Shalla, sitting slightly apart from the rest of the Wraiths, watched as the psycho sisters nitpick each other during the meeting in a very indiscipline manner that would get them dressed down in any other military unit. Any other unit but the Wraiths that is, Uncle Garik and Uncle Kell, as well as the other Wraiths, didn't seem to take any notice of them. Oh if they said something that was germane to the briefing the others would acknowledged them but other then that they just ignore them. Even the one droid, called Little Brother for a reason she hasn't figured out why, would engaged in conversation with the two women and tell them off. At least that is what she believe was happing by the reaction of Ratnena, who was wearing a wrist translator, and Tahiri, who was wearing a tizowyrm, would have to what ever it said.
All the droids in during the briefing was strange to her as well. Squeaky made sense since he has been with the Wraiths since the beginning, they used him for recon jobs and spying jobs that only a droid could get away with but the astromech droids didn't make sense. Little Brother and the other nine R-2 units had free run of the base and the ships without any restraining bolts or direction. Heck, one of them called Eyeball, was at the command center standing a watch so that the rest of the personal could attend the briefing. Her aunt told her that the Wraiths operated at a slightly unorthodox manner but until she started working with them, she never realized just how far out there they were.
Nevertheless, she had to, grudging, give them points when it came to doing their jobs. She had spent a week since she was brought here, reviewing the data that they have collected during the past few months. Ratnena maybe a convicted killer but she was dead on in her annalist of what the data could suggest. There was a high probability reaching up to 89% (with a error rate of 4%) that the military was engaged a illegal activates bordering on treason with the reassignment of personal and material, and the once active program to eliminate Tahiri Veila. And the data the psycho sisters brought back from Mr. Fusty, coupled with the information that they 'acquired' on Ruun, showed a strong link between key senators and the Peace Brigade ranging from passing on secrets to providing aid and comfort to the enemy to out right monetary gains made by embezzling funds from military and non-military budgets. They had enough material evidence to shake up the government but they lacked certain keys that would ties the two separate cases into a nice neat package to stop all these scandals.
"What do you think we will find at these different locations?" Commander Loran asked Stacy Hall. Shalla liked working with Stacy, unlike Ratnena; she was stable and easy to work around. Shalla had been assign to work with Major SaBinring, Stacy, Little Brother and Ratnena to examine the data they got on the liner and come up with an attack plan. They had found three anomalies in the data, two star systems near the Vong borders and one Mid-Rim. All three had no planets of any use to anyone or anything else that would make much sense.
"Well sir," Ratnena said around one of her sweet sticks that she habitually sucked on whenever she was not involved in combat or on a mission. "We think that the two near Hutt space are jump points for the supplies to be transferred from freighters to the Yuuzhan Vong."
"Both systems are well off the normal traffic pattern plus the suns there are smaller and there is less gravity to inhibit jumping to hyperspace if they are discovered." Stacy said pulling up a holo of both star systems. "Each has a class IV star with 9 to 15 objects large enough to be considered to be planets. None of the planets has an atmosphere that can support Yuuzhan Vong or Human life forms, majority are airless rocks."
"A perfect place to do a quick swap and the odds of anyone accidentally stumbling on their activities is quite low," SaBinring added. "It is that third system that has us baffled."
"Did the data have any suggestions as to what it was?"
"No sir," Shalla answered Major Tainer herself, "from what we can tell it was something that the P. B. and Yuuzhan Vong wanted information on from the senators they control."
"We are thinking that a single X-wing could drop out of hyperspace near the edge of the system and fall inwards. An X-wing is small enough that it may be able to observe whatever is going on in there without getting caught."
"Little Brother and I could pop in and out without too much trouble," Ratnena said to the older Wraiths.
"Are you insane Rat?" Tahiri said looking at her as if she just sprouted horns and dancing skirts. Little Brother chimed in and her expression didn't change in the least. "Yea right, she is not that good of a pilot. Besides neither one of you has shown much luck in staying out of trouble."
"Why should we send you two Prankster?" Commander Loran asked before either one of them could respond to Tahiri.
"We both have the training to know what to look for if there is anything there, sir."
"We can always have you check the computers on Denon while I am there talking to Fusty." Tahiri said arms crossed staring daggers at her two friends.
"Except neither one of us remembers any reference to this system the last time we were there, Vong."
