25) You Tear Down My Reason
The Furyan woke, growls vibrating his throat even in as he regained consciousness, there were voices near but none he counted a pack member. Chained, they'd chained him, like he was a beast they could yoke, chained him and taken him far from his mate. Her scent was lost to him now, only the remains of her perfume on the air, fading with the scrubbers of the life support system. He growled again, rage firing even hotter at the thought of that loss. Soon he'd be without anything of hers, deep in the black while his mate was dirtside, and he yanked at the cuffs that chained him to the floor. The floor creaked and his lips spread in a parody of a smile even as he roared his anger and loss into the air.
The dark woman married to the laughing man was speaking to the man of shadows. The shadow man smelt of blood and pain, old fears and memories put away now flooding back to the present.
The shadow man's voice was weak, "That bad?"
The woman sounded crisp, matter of fact, when worry clouded her scent. No one could hide from the Furyan's nose, from his senses, "Battle wounds are nothing new to me, preacher. I've seen men live with a dozen holes in 'em this size. An' Rick fixed you up so you'll hold pretty good for a spell."
"That right?" Shadows clouded the dark man's voice, more memories tugging at him, weakness in his words.
"Surely is," The woman was brazening out her bluff, even as she moved to mop the fever sweat from the shadow man's brow, "Knew a man whole had a hole clean through his whole shoulder, once. Used to keep a spare hankie in there." She moved a bit more, leather over armor creaking slightly, fabric rustling and the Furyan knew she was walking around the bed from the feel of vibrations through the floor.
He pulled on the chains again, and again, unable to stop himself even as he listened to what was being said, "Where's the doctor? Not back yet?" The shadow man was asking weakly.
A lie from the woman, smells of rosewater, wrong on her, like pepper in his nose, "We don't make him hurry for the little stuff. He'll be along."
Furyan growls vibrated through the air at the lie, the lie about his Omega, his pack, family, gone, left, abandoned like worthless husks on a backwater world, his fury so loud in his ears he barely heard the shadow man's last words before unconsciousness overtook the shepherd for a while, "He could hurry... a little."
River hung onto Simon tightly as they crossed a very make shift bridge into some sort of village. The houses were run down and also seemed makeshift, as were the people. Jiangyin had not seemed to her to be overly civilized but the town had boasted a few shops and the possibility of culture even if only on festival days. This was so many steps below the town that she wondered if they'd slid headfirst into the dark ages of Earth That Was. "For lo I bring you tidings of great joy," She whispered and sure enough the leader of the men who'd kidnapped them stepped forward.
"Look what we got! Got ourselves a doctor. A real doctor," He shifted slightly and looked at Simon standing behind him, "Stand up straight."
River heard someone near one of the houses, a woman exclaiming in gratitude, "They brought home a doctor. Thank the Lord."
Simon looked at River and sighed and she shrugged up at him, "Cannot go against our nature." She reminded him softly. "You are a healer. Until my zhàng fu comes for us, you may as well help."
"Yes," Simon nodded slowly as the leader began urging them forward again. "How are you doing?"
"Her mind is fragmented again," River sighed. "She does not like being apart from her mate. Knows he will not be pleased with what he finds here."
"Will it help to keep a hold of me?" Simon asked in a low voice, "I understand it won't be the same."
"There is comfort in the familiar," River conceded her voice just as soft, "But the Furyan is…crystalline, elegant and layered, his price is far beyond rubies, no jagged edges, nothing unknown or overwhelming."
"You love him for his mind?" Simon had a smile in his voice as they were led toward what River guessed was the hospital.
"Simon has seen my husband," River retorted dryly. "Could any woman love him only for his mind when all of him so stimulates the senses? Sound, sight, touch, scent and taste?"
"Taste?" Simon blinked down at her as they were halted in front of a tall man with an air of authority.
"Yes," River nodded, "Richard tastes of salt and spice and love."
"So, Stark, you found us a doctor," The burly grey haired man was looking Simon over. "Don't recall requestin' a child though."
"She's his sister," The leader of the kidnappers whose name was obviously Stark explained deferentially. "She keeps goin' on about her husband coming to get them."
"When you enter into our fold you are born anew," The man shook his head. "All past bonds are cast aside. All are of new flesh and blood. A new husband will be chosen for you." He looked at River critically and the at Simon, "Neither of you are much more than children, how old are you?"
River shivered and shook her head, "She is old and young, child and woman, wife and not wife." She looked up at the man, "Patron, head of church, head of village." Her head tilted and she frowned, "My Richard will come for me. Come for his brother. All bonds are sacred in his eyes."
