Chapter 18: The Art of Deception
"I'm going hunting. I need it…"
Shyra Viel sighed and looked out towards the entrance.
"Would you like to join me?"
Avaryss could not kill the smirk that came to her lips. When the mongrel had been standing outside her door, she hadn't been sure what to expect.
…it…certainly…had not been this.
"You want me to go hunting with you?"
The Jedi nodded.
"May I ask why?"
"As I said, I need this," Shyra repeated, "My blood stirs, despite my training, I'm still a predator, and sometimes…I need to acknowledge that, to scratch that itch."
Shyra took a breath, but still appeared a bit on edge, Avaryss could see the tension in her muscles, the way the Force flowed around her.
The beast girl looked at her.
"We are both predators, me…by creation, you…by choice. You have spent days underground, waiting for the leadership to decide our next move."
Shyra snorted, her face shifting slightly to a more animalistic visage.
"Would you not like to get out? To stretch your more…darker impulses?"
Avaryss felt a shiver run down her spine. Her rival was right, more than right actually.
She was feeling a bit…caged right now. Aggressive, she needed to deal with that. She had hoped that Fenn would come to her after their little, roll in the tall grass. If he had come to her quarters, she would not have resisted, alas that had not occurred.
Vice was nice, but violence…could be better.
She needed an outlet, what the mongrel was offering, sounded…enticing.
Plus, it was better than waiting…she had grown tired of waiting.
Since telling the Survivors' leaders the truth about her mission, she had not done much, simply waited, and checked in on Zay every now and then…
For a Sith, it was not enough, the dark side called to her.
She would be lying if she said she had no desire to answer.
"So," she purred wickedly, "What is our prey?"
"Have you seen the Erede, the large blue furred creatures that wander the plains?"
"I've caught glimpses," Avaryss admitted, "Fast beasts, seen their packs moving in the distance."
Shyra nodded.
"It is not easy to get close to them. They have excellent hearing, and even a better sense of smell."
Again, the beast girl smiled, her white fangs shining in the dim light.
"It is a challenge to get close to them, they spook so easily, despite having few natural predators on this world."
"And we are to bring one down," Avaryss said hungrily, "Interesting."
Shyra shook her head.
"This is not about killing; it is about getting close to one."
Avaryss fought the urge to sneer.
"What is a hunt without the pay off of blood at the end?"
"We have no need to kill right now," Shyra reminded her, "Our food stores are plentiful, and hunting is not simply about killing, it is a test of skill. To get close to a skittish Erede, to scratch its flank and leave only the merest drop of blood on one's claws."
The beast girl growled; the Force radiated with her excitement.
"I can do that without killing, tell me…witch. Can you?"
The dark lord smiled.
As challenges went, it was…intriguing.
Killing one of the creatures would be easy, but…
If the mongrel could do something, she could do it as well…only…better.
"I accept," Avaryss murmured, "Though…I'm a bit surprised you would make me this offer. Are you not afraid I might take advantage of this moment, use this…hunt to end our rivalry forever?"
Now, it was Shyra Viel's turn to smile.
"That wouldn't be very wise on your part, would it? I doubt the others would buy the hunting accident story, and besides…"
She leaned in closer.
"I don't think you would risk your plan, your REAL plan, on something as small as revenge against me."
Avaryss said nothing, what else could she say?
The mongrel had said little during the briefing, the dark lord had sensed her skepticism, she didn't buy what the Sith was saying, even though she could sense it was not a lie.
She knows me too well we have tried to kill each other too many times. She might not sense deception, but that doesn't mean she bought into the story about the keys.
It was annoying, but again…not unexpected.
The Sith's smile returned.
"Very good," she said, "It is nice that we understand each other."
Shyra growled, not unpleasantly, more of a laugh than a sign of anger.
"Well," she said gesturing, "Are you coming, witch?"
"After you, mongrel."
The beast girl stepped back and bowed slightly.
"No, I insist…"
"After you."
IOI
The moons had risen, and there was no wind.
Avaryss and Shyra moved through the tall grass. The dark lord adopted her best hunter's tread, she moved as she had been taught, no ripples in the grass, or…in the Force.
