Chapter 64: Bloodlust
"I've found something, my lord."
Avaryss glanced over Holli's shoulder as the hologram she had brought up hovered over her holo-pad. It had not taken the engineer long to find the floor plan for this station Now she found herself looking at a cross section of this place, showing both the outer shell and the various levels that made up the inside.
This was going to take some work, she realized. Whatever the Rakata had been thinking when they designed this place, it was clear that they had not ease of movement in mind.
The young Sith shook her head...
…This station was a maze.
The bulk of the station's central sphere was hollow, the work stations and living spaces were separated from each other by a series of balconies and catwalks. She could not guess the reason for such an odd design. From what she was seeing here, there were dozens possibly hundreds of different ramps and catwalks leading to the station's various locations.
She was not sure how Holli made sense of any of it, just looking at it made her head throb.
We don't have time for this, she knew, the deadline for the Sith fleet was approaching. Avaryss hoped that the Jedi would keep Terrog distracted enough that he did not trigger the droids to attack the fleet, but if she was wrong…?
No, they needed to do something; the fleet did not have much time left.
"Give me some good news, Holli," she said, "A room labeled probe droid control would be nice."
The Changeling laughed.
"That would be nice, wouldn't it? Unfortunately, we are not that lucky. I've brought up everything that I could find, brought up every possible query I could think of in trying to find the control systems for the droids outside."
The engineer shook her head.
"I've been able to identify two possible areas of interest. Emperor willing, these should lead us to what we need."
Holli typed the keys on the pad.
Two small sections of the hologram turned red and began to blink.
"I believe that these two locations are our best bet. The first one here is for synthetic modification and reprogramming, could have something to do with the droids outside. The second area appears to be a con/comm station, the range is too short for any approaching ships, and too long for simple communications inside this place…."
Avaryss smiled.
"You think this section is responsible for sending orders to the droids?"
"What I'm seeing here suggests that?" Holli shrugged. I won't know for sure until I'm there and into their computer system. I have no way to access those systems from here."
The young Sith nodded.
"Then we will need to get you on site then. We will secure both locations; from there we should be able to decide what to do next.
"As you wish," the engineer said, "Oh there is one more thing, my lord."
"Yes?"
"I think I located where the Jedi's ship landed. I'm into comms now; I should be able to trigger alerts in other areas, should I try to direct station security towards them and them alone.
"It could take a lot of heat off of us."
Avaryss considered that.
Directing Terrog's forces to pursue the Jedi and the Jedi alone would make things easier, but at the same time, the knowledge that Fenn was with them…"
"The Jedi are not our allies, but they not our enemies right now either. I want you to set off multiple and random alarms near their location, trigger them on levels both above and below their real position. Let's see if we can get the guards to split up, and drawn out. We can force them to check out multiple alarms at once."
The young Sith smiled.
"The more chaos we can cause the better.
"Understood," Holli said entering another series of commands.
She grinned triumphantly.
"Between these, and the ones I've set to cover our tracks, the guards with be thinking that they have a five hundred enemy troops running around the outer shell."
Avaryss nodded.
It was a good plan, and it might just buy the fleet some more time.
Holli unplugged from the computer terminal and picked up her blaster carbine. Xen and Taya were already waiting to get started. Beric, HK, and Quenya…or rather…Necris would remain behind to guard the ship and make sure no one interrupted Rink's work on the sub light engines.
She checked in with HK before she left, she wanted the droid to remember that until she returned, her brother's orders needed to be obeyed, and she did not want the droid running off on some random whim. The ship needed to be protected.
Before they got going, Beric pulled her aside; he said there was something that they needed to discuss. She asked him to make it quick, the longer they waited her, the more likely that Terrog's reinforcements would have time to cut them off from places they needed to go.
This is important, he assured her.
She nodded and asked him to continue.
Her brother looked around and came in closer, speaking softly so that only she would be able to hear him.
"I don't trust her," he said.
"Trust who," she asked.
"Quenya, she…she has changed. I think that there is something wrong with her."
