Can't Say I Remember No At Attin

"Can't Say I Remember No At Attin" is the fourth episode of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, premiering on December 17, 2024. The episode was written by Christopher Ford and Jon Watts, and sees the children accidentally arrive on the planet At Achrann instead of At Attin, where they find a war-torn world that eerily resembles their home, and are pressed into service by the Troik tribe in their fight against the Hattan tribe.
==Official description==
Our heroes face a surprise in a familiar setting.
==Plot summary==
===Not At Attin===
The Onyx Cinder flies past a satellite and approaches a terrestrial planet with green landmasses and blue oceans. In the cockpit, the children Wim, Fern, Neel and KB believe that they are approaching their homeworld of At Attin. They dismiss Jod Na Nawood, who exits the cockpit with a chuckle. As the Cinder descends through the planet's clouds, the children gaze at suburbs, which they believe to be their city. However, the yoke suddenly throws itself out of SM-33's control, causing the ship to descend rapidly. SM-33 tells Jod and the children that they are being locked into an autopilot landing sequence. SM-33 manages to cancel the autopilot and lands the ship in stealth mode. 
The Onyx Cinder lands in the charred remains of a neighborhood. When the children exit the starship, they find a charred playground. Jod exits the ship and questions whether they have actually landed on At Attin, adding that this planet reminds him of home. Neel sees something in the distance and runs off. Fern tasks SM-33 with watching over Jod, prompting the droid to enter into babysitting mode. 
Meanwhile, the children explore a ruined house with a tree growing through its structure. Based on the age of the structure and the size of the tree, Neel deduces that this planet is not their homeworld of At Attin. He believes that the planet was devastated a long time ago. When Wim asks if they had fallen asleep for a hundred years like in the Tales of the Knights, Fern backs up Neel and says that the planet they are visiting is not At Attin. Recalling Kh'ymm's words, KB believes that the planet they are on is one of the lost Jewels of the Old Republic. She believes that the locals may be able to help them find At Attin. Wim takes an interest in a container containing an oil liquid, which the other children find gross.
Elsewhere, Jod rummages through the bag of one of the children. He takes an interest in a small hologram of a ballerina. Jod also empties Wim's bag of Old Republic credits. He inspects one of the credits and bites it to test whether it is authentic gold. However, Jod is then ambushed by SM-33, who mistakes him for a thief. The droid pins him up against the bulkhead. After Jod confirms his identity, SM-33 apologizes and believes that At Achrann must be playing tricks on his circuits. From SM-33, Jod learns that they have landed on the planet At Achrann, which he describes it as a dangerous place. When Jod asks about At Attin, the droid pauses to think. When the bilge rat Snowball pops out of his empty eye socket, SM-33 says "he can't remember no At Attin." As the droid shakes his head awkwardly, Jod offers to help rejog his memories.
===Meeting the locals===
While walking through the ruined streets of At Achrann, Wim plays with a plank. The children find a beheaded statue with his right arm stretched out. Wim nicknames the figure "King No Head" while Neel expresses a dislike for the planet, describing it as creepy. The children are startled by blaster shots. They find themselves surrounded by two masked figures, the younger of whom ask what flag they are flying. When the children ask who they are, the older masked figure introduces themselves as Troik. She removes her helmet, revealing herself as a fair-skin girl with brown hair. She explains that they are fighting another faction known as the Hattan.
When the Troik girl asks who they are a second time, Wim asks if they are an army of children battling the adults for control of their planet. Neel introduces himself, saying that they just want to find their way home. The Troik girl leads them to burned out tram. They hide inside as several Hattan soldiers march past with a hover tank. The children huddle while the Troik girl uses a camera to glimpse at the passing patrol, which includes a herd of eopies. The Troik girl and her comrade lead the children to safety at a bombed out former school, which has been converted into a military base. 
The Troik boy introduces the Skeleton Crew to General Strix, leader of the Troik and the so-called "true ruler" of At Achrann. The Troik girl tells her father that they sighted their stolen herd of eopies, which the enemy Hattan have taken. When Fern says she is the Captain of the group, the boy shuffles her to her knees. When General Strix asks if they are warriors, Wim replies that they are children. Strix replies that children on this world are treated as adults. He says that their philosophy is to help the children to help themselves. He says that if they didn't honor their children, then their daughter Hayna would not have saved them. After Strix tells them to rise, he asks what is their business here. 
