Star Wars - A New Hope
Page 5
Your sad devotion to that ancient religion has not helped you conjure
up the stolen data tapes, or given you clairvoyance enough to find the
Rebel's hidden fort...
Suddenly Motti chokes and starts to turn blue under Vader's
spell.
VADER I find your lack of faith disturbing.
TARKIN Enough of this! Vader, release him!
VADER As you wish.
TARKIN This bickering is pointless. Lord Vader will provide us with
the location of the Rebel fortress by the time this station is
operational. We will then crush the Rebellion with one swift stroke.
EXTERIOR TATOOINE -- WASTELAND.
The speeder stops before what remains of the huge Jawas
Sandcrawler. Luke and Ben walk among the smoldering rubble
and scattered bodies.
LUKE It looks like Sandpeople did this, all right. Look, here are
Gaffi sticks, Bantha tracks. It's just...I never heard of them hitting
anything this big before.
Ben is crouching in the sand studying the tracks.
BEN They didn't. But we are meant to think they did. These tracks are
side by side. Sandpeople always ride single file to hide there numbers.
LUKE These are the same Jawas that sold us Artoo and Threepio.
BEN And these blast points, too accurate for Sandpeople. Only
Imperial stormtroopers are so precise.
LUKE Why would Imperial troops want to slaughter Jawas?
Luke looks back at the speeder where Artoo and Threepio are
inspecting the dead Jawas, and put two and two together.
LUKE If they traced the robots here, they may have learned who they
sold them to. And that would lead them home!
Luke reaches a sudden horrible realization, then races for
the speeder and jumps it.
BEN Wait, Luke! It's too dangerous.
Luke races off leaving Ben and the two robots alone with
the burning Sandcrawler.
EXTERIOR TATOOINE -- WASTELAND.
Luke races across the wasteland in his battered Landspeeder.
EXTERIOR TATOOINE -- LARS HOMESTEAD.
The speeder roars up to the burning homestead. Luke jumps out
and runs to the smoking holes that were once his home. Debris
is scattered everywhere and it looks as if a great battle has
taken place.
LUKE Uncle Owen! Aunt Beru! Uncle Owen!
Luke stumbles around in a daze looking for his aunt and
uncle. Suddenly he comes upon their smoldering remains. He is
stunned, and cannot speak. Hate replaces fear and a new
resolve comes over him.
EXTERIOR SPACE.
Imperial TIE fighter races toward the Death Star.
INTERIOR DEATH STAR -- DETENTION CORRIDOR.
Two stormtroopers open an electronic cell door and allow
several Imperial guards to enter. Princess Leia's face is
filled with defiance, which slowly gives way to fear as a
giant black torture robot enters, followed by Darth Vader.
VADER And, now Your Highness, we will discuss the location of your
hidden Rebel base.
The torture robot gives off a steady beeping sound as it
approaches Princess Leia and extends one of its mechanical
arms bearing a large hypodermic needle. The door slides shut
and the long cell block hallway appears peaceful. The muffled
screams of the Rebel princess are barely heard.
EXTERIOR TATOOINE -- WASTELAND.
There is a large bonfire of Jawa bodies blazing in front of
the Sandcrawler as Ben and the robots finish burning the dead.
Luke drives up in the speeder and Ben walks over to him.
BEN There's nothing you could have done, Luke, had you been there.
You'd have been killed, too, and the droids would be in the hands of
the Empire.
LUKE I want to come with you to Alderaan. There's nothing here for me
now. I want to learn the ways of the Force and become a Jedi like my
father.
EXTERIOR TATOOINE -- WASTELAND.
The Landspeeder with Luke, Artoo, Threepio, and Ben in it
zooms across the desert. The speeder stops on a bluff
overlooking the spaceport at Mos Eisley. It is a haphazard
array of low, grey, concrete structures and semi-domes. A
harsh gale blows across the stark canyon floor. Luke adjusts
his goggles and walks to the edge of the craggy bluff where
Ben is standing.
BEN Mos Eisley Spaceport. You will never find a more wretched hive of
scum and villainy. We must be cautious.
Ben looks over at Luke, who gives the old Jedi a determined
smile.
EXTERIOR TATOOINE -- MOS EISLEY -- STREET.
The speeder is stopped on a crowded street by several
combat-hardend stormtroopers who look over the two robots. A
Trooper questions Luke.
TROOPER How long have you had these droids?
LUKE About three or four seasons.
BEN They're for sale if you want them.
TROOPER Let me see your identification.
