rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第18部分

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　〃Why　do　I　think　that　you're　going　to　be　the　death　of　me？〃　Obi…Wan　mented　above　the　clamor。
　〃Don't　say　that；　Master；〃　Anakin　replied　seriously；　and　the　intensity　of　his　tone　surprised　Obi…Wan。　〃You're　the　closest　thing　I　have　to　a　father。　I　love　you；　and　I　don't　want　to　cause　you　pain。〃
　〃Then　why　don't　you　listen　to　me？〃
　〃I　will；〃　Anakin　said　eagerly。　〃I'll　do　better。　I　promise。〃
　
　Obi…Wan　nodded　and　glanced　all　around。　〃Do　you　see　him？〃
　〃I　think　he's　a　she。〃
　〃Then　be　extra　careful；〃　Obi…Wan　said；　and　he　gave　a　snort。
　〃And　I　think　she's　a　changeling；〃　Anakin　added。
　
　Obi…Wan　nodded　to　the　crowd　ahead　of　them。　〃Go　and　find　her。〃　He　started　the　opposite　way。
　〃Where　are　you　going；　Master？〃
　〃To　get　a　drink；〃　came　the　short　response。
　
　Anakin　blinked　in　surprise　to　see　his　Master　heading　for　the　bar。　He　almost　started　after；　to　inquire　further；　but　he　recalled　the　scolding　he　had　just　received　and　his　promise　to　do　better；　to　obey　his　Master。　He　turned　and　started　away；　milling　through　the　crowd；　trying　to　hold　his　calm　against　the　wave　of　faces　staring　at　him；　most　with　obvious　suspicion；　some　even　openly　hostile。
　
　Over　at　the　bar；　Obi…Wan　watched　him　for　a　bit；　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye。　He　signaled　to　the　bartender；　then　watched　as　a　glass　was　placed　in　front　of　him　and　amber　liquid　poured　in。
　〃Wanna　buy　some　death　sticks？〃　came　a　guttural　voice　from　the　side。　Obi…Wan　didn't　even　turn　to　fully　regard　the　speaker；　who　wore　a　wild　mane　of　dark　hair；　with　two　antennae　twirled　up　from　his　hair　like　curly　horns。
　〃Nobody's　got　better　death　sticks　than　Elan　Sleazebaggano；〃　the　ruffian　added　with　a　perfectly　evil　smile。
　〃You　don't　want　to　sell　me　death　sticks；〃　the　Jedi　coolly　said；　waggling　his　fingers　slightly；　bringing　the　weight　of　the　Force　into　his　voice。
　〃I　don't　want　to　sell　you　death　sticks；〃　Elan　Sleazebaggano　obediently　repeated。
　
　Again　the　Jedi　waggled　his　fingers。　〃You　want　to　go　home　and　rethink　your　life。〃
　〃I　want　to　go　home　and　rethink　my　life；〃　Elan　readily　agreed；　and　he　turned　and　walked　away。
　
　Obi…Wan　tossed　back　his　drink　and　motioned　for　the　bartender　to　fill　it　up。　A　short　distance　away；　walking　among　the　crowd；　Anakin　continued　his　scan。　Something　didn't　seem　quite　right　to　him…　but　of　course；　how　could　he　expect　it　to　be　in　this　seedy　place？　Still；　some　sensation　nagged　at　him；　some　mounting　evil　that　seemed　above　the　level　expected　even　in　here。　He　didn't　actually　see　the　blaster　pistol　ing　out　of　the　holster；　didn't　see　it　rising　up　toward　the　apparently　unsuspecting　Obi…Wan's　back。
　
　But　he　felt　。　。　。
　
