rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第6节

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　〃The　separatists　have　shown　themselves　not　to　be　above　violence；〃　he　explained。　〃There　have　been　assassination　attempts　across　the　Republic。〃　〃But　wouldn't　Count　Dooku　and　the　separatists　consider　Senator　Amidala　almost　an　ally　at　this　time？〃　Captain　Typho　interjected；　and　both　Panaka　and　Padme　looked　at　the　usually　quiet　man　in　surprise。
　
　Padme's　look　quickly　turned　into　a　stare；　there　was　an　angry　edge　to　her　fair　features。　〃I　am　no　friend　to　any　who　would　dissolve　the　Republic；　Captain；〃　she　insisted；　her　tone　leaving　no　room　for　debate…and　of　course；　there　would　be　no　debating　that　point。　In　the　few　years　she　had　been　a　Senator；　Amidala　had　shown　herself　to　be　among　the　most　loyal　and　powerful　supporters　of　the　Republic；　a　legislator　determined　to　improve　the　system；　but　to　do　so　within　the　framework　of　the　Republic's　constitution。　Senator　Amidala　fervently　believed　that　the　real　beauty　of　the　governing　system　was　its　built…in　abilities；　even　demands；　for　self…improvement。
　〃Agreed；　Senator；〃　Typho　said　with　a　bow。　He　was　shorter　than　his　uncle　but　powerfully　built；　muscles　filling　the　blue　sleeves　of　his　uniform；　his　chest　solid　under　the　brown　leather　tunic。　He　wore　a　black　leather　patch　over　his　left　eye；　which　he　had　lost　in　the　battle　with　that　same　Trade　Federation　a　decade　before。　Typho　had　been　just　a　teenager　then；　but　had　shown　himself　well；　and　made　his　uncle　Panaka　proud。　〃And　no　offense　meant。　But　on　this　issue　concerning　the　creation　of　an　army　of　the　Republic；　you　have　remained　firmly　in　the　court　of　negotiation　over　force。　Would　not　the　separatists　agree　with　your　vote？〃
　
　When　Padme　put　her　initial　outrage　aside　and　considered　the　point；　she　had　to　agree。
　〃Count　Dooku　has　thrown　in　with　Nute　Gunray；　say　the　reports；〃　Panaka　cut　in；　his　tone　flat　and　determined。　〃That　mere　fact　demands　that　we　tighten　security　about　Senator　Amidala。〃
　〃Please　do　not　speak　about　me　as　though　I　am　not　here；〃　she　scolded；　but　Panaka　didn't　blink。
　〃In　matters　of　security；　Senator；　you　are　not　here；〃　he　replied。　〃At　least；　your　voice　is　not。　My　nephew　reports　to　me；　and　his　responsibilities　on　this　matter　cannot　be　undermined。　Take　all　precautions。〃
　
　With　that；　he　bowed　curtly　and　walked　away；　and　Padme　suppressed　her　immediate　desire　to　rebuke　him。　He　was　right；　and　she　was　better　off　because　he　dared　to　point　it　out。　She　looked　back　at　Captain　Typho。
　〃We　will　be　vigilant；　Senator。〃
　〃I　have　my　duty；　and　that　duty　demands　that　I　soon　return　to　Coruscant；〃　she　said。
　〃And　I　have　my　duty；〃　Typho　assured　her；　and　like　Panaka；　he　offered　a　bow　and　walked　away。
　
　Padme　Amidala　watched　him　go；　then　gave　a　great　sigh；　remembering　Sola's　words　to　her　and　wondering　honestly　if　she　would　ever　find　the　opportunity　to　follow　her　sister's　advice…　advice　that　she　was　finding　strangely　tempting　at　that　particular　moment。　She　realized　then　that　she　hadn't　seen　Sola；　or　the　kids；　or　her　parents；　in　nearly　two　weeks；　not　since　that　afternoon　in　the　backyard　with　Ryoo　and　Pooja。
