rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第23节

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　dwarfing　most　of　the　toughies　who　frequented　his　establishment。　His　great　belly　poked　out　beneath　his　grimy　shirt　and　breeches。　He　was　bald　and　sweaty；　and　though　he　had　seen　many　years　and　did　not　move　fluidly　any　longer；　with　too　many　old　injuries　slowing　him；　Dexter　Jettster　was　obviously　not　a　creature　anyone　wanted　to　fight…especially　since　he　was　possessed　of　four　huge　arms；　each　with　a　massive　fist　that　could　fully　bust　a　man's　face。　Obi…Wan　noted　the　many　respectful　glances　that　went　his　way　as　he　moved　to　the　booth。
　〃Hey；　ol'　buddy！〃
　〃Hey；　Dex。　Long　time。〃
　
　With　great　effort；　Dexter　managed　to　squeeze　himself　into　the　seat　opposite　Obi…Wan。　The　waitress　droid　was　back　by　then；　setting　two　steaming　mugs　of　ardees　in　front　of　the　old　friends。
　〃So；　my　friend；　what　can　I　do　for　ya？〃　Dexter　asked；　and　it　was　obvious　to　Obi…Wan　that　Dex　genuinely　wanted　to　help。　Obi…Wan　was　hardly　surprised。　He　didn't　always　approve　of　Dexter's　antics；　of　the　seedy　diner　and　the　many　fights；　but　he　knew　Dex　to　be　among　the　most　loyal　of　friends　that　anyone　could　ever　ask　for。　Dex　would　crush　the　life　out　of　an　enemy；　but　would　give　his　own　life　for　someone　he　cared　about。　That　was　the　code　among　the　star　wanderers；　and　one　that　Obi…Wan　could　truly　appreciate。　In　many；　many　ways；　being　here　with　Dex　appealed　to　the　Jedi　Knight　much　more　than　the　time　he　had　to　spend　among　the　ruling　elite。
　〃You　can　tell　me　what　this　is；〃　Obi…Wan　answered。　He　put　the　dart　on　the　table；　watching　Dex　all　the　time；　noting　how　the　being　quickly　placed　his　mug　back　down；　his　eyes　widening　as　he　regarded　the　curious　and　distinctive　item。
　〃Well；　waddya　know；〃　Dex　said　quietly；　as　if　he　could　hardly　draw　breath。
　
　He　picked　up　the　dart　delicately；　almost　reverently；　the　weapon　nearly　disappearing　within　the　folds　of　his　fat　fingers。　〃I　ain't　seen　one　of　these　since　I　was　prospecting　on　Subterrel　beyond　the　Outer　Rim。〃
　〃Do　you　know　where　it　came　from？〃
　
　Dexter　placed　the　dart　down　before　Obi…Wan。　〃This　baby　belongs　to　them　cloners。　What　you　got　here　is　a　Kamino　saberdart。〃
　〃Kamino　saberdart？〃　Obi…Wan　echoed。　〃I　wonder　why　it　didn't　show　up　in　our　analysis　archive。〃
　
　Dex　poked　down　at　the　dart　with　a　stubby　finger。　〃It's　these　funny　little　cuts　on　the　side　that　give　it　away；〃　he　explained。　〃Those　analysis　droids　you've　got　over　there　only　focus　on　symbols；　you　know。　I　should　think　you　Jedi　have　more　respect　for　the　difference　between　knowledge　and　wisdom。〃
　〃Well；　Dex；　if　droids　could　think；　there'd　be　none　of　us　here；　would　there？〃　Obi…Wan　answered　with　a　laugh。
　
　The　Jedi　Knight　sobered　quickly；　though；　remembering　the　gravity　of　his　mission。　〃Kamino　。　。　。　doesn't　sound　familiar。　Is　it　part　of　the　Republic？〃
　〃No；　it's　beyond　the　Outer　Rim。　I'd　say　about　twelve　parsecs　outside　the　Rishi　Maze；　toward　the　south。　It　should　be　easy　to　find；　even　for　those　droids　in　your　archive。　These　Kaminoans　keep　to　themselves；　mostly。　They're　cloners。　Good　ones；　too。〃