　Anakin　spun　as　Obi…Wan　spun；　to　see　his　Master　ing　around；　lightsaber　igniting；　in　a　beautiful　and　graceful　turn　with　perfect　balance。　It　seemed　almost　as　if　in　slow　motion　to　Anakin；　though　of　course　Obi…Wan　was　moving　with　deadly　speed　and　precision；　as　his　blade；　blue　like　Anakin's；　cut　a　short　vertical　loop　and　then　a　second；　reaching　farther　out　toward　his　foe。　The　would…be　assassin…and　he　could　see　clearly　now　that　it　was　a　woman；　since　she　had　taken　off　her　helmet…shrieked　in　agony　as　her　arm；　still　clutching　the　blaster；　fell　free　to　the　floor；　sheared　off　above　the　elbow。　The　room　exploded　into　motion；　with　Anakin　rushing　to　Obi…Wan's　side；　club　patrons　leaping　up　all　about　them；　bristling　with　nervous　energy。
　〃Easy！〃　Anakin　said　loudly；　patting　his　hands　in　the　air；　imbuing　his　voice　with　the　strength　of　the　Force。　〃Official　business。　Go　back　to　your　drinks。〃
　
　Gradually；　very　gradually；　the　club　resumed　its　previous　atmosphere；　with　conversations　beginning　again。　Seeming　hardly　concerned；　Obi…Wan　motioned　for　Anakin　to　help　him；　and　together　they　helped　the　assassin　out　to　the　street。
　
　They　lowered　her　gently　to　the　ground；　and　she　started　awake　as　soon　as　Obi…　Wan　began　to　attend　her　wounded　arm。
　
　She　growled　ferally　and　winced　in　agony；　all　the　while　staring　up　hatefully　at　the　two　Jedi。
　〃Do　you　know　who　it　was　you　were　trying　to　kill？〃　Obi…Wan　asked　her。
　〃The　Senator　from　Naboo；〃　Zam　Wesell　said　matter…of…factly；　as　if　it　hardly　mattered。
　〃Who　hired　you？〃
　
　Her　answer　was　a　glare。　〃It　was　just　a　job。〃
　〃Tell　us！〃　Anakin　demanded；　ing　forward　threateningly。
　
　The　tough　bounty　hunter　didn't　even　flinch。　〃The　Senator's　going　to　die　soon　anyway；〃　she　said。　〃It　won't　end　with　me。　For　the　price　they're　offering；　there'll　be　bounty　hunters　lining　up　to　take　the　hit。　And　the　next　one　won't　make　the　same　mistake　I　did。〃
　
　Tough　as　she　was；　she　ended　with　a　grunt　and　a　groan。
　〃This　wound's　going　to　need　more　treatment　than　I　can　give　it　here；〃　an　obviously　concerned　Obi…Wan　explained　to　Anakin；　but　if　the　younger　man　even　cared；　he　didn't　show　it。　His　expression　angry；　he　came　forward。
　〃Who　hired　you？〃　he　asked　again；　and　then　he　continued；　throwing　the　full　weight　of　the　Force　into　his　demand；　a　strength　that　surprised　Obi…Wan；　that　came　from　something　more　than　prudence　or　dedication　to　his　current　job。　〃Tell　us。　Tell　us　now！〃
　
　The　bounty　hunter　continued　to　glare　at　him；　but；　lips　twitching；　she　started　to　answer。　〃It　was　a　bounty　hunter　called…〃
　
　They　heard　a　puff　from　above　and　the　bounty　hunter　twitched　and　gasped；　and　simply　expired；　her　human　female　features　twisting　grotesquely　back　into　the　lumpy　form　of　her　true　Clawdite　nature。
　
　Anakin　and　Obi…Wan　tore　their　eyes　away　from　the　spectacle　to　look　up；　and　heard　the　roar　as　they　watched　an　armored　rocket…man　lift　away　into　the　Coruscant　night；　disappearing　into　the　sky。　Obi…Wan　looked　back　to　the　dead　creature　and　pulled　a　small　item　from　her　neck；　holding　it　up　for　Anakin　to　see。　〃Toxic　dart。〃
　
　Anakin　sighed　and　looked　away。　So　they　had　foiled　this　attempt　and　killed　one　assassin。
　
　But　it　was　clear　to　him　that　Senator　Amidala…Padme…　remained　in　grave　danger。
　
　Chapter　Nine
　
