14) Their Currents Turn Awry, And Lose The Name Of Action

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,

And thus the native hue of resolution

Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,

And enterprises of great pith and moment

With this regard their currents turn awry,

And lose the name of action.

-Hamlet, William Shakespeare

River had not expected to see familiar faces as she went shopping for food supplies. Part of her expected Serenity's crew to follow her, to somehow know where she and Riddick were going. But the practical part of her brain reminded her that she'd been the reason they had more than half of the inexplicable knowledge they possessed. Emotionally it made no difference, she still expected to see Mal's face and long Browncoat coming around every corner. Every pair of bright blue eyes brought back the idea that Jayne had somehow tracked her. The whine of a Firefly's engine sent her ducking around corners.

She'd seen the faces, recognized them and nearly panicked for all the wrong reasons before she took a breath. Then she'd almost panicked for the right reasons. Because if Johns and Luna were here that meant Dahl (and her sniper rifle) wasn't far away. And that meant Riddick, her big man, her bàng jiār was in danger. The creed was greed after all. He was worth more dead than alive. Far more.

River flung her mind outward recklessly, seeking Riddick's thoughts. Her big partner was bargaining at the store that sold ammunition. And then he saw Dahl. So he was aware of the complication. He'd do what he had to in order to get back to the ship safely. She'd better distract Johns and Luna. The beginnings of a plan germinated in her mind as she considered her options and the likelihood of the mercenaries' reactions.

She reconnected her mind with Riddick's as she walked slowly towards the store. He had snuck up on Dahl and he was... River gasped, her breath sharp in her throat and stopped. She leaned against the brick of the wall and shuddered. Riddick was busy with Dahl, going balls deep, and enjoying every minute. And it hurt, more than it ever had when he'd sought out whores. She'd understood that, intellectually at least. She'd ached for him, wishing she could be what he needed in every way but she hadn't been ready. She hadn't known how to tell him what she was feeling. Hadn't been able to Read whether or not he'd even welcome her attentions once she was completely healed. She couldn't even be sure her well-being was stable.

She'd found such comfort in his mind and abilities, that knack he had for practicality and survival above all else. His intellect was equal to hers in his own unique way and she'd never had a better friend. It was only so recently that she'd been able to relax and enjoy her partner and how he looked and hope that they could be more than just partners. Had she taken too long to heal?

The lust he was feeling, the physical need, it was like a shock that he could feel so much. She'd known he was a man of deep feelings, of powerful emotions, but he was also ruthlessly controlled. He wouldn't let his feelings get in the way of survival, with only a few exceptions. Riddick kept those emotions and needs repressed almost violently when he was around her determined to never hurt her. And now... River wrenched her mind away from his and forced her breathing to even out. The absolute misery she was feeling was all out of proportion to her partner screwing Dahl to a wall in an alley. Especially as she'd known of his attraction to the merc, he'd propositioned her while in chains, even when he was being lifted to safety. Why was she so surprised and upset?

"Shǐ niào," She muttered as the growing realization of why she was now so completely miserable hit her like (as Jayne would say) a shit-ton of bricks. "Shit, shit, shit," She nearly growled the words. "You're... oh that gǒu niáng yǎng de." River shook her head. She didn't have time for a meltdown or a crying fit or even a small crisis of affection. She had to distract Luna and Johns. Time to calm down and act as if she hadn't seen Riddick in at least nine months.

She checked her satchel for the cloth bags she used for the food supplies and walked into the shop. There was work to be done along with the distraction. She was not heading out to Beaumonde and dealing with the Rample twins with only molded protein in her belly. Selecting foodstuffs was soothing. When she had everything, she'd come to purchase she discovered the spice selection and grinned in appreciation. Rosemary, coriander, oregano, basil, sage, thyme, parsley and cinnamon, even lemon zest, salt and pepper corns. She'd happily give up some of her coin to replenish her spices. If the town hadn't been home to a major port she doubted the store would have had half the supplies she needed. But travelers would, as she was doing, stock up after dropping or picking up cargo before they headed out to the Black again.

