Episode IV: Docking Bay Interlude

How in the world
can those Death Star engineers
survive in no atmosphere?

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The technical chatter
between the Death Star controllers
makes me so happy.

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Stormtroopers appear
from the depths of a metal planet
on a huge elevator.

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Fully satisfied that
the crew jettisoned during flight, the
deck officer seems pleased.

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Vader's unease grows--
he senses a tremor in the Force
not felt since Mustafar.

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On the Falcon, the
floor opens up to reveal the
head of a Wookiee.

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Han ponders the irony
of using smuggling compartments
to smuggle himself.

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Obi-Wan reminds Solo
that, in the realm of the fool,
it takes two to tango.

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A scanning crew hauls
its equipment aboard, a blue box
weighing hundreds of pounds.

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The distinctive sound
of a blaster lets us know that
TK-421 has bit the dust.

Episode IV: Luck and the Single Pirate

Imperial slugs ditched,
Han announces his greatness
with a smug grin.

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Luke, his head encased
in a blast-shielded helmet,
can't see the remote.

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But Obi-Wan reminds
him that seeing isn't believing, and to
stretch out with his feelings.

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Han, duly unimpressed,
glances to where a wookiee and
a droid play dejarik.

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On a round table, tiny
claymation holograms try to beat the
crap out of each other.

------------------------------

Lulled into complacency
by Ben's force training, Luke is zapped
by a floating ball.

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Han's mockery of hokey
religions and ancient weapons stings
Obi-Wan's masked pride.

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Luke's first step into
a larger world is interrupted
by an asteroid collision.

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Alderaan destroyed-- Ben
senses the sudden quietness after
a million screams subside.

----------------------------

Suddenly, from 10 o'clock,
A TIE fighter appears, seemingly
unaware of the Falcon.

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Obi-Wan, always kind,
suggests letting it go, but Solo
has other ideas.

--------------------------

"He's heading for that small moon!"
That's no moon, Ben thinks...Governor
Tarkin's been busy.

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The Falcon shudders,
locked in a dance of death with
a tractor beam.

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Obi-Wan searches his mind
for all the alternatives to fighting
that he can recall.

Episode IV: Ashes to Ashes, Alderaan to Dust

Maybe the reason that
Tarkin is so cranky is because his
uniform's too tight.

---------------------------------

Some fathers criticize
their daughters' dates--Vader takes
things a step further.

---------------------------------

Facing Tarkin, Leia's
English accent holds, but disappears
soon afterward.

---------------------------------

Three figures locked in deadly
peril--one in white, one in black,
and one in grey.

--------------------------------

Leia's far too trusting,
but what can a senator do against
a governor and a Sith?

--------------------------------

Dantooine is too remote--
Tarkin would rather be cruel
than effective.

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Death Star engineers
in crab-like helmets commence
primary ignition.

------------------------------

Physicists say that
the Death Star laser wouldn't work--
I say they miss the point.

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Eight crystal beams
radiate from the hypermatter core--
Alderaan disappears.

Episode IV: A Not-So-Subtle Escape

Luke must be for real--
selling his speeder for chump change
is a giant step.

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"Troopers of the 501st.
Proceed with caution to cantina district.
Major disturbance in progress."

(Imperial Police Dispatch, Mos Eisley Precinct)

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Garindan, Imperial spy--
despite his elephant's trunk and squeaky voice,
a dangerous dude.

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At docking bay 94
an old YT-1300 freighter
collects space dust.

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Special modifications?
Point five past light speed?
Kessel Run?

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Out of nowhere, storm-troopers
blasting wildly at three men, a Wookiee,
and two dingy droids.

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Millenium Falcon--
time and speed implicit in that
old ship's name.

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Blasting through the
atmosphere, Han sees the familiar
wedge-shape of death.

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Angling the deflector
shields, Chewie remembers the Wroshyr trees
of his crazy youth.

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"What's that flashing?!"
Luke will never dust crops again
if he has to float home.

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The Falcon disappears
into a million threads of light,
the stars spinning wildly.

Episode IV: Tricking a Princess

Vader and Tarkin, alone,
discussing effective ways
to be supervillians.

================

"The mindprobe didn't
work, so maybe destroying a planet
will make her talk!"

================

(Stupid Lord Vader!
Getting to wear a cool black cape
and shiny boots!)*

*Admiral Motti to himself

===============

Tarkin's lip curls, and
the crevices in his cheeks enlarge
as evil takes shape.

===============

Motti, instructed by Tarkin
to set course for Alderaan, laughs to
himself like Renfield.

Episode IV: A Space Western Town...Part II

Luke has a drink--
Apparently the drinking age is
18 on Tatooine.

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Young Luke discovers that,
no matter what you do, someone
always wants to kill you.

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A snap-hiss, a flash
of blue; Ponda Baba's arm severed
and useless on the floor.

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Chewbacca, first mate
of the Millenium Falcon, well
over 200 years old.

=============================

Han Solo, captain, pirate,
smuggler--as devilish a rogue as
ever made the Kessel run.

============================

Han demands ten-thousand,
all in advance, underestimating
his new clients.

============================

Old Ben, patient and wise,
promises two thousand plus
fifteen more later.

===========================

ROORWOOWOWRWRW
ROWR--RRROROWWWRRR
RORORWRRROWR! *

*This old man looks
familiar--anyway, he must have Jedi powers
to trick old Han!

(Translated from Wookiee)

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"Seventeen thousand!"
Solo's eyes glisten with the promise
of an easy payoff.

===========================

"Koona t'chuta, Solo?"
Man, if I bag Han Solo, my rep
will be legendary!

===========================

Han, sizing up his foe,
plays his part to the hilt, and
finishes with a bang.

===========================

Two deaths in one day
at Chalmun's Cantina--Han tosses
a coin to old Wuher.

Episode IV: A Space Western Town...Part I

Mos Eisley the space-
port--everywhere you look, nothing but
scum and villainy.

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"These aren't the droids
we're looking for!---Wait! Those ARE
the droids we're looking for!!"

============================

Sometime between May, 1977
and May 1997, dewbacks appeared
outside the cantina.

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Artoo and Threepio,
minding their own business, victims of
Tatooine racism.

==========================

The smooth sounds of
The Modal Nodes waft through the room--
Luke's in deep now.

==========================

Obi-Wan, experienced in
languages (and bars), speaks in low growls
to a strange Wookiee.