Simon smoothed a hand over River's hair, "My sister was hurt, grievously. Her husband is very protective," He lied smoothly. "I would not recommend marrying her off to someone else, she doesn't like men much."
"She will learn to obey as is a woman's place in God's plan," The Patron was implacable.
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus," River retorted solemnly.
"Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord," The Patron said with an air of having won the argument.
River shook her head at the Patron, "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value."
Simon broke into the quote argument before the Patron could respond, "Regardless of what the bible says or what you say regarding your church, she is my sister and while away from her husband is under my protection." He drew himself up, "I am past my majority, being twenty two years of age." He took River's hand and tugged her closer to him, "She is married. By our religion she cannot be unwed, unless her husband consents to it."
"What religion is that?" The Patron asked suspiciously.
"The religious order of Saint Jude and Saint Francis," River smiled happily as she lied, "Very common on Osiris where we are from."
"We'll give you time to become accustomed to our ways," The Patron decided. "A month or two perhaps, for you to see that our faith is kindly and right. Your sister will stay with you during that time, but any man of faith may pay proper court to her so that she may consider them as potential husbands when it comes time for her to wed."
River tilted her head thoughtfully, "But Ruth said, 'Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you'."
"You see," Simon said quietly, "She is wed to one man." He shook his head, "Regardless, this is a discussion best had after your sick are seen to. River is a capable nurse in her own right so I'll be keeping her with me."
"Stark, show 'em to the hospital," The Patron ordered, clearly not pleased but unwilling to concede that he'd lost the argument.
"In here," The man Stark showed Simon into the hospital and leered after River as she passed him. "I don't figure it's as fancy as you're used to, but it's what we got." He nodded semi-respectfully to a young black woman, "I got your doctor."
The woman rose from tending a child who was obviously sick, "Oh, praise the Lord." She smiled, her voice soft and gentle. River frowned thoughtfully, the woman was dressed like the others in the village but her speech wasn't the same.
"Doralee here'll show you what's what," Stark cast one last look at River and left the dingy building.
"What's your name?" Doralee smiled at Simon.
"Simon," River told her quietly as her brother looked around evaluating the situation.
The woman was a bit startled but smiled, her expression still gentle, "Well, hello there. Who are you?"
Simon seemed to come back from his thoughts, "This is... River." He regarded her with a slight frown, "You're tired, why don't you sit down for a bit. I'll need your help after a while. Your stitches are as good as mine." He smiled a bit ruefully, "And if I let you get too tired Richard will have my head." He looked at Doralee curiously, "Has there been, uh... is there a sickness here?"
The woman shook her head, "Not especial. Just people get sick or injured. Mostly people heal on their own, but sometimes..." She hesitated spreading her hands.
"Sometimes, you need a doctor," Simon nodded his understanding. He looked around again and nodded once, determination taking over his features. "Bring me light, and any supplies you have."
River watched as Simon treated one of the villagers, he couldn't hide his caring heart for long, even furious as he was he was gentle with the people who needed treatment. "You keep that bandage clean now, you understand?" He admonished one man.
River had looked at the bowls of water and shaken her head, fetching wood and building up the fire so the water boiled before she even thought of using it to wash the patients. Right now she was cleaning off a little girl, vividly aware that the dark skinned woman was watching her. Half an ear on the conversation behind her, River smiled and murmured reassuringly to the little blond girl aware that she wouldn't ever get a response verbally.
Doralee was looking at her again before she asked Simon about her, "She's not quite right, is she?"
Simon shook his head, "She's been through some trauma. She's recovering, though. Her husband has been a miraculous help with that. When she has a purpose its as if she was never hurt."
"She won't get a good conversation out of Ruby, I can tell you that much," Doralee's voice was amused but affectionate. "That little girl's mute."
River smiled at Ruby as she moved on to the next child, a little boy who'd obviously fallen down and scraped his entire shin. Simon was curious about Ruby still, "Do you know the cause? Was she born deaf?"
"No," Doralee shook her head and River turned to look at the woman. "No, she was fine until two years ago when she stopped talking." She paused a moment as she met River's gaze, "A place like this might be good for your sister. Quiet. Safe. A place where folks take care of each other."
River shook her head just as Simon retorted dryly, "Mmm, yes, seems like a lovely little community of kidnappers."
Doralee remonstrated gently, "The Lord says, 'Judge not'."
Simon wasn't having that, "They took us off the street!"
