Heureka – Capital of Mon Cala and now of the Galactic Alliance too

"I don't understand that," said Cal Omas, Head of State of the Galactic Alliance, while staring thoughtfully at the sky from his office on the planet Mon Cala. The wreckage of a Galactic Alliance warship had just fallen into the sea within sight on the horizon. The lump created a tidal wave—one of many that had triggered a disaster alert in the Galactic Alliance's new capital after the fall of Coruscant. "The enemy is retreating, even though Nas Choka's troops almost defeated us."

"It could be a ploy by the enemy," Senator Ta'laam Ranth replied. "Perhaps the attack on Mon Cala was just a diversionary tactic." The Gotal tilted its horned head back. "But the enemy may also be retreating to Coruscant out of sheer necessity, for there is unrest among the Shamed Ones that must be put down."

"That would be quite possible," said Cal Omas and scratched himself behind his ear and his blue eyes looked thoughtfully out to sea. "But even that could only be used as an excuse for us to believe that they are now withdrawing, and then they strike again with all their might."

Cal Omas' comlink buzzed. "An envoy from the enemy has arrived," reported the secretary. "It's Nom Anor, and he's delivering an ultimatum."

"While the enemy is retreating?" Cal Omas wondered, looking out at the sky, which was brightening as a result of the withdrawal.

"So the enemy is only retreating tactically to avoid accidentally killing Nom Anor," Ta'laam Ranth said darkly. "Or maybe it's a masterpiece of list."

Ten minutes later, Nom Anor entered the assembly room, where the Alderaan Cal Omas, Ta'laam Ranth, other senators, intelligence chief Dif Scaur, the Jedi Kyp Durron, and Bothan admiral Traest Kre'fey were waiting for the enemy envoy.

"Now, Nom Anor," the human Cal Omas began sternly, "How did you and your superiors envision blackmailing us into surrendering this time?"

"Our troops have managed to locate the living planet Zonama Sekot. We know this planet means a lot to you."

"Zonama Sekot?" echoed Commenor's Senator Fyor Rodan. "I've never heard of this planet."

"Never heard of you either," Nom Anor taunted the senator, even though that wasn't true. "Even though you may actually be of importance. But back to the topic: That's why Nas Choka went to Corellia with his troops to bring the Centerpoint Station into our power. Surrender or Zonama Sekot will be pulverized by Centerpoint Station!"

Fyor Rodan shrugged. "What do I care?"

Cal Omas raised his hands, then he turned to their guest. "Envoy, I and the senators and our counsellors will now retreat for consultation."

Nom Anor remained back alone in the room. A little later, the front door opened and a Betty-series service droid programmed to be female entered to serve him two different soft drinks.

"Very attentive," said Nom Anor, taking both drinks from the tray at once and dumped them over the droid's head.

"Sir?" the machine asked in surprise.

Nom Anor bent down, grabbed one leg of the pink-painted droid, and, swinging back, slammed his victim headfirst into the wall with full force. After the droid's head hitting the floor with an audible clink, he paused to take a deep breath, then he tightened the grip of his yellowish hands around the artificial ankle of his victim again and swung back for another thrust.

"Senator Rodan," the Head of State began, "you don't have to announce your ignorance in front of every envoy that walks along."

"That was just a bluff to put Nom Anor in his place." Rodan pointed to the door, behind which Nom Anor's first beat had just died away. "You hear how he behaves."

Kyp Durron, whom Luke Skywalker had left behind as his representative on Mon Cala, folded his arms across his chest. "Don't believe the former, Senator."

"And I care very much about the fate of Zonama Sekot, since my homeland of Alderaan was also pulverized then," Cal Omas scolded the Commenor Senator.

"Also, I would like to point out that there are many Jedi on Zonama Sekot right now," interjected Kyp Durron.

Fyor Rodan gave the Jedi a snide smile. "Then we must certainly not allow ourselves to be blackmailed."

"How would you react if it were your home planet that was threatened in this way?" countered Kyp.

Fyor Rodan made a dismissive gesture, and another smack of Nom Anor was heard, this time without any further sound from the droid's vocabulator. "Even without a home planet, you can still achieve something, as our boss here," he pointed to Cal Omas, "demonstrates impressively."

Nobody spoke a word for a while; and so it was more than easy to hear how the last of Nom Anor's blows thundered against the wall so hard that the ceiling light in the consulting room, which was only attached to a rope, began to tinkle loudly. Senator Rodan, standing beneath that lamp, hastily stepped aside.

Admiral Traest Kre'fey spoke up, his white fur quivering with anger. "So we agree, then, to flatly reject the enemy's ultimatum?"

Cal Omas nodded dejectedly. "I have already lost my homeland. And I won't be too trusting either, given that the enemy is going to take the Centerpoint Station truly."

He looked at everyone present one by one. "Any more objections?"

The senators were silent, so the Head of State went first and the senators and others in tow back into the reception room.

"I see you had a good time", the Head of State turned to Nom Anor, then looked at the remains of the shattered droid.

"That was really a good idea for bridging time", Nom Anor replied, smiling at the grey-haired human. "The leadership of the Galactic Alliance truly does know how to entertain guests while they wait."

