rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第52节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



　
　The　floor　quieted；　and　Mas　Amedda　signaled　to　Jar　Jar；　who　was　by　this　time　gripping　the　front　of　his　platform　tightly。
　〃In　response　to　the　direct　threat　to　the　Republic；〃　the　Gungan　began；　speaking　clearly　and　directly；　〃mesa　propose　that　the　Senate　give　immediate　emergency　powers　to　the　Supreme　Chancellor。〃
　
　There　came　a　brief　silence　as　everyone　turned　to　look　at　everyone　else。　Gradually；　a　clapping　began；　and　when　the　jeers　erupted　from　opposing　factions；　the　cheering　grew　even　louder；　soon　drowning　out　the　opposition。
　
　Though　she　wasn't　even　present；　it　was　Amidala　who　had　done　this；　Mace　understood。　All　the　years　she　had　worked　to　win　the　trust　of　others　had　led　to　this　crucial　victory。　If　anyone　other　than　a　Representative　of　Naboo；　a　voice　speaking　for　Amidala；　had　suggested　such　a　drastic　measure；　then　the　debate　would　never　have　been　so　cleanly　decided。　But　since　she　had　apparently　thrown　in　with　the　other　side　on　the　debate　for　the　creation　of　an　army；　so；　too；　did　many　of　those　who　had　originally　followed　her　lead　in　opposing　that　army。
　
　The　noise　went　on　for　many　minutes；　and　while　the　jeering　died　away；　the　cheering　only　gained　momentum。　Finally；　Chancellor　Palpatine　held　up　his　hands；　asking　for　quiet。
　〃It　is　with　great　reluctance　that　I　have　agreed　to　this　calling；〃　Palpatine　began。　〃I　love　democracy…I　love　the　Republic。　I　am　mild　by　nature　and　do　not　desire　to　see　the　destruction　of　democracy。　The　power　you　give　me　I　will　lay　down　when　this　crisis　has　abated。　I　promise　you。　And　as　my　first　act　with　this　new　authority；　I　will　create　a　grand　army　of　the　Republic　to　counter　the　increasing　threats　of　the　separatists。〃
　〃It　is　done；　then；〃　Mace　said　to　Yoda；　and　the　diminutive　Jedi　Master　nodded　grimly。　〃I　will　take　what　Jedi　we　have　left　and　go　to　Geonosis　to　help　Obi…Wan。〃
　〃And　visit；　I　will；　the　cloners　of　Kamino　and　see　this　army　they　have　created　for　the　Republic；〃　Yoda　said。
　
　Together；　the　two　Jedi　walked　away　from　the　Senate　Hall。
　
　　It　looked　like　many　of　the　courtrooms　scattered　about　the　galaxy；　a　round　room　sectioned　by　curving　railings　and　tall　boxed…off　areas；　with　rows　of　seats　behind　the　main　area　for　interested　onlookers。　But　the　makeup　of　the　principals　told　Padme　that　the　resemblance　to　a　hall　of　justice　ended　right　there。　Poggle　the　Lesser；　the　Archduke　of　Geonosis；　presided　over　the　gathering；　helped　by　his　Geonosian　aide；　Sun　Fac；　but　clearly　there　would　be　no　possibility　of　open…mindedness。　Padme　recognized　the　others　as　separatist　Senators；　dignitaries　of　the　various　mercial　guilds　and　the　InterGalactic　Banking　Clan。
　
　She　watched　them　carefully；　noting　the　visceral　hatred　in　their　eyes。　This　was　no　hearing；　no　trial。　It　was　a　proclamation　of　hatred；　and　nothing　more。
　
　And　so　Padme　was　hardly　surprised　when　Sun　Fac　stepped　forward　and　announced；　〃You　have　been　charged　and　found　guilty　of　espionage。〃
　
　So　much　for　evidence；　Padme　thought。
