"What has been the result? More delay, more obfusca-tion, more of what the Republic has given Ansion for decades. If that isn't proof enough that it's time for a real change, I don't know what is." Feigning indifference, he picked up his gla.s.s again. "Of course, as you say, I'm only here as an observer. But I do know that there are many who eagerly await the outcome of your eventual vote. A positive outcome."

"Your bossban, for example?" Volune eyed the majordomo sarcastically.

Ogomoor was not upset. "Naturally, Soergg looks forward to the day when he and his kind can conduct business in this part of the galaxy openly and without being crushed beneath the onerous burden of outdated Republic rules and regulations."

"I didn't know a Hutt could bend," Dameerd quipped. Mild laughter rose from the delegates-but not from all of them, Ogomoor noted. He and his bossban had allies here.

"You can joke," Kandah observed icily, "but my family's commerce and the businesses of those who supported my elec tion to this position have suffered mightily under the Republic's sluggishness and indifference. I say it's time we moved forward! We've delayed long enough. Call for the vote!"

Fargane raised his own gla.s.s. "Kandah is right. I flatter myself that I might live long enough to see it."

Volune's lips tightened and he shook his head. "I agree that the Republic has lost its way. I agree that our pleas for relief from oppressive laws and taxes are too often ignored. But the Senate has responded to our complaints." He looked around at his fellow delegates. "Do you not all agree that if the Jedi can make this peace between the Unity of towns and cities and the Alwari that Ansion will be better off under the laws of the Republic than outside them?"

The discussion that followed was heated, and short. Once again it was Kandah who spoke up. "Of course we are agreed on that." She ignored the look of surprise on Ogomoor's face. "If we were not, we would have gone ahead and taken the vote the same day the Jedi arrived. But we have no peace with the Alwari. We have no agreement. And with each day that pa.s.ses, our a.s.surances of support from the Malarians and the Keitumites that they will follow our lead diminishes. It is critical that this matter be decided."

Into the silence that followed, Volune offered a compromise. "We cannot vote today in any case. The proper procedures are not in place. I am willing, albeit reluctantly, as the chosen representative of my const.i.tuency, to set a date on which the vote to secede or not to secede shall be taken." He looked at the Ansion-ian on his right. "Will this satisfy the venerable Fargane?"

The eldest Ansionian present paused, then gestured affirma tively. "It will."

Volune turned back to the others. "Then let us settle on a date and a time, and not deviate from that. If the Jedi return before then, we will hear them out. If they do not, then we will go ahead and take the vote, and they will have only themselves to blame for their lack of a timely response."

The proposal was too reasonable for even Tolut to object to, and the Armalat found himself making the suggestion unani mous. For his part, Ogomoor knew that Bossban Soergg and his supporters would be well pleased. The date chosen was not as soon as might have been wished, but neither was it uncon scionably far in the future. Tolut might be a problem, but the Ar-malat's vote could be ignored. Following today's gathering, Ogomoor would be able to report back that, besides Kandah, Fargane and at least one other delegate would be likely to vote in favor of withdrawal from the Republic. The votes of the others were not yet a certainty. The transposition of certain large sums of credits to untraceable banking accounts might yet have to take place prior to the formal vote in order to ensure that Ansion opted for secession.

In the interim, he and his bossban had little else to worry about.

Because to all intents and purposes, the Qulun Baiuntu was doing his work very well indeed.

Morning saw the group of fast-moving travelers slow as Kyakhta rejoined them. The guide had ridden on slightly ahead. Now he returned at a gallop, visibly excited, bulging eyes aglow.

"Found them!" he announced proudly as he turned his suubatar. He extended his artificial arm to point. "Just over the next rise."

"At last," Luminara murmured. "You're certain it's the Borokii?"

The Alwari gestured emphatically. "No mistaking it, Master Luminara. They are in full ceremonial camp, pennants flying. The overclan Borokii, most influential of all the Alwari clans."

In truth, it was a more impressive sight than any of them had expected.

Having been exposed to the nomad encampments of the Yiwa and the Qulun, the travelers believed they had some idea of what to expect. Neither of those previous encounters prepared them for what greeted their eyes as their suubatars topped the crest of the low ridge.

Spread out before them were not dozens of recently unfolded and erected portable structures, but hundreds. Several boasting sophisticated energy arrays for the generation of power must have required dozens of draft animals to pull them, Luminara reflected. Thousands of Borokii of all ages milled about within the vast, elaborate camp. Beyond, uncountable thousands of herd animals grazed peacefully within perimeters patrolled by sadain-mounted handlers. The din of their pa.s.sive moaning and mewling, a kind of rising urrr noise, dominated the sounds of the camp. Here, just as they had been told, resided the supreme power of the Alwari. Where the Borokii led, the rest of the Alwari would follow.