"You disapprove of Necris' choices?"
"Quenya, Necris, or whatever she chooses to call herself now should not be left alone here sister. I can no longer say for sure what side she is on, not that I had a good idea before."
The soldier shook his head.
"I think I liked her better when she was an angry former Jedi moping around the ship, lamenting that we had ruined her life. This…this new Quenya…"
He shook his head again.
"While you were in quarantine back on the citadel she spent most of her time meditating."
"She is a Sith," Avaryss reminded him, "We meditate, it is how we gather our power."
"She insisted on doing her meditations in the citadel morgue, Keera. I stopped into check on her once and she was floating among the corpses, giggling to herself,"
Her brother shivered.
"It is creepy. I may not know much about the Force, but I know when something and someone might become a problem."
Avaryss nodded.
She understood his concern, Necris' new range of abilities made her a little leery too, but it was not like they had many options right now, they were on mission.
Necris' power, her puppets would be useful in keeping the ship safe.
They needed her right now, no matter how creepy her abilities might seem.
"If it makes you feel better, then watch her close," Avaryss advised, "But do nothing to provoke her, she is still Sith and my apprentice."
Avaryss smiled.
"If things look like they about to turn sideways, bring HK into this, he has programing for killing Force sensitives, but do not do so lightly. Necris is mine, do not seek to provoke while we are deep in enemy territory."
He nodded grimly.
"Understood, I'll watch her, but I will remain respectful."
"Good," his sister said, "I know the dark side can be complicated, brother, but do not let it frighten you. It is the power that will allow us to conquer this galaxy. It is our destiny. We must not lose sight of that."
"Understood, my lord," he said.
He gently brushed her hand with his.
"Good luck little Sister, be careful in here."
She nodded.
"The Force will serve me well, brother. I will be back soon."
Avaryss turned and joined up with the rest of her group. She could feel their eagerness to get things moving. It was a feeling that she shared.
Right now Terrog's forces were occupied, but as soon as they realized that they had two threats moving through this place.
"I will be making sure that the ship is ready for your return, master," Necris called after her with a sly smile.
"Very good apprentice," she said, "May the Force serve you well."
"Thank you, my master; I will not be failing you."
Avaryss tried not to frown.
She now saw what Beric was talking about. Quenya…Necris now radiated with a power she did not entirely understand.
The unknown could be valuable, but it could also be dangerous.
She found herself thinking about her Trial of Blood back on Fury 9, and the warning the two overseers had given her that day.
Beware your master, beware your apprentice.
Now that she was taking the first steps of being a teacher, she now understood what the second part of that warning meant.
The dark side did not like to be subjugated for long.
Was Necris already plotting her downfall, had she been plotting it since they had first found her?
She certainly had reason to hate Avaryss, perhaps now more than ever.
The dance between master and apprentice was one with many pitfalls. One day Necris would decide that she was stronger than her master. On that day she would make her move, and if Avaryss was too slow…
The young Sith shuddered.
She had a vision of her broken body stumbling to its feet, her mouth slack; her dead eyes staring blankly at the one who had killed her.
In that moment she could hear her apprentice laughing in triumph!
She could hear Darth Necris, Dark Lord of the Sith celebrating her victory!
Avaryss shook her head, her eyes narrowed dangerously.
No! I will kill Devish first!
It was all she could do to resist doing so right now, to prevent the vision she had just had.
Control yourself, the dark side whispered, you have another enemy now, one that needs to be dealt with first.
Your power will keep the girl in line, when the time comes she will be stronger, but you will be too.
Nothing is certain.
The apprentice needs to kill the master, but they do not always succeed.
Necris is not a dark lord yet.
"Are you okay, Avy?" Taya asked.
Her old friend's concern brought her back to where she needed to be, back in the here and now.
She nodded grimly.
"The traitor is somewhere on this station," she said, "We must tear out is support system, destroy his defenses and power base."
Avaryss' mind filled with the image of Fehl, both what he had been and what he was now.
Her hands curled into angry fists.