　
　Time　did　seem　to　be　slipping　past　her。
　
　　〃It　won't　move　fast　enough　to　catch　up　to　the　Tuskens！〃　Cliegg　Lars　bellowed　in　protest　as　his　son　and　future　daughter…in…law　helped　him　into　a　hoverchair　that　Owen　had　fashioned。　He　seemed　oblivious　to　the　pain　of　his　wound；　where　his　right　leg　had　been　sheared　off　at　midthigh。
　〃The　Tuskens　are　long　gone；　Dad；〃　Owen　Lars　said　quietly；　and　he　put　his　hand　on　Cliegg's　broad　shoulder；　trying　to　calm　him。　〃If　you　won't　use　a　mechno…leg；　this　powerchair　will　have　to　do。〃
　〃You'll　not　be　making　me　into　a　half…droid；　that's　for　sure；〃　Cliegg　retorted。　〃This　little　buggy　will　do　fine。〃
　〃We'll　get　more　men　together；〃　he　said；　his　voice　rising　frantically；　his　hand　instinctively　moving　down　to　the　stump　of　his　leg。　〃You　get　to　Mos　Eisley　and　see　what　support　they'll　offer。　Send　Beru　to　the　farms。〃
　〃They've　no　more　to　offer；〃　Owen　replied　honestly。　He　moved　close　to　the　chair　and　bent　low；　looking　Cliegg　square　in　the　face。　〃All　the　farms　will　be　years　in　recovering　from　the　ambush。　So　many　families　have　been　shattered　from　the　attack；　and　even　more　from　the　rescue　attempt。〃
　〃How　can　you　talk　like　that　with　your　mother　out　there？〃　Cliegg　Lars　roared；　his　frustration　boiling　over…and　all　the　more　so　because　in　his　heart；　he　knew　that　Owen　was　speaking　truthfully。
　
　Owen　took　a　deep　breath；　but　did　not　back　down　from　that　imposing　look。　〃We　have　to　be　realistic；　Dad。　It's　been　two　weeks　since　they　took　her；〃　he　said　grimly；　leaving　the　implications　unspoken。　Implications　that　Cliegg　Lars；　who　knew　the　dreaded　Tuskens　well；　surely　understood。
　
　All　of　a　sudden；　Cliegg's　broad　shoulders　slumped　in　defeat；　and　his　fiery　gaze　softened　as　his　eyes　turned　toward　the　ground。　〃She's　gone；〃　the　wounded　man　whispered。　〃Really　gone。〃
　
　Behind　him；　Beru　Whitesun　started　to　cry。
　
　Beside　him；　Owen　fought　back　his　own　tears　and　stood　calm　and　tall；　the　firm　foundation　determined　above　all　to　hold　them　together　during　this　devastating　time。
　
　Chapter　Four
　
　The　four　starships　skimmed　past　the　great　skyscrapers　of　Coruscant；　weaving　in　and　out　of　the　huge　amber　structures；　artificial　stalagmites　rising　higher　and　higher　over　the　years；　and　now　obscuring　the　natural　formations　of　the　planet　unlike　anywhere　else　in　the　known　galaxy。　Sunlight　reflected　off　the　many　mirrorlike　windows　of　those　massive　structures；　and　gleamed　brilliantly　off　the　chrome　of　the　sleek　ships。　The　larger　starship；　which　resembled　a　flying　silver　boomerang；　almost　glowed；　smooth　and　flowing　with　huge　and　powerful　engines　set　on　each　of　its　arms；　a　third　of　the　way　to　the　wingtip。　Alongside　it　soared　several　Naboo　starfighters；　their　graceful　engines　set　out　on　wings　from　the　main　hulls　with　their　distinctive　elongated　tails。
　
