|
THE STAR WARS BY GEORGE LUCAS FIRST DRAFT
FADE IN: 1. SPACE A sea of stars is broken by the vast blue surface of the planet, OGANA. Five small moons slowly drift into view from the far side of the planet. The main titles are followed by a roll-up: Until the recent GREAT REBELLION, the DAI NOGAS were the most feared warriors in the universe. For one hundred thousand years, generations of DAI perfected their art as the personal bodyguards of the King. They were the chief architects of the invincible ROYAL SPACE FORCE, which expanded the King's power across the galaxy, from the celestial equator to the farthest stars. Now these legendary warriors are all but extinct. One by one, they have been hunted down and destroyed as enemies of the NEW GALACTIC KINGDOM by a ferocious and sinister rival warrior sect, THE LEGIONS OF LETTOW. A small silver spacecraft emerges from behind one of the Ogana moons. The deadly little fightercraft speeds past several of the moons, until it finally goes into orbit around the FOURTH MOON.
A harsh gale blows across the bleak grey surface of the Fourth Moon. The blood red sky presses down on a lone figure, JUSTIN VALOR, a tall, heavy-set boy of sixteen. He slowly makes his way across a wierd plain covered with huge sprawling lakes. The water in some of the lakes is bright red, while in others it is a vivid green. The oddly colored lakes create an ominous landscape against the eerie red sky. The heavy winds whip at the young boy and make the going extremely difficult. His face is covered by a breath mask and goggles. He stops for a second to adjust the shoulder strap on his chrome multiplelaser rifle. Something in the sky catches his eye, and he instinctively grabs a pair of electrobinoculars from his belt. He stands transfixed for a few moments,
A damaged spacecraft, half buried in the dust, rests next to the remains of an abandoned supply shack. Justin makes his way across the colorless landscape and rushes into the crumbling building. The interior of the hut is shabby, but manages to abate the howling winds. Seated in front of a thermoheater are Justin's father, AKIRA, and his young brother, BINK. Akira is a large, burly man, wearing the distinctive robes of a Dai. Bink is ten years old, with dusty blond hair and a large scratch on his cheek. Justin slams the door and removes his gear. His ruggedly handsome face is caked with many layers of dust. JUSTIN Dad! Dad! They've found us! Bink looks up from a small cube he has been studying. His father whacks him across the shoulder with a braided wire connector. AKIRA Continue with the problem. Your concentration is worse than your brother's. (to Justin) How many? JUSTIN AKIRA Good. We may not have to repair this old bucket after all. Prepare yourself. BINK AKIRA Do you have the answer? BINK I think it's the Corbet dictum: "What is, is without." BINK (Cont.) Ahhh, Pop... AKIRA Bink, do you feel you're ready? BINK Yes, sir. I've outmarked Justin in twelve disciplines. I'm as good... AKIRA All right, son. Get your gear. Bink jumps up with the enthusiasm available only to a ten-year old and grabs his gear. His father frowns and shakes his head.
Akira Valor and his two sons carefully make their way up a rock bluff overlooking the Lettow spacecraft parked among the colored lakes. Akira inspects the with his electrobinoculars. AKIRA No tracks. Bi-lock hasn't been opened. Interior systems are still on. JUSTIN Are we going to wait for him to come out? AKIRA He's not in there. He's baiting us. I'm surprised they only sent one this time. We must be wearing them down, or they must think this warrior is something special. Stay on guard, and keep hidden. I'm going to work my way across the ridge and call his bluff. Better we meet in open combat than wait for him to ambush us. Keep your guard! Akira leaves his two sons and moves off along the obscured ridge. Justin and Bink watch him intently. Justin throws down his multiplelaser rifle in disgust. JUSTIN He should have let me go with him. He's getting too old to make an open challenge. BINK He's not too old to realize you'd just get in the way. Justin ignores his little brother's remark and sneaks a look over the ridge at the Lettow spacecraft. Akira moves out of the rocks some distance away and starts toward the starship. Bink moves to the ridge next to his brother, his chrome laserrifle sparkling in the reflected red light of Ogana. BINK JUSTIN Bink reluctantly move away and watches the other direction. Akira has almost reached the Lettow spacecraft and still there is no sign of its occupant. BINK What's happening? JUSTIN Nothing. I don't like it. JUSTIN Something's happened! He's been in there too long. BINK Let me look! Stand my guard. Bink takes the electrobinoculars from his brother and studies the silent spacecraft. Justin impatiently scans the distant red horizon. BINK I think the power just went off. We'd better wait here until someone comes out. JUSTIN What if he needs help? BINK The power went back on again.... With the aid of the electrobinoculars, Bink watches the running lights of the starship flash on and off. Suddenly something huge moves in front of his field of vision. Before either of the two young boys can react, a large, sinister Lettow warrior in black robes and a face mask looms over them. He carries a long lasersword which cuts young Bink down before he or his brother is able to raise his weapon. The startled Justin backs away in horror, then settles down and ignites his lasersword which creates an eerie red glow. He stumbles over rocks as he attempts to avoid the charging Lettow warrior. The evil warrior swings his mighty lasersword, but Justin manages to deflect the intended deathblow. The legionnaire suddenly senses something behind him and whirls around to face Justin's father, Akira Valor, a Dai Nogas master. The Lettow warrior raises his lasersword, but is cut in two before he can bring it down again. Akira moves to the fallen legionnaire and studies him carefully. Justin, still a little wobbly from the whole experience, attempts to stand. Akira sees his dead son Bink and goes to him. He lifts him into his arms and begins to weep. Justin stands bewildered, watching his father cradle the dead child.
Akira Valor slides into one of the four seats of the small Lettow starship. Through the front viewing canopy, he watches Justin drag Bink's body to a small crevasse. Justin places a small locket around his brother's neck, makes a complicated sign, and dumps the body into the shallow depression. The giant engines of the spacecraft begin to whine, kicking up large clouds of dust. Justin climbs into the seat beside his father and removes his breath mask and goggles. There are tears in his eyes. Father and son look out across the wasteland towards Bink's grave. The thunderous clap of an explosion is followed by a small mushroom cloud rising out of the depression. Justin throws a container down in a fit of rage. JUSTIN How many more of them are there? I want to finish it, once and for all. I'm sick of running. When will it stop?
JUSTIN (Cont.) I'm sorry. AKIRA Son, plot a course for TOWNOWI. Justin lights up like a Geenick at feeding time. JUSTIN Townowi! You mean we're going home? AKIRA We both need a rest. Akira pulls back on the throttle and the powerful spaceship lifts off the surface of the Fourth Moon of Ogana.
A title card appears over a sea of billowing clouds on the gaseous planet of GRANICUS: Granicus: Capital of the New Galactic Empire. The towering yellow oxide clouds pass, revealing the Royal City of Granicus. The magnificent domed and gleaming city is perched, mushroom-like, on a tall spire which disappears deep into the misty surface of the planet. The peacefulness of this nebulous idyll is broken by the increasing wail of ion engines. Four sleek stardestroyers from the Royal Fleet burst out of the huge cumulus range. The craft are flying in a tight formation as they bank steeply, and head toward the royal capital of the New Galactic Kingdom.
Stardestroyers are two-man spacecraft crammed with sophisticated electronic weaponry. The pilot and gunnery officers sit side-by-side surrounded by PILOT Tok-One to Chicks: Shape it up. Let's make it good. CHICK-ONE Does that glare bother you? PILOT Use your face shield, Chick-One. The pilot is cold and professional as he maneuvers his craft closer to the others. The positions of the ships are displayed on a read-out, along with a graphic representation of the city. The pilot gives the gunner a quick look before he flips his sunshield over his eyes. PILOT Here we go. Count: three, two, one, now!
On a huge austere platform stands the dark SON HHAT, Lord of Granicus, Consul to the Supreme Tribunal, and ruler of the Galactic Kingdom. He is a thin gray looking man with an evil mustache hanging limply over his insidious lip. Standing at rigid attention on his right are several generals dressed in the black and grey uniform of the realm. Five members of the Supreme Tribunal sit off to the side. On Hhat's left stands MARA HORUS, newly appointed Governor of the Townowi Systems. He is a young treacherous man with stone-cut angular features and piercing gray eyes. They all gaze skyward as the four gleaming stardestroyers scream low overhead in an impressive barrel-roll formation. As the sound of the spacecraft resonates throughout the glass canyon of the Plaza, the group of dignitaries return their attention to the parade of royal shock troops and giant air tanks (which ride magically, two or three feet above the ground).
The Plaza of the Donns is filled with hundreds of rows of troops as the last brigade marches into position. The sound of three thousand men snapping to attention is followed by a strange silence. A light wind blows the great red banner of the kingdom creating a subtle flapping sound. The king's amplified voice startles many of the troops as it cuts through the quiet. SON HHAT Upon this battle depends the survival of the Galactic Kingdom. Upon this battle depends the life and long continuity of our civilization. Not since the great Dai Rebellion has our destiny been placed in such a balance. This is to be the most magnificent campaign of all! You have never been called without doing something to be remembered, something notable and striking. The conquering of the Townowi System, the last of the independent systems and the last refuge of the outlawed, vile sect of the Dai, will have such important and lasting consequences, that I can't but consider it as an epoch in history. To the rear of the Plaza, watching the spectacle over the shoulder of a curious bureaucrat, stands CLIEG OXUS, a tall, blond young man about twenty years old. He seems interested in what the King has to say, but keeps looking around nervously as if someone were after him. His arm rests across his head, as he carefully but coolly adjusts a glowing blue ring on his index finger. The King nears the end of his speech. Mara Horus has moved up to stand next to the sinister monarch. The troops shout a royal salute in response to a particularly partisan statement. SON HHAT (Cont.) ... I have personally asked the Townowians to accept this Treaty of Alliance. During the period of negotiation, they have only decided to be undecided. We will barter no longer. Governor Horus has been appointed the First Lord of the Townowi System and Surrounding Territories. This is the last frontier and the final stone in the great wall of the Galactic Kingdom.
Oxus walks into the glass and chrome splendor of one of the famous nightclubs of Granicus. He moves to the long mirrored bar and sits next to a rough looking man, BOMOJE ESPAA, dressed in the distinctive gold and furs of the galactic traders. OXUS Your glass is empty. Oxus speaks into a small intercom on the bar front. OXUS (Cont.) A dantic and... He looks in Espaa's glass. ESPAA No thanks, Clieg. I've had enough. OXUS Just a dantic, then. Espaa, it's not like you to refuse a drink. You're going to give the galactic traders a bad name. A drink appears magically from a small elevator in the bar. Oxus takes it, and then places a pen-like transmitter he has taken from his pocket next to the intercom. It creates a low electronic buzz.
A controller sitting in front of a row of monitors taps his headphones, then flips a switch back and forth a couple of times. He is obviously annoyed. CONTROLLER Number eighteen is out again. Give me a maintenance check.
Espaa leans in close to Oxus. He is suddenly very serious. ESPAA Clieg, we've got problems. They've just grounded all spacecraft, including trade frigates. Even the ships under royal registry can't move. Something big is up. OXUS I'm afraid they're not waiting for the Alliance Treaty. They're already moving against the System. I've got to get word back. ESPAA The chrome companies are protesting the embargo, but it's going to take some time. OXUS Isn't anything moving? ESPAA Military ships, but... They are interrupted by a royal officer and several storm troopers. The officer shouts over the P.A. system as the troops rush to block the exits. Oxus and the galactic trader are tense, but remain cool. OFFICER Attention: All captains and first officers of Guild Trade frigates will accompany me to the Ministry of Transport immediately. Espaa gives Oxus a hopeless look as the troops check their papers, and then take Espaa away. A small fight breaks out in the back of the nightclub as one of the trader captains expresses his dislike of the kingdom. Oxus slams his glass to the bar in a gesture of hate and frustration.
12. GOVERNOR HORUS' QUARTERS - GRANICUS The large white-on-white executive quarters resound with the high-pitched laugh of the evil Governor Horus. He slaps DARTH VADER, a tall, grim looking general, on the back and the general's mouth makes the slightest gesture at a smile. HORUS Success! I told you. We are no longer under the control of the GREAT FAMILIES. We've gained a true advantage. VANTOS COLL, a member of the Supreme Tribunal, and a man of the grossest dimensions, appears to be a little worried. COLL A rather dangerous
advantage. You still have a system to HORUS But this system will bring us more scientific wealth than that of any other house in the tribunal. We will easily gain control of the directorship. COLL Don't underestimate the armies of Townowi. They're lead by a Dai warrior. HORUS I've told you about Commissioner Coll, General. He worries a lot. VADER It's a myth that any Dai still exists. COLL General Skywalker is no myth. When I first arrived at court, he was the first bodyguard to the King. He lead the Dai Rebellion. VADER NGAI THUC lead the Rebellion. COLL So the King would have you beieve, but I was there. VADER Then why wasn't he hunted down like the others? COLL Because he is too dangerous, too clever. Besides, his presence on Townowi is still only a rumor. HORUS Then why do you believe it? COLL Because I knew him. He's there all right. I can sense it. Mark my words, Townowi will not be easily conquered.
A low, sleek landspeeder (an auto-like transport which travels a few feet above the ground on a magnetic field) glides into the courtyard of the palace of Townowi. The planet, with its bright green sky, is a desert wilderness; but the palace is a sparkling oasis, with low concrete walls and great turrets spilling over with foliage from rooftop gardens. The speeder stops before an enormous shaded corridor. Fountains line the beautiful and highly polished tile walkway. Two young boys, OETA (7) and PUCK (5) are helped out of the speeder by AMBER, a one-armed bodyguard dressed in the
The palace library is a dim, cool room, projecting an aura of time-worn comfort and security. In the distance, the children can be heard screaming through the corridors. KING KAYOS, silver haired but amazingly youthful under a tanned and leathery face, motions for one of his aides to shut the partially closed door. He is in the middle of an emergency meeting of the Townowi High Senate. The twelve men sit in overstuffed chairs, placed in a large circle. A large, sallow-eyed galactic trader named AAY ZAVOS, fiddles nervously with a small scrap of leather as he speaks. ZAVOS My Lord, the chrome companies are with you in spirit, but you must understand, they can't openly support you. Royal trade restrictions are very unfavorable and we, of course, favor your independence. KAYOS If there were to be war, would your frigates still supply us? ZAVOS Your bluntness is to be commended. It could be arranged. COUNT SANDAGE, a corrupt noble of the senate, jumps to his feet in a rage. SANDAGE This is nonsense! We have no choice but to approve the treaty. If there is war, the New Galactic Kingdom will destroy our entire system with a snap of the finger. General Skywalker is a dreamer if he thinks he can mount any meaningful resistance, and you're dreamers if you believe him. So much trust in one aged man. You must see... SKYWALKER Is there anyone here so naive he believes the Galactic Kingdom would even bother negotiating if they were contemplating destruction of this system? Your Excellencies, this is more than a simple raid on your resources. You must reach a decision. MIR NASH, a thin, birdlike senator, turns to General Skywalker. NASH General Skywalker, war is a serious business... a deadly business. SKYWALKER Procrastination is a deadly business, Senator. War is my business. Have you approved my defense measures? The GRANDE MOUFF TARKIN wears the long black robes of the Townowian religion. He speaks with a high, cracking voice. TARKIN An actual war with the Galactic Kingdom is still only a remote possibility. As a military treatise, your proposal has certain merits, but in the harsh light of reality, an attack against the Galactic Kingdom appears to be a somewhat extreme defense. You must understand, General, we're interested in avoiding a war, not starting one. SKYWALKER There are times when offense makes the best defense. If that Alliance Treaty isn't signed, we will need all the advantage we can get. KAYOS Count Sandage, I want you to head the delegation to Granicus. You will leave tomorrow with our answer regarding the treaty. My decision will be forthcoming. The senators whisper among themselves. KAYOS (Cont.) All right, then. May the force of others be with you all. The senators leave in a flurry of hushed conversation. The general is lost in thought, and remains in his chair. Oeta and Puck, King Kayo's two young sons, storm through the existing senators, and rush on to Kayos' lap. The King is obviously very proud of the two young princes. He throws Oeta into the air, and then catches him again. PUCK Me too! Me too! OETA Zara's leaving! Zara's leaving and you gotta say good-bye. The King picks up Puck and swings him around, then puts him down. KAYOS Okay, whippersnapper, go tell your mother and your sister that I'm on my way. KAYOS Luke, my daughter is leaving for the academy at Chathos. Won't you come and wish her well? It would mean a lot to her. She truly idolizes you, you know. Come on, the war will wait. SKYWALKER Of course. I'm sorry, My Lord. Politics always seem to distress me. General Skywalker rises, and as they head for the door, Kayos pats him on the back. KAYOS I know, Luke. I feel THE FORCE also.
A large, four-seat speeder sits gleaming in the sunsoaked courtyard. The PRINCESS ZARA, about fourteen years old, possessing a soft beauty and iron will, is embracing her mother, QUEEN BREHA, a warm, silver-haired matron. There are tears in the princess' blue eyes. Oeta and Puck jump around inside the speeder, disrupting the efforts of the one-armed Amber to pack several plaxiform cases. Zara embraces the King as he approaches with the general. ZARA Oh, Daddy, I'll miss you so. KAYOS The semester will be over before you know it. You'll have a grand time. There are so many new things to learn. I wish I were going. SKYWALKER May your studies do you honor. Zara is somewhat embarrassed by the general's formality and can only manage an awkward smile before returning to her parents at the speeder. BREHA Hurry, Zara. You must make it to Yuell before nightfall. The princess' maids-in-waiting, ALANA, a short stocky girl, and MINA, more comely (somewhat that same stature as Zara) with long dark hair, giggle and straighten Zara's dress before she enters the speeder. The prin- cess and Mina hug Alana, whose giggles have turned to tears. The two boys scramble out of the speeder as Amber helps the princess and her maid into the back seat. The speeder is piloted by a trooper of the first order. Amber jumps into the seat beside him, and the speeder starts with a low buzzing sound. The princess waves to her family, and Mina waves to Alana as the speeder slowly glides out of the courtyard.
