Right Hand

AN: Hi again! Here’s the next chappie - about the reviews - um, I’ve kinda been hinting as to what Vaako is, and it’s *not* Furyan - is that how you spell that? I never meant for anyone to think so - and I’m not sure why you would but I’m sooooo sorry, maybe I should go back to letting my bestest best friend read these chapters before I post them but she’s soooo picky - *snicker*, she’ll kill me when she reads that - and I only see her once a week lately so you’d really have to wait on the updates. Anyway, there are some hints as to what Vaako is in the early chapters, especially in chapter four. One line in particular. Or maybe I just read too much sci-fi and my hints are too subtle? Anyway, you’ll find out very very very very soon. I don’t want to give away my plot, you know! About Yur - he was definitely aiming for Vaako with that Challenge. Even if he wasn’t the First of Commanders anymore, Yur would still have been a Commander if he’d killed him. Why he chose to serve him instead of just yielding will be explained. Thanks for the many nice reviews! I love to read them!

WARNING: Umm... this chapter is extremely long? :)

CHAPTER SIX:

The planet was cold and had an odd smell, like stagnant water in a metal bowl. There were buildings everywhere - not a single bit of open space as far as the eye could see. Grey buildings, towering up to the greyer sky. Everything was grey - grey dust like a thick covering over every surface, grey papers swirling in the wind down the empty streets. The place looked like it had been frozen in a moment of time - empty transportation vehicles, doors to houses gaping open, shoddy merchandise from shoddier businesses strewn in the streets. The scans had shown this planet overcrowded to the point that the inhabitants could barely move, yet not a soul was seen. Not a sound was heard, not a whisper of movement.

“What the hell is this?” Riddick asked softly, goggles sweeping over the abandoned square in front of them. The researchers had decided the ostentatious building in front of them was the either the palace or the seat of the government, and they had planned their landing site accordingly. It had probably been expensive to build but it had fallen into decay. Delicate moldings hung sagging and broken, windows had cracked or shattered glass in bright colors. Everything was as coated with dust as the rest of the city.

“Send the lensors out.” Troan called to the soldiers. “There *were* people here, find them!” The soldiers moved obediently away, walking cautiously through the debris as they hunted for signs of their quarry. The hunched forms of the lensors led the way, their handlers following behind them. They searched until they were completely out of sight without a single one calling out in discovery.

“The other landing parties have reported similar conditions.” Troan said, turning away from his communicator. “Deserted dwellings and not a sign of people anywhere.”

“Maybe they hid when they saw the comet? Have the ships scan for caves or undergrown shelters.” Troan turned away to follow the Lord Marshal’s orders. Riddick took advantage of his preoccupation to jump down from the landing ramp and walk into the streets.

Vaako was right behind him.

Riddick glanced over his shoulder at the other man and grinned. “Can’t shake *you*, huh?”

“You are the one who decided I would be your Right Hand.”

Riddick laughed. “C’mon, then. Let’s have some fun while they do the boring stuff.” He darted down a side street, Vaako hard on his heels. “Where’s your shadow?”

“I set him guarding the ship. His patrol has taken him to the other side.”

“So we’ve lost him, too?” Vaako nodded and Riddick grabbed him suddenly, swinging him around to push his back against a grey brick wall.

“Good.” Then warm lips were pressed over his in a completely unexpected kiss. Surprise made Vaako gasp and Riddick took full advantage of the parted lips. When he lifted his head a moment later he left the other nearly reeling from the sensation of a clever tongue exploring every part of the warmth of his mouth. “Feel that?” It was a husky whisper against his cheek. He couldn’t find his voice, only nodded in reply. Hands drifted up his arms, past his shoulders, to cup his face.

He hadn’t felt much on his arms and the single piece of armor that he wore, a chestplate, kept him from feeling anything on his shoulders. But the warm hands on his skin he *felt*, closer to real sensation than he’d had in years.

“Better?”

“Y-yes.”

“Good.” Riddick let him go and turned his attention back to the business at hand. They ghosted through the empty streets, keeping to back alleys as much to search as to avoid the Necromonger patrols that would want to accompany them. Vaako soon saw his Lord relaxing like he had never done on the ship. Well, this was good for him then. He’d remember - there would be other planets he could explore.

~And you will explore right beside him?~

‘Of course. What sort of companion would I be not too?’ He was honestly beginning to wonder about himself - did everyone else have an inner voice they argued with?

