Star Wars_ The Approaching Storm - Alan Dean Foster [9]
For example, why would forces beyond Ansion want to see it secede from the Republic badly enough to interfere in the planet’s internal affairs? What could such unknown entities possibly have to gain by its withdrawal? There were thousands upon thousands of civilized worlds in the Republic. The departure of one, or even several, would mean little in the overall scheme of galactic governance. Or would it?
She felt sure she was missing some vital point, and the fact that she knew she was doing so was exceedingly frustrating. But she couldn’t question Luminara further about it, because Obi-Wan was speaking.
“Someone or several someones beyond Ansion doesn’t want these negotiations to succeed. They want Ansion to secede from the Republic, with all the problematic consequences that would ensue.” Obi-Wan squinted at the sky, which had begun to threaten rain. “It would be useful to know who. We should have detained one of your attackers.”
“They could have been common bandits,” Anakin pointed out.
Luminara considered. “It’s possible. Anyway, if Obi-Wan is right and that rabble was hired to prevent us from continuing with our mission, their employer would have kept those who attacked us in the dark as to his or her identity and purpose. Even if we had been successful in capturing one of them, an interrogation might well have been useless.”
“Yes, that’s so,” the Padawan had to admit.
“So you were on Naboo, too?” Feeling left out of the conversation between the two older Jedi, Barriss turned curiously to her counterpart.
“I was.” The pride in the younger man’s voice was unapologetic. He’s a strange one, she mused. Strange, but not unlikable. As stuffed full of internal conflicts as a momus bush was with seeds. But there was no denying that the Force was strong within him.
“How long have you been Master Luminara’s Padawan?” he asked.
“Long enough to know that those who have their mouths open all the time generally have their ears shut.”
“Oh great,” Anakin muttered. “You’re not going to spend all our time together speaking in aphorisms, are you?”
“At least I can talk about something besides myself,” she shot back. “Somehow I don’t think you scored well in modesty.”
To her surprise, he was immediately contrite. “Was I just talking about myself? I’m sorry.” He indicated the two figures preceding them up the busy street. “Master Obi-Wan says that I suffer from a surfeit of impatience. I want to know, to do, everything right now. Yesterday. And I’m not very good at disguising the fact that I’d rather be elsewhere. This isn’t a very exciting assignment.”
She gestured back in the direction of the side street they had left piled high with bodies. “You’re here less than a day and already you’ve been forced into life-or-death hand-to-hand combat. Your definition of excitement must be particularly eclectic.”
He almost laughed. “And you have a really dry sense of humor. I’m sure we’ll get along fine.”
Reaching the commercial district on the other side of the square and plunging back into the surging crowds of humans and aliens, Barriss wasn’t so certain. He was very sure of himself, this tall, blue-eyed Padawan. Maybe it was true what he said about wanting to know everything. His attitude was that he already did. Or was she mistaking confidence for arrogance?
Abruptly, he broke away from her. She watched as he stopped before a stall selling dried fruits and vegetables from the Kander region to the north of Cuipernam. When he returned without buying anything, she eyed him uncertainly.
“What was that all about? Did you see something that looked tasty but on closer inspection turned out not to be?”
“What?” He seemed suddenly preoccupied. “No. No, it wasn’t the food at all.” He glanced back at the simple food stand as they hurried to catch up with their teachers. “Didn’t you see? That boy over there, the one in the vest and long pants, was arguing with his mother. Yelling at her.” He shook his head dolefully. “Someday when he’s older he’ll regret having