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| “ | We are the Yuuzhan Vong. We have been entrusted with the true way, the true knowledge of the gods. Our duty is to bring every infidel in this galaxy to heel and either send them screaming to the gods or bring them to the true path. There is no middle ground, there is no faltering. And there can be no failure. | „ |
| ~ Nas Choka |
Nas Choka is a supporting antagonist in the Star Wars: New Jedi Order series. In the last five novels in the series, Choka serves as the warmaster of the Yuuzhan Vong, following the death of longstanding main antagonist Tsavong Lah.
Biography[]
Rogue Planet[]
Nas Choka does not actually appear in this prequel, but it was later revealed that he already held the rank of commander by this point, set three years after Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Shortly before this novel, a Yuuzhan Vong fleet encountered the living world of Zonama Sekot. Upon hearing about the planet, Supreme Overlord Quoreal saw this as a bad omen. When he attempted to back out of the invasion, Choka supported Domain Jamaane's coup against the Supreme Overlord, believing the domain's figurehead Shimrra Jamaane had realized that the Yuuzhan Vong needed this war before they declined. Little did he know that his new Supreme Overlord was merely under the influence of the power-hungry shaper Onimi, the true power behind the throne.
Prior to the invasion, Choka supported Shimrra Jamaane in ousting his predecessor.
The New Jedi Order series[]
The Agents of Chaos duology[]
Nas Choka first appears in the closing chapters of the fourth installment of the series, Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial, as a high-ranking Yuuzhan Vong commander who answers directly to Warmaster Tsavong Lah. After priests Harrar and Elan's failure to poison the Jedi, Choka contacted the former and the other architects (among them Nom Anor) to pass judgment. This failure, coupled with the errors of the Praetorite Vong, earned Nom Anor Choka's eternal hatred. Unfortunately, due to the fact Anor was an intendant rather than a warrior, Choka could not punish him directly.
In the following novel, Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse, Choka makes his first appearance as a major antagonist. In the novel, Choka is revealed to be the Supreme Commander of the Yuuzhan Vong, the immediate subordinate of the Warmaster. While Anor and Commander Malik Carr try to make an alliance with the Hutts, Choka arrives into the known galaxy as the highest ranking Yuuzhan Vong warrior. While he approved Anor's plan to leak false information to the Hutts and the NRI, Choka had his doubts about the plans effectiveness. Given Anor's most recent schemes ended in failure, Choka was wise to have his doubts. On the other hand, the Hutts agreed to help provide more worlds for the Yuuzhan Vong cause. Once Choka had arrived, he assumed command of Carr's forces, as they plotted their next move. As he was debriefed on the invasion by Nom Anor, Choka disagreed with the Executer about the threat Luke Skywalker's Jedi Order represented, believing the True Way to be far superior than the notion of the Force.
Due to his many failures, Nom Anor earned himself Choka's lasting enmity.
Later in the novel, Choka was in command at the Battle of Fondor, where the Yuuzhan Vong were confronted by an alliance of New Republic and Hapan forces. However, Thrackan Sal-Solo's taking control of Centerpoint Station quickly turned the Fondorian theater into a disaster when he annihilated most of the Hapan fleet and only a fraction of the Yuuzhan Vong. Around this same time, Jedi Knight Wurth Skidder sacrificed his life to destroy the yammosk. Disgusted, Choka ordered the retreat. Following this, Choka vanished from the forefront of the series, until the death of Tsavong Lah three years later.
The Force Heretic trilogy[]
Choka does not make another appearance until the seventeenth installment in the series, Force Heretic III: Reunion, which introduces the return of Zonama Sekot. In previous novels, he had been mentioned to have succeeded Tsavong Lah as Warmaster of the Yuuzhan Vong. As depicted in the series, Choka was far more favorable leader than his predecessor; Tsavong Lah had grown obsessed with the Jedi, ever since his duel with Jacen Solo on Duro in Balance Point. Later, after Anakin Solo and Tahiri Veila inspired the rise of a Jeedai heresy movement, Lah grew equally obsessed with wiping out the heretics. While Choka still targeted the heretics, he focused more on the Galactic Alliance (the government which formed after the fall of the New Republic in Star by Star) than on the Jedi, who the warmaster dismissed as a real threat.
