Chapter 19: Awaken
"May I join you?"
Avaryss smiled slightly and gave a quick nod. Fenn stood behind her, meal tray in hand.
Join me, she thought to herself.
If only.
Her dream friend sat down across from her, the only other person at her table, the others filled the hall, the fighters and support staff that helped maintain the base.
Not the way she wanted to be with Fenn, she would have preferred something more…private, and intimate.
Yet, that seemed to be denied her, he denied her.
It was annoying.
The dining area could fit about twenty if needed, for the moment though, there was only about seven or eight, and none of them sat close to Avaryss, choosing to keep their distance, not that she blamed them.
They fear me, as they should.
Fear, it had never bothered Avaryss, besides, she was used to eating alone, and when she was not; Agony or Zay was at her side…
The dark lord's eyes narrowed.
For the moment, that was denied her.
Again…annoying.
Fenn smiled politely as he broke his fast. Avaryss said nothing, picking at the meal before her.
"Food not to your liking?" he inquired.
She merely shrugged.
"It is fine. I spent almost a year as a student eating nothing but Sith military rations.
She smiled slightly holding up a piece of dry bread.
"This…is not much worse than that."
Fenn smiled slightly, she could not say if he understood, but…
She closed her eyes.
She could feel it, their connection, the way the Force changed when they were together, dark and light, blending together, forming a tapestry of silver energy, singing in a sort of strange harmony…
No dominance was needed…not here, not between them.
For a moment they ate in a comfortable silence. Avaryss glanced up only once, Agony had entered the hall, and grabbed a tray of food, once she would have headed to her lord's side, but now she took a seat with Temmin and his mother, on the other side of the hall.
Avaryss said nothing, not that she needed to.
Fenn knew her too well.
"It bothers you, doesn't it? You don't like that she is angry with you?"
"She doesn't understand," the young Sith snorted, "Besides…it is not her place to understand, only obey."
Her eyes narrowed as she glanced over at her friend.
"It is funny. When we first met, she was my superior. I was a lowly second level acolyte, and she was a first, the scion of a powerful family on Dromund Kaas…
…And yet, she lacked vision, or motivation. I knew what I wanted, what I needed to become. I surpassed her in every way. A more powerful master, a connection that allowed me to win status and glory beyond what I should have been capable of. Everything I desire is mine because I took it. She chose to stand with me, to follow me. She pledged herself to me, to live and die at my command, to serve me, and now she forgets that oath."
A shiver of rage ran down her spine.
She wanted to hurt Agony in that moment, remind her of the promise she had made on Korriban, and the price of seeking to break it.
She wanted to grab her fellow Sith, and shake her, remind her of one simple fact:
YOU OWE ME!
"You won't hurt her," Fenn said, likely sensing her anger, what she thought about doing.
Avaryss paused.
It was strange, this. The longer they were around each other, the stronger their connection became. He was not reading her thoughts, not yet…but…
She was not entirely sure this would lead to a place she wanted to be.
"Why are you so sure," she asked, her lips parting in a cruel sneer.
If Fenn was intimidated, he didn't show it.
He simply smiled.
"Because, you don't want to, not really."
He leaned back, a satisfied look on his face.
"Tell me, that I'm wrong?"
Another shudder ran down her spine, Avaryss didn't like being called out like that, to have someone, even someone she cared about, question her motives, she…
She found herself thinking about the past, about a dark hallway in the academy on Korriban, how Taya, the future Agony, took pity on her crippled ally, and offered to shield her from the many enemies she had made during her foolish dalliance with Fehl.
She could have left me to die, she could have killed me herself when I tried and failed to kill her. Yet, she didn't.
Did she forget that so easily, how Agony had risked herself for her? Many Sith would call that weakness, but…
She sighed.
Fenn was not wrong.
She didn't wish to hurt Agony, not over this.
She understood her friends rage, and sympathized, but she had had no choice.
Somethings…they could not be undone.
Aya was gone.
Not even a Dark Lord of the Sith could bring her back.
