DODONNA: Only a precise hit will set up a chain reaction. The shaft is ray-shielded, so you'll have to use proton torpedoes.

Luke is sitting next to Wedge Antilles, a hotshot pilot about sixteen years old.

WEDGE: That's impossible, even for a computer.

LUKE: It's not impossible. I used to bull's-eye womp rats in my T-sixteen back home. They're not much bigger than two meters.

DODONNA: Man your ships! And may the Force be with you!

The group rises and begins to leave.

SPACE: The Death Star begins to move around the planet toward the tiny green moon.

DEATH STAR: Tarkin and Vader watch the computer projected screen with interest, as a circle of lights intertwines around one another on the screen showing it's position in relation to Yavin and the forth moon.

DEATH STAR INTERCOM VOICE: Orbiting the planet at maximum velocity. The moon with the Rebel base will be in range in thirty minutes.

VADER: This will be a day long remembered. It has seen the end of Kenobi and it will soon see the end of the Rebellion.

MASSASSI OUTPOST - MAIN HANGAR DECK: Luke, Threepio and little Artoo enter the huge spaceship hangar and hurry along a long line of gleaming spacefighters. Flight crews rush around loading last-minute armaments and unlocking power couplings. In an area isolated from this activity Luke finds Han and Chewbacca loading small boxes onto an armored speeder.

MAN'S VOICE: (over loudspeaker) All flight trooper, man your stations. All flight troops, man your stations.

Han is deliberately ignoring the activity of the fighter pilots' preparation. Luke is quite saddened at the sight of his friend's departure.

LUKE: So...you got your reward and you're just leaving then?

HAN: That's right, yeah! I got some old debts I've got to pay off with this stuff. Even if I didn't, you don't think I'd be fool enough to stick around here, do you? Why don't you come with us? You're pretty good in a fight. I could use you.

LUKE: (getting angry) Come on! Why don't you take a look around? You know what's about to happen, what they're up against. They could use a good pilot like you. You're turning your back on them.

HAN: What good's a reward if you ain't around to use it? Besides, attacking that battle station ain't my idea of courage. It's more like suicide.

LUKE: All right. Well, take care of yourself, Han. I guess that's what you're best at, isn't it?

Luke goes off and Han hesitates, then calls to him.

HAN: Hey, Luke...may the Force be with you!

Luke turns and gives Han a grim look and then goes off. Han turns to Chewie who growls at his captain.

HAN: What're you lookin' at? I know what I'm doing.

MAIN HANGAR DECK - LUKE'S SHIP: Luke, Leia, and Dodonna meet under a huge space fighter.

LEIA: What's wrong?

LUKE: Oh, it's Han! I don't know, I really thought he'd change his mind.

LEIA: He's got to follow his own path. No one can choose it for him.

LUKE: I only wish Ben were here.

Leia gives Luke a little kiss, turns, and goes off.

HANGER INTERCOM: Open Space Launch 2. As Luke heads for his ship, another pilot rushes up to him and grabs his arm.

BIGGS: Luke! I don't believe it! How'd you get here...are you going out with us?!

LUKE: Biggs! Of course, I'll be up there with you! Listen, have I got some stories to tell...

Red Leader, a rugged handsome man in his forties, comes up behind Luke and Biggs. He has the confident smile of a born leader.

RED LEADER: Skywalker, you sure you can handle this ship?

BIGGS: Sir, Luke is the best bushpilot in the outer rim territories.

RED LEADER: You'll do all right.

LUKE: Thank you, sir. I'll try.

Red Leader hurries to his own ship.

BIGGS: Got to get aboard. I'll hear all your stories when we get back. All right?

LUKE: Allright. . . Hey Biggs, I told you I'd make it someday.

BIGGS: (going off) It will be like old times, Luke. They will never stop us.

As Luke begins to climb up the ladder into his sleek, deadly spaceship, the crew chief, who is working on the craft, points to little Artoo, who is being hoisted into a socket on the back of the fighter.

CHIEF: This R2 unit of your seems a bit beat up. Do you want a new one?

LUKE: Not on your life! That little droid and I have been through a lot together. (to Artoo) You okay, Artoo?

The crewmen lower Artoo-Detoo into the craft. Now a part of the exterior shell of the starship, the little droid beeps that he is fine. Luke climbs up into the cockpit of his fighter and puts an his helmet. Threepio looks on from the floor of the massive hangar as the crewmen secure his little electronic partner into Luke's X-wing. It's an emotional-filled moment as Artoo beeps good-bye.

THREEPIO: Hang on tight,Artoo, you've got to come back.

Artoo beeps in agreement.

THREEPIO: You wouldn't want my life to get boring, would you?

Artoo whistles his reply. All final preparations are made for the approaching battle. The hangar is buzzing with the last minute activity as the pilots and crewmen alike make their final adjustments. The hum of activity is occasionally trespassed by the distorted voice of the loudspeaker issuing commands. Coupling hoses are disconnected from the ships as they are fueled. Cockpit shields roll smoothly into place over each pilot. A signalman, holding red guiding lights, directs the ships. Luke, a trace of a smile gracing his lips, peers about through his goggles.

BEN'S VOICE: Luke, the Force will be with you.

Luke is confused at the voice and taps his headphones.

MASSASSI OUTPOST - JUNGLE: All that can be seen of the fortress is a lone guard standing on a small pedestal jutting out above the dense jungle. The muted gruesome crying sounds that naturally permeate this eerie purgatory are overwhelmed by the thundering din of ion rockets as four silver starships catapult from the foliage in a tight formation and disappears into the morning cloud cover.

MASSASSI WAR ROOM: The princess, Threepio, and a field commander stand quietly before the giant display showing the planet Yavin and its four moons. The red dot that represents the Death Star moves ever closer to the system. A series of green dots appear around the fourth moon. A din of indistinct chatter fills the war room.

MASSASSI INTERCOM VOICE: Stand-by alert. Death Star approaching. Estimated time to firing range, fifteen minutes.

The Death Star slowly moves behind the massive yellow surface of Yavin in the foreground, as many X-wing fighters flying in formation zoom toward us and out of the frame.