Invictus In the Black
6 I Have Not Winced Nor Cried Aloud
He'd had to stop when Paris got killed, had to plant his feet in the ground to stay in his place at the head of the line. His animal was screaming that his mate shouldn't be farthest away from him, though logically he understood why River wanted rear guard. It was the furthest away from Johns, and she was capable enough to handle it if one of the bioraptors took a swipe at her. Chances were she'd hear the intent before the claws or teeth got near her. He'd been able to smell the change in her scent when Paris had been killed. Fear, pain, rage and then steel, blood and silk when she'd made the decision to give the man mercy. At least Zoe had the sense to throw River her sawed off rather than chance River losing a dagger to the darkness.
Yeah, it was logical to have River guarding their backs, and there was no one he'd trust more to do it, but logical didn't mean he had to like it.
Riddick forced himself to stay relaxed as Johns fell in step with him. The man smelt of fear and drugs. How had this arrogant fucker managed to catch him again? Bad enough River was worried about this ass taking her back to wherever slam she'd escaped from. He knew damn well Johns was gonna haul his ass back to the slam. Though from the sound of it River's slam was worse than his, least they didn't experiment on him in the slam, though that might break the boredom. Ignoring the idiot next to him, he concentrated on River, thinking of his absolute intent to keep her. The shiniest girl he'd ever seen, with an animal to match his and bloody skills he could worship, he wasn't ever gonna let her go, he was gonna keep her at his side. Couldn't keep her if he didn't help save her family.
Finally Johns spoke. "Ain't all of us gonna make it."
Riddick rolled his eyes. "Just realized that, huh?" How had this hype caught him again? Oh yeah, he'd taken out four civilians that hadn't done anything but stand next to Riddick in a crowd. Clicking nearby drew him out of that thought and Johns blasted at the sound, wasting ammo and reminding everybody who had the big gun.
"Eight of us left. If we could get through that canyon and lose just one, that'd be quite a fucking feat, huh? A good thing, right?" Johns speculated, casting a sidelong glance at the convict.
"Not if I'm the one." Riddick shook his head mentally wondering just how stupid Johns thought he was.
"What if you're one of six or seven?" Johns asked.
Riddick turned and looked at the merc, kept his face impassive. "I'm listenin'."
River watched from the back of the group, seeing Riddick and Johns silhouetted side by side. Johns was making his play for power now, smacking Fry down earlier had just been the first step. She could hear the conversation through Riddick's thoughts, including the Furyan's disgust with the merc.
"What're they doin' up there?" Jack wondered.
"Talking about the canyon, I suppose." Imam reassured the girl. "How to get us through."
Fry looked ahead to see Johns and Riddick striding forward together as if they were partners, an unsettling thought. If the merc and the murderer were joining forces there wasn't a chance in hell the rest of them would make it.
Johns was elaborating on his idea. "Look, it's hellified stuff; but no different than those battlefield doctors when they have to decide who lives and who dies. It's called triage, okay?"
Riddick smirked slightly, "Kept calling it murder when I did it."
"Either way, figure it's something you can grab onto." Johns shrugged.
Playing dumb Riddick began to spell it out. "Sacrifice play. Hack up one body; leave it at start of the canyon. Like a bucket of chum."
Johns shook his head. "Trawl with it. There's a cable on the sled. We can drag the body behind us."
The murderer looked straight ahead and hoped his face didn't show his disgust. "Nice embellishment," He drawled.
"Don't wanna feed these land-sharks, just keep 'em off our scent." The merc explained.
Riddick deliberately looked back and caught River's eye. "So which one caught your eye?"
"Don' look, don' look, don' look..." Johns hissed. "What the hell's wrong with you?"
Fry caught the look too, and Johns' non-look. "Imam. Slow down."
The shepherd regarded her in shock. "What?"
"Don't stop, just slow down," Fry said warily, keeping her eyes on Johns. "Little more space 'tween us and them."
To his credit Imam tried to protest. "I would rather we all stay-"
"Do what I say. Please." Fry added her bottom lip caught nervously between her teeth.
River drew closer to the sled, her voice a whisper that floated away on the wind. "Passions spin the plot: We are betrayed by what is false within."
Zoe cast a sharp glance at her and drew Jack closer within the circle of light, one hand on her mare's leg.
