LEIA: Stop that.

HAN: Stop what?

LEIA (flushed, confused): Stop that! My hands are dirty.

HAN: My hands are dirty, too. What are you afraid of?

LEIA (looking right into his eyes): Afraid?

Han looks at her with a piercing look. He's never looked more handsome, more dashing, more confident. He reaches out slowly and takes Leia's hand again from where it is resting on a console. He draws it toward him.

HAN: You're trembling.

LEIA: I'm not trembling.

Then with an irresistible combination of physical strength and emotional power, the space pirate begins to draw Leia toward him... very slowly.

HAN: You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life.

Leia is now very close to Han and as she speaks, her voice becomes an excited whisper, a tone completely in opposition to her words.

LEIA: I happen to like nice men.

HAN: I'm a nice man.

LEIA: No, you're not. You're...

He kisses her now, with slow, hot lips. He takes his time, as though he had forever, bending her body backward. She has never been kissed like this before, and it almost makes her faint. Suddenly, Threepio appears in the doorway, speaking excitedly.

THREEPIO: Sir, sir! I've isolated the reverse power flux coupling.

Han turns slowly, icily, from their embrace.

HAN: Thank you. Thank you very much.

THREEPIO: Oh, you're perfectly welcome, sir.

Leia uses the interruption to walk away. The moment spoiled, Han marches out after Threepio.

ASTEROID FIELD: The Imperial fleet moves through the asteroid-filled void, intently seeking its prey.

An asteroid collides with a Star Destroyer, creating a fireworks display. Darth Vader stands, staring out the window above the control deck. Then slowly turns toward the bridge.

Before him are the hologram images battleship commanders. One of these images, the commander of a ship that has just exploded, is fading away quickly. It is the image of Captain Needa, commander of the Star Destroyer most hotly on the tail of the Millennium Falcon.

NEEDA (in hologram): ... and that, Lord Vader, was the last time they appeared in any of our scopes. Considering the amount of damage we've sustained, they must have been destroyed.

VADER: No, Captain, they're alive. I want every ship available to sweep the asteroid field until they are found.

The Imperial star captains fade out one by one as Vader turns as Admiral Piett rushes up to him.

PIETT: Lord Vader.

VADER: Yes, Admiral, what is it?

The admiral is scared, his face white as a sheet.

PIETT: The Emperor commands you make contact with him.

VADER: Move the ship out of the asteroid field so that we can send a clear transmission.

PIETT: Yes, my lord.

Vader's Imperial Star Destroyer moves against the vast sea of stars away from the rest of the fleet.

VADER'S CHAMBER: The Dark Lord, is alone in his chamber as a strange sound enters the room.

A light begins to play across Vader's black figure, he looks up and bows quickly.

A twelve-foot hologram of the Galactic Emperor materializes before Vader. The Emperor's dark robes and monk's hood are reminiscent of the cloak worn by Ben Kenobi. His voice is even deeper and more frightening than Vader's.

VADER: What is thy bidding, my master?

EMPEROR: There is a great disturbance in the Force.

VADER: I have felt it.

EMPEROR: We have a new enemy - the young Rebel who destroyed the Death Star. This boy is the off spring of Anikan Skywalker.

VADER: How is that possible?

EMPEROR: Search your feelings, Lord Vader. You will know it to be true. He could destroy us.

VADER: He's just a boy. Obi-Wan can no longer help him.

EMPEROR: The Force is strong with him. The son of Skywalker must not become a Jedi.

VADER: If he could be turned, he would become a powerful ally.

EMPEROR: Yes. He would be a great asset. Can it be done?

VADER: He will join us or die, my master.

Vader kneels. The supreme Emperor fades away.

DAGOBAH - CREATURE'S HOUSE: A heavy downpour of rain pounds through the gnarled trees. A strange baroque mud house sits on a moss-covered knoll on the edge of a small lagoon. The small, gnomish structure radiates a warm glow from its thick glass windows.

As rain tap-dances a merry tune on Artoo's head, the stubby little droid rises up on his tip-toes to peek into one of the glowing portals.

INSIDE CREATURE'S HOUSE: Artoo, peeking in the window, sees the inside of the house - a very plain, but cozy dwelling. Everything is in the same small scale as the creature. The only thing out of place in the miniature room is Luke, whose height makes the four-foot ceiling seem even lower. He sits cross-legged on the floor of the living room.

LUKE: Look, I'm sure it's delicious. I just don't understand why we can't see Yoda now.

The creature is in an adjoining area - his little kitchen - cooking up an incredible meal. The stove is a steaming hodgepodge of pots and pans. The wizened little host scurries about chopping this, shredding that, and showering everything with exotic herbs and spices. He rushes back and forth putting platters on the table in front of Luke, who watches the creature impatiently.

CREATURE: Patience! For the Jedi it is time to eat as well. Eat, eat. Hot. Good food, hm? Good, hmm?

Moving with some difficulty in the cramped quarters, Luke sits down near the fire and serves himself from the pot. Tasting the unfamiliar concoction, he is pleasantly surprised.

LUKE: How far away is Yoda? Will it take us long to get there?