The surprising reunion of Nom Anor and Viqi Shesh and the announcement of her pregnancy was a pivotal moment that made this election for head of state as exciting as few elections of its kind in the history of the galaxy. Senator Fyor Rodan received thirty-two percent of the votes, Cal Omas and Nom Anor each received thirty-four percent. So the Commenoran was eliminated and the runoff election between the two final candidates was on.

"Senator Rodan," Coruscant Report's correspondent Valdis Faa began his interview with the first election loser, "now we are entering the final phase of this election, and although you are no longer there, you can still be the key figure, which will determine who will be the next head of state or whether there will be no change."

Fyor Rodan looked like he was about to swallow poison.

"So," the green Twi'lek's voice became deep and dramatic. "Who should your current supporters vote for now?"

"My dear and faithful voters," Rodan began in a strangely hollow voice. "Thank you for your support. "I beg you now…" the venom in his haggard expression seemed to ooze from his eyes, "elect Cal Omas."

Many of Rodan's voters felt so offended by this recommendation that they voted for out of defiance, and with precisely the stubbornness with which Fyor Rodan had tried to prevent just that, for the other candidate.

And so Nom Anor became head of state of the Galactic Alliance.

The next day, Nom Anor was scheduled to give his inaugural speech in the senate as the new head of state. Luke Skywalker had chosen one of the back rows of the Senate hall for himself and his family. His wife Mara Jade sat next to him and had Ben on her lap - the two-year-old boy's blue eyes looked forward at the still empty lectern.

Viqi Shesh came into the Senate Rotunda about five minutes later and that's when she saw her fiancé. Nom Anor just went to sit down at the place reserved for the planet Zonama Sekot. She went to him, sat next to him as a matter of course, and looked at him sideways with decidedly tilted head, alone, the Yuuzhan Vong took no notice of her.

"Hello?"

There was no reaction and Viqi considered whether it made sense to stay there.

"O.k., I think, you're playing some incognito game right now," she finally said. "Let me know when it's over, okay?"

A reporter approached Nom Anor. "Nom Anor, you have chosen an unusual position for your inaugural speech. "Is the planet's Yuuzhan Vong Senator indisposed that you are now replacing him as a service to your people?"

Nom Anor smiled coldly. "No comment."

Viqi smiled with so much superior knowledge on her face that everyone thought she was in on it. That's exactly what she would say now to push through a certain agenda. It would be even nicer if the press guy got more than me.

There was a loud whisper in the already well-filled hall and Viqi turned in that direction. Nom Anor entered the arena and walked to the lectern in the middle of the hall, dressed in a brown suit, while the Nom Anor next to Viqi wore dark blue. This is the second time he's sent someone where I'm supposed to think it's him. She was about to stand up when the master of ceremonies, Mif Kumas, rang a bell, so she stayed where she was and that Nom Anor at the front of the lectern began to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this election has now come to an end and I have won it. I hereby vow to serve all peoples and worlds in the Galactic Alliance as well as I have done as Consul, and even before, as some of you know."

Behind her, Viqi could hear some laughter because of the ironic double meaning of those words. Yes, that was Nom Anor's voice, but the man next to her had sounded exactly the same.

"And in this context, on behalf of all senators, I would also like to welcome a new member to our group, the newly appointed Senator from Zonama Sekot." His good eye darted at his lookalike. "If you would please introduce yourself."

The Nom Anor in blue stood up from his seat. "Unfortunately, Senator Vua Lian has fallen ill for a short time and that is why I am now taking his place - I, the spirit Sekot from the planet Zonama Sekot."

"If all worlds were personally represented here like Zonama Sekot, it would certainly be much more peaceful in this hall, don't you think?" Senator Krall Praget shouted in amusement.

"I am undoubtedly honored that you have taken my form for this day, Sekot," Nom Anor began. "And it's a good thing that not everyone present here has this gift, because I couldn't stand too many of my kind in one place."

Anew there was laughter, lauder this time and not just in the back rows as usual in this house.

"Nevertheless, I would like to ask you to take on a different form," the new head of state continued, "in order to exclude confusion in the future, as has already happened before – at least for this day."

"As you wish, Head of State Nom Anor."

Sekot blurred for a moment and only a short time later, sitting next to Viqi Shesh was a light blue-skinned woman with green eyes and a mane of tentacles on her head, which was so typical of the Yuuzhan Vong shaper caste - and Viqi knew her, at least by sight - from one Holovid that those Corellian had shown her five months ago.

"It's nice that you, as a planetary spirit, at least represent both genders equally here," the former senator said to Sekot with a pinched expression.

Nen Yim's image smiled. "That's exactly how it was intended."

Viqi turned away from the false Nen Yim and looked forward at Nom Anor, whose expression suddenly looked very strained. She could almost hear his brain cells rattling, wondering if Sekot's spirit was trying to communicate something specific to her fiancé with this transformation.

