The Unifying Force

by James Luceno

  Aboard the seedship and afterward Jacen had found the dhuryam to be an intelligent creature, but specifically engineered to be intractable. Now the dhuryam was twisted by conflict and anger. Shimrra ad succeeded in cajoling it into believing that the fires and drenching ^ns, the demolition and destruction were necessary to repair the amage done to Yuuzhan'tar by Zonama Sekot's close passage. But in °mg so, the brain understood that it was destroying much of what it created, in addition to reneging on its pledge to compel Shimrra trie Yuuzhan Vong to accept compromise. Neither accustomed to § disobedient nor inclined to tolerate disorder, the brain was at

  war

  with itself for having brought harm to the world in its trn the seedship, it understood that its domain was suddenly f n- Ori ruin and becoming a wasteland. The brain was struggling w- L to idea that it might do better by simply ignoring Shimrra.

  Calling on his Vongsense, Jacen promised the dhuv
  C^~.— cu: — *_-.-! ,.,,._

  that he

  - «-«L ne Woi

  force Shimrra to release his hold. In return he could feel it re out to him as one might a friend in time of need. A wave of erat' ^ a plea for salvation washed through him ...

  Abruptly Sgauru and Tu-Scart turned toward him, clearly Und influence of the brain.

  Jacen grasped that the moment had come for him to dernonstr his faith in the agreement he and the brain had forged.

  Ignoring Luke and Jaina's loud-voiced misgivings, he advanced on the coupled symbiots.

  Almost immediately his waist was encircled by two twisting appendages. Then Sgauru picked him up off the demolished concourse and swung him out over the canyon. Not toward the Citadel, though, but as if to drop him directly into the midst of the slave soldiers and their artillery beasts.

  From the Falcon's cockpit comlink came the sound of blasterfire and cries for help. C-3PO recognized the voice of Captain Solo.

  "Threepio, lower the landing ramp! Threepio! Threepio!"

  The protocol droid stopped his worried pacing long enough to raise his hands in distress to R2-D2, whose extensible computer interface arm was inserted into an access port in the ring corridor, near the head of the ramp.

  "Artoo, do something before its too late!"

  Stiffly, C-3PO hurried into the cockpit. All he could see through the viewport panes was an impenetrable tangle of heavily thorned brancn He made a clumsy about-face and shambled back to the ring cornd° > where he began to pound his hand against the landing ramp switch.

  "Oh, it's no use! The thorn hedge has the Millennium Falcon m a death lock! Captain Solo and the Princess will die, and we'll be imp oned like museum exhibits!"

  - P2 toodled an encouraging phrase, and C-3PO ceased his Coding «> stare at him.

  ^ «v u can do what? Reroute power from the deflector shield to charge through the hull?" C-3PO's hands flew up once again.

  !Vell, why did"'1 y°u say so earlier?"

  The little blue-and-white astromech chirped and chittered in

  protest.

  "Nonsense," C-3PO rejoined. "You're simply trying to frighten

  You're never content until you've succeeded in working me into a

  frenzy."

  R2-D2 issued a series of solemn beeps.

  C-3PO adopted an akimbo stance. "Don't you start that again. 'Everything terminates; face it bravely . . .' I'll have you know I've been facing my termination bravely since the beginning of this war. Indeed, long before I had the misfortune of meeting the likes of you. Now, do as you suggested and send a charge through the hull!"

  Shuffling back to the juncture of the ring and outrigger corridors, C-3PO placed himself where he could peer through the forward viewport, as well as keep a photoreceptor on his counterpart. A moment later, R2-D2's interface arm began to rotate—first in one direction, then the other—and an electrical crackling could be heard dancing across the Falcon's skin. The olfactory sensor at the top of C-3PO's chest monitored smells of ozone and singed wood.

  "It's working, Artoo!" he shouted. "The thorn hedge is retracting! Thank the maker, we're freer R2-D2 squawked a question.

  "Yes, of course you should lower the landing ramp!" C-3PO said as he hurried for it. "The sooner we leave this ship, the better!"