Riddick wondered for a moment what this would have been like if River wasn't around, if she hadn't challenged him, interested him, would he take Johns offer? He thought about Jack, that girl had stones, held it together better than grown men. Kill her so Johns could get through safe? No, hell no, he nearly growled the denial, the beast inside him recoiling at the thought of killing children. "What's her name, anyway?"
"What do you care?" Johns snapped.
The convict shrugged wondering just how little Johns cared, if he even knew. "Don't."
"Then let's not name the main course, okay? I assume you still got a shiv," Johns added.
And that answered that question, Riddick shook his head. "What, you 'spect me to do it?" Johns really had no clue. In all the time he'd been hunted Riddick hadn't ever deliberately killed a kid.
"What's one more to you? Like this is the one that sends you to Hell?" The merc rolled his eyes.
"Oh, you're a piece of art, Johns. They oughtta hang you in a museum somewhere." Riddick stopped and stared hard at the merc. "Or forget the museum; maybe they should just hang you." Out of the corner of his eye he saw the sled team falling behind, walking more and more slowly. The stench of Fry's fear drifted over the wind.
"Awright. You do the girl and that soldier, 'cause she's nothin' but trouble; I'll keep the others off your back." Johns patted his shotgun as if that was supposed to be comforting. Riddick stopped and turned to stare at Johns again. "It's not too big a job for you is it?"
Riddick shook his head. "Just wonderin' if we don't need a bigger piece of bait." First the sonofabitch was telling him to gut a little girl and then he wanted to add River's momma to the list? Was the rat-bastard completely clueless?
"Like who, Mr. Chrislam?" Johns shook his head. "Still have to tow those cells. Maybe add the boy to the pile, keep the shepherd in line."
Riddick shook his head slowly, the dagger River had given him back in the cargo container was still in his boot. "No, I was thinking Mr. Johns." He grabbed for the shotgun. It blasted skyward.
River watched it all, Fry urging them all to run away, leaving the sled behind. River stayed, her torch shining in the darkness. She didn't have to see the fight to know what was going on. Johns and Riddick fighting in the circle of light. Riddick's animal coming to the fore, her dagger in his hand. Clicking coming up to them, opportunistic hunters. Johns and the self-labeled murderer both aiming at the predator and shooting the big gauge. Every part of her wanted to join this fight, to make war at his side, the animal the blue hands had brought to the surface crying out that this was her mate; it was her right to stand and fight with him.
"Gotta stay in the light, Johns. That's the only rule." Riddick's words echoed in her skull and she watched through his eyes. Johns circled inside the light. Taunting him, Riddick began to poke and jab, backing him up against the wall of darkness. Johns found a club of bone, and Riddick was forced to sheath the dagger and pick up a club of his own.
She felt Riddick's satisfaction when he used his club on John's hand, breaking the merc's fingers and forcing him to drop the bone. Johns made a desperate lunge for the light only to have the dagger in Riddick's hand end up in his back. "Remember that moment?" River felt her tiger's voice in her bones, nearly closed her eyes to feel it better.
The vicious satisfaction River felt belonged to Riddick only in part as the convict stalked the merc. "Shoulda never took the chains off, Johns. You were one brave fuck, before. You were really bad-ass. The chains. The gauge. The badge. I told you to ghost me."
She felt when Johns found the shotgun, heard his words of bravado, "I'm still bad-ass," and felt Riddick disappear into the darkness. Watched and felt Johns' panic as a predator closed in and managed to wrench her mind away from the merc's. She watched through Riddick's strange silvery vision as Johns frantically tried to shoot down the two predators closing in on him. Saw him become enveloped in a predators claws. And watched as he was split in two.
River kept her grasp tight to Riddick's mind, her torch held above her in the dark as she stood on the sled. She knew Zoe hadn't realized that River had been left alone. She waited, watching with Riddick as he stood alone in the dark. And felt Fry crash straight into him, the smell of her panic filling his nostrils. Felt his distaste for the cowardly blonde woman.
"Back to the ship, huh?" Riddick looked over the group. "Sure that's a good idea?"
Fry growled like a frightened Chihuahua before a large cat. "Get out of our way."
Riddick shook his head. "So everybody huddles t'gether 'till the lights burn out?"
Fry shook her head, backing up a step, "Get away from us."
