Chapter 7

tabula rasa [ˈˌtäb(y)o͝olə ˈräzə]

NOUN

-an absence of preconceived ideas or predetermined goals; a clean slate.

-the human mind, especially at birth, viewed as having no innate ideas.

Quick Author Note: Since this is a shorter chapter I'm posting it a bit early. We'll have a normal sized chapter showing up on Sunday (internet connection willing).

For a wonder, Simon had arranged for some cargo for them. A stop on Bellerophon to deliver a small crate and then another dozen much larger crates to be taken out to Three Hills. At least they had a legitimate reason to hop over to the floaty island planet and then take off for Georgia system.

Her mother had hugged River and admonished her to write more. Simon had hugged her and whispered something in her ear that Riddick didn't quite catch. Her father had given her a kiss on the forehead and cast a wary look at Riddick before retreating into the house.

With the cargo all loaded and the goodbyes all said the cargo ramp lifted and Riddick let out a low breath.

"Relaxing now," River grinned at him. "We're not out of the Core yet."

"Might as well say we're not out of the woods," He agreed and started for the bridge. "You gonna be all right?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" She followed him onto the bridge and took the co-pilot's seat.

"Just seems like you'll miss your brother and your mom," Riddick began the pre-launch sequence, sending co-ordinates to Osiris City's air traffic control and receiving permission to launch in ten minutes. That would be long enough to check the systems and make certain nothing had gone wrong while they'd been on the ground.

"I will," She nodded thoughtfully. "But I know where they are. That I'm welcome to come back. To visit or to stay. I couldn't be sure before. I missed it more when I didn't know if I could go back."

"When you were on Serenity you mean?" He keyed in their course to Bellerophon glancing at her between calculations.

River nodded again, eyes far away, "Once I was sane enough to realize what it was I was feeling. That they were my emotions, not Simon's or anyone else's. And when I left again, to get away from Blue Sun. So part of me understands why he took me home. He always did know me well."

"Makes sense," He frowned over the course, tweaked it and nodded making the cortex run his calculations to be sure they matched. She looked over at his screen and nodded.

"Your course is good," She half smiled. "Bellerophon, Three Hills and then?"

"Into the wild blue yonder," He chuckled. "But there's a rumor of someone wanting to smuggle cattle out to Jiangyin from Persephone. Not too sure about that one, we'd have to empty the hold and it might still be tight. Plus the smell. But the money's good."

"Sir Warrick Harrow," Her smile widened as he initiated the procedures for take-off. "Can use the cortex and printer to create false papers for the cows. Buy them on spec and get a higher price on Jiangyin. But we must avoid kidnapping hill folk."

"Yeah, read the alerts that said people get snatched if they wander off there," Riddick frowned and hit the switch for ignition, concentrating on the take-off and entry into the atmosphere. Not a lot of air traffic but it wouldn't do to get distracted. Upper atmosphere cleared of ships and then they were in the Black.

"Like the non-church-going folk on Constance," River shrugged. "See, want, take."

"Something about that irks me," He admitted as he finalized the course now that they had an accurate entry point. Autopilot engaged he stared out into the Black for a moment and smiled, the last of the dirtside tension leaving him.

"They are irksome," She agreed. In an abrupt change of subject, she tugged on the arm of his chair, turning him to face her, then climbed into his lap, straddling him and hoping that for once a violation of protocol was acceptable. "I was fully recovered from my wound before we began the attack on the Board," She informed him, pressing a kiss to his jaw. "And you have been very careful with me."

"You're tiān shā de distracting," He wasn't lying. She was. But he also knew how rough he could get and damned if he'd manhandle her like that when she was hurt.

"Would like you to manhandle me now please," Her hand slipped between his pants and skin, reaching to wrap her fingers around his dick.

"You sure," Riddick looked at her. "You don't know how rough I can get." She likely thought how he'd taken her after that first spar was a hard ride. That was child's play compared to the things he wanted to do to her.

"If I'm not worried why should you be?"

Reasonable question. He wasn't sure he had a reasonable answer. Standing and putting a hand on her ass to keep her in place he left the bridge and headed for his bunk.

She'd never been taken roughly before. Even after the first time they'd sparred he'd been careful. Had stared up at him wide-eyed when he'd torn her clothing off her body, hands gripping her hips tight as if she would try to fight him off. And now… somehow this was more…

"I want you to show me…" That growling voice, coffee and whiskey and chocolate rolling over her skin like a fur coat.

"Show you…" She hadn't understood but the command in that voice set her nerves trembling with anticipation and she could feel her body swelling, flushing in reaction.

