Chapter 36: Change

The journey to Hoth had been an uneventful one. Avaryss' interceptor made good time, and arrived several hours before they were expected. The Sith had established a space station in orbit, just in case the weather on the planet below did not allow for a safe landing of supplies or troops.

It seemed that salvage was not the Empire's only interest here, Avaryss realized, perhaps there was more to this ice ball than met the eye.

She reached out with the Force, trying to sense what was so important. The world had a…strange flow to it. She felt something…familiar…something she could not put her finger on.

She found herself looking forward to going down for a closer look.

They stopped at the station first. Lady Tazia's people provided them with suits and equipment, tools that would allow for Avaryss and her team to function better in the planet's sub-zero temperatures. They even offered transport down to the surface. House Dresco had been preparing to send down a supply drop in special adapted shuttles. These ships had been designed to function in the ice world's harsh environment, and most important of all, they were known by the various elements that had settled here since the last war.

The various outlaw factions that had bases here knew not to interfere with the shuttles. House Dresco had paid to ensure their safety

According to Lady Tazia, it would be the easiest and safest way to journey down to the planet.

The older Sith had said little to Avaryss since they had left Dromund Kaas, and more to the point had done her best to keep her daughter from Avaryss' side as well.

She did not really know what to make of that.

Did Tazia know about their…alliance? Did she disapprove of the fact that her daughter had feelings for Avaryss, and that those feelings had caused her to side with Lord Feer's Apprentice?

She could not say for sure. The Lady Tazia barely looked at Avaryss during the journey, when they did speak it had been only about logistics, and what they might expect when they reached Hoth.

The fact that her mother was with them, had had an effect on Taya, she said little or nothing to her old friend.

Truth be told, Avaryss had looked forward to Taya's presence on this mission. It had been awhile since they had hunted real prey together, and she had looked forward to the journey as well. Taya would, by now, been a well-spring of information about Goss' interests, and after a night or two in her dear Avy's quarters, she would have been so bound to her friend that no amount of training from Goss would ever free her.

Feer's apprentice was not above using any weapon in her arsenal to get what she wanted. If an act of love would make Taya hers, she would do it.

Besides, it would be…an amusing distraction.

Yes, Avaryss had looked forward to that. She would have happily made Taya even more her willing slave, but…Lady Tazia's presence had prevented that. During the entire journey, the daughter had never left the mother's side. The two had spent almost the entire journey training in the ship's cargo hold, sparing in some form of hand to hand combat that Avaryss was not familiar with.

She had watched some of that training on one of the bridge monitors; it was a most impressive display.

Clad only in their undergarments, the two women had fought back and forth. Their already quick reflexes made even quicker by their skill with the Force.

It was a display of skill that was lethal and…strangely sensual.

Rink had been mesmerized as he watched. Avaryss, using her own understanding of lightsaber combat, tried to decipher the fighting style. Ironically enough, it was her brother who figured it out, when he had glanced down at the screen that Avaryss and Rink had been watching.

"Echani," he said nodding, "That explains a lot."

Avaryss blinked and looked at him.

"Echani?" she asked.

"I'm guessing that your friend Taya and her Mum are of Echani blood. The fighting style is inherent to their people, and the fact that Lady Taya looks so much like her mother is further evidence."

She gave her brother a questioning look.

"Evidence of what?"

"I've heard it said that Echani children are born with the features of their same sex parent. Daughters are almost exact copies of their mothers, sons of their fathers, or so the stories say."

Beric chuckled.

"I had an Echani trained instructor in basic, as lethal as she was beautiful, the men use to say that if they had ever gotten with her; at least they would know any daughters produced of that union would be pretty."

"Well…that's wizard," Rink chuckled, "Me…I just thought that Lady Taya might be a clone."

Avaryss did not reply; she had been too busy thinking.

An interesting genetic trick, she thought, she wondered what purpose it served the Echani in the past.

It might be fun to find out.

Regardless, it gave her another lever to pull with Taya's mother; she would ask the woman about her Echani heritage, if she even was born of those people. It might lead to a better understanding between them, and offer her a way to get into the lady's good graces.

Sadly she had not really gotten the chance; she got the feeling that the Lady Tazia did not like her very much.

If that was so, it made it that much harder to get Taya alone, much less find out about the matters she had trusted Taya to investigate while she had been gone hunting for Jedi Master Pondar.

This is just something that I'm going to have to deal with, she realized. Once this mission was concluded, she would be able to get Taya back on track, for now she simply had to focus on finding the link between the outlaws on Hoth, and the conspiracy she had been investigating.

