21.  MED VAC EMERGENCY ROOM - UNDERGROUND FORTRESS

 

Captain Starkiller waits in an outer chamber as General Skywalker rushes into

the Med Vac emergency room where several doctors are working on the prostrate

Whitsun.

 

GENERAL

What's his condition?  Is he conscious?

 

DOCTOR

Partially.  He's be all right - a few bruises, primary exhaustion....

 

Whitsun thrashes around in a semi-conscious state.  He sees the general.

 

GENERAL

What happened, boy?  What's going on?

 

WHITSUN (with difficulty)

The Imperial Starforce is already on its way, not far behind me... They're

going to attack.

 

GENERAL

Are you sure?

 

WHITSUN

I have tapes...A giant space fortress....

 

He struggles to give General Skywalker his ring.

 

GENERAL

As big as our Third Moon?

 

WHITSUN

Bigger.  It's unlike anything I've ever seen.  Sophisticated deflection

systems.... work in opposition to the suns.

 

GENERAL

They will show up on our screens at sunrise.  They'll attack before that.

 

The general rushes into the outer chamber where Captain Starkiller is waiting

for him.

 

GENERAL

Take the fastest landspeeder to Chathos.  Pick up Princess Leia... and only

Princess Leia.  Return by way of the Great Reef.  Most speed.

 

Starkiller exits and the general goes to an intercom and pushes several

buttons.

 

GENERAL

Montross.

 

MONTROSS

Sir!

 

GENERAL

Full alert....everything!  Get the Royal Family back here.

 

MONTROSS

The princess is at Chathos.  There are no transports....

 

GENERAL

I've already sent Captain Starkiller for her!  Contact the king, first

priority.  He's probably still en route to Amsel.  Use the scan com.  I'm on

my way.

 

22.  WAR ROOM - UNDERGROUND FORTRESS - AQUILAE

 

The war room is on full alert.  Everyone is at attention, waiting for the

command that will put them into action.  The general enters a communication

center, followed by many aides.  Captain Montross and the com aide salute.

 

MONTROSS

We're having a problem getting through, Sir.  There is a great deal of

interference.

 

PRUE

It could be jamming.

 

GENERAL

Try a surface link through Amsel.

 

The aides go back to the com-link system to try to get a line through to the

king.

 

PRUE

We should be able to spot them at sunrise....That's not too far off.

 

GENERAL

They'll attack with sunrise.  Until the king gives us that code to start the

war computers, we'll just have to sit tight.

 

PRUE

All units are on alert, Sir.

 

GENERAL (to Montross)

Have you made contact yet?  (to himself)  This is one hell of a way to run a

war.

 

PRUE

Sir?

 

23.  COURTYARD - ACADEMY OF CHATHOS - AQUILAE

 

A landspeeder roars into a courtyard of the Academy at Chathos.  Starkiller

jumps out, and runs up to the large, heavy doors of the academy.  They are

locked.  He bangs madly on the carved metallic door, until finally an old

woman manages to swing it open.  Starkiller rushes past her into the main

courtyard where Princess Leia and her hand-maiden, Mina, struggle with two

large cases.  They are followed by two very old matrons, dragging several more

cases.

 

STARKILLER

Forget the cases - we've no time.

 

LEIA

These are my things.  They must...

 

STARKILLER

I said forget them, and hurry...

 

LEIA

Just who do you think you are?

 

Starkiller grabs the princess by the arm, and hauls her to the speeder.  Mina

and the old women run after them.

 

LEIA

I will not be treated like this!   You bring my things.... My father will have

your head... (etc.)

 

Leia struggles to break away from the young warrior's grasp as he opens the

door of the speeder.

 

STARKILLER

Settle down!

 

When the door to the speeder is opened, Mina starts in, and Starkiller stops

her.

 

STARKILLER

You must stay.  Here, take the Crest.