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“We will also have the advantage of fighting in our home system,” Brand said. “Our pilots will be able to fly circles around the Vong, lead them on chases, attack from Weerden, Thokos, Salliche … Thanks to what the Remnant has provided, we now know routes into and out of the Deep Core that the Vong haven’t explored. Insertion points from Empress Teta; exit points up and down the Ag Circuit. What’s more, we don’t have to worry about inflicting secondary damage on the planetside population—not all of it, at any rate.”

Kre’fey regarded Luke. “You must understand, if it were any world other than Coruscant … But retaking Coruscant is fundamental to building and maintaining the Galactic Alliance. Who controls Coruscant controls the Core, and without the Core the Alliance is nothing.”

Luke set his elbows on the table and interlocked his fingers. “You’re thinking like the New Republic did.”

“You were a member of the New Republic, Master Skywalker,” Niuk Niuv’s hologram said.

Luke nodded. “But this is a different war. A war that can’t be won the way you’re planning to win it. Would you annihilate every Yuuzhan Vong in order to free Coruscant and all other occupied worlds?”

“We might,” Brand said.

“Was that the intent when Alpha Red was deployed?”

The question hung in the air for several moments before Sien Sovv spoke. “Alpha Red is not under discussion at this conference.”

“Then it’s not terminated?” Cilghal asked worriedly.

“I will say again that the project is not under discussion.”

Kre’fey was quick to change the subject. “We have a window of opportunity that could seal itself at any moment. How long would the Jedi have us wait?”

Luke frowned. “It’s not a matter of days or weeks. The Yuuzhan Vong have demonstrated time and again that they won’t surrender. It’s no more in their nature than a policy of extermination is in ours.” He looked around. “Unless all of you have changed dramatically in my absence.”

“Would you cede them Coruscant?” Airen Cracken asked.

“If I thought it would end the war, I might.”

“That’s a treasonous statement,” Brand said, then softened his tone to add: “We’ve had our disagreements in the past. Can we trust the Jedi not to interfere with what we have to do?”

“We won’t interfere.”

Kre’fey shot Brand a warning look. “For the sake of argument, and in the spirit of good fellowship, what would you have us do while we’re waiting for things to unravel on Coruscant?”

“Divide and redistribute the combined fleets,” Kenth said. “Dispatch battle groups to Bothawui, Bilbringi, and other essential worlds. Reclaim those systems while the Yuuzhan Vong are preoccupied with the heretics. Then, when they are truly at their weakest, move against Coruscant from as many systems as possible.”

Sovv made a fatigued sound. “Perhaps the Jedi are unaware that several Yuuzhan Vong battle groups have not heeded Nas Choka’s orders to withdraw to the Core. Rather, they appear determined to hold on to the systems they’ve conquered, regardless of what happens at Coruscant.”

“The dereliction of those commanders has nothing to do with maintaining superiority,” Luke said. “They’re afraid that they will be ordered to attack Zonama Sekot.”

Kre’fey shook his head in confusion. “Why should they be afraid? Just what is this planet to them?”

Luke stood up, encouraging everyone to focus on him. “Everything the Yuuzhan Vong might have been.” He paused, then added: “Fifty years ago, when the Yuuzhan Vong were first scouting our galaxy, they attempted to claim Zonama Sekot, and the planet fought them off. As a living world, it figures deeply in their religion, and its sudden reappearance is viewed as an omen of defeat—a sign from the gods that the invasion itself was a terrible mistake. In some respect, the Shamed Ones view the planet as important to their destiny—their liberation—and they will revolt if Shimrra sanctions an attack. But the real danger to Shimrra will come finally from his elite, some of whom are bound to see Zonama Sekot as a