Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back Page #19

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An Imperial soldier appears.

IMPERIAL SOLDIER

Lord Vader, ship approaching.

X-wing class.

VADER:

Good. Monitor Skywalker and allow

him to land.

The soldier bows and leaves the chamber.

LANDO:

Lord Vader, we only use this

facility for carbon freezing. If

you put him in there, it might

kill him.

VADER:

I do not want the Emperor's prize

damaged. We will test it... on

Captain Solo.

Lando's face registers dismay.

EXT. SPACE - BESPIN SYSTEM - LUKE'S X-WING

Luke's X-wing moves through the clouds as it nears the city.

INT. LUKE'S X-WING - COCKPIT

Encountering no city guards, Luke scans the display panel with concern.

INT. CLOUD CITY - CARBON-FREEZING CHAMBER

There is a great activity on the carbon-freezing platform. Six

Ugnaughts frantically prepare the chamber for use. A special

coffinlike container is put in place. With Boba Fett in the lead, a

squad of six stormtroopers brings in Han, Leia and Chewie. Strapped to

Chewie's back, with only his head, torso, and one arm assembled, is

Threepio. Threepio's head faces the opposite direction from Chewie's

and the droid is constantly twisting around in a vain effort to see

what is happening. His one attached arm is animate and expressive,

intermittently pointing, gesturing, and covering his eyes. The

remaining pieces of his body are randomly bundled to the Wookiee's back

so that his legs and other arm stick out at odd angles from the pack.

THREEPIO:

If only you had attached my legs,

I wouldn't be in this ridiculous

position. Now, remember, Chewbacca,

you have a responsibility to me,

so don't do anything foolish.

HAN:

(to Lando)

What's going on... buddy?

LANDO:

You're being put into carbon freeze.

Boba Fett moves away from the group to Darth Vader.

BOBA FETT:

What if he doesn't survive? He's

worth a lot to me.

VADER:

The Empire will compensate you

if he dies. Put him in!

Realizing what is about to happen, Chewie lets out a wild howl and

attacks the stormtroopers surrounding Han. Within seconds, other

Imperial reinforcements join the scuffle, clubbing the giant Wookiee

with their laser weapons.

From the instant of Chewie's first move, Threepio begins to scream in

panic while he tries to protect himself with his one arm.

THREEPIO:

Oh, no! No, no, no! Stop,

Chewbacca, stop...!

The stormtroopers are about to bash Chewie in the face.

HAN:

Stop, Chewie, stop! Do you hear

me? Stop!

THREEPIO:

Yes, stop, please! I'm not ready

to die.

Han breaks away from his captors. Vader nods to the guards to let him

go and the pirate breaks up the fight.

HAN:

Chewie! Chewie, this won't help

me. Hey!

Han gives the Wookiee a stern look.

HAN:

Save your strength. There'll be

another time. The princess - you

have to take care of her. You

hear me?

Han winks at the Wookiee, who wails a doleful farewell.

In a flash the guards have slipped binders on Chewbacca, who is too

distraught to protest. Han turns to Princess Leia. They look

sorrowfully at one another, then Han moves toward her and gives her a

final, passionate kiss.

LEIA:

I love you!

HAN:

I know.

Tears roll down Leia's face as she watches the dashing pirate walk to

the hydraulic platform. Han looks one final time at his friends - and

then, suddenly, the platform drops. Chewie howls. Leia turns away in

agony.

Lando winces in sorrow; it makes a life-changing impression on him.

Instantly, fiery liquid begins to pour down in a shower of sparks and

fluid as great as any steel furnace. Holding Leia, Chewie half-turns

away from the sight, giving Threepio a view of the procedure.

THREEPIO:

What... what's going on? Turn

round, Chewbacca, I can't see.

Oh... they've encased him in

carbonite. He should be quite

well-protected - if he survives

the freezing process, that is.

Chewie is in no mood for technical discussion; he gives the droid an

angry glance and bark.

A huge mechanical tong lifts the steaming metal-encased space pirate

out of the vat and stands him on the platform. Some Ugnaughts rush

over and push the block over onto the platform. They slide the

coffinlike structure to the block and lift the metal block, placing it

inside. They then attach an electronic box onto the structure and step

away. Lando kneels and adjusts some knobs, measuring the heat. He

shakes his head in relief.

VADER:

Well, Calrissian, did he survive?

LANDO:

Yes, he's alive. And in perfect

hibernation.

Vader turns to Boba Fett.

VADER:

He's all yours bounty hunter.

Reset the chamber for Skywalker.

IMPERIAL OFFICER

Skywalker has just landed, my

lord.

VADER:

Good. See to it that he finds

his way here. Calrissian, take

the princess and the Wookiee to

my ship.

LANDO:

You said they'd be left in the

city under my supervision.

VADER:

I am altering the deal. Pray I

don't alter it any further.

Lando's hand instinctively goes to his throat as he turns to Leia,

Chewie, and Threepio.

INT. CLOUD CITY - CORRIDOR - DAY

As Luke and Artoo move carefully down a deserted corridor, they hear a

group of people coming down a side hallway. Artoo lets out an excited

series of beeps and whistles. Luke glares at the tiny droid, who stops

in his tracks with a feeble squeak.

Boba Fett enters from a side hallway followed by two guards pushing the

floating, encased body of Han Solo. Two stormtroopers, who follow,

immediately spot Luke and open fire on him. The youth draws his weapon

and blasts the two troopers before they can get off a second shot. The

two guards whisk Han into another hallway as Fett lowers his arm and

fires a deadly laser at Luke, which explodes to one side and tears up a

huge chunk of wall.

Luke rushes to a side hallway, but by the time he reaches it, Fett,

Han, and the guards are gone. A think metal door blocks the passage.

Luke turns to see Leia, Chewie, Threepio, and Lando being herded down a

second hallway by several other stormtroopers. Leia turns just in time

to see Luke.

LEIA:

Luke! Luke, don't - it's a

trap! It's a trap!

Before she can finish, she is pulled through a doorway and disappears

from sight. Luke races after the group, leaving little Artoo trailing

behind.

INT. CLOUD CITY - ANTEROOM

Luke runs into an anteroom and stops to get his bearings. Leia and the

others are nowhere to be seen. Behind Luke, Artoo scoots down the

corridor toward the anteroom when suddenly a giant metal door comes

slamming down, cutting off Luke's exit. Several more doors clang shut,

echoing through the chamber.

INT. CLOUD CITY - HALLWAY LEADING TO ANTEROOM

Artoo stands with his nose pressed against the giant metal door. He

whistles a long sigh of relief and, a little dazed, wanders off in the

other direction.

INT. CLOUD CITY - CARBON-FREEZING CHAMBER - ANTEROOM

Luke cautiously walks forward among hissing pipes and steam. Seeing an

opening above him, he stops to look up. As he does, the platform he

stands on begins to move.

INT. CLOUD CITY - CARBON-FREEZING CHAMBER

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