Chapter 57: Target: Kraaz
"As planets go, Kraaz is basically unremarkable. One of several habitable worlds in the Zahn system. Yet, another world once belonging to the House of Feer, but far from one of the important ones. Tropical climate, some fishing and agriculture, but nothing that the empire ever depended on."
Holli, as Lana Beniko, shook her head.
"It is possible that the House of Feer retreated here. They are far from the only Sith House that sought more private residences with the defeat in the war. As a hiding place, it is almost perfect, it is out of the way, yet close enough to two major hyper lanes, a good place to keep appraised of what is going on in the greater galaxy. Any supply ships passing that way wouldn't be questioned. The pilots could say they needed to stop for repairs, or some other excuse.
Her golden eyes fell on Avaryss, one of the many survivors visible on her side of the hologram.
"The Zakuul didn't even see fit to placing one of their battle stations over it, no real reason too."
Avaryss listened to the report, along with her fellow Survivors. She continued to replay the encounter with Beric and her children over and over in her head.
She had found a most interesting puzzle, it almost distracted her from her mission, the retrieval of the final key…
…almost.
She was pleased to hear that Fenn's team had met with success. Zay had proved her value once again. They had located the fourth key in the wreck of an old Sith battleship, hidden inside the old captain's quarters.
No defenses beyond that, anonymity had been that key's greatest defense.
The Coop's Folly team had returned in triumph, with Zay sleeping away most of the trip, the battle with the bounty hunter and locating the key had left the girl exhausted.
They had not troubled her; she had earned her rest.
Zay was strangely silent while Avy and Master Jas had made their report. Her master would need to speak with her later about that.
In the meantime, though, they had a new target, and an enemy to deal with.
House Feer had proven to be a nuisance.
It was time to deal with it.
Colonel Capistan looked at Avaryss, his gaze was…disapproving.
"So the key was gone when you arrived, and you brought back little to show for the trip?"
Avaryss gave him a cold smile.
"I brought back a prisoner, and the location of where the final key is likely held."
The colonel didn't look impressed.
"The location of a Sith enclave, likely a heavily guarded Sith enclave, with a former dark council member, his family, and any retainers he might have, and all waiting for us."
She shrugged.
The colonel wasn't wrong, but they should at least be able to get something out of Beric when he regains consciousness.
Beric Lylos was pretty sharp, he would have taken notes on the defenses Feer surrounded himself with.
Major Locke looked at her.
"You said this Beric guy hates you. How do you plan on getting him to talk, Avy?"
The dark lord smiled.
"I won't need to torture him, if that is what concerns you all. Beric's mind was taken over years ago by another Sith. I think that Zay might be the key to undoing that. She has been studying how to affect the mind, make it more…pliable."
She turned to her apprentice.
"I'm sure she will be able to get what we need. Who knows, Beric may even be grateful that his mind is his own again."
Zay nodded, but said nothing, she had remained strangely silent since hearing the report out of Lord's Reach.
Again, her master would need to speak with her about that.
She looked at Fenn, he seemed…curious about the other revelation they had discovered at the abandoned academy, Avy didn't blame him.
She was still trying to deal with it herself.
"So, this Feer guy takes your genetic material when you were still a student at the Korriban academy."
"Yes," Avaryss answered.
"Then he uses it, to create, not one, but two children from it. Your children, on a genetic stand-point, at least."
"Again, yes."
Fenn nodded; his yellow eyes thoughtful.
"For what purpose? What was your former master's endgame?"
An excellent question she realized.
She wasn't so sure about that one herself.
"It isn't for nostalgic reasons, that is for sure," she answered, "I was not in the best of shape when those samples were taken. I was badly injured, in a coma, and floating in a kolto tank. Feer…maybe…maybe he had wanted to hedge his bets. He desired me for his apprentice, maybe he had been preparing a replacement for me, had I not recovered."
That made sense, she thought, but…only so far.
What Feer had done, it was more than in his power to do so. Creating life in such a way, it was most expensive, but that wasn't a problem for her old master. He was wealthy, he could easily afford it, but the creation seemed like overkill to her. There had been many Sith students on Korriban. If she had been too weak to survive, he had had his pick from dozens of more healthy recruits.
