rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第17部分

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peeder　was　open；　so　he　jumped　in；　firing　it　up　and　zooming　away；　off　the　platform　and　then　up；　up；　heading　for　the　line　of　traffic　flowing　high　above。
　
　He　tried　to　get　his　bearings　as　he　rose。　What　side　of　the　building　was　he　now　on？　And　which　side　had　Obi…Wan　flown　away　from？　And　what　angle　had　the　fleeing　probe　droid　taken？
　
　As　he　tried　to　sort　it　all　out；　Anakin　realized　that　only　one　of　two　things　could　possibly　put　him　on　Obi…Wan's　trail；　dumb　luck　or。。。　The　Padawan　fell　into　the　Force　yet　again；　searching　for　the　sensation　that　he　could　identify　as　his　Jedi　Master。
　
　　Zam　Wesell　leaned　against　the　side　of　her　speeder；　impatiently　tapping　her　gloved　fingers　on　the　roof　of　the　old　vehicle。　She　wore　an　oversized　purple　helmet；　front…wedged　and　solid　save　a　small　rectangle　cut　out　about　her　eyes；　but　while　that　hid　her　assumed　beauty；　her　formfitting　grav…suit　showed　every　feminine　curve。
　
　Zam　didn't　think　much　about　it　at　that　time；　though；　for　with　this　particular　mission　it　was　more　important　that　she　merely　blend　in。　Often　she　had　taken　assignments　where　her　assumed　feminine　wiles　had　helped　her　tremendously；　where　she　had　played　upon　the　obvious　weakness　of　a　male　to　get　close。
　
　Those　wiles　weren't　going　to　help　her　with　this　assignment；　though；　and　Zam　knew　it。　This　time；　she　was　out　to　kill　a　woman；　a　Senator；　and　one　who　was　very　well　guarded　by　beings　absolutely　devoted　to　her；　as　protective　of　her　as　a　parent　might　be　to　a　child。　Zam　wondered　what　this　woman　might　have　done　to　so　invoke　the　wrath　of　her　employers。
　
　Or　at　least；　she　started　to　wonder；　as　she　had　started　to　wonder　several　times　since　Jango　had　hired　her　to　kill　the　Senator。　The　professional　assassin　never　truly　let　her　thoughts　travel　down　that　path。　It　wasn't　her　business。　She　was　not　a　moral　gauge　for　anyone；　not　one　to　decide　the　value　of　her　assignment　or　the　justice　or　injustice　involved…she　was　just　a　tool；　in　many　ways；　a　machine。　She　was　the　extension　of　her　employers　and　nothing　more。
　
　Jango　had　bade　her　to　kill　Amidala；　and　so　she　would　kill　Amidala；　fly　back　and　collect　her　due；　and　go　on　to　the　next　assignment。　It　was　clean　and　it　was　simple。
　
　Zam　could　hardly　believe　that　the　explosive　charge　she　had　managed　to　hide　on　the　landing　platform　had　not　done　the　job；　but　she　had　taken　that　lesson　to　heart；　had　e　to　understand　that　the　weaknesses　of　Senator　Amidala　were　not　easily　discerned　and　exploited。
　
　The　changeling　banged　her　fist　on　the　roof　of　the　speeder。　She　hated　that　she　had　been　forced　to　go　outside　for　help；　to　procure　a　probe　droid　to　do　the　task　that　she　so　relished　handling　personally。　But　now　there　were　Jedi　about　Amidala；　by　all　the　rumors；　and　Zam　had　little　desire　to　do　battle　with　one　of　those　troublesome　fanatics。
　
　She　glanced　into　the　speeder；　to　the　timepiece　on　the　console；　and　nodded　grimly。　The　job　should　be　pleted　by　now。　The　poisonous　kouhuns　had　been　delivered；　likely；　and　one　scratch　of　a　venomous　stinger　should　be　more　than　enough。
　
　Zam　stood　up　straight；　sensing　something；　some　sudden　feeling　of　uneasiness。
　
　She　heard　a　cry；　of　surprise　or　of　fear；　and　she　glanced　all　about；　and　then　her　eyes；　within　the　cut…out　rectangle　of　the　helmet；　went　wide　indeed。　She　watched　in　blank　amazement　as　the　probe　droid；　her　programmed　assassin；　wove　through　the　towering　buildings　of　Coruscant；　with　a　man；　dressed　like　a　Jedi；　hanging　on　to　it！　Zam's　fear　lessened　and　her　smile　widened；　though；　as　she　watched　the　droid　go　into　defensive　action；　for　this　one　was　well　programmed。　It　smacked　against　the　side　of　a　building；　nearly　dislodging　the　Jedi；　and　when　that　didn't　work；　the　clever　droid　dived　back　into　the　traffic　lane；　soaring　behind　a　speeder；　just　above　the　vehicle's　exhaust。
　
　The　Jedi　squirmed　and　tucked　and　somehow　managed　to　keep　himself　out　of　that　fiery　exhaust；　and　so　the　droid　swooped　off　to　the　side；　taking　a　different　tack。　It　flew　in　low　over　the　top　of　one　building。
　
