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Kre’fey stared at Luke in wonder. “How do you come by this knowledge?”

Luke turned to the admiral. “From the lips of a Yuuzhan Vong priest, who even now is on Zonama Sekot.”

Brand narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “How do you know that this ‘priest’ isn’t a spy?” He looked imploringly at Sovv. “If word of our operation gets back to this priest—”

“Zonama Sekot knows the Yuuzhan Vong,” Luke insisted. “It knows how to deal with them. It is more like the original Yuuzhan’tar than Coruscant can ever be made to seem.”

Kre’fey was clearly in a quandary. “You keep saying it. Are you referring to the planet itself?”

“Yes.”

Sovv was beginning to lose patience. “If Zonama Sekot has some secret plan for ending the war—as either mediator or battle station—it had better act quickly. As things stand, I see no reason to alter our plans for moving against Corulag.”

“There’s no room for neutrality at this stage,” Brand said. “You’re part of the Alliance or you’re against it.”

Gilad Pellaeon broke a brief but uneasy silence.

“I’ve been reluctant to broach this. But Imperial records suggest that former Grand Moff Tarkin once expressed interest in Zonama Sekot, based on rumors that the planet was capable of producing living ships.”

Sovv and the others watched Luke.

“Is that the planet’s secret?” the Sullustan asked. “Is Zonama Sekot planning to wage its own war on the Yuuzhan Vong?”

“Zonama Sekot will not produce warships,” Luke said flatly.

Kre’fey gave his head a mournful shake. “Master Skywalker, unless Zonama Sekot’s governing body is at least willing to permit the planet to be employed as a staging area for the assault on Coruscant, it is of no use to us.”

“The … governing body won’t permit that.”

“Then can we at least employ it as a diversion?” Brand asked. “If, as you say, it has already destabilized the Yuuzhan Vong, perhaps we can make it appear more of an actual threat. If the Vong can be induced to attack Zonama Sekot, we may have a clear shot at Coruscant.”

Luke considered it. “It may be willing to do that.”

Kre’fey put his hands flat on the table. “It’s now or never. I’ll grant that attacking Coruscant constitutes a perilous risk, but it’s one we have to take. We can’t afford to be placed on the defensive again. Scatter the fleets, and who knows how many additional systems might fall. We simply don’t have the resources to jump from one to the other each time the enemy launches an attack. Attrition will become our enemy.” He looked at Luke and the others. “I realize that the Yuuzhan Vong are still strong. But battles aren’t always about numbers—as you well know, Master Skywalker, having turned the tide of the Civil War with a couple of well-placed proton torpedoes.”

“I had help with that,” Luke said.

“Are you suggesting that the Force isn’t with us now?” Sovv asked.

“The Force is always with us, Admiral.”

“Then we can rely on your help?” Kre’fey said.

Luke nodded and motioned to the Anx Jedi, Madurrin. “What Jedi we can spare will continue to serve on the bridges of our capital ships, as they did at Ebaq Nine and Mon Calamari.” He was about to add more, when Tycho Celchu suddenly entered the war room.

Before Tycho so much as uttered a word, Luke caught Cilghal’s sharp intake of breath.

“Please forgive the interruption, Admiral Sovv,” the blue-eyed human general said in a low voice. “I regret to inform everyone that my wife, Winter, has just contacted me from Mon Calamari, with news that retired admiral Ackbar has died.”

As she approached Zonama Sekot’s landing platform, Jaina saw that Corran, Kyp, Tekli, Alema, and several of the other Jedi had gathered while she had been off searching for Jacen.

With five seed-partners apiece, Kyp and Saba had bonded with the highest number. Fist-sized, fuzzy white orbs, the seed-partners had attached themselves to Kyp’s robe and Saba’s tunic. Corran had four, while Kyle, Lowbacca, Alema, and the other candidates were hosting only two apiece.

Jabitha had said that Anakin Skywalker had bonded with nine—the highest number anyone had ever bonded with.