rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第41部分

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　〃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　muttered。　He　glanced　down；　surprised　and　at　a　loss　as　to　what　all　of　this　might　mean。
　〃Do　you　like　your　army？〃　Jango　Fett　asked　him。
　〃I　look　forward　to　seeing　them　in　action；〃　the　Jedi　replied。　　　Jango　continued　to　stare　at　him；　to　try　to　see　the　intent　behind　his　words；　Obi…Wan　knew。　And　then；　as　if　it　hardly　mattered；　the　bounty　hunter　gave　a　toothy　smile。　〃They'll　do　their　job　well。　I'll　guarantee　that。〃　〃Like　their　source？〃
　
　Jango　Fett　continued　to　smile。
　〃Thanks　for　your　time；　Jango；〃　Obi…Wan　said　against　that　unpromising　stare。　Then　he　turned　to　Taun　We　and　started　for　the　door。
　〃Always　a　pleasure　to　meet　a　Jedi；〃　came　the　reply。　It　was　heavy　with　double　meaning；　almost　like　a　veiled　threat。
　
　But　Obi…Wan　wasn't　about　to　call　him　on　it。　Jango　Fett　was　clearly　a　dangerous　man；　streetwise　and　cunning；　and　likely　better　than　most　with　any　weapon　handy。　Before　he　pushed　things　any　further；　Obi…Wan　realized　that　he　should　relay　all　that　he　had　learned　thus　far　back　to　Coruscant　and　the　Jedi　Council。　This　discovery　of　a　clone　army　was　nothing　short　of　amazing；　and　more　than　a　little　unsettling；　and　none　of　it　made　much　sense。　And　was　Jango　the　rocket…man　Obi…Wan　had　seen　in　Coruscant　that　night　when　Padme　Amidala　had　been　attacked？
　
　Obi…Wan's　gut　told　him　that　Jango　was；　but　how　did　that　jibe　with　the　man　also　being　the　host　for　a　clone　army　supposedly　missioned　by　a　former　Jedi　Master？
　
　With　Taun　We　beside　him；　the　Jedi　left　the　apartment；　and　the　door　slid　closed　behind　him。　Obi…Wan　paused　and　focused　his　senses　back；　even　reaching　out　with　the　Force。　The　door　lock　quietly　secured。
　
　　〃It　was　his　starfighter；　wasn't　it；　Dad？〃　Boba　Fett　asked。　〃He's　a　Jedi　Knight；　so　he　can　use　the　Arfour…Pea。〃　Jango　gave　his　son　an　absent　nod。
　〃I　knew　it！〃　Boba　squealed；　but　then　Jango　abruptly　stole　the　moment。　Jango　fixed　Boba　with　a　no…nonsense　look　that　the　young　boy　had　learned　well　not　to　ignore。
　〃What　is　it；　Dad？〃
　〃Pack　your　things。　We're　leaving。〃
　
　Boba　started　to　reply；　but…
　
　〃Now；〃　the　bounty　hunter　said；　and　Boba　practically　tripped　over　himself；　scrambling　for　his　bedroom。
　
　Jango　Fett　shook　his　head。　He　didn't　need　this　aggravation。　Not　at　this　time。　Not　for　the　first　time；　the　bounty　hunter　questioned　his　decision　to　take　the　contract　against　Padme　Amidala。　He　had　been　surprised　when　the　Trade　Federation　had　approached　him　with　the　offer。　They　had　been　adamant；　explaining　only　that　the　death　of　the　Senator　was　critical　to　securing　necessary　allies；　and　they　had　made　an　offer　too　lucrative　for　Jango　to　refuse；　one　that　would　set　him　and　Boba　up　forever　on　a　planet　of　their　choosing。
　
　Little　had　Jango　known；　though；　that　taking　the　contract　on　Senator　Amidala　would　put　him　in　the　crosshairs　of　the　Jedi　Knights。
　
　He　looked　across　the　way　to　Boba。
　
　That　was　not　a　place　he　wanted　to　be　at　this　time。　Not　at　all。
　
　Chapter　Seventeen
　
　Padme　awoke　suddenly；　her　senses　immediately　tuning　in　to　her　surroundings。　Something　was　wrong；　she　knew　instinctively；　and　she　jumped　up；　scrambling　about　out　of　fear　that　another　of　those　centipede　creatures　was　upon　her。　But　her　room　was　quiet；　with　nothing　out　of　place。　Something　had　awakened　her；　but　not　something　in　here。　〃No！〃　came　a　cry　from　the　adjoining　bedroom；　where　Anakin　was　sleeping。　〃No！　Mom！　No；　don't！〃
　
　Padme　slipped　out　of　bed　and　ran　to　the　door；　not　even　bothering　to　grab　a　robe；　not　even　caring　or　noticing　that　she　was　wearing　a　revealing　silken　shift。　At　the　door；　she　paused　and　listened。　Hearing　cries　from　within；　followed　by　more　jumbled　yelling；　she　realized　that　there　was　no　immediate　danger；　that　this　was　another　of　Anakin's　nightmares；　like　the　one　that　had　gripped　him　on　the　shuttle　ride　to　Naboo。　She　opened　the　door　and　looked　in　on　him。
　
　He　was　thrashing　about　on　the　bed；　yelling　〃Mom！〃　repeatedly。　Unsure；　Padm　started　in。
　
