rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第58部分

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　was　talking　about　him。
　〃Wait；　no；　it　is　a　mistake；〃　he　cried　as　a　pair　of　burly　maintenance　droids　rolled　over　and　scooped　him　up　in　their　vise…grip　arms。　〃Oh；　but　this　is　all　wrong。　I　am　programmed　in　over　three　million　languages；　not　for　marching！〃
　
　Chapter　Twenty…Three
　
　Even　before　he　reached　the　end　of　the　corridor；　Mace　Windu　sensed　Yoda's　great　sadness。　The　Master　was　sitting　on　a　balcony　overlooking　the　Galactic　Senate。　Below；　chaos　reigned。　Uproar　and　screaming；　loud　opinions　and　counter　opinions…the　turmoil　struck　a　profound　chord　in　Mace　Windu；　who　understood　Yoda's　sadness；　and　shared　it。　This　was　the　government　that　he　and　his　proud　Order　were　sworn　to　protect；　though　right　now　many　of　the　Senators　hardly　seemed　worthy　of　that　protection。
　
　Right　there　and　then；　all　the　faults　of　the　Republic　were　laid　bare　to　Mace　Windu；　and　to　Master　Yoda；　all　of　the　bureaucratic　nonsense　that　seemed　to　inevitably　get　in　the　way　of　true　progress。　This　was　the　chaos　that　had　spawned　Count　Dooku　and　the　separatist　movement。　This　was　the　nonsense　that　gave　credence　to　otherwise　outlandish　claims；　and　allowed　the　greedy　special　interests；　like　the　Trade　Federation；　to　exploit　the　galaxy。　The　tall　Jedi　Master　moved　to　the　end　of　the　corridor　and　sat　down　beside　Yoda。　He　said　nothing；　because　there　was　nothing　to　say。　Their　place　was　to　observe　and　to　fight　in　defense　of　the　Republic。
　
　However　ridiculous　many　of　the　representatives　of　that　body　now　appeared　below　them。
　
　Mace　and　Yoda　watched　the　Senators　screaming　furiously　at　each　other；　fists　and　other　appendages　waving　in　the　air。　At　the　podium　across　the　way；　Mas　Amedda　stood　anxiously；　glancing　about　and　calling　for　order。
　
　Finally；　after　many　long　minutes；　the　screaming　died　away。
　〃Order！　Order！〃　Mas　Amedda　repeated　many　times；　obviously　trying　to　ensure　that　things　did　not　spiral　out　of　control　once　again。
　
　Chancellor　Palpatine　moved　front　and　center；　and　cast　his　gaze　all　about　the　amphitheater；　meeting　many　eyes　and　trying　hard　to　convey　the　gravity　of　the　moment。
　〃In　the　regrettable　absence　of　Senator　Amidala；〃　he　said　at　length；　speaking　slowly　and　distinctly；　〃the　chair　recognizes　the　Senior　Representative　of　Naboo；　Jar　Jar　Binks。〃
　
　Mace　looked　at　Yoda；　who　closed　his　eyes　against　the　ensuing　onslaught　of　cheers　and　boos；　seemingly　equal　in　strength。　Everyone　in　the　Senate　knew　what　was　ing；　and　the　weight　of　it　threatened　to　rip　the　body　politic　apart。
　
　Mace　looked　back　at　the　floor　and　finally　spotted　Jar　Jar；　floating　out　before　the　podium　on　his　platform；　flanked　by　Gungan　aides。
　〃Senators！〃　Jar　Jar　called。　〃Dellow　felegates…〃
　
　The　laughter　was　almost　as　deafening　as　the　arguing；　but　the　humor　was　lost　quickly；　as　jeers　erupted　once　more。
　〃Stay　strong；　Jar　Jar；〃　Mace　quietly　mouthed；　looking　down　at　the　Gungan；　whose　face　and　ears　were　now　bright　red　from　embarrassment。
　〃Order！〃　Mas　Amedda　shouted　from　the　podium。　〃The　Senate　will　accord　the　Representative　the　courtesy　of　a　hearing！〃
　
　The　floor　quieted；　and　Mas　Amedda　signaled　to　Jar　Jar；　who　was　by　this　time　gripping　the　front　of　his　platform　tightly。
　〃In　response　to　the　direct　threat　to　the　Republic；〃　the　Gungan　began；　speaking　clearly　and　directly；　〃mesa　propose　that　the　Senate　give　immediate　emergency　powers　to　the　Supreme　Chancellor。〃
　
　There　came　a　brief　silence　as　everyone　turned　to　look　at　everyone　else。　Gradually；　a　clapping　began；　and　when　the　jeers　erupted　from　opposing　factions；　the　cheering　grew　even　louder；　soon　drowning　out　the　opposition。
　
　Though　she　wasn't　even　present；　it　was　Amidala　who　had　done　this；　Mace　understood。　All　the　years　she　had　worked　to　win　the　trust　of　others　had　led　to　this　crucial　victory。　If　anyone　other　than　a　Representative　of　Naboo；　a　voice　speaking　for　Amidala；　had　suggested　such　a　drastic　measure；　then　the　debate　would　never　have　been　so　cleanly　decided。　But　since　she　had　apparently　thrown　in　with　the　other　side　on　the　debate　for　the　creation　of　an　army；　so；　too；　did　many　of　those　who　had　originally　followed　her　lead　in　opposing　that　army。
