Chapter 40: Knowledge and Meditation

I will never complain about Dromund Kaas heat again.

That was her first thought as Avaryss stepped inside her quarters aboard her Fury class interceptor. Rink had his orders, find a nice random location and wait for her to give them their next destination. She closed the doors to her chambers asking that she not be disturbed and turned up the heat to a level likely only found on a desert world.

The young Sith smiled as she stripped off her cold weather gear, and sat down on her bed wearing nothing but her undergarments, intending to do nothing more for the next few hours then simply bask in the heat.

You are going to be sweating in an hour, her conscience chided, but in that moment, she did not care. The freezing cold of Hoth had seeped into her bones…

…she welcomed the chance to sweat. Who knew, it might be just what she needed to shake off the last of the chill she was feeling.

Ice worlds were definitely not her thing. Between her experiences on Fury 9, and the bitter cold and ice of Hoth, she would be perfectly happy to spend the rest of her life on a a temperate world, such a place, at that moment, would likely have been her definition of paradise.

Still…the journey to Hoth had served its purpose; once again she had a new target, a new prey to hunt. She had already sent word back home to House Feer and Warmaster Feore.

He would put his people on finding this Rodian worm that that outlaws had dealt with, and as soon as he did, she would be ready.

The hunt for their enemy continued.

She would have asked Taya to join her on this final leg of her journey, but her friend's master had other plans. He had contacted her after their return from the outlaw base, temporarily releasing her into her mother and House Dresco's service. Despite their success on Hoth Taya's mother remained…unsure of Avaryss, it seemed, either that, or Goss and Lady Tazia had their own plans for her friend's future. The former could not be helped; the latter would not matter in the end.

Taya would serve Avaryss, she felt the truth in that, and Taya had foreseen it as well.

It would come to pass.

For now, Avaryss would simply have to wait for Warmaster Feore to get back to her. She had given him the name of their target, and his agents were no doubt already looking into the matter for her. She closed her eyes and began to enter a meditative state. She hoped that the dark side would offer her some clue that might accelerate their hunt. Perhaps even grant her some insight into what she needed to do next.

She drew breath evenly, in and out, slowly she felt herself beginning to drift; she turned her gaze inward looking for the heart of the dark side, looking to find her center.

It was not hard to find the darkness, it was there. It had always been there. You just needed to stop and listen, to look with a sight that went beyond your eyes. You needed to…

She paused in mid-breath.

What the…?

She…felt something, a familiar pull that she had not sensed in a very long time. She felt it…tugging on her mind, a sense of being drawn elsewhere, of being pulled some long distance.

Avaryss smiled.

She knew what was going on.

She knew who was trying to contact her.

Poor boy, he just couldn't stay away.

She could have resisted, but decided not to. She let herself be pulled away, carried out by a gentle current flowing through the Force. The sounds of the world around her vanished, the hum of the ship the growing velvet-like heat starting to caress her bare skin.

She let herself be taken, she let everything fall away.

I wonder where we will turn up this time. Will he bring me back to the temple, or some new locale? Now that she had an understanding of her own powers, she knew that she had a choice, but no…

She would let things play out. She was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, at least in this.

Her mind slipped away from her body, she did not fight it.

Fenn was waiting.

She did not desire to be late.

IOI

She felt that old giddy sense of flying, of moving through the cosmos without a ship. Her consciousness, freed of her body, moved through the galaxy at the speed of thought, perhaps even faster. She closed her eyes, things were moving so fast, it was hard to keep everything straight and then…just like that…

She came to a stop; there was no jolt, just a sudden realization, and a sudden sense of arrival.

She opened her eyes, and was…surprised.

She gasped.

What was this?

Surprise momentarily stunned her, but then, the darkness took hold again, and with it, a sense of bitterness.

She shook her head.

Typical, she thought.

At long last, he finally decided to come here.

She should have guessed.

She looked around her, taking in the sights and smells of Oridanna, the tall grass, the violet skies, the distant creaking of a nearby spore collection tower.

She sighed.

He would choose this place, wouldn't he?

She glanced around her; she could see her former home in the distance, a short walk really, only about two or three hundred paces.

It was there that she would find him. She could sense his presence all around her, but it was in that place that he awaited her.

She put one foot in front of the other and made her way through the simple splendor that was Oridanna, she had no eyes for it now, not after everything she had seen. Though at the same time she did feel a slight painful tug in her gut, it wasn't homesickness, she had been gone too long for that emotion to creep into her.

