Chapter 28: Justice

"Please! I…I didn't do anything!"

Avaryss frowned as she regarded the young man strapped to the interrogation table. She knew how cold an uncomfortable such tables, were, she remembered well waking up on one herself less than a year ago.

It seemed so distant now, that time, that girl, like it had happened to someone else, to a stranger living a different life.

Perhaps that was better, perhaps that was the way she should look at it now.

She smiled and looked down at her pad, reading the report that Inquisitor Zyn had received.

Acolyte…Parck…is that right? Is that how I pronounce your name? I wish to be thorough here?"

The man swallowed hard, afraid he was, but he still nodded.

She returned the nod, if in thanks if nothing else.

Best they got started with right answers from the beginning.

She glanced over at the Inquisitor; the portly Sith in the cobalt blue armor was at the monitoring stations, keeping an eye on the Parck's life signs, just in case.

He did not need to, she thought.

She knew what was expected of her, she knew when to stop.

"I want you to explain to me, in your own words, what happened, Parck. Tell me about the vials we discovered in your room."

The man blinked and looked away, even if the Force was not with her, she would know the Acolyte was about to lie to her.

"I…I don't know what you are talking about? What vials?"

She paused, her smile fell away.

"Are you going to tell me that you know nothing? That you willingly took such substances into your chamber without knowing what it was?"

"I said I don't know what you are talking about. Please, let me go! I did not do anything!"

She sighed…

…So much for keeping things cordial.

"Liar," she murmured raising her hand.

Force lightning exploded from her fingertips, striking the metal table, and flowing into the Acolyte's body...

The prisoner cried out in pain!

"Stop," he gasped as she relented, "Please…please…Don't do that again!"

"What? This?" she blasted him again, his cries echoing off the chamber, no doubt being heard all the way down the hall through the open door.

She stopped, watching him gasping for breath, whimpering from the pain.

She gave him a gentle smile.

"Why should I stop? We are just starting to have fun!"

"Acolyte," the word came from the Inquisitor, his expression was nervous. He clearly saw something he did not like with the young man's life signs.

He need not have worried. She knew when to stop.

This trial was as much about her as it was about the man strapped to the table.

"Let us start again," she said pacing before the prisoner. "Two nights ago, one of the dark lord's apprentices was admitted to the medical wing, complaining of chest and stomach pains, he died a few hours later. Examination by the medical droids determined that the apprentice had ingested a fatal dose of a very rare toxin. As a result, Overseer Tremel ordered that a thorough search be carried out, to not only find the culprit but to make sure that no more unauthorized deaths occurred within the Academy."

She leaned in close; she wanted the young man to be absolutely sure how serious she was taking this matter.

"We found vials of the toxin in your room. The door was locked and the holo-cams recorded no one but you going in or out. Given that evidence, I think it is safe to say Acolyte Parck…things are not looking very good for you right now."

"I...I didn't," he wheezed, "I…I did not poison anyone."

"The evidence would suggest otherwise," she said matter of factly, "What happened, did the apprentice say something to you in the hall way, or was this some kind of rivalry, were you trying to impress some lord, or simply eliminate that young man in a bid to become his lord's new apprentice."

She shook her head.

"You are aware that it doesn't work like that."

"Didn't…didn't know what was in the vials. I was asked…asked to hold onto them."

She leaned in closer.

"By who?"

"Can't…can't say…he…he will kill me."

Avaryss snorted and stepped away.

"What do you think the boy's master will do when he finds out, provided you manage to leave this room alive."

She shook her head.

"I would not wish to be in your shoes, Parck. The dead apprentice knew powerful people."

She looked down at the pad, again, going through Acolyte Parck's history.

She was not impressed.

He came from a reasonably well-off family on Dromund Kaas. Their wealth and prestige was just enough to get their son admitted to Korriban without having to pass through one of the lower level Academies. She read the instructors reports on him; he was nothing special; he had just enough talent with the Force to remain in the running to be Sith. Nothing had happened because of his family name. According to this, he had not even had his off world trials yet, and he had been here almost a year and a half. Such lack of progress should have been addressed, but given whom he was, and who his family was, he had been spared…

…At least until now.

Her eyes narrowed.

When she thought of her time on Fury 9 and then on Butcher's Clearing, she had no sympathy for this Acolyte, he should have been weeded out months ago.

I've had to fight and scrounge for everything I've gained, and this one slips by because of who his parents were. It was a grave injustice, it was unfair, but as she had learned early on.

Little among the Sith was about being fair.

