rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第4节

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at　particular　moment；　watching　her　nieces　romping　about　the　backyard　of　the　house；　now　jumping　all　about　poor　R2…D2；　Padme's　astromech　droid。
　
　For　the　first　time　in　many　days；　Padme's　thoughts　roamed　free　of　her　responsibilities；　free　of　the　important　vote　she　would　have　to　cast　in　the　Senate　in　less　than　a　month。　Somehow；　the　words　Military　Creation　Act　couldn't　filter　through　the　whimsical　song　that　Ryoo　and　Pooja　were　then　making　up　about　R2…D2。
　〃Too　close；〃　Owen　remarked　gravely　to　Cliegg；　the　two　of　them　walking　the　perimeter　of　the　moisture　farm；　checking　the　security。　The　call　of　a　bantha；　the　large　and　shaggy　beasts　often　ridden　by　Tuskens；　had　interrupted　their　conversation。
　
　They　both　knew　it　was　unlikely　that　a　bantha　would　be　roaming　wild　about　this　region；　for　there　was　little　grazing　area　anywhere　near　the　desolate　moisture　farm。　But　they　had　heard　the　call；　and　could　identify　it　without　doubt；　and　they　suspected　that　potential　enemies　were　near。
　〃What　is　driving　them　so　close　to　the　farms？〃　Owen　asked。
　〃It's　been　too　long　since　we've　organized　anything　against　them；〃　Cliegg　replied　gruffly。　〃We　let　the　beasts　run　free；　and　they're　forgetting　the　lessons　we　taught　them　in　the　past。〃　He　looked　hard　at　Owen's　skeptical　expression。　〃You　have　to　go　out　there　and　teach　the　Tuskens　their　manners　every　now　and　again。〃
　
　Owen　just　stood　there；　having　no　response。
　〃See　how　long　it's　been？〃　Cliegg　said　with　a　snort。　〃You　don't　even　remember　the　last　time　we　went　out　and　chased　off　the　Tuskens！　There's　the　problem；　right　there！〃
　
　The　bantha　lowed　again。
　
　Cliegg　gave　a　growl　in　the　general　direction　of　the　sound；　waved　his　hand；　and　walked　off　toward　the　house。　〃You　keep　Beru　close　for　a　bit；〃　he　instructed。　〃The　both　of　you　stay　within　the　perimeter；　and　keep　a　blaster　at　your　side。〃
　
　Owen　nodded　and　dutifully　followed　as　Cliegg　stalked　into　the　house。　Right　before　the　pair　reached　the　door；　the　bantha　lowed　again。　It　didn't　seem　so　far　away。
　〃What's　the　matter？〃　Shmi　asked　the　moment　Cliegg　entered　the　house。
　
　Her　husband　stopped；　and　managed　to　paste　on　a　bit　of　a　forting　smile。
　〃Just　the　sand；〃　he　said。　〃Covered　some　sensors；　and　I'm　getting　tired　of　digging　them　out。〃　He　smiled　even　wider　and　walked　to　the　side　of　the　room；　heading　for　the　refresher。
　〃Cliegg。。。〃　Shmi　called　suspiciously；　stopping　him。
　
　Owen　came　through　the　door　then；　and　Beru　looked　at　him。　〃What　is　it？〃　she　asked；　unconsciously　echoing　Shmi。
　〃Nothing；　nothing　at　all；〃　Owen　replied；　but　as　he　crossed　the　room；　Beru　stepped　before　him　and　took　him　by　the　arms；　forcing　him　to　look　at　her　directly；　into　an　expression　too　serious　to　be　dismissed。
　〃Just　signs　of　a　sandstorm；〃　Cliegg　lied。　〃Far　off；　and　probably　nothing。〃
　〃But　already　enough　to　bury　some　sensors　on　the　perimeter？〃　Shmi　asked。
　
　Owen　looked　at　her　curiously；　then　heard　Cliegg　clear　his　throat。　He　looked　to　his　father；　who　nodded　slightly；　then　turned　back　to　Shmi　and　agreed。
