William Shakespeare's The Phantom Menace (17 page)

A plan most well-conceiv'd, and dangerous.

The risks are bounteous, as well you know.

Your fighters' weapons may not penetrate

The large ship's shields.

—An even greater risk:

If it doth happen that the viceroy 'scapes,

He shall another army bring to bear.

'Tis clear, then, why we must the viceroy take—

No different conclusion shall suffice.

Upon that ending all our hopes begin.

Beep, squeak! [
Aside:
] O, cause most noble—may it rise!

[Exeunt Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Padmé, Anakin, Sabé, Captain Panaka, Ric Olié, R2-D2, and Naboo soldiers. Gungans begin preparing for battle
.

Enter
G
UNGANS
riding fambaas
.

The shields we now be starting up. Make ready!

[
aside:
] O, sight that bringeth tears unto mine eyes:

The Gungans brave astride their fambaas raise

A shield that shall protect us verily.

This is the moment for which I have liv'd,

To see my sore oppress'd and careworn folk

Rise with one voice and hope with the Naboo.

O shield, give us protection from this war,

O shield, be our defense against the wrong,

O shield, guard all our peaceful future days,

O shield, let we beleaguer'd souls have rest.

Behold, there in the distance, foes they come!

[
aside:
] The battle hath begun, and 'tis our time—

This day shall live fore'er in song and rhyme!

[Exeunt, marching toward battle
.

Pray listen, Anakin: once we're inside,

Thou shouldst be hidden and await us there.

Indeed, sir. Aye.

—Await us there—move not!

[The Naboo forces begin dueling with battle droids
.

Exeunt Naboo soldiers and battle droids
.

Anon, good friends, let us toward the throne,

Where we shall take the viceroy by surprise.

Enter
N
UTE
G
UNRAY
, R
UNE
H
AAKO
,
and
D
ARTH
M
AUL
above, on balcony, observing the battle on a screen
.

Methought the battle would be far from here!

How is't that they the courtyard have achiev'd?

This is too close. O, shall this mean our end?

[Exeunt Nute Gunray, Rune Haako, and Darth Maul
.

Enter more
BATTLE DROIDS
,
engaging in combat
.

The battle is upon us now—press on!

We speedily rush t'ward the hangar to

Release the pilots to the skies above.

Courageously these men and women fly

To strike the ship that doth control these droids!

Young Anakin, the time is now—flee, hide!

And stay thou in one place till this fight's o'er.

I go, kind sir, and shall await you here.

Beep, meep, beep, whistle, squeak, beep, meep, nee, hoo!

[
Aside:
] Abide with him I shall, and keep him safe.

[Anakin and R2-D2 run aside to take cover
.

Ye pilots brave, make for your ships and fly!

They go, amidst the constant blaster fire,

They go to serve our hope with their own lives!

Take wing, ye gentles all, and aid our cause!

Beep, whistle, hoo! [
Aside:
] This zealous ship hath pull'd

Me whole within to ready for a launch.

Alas, the pilot who would lead me falls!

What shall I do?

—The blaster shots fire fast

And quick, just barely passing by my head.

I shall be safer in the cockpit of

This ship that here doth sit without an owner.

[Anakin climbs aboard the ship into which R2-D2 has just been placed
.

The droids are all defeated: for a time

We have some rest. Yet it shall surely pass.

The viceroy must within the throne room be.

One group, two groups—red group, blue group—make haste!

Attend me now, come join our latest quest.

Pray, wait for me, I come anon.

—Nay, stay!

Thou shalt be safe within that armor'd ship.

But I would follow.

—Hear my words: remain

Within that cockpit till we do return.

Enter
D
ARTH
M
AUL
.

[
To Padmé:
] This fight is ours. Your Highness, fare you well.

We'll to the throne room by another route.

[Exeunt Padmé, Captain Panaka, and other Naboo soldiers
.

I know not who you are or what you want,

Yet I do have skills most particular,

Acquir'd throughout a Jedi's long career.

These skills do make me nightmarish to such

As you. Surrender now, and you shall live—

If not, you shall be dead, and there's an end.

I'll not be taken by you, man naïve;

Your feeble skills are naught when match'd to mine.

This is the moment I have longèd for:

Two Jedi to assuage mine appetite.

We are no feast for you, O wretched knave.

Lay on, you Sith, and by us be you damn'd!

[Exeunt Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Darth Maul, dueling
.

Enter
DROIDEKAS
,
firing
.

We must do something speedily, R2!

Beep, meep!

—I know not where the trigger is.

I'll try this button here—but wait, what's this?

This vessel doth begin to fly—'tis live!

Ahh, here are the controls that operate

The guns—feel ye the taste of laser fire!

[Anakin shoots, destroying the droidekas
.

Squeak, whistle, nee!

—It flies of its own will.

Hold steady, R2—fly we into space!

[Anakin flies aside
.

Enter
R
IC
O
LIÉ
and
PILOTS
aside, in space, with
F
EDERATION FIGHTERS
opposing them
.

Be cautious all, 'tis fighters straight ahead.

Forsooth, good Bravo Leader.

—Aye, indeed!

Beep, squeak, beep, whistle, meep!

—Behold, R2,

Our comrades there do fight the errant foe.

The autopilot takes us there e'en now.

Although by this machine I am drawn forth,

It echoes my desire as well, as though

'Twere I who had programm'd this speedy ship.

Away to heav'n, respective lenity,

And fire-ey'd fury be my conduct now.

Let us away, and thither join the fray!

The shield deflector's much too strong for us!

This fighting is intense beyond all reason.

I prithee, R2, do thine expert work

And from this autopilot give release

Before we both are cruelly kill'd herein!

Beep, whistle!

—Clever droid, R2—hast done!

Let us unto the portside deviate.

[
aside:
] This boy, methinks, hath still a manner wild—

Mayhap he thinks this is a podrace field.

[
To Anakin:
] Meep, squeak?

—Return? Why no, it shall not be.

The master Qui-Gon order'd me direct

To stay within the cockpit of this ship.

I shall fulfill his mandate to the word—

The letter of the law is thus fulfill'd,

E'en if, in doing so, the spirit's snubb'd.

Meep, woo, beep, whistle, squeak, beep, whistle, nee!