"Then you are probably in a good mood to accept the result of our consultation", Cal Omas replied pointedly, "because we have decided to reject the ultimatum of your superiors right away. That's all we have to say."

Nom Anor looked sullen. "Now I lost my bet against Shimrra. In fact, the Overlord thought you would make the same decision, but I believed in your so-called humanity and in your compassion."

Kyp Durron tilted his head back and his brown eyes sparkled aggressively. "We hope that in the future we won't have to choose a third capital city to hear your ramblings on there a third time, Nom Anor."

Nom Anor proudly raised his mutilated nose. "Don't worry, Jedi Durron. After our final victory, that will no longer be necessary."

His head held high, the envoy left the room and immediately a great palaver began. "We've seen the enemy say they want to attack Corellia before," said Fyor Rodan. "We won't fall for that again."

"So Corellia won't be attacked again because the enemy has another target - again?" Senator Narik of Rodia asked.

[Yes, that's where they'll attack], Wookiee Senator Triebakk announced over his translation droid. [Because they think we'll just think it's just a bluff again].

Intelligence chief Dif Scaur tilted his chin forward. "You think Nom Anor is telling the truth this time?"

Triebakk nodded.

"No, we should send the troops to Coruscant immediately to recapture the capital, because that's exactly where the vectors of the enemy ships that have jumped are pointing," said the Bothan Admiral Traest Kre'fey and his white fur bristled. "Even if Nom Anor speaks the truth, the Yuuzhan Vong only want to deflect the weakness right in their hearts with such an attack."

The vote on where the troops of the Galactic Alliance should ultimately be sent to, was extremely close, but finally it was decided.

"A word," the head of state held Jedi Kyp Durron back after everyone else had left. "You must warn Luke Skywalker and the other Jedi on Zonama Sekot. They are to leave the planet and by all means send someone to Corellia to thwart the enemy's plan if the Yuuzhan Vong do attack Corellia."

"What do you think I've been trying to do?" Kyp retorted grumpily, "but I can't get any contact with the other Jedi, either in the Force or via intercom. It seems like the planet can completely shut itself off from the outside world, even in the Force."

"Then you must fly to Zonama Sekot all the more. I know your X-wing is fast."

"But where is this Zonama Sekot located actually?" the Jedi asked the Chief of State.

Cal Omas frowned. "Tell me, or should I have asked Nom Anor earlier?"

Kyp slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand. "But of course! I'll go look for him right away!"

Cal Omas looked puzzled for a moment, then smiled. "This is Jedi Master Kyp Durron as we know him - always on unconventional secret paths. Then please return quickly and let me know where the planet is so that I can act and provide information just in case." He put his finger to his mouth imploringly when he saw Kyp's suddenly furrowed brow. "As long as I don't endanger the Jedi, of course."

The Jedi ran to the landing zone and there he saw Nom Anor sitting by his X-wing. "You?" He frowned suspiciously. "How did you know I was going here?"

"Surely you must fly to the Jedi on Zonama Sekot to warn them now, right?" Nom Anor said in a hushed voice. "Shimrra is indeed plotting a raid on Corellia, but you never know what else the overlord and his jester may have in store else."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because I want to defect. Of course, I couldn't say that in front of Fyor Rodan and his ilk, but you're a Jedi, and a strong one at that."

"Poppycock! Why?"

"Jacen Solo once told me, before I let him flee from Coruscant from the enemy's clutches, that he..."

"You let Jacen Solo escape?" Kyp sneered. "But Jacen and Vergere told us something else."

Nom Anor smiled, caught. "Of course, I couldn't show that openly at the time when I still had to work behind enemy lines. But back to the topic: Jacen Solo promised to put in a good word for me if I provided any useful information on how to finally defeat the enemy. And here they are: I know Centerpoint isn't operational, so it doesn't pose a threat to Zonama Sekot. Nas Choka's troops don't know this because I lured them onto this trail. This will allow the Galactic Alliance troops to retake Coruscant unmolested."

"The battle station won't be operational?" Kyp echoed. "Where have I heard that before?"

Nom Anor shrugged. "But I also told Tsavong Lah to go to Ebaq 9 to defeat the New Republic government there. And? Didn't that plan work out fine for you with the death of the late Warmaster?" He puffed out his chest proudly. "It was all agreed with Jacen Solo - just ask him and he'll testify."

"And how do you know Centerpoint isn't operational?" Kyp continued to inquire.

"Viqi Shesh was once on an inspection tour on Corellia - and she found this out. She told me herself a week ago."

"She is with you?"

"Our overlord's jester is holding Viqi hostage until I return," Nom Anor whispered. "That's also why I behaved like this in the reception room earlier."

"It's good to know that there really are people you care about, Nom Anor. Then we meet at Zonama Sekot. Give me the coordinates and we'll talk to Jacen Solo there personally," Kyp said in a menacing voice.

Hence Nom Anor gave him what he wanted and went straight to his own ship.

This chapter contains events from the book series "New Jedi Order", Vol. 5 "Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse" by James Luceno (2000), Vol. 9 "Star by Star" by Troy Denning (2001) and Vol. 19 "The Unifying Force" by James Luceno (2003)