Chapter 42: Thug or Lord

Four.

Avaryss glared down at the Rodian, the creature lay on the ground whimpering, holding the stump that had once been its right hand. Her lightsaber had cauterized the wound, but that did not change the fact that the alien had been left in exquisite pain.

Good, she thought.

Sadly it was the only thing she could take pleasure in in this moment. Four of Vogga the Hutt's safe houses had they raided. Four sets of guards they had fought through, both the Hutt's men and the representative's. This final strike should have been the end of her mission here; Representative Goobik should have been on his knees before her, begging for his life.

That had not occurred; it seemed that Niro the Hutt's information had been wrong.

Three decoys he had said, three lookalikes that that Representative traveled with, she had already killed three…

…Yet now…she had discovered a fourth.

She finally cornered the fool in the main office of the casino where he had tried to hide. The place had been cleared of any customers before the attack had begun; meaning that Avaryss and her crew had only needed to deal with the remaining thugs and guards the Hutt had trusted to watch over this place.

They had not been enough, and neither had the representative's final decoy.

He had fared no better than his fellows.

The first three had fought with their men, using blasters to try and stop the Sith and her people's advance. Rodia was a world of hunters and vicious clan politics. The decoys had apparently all been recruited from within the Representatives own clan, and they had no problem dying if it meant taking an enemy with them. In fact, they considered such a death an honor, slaying for kith and clan, that sort of romantic nonsense. When confronted with defeat, the decoys had tried to set off the suicide vests they had been wearing, nasty little tricks, rigging them with explosives, turning them into living frag mines, the first had been a surprise, after that, Avaryss and her crew had become more cautious and dealt with the Rodian's people accordingly.

She had expected this last Rodian not to be wearing one. She had expected that a Republic politician would not throw away his life so recklessly.

She had been surprised. The creature had tried to blow himself up and to take her with him. Only by removing his hand had she prevented both their deaths. It was only as he lay at her feet, cradling his damaged arm that he confessed that he was not the real Representative Goobik either.

He was just another decoy.

Four of them she thought, her temper boiling beneath the surface.

Where in the Emperor's name is the real one!

In fact, what was a representative of the Republic even doing here in the first place?! The four safe houses doubled as business interests that your typical Republic-type would not have wanted to be linked with. The first had been a spice processing center, the second an armory storing chemical weapons, the third had been a slave market, and the fourth a brothel and gambling hall.

She had not expected the so-called freedom loving Republic to wish to be linked with such…enterprises. Then again, it was not like they had much choice, did they? The Republic needed Hutt support as much as the Empire did.

How far would the Empire go to secure the Hutts' continued cooperation?

She glared down at the wounded decoy, eager to begin questioning him, wanting to find out where the real Representative Goobik was.

She did not get the chance.

The Force shifted suddenly, she was almost overwhelmed by a sense of foreboding. She was just about to order her crew to fall back when Rink rushed into the room. The former street rat radiated panic and fear.

What now, she almost growled.

Rink, gasping for breath, informed her.

"We're in trouble, boss," he wheezed, "The Hutt that owns this place, Vogga, I think his name is, he is outside with his boys, and he does not look happy."

Avaryss frowned.

No.

How was that even possible?

They were under a communications blackout, Lord Niro had given them a ten hour window; they had used about six and a half. They should have had almost three hours remaining. The blackout should still have been in effect, neither she nor her people had left any survivors at their first three stops.

How could the Hutt have gotten here so fast?

How could he have known?

Quenya fussed over Rink while Beric made for the door, making sure that the Hutt's men had not followed Rink in here, or were setting up an ambush when they emerged.

Ever the soldier, her big brother took point, and tried to take charge.

"How many are there, Rink," he demanded.

"All of them, I think," he said wiping idly at his mouth, "Several hundred at least."

Avaryss frowned.

Several hundred of the Hutt's enforcers…

…How would they get out here?

She looked around at her crew, her people. Rink was glancing around the room quickly, perhaps seeking some bolt hole, or secret escape route. Avaryss feared that there was none, if there had been, the decoy would have used it.

Beric radiated a grim acceptance, as a soldier, he had been prepared to face death on the battlefield, even with the odds so stacked against them, she doubted that her big brother would go down without taking at least some of the Hutt's bully-boys with him.

Quenya shook her head, Avaryss sensed only regret from her new convert, once again Avaryss thought she made a mistake bringing her along, perhaps she simply should have slain the girl with her fellows back in that Jedi enclave.