River kept sponging off the boy's leg and kept one eye on Doralee, "For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Romans thirteen four," She tilted her head at Doralee who seemed slightly shaken but rallied.
"Sometimes life takes you places you weren't expecting to go," The woman told them both.
"'Life' didn't bring us here. Those men did," Simon retorted. "And I will tell you now I have no intention of remaining here a moment longer than I must."
"You were on a transport ship, right? Taking a journey? It's the way of life in my findings that journeys end when and where they want to," Doralee persisted. "And that's where you make your home."
The doctor wasn't convinced, "River's husband, my brother, is on that ship." He said flatly, "This isn't our home."
With an almost disturbing reasonable tone, Doralee asked, "If it isn't here... where is it?"
River rose from where she was crouched to retrieve the iodine and tweezers so she could clean out the scrape more thoroughly. "This boy's leg has an infection," She told Simon, "Not bad, but its going to hurt until I clean it out." She looked over at Doralee, "Teacher, taken when her ship stopped, from Bernadette by your way of speaking." River shrugged, "A woman's place is with her husband, for he shall leave his mother and father and cleave unto his wife and they shall be of one flesh."
"But he's gone now, left you here," Doralee argued. "So you have no husband now."
The Reader shook her head slowly, "She was taken away from him. She cannot put him aside, and he shall not forsake her. Time and distance shall have no meaning." Her voice was soft and fervent, her faith absolute. "He will come for her. Promised her by all the stars in the sky, promised he would always come for her."
"Then he'll come and he'll be with you here," The schoolteacher said with an air of triumph.
River shook her head, "No. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men."
Doralee looked shaken, "Psalms fifty nine two, child knows her bible."
Simon nodded, "She and your Patron got into quite the quoting match earlier." He smiled as River deftly began to clean the boys scrape. "River what was that other quote you told Stark earlier?"
River smiled wickedly and looked directly at Doralee, "If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you."
Doralee's whisper was worried, "Deuteronomy twenty four seven."
Simon spread his hands before he moved on to his next patient looking from Doralee to River, "She wants to go back to her husband. He'll be coming for us, make no mistake about that."
He could smell his own blood over the scent of the shadow man's, his wrists were scraped raw from jerking continually at the chains that bound him down. But he was almost free, the link was bending, the metal parting until his weight and fury. He could hear everything, the woman whose perfume hid the scent of illness from everyone but he and his mate, the concern of the dark skinned woman in the sickroom, the dying man's rattling breaths, the clouded sunshine of the girl and the worry of the leaf who flew, the resolve of the one who'd chained him and determination from the largest of them, the one who was nearly pack.
That one was coming closer, cautious but absolute, followed by the scent of clouded sunshine, and the dark woman was leaving the sickroom, moving upwards towards her husband. The animal snarled in frustration, jerking at the chains again as the big one came near the door. If any of the enemy came in and saw what he'd done they'd find new chains, find a way to keep him down, keep him from freedom and his mate.
Then the door was sliding open and he could smell fear on the girl standing in the sickroom, smell worry on the man before him as he couldn't help but growl and clench his fists, jerking at the chain almost desperately ready to break his wrists in order to escape.
The big man was speaking, "Rick, gotta be quiet now, cain't get ya out if ya ain't quiet." A large hand, gentle on the his shoulder, calming the animal minutely, "Got somethin' ta wedge that open right here."
He relaxed at the scent of truth, of friendship, memories of warmth and firelight, of blood exchanged, the time of war, "Bǎ xiōng dì ," He remembered, his words a low rumble in his throat.
"Yeah Rick," The blood brother nodded. "Here," He pried the link opened and found a set of lockpicks in Simon's desk, using them to remove the chains, leaving them on the bed. "C'mon, gonna steal the shuttle, get you off the boat. Kaylee's keepin' watch in the infirmary," He pried the door open and poked his head out looking around.
Blood in his ears, pounding like rage, filled his head with the urge to mount the stairs and kill the one who'd had the audacity to chain the Furyan; to chain one who had sworn he would never be chained again. But his blood brother was leading him away, quietly up to the empty shuttle, taking him by the shoulders and looking down into his eyes. He would not kill his brother, would not kill the man who'd gone against his captain to free him, but the need for blood was mounting. "Fly away," He ground the words out to show that he understood what his brother was telling him.
