rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第55节

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　One　misstep　。　。　。
　
　And　then　it　happened；　all　of　a　sudden。　Mace　started　to　slash　to　the　left；　cut　it　short　and　stabbed　straight　out；　then　reversed　his　grip　and　sent　the　lightsaber　slashing　across；　left　to　right。　He　spun　a　plete　circuit；　ing　around　to　parry　a　blaster　shot；　but　there　was　no　shot　forthing。
　
　That　left　to　right　reversal　had　cleanly　landed。　Jango　Fett's　head　flew　free　of　his　shoulders　and　fell　out　of　his　helmet；　to　settle　in　the　dirt。
　
　　〃Straight　ahead；〃　Obi…Wan　told　himself　as　the　acklay　came　at　him；　its　huge　claws　snapping　in　the　air。
　
　He　went　left；　then　right；　then　rolled　forward　at　the　beast；　between　the　mighty　arms　and　snapping　claws；　ing　around　and　over　with　his　borrowed　lightsaber　stabbing　straight　ahead；　burning　a　hole　in　the　creature's　chest。　The　acklay　dived　forward；　trying　to　crush　him　under　its　bulk；　and　the　Jedi　leapt　straight　up　as　he　connected。　He　came　down　on　its　back；　landing　lightly　and　stabbing　repeatedly；　before　leaping　away　once　more。
　〃Straight　ahead；〃　he　told　himself　again　as　the　enraged　beast　charged　yet　again。
　
　Obi…Wan　noted　the　blaster　bolt　ing　at　him　from　the　side　at　the　very　last　second；　and　turned　his　lightsaber　down　and　under；　deflecting　the　bolt　right　into　the　acklay's　face。
　
　The　creature　hardly　slowed　and　the　Jedi　had　to　throw　himself　to　the　ground　to　dodge　a　swiping；　snapping　claw。
　
　He　rolled　out　to　the　side；　to　avoid　a　stomping　leg；　and　managed　to　slash　out　again；　cutting　a　deep　gash。
　
　The　acklay　howled　and　came　on；　and　more　blaster　bolts　came　at　the　Jedi。　His　lightsaber　worked　furiously；　brilliantly；　turning　one　bolt　after　another　right　into　the　charging　beast；　finally　slowing　it　and　stunning　it。
　
　Obi…Wan　rushed　in　and　leapt　and　stabbed；　right　in　the　face。　He　caught　his　foot　on　the　creature's　shoulder　and　ran　right　past　it。　He　heard　it　fall　behind　him；　thrashing　in　its　death　throes；　but　he　knew　that　battle　was　done　and　went　back　to　work　on　the　battle　droids。
　
　That　larger　fight　seemed　far　from　won；　and　far　from　winnable。　Mace　Windu　had　finished　with　Jango　Fett　by　then；　and　to　the　other　side；　Anakin　and　Padme　continued　their　perfect　teamwork　behind　the　overturned　execution　cart。　Anakin　turned　all　shots　aimed　at　either　of　them；　and　Padme　picked　off　droid　after　droid。　But　even　with　that；　even　with　all　of　the　remaining　Jedi　fighting　brilliantly　in　the　arena；　the　droids　continued　to　press　in；　herding　them　all　together　in　a　hopeless　position。
　
　　〃Artoo；　what　are　you　doing　here？〃　C…3PO　asked　when　his　little　friend　rolled　past　his　trapped　body。
　
　In　response；　R2…D2　fired　a　suction　cup　grapnel　from　a　partment；　attaching　it　firmly　to　C…3PO's　head。
　〃Wait！〃　C…3PO　cried　as　R2…D2　began　to　tug。　〃No！　How　dare　you？　You're　pulling　too　hard！　Stop　dragging　me；　you　lead…head！〃　He　felt　the　sparking　as　his　head　tore　free　of　the　Battle　Droid　body；　and　then　R2…D2　pulled　C…3PO's　head　over　to　its　rightful　body。　R2…D2　extracted　his　welding　arm　and　began　reattaching　the　protocol　droid's　head。
