Dark Sun Rises: Chapter 8

Vette sat at the end of the bed, fighting to control her ragged breathing. Dromund Kaas was a place she would remember, more often than not in her nightmares. Lekku quivering all over, Vette stripped off the armour and tossed it haphazardly to the floor. Violet eyes cast a slow glance to the gun belt holding her blasters that were resting on the small nightstand. Looking about the room, she took in the exquisite and plush trappings, but it was all a lie she knew. It was something pretty to cover over and hide the ugliness that was right there, lurking all around her. I was too blind to see it before, she thought. I was too caught up in the adventure and excitement, too distracted to see the truth of things.

Now, however, she had been coldly snapped back to reality, as if ripped out of a peaceful slumber only to find a nightmare she'd had was not dreaming, but the reality of life all about her.

Darth Baras had been sending them out on mission after mission, taking care of rivals and enemies alike. Onyxa was his enforcer, and they had taken care of a large number of different people on Dromund Kaas, from slaves to other Sith foes alike. Where Onyxa had led, Vette had followed. Baras, the heartless shutta, Vette thought and felt her stomach give another unsettled roll. Memories of their last mission plagued her, and Vette leaned forward, closing her eyes tight and trying to breathe out and in with calm, steadying breathes.

There was no getting past what had happened on the last mission. No getting past what she had seen. Shock had finally given way to the harsh reality of the events and it weighed heavily on her.

Their latest mission had been to deal with another rival of Baras, a Sith Lord named Grathan. She could not believe it when Baras had told Onyxa in no uncertain terms to kill the man's son. She had expected Onyxa to find a solution, some way to get out and around it. She could not fathom they would actually go through with it. Onyxa was not a monster. She was a woman of substance and integrity. She would find a way to complete the mission without killing an innocent young life. Vette had adamantly believed in that, right up until the end. To her immense relief at the time, despite the situation appearing hopeless, Onyxa had indeed found a workaround. She had instead chosen to kill Grathan himself, following the mother's plan to have the son secretly take his place by using the father's helmet and carefully set up deceptions that would sell the mission's apparent success as Baras desired.

Everything about the apparent happy ending quickly went to hell after that.

It had chilled Vette to the core as she heard the son's words, the sadistic joy as he revelled in his father's murder. Both of them had, the mother thanking Onyxa with an approval that left Vette near sick with disapproval and shame. Even though they were Sith, how could a family possibly be so monstrous, so evil to one another?

Then there was yet another betrayal. The man who had acted as Baras' informant had betrayed them too, all as a means of "solidifying his cover" as a part of Grathan's security detail. It hadn't exactly been unexpected, given the barbs he and Onyxa had thrown back and forth at one another, but it still shook the twi'lek that the man had turned on them. There was no mercy, no sympathy, nothing but death and betrayal all around them, and it had taken everything for her and Onyxa to make it out alive. Vette had managed to hold down her stomach till they had reached the outside of the complex. Outside and away from danger, she could no longer hold back and had vomited violently. She'd been having a battle with her stomach ever since.

Part of her chided herself for being so naive to think that Sith would have mercy or even care for what she thought. Her imprisonment and interrogations on Korriban had already taught her that the Sith cared little for others, even among their fellow members. The other side refused to believe Onyxa could also be so cold and callous. She just refused to believe what she thought she saw in the Lady Sith had been wrong.


Onyxa stood on the balcony of her family's suite, sipping at the glass in her hand with a pensive mood. She stared ahead of her without seeing out over Kaas City, watching the as the sun slowly began to set over the horizon. Streams of orange hued light broke through the blanket of cloud cover to light the world below. Frowning, she glanced to the door off the balcony towards the bedroom where she knew Vette had retreated to. She'd been... troubled after the mission, and Onyxa knew she had not enjoyed this one compared to those previous. Vette had too kind of a soul at times. It had previously swayed her choices during the previous missions, Onyxa had to admit, and to surprisingly better outcomes than could be expected normally, but things had still gone wrong with the mission to eliminate Grathan's son. In the end the Sith knew that the twi'lek did not understand at all. This was how Sith politics operated; every decision a matter of life and death, and in this case she had meted out death many times.

There was no getting around such. It had not been pleasant, and she had not liked it anymore than Vette had. In the end, however, there was little choice for Onyxa to make.