"Heard you, touching yourself," He admitted. "After we took off from Aberdeen, the first night you were back on the boat. I want you to show me how you did it."

Oh… sweet Buddha…he'd heard her…once she'd pretended to be incorporeal, at one with her ship. Now she wished it were truly possible, to simply melt through the mattress to the floor. She could feel herself turning red as a tomato.

"Hey," Riddick took her mouth, hungry, tongue invading her lips, hands palming her breasts, squeezing and pulling on the tips in hot little shocks of pleasure. "I loved it. Loved hearing you. Hoped it was me you were thinking about. I want to see…how you touch yourself. What you do. What you like…" Those silver eyes, challenging her, ordering her, "Show me."

River laid back on his bed and cupped her breasts, palming them, tugging on the tips and moaning softly. Soon her hands weren't enough pressure, and she turned, lying on her stomach so she could press her breasts to the mattress, wanting, needing the friction of movement. Press her hand between her legs and she moaned louder into his pillow, stroking her yīn dì and spreading her thighs for better access.

"Beautiful," His mouth, pressing to her spine, his hand cupping her mound. "Practically presenting to me like you're in heat. And so wet… What was it got you going then?"

"Saw him… shirt…pulling up… abdominal muscles exposed… couldn't look away…wanted to touch," She moaned her answer and felt him growl as he pushed a couple of fingers into her. "And…then you…touched me, pressed against me…said we'd address it… and didn't. Wanted. Needed."

"Wanted you," He admitted. "Loved hearing you. And then you got on the bike… Woman you were so gorram sexy… took everything I had to not fuck you right on the stairs." Those clever fingers pressed into her, stroking and teasing and River moaned again.

"Please… Want you…"

"Oh you'll have me, but first…you stay just like that," He'd lifted her slightly, slid his shoulders between her knees and held her over his mouth with his hands so he could lick and suck her yīn dì until she was practically humping his mouth and begging for him to fuck her.

He'd never taken her from behind before. She'd come almost immediately he'd felt so deep, pressing on just the right spot and those big hands had tightened on her hips in reaction. She'd have a few fingertip-shaped bruises from his grip most likely. Riddick had groaned and waited until her climax had chased over her skin and faded into trembling before he'd begun to drive into her hard and fast.

His palm had pressed to her belly, fingers splayed down to tease that swollen, sensitive pearl of flesh, and the sensations had grown more intense until she was begging, crying for him to come inside her, make her fall, fill her, she needed…

Harder and harder, hips smacking to her pì gu, until he'd groaned when she began to come again, and she'd felt it…the impossibility of feeling Riddick's seed burning through him, filling her belly, like heat that spread through her body and didn't stop until she was coming again.

He hadn't been done with her, not by a long shot, putting her on her back and starting all over again, his lips on her breasts when he wasn't devouring her mouth as if starved for her. Command, possession, lust… he filled her again in one single hard thrust and she'd screamed at the shocking ecstasy of the brutal invasion.

She'd lost count of how many times he'd made her fall. Knew he'd come at least three times if not more, each time harder and wilder than the last until she was limp as a ragdoll and moaning with the pleasure that wouldn't stop, clinging to him.

And each time his lips had pressed to her neck, burying his shout of ecstasy in her skin, sucking a mark onto the tender curve joining her neck and shoulder.

She stretched luxuriously and smiled as her joints popped and pinged in reminder of her exertions. She was a sweaty, sticky mess thanks to Riddick. He was asleep at last, tension gone…well mostly gone.

Men were so odd…she'd gotten it out of him, finally, after he'd fucked her silly, why he'd never taken her from behind before. It was sweet in a short-sighted way. Of course, she'd had to ask him straight out, "Hmm…love that…" She'd sighed. "You like that too…can feel it. Why did you wait so long?"

"'Til I saw you…how you like to be on your stomach," He'd spoken slowly, thinking about what he was saying. She got the impression he hadn't ever reasoned it out before, just went with what he'd felt. "Didn't think you'd like it…" Riddick had looked at her. "You're a lady…Fine Core lady. Never thought you'd want to be taken like an animal. Fucked so rough from behind… Thought you'd feel like it was… demeaning."

"Told you," She murmured pressing her lips to his skin. "That I didn't like being told what to do, unless it was in bed." She'd felt his heart jump in his chest at the reminder, "Which means the reverse must be true." His slow smile, wicked, like he'd cozy up to the devil on one shoulder and seduce the angel on the other.

