Chapter 24
Previously…Riddick took her hand and pressed her palm to his lips, nipping the base of her thumb, "River Tam… think you might marry me?"
Fuck, he loved when she smiled like that, like he'd just done something so damned amazing that she couldn't believe it. "Think I will," She tugged on his hand, pulling her body up to his and kissing him warmly.
He grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist, "Well let's finish getting dressed nice and get you a ring."
It hadn't taken too long, the ring suited River's hands, inset stones twinkling in the delicately carved metal so it also suited their work. She'd given him a look when he would have left after that and he figured if she wore a ring he should wear one too. They'd gotten back in time for dinner and Riddick had looked at the crew. River had glanced at him and then at the Captain. "Captain must not take what is said amiss please," She'd caught Mal's attention.
"What's that," Mal blinked, looking at her.
"Words can be taken wrongly," River told him. "Do not wish for our Captain to assume mutiny or words being said to him in particular. General information. Not to be debated. Will understand in a moment."
Riddick nodded, "She's right. Ain't meant for you Mal, you're Captain of this ship." He shrugged, "Just know how this is gonna sound."
"How what's going to sound?" Simon inquired after wiping his mouth politely.
"River is mine," It wasn't a question. Wasn't even a declaration really. Statement of motherfuckin' fact. "And I'm hers. That's it." He looked around the table, "She's going to live with me."
"Rick we—" He knew exactly what Simon was going to say.
"We didn't talk Simon. You talked and I listened," Riddick interrupted. "You're a friend, so I've tolerated you attempting to tell me what I can and cannot do. But you telling me doesn't mean I'm your dog on a leash and I obey. Means I listen, and I hold my temper when you insult me and imply that somehow I'm not going to do right by your sister. Means I respect your knowledge and traditions, but your little sister is Furyan in a way you aren't and won't ever be. It's not the nanites, it's just how she is."
"What're you saying," Zoë's voice, quiet and calm, reminded him of what he liked about Serenity besides River. Only on rare occasions did the First Mate raise her voice. Even when Mal seemed to be losing his shit, Zoë stayed calm.
"I'm saying that River's a woman, an adult," Riddick kept his voice just as even. "I've been a grown man for a good long time. River and I are together. We're going to live together. And I'm not going to tolerate anyone telling us what we can and cannot do. Anyone who tries, is going to get a very nasty reminder of my capabilities."
"And mine," River sipped her tea.
"You're not married," Simon tried to object. "Mèi mei you deserve more."
"Xǔ zì," His little sister wiggled the fingers on her left hand, her ring sparkling in the light
"Betrothed, not married," The Doctor seemed to think that was enough of a deterrent.
"I asked her, more than a week ago," Riddick's irritation was starting to show in his voice. "Well, more like told her, that I'd put a ring on her finger."
"When was this," The younger man was blustering now, trying to exert his authority, not that it was working. It was kinda cute, in a suicidal way, him trying to protect his little sister. Unnecessary but cute.
Riddick stared at him, "Do you really want me to answer that Simon?" A growl underscored his words. "Because if you don't want the answer you really shouldn't ask the question."
"When did you tell my sister you were going to marry her Riddick," He could appreciate the steel in Simon's tone. The man loved his sister and trying to break Riddick's balls in an attempt to ascertain his sincerity was Simon's duty. He just didn't get that River wasn't entirely his responsibility anymore and hadn't been for a while.
Riddick glanced at River and she shrugged her mouth twitching mischievously. So she had a very good idea of what he was going to say. "Fine," He snarled. "Told her I'd put a ring on her finger the day we took the space station from Niska. When I went balls deep in her and made her mine. Completely." He jerked the crewneck of his shirt down, exposing her bitemark, "She put her mark on me. I put mine on her. My people count that as joined for life. More than married, more than words said over us."
