rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第42部分

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it。　Tatooine　was　just　a　ball　of　brown　hanging　in　space；　as　barren　as　Naboo　was　alive。
　〃Home　again；　home　again；　to　go　to　rest；〃　Anakin　recited；　a　mon　children's　rhyme。
　〃By　hearth　and　heart；　house　and　nest；〃　Padme　added。　Anakin　looked　over　at　her；　pleasantly　surprised。　〃You　know　it？〃
　〃Doesn't　everyone？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Anakin　said。　〃I　mean；　I　wasn't　sure　if　anyone　else　。。。　I　thought　it　was　a　rhyme　my　mother　made　up　for　me。〃
　〃Oh；　I'm　sorry；〃　Padme　said。　〃Maybe　she　did…maybe　hers　was　different　than　the　one　my　mother　used　to　tell　me。〃　Anakin　shook　his　head　doubtfully；　but　he　wasn't　bothered　by　the　possibility。　In　a　strange　way；　he　was　glad　that　Padme　knew　the　rhyme；　glad　that　it　was　a　mon　gift　from　mothers　to　their　children。
　
　And　glad；　especially；　that　he　and　Padme　had　yet　another　thing　in　mon。　〃They　haven't　signaled　any　coordinates　yet；〃　she　noted。
　〃They　probably　won't；　unless　we　ask；〃　Anakin　replied。　〃Things　aren't　very　strict　here；　usually。　Just　find　a　place　and　park　it；　then　hope　no　one　steals　it　while　you　go　about　your　business。〃
　〃As　lovely　as　I　remember　it。〃
　
　Anakin　looked　at　her　and　nodded。　How　different　things　were　now　than　that　decade　before　when　Padme　had　been　forced　to　land　on　Tatooine　with　Obi…Wan　and　Qui…Gon　in　order　to　effect　repairs　on　their　ship。　He　tried　to　manage　a　smile；　but　the　edge　of　his　nervousness　kept　it　from　appearing　genuine。　Too　many　disturbing　thoughts　assaulted　him。　Was　his　mother　all　right？　Was　his　dream　a　premonition　of　what　was　to　e；　or　a　replay　of　something　that　had　already　happened？
　
　He　brought　the　ship　down　fast；　breaking　through　the　atmosphere　and　soaring　across　the　sky。　〃Mos　Espa；〃　he　explained　when　the　skyscape　of　the　city　came　into　sight　against　the　horizon。
　
　He　went　in　hard；　and　some　protests　did　squeal　over　the　link。　But　Anakin　knew　his　way　around　this　place　as　surely　as　if　he　had　never　left。　He　did　a　flyby　over　the　edge　of　the　city；　then　put　the　starship　down　in　a　large　landing　bay　amid　a　jumble　of　vessels　of　all　merchant　and　mercenary　classes。　〃Yous　can't　just　drop　in　uninvited！〃　barked　the　dock　officer；　a　stout　creature　with　a　piggish　face　and　spikes　running　down　the　length　of　his　back　and　tail。
　〃It's　a　good　thing　you　invited　us；　then；〃　Anakin　said　calmly；　with　a　slight　wave　of　his　hand。
　〃Yes；　it's　a　good　thing　I　invited　you　then！〃　the　officer　happily　replied；　and　Anakin　and　Padme　walked　past。
　〃Anakin；　you're　bad；〃　Padme　said　as　they　exited　onto　the　dusty　street。
　〃It's　not　like　there　are　dozens　of　ships　lined　up　to　fill　the　bay；〃　Anakin　replied；　feeling　pretty　good　about　himself　and　the　ease　with　which　he　had　Force…convinced　the　piggish　officer。　He　waved　down　a　floating　rickshaw　pulled　by　an　ES…PSA　droid；　a　short　and　thin　creature　with　a　wheel　where　its　legs　should　have　been。
　
　Anakin　gave　it　the　address　and　off　it　went；　pulling　them　behind　in　the　floating　rickshaw；　charging　along　the　streets　of　Mos　Espa；　expertly　zigging　and　zagging　to　avoid　the　heavy　traffic；　and　blasting　forth　a　shrill　sound　whenever　someone　didn't　get　out　of　die　way。
　〃Do　you　think　he　was　involved？〃　Padme　asked　Anakin。
　〃Watto？〃
　〃Yes；　that　was　his　name；　right？　Your　former　master？〃
　〃If　Watto　has　hurt　my　mother　in　any　way；　I　will　pluck　his　wings　from　his　back；〃　he　promised；　meaning　every　word。　He　wasn't　sure　how　he　would　feel　about　seeing　the　slaver；　even　if　Watto　had　nothing　to　do　with　bringing　any　harm　to　Shmi。　Watto　had　treated　him　better　than　most　in　Mos　Espa　treated　their　slaves；　and　hadn't　beaten　him　too　often；　but　still；　it　hung　in　Anakin's　thoughts　that　Watto　had　not　let　Shmi　go　with　him　when　Obi…Wan　and　Qui…Gon　had　bought　out　his　slave　debt。　Anakin　understood　that　he　was　probably　just　deflecting　some　of　his　own　guilt　about　leaving　his　mother　with　Watto；　who　was　a　businessman；　after　all。
