“Adala, Karis, come on, we have to go out by the border,” said Sel Tei, a Togruta jedi. Adala placed her fingers so each one touched each other.

“What did they do this time?” she said, exasperated.

“Well, the Suzerainty crossed over the line we drew in the sand and started trying to sell goods without vendors’ licences,” said Sel.

“That’s terrible!” Adala cried out. Karis, still brooding next to her, was silent.

“Let’s go quickly before they actually sell something,” said Sel. “I hate doing paperwork.” The three of them headed out of the temple and down to the sand valley. Sharing the planet was one of the minor outposts of the Suzerainty. Four days ago, a treaty was established, drawing a giant circle around the Suzerainty base to keep them in. Unfortunately, none of them really respected the borders drawn. Several Suzerainty citizens were bottling up the sand and putting price tags on the bottles.

“Hey! That’s our sand!” cried out Sel, marching over to the citizens.

“Um, it’s anyone's sand,” said the first one, putting a handful in his mouth. “I’ll give you a free sample.” Karis cringed.

“I don’t like sand, it’s coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere,” she complained.

“Due to legislative law number 3 that state-” started Adala before three of the citizens pulled out their guns.

“Okay I’m done with waiting around,” said Sel. He pulled out his lightsaber. Eight more citizens pulled out their guns.

“FIRE!” yelled the first one. Soon, the three jedi were pelted in a constant flow of blaster fire. Karis shot a laser back at one of the citizens and hit her straight in the chest. She looked at her master for approval, but saw her appalled face.

“Karis! You injured her!” she said, disappointed in Karis. Karis’s shoulders drooped. There was no way she could ever please her master. Karis wasn’t ready to give up. Maybe if she could show how her fighting skills improved, Adala would praise her. As one of the citizens shot a laser at her, she forced it aside and then sliced the gun out of his hands. The terror in his eyes fueled Karis, as she moved in for the winning strike.

“KARIS!” yelled Adala as she force froze Karis, moments before Karis would slice the citizen. “We are on a peace mission! We want the least amount of casualties!” Karis just stared at Adala, stunned that her master hadn’t even commented on the style of fighting she had exhibited. She turned away and began deflecting shots again.

“Okay I think we’re pushing them back,” said Sel. He walked over to one of the citizens and shoved him over the border. Adala and Karis removed the rest of them. One of the citizens wasn’t moving, so Sel force pushed him backwards until he crossed the border. He hissed at him and the border in the sand.

“You’ll pay for this. You’ll all pay. In cash. Cash from the sand I will sell!” he yelled at them. All three jedi sighed. Why couldn’t the Suzerainty just sell their own sand?