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Anakin nodded and ignited his lightsaber. The fierce purple light highlighted the mist emerging from the corridor walls. Anakin approached the obstruction and cut into it with broad strokes.

Vonduun crab armor it wasn’t. After the first cut, the stuff actually flinched away from his blade. In moments he had carved a hole large enough to step through.

Beyond, the corridor continued another four meters and ended in another dilation. This section was already full of mist.

Anakin cut through that, too, but his lungs were starting to hurt now, and black spots danced before his eyes, so rather than attacking the inevitable barrier that had closed beyond the second one, he cut through the wall to his right.

That spilled the pair into a large chamber where two startled Yuuzhan Vong looked up from examining something that resembled a twined bundle of black vines as big around as Anakin’s thigh. He couldn’t tell if it was animal or vegetable, and he didn’t care.

“Which way now?” Anakin asked.

Rapuung stabbed a finger at the two shapers. “One of you. Take me to the personal laboratories of Master Mezhan Kwaad.”

The shorter of the two frowned. “You’re a Shamed One.”

Rapuung reached him in two strides and struck him high in the chest, lifting the shaper from his feet and slamming him into the wall. He slumped to the floor, blood spilling from his lips.

“You,” Rapuung said to the other. “Lead us to Mezhan Kwaad.”

The second shaper looked at his unconscious companion.

“Come with me,” he said.

“Can they fill this chamber with gas?” Anakin asked Rapuung.

“Of course. However, now that we’ve exited the corridor they think we’re in they’ll have to consult with the damutek brain to find us. That will take time. By then, the warriors will be here.”

“I was wondering why there weren’t any guards.”

“This is a shaper place. Warriors must be invited here, and then only in times of duress. Normally there is no need for guards. It’s been centuries since anyone invaded a shaper damutek. Who would wish to but an infidel?”

“Vua Rapuung, apparently,” Anakin replied.

The shaper took them through a quick series of turns and then into a long, straight corridor that ended in one of the membranes that normally served as doors.

“Through there,” their captive said, “is the master’s personal chambers. But the threshold will not open itself to any of us.”

“That is why I have a Jeedai with me,” Rapuung told him, as Anakin thumbed the blade on and cut through the door. In doing so he nearly bisected the warrior just on the other side. The Yuuzhan Vong blinked at him in astonishment, then jerked his amphistaff to an attack position.

Rapuung charged past Anakin, lunged beneath the warrior’s not-quite-ready guard, and struck him under the chin with the deteriorating talon on his elbow. The implant jammed in the being’s mandible and tore out. Rapuung hardly seemed to notice, turning his attention instead to the roomful of warriors beyond.

Anakin leapt in behind him and turned aside an amphistaff slashing toward Rapuung with the blade of his lightsaber. Rapuung’s attacker, recognizing the new danger, twisted the amphistaff and let it go limp. Then he whipped it underhand toward Anakin’s throat. Anakin did a quick circular parry, wrapping the limp staff around his blade, and did a jumping front kick. The Yuuzhan Vong blocked that with his free hand, but some of the blow’s force got through. Anakin cut his blade, dropped in at close quarters, jammed the blade emitter under the warrior’s armpit, and flicked it back on.

The warrior jerked and fell away, exhaling a cloud of steam.

Anakin sensed a blow from behind, and without thinking he ducked, did a behind-the-back block, and felt the sharp rap of an amphistaff. He dropped, swept his unseen attacker’s feet, and tumbled away from yet a third attacker.

Only when he was back in the clear, preparing to meet the two, did he realize what had happened. He had sensed the Yuuzhan Vong behind him. Not as clearly as he might in the Force, but it had been good enough to save his life.

They came