rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第42部分

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　Jango　opened　a　side　panel　and　pulled　a　lever；　releasing　an　electric　charge　along　his　hull　that　was　designed　to　destroy　just　such　tracking　devices。　A　quick　look　at　the　scan　screen　showed　that　the　cloaking　shadow　had　disappeared。
　〃Here　we　go；〃　Jango　said；　and　he　dived　Slave　I　into　the　asteroid　field；　pulling　a　fast　circuit　over　and　around　a　nearby　rock；　then　diving　out　fast　to　the　side；　rolling　about　a　spinning　boulder；　and　cutting　fast　between　another　pair。　In　and　around　he　wove；　with　no　apparent　pattern；　and　a　few　moments　later；　Boba；　who　was　still　studying　the　scanner；　announced；　〃He's　gone。〃
　〃Maybe　he's　smarter　than　I　thought　and　headed　on　toward　the　planet　surface；〃　Jango　said　with　a　grin　and　another　wink。　Even　as　he　finished；　though；　the　scanner　beeped。　〃Look；　Dad！〃　Boba　cried；　pointing　out　the　blip；　now　inside　the　asteroid　field；　as　well。　〃He's　back！〃
　〃Hang　on！〃　Jango　said；　and　he　put　Slave　I　through　a　wild　series　of　dips；　climbs；　and　turns；　then　finished　with　a　straight…out　run；　while　uncapping　a　firing　trigger　and　squeezing　the　plunger。　〃Seismic　charge；〃　he　explained　to　Boba；　who　grinned。
　
　But　then　the　boy　was　screaming　a　warning　as　the　forward　viewscreen　filled　up　with　an　asteroid。
　
　Jango　was　already　on　it；　turning　the　amazingly　maneuverable　Slave　I　up　on　its　end　and　running　up　over　the　giant　space　rock。
　〃Stay　calm；　son；〃　he　assured　Boba。　〃We'll　be　fine。　That　Jedi　won't　be　able　to　follow　us　through　this。〃
　
　His　declaration　was　accentuated　by　a　sudden　flash　and　a　jarring　buck　as　the　sonic　charge　detonated　far　behind　them。
　〃He　got　through　it！〃　Boba　cried　a　moment　later；　seeing　the　Jedi's　ship　reappear　on　the　scan　screen。
　〃This　guy　can't　take　a　hint；〃　said　Jango；　who　remained　unrattled。　〃Well；　if　we　can't　lose　him；　we'll　have　to　finish　him。〃
　
　Boba　cried　out　again；　but　his　father　was　in　plete　control。　He　put　the　ship　down　a　narrow　tunnel　creasing　one　of　the　larger　asteroids。　He　had　to　slow　a　bit　to　maneuver；　and　when　Slave　I　came　out　the　other　end；　Jango　and　Boba　saw　the　Jedi　starfighter　stream　over　and　past　them。　The　hunted　had　suddenly　bee　the　hunters。
　〃Get　him；　Dad！〃　Boba　cried　out。　〃Get　him！　Fire！〃
　
　Laser　bolts　burst　out　of　Slave　I；　tracing　lines　all　about　the　starfighter；　which　cut　a　snap…roll　to　the　right　and　down。
　
　Jango　stayed　with　him；　trying　to　line　up　another　shot；　but　the　Jedi　was　good；　snap…rolling　one　after　another；　each　time　ing　out　near　an　asteroid　and　sliding　behind　it　for　cover。
　
　Boba　continued　to　urge　his　father　on；　but　Jango　kept　his　patience；　figuring　that　sooner　or　later；　the　Jedi　was　going　to　run　out　of　hiding　places。　A　fast　dive；　then　a　sudden　turn　back　up；　then　a　sudden　roll　and　bank　to　the　right　had　the　Jedi　moving　behind　yet　another　asteroid；　but　this　time；　instead　of　following；　Jango　cut　in　short　of　the　rock　and　fired　blindly　past　it。
　
　Out　came　the　Jedi's　starfighter；　right　into　the　line　of　fire；　and　the　ship　bucked；　pieces　flying；　as　a　laser　bolt　clipped　it。
