the polish rider

the polish rider
The Sacrifice of Abraham painting
The Three Ages of Woman
The Virgin and Child with St Anne
As if on command, everyone—Imperial troops as well as rebels—became silentas massive capped from came into view from behind a turn in the passage. Two ofthe heretofore resolute, obstinate rebel officers began to shake. Stopping before oneof the men, the towering figure reached out wordlessly. A massive hand closedaround the man's neck and lifted him off the deck. The rebel officer's eyes bulged,but he kept his silence. And Imperial officer, his armored helmet shoved back to reveal a recent scarwhere and energy beam had penetrated his shielding, scrambled down out of thefighter's control room, shaking his head briskly. "Nothing, sir. Informationretrieval system's been wiped clean." Darth Vader acknowledged this news with a barely perceptible nod. Theimpenetrable mask turned to regard the officer he was torturing. Metal0clad fingerscontracted. Reaching up, the prisoner desperately tried to pry them loose, but to noavail. "Where is the data you intercepted?" Vader rumbled dangerously. "What haveyou done with the information tapes?" "We—intercepted—no information," the dangling officer gurgled, barely ableto breathe. From somewhere deep within, he dredged up a squeal of outrage. "Thisis a …councilor vessel… Did you not see our mission."