Dance Me to the End of Love

wrappings stepped out of the shadows as they moved away from the corner. Itcontinued staring after them as they disappeared down a bend in the walkway. The docking-bay entrance to the small saucer-shaped spacecraft was completelyringed by half a dozen men and aliens, of which the former were by half the mostgrotesque. A great mobile tub of muscle and suet topped by a shaggy scarred skullsurveyed the semicircle of armed assassins with satisfaction. Moving forward fromthe center of the crescent, he shouted toward the ship. "Come on out, Solo! We've got you surrounded." "If so, you're facing the wrong way," came a calm voice. Jabba the Hut jumped—in itself a remarkable sight. His lackeys likewisewhirled—to see Han Solo and Chewbacca standing behind them. "You see, I've been waiting for you, Jabba." "I expected you would be," the Hut admitted, at once pleased and alarmed by thefact that neither Solo nor the big Wookie appeared to be armed. "I'm not the type to run," Solo said. "Run? Run from what?" Jabba countered. The absence of visible weaponsbothered Jabba more than he cared to admit to himself. There was somethingpeculiar here, and it would be better to make no hasty moves until he discovered whatwas amiss. "Han, my boy, there are times when you disappoint me. I merely wish to knowwhy you haven't paid me… as you should have long ago. And why did you have tofry poor Greedo like that? After all you and I have been through together."