2) Pull the Stars From the Sky

Riddick found it ironic that the people who'd helped Simon free River from the Academy had sent them to a slave ship to buy passage. To be fair, the Hunter Gratzner probably hadn't always been a slave ship. When these things changed they changed quickly. No, what he couldn't believe was the bloody rotten luck he'd had since for the last six years.

Not only had he gotten stuck in the Academy and before that a maximum security prison and before that...well that wasn't something he cared to recall. But when he finally got out of the Academy and was lucky enough to still be around the girl that had been a torment for more than a year and a half... He paused trying to determine exactly how that was fortunate and then shook his head. The animal considered River his and to be fair so did he. It was River's agreement that was the sticking point.

But once he was out, and free, or potentially free, who should Simon run into but Johns, the very merc who'd stuck him in prison in the first place. And Johns had been as quick as he'd ever been, pulling that big gauge off his shoulder and sticking it in Riddick's face. That had been a problem. Luckily for Johns the Hunter Gratzner had been right there, Simon had been booking passage. And Johns just struck a deal with the slavers.

Now he was in cryo of all things, something that had never had much effect on him. River was awake too, he could hear her breathing and her heartbeat, too fast to be asleep. Cryo was supposed to put your brain to sleep except for the animal side, the primitive side, the side that was far too strong in him and very strong in River since her time in the Academy. 'No wonder we're still awake,' He thought to himself. 'But who knows where we're headed. Me, Johns is gonna turn me into some slam. But River an' Simon... slaves are wanted on barely terraformed worlds, worlds that need a lot of labor, out past the rim, past the Blue Sun system even.'

He shook his head cataloging all he'd heard and smelt as other people had moved through the cabin. Johns hadn't taken any chances with him, he was bit-gagged and bound within the cryo tube so even though River was awake he couldn't talk to her. Too bad; he knew she was close, along with some holy man, Johns, and a prospector couple. Simon was nearby which would comfort River, as well as Johns more's the pity.

"Riddick?" River's voice sounded hesitant. That wasn't surprising, they hadn't ever really been able to talk much, always watched. She couldn't know how he'd welcome talking to her. But her voice held a smile when she spoke again, "Benefits of being friends with a Reader, she can hear your thoughts, would like very much to speak with you."

He would have grinned around the gag if he could, 'All right gorgeous, what did you want to talk about?' Part of him hoped she wouldn't take too much offense at the rest of his mind. He knew to think clearly at her but the undercurrents, the animal and all the emotions wrapped up in thoughts of her, she might not care for that too much.

"Richard B. Riddick erroneously thinks she only finds him physically attractive due to his attraction to her," River's voice was prompt. "She wishes to correct this mistake," He heard her pause as she took a deep breath and could smell her nerves, tiny tendrils of sugar roiling off her skin and drifting towards him in the air. "She finds her friend to be very physically attractive. She wishes she were old enough for him to not feel guilty about his desire for her."

'River you weren't even sixteen when I first started to want you,' Riddick really felt a little disturbed about that still. 'That's not right.'

"It doesn't mean you're perverted Richard," River's voice soothed him immediately. "It just means that your animal liked mine. You didn't ever do anything about it, not even when I started wanting you to."

'You're still a... a virgin gorammit,' Riddick thought violently. 'Girls deserve...I don't know...love their first time, not a big old hún dàn who's never had an affectionate thought in his life.'

"Setting aside your belief that you don't love me," River's voice had chilled in a way that meant she was going to talk about something she really didn't like and she knew he'd hate. She always smelled like steel when she got that tone; discipline controlling her reactions. "What makes you think I'm a virgin? Do you really believe the Academy wouldn't torture me that way as well as others once they'd elevated me? The first time I failed I was raped with metal."

The wordless roar of rage that escaped Riddick's lips through the gag vibrated his cryo tube and filled the air of the cabin. He could smell steel on River still, leavened with silk and blood and...honey and sugar. Steel for discipline, silk for strength, blood for truth, sugar for embarrassment, honey for...desire. He wanted to kill the men who'd hurt her and she felt desire for... him? 'River?'

