rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第14部分

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atures　as　long　as　his　forearm。
　〃Kouhuns；〃　he　explained。　〃Very　poisonous。〃
　
　Zam　Wesell　lifted　the　tube　to　examine　the　marvelous　little　murderers　more　closely；　her　black　eyes　sparkling　with　excitement；　and　her　cheekbones　lifting　as　her　mouth　widened　beneath　the　veil。　She　looked　back　at　Jango　and　nodded。
　
　Certain　that　she　understood；　Jango　nodded　and　started　around　the　corner　toward　his　waiting　speeder。　He　paused　before　stepping　in；　and　looked　back　at　his　hired　assassin。
　〃There　can　be　no　mistakes　this　time；〃　he　said。
　
　The　Clawdite　saluted；　tapping　the　tube　containing　the　deadly　kouhuns　to　her　forehead。
　〃Tidy　yourself　up；〃　Jango　instructed；　and　he　headed　away。
　
　Zam　Wesell　turned　back　to　her　own　waiting　speeder　and　pulled　off　her　veil。　Even　as　she　lifted　the　cloth；　her　features　began　to　morph；　her　mouth　tightening；　her　black　eyes　sinking　back　into　shapely　sockets；　and　the　ridges　on　her　forehead　smoothing。　In　the　time　it　took　her　to　unhook　her　veil；　she　had　already　assumed　a　shapely　and　attractive　female　human　form；　with　dark　and　sensuous　features。　Even　her　clothing　seemed　to　fit　her　differently；　flowing　down　gracefully　from　her　face。
　
　Off　to　the　side；　Jango　nodded　approvingly　and　sped　away。　As　a　Clawdite；　a　changeling；　Zam　Wesell　did　bring　some　advantages　to　the　trade；　he　had　to　admit。
　
　　The　vast　Jedi　Temple　sat　on　a　flat　plain。　Unlike　so　many　of　Coruscant's　buildings；　monuments　of　efficiency　and　spare　design；　this　building　itself　was　a　work　of　art；　with　many　ornate　columns　and　soft；　rounded　lines　that　drew　in　the　eye　and　held　it。　Bas…reliefs　and　statues　showed　in　many　areas；　with　lights　set　at　varying　angles　to　distort　the　shadows　into　designs　of　mystery。
　
　Inside；　the　Temple　was　no　different。　This　was　a　place　of　contemplation；　a　place　whose　design　invited　the　mind　to　wander　and　to　explore；　a　place　whose　lines　themselves　asked　for　interpretation。　Art　was　as　much　a　part　of　what　it　was　to　be　a　Jedi　Knight　as　was　warrior　training。　Many　of　the　Jedi；　past　and　present；　considered　art　to　be　a　conscious　link　to　the　mysteries　of　the　Force；　and　so　the　sculptures　and　portraits　that　lined　every　hall　were　more　than　mere　replicas…they　were　artistic　interpretations　of　the　great　Jedi　they　represented；　saying　in　form　alone　what　the　depicted　Masters　might　speak　in　words。
　
　Mace　Windu　and　Yoda　walked　slowly　down　one　polished　and　decorated　corridor；　the　lights　low；　but　with　a　brightly　illuminated　room　in　the　distance　before　them。
　〃Why　couldn't　we　see　this　attack　on　the　Senator？〃　Mace　pondered；　shaking　his　head。　〃This　should　have　been　no　surprise　to　the　wary；　and　easy　for　us　to　predict。〃
　〃Masking　the　future　is　this　disturbance　in　the　Force；〃　Yoda　replied。　The　diminutive　Jedi　seemed　tired。　Mace　understood　well　the　source　of　that　weariness。　〃The　prophecy　is　ing　true。　The　dark　side　is　growing。〃
　〃And　only　those　who　have　turned　to　the　dark　side　can　sense　the　possibilities　of　the　future；〃　Yoda　said。　〃Only　by　probing　the　dark　side　can　we　see。〃
　
　Mace　spent　a　moment　digesting　that　remark；　for　what　Yoda　referred　to　was　no　small　thing。　Not　at　all。　Journeys　to　the　edges　of　the　dark　side　were　not　to　be　taken　lightly。　Even　more　dire；　the　fact　that　Master　Yoda　believed　that　the　disturbance　all　the　Jedi　had　sensed　in　the　Force　was　so　entrenched　in　the　dark　side　was　truly　foreboding。
　〃It's　been　ten　years　and　the　Sith　still　have　not　shown　themselves；〃　Mace　remarked；　daring　to　say　it　aloud。　The　Jedi　didn't　like　to　even　mention　the　Sith；　their　direst　of　enemies。　Many　times　in　the　past；　the　Jedi　had　dared　hope　that　the　Sith　had　been　eradicated；　their　foul　stench　cleansed　from　the　galaxy；　and　so　they　all　would　have　liked　to　deny　the　existence　of　the　mysterious　dark　Force…users。
　
　But　they　could　not。　There　could　be　no　doubt　and　no　denying　that　the　being　who　had　slain　Qui…Gon　Jinn　those　ten　years　before　on　Naboo　was　a　Sith　Lord。
　〃Do　you　think　the　Sith　are　behind　this　present　disturbance？〃　Mace　dared　to　ask。
