rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第19节

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cted　the　office　itself；　but　the　young　Padawan　felt　very　fortable　here；　felt　as　if　he　was　with　a　friend。　He　hadn't　spent　much　time　with　Palpatine；　but　on　those　few　occasions　when　he　had　spoken　with　the　man　privately；　he　had　always　felt　as　if　the　Supreme　Chancellor　was　taking　an　honest　interest　in　him。　In　some　ways；　Anakin　felt　as　if　Palpatine　was　an　additional　mentor…not　as　directly　as　Obi…Wan；　of　course；　but　offering　solid　and　important　advice。
　
　More　than　that；　though；　Anakin　always　felt　as　if　he　was　wele　here。　〃I　will　talk　to　her；〃　Palpatine　agreed；　upon　hearing　Anakin's　request　that　he　speak　with　Padme　about　leaving　Coruscant　for　the　relative　safety　of　Naboo。　〃Senator　Amidala　will　not　refuse　an　executive　order。　I　know　her　well　enough　to　assure　you　of　that。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Your　Excellency。〃
　〃And　so；　my　young　Padawan；　they　have　finally　given　you　an　assignment；〃　the　Chancellor　said　with　a　wide　and　warm　smile；　the　way　a　father　might　talk　to　a　son。　〃Your　patience　has　paid　off。〃
　〃Your　guidance　more　than　my　patience；〃　Anakin　replied。　〃I　doubt　my　patience　would　have　held；　had　it　not　been　for　your　assurances　that　my　Jedi　Masters　were　watching　me；　and　that　they　would　trust　me　with　some　important　duties　before　too　long。〃
　
　Palpatine　nodded　and　smiled。　〃You　don't　need　guidance；　Anakin；〃　he　said。
　〃In　time　you　will　learn　to　trust　your　feelings。　Then　you　will　be　invincible。　I　have　said　it　many　times；　you　are　the　most　gifted　Jedi　I　have　ever　met。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Your　Excellency；〃　Anakin　replied　coolly；　though　in　truth；　he　had　to　consciously　stop　himself　from　trembling。　Hearing　such　a　pliment　from　one　who　did　not　understand…　like　from　his　mother…was　much　different　than　hearing　it　from　Palpatine；　the　Supreme　Chancellor　of　the　Republic。　This　was　an　acplished　man；　more　acplished；　perhaps；　than　anyone　else　in　all　the　galaxy。　He　was　not　an　underling　of　Yoda　or　Mace　Windu。　Anakin　understood　that　a　man　like　Palpatine　would　not　throw　out　such　pliments　if　he　did　not　believe　them。
　〃I　see　you　being　the　greatest　of　all　the　Jedi；　Anakin；〃　Palpatine　went　on。　〃Even　more　powerful　than　Master　Yoda。〃
　
　Anakin　hoped　his　legs　wouldn't　simply　buckle　beneath　him。　He　could　hardly　believe　the　words；　and　yet　a　part　of　him　did　believe　them。　There　was　a　strength　within　him；　a　power　beyond　the　limits　the　Jedi　seemed　to　place　upon　him；　and　upon　themselves。　Anakin　sensed　that　clearly。　He　knew　that　Obi…　Wan　didn't　understand；　and　that　was　his　biggest　frustration　with　his　Master。　To　Anakin's　thinking；　Obi…Wan's　leash　was　far　too　short。
　
　He　had　no　idea　of　how　he　might　answer　Palpatine's　continuing　pliments；　so　he　just　stood　in　the　center　of　the　room　and　smiled　for　a　bit；　while　the　Chancellor　stood　by　the　window；　looking　out　at　the　endless　streams　of　Coruscant　traffic。
　
　After　many　moments　had　passed；　Anakin　worked　up　the　courage　to　move　around　the　desk　and　join　him　following　the　Supreme　Chancellor's　gaze　up　at　the　traffic　lanes。