The huge war room is a mass of glass enclosures, electronic wall displays, monitors, and computer stations. General Skywalker enters a control station, followed by a covey of military aides of various ranks. As the group hurry through the crowded room, men rise and salute the new arrivals. The general stops before a giant display of the galaxy. Small symbols flash on and off over various portions of the big board. The general studies it intently. SKYWALKER Montross! CAPTAIN MONTROSS, one of the general's aides, snaps to attention. Sir! SKYWALKER What's the TQ on this? MONTROSS The last frigate to leave Granicus was at twenty-three forty, Sir. SKYWALKER Have any ships at all left the planet? (to another aide) Check with the Guild on NORTON THREE. MONTROSS At twenty-four hundred, a full battalion of stardestroyers left for what is projected to be ANCHORHEAD, or a nearby system. SKYWALKER And no word from Oxus. He should have reported by now. CAPTAIN PRUE! An older, academic looking aide, steps forward. PRUE Sir! SKYWALKER What do you make of this? PRUE A battalion is invasion force, but the Royal Galactic Kingdom controls that entire part of the galaxy. A revolution, maybe? At any rate, they're going in the wrong direction to be any trouble for us. The general ponders this for a few moments, then speaks almost to himself. I don't know. It doesn't feel good. MONTROSS Put 'em on alert. A loud uproar is heard on the far side of the war room. Everyone turns to see a foreign dressed warrior pushing his way past several guards and war-room bureaucrats. The warrior, with his long hair tied in an odd bun on the top of his head, is Akira Valor. He is followed by his son, Justin, who rudely pushes the pesky bureaucrats out of the way. BUREAUCRATS It's restricted. You'll have to wait. (etc.) AKIRA Get out of my way, boy, before I grind you into the surface. (etc.) As the dauntless Akira approaches the general, the guards stop in bewilderment as General Skywalker rushes up to the warrior and embraces him. The two Dai warriors laugh jubilantly and slap one another, as the aides and bureaucrats look on in amazement. SKYWALKER Akira Valor - you old muscle-rat! What a sight! We heard that you had been executed. AKIRA So the Galactic Kingdom would have you believe. I've been in the KESSIL System. You remember little Justin. Akira puts his arms around his son, who has been making eyes at one of the cute young female aides. He bows before the general. SKYWALKER He takes after his mother! (they laugh) It's so good to see you. It's wonderful to be with another Dai again. There are so few of us left. The cute aide goes back to her duties, flirting with Justin as she passes. The young warrior pinches her on the ass, which startles her, but she goes on like nothing has happened. SKYWALKER What a sight! The two Dai stand looking at one another, hardly believing the other is real. Finally, the general realizes his aides are standing around, gawking at the duo. SKYWALKER (to the aides) Wake up, gentlemen. You're on alert. Keep me posted on that battalion.
The general, Akira and Justin enter a small glass enclosed control office. They sit, and an awkward silence ensues as each man waits for the other to speak. AKIRA I've come for your help. SKYWALKER Anything you ask. You're a Dai brother. We're one. AKIRA My friend, we've
been through much together. I've been through much since we parted.
I've lost much. He's a good boy, Luke, and one hell of a fighter. The general looks down, somewhat embarrassed. He scratches his head, then smiles. SKYWALKER Old friend, you do me too much honor. I was never a match for you. Why don't you finish his training yourself? AKIRA I'm too old, Luke. I can't go on. You must finish it. SKYWALKER What kind of talk is this? You're not the old Valor I remember. Too old?!? Akira Valor suddenly ignites in a rage and swings his left forearm down with a mighty blow across the solid chrome desk the general is sitting at. The old Dai warrior's forearm cracks in two, spewing forth wires and many fine multicolored electronic components. The artificial limb flops lifelessly to Valor's side. The warrior rips open his tunic, revealing a plastic chest stuffed with flashing electronic parts. AKIRA (angrily) I'm not the same. There is nothing left but my head and right arm. I've lost too much, Luke. I'm dying. The general bows his head in sorrow for one of the greatest warriors in the galaxy and a dear friend. SKYWALKER I'm sorry... AKIRA I'm sorry. I keep losing control. I'm very tired. Take my son! The DAI NOGAS must survive. We must pass it on. Only a Dai can stop Son Hhat. We're very old, Luke. A new generation of Dai must be started. Take him; teach him the way of the Dai Nogas. Captain Montross bursts into the office and somewhat excitedly salutes the general. MONTROSS Sir, we have picked up something! An asteroid, or solid comet moving away from the Anchorhead System.
The general rushes out of the control station and back to the giant galactic display. He is followed by Montross, Akira and Justin. SKYWALKER Are you sure it's not the battalion? MONTROSS A solid object. It's as big as our Third Moon. PRUE It's too large to be man-made, and it's too slow to be a comet. SKYWALKER Analysis? MONTROSS It's too far out. SKYWALKER I'll be with the king. Report as soon as you can get a reading on it. (turning to Akira's son) Captain Valor, from now on you stick close to me.
King Kayos moves his arm around Breha's waist as they stand on a balcony watching two giant twin suns in the green sky disappear behind a distant dune range. The general enters, rather in a rush, followed by the young Valor, who is now dressed in the white uniform of the Townowi star force. (He still wears the distinctive Kessilian hair knot.) They bow before the King. KAYOS (pointing to the suns) Aren't they beautiful, General? "Always and never the same." You're just in time for dinner. SKYWALKER I have come for other reasons. Could...? KAYOS Relax, General. We will discuss it, but over dinner. There are times, Luke, when I find you a bit too rigid. Is this your new disciple? Justin is ill at ease and bows again. JUSTIN Justin Valor, sir. KAYOS Where's your father? SKYWALKER He left for the spaceport at GORDON to visit an old friend, Han Solo, the UREALLIAN. KAYOS We are becoming quite a refuge.
SKYWALKER My Lord, several events have occurred which lead me to believe we are in imminent danger of attack. There is no longer time for discussion and debate. KAYOS What events? SKYWALKER Oxus, our best agent, has disappeared in the galactic capital. There is unusual military traffic in the S-4 sectors. KAYOS Unless you have direct, concrete proof of a pending attack, there is nothing I can do. SKYWALKER By the time we have proof, it may be too late. KAYOS Luke, I'm leaving tonight for AMSEL. I'm meeting with the full assembly first thing in the morning. I am not going to approve the Alliance Treaty, and I will get your defense measure approved. Just be patient. You will have the war code. SKYWALKER Tomorrow may be too late. My Lord, I need the war code now. We must get our forces into space. But it must be done legally, with everyone's approval. Tomorrow you will have that. I doubt the New Galactic Kingdom would attack before receiving our answer. The separation of war powers is the one condition upon which you assumed command of our forces. You're a friend, Luke, and I trust you; but you're also an outlander who controls a great deal of power. I can't forsake my oath any more than you can. Just be patient. You will have the code tomorrow. Captain Montross enters the large chamber and bows before the King. MONTROSS I bring a report to General Skywalker, My Lord. KAYOS You may deliver it. MONTROSS Sir, the asteroid has disappeared from our scopes. There is no trace of it. SKYWALKER Were they able to analyze it? MONTROSS It never came within range, sir. The general rises, quickly followed by Captain Valor. GENERAL Excuse us, My Lord. We'd better get back. I will wait patiently for the approval. The general and Montross exit the chamber. Valor takes one last bite of his dinner, then dashes after his mentor.
20. WAR ROOM - UNDERGROUND FORTRESS - TOWNOWI The general sits rigidly facing the big galactic display board. Several aides and bureaucrats rush to and fro, ignoring the general. He is asleep. Captain Prue approaches the general and snaps to attention. The general's eyes open. SKYWALKER What are the results? PRUE Negative, Sir. SKYWALKER Are you sure? PRUE Absolutely. SKYWALKER It's just not possible. Something that size can't just disappear without a trace. Check it again. PRUE That's the tenth negative, Sir. SKYWALKER I said check it again. Captain Prue retreats to a computer station. The general looks around for Captain Valor. SKYWALKER Valor! Everyone near the general turns, but Valor doesn't show. SKYWALKER Where is that boy? Montross! Montross rushes up to the general and snaps to attention. Page Captain Valor. Montross goes back to his station and a few moments later, Captain Valor is paged over the P.A. system. The general waits, watching the big board. Eventually, Justin stumbles out of an enclosed computer closet, fastening his pants and tucking in his tunic. A moment later, the cute female aide rather sheepishly exits the computer closet. She also is in the process of putting her uniform back together. Justin rushes up to the general and snaps to attention. The general lets him stand there for a moment, not acknow- ledging his presence; then, suddenly without warning and in one masterful flash motion, the general stands, grabs a small baton attached to his belt (which immediately ignites into a four-foot glowing lasersword) and swings at the young warrior's head. In an equally quick movement, Justin ignites his lasersword and blocks the general's blow. Everyone in the war room is surprised and startled. After a moment, they rush to the general. Justin and the general stand motionless for a few moments, with laser- swords locked in mid-air. Finally, the general grins and Justin hesitantly relaxes. They lower their swords and turn them off. SKYWALKER You are trained well, but remember, a Dai must be single-minded, a discipline your father obviously never learned, hence your existence. Clean yourself up. Discipline is essential. Your mind must follow the way of the Nogas. JUSTIN It won't happen again, sir. There are many new.... P.A. General Skywalker, white com. The general moves to a control station and picks up a phone. PHONE VOICE Sir, Captain Oxus has just been admitted to Med Vac. What's his condition? PHONE VOICE No data, sir. SKYWALKER I'm on my way.
Captain Valor waits in an outer chamber as General Skywalker rushes into the Med Vac emergency room where several doctors are working on the prostrate Oxus. SKYWALKER What's his condition? Is he conscious? DOCTOR Partially. He'll be all right - a few bruises, primary exhaustion... Oxus thrashes around in a semi-conscious state. He sees the general. SKYWALKER What happened, boy? What's going on? OXUS (with difficulty) The Royal Starforce is already on its way, not far behind me. They're going to attack. SKYWALKER Are you sure? OXUS I have tapes. A giant space fortress... He struggles to give General Skywalker his ring. As big as our Third Moon? OXUS Bigger. It's unlike anything I've ever seen. Sophisticated deflection systems - works in opposition to the suns. SKYWALKER Then they will show up on our screens at sunrise. They'll attack before that. The general rushes into the outer chamber where Captain Valor is waiting for him. SKYWALKER Take the fastest landspeeder to Chathos. Pick up Princess Zara - and only Princess Zara. Return by way of the Great Reef. Most speed. Valor exits and the general goes to an intercom and pushes several buttons. SKYWALKER Montross! MONTROSS Sir! SKYWALKER Full alert - everything! Get the Royal Family back here. MONTROSS The princess is at Chathos. There are no transports... SKYWALKER I've already sent Captain Valor for her! Contact the King, first priority. He's probably still en route to Amsel. Use the scan com. I'm on my way.
22. WAR ROOM - UNDERGROUND FORTRESS - TOWNOWI The war room is on full alert. Everyone is at attention waiting for the command that will put each of them into action. The general enters a communication center, followed by many aides. Captain Montross and the com aide salute. MONTROSS We're having a problem getting through, sir. There is a great deal of interference. PRUE It could be jamming. SKYWALKER Try a surface link through Amsel. The aides go back to the com-link system to try to get a line through to the King. PRUE We should be able to spot them at sunrise. That's not too far off. SKYWALKER They'll attack with sunrise. Until the King gives us the code to start the war computers, we'll just have to sit tight. PRUE All units are on alert, sir. SKYWALKER (to Montross) Have you made contact yet? (to himself) This is one hell of a way to run a war. PRUE Sir?
A landspeeder roars into a courtyard of the academy at JUSTIN Forget the cases; we've no time. ZARA These are my things. They must... JUSTIN I said forget them, and hurry. ZARA Just who do you think you are? Valor grabs the princess by the arm, and hauls her to the speeder. Mina and the old women run after them. ZARA I will not be treated like this! You bring my things. My father will have your head (etc.) Zara struggles to break away from the young warrior's grasp, as he opens the door of the speeder. JUSTIN Settle down! When the door to the speeder is opened, Mina starts in, and Valor stops her. JUSTIN You must stay. Here, take the crest. Captain Valor rips the royal crest from the princess' neck, and hands it to the startled handmaiden. The old women gasp in horror. The princess starts hitting Captain Valor with little result. Mina's not staying. I'm not leaving her. You can't... Valor punches her square on the jaw and knocks her cold. Mina is panic stricken, one of the old women faints, and another starts for Valor with a large staff. JUSTIN She'll be all right. I'm taking her to safety, as ordered. You will wear the crest and continue as before. The authority of Captain Valor's voice stops the old lady. He places the princess into the speeder, and maneuvers it out of the courtyard. Mina puts on the crest as the speeder races away from the academy.
Queen Breha, Oeta and Puck are escorted into a rest area of the war room. General Skywalker sits rigidly in a chair in the communications area, apparently asleep. MONTROSS We've made contact, sir! The general opens his eyes and takes the intercom mike. KAYOS What is it, General? SKYWALKER The Royal Starforce will attack on the rising of the sun. My agent made it back. I now have proof. I need the war code. KAYOS I'll relay it directly to the computer. Is Breha...? SKYWALKER The Royal Family is safe. Captain Valor has gone after Princess Zara. KAYOS I'm on my way back.
25. RED PLAINS - TOWNOWI The small caravan of four speeders sits motionless on the vast red plains of Townowi. The King returns the intercom to the pilot and takes a small metallic card from around his neck and gives it to the co-pilot. KAYOS Send this sub-land, priority one. (to the pilot) Get us back to CALVAS immediately! The four speeders turn around and scream away in the direction from which they came. They pass a huge, ultra- sleek powerplow which is planting green fungus in endless furrows. Two clay-covered farmers riding atop the pon- derous machine watch the speeders disappear over the horizon. The twin suns peek over the distant hillside. and make their way into the vivid green sky. A bright object twinkling in early morning heavens catches the eye of the older of the two farmers and he brings the machine to a lumbering halt. The younger farmer also notices the object and stares into the green sky, shading his eyes to get a better view. Suddenly there is a huge, bright atomic flash on the horizon. A few moments later, a thunderous shaking, followed by high winds, tumbles the older farmer from his perch. A second flash on the opposite horizon brings another jolting earthquake, and the younger farmer col- lapses, terror frozen on his face.
Chaos - red scramble lights are flashing. Alert horns and attack buzzers create an unbelievable cacophony. Air warriors, with the distinctive circle and cross medallion on their white space suits, scramble out of the low concrete readyroom, grabbing helmets and space- packs as they race out of the door.
Thirty pilots and navigators dash in unison to a line of waiting two-man starships of the destroyer class. Ground crews scurry back and forth, loading last-minute armament and unlocking power couplings. PILOT LEADER, a rugged, handsome boy of twenty, gives his ground crew a signal that his is okay. He has a winning smile and a distinctive scar along the side of his face. His crew chief pats him on the back. Knock them all the way back to Granicus. The canopy is closed and the powerful starship moves onto the runway. Other crewmen say good-bye to their pilots, some grinning and others kidding - all with a great deal of hidden emotion. The din of four dozen retrorockets cuts through the uproar, and fifteen silver spacecraft leave the runway and disappear into the morning cloud cover.
The general stands before a giant display of the Townowian solar system. Montross signals the general. MONTROSS They're away, sir. Fifteen from Gordon, twenty from Amsel. All other spaceports were destroyed. The King hasn't arrived yet. SKYWALKER Keep checking. Put the starship's intercom over the P.A. The general sits at one of the intercom panels and puts on a headphone. A row of monitors is before him. He turns to Montross. SKYWALKER Where are they?
The eerie reddish-yellow planet of Townowi slowly drifts into view from total eclipse. A small, bright speck, orbiting the planet, sparkles in the light of the twin suns. The six deadly starships settle ominously into the foreground, moving swiftly toward the orbiting speck. As the sleek starships move closer, the orbiting speck is revealed to be a gargantuan space fortress. The moon-sized satellite fortress dwarfs the approaching fighters. Every few moments, explosions create blinding flashes on the planet's surface, as the fortress bombards the planet with a fusillade of laser bolts.
30. TOWNOWIAN STARSHIP - INTERIOR Pilot Leader, in the first ship, signals to his navigator who sits in a small, isolated glass bubble to the rear of the craft. General Skywalker is seen on one of many monitors. A view of the space fortress is on another. The rest are filled with various computer readouts and displays. One of the other starships reports to Pilot Leader. DEVIL SIX (intercom) Look at the size of that thing! Hey, Coelo, I hope you remembered to bring your pop gun, 'cause I think we caught us a big one this time. PILOT LEADER Cut off, Devil Six. Stand by. SKYWALKER (monitor) It looks like they're still using the basic quad-tristation configuration. Use a "ranger defense." Concentrate on breath ports and lock areas. PILOT LEADER Affirmative base. Copy and transmit. Devil Two, check your rotation plates. DEVIL TWO Roger, Boss. We're getting a threshhold disturbance on gyro-three. SKYWALKER (monitor) Switch over, Five. Cover it! Devil pack, generate a spread six formation. May the force of others protect you. PILOT Settle in. Devil pack, stand by. Mark five, break off. Here we go!
