rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第40部分

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s　this　man　selected　by　Sifo…　Dyas　as　the　perfect　source　for　a　clone　army？
　
　Lama　Su　looked　to　Taun　We；　who　nodded　and　said；　〃I　would　be　most　happy　to　arrange　it　for　you。〃
　
　She　left　them；　then；　as　the　tour　continued；　with　Lama　Su　taking　Obi…Wan　along　the　areas　that　showed　him　pretty　much　the　entire　routine　of　the　clones　at　every　level　of　their　development。　The　culmination　came　later　on；　when　Taun　We　rejoined　the　pair　on　a　balcony；　sheltered　from　the　brutal　wind　and　rain　and　overlooking　a　huge　parade　ground。　Below　them；　thousands　and　thousands　of　clone　troopers；　dressed　in　white　armor　and　wearing　full…face　helmets；　marched　and　drilled　with　all　the　precision　of　programmed　droids。　Entire　formations；　each　made　up　of　hundreds　of　soldiers；　moved　as　one。
　〃Magnificent；　aren't　they？〃　Lama　Su　said。
　
　Obi…Wan　looked　up　at　the　Kaminoan；　to　see　his　eyes　glowing　with　pride　as　he　looked　out　upon　his　creation。　There　were　no　ethical　dilemmas　as　far　as　Lama　Su　was　concerned；　Obi…Wan　knew　immediately。　Perhaps　that　was　why　the　Kaminoans　were　so　good　at　cloning：　their　consciences　never　got　in　the　way。　Lama　Su　looked　down　at　him；　smiling　widely；　prompting　a　response；　and　Obi…　Wan　offered　a　silent　nod。
　
　Yes；　they　were　magnificent；　and　the　Jedi　could　only　imagine　the　brutal　efficiency　this　group　would　exhibit　in　battle；　in　the　arena　for　which　they　were　grown。
　
　Once　again；　a　shudder　coursed　down　Obi…Wan　Kenobi's　spine。　For　the　first　time；　he　appreciated　Senator　Amidala's　crusade　to　stop　the　creation　of　an　Army　of　the　Republic；　and　the　inevitable　consequence：　war！
　
　　A　Jedi　Knight　here　on　Kamino。　The　thought　was　more　than　a　little　unsettling　to　Jango　Fett。
　
　The　bounty　hunter　fell　back　in　his　seat　and　tightened　his　face　in　frustration…such　were　the　problems　with　working　for　the　Trade　Federation。　They　were　masters　at　weaving　deception　within　deception；　and　they　were　up　to　so　much　right　now　that　there　was　no　single　focus　Jango　could　determine。　He　looked　across　the　room　at　Boba；　who　was　hard　at　work　poring　over　the　schematics　and　capabilities　of　a　Delta…7　starfighter；　and　matching　them　up　against　the　known　strengths　and　weaknesses　of　an　R4…P　unit。　Life　was　so　simple　for　the　boy；　Jango　thought　with　a　touch　of　envy。　For　Boba；　there　was　the　love　of　and　for　his　father；　and　his　studies。　Other　than　those　two　givens；　the　only　real　challenge　before　the　boy　was　in　finding　enjoyable　things　to　do　at　those　times　when　Jango　was　away　or　busy　with　the　Kaminoans。
　
　At　that　moment；　looking　at　his　son；　Jango　Fett　felt　vulnerable；　so　very　vulnerable；　and　it　was　not　an　emotion　with　which　he　was　the　least　bit　fortable。　He　almost　told　Boba　to　go　and　pack；　then　and　there；　so　they　could　blast　away　from　Kamino；　but　he　recognized　the　danger　of　that　course。　He　would　be　leaving　without　learning　anything　about　his　potential　enemy；　this　Jedi　Knight　who　had　arrived　unexpectedly。　His　boss　would　want　that　information。
　
　And　Jango　would　need　that　information。　If　he　took　off　now；　after　receiving　a　note　from　Taun　We　telling　him　that　he　would　be　receiving　a　visitor　later　that　same　day；　it　would　be　fairly　obvious　that　he　was　fleeing。
　
　Then　he'd　have　a　Jedi　Knight　on　his　tail；　and　one　about　whom　he　knew　practically　nothing。
　
　Jango　continued　to　stare　at　Boba；　at　the　only　thing　that　really　mattered。
　〃Play　it　cool；〃　he　whispered　to　himself。　〃You're　nothing　more　than　a　clone　source；　well　paid　enough　to　want　to　know　nothing　about　why　you're　being　cloned。〃
　
　That　was　his　litany；　that　was　his　plan。　And　it　had　to　work。　For　Boba's　sake。
　
　　A　wave　of　Taun　We's　hand　brought　forth　the　chime　of　an　unseen　bell；　reminding　Obi…Wan　yet　again　of　how　foreign　this　world　of　Kamino；　this　city　of　Tipoca；　really　was。　He　didn't　give　it　much　thought；　though；　for　he　was　focused　on　the　locking　mechanism　on　the　door　before　him；　an　elaborate　electronic　clasp　and　bolt。　Quite　a　bit　of　security；　it　seemed　to　him；　given　the　supposedly　genteel　nature　of　Jango　Fett's　relationship　with　the　Kaminoans；　and　the　obvious　control　the　cloners　held　over　their　city。　Was　the　locking　mechanism　designed　to　keep　people　out；　or　to　keep　Jango　in？　Likely　the　former；　he　reasoned。　Jango　was　a　bounty　hunter；　after　all。