"Surepp," Bulgan explained in response to her query con cerning the herd.

"Males are the blue ones with the darker neck ruffs and coiled antlers, females are green and slightly larger but without the ruffs."

Sitting up straight in her saddle, she let her gaze rove over the impressive panorama. "I've never seen an animal with three eyes lined up vertically like that, instead of in the usual horizontal position."

"Top eye keeps watch for flying predators, middle eye tracks fellow surepp, and the bottom eye monitors the ground for food and obstacles."

Bulgan shifted in his seat, the side of his face with the one good eye leaning, as always, slightly forward. "That way the surepp miss nothing."

"I see. I suppose it makes sense for an animal that's standing still, but they must have terrible peripheral vision."

The guide nodded. "That is so, but they don't need it. When you almost always have another surepp on either side of you plus others in front and back, you don't have to see from side to side. Only up and down."

"What about the ones who find themselves pushed to the edge of the herd?"

"They can turn their heads to see to the side, and use their sense of smell. They can still see from side to side, just not as well as a dorgum or awiquod. Because of their numbers, surepp are much harder for hunters like the shanh to take than dorgum or awiquod, which are more likely to graze slightly apart from one another." He nudged his mount forward, and the suubatar broke into a slow walk. "That's why the richer clans like the Borokii prefer them."

"What are they good for?" Barriss asked from nearby.

"Everything. Meat, milk, hides, wool. Their teeth and antlers were once used to make tools. Nowadays, those kind of utensils are imported, so the bony material is used for expensive handicrafts." He smiled. "I'm sure you'll see examples of everything once we're inside the camp."

Up in the lead, Kyakhta raised his long-fingered prosthetic. "Riders are coming."

Unsurprisingly, there were six of them, six by now being readily recognized by the travelers as a number of significance for all Ansionians. More richly attired than Yiwa or Qulun, their lightweight armor gleamed in the sun. Two of the pickets held poles of imported carbonite composite atop which the Borokii standard snapped briskly in the morning breeze. In addition to traditional long knives, two of them wore Malarian laser pistols. Clearly, at least some of what they had heard about the overclans was true, Luminara saw. The Borokii had wealth, and the ac.u.men to know how to spend it.

Curiosity overcoming his natural reserve, the leader of the half a dozen riders impelled his equally impressively attired sadain forward, halting in front of the lead suubatars. The considerable difference in the heights of their respective mounts forced him to look up at the visitors.

To his credit, he did not seem in the least intimidated. He was also, Luminara decided, openly friendly-at least on the surface. But then, she knew, the powerful can afford to be magnanimous.

"Greetings, offworlders and friends." The Borokii briefly pressed one hand across his eyes and the other over his chest. "I am Bayaar of the Situng Borokii. Welcome to our camp. What do you wish of the overclan?"

While Obi-Wan explained their purpose, Luminara continued to study the pickets. Looking for any indication of hostile in tent, she found only confidence and a professional readiness. Unlike the Yiwa, for example, these people were not suspicious or afraid of strangers. With thousands of fellow clanfolk to back them up, they didn't have to be. That did not mean they were indifferent to potential threats, or lazy. While their leader listened courteously to Obi-Wan, the members of his troop sat imperiously in their saddles. But their eyes were always moving.

Bayaar did not have to retire to mull a response when Obi-Wan had finished. "This is not something to which I can speak. I am an outrider-a sentinel, and sentinels do not make decisions of such magnitude."

Obi-Wan smiled in that slight, knowing way of his and nodded understandingly. "As a kind of sentinel myself, I appreciate your position."

"We will convey the news of your arrival, as well as your reasons for seeking out the Borokii, to the Council of Elders. Meanwhile, I invite you to follow me, and experience Borokii hospitality." So saying, he neatly turned his mount and started back down the gentle slope toward the bustling, milling encampment. Splitting up, the rest of his troop a.s.sumed flanking positions on either side of the line of visitors. They were an escort, Luminara saw, meant to honor, not threaten. The latter would have been difficult for the pickets to do in any case, given the disparity in size between their sadains and the visitors' suubatars.

The differences between the Borokii encampment and anything the travelers had encountered thus far were both striking and immediately apparent.

Though entirely mobile, the commu nity had been laid out like a permanent town, with temporary streets and designated areas for residential, commercial, and manufacturing activities. The latter consisted largely of processing large numbers of surepp carca.s.ses for export. This was not unexpected. Something, Luminara knew, had to pay for all the imported structures and high technology that was on prominent display.

