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For the moment, Luke could not decide whether to be frightened or to laugh. But when he gazed into those bulbous eyes and sensed the being's kindly nature, he relaxed. At last the creature motioned toward the pistol in Luke's hand.

'Away put your weapon. I mean you no harm,' it said.

After some hesitation, Luke quietly put his pistol back into his belt. As he did so, he wondered why he felt impelled to obey this little creature.

'I am wondering,' the creature spoke again, 'why are you here?'

'I'm looking for someone,' Luke answered.

'Looking? Looking?' the creature repeated curiously with a wide smile beginning to crease his already-lined face. 'You've found someone I'd say. Heh? Yes!'

Luke had to force himself not to smile. 'Yeah.'

'Help you I can ... yes ... yes.'

Inexplicably Luke found himself trusting the odd creature, but wasn't at all sure that such a tiny individual could be of help on his important quest. 'I don't think so,' he replied gently. 'You see, I'm looking for a great warrior.'

'A great warrior?' The creature shook his head, the whitish hair flopping about his pointed ears. 'Wars don't make one great.'

A strange phrase, Luke thought. But before he could answer, Luke saw the tiny hominid hobble over to the top of the salvaged supply cases. Shocked, he watched as the creature began to rummage through the articles Luke had brought with him from Hoth.

'Get away from there,' he said, surprised at this sudden strange behavior.

Moving across the ground, Artoo waddled toward the pile of cases, standing just about at optical sensor level with the creature. The droid squealed his disapproval as he scanned the creature that was carelessly digging through the supplies.

The strange being grabbed the container holding the remains of Luke's food and took a bite.

'Hey, that's my dinner!' Luke exclaimed.

But no sooner had the creature taken his first bite than he spat out what he had tasted, his deeply lined face wrinkling like a prune. 'Peewh!' he said, spitting. 'Thank you, no. How get you so big eating food of this kind?' He looked Luke up and down.

Before the astounded youth could reply, the creature flipped the food container in Luke's direction, then dipped one of his small and delicate hands into another supply case.

'Listen, friend,' Luke said, watching this bizarre scavenger, 'we didn't mean to land here. And if I could get my fighter out of this puddle I would, but I can't. So-'Can't get your ship out? Have you tried? Have you tried?' the creature goaded.

Luke had to admit to himself that he had not, but then the whole idea was patently ludicrous. He didn't have the proper equipment to-Something in Luke's case had attracted the creature's interest. Luke finally reached the end of his patience when he saw the crazy little being snatch something out of the supply case. Knowing that survival depended on those supplies, he grabbed for the case. But the creature held on to his prize - a miniature power lamp that he gripped tightly in his blue-skinned hand. The little light came alive in the creature's hand, throwing its radiance up into his delighted face, and he immediately began to examine his treasure.

'Give me that!' Luke cried.

The creature retreated from the approaching youth like a petulant child. 'Mine! Mine! Or I'll help you not.'

Still clutching the lamp to his breast, the creature stepped backward, inadvertently bumping into Artoo-Detoo. Not remembering that the robot was at all animate, the being stood next to it as Luke approached.

'I don't want your help,' Luke said indignantly. 'I want my lamp back. I'll need it in this slimy mudhole.'

Luke instantly realized he had issued an insult.

'Mudhole? Slimy? My home this is!'

As they argued, Artoo slowly reached out a mechanical arm. Suddenly his appendage grabbed the pilfered lamp and immediately the two little figures were engaged in a tug-of-war over the stolen prize. As they spun about in battle, Artoo beeped a few electronic, 'give me that's.

'Mine, mine. Give it back,' the creature cried. Abruptly, though, he seemed to give