Star Wars Page #7

Luke leans over the back of the speeder and adjusts something in the

motor compartment.

LUKE:

(yelling)

How's that.

Threepio signals that is fine and Luke turns back into the wind-whipped

cockpit and pops the canopy shut.

LUKE:

Old Ben Kenobi lives out in this

direction somewhere, but I don't

see how that R2 unit could have

come this far. We must have

missed him. Uncle Owen isn't

going to take this very well.

THREEPIO:

Sir, would it help if you told

him it was my fault.

LUKE:

(brightening)

Sure. He needs you. He'd

probably only deactivate you for

a day or so...

THREEPIO:

Deactivate! Well, on the other

hand if you hadn't removed his

restraining bolt...

LUKE:

Wait, there's something dead ahead

on the scanner. It looks like our

droid... hit the accelerator.

EXT. TATOOINE - ROCK MESA - DUNE SEA - COASTLINE - DAY

From high on a rock mesa, the tiny Landspeeder can be seen gliding

across the desert floor. Suddenly in the foreground two weather-beaten

Sand People shrouded in their grimy desert cloaks peer over the edge of

the rock mesa. One of the marginally human creatures raises a long

ominous laser rifle and points it at the speeder but the second

creature grabs the gun before it can be fired.

The Sand People, or Tusken Raiders as they're sometimes called, speak

in a coarse barbaric language as they get into an animated argument.

The second Tusken Raider seems to get in the final word and the nomads

scurry over the rocky terrain.

EXT. TATOOINE - ROCK MESA - CANYON

The Tusken Raiders approaches two large Banthas standing tied to a

rock. The monstrous, bear-like creatures are as large as elephants,

with huge red eyes, tremendous looped horns, and long, furry, dinosaur-

like tails. The Tusken Raiders mount saddles strapped to the huge

creatures' shaggy backs and ride off down the rugged bluff.

EXT. TATOOINE - ROCK CANYON - FLOOR

The speeder is parked on the floor of a massive canyon. Luke, with his

long laser rifle slung over his shoulder, stands before little Artoo.

LUKE:

Hey, whoa, just where do you

think you're going?

The little droid whistles a feeble reply, as Threepio poses menacingly

behind the little runaway.

THREEPIO:

Master Luke here is your rightful

owner. We'll have no more of this

Obi-Wan Kenobi jibberish... and don't

talk to me of your mission, either.

You're fortunate he doesn't blast

you into a million pieces right here.

LUKE:

Well, come on. It's getting late.

I only hope we can get back before

Uncle Owen really blows up.

THREEPIO:

If you don't mind my saying so,

sir, I think you should deactivate

the little fugitive until you've

gotten him back to your workshop.

LUKE:

No, he's not going to try anything.

Suddenly the little robot jumps to life with a mass of frantic whistles

and screams.

LUKE:

What's wrong with him now?

THREEPIO:

Oh my... sir, he says there are

several creatures approaching from

the southeast.

Luke swings his rifle into position and looks to the south.

LUKE:

Sand People! Or worse! Come on,

let's have a look. Come on.

EXT. TATOOINE - ROCK CANYON - RIDGE - DAY

Luke carefully makes his way to the top of a rock ridge and scans the

canyon with his electrobinoculars.

He spots the two riderless Banthas. Threepio struggles up behind the

young adventurer.

LUKE:

There are two Banthas down there

but I don't see any... wait a

second, they're Sand People all

right. I can see one of them now.

Luke watches the distant Tusken Raider through his electrobinoculars.

Suddenly something huge moves in front of his field of view. Before

Luke or Threepio can react, a large, gruesome Tusken Raider looms over

them. Threepio is startled and backs away, right off the side if the

cliff. He can be heard for several moments as he clangs, bangs and

rattles down the side of the mountain.

The towering creature brings down his curved, double-pointed gaderffii

- the dreaded axe blade that has struck terror in the heart of the

local settlers. But Luke manages to block the blow with his laser

rifle, which is smashed to pieces. The terrified farm boy scrambles

backward until he is forced to the edge of a deep crevice. The

sinister Raider stands over him with his weapon raised and lets out a

horrible shrieking laugh.

EXT. TATOOINE - ROCK CANYON - FLOOR - DAY

Artoo forces himself into the shadows of a small alcove in the rocks as

the vicious Sand People walk past carrying the inert Luke Skywalker,

who is dropped in a heap before the speeder. The Sand People ransack

the speeder, throwing parts and supplies in all directions. Suddenly

they stop. Then everything is quiet for a few moments. A great

howling moan is heard echoing throughout the canyon which sends the

Sand People fleeing in terror.

Artoo moves even tighter into the shadows as the slight swishing sound

that frightened off the Sand People grows even closer, until a shabby

old desert-rat-of-a-man appears and leans over Luke. His ancient

leathery face, cracked and weathered by exotic climates is set off by

dark, penetrating eyes and a scraggly white beard. Ben Kenobi squints

his eyes as he scrutinizes the unconscious farm boy. Artoo makes a

slight sound and Ben turns and looks right at him.

BEN:

Hello there! Come here my

little friend. Don't be afraid.

Artoo waddles over to where Luke lies crumpled in a heap and begins to

whistle and beep his concern. Ben puts his hand on Luke's forehead and

he begins to come around.

BEN:

Don't worry, he'll be all right.

LUKE:

What happened?

BEN:

Rest easy, son, you've had a busy

day. You're fortunate you're

still in one piece.

LUKE:

Ben? Ben Kenobi! Boy, am I

glad to see you!

BEN:

The Jundland Wastes are not to be

traveled lightly. Tell me, young

Luke, what brings you out this far?

LUKE:

Oh, this little droid! I think

he's searching for his former master

... I've never seen such devotion

in a droid before... there seems to

be no stopping him. He claims to

be the property of an Obi-Wan

Kenobi. Is he a relative of yours?

Do you know who he's talking about?

Ben ponders this for a moment, scratching his scruffy beard.

BEN:

Obi-Wan Kenobi... Obi-Wan? Now

thats a name I haven't heard in

a long time... a long time.

LUKE:

I think my uncle knew him. He

said he was dead.

BEN:

Oh, he's not dead, no... not yet.

LUKE:

You know him!

BEN:

Well of course, of course I know

him. He's me! I haven't gone

by the name Obi-Wan since oh,

before you were born.

LUKE:

Then the droid does belong to you.

BEN:

Don't seem to remember ever owning

a droid. Very interesting...

He suddenly looks up at the overhanging cliffs.

BEN:

I think we better get indoors.

The Sand People are easily startled

but they will soon be back and in

greater numbers.

Luke sits up and rubs his head. Artoo lets out a pathetic beep causing

Luke to remember something. He looks around.

LUKE:

... Threepio!

EXT. TATOOINE - SAND PIT - ROCK MESA - DAY

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