Invictus In the Black

7 Under the Bludgeonings of Chance


Riddick ran through the settlement, Zoe on his right heel, Fry slightly ahead of him now that they were on level ground. The pilot reached the skiff and hit the control for the ramp, bathing the area in light. Not even waiting for the ramp to continue lowering Fry scrambled up and into the skiff.

Zoe stopped and helped Riddick pull off the harness one eye on the darkness around them. "I'll guard if you can load the cells. Once they're in, I'll help you hook them up." The dark soldier's words were some of the smartest he'd heard since they crashed.

"Funny how you keep havin' all the good ideas," Riddick began dragging the cells up the ramp, working as fast as he could. Zoe kept her back to the light at the base of the ramp, giving him her back without a seeming care for the possibility he might shiv her for the fun of it. His final trip down the ramp he jerked his head. "Last one, follow me up."

Zoe edged up the ramp behind him, the satchel over her left shoulder clinking as she walked backwards, still guarding his back. "Clear," She holstered the mare's leg and knelt beside Riddick helping him to hook up the cells while Fry checked the systems.

Riddick ran a mental check of everything on the skiff. They'd loaded water onto it before they'd left for the power cells. Fry was looking way too comfortable in that chair. Zoe shoved the last cell in place and began the electrical conversion River and Fry had worked out. Riddick heard the satchel she wore clink again and smiled. "River gave you her bombs?" He asked quietly.

Zoe flashed him a grim smile and nodded. "She knew we'd need 'em."

Riddick's smile spread to a grin as they hooked up the last cell and stood. "She does think of everything." Zoe's face changed in an instant and she rose slowly.

"Yeah she does," Fry's voice sounded behind them.

Riddick turned and regarded Carolyn Fry through his goggles. "That a problem for you Carolyn?" He kept his voice mild, his hands relaxed, and his body at an angle, giving the blonde with the pistol a smaller target. Zoe stood straight, shifting minutely, and just stared at the pilot.

"Yeah, because there's no way this skiff will lift off with all that weight," Fry tilted her head. "We've got the two people who know how to pilot the skiff right here. Why would we need a Browncoat, a kid, a nutcase and a preacher?"

Zoe regarded Carolyn Fry with cold eyes, the eyes of a soldier who'd lost a war, the eyes of a wife who'd lost her husband, the eyes of a mother, about to die and leave her children. "Because they're the ones made it possible to save your cowardly pì gu (butt)?"

Fry moved closer, proving to Riddick's mind that she wasn't used to handling a gun, wasn't sure of her aim. She reeked of fear, and desperation, madness twining through her scent like hashish. "Well you're all just ghosts to me," she mocked Zoe with Johns' words. "Remember?"

"I remember even after they found out you were willing to dump us to save your hide, they didn't leave you alone in the dark Carolyn." Riddick made no effort to sound reassuring. "And what do you do with me? Dump me out in the dark too? Or keep me for your payday?"

Fry looked at him and he felt like gagging at the scent of lust that rose over her skin. "No, you're a pilot too. I need you to help run the skiff, if something goes wrong it might take two of us to set it right."

"You got a strong survival instinct, I admire that in a woman," Riddick took a hit off his breather, now mostly defunct, and slid his eyes to Zoe. "So you'll leave this woman to die?" He asked, "Won't even give her the mercy of a clean death? Just let her be torn in half like Johns?"

Fry snarled and shook her head, coming closer, the gun nearly parallel with Riddick's shoulder now. "I could shoot her, or you could shiv her," She suggested.

"That axe belonged to her daughter," Riddick nodded at the jagged axe hooked over Fry's belt. "Why don't you use that? Or I could do it for you if you're squeamish." Fry looked at him speculatively, clearly trying to figure out if he was playing her. Riddick folded his arms and leant back against the wall of the skiff, tilting his head. Doing his best to inject a playful tone to his voice he shrugged. "Or if you don't wanna let me, I can just watch. I like that too."

"You rotten lying sonofabitch!" Zoe cursed him, her voice harsh with fear and rage. It was her scent that got Riddick's attention, for all the tension and fury in her body language and voice, her heart rate hadn't even spiked beyond the initial jump when she'd seen Fry aiming the pistol her way.

Fry looked from Riddick to Zoe and smirked. One hand left the gun and unhooked the axe from her belt, holding it up for Riddick. "I'll let you play, but it's gotta be quick. I want to be off this rock."

Riddick took the axe in his hand, a wicked, curved thing, it was well kept, the blade was sharp. "Oh, I'll make it quick," He smiled and hefted the axe, looked at Zoe. "I can see why River wanted this back." Before she could reply, before Fry could demand he get on with it he slashed the curved blade across her belly. Zoe rushed forward and the soldier's hard fist aimed straight at Fry's jaw. The gun discharged, ripping through Zoe's upper arm, leaving a deep red furrow of blood on her outer arm.

