rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第54部分

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d　and　unfolded　into　their　battle　position；　giving　Anakin　no　choice　but　to　pull　back　hard　on　the　makeshift　rein　and　halt　the　creature。
　〃You　see？〃　Dooku　calmly　asked。
　
　The　Count's　expression　changed；　though；　just　for　a　moment；　as　a　familiar　hum　began　right　behind　him。　He　glanced　to　his　right　quickly；　to　see　a　purple　lightsaber　blade　right　beside　Jango　Fett's　neck；　then　turned　slowly　to　regard　the　wielder。
　〃Master　Windu；〃　he　said　with　his　typical　charm。　〃How　pleasant　of　you　to　join　us！　You're　just　in　time　for　the　moment　of　truth。　I　would　think　these　two　boys　of　yours　could　use　a　little　more　training。〃
　〃Sorry　to　disappoint　you；　Dooku；〃　Mace　coolly　replied。　〃This　party's　over。〃　With　that；　the　Jedi　Master　gave　a　quick　salute　with　his　glowing　lightsaber；　the　prearranged　signal；　and　then　brought　the　blade　back　in　close　to　Jango　Fett。　All　about　the　stadium　came　a　sudden　and　synchronized　flash　of　lights　as　a　hundred　Jedi　Knights　ignited　their　lightsabers。
　
　The　crowd　went　perfectly　silent。
　
　After　a　moment's　reflection；　Count　Dooku　turned　about　just　a　bit；　looking　back　at　Mace　Windu　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye。　〃Brave；　but　foolish；　my　old　Jedi　friend。　You're　impossibly　outnumbered。〃
　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　Mace　countered。　〃The　Geonosians　aren't　warriors。　One　Jedi　has　to　be　worth　a　hundred　Geonosians。〃
　
　Count　Dooku　glanced　about　the　stadium；　his　smile　widening。　〃It　wasn't　the　Geonosians　I　was　thinking　about。　How　well　do　you　think　one　Jedi　will　match　up　against　a　thousand　battle　droids？〃
　
　He　had　timed　it　perfectly。　Just　as　he　finished；　a　line　of　battle　droids　came　down　the　corridor　behind　Mace　Windu；　their　lasers　firing。　The　Jedi　reacted　at　once；　spinning　about　and　flashing　his　lightsaber　to　deflect　the　many　bolts；　turning　them　back　on　his　attackers。　He　knew　that　these　few　droids　were　the　least　of　his　troubles；　though；　for　as　he　glanced　around　he　saw　the　source　of　Dooku's　confidence：　thousands　of　battle　droids　rolling　along　every　ramp；　in　the　stands　and　out　into　the　arena　below。
　
　The　fight　began　immediately；　the　whole　stadium　filling　with　screaming　laser　bolts；　Jedi　leaping　and　spinning；　trying　to　close　into　tight　defensive　groups；　their　lightsabers　deflecting　the　bolts　wildly。　Geonosians　scrambled　all　about；　some　trying　to　attack　the　Jedi…and　dying　for　their　trouble…　others　just　scrambling　to　get　out　of　the　way　of　the　wild　fire。　Mace　Windu　spun　about；　recognizing　that　his　most　dangerous　enemies　were　behind　him。　He　faced　Jango　Fett…and　found　himself　looking　down　the　barrel　of　a　stout　flamethrower。
　
　A　burst　of　flames　reached　out　for　the　Jedi　Master；　igniting　his　flowing　robes。　With　both　Dooku　and　the　bounty　hunter　so　close；　and　in　such　a　vulnerable　position；　Mace　just　leapt　away；　lifting　himself　with　the　Force　to　fly　out　from　the　box　and　land　in　the　arena。　He　pulled　the　burning　robe　from　his　back；　throwing　it　aside。
　
