Schemes and Whispers
Now what?
Now we scheme to kill the Riddick, of course.
Over dinner.
Yes.
Good, I'm starving.
You're always hungry.
"Shall we discuss our future over a late dinner, J'Pheth?" Zemma walked to the console and called up a menu without looking back. Would he see it as trust or stupidity? Either might work as long as it made him feel at ease. She listened carefully.
Nor stayed put. She heard the glass drag along the top of the bar for a fraction of a second.
Excellent.
"What did you do with Dame Vaako?" She asked lightly.
"Nothing," he seemed disgruntled. "Bitch won't get her hands dirty, she went back to her rooms."
Zemma knew the Lady hadn't used her code anywhere since the failed coup. Was she still in the suite? Did Lord Vaako know that? Zemma thought he looked grief stricken and regretful when she was there. Had he killed his wife himself? Or was he hiding her? That was interesting.
"I expect she'll hide there till she thinks up a plan that will let her save face." Zemma wasn't sure though. She ordered two extravagant dinners and wine. Fill him up and make him sleepy.
He might have slept in the walls.
But I did sleep today. I can out wait him. He can't stay awake forever.
"How do you expect to kill the pretender?" Ah, testing her. No problem, just stick to the rules of the myth.
"Well, I can't do it myself. But whoever does keeps me, and the Lord Marshal's vision."
Little slut.
Ha-ha.
"You know how to get to the Underverse?" Dangerous tone there. Any answer might not be believed. Be vague.
"The Lord Marshal's vision was programmed in me." Zemma tried to sound rapturous, touched by god and humbled by it.
It's a stretch.
Shush, look blissful.
"I don't believe you. Why would Dame Vaako want you dead?" Just testing the waters, he wanted to believe. He needed to.
"All she wants is power, she doesn't care if it's in this universe or the next." Dripping venom was easy. "But she was my only avenue to powerful allies, until you came." She needed to turn this conversation around. "Do you think you can take him?" She let herself sound greedy. "If I lure him here, can you take him from behind?"
She could see he wanted to say yes immediately. But he was cautious and smart. Riddick was a big guy and J'Pheth was getting a little long in the tooth. No older than the previous Lord Marshal or her father but Riddick had bested them both and stood toe to toe with the much younger Lord Vaako.
"I have loyal men, devoted to the faith, we should bring them over."
"Done." She let her voice sound like victory was already in hand. It was a tone she hated hearing in others but seemed appropriate here in this camouflage. But what the hell was she going to do with a ship full of J'Pheths? She couldn't accidentally run them into the nearest passing star, she'd still have this J'Pheth looking over her shoulder with a gun in her back. How was she going to warn Riddick…
…to come and save you?
Shut up. We'll deal with this.
Fuck!