rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第26节

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s　surrounded　Master　Qui…Gon；　especially　when　Qui…Gon　had　found　a　particularly　important　cause。　Qui…Gon　would　go　against　the　Jedi　Council　when　he　felt　that　he　was　right；　as　he　had　done　with　Anakin　some　ten　years　earlier；　before　the　Council　had　agreed　to　recognize　that　the　boy's　special　circumstances；　the　incredible　Force　potential　and　the　promise　that　he　might　be　the　one　spoken　of　in　prophecy。
　
　Yes；　Obi…Wan　had　seen　this　kind　of　intensity　in　Qui…Gon　on　occasion；　but　what　he　knew　of　Dooku　was　that；　unlike　Qui…Gon；　the　man　had　never　been　able　to　shut　it　off；　had　always　been　stomping　around；　chewing　over　an　issue。　The　lights　in　his　eyes　were　ever…burning　fires。
　
　But　Dooku　had　taken　it　to　extremes；　and　dangerous　ones；　Obi…Wan　realized。　He　had　left　the　Jedi　Order；　had　walked　out　on　his　calling　and　on　his　peers。　Whatever　problems　Dooku　must　have　seen；　he　should　have　recognized　that　he　could　better　repair　them　by　remaining　within　the　Jedi　family。
　〃Did　you　call　for　assistance？〃　came　a　stern　voice　behind　Obi…Wan；　drawing　him　from　his　thoughts。　He　turned　to　see　Madame　Jocasta　Nu　standing　beside　him；　her　hands　folded　together　before　her；　practically　disappearing　within　the　folds　of　her　Jedi　robes。　She　was　a　frail…looking　creature；　quite　elderly；　and　noting　that　brought　a　smile　to　Obi…Wan's　face。　How　many　younger　and　less　experienced　Jedi　had　looked　upon　that　facade；　the　thin　and　wrinkled　face　and　neck；　the　white　hair　tied　tight；　thinking　that　they　could　push　the　woman　around；　getting　her　to　do　their　studying　for　them；　only　to　encounter　the　truth　that　was　Jocasta　Nu？　She　was　a　firebrand；　that　weak　facade　hiding　her　true　strength　and　determination。　Jocasta　Nu　had　been　the　Archivist　for　many；　many　years；　and　this　was　her　place；　her　domain；　her　kingdom。　Any　Jedi　ing　in　here；　even　the　most　exalted　of　Jedi　Masters；　would　play　by　the　rules　of　Jocasta　Nu；　or　they　would　surely　face　her　wrath。
　〃Yes；　yes　I　did；〃　Obi…Wan　finally　managed　to　respond；　realizing　that　Jocasta　Nu　was　staring　at　him　inquisitively；　awaiting　an　answer。　The　old　woman　smiled　and　walked　past　him　to　regard　the　bust　of　Count　Dooku。　〃He　has　a　powerful　face；　doesn't　he？〃　she　mented；　her　quiet　tone　taking　the　tension　out　of　the　meeting。　〃He　was　one　of　the　most　brilliant　Jedi　I　have　had　the　privilege　of　knowing。〃
　〃I　never　understood　why　he　quit；〃　Obi…Wan　said；　following　Jocasta　Nu's　look　to　the　bust。　〃Only　twenty　Jedi　have　ever　left　the　Order。〃
　〃The　Lost　Twenty；〃　Jocasta　Nu　said　with　a　profound　sigh。　〃And　Count　Dooku　was　the　most　recent　and　the　most　painful。　No　one　likes　to　talk　about　it。　His　leaving　was　a　great　loss　to　the　Order。〃
　〃What　happened？〃
　〃Well；　one　might　say　he　was　a　bit　out　of　step　with　the　decisions　of　the　Council；〃　the　Archivist　replied。　〃Much　like　your　old　Master；　Qui…Gon。〃
　
