rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第49部分

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his　balance；　as　a　bunch　of　stones　fell　loose；　bouncing　down　the　side　of　the　mesa。
　
　The　Jedi　drew　out　his　lightsaber　but　did　not　ignite　it。　He　moved　along　cautiously；　down　and　around　a　bend　in　the　rocky　path。
　
　He　saw　the　large；　lizardlike　creature　ing　for　him；　its　huge　fangs　dripping　lines　of　drool。　It　stood　on　strong　hind　legs；　its　little　forelegs　twitching　eagerly。　The　lightsaber　hummed　to　life　and　Obi…Wan　dived　down　to　the　side；　slashing　back　as　he　fell；　opening　the　creature's　side　from　foreleg　to　hind。　The　creature　landed　and　tried　to　turn；　but　as　it　spasmed　in　pain；　it　overbalanced　and　fell　off　the　trail；　plummeting　hundreds　of　feet　and　shrieking　all　the　way。
　
　Obi…Wan　had　no　time　to　watch　the　descent；　though；　for　another　of　the　beasts　appeared；　ing　at　him　fast；　its　toothy　maw　open　wide。　The　Jedi　filled　that　maw　with　lightsaber；　shearing　through　teeth　and　gums；　driving　the　blade　right　through　the　back　of　the　creature's　head。　He　pulled　hard　to　the　side；　the　energy　blade　tearing　right　through　the　beast's　skull；　and　turned　to　face　yet　another　leaping　beast。　Falling　back　and　down；　he　let　the　lizard　fly　past；　then　he　came　up　immediately　and　started　to　pursue。　But　abruptly　he　stopped；　reversed　his　grip；　and　stabbed　out　behind　him；　impaling　a　fourth　creature。　He　spun　about；　flipping　the　weapon　from　his　right　hand　to　his　left；　then　slashed　it　out　the　side　of　the　dying　beast　as　he　pleted　his　circuit；　ing　right　around　to　face　the　one　that　had　leapt　past。　The　creature　circled　slowly；　seemingly　sizing　him　up；　and　Obi…Wan　turned　with　it；　but　kept　his　eyes　and　ears　scanning　the　area。
　
　He　tried　to　scare　the　creature　off；　and　with　two　of　its　panions　lying　dead　on　the　rocks　and　a　third　having　gone　over　the　cliff；　he　fully　expected　it　to　flee。
　
　But　not　this　fierce　beast。　It　charged　suddenly；　jaws　snapping。　A　sidestep；　forward　step；　and　overhand　slash　had　the　creature's　head　rolling　free　on　the　ground。
　〃Fun　place；〃　the　Jedi　remarked　after　a　while；　when　he　was　confident　that　no　more　of　the　creatures　were　about。　He　put　his　weapon　away　and　moved　along；　and　soon　after　rounded　the　corner　of　the　mesa。
　
　A　great　plain　spread　out　wide　before　him　with　many　tall　shapes　in　the　far　distance；　indistinguishable　in　the　darkness。　Obi…Wan　took　out　his　electrobinoculars　and　peered　across　the　plain。　He　saw　a　cluster　of　great　towers…not　natural　stalagmites　like　those　he　had　seen　dotting　the　landscape；　but　shaped　structures。　A　roll　of　his　finger　increased　the　magnification；　of　both　size　and　available　light；　and　he　scanned　slowly　to　the　side。
　
　Trade　Federation　starships；　scores　of　them；　lined　the　region；　settled　on　platforms。　The　Jedi　watched　in　amazement　as　another　platform　rose　beside　one　ship　and　thousands　of　Battle　Droids　stepped　off　it　and　into　the　vessel；　which　then　lifted　away。
　
　And　was　quickly　replaced　by　another　starship；　settling　down　on　the　platform。
　
　Another　platform　rose　to　the　side；　and　again；　thousands　of　droids　stepped　off　to　board　the　waiting　starship；　and　that　one；　now　filled　with　droid　soldiers；　lifted　away。
　〃Unbelievable；〃　the　Jedi　muttered　and　he　looked　to　the　eastern　horizon；　trying　to　gauge　the　amount　of　time　he　had　before　dawn；　wondering　if　he　could　make　the　run　before　the　light　found　him。
　
　Not　if　he　had　to　slowly　work　his　way　down　the　mesa；　he　realized；　and　so　he　shrugged　and　stepped　ahead；　closing　his　eyes　and　finding　his　power　in　the　Force。　Then　he　leapt　out；　lifting　himself　with　the　Force　to　ease　his　descent。　He　hit　a　bluff　many　feet　down；　but　sprang　away　and　fell　again；　and　again；　half　bouncing；　half　flying　his　way　down　to　the　dark　plain。
　
　The　sun　was　still　below　the　eastern　rim；　though　the　land　was　beginning　to　lighten　around　him；　when　he　reached　the　grandest　tower　of　the　plex。　The　entryway　was　heavily　guarded　by　battle　droids；　but　Obi…Wan　had　no　intention　of　going　anywhere　near　that　area。　Using　the　Force　and　his　own　conditioning；　the　Jedi　scaled　the　tower；　until　he　came　to　a　small　window。
　