"You like being told what to do in bed," He'd growled the words against her skin. "You like me telling you what to do."

"Very much," River smiled back at him. "Crave it sometimes. Letting go. Putting myself in your hands." She'd ended up on her back that time and before he'd begun to kiss her again she'd gotten the last word, "Don't hold back. Please."

And he hadn't…not physically.

River smiled and drew the sheets and quilts up over him once she'd gotten out of his bed. Gathering up her clothing didn't take long but by the time she was at the door Riddick had turned from his side to his stomach, one arm outstretched as if seeking her.

Fanciful thought. She shook her head at herself. Just sex. Shut the door behind her, stop at the head for a quick wash and go to her room. Put away her clothing, pull on something to sleep in and add the soiled clothing to the laundry bag.

All her self-imposed chores done she couldn't stop herself thinking any longer. Riddick's company, no matter how enjoyable, was not for the long term. She was still a paying passenger. And crew part time it seemed. Not that he'd asked her for funds anymore. But the amount was deposited into the ship account every four weeks without fail.

He seemed to like her. Never turned down a chance at conversation or declined to spend time with her. He loved her cooking. She could be absolutely certain of that much. He very much enjoyed having sex with her. He worried about her being hurt. Teased her and flirted.

Sometimes she thought he wanted to touch her, his mind…felt as if he wanted to reach for her, but when she turned he was never holding out his hand as if to draw her into an embrace. Likely he'd just been thinking of sex with her and she'd caught the echo of it. His appetite wasn't inconsiderable after all.

She'd thought of touching him, casually, affectionately, the way she'd seen Zoë do with Wash. Informal, gentle, a kiss on the cheek or a stroke of her fingers over his jaw, as if she had the right to touch him whenever she wanted. But Zoë and Wash were married. Married folks were allowed to behave that way. And if she tried to touch Riddick like that and he acted as if she'd transgressed it would be horribly embarrassing. Too much like coercion. Initiating sex on occasion was already pushing the boundaries.

Her parents…well, also married, but very much of Osiris and Core mentality. They had separate bedrooms for all that the two of them had such an active sex life that by rights she should have been a middle child with three or four behind her. Emulating her mother's behavior seemed to be working. Riddick didn't dislike her. And whenever she touched him with the intent of sex he responded immediately. She could work with that.

Yes. Better to continue as she was. Until she had more certainty in her own feelings and desires. Better to not become too attached until she knew if more would be welcome.

Throwing caution to the wind was so tempting. She didn't dare hope for love, he didn't believe it was possible for people like them. But affection maybe? And welcome. She wanted to wake him in the morning by putting her mouth on him. Wanted to know she was welcome to touch and discard all those manners and just be. Wanted a relationship, not a fling or affair or whatever it was they had. Wanted and wanted and wanted so much.

She couldn't afford the mental and emotional trauma of another rejection though. Jayne had rejected her in his thoughts long before Simon had taken her away. Bendy, pretty, but crazy had been his initial assessment. Then, pretty, dangerous and off limits. Little sister. She'd been placed there firmly in his mind for all his admiration and teasing.

She'd tried flirting with Mal, a bit. Dressed like a young lady and not a little girl. Put her hair up and added make up. Just a bit. Not enough to look as if she was competing with Inara. Made him food and kissed his cheek.

He'd startled and looked up at her with a smile edging into worried until he'd seen her face. 'Of course, she wants to be treated as an adult. Girl's nearly nineteen. Have to keep an eye out for men trying to take advantage of her. Young lady, so young, still a child in so many ways.' His thoughts had made it clear that she wasn't a woman in his eyes. Not someone he would see as a potential lover.

Back then she'd still had hopes that Mal would see her differently someday. But he hadn't in all the time she'd been on Serenity and then Simon had taken her back to Osiris.

And now… well. Only time would tell. Maybe Riddick would hint at what he wanted from her, besides sex? She didn't dare try any strong form of liquid courage. Who knew what alcohol would do to her mental defenses. But maybe…when she'd first come aboard she'd mentioned that she wanted to find her own boat. Start a courier service possibly. She could drop that into conversation if they went by Boros. Plenty of shipwrights there. And see how he reacted.

For now… time to turn her plots and plans to the problems within Parliament.

In some ways it was almost easier to get to the members of Parliament than it was the Board of Blue Sun. Not that easier meant easy. It wasn't like they were attacking them in the Chamber of Lords & Commons, or the huge debating hall they called the House after all.

No…the Parliament, full of its various factions and sub committees had estates all over. They appointed Magistrates to chosen worlds and then bought up land when the laws changed in their favor. Vast estates and elegant townhomes. The biggest trick was finding them.

