A/n:
Hotagainstthewall: I would LOVE to read your story when it's published! I love R/R fanfic and there just is not enough of it out there which is why I started writing my own. I can't wait girlie… may inspiration rain down on you and thanks for your groovy review…you make me blush!
Sabrina1204: Since the series itself really didn't have a whole lot of River time I had to come up with another way to progress their relationship, glad you like it. The Interludes have been hell to write but I think they're worth it. There is def goin' to be some CoR type stuff after Miranda, to what extent I'm not really sure but I've gone too far into Riddick's story to back out of a confrontation with the Necromongers now. LOL. Thanks for your support momma I probably would have abandoned a long time ago with out it :D and just for you the Lemons stay in LOL. much luv.
Don't own a thing…give it up to the greats…not to me…sniffle.
Mal found himself on intimate terms with the floor of his ship; he drew in short erratic gasps as he fought against the burning in his lungs.
"Sir?" Zoe reached to down to help yank him to his feet; breathing a bit heavily herself.
"We're dead," Mal groaned as he heaved himself up and forwards with Zoe's assistance.
"Oh, I believe we still have a chance," She panted.
"Haven't learned a terrible lot 'bout losin', have you Zoe?" He swallowed hard.
"Only since I've been under your command, Sir." She looked at him sideways, a glint of humor in her eyes.
"Fair enough," he conceded.
"Am I the only one on our team still playing?" Wash complained as he tried to dodge his way around Riddick; in all honesty he felt the whole thing to be a bit one sided. Sure, put the fleshy pilot up against the shiv wielding assassin that can see in the dark. "Why don't you cover my wife?" Wash suggested ruefully as he tried to lunge left and instead tripped over a loose crate as he spun to keep the ball out of Riddick's reach.
"Think Jayne's on that." Riddick smirked as the pilot faltered.
"Wha…Hey!" Wash yelled as Riddick stole the ball and spun around him.
"Over here!" Kaylee squealed.
Riddick tossed her the ball and she swerved around Mal. A slight hop and it passed cleanly through the hoop which dangled above them.
"Alright Kaylee!" Jayne hooted.
"Don't suppose we could threaten to put her off the boat iffin' she does that again?" Mal asked Zoe as she picked her husband up off the ground.
"Ya could Sir, but she's the only one who knows how to fix anything." She smirked.
Mal furrowed his brow, "Gotta point Zoe, that's why I hired you."
Zoe's smirked broadened as Jayne passed the ball back to her so she could put it back in play. "Thought it was to keep you from gettin' shot."
"Ain't like somebody gets shot everyday 'round here!" Mal defended.
Zoe snorted as she tossed him the ball; however it remained in Mal's possession only briefly.
"Hey!" he yelled as Riddick shouldered past him stealing the ball once more for his side.
"I got shot." Riddick called over his shoulder as he made his bid for the hoop. Kaylee squealed as her team scored again. "And I never get shot; ain't been shot in like a year." He neglected to mention that he'd been electrocuted, stabbed, clawed, almost eaten, burned, and implanted with a bomb; it wasn't relevant, point was, he hadn't been shot.
__
River giggled at his thoughts from above on the catwalk as she and her brother watched the spectacle below. "He forgot nearly mounted and put on display." She smiled at her brother whom had heard none of the exchange between Riddick and the Captain; he stared at her blankly. River scowled at him. "She told him he did not see."
Simon pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger and took in a deep breath.
"Who's winning?" Inara asked as she emerged from her shuttle.
"I can't really tell," he shrugged, grateful for the interruption. "They don't seem to be playing by any sort of civilized rules."
"Well we're far from civilization." She teased.
River had edged away from her brother upon Inara's arrival; she had no desire to repeat herself about their lack of sight. Repetition was irksome.
"How is she?" Inara asked when she believed River was out of earshot.
River snorted ruefully as she watched the game. Did they not understand she was never out of earshot? That the River carried it all to her; too much to her, an endless blathering and screaming that never made any sense. No sense. The world twitched. No sense. She tightened her grip on the railing. The voices of those around her faded; her breathing became erratic. The dead were screaming.
"She's… good. Better. She has her days. She still won't talk about what it was they did to her at the Academy." Simon answered Inara.
"Perhaps she's not sure herself."
"She dreams about it…nightmares."