　〃Artoo；　be　careful！　You　might　burn　my　circuits。　Are　you　sure　my　head's　on　straight？〃
　
　　More　Jedi　went　down　under　the　sheer　weight　of　the　laser　barrage。　Less　than　half　of　them　were　still　standing。
　〃Limited　choices；〃　Ki…Adi…Mundi　said　to　the　exhausted　and　bloody　Mace　Windu。
　
　Soon　they　were　down　to　just　over　twenty；　all　herded　together；　and　in　the　stadium　all　about　them　stood　rank　after　rank　of　battle　droid；　weapons　leveled。
　
　And　then　all　movement　stopped　suddenly。
　〃Master　Windu！〃　Count　Dooku　cried　from　the　dignitary　box。　His　expression　showed　that　he　had　truly　enjoyed　the　spectacle　of　the　battle。　〃You　have　fought　gallantly。　Worthy　of　recognition　in　the　Archives　of　the　Jedi。　Now　it　is　finished。〃　He　paused　and　looked　all　about；　leading　the　gazes　of　the　trapped　Jedi　to　the　rows　and　rows　of　enemies　still　poised　to　destroy　them。
　〃Surrender；〃　Dooku　ordered；　〃and　your　lives　will　be　spared。〃
　〃We　will　not　bee　hostages　for　you　to　use　as　barter；　Dooku；〃　Mace　said　without　the　slightest　hesitation。
　〃Then　I'm　sorry；　old　friend；〃　Count　Dooku　said；　in　a　tone　that　didn't　sound　at　all　sorry。　〃You　will　have　to　be　destroyed。〃　He　raised　his　hand　and　looked　to　his　assembled　army；　prepared　to　give　the　signal。
　
　But　then　Padme；　exhausted；　dirty；　and　bloody；　raised　her　head　to　the　sky　above　and　shouted；　〃Look！〃　All　eyes　turned　up　to　see　half　a　dozen　gunships　fast　descending　upon　the　arena；　screaming　down　in　a　dusty　cloud　about　the　Jedi；　clone　troopers　rushing　out　their　open　sides　as　they　touched　down。　A　hailstorm　of　laserfire　blasted　the　new　arrivals；　but　the　gunships　had　their　shields　up；　covering　the　debarkation　of　their　warriors。
　
　Amid　the　sudden　confusion　and　flashing　laserfire；　Master　Yoda　appeared　in　the　dropdoor　of　one　of　the　gunships；　offering　a　salute　to　Mace　and　the　others。
　〃Jedi；　move！〃　Mace　cried；　and　the　survivors　rushed　to　the　nearest　gunships；　scrambling　aboard。　Mace　climbed　in　right　beside　Yoda；　and　their　ship　lifted　away　immediately；　cannons　blaring；　shattering　and　scattering　battle　droids　as　it　soared　up　out　of　the　arena。
　
　Mace　could　hardly　believe　the　incredible　sight　unfolding　before　him；　as　thousands　of　Republic　ships　rushed　down　on　the　assembled　fleet　of　the　Trade　Federation；　dropping　tens　of　thousands　of　clone　troopers　to　the　surface　of　the　planet。　Behind　him；　Yoda　continued　to　orchestrate　the　battle。　〃More　battalions　to　the　left；〃　he　instructed　his　signaler；　who　relayed　it　out　to　the　field　manders。　〃Encircle　them；　we　must；　then　divide。〃
　
　　After　many　minutes　of　a　glow　so　bright　that　it　hurt　C…3PO's　eyes；　R2…D2　retracted　his　welding　arm　and　tootled　that　the　job　was　finished…C…3PO's　head　was　back　where　it　belonged。
　〃Oh；　Artoo；　you've　put　me　back　together！〃　C…3PO　cried；　and　with　some　effort；　he　managed　to　stand　upright。　He　realized　then；　from　the　hailstorm　of　fire　outside　the　arena　tunnel；　and　with　many　of　those　bolts　ricocheting　inside；　that　he　was　far　from　safe；　and　so　he　turned　and　began　to　amble　away。　Unfortunately　for　him；　though；　R2…D2　had　not　yet　disengaged　the　sucker　projectile　from　his　forehead。　The　cord　went　taut；　and　C…3PO　tumbled　backward　to　the　ground。