　
　　〃I　am　concerned　for　my　Padawan；〃　Obi…Wan　Kenobi　said　to　Yoda　and　Mace　Windu　as　the　three　walked　along　the　corridors　of　the　Jedi　Temple。　〃He　is　not　ready　to　be　given　this　assignment　on　his　own。〃
　〃The　Council　is　confident　in　this　decision；　Obi…Wan；〃　Yoda　said。
　〃The　boy　has　exceptional　skills；〃　Mace　agreed。
　〃But　he　still　has　much　to　learn；　Master；〃　Obi…Wan　explained。　〃His　skills　have　made　him　。　。　。　well；　arrogant。〃
　〃Yes；　yes；〃　Yoda　agreed。　〃It's　a　flaw　more　and　more　mon　among　Jedi。　Too　sure　of　themselves；　they　are。　Even　the　older；　more　experienced　Jedi。〃
　
　Obi…Wan　considered　the　words　with　an　assenting　nod。　They　certainly　rang　true；　and　the　current　conditions　among　the　Jedi　in　this　time　of　mounting　tension　were　a　bit　unsettling；　with　many　off　on　their　own　far　from　Coruscant。　And　had　not　arrogance　played　a　major　role　in　Count　Dooku's　decision　to　depart　the　Order；　and　the　Republic？
　
　〃Remember；　Obi…Wan；〃　Mace　remarked；　〃if　the　prophecy　is　true；　your　apprentice　is　the　only　one　who　can　bring　the　Force　into　balance。〃　How　could　Obi…Wan　ever　forget　that　little　fact？　Qui…Gon　had　been　the　first　to　see　it；　the　first　to　predict　that　Anakin　would　be　the　one　to　fulfill　the　prophecy。　What　Qui…Gon；　or　anyone　else　for　that　matter；　had　failed　to　explain；　was　exactly　what　bringing　balance　to　the　Force　might　mean。
　〃If　he　follows　the　right　path；〃　the　Jedi　Knight　said　to　the　two　Masters；　and　neither　of　them　corrected　him。
　〃Attend　to　your　own　duties；　you　must；〃　Yoda　reminded；　drawing　Obi…Wan　from　his　distracting　contemplation　as　surely　as　if　he　was　reading　the　Jedi's　mind。　〃When　solved　is　this　mystery　of　the　assassin；　other　riddles　might　be　answered。〃
　〃Yes；　Master；〃　Obi…Wan　replied；　and　he　held　the　small　dart　he　had　taken　from　the　dead　Clawdite　up　before　his　eyes。
　
　　With　gentle　hands；　Shmi　Skywalker　Lars　lifted　the　dull　bronze　chest　piece　up　to　the　wiry　droid；　setting　it　in　place。　She　smiled　at　C…3PO；　and；　though　his　face　could　not　similarly　twist；　she　could　tell　that　he；　too；　in　that　curious　droidlike　way；　was　pleased。　How　often　he　had　plained　about　the　sand　blowing　into　his　wiring；　chipping　away　at　the　silicon　coverings；　even　breaking　through　and　causing　jarring　jolts　on　a　couple　of　occasions。　And　now　Shmi　was　taking　care　of　that　problem；　was　finishing　what　Anakin　had　started　in　building　the　droid。
　〃Now？〃　she　managed　to　ask　aloud；　through　lips　caked　with　dried　blood。　No；　she　realized；　it　was　not　now。　She　had　covered　C…3PO　all　those　days　ago…or　was　it　weeks　ago；　or　even　years　ago？…when　Cliegg　had　taken　her　to　the　moisture　farm。　Yes；　there　were　spare　coverings　to　fit　the　protocol　droid　in　the　garage　area；　against　the　wall；　under　an　old　workbench。
　
　She　remembered　that；　so　clearly；　but　she　had　no　idea　of　when　it　had　been。
　
　And　now　。　。　。　now　she　was　。　。　。　somewhere。
　
　She　couldn't　open　her　eyes　to　look　around；　she　didn't　have　the　strength　at　that　moment；　and　the　blood　on　them　had　dried；　making　any　flutter　of　her　eyelids　painful。
　
　She　thought　it　curious　that　her　eyelids　were　the　only　place　where　she　actually　felt　any　real　pain　at　that　moment。　She　thought　she　was　injured。