~Just to explore?~

‘I enjoy exploring.’ He wasn’t fooling himself. It was slowly dawning on him that he’d follow this man anywhere, whether he’d enjoy it or not. He’d always been frightened of being too alive, ever since he’d learned what would happen to him if the other Necromongers found out... well, found out what he was. Riddick’s words about some things being worse than death echoed in his mind and he wholeheartedly agreed with them. But being alive, alert, able to feel was slowly losing its terrors - especially when he thought of the new rewards it would bring.

“You’re blushing again.” Riddick turned from his examination of some rubbish to grin at him.

~I have *got* to learn to control that...~


*


Hours of searching through empty buildings and filthy alleyways netted them exactly zero. When they went back to the ship - and a silent but visibly pissed-off Troan - they found that no one had discovered anything. Not one single soldier or lensor had the least bit of a clue as to the disappearance of billions of people.

Riddick kicked back in the pilot’s seat of the small ship they’d used for landing. “Are there other races like the Necromongers that I don’t know about?”

“Not in any of our records.” Lord Troan said quietly.

“No sign of disease, no bodies.” Riddick scowled. “*Something* happened to these people! When was the last scan taken that showed life down here?”

“Yesterday morning.” A tech replied, her eyes scanning the screen in front of her. “After that, no scans were run until this morning.” The pre-invasion scans had shown the abnormality and Riddick had insisted on landing, anyway. He’d wanted to see what was going on and no one in his new council blamed him. They were all curious.

Riddick ordered the planet info and scans on the main screen and began discussing them with the techs. Vaako and Troan settled at a nearby command table, going over data pads and reports to look for anything they’d missed. Any area not searched, any possible hiding place overlooked. They weren’t having much luck.

Yur was lurking in the entryway, trying to watch everyone at once and Lord Vaako in particular. He’d been none-too-pleased at being ordered on guard duty and even less pleased to learn that his Master had vanished along with the Lord Marshal. How was he supposed to keep his promise of serving the man if he didn’t even know where he was? It was all too irritating. He didn’t plan on letting it happen again.

At least they hadn’t brought those damn Hellhounds along.


*


They gave up searching when twilight started falling over the empty city. Lensors were placed at strategic points on rooftops, continuing their futile scans as the soldiers set up base camps near the ships. It would not be a comfortable night for them - the thick grey dust that coated this planet was happily coating them, as well. All the ships and equipment were being cleared of it in rotation, but the soldiers had no way of removing it from their person. Most had devised scarves and torn bits of clothes into makeshift breathing filters. The dust was intent on invading even their lungs. The Lord Marshal had ordered a supply of portable breathers to be sent down in the morning. Landing here at night was not an option. There were too many obstacles, with the crowded buildings and the thick electrical cables. All the current landings were occupying the very few empty town ‘squares’ they had found.

They also had guard duty to deal with, in shifts of twenty around each camp. It was more than possible that this was some sort of intricate trap. An attack at night on soldiers who thought the city was empty would be a brilliant move. Too bad for whoever might have planned it that Riddick was the Lord Marshal now. He knew every possible trick that could be played. It was, as he’d laughingly said, what he would do himself.

Vaako shifted a little in the cubbyhole he’d found. Riddick had ordered the leaders on the same watch as the ranks. He’d taken the first himself - Vaako was slated for the second. The ones not on watch had scattered to find someplace to rest on the admittedly small scouting ship. They hadn’t expected to be on the surface overnight, so the ship they had taken did not have sleeping quarters. Vaako had found an abandoned tech station in a small dead-end corridor. It was set back into the wall and the dark padded chair looked comfortable enough for a quick nap.

He found he was having trouble going to sleep - he didn’t like this planet, with its eerie look of abandonment. So many things were normal, pots of cold food left on stoves, a book open on a table with reading glasses nearby, little glasses of alcohol on the counter in a bar. It was like the people had run out to look at some curiosity and any moment they would step back to continue what they were doing. It left him unsettled.

He didn’t like the feeling. It was getting so close to real emotion. Over the past two days he’d felt anger, embarrassment, nervousness and *whatever* that surge of emotion was when Riddick had stroked his scars. If things were normal he’d be running to the Purification chamber. But he wasn’t allowed to do that, had been so clearly ordered not to do that...

