rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第27节

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afraid　that　this　was　a　premonition；　and　that　some　danger　would　visit　his　Padawan　and　the　young　Senator　。　。　。
　
　But　no；　he　realized；　settling　back。　No　danger　was　about；　the　two　were　relaxed　and　at　play。
　
　Obi…Wan's　relief　lasted　only　as　long　as　it　took　him　to　realize　that　the　continuing　scene　in　his　mind　might　be　the　most　dangerous　thing　of　all。　He　dismissed　it；　though；　unsure　if　this　was　a　premonition；　an　image　of　reality；　or　just　his　own　fears　playing　out　before　him。　Obi…Wan　pointedly　reminded　himself　that　the　sooner　he　solved　the　mystery　of　Kamino；　the　mystery　of　who　so　desperately　wanted　Amidala　dead；　the　sooner　he　could　return　to　Anakin　and　offer　the　proper　guidance。
　
　The　Jedi　Knight　focused　again　on　the　bust　of　Count　Dooku；　searching　for　insights；　but　for　some　reason；　the　image　of　Anakin　kept　being　interposed　with　that　of　the　renegade　Count　。　。　。
　
　Soon　after；　a　frustrated　and　thoroughly　bewildered　Obi…Wan　walked　out　of　the　small　meditation　chamber；　shaking　his　head　and　no　more　certain　of　anything　than　he　had　been　when　he　had　entered　the　place。
　
　His　patience　exhausted　into　frustration；　the　Jedi　Knight　decided　to　seek　a　higher　authority；　one　wiser　and　more　experienced。　His　short　trip　took　him　out　of　the　Temple　proper　and　onto　the　veranda；　and　there　he　paused　and　watched；　and　in　the　innocent　scene　before　him　found　some　relief　from　the　frustration。
　
　Master　Yoda　was　leading　twenty　of　the　youngest　Jedi　recruits；　children　only　four　or　five　years　old；　through　their　morning　training　exercises；　battling　floating　training　droids　with　miniature　lightsabers。
　
　Obi…Wan　recalled　his　own　training。　He　couldn't　see　the　eyes　of　the　youngsters；　for　they　wore　protective　full…face　helmets；　but　he　could　well　imagine　the　range　of　emotions　playing　out　on　their　innocent　faces。　There　would　be　intensity；　and　then　great　joy　whenever　an　energy　bolt　from　a　training　droid　was　blocked；　and　that　elation　would　inevitably　dissipate　in　the　next　instant；　when　the　joy　brought　distraction　and　distraction　allowed　the　next　energy　bolt　to　slip　past　and　bring　a　sudden；　jolting　sting。
　
　And　those　little　bolts　did　sting；　Obi…Wan　remembered；　as　much　physically　as　in　pride。　There　was　nothing　worse　than　getting　zapped；　particularly　in　the　backside。　It　always　caused　one　to　do　a　little　hopping　and　twisting　dance；　which　naturally　made　the　embarrassment　all　the　worse。　Obi…Wan　recalled　that　feeling　vividly；　recalled　thinking　that　everyone　in　the　courtyard　was　staring　at　him。
　
　The　training　could　be　humiliating。
　
　But　it　was　also　energizing；　because　with　the　failures　would　e　the　successes；　each　one　building　confidence；　each　one　lending　insights　into　the　flowing　beauty　that　was　the　Force；　heightening　the　connection　that　separated　a　Jedi　from　the　rest　of　the　galaxy。
　
　To　see　Yoda　leading　the　training　this　day；　looking　exactly　as　he　had　when　he　had　led　Obi…Wan's　training　a　quarter　century　before；　brought　a　flush　of　warmth　to　the　Jedi　Knight。
