by Ian Doescher
WILLARD
Good Princess, thou art safe! When word we heard
About the cruel destruction of thy home
We fear’d the worst. But now to see thee safe
Is like a fragrant blossom to my sense.
LEIA
In time we may recount our griefs, good Sir,
But now is the occasion we must act.
I prithee, take this R2 unit here
And use the data thou shalt find therein
To plan our great attack. Our only hope
It is, Commander, trust in what I say.
CHORUS
The records R2 holds are analyz’d,
And lo, an opportunity appears!
The rebels straight are of the news appris’d
And hearts made ready as the battle nears.
But whilst they mine good R2’s database,
The Empire learns where all the rebels wait.
The Death Star makes its way unto the place
To bring to Yavin Alderaan’s grim fate.
Enter GENERAL DODONNA, WEDGE ANTILLES, and various rebel commanders and pilots.
DODONNA
Now gather ’round, ye pilots good and true,
For here shalt thou a goodly lesson learn.
We have a single hope in this attack,
And ye shall hear how we may compass it:
The battle station heav’ly shielded is,
And hath more pow’r to fire than half our fleet.
It hath defenses ’gainst a large assault,
But like the king who fell for want of horse
This station may be crush’d by smaller might.
A one-mann’d fighter may have strength to clear
The outer walls and penetrate therein.
GOLD LEAD.
Beg pardon, Sir, but how—I prithee—shall
A one-mann’d fighter stand its ground ’gainst that?
DODONNA
A question ask’d in wisdom ’tis, good friend.
The Empire vast hath not consider’d small
Snub fighters to be any threat, methinks,
Else surely ’twould make suitable defense.
The strongest people often put their faith
Upon their strength alone, yet often such
As these are bested by a people led
By wisdom, skill and cunning. To the point:
The plans provided by the princess show
The battle station’s fatal weakness, aye.
A weakness do I call it, yet be sure:
The hard approach therein shall per’lous be.
Thou must maneuver through the trench above
The surface unto this especial point:
There shalt thou find the glory spot, my lads,
There shalt thou with a blast most keenly shot
Bring down an Empire cruel and merciless.
But take ye heed, for all is not yet told:
The hole thou must attempt to strike is but
Two meters wide, a thermal pipe for waste.
This hole shall make thy laser’s power grow,
This hole shall start a chain reaction great,
This hole, if thou canst hit it, wins the day—
This hole shall end the battle station whole.
GOLD LEAD.
But Sir, the odds of such a hit are nil.
WEDGE
’Tis near impossible. Shall we, I say,
Attempt this madness or, mayhap ’tis best
If we do live to fight another day.
If we had but another thousand ships—
LUKE
Friends, rebels, starfighters, lend me your ears.
Wish not we had a single fighter more,
If we are mark’d to die, we are enough
To make our planets proud. But should we win,
We fewer rebels share the greater fame.
We all have sacrific’d unto this cause.
Ye all know well the fam’ly I have lost—
My uncle dear and aunt belov’d, aye both,
And then a mentor great, a pow’rful friend.
As massive is the grief I feel for them,
I know full well they’d not have me back down.
The princess hath a planet lost, with friends
And family alike—how great her pain!
And yet as grave as that emotion is,
She knoweth they would have her lead us still.
And ye, ye goodly men and women too,
Ye all have liv’d and lov’d and lost as well,
Your stories are with mine one and the same.
For all of us have known of grief and joy,
And every one has come unto this day
Not so that we may turn our backs and flee,
But that we may a greater courage show,
Both for ourselves and those we left behind.
So let us not wish further ships were here,
And let us not of tiny holes be fear’d—
Why, I have with a T-16 back home
Gone hunting womp rats scarcely larger than
The target we are call’d upon to strike.
And ye, ye brave souls, have your memories
Of your great exploits in your own homelands,
So think on them and let your valor rise,
For with the Force and bravery we win.
O! Great shall be the triumph of that hour
When Empire haughty, vast and powerful
Is fell’d by simple hands of rebels base,
Is shown the might of our good company!
And citizens in Bespin now abed,
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here.
For never shall rebellion see a time
More glori’us than our strong attack today!
ALL
Aye!
DODONNA
—Go ye then, and Force be with you all!
[Exeunt all but Luke Skywalker.
CHORUS
A bustling preparation now is made,
As ev’ry man unto his post does go.
A joyful spirit doth the base pervade,
Whilst on the Death Star pride doth overflow.