"Flight Officer Veila, the data suggest that it is project, whatever it is, is not a new project but one that has been running for quite a few months." Shalla said trying to defuse whatever problem was brewing between the two.
"It is Tahiri not Veila, Veila doesn't exist anymore, besides you don't know these two that well. They could find trouble with their eyes close."
"Crash one little ship …"
"Piggy what is your opinion," Uncle Garik said hiding a smile at Tahiri's expression.
"I have to agree with Prankster on this one Poster Boy, she and Dagger can fly in and out and get the most information from the trip then the rest of us. While we take the Sweet Sunset and Peacekeeper, Shalla and you go to Denon in the Sweet Sunrise; Prankster and Dagger should go and investigate for few days."
"You know that your mission is already 'High-Risk', this might be better then adding to the risk by having Prankster rummaging around in the computer banks." Major Tainer added in.
"True, anyone else?" None of the other Wraiths had anything to add, Tahiri look like she was going to say something but cut herself off and had a confused look on her face. "Peacekeeper, is something wrong?"
"I … not … sure … I thought I felt something …" she said trailing off and staring off into space.
"This is probably the best time to bring this up," Doctor Targon said after a long pause, "but Peacekeeper has notice a problem developing with her Force abilities."
"What problems?" Sparks said suddenly looking nervous.
"Not sure really, it seems that our Yuuzhan Vong Warrior can see both 'shades' of the Force, if you will, at the same time."
"What do you mean by that?" Major Tainer asked watching Tahiri closely.
"When I am in my 'Vong' mode I can normally only see the Yuuzhan Vong and their life forms in the Force," Tahiri said looking very disturbed and turning her head this way and that way as if looking for something, "and vice versus. I am not sure how … much … Khapet!"
An intruder alarm sounded and one of the droids said something over the intercom.
"A shuttle is on its way down the tunnel!" Squeaks said translating the little droid's comments.
"Stations, everyone," Loran said as everyone raced to the hanger.
"Two humans, Jedi and a third is an alien; I never met one like it before." Tahiri said beating everyone else into the hanger. She had her living light saber unwrapped from her arm and poised to attack.
Shalla followed the droids up the ramp to the Sweet Sunset as the others position them selves around the hanger.
"Eyeball reports that they are accessing the hanger controls remotely, using old Wraith code." Squeaky yelled out from the top of the ramp.
Shalla position herself so she would see the entrance from next to Squeaky, being a newcomer and an outsider, she was not yet armed. She could see the force shield kick on as the door slowly opened out to the tunnel. A small personal civilian shuttle pushed its way pass the force field as the door began their slow grind to reseal the hanger.
"Everyone stand down," Uncle Kell said standing up from behind his barrier, "it is ok, no danger it just my wife."
As the shuttle landed the older Wraiths stood up and holster their weapons, the younger Wraiths got up more hesitantly; Tahiri didn't look very convinced. As the ramp lowered, Shalla saw a tall, thin blond hair woman wearing Jedi robes run down the ramp and right up to Kell.
"Kell, you are alive!" She screamed out as she hugged him, Shalla knew right then that it was Tyria even if she hadn't seen her since she was a young girl. Shalla knew that Kell would never allow another woman to hug him like that. Two more people headed down the ramp, one was a young man that must have been their son and a tall lanky alien. One that had retired from the Wraiths years earlier, it was Runt! After a long embrace, Tyria stepped back and beamed lovingly at her husband, and then she cold cocked him and dropped him like a sack of vegetables.
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The man stood respectfully at his master side as they watched file footage of a battle that took place a standard week ago around the system of Hershey that involved three Yuuzhan Vong ships, the Infidels and a Yuuzhan Vong spy that no one has knowledge or record of before this battle. It was a mystery, the kind of mystery that kept him awake at night. The worm Fusty had sent him this file after he returned home on Denon; he had been present when a Jedi successfully determined that the spy that had been trying to be recruite for the Peace Brigade was in fact a Yuuzhan Vong warrior. The warrior and his accomplice had successfully escape capture only by sending three ships on a suicidal attack against the fleet present to capture him. Where he was able to obtain three ships of that size and have them staffed unknown at this time. His identity was unknown and why he wanted to work with the Peace Brigade was unknown. In the valley of the unknown, defeat lurks waiting to spring and devour the unprepared. An old Yuuzhan Vong saying that was still taught to the new warriors at an early age.
