Hello everyone. I wish I could have gotten this up sooner but life and the sheer difficulty it took to write this particular chapter got in the way. I fear it may be a similar story with the next chapter but I do have the next one far more planned out then when I began this one. Thank you again to my beta and all the wonderful reviews – each one pushed me to work on this after long hours at work and school. We don't get any compensation for writing fanfiction other than reviews so in a way they are the only way we fanfiction writers know you enjoy reading what we write. So I ask that you be patient with the updates for a while and I'll do my best to get them to you as soon as possible.

Emerald. I picked this name as it's the stone that best depicts the color of his eyes. Also, this becomes rather important later. He will not always be called Emerald but it has become a permanent part of his name as it was given to him by the only race he would consider family.

One more thing. I've received many reviews questioning if I will put Pitch Black into this fic. At this point I honestly can't answer how much Pitch Black will be present. It will happen eventually but as for how long I linger on those events will depend entirely on the current flow of the story. I personally love Pitch Black and have developed a fascination and fondness for the bioraptors that live there. However Riddick has twenty some years before his stay on Hades and that's a lot of ground to cover.

Chapter 3

Phoena carefully removed her helmet, freeing her long crimson hair. She set the helmet gently on her bed and proceeded to do so with the rest of her uniform. It was sleek, black but clung too tightly for her liking. On Tidus they had always wore loose clothing while everything here was tight, restricted. She gathered her uniform and carelessly flung it into the cleanser by her wardrobe. The cleanser kicked on as she closed the lid and immediately began to remove the filth the uniform had collected during training. She glanced at her wardrobe but it contained only more restricting clothing. With a sigh she sat bare upon her bed, closed her eyes and evened her breathing.

As a creature of action, Phoena had always lacked the discipline to perform quiet tasks such as meditation well, and soon she found her thoughts drifting. Three years, two months, eleven days – measured in units derived from the solar cycle of Origin. Though Origin had died many centuries ago, humans still measured time based on the rotational period of their first planet. It was a simple fact that very little had changed for the human race since those first baby steps off of Origin. Evolution seemed to end with them biologically and culturally – only technology had advanced significantly. She knew this to be true; she even knew the cause. When the tension of the second cold war had reached its peak the United Worlds raised some culture and linguistic norms to the position of universal law. The official name of their first planet as Origin was one such norm. Another was the continued usage of universal time. Most of these norms were set to avoid confusion and many of the decisions were based on compromise with the many different nationalities of Origin in mind in order to de-escalate the tension permeating the new union. She had heard that it once took just a few short months to add or change a part of law when the nations of Origin had occupied countries. Now that they occupied entire galactic systems it took years for the simplest of measures to be put into motion. Thank Weaver for cryo-technology and gravity warp. Without them the different worlds of the union would be completely isolated and the C.A.T.E. wars would have gone very differently.

Phoena was currently three years, two months, and eleven days old. Necromongers believed that a person is reborn after initiation and so their age begins anew as well. When they had descended upon Tidus she had been afraid, exited, and awed. She saw their power and thought it beautiful. She had always been impulsive and when given the chance to obtain such power for herself she never thought twice. At the young age of nineteen she had joined the Legion Vast and began her training as soon as she was recovered from her rebirth. She had been recovering during Tidus' destruction – all she knew was that the Enlightened had been saved and the rest had perished quickly and peacefully. That was the Necromonger way after all. They were sent to save those poor souls from the oppression of living. They were as gentle as possible with their firm hands as they guided those childish souls to see the black darkness of truth and convert. The rest were sent to Underverse, to be at peace at last. She enjoyed having any purpose for her life, and to have one in which she could whole heartedly believe had been a true gift from Weaver.

New initiates were taught early about the truth of reality – that the fabric they experienced was simply the first layer, Oververse. The layer beneath it was the glorious, beautiful layer of Underverse. To uncover it, they simply had to cut the threads of the first layer. It was a test by Weaver set to the Enlightened. They could only completely descend and become a part of Underverse if they were threaded solely into it. Most were threaded completely into the fabric of Oververse. Only after initiation did Necromongers become partially threaded into Underverse. Only one Necromonger was threaded evenly between the two – the greatest connection ever before achieved by any being of Oververse: General Zhylaw.