　All　around　him；　the　fight　intensified；　with　Jedi　battling　scores　of　Geonosians　in　the　stands；　and　many　other　Jedi　rushing　down　to　the　arena　floor　to　join　the　battle　against　the　largest　concentrations　of　Battle　Droids。　Mace　winced　when　he　spotted　Obi…Wan；　Anakin；　and　Padme　sent　flying　into　the　air　by　the　terrified　and　bucking　reek。　He　motioned　to　other　Jedi；　but　needn't　have；　for　those　closest　were　already　rushing　toward　their　vulnerable　panions；　throwing　lightsabers　to　Anakin　and　Obi…Wan。
　
　When　those　two　ignited　their　blades；　Anakin's　green　and　Obi…Wan's　blue；　and　Padme　came　up　between　them；　a　discarded　blaster　pistol　in　hand；　Mace　breathed　a　bit　easier。
　
　But　only　for　a　moment。　Then　the　Jedi　Master　was　a　blur　of　motion　once　more；　working　his　blade　furiously　to　turn　back　the　storm　of　laser　bolts　screaming　at　him　from　the　multitude　of　battle　droids。　He　joined　Obi…Wan　near　the　center　of　the　arena　soon　after；　and　back…to…back；　they　went　into　action；　moving　into　a　crowd　of　droids；　taking　down　several　with　deflected　bolts；　then　slashing　through；　turning　in　unison　as　they　went。　Obi…Wan　went　at　one　droid　with　his　lightsaber　up　high；　but　when　that　droid　lifted　its　defenses　appropriately；　the　two　Jedi　turned　about；　Mace　ing　around　with　his　lightsaber　down　low；　shearing　the　droid　in　half。
　
　Behind　Mace　Windu　and　Obi…Wan；　Anakin　and　Padme　fought　in　a　similar　back…to…　back　posture；　with　Anakin　working　in　a　mostly　defensive　manner；　deflecting　all　the　bolts　ing　at　him　and　at　Padme；　while　she　picked　her　shots　carefully；　taking　down　droid　after　droid　after　Geonosian。
　
　But　despite　all　the　gallant　efforts；　despite　the　mounds　of　slaughtered　enemies；　Geonosian　and　droid　alike；　the　oute　was　beginning　to　show　clearly；　as　the　Jedi　were　being　pushed　back　by　sheer　numbers。　The　general　retreat　flowed　toward　the　arena；　though　that　area　would　provide　little　respite。　In　addition　to　the　droids　and　Jedi；　the　two　monsters　rushed　about　crazily；　destroying　everything　in　their　path。
　
　　Into　this　maelstrom　marched　C…3PO；　his　body　at　least；　with　the　head　of　a　battle　droid　fixed　firmly　upon　it。　Shortly；　however；　this　motley　droid　caught　a　blaster　bolt　in　the　neck。　Down　it　went；　the　battle　droid　head　bouncing　free　of　the　torso。
　
　Across　the　arena；　in　a　tunnel　and　marching　toward　daylight；　3PO's　head；　attached　to　a　battle　droid　body；　felt　the　sensation；　but　distantly。
　〃My　legs　aren't　moving！〃　he　cried；　though　of　course　his　present　legs　certainly　were。　〃I　must　need　oil。〃
　
　　It　was　a　time　for　improvisation；　too　wild　a　scene　for　coordinated　and　predetermined　movements。
　
　Just　the　kind　of　fight　in　which　Padme　excelled。　Firing　a　blaster　with　every　step；　she　rushed　to　the　same　execution　cart　that　had　brought　her　and　Anakin　into　the　arena　and　scrambled　atop　the　confused　orray　pulling　it。
　
　Right　behind　her　came　Anakin；　his　lightsaber　a　blur　of　motion；　turning　laser　shots　back　at　the　battle　droids。　He　leapt　into　the　cart　and　Padm　kicked　the　orray　away。
　
　They　charged　the　circuit；　bouncing　across　the　fallen　droids　and　Geonosians；　Padme　firing　shot　after　shot　and　Anakin　sending　an　even　greater　line　of　destruction　out　by　turning　aside　all　shots　ing　their　way。
