A/N M'kay guys, this is my first story so be gentle with your comments. But if I've totally botched it feel free to tell me. This first chapter is really short and I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update the story 'cause I just sort of wrote this as a spur-of-the-moment type thing. I am looking for a beta so if you'd like to offer your services just say something in your review. Okay, on with the story!

Running, Adien leapt over an empty box in the street and dashed into a narrow alleyway. Dead end. "Shit." She looked around franticly and spotted a small dumpster. As she scrambled up it and climbed to the roof Adien grinned, that old man couldn't reach her now. She laid down flat and peeked over the edge of the roof, eyes widening. That's not Imam… Gulping, Adien rolled onto her back and tried to slow her racing heart and quickened breathing. She knew the holy man's personal charge was well a well-trained woman. Even if Jack couldn't see her, she would hear her.

Adien had watched Jack train day after day and had even begun to copy her. At first she was sure she hadn't been spotted but on the 4th day the Jack had silently padded over and corrected the 15-year-old girl's stance. Since then they had trained together, Jack using the same routine, Adien slowly and painfully trying to work her way up. She wasn't anything great yet, but could hold her own in some light sparring.

"Adien, I know you're up there," Jack called. Wincing, the runaway rolled over and looked down.

"Ah, hehe. Hi Jack…"

"Why'd you run this time? Imam wouldn't give me the details, just said you'd busted out and that he was getting too old to chase after you himself," she finished with a mock glare as she climbed up to sit next to the girl.

"Training." Adien mumbled.

"What was that?"

"I said training! Imam wants me to stop training with you. He says I'm getting too violent," the girl finished.

"Well, you did punch that kid in the marketplace the other day. And that shopkeeper from a few weeks ago? Yeah, he came by yesterday and said he still has bruises." Jack said, trying desperately to hide the fact that she was proud of the younger girl's increasing abilities, even if she was putting them to use in the wrong places.

"They both deserved it," the girl said, " The boy was a thief and the shopkeeper's prices were outrageous!"

"Of course.C'mon kid, let's get back to the house. It's getting dark and I can almost smell dinner. And if you promise not to break out again I'll see what I can do about the holy man. Deal?"

Shaking the outstretched hand, Adien replied, "Deal. Hey Jack, after dinner could you tell me another story? About Riddick?"

Imam had found Adien when she was 10, an orphan like Jack. For the first few weeks after he 'adopted' her she had been frightened of lonely, reclusive Jack. Until Jack had started talking about Riddick, telling her the stories he had told about the places he'd been and the people he'd met in his life. After he had left her with Imam in New Mecca those stories had kept back the darkness that threatened to overwhelm her. They did the same for this girl, if not for the same reasons. For here they were nice little stories about a made-up man doing made-up things. For Jack they were the only connection she had to her savoir/idol except the pair of black goggles he'd left her, promising he'd be back for them. Jumping down to the dumpster and to the ground Jack watched as Adien did the same and said "Imam is probably getting worried, let's hurry." Adien snorted in disbelief as she raced after Jack along the path that she had bolted through only a little while ago.

Arriving at the house, Adien quickly ran up to her room to avoid Imam. Even though Jack had promised to talk to him, she didn't want to take any chances. Jack greeted Imam and hurriedly showered and dressed for dinner, pulling on a pair of black sweats and a gray tank with a half zipped sweatshirt. Helion Prime was a planet with a desert climate, boiling days and freezing nights.

Smells of exotic spices and flavored meats wafted up the stairs and both Jack and Adien followed them to the kitchen. At times Jack marveled at how much Adien reminded her of herself not only in mannerisms and character but in appearance as well. Trying to clear her head, Jack took a seat across from Imam and next to Adien. Though dinner was silent it wasn't an uncomfortable one. After dinner Jack offered to help clean up while Adien got ready for bed.

Carrying the dishes to the sink Jack said, "So Adien told me you wanted her to stop training with me. Any particular reason for that?"

Sighing, Imam looked up at his charge from the soapy water in the sink. He remembered when she had first begun to live with him after Riddick left. She had been withdrawn, bitter, quiet and scared. He still didn't know where she came from originally, but she said that the last place she remembered being before the crash was Erdith. It was a large city on the same planet they had picked Adien up on during one of Imam's trips.

"Imam? Imam? Earth to Imam, come in Imam!" Jack called.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

"I asked you why don't you want Adien training with me any more?" she said, wondering where the man's mind had been.

"I understand your reasons for training the way you do child, but why should the girl train as well? She has no reason to wear herself out day after day. If it were just for her health it would be different but it's not. Do you realize she wants to be just like you? But she is not going to be chasing an escaped ex-convict across the galaxy," he finished quietly.

"How did you know? Am I really that obvious?"

"No child, not to those who do not know you as well as I. You have become restless of late, the look in your eyes every time to gaze towards the heavens speaks of an unfulfilled longing. I know you will want to leave soon. And when you do rest assured that Adien will be safe here."

At the top of the stairs Adien sat listening to the conversation below. Why is Jack leaving? Where's she going? And why the hell is she chasing an ex-convict?! She listened for a little longer to make sure they weren't discussing anything important.

Just as she was about to go to her room she heard Imam say,"So, do you know where Riddick is? I hope you don't intend to wander the galaxies searching for him."

Riddick? The Riddick of Jack's stories? This was getting weird now. Finally deciding to return to her room as Jack and Imam finished Adien pulled out a notebook from her drawer. It served as a journal/sketchbook for her where she had included all of the stories Jack had told her. Flipping through it she found her favourite one about him landing himself in a triple-max slam just to get a shine job on his eyes. "So you can see who's sneaking up on you in the dark," she whispered, remembering Jack's words. Before now these stories had all been fake, nothing but smoke and mirrors. Now they took on a new life.

So what do you think? Should I continue? It was going to end way up there where the line is but I decided to be generous. If you're nice and review, I just might give you something...