　
　Obi…Wan　picked　up　the　dart　again；　holding　it　between　them；　his　elbow　resting　on　the　table。　〃Cloners？〃　he　asked。　〃Are　they　friendly？〃
　〃It　depends。〃
　〃On　what？〃　The　Jedi　looked　past　the　dart　as　he　asked；　and　the　grin　on　Dexter's　face　gave　him　his　answer　before　it　was　spoken　aloud。
　〃On　how　good　your　manners　are　and　how　big　your　pocketbook　is。〃
　
　Obi…Wan　looked　back　at　the　saberdart；　hardly　surprised。
　
　Chapter　Twelve
　
　〃Senator　Padme　Amidala；　formerly　Queen　Amidala　of　Naboo；　certainly　wasn't　used　to　traveling　in　this　manner。　The　freighter　held　one　class；　steerage；　and　in　truth；　it　was　nothing　more　than　a　cargo　ship；　with　several　great　open　holds　more　suitable　to　inanimate　cargo　than　to　living　beings。　The　lighting　was　terrible　and　the　smell　was　worse；　though　whether　the　odor　came　from　the　ship　itself　or　the　hordes　of　emigrants；　beings　of　many；　many　species；　Padme　did　not　know。　Nor　did　she　care。　In　some　ways；　Padme　was　truly　enjoying　this　voyage。　She　knew　that　she　should　be　back　on　Coruscant；　fighting　the　efforts　to　create　a　Republic　army；　but　somehow；　she　felt　relaxed　here；　felt　free。
　
　Free　of　responsibility。　Free　to　just　be　Padme　for　a　while；　instead　of　Senator　Amidala。　Moments　such　as　these　were　rare　for　her；　and　had　been　since　she　was　a　child。　All　of　her　life；　it　seemed；　had　been　spent　in　public　service；　all　of　her　focus　had　always　been　for　the　greater；　the　public；　good；　with　hardly　any　time　ever　being　given　just　to　Padme；　to　her　needs　and　her　desires。
　
　The　Senator　didn't　regret　that　reality　of　her　life。　She　was　proud　of　her　acplishments；　but　more　than　that；　even；　she　felt　a　profound　sense　of　warmth；　of　munity；　of　belonging　to　something　greater　than　herself。　Still；　these　moments　when　the　responsibility　was　lifted　were　undeniably　enjoyable。
　
　She　looked　over　at　Anakin；　who　was　sleeping　somewhat　restlessly。　She　could　see　him　now；　not　as　a　Jedi　Padawan　and　her　protector；　but　just　as　a　young　man。　A　handsome　young　man；　and　one　whose　actions　repeatedly　professed　his　love　for　her。　A　dangerous　young　man；　to　be　sure；　a　Jedi　who　was　thinking　about　things　he　should　not。　A　man　who　was　inevitably　following　the　call　of　his　heart　above　that　of　pragmatism　and　propriety。　And　all　for　her。　Padm　couldn't　deny　the　attractiveness　of　that。　She　and　Anakin　were　on　similar　roads　of　public　service；　she　as　a　Senator；　he　as　a　Jedi　Padawan；　but　he　was　showing　rebellion　against　the　present　course；　or　at　least；　against　the　Master　who　was　leading　him　along　the　present　course；　as　Padme　never　had。　But　hadn't　she　wanted　to？　Hadn't　Padme　Amidala　wanted　to　be　just　Padme？
　
　Once　in　a　while；　at　least？
　
　She　smiled　widely　and　pointedly　turned　away　from　Anakin；　scanning　the　gloomy　room　for　signs　of　her　other　panion。　She　finally　spotted　R2…D2　in　a　food　line；　where　he　stuck　out　among　the　throng　of　living　creatures。　Just　before　the　droid；　servers　ladled　out　bowls　of　bland…looking　mush；　and　each　being　who　took　one　inevitably　gave　out　a　low　groan　of　disapproval。　Padme　watched　with　amusement　as　one　of　the　servers　began　yelling　and　waving　his　hand　at　R2…D2；　motioning　for　the　droid　to　move　along。　〃No　droids　in　the　food　line！〃　the　server　yelled。　〃Get　out　of　here！〃
