rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第34部分
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nary classes。 〃Yous can't just drop in uninvited！〃 barked the dock officer； a stout creature with a piggish face and spikes running down the length of his back and tail。
〃It's a good thing you invited us； then；〃 Anakin said calmly； with a slight wave of his hand。
〃Yes； it's a good thing I invited you then！〃 the officer happily replied； and Anakin and Padme walked past。
〃Anakin； you're bad；〃 Padme said as they exited onto the dusty street。
〃It's not like there are dozens of ships lined up to fill the bay；〃 Anakin replied； feeling pretty good about himself and the ease with which he had Force…convinced the piggish officer。 He waved down a floating rickshaw pulled by an ES…PSA droid； a short and thin creature with a wheel where its legs should have been。
Anakin gave it the address and off it went； pulling them behind in the floating rickshaw； charging along the streets of Mos Espa； expertly zigging and zagging to avoid the heavy traffic； and blasting forth a shrill sound whenever someone didn't get out of die way。
〃Do you think he was involved？〃 Padme asked Anakin。
〃Watto？〃
〃Yes； that was his name； right？ Your former master？〃
〃If Watto has hurt my mother in any way； I will pluck his wings from his back；〃 he promised； meaning every word。 He wasn't sure how he would feel about seeing the slaver； even if Watto had nothing to do with bringing any harm to Shmi。 Watto had treated him better than most in Mos Espa treated their slaves； and hadn't beaten him too often； but still； it hung in Anakin's thoughts that Watto had not let Shmi go with him when Obi…Wan and Qui…Gon had bought out his slave debt。 Anakin understood that he was probably just deflecting some of his own guilt about leaving his mother with Watto； who was a businessman； after all。
〃Here； Espasa；〃 Anakin said to the droid； and the rickshaw glided to a stop in front of a shop all too familiar to Anakin Sky…walker。 There； sitting on a stool near the door； fiddling with an electronic driver on a broken piece of equipment that looked like a droid ponent； was a rounded； winged Toydarian with a long snout。 A black round hat adorned his head； and a small vest was pulled as far as it would go about his girth。 Anakin recognized him immediately。
He paused for so long in just staring at Watto that Padme got out before him and held her hand to help him。 〃Wait here；〃 she instructed the droid。
〃Please。〃 〃No chuba da wanga； da wanga！〃 Watto yelled at the broken ponent； and at a trio of pit droids who were scrambling all about； trying to help。
〃Huttese；〃 Anakin explained to Padme。 〃No； not that one…that one！〃 she replied； and at Anakin's expression of surprise that she knew the strange language； she added； 〃You think it's easy being the Queen？〃
Anakin shook his head and looked back to Watto； then glanced at Padme once or twice as they neared。 〃Chut chut； Watto；〃 he greeted。
〃Ke booda？〃 came the surprised response。 〃Di nova； chut chut；〃 Anakin reiterated； his words barely audible above the clamoring pit droids。
〃Go ana bopa！〃 Watto yelled at the trio； and on his mand； they immediately shut down and snapped back into their storage position。
〃Ding mi chasa hopa；〃 Anakin offered； taking the piece of the broken droid from Watto； and manipulating it expertly。 Watto watched him for a moment； his buglike eyes growing even larger in surprise。
〃Ke booda？〃 he asked。 〃Yo baan pee hota。 No wega mi condorta。 Kin chasa du Jedi。 No bata tu tu。〃
〃He doesn't know you；〃 Padme whispered to Anakin； trying to hold back her laughter at Watto's last statement； which translated to 〃Whatever it is； I didn't do it。〃
〃Mi boska di Shmi Skywalker；〃 Anakin bluntly stated。
Watto's eyes narrowed suspiciously。 Who would be looking for his old slave？ The Toydarian's gaze went from Anakin to Padme； then back to Anakin。
〃Annie？〃 he asked in Basic。 〃Little Annie？ Naaah！〃
Anakin's answer came with a deft twist of his hands； and the sound of the little piece of equipment whirring to life。 Smiling widely； he handed it back to Watto。
There weren't many around who could work such magic on broken droid parts。
〃You are Annie！〃 the Toydarian cried。 〃It is you！〃 His wings started beating furiously； lifting him from the stool to hover in the air。 〃Ya sure sprouted！〃
〃Hello； Watto。〃
〃Weehoo！〃 the Toydarian cried。 〃A Jedi！ Waddya know？ Hey； maybe you couldda help wit some deadbeats who owe me a lot of money…〃
〃My mother…〃 Anakin prompted。
〃Oh yeah； Shmi。 She's not mine no more。 I sold her。〃
〃Sold her？〃 Anakin felt Padme squeeze his forearm。
〃Years ago；〃 Watto explained。 〃Sorry； Annie； but you know； business is business。 Sold her to a moisture farmer named Lars。 Least I think it was Lars。 Believe it or not； I heard he freed her and married her。 Can ya beat that？〃
Anakin just shook his head； trying hard to digest it all。 〃Do you know where they are？〃
〃Long way from here。 Someplace over on the other side of Mos Eisley； I think。〃
〃Could you narrow it down？〃
