rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第6部分

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he　decapitation　of　several　his　friends　and　neighbors；　as　he　watched　others　thrown　to　the　ground。　Purely　on　instinct；　knowing　he　couldn't　stop　his　speeder　in　time；　Cliegg　leapt　up；　planting　one　foot　on　the　seat；　then　leapt　again。
　
　Then　he　felt　a　flash　of　pain；　and　he　was　spinning　head　over　heels。　He　landed　hard　on　the　rocky　ground；　skidding　briefly。
　
　All　the　world　about　him　became　a　blur；　a　frenzy　of　sudden　activity。　He　saw　the　boots　of　his　fellow　farmers；　heard　Owen　crying　out　to　him；　though　it　seemed　as　if　his　son's　voice　was　far；　far　away。
　
　He　saw　the　wrapped　leather　of　a　Tusken　boot；　the　sand…colored　robes；　and　with　a　rage　that　could　not　be　denied　by　his　disorientation；　Cliegg　grabbed　the　leg　as　the　Tusken　ran　past。
　
　He　looked　up　and　raised　his　arms　to　block　as　the　Tusken　brought　its　staff　slamming　down　at　him。　Accepting　the　pain；　not　even　feeling　it　through　his　rage；　Cliegg　shoved　forward　and　wrapped　both　his　arms　around　the　Tusken's　legs；　tugging　the　creature　down　to　the　ground　before　him。　He　crawled　over　it；　his　strong　hands　battering　it；　then　finding　the　hold　he　wanted。　Cries　of　pain；　from　farmers　and　Tuskens　alike；　were　all　about　him；　but　Cliegg　hardly　heard　them。　His　hands　remained　firmly　about　the　Tusken's　throat。　He　choked　with　all　his　considerable　strength；　he　lifted　the　Tusken's　head　up　and　bashed　it　back　down；　over　and　over　again；　and　continued　to　choke　and　to　batter　long　after　the　Tusken　stopped　resisting。
　〃Dad！〃
　
　That　cry　alone　brought　Cliegg　from　his　rage。　He　dropped　the　Tusken　Raider　back　to　the　ground　and　turned　about；　to　see　Owen　in　close　battle　with　another　of　the　Raiders。
　
　Cliegg　spun　about　and　started　to　rise；　putting　one　leg　under　him；　ing　up　fast　。　。　。
　
　。。。And　then　he　fell　hard；　his　balance　inexplicably　gone。　Confused；　he　looked　down　expecting　that　another　Tusken　had　tripped　him　up。　But　then　he　saw　that　it　was　his　own　body　that　had　failed　him。
　
　Only　then　did　Cliegg　Lars　realize　that　he　had　lost　his　leg。
　
　Blood　pooled　all　about　the　ground；　pouring　from　the　severed　limb。　Eyes　wide　with　horror；　Cliegg　grabbed　at　his　leg。
　
　He　called　for　Owen。　He　called　desperately　for　Shmi。
　
　A　speeder　bike　whipped　past　him；　a　farmer　fleeing　the　massacre；　but　the　man　did　not　slow。
　
　Cliegg　tried　to　call　out；　but　there　was　no　voice　to　be　found　past　the　lump　in　his　throat；　the　realization　that　he　had　failed　and　that　all　was　lost。　Then　a　second　speeder　came　by　him；　this　one　stopping　fast。　Reflexively；　Cliegg　grabbed　at　it；　and　before　he　could　even　begin　to　pull　himself　up　at　all；　it　sped　away；　dragging　him　along。
　〃Hold　on；　Dad！〃　Owen；　the　driver；　cried　to　him。
　
　Cliegg　did。　With　the　same　stubbornness　that　had　sustained　him　through　all　the　difficult　times　at　the　moisture　farm；　the　same　gritty　determination　that　had　allowed　him　to　conquer　the　harsh　wild　land　of　Tatooine；　Cliegg　Lars　held　on。　For　all　his　life；　and　with　Tuskens　in　fast　pursuit；　Cliegg　Lars　held　on。
　
　And　for　Shmi；　for　the　only　chance　she　had　of　any　rescue；　Cliegg　Lars　held　on。
　
　Back　up　the　slope；　Owen　stopped　the　speeder　and　leapt　off；　grabbing　at　his　father's　torn　leg。　He　tied　it　off　as　well　as　he　could　with　the　few　moments　he　had；　then　helped　Cliegg；　who　was　fast　slipping　from　consciousness；　to　lie　over　the　back　of　the　speeder。
　
　Then　Owen　sped　away；　throttle　flat　out。　He　knew　that　he　had　to　get　his　father　home；　and　quickly。　The　vicious　wound　had　to　be　cleaned　and　sealed。　It　occurred　to　Owen　that　only　a　single　pair　of　speeders　were　to　be　seen　fleeing　the　massacre　ahead　of　him；　and　that　through　all　the　motion　behind；　he　didn't　hear　the　hum　of　a　single　speeder　engine。
　
　Forcing　despair　away；　finding　the　same　grounded　determination　that　sustained　Cliegg；　Owen　didn't　think　of　the　many　lost　friends；　didn't　think　of　his　father's　plight；　didn't　think　of　anything　except　the　course　to　his　necessary　destination。
　
　　〃This　is　not　good　news；〃　Captain　Panaka　remarked；　after　delivering　the　blow　to　Senator　Amidala。