Luna and Johns were talking about some of the simpler foodstuffs, meals in a bag, MREs Riddick had called them. With spices they were decent and she thought for a moment. She could pick up a few, things that Riddick wouldn't mind eating and show him how to use some spices to make them palatable. She wandered over to the aisle and was carefully perusing the selection and adding a few meals to her bags when she heard Luna's voice exclaim in surprise.

When she turned she could feel both their minds, Johns and Luna, filled with speculation and curiosity. "Mr. William Johns," She nodded politely, "Ricardo Luna." River tilted her head and decided it wasn't uncalled for to be a little spooky. "Joined Johns' crew, more to your taste than Santana's clan. More what you'd hoped for when you decided to become a merc. Believe you are on the path of the righteous man, and ignore all the bad you've done. Hunt down the killers of men, despoilers of women, hunt the men who would set fire to a church as a distraction for escape, uncaring of those inside."

Luna's face was a study in shock as River turned and looked at Johns, "Still hunting, always hunting, not answers but a man this time." She gave them a half smile, "Wanted for murder on Beaumonde, escaped en route to the prison camps." She studied the image in John's mind and shook her head, "Don't know him, haven't seen him. But the mining companies to the west are a good place for men to hide. The dust and grime of the mines covers the face. Everyone on planet courts Bowden's Malady, even those who have never been in a mine. Your man will not remain long once he learns this."

She could feel Luna's realization that she was more of a Reader than a Seer, that Clairvoyance was part of Telepathy and true Precognitive visions were more rare, "You were lying? The entire time?" He sounded surprised and reproachful and angered at her deceit underneath it, self-righteous and believing her lies were sinful. Thoughts like hammers against her mind in their rage; disturbing and obsessive.

River looked at him and shifted slightly, she was a far cry from the beaten victim of Santana's crew. With Riddick's help, time and therapy via waves with a Counselor she'd healed physically and mentally, and now she looked like what she'd been before they caught her, a gun-hand. A woman who wore long sleeves to hide the knives on her wrists and pants because they were harder to remove if a man ever thought to take her by force again. She was still thinner than was completely healthy, she'd heard Riddick worrying on it more than once, but she wasn't anyone's victim anymore. "Did he expect otherwise?" She laughed slightly, a cool chuckle as unlike her laughter with Riddick as ice was unlike spring water. "The boy Santana took on as a sacrificial lamb, but somehow he stayed alive, survived until Santana thought of him as a good luck charm. And helpful with the girl, able to calm her, interpret her."

"You're not really a Seer. You're like...a Reader. You were lying, deceiving me for more than...sixteen months," Luna was fixated on that, and resentful, while Johns was simply looking at her curiously.

River speared the younger merc with a look so cold his balls should have shriveled. Even Riddick quailed a bit when she wore that expression, "Why would I tell you anything I didn't have to in order to stay alive? I was raped, repeatedly. Beaten and half starved." She put her free hand on the knife strapped to her thigh and pulled it, twirling it in her fingers thoughtfully as she continued to stare at Luna. "I begged you for seven months to let me go before I gave up and realized you were just like any other merc, regardless of your motives for becoming one. I didn't, and don't, owe you anything. You're lucky I left you alive. Just a gǒu tuǐ zi who wèi hǔ zuò chāng," She added with a curl of her lip.

"I never hurt you," Luna protested. "I took care of you."

"Like a pet," River agreed and sheathed the knife again. Better not hold it while her hands were itching to open up his throat. "Like a thing. Because I wasn't a person to you. To any of them. I was a useful thing. The girl."

"What is your name?" Johns asked politely, "Since you know ours?" His bright blue eyes were thoughtful as he studied her.

