I prithee, Chewie: Han we could not save,
But may yet rescue Luke, if we make haste.
LANDO
But what about the fighters, Princess?
CHEWBAC.
—Auugh!
LANDO
Pray, peace, good Wookiee, thou shalt have thy way.
[They approach Luke in the ship. Lando breaks off from the others to let Luke in.
What ties most deep do bind these souls as one!
In all my workings as a bus’nessman,
In all my making deals and earning more,
I have forgotten what doth make life rich:
’Tis friendship, love, and sacrifice that make
A life, and I too long have not liv’d well!
Farewell, the former Lando, lonely man!
Farewell to selfish pride and high ambition!
Farewell to scoundrelhood and avarice!
Farewell to all the things my life has been!
From now, I shall the great Rebellion serve,
And join myself unto this band of friends
Whate’er befall—pain, injury, or death.
[Lando opens the hatch. Luke drops from the weather vane into the ship.
Now come, brave Luke, whose mates to thee are dear,
I have not met thee, but do call thee brother.
Give me your hand, good Sir, if we be friends,
And Lando shall, in time, restore amends.
[To Leia:] Good Princess, let us fly, for all is well!
LEIA
O Luke, my heart doth swell to see thee safe!
Thou hast been caught within Darth Vader’s trap,
But now thou art deliver’d and restor’d.
[Luke and Leia embrace while Lando returns to the cockpit.
Now go with me unto the cot, and rest.
In time, we shall trade tales of grief and woe.
LANDO
The man is sav’d, but now the battle’s on,
For by TIE fighters is our ship pursu’d!
LEIA
The Falcon is attack’d, Luke. Lie thou back,
I shall anon return to give thee aid.
[Leia goes to the cockpit.
[To Lando:] Behold, a Star Destroyer doth approach.
LANDO
Make ready, Chewie, for the lightspeed jump.
LEIA
Aye, if thy people fix’d the hyperdrive,
Coordinates are set—’tis time we flew.
LANDO
Now make it so!
[The Millennium Falcon makes a sound and fails.
CHEWBAC.
—Auugh!
LANDO
—I was told ’twas fix’d!
My trust I gave them, to repair the ship.
Some treachery and villainy lie here.
Forgive me, I know not what hath transpir’d.
’Tis not my fault. In troth, ’tis not my fault!
Enter DARTH VADER and ADMIRAL PIETT on balcony.
PIETT
The ship shall be in tractor beaming range
Before thou canst say “aye.”
VADER
—Thy trusty men
Disab’d the swift Falcon’s hyperdrive?
PIETT
They did, my Lord.
VADER
—’Tis well. Prepare to board
Their ship, and set all weapons onto stun.
They have not made escape for long, and soon
Skywalker shall be in my hand again,
And I shall bring him to the Emperor.
PIETT
Indeed, my Lord, I shall with joy comply.
The rebels shall be in our grasp anon.
[Exit Admiral Piett, while Darth Vader stares into space.
Enter C-3PO and R2-D2, who is repairing C-3PO.
C-3PO
Why have we not to lightspeed flown?
R2-D2
—Beep, squeak!
C-3PO
What dost thou mean that we cannot? How canst
Thou know the hyperdrive disabl’d is?
R2-D2
Beep, meep, meep, beep, squeak, whistle, nee, beep, hoo!
C-3PO
The city’s central processor hath told
Thee so? O, R2-D2, how have I
Oft warnèd thee of talking to a strange
Computer? Now, attend to my repair!
[R2-D2 continues to repair C-3PO.
VADER
[to Luke:] Luke, well I know that thou canst sense my call.
LUKE
My father! Word most strange upon my lips.
VADER
My son.
LUKE
—O Ben, why didst thou tell me not?
[Luke walks to the cockpit.
LANDO
Chewbacca, we must fly or we shall be
Destroy’d!
LUKE
—It is Darth Vader on that ship.
We are in danger here. When shall we fly?
VADER
Luke, come with me, fulfill thy destiny!
LUKE
[aside:] O Ben, I ask, why didst thou tell me not?
What anguish and disorder fill my mind!
[R2-D2 goes to the control panel.
R2-D2
[aside:] It falls to me again to win the day,
And rescue the Rebellion from dire loss.
I shall reactivate the hyperdrive,
Thus we shall fly, to fight another time!
C-3PO
O clever droid, great R2, rescuer!
[R2-D2 adjusts the control panel and the Millennium Falcon flies into lightspeed. Exeunt all but Darth Vader.
VADER
Fie, fie! Yet once again the ship escapes.
I shall devise brave punishments for those
Who put upon our state this grievous blight.
Then shall I seek my son, the Jedi Knight.
[Exit Darth Vader.
Scene 4.
Aboard a rebel cruiser.
Enter LUKE SKYWALKER.
LUKE
The medic droid hath fix’d my hand with care,
Though never shall it fully be repair’d.
For though I can this hand use as before,
It shall ne’er truly be a hand of mine.
For now I am machine, though partly so,
Now have I ta’en a step toward the man
Who saith he is my father, yet is wires
And bolts. O hand, I find thee yet so dear.
Pray, serve me well, and prick my memory
That I did once the dark side briefly know—
And fac’d, and fought, and ultimately fail’d.
Then rise once more with me, my true right hand—
Thy rightful place thou shalt take at my side
To right the wrongs that we have sufferèd,
And right now thou and I begin to work
T’ward righteousness in great rebellion’s cause.
Enter CHEWBACCA, PRINCESS LEIA, and LANDO.