"It was before I met you Richard," River explained. "I resisted the training at first. That was my punishment. It was why I didn't respond to your own desire for so long. But you helped me. I could feel your need, your lust for me, but you never even touched me in a way that reflected that lust. You held me, but only to keep me warm and never for your own needs." Her voice softened, "You made me realize that my first instincts, the animal's instincts were correct, I could trust you. I...I..." She stopped, sugar flooding her scent and he knew she was beyond embarrassed over what she'd wanted to say.

'River you... all right you're just killing me here,' Riddick rattled his chain's for emphasis. 'You're mine. All right? Even if I never get to touch you. Even if you aren't ever ready for me to be inside you. You're still mine. You're...the animal...it wants you like nothing else in the 'Verse. It wants you for its mate. I want you. So no matter what Qīng Xiāng , you belong to me. And...' He hesitated and then barreled onwards, if she didn't like this she'd tell him pretty definitely. 'And I belong to you. All right? We're partners.'

The scent that flooded the air when he thought that at her was redolent with honey and silk, blood and steel and the combination was intoxicating. "I...Richard, I want that, more than anything," Her voice was trembling and he could hear her heart pounding. "I think...I think we might actually have time," She paused a moment. "I've always had feelings... flashes of insight but since the Academy they've become more powerful. Something's going to happen. We aren't going to reach our intended destination. We'll have a chance for freedom."

'You mean I'll get a chance to actually talk to you?' Riddick liked the sound of that, especially if he could get his hands on her a little bit. Not a lot, but just enough to ensure she wasn't spooked by him touching.

"Impending death situation will make in depth conversation difficult," River didn't quite laugh but he could hear in her voice that she was smiling. "Though I do look forward to your hands on me. I... Riddick...whatever happens...I promise...I am yours."

Sugar and honey were in her scent and he would have smiled if he could. She wanted him, but she was embarrassed about wanting him. That was something he'd have to teach her, honest desire wasn't anything she should feel embarrassed about. She was a woman, her animal nature was something she should enjoy; he knew he was going to enjoy it when the time came. 'Good. Because you aren't getting away from me.' He paused and changed the subject before they both began to second guess themselves. 'Johns is going to be a problem. We had a run in years ago and now he's always hyped up on drops, painkillers.'

"Bigger problems than Johns," River was frowning, worry like toasted cinnamon was threading through her scent. "Stars are falling." She took a deep breath, "Survival is not a guarantee. Please be careful."

'No way am I dying before I've gotten my hands on you River," Riddick would have growled if the bit permitted it. 'And I won't let you die either.'

"Richard does not have control over my life or death," River reminded him pertly. "But the thought is appreciated. Looking forward to getting my hands on you too." She sighed, "A further change of subject is perhaps needful. Perhaps we can discuss weapons? Or literature? Know that you like to read."

'Yeah,' Riddick agreed. 'Let's go over a few things about guns and shivs, that'll be fun. Then we can lighten the mood a bit.'

Riddick fumed silently. Not that he had a choice about the silence. In the madness of the crash he'd been able to escape his cryo tube. River's tube had already been empty. He'd found a way to hide and when Johns had come to find him, he'd attacked. But he hadn't been able to get out of his restraints and now he was chained up again, with his only hope of escape a break in the pillar to which he was strapped. It would be uncomfortable as hell but he could use it to escape.

The rest of the passenger were milling around outside, some on the ground a few on the top of the broken ship. River and Simon were among them, Simon checking everyone for injuries. He'd even stood up to Johns, insisting he be allowed to examine Riddick but Johns had decided no one got near his prisoner. Now the prospectors were working on a way to supplement oxygen and the holy man was praying along with his boys, three young pilgrims, all of them unaware they would have been slaves if they hadn't crashed.

The woman who'd landed the ship, the one that had jettisoned more than half of the containers, some of them with people inside, was acting as if she were really the captain. Riddick felt his stomach turn as she looked at him and lust floated off her skin with the scent of too ripe mint leaves. Part of him wondered if he just didn't like her or if River had really spoiled him for other women, all without laying more than a friendly hand on his. The animal didn't care, this woman wanted to collar and chain him and that wasn't something he could tolerate. But she was talking about him and that meant paying attention.

