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Chapter One: Of Feuds and Politicians
Obi-Wan listened to the bickering families and felt uncomfortably aware of the hard chair on which he sat, and which he'd been sitting on for the better part of five hours now with no end or break in sight. Beside him Ashden was doing remarkably well, managing to look calm and collected rather than as bored and fidgety as she apparently felt.
/If they don't reach a decision by the fifth hour I'll call a recess for the day, Padawan./
A wave of relief washed through their bond and a grateful /Yes, Master./ shortly followed.
These negotiations had been going on for well over a week, and near enough no-progress had been made, in fact at some points it felt as if the families couldn't even remember the origin of their dispute and were just arguing for arguing sake with things off the top of their heads. It was at those times, Obi-Wan thought dryly, that he felt like putting his head to the table and groaning very loudly.
This was one of those times.
Once again the families were diverging from the original topic into petty bickering, and once again Obi-Wan found himself in the position of putting them back on task as if they were young school children.
"Ku Hun, Ku Beton, please. The matter of the past animal trials have little relevance to the discussion at hand."
"I think not, Master Kenobi! If Beton," Hun spat his opponents name, "hadn't killed my prized Adice, my family would not have lost so much money in the animal trials and suffered through the winter!"
Obi-Wan reserved his open judgements on that matter. These warring families were also the leading families of their respective countries. 'Suffered' could hardly be used to describe their last winter, even at the longest stretch of the word. 'Had to go without one extra portion of venison one day' was actually much closer to the truth.
"That maybe so, however, it has little to do in relation to the ongoing war that is consuming both of your resources to an inordinate degree. So, if we could possibly get back on subject?"
"Thank you, Master Jedi." Ku Beton said quite calmly, "As you can see Hun would rather deviate from the subject than face the act that it was his family that started this in the first place!"
"That is an outrage! It was your sons that –"
"How dare you! You –"
As their voices rose and the chairs were violently pushed back, Obi-Wan felt like knocking their heads together, If two Jedi behaved in this way the scandal alone would be disastrous, especially in the current climate.
"Perhaps!" he called, shouting to be heard over the very loud voices of all the representatives screaming obscenities at each other, "We should call an early recess. Everybody needs to calm down. We will meet tomorrow at noon."
Obi-Wan left no room for questions. These families needed to learn that his word was final. No appeals. No questions. No buts. No chance.
Ashden rose to open the huge double doors, allowing all to leave. Once alone both Master and Padawan subtly relaxed.
"It isn't the fifth hour already, is it Master? I was sure it was earlier than that."
Obi-Wan shook his head and led their way to their rooms in the usual manner –one pace in front and two the right of Ashden.
"You are quite right, actually. It's only quarter to four. However, once tensions have risen that high, situations are more likely to get a lot worse than a little bit better."
"Yes Master."
"Although Force only knows how it's going to get better even when they're being civil to each other." Obi-Wan contemplated that for a moment, and decided to give it greater thought after something to eat. He'd always found thinking easier on a full stomach.
---
"Hey Uli, just wanted to check in and see how you've been. Let me know when you're on Corusant again. Ashden." The girl signed off the comm. unit and sighed.
"Have you finished all your studies, Padawan?" Obi-Wan asked, reviewing the notes of the last meeting for the next with a growing sense of dread: they simply weren't getting anywhere, except possibly in very large, very complicated circles.
"Uh, mostly?"
"Uh, mostly?" he repeated.
"It's really hard to bring myself to get interested in plants, Master. I'd rather be around machines!"
"You are a very strange girl, Ashden. Very strange."
Ashden smiled brightly, a mischievous shine reaching her eyes, "Must of rubbed off from you, Master, that's the only explanation I can think of."
"I'm sure that's it, Padawan. Blame it on the old Jedi Master."
"You said it, not me!"
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and set down the data pad, levelling the teenager with an amused glare. "Is this how it's going to be from now until you're twenty?" Obi-Wan groaned in mock exasperation, throwing his hands into the air, "The teenage years have begun!"
"They were late too."
"Oh thank the Force." He deadpanned, then shook his head and smirked. Five years on from taking Ashden as his Padawan, things had progressed comfortably between them to a level of understanding and friendship as well as keeping the Master/Padawan relationship. That, in turn, was now turning into… whatever it was now.
They weren't here for fun, however, and he needed her help on the matter at hand.
"Have you noticed anything about these two families?"
"In what way?"
"Anyway at all."
Brow furrowed, Ashden sat down on the floor across from him in silence. "They look a lot alike, facial structure wise. I thought that was unusual since their peoples are very different to one another and," When she hesitated but didn't go on, Obi-Wan encouraged her to continue. "well it's just that Hun has refused every single option if it even remotely involved the Republic, and I read in the mission brief that he didn't even want us involved in the dispute. Beton on the other hand, he likes the idea of the protection the Republic could provide, he was the one who wanted Jedi intervention and pushed for it…"
Obi-Wan looked at her expectantly, he needed her to conclude her thoughts on her own, without his help.