　
　R2…D2　started　past　the　counter；　but　stopped　suddenly；　and　a　hollow　tube　came　forth　from　his　utilitarian　body；　hovering　over　the　buffet　and　sucking　up　some　of　the　mush　and　placing　it　in　a　storage　container　for　transport　to　his　panions。
　〃Hey；　no　droids！〃　the　server　yelled　again。
　
　R2…D2　took　another　fast　gulp　of　the　mush；　reached　out　with　a　claw　arm　to　grab　a　piece　of　bread；　then　turned　and　tootled　and　rushed　away；　the　server　shaking　his　fist　and　shouting　behind　him。
　
　The　droid　came　fast　across　the　wide　floor；　veering　to　avoid　the　many　sleeping　emigrants；　making　as　straight　a　line　as　possible　toward　the　beaming　Padme。
　〃No；　no；〃　came　a　call　beside　her。　It　was　Anakin。　〃Mom；　no！〃　Padme　turned　about　quickly；　to　see　that　her　panion　was　still　asleep；　but　sweating　and　thrashing；　obviously　in　the　throes　of　some　nightmare。
　〃Anakin？〃　She　gave　him　a　little　shake。
　〃No；　Mom！〃　he　cried；　pulling　away　from　her；　and　she　looked　down　to　see　his　feet　kicking；　as　if　he　was　running　away　from　something。
　〃Anakin；〃　Padme　said　again；　more　forcefully。　She　shook　him　again；　harder。　His　blue　eyes　blinked　open　and　he　looked　about　curiously　before　focusing　on　Padme。　〃What？〃
　〃You　seemed　to　be　having　a　nightmare。〃
　
　Anakin　continued　to　stare　at　her；　his　expression　ranging　from　curiosity　to　concern。
　
　Padme　took　a　bowl　of　mush　and　a　piece　of　bread　from　R2…D2。　〃Are　you　hungry？〃
　
　Anakin　took　the　food　as　he　sat　up；　rubbing　a　hand　through　his　hair　and　shaking　his　head。
　〃We　went　to　hyperspace　a　while　ago；〃　she　explained。
　〃How　long　was　I　asleep？〃
　
　Padme　smiled　at　him；　trying　to　fort　him。　〃You　had　a　good　nap；〃　she　answered。
　
　Anakin　smoothed　the　front　of　his　tunic　and　straightened　himself；　looking　all　around；　trying　to　get　his　bearings。　〃I　look　forward　to　seeing　Naboo　again；〃　he　remarked　and　he　shifted；　trying　to　orient　himself。　His　expression　soured　as　he　looked　down　at　the　off…white　mush；　and　he　crinkled　his　nose；　bending　low　to　sniff　it。　〃Naboo；〃　he　said　again；　looking　back　to　Padme。　〃I've　thought　about　it　every　day　since　I　left。　It's　by　far　the　most　beautiful　place　I've　ever　seen。〃
　
　As　he　spoke；　his　eyes　bored　into　her；　taking　her　in　deeply；　and　she　blinked　and　averted　her　own　gaze；　unnerved。　〃It　may　not　be　as　you　remember　it。　Time　changes　perception。〃
　〃Sometimes　it　does；〃　Anakin　agreed；　and　when　Padme　looked　up　to　see　that　he　was　continuing　to　scrutinize　her；　she　knew　what　he　was　talking　about。
　〃Sometimes　for　the　better。〃
　〃It　must　be　difficult　having　sworn　your　life　to　the　Jedi；〃　she　said；　taking　a　different　tack　to　pull　his　gaze　off　her。　〃Not　being　able　to　visit　the　places　you　like。　Or　do　the　things　you　like。〃
　〃Or　be　with　the　people　I　love？〃　Anakin　could　easily　see　where　she　was　leading　him。
　〃Are　you　allowed　to　love？〃　Padme　asked　bluntly。　〃I　thought　it　was　forbidden　for　a　Jedi。〃
　〃Attachment　is　forbidden；〃　Anakin　began；　his　voice　dispassionate；　as　if　he　was　reciting。　〃Possession　is　forbidden。　passion；　which　I　would　define　as　unconditional　love；　is　central　to　a