Ian Doescher - William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back

The cable is detach’d! He falls!

—Alack;
I perish now, my comrades. Win the day!

A-ha!—and thus our Dack hath been aveng’d!

I see thy handiwork; well done, strong Wedge.
Dack’s memory we honor by this strike.

The rebels have destroy’d one of our lot,
But we shall yet o’erwhelm them utterly.
I’ll make approach unto their hidden base,
Identify their systems in my sights,
And then shall on the generator fire.

Rogue Two, art thou beside me in this fight?
We need the help of ev’ry fighter here.
Not long ago thou rescu’d Han and me
From our meek shelter on the ice of Hoth:
Thou art a man of cunning, strength, and wit.
And thus I ask thee on thy honor, Sir:
Art thou prepar’d to face this harsh assault?

Aye, verily, Rogue Leader, that I am.
My life I am prepar’d to sacrifice
To save rebellion from this fierce attack.

Then let us all approach the knaves again.
Prepare your swift harpoon and we shall strike!

They think themselves the noble ones, but we
Defend the Emp’ror’s righteousness today.

Well spoken. Let us fight for Empire’s might!

O Luke, I have been hit, and die anon!
Remember me whene’er thou speak’st of this.

Alas, poor Zev. Too many lost—such good
And worthy men have met their end to these
Confounded walkers. Fie! This battle bleak
May mean Rebellion’s end. ’Tis now my turn—
My ship hath ta’en a hit. I fall, yet am
Not slain. Indeed, though here I lie upon
The ground, I spy an opportunity.
For while this awful monster walks above,
I spy his weakness as I lie below.
He passes just beyond me—now to it!
Revenge should have no bounds when friends are slain,
And now their memory doth push me on.
My lightsaber shall strike the lethal blow;
I’ll hit where he shall feel it, in his heart—
If ever such cruel beast did have a heart.

I perish, comrade true, but fall with pride!

Although my fellow AT-ATs meet their ends,
I press toward my goal with purpose firm.
The rebels’ power generator is
Within the target of my lasers keen.
Now all the fallen AT-ATs I salute
As for my noble Emperor I shoot!

Our pow’r is insufficient to protect
Two transports at one time.

—’Tis risky, aye,
But this base overpower’d is, and shall,
I fear, withstand no more of this attack.
We have no choice.

—Indeed, thou speakest true.
[ Into comlink: ] Launch all patrols.

[ to aide: ]—Evacuate the staff
Who do remain within the base. Make haste!

These endless fixes now are nearly done,
And soon we may take flight. ’Tis none too soon—
This base shall not survive this great attack.

Auugh!

—Nay, nay! This one here and that one there.
’Tis clear? [ Aside: ] I do admit this Wookiee here is dear,
But if he break my ship I’ll break his pate!

My R2 small, pray be thou safe, good friend,
And take especial care of Master Luke.
Farewell, farewell! Parting is such sweet sorrow
That I shall say farewell till thou hast left.

[ aside: ] “Till thou hast left”? No poet he, indeed.
Alas, it seems that romance is not one
Of 3PO’s six million forms of speech.

O zounds! What is this pow’rful shaking here?
The base begins to crumble even now.
Our humble shelter made of snow and ice
Is now defeated by the Empire’s might
And starts to fall apart. O, shall we too?
Shall our rebellion suffer this same Fate—
To be destroyèd by the Empire cruel?
To be demolish’d by Imperi’l strength?
Though I had plann’d to go and save myself
From Jabba’s bounty hunters, I cannot:
This smuggler-captain never shall desert
Whilst friends nearby do mortal peril face.
I shall not steal away and leave behind
The princess who doth lead the rebels true.
She is of great importance, and my life
Must be but secondary to her fate.
So shall I take her in the Falcon swift
And spirit her away to someplace safe.
’Tis not because of how I feel about
Her, nay; naught there of love, that much is true—
Or if ’tis not, I’ll tell myself it is.
Now to it, Han, ere our great cause is lost.

Your Worship, art thou well?

—O, wherefore art
Thou yet within this base? Hast thou not fled?

The center of command has been struck down.

And yet hast thou thy clearance to depart.

Depart I shall, but first deliver thee
Unto thy ship.

—Your Highness, we must take
This final transport. ’Tis our only hope!

[ through comlink: ] Imperi’l troops have come into the base!
Imperi’l troops have come into the base!

Now end thy stubborn ways, and set aside
Thy prejudice. Thou wilt come with me now,
I do command it. Neither argument
Nor moving speech nor aught that thou canst say
Shall sway me now: thou wilt come with me, Princess.

[ aside: ] O noble man, protector of my soul!
[ To aide: ] Send our evacuation code and get
Thee to thy transport.