Woman with a Parasol

"Of course I'll be up there withyou." His smile faded slightly. "I haven't got a choice, anymore." Then hebrightened again. "Listen, have I got some stories to tell you…" The steady whooping and laughing the two made was in marked contrast to thesolemnity with which the other men and women in the hangar went about theirbusiness. The commotion attracted the attention of an older, war-worn man knownto the younger pilot only as Blue Leader. His face wrinkled with curiosity as he approached the two younger men. It wasa face scorched by the same fire that flickered in his eyes, a blaze kindled not byrevolutionary fervor but by years of living through and witnessing far too muchinjustice. Behind that fatherly visage a raging demon fought to escape. Soon, verysoon, he would be free to let it loose. Now he was interested in these two young men, who in a few hours were likelyto be particles of frozen meat floating about Yavin. One of them he recognized. "Aren't you Luke Skywalker? Have you been checked out on the Incom T-65?" "Sir," Biggs put in before his friend could reply, "Luke's the best bush pilot inthe outer-rim territories." The older man patted Luke reassuringly on the back as they studied his waitingship. "Something to be proud of. I've got over a thousand hours in an Incomskyhopper myself." He paused a moment before going on. "I met your father once when I was just a boy, Luke. He was a great pilot.You'll do all right out there. If you've got half your father's skill, you'll do a damnsight better than all right." "Thank you, sir. I'll try." "There's no much difference control-wise between an X-wing T-65," BlueLeader went on, "and a skyhopper." His smile turned ferocious. "Except thepayload's of somewhat different nature."