Dimensions

Hey guys! Thanks for the feedback! I'm glad you're enjoying the pace my muses are forcing me to take. : ) This part is a little bit longer, but no smut, yet.


~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_ Part Four ~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~


"What's the next system we take?" Riddick asked his advisors as they stood around the tactics chamber. Liquid metal lay motionless within the edges of the war console, waiting to form whatever was inputted.

"Our scouts found the Zartex System on their last run," Crisis said as he entered data into the tactics table. Metal droplets rose and meshed together, taking shape into a system with three planets, the largest with several hovering moons.

"Our target planet is Zar, which is rich with minerals and foodstuffs. The others are too primitive, not useful for our needs as they are nothing but farmland," Vaako said, the planet in question enlarging as the others fell away.

"The current King is Altis, son of Aleq. During his reign, King Aleq was paranoid about food after a small uprising burned his repository in hopes of starving him out. They were defeated, but the King did not forget, and had his people build massive storehouses in several locations within the more populated cities. The main city, Zelunder, has the largest number, six in total. There is also an overpopulation within this city, plenty enough for recruitment, Lord Marshall. It is said that King Altis is a power-hungry coward, not worthy of his throne," Eon said, his hands steepled under his chin.

"We can be there with in the hour, and have the soldiers ready for your command, my Lord," Crisis said, hands resting at the small of his back.

Riddick paced back and forth in front of the table, thoughts quickly sifting through his mind. Finally making a decision, he looked up at his waiting advisors.

"I think we'll try something a little different this time..." From the expressions on their faces, he knew they were weary to find out how, but they would find out soon enough.

"For now, head to the planet."

*

"My Lord, with all due respect, I do not think this plan will work," Eon said, sharing his opinion in the privacy of the communication center. He had never heard of a Lord Marshall *bargaining* with a planet's ruler for anything. The Necromongers knew one way, and that was to take, not trade. True Riddick wasn't offering much but his promise to not completely take over King Altis' planet, in exchange for food and soldiers, but the thought itself disturbed the older man set in his ways.

"We're gonna try things my way for now," Riddick said. He was leaning against the back wall, watching as Eon prepared the devices to send and receive messages with the planet. Bowing as he yielded to Riddick, the older man returned to his station, leaving the Lord Marshall to his thoughts.

Vaako had stated his mind on the matter, but in the end agreed with his Lord and went to carry out his orders. Riddick had grabbed his arm, and pulled him back and around to study his face. Vaako had looked up in surprise and was speared deep with Riddick's glowing eyes.

"The Lord Marshall's before me didn't do everything perfect. They would've been more efficient if they thought of different ways to take a planet, not to have so many of their men killed in each mission. I learned a long time ago there's always another option," Riddick said before he let him go. Vaako stared at him for a moment before he slowly nodded, and then gave a small bow of respect.

"That's why you prevailed, my Lord. To lead the way," Vaako said as he half turned to leave. Hesitating, he glanced back at him again and gave a small smirk.

"And to teach us new tricks." With that, he turned on his heel and was out the doorway to follow his orders. Riddick quirked his lips at the thought of their little encounter. He saw Vaako's respect for him raise a little, and that went a long way in a warriors eyes. A man must respect his leader, or he would never truly submit. By the end of this mission, he planned on having the man's complete loyalty and submission.

"We're coming up on the planet, my Lord. Shall I open a communication link with King Altis?"

"Yeah. Let's get a look at this King Altis," Riddick said, striding forward to stare at the comm. unit screen. He felt Vaako enter the room and come to his side, without taking his eyes off the screen as it waited for the King to respond.

"Everything is ready, Lord Marshall. We'll be able to move at a moments notice," Vaako said quietly, taking care to stand out of the screen's view.

"Good," Riddick said, as irritation crept up his spine. He didn't like waiting, and if this Altis didn't answer soon, he'd let his men go and take what was needed.

*

On the planet, the King was fully aware that the Ghost Army was hovering above his planet, like a shadow blocking out the sun. He was quaking with fear, but let his false bravado guide his actions.

"Stand ready for combat! Send the fighters into the air!"

"Sir, if I may," said a tall, quiet man with dark brown hair, dashed through with gray. His amber eyes studied the agitated young man as he threw his hands around in the air. Short, spiky black hair and gray eyes flashed by every time the King walked by him.

"No, Olden! We must act now!"

"Your Highness, it would be better to accept the communication and see what they want. If we can circumvent the loss of life, we should at least make an attempt," Olden said, remaining calm in the face of the Kings panic. He had been a tactical commander to King Aleq as well, and seeing the man's son raised in a spoiled way, he was not surprised at his behavior now. But this time, many lives could be lost. His men's lives.

King Altis remained silently doubtful for a moment, before sighing.

