A New Hope (5 page)

The speeder stops before what remains of the huge Jawas Sandcrawler. Luke and Ben walk among the smoldering rubble and scattered bodies.

LUKE It looks like Sandpeople did this, all right. Look, here are Gaffi sticks, Bantha tracks. It’s just…I never heard of them hitting anything this big before.

Ben is crouching in the sand studying the tracks. BEN They didn’t. But we are meant to think they did. These tracks are side by side. Sandpeople always ride single file to hide there numbers. LUKE These are the same Jawas that sold us Artoo and Threepio. BEN And these blast points, too accurate for Sandpeople. Only Imperial stormtroopers are so precise.

LUKE Why would Imperial troops want to slaughter Jawas? Luke looks back at the speeder where Artoo and Threepio are inspecting the dead Jawas, and put two and two together. LUKE If they traced the robots here, they may have learned who they sold them to. And that would lead them home!

Luke reaches a sudden horrible realization, then races for the speeder and jumps it.

BEN Wait, Luke! It’s too dangerous.

Luke races off leaving Ben and the two robots alone with the burning Sandcrawler.

EXTERIOR TATOOINE —WASTELAND.

Luke races across the wasteland in his battered Landspeeder. EXTERIOR TATOOINE —LARS HOMESTEAD.

The speeder roars up to the burning homestead. Luke jumps out and runs to the smoking holes that were once his home. Debris is scattered everywhere and it looks as if a great battle has taken place.

LUKE Uncle Owen! Aunt Beru! Uncle Owen!

Luke stumbles around in a daze looking for his aunt and uncle. Suddenly he comes upon their smoldering remains. He is stunned, and cannot speak. Hate replaces fear and a new resolve comes over him.

EXTERIOR SPACE.

Imperial TIE fighter races toward the Death Star. INTERIOR DEATH STAR —DETENTION CORRIDOR.

Two stormtroopers open an electronic cell door and allow several Imperial guards to enter. Princess Leia’s face is filled with defiance, which slowly gives way to fear as a giant black torture robot enters, followed by Darth Vader. VADER And, now Your Highness, we will discuss the location of your hidden Rebel base.

The torture robot gives off a steady beeping sound as it approaches Princess Leia and extends one of its mechanical arms bearing a large hypodermic needle. The door slides shut and the long cell block hallway appears peaceful. The muffled screams of the Rebel princess are barely heard. EXTERIOR TATOOINE —WASTELAND.

There is a large bonfire of Jawa bodies blazing in front of the Sandcrawler as Ben and the robots finish burning the dead. Luke drives up in the speeder and Ben walks over to him. BEN There’s nothing you could have done, Luke, had you been there. You’d have been killed, too, and the droids would be in the hands of the Empire.

LUKE I want to come with you to Alderaan. There’s nothing here for me now. I want to learn the ways of the Force and become a Jedi like my father.

EXTERIOR TATOOINE —WASTELAND.

The Landspeeder with Luke, Artoo, Threepio, and Ben in it zooms across the desert. The speeder stops on a bluff overlooking the spaceport at Mos Eisley. It is a haphazard array of low, grey, concrete structures and semi-domes. A harsh gale blows across the stark canyon floor. Luke adjusts his goggles and walks to the edge of the craggy bluff where Ben is standing.

BEN Mos Eisley Spaceport. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious.

Ben looks over at Luke, who gives the old Jedi a determined smile.

EXTERIOR TATOOINE —MOS EISLEY —STREET.

The speeder is stopped on a crowded street by several combat-hardend stormtroopers who look over the two robots. A Trooper questions Luke.

TROOPER How long have you had these droids?

LUKE About three or four seasons.

BEN They’re for sale if you want them.

TROOPER Let me see your identification.

Luke becomes very nervous as he fumbles to find his ID while Ben speaks to the Trooper in a very controlled voice. BEN You don’t need to see his identification.

TROOPER We don’t need to see his identification. BEN These are not the droids your looking for.

TROOPER These are not the droids we’re looking for. BEN He can go about his business.

TROOPER You can go about your business.

BEN (to Luke) Move along.

TROOPER Move along. Move along.

EXTERIOR TATOOINE —MOS EISLEY —STREET.

The speeder pulls up in front of a rundown blockhouse cantina on the outskirts of the spaceport. Various strange forms of transport, including several unusual beasts of burden, are parked outside the bar. A Jawa runs up and begins to fondle the speeder.

THREEPIO I can’t abide these Jawas. Disgusting creatures. As Luke gets out of the speeder he tries to shoo the Jawa away.