"What is your interpretation of these events?" The head of the intelligent division, Commander Nor Hur asked the man as the image of one ship winked out leaving its brothers to fight alone.
"I bring disgrace and dishonor to you and the gods, Commander, for I have no logical explanation for the events we are witnessing or what they mean."
"I could have you killed you know." The commander said with a tone that was like one he would use to order a meal.
"Of course my master," the man said with a small shrug of his shoulders, dishonor or failure often resulted in a very dishonorable and mess death. "However that does not change the fact that I am at a lost to understand what had happen during this battle, many questions are left unanswered."
"Such as," the commander asked in a monotone as the second ship broke apart under the intense fire from the smaller ships.
"Why would the Infidels go to such troubles as to stage this attack, why waste the three prize ships, if they ever had them, on an escaping prisoner instead of saving them for an attack against our forces? Our spy on the Hollow Nebula is important, granted, but not that important in the grand scheme of things to justifying all this for his benefit . Why was there no communication between the ships? Even if they had been under Infidel control, the machines that would be use to fly the ships and fire the weapons would still need communication to insure all went well. Yet there is no indication of any communication at all in that area of space. Why did the unknown turn and fly back in to the engagement zone when he was nearly clear to jump into dark space? The only thing that I can say with a reasonable unquestionably is that the agent in question was indeed a Yuuzhan Vong."
"Are you certain?"
"Yes master, the Jeedai and other have filed reports stating so also we have copies of those strange scans of the agent."
Nor Hur said nothing as the last ship died a fiery death and then closed down the projection. He went over to a table, picked up a qahsa, and handed it to him.
"The Warmaster wishes to speak to this unknown. You will takes this to the planet Denon and give it to our spy there. Eventually the Unknown will try to seek revenge on the spy and when he does, he is to have that qahsa. No one, not even you, may access this qahsa; the information on there is for the Unknown only."
"Yes master," as he reached for the creature the Commander struck with lighting fast reflexes and grab his writs, twisting in a way that forced him to his knees.
"On Tatooine there is a creature called a 'Sarlac' that has been reported to take a 1000 years to digest its prey, have you heard of this creature?"
"Yes master," the man said trying hard not to let the pain show in his voice or on his face.
"If you fail in this mission, I promise you that during those 1000 years I will make you suffer even worst then the Sarlac will."
"Yes master," he grunted out as the Commander released him. As he headed back to his work area the man started wondering if all those whispers he has been hearing for the past few weeks were true and not just idle chatter after all.
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As soon as Danni touched the soil on Zonama, she knew it was home. For the past few weeks she and several of the more enlighten shapers had been on Coruscant bring the word of Sekot to the World brain. It had been a long tedious experience for her and the shapers to convince the World brain to assist It's cousin in Sekot's plan to help the galaxy achieve peace and harmony. The World brain still has painful memories of the great battle only a couple years earlier in which it was used by both sides to their own ends and was, of course, suspicious of Sekot's offer. It didn't help that she asked IT to keep their contact with IT a secret from the various caretakers on Coruscant for now. She explained to IT that they were not yet enlighten by the Word of Sekot to be trusted with such knowledge.
"The Voice has returned!"
She heard a great cry of joy from the Yuuzhan Vong and the Ferroines whom gathered at the landing zone to greet her and the shapes. It was as if love was a physical thing that you could hold and touch and being wrapped up in forever. Oh how she missed this feeling while she was gone. True she was always in contact with Sekot through the Force, hearing Sekot, letting Sekot's will known but that was like the difference between reading about love and experiencing the joy of that one special person wrapping his arms around you.
But soon Coruscant shall hold such love for Sekot shared the secret with the World brain on how to share It's love with all that live there. It would take many cycles to achieve but oh how wondrous it shall be. And that would only be the beginning. Also the World brain had shown much value at that attack in the Hershey system a week ago, the one that Sekot insisted that they help a strange spy. So far Danni didn't know who the spy was but was confident that Sekot will tell her when the time was right.
"Voice was you successful on your most holy mission?" A cry went up from several voices in the crowd. However, before she could answer a new voice answered them for her.
"Yes, my friends she was very successful," the magistrate said walking through the crowd.