"The Dark Council has declared that all who serve Terrog must die. We shall take no prisoners, show no mercy."
Xen laughed.
"Sounds like fun," she purred.
"Let's get started."
Avaryss turned to Holli.
"Lead the way, Ensign," she ordered, "Let us find this synthetic modifications and reprogramming station that you told me about."
"As you wish, my lord." The changeling said pointing.
"It is this way."
IOI
"Holli, kill the lights!"
The group fell back while the engineer, interfaced with the computer terminal, the section that they were in was plunged into darkness.
Avaryss gripped her lightsaber tightly; she could feel the leather strap rubbing against her bare fingers.
"No sound," she hissed to her fellows, "Don't even breathe."
They stood in darkness, Holli docked behind a bulk head for cover as the company of guards arrived.
"There was an alert in this area," one called out.
"I don't see anything?"
"It was here! I know it!
"What happened to the lights?"
"Contact station control," a gruff voice said, "Tell them to get the lights on in this section."
Avaryss smiled.
They wanted lights?
They would have light.
HISSSSSS!
HISSSSS-HISSSS!
HISSSSS-HISS-HISS!
Three Sith lightsabers ignited, one single blade, one double blade, and a cross bladed sword. The section was bathed in crimson light.
Blood shine!
Emperor save us!" one of the soldiers shouted.
Avaryss almost laughed.
The Emperor will not intervene on your behalf traitor!
Your life is over!
"OPEN FIRE!"
Blaster bolts filled the air.
Avaryss and her fellows spun their blades, the skill of Shien on full display.
Blaster bolts bounced back at those who fired them.
Xen dashed forward with Taya at her side.
"No prisoners," Taya shouted.
"NO MERCY!" Xen shrieked as she drove her cross guard up into the throat of an enemy officer.
Half of the group tried to retreat, Avaryss did not let them.
She seized the man farthest back in the Force, holding his body up, blocking the exit. His colleagues shouted for him to get out of the way. He screamed that he couldn't!
The dark side sang as Avaryss and her fellows massacred the guards. The remaining two actually threw down their blasters and fell to their knees begging their lords for mercy.
Xen decapitated them with a single swing of her lightsaber.
Avaryss smirked as she stepped over the corpses.
What part of no mercy and no prisoners had the men not understood?
For a Sith that was no empty threat.
They reveled in the darkness.
It was intoxicating!
It was delicious!
Xen spun her blade around looking for someone else to cut down, thirsty for more blood.
"MORE!" the apprentice shouted, "SEND ME MORE! I WANT DEATH!"
"Calm yourself, apprentice," Taya said, "There are more up ahead, I'm sure."
"Good," Xen giggled her face bathed in the red light of her blade.
She turned to Avaryss a hungry grin on her face, tears in her eyes.
"I never knew hate could feel so good! I've never felt so free! Master, I owe you so much."
She laughed.
"I love my emotions!
"I love being Sith!"
"My lord?" Holli said in a small voice as she peered out from behind where she had hidden.
It was all Avaryss could do to keep from turning and taking the engineer's head. She felt intoxicated…
…the dark side was so strong here.
Battle could easily turn into blind massacre here, a Sith could end up slaying both friends and foes.
She took a deep breath, tried to center herself.
What was this place?
She knew that the information section thought this was a medical station, that is what the reports had said, but now that she was here, she did not agree with that assessment.
The dark side was weak in the healing arts, if this place was supposed to be a medical station, why did it seem to draw in so much dark side energy?
Even the Rakata had to know that the dark side was not for healing.
The blood faded from her eyes, Avaryss managed to find her center again.
"Where next, Ensign," she asked.
"We go to the end of this walk way," the changeling said, "We take the ramp to the left and then turn left."
Avaryss nodded.
She wondered if there would be any more guard patrols on that level.
She hoped there would be.
"Are you okay, my lord," Holli asked, "You seem…"
"I'm fine Holli," she promised. She tried to appear calm.
Her thought were anything but, her thoughts were bathed in blood and hate!
I will be better if I can kill again!
