Chapter 57: Victory

So…I…I guess we won?"

Avaryss smiled.

Her brother's gift for understatement was…staggering.

She had just left the sonic shower aboard her fury and had gone to her bed to meditate. She probably could have used quarters on board the destroyer, but she felt far more comfortable on her own ship, in her own space. She was still a tingle from today's success, but thought it wise to muster herself, to gather her energies for the revels to come.

She intended to enjoy tonight to the fullest.

It was not every day that you became a Hero of the Empire.

Her brother stood before her, still clad in his combat suit. They had been back for almost two hours now; she would have assumed that he would have already been celebrating, reveling with the brave men and women who had made their victory possible.

From his dour expression, it seemed that celebration was the last thing on his mind.

She laughed lightly.

"Try to look more pleased, brother," she chided, "We have won a marvelous victory today, a victory for the Empire as a whole; this is truly a day of days."

She grinned triumphantly.

"This is no reason to be so glum."

"Hm," he said lightly scratching his chin.

She rolled her eyes.

Why did he have to be such a kill joy?

They won.

Did he not understand that?

They…had won!

IOI

The Sith did not bother putting out the fires that HK had set with his flame thrower, in fact, Avaryss sent a pair of flame troopers to make sure that entire complex was consumed. The soldiers moved inside, blasting everything that could burn, ensuring that nothing would remain of the Jedi and their safe house. The bodies of the slain enemy were left where they fell, only their lightsabers had been collected, trophies that Avaryss would bring back as proof of this grand victory.

And what a victory it is, she thought to herself, we have crushed the leadership of the conspiracy with a single stroke. Xen had checked the bodies, making sure that all the leaders had been there, confirming their deaths. The Padawans in attendance had been students of the masters that had fallen on Nar Shadda, and had been well trained to carry on if anything had happened to their teachers.

The deaths of both teacher and student assured that that would not come to pass. Any surviving agents who had not been here would find their transmissions unanswered, their requests for supplies ignored. They had cut off the head of the snake, without it the body of the conspiracy would wither and die. Those agents who did not flee back into Republic space would be hunted down and destroyed without their leaders support.

For all intended purposes, the conspiracy as a whole was done.

Such news was music to Avaryss' ears, and would no doubt please the council.

She had done as they had asked.

Now…all she had to do was contact them, and collect her reward.

She stood outside facility with the others, watching the fires burn. The planet's weak atmosphere limited the blaze, but that could not be helped.

I would have preferred that the fires rise high, she thought to herself, I would have preferred a beacon that could have been seen on both Dromund Kaas and Coruscant as well.

I want everyone to know what we did here. I want them to know that Sy Dar Bynn's failure is now complete.

She looked over at her companions and underlings. The soldiers maintained their military discipline, as they should have. Rink had brought down the interceptor with additional reinforcements, just in case they had been needed. Say what you wanted about the former street rat, but he was loyal to her, and did his duty without complaint.

She would see him rewarded as such, just as soon as she collected what was owed her.

These people had made it all possible. She was not above being generous in victory.

Of all of her companions only Xen had a truly strong emotional reaction to what had happened. The former Jedi giggled and cried at the same time. Through the Force Avaryss could feel her emotions blazing like wild fire. The girl had contained them for too long, locked them away, now that they had finally gotten out, they were almost out of control.

I will need to work with her, Avaryss realized, guide her down the path. Such raging emotions could lead to madness if not guided by a firm hand, but for now, she let the girl rage, let her enjoy her new freedom.

It would only make their connection that much stronger.

"Look at it," she laughed, "Look at how it ends."

She tore of her brown robe and tossed it in the air, using the Force to propel it into the inferno.

As the others watched she tore off her Jedi tunic and throwing that in as well. The soldiers said nothing as the girl tore off her Jedi garments feeding them into the fire.

"Tonight…I throw off a lifetime of hypocrisy," she shouted, "No more will I hide what I want. No longer will I run from what I feel. I want to feel everything! I want to be everything!"

She turned to Avaryss a wide manic grin plastered across her features.

"It is all because of you, my master," she said with tears in her eyes, tears of gratitude.

"You have set me free! I feel scoured clean, like I've reborn into a loud and beautiful world!"

