Chapter Text
Riddick's hand trembles around the grip of his weapon. His knees grow weak and he tries to stop them from bending under his weight. He sneaks a look at the men behind him; Toal and Alke have also gotten their guns out, both aiming at Riddick's back. Four against one. All armed with guns. Once again, not the best odds. Bide your time, Riddick. The Furyan sighs shakily as he lowers his gun and drops it to the ground. Scalp Taker is the one who steps closer to collect the gun. He kicks the back of Riddick's leg, making his knees fold easily, then Scalp Taker puts handcuffs on the Furyan.
With Riddick secured, Lord Toal and Alke kneel immediately. They understand that Vaako means to cross the Threshold and become Lord Marshal. Riddick blinks at them, his stomach roiling as he realizes what is happening. He'd expected to die, maybe; he'd expected to fight, probably. But he never expected to have to fight Vaako. And he certainly did not expect having to kill him, nor being killed by him.
Vaako tells his soldiers to rise and to keep the Furyan in their sights. He puts his own gun back in its holster, Riddick spying the platinum ring Vaako had hidden already back on his lover's finger. A great deal of good that precaution had done. They simply had not foreseen this particular scenario.
Vaako walks to Riddick, snatching the knife from his hip and the ring from his finger. Riddick stares into the eyes that once looked at him fondly; there's only indifference there. The warm ochre of his irises is gone, and the green has turned to a bleak gray. Even when Riddick had first met Vaako, his eyes had shone with some sort of fire. But now, there is nothing.
Vaako grabs a handful of his own braids, and then with one swift move, he cuts them all off using Riddick's blade. “It is quite freeing to leave the old me behind,” he observes casually, dropping his braids to the floor right in front of Riddick who blinks at the black locks, lip curling in anger.
“What did you do to him?” Riddick snarls at Scalp Taker.
“Sykes and I cornered Lord Vaako when he released Lord Redger's ashes. Sykes gave his life in the struggle, but I was able to bring Vaako to the Purification Chamber on board. After one round, Lord Vaako still fought me, so I decided to put him through it again. I knew he was strong enough to survive it,” Scalp Taker explains with a satisfied smirk.
“It seems you were the cause for this, ironically, so I am forced to thank you, breeder,” Vaako says, the disgust clear in his tone. “I told you not to kill that purifier, did I not?”
Riddick's eyes prickle with tears, but he holds them in. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Tsk. Such foul language so close to a sacred place. But then, you never had a shred of respect for our faith,” Vaako says, disapprovingly. “Scalp Taker, please explain to Riddick how you found out that I hadn't been... myself lately.”
“A couple of weeks ago, a purifier named Sloane was found dead in a hallway, with his neck broken. His superior asked me to look into it discreetly. In Sloane's quarters, I found notes about Lord Vaako's last purification ritual, and in his safe, jewelry that I knew once belonged to Dame Vaako. From then on, I paid close attention to Lord Vaako's behavior,” Scalp Taker relates with a smug look Riddick wishes he could punch right off his face. “Truthfully, at first, my plan was to kill Vaako, as well as the blasphemy that you are, Riddick. But as soon as I realized you had forced him to skip his purification, I swore on Baylock the Brutal's memory that I would bring Vaako back into the fold if I could, for he is the rightful successor to Zhylaw.”
“So you see, Riddick, your recklessness was your undoing and my rebirth. Scalp Taker has made me see the light. Again. And now, I will get what I always wanted,” Vaako declares solemnly.
“The crown?” Riddick scoffs, swallowing back bile.
“Transcendence,” Vaako counters, his dead eyes flashing with something remotely akin to desire.
The doors slide open again, this time letting Hendricks in. He stops and stares at the scene before him for a moment, sizing up the situation and quickly drawing conclusions. He kneels in front of Lord Vaako, a few feet away from Riddick. “At your service, Lord Vaako,” he tells the First of Commanders, who motions for the young soldier to stand up.