　〃Do　you　have　anything　to　say　before　your　sentence　is　carried　out？〃　Archduke　Poggle　the　Lesser　asked。
　
　Unshaken；　the　cool　Senator　stared　the　Geonosian　straight　in　the　eye。　〃You　are　mitting　an　act　of　war；　Archduke。　I　hope　you　are　prepared　for　the　consequences。〃
　
　The　Geonosian　chuckled。　〃We　build　weapons；　Senator。　That　is　our　business！　Of　course　we're　prepared！〃
　〃Get　on　with　it！〃　came　the　voice　of　Nute　Gunray　from　the　side。　〃Carry　out　the　sentence。　I　want　to　see　her　suffer。〃
　
　Padme　only　shook　her　head。　All　this　because　she　had　foiled　the　Neimoidian's　plans　to　exploit　her　planet　when　she　was　Queen。　All　this　because　she　hadn't　rolled　over　before　the　power　of　Gun…ray　and　his　followers。　And　to　think　that　she　had　agreed　to　mercy　for　the　Neimoidians　after　their　defeat　on　Naboo！
　
　〃Your　other　Jedi　friend　is　waiting　for　you；　Senator；〃　Archduke　Poggle　the　Lesser　announced；　and　he　waved　to　the　guards。　〃Take　them　to　the　arena！〃
　
　　At　the　back　of　the　hall；　the　young　boy　soaked　it　all　in　and　looked　up　at　his　father；　a　perfect　older…version　replica　of　himself。　〃Are　they　going　to　feed　them　to　the　beasts？〃　Boba　Fett　asked。
　
　Jango　Fett　looked　down　at　his　eager　son　and　chuckled。　〃Yes；　Boba。〃　He　had　many　times　told　Boba　stories　of　the　Geonosian　arena。
　〃Oh；　I　hope　they　use　an　acklay；〃　said　Boba　matter…of…factly。　〃I　want　to　see　if　it's　as　powerful　as　I've　read。〃
　
　Jango　just　smiled　and　nodded；　amused　that　his　son　was　already　so　interested　in　such　things；　and　glad　for　the　dispassion　in　his　tone。　Boba　was　being　strictly　pragmatic　here；　even　in　the　face　of　the　executions　of　three　people。　He　was　taking　in　the　entire　scenario　with　the　cool　and　collected　pragmatism　that　would　allow　him　to　survive　in　the　harsh　galaxy。　He　was　a　good　learner。
　
　　The　jumble　of　information　they　were　downloading　into　C…3PO　would　surely　have　overwhelmed　the　droid；　conditioning　him　as　intended；　had　his　circuits　not　already　been　filled　to　near　capacity　with　linguistic　information。　C…3PO　engaged　in　multiple　translations　of　each　instruction　pattern；　and　in　doing　so；　managed　to　water　them　down　enough　so　that　they　lost　any　real　effect。　His　subtlety　seemed　lost　on　the　brutes　programming　him；　and　after　a　few　short　hours；　they　led　him　out　of　the　room　and　across　the　large　assembly　hall。
　
　It　was　there　that　C…3PO　heard　a　plaintive　and　familiar　whine。
　〃Artoo！〃　he　called；　swiveling　his　head。　There　was　his　dome…shaped　panion；　working　at　a　console。　R2…D2　swiveled　his　head　and　gave　another　〃oooo。〃
　〃Oh；　Artoo！〃　C…3PO　wailed；　and　before　he　could　even　consider　the　action；　he　brought　a　laser　sight　up　before　his　eyes；　focusing　on　the　restraining　bolt　set　into　his　friend。
　
　A　single　blast　flew　out；　skimming　the　bolt　from　R2…D2；　then　ricocheting　about　the　room。
　〃Hey！〃　cried　one　of　the　instructor　droids；　moving　fast　to　C…3PO's　side。
　〃Looks　like　this　one　needs　more　programming；〃　another　said。
　
　The　chief　maintenance　droid　looked　about　the　room　and　shook　his　dome。
　〃Nah；〃　he　said。　〃No　damage　done。　Get　this　one　out　to　the　yard　and　out　of　here！〃
　
　They　led　C…3PO　away。
　
