William Shakespeare's The Jedi Doth Return

Be not afear’d, good Luke, let not thy nerves
Thy better judgment mar. Full many ships
There are that do command the Empire’s fleet.
Keep thou thy distance, though, Chewbacca, but
Do not appear as though thou keepest it.

Chewbac.

Auugh?

Han

—Let me make it plain: fly casual.

Chewbac.

Egh!

EnterDARTH VADERon balcony.

Vader

—Tell me now: where is that shuttle bound?

PIETT

Small shuttle of Tydirium, what is
Thy destination and thy cargo? Speak!

Han

We come to bring both parts and crew, which shall
Deliver technical assistance to
Our comrades on the forest moon.

Vader

—Have they
The code that clearance would ensure?

PIETT

—They do.
It is an older code, but hits the mark.
I was about to grant them passage, Lord.

Luke

[ aside:] My father, how I sense him clearly now!
His thoughts, his aspect, e’en his very mood.
[ To Han Solo:] I have endangerèd the mission here,
And should not hither have accomp’nied you.

Han

’Tis thine imagination, Luke. Pray, be
More optimistic; let thy heart be still.

Luke

[ aside:] What stillness can there be when moves the Force?
It shall move mountains if it so desires.
No inner strength or outer brawn can match
The movement of the Force that now ’twixt me
And Vader passeth. Han hath no idea,
Yet all, belike, shall know quite soon enough,
For Ben and Yoda both were right: I must
My father yet confront ere I—or he—
Shall ever freedom know.

PIETT

[ to Vader:] —Shall they be held?

Vader

Nay, Admiral, thou mayst let them proceed.
They shall be mine—mere cards that I shall play,
And I shall serve as dealer for their deck.

PIETT

Then shall I wager that the house shall win.
Thy wish is mine, my Lord, and it shall be.
[ To controller:] Thou canst now carry on, and let them pass.

Han

This hesitation pregnant is with doubt:
Mayhap they are not taken in, Chewbacca.

Control.

Good shuttle of Tydirium, the swift
Deactivation of the shield begins.
Hold fast unto thy present course.

[Exeunt Darth Vader, Admiral Piett, and

Imperial controller.

Han

—’Tis well!
Did I not tell ye all that it would work?
No problems here, when Han is at the helm.

Leia

My scoundrel-love, thou ever hast a boast—
Yet often there’s a reason to thy rhyme.

Enter severalIMPERIAL SCOUTS, aside, as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, C-3PO, and R2-D2 disembark.

Han

Now have we landed on the forest moon,
And our good company has disembark’d.
We make our way through trees and bushes here.
But what is that, a sound—pray all, alert!

C-3PO

You see, R2, I told thee this would be
Quite dangerous. Alack, be calm, my core!

Han

I see a building with Imperial
Motifs and markings. There, beside it, are
Two scouts. This shall require some care, methinks.

Leia