Chapter 70: The Conquest
In less than ten hours, the planet of Bantoon had fallen to Avaryss and the Sith.
The Dark Lord had watched the battle from the bridge of her destroyer. Not that it had been much of a battle. The loyalists of Darth Hecaetus had been preparing for this day for decades.
A battle? No. She thought with a knowing smile.
A massacre, the thought sent a chill of pleasure down her spine.
A glorious, wonderful massacre!
Delicious!
All thanks to Darth Hecaetus, the glory of Darth Hecaetus!
She was more than pleased.
Her road to the throne…began here.
Praise the Dark side.
Praise Hecaetus.
Long ago, the great Sith Master had decided that this would be the world where he would establish his throne. He had not trusted Dromund Kaas, or the other Sith living there, those that had spurned him. They had viewed him as an outsider, the bastard child of a Dark Council member.
Avaryss could relate.
So his plan had begun, as a young Darth, he had struck out into the galaxy, searching for a world that would serve as both his throne and fortress. Upon finding Bantoon, the work had begun, as he had worked his way into the corridors of power and prestige. He had established connections and pawns to be used when the time was right. No, the taking of Bantoon was no lark, it was the plan of a diligent and brilliant Sith mastermind, and though he had not survived to see its completion, his work had continued through his followers, and, through the actions of those followers, those who continued his dream, that dream had finally become a reality…
…Avaryss' reality.
She regarded her new capital, a pretty world as things went, tropical with great oceans and small continents, dotted with walled cities. Six moons orbited the planet, moons rich in resources. Those moons fueled the shipyards that orbited two of those moons.
Bantoon, a jewel of the Republic, a jewel that was now…hers.
Though situated in the mid-rim, the planet was fairly isolated, only a single hyperspace corridor led in or out. That entrance, the Affon Way, had been heavily defended since the Sith had first reclaimed Korriban over forty years ago.
Almost inaccessible, and easily defendable, Avaryss had thought as she had studied the map of the planet. She could now understand why it had been chosen by Darth Hecaetus, that, and the fact that the old man had come to desire the world. It six moons were a wealth of resources, and it medical and genetic technology second to none.
The former was useful, the latter necessary for his plans. Even though Death Knell had not truly existed yet, Hecaetus had planned for something like it. He had also seen value in the Sworn protector program, the means by which the Bann created their genetically altered bodyguards.
The protector program had served Hecaetus well, it created hundreds of sleeper agents just waiting for activation. As his rightful heir, Avaryss had finally sent those activation codes. Bantoon's powerful had had no defense…
…And now…it was all hers.
They had entered the Affon Way almost unopposed, the Banns' main source of defense was that the access point had been mined. Dozens of different types of mines made up this field. Gravity mines to slow advancing ships. Seismic charge devices to tear through shields and armor, and laser web mines that surrounded and destroyed fighter craft. A most lethal defense, maintained by a fleet of droids who used the various chemicals and metals of Affon's rings to assemble more and more mines, making the field almost self-sustaining.
Almost unbeatable, except for the human element.
This mine field was controlled by two cloaked spaces stations one over Bantoon itself, and the other over the Affon gas giant. Either station could activate the field if invaders were detected, if one station was destroyed, the second would make sure the invaders still paid a heavy price for their entry. If Affon station fell, its controls could be locked out by the controller aboard their sister station on Bantoon, the mines would not be shut down. Access to the final leg of approach the world could only be achieved through proper authorization. It required both stations to approve entry, and to fully deactivate the mines, and allow safe passage.
It had kept the world safe for decades, and would have if not for the Sworn Protectors, Hecaetus' final gift to the people of Bantoon.
