“Put that away and get out of here.”

     “But, Captain, we’re hungry.”

      “You’re hungry so you destroy my galley!”  Han’s arm cut through the air. the boys hung their heads.  “Okay,

I’ll think of something.” He pushed them toward the hatch, “Move.”  The twins obeyed and soon, four of the five passengers were seated in one place.

     “Where’s Simon?”  Han questioned.

     “He’s hiding.”  Shanna told him brightly.

    “I can SEE that.  WHERE is he hiding?

     “He doesn’t want you to know,”  Kebo spoke up, “That’s why he’s hiding.”  The child’s logic dug into Han’s frayed nerves.

     “He’s afraid of you,”  Tigo added.  “You threatened to take his replica away from him.”

      “He keeps shooting me with the….”  Han caught himself before spilling another choice obscenity….thing.”  Now he was making excuses to children; what next?

     “Tigo took a deep breath, an act Han knew preceded a drawn-out explaination.  “Perhaps you should negotiate with him.  All circumstances…”

      “I KNOW what I’d like to do.”  Han off the boy’s words.  The pilot glared at the youngsters, his vicious thoughts plainly written on his face.  He sighed deeply, pushing the images from his mind.  “Look at this ship!  I didn’t take this much damage making a getaway from Jehra!”

     ‘GOTCHA!”  

     Han reacted fast to the cry, catching a running Simon in a taclke; the dischared beamed flashed just above his head.  “Let me go!’  The boy shrieked, “Let me go!”

     Han carred him to the table and settled him on the couch with his siblings.  “I’ll take that,” he jerked the ‘replica’ from the pudgy fist.  Simon’s lip quivered as he fought back tears.

     “We were just playing,” Kebo explained, “Didn’t you ever play when you were a kid?”

      “Of course he didn’t!” Pajam said.  “He never WAS a kid! Who would have wanted to be HIS parents?!”

     “I want this mess cleaned up!  No more runnig through the ship.”  Han was adamant.  “Shanna, you keep that fuzzy thing with you.  I don’t want him climbing into Chewie’s fur again…or my boots.”  He passed out survivor’s rations as he scolded them and and outlined what he wanted done.