Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back
Page 10
LANDO Lord Vader.
VADER (to Fett) You may take Captain Solo to Jabba the Hut after I
have Skywalker.
Han's screams filter through the torture room door.
BOBA FETT He's no good to me dead.
VADER He will not be permanently damaged.
LANDO Lord Vader, what about Leia and the Wookiee?
VADER They must never again leave this city.
LANDO That was never a condition of our agreement, nor was giving Han
to this bounty hunter!
VADER Perhaps you think you're being treated unfairly.
LANDO No.
VADER Good. It would be unfortunate if I had to leave a garrison
here.
Vader turns and sweeps into the elevator with Boba Fett.
Lando walks swiftly down another corridor, muttering to
himself.
LANDO This deal's getting worse all the time.
INTERIOR CLOUD CITY -- LARGE CELL
Chewie now has a little more of Threepio back together. One
arm i s connected, but the legs are yet to be attached. There
is one small problem, however. It seems the Wookiee has
managed to put the droid's head on backwards.
THREEPIO Oh, yes, that's very good. I like that. Oh! Something's not
right because now I can't see. Wait. Wait! Oh, my! what have you done?
I'm backwards, you stupid furball. Only an overgrown mophead like you
would be stupid enough...
Threepio is cut off in mid-sentence as Chewie angrily
deactivates a circuit and the droid shuts down. The Wookiee
smells something and sits up. The door to the chamber slides
open and a ragged Han Solo is shoved into the room by two
stormtroopers. Barking his concern, the huge Wookiee gives Han
a big hug. Han is very pale, with dark circles under his eyes.
HAN I feel terrible.
Chewie helps Han to a platform and then turns as the door
slides open revealing Leia. She, too, looks a little worse for
wear. The troopers push her into the cell, and the door slides
closed. She moves to Han, who is lying on the platform, and
kneels next to him, gently stroking his head.
LEIA Why are they doing this?
HAN They never even asked me any questions.
The cell door slides open. Lando and two of his guards
enter.
LEIA Lando.
HAN Get out of here, Lando!
LANDO Shut up and listen! Vader has agreed to turn Leia and Chewie
over to me.
HAN Over to you?
LANDO They'll have to stay here, but at least they'll be safe.
LEIA What about Han?
LANDO Vader's giving him to the bounty hunter.
LEIA Vader wants us all dead.
LANDO He doesn't want you at all. He's after somebody called
Skywalker.
HAN Luke?
LANDO Lord Vader has set a trap for him.
Leia's mind is racing.
LEIA And we're the bait.
LANDO Well, he's on his way.
Han's rage peaks.
HAN Perfect. You fixed us all pretty good, didn't you? (spits it out)
My friend!
Han hauls off and punches Lando. The two friends are
instantly engaged in a frantic close-quarters fight. The
guards hit Han with their rifle butts and he flies across the
room. Chewie growls and starts for the guards. They point
their laser weapons at the giant Wookiee, but Lando stops
them.
LANDO Stop! I've done all I can do. I'm sorry I couldn't do better,
but I have my own problems.
HAN Yeah, you're a real hero.
Lando and the guards leave. Han wipes the blood from his
chin as Leia and Chewie help him up.
LEIA (dabs at his wound) You certainly have a way with people.
INTERIOR CLOUD CITY -- CARBON-FREEZING CHAMBER
Four armor-suited stormtroopers stand at the ready in the
large chamber, which is filled with pipes and chemical tanks.
In the middle of the room is a round pit housing a hydraulic
platform. Darth Vader and Lando stand near the platform.
VADER This facility is crude, but it should be adequate to freeze
Skywalker for his journey to the Emperor.
An Imperial soldier appears.
IMPERIAL SOLDIER Lord Vader, ship approaching. X-wing class.
VADER Good. Monitor Skywalker and allow him to land.
The soldier bows and leaves the chamber.
LANDO Lord Vader, we only use this facility for carbon freezing. If
you put him in there, it might kill him.
VADER I do not want the Emperor's prize damaged. We will test it...on
Captain Solo.
Lando's face registers dismay.
EXTERIOR SPACE -- BESPIN SYSTEM -- LUKE'S X-WING
Luke's X-wing moves through the clouds as it nears the
city.
INTERIOR LUKE'S X-WING -- COCKPIT
Encountering no city guards, Luke scans the display panel
with concern.
INTERIOR CLOUD CITY -- CARBON-FREEZING CHAMBER
There is a great activity on the carbon-freezing platform.