Fry moaned and clutched her belly, still holding the gun. Riddick held River's axe firm in one hand and grabbed Fry's arm with the other, his hold merciless. "Get her gun." Zoe was already ahead of him, twisting Fry's wrist to yank it out of the pilot's hand.

"Got it," Zoe examined the gun and shook her head. "What do you want to do with her?"

He looked at the soldier, River's momma and tilted his head. "Thought I'd leave that up to you." Riddick looked at the blood on Fry's belly, the gleam of organs through Fry's fingers and then back at Zoe. "What'll it be?"

"Get her away from the skiff, and leave her," Zoe's face was impassive but her eyes were a study of rage.

Riddick nodded. "Close it behind me. I'm going to leave her then go get the girls and the shepherd." He held out his hand for the gun and was surprised when the woman handed it to him without hesitation.

"I'll get the skiff going." Zoe nodded. "We'll be ready to go when you bring my girls back." She handed him the satchel after pulling two bombs out. "I've got a lighter, and there's an extra in the pocket of River's bag." She told him. "I think you'll need the firepower if those things found where my girls are hiding."

"Our girls," Riddick corrected her with a wicked grin as he took the satchel and slung it over his shoulder, he could hear at least two bottles clinking. "You hear that Fry?" He snarled the words out as he stalked down the ramp with light on his back. "You wanted me to abandon my girl for you?" Fry moaned, her blood soaking her front. Riddick heard the ramp close behind him and hurried forward in a ground eating run, swerving away from the direct path to the skiff. The last thing he wanted was a cluster of the predators when he was bringing back his girl. Dumping her body near the room with the solar system machine he began to run back to River and the other two. With both girls bleeding it wouldn't be long before the predators found them.


River opened her eyes and regarded Jack and Imam with a smile. "Momma is prepping the skiff; the tiger roars through the night, comes for his girls and their shepherd."

Imam gave her a half smile, "I'm glad to hear that I'm to be included."

River tilted her head, listening. "Bioraptors attracted to our scent, coming closer to us." She looked down at her thigh and pulled off her silk shirt. The tee under it would have to do. Ripping the silk she wound it tightly around her leg, holding the wound closed. She looked at Imam. "You have a wound on the back of your shoulder." She handed him half the silk shirt. "Jack help him bind it." She pushed herself up, tested her leg. "Calculations indicate predators will close on our position approximately three minutes before Riddick arrives. We must have all our light ready. Must be ready to run."

"You should rest your leg until we are nearly ready to leave," Imam suggested, sitting so that Jack could bandage his shoulder.

River shook her head. "It grows stiff with inactivity, standing, the muscles loosen, meditation helps to ease the stress further." She rotated her neck and felt her still damp hair hit her face. Wrinkling her nose she grabbed a strip of leftover silk and wound her hair into another knot, tying the silk around it to hold it in place.

Jack frowned at the wound on Imam's shoulder. "This isn't going to be easy to bandage," She pointed out. "We'll have to wrap his upper arm and shoulder to keep it in place."

River looked down at her the tee she wore and shook her head. "You'll need something that stretches." She looked at Imam, "Please close your eyes while I cut off part of my shirt." Imam squeezed his eyes shut like a boy and River pulled her shirt off, ripping a long winding strip off so it could no longer be tucked in and stopped just above her belly button. Pulling the tee back on she handed the fabric to Jack. "You may open your eyes Shepherd." River unwrapped the scarf holding her cortex screen to her belly and rewound it more securely.

"What is that?" Imam nodded at the screen before Jack poked his uninjured shoulder as a reminder to hold still.

"When Zoe and I were taken, we were ordering body armor. Had to have it made custom." River shrugged. "Had my cortex screen with me, seemed like it was better than nothing. And wrapping the torso keeps innards inside if I am cut, gives me more time."

"Silk and steel and plastic," The holy man regarded Jack's work with a smile of thanks. "You are very resourceful girls. I am grateful for your endeavors."

Jack looked at the two bottles of light they had, one only half filled with the glow worms and took a deep breath. "So we got light, River's got her sword and daggers. She gave me a coupla knives. Imam, you've got your ceremonial blade."

River tilted her head, leaning against the wall and flexing her leg experimentally. "Riddick comes, he has her dagger, her axe, his shiv, Fry's pistol and two bombs with the lighter." She bit back a moan as she put weight on the leg and shook her head.

Jack and Imam looked at her with concern. "Will you be able to run on that leg?" Jack seemed reluctant to voice the question.

The Reader shrugged. "Run in pain or die? I will run, and be grateful for the chance." She chuckled slightly and looked at Imam. "Don't trust God, but understand about faith Shepherd."

"You said something when we were in the containers, waiting," Jack nodded. "Your soul was unconquerable?"

"Old poem from Earth That Was," River shrugged and grabbed the half bottle of light. "Invictus. Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole...I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul."

Imam bowed his head politely. "When we are all aboard the skiff I will look forward to hearing it."

