William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back

[aside:]—I fearThis chill that doth e’en now my metal frameAssault. ’Tis cold unto the core. ’Tis cold,I fear, unto the death. Bear up, droid soul,And listen to C-3PO’s advice:Be thou a helpful strength amid distress.

EnterLIEUTENANTandMAJOR DERLIN.

LIEUT.

Sir, all patrols are in, and still no signFrom either Skywalker or Solo.

DERLIN

—Dread!

C-3PO

My Mistress Leia, R2 makes reportHe hath not any signals yet receiv’d.

However, he admitteth that his rangeIs far too weak to give up ev’ry hope.

DERLIN

Your Highness, I do fear there’s nothing moreThat we may do tonight. The shield doors mustBe closèd.

LEIA

—I consent, but with a heartThat breaketh even now.

DERLIN

[to Lieutenant:]—Aye, close the doors.

R2-D2

Meep, beep, meep squeak.

C-3PO

—Now R2 doth reportThe odds of their survival in the coldAre seven hundred twenty-five to one.

[The shield doors close.

CHEWBAC.

Egh, grrm, egh, auugh!

C-3PO

—Though R2’s wont to makeMistakes, from time to time. O dear, O dear.

[Exeunt Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Lieutenant, and Major Derlin.

R2-D2

[aside:] Why did I speak? O curse my beeping tongue!“A helpful strength” I pledg’d that I would be,But now have made these matters worse, for IHave giv’n our princess reason to be scar’d.Yet I do worry for my master’s life,And though I would not cause undue distressI fear that he may never make return.[To C-3PO:] Beep, squeak.

C-3PO

—Nay, fear thou not, my silver friend.I’ll warrant he shall surely be all right,For Master Luke is clever, young, and spry

E’en for a human being. So say I!

[Exeunt.

Scene 5.

The ice world of Hoth.

Enter C-3PO, R2-D2, PRINCESS LEIA, and CHEWBACCA.

LUKE

O what a torment have I just endur’d!For after my attack by creature cruel,I quickly made my exit from his lairAnd made my great escape amidst the snow.Far, far I ran to find a refuge safe,Yet too far from the rebels’ base I’ve gone.And now my strength has left—I fail again—My body falls, too weak to make its way.

[He falls.

Enter

GHOST OF OBI-WAN KENOBI.

But now, e’en now, what vision comes to me?

OBI-WAN

Luke!

LUKE

—Ben?

OBI-WAN

—Attend me, Luke. Thou shalt untoThe system Dagobah go.

LUKE

—Dagobah?

OBI-WAN

There thou shalt learn the Force from Yoda, aye—The Jedi master who instructed me.

[Exit Ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

LUKE

Ben, leave me not! Alas, I fall again.

[Luke collapses as Han enters and dismounts his tauntaun.

HAN