rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第61部分

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tle　against　the　largest　concentrations　of　Battle　Droids。　Mace　winced　when　he　spotted　Obi…Wan；　Anakin；　and　Padme　sent　flying　into　the　air　by　the　terrified　and　bucking　reek。　He　motioned　to　other　Jedi；　but　needn't　have；　for　those　closest　were　already　rushing　toward　their　vulnerable　panions；　throwing　lightsabers　to　Anakin　and　Obi…Wan。
　
　When　those　two　ignited　their　blades；　Anakin's　green　and　Obi…Wan's　blue；　and　Padme　came　up　between　them；　a　discarded　blaster　pistol　in　hand；　Mace　breathed　a　bit　easier。
　
　But　only　for　a　moment。　Then　the　Jedi　Master　was　a　blur　of　motion　once　more；　working　his　blade　furiously　to　turn　back　the　storm　of　laser　bolts　screaming　at　him　from　the　multitude　of　battle　droids。　He　joined　Obi…Wan　near　the　center　of　the　arena　soon　after；　and　back…to…back；　they　went　into　action；　moving　into　a　crowd　of　droids；　taking　down　several　with　deflected　bolts；　then　slashing　through；　turning　in　unison　as　they　went。　Obi…Wan　went　at　one　droid　with　his　lightsaber　up　high；　but　when　that　droid　lifted　its　defenses　appropriately；　the　two　Jedi　turned　about；　Mace　ing　around　with　his　lightsaber　down　low；　shearing　the　droid　in　half。
　
　Behind　Mace　Windu　and　Obi…Wan；　Anakin　and　Padme　fought　in　a　similar　back…to…　back　posture；　with　Anakin　working　in　a　mostly　defensive　manner；　deflecting　all　the　bolts　ing　at　him　and　at　Padme；　while　she　picked　her　shots　carefully；　taking　down　droid　after　droid　after　Geonosian。
　
　But　despite　all　the　gallant　efforts；　despite　the　mounds　of　slaughtered　enemies；　Geonosian　and　droid　alike；　the　oute　was　beginning　to　show　clearly；　as　the　Jedi　were　being　pushed　back　by　sheer　numbers。　The　general　retreat　flowed　toward　the　arena；　though　that　area　would　provide　little　respite。　In　addition　to　the　droids　and　Jedi；　the　two　monsters　rushed　about　crazily；　destroying　everything　in　their　path。
　
　　Into　this　maelstrom　marched　C…3PO；　his　body　at　least；　with　the　head　of　a　battle　droid　fixed　firmly　upon　it。　Shortly；　however；　this　motley　droid　caught　a　blaster　bolt　in　the　neck。　Down　it　went；　the　battle　droid　head　bouncing　free　of　the　torso。
　
　Across　the　arena；　in　a　tunnel　and　marching　toward　daylight；　3PO's　head；　attached　to　a　battle　droid　body；　felt　the　sensation；　but　distantly。
　〃My　legs　aren't　moving！〃　he　cried；　though　of　course　his　present　legs　certainly　were。　〃I　must　need　oil。〃
　
　　It　was　a　time　for　improvisation；　too　wild　a　scene　for　coordinated　and　predetermined　movements。
　
　Just　the　kind　of　fight　in　which　Padme　excelled。　Firing　a　blaster　with　every　step；　she　rushed　to　the　same　execution　cart　that　had　brought　her　and　Anakin　into　the　arena　and　scrambled　atop　the　confused　orray　pulling　it。
　
　Right　behind　her　came　Anakin；　his　lightsaber　a　blur　of　motion；　turning　laser　shots　back　at　the　battle　droids。　He　leapt　into　the　cart　and　Padm　kicked　the　orray　away。
　
　They　charged　the　circuit；　bouncing　across　the　fallen　droids　and　Geonosians；　Padme　firing　shot　after　shot　and　Anakin　sending　an　even　greater　line　of　destruction　out　by　turning　aside　all　shots　ing　their　way。
　〃You　call　this　diplomacy？〃　said　Anakin；　deflecting　blasts。
　
　Padme　grinned　and　shouted　back；　〃No；　I　call　it　'aggressive　negotiations'！〃
　
　　C…3PO　entered　the　maelstrom；　and　if　his　eye　sockets　would　have　allowed　him　to　widen　his　eyes　in　surprise　and　terror；　he　surely　would　have。
　〃Where　are　we？〃　he　cried。　〃A　battle！　Oh　no！　I'm　just　a　protocol　droid。　I'm　not　made　for　this。　I　can't　do　it！　I　don't　want　to　be　destroyed！〃
　
　This　mixed…up　droid　lasted　about　as　long　as　his　other　half　had；　across　the　way。　He　came　around　to　face　the　Jedi　Master　Kit　Fisto；　who　slammed　him　hard　with　a　Force　shove；　knocking　him　to　the　ground。　Next；　the　agile　Jedi　did　a　pirouette　movement　and　with　a　vicious　slice　of　his　lightsaber；　took　down　the　battle　droid　that　had　been　in　line　right　beside　C…3PO。　It　collapsed　on　top　of　C…3PO's　prone　form。
　〃Help！　I'm　trapped！　I　can't　get　up！〃　C…3PO　wailed；　a　call　that　caught　the　attention　of　none。
　
　Save　one。
　
　R2…D2　rolled　into　the　arena　and　wove　his　way　about　the　carnage　and　danger。