　Soon　after　they　were　gone；　B2…D2　rolled　away　from　his　console　without　notice。　Since　all　of　the　relatively　benign　droids　working　in　here　were　restrained　by　bolts；　there　were　no　real　guards　in　the　room。　The　little　droid　was　out　and　free　soon　after。
　
　　The　tunnel　was　dark　and　fittingly　gloomy；　and　quiet；　except　for　the　occasional　echo　of　cheering　from　the　huge　crowd　gathered　in　the　arena　stands　beyond。　A　single　cart　was　in　there；　an　open　oval　with　a　sloping　front　end　that　somewhat　resembled　an　insect's　head　with　the　top　half　cut　away。　Anakin　and　Padme　were　unceremoniously　thrown　into　it；　then　strapped　in　place　against　the　framework；　facing　each　other。
　
　Both　of　them　jerked　as　the　cart　started　into　motion；　gliding　along　the　dark　tunnel。
　〃Don't　be　afraid；〃　Anakin　whispered。
　
　Padme　smiled　at　him；　her　expression　one　of　genuine　calm。　〃I'm　not　afraid　to　die；〃　she　replied；　her　voice　thick　and　soft。　〃I've　been　dying　a　little　bit　each　day　since　you　came　back　into　my　life。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　
　Then　she　said　it；　and　it　was　real　and　genuine　and　warm。　〃I　love　you。〃
　〃You　love　me？〃　he　asked；　overwhelmed。　〃You　love　me！　I　thought　we　decided　not　to　fall　in　love。　That　we　would　be　forced　to　live　a　lie。　That　it　would　destroy　our　lives。〃　But　her　words　had　brought　a　wash　of　contentment　over　him。
　〃I　think　our　lives　are　about　to　be　destroyed　anyway；〃　Padme　replied。　〃My　love　for　you　is　a　puzzle；　Annie；　for　which　I　have　no　answers。　I　can't　control　it…and　now　I　don't　care。　I　truly；　deeply　love　you；　and　before　we　die；　I　want　you　to　know。〃
　
　Padme　leaned　against　her　restraints　and　craned　her　head　forward；　and　Anakin　did　likewise；　the　two　ing　close　enough　for　their　lips　to　meet　in　a　soft　and　gentle　kiss；　one　that　lingered　and　deepened；　one　that　said　everything　they　both　realized　they　should　have　spoken　to　each　other　before。　One　that；　to　them；　mocked　their　false　heroics　in　denying　the　feelings　they'd　had　for　each　other　all　along。
　
　The　sweet　moment　was　just　that；　though；　a　moment；　for　a　crack　of　the　driver's　whip　had　the　cart　jerking　out　of　the　tunnel　and　into　the　blinding　daylight；　rolling　onto　the　floor　of　a　great　stadium　filled　with　Geonosian　spectators。
　
　Four　sturdy　posts；　a　meter　in　diameter；　were　centered　on　the　arena　floor；　each　set　with　chains；　and　one　holding　a　familiar　figure。
　〃Obi…Wan！〃　Anakin　cried　as　he　was　pulled　down　from　the　cart；　dragged　over；　and　chained　to　the　post　beside　his　Master。
　〃I　was　beginning　to　wonder　if　you　had　gotten　my　message；〃　Obi…Wan　replied。　Both　he　and　Anakin　winced　as　Padme　was　similarly；　roughly　dragged　over　to　the　post　next　to　Anakin；　and　roughly　chained　up。　They　saw　her　curl　a　bit；　defensively；　in　what　seemed　a　futile　resistance。　What　they　didn't　see；　though；　was　the　resourceful　Padme　managing　to　slip　out　a　wire　she　had　hidden　in　her　belt。
　〃I　retransmitted　your　message　just　as　you　requested；　Master；〃　Anakin　explained。　〃Then　we　decided　to　e　and　rescue　you。〃
　〃Good　job！〃　came　Obi…Wan's　quick　and　sarcastic　reply。　He　ended　with　a　grunt　as　his　arms　were　pulled　up　above　his　head；　locking　him　helplessly　in　place。　Anakin　and　Padme　were　receiving　similar　treatment。