However, during the Force Heretic trilogy, more threats to the Yuuzhan Vong were introduced besides the Galactic Alliance and the Jedi—Grand Admiral Gilad Pellaeon's Imperial Remnant, the Chiss Ascendancy, the Corporate Sector, and the Hapes Consortium. With this thought in mind, Choka spread forces to neutralize the Imperials, the Chiss, and the Hapans. With the timely arrival of Skywalker, his wife Mara Jade, and their nephew Jacen, the Imperials and the Chiss were spared. Subsequently, the two governments allied with the GA against the Yuuzhan Vong. Other than the eradication of the xenophobic Yevethan race and the alliance with the Ssi-Ruuk, the Yuuzhan Vong hadn't made any serious progress since the fall of Coruscant; Choka sought to change that, as he prepared his forces for an assault on Mon Calamari, the interim capital of the Galactic Alliance.
The Final Prophecy[]
Choka next appeared in the penultimate novel of the series, The Final Prophecy. Whereas many Yuuzhan Vong, such as Nen Yim and Harrar, began to question the Supreme Overlord's sanity, Choka remained by Shimrra's side. After a strange piece of Sekotan biotechnology was discovered by Yuuzhan Vong Commander Ekh'm Val, Choka blindly followed Shimrra and had it destroyed, whole Val was put to death, unbeknownst to Choka. During this same time, Choka's nemesis Nom Anor somehow worked his way back into Shimrra's favor and got himself escalated to the rank of Prefect.
The Unifying Force[]
Choka in his first true major appearance since the Agents of Chaos duology in the final book in the series, The Unifying Force, where he actually receives a viewpoint. During the final novel, the Galactic Alliance (led by Chief of State Cal Omas and Supreme Commander Sien Sovv) has at last recuperated from their defeat at Coruscant and now prepared to launch an assault on the Yuuzhan Vong capital Yuuzhan'tar (formerly Coruscant). Meanwhile, at the same time, Galactic Alliance Intelligence agents develop a bioweapon known as Alpha Red to destroy the Yuuzhan Vong race. Though the Jedi Knight Vergere risked her life to destroy it, it somehow returns in this book, where it is let loose on a recently Yuuzhan Vong captured world Caluula. In resulting disaster, Choka's former friend Malik Carr is killed. Unfortunately, an Alpha Red-infested ship escapes, which could endanger not only the Yuuzhan Vong, but the galaxy at large.
Zonama Sekot offers the Yuuzhan Vong hope at last.
Later in the novel, Choka leads the Yuuzhan Vong in defense of Yuuzhan'tar, while the mysterious return of Zonama Sekot, coupled with the revolt of the Shamed Ones, throws his people into chaos, completely destroying the Rainbow Bridge, which had been created during Coruscant's terraforming in Traitor and Destiny's Way. Although Choka was active when the Yuuzhan Vong initially encountered Zonama Sekot nearly 60 years ago, he had always dismissed it as a myth or a legend. Now, however, with the sudden return of Zonama Sekot, the pragmatic Warmaster was forced to accept the living world's legitimacy. Though he did not see it as an omen like so much of his people did, he did start to fear Sekot's military capabilities. After the Supreme Overlord planned to use the Alpha Red against its creators, Shimrra commanded Choka to ensure the infected ship landed on the living world, hoping to poison the planet before it brought about the fall of the Empire. His efforts were foiled by the Smugglers' Alliance, among them Talon Karrde, Lando Calrissian, and Booster Terrik.
Following the deaths of Shimrra and Onimi at the climax of the novel, Choka became his people's final Supreme Overlord. Knowing he could not possibly achieve victory without Shimrra or Onimi, Choka surrendered to the Galactic Alliance. In the closing chapters of the novel, Choka (with the help of Harrar) made a deal with the GA. In return for helping the Alliance reclaim the galactic capital and adopting a pacifist lifestyle, the Yuuzhan Vong were allowed to live in peaceful exile on Zonama Sekot. Though Choka had his initial reservations, Harrar convinced him that this was the right path for the Yuuzhan Vong race. As such, with the help of Harrar, Choka and the rest of his people returned to their original path.
