For A Time

Author: Trisha

Fandom: Chronicles of Riddick

Rating:U – Gen

They are an army unlike any other, crusading across
the stars to a place called 'Underverse', their promised
land, a constellation of dark new worlds. Necromongers
they are called. And if they cannot convert you, they will kill you.

For a time this morning I couldn't remember my name. It happens sometimes, after she's sifted through my memories and closed them away. Other things get caught behind the walls she's erected in my mind.

When I told her, she took my face in her hands, and left a kiss on my forehead. "Vaako," she told me, in that soft, comforting whisper, "your name is Vaako."

I don't know why she kissed me.

I think of her as female, call her mistress, but in truth I'm uncertain. I know she isn't really human. She has taken on many forms; my wife, the last Lord Marshall, and the new one, amongst them, but of late she has remained in the form of the same human woman, and I find myself drawn to her. She has rich dark hair and eyes, softly tanned skin, her features open and warm, with a sunrise in her smile. So different to my wife, to the few other women I can bring to mind, and yet there's something oddly familiar about the way she looks. I just don't know what it is.

I'm summoned to her rooms later in the day, follow the servant who came out into the gardens to find me. I walk slowly, tired from planting out a dozen or so bright, golden marigolds in this planet's rich, dark earth. The slightest effort saps my strength, leaves me exhausted. She tells me it will pass, and I believe her.

The new Lord Marshall, the one who brought me here, is with her. His eyes are hidden behind goggles in the sunlit room as they sit facing each other on the low couches. She looks up when I enter and smiles, holding out her hand for me to join her.

I give her my hand, loving the warmth of her touch, and let her guide me to sit beside her. I can feel his eyes on me, but I don't meet them, and she doesn't make me. Instead I feel the tingle from her fingers as she strokes them over the back of the hand she is holding.

"You've been planting flowers." her smile widens, "Marigolds."

I can't meet her eyes either now, but I nod.

"For me." It isn't a question, I know from the hint of power in her touch that she has looked, and that she knows I chose the marigolds because they remind me of her. She hooks a finger beneath my chin, applies enough gentle pressure to encourage me to meet her eyes. "Thank you," she tells me. "Did you plant them all?"

"Yes mistress."

"And now you're tired. Come stretch out, rest." And I find myself curled up on the soft couch, my head resting in her lap.

A part of me is cringing in shame at letting the Lord Marshal see me like this, but a larger part no longer cares. I feel her fingers comb their way through my steadily growing hair. It was cut off on the day I arrived here, shorn close to my scalp. At the time I had seen it as some kind of punishment, but I was wrong. It was a release, my first chance to escape from what I had become.

"...Vaako." My name is spoken by the Lord Marshall and I try to concentrate on his words as her fingers card slowly through my hair. "He's not lookin' too good. I brought him here so you could get inside that shell of his, let me know what makes these Necromongers tick. I didn't want him broken."

Her hand stills for a moment. "Do you doubt my skills Riddick?"

"Should I?" His tone isn't harsh and I glance up to see a small smile playing on his lips.

"He is not broken." Her fingers resume their course through my hair and I relax once more, their words washing over me. "Conversion to the Necromonger faith is violent, swift, and all consuming. It is repeatedly reinforced by those they term Purifiers. It has not been easy to separate the Necromonger from the man without damaging either."

"But you have?"

"Almost entirely. There is but one, last step." Her fingers trace the shell of my ear, forcing out my sigh of pleasure. "Do you have use for him afterwards?"

"Depends on whether you can put him back together again."

"In any way you wish."

"Can you reconcile the two halves, the man and the Necro?"

"It is the simpler solution. It will be done by this planet's next moon rise."

"So," the smile had return to the Lord Marshall's voice and I try to focus tired eyes on his face, "that's an interesting look for you. You gonna tell me why he sees you that way?"

"You must ask him, on your return..."

There is more talk, but her hands are taking away my resistance, soothing me into sleep, and I can feel myself slipping, lulled by the low rumble of the Lord Marshall's voice.

For a time this morning I didn't want to leave. This place has become home to me and I have been taught to live again, to understand and accept the two halves of me; the Necromonger and the man.

When I told her she took my face in her hands and her warm brown eyes smiled into mine. "Tell me your name," she urged me.

"My name is Vaako," I told her, "Lord Vaako."

I know why she kissed me.

I think of her as female, know her as a friend, and understand that if I truly wanted to stay she would allow it. She would remain in this same human form that she had plucked from my mind; she would keep the rich, dark hair and eyes, the softly tanned skin, and the open smiling features that mean so much, I have only to ask. But we both know that will not happen.

I am summoned to her rooms later in the day. I walk with confidence, no longer uncertain. My strength has returned and I have worked hard to retrain my body. She tells me she is proud, and I believe her.

The Lord Marshall, Riddick, is with her. His eyes are hidden behind goggles in the sunlit room. She looks up when I enter and smiles, holding out her hand to me.

I kneel before her and take her hand mine, loving the warmth of her touch. I press my lips to the silken flesh. I can feel her eyes on me and look up to meet her smile, returning one of my own. She reaches into her robe, pulling out the small disc that defines all that I was, and all that I have become.

"For Riddick."

I meet her eyes once more and I nod.

I cross the room with sure steps and bow to my Lord Marshall before dropping to one knee before him, eyes lowered, holding out the disc for him to take.

"For me?" The question is not aimed at me, and I remain still as I feel his eyes moving over me. "He looks good, I'm impressed."

"The disc contains all the information you require."

He plucks it from my hand. "So did you fix him or will I have to go looking for a new First Commander?"

"Still you doubt my skills Riddick," she sighs. "In truth he was never broken. I return him to you reconciled, and the stronger for it. Yours to command."

I follow the Lord Marshall out of the villa, towards the waiting ship. Halfway there he stops in his tracks and turns to face me. "That look she was wearing for you, she told me to ask you, was it a wife, girlfriend? I keep thinking the face looks kinda familiar."

"My mother," I tell him. "Once I recognised her I began to remember myself."

The eyes behind the goggles seemed to be studying my face. "What happened to her?"

"She would not convert."

"And now that you remember, does it change things?"

"I am first and will always be a Necromonger Commander. If you wish to test my loyalty..."

"Obedience without question, loyalty until Underverse comes. You telling me, after all you've been through you still believe that shit?"

"I am your Commander, and I will obey, but you should expect questions Riddick."

"What about loyalty?"

"That you will have to earn."

The Lord Marshall laughs out loud. "You know Vaako, this new you could grow on me."

He resumes his walk to the ship and I take the opportunity to glance back at the villa one, last time, my eyes resting on the bright golden marigolds that remind me of her.

The End.