Chapter 8

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.

He'd never seen such a collection of useless people in his life. All of them wearing clothing and jewelry that could buy and sell his boat a hundred times over but they did nothing but complain. The food, the service, the odds, didn't these people have anything better to do?

Shimmerwine didn't smell bad at least. And it wasn't hard to navigate the crowd and keep from spilling the drinks. Some of the nice guests, ones who had to work for a living before they amassed enough wealth to play for a living he guessed, had tipped him handsomely.

The best thing about the position was being able to keep an eye on River in the outrageously scanty outfit salesgirls wore. His wasn't exactly modest but it wasn't as bad as hers. Skintight trousers and vest over a shirt with thankfully long sleeves where he could hide the needle like shivs. The tie was the worst part of the whole thing.

River though, she got stuck in something that looked like it belonged in the burlesque next door to the casino. He understood the concept of 'sex sells' but if this was a classy place did it have to be so obvious? She was getting close to her mark. He guessed she'd chosen that particular job because the mark liked those cigarillos that stank so badly of chemicals.

And then he needed every ounce of control he'd ever learned to keep smiling at patrons and carrying his tray around at shoulder height instead of bashing the molesting hún dàn's head in. The hàosè de lǘzi had his hand under River's dress.

As he watched that hand went higher and higher until it could only be in one of his favorite places on River's body. Musk and need, she'd gone pink, breasts pushing against that corset top. The soon to be yānguò de huàidàn had pushed his fingers into her and from the slight movement of his wrist was fucking her with them.

She had more patience than he did, leaning to blow on the man's dice and making her move in the same moment.

It took her another couple of minutes before she could extract herself and he caught her eye then. The third mark had stayed at the estate, being tired and not caring for this casino's games of Tall Card so they could go straight there or wait until morning.

That flushed skin, parted lips, the scent of her musk, so strong he was amazed none of the nose-blind lǎo píao in the casino had smelt it. Get rid of the shimmerwine, take that damn tray off her neck and look at her.

"He hurt you," Riddick growled the question as he tugged her into one of the many alcoves that lined the hall. A click of the lock and no one would bother them.

"Would have, if I hadn't made myself think of you," She licked her lips as she looked at him. "Knew he wasn't going to stop, wanted to touch, take what wasn't his, thought of you, your mouth, your hands…so I would become ready."

"Need a shower?" Unwanted touch could make you feel grimy. Hot water and scrubbing usually worked to get rid of the feeling.

"Will be fine, if she may do something for him," River licked her lips again, her expression openly carnal and he nearly groaned.

"Long as we can do it in the next half hour before the shift changes," He figured giving in at this point couldn't hurt. They'd gotten their two marks, on track for a third and he'd locked the door. Plus this alcove had a window instead of an image screen with drapes around it so they could leave that way if they had to.

She pounced. That was the only word he could use to describe it. Unbuckling his belt and opening his pants, reaching in and pulling out his dick which had gone hard seeing that expression on her face. When she dropped to her knees he groaned. Much as he loved to tease her with his mouth, make her come under his tongue, he'd never pushed her to reciprocate. It wasn't his favorite thing in the world, although he liked it fine for foreplay.

He was too big to fit comfortably in her mouth, but she gave it a damn good try, sucking and licking the head, her lips stretching around him while her hands stroked the rest. She got wetter doing this though, he could smell her. When he judged he'd been teased long enough he pulled her up to her feet, "Enough." He growled and pushed her against the wall, pulling the corset open to expose the tight pebbled tips of her breasts.

She was so ready for his mouth, sweet tits begging to be sucked as he bent his head and began. Honeyed moans, her hands clutching at his head, while his hands busied themselves under her dress, jerking the soaked panties off her. Now it was his turn to kneel, even if they didn't have the time for her to finish that way, damned if he'd go without a taste of her.

Push the skirt up over her hips, and breathe her in, drape one of her thighs over his shoulder to open her up and wrap his mouth around that ripe red clit. A hot gasp and moan cut off with her hand over her mouth and he sucked on her clit just like her tits.

