doth heave—
On him they shall fly.
[Yoda uses the Force to send a pod hurling back toward Sidious, who dives out of the way.
SIDIOUS
If not by lightsaber or darkest Force,
My lightning shall undo you at the last.
YODA
’Tis not a device
With pow’r enow to defeat
A Jedi Master.
[Sidious shoots lightning at Yoda, who repels it.
Indeed, you shall see
The bold will of a Jedi,
’Gainst the dark to fight.
[Both Yoda and Sidious are blown backward by the concentrated lightning. Yoda tumbles to the floor.
SIDIOUS
Success and might are mine, O, Jedi rank!
[Yoda hides.
Enter CLONE TROOPERS and M AS A MEDDA .
YODA
[ aside, into comlink: ] I prithee, haste make!
Verily, o’erwhelm’d am I,
Of rescue I’ve need.
Enter B AIL O RGANA above, on balcony, in cruiser.
Skill, care, and judgment,
Essential in this instance
Shall these assets be.
BAIL
Pray, activate your homing beacon when
You are prepar’d for mine arrival, sir.
[Exit Bail Organa.
TROOPER 1
[ to Sidious: ] His body all our scanning hath not found,
My good lord Sith.
MAS
—Then lo, he is not dead.
SIDIOUS
Go! Double all thine efforts in this matter.
I shall find and destroy the imp anon.
TROOPER 1
Forsooth, sir, I’ll o’ersee the search myself.
[Exeunt clone troopers.
SIDIOUS
[ to Mas: ] Tell Captain Kagi to prepare my ship—
I shall depart immediately hence.
MAS
Aye, Master.
SIDIOUS
—All my senses scream to me,
As if to say that Vader hath found danger,
And doth require what help I’d proffer him.
[Exeunt Sidious and Mas Amedda. Yoda emerges from hiding.
YODA
To exile I’ll go,
For ne’er have I profoundest
Failure as this known.
Ne’er hath a Jedi,
Nay, not mere Jedi—Master!—
Been so blind as I.
Methought I was wise,
O, wherefore did I so think?
Verily, ’twas false.
The rise of the Sith,
Come upon me like a thief
In the night it hath.
How did I not sense,
How could mine inner vision
The dark not have seen?
O, woe fills my days,
I must hence, crying heigh-ho,
To banishment go.
[Exit Yoda.
SCENE 2.
On the planet Mustafar.
Enter D ARTH V ADER .
VADER
A ship to Mustafar makes swift approach—
A ship of the Republic. Who hath come?
What fiend doth come t’assail me in this place?
Shall I no peace discover in this life?
Just when a moment of some respite comes,
Another threat doth rise to challenge me.
Thus hath my life by others’ deeds been led,
Yea, I am pawn, and knight, and king, and fool—
Who is it that can tell me who I am?
I am a man more sinn’d against than sinning.
Enter P ADMÉ .
PADMÉ
Mine Anakin, I have been sore afraid,
Yet seeing thee here, all my fear’s eras’d.
VADER
’Twas thy ship landed here, O, praise the day.
Yet wherefore art thou here in this dark place?
PADMÉ
For thee alone my deep concern hath swell’d.
’Twas Obi-Wan—he spoke a fearful word.
VADER
What hath he said to thee? I prithee, tell.
PADMÉ
He said unto the dark side thou hast turn’d,
And that thou didst slay younglings in the temple.
VADER
’Tis plain that Obi-Wan doth speak these lies
To sway thee from my love most broad and ample.
PADMÉ
He cares for us—by thee hath he been priz’d.
VADER
“For us”—how doth he know that we are us?
PADMÉ
He hath found out the secret of our love.
’Tis well, fear not, he shall not be unjust.
He fain would help thee.
VADER
—Ha! Aye, there’s the rub.
PADMÉ
O, Anakin, say wherefore speak’st thou so?
Know’st thou thy love is all that I desire?
VADER
Yet shall it save thee? Nay, not love alone,
But only these strong, newfound pow’rs of mine.
PADMÉ
What price, say, wouldst thou pay to have this pow’r?
Thou art a noble man—turn not to darkness.
VADER
Thou’lt not die, as my mother was devour’d.
The power Palpatine gives me to harness
Is far beyond all other Jedi Knights.
I do it all for thee, for thy protection.
PADMÉ
O, fly with me, my love, fly in a trice.
Escape! Let not our child grow up neglected.
Leave all behind and flee while still we may.