The Devish looked at her, her expression one of sadness.

"And now," she sighed, "We are being dead."

Avaryss' fingers curled into angry fists.

No.

The reaction of her people disgusted her.

No.

Were they facing certain death? It was possible, but at the same time…

NO!

She felt something else not regret, acceptance, or fear, no, Avaryss felt something else.

She felt rage, cold all-annihilating rage!

Betrayal, she thought.

We have been betrayed.

As an acolyte she had been lied to from the very beginning, her master had manipulated her from the very moment she had first chosen to join the Sith order as a hopeful.

She had yet to be able to reward him for that, and now all that rage returned, only now it was Niro and the Hutts that it was directed at.

Her eyes blazed with red flame.

Niro had lied to them. He had lied about the decoys, and he had lied about the blackout. Somehow Vogga had gotten a message that his interests on Nar Shadda were under attack. Either Niro was a bigger fool than her master thought, or he was playing a different game all together.

Perhaps he had even warned Vogga that they were coming? Perhaps this was all some ruse to make him look better before the rest of his fellow Hutts. Perhaps he had accepted a better offer from one of their enemies, if not a rival Sith, perhaps from a member of the conspiracy. Perhaps they wished to terminate the Sith's non-aggression treaty with the Hutt clans, which would happen when word got back that a Sith had killed a top Hutt crime lord, and that would happen, she thought.

Vogga would not enjoy this victory oh no.

He and many of his men were about to die.

The room itself began to darken; her rage was like a building storm. It was a hungry predator ready to be unleashed.

You know the words, the darkness within whispered, you know the spell. The death field…you can use the death field. You can consume them all!

The idea did have merit, as her rage continued to build the Force opened up to her, the dark side showing her several possible futures, what would come to pass if she did this, or rather what was likely to come to pass.

None of the visions she saw pleased her.

She died in almost every vision she saw, usually taking this Vogga with her. In the visions where she did survive she escaped alone, her crew dying in the very inferno she had unleashed to destroy her enemies. Yet, even in victory, Avaryss did not come out a winner. She seemed to always emerge with her body maimed or broken, forced to rely on cybernetics to survive.

Her crimson eyes narrowed.

Even if she was successful, even if the death field did its work, some of the Hutt's scum would escape, they would return to the fallen lord's fellows, and the Sith would lose the Hutts forever. They would join the Republic not out of a desire for profit, but for revenge, or rather as an excuse to take revenge.

It doesn't matter, the darkness within whispered, all that matters is the death of your enemies! You will drown in their blood and they will know fear. If you must die do it with your teeth sunk into an enemy's throat.

Slay them all.

Slay everyone who dares oppose you!

Feed the darkness!

Avaryss was tempted. It would be so easy simply to let go and give in to her appetite for destruction. She could easily lay waste to all before her. Part of her wanted that, to go out in a blaze of fire and retribution. She…she…

Avaryss took a deep breath and blew it out, with it went any thought of suicide and taking as many of her enemies with her.

No.

She would not give in.

No.

What she was considering now were the actions of a common thug, a mere enforcer. She inspired to be more than that, she had to become more than that.

A thug would seek to die fighting, a lord…a lord would find a way to turn this to her advantage.

In that moment, if felt…changed, like she had reached yet another plateau in her training. The fury and rage was still there, but now she had found the height and perspective to be able to look down on it, to consider other options that had nothing to do with lashing out recklessly.

We are in danger, that is true, she thought.

But there were alternatives to fighting. The prepared mind aided by the Force could do much.

She smiled slightly.

She intended to test that theory.

She removed her helmet, and looked at her crew in turn; she could see it in their eyes. They hoped that she had come up with some type of plan.

She had, now all that remained was to see if the Hutt would listen.

"What are we doing, boss?" Rink asked.

"You are following me," she said confidently, "Make no sudden moves; give the Hutt's fools no reason to attack us without order.

She marched out of the office, pausing only briefly to consider her next move.

"Lieutenant Lylos," she said coldly, "Bring the decoy; he has a part to play in this."

"Yes, my lord," her brother said with a curt nod, she did not bother to look over her shoulder; Beric would do as he was ordered. As she had thought earlier, he was a good soldier to the end.

Now it was all up to her, she needed to convince an angry Hutt to buy what she was selling. If it worked there was a chance they might all get out of here alive.

If not…well…none of them would be alive to know what came next.

IOI

The emerged from the casino to find the Hutt's army well entrenched around it, Hutt hover skiffs filled the skies, loaded down with dozens of soldiers and mercenaries.