"You are not wrong," she assured her dream friend, "there was a time, during my training, where I found myself crippled, I was cut off from the Force, and left injured so badly that I could not even breathe on my own. Agony stood with me, shielded me, and gave me the chance I needed to regain my powers. She didn't have to do that, she could have destroyed me and won prestige for herself, yet, she remained at my side, trusted that I could come back."
"Sound like a good friend," Fenn said with a nod.
The Dark Lord snorted with amusement.
"It is rare that a Sith takes a friend from within the order. Such trust, it is a risk that few would take, but…with her…I was safe. She made me feel…safe. So, when I came into real power, I rewarded her. I elevated her, and she let me into her world, showed me how to move through the corridors of the wealthy of Dromund Kaas. I may have walked through the doors, but she opened them. I would not have survived my first few months of my master's training without her."
Avaryss wrinkled her nose.
"Not that she has gained nothing from our alliance. It was I that allowed her to join me when we faced Terrog, and gave her a chance to win a great victory. It was I that allowed her to deliver the vaccine to the Fydon virus to our people. She achieved her marriage match after that, and then…I made her a Darth, the highest rank a Sith can achieve, and to gain such an honor from one of the Dark Council, that is equally valuable."
Fenn nodded.
"Sounds like you have always been there, for each other."
She nodded.
He smiled again.
"Are you sure you wish to let that go…that degree of closeness?"
She shook her head. Part of her wanted to deny it, but with Fenn…there was no lying, not between them.
"No," she confessed, "but I will need to speak to her. She will understand, I think. She would not foolishly throw away everything we built. I will remind her who we are, and that we shared everything for a time..."
"Oh," Fenn said, and in that moment, something happened.
The Force between them rippled, memories of Avaryss and Agony' past filled the place where only they existed.
Fenn didn't seem to mind, but then…his eyes widened.
"OH!"
She sensed his surprise, wondered what had caused it, but then…she felt it…
Oh, she murmured. Understanding dawning.
She almost looked away, shyly.
He had seen…them, or rather felt what it had been like.
They lay in each other's arms, their mouths moving against bare skin, the silken sheets feeling so good as pain and pleasure mixed as one. The universe between them was only heat and sweat. Avy touching every inch of her, and Agony's sweet sighs, turning into cries of passion.
Avaryss winced.
She…she had not meant for him to see…that.
Oops!
Fenn looked away; he was blushing.
He should have been angry with her, perhaps felt…jealous, but that was not it, he seemed…merely embarrassed.
She almost laughed.
So…he knew…now.
She and Agony.
Before that, he had not known that they had been more than friends, but now…now.
He knew.
Avaryss smiled slyly, she could see the red in his cheeks, he was not angry, just…surprised.
"Does it shock you?" she asked.
"What?"
"The knowledge that she and I were…intimate?"
Fenn didn't respond, not with words, he was trying to understand, she could sense it, but…
…she needed to explain.
It was not as simple as he might think.
"Is she the one you wish to be with? Is she the one you want at your side?"
Again, she almost laughed.
A probing question, a Jedi question, a question that didn't get to the heart of the matter, but…she supposed that she should answer it.
"If you are asking if I prefer her company over any other…no. I sought comfort with her, and that is that. If I have to choose, I prefer the company of men. I always have, but, among the Sith, when one wishes companionship, it is nice to have one you can be completely at peace with. Agony made me feel safe, and I…her…I suspect, at least, until she was married. Things changed after that, and then…when she had her child…"
"You stepped away?"
Again, she nodded.
Aya's birth, it had changed things, that, and Fimm and Taya asking her to be the godmother.
Such a request, it had changed everything.
Avaryss had had no desire to make things difficult for Fimm, he cared for both his wife and child.
She had not wished to cloud matters by being…clingy. What she and the future Agony had shared was nice, but that was it.
She had had no desire to push matters further.
"She was happy in the match, and with her little one at her side, but then…came Ziost."
Avaryss barely held back the snarl that wanted to come to her lips.
"I curse the day that the Jedi freed Revan from his prison, and equally curse the day that the fool gave my former Emperor the strength he needed to return fully to existence."
"He was stopped though," Fenn reminded her, "The Zakuul would not be here if he wasn't, Arcann is…"
"Arcann is a puppet," she spat, "He is not even a true Sith, his father made sure of that, but in that failure, will come our final victory. No Zakuul can compete with a true Force-wielder. Our alliance will end the emperor's failed experiment, and things will be as they should be."