Six Ugnaughts frantically prepare the chamber for use. A
special coffinlike container is put in place. With Boba Fett
in the lead, a squad of six stormtroopers brings in Han, Leia
and Chewie. Strapped to Chewie's back, with only his head,
torso, and one arm assembled, is Threepio. Threepio's head
faces the opposite direction from Chewie's and the droid is
constantly twisting around in a vain effort to see what is
happening. His one attached arm is animate and expressive,
intermittently pointing, gesturing, and covering his eyes. The
remaining pieces of his body are randomly bundled to the
Wookiee's back so that his legs and other arm stick out at odd
angles from the pack.
THREEPIO If only you had attached my legs, I wouldn't be in this
ridiculous position. Now, remember, Chewbacca, you have a
responsibility to me, so don't do anything foolish.
HAN (to Lando) What's going on...buddy?
LANDO You're being put into carbon freeze.
Boba Fett moves away from the group to Darth Vader.
BOBA FETT What if he doesn't survive? He's worth a lot to me.
VADER The Empire will compensate you if he dies. Put him in!
Realizing what is about to happen, Chewie lets out a wild
howl and attacks the stormtroopers surrounding Han. Within
seconds, other Imperial reinforcements join the scuffle,
clubbing the giant Wookiee with their laser weapons. From the
instant of Chewie's first move, Threepio begins to scream in
panic while he tries to protect himself with his one arm.
THREEPIO Oh, no! No, no, no! Stop, Chewbacca, stop...!
The stormtroopers are about to bash Chewie in the face.
HAN Stop, Chewie, stop! Do you hear me? Stop!
THREEPIO Yes, stop, please! I'm not ready to die.
Han breaks away from his captors. Vader nods to the guards
to let him go and the pirate breaks up the fight.
HAN Chewie! Chewie, this won't help me. Hey!
Han gives the Wookiee a stern look.
HAN Save your strength. There'll be another time. The princess -- you
have to take care of her. You hear me?
Han winks at the Wookiee, who wails a doleful farewell.
In a flash the guards have slipped binders on Chewbacca,
They look sorrowfully at one another, then Han moves toward
her and gives her a final, passionate kiss.
LEIA I love you!
HAN I know.
Tears roll down Leia's face as she watches the dashing
pirate walk to the hydraulic platform. Han looks one final
time at his friends -- and then, suddenly, the platform drops.
Chewie howls. Leia turns away in agony. Lando winces in
sorrow; it makes a life-changing impression on him.
Instantly, fiery liquid begins to pour down in a shower of
sparks and fluid as great as any steel furnace. Holding Leia,
Chewie half-turns away from the sight, giving Threepio a view
of the procedure.
THREEPIO What...what's going on? Turn around, Chewbacca, I can't see.
Oh...they've encased him in carbonite. He should be quite
well-protected -- if he survives the freezing process, that is.
Chewie is in no mood for technical discussion; he gives the
droid an angry glance and barks.
A huge mechanical tong lifts the steaming metal-encased
space pirate out of the vat and stands him on the platform.
Some Ugnaughts rush over and push the block over onto the
platform. They slide the coffinlike structure to the block and
lift the metal block, placing it inside. They then attach an
electronic box onto the structure and step away.
Lando kneels and adjusts some knobs, measuring the heat. He
shakes his head in relief.
VADER Well, Calrissian, did he survive?
LANDO Yes, he's alive. And in perfect hibernation.
Vader turns to Boba Fett.
VADER He's all yours bounty hunter. Reset the chamber for Skywalker.
IMPERIAL OFFICER Skywalker has just landed, my lord.
VADER Good. See to it that he finds his way here. Calrissian, take
the princess and the Wookiee to my ship.
LANDO You said they'd be left in the city under my supervision.
VADER I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further.
Lando's hand instinctively goes to his throat as he turns
to Leia, Chewie, and Threepio.
INTERIOR CLOUD CITY -- CORRIDOR -- DAY
As Luke and Artoo move carefully down a deserted corridor,
they hear a group of people coming down a side hallway. Artoo
lets out an excited series of beeps and whistles. Luke glares
at the tiny droid, who stops in his tracks with a feeble
squeak.
Boba Fett enters from a side hallway followed by two guards
pushing the floating, encased body of Han Solo. Two
stormtroopers, who follow, immediately spot Luke and open fire
on him. The youth draws his weapon and blasts the two
troopers before they can get off a second shot. The two guards
whisk Han into another hallway as Fett lowers his arm and
fires a deadly laser at Luke, which explodes to one side and
tears up a huge chunk of wall.
