Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back Page #10

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LUKE:

(into comlink)

I know, I know! All the scopes are

dead. I can't see a thing! Just

hang on, I'm going to start the

landing cycle...

The blast of the retrorockets is deafening, drowning out Artoo's

electronic squeals. Suddenly, there is a cracking sound as if limbs

were being broken off trees and then a tremendous jolt as the

spacecraft stops. Luke pulls a switch and his canopy pops open.

EXT. DAGOBAH - DUSK

The mist-shrouded X-wing fighter is almost invisible in the thick fog.

Luke climbs out onto the long nose of the spacecraft as Artoo pops out

of his cubbyhole on the back. The young warrior surveys the fog, which

is barely pierced by the ship's landing lights. About all he can make

out are some giant, twisted trees nearby. Artoo whistles anxiously.

LUKE:

No, Artoo, you stay put. I'll

have a look around.

Artoo lets out a short beep. As Luke moves along the nose, Artoo loses

his balance and disappears with a splash into the boggy lake.

LUKE:

Artoo?

Luke kneels and leans over the plane looking for Artoo, but the water

is still and reveals no sign of the little droid.

LUKE:

Artoo! Where are you?

A small periscope breaks the surface of the water and a gurgly beep is

heard. The periscope starts to move to shore. Relieved, Luke starts

running along the nose of the fighter to its tip.

LUKE:

Artoo! You be more careful.

The outline of the shore is now more than ten feet away.

Luke jumps off the plane into the water, scrambles up to the shore, and

turns to look for Artoo. The periscope still steadily moves toward

shore.

LUKE:

Artoo - that way!

Suddenly, through the thick fog layer, a dark shape appears, moving

toward the little droid. The dark, sinuous bog beast dives beneath the

swampy water, making a loud clunk against Artoo's metal hull. The

droid disappears from sight, uttering a pathetic electronic scream.

Holding his ignited lightsaber before him, Luke wades a few feet into

the murky pool, looking for any sign of his little friend.

LUKE:

Artoo!

The black surface is still as death itself... until a few bubbles begin

to appear. Then, phheewaat!! The runt-size robot is spit out of the

water, makes a graceful arc, and comes crashing down into a patch of

soft gray moss.

LUKE:

Oh, no! Are you all right? Come

on. You're lucky you don't taste

very good. Anything broken?

Luke helps Artoo to his feet and begins wiping the mud and roots from

his round metal body. Artoo responds with feeble, soggy beeps.

LUKE:

If you're saying coming here was

a bad idea, I'm beginning to agree

with you. Oh, Artoo, what are we

doing here? It's like... something

out of a dream, or, I don't know.

Maybe I'm just going crazy.

As Luke glances around at the spooky swamp jungle that surrounds him,

Artoo ejects a stream of muddy water from one of his cranial ports.

EXT. VADER'S STAR DESTROYER - VADER'S CHAMBER

Admiral Piett hesitates in the entryway to Vader's private cubicle.

After a moment, he steps into the room and pauses at the surprising

sight before him.

Darth Vader, his back turned, is silhouetted in the gloom on the far

side of the chamber. A black, insectlike droid attends him. Among the

various apparatuses surrounding them, a respirator tube now retracts

from Vader's uncovered head. The head is bald with a mass of ugly scar

tissue covering it. The black droid then lowers the mask and helmet

onto Vader's head. When it is in place, the Dark Lord turns to face

Piett.

VADER:

Yes, Admiral?

PIETT:

Our ships have sighted the

Millennium Falcon, lord. But...

it has entered an asteroid field

and we cannot risk...

VADER:

(interrupting)

Asteroids do not concern me,

Admiral. I want that ship and

not excuses.

PIETT:

Yes, lord.

EXT. ASTEROID CAVE - MILLENNIUM FALCON

The pirate starship rests in a dark, dripping asteroid cave. It is so

dark that the cave's exact dimensions are impossible to determine.

INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT

Han and Chewie busily shut down the engine and all electronic systems.

Threepio and Leia watch worriedly.

HAN:

I'm going to shut down everything

but the emergency power systems.

THREEPIO:

Sir, I'm almost afraid to ask,

but... does that include shutting

me down, too?

Chewie barks "yes". But Han thinks otherwise.

HAN:

No, I need you to talk to the

Falcon, find out what's wrong with

the hyperdrive.

Suddenly, the ship lurches, causing all the loose items in the cockpit

to go flying. Chewie howls.

THREEPIO:

Sir, it's quite possible this

asteroid is not entirely stable.

HAN:

Not entirely stable? I'm glad you're

here to tell us these things. Chewie,

take the professor in the back and

plug him into the hyperdrive.

THREEPIO:

Oh! Sometimes I just don't

understand human behavior. After

all, I'm only trying to do my job

in the most...

The sliding door closes behind the indignant Threepio as Chewie and he

move back to the hold. Suddenly, the ship lurches again, throwing Leia

across the cabin into Han's arms. Then, abruptly, the motion stops as

suddenly as it started. With some surprise, Han and Leia realize they

are in each other's arms.

LEIA:

Let go.

HAN:

Sshh!

LEIA:

Let go, please.

Leia flushes, averting her eyes. She's not exactly fighting to get

free. But, of course, Han blows it...

HAN:

Don't get excited.

The anger rises in Leia.

LEIA:

Captain, being held by you isn't

quite enough to get me excited.

HAN:

Sorry, sweetheart. We haven't

got time for anything else.

Han grins quickly wickedly at Leia as he turns and exits through the

door. Leia's confused emotions show clearly on her lovely face.

EXT. DAGOBAH - BOG CLEARING - DUSK

The mist has dispersed a bit, but it is still a very gloomy-looking

swamp.

Luke pulls an equipment box from the shore to the clearing. He ignites

a little fusion furnace and warms his hands before it. Taking a power

cable, he plugs it into Artoo's noselike socket.

LUKE:

Ready for some power? Okay.

Let's see now. Put that in

there. There you go.

The droid whistles his appreciation. Luke then opens a container of

processed food and sits before the thermal heater.

LUKE:

(sighs)

Now all I have to do is find this

Yoda... if he even exists.

Nervously, he looks around at the foreboding jungle.

LUKE:

Still... there's something familiar

about this place. I feel like...

I don't know...

STRANGE VOICE:

Feel like what?

Luke jumps out of his skin. Artoo screeches in terror. The young

warrior grabs for his lightsaber as he spins around, looking for the

speaker. Mysteriously standing right in front of Luke is a strange,

bluish creature, not more than two feet tall. The wizened little thing

is dressed in rags. It motions toward Luke's sword.

LUKE:

(looking at the

creature)

Like we're being watched!

CREATURE:

Away with your weapon! I mean

you no harm.

After some hesitation, Luke puts away his weapon, although he really

doesn't understand why. Artoo watches with interest.

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