None of the soldiers said anything, despite the girl's state of undress. None would say that Xen Loor was not attractive; the life of a Jedi had left her body both well-toned and sleek. A normal soldier would have likely responded to the situation with bawdy comments or perhaps wolf whistles, but not these men. They had learned long ago to stay silent in face of the actions of the Sith and their apprentices…

…Even when one did something so…provocative.

The only comment Avaryss picked up came from Holli, she had been standing next to Rink and whispering so Xen could not hear her, the only reason why Avaryss heard was because she was actively trying.

"Put your tongue back in your mouth Rink before you trip over it."

The boy chuckled.

"Just…just art appreciation Holli," he said, "The girl certainly does have…talent."

"Yeah," Holli said, "She also has Force powers that could kill or cripple you in a blink, so show some damn respect."

Avaryss nodded.

Rink did need to be careful; Xen was still quite raw to the dark side, raw and unpredictable.

Who knew how she would react if provoked.

The only one that responded to Xen's little show was Beric. He said nothing, simply took off the poncho he had been wearing during the operation.

He wrapped it around Xen's shoulders. She looked surprised at first, but smiled as Avaryss' brother bowed his head respectfully.

"My lady," he said softly.

Xen smirked at him.

"Thank you kind sir," she purred, "You certainly are a gentleman."

Avaryss could not tell for certain, but in the dull light, for a moment, she thought she saw her brother blush.

I will need to tease him about that later she thought, but for now, she had one final matter to attend to, one final act before they could get off this rock and return to their destroyer in victory.

She stepped away from her men and turned to face them, a triumphant smile on her face.

"We have won a great victory this day," she called out to her assembled men. "This was no mere raid on a smuggler's den, or a strike to take out a nest of thieves and smugglers."

She held out her arms, gesturing to the destruction behind her, the result of their victory.

"What we stopped to today was a group dedicated to the downfall of our great Empire. These people were the worst type of terrorist, one that lives only to spread chaos, disorder, and anarchy. They tried to set us against each other, lord against lord, and loyal son against loyal son, loyal daughter against loyal daughter, but because of your bravery, your commitment to all that is right and just in our Empire. These monsters have been stopped. They will sow no more dissent; they will bring no more chaos upon our home. Your wives and husbands may slip securely tonight; your children may rest easy, knowing that on the morrow they will wake in a safe and secure home…"

She raised her hands above her head; she ignited her blade and held it to the sky.

"Today you are not just soldiers, you are all heroes! You are saviors of the Empire, and because of your courage and sacrifice we shall endure, we shall grow, and expand. Together we shall build an Empire that will last for another thousand years. WE SHALL BUILD AN EMPIRE OF SECURITY AND ORDER! WE SHALL SAVE THE GALAXY!"

"FOR THE EMPIRE!" a young soldier shouted raising his arm.

"FOR THE EMPEROR AND THE COUNCIL!" another cried out.

"FOR THE SITH!" Beric called.

"FOR MY MASTER," Quenya declared, "FOR AVARYSS!"

The chant of "For Avaryss," rose up over the dusty plain. Avaryss stood proudly before her men, drinking up their praise and adulation.

This how it should be," she thought, this is what the future holds...

She almost cried; that was how pleased she was at that moment.

We are all heroes, and I stand above them all, this is my triumph, mine!

Let all behold my grand work, and beware.

Let my enemies see…

…and let them all beware.

IOI

The return to the ship had been a joyous one, word had been sent ahead to inform the Vaiken's fist of their return.

The captain would send word to Lord Marr and the rest of the council, informing them of their victory. As the soldiers began their own revels, again Captain Brune had invited Avaryss to dine with him. When Beric had come to visit her, she had been meditating readying herself for a most…physical evening.

She had wanted her full stamina restored; the dear captain would expect nothing less from a Lord of the Sith Empire.

She sensed Beric's disapproval of that, he clearly did not like the thought of his little sister…reveling. Had she been born a boy, and Captain Brune a beautiful female, Beric might have cheered her on, but that was not how things were.

She was his little sister, and he still thought he needed to protect her.

It was sweet if nothing else.

"So what happens now," Beric asked, "Where do we go from here?"

