rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第11章

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　〃With　you；　the　Force　is　strong；　young　Senator；〃　the　Jedi　Master　told　her。
　〃Your　tragedy　on　the　landing　platform；　terrible。　To　see　you　alive　brings　warm　feelings　to　my　heart。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Master　Yoda；〃　she　replied。　〃Do　you　have　any　idea　who　was　behind　this　attack？〃
　
　Her　question　had　everyone　in　the　room　turning　to　regard　her　and　Yoda　directly。
　
　Mace　Windu　cleared　his　throat　and　stepped　forward。　〃Senator；　we　have　nothing　definitive；　but　our　intelligence　points　to　disgruntled　spice　miners　on　the　moons　of　Naboo。〃
　
　Padme　looked　to　Captain　Typho；　who　shook　his　head；　having　no　answers。　They　had　both　witnessed　the　frustration　of　those　spice　miners　back　on　Naboo；　but　those　demonstrations　seemed　a　long　way　from　the　tragedy　that　had　occurred　on　the　landing　platform　here　on　Coruscant。　Releasing　Typho　from　her　gaze；　she　stared　hard　at　Mace　Windu；　wondering　if　it　would　be　wise　to　voice　her　hunch　at　this　time。　She　knew　the　controversy　she　might　stir；　knew　the　blatant　illogical　ring　to　her　claim；　but　still　。　。　。
　〃I　do　not　wish　to　disagree；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　think　that　Count　Dooku　was　behind　it。〃
　
　A　stir　of　surprise　rippled　about　the　room；　and　the　four　Jedi　Masters　exchanged　looks　that　ranged　from　astonishment　to　disapproval。
　〃You　know；　M'Lady；〃　Mace　said　in　his　resonant　and　calm　voice；　〃Count　Dooku　was　once　a　Jedi。　He　wouldn't　assassinate　anyone。　It's　not　in　his　character。〃
　〃He　is　a　political　idealist；〃　Ki…Adi…Mundi；　the　fourth　of　the　Jedi　contingent；　added。　〃Not　a　murderer。〃　With　his　great　domed　head；　the　Cerean　Jedi　Master　stood　taller　than　anyone　in　the　room；　and　the　ridged　flaps　at　the　side　of　his　pensive　face　added　a　measure　of　introspection　to　his　imposing　physical　form。
　
　Master　Yoda　tapped　his　cane；　drawing　attention　to　himself；　and　that　alone　exerted　a　calming　influence　over　the　increasingly　tense　mood。　〃In　dark　times；　nothing　is　what　it　appears　to　be；〃　the　diminutive　figure　remarked。
　〃But　the　fact　remains；　Senator；　in　grave　danger　you　are。〃
　
　Supreme　Chancellor　Palpatine　gave　a　dramatic　sigh　and　walked　over　to　the　window；　staring　out　at　the　Coruscant　dawn。　〃Master　Jedi；〃　he　said；　〃may　I　suggest　that　the　Senator　be　placed　under　the　protection　of　your　graces？〃
　〃Do　you　think　that　a　wise　use　of　our　limited　resources　at　this　stressful　time？〃　Senator　Bail　Organa　was　quick　to　interject；　stroking　his　well…　trimmed　black　goatee。　〃Thousands　of　systems　have　gone　over　fully　to　the　separatists；　and　many　more　may　soon　join　them。　The　Jedi　are　our…〃
　〃Chancellor；〃　Padme　interrupted；　〃if　I　may　ment。　I　do　not　believe　the…〃
　〃Situation　is　that　serious；〃　Palpatine　finished　for　her。　〃No；　but　I　do；　Senator。〃
　〃Chancellor；　please！〃　she　pleaded。　〃I　do　not　want　any　more　guards！〃　Palpatine　stared　at　her　as　would　an　overprotective　father；　a　look　that　Padme　might　have　viewed　as　condescending　from　any　other　man。　〃I　realize　all　too　well　that　additional　security　might　be　disruptive　for　you；〃　he　began；　and　he　paused；　and　then　a　look　came　over　him　as　if　he　had　just　struck　upon　a　logical　and　acceptable　promise。　〃But　perhaps　someone　you　are　familiar　with；　an　old　friend。〃　Smiling　cleverly；　Palpatine　looked　to　Mace　Windu　and　Yoda。　〃Master　Kenobi？〃　he　finished　with　a　nod；　and　his　smile　only　widened　when　Mace　Windu　nodded　back。
　〃That's　possible；〃　the　Jedi　confirmed。　〃He　has　just　returned　from　a　border　dispute　on　Ansion。〃
　〃You　must　remember　him；　M'Lady；〃　Palpatine　said；　grinning　as　if　it　was　a　done　deal。　〃He　watched　over　you　during　the　blockade　conflict。〃
　〃This　is　not　necessary；　Chancellor；〃　Padme　said　determinedly；　but　Palpatine　didn't　relinquish　his　grin　in　the　least；　showing　clearly　that　he　knew　well　how　to　defeat　the　independent　Senator's　argument。
　〃Do　it　for　me；　M'Lady。　Please。　I　will　rest　easier。　We　had　a　big　scare　today。　The　thought　of　losing　you　is　unbearable。〃
　
　Several　times；　Amidala　started　to　respond；　but　how　could　she　possibly　say　anything　to　deny　the　Supreme　Chancellor's　expressed　concern？　She　gave　a　great　defeated　sigh；　and　the　Jedi　rose　and　turned　to　leave。
