----------------------
 

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away...
 

A vast sea of stars serves as the backdrop for the main
title. War drums echo through the heavens as a rollup 
slowly crawls into infinity.

--- --- ---

It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a
hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic
Empire.

During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the
Empire's ultimate weapon, the Death Star, an armored space station
with enough power to destroy an entire planet.

Pursued by the Empire's sinister agents, Princess Leia races home
aboard her starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save her
people and restore freedom to the galaxy...

--- --- ---

The awesome yellow planet of Tatooine emerges from a total
eclipse, her two moons glowing against the darkness. A tiny
silver spacecraft, a Rebel Blockade Runner firing lasers from
the back of the ship, races through space. It is pursed by a
giant Imperial Stardestroyer. Hundreds of deadly laserbolts
streak from the Imperial Stardestroyer, causing the main solar
fin of the Rebel craft to disintegrate.

INTERIOR: REBEL BLOCKADE RUNNER -- MAIN PASSAGEWAY.

An explosion rocks the ship as two robots, Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2)
and See-Threepio (C-3PO) struggle to make their way through the
shaking, bouncing passageway. Both robots are old and battered. 
Artoo is a short, claw-armed tripod. His face is a mass of
computer lights surrounding a radar eye. Threepio, on the
other hand, is a tall, slender robot of human proportions. He
has a gleaming bronze-like metallic surface of an Art Deco
design. 
Another blast shakes them as they struggle along their
way.

THREEPIO: Did you hear that? They've shut down the main reactor. We'll
be destroyed for sure. This is madness!

Rebel troopers rush past the robots and take up positions
in the main passageway. They aim their weapons toward the door.

THREEPIO: We're doomed!

The little R2 unit makes a series of electronic sounds that
only another robot could understand.

THREEPIO: There'll be no escape for the Princess this time.

Artoo continues making beeping sounds. Tension mounts as
loud metallic latches clank and the scream of heavy equipment
are heard moving around the outside hull of the ship.

THREEPIO: What's that?

EXTERIOR: SPACECRAFT IN SPACE.

The Imperial craft has easily overtaken the Rebel Blockade
Runner. The smaller Rebel ship is being drawn into the
underside dock of the giant Imperial starship.

INTERIOR: REBEL BLOCKADE RUNNER.

The nervous Rebel troopers aim their weapons. Suddenly a
tremendous blast opens up a hole in the main passageway and a
score of fearsome armored spacesuited stormtroopers make their
way into the smoke-filled corridor.
In a few minutes the entire passageway is ablaze with
laserfire. The deadly bolts ricochet in wild random patterns
creating huge explosions. Stormtroopers scatter and duck
behind storage lockers. Laserbolts hit several Rebel soldiers
who scream and stagger through the smoke, holding shattered
arms and faces.
An explosion hits near the robots.

THREEPIO: I should have known better than to trust the logic of a
half-sized thermocapsulary dehousing assister...

Artoo counters with an angry rebuttal as the battle rages
around the two hapless robots.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- DESERT WASTELAND -- DAY.

A death-white wasteland stretches from horizon to horizon. The
tremendous heat of two huge twin suns settle on a lone figure,
Luke Skywalker, a farm boy with heroic aspirations who looks
much younger than his eighteen years. His shaggy hair and
baggy tunic give him the air of a simple but lovable lad with
a prize-winning smile.
A light wind whips at him as he adjusts several valves on a
large battered moisture vaporator which sticks out of the
desert floor much like an oil pipe with valves. He is aided by
a beatup tread-robot with six claw arms. The little robot
appears to be barely functioning and moves with jerky motions.
A bright sparkle in the morning sky catches Luke's eye and he
instinctively grabs a pair of electrobinoculars from his utility
belt. He stands transfixed for a few moments studying the
heavens, then dashed toward his dented, crudely repaired
Landspeeder (an auto-like transport that travels a few feet
above the ground on a magnetic-field). He motions for the tiny
robot to follow him.

LUKE: Hurry up! Come with me! What are you waiting for?! Get in gear!

The robot scoots around in a tight circle, stops short, and
smoke begins to pour out of every joint. Luke throws his arms
up in disgust. Exasperated, the young farm boy jumps into his
Landspeeder leaving the smoldering robot to hum madly.

INTERIOR: REBEL BLOCKADE RUNNER -- MAIN HALLWAY.

The awesome, seven-foot-tall Dark Lord of the Sith makes his
way into the blinding light of the main passageway. This is
Darth Vader, right hand of the Emperor. His face is obscured
by his flowing black robes and grotesque breath mask, which
stands out next to the fascist white armored suits of the
Imperial stormtroopers. Everyone instinctively backs away from
the imposing warrior and a deathly quiet sweeps through the
Rebel troops. Several of the Rebel troops break and run in a
frenzied panic.

INTERIOR: REBEL BLOCKADE RUNNER.

A woman's hand puts a card into an opening in Artoo's dome.
Artoo makes beeping sounds.

INTERIOR: REBEL BLOCKADE RUNNER.

Threepio stands in a hallway, somewhat bewildered. Artoo is
nowhere in sight. The pitiful screams of the doomed Rebel
soldiers can be heard in the distance.

THREEPIO: Artoo! Artoo-Detoo, where are you?

A familiar clanking sound attacks Threepio's attention and
he spots little Artoo at the end of the hallway in a
smoke-filled alcove. A beautiful young girl (about sixteen
years old) stands in front of Artoo. Surreal and out of place,
dreamlike and half hidden in the smoke, she finishes adjusting
something on Artoo's computer face, then watches as the little
robot joins his companion.

THREEPIO: At last! Where have you been?

Stormtroopers can be heard battling in the distance.

THREEPIO: They're heading in this direction. What are we going to do?
We'll be sent to the spice mine of Kessel or smashed into who knows
what!

Artoo scoots past his bronze friend and races down the
subhallway. Threepio chases after him.

THREEPIO: Wait a minute, where are you going?

Artoo responds with electronic beeps.

INTERIOR: REBEL BLOCKADE RUNNER -- CORRIDOR

The evil Darth Vader stands amid the broken and twisted bodies
of his foes. He grabs a wounded Rebel Officer by the neck as
an Imperial Officer rushes up to the Dark Lord.

IMPERIAL OFFICER: The Death Star plans are not in the main computer.

Vader squeezes the neck of the Rebel Officer, who struggles
in vain.

VADER: Where are those transmissions you intercepted?

Vader lifts the Rebel off his feet by his throat.

VADER: What have you done with those plans?

REBEL OFFICER: We intercepted no transmissions. Aaah....This is a
consular ship. Were on a diplomatic mission.

VADER: If this is a consular ship...were is the Ambassador?

The Rebel refuses to speak but eventually cries out as the
Dark Lord begins to squeeze the officer's throat, creating a
gruesome snapping and choking, until the soldier goes limp.
Vader tosses the dead soldier against the wall and turns to
his troops.

VADER: Commander, tear this ship apart until you've found those plans
and bring me the Ambassador. I want her alive!

The stormtroopers scurry into the subhallways.

INTERIOR: REBEL BLOCKADE RUNNER -- SUBHALLWAY.

The lovely young girl huddles in a small alcove as the
stormtroopers search through the ship. She is Princess Leia
Organa, a member of the Alderaan Senate. The fear in her eyes
slowly gives way to anger as the muted crushing sounds of the
approaching stormtroopers grow louder. One of the troopers
spots her.

TROOPER: There she is! Set for stun!

Leia steps from her hiding place and blasts a trooper with
her laser pistol. She starts to run but is felled by a
paralyzing ray. The troopers inspect her inert body.

TROOPER: She'll be all right. Inform Lord Vader we have a prisoner.

INTERIOR: REBEL BLOCKADE RUNNER -- SUBHALLWAY.

Artoo stops before the small hatch of an emergency lifepod. He
snaps the seal on the main latch and a red warning light
begins to flash. The stubby astro-robot works his way into the
cramped four-man pod.

THREEPIO: Hey, you're not permitted in there. It's restricted. You'll
be deactivated for sure..

Artoo beeps something to him.

THREEPIO: Don't call me a mindless philosopher, you overweight glob of
grease! Now come out before somebody sees you.

Artoo whistles something at his reluctant friend regarding
the mission he is about to perform.

THREEPIO: Secret mission? What plans? What are you talking about? I'm
not getting in there!

Artoo isn't happy with Threepio's stubbornness, and he beeps
and twangs angrily.

A new explosion, this time very close, sends dust and debris
through the narrow subhallway. Flames lick at Threepio and,
after a flurry of electronic swearing from Artoo, the lanky
robot jumps into the lifepod.

THREEPIO: I'm going to regret this.

INTERIOR: IMPERIAL STARDESTROYER.

On the main viewscreen, the lifepod carrying the two terrified
robots speeds away from the stricken Rebel spacecraft.

CHIEF PILOT: There goes another one.

CAPTAIN: Hold your fire. There are no life forms. It must have been
short-circuited.

INTERIOR: LIFEPOD.

Artoo and Threepio look out at the receding Imperial starship.
Stars circle as the pod rotates through the galaxy.

THREEPIO: That's funny, the damage doesn't look as bad from out here.

Artoo beeps an assuring response.

THREEPIO: Are you sure this things safe?

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- ANCHORHEAD SETTLEMENT -- POWER STATION -- DAY.

Heat waves radiate from the dozen or so bleached white
buildings. Luke pilots his Landspeeder through the dusty empty
street of the tiny settlement. An old woman runs to get out of
the way of the speeding vehicle, shaking her fist at Luke as
he flies past.

WOMAN: I've told you kids to slow down!

INTERIOR: POWER STATION -- DAY.

Luke bursts into the power station, waking The Fixer, a rugged
mechanic and Camie, a sexy, disheveled girl who has been
asleep in his lap. They grumbled as he races through the
office, yelling wildly.

FIXER: Did I hear a young noise blast through here?

CAMIE: It was just wormie on another rampage.

Luke bounces into a small room behind the office where Deak
and Windy, two tough boys about the same age as Luke, are
playing a computer pool-like game with Biggs, a burly,
handsome boy a few years older than the rest. His flashy city
attire is a sharp contrast to the loose-fitting tunics of the
farm boys. A robot repairs some equipment in the background.

LUKE: Shape it up you guys!.... Biggs?

Luke's surprise at the appearance of Biggs gives way to
great joy and emotion. They give each other a great bear hug.

LUKE: I didn't know you were back! When did you get in?

BIGGS: Just now. I wanted to surprise you, hot shot. I thought you'd be
here...certainly didn't expect you to be out working. (he laughs.)

LUKE: The Academy didn't change you much...but you're back so soon?
Hey, what happened, didn't you get your commission?

Biggs has an air of cool that seems slightly phony.

BIGGS: Of course I got it. Signed aboard The Rand Ecliptic last week.
First mate Biggs Darklighter at your service...(he salutes)...I just
came to say good-bye to all you unfortunate landlocked simpletons.

Everyone laughs. The dazzling spectacle of his dashing
friend is almost too much for Luke, but suddenly he snaps out
of it.

LUKE: I almost forgot. There's a battle going on! Right here in our
system. Come and look!

DEAK: Not again! Forget it.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- ANCHORHEAD -- SETTLEMENT -- POWER STATION -- DAY.

The group stumbles out into the stifling desert sun. Camie and
The Fixer complain and are forced to shade their eyes. Luke
has his binoculars out scanning the heavens.

LUKE: There they are!

Biggs takes the binoculars from Luke as the others strain
to see something with the naked eye. Through the binoculars
Biggs sees two small silver specks.

BIGGS: That's no battle, hot shot...they're just sitting there!
Probably a freighter-tanker refueling.

LUKE: But there was a lot of firing earlier...

Camie grabs the binoculars away banging them against the
building in the process. Luke grabs them.

LUKE: Hey, easy with those...

CAMIE: Don't worry about it, Wormie.

The Fixer gives Luke a hard look and the young farm boy
shrugs his shoulders in resignation.

FIXER: I keep telling you, the Rebellion is a long way from here. I
doubt if the Empire would even fight to keep this system. Believe me
Luke, this planet is a big hunk of nothing...

Luke agrees, although it's obvious he isn't sure why. The
group stumbles back into the power station, grumbling about
Luke's ineptitude.

INTERIOR: REBEL BLOCKADE RUNNER -- HALLWAY

Princess Leia is led down a low-ceilinged hallway by a squad
of armored stormtroopers. Her hands are bound and she is
brutally shoved when she is unable to keep up with the briskly
marching troops. They stop in a smoky hallway as Darth Vader
emerges from the shadows. The sinister Dark Lord stares hard
at the frail young senator, but she doesn't move.

LEIA: Lord Vader, I should have known. Only you could be so bold. The
Imperial Senate will not sit for this, when they hear you've attacked
a diplomatic...

VADER: Don't play games with me, Your Highness. You weren't on any
mercy mission this time. You passed directly through a restricted
system. Several transmissions were beamed to this ship by Rebel spies.
I want to know what happened to the plans they sent you.

LEIA: I don't know what you're talking about. I'm a member of the
Imperial Senate on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan...

VADER: You're a part of the Rebel Alliance...and a traitor. Take her
away!

Leia is marched away down the hallway and into the
smoldering hole blasted in the side of the ship. An Imperial
Commander turns to Vader.

COMMANDER: Holding her is dangerous. If word of this gets out, it
could generate sympathy for the Rebellion in the senate.

VADER: I have traced the Rebel spies to her. Now she is my only link
to find their secret base!

COMMANDER: She'll die before she tells you anything.

VADER: Leave that to me. Send a distress signal and then inform the
senate that all aboard were killed!

Another Imperial Officer approaches Vader and the
Commander. They stop and snap to attention.

SECOND OFFICER: Lord Vader, the battle station plans are not aboard
this ship! And no transmissions were made. An escape pod was
jettisoned during the fighting, but no life forms were aboard.

Vader turns to the Commander.

VADER: She must have hidden the plans in the escape pod. Send a
detachment down to retrieve them. See to it personally, Commander.
There'll be no one to stop us this time.

COMMANDER: Yes, sir.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

The Imperial Stardestroyer comes over the surface of the
planet Tatooine.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- DESERT.

Jundland, or "No Man's Land", where the rugged desert mesas
meet the foreboding dune sea. The two helpless astro-droids
kick up clouds of sand as they leave the lifepod and clumsily
work their way across the desert wasteland. The lifepod in the
distance rests half buried in the sand.

THREEPIO: How did I get into this mess? I really don't know how. We
seem to be made to suffer. It's our lot in life.

Artoo answers with beeping sounds.

THREEPIO: I've got to rest before I fall apart. My joints are almost
frozen. 

Artoo continues to respond with beeping sounds.

THREEPIO: What a desolate place this is.

Suddenly Artoo whistles, makes a sharp right turn and
starts off in the direction of the rocky desert mesas. Threepio
stops and yells at him.

THREEPIO: Where are you going?

A stream of electronic noises pours forth from the small
robot.

THREEPIO: Well, I'm not going that way. It's much too rocky. This way
is much easier.

Artoo counters with a long whistle.

THREEPIO: What makes you think there are settlements over there?

Artoo continues to make beeping sounds.

THREEPIO: Don't get technical with me.

Artoo continues to make beeping sounds.

THREEPIO: What mission? What are you talking about? I've had just
about enough of you! Go that way! You'll be malfunctioning within a
day, you nearsighted scrap pile!

Threepio gives the little robot a kick and starts off in
the direction of the vast dune sea.

THREEPIO: And don't let me catch you following me begging for help,
because you won't get it.

Artoo's reply is a rather rude sound. He turns and trudges
off in the direction of the towering mesas.

THREEPIO: No more adventures. I'm not going that way.

Artoo beeps to himself as he makes his way toward the
distant mountains.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- DUNE SEA.

Threepio, hot and tired, struggles up over the ridge of a dune;
only to find more dunes, which seem to go on for endless
miles.  He looks back in the direction of the now distant rock
mesas. 

THREEPIO: That malfunctioning little twerp. This is all his fault! He
tricked me into going this way, but he'll do no better.

In a huff of anger and frustration, Threepio knocks the
sand from his joints. His plight seems hopeless, when a glint
of reflected light in the distance reveals an object moving
towards him.

THREEPIO: Wait, what's that? A transport! I'm saved!

The bronze android waves frantically and yells at the
approaching transport.

THREEPIO: Over here! Help! Please, help!

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- ANCHORHEAD SETTLEMENT -- POWER STATION -- DAY.

Luke and Biggs are walking and drinking a malt brew. Fixer and
the others can be heard working inside.

LUKE: (Very animated)...so I cut off my power, shut down the
afterburners and came in low on Deak's trail. I was so close I thought
I was going to fry my instruments. As it was I busted up the Skyhopper
pretty bad. Uncle Owen was pretty upset. He grounded me for the rest
of the season. You should have been there...it was fantastic.

BIGGS: You ought to take it easy Luke. You may be the hottest
bushpilot this side of Mos Eisley, but those little Skyhoppers are
dangerous. Keep it up, and one day, whammo, you're going to be nothing
more than a dark spot on the down side of a canyon wall.

LUKE: Look who's talking. Now that you've been around those giant
starships you're beginning to sound like my uncle. You've gotten soft
in the city...

BIGGS: I've missed you kid.

LUKE: Well, things haven't been the same since you left, Biggs. It's
been so...quiet.

Biggs looks around then leans close to Luke.

BIGGS: Luke, I didn't come back just to say good-bye...I shouldn't
tell you this, but you're the only one I can trust...and if I don't
come back, I want somebody to know.

Luke's eyes are wide with Biggs' seriousness and loyalty.

LUKE: What are you talking about?

BIGGS: I made some friends at the Academy. (he whispers)...when our
frigate goes to one of the central systems, we're going to jump ship
and join the Alliance...

Luke, amazed and stunned, is almost speechless.

LUKE: Join the Rebellion?! Are you kidding! How?

BIGGS: Quiet down will ya! You got a mouth bigger than a meteor
crater!

LUKE: I'm sorry. I'm quiet. (he whispers) Listen how quiet I am. You
can barely hear me...

Biggs shakes his head angrily and then continues.

BIGGS: My friend has a friend on Bestine who might help us make
contact.

LUKE: Your crazy! You could wander around forever trying to find them.

BIGGS: I know it's a long shot, but if I don't find them I'll do what
I can on my own...It's what we always talked about. Luke, I'm not
going to wait for the Empire to draft me into service. The Rebellion
is spreading and I want to be on the right side -- the side I believe
in. 

LUKE: And I'm stuck here...

BIGGS: I thought you were going to the Academy next term. You'll get
your chance to get off this rock.

LUKE: Not likely! I had to cancel my application. There has been a lot
of unrest among the Sandpeople since you left...they've even raided
the outskirts of Anchorhead.

BIGGS: Your uncle could hold off a whole colony of Sandpeople with one
blaster.

LUKE: I know, but he's got enough vaporators going to make the place
pay off. He needs me for just one more season. I can't leave him now.

BIGGS: I feel for you, Luke, you're going to have to learn what seems
to be important or what really is important. What good is all your
uncle's work if it's taken over by the Empire?...You know they're
starting to nationalize commerce in the central systems...it won't be
long before your uncle is merely a tenant, slaving for the greater
glory of the Empire.

LUKE: It couldn't happen here. You said it yourself. The Empire won't
bother with this rock.

BIGGS: Things always change.

LUKE: I wish I was going...Are you going to be around long? 

BIGGS: No, I'm leaving in the morning...

LUKE: Then I guess I won't see you.

BIGGS: Maybe someday...I'll keep a lookout.

LUKE: Well, I'll be at the Academy next season...after that who knows.
I won't be drafted into the Imperial Starfleet that's for sure...Take
care of yourself, you'll always be the best friend I've got.

BIGGS: So long, Luke.

Biggs turns away from his old friend and heads towards the
power station.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- ROCK CANYON -- SUNSET.