　Zam's　eyes　widened　as　she　watched　the　spectacle。　She　was　impressed　at　the　way　the　Jedi　did　not　allow　himself　to　be　slammed　off；　but　rather　tucked　his　legs　enough　to　run　along　the　rooftop　as　the　droid　skimmed　across　it。　Oh；　he　was　good！
　
　This　was　truly　entertaining　to　the　confident　bounty　hunter；　but　enough　was　enough。
　
　Zam　reached　into　the　speeder　and　pulled　out　a　long　blaster　rifle；　casually　lifting　and　leveling。　She　fired　off　a　series　of　shots；　and　explosions　ignited　all　about　the　Jedi　and　the　droid。
　
　Zam　looked　up　from　her　sights；　stunned　to　see　that　the　crafty　man　had　somehow　avoided　those　shots；　had　dodged；　or　had；　she　mused；　used　his　Jedi　powers　to　deflect　them。
　〃Block　this；〃　the　bounty　hunter　said；　raising　the　rifle　again。　Taking　aim　at　the　Jedi's　chest；　she　lifted　the　barrel　just　a　bit　and　squeezed　the　trigger。
　
　The　probe　droid　exploded。
　
　The　Jedi　plummeted　from　sight。
　
　Zam　sighed　and　shrugged；　telling　herself　that　the　cost　of　the　probe　droid　was　worth　the　show。　And　hopefully　the　victory。　If　Senator　Amidala　lay　dead　in　her　room；　then　that　cost　would　be　a　minor　thing　indeed；　for　this　bounty　exceeded　anything　Zam　had　ever　hoped　to　collect。
　
　The　bounty　hunter　slipped　her　rifle　back　into　her　speeder；　then　bent　low　and　squeezed　in；　soaring　off　into　the　Coruscant　traffic　lanes。
　
　　Obi…Wan　screamed　as　he　dropped　。　。　。　ten　stories　。　。　。　twenty。　There　was　nothing　in　his　Jedi　repertoire　to　save　him　this　time。　He　looked　all　about　frantically；　but　there　was　nothing…no　handholds；　no　platform；　no　awning　of　thick　and　padded　cloth。
　
　Nothing。　Just　another　five　hundred　stories　to　the　ground！
　
　He　tried　to　find　his　sense　of　calm；　tried　to　fall　into　the　Force　and　accept　this　unweled　end。
　
　And　then　a　speeder　swooped　beside　him　and　he　saw　that　cocky　smile　of　his　unruly　Padawan；　and　never　in　his　life　had　Obi…Wan　Kenobi　been　happier　to　see　anything。　〃Hitchhikers　usually　stand　on　the　platforms；〃　Anakin　informed　him；　and　he　swooped　the　speeder　near　enough　for　Obi…Wan　to　grab　on。　〃A　novel　approach；　though。　Gets　the　attention　of　passing　traffic。〃
　
　Obi…Wan　was　too　busy　clawing　his　way　into　the　passenger　seat　to　offer　a　retort。　He　finally　settled　in　next　to　Anakin。
　〃I　almost　lost　you　there；〃　the　Padawan　remarked。
　〃No　kidding。　What　took　you　so　long？〃
　
　Anakin　eased　back　in　his　seat；　putting　his　left　arm　up　on　the　door　of　the　open　speeder　and　assuming　a　casual　posture。　〃Oh；　you　know；　Master；〃　he　said　flippantly。　〃I　couldn't　find　a　speeder　I　really　liked。　One　with　an　open　cockpit；　of　course；　and　with　the　right　speed　capabilities　to　catch　your　droid　scooter。　And　then；　you　know；　I　had　to　hold　out　for　just　the　right　color…〃
　〃There！〃　Obi…Wan　shouted；　pointing　up　to　a　closed…in　speeder；　recognizing　it　as　the　one　behind　the　assassin　who　had　been　shooting　at　him。　It　soared　above　them；　and　Anakin　cut　hard　on　the　wheel　and　the　stick；　angling　in　fast　pursuit。
　
　Almost　immediately；　an　arm　came　out　of　the　lead　speeder's　open　window；　holding　a　blaster　pistol；　and　the　bounty　hunter　squeezed　off　a　series　of　shots。
　〃If　you'd　spend　as　much　time　working　on　your　lightsaber　skills　as　you　do　on　your　wit；　young　Padawan；　you　would　rival　Master　Yoda！〃　Obi…Wan　said；　and　he　ducked；　getting　jostled　about；　as　Anakin　cut　a　series　of　evasive　turns。
　〃I　thought　I　already　did。〃
　〃Only　in　your　mind；　my　very　young　Padawan；〃　Obi…Wan　retorted。　He　gave　a　little　cry　and　ducked　reflexively　as　Anakin　dived　in　and　out　of　traffic；　narrowly　missing　several　vehicles。　〃Careful！　Hey；　easy！　You　know　I　don't　like　it　when　you　do　that！〃
　〃Sorry；　I　forgot　you　don't　like　flying；　Master！〃　Anakin　said；　his　voice　rising　at　the　end　as　he　took　the　speeder　down　suddenly　to　avoid　another　blaster　bolt　from　the　stubborn　bounty　hunter。
　〃I　don't　mind　flying；〃　Obi…Wan　insisted。　〃But　what　you're　doing　is　suicide！〃　His　words　nearly　caught　in　his　throat；　along　with　his　stomach；　as　Anakin　cut　hard　to　the　right；　then　dropped　suddenly；　punched　the　throttle；　pulled　back　to　the　left；　and　lifted　the　nose；　zipping　the　speeder　up　through　the　traffic　lane　and　back　in　sight　of　the　bounty　hunter…only　to　see　another　line　of　blaster　bolts　ing　at　them。
　
　Then　the　bounty