They drew plenty of stares but no impolite comment. Once more she noted how the lack of discernible suspicion was in stark contrast to their reception by the Yiwa. Given the power and reputation of the Borokii, coupled with the size of the nomad community, that was not so surprising.

Clearly, here were a people who felt themselves secure, and deserving of the exalted position of overclan.

Still, she exchanged a meaningful glance with Obi-Wan when they were brought to a halt outside what Bayaar identified as the visitors' house.

The last "visitors' house" they had stayed in had not proved very accommodating.

Apprised of their concerns, Kyakhta hastened to rea.s.sure the Jedi. "These are not mistrustful Yiwa or double-dealing Qulun. Since the Borokii are strong enough not to fear the challenge of outsiders, they are also secure enough to welcome them. And they have a reputation for courtesy to uphold." He indicated the building before them. "I think we will be safe here."

In response, Luminara instructed her suubatar to kneel. Climbing off, she watched while one of Bayaar's troops took the beast in hand, guiding it back down the street by its reins. Others took charge of their remaining mounts.

"What about our supplies?" Anakin inquired aloud.

"Your property will not be touched." Bayaar was not insulted by the query. After all, these were not only outsiders, they were offworlders.

It was to be expected they would be unfamiliar with Borokii ways. Trying to decide whether Luminara or Obi-Wan was the leader of the visitors, he found himself unable to do so, and settled for addressing them simultaneously.

Having been informed of the nature of their purpose in seek ing out the overclan, he tried to keep a neutral tone in his voice, even though personally he was not sanguine about the strangers' aspirations.

"I will convey your request to the Council of Elders. Mean while, you will be made comfortable, and be given food and drink."

"Do you think they'll give us an audience, your council?" Luminara was quite taken by this dignified warrior-sentinel, who thus far had demonstrated both courtesy and curiosity. Not that he could by any means be considered an ally, but he at least struck her as sympathetic.

"It's not for me to say. I am only a sentinel." Placing hands over eyes and chest, he departed, leaving the visitors to wait for a formal response. Hopefully, she mused, it would not be long in coming. Councils of every type and species had a distressing tendency to dawdle until a consensus could be reached. With luck the Borokii, a people used to being always on the move, would be more responsive.

Everything they experienced during the next several hours spoke to the strength of the overclan. The food was better, the drinks richer, the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs and trappings of the visitors' house in every way more lavish than anything they had previously encountered on Ansion. Truth be told, they enjoyed themselves. After their dubious encounters with the Yiwa and the Qulun, it was a relief to be able to relax in pleasant surroundings reasonably confident they would not be set upon at any moment by potential a.s.sailants. Both Kyakhta and Bulgan were convinced of that much, though Tooqui remained as chary as always. As to the possible response they would receive from the Borokii Council of Elders, the two guides could offer no opinion.

Bayaar was back well before evening. If the swiftness of his return was encouraging, his words were not. At best, they were ambiguous.

"The council will greet you," the sentinel informed them.

Barriss's face broke out into a wide smile. "We're all set, then."

As she spoke, Bayaar turned his attention to her. "I am not entirely certain what you mean by that, but I think you are confident too soon.

When I say that the council will greet you, that is all they will do. Not to do so would be ill mannered."

Obi-Wan worked to interpret their host's meaning, as opposed to his words. "Are you saying they will receive us, but not listen to our proposal?"

Bayaar nodded. "In order for that to happen, you must pre sent the council with an appropriate conventional offering of their choosing."

"Oh, well then." Obi-Wan relaxed slightly. "What would sat isfy the council? We have access to some funds that can be used for trade. If something more substantial is required ..." He left the question open.

"Actually, the council requests that you present them with something smaller." Bayaar let his gaze travel over the group. Having encountered only a few human traders before, he was fascinated by their tiny, squinched-up eyes and individual follicu-lar variations. "They wish one of you to hand them a handful of wool taken from the ruff of a mature white male surepp."

"That's all?" Anakin blurted. Obi-Wan threw his Padawan a warning glance, but a very mild one. He was himself surprised by the seemingly unpretentious nature of the request.

Which was why he was immediately wary.

"Where can we purchase some of this wool?"

"You cannot buy it." Bayaar was uncomfortable in the posi tion of diplomatic go-between. He would much rather have been out on the prairie, patrolling a picket line, weapon in hand. "One of you must take it, by hand, in the traditional manner and without the use of any marvelous offworld devices or other forms of a.s.sistance such as a suubatar mount, from the back of a white surepp."

Tooqui made a face. "Don't like this idea. Too many many surepp gots too many many big feet."