He shifted again, feeling antsy as he tried to remember the last time he’d missed one of his weekly Purifications. Before or after he’d been married to Wulia? Before... yes, definitely before. He wouldn’t have risked it afterwards. He tried to remember what it was like to go without them and couldn’t quite grasp the memory. It had been so long, years. He counted up the days since his last session. One day arguing with Wulia and being called to the High Chambers, one day lost sleeping - one incredibly long day with the fight and being called Right Hand... was that just yesterday? Then today, exploring this insane planet. Four days.

“Two more, then.” He whispered into the darkness, wondering if he’d really have that long. It seemed to him that he remembered sensations setting in earlier, building up to the explosion on the sixth or seventh day. He sighed and forced his mind away from his worries. He had to get some rest. He stared at the wall across the corridor and tried to count the rivets in its smoothly made surface...


*


He came out of sleep with a sharp gasp and the sensation of a crushing weight on his chest. Wide hazel eyes stared up into the blue ones of his Honor Guard. Yur was looming over his chair like a foretelling of doom, one arm stretched out towards him. Vaako’s eyes followed it down to where the man’s fingertips rested lightly on his armor - not even beginning to be enough to cause the heavy pressure he felt.

“What?” At least his voice sounded calm.

“It is time for your watch shift.” Yur didn’t move his hand and Vaako reached to push it away. He very nearly cried out in relief when the pressure vanished and he could breathe normally again. Yur eyed him oddly and he wondered if he’d managed to keep all of that relief off his face. A second later and he was distracted by yet another odd sensation as he stood - it felt like there were a million tiny creatures buzzing over his skin.

‘Sensation.’ The thought vaguely surprised him. It was earlier than he expected, the tingly feeling of numbed nerves coming back to life. He slowly tugged his slightly twisted clothing back into place. He would have enjoyed yelping at the almost-pain of friction from the material against his now hyper-sensitive skin. It set the million bugs to buzzing sharply, but he swallowed the sound before it could even start. Yur was already staring at him in a way that made him more than a little uncomfortable. He wondered what the man was thinking of his strange reactions.

~Just please let him keep his thoughts to himself?~

Vaako strode past his Guard, heading for the control room. He paused just inside the doorway, watching the activity with surprise. When he’d left there had been a few techs doing routine scans, Riddick and Troan discussing plans for tomorrow’s sunrise and a few soldiers involved in mundane tasks. Now every tech aboard was at their station, chattering excitedly about some scan. He watched for a moment, then moved to where Riddick was leaning over a consol, staring at a screen.

“What is it?”

“Watch this.” Was the only reply. He obeyed, and saw a wide view of the planet they were on. The digital stamp on it told him it had been taken sometime yesterday afternoon. He waited and saw the briefest flicker across the screen before it returned to normal. He frowned.

“What was that?”

In reply, Riddick touched the replay controls, slowing the scan down to a crawl. This time Vaako saw it clearly, a light blossoming softly from a small spot on the lower side of the planet, spreading to cover the whole sphere in a second that would have been no more than the flicker of an eyelash in real time. Then it dissipated and was gone. Vaako turned questioning eyes to Riddick, who shrugged.

“They haven’t figured out what it is yet.” He gestured toward the excited techs. “But they’re enjoying themselves trying.”

“Not... an explosion?” Vaako answered his own question with a shake of his dark head. It couldn’t have been, all the buildings were still standing, all the possessions were still in the houses, the merchandise in the stores. Nothing was disturbed, let alone damaged. Only a few vehicles parked where they obviously shouldn’t have been, a few shops looking like someone had stopped in the middle of looting them.

“No.” Riddick agreed quietly, his eyes sweeping over the man beside him instead of watching the screen. Slightly wrinkled clothing, tousled hair and eyes heavy-lidded with sleep... beautiful. He leaned closer and lay a hand on one shoulder.

The reaction he got was instant and unexpected. Vaako jumped, a soft hiss escaping from between his teeth. He controlled himself before any of the techs noticed. Yur saw but kept silent, a strange glitter starting in his blue eyes. Riddick stared, pulling his hand back.

“I... I’m sorry.” Vaako spoke the words too low for anyone but his Lord to hear. “I... it almost hurts.” Riddick frowned at him.

“Hurts?”

“Yes. No. Not really, it is just strange. Sensations are coming back to me, but they are very strong. It has been a long time since I have felt - anything.”

“Ah.” Riddick’s glowing eyes took on a predatory gleam. “Starting to feel again. How - nice.” Vaako rolled his eyes in a vain attempt to stop himself from blushing. He had no idea how the man could get so much meaning into one little word. Riddick gave a very un-leader-like snicker and turned back to the screen. Vaako looked back too, and they both watched again as the strange light enveloped the planet and then vanished.

