#depa

They were a society of vein hedonists, only interested in something as far as it was beautiful and decadent and pleasing to them. Their open scorn for the Jedi and their simple ways made the re-signing difficult, and every single time one hemisphere decided to try their hand at amending the agreement, demanding conferences and debates and generally being bull-headed and unhelpful.  

The Council had tried everything by this point. They’d sent their most senior and respected Masters, they’d sent their best negotiators, and it was never easy. Each Jedi came back frustrated and exhausted and needed a week off in lieu.

Adi had gone last time, and whilst she had a little more luck than most she still promptly destroyed most of the training droids in the salles upon her return.

Mace held up a hand for silence.

“Yes we need to go, yes it’s that time again and yes, we need to find a suitable candidate.” He levelled a very flat look upon them all.

“Any suggestions?”

“I am not going again, I don’t care who else we come up with” Adi weighed in sharply.

Depa snorted in a most undignified way. Mace glared at her.

“Depa, any suggestions?” he asked his former apprentice

She looked suitably sheepish.

“Knight Vos, perhaps?” Master Piell suggested. He received many incredulous looks for his idea. “He would be a new choice” he defended.

“He would start the war again!” Yaddle commented. This time both Depa and Adi let out giggles.

Mace turned his gaze on both of them.

“Any other ideas?” he asked pointedly.

Both looked back at him unapologetic.

“What about Kenobi?” Depa suggested lightly.

Mace felt his surprise being echoed around the room.

“Obi-Wan Kenobi?” Eeth clarified dubiously

“An interesting proposal” Plo said thoughtfully.

“He is rather junior for such a mission, is he not?” Oppo objected

“He has proved himself to be a promising negotiator” Plo pointed out.

“But he has not cut his teeth yet” Ki-Adi-Mundi put in. “It’s a difficult assignment for a new Knight. He would need to be assertive, and not allow himself to be bullied into anything.”

Mace smirked. Clearly, Master Mundi had never personally met Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi.

“He was the padawan of Qui-Gon Jinn. If he learned anything from his apprenticeship it is that.”

Depa shot him a grateful look.

“And besides, this is not simply about negotiation skill” she argued, and Mace was sure he saw the beginning of a sparkle in her eye.

“It’s not?” Seassee Tin asked, his eyebrows creeping up his face.

“Of course not” Adi seemed to catch Depa’s drift, rather impatient with the others.

“Do please enlighten us” Mace instructed drily. He did, however, have an inkling of where this was going.

Adi smiled.  

“Do you think, Masters” she explained on her friend’s behalf “that when faced with a dashing young Knight and his adorable wide-eyed student, the Chosians will be anything other than perfectly amenable?”

Depa folded her arms smugly.

There was a moment of pregnant silence.

“We are not pimping out Kenobi” Eeth Koth said flatly.

Mace resisted the urge to put his face in his hands.

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Depa made a good point well, and after only a little more arguing (and convincing some among them that yes, for those inclined towards human males Kenobi was indeed pleasing) when he was called Kenobi, for his part, managed to hide his surprise well when briefed. As if his first assignment wasn’t one seasoned Masters found taxing.

Further to his credit, the young Knight was the very picture of humility when he submitted his first report.

The agreement had been signed, it had been updated, and a new clause meant a Jedi was required but once every decade.

Depa showed no such humility, nor did Adi, in their smug smiles the moment the young man and his, frankly, adorable apprentice left their chamber.

It seemed Kenobi would make quite the negotiator.

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