Johannes Vermeer Girl with a Pearl Earring Painting

"Yeah…Take care of yourself, Han," Luke said quietly, turning to leave. "But Iguess that's what you're best at, isn't it?" He started back into the hangar depths,flanked by the two 'droids. Solo stared after him, hesitated, then called, "Hey, Luke…may the force be withyou." Luke looked back to see Solo wink at him. He waved—sort of. Then hewas swallowed up by moving mechanics and machinery. Solo returned to his work, lifting a box—and stopped, to see Chewbacca gazingfixedly at him. "What are you staring at, gruesome? I know what I'm doing. Get back towork!" Slowly, still eyeing his partner, the Wookie returned to the task of loading theheavy crates. Sorrowful thoughts of Solo vanished when Luke saw the petite, slim figurestanding by his ship—the ship he had been granted. "Are you sure this is what you want?" Princess Leia asked him. "It could be adeadly reward." Luke's eyes were filled with the sleek, venomous metal shape. "More thananything." "Then what's wrong?" Luke looked back at her and shrugged. "It's Han. I thought he'd change hismind. I thought he'd join us." "A man must follow his own path," she told him, sounding now like a Senator."No one can choose it for him. Han Solo's priorities differ from ours. I wish itwere otherwise, but I can't find it in my heart to condemn him." She stood ontiptoes, gave him a quick, almost embarrassed kiss, and turned to go. "May the forcebe with you." "I only wish," Luke murmured to himself as he started back to his ship, "Benwere here." So intent was he on thoughts of Kenobi, the Princess, and Han that he didn'tnotice the larger figure which tightly locked on to his arm. He turned, his initialanger gone instantly in astonishment as he recognized the figure. "Luke!" the slightly older man exclaimed. "I don't believe it! How'd you gethere? Are you going out with us?"