　Even　though　Obi…Wan　had　just　been　thinking　the　same　thing；　somewhat；　to　hear　Jocasta　Nu　speak　the　words　so　definitively　caught　him　off　guard；　and　painted　Qui…Gon　in　a　more　rebellious　light　than　he　had　ever　considered。　He　knew　that　his　former　Master　had　his　moments；　of　course；　the　greatest　of　those　being　the　confrontations　concerning　Anakin；　but　he　had　never　thought　of　Qui…Gon　as　that　much　of　a　rebel。　Apparently；　Jocasta　Nu；　who　had　her　finger　as　squarely　as　anyone　on　the　pulse　of　the　Jedi　Temple；　did。
　〃Really？〃　Obi…Wan　prompted；　wanting　the　information　about　Dooku；　of　course；　but　also　hoping　to　garner　some　insight　into　his　old　and　beloved　Master。
　〃Oh；　yes；　they　were　alike　in　many　ways。　Very　individual　thinkers。　Idealists。〃　She　stared　at　the　bust　intently；　and　it　seemed　to　Obi…Wan　as　if　she　had　suddenly　gone　far；　far　away。　〃He　was　always　striving　to　bee　a　more　powerful　Jedi。　He　wanted　to　be　the　best。　With　a　lightsaber；　in　the　old　style　of　fencing；　he　had　no　match。　His　knowledge　of　the　Force　was　。　。　。　unique。　In　the　end；　I　think　he　left　because　he　lost　faith　in　the　Republic。　He　believed　that　politics　were　corrupt。。。〃
　
　Jocasta　Nu　paused　for　a　moment　and　looked　at　Obi…Wan；　a　very　revealing　expression　that　showed　she　did　not　think　Dooku　as　out　of　step　as　many　of　the　others　apparently　did。
　〃And　he　felt　that　the　Jedi　betrayed　themselves　by　serving　the　politicians；〃　the　Archivist　stated。
　
　Obi…Wan　blinked；　soaking　in　the　words。　He　knew　that　many；　Qui…Gon　included…　even　himself　included；　at　times…often　felt　the　same　way。
　〃He　always　had　very　high　expectations　of　government；〃　Jocasta　Nu　went　on。
　〃He　disappeared　for　nine　or　ten　years；　then　just　showed　up　recently　as　the　head　of　the　separatist　movement。〃
　〃Interesting；〃　Obi…Wan　remarked；　looking　from　the　bust　to　the　Archivist。
　〃I'm　still　not　sure　I　understand。〃
　〃None　of　us　does；〃　Jocasta　Nu　replied；　her　serious　expression　melting　into　a　warm　smile。　〃Well；　I'm　sure　you　didn't　call　me　over　here　for　a　history　lesson。　Are　you　having　a　problem；　Master　Kenobi？〃
　〃Yes；　I'm　trying　to　find　a　planet　system　called　Kamino。　It　doesn't　seem　to　show　up　on　any　of　the　archive　charts。〃
　〃Kamino？〃　Jocasta　Nu　looked　around；　as　if　she　was　searching　for　the　system　right　then　and　there。　〃It's　not　a　system　I'm　familiar　with。　Let　me　see。〃
　
　A　few　steps　brought　them　to　the　puter　screen　where　Obi…Wan　had　been　searching。　She　bent　low；　and　pressed　a　couple　of　mands。　〃Are　you　sure　you　have　the　right　coordinates？〃
　〃According　to　my　information；　it　should　be　in　this　quadrant　somewhere；〃　said　Obi…Wan　〃Just　south　of　the　Rishi　Maze。〃
　
　A　few　more　taps　of　the　keyboard　brought　nothing　more　than　a　frown　to　Jocasta　Nu's　old　and　weathered　face。　〃But　what　are　the　exact　coordinates？〃
　〃I　only　know　the　quadrant；〃　Obi…Wan　admitted；　and　Jocasta　Nu　turned　up　to　regard　him。
　〃No　coordinates？　It　sounds　like　the　sort　of　directions　you'd　get　from　a　street　tout…some　old　miner　or　furbog　trader。〃
　〃All　three；　actually；〃　Obi…Wan　admitted　with　a　grin。
　〃Are　you　sure　it　exists？〃
　〃Absolutely。〃
　
　Jocasta　Nu　sat　back　and　rubbed　a　hand　pensively　over　her　chin。　〃Let　me　do　a　gravitational　scan；〃　she　said；　as　much　to　herself　as　to　Obi…Wan。　The　star　map　hologram　of　the　target　quadrant　went　into　motion　after　a　few　more　keystrokes；　and　the　pair　studied　the　movements。　〃There　are　some　inconsistencies　here；〃　the　sharp　Archivist　noted。　〃Maybe　the　planet　you're　seeking　was　destroyed。〃