Simon was plainly astonished at his crudity, maybe not understanding that Riddick had actually tempered his language out of respect for River. "C-C-completely…"
River patted Riddick's shoulder sympathetically as he smirked at Simon, "Completely, as in, that was the last part of her that I hadn't had." He pulled River into his lap, inhaled deeply, breathe, calm down, don't say anything that insults your woman. Don't kill her brother for questioning the depth of his commitment to her. Fuck this was irritating.
Mal dropped his chopsticks with a groan, "I did not need to hear that Rick. I really didn't."
"I could stand to hear more," Cobb cracked, and Zoë rewarded his mouth with a smack on the chest.
"Bì zuǐ."
"River?" Simon was looking at his sister, "Have you… you've thought this through? The consequences? Of..."
Riddick stared at him over River's head, "You think she had unprotected sex." The 'you moron' he implied at the end might has well have been spoken.
River giggled shaking her head, "Simon lets his imagination run away with him."
"What am I supposed to think, you certainly didn't come to me for contraception," Simon's hand had completely disheveled his carefully ordered hair in his agitated clutching at it. "River sè zì tóushàng yī bǎ dāo. You… what if there's fēngliú zhài. Have you thought about this at all? It's not like you to be so yúchǔn hé duǎn shì."
River nearly snarled and her rage hit his nose like pepper, "You talk as if Riddick is wú suǒ wèijì. As if he has taken advantage of me. As if I do not know what I am doing. He is hǎohàn zuòshì hǎohàn dāng and I would gladly xiàn 'ér gǔ zhī with him."
Simon's scent flared with worry and aggravation as he glared at his sister and Riddick, "And how do I know that River? When did you even speak to me about this? He hasn't asked my permission for tán liàn 'ài? How long has he been duì qīn you?"
Riddick exchanged a mystified look with Jack, the two of them the only two that hadn't understood the flurry of Chinese, though he at least got that the last bit had to do with how long he and River had been dating and that he hadn't asked permission to court River. Jack shrugged and Riddick guessed he'd hear what accusations Simon had been throwing around later on.
"Maybe you could trust your sister? To know what's best for herself?" Mal's voice was mild in comparison though Riddick could tell he wasn't exactly thrilled with the direction of the conversation. Mal had a fairly clear standard of what was appropriate talk at the table and what wasn't. Sex wasn't. Riddick didn't blame him, what happened between he and River was no one's business but theirs. And apparently Simon's, according to her brother.
"Trust her," The vein in Simon's temple throbbed and for a minute Riddick wondered if it would burst. That'd be a shame, well, once they all calmed down it would. "Trust her? When apparently she and Riddick have been sneaking around for months? When did this start?" He stared at Riddick, "Exactly when did you begin to 'have' my baby sister? What have you done?"
Oh he was going to regret asking that question because now Riddick was well and truly pissed and he'd answer it. He hadn't exactly missed how distressed River was over Simon's tone and accusations, "You caught us coming out of my bunk, couldn't find River." He began and felt her fingers on his neck, gently stroking his nape, keeping him from escalating into a killing rage, even when she was somewhat upset herself. "Spent a couple hours. Slept a bit, had my fingers inside her, such sweet moans…" He slid his hand up River's thigh. "Love how she sounds when she comes, moaning my name." His gaze never left Simon's, silver frost, words falling like ice chips, "Didn't get to put my mouth on her, eat her until before we landed on Paquin. Never tasted anything so good as my woman… honey and apples." He was vividly conscious of the crew staring at them, River in his lap, cheek pressed to his neck, smiling as she gently traced patterns on the back of his neck. Time to remind them of the convict, "She took three of my fingers up her cunt, wanted me to stretch her…make her ready, came so good too. I told her exactly what I wanted to do with her, to her, and she wanted the exact same thing."
"Got on her hands and knees; sucked my cock so fucking good," He lifted a finger to River's lips, traced her mouth tenderly. "Would never have guessed that was her first time, she had me panting so hard for her. Begging me to shoot all over her tits."
He smirked, slid his hand up to River's ass and squeezed, "First time I had this sweet ass too… Never had a woman come from that before… damn near squeezed me dry." Riddick laughed coldly, "Should've heard the words coming out of her mouth, begging me to fuck her harder, deeper, trying to grind back on me. My little Core Furyan likes it as rough as I can give it to her once she gets going."
