Chapter 30: The Empty World

"Come here, fair one, there is something I would like to show you."

Avaryss complied, gently flipping her cape to her other shoulder. She put a little extra sway into her hips, moving seductively.

"Something?" she said with a playful giggle.

Holli, disguised as Kivan Obando, smirked as she drew closer, as she sidled up beside the late antiquarian.

Avaryss felt a hand on her thigh, she did her best to ignore it, and not be offended.

Holli was merely playing a role, and doing a good job of it.

The fact that Avaryss was annoyed proved that.

"Sorry, My Lord," the false-Obando murmured under his breath.

"Mmm," Avaryss replied, leaning into the touch, pretending to enjoy it. Surprisingly, it wasn't hard, she just had to imagine it was Fenn doing the touching.

She leaned in closer, wishing that Fenn would be a bit more brazen. Her previous lovers had not held back when she offered them her charms.

He was one of the few men she would allow to touch her so, but for now, she needed to tolerate such affronts.

Maybe…she would need to work on that, find out how best to awaken the beast within.

For now, she had to tolerate her servant's false attention, without feeling anger about it.

As Holli's friend, and leader, Avaryss needed to play a role too.

They were currently in a speeder, heading out to one of Obando' vaults. Word had been sent ahead to bring out several artifacts that they had identified in the antiquarian's log of treasures.

One of those treasures, was likely the second of Darth Hecaetus' keys. It looked like one, but with the Force cut off, the dark side offered no confirmation. Hence, the multiple artifacts that were being brought for their…perusal.

Below them one of the many fields of the planet stretched on for miles. The Holding was a world of fields and forests. Great trees dotted the landscape, trees filled with strange animals, furry snakes with legs.

This world had once been mostly forests, she had been told, before the Obando group had arrived, and Kivan had made himself their lord. In the years since, he had converted the agriculture of this world to fill galactic interests. The soil here was quite rich, and could handle many forms of plant life from several different worlds. Plants and produce that were well sought after in the core and mid rim.

Yet, another form of exploitation by the man, still Avaryss had to admire his sense of control. If only the Force worked here, this place would be a perfect supply base for the massive army she would soon possess.

She tried to focus on that, the army, the plan…

Yes, the plan was what mattered.

Everything was proceeding as she had foreseen, she simply needed to be patient a while longer. Sadly, the Force offered no advice, no assurance that they were closing on their goal.

She shook her head trying to free herself from the silence.

No luck.

She turned just slightly, trying to catch Fenn's eye. It was so strange, not being able to feel his emotions, feel…him, when they were so close together.

It was so quiet here, completely cut off from the Force.

The Dark Lord suppressed a shudder.

How did the mundane fools of the galaxy live like this? Stuck in their own heads…blind to the galaxy itself?

How…did they NOT go mad?

Her connection to the Force had vanished as they had first entered the atmosphere over the small capital city.

She had tried to fight against it, will the Force back to her. She had looked over at Fenn, trying, in vain, to touch his mind and will.

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

A chill ran down her spine.

This…this was not good…it was…wrong.

Simply wrong.

She willed herself to be calm.

These people, those on the planet, she thought gritting her teeth. To dare to live outside the will of the Force, to try to hide from the power of the Sith…

The mere idea enraged her.

These…these…mundanes…these…filth!

They deserve…to suffer.

No sooner had they touched down at the spaceport, the group fell into their various roles. Captain Cooper's hirelings behaved as if they still worked for Obando, that the man was still living. Fenn took has place near Avaryss, serving as her bodyguard.

As for the dark lord herself, she played the role that many women had played with Obando, the enchanted female on the man's arm, come to admire his collection and…offer him pleasures that his toys could not provide.

It is what the people of the Holding expected, their lord and master had brought many fems, here, and recognized how the game was played.

Jossef and Olek had explained what the natives would expect on their arrival. Obando had often brought his mistresses to his private world. The Holding was, not only a vault world for his many treasures, but a place to escape the trials of his existence in the wider galaxy.

The natives, a small dark-skinned race of humanoids with long blond hair, worshipped the antiquarian, and were honored that he had chosen to descend from the stars and bring them into the greater galaxy, not that they left their home world, oh no, but they were now aware that they were not alone, and working towards the betterment of their galactic neighbors.

Whether they understood that Obando was not the deity he professed to be on other worlds didn't seem to affect their desire to serve him. They simply labored on, providing him with what he needed, without any understanding of what he had taken from them.

