The Bullet through the Head of the Universe

The air hung around them, oppressively damp and hot making the unfortunate souls that weren't used to the humidity, sweat profusely. Riddick sat back in his chair, eyeing the people who composed his council. They were the few that he had even an inkling of a feeling of trust. The members, Vaako, Addan, Lajjun, and Aereon sat uncomfortably in their chairs as Riddick contemplated how to break his news to them.

"I'm leaving." Not eloquent but it was sufficient. "I'm going to find some answers to what is happening to me."

Aereon was the first to interject, her always churning mind was hashing out the probability of the survival and it didn't look good for Riddick. "I don't think that this is a good idea. You don't know what is happening. You might have another attack. And what then? There will be no one there to save you-"

Riddick slammed his fist down on the table and leapt to his feet, four pairs of eyes focused on him, "I don't care what you think." He said in a lethal tone that sent shivers down the spines of the others in the room, despite the heat.

"At least take someone with you." Vaako suggested, licking his lips nervously. He had never been as nervous around someone as he was around the new Lord Marshall. He was as volatile and unpredictable as a volcano. Remembering the scene on that hellish planet, where he had been subjected to Riddick's incredible temper and will power, he couldn't push away the mysterious deaths of 20 or more necromongers that were armed to the teeth.

Turning his goggled eyes towards the Necromonger war leader, Riddick flashed him a sudden, toothy smile, "That's probably the best thing you've said yet." He stood, towering over the seated individuals, "I think there is hope for you yet, Vaako."

There was silence as he studied the council. Lajjun was certainly out of the question. She had a child to take care of and she couldn't possibly wield a weapon. Besides, he wouldn't let her. Aereon was just too old. That left Vaako and Addan. While Vaako would probably be the most desired because he could be relied upon in a fight, there was still that niggling factor that bothered him the most and made him untrustworthy; his wife.

His gaze fell on Addan, who sat doodling on a small piece of paper in front of her. He peered at the white sheet and was surprised enough to raise an eyebrow slightly. Seeing his minute reaction, she flipped the sheet over and raised an eyebrow of her own. "What?"

"I want you to go with me."

Riddick caught the reaction on both Vaako's and Addan's face. Both were identical expressions of surprise and horror but both were caused by completely different emotions. He ignored both. "B-but..." She stuttered, her mouth opening a closing like a fish.

"Wout itt it be more suitable for someone who can fight to go with you?" Vaako interjected.

Regarding the man for a second, Riddick turned to the woman and walked around the table towards her, "You are a necromonger, right?" He touched the small circular scar on her neck, "And you're not a noble. You're a grunt. Worked your way to the top, didn't you? gra grabbed her hand and turned it palm upwards, touching the calluses on her hands with a deceptive gentleness that stilled her. "Those ain't writer's calluses, those are caused by years with a knife, right?"

"Close." She said guardedly, "But right...it took me a long time to make my way up in the ranks. I had to fight a lot of people to get this far." She pulled her hand out of his, suddenly uncomfortable with the body contact.

"You're coming with me." His statement brooked no argument, just a blunt command. She slumped dejectedly in her chair, mirroring Vaako's look of defeat but again, he chose to cast a blind eye their way and settled his muscular frame in his chair. "We leave soon so get your shit together."

Riddick suddenly felt something and whirling around so quickly that the outline of his astral self was soon followed by the rest of him. The room went silent as he stood there, watching through the thick walls as a group of armoured men swarmed into the hallway in front of their door. "Get down!" He roared just as a man opened the thick wooden and and threw a grenade in the room.

He ran towards it, unsure of what was to come. Grabbing the thing, he threw it with all his might out an opened window and then grabbed the nearest person, Lajjun, and threw himself over her as a shield. The grenade went of with a mighty explosion, rocking the palace on its foundation. Riddick, Vaako and Addan were on their feet in seconds, assessing the damage to the two other women before running towathe the door. "It's suicide to run out there." Riddick growled, glaring at Vaako, who had foolishly reached for the door. "There are fifteen out there, armed to the teeth."

"Damn." Addan muttered, glancing around the room. Her eyes fell on the balcony before she faced Riddick, "we might be able to scale down, but I am not sof Lof Lajjun or Aereon."

"We will make it. We must." Lajjun spoke softly, running to the balcony.

The group found themselves on the balcony staring at the crumbling walls, damaged by the grenade blast. Shrapnel gouged itself into stone, causing it to crumble like dust. "Its too far down, the grenade ruined what chances there were...."

"Stay here." Growled Riddick and as an after thought, he added, "And keep down." He stood in the center of the room, his eyes were closed and he could practically feel the eagerness in the traitorous troops in the hallway. These were not Necromongers, he had gotten used to feeling a strange complacency about them. These were hired goons. Mercs. Grasping the edge of the table, he called for Vaako and Addan. The two responded quickly, and did as they were told, pinning Riddick down to the table.

"This is stupid! You don't know how far you spirit link will stretch from your body!" Addan cried as she anchored herself against the table, linking her arms around his waist.

Loosening his muscles, he pulled hard, imagining himself moving with a lightening speed and efficiency. Picturing the men behind the foot thick wall, he ghosted through it and grabbed into their chests quickly, going down the line until all fifteen souls writhed in his balled fists. With a roar and the last ounce of his strength, he threw them to the ground and watched them burst into a cloud of screaming mist.

He could feel his strength waning; his link with his body was slowly deteriorating. Before turning back through the wall, he caught sight of Dame Vaako, her beautiful face twisted in anger and hate. She whirled and dashed down the hall, her skirts churning as she ran. His last recollection before he was slammed back into his body, a prison of meat and bones, was how he would enjoy the feel of her dieing in his hands. He would kill her-Vaako or no.

