rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第48节

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and　had　triangulated　those　receptions　to　locate　his　starfighter。　Wound　up　in　his　tale；　he　didn't　notice　the　approach　of　the　armed　droidekas；　rolling　up　near　to　him；　then　unrolling　to　their　attack　posture。
　
　　Even　the　two　blazing　Tatooine　suns　could　not　brighten　the　somber　mood；　the　tangible　grayness　permeating　the　air；　around　the　new　grave　outside　the　Lars　pound。　Two　old　headstones　marked　the　ground　next　to　the　new　one；　a　poignant　reminder　of　the　difficulties　of　life　on　the　harsh　world　of　Tatooine。　The　five　of　them…Cliegg；　Anakin；　Padme；　Owen；　and　Beru…had　gathered；　along　with　C…3PO；　to　bid　farewell　to　Shmi。
　〃I　know　wherever　you　are；　it's　bee　a　better　place；〃　Cliegg　Lars　said；　and　he　took　a　handful　of　sand　and　tossed　it　on　the　new　grave。　〃You　were　the　most　loving　partner　a　man　could　ever　have。　Good…bye；　my　darling　wife。　And　thank　you。〃
　
　He　glanced　briefly　at　Anakin；　then　lowered　his　head　and　fought　back　tears。　Anakin　stepped　forward　and　knelt　before　the　marker。　He　picked　up　a　handful　of　sand　and　let　it　slip　through　his　fingers。
　〃I　wasn't　strong　enough　to　save　you；　Mom；〃　the　young　man　said；　suddenly　feeling　more　like　a　boy。　His　shoulders　bobbed　once　or　twice；　but　he　fought　to　regain　control；　and　took　a　deep　and　determined　breath。　〃I　wasn't　strong　enough。　But　I　promise　I　won't　fail　again。〃　His　breathing　came　in　short　rasps　as　another　wave　of　grief　nearly　toppled　him。　But　the　young　Padawan　squared　his　shoulders　and　determinedly　stood　up。　〃I　miss　you　so　much。〃
　
　Padme　came　forward　and　put　her　hand　on　Anakin's　shoulder；　and　all　of　them　stood　silent　before　the　grave。
　
　The　moment　held　only　briefly；　though；　broken　by　a　series　of　urgent　beeps　and　whistles。　They　turned　as　one　to　see　R2…D2　rolling　their　way。
　〃Artoo；　what　are　you　doing　here？〃　Padme　asked。
　
　The　droid　whistled　frantically。
　〃It　seems　that　he　is　carrying　a　message　from　someone　named　Obi…Wan　Kenobi；〃
　
　C…3PO　quickly　translated。　〃Does　that　mean　anything　to　you；　Master　Anakin？〃　Anakin　squared　his　shoulders。　〃What　is　it？〃
　
　R2…D2　beeped　and　whistled。　〃Retransmit？〃　Anakin　asked。　〃Why；　what's　wrong？〃
　〃He　says　it's　quite　important；〃　C…3PO　observed。
　
　With　a　look　to　Cliegg　and　the　other　two；　silently　seeking　their　permission；　Anakin；　Padme；　and　C…3PO　followed　the　excited　droid　back　to　the　Naboo　ship。　As　soon　as　they　got　inside；　R2　beeped　and　spun；　and　projected　an　image　of　Obi…Wan　in　front　of　them。
　〃Anakin；　my　long…range　transmitter　has　been　knocked　out；〃　the　Jedi's　hologram　explained。　〃Retransmit　this　message　to　Coruscant。〃　R2　stopped　the　message　there；　with　Obi…Wan　seeming　to　freeze　in　place。
　
　Anakin　looked　at　Padme。　〃Patch　it　through　to　the　Jedi　Council　chamber。〃
　
　Padme　stepped　over　and　flipped　a　button；　then　waited　for　confirmation　that　the　signal　was　getting　through。　She　nodded　to　Anakin；　who　turned　back　to　R2。
　〃Go　ahead；　Artoo。〃
　
