Read William Shakespeare's The Jedi Doth Return for Free Online Page B

the Force have still
    To do with heirs, with flesh and bone that sprang
    From me and that sweet life that once I led?
    How can this Sith, this man of pain and death,
    Be father to the fruit of far-gone love?
    It seems well nigh impossible when one
    Considers what I’ve been. For, verily,
    I may not hide the man I truly am:
    A warrior devoted to the cause
    Of Emperor and Empire both. ’Tis who
    I am: I must be mad when I have cause
    And smile at no one’s jests. No humor doth
    Give pleasure to my mouth or stir my heart,
    Nor would I dare to ever love again,
    If e’en this mess of tangl’d wires could love.
    I am a Sith, most surely to be fear’d.
    Yet that perplexing thing remains: a son.
    Enter
E MPEROR P ALPATINE
and
royal guards.
    What is thy bidding, master?
    EMPEROR
    —Send the fleet
    Unto the farthest side of Endor. There
    Let it remain, until ’tis callèd for.
    VADER
    What of the recent news that rebels are
    Amassing near to Sullust? Is it so?
    EMPEROR
    It is of little consequence, for soon
    This vile Rebellion shall be crushèd and
    Young Skywalker shall know the dark side’s pow’r.
    Thy work upon the Death Star is complete.
    Thou shalt go hence to the command ship, and
    Await my orders there.
    VADER
    —My master: aye.
    [Exit Darth Vader.
    EMPEROR
    Now all the players and the scenes are set
    To bring about our greatest triumph yet.
    [Exeunt.



SCENE 1.
    On the Imperial shuttle
Tydirium
and the Super Star Destroyer.
    Enter
L UKE S KYWALKER , H AN S OLO , C HEWBACCA , P RINCESS L EIA , C-3PO,
and
R2-D2.
Enter
A DMIRAL P IETT
and
I MPERIAL c ONTROLLER
on balcony, on the Super Star Destroyer.
    HAN
    Now if the Empire is not by our ruse
    Deceiv’d, we must fly quickly, Chewie.
    CHEWBAC.
    —Auugh.
    CONTROL.
    We have you on our screens; identify
    Yourselves.
    HAN
    —The shuttle of
Tydirium
    Requests deactivation of the shield
    Of energy.
    CONTROL.
    —
Tydirium
, transmit
    Your clearance code for passage through the shield.
    HAN
    Transmission doth commence.
    LEIA
    —Now shall we learn
    If all these codes were worth the price we paid
    For them—the loss of friends, the loss of life.
    HAN
    Aye, it shall work, ’twas sacrifice well made.
    CHEWBAC.
    Egh!
    LUKE
    —Vader is aboard that giant ship.
    HAN
    Be not afear’d, good Luke, let not thy nerves
    Thy better judgment mar. Full many ships
    There are that do command the Empire’s fleet.
    Keep thou thy distance, though, Chewbacca, but
    Do not appear as though thou keepest it.
    CHEWBAC.
    Auugh?
    HAN
    —Let me make it plain: fly casual.
    CHEWBAC.
    Egh!
    Enter
D ARTH V ADER
on balcony.
    VADER
    —Tell me now: where is that shuttle bound?
    PIETT
    Small shuttle of
Tydirium
, what is
    Thy destination and thy cargo? Speak!
    HAN
    We come to bring both parts and crew, which shall
    Deliver technical assistance to
    Our comrades on the forest moon.
    VADER
    —Have they
    The code that clearance would ensure?
    PIETT
    —They do.
    It is an older code, but hits the mark.
    I was about to grant them passage, Lord.
    LUKE
    [
aside:
] My father, how I sense him clearly now!
    His thoughts, his aspect, e’en his very mood.
    [
To Han Solo:
] I have endangerèd the mission here,
    And should not hither have accomp’nied you.
    HAN
    ’Tis thine imagination, Luke. Pray, be
    More optimistic; let thy heart be still.
    LUKE
    [
aside:
] What stillness can there be when moves the Force?
    It shall move mountains if it so desires.
    No inner strength or outer brawn can match
    The movement of the Force that now ’twixt me
    And Vader passeth. Han hath no idea,
    Yet all, belike, shall know quite soon enough,
    For Ben and Yoda both were right: I must
    My father yet confront ere I—or he—
    Shall ever freedom know.
    PIETT
    [
to Vader:
]    —Shall they be held?
    VADER
    Nay, Admiral, thou mayst let them proceed.
    They shall be mine—mere cards that I shall play,
    And I shall serve as dealer for their deck.
    PIETT
    Then shall I wager that the house shall win.
    Thy wish is mine, my Lord,