*
Silly Simon… didn't he know there was no fixing her? They took…they took and they'll never give back...they want back…they don't give, they take. River began to tug at her hair. Something's wrong… all wrong… They were coming…they were coming to take and they'll take the wrong but think it will be the right.
*
Simon eager to speak with someone who wasn't completely uneducated or insane momentarily forgot River's presence all together. "Do you know I supported the Unification?" He asked her as he leaned against the rail.
"As did I," Inara nodded.
"I believed everything they told us. How the Great Alliance would solve our problems, right the wrongs; I wanted to be a part of that, a part of something great."
"Things are better now for a great many." Inara argued gently.
Simon shook his head and looked at her, "Three years ago it would have been unthinkable that I'd be on a ship like this, with people like that." He gestured down to the bay where the game was still going on; nothing more than mindless bashing and crashing in his view. How could it be fun?
*
How could the wrong be the right? Or perhaps it was the right that was wrong?
How could they not hear it? MERICFUL BUDDHA IT DROWNED OUT ALL ELSE HOW CAN THEY NOT HEAR IT?
*
__
"Who picked these teams anyway?" Wash huffed.
"Ain't over yet, we can still get 'em." Mal said indignantly as he tossed the ball back into play.
"Yes, our cunning strategy of getting our asses kicked is startin' to confound them." Wash snorted as he ran to cover Kaylee.
Jayne swiped the ball from Zoe and passed it to Riddick.
Kaylee sidestepped around Wash and raced up one of the platforms. "Up here!" She yelled.
Riddick tossed it up to her as Jayne ducked under the platform; just as Mal was about to grab her from behind, Kaylee hopped on Jayne's shoulders. Another shot; another point.
Jayne hollered and spun her circles as he hooted; her wild laughter echoed through the bay.
"What do ya know; Little Sunshine's got the arm." Riddick chuckled as he high fived her.
"That's it she's off the boat." Mal grumbled as he picked himself up off the ground yet again.
__
River clutched her hands to the side of her head and pressed herself against the upper walkway wall. Please gods make it stop.
"They're good people." Inara told Simon.
"Yes," he admitted, "and I am grateful, very grateful. It's just that here on this ship, I'm not sure I'll be able to help her and I need to help her."
Inara moved by the desperation in the young doctor's eyes, rested her hand gently on his shoulder. "Simon, you are helping her. I'm sure your sister understands what you risked to rescue her from that place. You left your entire world behind, that's incredibly selfless. Not many would have been able to do what you have done."
Simon tried to smile back at her, but just could not find it in him, "I selflessly turned us both into wanted fugitives."
"Well, we're all running from something I suppose," she smiled wistfully.
Simon looked at her curiously as he waited for her to continue; something in her smile told him she wasn't going to without prodding. He was about to ask when an alarm sounded.
River's world froze. "Ding, Dong."
__
The game halted at the sound of the alarm.
"Proximity alert." Zoe said looking up, "Must be comin' up on somethin'."
"Oh gawd!" Wash paled. "What could it be? We're doomed! Who's flyin' this thing?" His panic paused and he smirked. "Oh yeah, that'd be me. Well back to work." He shrugged and jogged up to the bridge.
"Guess that leaves us a man short." Kaylee said.
"Little Kaylee's always a man short," Jayne teased as he pinched her side.
"Jayne," she playfully slugged his arm. "What'd ya say Doc? Wanna play?" She yelled up. "I'm sure 'Nara won't mind iffin' we steal ya away for a bit."
Riddick caught the dark look which passed over Jayne's face, though it was gone just as quickly as it had come.
Simon hesitated. Inara shooed him with her hands, "I'll look after your sister." She still had not as of yet had a chance to speak with the young girl further on the subject of Riddick.
"Alright then," He was half way down the stairs when the ship lurched; he grabbed at the railing to keep from tumbling down them.
The carefree expression on Wash's face faltered immediately upon entering the bridge; through the cockpit window he could see they were coming up fast on a derelict ship. It was nearly the size of Serenity and spun ominously in a dead orbit. The beginning of an itch formed behind his ear as he slid into the pilot's chair. He flicked off the alarm as he leaned in for a closer look.
"Aah!" Wash yelled as he recoiled back into his chair; instinctively his hands grabbed the controls and banked the ship as a drifting body collided with the window. Empty black eye sockets in a pruned purple face burned into his mind. He swallowed hard; the itch had just become a full blown rash.
__
"Wash you have a stroke or somethin'?" Mal demanded as he stormed onto the bridge; the rest of the crew trailing behind.