LUKE Go on, go on. I can’t understand how we got by those troopers. I thought we were dead.

BEN The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded. You will find it a powerful ally.

LUKE Do you really think we’re going to find a pilot here that’ll take us to Alderaan?

BEN Well, most of the best freighter pilots can be found here. Only watch your step. This place can be a little rough. LUKE I’m ready for anything.

THREEPIO Come along, Artoo.

INTERIOR TATOOINE —MOS EISLEY —CANTINA.

The young adventurer and his two mechanical servants follow Ben Kenobi into the smoke-filled cantina. The murky, moldy den is filled with a startling array of weird and exotic alien creatures and monsters at the long metallic bar. At first the sight is horrifying. One-eyed, thousand-eyed, slimy, furry, scaly, tentacled, and clawed creatures huddle over drinks. Ben moves to an empty spot at the bar near a group of repulsive but human scum. A huge, rough-looking Bartender stops Luke and the robots.

BARTENDER We don’t serve their kind here!

Luke still recovering from the shock of seeing so many outlandish creatures, doesn’t quite catch the bartender’s drift.

LUKE What?

BARTENDER Your droids. They’ll have to wait outside. We don’t want them here.

Luke looks at old Ben, who is busy talking to one of the Galactic pira tes. He notices several of the gruesome creatures along the bar are giving him a very unfriendly glare. Luke pats Threepio on the shoulder.

LUKE Listen, why don’t you wait out by the speeder. We don’t want any trouble.

THREEPIO I heartily agree with you sir.

Threepio and his stubby partner go outside and most of the creatures at the bar go back to their drinks.

Ben is standing next to Chewbacca, an eight-foot-tallsavage-looking creature resembling a huge grey bushbaby monkey with fierce baboon-like fangs. His large blue eyes dominate a furcovered face and soften his otherwise awesome appearance. Over his matted, furry body he wears two chrome bandoliers, and little else. He is a two-hundred-year-old Wookiee and a sight to behold.

Ben speaks to the Wookiee, pointing to Luke several times during his conversation and the huge creature suddenly lets out a horrifying laugh. Luke is more than a little bit disconcerted and pretends not to hear the conversation between Ben and the giant Wookiee.

Luke is terrified but tries not to show it. He quietly sips his drink, looking over the crowd for a more sympathetic ear or whatever.

A large, multiple-eyed Creature gives Luke a rough shove. CREATURE Negola dewaghi wooldugger?!?

The hideous freak is obviously drunk. Luke tries to ignore the creature and turns back on his drink. A short, grubby Human and an even smaller rodent-like beast join the belligerent monstrosity.

HUMAN He doesn’t like you.

LUKE I’m sorry.

HUMAN I don’t like you either

The big creature is getting agitated and yells out some unintelligible gibberish at the now rather nervous, young adventurer.

HUMAN (continued) Don’t insult us. You just watch yourself. We’re wanted men. I have the death sentence in twelve systems. LUKE I’ll be careful than.

HUMAN You’ll be dead.

The rodent lets out a loud grunt and everything at the bar moves away. Luke tries to remain cool but it isn’t easy. His three adversaries ready their weapons. Old Ben moves in behind Luke.

BEN This little one isn’t worth the effort. Come let me buy you something…

A powerful blow from the unpleasant creature sends the young would-be Jedi sailing across the room, crashing through tables and breaking a large jug filled with a foul-looking liquid. With a blood curdling shriek, the monster draws a wicked chrome laser pistol from his belt and levels it at old Ben. The bartender panics.

BARTENDER No blasters! No blaster!

With astounding agility old Ben’s laser sword sparks to life and in a flash an arm lies on the floor. The rodent is cut in two and the giant multiple-eyed creature lies doubled, cut from chin to groin. Ben carefully and precisely turns off his laser sword and replaces it on his utility belt. Luke, shaking and totally amazed at the old man’s abilities, attempts to stand. The entire fight has lasted only a matter of seconds. The cantina goes back to normal, although Ben is given a respectable amount of room at the bar. Luke, rubbing his bruised head, approaches the old man with new awe. Ben points the the Wookiee.

BEN This is Chewbacca. He’s first-mate on a ship that might suit our needs.

EXTERIOR TATOOINE —MOS EISLEY —STREET.

Threepio paces in front of the cantina as Artoo carries on an electronic conversation with another little red astro-droid. A creature comes out of the cantina and approaches two stormtroopers in the street.