"Word has been sent to the dark council," she informed him, "Soon I will be called before them, and they will grant me what they promised."

She smiled slyly.

"You are in the presence of lord of the Sith, brother, or one that soon will be, try to be happy for me, okay?"

Again Beric nodded, he continued to pace in front of her.

"That is how it should go, I suppose," he murmured before turning to face her.

"Congratulations on that, by the way."

Avaryss nodded pleased that he offered her such words, but at the same time, one single word of what he said stuck in her head, it twisted like a dagger in her confidence, giving rise to butterflies in her stomach.

"Should," she said with a frown.

"What do you mean should?"

He gave her a grim look.

"I know what you were promised, sister," he said, "And I don't wish to anger or worry you…"

"Yet, you clearly have something to say," she said flatly.

"Speak plainly, Ric," she said, "What is on your mind."

Her brother frowned.

"There is one man who might decide not to let this happen, and he has enough clout to make sure that things do not go as you hope they will."

It did not take Force sensitivity to know exactly who her brother was talking about.

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

"Lord Feer," she said coldly.

"You are his apprentice right," Beric said, "You're his sword? What if he decides that the full credit for all that you have done should go to him? What if he convinces the council that, since it was him that put you on this path, that it is him that should reap all the benefits?"

Avaryss wanted to laugh, she wanted to say that her brother was wrong, that what he was saying could never come to pass, but then she found herself thinking about what she had seen and done since entering Lord Feer's service. What she had done since she first attacked that safe house on Tatooine on what felt like now was years ago.

Her frown deepened.

It…it was possible, she realized.

He could do it.

"He would not do that to me," she said with a fatalistic laugh, "I…I have done everything on this mission since he gave it to me, I…defeated our enemies, me, not him, me. He would not do it."

But the more she thought about it the more she found herself thinking that Beric could be right.

Her temper began to flare, her joyful playful mood gave way to rage and hate.

Feer, she thought.

He could steal everything, and if he decides to do so, he will sit back and laugh at me.

She could imagine her master's face, he would claim her rewards for himself, give her a pat on the head, and tell her what a good student she was.

"Well done, my child," he would say, that would be her reward, all that, and nothing more.

Lady Synestra would be so pleased.

Bael would laugh.

She leapt out of bed and turned away, not wanting to look at Beric, not wanting to admit that he was possibly right, that everything she had done might just have been for nothing.

It could have all been for nothing.

"He can't do this to me," she murmured under her breath, growing angrier by the moment, her body began to glow; an eerie red halo enveloped her.

"This is my triumph," she hissed under her breath, "THIS IS MY VICTORY, NOT HIS, MINE!"

She turned to face her brother, her eyes flashing with barely contained rage.

"This is mine," she hissed, "I will not share it with Feer!"

Beric raised his hands; he could no doubt see the fury he had unlocked within her.

"I just want you to be prepared," he said, "Maybe I'm wrong, maybe you will get everything you wanted, but…if you don't…"

Avaryss sneered.

"If I don't, then I will deal with the matter, the same way that I've dealt with others since I chose to go off on my own."

She laughed wickedly.

"Perhaps the time has come for me to have a long chat with Lady Synestra. No doubt she has informed my master of what I have done, no doubt her contacts in the capital will tell her about this victory, and she will know what it will mean."

"So…what do we do?" he asked.

"What I've always done, Ric," she said grinning, "Do what is best for the Empire, and remove whatever threat that stands in my way."

Avaryss nodded grimly, she had come to a decision. Any desire she had had to spend an evening with the handsome Captain Brune was gone.

I've been away from House Feer for far too long, she realized.

The time has come to return and tie up some…loose ends.

"Contact the others Beric," she ordered, "Tell them to return to the ship at once, it is time we got underway, we need to go home."

"You don't think we should wait?" he asked, "Let the others enjoy the celebration.

She gave him a cold smile.

"I won't be able to celebrate until this matter is tended to, and then we shall all revel like never before."

She walked him to the door.

"Gather the others quickly, history is on the march, and I will not be left behind."

"As you say, my lord," he said bowing his head.

Avaryss smiled at him as he left, she managed to hold it until he was gone, but after that…

She threw back her head and shrieked.