　〃You　got　him！〃　Boba　yelled　in　victory。
　〃And　now　we　just　have　to　finish　him；〃　the　ever…cool　Jango　explained。
　〃There'll　be　no　more　dodging。〃　He　pushed　a　series　of　buttons；　arming　a　torpedo　and　sliding　open　the　tube；　then　moved　to　punch　the　red　trigger。　He　paused；　though；　and　smiled；　and　nodded　for　Boba　to　move　closer。
　
　Boba　could　hardly　breathe　as　his　father　slid　his　hand　onto　the　smooth　trigger　grip；　then　looked　down　at　him　and　nodded。　The　boy　punched　the　trigger　and　Slave　I　jolted　as　the　torpedo　slid　away；　diving　at　the　Jedi　starfighter　and　taking　up　the　chase　as　the　starfighter　bolted　and　tried　to　evade。
　
　A　few　brief　moments　later；　Slave　Fs　viewscreen　lit　up　in　the　light　of　a　tremendous　explosion；　forcing　Boba　and　Jango　to　shield　their　eyes　with　their　arms。　When　they　recovered　and　looked　back；　they　were　greeted　by　pieces　of　wreckage　and　torn　chunks　of　metal。　The　scan　screen　was　clear。
　〃Got　him！〃　Boba　shouted。　〃Yeahhhh！〃　〃Nice　shot；　kid；〃　Jango　said；　and　he　tousled　Boba's　hair　again。　〃You　earned　that　one。　We　won't　see　him　again。〃
　
　A　few　deft　turns　had　Slave　I　out　of　the　asteroids　and　speeding　down　toward　Geonosis；　and　despite　his　earlier　reasoning；　Jango　Fett　allowed　Boba　to　guide　the　craft　down。　Truly；　this　was　no　flight　for　a　boy　to　pilot；　but　Boba　Fett　was　so　far　above　any　ordinary　boy。
　
　　Anakin　traveled　through　great　canyons　of　multicolored　stone；　across　dunes　of　blowing　and　shifting　sand；　and　along　an　ancient；　long…dry　riverbed。　His　only　guide　was　the　sensation　of　Shmi；　of　her　pain。　But　it　was　not　a　definitive　homing　beacon；　and　though　he　suspected　he　was　moving　in　the　general　direction；　the　landscape　of　Tatooine　was　vast　and　empty；　and　none　knew　how　to　hide　among　the　sand　and　stones　better　than　the　Tusken　Raiders。　On　a　high　bluff；　Anakin　paused　and　scanned　the　horizon。
　
　Off　to　the　south；　he　noted　a　huge　vehicle；　resembling　a　gigantic　tilting　box；　plodding　along　on　a　single　huge　track。　Nodding　with　recognition　of　the　Jawas；　and　well　aware　that　no　one　knew　the　movements　of　all　creatures　among　the　desert　better　than　they；　he　kicked　his　speeder　bike　away。　He　caught　up　to　them　soon　after；　riding　into　a　group　of　the　brown…　and　black…robed　creatures；　their　inquisitive　red　eyes　poking　out　at　him　from　the　shadows　of　huge　cowls；　their　ceaseless　chatter　humming　like　strange　music　all　about　him。
　
　It　took　him　a　long　time　to　convince　the　Jawas　that　he　wasn't　interested　in　purchasing　any　droids；　and　a　longer　time　to　get　them　to　understand　that　he　was　merely　looking　for　information　about　any　Tusken　Raiders。
　
　The　Jawas　talked　excitedly　among　themselves；　pointing　this　way　and　that；　hopping　all　about。　Jawas　were　no　friends　of　Tuskens；　who　preyed　on　them　as　they　preyed　on　anyone　else　they　found　vulnerable。　Even　worse　to　the　Jawa　salesman　mentality；　Tuskens　never　purchased　any　droids！
　
　The　group　eventually　came　to　agreement；　and　pointed　as　one　to　the　east。　With　a　nod；　Anakin　sped　away。　The　lack　of　monetary　pensation　seemed　to　aggravate　the　Jawas；　but　Anakin　had　no　time　to　care。
　
　　The　asteroids　rolled　along　their　silent　way；　undisturbed；　seemingly　unshaken　from　the　explosions　and　zigzagging　vessels。