　He　slipped　in　silently　and　moved　from　shadow　to　shadow；　then　ducked　behind　a　wind　curtain　as　he　heard　the　approach　of　a　pair　of　strange…looking　creatures…Geonosians；　he　supposed。　They　wore　little　clothing；　and　their　skin　was　reddish；　like　the　air　about　them；　with　flaps　hanging　in　rolls　in　many　places　about　their　slender　frames。　Leathery　wings　showed　behind　their　bony　shoulders。　Their　heads　were　large　and　elongated；　their　skulls　ridged　top　and　side；　and　they　had　thick…lidded；　bulbous　eyes。　Their　expressions　seemed　to　be　locked　in　a　perpetual　scowl。　〃Too　many　sentients；〃　he　heard　one　of　them　say。　〃It　is　not　your　place　to　question　Archduke　Poggle　the　Lesser；〃　the　other　scolded；　and　grumbling；　the　pair　wandered　away。
　
　Obi…Wan　moved　out　behind　them；　going　the　opposite　way。　He　slipped　from　shadow　to　shadow　along　a　narrow　corridor　lined　with　pillars。　He　couldn't　help　but　see　the　contrast　between　this　place　and　Tipoca　City。　Where　Tipoca　City　was　a　work　of　art；　all　rounded　and　smooth；　all　glass　and　light；　this　place　was　rough…edged；　all　sharp　corners　and　utilitarian　features。
　
　The　Jedi　moved　along；　ing　to　an　open　vent；　sharp　noises　and　pounding　echoing　up　from　it。　He　dropped　to　the　ground　and　looked　all　about；　then　crawled　and　peered　over　the　edge。
　
　A　factory；　a　huge　alignment　of　conveyor　belts　and　pounding　machines；　lay　below；　in　a　wide…open　area。　Obi…Wan　watched　in　blank　amazement　as　many；　many　Geonosians…these　without　wings　like　the　pair　that　had　walked　past　him…　worked　at　various　stations　assembling　droids。　At　the　far　end　of　the　conveyor；　pleted　droids　stepped　off　under　their　own　power；　walking　away　down　a　distant　corridor。
　
　To　platforms　that　would　lift　them　to　waiting　Trade　Federation　starships；　the　Jedi　realized。
　
　With　a　shake　of　his　head；　Obi…Wan　ran　along；　and　then　he　sensed　something；　fleeting　but　definite。　He　followed　his　instincts　along　the　maze　of　corridors；　at　last　ing　to　a　vast　underground　chamber；　with　huge　vaulted　ceilings　and　rough…styled　arches。　He　started　across；　moving　pillar　to　pillar；　sensing　that　something　or　someone　was　near。
　
　He　heard　their　voices　before　he　saw　them；　and　he　fell　flat　against　the　stone。
　
　A　group　of　six　figures　walked　past　him；　four　in　front　and　two　behind。　Two　Geonosians　were　in　that　front　row；　along　with　a　Neimoidian　viceroy　whom　Obi…　Wan　knew　all　too　well　and　a　man　whose　features　were　also　recognizable　from　busts　the　Jedi　had　seen　in　the　Temple　on　Coruscant。
　〃Now　we　must　persuade　the　merce　Guild　and　the　Corporate　Alliance　to　sign　the　treaty；〃　that　former　Jedi；　Count　Dooku；　was　saying。　The　man　was　tall　and　regal；　with　perfect　posture　and　a　graceful　gait。　His　hair　was　silver　and　perfectly　trimmed　and　his　elegant　features；　strong　jaw；　and　piercing　eyes　pleted　the　look　of　a　man　who　had　once　been　among　the　greatest　of　the　Jedi。　He　wore　a　black　cape；　clipped　at　his　neck　by　a　silver　chain；　and　a　black　shirt　and　pants　of　the　finest　materials。　In　looking　at　him；　in　feeling　his　presence；　Obi…Wan　understood　that　nothing　less　would　ever　suit　this　one。
　〃What　about　the　Senator　from　Naboo？〃　asked　the　Neimoidian；　Nute　Gunray；　his　beady　eyes　and　thin　features　seeming　smaller　still　beneath　the　tripronged　headdress　he　always　wore。　〃Is　she　dead　yet？　I'm　not　signing　your　treaty　until　I　have　her　head　on　my　desk。〃
　
　Obi…Wan　nodded；　huge　pieces　of　the　puzzle　starting　to　fall　into　place。　It　made　sense　to　him　that　Nute　Gunray　would　want　Amidala　dead；　even　if　her　voice　of　opposition　to　an　army　of　the　Republic　was　working　in　his　favor。　Amidala　had　embarrassed　the　Neimoidian　badly　in　the　Battle　of　Naboo；　after　all。
　〃I　am　a　man　of　my　word；　Viceroy；〃　one　of　the　separatists　answered。
　〃With　these　new　battle　droids　we've　built　for　you；　Viceroy；　you'll　have　the　finest　army　in　the　galaxy；〃　said　the　Geonosian　whom　Obi…Wan　believed　to　be　Poggle　the　Lesser。　He　didn't　look　much　like　the　winged　moners　and　workers　Obi…Wan　had　seen。　His　skin　was　lighter；　more　a　grayish　tan　than　red…　tinted；　and　his　head　was　huge；　his　large　scowling　mouth　protruding　just　a　bit；　giving　him　a　fierce　appearance；　an　elongated　chin　that　seemed　more　a　long　beard　hung　halfway　down　his　torso。
　
　They　continued　their　banter；　but　had　moved　out　of　earshot