The trip back up was hard. Riddick seemed to belatedly remember that she wasn't supposed to exert herself, and half carried her up the last stretch. Had helped her to bed, pensively.

She was emotionally exhausted. Riddick kept finding new ways to whip her head around. She could not get the image of that girl, of herself chained to that rock, dying.

When she finally fell into a fitful sleep, she had the dream again, the dream where a comet destroyed her home. Remembered the dying words of the man she danced with. "Ask her. Ask the air." And at last, it occurred to her that maybe the meaning was not all that hidden. Aereon was so . . . airy, after all.

In the morning, instead of going with Riddick, she went to talk to Aereon. He was disappointed, but didn't seem inclined to argue it with her.

This time, she didn't let herself be distracted by how awkward talking to this woman was. "Why are you here?"

"This is the place I need to be."

"Why?"

Aereon looked at her steadily. "I tell you this, I put both of our lives in danger."

"Maybe that's why I'm here too."

Aereon smiled at her. "Alright. The Necromongers are trying to end all sentient life in the universe. This place is a giant mouth for the Underverse, and they are trying to pull everything through it."

Jack gasped. "How? Why?"

Aereon sighed. "As for the second, they think it's the right thing to do. As for the first . . .It's hard to explain. But . . . planets spin along an axis, pole to pole. Solar systems too. Spinning wheels in the sky. Galaxies too. Symbolically speaking, the universe also rotates along an axis. The poles . . . well, one way to see them is life and death. The path between those poles . . . not a straight line. More like an infinite spiral, with the universe rotating around it. Metaphorically. Through that axis, that path, life pours into the maw of death; death gives birth to life. Stars are born, stars die, from their corpses become new stars. It all moves.

"They are trying make it stop. Take all life into the Underverse. Somehow, they've created a . . . connection. Something about this place funnels into the Underverse like matter falling into a black hole. Once it hits critical mass . . . everything falls into it. End of time. End of life. World without end."

"Oh." Jack's voice was small. "What do we do?"

Aereon looked away. "I don't know. I thought . . ." Her voice trailed off. She started again. "We think, maybe, this city is built on some piece of the Underverse, spat out. We think the connection is fragile, and that part of the role of the Lord Marshal is to nurture it. I do not think Riddick does that. I . . . hope it will wither and fade."

"A piece of the Underverse? Like . . . a rock?"

Aereon's breath caught. "Very much like a rock. What can you tell me?"

"Riddick showed me a rock. It was--" Jack swallowed. "It had manacles set on it. He told me he found a girl's skeleton there."

"Blessed be," Aereon breathed. "Can you tell me where?"

"No." Jack flushed. "You know he can see in the dark? It was really dark, right until we got there."

Aereon's sharp eyes were hard on her. "This is important, child. Do you think he's ever killed anyone there?"

Jack shook her head sharply. "No. I'm sure he hasn't."

Aereon was nodding. "Good. We have to keep him alive. And I need you to try to remember how to get to the rock. If we can destroy it--"

They were interrupted by a polite, but firm, knock. Not waiting for a response, a Necromonger, polite in a way the heavily armed sometimes were, entered. Made his way to Jack. "Madam. You will come with me, please."

"Why?"

The man looked surprised that she'd question him, gave her an appraising look. Seemed to consider not answering. Finally, politely, "the Lord Marshal requires your presence." It was not a request.

Four guards took her to the med deck. The place was busy, but parted before her. Good to have heavily armed men behind you sometimes. They took her to a small room. Riddick was in there, a few doctors, and a stasis tube.

As she entered, he ushered the doctors out of the room and closed the door. Relaxed against it. "They figured out how to defuse the princess. Thought you should be here when she woke up. A friendly face."

She gazed down at Pentheselia, asleep in a glass coffin, looking strangely like Kyra despite the darkness of her skin. Jack fixed Riddick with a look. "You really like this fairy tale, don't you?"

He looked at her blankly.