　
　She　thought。　。　。
　
　Shmi　heard　something　behind　her。　Shuffling　footsteps？　Then　some　mumbling。
　
　Yes；　they　were　always　mumbling。
　
　Her　thoughts　went　back　to　C…3PO；　poor　3PO；　who　still　needed　his　battered　wiry　arms　covered。　Gently；　she　lifted　the　covering。　。　。
　
　She　heard　a　sharp　sound…or　she　knew　it　was　a　sharp　sound；　though　she　heard　it　only　distantly…then　felt　a　brush　across　her　back。
　
　There　were　no　nerves　left　there　to　register　the　bite　of　the　whip　any　more　clearly　than　that。
　
　Chapter　Ten
　
　Anakin　Skywalker　and　Jar　Jar　Binks　stood　at　the　door　separating　Padme's　bedroom　from　the　anteroom　where　Anakin　and　Obi…Wan　had　kept　watch　the　night　before。　Looking　through　the　room　to　the　broken　window；　the　pair　watched　the　Coruscant　skyline；　the　endless　lines　of　traffic。
　
　Padme　and　her　handmaiden　Dorme　rushed　about　the　bedroom；　throwing　the　luggage　together；　and　from　her　sharp　movements；　both　Anakin　and　Jar　Jar　knew　that　they　would　do　well　to　keep　a　fair　distance　from　the　upset　and　angry　young　Senator。　As　the　Jedi　had　requested；　Chancellor　Palpatine　had　intervened　to　bid　Padme　to　return　to　Naboo。　She　was　plying；　but　that　did　not　mean　that　she　was　happy　about　it。
　
　With　a　profound　sigh；　Padme　stood　straight；　one　hand　on　her　lower　back；　which　ached　from　all　the　bending。　She　sighed　again　and　moved　before　the　two　observers。
　〃I'm　taking　an　extended　leave　of　absence；〃　she　said　to　Jar　Jar；　her　voice　thick　and　somber；　as　if　she　was　hoping　to　inject　some　of　that　gravity　into　the　goofy　Gungan。　〃It　will　be　your　responsibility　to　take　my　place　in　the　Senate。　Representative　Binks；　I　know　I　can　count　on　you。〃
　〃Mesa　honored。。。〃　Jar　Jar　blurted　in　reply；　standing　at　attention；　except　that　his　head　was　wagging；　and　his　ears　were　flopping。　One　could　dress　a　Gungan　up　like　a　dignitary；　but　such　a　creature's　nature　was　not　so　easily　changed。
　〃What？〃　Padme's　voice　was　stern　and　showed　more　than　a　little　exasperation。　She　was　entrusting　something　important　to　Jar　Jar；　and　was　obviously　not　thrilled　to　hear　him　acting　like　his　old；　goofy　self。　Obviously　embarrassed；　Jar　Jar　cleared　his　throat　and　stood　a　bit　straighter。　〃Mesa　honored　to　be　taken　on　dissa　heavy　burden。　Mesa　accept　this　with　muy　。　。　。　muy　humility　andda…〃
　〃Jar　Jar；　I　don't　wish　to　hold　you　up；〃　Padme　interrupted。　〃I'm　sure　you　have　a　great　deal　to　do。〃
　〃Of　course；　M'Lady。〃　With　a　great　bow；　as　if　trying　to　use　pretense　to　cover　up　the　fact　that　he　was　blushing　like　a　Darellian　fire　crab；　the　Gungan　turned　and　left；　flashing　a　bright　smile　Anakin's　way　as　he　passed。　Anakin's　eyes　followed　the　retreating　Gungan；　but　any　levity　or　sense　of　calm　he　felt　from　that　last　exchange　was　washed　away　a　moment　later；　when　Padme　addressed　him　in　a　tone　that　reminded　him　that　she　was　not　in　the　best　of　moods。
　〃I　do　not　like　this　idea　of　hiding；〃　she　said　emphatically。
　〃Don't　worry。　Now　that　the　Council　has　ordered　an　investigation；　it　won't　take　Master　Obi…Wan　long　to　find　out　who　hired　that　bounty　hunter。　We　should　have　done　that　from　the　beginning。　It　is　better　to　take　the　offensive　against　such　a　threat；　to　find　out　the　s