rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第31部分
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s Jedi training。 Anakin settled back into the sofa。 〃From the moment I met you； all those years ago； a day hasn't gone by when I haven't thought of you。〃 His voice was husky； intense； and the sparkle in his eyes bored right through her。 〃And now that I'm with you again； I'm in agony。 The closer I get to you； the worse it gets。 The thought of not being with you makes my stomach turn over； my mouth go dry。 I feel dizzy！ I can't breathe！ I'm haunted by the kiss you never should have given me。 My heart is beating； hoping that kiss will not bee a scar。〃
Padme's hand slowly dropped to her side and she sat listening in amazement at how honestly he was opening up before her； baring his heart though he knew she might tear it asunder with a single word。 She was honored by the thought； and truly touched。 And afraid。
〃You are in my very soul； tormenting me；〃 Anakin went on； not a bit of falseness in his tone。 This was no ploy to garner any physical favors； this was honest and straightforward； refreshingly so to the woman who had spent most of her life being attended by handmaidens whose job it was to please and entertaining dignitaries whose agendas were never quite what they seemed。
〃What can I do？〃 he asked softly。 〃I will do anything you ask。〃 Padme looked away； overwhelmed； finding security in the distracting dance of the flames in the hearth。 Several moments of silence slipped by unfortably。
〃If you are suffering as much as I am； tell me；〃 Anakin prompted。 Padme turned on him； her own frustrations bubbling over。 〃I can't！〃 She sat back and struggled to collect herself。 〃We can't；〃 she said as calmly as she could。 〃It's just not possible。〃
〃Anything's possible；〃 Anakin replied； leaning forward。 〃Padme； please listen…〃
〃You listen；〃 she scolded。 Somehow； hearing her own denial brought some strength to her…much…needed strength。 〃We live in a real world。 e back to it； Anakin。 You're studying to bee a Jedi Knight。 I'm a Senator。 If you follow your thoughts through to conclusion； they will take us to a place we cannot go 。。。 regardless of the way we feel about each other。〃
〃Then you do feel something！〃
Padme swallowed hard。 〃Jedi aren't allowed to marry；〃 she pointed out； needing to deflect attention away from her feelings at that debilitating moment。 〃You'd be expelled from the Order。 I will not let you give up your future for me。〃
〃You're asking me to be rational；〃 Anakin replied without the slightest hesitation； and his confidence and boldness here caught Padme a bit by surprise。 There was no longer anything of the child in the man before her。
She felt her control slip a notch。
〃That is something I know I cannot do；〃 he went on。 〃Believe me； I wish I could wish my feelings away。 But I can't。〃
〃I am not going to give in to this；〃 she said with all the conviction she could muster。 She finished with her jaw clenched very tightly； knowing that she had to be the strong one here； for Anakin's sake more than for her own。
〃I have more important things to do than fall in love。〃
He turned away； looking wounded； and she winced。 He stared into the fire； his face twisting this way and that as he tried to sort through it all。 She knew he was trying to find a way around her resolve。
〃It wouldn't have to be that way；〃 he said at length。 〃We could keep it a secret。〃
〃Then we'd be living a lie…one we couldn't keep up even if we wanted to。 My sister saw it； so did my mother。 I couldn't do that。 Could you； Anakin？ Could you live like that？〃
He stared at her intensely for a moment； then looked back to the fire； seeming defeated。
〃No； you're right；〃 he finally admitted。 〃It would destroy us。〃
Padme looked from Anakin to the fire。 Which would destroy her…destroy them… she had to wonder。 The action or the thought？
Chapter Sixteen
〃Wow！〃 Boba Fett exclaimed； rushing across the landing pad to view the sleek starfighter up close。
〃Beautiful ship；〃 Jango agreed； strolling to catch up to his son； studying the craft with every stride。 He noted the markings and design； the extra firepower； and； particularly； the astromech droid hardwired into the left wing； tootling happily。
〃This is a Delta…Seven；〃 the excited Boba announced； pointing out the rear… cockpit position。 Jango nodded； glad that his son had been taking his lessons seriously。 These were new ships… so new that they hadn't yet been fitted with hyperdrive engines； Jango realized； and he inadvertently glanced up at the cloudy sky； wondering if parent ships were up there。 He shook the thought away； turning back to Boba。
〃And what of the droid？〃 he asked。 〃Can you identify the unit？〃 Boba climbed up the side of the fighter and studied the markings for a moment； then turned back to his father； finger to pursed lips； an intense expression on his face。 〃It's an Arfour…Pea；〃 he said。 〃And is that a mon droid for this type of starfighter？〃