The gargantuan rock formations are shrouded in a strange
foreboding mist and the onimous sounds of unearthly creatures
fill the air. Artoo moves cautiously through the creepy rock
canyon, inadvertently making a loud clicking noise as he goes.
He hears a distant, hard, metallic sound and stops for a
moment. Convinced he is alone, he continues on his way.
In the distance, a pepple tumbles down the steep canyon
wall and a small dark figure darts into the shadows. A little
further up the canyon a slight flicker of light reveals a pair
of eyes in the dark recesses only a few feet from the narrow
path.
The unsuspecting robot waddles along the rugged trail until
suddenly, out of nowhere, a powerful magnetic ray shoots out
of the rocks and engulfs him in an eerie glow. He manages one
short electronic squeak before he topples over onto his back.
His bright computer lights flicker off, then on, then off
again. Out of the rocks scurry three Jawas, no taller than
Artoo. They holster strange and complex weapons as they
cautiously approach the robot. They wear grubby cloaks and
their faces are shrouded so only their glowing eyes can be
seen. They hiss and make odd guttural sounds as they heave the
heavy robot onto their shoulders and carry him off down the
trail. 

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- ROCK CANYON -- SANDCRAWLER -- SUNSET.

The eight Jawas carry Artoo out of the canyon to a huge
tank-like vehicle the size of a four-story house. They weld a
small disk on the side of Artoo and then put him under a large
tube on the side of the vehicle and the little robot is sucked
into the giant machine.
The filthy little Jawas scurry like rats up small ladders
and enter the main cabin of the behemoth transport.

INTERIOR: SANDCRAWLER -- HOLD AREA.

It is dim inside the hold area of the Sandcrawler. Artoo
switches on a small floodlight on his forehead and stumbles
around the scrap heap. The narrow beam swings across rusty
metal rocket parts and an array of grotesquely twisted and
maimed astro-robots. He lets out a pathetic electronic whimper
and stumbles off toward what appears to be a door at the end
of the chamber.

INTERIOR: SANDCRAWLER -- PRISON AREA.

Artoo enters a wide room with a four-foot ceiling. In the
middle of the scrap heap sit a dozen or so robots of various
shapes and sizes. Some are engaged in electronic conversation,
while others simply mill about. A voice of recognition calls
out from the gloom.

THREEPIO: Artoo-Detoo! It's you! It's you!

A battered Threepio scrambles up to Artoo and embraces him.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- ROCK CANYON -- SANDCRAWLER -- SUNSET.

The enormous Sandcrawler lumbers off toward the magnificent
twin suns, which are slowly setting over a distant mountain
ridge.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- DESERT -- DAY.

Four Imperial stormtroopers mill about in front of the half-
buried lifepod that brought Artoo and Threepio to Tatooine. A
trooper yells to an officer some distance away.

FIRST TROOPER: Someone was in the pod. The tracks go off in this
direction. 

A second trooper picks a small bit of metal out of the sand
and gives it to the first trooper.

SECOND TROOPER: Look, sir -- droids.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- DUNES.

The Sandcrawler moves slowly down a great sand dune.

INTERIOR: SANDCRAWLER.

Threepio and Artoo noisily bounce along inside the cramped
prison chamber. Artoo appears to be shut off.

THREEPIO: Wake up! Wake up!

Suddenly the shaking and bouncing of the Sandcrawler stops,
creating quite a commotion among the mechanical men.
Threepio's fist bangs the head of Artoo whose computer lights
pop on as he begins beeping. At the far end of the long
chamber a hatch opens, filling the chamber with blinding white
light. a dozen or so Jawas make their way through the odd
assortment of robots.

THREEPIO: We're doomed.

A Jawa starts moving toward them.

THREEPIO: Do you think they'll melt us down?

Artoo responds, making beeping sounds.

THREEPIO: Don't shoot! Don't shoot! Will this never end?

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- DESERT -- LARS HOMESTEAD -- AFTERNOON.

The Jawas mutter gibberish as they busily line up their
battered captives, including Artoo and Threepio, in front of
the enormous Sandcrawler, which is parked beside a small
homestead consisting of three large holes in the ground
surrounded by several tall moisture vaporators and one small
adobe block house.
The Jawas scurry around fussing over the robots,
straightening them up or brushing some dust from a dented
metallic elbow. The shrouded little creatures smell horribly,
attracting small insects to the dark areas when their mouths
and nostrils should be.
Out of the shadows of a dingy side-building limps Owen
Lars, a large burly man in his mid-fifties. His reddish eyes
are sunken in a dust-covered face. As the farmer carefully
inspects each robot, he is closely followed by his slump-
shouldered nephew, Luke Skywalker. One of the vile little
Jawas walks ahead of the farmer spouting an animated sales
pitch in a queer, unintelligible language.
A voice calls out from one of the huge holes that form the
homestead. Luke goes over to the edge and sees his Aunt Beru
standing in the main courtyard.

BERU: Luke, tell Owen that if he gets a translator to be sure it
speaks Bocce.

LUKE: It looks like we don't have much of a choice but I'll remind
him.

Luke returns to his uncle as they look over the equipment
for sale with the Jawa leader.

OWEN: I have no need for a protocol droid.

THREEPIO: (quickly) Sir -- not in an environment such as this --
that's why I've also been programmed for over thirty secondary
functions that...

OWEN: What I really need is a droid that understands the binary
language of moisture vaporators.

THREEPIO: Vaporators! Sir -- My first job was programming binary load
lifter...very similar to your vaporators. You could say...

OWEN: Do you speak Bocce?

THREEPIO: Of course I can, sir. It's like a second language for
me...I'm as fluent in Bocce...

OWEN: All right shut up! (turning to Jawa) I'll take this one.

THREEPIO: Shutting up, sir.

OWEN: Luke, take these two over to the garage, will you? I want you to
have both of them cleaned up before dinner.

LUKE: But I was going into Toshi Station to pick up some power
converters...

OWEN: You can waste time with your friends when your chores are done.
Now come on, get to it!

LUKE: All right, come on! And the red one, come on. Well, come on,
Red, let's go.

As the Jawas start to lead the three remaining robots
back into the Sandcrawler, Artoo lets out a pathetic little
beep and starts after his old friend Threepio. He is
restrained by a slimy Jawa, who zaps him with a control box.

Owen is negotiating with the head Jawa. Luke and the two
robots start off for the garage when a plate pops off the head
of the red astro-droid's head plate and it sparks wildly.

LUKE: Uncle Owen...

OWEN: Yeah?

LUKE: This R2 unit has a bad motivator. Look!

OWEN: (to the head Jawa) Hey, what're you trying to push on us?

The Jawa goes into a loud spiel. Meanwhile, Artoo has
sneaked out of line and is moving up and down trying to
attract attention. He lets out with a low whistle. Threepio
taps Luke on the shoulder.

THREEPIO: (pointing to Artoo) Excuse me, sir, but that R2 unit is in
prime condition. A real bargain.

LUKE: Uncle Owen...

OWEN: Yeah?

LUKE: What about that one?

OWEN: (to Jawa) What about that blue one? We'll take that one.

With a little reluctance the scruffy dwarf trades the
damaged astro-droid for Artoo.

LUKE: Yeah, take it away.

THREEPIO: Uh, I'm quite sure you'll be very pleased with that one,
sir. He really is in first-class condition. I've worked with him
before. Here he comes.

Owen pays off the whining Jawa as Luke and the two robots
trudge off toward a grimy homestead entry.

LUKE: Okay, let's go.

THREEPIO: (to Artoo) Now, don't you forget this! Why I should stick my
neck out for you is quite beyond my capacity!

INTERIOR: LARS HOMESTEAD -- GARAGE AREA -- LATE AFTERNOON.

The garage is cluttered and worn, but a friendly peaceful
atmosphere permeates the low grey chamber. Threepio lowers
himself into a large tub filled with warm oil. Near the
battered Landspeeder little Artoo rests on a large battery
with a cord to his face.

THREEPIO: Thank the maker! This oil bath is going to feel so good.
I've got such a bad case of dust contamination, I can barely move!

Artoo beeps a muffled reply. Luke seems to be lost in
thought as he runs his hand over the damaged fin of a small
two-man Skyhopper spaceship resting in a low hangar off the
garage. Finally Luke's frustrations get the better of him and
he slams a wrench across the workbench.

LUKE: It just isn't fair. Oh, Biggs is right. I'm never gonna get out
of here!

THREEPIO: Is there anything I might do to help? 

Luke glances at the battered robot. A bit of his anger
drains and a tiny smile creeps across his face.

LUKE: Well, not unless you can alter time, speed up the harvest, or
teleport me off this rock!

THREEPIO: I don't think so, sir. I'm only a droid and not very
knowledgeable about such things. Not on this planet, anyways. As a
matter of fact, I'm not even sure which planet I'm on.

LUKE: Well, if there's a bright center to the universe, you're on the
planet that it's farthest from.

THREEPIO: I see, sir.

LUKE: Uh, you can call me Luke.

THREEPIO: I see, sir Luke.

LUKE: (laughing) Just Luke.

THREEPIO: And I am See-Threepio, human-cyborg relations, and this is
my counterpart, Artoo-Detoo.

LUKE: Hello.

Artoo beeps in response. Luke unplugs Artoo and begins to
scrape several connectors on the robot's head with a chrome
pick. Threepio climbs out of the oil tub and begins wiping oil
from his bronze body.

LUKE: You got a lot of carbon scoring here. It looks like you boys
have seen a lot of action.

THREEPIO: With all we've been through, sometimes I'm amazed we're in
as good condition as we are, what with the Rebellion and all.

LUKE: You know of the Rebellion against the Empire?

THREEPIO: That's how we came to be in your service, if you take my
meaning, sir.

LUKE: Have you been in many battles?

THREEPIO: Several, I think. Actually, there's not much to tell. I'm
not much more than an interpreter, and not very good at telling
stories. Well, not at making them interesting, anyways.

Luke struggles to remove a small metal fragment from Artoo's
neck joint. He uses a larger pick.

LUKE: Well, my little friend, you've got something jammed in here real
good. Were you on a cruiser or...

The fragment breaks loose with a snap, sending Luke
tumbling head over heels. He sits up and sees a twelve-inch
three-dimensional hologram of Leia Organa, the Rebel senator,
being projected from the face of little Artoo. The image is a
rainbow of colors as it flickers and jiggles in the dimly lit
garage. Luke's mouth hangs open in awe.

LEIA: Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope.

LUKE: What's this?

Artoo looks around and sheepishly beeps an answer for
Threepio to translate. Leia continues to repeat the sentence
fragment over and over.

THREEPIO: What is what?!? He asked you a question...(pointing to Leia)
What is that?

Artoo whistles his surprise as he pretends to just notice
the hologram. He looks around and sheepishly beeps an answer
for Threepio to translate. Leia continues to repeat the
sentence fragment over and over.

LEIA: Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope. Help me, Obi-Wan
Kenobi. You're my only hope.

THREEPIO: Oh, he says it's nothing, sir. Merely a malfunction. Old
data. Pay it no mind.

Luke becomes intrigued by the beautiful girl.

LUKE: Who is she? She's beautiful.

THREEPIO: I'm afraid I'm not quite sure, sir.

LEIA: Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi...

THREEPIO: I think she was a passenger on our last voyage. A person of
some importance, sir -- I believe. Our captain was attached to...

LUKE: Is there more to this recording?

Luke reaches out for Artoo but he lets out several frantic
squeaks and a whistle.

THREEPIO: Behave yourself, Artoo. You're going to get us in trouble.
It's all right, you can trust him. He's our new master.

Artoo whistles and beeps a long message to Threepio.

THREEPIO: He says he's the property of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a resident of
these parts. And it's a private message for him. Quite frankly, sir I
don't know what he's talking about. Our last master was Captain
Antilles, but with what we've been through, this little R2 unit has
become a bit eccentric.

LUKE: Obi-Wan Kenobi? I wonder if he means old Ben Kenobi?

THREEPIO: I beg your pardon, sir, but do you know what he's talking
about?

LUKE: Well, I don't know anyone named Obi-Wan, but old Ben lives out
beyond the dune sea. He's kind of a strange old hermit.

Luke's gazes at the beautiful young princess for a few
moments. 

LUKE: I wonder who she is. It sounds like she's in trouble. I'd better
play back the whole thing.

Artoo beeps something to Threepio.

THREEPIO: He says the restraining bolt has short circuited his
recording system. He suggests that if you remove the bolt, he might be
able to play back the entire recording.

Luke looks longingly at the lovely, little princess and
hasn't really heard what Threepio has been saying.

LUKE: H'm? Oh, yeah, well, I guess you're too small to run away on me
if I take this off! Okay.

Luke takes a wedged bar and pops the restraining bolt off
Artoo's side.

LUKE: There you go.

The princess immediately disappears...

LUKE: Well, wait a minute. Where'd she go? Bring her back! Play back
the entire message.

Artoo beeps an innocent reply as Threepio sits up in
embarrassment.

THREEPIO: What message? The one you're carrying inside your rusty
innards! 

A women's voice calls out from another room.

AUNT BERU: Luke? Luke! Come to dinner!

Luke stands up and shakes his head at the malfunctioning
robot.

LUKE: All right, I'll be right there, Aunt Beru.

THREEPIO: I'm sorry, sir, but he appears to have picked up a slight
flutter.

Luke tosses Artoo's restraining bolt on the workbench and
hurries out of the room.

LUKE: Well, see what you can do with him. I'll be right back.

THREEPIO: (to Artoo) Just you reconsider playing that message for him.

Artoo beeps in response.

THREEPIO: No, I don't think he likes you at all.

Artoo beeps.

THREEPIO: No, I don't like you either.

INTERIOR: LARS HOMESTEAD -- DINING AREA.

 Luke's Aunt Beru, a warm, motherly woman, fills a pitcher
with blue fluid from a refrigerated container in the well-used
kitchen. She puts the pitcher on a tray with some bowls of
food and starts for the dining area.
Luke sits with his Uncle Owen before a table covered with
steaming bowls of food as Aunt Beru carries in a bowl of red
grain.

LUKE: You know, I think that R2 unit we bought might have been stolen.

OWEN: What makes you think that?

LUKE: Well, I stumbled across a recording while I was cleaning him. He
says he belongs to someone called Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Owen is greatly alarmed at the mention of his name, but
manages to control himself.

LUKE: I thought he might have meant old Ben. Do you know what he's
talking about? Well, I wonder if he's related to Ben.

Owen breaks loose with a fit of uncontrolled anger.

OWEN: That old man's just a crazy old wizard. Tomorrow I want you to
take that R2 unit into Anchorhead and have its memory flushed. That'll
be the end of it. It belongs to us now.

LUKE: But what if this Obi-Wan comes looking for him?

OWEN: He won't, I don't think he exists any more. He died about the
same time as your father.

LUKE: He knew my father?

OWEN: I told you to forget it. Your only concern is to prepare the new
droids for tomorrow. In the morning I want them on the south ridge
working out those condensers.

LUKE: Yes, sir. I think those new droids are going to work out fine.
In fact, I, uh, was also thinking about our agreement about my staying
on another season. And if these new droids do work out, I want to
transmit my application to the Academy this year.

Owen's face becomes a scowl, although he tries to suppress
it.

OWEN: You mean the next semester before harvest?

LUKE: Sure, there're more than enough droids.

OWEN: Harvest is when I need you the most. Only one more season. This
year we'll make enough on the harvest so I'll be able to hire some
more hands. And then you can go to the Academy next year.

Luke continues to toy with his food, not looking at his
uncle.

OWEN: You must understand I need you here, Luke.

LUKE: But it's a whole 'nother year.

OWEN: Look, it's only one more season.

Luke pushes his half-eaten plate of food aside and stands.

LUKE: Yeah, that's what you said last year when Biggs and Tank left.

AUNT BERU: Where are you going?

LUKE: It looks like I'm going nowhere. I have to finish cleaning those
droids.

Resigned to his fate, Luke paddles out of the room. Owen
mechanically finishes his dinner.

AUNT BERU: Owen, he can't stay here forever. Most of his friends have
gone. It means so much to him.

OWEN: I'll make it up to him next year. I promise.

AUNT BERU: Luke's just not a farmer, Owen. He has too much of his
father in him.

OWEN: That's what I'm afraid of.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- LARS HOMESTEAD.

The giant twin suns of Tatooine slowly disappear behind a
distant dune range. Luke stands watching them for a few
moments, then reluctantly enters the doomed entrance to the
homestead.

INTERIOR: LARS HOMESTEAD -- GARAGE.

Luke enters the garage to discover the robots nowhere in
sight. He takes a small control box from his utility belt
similar to the one the Jawas were carrying. He activates the
box, which creates a low hum, and Threepio, letting out a
short yell, pops up from behind the Skyhopper spaceship.

LUKE: What are you doing hiding there?

Threepio stumbles forward, but Artoo is still nowhere in
sight. 

THREEPIO: It wasn't my fault, sir. Please don't deactivate me. I told
him not to go, but he's faulty, malfunctioning; kept babbling on about
his mission.

LUKE: Oh, no!

Luke races out of the garage followed by Threepio.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- LARS HOMESTEAD.

Luke rushes out of the small doomed entry to the homestead and
searches the darkening horizon for the small triped astro-
robot. Threepio struggles out of the homestead and on the salt
flat as Luke scans the landscape with his electrobinoculars.

THREEPIO: That R2 unit has always been a problem. These astro-droids
are getting quite out of hand. Even I can't understand their logic at
times. 

LUKE: How could I be so stupid? He's nowhere in sight. Blast it!

THREEPIO: Pardon me, sir, but couldn't we go after him?

LUKE: It's too dangerous with all the Sandpeople around. We'll have to
wait until morning.

Owen yells up from the homestead plaza.

OWEN: Luke, I'm shutting the power down for the night.

LUKE: All right, I'll be there in a few minutes. Boy, am I gonna get it.

He takes one final look across the dim horizon.

LUKE: You know that little droid is going to cause me a lot of
trouble.

THREEPIO: Oh, he excels at that, sir.

INTERIOR: LARS HOMESTEAD -- PLAZA.

Morning slowly creeps into the sparse but sparkling oasis of
the open courtyard. The idyll is broken be the yelling of
Uncle Owen, his voice echoing throughout the homestead.

OWEN: Luke? Luke? Luke? Where could he be loafing now!

INTERIOR: LARS HOMESTEAD -- KITCHEN.

The interior of the kitchen is a worm glow as Aunt Beru prepares
the morning breakfast. Owen enters in a huff.

OWEN: Have you seen Luke this morning?

AUNT BERU: He said he had some things to do before he started today,
so he left early.

OWEN: Uh? Did he take those two new droids with him?

AUNT BERU: I think so.

OWEN: Well, he'd better have those units in the south range repaired
be midday or there'll be hell to pay!

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- DESERT WASTELAND -- LUKE'S SPEEDER -- DAY.

The rock and sand of the desert floor are a blur as Threepio
pilots the sleek Landspeeder gracefully across the vast
wasteland. 

INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: LUKE'S SPEEDER -- DESERT WASTELAND -- TRAVELING -- DAY.

Luke leans over the back of the speeder and adjusts something
in the motor compartment.

LUKE: (yelling) How's that.

Threepio signals that is fine and Luke turns back into the
wind-whipped cockpit and pops the canopy shut.

LUKE: Old Ben Kenobi lives out in this direction somewhere, but I
don't see how that R2 unit could have come this far. We must have
missed him. Uncle Owen isn't going to take this very well.

THREEPIO: Sir, would it help if you told him it was my fault.

LUKE: (brightening) Sure. He needs you. He'd probably only deactivate
you for a day or so...

THREEPIO: Deactivate! Well, on the other hand if you hadn't removed
his restraining bolt...

LUKE: Wait, there's something dead ahead on the scanner. It looks like
our droid...hit the accelerator.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- ROCK MESA -- DUNE SEA -- COASTLINE -- DAY.

From high on a rock mesa, the tiny Landspeeder can be seen
gliding across the desert floor. Suddenly in the foreground
two weather-beaten Sandpeople shrouded in their grimy desert
cloaks peer over the edge of the rock mesa. One of the
marginally human creatures raises a long ominous laser rifle
and points it at the speeder but the second creature grabs the
gun before it can be fired.
The Sandpeople, or Tusken Raiders as they're sometimes
called, speak in a coarse barbaric language as they get into
an animated argument. The second Tusken Raider seems to get in
the final word and the nomads scurry over the rocky terrain.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- ROCK MESA -- CANYON.