"'Til you cain't see what's eatin' you? That the big plan?" He regarded Fry coldly. "You plannin' to leave River alone in the dark? Didn' even bother to check if you had everybody 'fore you went runnin'?"
He saw Zoe stiffen and go as white as a black woman could go; her skin pasty as she realized she'd been so worried about one child she hadn't realized the other wasn't behind her.
Imam, in a moment of bravery asked, "Where's Mr. Johns?"
The convict drawled, "Which half?"
The shepherd looked appalled. "You mean..."
Jack shook her head, more upset than she really wanted to be, clinging to Zoe. "Gonna lose everybody out here..."
He looked at her and stared hard into her eyes. "He died fast. And if we got any choice, that's the way we should all go out." Riddick hoped the girl never found out what Johns had intended, but at the same time, wasn't sure he could stand Jack crying over the bastard. "Don't you cry for Johns. Don't you dare."
Jack looked at him and looked back in the darkness. "Where's River?" She whispered. "Riddick, we didn't lose her?"
He shook his head. "She kep' a light burnin' for alla you." Riddick looked at Fry. "Ain't goin' back to die in some container like dog in a cage. We are gettin' off this rock."
Zoe nodded and looked at Imam and his last follower. Suleiman looked nervous but still game to try. "Well Riddick, get us to River would you? If I know her she's gettin' bored and she'll start fightin' the monsters just to keep from tryin' to count stars."
Riddick nearly laughed and shook his head, this was a fucking soldier, he'd give money to go into combat with her, just to hear some of the stuff she'd say. "Well by all means, let's go keep River from getting bored." He looked at Jack. "You and Zoe, keep that light at my back." He cast a slightly derisive look at Fry who didn't even seem to realize he had a problem with her. "I'm leading you back to the sled." Fry didn't object, but then she seemed to have self interest down to an art form.
The run back to the sled wasn't as awful as it could have been. They really hadn't strayed all that far, but a dune had blocked River's light from their sight line. His eyes, as sensitive as they were, saw River's torch like a sunset over the dunes. When he arrived River was standing in that motionless way she had, square on the sled, light in a corona around her.
She opened her eyes as he led the others into the circle of light and smiled. "She is the lighthouse on the ocean of sand." Dark chocolate eyes gleamed in the torchlight as she looked at all of them. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…The golden door isn't here, but it isn't far away either."
Zoe rushed forward and wrapped River in her arms, and Riddick folded his arms watching as Zoe was torn between scolding River for remaining behind and praising her for the same thing. Imam, Jack and Suleiman rushed forward, the holy man praising River and the young pilgrim shaking his head in amazement. Jack simply wrapped her arms around the other girl and Riddick could smell her tears on the air.
Fry stood beside him and shook her head. "You'd think there were corpses of a dozen of those things around her the way they're carrying on."
Riddick glanced over at Fry. "You left her here. Most women woulda panicked, left the sled, run in another direction. She stayed with the sled, with the power cells we all need to get offa this rock."
"She should have run with us." Fry frowned in River's direction.
"She's not a soldier Fry," Riddick shook his head, wondering why he was still talking to the woman. "She's somethin' else." He strode forward into the light, goggles safely over his eyes and walked towards River. "So you're the light in the darkness huh?"
River looked up at him. "Never followed orders well," Her lips curved tentatively and Riddick raised his hand experimentally, tracing the line of her jaw.
"Don't like orders much myself." Riddick wondered how it was this girl, this tiny slip of a thing, delicate and graceful, pale skin and dark hair screaming Core got under his skin. "How're you doin'? Gonna have a fit if I kiss you?"
"Riddick believes it is wise to kiss her now?" River whispered, her eyes darting over his shoulder at Fry. "The false captain still wants the tiger for her own."
"You ain't heard?" Riddick nearly grinned, "Tigers can't be tamed." But he drew away from her just the same, even though the beast under his skin was screaming to claim her.
Zoe regarded the two of them thoughtfully. The man hadn't laid more than a finger on River that she had seen but he was acting as if River was already his. And River, the girl who tried to avoid every form of shackle or claim, seemed pleased and determined to keep the man who was a self-confessed escaped and convicted murderer. She sighed. Life on Serenity was going to be interesting if River was serious about keeping Riddick.