“Where is that?” Riddick asked as the video played yet again, putting a finger on the spot where the light first appeared.

“A small subsection of city about three hours from here.” A tech replied, pulling up a lensor scan of the area on her control screen. “It appears to be a residential area.” The scan showed small, well-built houses, better kept than the buildings in the city. A few even had small window boxes of scraggy little flowers. On a planet almost completely covered with buildings and asphalt, dirt must have been a precious commodity.

“We’ll go there in the morning.” Riddick’s deep voice growled. “If that’s where it started, that’s where we’ll find some answers.”

*

Troan and Vaako spent their watch planning tomorrow’s route to the small subdivision the techs had dubbed ‘the Source.’ It *would* be a good three-hour trip - there was no place to land the ship. It would follow them and hover to provide some protection - they did have the Lord Marshal with them, after all. If an emergency occurred, they would blast a landing spot.

Riddick should have gone to rest. Instead he wandered around the control center, pent-up energy rolling off him in waves. He went back and forth between the techs, the Commanders, and his pilot’s chair. He seemed to find more than a little amusement in teasing Vaako - whenever he leaned over the small table to see what they were doing, he made sure to touch him somehow. Brushing against his arm, reaching for the same data pad so their hands met, leaning around him to grab at some information and laying a strong hand on the small of his back. Vaako tried to distract himself from the rush of sensation by thinking how immature his Lord was behaving. It didn’t work very well.

He was caught between disappointment and relief when Riddick finally left the control room. Troan grinned a very knowing grin at him and Vaako’s eyebrows drew together.

“What?”

“You know he announced that you were his Right Hand?” Troan’s grin got wider when Vaako turned white - well, whiter - then red. Troan hadn’t been Purified in twenty-seven days, and his old, teasing personality was beginning to come through. Apparently, Vaako was a little embarrassed at the fact that the Lord Marshal had claimed him. Troan was already planning some future fun at his quiet friend’s expense. Right now he would limit himself to whispered teasing. It would be beneath the dignity of the First of Commanders and the Right Hand of the Lord Marshal for the techs to hear him baiting Vaako.

“You haven’t been to a meeting of the High Nobles, have you? Not since Wulia was shipped off?” Troan knew Vaako had ended up despising the wife who had pursued him and his tone was disdainful. Vaako wouldn’t mind. His friend shook his head.

“Nor have I... but you should ask Garen about the last one.” At the other man’s puzzled look, he continued. “Seems the ladies of the court liked seeing you walking the halls in black silk.” Vaako blinked. “Some of the lords did, too. Never knew you were such a heartbreaker, Vaako.” He finally got a ‘fun’ reaction - Vaako narrowed his eyes and hissed in annoyance.

“Shut up.”

“No. You’re too much fun.” Vaako was now glaring at him, but there was a newly-born twinkle in his eyes. It wouldn’t have been noticeable to anyone else, but Troan knew his old Commander too well to miss it. He was glad to see it - he’d always wondered if Vaako had a sense of humor hidden anywhere under his grim exterior. Seemed he had. Tiny, crippled, and malnourished, but it was there. Troan could work with that. He grinned again.

Vaako gave him a wary look and found something to do on the other side of the room.


*


Yur was getting angry. He had, of course, been assigned to the same watch as his Master. Since he was an Honor Guard, anything else would have been unthinkable. He had to watch over his chosen Master. That was the way it was.

Yur had always enjoyed being a Necromonger. He loved being a member of the most powerful race in the universe. He enjoyed taking over worlds, converting more humans to their way of life. He always made sure he was on a viewing deck when they blew up the planets as they left.

It was a very beautiful sight.

Not as beautiful as the one before him now. He narrowed his eyes as he watched his Master walk across the room to a different console, away from the First of Commanders. He didn’t like the way these others treated the man. First the Lord Marshal, daring to touch Lord Vaako. The other didn’t want it - Yur had seen how he’d jerked, flinched away. Now Lord Troan was bothering him, with his low whispers and leering smiles. The Guard’s hearing hadn’t been *quite* good enough to make out what the man was saying, but Vaako’s glare in return had told him it hadn’t been welcome.

Yur considered offering the man his assistance but discarded the thought. It would only embarrass his Master if he asked permission to kill the ones who were bothering him. He wouldn’t take dignity away from the man - he still remembered the second offer of ‘Yield?’ with a sense of awe. He had heard of that happening in Necromonger fights - twice. He knew the men who’d been given the offer had accepted it in the only honorable way possible - to offer to serve the victor.