"Hun wants the entire planet separate from the Republic, to be completely independent. I think he's a Separatist, or at least holds the same ideas."
The Jedi Master nodded, pleased they had both come to the same conclusion on the own. "I believe that also. The problem and question is, Padawan, that we cannot give Republic allegiance to only one country on a planet, especially if the other were to fight us. Resources are stretched enough in these times."
"If Hun was outnumbered, say four to one, there would be no question about what the rest of the countries believed to be their best interests."
"Exactly. Tomorrow, I think, we need the rest of the leaders."
"Yes, Master."
Obi-Wan went to continue his report on their severe lack of progress and request the other countries' leaders when Ashden made to ask another question. He could tell because she always took a deeper breath in and opened her mouth before she even spoke.
"Master?"
"Padawan?"
"Why are the Separatist's so bad?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why do they cause so much trouble? There's always been planets even in the Inner Rim that weren't part of the Republic, hasn't there?"
Obi-Wan slipped into his 'Mentor Mode' easily, not that it ever really slipped, but there were times when answers needed to be much more carefully structured, especially when taking into consideration his severe dislike and distrust of all politicians.
"Yes," he said slowly, "that is very true, but the problem with the Separatist's isn't so much what they stand for, but more like how they stand for it."
The girl shook her head, the lengthening braid swishing back and forth as she did so. "I don't understand."
"The Republic is very old, Padawan, and just like very old buildings when it's foundations are shook and take a shock, the repercussions are felt through the entire structure, making it feel unstable. The idea of all planets being separate from each other, of not being joined by a common alliance, is a very frightening one to planets who have always been shielded from war and attacks by the Republic. However, just with old buildings, the Republic has grown and grown over the years to something much larger than it was ever originally planned for, and it's not always as stable in the newer parts where the foundations aren't as strong and as deep-rooted as in the older parts,"
"Which are fragile anyway?"
"Yes," he nodded, "so planets that aren't as big or important, or who don't have a big clout of influence in the Senate, get and feel left out. The Separatists offer an alternative that can seem very appealing."
"Is their way better?"
Obi-Wan shook his head and smiled, "You know how I feel about politicians, Padawan. And at the end of the day, Separatists are politicians too, just not ones of the Republic Senate."
"And they are run by bureaucrats who can't be trusted because they only want what's best for them and their plans of the time, right?"
Obi-Wan burst out laughing, and couldn't stop himself. She'd said it with such a wide-eyed innocence, recited it so perfectly… she really had been around him for too long.
When he finally managed to compose himself again, Ashden had started to giggle, although he suspected it was mostly to do with the fact that her Master was heaving for breath after a spontaneous laughing fit. "Oh Padawan, you have been around me for far too long!"
"Not quite long enough," she disagreed, "People from the Senate don't annoy me all the time, Master. I like Senator Amidala."
"She's one of kind, Padawan, that's why. There are very few politicians like, Amidala, but there are some. She honestly cares for her people above herself and wants what's best for them, despite not being Queen any more. But she's still a politician.
Now, enough of politics. It's time for dinner."
Obi-Wan rose and stretched out his limbs, heard a satisfying 'crack' in his neck, and walked to the small kitchenette off the living room.
"I'll make the Gobi, you make the salad," he said, already pulling out the necessarily pots and ingredients. "Make it however you like." Obi-Wan added, remembering the last time he made salad and her thoughts on the matter. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was good at a fair many things, however preparing salads wasn't one of them, especially when compared to the salads his Padawan could make after her two-week visit to her home planet.
"Yes, Master." Ashden said, smiling as she picked out various vegetables and placed them on to a chopping board.
---
There were times in all Jedi's lives that questions were drawn over whether or not the costs were worth the benefits. When one would rather throw oneself into the nearest star instead of continuing with the present events.
Today was one of those days.
There were five leaders of the planet Dairo, each the King or President or Prime Minister or something else of their five respective countries. There were three who were perfectly happy with the way things were (they weren't the problem); it was the other two. Ku Hun and Ku Beton were the problem. Their countries shared borders, and it was these borders that were under dispute. Every solution, one after the other, had been knocked down. Every. Single. One. So, in a moment of no small amount of frustration, Obi-Wan had sent the leaders out to another private room to discuss their border problem, and to consider the secondary problem of whether or not to remain in the Republic.
Then something very surprising happened.
"Alright." Ku Hun was saying, walking back into the main conference room.
Obi-Wan had to resist the urge to shake his head in case he'd been dreaming.
"I also find that acceptable." Said Ku Beton, taking his seat.
"Master Kenobi, I believe we have all reached an agreement." Ku Tiakon nodded.
A line of humour and disbelief threaded though the training bond, /Master/
/No you didn't dose off, Padawan./ "What is your decision, Ku Tiakon?"
"Diara will remain part of the Republic, Ku Hun has seen the error of his thoughts on that matter. The border dispute has also been settled."
Beton nodded, "I will take the Eastern land,"
"And I have the Western side."
