"You’re pretty handy with that saber, old man. Not often does one see that kind of swordplay in this part of the Empire anymore." He downed a prodigious portion of whatever filled his mug. "I’m Han Solo, captain of the Millennium Falcon." Suddenly he became all business. "Chewie tells me you’re looking for passage to the Alderaan system?" "That’s right, son. If it’s on a fast ship," Kenobi told him. Solo didn’t bridle at the "son." "Fast ship? You mean you’ve never heard of the Millennium Falcon?" Kenobi appeared amused. "Should I?" "It’s the ship that made the Kessel run in less than twelve standard timeparts!" Solo told him indignantly. "I’ve outrun Imperial starships and Corellian cruisers. I think she’s fast enough for you, old man." His outrage subsided rapidly. "What’s your cargo?" "Only passengers. Myself, the boy, and two ’droids—no questions asked." "No questions." Solo regarded his mug, finally looked up. "Is it local trouble?" "Let’s just say we’d like to avoid any Imperial entanglements," Kenobi replied easily.
"These days that can be a real trick. It’ll cost you a little extra." He did some mental figuring. "All in all, about ten thousand. In advance." He added with a smile, "And no questions asked." Luke gaped at the pilot. "Ten thousand! We could almost buy our own ship for that." Solo shrugged. "Maybe you could and maybe you couldn’t. In any case, could you fly it?" "You bet I could," Luke shot back, rising. "I’m not such a bad pilot myself. I don’t—" again the firm hand on his arm. "We haven’t that much with us," Kenobi explained. "But we could pay you two thousand now, plus another fifteen when we reach Alderaan." Solo leaned forward uncertainly. "fifteen…You can really get your hands on that kind of money?" "I promise it—from the government on Alderaan itself. At the worst, you’ll have earned an honest fee: two thousand." But Solo seemed not to hear the last. "Seventeen thousand…All right, I’ll chance it. You’ve got yourselves a ship. As for avoiding Imperial entanglements, you’d better twist out of here or even the Millennium Falcon won’t be any help to you." He nodded toward the cantina entrance, and added quickly, "Docking bay ninety-four, first thing in the morning." Four Imperial troopers, their eyes darting rapidly from table to booth to bar, had entered the cantina. There was muttering from among the crowd, but whenever the eyes of one of the heavily armed troopers went hunting for the mutterers, the words died with sullen speed.
Moving to the bar, the officer in charge asked the bartender a couple of brief questions. The big man hesitated a moment, then pointed toward a place near the back of the room. As he did so, his eyes widened slightly. Those of the officer were unreadable.
The booth he was pointing to was empty.
责任编辑：mman