　
　　No　number　of　battle　droids　could　hope　to　separate　Mace　and　Obi…Wan；　so　perfect　were　their　movements；　so　attuned　were　they　to　each　other。　But　the　sheer　bulk　of　the　reek　was　too　much　even　for　a　pair　of　lightsabers；　and　when　the　furious　beast　charged　at　the　two　Jedi；　they　had　no　choice　but　to　dive　apart。
　
　The　reek　followed　Mace；　and　he　had　to　slash　wildly　to　fend　it　off。　He　did　manage　to　drive　it　back；　but　was　butted　and　lost　his　lightsaber　in　the　process。　He　came　up　facing　the　reek；　and　figured　that　he　could　outmaneuver　it　to　get　his　weapon　back　easily　enough；　but　then　an　armored　rocket…man　flew　down　in　his　path；　blaster　leveled。
　
　Mace　reached　out　with　the　Force　and　brought　his　lightsaber　flying　to　his　hand；　moving　like　lightning　to　parry　Jango's　first　shot。　With　the　second　shot；　Mace　was　more　in　control；　and　his　parry　sent　the　bolt　right　back　at　the　bounty　hunter。　But　Jango　was　already　in　motion；　diving　sidelong　and　ing　around　ready　to　launch　a　series　of　shots　the　Jedi's　way。
　
　He　was　stopped　by　the　reek。　Unable　to　distinguish　friend　from　foe；　the　reek　bore　down　on　Jango。　He　scored　a　couple　of　hits；　but　they　hardly　slowed　the　beast；　and　he　was　tossed　away。　The　reek　charged　him；　trying　to　stomp　him　as　he　rolled　about　desperately。　Jango　was　fast；　though。　Every　time　he　came　around；　he　fired　again；　and　again；　his　bolts　burrowing　into　the　furious　reek's　belly。
　
　Finally；　the　huge　bullish　creature　swayed；　and　Jango　wisely　rolled　out　the　far　side；　opposite　Mace；　as　the　beast　collapsed。
　
　The　Jedi　was　on　him　immediately；　lightsaber　weaving　through　the　air。　Jango　dodged　and　lifted　into　the　air　with　his　rockets；　trying　to　keep　one　step　ahead　of　that　deadly　blade　and　to　occasionally　fire　a　bolt　at　Mace。　The　man　was　good；　Mace　had　to　admit。　Very　good；　and　more　than　once　the　Jedi　had　to　parry　desperately　to　turn　a　bolt　aside。　He　kept　up　his　offensive　flurry；　though；　keeping　Jango　on　the　defensive　with　sudden　stabs　and　slashing　cuts。
　
　One　misstep　。　。　。
　
　And　then　it　happened；　all　of　a　sudden。　Mace　started　to　slash　to　the　left；　cut　it　short　and　stabbed　straight　out；　then　reversed　his　grip　and　sent　the　lightsaber　slashing　across；　left　to　right。　He　spun　a　plete　circuit；　ing　around　to　parry　a　blaster　shot；　but　there　was　no　shot　forthing。
　
　That　left　to　right　reversal　had　cleanly　landed。　Jango　Fett's　head　flew　free　of　his　shoulders　and　fell　out　of　his　helmet；　to　settle　in　the　dirt。
　
　　〃Straight　ahead；〃　Obi…Wan　told　himself　as　the　acklay　came　at　him；　its　huge　claws　snapping　in　the　air。
　
　He　went　left；　then　right；　then　rolled　forward　at　the　beast；　between　the　mighty　arms　and　snapping　claws；　ing　around　and　over　with　his　borrowed　lightsaber　stabbing　straight　ahead；　burning　a　hole　in　the　creature's　chest。　The　acklay　dived　forward；　trying　to　crush　him　under　its　bulk；　and　the　Jedi　leapt　straight　up　as　he　connected。　He　came　down　on　its　back；　landing　lightly　and　stabbing　repeatedly；　before　leaping　away　once　more。
　〃Straight　ahead；〃　he　told　himself　again　as　the　enraged　beast　charged　yet　again。
　
　Obi…Wan　noted　the　blaster　bolt　ing　at　him　from　the　side　at　the　very　last　second；　and　turned　his　lightsaber　down　and　under；　deflecting　the　bolt　right　into　the　acklay's　face。
　
　The　creature　hardly　slowed　and　the　Jedi　had　to　throw　himself　to　the　ground　to　dodge　a　swiping；　snapping　claw。
　
　He　rolled　out　to　the　side；　to　avoid　a　stomping　leg；　and　managed　to　slash　out　again；　cutting　a　deep　gash。
　
　The　acklay　howled　and　came　on；　and　more　blaster　bolts　came　at　the　Jedi。　His　lightsaber　worked　furiously；　brilliantly；　turning　one　bolt　after　another　right　into　the　charging　beast；　finally　slowing　it　and　stunning　it。
　
　Obi…Wan　rushed　in　and　leapt　and　stabbed；　right　in　the　face。　He　caught　his　foot　on　the　creature's　shoulder　and　ran　right　past　it。　He　heard　it　fall　behind　him；　thrashing　in　its　death　throes；　but　he　knew　that　battle　was　done　and　went　back　to　work　on　the　battle　droids。
　
　That　larger　fight　seemed　far　from　won；　and　far　from　winnable。　Mace　Windu　had　finished　with　Jango　Fett　by　then；　and　to　the　other　side；　Anakin　and　Padme　continued　their　perfect　teamwork　behind　the　overt