Thanks to Hecaetus' tinkering with the brain modifications of Bantoon's Sworn Protectors, along with several allies hidden among that nobility, the Sith arrived unopposed. A fleet of eight ships, Two Harrower class dreadnaughts, four Terminus class destroyers, and two Gage transport ships emerged from hyperspace and secured Affon. Six Bann light escorts had detected the Sith Fleet but had been unable to do much. Four had been destroyed, while the remaining two escaped into hyperspace, not that it would be able to do much on their own. The Sith were jamming all communications for twenty parsecs. By the time the ship managed to be far enough away to call for help, the battle would be over.
Only the battle station that controlled the mines was a problem, but it was one easily solved.
The Bann onboard had not managed to get a distress call off. The noble-born commander died before she could call for help, or formally deploy their defense field, murdered by her own Sworn Protector, following a signal from Darth Avaryss. From there, Sith loyalists among the station's crew had crushed any further resistance, these men and women had lived as sleeper agents for decades, and only now awoke to fulfill their duty to the Sith. They sent the signal to the Bantoon station, informing the Sith loyalists there that it was time.
When that station fell…so would the planet.
For nearly half and hour the Sith fleet had waited, waited for the station to inform them that Bantoon defense base was now theirs. Avaryss knew the plan would succeed, but still could not entirely calm her nerves, or completely kill the sense of resentment in her heart.
Fenn should have been here, she thought morosely, the father of MY child should have been here.
Her stress caused the new life within her to stir, paining her.
She touched her belly, stoking it gently, while sending calming thoughts through the Force.
It is okay, she thought, we are fine.
She looked out the view port.
We are fine.
She took a breath, and tried to remain calm.
Normally, she would have sought out Taya, but her friend was currently down in medical, being checked out after her duel with Fenn.
She seemed a bit…nervous around her old friend. The dark lord hoped that she would not let the fact that Avy had all but offered her life to Fenn, cloud their relationship. Avaryss had done what was needed.
Now, they needed to move on.
Yet, she could not entirely do that. Her thoughts kept drifting back to Fenn.
Their connection, when she touched it, was filled with terror and pain! She knew the effectiveness of the spell she had used, Feer had only needed to use it on her once, and that had been enough.
In her weaker moments, she still had nightmares of what she had seen during those tormenting days, that dark eternity where she had been lost in her own mind, a slave in her own body.
Fenn was enduring that now, who knew if he was strong enough to find his way back, she believed her would, but still…still.
She frowned.
STOP IT!
What is done is done, he will either emerge, or he won't.
She nodded grimly.
Yes, he would either succeed, or perish.
Such was the way of the Sith, her way.
Fenn needed to be strong.
He needed to become Sith!
She shook her head.
Now was not the time for this!
It was best not to focus on Fenn's fate, she had done what she could, he had been abandoned on a harsh world, still lost in his own nightmares. It was here that he would begin his exile, the bounty on his head posted.
Yes, she thought him strong enough to survive the spell, to fight his way back to the waking world, but even then…his nightmare was just beginning.
He would be hunted by all, hunters, Jedi, Zakuul, everyone.
He would learn to embrace his hate. He would learn to trust his anger and destroy those beneath him.
He would either survive or he would not.
She stewed on that thought, waiting for the next part of the battle to begin.
She was grateful when it did.
When the all-clear came over the comm system, the Sith Fleet jumped immediately to Bantoon.
They roared into the system ready for war.
The Bann had not known what hit them. They had received no warning from the battle station over their heads.
Bantoon station was under the command of Lord Lyrhan Dustyn, a cousin of the royal family, and a long time secret Sith supporter. His grandfather, General Lyron Dustyn, had tried to usurp the throne fifty years ago, only to be slain by Jas Dar Bynn and his young wife.
Lyrhan and his family had waited decades for a chance at payback. Queen Vessaria had shown mercy to cousin, and in this, the compassion of the royal family had been their undoing.
They had given the man everything he needed to betray them.
His lordship had been raised in the royal court, serving as both a page and hostage, a means to ensure his family's loyalty, as his father had before him. Hecaetus had approached that father before he had fled, and offered revenge, revenge that the son was now helping carry out.
