Star Wars - 084 - Episode 2 - Attack of the Clones by R. A. Salvatore

Author:R. A. Salvatore [Salvatore, R. A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Science Fiction, General, Imaginary wars and battles, Kenobi, Space Warfare, Vader, Obi-Wan (Fictitious Character), Darth (Fictitious Character), Media Tie-In
ISBN: 9780345428820
Publisher: LucasBooks
Published: 2002-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

The water speeder zoomed above the lake, the downthrusters churning only a slight, almost indistinguishable, wake. Every so often, a wave clipped in, and a fine spray broke over the bow. Anakin and Padm reveled in the cool water and the wind, eyes half closed, Padm's rich brown hair flying out behind her.

Beside them at the wheel, Paddy Accu gave a laugh at every spray, his graying hair spreading out widely.

"Always better over the water!" he shouted in his gruff voice, against the wind and the noise of the speeder. "Are you liking it?"

Padm turned a sincere smile upon him, and the grizzled man leaned in close and backed off the accelerator. "She's even more fun if I put her down," he explained. "You think you'll like that, Senator?" Both Padm and Anakin looked at him curiously, neither quite understanding.

"We were going out to the island," Anakin remarked, a note of concern in his voice.

"Oh, I'll get you there!" Paddy Accu said with a wheezing laugh. He pushed forward a lever--and the speeder dropped into the water.

"Paddy?" Padm asked.

The man laughed all the harder. "Don't tell me you've forgotten!" he roared, kicking in the accelerator. The speeder jetted off across the water, no longer smooth in flight, but bouncing across the rippling surface.

"Oh, yes!" Padm said to him. "I do remember!"

After a moment of initial shock, looking from Padm to Paddy, wondering if the man was up to some dark deception, Anakin caught on, and was also swept away by the bouncing ride. The spray was nearly continuous, thrown up by the prow and washing over them.

"It's wonderful!" Padm exclaimed.

Anakin couldn't disagree. "We spend so much time in control," he replied. His mind went back to his younger days, on Tatooine, Podracing along wild courses, skirting disaster. This was somewhat like that, especially when Paddy, in no apparent hurry to reach the island dock, flipped the speeder up and down from one edge to the other, zigzagging his way. It amazed Anakin how this little adjustment, dropping into the water instead of smoothly skimming above it, had changed the perspective of this journey. It was true, he knew, that technology had tamed the galaxy, and while that seemed a good thing in terms of efficiency and comfort, he had to believe that something, too, had been lost the excitement of living on the edge of disaster. Or the simple tactile feeling of a ride like this, bouncing across the waves, feeling the wind and the cold spray.

At one point, Paddy put the speeder so far up on edge that both Anakin and Padm thought they would tip over. Anakin almost reached into the Force to secure the craft, but stopped himself in order to enjoy the thrill.

They didn't tip. Paddy was an expert driver who knew how to take his speeder to the very limits without crashing over. It was some time later that he slowed the craft and allowed it to drift in against the island dock.

Padm grabbed the older man's hand and leaned in to kiss his cheek.

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