To be cut off from the Force, it was profane.

Separated from the Force, as they were, it was unlikely that they would be able to become one with the Force upon their deaths. The energy of their lives would dissipate in the nothingness that had smothered their world.

Yet, another crime that Obando was responsible for.

As for the locals, they welcomed their lord with song and debasement. Holli, in her guise as the Antiquarian responded as he had done on the recording provided by Olek. Jossef and Teryn stayed close, as his guards always did in the holos.

Avaryss followed behind in her hood and mask. For this journey, she had chosen the name of Countess Lyv Neph of Chandrila. A well-known identity she had used in the past.

"Countess Lyv," Fenn had said when she informed him, her face now hidden behind her mask.

"Who is that?"

"A noble woman obsessed with her health and beauty," Avaryss replied, "That and remaining young. She would often journey to other worlds in a full hood and mask. She feared she might contract some alien ailment, or that the suns of distant worlds would age her prematurely."

Avaryss grinned behind her face plate.

"Hence, the mask."

Fenn had nodded, not realizing that the real reason for her wearing it was to hide her real face once they entered the planet's atmosphere. The glamour she cast would not work in the dead zones down there.

"Is this Countess a real person?" Fenn had asked.

"She was," the dark lord replied, "She was lost when her ship was destroyed during the early days of Darth Angral's failed revenge against the Republic. My master's agents, who had had interests on Chandrila, confirmed that loss, which allowed me to step into her identity from time to time, for mission purposes, of course."

Fenn nodded, but was likely not pleased to know that the Sith had infiltrated the nobility of a Republic world.

Not that it mattered now. Avaryss had used the countess identity on several worlds, both before and after her master's death. The last time had been to acquire a component for the ritual she had used to transfer her essence into her new body. She had been hooded, masked, and in a hover chair then. The countess' excuse to all who asked was that she had been healing from a back surgery.

None of the nobles had questioned her, and she had left the world without incident.

A very successful mission to be sure.

Avaryss glanced around the speeder, the locals had provided them with guards, a pilot, and the chief Magistrate of the ruling body had chosen to accompany them.

Quite the party for such a mundane task.

Strangely, the Magistrate had brought a pet with him, one of the strange furry snakes she had seen scattered through the city, and in the trees beyond it.

Interesting, she thought.

Perhaps the animal was some kind of common pet, or a mascot for their world.

Obando's crew had not mentioned the creatures to her, she would ask Teryn about it later, he seemed open to her advances, despite his early hostility towards the Sith.

She glanced his way, and he gave her a slight nod.

She smiled.

Yes, he would be…useful.

IOI

"Is this normal?"

Fenn turned to Teryn, who, like any good bodyguard should, kept watch on their perimeter.

"Is what normal?" he replied.

"For them to make us wait so long," Fenn said, "We've been here for almost an hour. You think with their lord and master here, the people would move quickly in finding what he wanted."

Fenn sighed and looked around. Obando's vault was not quite what he expected. Kept in the middle of an open field, a lone single floor bunker of ferocrete was the only marker that the vault existed.

The place certainly didn't seem to suggest an ancient relic treasure trove.

Not that any Force wielder would sense it, the strange dampening effect on the Force was strong here as well. He still had no idea how it was accomplished, and to be honest…he had other things on his mind.

Troubling things.

Fenn glanced over at Avy. She was currently lounging in a large campaign tent at the side of Holli, still in her form of Kivan Obando. He hated to admit it, but the changeling knew her stuff. Looking like the man had not been enough, she also had managed to pick up many of the man's mannerisms and speech patterns, and all from watching a few hours of recordings.

Impressive, to be sure.

She had played her role well, first, as they passed through the city, and then again, at Obando's private residence. Jossef had stood at Holli and Avaryss' side as they had searched the antiquarian's massive catalogue of Force related artifacts. Once they had identified the one that best fit the description of the key they sought, the group had started out for the vault. Sending a request to have it ready for Obando's inspection.

A common enough practice, both Jossef and Olek had informed them, several times, during their employment with the man, he had gone to this vault or that one, pulling out several of his toys, and letting some non-affiliated Force wielder show off what it could do for his audience, usually an attractive female.

But, how, Fenn wondered.

He could still not feel the Force, whatever Obando was using extended out here as well.

