▁and ▁detail , ▁and ▁lack ed ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁see ▁the ▁bigger ▁picture . ▁ ▁He ▁dispatch ed ▁Captain ▁Han ▁P rit cher ▁to ▁investigate ▁tax es ▁on ▁H aven , ▁an ▁order ▁the ▁Captain ▁ignored . ▁He ▁also ▁met ▁with ▁E bling ▁Mis ▁who ▁alert ed ▁him ▁to ▁the ▁fact ▁a ▁S eld on ▁Cris is ▁was ▁about ▁to ▁occur . ▁ ▁Mother ▁R itt ah ▁Mother ▁R itt ah ▁is ▁an ▁elder ly ▁woman ▁living ▁in ▁the ▁D ahl ▁sector ▁of ▁Tr ant or , ▁who ▁briefly ▁meets ▁H ari ▁S eld on . ▁She ▁tells ▁him ▁of ▁the ▁ancient ▁semi - my th ical ▁tales ▁of ▁Earth , ▁and ▁of ▁a ▁robot ▁who ▁has ▁never ▁died , ▁known ▁as ▁' Da - ne e , ▁friend ▁of ▁Ba - lee '. ▁ ▁The ▁M ule ▁▁ ▁The ▁M ule ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁greatest ▁conquer ors ▁the ▁galax y ▁has ▁ever ▁seen . ▁He ▁is ▁a ▁mental ic ▁who ▁has ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁reach ▁into ▁the ▁minds ▁of ▁others ▁and ▁" ad just " ▁their ▁emot ions , ▁individually ▁or ▁en ▁mas se , ▁using ▁this ▁cap ability ▁to ▁cons cript ▁individuals ▁to ▁his ▁cause . ▁Not ▁direct ▁mind - control ▁per ▁se , ▁it ▁is ▁a ▁subt le ▁influence ▁of ▁the ▁sub cons cious ; ▁individuals ▁under ▁the ▁M ule ' s ▁influence ▁behave ▁otherwise ▁normally ▁- ▁logic , ▁mem ories , ▁and ▁person ality ▁int act . ▁This ▁gives ▁the ▁M ule ▁the ▁capacity ▁to ▁dis rupt ▁S