(CLEARS THROAT)

(SNIFFLING)

She wants me to tell
you about my brother.

There's a long version,
but what matters is they k*lled him.

He was a farmer.

Imperial Prefect came in,
took his land, flooded it.

He couldn't fight him.

He couldn't bear it, so he went a boat

and filled his pockets with stones.

I always hated the Empire.

I don't really know
what to call how I feel now.

What kind of farm?

Trees.

Pepper trees.

Centuries of 'em.

That's as close to an apology
as you're gonna get.

(CHUCKLES)

It's close enough.

Taramyn's in charge now.

Completely in charge.

I need to know you understand that.

Where will you be?

If all goes well,
we'll see you tomorrow night.

I need to hear you tell me
you can follow the plan.

You won't have a problem with me.

Good luck to you.

VEL: No farewells tonight.

Plenty of work to do together tomorrow.

(GRUNTING, PANTING)

(SIGHS)

(STATIC)

(STATIC, INDISTINCT CHATTER)

I thought you were turning it off.

I was just going to.

You said that an hour ago.

Am I keeping you up?

(SIGHS)

There's nothing coming through tonight.

You want to be useful,
go clean some coins.

(BUZZES)

Happy?

Have you checked your walk-away pack?

- Yes.
- And the one on the Fondor?

I don't like seeing you nervous.

There's nothing else you can do, Luthen.

They're either gonna be okay out there
or they're not.

Well, that's a daring prediction.

- Vel's the only one who traces back.
- No.

The thief. Andor.

I wasn't careful.

You wanted this to happen.

This is what it took.

It's never gonna be perfect.

I wanted it too much.

We have clients in the morning.

Yeah, I'll be ready.

It'll all be over this time tomorrow.

Or it'll just be starting.

Or that.

(CLICKS)

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)