I want to kill again!
IWANT TO KILL THEM ALL!
She tried to stay focused on the mission, to ignore the darkness, the bloodlust that this place inspired.
They were on mission.
The Empire was in danger!
She had to save it.
She had to protect it from Terrog.
Then what?
The voice that whispered in her mind was the same one she had heard earlier, the one that had pulled her back for the darkness when Fehl had injected her with his vaccine.
She imagined an old man standing before a brazier burning with dark flame, his yellow eyes burning with ambition and hate.
Is saving the Empire for others truly what you want? He asked.
This station, this weapon it is of the dark side, just as you are.
She imagined the old man's smile the rotted teeth, she could hear cold cackling. Who he was, she could not say, but something about him…that face.
It was familiar.
Avaryss of the Sith, Long have you waited; long have you sought a means to make your dreams a reality. This place…the plague that is hidden here, it waits for a true Sith to wield its power.
It waits for you.
Avaryss shivered.
She…she couldn't…couldn't…
She smiled slyly.
She…she could.
She imagined a new galaxy. One that knew a new reality, hundreds of worlds were dead or changed by the effects of the Fydon virus. The Jedi were gone. Coruscant was an infected wasteland, with only several hundred mutated things crawling through its ruins.
Korriban and Dromund Kaas were silent, they had been warned. The price of resistance was too high.
She saw the citadel in her mind's eye. She saw the lords of the Sith on their knees, the Dark Council on their knees. Marr and the others knelt; they knelt or became a head shorter. Darth Feer was brought before her in chains, his foul family would die first, he would know her pain; he would know her loss.
"Daughter," she heard him shriek, "WHY!"
From her place on the Sith throne, Avaryss cackled.
"Because it amuses me you old fool, because your pain enriches me."
Xen came up behind him, ready to do her duty, her lightsaber lit and hungry. Avaryss sat on the throne, watching eagerly, royal guards flanked her, protected her, Fenn stood to her right, her advisor and lover, Taya was to her left, smiling excitedly at the show.
And what of the Emperor, the old man's voice whispered.
Avaryss almost laughed.
Let him try to be all-knowing when his body is stripped of the Force! You cannot rule an Empire from the shadows; you cannot hide in seclusion while your people suffer.
It takes an Empress to rule and Empire!
I will give them a true example of leadership! I will show them all how a true Sith aristocrat rules!
Empress Avaryss!
I will…
Avaryss blinked and shook her head.
What?
The dream faded from her eyes. She was back on Terrog's station. She…she was…
Emperor save me, she thought.
What was I thinking?
You were thinking about power, the old man's voice said.
Destroy the Jedi!
Bind the Sith!
Let the will of the darkness become your will.
You will become…the Sith!
Avaryss shuddered.
It…it was an intoxicating idea, using this place, but at the same time.
No, she thought.
NO!
Terrog's toy was too dangerous!
It could destroy us just as easily as it could the Jedi!
She would not be the one responsible for destroying an Empire that had stood for almost two thousand years.
"Avy," Taya said.
"Yes," she said turning to her old friend.
Taya was grinning hungrily, her blue eyes had turned the amber color of the Sith.
"If you want this place, my love," she purred, "I will help you take it."
Avaryss cursed under her breath.
Had Taya heard that call too?
Had Xen?
For the moment the former Jedi seemed too lost in her blood lust to care much about political power.
Still…this place was having an effect on them, as it had probably had an effect on Terrog.
She considered that.
Is that where Terrog's whole "The Living Will of the Force" thing come from? Had the dark side energies in this place inspired his ambitions to such a degree?
Did it even matter now?
"We will do what we came here to do, Tay," she informed he friend, "We shall be heroes of the Empire."
The blonde nodded.
"As you say, my love," she said gently touching Avaryss' cheek.
"I'm yours, in all things."
Avaryss took her hand from her face and gave it a gentle squeeze.
She was grateful for Taya's presence here.
It…it helped keep her centered.
She realized that they had come to the end of the path that Holli had put them on.