As he watched Vaako stretch gracefully to reach the top buttons on the consol, he was glad he’d remembered the words that bound him to this man. A sudden feeling of eyes on him made him look sharply to the left. Lord Troan was gazing at him, his face unreadable. Yur frowned and shifted, his eyes going to his Master, then back to the First of Commanders. There was a warning in the other man’s eyes and he bristled. Before he could even think of what his next move should be, Vaako walked back to Troan and spoke.

“Our watch is over.” Lord Troan snapped out of his glaring game and smiled easily at his friend.

“Good. I could use some more sleep.” The two men walked together toward the corridor. Yur trailed along behind them, still watching.


*


Vaako separated from Troan and ordered Yur to find himself a place to rest. The man gave him an almost sulky look but obeyed, moving further down the twisting hall. Vaako went back to the little secluded tech consol and stopped short when he found Riddick already occupying the chair.

“Knew this was where you slept.” The gravelly voice greeted him, a smirk gracing the man’s lips.

“How?”

Riddick replied by lifting his chin and breathing softly through his nose. “Smells like you here.”

“Smells like...?” Vaako trailed off, sniffing the air himself and unable to detect anything. He turned his head and took a quick sniff of his shoulder, wondering what exactly Riddick meant. He wasn’t startled when he felt a hand touch his other shoulder. He was beginning to get used to how fast his Lord moved.

Riddick smirked at the dark-haired man and leaned closer, watching the hazel eyes grow wide as his face stopped just short of touching Vaako’s cheek. He sniffed softly, just enough for Vaako to hear what he was doing, moving down the side of his neck, across the muscular chest, back up the other side until he was eye to eye with his Commander. “You smell warm. You used to smell cold.” He sniffed again, moving to almost nuzzle the man’s ear. “Smell like those grapes you like to eat. Smell like silk and leather and armor oil.” The smaller man was almost trembling now. “You smell like - you. I’ll always know this smell.”

Vaako swallowed hard, turning his head to look in his Lord’s eyes. Riddick took quick advantage of the move, slanting his mouth over Vaako’s soft lips. The other man nearly moaned at the action, feeling a warm wet tongue slide between his lips. He remembered the taste from earlier - Riddick might remember his smell but he would never forget the unique taste of the other man’s mouth on his. Strong hands moved to cup his face, thumbs sliding along his prominent cheekbones.

“Feel it?” The words were a harsh whisper against his lips.

“Almost.” Almost, almost - he *could* feel it if his skin wasn’t still buzzing with awakening nerve ends. Riddick sighed and lifted his head.

“Almost. Tomorrow?”

“I think... yes. I think so.” Vaako wasn’t sure how he managed the words. He saw raw hunger in the Lord Marshal’s eyes and spoke quickly. “It - it is already more sensation than I have felt in years. If you want... it will be enough for me.” The silver eyes glowed brightly at him and for a moment he thought his offer would be accepted. Then Riddick shook his head.

“Vaako, Vaako. Always eager to please. This ain’t going to be a one-time, means-nothing thing. Understand that. So I want it to be *right.* It’s not going to be all about me.” He moved back to the chair and pulled his surprised Right Hand down on his lap. He unbuckled the armored chestplate and let it drop to the floor. “Do you need to sleep?” Vaako shook his head mutely. “Good. Then tell me.”

The other man froze.

“Vaako.” Riddick put his arms around the slim waist and linked his fingers together, trapping the man in his lap. “I’m not going to let you go. Not going to send you away. Tell me.”

Dark green-grey eyes studied him for a moment. Vaako thought back over the last few days, remembering how different they were from what he had expected. Remembered his surprise at realizing his Lord wanted him, more surprise that he was willing to wait for Vaako’s numb body to wake up and hadn’t just taken him anyway. Remembered how he had flouted the Necromonger’s most prized precepts, ignoring the nobles and their strait-laced Religion. Maybe if he told his long-guarded secret he would be still be safe.

~Maybe I can trust him.~

He sighed.

“I... I do not remember my childhood, before I was converted. I know I was perhaps ten when I awoke from my first Purifying.” He paused, still wondering if he was wise in sharing this. Riddick’s eyes gleamed at him, focused on his face. He could tell the man was listening to more than just his words, was weighing his tone and his body language. “I was different. I do not remember how I knew. The first Purifying leaves you numb for nearly three months. When the effects began to fade, others began to look at me... oddly.”