Riddick stared at Simon, "But I didn't mark her until I took the last piece of her virginity. She marked me, took me as hers first, made it certain." He knew he looked like a smug son of a bitch and he felt like it too. This was his woman, she'd had the guts to claim him, "Took us twenty minutes to clear the station. Spent the next four hours in bed. Marking each other. Making her mine in every fucking way. Promised her again that I was hers and she was mine."
"Again," Book's startlingly quiet question had Riddick flicking his eyes towards the Shepherd before returning to Simon.
"Debated," His woman's voice, elegant, but cool and firm. "Wanted since Ariel. Waited and watched, to be certain. Decided the game was worth the candle. She was worth the risk of Simon's anger, Captain's displeasure, perhaps being thrown off the boat for being an evil lecherous hump. Waited months to be sure of his decision. Risk versus reward. Made certain it was more than lust. Nothing fleeting. Wanted to keep her. Only then, met her privately, told her he wanted."
River looked at her brother, jaw set, "Told him, what I needed. Dating, courting, promises from him that we were permanent. That this was not a flight of fancy or temporary. He promised me. Gave his word. Began within days, gave courting gifts, proved to her his intentions. Asked advice regarding appropriate dates and gifts, how to court her while living on the same boat, in the Black. Spoke with her, made certain he knew of her inexperience, knew of the care he would need to take with her. He never hurt me."
"Promised her," She said proudly. "Before his hands even touched her, before his mouth learned kissing with her, promised they would belong to each other. That she would be his. That he would be hers. The only ones for each other, ever." She smirked, "Said I'd be his and wanted me to be irritated, demand to be his equal." Her teeth nipped his neck, "No use for a woman without a spine. No matter how pretty or bendy. Demanded he be hers. No tomcatting around. Not unless she was allowed the same." The growl that burst from his chest startled the crew and made River giggle at him, as she quoted, "'You take one step in that direction and I will tie you to the damn bed and fuck you until you're too worn out and satisfied to even think of another guy.' So by day she'd weave at her great and growing web—by night, by the light of torches set beside her, she would unravel all she'd done."
He sighed, of course she remembered his words to the letter. And implied with that quote how they'd been sneaking around courting. But she'd tolerated him spilling their business in the crudest possible way to the entire room in an effort to remind her brother that he was not some pet lapdog or tame anything. That he was an escaped convict (minus the conviction but still), a murderer. Furyan. "Anything else you want to know," He stared pointedly at Simon before looking around the room. "Any other objections let's hear 'em now. Because I'm only going to say this once more. River is mine. I am hers." He added as an afterthought one of the phrases he'd picked up from Mal, "Nǐ dào dǐ dǒng bù dǒng."
If you looked up the phrase 'shell-shocked' it would have Simon's picture next to it. River's fingers continued tracing across the back of his neck as he glared at the room in general.
"I'll admit to a touch of curiosity about your reaction, should the objections continue," The Shepherd and Zoë could have contest on who was more stoic/calm about the whole thing. Book actually had the nerve to ask the question
"I can ignore objections since it isn't River doing the arguing," Riddick shrugged. "Just can't guarantee I'd be polite about listenin'."
"What if it was me doing the objecting," Mal's voice held curiosity, nothing more, so it looked like River's precautionary explanation had worked. It'd be sad if the Captain took offense when it wasn't him they were arguing against.
"Talked about it," River murmured. "Would have been unhappy to do it, but…" She looked up at Riddick and he kissed her forehead before she met Mal's eyes. "Would leave."
Riddick looked at Jack, "We'd go back to the space station, get a ship, do some work of our own. And we'd give you a choice if you wanted to join us or stay on Serenity. Wouldn't ever abandon you Jack. You're my sister. Maybe I wouldn't have understood what that meant until I knew Simon and saw him with River. But I know now. I can't unknow it."
