rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第8章

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rtable；　had　grown　into　the　skin　of　Jedi　Knight。　No　longer　was　he　the　intense　and　impulsive　　Jedi　Padawan　learner　under　the　training　of　Qui…Gon　Jinn。
　
　His　panion　at　this　time；　however；　appeared　quite　the　opposite。　Anakin　Skywalker　looked　as　if　his　tall；　thin　frame　simply　could　not　contain　his　overabundance　of　energy。　He　was　dressed　similarly　to　Obi…Wan；　but　his　clothing　seemed　tighter；　crisper；　and　his　muscles　under　it　always　seemed　taut　with　readiness。　His　sandy…blond　hair　was　cropped　short　now；　except　for　the　thin　braid　indicative　of　his　status　as　a　Jedi　Padawan。　His　blue　eyes　flashed　repeatedly；　as　if　bursts　of　energy　were　escaping。
　〃Just　to　lengthen　our　time　in　hyperspace　a　bit；〃　he　explained。　〃We'll　e　out　closer　to　the　planet。〃
　
　Obi…Wan　gave　a　great　and　resigned　sigh　and　sat　down　at　the　console；　noting　the　coordinates　Anakin　had　input。　There　was　little　the　Jedi　could　do　about　it　now；　of　course；　for　a　hyperspace　leap　couldn't　be　reset　once　the　jump　to　lightspeed　had　already　been　made。　〃We　cannot　exit　hyperspace　too　close　to　Coruscant's　approach　lanes。　There's　too　much　congestion　for　a　safe　flight。　I've　already　explained　this　to　you。〃
　〃But…〃
　〃Anakin；〃　Obi…Wan　said　pointedly；　as　if　he　were　scolding　a　pet　perootu　cat；　and　he　tightened　his　wide　jaw　and　stared　hard　at　his　Padawan。
　〃Yes；　Master；〃　Anakin　said；　obediently　looking　down。
　
　Obi…Wan　held　the　glare　for　just　a　moment　longer。　〃I　know　that　you're　anxious　to　get　there；〃　he　conceded。　〃We　have　been　too　long　away　from　home。〃　Anakin　didn't　look　up；　but　Obi…Wan　could　see　the　edges　of　his　lips　curl　up　in　a　bit　of　a　smile。
　〃Never　do　this　again；〃　Obi…Wan　warned；　and　he　turned　and　walked　out　of　the　shuttle's　bridge。
　
　Anakin　flopped　down　into　the　pilot's　chair；　his　chin　falling　into　his　hand；　his　eyes　set　on　the　control　panels。　The　order　had　been　about　as　direct　as　one　could　get；　of　course；　and　so　Anakin　silently　told　himself　that　he　would　adhere　to　it。　Still；　as　he　considered　their　current　destination；　and　who　awaited　them　there；　he　thought　the　scolding　worth　it；　even　if　his　resetting　of　the　coordinates　had　bought　him　only　a　few　extra　hours　on　Coruscant。　He　was　indeed　anxious　to　get　there；　though　not　for　the　reason　Obi…Wan　had　stated。　It　wasn't　the　Jedi　Temple　that　beckoned　to　the　Padawan；　but　rather　a　rumor　he　had　heard　over　the　m　chatter　that　a　certain　Senator；　formerly　the　Queen　of　Naboo；　was　on　her　way　to　address　the　Senate。　Padme　Amidala。　The　name　resonated　in　young　Anakin's　heart　and　soul。　He　hadn't　seen　her　in　a　decade；　not　since　he；　along　with　Obi…Wan　and　Qui…Gon；　had　helped　her　in　her　struggle　against　the　Trade　Federation　on　Naboo。　He　had　only　been　ten　years　old　at　that　time；　but　from　the　moment　he　had　first　laid　eyes　on　Padme；　young　Anakin　had　known　that　she　was　the　woman　he　would　marry。　Never　mind　that　Padme　was　several　years　older　than　he　was。　Never　mind　that　he　was　just　a　boy　when　he　had　known　her；　when　she　had　known　him。　Never　mind　that　Jedi　were　not　allowed　to　marry。
　
　Anakin　had　simply　known；　without　question；　and　the　image　of　beautiful　Padm　Amidala　had　stayed　with　him；　had　been　burned　into　his　every　dream　and　fantasy；　every　day　since　he　had　left　Naboo　with　Obi…Wan　a　decade　ago。　He　could　still　smell　the　freshness　of　her　hair；　could　still　see　the　sparkle　of　intelligence　and　passion　in　her　wondrous　brown　eyes；　could　still　hear　the　melody　that　was　Padme's　voice。
　
　Hardly　registering　the　movement；　Anakin　let　his　hands　return　to　the　controls　of　the　nav　puter。　Perhaps　he　could　find　a　little…used　lane　through　the　Coruscant　traffic　congestion　to　get　them　home　faster。
　
　　Klaxons　blared　and　myriad　alarms　rent　the　air　all　about　the　area；　screaming　loudly；　drowning　out　the　cries　from　the　astonished　onlookers　and　the　wails　of　the　injured。
　
　Typho's　panion　pilot　raced　past　him；　and　the　captain　scrambled　to　regain　his　footing　and　follow。　Across　the　way；　Dolphe　was　up　and　similarly　running　toward　the　fallen　form　of　the　Senator。
　
　The　female　fighter　pilot　arrived　first；　dropping　to　one　knee　beside　the　fallen　woman。　She　pulled　the　helmet　from　her　head　and　quickly　shook　her　brown　tresses　free。