Order needed to be maintained however, which meant that someone had to get the blame when things went wrong.

Today, someone had decided that it would be Acolyte Parck.

She found herself thinking back to Oridanna. Andur Lylos had believed that justice could only be found by weighing all the evidence carefully. He had never been a man who believed in snap decisions and quick judgment. Those who he had served and protected had come to trust his decisions; he was never rash or overtly unfair.

In the Empire, as a whole, Avaryss had come to realize, that was not always the case. The power games of the Sith often colored the judgment that its people received. They did not know enough about their masters to avoid being caught up in such judgments, and often paid the price. Andur Lylos would never have agreed. He would have argued for a greater defense of justice. He would have argued that the masters needed to do better, to be better, or he would have if he had had the courage to complain.

She smiled, the naivety of her father, surprised her now.

His daughter had come to know better.

"Whoever you are protecting is unworthy of it," she informed the prisoner, "You think that one of them is going to step up and take the blame?"

"Shouldn't be here," he whimpered, "No one saw me do anything. Academy rules…rules state that if there is no witness there is no murder."

She gave him a shark-like grin.

"Evidence can be its own witness. Besides, you were foolish not to dispose of those vials. Had you not kept them in your room to be discovered you would not be here. You should have had the cunning to protect yourself, stupidity is not rewarded."

She crossed her arms over her chest.

"I will ask again, for the last time. Who gave you those vials to hide?"

The man remained silent; he had tears in his eyes, but refused to answer.

Avaryss looked back at Zyn; the Inquisitor was shaking his head, clearly not pleased, both with the boy's resistance, and Avaryss' inability to get answers.

She glared at the prisoner; he was making her look bad.

She could not allow that to continue. So…she did not.

She placed a hand on his chest, her touch was light; he glanced up unsure what she was doing.

She murmured a spell under her breath, a familiar one, one she had used many times before.

The young man gasped, his entire body convulsed.

"Acolyte," Zyn gasped.

"It is fine, Inquisitor," she soothed.

"Just let me work."

The man fought against his bonds, he looked down to see the orange light blazing in the palm of his interrogator's hand.

His eyes were wide with horror.

She smiled and stepped away, the glow ceased.

He sank back onto the table, having trouble breathing.

"What…what did you do to me!?"

She chuckled.

"I took off a few days of your life," she said checking her nails for dirt. It was a lie of course, she was not that skilled with life drain to no how much life she took, but he did not need to know that.

She grinned.

"Shall we go for a month? How about a year, we will see how well you feel then?"

His eyes bulged as he struggled against his bonds.

Avaryss moved forward, a predator on the hunt.

"Shall we continue?"

"STOP!" he cried out, "NO MORE! I…I will tell you everything!"

She grinned triumphantly.

"The name," she said, "NOW!"

"Telbris," he said shaking, "Acolyte Telbris, he…he was angry that the Dark Lord didn't choose him. He wanted revenge."

The young man sobbed.

"I didn't know what was in the vials, I swear on the name of the Emperor I didn't know."

Avaryss smiled and stepped up to him.

"It is okay," she murmured, "You did the right thing.

She bowed gratefully.

"We will take it from here."

The man sank back against the table whimpering about being killed.

Avaryss dusted herself off and turned back to Zyn.

The Inquisitor was typing something on the panel; she went over to see what he was doing.

"I take it you heard?" she said.

"I did indeed," the Inquisitor said shaking his head, "I must say this is certainly quite awkward, quite awkward indeed."

Her brow furrowed.

"What makes you say that?

He chuckled.

"Acolyte Telbris is no longer here. The late apprentice's lord just confirmed him as his new apprentice yesterday."

Zyn shook his head.

"As I said, most awkward.

Avaryss frowned.

"So what are you going to do? Are we going to contact the dark lord, let him know that his new apprentice murdered his old one?"

"What would be the point?" Zyn shrugged.

Avaryss looked aghast.

"Um…justice, such a murder cannot be tolerated, Overseer Tremel will not be pleased, or be willing to accept, without someone to punish."

"Ah, but we have someone to punish," the Inquisitor said pointing to the sobbing acolyte.

Avaryss paled.

"But he didn't do it," she said.

"He hid the vials," Zyn reminded her.

"That is not murder."

"True" he nodded, "but as you told young Parck, stupidity cannot be tolerated, he should never have agreed to hide those vials for Telbris."

The older Sith shook his head.

"Telbris covered his tracks, and was smart enough to leave us a scapegoat, a master stroke if I've ever heard one. His new master would be proud."