River nodded and held a hand to her lips, leaning against the crevice entrance and the metal of the sled and listened. There was a clicking noise and she frowned and then abruptly pulled back, seconds later a scythe like blade poked into a crack between the sled and the crevice wall. The soft blue light of the glow worms burnt its flesh and it pulled back quickly. "They found us." She mouthed to the other two. "My tiger is still coming."


Riddick had never run so fast in his life toward something. Away from things, from Slam, mercs, the innocent lives that ended just by being near him, hell yeah, he'd run for more than a decade, from the time he'd been sixteen. The time he'd first committed murder.

But now he was hauling his ass as fast as he could through the mud and rain. Not to escape, but toward someone. And not just any someone, a girl that didn't care what he'd done in the past, except as it led him to her. A girl that didn't fear any of his skills or deeds or differences because she had talents and a past and unique quirks of her own. Someone who was grateful for his strength not as a gun hand or a merc but as someone who would fight beside her. He wasn't unfamiliar with women wanting to use him for sex. He was satisfied to use them right back. But River was the only woman in the 'Verse who had seen only his mind and wanted him, even with his animal, the beast that was so large a part of him, she had wanted. That scent of honey drifting through the cabin before they'd crashed was proof of her desire for his mind, for him, not just a body.

A cluster of predators shied away from his light and Riddick growled in his throat. He could smell blood, and silk and pain on the wind, even through the rain. If he could smell it so could the predators around him. And then he saw the cluster of monsters all around the sled he'd placed as a door. They hadn't heard him in the driving rain, it must mess up their echo-location some. They were poking around the sled, and then drawing their claws back.

Riddick thought as loud as he could about what he was going to do, and hoped River wasn't passed out from blood loss. Then he dug in the satchel for the lighter and one of River's bombs. Watching the wick burn down he wondered at River's nerve when she'd thrown the bombs into the hatchling flock back when it all began. How she'd waited for the right moment, knowing the fuses were burning down... Realizing something could explode in his hand was more than a little disturbing. Finally it burnt down enough and Riddick whipped it into the middle of the cluster of aliens. The blast was extremely satisfying.

Shoving the rocks and sled out of the way took a moment but with Imam pushing from the inside they managed. Riddick took one look at River and knew she wouldn't be able to run. He handed her the pistol and judged that they had a half minute before the rest of the horde came to find them. "Imam, you're carrying Jack, I've got River." He looked at his girl, "River, need you to shoot whatever comes up on us. Got another bomb here, should help."

River nodded slowly reading his intentions. Imam would have to lead the way, Jack holding the light for him, the full bottle, while she would hold the half bottle behind Riddick. If they ran as hard as they could it might be enough. She let Riddick wrap her up in his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, the half bottle of light in one hand, pistol in the other.

Riddick looked at Imam and Jack. "You got to lead, because once I start to run I ain't stoppin' 'til I reach the skiff. Zoe's got it powered up and waiting." He pointed the towards the direction of the settlement. "Don' stop, 'cause this time, I don' know if I could make myself come back."

Imam reached for Jack and hoisted her over his back, as if she was a child he was going give a ride. Jack clutched the light in one hand and the front of Imam's robes with the other as, without warning, the shepherd began to run. Riddick held one arm fast around River's waist and ran behind them, keeping his goggles on against Imam's light.

River hung onto her tiger grimly, his thoughts pounding along with his heartbeat, following the holy man who had surprisingly fast feet. From behind him she could hear the clicking of the predators, drawn by the scent of blood, hers and Jacks. They were still afraid of the light, the nimbus that glowed ahead of them and the light she held at Riddick's back.

"Firing," She said quietly, her lips close to Riddick's ear as she aimed for the heart of a monster behind them. The bullet drew blood and the interest of the predator's fellows and the four of them gained some distance.

Riddick reached for River's axe and slashed blindly into the shadows as he ran, occasionally hitting one of the hammerhead bugs and providing a feast for the ones that followed them. They slipped and stumbled up the muddy hill and Riddick began cursing more than just mentally until they gained the rise. He felt River flinch as he pressed her closer and smelt fresh blood. Her wound had opened again.

"Sorry," River whispered and shot the pistol several times in rapid succession. "Three down," She added matter-of-factly. Casting her mind forward she heard Zoe's worried thoughts. "Zoe is waiting, used one bomb to set a building on fire. A beacon for us."

"Good," Riddick slashed at the shadows again as he followed Imam who, intelligently enough was running straight for the burning building, trusting to his God that the skiff would be nearby. Cursing God with everything in him as he heard what sounded like a gorram mob of the damn things to his left Riddick tried to pick up speed.

River stuck the gun between her teeth and slid her arm down to Riddick's waist, pulling her dagger from his belt. "Grab the satchel," She instructed him and was gratified when he clutched at the bag and lifted it so she could cut the strap off. Unable to do much more with her dagger she muttered a curse and threw it into the chest of another stalking predator. "One more down," she counted absently and took the satchel from his grasp, finding the lighter and flicking it against the fuse within the bag. The canvas caught fire and River almost smiled. "Throwing the satchel to your left." She commanded Riddick and watched as the bomb exploded, leaving pieces of predators behind them.

