rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第17章

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ensely；　more　passionately。
　〃Please　don't　look　at　me　like　that；〃　she　said；　turning　away。
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Because　I　can　see　what　you're　thinking。〃
　
　Anakin　broke　the　tension；　or　tried　to；　with　a　laugh。　〃Oh；　so　you　have　Jedi　powers；　too？〃
　
　Padme　looked　past　the　young　Padawan　for　a　moment；　glimpsing　Dorme；　who　was　watching　with　obvious　concern　and　not　even　trying　to　hide　her　interest　anymore。　And　Padme　understood　that　concern；　given　the　strange　and　unexpected　road　this　conversation　had　taken。　She　looked　squarely　at　Anakin　again　and　said；　with　no　room　for　debate；　〃It　makes　me　feel　unfortable。〃　Anakin　relented　and　looked　away。　〃Sorry；　M'Lady；〃　he　said　professionally；　and　he　stepped　back；　allowing　her　to　resume　her　packing。
　
　Just　the　bodyguard　again。
　
　But　he　wasn't；　Padme　knew；　no　matter　how　much　she　wished　it　were　true。
　
　　On　a　water…washed；　wind…lashed　world；　far　to　the　most　remote　edges　of　the　Outer　Rim；　a　father　and　his　son　sat　on　a　skirt　of　shining　black　metal；　watching　carefully　in　the　few　somewhat　calm　pools　created　by　the　currents　swirling　about　the　gigantic　caryatid　that　climbed　out　of　the　turbulent　ocean。　The　rain　had　let　up　a　bit；　a　rare　occasion　in　this　watery　place；　allowing　for　some　calm　surface　area；　at　least；　and　the　pair　stared　hard；　searching　for　the　meter…long　dark　silhouettes　of　rollerfish。
　
　They　were　on　the　lowest　skirt　of　one　of　the　great　pillars　that　supported　Tipoca　City；　the　greatest　city　on　all　of　Kamino；　a　place　of　sleek　structures；　all　rounded　to　deflect　the　continual　wind；　rather　than　flat…　faced　to　battle　against　it。　Kamino　had　been　designed；　or　upgraded　at　least；　by　many　of　the　best　architects　the　galaxy　could　offer；　who　understood　well　that　the　best　way　to　battle　planetary　elements　was　to　subtly　dodge　them。　Towering　transparisteel　windows　looked　out　from　every　portal…the　father；　Jango；　often　wondered　why　the　Kaminoans；　tall　and　thin；　pasty　white　creatures　with　huge　almond…shaped　eyes　set　in　oblong　heads　on　necks　as　long　as　his　arm；　wanted　so　many　windows。　What　was　there　to　see　on　this　violent　world　other　than　rolling　waters　and　nearly　constant　downpours？
　
　Still；　even　Kamino　had　its　better　moments。　It　was　all　relative；　Jango　supposed。　Thus；　when　he　saw　that　it　was　not　raining　very　hard；　he　had　taken　his　boy　outside。
　
　Jango　tapped　his　son　on　the　shoulder　and　nodded　toward　one　of　the　quiet　eddies；　and　the　younger　one；　his　face　showing　all　the　exuberance　of　a　ten…　year…old　boy；　lifted　his　pocker；　an　ion…burst…powered　atlatl；　and　took　deadly　aim。　He　didn't　use　the　laser　sighting　unit；　which　automatically　adjusted　for　watery　refraction。　No；　this　kill　was　to　be　a　test　of　his　skill　alone。
　
　He　exhaled　deeply；　as　his　father　had　taught　him；　using　the　technique　to　go　perfectly　steady；　and　then；　as　the　prey　turned　sidelong；　he　snapped　his　arm　forward；　throwing　the　missile。　Barely　a　meter　from　the　boy's　extended　hand；　the　back　of　the　missile　glowed　briefly；　a　sudden　and　short　burst　of　power　that　shot　it　off　like　a　blaster　bolt；　knifing　through　the　water　and　taking　the　fish　in　the　side；　its　barbed　head　driving　through。
　
　With　a　shout　of　joy；　the　boy　twisted　the　atlatl　handle；　locking　the　nearly　invisible　but　tremendously　strong　line；　and　then；　when　the　fish　squirmed　away　enough　to　pull　the　line　taut；　the　boy　slowly　and　deliberately　turned　the　handle；　reeling　in　his　catch。
　〃Well　done；〃　Jango　congratulated。　〃But　if　you　had　hit　it　a　centimeter　forward；　you　would　have　skewered　the　primary　muscle　just　below　the　gill　and　rendered　it　pletely　helpless。〃
　
