Star Wars Page #22

LUKE:

(getting angry)

Come on! Why don't you take a look

around? You know what's about to

happen, what they're up against.

They could use a good pilot like you.

You're turning your back on them.

HAN:

What good's a reward if you ain't

around to use it? Besides,

attacking that battle station ain't

my idea of courage. It's more like

suicide.

LUKE:

All right. Well, take care of

yourself, Han... guess that's what

you're best at, isn't it?

Luke goes off and Han hesitates, then calls to him.

HAN:

Hey, Luke... may the Force be with

you!

Luke turns and sees Han wink at him. Luke lifts his hand in a small

wave and then goes off.

Han turns to Chewie who growls at his captain,

HAN:

What're you lookin' at? I know

what I'm doing.

INT. MAIN HANGAR DECK - LUKE'S SHIP

Luke, Leia, and Dodonna meet under a huge space fighter.

LEIA:

What's wrong?

LUKE:

Oh, it's Han! I don't know, I

really thought he'd change his

mind.

LEIA:

He's got to follow his own path.

No one can choose it for him.

LUKE:

I only wish Ben were here.

Leia gives Luke a little kiss, turns, and goes off.

As Luke heads for his ship, another pilot rushes up to him and grabs

his arm.

BIGGS:

Luke! I don't believe it! How'd

you get here... are you going out

with us?!

LUKE:

Biggs! Of course, I'll be up there

with you! Listen, have I got some

stories to tell...

Red Leader, a rugged handsome man in his forties, comes up behind Luke

and Biggs. He has the confident smile of a born leader.

RED LEADER:

Are you... Luke Skywalker? Have

you been checked out on the Incom

T-sixty-five?

BIGGS:

Sir, Luke is the best bushpilot in

the outer rim territories.

Red Leader pats Luke on the back as they stop in front of his fighter.

RED LEADER:

I met your father once when I was

just a boy. He was a great pilot.

You'll do all right. If you've

got half of your father's skill,

you'll do better than all right.

LUKE:

Thank you, sir. I'll try.

Red Leader hurries to his own ship.

BIGGS:

I've got to get aboard. Listen,

you'll tell me your stories when we

come back. All right?

LUKE:

I told you I'd make it someday, Biggs.

BIGGS:

(going off)

You did, all right. It's going

to be like old times Luke.

We're a couple of shooting stars

that'll never be stopped!

Luke laughs and shakes his head in agreement. He heads for his ship.

As Luke begins to climb up the ladder into his sleek, deadly spaceship,

the crew chief, who is working on the craft, points to little Artoo,

who is being hoisted into a socket on the back of the fighter.

CHIEF:

This R2 unit of your seems a bit

beat up. Do you want a new one?

LUKE:

Not on your life! That little

droid and I have been through a

lot together.

(to Artoo)

You okay, Artoo?

The crewmen lower Artoo-Detoo into the craft. Now a part of the

exterior shell of the starship, the little droid beeps that he is fine.

Luke climbs up into the cockpit of his fighter and puts an his helmet.

Threepio looks on from the floor of the massive hangar as the crewmen

secure his little electronic partner into Luke's X-wing. It's an

emotion-filled moment as Artoo beeps good-bye.

CHIEF:

Okay, easy she goes!

THREEPIO:

Hang on tight, Artoo, you've

got to come back.

Artoo beeps in agreement.

THREEPIO:

You wouldn't want my life to get

boring, would you?

Artoo whistles his reply.

All final preparations are made for the approaching battle. The hangar

is buzzing with the last minute activity as the pilots and crewmen

alike make their final adjustments.

The hum of activity is occasionally trespassed by the distorted voice

of the loudspeaker issuing commands. Coupling hoses are disconnected

from the ships as they are fueled. Cockpit shields roll smoothly into

place over each pilot. A signalman, holding red guiding lights,

directs the ships. Luke, a trace of a smile gracing his lips, peers

about through his goggles.

BEN'S VOICE

Luke, the Force will be with you.

Luke is confused at the voice and taps his headphones.

EXT. MASSASSI OUTPOST - JUNGLE

All that can be seen of the fortress is a lone guard standing on a

small pedestal jutting out above the dense jungle. The muted gruesome

crying sounds that naturally permeate this eerie purgatory are

overwhelmed by the thundering din of ion rockets as four silver

starships catapult from the foliage in a tight formation and disappear

into the morning cloud cover.

INT. MASSASSI OUTPOST - WAR ROOM

The princess, Threepio, and a field commander sit quietly before the

giant display showing the planet Yavin and its four moons. The red dot

that represents the Death Star moves ever closer to the system. A

series of green dots appears around the fourth moon. A din of

indistinct chatter fills the war room.

MASSASSI INTERCOM VOICE

Stand-by alert. Death Star

approaching. Estimated time to

firing range, fifteen minutes.

EXT. SPACE

The Death Star slowly moves behind the massive yellow surface of Yavin

in the foreground, as many X-wing fighters flying in formation zoom

toward us and out of the frame.

EXT. SPACE - ANOTHER ANGLE

Light from a distant sun creates an eerie atmospheric glow around a

huge planet, Yavin. Rebel fighters flying in formation settle

ominously in the foreground and very slowly pull away.

INT. RED LEADER STARSHIP - COCKPIT

Red Leader lowers his visor and adjusts his gun sights, looking to each

side at his wing men.

RED LEADER:

All wings report in.

INT. ANOTHER COCKPIT

One of the Rebel fighters checks in through his mike.

RED TEN:

Red Ten standing by.

INT. BIGGS' COCKPIT

Biggs checks his fighter's controls, alert and ready for combat.

RED SEVEN:

(over Biggs' headset)

Red Seven standing by.

BIGGS:

Red Three standing by.

INT. PORKINS' COCKPIT

PORKINS:

Red Six standing by.

RED NINE:

(over headset)

Red Nine standing by.

INT. WEDGE'S FIGHTER - COCKPIT

WEDGE:

Red Two standing by.

INT. LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER - COCKPIT

RED ELEVEN:

(over headset)

Red Eleven standing by.

LUKE:

Red Five standing by.

EXT. LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER

Artoo-Detoo, in position outside of the fighter, turns his head from

side to side and makes beeping sounds.

INT. RED LEADER'S FIGHTER - COCKPIT

RED LEADER:

Lock S-foils in attack position.

EXT. SPACE

The group of X-wing fighters move in formation toward the Death Star,

unfolding the wings and locking them into the "X" position.

INT. BIGGS' COCKPIT

RED LEADER:

(over headset)

We're passing through their

magnetic field.

INT. RED LEADER'S COCKPIT

RED LEADER:

Hold tight!

INT. LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER - COCKPIT

Luke adjusts his controls as he concentrates on the approaching Death

Star. The ship begins to be buffeted slightly.

RED LEADER:

(over headset)

Switch your deflectors on.

INT. ANOTHER COCKPIT

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