"And you will be the Empress that will make sure that the alliance doesn't end with Zakuul's defeat?"
She smirked.
"That is what I promised, wasn't it?"
She again looked over at Agony.
"It is funny. I wish to rule over my people, but I can't even maintain my hold on my one and only lord."
Avaryss sighed.
"I will need to be better, if this plan is going to work."
It was daunting, she could not deny that, but Fenn reached out, sensing her feelings and offering comfort.
"I believe in you," he promised, "Master Jas does too. We both saw how you feel about your people."
She didn't respond to that.
What he had seen in the past was how she had seen the galaxy as Darth Feer's apprentice, her outlook had grown since then, as had her appetite for power.
The little patriot she had been was gone, replaced with something more…self-oriented.
She was not a servant of her people; they would all learn…to serve her.
"You loved her didn't you…Agony's little girl?"
The question caught her off guard, memories of Aya swam up, and with them, came both regret and a sense of mourning.
I sent them to Ziost. Agony convinced Fimm to go there, and stay when I summoned her to Oridanna.
The dark lord fidgeted.
I killed Aya.
It was not a thought she enjoyed, no…she…she would not think about it. Not now.
Not ever.
She looked at Fenn, she could sense no judgment in him, not in his eyes, and not through the Force.
Still…
…some things deserved to remain private.
"If…if it is all the same," she told her dream friend, "I…I would rather not discuss Aya. Not now, not until I've managed to restore the peace between me and her mother."
It was at that moment that he reached out, his hand finding hers, resting gently on top, his fingers warm, his touch so gentle.
"When that time comes, I will stand with you, if you need my help."
She smiled again, not the cruel smile of Avaryss, but of someone softer, someone who was capable of being gentle…and warm.
There was not much of that person left, but Fenn…
…he knew how to bring it out.
Now…he may have been the only one.
She stayed in that moment, longed to stay in it. No plans, no ambitions…it was different for her, but that was okay too…
…sometimes, different could be good.
She wanted to speak with him, ask him about the kiss they had shared, that moment when the two of them had been rolling in the tall grass.
She had wanted more, had he desired it, she would have given him more…everything.
If only he had not touched the choker around her neck.
If only he had not almost dispelled her glamour.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Shyra Viel entering the room. The beast woman said nothing to anyone, merely made for the closest food station.
Avaryss readied herself, as soon as the mongrel saw her sitting with Fenn, she would be over here, interrupting them…she would not like seeing…
The Jedi collected her food, and headed back out the way she had come, she didn't even look over.
Avaryss frowned, she took a closer look at her rival. Her hair unkept, her fur on her arms standing up in strange places.
"She will be okay in a day or two." Fenn informed her.
Avaryss once again found his gaze.
"Is something wrong with her?"
"No," Fenn said, "She is simply going through a stage of her life cycle. Shyra…she…she usually has control over her predatorial nature, but sometimes, nature is stronger than will."
Her friend shrugged.
"It happens more and more as she has gotten older. Normally, she deals with it through meditation, and going out to hunt, but…"
"Sometimes the beast needs to find release," Avaryss purred, her expression turning cruel.
"Something like that, yeah," he replied.
Avaryss almost shivered with delight.
So, the beast DID have a weakness.
How interesting.
She was eager to hear more.
Fenn sighed.
"She will get a handle on it, she always does. She might have to contact that man she has been seeing. When she talks to him…it seems to help."
Avaryss paused, her jaw almost fell open.
Wait?
What?!
Man?!
Shyra Viel had a lover? She had been with someone?!
Curiosity, almost overwhelmed all self-control, the Sith wanted to know more, needed to know more.
Shyra, she thought.
Who would even want to touch such a creature, much…much less?
Gross!
"Survivors!"
Shyra's shout interrupted her thoughts, the beast woman was no longer leaving, she was instead, coming back into the room, her tray still in hand, but forgotten.
Avaryss blinked.
What was…?
She paused mid-thought, she saw what it was that had given her rival pause, and…she understood.
