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When at last his watch arrived and he took Tahiri’s place on the outjut above the cave, he still dared not reply to the other end of the connection until enough time had passed that he could be relatively certain she was asleep.

Finally, more than an hour after he took the post, he climbed a little higher up the hill to be sure he was out of earshot of anyone who might be awake, and once again unsealed the bag and stroked the creature to life.

For long moments, nothing happened, but then a face appeared, a hideous, distorted face.

With a faint shock he realized it was Shimrra’s jester, Onimi.

“Nom Anor,” the jester burbled. “Nom Anor, Nom Anor, your reputation we deplore, the bumbling failed executor—”

“I must speak with Shimrra,” Nom Anor whispered fiercely. “Quickly, before our enemies discover us.”

“Our enemies?” Onimi burbled. “What fortress will we ever stand in together, ever, whether, sever again?”

“Tell him it concerns Zonama Sekot. Tell him—” The face suddenly melted, and a new, infinitely more terrifying one took its place. Nom Anor shivered, and for an instant he wanted to crush the villip, throw it in a deep pool, and return to his role as Prophet.

He thought about his disciples, his diseased, pathetic, gullible—

“Nom Anor,” the villip growled, unable to actually convey the profound, bone-shivering bass of Shimrra’s voice but suggesting it well enough. “Most unworthy and perverse of my servants. What could you possibly want?”

“Only to serve you, Lord.”

“You would have served me best to have given yourself over to sacrifice after the disaster you caused on Ebaq Nine.”

“I could not, Great Lord,” he said. “I was captured, captured by the Jeedai. I have been their captive since that time.”

“Indeed. It was very considerate of them to allow you the use of a villip.”

“I secreted it upon my person. It went undiscovered.”

“Then why did you not use it earlier?” the Supreme Overlord rumbled.

“I was observed, always observed. But I have won their confidence now.”

“Enough,” Shimrra snapped. “You mention Zonama Sekot. That world has been destroyed.”

“It has not, Dread Lord. I am upon it, along with the shaper Nen Yim and the priest Harrar. They have allied with the Jeedai, Lord Shimrra. Against you. Against us.”

“Harrar? You would have me take your word that Harrar is a traitor?”

“Summon him, my lord. You will find him absent from Yuuzhan’tar, and indeed from Yuuzhan Vong space. As is Nen Yim.”

For an interminable period, Shimrra said nothing.

“Go on,” he finally said.

“With me are also two Jeedai—Corran Horn, who slew Shedao Shai, and Tahiri, the one-who-was-shaped.” He took a deep breath. “Lord, Luke Skywalker is also here, the chief of them all, and Mara Jade Skywalker.”

“On Zonama Sekot.” The Supreme Overlord’s tone carried an almost unimaginable tinge of fear.

It almost stopped Nom Anor from going on. But he tightened his resolve and plunged ahead. “Yes, Dread Lord. They have come to persuade the planet to join them against us.”

“So. So.” Shimrra’s voice rumbled away. It returned a moment later. “You know how to reach this planet?”

“My villip can be made to serve as a tracer. You may use Phaa Anor’s villip to find me. A shaper can make the necessary modifications.”

“Lead me to Zonama Sekot, Nom Anor, and you will find the gods smile on you again. I will smile on you again.”

“That is my only wish, Dread Lord. To serve you as I once did.”

“I should hope you will serve me better.” Shimrra paused. “Based on our past experiences, it will require overwhelming force to destroy this cursed planet. Much of our fleet is presently engaged. Indeed, I consider it possible, Nom Anor, that you may yet be a traitor trying to lure my fleet there so the infidels can take Yuuzhan’tar.”

“No fleet is necessary, Dread Lord. There is an Imperial frigate above this planet, and doubtless Skywalker has a ship. Send one ship to deal with them, and a landing craft to find me. That is all that is required.”

“Fool,” Shimrra grunted. “The problem is not with infidel ships, but with the planet itself.”

“The planet will