　〃Don't　think　。　。　。　feel；〃　Yoda　instructed　the　group。　〃Be　as　one　with　the　Force。〃
　
　Obi…Wan；　smiling；　mouthed　the　exact　words　as　Yoda　finished；　〃Help　you；　it　will。〃
　
　How　many　times　he　had　heard　that！
　
　He　was　still　grinning　widely　when　Yoda　turned　to　him。　〃Younglings；　enough！〃　the　great　Jedi　Master　manded。　〃A　visitor　we　have。　Wele　him。〃
　
　Twenty　little　lightsabers　clicked　off　and　the　students　came　to　attention　together；　removing　their　helmets　and　tucking　them　properly　under　their　left　arms。
　〃Master　Obi…Wan　Kenobi；〃　Yoda　said；　keeping　enough　gravity　in　his　voice　so　that　the　younglings　wouldn't　feel　mocked。
　〃Wele；　Master　Obi…Wan！〃　the　twenty　called　out　together。
　〃I　am　sorry　to　disturb　you；　Master；〃　Obi…Wan　said　with　a　slight　bow。
　〃What　help　to　you；　can　I　be？〃
　
　Obi…Wan　considered　the　question　for　a　moment。　He　had　specifically　e　out　here　looking　for　Yoda；　but　now；　in　seeing　the　diminutive　Master　at　his　important　work；　he　wondered　if　he　had　let　his　patience　fall　away　too　quickly。　Was　it　his　place　to　ask　Yoda　to　help　him　with　a　mission　that　was　his　own　responsibility？　It　didn't　take　long　for　Obi…Wan　to　dismiss　the　question。　He　was　a　Jedi　Knight；　Yoda；　a　Master；　and　his　responsibilities　and　Yoda's　were　ultimately　one　and　the　same。　He　didn't　expect　that　Yoda　could　help　him　with　this　particular　problem；　but　then　again；　Yoda　had　always　been　full　of　surprises；　full　of　going　far　beyond　any　expectations。
　〃I'm　looking　for　a　planet　described　to　me　by　an　old　friend；〃　he　explained；　and　he　knew　that　Yoda　was　absorbing　every　word。　〃I　trust　him　and　the　information　he　provided；　but　the　system　doesn't　show　up　on　the　archive　maps。〃　As　he　finished；　he　showed　Yoda　that　he　had　a　hologlobe　with　him。
　〃An　interesting　puzzle；〃　Yoda　answered。　〃Lost　a　planet；　Master　Obi…Wan　has。　How　embarrassing　。　。　。　how　embarrassing。　An　interesting　puzzle。　Gather；　younglings；　around　the　map　reader。　Clear　your　minds　and　find　Obi…Wan's　wayward　planet；　we　will　try。〃
　
　They　went　into　a　room　to　the　side　of　the　veranda。　A　narrow　shaft　was　set　in　the　middle；　with　a　hollow　depression　at　the　top。　Off　to　the　side；　Obi…Wan　took　up　the　hologlobe；　then　moved　and　placed　it　in　the　hollow　of　the　shaft。
　
　The　shades　closed　as　soon　as　he　put　it　there；　darkening　the　room；　and　a　star　map　hologram　appeared；　glittering　distinctly。
　
　Obi…Wan　paused　a　moment　before　presenting　his　dilemma；　allowing　the　younglings　to　get　past　the　initial　excitement。　He　watched　with　amusement　as　some　reached　up　and　tried　to　touch　the　projected　starlights。　Then；　when　all　quieted；　he　walked　into　the　middle　of　the　projection。　〃This　is　where　it　ought　to　be；〃　he　explained。　〃Gravity　is　pulling　all　the　stars　in　this　area　inward　to　this　spot。　There　should　be　a　star　here；　but　there　isn't。〃
　〃Most　interesting；〃　Yoda　said。　〃Gravity's　silhouette　remains；　but　the　star　and　all　its　planets　have　disappeared。　How　can　this　be？　Now；　younglings；　in　your　mind；　what　is　the　first　thing　you　see？　An　answer？　A　thought？　Anyone？〃
　
　Obi…Wan　took　Yoda's　quiet　cue　and　paused　then；　watching　the　Jedi　Master　look　over　his　gathering。
　
