rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第44部分

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　long；〃　he　promised。　He　straddled　the　speeder　bike；　kicked　it　to　life；　and　rocketed　away　across　the　dunes。
　
　Chapter　Eighteen
　
　When　the　call　beamed　into　the　Jedi　Temple　on　Coruscant；　using　scramble　code　5　and　in　care　of　〃the　old　folks　home；〃　Mace　Windu　and　Yoda　knew　that　it　was　important。　Extremely　important。
　
　They　took　the　call　in　Yoda's　apartment；　after　Mace　checked　the　corridor　both　ways；　then　pointedly　closed　the　door。
　
　The　hologram　of　Obi…Wan　Kenobi　appeared　before　them。　The　man　was　obviously　on　edge；　glancing　repeatedly　over　his　shoulder。
　〃Masters；　I　have　successfully　made　contact　with　Lama　Su；　the　Prime　Minister　of　Kamino。〃
　〃Ah；　good　it　is　that　your　planet　you　have　found；〃　Yoda　said。
　〃Right　where　your　students　predicted；〃　Obi…Wan　replied。　〃These　Kaminoans　are　cloners…best　in　the　galaxy　I've　been　told；　and　from　what　I've　seen；　I　don't　doubt　the　claims。〃
　
　Both　Jedi　Masters　frowned。
　〃They　are　using　a　bounty　hunter　named　Jango　Fett　to　create　a　clone　army。〃
　〃An　army？〃　Mace　repeated。
　〃For　the　　　Republic；〃　came　　　Obi…Wan's　　　startling　answer。
　〃What's　more；　I　have　a　strong　feeling　that　this　bounty　hunter　is　behind　the　plot　to　assassinate　Senator　Amidala。〃
　〃Do　you　think　these　cloners　are　involved　in　that；　as　well？〃
　〃No；　Master；　there　appears　to　be　no　motive。〃
　〃Do　not　assume　anything；　Obi…Wan；〃　Yoda　advised。　〃Clear；　your　mind　must　be　if　you　are　to　discover　the　real　villain　behind　this　plot。〃
　〃Yes；　Master；〃　Obi…Wan　said。　〃Prime　Minister　Lama　Su　has　informed　me　that　the　first　battalion　of　clone　troopers　are　ready　for　delivery。　He　also　wanted　me　to　remind　you　that　if　we　require　more…and　they've　another　million　well　on　the　way　to　pletion…it　will　take　more　time　to　grow　them。〃
　〃A　million　clone　warriors？〃　Mace　Windu　asked　in　disbelief。
　〃Yes；　Master。　They　say　Master　Sifo…Dyas　placed　the　order　for　the　clone　army　almost　ten　years　ago。　I　was　under　the　impression　he　was　killed　before　that。　Did　the　Council　ever　authorize　the　creation　of　a　clone　army？〃
　〃No；〃　Mace　answered　without　hesitation；　and　without　even　looking　to　Yoda　for　confirmation。　〃Whoever　placed　that　order　did　not　have　the　authorization　of　the　Jedi　Council。〃
　〃Then　how？　And　why？〃
　〃The　mystery　deepens；〃　Mace　said。　〃And　it　is　one　that　needs　unraveling；　for　more　reasons　than　the　safety　of　Senator　Amidala。〃
　〃The　clones　are　impressive；　Master；〃　Obi…Wan　explained。　〃They　have　been　created　and　trained　for　one　purpose　alone。〃
　〃Into　custody；　take　this　Jango　Fett；〃　Yoda　instructed。　〃Bring　him　here。　Question　him；　we　will。〃
　〃Yes；　Master。　I　will　report　back　when　I　have　him。〃　Obi…Wan　glanced　over　his　shoulder　again　and　abruptly　instructed　R4　to　cut　the　transmission。
　〃A　clone　army；〃　Mace　remarked；　alone　with　Yoda　once　again；　the　hologram　gone。　〃Why　would　Sifo…Dyas…〃
　〃When　placed；　this　order　was；　may　provide　insight；〃　Yoda　said；　and　Mace　nodded。　If　the　timing　of　the　order　was　correct；　then　Sifo…Dyas　must　have　placed　it　right　before　he　died。
　〃If　this　Jango　Fett　was　involved　in　trying　to　kill　the　Senator；　and　just　happened　to　be　chosen　as　the　source　for　a　clone　army；　created　for　the　Republic。。。〃　Mace　Windu　stopped　and　shook　his　head。　The　coincidence　was　too　great　for　those　two　items　to　be　simple　chance。　But　how　could　one　tie　in　with　the　other？　Was　it　possible　that　whoever　decided　to　create　the　clone　army　was　afraid　that　Senator　Amidala　would　be　a　strong　enough　voice　to　prevent　that　army　from　being　used？
　
　The　Jedi　Master　rubbed　a　hand　over　his　forehead　and　looked　to　Yoda；　who　sat　with　his　eyes　closed。　Probably　contemplating　the　same　riddles　as　he　was；　Mace　knew。　And　equally　troubled；　if　not　more　so。
　〃Blind　we　are；　if　the　development　of　this　clone　army　we　could　not　see；〃　Yoda　remarked。
　〃I　think　it　is　time　to　inform　the　Senate　that　our　ability　to　use　the　Force　has　diminished。〃
　〃Only　the　Dark　Lords　of　the　Sith　know　of　our　weakness；〃　Yoda　replied。　〃If　informed　the　Senate　is；　multiply　our　adversaries　will。〃
　
　For　the　two　Jedi　Masters；　this　surprising　development　was　troubling　on　several　different　levels。