She glanced over towards the canyon. A cacophony of sound rose from the valley, clicking, shrieking, and bone rattling as predators found each other, fought and died. There wasn't anyway out but through. The seven of them stood and listened and more than a few of them shuddered at the sounds. Zoe wasn't too proud to admit she was among them and when River looked at her she kissed her girl's forehead. "Just another valley little one."
River nodded solemnly and looked at Jack. "Zoe has fought many battles. She and my Captain made it through the war together, held Serenity Valley. With she and Riddick and our brave pilot and steadfast friends, we will surely live to see the sun rise."
Riddick wondered if River realized she had that gift Zoe had talked about. That nameless quality that gave men hope and made them want to follow. She had certainly captivated the animal in him and then caught the man's attention as well. And if he didn't stop dwelling on might could be's they'd never get off this fucking rock. He stared out at the valley and kept his face blank despite what he saw.
Fry looked at Riddick. "How many you see?"
"One or two." He for damn sure wasn't going to give them true numbers. River could handle it but she was the only one. The rest would be too scared to move. And River could just nip the thought right out of his mind.
Fry didn't call him on his bullshit. She turned and looked at Jack. "Jack?"
Jack knew her job and nodded. "Three full bottles. But almost time to refill."
The pilot shrugged. "Doesn't seem like enough to turn back on, does it?"
Riddick turned to look at the survivors rather than the predators. "Only see one way. Turn the sled over and drag it like that, girl down low. Light up everything we got, and run through like dogs on fire."
There was a slight pause as everyone took in what he said and reasoned it out for themselves. "The sled as a shield..." Imam said finally, understanding on his face. He smiled compassionately at Jack, and Riddick was amazed that the man who lost two of his boys so easily accepted risking everything for the child of a stranger. River had been right. The shepherd was a good man.
"And what about the cells?" Fry asked doubtfully.
"I'll take those." Riddick stated quietly. No one else had the strength to carry all four at once, and the rest of them would be needed around the sled.
Fry didn't like it though, her look hard and angry. "We're just here to carry your light, aren't we? Just the torch-bearers."
Riddick ignored her. The last thing he felt like dealing with was a hysterical blonde. Johns had been bad enough, but Fry's voice grated on his nerves and the combination of fear and lust that wafted off her skin when she looked at him was starting to make him feel more than a little sick. "Let's drop back an' boot up."
River handed Jack the light she'd draped down her back as a shield. "Little sister, you'll need this." She draped it around Jack's neck. "Looks well on you."
Zoe worked to lash the power cells together as Riddick made himself a harness from the old straps. "River, you and Fry and Suleiman will have to guard the sled." She instructed as she worked. "Imam and I will need to pull it." She looked at Imam thoughtfully. "Unless you would rather Suleiman pull with you."
Imam shook his head. "Let our children carry the light at our backs. We will follow Fry and Riddick, and carry our child in need."
Zoe smiled. "Could get to like you Shepherd." She bound the cords of the cells together and beckoned to Riddick so he could test them for strength.
He nodded at her and looked at Fry. "You'll keep an eye on her?" Zoe gave him a look that suggested, among other things, that she wasn't Fry's keeper. "Can't trust her with River," Riddick muttered, "And I won't be in a position to protect what's mine." Zoe nodded her gaze thoughtful as it rested on Fry and went to evaluate the rest of the preparations.
Riddick turned and saw Imam behind him, muttering in his hoodoo tongue. "What're you doin'?"
"Blessing you like the others." Imam looked amused at Riddick's skepticism. "It's painless."
"And pointless." Riddick said darkly.
"I see," For a moment the shepherd appeared nonplussed but rallied. "Well, even if you don't believe in God, it doesn't mean He won't be..."
"Ya don't see," Riddick cut him off as he shrugged into the harness, tightened it down close to his body. "Think someone can spend half their life in the slam...with a horse bit in their mouth an' not believe? Think he could start out in some trash bin...with an umbilical cord wrapped around his neck an' not believe? Got it all wrong, Holy Man. I absolutely believe in God. An' I absolutely hate the fucker."
"He is with us nonetheless," Imam met Riddick's gaze with absolute faith in his eyes.
"Two of your boys're already dead, how much faith you got left Shepherd? Give my blessin' to the girl. She needs a spare," He didn't bother to indicate which girl and found it interesting that Imam went to River who recoiled visibly.
