Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back Page #5

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LEIA:

All troop carriers will assemble

at the north entrance. The heavy

transport ships will leave as

soon as they're loaded. Only two

fighter escorts per ship. The

energy shield can only be opened

for a short time, so you'll have

to stay very close to your transports.

HOBBIE:

Two fighters against a Star Destroyer?

LEIA:

The ion cannon will fire several

shots to make sure that any enemy

ships will be out of your flight

path. When you've gotten past the

energy shield, proceed directly to

the rendezvous point. Understood?

PILOTS:

(in unison)

Right. Okay.

LEIA:

Good luck.

DERLIN:

Okay. Everyone to your stations.

Let's go!

The pilots hurry away.

EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - SNOW TRENCH - DAY

Rebel troops carry heavy bazooka-type weapons and position them along

the snow trench. Men hurriedly respond to their officers' yelled

orders and brace themselves against the rhythmic gusts of bitter-cold

wind.

Other troops load power packs into a gun turret and swing its guns into

position.

EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - POWER GENERATORS

Near the base power generators, troops rush to set up their heavy

battle equipment. Buzzing loudly, the generators send along, sparking

fingers of energy into the bitter Hoth wind.

INT. REBEL BASE - COMMAND CENTER

The long line of Rebel controllers is tense, as are Princess Leia and

General Rieekan, who are trying very hard not to show any fear.

RIEEKAN:

Their primary target will be the

power generators. Prepare to

open the shield.

EXT. ICE PLAIN

The Rebel transport and two escort fighters begin their departure from

the ice planet.

EXT. SPACE - IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER

A huge Imperial Star Destroyer rest against a sea of stars, far above

the white surface of the planet Hoth.

INT. IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER - BRIDGE

An Imperial controller approaches his commander.

CONTROLLER:

Sir, Rebel ships are coming into

our sector.

CAPTAIN:

Good. Our first catch of the day.

INT. REBEL BASE - COMMAND CENTER

WOMAN CONTROLLER

Stand by, ion control... Fire!

EXT. REBEL BASE ICE CAVE - ION CANNON

The giant ball-shaped ion cannon rotates into position and blasts two

red energy beams skyward.

EXT. SPACE - HOTH - REBEL TRANSPORT

The Rebel transport and its escort race away from the white planet,

closely followed by the two red energy beams.

As the Rebel transport races toward the waiting Imperial Star

Destroyer, it is overtaken by the two scarlet energy bolts. The

Imperial Star Destroyer is hit in the conning tower by the powerful

bolts, which set up fiery explosions on its metal hull.

The big Star Destroyer veers, then spins wildly out of control. As the

Imperial ship careers into deep space, the Rebel transport races away

to safety.

INT. REBEL BASE - MAIN HANGAR DECK

Pilots, gunners, and troopers hurry to their stations and their

vehicles.

ANNOUNCER:

(over loudspeaker)

The first transport is away.

Everyone cheers at the announcement, which echoes through the hangar.

Luke turns and walks on, heading toward his snowspeeder. His gunner,

Dack, a fresh-faced, eager kid, is glad to see him. They climb in.

DACK:

Feeling all right, sir?

LUKE:

Just like new, Dack. How about

you?

DACK:

Right now I feel like I could take

on the whole Empire myself.

LUKE:

(quietly, strapping

in)

I know what you mean.

EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN

A thin horizon line cuts across the bleak landscape. Small dot-size

objects begin to appear on the horizon, moving in the direction of the

Rebel base.

EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - SNOW TRENCH

A Rebel officer lifts a pair of electrobinoculars to his eyes. Through

the lens he sees a very close view of a giant Imperial snow walker. He

adjusts the view which then zooms back to reveal three more of the

ominous battle machines. Small flashes of yellow fire billow from the

guns of the lumbering snow walkers.

The officer lowers his binoculars as the regular rhythmic pounding

begins to make the ground vibrate. The pounding grows louder and is

accompanied by a high-pitched, metallic rattling. The officer speaks

into his comlink.

TRENCH OFFICER:

Echo Station Three-T-Eight.

INT. REBEL BASE - CORRIDOR

Pilots and gunners race to their waiting snowspeeders. Ice and snow

begin falling from the walls of the corridor, shaken by the pounding

Imperial snow walker as they draw ever nearer.

TRENCH OFFICER:

(over comlink)

We have spotted Imperial walkers!

CONTROLLER:

Imperial walkers on the north

ridge.

EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - SNOW TRENCH

The Rebel troops aim their weapons at the horizon as explosions erupt

all around them. They are nervous and their grip on their weapons

tightens from the cold and from fear.

Behind the troops a dozen snowspeeders race through the sky.

INT. LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE LEADER - COCKPIT

LUKE:

(into comlink)

Echo station Five-Seven. We're

on our way.

EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - BATTLEFIELD

The fleet of snowspeeders races above the ice field at full throttle.

They accelerate away from the base and head toward the distant walkers.

INT. LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE LEADER - COCKPIT

LUKE:

(into comlink)

All right, boys, keep tight now.

DACK:

Luke, I have no approach vector.

I'm not set.

LUKE:

Steady, Dack. Attack pattern

delta. Go now!

EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - BATTLEFIELD

The cannons mounted on the walker head fire at the speeders. Other

walkers loom in the background. Two speeders race away past two of the

enormous walkers and bank to the right.

INT. LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE LEADER - COCKPIT

LUKE:

All right, I'm coming in.

He turns his speeder and heads directly at one of the walkers, flying

toward its towering legs. The horizon twists as the speeder banks

between the legs.

LUKE:

(into comlink)

Hobbie, you still with me?

EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - BATTLEFIELD

Two speeders race directly at the head of a walker, then split and fly

past it.

Three other walkers march onward, firing all cannons.

EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - SNOWTRENCH

Rebel troops fire on the approaching walkers, as the snow and ice

explode all around them.

EXT. HOTH - ICE PLAIN - BATTLEFIELD

A speeder banks through and away from the legs of a walker. Two other

speeders pass the first speeder from the opposite direction. Other

Rebel craft race just above the icy plain.

A giant walker head swivels and fires, striking a snowspeeder and

sending it crashing in a ball of flames.

INT. IMPERIAL SNOW WALKER - COCKPIT

General Veers and two walker pilots keep a careful eye on the racing

Rebel snowspeeders as they maneuver their lumbering war machine

forward.

Luke's speeder banks in from the side of Veers's walker and heads

straight for its viewport, blasting away. An explosion hits the walker

window, but dissipates, doing no harm. The speeder roars up and over

the impregnable war machine.

INT. LUKE'S SNOWSPEEDER, ROGUE LEADER - COCKPIT

Luke looks back at the walker as it grows smaller in the distance.

LUKE:

That armor's too strong for

blasters.

On the horizon, another walker moves up past Luke's cockpit window,

twisting out of sight as Luke banks and starts another run.

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