Fan Fiction ❯ Taking Over Me ❯ Chapter 1
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
There were voices surrounding her in the dark. She could hear a male speaking with her grandmother and he wasn't trying to keep his voice down.
“Why would I want to take her? She's sick and I doubt she'll live through the night.” The man demanded.
“Please, our planet is dying, that's why she is sick. She's a seer, that's why your Lord Marshall never destroyed our planet.” The tired voice of her elderly grandmother pleaded. “He will want her on the Basilica.”
“I highly doubt that, the Necromongers have a new Lord Marshall.” The man said, almost bitterly.
“Oh, we know all about this Riddick, Lord Vaako.” The old woman said. “It's not only her gift of sight that Riddick will be interested in.” The girl heard footsteps approaching. “Calla, open your eyes.”
Calla's eyes slowly opened and although they were glassy with fever, Vaako could make out the shimmer in the poor light. “You're right. Lord Marshall Riddick will be interested in her.”
Vaako motioned to two soldiers and they began to gather the girl and her things up. “Take this.” The old woman said, handing him a vial of clear liquid. “She'll need it to get better.”
They crossed the desert sands to the where the Basilica was waiting for them. Vaako told his men where to take the girl, before he set off to find the Lord Marshall. He entered the darkened chamber and bowed to the muscular man sitting on the throne. “Lord Marshall Riddick.”
The man on the throne looked up, his eyes flashing as they caught the little bit of light in the room. “What is it?” He asked, his voice was deep and sounded like thunder rolling in.
“We've brought something back that you should take a look at.” Vaako told him.
Riddick sighed and shifted on his throne. “Why?”
Vaako glared at the man before him. “Because it is something that will be very helpful to you.”
Riddick's eyebrows twitched and he pushed himself to his feet. He grabbed a pair of goggles from beside his throne and wore them on his forehead for the time being. Riddick followed Vaako up several levels, into one of the nicer rooms, normally reserved for special officers and guests of the Lord Marshall. He approached the girl and stared down at her.
“Why would you bring me a girl?” He asked Vaako.
Vaako stepped up to the opposite side of the bed. “This girl is a seer my Lord.”
Riddick growled his frustration and impatience. “I already have the Quazi-deads. She is useless to me.”
“I beg your pardon my Lord, but she is extremely useful in many ways.” Vaako said. “For one, she can see into a person's memory without having to go in through the cerebral cortex, she can find enemies by touching streets they had run on and she can see into the future. Her ability to access the memory is excellent in its own right, that way she does not kill the captive like the Quazi's can.”
Riddick stared down at her face. “So if she is so useful, why didn't the previous Lord Marshall have her here?”
“Because using her was not artistic enough for him.” Vaako said, “And there is another reason.”
Riddick looked up and studied Vaako carefully. “What other reason?”
Vaako motioned for one of the converts to come forward. “Touch her.”
As always, the convert did not question the order. He reached out and placed his hand on her arm. Calla's eyes sprang open and her body went rigid as images of the converts past flooded her mind.
Riddick's eyes widened when he saw the blue shimmer in Calla's eyes, much like his very own. “That's enough.” He yelled, pushing the convert away.
The convert bowed and left the room. Calla's head rolled to the side and she stared at Riddick for a few moments before her eyes fluttered closed.
“How interesting.” A female voice came from the door.
Riddick and Vaako turned to see a dark skinned woman standing in the doorway. Her silver dress hugged every curve of her body, and she had her left hip jutting out in defiance.
“You have no place here Dame Vaako.” Riddick growled.
“My Lord, I was simply looking for my husband.” Dame Vaako muttered.
She looped her arm through her husbands. “I think you should leave for the time being.” Vaako told his wife through clenched teeth.
Riddick studied the two of them. He knew what a plotting, conniving pair they could be, but he knew ways around that. “No, she can stay.” He said. “So, Vaako, what must we do to make her well?”
“We could convert her.” Dame Vaako suggested.
“No, she's too weak.” Vaako said. “A conversion attempt would probably kill her in this state.”
“So then, what do we do?” Riddick pondered.
Vaako reached into his cloak and pulled a small vial of liquid from the pocket. “Her grandmother gave me this; she said that injecting this into her veins several times a day will help heal her.”
Riddick took the vial and studied its viscous contents. He turned to Dame Vaako and held out the vial. “It will be your job to cure her then.”
“But my Lord, surely I am not as qualified as some of our medical personnel. Perhaps they should be doing it. What if something happens and she dies?” Dame Vaako asked.
“Then you better hope that she doesn't die. If she does you will be quick to join her and you will never see the under verse.” Riddick told her. “Perhaps this will teach you to keep your nose out of private matters.”
When Riddick left the room Dame Vaako turned her angry glare to her husband. “How dare he!”
Vaako rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall. “Hold your tongue. Your scheming has already cost us a lot. You should be thankful that we weren't killed when Riddick became Lord Marshall.”
Dame Vaako rolled her eyes and snatched up the vial. “I wonder what is so special about this girl. He didn't look to pleased in the throne room.”
Vaako realized that she had heard nothing about Calla and hadn't seen Calla's eyes. He closed the distance between them in a few short steps. He clamped his hand around hers, sealing the vial between them.
“Don't do anything stupid!” He warned her before leaving the room.
Dame Vaako rolled her eyes. If there was anything that she hated more than weakness it was competition and the arrival of this girl meant that the competition for the throne of the Basilica had become a lot more difficult to obtain.
She shoved the vial into the hands of a young female convert. “Inject this into her veins, and be careful about it, or it is your head.” The girls nodded and walked away to tend to her duty. “Who are you?” Dame Vaako muttered to Calla's unconscious form.
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AN: I'm posting this on Media Miner at the request of one of my friends. I have it posted on FF.net but she's having issues with that site, and so am I.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Chronicles of Riddick, but I do own the plot of this story and all original characters that make an appearance.
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