Legacies

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Nemene stood inside of a small observation deck on board the main frigate of her personal slave fleet. Inside of the room stood a slave, a woman dressed in nearly sheer black robes stood in the corner of the room, her hands neatly crossed in front of her and a placid smile on her face. The Raven Haired Queen paced back and forth in front of the view port, aggravation clearly playing across her face. There was something bothering her, something she had not thought of until recently.

Suddenly she came to a stop, her foot steps halting with a click of her heels.

“Cerise, I'm worried.” Nemene finally said turning to the woman. The Slave didn't looked surprised, though she unclasped her hands and took soft steps towards the Raven haired Queen, halting only a foot away from her side.

“Mistress?”

A one word reply, a probing question.

“I am mortal, Cerise.” Nemene said biting at every word. “Unlike my father I cannot bring myself back from the dead. I have neither the knowledge, nor the strength.”

It hurt to admit that, but she knew it was true. The Slave woman didn't reply, but he looked pityingly at Nemene. Not in a cruel way of course, but in an empathetic way, sending sympathy to her mistress but not quite knowing what to say.

“I worry about my legacy. True, i've left a heritage of murder, violence, torture and subjugation. I am known the galaxy over for my cruelty, but what comes after me?” The answer to that question was nothing. When Nemene died, she would leave nothing to this galaxy, nothing but a legacy of fear. She frowned slightly, and then turned to Cerise fully. Inspecting the woman for a moment she frowned, remembering back to something.

Her head shook, no.

That couldn't be the answer could it? The Queen recalled a conversation she had once had with a Jedi, a Jedi she had stripped of everything. Frowning slightly, Nemene turned away from Cerise and towards the viewport.

“Fetch Evelynn.” Cerise looked at her Mistress curiously, but nodded her head, frowning slightly.

 

[Louise]

Cerise would go to fetch Evelynn, but there no longer was an Evelynn.

There was only Evie.

The woman's tragic scheme for an escape had been foiled, and the consequences had been beyond dire for the woman who once reigned as a Queen. That woman was now gone, and in her place sat an infantile creature upon the floor of her school, blue eyes flickering in an automated fashion over the ancient texts that sat before her, hands somewhat burnt from the reckless practice of Sith magic.

A collar clung heavily to her throat, the focal point of a barely clothed form. Of course, the tragic skeletal form of Evelynn was a thing of the past. Nemene had long since seen to that. Evie was physical perfection in the eye of the Goddess. Even her face, her hair, her eyes. Nothing was the same. It wasn't Evelynn. There was no Evelynn.

There was only Evie. Good. Little. Evie.

She did not notice the woman enter the school, to entranced with the command of learning to be distracted by any outside stimuli until the chain was looped around the collar and she was wordlessly jerked onto her feet by Mistress Cerise. Of course, being that she was such a keen and obedient pet she followed the woman with eager steps, bare feet padding gently upon the unfeeling metal floor.

Once brought into the observation deck the creature dropped down onto her knees, as was only appropriate when in the presence of a Goddess. Looking into Evie's eyes brought nothing. There were no thoughts, no humanity, she no longer had a mind, no longer deserved a mind, but Evie didn't need a mind. A mind was silly, trivial little thing, she only needed Goddess.

It said nothing as those glazed eyes were fixed upwards at Nemene.

 

[Lira Dajenn]

“Cerise.” Nemene said as she turned to regard Evie kneeling on the floor. “Do you know what so many Sith crave?”

The little slave girl didn't say anything, just inquisitively peered at her Mistress. She knew that Nemene was not really seeking for an answer, but was more using her as someone to bounce information off of. A way to think out loud, without talking to herself. She had long since learned Nemene was prone to doing this, and she was more than happy to indulge on the whim.

“A legacy. Sith want to leave behind a legacy. Whether it's Revan, or Palpatine, or even Krayt. They all want to leave behind something of themselves if they die.” That if was very important.

Most Sith thought themselves beyond death, most of them thought themselves completely and entirely above reproach by the hands of mortality. They thought themselves to be immune to the waves of death. None of them were of course, and so they left behind legacies. Holocrons, journals, books, and sometimes even monsters. They had all done it, though perhaps some had done so unintentionally, it was difficult to tell.

Stepping up to her pet Nemene smiled slightly, tapping Evie on the nose. “Even Evie, in her past life wanted a legacy. She wanted something that she would be remembered by.”

Cerise smiled a cruel smile at that.