"Sorry Shepherd," River's voice was clear and sweet as rainwater, and every bit as unmoved with the words of men. "There are no atheists in fox holes." Imam seemed to take that as encouragement for a moment and River shook her head. "But there are no believers in carnal houses." Riddick jerked and turned to look at the girl he'd claimed as his own, watching as she sent the holy man on to bless Jack. River's last mutter had the ring of a quote, but he couldn't place it. "God? Whose colors is He flying?"
Zoe stopped her work and stared at River for a long moment before she allowed Imam to bless her. Riddick wondered if Zoe recognized where River's words had come from. And then it was time to move.
River took a deep breath and held her sword in one hand and a torch in the other. She had taken rear guard again, Fry took one side and Suleiman the other. Jack was folded under the sled, a precious pearl in her shell while Imam and Zoe took hold of the sled's chains. She could see Riddick, the pale light still glowing on his back, a line of power cells strung behind him. "As fast as you can." He commanded.
River kept her irritation to herself as Fry questioned him. "You sure you can keep-"
But Riddick didn't let her finish, merely repeating his command. "As fast as you can." She could feel the resolve in him. Confusion over why she was so important so quickly. Why he was ready to help these people for her sake? That was the man, confused, questioning. The animal side, the primitive side, the tiger that wouldn't sleep through cryo knew the sword dancer was its mate and impelled the man to obey.
But to River it made perfect sense. Riddick was her equal, perhaps the only true equal she had in the 'verse. Just as she would fight for him, connive and inveigle and steal to free him, and allow him liberties with her body no man had ever dared take, so he would fight to keep her. And the tiger understood that in order to claim its mate, the mate must have her true family or the entire bond would be soured, broken and pointless.
And then it was time to run. She could feel Riddick behind her, his presence burning in her mind like Blake's immortal tiger. He'd kept his goggles on, not needing to see the horrors around him to know they were there. What would be the point? There was only one way home, and that was straight through.
Light surrounded them but to see was to freeze in horror. River kept her gaze straight ahead, her mind clear and listening for the tell tale swoop of a predator overhead, focusing on immediate threats, rather than the danger as a whole. She could feel the mass of monsters above them and kept a close watch on Jack beneath the sled.
From behind them Riddick's growl was loud. "Don't look." Thin blue liquid splattered down onto River's clothes and on the metal of the sled. "Do not look up." Riddick commanded again, even more firmly.
Fry couldn't seem to help herself, River nearly snarled when the pilot disobeyed and stumbled as she saw the predators above them. It looked like a ceiling of evil eels, clicking and darting down towards the light and then away. "Keep going, keep going, keep going, keep going!" Riddick's voice whipped at Fry, startling her into looking down.
Blue blood rained down on them, but the torches still burnt and River breathed through her nose, grateful her lungs had acclimated. The shepherd was muttering a prayer as he and Zoe ran onward. River took a moment to glance behind them, to reassure herself Riddick was still there. He was, straining against the load, his face set and grim as he pulled the cells and urged them all onward. She took a moment to promise herself that if they all lived through this she'd be nice to him in addition to kissing him as much as he wanted. The man deserved some nice after all this, she had lots of books on her cortex she could lend. Her hand automatically went to her stomach, feeling the hard square of plastic she'd strapped to her stomach. She didn't have body armor, but the data book was thick enough to deflect a predator's scythe.
The fighting overhead seemed to increase the further they went into the valley and whole corpses came crashing down around them. Imam and Zoe were almost skidding, skating through the ichors as they pulled the sled. Suleiman jumped as a corpse fell next to him, River saw the boy flinch and knew he'd been cut. Wisely he said nothing and continued to run.
River scowled as the valley began to narrow. Fry saw it too, but rather than do what had to be done, she began to yell. "Riddick? Riddick?" A pile of bodies, predators cut down by their brothers clogged the end of the canyon.
Jack couldn't see and called in as loud a voice as she dared. "What? What is it?"
"Keep moving," River cried out, "Zoe don't stop! No matter what!"
Riddick's voice was even louder than hers was. "It's a fuckin' staircase! Go over it! Go over it!"
And so they climbed, up the slippery, disgusting mountain of bodies. Jack beneath the sled had to use her hands to climb, and nearly shrieked as one of the corpse's snapped at her. Jerking back she began to slide down the mountain of corpses, exposed to every predator above and around them.