Fern tells them that they are looking for their homeworld of At Attin. Strix is unaware of At Attin, saying that they dealings with offworlders consist mainly of trading hides for munitions. When Wim asks if they have access to ancient maps or star charts, Hayna asks her father about the knowledge hidden in the Fallen Sanctum, which piques the children's interest. Strix objects to the mention of the Fallen Sanctum. Hayna explains that the Fallen Sanctum has old carvings and coordinates for other planets, adding that one of them might be their home. When Fern asks if they can take them there, Strix warns that it is too dangerous and that they won't survive the journey. Believing that the children has potential, he offers them the opportunity to train with his warriors in order to decide if they are ready to brave the Fallen Sanctum. Fern says that they are not afraid. Strix is pleased and digs his staff. 
Meanwhile, Jod quizzes SM-33 about his knowledge of At Attin as they walk down the ramp of the Onyx Cinder. SM-33 remembers dealing with warriors on At Achrann. The two find themselves surrounded by several Hattan warriors. Their leader asks them what flag they fly. Jod dares them to shoot him. Back at the Troik base, Fern practises shooting at some cans with a blaster, missing all but one. 
===Neel and Hayna===
While Wim and KB appear to have fun playing with guns, Neel hangs back. When Hayna remarks that his friends are hopeless, Neel agrees and lays his blaster down on sandbags. When Hayna asks if he wants to join them in accessing the Fallen Sanctum, Neel admits he is not keen. Hayna says he is wise and offers to show him weapons more powerful than blasters.
Hayna takes Neel up a turbolift which takes them to the top of the school, which has become a tent village for the Troiks. After receiving their rations, Hayna explains that the Hattans stole a herd of their eopies, whom they depend upon to survive. Hayna says that the Troiks plan to launch a raid today to reclaim their eopies and burn the Hattans' granary. Hayna has ambitions of leading her clan to victory over their enemies. 
When Hayna walks away, Neel shares his rations with two younger children, who express surprise but accept his gift. Hayna then reminds Neel that she has something to show him. She uses a hook pole to unlock a crank, which causes a rusty turbolaser cannon to rise from a circular platform. Hanna explains that this is a weapon from the "Old Days," which they use for protection. Neel thinks the endless clan fighting is pointless and tells Hayna about his ambitions of becoming an analyst like his mother Nooma. When Hayna asks if there is conflict on his homeworld of At Attin, Neel says that the closest they have Ti conflict is a game called slap ball, which he plays. 
Hayna remarks that he must come from a weak clan. While sitting over a ledge, the two younglings compare their lives. Hayna describes conflict as a part of their daily life on At Achrann, adding that strength defines them. Neel questions the endless cycle of raiding and asks if it will ever end. He says that he deescalates conflicts by apologizing. Neel tells Hayna about a time he fought his little brother Jorko, who had stolen his protractor. He talked about chasing Jorko until the latter fell in his head and he fell on the credenza, spraining his trunk. Hayna is amused by Neel's story and says she has never met someone like him. 
===The averted battle===
Back at the training grounds below, Wim compliments KB for taking out several targets with her blaster. He gives her a "high five," which she doesn't understand. When Neel and Hayna return, Wim shows them a large blaster. Despite concerns from the other children, he fires the gun but is knocked back by the force of the recoil. Fern and Hayna chuckle. Watching the incident, General Strix is impressed by Wim's fighting spirit and gives Captain Fern and her crew the "honor" of leading them into battle. Neel reacts with shock while Fern attempts to decline the offer. Strix and his followers instead bang their sticks on the ground. 
The children reluctantly lead the Troiks into combat. While walking through the streets of the city, Wim thinks that if they win the battle, the Troiks will take them to the Fallen Sanctum. KB suggests desertion but is chastised by a bearded Troik soldier. A warrior holding a hand-held device orders the Troiks to split into groups. While the younglings and some Troiks take cover behind a burnout wall, Strix looks ahead before ordering the younglings to go ahead as scouts at gunpoint. 
The children inch forward but Neel is afraid. Hayna volunteers to accompany the younglings despite her father Strix's objections. Neel says that she doesn't need but Hayna says that she can sense their nervousness and will be with them as a friend. Strix reluctantly allows Hayna to accompany the crew. Neel engages into a monologue about fear and conflict resolution as he and his friends walk forward into the fog. They stop when they hear cawing ahead. 