When Hendricks rises, Riddick pushes off the ground and lunges into him, the young Necromonger falling to his side, his fingers sliding from the grip of the gun he had pulled from its holster. Instantly, Vaako puts his boot to Hendricks' throat, pressing on it dangerously. Riddick rolls off, arms still caught behind him, stopping only when he feels the muzzle of Scalp Taker's gravity gun prodding the back of his head. He stills and swallows hard as adrenaline pumps in his veins. He'd seen Hendricks reach for his weapon and hadn't hesitated to stop him.
“Hmm. What have we here?” Vaako utters mockingly. “What did Dame Vaako promise you in exchange for killing me, Hendricks?”
Alke looks down at Hendricks, stunned. So Hendricks was the one who had been caught in Dame Vaako's web. Vaako releases the pressure to let the man talk.
“She said I would be made a Commander. I saw that Scalp Taker got to you first. She'll have me killed; I had to try something. You understand, don't you? Please have mercy, my Lord,” Hendricks pleads hoarsely.
“I understand, Hendricks,” Vaako tells him soothingly. “I forgive you.”
Hendricks lets out a short breath, then his eyes widen in shock when Vaako takes aim and shoots him in the head without batting an eyelash. The First of Commanders then turns to Riddick. “You saved my life once again, Riddick. Your feelings for me have made you stupid, I'm afraid.”
Riddick is forced to agree with Vaako. He already knows he is unable to use the Wrath because, deep down, he doesn't want to hurt Vaako. Fuck. What a fucking joke, to think he could hold on to someone he related to, someone who didn't judge him for his past, someone who could hold his own against him, and their common enemies. Why would God allow such happiness in his life? Never again, Riddick thinks even as he longs for his lover's embrace and kind words.
“For his reward, Scalp Taker has requested your life, Riddick,” Vaako announces coldly, turning to Scalp Taker. “Do with him as you wish,” he says, not even sparing a last look at the man for whom he had professed his love just this morning; the man who had just saved his life again. Vaako walks to the bridge's controls, followed by Toal, stopping in front of the console where the rings are to be placed.
Riddick is still lying on the cold floor. He struggles in his bonds, his fingers brushing against something soft. He stops his efforts to break free, grasping for what he recognizes as Vaako's braids; he's able to recover one and he holds on to it tightly and squeezes his eyes shut, waiting for Scalp Taker to shoot him.
As he stands behind Vaako, Toal glances at Scalp Taker, then at Riddick. The slight tilt of Toal's head is missed by all but Alke. The gravity gun blast breaks the silence; Riddick flinches, knowing in the same heartbeat that he wasn't the one who got shot. He turns just in time to see Scalp Taker fall over with a thump, just as Toal hits the back of Vaako's head hard with the butt of his gun. The First of Commanders collapses to the ground, at Toal's feet.
“A deal is a deal, old friend. Purified or not,” Toal tells the unconscious man, nudging him aside with the toe of his boot before taking the two rings from his hand. He nods to Alke who gets the ring off Scalp Taker's body and then walks to Riddick to unlock his handcuffs.
“Take him and leave, Riddick,” Toal tells the Furyan. “When he wakes up, tell him we're even. Tell him his wife will be executed for Lord Redger's murder. I'm unable to guarantee your safety if we ever cross path again. I will be Lord Marshal, and you will be deserters,” Toal says sternly.
“Thank you,” Riddick breathes, kneeling next to Vaako and throwing his limp body over his shoulder. Alke accompanies them to their ship and helps secure Lord Vaako. Riddick shakes the young soldier's hand.
“He'll be angry when he wakes up. But I believe this is what he wanted,” Alke says sincerely.
“Wanna come with us? There's room,” Riddick offers with a smirk.
Alke shakes his head. “Scales and Krone are going to push back. They were both very close to Scalp Taker. I will be First of Commanders. My place is here. Lord Toal needs me,” he explains, although there's a hint of regret in his voice. Alke takes one last look at Vaako and leaves.
Riddick takes his place in the pilot seat and flips the switches. The blue lights come on and he hears the strangely reassuring rumble of the engines. The doors to the launching dock open, probably by Toal's orders. Riddick turns to Vaako, who's solidly tied to the bench in the back and sighs. Siberius will be livid when he wakes up and a pain to deal with, but Riddick knows it's worth it.
He lifts off, increasing the power and slowly releasing the breaks. The ship ventures into the black.
