Same disclaimer applies, I own nothing but the Original Characters, all other intellectual property belongs to the original creators of Pitch Black and TCOR.

Chapter 2

"What the hell am I supposed to do with a breeder?"

Ignoring the true intent behind the question Riddick just shrugged saying "You might want to start with a trip to the Med Bay."

"That's not what I meant." Vaako managed to get out through gritted teeth.

Obviously, Riddick thought. But Hell, it was just one lone woman. It's not like he was being saddled with the whole of the Necromonger race before his ass and head could get together and figure out which way was up. Who should do the shittin and who should do the talkin. But looking at Vaako's face alternating between disbelief, disdain, and yup there it was again... fear, Riddick decided he'd wait till later to continue mind fucking the good commander. Mans got to get his entertainment somewhere.

Besides, he had to meet with the damn Purifiers soon. For the second time in under an hour he found himself scrubbing a hand down his face. Fuck this shit, if it hadn't been for Jack, he would have told the whole lot of them to go to hell. Every time one of those creepy bastards opened their mouths he was tempted to ring their necks.

Vaako looked so torn as he walked over to the unconscious heap on the floor. Being the bastard he was, Riddick couldn't resist one more dig despite his momentary better intentions. "Don't tell me a little thing like that's got the big bad Necro commander shaken? I'm almost insulted."

"Of course not." Steeling himself, Vaako knelt down to lift her gingerly into his arms, his discomfort with the whole thing radiating along every line of his body. One arm snaking under her knees while the other went around her shoulders, he hefted her up. It wasn't exactly rough but it was no lovers embrace.

Vaako couldn't decide if he was picking up a snake or something... hell he didn't know what, and frankly that not knowing was pissing him off. The less than covert smirks Riddick was throwing his way weren't exactly helping his disposition. That bastard is enjoying this... Probably couldn't be happier if he had engineered the whole thing. Schooling his features into the neutral mask he knew got under Riddick's skin he shifted the bundle in his arms once again, settling her slightly closer without having her curl up around his chest. Heaving a sigh, deciding this was probably as good as it was going to get, he turned back toward Riddick. "By your leave My Lord I will take the slave to the Med Bay and have the Techs examine the collar."

Riddick didn't miss the very deliberate way Vaako referred to the woman in his arms. Whatever helps you sleep at night. "Get your ass movin, I have to meet with the Purifiers later" He couldn't help the way his lips curled up into a feral grin as he added "and I want you there."

Vaako's lips tightened almost imperceptibly. "As you command." Striding away he heard Riddick's low gravely chuckle fading into the distance.

It had been a happy surprise when Riddick learned his First was just as skeeved out by the Purifiers as he was. At first he kept Vaako by his side during those meetings as an adviser. He didn't know enough about the Necro faith to make an informed decision and frankly he didn't care enough to learn. But now that he knew how much Vaako hated being in a room full of them, he kept him there for comic relief. It was a good way to keep himself from giving into the temptation to ghost the fuckers, that and the mantra that replayed like a broken record in his head. Need 'em to get Jack back. Need 'em to get Jack back. Can't ghost them, need them... the fuckers.

He stood for a moment listening to his First's shit kickers pounding down the hallway. Obedience without question, loyalty until Underverse comes. Vaako was nothing if not loyal. His only true failing was letting himself be led around like a sick puppy by his former wife. Love'll make a man do stupid shit, which was case and point for why he'd spent years keeping himself distanced, unaffected, safe. Granted, while loyalty was the cornerstone of Vaako's existence, Riddick had found only one person worthy of his loyalty. Which, had lead to him freezing his nuts off on some shit-hole, backwater planet. Just to have her die anyway. Man fate was a bitch. While Dame Vaako had shown she wasn't worth the skin she was slinkin around in, Jack... She proved that she was worth every second of that loyalty. He wondered for the thousandth time whether he should have taken her with him as a child. Probably would have ended up dead anyway, he concluded. Least this way I have a chance at getting her back.

It's amazing how you can feel alone even when you're surrounded by people. Walking toward the Med Bay, slave in arms, Vaako was struck by how distanced he felt from everything. The bows of the civilians and the salutes of his men didn't touch him. It was pure motor memory that made him nod in acknowledgement. Nothing had been the same since Riddick had taken over. But for that, he had only himself to blame.