That goal needed to take priority right now. She would see to matters between her and Taya later.

For now, she needed to focus on the mission.

The group was to be divided among the six shuttles heading down to the planet. Rink was to remain behind on standby, just in case they needed a quick exit from the planet. Beric agreed to go with Quenya, to make sure the former Jedi did not decide to switch sides when she got close enough to a place with Republic leanings. Avaryss had expected to take a shuttle down with Taya. But again, her mother blocked her.

She would instead be accompanied by Ensign Holli, the engineer was quite eager to get this mission started. She even had hopes that she might find some components that would help get the HK up and running.

Avaryss was willing to give her that chance. They had been so close last time.

She was starting to think that if anyone could get the droid functioning again, it was the ensign.

The shuttles all launched together from the station, they would rendezvous at House Dresco's facility down on the surface.

Avaryss sat next to Holli both now dressed for cold temperatures. The Sith soldiers that were accompanying them said nothing. They seemed more than focused on what was to come.

Avaryss reached out with the Force, trying to get an idea of what was awaiting them.

It did not take her long to get an answer.

The ships fell under attack as soon as they breached the atmosphere.

Explosive shells began to detonate all around them. The shuttle rocked violently with every near impact.

So much for safety, Avaryss thought.

It seemed…that they were expected.

She rose from her seat and made her way to the cockpit. One of the two imperial pilots looked back at her as she entered.

"What is going on?" she demanded.

"We are taking fire from the surface, my lord," the man replied.

No kidding, she thought rolling her eyes.

"Take evasive action," she ordered, "but get us to the surface as fast as you can."

"As you say," the two pilots replied in unison.

She returned to her seat, shaking her head.

She would have been more confident about this had Rink been at the helm.

"What is going on, my lord?" Holli asked.

"We're being fired upon from the surface."

"By who?"

"I don't know," Avaryss admitted, shaking her head.

Her eyes narrowed.

So much for them being safe in the Dresco shuttles, it seemed that Lady Tazia had been wrong, that she had misjudged the situation...

She could not help but wonder if this had something to do with the conspiracy as well.

Dresco had paid off the scum on the surface, or so Lady Tazia had said.

Perhaps the person, or persons, working with Tyber Ko were on to them. Perhaps this reception was to make sure that her investigation went no further.

Her holo communicator was beeping; she pulled it out and activated it.

Lady Tazia shimmered into existence.

"What is going on?" Avaryss demanded.

"Obviously my husband did not pay the scum enough," the lady replied sourly. "They will answer for this insult with their lives."

It was at that moment that the shuttle accelerated dropping quickly, leaving Avaryss' stomach somewhere above them.

"Fear not, young one," Tazia said, "My pilots know their business. We will be safely down shortly."

The hologram winked out.

Avaryss sighed.

She hoped that Taya's mother was correct.

This was not the way she had wanted to start this mission.

The shuttle continued to rock back and forth. The impacts did not seem to be hitting the shuttles, but they were enough to knock them around a bit.

Avaryss glanced at over at Holli, the engineer's expression was one of wary concern.

Our shields should hold," she said, "Ground based rockets shouldn't have the punch to…"

The shuttle shook violently; a loud whine came from the back and fell silent.

The shuttle began to pitch forward.

Avaryss heard screaming in the distance.

She did not realize that it was her own.

A section of the hull blew away, revealing a bleak blue sky. Through the hole she watched as another of the shuttles was hit, and vanished in a ball of orange flame.

The world beyond spun crazily.

If you asked her later what happened next, Avaryss would not have been able to tell you. They were hit again, and then a second time, alarms blared in her ears. She remembered a sense of vertigo as something tore away the straps holding her in her seat. Then she was flying through the air, something long and sharp digging into her shoulders.

WHAT THE?!

There was a flash of heat behind her, the shuttle finally meeting its fiery demise. She heard the cry of a pained animal, but was unable to look up, explosion continued to go off all around her, and her flight became chaotic as she seemed to zig and zag through the air. She had been unable to focus. The world swung back and forth like some crazed pendulum. Something struck her head and the world went black.

The last thought to go through her head was this could not be happening.

She was destined to sit the Imperial throne!

She could not die like this!

She couldn't!

Then everything went dark.

IOI

She awoke to both pain and cold.

Avaryss groaned and opened her eyes.

She was surrounded by snow and ice.

The young Sith rubbed the back of her head as she rose gingerly. Yet still, a wave of nausea almost put her back on the snowy ground. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply until the dizzy spell passed. When it finally did she slowly opened her eyes. She sat up and took in her surroundings, spying several pieces of imperial equipment, and feeling a slight cold breeze on her face.

