rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第3部分

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id　away。
　〃You're　just　terrible　to　that　poor　droid；〃　she　remarked；　moving　beside　her　husband　and　playfully　patting　him　across　his　broad　shoulder。
　〃Well；　if　I　can't　have　fun　with　him；　I'll　have　to　set　my　sights　on　someone　else；〃　the　rarely　mischievous　Cliegg　replied；　narrowing　his　eyes　and　scanning　the　room。　He　finally　settled　a　threatening　gaze　on　Beru。
　〃Cliegg；〃　Shmi　was　quick　to　warn。
　〃What？〃　he　protested　dramatically。　〃If　she's　thinking　to　e　out　and　live　here；　then　she　had　better　learn　to　defend　herself！〃　〃Dad！　〃Owen　cried。
　〃Oh；　don't　fret　about　old　Cliegg；〃　Beru　piped　in；　emphasizing　the　word　old。
　〃A　fine　wife　I　would　make　if　I　couldn't　out…duel　that　one　in　a　war　of　words！〃
　〃Aha！　A　challenge！〃　Cliegg　roared。
　〃Not　so　much　of　one　from　where　I'm　sitting；〃　Beru　dryly　returned；　and　she　and　Cliegg　began　exchanging　some　good…natured　insults；　with　Owen　chiming　in　every　now　and　again。
　
　Shmi　hardly　listened；　too　engaged　in　merely　watching　Beru。　Yes；　she　would　certainly　fit　in；　and　well；　about　the　moisture　farm。　Her　temperament　was　perfect。　Solid；　but　playful　when　the　situation　allowed。　Gruff　Cliegg　could　verbally　spar　with　the　best　of　them；　but　Beru　had　to　be　counted　among　that　elite　lot。　Shmi　went　back　to　her　dinner　preparations；　her　smile　growing　wider　every　time　Beru　hit　Cliegg　with　a　particularly　nasty　retort。
　
　Intent　on　her　work；　Shmi　never　saw　the　missile　ing；　and　when　the　overripe　vegetable　hit　her　on　the　side　of　the　face；　she　let　out　a　shriek。　Of　course；　that　only　made　the　other　three　in　the　room　howl　with　laughter。　Shmi　turned　to　see　them　sitting　there；　staring　at　her。　From　the　embarrassed　expression　on　Beru's　face；　and　from　the　angle；　with　Beru　sitting　directly　behind　Cliegg；　it　seemed　obvious　to　Shmi　that　Beru　had　launched　the　missile；　aiming　for　Cliegg；　but　throwing　a　bit　high。
　〃The　girl　listens　when　you　tell　her　to　stop；〃　Cliegg　Lars　said；　his　sarcastic　tone　shattered　by　a　burst　of　laughter　that　came　right　from　his　belly。
　
　He　stopped　when　Shmi　smacked　him　with　a　piece　of　juicy　fruit；　splattering　it　across　his　shoulders。
　
　A　food　fight　began…measured；　of　course；　and　with　more　threats　hurled　than　actual　missiles。
　
　When　it　ended；　Shmi　began　the　cleanup；　the　other　three　helping　for　a　bit。　〃You　two　go　and　spend　some　time　together　without　your　troublemaking　father；〃　Shmi　told　Owen　and　Bern。　〃Cliegg　started　it；　so　Cliegg　will　help　clean　it　up。　Go　on；　now。　I'll　call　you　back　when　dinner's　on　the　table。〃　Cliegg　gave　a　little　laugh。
　〃And　if　you　mess　up　the　next　one；　you're　going　to　be　hungry；〃　Shmi　told　him；　threateningly　waving　a　spoon　his　way。　〃And　lonely！〃
　〃Whoa！　Never　that！〃　Cliegg　said；　holding　his　hands　up　in　a　sign　of　surrender。
　
　With　a　wave　of　the　spoon；　Shmi　further　dismissed　Owen　and　Beru；　and　the　two　went　off　happily。
　〃She'll　make　him　a　fine　wife；〃　Shmi　said　to　Cliegg。
　
　He　walked　up　beside　her　and　grabbed　her　about　the　waist；　pulling　her　tight。
　〃We　Lars　men　fall　in　love　with　the　best　women。〃
　
　Shmi　looked　back　to　see　his　warm　and　sincere　smile；　and　she　returned　it　in　kind。　This　was　the　way　it　was　supposed　to　be。　Good　honest　work；　a　sense　of　true　acplishment；　and　enough　free　time　for　some　fun；　at　least。　This　was　the　life　Shmi　had　always　wanted。　This　was　perfect；　almost。
　
　A　wistful　look　came　over　her　face。
　〃Thinking　of　your　boy　again；〃　Cliegg　Lars　stated；　instead　of　asked。　Shmi　looked　at　him；　her　expression　a　mixture　of　joy　and　sadness；　a　single　dark　cloud　crossing　a　sunny　blue　sky。　〃Yes；　but　it's　okay　this　time；〃　she　said。　〃He's　safe；　I　know；　and　doing　great　things。〃　〃But　when　we　have　such　fun；　you　wish　he　could　be　here。〃
　
　Shmi　smiled　again。　〃I　do；　and　in　all　other　times；　as　well。　I　wish　Anakin　had　been　here　from　the　beginning；　since　you　and　I　first　met。〃
　〃Five　years　ago；〃　Cliegg　remarked。
　〃He　would　love　you　as　I　do；　and　he　and　Owen　。　。　。〃　Her　voice　weakened　and　trailed　away。
　〃You　think　that　Anakin　and　Owen　would　be　friends？〃　Cliegg　asked。　〃Bah！　Of　course　they　would！〃
　〃You've　never　even　met　my　Annie！〃　Shmi　scolded。