Nass, for example, he had been in contact with her, and she had openly declared her intentions to become his apprentice, or so Feer had told her years ago.
So many options, there was no reason for Feer to want to wait. For ten years he had hidden Blyss and Jeer away, why spend so much time?
From that stand point, it made little sense.
Of course, maybe the children had not been completely honest about their origin, or didn't fully understand.
That was possible, she thought.
She supposed this whole charade could have been for Beric's benefit. The whole hiding the kids away for a decade thing. Alchemy could have grown them far quicker than normal. If she had had the resources, Avaryss knew she would be able to do it. She probably could have grown a ten-year-old body in half the time with the right alchemical stock and the proper spells.
Her brother had gone to Feer after the fall of Darth Sadi. Feer would have seen the use in that, and tried to exploit him. Beric knew many of her secrets. He also harbored anger about the death of their family, anger that was easily exploited. Had that been the reason for these children's creation. Their track of time could have been skewed, isolated and alone. Their growth could have seemed like years, and been only months. Who knew how much time had really past since they had been created?
Was that the answer then? Had her old master used this to simply bring Beric on board? Had he played on Beric's desire to have a family again, to get him to cooperate, but…
Again…it seemed like overkill.
Accelerated growth was risky, so many possible problems could spring from it, she knew. She had done a lot of alchemical research when trying to come up with a way to make a body for Fehl, before he betrayed her, that is.
She looked at Fenn. She had feared that her lover would be angry with this…realization. It would have been pointless for him, but…
This was kind of out of the blue, her discovering that she now had two children.
Some men…might have been annoyed with their woman about such a thing.
"I cannot say, what Feer wants with this," she confessed, "I have no idea why he would create these children only to hide their existence from me."
She shook her head.
"I swear to you all. I had no idea that these children existed."
The words had been addressed to all, but Fenn had been the true audience.
Fortunately, he seemed to believe her, or so it seemed.
He didn't seem angry about this strange series of events.
"I believe you, Avy," Taya offered, "Had you known, there is nothing in the galaxy that would have stopped you from finding them, freeing them."
She smiled at her old friend, and occasional lover.
"Thank you," she mouthed.
Taya beamed.
"Perhaps these children aren't even yours," Dr. Tagge suggested, "Finding young people with similar features to you wouldn't be hard, or even modifying two young people to appear to be yours. That is another possibility, isn't it?"
Avaryss nodded.
"True, but that doesn't explain the strange echo effect that I feel in their presence. It…it was like feeling a part of me, that I had no idea existed."
She nodded.
"No, they are mine, or of my blood at least. I'm sure of it."
"You believe that, and you still left them behind," the Colonel said.
"I needed someone to tell Feer what happened."
"Don't you think he will punish them for failing to stop you?"
Avaryss considered that.
It was possible, yes, but she didn't think so.
Feer had gone to too much trouble to make these kids, killing them for such a minor slight would be beyond wasteful.
Why spend ten years nurturing something only to break it?
No, Blyss and Jeer were safe…for now.
Her eyes fell on Major Locke, of all of the Survivors, besides Fenn, the old sniper was the one she trusted the most. She was one of the reasons that Avaryss now considered bringing the Survivors into her service when all this was done, instead of simply wiping them out.
Locke had a cunning and ruthless mind. She would fit well in the Sith, and by becoming a Sith devotee, she would pull Krys Capistan over, another bonus.
Yes, the Survivors would all look good in Sith uniforms, especially if their minds were loyal to her.
All five keys would ensure that she could do that.
In that moment, she would bring Darth Hecaetus' dream to fruition, the conversion of the galaxy, not through violence, but through seduction of the will and the very Force itself.
That…was for the future, but on the way back to Survivor base, she had needed Locke's advice.
Advice the old sniper had provided.
After meeting Jeer and Blyss, she had needed to talk on the way back from Lord's Reach. Locke had provided an excellent sounding board.
The dark lord was…grateful for that.
It was from speaking with the Major that she had come to think the children's lives were safe from reprisal. Feer had meant to use them to draw her back into his service.
They had succeeded, not only in passing on that desire, but found the key for him as well.
Feer knew she would be coming, but now, it fell to her to think of a way to do so in a fashion that she would have the advantage, and could finally end this rivalry once and for all.