Baras would probably kill them both if he ever learned of their trickery; her for failure and deceit, and Vette without a moment's hesitation for that empathy in her, and just being a loose end that would need to be tied up. She was nothing to Baras after all. Onyxa sighed and shook her head, taking another long swig from her cup, trying to get the bad taste out of her mouth. She still vividly remembered the look in Vette's eyes, seen it in her when she stormed into the family suite and locked herself away from the Sith she was shackled to. She had done such with great force, saying nothing but her actions speaking plainly she did not want to see Onyxa after what had happened. The Sith grimaced at the thought. Why she cared if Vette viewed her so, she was not quite sure, but for some odd reason it did matter to her. Frowning, Onyxa knew the real reason things were bothering her the way they were. She had come to care about the twi'lek. She mattered to her. She was important to Onyxa, in a way not too dissimilar to how she cared for Myyhra.

This is not good, Onyxa thought. Sighing, she tossed the remainder of her cup's contents aside. The drink just wasn't enough to calm her agitated state.


Vette pushed herself up from the bed to stand and stretch. Ignoring the armour on the floor, she moved to the balcony door, peering through the thin curtain that provided a small measure of privacy. Onyxa was standing out there, bathed in the soft glow of sunset. Seeing the Sith, Vette frowned, unsure what to do exactly. Her hand went to the controls to open the door, but stopped short, hovering over it. Violet eyes glanced back at the Lady Sith, watching the woman, studying her. Am I wrong about her? Vette needed to know the answer to that question. She couldn't allow herself any sort of sentiment or attachment at all, even just friendship, if she was wrong about her. There were just some lines she was not willing to cross no matter the cost. Knowing such, she hit the control and opened the door.

Onyxa heard the door open but remained resolute and unmoving. The posture only slightly shifted, tensing just enough to be noticed, as Vette moved to stand beside her, leaning on the balcony rail. For a few moments there was only a strained silence, neither one wishing to break it. Vette did not look at the Sith beside her, instead just looking out over the city as she tried to think how best to approach the subject at hand.

"Hey." Vette managed, voice low and soft, barely above a whisper.

"Willing to talk to a monster?" Onyxa asked her, figuring being to the point was the only real way to be, but even as she said it, she immediately regretted her choice of words.

Vette turned and glared, immediately furious. Frack, Lady Sith was utterly blunt. As insensitive as a rancor in a Tatooine pottery shop, the twi'lek thought. Fist on her hip, Vette jabbed one blue finger into the other woman's chest as she unloaded on her.

"I honestly don't know why I even came out here, Ms. Kill-them-all sith!" she snapped, words burning like a slap across Onyxa's face. "Are you really just another mindless monster for that damn therma-slice? Don't you feel anything after what happened? Anything at all?"

Onyxa's brow furrowed, glancing down to watch as the twi'lek jabbed a finger into her chest. While the poking hurt just a little, the other woman's words cut far deeper than a lightsaber could. The Sith stood there, staring at her, unsure if the twi'lek believed she was such. Did Vette not understand anything of the Sith? The risks she had taken? Did she understand their lives were on the line, and Baras would not hesitate to kill them both? Part of her had to wonder if any of that would make a difference or matter with her. As much as the moment was serious, Onyxa could not keep the thought from coming to her then. Vette was actually very cute, all riled up like this. Not all that different from Myrrha was when they had been children, once upon a time.

"Vette..." Onyxa tried, but she was having none of it.

"You slaughtered them!" She stated angrily. "You cut them all down! No mercy, no remorse, no feeling at all. And that kid! He was happy that you killed his father! Happy! Why? Why are all you damn sith so... so..." She threw her hands up in frustration then. "Agh! I don't know! Just tell me why?!"

Vette stared at her, breathing heavy in her anger. She watched the sith closely, expecting her to argue, to fight back. Part of her was already keenly aware if she wanted to, it was a long way to the ground. If she was so disposed, the sith could easily do such and get rid of her once and for all. Nobody would care if a sith went and killed some meaningless twi'lek.

To her surprise, all Onyxa did was take a step back. Her golden eyes looked at her like Vette had grabbed her lightsaber and stabbed her in the heart with it.

"... you really don't understand. ... Do you, Vette?" Onyxa half whispered the words. She was speaking so softly Vette wasn't sure if she was imagining the words, let alone the emotion and pain that came from her tone.

"What the hell's there to understand, Onyxa?!"

