SCENE 7.

While droids do worry o’er their Master’s fate,

Han and Chewbacca make their swift escape.

While Luke and Leia now in safety wait,

A mighty, final duel taketh shape.

For certain, I have waited, Obi-Wan,

And now at last we meet together here:

Our destinies once and for all fulfill’d.

The circle of our lives is now complete—

A student was I when I left thee last,

But now I am the Master over thee.

Thou art a Master, Darth, I know ’tis true,

But only evil hast thou Master’d yet.

[They duel.

In time thy pow’rs have weak become, old man.

And yet thou canst not win, I’ll warrant, Darth.

For if thou strike me down, e’en now, e’en here,

I shall more great and powerful become

Than e’er thou hast imagin’d possible.

I tell thee plain: thou shouldst not have return’d.

What noble battle passes twixt these men—

Lightsabers rage from Sith and Jedi Knight!

No more courageous battle hath there been:

’Tis like the day does combat with the night.

Now whilst the two in conflict strike their blows,

The others come that they the ship may find.

At first Han Solo with Chewbacca shows,

Then Luke and Princess Leia just behind.

Did we not just this fright’ning party leave?

Where hast thou been?

—We did some old friends meet,

But, finding them unfriendly, have both vow’d

To find far truer, better friends henceforth.

Hast thou seen any problems with the ship?

It seemeth fine, if we may make approach

And get beyond the stormtroopers. Aye, then

My fondest hope is that thine Obi-Wan

Hath vanquishèd the wicked tractor beam.

Behold, what ease! The stormtroopers go hence.

Now ’tis our chance, good R2-D2, come.

[aside:] Aye, will he now be leading me?

[To C-3PO:] Beep, squeak!

Fly, fly, good friends! Unto the ship make haste.

As ev’ryone unto the ship draws nigh,

Young Luke sees Obi-Wan trade slice with slice.

And Ben Kenobi, catching young Luke’s eye,

Prepares to make a gracious sacrifice.

A Jedi is not made of fear or hate,

But must a nobler countenance display.

It is a lesson learn’d in times gone by

That still I teach myself unto this day.

Full many years I’ve spent with thoughts of this—

This instant when Darth Vader I’d confront.

But now my thirst for retribution’s cold,

While sweet forgiveness doth my spirit taste.

I know I cannot win this battle here,

Nor would I wish to slay the kindly man

Who surely still within this black shell lives.

And so, unto this death I’ll go, this sleep,

This sleep that promises the dream of peace.

This undiscover’d galaxy wherein

I’ll know at last tranquility of heart.

But ere I die, I’ll one last lesson teach.

I shall in this—my final moment—set

A keen example for the universe,

That future generations may yet know

The valor and the strength of Jedi Knights.

Put up thy lightsaber now, Obi-Wan,

And show thyself a Jedi to this son.

[Obi-Wan raises lightsaber and is killed by Darth Vader.

The cry of “Nay!” escapes Luke’s trembling lip

And stormtroopers turn ’round to see them there.

A battle great begins before the ship

As to the Falcon these brave souls repair.

But ere the group departs amid the fray,

Luke hears the voice of Obi-Wan inside:

“Pray run, Luke run,” the inner voice doth say,

And Luke the Death Star leaves with Force as guide.

[Exeunt.