Jack smiled, visibly touched that even in the midst of he and River working out their future options he'd, they'd, thought of her. "Thanks big brother."
Simon had sat, mouth open and closing a little (more than a little) like one of those fancy fish they'd seen in a fountain and finally regained his voice. He'd never lost his spine as was apparent by his question, "Do you love her? I've heard chapter and verse about your sex lives, more than I wished. But do you love my sister?"
River laughed quietly, "I long—I pine, all my days—to travel home and see the dawn of my return." She kissed Riddick's cheek, "Much as you long to see your wife, the one you pine for all your days."
Riddick rolled his eyes even as he pressed his lips to her temple, "Of course I fuckin' love her." He snarled at Simon his tone the most unloverlike it had ever been despite his words. "Would I put up this fuckin' interrogation and you thinking you got the right to judge me if I didn't?" That shut Simon up, at least for the moment and Riddick looked at Mal. "Well? Anything from the peanut gallery?"
Mal nodded his understanding, "Well I appreciate the candor." He winced, "Maybe not all of it…"
Cobb stood abruptly, "I'll be in my bunk." He hurried away, his thoughts obviously elsewhere. Jack made a disturbed face and the Captain echoed it.
"I really did not…" Mal shook himself as if trying to fling off bad thoughts. "Anyway. This bein' my boat, what you do in your bunk is your business. You an' River want to get married, also your business. Told you before, if it's something my eyes shouldn't be seein' it'd better be kept in your bunk." He looked at the two of them and Riddick got the impression he was trying to act Captainy, "It interferes with the running of this boat, then it becomes my business. So let's see that doesn't happen."
"Do our best," River nodded solemnly.
Riddick looked at Simon, "Got a lot of respect for you Simon. Like you. Consider you a friend. But no one tells me what to do. 'Cept for Mal and Zoë and even then, they tell me to do somethin' fuckin' stupid they know they'll get an argument." He heard his tone lighten as he glanced at Mal with a half smile.
Mal's sigh of exasperation was right on cue, "I don't tell you to do stupid things."
"Mal, you thought Niska wouldn't notice a Firefly parked on the opposite side of the world and would've walked yourself right into an ambush," Riddick reminded him. "And if Wash had been with you? The way he'd planned? How do you think that would have gone?"
"Okay, in general, I don't tell you to do stupid things," The Captain shook his head.
"In general," Riddick agreed and stood with River in his arms. "Now if you'll excuse us… I think I need to remind my woman of just who she agreed to marry." And make sure he hadn't stepped in it talking the way he had, though really, if she had a problem with it she could've stopped him anytime and she knew it.
"Oh for…" Jack groaned in unison with Mal. "Cap'n, how much's sound proofin' cost?"
"A lot less than I'd be willin' to spend to not hear those two, dependin' on how loud they can get," Mal told her. "Wash? You and Zoë wanna work that out, where we can pick it up and how gorram fast we can get it installed?"
"Absolutely sir," Zoë replied as Riddick kicked his bunk open.
Eavesdown Docks on Persephone was the next stop, Mal and Zoë went off to see Badger about a job while the rest of them dealt with the necessities like supplies, tune-ups and the sound proofing. Mal had really been debating that but one night of Riddick and River bunking together and he'd told his First Mate to make sure they had it ready by the time Serenity landed at Eavesdown. The money they'd gotten from Niska's safe paid for it thankfully, with some leftover.
It didn't work on Riddick's ears, not completely, but it worked well enough that he and River didn't get an earful of Zoë and Wash going at it at three in the morning, when Wash came off the bridge, as if they were in the room with the married couple. Not that Riddick really cared, but it would be nice to fuckin' sleep if it wasn't his shift on the bridge.
Simon still wasn't thrilled but River had taken him aside and given him a talking to. And the Doctor had been uncomfortable around his sister and Riddick for a while afterward, but they were all easing back into their normal rhythm. It likely helped that so long as Simon wasn't trying to tell Riddick what he could or couldn't do with River, Riddick actually liked the younger man. Simon Tam was a genuinely decent guy who cared about people. A rarity in Riddick's world generally speaking. The whole crew (except for Cobb) were a bunch of rare birds as far as he was concerned.