"And him?" Fry was talking to Johns. "We just keep him locked up forever?"

"Well that would be my choice," Johns sounded both smug and superior. Riddick wished he could smack that expression off the merc's face.

"Is he really that dangerous?" Fry wanted to know.

"Only around humans," Johns had a shrug in his voice and the two of them left the cabin, Fry lingering half a moment to watch a bit longer before she was gone.

Riddick uttered a mental curse and began to refine exactly what he'd have to do to get his hands on the welding torch. Before he could begin to implement his plan someone else came into the cabin, walking quietly and determinedly right up to him. "Here," A pair of goggles were put on his head and tugged down, the blindfold removed only after his eyes were safely covered. Suddenly he could see clearly, the doctor, River's brother Simon standing in front of him with a set of tools very foreign to a doctor in his hands. In the doorway River was keeping watch, her dark hair blowing in the desert wind.

Before he could clear his thoughts to ask River what they were doing Simon was moving around behind him. Who'd have thought a doctor would carry around lock picks? Or know how to use them. Then he was free, his arms loose and his feet unchained. Savagely he reached up and tore the bit gag out of his mouth. "Thanks Doc," He managed the words around a dry tongue.

"You'll have to hide," Simon said quietly. "But that's nothing you don't know. Imam, the holy man, is going to look for water soon. River thinks Fry and Johns will go with him."

"She's usually right 'bout these things," Riddick agreed. "Why'd you do this anyway? Can't think you really care 'bout my freedom or not."

"River was adamant," Simon shrugged. "Everyone else is investigating the cargo container. I volunteered to stay out here and keep an eye on you. River wouldn't go with them so she stayed as well. They think she's younger than she is."

"Richard will have to hit Simon over the head to affect his escape," River said softly. "She will hide the lock picks."

"Doc, you okay with that?" Riddick wouldn't normally ask but this was River's brother.

"We talked about it, just don't hit me hard enough to do permanent damage please," Simon sounded resigned. "You'd better do it soon; River can fill you in on anything else you need to know."

"You got it," Riddick tilted his head evaluating and then struck out, knocking Simon's head into a beam and catching the doctor before he could crumple to the ground. "All right," The convict took a deep breath and arranged Simon so it looked as if he'd been dragged out of sight.

River deliberately stepped into the sand and marked it up so it would appear Simon had been attacked from behind and then dragged inside before she slipped back inside the broken ship. Riddick looked up at her and then rose from his crouched position. "You all right?" He wanted to be sure she wasn't feeling too overwhelmed by all the chaos and minds of the others. That was something they'd been working on but in high stress situations it wasn't easy.

"Will be fine," River offered him a smile, a little shy and hopeful. "Just wanted you to be free. Be careful...this place...it has murmuring underground and a place filled with death in the direction of the Blue Sun."

Riddick nodded and stepped closer to her, raising one hand to caress her cheek and hair. "Stay away from Johns, he's...not right inside." Her skin was so soft, felt so good under his hands, the animal wanted to purr.

River covered his hand with hers and leaned into his palm, "I will." She closed her eyes a moment and looked up into his meeting his gaze unerringly despite the goggles. "Remember..."

He nodded and pulled her closer, his hand firm on her neck and skull, pressing a kiss to her forehead and breathing in her scent. "I remember River," He promised her, mentally adding. 'You're mine and I'm yours.'

"Then go, they'll come back soon and I'll have to act hysterical," River turned her lips to his palm and kissed it.

"All right," Riddick forced himself to pull his hand away from her skin. "You better not get hurt or I'll be pretty damn pissed River."

"Go," River commanded, "Not much time."

Riddick cursed and began to run, taking care to leave tracks and taking the restraints with him. When he was a good distance away he heard River begin to scream and cry as if she were terrified.

River watched as the others cataloged the possible weapons in the crates of the cargo container. They'd already found booze and now there was a hunting boomerang and older weapons probably stolen to be sold on the antiquities black market. Simon was holding his head and with admirable core poise arguing with Johns who was insistently organizing the weapons scrounging. "What's the point? If he's gone, he's gone. Why should he bother us?"

