Free William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back by Ian Doescher

mayst become, Luke.
    OBI-WAN
    Attend to Yoda’s wisdom, Luke, and stay.
    O, exercise thy patience, worthy lad.
    LUKE
    And in the waiting sacrifice my friends?
    Is that the choice that ye would have me make?
    YODA
    This hard indeed is.
    But if thou honor the thing
    For which they fight: yes.
    OBI-WAN
    If thou dost choose to face Darth Vader, thou
    Shalt be alone; I cannot interfere.
    LUKE
    I understand, and have been fully warn’d.
    My mind is set; good R2, do prepare.
    Fire up the ship’s converters: we depart.
    OBI-WAN
    O, do not give in unto hate, dear Luke,
    In doing so the dark side shalt thou find.
    [
Aside:
] Indeed, I once did see it happen thus.
    YODA
    Strong is Darth Vader.
    Remember what thou hast learn’d,
    For save thee it can.
    LUKE
    I shall, and shall return: you have my word.
    [Exeunt Luke and R2-D2.
    YODA
    Warnèd thee I have—
    He a reckless spirit hath.
    Now matters are worse.
    OBI-WAN
    That boy is our first, last, and greatest hope.
    [Exit Ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
    YODA
    But nay, ’tis not so.
    For another yet there is:
    One more hope for us.
    O how this plagues me!
    The boy for training hath come,
    But too soon is fled.
    A young bird he is,
    Too eager the nest to leave,
    Yet trying to fly.
    But young birds fly not—
    Their wings still too fragile are.
    Instead, they do fall.
    And fall this one shall.
    But how far, how fast, how long?
    Time only shall tell.
    Little bird, be safe.
    If thou the nest seest again
    I shall meet thee then.
    [Exit Yoda.

SCENE 3.
    Bespin, the cloud city.
    Enter
H AN S OLO , C HEWBACCA , P RINCESS L EIA ,
and
C-3PO,
attempting to land the
Millennium Falcon
in the city,
speaking with
G UARD 1
in comlink.
    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
L ANDO
with
L OBOT
and
G UARDS .
    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