A few minutes of that, her breathing getting faster and faster and she was ready. Tug her away from the wall and bend her over the chair, spread her wide and push in… sweet, tight…so damn hot around him… He loved that when he reached a certain spot inside her she'd come, every time. No different now, keep pressing forward, and fuck her through her orgasm, glad she'd bitten down on a pillow to keep from screaming her pleasure.

Hard, fast, deep pummeling strokes that hit the end of her every time and she was gathering again, ready for another. "Not without me," He groaned, picked her up and sat on the chair, making her straddle his thighs, putting her spine to his chest so he could fondle those pretty tits. That put her neck too close to his mouth and her heart aligned with his mark so he'd really have to keep control of his more primal side. "Play with your clit River," He snarled the words in her ear. "Ride me and play with your clit. Or do you want me to set the pace again?"

He loved either way. She'd come so good stuffed full of his prick; he could feel himself when he pressed his palm to her belly. "You…" She moaned, her voice low and desperate. "Hard, fast… fill me…I want you…"

Oh hell yes! Hands on her hips, jerk her up and down his diǎo hard enough to make her breasts bounce with each thrust. Her hand working between her thighs, rubbing her clit frantically, he could feel her getting tighter and tighter as she wound up. "So good," He took her mouth, hungry for her and judged it good timing as she screamed with the orgasm that crashed over her.

A wash of hot slick around his dick, silk and heat and wet and fuck he couldn't stop himself, muscle his way up into her deeper, grinding until his cock breached her womb and emptied his balls into her in a rush of agony and bliss. Don't sink his teeth into her neck, don't mark her, not now…maybe not ever…just enjoy what he had. Enjoy the moment.

Limp, sweating, panting against him, he loved seeing her like this, knowing he was the one who'd gotten this elegant Core lady so mussed and messy. They didn't have time for another round. Only two minutes left and they'd have to use that for cleanup. One more kiss and he forced himself to move. When they were back on the boat he'd let her play with him all she wanted.

House parties were just an excuse for rich people to sit around all day, gossip, start rumors, complain and drink. When Riddick voiced that opinion she really couldn't disagree.

They'd agreed it was better that they weren't noticed. Make up could only do so much and the staff of the home would recognize someone out of place. Luckily laundry was outsourced. River had taken the position of a laundress, collecting everything to go back to be washed. Riddick would draw too much attention as a footman. So he was simply skulking around behind her, lifting things when they got too heavy. When someone spoke to him he acted like a simpleton, staring as if he didn't understand a word. River, when she spoke, used an accent straight off Dyton colony and used small words and slow speech when she addressed him.

Once she'd done that in front of one or two people word got around that he was big and amiable but daì ruò mù ji and to not expect much.

Laundry got them upstairs, stripping sheets from the beds and picking up clothing for separate washes. Their mark liked to sleep in, dress and come down as breakfast was ending. They'd caught him just as he was leaving and River curtsied and apologized for disturbing him.

The man had actually given them the perfect opening, asking if Riddick would fetch a case from the top shelf of the wardrobe. Apparently, it had a different watch in it that he wanted to wear. Wearing the stupidest expression he could manage; Riddick got the case down and put it on the bench at the bottom of the bed. River stood behind him, ready to scold if Riddick got it wrong, and he saw her arm move quickly and decisively.

The mark never noticed.

Watch retrieved the old man left and River began to strip the sheets off the bed while Riddick grabbed towels from the bathroom. "Best to continue through the mornings work," She murmured as she loaded the sheets into the laundry cart. "As quickly as we can, bring the bags to the launderers shop and go."

"The Casino outing haven't even gotten back yet," He commented as he pushed the cart. "At the rate they're going they'll live longer than we thought."

"They return in another hour or two," River tilted her head, listening to the thoughts of the senior serving staff. "Expect to have a meal and drinks, and then bed."