As they reached the edge of the settlement River closed her eyes, concentrated as hard as she could and tried to make Zoe hear her. "Light the last bomb, we're in the settlement. Light the last bomb."

They were running through the settlement now, towards the burning building and the skiff. The ramp was down, light flooding the area around the ramp. Riddick watched as Zoe appeared at the foot, mare's leg in one hand and a lit bomb in the other.

Imam reached Zoe's range of vision first, the tall shepherd bent nearly double but still hurtling forward. He stumbled as he reached the ramp, pressing hard up into the skiff. Riddick shouted as he sprinted forward. "Throw the damn bomb behind us..." River was firing the gun into the crowd of predators they had following them but the gun clicked empty.

And then the world behind them exploded in light, in fire and blue blood at their backs but they were at the ramp, up the ramp and Zoe was firing her mare's leg over and over as she backed up into the skiff and hit the control to close the ramp.

Riddick fell to his knees, the metal hard beneath him and wrapped his arms around River, one hand still clutching her axe, the other tight around her waist. He vaguely heard Imam's triumphant voice, "There is my God Mr. Riddick!"

Ignoring the shepherd for the moment, Riddick let his hand rub over River's back, reassuring both of them. "You all right?" He managed to get the words out between gasps. He wasn't sure if it was the run or the sheer terror he'd felt knowing if he didn't run fast enough he and River were both dead.

River nodded. "Your girl is well." She rested her forehead on his shoulder and took a deep breath. "Time to go home." Riddick rose, kept her in his arms and moved towards the pilot's chair. Zoe had been running tests in their absence and everything was beeping and chirping happily. River looked at Riddick and cupped his face in her hands. "Do you trust me?"

He wasn't sure what he was looking for when he gazed into her eyes, but he saw acceptance, and a raw powerful emotion he couldn't name. "Yeah, River, I trust you." He nodded. "You fly, just let me..." He gestured to the co pilot's chair.

River smiled at him and nodded. "Help her fly."

Zoe was busy behind them, getting Jack and Imam in the chairs for take off and harnessed herself in opposite them. "All secure." She called.

Riddick pressed a kiss to River's neck and helped her into the pilot's chair before seating himself in the co-pilot's seat. "Wings are good." He looked at River who was running through the ignition sequences as if she'd done it a million times. Back and forth the two of them called out the check points and made ready to fly.

He was conscious of the three survivors behind him, hearts pounding, fear and hope blending together as they waited for the ship to leave the ground. Finally the skiff trembled and pressed against the atmosphere, shuddering. Riddick kept an eye on River, but nothing fazed her, for every difficulty, she had a solution. And then they were breaking atmo and headed into the Black.

River tilted her head, listening as she set their course. Riddick watched, more than a little amazed as she muttered calculations and pressed buttons. "We have a course charted. Back to the Sol lanes, and then we will be found by Captain Daddy and Serenity."

Riddick exhaled hugely and rose from his chair. "All right," He looked at Zoe and then at River. "Let's make sure no one bleeds to death before we're found, right?"

Zoe nodded, releasing her harness. "Got stuff for bandages. Got water to clean the wounds." She moved purposefully, fetching the things she needed. "Riddick can you take care of River while I help Imam?"

"Yeah, I got River," Riddick nodded.


Riddick regarded River from his seat in the co-pilot's chair and tilted his head thoughtfully. Her leg had been cleaned and bandaged as well as he could manage, and now she seemed to simply ignore the injury in favor of piloting the skiff. "So what happens now?" He asked as she checked the course she'd charted again.

River looked at him, her dark eyes widened and then narrowed and she sighed. "Claimed me, but still doesn't entirely trust me?" Her voice was disappointed and he wondered why that made his gut twist. "Decided you have no use for me after all?"

"Didn't say that," Riddick shook his head, feeling unaccountably wary. He'd said and done things on planet that two weeks ago he would have disbelieved if anyone had given him a summary of future events. He'd risked his life for a girl, backed her against two others, put her safety before his own. At the time it had all seemed to make sense. Now he was sitting on a skiff with three people behind him, one beside him, and no one seemed concerned about the monster in their midst. He wasn't sure if he should be flattered or insulted.

"Ah," Her expression cleared and she smiled at him, a sweet affectionate curve of her lips that sent blood pounding in his veins. He couldn't remember anyone smiling at him like that, ever, in his life. "Trying to understand motivations once the smoke has cleared, adrenaline fades and reason returns. Logic rears its head and tries to make sense of illogical behavior."

"Somethin' like that yeah," Riddick admitted. He doubted many other people would share his opinion, but her being a reader made life a little more convenient. He'd talked more to her in the past three days than he had to most other people in a month, but then on planet talking had been the way to keep from dying. "Shit I done, don't make sense that you trust me. It really don't seem like I should trust you, but…"

"Yes," River nodded. "Logic has no place with the animals," She agreed. "The man and the girl, they try to fit the animals into the framework society built for them. But the beasts inside are so strong, they defy convention." She shrugged and unwound her hair from it's knot, rewinding it more securely as she spoke. "From the standpoint of a woman I should be afraid of you and you should not trust me. But you do and I'm not, and that doesn't make sense."