All this trouble, and they settled it without their help anyway? Obi-Wan felt like dropping his head to the table and not picking it up for a week. However, that would probably cause another argument (perhaps over how fast he dropped his head, or how it landed, or something equally inane) so he chose to keep his head up and speak instead.
"Then it's settled. I hereby close the negotiations on the border dispute."
The leaders soon disappeared, probably to awaiting transports to take them home, and only Ku Beton remained for to give his thanks and tell them he would have a their ship prepared for launch by the end of the day. Obi-Wan, grateful that he and Ashden wouldn't have to stay for much longer, thanked the President accordingly. It seemed like that in no time at all they were back in their rooms and packing their bags.
Obi-Wan put down his own bag into the living space and but his head round Ashden's door. "Are you looking forward to our time on Corusant, Padawan?"
The girl looked up from the floor where she was placing her last tunic into her pack with a grin, "Yes, Master, and I think Uli will be there too! Are you? "
Obi-Wan sat down with a sigh on the sleep couch. He knew he should be looking forward to going home as well, after all it had been nearly six months since they'd had any significant down time at the Temple. At nearly fourteen now Ashden was finally old enough to go with him on missions and she'd been very eager to join, though Obi-Wan felt that if he took his eyes off her for a moment then she might get hurt. The Council had been lenient so far, Mace and Yoda had been lenient so far –they knew who he was. They knew what he could do, and yet since Ashden turned thirteen their missions together had been blissfully normal. Nothing like the odd few he had for the five years previously. The Sith was still at large, but Obi-Wan had done his best to keep track of him; had found himself in countless life-endangering situations when he thought he might never make it home; made several enemies he wouldn't like to meet unprepared, but had found the Jedi new allies that could be useful at a later date. His foresight wasn't predictable, though when it came to him it was more reliable than Yoda's.
No Obi-Wan wanted to go home, he wanted to sleep in his own bed and let Ashden have some kind of stability again, but he dreaded the thought that Qui-Gon and Anakin would be there at the same time. They had an annoying habit of being scheduled to be on Corusant at the same time. Funny that, and Obi-Wan was in no doubt about exactly which little green troll was behind that 'coincidence'. But was he looking forward to it?
"It would be nice to have a bit of a rest, Padawan." He admitted.
"Master," Ashden said, standing up slowly, "we could always take a few more missions, couldn't we?"
Obi-Wan looked at the fourteen-year-old quizzically, that was a quick turn-around? "What do you mean Padawan?"
"Nothing, I, uh," Ashden looked to the floor quickly, wanting to keep looking at it but knew it would be disrespectful to do so. Reluctantly she pulled her gaze back to that of her Masters, "I don't think you want to go back to Corusant, Master. I can tell."
Sighing, Obi-Wan rose up off the bed and tugged lightly on Ashden's braid. "I want to go home, Padawan, I just don't like all of it's inhabitants."
"Oh, so we can go?" she said, looking at him with big round eyes. Those same eyes that usually got her way when deciding what to have for dinner and had her friend Thew wrapped around her little finger.
Obi-Wan laughed. "Yes, Ash, we leave in a few hours whether I like it or not."
Ashden's eyes brightened and grinned from ear to ear, running to the comm. unit in the living space without a moments hesitation, no doubt to send a call to Uli and Thew about their downtime planet-side. Obi-Wan knew she wouldn't tell Amati, knew that both his Padawan and her friend were still upset about her not being chosen as an Apprentice. Obi-Wan sympathised with Amati, having been on his way to Agri-Corps when circumstances threw he and Qui-Gon together as (eventual) Master and Apprentice. It was a tough blow to take after thirteen years of hoping.
And, sure enough, he heard the familiar sound of Ashden's voice making a recording. Obi-Wan shook his head: he would've liked to protest that he was never as excitable at the same age, but it would be a blatent lie, and one that many had evidence to refute. Maybe if he persuaded those with evidence to not disclose it he could make the claim, but his friends like having an advantage over him. Especially embarrassing tales from his childhood, though mind you, he thought with a perverse pleasure, he had plenty of stories about them too.
The comm. unit turned off with an audible 'click' just as Obi-Wan knelt opposite the window in the living space, motioning for Ashden to do the same he closed his eyes.
"I want you to meditate on the resolution the Ku's came to today, and why they came to it and not us."
"Yes, Master."
Obi-Wan settled down, feeling through their bond that Ashden was steadily working her way through the early meditation stages with ease, and began the same process himself.
In this case, Obi-Wan didn't think it was that his suggestions had been inappropriate –in fact they'd all been the same apart from the exact areas of land– the real answer was simply that he was a Jedi, and Hun didn't like the Jedi. He was never going to accept any proposal put forward by a Jedi even if that meant resolving the dispute took years, even decades. Not that this was uncommon, it was just that… Obi-Wan couldn't help but think it was becoming a lot more common, and more often than not if the leader of a country held a supposedly innocuous belief, the majority of their people held it too. Obi-Wan cast his frustration into the Force, praying that when Qui-Gon wouldn't be at the Temple too.
Needless to say, he was soon releasing more very un-Jedi like emotions into the Force.