Salvage, she wondered; had she been found by some scavenger? Was she now a prisoner?

That did not seem the case, she was unbound, and her lightsaber was still clipped to her hip. If she was a prisoner, her jailor had made two very foolish moves.

If she was supposed to be a captive, she would make them answer for it.

She looked up seeing sunlight streaming through an opening in the ice, a circular hole large enough for several people to slip through.

Slowly she began to piece together what had happened.

The ship had exploded, she remembered that, she remembered…falling…flying, yet could not quite remember how.

She had been in no shape to call on the Force; that had been for certain. She had not been able to use her powers, yet, somehow she had survived. Now she seemed to have found her way into an ice cave of some sort. She examined her body she saw no sign of serious injury, and any pain could be dismissed as minor cuts and bruises.

Sadly, her weapon was not so fortunate.

A close examination of her lightsaber revealed that her weapon had taken some damage during the trip down struck by some shrapnel, perhaps. The casing of the hilt was damaged, she suspected that the power cell within had been destroyed.

Not good if she wanted to use the weapon any time soon.

She had a replacement cell in one of the pouches built into her combat suit, but it would take time to repair her weapon. She was not sure where her rescuer was, and thought it prudent that they not realize that her weapon had been damaged, just in case.

Besides, she was not defenseless; she could kill with the Force as easily as she could her lightsaber. Whoever had wished her ill on this planet had failed in their mission. She still drew breath, and could fight if she needed to.

Of course that knowledge led to another question. Yes, she had survived…

But how, she wondered.

How?

How am I still alive?

The crunching of snow outside and a slight buzzing sound told her that something was coming.

She lay back down, feigning unconsciousness. She watched through slitted eyes, wondering just who or what had brought her here.

She was curious who this person was. She felt a familiar presence, but…it seemed…different somehow. It…

A large furry creature entered the cave, carrying more pieces of imperial tech, a portable transmitter she thought. She observed she watched the creature through slitted eyes; she did nothing to reveal that she had awakened.

The creature was…unfamiliar to her.

It was humanoid, but covered in a thick grey fur, broad shoulders, with a large circular head. Four dark eyes peered out from it non-descript brow and a small pink proboscis buzzed thoughtfully as the creature sat down its burden.

What are you, Avaryss thought, and why would you save me? What is…?

The alien shuddered and then, began to shrink.

Avaryss only just managed to suppress a gasp.

What the?!

The hulking frame shrank inward, the fur dissolving away; it was replaced with pale skin, human skin. The grey round head sprouted a nest of curly red hair. The four eyes seemed to melt together becoming two human ones…familiar ones.

As Avaryss watched the alien thing vanished and in its place…

…stood Ensign Holli!

The engineer shivered as she picked up a damaged coat from a crate behind her. The engineer no longer wore her thermal suit, and seemed to be making do with a simple coat and coveralls. She muttered to herself as she inspected her prize, she opened a small panel on the side and got to work.

Trying to repair the transmitter, Avaryss realized, good, but that did not explain what she had just seen.

It was time to get some answers.

"Ensign?" Avaryss said her voice both strong and cold.

The girl yelped and spun around.

"My Lord?" she gasped, "you…you are awake! Praise the Emperor!"

Avaryss sat up, she pinned the young officer with a cold gaze. She was not sure what she had seen just yet, but…

She would know...

"What are you?" she asked.

Holli gave her a wry smile.

"Um…ah…An engineer in the Imperial navy," she replied.

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

She was in no mood for games.

"What are you," she repeated, "NOW!"

Holli winced.

"I'm…a human woman," she said.

"You weren't a few moments ago."

The girl looked sick.

"You saw that?"

Avaryss nodded.

"Damn," Holli said shaking her head.

"Now I've done it."

Avaryss' frown deepened.

"You will explain yourself, now." she demanded.

The girl looked down meekly.

"That was a Talz," she said, "I find their shape serves well in cold places."

"So you are a Talz?" Avaryss said, "That is your species?"

"No, it was just something that I can turn into. I was a Talz, but now I'm a human woman again."

"You are not human," Avaryss said flatly.

The Ensign shrugged.

"I am…most of the time."

She pursed her lips, she looked anxious, perhaps wondering how best to explain this.

"It is a bit of a story," she said.

Avaryss glanced around the cave.

"Are we in danger?" she asked, "Is anyone after us?"