　〃Here；　Espasa；〃　Anakin　said　to　the　droid；　and　the　rickshaw　glided　to　a　stop　in　front　of　a　shop　all　too　familiar　to　Anakin　Sky…walker。　There；　sitting　on　a　stool　near　the　door；　fiddling　with　an　electronic　driver　on　a　broken　piece　of　equipment　that　looked　like　a　droid　ponent；　was　a　rounded；　winged　Toydarian　with　a　long　snout。　A　black　round　hat　adorned　his　head；　and　a　small　vest　was　pulled　as　far　as　it　would　go　about　his　girth。　Anakin　recognized　him　immediately。
　
　He　paused　for　so　long　in　just　staring　at　Watto　that　Padme　got　out　before　him　and　held　her　hand　to　help　him。　〃Wait　here；〃　she　instructed　the　droid。
　〃Please。〃　〃No　chuba　da　wanga；　da　wanga！〃　Watto　yelled　at　the　broken　ponent；　and　at　a　trio　of　pit　droids　who　were　scrambling　all　about；　trying　to　help。
　〃Huttese；〃　Anakin　explained　to　Padme。　〃No；　not　that　one…that　one！〃　she　replied；　and　at　Anakin's　expression　of　surprise　that　she　knew　the　strange　language；　she　added；　〃You　think　it's　easy　being　the　Queen？〃
　
　Anakin　shook　his　head　and　looked　back　to　Watto；　then　glanced　at　Padme　once　or　twice　as　they　neared。　〃Chut　chut；　Watto；〃　he　greeted。
　〃Ke　booda？〃　came　the　surprised　response。　〃Di　nova；　chut　chut；〃　Anakin　reiterated；　his　words　barely　audible　above　the　clamoring　pit　droids。
　〃Go　ana　bopa！〃　Watto　yelled　at　the　trio；　and　on　his　mand；　they　immediately　shut　down　and　snapped　back　into　their　storage　position。
　〃Ding　mi　chasa　hopa；〃　Anakin　offered；　taking　the　piece　of　the　broken　droid　from　Watto；　and　manipulating　it　expertly。　Watto　watched　him　for　a　moment；　his　buglike　eyes　growing　even　larger　in　surprise。
　〃Ke　booda？〃　he　asked。　〃Yo　baan　pee　hota。　No　wega　mi　condorta。　Kin　chasa　du　Jedi。　No　bata　tu　tu。〃
　〃He　doesn't　know　you；〃　Padme　whispered　to　Anakin；　trying　to　hold　back　her　laughter　at　Watto's　last　statement；　which　translated　to　〃Whatever　it　is；　I　didn't　do　it。〃
　〃Mi　boska　di　Shmi　Skywalker；〃　Anakin　bluntly　stated。
　
　Watto's　eyes　narrowed　suspiciously。　Who　would　be　looking　for　his　old　slave？　The　Toydarian's　gaze　went　from　Anakin　to　Padme；　then　back　to　Anakin。
　〃Annie？〃　he　asked　in　Basic。　〃Little　Annie？　Naaah！〃
　
　Anakin's　answer　came　with　a　deft　twist　of　his　hands；　and　the　sound　of　the　little　piece　of　equipment　whirring　to　life。　Smiling　widely；　he　handed　it　back　to　Watto。
　
　There　weren't　many　around　who　could　work　such　magic　on　broken　droid　parts。
　〃You　are　Annie！〃　the　Toydarian　cried。　〃It　is　you！〃　His　wings　started　beating　furiously；　lifting　him　from　the　stool　to　hover　in　the　air。　〃Ya　sure　sprouted！〃
　〃Hello；　Watto。〃
　〃Weehoo！〃　the　Toydarian　cried。　〃A　Jedi！　Waddya　know？　Hey；　maybe　you　couldda　help　wit　some　deadbeats　who　owe　me　a　lot　of　money…〃
　〃My　mother…〃　Anakin　prompted。
　〃Oh　yeah；　Shmi。　She's　not　mine　no　more。　I　sold　her。〃
　〃Sold　her？〃　Anakin　felt　Padme　squeeze　his　forearm。
　〃Years　ago；〃　Watto　explained。　〃Sorry；　Annie；　but　you　know；　business　is　business。　Sold　her　to　a　moisture　farmer　named　Lars。　Least　I　think　it　was　Lars。　Believe　it　or　not；　I　heard　he　freed　her　and　married　her。　Can　ya　beat　that？〃
　
　Anakin　just　shook　his　head；　trying　hard　to　digest　it　all。　〃Do　you　know　where　they　are？〃
　〃Long　way　from　here。　Someplace　over　on　the　other　side　of　Mos　Eisley；　I　think。〃
　〃Could　you　narrow　it　down？〃
　
　Watto　thought　about　it　for　a　moment；　then　just　shrugged。　〃I'd　like　to　know；〃　Anakin　said；　his　tone　and　expression　grim　and　determined；　even　threatening。　The　way　Watto's　features　seemed　to　tighten　showed　that　he　got　the　hint　that　Anakin　wasn't　fooling　around。
　〃Yeah；　sure；〃　he　said。　〃Absolutely。　Let's　go　look　at　my　records。〃　The　three　went　into　the　shop；　and　seeing　the　place　brought　memories　swirling　back　to　Anakin。　How　many　hours；　years；　he　had　toiled　in　here；　fixing　everything　Watto　threw　his　way。　And　out　back；　where　he　had　put　all　the　spare　parts　he　could　find；　so　that　he　could　build　a　Podracer。　Not　all　of　the　memories　were　bad；　he　had　to　admit；　but　the　good　ones　did　not　overe　the　reality　that　he　had　been　a　slave。　Watto's　slave。
　
　Fortunately　for　Watto；　his　records　gave　a　location　for　the　moisture　farm　of　one　Cliegg　Lars。
　〃Stay　a　while；　Annie；〃　the　Toydarian　offered　after　sharing　the　information　on　Shmi's　new　owner…or　was　it　her　husband？
　
　Without　a　word；　Anakin　turned　about　and　walked　away。　This　was　the　last　time　he　would　look　at　Watto　and　the　shop；　he　decided。　Unless　of　course；　he　found　out　that　Watto　was　lying　to　him　about　Shmi's　fate