“I want the same.” Nemene said simply, looking at the pet on her knee's, almost as if prompting her to ask how she could help.

 

[Louise]

Of course, little Evie didn't respond to any of this.

It wasn't her place to speak unless it was asked of her. After all, pets didn't hold opinions, they had nothing to offer of stimulate conversations with, that would have been very silly.

After gazing at her Goddess for a few moments a vacant smile began to spread upon the face of the creature. Goddess is beautiful. Goddess is kind. Goddess is everything. Mentions of past lives and legacies however meant nothing, that didn't matter, nothing mattered but Goddess. Nothing.

The tiniest touch upon her nose sent joy cascading throughout her entire being, yet she remained perfectly still, lost in adoration.

 

[Lira Dajenn]

Nemene began to pace around Evie, inspecting and looking at her as if she were a prized race horse. A smile spread across her face as she thought of something. Yes, there would be a way for her to maintain her legacy, a way for her to leave something behind in this galaxy. Her smile stopped slightly, as her eyes landed on Cerise.

“Cerise.” Nemene intoned, calling the girl to her. “Evie will need to be bathed properly, trim her nails and her hair. Make her pretty.”

The slave woman frowned at Nemene, but didn't question the orders, simply nodded.

“Then have her brought to the lab.” There was something sinister in that, although what exactly it was was difficult to tell. The Raven haired Queen picked up Evelynns soft brown hair and played with it slightly, swinging it from side to side and pulling on it ever so gently until she finally let the strands drop, a single strand remaining between her fingers.

With that she turned her back on the two women, and walked from the room.

 

[Louise]

As Nemene's gaze shone down upon her like a holy light Evie continued to kneel in her contentment. The prospect of being made pretty for her Goddess filled her with a joy that could only be described as sickening. Anything for Goddess.

The mention of a laboratory didn't phase the creature in the slightest as she remained, feeling nothing short of ecstasy as her Goddess played with her hair. If only the moment lasted forever. It would have been heaven. However seeing as they could not get caught in a stasis of hair play Nemene left the room and Evie was left in the hands of Mistress Cerise.

Who even now was less than kind.

The chain jerked the creature around once more as she was taken to be groomed for Goddess. Man, that's a creepy phrase, groomed for Goddess. The interaction between Cerise and Evie was non-existent with the slave woman silently (and rather forcefully) cleaning and gussying up Nemene's imbecile of a pet. Of course, Evie offered no response herself, remaining in that state of vacancy that stayed with her now.

When the creature was prettied up to a satisfactory level she was of course, taken to the lab, where not a single thought nor concern surfaced as to why she was there in the first place.

 

[Lira Dajenn]

Nemene found herself working at the laboratory desk, the hair she had earlier taken from Evie stripped and cut away into tiny pieces, these pieces deposited into a small machine to be analyzed.

When the slave girl and the pet showed themselves, Nemene stood from her small chair, walking over to the entrance and greeting her two favorite things. She bopped Evelynn on the nose and gave Cerise a small but almost loving smile. With a wave of her hand she directed Evelynn to a chair in the center of the room, and with a nod of her head she sent Cerise into the corner of the room.

As soon as Evelynn was upon the chair, Nemene slid over to her.

“Evie.” Nemene said pleasantly. “Do you want to know why you're here?”

She sat on a small padded stool next to the chair, reaching for a scalpel and gripping it between her index finger and thumb. A small encouraging smile crossed her face, prompting Evie to speek.

 

[Louise]

Another small touch, another moment of bliss. There was no jealousy as Mistress Cerise received a more genuine sort of greeting, after all Goddess could do as she pleases, love who she pleases, even if that was perhaps a strong word to associate with Nemene Talith.

Wordlessly she moved to the chair and sat obediently in wait for whatever it was that her Goddess had in mind. No fear, no trepidation, no wonder, no questions, no thought.

Evie was good.

A question was posed, and a look of confusion dawned upon the pitiful creature''s face. Did Evie want to know why she was here? The notion of the creature and wanting in the same sentence granted her more discomfort than the scalpel that loomed, she had to try and think (as hard as it was) for the correct answer.

“Does Goddess want Evie to know?” she asked, with a severe degree of child-like innocence.

 

[Lira Dajenn]

“I suppose I do.” Nemene said as she took the scalpel with one hand, and with the other took Evie's hand.

A small plastic tray was placed on the arm of the chair, and slowly Nemene used the scalpel to cut away tiny flecks of skin from Evelynns arm. By no means was she pulling away enough to cause the girl to bleed, but tiny flakes of skin fell into the plastic tray.

