HAN
—Nay, truly. He hath gone to see
A met’orite that hath made landfall near.
RIEEKAN
With all the met’orites a’falling in
This system, I believe we shall have pains
And trouble in detecting ’proaching ships.
HAN
[aside:] How shall I tell my news most difficult,
And crush this man’s great hopes for what’s ahead?
Fear not, O heart, but be direct and calm:
’Tis best approach’d straight on, like th’Kessel Run.
[To Rieekan:] My general, I cannot stay. I must
Make haste and get me hence, e’en now.
LEIA
[aside:]—Alack,
How like a death knell sounds this news to me!
RIEEKAN
I tell thee truly when I say to thee:
This news doth break this gen’ral’s gentle soul.
I could not be more sorry, pilot brave.
HAN
A price still lies upon my head, and if
I do not make amends with Jabba, I
Shall not repay with money, nay, but life.
RIEEKAN
A price too dear, indeed! A death mark is
No kind companion to a free man’s life.
Thou art a warrior noble, Solo, and
I hate to lose thee.
HAN
—And thou art a kind,
Good general, sirrah, I hate to go.
[Exit Rieekan. Han turns to Princess Leia.
And so, Your Highness great, this is the end.
LEIA
’Tis so.
HAN
—I prithee mourn me not, and show
No sentiment. Farewell, thou princess cold.
[Aside:] I go, and hope she’ll follow hard upon,
For if she shall not follow, all is lost.
[Han Solo begins to exit, pursued by Princess Leia.
LEIA
Han, halt!
HAN
—What is thy pleasure, Highness?
LEIA
I did believe that thou had chos’n to stay.
HAN
The bounty hunter we did meet on Ord
Mantell hath chang’d my mind.
LEIA
—We need thee, Han.
HAN
What “we”? Why speakest thou of “we”?
Dost thou in royal terms speak here of “we”?
Hast thou a rodent in thy pocket, such
That thou and he are “we”? What meanest thou?
What need is there that thou dost share with all?
Speak not of “we,” but “I.” O princess, what
Dost thou most need? Not “we,” not “they,” but thou?
LEIA
I know not what thou speakest of.
HAN
—’Tis true.
Most probably thou dost not know thyself.
LEIA
And what, pray tell, precisely should I know?
Of what great myst’ry am I unaware?
Hast thou the depths of Leia plumb’d and seen
What lies within my soul, my very core?
HAN
Be not elusive, nay! Thou wouldst that I
Should stay because of how thou feelest in
Thy heart about me. Need hath turn’d to want.
Pray, tell me not thy needs, but thy desires.
LEIA
Thou art a leader full of skill, ’tis true.
HAN
Thine answer leadeth thee astray. Let fly!
I see it in thine aspect now, let fly!
Tell me the answer true.
LEIA
—Thy vanity
Hath puff’d up thine imagination.
HAN
—Aye?
Then why dost thou yet follow me? Wert thou
Afraid I would depart without a kiss?
LEIA
I would as eagerly kiss Wookiee lips.
HAN
That can arrangèd be. By heaven’s breath,
A kiss would suit thee well!
[Exit Han Solo.
LEIA
—O man of bile!
Thou wouldst make e’en the coolest temper burn,
For thou art made of heat and flame and fire.
No wood may stand within a mile of thee
But it shall roast as if ’twere on the sun.
And now, thy scorching manner lights my fuse.
Aye truly, I confess I am aflame:
Thine eyes create combustion in my heart,
Thy face doth cause my cheeks to flood with warmth,
Thy fingers set me trembling at their touch,
Thy hands may hold the secrets of my soul.
Thou hast a pow’r o’er Leia’s very self,
Yet wear my patience past what I can bear.
For O, how thou dost needle, jest, and prick
When thou dost think thy pride is at the stake.
Be not so full of bile, my noble Han.
I prithee, choose the tender side of wit.
If thou couldst ever put thy pride away,
Belike my prejudice would fall aside.
Then could our two hearts sing a melody,
Instead of clashing in disharmony.
[Exit Princess Leia.
Scene 3.
The rebel base on Hoth.
Enter C-3PO and R2-D2, with HAN SOLO and CHEWBACCA aside at the Millennium Falcon.
C-3PO
O R2, thou dost ever plague me so!
E’en now have we been in dishonor sent
Away from our good princess’ chamber. Fie!
Such breach of etiquette and protocol,
And all the fault doth on thy shoulders lie.
R2-D2
Beep, meep, beep, whistle, meep, beep, squeak, nee, meep!
C-3PO
Lay not thy blame upon my shoulders, droid—
I did, at no point, ask thee to engage
The thermal heater. ’Twas but a remark
Upon the coldness of the princess’ room.
R2-D2
Beep, whistle, squeak.
C-3PO
—But freezing it should be!
And now, how shall we dry off all her clothes?
I truly know not how.
R2-D2
—Beep, meep, beep, hoo.
C-3PO
O, switch off!
[C-3PO walks aside toward the Millennium Falcon.
R2-D2
[aside:]—Watch thy tongue, thou naughty droid,
Or I shall bring my wit to bear on thee
And thou shalt not escape my shocks and jabs.
For though I speak aloud in beeps and squeaks,
Within my mind a keener tongue prevails.
And though thou like a brother art to me,
I’ll happily correct your errant ways.
If thou didst think the thermal heater was
Too hot, then shalt thou surely not endure
The fire that I shall kindle with my wit.
[C-3PO makes his way to Han Solo.
HAN
[to Chewbacca:] Why hast thou taken this apart when
I am striving to depart this wretched place?
C-3PO
Excuse me, Sir.
HAN