　
　R2…D2　gave　an　apologetic　whistle　as　he　rolled　by；　disengaging　and　retracting　the　sucker　as　he　went。
　〃I　won't　forget　this！〃　C…3PO　cried　indignantly；　and　he　scrambled　up　again　and　shuffled　off　after　his　infuriating　friend。
　
　　With　the　gunships　flying　off　and　the　battle　droids　in　pursuit；　Boba　Fett　finally　found　the　opportunity　to　slip　down　onto　the　arena　floor。　He　called　for　his　father　repeatedly；　rushing　from　pile　of　carnage　to　pile　of　carnage。　He　passed　the　dead　acklay；　and　then　the　reek；　calling　for　Jango；　but　knowing　what　had　happened；　simply　because　his　father；　who　was　always　there；　wasn't　there。
　
　And　then　he　saw　the　helmet。
　〃Dad；〃　the　boy　breathed。　His　legs　giving　out　beneath　him；　he　fell　to　his　knees　beside　Jango　Fett's　empty　helmet。
　
　Chapter　Twenty…Four
　
　Archduke　Poggle　the　Lesser；　led　Dooku　and　the　others　into　the　Geonosian　mand　center；　a　huge　room　with　a　large　circular　viewscreen　in　its　center　and　many　other　monitors　about　the　walls；　where　Geonosian　soldiers　could　monitor　and　direct　the　widening　battle。
　
　Poggle　rushed　to　the　side　to　confer　with　an　army　mander；　then　came　back　to　Dooku　and　Nute　Gunray；　his　expression　fierce。　〃All　of　our　munications　have　been　jammed！〃　he　informed　them。　〃We　are　under　attack；　on　land　and　from　above！〃
　〃The　Jedi　have　amassed　a　huge　army！〃　Nute　Gunray　cried。
　〃Where　did　they　get　them？〃　Dooku　asked；　sounding　perplexed。　〃That　doesn't　seem　possible。　How　did　the　Jedi　e　up　with　an　army　so　quickly？〃
　〃We　must　send　all　available　droids　into　battle；〃　Nute　Gunray　demanded。　But　Dooku；　staring　at　the　myriad　of　scenes；　at　the　many　battles　and　explosions　all　about　the　region；　was　shaking　his　head　before　he　Neimoidian　could　begin　to　argue　his　reasoning。　〃There　are　too　many；〃　the　Count　said；　his　voice　full　of　resignation。　〃They　will　soon　have　us　surrounded。〃　Even　as　he　spoke；　the　three　winced　as　the　central　screen　flashed；　showing　the　explosive　destruction　of　a　major　Geonosian　defensive　position。
　〃This　is　not　going　well　at　all；〃　Nute　Gunray　admitted。
　〃Order　a　retreat；〃　said　Poggle；　and　he　was　trembling　so　forcefully　that　it　seemed　as　if　he　might　just　fall　over。　〃I　am　sending　all　my　warriors　deep　into　the　catabs　to　hide！〃　He　nodded　to　several　of　his　manders　as　he　finished；　and　they　turned　back　to　their　links；　relaying　the　orders。
　〃We　must　get　the　cores　of　our　ships　back　into　space！〃　one　of　Nute　Gunray's　associates　cried；　and　Gunray　was　nodding　as　he　considered　the　words　and　the　devastating　scenes　of　battle　flashing　across　the　viewscreens。
　〃I'm　going　to　Coruscant；〃　Dooku　announced。　〃My　Master　will　not　let　the　Republic　get　away　with　this　treachery。〃
　
　Poggle　the　Lesser　rushed　across　the　room　to　a　console　and　punched　in　some　codes；　bringing　up　a　holographic　schematic　of　a　planet…sized　weapon。　With　a　few　keystrokes；　he　downloaded　the　schematic　onto　a　cartridge　and　pulled　it　from　the　drive；　turning　to　Dooku。　〃The　Jedi　must　not　find　our　designs；〃　the　Archduke　insisted。　〃If　they　have　any　idea　of　what　we　are　planning　to　create；　we　are　doomed。〃
　
　Dooku　took　th