"The one about girls sleeping in glass caskets, waiting to be woken up by a handsome prince?"

He frowned at her, obviously not tracking. "You think Cecile Tardis is handsome?"

"What?"

"Her prince."

"It's a metaphor, Riddick."

"Hmmm. Metaphor." He seemed to be chewing on the word.

"Why isn't he here?"

"Who?"

"Her husband, Riddick? Wouldn't his face be friendlier than mine?"

He smiled a smile that showed teeth.

"Wanted to talk to her first."

But he's converted, she thought. He's yours. He helped with this. You could say anything in front of him.

Even that you are thinking of marrying his wife? The thought made her surprisingly uncomfortable.

He flipped a switch. The glass cover retracted, and the revival process began.

"Riddick?" Her voice came out smaller than she intended.

"Yeah, kid?"

"Are you thinking of marrying her?"

"Not really."

"Are you going to make her convert?"

"Haven't thought about it."

Pentheselia woke up fast. Her eyes fixed on Riddick, puzzled, then on Jack. She smiled and sat up, easily.

Damn, that woman's strong. I could barely sit up. "I see I took a nap."

"Yeah," Riddick said, drawing the word out, offering nothing.

Jack grumped, got the woman a drink of water. "Here. Welcome back."

"What . . . happened?"

Jack gave Riddick a glance. He didn't seem inclined to offer anything. Apparently, that was her job. She decided to be frank. "You had an explosive in you. All of your people did. We think you were the Trojan Horses of the day. They figured out how to remove it, with your husband's help."

"My husband?"

"He converted."

"My soldiers?"

"The ten thousand ship armada? They're here. They all have agreed to join them – us – the Necromongers."

Pentheselia's eyes were calculating. "One hundred thousand of our soldiers?"

Jack hesitated, looked at Riddick. "'bout that."

"Converting."

"Slowly," he rumbled. "We're taking that part slow. Volunteers first."

"And me?"

"Do you want to convert?"

"Not particularly."

Riddick looked from Jack to Pentheselia. "I'll make you a deal. You swear that you and your armies will protect Jack if I can't, and you don't have to convert. You keep control of your armies and you answer only to me."

Jack's breath caught, shocked.

Pentheselia looked thoughtfully from Riddick to Jack, back to Riddick. "Cecile?"

"He's your subordinate and your problem."

"And my original offer of an alliance?"

"Not sure about that. We can talk about it. But I don't trust your father. He put a bomb in his daughter. Makes me edgy."

"I can see that." In one fluid motion, Pentheselia was out of the casket and kneeling on the floor. "I accept."

As if he had known the ceremony before hand, Riddick pulled out a shiv, handed it to her. "A favorite."

"I'll use it well," she said, and rose to her feet gracefully. The weapon disappeared. She turned luminous eyes on Jack. "And you? You'll accept my protection?"

Good grief, Jack thought. I didn't think this could get weirder. But all she said is "Yes, princess."

"Good. I'm eager to review my troops."

They walked out together, but Riddick put his hand on Jack's arm as she went to follow him out the door. "Why don't you get yourself checked out while you're here."

"Something happened to her?" Pentheselia said, an odd note in her voice.

"Yeah. I'll tell you on the way." They left Jack in the med deck, feeling a little lost. Though she took some comfort in the ultimate clean bill of health, though with an injunction to take things easy at first, the walk back to the Lord Marshal's chambers felt oddly lonely. Notwithstanding the heavily armed escort.

She's a better mate for him than me. Why am I the one sleeping in his bed?

The mysteries of Riddick's mind.

Fuck. He can control me completely. She's got an army. She was raised to rule an empire. He tries to pick her up, she'll probably kick his ass. I can't even wriggle out of his grasp. I'm not even brave enough to try.

The thought made her insides ache. Was that why she was here? Because Riddick still thought of her as his powerless little girl?