"Jack!" River darted sideways and nearly lost her balance as Jack skidded into her. Her fall stopped, the girl who scrambled for her shield, diving beneath it just as a predator dove for it. Its bone blade pierced the metal, barely missing Jack. The predator thrashed and howled, bouncing Jack beneath the shield as its skin steamed and wrinkled in the light.
River ducked as the predator tore itself clear, and spun, its scythe like tail slicing through the flesh of her upper arm. Ignoring her, the thing pounced blindly at Riddick standing at the edge of the light. River tore at her sleeve, tightening the silk to stem the blood as Riddick caught the beast under its jaw, blunting the attack. The monster clicked loudly, maddened, and reared its head back, ready to strike. River knew she should keep moving but Riddick was so beautiful to watch, the glory of him, knife in hand, slicing through the belly of the predator. Still howling its rage the monster fell disemboweled.
River knew she was staring, her sword in hand, Riddick had killed the raptor before she could even move to defend him. In irritation she pulled at her sleeve again, trying to stop the blood to no avail. Finally she gave it up as a bad job and sighed, at least she made another target, instead of only Jack. She was vaguely aware of Fry and Imam staring at Riddick in stunned amazement. Riddick just sheathed his knife again. "He did not know who he was fuckin' with."
Imam looked around, Zoe's eyes searching the darkness beside him. Somehow they'd lost someone. "Suleiman!" The shepherd called into the night.
Riddick looked at River and then at the others. "Get the girl back under. Keep going."
Imam was still calling for his last boy. "Suleiman!"
River didn't quite flinch at the sudden roar of Riddick's fury. It was only to be expected. "Keep Going or I Will!"
Imam and Zoe had picked up the chains again and Fry turned forward when River saw him. Suleiman stumbled into the light, blood covered him, his eyes were blank and she knew there was no way he'd live. He shouldn't even be able to walk, but before he could fall, he was covered in the darkness again. Lost without a sound. She took a deep breath and turned forward, conscious of Riddick's silent approval behind her.
Finally, finally the canyon widened, the rattle of a thousand sabers in their sheaths fading behind them. Riddick could smell hope on Imam and Zoe. Fry was too worn down for it, Jack beneath the sled couldn't see how far they were, and River...well River was too savvy to get hopeful just because they'd passed a few hurdles.
And then it started. The torches sputtered, spiting out flame and fading and then starting again. There was a pattering on the metal shield and Imam turned his hand up, examining the liquid for color. Fry began to moan as she realized. "Oh, no. No, no, no..."
Imam said what they were all thinking. "Rain."
Faster and faster it fell, a deluge of water pouring over the landscape. Riddick drew closer to River as her torch went out and wouldn't relight. She cursed in Mandarin about cheap junk.
Suddenly more angry than he'd been in a long gorram time Riddick shouted at the preacher. "So where the hell's God now, huh?" He raised his hands. "I'll tell you where! He's up there Pissing on me!"
There's a soft clicking nearby, almost shy, and Riddick turned, he barely heard it under the sound of the rain on the metal shield. Nearby, he heard River set her dead torch carefully on the ground and use her free hand to palm her dagger. He saw the wound on her arm, weeping blood, attracting the raptor. The clicking sounded again, louder, almost chittering, and River turned to face it, her eyes unerring as she followed the alien mind in the darkness. "They won't lie down." He heard her whisper and wondered for the twentieth time what she meant. "They never lie down."
And then she was moving, almost dancing with the predator that came up beside her, her blades drawing its blood, slicing at its legs until it struck out blindly, desperate, with the sharpened tips of its tail. He could smell her blood, dark rich blood that meant the wound was deep. River didn't scream, didn't even moan. Her sword sliced up and through its neck, down to its belly in one long slash. Eviscerated, the monster collapsed in a pool of its own blood.
River turned, balanced on one leg and tilted her head at him. "Hún dàn (bastard) didn't know who he was fuckin' with." She intoned in a grave imitation his own words. Riddick wasn't sure if he should be proud or angry, but she was bleeding way too much to be safe.
"River," He kept his voice steady and pulled the scarf from over River's hair, kneeling to wrap it around her lower thigh. The wound was deep, but it had missed the femoral artery. She'd have a scar but it would heal clean if they could get her off this gorram rock. She was still standing, her sword and dagger in her hands, guarding him even as he bound her wound. Her hair had come undone when he'd taken her scarf and smelt of apples, long dark locks soaked with rain. "Gonna have to stop fightin' monsters little girl."