"So they might be back before we leave," Riddick surmised.

"Possible, unless we hurry," She agreed.

"Let's hurry," He suggested. "Be gone before they can get a look at us. Your boyfriend'll be upset you stood him up."

"Forgot about me five minutes after I left," River shrugged that concern off. "Drink makes for a poor memory." She considered, "But hurrying is appropriate for people who are paid by the job and not the hour."

"Then let's get this done and skedaddle," Riddick smirked at her. "The faster we're out of here the faster we can get into the Black. Got a cargo lined up for Persephone already."

River grinned at him. That smirk looked so wicked on his face. And so appropriate. "Bad bad man."

"Yeah, figured we could hit Pelorum on our way out," He chuckled.

Landing on Persephone always brought the chance that Badger might have work for them, and the possibility of Serenity docking there to find work and resupply. It being closer to the Core they got the newswaves promptly too. Three members of Parliament had died of mysterious wounds but none of them had reported being attacked. All of them had been alone in their rooms when they'd died.

River giggled as Riddick smirked upon hearing the news. "Pleased with his work?"

"Oh yeah," He grinned. "But we'll have to rethink keeping on so quickly after this one. If they keep dropping like flies the ones left'll get pretty paranoid. They'll be harder to get to."

"Hmm… Other work for a while?"

"Yeah, I got something I'd like to finish up, trail's pretty cold though," He shrugged. "Ain't pressin', just something I'd like to cross off the list."

River glanced at him, "Something I can help with?"

He hadn't told her about Jack, about Abu, or that hell planet. Part of him wasn't sure if he should. It was a helluva thing to lay on someone when you didn't know if they could handle it. The knowledge, sure, she could deal with the Academy she could handle his past. But… yeah…there was always a 'but'. Would she want the knowledge? Was he pushing his boundaries telling her? Claiming more of her than he'd been allowed? Hard to tell with those airs and graces, those proper manners of hers. Was it any wonder he hadn't thought she'd like being taken from behind? He'd never met anyone more of a lady. Except maybe her mother.

"Maybe…" He frowned again and decided to give her the bare bones. "Knew a girl. Skinny kid. Maybe…twelve…maybe fourteen… She had this…hero worship thing for me. Don't know what it might've turned into but I knew I couldn't take her with me. Not with mercs on my neck. Left her on Helion Prime with a…friend…someone we both knew."

Either she could Read it or she guessed (girl was a genius after all), "She tried to go after you?"

Every time he had to say it, even think it, he felt like clenching his jaw against the rage, the fury over the sheer stupidity of what she'd done. "She signed with mercs." He looked at the woman who in her way had been through just as much of a hell as Jack and survived it. Saw the knowledge in her eyes of what a young girl's worth would be to an unscrupulous clan of mercs.

"We'll need to husk the merc database," River nodded. "The name she was using will help. Her planet of origin… I presume the mercs came from Lupus Five?"

"She said she hooked up with them there," Riddick nodded. "They flipped her to some 'Golls. Slaved her out."

"Contracts with the option for the clan to trade the body, no restrictions," She was making notes. "Female. Young. Physical description?" Those all-seeing dark eyes looked at him. Maybe she could tell that sympathy would just screw with his head at the moment. But the matter-of-fact manner of inquiry eased something that had tightened in his throat and chest.

"Dark hair, possibly shaved down," He recalled the skinny girl he'd left with Abu. "Pale skin, but not Core. Hair was lighter than yours. She had some freckles. And thin. Barely getting curves when I left."

"I'll get a search running," River nodded. "See what the system can dig up without me and then refine the results when we're done on Persephone?"

"Sounds good," He nodded and caught her hand in his as she stood to leave the bridge. "Hey…thanks."

That smile of hers, like he'd done something more than give her words, "Bùyòngkè qi."

Lupus Five was at the arse-end of the 'verse, very close to the outer zones and the wilds of space. From Persephone it would take five months travel at hard burn to get to Lupus Prime and another two or three weeks to make Lupus Five. River considered that.

