Riddick had been watching Jack dream. Watching her dream was a voyeuristic pleasure he had mildly enjoyed when she was a child, and enjoyed much more now. Imagining what she must be dreaming about, given the tiny muscle movements and the smell of her emotions.

But this dream was one of those that worried him. She seemed happy at first, then horrified. She seemed to be trying to protect gasped and spasmed exactly like she would if she was knifed in the side. He really didn't like that her body seemed to know these things.

Her eyes jerked wide open, staring directly into his. She was breathing heavily. "You're awake." It was an accusation.

Strange. "Yeah. You okay?"

"Yeah. Just . . . bad dreams. Sorry I woke you."

"You didn't. Was I there?"

She flinched. "Sort of."

That surprised him. Never thought about whether he was in her explain a few things."What was I doing?"

She blinked a few times. "Sleeping."

"While someone hurt you?"

"Sort of."

He stroked her face. "Tell me."

She looked like she might refuse. Took a long, shuddering breath. "I dreamed I was in a grave yard at the edge of a battlefield. You, me, Kyra and someone else . . . you three were eating a corpse. Some older guy. I didn't know him. Kyra kept trying to get me to eat, but I wouldn't. After you finished . . . him, you went to sleep. Kyra and Shirah kept bringing new bodies, and they brought someone who wasn't dead yet, the doctor who helped me that night Tier . . . I tried to stop them . . . " her voice trailed off. She was actually shaking.

Shirah? Oh, fuck. He rolled her over, wrapped his arms around her. He didn't want her to see how completely this unnerved him. "Interesting. Shirah?"

"Yeah. Must know her from somewhere. Can't remember where . . . "

I know her. Knew her. If she's the same one, she wants Jack to take up the vengeance thing . . .

The thought was extraordinarily uncomfortable. He didn't want Jack playing that game. Any vengeance needed, he'd take care of. But how do you tell dreams that enough was enough?

Then he was completely distracted by the fact that, at last, he could let his hands roam over her body while they spooned.

The talk with Toal had been very pleasing. Dame Vaako was practically purring when she came back to her chambers. Like her, he was deeply concerned about the Lord Marshal and these new converts. Very worried about the Lord Marshal's relationship with these unconverted women.

Toal was a good man. He would make a good Lord Marshal. Perhaps even better than Lord Vaako would have. She had loved him, but the man was too prone to sentimental weakness.

Morning came too soon. Riddick let them sleep through their normal work out, their normal breakfast with Ziza and her crew. He was finally roused by the insistent beeping of his communicator.

Toal's properly respectful tones. "Sire, you are due on the Salmatis for inspection within the hour."

Riddick groaned. Right. Salmatis inspection. He'd kept putting it off, mostly because Vaako had hinted, nervously, that he shouldn't take Jack there. But probably best to get this out of the way. He could be back for lunch, have lunch with Jack. Have Jack.

She was sleeping peacefully, now, without dreams. He dressed quietly. Knelt beside her, kissed her gently on the cheek. Her eyes fluttered open. Their eyes locked. She smiled and reached for his face. "Hey."

"Hey. Go back to sleep, baby. I've got something I have to do."

"I can't come?"

"The fuckers don't like women much where I'm going. I'll be back."

"Promise?"

He smiled. Kissed her deeply. "I promise."