by Ian Doescher
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.
&n
bsp; 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 position 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
And ready for to give thee aid, Red Three.
CHORUS Now bravely Biggs doth render sharp, hard blast
Unto the evil Death Star’s armor’d side.
The Empire’s fire unto his mate hath pass’d,
And now Red Six doth face a troubl’d ride.
RED SIX Disaster at me strikes.
BIGGS —Eject, forsooth!
RED SIX I yet may set it right.
BIGGS —Anon, pull up!
RED SIX Nay, nay, I’ll warrant that all shall be well—
[Explosion. Red Six dies.
COMPUTER In seven minutes shall the Death Star be
Within the range of our fair rebel base.
CHORUS As rebels’ spirits with great strength redound,
A voice speaks unto Luke, as to a son.
Luke hears the voice and its familiar sound:
’Tis his old friend and Master Obi-Wan.
Enter GHOST OF OBI-WAN KENOBI.
GHOST [aside:] Pray, trust thy feelings, Luke.
LUKE —I hear this voice
And know it well. O me! Speak thou again!
And heed the voice, my soul, and trust thyself:
On Ben’s command I’ll strike a hearty blow!
[He shoots and strikes Death Star.
Exit Ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Enter CONTROL OFFICER.
OFFICER Squad leaders, mark me well. New fighters have
Appear’d, and come toward you presently.
LUKE My scope shows naught, my eyes to them are blind.
RED LEAD. Employ thy visu’l scanning—they approach!
Red Seven, thou hast one upon thy rear.
RED SEVEN My ship is hit! Now must I die, dear friends.
[Explosion. Red Seven dies.
LUKE Good friends, if thou dost catch an enemy
Behind thy ship, I prithee watch it well!
BIGGS Now am I plagued by such a one, help help!
For neither can I see where he doth go—
He flies so close that my maneuvers fail.
LUKE Hold fast, brave Biggs, till I can give thee aid.
Upon the enemy I fly, and shoot!
BIGGS Bold Luke, thou hast a life return’d to me.
So may I one day give to thee in turn.
Enter DARTH VADER with IMPERIAL PILOTS 1 and 2.
VADER I prithee, soldiers, let us hence away.
For many of our fighters are remov’d
From their own fleet. Thus let us swiftly go
And straightway make pursuit of these rogue ships.
[Darth Vader and pilots enter ships.
BIGGS O Luke, thou art pursued, pull in!
WEDGE —Pray, guard
Thy back, good Luke. More fighters do approach.
LUKE I have been hit, but not unto the death.
Small R2, see if thou the damage canst
Repair.
R2-D2 —Beep, whistle.
LUKE —Hang thou on, good droid!
RED LEAD. Red Ten, canst thou see whither’s gone Red Five?
RED TEN A heavy fire appears upon this side.
Red Five, where art thou?
LUKE —Here, but cannot shake
The villain who doth hotly follow me.
WEDGE I come for thee, good Luke, be not afraid.
LUKE [aside:] O fie, my dear friend Biggs, where canst thou be?
Thou promis’d that thou ow’dst to me a life,
But where is now that help of which thou spok’st?
’T
was partly for our friendship I am here,
For long I wish’d to join thee as thou fought
And many were the tales adventurous
Thou brought’st with thee whilst visiting our home
When still I worked the crops on Tatooine.
But now hast thou deserted me, old friend?
When I am even at the door of death
Hast thou both flown and fled? Say nay, dear Biggs!
WEDGE Take that, thou scoundrel base, Imperi’l scum!
LUKE Great thanks, good Wedge, heroic’lly hast thou done.
GOLD LEAD. Red Leader, hear my word: the Gold team shall
Begin our swift attack into the trench.
RED LEAD. Godspeed, Gold Leader, go with might and strength!
VADER I fly, and fly toward my enemies.
This day the dark side of the Force shall reign,
As I disrupt the weak Rebellion’s plans
And with my men destroy their ev’ry hope.
[To Imperial Pilots 1 and 2:] Good pilots both, remain set for attack!
GOLD LEAD. The port for the exhaust hath been lock’d in
And mark’d! That hole shall make us whole, my mates.
Now switch thy pow’r to front deflector screens.
Gold Five, what say’st thou? Canst thou count the guns?
GOLD FIVE Belike ’tis twenty yon and hither, both
Upon the surface and within the tow’rs.
COMPUTER Within five minutes shall the Death Star be
Upon our rebel base, and set to strike.
GOLD LEAD. To targeting computer presently
I switch.
GOLD TWO —I have receiv’d a signal on
The ship’s computer—that the port will soon
Be in our range. But soft, good friends, what’s this?
The guns! It seemeth that their guns have stopp’d.
GOLD FIVE So watch thy rear, and stabilize thy shields.
Perhaps an enemy doth come behind.
GOLD LEAD. Aye, aye, they come! Three ships at point-two-ten.
CHORUS The battle heats as Vader and his men
Approach the threefold members of group Gold.
The Empire’s hate will be fulfillèd when
Darth makes his power known with blows full bold.
VADER I shall destroy the rebels vile myself.
Just give me thy good cover and ’tis done.
Now shoot I once, and death is the result.
[Darth Vader shoots. Explosion. Gold Two dies.
GOLD LEAD. I have no power to maneuver, fie!
GOLD FIVE Stay thou on target.
GOLD LEAD. —Nay, we run too close!