No, it was the echo of past feelings, things that had been lost bubbling to the surface again, drawn by seeing this place again.

She did not let it get to her, she was Sith, this place had no hold on her. It may have been important to Keera, but to Avaryss it was nothing, a mere distraction.

"Liar," a tiny voice within her said a voice that sounded too much like a long dead Oridanna farm girl.

You will never truly be rid of this place, the voice seemed to murmur. It is what happened here that made you what you are.

No, she thought, it was a beginning. Keera's life was nothing; it was a crystallis period for her, nothing more.

She had torn away that shell long ago. She had emerged something more, something stronger.

She would not be drawn back into the failures of the past.

They were in the past, best forgotten.

The future was what mattered, and the future would belong to her.

She would see to it.

Fenn was waiting for outside the dome that led down into the farm proper. Clad in dark green robes of the Jedi, he looked far different that she had seen him in the past.

She was not surprised.

He no longer sees me as a simple friend, he knows what I am, my affiliation.

The thought made her sad.

What was this then? She wondered, some foolish Jedi appeal to what I once was? Was he trying to convince her to abandon the darkness? If he was, then he was a fool.

She would never give up the power she had won. Never.

She smiled slightly.

She was curious to see what he had in mind. If this was some scheme to try and turn her, she wondered what levers he would try pulling.

"Greetings," she said with cool politeness.

"Hello Keera," he said bowing slightly, "Welcome home."

She sighed and shook her head.

"Home," she murmured, "It was Keera's home, not mine. My home is on Dromund Kaas, with my fellow Sith."

If he was taken aback by this, he did not show it.

He kept smiling.

"So…this is where you come from, you told me about it many times, but to finally see it, to see where you grew up…"

He nodded thoughtfully.

"I can see why you wished for me to see this."

She looked around, taking in the sights, familiar sounds greeted, and…at least the illusion of familiar smells. All around her, the air seemed to whisper, tried to draw her back to a less complicated time in her life, a time that was more black white.

Home, the Force seemed to whisper in her ear.

Home.

She frowned.

"This place is gone now," she informed him, her voice as cold as the ice world she had just left behind, "It has no hold over me, not anymore."

She gave him a sly smile.

"Were you thinking of using this against me, did you think that you might undo what I've done to myself these past few years?"

"Not at all," he replied with a shrug, "when we left Hoth, I asked Master Jas about you. Your first encounter aboard the wreck, and what he sensed from you then. I wanted to understand you, not just what you are, but what made you this way."

Fenn sighed.

"I wanted to know, and to understand you, that is all."

"So you thought bringing me here was how you would do that?" she asked, frowning.

"I did not bring you here. I merely reached out with the Force and hoped that you would answer. I let you pick the location of our meeting."

He smiled again.

"You seem to have come dressed for the occasion."

Avaryss looked down. She was surprised by what she saw.

She was not dressed in the robes of the Sith, She wore a simple white shirt, and a set of tan overalls. Her arms were tanned from the sun, her hands dirty from a day out in the fields, inspecting the collection towers.

Chore clothes, she remembered, how many times back on Oridanna had she slipped into these before the sun came up? How many times had she left home early in the morning to make sure that everything was working fine on their farm, that the quotas would be met, and her father free of worry?

Many times, she thought, too many perhaps.

She sighed.

"This will not do," she murmured, she reached down inside herself. She covered her face with her hands, and when she slid them away, Keera Lylos vanished; she melted away like an ice chip on a hot summer day.

Avaryss stood in her place, clad in the robes of the Sith, her lightsaber clipped to her belt.

She smiled.

"Much better," she purred, "And far more comfortable."

"Clearly," Fenn frowned, she sensed a bit of disappointment from him, but did not let that bother her.

She had no regrets of the choices that had brought her to this place. Keera Lylos was gone. She had been weak.

She had not been able to cut it.

"It does not answer my question though," he said.

"And that is," she asked.

"Why?"

He looked at her with sad, yet curious, eyes.

"What brought you to this?"

"I could lie, you know," she smirked.

"You've never lied to me yet, I can't believe that you will start now."

A sense of fear twisted in her gut.

Some things were better left alone, the darkness whispered, why risk bringing them up?

Because he asked, she thought.

That is reason enough.

She sighed.

"Why," she said shaking her head, "I could give you so many reasons. It is what is expected of a Force sensitive in the Empire. I am smart, driven, how could I not seek to excel among the ranks of the Sith."