　〃The　first　winds；　but　I　don't　think　it　will　be　as　strong　as　Dad　believes。〃
　〃Are　you　both　going　to　stand　there　lying　to　us？〃　Beru　snapped　suddenly；　stealing　the　words　from　Shmi's　mouth。
　〃What　did　you　see；　Cliegg？〃　Shmi　demanded。
　〃Nothing；〃　he　answered　with　conviction。
　〃Then　what　did　you　hear？〃　Shmi　pressed；　recognizing　her　husband's　semantic　dodge　clearly　enough。
　〃I　heard　a　bantha；　nothing　more；〃　Cliegg　admitted。
　〃And　you　think　it　was　a　Tusken　mount；〃　Shmi　stated。　〃How　far？〃
　〃Who　can　tell；　in　the　night；　and　with　the　wind　shifting？　Could've　been　kilometers。〃
　〃Or？〃
　
　Cliegg　walked　back　across　the　room　to　stand　right　before　his　wife。　〃What　do　you　want　from　me；　love？〃　he　asked；　taking　her　in　a　firm　hug。　〃I　heard　a　bantha。　I　don't　know　if　there　was　a　Tusken　attached。〃
　〃But　there　have　been　more　signs　of　the　Raiders　about；〃　Owen　admitted。　〃The　Dorrs　found　a　pile　of　bantha　poodoo　half　covering　one　of　their　perimeter　sensors。〃
　〃It　may　be　just　that　there's　a　few　banthas　running　loose　in　the　area；　probably　half　starved　and　looking　for　some　food；〃　Cliegg　offered。
　〃Or　it　might　be　that　the　Tuskens　are　growing　bolder；　are　ing　right　down　to　the　edges　of　the　farms；　and　are　even　beginning　to　test　the　security；〃　Shmi　said。　Almost　prophetically；　just　as　she　finished；　the　alarms　went　off；　indicating　a　breach　about　the　perimeter　sensor　line。
　
　Owen　and　Cliegg　grabbed　their　blaster　rifles　and　rushed　out　of　the　house；　Shmi　and　Beru　close　behind。
　〃You　stay　here！〃　Cliegg　instructed　the　two　women。　〃Or　go　get　a　weapon；　at　least！〃　He　glanced　about；　indicated　a　vantage　point　to　Owen；　and　motioned　for　his　son　to　take　up　a　defensive　position　and　cover　him。
　
　Then　he　rushed　across　the　pound；　blaster　rifle　in　hand；　Zigzagging　his　way；　staying　low　and　scanning　for　any　movement；　knowing　that　if　he　saw　a　form　that　resembled　either　Tusken　or　bantha；　he'd　shoot　first　and　investigate　after。
　
　But　it　didn't　e　to　that。　Cliegg　and　Owen　searched　the　whole　of　the　perimeter；　scanned　the　area　and　rechecked　the　alarms；　and　found　no　sign　of　intruders。
　
　All　four　stayed　on　edge　the　remainder　of　that　night；　though；　each　of　them　keeping　a　weapon　close　at　hand；　and　sleeping　only　in　shifts。
　
　The　next　day；　out　by　the　eastern　rim；　Owen　found　the　source　of　the　alarm：　a　footprint　along　a　patch　of　sturdier　ground　near　the　edge　of　the　farm。　It　wasn't　the　large　round　depression　a　bantha　would　make；　but　the　indentation　one　might　expect　from　a　foot　wrapped　in　soft　material；　much　like　a　Tusken　would　wear。
　〃We　should　speak　with　the　Dorrs　and　all　the　others；〃　Cliegg　said　when　Owen　showed　the　print　to　him。　〃Get　a　group　together　and　chase　the　animals　back　into　the　open　desert。〃
　〃The　banthas？〃
　〃Them；　too；〃　Cliegg　snarled。　He　spat　upon　the　ground；　as　steely…eyed　and　angry　as　Owen　had　ever　seen　him。
　
　　Senator　Padme　Amidala　felt　strangely　uneasy　in　her　office；　in　the　same　plex　as；　but　unattached　to；　the　royal　palace　of　Queen　Jamillia。　Her　desk　was　covered　in　holodisks　and　all　the　other　usual　clutter　of　her　station。　At　the　front　of　it；　a　holo　played　through　the　numbers；　a　soldier　on　one　scale；　a　flag　of　truce　on　the　other；　tallying　the　predicted　votes　for　the　meeting　on　Coruscant。　The　hologram　depiction　of　those　scales　seemed　almost　perfectly　balanced。