　
　In　a　deep　depression　on　the　back　side　of　one　such　rock　huddled　a　small　starfighter；　its　definitive　outline　and　consistent　colors　showing　stark　contrast　to　the　rough…edged　and　bleeding；　broken　mineral　streaks　of　the　asteroid。
　〃Blast。　This　is　why　I　hate　flying；〃　Obi…Wan　said　to　R4；　and　the　droid's　responding　beeps　showed　that　he　was　in　plete　agreement。　Few　things　could　rattle　the　Jedi　Knight；　but　engaging　in　a　space　battle　with　a　pilot　as　obviously　skilled　as　Jango　Fett　was　surely　one　of　them。　Unlike　many　of　his　Jedi　associates；　Obi…Wan　Kenobi　had　never　much　enjoyed　space　travel；　let　alone　piloting。
　
　He　winced　as　his　asteroid　came　over　and　around；　showing　him　again　a　glowing　piece　of　torn　metal　that　had　taken　up　orbit　within　the　belt。　His　ship　was　wounded　from　the　laser　blast…　nothing　substantial；　just　a　thruster…angler…　and　he　had　understood　that　he　could　not　hope　to　outmaneuver　the　clever　torpedo。　So　he　had　ordered　R4　to　eject　all　the　spare　parts　canisters；　and　fortunately；　that　had　been　enough　to　detonate　the　missile。　Despite　the　success；　between　the　shock　of　that　blast　and　landing　hard　and　fast　on　the　asteroid　to　plete　the　ruse；　Obi…Wan　was　relieved　to　see　that　his　ship　had　remained　intact。
　
　He　wanted　no　further　space　fights　with　Jango　and　his　strange；　and　supremely　efficient；　ship；　though；　and　so　he　had　sat　here　as　the　minutes　slipped　past。
　〃Have　you　got　their　last　trajectory　logged？〃　he　asked　the　droid；　then　nodded　as　R4　assured　him　that　he　did。　〃Well；　I　think　we've　waited　long　enough。　Let's　go。〃　Obi…Wan　paused　for　a　moment；　trying　to　digest　all　the　amazing　things　he　had　seen　on　the　trail　of　Jango　Fett。　〃This　mystery　gets　more　wound　up　all　the　time；　Arfour。　Think　maybe　we'll　finally　get　some　answers？〃　R4　gave　a　sound　that　Obi…Wan　could　only　think　of　as　a　verbal　shrug。
　
　Following　the　path　taken　by　Slave　/；　Obi…Wan　was　not　surprised　that　it　led　straight　for　the　red　planet；　Geonosis。　What　did　surprise　him；　though；　was　that　they　were　not　alone　up　there。
　
　A　series　of　beeps　and　whistles　from　R4　alerted　him；　and　Obi…Wan　adjusted　his　scan　screen　accordingly；　locking　on　to　a　huge　fleet　of　vessels；　settled　on　the　other　side　of　the　asteroid　belt。
　〃Trade　Federation　ships；〃　he　mused　aloud　as　he　angled　to　get　a　better　view。
　〃So　many？〃　He　shook　his　head　in　confusion；　noting　several　of　the　great　battleships　among　the　group；　their　unique　design　made　them　hard　to　miss…a　sphere　surrounded　by　a　nearly　enclosed　ring。　If　the　clone　army　was　for　the　Republic；　missioned　by　a　Jedi　Master；　and　Jango　Fett　was　the　basis　for　the　clones；　then　what　ties　would　Jango　have　to　the　Trade　Federation？　And　if　Jango　was　indeed　behind　the　assassination　attempts　on　Senator　Amidala；　the　leading　voice　of　opposition　to　creating　a　Republic　army；　then　why　would　the　Trade　Federation　approve？
　
　It　occurred　to　Obi…Wan　that　he　might　have　misjudged　Jango；　or　misjudged　his　motivations；　at　least。　Maybe　Jango；　like　Obi…Wan　and　Anakin；　had　been　chasing　the　bounty　hunter　who　had　tried　to　kill　Amidala。　Maybe　the　toxic　dart　had　been　fired　not