The Star Wars Page #21

The general grabs one of the micro-packs and starts off into the murky jungle.

Han and Threepio quickly follow. The jungle is a strange and eerie, fog-laden

purgatory. Gruesome and unnatural sounds permeate this ghostly wasteland.

Everyone is cautious, and on the alert for an unseen danger.

129. FOREST OF THE GARGANTUANS - YAVIN

Starkiller's lifepod is also caught in the limbs of a gargantuan tree. The

lifepod has been ripped in half by the crash landing. The unconscious Jedi

hangs half out of the damaged craft. A two foot high insect-like creature

scoots down a branch and onto the back of the dormant warrior. The insect

lets out a chilling hissing sound, and a slimy tube emerges from its hairy

mouth, waking Starkiller. He is immediately aware of the insect. His eyes

are open, but he doesn't move. Suddenly, with one quick blow, he knocks the

creature against the side of the spacecraft, and it is squashed lifeless.

Starkiller is a little groggy, but he manages to climb out of the wreckage.

He looks around for Artwo.

STARKILLER:

Artwo! Artwo Detwo!

ARTWO:

Help!

Starkiller turns and sees the little robot hanging upside down, one of his

three feet caught in a vine. He lifts Artwo out of his predicament and places

him securely on a wide limb.

STARKILLER:

Did you see Leia?

ARTWO:

She landed on the other side of those trees, approximately eight hundred

meters.

STARKILLER:

Well, come on, old buddy. Let's get ourselves out of this tree.

130. VINE JUNGLE RIDGE - YAVIN

The general, Han and Threepio reach a shallow cave near the top of a steep

ridge. They quickly pull off the micro-packs and place them on a clear piece

of ground at the mouth of the cave.

GENERAL (to Han)

Check out the inside. Threepio, stand guard. Keep your eyes on the

countryside.

He looks at the power units on the micro-packs and shakes his head with a

worried look. Han returns from a survey of the inside of the cave.

HAN:

It doesn't go very far. There's nothing back there.

GENERAL:

Help me with this.

Han helps the general lift the top from the case containing Windy, the younger

of the two princes. The small boy appears lifeless as the general pulls him

from his encasement, and rests him on the cave floor. Han pulls a small

respiration out of the micro-packs and places it over the boy's nose. The

general attaches two electrodes over his heart.

HAN:

He doesn't look good.

The little prince begins to turn blue. The general grows tense. Windy starts

to regain consciousness, but begins coughing and choking, then goes limp

again. The general quickly props Windy's mouth open with a small plastic rod

and checks the reading on his power pack.

GENERAL:

We need more power...tap off Biggs' unit...Quickly!

He then places Windy's arms behind his back and starts pressing on his chest

with sharp, rhythmic movements. Han attaches new electrodes to the boy's

heart. Windy again comes to, choking and coughing. Finally, he begins to

cry. The general takes the plastic tube from his mouth and tenderly pats him

on the back.

GENERAL:

Let's get Biggs out of there. He shouldn't be a problem.

131. FOREST OF THE GARGANTUANS - YAVIN

Starkiller slams closed the hatch of Princess Leia's lifepod. In the

distance, the subhuman cries of lonesome tree beasts cut through the forest

murmur.

ARTWO:

Perhaps she went in search of us.

Starkiller studies the ground around the capsule. There are a great many

footprints, and much broken foliage.

STARKILLER:

Someone's got her. She put up quite a fight...It's an easy trail to follow.

132. VINE JUNGLE RIDGE - YAVIN

Both Biggs and Windy are sleeping restlessly on the floor of the cave. Han

watches over them as the general scans the valley below with a pair of

electrobinoculars.

THREEPIO:

It's about fourteen degrees below the horizon... a little to the left.

The electrobinoculars sweep the rich green landscape until the come to rest on

a bright reflection, revealing some type of structure.

GENERAL:

It's too small to be a military base...Could belong to a trapper.

THREEPIO:

Highly unusual...

GENERAL:

It's on the way. Perhaps we should investigate.

Little Biggs wakes up with a giant yawn.

BIGGS:

Hey! Where are we?

133. FOREST OF THE GARGANTUANS - YAVIN

The gargantuan trees are shrouded in mist, and the ominous sounds of unearthly

creatures fill the air. Starkiller moves quietly and cautiously, followed by

Artwo, who inadvertently makes a loud clicking sound. The young warrior

stops, and motions to the stubby little robot.

STARKILLER:

Wait here. If I don't return by zero two hundred, come looking for me.

The mechanical dwarf acknowledges with his computer light. Starkiller moves

swiftly and silently forward, until he hears laughing and voices. He climbs

up the bankside of a huge tree, and inches his way out onto one of the huge

overhanging branches. Below him, he can see a group of scruffy, alien

trappers sitting around a nutron stove joking and telling stories. Parked on

either side of the group are two large, tank-like "jungle crawlers." Behind

the crawlers, five Wookees, (huge grey and furry beasts) hang upside down in a

tree. Occasionally, they thrash about in great anger and frustration.

The trappers speak in a strange language, and although they appear slightly

human, they are slimy, deformed, hideous looking creatures. Two of the

trappers yell at one another in a friendly argument. One shirtless creature

goes into a "crawler," and the remaining eight laugh hysterically. Starkiller

moves further out on the limb to get a better view. A couple of pieces of

bark break loose, and float a hundred feet to the ground. The trappers fail

to notice. Moments later, the shirtless trapper emerges from the crawler with

Princess Leia held unconscious and half naked over his head. Starkiller's

rage knows no bounds. With a terrifying Jedi war cry, the young captain jumps

from the tree, sails over a hundred feet, and with great agility, lands in the

middle of the startled trappers. In one continuous rapid motion, he ignites

his lasersword and cuts down three of the vile creatures. The shirtless

trapper swings the princess over his shoulder, and runs back into the huge

"jungle crawler." Two other trappers reach for their pistols, but the Jedi

has killed them before their weapons can clear leather. The three remaining

creatures have their pistols out and start firing. Explosions erupt all

around Starkiller. One blast hits the branch holding the Wookees, and they

collapse with a loud screech in a heap. One of the trappers is caught in the

crossfire and is blown apart.

When the smoke clears, Starkiller lies unconscious amid the burning rubble.

The jungle crawler begins to move out of the camp. The last two trappers run

after it. One is able to jump on board, but the second trapper runs too close

to the now freed Wookees. Chewbacca, one of the furry giants, grabs him and

snaps him in two, like a stick of wood. The jungle crawler disappears in the

forest mist. The eight foot Chewbacca, who resembles a huge, grey bushbaby

with fierce baboon-like fangs, struggles to free his companions.

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