The emergency pod jettisons from its launch silo.

The lifepod carrying the two terrified robots speeds away from the stricken Rebel spacecraft.

IMPERIAL STARDESTROYER: On the main viewscreen.

CHIEF PILOT: There goes another one.

CAPTAIN: Hold your fire. There are no life forms. It must have short-circuited.

LIFEPOD: Artoo and Threepio look out at the receding Imperial starship. Stars circle as the pod rotates through the galaxy.

THREEPIO: That's funny, the damage doesn't look as bad from out here. . . Are you sure this thing is safe?

Artoo beeps an assuring response.

SPACE: The emergency pod hurls towards Tattooine.

REBEL BLOCKADE RUNNER - HALLWAY: Princess Leia is led down a low-ceilinged hallway by a squad of armored stormtroopers. Her hands are bound, they stop in the hallway as Darth Vader enters.

The sinister Dark Lord stares hard at the frail young senator, but she doesn't move.

LEIA: Darth Vader, only you can be so bold. The Imperial Senate will not sit for this, when they hear you've attacked a diplomatic. . .

VADER: Don't act so surprised, Your Highness. You weren't on any mercy mission this time. Several transmissions were beamed to this ship by Rebel spies. I want to know what happened to the plans they sent you.

LEIA: I don't know what you're talking about. I'm a member of the Imperial Senate on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan. . .

VADER: You're a part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor. Take her away!

Leia is marched away down the hallway as Vader walks away.

An Imperial Commander follows Vader.

COMMANDER: Holding her is dangerous. If word of this gets out, it could generate sympathy for the Rebellion in the senate.

VADER: I have traced the Rebel spies to her. Now she is my only link to find their secret base!

COMMANDER: She'll die before she tells you anything.

VADER: Leave that to me. Send a distress signal and then inform the senate that all aboard were killed!

Another Imperial Officer approaches Vader and the Commander.

SECOND OFFICER: Lord Vader, the battle station plans are not aboard this ship! And no transmissions were made. An escape pod was jettisoned during the fighting, but no life forms were aboard.

VADER: She must have hidden the plans in the escape pod. Send a detachment down to retrieve them. See to it personally, Commander. There'll be no one to stop us this time.

COMMANDER: Yes, sir.

SPACE: The Imperial Stardestroyer comes over the surface of the planet Tatooine.

TATOOINE - DESERT: Jundland, or "No Man's Land", where the rugged desert mesas meet the foreboding dune sea. The two helpless astro-droids kick up clouds of sand as they leave the lifepod and clumsily work their way across the desert wasteland. The lifepod in the distance rests half buried in the sand.

THREEPIO: How did we get into this mess? I really don't know. We seem to be made to suffer. It's our lot in life.

Artoo answers with beeping sounds.

THREEPIO: I've got to rest before I fall apart. My joints are almost frozen.

Artoo continues to respond with beeping sounds.

THREEPIO: What a desolate place this is.

Suddenly Artoo whistles, makes a sharp right turn and starts off in the direction of the rocky desert mesas. Threepio stops and yells at him.

THREEPIO: Where do you think you're going?

A stream of electronic noises pours forth from the small robot.

THREEPIO: Well, I'm not going that way. It's much too rocky. This way is much easier.

Artoo counters with a long whistle.

THREEPIO: What makes you think there are settlements over there?

Artoo continues to make beeping sounds.

THREEPIO: Don't get technical with me.

More beeps from Artoo.

THREEPIO: What mission? What are you talking about?

Artoo answers.

THREEPIO: I've just about had enough of you! Go that way! You'll be malfunctioning within a day, you nearsighted scrap pile!

Threepio gives the little robot a kick and starts off in the direction of the vast dune sea.