Johns shrugged as he loaded up his big gauge shotgun. "Maybe to take what you got. Maybe to work your nerves," He pumped the gun and slid it onto his back and then began to check his pistol. "Or maybe to just come back and skull-fuck you in your sleep." He looked from Simon to River, "Pretty little thing like your sis, if he hadn't been pressed for time he mighta decided to take her along with him."

River shuddered and knew the others would read it as revulsion. Just Riddick's lips on her forehead had sent her body into a frenzy. The idea of being alone with him for hours or days to talk and touch and feel his animal reaching out for hers felt like embodying a thunderstorm. She took a deep shaking breath and shivered again. She knew exactly where Riddick was, a grave of giant bones, carving out a shiv so he could do what he did best.

Shazza, the pioneer woman, sent an irritated look at Johns, "Why don't you keep that kind of wǒ kào to yourself?"

"Because much as she might love her brother we were stupid to leave her with him, and stupid to leave only him standin' guard," Johns retorted. "We're lucky he wanted to get away more than he wanted some trim or she might have ended up dead and worse than that beforehand."

"He sounds like a charmer," Shazza shook her head.

River shook her head and shrugged picking up the boomerang and walking towards the door. "Keep eyes open," She suggested, "When you go to look for water."

Simon sat down on the top of the main cabin and watched carefully as Zeke, Shazza's husband, loaded up a sled with bodies and tools to dig with. River was watching the horizon, giving everyone the impression that she was watching for Riddick.

"Just keep your bloody eyes open. I don't want that dog sneaking up on my bloody ass," Zeke called up to Simon.

"My eyes were open when he hit me over the head," Simon retorted. "But I'll do my best."

"Yeah, that's a comfort," Zeke shook his head and began hauling.

"He's making a mistake," River's voice sounded quietly next to her brother making him jump.

"River don't do that!" Simon shook his head. "What do you mean a mistake?"

"Monsters underground. Shouldn't dig," River whispered, her voice almost lost against the wind.

"What kind of monsters?" Simon murmured still watching Zeke worriedly.

"Afraid of light, only come out at night," River explained. "But very deadly."

"Well with three suns here night shouldn't-"

"Eclipse is upon us," River shook her head as she interrupted her brother. "We have maybe a day and a half."

"Then how will we—" Simon was cut off again as River shrugged.

"Fry and Johns have found an emergency shuttle. Imam has found water," She told him softly. "In the town of ghosts." She looked around. "Get down, someone is coming."

"Who?" Simon did as she said, leaving the parasol and bottle of whiskey behind.

"Survivor," River shook her head. "Poor man." She tugged Simon into the cargo container and towards Shazza. "Stay here."

Shazza looked up in confusion as Simon was shoved towards her, "What's going on?"

Simon shrugged, "No idea," He said weakly. "River just gets awfully insistent sometimes." He turned to watch his sister as she stood in the doorway and caught his breath as the shadow of someone began moving outside. "River!"

His sister just turned and smiled at him, hunting boomerang in one hand, a cool controlled expression that was nothing like the smile he remembered. A shadow loomed over her and she tilted her head. Before anyone could say anything she had grabbed someone and yanked him forward just as a gun shot sounded. The stranger went down as River ducked out of the way, and shoved something upwards blocking a second shot. There was a grunt in a familiar voice and Shazza rushed forward. "Zeke?"

River let go of Zeke's hand and gave him a scolding look that was entirely too familiar to Simon, "Foolish to shoot when your target is not the enemy." She looked at the man she'd pulled out of the way, "Simon, he will need medical attention."

"Right," Simon nodded and moved forward to help the man turn over. "River can you..." He looked around and his sister was gone. "My bag is near the storage containers, will one of you grab it?"

River had slipped past Zeke when she'd heard Riddick's mind, his thoughts consumed with worry for her. Darting across the sand she'd found him slipping down from Simon's old perch, whiskey on his breath to grab her up and wrap her in his arms in a brief breathless hug. "Heard gunshots," He said gruffly. "You all right Qīng Xiāng?"

"Fine," River nodded. "Here," She handed him a bottle. "Wine is better for you than the whiskey. Our animals don't overly care for intoxication in battleground scenarios."

