Tarkin moves menacingly toward Leia.
TARKIN: I grow tired of asking this. So it'll be the last time. Where is the Rebel base?
Leia overhears an intercom voice announcing the approach to Alderaan.
LEIA: (softly) Dantooine. (lowers her head) They're on Dantooine.
TARKIN: There. You see Lord Vader, she can be reasonable. (addressing Motti) Continue with the operation. You may fire when ready.
LEIA: What?
TARKIN: You're far too trusting. Dantooine is too remote to make an effective demonstration. But don't worry. We will deal with your Rebel friends soon enough.
LEIA: No!
DEATH STAR - BLAST CHAMBER.
VADER: Commence primary ignition.
A button is pressed which switches on a panel of lights.
A hooded Imperial soldier reaches overhead and pulls a lever. Another lever is pulled. Vader reaches for still another lever and a bank of lights on a panel and wall light up.
A huge beam of light emanates from within a cone-shaped area and converges into a single laser beam out toward Alderaan.
The small green planet of Alderaan is blown into space dust.
MILLENNIUM FALCON - CENTRAL HOLD AREA: Ben watches Luke practice the lightsaber with a small "seeker" robot. Ben suddenly turns away and sits down. He falters, seems almost faint.
LUKE: Are you all right? What's wrong?
BEN: I felt a great disturbance in the Force...as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.
Ben rubs his forehead. He seems to drift into a trance. Then he fixes his gaze on Luke.
BEN: You'd better get on with your exercises.
Han Solo enters the room.
HAN: Well, you can forget your troubles with those Imperial slugs. I told you I'd outrun 'em.
Luke is once again practicing with the lightsaber.
HAN: Don't everyone thank me at once.
Threepio watches Chewbacca and Artoo who are engrossed in a game in which three-dimensional holographic figures move along a chess-type board.
HAN: Anyway, we should be at Alderaan about oh-two-hundred hours.
Chewbacca and the two robots sit around the lighted table covered with small holographic monsters. Each side of the table has a small computer monitor embedded in it.
THREEPIO: Now be careful, Artoo.
Artoo immediately reaches up and taps the computer with his stubby claw hand, causing one of the holographic creatures to walk to the new square. A sudden frown crosses Chewbacca's face and he begins yelling gibberish at the tiny robot. Threepio intercedes on behalf of his small companion and begins to argue with the huge Wookiee.
THREEPIO: He made a fair move. Screaming about it won't help you.
HAN: (interrupting) Let him have it. It's not wise to upset a Wookiee.
THREEPIO: But sir, nobody worries about upsetting a droid.
HAN: That's 'cause droids don't pull people's arms out of their socket when they lose. Wookiees are known to do that.
Chewbacca seems very pleased with himself as he rests his lanky fur-covered arms over his head.
THREEPIO: I see your point, sir. I suggest a new strategy, Artoo. Let the Wookiee win.
Luke stands in the middle of the small hold area; he seems frozen in place. A humming lightsaber is held high over his head. Ben watches him from the corner, studying his movements. Han watches with a bit of smugness.
BEN: Remember, a Jedi can feel the Force flowing through him.
LUKE: You mean it controls your actions?
BEN: Partially. But it also obeys your commands.
Suspended at eye level, about ten feet in front of Luke, a "seeker", a chrome baseball-like robot covered with antennae, hovers slowly in a wide arc. The ball floats to one side of the youth then the other. Suddenly it makes a lightning-swift lunge and stops within a few feet of Luke's face.
Luke doesn't move and the ball backs off. It slowly moves behind the boy, then makes another quick lunge, this time emitting a blood red laser beam as it attacks. It hits Luke in the leg causing him to tumble over. Han lets loose with a burst of laughter.
HAN: Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.
LUKE: You don't believe in the Force, do you?
HAN: Kid, I've flown from one side of this galaxy to the other. I've seen a lot of strange stuff, but I've never seen anything to make me believe there's one all-powerful force controlling everything. There's no mystical energy field that controls my destiny.
Ben smiles quietly
HAN: It's all a lot of simple tricks and nonsense.
BEN: I suggest you try it again, Luke.
Ben places a large helmet on Luke's head which covers his eyes.
BEN: This time, let go your conscious self and act on instinct.
LUKE: (laughing) With the blast shield down, I can't even see. How am I supposed to fight?
BEN: Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them.
Han skeptically shakes his head as Ben throws the seeker into the air. The ball shoots straight up in the air, then drops like a rock. Luke swings the lightsaber around blindly missing the seeker, which fires off a laserbolt which hits Luke square on the seat of the pants. He lets out a painful yell and attempts to hit the seeker.
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