After her rebirth Phoena had risen quickly through the ranks of the Necromonger militia. She adored her training and new life. The physicality was addictive, the power consuming. Pain was a non-factor and thought a non-issue. She felt a deep rush within her soul after the injections they were required to take each day and she felt a deep sense of community with those around her. She had a family here, an enlightened and honorable family. One she was truly proud to be a part of. She only disliked her family's choice of clothing.

Again she tried to clear her thoughts and again new ones appeared in their place, this time of her mission. Though still a cadet, Phoena had become close to General Zhylaw during her training and was known as his protégé throughout Necropolis. He had taken her under his wing after her rebirth and in return for her steadfast loyalty and silence he confided in her many secrets above her position.

Necropolis buzzed with gossip about their extended isolation and travel. They had not cleansed a single world after Tidus, and the rumors why were as varied as the planets her new family was saved from. She, however, knew exactly why they were traveling so long without pause. They were speeding their way to a small planet known as Furya as quickly as their massive fleet would allow. She even knew which Necromonger requested the trip and the reason the request was granted.

The selection of Lord Marshal was a very close-kept affair. Only the current Lord Marshal and his advisors knew who the candidates of succession were and the candidates only became aware when presented with the test – leading a Cleansing without any advisor assistance. The only concession given to the candidates was the choice of planet. General Zhylaw had confided in her his candidacy two months ago after she had completed her initiate training and was officially assigned a position within the Legion Vast. She never questioned him about his choice of the planet Furya – it wasn't her place to pry, only listen to what he chose to tell her. Little was known of the small planet. They were very isolated and lacked Kingdom aid. However the people were said to be fierce and strange with little need for protection. Their strength would soon be tested and Phoena was certain their arrogance would be their downfall.

Frustrated after only ten minutes with her failed attempt at meditation she blackened the lights through audio request and curled under the thin sheet of her bed. Gone were the days of climate discomfort and physical pain. Those were Oververse problems. She was a part of Underverse now and such weaknesses were beneath her. Her thoughts continued to drift through the blackness as sleep claimed her mind.

"You requested to see me sir?" Phoena was back in her now immaculate uniform at full attention as she addressed the commander before her.

"At ease, Phoena. How many times do I have to remind you? There is no need to stand on such formalities when we are alone. Come, sit with me." He gestured to the chair across from his own and smiled at his favorite subordinate.

She relaxed at her commander's assurance and gracefully took the seat offered. General Zhylaw was a handsome man, just a few years older than herself with dark hair and darker eyes. He was initiated at the age of five and had traveled to Underverse just after his twelfth rebirthday. That was seven years ago now and the man before her couldn't be more ready to claim his place as Lord Marshal. He was a true prodigy and she couldn't help but feel awed and humbled every time she was in his presence. She sat stiffly in her chair and tugged gently at her collar, flinching slightly when Zhylaw chuckled at the motion.

"You have never liked that uniform, have you my Phoenix?" She blushed at the nickname and turned her face away though she knew he could clearly see his affect on her.

"I have no place to complain, it serves its purpose well," she mumbled, but it carried clearly in the still room.

"But you still do not like it?"

"I wish it were less tight, but I know comfort must always take a back seat to efficiency. It would not due to be slowed down by something as preventable as clothing."

"Still, I would like you to be comfortable in my presence at the very least. After all, why would you need to worry about combat while I am at your side?"

She frowned and immediately protested, "Sir, it's my duty to protect you! I must be always ready to do so!"

Zhylaw gazed at the fiery spirit across him. Her eyes gleamed with determination and confidence. How he loved the fire in those eyes. He had done much to ensure this woman's place by his side and soon his efforts would come to fruition. This jewel would be the perfect adornment to his rule. But she had yet to experience her first Cleansing. Only then would she truly be one of them and only then could she take her place as his dame.

He arose slowly from his chair, those blazing blue eyes tracking his every movement, determined to make him see her dedication, her loyalty, her strength. And he knew, it was all for him. Everything she had become was completely for him. He crossed the short distance between them and gently cupped her delicate cheek. Her gaze faltered, became confused. He smiled at her innocence. He had watched her over the years, watched her become stronger, faster, more graceful, more powerful. Oh, how he had watched, but never, never had he allowed himself to touch this young beauty before him. She was so warm; such a young Necromonger. Soon, however, her first Cleansing would be behind her. Then her warmth would begin to leave her, her soul become threaded into Underverse, a little more with each Cleansing. She was such a beauty with fire in her soul. He couldn't wait to see that flame turn frigid.

