The story chronicles a diplomatic mission of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. On Coruscant, they meet King Sha-Mar Ma-dred from Kashir who wishes to join the Republic, and his four (dramatically attractive) wives. After the initial meeting, Anakin remarks that the Kashirim seem very friendly, and he doesn't know why Obi-Wan warned him to be on his guard. Obi-Wan archly informs him that Kashirim are renowned throughout the galaxy for their expertise at thievery, which they regard as an important social skill. While Ma-Dred's wives exit the room where the negotiations take place, Anakin is distracted by the wives' "assets" and his lightsaber is stolen.
Anakin embarks on a mission to recover the lightsaber before Obi-Wan finds out about it. He is led from wife to wife, asking questions of each, until he comes upon the last one. She reveals that she lost it shortly after the theft, but Anakin is forced to dangle out a nearby window when guards intrude inside the room. Eventually, Anakin gives up and begins to trudge back to his room when he finds Kenobi. The Jedi Master lectures Anakin about the importance of his lightsaber, and hands it back. After he witnessed the wife's theft, he gently used the Force to recover it. Taken aback, Anakin asks why Obi-Wan didn't say anything, and Obi-Wan lectures that it is just as important for there to be candor and trust between a Master and his Padawan. Obi-Wan was only waiting for Anakin to come back and admit that he'd lost his lightsaber. In the same spirit of candor, Anakin uncomfortably starts to confess the lengths he went to to retrieve his lightsaber, and Obi-Wan is predictably outraged.
The story was originally published in Star Wars: Tales—A Jedi's Weapon, a Free Comic Book Day issue released in May of 2002.
Though this is a Star Wars Tales story that is from before Star Wars Tales 21 and was therefore originally considered Infinities, a reference in Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide places the basic storyline into the main canon.
- Star Wars Tales 12
- Star Wars Tales Volume 3
- Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Menace Revealed Vol. 4