She grinned slyly.

"Maybe it was just because I look good in black. Do any of those answers seem like lies to you?"

"No," he agreed, "But they are not the whole truth, either."

He gave her a wan smile.

"You do look good in black though."

"Thank you, kind sir," she said with a slight curtsey. Hoping he would not notice the heat rise in her cheeks.

"Your welcome, now how about the real truth."

He crossed his arms over his chest. She sensed only determination in him now, rock hard, and immoveable.

"I'm waiting."

She snorted.

Clearly he was not going to budge on this; she had hoped to wear him down but…

She had an idea.

"Must we talk about such things," she purred, her voice turning silky, even a little seductive.

She ran her hand down from her chin down to her waist, the robes she was wearing changed; they became more gowns like, off the shoulder, yet tight in all the right places, showing over her curves, and cut very low in front.

She gave him a warm come hither look.

"Aren't there other things that you would much rather be doing with me?"

He did not even blink.

"Don't tease," he said flatly.

"Am I teasing, I thought I was making an offer. There are men in this galaxy that would not turn down such a chance."

She gave him a coy smile.

"We both know this is a dream, why should we not enjoy it? Would you really be breaking you precious Jedi code if you did?"

"Probably not," he shrugged, "But I recognize this for what it is. You're trying to distract me."

"Is it working?"

"Yeah…a little."

She smirked.

"Only a little," she said glancing down, the way he was now holding the long sleeves of his robe over his waist…

Perhaps she was not wasting her time here, after all. If that could manifest here…?

He stopped her with a glare.

"Keera," he said flatly, he was not angry, but he was getting annoyed.

She pouted.

Oh well, she thought, you couldn't blame a girl for trying.

She had hoped to test the waters, see if he was up for seduction, if he was willing to go with it. She could sense his interest, even a flicker of desire, but that damn Jedi calm of his continued to get in the way.

Pity, she thought.

We could have had some fun.

"You want the why, huh?" she asked, "Fine, but don't say that I didn't warn you."

She closed her eyes and gestured.

Day turned to night. The farm behind them vanished; in its place was a burning pit, a pit that had consumed everything that Keera Lylos had known. At Fenn's feet lay Keera's father, his body left as it had been the night he had been taken from her, the night that Darth Feer had sent his lackeys to her home.

Fenn looked around shocked by the carnage. The burning farm, the Sith troopers mummified in their own armor, the result of Avaryss' first step down the dark path.

"What is this?" he asked.

"This is where it began," she said flatly, "This is the night that Keera died, and Avaryss took her first steps."

She sighed and shook her head.

"I've spent a lot of time avoiding coming back to this place. I hope you can understand why."

She felt a wave of horror run through her, perhaps the Jedi was not used to seeing such things. Well, he better get used to it, she thought.

War would come again, and with it all the horrors that it could unleash.

She was ready.

She wanted Fenn to be to.

"We lived an idealic life, I suppose," she said looking up into the night sky, watching the ashes of her life blow away on the evening wind.

"The dark lord that ruled us was neither harsh nor, vengeful; all he wanted was what we produced. As long as we paid tribute and met the quotas sent to us, we were left alone.

She turned to Fenn and smiled sadly.

"Nothing good lasts forever."

"What happened," he said.

"What always happens," she replied, "The lord that ruled us fell. A rival took control of his holdings. He took control of us."

Avaryss laughed, she remembered her last talk with her father. She remembered him sitting inside the garage cleaning his weapon. He had known what that meant, but had not even tried to get his family to safety.

Avaryss had come to hate him for that.

"Tradition says that a dark lord should not risk an enemy to flourish. He did not take any chances in dealing with those that our former master bowed to. He sent enforcers to my home, to slay anyone in power that could prove to be a threat to his new order. Men like the overseer of our district, my father…we were all supposed to die that night."

Fenn's eyes narrowed.

"He tried to kill you because he thought you a threat?"

"No, he desired our deaths because of tradition. A dark lord must destroy his rival's powerbase utterly, unless he wishes his rival's interests to become a threat to him."

"Was your father such a man? Was he a threat?"

"My father only wanted to do his duty, he had been a soldier first, and a loyal son of the Empire a close second."

She laughed fatalistically.

"It did not save him, my mother, or my sisters. It did not save me."