"Always paid attention to my instincts," Riddick nodded. "Usually don't steer me wrong. This's the first time they've been so far from normal though."

"Makes sense in a way," Zoe said quietly from behind them, and Riddick turned his head to look at the woman. Imam and Jack were sitting quietly, simply listening. With a slight sigh Riddick nodded for the dark woman to continue. A faint twitch to her lips, Zoe pointed out, "You can't have ever met someone like River before. There ain't but one of her in the 'Verse. She's gotta be 'bout the only woman in the 'Verse who can keep up with you."

"Just ain't used to anyone bein' able to do that," Riddick admitted. "Wouldn't have thought it'd be a girl looked like a strong breeze'd knock her over." His eyes slid over River, evaluating her visible strengths and weaknesses. "Iffen it weren't for her clothes, I'd say she was a little core princess, ain't lifted anything heavier than a teacup much less a sword."

"You are the one who said it," River reminded him pertly, "The female of the species is more deadly than the male."

"Yeah, an' I do enjoy dangerous things," His mouth stretched into a wicked smirk. "Guess I'm just used to folks havin' a use for me when there's problems an' once the trouble's over…" He shrugged, slightly uncomfortable with the idea that this was different, that she was different than anyone else he'd known.

"While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind", but it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind," River quoted the same poet wryly. "Not much has changed since Earth That Was in that regard."

"It's thin red line of heroes when the drums begin to roll." Riddick agreed, his dark voice almost vicious, "Been dealing with that all my life, guess I just…"

"Afraid to hope for different when it comes to us," River said softly. "Potential for weakness to be avoided, but instinct says to cling tightly."

"Yeah," He was starting to repeat himself but nothing was making sense at the moment. He'd been afflicted with lust before and it didn't feel anything like what was roiling through him now. Riddick wasn't certain he liked it.

"Ain't a bit of fun, havin'g part of you screamin' for somethin' and another part tryin' to back away," Zoe offered sympathetically.

Riddick looked at the dark woman again. She looked a little sad but also amused by something, her lips quirked in a wry smile. "I'm guessin' you've been through somethin' similar?"

"Was a soldier, space born, knew all the rules," River said softly. "Then Mal interviews a flashy pilot… 'Somethin' 'bout him just bothers me'," She gave Zoe a sad smile.

"Yeah," Zoe agreed taking a deep unsteady breath. "Sometimes you just meet someone, knocks your feet out from under you, makes everythin' you think you know, everythin' safe…just…not make sense anymore. Changes you. Not because they want to change who you are. You change because…you like how you are with that person, want to be more like that than how you were."

River nodded sympathetically, and sighed a little bit looking at Riddick. "Small consolation?" She offered the words with a wry tilt of her head.

"Yeah? What's that?" Riddick wondered.

"You and I are in the same boat," Slender shoulders shrugged elegantly. "Literally in this case, but also, figuratively. I have wandered over the fruitful earth, but I never came here before."

"Bothers you too huh?" Why did that make him feel minutely better, he wondered.

"Trust does not come easily for me, despite appearances to the contrary," River rolled her eyes. "Battlefield companions don't always make for good friends in peacetime, but I am loath to give you up."

"But sometimes the people you come through the war with, they're the ones you can always count on," Zoe reminded the girl. "Didn't know Mal or Monty before the war, now…"

"Yes," River smiled slightly. "And before Miranda…Jayne was…well, Jayne. Now he's family."

"Exactly." Zoe smiled.

"On planet…" Riddick fixed his eyes on River, knowing she'd be aware of his gaze. "Swore somethin' to you," He reminded her, "Called you mine. Give you once chance to get outa that, then…well let's just say I don't let go a what's mine."

"Riddick is the one who questions," River returned. "Doubts may assail the walls but the truth remains constant."

"Is that a yes or a no?" He growled the words, not liking how uncertainty was twisting his belly.

"Such a male," River muttered in irritation. "Said yes to you on planet several times. Pursued you, outside the typical female role, because the male was too dense to realize what was in front of him."

"Yeah an' as I recall you was all sortsa cryptic 'bout it too," Riddick retorted. "An' we just discussed how on planet may or may not last. So I'm askin', in the typical male role," he added a bit mockingly, "is it a yes or a no?"

"Geez," He heard Jack mutter from behind Imam and Zoe, "Can ya get any less romantic?"

"Shut it kid," Riddick snarled, "Iffen River expects romance from a murderin' animal like me then we got bigger problems." He stared at River. "An' I still ain't got an answer."

The girl rolled her eyes at him, "Posturing is foolish when a Reader can hear Riddick's thoughts," She reminded him. "Would give you an answer but Riddick was most adamant that his girl stay off her wounded limb."

