First skirmish in Cuipernam

During the growing Separatist Crisis in 22 BBY, in which many star systems seceded from the Galactic Republic to form the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the planet Ansion became a target in a plot led by Sith Lord Darth Tyranus and Commerce Guild Presidente Shu Mai. Ansion lay at the heart of several treaties, so the planet's secession from the Republic would in turn cause the secession of many other worlds. To prevent that, the Jedi Order dispatched Jedi Masters Luminara Unduli and Obi-Wan Kenobi, with their respective Padawans, Barriss Offee and Anakin Skywalker, on a diplomatic mission to convince the Unity of Community, Ansion's government, to stay within the Republic.

The Jedi hoped to negotiate an arrangement between the Unity of Community and the Alwari, nomadic tribes of Ansionians. The Unity agreed that if the Alwari would share dominion over the prairie lands that they currently controlled and allow the Unity to develop the resources that lay within half or more of those lands, then Ansion would remain in the Republic.

Mai hired Bossban Soergg the Hutt to ensure Ansion's secession. Soergg had his majordomo Ogomoor, in turn, hire mercenaries to stop the Jedi before they could leave Cuipernam, the capital city of Ansion, in search of the Alwari overclans (nomadic leaders). The Hutt-dispatched mercenaries were warned that they would be dealing with Jedi.

While Unduli and Offee were eating at an inn in Cuipernam, Unduli sensed that something was not right. She ignited her lightsaber, with Offee igniting her own a moment later. At that point they were attacked by the local mercenaries hired by Ogomoor. The first wave swarmed in through doorways and windows and out of various hiding places, wielding weapons ranging from blades to blasters. The first wave was uncoordinated, and the Jedi easily dealt with them, deflecting blaster shots and killing several mercenaries before fighting their way out of the tavern and into the street. As soon as they were on the verge of pushing the remaining mercenaries into an open area, the second wave appeared.

The second wave of mercenaries acted more as a unit and began to push the Jedi back. To escape them, Unduli ordered her Padawan to climb up a nearby wall, though Kenobi and Skywalker appeared before Unduli could follow. Having arrived at Ansion two days before they were expected, and not finding the other two Jedi at their stated residence, Obi-Wan and Anakin had gone for a walk to acquaint themselves with the city. It was then that Kenobi sensed trouble and, with his Padawan, came to Unduli's and Offee's rescue. They cut through the remaining mercenaries, killing several and forcing the rest to retreat.

Soergg was not pleased with the failure, blaming the mercenaries for not taking his warning about the Jedi seriously. He was also concerned that Kenobi and Skywalker had shown up two days early and thought it should be brought to the attention of other key participants in the plot, such as Ansionian Senator Mousul, who reported to Shu Mai. Shortly after, Soergg tasked Kyakhta and Bulgan, two clanless and mentally injured Ansionians, with kidnapping one of the Padawans, and they succeeded in capturing Offee. They chose to carry out the kidnapping while the Jedi were wandering through a marketplace in Cuipernam.

The skirmish in Cuipernam first appeared in the 2002 novel The Approaching Storm, written by Alan Dean Foster.

• The Official Star Wars Fact FilePart 42
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, Vol. II