"Yeah Rick," His brother nodded and opened the shuttle doors. "Head back to Jiangyin, we'll probably scoop you up 'long the way. Mal'll come back for the shuttle if nothin' else. Then he'll have a reason to go back for 'em. We'll get your family back Rick. I swear it." He barely had the control to restrain his snarl at the thought of not finding his mate again. But his brother was still speaking slowly and carefully, "I gotta go or I'm out the airlock. You got 'bout three quarters an' hour 'fore we dock with that cruiser. So get gone quick like."
He nodded stepped into the shuttle, closing the doors as his brother turned and loped away. He could still smell his brother, knew his intent to return to the infirmary and pretend ignorance, deception sitting lightly on the big man's shoulders. Seating himself at the controls he took a deep breath, most often in this shuttle were the pilot and his wife, stealing time together, the leaf man left warmth and good humor lace with affection on everything he touched. He growled and powered up the shuttle, breaking away from the bigger ship as the cortex shrieked to indignant life.
He growled and gnashed his teeth at the screen, the man who'd chained him filling the cortex angry and scowling, loud words that made no sense him. His mate was in the opposite direction of the big ship, he was going to her. That was all that need be understood. The leaf man was pushing the angry one out of the way, talking about air and distance but he couldn't concentrate on the words. His entire chest ached with the need to be closer to her. "My mate, going to her," He forced the words out past his growl, hearing them as a roar. "No more chains!"
The wave wasn't quite cut off when the leaf man addressed the angry one, "Well Mal, now you've done it. There is no Dana only Zul."
"What in the gorram hell are you talkin' about?" The angry one's voice was a squawk of indignation.
"Rick ain't home no more," The pilot's cheerful voice explained, "I'd suppose bein' chained up an' taken away from River an' Simon snapped the man. At a guess, I'm sayin' we just talked to River's láng."
He concentrated on pushing the shuttle as fast as it could go towards his mate. That was all that mattered now, he had to reach her. He could feel every part of him stretching towards her, the need as essential as air. His pack was without him, his mate hurt and with only the Omega, the healer to protect her.
River had slipped out of the hospital and sighed in relief, Simon wasn't too awful but the teacher's mind was a morass of conflicting thoughts and information without any order to it. As badly as her own mental state was the exposure to Doralee and the worried and ill people in the hospital only made her worse. It was hard to think straight, difficult to remember what to say and what wasn't safe to speak about.
Ruby had thoughts in her mind of berry bushes where she liked to go and hide, she had been hoping to go there but Doralee was keeping a sharp eye on her. River had promised to go for her and bring back berries. It would give her some much needed time alone and she could bring the fruit back for Simon and Ruby.
Unfortunately when she got back Simon had noticed she was gone, River made a face, she'd really thought the man with the broken leg would take longer to deal with. Simon had gotten faster at handling emergencies. Taking a deep breath and trying to fix her thoughts in a straight line River moved towards the front door just as Simon opened it. "River, don't... what is that?"
She couldn't help smiling, "For you." She showed her the berries in the pouch she'd made of her skirt. Part of her was thankful she hadn't worn her new clothes outside today. If she hadn't been wearing a skirt the Patron or Doralee most likely would have given her one and insisted she wear it.
"Oh," Simon gave her a half smile.
"I picked them," River told him and as expected Simon figured out what she needed.
"Ah, yes, here," He held out a wooden bowl and helped her empty the berries from her skirt into it. "We wouldn't want your dress to stain, especially as you'll be wearing it until Richard gets here."
She couldn't help smiling at the thought, "Yes." She picked up a berry and handed it to her brother. "You must eat. Important to keep up your strength if you are to run with my láng and I."
"Hmm..." Simon nodded as he picked up another berry and put it in his mouth, "Hodgeberries." He smiled slightly, "Do you remember when we found those giant hodgeberry bushes on the Cambersons' estate? And we thought they'd grown wild, but..." He shook his head, "Long while ago."
River sighed, "I took you away from there."
Her big brother shook his head, "No."
"I know I did. You don't think I do, but..." She pressed her fingers to her forehead as if to prod her memory. "Days like today, without Richard, without my katas for so long, no routine... I get confused. I remember everything. I remember too much, and... some of it's made up, and... some of it can't be quantified, and... there's secrets." Dark eyes looked at her, soft with sympathy and she knew he worried but he also had faith that she'd get better, "It's the secrets that drive me out of my mind Simon. If it weren't for them, what I learned from Richard would be enough to keep me stable. I'm sorry that I'm not..."
Simon covered her hand with his, "It's okay." He told her softly. "Really River, don't apologize. It's really okay."