31. SPACE - TOWNOWIAN STARSHIP Fuel pods are jettisoned. The half-dozen fighters break off into a powerline attack on the huge fortress. Multiple laser bolts streak from the starships, creating small explosions on the complex surface of the fort.
The chaos of battle echoes through the vast corridors of the fortress. Walls buckle and cave in, sucking debris and personnel into the vacuum of outer space. Alarm sirens scream as soldiers scramble to large turbo-powered laser gun emplacements. Sergeants yell orders through the smoke and confusion. Men and robots of various shapes and sizes run to their battle stations.
The monitors with pictures from the starships suddenly go blank. Technicians check channels as others in the war room silently listen to the action over the intercom. The general remains calm but concerned. PILOT LEADER (intercom) Tighten it up, Devil Two. Tighten it up. Watch those towers. DEVIL TWO Heavy fire, Boss, twenty-three degrees. PILOT LEADER I see it. Pull in. We're picking up some interference. DEVIL SIX Wow! I've never seen such fire power. PILOT LEADER Pull in, Devil Two. Pull in! DEVIL TWO I'm all right, Boss. I've got a target. DEVIL SIX There's too much action. Get out! Break off...acknowledge. Devil Six, can you see Devil Two? DEVIL SIX I've lost him. There's a very heavy fire zone on this side. My radar's jammed. DEVIL FIVE He's gone....No, wait. There he is. Fin damage, but he's all right. A sigh of relief sweeps across the war room. The monitors flash on, then off again. DEVIL FOUR (intercom) Watch your back, Boss! Watch your back!!
The speedy little fighters dart back and forth across the soft underbelly of the fortress, leaving a trail of des- truction behind them. PILOT LEADER Converge on south axis point, point three nine four. It appears accessible. I'm going to map the surface. Devil Four, cover me. Pilot Leader and Devil Four dive in unison through a forest of radar domes, antennae, and gun towers. Devil Four fires into the protrusions as the two starships criss-cross the surface of the fortress. Suddenly, a dense barrage of laserfire erupts from a tower, catching Devil Four broadside. The spacecraft bursts into a million flaming pieces. Pilot Leader reacts to the loss of his wing man, but continues on his mission. 35. SUB-HALLWAY - ROYAL SPACE FORTRESS Constant explosions rock the interior of the fortress. Civilians, including women and children, scurry for safety in the panic-ridden hallways. Two construction robots, A-2 and C-3, are blown, slipping and sliding across the hallway floor into some freight canisters. Both robots C-3 This is madness. We're going to be destroyed. I'm still not accustomed to space travel. A-2 The external bombardment does appear to be concentrated in this area. The structure has exceeded the normal stress quotient by point four, although there appears to be no immediate danger. C-3 No immediate danger! You're faulty. This is madness! A-2 gives C-3 a sheepish look and clings to a siderail for dear life, as debris flies through the hallway.
Devil Two, a young hotshot of about sixteen years, miraculously dives his ship through a virtual wall of laserfire, and blasts a huge radar disc into dust. Devil Two signals his navigator, who lets out a whooping cheer as the craft veers into a victory roll. PILOT LEADER Great moves, Devil Two. Re-group at point two, zero one. Coincide, Devil Six. SKYWALKER Devil One, your map projection shows a weak point at south portal: niner point six. Concentrate the attack on that point. Coordinate. PILOT LEADER I see it. It looks good. DEVIL THREE I've got a... We're hit. We're hit! PILOT LEADER Eject...Eject. Babs, Babs, do you read? DEVIL THREE I'm okay. I can hold it. Clear me a little, Devil Five. Watch it! Watch it! Devil Three wobbles a little, then drops away sharply, plowing into a lasergun emplacement, causing a hideous series of chain reaction explosions.
A huge explosion rips a large hole in the ceiling of a subhallway. A-2 and C-3 are in a state of shock as they scramble through the rubble. There is a constant sound of creaking and snapping as the sections of the hallway resettle in the fortress superstructure. A-2 You're a mindless, useless philosopher. Come on! Let's go back to work; the system is all right. C-3 You overweight glob of grease. Quit following me. Get away! Get away! Suddenly, the hallway lurches, and a dead trooper falls through a gaping hole in the ceiling. The foot of a carcass is caught in the rubble and it hangs upside down, staring at the two robots. A-2 grabs C-3 and they cling to each other in terror. A-2 We're lost. We're destroyed.
The five troopers race through several hallways, and finally stop in front of an important-looking office complex. Two officers dismount and enter the complex. They pass through several heavily guarded doorways until they reach the main chamber. Seated behind a large cluttered desk, surrounded by generals and attaches, is Governor Horus. General Vader paces in front of a row of blank monitors. The two officers salute General Vader. FIRST OFFICER All com-link power is out. Twenty-two transformer sections have been destroyed. The situation is grave on all southern levels. Com-link communication should be repaired shortly. The officers salute, turn and leave the chamber. The general turns to Governor Horus, who looks a little worried. VADER Don't look so worried. Not even a Dai could penetrate this fortress. We've already wiped out most of their forces. HORUS If it goes on too long, we'll run over budget. When do the landings begin? VADER As soon as the attack has been broken: not long. A short, stocky attache salutes the general. ATTACHE Contamination has set in on quadrants B-5 and R-4. All sections are sealed. We've lost two major power stations in the southern quadrants. That puts section 5-1 in serious trouble. The general turns away in controlled anger and embarrassment.
The general sits in a glass-enclosed computer station, watching the battle progress on several monitors. An officer enters and salutes the general. OFFICER Analysis reports those ZQ configurations are definitely power transformers. Everything in the southern sectors of the fortress is out. SKYWALKER I'm surprised they are still using external power units. It's a definite weak point. Concentrate on searching for the main crosslink transformer. The officer exits as Montross rushes in. MONTROSS The senate has voted to end the war. SKYWALKER They can't do anything without the King's approval, which gives us a little time. Have you been able to regain contact with the King? MONTROSS No, sir. All ground communications are jammed. SKYWALKER Send four men from third squad to meet the King and escort him back. Let me know before he arrives. Is Captain Valor back with the princess? MONTROSS No, sir. They're long overdue. Pilot Leader checks in over the intercom. PILOT LEADER All right, base one, we're in position. An officer with headphones looks to the general. He signals to attack.
All four starships dive in formation toward a main transformer area flanked by several solar towers. PILOT LEADER Hold your fire until we're within point zero five four. Make it count. Several ack-ack lasers begin to open fire on the approaching spacecraft. The starships direct their fire at a large black transformer which when hit spurts bright blue and white electrical arcs. One of the starships (Devil Five) explodes and careens out of formation, leaving an erratic trail of smoke, before eventually crashing into a solar panel.
The impact of the exploding starship can be felt throughout the giant fortress. The tall gleaming C-3 races through several corridors, yelling at A-2, who struggles vainly to keep pace with his stubby mechanical feet. C-3 I don't care what you do, but I'm getting out. All the power's out. Those explosions are coming from the reactor section. This is the end. Abandon ship!
Our work - we can't leave! It's desertion. It's not possible. It's not possible. C-3 Your programming is so limited. My first order is preservation. You stay. I'm going to eject before the whole thing goes up. C-3 breaks open the seal on an emergency lifepod. A red warning light begins to flash, and a low hum is heard. The lanky chrome android works his way into the cramped four-man craft. A-2 These lifepods aren't for us. It's not right! A new explosion, this time very close, sends dust and debris through the narrow passageway. Flames lick at the two robots. The runt-sized A-2 jumps into the lifepod. A-2 It's the end. Eject. Eject. The safety door snaps shut, and the pod ejects from the fortress.
The terrified androids in the lifepod speed away from the fortress and pass the attacking starships. DEVIL TWO Object approaching. Attack bearing. DEVIL FOUR It's a lifepod. Forget it. We've got... Devil Four is hit by lazerfire, and disintegrates, leaving a trail of flaming particles. The two remaining craft continue the assault. Devil Two and Pilot Leader watch the remains of Devil Four disappear. The general appears over one of the monitors. Analysis indicates transformer code zero three is the main relay. Hit it, and the whole thing goes dead. PILOT LEADER We're on our way.
A row of monitors and the main overhead lights go on, and a trooper appears on one of the screens. TROOPER Internal relays operative. All power restored. All contaminated areas sealed. An officer appears on another monitor. OFFICER Only two enemy craft remain operative. We calculate victory by zero three hundred. General Vader switches to another monitor. VADER Alert the invasion forces. (turning to the governor) The planet is ours. A three-hour war. You expected longer. Dai or not, we've beaten him, and the culture is intact. HORUS A truly great prize for the kingdom. They have a treasure of biotic science. Genetics, cloning - they've added two hundred years to a lifespan. Remember, you must capture at least one member of the Royal Family alive. The Townowi family has ruled this system for ten thousand years. The people will follow no other. If the royal line is broken, there is a good chance the entire population will destroy themselves and their knowledge before submitting to our rule. OFFICER (on monitor) We've received a message from the planet.
General Skywalker watches a giant computer display of the space fortress mapped by the starships. An aide approaches. AIDE Sir! The King's convoy has destroyed at Caldin. All the bodies were contaminated. SKYWALKER I will audience with the Queen. Who knows of this? AIDE Many. It came through civilian sources. SKYWALKER Confine Senator Sandage to his quarters. Use any pretext. Where is the senator now? Sandage and several other senators enter the computer station. SANDAGE Right here, General. It's over. We've already relayed peace terms to the kingdom, and they've been accepted. Your war has ended. The general is angry and stands pointing at the senators. They jump back, as if the general were pointing a gun at them. SKYWALKER Senator, this war isn't over. It's just begun. I take my commands from the Royal Family. The Queen concurs.
I have her written decree. It is to be SKYWALKER Not likely. SANDAGE Treason? Revolution? The people won't follow you, General, nor will your troops. I suggest you follow your orders. General Skywalker stands angrily pondering the situation. Sandage and the other senators are tense, a little afraid that he might cut them down on the spot. SANDAGE Well, General?
The reddish-yellow mass of Townowi seems to engulf the tiny lifepod containing the two fleeing androids, as it descends into the greenish atmosphere. A-2 It's desertion. They'll destroy us. How could this happen? C-3 That's funny. The damage doesn't look as bad from out here.
Pilot Leader and Devil Two make a second dive on the now smoldering transformer area. All firing from the fortress suddenly stops. Pilot Leader looks back to his navigator, who is equally puzzled. The two fighters continue to attack the now silent fortress. DEVIL TWO I don't get it. What do you think, Boss? SKYWALKER (with difficulty) Base one to Devil Leader, scramble code niner. Break your attack and return to base. Repeat, break your attack. Confirm. PILOT LEADER They're hurt, sir, but they still have power. We should finish... SKYWALKER Break off. The war is over. Run on white lights. Get back here, Mace. We're going to need you. PILOT LEADER Confirmed base one. We're on our way. Did you copy, Devil Two? DEVIL TWO Roger, Boss. The two starfighters break off the attack and start back toward the planet. Without warning, the fort directs concentrated fire at the two starfighters. Devil Two instantly bursts into flames, then disintegrates. Pilot Leader's tail section is hit, and the ship pinwheels toward the planet. Blood covers Pilot Leader's immobile face. PILOT LEADER'S NAVIGATOR We're under fire. They're still shooting. I thought it was over. We're hit! We're hit! Pilot is dead.... Ejecting. The dead Pilot Leader is jettisoned free of the craft, but the navigator's eject panel is dead. He struggles with it, then bangs on the canopy to no avail. The navigator is still trapped in the craft when it explodes, leaving only a puff of pink smoke reflected in the rim light of the planet.
Pilot Leader's dead body drifts toward his arid mother-
General Skywalker sits alone, meditating in the deserted war room. Montross approaches the contemplative general. MONTROSS No sign of Captain Valor or the princess. There was much damage in that area. The Queen will see you at ten hundred. The general doesn't reply.
General Vader stands behind a row of men at computer control panels overlooking a huge assembly of troop, tanks, and transports. A commander reports to the general. COMMANDER All enemy craft destroyed. First and fifth division troops and equipment standing by. The general gives a sly smile of approval and takes a microphone from one of the computer technicians. He speaks to the troops and pilots waiting in their huge war machines for the invasion order. VADER The war is won. With the conquering of this system, we have ushered in a new millennium for the New Galactic Kingdom which will echo throughout the universe. Our reward is the knowledge this system possesses. This planet must be controlled with a minimum of force, but you must not think lightly of this enemy. They have exacted a heavy toll. Today you will make the kingdom complete. Do so with pride and care. VADER Let the invasion begin.
KUROLAND, or "No-Man's Land," where the rugged desert mesas meet the foreboding dune sea. The two helpless astro robots kick up clouds of dust as they clumsily work their way across the desert coastline. The short A-2 struggles desperately to keep up with the long-legged C-3. A-2 It's not possible. We're not built for this. You're nothing more than a dim-witted, emotion brained intellectual. Why you were created is beyond my logic systems. Thanks to you, we're now deserters, and will probably be destroyed on sight. And on top of that, you're going the wrong way! All this filth is getting... The towering C-3 stops short and turns on the blabbering mechanical runt. C-3 I've had enough of you, you pragmatic, nearsighted scrap pile. You go your own way. He picks up the tiny robot and tosses him several feet into a large sand dune. C-3 starts off in the direction of the dune sea. A-2 struggles to his feet and shakes a metallic claw arm at his disappearing ex-partner. A-2 You'll be malfunctioning within a day. You're going the wrong way, but your way is always the wrong way. C-3 stops and yells to the smaller android. And don't let me catch you following me, begging for help, because you won't get it from me. A-2's reply is a rather rude sound, which only an electronic person could make. He turns and trudges off in the opposite direction into the rocky desert mesas.
C-3, hot and tired, struggles up over the ridge of the dune, only to find more dunes, which seem to go on for endless miles. He looks back in the direction he came. C-3 You little malfunctioning twerp. This is all your fault. You tricked me into going this way, but you'll do no better! He sits in a huff of anger and frustration, knocking the sand from his joints.
A-2 stumbles through a narrow canyon until he climbs over a small boulder and sees before him a sight he first thinks is a mirage. Nestled in a rock formation is a deserted landspeeder. Once the little robot is convinced that he is alone, he approaches the battered speeder and begins to analyze it. He climbs into the pilot's seat and attempts to start the unfamiliar transport. He hears a sound and stops for a moment. He sees nothing, so he continues to fiddle with the control panel until the speeder lurches forward with a start, banging into a large rock. The stubby android is shaken, but neither he nor the speeder seems to be damaged. Shivers run down A-2's metal spine, and again he has an eerie feeling that he is being watched. He slowly looks around and sees a large man, Captain Valor, standing directly behind him. He is startled, then terrified. JUSTIN Where is your master? The little robot clicks and rattles, but doesn't speak. Can't you speak? How do you relate your data? You're of Karollian manufacture. You should be able to talk. Are you damaged? Valor pokes at the machine but doesn't see any damage. A-2 eyes him suspiciously. The robot turns with a start and discovers a young girl, Princess Zara, has been standing next to him for some time. PRINCESS (sarcastically) Well, General, who's your friend? JUSTIN I don't know. He doesn't seem to be able to talk. Damaged, probably... Jettisoned from a damaged ship... PRINCESS What do you intend to do with it? JUSTIN We'll take it with us. Could be a storehouse of valuable information. Justin guides the android into the small luggage area behind the front seat, then hops into the driver's seat. PRINCESS I don't want to ride with that thing. I order you to destroy it immediately. JUSTIN Get in! We've got to hurry if we're going to get across the "dunehedge" by nightfall. You're coming, one way or the other. Will you join us peaceably? The princess reluctantly gets into the speeder, and it starts with a jolt.
53. LANDSPEEDER - DESERT MESAS - TOWNOWI The speeder flies along, a foot or so above the landscape. PRINCESS You are such a barbarian. I'll have my father cut you into little pieces when we get back...and I'll take pleasure in feeding you to the Gonthas, a little bit each day. I may save your eyes though. I'll have them petrified and made into a necklace. JUSTIN Your sweetness is only surpassed by your beauty. Just try to remember, I'm only following orders. PRINCESS To beat and abuse me? JUSTIN I'm afraid I've only learned one way to treat wild animals. A-2 thrashes about, trying to relieve the pressure on his cramped legs. PRINCESS You stay out of this.
C-3 struggles to the top of a large dune. He is dirty and hot. His plight seems hopeless. He searches the horizon for any sign of life. A glint of reflected light in the distance reveals an object speeding toward him. The chrome android waves frantically and yells at the approaching speeder. The sleek landspeeder races past him about a hundred yards away. He runs after it, screaming in desperation, until he stumbles and falls head over heels down an enormous sand dune. Silently, the speeder sweeps around in a circle and stops behind the immobile robot. Valor jumps out of the speeder and is quickly followed by A-2. We're in a hurry, remember! If you're going to stop for every unfortunate along the way, we'll never get back. We're lucky you got the speeder running as it is. A-2 waddles up to his fallen partner and starts pulling on his leg, then runs up and starts pulling on his arm. A-2 Function! Function! It's me. Come on, function. VALOR Well, my little friend, you've found your tongue. A-2 We must help him. We've been lost. VALOR Where did you come from? The little robot runs around his fallen partner giving him small electric charges from his claw hand. C-3 shudders from head to toe, then regains consciousness. C-3 What happened? A-2 You're overheated. VALOR Where did you come from? A-2 We were jettisoned from six twenty-nine P.R. one. VALOR I'm unfamiliar with that ship. What type is it? It's a class M station, not a conventional craft. C-3 then stands and shakes the young Dai's hand. C-3 I'm C-3, Human-Cyborg Relations. Your kindness is greatly appreciated. Captain valor and the two robots walk back to the speeder.
