Samson And Delilah

Trying to maintain an air of quiet confidence, he returned his gaze to old Ben,and started when he saw what the oldster was talking to now. The Corellian wasgone. In its place Kenobi was chatting with a towering anthropoid that showed amouthful of teeth when it smiled. Luke had heard about Wookies, but he had never expected to see one, much lessmeet on. Despite an almost comical quasi-monkey face, the Wookie was anythingbut gentle looking. Only the large, glowing yellow eyes softened its otherwiseawesome appearance. The massive torso was covered entirely with soft, thick russetfur. Less appealing cover consisted of a pair of chromed bandoliers, which heldlethal projectiles of a type unknown to Luke. Other than these, the Wookies worelittle.Not, Luke knew, that anyone would laugh at the creature's mode of dress. He sawthat other denizens of the bar eddied and swirled around the huge form without evercoming too close. All but old Ben—Ben who was talking to the Wookie in its ownlanguage, quarreling and hooting softly like a native. In the course of the conversation the old man had occasion to gesture in Luke'sdirection. Once the huge anthropoid stared directly at Luke and let out a horrifyinghowling laugh. Disgruntled by the role he was evidently playing in the discussion, Luke turnedaway and pretended to ignore the whole conversation. He might be acting unfairlytoward the creature, but he doubted that spine-quaking laugh was meant in gentlegood-fellowship.