Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back Page #17

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THREEPIO:

How rude!

Threepio stops, watching the silver droid move away. Then he hears the

muffled beeping and whistling of an R2 unit coming from within the

room.

INT. CLOUD CITY - ANTEROOM

Curious, Threepio enters the room.

THREEPIO:

That sounds like an R2 unit in

there. I wonder if...

Threepio walks through the doorway to the main room. He looks in.

THREEPIO:

Hello? How interesting. Oh, my.

MAN'S VOICE

(from within)

Who are you?

THREEPIO:

Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I... I

didn't mean to intrude. No, no,

please don't get up. No!

A laser bolt to Threepio's chest sends him flying in twenty directions.

Smoldering mechanical arms and legs bounce off the walls as the door

whooshes closed behind him.

INT. CLOUD CITY - CORRIDOR

Lando, Han, and Leia continue down the corridor unaware of Threepio's

dreadful accident. Chewbacca glances around, sniffs the air, but

shrugs his shoulders and follows the group.

EXT. DAGOBAH - BOG - DUSK

In the bright lights of the fighter, Luke loads a heavy case into the

belly of the ship. Artoo sits on top of the X-wing, settling down into

his cubbyhole. Yoda stands nearby on a log.

YODA:

Luke! You must complete the

training.

LUKE:

I can't keep the vision out of my

head. They're my friends. I've

got to help them.

YODA:

You must not go!

LUKE:

But Han and Leia will die if I

don't.

BEN'S VOICE

You don't know that.

Luke looks toward the voice in amazement. Ben has materialized as a

real, slightly shimmering image near Yoda. The power of his presence

stops Luke.

BEN:

Even Yoda cannot see their fate.

LUKE:

But I can help them! I feel

the Force!

BEN:

But you cannot control it. This

is a dangerous time for you,

when you will be tempted by the

dark side of the Force.

YODA:

Yes, yes. To Obi-Wan you listen.

The cave. Remember your failure

at the cave!

LUKE:

But I've learned so much since

then. Master Yoda, I promise to

return and finish what I've begun.

You have my word.

BEN:

It is you and your abilities the

Emperor wants. that is why your

friends are made to suffer.

LUKE:

And that is why I have to go.

BEN:

Luke, I don't want to lose you to

the Emperor the way I lost Vader.

LUKE:

You won't.

YODA:

Stopped they must be. On this

all depends. Only a fully trained

Jedi Knight with the Force as his

ally will conquer Vader and his

Emperor. If you end your training

now, if you choose the quick and

easy path, as Vader did, you will

become an agent of evil.

BEN:

Patience.

LUKE:

And sacrifice Han and Leia?

YODA:

If you honor what they fight for

... yes!

Luke is in great anguish. He struggles with the dilemma, a battle

raging in his mind.

BEN:

If you choose to face Vader, you

will do it alone. I cannot

interfere.

LUKE:

I understand.

(he moves to his

X-wing)

Artoo, fire up the converters.

Artoo whistles a happy reply.

BEN:

Luke, don't give in to hate -

that leads to the dark side.

Luke nods and climbs into his ship.

YODA:

Strong is Vader. Mind what you

have learned. Save you it can.

LUKE:

I will. And I'll return. I promise.

Artoo closes the cockpit. Ben and Yoda stand watching as the roar of

the engines and the wind engulf them.

YODA:

(sighs)

Told you, I did. Reckless is

he. Now matters are worse.

BEN:

That boy is our last hope.

YODA:

(looks up)

No. There is another.

EXT. SPACE - PLANET DAGOBAH

Luke's tiny X-wing rockets away from the green planet of Dagobah and

off into space.

INT. CLOUD CITY - LIVING QUARTERS - DAY

Within the quarters assigned her on Cloud City, Leia paces in

agitation. She has changed from her cold-weather pants and jacket to a

lovely dress. Her hair is down, tied back with ribbons. She moves

from a large, open window and turns to see Han entering through the

doorway.

HAN:

The ship is almost finished.

Two or Three more things and

we're in great shape.

LEIA:

The sooner the better. Something's

wrong here. No one has seen or

knows anything about Threepio.

He's been gone too long to have

gotten lost.

Han takes Leia by the shoulders and gently kisses her forehead.

HAN:

Relax. I'll talk to Lando and

see what I can find out.

LEIA:

I don't trust Lando.

HAN:

Well, I don't trust him, either.

But he is my friend. Besides,

we'll soon be gone.

LEIA:

And then you're as good as gone,

aren't you?

Not speaking, Han considers her words and gazes at her troubled face.

INT. CLOUD CITY - JUNK ROOM

The room is piled high with broken and discarded machine parts. Four

Ugnaughts, small hoglike creatures, separate the junk and throw some

pieces onto a conveyer belt which moves briskly toward a pit of molten

metal. Pieces of Threepio's golden body move down the belt. Chewie

enters the room and spots an Ugnaught picking up and inspecting

Threepio's head. The Wookiee barks a command, startling the Ugnaught,

then reaches to grab the head. But the Ugnaught tosses it away from

him to another Ugnaught. This game of keep-away goes on until

Threepio's head falls from their grip and bounces with a clang onto the

ground.

INT. CLOUD CITY - LIVING QUARTERS - DAY

The door zaps open. Chewbacca walks in, carrying a packing case of

Threepio, arms and legs hanging over the edge.

LEIA:

What happened?

Chewie sets the case on a table, grunting and groaning an explanation.

HAN:

Where? Found him in a junk pile?

LEIA:

Oh, what a mess. Chewie, do you

think you can repair him?

The giant Wookiee studies the array of robot parts. He looks at the

princess and shrugs sadly.

HAN:

Lando's got people who can fix

him.

LEIA:

No, thanks.

There is a buzz and the door slides open, revealing Lando.

LANDO:

I'm sorry. Am I interrupting

anything?

LEIA:

Not really.

LANDO:

You look absolutely beautiful.

You truly belong here with us

among the clouds.

LEIA:

(coolly)

Thank you.

LANDO:

Will you join me for a little

refreshment?

Han looks at Lando suspiciously, but Chewie barks at the mention of

food and licks his lips.

LANDO:

Everyone's invited, of course.

Leia takes Lando's proffered arm, and the group turns to go. Lando

spots Threepio's remains.

LANDO:

Having trouble with you droid?

Han and Leia exchange a quick glance.

HAN:

No. No problem. Why?

Han and Leia move arm-in-arm through the door, followed by Lando and

Chewie. The door slides closed behind them.

INT. CLOUD CITY - CORRIDOR - DAY

Leia walks between Han and Lando as Chewie follows a short distance

behind. Long shafts of light pour across the corridor between tall,

pure-white columns.

LANDO:

So you see, since we're a small

operation, we don't fall into

the... uh... jurisdiction of the

Empire.

LEIA:

So you're part of the mining

guild then?

LANDO:

No, not actually. Our operation

is small enough not to be noticed...

which is advantageous for everybody

since our customers are anxious

to avoid attracting attention to

themselves.

The group walks into another corridor and heads for a huge doorway at

the far end.

HAN:

Aren't you afraid the Empire's

going to find out about this

little operation and shut you down?

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