MOVE with the ship as it heads toward Coruscant.

INT. CORUSCANT - CITYSCAPE - NABOO SPACECRAFT - DAY (FX)

The spacecraft dlies over the endlesscityscape of Coruscant, the capital of the galaxy.

INT. NABOO SPACECRAFT - COCKPIT

ANAKIN looks out the cockpit window in awe.

RIC OLIE : Coruscant...the capital of the Republic...the entire planet is one big city.
ANAKIN : Wow! It's so huge!

INT. NABOO SPACECRAFT - DAY (FX)

The ship flies through the cityscape of Coruscant.

EXT. CORUSCANT - SENATE LANDING PLATFORM - DAY

Supreme Chancellor VALORUM, SEVERAL GUARDS, and SENATOR PALPATINE stand on a landing platform.
The sleek Naboo spacecraft lands on the platform high above the street level of the galactic capital. The ramp lowers. OBI-WAN, QUI-GON, JAR JAR and ANAKIN descend the ramp first and bow before PALPATINE and VALORUM.
CAPTAIN PANAKA, TWO GUARDS, QUEEN AMIDALA, then PADME, RABE, EIRTAE, and MORE GUARDS descend the ramp. QUEEN AMIDALA stops before the group.
ANAKIN and JAR JAR stand to one side, looking at the huge city. PADME smiles at ANAKIN. PALPATINE bows before the Queen.

PALPATINE : It is a great gift to see you alive, Your Majesty. May I present Supreme Chancellor Valorum.
VALORUM : Welcome, Your Highness. It is an honor to finally meet you in person. I must relay to you how distressed everyone is over the currant situation. I've called for a special session of the Senate to hear your position.
AMIDALA : I am grateful for your concern, Chancellor.

PALPATINE starts to lead QUEEN AMIDALA and her RETINUE off the platform toward a waiting air taxi.

PALPATINE : There is a question of precedure, but I feel confident we can overcome it...

JAR JAR and ANAKIN start to follow, then stop, noticing that OBI-WAN and QUI-GON are staying with the SUPREME CHANCELLOR. QUEEN AMIDALA waves to the duo to follow her. ANAKIN looks back to QUI-GON, and he nods to go ahead.
ANAKIN and JAR JAR join the QUEEN, PALPATINE, PADME, RABE and EIRTAE in the taxi. PALPATINE gives the Gungan and the boy in the back of the taxi a skeptical look. JAR JAR leans over to ANAKIN.

JAR JAR : Da Queens- a bein grossly nice, mesa tinks. (he looks around) Pitty hot!

VALORUM and the JEDI watch the taxi move off into the city.

QUI-GON : I must speak with the Jei Council immediately, Your Honor. The situation has become more complicated.

INT. PALPATINE'S QUARTERS - ANTEROOM - DAY

QUEEN AMIDALA is sitting listening to PALPATINE. EIRTAE and RABE stand behind the QUEEN; PADME is nowhere to be sen. ANAKIN and JAR JAR are waiting in an adjoining room. They can see the Queen but cannot hear what is being said.

JAR JAR : Dissen all pitty odd to my.
ANAKIN : Don't look at me. I don't know what's going on.

CAPTAIN PANAKA enters, then goes into the room with QUEEN AMIDALA.

INT. PALPATINE'S QUARTERS - LIVING AREA - DAY

PALPATINE is pacing as CAPTAIN PANAKA enters. EIRTAE and RABE stand to one side.

PALPATINE : ...the Republic is not what it once was. The Senate is full of greedy, squabbling delegates who are only looking out for themselves and their home sytems. There is no interest in the common good...no civility, only politics...its disgusting. I must be frank, Your Majesty, there is little chance the Senate will act on the invasion.
AMIDALA : Chancellor Valorum seems to think there is hope.
PALPATINE : If I may say so, Your Majesty, the Chancellor has little real power...he is mired down by baseless accusations of corruption. A manufactured scandal surrounds him. The bureaucrats are in charge now.
AMIDALA : What options do we have?
PALPATINE : Our best choice would be to push for the election of a stronger Supreme Chancellor. One who will take control of the bureaucrats, enforces the laws, and give us justice. You could call for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum.
AMIDALA : He has been our strongest supporter. Is there any other way?
PALPATINE : Our only other choice would to be to submit a plea to the courts...
AMIDALA : There's no time for that. The courts take even longer to decide things than the Senate. Our people are dying, Senator...more and more each day. We must do something quickly to stop the Federation.
PALPATINE : To be realistic, Your Highness, I'd say we're going to have to accept Federation control for the time being.
AMIDALA : There is something I cannot do.

