The Painter's Honeymoon

without moving; then, haltingly, they stepped forward. They were immediately joined by three large Gamorrean guards—powerfulpiglike brutes whose racial hatred of robots was well known. The guards usheredthe two droids down the dark corridor without so much as a nod. When they reachedthe first half-lit hallway, one of them grunted an order. Artoo beeped a nervousquery at Threepio. "You don't want to know," the golden droid responded apprehensively. "Justdeliver Master Luke's message and get us out of here quick." Before they could take another step, a form approached them from the obscurityof a cross-corridor: Bib Fortuna, the inelegant major-domo of Jabba's degeneratecourt. He was a tall, humanoid creature with eyes that saw only what was necessary,and a robot that hid all. Protruding from the back of his skull were two fat,tentacular appendages that exhibited prehensile, sensual, and cognitive functions atvarious times—which he wore either draped over his shoulders for decorative effector, when the situation called for balance, hanging straight down behind him as if theywere twin tails,