　〃Senator！〃　Typho　yelled。　It　was　indeed　Padme　Amidala　kneeling　beside　the　dying　woman；　her　decoy。　〃e；　the　danger　has　not　passed！〃　But　Padme　waved　the　captain　back　furiously；　then　bent　low　to　her　fallen　friend。
　〃Corde；〃　she　said　quietly；　her　voice　breaking。　Corde　was　one　of　her　beloved　bodyguards；　a　woman　who　had　been　with　her；　serving　her　and　serving　Naboo；　for　many　years。　Padme　gathered　Corde　up　in　her　arms；　hugging　her　gently。　Corde　opened　her　eyes；　rich　brown　orbs　so　similar　to　Padme's　own。　〃I'm　sorry；　M'Lady；〃　she　gasped；　struggling　for　breath　with　every　word。　〃I'm　。　。　。　not　sure　I。。。〃　She　paused　and　lay　there；　staring　at　Padme。　〃I've　failed　you。〃
　〃No！〃　Padme　insisted；　arguing　the　bodyguard's　reasoning；　arguing　against　all　of　this　insanity。　〃No；　no；　no！〃
　
　Corde　continued　to　stare　at　her；　or　stare　past　her；　it　seemed　to　the　grief…　stricken　young　Senator。　Looking　past　her　and　past　everything；　Corde's　eyes　stared　into　a　far　different　place。
　
　Padme　felt　her　relax　suddenly；　as　if　her　spirit　simply　leapt　from　her　corporeal　form。
　〃Corde！〃　the　Senator　cried；　and　she　hugged　her　friend　close；　rocking　back　and　forth；　denying　this　awful　reality。
　〃M'Lady；　you　are　still　in　danger！〃　Typho　declared；　trying　to　sound　sympathetic；　but　with　a　clear　sense　of　urgency　in　his　voice。
　
　Padme　lifted　her　head　from　the　side　of　Corde's　face；　and　took　a　deep　and　steadying　breath。　Looking　upon　her　dead　friend；　remembering　all　at　once　the　many　times　they　had　spent　together；　she　gently　lowered　Corde　to　the　ground。　〃I　shouldn't　have　e　back；〃　she　said　as　she　stood　up　beside　the　wary　Typho；　tears　streaking　her　cheeks。
　
　Captain　Typho　came　up　out　of　his　ready　stance　long　enough　to　lock　stares　with　his　Senator。　〃This　vote　is　very　important；〃　he　reminded　her；　his　tone　unpromising；　the　voice　of　a　man　sworn　to　duty　above　all　else。　So　much　like　his　uncle。　〃You　did　your　duty；　Senator；　and　Corde　did　hers。　Now　e。〃　He　started　away；　grabbing　Padme's　arm；　but　she　shrugged　off　his　grasp　and　stood　there；　staring　down　at　her　lost　friend。　〃Senator　Amidala！　Please！〃　Padme　looked　over　at　the　man。　〃Would　you　so　diminish　Corde's　death　as　to　stand　here　and　risk　your　own　life？〃　Typho　bluntly　stated。　〃What　good　will　her　sacrifice　be　if…〃
　〃Enough；　Captain；〃　Padme　interrupted。
　
　Typho　motioned　for　Dolphe　to　run　a　defensive　perimeter　behind　them；　then　he　led　the　stricken　Padme　away。
　
　Back　over　at　Padme's　Naboo　fighter；　R2…D2　beeped　and　squealed　and　fell　into　line　behind　them。
　
　Chapter　Five
　
　The　Senate　Building　on　Coruscant　wasn't　one　of　the　tallest　buildings　in　the　city。　Dome…shaped　and　relatively　low；　it　did　not　soar　up　to　the　clouds；　catching　the　afternoon　sun　as　the　others　did　in　a　brilliant　display　of　shining　amber。　And　yet　the　magnificent　structure　was　not　dwarfed　by　those　towering　skyscrapers　about　it；　including　the　various　Senate　apartment　plexes。　Centrally　located　in　the　plex；　and　with　a　design　very　different　from　the　typical　squared　skyscraper；　the　bluish　smooth　dome　provided　a　wele　relief　to　the　eye　of　the　beholder；　a　piece　of　art　within　a　munity　of　simple　efficiency。
　
　The　interior　of　the　building　was　no　less　vast　and　impressive；　its　gigantic　rotunda　encircled；　row　upon　row；　by　the　floating　platforms　of　the　many　Senators　of　the　Republic；　representing　the　great　majority　of　the　galaxy's　inhabitable　worlds。　A　significant　number　of　those　platforms　stood　empty　now；　because　of　the　separatist　movement。　Several　thousand　systems　had　joined　in　with　Count　Dooku　over　the　last　couple　of　years　to　secede　from　a　Republic　that　had；　in　their　eyes；　grown　too　ponderous　to　be　effective；　a　claim　that　even　the　staunchest　supporters　of　the　Republic　could　not　pletely　dispute。
　
　Still；　with　this　most　important　vote　scheduled；　the　walls　of　the　circular　room　echoed；　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　voices　chattering　all　at　once；　expressing　emotions　from　anger　to　regret　to　determination。
　
　In　the　middle　of　the　main　floor；　standing　at　the　stationary　dais；　the　one　unmoving　speaking　platform　in　the　entire　building；　Supreme　Chancellor　Palpatine　watched