　〃We've　suspected　all　along　that　Count　Dooku　and　his　separatists　would　court　the　Trade　Federation　and　the　various　mercial　guilds；〃　Padme　replied；　trying　to　put　a　good　face　on　it　all。　Panaka　had　just　e　in　with　Captain　Typho；　his　nephew；　with　the　report　that　the　Trade　Federation　had　thrown　in　with　the　separatist　movement　that　now　threatened　to　tear　the　Republic　apart。
　〃Viceroy　Gunray　is　an　opportunist；〃　she　continued。　〃He　will　do　anything　that　he　believes　will　benefit　him　financially。　His　loyalties　end　at　his　purse。　Count　Dooku　must　be　offering　him　favorable　trade　agreements；　free　run　to　produce　goods　without　regard　to　the　conditions　of　the　workers　or　the　effect　on　the　environment。　Viceroy　Gunray　has　left　more　than　one　planet　as　a　barren　dead　ball；　floating　in　space。　Or　perhaps　Count　Dooku　is　offering　the　Trade　Federation　absolute　control　of　lucrative　markets；　without　petition。〃
　〃I'm　more　concerned　with　the　implications　to　you；　Senator；〃　Panaka　remarked；　drawing　a　curious　stare　from　Padme。
　〃The　separatists　have　shown　themselves　not　to　be　above　violence；〃　he　explained。　〃There　have　been　assassination　attempts　across　the　Republic。〃　〃But　wouldn't　Count　Dooku　and　the　separatists　consider　Senator　Amidala　almost　an　ally　at　this　time？〃　Captain　Typho　interjected；　and　both　Panaka　and　Padme　looked　at　the　usually　quiet　man　in　surprise。
　
　Padme's　look　quickly　turned　into　a　stare；　there　was　an　angry　edge　to　her　fair　features。　〃I　am　no　friend　to　any　who　would　dissolve　the　Republic；　Captain；〃　she　insisted；　her　tone　leaving　no　room　for　debate…and　of　course；　there　would　be　no　debating　that　point。　In　the　few　years　she　had　been　a　Senator；　Amidala　had　shown　herself　to　be　among　the　most　loyal　and　powerful　supporters　of　the　Republic；　a　legislator　determined　to　improve　the　system；　but　to　do　so　within　the　framework　of　the　Republic's　constitution。　Senator　Amidala　fervently　believed　that　the　real　beauty　of　the　governing　system　was　its　built…in　abilities；　even　demands；　for　self…improvement。
　〃Agreed；　Senator；〃　Typho　said　with　a　bow。　He　was　shorter　than　his　uncle　but　powerfully　built；　muscles　filling　the　blue　sleeves　of　his　uniform；　his　chest　solid　under　the　brown　leather　tunic。　He　wore　a　black　leather　patch　over　his　left　eye；　which　he　had　lost　in　the　battle　with　that　same　Trade　Federation　a　decade　before。　Typho　had　been　just　a　teenager　then；　but　had　shown　himself　well；　and　made　his　uncle　Panaka　proud。　〃And　no　offense　meant。　But　on　this　issue　concerning　the　creation　of　an　army　of　the　Republic；　you　have　remained　firmly　in　the　court　of　negotiation　over　force。　Would　not　the　separatists　agree　with　your　vote？〃
　
　When　Padme　put　her　initial　outrage　aside　and　considered　the　point；　she　had　to　agree。
　〃Count　Dooku　has　thrown　in　with　Nute　Gunray；　say　the　reports；〃　Panaka　cut　in；　his　tone　flat　and　determined。　〃That　mere　fact　demands　that　we　tighten　security　about　Senator　Amidala。〃
　〃Please　do　not　speak　about　me　as　though　I　am　not　here；〃　she　scolded；　but　Panaka　didn't　blink。
　〃In　matters　of　security；　Senator；　you　are　not　here；〃　he　replied。　〃At　least；　your　voice　is　not。　My　nephew　reports　to　me；　and　his　responsibilities　on　this　matter　cannot　be　undermined。　Take　all　precautions。〃
　
　With　that；　he　bowed　curtly　and　walked　away；　and　Padme　suppressed　her　immediate　desire　to　rebuke　him。　He　was　right；　and　she　was　better　off　because　he　dared　to　point　it　out。　She　looked　back　at　Captain　Typho。
　〃We　will　be　vigilant；　Senator。〃
　〃I　have　my　duty；　and　that　duty　demands　that　I　soon　return　to　Coruscant；〃　she　said。
　〃And　I　have　my　duty；〃　Typho　assured　her；　and　like　Panaka；　he　offered　a　bow　and　walked　away。
　
　Padme　Amidala　watched　him　go；　then　gave　a　great　sigh；　remembering　Sola's　words　to　her　and　wondering　honestly　if　she　would　ever　find　the　opportunity　to　follow　her　sister's　advice…　advice　that　she　was　finding　strangely　tempting　at　that　particular　moment。　She　realized　then　that　she　hadn't　seen　Sola；　or　the　kids；　or　her　parents；　in　nearly　two　weeks；　not　since　that　afternoon　in　the　backyard　with　Ryoo　and　Pooja。
　
　Time　did　seem　to　be　slipping　past　her。
　
　　〃It　won't　move　fast　enough　to　catch　up　to　the　Tuskens！〃　Cliegg　Lars　bellowed　in　protest　as　his　son　and　future　daughter…in…law