The Force scream she unleased shoved the few furnishing that her quarter had against the wall, those that were not bolted down. The mirror in her fresher cracked becoming a disjointed sea of spider webs.

Lord Feer might very well still be away on assignment from the council, but that did not mean that she could not secure their house for her own ends. Bael would be there, he and his shutta of a mother.

Avaryss had planned to wait, to do something more subtle, to use what she had learned about Lord Feer's daughter against them when the time was right.

She found that she no longer wished to wait.

She had grown strong in the past few months. She was stronger than she had ever been.

Strong enough to take on her master, she wondered.

Was it time?

She could not say for certain, but what was certain is that Beric's warning had rang something inside of her, the Force now whispered in her ear, a song of danger and betrayal.

She would not wait for that song to build anymore; she would not sit back and enjoy herself while her enemies plotted in the shadows.

No, she had to return home, and quickly.

Something was waiting for her on Dromund Kaas.

She would be damned before she ran from it.

She would face this threat, with a lightsaber in hand.

She would face it…now.

IOI

The Fury exited hyperspace only a few hours after Avaryss and her crew had reassembled. Dromund Kaas appeared before them a dark green world crisscrossed by storms and defended by the great ships of the Imperial navy.

Avaryss stood behind Rink, her hands at her back, her emotions buried beneath her iron will.

No, not buried, she realized, contained, for now.

When they reached the surface, it would be unleased.

Synestra Feer would pay for trying to put out a hit on her. She would pay for her snide comments, and her son's perverted glances and games.

She would pay…for everything!

Xen stood at her side, no longer dressed in the plain and dour robes of the Jedi, but something more…adventurous. The kilted skirt she wore was cut just right to give her legs freedom of movement. Her dark grey top left her midriff exposed, and was slit deeply down the front. Her features were mostly hidden by the top's hood, but that just made her golden eyes seem to glow even brighter.

She regarded the Sith world with a sniff.

Clearly she was not impressed.

"It is no Coruscant," she murmured, "Yet, I can definitely sense the appeal of living here."

"You familiar with Coruscant, Xeni," Rink asked over his shoulder.

The girl pursed her lips, but did not respond to Rink's use of the name "Xeni."

"I was born on Coruscant," she said flatly, "My parents worked in the temple. Both had had family that had become Jedi in the past but neither had enough Force sensitivity of their own to ever join the order itself."

Xen pursed her lips with disgust.

"When I was five they discovered that I had what they never did; that I was Force sensitive and powerful too. They gave me up without a second thought. They felt my joining the order was a blessing from the Force, proof that they had done right by it."

Avaryss blinked, surprised by the anger she heard in the girl's voice.

"Did you ever see them again?" she asked.

"No the council did not want to risk them seeing me every day, and change their minds. They were given a posting at some Jedi Enclave, far from the temple, far from me."

Xen hands curled into angry fists.

"They never even thought to ask what I wanted; they just threw me away so that I could make them proud."

She sneered.

"I wonder what they would say if they could see me now, provided I let them survive the experience."

Avaryss chuckled.

She had never hated her parents, not in that way. If they had held her back at all, it was out of love. Yet, during her training she had destroyed shades of them, both them and her sisters. She had not told Beric that part yet, she doubted that he would understand.

"Send word to the Feer Estate, Mister Rink," she ordered, "Let them know I've returned.

Rink tapped on the communicator, waiting for the security forces at the Feer compound to respond, and give them authorization to enter.

They received no response, only static.

Avaryss frowned.

What is this now, she wondered.

What now?

She stretched out with the Force she felt…she sensed…she…she was not quite sure. It was a threat yes, but she couldn't…

She shook her head.

They needed to get on the ground, now.

"Take us in carefully, Mister Rink," she said, "But keep us out of range of the estate's defense guns. I do not wish to be blown out of the sky."

"Sure thing," Rink said nodded, he sounded more subdued that usual, perhaps his unique connection to the Force had picked up on what she was feeling, and what she was feeling, was not good.

It was confusing.

They broke through the cloud cover, emerging over the vast jungle that covered much of the surface of Dromund Kaas. It did not take them long to pick out the Feer estate out of the jungle…

Night had fallen, but the area around the estate was as bright as day.