The rest of the session went as planned, and Viqi was relieved to finally be able to leave the seating area of the planet Zonama Sekot.

"You wouldn't have thought that, would you?" Mara Jade stopped her and pointed to the figure of Nen Yim.

Viqi wore a superior expression. "It wouldn't be the first time he tricked me like that, but it's unusual the other way around."

"Wouldn't it have been easier for everyone if, instead of you trying to kidnap him," Mara pointed to Ben Skywalker, "while your partner was trying to turn Jacen Solo, you and Nom Anor had gotten together right away and would have had a child of your own instead of plunging the entire galaxy into disaster first?"

Viqi sighed. "We would both love that, only the Warmaster at the time came between us and forbade any contact after we got to know each other."

"That was indeed the case," agreed Nom Anor, who had approached the group. "He banished me down to Coruscant specifically to convert Jacen Solo, so that he could deal with Viqi Shesh on his flagship alone."

"So how did you find each other again?" Luke Skywalker wanted to know.

"Forgive me, but you can read all of this in our shared book, which will be published after the birth of our child," Viqi announced.

Mara smiled subtly. "The book was your idea, wasn't it, ex-senator?"

Viqi looked down at Ben briefly. "I hope I didn't traumatize him too much back then." She turned her gaze to Mara again. "But it's true: once a businesswoman, always a businesswoman."

༺═────────────═༻

Shortly before the birth of Viqi Shesh's and Nom Anor's child, the head of the Galactic Alliance and his fiancée sat in Nom Anor's favorite restaurant called Yuza Bre, waiting for their food while looking at the holoscreen on the wall to pass the time. A report from Zonama Sekot was currently running. The couple was only moderately interested in Fasald Ghem's interview with High Prefect Drathul, but then the picture changed and the reporter addressed a certain shaper. Just then the food arrived.

"How do you feel now that Nom Anor, with whom you traveled to Zonama Sekot, is now the head of state of the Galactic Alliance?"

"The trip to Zonama Sekot was a turning point in the war my people started four years ago," Nen Yim began to answer, "and I am proud to have been a part of it all then."

"Do you know Nom Anor's fiancée?" Fasald Ghem said on another topic. "After all, Viqi Shesh was also with the Shamed Ones back then, until Nom Anor flew with you to Zonama Sekot."

Nen Yim's green eyes shot open. And half the galaxy watched as the young woman struggled for composure. Viqi noticed this and left the fork with the steaming mollusk that she was about to bring to her mouth hanging in suspension between the plate and her mouth.

"It was the Jedi who took me on this journey," Nen Yim protested defiantly. "And they took Nom Anor with them too, but we have seen each other before just once – and that by chance and very shortly only. But when Nom Anor brought me back my Qang Qahsa five months ago, he left me even more than he knew at the time." She stroked her stomach. "Let's see which of us will be the first mother."

Viqi placed the fork back on the plate with the morsel still untouched. "Well, at least I've already been prepared for something like that," she said sarcastically.

Nom Anor thought it best not to eat any of the delicious food for the moment. "It was just this one time – out of disappointment with your behavior after our victory."

Her voice became stoic. "I know. You don't really think that I was tailing you back then just because of the old key card."

"From where?"

"You may know Thrackan Sal-Solo."

Nom Anor nodded slowly and Viqi told him the story of being shadowed by the Bothans on the Corellian's behalf.

"If I run into him again, he's going to be in need of a beating," Nom Anor assured her.

Viqi giggled. "It wouldn't be the first time."

Nom Anor nodded. "I know. I was present then."

Before she could answer, he spontaneously took both of her hands. "Now we just wait until the child is here."

She was silent for a while before answering. "You should pray that no more of your children come to light while we were together. Otherwise, you can have Leia's bikini forever – without me."

He shortly touched his protruding chin. "As far as I know, there are no more children - and, by the way, there was no opportunity for them."

She raised the corner of her mouth mockingly. "But if there had been the opportunity, then…"

"Not while we were together."

She raised the fork again with the now no longer steaming mollusc on it. "Then we should eat now, before our relationship gets as cold as the food."

Nom Anor and Viqi Shesh subsequently campaigned for the former commander Avke Saz'ula to be pardoned and released from the maximum security prison Maxsec Eight after just ten months instead of the ten years imposed, after he publicly apologized to Nom Anor for the attack on the ship over Zonama Sekot. It was also decided to restore his military honors and ranks and the young Bothan was reintegrated into the Fifth Fleet of the Galactic Alliance.

The Bothan Ar'kai commandment against the Yuuzhan Vong was not repealed, but the government of the Galactic Alliance and the All-Botanic Council decided to at least let the total annihilation commandment rest - until a joint commission from both bodies engaged in negotiations and investigations had finally settled this.