It had taken a solid month and a half from Blue Sun to get to Helion Prime. At the time neither of them had minded since they'd had so much time to spend in bed. Riddick didn't normally take that long to go to the outer systems but since the Helion system was closest it was worth it. He'd told her that he made longer trips, to systems farther out and she'd been surprised. That was not normal for a ship of The Cutter's size and configuration.

The only reason it had been feasible at all was Riddick's ability to navigate and the way he'd augmented the engines. The fuel to get around Alliance space was cheaper, but it wasn't good for much besides short hops beyond the Alliance. The huge Crete class ships that could house an entire city had fuel reserves for the shuttles and fighters and any stranded traveler they might deign to aid, but the cruisers themselves ran on power cells. Huge hydrogen-based power cells.

Bays of smaller cells ran most of the ships outside the Alliance. And those ships also ran with a cryo-sleeping crew. The AI's that made up the auto-pilot were far more advanced than non-cryo ships needed, able to wake the crew in an emergency, make course corrections and activate defense systems.

Riddick, with his paranoia and acutely developed sense of self-preservation had taken one look at The Cutter's engines and immediately decided he'd never be able to make the boat work without some serious upgrades. No way would he depend on a boat that could be held hostage to fuel reserves.

After their rather abrupt departure from Aberdeen and the subsequent confessions of their pasts, and the aftermath of altering The Cutter so she wasn't easily identified Riddick had taken her back to the engine room.

He'd stood in the doorway as she looked around the room, allowing her to climb under the accelerator core and peer down at the compression coils, climb the ladders on either side and view the thrusters. Everything hummed along, and it was easy to see that Riddick might not believe in love for himself, but he cared about this boat in a way that was perilously close to that emotion.

When she'd run out of questions he'd half smiled and motioned for her to stand beside him in the doorway. The keypad, encrypted with his entry codes, was set to a mode only noted as 'secondary' and another code typed in.

She watched in amazement as the floor began to roll back, revealing a honeycomb of glowing power cells. It was possible to walk over them, the framework that held them sturdy enough for even Riddick's weight which he demonstrated for her.

The odd configuration of the ship, the way everything seemed smaller inside than it should have, when the answer to the riddle came to her she truly felt awe. Riddick must have worked for months to accomplish it. And the mental gymnastics required to even think of it… Kaylee would kill to have this kind of set up for Serenity.

Simply put, The Cutter could travel the outer 'verse without running out of fuel. The Cutter's hull and interior had been reinforced and shielded so he could travel at the speed of a cryo ship. But he didn't need to go into cryo to be protected from the rigors of that velocity. And as he'd explained it, he only needed to make a couple of quick adjustments in order to 'flip' the ship from standard fuel to power cells. Cryo-mode.

Looking at Riddick, muscles, brutally handsome face and raw sexuality, she wouldn't have thought she'd find his brain the sexiest thing about him. But there'd been some serious debate in the back of her mind after he'd shown off The Cutter's engines.

"Something on your mind," Riddick's voice prompted her to jerk her attention towards him rather than the screen she was staring at sightlessly.

"Oh…" She could feel herself turn pink. "I... I was remembering when you showed me the engine room."

He grinned, "I was pretty proud to show it off. Nobody else would've had the brains to see what I'd done."

"Nobody else would have even conceived of such an idea," River shook her head. "Or they would have needed two different engines to make it work."

"That wasn't so hard, it was reinforcing the hull and squeezing everything into the space available afterwards that was difficult," Riddick shook his head. "What got you thinkin' on that?"

"We have the invitations for the ball, Badger's contact came through with them," River pointed at the screen with the text wave. "They'll be waiting when we land."

"Hmm… need to visit a formalwear shop," He frowned thoughtfully. "I hate those damn suits."

"I have a gown that's suitable," River half smiled. "My mother took me shopping, remember?"

"Kinda hard to forget considering how many bags I saw you unload from that fancy mule," He shook his head.