He did get the idea that either Simon was mentally blocking out or repressing the memory of Riddick detailing every dirty (in Simon's opinion) thing he'd done with River, or (not sure which was more likely) he thought Riddick had been exaggerating in some way. Whatever the man had to do to live with it, Riddick really didn't care. So long as River was his, living with him, and Simon didn't squawk so much that Riddick wanted to gut his (practically) brother-in-law. Be a shame to upset River like that. And he'd miss Simon, once he got done being pissed off.
The job for Badger went as smooth as Mal's jobs ever did, no surprise there, although at least no one got shot worse than a graze. But they got another job to pick up cargo on some no name moon circling another planet with just a number.
It was a relay run, one ship dropping cargo off for them to pick up and take elsewhere. So they dropped the Captain at the site of the meet, circled the planet and landed again in the same spot. Funnily enough, Mal hadn't had a bloody nose when they'd left him.
Cobb seemed pretty surprised too, "Woah there, Cap... Tell me you didn't get into a fight with Monty."
Riddick looked at River who shrugged, gazing at the crates with a thoughtful expression on her face. Kaylee was confused, "Really? But I thought we loved Monty!" She looked at Zoë in concern, "Don't we love Monty?"
Zoë shook her head, "Sweetie, if he had a tussle with that sasquatch, we'd be in the dirt right about now, scoopin' up the Captain's teeth." As they watched Mal stomped up the ramp, glaring at them all impartially, "Ain't that so, sir?" The First Mate added.
Mal was definitely in a bad mood, "You know what? I don't particular want to talk about it. Now we got work. Let's shut up and do it."
The First Mate looked from Mal to the others and back, eyebrows rising to her hairline as Wash came down the cargo bay stairs and stopped by Mal, "Inara was asking for you. Wanted to—"
The Pilot was cut off as Mal walked away. "So…later with the talking then." He walked down the ramp with the rest of them to load the crates, mouthing 'What happened?' and got silent shrugs of confusion in return.
Wash had returned to the bridge and they'd gotten back into the Black. That was always a relief. He, River, Jack and Book were rearranging the crates so they'd offload well once Serenity arrived at their destination. There was always a rush getting cargo on and off, usually due to the nature of the job. Better to get it all on quick, then move whatever it was into a better arrangement.
River sat on the steps and rubbed her head, looking up towards Inara's shuttle. He doubted the Companion had any clue that the Furyans on the crew could hear every word of her and Mal's aggravated 'conversation'. That Mal hadn't been in the best mood before going to the shuttle probably wouldn't help.
This was going to get messy really quick, especially as River had picked up another mind and Riddick another heartbeat in the quiet of the cargo bay. Jack looked at the two of them in concern as Riddick wrapped an arm around River's shoulders. Book smiled at them as Jack took a seat before the Shepherd headed up towards the galley.
"What's wrong?" Jack's troubled expression broke River's silence.
"Inara…she presses the Captain," River murmured. "His attraction to her faded…she doesn't understand why. Seeks to renew the bond… Tries to push him to work more on settled worlds, accuses him of sabotaging her work."
Riddick nodded, "Called him a petty thief." He snorted, "Because it's been three weeks since we were on Persephone?"
Jack was fuming, "That…that…" She was obviously struggling for the right word in Chinese because she gave up and continued in English, "Bitch."
"Jiàn huò," River supplied the word.
The three of them looked up as Mal came stomping down the other set of stairs, not even noticing them until he was nearly on top of them, "Zài dì yù de dì qī gè guā yuē jī zhōng shì shén me are you three doing here?"
"Listening to Inara trying to manipulate you," Riddick told him as Jack stood to let him pass.
When Mal got next to Jack, Riddick's little sister touched his arm. As always when Jack touched him, since it was a rarity for her to initiate contact, Mal stopped and gave her his attention, "Yeah xiǎo tài mèi?"
