Chapter 27: Hope for the Future

"So, you said this was a pleasure station."

Fenn sighed and shook his head.

"Doesn't seem very pleasurable to me."

Avaryss nodded, he was not wrong…sadly.

Her eyes narrowed.

The station had seen better days.

Yet, one more thing that the empire had lost.

"This way," she had said not bothering to acknowledge him.

There had been no reason to answer, what they were seeing was answer enough.

All she wanted now, was to meet up with Commander Holli, and get out.

She hated seeing the old place like this.

It had not been hard to contact her old friend. She had reached out to General Glasc, and through him, to Lana Beniko. She would be able to locate Holli faster. Fenn's idea about using the changeling to gain access to the vaults of the dead antiquarian was inspired.

Unfortunately, it had forced Avaryss to rearrange some of her own plans.

She looked around the cantina where they now found themselves, it was mostly empty, with the exception of several dock workers and one or two women who might have been pleasure slaves.

This place, like the station itself, had seen far better days.

Like the Empire, she thought morosely.

This is NOT how it is supposed to be.

They had come aboard in the Survivor's Imperial shuttle, Avaryss had suggested this place to meet because she had thought the crowds would be good cover. She had been her twice before, after she had first left the academy Fury 9, and again before going to Korriban for the first time. She still remembered the chaotic, yet, intoxicating nature of the station, hundreds of young acolytes reveling like mad, the feeling of pure and unfettered emotions filling every fiber of the Force.

This station had been a paradise, but now…that was all gone.

While on approach, she had seen how one of the station's two command towers had been destroyed. Its orbit tilted at an odd angle. They had docked with little or no challenge, and when they had come aboard, Avaryss' world had been stricken again.

She…she couldn't believe it.

No.

The station's main promenade had been all but empty. Many of the pleasure centers were closed, their doors sealed, and the windows dark. One of the walkways where Sith troopers had watched over the reveling Acolytes had collapsed, and been pushed up again the front of several buildings. The few establishments that were open serviced only station workers and crews from the various ships that had docked.

The dark lord was shocked to find no acolytes here, but then again, why should there have been any. The sacking of Korriban, first by Revan, and then by the Zakuul had broken the academy system. Avaryss had heard nothing of Butcher's Clearing or Lord's Reach, it was unlikely they still functioned. At least three of the Fury Academies had been destroyed during the war, with the rest left in a state of lockdown. The last she had heard from Master Adaz, Fury 9 had become an imperial fallback spot. The few hopefuls that remained were now part of a garrison, holding the world against enemy incursion.

She didn't consider any of those reports as good news. Now, seeing the old pleasure station like this…

Intolerable.

This place had been a dark paradise, but now…it was broken.

She and Fenn had made their way down the street, the Sith couldn't help but wonder what had become of all the acolytes that had reveled with her that first night so long ago.

Most likely dead, she realized, Darth Baras and Darth Angral had restarted the war before the Empire was ready, many Sith had died since, both in the fight against the Republic, and the war against the Eternal Throne.

Now…the order was in shambles, chaos reigned…

…but…

Avaryss almost smiled.

There was opportunity in such chaos.

She hated seeing the place like this, whether it was because of the war with the Republic or the Eternal Throne, she didn't care.

I will see such imperial bastions restored, she thought, they will be bigger and better than before, and more importantly…they…will…be…MINE!

The thought brought some comfort, that and the desire to destroy the empire's enemies, HER enemies.

Fenn looked over at her.

"Hopefully, your friend finds us quickly," he said, "We shouldn't linger with so few people around."

"Holli will be here," Avaryss promised him, "She has never let me down."

He nodded, and looked around again, taking in the disrepair and despair.

Avaryss frowned.

"I wish you could have seen this place when it was still fully functional. It was…amazing, young Sith exploring their powers free of control, many for the first time."

Her eyes glittered beneath the heavy black hood she wore.

"It was glorious!"

"Did you enjoy your time here?" he asked, clearly not as taken with the memory as she was.