Enter DARTH VADER with GRAND MOFF TARKIN, aside in Death Star.
VADER
This day, I’ll warrant, lives in history:
The end of old Kenobi it hath seen,
And end of the Rebellion draweth near.
[Exeunt Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin.
Enter HAN SOLO.
LUKE
Now what is this? Thou hast thine only love—
Thy dear reward—and now thou leavest quick?
HAN
’Tis true, I do confess. For I shall ne’er
Be free unless I use this great reward
To clear me from the crushing weight of debt.
And be thou honest, should I here remain
To fight against a pow’r as great as this?
’Tis foolishness, this fight, ’tis lunacy.
Pray Luke, come thou with us! Thou art a brave
And worthy lad, with wit and strength to fight.
LUKE
Speak thou not so! But open up thine eyes!
See here what noble cause thou leav’st behind!
Look in the hearts of these good people here!
Behold the Force that keeps rebellion strong!
Thou must have eyes to see what happens here,
How great the cost of this bleak battle is.
Thou knowest well what talent thou dost hold
To pilot and to lead with manner bold.
Turn not thy back upon thy Fate, good Han,
But turn thy heart and stay with us to fight!
HAN
What value hath reward when one is kill’d?
What benefit gives honor to the dead?
To try the fight against that station, Luke,
Is not good courage, rather suicide.
LUKE
Then take thou care now, Han, thou Solo act,
For certain ’tis the part thou best dost play.
HAN
Nay, listen: may the Force be with thee, Luke.
[Exit Luke.
The ship that flies without a thruster fails:
Propulsion and direction must one have
To navigate the obstacles of space.
I know ’tis true, as any pilot doth.
Then how can I imagine that a man
Can fly without a conscience as his guide?
Without the inner compass of my soul,
How can I vainly hope to pilot life?
I know what ’tis to choose the right and good,
I know the small Rebellion’s cause is just,
I know the people here have need of help,
I know all this, but still do harbor doubt.
Yet shall my doubts lead me unto this choice,
And shall I choose convenience over right?
Or shall I choose myself o’er my new friends?
Aye, shall I choose rewards o’er my own soul?
A smuggler’s heart doth keep calm time inside,
No matter sways a pirate’s peaceful pulse.
But something stirs in me I ne’er have felt:
Is this a rebel’s heart I feel within?
[Exit Han Solo.
Enter LUKE SKYWALKER and PRINCESS LEIA.
LEIA
What is the matter, Luke?
LUKE
—’Tis only Han.
Methought he had a heart for good, but nay,
He hath not chang’d his mind.
LEIA
—He hath a path
Unto himself. Not thou, nor I, nor aught
Can plot the course he chooses, verily.
LUKE
I wish as well that Ben were here with us.
LEIA
A kiss I gave thee once to give thee strength,
Another kiss I give in friendship’s hope.
[She kisses him, then exits.
Enter BIGGS DARKLIGHTER.
BIGGS
Say, Luke!
LUKE
—Dear Biggs!
BIGGS
—It warms my heart to see
Thee here, good friend. Shalt thou go with us
hence
Against the Empire?
LUKE
—Aye! On our return
I’ll bend thine ears with stories wild and true.
Enter RED LEADER.
RED LEAD.
I pray thee, Luke, canst thou these ships control?
BIGGS
I’ll stand as witness, Sir, that Luke shall prove
More worthy than myself. I’ll warrant he’s
The best of pilots in the Outer Rim.
Fear not this one, good Sir, he’ll earn his way.
RED LEAD.
Good lad, thou shalt suffice.
LUKE
—Aye, merry, Sir,
I’ll do my part.
[Red Leader exits.
BIGGS
—Now must we thither go.
But when we come again unto this place,
I’ll drink with thee a dram of Naboo’s ale
Whilst thou thy tales relate.
LUKE
—Say, Biggs, take note:
For once I did assure thee I would join
Rebellion’s ranks, and here am I e’en now.
BIGGS
Shall be like olden times on Tatooine.
Dear friend, it gives me comfort for to see
Thee here. E’en death could come and welcome be,
Because I know that thou dost ride beside.
[Exit Biggs. Luke ascends to ship, with R2-D2 and rebel chief.
CHIEF
This R2 unit hath known better days.
Wouldst thou a fit replacement for it find?
R2-D2
[aside:] Thou knave, say’st thou I have known better days?
I’ll better my days yet upon thy pate!
