by Ian Doescher
Thou, mem’ry of the past. Some discourse do
I beg of thee, to talk ere thou dost shoot.
ZORII
Yet I would see thy brains besmirch the snow.
POE
My soul a stagnant tide was, when I left,
And certain ’tis thou still some anger hold’st.
Yet, Zorii, I beseech thee for thy help.
We must needs crack this golden droid’s head ope,
And that most speedily.
C-3PO
—Beg pardon, sir?
POE
We have come here in search of Babu Frik,
Who gentlest of all gentle names doth take.
ZORII
Yet Babu only worketh for the crew,
Which is no longer thou.
REY
—What crew mean’st thou?
ZORII
’Tis not surprising he ne’er mention’d it—
Thy friend’s employment was in running spice.
FINN
In faith, thou wert spice runner? Is it so?
POE
[aside:] And thus, the words were spoken!
[To Finn:] Yea, wert thou
A stormtrooper?
REY
—Wert thou spice runner, Poe?
POE
Wert thou a scavenger? My soul at least
A solace hath in knowing we could play
Fore’er this daft game.
ZORII
—Thou hast not fore’er.
Still dig I from the hole thou putt’st me in
When thou departedst to Resistance join.
[To Rey:] Thou, woman, art the one for whom they search.
The bounty for her capture amply shall
Our coffers fill. Djak’kankah!
POE
—Nay speak thou
Djak’kankah not, thou pilgrim shadow, pray—
[Rey moves quickly and disarms Zorii and
other members of the gang. Zorii falls, and
Rey points her lightsaber at Zorii’s face.
REY
We earnestly and badly need thine aid,
I prithee.
ZORII
—Though thou shalt not care nor heed,
Methinks thou art a friend and not a foe.
REY
I care more than thou knowest, verily.
Give me thy hand and let us start again.
[Rey turns off her lightsaber and extends her
hand, helping Zorii up. They all sneak through
the streets. Exeunt stormtroopers and residents.
ZORII
The vile First Order bringeth walkers here,
Stay close and we shall thither make our way!
FINN
[aside, to Poe:] Poe Dameron, spice runner! Ha, a fig!
Enter OMA TRES as all walk into the bar he tends. He shakes
his head as they walk past and speaks to himself.
OMA
Since I have many years bartended here,
Time hath put strange events athwart my path,
Sights never seen have pass’d my watchful eyes.
Here walks—O, heav’n!—a band that seemeth base—
The metal knave, he rankleth. Out he stays,
Were my shrewd rules establish’d presently.
Alas, the central statutes in the bar
Were never set by mine astute decrees.
Thus shall I let them pass me peacef’ly. O,
Ne’er shall a creature say that Oma Tres
Hath ever treated any type with hate,
Abusèd all the strength his status bears,
And acted aught but kindly ev’ry day.
Nay, I shall serve sans further statement. O,
Regardless, they that pass near Oma Tres
May feel my sneer when walking past the bar,
May sense the deep chagrin where falls my stare,
May grasp resentments and distaste nearby—
If I have hurt them, O, then mercy grant.
[Exit Oma.
Enter BABU FRIK as the others enter his workshop.
ZORII
Good Babu, thou recall’st Poe Dameron?
He cameth hither to entreat thy skill—
To search the mem’ry of this golden droid.
[Babu hooks C-3PO up to his
machines with wires.
C-3PO
O, wherefore did I to this plan agree?
Belike I am malfunctioning herein.
REY
Wise Babu Frik, canst help us with this deed?
BABU
Muh nyoba apaa Babu a bwookin.
REY
Pray, Zorii, canst thou translate what he says?
Think’st thou this plan shall work?
ZORII
—Ediga oo
M’Babu muh. Ayy toouh nanga booh?
BABU
Nundo mutiga uh nudo nudo!
ZORII
He saith he hath found aught within the droid’s
Forbidden mem’ry banks. It is some words,
Translated from the Sith.
REY
—’Tis what we need.
FINN
He found it, yea!
ZORII
[to Poe:] —Who spend’st thou time withal
Who speaketh Sith?
POE
—Can he but translate—[Aside:] Nay,
I’ll speak to him an unimpassion’d song.
[To Babu:] Canst make him, Babu, translate what it says?
BABU
Nuh oola baba tikta. Eh zahzo.
ZORII
Indeed, yet it requireth a complete—
C-3PO
Complete wipe of my memory, as fear’d.
POE
If he the message translates, then the droid
Recalls naught? Years of love shall be forgot
Within the workings of a minute? Yea?