Watto thought about it for a moment； then just shrugged。 〃I'd like to know；〃 Anakin said； his tone and expression grim and determined； even threatening。 The way Watto's features seemed to tighten showed that he got the hint that Anakin wasn't fooling around。
〃Yeah； sure；〃 he said。 〃Absolutely。 Let's go look at my records。〃 The three went into the shop； and seeing the place brought memories swirling back to Anakin。 How many hours； years； he had toiled in here； fixing everything Watto threw his way。 And out back； where he had put all the spare parts he could find； so that he could build a Podracer。 Not all of the memories were bad； he had to admit； but the good ones did not overe the reality that he had been a slave。 Watto's slave。
Fortunately for Watto； his records gave a location for the moisture farm of one Cliegg Lars。
〃Stay a while； Annie；〃 the Toydarian offered after sharing the information on Shmi's new owner…or was it her husband？
Without a word； Anakin turned about and walked away。 This was the last time he would look at Watto and the shop； he decided。 Unless of course； he found out that Watto was lying to him about Shmi's fate； or that Watto had somehow hurt his mother。
〃Back to the lot； Espasa；〃 he said to the droid as he and Padme rushed back to the rickshaw。 〃Fast。〃
〃Ya sure I can't get ya something to drink？〃 Watto called to them from the door of his shop； but they were already rushing away； kicking up dust in their wake。
〃Annie du Jedi；〃 Watto remarked； and he waved both his hands dismissively at the departing rickshaw。 〃Waddya know。〃
Anakin took the starship out even more furiously than he had brought it in； blasting away from the lot and nearly colliding with a small freighter as it maneuvered to put down。 Calls of protest came into him from Mos Espa control； but he just switched off the m and zoomed off across the city。 Soon after； they passed over the race grounds where the younger Anakin had often raced in his Pods； but he barely glanced at it as he put the ship out straight over the desert； heading for Mos Eisley。 When that port came into view； he veered to the north and crossed past it； moving higher in the sky。 They spotted one moisture farm； and then another； and then the third； almost in a direct line from the city。
〃That one；〃 Padme said。 Anakin nodded grimly； and brought the ship down on a bluff overlooking the homestead。
〃I'm really going to see her again；〃 he breathed； shutting down the engines。
Padme squeezed his arm and offered him a forting smile。
〃You don't know what it's like； to leave your mother like that；〃 he said。
〃I leave my family all the time；〃 she replied。 〃But you're right。 It's not the same。 I can't imagine what it's like to be a slave； Anakin。〃 〃It's worse to know that your mother is one。〃 Padme nodded； conceding the point。
〃Stay with the ship； Artoo；〃 she instructed the droid； who beeped in reply。 The first form that came into view as they walked toward the homestead was that of a very thin droid； dull gray in color； with weatherbeaten metal coverings。 Obviously in need of a good oil bath； he bent stiffly and worked on some sort of fence sensor。 Then he rose with a jerky motion； seeing their approach。 〃Oh； hello；〃 he greeted。 〃How might I be of service？ I am See…〃 〃Threepio？〃 Anakin said breathlessly； hardly believing his eyes。 〃Oh my！〃 the droid exclaimed； and he began to shake violently。 〃Oh； my maker！ Master Anakin！ I knew you would return！ I knew you would！ And this must be Miss Padme！〃 〃Hello； Threepio；〃 Padme said。 〃Oh； my circuits！ I'm so pleased to see you both！〃 〃I've e to see my mother；〃 Anakin explained。
The droid turned sharply up toward him； then seemed to shrink back。
〃I think 。。。 I think；〃 C…3PO stuttered。 〃Perhaps we'd better go indoors。〃 He turned toward the homestead； motioning with his hand for the couple to follow。
Anakin and Padme exchanged nervous glances。 Anakin could not shake the feeling of doom that lingered long after the imagery of his nightmares had faded 。 。 。
By the time they caught up to the droid； he was in the courtyard； shouting； 〃Master Cliegg！ Master Owen！ Might I present two important visitors？〃
A young man and woman came rushing out of the house almost immediately； but slowed at the site of Padme and Anakin。 〃I'm Anakin Skywalker；〃 Anakin said at once。 〃Anakin？〃 the man echoed； his eyes going wide。 〃Anakin！〃
The woman at his side brought her hand up to cover her mouth。 〃Anakin the Jedi；〃 she whispered breathlessly。
〃You know of me？ Shmi Skywalker is my mother。〃
〃Mine； too；〃 said the man。 〃Not my real mom；〃 he added at Anakin's obviously puzzled look； 〃but as real a mom as I've ever known。〃 He extended his hand。 〃Owen Lars。 This is my girlfriend； Beru Whitesun。〃 Beru nodded and said； 〃Hello。〃
Padme； after giving up on Anakin ever remembering to introduce her； came forward。 〃I'm Padme。〃
〃I guess I'm your stepbrother；〃 Owen said； his eyes never leaving the young Jedi of whom he had heard so very much。 〃I had a feeling you might show up。〃
〃Is my mother here？〃
〃No； she's not；〃 came a gruff answer from behind Owen and Beru； from the shadows of the house door。 All four turned to