〃No；〃 Boba answered without hesitation。 〃A Delta…Seven pilot would usually use an Arthree…Dee。 It's better at keeping the guns targeted； and the fighter is so maneuverable that handling the laser cannons is tricky。 I read that some pilots wind up shooting their own nose cones off in this fighter！ They do a snap…roll； ing out over and around； but they haven't pensated the manual swivel。 。 。〃 As he spoke； he moved his arms over each other and about； tangling them up in front of him。
Jango was hardly listening to the details； though he was thrilled that Boba had taken to his lessons with such energy。 〃Suppose the pilot didn't need the extra gunnery skills of an Arthree…Dee？〃 he asked。
Boba looked at him curiously； as if he didn't understand。
〃Would the Arfour…Pea then be a better choice？〃
〃Yes；〃 came the halting response。
〃And what pilot wouldn't need the extra droid gunnery skills？〃 Boba stared blankly； but then a smile spread on his face。 〃You！〃 he blurted； seeming quite pleased with himself。
Jango took the pliment with an appreciative smile…and it was true enough。 Jango could wheel any fighter； and if he ever had the opportunity to fly in a Delta…7； he'd likely choose an R4…P over the R3…D。 But that wasn't what he had in mind right now； for he knew of one other type of pilot； pilots with heightened senses； who would similarly choose the better nav； but less weapon…oriented droid。
Jango Fett looked back up at the sky； wondering if a host of Jedi were about to descend upon Tipoca City。
Great racks holding glass spheres stretched across the immense room to the end of Obi…Wan's vision。 Each sphere contained an embryo； suspended in fluid； and when the Jedi reached into the Force； he sensed strong waves of life energy。
〃The hatchery；〃 he stated more than asked。
〃The first phase； obviously；〃 Lama Su replied。
〃Very impressive。〃
〃I hoped you would be pleased； Master Jedi；〃 the Prime Minister said。
〃Clones can think creatively。 You'll find that they are immensely superior to droids； and that ours are the best in all the galaxy。 Our methods have been perfected over many centuries。〃
〃How many are there？〃 Obi…Wan asked。 〃In here； I mean。〃
〃We have several hatcheries throughout the city。 This； of course； is the most crucial phase； though with our techniques； we expect a survival rate of over ninety percent。 Every so often； an entire batch will develop a 。。。 an issue； but we expect the clone production to remain steady； and with our accelerated growth methods； these before you will be fully matured and ready for battle in just over a decade。〃
Two hundred thousand units are ready； with another million well on the way。 Lama Su's previous boast echoed ominously in Obi…Wan's thoughts。 A production center； supremely efficient； producing a steady stream of superbly trained and conditioned warriors。 The implications were staggering。
Obi…Wan stared at the closest embryo； floating contentedly in its fluid； curled and with its little thumb stuck into its mouth。 In ten short years； that tiny creature； that tiny man； would be a soldier； killing and； likely； soon enough killed。
He shuddered and looked to his Kaminoan guide。 〃e；〃 Lama Su bade him； walking along the corridor。
Next on the tour was a huge classroom； with desks in neat； orderly rows and with students in neat； orderly rows。 They all looked to be about ten years of age。 All dressed the same； all with the same haircut； all with exactly the same features and posture and expressions。 Obi…Wan reflexively looked at the shining white walls of the huge room； almost expecting to see mirrors there； playing a trick on his eyes to make one boy seem to be many。 The students went about their studies without paying any more heed to the visitors than a quick glance。
Disciplined； Obi…Wan thought。 Much more so than any normal children。 Another thought grabbed him。 〃You mentioned growth acceleration…〃
〃Oh yes； it's essential；〃 the Prime Minister replied。 〃Otherwise a mature clone would take a lifetime to grow。 Now we can do it in half the time。 The units you will soon see on the parade ground we started ten years ago； when Sifo…Dyas first placed the order； and they're already mature and quite ready for duty。〃
〃And these were started about five years ago？〃 the Jedi reasoned； and Lama Su nodded。
〃Would you care to inspect the final product now？〃 the Prime Minister asked； and Obi…Wan could hear excitement in his voice。 Clearly he was proud of this acplishment。 〃I would like your approval before you take delivery。〃
The callousness of it all struck Obi…Wan profoundly。 Units。 Final product。 These were living beings they were talking about。 Living； breathing； and thinking。 To create clones for such a singular purpose； under such control； even stealing half their childhood for efficiency； assaulted his sense of right and wrong； and the fact that a Jedi Master had begun all of this was almost too much to digest。
The tour took him through the missary next； where hundreds of adult clones…all young men Anakin's age…sat in neat rows； all dressed in red； all eating the same food in the same manner。
〃You'll find that they are totally obedient；〃 Lama Su was saying； seemingly oblivious to the Jedi's disfort。 〃We modified their genetic structure to make them less indepen