　
　Perhaps　he　had　made　more　than　a　few　dangerous　enemies。
　
　He　was　still　studying　the　device　when　the　door　suddenly　opened；　revealing　a　young　boy；　an　exact　replica　of　those　Obi…Wan　had　been　viewing　all　day。　The　identical　one　that　Jango　had　demanded；　only　this　one　was　actually　ten　years　old。
　〃Boba；〃　Taun　We　said　with　great　familiarity；　〃is　your　father　home？〃　Boba　Fett　stood　staring　at　the　human　visitor　for　a　long　moment。　〃Yep。〃
　〃May　we　see　him？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Boba　answered。　He　stepped　back；　but　his　eyes　never　left　Obi…Wan　as　the　Jedi　and　Taun　We　stepped　across　the　threshold。
　〃Dad！　〃Boba　yelled。
　
　The　title　struck　Obi…Wan　as　curious；　given　that　this　was　a　clone　and　not　a　natural　son。　Was　there　a　connection　here？　A　real　one？　Had　Jango　wanted　the　exact　replica　not　for　any　professional　gain　but　simply　because　he　had　wanted　a　son？
　
　〃Dad！〃　the　boy　shouted　again。　〃Taun　We's　here！〃
　
　Jango　Fett　walked　in；　dressed　in　simple　shirt　and　trousers。　Obi…Wan　recognized　him　immediately；　though　he　was　many　years　older　than　the　oldest　clone；　his　face　scarred　and　pitted；　and　unshaven。　His　body　had　thickened　with　age；　but　he　was　still　physically　imposing；　much　like　many　of　the　old　gutter　dwellers　Obi…Wan　encountered　in　far…flung　places。　A　few　extra　pounds；　sure；　but　those　covered　muscles　hardened　by　years　of　tough　living。　Tattoos　crossed　both　of　Jango's　muscular　forearms；　of　a　strange　design　that　Obi…Wan　did　not　recognize。
　
　As　he　glanced　up；　he　recognized　the　clear　suspicion　with　which　Jango　was　eyeing　him。　The　man　was　on　edge　here；　dangerously　so；　Obi…Wan　understood。
　〃Wele　back；　Jango；〃　Taun　We　remarked。　〃Was　your　trip　productive？〃
　
　Obi…Wan　studied　the　bounty　hunter　intensely。　Back　from　where？　But　Jango　was　a　professional；　and　his　expression　revealed　not　the　slightest　tic　or　wince。
　〃Fairly；〃　the　man　casually　offered。　He　continued　to　size　up　Obi…Wan　as　he　spoke；　his　eyes　narrowing　in　an　almost　open　threat。
　〃This　is　Jedi　Master　Obi…Wan　Kenobi；〃　Taun　We　said；　her　tone　lighter；　obviously　an　attempt　to　relieve　some　of　the　palpable　tension。　〃He's　e　to　check　on　our　progress。〃
　〃That　right？〃　If　Jango　cared；　his　tone　didn't　show　it。
　〃Your　clones　are　very　impressive；〃　Obi…Wan　said。　〃You　must　be　very　proud。〃
　〃I'm　just　a　simple　man　trying　to　make　my　way　in　the　universe；　Master　Jedi。〃
　〃Aren't　we　all？〃　Obi…Wan　finally　broke　eye　contact　with　Jango　as　he　spoke；　scanning　the　room；　looking　for　clues。　He　focused　on　the　half…open　door　through　which　Jango　had　appeared；　and　thought　he　saw　pieces　of　body　armor　in　there；　battered　and　stained；　much　like　that　worn　by　a　rocket…man　after　delivering　a　toxic　dart　into　the　changeling　Zam　Wesell。　And　he　saw　a　curving　bluish　line；　like　the　goggle　and　breather　area　of　the　helmet　he　had　seen　back　on　Coruscant。　Before　he　could　scrutinize　the　sight　any　more　closely；　though；　Jango　walked　in　front　of　him；　pointedly　blocking　his　view。
　〃Ever　make　your　way　as　far　into　the　interior　as　Coruscant？〃　Obi…Wan　asked；　rather　bluntly。
　〃Once　or　twice。〃
　〃Recently？〃
　
　Again　the　bounty　hunter's　gaze　became　obviously　suspicious。　〃Possibly。。。〃
　〃Then　you　must　know　Master　Sifo…Dyas；〃　Obi…Wan　remarked；　not　out　of　any　logical　follow…up　reasoning；　but　simply　to　gauge　the　man's　reaction。　There　was　none；　nor　did　Jango　Fett　move　a　centimeter　out　of　Obi…Wan's　line　of　sight；　and　when　the　Jedi　tried　to　subtly　alter　his　angle　to　gain　a　view；
　
　Jango　said；　in　a　coded　language；　〃Boba；　close　the　door。〃
　
　Not　until　that　bedroom　door　shut　did　Jango　Fett　move　to　the　side；　and　then　it　seemed　to　Obi…Wan　as　if　the　man　was　stalking　him。　〃Master　who？〃　Jango　asked。
　〃Sifo…Dyas。　Isn't　he　the　one　who　hired　you　for　this　job？〃
　〃Never　heard　of　him；〃　Jango　replied；　and　if　there　was　a　lie　in　his　words；　Obi…Wan　could　not　detect　it。
　〃Really？〃
　〃I　was　recruited　by　a　man　called　Tyranus　on　one　of　the　moons　of　Bogden；〃　Jango　explained；　and　again　it　seemed　to　Obi…Wan　as　if　he　was　speaking　truthfully。
　〃Curious　。　。　。〃　Obi…Wan　mutter