rasalvatore.attackoftheclones- 第7节

　
　Time　did　seem　to　be　slipping　past　her。
　
　　〃It　won't　move　fast　enough　to　catch　up　to　the　Tuskens！〃　Cliegg　Lars　bellowed　in　protest　as　his　son　and　future　daughter…in…law　helped　him　into　a　hoverchair　that　Owen　had　fashioned。　He　seemed　oblivious　to　the　pain　of　his　wound；　where　his　right　leg　had　been　sheared　off　at　midthigh。
　〃The　Tuskens　are　long　gone；　Dad；〃　Owen　Lars　said　quietly；　and　he　put　his　hand　on　Cliegg's　broad　shoulder；　trying　to　calm　him。　〃If　you　won't　use　a　mechno…leg；　this　powerchair　will　have　to　do。〃
　〃You'll　not　be　making　me　into　a　half…droid；　that's　for　sure；〃　Cliegg　retorted。　〃This　little　buggy　will　do　fine。〃
　〃We'll　get　more　men　together；〃　he　said；　his　voice　rising　frantically；　his　hand　instinctively　moving　down　to　the　stump　of　his　leg。　〃You　get　to　Mos　Eisley　and　see　what　support　they'll　offer。　Send　Beru　to　the　farms。〃
　〃They've　no　more　to　offer；〃　Owen　replied　honestly。　He　moved　close　to　the　chair　and　bent　low；　looking　Cliegg　square　in　the　face。　〃All　the　farms　will　be　years　in　recovering　from　the　ambush。　So　many　families　have　been　shattered　from　the　attack；　and　even　more　from　the　rescue　attempt。〃
　〃How　can　you　talk　like　that　with　your　mother　out　there？〃　Cliegg　Lars　roared；　his　frustration　boiling　over…and　all　the　more　so　because　in　his　heart；　he　knew　that　Owen　was　speaking　truthfully。
　
　Owen　took　a　deep　breath；　but　did　not　back　down　from　that　imposing　look。　〃We　have　to　be　realistic；　Dad。　It's　been　two　weeks　since　they　took　her；〃　he　said　grimly；　leaving　the　implications　unspoken。　Implications　that　Cliegg　Lars；　who　knew　the　dreaded　Tuskens　well；　surely　understood。
　
　All　of　a　sudden；　Cliegg's　broad　shoulders　slumped　in　defeat；　and　his　fiery　gaze　softened　as　his　eyes　turned　toward　the　ground。　〃She's　gone；〃　the　wounded　man　whispered。　〃Really　gone。〃
　
　Behind　him；　Beru　Whitesun　started　to　cry。
　
　Beside　him；　Owen　fought　back　his　own　tears　and　stood　calm　and　tall；　the　firm　foundation　determined　above　all　to　hold　them　together　during　this　devastating　time。
　
　Chapter　Four
　
　The　four　starships　skimmed　past　the　great　skyscrapers　of　Coruscant；　weaving　in　and　out　of　the　huge　amber　structures；　artificial　stalagmites　rising　higher　and　higher　over　the　years；　and　now　obscuring　the　natural　formations　of　the　planet　unlike　anywhere　else　in　the　known　galaxy。　Sunlight　reflected　off　the　many　mirrorlike　windows　of　those　massive　structures；　and　gleamed　brilliantly　off　the　chrome　of　the　sleek　ships。　The　larger　starship；　which　resembled　a　flying　silver　boomerang；　almost　glowed；　smooth　and　flowing　with　huge　and　powerful　engines　set　on　each　of　its　arms；　a　third　of　the　way　to　the　wingtip。　Alongside　it　soared　several　Naboo　starfighters；　their　graceful　engines　set　out　on　wings　from　the　main　hulls　with　their　distinctive　elongated　tails。
　
　One　of　the　starfighters　led　the　procession；　veering　around　and　about　nearly　every　passing　tower；　running　point　for　the　second　ship；　the　Naboo　Royal　Cruiser。　Behind　that　larger　craft　came　two　more　fighters；　running　swift　and　close　to　the　Royal　Cruiser；　shielding　her；　pilots　ready　to　instantly　intercept　any　threat。　The　lead　fighter　avoided　the　more　heavily　trafficked　routes　of　the　great　city；　where　potential　enemies　might　be　flying　within　the　cover　of　thousands　of　ordinary　vehicles。　Many　knew　that　Senator　Amidala　of　Naboo　was　returning　to　the　Senate　to　cast　her　vote　against　the　creation　of　an　army　to　assist　the　overwhelmed　Jedi　in　their　dealings　with　the　increasingly　antagonistic　separatist　movement；　and　there　were　many　factions　that　did　not　want　such　a　vote　to　be　cast。　Amidala　had　made　many　enemies　during　her　reign　as　Naboo's　Queen；　powerful　enemies　with　great　resources　at　their　disposal；　and　with；　perhaps；　enough　hatred　for　the　beautiful　young　Senator　to　put　some　of　those　resources　to　work　to　her　detriment。
　