"We are safe, for now." Holli said, "I did some scouting. I saw no sign of pursuit. I don't think anyone saw us come down.

The ensign glanced at the transmitter.

"You've been unconscious for about four hours, my lord. I found this cave, and it should serve us well if we are not found before nightfall. I was able to salvage a few things from the shuttle wreck. I got the ship's portable transmitter working again, at least I think I have, help should find us soon enough, provided anyone is out looking."

Avaryss nodded.

Good, she thought.

If a rescue party did not find them before nightfall they were at least out of the cold. She thought she recognized some heating coils that had been a part of the shuttle's cargo sitting off in one corner, they would not warm things up enough to melt the ice, but they would keep the air warm enough that both Sith and, whatever it was Holli was, would survive.

All she could do now was wait; wait and listen.

"Then speak," she commanded.

"It seems that we have time."

Holli nodded, and sank down in the snow across from Avaryss.

She began her tale.

At the very least it would help pass the time.

Rescue would come, Avaryss was sure of it.

Her destiny would not end here.

She had too much left to do, and Empire to conquer, but first she had to survive…

..And survive she would.

IOI

Holli sighed and ran her fingers through her curly red hair. A grease spot had appeared on her cheek, as she sat there, it migrated up to her forehead.

Interesting, Avaryss thought.

What was that? Something like a nervous twitch she supposed? All the little things she had observed on Fury started to make sense.

Holli had been hiding a very big secret, hiding it right under not only Avaryss, but the empire as a whole.

The young Sith could not help but be a little impressed.

Holli took a deep breath and finally met her master's eyes. Avaryss could sense her fear, but also a sense of determination; that and a desire to not to show fear.

"You asked me my species; to be honest I really don't know. My parents found me alive on a derelict ship when I was very young, two or three…I think."

Holli pursed her lips.

"They did not know what I was either, they had never seen a ship like it, or so my father claimed. In the end…they just called me a changeling."

Avaryss nodded.

It was an appropriate name she supposed.

Growing up on Oridanna, several of her bedtime stories had involved encounters with changeling. They were often portrayed as liars and manipulators. Not as bad as the Jedi, but still…untrustworthy, and a threat if ever encountered.

Those childhood fears tried to rise up, only to be squashed by Avaryss' will.

She was not a little girl anymore, and besides. Holli had saved her life.

If saving a life does not buy you a bit of leeway, she did not know what would.

"So you were a foundling?"

"I suppose," Holli admitted.

"When you say your parents, I take it you mean the travelling mechanics, not your birth parents?"

"They are my parents," she said with a sniff, "They protected me. They raised me. I don't really remember anything before, before they found me on that ship. As I said, I was very young."

Holli looked down at her hands, as Avaryss watched, her hand shot out like the tongue of a frog dog, it moved so fast it had almost been a blur. The next time Avaryss looked the girl was holding a spanner, wiping at the grease on it.

Again, Avaryss could not help but be impressed.

Imagine what she could do if that had been a blade in her hand, the dark voice within whispered, with that kind of speed, Holli could open up a man's throat before he even realized what had happened.

It was a most impressive display.

"I asked my parents about the ship they found me on," Holli murmured, "Wondering if it might give me any clue to where I came from, they had no answers. All that they would tell me was that they boarded that ship with my little sister in tow; she was about three at the time. The ship had been floating on the edge of a nebula, it probably scrambled their sensors. It is probably why they did not detect any life readings. Mother stayed with Inge while Dad searched the ship. Mom was only partially watching her I think, she told me she was trying to slice the ships main computer at the time, and with the door sealed, there was no way that my sister could wander off . When she did finally look over at my sister, she realized that she wasn't alone. An identical little girl was playing with her.

Holli smiled.

"That little girl was me."

"Your Mom did not freak out, seeing something that looked identical to her child?"

"My parents have seen a lot of strange things during their travels. I guess I was the strangest. Mom called us both over, offering us sweets. That is one of my earliest memories, that and when dad came back."

The engineer laughed.

"He was surprised, to say the least."

Avaryss frowned, still not sure what to make of the story.

"And they took you in, just like that?"

"I think they recognized that I was a child, and took pity on me. The ship they found me on with in a bad way, the reactor only a few hours away from melting down. I would have died had they not taken me in. They named me Lujayne and I've considered myself their daughter ever since."

"Did they ever try to figure out what you were?"

"A few times, in the beginning I think, not that they had much to go on. The ship I was on exploded and I was too young to answer many questions. They might have tried testing my blood once, but that did no good either. When I'm in human form, my DNA reads as human, and I spent so much time as one it has become my default shape. When I lose concentration, it is too this form that I return, I'm not really sure what I was before this."

