A Ghost, or something Else?

[Yoru Shakou]

The ghostly image of the Duchess stood silently as she watched carefully, her eyes moving about the large room. It was an ancient tomb, though there were many whom would otherwise call it young, or disagree in its entirety that it truly was a tomb. On that world though it was difficult to tell what was a tomb, temple, or even an old mine shaft.

She had been sure that the moment they shown any weakness, nor shown any desire to otherwise keep to themselves rather than align with one side or the other, that they would be attacked. Yet in that time since her 'death', her world had been left untouched. Her children had fled to the farthest reaches at the hint of an attempt to wipe out the entire family, a plot that never materialized. Even her untimely death was to ensure that such a plot would not arise, and yet it appeared that her planning and precaution was for naught.

Now though she remained, and she was for the most part trapped. Her abilities were limited, and she had even nearly lost control as the flood of emotions nearly overwhelmed her mind as she kept a vigil over her ailing friend. She had wished so much to be there in physical form, and yet she was not capable of doing so just yet.

The thoughts rushed to her mind of how her friend might have felt in mourning over one whom hadn't truly died. How her children would feel having been deceived by their own mother in the way that they had been. Those though could wait for another time, for now she had something more pressing to attend to, that being her entombment in that dark cave.

An ornate sarcophagus rest upon a carved block, hidden away from the Galaxy in a cave on Yalara in an attempt to ensure that her body would not be claimed or otherwise desecrated by those that she could call enemy. With what power she had, she had reached out across the galaxy, touching the minds of those whom she could trust the most, and now in that moment of desperate need she waited. ​

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[member="Darth Vornskr"]​

[member="Darth Venefica"]
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[Via Dolorosa]

Like a gentle breeze flowing through a forest, the Dagobah Sith felt her mind touched by a presence she had not felt in months. Her mouth slightly became ajar as she struggled with the thought that her friend yet lived, or was this just a trick to fool her into believing so? Regardless of what this manifestation was, she would answer the call. She would seek out this source and either kill those heretics that dared to tarnish the name of her friend or find solace in knowing she yet lived.​

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"Change course to Yalara," she ordered the Captain of the warship.​

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"Mi'Lady," the Captain asked puzzled.​

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"We go to Yalara....now!"​

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The Captain ran a lone finger inside his collar, hoping he would not meet a fate like his predecessor. With small curt of his head and a barely audible command, he gave the order for the warship to change courses. The Captain then turned to the Sith Lady battling demons on whether he should remind her of their mission.​

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"Mi'Lady, we are suppose to be patrolling the region of...."​

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An invisible force slammed the Captain against the wall. Now he was truly grasping at the invisible hands that encircled his throat. He tried to counter the provoked attack, failing horribly.​

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"We are going to Yalara, Captain. Do you disagree?"​

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"No mi'lady."​

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[member="Duchess Magrath"]​

 

[Yoru Shakou]

A hand caressed the lid of the ornate sarcophagus, the Duchess slowly moving around the massive tomb that had been carved out. Her figure was that as it had been in life, stately and immaculate as she slowly moved about the darkened cave. Her eyes moving along the chiseled stone of the small tomb. It was not as ornate as she had figured it would have been, yet perhaps that was a good thing. What better way to hide a figure of importance than by stashing their form within a tomb that would otherwise be fit for a common individual. ​

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As her figure moved about the tomb she paused for a moment. A soft smile curving her lips as she felt the sign that she was looking for. As she had reached out there was the reaction she had been looking for. At least one of the individuals she had reached out to was willing to risk the truth. Of course she couldn't fault them if they chose not to arrive, after all with their stations she could easily understand their own hesitation at the possibility of a trap to capture them. ​

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This was not that, nor was she willing to allow herself to remain within this tomb longer than she needed to remain. Quietly she moved about the room, her eyes closing as the ghostly figure seemed to flicker back and forth for a moment before it disappeared from the cave. A small smirk curving her lips as she watched her friend throw an otherwise hesitant Captain against the wall on the bridge of the vessel. ​

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"I see you've not lost your touch." ​

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The voice pierced the void as the Duchess appeared in a ghostly image. A projection of the mind that seemed to flicker, revealing for a moment a being in pain as she absorbed the emotions of the captain that gasped for air. Then she flickered to a weeping woman, hands held out and begging from fear as the picked up the emotions of others on the bridge. ​

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Finally as she managed to compose herself, she appeared once more as she had in life. A stately and stunning individual of beauty as she smiled softly. Her hands pressing out the wrinkles of her gown as she stood before her friend. ​

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[member="Darth Venefica"]​

[member="Darth Vornskr"]​

 

[Via Dolorosa]

The bridge had grown extremely cold, while an eerie silence fell over the traditional noisy infested bridge. For a brief moment she heard, no felt, the words of her friend echo in her mind. But how was this possible? Then she realized that they had formed a Force bond, one born from their friendship. The Dagobah Swamp Witch knew such bonds occurred, mostly between Master and Apprentice, but rarely did they have the magnitude and strength they now possessed. ​