The Tusken Raider approaches two large Banthas standing tied
to a rock. The monstrous, bear-like creatures are as large as
elephants, with huge red eyes, tremendous looped horns, and
long, furry, dinosaur-like tails. The Tusken Raiders mount
saddles strapped to the huge creatures' shaggy backs and ride
off down the rugged bluff.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- ROCK CANYON -- FLOOR.

The speeder is parked on the floor of a massive canyon. Luke,
with his long laser rifle slung over his shoulder, stands
before little Artoo.

LUKE: Hey, whoa, just where do you think you're going?

The little droid whistles a feeble reply, as Threepio poses
menacingly behind the little runaway.

THREEPIO: Master Luke here is your rightful owner. We'll have no more
of this Obi-Wan Kenobi jibberish...and don't talk to me about your
mission, either. You're fortunate he doesn't blast you into a million
pieces right here.

LUKE: Well, come on. It's getting late. I only hope we can get back
before Uncle Owen really blows up.

THREEPIO: If you don't mind my saying so, sir, I think you should
deactivate the little fugitive until you've gotten him back to your
workshop.

LUKE: No, he's not going to try anything.

Suddenly the little robot jumps to life with a mass of
frantic whistles and screams.

LUKE: What's wrong with him now?

THREEPIO: Oh my...sir, he says there are several creatures approaching
from the southeast.

Luke swings his rifle into position and looks to the south.

LUKE: Sandpeople! Or worst! Come on, let's have a look. Come on.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- ROCK CANYON -- RIDGE -- DAY.

Luke carefully makes his way to the top of a rock ridge and
scans the canyon with his electrobinoculars. He spots the two
riderless Banthas. Threepio struggles up behind the young
adventurer.

LUKE: There are two Banthas down there but I don't see any...wait a
second, they're Sandpeople all right. I can see one of them now.

Luke watches the distant Tusken Raider through his
electrobinoculars. Suddenly something huge moves in front of
his field of view. Before Luke or Threepio can react, a large,
gruesome Tusken Raider looms over them. Threepio is startled
and backs away, right off the side if the cliff. He can be
heard for several moments as he clangs, bangs and rattles down
the side of the mountain.
The towering creature brings down his curved,
double-pointed gaderffii -- the dreaded axe blade that has
struck terror in the heart of the local settlers. But Luke
manages to block the blow with his laser rifle, which is
smashed to pieces. The terrified farm boy scrambles backward
until he is forced to the edge of a deep crevice. The sinister
Raider stands over him with his weapon raised and lets out a
horrible shrieking laugh.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- ROCK CANYON -- FLOOR -- DAY.

Artoo forces himself into the shadows of a small alcove in the
rocks as the vicious Sandpeople walk past carrying the inert
Luke Skywalker, who is dropped in a heap before the speeder.
The Sandpeople ransack the speeder, throwing parts and
supplies in all directions. Suddenly they stop. Then
everything is quiet for a few moments. A great howling moan is
heard echoing throughout the canyon which sends the Sandpeople
fleeing in terror.
Artoo moves even tighter into the shadows as the slight
swishing sound that frightened off the Sandpeople grows even
closer, until a shabby old desert-rat-of-a-man appears and
leans over Luke. His ancient leathery face, cracked and
weathered by exotic climates is set off by dark, penetrating
eyes and a scraggly white beard. Ben Kenobi squints his eyes
as he scrutinizes the unconscious farm boy. Artoo makes a
slight sound and Ben turns and looks right at him.

BEN: Hello there! Come here my little friend. Don't be afraid.

Artoo waddles over to were Luke lies crumpled in a 
heap and begins to whistle and beep his concern. Ben
puts his hand on Luke's forehead and he begins to 
come around.

BEN: Don't worry, he'll be all right.

LUKE: What happened?

BEN: Rest easy, son, you've had a busy day. You're fortunate you're
still in one piece.

LUKE: Ben? Ben Kenobi! Boy, am I glad to see you! 

BEN: The Jundland wastes are not to be traveled lightly. Tell me young
Luke, what brings you out this far?

LUKE: Oh, this little droid! I think he's searching for his former
master...I've never seen such devotion in a droid before...there
seems to be no stopping him. He claims to be the property of an Obi-
Wan Kenobi. Is he a relative of yours? Do you know who he's talking 
about?

Ben ponders this for a moment, scratching his scruffy beard.

BEN: Obi-Wan Kenobi...Obi-Wan? Now thats a name I haven't heard in a 
long time...a long time.

LUKE: I think my uncle knew him. He said he was dead.

BEN: Oh, he's not dead, not...not yet.

LUKE: You know him!

BEN: Well of course, of course I know him. He's me! I haven't gone by
the name Obi-Wan since oh, before you were born.

LUKE: Then the droid does belong to you.

BEN: Don't seem to remember ever owning a droid. Very interesting...

He suddenly looks up at the overhanging cliffs.

BEN: I think we better get indoors. The Sandpeople are easily startled
but they will soon be back and in greater numbers.

Luke sits up and rubs his head. Artoo lets out a pathetic
beep causing Luke to remember something. He looks around.

LUKE: Threepio!

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- SAND PIT -- ROCK MESA -- DAY.

Little Artoo stands at the edge of a large sand pit and begins
to chatter away in electronic whistles and beeps. Luke and Ben
stand over a very dented and tangled Threepio lying half
buried in the sand. One of his arms has broken off.
Luke tries to revive the inert robot by shaking him and
then flips a hidden switch on his back several times until
finally the mechanical man's systems turn on.

THREEPIO: Where am I? I must have taken a bad step...

LUKE: Can you stand? We've got to get out of here before the
Sandpeople return.

THREEPIO: I don't think I can make it. You go on, Master Luke. There's
no sense in you risking yourself on my account. I'm done for.

Artoo makes a beeping sound.

LUKE: No, you're not. What kind of talk is that?

Luke and Ben help the battered robot to his feet. Little
Artoo watches from the top of the pit. Ben glances around
suspiciously. Sensing something, he stands up and sniffs the
air.

BEN: Quickly, son...they're on the move.

INTERIOR: KENOBI'S DWELLING.

The small, spartan hovel is cluttered with desert junk but
still manages to radiate an air of time-worn comfort and
security. Luke is in one corner repairing Threepio's arm, as
old Ben sits thinking.

LUKE: No, my father didn't fight in the wars. He was a navigator on a
spice freighter.

BEN: That's what your uncle told you. He didn't hold with your
father's ideals. Thought he should have stayed here and not gotten
involved.

LUKE: You fought in the Clone Wars?

BEN: Yes, I was once a Jedi Knight the same as your father.

LUKE: I wish I'd known him.

BEN: He was the best star-pilot in the galaxy, and a cunning warrior.
I understand you've become quite a good pilot yourself. And he was a
good friend. Which reminds me...

Ben gets up and goes to a chest where he rummages around.
As Luke finishes repairing Threepio and starts to fit the
restraining bolt back on, Threepio looks at him nervously.
Luke thinks about the bolt for a moment then puts it on the
table. Ben shuffles up and presents Luke with a short handle
with several electronic gadgets attached to it.

BEN: I have something here for you. Your father wanted you to have
this when you were old enough, but your uncle wouldn't allow it. He
feared you might follow old Obi-Wan on some damned-fool idealistic
crusade like your father did. 

THREEPIO: Sir, if you'll not be needing me, I'll close down for
awhile.

LUKE: Sure, go ahead.

Ben hands Luke the saber.

LUKE: What is it?

BEN: Your fathers lightsaber. This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not
as clumsy or as random as a blaster.
 
Luke pushes a button on the handle. A long beam shoots out
about four feet and flickers there. The light plays across the
ceiling.

BEN: An elegant weapon for a more civilized time. For over a thousand
generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice
in the Old Republic. Before the dark times, before the Empire.

Luke hasn't really been listening.

LUKE: How did my father die?

BEN: A young Jedi named Darth Vader, who was a pupil of mine until he
turned to evil, helped the Empire hunt down and destroy the Jedi
Knights. He betrayed and murdered your father. Now the Jedi are all
but extinct. Vader was seduced by the dark side of the Force.

LUKE: The Force?

BEN: Well, the Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy
field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us.
It binds the galaxy together.

Artoo makes beeping sounds.

BEN: Now, let's see if we can't figure out what you are, my little
friend. And where you come from.

LUKE: I saw part of the message he was...

Luke is cut short as the recorded image of the beautiful
young Rebel princess is projected from Artoo's face.

BEN: I seem to have found it.

Luke stops his work as the lovely girl's image flickers
before his eyes.

LEIA: General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone
Wars. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire.
I regret that I am unable to present my father's request to you in
person, but my ship has fallen under attack and I'm afraid my mission
to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I have placed information vital
to the survival of the Rebellion into the memory systems of this R2
unit. My father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid
safely delivered to him on Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour.
Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope.

There is a little static and the transmission is cut short.
Old Ben leans back and scratches his head. He silently puffs
on a tarnished chrome water pipe. Luke has stars in his eyes.

BEN: You must learn the ways of the Force if you're to come with me to
Alderaan.

LUKE: (laughing) Alderaan? I'm not going to Alderaan. I've got to go
home. It's late, I'm in for it as it is.

BEN: I need your help, Luke. She needs your help. I'm getting too old
for this sort of thing.

LUKE: I can't get involved! I've got work to do! It's not that I like
the Empire. I hate it! But there's nothing I can do about it right
now. It's such a long way from here.

BEN: That's your uncle talking.

LUKE: (sighing) Oh, God, my uncle. How am I ever going to explain
this?

BEN: Learn about the Force, Luke.

LUKE: Look, I can take you as far as Anchorhead. You can get a
transport there to Mos Eisley or wherever you're going.

BEN: You must do what you feel is right, of course.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

An Imperial Stardestroyer heads toward the evil planet-like
battle station: the Death Star!

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- CONFERENCE ROOM.

Eight Imperial senators and generals sit around a black
conference table. Imperial stormtroopers stand guard around
the room. Commander Tagge, a young, slimy-looking general, is
speaking.

TAGGE: Until this battle station is fully operational we are
vulnerable. The Rebel Alliance is too well equipped. They're more
dangerous than you realize.

The bitter Admiral Motti twists nervously in his chair.

MOTTI: Dangerous to your starfleet, Commander, not to this battle
station!

TAGGE: The Rebellion will continue to gain a support in the Imperial
Senate as long as....

Suddenly all heads turn as Commander Tagge's speech is cut
short and the Grand Moff Tarkin, governor of the Imperial
outland regions, enters. He is followed by his powerful ally,
The Sith Lord, Darth Vader. All of the generals stand and bow
before the thin, evil-looking governor as he takes his place
at the head of the table. The Dark Lord stands behind him.

TARKIN: The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us.
I've just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council
permanently. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept
away.

TAGGE: That's impossible! How will the Emperor maintain control
without the bureaucracy?

TARKIN: The regional governors now have direct control over
territories. Fear will keep the local systems in line. Fear of this
battle station.

TAGGE: And what of the Rebellion? If the Rebels have obtained a
complete technical readout of this station, it is possible, however
unlikely, that they might find a weakness and exploit it.

VADER: The plans you refer to will soon be back in our hands.

MOTTI: Any attack made by the Rebels against this station would be a
useless gesture, no matter what technical data they've obtained. This
station is now the ultimate power in the universe. I suggest we use
it!

VADER: Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've
constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to
the power of the Force.

MOTTI: Don't try to frighten us with your sorcerer's ways, Lord Vader.
Your sad devotion to that ancient religion has not helped you conjure
up the stolen data tapes, or given you clairvoyance enough to find the
Rebel's hidden fort...

Suddenly Motti chokes and starts to turn blue under Vader's
spell.

VADER: I find your lack of faith disturbing.

TARKIN: Enough of this! Vader, release him!

VADER: As you wish.

TARKIN: This bickering is pointless. Lord Vader will provide us with
the location of the Rebel fortress by the time this station is
operational. We will then crush the Rebellion with one swift stroke.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- WASTELAND.

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 pirates. 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-tall-
savage-looking creature resembling a huge grey bushbaby monkey
with fierce baboon-like fangs. His large blue eyes dominate a
fur-covered 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.

TROOPER: With pleasure.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- MOS EISLEY -- STREET.

Four heavily-armed stormtroopers move menacingly along a
narrow slum alleyway crowed with darkly clad creatures hawking
exotic goods in the dingy little stalls. Men, monsters, and
robots crouch in the waste-filled doorways, whispering and
hiding from the hot winds.

THREEPIO: Lock the door, Artoo.

One of the troopers checks a tightly locked door and moves
on down the alleyway. The door slides open a crack and
Threepio peeks out. Artoo is barely visible in the background.

TROOPER: All right, check that side of the street. It's secure. Move
on to the next door.

The door opens, Threepio moves into the doorway.

THREEPIO: I would much rather have gone with Master Luke than stay
here with you. I don't know what all the trouble is about, but I'm
sure it must be your fault.

Artoo makes beeping sounds.

THREEPIO: You watch your language!

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- MOS EISLEY -- STREET -- ALLEYWAY -- USED SPEEDER LOT.

Ben and Luke are standing in a sleazy used speeder lot,
talking with a tall, grotesque, insect-like used speeder
dealer. Strange exotic bodies and spindly-legged beasts pass
by as the insect concludes the sale by giving Luke some coins.

LUKE: He says it's the best he can do. Since the XP-38 came out,
they're just not in demand.

BEN: It will be enough.

Ben and Luke leave the speeder lot and walk down the dusty
alleyway past a small robot herding a bunch of anteater-like
creatures. Luke turns and gives one last forlorn look at his
faithful speeder as he rounds a corner. A darkly clad creature
moves out of the shadows as they pass and watches them as they
disappear down another alley.

BEN: If the ship's as fast as he's boasting, we ought to do well.

INTERIOR: DOCKING BAY 94 -- DAY.

Jabba the Hut and a half-dozen grisly alien pirates and purple
creatures stand in the middle of the docking bay. Jabba is the
grossest of the slavering hulks and his scarred face is a grim
testimonial to his prowess as a vicious killer. He is a fat,
slug-like creature with eyes on extended feelers and a huge
ugly mouth.

JABBA: Come on out, Solo!

A voice from directly behind the pirates startles them and
they turn around to see Han Solo and the giant Wookiee,
Chewbacca, standing behind them with no weapons in sight.

HAN: I've been waiting for you, Jabba.

JABBA: I expected you would be.

HAN: I'm not the type to run.

JABBA: (fatherly-smooth) Han, my boy, there are times when you
disappoint me...why haven't you paid me? And why did you have to fry
poor Greedo like that...after all we've been through together.

HAN: You sent Greedo to blast me.

JABBA: (mock surprise) Han, why you're the best smuggler in the
business. You're too valuable to fry. He was only relaying my concern
at your delays. He wasn't going to blast you.

HAN: I think he thought he was. Next time don't send one of those
twerps. If you've got something to say to me, come see me yourself.

JABBA: Han, Han! If only you hadn't had to dump that shipment of
spice...you understand I just can't make an exception. Where would I
be if every pilot who smuggled for me dumped their shipment at the
first sign of an Imperial starship? It's not good business.

HAN: You know, even I get boarded sometimes, Jabba. I had no choice,
but I've got a charter now and I can pay you back, plus a little
extra. I just need some more time.

JABBA: (to his men) Put your blasters away. Han, my boy, I'm only
doing this because you're the best and I need you. So, for an extra,
say twenty percent I'll give you a little more time...but this is it.
If you disappoint me again, I'll put a price on your head so large you
won't be able to go near a civilized system for the rest of your short
life.

HAN: Jabba, I'll pay you because it's my pleasure.

EXTERIOR: DOCKING PORT ENTRY -- ALLEYWAY.

Chewbacca waits restlessly at the entrance to Docking Bay 94.
Ben, Luke, and the robots make their way up the street.
Chewbacca jabbers excitedly and signals for them to hurry. The
darkly clad creature has followed them from the speeder lot.
He stops in a nearby doorway and speaks into a small
transmitter.

INTERIOR: MOS EISLEY SPACEPORT -- DOCKING BAY 94

Chewbacca leads the group into a giant dirt pit that is Docking
Bay 94. Resting in the middle of the huge hole is a large,
round, beat-up, pieced-together hunk of junk that could only
loosely be called a starship.

LUKE: What a piece of junk.

The tall figure of Han Solo comes down the boarding ramp.

HAN: She'll make point five beyond the speed of light. She may not
look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid. I've added some
special modifications myself.

Luke scratches his head. It's obvious he isn't sure about
all this. Chewbacca rushes up the ramp and urges the others to
follow.

HAN: We're a little rushed, so if you'll hurry aboard we'll get out of
here.

The group rushes up the gang plank, passing a grinning Han
Solo.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON.

Chewbacca settles into the pilot's chair and starts the mighty
engines of the starship.

INTERIOR: MOS EISLEY SPACEPORT -- DOCKING BAY 94.

Luke, Ben, Threepio, and Artoo move toward the Millennium
Falcon passing Solo.

THREEPIO: Hello, sir.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- MOS EISLEY -- STREET.

Eight Imperial stormtroopers rush up to the darkly clad
creature.

TROOPER: Which way?

The darkly clad creature points to the door of the docking
bay.

TROOPER: All right, men. Load your weapons!

INTERIOR: MOS EISLEY SPACEPORT -- DOCKING BAY 94.

The troops hold their guns at the ready and charge down the
docking bay entrance.

TROOPER: Stop that ship!

Han Solo looks up and sees the Imperial stormtroopers
rushing into the docking bay. Several of the troopers fire at
Han as he ducks into the spaceship.

TROOPER: Blast 'em!

Han draws his laser pistol and pops off a couple of shots
which force the stormtroopers to dive for safety. The
pirateship engines whine as Han hits the release button that
slams the overhead entry shut.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON.

HAN: Chewie, get us out of here!

The group straps in for take off.

THREEPIO: Oh, my. I'd forgotten how much I hate space travel.

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE -- MOS EISLEY -- STREETS.

The half-dozen stormtroopers at a check point hear the general
alarm and look to the sky as the huge starship rises above the
dingy slum dwellings and quickly disappears into the morning
sky.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT.

Han climbs into the pilot's chair next to Chewbacca, who
chatters away as he points to something on the radar scope.

EXTERIOR: SPACE -- PLANET TATOOINE.

The Corellian pirateship zooms from Tatooine into space.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT.

Han frantically types information into the ship's computer.
Little Artoo appears momentarily at the cockpit doorway, makes
a few beeping remarks, then scurries away.

HAN: It looks like an Imperial cruiser. Our passengers must be hotter
than I thought. Try and hold them off. Angle the deflector shield
while I make the calculations for the jump to light speed.

EXTERIOR: SPACE -- PLANET TATOOINE.

The Millennium Falcon pirateship races away from the yellow
planet, Tatooine. It is followed by two huge Imperial
stardestroyers.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT.

Over the shoulders of Chewbacca and Han, we can see the galaxy
spread before them. Luke and Ben make their way into the
cramped cockpit where Han continues his calculation.

HAN: Stay sharp! There are two more coming in; they're going to try to
cut us off.

LUKE: Why don't you outrun them? I thought you said this thing was
fast.

HAN: Watch your mouth, kid, or you're going to find yourself floating
home. We'll be safe enough once we make the jump to hyperspace.
Besides, I know a few maneuvers. We'll lose them!

EXTERIOR: SPACE -- PLANET TATOOINE.

Imperial cruisers fire at the pirateship.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT.

The ship shudders as an explosion flashes outside the window.

HAN: Here's where the fun begins!

BEN: How long before you can make the jump to light speed?

HAN: It'll take a few moments to get the coordinates from the
navi-computer.

The ship begins to rock violently as lasers hit it.

LUKE: Are you kidding? At the rate they're gaining...

HAN: Traveling through hyperspace isn't like dusting crops, boy!
Without precise calculations we could fly right through a star or
bounce too close to a supernova and that'd end your trip real quick,
wouldn't it?

