William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back

Time’s passage hath not sooth’d my mind’s distress.Full many moments we have waited hereWithin this lovely city in the clouds,Yet I am neither rested nor relax’d.Foreboding doth creep o’er me like a plague—My mind is sore afeard, my hands do shake,And nowhere can my troubl’d soul find peace.The quick permission given us to land,The too-familiar welcome Lando gave,A small apartment offer’d for our use—It seems as though we were expected here,Though how this could have happen’d, I know not.For surely when th’Imperi’l fleet broke up,We in the opposite direction flew.But e’en beyond that worry there is more,For though I do not love the prating droidC-3PO has not been seen since ourArrival here. We have too much of quiet—I almost miss his constant chattering.

EnterHAN SOLO.

HAN

All shall be well. The ship is fix’d with care.There are but two or three things more, then willWe make our swift departure hence. ’Tis fair?

LEIA

The swiftest shall be best. Some thing is stillAwry. Where is C-3PO? He hathNot seen us or been seen for many hours,And no one knows about his way or path.Hath he lost all his faithful, droidly sense?Most happ’ly would I by him be annoy’d,If it did mean that he, at least, were near.

HAN

I shall inquire of Lando ’bout the droid.But in the meantime, Leia, have no fear.

LEIA

I trust not Lando.

HAN

—Neither, sweet, do I,Yet he’s my friend who helpeth us, dost see?I’ll warrant that we soon from here shall fly.

LEIA

Then thou shalt take thy flight as well—from me.

HAN

The future has its own time yet to write,And wheth’r or not we worry, my good lass,It comes as sure as day doth follow night.So, think not of it till it come to pass.

[Exeunt Han Solo and Princess Leia.

Enter a merry band ofUGNAUGHTS, singing as they pass around parts of C-3PO’s body.

UGN. 1

O pass me that!

UGN. 2

O give me this!

UGN. 3

We Ugnaughts are a’working!

UGN. 2

O pass the head!

UGN. 3

Give me the chest!

UGN. 1

Our duties never shirking!

UGN. 3

Thou naughty droid—

UGN. 1

Thou hast been caught!

UGN. 2

Thy prying never ceases!

UGN. 1

Your lesson learn’d—

UGN. 2

Our treasures earn’d—

UGN. 3

For now thou art in pieces!

EnterCHEWBACCA.

CHEWBAC.

Auugh!

[Chewbacca begins collecting pieces of C-3PO.

UGN. 2

Take not the arms!

UGN. 3

Pray, leave the legs!

UGN. 1

Thy greed thou art revealing!

UGN. 3

But naught shall last!

UGN. 1

For nothing doth!

UGN. 2

Our treasures thou art stealing!

UGN. 1

So shall we speak—

UGN. 2

Our proverb true—

UGN. 3

With voices loudly ringing—

UGN. 2

It easy came—

UGN. 3

And easy goes—

UGN. 1

But still we keep on singing!

[Exeunt Ugnaughts, singing.

EnterHAN SOLOandPRINCESS LEIA.

LEIA