Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back Page #8

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INT. MAIN HANGAR - MILLENNIUM FALCON - MAIN HOLD

Han, standing before a control panel, is busy flipping switches as

Chewie watches a troublesome gauge. A worried Leia observes their

efforts.

HAN:

(to Chewie)

How's this?

The Wookiee barks a negative reply.

LEIA:

Would it helped if I got out and

pushed?

HAN:

It might.

Threepio clanks into the hold.

THREEPIO:

Captain Solo, Captain Solo... sir,

might I suggest that you...

Han gives the gold robot a devastating look.

THREEPIO:

It can wait.

INT. MAIN HANGAR - MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT

They move to the cockpit where Han flips some more switches. Leia

watches him, impatient, disbelieving.

LEIA:

This bucket of bolts is never going

to get us past that blockade.

HAN:

This baby's got a few surprises

left in her, sweetheart.

Han and Leia look out the cockpit window and see a squad of

stormtroopers rushing into the far side of the hangar.

Quickly, Han straps himself into the pilot's seat and Leia into the

navigator's chair.

INT. HOTH - REBEL BASE - MAIN HANGAR

Stormtroopers hurriedly set up a large bazookalike weapon. Behind them

the giant hangar doors open slowly.

EXT. MAIN HANGAR - MILLENNIUM FALCON

A laser gun appears on the Falcon and swings around to aim at the

Imperial troops.

The stormtroopers, preparing to fire their bazooka cannon, are hit by

the Falcon's fire and are thrown about in all directions.

INT. MAIN HANGAR - MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT

Chewie rushes into the cockpit.

HAN:

Come on! Come on! Switch over.

Let's hope we don't have a burnout.

A laser hits the window near Chewie as he is settling into his chair.

Letting out a loud whelp, Chewie quickly pulls back on the controls and

the first stage of engine fire can be heard. Han flashes a big grin at

Leia.

HAN:

See?

LEIA:

Someday you're going to be wrong,

and I hope I'm there to see it.

Han looks at Chewie.

HAN:

Punch it!

The roar of the Falcon's main engines blasts out everything as the ice-

cave wall rushes by outside the cockpit window.

INT. REBEL BASE - MAIN HANGAR

More stormtroopers run into the hangar, closely followed by Vader.

Hearing the loud roar of the Millennium Falcon's engines, Vader looks

toward the main hangar doors just in time to see the Falcon lift up and

disappear outside the cave.

EXT. HOTH - ICE SLOPE - DAY

Luke and two other pilots look up as the Millennium Falcon races above

them, flying very close to the ground.

The three pilots turn then, and trudge onward toward their X-wing

fighters, each going to his own ship. Luke waves farewell, then heads

toward his own fighter.

Artoo, seated on his cubbyhole, chirps an excited greeting as Luke

climbs aboard the spacecraft.

LUKE:

Artoo! Get her ready for takeoff.

From his ship, Luke sees Wedge in his own X-wing, preparing for

takeoff.

WEDGE:

Good luck, Luke. See you at

the rendezvous.

Luke smiles and nods at Wedge, then lowers himself into the cockpit of

his X-wing while Artoo waits in the cubbyhole, beeping impatiently.

LUKE:

Don't worry, Artoo. We're going,

we're going.

The canopy over the X-wing lowers and snaps shut.

EXT. SPACE - LUKE'S X-WING

Luke's fighter, its wings closed, speeds away from the icy planet.

Soon it disappears into the stars.

INT. LUKE'S X-WING - COCKPIT

Luke, looking thoughtful, suddenly makes a decision. He flips several

switches. The stars shift as he takes his fighter into a steep turn.

The X-wing banks sharply and flies away in a new direction.

The monitor screen on Luke's control panel prints out a question from

the concerned Artoo.

LUKE:

(into comlink)

There's nothing wrong, Artoo.

I'm just setting a new course.

Artoo beeps once again.

LUKE:

(into comlink)

We're not going to regroup with

the others.

Artoo begins a protest, whistling an unbelieving, "What?!"

Luke reads Artoo's exclamation on his control panel.

LUKE:

(into comlink)

We're going to the Dagobah system.

Luke checks his readouts and makes a few adjustments. He rides along

with only the soft hum of the instruments to break the silence.

Finally, Artoo chirps up.

LUKE:

(into comlink)

Yes, Artoo?

Artoo utters a soft, carefully phrased steam of whistles.

LUKE:

(into comlink, chuckling)

That's all right. I'd like to

keep it on manual control for a

while.

The little droid lets out a defeated whimper. Luke smiles, and

continues on his course.

EXT. SPACE - MILLENNIUM FALCON

The Millennium Falcon speeds away from Hoth, closely followed by one

huge Star Destroyer and four tiny TIE fighters.

As it is pursued, the Falcon races toward two very bright star-sized

objects.

INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT

Inside the cockpit, Chewie lets out a loud howl. Han checks as the

ship is buffeted by exploding flak. He appears to be doing six things

at once.

HAN:

(harried)

I saw them! I saw them!

LEIA:

Saw what?

HAN:

Star Destroyers, two of them,

coming right at us.

Threepio bumps and bangs his way into the cockpit.

THREEPIO:

Sir, sir! Might I suggest...

HAN:

(to Leia)

Shut him up or shut him down!

(to Chewie)

Check the deflector shield!

Chewie barks a reply as he readjusts an overhead switch.

HAN:

Oh, great. Well, we can still

outmaneuver them.

EXT. SPACE - MILLENNIUM FALCON - STAR DESTROYERS

The Millennium Falcon races toward one of the huge oncoming Star

Destroyers. Suddenly, the Falcon starts into a deep dive straight

down, closely followed by four TIE fighters. The underside of the Star

Destroyer continues on a collision course with two oncoming Star

Destroyers. Slowly, it starts to veer to the left.

INT. STAR DESTROYER - BRIDGE

Out the front window, the two approaching Star Destroyers can be seen

veering to the left.

IMPERIAL OFFICER

Take evasive action!

Alarms sound all over the huge ship. The two other Star Destroyers get

closer, one of them moving over the bridge so close that it makes

brushing contact with it.

EXT. SPACE - MILLENNIUM FALCON - TIE FIGHTERS

The Millennium Falcon races away from the colliding Star Destroyers,

still followed by four TIE fighters. Laser bolts spark the pitch-black

skies.

INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - COCKPIT

Things have calmed down a bit, but the race isn't over yet. Chewie

barks at Han. Leia is still trying to recover from the steep dive.

The ship is buffeted by laser blasts.

HAN:

Prepare to make the jump to light-

speed.

THREEPIO:

But, sir!

The buffeting of lasers becomes louder and stronger.

LEIA:

They're getting closer!

HAN:

(with a gleam in his

eye)

Oh yeah? Watch this.

Expectantly, they look out the cockpit window as stars do not go into

hyperspace, but just sit there.

Han and Chewie look at each other and are thrown into an acute state of

concern.

LEIA:

Watch what?

Han tries again. Still nothing.

HAN:

I think we're in trouble.

THREEPIO:

If I may say so, sir, I noticed

earlier that the hyperdrive

motivator has been damaged. It's

impossible to go to light-speed!

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