Onyxa's gaze sharpened then, turning harder as their eyes met then. Without a word, the Sith grabbed her hand, pulling her off the balcony. If they were going to have this conversation, it would be where she was absolutely certain Baras could not find out at all about such. Though Onyxa trusted her home was secure, she was not certain that their current location was safe enough for such talk. She could not afford Baras to have such information. About Vette, and more importantly, about her.


Vette had sworn Onyxa was going to kill her more than a half a dozen times in those first moments she had grabbed her hand and tugged her along behind her. Off the balcony, into the turbo lift, deeper into the home, there were plenty of opportunities. Even after they entered the meditation chambers, she still was not sure if the Lady Sith was going to do such or not. Once again she reminded herself just how easily expendable she was. Not a single soul would give more than a passing look at most for a twi'lek abruptly disappearing on the Sith's homeworld. Most would assume she was nothing more than a displeasing slave. Or worse...

Instead, Onyxa lead the twi'lek into the centre of the meditation chamber. It was the one area of the house that could never be bugged, and the solitude it offered would cut down the chances of anyone potentially eavesdropping even if they tried.

"Sit." Onyxa commanded, even as she took a seat in the centre of the room herself, sitting crosslegged as if preparing to meditate. Only once Vette had done so did the Sith speak up again. "Do you think me a monster, Vette? Yes or no?"

Vette stared at her, confused more than anything by the question. She seemed... genuinely hurt by her words. Onyxa had done what she had, she'd seen it firsthand, and it was not something that could be forgotten or brushed off. Onyxa had killed in front of her before. Vemrin, solders, even some officers had fallen under her blade. At some point they all knew they would die. It came with the job after all. What she had seen with the mother and her teenage boy however, to Vette, had certainly taken things to someplace wholly dark and evil. How anyone could be so cruel was simply something she could not wrap her head about.

"I... I don't know." It was all Vette could answer to her and Onyxa nodded.

"What do you suppose would have happened had I let Baras' underling live?" Onyxa asked her then, trying her best to remain calm.

When Vette shrugged she didn't know, not trusting her voice, Onyxa leaned in closer. "He would have eventually discovered I disobeyed Baras and reported it. Baras would have killed me. And you, death would have been a blessing. You saw him torture someone before, Vette. Do you think we wouldn't do such to you to tie up a loose end? Or for his personal amusement?"

Vette went to speak, but she didn't have the words. Onyxa held up her hand for her to remain silent. "I took a risk, it's true, but it was a calculated one. Grathan was a dangerous man, even among Sith. I don't know why Baras wanted to keep him in his employ, but the man could not be allowed to live. But killing him meant silencing anyone who could discover my actions. It was the only way to ensure Baras never learns of my defiance." She tilted her head then, voice gaining a noticeable edge. "Even if I didn't... Assuming I had obeyed Baras and killed Grathan's son, do you really think the man would let that go? He would have placed a bounty on our heads and hunted us down. His wife, I suspect, still will. If only to ensure no loose ends."

Vette frowned then, staring at the other woman. She mulled over the words in her head. Nothing Onyxa said held any falsehoods and was spoken with a precision and experience she lacked. But she still couldn't believe there was not some other way. Her violet eyes looked into the other woman's golden eyes and then turned away.

"Vette, I am Sith." Onyxa continued, trying to explain, to have her perhaps even a little bit understand. "Weakness will get you killed. Feelings are used against you. Friends and family, if discovered to be a vulnerability, are targeted for that very reason. Mercy itself is not a bad thing, but when given out blindly and without a means to protect yourself, it will cost you your head. There is little loyalty, and even less compassion for others. There is nothing but trying to survive and grow strong so that others don't kill you. What happened with the boy was regrettable, but I chose to spare him because I knew his death would hurt you. Doing so, however, required no one else knew what I had done. If word got out, it would have cost us our lives."

"... he wasn't much younger than us." Vette murmured, eyes rising to meet hers again.

"Aye, he was." Onyxa conceded before shaking her head. "It still comes down to us or them, Vette, and I won't apologize for doing what was necessary for us to survive."

Vette rose from her seated position and onto her knees then, making her way forward to lean in and surprise Onyxa. She didn't know what to say and settled instead for hugging her. Us. Onyxa had said 'us', she had not missed that. Not just that she wanted to live, but wanted such for both of them. To say nothing about her decision being based entirely on what Vette herself had wanted and thought best, albeit while fully aware of the consequences for taking such an action.

She had been, to some extent, protecting her.