She gestured, again the air shimmered, an illusion of her as she had been that night took shape, Keera Lylos on her knees her arms pinned by Sith troopers, her master's enforcer advancing on her.

"I was to be kept as a trophy," she hissed, "A prize for the son of the new overseer, his pretty wife."

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

"The Force had other plans."

As Jedi and Sith watched, the illusion of Keera wailed in agony and rage, her body glowed like a star as the death field expanded out from her, consuming the enforcer and his men. Fenn said nothing as he watched, he must have sensed the dark energy that still saturated the memory, and either that or he finally realized just how powerful his dream friend was in the Force.

Avaryss smiled.

"The dark side came to me that night. It saved me, and offered me a new life, a life free of fear, free of helplessness."

Fenn shuddered.

"You were a victim," he said, "I'm sorry."

She gave him a cold look.

"I became a survivor, and after many hardships, and threats that should have left me broken, I endured, and found my way here, found my way to you."

She grinned.

"And here we are," she said, "At the place where nightmares and fantasies meet."

She giggled.

"Isn't it wonderful?"

She felt a wave of compassion wash over her, her old friend's horror turned to pity.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"I'm not," she purred.

She stepped forward, he did not back away, and he stood his ground, fiercely, proudly.

Good.

"I thought you lost to me," she said in a husky voice, "I thought you just a child's distraction. I…I tried to forget you. What it felt like to be close to you."

Still he did not retreat, he let her get so close that her chest brushed his, she could almost feel the smooth leather of his vest, the rough spun feel of his robe.

It was a start, but she wanted more.

She needed more.

In that moment, all thought of Fehl had faded; all that mattered was the now. Her mind was screaming that this was a mistake, that she needed to back away, but the rest of her couldn't do it.

She was finally here.

She would enjoy this moment to the fullest.

"How does it feel," he asked.

She grinned.

"Like this," she murmured, coming up on her toes.

Again he did not back away; she felt his arms starting to encircle her.

"Keera," he murmured his voice thick with desire, his Jedi calm failing.

Perfect.

He began to lower his head as she closed her eyes. He leaned in closer and…

BEEEEEEEEEP!

Avaryss' eyes snapped open; she felt a strange sense of vertigo. It took her a moment to regain her faculties, the world spun strangely as her senses; her true senses came rushing back.

What in the Emperor's name?

BEEEEEP!

She shook her head, clearing away the last of the vision. She was back in her quarters on the Fury. The alarm next to her bed was ringing, the red light on top flashing.

It took her a moment to remember what that meant, the vision she had shared with Fenn had left her frazzled, unsure where she was.

She snarled in barely restrained fury.

Fools!

IDIOTS!

She had been so close!

She had given orders not to be disturbed!

It took all of her self-control to not leave her quarters, go up the cockpit and throttle Mister Rink! Had he not listened, she had told him not to bother her. That he should only contact her if it was an emergency.

The alarm beeped again.

The realization washed over her.

An emergency.

She shook her head again.

Maybe it was.

She reached out with the Force, pressing the button, she took another deep breath, she did not want to vent her anger if this was truly an emergency.

"Rink," she growled, only just holding her temper in check.

"Hey Boss," the former street rat replied, "We got a call coming in for you from Dromund Kaas. Your eyes only."

Avaryss blinked.

Had Feore found the Rodian already?

If so…that was quick!

"Is it Lord Feer?" she asked.

"Don't think so boss," Rink replied, "It is on the executive channel though, the one from the Citadel. Figured you might want to take this."

Avaryss frowned.

A call from the citadel, not from Feer, but a direct line?"

Who could have gotten a direct line to her ship? If not Lord Feer then…"

Avaryss smiled, realization washed over her.

She was pretty sure she knew who was on the other end of the line now.

She rose from her bed, and slipped on a robe. She reached out with the Force to turn down the heat, trying to make herself look respectable.

"Put the call through Rink," she said, "I will take it in here."

"Sure thing, boss, whatever you say..."

Avaryss nodded. All thought of Fenn and what might have happened faded. She was all business now.

It would be unwise to face this one in any other state.

His image appeared, not as large as the one in the comm room, but large enough to confirm who it was that was calling.

She smiled warmly.

"Darth Baras," she said bowing her head, "I do hope the information I presented you with last time proved useful."

The older Sith chuckled, his silver armor seemed to gleam in the light.

"No pointless pleasantries this time, youngster? No 'you are honored by my call?"

He laughed again.