"They change their addresses like they change their clothes," Riddick grumbled in irritation.

"T'is the Season," River shook her head.

"Thought that was Christmas?" He frowned.

"The Season, society's season, parties and presentations, debuts," She brought up their target's itinerary on screen. "Frivolity."

"That's gotta be the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of," Riddick read over the events listed. "They all set aside four solar months to do nothing but go to parties and screw around?"

"Simply put, yet not inaccurate," River nodded. "If we wish to accomplish our aims without a delay of four months we will have to adapt."

"So, we get the itineraries of our targets and we go where they're going to be, and kill them there," He frowned. "This just got a lot more complicated."

"No," River pointed at something listed as Dupont House Party. "Three of the targets will be at this event on Santo. A house party will last for several days to a week, excursions to the casinos. Many opportunities for accidents."

"That still leaves us ten more," Riddick pulled up the schedules for the other targets. "Two of them'll be on Persephone at the same time. Some fancy do."

"Ah, event of the season," River murmured. "Inara attended with an escort, Captain got in a duel. Scans for firearms. Swords are de rigueur..."

He scanned the other schedules, noting dates, possible venues open to the public, easily exploitable. "Weird how some weapons are considered appropriate and some aren't," He could deal with a sword but he liked his shivs better.

"Likes the sweet spot," She smiled as she glanced at him and he had the urge to pull her into his lap and run his hands over her body. "Fourth lumbar down, abdominal aorta…what a gusher."

"Evil little witch," He grinned. "Do it right, a near needle thin blade and the mark won't even feel it until he takes off his belt. Won't even die until he gets undressed the way suits are cut these days."

"Opens up all sorts of possibilities," Those dark eyes went soft and unfocused as she stared at something in her mind and considered the options. He was happy to let her. This was her show, she was the one the Parliament had screwed with. As far as he was concerned Furya would retake Miranda and that was its own form of payback.

Sure, Strikeforce had screwed with his head some, but he'd gotten his mind back, his memories. They hadn't taken anything from him but a year or two after he'd 'graduated'. Did he enjoy screwing with people who thought they were better, hell yes. And he certainly agreed with showing Parliament that they couldn't make better worlds by messing with people's brains and body chemistry.

People didn't change. Not in his experience. And any 'improvement' brought upon a population by drugs wasn't actual change.

"So now that we've made our delivery…feel like going to a fancy do on Persephone and killing a couple people," He looked at her with a smile.

"Have to make you an ident card," She nodded. "The ball isn't until after the house party. Suggest infiltration as servants on Santo. Nondescript."

"Yeah, if we take care of all three while we're there, get two on Persephone… any of the rest at the same things," Riddick kept scanning the itineraries. "What about this thing on Pelorum…a Fox Hunt?"

"Horses," River nodded. "Traditional event, to chase a fox through the countryside, even if the fox isn't real. A display."

"Any openings there?" He frowned, "If it's outside, could set up a sniper's perch and take one of them out. Could look like a hunting accident."

"Risky," She shook her head. "Better off playing servants again. Find the sweet spot before the target gets on the horse, leave and let her die later."

"Well I know my way around a horse and stable enough to play groom," He considered. "Any others going to that one?"

"No…" Those dark eyes scanned the invitations and schedules. "But two others are attending the Opera three days later. Also, on Pelorum."

"So, we get three on Santo, two on Persephone, three on Pelorum…" Riddick considered. "The last three will be the toughest, they'll be on their guard."

"Re-assess potential strike points after crossing off the first eight targets," River suggested.

"Seems like we'll have to," He nodded. "Can't say that we'll even be able to get all eight. Plans change after all."

"We work with what we have," She agreed. "But for now… Santo."

"The casino excursion they've got planned should give us a good opening," He went back to that section of the screen. "We can't count on all three of them going. But we're more likely to be overlooked there."

"Will start to work on ident cards," River's hand moved towards him before she pulled it back to her keyboard.

"I'll look around for casino floor plans," Riddick nodded.

They'd both scrutinized the records of their marks until they knew everything about the two men and one woman they'd targeted. All three of them enjoyed gambling, though the oldest of them, an eighty-year-old with a replacement heart preferred private games of Tall Card rather than public ones. Depending on whether or not they could get into the back rooms he might live another day.