  Skidding through a left-hand turn, he stepped onto the canted ramp just as its foot was striking the paving stones of the plaza. "Freedom, Artoo—cyyjhhF

  Without knowing precisely why, R2-D2 squealed in alarm. He 'ght have squealed even louder had he realized that a tattooed and Ue-scared Yuuzhan Vong warrior was rushing up the ramp. Too panicked to move, and certainly without thinking, C-3PO Said' "You're not allowed aboard!"

  The warrior only growled in contempt and continued his k He was halfway to the top when a blaster discharged behind him crimson-tinged blasterbolt burned its way through the front neck, sending him facefirst to the ramp, not a meter from C-3PO was standing.

  At the foot of the ramp stood Captain Solo, his aged wean hand. C-3PO saw his master staring wide-eyed at something ofFr left, at which he began firing, even as Harrar, Princess Leia C H maim, and Meewalh were hastening up the ramp, all but crawl' when they reached the body of the dead Yuuzhan Vong.

  "Threepio, get ready to close the ramp!" Captain Solo yelled H fired off several blasterbolts, then ducked a hurled amphistaff and threw himself onto the ramp. "Close it!"

  "But, sir—"

  "Leia, get into the cockpit! Raise the ship!"

  Captain Solo was still bellying up the ramp when a sudden growth spurt sent the branches through the gap between the starboard docking arm and the ramp, preventing it from elevating entirely. Into the gap grew long, thick thorns.

  "They're lethal!" Harrar shouted.

  While the priest, the two Noghri, and the two humans began twisting and contorting themselves to avoid the rapidly lengthening thorns, a hail of thud bugs slammed into the Fa-Icon's underside. In the confined space of the ramp, Princess Leia activated her lightsaber and started hacking at the lengthening branches.

  "It's no use! They're growing back faster than I can cut them!' Deactivating the lightsaber, she scrambled past C-3PO, heading for the cockpit.

  "Artoo," C-3PO said, "charge the hull again!"

  the

  A second crackling jolt passed through the ship. The hedge branches retreated, but instead of closing, the ramp tilted down. 1 more warriors leapt in, only to be dropped by bolts from Cakhniai whose right arm narrowly missed being pierced by a half-meter-l< thorn. By the time the ramp started to close, the hedges had return* stopping it from sealing.

  C-3PO heard the Falcon's repulsorlift come on-line, but

  •hter

  levitated no more than wo meters before the engines began

  «rtan, I can't ra*se ner'-" Leia shouted.

  A I0ther electrical charge shot through the hull. Once again the withdrew, and once again the ramp lowered to the paving vine5

  '"^rtoo, no!"C-3PO yelled.

  There was no halting the warriors this time—or the branches,

  •-h «rew back in such profusion that the ramp refused to budge.

  khmaim and Meewalh did what they could to keep the invaders

  m entering the ship, but after shooting the first half a dozen, they

  -ere overwhelmed, disarmed, and pinned to the deck. Han shot a few

  more as they raced into the ring corridor, but reinforcements kept

  coming, backing him and Leia toward the forward compartment.

  Some warriors had the foresight to run through the Falcon and enter

  the main cabin space from the port side.

  Pressed against the dejarik table with his blaster in one hand and his other gripping Leia's shoulder, Han dodged lashes and amphistaffs and thrusts from coufees, but he refused to yield until at last one of the warriors managed to press the tip of his serpentine weapon to Leia's throat. Then, grimacing, he dropped his blaster arm to his side in a
gesture of surrender.

  "All right, you've got us," he said to the advancing warriors. "I'm sure we can work something out ..."

  It was unlikely that any of them understood Basic, but they took Han's meaning when he set his blaster down and Leia did the same with her deactivated lightsaber.

  Moments later a female Yuuzhan Vong with a crest of tentacles and an eight-fingered right hand edged through the tight press of warriors in the forward compartment. On seeing her, R2-D2 loosed a Prolonged and mournful whistle.