　〃They'd　be　the　best　of　friends；〃　Cliegg　assured　her；　tightening　his　hug　once　again。　〃How　could　they　not　be；　with　you　as　that　one's　mother？〃　Shmi　accepted　the　pliment　gracefully；　looked　back　and　gave　Cliegg　a　deep　and　appreciative　kiss。　She　was　thinking　of　Owen；　of　the　young　man's　flowering　romance　with　the　lovely　Beru。　How　Shmi　loved　them　both！
　
　But　that　thought　brought　with　it　some　level　of　disfort。　Shmi　had　often　wondered　if　Owen　had　been　part　of　the　reason　she　had　so　readily　agreed　to　marry　Cliegg。　She　looked　back　at　her　husband；　rubbing　her　hand　over　his　broad　shoulder。　Yes；　she　loved　him；　and　deeply；　and　she　certainly　couldn't　deny　her　joy　at　finally　being　relieved　of　her　slave　bonds。　But　despite　all　of　that；　what　part　had　the　presence　of　Owen　played　in　her　decisions？　It　had　been　a　question　that　had　stayed　with　her　all　these　years。　Had　there　been　a　need　in　her　heart　that　Owen　had　filled？　A　mother's　need　to　cover　the　hole　left　by　Anakin's　departure？
　
　In　truth；　the　two　boys　were　very　different　in　temperament。　Owen　was　solid　and　staid；　the　rock　who　would　gladly　take　over　the　farm　from　Cliegg　when　the　time　came；　as　this　moisture　farm　had　been　passed　down　in　the　Lars　family　from　generation　to　generation。　Owen　was　ready；　and　even　thrilled；　to　be　the　logical　and　rightful　heir　to　the　place；　more　than　able　to　accept　the　often　difficult　lifestyle　in　exchange　for　the　pride　and　sense　of　honest　acplishment　that　came　with　running　the　place　correctly。
　
　But　Annie　。　。　。
　
　Shmi　nearly　laughed　aloud　as　she　considered　her　impetuous　and　wanderlust…　filled　son　put　in　a　similar　situation。　She　had　no　doubts　that　Anakin　would　give　Cliegg　the　same　fits　he　had　always　given　Watto。　Anakin's　adventurous　spirit　would　not　be　tamed　by　any　sense　of　generational　responsibility；　Shmi　knew。　His　need　to　leap　out　for　adventure；　to　race　the　Pods；　to　fly　among　the　stars；　would　not　have　been　diminished；　and　it　surely　would　have　driven　Cliegg　crazy。
　
　Now　Shmi　did　giggle；　picturing　Cliegg　turning　red…faced　with　exasperation　when　Anakin　had　let　his　duties　slide　once　again。
　
　Cliegg　hugged　her　all　the　tighter　at　the　sound；　obviously　having　no　clue　of　the　mental　images　fluttering　through　her　brain。
　
　Shmi　melted　into　that　hug；　knowing　that　she　was　where　she　belonged；　and　taking　fort　in　the　hope　that　Anakin；　too；　was　where　he　truly　belonged。
　
　　She　wasn't　wearing　one　of　the　grand　gowns　that　had　marked　the　station　of　her　life　for　the　last　decade　and　more。　Her　hair　was　not　done　up　in　wondrous　fashion；　with　some　glittering　accessory　woven　into　the　thick　brown　strands。　And　in　that　plainness；　Padme　Amidala　only　appeared　more　beautiful　and　more　shining。
　
　The　woman　sitting　beside　her　on　the　bench　swing；　so　obviously　a　relation；　was　a　bit　older；　a　bit　more　matronly；　perhaps；　clothes　even　more　plain　than　Padme's　and　with　her　hair　a　bit　more　out　of　place。　But　she　was　no　less　beautiful；　shining　with　an　inner　glow　equally　strong。
　〃Did　you　finish　your　meetings　with　Queen　Jamillia？〃　Sola　asked。　It　was　obvious　from　her　tone　that　the　meetings　to　which　she　had　referred　were　not　high　on　her　personal　wish　list。
　
　Padme　looked　over　at　her；　then　looked　back　to　the　playhouse　where　Sola's　daughters；　Ryoo　and　Pooja；　were　in　the　midst　of　a　wild　game　of　tag。
　〃It　was　one　meeting；〃　Padme　explained。　〃The　Queen　had　some　information　to　pass　along。〃
　〃About　the　Military　Creation　Act；〃　Sola　stated。
　
　Padme　didn't　bother　to　confirm　the　obvious。　The　Military　Creation　Act　now　before　the　Senate　was　the　most　important　piece　of　business　in　many　years；　one　that　held　implications　for　the　Republic　even　beyond　those　during　the　dark　time　when　Padme　had　been　Queen　and　the　Trade　Federation　had　tried　to　conquer　Naboo。
　〃The　Republic　is　all　in　a　tumult；　but　not　to　fear；　for　Senator　Amidala　will　put　it　all　aright；〃　Sola　said。
　
　Padme　turned　to　her；　somewhat　surprised　by　the　level　of　sarcasm　in　Sola's　tone。
　〃That's　what　you　do；　right？〃　Sola　innocently　asked。
　〃It's　what　I　try　to　do。〃
　〃It's　all　you　try　to　do。〃
　〃What　is　that　supposed　to　mean？〃　Padme　asked；　her　face　twisting　with　puzzlement。　〃I　am　a　Senator；　after