"Yeah, something eerily wrong about the ground hereabouts," Riddick agreed. "I'm gonna hang around here, keep an eye on you an' Simon." He looked back towards the direction of Zeke's dig site, "Try to convince that fella not to dig any deeper iffen you can."

"Thinks I'm a little chī xiàn," River shrugged and leaned against him. "Won't listen."

"Yeah, ain't none of 'em too bright, 'ceptin' your brother," Riddick said grimly. "Gimme a quick kiss an' I'll take off again. But you look out for you an' Simon, the rest of 'em..." He shook his head, "Lower priority."

"Understood," River nodded and rose on her tiptoes to press a soft kiss to his cheek. "You be careful." Riddick nodded and let himself wrap her up in his arms for a moment before setting her on her feet and taking off, disappearing behind a dune of sand in the direction of the graves.

River returned to the cargo container and watched as Simon examined the new survivor. "He will need liquids," She observed. "Found wine, less alcohol than whiskey, better for imbibing." She handed the man a bottle and watched as he opened it with shaking fingers. "I'm River, that's Simon," She nodded at her brother. "Those are Zeke and Shazza."

"I'm Logan," The man nodded his thanks for the wine, "Thought I was the only one left."

River shook her head and examined the man critically. He was sunburnt and covered in dust, and had obviously spent a great deal of time in the heat. "How's your breathing?"

"Not great," The man shrugged and began pushing himself to his feet. "But I figure that's 'cause a there bein' three suns." He wiped some dust off his face with the sleeve of his shirt. "Why was someone shooting at me?"

"There's an escaped convict out there, likes to carve on people," Zeke spoke up. "We thought you were him."

"You thought Logan was Riddick," River corrected coldly. "You didn't bother to confirm that before you began shooting. It was not a well planned course of action."

"Well I don't see you standing guard or diggin' out there in the sun where that dog could sneak up on you." Zeke berated her. "When the man escaped it was when you an' your pansy brother here were standing watch."

"Yes," River said coolly. "My brother was injured and I was terrified. And in spite of that Riddick did nothing but push past me and leave. If he is as dangerous as Johns claims why did he leave both Simon and I alive? Why has he not returned to kill us all while his jailor is gone?"

"Because we have a gun?" Shazza suggested dryly as she picked up a pick axe and rested it on her shoulder.

"We have a pistol with eight shots, two of which are now gone," River pointed out, "In the hands of a man who is inexperienced with such firearms."

"River," Simon said gently. "Maybe you could take Mr. Logan out and show him the main cabin? Or perhaps give him a little history as to where we are? Who is here with us?"

River nodded slowly, "I will show him the main cabin and find him a breather," She said quietly. "Come Mr. Logan, we are clearly not wanted here."

Simon looked at the man and woman standing side by side and shook his head, "I need to explain something to you while River isn't here." He said thinking quickly, "She's extremely intelligent. She's graceful and she's trained in martial arts. She's also enormously afraid right now. She thinks this is a slave ship and that we were all being taken out past the rim to be put to work on some new planet that needed labor. She's a voracious reader and followed the news on the cortex feeds so she knew exactly who Riddick was when Johns mentioned the man's name. She told me everything she knew about him, which was quite a bit given her tendency to research her interests."

"And what was that?" Zeke relaxed slightly as Simon appeared to be treating he and Shazza as equals.

"Riddick is a murderer, but he's also one with a peculiar code of his own," Simon shrugged. "She told me that he has no compunction about killing anyone who opposes him. He's extremely skilled and dangerous and has almost animal instincts for what will keep him alive."

"So far not seeing the upside here Doc," Shazza shook her head.

"He doesn't harm children, by all accounts he despises people who hurt children. Adults are fair game, they've made their choices, but to hurt a child..." Simon shook his head. "And if we've done nothing to him, the chances of him returning to harm us are very slight. He'll want a way off this world just as we will. I think if we try to deny him that, that's when he would turn dangerous to us all. As it is, the only person he is a danger to now is Johns."

"That ain't totally comforting," Zeke said slowly. "But since we ain't done anythin' to him, you're sayin' he'll most likely leave us alone."