"What about the dead boy's family, they may not be happy if we do not see justice done?"

They will have word of Parck's execution, which should be enough to satisfy them."

Avaryss shuddered.

She understood the Sith teachings, but still…still…

…This young man had done nothing!

He was a fool, but did he deserve to die for that?

If Zyn sensed that she was uncomfortable with this, he did not show it. He smiled at her, pleased with her performance.

"I must say, child, your command of Sith death magic is inspiring, so few of the new guard practice the old art. It is good to know that at least some of our young people are keeping the old ways alive."

Avaryss winced.

"Thank you, Inquisitor."

She frowned as she looked at the young man on the table. She licked her lips as her stomach twisted.

Leave it alone, the dark voice within said.

What happens next does not concern you.

Still she was angry, if this had all be decided in advance, what was the point of the interrogation?

Why did they simply not take Parck outside and execute him?

"Will he suffer?" she asked.

"I see no reason for that," Zyn shrugged, "A simple injection will suffice.

He gave her a cool look.

"Why? Do you think he should suffer?!"

She glared, only just holding her anger in check.

"I object to having my time wasted," she spat, "If this man was to die anyway, why bother with the interrogation?"

The inquisitor gave her a pleasant smile.

"Because you needed to be tested, do not think for a moment that you will not be rewarded for coming to the truth so quickly."

But the real murderer escaped," she reminded him.

"Did he, well, keep in mind Acolyte that he now travels with a man who had put both time and effort into the training of his victim. Things have a way of coming out eventually, and when they finally do, Telbris may come to regret his actions these last few days, provided he lives long enough to regret them."

Avaryss considered that.

It would be a justice of sorts she supposed.

Still it did not take away that she felt…confused by this outcome.

She frowned.

Confusion seemed to be the one constant for her since coming to Korriban. She had expected to arrive a hero, but things were moving down a different path, and far more treacherous than she could have imagined.

Stop it, the dark voice within said, do not seek to undermine what you accomplished this day. Tremel will be pleased, a murderer will be punished, and you get to rebuild some of your damaged reputation. Harkun damaged you with his little game when you arrived.

Now, at least, you are taking steps forward again.

That is what matters. It is all that matters.

She smiled and bowed.

"Thank you for this opportunity, Inquisitor," she said humbly, "It has been a pleasure to work with you."

"Your welcome, Acolyte," he replied, happily, "It has been a pleasure watching you work, I'm sure I will hear more about you in the future."

She smiled basking in her compliment.

"May the Force serve you well," she said.

"And to you as well, young one."

Avaryss turned and left the Interrogation room, she did not waste another moment looking on the whimpering Parck.

He is done, dead, forget about him. You have your own future to worry about. You…

She heard a loud gasp; a brief tremor in the Force stopped her cold.

She shuddered.

When she drained life energy from someone, it left an echo, a connection of sorts for a short time.

She had felt that connection severed. Zyn had carried out his duty.

She glanced back; a shiver ran down her spine.

Justice, she thought morosely, Sith justice.

It was not perfect, but then again, only the Emperor was.

She sighed and took a deep breath.

She needed to report to Tremel before evening meal, not that she was feeling very hungry at that moment.

Why is this effecting me so, the boy was nothing to me, he was not an ally, or a friend, he was nothing. He was of no consequence what so ever to my continued training.

She steeled her nerve and straightened her back.

Guilt was wasted on such filth. She would not let his end ruin her accomplishment. She was slowly making her way up the hierarchy of the academy. Her success was a good thing.

She would seek out Nass and Taya; continue planning their next successful move. The girls needed to decide who they should target if they wish to continue their rise here.

Only one person truly stood in their way, and she was not entirely sure exactly where he stood yet.

Fehl.

She sighed.

She needed to do something. She could not even look upon him without feeling self-conscious, remembering that vision within the tomb.

Her feelings and desires were at war. She wanted to become Sith, but at the same time…Fehl…he…he…

She shivered.

She was not sure what she wanted with him yet, was he a rival, or something else?

One thing was for certain, she needed to remain on guard.

If she was not careful, she might find herself on Zyn's interrogation table.

That thought was not pleasant.

She needed to be careful.

Her enemies were all around her. She had two choices, grow stronger, or get dead.

She had no intention of doing the latter.

I simply have to grow stronger, grow stronger and forget about the past.

What her father had taught her was worthless here.

There was only one law here, the law of the Sith.

Justice…was an illusion

Only power mattered here.

She needed to find more.