An Interesting Turn

"Call me Jaron," R'Ghnell told her.

"Thank you, Jaron." Zemma helped load the dishes onto the table. She didn't feel so tired now, mentally, but she was very hungry.

"You did well, Zemma," he paused. "I think you've probably been doing very well all along." He eyed her curiously but she couldn't read his expression. She wanted to ask him but…

What the hell, ask him.

"What do you mean?" She bit into her eggs and watched his face.

He took his time formulating his answer. "I heard the rumors about you, when your father was alive." He spoke thoughtfully, in between bites of food, never hurrying. "When I heard you were called Min Ferrin I didn't think…" he looked at her frankly. "I thought he was being perverse. It didn't occur to me that you were really his daughter."

Zemma smiled. "'Perverse' was needed to sell the idea. 'The dirtier the better,' he said."

"Yes, well, he understood how people think, I guess."

"Mmn-hmn."

"It didn't gain him any respect."

Zemma looked Jaron in the eye, "Did you pass on promotions to gain respect?"

He nodded, "I guess we did what we had to do."

They ate in silence for a moment.

"When I heard rumors that the new Lord Marshal had taken 'the Purifier's peculiarity' I wasn't impressed. I figured we were bound to have another Lord Marshal soon; Vaako probably."

Zemma was quiet and let him get to his point in his own good time.

"Then I heard rumors about your eyes changing to blue. I gotta tell you, I didn't know what to make of that. There are some strange things in this universe."

Zemma smiled.

"I didn't expect the new Lord Marshal to live a week let alone a month."

"He's quite the survivor."

Jaron glanced up from his plate. "He's not the only one. But Zemma, as well as you've done so far, it will only get uglier and you've got to be prepared. These last two days, attacks have been on you personally because you are the apparent weak spot of the Lord Marshal."

Zemma raised her eyebrows and quipped, "He is not the 'save the maiden' type. I've been selfishly using him to save my own ass." She popped the last bite of her toast in her mouth and gave him a look that dared him to dispute her.

Jaron laughed. "You think so?"

"Hmmnn."

"Zemma you are a charming breakfast guest, and I think you will be an apt pupil. Which makes what I'm about to say easier. I want you to stay here with me. Nor is not enough protection for you."

Zemma smiled to cover her racing thoughts. Had she misread him somewhere along the line? She felt very daughterly in his company and enjoyed that…

Jaron laughed. "There are two bedrooms in this suite. Apparently the previous Lord and Lady had their own peculiar tastes that, while concurrent, did not run to each other."

Zemma smiled more genuinely.

"That's better. I'll take the real smile as a yes, for the good of your Lord Marshal, of course."

Real smile? Huh.

"And this is until you feel I can protect myself better?"

"Or, you and the Lord Marshal quit dancing."

Zemma kept her face and thoughts in check.

"Don't worry, I won't stand between you if you keep it discreet. Now, tell me what you know about First Commander Vaako."

Now there's an interesting turn. What to say?

"Did you know his first name is Trygg?" He was expecting to surprise her.

"That's a Furian name," Zemma let herself sound surprised. But Jaron narrowed his eyes at her. Damn, was she that transparent to all Furians? How did she ever fool J'Pheth?

He saw what he wanted to see.

So, Vaako's mother was alive long enough to know she had a boy and name him.

Or the woman who took him in was a Fury.

"How did you discover that?" She had never actually looked for his first name.

"You already knew he was Furian?" Jaron sounded sure of the answer.

Zemma nodded.

"Does he know?"

Riddick, or Vaako, himself? Well, one answer fit both.

"No, and I don't intend to tell him." Or anyone, for that matter. Pointless.

"So he's First Commander on his own merits?" Now he sounded surprised.

"So far. But there's something… Dame Vaako's missing. And I don't think J'Pheth had anything to do with it."

"Hmmn," Jaron stood to clear the dishes. "That makes me like him better."

Zemma laughed out loud.

"I'll get this," he told her as she stood to help. "Go take a shower. Or a bath if you prefer. There's a robe in there called a 'kimono' that will be much more flattering on you than those drab grays you wear. Then you should get a little sleep while I have your things brought over, and check on Nor."

"Thank you, Jaron."

"Thank you, Child," he patted her on the cheek and she forgave him for calling her Min again. "For making an old soldier's Now a little more interesting."