The ship is now constantly battered with laserfire as a red
warning light begins to flash.

LUKE: What's that flashing?

HAN: We're losing our deflector shield. Go strap yourself in, I'm
going to make the jump to light speed.

The galaxy brightens and they move faster, almost as if
crashing a barrier. Stars become streaks as the pirateship
makes the jump to hyperspace.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

The Millennium Falcon zooms into infinity in less than a
second.

EXTERIOR: DEATH STAR.

Alderaan looms behind the Death Star battlestation.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- CONTROL ROOM.

Admiral Motti enters the quiet control room and bows before
Governor Tarkin, who stands before the huge wall screen
displaying a small green planet.

MOTTI: We've entered the Alderaan system.

Vader and two stormtroopers enter with Princess Leia. Her
hands are bound.

LEIA: Governor Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding
Vader's leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on
board.

TARKIN: Charming to the last. You don't know how hard I found it
signing the order to terminate your life!

LEIA: I surprised you had the courage to take the responsibility
yourself!

TARKIN: Princess Leia, before your execution I would like you to be my
guest at a ceremony that will make this battle station operational. No
star system will dare oppose the Emperor now.

LEIA: The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems
will slip through your fingers.

TARKIN: Not after we demonstrate the power of this station. In a way,
you have determined the choice of the planet that'll be destroyed
first. Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the
Rebel base, I have chosen to test this station's destructive power...
on your home planet of Alderaan.

LEIA: No! Alderaan is peaceful. We have no weapons. You can't
possibly...

TARKIN: You would prefer another target? A military target? Then name
the system!

Tarkin waves menacingly toward Leia.

TARKIN: I grow tired of asking this. So it'll be the last time. Where
is the Rebel base?

Leia overhears an intercom voice announcing the approach to
Alderaan.

LEIA: (softly) Dantooine.

Leia lowers her head.

LEIA: They're on Dantooine.

TARKIN: There. You see Lord Vader, she can be reasonable. (addressing
Motti) Continue with the operation. You may fire when ready.

LEIA: What?

TARKIN: You're far too trusting. Dantooine is too remote to make an
effective demonstration. But don't worry. We will deal with your Rebel
friends soon enough. 

LEIA: No!

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- BLAST CHAMBER.

VADER: Commence primary ignition.

A button is pressed which switches on a panel of lights. A
hooded Imperial soldier reaches overhead and pulls a lever.
Another lever is pulled. Vader reaches for still another lever
and a bank of lights on a panel and wall light up. A huge beam
of light emanates from within a cone-shaped area and converges
into a single laser beam out toward Alderaan. The small green
planet of Alderaan is blown into space dust.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- CENTRAL HOLD AREA.

Ben watches Luke practice the lightsaber with a small "seeker"
robot. Ben suddenly turns away and sits down. He falters,
seems almost faint.

LUKE: Are you all right? What's wrong?

BEN: I felt a great disturbance in the Force...as if millions of
voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear
something terrible has happened.

Ben rubs his forehead. He seems to drift into a trance. Then
he fixes his gaze on Luke.

BEN: You'd better get on with your exercises.

Han Solo enters the room.

HAN: Well, you can forget your troubles with those Imperial slugs. I
told you I'd outrun 'em.

Luke is once again practicing with the lightsaber.

HAN: Don't everyone thank me at once.

Threepio watches Chewbacca and Artoo who are engrossed in a
game in which three-dimensional holographic figures move along
a chess-type board.

HAN: Anyway, we should be at Alderaan about oh-two-hundred hours.

Chewbacca and the two robots sit around the lighted table
covered with small holographic monsters. Each side of the
table has a small computer monitor embedded in it. Chewbacca
seems very pleased with himself as he rests his lanky fur-
covered arms over his head.

THREEPIO: Now be careful, Artoo.

Artoo immediately reaches up and taps the computer with his
stubby claw hand, causing one of the holographic creatures to
walk to the new square. A sudden frown crosses Chewbacca's
face and he begins yelling gibberish at the tiny robot.
Threepio intercedes on behalf of his small companion and
begins to argue with the huge Wookiee.

THREEPIO: He made a fair move. Screaming about it won't help you.

HAN: (interrupting) Let him have it. It's not wise to upset a Wookiee.

THREEPIO: But sir, nobody worries about upsetting a droid.

HAN: That's 'cause droids don't pull people's arms out of their socket
when they lose. Wookiees are known to do that.

THREEPIO: I see your point, sir. I suggest a new strategy, Artoo. Let
the Wookiee win.

Luke stands in the middle of the small hold area; he seems
frozen in place. A humming lightsaber is held high over his
head. Ben watches him from the corner, studying his movements.
Han watches with a bit of smugness.

BEN: Remember, a Jedi can feel the Force flowing through him.

LUKE: You mean it controls your actions?

BEN: Partially. But it also obeys your commands.

Suspended at eye level, about ten feet in front of Luke, a
"seeker", a chrome baseball-like robot covered with antennae,
hovers slowly in a wide arc. The ball floats to one side of
the youth then the other. Suddenly it makes a lightning-swift
lunge and stops within a few feet of Luke's face. Luke doesn't
move and the ball backs off. It slowly moves behind the boy,
then makes another quick lunge, this time emitting a blood red
laser beam as it attacks. It hits Luke in the leg causing him
to tumble over. Han lets loose with a burst of laughter.

HAN: Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good
blaster at your side, kid.

LUKE: You don't believe in the Force, do you?

HAN: Kid, I've flown from one side of this galaxy to the other. I've
seen a lot of strange stuff, but I've never seen anything to make me
believe there's one all-powerful force controlling everything. There's
no mystical energy field that controls my destiny.

Ben smiles quietly

HAN: It's all a lot of simple tricks and nonsense.

BEN: I suggest you try it again, Luke.

Ben places a large helmet on Luke's head which covers his
eyes.

BEN: This time, let go your conscious self and act on instinct.

LUKE: (laughing) With the blast shield down, I can't even see. How am
I supposed to fight?

BEN: Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them.

Han skeptically shakes his head as Ben throws the seeker
into the air. The ball shoots straight up in the air, then
drops like a rock. Luke swings the lightsaber around blindly
missing the seeker, which fires off a laserbolt which hits
Luke square on the seat of the pants. He lets out a painful
yell and attempts to hit the seeker.

BEN: Stretch out with your feelings.

Luke stands in one place, seemingly frozen. The seeker
makes a dive at Luke and, incredibly, he managed to deflect
the bolt. The ball ceases fire and moves back to its original
position.

BEN: You see, you can do it.

HAN: I call it luck. 

BEN: In my experience, there's no such thing as luck.

HAN: Look, going good against remotes is one thing. Going good against
the living? That's something else.

Solo notices a small light flashing on the far side of the
control panel.

HAN: Looks like we're coming up on Alderaan.

Han and Chewbacca head back to the cockpit.

LUKE: You know, I did feel something. I could almost see the remote.

BEN: That's good. You have taken your first step into a larger world.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- CONFERENCE ROOM.

Imperial Officer Cass stands before Governor Tarkin and the
evil Dark Lord Darth Vader.

TARKIN: Yes.

OFFICER CASS: Our scout ships have reached Dantooine. They found the
remains of a Rebel base, but they estimate that it has been deserted
for some time. They are now conducting an extensive search of the
surrounding systems.

TARKIN: She lied! She lied to us!

VADER: I told you she would never consciously betray the Rebellion.

TARKIN: Terminate her...immediately!

EXTERIOR: HYPERSPACE.

The pirateship is just coming out of hyperspace; a strange
surreal light show surrounds the ship.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT.

HAN: Stand by, Chewie, here we go. Cut in the sublight engines.

Han pulls back on a control lever. Outside the cockpit
window stars begin streaking past, seem to decrease in speed,
then stop. Suddenly the starship begins to shudder and
violently shake about. Asteroids begin to race toward them,
battering the sides of the ship.

HAN: What the...? Aw, we've come out of hyperspace into a meteor
shower. Some kind of asteroid collision. It's not on any of the
charts.

The Wookiee flips off several controls and seems very cool
in the emergency. Luke makes his way into the bouncing
cockpit.

LUKE: What's going on?

HAN: Our position is correct, except...no, Alderaan!

LUKE: What do you mean? Where is it?

HAN: Thats what I'm trying to tell you, kid. It ain't there. It's been
totally blown away.

LUKE: What? How?

Ben moves into the cockpit behind Luke as the ship begins
to settle down.

BEN: Destroyed...by the Empire!

HAN: The entire starfleet couldn't destroy the whole planet. It'd take
a thousand ships with more fire power than I've...

A signal starts flashing on the control panel and a muffled
alarm starts humming.

HAN: There's another ship coming in.

LUKE: Maybe they know what happened.

BEN: It's an Imperial fighter.

Chewbacca barks his concern. A huge explosion bursts
outside the cockpit window, shaking the ship violently. A
tiny, finned Imperial TIE fighter races past the cockpit
window.

LUKE: It followed us!

BEN: No. It's a short range fighter.

HAN: There aren't any bases around here. Where did it come from?

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

The fighter races past the Corellian pirateship.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT.

LUKE: It sure is leaving in a big hurry. If they identify us, we're in
big trouble.

HAN: Not if I can help it. Chewie...jam it's transmissions.

BEN: It'd be as well to let it go. It's too far out of range.

HAN: Not for long...

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

The pirateship zooms over the camera and away into the
vastness of space after the Imperial TIE fighter.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT.

The tension mounts as the pirateship gains on the tiny fighter.
In the distance, one of the stars becomes brighter until it is
obvious that the TIE ship is heading for it. Ben stands behind
Chewbacca.

BEN: A fighter that size couldn't get this deep into space on its own.

LUKE It must have gotten lost, been part of a convoy or something.

HAN: Well, he ain't going to be around long enough to tell anyone
about us.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

The TIE fighter is losing ground to the larger pirateship as
they race toward camera and disappear over head.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT.

The distant star can be distinguished as a small moon or
planet.

LUKE: Look at him. He's headed for that small moon.

HAN: I think I can get him before he gets there...he's almost in
range.

The small moon begins to take on the appearance of a
monstrous spherical battle station.

BEN: That's no moon! It's a space station.

HAN: It's too big to be a space station.

LUKE: I have a very bad feeling about this.

HAN: Yeah, I think your right. Full reverse! Chewie, lock in the
auxiliary power.

The pirateship shudders and the TIE fighter accelerates
away toward the gargantuan battle station.

LUKE: Why are we still moving towards it?

HAN: We're caught in a tractor beam! It's pulling us in!

LUKE: But there's gotta be something you can do!

HAN: There's nothin' I can do about it, kid. I'm in full power. I'm
going to have to shut down. But they're not going to get me without a
fight!

Ben Kenobi puts a hand on his shoulder.

BEN: You can't win. But there are alternatives to fighting.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- DEATH STAR.

As the battered pirate starship is towed closer to the awesome
metal moon, the immense size of the massive battle station
becomes staggering. Running along the equator of the gigantic
sphere is a mile-high band of huge docking ports into which
the helpless pirateship is dragged.

EXTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- HUGE PORT DOORS.

The helpless Millennium Falcon is pulled past a docking port
control room and huge laser turret cannons.

VOICE OVER DEATH STAR INTERCOM: Clear Bay twenty-three-seven. We are
opening the magnetic field.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- DOCKING BAY 2037.

The pirateship is pulled in through port doors of the Death
Star, coming to rest in a huge hangar. Thirty stormtroopers
stand at attention in a central assembly area.

OFFICER: To you stations!

OFFICER: (to another officer) Come with me.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- HALLWAY.

Stormtroopers run to their posts.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- HANGAR 2037.

A line of stormtroopers march toward the pirateship in
readiness to board it, while other troopers stand with weapons
ready to fire.

OFFICER: Close all outboard shields! Close all outboard shields!

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- CONFERENCE ROOM.

Tarkin pushes a button and responds to the intercom buzz.

TARKIN: Yes.

VOICE: (over intercom) We've captured a freighter entering the remains
of the Alderaan system. It's markings match those of a ship that
blasted its way out of Mos Eisley.

VADER: They must be trying to return the stolen plans to the princess.
She may yet be of some use to us.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- DOCKING BAY 2037.

Vader and a commander approach the troops as an Officer and
several heavily armed troops exit the spacecraft.

VOICE: (over intercom) Unlock one-five-seven and nine. Release
charges.

OFFICER: (to Vader) There's no one on board, sir. According to the
log, the crew abandoned ship right after takeoff. It must be a decoy,
sir. Several of the escape pods have been jettisoned.

VADER: Did you find any droids?

OFFICER: No, sir. If there were any on board, they must also have
jettisoned.

VADER: Send a scanning crew on board. I want every part of this ship
checked.

OFFICER: Yes, sir.

VADER: I sense something...a presence I haven't felt since...

Vader turns quickly and exits the hangar.

OFFICER: Get me a scanning crew in here on the double. I want every
part of this ship checked!

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- HALLWAY.

A trooper runs through the hallway heading for the exit. In a
few moments all is quiet. The muffled sounds of a distant
officer giving orders finally fade. Two floor panels suddenly
pop up revealing Han Solo and Luke. Ben Kenobi sticks his head
out of a third locker.

LUKE: Boy, it's lucky you had these compartments.

HAN: I use them for smuggling. I never thought I'd be smuggling myself
in them. This is ridiculous. Even if I could take off, I'd never get
past the tractor beam.

BEN: Leave that to me!

HAN: Damn fool. I knew that you were going to say that!

BEN: Who's the more foolish...the fool or the fool who follows him?

Han shakes his head, muttering to himself. Chewbacca
agrees.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- MAIN FORWARD BAY.

The crewmen carry a heavy box on board the ship, past the two
stormtroopers guarding either side of the ramp.

TROOPER: The ship's all yours. If the scanners pick up anything,
report it immediately. All right, let's go.

The crewmen enter the pirateship and a loud crashing sound
is followed by a voice calling to the guard below.

HAN'S VOICE: Hey down there, could you give us a hand with this?

The stormtroopers enter the ship and a quick round of
gunfire is heard.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- FORWARD BAY -- COMMAND OFFICE.

In a very small command office near the entrance to the
pirateship, a Gantry Officer looks out his window and notices
the guards are missing. He speaks into the comlink.

GANTRY OFFICER: TX-four-one-two. Why aren't you at your post?
TX-four-one-two, do you copy? 

A stormtrooper comes down the ramp of the pirateship and
waves to the gantry officer, pointing to his ear indicating
his comlink is not working. The gantry officer shakes his head
in disgust and heads for the door, giving his aide an annoyed
look.

GANTRY OFFICER: Take over. We've got a bad transmitter. I'll see what
I can do.

As the officer approaches the door, it slides open
revealing the towering Chewbacca. The gantry officer, in a
momentary state of shock, stumbles backward. With a bone-
chilling howl, the giant Wookiee flattens the officer with one
blow. The aide immediately reaches for his pistol, but is
blasted by Han, dressed as an Imperial stormtrooper. Ben and
the robots enter the room quickly followed by Luke, also
dressed as a stormtrooper. Luke quickly removes his helmet.

LUKE: You know, between his howling and your blasting everything in
sight, it's a wonder the whole station doesn't know we're here.

HAN: Bring them on! I prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking
around.

THREEPIO: We found the computer outlet, sir.

Ben feeds some information into the computer and a map of
the city appears on the monitor. He begins to inspect it
carefully. Threepio and Artoo look over the control panel.
Artoo finds something that makes him whistle wildly.

BEN: Plug in. He should be able to interpret the entire Imperial
computer network.

Artoo punches his claw arm into the computer socket and the
vast Imperial brain network comes to life, feeding information
to the little robot. After a few moments, he beeps something.

THREEPIO: He says he's found the main computer to power the tractor
beam that's holding the ship here. He'll try to make the precise
location appear on the monitor.

The computer monitor flashes readouts.

THREEPIO: The tractor beam is coupled to the main reactor in seven
locations. A power loss at one of the terminals will allow the ship to
leave.

Ben studies the data on the monitor readout.

BEN: I don't think you boys can help. I must go alone.

HAN: Whatever you say. I've done more that I bargained for on this
trip already.

LUKE: I want to go with you.

BEN: Be patient, Luke. Stay and watch over the droids.

LUKE: But he can...

BEN: They must be delivered safely or other star systems will suffer
the same fate as Alderaan. Your destiny lies along a different path
than mine. The Force will be with you...always!

Ben adjusts the lightsaber on his belt and silently steps
out of the command office, then disappears down a long grey
hallway. Chewbacca barks a comment and Han shakes his head in
agreement.

HAN: Boy you said it, Chewie.

Han looks at Luke.

HAN: Where did you dig up that old fossil?

LUKE: Ben is a great man.

HAN: Yeah, great at getting us into trouble.

LUKE: I didn't hear you give any ideas...

HAN: Well, anything would be better than just hanging around waiting
for him to pick us up...

LUKE: Who do you think...

Suddenly Artoo begins to whistle and beep a blue streak.
Luke goes over to him.

LUKE: What is it?

THREEPIO: I'm afraid I'm not quite sure, sir. He says "I found her",
and keeps repeating, "She's here."

LUKE: Well, who...who has he found?

Artoo whistles a frantic reply.

THREEPIO: Princess Leia.

LUKE: The princess? She's here?

HAN: Princess? What's going on?

THREEPIO: Level five. Detention block A A-twenty-three. I'm afraid
she's scheduled to be terminated.

LUKE: Oh, no! We've got to do something.

HAN: What are you talking about?

LUKE: The droid belongs to her. She's the one in the message.. We've
got to help her.

HAN: Now, look, don't get any funny ideas. The old man wants us to
wait right here.

LUKE: But he didn't know she was here. Look, will you just find a way
back into the detention block?

HAN: I'm not going anywhere.

LUKE: They're going to execute her. Look, a few minutes ago you said
you didn't want to just wait here to be captured. Now all you want to
do is stay. 

HAN: Marching into the detention area is not what I had in mind.

LUKE: But they're going to kill her!

HAN: Better her than me...

LUKE: She's rich.

Chewbacca growls.

HAN: Rich?

LUKE: Yes. Rich, powerful! Listen, if you were to rescue her, the
reward would be...

HAN: What?

LUKE: Well more wealth that you can imagine.

HAN: I don't know, I can imagine quite a bit!

LUKE: You'll get it!

HAN: I better!

LUKE: You will...

HAN: All right, kid. But you'd better be right about this.

Han looks at Chewie, who grunts a short grunt.

LUKE: All right.

HAN: What's your plan?

LUKE: Uh...Threepio, hand me those binders there will you?

Luke moves toward Chewbacca with electronic cuffs.

LUKE: Okay. Now, I'm going to put these on you.

Chewie lets out a hideous growl.

LUKE: Okay. Han, you put these on.

Luke sheepishly hands the binders to Han.

HAN: Don't worry, Chewie. I think I know what he has in mind.

The Wookiee has a worried and frightened look on his face
as Han binds him with the electronic cuffs.

THREEPIO: Master Luke, sir! Pardon me for asking...but, ah...what
should Artoo and I do if we're discovered here?

LUKE: Lock the door!

HAN: And hope they don't have blasters.

THREEPIO: That isn't very reassuring.

Luke and Han put on their armored stormtrooper helmets and
start off into the giant Imperial Death Star.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- DETENTION AREA -- ELEVATOR TUBE.

Han and Luke try to look inconspicuous in their armored suits
as they wait for a vacuum elevator to arrive. Troops,
bureaucrats, and robots bustle about, ignoring the trio
completely. Only a few give the giant Wookiee a curious
glance.
Finally a small elevator arrives and the trio enters.

LUKE: I can't see a thing in this helmet.

A bureaucrat races to get aboard also, but is signaled away by
Han. The door to the pod-like vehicle slides closed and the
elevator car takes off through a vacuum tube.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- MAIN HALLWAY.