　One　of　the　starfighters　led　the　procession；　veering　around　and　about　nearly　every　passing　tower；　running　point　for　the　second　ship；　the　Naboo　Royal　Cruiser。　Behind　that　larger　craft　came　two　more　fighters；　running　swift　and　close　to　the　Royal　Cruiser；　shielding　her；　pilots　ready　to　instantly　intercept　any　threat。　The　lead　fighter　avoided　the　more　heavily　trafficked　routes　of　the　great　city；　where　potential　enemies　might　be　flying　within　the　cover　of　thousands　of　ordinary　vehicles。　Many　knew　that　Senator　Amidala　of　Naboo　was　returning　to　the　Senate　to　cast　her　vote　against　the　creation　of　an　army　to　assist　the　overwhelmed　Jedi　in　their　dealings　with　the　increasingly　antagonistic　separatist　movement；　and　there　were　many　factions　that　did　not　want　such　a　vote　to　be　cast。　Amidala　had　made　many　enemies　during　her　reign　as　Naboo's　Queen；　powerful　enemies　with　great　resources　at　their　disposal；　and　with；　perhaps；　enough　hatred　for　the　beautiful　young　Senator　to　put　some　of　those　resources　to　work　to　her　detriment。
　
　In　the　lead　fighter；　Corporal　Dolphe；　who　had　distinguished　himself　greatly　in　the　Naboo　war　against　the　Trade　Federation；　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief　as　the　appointed　landing　platform　came　into　sight；　appearing　secure　and　clear。　Dolphe；　a　tough　warrior　who　revered　his　Senator　greatly；　flew　past　the　landing　platform　to　the　left；　then　cut　a　tight　turn　back　to　the　right；　encircling　the　great　structure；　the　Senatorial　Apartment　Building；　adjacent　to　the　landing　platform。　He　kept　his　fighter　up　and　about　as　the　other　two　fighters　put　down　side　by　side　on　one　end　of　the　platform；　the　Royal　Cruiser　hovering　nearby　for　just　a　moment；　then　gently　landing。
　
　Dolphe　did　another　circuit；　then；　seeing　no　traffic　at　all　in　the　vicinity；　settled　his　fighter　across　the　way　from　his　panion　craft。　He　didn't　put　it　down　all　the　way　just　yet；　though；　but　remained　ready　to　swivel　about　and　strike　hard　at　any　attackers；　if　need　be。
　
　Opposite　him；　the　other　two　fighter　pilots　threw　back　their　respective　canopies　and　climbed　from　their　cockpits。　One；　Captain　Typho；　recently　appointed　as　Amidala's　chief　security　officer　by　his　uncle　Panaka；　pulled　off　his　flight　helmet　and　shook　his　head；　running　a　hand　over　his　short；　woolly　black　hair　and　adjusting　the　black　leather　patch　he　wore　over　his　left　eye。
　〃We　made　it；〃　Typho　said　as　his　fellow　fighter　pilot　leapt　down　from　a　wing　to　stand　beside　him。　〃I　guess　I　was　wrong。　There　was　no　danger　at　all。〃
　〃There's　always　danger；　Captain；〃　the　other　responded　in　a　distinctly　female　voice。　〃Sometimes　we're　just　lucky　enough　to　avoid　it。〃
　
　Typho　started　to　respond；　but　paused　and　looked　back　toward　the　cruiser；　where　the　ramp　was　already　lowering　to　the　platform。　The　plan　had　been　to　get　the　contingent　off　the　exposed　platform　and　into　a　transport　vehicle　as　quickly　as　possible。　Two　Naboo　guards　appeared；　alert　and　ready；　their　blaster　rifles　presented　before　them。　Typho　nodded　grimly；　glad　to　see　that　his　soldiers　were　taking　nothing　for　granted；　that　they　understood　the　gravity　of　the　situation　and　their　responsibility　here　in　protecting　the　Senator。
　
　Next　came　Amidala；　in　her　typical　splendor；　with　her　paradoxical　beauty；　both　simple　and　involved。　With　her　large　brown　eyes　and　soft　features；　Amidala　could　outshine　anyone　about　her；　even　if　she　was　dressed　in　simple　peasant's　clothing；　but　in　her　Senatorial　attire；　this　ti