While Vette would never understand the sith, the darkness within them, she knew then, she heard it in the words and voice, that there was goodness within Onyxa Solaris' soul. She did care, she just couldn't afford to let it show. The twi'lek squeezed her arms tight one second more about the sith before pulling away, straightening up, staring at her and giving a soft smile.

"Guess I kinda owe you an apology, huh?" She asked sheepishly, shifting her head so her lekku swung and trying to, at the very least, look abashed and cute at the same time.

"No." Onyxa rose, leaning in to shock her as she kissed Vette softly on the forehead. "You keep holding to your values and being yourself, Vette. Don't ever change."


It was a quick job to pack up and get to the speeder platform. Moments later, Onyxa strode through the spaceport and took the turbo lift down to the docking bay Baras had forwarded to them via data pad. They were done on Dromund Kaas. With few threats left to undermine Baras, his attention turned now to deal with a much greater threat.

It was no surprise the moment they had finished their conversations that Baras would try and contact them with yet another mission. Fortunately, this one had been much easier to stomach, dealing only with scoundrels and outdated Sith that had quickly been disposed of when confronted within the Sith tombs. All to acquire a device that would help break a prisoner's surprising resistance to torture and make him give Baras the information he craved. It had actually been quite amusing in a way, to see the Dark Lord's temper flare at his inability to break the man on his own, but Onyxa had wisely kept her mouth shut, and followed her orders as needed.

The resulting discoveries however had quickly drowned out any mirth found in the situation.

Noman Karr, an old nemesis of Baras', had acquired himself a new apprentice. One that threatened to destroy everything Baras had built over decades despite her youth thanks to an incredible gift in the force. From what little they could decipher, the apprentice could detect anyone's true nature with just a single look, exposing even the best kept secret agents with ease. Alas, the man succumbed to his torture before they could learn anything more. They had leads to follow, but little else, knowing not her name, where she was hidden, not even what race she was.

Baras, however, was not willing to leave anything to chance. First they would eliminate the dangers to his spy network, then they would deal with Nomen Karr and his apprentice herself.

Casting a quick sideways look at Vette, Onyxa knew she was not going to be happy about chasing after a young padawan, but it could not be helped. Vette looked around them, falling into the familiar step just back and off her left shoulder. She could feel the anxiousness radiating off of her.

"Are you going to be alright?"

"I'm fine." she said quickly. A bit too quickly, the words coming out slightly clipped. She quickly amended. "I'll just be happy to get off this planet."

They made their way through the arrival terminal and up the ramp to the control bay, where Vette couldn't help herself. She rushed across to lean on the console and peer out at the ship that sat waiting for them. Onyxa rolled her eyes a bit as she watched the twi'lek, but also had to resist showing a faint smile when she bounced and squealed over the ship. She looked like a little kid coming down to find presents on Life Day. Onyxa had to remind herself not to let her guard down.

"Wow..." she breathed, turning back to her. "Look at that! We're going in style now."

Even Onyxa had to admit she was impressed as she moved to stand beside her, eyes sliding over the ship Baras had seen fit to grant her. Black and grey in colour, the ship was a dual wing design, each wind ending with dual precision laser cannons. She'd seen them at a distance before, but seeing the Sith Fury Interceptor up close was awe inspiring, an undeniable presence emitting from it. Part starfighter, part personal transport. It was a fine choice indeed for her to have in traversing the galaxy for Baras.

She suddenly sensed it a moment later, tensing enough that Vette quickly noticed.

"Hey, what's wr-?"

"Nice ship." An unfamiliar voice startled the twi'lek. "Are you planning on leaving Dromund Kaas?"

Onyxa turned towards the voice, shifting her position so that she stood directly between Vette and the man who had appeared behind them so abruptly. Taking the stranger in, there was no mistaking he was a force user. The lightsaber hanging on his hip confirmed such. They really should have known better, Onyxa thought. They had been granted mercy, yet were foolish enough to waste resources in a futile attempt to remove a loose end that didn't need to be tied up. It was a wasted effort and asset. Combined with the knowledge she had bested Grathan, it was a wonder Baras had deemed him such a threat at all.

"I am. Do you have something to say about that?"

"On the contrary," the man beamed, "I have a going away present for you." He suddenly dropped to a knee, pulling something out from within his robes. "Cellvanta Grathan sent me to deliver this token of her appreciation. 'For al you've done for her,' she says."