"Wasn't that many," She rolled her eyes at him.

"Uh huh," Riddick plainly gave up on pursuing that. "So what got you from that to thinkin' on the engines."

"After Persephone, Lupus Five," She tapped another screen. "Five and a half months to get there. Without stops, hard burn the entire way."

"Yeah, it's an issue," He sat down in the pilot's chair. "Usually I just do cryo for a trip that long. New cryo I can sleep or stay awake, just don't notice time passing much. The drugs are good for that at least."

"Cryo…I haven't experienced it," She bit her lip. "Only smuggled in the box onto Serenity. Trapped. No movement. Drugs. Everything rushing in."

"Gotcha," Riddick considered her thoughtfully. "I've got a setup. Generally just lie on the bed, doze through the trip. Coalsack systems are farther out so it's a little boring if I don't use cryo."

River looked back at him and tilted her head, catching the tail end of a thought, the two of them wrapped in each other, sleeping their way through the Black. "You think…try the drugs on me. The new ones, for a night and see if they act the way the box did."

"I've been in cryo tubes before," He nodded. "Never put me to sleep. Furyans don't sleep like that. The new cryo drugs, even if I can shake them off if I need to, they'll usually put me to sleep. The drugs for the cryo cuffs are different than the tubes. Tubes were for long trips so you didn't age while you traveled. The cuffs…the ships can go faster because your body is protected, buffered, by the drugs so the speed doesn't stress and break you down."

"You think the drugs will work on me whereas the cryo box did not," She frowned, thinking it over. "All right. Tonight, before we get too close to Persephone. Let's try them. If they don't work…"

"We'll stock up on books, games and food," Riddick promised. "It'll just be like a little vacation. Maybe stop a few places along the way, do some work, keep on going. Depending on how we feel."

She smiled. "Sounds good."

The door closed softly and Riddick opened his eyes. She'd left his bed again. This time though, she'd pressed soft kisses to his jaw and eyes and those gentle hands had stroked over his scalp after she'd tugged the quilts up over his body.

River had relaxed around him, that was undeniable, but at the same time, the distance she put between them hadn't changed. She kept putting money into the ship account each month like she was still a paying passenger. And every month he put it in a separate account. When she decided to leave he'd give it back to her.

He had the sinking feeling that she'd been thinking about that. Leaving. Thinking about that original plan of hers, to find a ship of her own, do work as a courier. And find her old boat.

She'd mentioned a possible stop on Boros, asked where he'd found The Cutter, and she'd been researching on the cortex, ships and shipyards and the best places to find an old boat she could fix up. Although… she didn't seem eager to leave.

He'd gone around some of the boneyards with River, and she'd made notes like she had ideas but she hadn't bought anything. Had gone back to The Cutter with him happily. The way she reacted whenever he touched her…

Riddick would have thought a Core lady like River would find his behavior uncouth. That his dominant possessive nature would chafe at her. Itch at her like restraints itched him. Turned out to be the opposite was true. It might not have been so of every Core lady but it was of River. The side he'd thought she would shy away from. The animal side. The Furyan side. That primal need to dominate and prove himself the Alpha pleased her more than any amount of civilized behavior had. He still got hard every time he remembered her reaction when he put her on her hands and knees.

She'd murmured once, that he made her feel safe. That she could let go and simply enjoy with him. The way she'd said it made him wonder just how safe she felt the rest of the time but he hadn't pressed the issue. They were friends if a cautious sort, he thought at least, and he was glad she could relax with him, in bed at least.

He was glad she'd brought up the potential issues with cryo before they'd gotten to the point of traveling to the Lupus system. He hadn't bothered with it on the trip to Helion because at that point it had been more fun to stay awake and enjoy her company in and out of bed. But five months was a long time and a lot of food. Cryo drugs weren't cheap, though they'd gotten cheaper since they'd first been created and then altered. But they were still less expensive than the massive amount of food they'd have to stock.