"I go by Lil, these days," River shrugged. "It's simple." She gave him a slight smile as she Read the thought in his mind that she looked better, healthy and pretty. "I am better, thank you. The Captain saw to it that I had access to a Counselor for therapy, and a proper doctor, when he learned what I had been through. The crew I'm with now, we eat well, even if I cook most of it," She indicated her bags. "I serve as a gun hand, backup pilot in emergencies and engineer as well as the cook most often. The Counselor...helped me to deal with the memories of what was done. I have a bunk to myself with a locking door and no one on my ship would ever hurt me."

"He help you with that?" Johns tilted his head. His brain was still trying to figure out Riddick. Part of him wanted the bounty, though he wouldn't ever go after the double amount Riddick's head would bring. But he couldn't figure out why River had chosen to sail with Riddick instead of him. Unless it had been Luna's presence and Dahl's remarks at the end of that hellish night on planet that had driven River off.

"He and I parted ways after several months, but yes, before he left he made sure the crew I signed on with smelled all right to him," River nodded. "What I couldn't suss out, he did. He wanted to be certain I was as safe as I could be." Another MRE caught her eye and she picked it up, "Chicken Marsala." She looked at Johns, "Is this any good?"

"You add enough salt it's decent," Johns wrinkled his nose and River put the meal back. "So you haven't seen him since?"

"For all intents and purposes, he vanished," River said truthfully. That was accurate; she'd made sure of it. "He might have even gone back to that world." She frowned slightly, "Mr. Johns, I would never have gone with you. Even if Luna had been dead and Dahl had not teased me in those last hours, I would never have gone with you."

"Why not?" Johns wondered curiously, "My crew never hurt you, Dahl tried to help as much as she could."

"Because the creed is greed," River said softly. "Because you are mercs. And not one of you ever thought to unchain me. To give me freedom. It never even crossed your mind until Riddick was unchained. Even when you couldn't find me in all the logs and guild databases. When you couldn't find any evidence of my crime. Just like you don't know what he did to be thrown in prison, the prison from which he first escaped. You don't ask the right questions."

"That's not what I do, not what I'm paid for," Johns shook his head. "I go after men and women with bounties on their heads. They've broken the law so I hunt them."

River gave him a rueful smile, "I broke no law. If I had you'd have found a record of it, because even the best husker can't erase every record and file. Neither had he broken any law until he escaped." She shrugged, "He never even got a trial in a court. They just threw him in jail, for the crime of trying to change the system. For trying to tell the truth."

"He told you a lot before you two split up?" Blue eyes were thoughtful as they studied her.

"He didn't have to say much," The Reader shook her head. "Not to me." The boss merc's realization that she'd simply Read Riddick's mind had his eyes widening in horror. River couldn't help the laugh that spilled from her lips. "His is not the worst mind I've touched. After Santana, Riddick's mind was like a wellspring of beauty. Clear and controlled, his thoughts are organized. And he never once thought of touching me against my will. Not even when he watched me bathe. Nor on that ship for the months we traveled together afterwards."

"Pervert," Luna muttered.

River shot a dirty look at him, "He looked, admired, but didn't touch. Would never touch a woman unwilling, not even a merc woman. While you just stood by and watched as men raped me over and over again, while I screamed and begged. And lusted in your heart. Your Bible says to think a sin is as bad as committing it. Even when Santana would have beaten and raped me in front of all of you in that station you did nothing to stop it. È yǒu 'è bào. You are just as è guàn mǎn yíng as you believe he is. Worse than Santana, pretending you are guāng míng zhèng dà." She sneered, "Consider your thoughts and your Bible and then think of how little you are like Riddick."

"You're telling me, the most wanted murderer in the systems never even thought of touching you?" Johns sounded a little disbelieving. He was mentally setting aside her assessment of Luna for now, she could hear his resolution to consider it in more depth later, after he'd consulted with Dahl, and concentrating on the question uppermost in his own mind. Her safety around Riddick.

She shrugged and smiled slightly, "Of course he thought of touching. But only if I welcomed his hands." Johns' expression was still confused and she elaborated a bit, "Rape is anathema to him. He doesn't understand it, not in his heart. The act is for pleasure, for procreation. Turning it into an assault is beyond his capacity to comprehend. You all call him a savage, an animal. He's Furyan. A spirit warrior whose animal side is what gives him his power. You won't ever find him. He is not a man as you think of him. So he cannot be found."