She did this several times, collecting quite a bit of skin and causing Evie's arm to become red.

Cerise to her credit said and did absolutely nothing. The young woman simply stood in the corner of the room and observed in silence. She knew that Nemene had something planned, though sadly she had not been told what. The Slaves thoughts however were interrupted when she was motioned by her Queen to come closer, immediately she began to glide, reaching Nemene in no time at all.

 

[Louise]

The pet remained completely still as her Goddess went about her work, the scalpel causing absolutely no mental unease within her. Had Nemene wished to mutilate Evie then it wouldn't have been a problem. It was the will of Goddess after all.

Vacant sapphires remained fixed upon the face of her Goddess, nothing short of pure adoration in her expression. Her touch. Her scent. To be so close. It was nothing short of bliss. The scalpel, the laboratory, Mistress Cerise, none of these things mattered. Only Goddess. Only Goddess mattered, and Evie was good. Good for Goddess.

“Then Evie would like to know, Goddess,” she said happily. Simple, simpering little Evie.

Of course, the knowledge of what Nemene was doing would ultimately mean nothing to the creature. Such grand schemes were beyond a stupid pet but wasn't it so gracious of her Goddess to entertain ridiculous little Evie? She was too good to Evie. Far too good.

 

[Lira Dajenn]

Nemene handed Cerise the plastic tray, pointing her towards one of the lab benches in the corner of the room. The slave girl nodded and began to prep the skin samples while Nemene turned towards Evie.

“I'm going to make something new Evie.” Nemene intoned softly as she placed the scalpel back where it had came from. She brushed the tools gently with her finger tips and then picked up a small razor. Slowly she set it down upon Evelynns skin, and pulled upwards.

Hair's fell to the floor, cleaning Evelynn's arm.

“Goddess will create something beautiful.” She placed the razor back down onto the table, and picked up a fine needle and syringe. She placed a small plastic tube into this, and then placed the needle directly over Evie's vein. “I'm going to do it, so were remembered.”

She stuck the needle into Evelynn with force, puncturing skin and vein. Blood began to pour into the vial almost immediately, and it sloshed about even as Nemene held it in place.

 

[Louise]

Well that was vague.

Something new. Not old, borrowed or blue, but something new. Something. Of course, Evie didn't ponder what it could have been, simply nodding at the statement that same stupid vapid smile glazed straight across her features. It was tragic, really. This vapid hollow shell of a being, no humanity, no survival instincts, no nothing. Nemene could have ordered her to sit in that chair and she would right until the moment that dehydration claimed her.

Poor simple Evie.

As her Goddess spoke the creature continued to nod along eagerly, actively tearing up when her Queen said we're remembered. We're. Momentarily the pet was distracted by the needle, Evie, like the majority of the galaxy did not enjoy pain and thus the sensation of such had been brought back to her, although now as the perfect thrall she gave no cause to be punished.

“Goddess is so good to Evie. Goddess is so kind.”

 

[Lira Dajenn]

Nemene plucked the needle from the skin and vein, pulling it out and removing the vial of blood from the plastic syringe. She smiled slightly, moving the blood around within the glass and watching it slosh about. The cool red liquid moved almost hypnotically, and Nemene danced it around in front of Evie's eyes for a few moments, before once again calling over Cerise.

She handed the woman the vial of blood and the dirty tools, motioning her to collect them and place them upon the workbench.

“Do you want to help me Evie?” Of course she would, but it was fun to play with the little idiots head.

As she waited for her pet to reply Nemene picked up another Scalpel, and another plastic tray. She held out the tray for Evie to hold onto, though obviously kept the knife far away from the simple little thing, she didn't want her to harm herself.

 

[Louise]

The entire laboratory that surrounded her was nothing more that background noise, everything that wasn't her Goddess was blurred and hazy, the auto-focus of the simple creature's affections solely upon Nemene. It's not like anything important or vital was happening here right now.

Instead the creature nodded eagerly once more, “Always, Goddess!”

As if it was her main Sithmas present Evie held onto tray that was offered to her. I'm helping. Okay, okay, slow down there Evie IV. She can't help it, you know? She just wants to be good. You know the mantras.

Good for Goddess.

Tricks for Treats.

Everything for Goddess.

 

[Lira Dajenn]

Nemene began to scrape her own skin into the little tray.