"Feer won't hurt them," she assured the Colonel, "Remember what he told me when he first revealed himself, he wants the other four keys, he can't have them if there nothing to draw me to him."
"Maybe that is the answer," Fenn said.
Avy looked at him.
"Maybe your former master created these kids as a means of insuring you remained his indefinitely."
Avaryss nodded.
"I thought about that, but if it was true, why didn't he bring them up during our final duel? Why didn't he tell me about them, threaten their lives if I didn't back down?"
Fenn nodded, conceding the point.
There it was again, another dead end.
Avaryss almost cursed under her breath.
Trying to figure out the plans within plans that surrounded Darth Feer was difficult. It was why he had stayed alive so long, and in such a high position.
She was the first of his apprentices to ever challenge him openly, or so she believed. She had not been his first apprentice. At least six others had proceeded her, and they had all fallen by the wayside.
Avaryss' brow furrowed, in the back of her mind, the dark side tugged at her thoughts.
Feer's other apprentices.
The lives of her predecessors were shrouded in mystery. She didn't even know their names. Marr, Baras, and half a dozen other Sith had mentioned that she had not been Feer's first student, but, strangely enough, she knew next to nothing about any of them.
No one in the Feer estate had had any answers to her questions. Early in her training she had inquired about them, the other students. The servants and guards she had asked claimed to have never known them, that they arrived after the others had left, or that none of them had ever lived on the Feer estate.
Most curious.
She would have many questions when she saw her master again, face to face.
A thought occurred to her.
What if he was just a severed head? A Sith could exist in such a state, if they were strong enough.
It was said that the ancient Sith Lord Simus had existed as such for almost a century.
Seeing Feer in such a state would be…interesting, but again, she didn't think his ego would let him continue on as just a head in a jar.
Nor would he tolerate Synestra married to another, he wouldn't risk the two betraying him, as she had done with Feer when they were young, when they had destroyed Darth Feer's father, and her master had taken the title of Lord Feer for himself.
No, for all she knew he had mastered essence transfer himself, perhaps he had hidden that secret from her, as well.
It seemed that he had hidden so much more about himself. Well, the time for keeping secrets was almost done.
They would face each other finally…and only one would walk away.
"How do you intend to pull this off?" Colonel Capistan asked her.
Avaryss smiled.
"This is my fight," she said, "I wouldn't ask you or your people to come in with me, not if you don't wish to. I have…a few resources from the old days, a few favors I could call in, just in case things got too bad.
She turned to the holo, Holli, still in her form of Lana was watching.
"Are you familiar with a Major Forn, Miss Beniko? He bled for me during a mission on Nar Shadda. If your contacts could reach out to him. He would be able to aid us on this mission. The people he works with are…elites. I trust them."
The false Sith in the holo nodded.
"I believe that I've heard the name in your files, my lord, I dare say. I…I will reach out to them."
Avaryss smiled.
The code was both understood, and received.
Major Forn, another dead ally, but his name meant for Holli to summon help from Sanctuary Base. The mention of bleeding told her she was to go to Warmaster Bleez only, no one else. To work with elites meant that she desired her Deathknell elite troopers to proceed to Kraaz.
They would be in standard Sith trooper armor, but the Survivors would not recognize them as a threat. They would aid in dealing with whatever challenges Feer had set up.
Avaryss shiver with anticipation.
This would be a most interesting test for her forces.
The first real test, she was more than eager.
"What of this Beric Lylos," the Colonel asked, "How does he fit into this?"
Before she could reply, Roxxi Tagge beat her to it.
"I'm not sure what has been done to him," she said, "His body, outside of that suit he was wearing, it seems to be overheating, breaking down."
"He was exposed to an earlier version of Deathknell, doctor. The suit keeps him alive and functional. You will find that he will stabilize if returned to it."
"I've already done that," she said, "Xen is staying with him now, he remains unconscious. I might be able to bring him out but…"
"Zay and I will visit him first," Avaryss informed her, "His mind was…reordered by a member of House Feer, he was turned into an enemy of mine, against his will."
Again she looked at her young apprentice.
"Zay has been training hard, we will see if she can't bring back the man he was, before Feer's agent sank her hooks into him."
Again, Zay nodded, but again remained silent.
Her master sensed, apprehension.
Yes, it seemed that they did need to have a chat.