The estate was a raging inferno!

House Feer was under attack!

Warning lights flashed in the cockpit of the Fury, a target lock warning blared in their ears.

Rink banked the ship hard, pulling away from the estate.

Two concussion missiles streaked passed and exploded.

The Fury spun away as the shockwave overcame them.

Avaryss gripped the pilot seat for dear life, as Rink's hands danced over the controls. Laser fire flashed around them as her pilot took evasive action. A pair of Sith Fighters screamed past them, Rink's maneuver causing them to overshoot their mark

He slammed down on the weapon's stud on the console. The forward guns spat green fire.

One of the fighters exploded while the other wheeled away, damaged, its wing struck the tree line and the ship cartwheeled over.

It exploded violently over the trees!

Avaryss shook her head, unsure of what was going on, the dark side of the Force roiled, disrupting her powers and abilities. She shook her head, trying to clear the strange buzzing that had taken root as soon as they had come through the atmosphere.

House Feer was under attack, she thought, but by whom? Why?!

She took a shuddering breath, trying to clear her head.

She needed to find out.

"Bring us around Rink," she ordered, "Take us back to the estate!"

"That is not a good idea boss," he said, checking the scanner, "I'm reading at least two full squadrons of ships attacking the estate right now."

He gave her a nervous look.

"Things are not looking good down there right now."

"Never the less, we must return," She said, "If you can't set us down, fine, see if you can find some structure to drop me off on."

Avaryss's eyes narrowed.

"I have business to conduct down there."

Rink obeyed, though she could sense through the Force that he thought she was crazy, perhaps she was.

She was the heir to House Feer.

She would be damned before she let anyone else but her blow it apart!

As they drew closer she saw what was happening. It still did not make sense.

Sith ships continued to swarm the estates defenses, a group of Extinction class bombers with Sith supremacy class Starfighters in support. The bombers had laid waste the estate's defenses leaving only the main building mostly intact. The bombers were now moving off, their work completed, the fighters, no doubt detecting the incoming Fury were starting to break off their attack runs and moving to intercept.

According to Rink's scanners there was a single ship on the estate's landing pad some kind of long range transport, from the guns it was sporting he thought it might be some pirate ship or bounty hunter craft.

Avaryss frowned.

Bounty hunters and pirates rarely had Sith military support, especially when attacking a target on Dromund Kaas.

Rink checked the scanners again. I think I got a place to set you down, boss," he informed her, "It will be a little hairy though, we got a lot of lifeforms down there, looks like a battle."

Avaryss nodded.

"Just get me down there," she said, "I'll handle the rest."

"We will handle the rest," Xen said, drawing her lightsaber from her belt.

"We shall fight as one, master."

Avaryss nodded, she would have preferred Quenya be at her side, Xen was still too new to her service, but at the same time, she needed one of her apprentices to stay behind and command the ship.

Quenya was more than capable of doing that.

"See if you can draw off more of those fighters," she ordered, "And send word to military command. Someone sent those ships, I want to know who."

Rink nodded, but did not have time to answer; the fighters were upon them again.

It took all his skill to keep them flying.

Avaryss and Xen made their way down to the ramp. Avaryss caught sight of Beric watching her as she passed by. He was arming himself, getting ready to go into battle at her side.

"Stay here," she ordered, "Quenya may need your help."

"What about you," he asked.

She grinned.

"I'm going hunting," she said brightly.

"Do not wait up."

"Stay safe kind sir," Xen said to him warmly.

She smiled.

"I would hate to see you come to a bad end."

Beric nodded grimly, but he might have smiled slightly at the girl's comment.

Avaryss rolled her eyes.

She did not have time for this.

She felt the Fury slow and rotate around, the warning light beside the ramp went from red to green.

The door slid open and Avaryss and her apprentice leapt out...

They leapt down into a world on fire, the shriek of blasters and explosives going off around them.

The two Sith ignited their lightsabers.

They fell upon the first wave of attackers.

Avaryss blade flashed as she fell into the rhythm of Shien, reflecting the blaster bolts back at the attackers. They were clad in Sith uniforms but that was the only thing Imperial about them. They wore no helmets, not that they needed them

The faces that stared back at her were out of some horror holo!

