Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 21_ The Unifying Force - James Luceno [199]
And yet there was a look in Shimrra’s blazing eyes that promised Luke he had not seen the last of the Supreme Overlord’s tricks. Shimrra was concealing something—a secret of such power that it enabled him to remain seated on his throne, even with his world teetering around him.
Luke noticed then, for the first time, that Shimrra wasn’t alone on the dais. Behind the throne crouched another Yuuzhan Vong, whose asymmetrically swollen head and downcast features identified him as a Shamed One. Aware that he had been glimpsed, the Shamed One withdrew into the shadow cast by the throne, as if in an attempt to make himself small and unnoticeable.
But Luke had no time to think further about Shimrra’s companion.
The bunker was suddenly in motion again.
The Yuuzhan Vong armada had suffered grievous losses at Muscave, but not nearly to the extent the Alliance had suffered. Molten blobs that had been starfighters and frigates drifted aimlessly against the distant backdrop of stars. The hulks of Alliance warships, nimbused by escape pods, languished. The battle would go down in history as second only to the epic confrontation that ended the Cremlevian War. And the name Nas Choka would join the revered ranks of Yo’gand and other legendary warriors.
The warmaster left the command chamber’s blister transparency to stand before the villip visages of the six Supreme Commanders he had tasked with defeating Zonama Sekot.
“The surface-based weapons have fallen silent,” Supreme Commander Tivvik reported. “The living ships it threw into its sky have lost their wings and are going to ground like a flock of exhausted birds. Fearsome One, the planet is beaten.”
Nas Choka’s expression betrayed neither satisfaction nor doubt. “Press the attack,” he said evenly. “The mataloks of Domains Tivvik and Tsun will escort the dying craft to the surface. All other vessels will withdraw to avoid contagion. The pilots of any coralskippers remaining in the atmosphere of the living world after the poison has been delivered are commanded to drive themselves into the planet and destroy themselves. No vessel that has had close contact with the dying craft can be permitted to survive.”
“Your will be done, Warmaster.”
“May our deaths serve to harden your victory,” Supreme Commander Sla Tsun added.
Nas Choka nodded his head in salute. “Rrush’hok ichnar vinim’hok! Die well, brave warrior!” Then he turned to his tactician, whose restlessness bespoke an uncommon urgency.
“Communication with Yuuzhan’tar has become garbled, Warmaster, but we have learned that Alliance warriors and several Jeedai have penetrated the Citadel.”
Nas Choka folded his arms across his chest. “Give no thought to Shimrra’s capture or death. The gods would never permit it—especially on bearing witness to our victory at Zonama Sekot. Our mettle has been tested, and we have prevailed.” He regarded the tactician for a long moment, then said, “My words provide so little consolation?”
The tactician frowned. “Warmaster, Yuuzhan’tar has grown as serene as Zonama Sekot. Our weapons are silent, our beasts slumber, the fires are contained. Shamed Ones and renegade warriors hold sway over much of the sacred precinct. Supreme Overlord Shimrra would not have permitted this. Our fear is that the World Brain has been killed.”
“Then it will be the duty of the shapers to train a new dhuryam. With the enemy defeated, we need be in no rush to give Yuuzhan’tar proper shape.” Again, Nas Choka appraised his subordinate. “The last of it, tactician.”
“Ralroost and other warships speed for Yuuzhan’tar. I realize that you had hoped to witness the death of Zonama Sekot, but—”
Nas Choka waved him silent. “Zonama Sekot’s death does not depend on my presence.”
“On Kre’fey’s heels, then?”