Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back Page #14

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LUKE:

What's in there?

YODA:

Only what you take with you.

Luke looks warily between the tree and Yoda. He starts to strap on his

weapon belt.

YODA:

Your weapons... you will not

need them.

Luke gives the tree a long look, than shakes his head "no." Yoda

shrugs. Luke reaches up to brush aside some hanging vines and enters

the tree.

INT. DAGOBAH - TREE CAVE

Luke moves into the almost total darkness of the wet and slimy cave.

The youth can barely make out the edge of the passage. Holding his lit

saber before him, he sees a lizard crawling up the side of the cave and

a snake wrapped around the branches of a tree. Luke draws a deep

breath, then pushes deeper into the cave.

The space widens around him, but he feels that rather than sees it.

His sword casts the only light as he peers into the darkness. It is

very quiet here.

Then, a loud HISS! Darth Vader appears across the blackness,

illuminated by his own just-ignited laser sword. Immediately, he

charges Luke, saber held high. He is upon the youth in seconds, but

Luke sidesteps perfectly and slashes at Vader with his sword.

Vader is decapitated. His helmet-encased head flies from his shoulders

as his body disappears into the darkness. The metallic banging of the

helmet fills the cave as Vader's head spins and bounces, smashes on the

floor, and finally stops. For an instant it rests on the floor, then it

cracks vertically. The black helmet and breath mask fall away to

reveal... Luke's head.

Across the space, the standing Luke gasps at the sight, wide-eyed in

terror.

The decapitated head fades away, as in a vision.

EXT. DAGOBAH - CAVE - DUSK

Meanwhile, Yoda sits on the root, calmly leaning on his Gimer Stick.

EXT. SPACE - VADER'S STAR DESTROYER

Vader's Imperial Star Destroyer moves through space, guarded by its

convoy of TIE fighters.

INT. VADER'S STAR DESTROYER - BRIDGE - CONTROL DECK

Vader stands in the back control area of his ship's bridge with a

motley group of men and creatures. Admiral Piett and two controllers

stand at the front of the bridge and watch the group with scorn.

PIETT:

Bounty hunters. We don't need

that scum.

FIRST CONTROLLER

Yes, sir.

PIETT:

Those Rebels won't escape us.

A second controller interrupts.

SECOND CONTROLLER

Sir, we have a priority signal

from the Star Destroyer Avenger.

PIETT:

Right.

The group standing before Vader is a bizarre array of galactic fortune

hunters There is Bossk, a slimy, tentacled monster with two huge,

bloodshot eyes in a soft baggy face; Zuckuss and Dengar, two battle-

scarred, mangy human types; IG-88, a battered, tarnished chrome war

droid; and Boba Fett, a man in a weapon-covered armored space suit.

VADER:

... there will be a substantial

reward for the one who finds the

Millennium Falcon. You are free

to use any methods necessary, but

I want them alive. No disintegrations.

BOBA FETT:

As you wish.

At that moment, Admiral Piett approaches Vader in a rush of excitement.

PIETT:

Lord Vader! My lord, we have

them.

EXT. IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER, AVENGER - ASTEROID BELT

The Millennium Falcon speeds through deep space, closely followed by a

firing Imperial Star Destroyer. A large asteroid about the same size

as the Falcon tumbles rapidly toward the starship. The tiny Falcon

banks to avoid the giant asteroid as smaller rocks pelt its surface.

Then the small craft roars under the asteroid which explodes harmlessly

on the hull of the vast Star Destroyer.

INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT

The ship shudders as flak explodes near the cockpit window. Threepio

checks a tracking scope an the side control panel while Leia watches

tensely out the window.

THREEPIO:

Oh, thank goodness we're coming

out of the asteroid field.

Chewie barks excitedly as the rain of asteroids begins to subside. A

bolt from the Star Destroyer sets up a fiery explosion on the back side

of the Falcon, causing it to lurch to one side.

EXT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - STAR DESTROYER, AVENGER - ASTEROID FIELD

The Falcon is hit hard by another bolt from the Star Destroyer which

creates a huge explosion near the cockpit of the smaller ship. The

Falcon tilts steeply, then rights itself.

INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT

Han corrects the angle of his ship.

HAN:

Let's get out of here. Ready for

light-speed? One... two... three!

Han pulls back on the hyperspace throttle and - nothing happens. Flak

bursts continue to rock the ship.

HAN:

(frantic)

It's not fair!

Chewie is very angry and starts to growl and bark at his friend and

captain. Again, Han desperately pulls back on the throttle.

HAN:

The transfer circuits are working.

It's not my fault!

Chewie puts his head in his hands, whining.

LEIA:

(almost expecting

it)

No light-speed?

HAN:

It's not my fault.

THREEPIO:

Sir, we just lost the main rear

deflector shield. One more direct

hit on the back quarter and we're

done for.

Han pauses for a moment, makes a decision, and pulls back on a lever.

HAN:

Turn her around.

Chewie barks in puzzlement.

HAN:

I said turn her around! I'm

going to put all power in the

front shield.

LEIA:

You're going to attack them?!

THREEPIO:

Sir, the odds of surviving a

direct assault on an Imperial

Star Destroyer...

LEIA:

Shut up!

EXT. SPACE - MILLENNIUM FALCON - ASTEROID FIELD

The Falcon banks, makes a steep, twisting turn. In the next moment it

is racing toward the Star Destroyer, looking very small against the

massive surface of the Imperial ship. As it moves across the surface

of the Star Destroyer, the Falcon bobs and weaves to avoid the numerous

flak bursts.

INT. STAR DESTROYER, AVENGER - BRIDGE

The tiny Falcon heads directly for the Avenger's bridge. The Imperials

stationed there are stunned to see the small spaceship racing low

across the hull, headed directly at the huge windows of the bridge

area. Alarms go off everywhere. The Destroyer's commander, Captain

Needa, can scarcely believe his eyes.

NEEDA:

They're moving to attack

position! Shields up!

Needa and his men duck as the Falcon nears the bridge window. At the

last minute, the Falcon veers off and out of sight. All is quiet.

NEEDA:

Track them. They may come

around for another pass.

TRACKING OFFICER

Captain Needa, the ship no longer

appears on our scopes.

NEEDA:

They can't have disappeared. No

ship that small has a cloaking

device.

TRACKING OFFICER

Well, there's no trace of them,

sir.

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Captain, Lord Vader demands an

update on the pursuit.

NEEDA:

(drawing a breath)

Get a shuttle ready. I shall

assume full responsibility for

losing them, and apologize to Lord

Vader. Meanwhile, continue to

scan the area.

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Yes, Captain Needa.

EXT. DAGOBAH - BOG - DAY

Luke's face is upside-down and showing enormous strain. He stands on

his hands, with Yoda perched on his feet. Opposite Luke and Yoda are

two rocks the size of bowling balls. Luke stares at the rocks and

concentrates. One of the rocks lifts from the ground and floats up to

rest on the other.

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