Both A-2 and C-3 are stuffed into the tiny luggage compartment. It is late in the day when the speeder rumbles to a stop in a small desert canyon surrounded by steep cliffs and broken boulders. JUSTIN We'll rest here. C-3 At last. The transport is welcome but my joints are frozen. Everyone climbs out of the low-slung speeder. Valor watches the two androids as they stretch their mechanical limbs. A-2 I've got a bad case of dust contamination. I can barely move. C-3 What a foresaken place this is. We seem to be made to suffer. It's our lot in life. Sir, could you tell...? C-3 turns and notices that Valor and the princess have disappeared. He looks all around. C-3 Where did they go? They've disappeared. Maybe they were attacked. I sense danger!
Captain Valor and Princess Zara hurry through a maze of large boulders until they reach a sheer rock face. Valor looks around to see if they were followed. Suddenly a large section of the rock slides away revealing a well-lit corridor carved out of the rock. They enter and are greeted by two jubilant guards. Valor gives them some orders and points in the direction of the speeder. The secret rock door silently slides closed.
Captain Valor and the princess are greeted by General Skywalker and Montross. They bow before the princess. PRINCESS (angrily pointing at Valor) General, I want you to do something with this... this barbarian. Where's my father? GENERAL The King is dead, Your Highness. All anger suddenly
drains from the princess. She almost PRINCESS My mother?... and brothers? GENERAL She's here. She's safe, so are your brothers. They're in the main chamber. Zara, now looking more like a frightened young girl than a vindictive princess, runs down the hallway toward the main chamber. She vainly attempts to hold back the tears.
The two puzzled androids sit on the landspeeder, pondering the disappearance of their saviour. Do you suppose we're in danger? A-2 The logic of this environment escapes me. As night begins to fall, and the shadows begin to lengthen, the two robots begin to get a little edgy. The sound of approaching feet startles A-2, and he ducks behind his taller friend. Two guards approach the robots. GUARD You will remain calm, and you will remain here. C-3 Certainly. I'm C-3, Human Cyborg Relations. Your kindness is greatly appreciated. A-2 sits rather suspiciously behind his extroverted friend.
General Skywalker
bows low before Princess Zara. She sits on a raised platform, dressed
in the royal robes of a planetary ruler. The Queen sits off to one side
on a QUEEN The senate has been corrupted. SKYWALKER They cannot rule without your wish. QUEEN I rule by marriage. With the King dead, I am not strong enough to stop them. Zara is now the true Queen. She must be protected. The line must be preserved. I am placing the future of our people in your hands. You must deliver Zara and her brothers to the OPHUCHI System. They will be safe there. General, you must understand. I had no alternative but to condone an end to the hostilities. I deeply believe your campaign could have been successful, but there are things that... SKYWALKER I understand, Your Highness. QUEEN The chrome companies on Ophuchi have offered to supply you with the men and ships necessary to return Zara to the throne. SKYWALKER Can the chrome companies be trusted? QUEEN The price for their cooperation is high. It is waiting for you in Med Center blue. Guard it as you would the princess herself. No-one must know of this mission. There are those among the trusted who would wish us ill. Take only two of your best officers with you, the most loyal. May the force of others be with you. ZARA Mother, you must not stay. QUEEN I am too old for such a journey. The kingdom already controls the spaceport cities. You have a long way to travel. It won't be easy. We will have to travel in disguise. I must have full command. No-one can suspect wealth or royal training. I fear the new Queen will not stand for this. ZARA Do not put words into my mouth. I will stand for what is necessary. The general simply smiles.
The general
walks briskly through an isolated hallway, SKYWALKER How is Captain Oxus' recovery? MONTROSS Very good; he's up and around. SKYWALKER Fine! Have Oxus and...ah, Captain Valor report at zero three hundred. I want two converted transports, agricultural type, and two days' provisions, travel papers, weapons. Contact Han Solo at the Gordon spaceport. I'll talk to him...with speed! Montross turns and rushes down another hallway.
The general enters a stark white waiting area filled with scholarly looking gentlemen. An attendant greets General Skywalker and takes him into a small observation chamber overlooking a large operating theatre. An elderly doctor greets him. DOCTOR Good to see you, General. I'm afraid we're not quite ready yet. Thank God you'll be the one taking them, though.
60. An attendant brings in one of the scholars from the waiting area and places him on a large operating table surrounded by strange looking equipment. An ominous looking clamp is placed on the man's head. SKYWALKER DOCTOR Thirty-three of the greatest scientific minds in our system...A high price for freedom. SKYWALKER Thirty-three scientists! Transporting a group that size, undetected... I don't... DOCTOR Don't worry, General. All you'll be taking are their minds. The doctor moves over to a safe-like cabinet guarded by two attendants. The doctor gingerly picks up a small clear vial filled with gray fluid. It has a label which reads: Faubun, Astro-dynamics. In the background, the scholar on the operating table is undergoing a form of mechanized brain surgery. SKYWALKER "Bloodory's distillation?" DOCTOR Yes. It has been greatly perfected. The brain is condensed into five ounces of fluid. Cloning cell samples are included so that a structural duplicate of the scientist can be reproduced. When the duplicate child reaches the age of six, he or she begins a series of injections of the brain fluid. By the age of ten years, they have received all the knowledge and memory of an experienced scientist: an old mind in a young body. We have prepared a special shock belt to carry the vials.
61. In the background, the limp body of the scholar on the operating table is removed, and another scientist is escorted into the operating threatre. Dr. Bloodory, a portly doctor in his forties, enters the room and shakes hands with the general. DOCTOR General, this is Dr. Bloodory. He'll be making the trip with you. BLOODORY It's an honor to meet you, General. I'm sure I couldn't be in safer hands. SKYWALKER The chrome companies are exacting a high price indeed! Politics will be the ruin of us all. BLOODORY Careful. If we could rid ourselves of the politicians, generals would no longer be necessary. DOCTOR We should be ready by zero three hundred. The doctors exit, leaving the general alone to watch the huge machine extract another brain.
Governor Horus, General Vader walk down a boarding ramp to an observation deck overlooking the conquered city of Gordon. They are followed by a number of aides and officers from the royal fleet. Below them, air tanks and other military equipment and supplies are being unloaded. VADER Not much of a planet. Darth, you've done well. Do you think you will have the Royal Family by nightfall? VADER An advance expedition is already on its way to their underground hideaway. They should reach it by nightfall, but only if this Count Sandage can be trusted. HORUS A man hungry for power can always be trusted... to betray those in power. I'm sure his information is correct.
The huge rock face of the canyon opens, and two shabby agricultural landspeeders are pushed into the late afternoon sun. A-2 and C-3 stand on the far side of the canyon with their guards watching in amazement. The general and Captain Valor walk behind the men pushing the landspeeder. SKYWALKER We'll take them with us. They know more about that fortress than any ten men. They will be very useful. JUSTIN Can they be trusted? SKYWALKER Loyalty can't be programmed. They can be trusted never to harm a living creature, and to always give accurate information as they know it, to anyone who asks. You just have to remember not to tell them anything that you don't want to fall into the wrong hands. SKYWALKER Greetings. I'm Luke: Agricultural Engineering. We're going to be travelling together. You're going with us to help set up a hortastation on KANDALAR. C-3 shakes hands with the general. C-3 I'm C-3: Human Cyborg Relations. Your kindness is greatly appreciated. C-3 and the general both look down at A-2. C-3 gives the smaller android a little kick. A-2 A-2: Fusion Repair. SKYWALKER Load them into one of the speeders. Captain Oxus, walking with a slight limp, emerges from the underground fortress with the Royal Family. A small group of guards and aides are lined up, standing at attention. The two young princes, Oeta and Puck, hug and kiss their mother good-bye, then jump into the back of the larger four-man speeder. The princess bows before her mother, then embraces her. Tears roll down her cheeks. Her mother wipes them away. QUEEN You must learn strength. The princess turns and moves to the larger speeder where she is helped aboard by Captain Valor. PRINCESS (fuming) I don't need your help, thank you. She gives the general an angry look. SKYWALKER I'm afraid he's necessary. SANDAGE Where are you going? What is this? In one quick movement the general moves between Sandage and the Queen. Oxus and Valor assume defensive positions in front of the princess and her brothers. QUEEN Zara and the boys are being taken to safety. It is my wish. SANDAGE The King has assured their safety. They must stay. QUEEN It is not my wish.... SANDAGE General, you've gone too far this time. (to the troops) Arrest him. Five troops start to move on the general, as Sandage draws his lazerpistol. Before anyone can complete his action, the general ignites his lazersword and cuts the senator in two. He drops to the ground in a heap, and the approaching troops stop in their tracks. QUEEN Stop this! The general, Valor, and Oxus replace their swords, and bow low to the Queen. All of the troops, senators, and aides do the same. The formalness of the occasion is broken when the Queen embraces the general. She then turns and embraces each of the captains. They are both flustered, and somewhat embarrassed.
May the force of others be with you.
The two speeders edge their way onto a bluff overlooking the hidden fortress canyon. They stop for one last reflective moment. Forced to leave their closest friends and relatives, the group is deeply moved. The two robots, for the most part, are puzzled. Suddenly, there is a huge atomic flash, followed by a loud rumble, and the entire canyon collapses into a large crater. The group quietly watches the dust settle. The hidden fortress and all its inhabitants have been destroyed. The general watches the princess, who appears to take it well. SKYWALKER It was the only way we could be safe from treachery.
The two sleek landspeeders glide effortlessly through the vast hills and valleys of the dune sea. At the base of the towering ridge, the four-man speeder stops. The smaller speeders, with Valor and the two robots, makes its way to the top of the ridge. Captain Valor stops the speeder just short of the top of the ridge. He gets out and continues the rest of the way on foot. The young captain peeks over the ridge into the canyon below. Muted sounds and large dust clouds rise from the canyon floor. Valor immediately ducks back behind the ridge with an amazed look on his face. He quickly returns to the speeder and picks up the intercom. JUSTIN Sir, you'd better take a look at this. But come easy. The four-man speeder starts with a crack and slowly moves up the side of the imposing dune. It stops next to the smaller speeder. The general and Oxus get out and make their way to the top of the ridge where they join Valor. Far in the distance, crossing the endless dune sea, is the royal invasion army. It is immense. A convoy of giant tanks, troop carriers, and supply ships stretch from horizon to horizon. Cavalry, mounted on giant dunebirds ride the line from one end of the convoy to the other. Hundreds of troops ride one-man jetsticks in precision SKYWALKER They're coming from the spaceport at Anchorhead, which means they control everything between here and the spaceport at Gordon. JUSTIN Can we go around them? SKYWALKER No. We'll have to wait for them to pass. Captain Valor, see if you can monitor any of their communications on the comlink in the big speeder. Valor returns to the speeder. He collapses in the large speeder next to the princess and flips on the com-link radio, moving back and forth across the dial. PRINCESS Must you do that? Valor smiles rather sarcastically. JUSTIN Orders... The invasion force has cut us off. We'll probably be here for some time. You ought to stretch a bit. PRINCESS Is that a command, General? Maybe I feel like watching after my brothers. Valor looks back at the two sleeping boys. JUSTIN They're not going anywhere. They're asleep. PRINCESS I want to stay with them.
66. LIBRARY - PALACE OF LITE - TOWNOWI The King's old library has been converted into an office for General Vader. He is sitting behind his desk as Captain Dodona of the Lettow legions enters and salutes. The legionnaire is dressed in the fascist black and chrome uniform of the legendary Lettow One Hundred. The general returns his salute. VADER Welcome, Captain Dodona. Your exploits are legendary. I have long waited to meet you. If there is any way I can assist you, my entire command is at your bidding. DODONA I want a tie-in to your computer network, a control center, and communication access. VADER Right away! I'll also transfer all information we have on the general. His command post was destroyed, but we believe he is still alive. Do you really believe he's a Dai? DODONA If he was not a Dai I wouldn't be here.
The speeders make their way across the gray desert. It is dawn. The twin suns have yet to rise in the green sky. The speeders are coated with dust and grime, indicating that they have travelled far. The two captains drive through the night as everyone else sleeps. Valor calls Oxus on the intercom. JUSTIN How are your fuel packs? I'm reading minus four. OXUS I'm too low to transfer any. SKYWALKER There is a fuel station fourteen degrees by two meters. The occupation force should have control of it by now, so hide your weapons, but keep them within reach.
A series of low concrete structures rise out of the desert. The speeders stop in front of an old weather-beaten block house. The rusted hulk of a landspeeder lies half-buried to one side of the building. Valor and Oxus jump out of the speeder and go into the block house.
The two young captains, dressed as farmers, enter the dingy little fuel station. It is quiet. A few power packs line the walls and a dismantled speeder rests in the repair bay. There is a sharp dripping sound coming from the speeder. It appears that no-one is there. JUSTIN Greetings! Who's in charge here? They look around the deserted station, but find no attendant. An eerie quiet pervades the building. OXUS I don't get it. JUSTIN You don't have to. It's abandoned. Oxus opens a door leading to a storage area, and stops short. OXUS Not quite abandoned. Valor moves to the doorway and sees the attendant, his wife, and small daughter hanging upside down, tortured to death. Oxus cuts them down. They shouldn't have resisted. Valor grabs two power packs from the shelf. JUSTIN Help me with these power packs. We'd better move out of here. Oxus covers the family with an old work tarp. He bows to the dead, then reluctantly grabs a couple of power packs and they start for the door. Oxus stops for a moment. OXUS Hear that? Someone's here. (yelling) We're friends. Show yourself. Silence. Oxus shrugs his shoulders and they start out the door, only to run straight into a burly stormtrooper. STORMTROOPER Get out of here!
Oxus and Valor are pulled out of the doorway and shoved into the center of a group of fifteen or twenty royal stormtroopers who have surrounded the two speeders. Several troops have pulled General Skywalker out of the speeder. He acts senile, like a man twice his age. SKYWALKER I'm all right. I can still move about by myself. A rough looking sergeant grabs Captain Oxus. SERGEANT What are you doing here? OXUS We're out of power, sir. SERGEANT Let me see your passes! I have it here, somewhere. We've been relocated to a hortastation, by royal order... Oxus fumbles to retrieve something from his pocket, and eventually pulls out a small round disc. The sergeant puts the disc in a small portable reader. Various computer readouts are displayed on the monitor. Valor starts to put a power pack into one of the speeders. SERGEANT What are you
doing there? All SKYWALKER We've run out. We must have power, or be forced to stay here and become your responsibilities. The sergeant thinks about this for a moment as the old wise general watches him. Tension fills the air. Valor shuffles around to a position where he can reach his weapon. A trooper hands the sergeant a message. SERGEANT (to Oxus) Take only two of those power packs and then move out quickly. The sergeant hurries to a military craft, where he takes a call on an intercom. General Skywalker and his two young captains load the remaining power packs into the speeder and roar away from the station.
The speeders race along through the rocky desert wasteland. The general speaks into the intercom to Valor. SKYWALKER Keep a close watch. If that sergeant runs an analysis on those passes we might be seeing him again. We should be safely inside Gordon within the day. Everyone is
in good spirits. The princess and her young A-2 Oilar doesn't seem to help at all. C-3 It's all this filth and dust. This environment is murderous. Valor notices a small speck on the horizon. JUSTIN (into intercom) Object approaching, bearing three point two. The general looks through an electrotelescope mounted in the speeder. He spots a distant row of troopers riding strange dune birds. SKYWALKER (to Justin) It's a patrol. It could mean trouble. We'd better split up. You stay on a direct course. We'll meet you at the western edge of ravine 23-64. Stay in contact. The larger speeder makes a sharp left turn, speeding off across a deep ravine. Valor can begin to distinguish the approaching troopers. JUSTIN It looks like there are ten of them. They're heading right for me. Wait a second. They've disappeared. I've lost them. SKYWALKER Continue on ahead.
Oxus deftly maneuvers the bulky speeder through a narrow boulder-strewn ravine. They eventually come out on a dry lake bed, where they stop. Standing not more than a hundred feet away, apparantly waiting for the speeder, are five royal troops on their dune birds. We've found them, five of them, anyway. Watch yourself. The troops slowly ride their huge birds over to the speeder and dismount. The officer in charge is a vicious looking warrior with a large scar across his face. OFFICER Let me see your passes. Oxus hands him the small pass disc, and he places it in his reader. He studies the computer readout for a few moments and then returns the disc to Oxus. OFFICER Have you seen any other transports in this area? SKYWALKER We saw two heading south. Going towards Ansel, looked like to me. OFFICER All right. Be on your way. The officer mounts his dune bird, and the patrol moves away. Oxus winks at the princess and smiles at the general, as the speeder starts off across the dry lake. The general fiddles with the intercom. SKYWALKER Captain Valor, are you clear? JUSTIN I have five troopers approaching. Any problem your end? SKYWALKER We came through all right. You shouldn't have any trouble, but stay alert. JUSTIN Best wishes! Here they come. PRINCESS Do you think he'll be all right? SKYWALKER He can take care of himself. Oeta is looking out the back window of the speeder. OETA Hey look! They're coming back. Everyone looks to see the patrol quickly gaining on them. SKYWALKER Stop! They're faster. Get your weapon. The speeder screeches to a halt in a cloud of dust. The general and his captain jump from the transport with lazeristols drawn. The patrol bears down on them, swords drawn, at full charge. Both the general and Oxus fire. Two of the troopers and their dunebirds explode in a cloud of smoke. The remaining three troopers are upon the duo in a matter of seconds. The general ignites his lazersword and cuts down two of the troops as they pass. The last turns his bird around before reaching the speeder, and hightails it back towards the ravine. The general jumps onto one of the riderless dunebirds and takes off in pursuit. Oxus checks the dead troopers.