　
　　Obi…Wan　moved　along　the　corridor　carefully。　He　knew　nothing　of　Jango　Fett's　acplishments；　but　he　figured　they　must　be　considerable；　given　the　selection　of　the　man　as　the　prototype　for　a　clone　army。　Pausing；　he　closed　his　eyes　and　reached　out　to　the　Force；　searching　for　hidden　enemies。　A　moment　later；　convinced　that　Jango　wasn't　in　the　immediate　area；　he　approached　the　door。　Gently；　he　ran　his　fingers　along　the　frame；　sensing　for　potential　traps；　then　finally　touched　the　locking　mechanism。　Holding　one　hand　there；　he　tried　the　door。
　
　It　didn't　budge。
　
　Obi…Wan　reached　for　his　lightsaber　thinking　to　shear　through　the　portal；　but　he　changed　his　mind；　preferring　subtlety。　He　closed　his　eyes　and　sent　his　strength　through　his　outstretched　hand　and　into　the　lock；　manipulating　the　mechanism　easily。　Then；　one　hand　going　to　his　lightsaber；　he　tried　the　door　again；　and　it　slid　open。
　
　As　soon　as　he　viewed　the　room　inside；　he　knew　that　he　wouldn't　be　needing　his　weapon。　The　apartment　was　in　plete　disorder。　The　drawers　of　every　cabinet　hung　open；　some　lay　on　the　floor；　and　the　chairs　were　knocked　all　askew。
　
　To　the　side；　the　bedroom　door　was　open；　and　it；　too；　was　a　wreck。　All　the　signs　within　pointed　to　a　hurried　departure。
　
　Obi…Wan　glanced　all　about；　looking　for　some　clue；　and　his　gaze　finally　settled　on　a　thin　puter　screen　set　on　a　counter　in　the　main　living　area。　Rushing　to　it；　he　turned　it　on　and　recognized　it　at　once　as　a　security　network；　tied　in　to　various　cams　set　about　the　immediate　area。　Obi…Wan　scrolled　from　view　to　view；　noting　the　corridor　he　had　just　traversed　and　various　angles　of　the　apartment　itself。　An　outside　view　of　the　area　showed　the　apartment's　rain…lashed　roof…and　he　could　see　himself　through　the　transparisteel　window。
　
　He　continued　his　scroll；　widening　the　lens　and　zooming　in　on　anything　suspicious。
　
　Then　he　got　a　shot　of　a　nearby　landing　pad　and　an　odd…looking　ship　with　a　wide；　flat　base；　narrowed　to　a　point　on　the　closest　end　and　thinning　as　it　climbed　to　a　small　partment；　perhaps　large　enough　for　two　or　three　men。　Rushing　about　the　parked　craft　was　a　familiar　figure；　either　Boba　Fett　or　another　clone。
　
　Obi…Wan　nodded　and　smiled　knowingly　as　he　followed　the　boy's　movements；　recognizing　from　the　fluidity　and　randomness　of　some　small　actions　that　this　was　indeed　Boba　and　not　a　perfectly　controlled　and　conditioned　clone。
　
　Obi…Wan's　grin　didn't　hold；　though；　as　another　familiar　figure　came　into　view。　It　was　Jango；　dressed　in　the　armor　and　rocket　pack　the　Jedi　had　seen　before；　on　the　streets　of　Coruscant。　If　Obi…Wan　had　had　any　doubts　that　Jango　was　the　man　who　had　hired　Zam　Wesell；　those　doubts　were　now　gone。　He　bolted　from　the　apartment　and　ran　down　the　corridor；　looking　for　a　way　out。
　
　　〃Yeah；　I'll　let　you　fly　it；〃　Jango　said　to　Boba。
　
　Boba　punched　a　fist　into　the　air　in　triumph；　thrilled　that　his　father　was　going　to　let　him　get　behind　the　controls　of　Slave　I。　　It　had　been　a　long　time；　months；　since　Boba　had　been　allowed　to　sit　behind　the　controls。
　〃Not　to　take　her　out；　through；〃　Jango　added；　somewhat　dimming　the　boy's　jubilance。　〃We're　going　out　hot；　son；　but　we'll　take　her　back　out　of　lightspeed　early　so　you　can　get　some　time　working　her　about。〃
　〃Can　I　put　her　down？〃
　〃We'll　see。〃　Boba　knew　that　his　father　really　meant　〃no；〃　but　he　didn't　press　the　point。　He　understood　that　something　big　and　dangerous　was　going　on　around　him；　and　so　he　decided　to　take　whatever　his　dad　offered；　and　be　happy　with　that。　He　hoisted　another　bag　and　climbed　up　the　ramp　to　the　small　storage　hold。　He　looked　back　at　Jango　as　he　did　so；　then　looked　past　Jango；　to　a　human　form　rushing　out　of　the　tower's　turbolift　and　toward　them　through　the　driving　rain。　〃Dad！　Look！〃
　
　As　Jango　swung　about；　Boba's　eyes　went　wider　still。　The　running　figure　was　their　Jedi　visitor…and　he　was　drawing　his　lightsaber　and　igniting　a　blue　blade　that　hissed　in　the　downpour。　〃Get　on　board！〃　Jango　called　to　him；　but　Boba　hesitated；　watching　his　father　pull　out　his　blaster　and　fire　off　a　bolt　at　the　charging　Jedi。　With　amazing　reflexes；　Obi…Wan　snapped　his　ligh