rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第17节

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eemingly　deep　in　concentration；　was　counting　softly。
　〃Excuse　me　for　a　moment；〃　the　Padawan　said。　He　stood　up　and；　to　Obi…Wan's　plete　shock；　stepped　out　of　the　speeder。
　
　Obi…Wan　lurched　over　to　the　edge　and　stared　down；　watching　Anakin　drop…　about　five　stories；　before　landing　atop　the　roof　of　a　familiar　speeder　that　was　zooming　beneath　them。
　〃I　hate　it　when　he　does　that；〃　Obi…Wan　muttered　incredulously；　shaking　his　head。
　
　　Zam　Wesell　skimmed　close　to　the　buildings；　staying　to　the　side　of　the　main　traffic　lanes。　She　didn't　know　whether　the　probe　droid　had　successfully　pleted　its　mission；　but　she　was　feeling　pretty　good　at　that　moment；　having　outwitted　a　pair　of　Jedi。
　
　Suddenly　her　speeder　shook　hard。　At　first　she　thought　she　had　been　hit　by　a　blaster　bolt；　but　then；　surveying　for　damage；　she　came　to　know　the　truth　of　the　missile；　and　to　know　that　it…　that　he…had　somehow　landed　on　her　speeder。
　
　Zam　backed　off　on　the　throttle；　then　slammed　it　out　full；　lurching　the　craft　ahead。　The　force　of　the　sudden　acceleration　nearly　dislodged　Anakin；　sending　him　sliding　back　to　the　tail；　but　he　hung　on　stubbornly　and；　to　Zam's　dismay；　even　began　crawling　back　toward　the　cockpit。
　
　With　a　sneer；　Zam　hit　the　brakes；　hard；　and　Anakin　went　sliding　and　bouncing　past　her。
　
　But　the　stubborn　young　Jedi　caught　one　of　the　twin　front　forks　of　the　speeder　and　hung　on　yet　again。
　
　Zam　accelerated　and　reached　out　her　blaster　pistol；　letting　fly　a　series　of　bolts　in　Anakin's　general　direction。　The　angle　was　wrong；　though；　and　she　couldn't　score　any　hits。　And　there　he　was；　crawling　back　stubbornly　toward　the　roof　despite　all　of　Zam's　evasive　maneuvers。　Her　Clawdite　form　came　back；　suddenly　and　briefly；　as　she　lost　concentration；　but　she　recovered　quickly。
　
　The　bounty　hunter　cursed　under　her　breath　and　swooped　back　into　traffic；　trying　to　formulate　some　plan　for　ridding　herself　of　the　troublesome　Jedi。　She　went　back　into　her　evasive；　traffic…dodging　maneuvers　yet　again；　entertaining　the　thought　of　moving　in　close　to　some　of　the　heavier　traffic　and　letting　the　exhaust　plume　smoke　the　fool　atop　her　craft。　She　had　almost　convinced　herself　to　do　just　that　when　suddenly　a　glowing　blue　blade　of　energy　sheared　through　the　top　of　her　speeder　and　plunged　down　beside　her。　She　looked　up　to　see　the　stubborn　young　Jedi　cutting　through　the　roof。　Swerving　all　about；　she　fired　off　a　shot　at　him；　then　another。　Finally；　to　her　relief；　a　shot　took　the　lightsaber　from　his　hand；　though　whether　she　had　taken　the　hand；　as　well；　or　just　the　weapon；　she　could　not　tell。
　
　　Obi…Wan　had　finally　caught　sight　of　Zam's　speeder；　with　Anakin　scrambling　atop　it；　when　the　lightsaber　tumbled　from　the　Padawan's　grasp。　Obi…Wan　gave　a　shake　of　his　head　and　dived　his　speeder　toward　the　street；　angling　for　an　interception。
　
