impatient Commerce Guild. Not on a personal level, anyway.
'I sense agitation, anxiety, and outright hostility,' Obi- Wan said.
Anakin trailing dutifully behind him, Obi-Wan led the way toward the municipal hall of the city of Cuipernam, where they were to meet formally for the first time with deputies of the Unity of Community-the loosely bound political entity that represented the scattered city-states of Ansion and was the closest thing the world they were visiting had to a recognizable planetary government. The same ersatz planetary government, he reminded himself, that was threatening to secede from the Republic-and as a consequence, possibly take dozens of other systems with it.
Luminara nodded. 'In other words, a bunch of nervous politicians.' She glanced over at Barriss. 'There are certain constants that remain the same throughout the galaxy, my dear. The speed of light, the motion of muons, and the unwillingness of politicians to commit to anything that requires a leap of personal responsibility.'
As always, the Padawan listened thoughtfully before re sponding. 'Then how do we persuade them of the Tightness of the galactic government's ways, and that it's in their best interests to remain a part of the Republic?'
'Sometimes it seems as if money works best.' Obi-Wan's tone was quietly sardonic. 'But regardless of what goes on in the Senate these days, that is not the way of the Jedi. Unlike politicians, we cannot offer to buy the loyalty of these people with promises of financial aid and elaborate development projects. Instead, we are restricted to the use of reason and common sense. If all goes well, they will respond to these as enthusiastically as they do to ready cash.'
There was no need for guards or clerks to announce the visi tors to the assembled representatives; they were expected. The municipal hall itself was impressive by Cuipernam standards: long and high, the upper reaches of the second story lined with scenes of Ansionian life rendered effectively in stained quartz. No doubt it served to impress petitioning citizens. On Corus-cant, Obi-Wan reflected, it would not have drawn a curious yawn from a bored passing traveler. The difference in scale and aesthetics did not make him feel bigger or more important than the locals. Very early in his training, he had come to realize the insignificance and unimportance of mere physical achievements. Anyone could buy expensive attire and fancy accoutrements, live in a big house, command legions of servants both organic and mechanical. Wisdom was much harder to come by.
Nevertheless, the four visitors dutifully admired their sur roundings, complimenting the female who came forward to ex tend them formal greetings. Seated at a long table cut from a single piece of purplish xellwood, seven delegates awaited them. Two were human, four indigenous Ansionian, and one Armalat.
Luminara studied the Ansionians carefully. Slightly shorter on average than humans, the dominant native species of Ansion was much slimmer, wiry and lean, with skin a pale yellow that was almost golden. Both genders were hairless except for a single startlingly dense brush of fur about fifteen centimeters wide and seven or eight high that ran from the top of their foreheads all the way down their backs to terminate in a fifteen-centimeter-long tail. Beneath their warm, well-made clothing the sweep of hair, which varied in color across the entire visible spectrum, was usually kept neatly trimmed. The large eyes with their small black pupils were usually red, sometimes shading to lighter tones of yellow or, in rarer instances, mauve. The numerous teeth were noticeably sharp. Though omnivorous, the Ansionians ate proportionately more meat than humans.
Particularly, she reminded herself, the Alwari.
There was no one in the chamber to represent the interests of the nomads, of course. They shunned the cities and towns, preferring their life out on the immense prairies that dominated much of Ansionian topography. After millennia of constant conflict between nomads and city folk, a tenuous peace had finally been established two hundred local years ago. Now the exigencies of interstellar politics threatened to tear that fragile concord to shreds and drag Ansion out of the Republic entirely.
The nomads wished to remain under the Republic's protection. Chafing against the weight of regulations and petty rules that seemed to pour forth from Coruscant in a never-ending stream, the urbanites were considering joining the nascent secessionist movement. The result was fresh estrangement between nomads and city dwellers. If they could reconcile these opposing views, Luminara knew, Ansion would probably stay within the Republic. As was ever the case through history, local conflicts threatened to expand beyond their boundaries. It was likely that neither side in this internal dispute truly grasped the far larger issues that were at stake. The intensifying argument between city dwellers and nomads had galactic ramifications.
Not only those who were bound to it through formal pact and treaty, but others, too, were watching to see what happened on Ansion. Due to its strategic location and entanglement of alliances, it was a key world in this part of the Republic. Remove a small plug from a dam holding back agitated waters, she knew, and an unexpectedly great flood can result.
The Ansionian who rose from behind the table gestured a formal local greeting. The other delegates, Luminara noted, did not rise.
'I am Ranjiyn. Like my colleagues, a representative of the Unity, of Ansion's city and town dwellers.' Most Ansionians used only one name, she knew. His mane was dyed in alternating black and white stripes. He proceeded to introduce his fellow delegates. One did not have to be a master of the Force to note their wariness. When he had finished the introductions, he concluded, 'We of the towns and cities welcome you, the representatives of the Jedi Council, to Ansion and extend to you all the hospitality and cooperation of which we are capable.'
Fine words, Anakin thought. Master Obi-Wan had spent much time trying to satisfy his Padawan's curiosity about politics. One of the first things a student of that odious subject learned was that words were among the cheaper currencies employed by politicians, and therefore one they felt free to spend lavishly.
Meanwhile, Luminara was replying. She certainly was unusual for a Jedi, he thought. In her own way, she could be as in timidating as Obi-Wan. At least she was openly friendly and understanding, which was more than could be said for her by- the-book Padawan Barriss.
'On behalf of the Jedi Council, Obi-Wan Kenobi and I, Lu minara Unduli, thank you for ourselves and our Padawans, Anakin Skywalker and Barriss Offee.' She and her companions took seats on the other side of the beautiful table, opposite their hosts. 'As you know, we are here to try to mediate this dispute between the urban inhabitants of your world and the Alwari nomads.'
'Please.' A tall, dignified older man waved one hand diffi dently. 'None of your Jedi subterfuges. We all know you are here to do anything and everything in your power to keep Ansion from voting to join the secessionist movement. Local quarrels of the kind to which you allude are not the purview of the Jedi Council.' He smiled confidently. 'In any event, they would not send four representatives to deal with what is essentially a minor internal problem.'
'No conflict is minor to the Council,' Obi-Wan responded. 'We hope to see all citizens of the Republic living together in peace and contentment, wherever they may be, whatever species they may represent, whatever their