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She watched, with a small tinge of surprise on her own face, as the eyes in front of her began to swivel to something behind her. She felt it. Sensed it. And knew at that moment who it was. Darth Venefica turned around, a lone tear threatening to betray her reputation as a cold and calculating monster, when her black and red-flecked eyes fell on the ghostly apparition that was her friend. Her mouth grew hauntingly dry as the words she wanted to speak had fallen into the sand trap that was her throat.​

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Once, then twice, and finally one more time she shook her head in disbelief. With her right index finger she wiped away the tear that had escaped the prison where it had been exiled to a life sentence, never to see the light of day again since she was a young child on Dagobah. Again she attempted to open her mouth and failed.​

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Despite all her struggles with speaking on this monumental day, she managed to smile. Unlike her traditional menacing and grave-like smile she had presented to so many of her rivals and enemies, this smile was one of joy and happiness; reserved for the only true friend she had ever had.​

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[member="Duchess Magrath"]​

 

[Yoru Shakou]

"I believe you've work to be accomplished. Or have all those of measure been lost in the war that's been wagged since my untimely death?" ​

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For a moment her ghostly eyes appeared to flash into their vibrant golden-yellow hue as she turned towards the bridge crew that seemed stunned at her appearance. In that moment she needed to test something, trying to reach out with the Force beyond what she was already. Her image flicked from the serene appearance into one of anger and rage, hair burning brightly as her hand came up. Blood pouring from her eyes as she focused all her anger into her actions. ​

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As quickly as she had appeared as a haunting visage of anger and rage, she was once more in the stately image that she had been in life. Her task accomplished as a simple control panel was set back to task, her hand motioning silently towards the befuddled crew member standing there. A soft growl coming to her lips, yet she held it back as she ran her hands along her gown. ​

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"Well Captain, I believe you were given an order." ​

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The Duchess spoke, her eyes leveling upon the man that was slumped upon the ground as her old friend was now fully attentive upon the woman. A soft smile curling her lips as she bowed her head simply to Darth Venefica before she turned slowly. Moving around the bridge, she took her own tour, looking upon the various stations before she returned to the side of her friend. ​

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"It would seem that at least one of those whom I reached out to felt my call. For that I thank you." ​

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[member="Darth Venefica"]​

 

[Via Dolorosa]

The galaxy had undergone several changes since the death of her friend. Organizations crumbled, new ones rose up to fill the voids left behind. Loyalties had been abolished, empires and republics no longer working together. Then there was the OS itself, still preying on the galaxy; feasting off it until it's stomach bulged out from over indulging. Then there was herself. She had grown more powerful but her eyes had been opened. She questioned her own loyalties.​

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"The winds are changing...."​

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Darth Venefica looked around the bridge and decided this was not the best place to discuss certain things. Paranoia was running rampant through the OS, especially now that the word traitor was being cast around more frequently these days. Spies, good-doers, and anyone looking to fatten their pockets were quick to play the run and tell game.​

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She remained quiet while her ghostly friend glided around the bridge, and found she thoroughly enjoyed the little display her friend put on. The Captain looked up at her after her friend spoke to him, and she simply nodded sending the man scrambling to his feet to make the change in course personally.​

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"No need to thank me....I'm happy you are back....sorta of," she said smiling.​

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"We should find you a new body."​

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[member="Duchess Magrath"]​

 

[Yoru Shakou]

Moving closer to her friend, her movements and gestures seemed to show that she knew what she was thinking to a point. A soft smile crossing her lips as she slipped pass her, close enough for a barely audible whisper to pass from her lips to the ears. Her form still regal even as she pressed so close, and what others might call too close for their own comfort. ​

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"We need not worry about that, yet such things should be spoken of in private." ​

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Slipping pass her, the Duchess seemed to glide upon the wind as she approached the doors to leave the bridge. Stopping for a moment, she ran a hand along her gown before looking towards the soldiers standing at the door. A soft and nearly seductive smile crossing her lips as she kept her eyes upon them. ​

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"Be a dear and open the door for me."​

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That same smile flashed, and in a moment the Duchess appeared in a form that even she would not allow many to see, save a few in private. Clearly her image was reacting towards the various emotions she was coming into contact with before she reappeared in her more regal bearing. ​

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"Such a naughty little mind..."​

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She spoke before moving closer to the guard, her yellow hued eyes falling upon him before her tone changed from seductive to a more serious manner. ​

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"The Door..."​

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"Now."​

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She didn't shout, she merely emphasized her words before the second guard quickly moved his hand over the console, pressing a series of buttons before they slid open. The Duchess smiling as she stepped forward, now standing in the hall only to look back to her friend. ​

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"I believe you'll need to lead me from here." ​

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[member="Darth Venefica"]​