"So, he's a mass murderer but he won't touch a woman against her will," Johns sounded slightly reassured by that thought.

River nodded, "Exactly." She looked at Johns, "And now I will claim repayment of the debt you owe me."

"I owe you?" Johns huffed out a half laugh and shook his head. "What do I owe you for?"

"If Santana had killed the Dog, no tranq in the world would have kept Riddick from killing all of you," River told him flatly. "And a bloodbath of men who'd never touched me was not in my plans of escape. I took a beating and was nearly raped again. But I kept all of your crew alive. At least until the storm came."

Johns frowned, "So I owe you. And what do you want?"

"I want you think, of the last time you heard of Furya," River said softly. "And then farther back. All that time in cryo. All that travel. Times past, growing up before the Necros became a concern, cryo keeping you young while the stars burned in the Black and the worlds spun around you. Worlds upon worlds upon worlds spinning. I want you to remember anything you heard, any rumor or legend, about Furya." She frowned, listening intently as Johns began to cycle through his memories, trying to find anything.

"I don't—" Johns began to shake his head.

This wasn't something Luna had ever seen her do before, though she'd certainly had the capability even traumatized as she'd been. A deep Read would have given the game away and she'd needed them to think she was a PreCog, not a Reader. Conscious of Luna's seething expression and self-righteous thoughts, River took a swift step forward and caught Johns face in her hands, before the younger merc could say anything, "Look at me." She commanded softly. "Look into my eyes and let me See into yours. I am one with the Storm and the Worlds and the Swirl of Stars in the Heavens and I shall See." She intoned gently, the mnemonic that always put her into the light trance that enabled her to delve into a mind and Read the deepest most hidden memories.

Long moments of slow breathing and Johns' thoughts about the softness of her fingers, the sweetness of her face and the dark depths of her eyes as he stared in fascination, before she was done. He wasn't as aware as Riddick was, didn't even feel her in his mind, looking for any information about Furya. He didn't trust her as Riddick did, but it didn't matter, his mind was open and only cursorily organized. Sadly, her search came to nothing.

"Did you find anything?" Johns asked as she released his jaws and took a step away from him. "I couldn't really...tell."

She smiled, "You haven't heard much of Furya beyond what I told you. Legends of a world lost before you paid attention to such things." River gave him a bow of respect, "But thank you for allowing me to try."

"What would you do with it, if you found anything?" Johns asked quietly. "If you're not with Riddick anymore?"

"If I ever see him again, I wish to be able to say that I made the attempt. That I tried," River tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. "After all, if not for him, I would still be a slave, wouldn't I?" She cast a cold look at Luna, "I'd best get back to my ship. My captain will worry."

"If you ever—" Johns was looking almost embarrassed, a strange look on such a confident man. "I mean, if you ever need, you know..."

He was trying to offer help, and to ask her for the honor of her company, River realized as she Read his thoughts. His mind was full of her soft hands and pretty face and swaying walk, a fleeting attraction compared to the woman around whom his thoughts oriented. Still, he genuinely wished to offer her help if she ever needed it. He was feeling keenly his failure on planet to set her free. She smiled, as warmly as she could manage for someone who would hunt her partner without a thought for if it was right. "I thank you, for your words. You are kind to offer assistance." She bowed more deeply, "I will keep it in mind. But as for the other...I am..." She sighed slightly and shook her head, "I am...unavailable for such an engagement."

"I understand," Johns nodded. He truly did, she could feel it. His interpretation of her words wasn't quite what she'd meant. But she could hardly say she had an overwhelming attraction and affection for the man he'd happily hunt down and turn into a Slam.

"Please give my greetings to Dahl, and thank her for me again, for letting me bathe," River offered as she moved to the counter to pay.

"I will," Johns nodded. "Do you need an escort back to your ship?"