　〃I　will　have　Obi…Wan　report　to　you　immediately；　M'Lady；〃　Mace　Windu　informed　her。
　
　As　he　passed；　Yoda　leaned　in　close　to　Padme　and　whispered　so　that　only　she　could　hear；　〃Too　little　about　yourself　you　worry；　Senator；　and　too　much　about　politics。　Be　mindful　of　your　danger；　Padme。　Accept　our　help。〃
　
　They　all　left　the　room；　and　Padme　Amidala　stared　at　the　door　and　the　flanking　guards　for　a　long　while。
　
　Behind　her；　at　the　back　of　his　office；　Chancellor　Palpatine　watched　them　all。
　
　　〃It　troubles　me　to　hear　Count　Dooku's　name　mentioned　in　such　a　manner；　Master；〃　Mace　said　to　Yoda　as　the　Jedi　made　their　way　back　to　their　Council　chamber。　〃And　from　one　as　esteemed　as　Senator　Amidala。　Any　mistrust　of　Jedi；　or　even　former　Jedi；　in　times　such　as　these　can　be　disastrous。〃
　〃Deny　Dooku's　involvement　in　the　separatist　movement；　we　cannot；〃　Yoda　reminded　him。
　〃Nor　can　we　deny　that　he　began　in　that　movement　because　of　ideals；〃　Mace　argued。　〃He　was　once　our　friend…that　we　must　not　forget…and　to　hear　him　slandered　and　named　as　an　assassin…〃
　〃Not　named；〃　Yoda　said。　〃But　darkness　there　is；　about　us　all；　and　in　that　darkness；　nothing　is　what　it　seems。〃
　〃But　it　makes　little　sense　to　me　that　Count　Dooku　would　make　an　attempt　on　the　life　of　Senator　Amidala；　when　she　is　the　one　most　adamantly　opposed　to　the　creation　of　an　army。　Would　the　separatists　not　wish　Amidala　well　in　her　endeavors？　Would　they　not　believe　that　she　is；　however　unintentionally；　an　ally　to　their　cause？　Or　are　we　really　to　believe　that　they　want　war　with　the　Republic？〃
　
　Yoda　leaned　heavily　on　his　cane；　seeming　very　weary；　and　his　huge　eyes　slowly　closed。　〃More　is　here　than　we　can　know；〃　he　said　very　quietly。
　〃Clouded　is　the　Force。　Troubling　it　is。〃
　
　Mace　dismissed　his　forthing　reflexive　response；　a　further　defense　of　his　old　friend　Dooku。　Count　Dooku　had　been　among　the　most　acplished　of　the　Jedi　Masters；　respected　among　the　Council；　a　student　of　the　older　and；　some　would　say；　more　profound　Jedi　philosophies　and　styles；　including　an　arcane　lightsaber　fighting　style　that　was　more　front　and　back；　thrust　and　riposte；　than　the　typical　circular　movements　currently　employed　by　most　of　the　Jedi。　What　a　blow　it　had　been　to　the　Jedi　Order；　and　to　Mace　Windu；　when　Dooku　had　walked　away　from　them；　and　for　many　of　the　same　reasons　the　separatists　were　now　trying　to　walk　away：　the　perception　that　the　Republic　had　grown　too　ponderous　and　unresponsive　to　the　needs　of　the　individual；　even　of　individual　systems。
　
　It　was　no　less　troubling　to　Mace　Windu　concerning　Dooku；　as　it　was；　no　doubt；　to　Amidala　and　Palpatine　concerning　the　separatists；　that　some　of　the　arguments　against　the　Republic　were　not　without　merit。
　
　Chapter　Six
　
　As　the　lights　of　Coruscant　dimmed；　gradually　replaced　by　the　natural　lights　of　the　few　twinkling　stars　that　could　get　through　the　nearly　continual　glare；　the　great　and　towering　city　took　on　a　vastly　different　appearance。　Under　the　dark　evening　sky；　the　skyscrapers　seemed　to　bee　gigantic　natural　monoliths；　and　all　the　supersized　structures　that　so　dominated　the　city；　that　so　marked　Coruscant　as　a　monument　to　the　ingenuity　of　the　reasoning　species；　seemed　somehow　the　mark　of　folly；　of　futile　pride　striving　against　the　vastness　and　majesty　beyond　the　grasp　of　any　mortal。
　
　Even　the　wind　at　the　higher　levels　of　the　structures　sounded　mournful；　almost　as　a　herald　to　what　would　eventually；　inevitably；　bee　of　the　great　city　and　the　great　civilization。
　
　As　Obi…Wan　Kenobi　and　Anakin　Skywalker　stood　in　the　turbolift　of　the　Senate　apartment　plex；　the　Jedi　Master　was　indeed　pondering　such　profound　universal　truths　as　the　subtle　change　of　day　to　night。　Beside　him；　though；　his　young　Padawan　certainly　was　not。　Anakin　was　about　to　see　Padme　again；　the　woman　who　had　captured　his　heart　and　soul　when　he　was　but　ten　years　old　and　had　never　let　it　go。
　〃You　seem　a　little　on　edge；　Anakin；〃　Obi…Wan　noted　as　the　lift　continued　its　climb。
　〃Not　at　all；〃　came　the　unconvincing　reply。
　〃I　haven't　seen　you　this　nervous　since　we　fell　into　that　nest　of　gundarks。〃
　〃You　fell　into　that　nightmare；　Master；　and　I　rescued　you。　Remem