rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第56部分

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n　firm　ground；　he　and　Padme　prepared　to　leave　the　ship。
　〃Look；　whatever　happens　out　there；　follow　my　lead；〃　Padme　told　him。　〃I'm　not　interested　in　getting　into　a　war　here。　As　a　member　of　the　Senate；　maybe　I　can　find　a　diplomatic　solution　to　this　mess。〃
　
　For　Anakin；　who　had　so　recently　used　the　diplomacy　of　the　lightsaber；　and　to　devastating　effect；　the　words　rang　true…　painfully　so。
　〃Trust　me　on　this？〃　Padme　added；　and　he　knew　that　she　had　recognized　the　pain　on　his　face。
　〃Don't　worry；〃　he　said；　and　he　made　himself　grin。　〃I've　given　up　trying　to　argue　with　you。〃
　
　Behind　them　as　they　headed　for　the　landing　ramp；　R2　gave　a　plaintive　wail。
　〃Stay　with　the　ship；〃　Padme　instructed　both　droids。　Then　she　and　Anakin　went　out　into　the　underground　plex；　and　recognized　almost　immediately　that　they　had　entered　a　huge　droid　factory。
　
　　Soon　after　the　pair　had　departed；　R2…D2's　legs　extended；　lifting　him　off　the　securing　platform；　and　he　began　rolling　immediately　for　the　ship　exit。
　〃My　sad　little　friend；　if　they　had　needed　our　help；　they　would　have　asked　for　it；〃　C…3PO　explained　to　him。　〃You　have　a　lot　to　learn　about　humans。〃　R2　tootled　back　at　him　and　continued　to　roll。
　〃For　a　mechanic；　you　seem　to　do　an　excessive　amount　of　thinking；〃　C3…PO　countered。　〃I'm　programmed　to　understand　humans。〃　R2's　responding　question　came　as　a　burst　of　short　and　curt　beeps。
　〃What　does　that　mean？〃　C…3PO　echoed。　〃That　means；　I'm　in　charge　here！〃　R2　didn't　even　respond。　He　just　started　rolling　for　the　landing　ramp；　moving　right　out　of　the　ship。
　〃Wait！〃　C…3PO　cried。　〃Where　are　you　going？　Don't　you　have　any　sense　at　all？〃
　
　The　replying　beep　was　quite　discordant。
　〃How　rude！〃
　
　R2　just　gained　speed　and　rolled　away。
　〃Please　wait！〃　C…3PO　cried。　〃Do　you　know　where　you're　going？〃　While　the　reply　was　far　from　confident；　the　last　thing　C…3PO　wanted　at　that　moment　was　to　be　left　alone。　He　rushed　to　catch　up　to　R2；　and　followed　behind；　fussing　nervously。
　
　　Anakin　and　Padme　slipped　along　the　vast；　pillared　corridors　of　the　factory　city；　their　footfalls　dulled　by　the　humming　and　banging　noises　of　the　many　machines　in　use　in　the　great　halls　below　them。　The　place　seemed　deserted…　too　much　so；　Anakin　believed。
　〃Where　is　everyone？〃　Padme　whispered；　unconsciously　echoing　his　thoughts。　Anakin　held　his　hand　up　to　silence　her；　and　he　tilted　his　head；　sensing　。　。　。　something。
　〃Wait；〃　he　said。
　
　Anakin　moved　his　hand　higher　and　continued　to　listen；　not　with　his　ears；　but　with　his　sensitivity　to　the　Force。　There　was　something　here；　something　close。　His　instincts　turned　his　eyes　up　toward　the　ceiling；　and　he　watched　in　amazement　and　horror　as　the　crossbeams　above　seemed　to　pulse；　as　if　they　were　alive。
　〃Anakin！〃　Padme　cried；　watching；　too；　as　several　winged　forms　seemed　to　grow　right　out　of　the　pillars；　detaching　and　dropping　down。　They　were　tall　and　lean；　sinewy　strong　and　not　skinny；　with　orange…tinted　skin。　Anakin's　lightsaber　flashed。　Turning　fast；　on　pure　instinct　and　reflex；　he　slashed　out；　severing　part　of　a　wing　from　one　creature　swooping　in　at　him。　The　creature　tumbled　past；　bouncing　along　the　ground；　but　another　took　its　place；　and　then　another；　heading　in　boldly　for　the　Padawan。
　
　Anakin　stabbed　out　to　the　right；　retracted　the　blade　immediately　from　the　smoking　flesh；　then　brought　it　spinning　about　above　his　head；　slashing　out　to　the　left。　Two　more　creatures　went　tumbling。　〃Run！〃　he　shouted　to　Padme；　but　she　was　already　moving；　along　the　corridor　and　toward　a　distant　doorway。　Waving　his　lightsaber　to　keep　more　of　the　stubborn　creatures　at　bay；　Anakin　ran。　He　darted　through　the　doorway　behind　her…　and　nearly　fell　over　the　end　of　a　small　walkway　that　extended　out　over　a　deep　crevasse。　〃Back；〃　Padme　started　to　say；　but　even　as　she　and　Anakin　began　to　turn；　the　door　slammed　closed　behind　them；　leaving　them　trapped　on　the　precarious　perch。　More　of　the　winged　creatures　appeared　above　them；　and　even　worse；　the　walkway　began　to　retract。
　
　Padme　didn't　hesitate。　She　leapt　out　for　the　shortest　fall；　onto　a　conveyor　belt　below。