The man did his part to aid the invasion.
No distress calls were sent out as the Sith fleet arrived, and deployed starfighters.
The Bann on the moons detected their arrival, and tried to mount a defense, but the Sith fleet was ready for them.
The battle had gone swiftly after that.
Though a member of the Republic, Bantoon was also a client world of the mining guild, an organization the Sith had infiltrated during their first war to overthrow the Republic. It was through his contacts in the mining guild that Hecaetus had laid the ground work for establishing Sanctuary Base. Avaryss had learned this and more from Hecaetus' allies. Through her first teacher Master Adaz, Sanctuary, and all her allies had been offered to Avaryss, as the highest ranking of Hecaetus' loyalists, it fell to her to rule over his holdings, and lead his forces still hidden on Bantoon.
Queen Vessaria and Jas Dar Bynn had not been as thorough as they believed. The late Dark Lord's men had hidden well, and thrived in the decades since their master's death, and now, they were ready.
Ready to bring pain and fire!
Sith Starfighters launched from two of Bantoon's six moons, ships that had been in hiding for decades, aiding the invaders. Bantoon planetary shipyards found itself under attack, fighters swarming among the dry-docked ships, drawing away the defense fleet that served as the planet's only protectors after the mine field had failed. Hurricane class escorts, and Tempest heavy destroyers tried to engage the Sith, but they were caught between the planet's gravity well, and determined Sith vessels who had been provided with information on their weaknesses.
In other words, the battle quickly turned into another rout, a massacre.
The fight had not been much of a fight at all.
Again, Avaryss was most pleased.
Soon only wreckage floated over the besieged planet, all that remained of the planet's defenders. The Sith achieved orbit, and prepared to land their troops. Bantoon still tried to send out distress calls, even as it readied itself for ground assault. Its defenders raised their planetary shield, the last line of defense against attack.
Avaryss was not concerned, they didn't even need to open fire.
She sent a coded signal to the nobles that had promised their aid, and those nobles in turn sent signals to the houses of their rivals, signals that soon reached the ears of the sworn protectors of those nobles.
Avaryss leaned back in her throne, letting herself sink deep into the dark side.
She felt as it happened, as hundreds of murders echoed across the surface of the world. Enemies of the Sith struck down by their own defenders, captains, generals, and political leaders. They all died, killed by their own bodyguards, people that had guarded their backs for years, if not decades.
Treachery, deception, cunning…the weapons of the dark side were they, and now…those weapons were being deployed against Avaryss' enemies on Bantoon.
Ten hours after the operation had begun, the planetary shield dropped, and a signal of welcome came from the royal palace.
Bantoon…now belonged to the Dark Lord of the Sith.
Darth Avaryss' reign…had begun.
She informed the acting captain of her ship that she was retiring to her quarters, it was now night in the capital, she would arrive on the world with the dawn.
She would look upon her new throne world as the sun rose, the dawning of a new era.
An age of darkness.
The age…of Avaryss.
IOI
"This one is crying, master."
Avaryss looked up from her meditations. She had slept little this night, her stomach still bothering her.
Morning sickness, she now knew, she had spoken with a medical droid about it, he had suggested several curatives to aid with the nausea, but right now, that didn't concern her.
She was too full of victory to care about an upset stomach.
Right now, she was flying high.
Unable to rest anymore, she made her way to one of the training rooms aboard the destroyer, one Knell elite accompanied her, acting as bodyguard. Her apprentice was within, already practicing the sequences of lightsaber combat. The two said nothing to each other, both preparing for the new day in their own ways. As Avaryss meditated, and Rain practiced the sequences of Niman, the elite trooper stood guard.
It was this elite that drew the younger woman's attention.
