Jabba's Throne Room: The court of Jabba the Hutt is in the midst of a drunken, raucous party. Sloppy, smelly monsters cheer and make rude noises as Oola and a fat female dancer perform in front of Jabba's throne. Jabba leers at the dancers and with a lustful gleam in his eye beckons Oola to come and sit with him. She stops dancing and backs away, shaking her head. Jabba gets angry and points to a spot next to him.
JABBA: Da Eitha!
The lovely alien shakes her head again and screams.
OOLA: Na Chuba negatorie Na! Na! Natoota...
Jabba is furious and pulls her toward him, tugging on the chain.
JABBA: Boscka!
Jabba pushes a button and, before the dancer can flee, a trap door in the floor springs open and swallows her up. As the door snaps shut, a muffled growl is followed by a hideous scream. Jabba and his monstrous friends laugh hysterically and several revelers hurry over to watch her fate through a grate. Threepio cringes and glances wistfully at the carbonite form of Han Solo, but is immediately distracted by a gunshot offscreen. An unnatural quiet sweeps the boisterous gathering.
On the far side of the room, the crush of debauchers moves aside to allow the approach of two guards followed by Boushh, an oddly cloaked bounty hunter, leading his captive, Han Solo's copilot, Chewbacca the Wookiee. Bib takes his place next to his disgusting master, and whispers into his ear, pointing at Chewbacca and the bounty hunter. Jabba listens intently, then the bounty hunter bows before the gangster and speaks a greeting in a strange, electronically processed tongue (Ubese).
BOUSHH (in Ubese subtitled): I have come for the bounty on this Wookiee.
THREEPIO: Oh, no! Chewbacca!
JABBA (in Huttese subtitled): At last we have the mighty Chewbacca.
Jabba lets out a loud, long, blood-curdling laugh and turns to Threepio, waving him closer. The reluctant droid obeys.
THREEPIO: Oh, uh, yes, uh, I am here, Your Worshipfulness. Uh... yes!
Jabba continues speaking, as Threepio nervously translates. Boushh listens, studying the dangerous creatures around the room. He notices Boba Fett standing near the door.
THREEPIO: Oh. The illustrious Jabba bids you welcome and will gladly pay you the reward of twenty-five thousand.
BOUSHH (in Ubese subtitled): I want fifty thousand. No less.
Jabba immediately flies into a rage, knocking the golden droid off the raised throne into a clattering heap on the floor. Boushh adjusts his weapon as Jabba raves in Huttese and Threepio struggles back onto the throne. The disheveled droid tries to compose himself.
THREEPIO: Uh, oh... but what, what did I say? (to Boushh) Uh, the mighty Jabba asks why he must pay fifty thousand.
The bounty hunter holds up a small silver ball in his hand. The droid is very nervous and Jabba is getting very impatient.
THREEPIO: Because he's holding a thermal detonator!
The guards instantly back away, as do most of the other monsters in the room. Jabba stares at the silver ball, which begins to glow in the bounty hunter's hand. The room has fallen into a tense hush. Jabba stares at the bounty hunter malevolently until a sly grin creeps across his vast mouth and he begins to laugh.
JABBA (in Huttese subtitled): This bounty hunter is my kind of scum. Fearless and inventive.
Jabba continues.
THREEPIO: Jabba offers the sum of thirty-five. And I do suggest you take it.
Bib and the other monsters study the bounty hunter and wait for his reaction. Boushh releases a switch on the thermal detonator and it goes dead.
THREEPIO: He agrees!
The raucous crowd of monsters return to its full noisy pitch. Chewbacca growls. The band starts up and dancing girls take the center of the floor, to the hoots of the loudly appreciative creatures.
Boushh converses with Bib and Threepio while surveying the scene, his gaze stopping only when it connects with a glare from across the room. He is watching Boushh, Boba Fett gives him a salutory nod. As Chewbacca is led away, we spot Lando Calrissian disguised as a skiff guard in a partial face mask.
Dungeon Corridor: Gamorrean guards lead Chewie down the same hallway we saw before. The guards hurl Chewie roughly into a cell, closing the door behind him. Chewie lets out a pathetic howl.
Outside Jabba's Palace: The palace is sitting in the light of the double sunset. On the road in front, a large toadlike creature flicks its tongue out for a desert rodent and burps in satisfaction.
|