Leaning over, Barriss whispered to her fellow Padawan. "I don't like this either, Anakin. Just a handful of wool? It seems too easy. The surepp are domesticated herd animals, therefore they can't be too hard to work with.

How hard can it be to catch one and snip off a handful of ruff?"

He nodded uncertainly. "I know. Maybe that is all there is to it. Just because it's a custom doesn't mean it has to be difficult, or dangerous."

She indicated their Masters, who were conferring between themselves. "I have a feeling we'll know soon enough."

Standing away from Luminara, Obi-Wan again addressed their host. "We'll be happy to comply with the council's request." He hesitated. "I take it that wool from one of the surepp in the Borokii herd will suffice, and that we don't have to go looking for a wild one?"

"That is correct. It is allowed to cut from the ruff of a herd animal."

"Then we're wasting time. There's still ample daylight out side. If you'd be so kind as to escort us?"

Bayaar sighed. Plainly, these strangers had no idea what they were being asked to do. Haja, they would find out soon enough.

"Come with me."

The stroll through the nomad town was interesting, and Bayaar was happy to point out highlights and explain the sights. Before too long they found themselves on the outskirts of the bustling community, gazing across strands of recently unspooled, electrically charged superconducting lines at thousands and thousands of Borokii surepp. The herd was an impressive sight, mewling and moaning as it nibbled at the high gra.s.s. Grazing close together guaranteed safety, if not much room for individuals to move about. Catching a male and cutting off a handful of its neck ruff might require a healthy sprint on the part of the would-be wool trimmer, but it wasn't as if a lengthy dash across the plains was going to be necessary. There was only one prob lem. Bayaar had told them that the council demanded a handful of white wool.

The fur of every one of the dozens, of the hundreds, of surepp within view was mostly either blue or green. There was not a white animal in sight. Not even one that was a pale green. Luminara was quick to point this seeming discrepancy out to their host.

Bayaar looked embarra.s.sed. "I don't make the laws. I am only serving as a vehicle for the council's directives."

"How can we cut white wool from an animal that doesn't ex ist? " Obi-Wan indicated the milling herd.

"It does," Bayaar told them. "The albino surepp is very real, and there are some in the Borokii herd."

Luminara's gaze narrowed as she studied their discomfited host. "There are thousands of animals foraging out there. How many is 'some'?"

Bayaar turned away, visibly uncomfortable. "Two."

Letting out a long sigh, Barriss found herself nodding know ingly. "I knew it sounded too easy."

"Without transport, I don't see how we're expected to do this." Anakin was visibly upset. The Borokii council had set the visitors a seemingly impossible task. Addressing himself to Bayaar, he asked dispiritedly, "What do the Borokii do with their herds at night?" He indicated the electrically charged conductors that kept the herd separated from the town. "The other Alwari we've seen round their animals up and keep them in temporary corrals, the better to watch over them and protect them from nocturnal predators." Both Obi-Wan and Luminara eyed him favorably, and he tried not to show how pleased he was at their approval.

"The Borokii do the same," Bayaar acknowledged, "though on a much larger scale than other Alwari." He indicated the softly humming barrier. "This keeps the surepp contented and together after dark, while outriders like myself keep shanhs and others away from the corral. The surepp cannot leap over the barrier, but a hungry shanh could."

"You said 'together.' " Luminara's mind was working. "How close together?"

"Very close." Holding his hands out in front of him, Bayaar brought the slender palms almost to the point of touching. "This close. Crowded up against one another, the surepp feel safe and secure. They sleep standing up."

Barriss studied the herd. "Packed that closely together, they'd have to."

Luminara nodded thoughtfully. "With the animals concentrated in one place, it would be much easier to find the white ones than during the day, when the herd is spread out over hills and vales like they are now."

She eyed the polite sentinel unblink-ingly. "How would the surepp be likely to react to someone moving among them?"

He had to smile. "I see what you're thinking. It is a danger ous notion.

It is possible to walk among sleepy surepp without panicking them, but one has to be very careful. They are nervous creatures, easily agitated.

If they feel disturbed, or threatened, or even nothing more than uneasy, their mood and manner can change abruptly. Anyone trying to walk between individuals could find himself gored by an abruptly irritated male, or crushed between many suddenly shifting bodies."

After a quick glance at his colleague, Obi-Wan spoke up once more. "Is there anything else you can tell us that would help us to single out these rare white surepp? Do they tend to congregate in any single place, any one part of the herd?"

"Actually, they do," Bayaar admitted. "Unfortunately, be cause they stand out so prominently, they naturally tend to seek the safest place-which is in the exact middle of the herd."