The dark lord turned to Rain, and the guard. KT-E01, also known as Char Valenthyne, Sworn Protector, and chief of security for the royal family of Bantoon, stood at attention behind her, now clad in the robes and armor of an imperial royal guard. Her helmet was off, revealing her features, her eyes turned yellow by the effects of death knell, her aged features hardened by years of combat and stress, her reddish-brown hair more gray than anything else.
Still, the old protector didn't look weak, despite her age, she was hardened, like an old war blade, notched from use, but still very sharp.
Which is why the crying seemed so out of place.
Avaryss looked at the old woman, tears were indeed streaming down her cheeks.
The dark lord smiled
She was impressed.
"Observe, apprentice," she said to Rain, "observe a show of powerful will, this unit's programming made it a servant to our needs long ago, its true purpose hidden for decades, even from itself."
Avaryss wiped at the tears on her face.
"Right now, the woman she was, the person she thought she was, is trapped in her own head. She is aware of what is going on, but is powerless to do anything about it. She is quite literally trapped in her own body, probably screaming, trying to get out, yet, all she can do, is shed tears."
The dark lord chuckled.
"The fact that she can do that shows her will, most impressive, such strength should be honored."
"Hm," Rain said, clearly not as impressed as her master.
"Wonder what is causing it," she said, "The tears?"
Avaryss grinned.
"Let's ask her," she said matter-of-factly, she turned to the knell trooper.
"You may speak freely, KT-E01. Tell us, what is causing you such distress."
The older woman sobbed, she couldn't move unless her master ordered ,but she could speak, and cry freely as well, it appeared.
Astonishing!
"Please," she said, "Please…stop. Don't…don't do this!"
"This?" Avaryss asked.
The woman swallowed hard.
"My Queen…please, my lord. You…you have taken her husband. Her world…please…don't…let her live. Please."
Avaryss snorted.
She had not killed Jas Dar Bynn, as much as she had desired to, still…she saw no reason to split hairs. The man had died at her feet, she had not had the talent to save him, or try to summon help.
So, she might have well have killed him, she supposed.
She had expected anger from the queen's defender. Mox had been furious, but then again…E01 had been under her power for far longer, and the power of Hecaetus for almost five decades. She had been a protector since she had been in her early twenties, and now…into her seventies.
Perhaps she had come to understand how pointless anger was, how hopeless her situation was?
If so, the dark lord was pleased.
"You have been this woman's slave for almost fifty years," Avaryss reminded her, "I'm surprised to see you so loyal."
"Not…not a slave. Vess…my queen…she…she has been like a daughter to me. The only daughter I've ever known, her children…my lord, please. Stop.
Avaryss snarled.
"Silence!" she barked.
Char Valenthyne's jaw snapped shut.
Avaryss smiled wickedly.
Such attachment, what emotional nonsense!
Rain grinned.
"We should make her kill the queen, master. It would be fun!"
The Knell Trooper's eyes widened, she knew she could not say no, not with her programming, and Death Knell poison flowing through her veins.
New tears spilled from her eyes.
Avaryss could not deny it, she was tempted, but…but…
She sighed.
"Sadly, we must deny ourselves that fun, Rain," she said, "We still need the queen. Though we have eliminated many of our enemies on the surface, there are still many matriarchs and political leaders that are on the fence over our invasion."
Rain sneered.
"Then we kill them too!"
"NO!" Avaryss growled, her temper rising.
The girl was a fool.
She didn't understand!
She almost informed her of that, but held herself in check.
The med-droid had warned her that she might feel some emotional changes, or perhaps, merely worse than normal.
The rage she was experience was overkill, her apprentice was young.
She needed to be taught, not punished.
Avaryss sighed, and took a deep breath.
She started again.
"We have yet to consolidate our position, apprentice. Our allies have surrendered power to us, but we still need to maneuver the best people into the best positions. Plus, there are those on the surface who will try to resist us. We need to keep them from unifying against us, the best way to do that, is not make martyrs so soon after our conquest."
Rain sniffed.
"We use the queen as a hostage?"