"The tiger shouldn't get to have all the fun." She shrugged slightly, "Is he proud of her?" Riddick stood and squeezed her shoulder, assuming she'd read his mind to see exactly how amazing he thought she was. Her next words were even more startling, a critique of her performance, "Used to fighting with sword and axe, longer reach, neglected to compensate for dagger's shorter length. Injury a direct result. No flowers for her."
He was about ready to ask what in the ruttin' hell she meant when Fry started talking and Riddick felt River tense. "Riddick? How close?"
He shed his goggles to stare ahead into the darkness. The settlement was visible, but with River wounded, and almost no light they'd never make it. It was close enough to give them hope but too far to make a run for it without the torches.
Fry's voice grew more frantic. "Tell me the settlement is right there! Riddick please!"
He shook his head and looked down at River. "We can't make it.
Zoe reached down to help Jack out from under the sled. "Ain't just givin' up." The soldier said in a mild voice that he could tell meant she was anything but amiable.
He shook his head. "You, me, an' Fry, we make a run for the settlement, get the skiff going." He kept his hand on River's shoulder, refusing to lose contact with her until he absolutely had to. "We get more light from the settlement, come back for River, Jack and the Shepherd."
Zoe nodded her understanding of the plan and looked at River. "Little one, you sanguine 'bout this plan of Riddick's?"
River nodded and Jack mimicked her, River answering for both of them. "Absolutely Momma," River gave Zoe an angelic smile before looking up at Riddick. "He who made the lamb made thee." She whispered. She handed Zoe her satchel with the four bombs she had left.
Riddick nodded and hoped she understood there was no way he was leaving her behind. He didn't give his word much, but he'd told her he was getting his girl and her family off this rock, and if Carolyn Fry got in the way of that, then the pilot would be dead sorry. "Here...hide here..." He helped her walk over to a crevice in the canyon wall. "Inside...inside..." He urged them, sending Jack in first, then Imam and finally River, his hand lingering as long as he could before wedging the sled in front of them, and then as large a rock as he could to brace the sled. Zoe had seen in the glow of his hand light another large rock and was, with Fry's help, pushing it over.
"Ya'll stay put, have yourselves a little cat nap, an' we'll be back lickety split." Zoe called in to them.
"Be careful Momma," River's voice was eerily certain. "Her trophy still hangs on the wrong belt and it can be misused. And the ace in the hole is concealed at her back."
Riddick tilted his head as Zoe's entire body stiffened at River's words, but he didn't have time to analyze them or ask Zoe what River had meant. "All right, let's move; dead run we stop for nothin'." He didn't glance at Fry but Zoe's face was set and determined. No matter how hard, they had no choice; it would have to be an all out run through the night.
He hoped like hell that River wasn't listening too closely to his thoughts, as they were nothing but curses on God, Fry, Johns and whoever had created the gorram ruttin' creatures that hunted the girls and hurt good kids. The rain pounded down on them and he felt like gorram Sisyphus as he hauled two hundred pounds of cells up a hill of slick mud. He couldn't help but pause at the top, peering through the rain.
He felt Zoe come up beside him, Fry on his opposite side and couldn't help comparing the woman. Zoe who said so little but with every action expressed her determination and Fry who seemed to do nothing but talk but couldn't settle on a cause if she got paid for it. River's axe still hung on Fry's belt. The woman had taken a weapon from River and never used it once, never thought it might have been more effective in the hands of the girl to whom it belonged.
"We're close to the settlement now." He knew his voice startled both women, speaking as they started down the hill. Their reactions were comically different to him, Carolyn Fry began to pulse with relief and anticipation, her entire body relaxed for a moment before she began to hurry forward. Zoe Washburne, a woman whose full name she hadn't even bothered to give until lately, nodded her acknowledgement and kept her mare's leg ready in her hand, the other checking her supply of ammunition, and Riddick remembered River's words earlier. 'The readiness is all', he thought, and began the race to the shuttle.
River took deep steady breaths and concentrated. She could ignore pain, it was just the body's response to injury and with her training, easily disregarded. But actual damage was dangerous if she ignored the pain too long. The trick was to use just enough of her training so she could think, and the rest of it to slow her body down slightly, to keep the wound from reopening with tension. An adrenaline rush would not be a friend to her right now.