"I am never so encumbered that I cannot defend myself," River turned the offer down politely. "My captain...doesn't care much for strangers. We're a close-knit group." She watched as the cashier tallied up her purchases and nodded. The tally was the same as her own. Adding a bag of dried fruit and the treasure of two chocolate bars brought the total up a bit but still well within her means.

Johns was still watching her as she smiled at them politely and left the store. She could hear his mind wondering how much of what she'd said about Riddick was true. River grinned to herself. She'd lied to him about the merc owing her a debt. After all, she hadn't kept Dog alive to prevent a bloodbath. She'd done it for Riddick. To keep Riddick from being killed. And to spare him the pain losing his only friend would cause. That the mercs lived, for a while at least, was a bi-product. But what Johns didn't know wouldn't hurt him. She wouldn't lie to Riddick, but the rest of the 'verse…not so deserving of consideration.

The docks weren't too far away and she wasn't being followed. Johns didn't think it would be hard to find her again. He'd learn soon enough that she was a ghost on the cortex. The name Lil could be any number of folk. And he didn't realize that what he'd seen of her capabilities was the merest fraction of what she could truly accomplish.

Keying open the ship, River cast her mind out for Riddick's thoughts again and winced as she found him on his way back to the boat. His thoughts were filled with Dahl, her body and the sounds of her, the taste of her skin. Strangely enough Riddick hadn't kissed the merc woman. Because she was a merc? She knew he didn't kiss whores, a lot of them didn't allow it, and there were other concerns as well. The Goodnight Kiss wouldn't affect him as long as it would Mal or Jayne but it would do its job well enough for him to get rolled like any other mark.

The Reader busied herself with putting the supplies away, hiding the chocolate from Dog. It wasn't good for him but he'd eat anything if she left it out. She'd caught him munching on laundry soap once. That had been a memorable day. He'd foamed at the mouth, vomited and gulped water only to foam and vomit more. She and Riddick had learned to keep non-edibles out of his reach. Sometimes Dog didn't have as much sense as God gave a horse. Which wasn't much in the first place since horses would eat until they were sick given the chance and the food.

Try as she might to stave off the epiphany that had struck her earlier she couldn't. River sighed and sat at the table. She wanted Riddick. She wanted his attention and affection and his touch. She wanted him with a hunger that was actually a little shocking. Hearing and feeling what he'd done with Dahl only made it worse.

She'd thought she had a little attraction, normal enough; her partner was a good man, mostly. He was handsome, muscular and according to all his whores, very talented in bed. His need for the whores and so often lately, had been irritating but she'd understood. He didn't like to think on her like that and he had needs, everyone did. So, he'd gone to whores.

But Dahl... Dahl being the object of Riddick's attention bothered her more than a platoon of whores. He'd expressed interest in Dahl before, and perhaps it had only been River's presence that had kept Riddick and the merc woman from having each other on Not Furya. Dahl was a strong, vibrant, sensual woman. And as unlike River as day from night. And Riddick being with her hurt...worse than any other pain she'd felt in her life.

River swiped away tears and took a deep breath calming her heart rate. Maybe it was time she looked into getting a whore of her own? A nice young boy whore who could service her. Or if she could afford one, and make contact, a male Companion would be ideal. She'd have to go on the cortex when Riddick was sleeping and see about that.

In the meantime, her sated partner was approaching the ship. And they'd better take off soonest.

Riddick wasn't sure what was wrong with him. He'd just had one of the most satisfying romps of his life. With a woman he hadn't had to pay. But midway through it he'd started to think of the wrong woman. Or the right one, depending on your perspective. And that last climax, like fire blowing through him, he hadn't been seeing Dahl under him. He'd pictured his beautiful Kitten, white skin, dark hair, arching up to his hands and moaning his name. That was a little twisted, even for him, to think of one woman while he was balls deep in a different one.

But lately, he'd noticed that his whores...he tended to concentrate his attention on the slender brunettes. And he couldn't help but make comparisons between their flesh and the skin he'd seen of Kitten's. He hadn't gotten more than brief glimpses since the time he'd seen her bathe. And that was for the best. He didn't need to feed those fantasies anymore.