"There are those among the Bann who will not act if we have her in hand, plus we can use her to keep her royal children in check. They will not wish to see their mother harmed, and she will seek to protect them."
Rain nodded; her smile returned.
"Their compassion for each other will be their undoing."
"Exactly," the dark lord nodded, pleased that the girl understood.
That being said, she felt a sense of disquiet in her apprentice.
"What?" she demanded, "You are angry with me."
"It is nothing, master."
"It is clearly not nothing, girl. Speak your mind."
Rain worried her lip with her teeth. Yet, she did gather her courage, and speak.
She glared at her master.
"You let Fenn live."
The dark lord's brow furrowed.
"That bothers you?"
"Shouldn't it," the girl spat, "He openly defies you, and you, what? Leave him on some dirtball and forget about him?
"I've not forgotten."
"You still let him go!"
"He has not escaped; he has given himself to the dark side."
"I spoke with Lord Taya, she said master Fenn backed away from you, that he feared what you had unleashed in him."
"So what?"
Rain's eyes widened.
"The weak have no place amongst us. If Fenn had fear, he had weakness! You should have destroyed him, crushed him like the bug he was!"
Avaryss turned her temper starting to flare.
"Fenn still doesn't understand what he is, apprentice, he will."
The young girl sneered.
"You hope."
"THERE IS NO HOPE," the master shot back, "FENN WILL RETURN I'VE FORESEEN IT!"
He doesn't deserve any special treatment!"
"He is Fenn!"
"So, what?!"
Rain's words stopped her in her tracks, fueling her rage.
So what?
Had the girl actually said that?!
So what?
Rain continued to glare daggers at her.
"WHY IS HE SO SPECIAL, MASTER! YOU BLOW UP MY BOYFRIEND WITH AN ATOMIC WEAPON! YET, YOU SPARE YOURS! THAT'S NOT RIGHT! IT'S NOT FAIR!"
Avaryss' hands clenched. She was tempted to cast the nightmare spell again, give Rain the same treatment she gave Fenn, but…she didn't.
She took a deep breath and centered herself, she glared with icy coldness at her student.
Rain, sensing the danger she was in, backed down from her aggressive stance. She was angry, yes, but she was not stupid.
She knew her master's power. She was not ready to challenge her yet, not over this.
No, Rain was not a fool.
Her wisdom pleased her master, and calmed her…somewhat.
Rain shook her head, cursing under her breath.
She looked at her master sullenly.
"It is not fair," she grumbled.
"No," Avaryss agreed.
She shook her head.
She found herself thinking about Korriban, and the Tomb of Ajunta Pol, about Spindrall, the old hermit.
Avaryss nodded.
She remembered his lesson well.
"You are familiar with the Sith Code, are you not, apprentice."
"Of course."
"Peace is a lie, there…"
"There is only passion, I know, master."
"Through passion I gain strength, and through strength…"
"I gain power."
"Yes," the dark lord hissed, "Fairness is not part of the Sith doctrine. Passion is a vehicle, Rain. Strength is the road, a Sith travels down that path to the destination, the only destination that matters."
"Power," Rain said, accepting her master's words.
"Power is what matters. Your desires, the things you think you need are only part of the journey. I learned this lesson at your age on Korriban. I allowed myself to be distracted by a pure-blooded boy, and was nearly destroyed for that distraction."
Rain's jaw was set in a grim line.
"What am I suppose to do then? Just forget about Temm, just move on like nothing happened? I'm no Jedi, I can turn off my emotions like that."
"You would be of no use to me if you could," Avaryss replied, "As for giving up, I don't think you should do so, not yet. Tell me, Rain. Did you sense Temmin die?"
The girl didn't respond, she looked down at her feet.
"Did you sense his death?" the dark lord repeated.