　In　the　lead　fighter；　Corporal　Dolphe；　who　had　distinguished　himself　greatly　in　the　Naboo　war　against　the　Trade　Federation；　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief　as　the　appointed　landing　platform　came　into　sight；　appearing　secure　and　clear。　Dolphe；　a　tough　warrior　who　revered　his　Senator　greatly；　flew　past　the　landing　platform　to　the　left；　then　cut　a　tight　turn　back　to　the　right；　encircling　the　great　structure；　the　Senatorial　Apartment　Building；　adjacent　to　the　landing　platform。　He　kept　his　fighter　up　and　about　as　the　other　two　fighters　put　down　side　by　side　on　one　end　of　the　platform；　the　Royal　Cruiser　hovering　nearby　for　just　a　moment；　then　gently　landing。
　
　Dolphe　did　another　circuit；　then；　seeing　no　traffic　at　all　in　the　vicinity；　settled　his　fighter　across　the　way　from　his　panion　craft。　He　didn't　put　it　down　all　the　way　just　yet；　though；　but　remained　ready　to　swivel　about　and　strike　hard　at　any　attackers；　if　need　be。
　
　Opposite　him；　the　other　two　fighter　pilots　threw　back　their　respective　canopies　and　climbed　from　their　cockpits。　One；　Captain　Typho；　recently　appointed　as　Amidala's　chief　security　officer　by　his　uncle　Panaka；　pulled　off　his　flight　helmet　and　shook　his　head；　running　a　hand　over　his　short；　woolly　black　hair　and　adjusting　the　black　leather　patch　he　wore　over　his　left　eye。
　〃We　made　it；〃　Typho　said　as　his　fellow　fighter　pilot　leapt　down　from　a　wing　to　stand　beside　him。　〃I　guess　I　was　wrong。　There　was　no　danger　at　all。〃
　〃There's　always　danger；　Captain；〃　the　other　responded　in　a　distinctly　female　voice。　〃Sometimes　we're　just　lucky　enough　to　avoid　it。〃
　
　Typho　started　to　respond；　but　paused　and　looked　back　toward　the　cruiser；　where　the　ramp　was　already　lowering　to　the　platform。　The　plan　had　been　to　get　the　contingent　off　the　exposed　platform　and　into　a　transport　vehicle　as　quickly　as　possible。　Two　Naboo　guards　appeared；　alert　and　ready；　their　blaster　rifles　presented　before　them。　Typho　nodded　grimly；　glad　to　see　that　his　soldiers　were　taking　nothing　for　granted；　that　they　understood　the　gravity　of　the　situation　and　their　responsibility　here　in　protecting　the　Senator。
　
　Next　came　Amidala；　in　her　typical　splendor；　with　her　paradoxical　beauty；　both　simple　and　involved。　With　her　large　brown　eyes　and　soft　features；　Amidala　could　outshine　anyone　about　her；　even　if　she　was　dressed　in　simple　peasant's　clothing；　but　in　her　Senatorial　attire；　this　time　a　fabulous　weave　of　black　and　white；　and　with　her　hair　tied　up　and　exaggerated　by　a　black　headdress；　she　outshone　the　stars　themselves。　Her　mixture　of　intelligence　and　beauty；　of　innocence　and　allure；　of　courage　and　integrity　and　yet　with　a　good　measure　of　a　child's　mischievousness；　floored　Typho　every　time　he　looked　upon　her。　The　captain　turned　from　the　descending　entourage　back　to　Dolphe　across　the　way；　offering　a　satisfied　nod　in　acknowledgment　of　the　man's　point…running　work。
　
　And　then；　suddenly；　Typho　was　lying　facedown　on　the　permacrete；　thrown　to　the　ground　by　a　tremendous　concussion；　blinded　for　a　moment　by　a　brilliant　flash　as　an　explosion　roared　behind　him。　He　looked　up　as　his　vision　returned　to　see　Dolphe　sprawled　on　the　ground。
　
　Everything　seemed　to　move　in　slow　motion　for　Typho　at　that　terrible　moment。　He　heard　himself　yelling　〃No！〃　as　he　scrambled　to　his　knees　and　turned　about。
　
　Pieces　of　burning　metal　spread　through　the　Coruscant　sky　like　fireworks；　fanning　high　and　wide　from　the　wreckage。　The　remaining　hulk　of　the　Royal　Cruiser　burned　brightly；　and　seven　figures　lay　on　the　ground　before　it；　one　wearing　the　decorated　raiments　that　Typho　knew　so　very　well。　Disoriented　from　the　blast；　the　captain　stumbled　as　he　tried　to　rise。　A　great　lump　welled　in　his　throat；　for　he　knew　what　had　happened。
　
　Typho　was　a　veteran　warrior；　had　seen　battle；　had　seen　people　die　violently；　and　in　looking　at　those　bodies；　in　looking　at　Amidala's　beautiful　robes；　at　their　placement　about　the　very　still　form；　he　instinctively　knew。
　
　The　woman's　wounds　were　surely　mortal。　She　was　fast　dying；　if　not　already　dead。
　
　　〃You　reset　the　coordinates！〃　Obi…Wan　Kenobi　said　to　his　young　Padawan。　Obi…　Wan's　wheat…colored　hair　was　longer　now；　hanging　loosely　about　his　shoulders；　and　a　beard；　somewhat　unkempt；　adorned　his　still…young…looking　face。　His　light　brown　Jedi　traveling　clothes；　loose　fitting　and　fortable；　　seemed　to　settle　on　him　well。　For　Obi…Wan　had　bee　fortable；　had　grown　int