　
　Padme　knew　that　the　vote　would　be　close；　with　the　Senate　almost　evenly　divided　over　whether　the　Republic　should　create　a　formal　army。　It　galled　her　to　think　that　so　many　of　her　colleagues　would　be　voting　based　on　personal　gain…everything　from　potential　contracts　to　supply　the　army　for　their　home　systems　to　direct　payoffs　from　some　of　the　merce　guilds…　rather　than　on　what　was　best　for　the　Republic。
　
　In　her　heart；　Padme　remained　steadfast　that　she　had　to　work　defeat　the　creation　of　this　army。　The　Republic　was　built　on　tolerance。　It　was　a　vast　network　of　tens　of　thousands　of　systems；　and　even　more　species；　each　with　a　distinct　perspective。　The　only　element　they　shared　was　tolerance…tolerance　of　one　another。　The　creation　of　an　army　might　prove　unsettling；　even　threatening；　to　so　many　of　those　systems　and　species；　beings　far　removed　from　the　great　city…planet　of　Coruscant。
　
　A　motion　outside　drew　Padme　to　the　window；　and　she　looked　down　upon　the　plex　courtyard　to　see　a　group　of　men　jostling　and　fighting　as　the　Naboo　security　forces　rushed　in　to　control　the　situation。
　
　There　came　a　sharp　rap　on　the　door　to　her　office；　and　as　she　turned　back　that　way；　the　portal　slid　open　and　Captain　Panaka　strode　in。
　〃Just　checking；　Senator；〃　said　the　man　who　had　served　as　her　personal　bodyguard　when　she　was　Queen。　Tall　and　dark…skinned；　he　had　a　steely　gaze　and　an　athletic　physique　only　accentuated　by　the　cut　of　his　brown　leather　jerkin；　blue　shirt；　and　pants；　and　the　mere　sight　of　Panaka　filled　Padm　with　fort。　He　was　in　his　forties　now；　but　still　looked　as　if　he　could　outfight　any　man　on　Naboo。
　〃Shouldn't　you　be　seeing　to　the　security　of　Queen　Jamillia？〃　Padme　asked。　Panaka　nodded。　〃She　is　well　protected；　I　assure　you。〃
　〃From？〃　Padme　prompted；　nodding　toward　the　window　and　the　continuing　disturbance　beyond。
　〃Spice　miners；〃　Panaka　explained。　〃Contract　issues。　Nothing　to　concern　you；　Senator。　Actually；　I　was　on　my　way　here　to　speak　with　you　about　security　for　your　return　trip　to　Coruscant。〃
　〃That　is　weeks　away。〃　Panaka　looked　to　the　window。　〃Which　gives　us　more　time　to　properly　prepare。〃
　
　Padme　knew　better　than　to　argue　with　the　stubborn　man。　Since　she　would　be　flying　an　official　starship　of　the　Naboo　fleet　Panaka　had　the　right；　if　not　the　responsibility；　to　get　involved。　And　in　truth；　his　concern　pleased　her；　although　she'd　never　admit　it　to　him。
　
　A　shout　outside　and　renewed　fighting　drew　her　attention　briefly；　making　her　wince。　Another　problem。　There　was　always　a　problem；　somewhere。　Padme　had　to　wonder　if　that　was　just　the　nature　of　people；　to　create　some　excitement　when　all　seemed　well。　Given　that　unsettling　thought；　Sola's　words　came　back　to　her；　along　with　images　of　Ryoo　and　Pooja。　How　she　loved　those　two　carefree　little　sprites！
　
　〃Senator？〃　Panaka　said；　drawing　her　out　of　her　private　contemplations。
　〃Yes？〃
　〃We　should　discuss　the　security　procedures。