Their flesh was pulled tight against their faces, wires and circuit boards adorned their cheeks and foreheads. The eyes that looked upon her appeared both dead and milky. They shouted at her but no words came out, only strange gargling cries of anger and pain.

Xen closed the distance between them and engaged the attackers. She plunged the cross guard blade of her weapon into one of the enemy's chest to drive him back only to behead him seconds later with her lightsaber.

Sparks flew from the severed neck but the body remained upright, still firing its blaster. In fact none of the enemy had fallen yet; her deflected blasts burned their bodies but did not stop their advance, only slowed them down.

Avaryss snarled and sent a blast of Force lightning into the…whatever it was that was attacking. It threw them back but that was it.

Xen leapt on one them, cutting it to pieces with her weapon.

"STAY DOWN!" she shouted.

"STAY DOWN!"

It was at that moment that answering fire came from one of the estate's barracks; a few soldiers must have survived and now had come to Avaryss' aid.

She was about to call out to them, to rally them to her, when she was thrown back by a tremendous explosion.

The barracks vanished in ball of orange flame.

Avaryss lay on the ground her head ringing from the blast. Her sound bafflers over loaded by the roar of the explosion, her eyes burned; the bright light doing nothing to help them, her over sensitivity to light making her vulnerable.

As she blinked away the tears, she saw a shadow coming towards her, the man was tall and broad shouldered, his gate hinted no concern at all, despite the destruction all around them, the one approaching her seemed completely calm, and in control of the chaos that swirled around him.

Avaryss somehow managed to regain her feet, she ignited her lightsaber and turned to meet this new threat, her head continued to pound, that strange buzzing building to a crescendo, it was all she could do to stay focused and ready herself for war.

She was not sure what had happened to Xen, had she been killed in the explosion, she did not know. The Force was wailing at her, filling her with both confusion and dread.

She dropped into a Soresu guard, ready to meet this new enemy. It was at that moment that the implants in her ears finally adapted to the loud noise around them they picked up the sound of the attacker's voice.

He was laughing.

"My master told me I would find you here," he said, "I did not want to believe him."

The voice was strange, it sounded as it was coming through a droid's vocoder, but at the same time…it was…familiar."

A shiver ran down her spine.

No, she thought.

No…this can't be!

NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

It is not time yet!

The large Sith stopped before her, he raised his lightsaber and saluted her, a mocking gesture if there ever was one.

From beneath the shadow of his hooded cloak, he grinned at her, she could just make out the white pearly looking teeth.

She almost wailed; what she was sensing through the Force…it was all she could do to keep from throwing herself on the ground and begging for mercy.

This was not how it was supposed to be.

NO!

The large Sith looked down running the fingers of his free hand down the cloak he wore, a cloak that until recently had been stored for safety here in the estate. Avaryss had brought it with her from Korriban, a memento of something she had lost long ago, of someone she had lost.

Now…she had no words.

She did not know what to say.

"I hope you don't mind me making myself at home," the attacker said, "Considering what these people took from me, I'm sure you can understand."

The man chuckled.

"But you are just like them, aren't you, just another thief."

He shook his head, and smiled.

"But in spite of it all, I'm willing to let the past go. It is so good to see you again after so long…I…I missed you."

Avaryss swallowed hard, she felt like someone was walking over her grave, maybe they were.

"You…you can't be here," she said, "I have not summoned you back yet."

The attacker laughed.

"You are not the only one who understands the ancient secrets, my love," he said removing his hood.

His face was paler than she remembered more gaunt and ragged. The tendrils on his chin hung limp and dead. His head was mostly bald, only a small wispy braid hung down the back; it dangled like a hangman's rope from the back of his scalp.

His eyes were worse, they looked organic, but they had a strange brightness to them, something more mechanical than anything else. On the center of his throat someone had installed a droid's vocoder; it was through this that he had addressed her.

Her knees nearly gave out, seeing him like this.

It was a special kind of hell.

He gestured to her with his lightsaber asking her to approach.

"Come to me, my darling wife," the resurrected Fehl said jovially. He held up his blade, bathing his dead flesh in ruby light.

Come and embrace me," he said almost laughing.

"I long for a kiss."