She shook her head, feeling muddled again, "But I understand. You gave up everything you had to find me. And you found me broken." River turned her hand and squeezed her palm to his. "Found me with my láng. It's hard for you. You gave up everything you had."
"Mèi mei, everything I have is right here," Simon traced her cheek with his free hand. "You and Richard are my family. I can never regret coming to find the two of you. Even if I didn't know about him at the time."
"You need to eat. Keep up your strength," The genius smiled as she repeated herself. "We won't be here long. Daddy will come with Richard and take us home. And I'll get better," She looked her brother in the eye and prayed he'd understand her, "I'll get better."
He nodded slowly, his gaze speculative but his eyes fell on Doralee and when he looked back at River his lips curved in a little smirk. When he spoke again it was to change the subject, "These are better than the Cambersons' berries."
She nodded solemnly, "They are. Except they're poison." She giggled when Simon spat out his berries and looked panicky, "He believed her. Made a face."
Her big brother rolled his eyes, "You are such a brat!"
River looked over at Doralee with Ruby and gestured for the girl to come over, "Promised her a treat." She explained giving Ruby a handful of berries.
Doralee shook her head as Ruby began to devour the berries, "You get to bed, now."
Simon watched the little girl make her way over to her cot and then took in River's face. River guessed she must look tired judging from her brother's next words, "We should probably think about doing the same. It's been a big day, what with the abduction, and all."
The teacher smiled, her face alight with kindness, "Well, y'all don't have to sleep here. There's a house set aside for you. We've been looking for a doctor for a good while, so things are ready."
River couldn't really blame Simon for being a little surprised, he wasn't as used to crazy people as she was these days. Everyone's thoughts sounded mad at times, even his. She shook her head, Ruby's thoughts were very loud, every time she was forced to lie down in her bed she remembered her mother, her sister, wondered if each night was the night someone would come take her away and let her bleed out into the dirt. "Her sister got killed. Mother got crazy, killed the sister. That one lived," She murmured wrapping her arms around herself. "Has nightmares that her Mother will come and finish what she started."
The teacher, her mind rippled with amazement and joy and the twisted belief that God's will had brought River and Simon to the village, exclaimed in amazement, "Ruby talked to you, honey?" She looked from River to Simon, "I-it's true what she's saying. Poor woman went out of her mind. Tried to kill her two girls. Ruby lived." She looked back at River, "Sweetheart... you are an angel. No one's been able to get Ruby to speak even a peep." Her laugh was just the wrong side of manic, "It's a miracle, that's what it is."
River shook her head, "Simon..." She looked up at her brother pleading and knew it would be too late to keep the words in. "Ruby doesn't talk. Her voice got scared away." She stood and tilted her head, "I can hear crickets. I hear..." She looked out at the woods that surrounded the village and sighed. "The dead speak so clearly, so loudly. Ruby's voice is buried with her mother and sister."
Simon looked at Doralee and then at River, "Who were Ruby's mother and sister?"
"Mother was a seamstress," River looked at Ruby and then out in the woods again. "They took her from the town, wouldn't let her leave. Needed her to sew for them. Made her husband to an old man who wanted her." She shook her head, "Then they were all surprised when the woman lost control, no medicines, barely enough food, vitamin deficiency unbalanced her, no sunlight, sewing all day, felt pain in every limb when she moved. Drove her mad. Killed her older daughter so she wouldn't be forced to be a wife too soon. Tried to kill Ruby, to spare her the same fate, but she bled out before she could."
Doralee was looking at River with a horrified expression, "I don't understand. If Ruby didn't talk, how do you know..."
Simon shrugged, "River's always heard things. Her husband is the same way. He can hear a conversation on the bridge from the tail of the ship. He can hear through hull plating." He tilted his head, "Of course Richard can also tell when someone is lying, just as my sister can. It's part of why they're married." He frowned slightly and River knew it was because of the expression on Doralee's face. "What's wrong?"
The teacher was backing away from River, shocked and afraid, "'And they shall be among the people. And they shall speak truths and whisper secrets and you will know them by their crafts'."
"What are you talking about?" Simon asked in exasperation.
River looked at Doralee and spoke in unison with her, "'Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live'!"
River sighed as Doralee dragged her out by the arm to the square and began ringing a loud bell, "Very loud." She complained pulling away to cover her ears, "Stupid woman." She looked over at Simon who was furious and appalled, "Sorry, tried not to say, but it gets muddled without structure."