Loyalty, Vaako never though the day would come when he would see it as a failing, but he had failed. He let it blind him to her machinations. 'I see such greatness in you.' God what a joke, she saw a pawn, her means to ascension. She struck while he knelt at Riddick's feet pledging allegiance with all of Necropolis in attendance. Denouncing him as a traitor, she slid those treacherous hands boldly along Riddick's body, lingering on his chest as if she already had a claim. All while Kyra lay dead at their feet. If blind loyalty had been his failing then unflinching confidence had been her downfall.

His hands clenched briefly on the slave as he forced his thoughts from continuing down that all too familiar path. Concentrating on the task at hand he calculated how long it would take him to drop her in the Med Bay and contact the Techs. As much as he loathed the idea of sitting through another meeting with the Purifiers it seemed better than babysitting the creature in his arms. Besides, Riddick probably expected him to be present for the examinations which meant he'd be relaxing in his quarters. His lips twitched up into an evil grin of his own. Being interrupted is the least he deserves for dragging me into another meeting with those damn Purifiers.

Relief he didn't want to contemplate swept through him when he reached his destination. Self preservation had the medical staff scrambling to get out of his way. Crossing to an empty examination table he deposited his burden, turning to locate the chief of staff. "Find out what's wrong with her and get a Tech in here to figure out what that collar is." Mission accomplished, Vaako strode from the room without a backward glance.

He didn't make it twenty feet before the sound of metal crashing to the floor stopped him in his tracks. The grunts of the ensuing struggle had him cursing his luck and her timing. Turning on his heel he strode back to the Med Bay and was greeted by pandemonium. She fought like a demon possessed. All spitfire, flashing eyes, and flailing limbs. If it wasn't such an inconvenience he would have found it magnificent.

"You can't control one measly breeder?"

Vaako's condescending tone was like a bolt of lightning shooting up their collective asses. Four sets of startled eyes shot to his face giving Aurora the opening she needed. Leg lashing out, her heel connected hard with the chin of the poor Necro unlucky enough to be in striking distance.

Striding over Vaako grabbed hold of both shoulders, fingers digging into her soft flesh. Leaning close to her face he spoke slowly, voice taut with aggravation. "Be. Still." Without taking his eyes from her face his left arm shot out grabbing hold of her wrist as her fist descended toward his face. Gripping her firmly he shook her trying to force eyes gone wild to meet his. "Calm. Yourself."

Heart hammering in her chest Aurora continued to struggle. Have to get away, God please not again. Reaching up she grasped the hand restraining her chest.

When flesh met flesh reality dropped away, images crashing into Vaako's mind faster than he could process. Terror and a sick, dark despair greater than he had ever known flowed through him. Aurora's head arched back, another silent scream ripping from her throat. Back and forth his consciousness traveled between what was now and what was then. Voices mumbled words he couldn't understand, cold calculating eyes pierced him as they forced him down onto a table.

Flashing back to the present his voice boomed out "For God's sake sedate her," before he was sucked back down. They were coming at him with that collar. Cold sweat broke across his skin. Frantically he looked around for a means of escaping the inevitable noticing for the first time how small his body was… her body. Just a child. Like a horse run beyond exhaustion his body twitched all over, his lungs blowing hard, the exhale loud in this evil place, the stink of fear and the tang of blood sharp in his nose.

Jerking his hand from hers he inhaled sharply. Grasping her chin he forced her eyes to his. Staring into them intently he tried again to break through her panic. "Calm." His tone softer, commanding, seemed to pull her back from the edge. Without taking his eyes from her he nodded at the Med Tech that approached with a syringe. Aurora jumped at the bite of the needle, muscles tensing for another bid at freedom. Vaako, eyes narrowing repeated yet again "you will be calm," his voice compelling in its absolute authority.

Christ, he thought as he watched the feral-ness leave her eyes. He didn't let go until he felt the muscles easing under his hands. Vaako never noticed the way his thumb stroked rhythmically over her wrist willing her heart rate to slow. He exhaled heavily when he saw the sedative begin to run its course. Aurora's eyes falling to half mast before finally drifting shut. Turning to the Tech that had entered at the tail end of the shit storm he said simply, "Get that fucking collar off of her," and walked out.