The test of the cryo cuff on River had gone well enough. Her system seemed to process the drugs at the same rate as his. No doubt due to something the Academy had done to her. She'd been disoriented coming out of it but that wasn't anything unusual.

Now they were coming up on Persephone and that stupid party. River had at least relieved his mind about wearing one of those ridiculous suits in black and white. Apparently fancy dress was expected and he'd still need to go to a tailor but he wouldn't feel ridiculous. She'd gotten on the cortex and sent his measurements to a tailor in Persephone City, ordering a suit and appropriate accoutrement for him.

She'd assured him that the colors would complement her gown and he would look as if he belonged. He supposed that was all he could ask. He still wasn't looking forward to this.

All right. So… the suit wasn't as awful as he'd thought. The shoes were more like half boots and fairly comfortable. She'd told him the pants were a nearly black dark grey and the mandarin collar coat a very deep red. Darker than blood was how she'd described it. It fell to near his knees and had a gleam to it like blood at least.

He'd grown his hair out somewhat, enough that his fairly distinctive shaved head wouldn't attract notice but he'd kept his face cleanshaven but for some longer sideburns. He'd practiced dancing with River, ballroom dances at least, and he could perform some of them reasonably well if the occasion called for it.

He doubted he'd ever have River's ease of manner in fancy society. He knew the rules, knew how to behave properly, but River's understanding of everything to do with the Core went bone deep. He guessed that was the difference between learning a culture and growing up in it. Luckily nothing about this party would be more than superficial.

The ident cards she'd created said Richard Braddock and River Montgomery and would be discarded immediately after the event. Since showing up on one of the mules would be a dead giveaway that they weren't who they claimed to be, he'd arranged for a private shuttle to take them into the city and back to the docks again. It wasn't unheard of, most of the guests who flitted from planet to planet for society parties didn't keep houses and vehicles on every rock they visited.

He shot his cuffs and checked his pockets again, waiting for her to come out of her room and mentally going over the targets in his mind. They'd agreed the Pelorum fox chase was too good an opportunity to miss and since it was so close to Persephone they might as well hit their targets there before heading out of Alliance space and letting things cool down for a while. The Opera target would be a little tricky but with proper planning it could be done.

The only danger of that was the remaining members of the faction recruiting new blood. "Unlikely," River spoke from her doorway. He must have been thinking loudly. "Others see how the Jùbiàn faction drops like flies. Will keep their distance."

Riddick nodded, speechless as he took her in. Heels added three inches to her height and her hair swept up in an elaborate coil with two curls falling from the back and resting against the swell of her breast. The curls drew the eye to her neckline, which dipped very low. Some sort of sheer fabric in a dark color draped from one upper arm to the other, held in place by very narrow straps of a side closing corset.

A row of frog cords ran up her side though what good the thing did besides make her waist look tiny was beyond his comprehension. It did nothing to hide her figure and everything to push those creamy swells up so it looked as if all he had to do was brush fabric aside and slip his hand in to tweak a dark nipple.

The corset also served to outline her hips with its tight boning before coming to an asymmetrical lower point of cord frogs. The skirt flared out gently from that angled edges in a soft layer (or two or three? He was not informed on fashion nor did he care to be) over a slightly longer under gown with a slit up to her thigh. The slit rose nearly to the point of the corset on the front of her hip. If she walked too quickly she'd flash her garters.

"Yòng yí gè ā ěr dé wǎ kè cāo wǒ de liǎn," He cursed in surprise as he found his tongue.

"Then you like it," River smiled happily and crossed the galley, handing him a necklace. She already wore earrings, dark gleaming stones dangling from her ears and the stones in the necklace matched. It wasn't overly flashy and he could tell that whatever the stones were, they matched the sheer layers of her dress. He guessed they also matched his coat. "Garnets," She explained. "An antique, from my mother's side of the family. Please help me put it on?"

