HAN
Nay, nay, good Sir, as I have said before:
I have no permit that shall let me pass,
But Lando of Calrissian I seek.
GUARD 1
[through comlink:] Thou shalt not enter unto Bespin, nay.
HAN
Why dost thou fire at me and my good ship?
Be not so quick to turn to blasters, Sir—
I prithee, grant me time but to explain…
GUARD 1
[through comlink:] Make thou no deviation from thy course.
C-3PO
These Bespinites are rather petulant—
They’ve nothing of my disposition sweet.
LEIA
[to Han:] I thought that thou didst say thou knowest this
Man Lando.
CHEWBAC.
—Auugh!
HAN
—But ’twas so long ago.
Nay, surely he doth hold no grudge by now.
GUARD 1
[through comlink:] Thou hast permission now to land upon
The platform three–two–seven.
HAN
—Many thanks.
Now do ye see, ye doubters all? I tell
Ye truly: Lando is a friend, indeed.
LEIA
Nay, who hath worri’d? [Aside:] Verily, there is
A something here that seemeth not aright:
This welcome hath been less than welcoming.
Yet Han with brave nobility hath led
Our troubl’d quest—I shall not doubt him now.
[The Millennium Falcon lands and Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, and C-3PO disembark.
CHEWBAC.
Egh.
C-3PO
—O, there is no one to meet us here.
LEIA
I do not like this, Han.
HAN
—What wouldst thou like?
C-3PO
At least we are no more upon the ship—
Enough of space I’ve seen to last a life.
’Twas kind of them to let us land.
HAN
[to Princess Leia:] —Be calm
And trust me, all things shall end well.
Enter LANDO with LOBOT and GUARDS.
My friend!
[To Chewbacca:] But keep thou watch now, Chewie, just in case.
LANDO
[aside:] How shall I play this? Shall I distant be?
Nay, then he shall become suspicious and
May have some cause to fear ere Vader comes.
I shall be jovial and shine with joy—
A colt is ridden best by kindly rider.
I know ’tis true: it worketh ev’ry time.
Thus, to deceive I shall employ a jest.
[Walking to Han:] Thou slimy, double-crossing, no-good swine!
Thou hast a nerve to show thy cheating face,
Since thou hast prov’n thyself a lying thief.
HAN
Is’t possible? Is friendship’s mem’ry slain?
LANDO
Heigh-ho, I mock at thee, my goodly friend!
How art thou, pirate? ’Tis a joy to see
Thee here.
C-3PO
[to Princess Leia:]—He doth seem full of friendship’s mirth.
LEIA
Aye, truly, he seems full of it indeed.
LANDO
What brings thee here to Bespin?
HAN
—Ship repairs.
Methought thou couldst some kind assistance grant.
LANDO
What hast thou done unto my ship?
HAN
—Thy ship?
Remember thou didst lose her o’er to me
As fairly as the day is long.
LANDO
—And how
Dost thou, Chewbacca? Hang’st thou still around
This aging renegade?
CHEWBAC.
—Egh!
LANDO
[to Princess Leia:]—O, what light
Doth break upon mine eyes? What beauty’s this?
I give thee welcome, gentle lady. I
Am Lando of Calrissian, and do
Administer this great facility.
And who, pray tell, art thou? Eh?
LEIA
—Leia, I.
LANDO
[kissing her hand:] Most welcome, Leia.
HAN
—Aye, ’tis well, ’tis well.
Thou ever wert a lover of fair things.
C-3PO
C-3PO am I, and at your service…
[Lando turns his back.
[Aside:] I wonder that I still am talking here:
Nobody marks me.
LANDO
[to Han:]—What doth ail the ship?
HAN
The hyperdrive.
LANDO
—My people shall begin
Work on’t immediately. I tell thee,
That ship in many cases sav’d my life!
What stories of adventure I could tell
In which the ship doth play the central part.
She is the fastest heap of scrap in all
The galaxy!
LEIA
[aside:]—He loveth this old ship
Almost as much as Han! This love of ships,
’Tis like an illness wild within these men.
HAN
Now tell me of thy life and bus’ness, friend—
How doth the gas mine for thee? Doth it pay?
LANDO
’Tis credits in and credits out, but more,
I fear, of out than in. We are but small,
An outpost minor. Thus have I supply
Dilemmas, labor difficulties, too.
HAN
Ha, ha!
LANDO
—Why say’st thou “Ha”? And wherefore twice?
HAN
’Tis thou. Pray, hearken unto thine own voice.
So rife with deep responsibility,
So serious, experienc’d, mature,
And bus’nesslike. ’Twas not my expectation.
LANDO
[aside:] O weep, my heart, to see him brings such joy,
And pains me more to seal his awful fate.
[To Han:] Pray, hear me truly, Han. Whatever else
May happen, hear these words: this moment doth
Recall for me our past together, which
Is sweetness in my memory.
HAN
—Indeed.
’Tis well to see thee thriving so, my friend.
LANDO
And thou hast hit the mark: I duties bear,
And grave responsibilities are mine.
’Tis but the price of one’s success, I s’pose.
[Exeunt Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, and Lando.