  ^-3PO nodded his head. "You're right, Artoo—a shaperl" The shaper appraised Han and Leia, then turned to one of her rriors. C-3PO understood her to say: " 'Gather their weapons, and Dnng everyone out of the vessel.' "

  Cakhmaim, Meewalh, R2-D2, C-3PO, Leia, and Han were

  turned slightly to face his chief tactician. "We will encourage

  --

  " He turned siiguuy ix, it^ -^ ^.

  tU • blunder. Order our Supreme Commanders to allow their vessels

  1 ' ' ' - - J;——-~ T *t th,, Alliance admirals think they

  marched from the Falcon in single file. Harrar was already out ' ship. As they were being prodded toward the entrance of th coral dome, two Yuuzhan Vong males emerged, both of the clothed, and the shorter of the pair wearing a high turban.

  "High Prefect Drathul and High Priest Jakan," Harrar whis to Han and Leia.

  The shaper waved her hand in a way that flung droplets of or some other bodily secretion on the thorn hedge, which imm ately began to sprout new branches.

  Within moments the Falcon was fully encased.

  "I'm told that this particular ship has been the cause of m h unrest," the shaper told Drathul and Jakan. She gestured to her seve prisoners. "Worthy captives. Including a Jeedai, no less."

  Jakan's eyes widened in delight when they fell on Harrar. "All of us thought you were in the Outer Rim!" He laid his thin hands on the priest's shoulders. "You're home now, my friend. In fact, you will have the honor of officiating at the sacrifice we will perform in the Well of the World Brain."

  Harrar held Jakan's gaze but didn't return his relieved smile. "You fail to grasp the truth, High Priest," he said in Yuuzhan Vong. "I've come to neutralize the brain."

  Near the outer-system world of Muscave the battle was still raging. Hundreds of coralskippers and fighter craft, and dozens of war vessels had been sacrificed to an engagement that had degenerated into a shameless brawl. Local space was a constantly shifting web of fire and light, harnessed to ill purpose.

  Warmaster Nas Choka couldn't have been more pleased.

  He stood in the most forward area of the command chamber s blister transparency as if a bowsprit figurehead, his folded arms restin on his slightly protruding belly and his finely whiskered jaw raised defiance.

  "The enemy commanders continue to trade blows vith us n because they are valorous, but because they believe that by teig honor they hold us from returning to Yuuzhan'tar. They rely on fact that we would never be the first to quit a contest of such

  blunder, uruci u^ ^^

  il hack and begin to disperse. Let the Alliance admirals think they

  total „

  us on the run.

  The command chamber shook as a burst of turbolaser fire evaded

  -essel's shielding singularities and blasted pieces of yorik coral

  the starboard hull. Thick fluid poured from an already damaged

  of bulkhead, and strips of the luminescent lichen died, increasing

  the gloom.

  "How much more can Tammka, endure?" Nas Choka asked of the

  vessel's shaper.

  "Six of our principal dovin basals are dead," the shaper was quick to say, "and many of our plasma launchers have been destroyed. Perhaps, Warmaster, if you would consider withdrawing Tammka from

  the vanguard array—"

  "No. I want the attention of the enemy focused on us. We must

  remain a primary target."

  "We could be destroyed, Warmaster," the tactician said carefully. Nas Choka nodded. "An acceptable risk. For today we serve our species as no Yuuzhan Vong have. We prove our worth to the gods who fashioned us. If we are to die, we do so discharging a transcendent obligation."

  The command chamber's lock dilated and the vessel's Supreme Commander entered, snapping his fists to his opposite shoulders in salute. "Warmaster, from our scouts: Ralroostznd forty other warships have just reverted from darkspace."

  Nas Choka faced forward, his gaze directed toward the imperceptible enemy fleet. "That would be Traest Kre'fey." He grinned faintly. "All this is as it should be. The gods look out for us."

  The Supreme Commander genuflected. "Warmaster, there isn't a ommander who wouldn't gladly substitute his vessel for yours—or die in your stead."

  Nas Choka betrayed no emotion. "Return to your duties,

  SuPreme Commander."

  The warrior rose and saluted again. When he had exited, the tacti-c'an moved to Nas Choka's left side.

  "You have the unconditional fealty of your warriors P

  ' ^rSOtvi

  One. They would follow your every order—even those orde

  might countermand their faith." at

  rne

  of

  Nas Choka's gaze remained fixed on the battle. "Tell Yuuzhan'tar, tactician."

