William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back (5 page)

A pilot must respect his ship with care,

And play physician to her ev’ry need.

With patience and with tender healing touch

I caringly embrace each bolt and wire.

Now, ’tis repair’d. [
To Chewbacca:
] Good Chewie, try it now!

Egh.

[The ship begins to smoke and spark.

—Nay! Act thou with speed, and turn it off!

[
Aside:
] Physician, heal thyself from too much haste.

[
aside:
] The last time I said my farewell to these

Compatriots of mine, ’twas ere the Death

Star battle when it seem’d as though they were

Deserting us. But now, their valor prov’d,

Their hearts align’d with good Rebellion’s cause,

I’ll wish them on their merry way with joy.

[
To Chewbacca:
] Chewbacca, brave, ’tis now my time to leave,

For soon to Dagobah my path is bound.

[
embracing Luke:
] Egh!

—How your tight embrace doth warm my heart—

But also strains my bones, thou jolly brute.

Well met, young lad. [
To droid:
] There must a reason be

Why this malfunction hath occur’d. But now,

I prithee, get thee hence.

[Exit maintenance droid.

Art thou yet well?

Aye, verily. [
Aside:
] O what words would I say

To this man here, if words were loud enough!

But hath a word e’er been created, which

Could tell the comrade’s love I feel for him,

Articulate the good I sense in him,

Express the debt of life I owe to him?

At times ’tis true that words betray us all—

The mighty pow’r of language fails to speak,

And neither tongue nor rhetoric gives aid.

This Han hath found a life among our band

That did transform his former, solo self,

But now he takes his leave to pay the price

Of former indiscretions come to call.

I would explain how much he means to me,

I would disclose my deep respect for him,

I would unveil my brotherlike regard,

I would reveal the workings of my soul—

But at this moment words are render’d weak.

Thus, he must see the story in my eyes,

Peruse the tale that’s told within my heart,

And there read more than ever can be penn’d.

Now be thou careful, friend.

—And thou as well.

[Exit Luke Skywalker.

A noble lad, and true. If Fate is kind,

I shall make right the danger I am in

And live to fight aside him once again.

[Exeunt Han Solo and Chewbacca.

My general, a group of Star Destroy’rs

Has just emerg’d from hyperspace, and now

Has been detected in yon sector four.

Divert all pow’r unto our forward shield.

In doing so we may protect the base

Until the transports their escape have made.

Then, let us all prepare for ground assault.

[
To all:
] Good gentlemen and women, come ye near!

For we shall now our very lives defend.

Good cheer! All preparation hath been made,

Both for the swift retreat of transports hence,

And to defend our base until they’re fled.

The carriers shall meet up at the north,

And larger transports leave once they are full.

Two fighter escorts shall be sent with each

And shall remain quite close, for our strong shield

Will be disarm’d a fleeting length of time.

’Twill be a passage dangerous no doubt,

But with the Force we shall prevail, indeed.

I prithee, say again: shall only two

Of our small fighters match a Star Destroy’r?

Pray, screw your courage to the sticking place.

Our ion cannons shall with lethal fire

Make ev’ry pathway clear. When you have clear’d

The shield of energy, then go anon

Unto our rendezvous. Do all agree?

Will ye all go in great rebellion’s name?

Aye, Princess, aye!

—We shall heed thy command.

Now ev’ryone unto their stations, go!

[Exeunt rebel pilots, including Hobbie and Lieutenant Derlin.

[
to Controller:
] Belike the power generators will

Their prim’ry target be. Prepare thou now

To open up the shield. And may the Force

Attend our swift retreat, our hearts inspire!

Now standby ion cannon; aye, and fire.

[Exeunt.

The transports make their way deep into space;

The ion cannon leads as they take flight.

But now the rebels grave new dangers face,

As th’Empire sends a ground assault to fight.

How dost thou fare, good Sir? For I have heard

Of your unlucky recent incident.

How is it with thee after the attack?

Quite well, I thank thee, Dack. And art thou well?

Aye, truthfully, Commander—I do feel

I could the Empire overthrow myself,

If I were giv’n the opportunity.

A single warrior to bring them down,

A single hand to show rebellion’s strength,

A single mind that could outwit them all,

A single Dack to best the Empire’s might.

O noble soul, how like a soldier said!

It seems that thou and I are fashion’d from

One cloth—one fabric knits our souls together.

The feeling you express is one I’ve known.

Indeed, it is a potent privilege,

But also brings responsibility.

But who did bid thee join with us?

—Piett.

’Twas he who order’d me to come with ye

To crush the rebels and their little base.

Well said, for I know of no baser base—

’Twill be a vict’ry great when ’tis destroy’d.

But think ye we shall in this fight prevail?

The rebels are a force formidable.

My friends, we have had quite enough of talk:

The battle is upon us, let us go.

And ye who doubt, I pray remember this:

Although we are but AT-ATs gray and plain,

We have a noble task to undertake—

Our mighty Emperor’s reign to protect,

The great Darth Vader to obey and aid,

And Admiral Piett to serve with pride.

So shall an AT-AT swoon before the fight,

Or should our legs be shaken ere th’assault?

Have we been made to cower? I say nay!

An AT-AT should be made of sterner stuff.

[
to AT-AT 2:
] I pray, good walker, is he ever thus?

Aye, truly, Sir, I never yet have met

An All Terrain Armorèd Transport who

Is loftier of mind than this one here.

Indeed, although like us he’s made of steel,

He never enters battle zones unless

He hath made some great speech to steel his nerves.

It does no harm.

—No harm, but to mine ears.

I’d rather fight than hear another speech.

Now let us go, these rebels to destroy!

[The AT-ATs advance on Luke Skywalker and other rebel pilots.

[
to rebel pilots:
] Now stay together, men.

—Alas, good Luke,

The ship’s computer hath malfunction’d. O,

I am not set for this attack!

—Be patient.

We shall use pattern delta now, anon!

[Rebels and AT-ATs duel, and

rebels quickly retreat.

A hit! A very palpable hit. Wait,

Although my shots have found their mark, their blasts

Have no effect. It is their armor, fie!

Our blasters are too weak to penetrate

The strength of their robust exteriors.

Rogue group, use thy harpoons and cables, too.

Let us go for their legs and trip them up—

Perhaps they may be bested from beneath.

Dack, art thou with me?