Finally she opened her eyes. Apparently that was all Jack had been waiting for. "He's not coming back, is he?"
River looked at Imam and Jack. "Have faith." She murmured, keeping her voice low, and soothing as much for her own sake as theirs. She felt for Riddick's mind out in the darkness, found he and Zoe and Fry running through the rain, Riddick's mental diatribe against God was amusing.
She saw Jack look at Imam's face and the shepherd hesitated before shaking his head. River looked up at the soft blue-white lights on the roof of the crevice. "Light," River whispered softly.
Imam stood, reaching and plucked a few of the lights from the ceiling, bringing them to show Jack and River. Jack leaned forward, "What are they?"
River looked at the little lights wiggling in Imam's palm. "Larval stage of insect life." She smiled, closing her eyes again for a moment. The nap Zoe had recommended sounded good but the moment she slept she'd lose her touch to Riddick's mind. They had to be ready for his return.
"Glow worms..." Jack was grinning.
River looked at the crevice walls and then at the glow worms. "How many bottles do we have? Empty ones?"
Jack looked around something clinked near her boot. "Two."
Imam regarded River, "You are thinking of going out, wounded as you are?"
River shook her head. "Riddick will come back for us," She said simply. "We must have light ready to aid when he does."
The shepherd shook his head. "You have great faith in this man, this murderer, but none in God?"
The girl sighed and looked at the shepherd. "Hard to explain," River spread her hands, "Can't trust God. But Riddick hasn't betrayed the girl yet. Won't lose the one person who wants him exactly as he is. No need or want for him to change."
Jack blinked. "You keep calling him the tiger." She was busily plopping the glow worms into the first bottle. "Why do you call him that?"
"Tiger tiger burning bright, in the forests of the night," River smiled. "Riddick is the tiger, moves through the night, his eyes burn like torches. And the girl is his."
"You aren't afraid of him?" Imam wondered at the affectionate look on the girls face as she spoke of Riddick. "He has killed."
"You have seen me kill." River pointed out. "Are you afraid of me?" Imam shook his head; it was on the tip of his tongue to say that killing for protection was different. River beat him to it. "You think it isn't the same. That what I do and what Riddick does are separate." She shook her head. "He who made the Lamb made thee," Her voice was low with affection as she felt Riddick's absolute determination to come back for her. "Riddick and I are the same. We are what the world, what God, made us."
Jack gulped audibly. "No wonder he likes you. If you're alike, you don't have to be afraid of him."
River almost laughed. "Mèi mei (little sister) has it wrong," she sighed. "I love that he isn't afraid of me."
Imam took a deep breath and River heard his self admonition that there was a place for everyone in God's plan and perhaps River was sent to Riddick so the man was no longer alone, no longer unloved by all the world, to soften his heart. Aloud he merely said, "It will surely be some time before he returns. Zoe suggested you rest River, perhaps it would be wise to follow your momma's wishes."
Jack nodded looking at River's wounds, bandaged with scarves and shirt sleeves. "We'll wake ya if we hear anything."
River shook her head. "She will meditate, try to regain balance, but sleep is for the skiff." Imam blinked and opened his mouth to argue and River stared into his eyes. "She must remain awake. Acute senses are required to hear predators. Additionally she must monitor the others."
"Monitor the others?" Jack repeated with a confused tilt of her head. "Are you...from here?" Her eyes widened. "How?"
River tilted her head, mimicking Jack and gave her the look usually reserved for the men of Serenity. "Genius, also Reader." She looked at Imam and Jack sternly, "Please, let her concentrate now."
Jack and Imam exchanged a glance and Jack looked pointedly at River's hastily bandaged leg and mimed zipping her lips. She and Imam continued to gather the glow worms, filling a second bottle halfway full.
TBC
Author's Note: Uh oh... Riddick left them there...wonder if he'll honor his bargain still?
Quote sources for this chapter are as follows:
Passions spin the plot: We are betrayed by what is false within - George Meredith
Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free - The New Colossus - Emma Lazarus
He who made the lamb made thee - The Tiger - William Blake
The readiness is all - Hamlet - William Shakespeare
Tiger tiger burning bright, in the forests of the night - The Tiger - William Blake