Victory and Duty

"Being Lord Marshal isn't so different from being in slam." Riddick mused as he stood in the darkness surveying the carnage.

Zemma heard the sound of Nor trying to crack a piece of armor to get to the chewy bit inside. It made her feel a little sick inside. It didn't help that the suites had their own air scrubbers instead of just filters and a local scrubber like the cabins had, and J'Pheth had apparently damaged hers making his entry; the smell of blood, bowels and brains was cloying enough to make her gag.

"Food's better." Zemma remarked dryly. Her voice sounded hollow to her own ears. The adrenaline was wearing off quickly and she was feeling a little overwhelmed now. She had never been around this much death. She had killed before, but not stuck around to watch the dying.

Told you you would see it differently…

"Yeah," he chuckled. "Food's pretty good here." He paused and looked to her. "And the company aint too bad."

"If you like these," Zemma kicked a dead body. "Thirty more just like 'em in the 'port awaiting orders."

He was flirting with you! Why didn't you flirt back?

Uhm. Now?

Riddick was looking at her look at her suite. She didn't want to know how he saw her now and avoided his gaze. She needed to get out of here, she needed to take care of Nor. But Nor claimed a piece of someone, what piece Zemma didn't look close enough to tell, and retired to the bath with her prize. Zemma hoped that meant she felt all right. She went to close the door to the bath and when she returned Riddick was still in the same place. Still looking at her.

Ask me tomorrow…

Zemma wanted to sit down but there didn't appear to be anyplace not covered in black viscous fluids. The door to her bedroom was blocked by her own handiwork…Zemma looked away from that.

"Does it get any easier?" She whispered as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"You get better with practice." His voice was dry and a little callous. She expected smart-ass comment number eighty-six but he seemed to be restraining himself. Kindness or contempt?

Pull it together, Zem ol' girl. There's still work to be done.

Right, what's the now?

Zemma couldn't stay in the gore-infested suite while Riddick went to meet and greet the 'faithful'. She wanted to get to the security room, and she wanted to call the Furian Commanders to meet Riddick at the bay. Riddick had shrugged one shoulder at this and said something about the more the 'merrier', or was it 'messier'? She turned her back on him and the room to see if her computer had survived. She heard Riddick leave without another word to her and felt another kind of sick in the pit of her stomach.

Now.

She voiced all four of the Commanders at once, since she had only one monitor here. They consented without ordeal to stand by Riddick, she got the feeling he had impressed them. And they seemed eager to take some retribution out on the faithful. She also vid called Lord Vaako, she wanted to see his face. He still looked haggard…

But not so handsome, now.

…And haunted. He agreed to meet Riddick at the 'port as well. It actually made his eyes light up a little.

Victory and duty.

What's he hiding?

Later.

She called for a clean up crew and the vet. Then she walked carefully out of her apartment, and ran the rest of the way to the security room, ignoring the looks of crew as she passed. They were leery of her already and now she was spattered with gore, and running?

Riddick was already outside the 'port, flanked by five armored men, when she got there and focused in on the hall cameras. She actually had both eyes and ears in this section. She isolated the PA for just that section.

"Thirty men, all armored, not counting crew, sir. I can kill the lights in the bay but not the ones on the shuttle. Shall I simply blow the locks and flush them all out?" Zemma was already typing in the command and preparing to hit execute. She didn't really think he would accept the simple answer though.

"What? Spoil my workout?"

That's what she thought. She switched gears and prepared to kill the lights and lock the doors instead.

"Lord Marshal," Vaako seemed ill at ease to address his commander and chief who was dressed so casually in black khakis and muscle shirt. "There should be no projectile or pulse weapons but they came to kill you so we can not be sure." He started unbuckling his cuirass. The other commanders followed suit, taking pieces of their own armor to outfit Riddick.

Riddick waved them off and headed for the door with only the knife that had killed the Lord Marshall, but Zemma locked it. Riddick turned to face the cameras with slitted eyes and a scowl.

"I can still blow the lock, sir." Zemma knew he heard the ultimatum.

You're worried about him.

It's just better for the image.

Each commander approaching with armor saluted and helped him buckle up. Riddick now had greaves on his legs and vambraces from shoulder to wrist as well as gloves. He flatly refused a helmet. He glared at the nearest camera. "Are we ready, now?"

"Sir," R'Ghnell spoke up. "With your permission, I suggest a five man phalanx with center rear guard to protect the formation."

"I'll take center rear, Sir," Vaako added. "And give you the honor of the tip of the phalanx."

"How 'bout you make your formation, stay the fuck out of my way and keep the fuckers off my back." Riddick was rolling his shoulders, irritated with the armor and all the talk.

The commanders looked to each other in silent agreement and took their places.

"Open the fucking d…"

But Zemma already hit the key and switched to the bay cameras to follow the six Furians. She dialed one camera in on Riddick as he addressed J'Pheth's faithful.

"J'Pheth is dead. Your Lord Marshal is dead." His voice built in tone and volume. It was good presentation. "I am all that remains." He didn't call himself Lord Marshal. "Stand beside me in victory, or before me in death." His voice dropped at the last as if he preferred that choice.

Zemma waited with one finger on the key that would now kill the lights, the other to switch the cameras to infrared. Vaako would be at a disadvantage but it would be interesting to see what he would do. She didn't have to wait too long. The faithful were cocky, well armed and armored.

Now.

Riddick and the Commanders waded into the semi-darkness.