New Excerpt From ‘Star Wars: Brotherhood’ Sees Obi-Wan Asking for Advice
A new excerpt from the upcoming novel Star Wars: Brotherhood, by Mike Chen, has been released by io9. The book is set after the events of Attack of the Clones and aims to expand upon the relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan during the early days of the Clone Wars.
Obi-Wan is sent to investigate an explosion that devastated Cato Neimoidia, the jewel of the Trade Federation. In the new excerpt, we see Obi-Wan seeking advice from his old friend Dex, whom we met in Attack of the Clones. Anakin, recently promoted to Jedi Knight, can’t stay behind, and follows Obi-Wan despite his former master’s orders. During the mission, the two also come across someone named Asajj Ventress, as we saw in the previous excerpt from the book.
We have already received a copy of the book, and will release our full review on March 3rd, a week before it comes out on the 10th. Check out here a fragment of the new excerpt, and make sure to head over to io9 to read the full text:
“The Neimoidians.” The hologram of the bombing fizzled as Dex poked at it, then swiped it aside to pull up data on the Trade Federation’s purse worlds. “Unique species. Their brains are wired for calculation. Everything is an instinctive risk assessment to them. Some call it cowardly. I think it’s a strong survival instinct, percentages and risk. I worked with some, back in my black-market days. Quick thinkers. I’d want them on my side. Picking a side means losing half your customers, though.” Dex straightened up, his massive shoulders suddenly looking like mountains as he stood behind the bar. “In most cases.”
“So that’s it. Appeal to their sense of risk. How do you recommend going about that?” Obi-Wan lifted his plate. “Bring them cake?”
“They don’t have a tidy relationship with the Republic, I’ll tell you that. And not exactly with the Jedi, either. If I recall, you were involved with some of that.”
Obi-Wan’s voice dropped his sense of humor. “Nute Gunray is considered an extremist by their government. Senator Lott Dod—”
“There you go again. You Jedi, getting lost in the details.”
Obi-Wan tapped his fork against his plate. “So go with cake then?”
“Perhaps.” Dex stretched out, upper arms reaching overhead while his lower arms clutched his belly. “It’s simple, really. Cato Neimoidia is the base of operations for the Trade Federation. Long memories, those Neimoidians.”
“Make them forget.” Obi-Wan waved his hand, prompting a laugh from Dex. “I don’t know if one Jedi is powerful enough to do that.”
“Not forget. Show them that sending Palpatine might invite more trouble than it’s worth. And show them that a Jedi isn’t going to tear through them like at Naboo.” Obi-Wan nodded, his mind reframing options to Dex’s new direction. “Remember, it’s all numbers to them. It’s what got them where they are. See, all of the Republic types think it’s their ideology.” Dex shook his head with a chuckle. “That’s shortsighted. It’s a strategy, not politics. Their neutrality is different from the neutrality your old friend preaches.”
Obi-Wan had known Dex a long time, going back to a youthful misadventure out in the Unknown Regions. And though they only saw each other occasionally, his old friend knew just how to needle him.
This particular jab was so effective that a grin slipped through, and Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow in subtle acknowledgment.
“What old friend?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Dresses better than you. Striking eyes. Mandalorian royalty. Used to call you Ben, for some reason,” Dex said with one of his hearty chuckles. “That one. I hear she’s quite the savvy politician.”
Pre-order for Star Wars: Brotherhood is already available here.
Miguel Fernández is a Spanish student that has movies as his second passion in life. His favorite movie of all time is The Lord of the Rings, but he is also a huge Star Wars fan. However, fantasy movies are not his only cup of tea, as movies from Scorsese, Fincher, Kubrick or Hitchcock have been an obsession for him since he started to understand the language of filmmaking. He is that guy who will watch a black and white movie, just because it is in black and white.