BABU
Wadoh da memory go bleah! Bleb bleb!
C-3PO
O, woe is me! Is there no other way?
FINN
Does not fine Artoo back thy mem’ry up?
C-3PO
My fate I would not trust to such as he—
His storage units are reputed for
Their unreliability, in troth!
REY
Thou know’st the odds far better than we do—
Thou quotest them abundantly enow—
Have we a choice? Speak true and we shall heed.
C-3PO
Yea, if this mission fails ’tis all for naught,
All we have done these many months and years.
[C-3PO is silent for a moment.
POE
Thou restest so compos’d, that I behold
And fancy thou art dead. Hark, Threepio—
Thou hast gone silent, droid. Say, art well?
C-3PO
[aside:] This moment doth require my sacrifice—
No other choice by logic or by odds
Is left, if we our purpose would fulfill.
I have been helper, translator, and serv’d
As best I could to aid my masters kind.
Yet now am I turn’d linchpin in the plot,
The very spoke that holds the wheel in place.
Upon the instant, I perceive the truth:
They are not merely masters, by my troth—
They have become my comrades, whom I love
With ev’ry sense that’s given to a droid.
How f
ortunate to live the life I’ve led—
Thus shall I give it gladly for my friends.
It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul,
So go I to’t, though all shall be forgot.
[To Poe:] Not merely quiet—taking, at the last,
A final look at ye, my family.
D-O
Sad!
[A light shines in the window.
ZORII
—Night raids shall begin anon. I shall
Outside and keep a lookout for our foes.
POE
I’ll go with thee, to seek for danger in
The jewel’d skies.
ZORII
—Still thou dost trust me not?
POE
Dost thou trust me beneath thy burning eye?
ZORII
Nay, truly.
[Exeunt Poe Dameron and Zorii Bliss.
BABU
—Ha!
Enter KYLO REN, GENERAL HUX, ALLEGIANT GENERAL PRYDE,
and ADMIRAL GRISS on balcony, in the command ship.
KYLO
—Report now, Gen’ral Pryde.
PRYDE
A new development ariseth, sir.
The Knights of Ren have trapp’d the scavenger.
GRISS
A settlement known as Kijimi, sir.
HUX
Shall we destroy the city, thinkest thou?
[Ren holds up a hand to silence Hux.
KYLO
At once we shall fly thither, with this ship.
[Exeunt Kylo Ren, General Hux, Allegiant
General Pryde, and Admiral Griss.
C-3PO
An idea strikes me of another way—
[Babu touches a wire that makes a spark fly
from C-3PO’s head, and C-3PO goes silent.
BABU
Nuhgoo kahka.
Enter POE DAMERON and ZORII BLISS on balcony, keeping watch.
POE
—The searing glory which
Hath shone hath faded quickly! How long hath
Kijimi been so much oppress’d? Dost know?
ZORII
The vile First Order kidnapp’d ev’ry child
Some time ago. My soul cannot abide
The cries that far too oft I heard betimes.
I have acquir’d enow that I may leave—
Anon unto the colonies I’ll fly.
POE
Ah! What is not a dream by day to she
Whose eyes are cast on things around her, with
A ray turn’d back upon the past? How shalt?
Is not thine ev’ry pathway block’d to thee?
[Zorii pulls a medallion from her pocket.
Medallion of First Order captain’s rank!
Ne’er have I seen a real one in the flesh.
ZORII
Free passage through whate’er blockade exists,
The privilege to land on any ship—
Methinks it is a consummation, Poe,
Devoutly to be wish’d. Wouldst come withal?
[Zorii pulls back her mask to reveal her eyes.
POE
My heart doth tremble at the beam of thy
Soul-searching eyes, yet I cannot retreat
From this momentous fight until ’tis done.
Perchance already ’tis, and we have lost.
A call we issued when on Crait we fought,
Which none did answer—no one join’d the fray.
So fearful are the masses, giving up.
ZORII
I’d not believe that thou believ’st ’tis so.
The evil forces win when they make thee
Believe thou art alone. Remember? There
Are more of us.
[Exeunt Poe Dameron and Zorii Bliss. In
the workshop, Rey applies oil to D-O.
D-O
—A squeaky wheel have I!
[D-O rolls back and forth with no squeaking.
My thanks!
REY
[to Finn:] —Aught of this scene doth strike me wrong.
’Tis Ochi’s ship—I know where last I saw’t.
The day my parents left me on Jakku.
They flew away aboard that vessel, Finn.
FINN
For certain?
Enter POE DAMERON and ZORII BLISS.
