Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 21_ The Unifying Force - James Luceno [95]
He turned to his Supreme Commanders. “Sovv and Kre’fey grasp that our patrols and reconnaissance vessels are too widely dispersed to keep watch over every planetary sector. They attempt to overwhelm us with activity, in the hope of screening a few missions of genuine purpose.” His expression grew dour. “Our actions in sabotaging the HoloNet may come back to plague us. We no longer have the luxury of being able to eavesdrop on enemy communications. Yes, the courier ships require additional time to reach their destinations, but the messages they carry come and go only to those who need to be apprised of the content. Even now this war takes unexpected twists and turns.” His hooded eyes fell on the tactician. “What of the yammosks at Toong’l and Caluula?”
“Unperturbed, Fearsome One. Although …”
Nas Choka waited, then said: “Give voice to it!”
“Caluula’s surrender, Warmaster. Before the fall of the orbital station, the commander who led our assault was contacted by the governor of the planet. The governor promised that Caluula would yield to occupation, without need of an amphistaff being raised against it.”
“There is nothing unusual about that,” the warrior-seer interrupted. “Many local governments have opted—wisely, I think—to spare themselves devastation, in exchange for a pledge that we will be equitable about how many captives we take, and in how we pursue our timetable for worldshaping—including the effacement of buildings, temples, and the obliteration of machines. The custom began as early as our defeat of the library world of Obroa-skai.”
“Yes, seer, but in the instance of Caluula, the governor made a special request. She asked for permission for scientists to visit, to observe some sort of natural spectacle peculiar to the planet. This, of course, would necessitate the temporary maintenance of the spaceport, for the landing of ships and scientific personnel.”
Nas Choka folded his massive arms. “Our commander agreed to this?”
The tactician nodded. “In the interest of rapid and effortless pacification, and for the sake of the yammosk, he granted provisional approval. So as not to subject our people to lifeless technology, he assigned security of the spaceport to Peace Brigaders. Now, however, the petition to allow scientists to visit Caluula rests in the hands of High Prefect Drathul. He, in turn, will defer to the sagacity of High Priest Jakan.”
For several moments Nas Choka paced in silence. “This interests me,” he said finally. “Much of the enemy fleet remains at Mon Calamari. Elsewhere ships scurry about in seeming abandon. And following weeks of noble fighting by the defenders of its orbital facility, Caluula surrenders without contest.” He let his statements hang in the air, then turned to the tactician. “Tell Eminence Jakan that I wish a word with him before he renders any judgment on the petition.”
The tactician bowed. “Anything else, Fearsome One?”
“Who commands the yammosk emplacement at Caluula?”
“I can provide the answer momentarily, Warmaster.”
Nas Choka paced to his bench. “Return not only with the name, but also with the commander’s dedicated villip. I need to speak with him, as well.”
The Yuuzhan Vong warrior at Caluula spaceport made it clear that he was ready to unleash his amphistaff at the slightest provocation. The sight of the tattooed and scarred warrior standing against a backdrop of shuttles and landing craft was just absurd enough to widen Han’s eyes, but he knew better than to smile. Several Yuuzhan Vong warships were in orbit above Caluula, though not nearly as many as Han had expected to see.
“You are the scientist—Meloque?” the warrior said in Basic to the female Ho’Din on whom the entire infiltration mission rested.
More than two meters tall, with sucker-equipped four-fingered hands, a purple crown of erect thermographic receptors, and a reptilian-complected lipless face, she