Part of him felt like his heart stopped with her words, 'his girl' was enough of a confirmation for him, but he still wanted to hear her say it. He'd asked out loud, yes or no, the least she could do was give him an answer out loud. "Would ya just say it already?" He wasn't sure if it was a groan or a snarl that came out with his words. If she knew how he felt, knew what he wanted, why couldn't River see how hard it was for him to even talk about this with three other people listening?

Her expression softened slightly and her lips curved, that affectionate smile that unnerved him gleamed over her face again. "It is a yes. Do not wish to employ the escape clause. River Marie Tam is Richard B. Riddick's girl."

Riddick felt the grin spread over his face and lunged out of his seat towards her, careful of her wound but still possessively scooping her up and sitting back down in the pilot's seat with her in his lap. "Just so you got the words, same goes for me," He told her, his smile unfading.

"Richard is River's girl?" She teased and leaned her head against his shoulder, her lips touching his neck.

"You can just leave it at yours," Riddick chuckled and looked at the other three. "An' that ends the entertainment portion a this flight."

"Men are so stupid," Jack muttered rebelliously.

"Kid, what's wrong with you?" Riddick narrowed his eyes at Jack. "Stomach still hurt?"

"I am not a kid," The slender girl snarled back.

"Yeah," He tilted his head, turning the chair so River could get a good look at little Jack. "Yeah I been gettin' that impression."

"Reasons for pretense of male gender," River murmured softly into his ear. "Much fear, pain and loss. Not the time."

"Why don't we all get some rest," Zoe suggested.

"River promised to tell us Invictus," Jack shook her head and Imam glanced at her curiously but nodded his support.

"I too am curious about these words River gave us," The shepherd said quietly. "Something for us to contemplate in our dreams."

"As you wish," River nodded slowly. Zoe made herself a comfortable in one of the passenger chairs and Imam sat on the floor, Jack at Zoe's feet. When they all seemed settled she began slowly. "Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole…"


Hours later Riddick still hadn't slept. Imam and Jack had succumbed to exhaustion and Zoe was dozing fitfully. River still sat in his lap in the pilot's chair. "Where'd you learn ta fly like that?" He asked her lazily.

"Hoban Washburne," River smiled sadly. "Nobody flew like Momma's Mister." She rested her head on his shoulder. "Wash died because of Miranda, because the Alliance refused to stop hunting me."

"What happened?" Riddick pressed a kiss to her temple.

"From childhood's hour I have not been as others were; I have not seen as others saw; I could not bring my passions from a common spring. From the same source I have not taken my sorrow; I could not awaken my heart to joy at the same tone; and all I loved, I loved alone." River's voice was soft. "I was different." She began to explain how she had come to be entered into the Academy and all that had followed. How Simon had gotten her out and onto Serenity. And how a year later they'd still been hunted, and it had led to death and Miranda.

Riddick shook his head in amazement. "River..." He kissed her cheek. "Hate like hell something so terrible happened to you." His hands stroked over her back and waist. "But I'm glad it led you to findin' me."

She looked up at him and smiled. "Just as I am grateful you found me." There was a beeping sound from the console and she looked over to the screen with a frown. "Some odd alert, can't tell if it's proximity or something else," Her slender fingers danced over the keys and switches and she frowned at the console. "Need to pay attention," She looked out the window and shook her head. "I don't see anything, don't hear anything either."

Riddick hit a switch dimming the skiff's interior and pushed his goggles up to stare out at the black. "I cain't see a gorram thing," He shook his head and would have brought the lights back up but for River's hand.

"Leave them, rather have you able to see," She turned to look at him, dark eyes wide with wonder as she looked at his eyes. "My eyes will adjust, and it'll save power."

"I'll keep an eye out then," He dipped his head and pressed a kiss to her lips, she was so soft under his mouth, sweet and hot. He inhaled and caught her scent, her honey scent that drove him crazy. He slid his hand up her back to her neck and the knot of hair, tugging the strip of fabric off and unwinding the silky stuff so it fell over her back and his shoulder. "I want you alone River," He tore his mouth from hers and, even as she whimpered in protest, pressed his lips to her neck. "Gonna hafta tell me to stop," He kissed the slender line of her neck, her collarbone above the neck of her shirt and his other hand of its own volition moved from her waist to cup the soft swell of her breast. Her shudder against him brought a wave of honey and apples to his nose and he groaned against her skin, fighting the urge to bite down and mark her as his.

"Would like to be alone with you," River whispered, her voice was husky with need as she pressed her lips to Riddick's cheek, forehead, moving over the line of his goggles to his dark hair. His body was a wall of muscle and will but his skin was soft under her lips, he was a study of contrasts. "Have a bunk of my own on Serenity. Not a big bed, but never needed big."

