Disclaimer: There's a poem by William Blake called The Tiger that I quote bits of.
I'm replacing Vacca with Vaako, as I've been informed of the correct spelling. TY!
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Impasse
Zemma woke to the darkness of a starscape with her mouth tasting terrible. That was to be expected since her foot had been in it most of the night. She remembered…
Okay, time to go.
She could hear Riddick snoring in the bedroom. Did he normally snore? She went to the door and looked in. He was face down on the bed, fully clothed and looked like he had simply passed out where he had fallen across it. Why was this fun again? Was this the job it was supposed to provide?
Never again.
Oh, Zemma girl, what were you thinking? Once was too much.
Nor would be annoyed at her for missing dinner. Probably left a big stinky present for her to clean up. Zemma had had her pool bath filled with sand, from Mecca no less it was part of the raw materials haul, for Nor to use. But Nor had a way of making her displeasures known.
Zemma turned quickly away and discovered a whole new sensation. Hangover. Her head felt like it was floating a little off her shoulders and her stomach... oh, she did not feel good at all. She needed to get out before she left Riddick a big stinky present of her own.
She walked as steadily as she could to the door. She didn't have her cloak to cover herself, and she didn't have Riddick at her side. She was just going to go out and face the ship on her own. And try not to throw up at the same time. Brilliant strategy.
The door opened as she approached it and Zemma was at least grateful that ship time had not cycled over to waking hours yet. The hallway lights were dim. The ever-present guards wouldn't look at her sideways unless she did something odd, like falling down.
So, no falling down! Right. Here we go…
Zemma made it down the hallway to the main concourse without falling, without staggering and very little weaving. She thought she might still be a little drunk as well. Was that possible? Could you still be drunk AND have a hangover? She didn't have anyone to ask. She was never going to mention this night to Riddick as long as she lived. If he had a decent bone in his body he'd do the same.
HA! Zem ol' girl, he's going to torture you with it till Underverse come.
Okay, well, she deserved it. Meanwhile, turn coming up, try not to hit the wall…
Zemma navigated her way onto the main concourse and didn't run into anything substantial. It was ghostly quiet and just dark enough that she could flip her lenses up but she was afraid it might make her more nauseous. It might have saved her from Dame Vaako if she had.
"Look at what we have here." Dulcet tones with an undercoat of malevolency sounded from the shadows she had just passed.
Zemma dropped her head from habit. "Dame Vaako…"
"What is it about you?" Vaako spoke slowly as she strolled around to face Zemma. She struck out with one hand, grabbing Zemma by the chin and lifted up to look at her face.
"You're not pretty." Vaako let her go as if touching her was disgusting. "You smell disgusting." The honey had dropped from the Lady's voice, leaving only the malice. "And up until now we all thought you were stupid as the day is long."
Ship days tended to be 32 hours long, except Earth ships of course, but nobody counted them. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Focus, Zemma, you're in danger here…
"Then we thought you were possessed by Riddick," the Lady laughed but didn't sound amused. "Now I find out you've been playing us all along. You and that Furian father of yours."
Zemma's head snapped up at this. How did she...?
Dame Vaako laughed again, with as much merriment as she was capable of. "Oh, I know your little secret. I know lots of little secrets," Vaako paused. "And a few bigger ones as well…" She waited to see what impact this would have.
Zemma tightened the mental armor she'd grown up perfecting. She had a brief vision of Min pulling the knife from her belt and demanding this bitch…
Vaako will not dictate my actions; she does not have that kind of power over me. Back off. Back off, Min. Back…
Apparently not satisfied with Zemma's lack of action Dame Vaako hit her. Zemma felt the adrenaline charge through her body before the pain exploded in her eye. She also felt a lot less drunk. So that's the cure? Zemma blocked Vaako's next strike.
"Snake." Zemma hissed. She couldn't fight a grown man but this woman was only her size and Zemma had taken as much abuse from her as she was ever going to. She struck back. Lady Vaako's face was something to remember for a long time. She had probably never been hit in her whole precious life. But it didn't slow her down. Vaako lunged for the knife at Zemma's belt. Zemma blocked her again but didn't pull the knife. Don't touch it! Don't you touch it!
Lady Vaako did something strange then. She played with a ring on her finger. Zemma didn't look down, she had to watch Vaako's eyes, the snake was quick…
Dame Vaako's hand shot out in an open palm strike. Zemma didn't block it but stepped aside it. There was something strange about her ring now but Zemma couldn't look. Vaako charged her again, palm open. Zemma stepped back again out of reach. The woman was fond of poison; she better end this or she might not survive it.
When Vaako struck again Zemma stepped in with a hand lock and punched the Lady squarely in the nose. There was a very satisfying noise followed by uncharacteristic shriek of pain. Zemma held Dame Vaako's hand twisted away and guided the rest of her to the floor. She put a knee in her back and looked at the ring. The ornate setting twisted aside a bit revealing a tiny needle. Gotcha!
"I don't think you need this," Zemma pulled at the ring. Lady Vaako resisted but Zemma had the advantage. "If you don't want this broken," Zemma squeezed the Lady's wrist painfully. "Then you better give it up." Vaako quit moving. Zemma pulled it off and leapt away from the prone woman.
"I still have your secrets," Dame Vaako hissed from the floor, her voice sounding nasal. "I still have power over you."
"Who told you?" Zemma kept her voice low. So far there wasn't anyone to notice them.
But Lady Vaako merely gathered herself off the floor and stood with her head high and her nose bleeding. The women stared at each other, knowing there was nothing more to be gained on either side. Zemma's eye was starting to feel puffy and hot, but at least she didn't feel hung over. She circled around the other woman, one hand on the knife hilt, the other holding the deadly ring.
Back off, just back off.
Zemma walked backwards away from the statuesque Lady. Then she turned and fled to her own hallway and her suite. Min followed.