"I know," Simon gave her a distracted nod as he regarded Doralee, "This is lunacy. You're supposed to be the teacher here. What exactly is it that you teach?" He stood next to River as the village folk emerged from their homes to gather in the square.
The Patron stalked up, "What's going on, woman? Why are you knocking us from our beds at this hour?"
"The new doctor's sister's a witch," Doralee told him in a near panic. "She read Ruby's mind. Saw things she couldn't-"
Simon scoffed loudly, "No, River is not a witch!" He looked at the Patron, "She's exhausted and she has keen senses, hears more than most. But a witch she most certainly is not."
"I'm sure that's true," The Patron nodded gravely and looked at River, "You're not a witch, are you, nián qīng rén? You'll recall, I'm the Patron here. Do you know what that means?"
River nodded, "Yes. You're in charge. Ever since the old Patron died."
"That's right," The Patron nodded again.
River hated that she couldn't leave it at that, wished with all her might that she could get control of her thoughts and tongue but she was so gorram muddled from the stupid cows and the lack of routine, "And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." She frowned and knew that the bible quote wasn't going to buy her enough time, the Patron was thinking too hard on the old Patron, on what he'd done, and it came flooding out on her tongue, "He was sick. But he was getting better. You were alone in the room with him."
The Patron lunged forward and the back of his hand slammed across her cheekbone, pushing her back against Simon. His mind was filled with anger and fear and it erupted into words that spelt out her doom, "This girl reads minds and spins falsehoods. She's a witch, and we must purge the devil from her. With fire!"
River shook her head as their bloodlust overwhelmed her mind, the entire village united in one moment, hating her, their twisted thoughts invading her mind until she could only try to fight them. Punch, kick, spin and punch again, but their minds were too dark, raw and ugly and she didn't have Riddick to steady her and she couldn't fall into her trance and simply kill all of them. And then one of them got Simon and held him and his sudden upsurge of fear shocked her into a momentary stillness before someone else hit her again and knocked her into the dirt to be bound up like a hog for the slaughter.
He was feeling both better and worse, better because he was closer to River now, but worse because he was feeling a bit like he had on Planet before they'd gotten acclimated. One lung short wouldn't have been so bad in comparison to the way he felt now. His blood was still up though, so when the cortex lit up with a wave he growled at it, albeit a bit more weakly than he might have a few hours ago.
"Aw, now don't be like that Rick," Wash's smile wasn't a bad sight but it wasn't what he wanted. He growled again and followed it up with a baring of his teeth in a visible threat. "C'mon Rick, if you pull over we'll pick you up. Headed back to Jiangyin."
His only response was to stop the shuttle's forward motion and relay that information via the cortex link. When Serenity pulled up alongside the shuttle he managed to get her docked, only to hear Wash from two different directions, from the cortex and the bridge, "Mal, he looks bone tired and not in the best of moods. Mayhaps you'd like to step careful so you don't end up with a bellyful of shiv?" Mal's reply was lost as Riddick turned off the cortex and began the process of powering down the shuttle.
He'd barely managed to push himself out of the pilot's chair when Mal stormed in, gun pointed in a threatening manner, the captain's fist swinging towards his jaw. He couldn't stop the growls that were vibrating in his chest even as Mal put a foot over his sternum and pointed the pistol down at his face, "Gimme one reason why I shouldn't shoot you right now?" The captain demanded, "One reason I should keep you on the boat after this stunt."
He was vaguely aware of Kaylee rushing in, kneeling next to him, "He's bleedin'." He didn't want Kaylee to die, she was friend to his mate, Riddick felt some of the man coming back with that thought, though the low growl in his throat didn't ease down anymore.
Mal shook his head, gun still pointed down at Riddick's face, "No he ain't, don't got a scratch on him, 'ceptin' what he done to himself."
Kaylee had her hand on his shoulder, was almost putting herself between Mal's gun and his chest. Jayne was standing in the doorway trying to figure a way they'd all live through this impasse. Kaylee shook her head and he felt his eyes start to focus on what was happening in the here and now, "No." Kaylee persisted, "It's what River said, 'bout a string, 'bout bein' pulled apart an' bleedin' inside. He's bleedin' Mal, that's why he's so crazy. It's his animal… Mal you took him away from River."