The general
rides at breakneck speed after the fleeing
The intercom warning buzzer begins to scream. Oxus rushes for it but the princess gets there first. PRINCESS Are you all right? Two riders heading your way. I got three, but two got away. Watch yourselves!
The general is riding neck and neck with the trooper. He swiftly brings his sword down and the trooper drops from his saddle. The momentum of his charge carries the general around a bend in the ravine and right inTO the path of two more troops charging down on him. The two troopers are taken by surprise. They stop their birds and so does the general. They stand there, about fifty yards apart, sizing up each other. Suddenly, the two troopers start for the Dai warrior at full speed. The general raises his sword and starts for them. The troopers are no match for the general who kills them both before they are even able to swing their swords.
Valor stops near the larger landspeeder and gets out. He is wounded. Blood streams from his left arm. Oxus rushes to help him. The princess shows a great deal ofconcern. OXUS It looks worse than it is. You'll be all right. Oxus motions to the princess, who looks a little relieved. OXUS Bring me the med aid pack. PRINCESS It he was clumsy enough to get hurt, maybe we ought to let him bleed to death. She hands Oxus the kit, as the general rides up and dismounts. He moves to Valor. SKYWALKER You missed two. I know. I couldn't... SKYWALKER Don't let it happen again. We'd better move out. They might have reported in.
The dark and sinister Dodona moves several markers on a large map readout to form a line from the destroyed underground fortress to the spaceport at Gordon. An aide enters with General Vader. AIDE The patrol was lost, sir. All ten of them. DODONA It's to be expected. VADER Have you found them? DODONA They're heading for the spaceport at Gordon. I'm going there. Have all security doubled. Make it an alert.
The speeders stop on a bluff overlooking a small cantina on the outskirts of Gordon. The spaceport can be seen in the distance. The general and Captain Oxus walk over to the smaller speeder. Valor helps the two androids out of their cramped quarters. C-3 Your kindness is greatly appreciated. JUSTIN (to Skywalker) I'm fit enough to... SKYWALKER We'll make contact at zero four hundred. If we're not back by fifty-five forty, get worried. The speeder starts off toward the cantina.
The speeder
pulls up in front of the low blockhouse style cantina. Various strange
forms of transport are parked out- SKYWALKER Take care here. If there is any trouble, get back to the others. The general and Oxus enter the shabby cantina. The murky little den is filled with a startling array of weird and exotic alien creatures, laughing at the bar. At first, the sight is horrifying. One-eyed, thousand-eyed, slimy, furry, scaly armed creatures with tentacles and claws huddle over drinks. The general looks over the patrons, but does not see the contact, Han Solo. A large multiple-eyed creature shoves the general. CREATURE Assha dughi wouldugga? The general tries to ignore the creature and turns back to his drink. A short grubby looking human and an even smaller rodent-like creature join the first creature. HUMAN He doesn't like you. SKYWALKER I understood him. HUMAN I don't like you either.
I'm sorry. The big creature
is getting agitated and yells at the HUMAN Don't insult us. You just watch yourself. We're wanted men. I have the death sentence on twelve systems. SKYWALKER I'll be careful then. HUMAN You'll be dead. The short rodent yells something and everything at the bar moves away. The general assumes a defensive position. His three adversaries ready their weapons. SKYWALKER You insist on a fight then? HUMAN Just try and kill us. SKYWALKER It will hurt a little. HUMAN We aren't cowards. SKYWALKER Then it can't be helped. The general's lazersword sparks to life. An arm lies on the floor. The rodent is cut in two and the large multiple-eyed creature lies doubled, cut from chin to groin. The general with quiet dignity replaces his sword in its sheath. The entire fight has lasted only a matter of seconds. A figure stands in the doorway watching the general. As soon as the general notices him, he leaves. The cantina goes back
General Skywalker embraces Han Solo, the underground contact. Han is a huge green skinned monster with no nose and large gills. HAN You old stardog. Took a war to get you out here... Oxus arrives with Captain Valor, the princess, and her brothers, and the two puzzled androids.
It's been too long. We've been through much together. It will be good to have you out of retirement and back at my side. How is General Valor? (putting his arm around the young Captain Valor) This is his son. HAN You're all the old boy will talk about. He's still holding up. Come, let's get off the street. The group enters a small doorway at the far end of the alleyway. On the main street, within view of the doorway, giant royal airtanks and other military hardware rumble through the city. Starving refugees sit in the gutter watching the immense display of force with a mixture of awe and terror. The princess stops for a moment and stares at her people, watching the might of the kingdom. The general escorts her through the doorway with the others.
The seedy dwelling is dark and dingy. The group is greeted by three underground leaders, and the old Dai, Akira Valor. Justin embraces his father as the underground leaders bow before the princess.
The princess walks through the dining area, followed by Oxus and Valor, who carry the two sleeping princes. The general SKYWALKER (to Oxus) Captain, why don't you take the androids into the other room for a game of chess? I'm sure they'd enjoy it. C-3 A wonderful idea. Your kindness is greatly appreciated. Oxus escorts the two robots into the next room. DATOS, a thin wizened old man, seems greatly relieved. DATOS You're taking a great risk travelling with them. This whole operation sounds bad to me. I don't trust the chrome companies. Time is growing short. The King's attempts at control have already caused a great deal of suffering to our people. OCCO, a brash
young rebel about the same age as Captain OCCO It must happen now! We are ready. Each day the royal S.B.T. finds and destroys a few more in the organization. We cannot wait any longer. SKYWALKER Any uprising without a coordinated attack on the death star is out of the question. HAN He's right. As long as it's operational, any action down here would be meaningless. We must proceed as planned. Are the arrangements secure? QUIST, the third member of the underground, sparks to life QUIST All passenger transport has been suspended, so we've arranged for you to travel as the crew of a Baltarian freighter. The boys will have to be placed in suspended animation and hidden in shielded micropacks. It's the only way we will be able to get them past the scanners. DATOS Were you able to aquire the necessary power packs? QUIST It's become a serious problem. All power supplies have been restricted. S-4 units are impossible to come by. HAN I know an agent who might be able to acquire them for us. I'll check with him. It will be risky, but we've no other choice.
The dark figure of Dodona stands overlooking a group of Townowi partisans who are being tortured in the plaza below. Two royal officers are finishing a report to the evil legionnaire. They salute smartly, then leave the observation balcony passing KURO, one of General Vader's aides, who approaches Dodona and bows low before him. Kuro and the legionnaire carry on an animated conversation; it is inaudible over the screams of the tortured partisans.
Residents glance fearfully from their windows as six royal stormtroopers make their way through the crowded slum alleyway. Han Solo and Captain Valor move cautiously past the royal patrol and disappear into the shabby hideout of the partisan underground.
85. SLUM DWELLING - MAIN AREA - TOWNOWI The two men enter the dingy main room of the slum dwelling and are immediately attacked by Oeta, wielding a toy sword. Valor good-naturedly fends off the young prince as Han, in a more serious mood, goes into the other room. A-2 and C-3 are helping Puck put together a block-like puzzle. Princess Zara comes in to see what all the commotion is about, just as the young captain grabs Oeta by the foot and holds him upside-down. Valor and Oeta are laughing uproariously. Zara gives the captain a stern disapproving look, then returns to the other room.
General Skywalker, Captain Oxus, and Datos are in the process of assembling two micropacks on the kitchen table. Han pulls a small silver powerpack from his pocket, and places it on the table. The old Dai, Akira Valor, reaches over with his one good arm and takes it. He inspects it carefully. Princess Zara sits quietly behind the general. HAN We could only get one unit. Their methods are proving to be very effective. Akira places the powerpack back on the table. The pain from those simple movements shows on his face. AKIRA This will work fine. HAN One of the boys will have to stay. DATOS We can't hide him for very long. The risk is too great. Whichever boy doesn't go must be destroyed. The princess is alarmed, and looks to the general for support. He gives her an understanding look.
Not while they're in my charge. Find another way to get him through. There's no other way. We've analyzed every possible alternative. You can't jeopardize the entire... Captain Valor enters the room. HAN We have no time for discussion. The freighters leave at zero three hundred. We must get started. Through a break in the door, Oxus watches A-2 and C-3 play with the two young princes. OXUS What about A-2? Could we lobotomize him and use his energy pack? SKYWALKER They're not compatible. We'd have to completely change the system. HAN It could work. DATOS There isn't enough time. You can't do it. AKIRA You won't have to. My power unit has more than half life. Use it. The withered Dai opens his tunic revealing a metallic chest covered with electrodes. With his one good arm he grabs his chest and rips loose a miniature power unit similar to the one on the table. Everyone is taken by surprise. The general and the young Valor both rush to the side of the dying Dai. The old man turns to his son. AKIRA Trust my judgment, Son. Serve your new teacher well. The Dai's breathing becomes more difficult as he turns to the general. AKIRA (Cont.) An honorable death, my friend. May the force of others be with you. Akira Valor passes on to the other world. Everyone is stunned. The general breaks the moment of silence. SKYWALKER May he be welcomed as a man above men. Take him downstairs. Justin takes his father in his arms and is followed out of the room by Han and Datos. SKYWALKER Prepare the boys! We have little time. Princess Zara and Captain Oxus rush out of the room, as the general places the power units in the micropacks.
Oeta and Puck are not happy about being dragged away from their puzzle. Oxus takes the robots into the sleep area. ZARA Now straighten up, Oeta. Remember, father expects you to follow his ways. We are going on a trip. There will be great danger. You must go to sleep. When you wake, you will be in a strange land, so don't be alarmed. OETA Are you going to sleep too? ZARA I will be looking after you. Now be good boys and stand still. Lift your sleeve.
The limp bodies of the two young princes are carried in by Zara and Captain Oxus. They are carefully squeezed into the hollowed out microcases. Zara pensively watches as the general expertly attaches electrodes to her brother's skull. Han and Datos return from the burial of Akira. The general looks up from his operation. HAN He is at rest. Are the systems working all right? SKYWALKER Full power. Is everything ready? Datos nods yes, as the general closes the case holding Puck. The strain of watching her brothers placed in suspended animation is too great for Zara and she retreats into the main room.
Captain Valor stands brooding near a window overlooking the crowded alleyway. He does not acknowledge Zara's entrance. She walks over to the window and stands next to the young captain. They are very close but do not touch. ZARA I'm sorry. He does not respond. She is moved by his sorrow and starts to touch the side of his face but can't bring herself to do it. Her royal training is too strong to let her show her true affection for Justin. She breaks down and runs from the room. The young Dai continues his meditation.
The spaceport is very crowded. People rush about in a panicked rush as loudspeakers blurt out indiscernible announcements. The Royal Galactic Kingdom is in the process of changing the boarding procedures and the result is chaos. HAN They're changing the boarding procedures. I don't like it. They are swept into a boarding gate and finally reach a security ramp scan station. There are a great number of troops and guards standing around the security area. An officer demands to see their passes and orders. The tension builds as the officer confers with an aide about the passes. The aide speaks quietly into a phone. OFFICER Where are your component receipts? Valor and Oxus hand the officer two additional discs, which are placed in the computer. A few moments later, the readout appears and the group is motioned through the electron scanners. On the other side of the scanner, new computer discs are issued to the group. The group seems slightly relieved as they walk through several hallways leading to where the freighter is docked. Valor moves next to the general. JUSTIN I don't like the feel of this. SKYWALKER Your senses are strong. It's a very small disruption. JUSTIN It's a Lettow legionnaire. SKYWALKER Possibly. Stay alert. Warn the others. The group walks through the docking links and into the Baltarian spacecraft. Several royal guards pass them, and everyone is ready for the suspected trap, but nothing happens.
91. INTERIOR - BALTARIAN FREIGHTER - TOWNOWI The group stops in a narrow electronic passageway near the bridge of the ship. Valor and Oxus unstrap the micropacks containing the two young princes, and check the voltage packs. OXUS Little Oeta is losing power faster than normal. I'd better check it out. SKYWALKER Wait until the situation is secure. Stay here, and keep on your guard. Han! The two young captains grow suspicious of several workmen gathering around the main exit hatch. Han and the general enter the bridge area. Several crewmen sit at elaborate controls and computer stations. SKYWALKER Where is your captain? One of the crewmen directs him to a small chamber above the bridge. Valor and Oxus strap on their micropacks as more workmen converge at the main hatch and begin to close it. The two robots, A-2 and C-3 are confused about what is going on and wear their gear in anticipation of moving.
Han and the general enter the small pilot's chamber and greet the captain, whose face is hidden in the shadows of a computer bank. CAPTAIN Welcome, gentlemen. You must have had a difficult journey. We'll be departing shortly.
CAPTAIN I have been authorized to accept payment for the chrome company cooperation. I assume you've brought it with you. The captain
moves out of the shadows and is revealed to be Dodona. Instantly, both
Han and the general understand the situation. They turn, drawing their
lazerswords in the move and cut down the four royal troopers. The door
to the chamber instantly seals shut. Dodona hasn't made any moves and
remains unusually calm. The two Dai turn DODONA It's over, gentlemen. The chamber is sealed. Don't force me to release the Jai gas. A tone sounds, and Dodona turns to an intercom. INTERCOM Situation secure. Prisoners taken to hold "B"; Twelve casualties... gas was necessary. Han and the general relax and drop their weapons. The door silently opens behind them and six guards enter wearing facemasks. They bind the two Dai with chrome microcuffs. A satisfied smile creeps across Dodona's face. General Skywalker seems unimpressed with the trap. DODONA At last, it's ended. (to guard) Take them to hold "G." I don't want them with the others. Prepare for departure. The troopers escort Han and the general out of the chamber and down several hallways.
Eight troops
march Han and the general into the hold of the ship. They pass near
the main exit where A-2 and C-3 stand deserted, looking lost. C-3 sees
the general pass in C-3 Well, there he is. Come on. SKYWALKER Watch it! Those are cutters. The general grabs one of the dead troopers and tosses him against the cell door. Red rays engulf the body and holds it there. Han then places the card in a slot and the door silently slides open. Valor and Oxus leap for the dead guard, then notice the death ray surrounding him. General Skywalker grabs another body and throws it into the doorway. SKYWALKER Pass between them! Captain Valor squeezes between the slain guards and is untouched by the rays. Oxus and the princess quickly follow, picking up weapons as they leave. JUSTIN They've taken the cases. SKYWALKER Are they aware of the boys? OXUS I don't think so. SKYWALKER Find them. Use your seeker. We'll meet you at the main hatch. Watch yourselves. If an alarm is given, they'll gas the entire ship. Yes, Sir. Oxus and Valor each take a small humming device from their utility belts and head down a narrow hallway. The general, Han, and the princess continue toward the main hatch. A-2 and C-3 have been completely confused by the turn of events. They eventually follow the general toward the exit hatch.
The two young captains reach a storage area of the huge spacecraft. They watch their seekers as they move along a row of electroclosets. They quietly sneak past a group of workmen assembling a large gyrohousing. A second row of micropacks is searched to no avail. OXUS If they were discovered, they would have been sent to a medical station. JUSTIN There are more storage areas on the far side.
Han and the general reach the main hatch, closely followed by Zara and the two robots. Several lights over the hatch flash on and off. The general cuts a camera off the wall with his lazersword. HAN They're going to take off. It's too late. SKYWALKER C-3, come over here! The lanky chrome man approaches the general, who is studying a complex computer control panel next to the hatch. C-3 Yes sir. May I be of service? SKYWALKER Get this hatch open. Counterlock the departure pattern. The robot immediately starts pushing buttons on the panel.
Captain Valor and Oxus reach a second series of electroclosets. A signal appears on the seekers and Valor cuts down the door of one of the small cabinets. Oxus stands guard. Approaching troops are heard in the distance. Valor quickly rummages through the electropacks until he spots the familiar cases containing the two boys. OXUS Troops! Valor straps on one of the backpacks and hands the other to Oxus, as they duck into a narrow passageway. Four troops march through a nearby hallway. After they have passed, the young captain checks to make sure the way is clear, then runs down a hallway toward the main hatch.
As the crew makes the final preparations for the blast off, the main hatch light blinks on. One of the pilots notices the light and begins to check it out. PILOT (into intercom) Is the main hatch secure?
The intercom sparks to life, and the general answers it. SKYWALKER Everything looks secure, but give me a minute to check it out. PILOT All right. Stand by. The general winks to Han, as C-3 continues his attempt to override the hatch computer.
99. HALLWAYS - BALTARIAN FREIGHTER - TOWNOWI Captain Valor and Oxus cautiously move down a long hallway, ever watchful of royal troops. They reach an intersection, carefully check in all directions, then rush down a main hallway. They are about half-way down the hallway, when a squad of royal guards appears at the end of the hallway facing them. The troops start toward the two captains, with lowered lazerrifles. VALOR Here's where it gets tricky. Valor, then Oxus, quickly and smoothly draw their lazerpistols and fire at the troops. A giant explosion destroys the far end of the hallway. A few lazerbolts are returned, but streak harmlessly overhead and explode out of range. The exchange of gunfire lasts only a few moments. When the smoke clears, the troops have been destroyed.