　The　boy　nodded；　unperturbed　that　his　father；　his　mentor；　could　always　find　fault；　even　in　success。　The　boy　knew　that　his　beloved　father　did　so　only　because　it　forced　him　to　strive　for　perfection。　And　in　a　dangerous　galaxy；　perfection　allowed　for　survival。
　
　The　boy　loved　his　father　even　more　for　caring　enough　to　criticize。
　
　Jango　went　tense　suddenly；　sensing　a　movement　nearby；　a　footfall；　perhaps；　or　just　a　smell；　something　to　tell　the　finely　attuned　bounty　hunter　that　he　and　his　boy　were　not　alone。　There　weren't　many　enemies　to　be　found　on　Kamino；　except　far　out　in　the　watery　wastes；　where　giant　tentacled　creatures　roamed。　Here　there　was　little　life　above　the　water；　other　than　the　Kaminoans　themselves；　and　so　Jango　wasn't　surprised　when　he　saw　that　the　newer　was　one　of　them：　Taun　We；　his　usual　contact　with　the　Kaminoans。
　〃Greetings；　Jango；〃　the　tall；　lithe　creature　said；　holding　up　a　slim　arm　and　hand　in　a　gesture　of　peace　and　friendship。　　　Jango　nodded　but　didn't　smile。　Why　had　Taun　We　e　out　here…the　Kaminoans　were　hardly　ever　out　of　their　city　of　globes…and　why　would　she　interrupt　Jango　when　he　was　with　his　son？
　
　〃You　have　been　scarce　within　the　sector　of　late；〃　Taun　We　remarked。
　〃Better　things　to　do。〃
　〃With　your　child？〃
　
　In　response；　Jango　looked　over　at　the　boy；　who　was　lining　up　another　rollerfish。　Or　at　least；　he　was　appearing　to；　Jango　recognized；　and　the　insight　brought　a　knowing　nod　of　satisfaction　to　the　crusty　bounty　hunter。　He　had　taught　his　son　well　the　art　of　deception　and　deflection；　of　appearing　to　do　one　thing　while；　in　reality；　doing　something　quite　different。　Like　listening　in　on　the　conversation；　measuring　Taun　We's　every　word。　〃The　tenth　anniversary　approaches；〃　the　Kaminoan　explained。　Jango　turned　back　to　her　with　a　sour　expression。　〃You　think　I　don't　know　Boba's　birthday？〃
　
　If　Taun　We　was　fazed　at　all　by　the　sharp　retort；　the　delicately　featured　Kaminoan　didn't　show　it。　〃We　are　ready　to　begin　again。〃
　
　Jango　looked　back　at　Boba；　one　of　his　thousands　of　children；　but　the　only　one　who　was　a　perfect　clone；　an　exact　replica　with　no　genetic　manipulation　to　make　him　more　obedient。　And　the　only　one　who　hadn't　been　artificially　aged。　The　group　that　had　been　created　beside　Boba　had　all　reached　maturity　now；　were　adult　warriors；　in　perfect　health。
　
　Jango　had　thought　that　policy　of　accelerating　the　aging　process　a　mistake…　wasn't　experience　as　much　a　part　of　attaining　warrior　skill　as　genetics？…　but　he　hadn't　plained　openly　to　the　Kaminoans　about　it。　He　had　been　hired　to　do　a　job；　to　serve　as　the　source；　and　questioning　the　process　wasn't　in　his　job　description。
　
　Taun　We　cocked　her　head　a　bit　to　the　side；　eyes　blinking　slowly。
　
　Jango　recognized　her　expression　as　curiosity；　and　it　nearly　brought　a　chuckle　bubbling　to　his　lips。　The　Kaminoans　were　much　more　alike　than　were　humans；　especially　humans　from　different　planets。　Perhaps　their　singular　concept；　their　monness　within　their　own　species；　was　a　part　of　their　typical　reproductive　process；　which　now　included　a　fair　amount　of　genetic　manipulation；　if　not　outright　cloning。　As　a　society；　they　were　practically　of　one　mind　and　one　heart。　Taun　We　seemed　genuinely　perplexed；　and　so　she　was；　to　see　a　human　with　so　little　apparent　regard　for　other　humans；　clones　or　not。
　
　Of　course；　hadn't　the　Kaminoans　just　created　an　army　for　the　Republic？　There　wouldn't　be　wars　without　some　disagreement；　now；　would　there？　But　that；　too；　held　little　interest　for　Jango。　He　was　a　solitary　bounty　hunter；　a　recluse…or　he　would　have　been　if　not　for　Boba。　Jango　didn't　care　a　whit　about　politics　or　war　or　this　army　of　his　clones。　If　every　one　of　them　was　slaughtered；　then　so　be　it。　He　had　no　attachment　to　any。
　
　He　looked　to　the　side　as　he　considered　that。　To　any　except　for　Boba；　of　course。
　