**
It takes only two days before Riddick decides to put Vaako in cryosleep.
Riddick had guessed wrong; instead of acting up and screaming insults at Riddick, Vaako is listless and his eyes are completely vacant. He refuses to eat or drink, or more accurately, he ignores the Furyan's efforts to feed him. Riddick is terrified that if this continues, Vaako will allow himself to die. At least, in cryosleep, Vaako's basic needs will be met.
In the back of Riddick's mind however, there's a fear that the double purification Vaako was subjected to was too much. Riddick had theorized that the purification process consisted of some kind of chemical that affected the brain's wavelengths and it could have damaged Vaako's mind. He fears it cannot be reversed. The prospect is too painful to behold and he pushes it down as far as he can.
Once Vaako is secured in the cryo-locker, Riddick cups his face and looks into his emotionless eyes. “You're strong. Come back to me, Siberius,” he whispers before he shuts the heavy door. “I need you,” he adds, his forehead pressed against the cold glass of the chamber.
**
Three months later
The sun is shining and a warm breeze ruffles Vaako's hair. The sun is a welcome change; not only from being cooped up in a small ship, but from having lived indoors for most of his life. He grasps a handful of fine sand and watches it fall through his fingers before repeating the motion again. Touching the ground, feeling the sun and the wind on his skin, looking at the blue sea just ahead; all these things feel amazing.
The most amazing thing however, is being able to feel Riddick's legs on either side of him, and the gentle tug of his fingers playing with the hair at the back of his head. The Furyan had vowed to learn how to braid Vaako's hair and the man always keeps his word.
Riddick snickers behind him. “What?” Vaako asks.
“I'm horrible at this,” he says through a smile, looking at the thick crooked braid he'd just made. It has the general shape of a braid, but that's about it.
“I do not care,” Vaako says with a small shrug, “Practice makes perfect; you will get better at it. Besides, I always enjoy when you touch me, even if you are only playing with my hair.”
Riddick tugs on the misshapen braid, pulling Vaako back gently until he leans back and settles with his head on the Furyan's shoulder. He wraps his arms around Vaako and kisses the top of his head, savoring the fact that they are here together -still alive- and that Siberius has recovered from his ordeal.
After two weeks in cryosleep, Riddick had noticed a slight change in his lover's appearance. His eyes had been clearer, and color was returning to his lips. It hadn't been much, but Riddick had clung to any shred of hope he could.
After a month, he had revived his companion, afraid to find him still lethargic. Vaako had opened his eyes; they were unfocused but the pigment of their irises had changed to a moss green with golden brown splotches that made Riddick's pulse race. Vaako had blinked and looked around the ship, lost until his gaze rested on Riddick who offered him a drink of water. He had parted his lips and accepted the water while Riddick had held back a cry of victory.
“Richard...” Vaako had whispered in a rough voice.
“I'm here. We made it. You made it,”Riddick had crooned.
“I... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry...” Vaako had moaned suddenly as he collapsed against Riddick's chest, his body shaking and his arms weakly holding on to his lover.
“No. Don't. None of it matters,” Riddick had said as he held Vaako against his chest.
“Wait,” Vaako had uttered, weakly pushing him away. “I wanted to tell you something. When we left, I was supposed to tell you,” he had said, agitated.
“What is it?” Riddick had asked as he petted Vaako's overgrown hair soothingly.
“I found it. In the disks my wife stole from Zhylaw,” Vaako said, a cough interrupting him. Riddick offered him more water. “I know where Furya is,” he finally said.
“Are you sure?”
Vaako had cleared his throat. “There is only one way to find out,” he had answered with the ghost of a smirk. It was barely noticeable, but the sight had made Riddick's heart swell with hope.
There is still a long way to go. Riddick is unsure of what he'll find there, but he has to try. As beautiful and peaceful as this little planet seems, Riddick has to see Furya for himself.
“We'll leave at sunset,” Riddick whispers in Vaako's ear.
“Very well. What should we do in the meantime?” Vaako asks, running his hands up and down Riddick's muscular legs.
Riddick lets out a low growl that makes Vaako shudder. “Ever had sex on a beach?”