Riddick got control of his animal long enough to look up into her dark eyes, wondering what she saw in him that made her want him. "River, know I told you that you're mine. Ain't takin' that back now." He took a deep breath, deliberately inhaling through his mouth so her scent wouldn't drive him further down a dangerous road. "But you got the right to tell me no, won't change you bein' mine, mind you, but I don't…if you don't really want this…"

River smiled happily at him and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. "At war with the tiger within," One white finger traced down his nose, to his lips and the line of his jaw and chin. "Doesn't want to hurt his girl, scare her away with what's inside him. Doesn't realize he was hers the moment she woke from cryo, heard his mind, felt how beautiful he is inside. Felt his animal calling to hers, his fury to her wrath, his solitude to her loneliness, his heart beats with hers now. She loves him. He is hers."

He couldn't stop himself, he kissed her, found her mouth with his and took it, holding her body as close to his as he could. She was opening for him, her hands on his neck, holding his lips to her own, letting his tongue plunder her mouth, matching him passion for passion until he was growling deep in his throat with the need to just take her right on the console. Riddick knew he'd never be able to let go of this girl. She was everything he needed and damned if he'd give her up.

She pulled back, her lips swollen and he chased her mouth with his until she poked him sharply in the jugular with one slender finger. "Richard," River's voice was stern even as her mouth was swollen from his kisses and her skin flushed with need. "Cannot have her in the skiff," She'd been reduced to using the wrong pronouns her body was so rife with need. "Apart from our audience, pilots are needed to fly. And her wound will reopen unless it is stitched and bandaged with weaves. Dǒng ma (understand/got it)?" Dark chocolate eyes stared into his until Riddick managed to focus on her words. "Please." She added softly.

Riddick groaned and drew her back into his embrace, tucking her head against his shoulder, and playing with the long locks of her hair. "Knew better," He muttered, his lips against her forehead. "Just…gorram you're offering me what I ain't ever had River."

"Took him a while to find the girl," She sighed and he could tell she was exhausted. "Knows she belongs to him, takes time to realize his heart, she is patient with her tiger."

"Yeah, better'n I deserve," Riddick muttered. He looked down to see her eyes had closed, she was drifting into sleep. It crossed his mind that he should find out what animals did, as River had put it, mate for life. Because there was no way he would ever leave her or let her go.

It occurred to him that he'd never just held a woman for that singular purpose. Until River it wouldn't have struck his mind that he'd even want to. This girl, so adult in her speech and actions, but the better part of a decade younger than he was, he didn't want to let go of her. The rich scent of honey faded until it was only one note in the perfume of River's skin, apples and silk, steel and blood, rain and honey, he wanted to breathe her for the rest of his life.

He turned the pilot's chair slightly to check on the others and nearly chuckled. Imam had simply lain down on the walkway, his chest rising and falling. Jack had curled into a surprisingly little ball of girl at Zoe's feet. The soldier was sitting in one of the passenger chairs still, her head tilted back, dozing in the way military folk tended to. Who would ever have thought four different people would trust him enough to sleep around him? Nobody who'd known him before that hellish planet that was for damn sure. Riddick swiveled the chair back towards the console and kept a half eye on the instruments while he slid River's data book from under his thigh. He could read while they were waiting for Serenity to find them.


Jayne blinked as he stared at the signal tracker Kaylee had bolstered up to near Alliance levels of range. Then he blinked again and hit the comm links. "Mal, get up here, signals are moving!"

Simon roused in the co-pilots chair and stared at the big man. "Wha—"

"Got a good fix on the signals but they're moving, sorta angled ta cross us 'ventually," Jayne called out as he heard Mal's boots hit the floor at a run. "Guess they were on the planet we was headed fer."

Simon studied the projected course the signals gave them. "They couldn't tell exactly where we were," he surmised as Mal took the pilot's seat. "I can't see what they're traveling in but whatever it is, it's slow."

"Jayne, get down to the engine room and give Kaylee a hand," Mal ordered to Jayne's back, the merc already surmising what was needed. "We're going for a hard steady burn until we get to them." He looked at Simon. "The minute they're in range, you try to get them on the cortex."

Simon nodded, his aura of tension palpable as he studied the screens. There was no way he would lose his sister twice.

Minutes later Serenity began on an intercept course on as hard a burn as Mal could manage and still have fuel enough to make a station and refill.

Time seemed to slow and quicken, minutes dragging by and then a moment later hours had passed as Simon kept and eye on the signals. Mal hadn't put the ship on auto once, Jayne and Kaylee were taking care of the twins while Inara double-checked the infirmary. And Simon hadn't budged from his position.

"We're getting close to wave range," The doctor informed his captain. "Should have something on—"

Mal grinned as the proximity alert went off. "Sweeter sound there never was," He pulled up the screen and then frowned. "Ain't overly big," He glanced at Simon. "Simon give 'em a wave, see what's what. Signals read as our girls but…"

"Yes," Simon sighed, his worry doubling as he took in the speck in the Black from where the signal was originating. "There is always the 'but'." His fingers danced over the keyboard. "Just hit the button when you're ready."


