The ship exits the hanger. BATTLE DROIDS standing in the hanger shoot at them.

EXT. SPACE (FX)

The sleek spacecraft speeds away from the planet of Naboo and heads for the deadly Federation blockade.

INT. NABOO SPACECRAFT - COCKPIT

The PILOT, RIC OLIE, navigates toward the massive battleship, QUI-GON and CAPTAIN PANAKA watch.

RIC OLIE : ....our communications are still jammed.

INT. NABOO SPACECRAFT - DROID HOLD

JAR JAR is led into a low, cramped doorway by OBI-WAN.

OBI-WAN : Now stay here, and keep out of trouble.

OBI-WAN closes the door. JAR JAR looks around and sees a long row of five short, dome-topped ASTRO DROIDS (R-2 units). The all look alike, except for thier paint color, and they all seem to be shut down.

JAR JAR : Ello, boyos. (no response) Disa wanna longo trip...hey?

JAR JAR taps a bright red R-2 UNIT on the head, and its head pops up a bit. He lets out a gasp as he lifts the head.

JAR JAR : (Cont'd) Tis opens?...Oooops! Many springs and things come flying out.

JAR JAR quickly closes it again, very embarrassed.

JAR JAR : (Cont'd) Yoi! Just yoken!

INT. NABOO SPACECRAFT - COCKPIT

OBI-WAN : There's the blockade

A shower of bolts strike the cruiser as one lucky shot hits the shield generator

INT. NABOO SPACECRAFT - COCKPIT

RIC OLIE : Shield generator's been hit!

INT. NABOO SPACECRAFT - DROID HOLD

The droids are activated and proceed toward the out doorway One bumps into JAR JAR

JAR JAR : How Wude!

The BLUE DROID joins his three companions at fixing the shield generator. One of the droids is shot.

INT. NABOO SPACECRAFT - COCKPIT

OBI-WAN : We're losing droids, fast!

Capt. Panaka : Without shields we'll be sitting ducks!

RIC OLIE : Shields are gone

Two more droids are destroyed. The lone BLUE DROID plugs in a cord

RIC OLIE : Powers back! That little droid did it. He bypassed the main power drive. Deflector shield up, at maximum.

The lone BLUE DROID finishes his repairs and goes back into the ship. The Naboo spacecraft races away from the Federation battleship.

INT. NABOO SPACECRAFT - COCKPIT

OBI-WAN is in the co-pilots seat working with RIC OLIE. QUI-GON and CAPTAIN PANAKA stand behind them.

RIC OLIE : There's not enough power to get us to Coruscant...the hyperdrive is leaking.
QUI-GON : We'll have to land somewhere to refuel and repair the ship.

QUI-GON studies a star chart on a monitor.

OBI-WAN : Here, Master. Tatooine... It's small, out of the way, poor... The Trade Federation has no presence there.

CAPT. PANAKA : How can you be sure?
QUI-GON : It's controlled by the Hutts...
CAPT. PANAKA : The Hutts??
OBI-WAN : It's risky...but there's no alternative.
CAPT. PANAKA : You can't take Her Royal Highness there! The Hutts are gangsters... If they discovered her...
QUI-GON : ...It would be no different than if we landed on a system controlled by the Federation...except the Hutts aren't looking for her, which gives us an advantage.

CPATAIN PANAKA takes a deep breath in frustration.

EXT. SPACE - NABOO SPACECRAFT (FX)

The Naboo spacecraft races away.

INT. FEDERATION BATTLESHIP - CONFERENCE ROOM

NUTE and RUNE sit around a conference table with a hologram of DARTH SIDIOUS.

NUTE : We control all the cities in the North and are searching for any other settlements...

DARTH SIDIOUS : Destroy all high-ranking officials, Viceroy...slowly...quietly. And Queen Amidala, has she signed the treaty?
NUTE : She has disappeared, My Lord. One Naboo cruiser got pat the blockade.
DARTH SIDIOUS : Viceroy, find her! I want that treaty signed.
NUTE : My Lord, it's impossible to locate the ship. It's out of our range.
DARTH SIDIOUS : ...not for a Sith...

A second SITH LORD appears behind DARTH SIDIOUS.

DARTH SIDIOUS : (Cont'd) ...Viceroy, this is my apprentice. Lord Maul. He will find your lost ship.
NUTE : Yes, My Lord. The hologram fades off.

NUTE : (Cont'd) This is getting out of hand...now there are two of them.
RUNE : We should not have made this bargain. What will happen when the Jedi become aware of these Sith Lords?

INT. NABOO SPACECRAFT - QUEENS CHAMBERS

QUI-GON, OBI-WAN, CAPTAIN PANAKA, and the LITTLE BLUE DROID stand before QUEEN AMIDALA and her THREE HANDMAIDENS, PADME, EIRTAE and RABE.

CAPT. PANAKA : ...An extremely well put together little droid. Without a doubt, it saved the ship, as well as our lives.
AMIDALA : It is to be commended...what is its number?

The LITTLE BLUE DROID lets out a series of bleeps.CAPTAIN PANAKA leans over and scrapes some dirt off of the side of the DROID and read the number:

CAPT. PANAKA : R2-D2, Your Highness.
AMIDALA : Thank you, Artoo Detoo. You have proven to be very loyal...Padme!

PADME bows before the QUEEN.

AMIDALA : (Cont'd) Clean this droid up the best you can. It deserves our gratitude...(to Panaka) Continue, Captain.

CAPTAIN PANAKA looks nervously to OBI-WAN and QUI-GON.

QUI-GON : Yor Highness, we are heading for a remote planet called Tatooine. It is a system far beyond the reach of the Trade Federation. There we will be able to make needed repairs, then travel on to Coruscant.
CAPTAIN PANAKA : Your Highness, Tatooine is very dangerous. It's controlled by an alliance of gangs called the Hutts. I do not agree with the Jedi on this.
QUI-GON : You must trust my judgement, Your Highness.

AMIDALA and PADME exchange looks. PADME moves next to the DROID.

INT. NABOO SPACECRAFT - MAIN AREA

PADME sits in the Main Area, cleaning R2-D2, the brave little Astra Droid. JAR JAR pops out of an open door.

JAR JAR : Hidoe!

Both PADME and ARTOO jump and let out a little SCREAM. The Gungan is embarrassed that he frightened them.

JAR JAR : (Cont'd) Sorry, nomeanen to scare yousa.
PADME : That's all right.
JAR JAR : I scovered oily back dare. Needen it?
PADME : Thank you. This little guy is quite a mess.

JAR JAR hands PADME the oil can.

JAR JAR : Mesa Ja Ja Binksss...
PADME : I'm Padme, I attend Her Highness, You're a Gungan, aren't you? (Jar Jar nods) How did you end up here with us?
JAR JAR : Me no know...mesa day starten pitty okeyday witda brisky morning munchen. Den boom....getten berry skeered, un grabbed dat Jedi, and before mesa knowen it...pow! Mesa here. (he shrugs)...getten berry berry skeered.

ARTOO BEEPS a sympathetic beep.

INT. ANBOO SPACECRAFT - COCKPIT

OBI-WAN, QUI-GON, and CAPTAIN PANAKA watch over RIC OLIE'S shoulder. A large yellow planet appears directly ahead. RIC OLIE searches his scopes.

OBI-WAN : Tahyt's it. Tatooine.
RIC OLIE : There's a settlement...a spaceport, looks like.
QUI-GON : Land near the outskirts. We don't want to attract any attention.

EXT. TATOOINE - SPACE (FX)

The ship heads toward the planet of Tatooine.