Avaryss could feel their eyes upon her, but in that moment, she only hand eyes for one, the largest of the skiff's the one floating before her, just out of range should she have tried to throw her lightsaber.

Vogga the Hutt's skiff, the slug-like crime lord was huge, he easily dwarfed Niro and any of the Hutts she had seen in passing on the way down here, though the force she felt nothing but cold rage, but that was not surprising, Hutts were known to be immune to mind manipulation. The fact that she could feel anything at all suggested just how enrage the old slug was.

It would not take much to provoke him into giving the order to slaughter them all.

She needed to tread lightly.

The Hutt growled something in Huttese, the small silver protocol droid standing next to him translated.

"You stand in the presence of the might Vogga," the droid's amplified voice rang out, "High lord of the Hutt cartel, and master of the space ways. He has only one question for you, you who have transgressed so greatly on his personage this day. Tell me, little Sith how do you wish to die?"

Avaryss could feel her crew at her back, if it did come to a fight they would do their best, but that was not what she wanted, if it did come to a fight. They were lost.

No, she needed to do something different.

"How do I wish to die?" she repeated dryly, "How about asleep in my own bed, at some obscene old age, that would be nice."

Her answer threw the Hutt off his game; she sensed confusion, though it quickly faded, his rage reasserting itself.

When he spoke again, it was not using his translator, this time he addressed her himself.

"Your humor does not amuse me, Sith," Vogga growled in guttural basic, "You have attacked my interests and slain, my men. I will know why, and then I will see you answer for it."

Avaryss nodded, a bit surprised if she had to be honest; so the big slugs could speak galactic basic if they had to, the fact that Vogga would address her in such a way was proof that he was taking this matter seriously.

At least he had not ordered the attack, not yet, anyway.

"I fear that we have both been manipulated, mighty one," she continued, "I came here to neutralize an enemy of the Empire, a Rodian worm who hides behind the Republic Senate."

She smiled grimly.

"I suspect that he did not simply desire a business meeting with you. I think he had another agenda."

Vogga growled like a barely contained animal, he continued to pin her with his cold gaze.

Yet, he did not give the order for his men to open fire. Despite his desire to see her punished, he held his temper in check, for now.

"You came for the Representative? Why? What has this underling done to warrant such a response from the Empire?"

"As I said, he had sponsored terrorist acts against the Sith Empire; in fact, I'm starting to think that his mission here might have been part of those acts, if his grandness will allow me to explain?"

Another pause, she could not really see the Hutt's face, but she was guessing that he was considering what she was saying.

Avaryss held back a smile.

Yes, she thought.

Thanks to the dark side, she finally thought she understood exactly what was going on here.

The representative's meeting with Vogga had nothing to do with Republic interests, not in the usual way. By now, the conspiracy knew that someone within the Empire was hunting them, and perhaps had seen an opportunity to act. Goobik had sent in his decoy's hoping to provoke a Sith Response. A response that Vogga the Hutt would be forced to answer in kind. The temper and vengeful nature of the Hutts was legendary. No doubt the conspiracy had hoped for Avaryss and Vogga to go with their knee jerk reaction and try to annihilate each other.

Not that the Hutt's had knees of course, but that was neither here nor there.

The conspirators had wanted blood between the Sith and Hutts, by denying that, she was denying them their victory, that pleased Avaryss greatly.

When the Hutt finally responded, much of the anger had gone out of his words, he was still enraged, but his mind was working.

"What does the representative have to say for himself," Vogga asked, "What does he think of all this?"

"Can't say," Avaryss shrugged, "the one we found here was a decoy, the others too."

Hearing that; it did provoke a reaction.

Avaryss felt a brief wave of surprise from the Hutt.

"All decoys?" he said.

"Yes," Avaryss responded.

"All four?"

"So it seems."

The leaned back, a single "hoo" sound emerging from the loudspeaker.

He did not know, she realized.

Now things were starting to get interesting.

"A simple genetic scan should verify what I'm saying, great one."

The Hutt paused, when she spoke again, his voice was not as cold.

"Why would the Representative send only decoys?" the Hutt said, "Why would he not come himself?"

"Perhaps what is happening here is why," she said.

"Explain," the Hutt said.

"The information given me about the Representative was off. Perhaps whoever is truly behind this was hoping to lure both of us into a trap. Perhaps we were meant to blindly attack each other, to destroy each other. Perhaps some mutual enemy or rival gains an advantage in having the two of us out of the way, or perhaps this was all some scheme to end the working relationship between the Empire and the cartel? I can see either being a possibility."