The main hatch slowly begins to slide open, when the rumbling explosion of lazerfire echoes through the hallways. Han looks to the general and they both instantly realize what has happened. Han draws his weapons. The hatch is now fully open. Everyone stands silently watching for the two captains. Alarms start screaming throughout the ship, and the giant hatch slowly begins to close. SKYWALKER Come on. We can't wait. The group reluctantly exit the spacecraft, giving one last look back to their lost friends. The hatch continues to slowly close, as the alarm sirens wail. Suddenly, Valor and Oxus round a corner and head for the ever-closing hatch, battling several royal troopers as they go. Han and the general move up to the hatch and give cover fire. Oxus slips through the shrinking opening, and yells to Valor to hurry. Many more troops bear down on the young Dai as he squeezes through the very slim opening. One of the troops dives after him but is caught and crushed by the emergency hatch.
The general leads the group through various corridors. HAN Once the alarm sounds, the entire spaceport will shut down. SKYWALKER That's the military section. JUSTIN Fighter craft! HAN But it's very heavily guarded. We can't take it with subtlety. Before the general can answer, the acute scream of the spaceport alarm reverberates through the corridors. The general, followed by his two young captains, charge toward the heavily guarded military passageway. Han, with the princess and two robots, follow at a safe distance behind. A guard sees them coming and orders them to stop. Captain Valor and the general fire their lazerpistols and the passageway entrance and the troops disappear in a huge explosion. The group jump over the dead guards and smoking rubble, then run through a series of hallways leading to a starship. They stop just short of an intersection leading to a boarding ramp. Valor peeks around a corner at two guards standing in front of the boarding ramp. JUSTIN Cutters! We'll have to draw them out. A blast might alert the crew. SKYWALKER A-2, Come here. The little robot waddles over to the old Dai. SKYWALKER Move to that intersection and sound the alarm. The mechanical dwarf dutifully marches into the intersection and lets out a high, electronic scream. The guards shut off the deadly laser cutters, and cautiously approach the wailing robot. What is it? What's wrong? With incredible
speed, both guards are dropped by a few SKYWALKER Valor! Oxus! Stand guard. I'll signal at take-off minus thirty. And reverse that cutter!
Han and the general, followed by Zara and the robots, enter the royal starship. They rush through several narrow hallways leading to the bridge. Two crew members leaving a control station stumble into the group and are quickly dispatched by Han. The princess waits with the robots as the general and Han enter the bridge. The two pilots and navigator are taken by surprise and are promptly subdued. Han switches on the intercom and listens. HAN How are we going to get them to open the silo cover? SKYWALKER Send C-3 in here. Dispose of any crewmen left on board.
Valor and Oxus now wear the uniform of the royal guard. Oxus has removed a plate from the cutter machinism and is crossing a few wires. He replaces the cutter plate just as a squad of stormtroopers rushes toward the door. An officer salutes them. OFFICER Have you seen them? JUSTIN No, Sir. OFFICER They're in this section somewhere. I'm doubling all the guards. Stay alert. Two guards take up positions just outside the cutter areas, and the squad moves on to another starship. Valor gives his partner a philosophical look.
The gleaming chrome C-3 sits in the pilot's seat talking on the intercom to a controller. He breaks off his continual drone of take-off instructions to the controller and turns to the general, shaking his head. C-3 They won't buy it. I think they're getting suspicious. Han enters. HAN The crew is taken care of. SKYWALKER Well, they're not going to open the silo cover, so I'm afraid we'll have to take it with us. HAN We're going to sustain considerable damage if we blast off through that cover. SKYWALKER It's a thin shell. There is no choice. (to C-3) Signal the boys.
Warning lights flash and the main hatch to the starfighter slowly begins to close. The two royal stormtroopers yell at Valor and Oxus. STORMTROOPERS Watch it! Don't fire into those cutters! (to Valor) Shut down the cutters! The two captains pretend to be confused and not understand. At the last minute they leap aboard the starship. The hatch slides closed and the boarding ramp drops away. Several more guards arrive and give the troopers a special card, which turns the small cutter warning lights from red to green. The guards rush on to the boarding ramp and are wiped out by the reversed cutters.
They strap themselves into lifepods. C-3 and the general move forward, and the giant ship shudders as it starts to lift off the launch pad. With tense expressions, they all brace for the impact of the silo cover.
The mighty starship
thunders out of the silo, crashing
Royal flight crews rush to their starships. Pilots receive their clearances and several giant silo covers swing away revealing deadly hunter-destroyer spaceships.
Han and the general watch as five hunter-destroyers leave the spaceport at Gordon. SKYWALKER We suffered light damage to a deflector fin. It will take them quite a while to catch up with us now. Tell the boys to get some rest.
Han retreats to the aft section of the ship, where the two captains are checking out the two main lazercannons mounted in large rotating bubble turrets. HAN The old boy says you two should get some rest. You've got some time before they catch up to us. HAN (Cont.) Better store the boys in a lifepod. Secure them well. He heads back toward the bridge, followed by Oxus. Valor carries the two mircropacks to a lifepod and straps them in. He checks Oeta's energy supply. It is low. Zara approaches him. ZARA Couldn't we let them out now? JUSTIN It's better this way. Things are going to get rough. ZARA Will we make it? Is there any hope? Stay with me. I love you. Captain Valor is slightly shocked at this outburst. The princess starts to cry and clings to him for support. JUSTIN No-one is going to die, so stop acting like a child and start behaving like a queen. What is this silly talk of love? You belong to the people of Townowi and my job is to return you to them, nothing more. Now straighten up and get into a lifepod. She's deeply hurt by his callousness. She breaks away from him and runs down a hallway into a lifepod. He is tired and angry at the whole incident.
C-3 guides the starship toward the Ophuchi system. The general watches the computer readout estimate the position of the royal hunter destroyers. C-3 Hostile craft will intercept at thirty plus.
112. AFT SECTION - STARSHIP - SPACE Captain Valor rests in one of the lazercannon pod bays. He is thinking about Zara. Slowly, a smile creeps across his face. He makes a decision, jumps up and hurries down a hallway. He taps on the lifepod bulkhead and Oxus opens the door. Valor is surprised. OXUS What is it? JUSTIN Where is Zara? OXUS She went forward. What's going on with you two? JUSTIN I love her. OXUS You're asking for trouble. She's a queen. Do you know what you're saying? JUSTIN I don't care. I've got to talk ... Oxus just shakes his head, but before Valor can finish his sentence, the ship is rocked by a bombardment of proton torpedoes. The intercom squawks to life. SKYWALKER (over intercom) Get to those guns! Captain Valor and Oxus rush to the lzercannons and jump into the protective suits and helmets.
Han enters the bridge and sits before a fire control center. The general sits in a chair slightly behind and above C-3, directing the robot pilot. SKYWALKER Turn around! Let's face them. SKYWALKER You boys ready?
The captains adjust the lazercannon controls in front of them and check in with the general. SKYWALKER They should be within range in twelve seconds... Captain Valor adjusts his giant laser ack-ack cannon, searching his electronic tracking screen for the hunter destroyer. Oxus is having a problem with one of the rotating mechanisms on the huge gun. He curses, climbs out of the chair, and attempts to fix it. OXUS My vertical rotating circuits are out. The princess straps herself into a small lifepod. Only the slightest hint of concern or worry shows in her face. She listens to her protectors relay instructions as the enemy approach.
The starship
shudders as the hunter destroyers open fire. HAN We're losing deflectors three thirty-one and ten forty-two. SKYWALKER (to C-3) Cut hard to maridian nine zero six. Level to three degrees. (into the intercom) We're coming under one. Wait for my signal.
116. AFT SECTION - STARSHIP - SPACE The constant flashing of deflected lazer bolts reflect in the interior of the lazercannon bubble. Captain Valor rechecks his firing swithces. Oxus adjusts his headphones and lowers a glare reflector. He raps on the power rotation circuits and gives them a little test burst. The pod instantly rotates a few degrees. The large starship heads directly toward the three enemy ships and at the last moment dives under the attacking craft. Valor watches the smaller crafts pass overhead, aching to open fire. He calls Oxus on the intercom. JUSTIN I've got no signal. I'm on target. What's wrong? What is he waiting for? I've got an open shield. The three royal craft are firing incessantly at point blank range. OXUS Wait for the signal. But Captain Valor has a perfect shot and he can't wait. He squeezes the trigger and the giant lazercannon, with a burst of smoke and electrical charge, opens up on the enemy craft. Moments later, the signal lights flash on and Oxus commences firing on the receding hunter-destroyers. Two of the royal craft break off, and prepare for another attack run. The third is hit by a concentrated barrage from the two captains and begins spinning out of control until it finally explodes. Oxus gives the victory wave, which Justin gleefully returns. These moments of triumph are broken by the intercom. SKYWALKER Captain Valor, next run you wait for my signal. We haven't much power to spare on your inaccurate grandstanding! Justin's pride is wounded. He resets his accelerators as the two remaining hunter-destroyers begin a second run.
Han turns to the general. HAN We have a weakened shield on the port turret... SKYWALKER Warn Captain Valor. Get him out of there. (to C-3) Change your heading by point five.
Princess Zara listens to Han warn Valor. HAN Your shield power is down. Abandon that position and seal that section. Report! Captain, do you hear me? Captain?!!! Zara becomes worried that something has happened to Justin. The young captain switches off the intercom system and signals to Oxus that the system has gone dead. Before Oxus can answer, the two hunter-destroyer spacecraft are upon them once again. Lazer bolts flash all around them. The general's signal flashes on, and the captain starts to return the fire. One of the royal fighters concentrates its fire on Valor's weakened gunport. A direct hit blows open a hole in the turret and everything that isn't bolted down is sucked into outer space, including Captain Valor. He bangs against the side of the starship, held only by a weakened lifeline. The princess hears Oxus explain Valor's predicament and rushes back to help him. She is stopped by a pressure locked door leading to the gun emplacement.
The general orders C-3 to swing the spacecraft around and start a new attack. He turns to A-2. SKYWALKER Use the aft port. See what you can do for Valor. A-2 hurriedly waddles out of the bridge. C-3 and Han simultaneously turn to the general. C-3 More craft approaching! It looks like at least six or seven. The general
studies the radar scopes and then checks a SKYWALKER Change course to three point one. C-3 That will head us directly into the path of the Norton Asteroid Belt. HAN That asteroid belt is too dense to pass through. The ship won't make it! SKYWALKER We'll never defeat them in combat. It's our only chance to lose them. C-3 punches in new coordinates and the starship veers away toward the treacherous asteroid belt.
Oxus fires on one of the two hunter-destroyers which is pacing the rebel starship. Captain Valor unsuccessfully tries to pull himself back inside the spacecraft. The enemy craft maneuvers wildly in an attempt to get into a better position to fire on Valor. Oxus blasts away until the royal spacecraft spews forth equipment and personnel, careens off, and eventually explodes. A-2 wobbles along the exterior of the ship until he reaches the stranded captain. He attaches a new lifeline to the young Dai's spacesuit and makes his way back inside the wounded craft. Valor is pulled to safety just as the starship enters the asteroid belt. A barrage of small and large asteroids begins to pelt the ship, causing a great deal of damage. SKYWALKER (over intercom) Secure yourselves. We may have to eject. Abandon the turrets.
The asteroids
hit hard. The ship is buffeted to and fro as the general, Han, and C-3
struggle into their spacesuit- C-3 The ship is breaking up. HAN We're almost clear of the storm. C-3 We'll never make it. Eject. We must eject. The general
watches the computer monitor as the starship HAN We're approaching one of the Forbidden Systems. SKYWALKER We've got to achieve orbit. C-3 We'll never make it. The starship
heads for a small blue-green planet in the
122. AFT SECTION - STARSHIP - SPACE Captain Valor was considerably shaken in the destruction of his lazerturret. He is slightly dazed as Oxus straps him into a lifepod with A-2. OXUS (to A-2) You watch him. Make sure this pod gets off all right. A-2 nods and Oxus moves to the second lifepod and straps himself in next to the princess. ZARA Will he be all right? OXUS I think so. His feelings for you are dangerous. You should discourage him. She is surprised that Valor has any feeling for her but keeps her emotions to herself.
The general is strapped into the lifepod with the two micropacks containing the young princes. Han and C-3 are in the second lifepod. HAN We're in orbit. C-3 We've got to eject now! Those reactors won't hold much longer. This ship's going to end up in a million little pieces and I don't want to be one of them. HAN All lifepod systems are operative. SKYWALKER (into intercom) If you boys are ready back there, we'll get off this bucket. All systems operative. I have the signal. A-2 All systems operative. We have the signal. Han salutes the general and his lifepod jettisons away from the crippled starship. He is quickly followed by the general.
A-2 pushes the
jettison switch but nothing happens. Cap- A-2 (into intercom) We've got a problem. Wait a second. A-2 pushes the switch again and the lifepod blasts off in a cloud of smoke and debris. Oxus also seems to be having a problem. Half the lights on his control panel have gone dead. He struggles to reactivate them. OXUS My power's out! SKYWALKER (over intercom) Is it a faulty switch? OXUS No. The whole bank is out. Oxus gives the princess a reassuring look, then punches some information into the computer. The monitor flashes: "Income line main power." He looks outside the lifepod and sees a damaged cable. OXUS I've found it.
You haven't much time. The auxiliary units have already blown. Oxus scrambles out of the lifepod and rushes over to the severed connector. He works on it for a few moments, then stops with a rather defeated look. The princess watches him as he tries to think of a solution. A great explosion is heard in the forward part of the ship.
The two lifepods containing the general, Han and C-3 drift away from the disabled starship. SKYWALKER Where's Captain Valor? HAN I can't see him either. Captain Valor uses the small rockets on his lifepod to maneuver back toward the burning starship. He can hear the general over the intercom. SKYWALKER Captain Valor, where are you? Report in. Valor reaches down and switches off the intercom.
Oxus appears to have found a solution to his situation and rushes back to the princess. He reaches in and locks on the power switch. OXUS There is only one possible solution and we must use it. Lock the hitch and make sure it is sealed. PRINCESS But what of...? OXUS We've no time! He slams the hatch shut and runs to the power connector. Smoke begins to fill the chamber, as Oxus slams a large metallic dampening tool across the damaged connector terminals, and the lifepod jettisons away.
The princess jettisons free, as Captain Valor moves toward the crippled ship. Zara calls the general on the intercom. ZARA I'm all right, but Clieg is still on board. SKYWALKER Captain Valor, stay out of there. With a rumble,
the starship disappears in a spectacular SKYWALKER Captain Valor, stay near Zara. Use your beacon. Coordinate with us. Valor's intercom is weak and there is a great deal of static. The lifepods drift toward the awesome blue-green Yavin surface. The general loses sight of the other lifepods as they descend through the cloud cover. SKYWALKER Captain, I'm losing your beacon. Send me a new signal. All he gets is static. The planet surface rushes toward the
falling lifepods. Retrorockets automatically kick in and slow the pods. Two of the small craft break through the brown clouds and land in the dense, steaming jungles. The sky is a strange light brown color.
The general's lifepod crashes through the foliage until it comes to rest in the middle of a large vine-covered tree. He grabs the two micropacks and climbs out of the lifepod and onto a large moss-covered limb. Han and C-3 run to the base of the huge tree. HAN Are you all right? SKYWALKER Fine. Any signal
from Captain HAN Nothing yet. I think they landed further south. The general attaches a thin cable from his utility belt to the tree trunk and slides to the ground. Han takes the micropacks from him. The general looks around at the jungle. SKYWALKER This is dangerous country. We'd better stay together. C-3 The wildlife in the Forbidden System is extremely hostile. Perhaps we should seek shelter? Han inspects the power units of the micropacks. HAN Puck's unit is very low. I can't tell if the unit is still functioning. SKYWALKER We have to find a place to revive them. We'll start moving south. We should find protection along that ridge.
Captain Valor's
lifepod is also caught in the limbs of a Captain Valor is a little groggy but he manages to climb out of the wreckage. He looks around for A-2. JUSTIN A-2! A-2! A-2 Help! Valor turns and sees the little robot hanging upside down, one of his three feet caught in a vine. He lifts A-2 out of his predicament and places him securely on a wide limb. JUSTIN Did you see Zara? A-2 She landed on the other side of those trees, approximately eight hundred meters. JUSTIN Well, come on, old buddy. Let's get ourselves out of this tree.
130. VINE JUNGLE RIDGE - YAVIN The general, Han, and C-3 reach a shallow cave near the top of a steep ridge. They quickly pull off the micropacks and place them on a clear piece of ground at the mouth of the cave. SKYWALKER (to Han) Check out the inside. C-3, stand guard. Keep you eye on the countryside. He looks at the power units on the micropacks 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. SKYWALKER Help me with this. Han helps the general lift the top from the case containing Puck, 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 respirator out of the micropacks 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 SKYWALKER We need more power. Tap off Oeta's unit. Quickly! He then places Puck's arms behind his back and starts pressing on his chest with sharp, rhythmic movements. Han attaches new electrodes to the boy's heart. Puck again comes to, choking and coughing. Finally, he begins to cry. The general SKYWALKER Let's get Oeta out of there. He shouldn't be a problem.
Valor slams closed the hatch of Princess Zara's lifepod. In the distance the subhuman cries of lonesome tree beasts cut through the forest murmur. A-2 Perhaps she went in search of us. Valor studies the ground around the capsule. There are a great many footprints and much broken foliage. JUSTIN Someone's got her. She put up quite a fight. It's an easy trail to follow.
Both Oeta and Puck 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. C-3 It's about fourteen degrees below the horizon...a little to the left. The electrobinoculars sweep the rich green landscape until they come to rest on a bright reflection revealing some type of structure. SKYWALKER It's too small to be a military base. Could belong to a trapper. C-3 Highly unusual. It's on the
way. Perhaps we should investigate. OETA Hey! Where are we?