"It was the first time I was truly on my own. Fury 9 had been harshly structured, but it needed to be to maintain order. I enjoyed the chance to cut loose, and revel in my powers."

She found herself thinking back to the fighting pits, to slaying several slave gladiators to the roars of the crowd.

She didn't mention this excitement to Fenn, she didn't think he would understand the joy she had found in that moment; those beings had been Republic prisoners after all.

He would not understand…not yet.

She gave him a sad smile.

"It was enjoyable, but…"

He gave her an arched look.

"But?"

She reached out and touched his hand.

"I thought of you that night. Wondered what you were doing, if…if you were even truly real."

She lowered her eyes.

"The thoughts, they…they were not innocent, but unworldly, I had not come to truly understand what the galaxy was yet. All…all I knew was that I was alone, and wished to share my good fortune with someone…"

She moved her hand over his, a gentle movement, but it sent electricity up her arm, and through the Force…she could feel that she was not alone. Fenn was feeling it too.

"Success…it should not be savored alone, and…and I have been alone for such a long time."

Fenn turned his hand over and took hers, he squeezed her fingers gently.

It was a good sensation, a positive one, but again, she felt him holding back, felt him pull away in the Force.

She frowned.

It was frustrating.

"What?" she demanded.

"Have I said something wrong?"

He shook his head.

"No, Avy…but…"

Her eyes narrowed.

What was it now?

What had she done wrong now?

"What?"

He did not release her hand, though she was tempted to pull away.

"This is the first time we have ever truly been alone," he said, "I know what you want, and…I…"

He sighed.

"I know what I want, what I wish would happen."

"Yet, you pull away from it," she hissed, "Why?"

Fenn pursed his lips, it was not quite a frown, but…

"I suppose I'm still trying to figure out what is really going on here, Avy. What you are really up to, why you are here."

She tensed.

"In this very moment?" she asked.

"Why you sought us out," he answered, "Why you are with our group."

"You know why," she replied, "I was lost and hiding on Ambria. I needed help and…"

He gave her a knowing look that stopped her cold.

Again she felt the stirring of anger…of a deep frustration.

Why couldn't he just accept what she was offering?

Why couldn't he just go along with her.

She had had hope that this place would be as it was when she was a young acolyte, that they would not only get lost in the crowd, but that Fenn would get swept up in the emotions.

There had been many places for a young couple to find privacy here, privacy they could not find among the Survivors, but time had robbed her of the atmosphere she had wanted, there was nothing here to sweep Fenn up in surge of darkness.

That, and his constant stepping back both annoyed and excited her.

If only he would give in, I think he would enjoy what I have to offer.

Why can't he just accept his desires?

Why won't he dance to the tune I call?

Because he is smart.

The realization stung, but reminded her why she wanted him. Their connection was important, but it was his will that drew her like an insect to a flame.

She wanted him to not only be hers, but accept that he was hers. She didn't desire a sycophant to share her life. She welcomed and equal, and he had the potential to be her equal.

He would be useless to me if he wasn't.

It wasn't easy to accept, and part of her wanted to let go of this desire, and pursue the keys without any further distraction, but…

…that would deny her something she wanted for far too long, something she needed.

She was DONE denying herself anything.

Fenn gave her that shy look she had known since they were children, that look that told her how much he wanted this…wanted…them, but that he knew how hard that would be.

He gave her a sad smile.

"I know how clever you are," he said, "You're not lying to us, per se, but you're not being entirely truthful either. These keys you're having us chase. I think there is more to this story then we know."

Something twisted in Avaryss' gut, it wasn't fear, but…

"I wish to see the empire restored, and to become the leader that Jas Dar Bynn believes I can be."

"And when it is done," he said, "When you know the keys are out of Zakuul hands, you will just turn them over to us…just like that."

"It is what I promised, is it not?"

Fenn didn't answer, which…in many ways…it was worse.

If he had called her a liar, that would be one thing, but the silence…

Her hand tensed in hers.

"You don't trust me," she growled.

"If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't be here," he said shaking his head.

She knew he wasn't lying; she could sense it in the Force, still…

"Then what is all this?"

He sighed.