"No," the girl said in a small voice, "But how could he have survived, an atomic weapon detonated over the caves he was hiding in…"
"Don't underestimate the power of the old blood," her master warned, "We still don't know what happened in those tunnels, the Survivors didn't share that secret with us. Temm may have escaped…"
"And even if he did," Rain said angrily again, "What would he think of me? For what I did? What I helped you do…"
The girl shook her head.
"If he survived, he probably hates me now."
Avaryss almost laughed.
Poor girl, she is so young.
Age did bring some relief to such fears, not to mention wisdom.
"If he still lives, do not let him hate you. Draw on the desires of a first love, use those feelings, yoke them."
Rain frowned. Her brow furrowed.
"I…don't understand."
A sad smile came to her face.
"Despite my life-long attraction to Fenn. Fehl was my first love. I was willing to do anything for him. Even leave the Sith Order to be his wife."
The girl nodded listening closely.
"What would you do? If Fenn was hurt? If he was in danger, would you try to save him? Don't lie now, don't think about the answer you think I want to hear. Speak honestly, plainly."
I…I would go to him. I would help him, forgive me, master, but I would."
Avaryss nodded.
"He likely feels the same, how could he not?"
She brushed the girl's cheek fondly.
"Use those emotions, let him believe that you are in trouble, you will be surprised what a boy will do for a damsel in distress, especially this boy. Remember, he shoved me, back at survivor base, and that was even before you to…did anything."
Rain blushed.
"We…um…we never did do anything, master. That…that was the problem."
Avaryss blinked, now it was her turn to be surprised.
"Really, you two…never…"
Rain shook her head.
"He was a gentleman…um…sometimes too much of a gentleman if you ask me."
The dark lord nodded.
"Use that as well, the promise of things to come, you would be surprised how…tempting that can be…you might even…"
The door behind them chimed. Avaryss frowned.
That would be General Glasc, with the final report of the battle.
She was most interested to see it, and the general himself.
This was the first time she had seen him in person in almost two years. Once this battle was concluded they would need to speak in private. He was after all Synestra Feer's cousin.
Part of her still wondered how much he knew about Darth Feer's body double thing. Had he hidden that from her? Plus there was the matter of Cynn Feer, neither Avaryss nor her allies had seen the girl die.
If she escaped the destruction of her house, Avaryss wanted to know.
That was a discussion for later, for now, they had a war to win, and a planet to secure.
She gestured to the door, causing it to hiss open. General Henin Glasc, the head of her ground forces stood at attention, a data-pad in hand.
"Yes, General?" the dark lord said.
"My lord, Lady Rain, report from Bantoon, the elimination list you requested."
Avaryss nodded and reached out with the Force, pulling the pad to her hands.
As she perused the list, taking note of the dead or captured, she glanced over at Rain, the girl's anger was still there, but it was now firmly under control.
She still fears for Temm, and blames me, at least partially for his disappearance, yet, she was willing to entertain the notion that he lived, she needed to believe that, and that her master offered her the means to reclaim him, if and when he popped up again.
That was good too.
Rain accepted the truth. She still needed her master, and the Sith teachings, more to the point, she knew that she needed them.
That was good to, especially now that Avaryss would soon have a child to care for.
Rain would do what she could to keep her master safe, and by extension keep her future apprentice safe.
If and when Avaryss fell to Rain's blade, her child, the next Lord Avaryss, would become the new Sith Lord's apprentice, or if Avaryss beat Rain, she would take the child as her next apprentice, and the cycle would continue. She needed to make sure that Rain understood that, accepted that. It was the only way to ensure the continuance of her bloodline, she…
Avaryss frowned.
She looked down at the pad again.
She was not happy with what she was seeing.
"Jas Dar Bynn's youngest daughter is NOT on this list. I see the mother, the brother, and the eldest sister, but not the girl."
She frowned at the General.
"What is going on, Glasc? Where is Bayla Istillo?"
The General tensed.
"We are still searching, my lord. Though it appears that the girl was off-planet when the attack began. She had recently been given a military command in their space forces, of one of their escort groups. It is possible she may have been on one of the escort-ships our forces engaged when they entered the Affon system."