The gargantuan trees are shrouded in mist, and the ominous sounds of unearthly creatures fill the air. Captain Valor moves quietly and cautiously, followed by A-2, who inadvertently makes a loud clicking sound. The young warrior stops and motions to the stubby little robot. JUSTIN Wait here. If I don't return by zero two hundred, come looking for me. The mechanical dwarf acknowledges with his computer light. Valor 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 Jawa's (huge gray 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 each other in a friendly argument. One shirtless creature goes into a crawler and the remaining eight laugh hysterically. Captain Valor 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 the princess held unconscious and half naked over his head. Valor's rage knows no bounds. With a terrifying Dai 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 lazersword and cuts down three of the vile creatures. The shirtless trapper swings the princess over his shoulder and When the smoke clears Valor 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 Jawas. Boma, 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 Boma, who resembles a huge, gray bushbaby with fierce baboon-like fangs, struggles to free his companions. Valor regains semi-consciousness, and attempts to get up, only to groan and collapse back into unconsciousness. The Jawas gather around him and poke him a couple of times to see if he is still alive. They squawk and jabber, apparently in some kind of argument. Finally, Wann, the largest of the Jawas picks up Valor and puts him over his shoulder. The group disappears into the jungle foliage.
Han and C-3 carry the two little boys on their shoulders. The general stops on the edge of a clearing and motions for the others to be still. Oeta turns around and signals his little brother to be quiet. On the opposite side of the clearing, a small metal structure is attaached to one of the huge trees. It is a small, weatherbeaten hut of futuristic design. It appears deserted. The general cautiously approaches the structure. VOICE Howdy stranger. What can I offer you? The general spins around and sees Huu Tho, an aged and scruffy looking anthropologist. THO (Cont.) I'm Huu Tho of Bastine. The general takes the old man's extended hand. I'm Luke Skywalker of Townowi. He signals for the others to join him in the clearing.
The small caravan of Jawas, led by Boma, enters a small clearing surrounded by many bark and mud hovels. Young Jawas race ahead of the group, yelling and running in and out of the grubby little dwellings. Giant, bushbaby-like Jawas of all ages and sizes make their way into the clearing. Many stand dumbfounded, but others let out a joyful scream and rush up to members of the group, hugging and kissing them. Wann dumps the unconscious captain on a raised area in the middle of the clearing. Armed Jawas immediately surround the helpless human. Boma enters the largest of the lodges. He is greeted by his father, Auzituck, chief of the Kaapauku tribe. He is an old and feeble Jawa dressed in royal skins and headdress.
Anthropologist Tho, the general, Han and the children sit around a large table eating. Tho yells into the kitchen. THO Beru! Where's the thanta sauce? BERU THO, Kuu's warm plump wife, enters carrying a small pitcher. She smiles at Kuu. BERU I swan! I put it right here in front so you'd see it. (to Han) Here's some bum bum extract. It's very mild. THO (to general) There are no settlers to the south since the Dau family was wiped out. I'm afraid I couldn't even get in there to bury them. Those Jawas are the fiercest critters I've ever run across. A new tribe moved in down there about a year ago and it's been hell ever since. Only Yourellian trappers venture in there now and many of them don't even come back. SKYWALKER Where's the nearest city? THO No cities at
all, only a few scattered settlers and -- one royal outpost. But the
troops are of no help. They kill and plunder rather than protect. HAN How far is the outpost from here? THO Five leagues...an oppressive blight. SKYWALKER What class is it? How many support craft? THO It's very small, a class two. Only ten or twelve starraiders, I think. Beru fusses over the boys, who refuse to eat their vegetables. She makes up a game which tricks them into eating. The general ponders the situation. Han eats like he hasn't eaten in years.
Captain Valor is surrounded by Jawas. Young ones push through to get a better look, as the adults jabber and argue about the human. Valor regains consciousness with a groan, and a sudden hush sweeps over the gathering. Valor staggers to his feet, Jommillia is caught off-guard, but manages to block Valor's attack with his spear. The two warriors engage in a savage and fantastic duel. Valor cuts the Jawas spear in half, but is hit along the side of the head by the shaft and is momentaril dazed. The battle ax is knocked from his hands. He grabs the spear shaft and rams the giant creature in the belly. A loud command from outside the crowd stops the fight. The Jawas part, revealing Boma and his father, who approach the two warriors. Jommillia bows before his chief, and is commanded to move away. Boma speaks to Valor. The captain doesn't understand, but welcomes the chance to catch his breath. Boma then presents his father, who steps forward and bows before the mighty Dai. Boma bows also as the crowd of Jawas chatter in disbelief. When the chief and his son rise, Valor bows before them. This pleases the Jawas and they screech and cheer.
Mr. and Mrs.
Tho stand on the balcony of their tree house with C-3 and the two little
princes, Oeta and Puck. Han and the general emerge with large survival
backpacks and multi- SKYWALKER (to C-3) We'll call for you when we've found them. Your orders are quite clear. The boys will be quite safe. THO Don't worry. The patrols never come out this far. We'll take good care of the boys. SKYWALKER Your kindness will surely be rewarded. THO Just be careful out there. He pats Skywalker on the back as the old Dai and the ever faithful Han descend from the tree house. At the base of the huge tree, the warriors climb aboard two small rocket powered platforms. THO (yelling down to them) They're pretty old. I hope they'll be all right! SKYWALKER Out here they're a wonderment. C-3 and the kids wave as the jelsticks start with a whine. They idle about five feet above the ground. THO Good hunting! May the force of others be with you. Han and the general wave as they ride off into the foreboding Yavin sunset.
A beautiful but frenzied fire festival is underway. Jawas perform the Waita Tar dance, and yodel in a barking fashion around a large fire. The female Jawas arrive, carrying - Dissolve -
A-2 exits the chief's hut and looks around. It is a quiet gray morning. A low mist hangs over the now deserted clearing. He turns and signals back into the hut. Captain Valor cautiously emerges from the mud house. He wears a crude backpack and carries a large battle ax. They start across the clearing. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Boma is standing before them. He says nothing, but scratches his head and then circles around Captain Valor. JUSTIN We are leaving. We must go. Stand away! The huge Jawa kneels and bows down in front of the young Dai. Valor looks down and smiles. JUSTIN Rise my friend. We will meet again. Valor walks toward the jungle and Boma scurries ahead of him and bows down once more. A-2 What does he want? Valor shakes his head and rubs his several days growth of beard. He leans down toward Boma. JUSTIN Stand up so we can talk properly. Boma jabbers in a questioning fashion. I am grateful to you and your people, but I must go. I wish you understood me. I would make things so much easier. Go! Go! Valor turns away, and begins to walk toward the jungle again. Boma gets to his feet and runs after the Dai, following a few paces behind. Valor notices the Jawa following them and shakes his head.
The bodies of the killed trappers are covered with rat-sized insects. A lazer explosion erupts in the middle of the slimy creatures and they scatter into the underbush. Han and the general turn over one of the dead trappers. HAN They ran into something. SKYWALKER It's strange they left their dead. Something... The constant cacophony of jungle creatures suddenly stops. The two warriors scan the jungle for possible danger. Han draws his lazerpistol. The cacophony starts again as the general ignites his lazersword. HAN Two or three moving this way from the east. He listens more closely for a few moments. HAN (Cont.) It's A-2. Captain Valor and A-2 break out of the dark foliage into the clearing. He waves to Han and the general. A-2 waddles a few paces behind. Boma sees the humans and stops at the edge of the jungle. He watches as Captain Valor and the general carry on an animated conversation. Han sees the Jawa lurking in the shadows. HAN You were followed. He wouldn't stay. He's the one I saved. Han calls out to Boma in the Jawa's own language and the huge lumbering creature approaches the group. Han and the Jawa talk for a few moments, then embrace as if they were old friends. Captain Valor is surprised. HAN (to Valor) This is Boma, son of Auzituck, Prince of the Sawas - a very powerful tribe. It seems they've made you a god. The general smiles. Captain Valor is embarrassed.
Captain Valor
joins the general on a ridge overlooking the SKYWALKER Their trail leads directly to the outpost. Patrols are probably out looking for us by now. JUSTIN Finding her in there isn't going to be easy. SKYWALKER Getting in there is going to be impossible, but we could sure use those starships. Captain Valor spots something moving in the jungle. He scans the area with his electrobinoculars. JUSTIN Something's going on down there. Han! Han moves up next to Valor, followed closely by Boma. Your eyes are better than mine. What do you make of that? HAN They look like Jawas, hundreds of them. Han turns and speaks to Boma, gesturing toward the movement far below in the jungle. HAN Apparently it's a siege. They've been harassing the outpost for almost two years. SKYWALKER Have they ever tried to take the fortress? Han relays this to Boma. HAN He says they've made several assaults, but they are no match for the weapons. SKYWALKER It's only a class three fortress. Maybe they just need a little help. Captain Valor grins, and Han says something to Boma, who becomes excited and screeches loudly.
The incoming
signal alarm on the anthropologist's radio OETA I'm reading yah. Go ahead. Oeta, how are you getting along? OETA Great! I caught a thumper, a really big one. Its name is Amber. He yanks on
the leash, and the furry beast lets out a SKYWALKER Good, Oeta. How's your brother? Are you taking good care of him? OETA Oh, sure. He's out collecting "abas" with Huu and Beru. I'm in charge here. Did you find Zara? SKYWALKER Not yet. We'll be away for a while. You mind Tho until we return. May the force of others be with you. OETA All right. Take care. C-3 enters the room carrying a plate of steaming food. Oeta turns the radio off and puts the receiver away. A crashing sound and voices are heard in the clearing below. C-3 Come and eat your dinner. OETA They're back! They're back! Come Amber. The furry rodent jumps up onto its eight stubby legs and rushes over to the door, but stops short and begins to growl. Oeta stops behind the creature. OETA What is it, Amber? OETA Quiet, Amber. Come here. Come on. C-3 What's wrong? OETA Troopers. We must hide. Stay quiet. Oeta and the robot scramble for a trap door near a large shelf. The troops begin to climb the ladder to the tree house. The trap door is heavy, and the robot and the little boy struggle to get it open. The troops break in the door just as C-3 closes the trap door. The troopers are led by a rough looking sergeant. They poke around, tearing everything apart. Oeta struggles to keep Amber quiet. Suddenly, he realizes something. OETA The food! The sergeant takes the bowl of food from the table and studies it. He then takes a small chrome ball from his pocket and tosses it into the air. Antennae shoot from its surface as it floats around the room. Eventually it hovers over the trap door. A sinister grin sweeps across the sergeant's face as he moves over to the trap door and puts the chrome ball back into his pocket. C-2 puts his arm around Oeta, who is desperately clutching the struggling thumper. All the movement above them stops and Oeta looks to the robot. C-3 (quietly) They're still up there. Stay still. The silence continues, then suddenly the trap door swings open with a loud bang. Amber breaks away from Oeta and attacks the sergeant. One of the other troopers cuts the thumper in half with his lazersword. The sergeant pulls SERGEANT Well, well! Here's one of them, anyway. Send seekers in all directions. Find the others!
The general
sits at the head of the large stone table SKYWALKER ... then they pull back to here. That's where the trap will be set. No-one must advance. An assault on the perimeter is useless. Our only hope is to use their weapons against them. The general pauses while Han and Boma translate. SKYWALKER Once we acquire those tanks, our prime object must be to secure the starship. No-one must escape.
Three officers run along a row of giant airtanks to a perimeter bunker. There, two stormtroopers are watching the jungle. When the officers arrive, the troopers let them look through the powerful mounted electrobinoculars. One of the troopers points out several areas in the dense jungle.
A trooper sitting at an elaborate control panel turns to an officer watching a monitor system. TROOPER A large concentration of trestuals at point E-2. Alert squads one through six.
The general stands in a clearing surrounded by many armed Jawas carrying large shiny shields. Han moves back and forth, barking orders to the assembled creatures. SKYWALKER (to Han) We're ready. Give them the signal. Han motions to a young Jawa, who takes off, running through the jungle.
Three large airtanks slowly move toward the outpost perimeter. The tank pilots sit on the hatch rims of the ponderous weapons, studying the movements of the Jawas. The tank personnel talk to one another on an intercom system. TANK PILOT There is a large concentration, red two by X-S. Let's break them up. The pilots slip into the tanks and close the hatches. The tanks open up with a barrage of lazerbolts which create a wall of explosions. The Jawas retreat, and the tanks follow. The tank crews track the fleeing creatures with various electronic scopes, and laugh at the fleeing creatures.
The general stands on a limb of a jungle tree, watching the advancing tanks. Captain Valor is on another branch a few feet away. SKYWALKER They've grown sloppy fighting Jawas. The intrafazer systems aren't on. They're in for a little surprise. Captain Valor flashes a signal mirror, which is received by a Jawa near the tanks. The Jawas are in pairs and they hold heavy stone wedges attached to woven vines, which, in turn, are fastened high in the trees. When the tanks pass directly
Several of the lights and monitors go dark on the main control panel. The pilot flips several switches in a panic. PILOT All high phasing units are out. We've lost all contact. SERGEANT Send out a ground signal! Suddenly, all of the monitors go white, and static fills the crowded tank interior. An alarm signal sounds. SERGEANT What is it?!!! PILOT All signals, sensers, everything, are coming right back to us. Some kind of deflection screen. It's a total blackout. SERGEANT Get out there and see if you can see anything. The pilot pushes a button and the main hatch slowly slides away.
The pilot pops out of the hatch and sees two rows of Jawa warriors holding reflective shields. They form a circle that totally encompasses the massive air tank. Han shouts a signal to a group of Jawas in another tree, and they cut loose a bent limb which is attached to a noose around the tank's hatch. The noose instantly tightens around the pilot and he is plucked from the tank and suspended fifty feet in the air. In an equally swift move, Captain Valor drops a small gas grenade into the open hatch. It explodes and engulfs the tank in a gray mist. Several signal mirrors flash their messages to Han and the general. HAN That makes four captured. SKYWALKER Have them camouflaged. I'm going with Captain Valor.
Jawas are removing the tank crew as Valor checks out the power controls. The general slides through the main hatch. SKYWALKER Any damage? JUSTIN She's fine. We're ready to move. SKYWALKER Then let's go. The general yells for the Jawas to clear the tanks, and they scramble out of the hatch.
The tank starts up with a loud roar, startling many Jawas resting on the mighty vehicle. Boma yells at the warriors and they fall a few feet behind the tank, their shields forming a shiny protective wall.
Several officers stand on a parked airtank trying to get a better view of the operation. A light landspeeder pulls up next to the group and a general gets out. The officers snap to attention. GENERAL Can you see anything? No, sir, but they've stopped firing. AIDE Communications still can't reach them, sir. GENERAL Does anyone know what's going on? OFFICER I'm sure they've got them on the run, sir. A lazerbolt flashes out of the jungle and destroys a guard tower about a quarter of a mile from where the men are standing. Seconds later, the airtank on which they are standing explodes into a million pieces. Out of the jungle rumbles the captured airtank, driven by Captain Valor and followed by a column of Jawa warriors. Alarms sound, troops rush from the low block-houses, and a battle rages inside the outpost. Jawas with spears, axes, and arrows mange to hold their own against the lazer weapons of the stormtroopers. Explosions erupt everywhere as the Jawas begin to use captured lazerrifles. They are much fiercer fighters than the soft royal troops.
Captain Valor works the controls of the airtank as the general watches the monitors and works the lazerguns. SKYWALKER Swing left. They're trying to cut us off.
Captain Valor maneuvers the airtank in front of a line of ten starships cutting off a platoon of stormtroopers. The troops open fire on the tank but are cut down by a group of Jawas who have moved in behind them. Han and A-2 run up to the tank as Valor and the general climb out of the hatch. HAN We've taken the main control center. All power units have been shut down. They're helpless. JUSTIN Have they found Zara? HAN They've taken her back to Townowi. The ship left nor more than ten hours ago. SKYWALKER (to Han) Set up a perimeter around these starships. Use as many men as you need.
Captain Valor
and the general sit at a large table in the A-2 ... and are connected to the central system by a series of crossing networks similar to section TB4 or F687. The projection switches to a close-up view of the transformer. The general studies it carefully, then leans back in his chair. A-2 turns off the projector. SKYWALKER I'm not going to stop you, but I think it's a reckless move. Even if you could get in, you'd never be able to get out. Just be patient. We now have enough ships to attack in force. JUSTIN But no pilots. Han and Boma
enter the office. Still no contact with Huu Tho or the kids. I'm afraid something's happened. SKYWALKER Have Boma send two of his best warriors out there to get them. Han relates this to Boma. The general turns back to Captain Valor, who watches Boma leave the room. JUSTIN (mocking) They're fierce warriors but you'll never teach them to fly. The general gives him a stern look. SKYWALKER They'll fly and Townowi will be free. JUSTIN May the force of others be with you. The general embraces the young Dai. SKYWALKER Bring her back safely.
Captain Valor, dressed as an royal skyraider, and A-2 climb aboard one of the giant four-man starships. A crowd of Jawas lead by Boma give a rousing cheer for the departing Dai. Valor breaks into a smile and waves to the joyous warriors. The general watches the proceedings from a bunker turret. He is lost in thought.
Three royal space transports dock inside the huge artificial moon. The smaller convoy starships circle the larger craft until the three ships are safely inside the vast fortress.