　But　then　Anakin　calmed　and　rolled　back　over；　the　dream；　the　vision；　apparently　past。
　
　Then　Padme　did　bee　aware　of　her　revealing　dress。　She　moved　back　through　the　door；　shutting　it　gently；　then　waited　for　a　long　while。　When　she　heard　no　further　screaming　or　tossing；　she　went　back　to　her　bed。
　
　She　lay　awake　in　the　dark　for　a　long；　long　while；　thinking　of　Anakin；　thinking　that　she　wanted　to　be　in　there　beside　him；　holding　him；　helping　him　through　his　troubled　dreams。　She　tried　to　dismiss　the　notion…they　had　already　covered　this　dangerous　ground　and　had　e　to　an　understanding　of　what　must　be。　And　that　agreement　did　not　include　her　climbing　into　bed　beside　Anakin。
　
　The　next　morning；　she　found　him　on　the　east　balcony　of　the　lodge；　overlooking　the　lake　and　the　budding　sunrise。　He　was　standing　by　the　balustrade；　so　deep　in　thought　that　he　did　not　notice　her　approach。　She　moved　up　slowly；　not　wanting　to　disturb　him；　for　as　she　neared；　she　realized　that　he　was　doing　more　than　thinking　here；　that　he　was　actually　deep　in　meditation。　Recognizing　this　as　a　private　time　for　Anakin；　she　turned　and　started　away；　as　quietly　as　she　could。
　〃Don't　go；〃　Anakin　said　to　her。
　〃I　don't　want　to　disturb　you；〃　she　told　him；　surprised。
　〃Your　presence　is　soothing。〃
　
　Padme　considered　those　words　for　a　bit；　taking　pleasure　in　hearing　them；　then　scolding　herself　for　taking　that　pleasure。　But　still；　as　she　stood　there　looking　upon　him；　his　face　now　serene；　she　couldn't　deny　the　attraction。　He　seemed　to　her　like　a　young　hero；　a　budding　Jedi…and　she　had　no　doubt　that　he　would　be　among　the　greatest　that　great　Order　had　ever　known。　And　at　the　same　time；　he　seemed　to　her　to　be　the　same　little　kid　she　had　known　during　the　war　with　the　Trade　Federation；　inquisitive　and　impetuous；　aggravating　and　charming　all　at　once。
　〃You　had　a　nightmare　again　last　night；〃　she　said　quietly；　when　Anakin　at　last　opened　his　blue　eyes。
　〃Jedi　don't　have　nightmares；〃　came　the　defiant　reply。　〃I　heard　you；〃　Padm　was　quick　to　answer。　Anakin　turned　to　regard　her。　There　was　no　promise　in　her　expression…she　knew　perfectly　well　that　his　claim　was　ludicrous；　and　she　let　him　know　that　she　knew　it。
　〃I　saw　my　mother；〃　he　admitted；　lowering　his　gaze。　〃I　saw　her　as　clearly　as　I　see　you　now。　She　is　suffering；　Padme。　They're　killing　her！　She　is　in　pain！〃
　〃Who？〃　Padme　asked；　moving　toward　him；　putting　a　hand　on　his　shoulder。　When　she　looked　at　him　more　closely；　she　noted　a　determination　so　solid　that　it　took　her　by　surprise。
　〃I　know　I'm　disobeying　my　mandate　to　protect　you；〃　Anakin　tried　to　explain。
　〃I　know　I　will　be　punished　and　possibly　thrown　out　of　the　Jedi　Order；　but　I　have　to　go。〃　〃Go？〃
　〃I　have　to　help　her！　I'm　sorry；　Padme；〃　he　said。　She　saw　from　his　expression　that　he　meant　it；　that　leaving　her　was　the　last　thing　he　ever　wanted　to　do。　〃I　don't　have　a　choice。〃
　〃Of　course　you　don't。　Not　if　your　mother　is　in　trouble。〃
　
　Anakin　gave　her　an　appreciative　nod。
　〃I'll　go　with　you；〃　she　decided。
　
　Anakin's　eyes　widened。　He　started　to　reply；　ready　to　argue；　but　Padme's　smile　held　his　words　in　check。
　〃That　way；　you　can　continue　to　protect　me；〃　she　reasoned。
　
　Somehow　she　made　it　sound　perfectly　logical。　〃And　you　won't　be　disobeying　your　mandate。〃
　〃I　don't　think　this　is　what　the　Jedi　Council　had　in　mind。　I　fear　that　I'm　walking　into　danger；　and　to　take　you　with　me…〃
　〃Walking　into　danger；〃　Padme　echoed；　and　she　laughed　aloud。　〃A　place　I've　never　been　before。〃
　
　Anakin　stared　at　her；　hardly　believing　what　he　was　hearing。　He　couldn't　resist；　though；　and　his　smile；　too；　began　to　widen。　For　some　reason　he　did　not　quite　understand；　the　Padawan　found　a　good　measure　of　justification　in　his　abandoning　the　letter　of　his　orders　now　that　Padme　was　in　on；　and　agreeing　with；　the　plan。
　
　　Neither　Padme　nor　Anakin　could　miss　the　stark　contrast　when　they　took　her　sleek　starship　out　of　hyperspace　and　saw　the　brown　planet　of　Tatooine　looming　before　them。　How　different　it　was　from　Naboo；　a　place　of　green　grasses　and　deep　blue　water；　with　cloud　patterns　swirling　all　across　it。　Tatooi