THREEPIO I don’t like the look of this.

INTERIOR TATOOINE —MOS EISLEY —CANTINA.

Strange creatures play exotic big band music on odd-looking instruments as Luke, still giddy, downs a fresh drink and follows Ben and Chewbacca to a booth where Han Solo is sitting. Han is a tough, roguish starpilot about thirty years old. A mercenary on a starship, he is simple, sentimental, and cocksure.

HAN Han Solo. I’m captain of the Millennium Falcon. Chewie here tells me you’re looking for passage to the Alderaan system. BEN Yes, indeed. If it’s a fast ship.

HAN Fast ship? You’ve never heard of the Millennium Falcon? BEN Should I have?

HAN It’s the ship that made the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs!

Ben reacts to Solo’s stupid attempt to impress them with obvious misinformation.

HAN (continued) I’ve outrun Imperial starships, not the local bulk-cruisers, mind you. I’m talking about the big Corellian ships now. She’s fast enough for you, old man. What’s the cargo? BEN Only passengers. Myself, the boy, two droids, and no questions asked.

HAN What is it? Some kind of local trouble?

BEN Let’s just say we’d like to avoid any Imperial entanglements. HAN Well, that’s the trick, isn’t it? And it’s going to cost you something extra. Ten thousand in advance.

LUKE Ten thousand? We could almost buy our own ship for that!

HAN But who’s going to fly it, kid! You?

LUKE You bet I could. I’m not such a bad pilot myself! We don’t have to sit here and listen…

BEN We haven’t that much with us. But we could pay you two thousand now, plus fifteen when we reach Alderaan.

HAN Seventeen, huh!

Han ponders this for a few moments.

HAN Okay. You guys got yourself a ship. We’ll leave as soon as you’re ready. Docking bay Ninety-four.

BEN Ninety-four.

HAN Looks like somebody’s beginning to take an interest in your handiwork.

Ben and Luke turn around to see four Imperial stormtroopers looking at the dead bodies and asking the bartenders some questions. The bartender points to the booth.

TROOPER All right, we’ll check it out.

The stormtroopers look over at the booth but Luke and Ben are gone. The bartender shrugs his shoulders in puzzlement. HAN Seventeen thousand! Those guys must really be desperate. This could really save my neck. Get back to the ship and get her ready. EXTERIOR TATOOINE —MOS EISLEY —STREET.

BEN You’ll have to sell your speeder.

LUKE That’s okay. I’m never coming back to this planet again. INTERIOR MOS EISLEY —CANTINA.

As Han is about to leave, Greedo, a slimy green-faced alien with a short trunk-nose, pokes a gun in his side. The creature speaks in a foreign tongue translated into English subtitles. GREEDO Going somewhere, Solo?

HAN Yes, Greedo. As a matter of fact, I was just going to see your boss. Tell Jabba that I’ve got his money.

Han sits down and the alien sits across from him holding the gun on him.

GREEDO It’s too late. You should have paid him when you had the chance. Jabba’s put a price on your head, so large that every bounty hunter in the galaxy will be looking for you. I’m lucky I found you first.

HAN Yeah, but this time I got the money.

GREEDO If you give it to me, I might forget I found you. HAN I don’t have it with me. Tell Jabba…

GREEDO Jabba’s through with you. He has no time for smugglers who drop their shipments at the first sign of an Imperial cruiser. HAN Even I get boarded sometimes. Do you think I had a choice? Han Solo slowly reaches for his gun under the table. GREEDO You can tell that to Jabba. He may only take your ship. HAN Over my dead body.

GREEDO That’s the idea. I’ve been looking forward to killing you for a long time.

HAN Yes, I’ll bet you have.

Suddenly the slimy alien disappears in a blinding flash of light. Han pulls his smoking gun from beneath the table as the other patron look on in bemused amazement. Han gets up and starts out of the cantina, flipping the bartender some coins as he leaves.

HAN Sorry about the mess.

EXTERIOR SPACE.

Several TIE fighters approach the Death Star.

INTERIOR DEATH STAR —CONTROL ROOM.

VADER Her resistance to the mind probe is considerable. It will be some time before we can extract any information from her. An Imperial Officer interrupts the meeting.

IMPERIAL OFFICER The final check-out is complete. All systems are operational. What course shall we set?

TARKIN Perhaps she would respond to an alternative form of persuasion.

VADER What do you mean?

TARKIN I think it is time we demonstrate the full power of this station. (to soldier) Set your course for Princess Leia’s home planet of Alderaan.