Luke becomes very nervous as he fumbles to find his ID
while Ben speaks to the Trooper in a very controlled voice.
BEN You don't need to see his identification.
TROOPER We don't need to see his identification.
BEN These are not the droids your looking for.
TROOPER These are not the droids we're looking for.
BEN He can go about his business.
TROOPER You can go about your business.
BEN (to Luke) Move along.
TROOPER Move along. Move along.
EXTERIOR TATOOINE -- MOS EISLEY -- STREET.
The speeder pulls up in front of a rundown blockhouse cantina
on the outskirts of the spaceport. Various strange forms of
transport, including several unusual beasts of burden, are
parked outside the bar. A Jawa runs up and begins to fondle
the speeder.
THREEPIO I can't abide these Jawas. Disgusting creatures.
As Luke gets out of the speeder he tries to shoo the Jawa
away.
LUKE Go on, go on. I can't understand how we got by those troopers. I
thought we were dead.
BEN The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded. You
will find it a powerful ally.
LUKE Do you really think we're going to find a pilot here that'll
take us to Alderaan?
BEN Well, most of the best freighter pilots can be found here. Only
watch your step. This place can be a little rough.
LUKE I'm ready for anything.
THREEPIO Come along, Artoo.
INTERIOR TATOOINE -- MOS EISLEY -- CANTINA.
The young adventurer and his two mechanical servants follow
Ben Kenobi into the smoke-filled cantina. The murky, moldy den
is filled with a startling array of weird and exotic alien
creatures and monsters at the long metallic bar. At first the
sight is horrifying. One-eyed, thousand-eyed, slimy, furry,
scaly, tentacled, and clawed creatures huddle over drinks. Ben
moves to an empty spot at the bar near a group of repulsive
but human scum. A huge, rough-looking Bartender stops Luke and
the robots.
BARTENDER We don't serve their kind here!
Luke still recovering from the shock of seeing so many
outlandish creatures, doesn't quite catch the bartender's
drift.
LUKE What?
<
br /> BARTENDER Your droids. They'll have to wait outside. We don't want
them here.
Luke looks at old Ben, who is busy talking to one of the
Galactic pira tes. He notices several of the gruesome creatures
along the bar are giving him a very unfriendly glare.
Luke pats Threepio on the shoulder.
LUKE Listen, why don't you wait out by the speeder. We don't want any
trouble.
THREEPIO I heartily agree with you sir.
Threepio and his stubby partner go outside and most of the
creatures at the bar go back to their drinks.
Ben is standing next to Chewbacca, an eight-foot-tall-
savage-looking creature resembling a huge grey bushbaby monkey
with fierce baboon-like fangs. His large blue eyes dominate a
fur-covered face and soften his otherwise awesome appearance.
Over his matted, furry body he wears two chrome bandoliers,
and little else. He is a two-hundred-year-old Wookiee and a
sight to behold.
Ben speaks to the Wookiee, pointing to Luke several times
during his conversation and the huge creature suddenly lets
out a horrifying laugh. Luke is more than a little bit
disconcerted and pretends not to hear the conversation between
Ben and the giant Wookiee.
Luke is terrified but tries not to show it. He quietly sips
his drink, looking over the crowd for a more sympathetic ear
or whatever.
A large, multiple-eyed Creature gives Luke a rough shove.
CREATURE Negola dewaghi wooldugger?!?
The hideous freak is obviously drunk. Luke tries to ignore
the creature and turns back on his drink. A short, grubby
Human and an even smaller rodent-like beast join the
belligerent monstrosity.
HUMAN He doesn't like you.
LUKE I'm sorry.
HUMAN I don't like you either
The big creature is getting agitated and yells out some
unintelligible gibberish at the now rather nervous, young
adventurer.
HUMAN (continued) Don't insult us. You just watch yourself. We're
wanted men. I have the death sentence in twelve systems.
LUKE I'll be careful than.
HUMAN You'll be dead.
The rodent lets out a loud grunt and everything at the bar
moves away. Luke tries to remain cool but it isn't easy. His
three adversaries ready their weapons. Old Ben moves in behind
Luke.
BEN This little one isn't worth the effort. Come let me buy you
something...
A powerful blow from the unpleasant creature sends the
young would-be Jedi sailing across the room, crashing through
tables and breaking a large jug filled with a foul-looking
liquid. With a blood curdling shriek, the monster draws a
wicked chrome laser pistol from his belt and levels it at old
Ben. The bartender panics.
BARTENDER No blasters! No blaster!