Several Imperial officers walk through the wide main
passageway. They pass several stormtroopers and a robot
similar to Threepio but with an insect face. At the far end of
the hallway, a passing flash of Ben Kenobi appears, then
disappears down a small hallway. His appearance is so fleeting
that it is hard to tell if he is real or just an illusion. No
one in the hallway seems to notice him.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- INTERIOR ELEVATOR -- DETENTION SECURITY AREA.

Luke and Han step forward to exit the elevator, but the door
slides open behind them. The giant Wookiee and his two guards
enter the old grey security station. Guards and laser gates
are everywhere. Han whispers to Luke under his breath.

HAN: This is not going to work.

LUKE: Why didn't you say so before?

HAN: I did say so before!

INTERIOR: DETENTION AREA.

Elevator doors open. A tall, grim looking Officer approaches
the trio.

OFFICER: Where are you taking this...thing?

Chewie growls a bit at the remark but Han nudges him to
shut up.

LUKE: Prisoner transfer from Block one-one-three-eight.

OFFICER: I wasn't notified. I'll have to clear it.

The officer goes back to his console and begins to punch in
the information. There are only three other troopers in the
area. Luke and Han survey the situation, checking all of the
alarms, laser gates, and camera eyes. Han unfastens one of
Chewbacca's electronic cuffs and shrugs to Luke.
Suddenly Chewbacca throws up his hands and lets out with
one of his ear-piercing howls. He grabs Han's laser rifle.

HAN: Look out! He's loose!

LUKE: He's going to pull us all apart.

HAN: Go get him!

The startled guards are momentarily dumbfounded. Luke and
Han have already pulled out their laser pistols and are
blasting away at the terrifying Wookiee. Their barrage of
laserfire misses Chewbacca, but hits the camera eyes, laser
gate controls, and the Imperial guards. The officer is the
last of the guards to fall under the laserfire just as he is
about to push the alarm system. Han rushes to the comlink
system, which is screeching questions about what is going on.
He quickly checks the computer readout.

HAN: We've got to find out which cell this princess of yours is in.
Here it is...cell twenty-one-eight-seven. You go get her. I'll hold
them here.

Luke races down one of the cell corridors. Han speaks into the
buzzing comlink.

HAN: (sounding official) Everything is under control. Situation
normal.

INTERCOM VOICE: What happened?

HAN: (getting nervous) Uh...had a slight weapons malfunction. But, uh,
everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here,
now, thank you. How are you?

INTERCOM VOICE: We're sending a squad up.

HAN: Uh, uh, negative. We had a reactor leak here now. Give us a few
minutes to lock it down. Large leak...very dangerous.

INTERCOM VOICE: Who is this? What's your operating number?

Han blasts the comlink and it explodes.

HAN: Boring conversation anyway. (yelling down the hall) Luke! We're
going to have company!

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- CELL ROW.

Luke stops in front of one of the cells and blasts the door
away with a laser pistol. When the smoke clears, Luke sees the
dazzling young princess-senator. She had been sleeping and is
now looking at him with an uncomprehending look on her face.
Luke is stunned by her incredible beauty and stands staring at
her with his mouth hanging open.

LEIA: (finally) Aren't you a little short to be a stormtrooper?

Luke takes off his helmet, coming out of it.

LUKE: What? Oh...the uniform. I'm Luke Skywalker. I'm here to rescue
you. 

LEIA: You're who?

LUKE: I'm here to rescue you. I've got your R2 unit. I'm here with Ben
Kenobi.

LEIA: Ben Kenobi is here! Where is he?

LUKE: Come on!

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- CONFERENCE ROOM.

Darth Vader paces the room as Governor Tarkin sits at the far
end of the conference table.

VADER: He is here...

TARKIN: Obi-Wan Kenobi! What makes you think so?

VADER: A tremor in the Force. The last time I felt it was in the
presence of my old master.

TARKIN: Surely he must be dead by now.

VADER: Don't underestimate the power of the Force.

TARKIN: The Jedi are extinct, their fire has gone out of the universe.
You, my friend, are all that's left of their religion.

There is a quiet buzz on the comlink.

TARKIN: Yes.

INTERCOM VOICE: Governor Tarkin, we have an emergency alert in
detention block A A-twenty-three.

TARKIN: The princess! Put all sections on alert!

VADER: Obi-Wan is here. The Force is with him.

TARKIN: If you're right, he must not be allowed to escape.

VADER: Escape is not his plan. I must face him alone.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- DETENTION AREA -- HALLWAY.

An ominous buzzing sound is heard on the other side of the
elevator door.

HAN: Chewie!

Chewbacca responds with a growling noise.

HAN: Get behind me! Get behind me!

A series of explosions knock a hole in the elevator door
through which several Imperial troops begin to emerge.
Han and Chewie fire laser pistols at them through the smoke
and flame. They turn and run down the cell hallway, meeting up
with Luke and Leia rushing toward them.

HAN: Can't get out that way.

LEIA: Looks like you managed to cut off our only escape route.

HAN: (sarcastically) Maybe you'd like it back in your cell, Your
Highness.

Luke takes a small comlink transmitter from his belt as
they continue to exchange fire with stormtroopers making their
way down the corridor.

LUKE: See-Threepio! See-Threepio!

THREEPIO: (over comlink) Yes sir?

LUKE: We've been cut off! Are there any other ways out of the cell
bay?...What was that? I didn't copy!

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- MAIN BAY GANTRY -- CONTROL TOWER.

Threepio paces the control center as little Artoo beeps and
whistles a blue streak. Threepio yells into the small comlink
transmitter.

THREEPIO: I said, all systems have been alerted to your presence, sir.
The main entrance seems to be the only way in or out; all other
information on your level is restricted.

Someone begins banging on the door.

TROOPER VOICE: Open up in there!

THREEPIO: Oh, no!

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- DETENTION CORRIDOR.

Luke and Leia crouch together in an alcove for protection as
they continue to exchange fire with troops. Han and Chewbacca
are barely able to keep the stormtroopers at bay at the far
and of the hallway. The laserfire is very intense, and smoke
fills the narrow cell corridor.

LUKE: There isn't any other way out.

HAN: I can't hold them off forever! Now what?

LEIA: This is some rescue. When you came in here, didn't you have a
plan for getting out?

HAN: (pointing to Luke) He's the brains, sweetheart.

Luke manages a sheepish grin and shrugs his shoulders.

LUKE: Well, I didn't...

The princess grabs Luke's gun and fires at a small grate in
the wall next to Han, almost frying him.

HAN: What the hell are you doing?

LEIA: Somebody has to save our skins. Into the garbage chute, wise
guy.

She jumps through the narrow opening as Han and Chewbacca
look on in amazement. Chewbacca sniffs the garbage chute and
says something.

HAN: Get in there you big furry oaf! I don't care what you smell! Get
in there and don't worry about it.

Han gives him a kick and the Wookiee disappears into the
tiny opening. Luke and Han continue firing as they work their
way toward the opening.

HAN: Wonderful girl! Either I'm going to kill her or I'm beginning to
like her. Get in there!

Luke ducks laserfire as he jumps into the darkness. Han
fires off a couple of quick blasts creating a smokey cover,
then slides into the chute himself and is gone.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- GARBAGE ROOM.

Han tumbles into the large room filled with garbage and muck.
Luke is already stumbling around looking for an exit. He finds
a small hatchway and struggles to get it open. It won't budge.

HAN: (sarcastically) Oh! The garbage chute was a really wonderful
idea. What an incredible smell you've discovered! Let's get out of
here! Get away from there...

LUKE: No! wait!

Han draws his laser pistol and fires at the hatch. The
laserbolt ricochets wildly around the small metal room.
Everyone dives for cover in the garbage as the bolt explodes
almost on top of them. Leia climbs out of the garbage with a
rather grim look on her face.

LUKE: Will you forget it? I already tried it. It's magnetically
sealed!

LEIA: Put that thing away! You're going to get us all killed.

HAN: Absolutely, Your Worship. Look, I had everything under control
until you led us down here. You know, it's not going to take them long
to figure out what happened to us.

LEIA: It could be worst...

A loud, horrible, inhuman moan works its way up from the
murky depths. Chewbacca lets out a terrified howl and begins
to back away. Han and Luke stand fast with their laser pistols
drawn. The Wookiee is cowering near one of the walls.

HAN: It's worst.

LUKE: There's something alive in here!

HAN: That's your imagination.

LUKE: Something just moves past my leg! Look! Did you see that?

HAN: What?

LUKE: Help!

Suddenly Luke is yanked under the garbage.

HAN: Luke! Luke! Luke!

Solo tries to get to Luke. Luke surfaces with a gasp of air
and thrashing of limbs. A membrane tentacle is wrapped around
his throat.

LEIA: Luke!

Leia extends a long pipe toward him.

LEIA: Luke, Luke, grab a hold of this.

LUKE: Blast it, will you! My gun's jammed.

HAN: Where?

LUKE: Anywhere! Oh!!

Solo fires his gun downward. Luke is pulled back into the
muck by the slimy tentacle.

HAN: Luke! Luke!

Suddenly the walls of the garbage receptacle shudder and
move in a couple of inches. Then everything is deathly quiet.
Han and Leia give each other a worried look as Chewbacca howls
in the corner. With a rush of bubbles and muck Luke suddenly
bobs to the surface.

LEIA: Grab him!

Luke seems to be released by the thing.

LEIA: What happened?

LUKE: I don't know, it just let go of me and disappeared...

HAN: I've got a very bad feeling about this.

Before anyone can say anything the walls begin to rumble
and edge toward the Rebels.

LUKE: The walls are moving!

LEIA: Don't just stand there. Try to brace it with something.

They place poles and long metal beams between the closing
walls, but they are simply snapped and bent as the giant
trashmasher rumbles on. The situation doesn't look too good.

LUKE: Wait a minute!

Luke pulls out his comlink.

LUKE: Threepio! Come in Threepio! Threepio! Where could he be?

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- MAIN GANTRY -- COMMAND OFFICE.

A soft buzzer and the muted voice of Luke calling out for
See-Threepio can be heard on Threepio's hand comlink, which is
sitting on the deserted computer console. Artoo and Threepio
are nowhere in sight. Suddenly there is a great explosion and
the door of the control tower flies across the floor. Four
armed stormtroopers enter the chamber.

FIRST TROOPER: Take over! (pointing to the dead officer) See to him!
Look there!

A trooper pushes a button and the supply cabinet door
slides open. See-Threepio and Artoo-Detoo are inside. Artoo
follows his bronze companion out into the office.

THREEPIO: They're madmen! They're heading for the prison level. If you
hurry, you might catch them.

FIRST OFFICER: (to his troops) Follow me! You stand guard.

The troops hustle off down the hallway, leaving a guard to
watch over the command office.

THREEPIO: (to Artoo) Come on!

The guard aims a blaster at them.

THREEPIO: Oh! All this excitement has overrun the circuits of my
counterpart here. If you don't mind, I'd like to take him down to
maintenance.

TROOPER: All right.

The guard nods and Threepio, with little Artoo in tow,
hurries out the door.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- GARBAGE ROOM.

As the walls rumble closed, the room gets smaller and smaller.
Chewie is whining and trying to hold a wall back with his giant paws.
Han is leaning back against the other wall. Garbage is snapping and
popping. Luke is trying to reach Threepio.

LUKE: Threepio! Come in, Threepio! Threepio!

Han and Leia try to brace the contracting walls with a
pole. Leia begins to sink into the trash.

HAN: Get to the top!

LEIA: I can't 

LUKE: Where could he be? Threepio! Threepio, will you come in?

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- MAIN FORWARD BAY -- SERVICE PANEL.

THREEPIO: They aren't here! Something must have happened to them. See
if they've been captured.

Little Artoo carefully plugs his claw arm into a new wall
socket and a complex array of electronic sounds spew from the
tiny robot.

THREEPIO: Hurry!

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- GARBAGE ROOM.

The walls are only feet apart. Leia and Han are braced against
the walls. The princess is frightened. They look at each
other. Leia reaches out and takes Han's hand and she holds it
tightly. She's terrified and suddenly groans as she feels the
first crushing pressure against her body.

HAN: One thing's for sure. We're all going to be a lot thinner! (to
Leia) Get on top of it!

LEIA: I'm trying!

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- MAIN FORWARD BAY -- SERVICE PANEL.

THREEPIO: (to Artoo) Thank goodness, they haven't found them! Where
could they be?

Artoo frantically beeps something to See-Threepio.

THREEPIO: Use the comlink? Oh, my! I forgot I turned it off!

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- GARBAGE ROOM.

Meanwhile, Luke is lying on his side, trying to keep his head
above the rising ooze. Luke's comlink begins to buzz and he
rips it off his belt.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- MAIN FORWARD BAY -- SERVICE PANEL.

Muffled sounds of Luke's voice over the comlink can be heard,
but not distinctly.

THREEPIO: Are you there, sir?

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- GARBAGE ROOM.

LUKE: Threepio!

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- MAIN FORWARD BAY -- SERVICE PANEL.

THREEPIO: We've had some problems...

LUKE: (over comlink) Will you shut up and listen to me? Shut down all
garbage mashers on the detention level, will you? Do you copy?

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- GARBAGE ROOM.

LUKE: Shut down all the garbage mashers on the detention level.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- MAIN FORWARD BAY -- SERVICE PANEL.

LUKE: (over comlink) Shut down all the garbage mashers on the
detention level.

THREEPIO: (to Artoo) No. Shut them all down! Hurry!

Threepio holds his head in agony as he hears the incredible
screaming and hollering from Luke's comlink.

THREEPIO: Listen to them! They're dying, Artoo! Curse my metal body! I
wasn't fast enough. It's all my fault! My poor master!

LUKE: (over comlink) Threepio, we're all right!

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- GARBAGE ROOM.

The screaming and hollering is the sound of joyous relief. The
walls have stopped moving. Han, Chewie and Leia embrace in the
background.

LUKE: We're all right. You did great.

Luke moves to the pressure sensitive hatch, looking for a
number.

LUKE: Hey...hey, open the pressure maintenance hatch on unit number...
where are we?

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- MAIN FORWARD BAY -- SERVICE PANEL.

HAN: (over comlink) Three-two-six-eight-two-seven.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- TRACTOR BEAM -- POWER GENERATOR TRENCH.

Ben enters a humming service trench that powers the huge
tractor beam. The trench seems to be a hundred miles deep. The
clacking sound of huge switching devices can be heard. The old
Jedi edges his his way along a narrow ledge leading to a
control panel that connects two large cables. He carefully
makes several adjustments in the computer terminal, and
several lights on the board go from red to blue.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- UNUSED HALLWAY.

The group exits the garbage room into a dusty, unused hallway.
Han and Luke remove the trooper suits and strap on the blaster
belts.

HAN: If we can just avoid any more female advice, we ought to be able
to get out of here.

Luke smiles and scratches his head as he takes a blaster
from Solo.

LUKE: Well, let's get moving!

Chewie begins growling and points to the hatch to the
garbage room, as he runs away and then stops howling.

HAN: (to Chewie) Where are you going?

The Dia Nogu bangs against the hatch and a long, slimy
tentacle works its way out of the doorway searching for a
victim. Han aims his pistol.

LEIA: No, wait. They'll hear!

Han fires at the doorway. The noise of the blast echoes
relentlessly throughout the empty passageway. Luke simply
shakes his head in disgust.

HAN: (to Chewie) Come here, you big coward!

Chewie shakes his head "no."

HAN: Chewie! Come here!

LEIA: Listen. I don't know who you are, or where you came from, but
from now on, you do as I tell you. Okay?

Han is stunned at the command of the petite young girl.

HAN: Look, Your Worshipfulness, let's get one thing straight! I take
orders from one person! Me!

LEIA: It's a wonder you're still alive. (looking at Chewie) Will
somebody get this big walking carpet out of my way?

Han watches her start away. He looks at Luke.

HAN: No reward is worth this.

They follow her, moving swiftly down the deserted corridor.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- POWER TRENCH.

Suddenly a door behind Ben slides open and a detachment of
stormtroopers marches to the power trench. Ben instantly slips
into the shadows as an Officer moves to within a few feet of
him.

OFFICER: Secure this area until the alert is canceled.

FIRST TROOPER: Give me regular reports.

All but two of the stormtroopers leave.

FIRST TROOPER: Do you know what's going on?

SECOND TROOPER: Maybe it's another drill.

Ben moves around the tractor beam, watching the
stormtroopers as they turn their backs to him. Ben gestures
with his hand toward them, as the troops think they hear
something in the other hallway. With the help of the Force,
Ben deftly slips past the troopers and into the main hallway.

SECOND TROOPER: What was that?

FIRST TROOPER: Oh, it's nothing. Don't worry about it.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- HALLWAY.

Luke, Han, Chewbacca, and Leia run down an empty hallway and
stop before a bay window overlooking the pirateship. Troopers
are milling about the ship. Luke takes out his pocket comlink.

HAN: (looking at his ship) There she is.

LUKE: See-Threepio, do you copy?

THREEPIO: (voice) For the moment. Uh, we're in the main hangar across
from the ship.

LUKE: We're right above you. Stand by.

Han is watching the dozen or so troops moving in and out of
the pirateship. Leia moves towards Han, touches his arm and
points out the window to the ship.

LEIA: You came in that thing? You're braver that I thought.

HAN: Nice! Come on!

Han gives her a dirty look, and they start off down the
hallway. They round a corner and run right into twenty
Imperial stormtroopers heading toward them. Both groups are
taken by surprise and stop in their tracks.

FIRST TROOPER: It's them! Blast them!

Before even thinking, Han draws his laser pistol and
charges the troops, firing. His blaster knocks one of the
stormtroopers into the air. Chewie follows his captain down
the corridor, stepping over the fallen trooper on the floor.

HAN: (to Luke and Leia) Get back to the ship!

LUKE: Where are you going? Come back!

Han has already rounded a corner and does not hear.

LEIA: He certainly has courage.

LUKE: What good will it do us if he gets himself killed? Come on!

Luke is furious but doesn't have time to think about it for
muted alarms begin to go off down on the hangar deck. Luke and
Leia start off toward the starship hangar.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- SUBHALLWAY.

Han chases the stormtroopers down a long subhallway. He is
yelling and brandishing his laser pistol. The troops reach a
dead end and are forced to turn and fight. Han stops a few
feet from them and assumes a defensive position. The troops
begin to raise their laser guns. Soon all ten troopers are
moving into an attack position in front of the lone
starpirate. Han's determined look begins to fade as the troops
begin to advance. Solo jumps backward as they fire at him.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- SUBHALLWAY.

Chewbacca runs down the subhallway in a last-ditch attempt to
save his bold captain. Suddenly he hears the firing of laser
guns and yelling. Around the corner shoots Han, pirate
extraordinaire, running for his life, followed by a host of
furious stormtroopers. Chewbacca turns and starts running the
other way also.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- SUBHALLWAY.

Luke fires his laser pistol wildly as he and Leia rush down a
narrow subhallway, chased by several stormtroopers. They
quickly reach the end of the subhallway and race through an
open hatchway.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- CENTRAL CORE SHAFT.

Luke and Leia race through the hatch onto a narrow bridge that
spans a huge, deep shaft that seems to go into infinity. The
bridge has been retracted into the wall of the shaft, and Luke
almost rushes into the abyss. He loses his balance off the end
of the bridge as Leia, behind him, takes hold of his arm and
pulls him back.

LUKE: (gasping) I think we took a wrong turn.

Blasts from the stormtroopers' laser guns explode nearby
reminding them of the oncoming danger. Luke fires back at the
advancing troops. Leia reaches over and hits a switch that
pops the hatch door shut with a resounding boom, leaving them
precariously perched on a short piece of bridge overhang.
Laserfire from the troopers continues to hit the steel door.

LEIA: There's no lock!

Luke blasts the controls with his laser pistol.

LUKE: That oughta hold it for a while.

LEIA: Quick, we've got to get across. Find the control that extends
the bridge.

LUKE: Oh, I think I just blasted it.

Luke looks at the blasted bridge control while the
stormtroopers on the opposite side of the door begin making
ominous drilling and pounding sounds.

LEIA: They're coming through!

