Star Wars Page #3

LEIA:

I don't know what you're talking

about. I'm a member of the Imperial

Senate on a diplomatic mission to

Alderaan...

VADER:

You're a part of the Rebel Alliance

... and a traitor. Take her away!

Leia is marched away down the hallway and into the smoldering hole

blasted in the side of the ship. An Imperial Commander turns to Vader.

COMMANDER:

Holding her is dangerous. If word

of this gets out, it could generate

sympathy for the Rebellion in the

senate.

VADER:

I have traced the Rebel spies

to her. Now she is my only link

to find their secret base!

COMMANDER:

She'll die before sheÕll tell

you anything.

VADER:

Leave that to me. Send a distress

signal and then inform the senate

that all aboard were killed!

Another Imperial Officer approaches Vader and the Commander. They stop

and snap to attention.

SECOND OFFICER:

Lord Vader, the battle station

plans are not aboard this ship!

And no transmissions were made.

An escape pod was jettisoned during

the fighting, but no life forms

were aboard.

Vader turns to the Commander.

VADER:

She must have hidden the plans in

the escape pod. Send a detachment

down to retrieve them. See to it

personally, Commander. There'll be

no one to stop us this time.

COMMANDER:

Yes, sir.

EXT. SPACE

The Imperial Star Destroyer comes over the surface of the

planet Tatooine.

EXT. TATOOINE - DESERT

Jundland, or "No Man's Land", where the rugged desert mesas

meet the foreboding dune sea. The two helpless astro-robots kick up

clouds of sand as they leave the lifepod and clumsily work their way

across the desert wasteland. The lifepod in the distance rests half

buried in the sand.

THREEPIO:

How did I get into this mess?

I really don't know how. We seem

to be made to suffer. It's our

lot in life.

Artoo answers with beeping sounds.

THREEPIO:

I've got to rest before I fall

apart. My joints are almost frozen.

Artoo continues to respond with beeping sounds.

THREEPIO:

What a desolate place this is.

Suddenly Artoo whistles, makes a sharp right turn and starts off in the

direction of the rocky desert mesas. Threepio stops and yells at him.

THREEPIO:

Where are you going?

A stream of electronic noises pours forth from the small robot.

THREEPIO:

Well, I'm not going that way. It's

much too rocky. This way is much

easier.

Artoo counters with a long whistle.

THREEPIO:

What makes you think there are

settlements over there?

Artoo continues to make beeping sounds.

THREEPIO:

Don't get technical with me.

Artoo continues to make beeping sounds.

THREEPIO:

What mission? What are you talking

about? I've had just about enough

of you! Go that way! You'll be

malfunctioning within a day, you

nearsighted scrap pile!

Threepio gives the little robot a kick and starts off in the direction

of the vast dune sea.

THREEPIO:

And don't let me catch you following

me begging for help, because you

won't get it.

Artoo's reply is a rather rude sound. He turns and trudges

off in the direction of the towering mesas.

THREEPIO:

No more adventures. I'm not

going that way.

Artoo beeps to himself as he makes his way toward the distant

mountains.

EXT. TATOOINE - DUNE SEA

Threepio, hot and tired, struggles up over the ridge of a dune: only

to find more dunes, which seem to go on for endless miles. He looks

back in the direction of the now distant rock mesas.

THREEPIO:

That malfunctioning little twerp.

This is all his fault! He tricked

me into going this way, but he'll

do no better.

In a huff of anger and frustration, Threepio knocks the sand from his

joints. His plight seems hopeless, when a glint of reflected light in

the distance reveals an object moving towards him.

THREEPIO:

Wait, what's that? A transport!

I'm saved!

The bronze android waves frantically and yells at the approaching

transport.

THREEPIO:

Over here! Help! Please, help!

EXT. TATOOINE - ANCHORHEAD SETTLEMENT - POWER STATION - DAY

Luke and Biggs are walking and drinking a malt brew. Fixer and the

others can be heard working inside.

LUKE:

(Very animated)

... so I cut off my power, shut down

the afterburners and came in low on

Deak's trail. I was so close I

thought I was going to fry my

instruments. As it was I busted up

the Skyhopper pretty bad. Uncle

Owen was pretty upset. He grounded

me for the rest of the season. You

should have been there... it was

fantastic.

BIGGS:

You ought to take it a little easy

Luke. You may be the hottest

bushpilot this side of Mos Eisley,

but those little Skyhoppers are

dangerous. Keep it up, and one day,

whammo, you're going to be nothing

more than a dark spot on the down

side of a canyon wall.

LUKE:

Look who's talking. Now that

you've been around those giant

starships you're beginning to sound

like my uncle. You've gotten soft

in the city...

BIGGS:

I've missed you kid.

LUKE:

Well, things haven't been the same

since you left, Biggs. It's been

so...quiet.

Biggs looks around then leans close to Luke.

BIGGS:

Luke, I didn't come back just to

say goodbye... I shouldn't tell

you this, but you're the only one

I can trust... and if I don't come

back, I want somebody to know.

Luke's eyes are wide with Biggs' seriousness and loyalty.

LUKE:

What are you talking about?

BIGGS:

I made some friends at the Academy.

(he whispers)

... when our frigate goes to one

of the central systems, we're going

to jump ship and join the Alliance...

Luke, amazed and stunned, is almost speechless.

LUKE:

Join the Rebellion?! Are you

kidding! How?

BIGGS:

Quiet down will ya! You got a

mouth bigger than a meteor crater!

LUKE:

I'm sorry. I'm quiet.

(he whispers)

Listen how quiet I am. You can

barely hear me...

Biggs shakes his head angrily and then continues.

BIGGS:

My friend has a friend on Bestine

who might help us make contact.

LUKE:

YouÕre crazy! You could wander

around forever trying to find them.

BIGGS:

I know it's a long shot, but if

I don't find them I'll do what I

can on my own... It's what we

always talked about. Luke, I'm

not going to wait for the Empire to

draft me into service. The Rebellion

is spreading and I want to be on the

right side - the side I believe in.

LUKE:

And I'm stuck here...

BIGGS:

I thought you were going to the

Academy next term. You'll get your

chance to get off this rock.

LUKE:

Not likely! I had to cancel my

application. There has been a lot

of unrest among the Sand People since

you left... they've even raided

the outskirts of Anchorhead.

BIGGS:

Your uncle could hold off a whole

colony of Sand People with one blaster.

LUKE:

I know, but he's got enough vaporators

going to make the place pay off. He

needs me for just one more season.

I can't leave him now.

BIGGS:

I feel for you, Luke, you're going

to have to learn what seems to be

important or what really is important.

What good is all your uncle's work if

it's taken over by the Empire?... You

know they're starting to nationalize

commerce in the central systems...

it won't be long before your uncle

is merely a tenant, slaving for the

greater glory of the Empire.

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