Jod emerges from the fog, holding a staff in his hand. Neel sighs with relief while Fern has a look of disbelief. Jod raises his hand. He is followed by SM-33. Addressing the Troiks, Jod reveals that he has recovered their herd of eopies from the Hattans before cawing. The herd rushes back to the Troiks. Strix thanks Jod and asks what reward he would like. Jod requests the return of the four younglings. Neel hugs Jod while the other children thank Jod for rescuing them. Strix is surprised that Jod would prefer the children over his best hides. 
===Separate paths===
Hayna reminds Strix that the children have proven their bravery and offers to lead them to the Fallen Sanctum. As they journey towards the Fallen Sanctum, Jod recounts his encounter with the Hattans, who told him that the younglings had joined up with their sworn enemy, the Troiks. Jod reveals that he managed to use a couple of Wim's dataries to buy the entire herd of eopies. When Wim asks if he stole his money, Jod replies that he did it to save their lives. 
Hayna points the way to the Fallen Sanctum, which Neel describes as resembling The Supervisor's tower. SM-33 recalls that he cannot remember At Attin. When Hayna says that she will be leaving them to return to her father, Neel invites her to live with them on At Attin. She declines but says that she will remember their ways when she becomes leader of her clan. Hayna says that she learnt kindness from Neel and adds that her world could do with more kindness. Jod reminds Neel to come along. When Neel says he doesn't know what to say, Hayna gives him a kiss. 
===The Fallen Sanctum===
Later, the Skeleton Crew enter the ruined Fallen Sanctum, which Wim describes as their equivalent of the Supervisor's Tower. KB hotwires a turbolift for them, which causes it to rise. They lift takes them to a dusty chamber with blown-out windows that is overgrown with vines. Jod remarks this is another ruin while Neel asks the group to keep a look out for maps. SM-33 mutters that he cannot remember At Attin.
Wim finds some carvings on the walls, hidden behind dust. Jod recognizes the letters as reading "At Aytuu." He realizes that these are coordinates. Jod recognizes a second set of letters as At Achrann, which Kh'ymm had given them the coordinates to. Wim finds the coordinates for At Arissia while Fern finds the coordinates for At Aravin. Neel finds the letters for At Attin but discovers that the coordinates are missing. They discover that the coordinates have been blasted away.
When Neel asks who did that, SM-33 reveals that he did it. KB reacts with shock while Fern asks when the droid destroyed the coordinates. SM-33 explains that he was in the Fallen Sanctum years earlier with his old captain. Wim reacts with shock while Fern asks why he would destroy the coordinates to At Attin. When SM-33 says that he cannot remember At Attin, Fern tells him to stop saying that before running off. KB thinks they can repair his memories but Jod is skeptical and wanders off. 
Wim finds a tearful Fern by the window. Fern says that she has no idea what they are doing and says that Wim should have been their captain. Wim reassures her that he wouldn't have gotten them this far. Fern says that she led them into a battle and almost got them killed. Wim counters that they made it out alive. Fern says they are stuck but Wim reassures her that she will figure something out. Fern admits that she is struggling with the burden of leadership and solving problems, countering Wim's reassurance by saying she can't just do whatever she's told like a droid.
===SM-33's secrets===
After mentioning droids, Fern suddenly walks towards KB, who is examining SM-33's empty eye socket. When Fern asks SM-33 where At Attin is, the droid repeats that he cannot remember such a planet. Fern theorizes that SM-33 has been programmed to forget At Attin's location, recalling a trick that she played on her nanny droid. Using her status as captain, Fern initiates a memory override and instructs SM-33 to retrieve information about At Attin that is stored in his memory banks. 
The droid now remembers At Attin and recalls that the captain killed any of his crew who saw the coordinates to At Attin. The captain then ordered him to dispose of their remains and to forget everything he knew about At Attin. When Fern asks if he can take them there, SM-33 recalls that his late captain also ordered him to kill anyone looking for the treasure on At Attin. Sensing danger, Jod asks Wim to pass him the blaster. 
SM-33 begins chanting about pulling those seeking At Attin apart. Jod fires the blaster but it fizzles. As Jod struggles with the blaster, KB and Wim back Fern up as she attempts to reassert her authority over the belligerent droid. Before he can harm the trio, Neel hurls a rock at SM-33's head. Before SM-33 can harm Neel, Jod jumps on top of the droid and deactivates the droid by pulling his off switch. The droid comes to rest above Neel. The other children compliment Neel for his courage but the youngling faints.
==Credits==
==Appearances==
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==Notes and references==
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