  "Enemy fighter craft have broken through our dovin basal shi M and war parties are on the surface. Some one thousand ground war ' battle ours in the sacred precinct. Others have gone to the aid of K heretics. Fortunately, the dhuryam has taken steps to confuse matte "

  "How so?"

  "With fires, and by loosing some of our beasts. Nevertheless th territory surrounding the Citadel is in great turmoil."

  Nas Choka waved his hand in unconcern. "Structures can be remade. Where is Shimrra?"

  "The Supreme Overlord is in his coffer."

  "Then that, too, is as it should be."

  "He wishes it relayed to you, Warmaster, that you do honor to your elite rank. The Supreme Overlord proclaims that your name will live on as an inspiration to others. You will be the zenith all those who follow you will seek to attain."

  "That means little unless we are successful at Zonama Sekot."

  The tactician nodded. "Hapan warships are still arrayed in a blockade, preventing our vessels from escorting the poisoned one to the surface."

  Nas Choka frowned. "I thought the Hapans had settled their score with us at Obroa-skai. But, no matter. It is the nature of vendettas that they continue to escalate, until one or the other party is wiped out."

  He gave the tactician a sideways glance. "Divert to Zonama Sekot the vessels of Domains Tiwik, Tsun, Karsh, and Vorrik. Caution the commanders not to make their intentions too obvious—even if this requires their taking additional time to reach the living world. We wi make the Hapans suffer as they did at Fondor. Then our barb will fin its mark, and, with the gods at our backs, we will rid this galaxy o vendetta and warfare."

  Mara heard Tahiri call that she had found Nom Anor. Buried in f rocious tangle of heretics and warriors, and even while dodging histaffs and coufees, Mara had had to stand on the crumpled body warrior to see him. The look hadn't lasted long—just long eh for her to see the fear in his eye—then he was gone, slithering av through the crowd. Unable to track him through the Force, h did the next best thing, which was to Force-leap to the edge of the .mbattled crowd, then to the top of a flight of stairs, and there watch

  for some sign of him.

  True to their nature, Shamed Ones and warriors alike were running toward the melee rather than fleeing from it, no matter how bloodied they were or who was winning, as the outcome kept changing hands. But it wasn't long before Mara spied a lone figure slinking away, then scurrying down into a public square that was surrounded on three sides by groundquake-damaged structures. Though the relatively short figure was wearing the robeskin of a Shamed One, he ran with the stealth of an executor.

  Taking a moment to touch Tahir
i and Kenth through the Force, Mara vaulted from the steps to the high platform of a temple, then dropped down to the ground and raced after Nom Anor, her lightsaber close at hand to deal with anyone who might try to stand in her way. Rushing into the square, she stopped to scan the several exits, and again spotted her quarry disappearing around the toppled end of a high wall. She fairly flew after him, pursuing him up and over piles of nibble and debris, through stands of towering fire-blackened trees, then on a zigzag path down into what once had been the Column Commons—a midlevel area of open spaces studded with thick columns that supported the sprawling cityscape overhead. Hundreds °i HoloNet and holodrama publishers had kept offices there, along with all the major media bureaus. During the Galactic Civil War, the commons had crawled with COMPNOR truth officers, who had -nsured that everything published was in keeping with the propaganda of the Empire.

  Mara was certain she was more familiar with the area—even in

  ruins—than Nom Anor was. But in his guise as the Prophet h obviously gotten to know Coruscant's canyons and depths as any slythmonger or death stick peddler, because he led her on that was as labyrinthine as the tracings of a conduit worm. The H they descended, the darker and danker became the surrounding R Mara had already decided that she would chase him to the core f u planet if that was what it would take to apprehend him.

  The pursuit led ever downward, into darker levels, where f water dripped from cracked ceilings, and the only light was that wh' found its way down through gaps in the crushed buildings and rh riotously verdant areas that now roofed them.

  Closing the gap between them, she saw him grab hold of a fall Of vines and swing himself across a wide chasm. Securing the vines on his side of the abyss, he stopped to smirk at her, confident that his escape was secure. She came to a brief standstill opposite him—just lone enough to answer his sneering grin with a glare—then dashed for a narrower place in the chasm and leapt to the far side.