“Why?” Nothing but interest in the deep voice.

“Because - because I knew things about them that I should not have known. I did not realize, at first, that I was different and that they did could not - read - me the way I read them. The ones I was sharing quarters with were children, too. It was a good thing for me - they knew as little about the Religion as I did. I started hiding my... differences from them but it was for the usual childish reasons. No young one enjoys being different from his peers, and the first thing they taught us was that Necromongers were all the same. A new convert is a fanatic for the race and the Religion - I wanted to be like everyone else. It was a good thing. It saved me.” He paused again, trying to judge Riddick’s reaction, but the handsome face looked mildly interested, nothing more.

“Saved you from what? Death?” Vaako nearly smiled, shaking his head softly.

“There are worse things than death. If my - talents - had been discovered I would have been made a Potential. Would still be made a Potential.” There was a soft plea for secrecy in the last sentence, though he didn’t speak it aloud he knew Riddick understood it. He didn’t get a reply and he didn’t wait for one.

“Potentials are rare and highly prized. They are studied in solitude by the acolytes, the priests, and if their talents remain true...” He hesitated, swallowed, and continued. “If they remain true, they are Promoted.”

“To...?” Vaako’s eyes shut briefly.

“To Quasi-Dead.”

“To Quasi... what are...?” Riddick sat up straighter, his arms tightening around the man in his lap. “You mean those screaming freaks that try to turn your brain inside out?” Vaako nodded, looking anywhere but at the man who held him.

“It is a highly-treasured part of our Religion. A great honor. Anyone with such gifts should be eager to acknowledge them. To become a Quasi-Dead is one of the ultimate ways to serve the Lord Marshal and all of the Necromonger race. But... I...”

“Don’t want to. And I don’t blame you.” Riddick’s voice was rougher than usual with shock, but he was already recovering. He grinned slightly and shook the man he was holding. “Are you telling me you read minds?”

“What? No!” Vaako protested. “I do not read minds. I read... I sense emotions. Not much right now, the Purifyings dull my - talents - but by tomorrow I will be... you remember how I reacted earlier, when you touched me?” Riddick nodded. “It will be worse than that. I have not felt in so long - the Purifyings... kept it all under control, so I would not betray myself. I found it difficult not to react to strong emotions and thus give myself away. When I discovered that the
ritual made the uneasy ‘differences’ vanish I volunteered for more and more of them. Perhaps I became slightly immune, for it would have killed most. Perhaps it is just an idiosyncracy of my race. I do not know.”

“Think it was just you. They took seven others when they took you - must’ve been a little planet. Three died in battle but four died from Purifying. That’s why I won’t let you go anymore. They must have figured out it helped them hide, too.”

Vaako sighed, still waiting. He knew Riddick would have to say something else about this. As prized as Potentials were, even Necromongers felt uneasy around them. But his Lord Marshal was grinning openly at him now.

“So they would’ve made a weapon out of you. Would’ve been a shame. Do you know why your homeworld records are gone?” Vaako nodded.

“I could not pull them up myself. I did not have such security clearance at the time. My Commander - he never spoke of it, but I believe he had suspicions. He was a good man - for a Necromonger warrior, he was surprisingly compassionate. He very calmly informed me one day that my life ‘before’ no longer existed. I can only assume there was something in those records that would have told a researcher what I am.”

“And he took care of it for you.” Riddick’s arms tightened again, pulling Vaako firmly against a smoothly muscled chest. “Nice of him. So tomorrow, are you going to freak out?”

“I will be able to handle it if there are distractions. I believe. It has been years since I have allowed myself to go longer than a week without...”

“Without the damn ritual. Yeah, I know. So... an empath. My Empath.” He leered suddenly and Vaako tried to pull back, eyes wary. “It’ll make things interesting. Help out a lot, too, now that all these zombies are waking up to real life again. But...” His leer grew more pronounced and Vaako braced himself for the next comment, his head slightly reeling at Riddick’s easy acceptance - at the unspoken agreement not to tell.

“Now I really can’t wait to know what it’ll be like.” Vaako arched an eyebrow, sure he knew what the Lord Marshal meant but trying to hang on to his shredded dignity. Not an easy feat, sprawled in the man’s lap.

“What *it* will be like?”

“Yeah. In bed.”

Oh, damn. He seemed to be blushing again.