Damned if he was going to screw up the best thing in his life so far. He knew, in theory anyway, that no one was perfect. But if River Tam, his Kitten, wasn't the closest thing to it he'd eat Dog's food. She was smart and pretty, deadly and all kinds of useful. And she seemed to actually like him. That was one thing that argued for not so smart, or maybe slightly crazed, but he'd take it because he really didn't know where he'd be without her. He was hot shit at escapes, but she was pretty damn slick at just not getting caught.

Riddick looked at Dog and sighed, "What the fuck am I gonna do?" Dog made a half moan half snorting noise at him and Riddick shook his head, "Lotta help you are."

He moved over to his desk/workbench and picked up the shiv he was carving for her. She didn't have the strength in her hands to do the delicate decorative carving. He'd taught her how to make shivs out of damn near anything. She was pretty good. But having the upper body strength to put an edge on something wasn't the same as having enough strength in your hands and fingers to do fine work.

Riddick figured he couldn't do much for her, but he could make her a shiv that looked like it belonged in her hand. Slender and carved with knotwork, the perfect size for her palm, she could tuck it in the sheath he'd made at the back of her belt. Made out of bone it wouldn't show on a weapons-scan the way metal would. He turned the shiv in his hands and nearly smiled at the thought of her holding it. It was almost ready.

A look over at Dog, who was watching him curiously, brought a half smile to his face. He wondered what Kitten would think of the shiv. The smile faded as he remembered the expression on her face as he'd walked up the ramp to the airlock. She'd smelt of tears and pain and determination even though he hadn't seen any sign she'd been crying. He bent his head over the shiv. Nobody made his partner cry. He still wanted to hunt down her old crew and gut a few people for how hurt and afraid she'd been at the sight of them.

The knock at his door was quiet, in deference to his sensitive ears, and Riddick called for her to enter. When the door slid open she just stood there watching him for a moment. She smelt warm and sweet, affectionate and trusting as she leaned against the doorjamb. "Dinner's ready," She told him in her soft voice. "If you're hungry."

"Always," He grinned at her and set the shiv down. "'Specially when you cook Kitten."

A touch of sorrow drifted through her scent and he frowned, "What's wrong?"

"Tell you at dinner," She wasn't quite lying but she wasn't going to tell him everything. Riddick forced himself to relax even as he tensed at the thought. Everyone had things they wanted to keep private. He was glad she didn't look too closely at his thoughts unless they were on a job. If she knew his thoughts about her, all the fantasies he had while she was asleep and safe from his mind...well their partnership might be over.

"All right," He nodded and set down his tools. "Lemme wash up, an' I'll be right there."

Author's Note: So…more 'old friends'. Did you all anticipate this after the last chapter or were you surprised? I figure if you'd read 'Any Fool' you'd have an idea of what was going on. I actually had this written before I'd written that story and making sure I kept any changes in line with both was a little challenging.

Someone asked if we would meet Monty or Saffron… and others thought we'd run into the crew again. We will meet more familiar people but I don't want to give too much away.

And our two folks here are busy buying riverfront property in Egypt aren't they?

Chinese Translations:

bàng jiār (partner)

Shǐ niào (Shit and piss)

gǒu niáng yǎng de (son of a bitch)

gǒu tuǐ zi (dog's leg / fig. one who follows a villain / henchman / hired thug)

wèi hǔ zuò chāng (to act as accomplice to the tiger / to help a villain do evil - idiom)

È yǒu 'è bào (evil has its retribution (idiom); to suffer the consequences of one's bad deeds / sow the wind and reap the whirlwind - Hosea 8:7)

è guàn mǎn yíng (lit. strung through and filled with evil (idiom); filled with extreme evil / replete with vice / guilty of monstrous crimes)

guāng míng zhèng dà ((of a person) honorable / not devious / (of a behavior) fair and aboveboard / without tricks / openly / (of a situation) out in the open)