　Other　than　that；　though；　this　was　just　a　job；　well　paying　and　easy　enough。　Financially；　he　couldn't　have　asked　for　more；　but　more　important；　only　the　Kaminoans　could　have　given　him　Boba…not　just　a　son；　but　an　exact　replica。　Boba　would　give　Jango　the　pleasure　of　seeing　all　that　he　might　have　bee　had　he　grown　up　with　a　loving　and　caring　father；　a　mentor　who　cared　enough　to　criticize；　to　force　him　to　perfection。　He　was　as　good　as　it　got　concerning　bounty　hunters；　concerning　warriors；　but　he　had　no　doubt　that　Boba；　bred　and　trained　for　perfection；　would　far　outshine　him　to　bee　one　of　the　greatest　warriors　the　galaxy　had　ever　known。
　
　This；　then；　was　Jango　Fett's　greatest　reward；　right　here；　sitting　with　his　son；　his　young　replica；　sharing　quiet　moments。
　
　Quiet　moments　within　the　tumult　that　had　been　Jango　Fett's　entire　life；　surviving　the　trials　of　the　Outer　Rim　alone　practically　from　the　day　he　learned　to　walk。　Each　trial　had　made　him　stronger；　had　made　him　more　perfect；　had　honed　the　skills　that　he　would　now　pass　along　to　Boba。　There　was　no　one　better　in　all　the　galaxy　to　teach　his　son。　When　Jango　Fett　wanted　you　caught；　you　were　caught。　When　Jango　Fett　wanted　you　dead；　you　were　dead。
　
　No；　not　when　Jango　〃wanted〃　those　things。　This　was　never　personal。　The　hunting；　the　killing；　it　was　all　a　job；　and　among　the　most　valuable　of　lessons　Jango　had　learned　early　on　was　how　to　bee　dispassionate。
　
　pletely　so。　That　was　his　greatest　weapon。
　
　He　looked　at　Taun　We；　then　turned　to　grin　at　his　son。　Jango　could　be　dispassionate；　except　for　those　times　when　he　could　spend　time　alone　with　Boba。　With　Boba；　there　was　pride　and　there　was　love；　and　Jango　had　to　work　constantly　to　keep　both　of　those　potential　weaknesses　at　a　minimum。　While　he　loved　his　son　dearly…because　he　loved　his　son　dearly…Jango　had　been　teaching　him　those　same　attributes　of　dispassion；　even　callousness；　from　his　earliest　days。
　〃We　will　mence　the　process　again　as　soon　as　you　are　ready；〃　Taun　We　remarked；　bringing　Jango　back　from　his　contemplations。
　〃Don't　you　have　enough　of　the　material　to　do　it　without　me？〃
　〃Well；　since　you　are　here　anyway；　we　would　like　you　to　be　involved；〃　Taun　We　said。　〃The　original　host　is　always　the　best　choice。〃
　
　Jango　rolled　his　eyes　at　the　thought…of　the　needles　and　the　probing…but　he　did　nod　his　agreement；　this　was　really　an　easy　job；　considering　the　rewards。
　〃Whenever　you　are　ready。〃　Taun　We　bowed　and　turned　and　walked　away。　If　you　wait　for　that；　you'll　be　waiting　forever；　Jango　thought；　but　he　kept　quiet；　and　again　he　turned　to　Boba；　motioning　for　the　boy　to　put　his　atlatl　back　to　work。　Because　now　I　have　all　that　I　wanted；　Jango　mused；　watching　Boba's　fluid　motions；　his　eyes　darting　about；　searching　for　the　next　rollerfish。
　
　　The　industrial　sector　of　Coruscant　held　perhaps　the　greatest　freight　docks　in　all　the　galaxy；　with　a　line　of　bulky　transports　ing　in　continually；　huge　floating　cranes　ready　to　meet　them　and　unload　the　millions　of　tons　of　supplies　necessary　to　keep　alive　the　city…planet；　which　long　ago　had　bee　too　populous　to　support　itself　through　its　own　resources。　The　efficiency　of　these　docks　was　nothing　short　of　amazing；　and　yet　the　place　was　still　tumultuous；　and　sometimes　gridlocked　by　the　sheer　number　of　docking　ships　and　floating　cranes。
　
　This　was　also　a　place　for　living　passengers；　the　peasantry　of　Coruscant；　catching　cheap　rides　on　freighters　outbound；　thousands　and　thousands　of　people　looking　to　escape　the　sheer　frenzy　that　had　bee　the　world。　Blended　into　that　throng；　Anakin　and　Padme　walked　along；　dressed　in　simple　brown　tunics　and　breeches；　the　garb　of　Outland　refugees。　They　walked　side　by　side　to　the　shuttle　exit　as　they　approached　the　dock　and　walkway　that　would　take　them　to　one　of　the　gigantic　transports。　Captain　Typho；　Dorme；　and　Obi…Wan　stood　waiting　for　them　at　that　exit