Avaryss and Fenn both found their feet. Others that had been eating also rose, all eyes were now focused on the entryway.
All focused…on Zay.
The girl stood in the entry way, she didn't move or speak. Her eyes were blank, and her jaw was slack, a strange whispering sound came from her mouth, murmuring…or perhaps…whistling.
The dark lord was shocked, but shock…soon gave way to other emotions.
Relief…was first among them.
She almost smiled, almost ran to the girl.
She is awake.
The girl was okay.
Everyone stared at the child, she had not moved, not since backing up Shyra. She still stood there, her eyes unfocused, as if lost in some kind of trance.
Strangely enough, it was Fenn who responded first.
"Doctor," he called out, "Doctor Tagge."
The medic rose for her own table, her son and Agony at her side.
"Zay?" she called out, "Zay…can you hear me?"
The girl did not respond, she simply stood there, wrapped in a hospital gown, needles sticking out of her arms, needles still connected to wires.
She hadn't even bothered to remove them, but she was not in any pain, at least, she didn't appear to be.
Avaryss reached out with the Force, what she felt nearly took her breath away.
She blinked.
Damn, she thought.
Wow!
Zay, her slave, was here, but…that was not all. She felt the girl's presence…that and more.
The dark lord's mouth went dry, her blood raced.
Zay, she thought resisting a smile.
What was this?
The girl, she, through the Force, she was a raging storm. Dark side energy in its purest form now burned within the child, it was like a black hole, taking in and giving nothing back. Ripples of fear and fury flowed out like radiation from a star.
Such power, Avaryss thought.
Wonderous!
But…but how?
Zay had never been…?
"Can you hear me?"
Dr. Tagge stepped forward, she walked toward the girl, slowly, carefully.
"Zay," she said, "Can you hear me?"
Again, the girl didn't respond, not with words.
She stepped forward, chairs and tables slid back, pushed away by the power now flowing unchecked from the blond serving girl.
Agony felt it too.
Her eyes widened.
"Doctor! Stay back, she could…"
Too late.
Dr. Tagge touched Zay's shoulder.
The effect was as quick as it was possibly deadly.
The girl looked at her like she had been burned, her slack face twisted into a mask of raw fury!
She hissed.
The Doctor flew back, propelled by the Force.
Shouts filled the room.
Avaryss could only watch as Roxy Tagge stopped in midair, her flight ceased by the power of the Force.
At her side Fenn had raised his hand, he, Shyra, Temmin, even Agony.
Zay's reaction was immediate.
She howled, a mix of terror and rage.
The room become chaos!
Everyone covered their ears, some shrieked in terror, while others fell to their knees. The Jedi stepped back, both Fenn and Shyra's hands went to their belts, about to draw their weapons. Agony raised her hand, shielding herself, but also ready to throw lightning.
"Zay! STOP!" Temmin shouted leaping before his mother. He shielded the older woman. Yet, he didn't draw his weapon.
He doesn't want to hurt her, but the others might.
"Zay," the boy shouted again, STOP! PLEASE!"
Still, the girl didn't stop, she was too lost, her rage and fear blanketed all else.
Incredible!
Zay continued to scream, fear and loathing filled the Force, all were caught up in. chairs flipped into the air, almost hitting fleeing soldiers and technicians, and tables slid across the floor. The soldiers and base staff looked ready to either run or attack each other. The Jedi ready to defend them, their mundane allies.
Unnecessary, the dark lord thought, only she was unaffected by the wave of rage, if anything she was strengthened by it.
She tasted the power, it was like blood on her lips, and…
She wanted more.
Blasters began to come up, so too did lightsabers.
Avaryss had heard enough, she had seen enough.
She intervened, and with one word. She shouted it for all to hear, and it filled both the air and the Force.
"WAIT!"
And that…was all it took, the command of a dark lord.
It pushed away the power of the untrained servant girl, it washed over her. Her scream died in her throat, she blinked and stepped back.
Silence returned, but the air was still pregnant with menace. The darkness continued to flow from the girl, but no longer was it unbound and going everywhere.
Avaryss reached out, directed it, and let it flow into her, taking the girl's anger and rage into her own being, and…
…found it good.
She…she had never sensed anything like this before.