Three months after Nom Anor was elected as the new head of state, Viqi and Nom's child was born - a son whom the proud parents named Tegnest.

༺═────────────═༻

One year later

The Galactic Alliance ship landed next to the organic ship Nom Anor had flown twice before. He had flown to Zonama Sekot with Viqi and little Tegnest for five days to see how the transplanting of his people back to the living planet had worked out. After discussions with High Prefect Drathul, the former Warmaster Nas Choka, who now called himself Guardian of Peace and Unity, the priests Jakan and Harrar, and with his old friend Kunra, whom the formerly Shamed Ones had chosen as their advocate, Nom Anor headed for the final crowning of their journey. The governmental spaceship flew to another corner of the planet, where the small family was already expected. Nen Yim had cooked a delicious kaddoffi stew for the occasion.

"My little one also likes to eat it," said the shaper at the table as Viqi sat down on her chair with the little sleeping Tegnest on her lap.

A baby babble was heard and Nen Yim went to a corner of the small room and picked up the small bundle to show Nom Anor and his wife. Green eyes looked at the visitors. The little one was very calm.

"Tegnest also has green eyes, but from his mother," murmured Nom Anor. "So this is my daughter…" he scratched his shaved bald head, "let me guess the name…her name is…Mezhan?"

Nen Yim lowered her eyes in artificial affectation. "How did you guess that again?"

They ate together and then the extended family went for a short walk.

The small entourage arrived at the brook where Nom Anor had once stolen Nen Yim's Qang Qahsa.

"Yes, that was quite an adventurous story," concluded Nen Yim when she told Viqi Shesh about it.

When they all sat down on the wide moss bed, Tegnest finally opened his green eyes after his long sleep.

"It's a different green than Mezhan's," Nen Yim noted. "A little warmer in color."

Viqi's gaze shifted from her boy to the shaper's girl. "Yeah, in a way that makes us sisters, don't you think?"

"You would have to be a shaper like me," said Nen Yim, slightly snarky.

"At least Onimi taught me how to make Grutchins."

Nen Yim swallowed. "You were with Onimi – as an adept?!"

Viqi shrugged. "The jester said I had to replace you."

"Replace me!" snapped Nen Yim, gesturing animatedly in front of Viqi's face with her eight-fingered master hand.

"He gave me your Qang Qahsa in return. What should I have done?"

Nen Yim's eyes flicked accusingly from Viqi to Nom Anor, then back to Viqi. "If Onimi really meant that someone like you, who doesn't even have a proper adept hand, could replace me and also give you my Qang Qahsa, then I feel more than humiliated by it!"

"Please don't argue, ladies," Nom Anor intervened.

"To quarrel about Onimi is in vain,
it only will bring you sorrow and pain."

"Will you please stop forever the rhyme
Or I will sell you for a shabby dime!" threatened Viqi Shesh.

"I truly hope with rhyming never will start
my dear sweet little Mezhan, if she's smart",

Nen Yim added, and everyone, including the two infants, laughed heartily.

༺═────────────═༻

Epilogue

Four years later on Coruscant

Mara Jade got awake in the middle of the night, when seven years old Ben came out of his bed into hers, snuggling anxiously into her warm arms.

"What's up, Ben?"

"You feel it, Mom, the cold outside?"

Astounded Mara looked at the veiled window. "But we have summer, Ben."

"It's not the weather. It is something else."

Mara glanced clueless into her son's blue eyes. The silent alarm there caused her to reach out into the force.

She nodded severely. "I can feel it too. It is like a dark shadow lurking somewhere in the city."

She shook Luke's shoulders. "Farmboy, wake up. I sense a strange presence, a presence, that …"

Luke rubbed his eyes, than glared on his wife and son. "A presence, you say?"

The Jedi Master seemed to ponder, to search in his mind and thoughts about, what was up in the air. "I feel it, but it is not exactly dangerous."

Mara tightened her lips. "Not yet."

༺═────────────═༻

Elsewhere on the capital planet at the same time

Onimi sat cross-legged on the floor of his prison cell in the maximum security prison. He had been told that he was lucky enough to be sitting in the very same cell in which Ziro the Hutt was once imprisoned many years ago after he initiated a hostage taking in the Senate of what was then the Old Republic.

One night the cell door was opened and a person was pushed into the cell. The door quickly closed behind the new occupant, who looked at Onimi as if he were an old acquaintance.

"You're that crazy Yuuzhan Vong, right?"

"He dares calling me crazy,
maybe his mind is hazy!"

"Whoever kissed Senator Viqi Shesh in front of the holo-cams can only be crazy."

"Such a luck you will probably never have," Onimi said. "But let's talk about you. What are you doing here! I was told I was entitled to a solitary cell!"

"Don't worry, I won't be staying long."

Onimi lifted an eyelid so that the eye stared at the visitor. "What does 'not long' mean to you?"