Luke rushes to a side hallway, but by the time he reaches
it, Fett, Han, and the guards are gone. A think metal door
blocks the passage. Luke turns to see Leia, Chewie, Threepio,
and Lando being herded down a second hallway by several other
stormtroopers. Leia turns just in time to see Luke.
LEIA Luke! Luke, don't -- it's a trap! It's a trap!
Before she can finish, she is pulled through a doorw ay and
disappears from sight. Luke races after the group, leaving
little Artoo trailing behind.
INTERIOR CLOUD CITY -- ANTEROOM
Luke runs into an anteroom and stops to get his bearings.
Leia and the others are nowhere to be seen. Behind Luke, Artoo
scoots down the corridor toward the anteroom when suddenly a
giant metal door comes slamming down, cutting off Luke's exit.
Several more doors clang shut, echoing through the chamber.
INTERIOR CLOUD CITY -- HALLWAY LEADING TO ANTEROOM
Artoo stands with his nose pressed against the giant metal
door. He whistles a long sigh of relief and, a little dazed,
wanders off in the other direction.
INTERIOR CLOUD CITY -- CARBON-FREEZING CHAMBER -- ANTEROOM
Luke cautiously walks forward among hissing pipes and
steam. Seeing an opening above him, he stops to look up. As he
does, the platform he stands on begins to move.
INTERIOR CLOUD CITY -- CARBON-FREEZING CHAMBER
Luke rises into the chamber, borne by the platform. The
room is deathly quiet. Very little steam escapes the pipes and
no one else seems to be in the large room. Warily, Luke walks
toward the stairway.
Steam begins to build up in the chamber. Looking up through
the steam, Luke sees a dark figure standing on a walkway above
him. Luke holsters his gun and moves up the stairs to face
Vader. He feels confident, eager to engage his enemy.
VADER The Force is with you, young Skywalker. But you are not a Jedi
yet.
Luke ignites his sword in answer. In an instant, Vader's
own sword is lit. Luke lunges, but Vader repels the blow.
Again Luke attacks, and the swords of the two combatants clash
in battle.
INTERIOR CLOUD CITY -- CORRIDOR
Leia, Lando, and Chewie, with Threepio on his back, march
along, guarded by six stormtroopers. The group reaches an
intersection where Lobot and a dozen of Lando's guards stand
at attention.
The guards immediately aim their weapons at the startled
stormtroopers. Taking the stormtroopers' weapons from them,
Lobot hands one to Leia and one to Lando.
LANDO Well done. Hold them in the security tower -- and keep it
quiet. Move.
As Lando's guards quickly march the stormtroopers away,
Lando begins to undo Chewie's binding.
LEIA What do you think you're doing?
LANDO We're getting out of here.
THREEPIO I knew all along it had to be a mistake.
Chewie turns on Lando and starts to choke him.
LEIA Do you think that after what you did to Han we're going to trust
you?
Lando tries to free himself from Chewie.
LANDO (choking) I had no choice...
Chewie barks ferociously.
THREEPIO (to Chewie) What are you doing? Trust him, trust him!
LEIA Oh, so we understand, don't we, Chewie? He had no choice.
LANDO I'm just trying to help...
LEIA We don't need any of your help.
LANDO (choking) H-a-a-a...
LEIA What?
THREEPIO It sounds like Han.
LANDO There's still a chance to save Han...I mean, at the East
Platform...
LEIA Chewie.
Chewie finally releases Lando, who fights to get his breath
back.
THREEPIO (to Lando) I'm terribly sorry about all this. After all,
he's only a Wookiee.
EXTERIOR CLOUD CITY -- EAST LANDING PLATFORM -- BOBA FETT'S SHIP
The two guards slide Han's encased body into an opening in
the side of the bounty hunter's ship. Boba Fett climb aboard
on a ladder next to the cargo hold.
BOBA FETT Put Captain Solo in the cargo hold.
And with that, the door slams shut.
INTERIOR CLOUD CITY -- CORRIDOR
Lando, Leia, and Chewie run down a Cloud
City corridor when
suddenly they spot Artoo who rushes toward them, beeping
wildly.
THREEPIO Artoo! Artoo! Where have you been?
Chewie turns around to see the stubby droid, causing
Threepio to be spun out of sight of his friend.
THREEPIO Turn around, you wooly...! (to Artoo) Hurry, hurry! We're
trying to save Han from the bounty hunter!
Whistling frantically to Threepio, Artoo scoots along with
the racing group.
THREEPIO Well, at least your still in one piece! Look what happened
to me!
EXTERIOR EAST LANDING PLATFORM -- SIDE BAY
An elevator door slides open and Lando, Leia, and Chewbacca
race for a large bay overlooking the East Landing Platform.