"I will comm you back in an hour or so, Krys," Lana promised the Colonel, " I will see if can locate this Forn, and get his men's support."
"Thanks, Lana," Krys Capistan replied, "Survivor Base…out."
The holo faded, leaving the Survivors alone, and…with a new mission.
Colonel Capistan frowned, but he did look upon Avaryss.
"I told you that you are one of us. The Survivors look out for their own. When we hear back from Lana; we will work out a plan of how to deal with this Darth Feer, and acquire the final key."
He addressed the others then.
"We've all seen and heard what these keys can do. I will not leave even one in the hands of a Rogue Sith Lord. If this Darth Feer is half as dangerous as Avy claims. He can't be allowed to keep it, and…it seems we have some innocents to rescue as well."
Avaryss almost laughed at that.
She doubted her children could be considered innocent. Who knew what they had needed to do during their training?
Well, she would find out soon enough.
"We're going to be downloading all that Lana has on Kraaz. Make sure to familiarize yourselves with it. We will move as soon as we have confirmation that the target in on site, and a detailed scan of both the base, and the land around it."
The group nodded as one, a few murmurs of affirmative passed through the group.
The colonel nodded, and straightened.
"Survivor Squad! Dismissed!"
The group parted, Fenn went to Avaryss side, she felt him reach out with the Force.
She responded instantly, going to his side.
He reached up, stroked her face, making her shiver with delight.
"If you need to talk," he offered, "I'll be in my quarters."
She almost smirked.
Talk?
If she came to him right now, they would likely do more than talk.
First though, she had a matter to attend to.
She caught Zay's eye and motioned for her to follow.
The two needed to go back to their quarters. She sensed…disquiet in her student.
That would not do, not this close to what should be the final battle.
No, they would clear the air, now.
This was no time for division…
In this…they needed to be one.
IOI
"Speak, apprentice," Avaryss ordered when they were safely in her room, and hidden by a Sith cloaking spell.
The girl dropped to one knee; she bowed her head.
"Master," she said, "I…I must ask…"
"Yes?"
Zay looked up, nervously.
"These two children…they are yours? Truly?"
"Grown from my cells, yes."
Zay swallowed nervously.
"Will you seek to replace me, with…with one of them?"
The question surprised her, considering what they had endured together over the last few months, but…
…maybe she should not have been surprised.
Zay had made great strides on the dark path, but, at her core, she was still a girl raised in servitude.
Being chosen as a Sith apprentice was likely one of the greatest accomplishments of her life, but considering everything that had happened to her as a child…
No wonder she feared that it might be taken away. That her master might dismiss her without reason.
The thought almost brought a smirk to her master's face.
She could use this, she realized. Threaten the girl with the mere idea of being replaced. It would be…an interesting motivator. It would stoke the flames of rage in Zay, maybe foster resentment between the girl and the two children they were going to rescue.
Darth Feer would have used such a tactic, but again…she was not Darth Feer.
There were other ways to skin a nerf.
She placed a hand on her apprentice's shoulder.
"You have nothing to worry about on that front, my dear," she promised, "I have told you of my treatment at the hands of my fellow councilors, their obsession with status and bloodlines limited their view, ignoring raw power, and embracing the power of names."
The dark lord shook her head.
"My empire will be a meritocracy in truth. A Sith will gain what he or she has the power to claim. You have already proven your value on that front. Your power and will made you, my apprentice. I will not waste that power because of Feer's machinations."
Zay, assured by her words, smiled.
"This one, it really threw you, didn't it? I can sense your disquiet, master."
Avy nodded.
There was no reason to lie about that.
This whole thing…it was distracting, but she wouldn't let it draw her away from their final goal.
The fifth key…it was in their grasp.
All they needed to do was seize it.
Then…everything…would be theirs.
She needed to reclaim her children though, but not for the reasons that most might think.
They were hers, therefore, Feer had no right to them.
On top of that, they would be useful once she came into her empire. Even if their powers were not of use, they would be good pawns to move across the board, offering them to other Sith Houses, for the purpose of building new alliances, or cementing old ones.
Yes, Blyss and Jeer would have many opportunities to serve their mother's will.
Zay's use lay in…other directions.
Her powers would make their armies almost invincible. What Deathknell couldn't handle, her battle meditation would.