　〃Padme！〃　Anakin　cried　frantically。　He　leapt　down；　too；　landing　behind　her　on　the　moving　conveyor。　And　then　the　winged　Geonosians　were　all　about　him；　swarming　and　swooping；　and　he　had　to　work　his　lightsaber　desperately　to　keep　them　at　bay。
　
　　〃Oh　my　goodness；〃　C…3PO　said；　turning　all　about　as　he　scanned　the　immense　factory。　He　and　R2…D2　came　onto　a　high　ledge；　overlooking　the　main　area。　〃Machines　creating　machines。　How　perverse！〃
　
　R2　gave　him　an　emphatic　beep。
　〃Calm　down；〃　C…3PO　said。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？　I'm　not　in　your　way！〃　R2　didn't　bother　to　argue。　He　rolled　forward；　bumping　3PO　off　the　ledge。　The　screaming　droid　bounced　onto　one　unfortunate　flying　conveyor　droid；　then　crashed　down　on　a　conveyor　to　the　side。　R2　went　off　the　ledge　next；　willingly；　his　little　jets　igniting　to　carry　him　fast　across　the　way　to　some　distant　consoles。
　〃Oh；　blast　you；　Artoo！〃　C…3PO　cried；　trying　hard　to　sort　himself　out。　〃You　might　have　warned　me；　or　told　me　of　your　plan。〃　As　he　spoke；　he　finally　managed　to　stand…just　in　time　to　rise　before　a　horizontal　slicer。
　
　C…3PO　gave　a　single　scream　for　help　before　the　spinning　blade　lopped　his　head　from　his　shoulders；　his　body　crumpling　down　onto　the　belt；　his　head　bouncing　away　to　land　on　yet　another　conveyor；　this　one　bearing　lines　of　other　heads；　those　of　battle　droids。
　
　One　welder　stop　later；　and　C…3PO　found　his　head　grafted　onto　a　battle　droid　body。　〃How　ugly！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Why　would　one　build　such　unattractive　droids？〃　He　managed　to　glance　to　the　side；　to　see　his　still…standing　body　rolling　into　the　line　with　the　other　droids；　where　a　Battle　Droid　head　got　welded　onto　it。
　〃I'm　so　confused；〃　the　poor　C…3PO　wailed。
　
　Above　it　all；　R2…D2　wasn't　watching　his　mechanical　friend。　He　had　spied　his　Mistress　Padme　and　went　in　fast　pursuit。
　
　Padme　flailed　and　rolled　about　the　belt；　scrambling　to　her　feet；　then　diving　back　down　low。　She　backpedaled；　then　rushed　ahead　suddenly　to　scramble　under　thumping　pile　drivers；　machines　slamming　metal　molds　down　hard　enough　to　shape　the　parts　of　a　heavy　gauge　droid。　She　dived　under　one　stamper；　then　scrambled　back　to　her　feet　right　before　another；　backpedaling　furiously；　waiting　for　the　precise　moment　as　the　heavy　head　went　back　up　along　the　guide　poles。
　
　And　then　a　winged　Geonosian　swooped　upon　her；　grabbing　at　her　and　throwing　her　off　balance。　She　used　just　enough　of　her　attention　to　free　herself　momentarily；　then　hoped　she　had　estimated　right　and　burst　forward　suddenly；　diving　and　crawling　fast；　and　came　out　the　other　side　just　as　the　pile　driver　thundered　down。
　
　Right　onto　the　head　of　the　pursuing　Geonosian；　stamping　it　flat。　Padme；　facing　yet　another　stamper；　didn't　even　see　it。　She　managed　to　roll　through　safely；　but　just　as　she　emerged；　a　winged　creature　reared　up　right　in　front　of　her；　wrapping　her　in　its　leathery　wings　and　grabbing　at　her　with　strong　arms。
　
　Padme　wrestled　valiantly；　but　the　creature　was　too　strong。　It　flew　off　to　the　side　of　the　conveyor　and　then　unceremoniously　dropped　her。　Padme　landed　hard　inside　a　large　empty　vat。　She　recovered　quickly　and　tried　to　scramble　out；　but　the　vat　was　deep　and　without　handholds　and　she　couldn't　extract　herself。
　
　Anakin；　battling　furiously　with　a　swarm　of　winged　Geonosians；　and　all　the　while　scrambling　to　avoid　the　deadly　stamping　machines；　still　managed　somehow　to　see　it　all。　〃Padme！〃　he　cried　as　he　came　through　a　stamper　to　see　disaster　looming。　There　was　no　way　he　could　get　to　her；　he　realized　immediately；　and　the　vat　into　which　she　had　fallen　was　fast　moving　toward　a　pour　of　molten　metal。　〃Padme！〃
　
　And　then　he　was　fighting　again；　slashing　aside　yet　another　of　the　winged　creatures；　watching　all　the　while　in　horror　as　his　love　neared　her　doom。　He　fought　wildly；　beating　the　creatures　away；　scrambling　desperately　for　Padme　and　calling　out　to　her。　He　crashed　through　another　assembly　line；　sending　droid　parts　everywhere；　then　leapt　another　belt；　crossing　the　factory　room　toward　Padme；　who　was　still　struggling　helplessly；　as　she　moved　ever　closer　to　the　pouring　molten　metal。　He　thought　he　might　ge