Luke notices something on his stormtrooper belt, when
laserfire hits the wall behind him. Luke aims his laser pistol
at a stormtrooper perched on a higher bridge overhang across
the abyss from them. They exchange fire. Two more troops
appear on another overhang, also firing. A trooper is hit, and
grabs at his chest.
Another trooper standing on the bridge overhang is hit by
Luke's laserfire, and plummets down the shaft. Troopers move
back off the bridge; Luke hands the gun to Leia.

LUKE: Here, hold this.

Luke pulls a thin nylon cable from his trooper utility
belt. It has a grappler hook on it. A trooper appears on a
bridge overhang and fires at Luke and Leia. As Luke works with
the rope, Leia returns the laser volley. Another trooper
appears and fires at them, as Leia returns his fire as well.
Suddenly, the hatch door begins to open, revealing the feet of
more troops.

LEIA: Here they come!

Leia hits one of the stormtroopers on the bridge above, and
he falls into the abyss. Luke tosses the rope across the gorge
and it wraps itself around an outcropping of pipes. He tugs on
the rope to make sure it is secure, then grabs the princess in
his arms. Leia looks at Luke, then kisses him quickly on the
lips. Luke is very surprised.

LEIA: For luck!

Luke pushes off and they swing across the treacherous abyss
to the corresponding hatchway on the opposite side. Just as
Luke and Leia reach the far side of the canyon, the
stormtroopers break through the hatch and begin to fire at
the escaping duo. Luke returns the fire before ducking into
the tiny subhallway.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- NARROW PASSAGEWAY.

Ben hides in the shadows of the narrow passageway as several
stormtroopers rush past him in the main hallway. He checks to
make sure they're gone, then runs down the hallway in the
opposite direction. Darth Vader appears at the far end of the
hallway and starts after the old Jedi.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- MAIN FORWARD BAY.

Threepio looks around at the troops milling about the
pirateship entry ramp.

THREEPIO: Where could they be?

Artoo, plugged into the computer socket, turns his dome
left and right, beeping a response.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- CORRIDOR -- BLAST SHIELDS DOOR.

Han and Chewbacca run down a long corridor with several
troopers hot on their trail.

TROOPER: Close the blast doors!

At the end of the hallway, blast doors begin to close in
front of them. The young starpilot and his furry companion
race past the huge doors just as they are closing, and manage
to get off a couple off laserblasts at the pursuing troops
before the doors slam shut.

TROOPER: Open the blast doors! Open the blast doors!

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- HALLWAY LEADING TO MAIN FORWARD BAY.

Ben hurries along one of the tunnels leading to the hangar
where the pirateship waits. Just before he reaches the hangar,
Darth Vader steps into view at the end of the tunnel, not ten
feet away. Vader lights his saber. Ben also ignites his and
steps slowly forward.

VADER: I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last. The
circle is now complete.

Ben Kenobi moves with elegant ease into a classical
offensive position. The fearsome Dark Knight takes a defensive
stance.

VADER: When I left you, I was but the learner; now I am the master.

BEN: Only a master of evil, Darth.

The two Galactic warriors stand perfectly still for a few
moments, sizing each other up and waiting for the right
moment. Ben seems to be under increasing pressure and strain,
as if an invisible weight were being placed upon him. He
shakes his head and, blinking, tries to clear his eyes. 
Ben makes a sudden lunge at the huge warrior but is checked
by a lightning movement of The Sith. A masterful slash stroke
by Vader is blocked by the old Jedi. Another of the Jedi's
blows is blocked, then countered. Ben moves around the Dark
Lord and starts backing into the massive starship hangar. The
two powerful warriors stand motionless for a few moments with
laser swords locked in mid-air, creating a low buzzing sound.

VADER: Your powers are weak, old man.

BEN: You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more
powerful than you can possibly imagine.

Their lightsabers continue to meet in combat.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- MAIN FORWARD BAY.

Han Solo and Chewbacca, their weapons in hand, lean back
against the wall surveying the forward bay, watching the
Imperial stormtroopers make their rounds of the hangar.

HAN: Didn't we just leave this party?

Chewbacca growls a reply, as Luke and the princess join
them.

HAN: What kept you?

LEIA: We ran into some old friends.

LUKE: Is the ship all right?

HAN: Seems okay, if we can get to it. Just hope the old man got the
tractor beam out of commission.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- HALLWAY.

Vader and Ben Kenobi continue their powerful duel. As they hit
their lightsabers together, lightning flashes on impact.
Troopers look on in interest as the old Jedi and Dark Lord of
The Sith fight. Suddenly Luke spots the battle from his
group's vantage point.

LUKE: Look!

Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie look up and see Ben and Vader
emerging from the hallways on the far side of the docking bay.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- DOCKING BAY.

Threepio and Artoo-Detoo are in the center of the Death Star's
Imperial docking bay.

THREEPIO: Come on, Artoo, we're going!

Threepio ducks out of sight as the seven stormtroopers who
were guarding the starship rush past them heading towards Ben
and The Sith Knight. He pulls on Artoo.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- HALLWAY.

Solo, Chewie, Luke, and Leia tensely watch the duel. The
troops rush toward the battling knights.

HAN: Now's our chance! Go!

They start for the Millennium Falcon. Ben sees the troops
charging toward him and realizes that he is trapped. Vader
takes advantage of Ben's momentary distraction and brings his
mighty lightsaber down on the old man. Ben manages to deflect
the blow and swiftly turns around.
The old Jedi Knight looks over his shoulder at Luke, lifts
his sword from Vader's then watches his opponent with a serene
look on his face.
Vader brings his sword down, cutting old Ben in half. Ben's
cloak falls to the floor in two parts, but Ben is not in it.
Vader is puzzled at Ben's disappearance and pokes at the empty
cloak. As the guards are distracted, the adventurers and the
robots reach the starship. Luke sees Ben cut in two and starts
for him. Aghast, he yells out.

LUKE: No!

The stormtroopers turn toward Luke and begin firing at him.
The robots are already moving up the ramp into the Millennium
Falcon, while Luke, transfixed by anger and awe, returns their
fire. Solo joins in the laserfire. Vader looks up and advances
toward them, as one of his troopers is struck down.

HAN: (to Luke) Come on!

LEIA: Come on! Luke, its too late!

HAN: Blast the door! Kid!

Luke fires his pistol at the door control panel, and it
explodes. The door begins to slide shut. Three troopers charge
forward firing laser bolts, as the door slides to a close
behind them, shutting Vader and the other troops out of the
docking bay. A stormtrooper lies dead at the feet of his
onrushing compatriots. Luke starts for the advancing troops,
as Solo and Leia move up the ramp into the pirateship. He
fires, hitting a stormtrooper, who crumbles to the floor.

BEN'S VOICE: Run, Luke! Run!

Luke looks around to see where the voice came from. He
turns toward the pirateship, ducking Imperial gunfire from the
troopers and races into the ship.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT.

Han pulls back on the controls and the ship begins to move. The
dull thud of laser bolts bouncing off the outside of the ship
as Chewie adjusts his controls.

HAN: I hope the old man got that tractor beam out if commission, or
this is going to be a real short trip. Okay, hit it!

Chewbacca growls in agreement.

EXTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON.

The Millennium Falcon powers away from the Death Star docking
bay, makes a spectacular turn and disappears into the vastness
of space.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- CENTRAL HOLD AREA.

Luke, saddened by the loss of Obi-Wan Kenobi, stares off
blankly as the robots look on. Leia puts a blanket around him
protectively, and Luke turns and looks up at her. She sits
down beside him.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT.

Solo spots approaching enemy ships.

HAN: (to Chewie) We're coming up on the sentry ships. Hold 'em off!
Angle the deflector shields while I charge up the main guns!

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- CENTRAL HOLD AREA.

Luke looks downward sadly, shaking his head back and forth, as
the princess smiles comfortingly at him.

LUKE: I can't believe he's gone.

Artoo-Detoo beeps a reply.

LEIA: There wasn't anything you could have done.

Han rushes into the hold area where Luke is sitting with
the princess.

HAN: (to Luke) Come on, buddy, we're not out of this yet!

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- GUNPORTS -- COCKPIT.

Solo climbs into his attack position in the topside gunport.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- HOLD AREA.

Luke gets up and moves out toward the gunports as Leia heads
for the cockpit.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- GUNPORTS -- COCKPIT.

Luke climbs down the ladder into the gunport cockpit, settling
into one of the two main laser cannons mounted in large
rotating turrets on either side of the ship.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- SOLO'S GUNPORT.

Han adjusts his headset as he sits before the controls of his
laser cannon, then speaks into the attached microphone.

HAN: (to Luke) You in, kid? Okay, stay sharp!
 

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- GUNPORTS -- COCKPIT.

Chewbacca and Princess Leia search the heavens for attacking
TIE fighters. The Wookiee pulls back on the speed controls as
the ship bounces slightly.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- SOLO'S GUNPORT -- COCKPIT.

Computer graphic readouts form on Solo's target screen, as Han
reaches for controls.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- GUNPORT -- COCKPIT.

Luke sits in readiness for the attack, his hand on the laser
cannon's control button.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT.

Chewbacca spots the enemy ships and barks.

LEIA: (into intercom) Here they come!

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT -- POV (POINT OF VIEW) -- SPACE.

The Imperial TIE fighters move towards the Millennium Falcon,
one each veering off to the left and right of the pirateship.

INTERIOR: TIE FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

The stars whip past behind the Imperial pilot as he adjusts
his maneuvering joy stick.

EXTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- IN SPACE.

The TIE fighter races past the Falcon, firing laser beams as
it passes.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- HOLD AREA.

Threepio is seated in the hold area, next to Artoo-Detoo. The
pirateship bounces and vibrates as the power goes out in the
room and then comes back on.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT -- GUNPORTS.

A TIE fighter maneuvers in front of Han, who follows it and
fires at it with the laser cannon. Luke does likewise, as the
fighter streaks into view. The ship has suffered a minor hit,
and bounces slightly. 

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

Two TIE fighters dive down toward the pirateship.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- GUNPORTS.

Luke fires at an unseen fighter.

LUKE: They're coming in too fast!

EXTERIOR: SPACE -- MILLENNIUM FALCON/TIE FIGHTERS.

Pan with pirateship as two TIE fighters charge through the
background. Laserbolts streak from all the craft.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- CHEWBACCA.

The ship shudders as a laserbolt hits very close to the
cockpit. The Wookiee chatters something to Leia.

EXTERIOR: TIE FIGHTER -- SPACE.

Full shot of a TIE fighter as it moves fast through the frame,
firing on the pirate starship.

EXTERIOR: SPACE -- TIE FIGHTERS.

The two TIE fighters fire a barrage of laserbeams at the
pirateship.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- MAIN PASSAGEWAY.

A laserbolt streaks into the side of the pirateship. The ship
lurches violently, throwing poor Threepio into a cabinet fill
of small computer chips.

THREEPIO: Oooh!

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT -- GUNPORTS.

Leia watches the computer readout as Chewbacca manipulates the
ship's controls.

LEIA: We've lost lateral controls.

HAN: Don't worry, she'll hold together.

An enemy laserbolt hits the pirateship's control panel,
causing it to blow out in a shower of sparks.

HAN: (to ship) You hear me, baby? Hold together!

Artoo-Detoo advances toward the smoking sparking control
panel, dousing the inferno by spraying it with fire retardant
beeping all the while.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- GUNPORT.

Luke swivels in his gun mount, following the TIE fighter with
his laser cannon.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- GUNPORT.

Solo aims his laser cannon at the enemy fighter.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

A TIE fighter streaks in front of the starship.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT.

Leia watches the TIE fighter ship fly over.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

A TIE fighter heads right for the pirateship, then zooms
overhead.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- GUNPORTS.

Luke follows the TIE fighter across his field of view, firing
laserbeams from his cannon.

EXTERIOR: TIE FIGHTER.

A TIE fighter dives past the pirateship.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- GUNPORTS.

Luke fires at a TIE fighter. At his port, Han follows a
fighter in his sights, releasing a blast of laserfire. He
connects, and the fighter explodes into fiery dust. Han laughs
victoriously.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

Two TIE fighters move toward and over the Millennium Falcon,
unleashing a barrage of laserbolts at the ship.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- GUNPORTS.

Another TIE fighter moves in on the pirateship and Luke,
smiling, fires the laser cannon at it, scoring a spectacular
direct hit.

LUKE: Got him! I got him!

Han turns and gives Luke a victory wave which Luke
gleefully returns.

HAN: Great kid! Don't get cocky.

Han turns back to his laser cannon.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

Two more TIE fighters cross in front of the pirateship.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT

While Chewbacca manipulates the controls, Leia turns, looking
over her shoulder out the ports.

LEIA: There are still two more of them out there!

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

A TIE fighter moves up over the pirateship, firing laserblasts
at it.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- GUNPORTS.

Luke and Han look into their respective projected target
screens. An Imperial fighter crosses Solo's port, and Han
swivels in his chair, following it with blasts from his laser
cannon. Another fighter crosses Luke's port, and he reacts in
a like manner, the glow of his target screen lighting his
face.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

The TIE fighter zooms toward the pirateship, firing
destructive blasts at it.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- GUNPORTS.

Luke fires a laserblast at the approaching enemy fighter, and
it bursts into a spectacular explosion. Luke's projected
screen gives a readout of the hit. The pirateship bounces
slightly as it is struck by the enemy fire.

EXTERIOR: SPACE -- TIE FIGHTER.

The last of the attacking Imperial TIE fighters looms in,
firing upon the Falcon.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- GUNPORT.

Solo swivels behind his cannon, his aim describing the arc of
the TIE fighter. The fighter comes closer, firing at the
pirateship, but a well-aimed blast from Solo's laser cannon
hits the attacker, which blows up in a small atomic shower of
burning fragments.

LUKE: (laughing) That's it! We did it!

The princess jumps up and gives Chewie a congratulatory
hug.

LEIA: We did it!

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- PASSAGEWAY.

Threepio lies on the floor of the ship, completely tangled in
the smoking, sparking wires.

THREEPIO: Help! I think I'm melting! (to Artoo) This is all your
fault.

Artoo turns his dome from side to side, beeping in
response.

EXTERIOR: SPACE -- MILLENNIUM FALCON.

The victorious Millennium Falcon moves off majestically
through space.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- CONTROL ROOM.

Darth Vader strides into the control room, where Tarkin is
watching the huge view screen. A sea of stars is before him.

TARKIN: Are they away?

VADER: They have just made the jump into hyperspace.

TARKIN: You're sure the homing beacon is secure aboard their ship? I'm
taking an awful risk, Vader. This had better work.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT.

Han, removes his gloves and smiling, is at the controls of the
ship. Chewie moves into the aft section to check the damage.
Leia is seated near Han.

HAN: Not a bad bit of rescuing, huh? You know, sometimes I even amaze
myself.

LEIA: That doesn't sound too hard. Besides, they let us go. It's the
only explanation for the ease of our escape.

HAN: Easy...you call that easy?

LEIA: Their tracking us!

HAN: Not this ship, sister.

Frustrated, Leia shakes her head.

LEIA: At least the information in Artoo is still intact.

HAN: What's so important? What's he carrying?

LEIA: The technical readouts of that battle station. I only hope that
when the data is analyzed, a weakness can be found. It's not over yet!

HAN: It is for me, sister! Look, I ain't in this for your revolution,
and I'm not in it for you, Princess. I expect to be well paid. I'm in
it for the money!

LEIA: You needn't worry about your reward. If money is all that you
love, then that's what you'll receive!

She angrily turns, and as she starts out of the cockpit,
passes Luke coming in.

LEIA: Your friend is quite a mercenary. I wonder if he really cares
about anything...or anyone.

LUKE: I care!

Luke, shaking his head, sits in the copilot seat. He and
Han stare out at the vast blackness of space.

LUKE: So...what do you think of her, Han?

HAN: I'm trying not to, kid!

LUKE: (under his breath) Good...

HAN: Still, she's got a lot of spirit. I don't know, what do you
think? Do you think a princess and a guy like me...

LUKE: No!

Luke says it with finality and looks away. Han smiles at
young Luke's jealousy.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND FOURTH MOON OF YAVIN.

The battered pirateship drifts into orbit around the planet
Yavin and proceeds to one of its tiny green moons.

EXTERIOR: FOURTH MOON OF YAVIN.

The pirateship soars over the dense jungle.

EXTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST.

An alert guard, his laser gun in hand, scans the countryside.
He sets the gun down and looks toward the temple, barely
visible in the foliage.

EXTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- JUNGLE TEMPLE.

Rotting in a forest of gargantuan trees, an ancient temple
lies shrouded in an eerie mist. The air is heavy with the
fantastic cries of unimaginable creatures. Han, Luke and the
others are greeted by the Rebel troops.
Luke and the group ride into the massive temple on an
armored military speeder.

INTERIOR: MASSASSI -- MAIN HANGAR DECK.

The military speeder stops in a huge spaceship hangar, set up
in the interior of the crumbling temple. Willard, the
commander of the Rebel forces, rushes up to the group and
gives Leia a big hug. Every one is pleased to see her.

WILLARD: (holding Leia) You're safe! We had feared the worst.

Willard composes himself, steps back and bows formally.

WILLARD: When we heard about Alderaan, we were afraid that you were...
lost along with your father.

LEIA: We don't have time for our sorrows, Commander. The battle
station has surely tracked us here (looking pointedly to Han). It's
the only explanation for the ease of our escape. You must use the
information in this R2 unit to plan the attack. It is our only hope.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

The surface of the Death Star ominously approaches the red
planet Yavin.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- CONTROL ROOM.

Grand Moff Tarkin and Lord Vader are interrupted in their
discussion by the buzz of the comlink. Tarkin moves to answer
the call.

TARKIN: Yes.

DEATH STAR INTERCOM VOICE: We are approaching the planet Yavin. The
Rebel base is on a moon on the far side. We are preparing to orbit the
planet.

EXTERIOR: YAVIN -- JUNGLE.

A lone guard stands in a tower high above the Yavin landscape,
surveying the countryside. A mist hangs over the jungle of
twisted green.

INTERIOR: MASSASSI -- WAR ROOM BRIEFING AREA.

Dodonna stands before a large electronic wall display. Leia
and several other senators are to one side of the giant
readout. The low-ceilinged room is filled with starpilots,
navigators, and a sprinkling of R2-type robots. Everyone is
listening intently to what Dodonna is saying. Han and
Chewbacca are standing near the back.

DODONNA: The battle station is heavily shielded and carries a
firepower greater than half the star fleet. It's defenses are designed
around a direct large-scale assault. A small one-man fighter should be
able to penetrate the outer defense.

Gold Leader, a rough looking man in his early thirties,
stands and addresses Dodonna.

GOLD LEADER: Pardon me for asking, sir, but what good are snub
fighters going to be against that?

DODONNA: Well, the Empire doesn't consider a small one-man fighter to
be any threat, or they'd have a tighter defense. An analysis of the
plans provided by Princess Leia has demonstrated a weakness in the
battle station.

Artoo-Detoo stands next to a similar robot, makes beeping
sounds, and turns his head from right to left.

DODONNA: The approach will not be easy. You are required to maneuver
straight down this trench and skim the surface to this point. The
target area is only two meters wide. It's a small thermal exhaust
port, right below the main port. The shaft leads directly to the
reactor system. A precise hit will start a chain reaction which should
destroy the station.

A murmer of disbelief runs through the room.

DODONNA: Only a precise hit will set up a chain reaction. The shaft is
ray-shielded, so you'll have to use proton torpedoes.

Luke is sitting next to Wedge Antilles, a hotshot pilot
about sixteen years old.

WEDGE: That's impossible, even for a computer.

LUKE: It's not impossible. I used to bull's-eye womp rats in my
T-sixteen back home. They're not much bigger than two meters.

DODONNA: Man your ships! And may the Force be with you!

The group rises and begins to leave.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

The Death Star begins to move around the planet toward the
tiny green moon.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR.

Tarkin and Vader watch the computer projected screen with
interest, as a circle of lights intertwines around one another
on the screen showing it's position in relation to Yavin and
the forth moon.

DEATH STAR INTERCOM VOICE: Orbiting the planet at maximum velocity.
The moon with the Rebel base will be in range in thirty minutes.