"Near enough." He conceded as he scanned several of the monitors.
"What happen…?" Zoe's voice trailed off as her eyes locked onto the dead ship.
"Wuh de ma (Mother of God)." Jayne swore under his breath.
"Anyone home?" Mal asked as he leaned across the console for a closer look.
"Been hailing her, but if whoever's there's as healthy as the guy we just ran over, can't imagine they'll be pickin' up." Wash told him honestly.
"Bring us in a little closer." Mal said as he stepped towards the window.
"I'll get ya close enough to ring the bell."
Riddick stood to the back of the crowd; one eye on the girl who was trembling and pressed against the wall. She was muttering incoherently to herself again and while he really wasn't sure what the fuck she was sayin'; he had a feelin' girl was 'bout to have a spell. Could see it in her eyes, the way they glazed over, and he had realized by now that the girl's 'spells' weren't ever without cause. Whatever was on that ship was twitchin' out her brain; things were 'bout to get real interestin'. In truth he was kinda lookin' forward to it, this crew seemed to find all manner of trouble everywhere they went; it was all sorts of entertain'.
"What is it?" Simon asked as he craned his head for a better view.
"It's a ghost." River whispered and none save Riddick heard her; though he'd be damned iffin' he could figure what it meant.
"So what do we figure? A transport ship?" Mal asked.
Wash nodded, "Converted cargo hauler or a short range scow, mayhap."
"You can see she don't wanna be parked like that, somethin's funny. Port thruster's gone that's what's makin' her spin like she is." Kaylee pointed out.
"A short range vessel? This far out?" Simon asked.
"They get retrofitted to carry passengers. Settlers can pick 'em up real cheap at government auctions." Riddick answered as he pushed off the wall and leaned in for a closer look. "Just a few mods and they're good enough for a one way push to the outer planets. Cram probably 'bout fifteen, mayhap twenty families on a boat that size, iffin' you pack 'em in tight 'nough."
"Families?" Inara asked sadly.
"Tell ya want I think," Jayne said from the co pilot's chair, one leg propped on the console. "I figure that fella we run over did everyone on board. Killed 'em all. Then he decided to take a swim; see how fast his blood would boil outta his ears."
"You're a very 'up' person," Wash snorted.
"Shouldn't we report this?" Inara asked.
"To who? The Alliance?" It was Mal's turn to snort, but his was full of contempt. "Right 'cause they're gonna run right out here lickety-split and make sure these taxpayers are okay."
"Rudderless boat this far out, probably canned fish by now anyways." Riddick stated the obvious. What wasn't so obvious was why one guy tried to talk a walk; don't just pop out into the black without gorraam good reason.
"You can't know that for sure." Kaylee argued.
"He's right though. Iffin' them folks are alive in there, why ain't there no beacon?" Jayne asked.
Mal looked to Zoe for conformation.
"It's true, there's no beacon." She nodded.
"Means no one's gonna come lookin'," Mal exchanged a slight smirk with his first mate.
"What we a search and rescue tug now?" Jayne complained as he stood.
"Ain't nobody home Cobb, settler's cargo fetches a pretty price; gen-seed, protein, crop supplements." Riddick broke it down for the merc.
"Oh, right," Jayne's face broke out in a grin. "Well what we waitin' for then, got some salvagin' to do."
"Just try and get some sleep River," Simon told her gently as he smoothed out her hair. "The new medication is going to make you very tired and weak until your levels balance out."
"Day, night, awake, asleep, it makes no difference." She answered bitterly as she rolled away from him. "Ren sheng ru meng (life is but a dream). Why can't I wake up?"
"Give the meds a chance to work."
Her body tensed as the ship lurched almost imperceptibly to lock on with the derelict. She shot upright; her head cocked to the side and her eyes glazed over.
"River?" Simon asked nervously.
She answered him without looking. Her gaze fixated itself to the wall and she spoke as one trembling hand reached out to touch it. "One wintry day a Woodman was tramping home from his work when he saw something black lying on the snow. When he came closer he saw it was a Serpent to all appearance dead. But he took it up and put it in his bosom to warm while he hurried home. As soon as he got indoors he put the Serpent down on the hearth before the fire. The children watched it and saw it slowly come to life again. Then one of them stooped down to stroke it, but the Serpent raised its head and put out its fangs and was about to sting the child to death. So the Woodman seized his axe, and with one stroke cut the Serpent in two. 'No gratitude from the wicked.'"