VADER
Yet do
On him they shall fly.
[Yoda uses the Force to send a pod hurling back toward Sidious, who dives out of the way.
SIDIOUS
If not by lightsaber or darkest Force,
My lightning shall undo you at the last.
YODA
’Tis not a device
With pow’r enow to defeat
A Jedi Master.
[Sidious shoots lightning at Yoda, who repels it.
Indeed, you shall see
The bold will of a Jedi,
’Gainst the dark to fight.
[Both Yoda and Sidious are blown backward by the concentrated lightning. Yoda tumbles to the floor.
SIDIOUS
Success and might are mine, O, Jedi rank!
[Yoda hides.
Enter CLONE TROOPERS and M AS A MEDDA .
YODA
[ aside, into comlink: ] I prithee, haste make!
Verily, o’erwhelm’d am I,
Of rescue I’ve need.
Enter B AIL O RGANA above, on balcony, in cruiser.
Skill, care, and judgment,
Essential in this instance
Shall these assets be.
BAIL
Pray, activate your homing beacon when
You are prepar’d for mine arrival, sir.
[Exit Bail Organa.
TROOPER 1
[ to Sidious: ] His body all our scanning hath not found,
My good lord Sith.
MAS
—Then lo, he is not dead.
SIDIOUS
Go! Double all thine efforts in this matter.
I shall find and destroy the imp anon.
TROOPER 1
Forsooth, sir, I’ll o’ersee the search myself.
[Exeunt clone troopers.
SIDIOUS
[ to Mas: ] Tell Captain Kagi to prepare my ship—
I shall depart immediately hence.
MAS
Aye, Master.
SIDIOUS
—All my senses scream to me,
As if to say that Vader hath found danger,
And doth require what help I’d proffer him.
[Exeunt Sidious and Mas Amedda. Yoda emerges from hiding.
YODA
To exile I’ll go,
For ne’er have I profoundest
Failure as this known.
Ne’er hath a Jedi,
Nay, not mere Jedi—Master!—
Been so blind as I.
Methought I was wise,
O, wherefore did I so think?
Verily, ’twas false.
The rise of the Sith,
Come upon me like a thief
In the night it hath.
How did I not sense,
How could mine inner vision
The dark not have seen?
O, woe fills my days,
I must hence, crying heigh-ho,
To banishment go.
[Exit Yoda.
SCENE 2.
On the planet Mustafar.
Enter D ARTH V ADER .
VADER
A ship to Mustafar makes swift approach—
A ship of the Republic. Who hath come?
What fiend doth come t’assail me in this place?
Shall I no peace discover in this life?
Just when a moment of some respite comes,
Another threat doth rise to challenge me.
Thus hath my life by others’ deeds been led,
Yea, I am pawn, and knight, and king, and fool—
Who is it that can tell me who I am?
I am a man more sinn’d against than sinning.
Enter P ADMÉ .
PADMÉ
Mine Anakin, I have been sore afraid,
Yet seeing thee here, all my fear’s eras’d.
VADER
’Twas thy ship landed here, O, praise the day.
Yet wherefore art thou here in this dark place?
PADMÉ
For thee alone my deep concern hath swell’d.
’Twas Obi-Wan—he spoke a fearful word.
VADER
What hath he said to thee? I prithee, tell.
PADMÉ
He said unto the dark side thou hast turn’d,
And that thou didst slay younglings in the temple.
VADER
’Tis plain that Obi-Wan doth speak these lies
To sway thee from my love most broad and ample.
PADMÉ
He cares for us—by thee hath he been priz’d.
VADER
“For us”—how doth he know that we are us?
PADMÉ
He hath found out the secret of our love.
’Tis well, fear not, he shall not be unjust.
He fain would help thee.
VADER
—Ha! Aye, there’s the rub.
PADMÉ
O, Anakin, say wherefore speak’st thou so?
Know’st thou thy love is all that I desire?
VADER
Yet shall it save thee? Nay, not love alone,
But only these strong, newfound pow’rs of mine.
PADMÉ
What price, say, wouldst thou pay to have this pow’r?
Thou art a noble man—turn not to darkness.
VADER
Thou’lt not die, as my mother was devour’d.
The power Palpatine gives me to harness
Is far beyond all other Jedi Knights.
I do it all for thee, for thy protection.
PADMÉ
O, fly with me, my love, fly in a trice.
Escape! Let not our child grow up neglected.
Leave all behind and flee while still we may.
VADER
Yet do
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