She turned her back and he nearly cursed again because low as the dress was in front it dipped even lower in the back, exposing half her spine. But he swallowed the very crude and accurate remark he wanted to make about cutting the damn gown off her and fucking her in those stockings and heels until she couldn't walk. The necklace got safely around her neck and he could breathe again.

Apparently not well enough because she poked his chest and admonished him to do that very thing, "Riddick, breathe." Cosmetics on her face reminded him of the job at hand. Those dark lips had been tinted with something glossy, her eyes outlined and shaded to appear huge and exotic.

"Right." He took a nice deep breath, inhaling a soft perfume of jasmine, bergamot, cherries and vanilla her own scent blending with the perfume wonderfully in his nose. "Nice perfume. Compliments your natural scent."

"I hoped to have that effect," She smiled as he offered her his arm. "A woman's perfume shouldn't be noticed as obvious."

"Nope." Careful steps down the stairs, a small clutch purse around her wrist with the invitations and several knives. "Able to hide your shiv in that outfit?"

"Blades hidden down her cleavage, beneath corset boning, in her hair and on her leg," River squeezed his arm and nodded approvingly. "Yours on your arm and in your boots, beneath your coat."

"You managed to slide a blade down the front of that dress," He took another look and still couldn't see it. "Very well hidden. Nice work."

"I've been schooled quite thoroughly on the subject," Her bland reply as they descended the cargo ramp had obviously been for the benefit of the shuttle pilot. A moment to key the ship closed again and they were on their way.

Somehow during the shuttle drive to the ball Riddick's hand had found the slit in the skirt of her dress and his fingers were stroking the skin of her upper thigh, bare above the stockings and below the garter belt. "Richard," She slanted a quelling look at him.

With a smirk he withdrew his hand, but not before giving her one more squeeze. Just in time for them to exit the shuttle thankfully.

"The Embassy ball uses a weapons screen, it won't let us pass if we have a firearm on our persons," River murmured as they joined the line of people walking along a carpet towards the entrance of the ballroom.

"Well there's usually always someone who's got to test that," He half smiled. "And there's ways around it if you're smart."

"Always a way around things," She agreed as they walked up to the porter. The invitations were taken from her purse and handed to Riddick who handed them to the porter.

"Mr. Richard Braddock and Miss River Montgomery," The porter announced them and they stepped forward through the gun screen to the ballroom.

"Oh, this is going to be so boring," River murmured as they took a circuitous route around the dance floor. "Neither of them is here yet."

"Delightful," She could tell he was forcing himself to not roll his eyes. "Nothing I like more than a mark who's fashionably late."

"Can't be helped," She fixed a smile on her face, the polite society smile she'd learned at her mother's knee. At least they'd know when the marks arrived, thanks to the porter's announcements.

"I know," He glanced down at her and his lips quirked upwards for a moment as he got a glimpse of her cleavage again. "At least I have a good view."

"Wicked man," She laughed softly.

"Well let's have a dance, break the monotony," Riddick suggested. "We can hold a glass of shimmerwine after and pretend we're not bored to tears."

"Good plan," River smiled as he led her to the floor and began the steps. With other people on the floor of necessity the steps became more complicated and she could feel her smile spreading more widely. Riddick still moved as if he were a panther in an evening coat but no one seemed to notice anything out of place.

The band struck up a waltz next and Riddick drew her into his arms, slightly closer than was strictly proper. "Maybe could get used to this," He smiled down at her.

"Enjoying yourself somewhat despite the monkey suit?" River teased as she let her eyes sweep over the people standing around the dance floor.

"Well this is more fun than just walking around, but I'm looking forward to the actual entertainment," Those sharp eyes gleamed with lust and a bloodthirst with which she found herself in complete sympathy.

Another forty minutes passed with walking and the occasional foray to the buffet table before one of their marks came in, the other following ten minutes later. "I don't get the point of have a time on the invitation if you're going to be late," Riddick commented quietly. "Seems rude."

"It is," She shrugged as they walked slowly around the room again. "But to be on time is to look overeager. And to be late makes an entrance. Appearances are everything."