"Fine. But if he has attack in mind, be prepared to fight."

"Perhaps if you don't delay any longer, he will still be willing to speak with you, your Highness." Olden could only hope so for their sakes.

*

"Ah, so you decided to talk," Riddick said with false joviality, when the young man appeared onscreen.

"I am King Altis. Who are you, and what do you want?" The King said with directness.

Riddick snorted as he leaned back in his seat and interlocked his fingers behind his head.

"See if I were you, I'd be less worried about who I am, and more about what I can do. But since you asked so nicely, I'm Riddick, or as the Necromongers call me, Lord Marshall. Now what I want, that's simple. Collect the contents of eight of your storehouses, and send me them with sixty percent of your soldiers to join my army," Riddick said, smirk in place as the King's face turned bright red.

"But I never-! How dare you-?"

Riddick's leaned forward suddenly, a menacing expression replacing the smirk on his face.

"Let's try again. The agreement is, I take foodstuffs, unmolested, and have access to your army for recruitment. In good faith, I won't take those things and just leave your planet a ball of dust when we leave. You've got 10 minutes to make a decision." Riddick nodded to Eon, who cut communication with the surface, the screen going blank on Altis as the man sat, open-mouthed.

*

"How dare he! I'm not some child he can just come in and take over my kingdom!" the King raged as he paced in front of his councilmen. Stopping, he turned to the wisest one, a man his own father had turned to time and again for protection.

"What should we do Olden? Can we fight them?"

Olden took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

"This army...I've heard of what they can do, of what they have done to many planets. They are not acting as usual or we would be in combat, possibly losing, now. Eight storehouses of food will not set us back by much, and I have many valiant men that would serve our kingdom willingly by volunteering for the Lord Marshall's army. I myself will sacrifice if it will save us."

"No, remain with me, Olden. Send others instead," the King said, his head bowing in thought. "You're right. If we are to remain strong and live through this day, than we must give in, for now. Start preparing what he wants and I shall tell him that we will comply."

Olden frowned, but knowing when to pick his battles, let it go. He would hope the King would never try to go after a man like the one onscreen. The pain and suffering promised in his eerie eyes, was not worth it. Bowing to his King, he quickly walked away with two of the other advisors to meet the Lord Marshall's requirements.

He was glad, for once, the King listened to his advice.

*

Riddick wasn't surprised to see the King appear on the screen seven minutes later. Now to see if the man was a fool, or if he had some intelligence.

"Lord Marshall of the Necromonger Army, I have come to a decision. We are complying with your request, and have already started to gather everything you need."

Riddick bared his teeth in what some might mistakenly call a smile, and nodded to the pale king.

"See, that wasn't so bad, was it? We'll be checking the foodstuffs for poison or putrefaction, so I suggest you make sure everything's in good condition. And the men you send, I want warriors, not boys or old men," Riddick said, warning clear in his tone.

The King nodded, and raised his head as if to build himself up.

"It will be as you say, Lord Marshall. But if I may, what of our planet? Who will defend us from attackers?"

Riddick raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side.

"I didn't say you have to send all of your army. The rest can remain to defend your home. I'm not being unreasonable, Your Highness. Just taking what's needed. I won't return to bother your people as long as you don't retaliate."

The King stared at him for a moment and then sighed.

"I will have to take you as a man of your word then. I shall give my word not to retaliate in the future as long as you stay away from my Kingdom," Altis agreed.

Riddick grinned again, this time not so threateningly.

"Then we have a deal. I'll give you two days before I'm coming down to inspect the army and foodstuffs. We're watching all of your operations, and if we think you're doing anything stupid we'll have a problem. But we won't have any problems will we, Your Highness," Riddick said, his eyes flashing dangerously. The King swallowed and shook his head.

"No, there won't be any problems, Lord Marshall."

"Good," Riddick sat back in his seat, satisfied, as the screen went blank. Looking up he caught Vaako's slightly awed expression, it apparent he was having trouble regaining himself.

'Mind is mine,' he thought, smirking as he thought of how easy the next level, would be.

Riddick stood and stretched, enjoying the silence as his people looked at him, not quite sure what to think. They had watched him re-supply their ranks and foodstuffs without a single loss of life. No Lord Marshall had ever completed a mission with such an impossible feat.

"Like I said, there's always options. You don't have to waste men's lives," Riddick said as he brushed by Vaako's shoulder. The man simply stared at his back, conviction swelling in his chest. Riddick was more than any of them had thought he would be...

Aereon stood in the shadows, a smile gracing her lips as she saw the transformation begin in the Necromongers, and soon word would spread of what transpired. This was the real turning point, when many began to see a different future than the false, stale one they'd held onto for so long. They were beginning to see that the universe was a large place, and maybe the journey didn't have to only be only of pain and death...But life.