River glanced at Riddick and he nodded back at her. She was wearing one of the servers costumes, high heels, fishnet stockings, garters and an abbreviated skirt with a bustle that fell to her ankles while the front showed off her legs from midway down her thighs. A corset top made the most of her cleavage. A square tray with straps that attached at the shoulders rested against her hips as she moved through the room. Candies, cigars, cigarillos and imitation chocolate covered coffee beans in neatly slotted rows hid the needle slender stiletto she carried.

Riddick was circling the room with a tray of shimmerwine, easily carrying the fluted glasses without spilling a drop as he wove his way through the casino.

His mark enjoyed keno and would happily play the short and long games with equal enthusiasm. Without even looking the woman snapped her fingers for someone to bring her wine and Riddick took advantage of the opportunity and the high bar style stool she sat on while she played. With the corset the woman was wearing she didn't even feel it.

Her mark preferred cigarillos and peppermints and craps. She'd been keeping a sharp eye on him while she'd circled the room and his cigarillo was nearly out. A slow walk over to his table, no need to look as if she was hurrying. No one would dare rush around the room. It would ruin the elegance of the image.

"Cigarillo sir?" She bent forward to show him her tray, giving him a good view of her cleavage as well. "Perhaps some peppermints? We also have chocolate mint meltaways if you prefer."

Dirty old man thoughts as he turned and smiled up at her, one hand stroking the skin of her thigh, soft pampered hands that wouldn't snag the fishnet stockings. "And which is your favorite bǎo bèi?"

"Personally, I love the meltaways, but don't let me influence you sir," She winked at him and he chuckled heartily.

"I've a weakness for sweets of most every type," He leered in what he obviously thought was a subtle manner as his hand stroked up the back of her thigh and squeezed her pì gu. "Maybe you'll indulge me with some company?"

"I'd love to sir," River gave him a flustered and flattered smile. "But surely you enjoy more sophisticated company than mine."

"No better company than a woman who knows how to earn her credits," His hand was moving between her thighs now, encouraged by her lack of dismay. Old gǒushǐ duī lǎo píao, taking advantage of a woman who couldn't say no without losing her job. Gǒu cào de gǒu niáng yǎng de.

"My supervisor'll be upset if I'm not walking the floor soon, but maybe a throw of the dice or two? And I can come back during my break?" She nearly purred the words at him. "We could…go for a walk…it's quiet in the back rooms." Think of Riddick so she'd become wet, his hands spreading her thighs for his mouth. The feel of him, his mouth on her neck, on her breasts.

It worked, she grew slick, slightly flushed, breasts swelling as the old man fondled her, his fingers moving in her táo huā yuán and he smiled, beyond pleased at her reaction. "I'd like that very much. Now… blow on these dice for me and maybe we'll both get lucky."

Perfect, with his other hand between her thighs, she could use her right to brace against the small of his back while she leaned forward to blow on the dice. A quick slip of the stiletto, right below his belt, and he was as good as dead.

Now if only she could smash his face in for putting his fingers inside her. Think of Riddick, how good he felt over her, how deep he would go into her. Another roll of the dice and her mark grinned broadly. Hard to tell if he was more pleased with fondling her or his winnings.

Finally, after another roll he withdrew his hand and wiped off his fingers on a handkerchief. "Can I take that for you sir," She offered as he made to stuff it back in his pocket.

"Thank you, bǎo bèi, and I'll see you in a quarter of an hour or so?" He handed her the fabric, the only thing that could link her to his death, and she nodded with a wide smile.

"You will sir," She winked at him and passed him a package of cigarillos and mints.

She turned away from the table when his attention was caught by the dice again and began to move away. Riddick caught her eye as they circled the room and nodded towards the hallway.

Author's Note: Hope you all enjoy this. I'm messing around with a lot of social customs I've read about and the idea of there being a social 'Season' in which high society does very little but go to parties and enjoy themselves seemed to fit in nicely. Especially when I remembered the scene with Gabriel and Simon in 'Safe' when the dinner party got interrupted so he could post bail for Simon.

I also wanted a bit in there with Riddick making a few erroneous assumptions. And River having a couple mistaken conclusions of her own. In my experience until someone tells you something straight out, you can't know what they want or need or expect.

Chinese Translations:

tiān shā de (goddamn)

yīn dì (clitoris)

pì gu (butt)

bǎo bèi (treasured object used for "darling," "honey," etc)

gǒushǐ duī (a person who behaves badly (lit. "a pile of dog shit"))

lǎo píao (literally, old frequenter of prostitutes.)

Gǒu cào de gǒu niáng yǎng de (dog-humping son of a bitch)

táo huā yuán (vagina (lit. "garden of peach blossoms"))