"He's by the buffet table," Riddick guided her to a chair by the dance floor. "Why don't I get you a plate of strawberries or something?"

"Sounds lovely," She smiled up at him as she seated herself and accepted a glass of shimmerwine from a passing server. Riddick threaded his way through the slowly thickening crowd as she watched. Sometimes she wondered at how accommodating he was being. Apart from his enjoyment of the hunt, which she could tell was considerable, he had no personal stake in killing off a Parliamentary faction.

A surge of satisfaction from her lover and she sipped at the wine she held. He'd accomplished his goal then. Riddick would soon arrive with plate of strawberries (or something) and they could locate the second mark.

The porter's voice was becoming slightly more difficult to hear as people entered and conversations overlapped. Riddick had reached her side when she heard it, "…Murphy and Inara Serra."

"Ō, zhè zhēn shì ge kuàilè de jìnzhǎn," River nearly groaned.

He handed her the plate and took a seat next to her, "Name sounds familiar."

"It would," She sighed. "Traveled with Serenity. Mal was in love with her."

"Oh, yeah, the Companion," He slanted an unreadable look at her. "Feel like saying hello?"

"Let's take care of that other thing first," River ate a strawberry and a piece of mango, mindful of the juice and her lip-gloss. "And then…well…she'll be surprised to see me here."

"Sounds like a plan," Riddick looked around the room. "See our other mark anywhere?"

"Stands near someone of lesser status," She frowned slightly as she stood and set the plate on a nearby table. "Look for a rather plump man wearing a sash across his chest. Balding, with a dark coat. Wears pomade in his hair that smells of licorice and oranges."

A moment of walking slowly and elegantly through the crowd and he nodded towards a group of people near a pillar. "Think we might've found him."

"Oh yes," River smiled. "My turn. I do love when vanity plays into our plans."

"Vanity?" He smiled down at her as if she'd said something amusing.

"Wears a girdle beneath his coat, to hide his girth. Works just like a tight belt does for our purposes," She laughed softly as if they were making frivolous conversation and drew closer to the small group of people.

Circling around them until she was presented with the back of their mark wasn't difficult at all with the press of people and the group's proximity to the dance floor. A discreet removal of the needle-thin stiletto from the boning of her corset, a quick press of the razor-sharp blade into the man's back, just beside the T-twelve vertebra and an equally discreet return of the blade to its hiding place and she nodded to Riddick.

A heated look and predatory grin set her heart pounding and he leaned down to whisper in her ear, "How about another dance, and we can have some food before we get out of here."

"I would very much enjoy that," She murmured her reply and smiled happily when his reaction was to sweep her out onto the floor. This waltz had a much faster pace and he swept her in quick circles around the floor without so much as a hesitant step.

She knew the instant Inara saw them. The shocked recognition, worry, a search around the room for Mal or Simon or even Jayne when the Companion didn't recognize her escort.

"She has seen us," She didn't need to speak loudly, not with Riddick so close.

"When the dance ends we can sit, give her a chance to talk to you if she gets the nerve," Riddick's spine had stiffened beyond the straight line required by society during a dance.

Author's Note: Soo… these two have been having fun. I did warn you that this wasn't really plot heavy right? Hope you're still enjoying it.

Chinese Translations:

hún dàn's (individual who has at least two biological fathers and one biological mother - bastard / scoundrel / bastard / hoodlum / wretch)

hàosè de lǘzi (lecherous jackass)

yānguò de huàidàn (castrated bastard)

lǎo píao (literally, old frequenter of prostitutes)

diǎo (cock)

daì ruò mù ji (dumb as a wooden chicken)

Bùyòngkè qi (you're welcome / don't mention it / no need to stand on ceremony)

Yòng yí gè ā ěr dé wǎ kè cāo wǒ de liǎn (fuck me in the face with an aardvark)

Ō, zhè zhēn shì ge kuàilè de jìnzhǎn (Oh, this is a happy development)