160. CONFERENCE ROOM - INTERIOR SPACE FORTRESS - TOWNOWI General Vader of the Royal Space Fleet, hurries down a hallway, followed by a group of officers. They enter the large conference room where Zara is held under heavy guard. She appears well, but saddened. Vader approaches her and bows before her. VADER I pray you have been treated honorably? I am your servant, Darth Vader. It won't be long before we will be able to return you to your people. (to an aide) Are the chambers ready? AIDE They are working on it, sir. Zara stares defiantly at him. She starts to speak, but a powerful electric shock engulfs her body and she whines in extreme pain. VADER Just relax, and everything will be fine. (to guards) Take her to section twenty-five. Zara is forcibly taken from the room. VADER (to officer) What time do the doctors from Granicus arrive? OFFICER Sixty-five hours, sir. VADER Put all security stations on alert until they arrive. The officer salutes smartly and exits.
A huge air tank rumbles along the approach to the royal outpost. The pilot sits on the main hatch of the tank, talking to his crew by headphones. Any contact yet?. It appears deserted. I don't like it. The tank enters the outpost perimeter and smoking rubble from the recent battle comes into view The pilot becomes alarmed. PILOT There has been an attack! Reverse direction. The tank comes to a grinding halt but before it can start up again it is surrounded by the Jawa army. From out of no-where a Jawa is on the back of the airtank and has the pilot in a powerful armlock. A Jawa chieftan rushes from a bunker, followed by an excited jabbering warrior. They reach the captured airtank just as the last crewman is hauled out and little Oeta pokes his head out of the hatch. He is frightened. His younger brother Puck follows him out of the tank. Below them, the Jawas bully the captured crewmen. PUCK What will they do to us? OETA I don't know but it don't look good. C-3 pulls himself out of the airtank, followed by Han Tho and his wife. The Jawa chieftan climbs on board and starts to jabber at the group The Jawa carries on for some time gesturing wildly and continually pointing at the sky. The two boys are too scared to say anything. Finally, the Jawa kneels before them. C-3 politely returns a short bow. OETA I don't get it. The Jawa rises and again gestures skyward, just then a starship wildly buzzes the field, upside-down. All the Jawas run for cover. The chief Jawa points to the crafts, and jabbers incessantly.
Boma sits at the controls of a four-man starship. His face is a twisted combination of complete panic and an awesome SKYWALKER You'll get the hang of it. Han also gives the Jawa a few words of encouragement. SKYWALKER Now, let's see if we can get into orbit. Push this, then ease her up. Boma follows the instructions but pulls back on the lever too fast and the ship being to vibrate and bounce violently. Boma thinks it's funny and begins to laugh hysterically. Han becomes nervous and upset. SKYWALKER Not so fast. Back off! Back off! Han yells at the Jawa, who can't respond because he is laughing so hard. The general pulls back on the lever. Han shakes his head and gives the general a worried look. SKYWALKER Don't worry. Ignorance is on their side. Han is beginning to look a little sick. He gets up and rushes to the back of the ship.
The canopy on the starship pops open and A-2 and the young Dai disguised as a starraider, climb out onto the docking platform. An officer and two groundcrew approach him and salute. Captain Valor hands him his papers. JUSTIN I'm here to check the vent ports in the rim tracks. OFFICER Your ship is from Yavin. We've lost all contact with them. What's going on out there? There is a fierce invasion just east of Bull Pup station. It's really a mess out there. The officer smiles and the ground crew starts to check out the starship. Valor heads for the main docking exit, followed by A-2. He remembers something as he passes the control station and calls out to the officer. JUSTIN Do you mind if I use your com-link? OFFICER No. Go ahead. Valor walks into the small control area and pretends to talk on an intercom system. JUSTIN (to A-2) Find the highest security area. A-2 punches his claw arm into a computer socket and the brain comes to life, feeding information to the little robot. Captain Valor watches the officer as he directs the crewmen in the securing of the starship. A-2 removes his arm from the computer and the duo leave the control station. A-2 Station 325 is the highest security area on board. It's a detention area. They disappear into a chamber lock hallway.
Valor, trying to look inconspicuous, waits for a horizontal elevator. Troops and fortress personnel come and go, but no-one seems to pay any attention to the pair. Finally a small car arrives and Valor follows A-2 into the podlike vehicle and it takes off through a vacuum tunnel.
Valor and A-2 enter a security station. Guards and electronic cutters are everywhere. An officer approaches Valor and checks his papers.
OFFICER The B-23 can't enter this station. JUSTIN But I need him. OFFICER Sorry. No mechanical personnel. It's restricted. Valor watches helplessly as A-2 is led into a waiting area. OFFICER You may proceed but you'll have to be escorted. A trooper joins Valor and leads him through a series of hallways. Valor carefully surveys the area as he follows the guard. TROOPER Mathusians just beat the PDRs again. They should be in another league. Do you follow the ecometrics? The guard turns to discover that Captain Valor has disappeared. He is stunned, then manages to pull out a small ring radio. TROOPER Code six - alert.
Six Jawas sit before Han and the general, listening to Han explain something about space fighting. Tho approaches the general. THO We've made contact with the underground on Townowi. Things are tighter. They can only get one man out. Datos is on his way. SKYWALKER We should be ready by the time he arrives. HAN They're ready to go up. The general makes a short statement to the Jawas in their own language. They let out a loud cheer and run for the row of starships.
The general sits next to Boma as he leads two other Jawa- piloted starships in a tight formation. They head for a small cluster of asteroids orbiting near the planet's surface. The general quietly gives Boma some reassuring instructions. Han leads a second formation of three ships, following Boma's group. The two formations of starships make an attack run on the asteroids. The general watches as Boma lines up and fires at an asteroid blowing it into a million pieces. The general smiles and slaps Boma on the back. The Jawas excitedly chatter among themselves over the intercom system.
A patrol of ten men marches through one of the long hallways in the detention area. They stop at an intersection. The officer in charge reports on the intercom. OFFICER Ben Five to Boma. All clear. The troops relax; some stand in groups, others wander a distance away, poking into the various small alleyways running off the main hallway. One trooper notices a small reflected light in one of the narrow corridors and carefully moves down the dark passageway to check it out. Out of nowhere, a fist knocks the trooper unconscious and drags him into a small alcove. The officer finishes his report on the intercom and yells for the troops to fall-in. Men scurry in all directions and out of a narrow corridor emerges Captain Valor, dressed in the uniform of a royal startrooper. He joins the platoon and they march away.
General Vader and several officers watch the progress of the search on TV monitors. The general speaks into an intercom. VADER Have them clear the area. Bring in the seekers. DODONA Contact has been lost with the ship carrying the doctors from Granicus. The princess' treatment will have to be delayed. VADER We've just trapped your old friend Captain Valor. Watch us accomplish what you found to be impossible. Dodona is humiliated but stays at attention. Vader gets an emergency call on the intercom. VADER Yes. Yes. Put it on the view screen. One of the TV monitors switches to an image of the unconscious trooper Captain Valor stripped. VADER Get me the Captain of the Guard.
Three squads
of troops, including Captain Valor, stand at The sergeant works his way down the line until he gets to the trooper next to Valor. He sees no chance of escape, but surprise. Suddenly, he bolts from the ranks and races down the hallway. CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD Squad leaders! Captain Valor breaks away from the troops and runs down a long hallway. A safety door slides shut, closing off his escape. He turns around in time to see another door seal off the opposite end of the hallway. Before he can make any attempt to pry open the door, gas fills the sealed corridor. Valor collapses in a heap on the floor.
Vader laughs as he watches the unconscious Valor on the TV monitors. All of the other officers in the room are laughing and joking, except Dodona, who remains grimly at attention. VADER (to Dodona) Take him to the special section. Dodona salutes, and exits the offices. Vader laughs again.
Nine gleaming starships sit in a row along the edge of the vast jungle runway. Bizarre and colorful Jawa designs have been painted across the large deflector fins of the spacecraft. Some designs transform the ships into huge and grotesque animals, while others create unique mosaic patterns. The four-man Jawa crews stand proudly at attention in front of their ships. The general, along with Han and the underground leader, Datos, review the assembled Jawas. In one of the Jawa crews, a pilot is picking fleas off the back of his tail gunner. When the general passes he snaps to attention. There is a gleam in the general's eye as he shows off his strike force to the crusty old underground leader. When they've inspected the last starship, Datos turns to the general. DATOS I'm speechless. It's amazing. A most impressive display. For the first time since the take-over, I feel real hope. SKYWALKER Will your people be ready? Our forces have already started sabotaging their com-link set ups. A refugee camp on Mananyo has been conducting raids on shipping from Granicus. That's how we intercepted those doctors. SKYWALKER (to Han) Get them in the ships. We're on our way. (to Datos) Send the code signal.
General Vader and Dodona watch as a medic revives Valor, who has been strapped to an upright slab protected by cutter-rays. MEDIC He's coming round. The medic backs away and throws the switch which activates the cutters. A blue glow surrounds Valor as he wakes up and sees Vader and Dodona. VADER For all the myths and the trouble you don't seem like much. He laughs and leaves Dodona alone in the room with the young Dai. Dodona appears sad and frustrated at the capture of the noble warrior. They stare at one another for a few moments. DODONA You were insane to come here. The security on this...this thing is impossible. Why? For her? I can't believe your loyalty is that strong. You're a great warrior, but you're a greater fool. This is a place for androids - no codes, no honor. Our ways are useless here. Why couldn't you have stayed away? He storms out
of the cell. Captain Valor struggles to free
174. SLUM DWELLING - GORDON SPACEPORT - TOWNOWI The young partisan, Occo, listens to a small transmitter in a secret closet behind the main room in a slum dwelling. He jumps up and runs into the main room where Quist and several other men are sitting around a table covered with maps and plans. OCCO It's Datos. We've got the go ahead. The men cheer and starts hugging and slapping each other on the back. Finally they settle down. QUIST Go to your organizations. (to Occo) What's the code time? OCCO Zero three thirty. QUIST May the force of others be with you. The men solemnly shake hands and leave the room.
Captain Valor stands on a small platform before Governor Horus and the High Consul. His hands are held behind his back by electric bonds. HORUS ... and I'm sure the King will enjoy your execution. I only regret I won't be there myself. This should end the Dai Nogas myth once and for all. Take him to Granicus. Dodona steps
forward with a squad of stormtroopers and
176. CONTROL CENTER - SPACE FORTRESS - TOWNOWI In the large central control room, two officers sit above a row of monitors and giant readouts. FIRST OFFICER Look! That whole sector just went dead. We're losing contact with the surface. Use the IF link and find out what's going on.
Dodona halts the squad guarding Captain Valor on an observation deck overlooking a starship docking port. Dodona reports to the officer in charge. DODONA Where is the ship? OFFICER It's on its way in. It will just be a few minutes. Dodona returns to his squad and watches the large starship slowly move into the docking area. He glances at Valor, who stands defiant, ready to meet his fate. Dodona continues to study Valor. The young Dai returns his gaze. Slowly the spacecraft locks onto the docking port with a loud jolt. The troops snap to attention but Dodona grabs two lazerswords and in one swift move switches off Valor's bonds and tosses him one of the lazerswords. Valor assumes a defensive stance, as the troops realize what has happened and draw their swords. DODONA The two warriors fight their way through a side exit. The door slides closed behind them, and Dodona throws the lock, trapping the troops on the observation platform. They race down the hallway and stop at an intersection. DODONA This way! We can get a starship and be out of here before they've discovered... I'm not leaving without the princess. DODONA It's impossible; there are traps everywhere. You're mad! Valor just grins and runs down the passageway leading to the detention area. Dodona rushes and catches up. An alarm signal wails through the hallways.
The general leads three squads of starships toward the glowing planet of Townowi. SKYWALKER There she is. Activate your deflection shields.
Dodona talks with the Captain of the Guard. He gestures wildly like something important had happened. Four troops run into the central detention area leading the bound princess. The captain salutes Dodona and the legionnaire, followed by the four troops and Zara, leave the main area.
Valor appears boldly at the end of the hallway facing Dodona and the troops. DODONA Get him! The troops rush for Valor, swords drawn. They are no match for the skilled Dai. He makes short work of them, as Dodona frees the princess. The trio then run into another hallway. The princess embraces Valor. DODONA We have only a few seconds before they find us. All of these hallways are sealable. Valor spots a small garbage chute on the corridor wall. He goes and looks into it. JUSTIN Is this pressurized? They're power sealed. We'll have to find another way, or some way to shut the power off. They search the smooth-walled room for another exit.
Governor Horus watches General Vader as he supervises the hunt for Valor and Dodona. They watch troops move through the detention area via TV monitors. Seekers buzz through the hallways. The general gets a report from an officer on another monitor. OFFICER We've lost contact with the surface. There is a good probability of an uprising. Even the IF links are out. VADER Use a substandard relay and put all units on alert. The officer disappears from the monitor and is replaced with the Captain of the Guard. CAPTAIN All sections D through P-12 are clear. We have reason to suspect they escaped through the disposal system. We are checking. (he is interrupted by an excited trooper who tells him something) We've found them in Receptacle B-29. You should... A red light flashes on one of the other monitors. VADER Hold on. A controller appears on the second monitor. CONTROLLER Starships approaching, three squads of royal design, but no clearance. Full alert. Battle stations... The general turns back to the Captain of the Guards. CAPTAIN You should have them on your screen. Alarms sound
throughout the fortress. Lights flash a
A floodlight switches on revealing Dodona and Valor attempting to cut open the door. The princess stands up and stares into the floodlight. Vader's voice comes over an intercom. VADER I'm afraid I have no more time to deal with you. A senseless and futile attack by your friends has forced me to take a rather unpleasant course of action. Your execution will have to be expedited. The intercom clicks off and a loud rumbling begins to shake the room. With a loud shriek, the princess points to the far wall; it has started to move toward the trio. The situation looks desperate.
Lazerfire from the space fortress creates a wall of death, which the three squadron of Jawa starships miraculously emerge through undamaged. The general barks orders to the Jawa craft and Boma and his squadron break off and start an attack dive. Lazerfire from Boma's brightly colored ship hits one of the prime power terminals on the fortress surface. It explodes, creating weird electric arcs as it goes. Han and the general also concentrate fire on the distinctive black power terminals. Two more are destroyed in an arcing spectacle. A chain reaction is set off, creating a series of explosions leaping across the surface of the fortress from power terminal to power terminal.
184. GARBAGE RECEPTACLE - SPACE FORTRESS - TOWNOWI The shock of the explosion can be felt over the rumbling of the trash masher. The wall has moved within a few yards of squashing Dodona, Valor and the princess. They are still frantically trying to somehow stop the relentless wall, to no avail. The lights blink off, then on again and the moving wall rumbles to a halt. Zara breathes a sigh of relief. VALOR They must have knocked the power out. Dodona runs over to the door and kicks it open. They rush out of the would-be death trap.
One of the Jawa starships is caught in a crossfire and disappears in a cloud of smoke. Another ship for some unknown reason dives headlong into the surface of the fortress, creating a huge explosion.
Captain Valor, Dodona and the princess are thrown to a hallway floor by the explosion. They get up and start down the hallway again. A voice calls out from a connecting corridor. A-2 Hey! Over there. The trio turn and see little A-2 standing at the other end of the corridor. He waves his claw arm at them and wobbles over to them. A-2 The power core has exceeded the normal stress quotient by point eight. The magnetic fusion pods have evaporated. There appears to be an immediate danger. DODONA There is a lifepod station at the other end of this section. Hurry.
Aides and officers rush through the office, as Vader tries to keep things under control. Governor Horus remains calm, watching the progress of the battle. Vader turns to the governor. VADER They've pinpointed every terminal. It's impossible. What are they? Where did they come from? An electromagnetic transfer has started. There's no stopping it. GOVERNOR Continue the fight. VADER We've already lost control of the planet. We must abandon ship while there is still time. Conditions are much worse than... GOVERNOR Continue the fight. This fortress is invincible. I will not give up. A giant explosion sweeps through the office.
The tiny starships race the chain reaction explosions across the surface of the fortress. Lazerfire is everywhere. One of the starships skimming across the surface lags behind and is caught in an explosion and disappears. SKYWALKER Han! Get everyone out of here. The whole thing's going to go. Return to Gordon. Get them out. Han relays the order to the Jawas, and then starships pull away from the crippled fortress.
189. MAIN HALLWAY - SPACE FORTRESS - TOWNOWI The group has made their way past the hole in the wall and are climbing into the lifepods. Captain Valor helps the princess into one, while Dodona and A-2 get into the other. Warning sirens scream throughout the hallways. Three troops run toward the lifepods, firing lazerpistols. dodona returns the fire, stopping the oncoming troops. Hatches are closed and the lifepods eject into space.
The two lifepods drift toward the calm of the planet's surface. Captain Valor and the princess embrace and he kisses her tenderly. They watch the ominous fortress grow smaller and smaller as they drift away. Suddenly, a great flash replaces the fortress and rubble streaks past the lifepods. Several giant explosions follow, then there is only a smoke cloud where the mighty fortress once orbited Townowi.
Queen Zara, in all her grandeur, sits on the magnificent throne of Townowi. Captain Valor and the general stand to her right. Several old advisors stand to her left. Han presents Boma and a delegation of Jawas with a treaty, gifts, and a medal of honor. They bow and exit. Han moves to one side of the crowded court. Dodona stands next to him. They watch as the two robots, A-2 and C-3 approach the Queen and bow. ZARA Your service to Townowi is greatly appreciated. You are designated class A-4, and will serve Justin Valor, the new Lord Protector of Townowi. Rise! The robots rise and exit through the long entrance hall to the throne. The Queen turns and smiles at Valor and the general. The general and Valor salute their new Queen. FADE OUT END CREDITS |