Venus and Cupid

Venus and Cupid
The Three Ages of Woman
The Virgin and Child with St Anne
The Water lily Pond
The rest of the assembled soldiers were dismissed by the officer. On board thefreighter, a last long figure left off examining the space beneath the cockpit consolesand ran to join his comrades. He was anxious to be off this ghost ship and back inthe comfortable surroundings of the barracks. His heavy footsteps echoed throughthe once more empty freighter. Below, the muffled sounds of the officer giving final orders faded, leaving theinterior in complete quiet. The quivering of a portion of the floor was the onlymovement on board. Abruptly the quivering became a sharp, upheaval. Two metal panels poppedupward, followed by a pair of tousled heads. Han Solo and Luke looked aroundquickly, then managed to relax a little when it became clear that the ship was as emptyas it sounded. "Lucky you'd built these compartments," Luke commented. Solo was not as cheerily confident. "Where did you think I kept smuggledgoods—in the main hold? I admit I never expected to smuggle myself in them."He started violently at a sudden sound, but it was only another of the panels shiftingaside. "This is ridiculous. It isn't going to work. Even if I could take off and getpast the closed hatch"—he jabbed a thumb upward—"we'd never get past that tractorbeam." Another panel opened, revealing the face of an elderly imp. "You leave that tome." "I was afraid you'd say something like that," muttered Solo. "You're a damnfool, old man." Kenobi grinned at him. "What does that say of the man who allows himself tobe hired by a fool?"