House Avaryss would be first among all the great Sith clans, and with the destruction of House Feer, no one would be left to challenge her position.
She gently guided her apprentice to her feet, her golden eyes fixed on Zay's green ones.
"You will come with me when I face my former master. Seeing his fall, and the destruction of all he holds dear will prove to you that the old ways are done, and that the new path in the only path."
Zay grinned excitedly.
"I look forward to that, my master. From what you have described, Darth Feer is a symbol of everything that is wrong with the Sith Empire. By casting him down, and throwing his powerbase aside, none will question your right to rule, and my place at your side."
"All of that is true, young one," the dark lord agreed, "soon we will have all five of Hecaetus' keys, and a new order will arise. The Zakuul will be destroyed, and their fleet will belong to us."
"And once the Zakuul are destroyed, and their fleet is ours. What then…my lord?"
"What else, apprentice? Power beyond our wildest dreams. The power to rule all will be ours."
Zay nodded, she shivered and closed her eyes.
Avy felt something in the Force, something…strong.
"Rain," She murmured.
"Yes, apprentice," Avy agreed, "Our reign will soon begin.,"
The girl opened her eyes, and smiled evilly.
"No master," she said, "Not reign, but Rain."
She stood straighter…prouder.
"My name," Zay said, "I…I am Rain. I'm Rain of the Sith."
Avaryss nodded.
"How very…climactic of you," she said dryly.
Zay, no Rain, giggled.
"And why not? My power will rain down destruction and devastation upon our enemies. The reign of a lord is not much different from a reign of terror. We shall see our enemies cower before us, right before they are all destroyed."
The dark lord nodded.
In this, Rain was not wrong.
Once the Zakuul was dealt with, it would be the Republic's turn, and possibly the Empire's as well, if they chose to resist.
So many enemies, so little time.
Avy bowed respectfully to her student.
"You paint a pretty picture, young Rain, and now…it is time for House Feer to share in that fate. Their destruction is at hand."
"I am ready, my lord," Rain declared.
"How do we begin?"
"You shall begin by trying to free Beric's mind of the trap that witch Sadi put it in, from there we will be able to learn all he knows about Feer and his new powerbase."
"And by knowing it, we will be able to destroy it."
"Exactly."
A shiver of anticipation ran down the dark lord's spine. She could not wait to get started ,but first…
…well…Fenn came first.
"You may leave me now," she said, "I'm going to Fenn's quarters. He wished to…talk."
Rain grinned.
"I don't think that you will just be talking."
"Probably not," her master agreed.
The girl giggled.
"If you and Fenn are going to be so occupied, do you mind if I spend some time with Temmin? It has been a while."
Avaryss frowned.
"You may, but be mindful, girl. Remember what I told you. Pureblood boys get human girls into big trouble."
Zay, Rain, smirked.
"Temm is only half pureblood."
"Half of big trouble, is still trouble. Remember that girl."
Rain bowed respectfully, that deep theatrical bow she used when they trained out on the plains.
"Be advised, my lord. Fenn spent…a great deal of time with Lord Agony during our trip to Lehon."
Avaryss waved her hand dismissively.
"You need not worry about that; things are as they should be."
The girl sniffed.
"I don't think that I would like it. If I had to share Temm with another."
"As I said, you don't need to worry about that."
Avaryss frowned.
The girl meant no harm, still…
She had always known that Fenn would be drawn to both her and Taya. She had dreamed of three of them being together long before she even knew his name.
She was not jealous; this was simply the way things were.
All that mattered, in the end, Fenn would turn, and be hers. Taya would have the child she wanted, and Avaryss the key to seize House Dresco's fortune.
All would be well, in the end.
"Don't waste time focusing on Fenn and Taya. You still need to prepare to free Beric from his chains, but that will be for tomorrow. Tonight, is a time of revel. Go to Temmin, enjoy yourself, young Rain, and be ready. Soon, the endgame will begin, and we will finally rise to the throne."
Again the girl bowed.
"I will be ready, master. I promise you."
"Good," Avaryss said, "Soon you will see what happens to those that defy me. Darth Feer should have stayed dead, and now, I will make him wish he did."
"I am most eager to see that, my master."
"Yes, the dark lord agreed.
"Me too."