Simon stared at her blankly. "Um… Well yes." He ran his hands through his hair. "I'm going to go and see if I can be of any assistance, there may be someone injured or sick on that ship."
River tore her gaze from the wall, "Has he not been listening?" She demanded. "If the serpent does not get him the spider has her within her grasp. Eight coils, eight legs. Her fangs are set and drip with venom; we have been poisoned! Our sanctuary desecrated! Tic…toc…boom."
"Try to get some sleep mei-mei please." He ignored her rambling as he rose.
Riddick waited for the doctor to retrieve his bag from the infirmary and head up to the bay before he slid into the girl's room. He'd heard everything. The girl wasn't crazy. Well she was, but she wasn't just crazy. He might not have had the fancy Core bred education the Doc had had, but he was by no means unintelligent. Ain't much else to do when you're alone and drifting in the black beside read and he was surprisingly familiar with River's little tirade.
"What's comin' girl?" He growled from the doorway.
"Where do ya think you're headed?" Jayne grumbled from his perch on one of the crates in the bay.
"I thought I might offer my services, in case anyone on board might require medical attention." Simon answered as his gaze drifted to Mal and Zoe who were suiting up. He swallowed hard.
"Yeah well, Cap and Zoe are goin' in first." Jayne grunted as he loaded a round into Zoe's shot gun. "We'll holler iffin' we need ya."
Simon continued to watch Zoe and the Captain. The beginnings icy fear crawled beneath his skin. Jayne followed his gaze and smiled wickedly. "Somethin' wrong Doc?"
"Hmm? Ah, no… I… I just suppose it's the thought of a little Mylar and glass being the only thing separating a person from," he paused and swallowed hard again, "nothing."
Jayne smirked darkly and rose to take a step closer to the good doctor as he spoke, "Impressive what 'nothing' can do to a man. Like that fella we bumped into. He's likely stuck up under our belly about now. That's what space trash does ya know. Kinda just latches on to the first big somethin' that stops long 'nough," Jayne pumped the shot gun. "Now that'd be a bit like you and your sister. Wouldn't it?"
"She sees and no hears her." River answered.
"Listenin'." Riddick said as he pushed himself off the doorframe and stepped inside.
"They won't let you escape, steal their treasure and fly away free…none will live to tell the tale. Freedom is an illusion."
"Somebody on that ship girl?"
"He was…but he has forgotten. Like all the others he has forgotten." She answered cryptically and turned away from him to trace the patterns in the wall.
Riddick studied her. "A ghost?"
River didn't answer; instead she began to slowly hum to herself.
"Don't like to be ignored River-girl." He growled low. He didn't like walking into a trap either.
"She has given him all the knowledge she has to give; repetition is irksome."
"Didn't tell me shit, just a load of riddles that don't make no sense."
"It is not her fault he is not listenin'."
"Am too." He snapped; though came out more like a sulk than the angry retort he'd been aiming for.
"Listen harder." River pulled the blanket over her head in an attempt to signal she was finished talking.
However, Riddick had no intention of leaving until he got his answers and he leaned himself up against the wall prepared to wait. Their meeting in the hidden compartment had taught him a few things; one being, you couldn't rush the girl into anything; it confused her, confusion made her violent, as his jaw could attest to. Iffin' you waited around, for her to come out of her own head, you'd get your answers. He had no intention of being shot again anytime soon; it stung like a bitch, and River knew what was waitin' for them on the ship and he wanted to know too.
The airlock whooshed opened. Mal and Zoe fully suited and armed stepped through; the door sealed behind them, and red warning lights flashed. While the steady thunking of their grav boots was lost to them behind the shield of their helmets; the respective hammering of their individual heartbeats was not. What would they find on the other side of that door? Disease? Slaughter? The black could drive a man insane given enough time in it and though they had not voiced it earlier; Jayne's theory was quite possible, and frighteningly likely.
"Entering adjoining airlock now," Mal said as he pulled open the hatch. "Okay Wash, ask Serenity to knock for us."
*
"Just as nice as you please," he answered through the two way and flicked a few controls.
*
The red light above the derelict's hatch changed to green. His gun drawn, Mal lead the way through the airlock, it resealed automatically behind them. The ship itself was bathed in semi darkness, the only illumination provided by the emergency lights and the torches they carried.