Riddick took a deep painful breath, "Kaylee, get 'way, don' want you gettin' shot 'gain." He told her, "Get away from the guns." His voice was weak, exhausted, he could hear it, but for the first time in the past six hours the animal was letting the man speak, for all that a snarl underscored his words, "I sometimes have a queer feeling with regard to you-especially when you are near me, as now: it is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame. And if that boisterous channel, and two hundred miles or so of land come broad between us, I am afraid that cord of communion will be snapt; and then I've a nervous notion I should take to bleeding inwardly." He heaved in another breath, "Can't take the animal, more miles than it can count, away from its mate. The beast goes mad, has to get to her or die tryin'."
Mal stared down at him nonplussed and shook his head, "Well you damn near did." He took his boot off Riddick's chest and stepped back, holstering his gun.
Jayne pushed into the shuttle and heaved Riddick's arm over his shoulder, easily taking the shorter man's weight. "Hell Rick, we all know you're nuts," He said mildly. "C'mon, some oxygen an' you'll be good as new. Mal says we're goin' to fetch crazy girl an' her idiot brother."
Riddick didn't have too good a hold on the animal at the moment, but he knew as he was being half carried down to the infirmary that he had to object to that statement on general principle, "She ain't crazy, no more'n me," Riddick slurred his words and lost his balance. "Shit." Jayne took more of his weight until they got to the infirmary where Book lay on the exam table. Riddick nearly collapsed onto the side bench and tried to take a full breath only to start coughing.
"Yeah, 'cause you're perfectly sane," Mal drawled from the doorway, watching Jayne slap an oxygen mask over Riddick's mouth. "Stealin' a shuttle that don't process oxygen levels right. Whyn't ya steal 'Nara's?"
"Woulda been rude," Riddick muttered through the oxygen mask and looked at Book critically.
"Rude," Mal repeated, "You nearly throttled me, stole my shuttle and ain't spoken more'n fifty words but you didn't want to be rude to her." He shook his head, "I'mma start thinking the wrong half of your duo is labeled crazy."
"Been tellin' ya that," Riddick retorted. "Book, you got any pullin' when you breathe?" He changed the subject.
"A little heaviness in my chest," Book reported, "Nothing they didn't tell me to expect."
Riddick nodded, "Simon'll wanna keep ya on antibiotics for a while, pneumonia can still kill ya. Nicked your lung."
"So I understand," Book nodded. His eyes flicked over Riddick and Mal and then back to Riddick, "As I understand it Mal and Zoe have experience with such wounds, why would you insist on doing the work on me yourself? You could have left, gone in search of River and Simon, might have even found them."
Riddick shrugged and looked at Jayne who had decided to lounge in the doorway once he'd gotten the oxygen mask over Riddick's face, "For all the smells of your past, whatever secrets you got, got a right to 'em. An' you're friendly with Cobh an' he's my brother. Could say I had ta help ya, had to use what I know to help ya, or I wouldn't be any better'n them what collected their prisoners an' left ya to die. River wouldn't a wanted that."
"But you were okay with chokin' me an' stealin' my shuttle?" Mal shook his head in astonishment. "Rick we really gotta talk 'bout your behavior an' over reactions."
Riddick shook his head, "Now ain't the time." When Mal looked as if he was planning on insisting an argument Riddick held up his hand. "Ain't playin'," He told the captain. "Was close to the animal takin' over when I throttled you. Couldn't catch her scent anymore. It's kinda like Kaylee said, 'bout me bleedin'. I mighta snapped outa it, you coulda let me off the boat, come back for us after you'd gotten Book help. Or me an' Cobh coulda tracked River an' Simon an' brought 'em back. But Zoe pumped me fulla drugs an' I don't...do well with that. River coulda told ya."
"That growlin' you were doin' whenever someone passed your door, that weren't just 'cause you were pissed?" Jayne asked as if he was confused. Riddick took a moment to admire his friends cunning before he answered.
"Woke up...but it weren't the man were takin' action," Riddick shook his head. "Right now, man's kinda in control, but I'm too far away from River an' Simon. Hangin' on by a thread but the animal...it don't take challenges too well. 'Til I get my sanity back...cain't talk over much, cain't really even think clear. Was near dyin' when ya caught up with the shuttle or I mightn't a been able to even give you the words Kaylee talked on. I'm at my limit right now Mal. Don' wanna kill ya, didn' even when I choked ya. Just the animal...tryin' to get to its mate."
"All right," Mal wasn't pleased but from his scent he didn't think Riddick was lying. "So what do we do to keep you from going feral again?"
"Jayne needs to go into my bunk, find me some a River's things from the laundry, her scent'll soothe me some, an' it'll be the strongest on old clothes," Riddick shuddered and tried to regain control over his own nature, not finding it easy. "A blanket she's been layin' on, hair brush... somethin'," Before he'd finished speaking Jayne was taking off, his feet pounding up the steps.
