Title: The Path Worth Living
By: Bridget McKennitt
Pairing: Vaako/Riddick
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1900
Summary: Every Necromonger that became a Necromonger chose life. Vaako chooses to accept the new Lord Marshal's offer.
Contains: No warnings in as far I know that can't be extrapolated from the header itself.
Disclaimer: The Chronicles of Riddick is owned by other companies. They are used here without permission, and for entertainment purposes only. No challenge or infringement upon the copyright is intended, nor should any be inferred.
Beta: angela_snape
Author's Notes: Written for Ishyko in the New Year Resolutions 2008 Challenge for Yuletide.
Dame Vaako strode away from the throne room, anger and disappointment welling up inside of her. If she was some pathetic human and not a Necromonger, she would have felt the urge to cry. All her plans were ruined, and all because her husband missed the killing blow on the Lord Marshal. Former Lord Marshal. Now a breeder was the leader of their people.
A breeder!
She wanted to march back and pull Vaako to his feet, to tell all of the Necromongers to stand.
"You keep what you kill," she spat out as she headed back to her quarters. "If only Vaako was quick enough. It should have been flawless."
Back at the throne room, Vaako kept his eyes trained to the floor. There was no telling what this Riddick would do as the new Lord Marshal. Considering there was no like between them, Vaako could only assume that Riddick would send him straight to the Underverse.
"So what does a guy have to do around here to get this place cleared out so a guy can think?"
Commander Toal raised his eyebrow and lifted his armored arm to motion to the rest of the Necromongers. "Head out!"
Riddick leaned forward and pointed towards Vaako. "Except for you. I want you to stay."
Vaako looked up, keeping his expression neutral though he narrowed his eyes. Was this where the new Lord Marshal would strike him down?
As the throne room cleared out and the double doors slammed shut, Riddick let out a bark of laughter. "I keep what I kill and now I have an army at my fingertips. What do you think of that?"
Vaako dropped his gaze back to the floor so the breeder wouldn't see the suppressed rage in his eyes. "It is not my place to say, Lord Marshal. Obedience without question, loyalty until Underverse comes."
Riddick laughed again. "Yeah, yeah. Loyalty until I turn my back and one of you tries to take me out."
"There will be some challengers from among the warriors. There is no denying that there will be a few who will not like a breeder as our new leader, but for the rest of the Necromongers there is no question. We are yours."
"Including that brown skinned beauty in the tight dress? I couldn't pay to get a woman that beautiful in the sack, even if she is a little dead."
Vaako's gaze shot up and met Riddick's shimmering eyes. "There will be no touching of her, Lord Marshal."
"Oh?" There was barely concealed amusement in Riddick's voice.
"She is Dame Vaako, my wife, not some common breeder for you to plow."
"Huh, didn't think you guys did the whole ball and chain." Riddick got off the throne and walked behind Vaako. Vaako decided he'd had enough of being passive and stood, keeping the axe tight in his hands.
"There is much you don't know about our culture."
"I heard enough of that preachy shit at Helion's shelter." Riddick snorted. "I guess I have to be some kind of leader now that I'm stuck with you tin heads." He snorted again. "Or take the first chance to get the hell off this ship and back to something more my style."
"And leave us in chaos?" snapped Vaako. "If you leave without naming a successor, the entire warrior caste will slaughter each other until there is no one left. Until you name a successor or you die, you are our Lord Marshal." Vaako took in a deep breath. "If you are planning on slaying me, I will not go easily."
Riddick smirked. "Nah, I have no plans for that. See, out of all the tin heads, your getup is the fanciest so I figure you know a thing or two." Riddick eyed Vaako's uniform. "Looks like it got even fancier since I last saw you in that hell hole. What'd you do?"
"Kill you. I am now the First Among Commanders."
"Uh huh. I expect you'll keep that position even with my false demise. How about we strike a deal, my First?"
Vaako looked wary and as he slipped unconsciously into a battle stance, Riddick wanted to chuckle. "What sort of deal?" asked Vaako.
"You obviously know how this empire runs and I figure I'll need help. Why bother trying to reinvent the wheel?" Riddick grinned and it wasn't a very pleasant sort of smile. "I know a good deal when I see it. Why wouldn't I take a cushy job as Lord Marshal?"
"What's in it for me? From what I see, there is nothing to motivate me to help you."
Riddick gave Vaako a look. "I could kill you right now and find some other chump to hassle, but that would take time. I don't think I have that kind of time right now. Consider it a perk of getting close to the throne. Hell, I'll even let your wife have some of that power. The more, the merrier."
It was what Dame Vaako would have wanted, or as close to it as she could get with Riddick on the throne. No matter what his wife thought, he was not a proper candidate for Lord Marshal. Perhaps Riddick could be, once he was properly a Necromonger. He certainly had no fear.
"I accept your deal."