Don't be a nitwit. If someone to dominate was all he wanted, he could pick any girl off of any world, he didn't have to spend a year searching and send a ship halfway across the galaxy for you. Or he could have sent a warship for the most beautiful women anywhere. He's attached to you. He thinks you are his family. Hell, he could be right. He and Kyra do seem to have something fundamental in common with each other.

If this was some weird subliminated pedophilia thing, he'd have moved on you long ago. You would have let him do what ever he wanted back on the skiff, and he never once showed the slightest interest.

Stop talking yourself into crazy.

She changed her mind. Decided to walk around the city. Time to start understanding this place. This place she hoped to destroy. This place she suddenly had hope she could destroy.

She had not gone far before Dame Vaako fell into step beside her, gathered her arm with seeming affection. "The little Lady Jack. Good to see you up and about."

She's watching me.

If I marry Riddick, I'll out rank her.

The thought seemed to come from nowhere. Still, she couldn't resist twisting the knife a little. It was clear this woman was very jealous. "Do Lord Marshals ever marry?"

Dame Vaako actually flinched. "It can happen."

"What is his wife called? The Lady Marshal?"

"You two are planning to wed?" Her voice actually cracked.

"Us? No. I'm just curious."

"Yes. I see that."

"Him and the princess, maybe. If he got married, who would do the ceremony?"

"He would. No one else can bind him."

Jack actually giggled. "So would he have to say 'Now I may kiss the bride?'"

"He doesn't have to say anything. Just simply declare it. Or he could have a ceremony."

"Interesting."

"May I give you some advice?"

"Sure."

"Do not marry him. Do not let the princess marry him. To put a woman who has not accepted our faith on the throne above us . . . would not sit well. Especially since he has yet to validate his claim to the throne by participating in the ancient ceremonies or even visiting the Underverse.

"People like you. They are grateful that you discovered the Illium sabotage, and that Riddick . . . usually . . . spends his time with you rather than pursuing their wives or sisters or subordinates. Which of course is his right. But part of why you are liked is that you are retiring. No threat to the order. If you become queen, that all changes. And it will put you at great risk."

Jack gave up trying not to stare at her. "Riddick has what rights?"

"My dear, this is his kingdom. He has rights over everyone. He can do anything he wants to anyone here."

"Oh." Jack's voice was small.

Dame Vaako smiled, beautifully. "Necromonger law. Any person of higher rank has . . . access to any person of lower rank. For any purpose. Only actual military necessity trumps."

"What's your rank?"

"Lord Vaako is generous. He has set me beside him as his equal. Since he is Riddick's heir, I am the highest ranking Necromonger woman."

"So you could order me to do things?"

"I could. Anyone could. Technically. You have no rank here, your position has never been formalized. But it would clearly displease the Lord Marshal. So do not fear. He would kill anyone who would dare assert their . . . legal privileges over you."

"Well," Jack laughed, nervously, babbling. "We do share blood."

"What do you mean?"

Jack regretted she had said anything. "It's silly."

"Tell me, child," Dame Vaako said, with so much warmth that Jack thought she really was trying to be her friend.

"Before we . . . parted ways, we did that thing, where you cut yours hands and hold them against each other . . ." she trailed off. Something was shrieking at her to keep her mouth shut.

Dame Vaako was under no such restraint. "So," she said, thoughtfully, "his blood flows in your veins."

"I'm guessing you guys don't do that sort of thing here?"

"Oh no. We do something very much like that." Her eyes were glinting. Fascinated. Delighted. With that, Dame Vaako bowed graciously, and left.

That woman is going to eat me. Oh god, maybe these guards are here for my protection. Decided that touring the Necroverse wasn't going to be fun after all. Went back to the rooms she was beginning to think of as her own. Looked up the schematics of the city. Figured out it was a giant wheel, slowly spinning for no good reason she could identify. It didn't need it for gravity. Also figured out that the throne room, the Lord Marshal's chambers, and that strange altar in the caves were all on the center of the wheel. Made her feel funny, like she was bound to the trunk of a giant tree, waiting for the end of the world.