　The　droid　gave　a　beep；　and　Obi…Wan's　hologram　began　to　move　once　more。　〃I　have　tracked　the　bounty　hunter　Jango　Fett　to　the　droid　foundries　of　Geonosis。　The　Trade　Federation　is　to　take　delivery　of　a　droid　army　here　and　it　is　clear　that　Viceroy　Gun…ray　is　behind　the　assassination　attempts　on　Senator　Amidala。〃
　
　Anakin　and　Padme　exchanged　knowing　glances；　neither　of　them　very　surprised　by　that　information。　Padme　thought　back　to　her　meeting　with　Typho　and　Panaka　on　Naboo；　before　she　had　left　for　Coruscant；　secretly　escorting　the　doomed　starship。　〃The　merce　Guild　and　Corporate　Alliance　have　both　pledged　their　armies　to　Count　Dooku　and　are　forming　an…〃
　
　The　hologram　swung　about。　〃Wait！　Wait！〃
　
　Anakin　and　Padme　cringed　as　droidekas　appeared　in　the　hologram　along　with　Obi…Wan；　grabbing　at　him　and　restraining　him。　The　hologram　flickered；　then　broke　apart。
　
　Anakin　jumped　up　and　rushed　at　R2…D2；　but　pulled　up　short；　realizing　that　there　was　nothing　he　could　do。
　
　Nothing　at　all。
　
　　On　distant　Coruscant；　Yoda　and　Mace　Windu　and　the　other　members　of　the　Jedi　Council　watched　the　hologram　transmission　with　trepidation　and　great　sadness。
　〃He　is　alive；〃　Yoda　announced；　after　yet　another　viewing。　〃I　feel　him　in　the　Force。〃
　〃But　they　have　taken　him；〃　Mace　put　in。　〃And　the　wheels　have　begun　to　spin　more　dangerously。〃
　〃More　happening　on　Geonosis；　I　feel；　than　has　been　revealed。〃
　〃I　agree；〃　Mace　said。　〃We　must　not　sit　idly　by。〃　He　looked　at　Yoda；　as　did　everyone　else　in　the　room；　and　the　little　Jedi　Master　closed　his　eyes；　seemingly　very　weary　and　very　pained　by　it　all。
　〃The　dark　side；　I　feel；〃　he　said。　〃And　all　is　cloudy。〃
　
　Mace　nodded　and　turned　a　grim　expression　on　the　others。
　〃Assemble；〃　he　ordered；　a　mand　that　had　not　been　given　to　the　Jedi　Council　in　many；　many　years。
　〃We　will　deal　with　Count　Dooku；〃　Mace　said　through　the　link　to　Anakin。
　〃The　most　important　thing　for　you；　Anakin；　is　to　stay　where　you　are。　Protect　the　Senator　at　all　costs。　That　is　your　first　priority。〃
　〃Understood；　Master；〃　Anakin　replied。
　
　His　tone；　so　full　of　resignation　and　defeat；　struck　Padme　profoundly。　It　galled　the　fiery　Senator　to　think　that　Anakin　would　be　stuck　here　looking　over　her；　when　his　Master　was　in　obvious　danger。
　
　As　the　hologram　switched　off；　she　moved　to　the　ship's　console　and　began　flicking　switches　and　checking　coordinates；　confirming　what　she　already　knew。　〃They　have　to　e　halfway　across　the　galaxy；〃　she　said；　turning　to　Anakin；　who　seemed　not　to　care。　〃They'll　never　get　there　in　time　to　save　him。〃
　
　Still　no　response。
　〃Look；　Geonosis　is　less　than　a　parsec　away！〃　Padme　announced；　flipping　a　few　more　controls　to　show　the　flight　line　on　the　viewscreen。　〃Anakin？〃
　〃You　heard　him。〃
　〃They　can't　get　from　Coruscant　in　time　to　save　him！〃　Padme　reiterated；　her　voice　rising。　She　started　flicking　the　switches　on　the　panel；　preparing　the　engines　for　firing；　but　Anakin　gently　put　his　hand　over　hers；　stopping　her。
　〃If　he's　still　alive；〃　the　young　Jedi　answered　somberly。
　
　Padme　stared　at　him　hard；　and　he　turned　away　and　walked　off。
　〃Anakin；　are　you　just　going　to　sit　here　and　let　him　die？〃　she　cried；　chasing　across　the　bridge　to　grab　him　roughly　by　the　arm。　〃He's　your　friend！　Your　mentor！〃
