Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back Page #20

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Luke rises into the chamber, borne by the platform. The room is

deathly quiet. Very little steam escapes the pipes and no one else

seems to be in the large room. Warily, Luke walks toward the stairway.

Steam begins to build up in the chamber. Looking up through the steam,

Luke sees a dark figure standing on a walkway above him. Luke holsters

his gun and moves up the stairs to face Vader. He feels confident,

eager to engage his enemy.

VADER:

The Force is with you, young

Skywalker. But you are not a

Jedi yet.

Luke ignites his sword in answer. In an instant, Vader's own sword is

lit. Luke lunges, but Vader repels the blow. Again Luke attacks, and

the swords of the two combatants clash in battle.

INT. CLOUD CITY - CORRIDOR

Leia, Lando, and Chewie, with Threepio on his back, march along,

guarded by six stormtroopers. The group reaches an intersection where

Lobot and a dozen of Lando's guards stand at attention.

The guards immediately aim their weapons at the startled stormtroopers.

Taking the stormtroopers' weapons from them, Lobot hands one to Leia

and one to Lando.

LANDO:

Well done. Hold them in the

security tower - and keep it

quiet. Move.

As Lando's guards quickly march the stormtroopers away, Lando begins to

undo Chewie's binding.

LEIA:

What do you think you're doing?

LANDO:

We're getting out of here.

THREEPIO:

I knew all along it had to be a

mistake.

Chewie turns on Lando and starts to choke him.

LEIA:

Do you think that after what you

did to Han we're going to trust

you?

Lando tries to free himself from Chewie.

LANDO:

(choking)

I had no choice...

Chewie barks ferociously.

THREEPIO:

(to Chewie)

What are you doing? Trust him,

trust him!

LEIA:

Oh, so we understand, don't we,

Chewie? He had no choice.

LANDO:

I'm just trying to help...

LEIA:

We don't need any of your help.

LANDO:

(choking)

H-a-a-a...

LEIA:

What?

THREEPIO:

It sounds like Han.

LANDO:

There's still a chance to save

Han... I mean, at the East

Platform...

LEIA:

Chewie.

Chewie finally releases Lando, who fights to get his breath back.

THREEPIO:

(to Lando)

I'm terribly sorry about all this.

After all, he's only a Wookiee.

EXT. CLOUD CITY - EAST LANDING PLATFORM - BOBA FETT'S SHIP

The two guards slide Han's encased body into an opening in the side of

the bounty hunter's ship. Boba Fett climb aboard on a ladder next to

the cargo hold.

BOBA FETT:

Put Captain Solo in the cargo

hold.

And with that, the door slams shut.

INT. CLOUD CITY - CORRIDOR

Lando, Leia, and Chewie run down a Cloud City corridor when suddenly

they spot Artoo who rushes toward them, beeping wildly.

THREEPIO:

Artoo! Artoo! Where have you

been?

Chewie turns around to see the stubby droid, causing Threepio to be

spun out of sight of his friend.

THREEPIO:

Turn around, you wooly...!

(to Artoo)

Hurry, hurry! We're trying to

save Han from the bounty hunter!

Whistling frantically to Threepio, Artoo scoots along with the racing

group.

THREEPIO:

Well, at least your still in

one piece! Look what happened to

me!

EXT. EAST LANDING PLATFORM - SIDE BAY

An elevator door slides open and Lando, Leia, and Chewbacca race for a

large bay overlooking the East Landing Platform.

Just as they arrive, Boba Fett's ship takes off against a cloudy sunset

sky.

In wild anguish, Chewie howls and starts firing at the ship.

THREEPIO:

Oh, no! Chewie, they're behind

you!

A laser bolt explodes near the princess. Everyone turns to see what

Threepio has already spotted coming from the other direction; a squad

of stormtroopers running toward them. Artoo peeks out from the

elevator.

Leia and Chewbacca start firing at the troopers as Lando makes a break

for the elevator. Laser bolts continue to explode around the princess

and the Wookiee, but they refuse to budge. Lando sticks his head out

of the elevator and motions for the pair to run, but they barely

notice. They seem possessed, transported, as all the frustration of

captivity and anger of loss pour through their death-dealing weapons.

But after a few moments, they begin to move through the rain of laser

fire toward the elevator. Once they are inside, the door slams shut

and the stormtroopers race forward.

INT. CLOUD CITY - CARBON-FREEZING CHAMBER

Luke and Vader are locked in combat on the platform overlooking the

chamber. Their swords clash, the platform sways. Luke aggressively

drives Vader back, forcing Vader to use defensive tactics.

VADER:

You have learned much, young one.

LUKE:

You'll find I'm full of surprises.

Vader makes two quick moves, hooking Luke's sword out of his hand and

sending it flying. Another lightning move at Luke's feet forces the

youth to jump back to protect himself. Losing his balance, Luke rolls

down the stairs to the circular carbon-freezing platform. There he

sprawls on the floor, surprised and shaken. Just in time he looks up

to see Vader, like a giant black bird, flying right at him. Luke rolls

away as Vader lands. Crouching, Luke keeps his gaze steadily on his

enemy.

VADER:

Your destiny lies with me,

Skywalker. Obi-Wan knew this to

be true.

LUKE:

No!

Behind Luke the hydraulic elevator cover has opened noiselessly. All

the while, Luke slowly, cautiously moves back, away from the Dark Lord.

Suddenly, Vader attacks so forcefully that Luke loses his balance and

falls back into the opening. There is a rumble, and in an instant

freezing steam rises to obscure Vader's vision. Vader turns aside and

deactivates his sword.

VADER:

All to easy. Perhaps you are not

as strong as the Emperor thought.

Through the steam behind Vader something blurs upward. Liquid metal

begins to pour into the pit.

Vader turns around - and then looks up. He sees Luke, who has leaped

fifteen feet straight up and who now hangs from some hoses on the

carbonite outlet.

VADER:

Impressive... most impressive.

Luke jumps down to the platform where he is separated from Vader by the

steaming carbonite pit. He raises his hand. His sword, which had

fallen on another part of the platform, swiftly jumps into his

outstretched hand and is instantly ignited. Vader immediately lights

his sword as well.

VADER:

Obi-Wan has taught you well. You

have controlled your fear... now

release your anger.

Luke is more cautious, controlling his anger. He begins to retreat as

Vader goads him on. As Luke takes a defensive position, he realizes he

has been foolhardy. A quick sword exchange and Luke forces Vader back.

Another exchange and Vader retreats. Luke presses forward.

VADER:

Only your hatred can destroy me.

Breathing hard, Luke jumps in the air, turning a somersault over Vader.

He lands on the floor and slashes at Vader as the room continues to

fill up with steam.

Vader retreats before Luke's skillful sword. Vader blocks the sword,

but looses his balance and falls into the outer rim of pipes. The

energy Luke has used to stop Vader has brought him to the point of

collapse. Luke moves to the edge and looks down, but sees no sign of

Vader. He then deactivates his sword, hooks it on his belt, and lowers

himself into the pit.

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