"I see," Avaryss said.

Holli shrugged.

"As I grew older, I learned to control my abilities. I stayed hidden and watched the various aliens that my father interacted with. Twi'leks, Dugs, Rodians, I'm actually quite skilled at turning into a Rodian; I learned their language in about two weeks. Most people would not even recognize my accent when I'm in my Rodian form. "

"You learned an alien language in two weeks," Avaryss asked.

"I've always had a good memory," Holli admitted, "It served me well during basic training. I passed my engineering tests in the top percentile of my class. I was proud of that."

"As you should be," the young Sith said nodding slightly, "Never miss the opportunity to excel."

"I'm glad you agree, my lord."

"Does anyone else know what you are? Did you ever tell any of your instructors or superiors?"

"The only people that know what I am are my parents, and now you."

The engineer shook her head.

"I did not want my ability to change to hurt my career. It can be such a burden some times."

"Avaryss grinned.

"A burden," she said, "What a cold description for such a wonderful gift."

Holli blinked.

"Wonderful?"

Avaryss nodded.

"You could have told your superiors, you know. A changeling like yourself could have found many opportunities."

Holli gave her a cool look.

"You are aware of the Empire's policy on aliens, yes?"

"I am, but… an alien who can change her shape. That is a skill that could have helped you advance very quickly in the Empire."

"But not as an engineer, and that is what I wanted to be."

"We have many engineers," Avaryss reminded her, "You could have been…"

"A slave," Holli interrupted her, "Had I revealed what I was, I would have disappeared from boot camp, and been transferred to Imperial intelligence. If they did not kill me outright, they would have pumped me so full of drugs and potions that by the time they were done I would not have remembered my own name. They would have assigned me a number and started sending me out on espionage missions, maybe even to assassinate people."

Holli sighed.

"I believe in the Empire, my lord. I want to serve it, but I want to do it on my terms. My ability to shape shift is not my only talent. I'm a good engineer, a damn fine one, if I do say so myself."

She leaned back against the ice wall, her expression hard.

"If you no longer wish my services, I will put in for a transfer when we return to Dromund Kaas. Your secrets are safe with me. I've never betrayed a superior whether they be an officer or a Sith. I have no desire to start now.

Avaryss almost laughed.

She did not understand, poor girl.

What she knew of Avaryss' missions was minimal, certainly not enough to jeopardize anything. If she had become a threat, Avaryss would have just killed her; there would be no reason for a transfer.

Not that Avaryss would allow either, not now.

She had found herself a changeling, a real flesh and blood shape shifter.

She would be damned before she let her go.

An ambitious young Sith could think of many uses for a changeling. Holli did not realize it yet, but she had just been upgraded in Avaryss' eyes, not just because she saved her life, but because of all the future opportunities that now opened themselves up to her.

"Your secret is safe with me, ensign," she promised, "The Fury still needs its engineer, and I still need my HK repaired."

Holli gave her a hopeful look.

"So…you are not mad at me for not telling you about this?"

Avaryss snorted dismissively.

"You could have left me to die on that shuttle but you didn't. What kind of monster would I be for not acknowledging that? As for your other talents, I may have a use for them later. If you are willing?"

""I live to serve, my lord," Holli said saluting, "You let me keep doing what I love, and I will do my best to help you, both as your engineer, and as…well…the other thing as well."

Avaryss chuckled.

Good, she thought.

Very good.

The transmitter behind them beeped loudly, Holli rose from where she was sitting and checked the small screen on its surface.

"Someone has received our transmission," she said, "They are responding in an old merchants' code, my parents taught it to me."

"What does it say?" Avaryss asked.

"That they are coming, that we should expect them soon."

Really," Avaryss said, frowning slightly.

She tilted her head slightly, reaching out with the Force.

A shiver ran down her spine.

The young Sith sighed.

So much for being saved.

"Are you armed Holli?" she asked.

"I was able to salvage a blaster carbine from the wreck, and I have my sidearm, why?"

Avaryss gave her a predatory smile.

"The enemy has found us. I can feel it."

Holli frowned.

It looked like she was going to say something, but thought better of it.

As a member of the Imperial navy Holli knew better than to question a Sith.

"What are we going to do, my lord."

"The only thing we can do, ensign," she said drawing her lightsaber. It still needed to be fixed, but that shouldn't take too long.

She was going to need it.

"We are going to kill them all," Avaryss informed her.

Every. Last. One.