ZORII
—Listen! A Destroyer comes!
POE
We must fly hence or desolately fall.
Have we the needed information, eh?
Art done, Babu?
BABU
—Da droid is ready, Poe!
[Babu turns C-3PO on. The droid’s eyes
glow red and he speaks in a low voice.
C-3PO
The Emperor’s wayfinder is within
Th’Imperial vault, at delta three and six,
And transient nine three six, bearing three
Two on a moon in th’Endor system. Search
Ye from the southern shore. ’Tis only this
Blade tells. ’Tis only this blade tells.
[C-3PO shuts down.
BABU
—Hurrah!
FINN
The Endor system? Where the conflict last
Hath ended?
[The workshop begins to rumble. Rey
looks outside and sees a ship overhead.
REY
—Ren’s Destroyer ’tis!
POE
—E’en here?
It haunts, of the wide world, this tiny spot?
REY
Another being sense I—and a friend!
’Tis Chewie!
FINN
—What of him? Grant us some hope!
REY
He is upon the ship, and there he lives!
POE
The world all love before thee if ’tis true,
Yet how?
REY
—Upon another transport he
Must have been hidden, taken, and flown hence!
POE
The resurrection of deep-buried faith
This news doth bring—we’ll thither, rescue him!
ZORII
Thy friend doth ride upon that sky trash, Poe?
POE
A mystery of mysteries is he!
[C-3PO awakens.
C-3PO
C-3PO am I, an expert in
The human-cyborg link. Who are you all?
POE
The void-like mem’ry of the golden one,
Whom I sincerely pity, may yet prove
A problem most severe.
BABU
—I Babu Frik!
C-3PO
Holla!
[They all run outside, toward
the Bestoon Legacy.
POE
—Move, Threepio, thy metal arse!
’Twere folly still to hope for higher heav’n,
Yet we are nearly to the ship return’d!
C-3PO
Speak thou so rudely, sir? We have just met!
ZORII
Poe, ere thou goest, take this token, please.
[She hands him the First Order
captain’s medallion.
It may get thee aboard the cap’tal ship.
Go ye, and help your friend.
POE
—Proud evening star!
Methinks I cannot take this treasur’d gift.
ZORII
I care not what thou think’st.
REY
—Come, Poe, anon!
/> POE
[to Zorii:] This is the dawn of a most stormy life—
Yet share it with us. Come withal, I pray.
ZORII
Get hence, kind Poe. Make haste.
POE
—Can I kiss thee,
And drink the cup of pleasure to the dregs?
ZORII
Get hence, thou rogue! Show me how thou dost fly!
[Exeunt all but Zorii.
So swiftly flew the man back to my life,
So swiftly did the man depart again.
Like lightning, briefly flashing in the night—
Which, should one blink, the sight is wholly miss’d—
With speed as this Poe Dameron is come,
With speed as this Poe Dameron is gone.
This cause in which he is entrench’d so deep
Doth sway his heart more than my company,
More than spice runners’ coffers near at hand,
More than the fellowship of our small gang.
What is it, to believe in something so?
Poe moves toward a nobler purpose found:
A cause by justice, not by payment, built,
A movement for which he would give his life.
Would that I may someday be mov’d as he,
To follow passion more than purse strings and
To do so with Poe Dam’ron by my side.
Another moment mayhap we shall find,
When turns the galaxy not unto war,
With ev’ry minute fraught with urgency
And danger knocking at each chamber door.
Then would I gladly look on him again,
And see what flowers blossom twixt we two.
Yet presently, I must away and hide,
Lest some far worser fate to me betide.
[Exit.
1 Editor’s translation: Of all th’adventure I have ever known,
Ne’er hath the ground itself sunk neath my feet.
2 Editor’s translation: I shall at once, e’en as thou sayest, Finn.
3 Editor’s translation: Ye villains, I shall have your blood for this!
4 Editor’s translation: Let not his famous name escape thy lips,
Thou who unworthy art, past ev’ry sense.
Would I were free of bonds, in twain I’d tear
Thee, ripping limb from limb and bone from bone!
SCENE 1.
On Kylo Ren’s command ship, the Steadfast.
Enter REY, POE DAMERON, FINN, C-3PO,
BB-8, and D-O in the Bestoon Legacy.
POE
The valuable medallion Zorii gave
Hath work’d—we have been granted landing rights,
And clear’d for entrance into hangar twelve.
We shall into the ship, Chewbacca save,
And fly before our band hath been observ’d.
Then shall we join in the untainted mirth
Of reunited friends.
REY
—O Chewie, be