"Sir?"

"Zhylaw, my Phoenix, address me as Zhylaw when we are alone. It would please me greatly if you did so."

"Zhy-Zhylaw?" He could feel her trembling now. Such a sweet, delicate flower he mused, shivering at the slightest touch. She had been young at her rebirth, not nearly as young as he had been but young enough. Nineteen he believed; that would make her physical body twenty-two now. She had not been touched since her rebirth, he had made certain. Though he could not claim her until after her first Cleansing, he had made it clear that she was a protégé of his; any act against her was one against himself and would be punished accordingly. No Necromonger wanted to endure his punishment for anything. They all knew of his talent for soul displacement; they all saw the recipients of his handiwork become slaves used for life-detection, the only use their soulless bodies retained. His Phoenix, though…his Phoenix knew none of this. He had kept her sheltered, innocent, naïve. She thought it was a simple respect the others showed her, earned from serving their prodigy. She saw only the man he wanted her to – strong, honorable, chivalrous, caring; an artist at heart. What could she do but fall for him? Oh he had played this out perfectly, he knew. All that was left was this Cleansing. He would rid himself of his only threat and claim his birthright in one decisive strike. And it would be flawless; it had to be.

"I called you here so I could tell you myself. We will be arriving on Furya within the day. None besides the bridge is yet aware so I trust you'll be delicate with the information." He gently began to ghost his thumb into small circles upon her cheek, delighting in the feel of warm, soft skin.

As her eyes fluttered shut she leaned into his hand, taking the support and comfort it offered. He was her guardian after all; he had taken her under his wing when all others had dismissed her. He was her shield as much as she was his guard and she only felt truly safe in his presence. She smiled. "It's time then."

"You'll truly be one of us Phoenix. A true Necromonger woman."

"Would that please you, Zhylaw?"

His thumb paused then ghosted over petal-soft lips, still so warm, so full of Oververse. He could hear her heart pound louder, her breath falter. Blue eyes pierced his own as he assessed the creature before him, taking her in completely. He could feel her soul there, just beneath the skin. He caressed it gently and watched as those blue eyes rolled back in shock. Quietly he withdrew from her and blue eyes refocused on his own. Her breath had become labored, her cheeks tinted, lips parted. And it was all for him. "Nothing would please me more, my phoenix. Go now and rest, I will call you later upon our arrival. Do not worry, Phoenix. I'll be right beside you, through all of it."

She came back to herself slowly while he spoke and composed herself. She stood with just the slightest visible tremor, though her body still felt as if it were the sole grounding line for a lightning storm. "Yes sir, I mean, Zhylaw. Thank you. I'll await your summons." She inclined her head and attempted a graceful exit. She was only just able to maintain a stiff gait, however, and she still felt his smile even as the door slid shut behind her.

Her body still tingled two hours later as she lay bare upon her bed. She had done as her commander, no, as Zhylaw had asked of her and tried to rest. Her mind had other ideas. She never could get her mind to listen to her, not during meditation and not now. So when it decided to go off on its own Phoena had little choice but to follow right behind.

Her body had sung the moment he touched her. At first it had been terrifying – no one had touched her since her rebirth. And Zhylaw – he never touched anyone. Others seemed to recoil from his touch but she never understood why, never felt a need to know. She had relaxed into his hand once she reminded herself who he was to her, her protector, her guardian. She had never considered he would see her as anything but the cadet she was but his touch and his words clearly implied he considered her as a woman. Maybe even as a potential mate. She had drowned with happiness as she pictured herself as Dame Zhylaw. But then he did something else, something… awful. Something so terrible she wanted to cry at the memory of it. Something so revolting it left her still experiencing physical tremors hours later. She didn't understand. What did he do to her? Why? How could such a great man be capable of something so, so wrong?