If it was an artifact, did Olek or Jossef know how to turn it off. If they did, it would have been nice if they had told Fenn and Avy in advance. If not…

Well, it made the chances of getting out of here that much harder.

"We've had to wait before…"

Fenn blinked, realizing that he had been ignoring the other man.

The mercenary continued.

"Obando's vaults, I've never been down there, but they supposedly run pretty deep underground, all manned by droids," Teryn shrugged, "maybe the clankers are having trouble finding what we are looking for."

"Maybe," Fenn said, still wishing that he had the Force.

The thought made him shake his head.

Though he had never been cut off from the Force before, it should not have crippled him. Master Jas had always tried to teach him not to use the Force as a crutch. Yes, it was part of him, but it was not everything, he had his own my mind, will, and instincts, they were powerful tools as well.

And right now, he was feeling a sense of unease, it was coming from deep in his gut.

He couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong.

Avy's laugh drew his attention, though he could not see her face, her every motion suggested that she was enjoying her time at Kivan Obando's side, if Fenn didn't know that this was a ruse, he…he might have felt…

"Interesting, lady...your Countess."

Fenn nodded, in this, Teryn was not wrong.

"That she is."

The mercenary looked at him.

"What is her story then? Why is she helping you?"

Fenn shrugged.

"WE have common interests, and a common enemy," he answered, trying to keep his voice down. The magistrate and his four guards were not far away, and all were armed with blasters. Fenn had one, but would have preferred his lightsaber. Not that he had access to it right now, both he, and Avy's weapons were in a box at being held by one of their local guards. That box was supposedly going to go into the vault when this visit was over.

It had been the best way to smuggle their weapons in, just two more artifacts for Kivan's collection.

Normally it would not have been a problem to retrieve them, but with the Force cut off…

We just have to work around it, Fenn thought to himself.

Master Jas hoped that they would be able to get away without needing to draw them, not that they would be as affective without the Force…still…

Fenn still found himself wishing that he had his weapon in hand.

Yet, his weapon was only one issue that concerned him, Avy, and what was going on before him, occupied his thoughts more and more.

Teryn's attention didn't help little to change that, or…Fenn's mood.

He sighed.

"She is on our side," Fenn assured the mercenary, "I can promise you that."

"Good to know," the young man grinned, "Wouldn't mind getting a little closer with that one, something more…intimate when the job was done.

Fenn could not entirely kill the frown on his face, nor the flicker of annoyance at the other man's presumption.

"I thought you didn't like or trust Sith?"

"I don't," Teryn said matter-of-factly, "What I have in mind…like has nothing to do with it."

Despite years of training and control, Fenn felt his hands curl into fists. A hint of red tinged his vision.

How dare you, he wanted to say.

You know nothing about her.

NOTHING!

For the briefest of moments, he felt that old anger, the anger he had come to know quite well years ago, when he and his friends had fled the Jedi Temple, that anger, that darkness, had kept him alive back then…but…

He took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

He had thought he had dealt with this.

It would hold no power over him.

It was surprising to realize that, despite of everything he had done in the years since…

…the rage was still there.

"I wouldn't bother," he advised the other man, "That one's heart belongs elsewhere."

Teryn chuckled at that remark.

"It isn't her heart I'm interested in."

Again, that flicker of anger reared up, and again, Fenn forced it down.

What is happening, he wondered.

What was wrong with him?

Was it…jealousy, he didn't like to think so, but he was smart enough to acknowledge the fact that he was not above such feelings. Despite his training, his acceptance of the Jedi Code, he was still capable of a range of emotions that most Jedi masters would consider unseemly.

Maybe that was why the order had had so much trouble in dealing with the Sith, and why so many in the galaxy had quickly gone over to the Empire's side. The Republic had never been perfect. Corruption could be found in any advanced system of government, the Jedi did what they could, but…

It was not so easy to erase greed and ambition from the hearts of powerful men and women, that included members of the Jedi. Master Jas' own brother had fallen into that trap, and had paid for it.

Fenn could only try to avoid it as well.

Again frustration threatened to overwhelm him.

What was taking so bloody long!

Was the vault here so vast that item couldn't be found?

A sudden giggle from Avy drew his attention, she had slid closer to the false-Obando, teasing him with her fingers, moving them seductively over his chest. Even from a distance, he could tell that Obando was blushing, another point for Holli. If he didn't know the truth, he would believe what he was seeing.

