"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 acumen 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 assumed 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 carcasses 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 reassure 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.