　Anakin　stood　quietly　in　the　Jedi　Council　chamber；　encircled　by　the　Masters　of　the　Order。　Beside　him　stood　Obi…Wan；　his　Master；　but　not　one　of　the　Masters。　Obi…Wan；　like　the　majority　of　the　ten　thousand　Jedi；　was　a　Knight；　but　these　select　few　sitting　around　the　edges　of　this　room　were　Masters；　the　highest…ranking　members　of　this　Order。　Anakin　had　never　been　fortable　in　this　esteemed　pany。　He　knew　that　more　than　half　of　the　Jedi　Masters　sitting　here　had　expressed　grave　doubts　about　allowing　him　into　the　Order　at　the　advanced　age　of　ten。　He　knew　that　even　after　Yoda　had　swayed　the　vote　to　allow　him　to　begin　studying　under　Obi…Wan；　a　few　continued　to　hold　those　doubts。
　〃Track　down　this　bounty　hunter；　you　must；　Obi…Wan；〃　Master　Yoda　said　as　the　others　passed　the　toxic　dart　about。
　〃Most　importantly；　find　out　who　he's　working　for；〃　Mace　Windu　added。
　〃What　about　Senator　Amidala？〃　Obi…Wan　asked。　〃She　will　still　need　protecting。〃　Anakin；　anticipating　what　might　be　ing；　straightened　as
　
　Yoda　turned　his　gaze　his　way。
　〃Handle　that；　your　Padawan　will。〃
　
　Anakin　felt　his　heart　soar　at　Yoda's　declaration；　both　because　of　the　confidence　obviously　being　shown　in　him；　and　also　because　this　was　one　assignment　he　knew　that　he　would　truly　enjoy。
　〃Anakin；　escort　the　Senator　back　to　her　home　planet　of　Naboo；〃　Mace　added。
　〃She'll　be　safer　there。　And　don't　use　registered　transport。　Travel　as　refugees。〃
　
　Anakin　nodded　as　the　assignment　was　explained；　but　he　knew　immediately　that　there　would　be　a　few　obstacles　to　such　a　course。　〃As　the　leader　of　the　opposition　to　the　Military　Creation　Act；　it　will　be　very　difficult　to　get　Senator　Amidala　to　leave　the　capital。〃
　〃Until　caught　this　killer　is；　our　judgment　she　must　respect；〃　Yoda　replied。　Anakin　nodded。　〃But　I　know　how　deeply　she　cares　about　this　uping　vote；　Master；〃　he　replied。　〃She　is　more　concerned　with　defeating　the　act　than　with…〃
　〃Anakin；〃　Mace　interrupted；　〃go　to　the　Senate　and　ask　Chancellor　Palpatine　to　speak　with　her。〃　The　tone　of　his　voice　made　it　clear　that　they　had　spent　enough　time　on　these　issues。　The　Jedi　Knight　and　his　Padawan　had　their　assignments；　and　Yoda　dismissed　them　with　a　nod。
　
　Anakin　started　to　say　something　further；　but　Obi…Wan　had　his　arm　almost　immediately；　guiding　him　out　of　the　room。
　〃I　was　only　going　to　explain　Padme's　passion　about　this　vote；〃　Anakin　said　when　he　and　Obi…Wan　were　out　in　the　hall。
　〃You　made　Senator　Amidala's　feelings　quite　clear；〃　Obi…Wan　replied。　〃That　is　why　Master　Windu　bade　you　to　have　the　Chancellor　intervene。〃　The　two　started　walking　down　the　corridor；　Anakin　biting　back　any　responses　that　came　to　him。
　〃The　Jedi　Council　understands；　Anakin；〃　Obi…Wan　remarked。
　〃Yes；　Master。〃
　〃You　must　trust　in　them；　Anakin。〃
　〃Yes；　Master。〃　Anakin's　response　was　automatic。　He　had　already　gone　past　this　issue　in　his　thoughts。　He　knew　that　Padme　wouldn't　be　easily　convinced　to　leave　the　planet　before　the　vote；　but　in　truth；　it　hardly　mattered　to　him。　The　important　thing　was　that　he　would　be　with　her；　guarding　her。　With　Obi…Wan　off　chasing　the　bounty　hunter；　Padme　would　be　his　sole　responsibility；　and　that　was　no　small　thing　to　Anakin。
　
　No　small　thing　at　all。
　
　　Anakin　was　not　nervous　in　the　office　of　Chancellor　Palpatine。　Certainly　he　understood　the　man's　power；　and　certainly　he　respect