It was incredible!
Distantly, through the shadows she could hear the strains of distant music, beautiful and menacing all at the same time, and in that song, she heard words…words either said long ago, or yet to be said.
"The end of the war is near, general, our final victory is at hand."
"But master, the loss of…"
His death…was a necessary loss."
The master's voice was familiar to her, it sounded so…so…
She knew it.
She had heard it before, but from where?
The voice spoke again, and this time she recognized it.
It was the voice from within her, the shadow. The future.
Her future.
Her rule.
"Soon, I shall have a NEW apprentice; one far younger, and MORE powerful!"
The words sent a shiver down her spine.
Now…she knew.
She understood what had awakened, and why Zay had needed to go into that coma.
"What you feel now is what I felt on Korriban, my child, the day WE met."
Darth Feer's voice echoed through her mind, filling her with both excitement and dread.
"This is the moment, Avaryss," her dead master purred.
"This is the next step."
She nodded, she understood.
The failures of the past, they now made sense.
Necris…was irrelevant.
Xen…was a failure.
Dym…also irrelevant.
Avaryss grinned.
She raised her hands to the girl.
"Come forward, my child," she ordered.
"Face me."
Zay growled, and advanced, not walking on her twisted foot, but floating through the Force, only her toes touching the ground.
So strong, Avaryss thought.
Perfect.
"What are you doing, witch?" Shyra snarled. Sensing what was happening.
Avaryss ignored her.
This…was not her affair.
"Avy," Agony's concern radiated out through the Force, it would have pleased the dark lord if she was no so distracted.
Fenn tried to step up, stand at her side, but Avaryss waved him off through their connection.
He didn't need to worry.
She would not hurt the girl.
She WOULD never try, not until the time was right.
When the girl…was ready.
The others now recovered from Zay's entrance, started to react, weapons started to go up.
"Keep back, and stay out of this," the dark lord snarled,
"LET ME HANDLE THIS!"
Zay continued to approach, tables and chairs sliding out of her way.
Avaryss didn't move, she stayed still, never taking her eyes off her servant…her slave.
No, she thought, again seeing her own master's cruel face.
My apprentice!
My TRUE apprentice!
Again, the shadow whispered in her ear.
The Force is strong with you! A powerful Sith, you WILL become!
Incredible, she though, but…how?
The dark side whispered the answer, and she knew it to be true.
It was always there, it just needed to be unlocked, and how do you unlock something?
She giggled.
Of course.
The key had unlocked the girl's potential, that was the only thing she could think of!
Zay…she had been Force sensitive this WHOLE time, and her master had not sensed it. The girl had hidden it from her, whether she was aware of it, or not.
Avaryss was both annoyed, but excited as well.
To hide something from her, it took power, great power.
And now…that power was hers, she would take it, shape it, and mold it.
Together, they would be indomitable!
What she felt now, it was like nothing she had sensed before. Her previous students had been taken as the opportunity had presented itself, what she felt between her and Zay was… different, stronger.
She is yours now, Feer's whispered seductively in her head.
Yes, my master, she agreed.
Body, and soul, she is yours.
The dark lord giggled.
Yes, body and soul…
She glared at her student, her eyes cold and imperious.
"Kneel before me," Avaryss commanded.
The girl continued to advance, her eyes cold and dead.
Avaryss glared back imperiously.
"YOUR MASTER IS TALKING TO YOU, GIRL!"
Zay stopped. The girl blinked, and shook her head.
She seemed to be coming out of the trance, and who else should be there waiting for her, but the one who would guide her, teach her.
"Ma…master?" Zay said, seeing her for the first time.
The dark lord nodded, but acknowledgement wasn't enough.
The girl would learn her place.
"Kneel," Avaryss repeated.
"Kneel…before me."
Zay blinked, looking around at the surprised faces of their allies, of the Jedi, and Lord Agony.
Yet, in that moment, she understood, she remembered.
Despite her twisted foot, the girl dropped to her knees, dropped to her knees and bowed her head.
"Yes," she said, her voice still dreamy, still far away sounding.
"My…my master!"
Avaryss almost crowed, she was so happy.
Finally, she thought, at last.
…all…mine.