　A　hand　went　up；　and　while　Obi…Wan　felt　the　urge　to　chuckle　at　the　idea　of　a　youngling　solving　a　riddle　that　had　befuddled　a　trio　of　acplished　Jedi；　including　Yoda　and　Madame　Jocasta　Nu；　he　noted　that　Yoda　was　quite　focused　and　serious。
　
　Yoda　nodded　to　the　student；　who　answered　at　once。　〃Because　someone　erased　it　from　the　archive　memory。〃
　〃That's　right！〃　another　of　the　children　agreed　at　once。　〃That's　what　happened！　Someone　erased　it！〃
　〃If　the　planet　blew　up；　the　gravity　would　go　away；〃　another　one　of　the　children　called　out。
　
　Obi…Wan　stared　blankly　at　the　excited　group；　stunned；　but　Yoda　only　chuckled。
　〃Truly　wonderful；　the　mind　of　a　child　is；〃　he　explained。　〃Uncluttered。　The　data　must　have　been　erased。〃
　
　Yoda　started　out　of　the　room　and　Obi…Wan　moved　to　follow；　flicking　his　hand　as　he　passed　the　reader　shaft；　Force…pulling　the　hologlobe　back　to　his　grasp　and　instantly　dismissing　the　starry　scene。
　〃To　the　center　of　the　pull　of　gravity　go；　and　find　your　planet　you　will；〃　Yoda　advised　him。
　〃But　Master　Yoda；　who　could　have　erased　information　from　the　Archives？　That's　impossible；　isn't　it？〃　〃Dangerous　and　disturbing　this　puzzle　is；〃　Yoda　replied　with　a　frown。　〃Only　a　Jedi　could　have　erased　those　files。　But　who　and　why；　harder　to　answer。　Meditate　on　this；　I　will。　May　the　Force　be　with　you。〃
　
　A　thousand　questions　filtered　through　Obi…Wan's　mind；　but　he　understood　that　Yoda　had　just　dismissed　him。　They　each　had　their　riddles；　it　seemed；　but　at　least　now　Obi…Wan's　path　seemed　much　clearer　before　him。　He　gave　a　deferential　bow；　but　Yoda；　already　back　to　his　work　with　the　children；　didn't　seem　to　notice。　Obi…Wan　walked　away。
　
　　Soon　after；　not　wanting　to　waste　a　moment；　Obi…Wan　was　out　on　the　landing　platform　standing　beside　his　readied　starfighter；　a　long　and　sleek　delta…　wing　fighter；　of　a　triangular　design；　with　the　cockpit　set　far　aft。　Mace　Windu　was　there　beside　him；　the　tall　and　strong…featured　Master　regarding　Obi…Wan　with　his　typically　calm　and　controlled　demeanor。　There　was　something　reassuring　about　Mace　Windu；　a　sense　of　power　and；　even　more　than　that；　of　destiny。　Mace　Windu　had　a　way　of　silently　assuring　all　those　around　him　that　things　would　work　out　as　they　were　supposed　to。
　〃Be　wary；〃　he　said　to　Obi…Wan；　tilting　his　head　back　just　a　bit　as　he　spoke；　a　posture　that　made　him　seem　all　the　more　impressive。　〃This　disturbance　in　the　Force　is　growing　stronger。〃
　
　Obi…Wan　nodded；　though　in　truth；　his　concerns　were　more　focused　and　tangible　at　that　moment。　〃I'm　concerned　for　my　Padawan。　He　is　not　ready　to　be　on　his　own。〃
　
　Mace　gave　a　nod；　as　if　to　remind　Obi…Wan　that　they　had　covered　this　already。　〃He　has　exceptional　skills；〃　the　Master　replied。　〃The　Council　is　confident　in　its　decision；　Obi…Wan。　Not　all　of　the　questions　about　him　have　been　answered；　of　course；　but　his　talents　cannot　be　dismissed；　and　we　are　not　disappointed　in　the　progress　he　has　made　under　your　tutelage。〃　Obi…Wan　considered　the　words　carefully　and　nodded　again；　knowing　that　he　was　walking　a　fine　line　here。　If　he　overstated　his　concerns　about　Anakin's　temperament；　he　might　be　doing　a　great　diss