Viqi Shesh and Nom Anor glided towards the Overlord's citadel in an organic yorik trema. Nom Anor was dressed all in green again, and also wore a turban of the same color, identifying him as a Prefect of the Intendant's Caste, while Viqi wore a brand-new organic dress that she and Nom Anor had chosen at a nearby Shaper's Caste damutek. In addition, in the intimate confines of the yorik trema, the couple discussed how to proceed.

They reached the gate, were admitted, and were taken into an oval room with a large window, also oval. To Viqi Shesh's surprise, she was greeted by an extremely misshapen, thin Yuuzhan Vong with light blue skin and shortened arms and legs. One eye hung lower than the other, and there was a pronounced lump on the top of his head—obviously a Shamed One, but in his hands he carried a tsaisi, a sort of shortened amphistaff such as Viqi had seen before as an insignia of power on Tsavong Lah.

"The overlord is indisposed,
So tell me what you are supposed
To tell me a quite important thing,
To Shimrra soon it I'll bring

the light blue man rhymed.

"I wish to introduce my intima to the Overlord, as well as my latest plan to finally bring the unbelievers to their knees," Nom Anor said.

"Our troops are already over Mon Cala,
to do there finally tabula rasa."

said the light blue one.

Nom Anor acted like it was nothing.

"It's well worth the honor cleaning up in the distance,
but purging very close is too of importance."

"What do you mean?" the Blue asked suspiciously, apparently upset that Nom Anor had rhymed too.

"Surely you've heard of the latest riots by the Shamed Ones," Nom Anor began, voice lowered. "Even a Damutek of my Intendant's caste was attacked."

"What are you driving at, Nom Anor?", the Shamed One asked suspiciously.

"I've devised a plan for how we can sort this all out," Nom Anor said, boastfully spreading his arms to encompass Coruscant's orbit beyond the window.

"I hope he's better than the one before
which brought Tsavong Lah much to deplore."

"I will travel to Mon Cala and deliver an ultimatum to the Galactic Alliance government-in-exile on Shimrra's behalf. They must surrender immediately, otherwise our troops will take Corellia very soon, taking over Centerpoint Station there and tearing up that planet called Zonama Sekot into many small pieces. What do you say to that, Onimi?"

"Nas Choka should shine on Mon Cala,
but your intrigues may ruin that Kunra,
The Shamed Ones' hopes for this planet are inflated
Passing like gas, as soon as this world is annihilated."

"To maintain the stability of our society, hence we have to offer the Shamed Ones something else in place," Nom Anor went ahead with his plan confidently. "From now on we should give the Shamed Ones the same rights as the working class of our people. With that, we will separate the Jedi worshippers among them and then, with the help of those who are willing among them, we can restore discipline and order within the Yuuzhan Vong."

Onimi thought.

"I like your plan for the Shamed Ones, but the new Warmaster Nas Choka will not like using such monstrous technical weapons of the infidels to achieve our goals."

"Nas Choka is only supposed to conquer Corellia, the technical details for Centerpoint will be taken care of by our auxiliary force, the Peace Brigade," assured Nom Anor. "In addition, Viqi" - he looked at his companion – "told me that there are also technicians on site at Centerpoint, we will convince them with suitable means."

"Hmmm," Onimi said.

"Is the Centerpoint Station operational hence?
In a narrow time window full of suspense
If Nas Choka is ordered to let go Mon Cala,
he'll hate me to get nothing for it on Corellia!"

Nom Anor put on a witty expression.

"Nas Choka hates many folks right away.
Go to Mon Cala, I can still today."

Onimi smiled. "Wait, I'll be right back."

"You see, Viqi," Nom Anor said in a deliberately neutral voice after Onimi left the room. "Kunra survived too. I didn't expect anything else from him. Now I just need the rest of my plan to work out."

She squeezed his hand. "And the Overlord must agree."

After a while Onimi came back.

"So off to Mon Cala - get out on your raid.
And your intima stays here – to be on the safe side."

Nom Anor's right cheek muscle twitched nervously and he exchanged looks with Viqi.

"Why, if I may ask?" Nom Anor protested softly. "Haven't I demonstrated my loyalty and devotion to Shimrra enough?"

Onimi smiled slyly. "Yes, but you know: the attacks of the Shamed Ones! Just imagine if that former warrior named Kunra broke into your damutek while you were away and took Viqi hostage."

Nom Anor looked at Viqi and she nodded hesitantly.

"I won't be gone long, darling," Nom Anor promised her, kissing her cheek.

"Enough!" Onimi shrieked, that it rang in both Nom Anor's and Viqi's ears loudly, then he made shoving movements with the staff in his hand. "Off to Mon Cala, Nom Anor!"

Nom Anor left the room. As soon as he was out of sight, Onimi grabbed Viqi by her wrist and dragged her away to another room, where there was a table with two chairs. On the shelves in the room were all kinds of flasks and jars with ingredients and powders that Viqi had never seen before, even in the cave of the Shamed Ones.

"From now on you will replace the one I lost through Nom Anor's carelessness," Onimi said to Viqi.

"What do I have to do there?"

"Our former Warmaster Tsavong Lah once indicated that you are interested in the craft of shaping."

"So you already know about me."

"You might not succeed in the craft of shaping under Tsavong Lah," Onimi said condescendingly, "but with me as your master, perhaps you could. Also, Nom Anor from Zonama Sekot brought me Nen Yim's Qang Qahsa. You will now study it and use her notes to create a perfect Grutchin."

Viqi stared at Onimi with wide eyes. "Nen Yim? Qang Qahsa? Grutchin? I'm hearing all of these terms for the first time ever! And you didn't even introduce yourself by your rank, except I heard your name some minutes ago!"

"I am Onimi, the court jester and principal adviser to our Overlord Shimrra Jamaane. And while Shimrra sleeps, I'm in charge!"

"When will the Overlord wake up again?"

"Believe me, my pretty one, you don't want him to wake up because he's nowhere near as clement and forgiving as I am."

With these words he placed the sack of Qang Qahsa on the table for her and showed Viqi how to open it. "Your knowledge of our language is quite passable, but can you also read our writing?"

"Yes, that's what Nom Anor taught me back then, too," Viqi replied, mouth tight.

"Good... good!" Onimi purred. "Then look up the word Grutchin in the Qang Qahsa and then compose the layout arrangement from the things in this room according to Hon Akua's protocol."

So Viqi delved into the Qang Qahsa and when she was done, she got up to gather the powder and tools to create the Grutchin.

"So now that you're going to move a little more, undress and do it all naked."

"What?" Viqi was outraged. "No! Who was this Nen Yim that she deigned to do such lascivious things? And that in front of a … such a …", she searched for suitable descriptive words, "… in front of one like you!"

Onimi approached and gave her a hard slap that made her fall to the ground. "Will it be soon?!" he urged.

Reluctantly, Viqi did as she was told and found herself wishing for the Overlord Shimrra Jamaane to finally awaken, or rather...

"Oh, if only would open soon this door,
And come back then to me my Nom Anor"

she wished out loud.

"So you're the first one who wishes something like that," Onimi said snidely and started to laugh spitefully while he leaned back in the second chair and watched her in her nakedness making Grutchin.

This chapter contains events from the book series "New Jedi Order", Vol. 8 "Edge Of Victory" by Greg Keyes (2004) and Vol. 19 "The Unifying Force" by James Luceno (2003)