Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back Page #13

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INT. ASTEROID CAVE - MILLENNIUM FALCON - HOLD AREA

The lights go bright for a second then out again. Threepio and

Chewbacca watch as Han finishes with some wires.

THREEPIO:

Sir, if I may venture an opinion...

HAN:

I'm not really interested in your

opinion, Threepio.

Leia rushes into the cabin just as Han drops the final floor panel into

place.

LEIA:

(out of breath)

There's something out there.

HAN:

Where?

LEIA:

Outside, in the cave.

As she speaks, there comes a sharp banging on the hull. Chewie looks

up and barks anxiously.

THREEPIO:

There it is. Listen! Listen!

HAN:

I'm going out there.

LEIA:

Are you crazy?!

HAN:

I just got this bucket back

together. I'm not going to let

something tear it apart.

He and Chewie grab their breath masks off a rack and hurry out. Leia

follows.

LEIA:

Then I'm going with you.

THREEPIO:

I think it might be better if I

stay here and guard the ship.

(hears another

mysterious noise)

Oh, no.

EXT. ASTEROID CAVE - MILLENNIUM FALCON

It is very dark inside the huge asteroid cave, too dark to see what is

attacking the ship.

Leia stamps her foot on the floor of the cave.

LEIA:

This ground sure feels strange.

It doesn't feel like rock at all.

Han kneels and studies the ground, then attempts to study the outline

of the cave.

HAN:

There's an awful lot of moisture

in here.

LEIA:

I don't know. I have a bad feeling

about this.

HAN:

Yeah.

Chewie barks through his face mask, and points toward the ship's

cockpit. A five-foot-long shape can be seen moving across the top of

the Falcon. The leathery creature lets out a screech as Han blasts it

with a laser bolt.

HAN:

(to Leia)

Watch out!

The black shape tumbles off the spaceship and onto the ground in front

of the princess. Han bends down to investigate the dead creature.

HAN:

Yeah, that's what I thought.

Mynock. Chewie, check the rest

of the ship, make sure there

aren't any more attached. They're

chewing on the power cables.

LEIA:

Mynocks?

HAN:

Go on inside. We'll clean them

off if there are any more.

Just then, a swarm of the ugly creatures swoops through the air. Leia

puts her arms over her head to protect herself as she runs toward the

ship. Chewie shoos another Mynock away with his blaster. Several of

the batlike creatures flap their wings loudly against the cockpit

window of the Falcon. Inside, Threepio shudders at their presence.

THREEPIO:

Ohhh! Go away! Go away! Beastly

little thing. Shoo! Shoo!

Han looks around the strange, dripping cave.

HAN:

Wait a minute...

He unholsters his blaster and fires at the far side of the huge cave.

The cavern begins to shake and the ground starts to buckle.

Chewie barks and moves for the ship, followed closely by Leia and Han.

The large wings of the Mynocks flap past them as they protect their

faces and run up the platform.

INT. ASTEROID CAVE - MILLENNIUM FALCON - ENTRY AREA

As soon as Han and Leia are on board, Chewie closes the main hatch.

The ship continues to shake and heave.

HAN:

All right, Chewie, let's get

out of here!

The Wookiee heads for the cockpit as Han, followed by Threepio, rushes

to the hold area and checks the scopes on the control panel. Leia

hurries after.

LEIA:

The Empire is still out there.

I don't think it's wise to...

Han rushes past her and heads for the cockpit.

HAN:

(interrupting)

No time to discuss this in

committee.

And with that he is gone. The main engines of the Falcon begin to

whine. Leia races after him, bouncing around in the shaking ship.

LEIA:

(angry)

I am not a committee!

INT. ASTEROID CAVE - MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT

Han is already in the pilot's seat pulling back on the throttle. The

cave-quake has greatly diminished.

LEIA:

You can't make the jump to light-

speed in this asteroid field...

HAN:

Sit down, sweetheart. We're

taking off!

As the ship begins to move forward, Chewie barks. He notices something

out the window ahead. Threepio sees it too.

THREEPIO:

Look!

HAN:

I see it, I see it.

Suddenly, a row of jagged white stalagmites and stalactites can be seen

surrounding the entrance. And as the Falcon moves forward, the

entrance to the cave grows ever smaller. Han pulls hard on the

throttle, sending his ship surging forward.

THREEPIO:

We're doomed!

LEIA:

The cave is collapsing.

HAN:

This is no cave.

LEIA:

What?

Leia's mouth drops open . She sees that the rocks of the cave entrance

are not rocks at all, but giant teeth, quickly closing around the tiny

ship. Chewie howls.

INT. SPACE SLUG MOUTH

The Millennium Falcon, zooming through the monster's mouth, rolls on

its side and barely makes it between two of the gigantic white teeth

before the huge jaws slams closed.

EXT. CAVE ENTRANCE - GIANT ASTEROID

The enormous space slug moves its head out of the cave as the Falcon

flies out of its mouth. The monster tilts its head, watching the

starship fly away.

EXT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - GIANT ASTEROID

The Falcon races out of the asteroid crater and into the deadly rain of

the asteroid storm.

EXT. DAGOBAH - DAY

With Yoda strapped to his back, Luke climbs up one of the many thick

vines that grow in the swamp. Panting heavily, he continues his course

- climbing, flipping through the air, jumping over roots, and racing in

and out of the heavy ground fog.

YODA:

Run! Yes. A Jedi's strength

flows from the Force. But beware

of the dark side. Anger... fear...

aggression. The dark side of

the Force are they.

Easily they flow, quick to join

you in a fight. If once you

start down the dark path, forever

will it dominate your destiny,

consume you it will, as it did

Obi-Wan's apprentice.

LUKE:

Vader. Is the dark side stronger?

YODA:

No... no... no. Quicker, easier,

more seductive.

LUKE:

But how am I to know the good side

from the bad?

YODA:

You will know. When you are calm,

at peace. Passive. A Jedi uses

the Force for knowledge and

defense, never for attack.

LUKE:

But tell me why I can't...

YODA:

(interrupting)

No, no, there is no why. Nothing

more will I teach you today.

Clear your mind of questions.

Mmm. Mmmmmmmm.

Artoo beeps in the distance as Luke lets Yoda down to the ground.

Breathing heavily, he takes his shirt from a nearby tree branch and

pulls it on.

He turns to see a huge, dead, black tree, its base surrounded by a few

feet of water. Giant, twisted roots form a dark and sinister cave on

one side. Luke stares at the tree, trembling.

LUKE:

There's something not right here.

Yoda sits on a large root, poking his Gimer Stick into the dirt.

LUKE:

I feel cold, death.

YODA:

That place... is strong with the

dark side of the Force. A domain

of evil it is. In you must go.

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