Avaryss' frown deepened.
"She is likely dead," the general added quickly, "killed on one of the vessels that were destroyed in our attack."
"Or she could have been aboard one of the ships that escaped," the dark lord snarled.
She almost cursed.
Bayla Istillo, she had never met the girl, but knew her name. In fact, she had come to curse it.
Lucky little shutta!
Had HK done his job right, Avaryss would have become Bayla Istillo. She had been the dark lord's first choice of a host body. Had HK succeeded, and Avaryss took the girl's body, she would never have returned to the empire after the ritual that saved her life. She would have come to Bantoon, arranged the death of her parents and siblings, and then, as an only child, led Bantoon as its ruling queen.
There would have been no reason for trickery then, she would have invited the Sith to Bantoon, and joined the empire freely.
Alas, things had not worked out, HK failed in his work, and Avaryss had settled for Tru Halcyon, a downgrade perhaps, but the result was the same, now.
Bantoon was hers, but…if the girl was alive, she might recruit allies, form a resistance against Avaryss' regime.
That could not be allowed.
"Have our people search the wreckage in Affon," she ordered Glasc, "Find the princess, alive or dead. If she has escaped, offer a bounty for her, five hundred thousand dead, a million alive."
Glasc frowned.
"A large amount for a single enemy, my lord."
"Do not question, Glasc, obey!"
The General nodded.
"As you say, my lord."
Her eyes again turned to the list; it was not as long as she hoped.
"How did so many matriarchs escape our purge?"
"I've spoken with Lord Lyrhan. He blames the escapes on the Paladina, but don't worry, master. We will deal with any escapees in due time."
Rain frowned.
"What is a Paladina?" she asked.
"A Bann Jedi sect," Avaryss told her apprentice, "Formed by Jas Dar Bynn and some Whiphid Jedi who came to this world with him. They are descended from the Bann Sorcerers that once aided the nobles and military of this world."
The dark lord scowled at the general.
"The Paladina were supposed to be exterminated before we arrived. I sent orders to have our allies purge their temple."
"The temple was taken, master," Glasc assured her, "But our agents arrived to find it empty, the Paladina had already vanished."
"Search their records," Avaryss demanded, "Get a list of all Paladina, and their families, "Exterminate them to the last living child."
Glasc looked down at his jack-boots, he bowed his head.
Avaryss didn't like that.
"What?"
"The Paladina must have sensed your coming, master. Perhaps the Force warned them, not only was their temple empty, but its archives had been purged, no records remained."
Rain blinked, her scowl becoming almost as dark as Avaryss'
"Are you telling us, General, that not only have the local Jedi escaped, but we have no idea of who they are, or how many are still on planet?"
"We know the names of some," Glasc said, clearly sweating now. "Kit Shalya, their grand master is known. As is Vel Xorros, the Jedi ambassador.
"Were they killed in the attack?" Avaryss demanded.
The General said nothing, he simply stood at silent attention.
That silence spoke volumes.
The dark lord almost lost her temper, again.
Fool, she thought.
Moronic FOOL!
Not only had one of the royal family escaped, but now they had an unknown number of Jedi loyalists running free on her capital. Loyalists with undisciplined Force powers.
What a nightmare!
Who knew what damage they could cause? Avaryss still needed to construct her focusing temple on Bantoon. How hard would that be with Jedi actively fighting her?
Avaryss looked at the general, her hand drifting to her lightsaber.
It would be so easy.
She looked at Rain, her apprentice looked as eager as she was to take the general's head, once upon a time, Avaryss would have been tempted to let her.
Sadly, she couldn't do that, she still needed Glasc, he was her go-between with the matriarchs and the Sith Empire proper. She would need his contacts to construct the temple. She needed Sith alchemists, and architects, men and women who knew about temple construction. It would be hard to get them past Acina, the Zakuul, and what was left of the dark council, but…it could be done.