　〃You　call　this　diplomacy？〃　said　Anakin；　deflecting　blasts。
　
　Padme　grinned　and　shouted　back；　〃No；　I　call　it　'aggressive　negotiations'！〃
　
　　C…3PO　entered　the　maelstrom；　and　if　his　eye　sockets　would　have　allowed　him　to　widen　his　eyes　in　surprise　and　terror；　he　surely　would　have。
　〃Where　are　we？〃　he　cried。　〃A　battle！　Oh　no！　I'm　just　a　protocol　droid。　I'm　not　made　for　this。　I　can't　do　it！　I　don't　want　to　be　destroyed！〃
　
　This　mixed…up　droid　lasted　about　as　long　as　his　other　half　had；　across　the　way。　He　came　around　to　face　the　Jedi　Master　Kit　Fisto；　who　slammed　him　hard　with　a　Force　shove；　knocking　him　to　the　ground。　Next；　the　agile　Jedi　did　a　pirouette　movement　and　with　a　vicious　slice　of　his　lightsaber；　took　down　the　battle　droid　that　had　been　in　line　right　beside　C…3PO。　It　collapsed　on　top　of　C…3PO's　prone　form。
　〃Help！　I'm　trapped！　I　can't　get　up！〃　C…3PO　wailed；　a　call　that　caught　the　attention　of　none。
　
　Save　one。
　
　R2…D2　rolled　into　the　arena　and　wove　his　way　about　the　carnage　and　danger。
　
　　No　number　of　battle　droids　could　hope　to　separate　Mace　and　Obi…Wan；　so　perfect　were　their　movements；　so　attuned　were　they　to　each　other。　But　the　sheer　bulk　of　the　reek　was　too　much　even　for　a　pair　of　lightsabers；　and　when　the　furious　beast　charged　at　the　two　Jedi；　they　had　no　choice　but　to　dive　apart。
　
　The　reek　followed　Mace；　and　he　had　to　slash　wildly　to　fend　it　off。　He　did　manage　to　drive　it　back；　but　was　butted　and　lost　his　lightsaber　in　the　process。　He　came　up　facing　the　reek；　and　figured　that　he　could　outmaneuver　it　to　get　his　weapon　back　easily　enough；　but　then　an　armored　rocket…man　flew　down　in　his　path；　blaster　leveled。
　
　Mace　reached　out　with　the　Force　and　brought　his　lightsaber　flying　to　his　hand；　moving　like　lightning　to　parry　Jango's　first　shot。　With　the　second　shot；　Mace　was　more　in　control；　and　his　parry　sent　the　bolt　right　back　at　the　bounty　hunter。　But　Jango　was　already　in　motion；　diving　sidelong　and　ing　around　ready　to　launch　a　series　of　shots　the　Jedi's　way。
　
　He　was　stopped　by　the　reek。　Unable　to　distinguish　friend　from　foe；　the　reek　bore　down　on　Jango。　He　scored　a　couple　of　hits；　but　they　hardly　slowed　the　beast；　and　he　was　tossed　away。　The　reek　charged　him；　trying　to　stomp　him　as　he　rolled　about　desperately。　Jango　was　fast；　though。　Every　time　he　came　around；　he　fired　again；　and　again；　his　bolts　burrowing　into　the　furious　reek's　belly。
　
　Finally；　the　huge　bullish　creature　swayed；　and　Jango　wisely　rolled　out　the　far　side；　opposite　Mace；　as　the　beast　collapsed。
　
　The　Jedi　was　on　him　immediately；　lightsaber　weaving　through　the　air。　Jango　dodged　and　lifted　into　the　air　with　his　rockets；　trying　to　keep　one　step　ahead　of　that　deadly　blade　and　to　occasionally　fire　a　bolt　at　Mace。　The　man　was　good；　Mace　had　to　admit。　Very　good；　and　more　than　once　the　Jedi　had　to　parry　desperately　to　turn　a　bolt　aside。　He　kept　up　his　offensive　flurry；　though；　keeping　Jango　on　the　defensive　with　sudden　stabs　and　slashing　cuts。
　
　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