As he watched, a thought came to him, unbidden.

Fenn couldn't deny that he wondered what it would be like, to be where the changeling was sitting.

To be the object of his dream friend's attention.

Avy was far from innocent when it came to matters of physical pleasure, she had admitted that to him. She had had lovers in the past, and even had considered marrying once.

She was far more worldly that he, yes, he knew that to be true, not that he was entirely innocent of women.

The memory of a night not so long ago came back to him.

It had been during the Revanist crisis. He had been working closely with his old friends Tru and Mox, using their freighter as a base as they hunted a Revanist cell hidden among the Republic army. He and Tru had been working undercover, disguised as a young married couple, they had spent two weeks working out of a small apartment on a mid-rim world.

Living in such close quarters, not to mention their mutual history, things had come up, conversations about the past, and other matters. One thing had led to another and then…

It had been a frenzy of sorts, one that had washed over the two of them like a heat storm. One minute they had been in the middle of a heated conversation, and the next…

He remembered it, the taste of her lips, her skin, the smell of her hair. Her legs wrapped tightly around him, as her moans turned to throaty cries of desire!

It had been…incredible!

Once the mission was over, they had parted, he went back to the Jedi, her to her ship. They not really discussed it. What had happened, had happened. Tru had had no regrets, and had sent him on his way with a kiss on the cheek.

"Think nothing of it, Fenn," she had said, "I needed a moments comfort, and…I think you did too."

She had smiled warmly at him.

"I will treasure this memory; you should try to do the same."

And so, he had done so, he felt no shame. He would tell Avy about it, eventually, given her own history, she would understand, at least, he hoped she would.

A loud chime sounded from the bunker, drawing the attention of the party, the heavy blast doors irised open, and six stick-like droids emerged, they came, two by two, each pair carrying a containment case.

Fenn also noticed that one of the droids was fitted with a nutrient frame on its back, and on that frame, another of the furry snakes that seemed so popular here.

Avy abandoned her place beside Obando, and only just managed to restrain herself from rushing up to view the artifacts that had come up from the vault.

She wisely waited for Holli to catch up. Then…together, they went to inspect the treasures.

Olek and Jossef joined the pair as the droids set down the cases and opened them for their master's inspection. The first contained a metal crown with long horns. The second held a wrist guard with gems and gold fittings. Fenn recognized the design as old Sith, he had seen other such objects during his dream meetings with Avy.

The third case contained. There were three objects within, crystalline shapes, they could have been holocrons, but the one in the middle was not, Fenn recognized the markings, and shape from the one that Avy had brought back from the doomed colony.

"That's it," she purred, even with her mask, he could hear the desire in her voice, that husky sound only seemed to come out when they kissed.

"You sure that this is the item?" Jossef asked the false Obando.

Holli, in her guise as the antiquarian risked a glance at her master, Avy nodded, a nod that was barely noticeable.

Holli grinned.

"That is it," she said with a smile. "Yes."

Jossef smiled, something dark flickering in his eyes.

"That is all I needed to hear."

The mercenary didn't hesitate, he moved swiftly.

He drew his sidearm.

He drew it, and shot Olek in the throat, right above his armor.

The older mercenary fell without a sound.

"DAD!"

Teryn tried to raise his own blaster, but found himself being covered by not only the guards that had accompanied them, but the Chief Magistrate as well. The man shouted, ordering Teryn and Fenn to raise their hands. Raise them…or die.

Holli, as Obando, hissed in surprise.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" the antiquarian demanded.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"

Jossef laughed.

"The meaning, sir, is that you have been sold out."

He walked over and backhanded Holli, sending the changeling spinning to the ground. Before she could rise, she found Jossef's blaster in her face.

The changeling froze, staring up at the man, a look of cold anger on the dead antiquarian's face.

Yet, she was smart enough not to move.

More guards emerged from hiding, they held a collection of blasters and slug-throwers.

Ten in all, they fanned out, surrounding the party.

Fenn felt one of the guards remove his blaster from his holster, a blaster that was now pointed at him, Avy, Teryn, and Holli. Gone were the looks of worship from the locals' face, they all had determined glares, glares directed at their late lord. The chief magistrate sneered. While Jossef wore a satisfied and smug smirk.

Fenn almost cursed.

Surrounded by enemies, on a world without the Force.

Damn it!

They have us.