Yet, even here, in a place that was so familiar, she was nothing to Shyra Viel. The Jedi had let the beast loose, before vanishing into the grasslands, she had become almost an animal, moving on all fours, her neck and snout elongated into an almost hound-like shape.
Avaryss could barely sense her in the Force, and barely hear her movements, occasionally, the other woman would pause to sniff the air, and then dart forward, drawn by the smell of prey.
The Sith tried to keep up, but even, then, it was a difficult thing. She could do it…but…
A smile came to her lips.
She moves like a ghost.
It is such a shame that such instinct is wasted on the light.
She couldn't help but wonder, what type of Sith would Shyra had been had she not been taken from Darth Terrog? The Sith scientist had clearly not grasped what he had created.
Had he desired a simple hound to expand his forces, or had he had a greater destiny in mind?
A question that would never be answered, Avaryss had taken all answers from Terrog's mouth when she had killed his body and sealed his soul forever within a Sith crystal. She felt no shame in those actions, Terrog had been her enemy, and he deserved far worse for taking her arm.
Even now, she felt a slight tingle in her left elbow, the memory of a phantom pain, brought on by the memory.
Not that it mattered now, she had a new arm, and…a new body.
Plus, a new mission, but even still, Shyra Viel remained, the last of Terrog's creations still lived to vex her.
She considered murdering the creature again, but…Shyra Viel had not been wrong, it would have been counter productive to her plan to arrange an accident for the Jedi. Not that such a murder would be easy, the mongrel was not foolish, her guard remained up.
No, her old enemy had been right on that point.
Avaryss…could afford to do nothing against her…
…at least…for now.
IOI
Fooling a Jedi is not easy, my child, but…it can be done.
Darth Feer had spoken those words to her, and in this…her master had not been wrong. The thoughts of his lessons came back as she had told the Jedi what she knew about the keys, and the history of Hecaetus and their creation.
The trick to fooling a Jedi was not about lying, it was artistry. Her master had called it painting a portrait, or weaving a tapestry. Words and facts shaped to create a deception that was a work of art.
The trick, daughter, is to make one point of the deception so important, that the Jedi focuses on that, and not the rest of the picture.
She had not really understood the lesson at the time, but now, with experience, she understood, and wove her masterpiece, painting a vision of what the Jedi thought she was after.
She was pleased with the result.
Early on, Hecaetus' interest in the Mortis gods had been how they moved, not only through space, but time. There had been conflicting reports for decades, accounts of visits on certain worlds, but one thing had stuck out to Hecaetus, one fact had fascinated him most of all.
The children of Mortis, the son and the daughter, in their various appearance on different worlds, there were…discrepancies, sometimes centuries apart, one meeting they appeared as young adults, the next as small children, but never in a linear path, one world saw them as children, the next as teens, and the next as small children again, many of these reports were decades apart. It had led Hecaetus to one conclusion, the same conclusion the Jedi drew now.
"Time," Jas Dar Bynn had said, "This…Hecaetus, he believed that these Mortis could use the Force to travel through time?"
Avaryss had nodded.
"The main thrust of his research," she assured him, "Hecaetus found no evidence of the Mortis travelling by ship, they just seemed to appear on whatever world they visited, and seemingly disappeared into nothingness."
She had then showed them some of the holograms that Hecaetus had collected; the various painting from different worlds, artists recording the visitations. The dates these paintings had been made flashed below each, once again, confirming what she was showing.
Time travel.
To the Mortis, it appeared to be possible.
Avaryss had not said anything else, there was no need, she could sense what was going on. The Jedi controlled their emotions, their mundane allies did not, and that told her everything she needed to know…
Fear.
She had held back a smile.
It was a beautiful thing.
She didn't even need to lead the conversation, to help them draw the right conclusions…
They did everything themselves!
Time travel?
By the Force…no!
Time travel in the hands of the Sith…or these Zakuul?
Avaryss let that fear burn, let it flow, blinding all other thought.
Time travel, Hecaetus believed it was possible, but extremely dangerous…
Too dangerous.
His desires had then turned…in another direction, a similar direction that Avaryss had, but her allies didn't need to know that.
"We can save them."
Avaryss had looked up then. Agony stood before her, her blue eyes wide, no longer the feral yellow of a Sith, and a look of hopeful expectation on her face.
Avaryss felt something twist in her gut.