"Good," he said, "I have another deal for you, child. If you are willing to play along?"

Her smile widened.

"I can't deny that I profited from our last arrangement. What can I do for you Lord Baras?"

"I've just learned youngster that you are currently in pursuit of a member of the Rodian Senatorial staff."

Baras stood a little straighter.

"He is of interest to me. I thought we might come to an arrangement on his…future."

Avaryss chuckled, if only to hide her surprise.

She did not know who had told Baras about this. It could have been someone in House Dresco, one of Lord Goss' people, maybe even an agent within House Feer.

One thing was for certain, she would speak to Lord Feer about increasing security, just in case.

They shouldn't make things too easy for Darth Baras.

"When you say…future, my lord, I take it that means you wish him to have a lack of one, yes?"

"Nothing so crude, young one," the dark lord replied, "His death would send a message, but leaving him alive would allow me to send another one."

Baras leaned in closer.

"When you confront this…dog, I would like you to suggest that it was a certain Jedi that told you where he was, and leave him alive to tell the tale. It would serve my interest to see a little dissention stirred up within the Jedi ranks."

Avaryss chuckled.

I could sing this song for you Lord Baras, but once again, I must ask, and do not doubt my loyalty to the cause of seeing the Jedi suffer, but…"

She grinned.

"What is in this for me?"

If Baras was angered by her presumption he did not show it.

If anything he radiated amusement.

"I do have something to trade child, not just the location of your prey, but also a special report that just found its way into my hands. An interesting read, I must say, naming a certain Jedi Master working with Republic Intelligence, someone who no doubt would have preferred this report never been filed, but…it has, and now it is mine."

"Congratulations, my lord," she said, "It seems your agents have come through again."

"I would prefer to call them my invisibles, child, if they existed of course.

'Of course," she agreed.

"I take it you are interested in what I've found?"

"Most definitely," she said.

"Then we can trade," he said, "I will send you the report, it will be encrypted of course, can't be too careful, once you have dealt with the Rodian, and planted the name that I've asked. I will send you the cypher key to unlock the report."

"Sounds fair," she said, "I will aid you in this, my lord, in fact, it will be my pleasure."

"That is good," the older Sith agreed, "I'm most pleased."

" Glad to hear it," she said, "Now all that remains is for you to tell me where the Rodian is, that and the name of the Jedi you want me to attach to this."

"The Jedi's name is Nomen Karr; he has been a thorn in my side for years. I would be most eager to see that thorn pulled out, but for now he has some use. Especially if he is linked to something…interesting."

"And the Rodian," she asked, "You said you had a location for me?"

"Goobik is the man's name, is it not?" Baras asked.

"It is."

Then…I have good news for you," Darth Baras said, sounding pleased with her descision.

"Representative Goobik is currently on Nar Shadda. Though he had been spending more and more time on Hutta recently, confront him, and give him the name."

Baras chuckled.

"Master Karr will have a lot of explaining to do, and you will have the evidence that you seek in bringing down the head of the conspiracy."

Avaryss grinned.

"Your information goes that high up?"

It does," Baras promised.

"Then why not deal with it yourself?"

Baras shrugged.

"I have my reasons," he said, "For now you have a choice to make. You can carry out my wishes and learn what I've learned, or continue to thrash around in the dark. I know what choice I would make if I was in your position, young one."

Avaryss nodded.

It was not much of a choice.

"I will send your message, my lord," she promised, "Have my cypher key ready to send."

It will be child," he promised, "Until then…good hunting. Baras out."

"Thank you, my lord," she replied.

The hologram faded, she did not even bother checking to see if it erased itself, she knew that it would.

Nar Shadda, she thought, or Nal Hutta, the prey was there.

She was looking forward to this.

One more victim, and she would be in a good position to strike at the conspiracy directly.

She welcomed the chance, and all it cost her was the chance to frame a Jedi.

She welcomed that offer.

She would say anything if it got her to the head of the conspiracy. Not that he would be head of anything much longer.

If Baras' offer paid off.

Perhaps she would need to reevaluate her feelings for the Sith Master.

I will do as he asked, but in the end, the true rewards would be mine.

As would the Republic lackey.

As was the galaxy and it all began here. She looked forward to their meeting.

The future was coming.

She welcomed that arrival.

Let my enemies be warned, she though with a hungry smile.

"Let them beware and die."

She welcomed that last part.

She laughed.

She was going to enjoy this…

…very much.