She pulled at her skin and cut off tiny pieces of it. Again not enough to bleed, but enough to cause a slight reddening on her arm. Of course on Nemene it almost immediately disappeared, purple skin flashing red for only a moment before redrawing itself in violet. The mass of skin in the tray remained purple, infused so much with the darkside of the force that it began to quickly decay.

With a sharp whistle Nemene called Cerise over to her, the slave girl ran over and took the tray almost immediately, rushing over to where she had taken Evie's sample as well.

As soon as the tray was away form her, Nemene placed the now dirty scalpel onto the table, picking up a different needle and placing another glass vial into this one. She smiled slightly, and then stretched out her arm directly in front of Evie. Noticeably, Nemene's arms already lacked hair and so there was no need shave it. She looked Evie in the eye, and plunged the needle beneath her skin.

“Do you know what i'm thinking Evie?” Nemene said as the vial began to fill with pure red blood.

 

[Louise]

The process was repeated with the samples coming from Nemene this time.

Of course, this naturally brought a touch of distress to the simpleton. I mean, although it wasn't real self-harm her Goddess was still bringing a blade to her own flesh. But how could that be questioned? Goddess can do whatever she pleases, even if that is self-harm.

Evie didn't hide this emotion, the creature didn't hide any emotion. Her brow furrowed as the needle plunged into the magnificent flesh of her Queen. The poor thing was so confused.

The question posed didn't help much. How was she supposed to know what was within the wonderful mind of her Goddess? She was just a lowly creature, nothing in comparison.

Biting her lower lip little Evie shook her head slightly, “No, Goddess.”

 

[Lira Dajenn]

She plucked the needle from her own skin, taking the vial from the syringe and placing the dirty tool onto the table. She smiled slightly and then stood from the stool, holding onto the vial of her own blood. The glass was warm to her touch, almost calming in a sense. Nemene looked down at Evie for a moment, and then let out a sigh at the simpletons reaction.

She patted the creature on the head, and then turned away from her.

“I'm thinking that over the next year, you will be treated very well.” She said the words almost absently, Taking the vial of blood and bringing it over towards Cerise. There all the samples she had collected stood still, some in machines, others being scanned, and still others being dissected even more neatly by the careful hand of the slave. Nemene nodded to her, and placed the vial of her blood within a small holder.

The Raven Haired Queen looked to Cerise, and then nodded over to Evie.

The Slave stared for a moment, clearly displeased with something, but then wandered over towards the pet. She stood at her side for a moment, and then began to gently stroke Evie's hair. Lightly touching and relaxing her.

 

[Louise]

That didn't clear anything up.

All poor Evie cared about was being good and pleasing Goddess. There was none of this thinking or knowing nonsense to be had. Laboratories and guessing games were not her speciality. You wouldn't ask a dog to tell you what you were thinking, so why ask Evie? The mind of Evelynn had perished, any acts of gloating or mind games were lost.

So she remained sat there, face fixed with confusion, still nodding albeit this time slowly.

Of course, this left her conflicted. Goddess was too kind, but why? Evie had not been good. Evie had recently been very bad. Mistress Cerise came over, petting and stroking the creature, managing to subdue her confusion somewhat. No doubt she would have been purring if she could.

“Goddess,” she started, essentially whimpering, “why will Evie be treated well?”

Asking questions? You bold son-of-a-bantha.

 

[Lira Dajenn]

As she placed a droplet of blood onto a slide Nemene turned to regard Evie.

She pressed another piece of glass onto the droplet of blood, and then sealed it with a small piece of medical tape. Her smile stretched across her face. “Because Evie.”

She spoke slowly as she slid the small speck of blood into the machine behind her before walking over to where Cerise and Evelynn stood. Her motions were fluid, liquid, almost as if she were water moving through an open tube, graceful and confident, as though she had learned of the greatest news possible.

“For the next year, you will be carrying our legacy.” It was as simple as that really, though Evie would need further explaining.

 

[Louise]

The drama, the excitement, the suspense.

The legacy?

Virtually everybody knew what that word meant, and what it meant in this situation. Well, everybody except Evie, who had a head so vacant, so empty, built only to order. Legacy could have meant anything to her. It could have been a weapon, a trinket, a duck. No, you need to avoid imagery when speaking to this little creature.

Not knowing what Nemene meant made poor Evie feel as if she had been bad. So easily stressed out was our least favourite pet sorceress.

“What is...” she frowned before pausing, it was frightened, scared of asking too many questions, “...what is our legacy, Goddess?”