What came next…it was necessary, but not pleasant.
She had kept most of the Mortis thing from her oldest friend, awaiting this moment. One did not need the Force to know how it would play out.
"I know what you are thinking, my friend," she said with a pained look, "Fimm and Aya."
Agony's nervous joy reflected out through the Force…her hope.
It was pointless, the dark lord knew, and sadly…not part of the plan.
There was no hope, only power, and those strong enough to wield it.
Agony had let go of hope, or at least, Avaryss thought she had.
Seeing that she hadn't…it was disappointing.
"We cannot save them," Avaryss said flatly, "It is…impossible."
Her friend's face fell.
"But…Avy…time travel, we could go back and…"
"It doesn't work that way," Avaryss snapped back, "I wanted to believe this too. I read everything Hecaetus wrote, everything he collected. I too thought that it might be possible, but I assure you, it is not."
Anger flashed in the other Sith's eyes.
"Why?" she demanded.
"Why is it impossible?!"
"Because that event is set," Avaryss explained, "There is no mystery in the loss of your husband and daughter. We found their bodies, together, we put them both to the flames together. WE know how that story ended. It was an event that helped to bring us here."
The dark lord sighed.
"Both Hecaetus, and the scholars before him, realized that set events cannot be changed, to do so would risk disaster for not just those involved, but all reality. Changing such a major event in our lives would send shockwaves through the Force."
"Then let it happen," Agony almost shrieked, her eyes once again glowing a fierce yellow.
"I WANT MY DAUGHTER BACK!"
Avaryss raised her hand, she didn't like having this conversation in front of their enemies, but…
Again, it played to the plan.
Agony's loss and pain would distract the Jedi from her true intentions.
It was ironic, the dark lord thought, once upon a time, Agony had used her pain at losing Fehl to save her during their time on Korriban. She had offered up one of their fellow students as a sacrifice to reawaken Avaryss' strength.
Now, she was using her friend's pain to sell the plan to their allies. It hurt, but…
No buts.
The Sith shook her head, there was no choice.
It was necessary.
"I'm sorry," Avaryss said shaking her head, the pain she felt was real, she wanted to save her goddaughter too. Even now, she could see Aya's sweet face, but she was not lying.
It wasn't possible, Aya had died, they had seen her body, and given it to the flames.
Not even a Dark Lord of the Sith could change that.
Agony stormed off, her pain radiating in her wake, her anger. Avaryss let her go. She might hate her now, but that was way it needed to be.
The plan came first.
Most of their allies looked around uncomfortable, still fearful about what a Sith or Zakuul could do with time travel, that and the pain that they had seen in Agony's face.
Let them focus on that. It was just another stroke of the brush on her canvas, another step towards…
"We must destroy it."
Colonel Capistan frowned; determination radiated out through the Force.
"The key that Shyra brought back, it must be destroyed."
"Oh, I would not advise that, Colonel," Avaryss purred, "You see…the power that the key taps, it is not within the device itself, the key is only a conduit, that power is held stable in this world by each individual artifact. Think of them as pillars holding up a ceiling, knock out one, the stress on the others is increased, their power is increased, and becomes more and more unstable."
Avaryss shook her head.
"No, destroying the keys without possessing them all would be a very bad idea. If our enemies should beat us to the other four, their power would be increased by our sacrifice, not diminished."
The old soldier glared at her.
"And, you are just going to let us have these keys?"
"I told you, my reasons."
"Yes, you did, but I don't buy the story."
"Is that really fair, Krys?"
The question had come from Fenn, Avaryss was not surprised that he had asked it.
"I understand your hesitation, but Avy has done nothing to warrant our distrust. She has delivered on every promise she has made. She has not tried to harm any of us, and, from everything that I've seen, she has not even lied to us…"
"That doesn't mean that she isn't deceiving us, Fenn."
The soldier once again turned to Avaryss, his eyes cold and hard.
"When Benniko first approached us about recruiting this one, I did some checking of my own. I still have friends in low places, many of them involved in Republic SIS."
The Dark Lord shrugged.
"I can imagine they had a lot to say about me, considering my history."
"You could say that, yeah. The intelligence file on you is quite…interesting, my lord."
The Colonel shook his head, and raised his hand, with each raised finger, he listed a world she had been on at least once.