　〃Out　there；　they　are；〃　Yoda　said　with　resignation。　〃A　certainty　that　is。〃　Yoda　was　referring　to　the　prophecy；　of　course；　that　the　dark　side　would　rise　and　that　one　would　be　born　who　would　bring　balance　to　the　Force　and　to　the　galaxy。　Such　a　potential　chosen　one　was　now　known　among　them；　and　that；　too；　brought　more　than　a　little　trepidation　to　these　hallowed　halls。
　〃Do　you　think　Obi…Wan's　learner　will　be　able　to　bring　balance　to　the　Force？〃　Mace　asked。
　
　Yoda　stopped　walking　and　slowly　turned　to　regard　the　other　Master；　his　expression　showing　a　range　of　emotions　that　reminded　Mace　that　they　didn't　know　what　bringing　balance　to　the　Force　might　truly　mean。　〃Only　if　he　chooses　to　follow　his　destiny；〃　Yoda　replied；　and　as　with　Mace's　question；　the　answer　hung　in　the　air　between　them；　a　spoken　belief　that　could　only　lead　to　more　uncertainty。
　
　Both　Yoda　and　Mace　Windu　understood　the　places　that　some　of　the　Jedi；　at　least；　might　have　to　travel　to　find　the　true　answers；　and　those　places；　emotional　stops　and　not　physical；　could　well　test　all　of　them　to　the　very　limits　of　their　abilities　and　sensibilities。
　
　They　resumed　their　walk；　the　only　sound　the　patter　of　their　footsteps。　In　their　ears；　though；　both　Mace　and　Yoda　heard　the　ominous　echo　of　the　diminutive　Jedi　Master's　dire　words。
　〃Only　by　probing　the　dark　side　can　we　see。〃
　
　Chapter　Eight
　
　The　door　chime　was　not　unexpected；　somehow；　Padme　had　known　that　Anakin　would　e　to　speak　with　her　as　soon　as　the　opportunity　presented　itself。　She　started　for　the　door；　but　paused；　and　moved　instead　to　retrieve　her　robe；　aware　suddenly　that　her　nightgown　was　somewhat　revealing。　Her　movements　again　struck　her　as　curious；　though；　for　never　before　had　Padme　Amidala　harbored　any　feelings　of　modesty。
　
　Still；　she　pulled　the　robe　up　tight　as　she　opened　the　door；　finding；　predictably；　Anakin　Skywalker　standing　before　her。
　〃Hello；〃　he　said；　and　it　seemed　as　if　he　could　hardly　draw　his　breath。
　〃Is　everything　all　right？〃
　
　Anakin　stuttered　over　a　response。　〃Oh　yes；〃　he　finally　managed　to　say。
　〃Yes；　my　Master　has　gone　to　the　lower　levels　to　check　on　Captain　Typho's　security　measures；　but　all　seems　quiet。〃
　〃You　sound　disappointed。〃
　
　Anakin　gave　an　embarrassed　laugh。
　〃You　don't　enjoy　this；〃　Padme　remarked。
　〃There　is　nowhere　else　in　all　the　galaxy　I'd　rather　be；〃　Anakin　blurted；　and　it　was　Padme's　turn　to　give　an　embarrassed　little　laugh。
　〃But　this　。　。　。　inertia；〃　she　reasoned；　and　Anakin　nodded　as　he　caught　on。
　〃We　should　be　more　aggressive　in　our　search　for　the　assassin；〃　he　insisted。
　〃To　sit　back　and　wait　is　to　invite　disaster。〃
　〃Master　Kenobi　does　not　agree。〃
　〃Master　Kenobi　is　bound　by　the　letter　of　the　orders；〃　Anakin　explained。　〃He　won't　take　a　chance　on　doing　anything　that　isn't　explicitly　asked　of　him　by　the　Jedi　Council。〃
　
　Padme　tilted　her　head　and　considered　this　impetuous　young　man　more　carefully。　Was　not　discipline　a　primary　lesson　of　the　Jedi　Knights？　Were　they　not　bound；　strictly　so；　within　the　structure　of　the　Order　and　their　Code？
　
　〃Master　Kenobi　is　not　like　his　own　Master；〃　Anakin　said。　〃Master　Qui…Gon　understood　the　need　for　independent　thinking　and　initiative…otherwise；　he　would　have　left　me　on　Tatooine。〃
　〃And　you　are　more　like　Master　Qui…Gon？〃　Padme　asked。
　〃I　accept　the　duties　I　am　given；　but　demand　the　leeway　I　need　to　see　them　to　a　proper　conclusion。〃
　〃Demand？〃
　
　Anakin　smiled　and　shrugged。　〃Well；　I　ask；　at　least。〃
　〃And　presume；　when　you　can't　get　the　answers　you　desire；〃　Padme　said　with　a　knowing　grin；　though　in　her　heart　she　was　only　half　teasing。
　〃I　do　the　best　I　can　with　every　problem　I　am　given；〃　was　the　strongest　admission　Anakin　would　offer。
　〃And　so　sitting　around　guarding　me　is　not　your　idea　of　fun。〃　〃We　could　be　doing　better　and　more　exciting　things；〃　Anakin　said；　and　there　was　a　double　edge　to　his　voice；　one　that　intrigued　Padme　and　made　her　pull　her　robe　up　even　tighter。
　〃If　we　catch　the　assassin；　we　might　find　the　root　of　these　attempts；〃　the　Padawan　explained；　quickly　putting　the　discussion　back　on　a　professional　level。　〃Either　way；　you　will　be　safer；　and　our　duties　will　be　made　far　easier。〃
　
　Padme's　mind　whirled　as　she　tri