She needed all those things to finish the plan.
Without those resources, the conquest would be that much harder, maybe impossible.
She took a deep breath, and again, felt her child shift within her.
She put her hand protectively to her belly.
It is okay, she murmured.
"We're fine."
She turned to Glasc.
"Seek out Lord Lyrhan, tell the Bann that I'm displeased. Order him to hunt the Paladina, give him what assassins and marauders he needs to finish this task."
Glasc sneered.
"It will be done, but isn't this overkill. I've read the reports of our allies. These Paladina do not seem much of a threat, the Jedi believe them to be a lesser sect, a collection of talented novices, no more. They're…"
"They're unknown, General," Avaryss hissed, "To be unknown is to be unbeatable. I will not let a rogue Force-sect interfere with my plans. Inform Lyrhan of this, he will deliver me the heads of any and all Paladina, or I will take his."
Glasc nodded, some of the fear went out of his face, grateful to place the blame on their Bann ally."
"Perhaps we can interrogate the queen, or her heir, it is said that both princesses trained with the Paladina."
"Good thinking, general," Avaryss said, "We will have Princess Mirax brought up to one of our interrogation suites, for a…chat."
"We must be careful, master," Rain said, "We can't kill the royals, not yet."
"Fear not," Avaryss answered, "the girl will not be permanently damaged."
Glasc smirked likely anticipating a very harsh questioning.
Avaryss dismissed him with a wave of his hand, he left closing the door behind him, leaving Avaryss, Rain and Knell-Trooper Valenthyne behind.
Tears still streamed down the old woman's face, likely fearing for a girl she thought of as her grandchild.
Avaryss ignored her, let her weep an ocean, it made no difference.
Rain gave her master a sly smirk.
"Fenn, the missing survivors, an escaped princess, and now Jedi loose on our new throne world…"
The girl chuckled.
"So much for winning the war."
Avaryss glared at her apprentice, again, she was tempted to strike her for her insolence, but again held back.
Rain would be a major part of her victory; her battle meditation would be more than useful.
The Dark Lord nodded.
Things were not perfect, but what problems remained were not unsolvable.
They had lost a few minor skirmishes, nothing more.
She turned to her student, her child's future master.
"We have everything we need to win the war, apprentice. All the problems you described will be dealt with. We have the keys, and Death Knell, and soon we will have a temple to increase and focus our power. Death Knell will spread through out the galaxy. Free will, free thought itself will die, and the Sith will rule the galaxy, not just a single empire, but all of it, Zakuul, Republic, Hutt space…nothing will remain but what I rule, and I shall rule everything.
Rain bowed, one of the insolent exaggerated bows that Avaryss barely tolerated.
"All hail the Sith, my master, and all hail Avaryss!"
The dark lord sneered, her hand once again patting her flat belly, flat now, but not for long, if what she remembered of her mother's pregnancies were true.
Again, she found herself wishing for Fenn, craved his touch, the taste of his skin. She hated that he had turned fearful just when everything should have been hers.
He had been a fool, and she had no time for fools.
He would find wisdom in exile, or he would die.
If he fell, so be it. She would continue on, his child would continue on, and rule after her, and the child after that, and the one after that.
She focused on that, not her fear.
I do not fear, she thought, a Sith knows no fear. A Darth is fear. A Darth is death!
She had a healthy body, a child on the way, her family, her apprentice, her throne world, and soon the galaxy.
Everything else would fall into place, it would fall or be burned away.
Either way…she would win.
All hail the Sith, Avaryss thought with no small amount of amusement.
All hail Avaryss!
A/n: One more chapter remains, good readers. This one took a bit longer to write than the others, but I'm hoping to stay motivated, and finish Avaryss' tale before the end of next year. Thanks for sticking with me, and hope you have enjoyed the tale of my little Sith.
May The Force serve you well!
DG