"I'll be gone again in the morning."

Onimi curled his crooked upper lip. "I want to see that. And anyway: what's the rush? It's a shame it's so dark here because I'd like to see who I'm dealing with."

"No problem."

The stranger pulled a glow stick out of his pocket and lit it. Onimi looked at the man as that looked at him. The new inmate was medium height, slim and had blonde hair and dark brown eyes. The Yuuzhan Vong immediately noticed the insect limb that the stranger wore instead of his right arm.

"How did this happen?" Onimi asked, pointing straight at the organic limb with his light blue index finger.

"You of all people have to ask that! Who started this war?" His eyes sparkled with anger. "After your troops destroyed our ship, the Killiks patched me up again."

This was a topic that Onimi was very interested in. "Are these Killiks some kind of healers?"

"They are a species of insect that was once native to the planet Alderaan."

Onimi took a step closer to him. "And where do these insects live now?"

The stranger reached down with his hands and pushed his chest forward. "All in good time, Onimi."

"Your arm – do the Killiks live in a bio-organic way like we Yuuzhan Vong do?"

"As far as medicine goes, yes. But don't make you think we detest technology."

"We? Are you one of them?"

Lines of mockery formed around the blonde's mouth. "Ah, we're getting closer."

"You do carry things with you that normal inmates here don't have, like a glow stick," Onimi said suspiciously. "Your clothing is civilian instead of that prison uniform. So, why are you here?"

The human's brown eyes looked past Onimi through the small, barred window. Then swiftly he turned back, glaring at the former court jester again. "I'm a tar ball and I caused an accident."

"What is a tar ball?" Onimi wanted to know.

"There are Killik nests that give out membrosia, do you know of that?"

"Membrosia," Onimi murmured the foreign word. "Is this some kind of forbidden toxin that causes stupor?"

The human nodded. "The regular membrosia is orange and tastes like honey, but the tar is the black version and it makes you extremely high and daring."

"That may be true, but an accident like that doesn't immediately land you in a maximum security prison, does it?"

"If the Commander-in-Chief of the Galactic Alliance Armed Forces and other high-ranking military officials are killed, then it is considered a political attack – that's why I'm here."

"So you deliberately chose this accident target?"

The human looked to the left and then to the right. "Even if it were, I certainly wouldn't tell you."

Onimi sniffed. "And that's why you're only going to be stuck here for one night."

"I am the Night Herald. Of course I come at night and only stay for that long."

"And only you decide that?" Onimi demanded to know.

The human chuckled. "You may ask questions."

Onimi penetrated the human's mind.

"Get out of my head! Otherwise …"

Onimi came closer. "Otherwise?"

The human began to tremble. "They will know everything you do here, Oni...Onimi."

Onimi looked up at the walls and from there to the ceiling. "But I don't see any cams here."

"I mean the Killiks," the stranger specified. "They see you through me. And people like you are highly pursued there."

Onimi grabbed him by the collar. "Where there?"

"In the Thuruht Nest," the prisoner croaked. "The Killiks there saw what you were able to do at Centerpoint. And it can be done again."

"I can do it again?" Onimi repeated the sentence as a question.

The human giggled anew. "Certainly. But I actually meant the Killiks."

"What can the Killiks do again?"

"Build a new Centerpoint," the inmate whispered.

"A Death Star went to shambles
The second one also scrambled
Centerpoint did invert itself
Into what do you think – the next one will delve?"

The fellow inmate grinned. "Well, you can still have a lot of fun in the meantime, don't you think? And the Kind will be happy about it."

Onimi let go of his collar. "Could it be that those Killiks sent you straight to me?"

"Hmmm, it could be."

Onimi felt as if an invisible door opened and a strange, diffuse light shone through behind it. A feverish gleam came into his yellow, red-rimmed eyes.

"Not the door, that would be too conspicuous," the stranger read his thoughts aloud.

"I am a former Overlord! Get me outta here!"

The next morning, the guards who wanted to take the prisoners out of their cells for lunch, found Onimi's and the human's cell empty. A hole had melted into the bars of the window opening, as if someone had simply etched away the metal with a strong acid. A search operation for the two escaped prisoners was also unsuccessful. But that is another story, the telling of which is still up in the stars.

- END -

This chapter contains events from the TV-series "The Clone Wars", s. 3 Ep. 7/8 (2010), and from the book series "New Jedi Order" Vol. 8 "Edge of Victory: Rebirth" by Greg Keyes (2001), Vol. 19. "The Unifying Force" by James Luceno (2003) as well as some foreshadowing on the upcoming EU book series "The Dark Nest" by Troy Denning (2006), and "Legacy of the Force" by Aaron Allston, Troy Denning and Karen Traviss (2006-2008)

The name Tegnest occurs in vol. 1 "Vector Prime", by R.A. Salvatore (1999)