"Nar Shadda, Taris, and Myrnn 8; have you ever visited those worlds, my lord?"
"I can neither confirm or deny my presence on any of them," she replied.
The old soldier snorted at her response.
"The SIS believed you were, or at least, that's what is in the reports, in all cases, those worlds suffered massive collateral damage when it came to possible Sith incursions, the death of innocents, where ever you went."
Avaryss said nothing, what could she say.
She had done her duty for the Empire, nothing more.
"And now, you are in a position to find the means to time travel, to damage reality and the Force itself, and you want us to help you get it."
"The threat of the item is far more than its actual value, I can promise you that, and besides…"
The dark lord smiled.
"Hecaetus could never get them to work."
"But that doesn't mean that you won't?"
Again, Avaryss didn't reply.
She needed to be careful here.
This was very thin ice she found herself on.
The Colonel once again turned to Jas, and the rest of the group.
"I've followed you through hell, master, but can we really do this? Are we really willing to put such power in reach of someone who is guilty of murdering hundreds of innocents, and claimed it was duty or collateral damage?"
Avaryss restrained herself from rolling her eyes.
Oh, please, she thought.
Hundreds?
You underestimate me, Colonel.
I've killed THREE times that many, and that was not even counting what I did done on Oridanna, to people I actually cared about.
The death of Republic mundanes mattered little to her.
More strokes on the canvas, nothing more.
She watched Master Jas, he looked tired, but remained strong in the Force. He held the gaze of the old soldier, his friend.
"There is a risk, I know," he said, "But we can't just let such items fall into the hands of the Zakuul, or any other Sith."
The Jedi Master sighed, and turned to Avaryss.
"We will help you with this," he promised.
She bowed respectfully, but inside she was almost cheering.
Excellent!
Most excellent!
She had only just held back a satisfied grin.
Another daub of paint on the portrait…
…another step…towards a masterpiece.
IOI
Avaryss moved silently through the grasslands. She walked with a hunter's tread, her senses hyper-alert, both in the now, and in the Force.
Up ahead, she could sense their prey, the herd animals that Shyra Viel had called the Erede.
The beasts grazed together, larger than a human, yet strong and slender. They moved on all fours, but the bend of their front legs suggested that they might be able to stand upright if they needed. the larger animals forming a protective circle around the younger ones. Their dark blue fur blending in with the night sky.
A shiver ran down the Sith's spine, her heart pounded with a hunter's anticipation.
She only just managed to control her breathing, so close to the prey…
The mongrel was right, she realized.
She had needed this.
Speaking of Shyra, she could not sense her. The beast woman had been off to her left the last time she had sensed her.
The dark lord had let her go, she saw no reason to remain near to her rival, not when her own prey was so close at hand.
Avaryss crept closer, her hand going instinctively to her lightsaber, but…then…she remembered the beast woman's challenge.
No killing, only drawing blood.
Her hand moved away from her belt, reaching for the small knife she carried in her boot.
She drew in closer, making her presence smaller and smaller in the Force. The night wind served her; the animals had not caught her scent.
She closed on her prey, closer…closer, the knife was cold in her steady hand.
Just a small cut on the side, she thought, and then…the mongrel will see how good I am…she will know…
ARRRROOOOOOOOOOOW!
The howl split the night air, and with it the calm of the Erede.
The beasts honked loudly and panicked.
They stampeded.
…straight towards Avaryss!
She had gotten too close!
The Sith stumbled as the beasts surged forward.
NO!
The dark lord lost her knife as a large Erede bull hit her with its head as it rushed past, honking in fear.
Anyone else might have been trampled, the creatures surged so close together, but…
Anyone else would not have had the power of the dark side, and the anger of one betrayed.
Avaryss hissed as time slowed down.
Mongrel!
Traitor!
She forced pushed her way through the pack of Erede. It was not enough to stop the herd, but it did give her some breathing room. Once she had some space, she leapt into the air, flipping around so that she could inspect the battlefield.
Her eyes narrowed.
There she was.
The mongrel was on all fours, snapping with her jaws at the Erede speeding their stampede.
Anger flowed out through the Force as the dark lord drew her lightsaber, the crimson blade igniting with an evil hiss.