"Okay, Jayne's on that," Mal nodded, "What else? Keep menfolk away from ya I'm guessin'."
"Mostly you, an' Zoe since she drugged me," Riddick forced the words out. "An' I cain't be in here anymore," He pulled the oxygen mask off and bolted from the infirmary right down to the bay doors and took deep breaths conscious of Kaylee following him and Mal staying away, going so far as to mount the steps to the catwalk.
"Rick, what else can we do to help?" Kaylee approached him cautiously. She smelt of caution, a faint wisp of burning oil but nothing like fear. "You need to work out? Need a chore or somethin'?"
"Cain't fight, I'll kill someone," Riddick pushed the words past the rumbling in his chest. "If Wash could go for hard burn...we can get more fuel." He shook his head, "'S hard to think."
"S'okay," Kaylee soothed him. "How's 'bout I get some water, clean off them wrists of yours?"
"No," Riddick took a deep breath very aware that the animal was growling loudly at Kaylee, "Cain't...my mate has to do that... sorry Kaylee...go, go to the engine room. Don' wanna scare ya no more."
Jayne was rushing down the steps, a shirt of River's, her quilt and her hair brush in his hands. "He's right Kaylee," The bigger man said quietly. "Go on up an' coax Serenity into givin' us some more speed. Let Wash know the faster the better. He's hangin' on by a thread. Only touchin' dirt is gonna help him."
Kaylee nodded and didn't run but she did hurry out of the bay, "We'll be there in no time Rick. You'll see."
Jayne approached him cautiously, "Got a coupla things thought would help." He draped the quilt over Riddick's shoulders like a cape. "Now her shirt had some of her unders 'neath it so I grabbed them too, figured her scent'd be good an' strong on 'em. Wrapped 'em up in her shirt so's they's still private." He handed Riddick the bundle of cloth and the brush. "I'm gonna go an' sit with Book, maybe try to figure where they was took to so we can get 'em back."
Riddick closed his eyes, he'd lost his goggles somewhere along the way. He still saw too well in the twilight of the ship and there was no pretending when his eyes were open that River was here. With his eyes closed he could breathe in her scent and at least try to calm the animal. He heard Mal walking quietly overhead, mounting the steps that would lead him to the bridge. The captain's voice was clear as a bell when he spoke with Wash and Zoe, "Wash, go at full burn, fast as we can. Kaylee's in the engine room. The man can't hold out against the animal much longer."
"You got it," Wash agreed. His voice was as amiable as ever but his scent was full of licorice scent, his worry radically different than the ginger pop smell of his fear. "We'll need to hit a fuel station afterwards."
"We'll deal with that when we come to it," Mal was worried but not overly much. River's rent must not have been spent yet.
Riddick took a deep breath filling his lungs with River's scent and shuddered, this wouldn't work for long.
Author's Note: So we've seen more of the animal and I hope I've written this well enough that you all can get an idea of what Riddick is seeing and feeling in this state. I studied my cats for three days before I wrote this and then read up everything I could about wolves and their pack behavior. I'm hoping it comes across as animalistic enough but also realistic. We can't entirely disengage our minds after all and still be functional, even with drugs.
What do we think? Good? Bad? Ugly? Something else entirely? Oh, surprise in the next chapter... diverting from canon. Don't know if any of you will see this one coming.
And wow...this was a very quotey chapter wasn't it. I couldn't help it, if anyone could get into an argument with bible quotes it would be River.
Chinese Translations:
zhàng fu - husband
Bǎ xiōng dì , - sworn brothers
láng - wolf
Mèi mei - little sister
nián qīng rén - youngster
Quote Sources:
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:8
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. - Colossians 3:18
A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. - Proverbs 31: 9b-31
But Ruth said, 'Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you'. - Ruth 1:16-17
There is no Dana only Zul - Ghostbusters
For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. - Romans 13:4
A woman's place is with her husband, for he shall leave his mother and father and cleave unto his wife and they shall be of one flesh. - Genesis 2:24
Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men. - Psalms 59:2
If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you. - Deuteronomy 24:7
And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. - 1 Corinthians 2:1-16
I sometimes have a queer feeling with regard to you-especially when you are near me, as now: it is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame. And if that boisterous channel, and two hundred miles or so of land come broad between us, I am afraid that cord of communion will be snapt; and then I've a nervous notion I should take to bleeding inwardly. - Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë