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.

BEN: 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