"Where next, Holli," she asked.
"Time is short."
IOI
When they found their destination, they turned it into a battlefield.
The station's synthetic modification and reprograming section had been manned by both guards and technicians. Two of Terrog's Sith marauders had also been stationed there, men who had been modified by his grotesque work,
Avaryss grinned when she saw them.
Wonderful, she thought, another chance to unleash the bloodlust.
To purge it from my mind!
She ignited her blade and leapt forward.
She no longer felt the need for caution.
She wanted blood.
She would have blood!
The Marauders died first.
Taya and Xen took one while she had one all to herself. The cyborg was fast, but he was all blind rage, his fury fed by the station. Any other time, Avaryss would have been cautious to face one of Terrog's creations on her own, but not now.
The dark side was singing through her, it was a symphony of shadows!
Fury was only a single note in such a wondrous song.
She was not limited to blind fury, dark emotions flowed unchecked through her.
Greed, pride, lust, fury and hate…hate above all, it was like a fire in veins.
It was incredible!
She toyed with the Marauder for a few moments, when she grew bored she lifted him in a Force grip, and began to crush him. When his cries of pain were not enough for her, she sent Force lightning into his flesh; she turned him into a glowing ball of burning meet and dark side energy.
She flung him off the walkway and down into the deep shaft that was the hollow sphere of Terrog's station.
More, the dark side begged.
Kill more!
Avaryss threw back her head and howled in dark ecstasy.
She had never felt more alive.
No matter what the council said, no matter what her master believed, this place had changed her; it had awoken something inside her.
She was no mere Sith anymore!
She was death on two legs.
She was darkness.
She had reached the place that so many had before her. She had found the plateau that Revan, Malak, Marr, Vengean, and so many others had reached.
She was changed.
It did not matter what others said.
She was Darth Avaryss now…
…and Darth Avaryss hungered for death!
Xen and Taya had finished their opponent, they now were dealing with the remaining guards, cutting down some, and deflecting blaster bolts back at others.
Technicians cowered behind their stations.
Avaryss grinned hungrily.
More victims to slaughter!
Delicious!
She seized the first one she saw with the Force and lifted him to the ceiling; she was just about to disembowel him with her lightsaber when the Force flared…
A warning!
Avaryss spun around; her crimson blade met an Emerald colored one. The blade cut her off from striking the technician.
She snarled with fury.
She was met by the face of a hated foe. The face of an animal glared out from beneath a brown robed cowl. A long brown mussel curled back showing long sharp teeth.
"You," Shyra Viel snarled.
"Mongrel," Avaryss purred, her voice dripping with sweet venom.
"How nice."
She released the technician and spun away dropping into a Makashi fighting stance. The Jedi stood before her, in her own fighting stance.
"Come on witch," she hissed.
"I'm, waiting."
As am I, Avaryss thought.
I've waited a long time for this!
She spun her blade and with a war cry lunged forward.
Jedi and Sith clashed, their blades hissing and sparking.
Kill her, the darkness cried.
Slaughter her, now!
Avaryss lunged.
She would do just that.
"AVY!" she heard Taya cry out over her bloodlust, the pounding of her heart.
"THE JEDI ARE HERE!"
No kidding, Avaryss thought dryly, but no matter.
They were just more victims.
She lunged again at the beast girl only to have her parry her attack, and strike back with one of her own.
A flurry of blows rained down, Avaryss turned them back, but only just barely.
So strong, she thought, I had forgotten how much stronger this creature was.
She almost laughed.
Fortunately, she was stronger too!
She sent Force lightning at her enemy; Shyra caught it with her blade. Avaryss sent chairs flying at her back. The beast leapt over them, cutting them as they passed and flung them at Avaryss.
She dodged out of the way, and snarled hungrily.
Why you flea bitten brat!
I'll make a coat out of you!
She was so caught up with her fight with the beast girl that she no longer cared about the control room; she no longer cared about her people. All that mattered was killing Shyra Viel, avenging her defeat on the Wreck. She would…
"KEERA!"