Riddick was deep into a story of a man shipwrecked back on Earth That Was when the skiff's cortex screen buzzed sickly. Dropping the databook with a clatter he reached for the dial to bring up the wave and looked out into the black. The ship that was bearing down on the skiff was old, looked beat up and more than slightly disreputable. Looks weren't everything but at the same time…Riddick tightened his hold on River's waist. He was not taking chances with her.

He finally got the wave working, static buzzing over the screen so he could barely make out the image of a man. "Iffen ya'll are pirates, I'll make it more trouble'n we're worth you try ta board us," He snarled the words out, "State your piece."

The man on the screen shook his head, Riddick guessed, the picture was very bad. "I don't care who you are, but I do care about that signal you're carrying." The words popped and snapped. "Now you tell me that my women are all right, and let 'em go, you can be on your merry. But you better give me some proof a that or I will find a way to blow you out of the sky."

River nuzzled Riddick's neck as she woke, a familiar voice teasing her ears as she crawled out of sleep. "Riddick?" Her voice was barely audible.

Riddick slid his hand up and down her back and pulled out of the screen's view. "River," he kept his voice low. "Can you give a listen, tell me if they're yours or just someone homed in on us?"

River blinked up at him and Riddick watched her smile bloom over her face as she did as he asked. "Safe," She kissed his neck. "Captain Daddy is worried, blusters to hide fear."

"All right." Riddick leaned forward again and poked at the screen. "Got someone here says ya'll 're good news." He cast a look back over his shoulder. "I got four folk sides me on this skiff. Guessin' you know two of 'em."

The man on the screen seemed to relax slightly, and there was some noise in the background that might have been more static or some sort of scuffle. Off screen a man's voice was calling River's name in an elegant core accent.

River's eyes twinkled as she leaned forward and spoke loud enough to be heard over the static. "Simon, please go to the infirmary. Came from Miranda's cousin, natives not friendly."

The curse that came over the wave sounded very odd in that prissy accent, but the first man chuckled. "Ain't nothing in the 'Verse can make the doc move as fast as you or Kaylee, Lil Albatross. Take it you made some new friends?"

River nodded. "Found her mate, sister, and new shepherd. All very worthy of Serenity."

The noise of the wave had finally woken the other three skiff passengers and Zoe stood behind Riddick and River. "Lotsa surprises sir," She told her captain. "Might take a bit to figure out how to dock this bird, but between you and River I 'spect it'll get handled."

"It is damn good to see you woman." Mal finally breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll get Kaylee up here, she and River can figure out how to get you five off that bitty thing."

"We'll do what we can from this side." Zoe nodded. "But we're running off powercells here Mal, gotta keep as much turned off as we can."

"Just keep life support on," Mal advised, a bit obviously Riddick thought but the man's relief was palpable even over the lousy cortex screen.

"Don't worry Cap'n," The first mate reassured her friend. "We've got our priorities in order here."

"I'll get Kaylee." Mal stood and disappeared into his ship. The screen stayed on and blank for a minute and then a mountain of a man sat in front of the screen.

"Hey Zoe, Lil Bit," The man greeted them. "Just wanted ta tell ya the twins is doin' good. Me and 'Nara got 'em kept on your sched'l an all. They been fussin' a bit more, wantin' their momma I guess, but ain't been no trouble."

"That's good to hear Jayne," Zoe smiled at the man. "I appreciate you and Inara taking care of them for me."

"Aw, we all got ta play with 'em, ev'ns out I figure." Jayne grinned. "When they get ta squawkin' though, Mal cain't touch 'em ev'n when he's been shot."

Riddick watched as the stoic soldier he'd met softened and nearly cooed over the news of her children. The mountain of a man, the gun hand he guessed, was replaced by a girl who practically radiated good will. Then the conversation was flying, his knowledge rapidly eclipsed by the River and this other woman. At one point he had to slide River off his lap and go mess with some of the controls near the hatch, calling off the settings while Zoe sat in the co-pilots seat and verified the readings. Imam and Jack helped as best they could but neither of them had much practical experience with ships.

But finally there was a thump, a shudder of the skiff, and they were docked with Serenity.

TBC


Author's Note: So anybody else breathe a sigh of relief? I debated having someone else pick them up but really? I just wanted Mal to meet Riddick.

Quote sources for this chapter are as follows:

Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole...I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul. - Invictus - William Ernest Henley

The female of the species is more deadly than the male - The Female of the Species - Rudyard Kipling

While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind", but it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind - Tommy - Rudyard Kipling

It's thin red line of heroes when the drums begin to roll - Tommy - Rudyard Kipling

I have wandered over the fruitful earth, but I never came here before - The Witch - Mary Elizabeth Coleridge

From childhood's hour I have not been as others were; I have not seen as others saw; I could not bring my passions from a common spring. From the same source I have not taken my sorrow; I could not awaken my heart to joy at the same tone; and all I loved, I loved alone. - Alone - Edgar Allen Poe