"As I said, I DO trust you, but you are not without ambition, and that worries me."

"Ambition blinds people, Avy. Despite what you say, when you have all the keys in hand, part of me wonders if it will be a temptation that you will not be able to resist."

Again, she said nothing, she could have denied it, but…

He sees so much, she thought.

And that, is why you will lose him.

She could hear Darth Feer in her mind, see her old master's disappointed scowl.

Love is a distraction, my child. The boy will never be what you want and need. He will come to resent you, and your passion for each other will fade, just like mine and Synestra's did.

She could almost see her master's cruel smile.

That is why you were lucky your pure blood boy died on Korriban, why it was best he was taken from you. It freed you up to seek your own destiny, and look where you are now, at the cusp of final victory.

Let the boy go, play the role, seize the keys, and destroy the Jedi.

You have no need for love and family.

Power…is the ultimate reward.

She considered that, but then again…who cares what her dead master thought.

Fenn was smart, he knew her, and…he suspected what was going on. Yet, he remained at her side. Some might call that foolishness, but it wasn't…she…she understood what was truly going on. She could feel it in her bones.

She smiled, not the cruel grin of Darth Avaryss, but the one of a girl that had known Fenn Shadowstone her entire life.

"You care about me?"

He smiled, and nodded slowly.

"Shyra believes that you are lost, that you could never find your way back. I disagree. There IS still good in you, I feel it even now, and have seen it in your actions."

He squeezed her hand gently, his touch sending electricity arcing up her arm, warming her, and making her mouth go dry.

"Your caring for Zay, your friendship with Agony, and your willingness to do what is best for your people, whatever Darth Feer hoped to create when he trained you, he failed. You are not the student he wanted, but a chance to finally end centuries of conflict. Master Jas is right, you could very well be the leader that the Sith need, someone who will help them let go of their hate and embrace a new future for all, light or dark, Jedi or Sith."

Avaryss considered what he said, yet…she was smart enough to not deny it.

Fenn.

Their connection filled her, nearly taking her breath away.

She could feel it…hope. He TRULY believed in her.

Their connection blazed with hope.

A shiver ran down her spine.

It was sweet…that hope, but…it would not find purchase, not in her.

She…she cared about him, desired him, but in this…his feeling about who she was…

…he…was wrong.

Zay and Agony were both useful, Avaryss didn't discard things that were useful, as for her caring about her people, he was thinking about Avy the apprentice, or Keera Lylos. They had both sought the betterment of the empire, and they had both been wrong, weak…

Darth Avaryss had destroyed them.

She still remembered that moment fondly. She could almost see herself seizing the two weaker aspects of her will and crushing the very existence out of them. It was a murder that satisfied her above all, that final letting go of the weakness of youth. That Avy and Keera were gone, and good riddance. Darth Avaryss still had their memories, but they were seen through a filter, she acknowledged their desires, but no longer shared them. What had happened to them seemed to have happened to two different people.

The Sith Empire, its people meant nothing to her. They were tools she would soon possess, after she had completed her mission and destroyed The Eternal Empire.

Zakuul would die, down to the last child, she would tolerate no survivors, the mongrels that her former Emperor had catered to would be wiped out.

The Empire would be warned, she suspected that many Sith would die under her rule, but that was fine, the dark side was better when focused through a smaller number of vessels anyway.

As for a reunification of the Force, of Jedi and Sith, she had a plan for that too.

The Jedi would be crushed, she would finally bring about the revenge the Sith had sought for centuries. Fenn would be spared because she desired and needed him, and after he fell, he would be the perfect consort, Zay would be her apprentice.

Master Jas and the others would die. She would take no chances with the Survivors. They had to die, if anything her experience working with them had assured her of that. For them, Shyra Viel especially, their relationship was personal, they had come to know her, for that reason, they all needed to die. Of any of her enemies they posed the most risk, they now knew each other, which invited the discovery of weakness. She needed that knowledge; it was yet another reason why she had sought them out. She had learned their tricks, and their weaknesses, and when the time was right, they would be destroyed.

Then…nothing would stand in her way.