VADER: This will be a day long remembered. It has seen the end of
Kenobi and it will soon see the end of the Rebellion.

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- MAIN HANGAR DECK.

Luke, Threepio and little Artoo enter the huge spaceship
hangar and hurry along a long line of gleaming spacefighters.
Flight crews rush around loading last-minute armaments and
unlocking power couplings. In an area isolated from this
activity Luke finds Han and Chewbacca loading small boxes onto
an armored speeder.

MAN'S VOICE: (over loudspeaker) All flight trooper, man your stations.
All flight troops, man your stations.

Han is deliberately ignoring the activity of the fighter
pilots' preparation. Luke is quite saddened at the sight of
his friend's departure.

LUKE: So...you got your reward and you're just leaving then?

HAN: That's right, yeah! I got some old debts I've got to pay off with
this stuff. Even if I didn't, you don't think I'd be fool enough to
stick around here, do you? Why don't you come with us? You're pretty
good in a fight. I could use you.

LUKE: (getting angry) Come on! Why don't you take a look around? You
know what's about to happen, what they're up against. They could use a
good pilot like you. You're turning your back on them.

HAN: What good's a reward if you ain't around to use it? Besides,
attacking that battle station ain't my idea of courage. It's more like
suicide.

LUKE: All right. Well, take care of yourself, Han. I guess that's
what you're best at, isn't it?

Luke goes off and Han hesitates, then calls to him.

HAN: Hey, Luke...may the Force be with you!

Luke turns and sees Han wink at him. Luke lifts his hand in
a small wave and then goes off. 
Han turns to Chewie who growls at his captain,

HAN: What're you lookin' at? I know what I'm doing.

INTERIOR: MAIN HANGAR DECK -- LUKE'S SHIP.

Luke, Leia, and Dodonna meet under a huge space fighter.

LEIA: What's wrong?

LUKE: Oh, it's Han! I don't know, I really thought he'd change his
mind. 

LEIA: He's got to follow his own path. No one can choose it for him.

LUKE: I only wish Ben were here.

Leia gives Luke a little kiss, turns, and goes off. As Luke
heads for his ship, another pilot rushes up to him and grabs
his arm.

BIGGS: Luke! I don't believe it! How'd you get here...are you going
out with us?!

LUKE: Biggs! Of course, I'll be up there with you! Listen, have I got
some stories to tell...

Red Leader, a rugged handsome man in his forties, comes up
behind Luke and Biggs. He has the confident smile of a born
leader.

RED LEADER: Are you...Luke Skywalker? Have you been checked out on the
Incom T-sixty-five?

BIGGS: Sir, Luke is the best bushpilot in the outer rim territories.

Red Leader pats Luke on the back as they stop in front of
his fighter.

RED LEADER: I met your father once when I was just a boy, he was a
great pilot. You'll do all right. If you've got half of your father's
skill, you'll do better than all right.

LUKE: Thank you, sir. I'll try.

Red Leader hurries to his own ship.

BIGGS: I've got to get aboard. Listen, you'll tell me your stories
when we come back. All right?

LUKE: I told you I'd make it someday, Biggs.

BIGGS: (going off) You did, all right. It's going to be like old
times, Luke. We're a couple of shooting stars that'll never be
stopped!

Luke laughs and shakes his head in agreement. He heads for
his ship.
As Luke begins to climb up the ladder into his sleek,
deadly spaceship, the crew chief, who is working on the craft,
points to little Artoo, who is being hoisted into a socket on
the back of the fighter.

CHIEF: This R2 unit of your seems a bit beat up. Do you want a new
one?

LUKE: Not on your life! That little droid and I have been through a
lot together. (to Artoo) You okay, Artoo?

The crewmen lower Artoo-Detoo into the craft. Now a part of
the exterior shell of the starship, the little droid beeps
that he is fine.
Luke climbs up into the cockpit of his fighter and puts an
his helmet. Threepio looks on from the floor of the massive
hangar as the crewmen secure his little electronic partner
into Luke's X-wing. It's an emotional-filled moment as Artoo
beeps good-bye.

CHIEF: Okay, easy she goes!

THREEPIO: Hang on tight,Artoo, you've got to come back.

Artoo beeps in agreement.

THREEPIO: You wouldn't want my life to get boring, would you?

Artoo whistles his reply.
All final preparations are made for the approaching battle.
The hangar is buzzing with the last minute activity as the
pilots and crewmen alike make their final adjustments. The hum
of activity is occasionally trespassed by the distorted voice
of the loudspeaker issuing commands. Coupling hoses are
disconnected from the ships as they are fueled. Cockpit
shields roll smoothly into place over each pilot. A signalman,
holding red guiding lights, directs the ships. Luke, a trace
of a smile gracing his lips, peers about through his goggles.

BEN'S VOICE: Luke, the Force will be with you.

Luke is confused at the voice and taps his headphones.

EXTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- JUNGLE.

All that can be seen of the fortress is a lone guard standing
on a small pedestal jutting out above the dense jungle. The
muted gruesome crying sounds that naturally permeate this
eerie purgatory are overwhelmed by the thundering din of ion
rockets as four silver starships catapult from the foliage in
a tight formation and disappears into the morning cloud cover.

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- WAR ROOM.

The princess, Threepio, and a field commander sit quietly
before the giant display showing the planet Yavin and its four
moons. The red dot that represents the Death Star moves ever
closer to the system. A series of green dots appear around the
fourth moon. A din of indistinct chatter fills the war room.

MASSASSI INTERCOM VOICE: Stand-by alert. Death Star approaching.
Estimated time to firing range, fifteen minutes.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

The Death Star slowly moves behind the massive yellow surface
of Yavin in the foreground, as many X-wing fighters flying in
formation zoom toward us and out of the frame.

EXTERIOR: SPACE -- ANOTHER ANGLE.

Light from a distant sun creates an eerie atmospheric glow
around a huge planet, Yavin. Rebel fighters flying in
formation settle ominously in the foreground and very slowly
pull away.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER STARSHIP -- COCKPIT.

Red Leader lowers his visor and adjusts his gun sights,
looking to each side at his wing men.

RED LEADER: All wings report in.

INTERIOR: ANOTHER COCKPIT.

One of the Rebel fighters checks in through his mike.

RED TEN: Red Ten standing by.

INTERIOR: BIGGS' COCKPIT.

Biggs checks his fighter's controls, alert and ready for
combat.

RED SEVEN: (over Biggs' headset) Red Seven standing by.

BIGGS: Red Three standing by.

INTERIOR: PORKINS' COCKPIT.

PORKINS: Red Six standing by.

RED NINE: (over headset) Red Nine standing by.

INTERIOR: WEDGE'S FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

WEDGE: Red Two standing by.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

RED ELEVEN: (over headset) Red Eleven standing by.

LUKE: Red Five standing by.

EXTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER

Artoo-Detoo, in position outside of the fighter, turns his
head from side to side and makes beeping sounds.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

RED LEADER: Lock S-foils in attack position.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

The group of X-wing fighters move in formation toward the
Death Star, unfolding the wings and locking them in the "X"
position.

INTERIOR: BIGGS' COCKPIT

READ LEADER: (over headset) We're passing through their magnetic
field.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT.

RED LEADER: Hold tight!

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke adjusts his controls as he concentrates on the
approaching Death Star. The ship begins to be buffeted
slightly.

RED LEADER: (over headset) Switch your deflectors on.

INTERIOR: ANOTHER COCKPIT.

RED LEADER: (over headset) Double front!

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

The fighters, now X-shaped darts, move in formation. The Death
Star now appears to be a small moon growing rapidly in size as
the Rebel fighters approach. Complex patterns on the metallic
surface begin to become visible. A large dish antenna is built
into the surface on one side.

INTERIOR: WEDGE'S COCKPIT.

Wedge is amazed and slightly frightened at the awesome
spectacle.

WEDGE: Look at the size of that thing!

RED LEADER: (over headset) Cut the chatter, Red Two.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT.

RED LEADER: Accelerate to attack speed. This is it, boys!

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

As the fighters move closer to the Death Star, the awesome
size of the gargantuan Imperial fortress is revealed. Half of
the deadly space station is in shadow and this area sparkles
with thousands of small lights running in thin lines and
occasionally grouped in large clusters; somewhat like a city
at night as seen from a weather satellite.

INTERIOR: GOLD LEADER'S COCKPIT.

GOLD LEADER: Red Leader, this is Gold Leader.

RED LEADER: (over headset) I copy, Gold Leader.

GOLD LEADER: We're starting for the target shaft now.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT.

Red Leader looks around at his wingmen; the Death Star looming
in from behind. Two Y-wing fighters bob back and forth in the
background. He moves his computer targeting device into
position.

RED LEADER: We're in position. I'm going to cut across the axis and
try and draw their fire.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

Two squads of Rebel fighters peel off. The X-wings dive
towards the Death Star surface. A thousand lights glow across
the dark grey expanse of the huge station.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR.

Alarm sirens scream as soldiers scramble to large turbo-
powered laser gun emplacements. Electronic drivers rotate the
huge guns into position as crew adjust their targeting
devices.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

Laserbolts streak through the star-filled night. The Rebel
X-wing fighters move in toward the Imperial base, as the Death
Star aims its massive laser guns at the Rebel forces and
fires.

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- WAR ROOM.

Princess Leia listens to the battle over the intercom.
Threepio is at her side.

WEDGE: (over war room speaker system) Heavy fire, boss! Twenty-degrees.

RED LEADER: (over speaker) I see it. Stay low.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

An X-wing zooms across the surface of the Death Star.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR.

Technical crews scurry here and there loading last-minute
armaments and unlocking power cables.

INTERIOR: WEDGE'S COCKPIT.

Wedge maneuvers his fighter toward the menacing Death Star.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

X-wings continue in their attack course on the Death Star.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke nosedives radically, starting his attack on the monstrous
fortress. The Death Star surface streaks past the cockpit
window.

LUKE: This is Red Five; I'm going in!

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

Luke's X-wing races toward the Death Star. Laserbolts streak
from Luke's weapons, creating a huge fireball explosion on the
dim surface.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Terror crosses Luke's face as he realizes he won't be able to
pull out in time to avoid the fireball.

BIGGS: (over headset) Luke, pull up!

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF DEATH STAR.

Luke's ship emerges from the fireball, with the leading edges
of his wings slightly scorched.

INTERIOR: BIGGS' COCKPIT.

BIGGS: Are you all right?

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke adjusts his controls and breathes a sigh of relief. Flak
bursts outside the cockpit window.

LUKE: I got a little cooked, but I'm okay.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Rebel fighters continue to strafe the Death Star's surface
with laserbolts.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR.

Walls buckle and cave in. Troops and equipment are blown in
all directions. Stormtroopers stagger out of the rubble.
Standing in the middle of the chaos, a vision of calm and
foreboding, is Darth Vader. One of his Astro-Officers rushes
up to him.

ASTRO-OFFICER: We count thirty Rebel ships, Lord Vader. But they're so
small they're evading our turbo-lasers!

VADER: We'll have to destroy them ship to ship. Get the crews to their
fighters.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR.

Smoke belches from the giant laser guns as they wind up their
turbine generators to create sufficient power. The crew rushes
about preparing for another blast. Even the troopers head gear
is not adequate to protect them from the overwhelming noise of
the monstrous weapon. One troopers bangs his helmet with his
hand in an attempt to stop the ringing.

INTERIOR: READ LEADER'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT -- TRAVELING.

Red Leader flies through a heavy hail of flak.

RED LEADER: Luke, let me know when you're going in.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING -- COCKPIT -- TRAVELING.

The Red Leader's X-wing flies past Luke as he puts his nose
down and starts his attack dive.

LUKE: I'm on my way in now...

RED LEADER: Watch yourself! There's a lot of fire coming from the
right side of that deflection tower.

LUKE: I'm on it.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Luke flings his X-wing into a twisting dive across the horizon
and down onto the dim grey surface.

EXTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING TRAVELING.

A shot hurls from Luke's guns. Laserbolts streak toward the
onrushing Death Star surface. Several small radar emplacements
erupt in flame. Laserfire erupts from a protruding tower on
the surface.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING -- COCKPIT -- TRAVELING.

The blurry Death Star surface races past the cockpit window as
a big smile sweeps across Luke's face at the success of his
run. Flak thunders on all sides of him.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

The Death Star superstructure races past Luke as he maneuvers
his craft through a wall of laserfire and peels away from the
surface towards the heavens.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR.

The thunder and smoke of the big guns reverberate throughout
the massive structure. Many soldiers rush about in the smoke
and chaos, silhouetted by the almost continual flash of
explosions.

INTERIOR: BIGGS' COCKPIT -- TRAVELING.

Biggs dives through a forest of radar domes, antennae, and gun
towers as he shoots low across the Death Star surface. A dense
barrage of laserfire streaks by on all sides.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR.

Imperial star pilots dash in unison to a line of small
auxiliary hatches that lead to Imperial TIE fighters.

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- WAR ROOM.

Princess Leia, surrounded by her generals and aides, paces
nervously before a lighted computer table. On all sides
technicians work in front of many lighted glass walls. Dodonna
watches quietly from one corner. One of the officers working
over a screen speaks into his headset.

CONTROL OFFICER: Squad leaders, we've picked up a new group of
signals. Enemy fighters coming your way.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING -- COCKPIT -- TRAVELING.

Luke looks around to see if he can spot the approaching
Imperial fighters.

LUKE: My scope's negative. I don't see anything.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S X-WING -- COCKPIT -- TRAVELING.

The Death Star's surface sweeps past as Red Leader searches
the sky for the Imperial fighters. Flak pounds at his ship.

RED LEADER: Keep up your visual scanning. With all this jamming,
they'll be on top of you before your scope can pick them up.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Silhouetted against the rim lights of the Death Star horizon,
four ferocious Imperial TIE ships dive on the Rebel fighters.
Two of the TIE fighters peel off and drop out of frame. Pan
with the remaining two TIE ships.

INTERIOR: BIGGS' COCKPIT -- TRAVELING.

Biggs panics when he discovers a TIE ship on his tail. The
horizon in the background twists around as he peels off,
hoping to lose the Imperial fighter.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT.

RED LEADER: Biggs! You've picked one up...watch it!

BIGGS: I can't see it! Where is he?!

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

Biggs zooms off the surface and into space, closely followed
by an Imperial TIE fighter. The TIE ship fires several
laserbolts at Biggs, but misses.

INTERIOR: BIGGS' COCKPIT -- TRAVELING.

Biggs see the TIE ship behind him and swings around, trying to
avoid him.

BIGGS: He's on me tight, I can't shake him...I can't shake him.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

Biggs, flying at high altitude, peels off and dives toward the
Death Star surface, but he is unable to lose the TIE fighter,
who sticks close to his tail.

INTERIOR: X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT -- TRAVELING.

Luke is flying upside down. He rotates his ship around to
normal attitude as he comes out of his dive.

LUKE: Hang on, Biggs, I'm coming in.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

Biggs and the tailing TIE ship dive for the surface, now
followed by a fast-gaining Luke. After Biggs dives out of
sight, Luke chases the Imperial fighter.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

In the foreground, the Imperial fighter races across the Death
Star's surface, closely followed by Luke in the background.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT -- TRAVELING.

There is a shot from Luke's X-wing of the TIE ship exploding
in a mass of flames.

LUKE: Got him!

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR.

Darth Vader strides purposefully down a Death Star corridor,
flanked by Imperial stormtroopers.

VADER: Several fighters have broken off from the main group. Come with
me!

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- WAR ROOM.

A concerned Princess Leia, Threepio, Dodonna, and other
officers of the Rebellion stand around the huge round readout
screen, listening to the ship-to-ship communication on the
room's loudspeaker.

BIGGS: (over speaker) Pull in! Luke...pull in!

WEDGE: (over speaker) Watch your back, Luke!

INTERIOR LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

WEDGE: (over headset) Watch your back! Fighter's above you, coming in!

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

Luke's ship soars away from the Death Star's surface as he
spots the tailing TIE fighter.

INTERIOR: TIE FIGHTER'S COCKPIT.

The TIE pilot takes aim at Luke's X-wing.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

The Imperial TIE fighter pilot scores a hit on Luke's ship.
Fire breaks out on the right side of the X-wing.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke looks out of his cockpit at the flames on his ship.

LUKE: I'm hit, but not bad.

EXTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER.

Smoke pours out from behind Artoo-Detoo.

LUKE'S VOICE: Artoo, see what you can do with it. Hang on back there.

Green laserfire moves past the beeping little robot as his
head turns.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING -- COCKPIT.

Luke nervously works his controls.

RED LEADER: (over headset) Red Six...

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- WAR ROOM.

In the war room, Leia stands frozen as she listens and worries
about Luke.

RED LEADER: (over speaker) Can you see Red Five?

RED TEN: (over speaker) There's a heavy fire zone on this side. Red
Five, where are you?

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING -- COCKPIT.

Luke spots the TIE fighter behind him and soars away from the
Death Star surface.

LUKE: I can't shake him!

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Luke's ship soars closer to the surface of the Death Star, an
Imperial TIE fighter closing in on him in hot pursuit.

INTERIOR: WEDGE'S COCKPIT.

The Death Star whips below Wedge.

WEDGE: I'm on him, Luke!

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING -- COCKPIT.

WEDGE: (over headset) Hold on!

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Wedge dives across the horizon toward Luke and the TIE
fighter.

INTERIOR: WEDGE'S COCKPIT.

Wedge moves his X-wing in rapidly.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING -- COCKPIT.

Luke reacts frantically.

LUKE: Blast it! Wedge where are you?

INTERIOR: TIE FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

The fighter pilot watches Wedge's X-wing approach. Another
X-wing joins him, and both unleash a volley of laserfire on
the Imperial fighter.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

The TIE fighter explodes, filling the screen with white light.
Luke's ship can be seen far in the distance.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING -- COCKPIT.

Luke looks about in relief.

LUKE: Thanks, Wedge.

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- WAR ROOM.

Leia, Threepio, Dodonna and other Rebel officers are listening
to the Rebel Fighter's radio transmissions over the war room
intercom.

BIGGS: (over speaker) Good shooting, Wedge!

GOLD LEADER: (over speaker) Red Leader...

INTERIOR: GOLD LEADER'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT.

Gold Leader peels off and starts toward the long trenches at
the Death Star surface pole.

GOLD LEADER: This is Gold Leader. We're starting out attack run.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

Three Y-wing fighters of the Gold group dive out of the stars
toward the Death Star surface.

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- WAR ROOM.

Leia and the others are grouped around the screen, as
technicians move about attending to their duties.

RED LEADER: (over speaker) I copy, Gold Leader. Move into position.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

Three Imperial TIE ships in precise formation dive toward the
Death Star surface.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Darth Vader calmly adjusts his control stick as the stars whip
past in the window above his head.

VADER: Stay in attack formation!

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- WAR ROOM.

Technicians are seated at the computer readout table.

GOLD LEADER: (over speaker) The exhaust post is...

INTERIOR: GOLD LEADER'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT.

GOLD LEADER: ...marked and locked in!

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

Gold Leader approaches the surface and pulls out to skim the
surface of the huge station. The ship moves into a deep
trench, firing laserbolts. The surface streaks past as
laserfire is returned by the Death Star.

INTERIOR: GOLD FIVE'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT -- TRAVELING.

Gold Five is a pilot in his early fifties with a very battered
helmet that looks like it's been through many battles. He
looks around to see if enemy ships are near. His fighter is
buffeted by Imperial flak.

INTERIOR: GOLD LEADER'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT.

Gold Leader races down the enormous trench that leads to the
exhaust port. Laserbolts blast toward him in increasing
numbers, occasionally exploding near the ship causing it to
bounce about.

GOLD LEADER: Switch power to front deflector screens.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Three Y-wing skim the Death Star surface deep in the trench,
as laserbolts streak past on all sides.

EXTERIOR: DEATH STAR SURFACE -- GUN EMPLACEMENTS.

An exterior surface gun blazes away at the oncoming Rebel
fighters.

