A New Hope by George Lucas Read Free Book Online Page A

Imperial stormtroopers looking at the dead bodies and asking the bartenders some questions. The bartender points to the booth.
    TROOPER All right, we’ll check it out.
    The stormtroopers look over at the booth but Luke and Ben are gone. The bartender shrugs his shoulders in puzzlement. HAN Seventeen thousand! Those guys must really be desperate. This could really save my neck. Get back to the ship and get her ready. EXTERIOR TATOOINE —MOS EISLEY —STREET.
    BEN You’ll have to sell your speeder.
    LUKE That’s okay. I’m never coming back to this planet again. INTERIOR MOS EISLEY —CANTINA.
    As Han is about to leave, Greedo, a slimy green-faced alien with a short trunk-nose, pokes a gun in his side. The creature speaks in a foreign tongue translated into English subtitles. GREEDO Going somewhere, Solo?
    HAN Yes, Greedo. As a matter of fact, I was just going to see your boss. Tell Jabba that I’ve got his money.
    Han sits down and the alien sits across from him holding the gun on him.
    GREEDO It’s too late. You should have paid him when you had the chance. Jabba’s put a price on your head, so large that every bounty hunter in the galaxy will be looking for you. I’m lucky I found you first.
    HAN Yeah, but this time I got the money.
    GREEDO If you give it to me, I might forget I found you. HAN I don’t have it with me. Tell Jabba…
    GREEDO Jabba’s through with you. He has no time for smugglers who drop their shipments at the first sign of an Imperial cruiser. HAN Even I get boarded sometimes. Do you think I had a choice? Han Solo slowly reaches for his gun under the table. GREEDO You can tell that to Jabba. He may only take your ship. HAN Over my dead body.
    GREEDO That’s the idea. I’ve been looking forward to killing you for a long time.
    HAN Yes, I’ll bet you have.
    Suddenly the slimy alien disappears in a blinding flash of light. Han pulls his smoking gun from beneath the table as the other patron look on in bemused amazement. Han gets up and starts out of the cantina, flipping the bartender some coins as he leaves.
    HAN Sorry about the mess.
    EXTERIOR SPACE.
    Several TIE fighters approach the Death Star.
    INTERIOR DEATH STAR —CONTROL ROOM.
    VADER Her resistance to the mind probe is considerable. It will be some time before we can extract any information from her. An Imperial Officer interrupts the meeting.
    IMPERIAL OFFICER The final check-out is complete. All systems are operational. What course shall we set?
    TARKIN Perhaps she would respond to an alternative form of persuasion.
    VADER What do you mean?
    TARKIN I think it is time we demonstrate the full power of this station. (to soldier) Set your course for Princess Leia’s home planet of Alderaan.
    TROOPER With pleasure.
    EXTERIOR TATOOINE —MOS EISLEY —STREET.
    Four heavily-armed stormtroopers move menacingly along a narrow slum alleyway crowed with darkly clad creatures hawking exotic goods in the dingy little stalls. Men, monsters, and robots crouch in the waste-filled doorways, whispering and hiding from the hot winds.
    THREEPIO Lock the door, Artoo.
    One of the troopers checks a tightly locked door and moves on down the alleyway. The door slides open a crack and Threepio peeks out. Artoo is barely visible in the background. TROOPER All right, check that side of the street. It’s secure. Move on to the next door.
    The door opens, Threepio moves into the doorway. THREEPIO I would much rather have gone with Master Luke than stay here with you. I don’t know what all the trouble is about, but I’m sure it must be your fault.
    Artoo makes beeping sounds.
    THREEPIO You watch your language!
    EXTERIOR TATOOINE —MOS EISLEY —STREET —ALLEYWAY —USED SPEEDER LOT. Ben and Luke are standing in a sleazy used speeder lot, talking with a tall, grotesque, insect-like used speeder dealer. Strange exotic bodies and spindly-legged beasts pass by as the insect concludes the sale by giving Luke some coins. LUKE He says it’s the best he can do. Since