Another great cry went up from the crowd as the magistrate walked over to embrace the younger woman. Through the Force, she could feel the love and support from the older woman and from Sekot. However, there was a hint of sadness in their embrace. The older woman broke the embrace and turn to the crowd to speak to them.
"Sekot wishes for you to know that Coruscant and the World brain have agreed to join in our holy crusade to being peace and harmony not only to our small worlds but to the entire galaxy." She had to hold her hands up to silence the cheering crowd before she could continue, "Sekot also wish to let you know that tonight we shall celebrate!" Talk was useless after that; it was so loud that Danni wasn't even able to hear her own heart beat. The magistrate pulled Danni in to another embrace and whisper to her, "Tonight, we will celebrate; tomorrow I will explain what is wrong."
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Master Shaper Kwaad walked quickly pass the drunken fools as they lay sleeping on the ground, falling where they may after last night's celebration. Watching the activates last night drove the fact home that she was truly in the land the infidels had called 'hell'. All around her, all she saw was great warriors, priest and shapers actually socializing with infidels and shamed ones, sharing drink and food, treating them as equals instead of the trash that they were. Oh how far the mighty have fallen, she thought as she made her way out of the city toward the secret nursery that she had built to house a ship, one sufficient to take her back to the true Yuuzhan Vong. Once she had returned to the True Ways, she would inform them of this abomination's location so they may scorch it from the galaxy.
An hour later she palmed the doorway open, it was key only to her bio-system. Only she could access the ship and the nursery. She let out a small smile, there was no way anyone could stop her now. Even the False god couldn't stop her from completing her holy mission to the True gods.
"Why do you insist on defining the will of the Force?" a voice said from the dark interior of the building.
Kwaad stop and let her eyes adjust to the darken room, but she knew that voice well.
"Your force doesn't exist, it is the will of the true gods that I follow," she said to the single figure blocking her path to her ship. She wondered just how Danni knew of this place let alone gain access, she had been gone many cycles. "I don't listen to the ramblings of a false god."
"Sekot loves you, as do I. We are willing to embrace you if only would caste aside your anger, fear and selfishness and join in the True Way."
"So I can turn into one of those simpletons back there, bowing and scarping like a worm to Sekot!" She didn't see anyone with Danni, which was good that meant she would only have to kill Danni; a bonus for sure, the True gods must be smiling on her today.
"They are not bowing to Sekot but listening to their hearts, to follow the True Way …"
"Bah, Sekot's way you mean," she snapped out as she moved closer and to the left so she could use one of her weapons without the risk of damaging her ship. Moreover, the infidel doesn't even move, I shall enjoy sacrificing her! "And if you don't surrender to Sekot you are eliminated, isn't that right!"
"Sekot only wishes for you to open up your heart …"
"You mean my mind so it can invade and control!" Kwaad was nearing the point in which she could safely kill this worm. "Sekot wish to rule the galaxy!"
"We have been very patient with you Master Shaper Kwaad," Danni said turning her head to look directly at Kwaad, "but we must stand firm and again ask you to give up your anger and your pain and embrace Sekot."
"Give up what makes me a Yuuzhan Vong, NEVER!" Kwaad reached out with her hand to strike at the human but never made it. Vines that had somehow grown in to the structure reached out and immobilized her. The more she fought against her bonds the tighter the vines got until she was completely wrap and only had her head exposed, hanging several inches of the floor.
As Danni walked over to her the vines maneuvered her so that she was leaning forward, Danni reached up and cress her check. Eyes blazing Kwaad spat at Danni, the only action she was capable of doing. Danni just smiled at her.
"We love you Kwaad and would have welcomed you with open arms and hearts fill with joy, but you refuse to accept the Will. We wish to seed the universe with order and harmony and you only wish to plant discord and chaos." Danni reached up and kiss each of her checks softly and then stood back with a stupid smile on her face like so many of the other wear all the time. "Please remember as you become one with Sekot that neither Sekot nor I wished to do this but we have a duty to make sure all is in harmony."
"I shall rip out your heart with my bare teeth," she said to the retreating back of Danni, "and what I do to …"
The rest die on her lips as she noticed for the first time that the land outside the door was alive with insects, hundreds, thousands, millions of insects. As Danni walked through the pulsing carpet, they cleared a path and didn't interfere with Danni's movement. Nevertheless, after Danni passed them the horde poured through the entry. Master Kwaad's last though was that even the gods never suffered as great of a pain as she did.