Onyxa was not fooled, raising her arm slightly to block Vette's path, just in case the twi'lek tried to move and get a better look at whatever the assassin was supposedly offering. "Does she usually send a Sith to deliver a gift?"

The beaming smile quickly turned sinister. "Very good. No, that's not the typical MO. You may call me Ralesk. Lord Grathen's top assassin." He suddenly lunged forward, only to be launched back as Onyxa hurled him back with a force push. The man landed on his feet, drawing his lightsaber and preparing to charge again.

Onyxa rolled her eyes, unclasping one of her two weapons from her belt. Igniting her own crimson blade, she did not bother to try and talk her way out. She felt rather than saw Vette move behind and to the side. She knew the blasters were already in her hands and trained on the would-be assassin.

"Is there ever going to be anyone who we meet that doesn't try to kill us?"

Ralesk charged at them again, Vette falling back as the lightsabers clashed, her blasters spewing bolts into the mix. The assassin deflected a few shots, dodging through the fire to swing at Onyxa's head and neck. The blade caught nothing but air as Onyxa twisted out of the way, then leapt up and over the second swing at her torso, twisting in midair to land in a crouch behind him. Lashing out with the force once more, Onyxa hammered a wave of force into Ralesk's back and throwing him hard into the control centre console. For an assassin he was far too slow for Onyxa. His incompetence only further annoyed her.

Even as the Sith moved and fought, Vette switched targets and blasted the console, a shower of electricity shooting out of it. Caught in the blast, the assassin found himself shocked by arching electricity, even as the fire and explosion jolted him forward.

"You're both dead!" Ralesk snarled as he kept moving forward, using the momentum to charge Onyxa once more.

Onyxa caught the man's blade with her own, forcing it aside and then spinning past him once more as she dodged a thrust to the stomach. Her boot connected with the back of his head a moment later, a perfectly timed kick that sent the assassin tumbling to the ground. The assassin had some skill, but it was limited. He really wasn't that much of an assassin, Onyxa thought again. Clearly more accustomed to stabbing foes in the back than facing them directly, and that was about to become his undoing.

"I think it's time to end this." Onyxa smiled, golden eyes seemingly glowing in anticipation as she rushed the man, swinging high. Ralesk countered the saber, deflecting it up and away... but in doing so, never saw Onyxa's free hand until it was clamped around his saber hand's wrist like a vice grip. Half lifting, half tightening her grip, she channeled the force through her body, adding its power to her strength. The assassin tried to hold on, struggling in vain to free himself as the pressure mounted more and more until, with a sickening crunch of breaking bones, his grip failed him with an agonized cry. His lightsaber fell from lifeless fingers, landing in Onyxa's waiting hand as she released her prey. A single swipe with her new weapon, and the assassin crumbled to the floor, first one half, and then the other.

Sighing as the scuffle came to an end, Onyxa rose back to her full height, clipping her own saber to her belt. Inspecting the newer one she had just acquired, she was a touch surprised at how well it fit to her hand. Light and adaptable, with some decent power behind its swings if used correctly. Much more impressive than the fool that had been using it. In fact, with a couple modifications of her own design...

"Can we get out of here now?" Vette cut into her musings, glancing about, looking for anyone else that might jump out and attack them.


The Fury Class Interceptor proved more luxurious than Onyxa had been expecting, albeit with one minor annoyance. The ship had come with a caretaker droid, 2V-R8, and while Vette might have been amused with it, Onyxa was already wondering if it would be better to toss the hunk of junk out the airlock. The droid never shut up, out-talking even Vette, but completely without any of her good qualities. At least it would do most maintenance and keep the ship running, she thought as she attempted to find any sort of positives about the droid. The fact the droid itself was adamant it was useless for combat was even more of a nuisance. Was this some sort of sick joke of Baras'?

Vette had already flopped down in the lounge, reclining back on the cushioned couch, feet propped up on the table. Onyxa gave her that smirk of a smile, as she set about removing her armour. Once down to the plain black tunic and light pants she wore underneath, she headed over to the holo-terminal. Vette arched her neck, a quip at the ready as always.

"Time to call Darth therma-slice!"

Onyxa glanced at her. "Best be careful," she chided, "Baras could just as easily force choke you through the call for such."

Vette frowned and slumped back down and out of sight on the couch. Onyxa heard the huff and just grinned then, once more out of the twi'lek's sight. It was time to see where Baras would be sending her next, and who needed to be removed from the galaxy.