The voice cut through the rage and bloodlust, it cut through the hate and anger. The shadows that filled this place, that had been holding her tighter and tighter lessened, they fled from her retreating, shrieking in fear.
Avaryss staggered.
The Force around her changed, becoming that comfortable silver shine that she had grown so use to.
How the Force felt when he was around.
She kept her guard up. Shyra Viel had ceased her own attack, she was panting as she looked across her green blade at her enemy.
Standing behind her was Fenn Shadowstone and his master Jas Dar Bynn. The two smugglers and the small child-like Jedi Master was there as well.
Yet, Avaryss had eyes only for Fenn; it was he that had brought her back, it was his words and presence that had pulled her out of the darkness she had been drowning in.
"That is enough Keera," he said, his own blade was out, but not raised, not threatening.
"I know why you are here," he said.
"There is no reason for this."
His lupine companion did not feel that way. The creature radiated a desire to destroy her.
"She is Sith," Shyra growled, "She was butchering these people. She is no better than Terrog!"
"I've come to stop him," Avaryss hissed, "I've come to save my home."
She could feel the bloodlust, it was still there, but Fenn, his presence, had allowed her think again. She was no longer killing for the sake of killing.
She was back in control again.
Shyra looked past her, her eyes widened.
"GET AWAY FROM THERE!" she shouted.
"If I don't disable the alarms," Holli shouted back, "Every guard in this place will be walking up that ramp in a minute.
Avaryss dared a glance behind her; Holli was at a terminal pressing buttons and pulling levers.
Avaryss took a deep breath; her anger was back under control again.
"Hello Master Jas," she said with a nod, "We meet again."
"So we do," the Jedi Master said, she could sense a coolness about him, that had not been there before.
He knows, the dark side whispered.
He knows what you did to his brother.
She smiled.
Part of her was tempted to taunt him with Sy Dar Bynn's death, but that might undo everything that they had done up to this point.
There were too many lightsabers lit in this room, it was a bomb waiting to go off.
She chose not to press the detonator.
She looked at Fenn.
You have come to secure this place?" she asked.
It was Jas Dar Bynn that answered.
"He felt your presence here, your fury."
"You were out of control," Fenn added.
"I came to help."
She almost laughed.
He wanted to help?
He wanted to save her?
Wasn't that sweet!
Avaryss felt…warmth through their connection in the Force. Warmth…and need.
She swallowed; her throat had suddenly gone very dry.
She wasn't sure what she wanted in that moment, she was surrounded by blood and death.
Part of her wanted to attack Fenn, to punish him for daring to stop her fun. Another part of her wanted to take him into her arms.
A shiver ran down her spine.
I want him, she thought lustfully.
I want to take him right here and now!
It might have been her imagination, but she thought he might be blushing.
Had he picked up on her desire?
Possibly?
She smiled at him.
Keera's soft smile.
Shyra growled like the animal she was.
"This one is not worthy of saving," she said.
"All are worthy of saving Padawan," the little alien master said.
She approached the two girls.
"Lower your blades," she said, her voice was a song that demanded to be obeyed, "there will be no more violence here, not for the moment."
Shyra obeyed without another word. Her green blade powered down.
Avaryss was slower to deactivate hew weapon, but she did.
She looked at the little alien.
She could feel the light radiating off this creature, the calm and balance, but she could also sense a will like iron, and what it held in check.
She shivered.
Darkness, she could feel it inside the little Jedi Master, a darkness that was likely on the same level as what her master wielded.
It was amazing.
How did one turn away from such power?!
Who would be so foolish?!
The child-like being smiled, like this was private joke between them
She winked at the young Sith.
"You feel it, don't you dark one?"
Avaryss nodded.
"Yes…I feel it."
"The path to darkness is known to me, but I turned away."
Avaryss smirked.
"Foolish of you."
"Maybe," the alien said laughing in that musical voice of hers.
She offered her hand.
"I am Vey Ilo; I bid you greetings, young Keera."
Vey smiled warmly.
Fenn has told me much about you.