Shyra turned away from the animals, leaping as well, and in mid flight changing back into a more humanoid shape, still bestial, but now able to wield her own lightsaber.
Both women dropped behind the fleeing Erede, the night had fallen silent, the honking beasts fading into the distance, leaving only the hum of lightsabers in its wake.
Red and green blades lit the night, yet, Avaryss didn't engage, not yet. Her emotions were…in two places at once. She was angry at the mongrel's betrayal, but also curious…
What about the Jedi code?
Had the mongrel finally decided to step over its boundary?
Avaryss was breathing hard, she glared at her hated rival. Yet, she didn't attack…
She gave the Jedi a wicked smile.
"You betrayed me," she purred.
"Did I," Shyra responded, "I never told you to go off on your own, witch. That was all you, if you had remained by my side when I flushed the beasts, you would have gotten your chance to make your cut."
Shyra kept her blade up, but she did take one large paw off of its hilt, she showed the dark lord her claws, red, with a trace of blood dripping down the digit.
"You tried to go it alone," the Jedi said flatly, "You lose."
Avaryss fury started to rise.
So…what was this, some Jedi test?!
Shyra had played her! She…she…
The dark lord's rage left her, she did something that most enemies would not expect.
She laughed.
Shyra Viel didn't lower her weapon, but she relaxed her guard.
She needed have worried.
Avaryss was not going to try to kill her…
…not tonight.
The Sith giggled.
Most unexpected.
She grinned at her rival.
She didn't think that the other woman had it in her.
"I could have been killed," she reminded the Jedi.
"That would have been because of your mistake, not my actions," the beast girl replied.
The Sith nodded.
She had underestimated her rival. She had thought her an ally, who would never try to harm her, that was a mistake.
It had not been a matter of trust, not for the dark lord, but because she had underestimated her opponent, and that could have led to her death.
"This was never about any hunt," Avaryss said.
The Jedi nodded.
"The Erede were not my only prey this night."
"This was a warning, a threat."
Shyra lowered her blade, her weapon powering down. Yet, her animalistic gaze didn't falter.
Shyra had said nothing during the briefing, now, Avaryss knew why.
The girl had already made up her mind, and now…she had made her point.
Avaryss understood it.
"We will help you Sith," Shyra said, "But don't think, even for a moment, we are mere pawns in whatever game you are playing."
The mongrel's eyes narrowed; a low growl escaped her.
"I KNOW you. We've faced each other enough times. If you don't think that I'm watching you, that I won't protect the others the moment I realize what you are really after, then you are gravely mistaken."
Avaryss didn't reply, what could she say.
She had fallen into a bit of a rut. She had been so sure that the Jedi were dancing to her tune.
Shyra had just reminded her that that was not case. Her old enemies were still dangerous.
She had been getting…overconfident. The plan was going well, but…
She had been so busy admiring her own painting that she had not seen the mongrel sneaking up, ready to splash her own paint, ruining the dark lord's work of art.
Darth Feer…would have been most disappointed in his apprentice…
…very disappointed indeed.
Still, Avaryss would recover, she had a chance to, thanks to the other woman's warning.
A mistake on the mongrel's part, she should have said nothing, let me keep moving along confidently.
Now, I will remember to be more careful.
Avaryss smiled.
That was the mongrel's mistake.
"I'll watch my back," she said, "Thank you, mongrel, for the hunt."
"You're welcome, witch."
Shyra said nothing more, she backed up, melting into the long grass. There was a sudden shift as the Jedi changed shape, and then…she was gone, bounding off across the plain.
The Sith sighed and shook her head.
That…had been close…too close.
She could have died.
And yet, I didn't.
Avaryss smiled.
Shyra knew her, that was true. She suspected the truth, but couldn't prove it, and wouldn't act without proof.
She could have saved her friends, and the galaxy, but she hadn't.
Avaryss' work would continue, her painting continuing to take shape.
Avaryss made her way back to camp, but still felt aggressive, hostile.
She thought of tracking those Erede, butchering their pack, but no…
There would be time for blood later, and besides.
The Erede were not the animals she wanted to kill.
She took a deep cleansing breath.
I need to be patient, she reminded herself.
I…can wait.
She still needed to work; the brush remained in hand.
The painting…was not yet done.
