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“Now, that doesn’t surprise me,” Mara said.

“But he must have realized that Zonama Sekot can provide an end to the war,” Luke said. “So why attempt to destroy it, when his … followers stood to gain the most?”

Harrar shook his head. “I can only speculate. Perhaps his actions here have enabled him to reingratiate himself with Shimrra—for Shimrra fears this world more than you know. It has always been Nom Anor’s desire to be escalated, and the possibility of escalation may have been reason enough for him to forsake the heretics who placed their trust in him.

“It’s also plausible that Nom Anor has been working secretly for Shimrra all the while—even as the Prophet. Shimrra may have wished to create a perceived problem on Yuuzhan’tar to distract the elite from more pressing problems, regarding the war and the rebellious nature of Yuuzhan’tar’s World Brain. Or he may have planned to use the growing ‘heresy’ as justification for ridding our society of undesirables and pariahs.”

Harrar sighed with purpose. “Nom Anor is a consummate infidel. He thinks only of his own ambitions.” He glanced around the small room. “But it appears that he was unsuccessful in eliminating Zonama Sekot as a potential threat to his and Shimrra’s plans.”

“That remains to be seen,” Corran said. “Either as a result of Nom Anor’s actions, or as a way of protecting itself, Zonama Sekot jumped into hyperspace. To where, we’ve yet to learn. Maybe deeper into the Unknown Regions; maybe closer to known space. If this rain ever stops, we may be able to figure out where we are. But so far Sekot hasn’t seen fit to help us.”

“Sekot,” Harrar repeated.

“Zonama’s guiding intelligence,” Jacen said.

Harrar absorbed it. “Yet more similarities with Yuuzhan’tar …”

“Or Coruscant, as we like to call it,” Corran said roughly.

Harrar glanced at him and smiled faintly. “I speak not of your reshaped galactic capital, but of the primordial home-world of the Yuuzhan Vong. Well before she died at Nom Anor’s hand, Nen Yim had come to believe that this world is startlingly similar to the descriptions of Yuuzhan’tar that have passed down to us in history and legends.”

The priest turned to Maydh. “More, that the Ferroans are what we ourselves might have become.” Deep sorrow tugged at Harrar’s scarified features. “These realizations saddened and shattered Nen Yim’s faith, as indeed they have shattered mine.”

“We know that one of your early reconnaissance fleets happened on Zonama Sekot,” Jacen said, “while it was still in known space.”

“Happened on is hardly the proper phrase, young Jeedai. As I said, there is much that links Zonama Sekot to the Yuuzhan Vong. Nen Yim discovered many similarities that cannot be attributed to coincidence. Zonama Sekot and the Yuuzhan Vong can only have had access to the same protocols in fashioning ships and other devices.”

“Ships, yes,” Luke said. “But the engines that drive Sekotan ships are not organic, Harrar.”

The priest waved in dismissal. “Nor are they made of yorik coral. But what matters is that they are grown.” He shrugged. “Untrained in the shapers’ arts, I can’t provide the proof you desire. But I know in my heart what is true, and what isn’t.”

“Why didn’t you ever attempt to return to Zonama Sekot after the first encounter?” Jacen asked.

“Because few knew of the encounter.” Harrar fell silent for a moment, then said: “I will tell you things I didn’t reveal to Nen Yim—or Nom Anor—if only to further an understanding between us. There were rumors during the final days of the reign of Quoreal—Shimrra’s predecessor—that a living world had been discovered. Rumors, too, that Quoreal’s priests had interpreted the encounter as a sign that we should avoid contact with your galaxy. The ancient texts make clear the existence of a world that was anathema to us—one that could well prove our undoing.”

“You invaded, anyway,” Mara said.

Harrar nodded. “We were dying. Shimrra recognized this. Emboldened by his domain, he usurped Quoreal’s throne and directed the worldship convoy to continue as planned, granting his