LUKE
Nay, say not so! For R2 hath been mine
Through many an adventure and, belike,
Hath exploits still to undergo.
R2-D2
—Beep, squeak!
Enter C-3PO.
C-3PO
O be thou safe, dear R2, and return!
For thou wouldst not that my existence should
Become a bore! [Aside:] O Fate, I prithee, keep
Them safe—my Master and my only friend—
Else should I find a lonely, tragic end.
[Exeunt.
SCENE 5.
Space. The final battle.
CHORUS
As our scene shifts to space, so deep and dark,
O’er your imagination we’ll hold sway.
For neither players nor the stage can mark
The great and mighty scene they must portray.
We ask you, let your keen mind’s eye be chief—
Think when we talk of starships, there they be.
If you can soon suspend thy disbelief,
The Death Star battle shall you plainly see!
So now: the preparation made with care,
Toward the Death Star rides the noble fleet.
By whirr of engines rebels take the air,
With courage strong their unknown Fate to meet.
Enter LUKE SKYWALKER, R2-D2, WEDGE ANTILLES, BIGGS DARKLIGHTER, RED LEADER, GOLD LEADER, and other pilots, each standing in a different place to represent his ship. C-3PO, PRINCESS LEIA, and GENERAL DODONNA stand aside.
COMPUTER
The Death Star doth approach, and shall within
The range of Yavin’s rebel base arrive
Within these fifteen minutes. Lo! Alert!
RED LEAD.
Good men, each now shall speak and state his name.
RED TEN
Red Ten doth here stand by.
RED SEVEN
—Red Seven doth
Stand by.
BIGGS
—Red Three doth here stand by.
RED SIX
—Red Six
Doth here stand by.
RED NINE
—Red Nine doth here stand by.
WEDGE
Red Two doth here stand by.
RED ELEVEN
—Red Eleven
Doth here stand by.
LUKE
—Red Five doth here stand by.
[Aside:] We have our numbers, yet our souls have names.
For I am Luke Skywalker, here beside
My friends, good Biggs and Wedge Antilles, too—
No war shall render us unto mere threes
And twos and fives. We ride, for ride we must—
And here we ride in Ben’s most worthy name,
True, here we ride in Leia’s noble name,
Aye, here we ride in Alderaan’s slain name—
O here we ride for all the names which have,
Throughout our lives, been written on our hearts.
Our debt to them is past all numbering.
RED LEAD.
Now lock thine S foils in attacking mode.
We shall pass through the thin magnetic field.
Use your deflector shields and form in line!
I prithee, men, take care and be ye bold.
WEDGE
But look, I say, how large this Death Star is!
[Aside:] I am afear’d that this shall be my end.
RED LEAD.
Pray, peace, Red Two! Now all accelerate
Unto the speed wherein we may attack.
The time is here, good men, ’tis not to come:
It will be now. The readiness is all.
GOLD LEAD.
Red Leader, dost thou hear me?
RED LEAD.
—Verily.
GOLD LEAD.
The Gold Team leads unto the target shaft.
RED LEAD.
We have a positive po
sition reach’d,
Thus shall I fly across the axis for
To draw their fire whilst thou dost penetrate.
CHORUS
The rebel ships now make their first attack
And fire unto the Death Star’s iron walls.
The Empire shoots with lethal laser back:
’Tis death to anyone on whom it falls.
WEDGE
The volleys fall from close at hand.
RED LEAD.
—I see!
LUKE
Red Five reporting: swiftly I go in!
[Aside:] My first attempt here falls—O hit the mark!
CHORUS
With courage rare Luke makes initial pass
And blasts his way unto the Death Star’s hull.
But now maneuvers he too close, alas!
Shall he escape the fire’s most deadly pull?
BIGGS
How goes it, Luke?
LUKE
—I nearly cook’d my goose,
But all is well. [Aside:] Now shall I take more care!
Enter DARTH VADER and OFFICER 5, aside.
OFFICER 5
Full thirty ships descend upon us, Sir.
So small are they our lasers pass them by.
VADER
Aye, then shall we destroy them ship to ship.
Tell thou the crews “be ready to attack.”
[Exeunt Darth Vader and Officer 5.
RED LEAD.
Now take ye care, good men! Great fire doth rage
From outside of the harsh deflection tow’r.
LUKE
I stand prepar’d.
BIGGS
—Now shall I strike! Pray, give
Me thy good cover, Porkins.
RED SIX
—Stand I strong