　〃Wouldn't　that　be　on　record？〃
　〃It　ought　to　be；　unless　it　was　very　recent；〃　Jocasta　Nu　replied；　but　she　was　shaking　her　head　even　as　she　spoke　the　words；　not　even　convincing　herself。　〃I　hate　to　say　it；　but　it　looks　like　the　system　you're　searching　for　doesn't　exist。〃
　〃That's　impossible…perhaps　the　Archives　are　inplete。〃
　〃The　Archives　are　prehensive　and　totally　secure；　my　young　Jedi；〃　came　the　imposing　response；　the　Archivist　stepping　back　from　her　familiarity　with　Obi…Wan　and　assuming　again　the　demeanor　of　archive　kingdom　ruler。　〃One　thing　you　may　be　absolutely　sure　of：　If　an　item　does　not　appear　in　our　records；　it　does　not　exist。〃
　
　The　two　stared　at　each　other　for　a　long　moment；　Obi…Wan　taking　note　that　there　wasn't　the　slightest　tremor　of　doubt　in　Jocasta　Nu's　declaration。　He　looked　back　to　the　map；　perplexed；　caught　within　a　seemingly　unanswerable　question。　He　knew　that　no　one　in　the　galaxy　was　more　reliable　for　information　that　Dexter　Jettster；　unless　that　person　was　Jocasta　Nu；　and　yet　the　two　were　obviously　at　odds　here　concerning　their　information。　Dexter　had　seemed　every　bit　as　certain　of　the　origins　of　the　saberdart　as　Jocasta　Nu　was　now。　Both　couldn't　be　right。
　
　The　puzzle　of　finding　Senator　Amidala's　would…be　assassin　would　not　be　easily　solved；　it　seemed；　and　that　troubled　Obi…Wan　Kenobi　for　many；　many　reasons。　With　Jocasta　Nu's　permission；　the　Jedi　punched　a　few　buttons　on　the　keyboard；　downloading　the　archive　information　on　that　region　of　the　quadrant　to　a　small　hologlobe。　Then；　the　item　in　hand；　he　left　the　area。　But　not　without　one　long；　last　look　at　the　imposing　bust　of　Count　Dooku。
　
　　Later　on　that　day；　Obi…Wan　turned　away　from　the　Archives　and　the　analysis　droids　and　turned　within；　to　his　own　insights；　instead。　He　found　a　small；　fortable　room　along　the　Temple's　grand　balcony；　one　of　many　such　rooms　designed　for　quiet　moments　of　Jedi　reflection。　A　small　fountain　bubbled　off　to　the　side　of　him　as　he　settled　on　a　soft　but　firm　mat　and　crossed　his　legs。　The　water　trickled　down　to　a　bed　of　polished　stones；　making　a　delicate　sound；　a　background　noise　natural　in　its　beauty　and　in　the　simplicity　of　its　song。
　
　Before　Obi…Wan；　a　painting　of　reds；　shifting　and　darkening　to　a　deep　crimson　and　then　to　black；　a　liberal　representation　of　a　cooling　lava　field；　hung　on　the　wall；　inviting　him　not　to　look　into　it；　but　to　surround　himself　with　it；　both　its　image　and　the　soft　warmth　and　hissing　sound　helping　him　to　fall　far　away　from　his　corporeal　surroundings。
　
　There；　in　his　trance；　Obi…Wan　Kenobi　sought　his　answers。　He　focused　on　the　mystery　of　Kamino　first；　expecting　that　Dexter's　analysis　was　correct。　But　why　hadn't　the　system　shown　up　in　the　Archives？
　
　Another　image　invaded　Obi…Wan's　meditations　as　he　tried　to　sort　through　that　puzzle；　an　image　of　Anakin　and　Padme　together　on　Naboo。　The　Jedi　Knight　started；　suddenly　afraid　that　this　was　a　premonition；　and　that　some　danger　would　visit　his　Padawan　and　the　young　Senat