EXT. TEMPLE OF THE JEDI - DAY (FX)

A unique building with it tall spires stands out against the Coruscant skyline. A small transport passes by the vast temple.

INT. TEMPLE OF THE JEDI - COUNCIL CHAMBERS - DAY

QUI-GON stands in a tall stately room. Twelve JEDI sit in a semi-circle. OBI-WAN stands behind QUI-GON in the center of the room.
The Senior Jedi is MACE WINDU. To his left is an alien Jedi named KI-ADI-MUNDI, and to his right, the Jedi Master, YODA.

QUI-GON : ...my only conclusion can be that it was a Sith Lord.
MACE WINDU : A Sith Lord?!?
KI-ADI : Impossible! The Sith have been extinct for a millenium.
YODA : The very Republic is threatened, if involved the Sith are.
MACE WINDU : I do not believe they could have returned without us knowing.
YODA : Hard to see, the dark side is. Discover who this assassin is, we must.
KI-ADI : I sense he will reveal himself again.
MACE WINDU : This attack was with purpose, that is clear, and I agree the Queen is the target.
YODA : With this Naboo queen you must stay, Qui-Gon. Protect her.
MACE WINDU : We will use all our resources here to unravel this mystery and discover the identity of your attacker... May the Force be with you.
YODA : May the Force be with you.

OBI-WAN turns to leave, but QUI-GON continues to face the Council.

YODA : (Cont'd) Master Qui-Gon more to say have you?
QUI-GON : With your permission, my Master. I have encountered a vergence in the Force.
YODA : A vergence, you say?
MACE WINDU : Located around a person?
QUI-GON : A boy... his cells have the highest concentration of midi-chlorians I have seen in a life form. It is possible he was conceived by the midi-chlorians.
MACE WINDU : You're referring to the prophesy of the one who will bring balance to the Force...you believe it's this boy??
QUI-GON : I don't pressume...
YODA : But you do! Rrevealed your opinion is.
QUI-GON : I request the boy be tested.

The JEDI all look to one another. They nod and turn back to OBI-WAN and QUI-GON.

YODA : Trained as a Jedi, you request for him?
QUI-GON : Finding him was the will of the Force...I have no doubt of that. There is too much happening here...
MACE WINDU : Bring him before us, then.
YODA : Tested he will be.

INT. QUEENS QUARTERS - CORUSCANT - DAY Anakin, tentative, walks down one of the long hallways in Senator Palpatine's quarters. He stops before a dor that is flanked by TWO GUARDS.

GUARD : May I help you, son?
ANAKIN : I'm...I'm looking for the handmaiden, Padme.

The GUARD speaks into his comlink as ANAKIN looks around a bit nervously.

GUARD : The boy is here to see Padme.
RABE : Send him in.

The doors open, and ANAKIN enters the Queen's quarters.
RABE greets ANAKIN as TWO OTHER HANDMAIDENS come and go into the next room.

ANAKIN : I'd like to speak with Padme, if I could.
RABE : I'm sorry, Annie. Padme is not here right now.

The Queen speaks out in the next room.

AMIDALA : (O.S.) Who is it?
RABE : Anakin Skywalker, to see Padme, Your Highness.

The QUEEN moves into the doorway and studies ANAKIN. ANAKIN bows and looks down, then takes a peek at her.

AMIDALA : I've sent Padme on an errand.
ANAKIN : I'm going to the Jedi temple to start my training, I hope.

The QUEEN just stares at him.

ANAKIN : (Cont'd) I may not see her again...and... I just wanted to say goodbye.
AMIDALA : We will tell her for you. We're sure her heart goes with you.

ANAKIN bows again.

ANAKIN : Thank you, Your Highness. I'm sorry to have disturbed you.

The QUEEN dissapears behind the doorway, and ANAKIN exits.