rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第5节

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　〃Senator？〃　Panaka　said；　drawing　her　out　of　her　private　contemplations。
　〃Yes？〃
　〃We　should　discuss　the　security　procedures。〃
　
　It　pained　Padme　to　let　go　of　the　images　of　her　nieces　at　that　moment；　but　she　nodded　and　forced　herself　back　into　her　responsible　mode。　Captain　Panaka　had　said　that　they　had　to　discuss　security；　and　so　Padme　Amidala　had　to　discuss　security。
　
　　The　Lars　family　was　being　serenaded　through　yet　another　night　by　the　lowing　of　many　banthas。　None　of　the　four　had　any　doubt　that　Tuskens　were　out　there；　not　far　from　the　farm；　perhaps　even　then　watching　its　lights。
　〃They're　wild　beasts；　and　we　should　have　gotten　the　Mos　Eisley　authorities　to　exterminate　them　like　the　vermin　they　are。　Them　and　the　stinking　Jawas！〃　Shmi　sighed　and　put　her　hand　on　her　husband's　tense　forearm。　　〃The　Jawas　have　helped　us；〃　she　reminded　him　gently。　　　〃Then　not　the　Jawas！〃　Cliegg　roared　back；　and　Shmi　jumped。　Taking　note　of　Shmi's　horrified　expression；　Cliegg　calmed　at　once。　〃I'm　sorry。　Not　the　Jawas；　then。　But　the　Tuskens。　They　kill　and　teal　whenever　and　wherever　they　can。　No　good　es　of　them！〃
　〃If　they　try　to　e　in　here；　there'll　be　less　of　them　to　chase　back　out　into　the　desert；〃　Owen　offered；　and　Cliegg　gave　him　an　appreciative　nod。　They　tried　to　finish　their　dinner；　but　every　time　a　bantha　sounded；　they　all　tensed；　hands　shifting　from　utensils　to　readied　blasters。
　〃Listen；〃　Shmi　said　suddenly；　and　they　all　went　perfectly　quiet；　straining　their　ears。　All　was　quiet　outside；　no　banthas　were　lowing。
　〃Perhaps　they　were　just　moving　by；〃　Shmi　offered　when　she　was　certain　the　others　had　caught　on。　〃Heading　back　out　into　the　open　desert　where　they　belong。〃
　〃We'll　go　out　to　the　Dorrs'　in　the　morning；〃　Cliegg　said　to　Owen。　〃We'll　get　all　the　farmers　organized；　and　maybe　get　a　call　in　to　Mos　Eisley；　as　well。〃　He　looked　to　Shmi　and　nodded。　〃Just　to　make　sure。〃　〃In　the　morning；〃　Owen　agreed。
　
　　At　dawn　the　next　day；　Owen　and　Cliegg　started　out　from　the　pound　before　they　had　even　eaten　a　good　breakfast；　for　Shmi　had　gone　out　ahead　of　them；　as　she　did　most　mornings；　to　pick　some　mushrooms　at　the　vaporators。　They　expected　to　pass　her　on　their　way　out　to　the　Dorrs'　farm　but　instead　found　her　footprints；　surrounded　by　the　imprints　of　many　others；　the　soft　boots　of　the　Tuskens。　Cliegg　Lars；　as　strong　and　tough　a　man　as　the　region　had　ever　known；　fell　to　his　knees　and　wept。
　〃We　have　to　go　after　her；　Dad；〃　came　a　suddenly　solid　and　unwavering　voice。　Cliegg　looked　up　and　back　to　see　Owen　standing　there；　a　man　indeed　and　no　more　a　boy；　his　expression　grim　and　determined。
　〃She　is　alive　and　we　cannot　leave　her　to　them；〃　Owen　said　with　a　strange；　almost　supernatural　calm。
　
　Cliegg　wiped　away　the　last　of　his　tears　and　stared　hard　at　his　son；　then　nodded　grimly。　〃Spread　the　word　to　the　neighboring　farms。〃
　
　Chapter　Three
　
　　〃There　they　are！〃　Sholh　Dorr　cried；　pointing　straight　ahead；　while　keeping　his　speeder　bike　at　full　throttle。
　
　The　twenty…nine　others　saw　the　target；　the　rising　dust　of　a　line　of　walking　banthas。　With　a　munal　roar；　the　outraged　farmers　pressed　on；　determined　to　exact　revenge；　determined　to　rescue　Shmi；　if　she　was　still　alive　among　this　band　of　Tusken　Raiders。
　
　Amidst　the　roar　of　engines　and　cries　of　revenge；　they　swept　down　the　descending　wash；　closing　fast　on　the　banthas；　eager　for　battle。　Cliegg　pumped　his　head；　growling　all　the　while；　as　if　pleading　with　his　speederbike　to　accelerate　even　more。　He　swerved　in　from　the　left　flank；　cutting　into　the　center　of　the　formation；　then　lowered　his　head　and　opened　the　speederbike　up；　trying　to　catch　the　lead　riders。　All　he　wanted　was　to　be　in　the　thick　of　it；　to　get　his　strong　arms　about　a　Tusken　throat。　The　banthas　were　clearly　in　sight；　then；　along　with　their　robed　riders。　Another　cry　went　up；　one　of　revenge。
　
　One　that　fast　turned　to　horror。
　
　The　leading　edge　of　the　farmer　army　plowed　headlong　into　a　wire　cleverly　strung　across　the　field；　at　neck　height　to　a　man　riding　a　speeder　bike。　Cliegg's　own　cry　also　became　one　of　horror　as　he　watched　the　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　t