　
　The　noise　went　on　for　many　minutes；　and　while　the　jeering　died　away；　the　cheering　only　gained　momentum。　Finally；　Chancellor　Palpatine　held　up　his　hands；　asking　for　quiet。
　〃It　is　with　great　reluctance　that　I　have　agreed　to　this　calling；〃　Palpatine　began。　〃I　love　democracy…I　love　the　Republic。　I　am　mild　by　nature　and　do　not　desire　to　see　the　destruction　of　democracy。　The　power　you　give　me　I　will　lay　down　when　this　crisis　has　abated。　I　promise　you。　And　as　my　first　act　with　this　new　authority；　I　will　create　a　grand　army　of　the　Republic　to　counter　the　increasing　threats　of　the　separatists。〃
　〃It　is　done；　then；〃　Mace　said　to　Yoda；　and　the　diminutive　Jedi　Master　nodded　grimly。　〃I　will　take　what　Jedi　we　have　left　and　go　to　Geonosis　to　help　Obi…Wan。〃
　〃And　visit；　I　will；　the　cloners　of　Kamino　and　see　this　army　they　have　created　for　the　Republic；〃　Yoda　said。
　
　Together；　the　two　Jedi　walked　away　from　the　Senate　Hall。
　
　　It　looked　like　many　of　the　courtrooms　scattered　about　the　galaxy；　a　round　room　sectioned　by　curving　railings　and　tall　boxed…off　areas；　with　rows　of　seats　behind　the　main　area　for　interested　onlookers。　But　the　makeup　of　the　principals　told　Padme　that　the　resemblance　to　a　hall　of　justice　ended　right　there。　Poggle　the　Lesser；　the　Archduke　of　Geonosis；　presided　over　the　gathering；　helped　by　his　Geonosian　aide；　Sun　Fac；　but　clearly　there　would　be　no　possibility　of　open…mindedness。　Padme　recognized　the　others　as　separatist　Senators；　dignitaries　of　the　various　mercial　guilds　and　the　InterGalactic　Banking　Clan。
　
　She　watched　them　carefully；　noting　the　visceral　hatred　in　their　eyes。　This　was　no　hearing；　no　trial。　It　was　a　proclamation　of　hatred；　and　nothing　more。
　
　And　so　Padme　was　hardly　surprised　when　Sun　Fac　stepped　forward　and　announced；　〃You　have　been　charged　and　found　guilty　of　espionage。〃
　
　So　much　for　evidence；　Padme　thought。
　〃Do　you　have　anything　to　say　before　your　sentence　is　carried　out？〃　Archduke　Poggle　the　Lesser　asked。
　
　Unshaken；　the　cool　Senator　stared　the　Geonosian　straight　in　the　eye。　〃You　are　mitting　an　act　of　war；　Archduke。　I　hope　you　are　prepared　for　the　consequences。〃
　
　The　Geonosian　chuckled。　〃We　build　weapons；　Senator。　That　is　our　business！　Of　course　we're　prepared！〃
　〃Get　on　with　it！〃　came　the　voice　of　Nute　Gunray　from　the　side。　〃Carry　out　the　sentence。　I　want　to　see　her　suffer。〃
　
　Padme　only　shook　her　head。　All　this　because　she　had　foiled　the　Neimoidian's　plans　to　exploit　her　planet　when　she　was　Queen。　All　this　because　she　hadn't　rolled　over　before　the　power　of　Gun…ray　and　his　followers。　And　to　think　that　she　had　agreed　to　mercy　for　the　Neimoidians　after　their　defeat　on　Naboo！
　
　〃Your　other　Jedi　friend　is　waiting　for　you；　Senator；〃　Archduke　Poggle　the　Lesser　announced；　and　he　waved　to　the　guards。　〃Take　them　to　the　arena！〃
　
　　At　the　back　of　the　hall；　the　young　boy　soaked　it　all　in　and　looked　up　at　his　father；　a　perfect　older…version　replica　of　himself。　〃Are　they　going　to　feed　them　to　the　beasts？〃　Boba　Fett　asked。
　
　Jango　Fett　looked　down　at　his　eager　son　and　chuckled。　〃Yes；　Boba。〃　He　had　many　times　told　Boba　stories　of　the　Geonosian　arena。
　〃Oh；　I　hope　they　use　an　acklay；〃　said　Boba　matter…of…factly。　〃I　want　to　see　if　it's　as　powerful　as　I've　read。〃
　
　Jango　just　smiled　and　nodded；　amused　that　his　son　was　already　so　interested　in　such　things；　and　glad　for　the　dispassion　in　his　tone。　Boba　was　being　strictly　pragmatic　here；　even　in　the　face　of　the　executions　of　three　people。　He　was　taking　in　the　entire　scenario　with　the　cool　and　collected　pragmatism　that　would　allow　him　to　survive　in　the　harsh　galaxy。　He　was　a　good　learner。
　
　　The　jumble　of　information　they　were　downloading　into　C…3PO　would　surely　have　overwhelmed　the　droid；　conditioning　him　as　intended；　had　his　circuits　not　already　been　filled　to　near　capacity　with　linguistic　information。　C…3PO　engaged　in　multiple　translations　of　each　instruction　pattern；　and　in　doing　so；　managed　to　water　them　down　enough　so　that　they　lost　any　real　effect。　His　subtlety　seemed　lost　on　the　brutes　programming　him；　and　afte