　　Anakin's　hand　plunged　through　the　hole　in　the　roof；　and　Zam　lifted　her　blaster　pistol　in　his　direction。　He　didn't　reach　for　her；　just　held　his　hand　there　outstretched；　and　before　she　could　fire；　some　unseen　force　yanked　the　pistol　from　her　hand；　throwing　it　right　into　the　Jedi's　grasp。　〃No！〃　the　bounty　hunter　yelled；　gasping　in　astonishment。　She　lurched　in　her　seat；　letting　go　of　her　speeder's　controls　to　grab　the　pistol　desperately　with　both　hands。　The　pair　struggled　over　the　weapon；　the　speeder　dipping　right　and　left；　and　then　the　pistol　went　off；　hitting　neither　opponent；　but　blowing　a　hole　in　the　flooring　of　Zam's　speeder；　cutting　some　control　pipes　in　the　process。
　
　The　speeder　careened　out　of　control；　and　Zam　fell　back　over　the　controls；　desperately　but　futilely。
　
　They　dived　and　spun；　sidelong　and　head　over。　Screaming；　both　hung　on　for　dear　life　as　they　spiraled　toward　the　street。
　
　Finally；　at　the　last　possible　second；　Zam　gained　some　control；　enough　to　turn　the　impending　crash　into　a　spark…throwing　skid　along　the　broken　permacrete　of　this　seedy　section　of　Coruscant's　belly。
　
　The　speeder　bounced　up　on　edge　and　slammed　to　a　halt；　and　Anakin　went　flying；　tumbling　along　the　street　for　a　long；　long　way。　When　he　finally　got　control；　he　saw　the　assassin　leaping　from　the　speeder　and　running　down　the　street；　so　he　climbed　back　to　his　feet　and　started　to　follow。
　
　The　splash　as　he　stepped　in　one　dirty　puddle　woke　Anakin　to　the　harsh　realities　about　him。　This　was　the　underbelly　of　Coruscant；　the　smelly　and　dirty　streets。　He　slowed…the　assassin　was　out　of　sight　anyway…and　looked　about　curiously；　noting　the　many　lowlifes；　mostly　nonhumans　of　quite　a　variety　of　species。　Many　beings　were　panhandling　up　and　down　the　street。　He　shook　it　all　away　quickly；　though；　reminding　himself　of　the　real　reason　he　was　here；　and　of　Padme　and　her　need　for　security。　Spurred　by　images　of　the　beautiful　Senator　from　Naboo；　the　young　Jedi　sprinted　along　the　broken　sidewalk；　catching　sight　of　the　assassin　moving　through　a　crowd　of　ruffians。　Anakin　charged　right　in　behind；　pushing　and　shoving；　but　making　little　headway　against　the　press。
　
　He　spotted　the　assassin　at　the　last　second；　before　the　helmeted　killer　disappeared　through　a　doorway。
　
　Anakin　shoved　through；　finally；　and　glanced　up　to　see　the　glare　of　the　gambling　sign　above　the　establishment。　Undaunted；　he　started　again　for　the　door；　and　then　stopped　as　he　heard　Obi…Wan　calling。
　
　A　familiar　yellow　speeder　dropped　to　a　resting　place　on　the　side　of　the　street。　〃Anakin！〃　Obi…Wan　walked　toward　the　young　Jedi；　pointedly　holding　Anakin's　dropped　lightsaber　in　his　hand。
　〃She　went　into　that　club；　Master！〃
　
　Obi…Wan　patted　his　hand　in　the　air　to　calm　the　Padawan；　not　even　registering　Anakin's　surprising　use　of　the　feminine　pronoun。　〃Patience；〃　he　said。　〃Use　the　Force；　Anakin。　Think。〃
　〃Sorry；　Master。〃
　〃He　went　in　there　to　hide；　not　run；〃　Obi…Wan　reasoned。
　〃Yes；　Master。〃
　
　Obi…Wan　held　the　lightsaber　out　toward　his　student。　〃Next　time　try　not　to　lose　it。〃
　〃Sorry；　Master。〃
　
　Obi…Wan　pulled　the　precious　weapon　back　as　Anakin　reached　for　it；　and　held　the　young　Padawan's　gaze　with　his　own　stern　look。　〃A　Jedi's　lightsaber　is　his　most　precious　possession。〃