　〃He's　like　my　father！〃　Anakin　shot　back　at　her。　〃But　you　heard　Master　Windu。　He　gave　me　strict　orders　to　stay　here。〃
　
　Padme　understood　what　was　happening。　Anakin　was　doubting　himself。　He　felt　himself　a　failure　because　of　his　inability　to　save　his　mother；　and；　perhaps　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　he　was　truly　doubting　his　inner　voice；　his　instincts。　She　had　to　find　a　way　around　that　now；　for　Anakin's　sake　as　much　as　for　Obi…Wan's。　If　they　stayed　here　and　did　nothing；　Padme　believed　that　she　would　lose　two　friends：　Obi…Wan　to　the　Geonosians；　and　Anakin　to　his　guilt。
　〃He　gave　you　strict　orders　to　stay　here　only　so　that　you　could　protect　me；〃　Padme　corrected　with　a　grin；　hoping　to　remind　him　clearly　that　his　previous　orders；　which　he　had　ignored；　had　demanded　that　he　stay　on　Naboo。　She　pulled　back　away　from　him；　returning　to　the　console；　and　flicked　a　few　more　switches。　The　engines　roared　to　life。
　〃Padme！〃
　〃He　gave　you　strict　orders　to　protect　me；〃　she　said　again。　〃And　I'm　going　to　save　Obi…Wan。　So　if　you　plan　to　protect　me；　you'll　have　to　e　along。〃　Anakin　stared　at　her　for　a　few　moments；　and　she　held　his　gaze；　her　head　tilted；　hair　loose　and　cascading　across　half　her　face；　but　hardly　dimming　the　brightness　of　her　determination。
　
　Anakin　knew　that　they　were　acting　outside　the　orders　of　Mace　Windu；　whatever　Padme's　justification。　He　knew　that　this　was　not　what　was　expected　of　him　as　a　Jedi　Padawan。
　
　When　had　that　ever　stopped　him？
　
　Matching　Padme's　determination；　he　went　to　the　controls；　and　a　few　moments　later；　the　Naboo　starship　roared　up　into　the　Tatooine　sky。
　
　Chapter　Twenty…Two
　
　The　calm　beauty　of　the　Republic　Executive　Building　on　Coruscant；　with　its　streaming　fountains　and　reflecting　pools；　ridged　columns　and　flowing　statues；　masked　the　turmoil　within。　The　word　had　passed；　from　Obi…Wan　to　Yoda　and　the　Jedi　Council；　and　now　from　them　to　the　Chancellor　and　leaders　of　the　Senate；　that　the　Republic　was　crumbling。　The　mood　inside　Chancellor　Palpatine's　office　was　both　somber　and　frantic；　everyone　overwhelmed　by　a　sense　of　despair　and　a　need　to　act；　frustrated　by　the　apparent　lack　of　options。
　
　Yoda；　Mace　Windu；　and　Ki…Adi…Mundi　represented　the　Jedi；　lending　an　air　of　calm　against　the　nervous　energy　of　Senators　Bail　Organa　and　Ask　Aak；　and　Representative　Jar　Jar　Binks。　Behind　his　great　desk；　Palpatine　listened　to　it　all　with　apparent　despair；　his　aide；　Mas　Amedda；　standing　beside　him；　seeming　on　the　verge　of　tears。
　
　Silence　hung　in　the　room　for　several　long　moments　after　Mace　Windu　had　finished　his　recounting　of　the　message　from　Geonosis。　Yoda；　leaning　on　his　small　cane；　glanced　at　Bail　Organa；　always　a　reliable　and　petent　man；　and　gave　a　slight　nod。　Catching　the　cue；　the　Senator　from　Alderaan　began　the　discussion。　〃The　merce　Guild　is　preparing　for　war；〃　he　said。　〃Given　the　report　of　Jedi　Obi…Wan　Kenobi；　there　can　be　no　doubt　of　that。〃
　〃If　the　report　is　accurate；〃　the　fiery　Ask　Aak　promptly　responded。
　〃It　is；　Senator；〃　Mace　Windu　assured　him；　and　Ask　Aak；　a　Senator　of　action；　a