INTERIOR: GOLD LEADER'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT.

GOLD LEADER: How many guns do you think, Gold Five.

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- WAR ROOM.

GOLD FIVE: (over speaker) I'd say about twenty guns. Some on the
surface, some on the towers.

Leia, Threepio, and the technicians view the projected
target screen, as red and blue target lights glow. The red
target near the center blinks on and off.

MASSASSI INTERCOM VOICE: (over speaker) Death Star will be in range in
five minutes. 

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

The three Y-wing fighters race toward camera and zoom
overhead through a hail of laserfire.

INTERIOR: GOLD LEADER'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT.

Gold Leader pulls his computer targeting device down in
front of his eye. Laserbolts continue to batter the Rebel
craft.

GOLD LEADER: Switching to targeting computer.

INTERIOR: GOLD TWO'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT.

Gold Two, a younger pilot about Luke's age, pulls down his
targeting eye viewer and adjusts it. His ship shudders under
intense laser barrage.

GOLD TWO: Computer's locked. Getting a signal.

As the fighters begin to approach the target area, suddenly
all the laserfire stops. An eerie clam clings over the trench
as the surface whips past in a blur.

GOLD TWO: The guns...they've stopped!

EXTERIOR: GOLD FIVE'S COCKPIT.

Gold Five looks behind him.

GOLD FIVE: Stabilize your read deflectors. Watch for enemy fighters.

INTERIOR: GOLD LEADER'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT.

GOLD LEADER: They've coming in! Three marks at two ten.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

Three Imperial TIE ships, Darth Vader in the center flanked by
two wingmen, dive in precise formation almost vertically
toward the Death Star surface.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Darth Vader calmly adjusts his control stick as the stars zoom
by.

VADER: I'll take them myself! Cover me!

WINGMAN'S VOICE: (over speaker) Yes, sir.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

Three TIE fighters zoom across the surface of the Death Star.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader lines up Gold Two in his targeting computer. Vader's
hands grip the control stick as he presses the button.

INTERIOR: GOLD LEADER'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT

The cockpit explodes around Gold Two. His head falls forward.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

As Gold Two's ship explodes, debris is flung out into space.

INTERIOR: GOLD LEADER'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT.

Gold Leader looks over his shoulder at the scene.

EXTERIOR: DEATH STAR TRENCH.

The three TIE fighters race along in the trench in a tight
formation.

INTERIOR: GOLD LEADER'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT.

Gold Leader panics.

GOLD LEADER: (into mike) I can't maneuver!

INTERIOR: GOLD FIVE'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT.

Gold Five, the old veteran, trys to calm Gold Leader.

GOLD FIVE: Stay on target.

INTERIOR: GOLD LEADER'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT.

The Death Star races by outside the cockpit window as he
adjusts his targeting device.

GOLD LEADER: We're too close.

INTERIOR: GOLD FIVE'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT.

The older pilot remains calm.

GOLD FIVE: Stay on target!

INTERIOR: GOLD LEADER'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT.

Now he's really panicked.

GOLD LEADER: Loosen up!

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader calmly adjusts his targeting computer and pushes the
fire button.

INTERIOR: GOLD LEADER'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT.

Gold Leader's ship is hit by Vader's laser.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Gold Leader explodes in a ball of flames, throwing debris in
all directions.

INTERIOR: GOLD FIVE'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT.

Gold Five moves in on the exhaust port.

GOLD FIVE: Gold Five to Red Leader...

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke looks over his shoulder at the action outside of his
cockpit.

GOLD FIVE: (over headset) Lost Tiree, lost Dutch.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT.

RED LEADER: I copy, Gold Five.

INTERIOR: GOLD FIVE'S Y-WING -- COCKPIT.

GOLD FIVE: They came from behind....

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

One of the engines explodes on Gold Five's Y-wing fighter,
blazing out of control. He dives past the horizon toward the
Death Star's surface, passing a TIE fighter during his
descent. Gold Five, a veteran of countless campaigns, spins
toward his death.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke looks nervously about him at the explosive battle.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- CONTROL ROOM.

Grant Moff Tarkin and a Chief Officer stand in the Death
Star's control room.

OFFICER: We've analyzed their attack, sir, and there is a danger.
Should I have your ship standing by?

TARKIN: Evacuate? In out moment of triumph? I think you overestimate
their chances!

Tarkin turns to the computer readout screen. Flames move
around the green disk at the center of the screen, as numbers
read across the bottom.

VOICE: (over speaker) Rebel base, three minutes and closing.

INTERIOR: READ LEADER'S COCKPIT.

Red Leader looks over at his wingmen.

RED LEADER: Red Group, this is Red Leader.

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- WAR ROOM.

Dodonna moves to the intercom as he fiddles with the computer
keys.

RED LEADER: (over speaker) Rendezvous at mark six point one.

WEDGE: (over speaker) This is Red Two. Flying toward you.

BIGGS: (over speaker) Red Three, standing by.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT:

DODONNA: (over headset) Red Leader, this is Base One. Keep half your
group out of range for the next run.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

RED LEADER'S VOICE: (over headset) Copy, Base One. Luke, take Red Two
and Three. Hold up here and wait for my signal...to start your run.

Luke nods his head.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

The X-wing fighters of Luke, Biggs, and Wedge fly in formation
high above the Death Star's surface.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke peers out from his cockpit.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Two X-wings move across the surface of the Death Star. Red
Leader's X-wing drops down to the surface leading to the
exhaust port.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT.

Red Leader looks around to watch for the TIE fighters. He
begins to perspire.

RED LEADER: This is it!

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

Red Leader roams down the trench of the Death Star as lasers
streak across the black heavens.

EXTERIOR: DEATH STAR SURFACE -- GUN EMPLACEMENTS.

A huge remote-control laser cannon fires at the approaching
Rebel fighters.

EXTERIOR: DEATH STAR TRENCH.

The Rebel fighters evade the Imperial laser blasts.

INTERIOR: RED TEN'S COCKPIT.

Red Ten looks around for the Imperial fighters.

RED TEN: We should be able to see it by now.

EXTERIOR: DEATH STAR TRENCH.

From the cockpits of the Rebel pilots, the surface of the
Death Star streaks by, with Imperial laserfire shooting toward
them.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT.

RED LEADER: Keep your eyes open for those fighters!

INTERIOR: RED TEN'S COCKPIT.

RED TEN: There's too much interference!

EXTERIOR: SPACE -- DEATH STAR TRENCH.

Three X-wing fighters move in formation down the Death Star
trench.

RED TEN'S VOICE: Red Five, can you see them from where you are?

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke looks down at the Death Star surface below.

LUKE: No sign of any...wait!

INTERIOR: RED TEN'S COCKPIT.

Red Ten looks up and sees the Imperial fighters.

LUKE: (over headset) Coming in point three five.

RED TEN: I see them.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Three TIE fighters, Vader flanked by two wingmen, dive in a
tight formation. The sun reflects off their dominate solar
fins as they loop toward the Death Star's surface.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT.

Red Leader pulls his targeting device in front of his eyes and
makes several adjustments.

RED LEADER: I'm in range.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Red Leader's X-wing moves up the Death Star trench.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT.

RED LEADER: Target's coming up!

Red Leader looks at his computer target readout screen. He
then looks into his targeting device.

RED LEADER: Just hold them off for a few seconds.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader adjusts his control lever and dives on the X-wing
fighters.

VADER: Close up formation.

EXTERIOR: DEATH STAR TRENCH.

The three TIE fighters move in formation across the Death Star
surface.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT.

Red Leader lines up his target on the targeting device
cross hairs.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Vader and his wingmen zoom down the trench.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader rapidly approaches the two X-wings of Red Ten and Red
Twelve. Vader's laser cannon flashes below the view of the
front porthole. the X-wings show in the center of Vader's
computer screen.

EXTERIOR: SPACE.

Red Twelve's X-wing fighter is hit by Vader's laserfire, and
it explodes into flames against the trench.

INTERIOR: RED TEN'S COCKPIT.

Red Ten works at his controls furiously, trying to avoid
Vader's fighter behind him.

RED TEN: You'd better let her loose.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT.

Red Leader is concentrating on his targeting device.

RED LEADER: Almost there!

INTERIOR: RED TEN'S COCKPIT.

Red Ten panics.

RED TEN: I can't hold them!

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Vader and his wingmen whip through the trench in pursuit of
the Rebel fighters.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader cooly pushes the fire button on his control stick.

INTERIOR: RED TEN'S COCKPIT.

Darth Vader's well-aimed laserfire proves to be unavoidable,
and strikes Red Ten's ship. Red Ten screams in anguish and
pain.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR. 

Red Ten's ship explodes and bursts into flames.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT.

Grimly, Red Leader takes careful aim and watches his computer
targeting device, which shows the target lined up in the cross
hairs, and fires.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT.

RED LEADER: It's away!

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR.

An armed Imperial stormtrooper is knocked to the floor from
the attack explosion. Other troopers scurrying about the
corridors are knocked against the wall and lose their balance.

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- WAR ROOM.

Leia and the others stare at the computer screen.

RED NINE'S VOICE: (over speaker) It's a hit!

RED LEADER: (over speaker) Negative.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT.

Red Leader looks back at the receding Death Star. Tiny
explosions are visible in the distance.

RED LEADER: Negative! It didn't go in. It just impacted on the
surface.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR -- TIE FIGHTER.

Darth Vader peels off in pursuit as Red Leader's X-wing passes
the Death Star horizon.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader swings his ship around for the next kill.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT.

LUKE: (over headset) Red Leader, we're right above you. Turn to
point...

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke tries to spot Red Leader. He looks down at the Death Star
surface.

LUKE: ...oh-five; we'll cover for you.

RED LEADER: (over headset) Stay there...

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT.

A wary Red Leader looks about nervously.

RED LEADER: ...I just lost my starboard engine.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke looks excitedly toward Red Leader's X-wing.

RED LEADER: (over headset) Get set to make your attack run.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader's gloved hands make contact with the control sticks, and
he presses their firing buttons.

INTERIOR: RED LEADER'S COCKPIT.

Red Leader fights to gain control of his ship.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

Laserbolts are flung from Vader's TIE fighter, connecting with
Red Leader's Rebel X-wing fighter. Red Leader buys it,
creating a tremendous explosion far below. He screams and is
destroyed.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke looks out the window of his X-wing at the explosion far
below. For the first time, he feels the helplessness of his
situation.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR.

Grand Moff Tarkin casts a sinister eye at the computer screen.

DEATH STAR INTERCOM VOICE: Rebel base, one minute and closing.

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- WAR ROOM.

Dodonna and Princess Leia, with Threepio beside them, listen
intently to the talk between the pilots. The room is grim
after Red Leader's death. Princess Leia nervously paces the
room.

LUKE: (over speaker) Biggs, Wedge, let's close it up. We're going in.
We're going in full throttle.

INTERIOR: WEDGE'S COCKPIT.

The horizon twists as Wedge begins to pull out.

WEDGE: Right with you, boss.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR. 

The two X-wings peel off against a background of stars and
dive toward the Death Star.

INTERIOR: BIGGS' COCKPIT.

BIGGS: Luke, at that speed will you be able to pull out in time?

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

LUKE: It'll be just like Beggar's Canyon back home.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

The three X-wings move in, unleashing a barrage of laserfire.
Laserbolts are returned from the Death Star.

INTERIOR: BIGGS' COCKPIT.

Luke's lifelong friend struggles with his controls.

BIGGS: We'll stay back far enough to cover you.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S COCKPIT.

Flak and laserbolts flash outside Luke's cockpit window.

WEDGE: (over headset) My scope shows the tower, but I can't see the
exhaust port! Are you sure the computer can hit it?

EXTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- GUN EMPLACEMENTS.

The Death Star laser cannon slowly rotates as it shoots
laserbolts.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke looks around for the Imperial TIE fighters. He thinks for
a moment and then moves his targeting device into position.

LUKE: Watch yourself! Increase speed full throttle!

INTERIOR: WEDGE'S COCKPIT.

Wedge looks excitedly about for any sign of the TIE fighters.

WEDGE: What about the tower?

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

LUKE: You worry about those fighters! I'll worry about the tower!

EXTERIOR: DEATH STAR SURFACE.

Luke's X-wing streaks through the trench, firing lasers.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke breaks into a nervous sweat as the laserfire is returned,
knicking one of his wings close to the engine.

LUKE: (to Artoo) Artoo...that, that stabilizer's broken loose again!
See if you can't lock it down!

EXTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER.

Artoo works to repair the damages. The canyon wall rushes by
in the background, making his delicate task seem even more
precarious.

EXTERIOR: DEATH STAR.

Two laser cannons are firing on the Rebel fighters.

INTERIOR: WEDGE'S COCKPIT.

Wedge looks up and sees the TIE ships.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke's targeting device marks off the distance to the target.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

Vader and his wingmen zoom closer.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader adjusts his controls and fires laserbolts at two X-wings
flying down the trench. He scores a direct hit on Wedge.

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- WAR ROOM.

Leia and the others are grouped around the computer board.

WEDGE: (over speaker) I'm hit! I can't stay with you.

LUKE: (over speaker) Get clear, Wedge.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

LUKE: You can't do any more good back there!

INTERIOR: WEDGE'S COCKPIT.

WEDGE: Sorry!

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

Wedge pulls his crippled X-wing back away from the battle.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader watches the escape but issues a command to his wingmen.

VADER: Let him go! Stay on the leader!

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

Luke's X-wing speeds down the trench; the three TIE fighters,
still in perfect unbroken formation, tail close behind.

INTERIOR: BIGGS' COCKPIT.

Biggs looks around at the TIE fighters. He is worried.

BIGGS: Hurry, Luke, they're coming in much faster this time. I can't
hold them!

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

The three TIE fighters move ever closer, closing in on Luke
and Biggs.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke looks back anxiously at little Artoo.

LUKE: Artoo, try and increase the power!

EXTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER.

Ignoring the bumpy ride, flak, and lasers, a beeping
Artoo-Detoo struggles to increase the power, his dome turning
from side to side.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

Stealthily, the TIE formation creeps closer.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader adjusts his control stick.

INTERIOR: BIGGS' COCKPIT.

Biggs looks around at the TIE fighters.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER.

Luke looks into his targeting device. He moves it away for a
moment and ponders its use. He looks back into the computer
targeter.

BIGGS: (over headset) Hurry up, Luke!

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

Vader and his wingmen race through the Death Star trench.
Biggs moves in to cover for Luke, but Vader gains on him.

INTERIOR: BIGGS' COCKPIT.

Biggs sees the TIE fighter aiming at him.

BIGGS: Wait!

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader squeezes the fire button on his controls.

INTERIOR: BIGGS' COCKPIT.

Biggs' cockpit explodes around him, lighting him in red.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Biggs' ship bursts into a million flaming bits and scatters
across the surface.

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- WAR ROOM.

Leia and the others stare at the computer board.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING COCKPIT.

Luke is stunned by Biggs' death. His eyes are watering, but
his anger is also growing.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- CONTROL ROOM.

Grand Moff Tarkin watches the projected target screen with
satisfaction.

DEATH STAR INTERCOM VOICE: Rebel base, thirty seconds and closing.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader takes aim on Luke and talks to the wingmen.

VADER: I'm on the leader.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR -- LUKE'S SHIP.

Luke's ship streaks through the trench of the Death Star.

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- WAR ROOM.

Princess Leia returns her general's worried and doubtful
glances with solid, grim determination. Threepio seems nervous.

THREEPIO: Hang on, Artoo!

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING -- COCKPIT.

Luke concentrates on his targeting device.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Three TIE fighters charge away down the trench toward Luke.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader's finger's curls around the control stick.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING -- COCKPIT.

Luke adjusts the lens of his targeting device.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Luke's ship charges down the trench.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING -- COCKPIT.

Luke lines up the yellow cross-hair lines of the targeting
device's screen. He looks into the targeting device, then
starts at a voice he hears.

BEN'S VOICE: Use the Force, Luke.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

The Death Star trench zooms by.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING -- COCKPIT.

Luke looks up, then starts to look back into the targeting
device. He has second thoughts.

BEN'S VOICE: Let go, Luke.

A grim determination sweeps across Luke's face as he closes
his eyes and starts to mumble Ben's training to himself.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Luke's fighter streaks through the trench.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

VADER: The Force is strong with this one!

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Vader follows Luke's X-wing down the trench.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING -- COCKPIT.

Luke looks to the targeting device, then away as he hears
Ben's voice.

BEN'S VOICE: Luke, trust me.

Luke's hand reaches for the control panel and presses the
button. The targeting device moves away.

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- WAR ROOM.

Leia and the others stand watching the projected screen.

BASE VOICE: (over speaker) His computer's off. Luke, you switched off
your targeting computer. What's wrong?

LUKE: (over speaker) Nothing. I'm all right.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Luke's ship streaks ever close to the exhaust port.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING -- COCKPIT.

Luke looks at the Death Star surface streaking by.

EXTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER.

Artoo-Detoo turns his head from side to side, beeping in
anticipation.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

The three TIE fighters, manned by Vader and his two wingmen,
follow Luke's X-wing down the trench.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader maneuvers his controls as he looks at his doomed target.
He presses the fire buttons on his control sticks. Laserfire
shoots toward Luke's X-wing fighter.

EXTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER.

A large burst of Vader's laserfire engulfs Artoo. The arms go
limp on the smoking little droid as he makes a high-pitched
sound.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke looks frantically back over his shoulder at Artoo.

EXTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER.

Smoke billows out around little Artoo and sparks begin to fly.

LUKE: I've lost Artoo!

Artoo's beeping sounds die out.

INTERIOR: MASSASSI OUTPOST -- WAR ROOM.

Leia and the others stare intently at the projected screen,
while Threepio watches the Princess. Lights representing the
Death Star and targets glow brightly.

MASSASSI INTERCOM VOICE: The Death Star has cleared the planet. The
Death Star has cleared the planet.

INTERIOR: DEATH STAR -- CONTROL ROOM.

Tarkin glares at the projected target screen.

DEATH STAR INTERCOM VOICE: Rebel base, in range.

TARKIN: You may fire when ready.

DEATH STAR INTERCOM VOICE: Commence primary ignition.

An officer reaches up and pushes buttons on the control
panel, as green lighted buttons turn to red.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

The three TIE fighters zoom down the Death Star trench in
pursuit of Luke, never breaking formation.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S COCKPIT.

Luke looks anxiously at the exhaust port.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader adjusts his control sticks, checking his projected
targeting screen.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Luke's ship barrels down the trench.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader's targeting computer swings around into position. Vader
takes careful aim on Luke's X-wing fighter.

VADER: I have you now.

He pushes the fire buttons.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

The three TIE fighters move in on Luke. As Vader's center
fighter unleashes a volley of laserfire, one of the TIE ships
at his side is hit and explodes into flame. The two remaining
ships continue to move in.

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke looks about, wondering whose laserfire destroyed Vader's
wingman.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader is taken by surprise, and looks out from his cockpit.

VADER: What?

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S WINGMAN -- COCKPIT.

Vader's wingman searches around him trying to locate the
unknown attacker.

INTERIOR: MILLENNIUM FALCON -- COCKPIT.

Han and Chewbacca grin from ear to ear.

HAN: (yelling) Yahoo!

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

The Millennium Falcon heads right at the two TIE fighters.
It's a collision course.

INTERIOR: WINGMAN'S COCKPIT.

The wingman spots the pirateship coming at him and warns the
Dark Lord.

WINGMAN: Look out!

EXTERIOR: DEATH STAR TRENCH.

Vader's wingman panics at the sight of the oncoming pirate
starship and veers radically to one side, colliding with
Vader's TIE fighter in the process. Vader's wingman crashes
into the side wall of the trench and explodes. Vader's damaged
ship spins out of the trench with a damaged wing.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

Vader's ship spins out of control with a bent solar fin,
heading for deep space.

INTERIOR: DARTH VADER'S COCKPIT.

Vader turns round and round in circles as his ship spins
into space.