　〃Yes；　Master。〃　Again；　Anakin　reached　for　the　lightsaber；　and　again　Obi…Wan　pulled　it　back；　never　letting　Anakin　go　from　his　scrutinizing　stare。
　〃He　must　keep　it　with　him　at　all　times。〃
　〃I　know；　Master；〃　Anakin　replied；　a　bit　of　exasperation　creeping　into　his　tone。
　〃This　weapon　is　your　life。〃
　〃I've　heard　this　lesson　before。〃
　
　Obi…Wan　held　it　out　again；　finally　relinquishing　that　awful　stare；　and　Anakin　took　the　weapon　and　replaced　it　on　his　belt。
　〃But　you　haven't　learned　anything；　Anakin；〃　the　Jedi　Knight　said；　turning　away。
　〃I　try；　Master。〃
　
　There　was　sincerity　in　his　tone；　Obi…Wan　clearly　recognized；　and　a　bit　of　regret；　perhaps；　and　that　reminded　Obi…Wan　of　the　difficult　circumstances　under　which　Anakin　had　entered　the　Order。　He　had　been　far　too　old；　nearly　ten　years　of　age；　and　Master　Qui…Gon　had　taken　him　in　without　permission；　without　the　blessing　of　the　Jedi　Council。　Master　Yoda　had　seen　potential　danger　in　young　Anakin　Skywalker。　No　one　they　had　ever　encountered　had　been　stronger　with　the　Force；　in　terms　of　sheer　potential。　But　the　Jedi　Order　normally　required　training　from　the　earliest　possible　age。　The　Force　was　too　powerful　a　tool…no；　not　a　tool；　and　that　was　the　problem。　An　unwise　Jedi　might　consider　the　Force　a　tool；　a　means　to　his　own　ends。　But　a　true　Jedi　understood　that　the　Force　was　a　partner　on　a　concurrent　course；　a　mon　pathway　to　true　harmony　and　understanding。
　
　After　Qui…Gon's　death　at　the　hands　of　a　Sith　Lord；　the　Jedi　Council　had　rethought　their　decision　about　young　Anakin；　and　had　allowed　his　training　to　go　forward；　with　Obi…Wan　fulfilling　his　promise　to　Qui…Gon　that　he　would　take　the　talented　young　boy　under　his　tutelage。　The　Council　had　been　hesitant；　though；　and　obviously　not　happy　about　it。　Yoda　had　seemed　almost　resigned；　as　if　this　path　was　one　that　they　could　not　deny；　rather　than　one　they　would　willingly　and　eagerly　walk。　For　the　whispers　spoke　of　Anakin　as　the　chosen　one；　the　one　who　would　bring　balance　to　the　Force。
　
　Obi…Wan　wasn't　sure　what　that　meant；　and　he　was　more　than　a　little　fearful。　He　looked　up　at　Anakin；　who　was　standing　patiently；　properly　subdued　after　the　tongue…lashing；　and　he　took　fort　in　that　image；　in　this　incredibly　likable；　somewhat　stubborn；　and　obviously　brash　young　man。
　
　He　hid　his　smile　only　because　it　would　not　do　for　Anakin　to　understand　himself　forgiven　so　easily　for　his　rash　actions　and　the　loss　of　his　weapon。　Obi…Wan　had　to　disguise　a　chuckle　as　a　cough。　After　all；　hadn't　he　been　the　one　who　had　leapt　out　through　a　window　a　hundred　stories　above　the　streets　of　Coruscant？
　
　The　Jedi　Knight　led　the　way　into　the　gambling　club。　Humans　and　nonhumans　mingled　about　in　the　smoky　air；　sipping　drinks　of　every　color　and　puffing　on　exotic　pipes　full　of　exotic　plants。　Many　robes　showed　bulges　reminiscent　of　weapons；　and　in　looking　around；　both　Jedi　understood　that　everyone　was　a　potential　threat。
　〃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。　〃