With astounding agility old Ben's laser sword sparks to
life and in a flash an arm lies on the floor. The rodent is
cut in two and the giant multiple-eyed creature lies doubled,
cut from chin to groin. Ben carefully and precisely turns off
his laser sword and replaces it on his utility belt. Luke,
shaking and totally amazed at the old man's abilities, attempts
to stand. The entire fight has lasted only a matter of seconds.
The cantina goes back to normal, although Ben is given a
respectable amount of room at the bar. Luke, rubbing his
bruised head, approaches the old man with new awe. Ben points
the the Wookiee.
BEN This is Chewbacca. He's first-mate on a ship that might suit our
needs.
EXTERIOR TATOOINE -- MOS EISLEY -- STREET.
Threepio paces in front of the cantina as Artoo carries on an
electronic conversation with another little red astro-droid. A
creature comes out of the cantina and approaches two
stormtroopers in the street.
THREEPIO I don't like the look of this.
INTERIOR TATOOINE -- MOS EISLEY -- CANTINA.
Strange creatures play exotic big band music on odd-looking
instruments as Luke, still giddy, downs a fresh drink and
follows Ben and Chewbacca to a booth where Han Solo is
sitting. Han is a tough, roguish starpilot about thirty years
old. A mercenary on a starship, he is simple, sentimental, and
cocksure.
HAN Han Solo. I'm captain of the Millennium Falcon. Chewie here tells
me you're looking for passage to the Alderaan system.
BEN Yes, indeed. If it's a fast ship.
HAN Fast ship? You've never heard of the Millennium Falcon?
BEN Should I have?
HAN It's the ship that made the Kessel run in less than twelve
parsecs!
Ben reacts to Solo's stupid attempt to impress them with
obvious misinformation.
HAN (continued) I've outrun Imperial starships, not the local
bulk-cruisers, mind you. I'm talking about the big Corellian ships
now. She's fast enough for you, old man. What's the cargo?
BEN Only passengers. Myself, the boy, two droids, and no questions
asked.
HAN What is it? Some kind of local trouble?
BEN Let's just say we'd like to avoid any Imperial entanglements.
HAN Well, that's the trick, isn't it? And it's going to cost you
something extra. Ten thousand in advance.
LUKE Ten thousand? We could almost buy our own ship for that!
HAN But who's going to fly it, kid! You?
LUKE You bet I could. I'm not such a bad pilot myself! We don't have
to sit here and listen...
BEN We haven't that much with us. But we could pay you two thousand
now, plus fifteen when we reach Alderaan.
HAN Seventeen, huh!
Han ponders this for a few moments.
HAN Okay. You guys got yourself a ship. We'll leave as soon as you're
ready. Docking bay Ninety-four.
BEN Ninety-four.
HAN Looks like somebody's beginning to take an interest in your
handiwork.
Ben and Luke turn around to see four Imperial stormtroopers
looking at the dead bodies and asking the bartenders some
questions. The bartender points to the booth.
TROOPER All right, we'll check it out.
The stormtroopers look over at the booth but Luke and Ben
are gone. The bartender shrugs his shoulders in puzzlement.
HAN Seventeen thousand! Those guys must really be desperate. This
could really save my neck. Get back to the ship and get her ready.
EXTERIOR TATOOINE -- MOS EISLEY -- STREET.
BEN You'll have to sell your speeder.
LUKE That's okay. I'm never coming back to this planet again.
INTERIOR MOS EISLEY -- CANTINA.
As Han is about to leave, Greedo, a slimy green-faced alien
with a short trunk-nose, pokes a gun in his side. The creature
speaks in a foreign tongue translated into English subtitles.
GREEDO Going somewhere, Solo?
HAN Yes, Greedo. As a matter of fact, I was just going to see your
boss. Tell Jabba that I've got his money.
Han sits down and the alien sits across from him holding
the gun on him.
GREEDO It's too late. You should have paid him when you had the
chance. Jabba's put a pric
e on your head, so large that every bounty
hunter in the galaxy will be looking for you. I'm lucky I found you
first.
HAN Yeah, but this time I got the money.
GREEDO If you give it to me, I might forget I found you.
HAN I don't have it with me. Tell Jabba...
GREEDO Jabba's through with you. He has no time for smugglers who
drop their shipments at the first sign of an Imperial cruiser.
HAN Even I get boarded sometimes. Do you think I had a choice?
Han Solo slowly reaches for his gun under the table.
GREEDO You can tell that to Jabba. He may only take your ship.
HAN Over my dead body.
GREEDO That's the idea. I've been looking forward to killing you for