A familiar clanking sound catches Threepio's attention and he spots little Artoo at the end of the hallway in a smoke-filled alcove. A beautiful young girl stands in front of Artoo.

Surreal and out of place, dreamlike and half hidden in the smoke, she finishes adjusting something on Artoo's computer face, then the little robot joins his companion.

THREEPIO: At last! Where have you been? . . . They're heading in this direction. What are we going to do? We'll be sent to the spice mine of Kessel or smashed into who knows what!

Artoo scoots past his bronze friend and races down the subhallway. Threepio chases after him.

THREEPIO: Wait a minute, where are you going?

Artoo responds with electronic beeps.

REBEL BLOCKADE RUNNER - CORRIDOR: The Rebel soldiers along with their droids are coralled by the Storm Troopers.

The evil Darth Vader stands amid the broken and twisted bodies of his foes. He grabs a wounded Rebel Officer by the neck as an Imperial Officer rushes up to the Dark Lord.

IMPERIAL OFFICER: The Death Star plans are not in the main computer.

Vader squeezes the neck of the Rebel Officer, who struggles in vain.

VADER: Where are those transmissions you intercepted? . . . What have you done with those plans?

Vader lifts the Rebel off his feet by his throat.

REBEL OFFICER: We intercepted no transmissions. Aaah....This is a consular ship. Were on a diplomatic mission.

VADER: If this is a consular ship...were is the Ambassador?

The Rebel refuses to speak but eventually cries out as the Dark Lord begins to squeeze the officer's throat, creating a gruesome snapping and choking, until the soldier goes limp.

Vader tosses the dead soldier against the wall and turns to his troops.

VADER: Commander, tear this ship apart until you've found those plans and bring me the passengers. I want them alive!

The stormtroopers scurry into the subhallways.

SUBHALLWAY: The lovely young girl huddles in a small alcove as the stormtroopers search through the ship.

She is Princess Leia Organa, a member of the Alderaan Senate. The fear in her eyes slowly gives way to anger as the muted crushing sounds of the approaching stormtroopers grow louder.

One of the troopers spots her.

TROOPER: There's one, set for stun!

Leia steps from her hiding place and fires a round with her laser pistol at the first trooper .

Her blast knocks the trooper off his feet.

Another trooper aims and fires.

She starts to run but is felled by a paralyzing ray.

The troopers inspect her inert body.

TROOPER: She'll be all right. Inform Lord Vader we have a prisoner.

REBEL BLOCKADE RUNNER - SUBHALLWAY: Artoo stops before the small hatch of an emergency lifepod.

THREEPIO: Hey, you're not permitted in there. It's restricted. You'll be deactivated for sure.

He presses a switch on the main latch and the stubby astro-robot works his way into the cramped four-man pod.

Artoo beeps something to him.

THREEPIO: Don't you call me a mindless philosopher, you overweight glob of grease! Now come out before somebody sees you.

Artoo whistles something at his reluctant friend regarding the mission he is about to perform.

THREEPIO: Secret mission? What plans? What are you talking about? I'm not getting in there!

A new explosion, this time very close, sends dust and debris through the narrow subhallway.

Flames lick at Threepio and, after a flurry of electronic swearing from Artoo, the lanky robot jumps into the lifepod.

THREEPIO: I'm going to regret this.