She might have been wrong, but she thought the Hutt may have nodded.

Avaryss fought back the urge to giggle.

If the conspiracy had been behind this, they had made a mistake. Older Hutts were not always as hot tempered as their younger counterparts. She had angered Vogga, that is true, but he was at least willing to listen, he was curious of what she had to say.

That curiosity may have saved all their lives.

Vogga made some sweeping gesture with his hand. All around them, the soldiers that had been targeting Avaryss and her crew began to stand down. They were not withdrawing, but she felt a lowering of the aggression. The safeties of the various blasters being pointed their way were being clicked on.

Vogga's skiff approached, Avaryss and her crew did not move as the Hutt's transport touched down in front of them. The Hutt lowered the microphone he was holding; he no longer had need for it. Not when he was meeting with Avaryss face to face.

"You have attacked my businesses," he said flatly.

"I do not deny that," she shrugged.

"A large pudgy hand came up and pointed right at her.

"You will make this right."

"Of course, mighty one," she said bowing slightly, "I could offer you credits but that might seem insulting for one as fabulously wealthy as yourself."

She smiled.

"I have other resources, of course, one that I will offer to you now, as a show of good will."

"And that is?" the Hutt sniffed.

Careful not to make any sudden movements, Avaryss hand dipped to her belt, and drew a small remote control, she held it up for the Hutt's inspection.

"What is this?" he asked, though from the slight narrowing of his eyes, she suspected he already knew.

"It is a detonator, my lord; it is connected to the explosives that I set in your other safe houses. I press the red button, and those buildings will cease to exist."

The Hutt scowled.

"And you admit this to my face, why?"

"To show you that I'm willing to discuss this matter sensibly, I killed your men, yes, but the various weapons, spice and…other commodities are safe, and will remain so once I've given you this detonator."

"You would not destroy my property?" he said, sounding skeptical.

"Only if I have to."

"And what of the men you slew?"

"Easily replaceable for one as powerful and wealthy as the might Vogga," she answered, "Consider it another matter that we should discuss like sensible beings."

The Hutt nodded thoughtfully, no doubt weighing his options.

Avaryss bowed her head.

Vogga licked his slimy lips with his large wet tongue.

"I have ruled for several centuries Sith. I will not do my enemy's work for them."

"I'm pleased to hear that, my lord," she said, "So how shall we proceed? Do we fight, or do we talk business?"

She continued to hold out the detonator to Vogga. If he did not take it…?

…she knew how this story, her story would end.

The Hutt looked at the detonator and back at her, several times did he do this; finally, he reached out and took the detonator.

He laughed, a booming…"HOO! HOO! HOO!" sound.

"I like this one, she is my kind of scum," The Hutt cackled, "She offers peace while at the same time shows the damage she could do. I can respect that."

The Hutt nodded.

"You shall join me on my sail barge, little Sith. We shall discuss this matter as reasonable beings. We shall decide how you can make this right."

"Gladly, might Vogga," Avaryss said bowing again, "Once again, the wisdom and power of the Hutt clans is on display for all to see."

Vogga chuckled and gestured for her to join him.

The Hutt barked into the loudspeaker, his soldiers began to fully stand down, lowering their weapons. A second skiff touched down and the soldiers on board disembarked, making way for Avaryss's crew to follow their master back to his sail barge. These soldiers would no doubt secure the casino the Sith had just left, make sure she had not planted any explosives here.

They need not have worried.

In this, she had been a being of her word.

Avaryss watched at the Hutt handed the detonator to one of his bodyguards the man quickly disabled it. Two others seized the Rodian decoy and dragged him aboard Vogga's skiff.

The Hutt glared down at the alien, clearly not pleased with being manipulated.

Avaryss smirked.

I've crossed a threshold today, she thought. She remained her master's apprentice, his sword, but she was also starting to understand that the darkside was not all about crushing ones enemies.

Being a lord was not about ruling the weak, it was about knowing how to talk with the strong, too make them obey you, to make them see that it was in their best interest to do so.

It was a piece in a much larger puzzle, a puzzle that, once solved, would lead to her ascension.

She was pleased.

Yes she would have to give the Hutt something in payment for his slain men, but so what?

She had out maneuvered her enemies, and escaped what should have been a death trap.

She couldn't wait to tell her master.

She had grown today.

She was eager to face her next challenge.

I'm ready she thought.

Bring it on!