The galaxy would be hers.

Once all was done, she would rebuild the Empire in her image, she would accept no resistance, she would conquer and destroy without fear or mercy.

A new age would begin, the age of a new Galactic Empire!

Avaryss and her progeny would rule for the next thousand years.

First thing was first, the keys, then she could claim Fenn and Zay, and then the galaxy's final judgment could begin.

She welcomed the cleansing that was to come.

A noise at the entrance drew her attention, a Rodian in a spacer's jumpsuit staggered into the cantina, plainly drunk the creature would never have lasted on the streets has this station been at the height of its power. Some young acolyte would have killed the alien for fun.

It looked around its green cup-like ears twitching.

Its gaze fell on Fenn and Avy.

It began to approach.

She stared to pull back her chair, to free herself, so that she could deal with this annoyance, but Fenn stopped her. He tightened his grip on her hand.

He sensed what she had been about to do, and didn't wish the drunken creature harmed.

To keep his hope alive, she allowed it, it would be an intriguing game that she would need to play, to sour Fenn's hope and awaken his anger and rage.

It would be fun.

There were faster ways of course, certain Sith poisons that could fire the blood and lower a Jedi's inhibitions, Avaryss had learned of such things from an old Krath treatise during her student days. The Sith Witch Aleema was said to have used such potions to ensnare Ulic Quel-Droma, and set him on the path to becoming a Sith apprentice.

She would NOT do that to Fenn, her own history with Sith poisons, poisons that had nearly crippled Avy the apprentice, those memories remained.

She would not do that to Fenn, she would not risk it. When he broke, and he would, he would do so willingly, his hope for her would be his undoing, and guide him both to the dark side, and into her bed.

She didn't need poisons to draw him in, their connection, and the physical desire on his part would be enough.

The Rodian lurched forward and found their table, its sucker-like fingers finding the edge of the table, it gave them a blurry look, and tilted its green head slightly.

"My…my apologies, gentle…be…beings," it croaked in highly accented basic.

"I'm…I'm as unsteady as a Talz on Hoth."

The alien's words immediately caught Avaryss' attention, and awakened a memory.

She smirked.

It seemed that Fenn was right to stop her after all, she had been a fool not to think that this meeting would be anything but straight forward.

"I don't know," the dark lord replied, "I worked with a Talz on Hoth once, it was quite skilled, almost as skilled as an imperial engineer. An engineer that proved herself most valuable that day."

The Rodian nodded, it still seemed unsteady, but its eyes no longer appeared glassy, and a small black stain appeared on its green cheek. A stain that slid up to its forehead.

She will need to work on that, Avaryss realized, we can afford no slip ups when we go for the key.

Avaryss glanced over at her dream friend. She let him feel trust and affection through the Force. It was not even a lie.

She had missed her old friend.

"Fenn, allow me to introduce Commander Lujayne Holli, the one who will deliver the second key into our hands."

Avaryss laughed lightly.

"I almost didn't recognize you, Lujayne, even through the Force. A most impressive feat.

The Rodian gave a chuffing sound, a laugh.

"I think I told you once that I play the Rodian role well, even natives have trouble detecting me."

Fenn Shadowstone looked her. Even he was impressed, Avaryss could feel it.

"I believe we have met before, Commander," Fenn said with a hint of a smile, "You looked different then, but helped Avy escape my custody."

The Rodian/Holli nodded.

"I'm pleased we both made it out of that alive," she said, Holli's real voice blending with the Rodian's buzzing tones.

Avaryss nodded.

She was most pleased.

She was taking a risk bringing Holli here, the changeling's role in the rest of her plans was important, but if they dealt with this matter swiftly, it would not matter. Holli would be back on station before anyone would miss her.

We can do this, the dark lord thought, I can do this.

Fenn, Zay, the galaxy could all be hers, she was sure of that, she had faith in her skill and in the dark side.

She and Fenn had something in common, and it was not a weakness, not in that moment.

Everything would be alright.

She…had hope.

In a hopeless galaxy, it was odd, but in this…necessary.

Hope.