"According to what River learned yes," Simon nodded. Outside the container Riddick smirked and shook his head. Who'd have known the Doc could bullshit with the best of 'em. That he was mostly spoutin' facts didn't hurt. Knowing something was true certainly could make repeating it sound assured.

Riddick eased away from the cargo section and began to make his way over to the main cabin keeping an eye out for the returning party of explorers. River was explaining to Logan what had happened to the ship leaving out the part about it being a slave ship. "So...what? The lawman and the captain went off to look for water and left a little girl, a barely old enough doctor and a married couple more concerned about themselves than other folks behind?" Logan didn't sound impressed.

"Fry wished to escape the memories of her crewmates dying," River shrugged. "She hopes by the time she returns that they will be buried though burial is inadvisable on this planet." She moved about the cabin, trailing her fingers over things, letting Riddick hear where she was. "Johns went to try and find Riddick; that was the direction he took when he escaped. The Chrislams went to find water; their quest is the likeliest to succeed."

"But they left a pretty girl alone with only her brother and two other people while a murderer roams around this place?" Logan seemed a bit disturbed by that idea.

"Not alone," River shook her head and listened to Riddick's thoughts. He seemed to think the newcomer was flirting with her. His thoughts were near growls of insistence; the animal felt its claim on her was threatened. "I am in no danger from Riddick. He didn't harm me when he was quite capable of doing so."

"Still, iffen the man's been locked up ain't like he's got much chance to meet girls," Logan argued. "An' you're a pretty little thing. Ain't like he'd have a lotta other options. He don't sound like he's been in a position to be choosy."

"That is an accurate statement," River replied thoughtfully. "He would certainly not have any other opportunities to meet women while incarcerated." She glanced at Logan curiously. "You are positing the theory that any attraction he might have to me comes from proximity and lack of other potential mates?"

"Well it ain't like you aren't a cute little thing, but a man a that stamp ain't known for findin' refined little ladies like you to be to his taste." Logan pointed out taking a drink of his wine.

"That is true," River nodded. "Riddick is likely older than I am, and accustomed to women who look more like..." She gazed morosely down at herself, "Women." Resolutely she began to block out Riddick's mental shouting though with the volume he could project it wasn't easy.

Zeke stopped near the opening in the side of the cabin, "I'm headed back out to bury the dead." He told them, "Logan you wanna come with, keep a lookout? Simon's gonna help Shazza in the cargo container and then keep watch from up top."

"Yeah man, sure," Logan nodded and picked up the bottle of wine before grabbing the pick axe Zeke held.

River sat down and began to think. Riddick claimed to want her and his emotions supported that claim. He'd had, however, very little opportunity to meet and form an attachment to any other woman since he'd been locked up with her since she was just past fifteen. It was true that they talked regularly and had much in common besides several years in an experimental government institution. He had been remarkably forbearing for a man of his background and proved himself capable of controlling or sublimating his physical needs. None of that meant he had formed an attachment to her that was lasting and real. It only meant she was the sole female of his acquaintance. Logic dictated that she keep him at a distance and encourage him to find other women with whom he could explore his physical urges. If he still wished to claim her after he had spent time and had coitus with other women then perhaps he would be satisfied with her as his mate or woman or whatever it was called when the two people in question were fugitives and unable to marry legally.

Riddick paced and stifled the urge to murder the gǒu niáng yǎng de who'd told River that she was 'cute' but not the type of woman a man like Riddick would want. He'd known to the minute when she'd actually begun giving credence to Logan's theories. Her scent had filled with steel and citrus and silk as she'd begun to think. He could see the two men in the distance, the ground where they worked a bit lower than the rest of the area. Zeke had erected a tarp and it had fallen while he'd been gone.

Suddenly River burst out of the cabin and began running for the grave, her scent redolent with burnt cinnamon. Riddick scowled and began to run after her. Several shots rang out and there was a scream of agony. River reached the grave before he did and jumped down before he could stop her. Logan was there, hanging onto Zeke with all his might, the man was screaming, his legs in a hole in the side of the grave.

River picked up the gun and shot blindly into the hole ignoring Logan. Riddick jumped down after her and began pulling Zeke away from the hole, "Cào dàn !" He tore off his shirt and hastily began to wrap it tightly around Zeke's severed leg. River leaned down to peer into the hole and shrieked throwing herself backwards and nearly into Riddick.