He had said they would be arriving within the day. That would mean the techs would all be working near the bridge on standby in case of complications. The log reserve should be empty. She had to find out for herself just what the hell he did to her. She needed to reassure herself before she saw him again. She didn't want to have any doubts during the Cleansing and if they were truly arriving today she couldn't waste any more time. And if there were a place that held the information, it would be in his personal log. Decided she re-donned her uniform and made her way to the log reserve, praying to Weaver with each step that she would find it empty.

USERNAME: ZHYLAW

PASSCODE: *******

...

...

ACCESS GRANTED

RETRIEVING PERSONAL LOG

Phoena smiled grimly as the log reserve granted her access to her commander's personal log. Usernames were no secret; each Necromonger gained a new name upon their rebirth, one that was completely unique. This new name became their identification code. That was often all that was needed to access anyone's personal log as most Necros didn't use a passcode – only the top commanders were allowed the use of one as many of them were privy to confidential information. General Zhylaw was one of those commanders. But Phoena was his confidant, the one he trusted above all others. He had given her his passcode in case of emergency many months ago though as of yet she had never had a need to use it. Zhylaw had always been with her to grant her access to any area she needed to go that needed Star clearance. She had never imagined herself using this information in order to access his personal log. Most personal logs were kept for historical reasons and could be access by anyone at anytime, however, it was considered inappropriate to do so if the log belonged to anyone still with them. Something so personal was greatly respected and what she was doing, it simply wasn't done. Not by one such as herself, especially when the log in question belonged to her superior.

LOG RETREIVED

LOADING SUBFILES

What the hell did she think she was doing? She had no idea what she was looking for! No idea where to even start! Even though these logs were considered public she couldn't shake the feeling that she was betraying someone important to her. Someone who had went out of his way to make sure she was adjusting, learning, comfortable. Her guardian. She had almost convinced herself to log out and walk away but something caught her eye.

SUBFILES LOADED

REBIRTH

AWAKENING

AEREON_FURYAN

PHOENIX

Subfiles were important events within the personal log, ones the owner deemed should be kept separate for easier evaluation. These files were not reflections upon a certain time but rather certain events and used to reflect on what those events could mean for the owner. These files were used for making connections, conducting logical arguments. Most did not use the personal log in this way but it wasn't uncommon for commanders to do so, to track events and their causes over time. It was a part of their job after all to be skilled in deduction.

Phoena stared at the file name PHOENIX for a full minute, her mind racing. It couldn't be her, could it? Surely it had to be a coincidence. Why would Zhylaw have a subfile devoted solely to her? She quickly glanced around but she was still alone. She had been right earlier; all the technicians that normally worked in the log reserve were absent. Taking a deep breath to calm herself she raised a hand and gently tapped twice over the subfile PHOENIX on the projected screen.

PASSCODE:

It required a passcode? She attempted to use the same she had before.

ACCESS DENIED

PASSCODE:

Huh, she thought. Maybe she just typed it in wrong? She tried again, and again the same screen appeared. She began typing in a variety of different passcodes, all of them resulting in the same screen. Frustrated, she placed her head in her hands, telling herself to calm down. That's when the door slid open.

Her head snapped up, expecting the worst – Zhylaw somehow knew what she was trying to do. But it wasn't he who entered. She didn't recognize the man, but it didn't matter. She was no longer alone. Her eyes flew about the room and landed upon a stack of file containers; small, clear, paper thin drives about ten centimeters by five, capable of containing a single file, no matter the size. Well, at least that would buy her some time. She couldn't risk trying to open the files here, not when the man that entered would only have to look over to discover she was accessing General Zhylaw's personal file.

She angled the screen away from him as subtly as she could then stood and retrieved four file containers. If she was going to do this, she decided she would go all the way. She inserted the first container and copied the first subfile entitled REBIRTH and proceeded to do the same with the other three. She then logged out of Zhylaw's personal file and took the time to log into her own, writing of her training and her learning of their imminent arrival on Furya. If anyone somehow learned of her being here today she would need a ready alibi. She could say that she felt she should write in her own log after learning that her first Cleansing was about to begin. She logged off and carefully tucked the file containers into a case at her right hip and briskly walked back to her room, careful not to listen to her mind yelling at her to run.

I realize that there already is a Planet Origin within the Riddick universe and while it will exist in my story as well it will be explained how they share the same name.

Please remember to leave a review!

Loves, Rei