***
"You what?" Dame Vaako stared at her husband in disbelief and turned away from him to pace. "You have damned us to become the laughingstocks of Necropolis. How can we turn this around to our favor?"
"It already is in our favor, wife. The Lord Marshal looks on us favorably and he is willing to share his power with us. It is what you wanted."
She exhaled loudly and shook her head. "Vaako, my love, I wanted you to become Lord Marshal because you are the only Necromonger strong enough to carry us to victory." She touched her hands to his face. "We cannot let him keep the throne."
Vaako smacked Dame Vaako's hands away with a growl. "He is stronger than a normal breeder and the old Lord Marshal feared him for a reason. Think about it, wife of mine. The Lord Marshal needs us and as he has no Consort, you can take that position without sexually dealing with Riddick. The nobility caste will turn to you as their queen."
Dame Vaako smirked a little before huffing. "You're thinking too naively that the rest of the Necromongers will follow him, and if we show such personal support, they will rise up against us as well in response."
"Then change their minds," he said, snarling the words. "You are Dame Vaako. Surely you can persuade the castes to see your way."
Dame Vaako looked at Vaako, tilting her head as she scrutinized him. "I can attempt to do that. What do you plan to do in the meanwhile?"
"Riddick needs all the help he can get with becoming the new Lord Marshal. There is protocol he must learn."
"Yes, you would be the one to teach that to him." She glanced at him coolly. "The advisors will not like that, my love."
"I am First Among Commanders and the Lord Marshal is part of the warrior caste. There is no reason for their petty thoughts." Vaako brushed his lips against Dame Vaako's cheek. "This may not be our Day of Days, but we are on the right track."
She studied his face for a few moments before inclining her head. "You may be right. I shall do what you bid." She trailed her fingers along Vaako's shoulder before leaving the quarters.
Vaako watched her go in silence.
***
There was something about the new Lord Marshal that gave Vaako pause. Riddick paced like a large cat-like creature as the advisors spoke to him.
"The world of Helion Prime is still not burnt, my lord. You must activate the machine to destr-"
"I ain't destroying anything," said Riddick, snarling as he spun back.
"But sir-"
"Not Helion Prime. We'll move on and take converts elsewhere." He glanced at Vaako. "See to it that arrangements are made and pronto."
"Yes, Lord Marshal," murmured Vaako. "It shall be done."
"Good. Now everyone scram while I talk to my First." Riddick waited until the last Necromonger had vacated before turning to Vaako. "I know you're the silent type so just listen up. Your Dame spoke to me earlier about your plans. Heh, I gotta admit, I don't want to take up any of your Consorts if they're like your Dame so I'm all for that."
"My wife is one of a kind, but you are wise to stay away from the Consorts." Vaako rested his hands on the small of his back. "They can be vicious when they choose to, and becoming your mate would bring out that viciousness in them."
"So I've been told by Commander Toal." Riddick stretched his arm over his head and plopped down on his throne, leg hanging over the edge. "I hate politics so let's cut to the chase. I'll let your pretty little wife run the political bullshit show with the nobility. She can be my acting Consort."
"She will be happy to hear that."
Riddick bared in teeth in a grin. "You haven't heard the best part. Your Dame figured that it would look awkward if she was doing Consort duties while married to you, so she devised a plan. The two of you get to play Consort."
The two of...Vaako narrowed his eyes. "There was no mention on my end about becoming your Consort."
"Neither was it from your Dame. I made that little decision on my own. She has plenty of smarts and know-how, but I need something more." Riddick gave Vaako a look from toe to head with a heated gaze.
Vaako stiffened at the gesture. "I have nothing."
Riddick laughed and shook his head. "You go ahead and keep on thinking that. Someday you'll see what a good little warrior you are. Now come on. I actually do have some things to discuss with you." Riddick laughed again and wrapped his arm around Vaako's stiff shoulders, ignoring the glare the Necromonger gave him. "By the time we're at the threshold of the Underverse, you will appreciate the three of us together. I think we could be a powerful team, but only if you do things my way."
Vaako took in Riddick's words, wary of what the Lord Marshal was suggesting. Perhaps the three of them would be powerful. His Dame would enjoy the prestige and Riddick would benefit from their knowledge and advice, but what would he get out of the arrangement?
Riddick's hand trailed from Vaako's shoulders down his back and rested on his butt. Vaako immediately understood what his Lord Marshal was offering without saying a word, though words were not needed for something like this.
"Think about it," Riddick growled against his ear and it sounded vaguely like the old Lord Marshal's command of 'Convert or die'.
He had been six years old when the Necromongers came to his home planet and there was not much of a voluntary choice on his end. But now? His Lord Marshal was giving him a choice, and while the second option may not be death, taking his offer was still the better deal.
Every Necromonger chose life. Vaako would choose this one.
"Yes."
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