"Emergency power's up. Dashboard light." Mal spoke through his link. Slowly, cautiously he and Zoe made their way; exchanging a look as they passed a child's tricycle. Something was wrong, very, very wrong aboard the ship and Zoe felt it as though it was a physical weight against her chest.
They made their way into a small mess; it was set up cafeteria style, several tables, a slop counter, and a few high chairs. Zoe's feeling was only reinforced as they took in the trays still on the table, still filled with moldy half eaten food, and the slop counter itself still prepped as though the meal had just begun. "Whatever happened here happened quick." Mal voiced her thoughts out loud.
Zoe swallowed hard. This wasn't disease.
"Let's keep moving." Mal ordered.
She nodded and followed him up a small stairwell which led them to the bridge. More evidence of the same; a book left opened, a half filled cup of coffee, a board game set up and abandoned mid game. No people. No blood. No sign of trouble.
"Everything was left on," Zoe said as she moved to look over the controls. "The ship powered down on its own." She looked up at him. "This is wrong Sir, ain't a sign of trouble anywhere. Everybody's just…"
"Gone." Mal finished for her as he looked over the flight console.
"Sir," Zoe called him. "Personal log, someone was in the middle of an entry."
He nodded at her to run the log back. Almost nervously she pressed down on the playback button. STATIC. A SCREAM.
River suddenly shot up and a small scream ruptured from her lips. Riddick pushed himself off the wall. Her breath came in short erratic bursts and her arms flew to cover her head as though she was shielding herself; racking sobs overtook her.
"River?" Simon called nervously as he ran into her dorm. He shot Riddick a dark and questioning look. What the hell are you doing in here?
"Sshh its okay, I'm here. Bad dreams again?" He asked her.
"No. I can't sleep. Too much screaming." Her voice trembled as she spoke much as her hand did as she ran it through her sweaty locks. She spoke to her brother, but her gaze focused on Riddick.
"Ghosts?" Riddick asked as he raised an eyebrow.
"They are the loudest." She whispered, but Riddick heard her clearly. "Violence echoes for eternity. He was one who remembered… they made him forget. A new generation of ghosts has been born."
"Why would you encourage her? And what are you doing in here?" Simon asked him angrily.
"Make them stop! Make them stop!" River yelled as she yanked on her hair.
Simon turned his focus back to his sister, "River, there is no screaming." He told her sadly. She looked up and her hands fell away from her hair. Her eyes cleared and when she spoke there was not even the slightest tremble to her voice. "There was." She told him evenly, lucidly, darkly.
Riddick cocked his head to the side and took a step forward; the gears in his head turning and River felt them move; each click, a step closer to her.
Simon stared at her. He too was about to speak though any reply he could had formed was cut off by Jayne's abrupt entrance.
"Grab you're med kit Doc and hoof it, you too Riddick." He jerked his head in his direction, "Mal wants us over there on the double."
"They've found survivors?" Simon asked.
"He can't be called that." River muttered under her breath, and again none save Riddick heard her.
"Didn't say." Jayne shrugged.
"Right," Simon turned his eyes to his sister and then back to the door; unsure if it was wise to leave her in this state. "I'll just ask Inara to look in on River."
"Yeah, whatever, ain't waitin'." Jayne rolled his eyes and jerked his head toward the door at Riddick, "Let's go make some money." He turned back to Simon, "We'll meet ya over there and don't take forever, still gotta get suited up."
Riddick debated trying to get in another word or two alone with River before heading over, but it would raise questions. He kept her secrets, she kept his. It was a new sensation, trust. Who had he ever trusted before? Who had ever trusted him? Jack. He shook the thought away as he followed Jayne out. He still hadn't gotten any real answers, but he'd gotta enough to make sure he watched his ass onboard the other ship.
"Whatcha doin'?" Jayne asked him as Riddick went for another suit.
Riddick quirked an eyebrow, "What's it look like?"
Jayne snickered, "Air's good over there."
"You're a real prick Cobb, ya know that right?" Riddick chuckled.
"Still owe Core boy for druggin' me up. Thinkin' seein' him piss his pants would be good 'nough."
Riddick checked the ammo in his gun. "What's the status?"
"Don't know, ship's deserted, life boat's gone; whoever was on that ship e-vacted and quick." Jayne shrugged.
Fuckin' great. Riddick thought as he followed Jayne through the air lock. He was itchin'; something fierce.