Coming to slowly, he felt like every fibre of his being was twisted into a knot. His breath came in short gasps as he slumped back on the table, only half aware of Addan calling his name. His world faded to grey before he succumbed to the black of unconsciousness, the feel of a woman's cool touch on his heated flesh, the last sensation before he succumbed to the deep silence.

"Riddick?"

"Yeah?"

"You know what I said about not caring if I lived or died?"

Her face appeared, vivid and tormented by fear and desperation.

"Yeah."

"I lied. I want to live!"

He twitched and pain shot through his entire body, making him wince slightly. It felt as if his flesh was crawling, and his muscles contracted painfully, making his bones creak with the strain. Willing his eyes open, he realized that someone had actually taped his eyelids down and it was too much effort for him to actually lift a hand to pull the stuff off.

Just like it had, for two weeks, his view went from grey to a clarity he had not seen in the years since getting the shine job. It took a moment to get over the natural reaction to the glaring yellow light of the sun, pooling in through the open windows but after a moment of deep breathing, he lifted himself up and sat still, mentally searching for anyone near.

There were guards at the door, and some below the window, in the courtyard. Necromongers by the feel of them that made him relax slightly. They would not betray him, despite his sickness. They knew that he was stronger now than he was before, that and maybe the tales of what he had done to those mercs had traveled fast. Which reminded him of Dame Vaako.

Taking a deep breath the brook the pain the coursed through his body, Riddick fought to sit up and finally won. With that accomplishment under his belt, he set his feet to the floor and attempted to push himself out of bed. It felt like all of his muscles were over-used, quivering with over exertion that made him windmill before falling back down onto the mattress.

Grabbing hold of the banister, he pulled himself up to lean against it heavily. He could feel his knees threatening to give out but as he took a deep breath, attempting to refocus his energies, the tiredness and the pain melted away. Letting go of the post slowly, he took a step forward, then another and another before he was at the door, his hand wrapped around the handle. Opening the door he peered out at the guard, before looking up and down the hallway. The hall was practically barren, besides the sentinels. The distant sounds of the city could be heard and the smell of ozone from the last storm was faint in the damp air.

The guards glanced once at their Lord Marshall before falling in behind him as he went down the hall. Remembering the ridiculous robe he had awoken in, he yanked the belt tighter before slamming his foot into the door.

He stood framed in the doorway, a perfect picture of sheer authority and death. His face turned as he scanned the room, the crowd stood silently watching him. He stepped once into the room and lifted his hand, pushing small tendrils of energy out of his fingertips. The sought out the Dame Vaako, who was cleverly disguised in the crowd but though she could conceal herself, she could not disguise that incredibly intoxicating scent that permeated from her skin.

The extensions of his fingertips brushed against her face cou could feel her heart beating wildly beneath the heavy velvet bodice that shrouded her. Wrapping slowly around her waist, he lifted her off the ground and pulled her towards him, as he did this, he pulled a knife from the sheath of a guard's belt. The susurrus of the blade being bared whispered a promised and sure death to the woman who floated helplessly in the air.

She came to a stop, just inches in front of him, the tips of her feet dangling a foot of the ground.

"Dame Vaako." His glinting eyes slid from the woman's barely composed face to the man who stood silently behind her, his own pale and haggard with fear and horror. "Vaako. Come here."

Vaako responded mechanically and stopped beside his helpless wife, finding himself unable to look at her. "The"The one who is responsible for the attack on the council." The knife was perfectly weighed and fit nicely in the palm of his hand. He watched, mesmerized by the glint of the hall light on the finely tempered steel.

"Lord Marshall, I will deal with her promptly." Vaako said in a low voice, eyeing the silent yet enraptured crowd.

Handing the knife to his commander, Riddick smiled humourlessly and glanced at Dame Vaako. "You will deal with her now, or I will."

"Vaako! You cannot do this thing! I am your wife." She spoke angrily, her dark eyes smouldering.

"And I am your husband!" Barked Vaako, he stepped closer and looked at his wife for the first time since Riddick had entered the hall. "I love you, as I loved you the first time I set eyes on you! But your ambition is unbecoming of a Necromonger Noble-woman and the wife of an officer. Oh yes, Dame Vaako...I know of your excursions. All the men and women you glut yourself on."

Riddick's grasp on the woman suddenly let go and she fell to the floor in a pool of crimson velvet. "You don't know what you are talking about! You owe everything to me! Everything! I helped you to get where you are at now and look what you do as a favour-" Vaako's gloved hand fell on her mouth, his fingers digging into her finely chiseled cheekbones.

"No more." Vaako snapped and set the blade to the long length of her neck. Her eyes quivered with an almost human look before he ran the sharp edge across her skin. The caramel coloured flesh blossomed scarlet, the same shade as her dress. She let out a soft chocking gasp and shoved Vaako away with such a force that he had to step back.

She whirled on Riddick, her hand on her throat but her life's blood dribbling from beneath her palm. All the hate and rage that she directed his way made Riddick feel slightly nauseous. He grit his teeth and looked at the dieing woman with a look of vacant distaste he gave all his victims as they pleaded for their life. She fell to his feet, clutching the soft dark material of his robe, staining it with her blood. "Ridd..ick..." She croaked before falling lifelessly to the ground.

The hall was as silent as death. Riddick looked at the hall, feeling the horror and disbelief that radiated from the entire crowd, Vaako included. The clatter of the knife made Riddick turn to Vaako, "This is a lesson for you who think you're better than me. You aren't."