The shots and screams had drawn Simon and Shazza and the doctor jumped into the hole. "What happened?" He demanded as he began working to stabilize the injured man.

"We was comin' back, to finish diggin' the graves," Logan began not looking at Riddick. "An' there's a hole in the side of the grave. The bodies is gone so Zeke he crouched down by the hole, kinda looked in like. Something...speared him through the leg... pulled him in. I kep' hold of 'im but it was..." He shook his head. "Your lil sis comes along grabs the gun an' shoots in the hole. This 'un he gets hold a Zeke an' we pulled 'im back. His leg..."

"Don't go into the dark," River whispered still trying to back away from the hole. "Hunger in the dark."

Logan looked at her and then at the hole in the ground, "Yeah, ain't really able to argue that."

Riddick looked at the unconscious pioneer and then at River. She was white as a ghost, staring into the hole and shaking her head, the scent of fear coming off of her overwhelmed every other scent until he felt as if he were drowning in burnt cinnamon. Slowly but surely she began to calm down, her animal reading his and taking comfort from his own composure.

Before he could say anything he heard the sound of feet running towards them and leapt up. It was time to go.

River shuddered and took deep calming breaths trying to find a serene place inside her, her mind instinctively finding Riddick's as he ran. She could feel Johns coming towards them, and then his mind and Riddick's collided. Fighting, and then blinding light and she whimpered. Logan moved slightly, turning towards her, his foot sliding just a hair too close to the hole.

Like lightening something wrapped around his ankle and jerked, pulling him off his feet. Shouting with fear he reached out as he was drawn down, grabbing onto anything near by, his hand wrapping around River's wrist and yanking her forward as he slid backwards. River screamed as she was dragged forward closer to the hole, Logan's fingers like a manacle around her wrist.

Scrambling for purchase in the loose dirt River's fingers closed around the gun even as she was pulled closer to the hole. Someone grabbed her around the waist and pulled backwards but whatever held Logan was strong and the man's grasp on her wrist was desperate enough that he could not be pried away. Logan was screaming now, his other hand grabbing onto her and pulling her into the hole with him, almost face to face as he was dragged downwards.

River shuddered as the arm Logan gripped dislocated and brought up the gun. Closing her eyes she shot point blank into Logan's screaming mouth and was abruptly pulled backwards as Logan's hand grew lax around her wrist. River looked around as she was pulled out of the hole and tried to control her breathing. "Only two bullets left," She whispered.

Shazza looked up as Fry came to the edge of the grave and looked back down at her husband closing his sightless eyes. "Burials...they aren't such a good idea here," She said quietly.

"What happened?" Fry looked at Simon whose arm was still around his sister's waist, tears streaming down his face.

"Where's Riddick?" Shazza wanted to know.

"Johns is takin' him back to the cabin, lock him back up," Fry shrugged. "Why?"

"Because he tried to save Zeke," Simon said dully. "Logan told us..."

"Who's Logan?" Fry looked at the three traumatized people and shook her head. "C'mon outa there and get in some shade and tell me what happened."

"Teeth in the dark," River whispered and cried out as Simon touched her shoulder in an effort to help her up.

"Shǐ niào," Simon shook his head as he took in the way River's arm was hanging. "We've got to get back to the ship."

"Gǒu niáng yǎng de," Shazza shook her head in pained awe. "Can't you do anything about it here?"

"I'm going to need someone with more strength in the upper body than I have," Simon shook his head. "It's got to be popped back in, and River can't have pain meds. She's severely allergic."

"Let's go then," Shazza took one last mournful look at Zeke and got to her feet. Fry looked at the three of them but said nothing.

TBC

Translations:

hún dàn - bastard

Qīng Xiāng - Sweet Scent

wǒ kào - crap

chī xiàn - crazy/insane

Cào dàn ! - damn it!

Shǐ niào - shit and piss

Gǒu niáng yǎng de - son of a bitch

Author's Note: So what did you folks think? Concerns, comments, great thoughts or questions? Love to hear from you and if you think I've missed something or you're confused because I wasn't clear enough please feel free to tell me/ask. Always happy to help.