"She's wrong," Jack informed him firmly. "You're not a petty thief."
"Hard to argue the facts xiǎo tài mèi," The Captain shrugged. "Last job we had was the bobbly headed dolls."
"And now we've got another one," Jack told him. "And after it we'll find another. You're our Captain. Need to keep the ship flyin', you can cut my pay."
"Got us backin' you Mal," Riddick reminded him. "We hit a dry spell, River an' me, we've got a few thoughts. Don't mind you cutting our pay a bit either. Gotta be a stretch with all these folks on the boat. An' we know if you have to, it ain't you taking us for granted or anything."
Mal sighed and tugged the end of Jack's braid, "More'n more I'm seein' why Rick'd go all the way 'cross the 'Verse and back for you tián měi de nǚ hái."
Jack smiled, "Still armed Cap'n." She reminded him.
He chuckled and kissed the top of her head, "Sweet girl." He translated for her and added teasingly, "Should I just do that with all the Chinese I say?"
Riddick watched as his little sister giggled softly and nodded, "Including whatever made Rick laugh when you nearly tripped over us."
"Oh that," The Captain grinned. "Basically 'what in the seventh sphincter of hell'."
"I gotta start payin' more attention," Jack hugged Mal around the waist. "You need us for somethin'?"
"Actually I do," He looked over at the crates. "C'mon up to the galley would you?"
Riddick stood and helped River up, "Mal, this have anything to do with the fifth heartbeat I'm hearing down here?" His low voice caught the Captain's attention without going farther than Mal's ears.
"You might could say," Mal nodded. "Keep an ear out."
"Long's you need," Riddick nodded.
Once everyone was in the galley Mal went to the spare shuttle and locked the doors, then did the same to the engine room. For good measure he had Riddick do the same to the bridge and shut all the doors to the galley before he scrubbed his hands over his face. "Might as well come out an' say it," He sighed. "Monty married Saffron, found out she wasn't actually his Bridget, that she'd also married me… We fought, me an' Saffron."
"That's how you got the bloody nose," Jack murmured.
"She kicked me in the face," Mal shrugged that off and smirked. "I punched her. Funniest damn part of it were Monty, practically wringin' his hands an' sayin' our names all chagrinned and admonishin'-like."
"Considerin' the man's big enough to take Rick on, that's…" Zoë smirked, "That's a fairly amusing picture."
"Well he dumps her there with her stuff, and I ran her off…shot at her a coupla times," Mal sighed. "She's talkin' 'bout some big job she's got lined up, an' how she was gonna cut Monty and his crew in, but I wrecked it. So she tried talkin' me into it. That's when I started to shoot at her."
The First Mate was regarding him with a level stare, "But that ain't the end of it or you wouldn't be talkin' about it."
Riddick sighed, "You locked her in a crate so she wouldn't die of exposure and starvation on that rock." He rolled his eyes. "Mal, I swear…"
"Captain…" River winked at Riddick and continued when Mal looked at her. "She thinks you have a problem with your brain being missing. Again."
"Again?" Riddick kissed her smirking mouth.
"Train job," River smirked as she reminded him. "Thought it was more fun with a car full of Feds on board."
"If you don't mind," Mal interrupted testily.
"So Inara poked at you and now you wanna pull a big job so you can prove you ain't a petty thief," Riddick concluded.
"Well…yeah…" Mal shrugged. "Plus…we can always use the money."
"That is the smartest thing you've said since we came in here," The First Mate remarked dryly, unrepentant despite the insulted look Mal sent her way.
"Wanna hear what all of you think," Mal spread his hands. "And how we can keep her from messing with the boat."
"Have Inara take off and see if she wants to be held in reserve, considering Saffron stole her shuttle last time," Riddick suggested. "Since I'm guessin' we'll need to use the spare."
"She will speak to Inara," River volunteered.
Jack considered, "How good are your locks? I mean since I've been here, everything's been open."
"Pretty good," Zoë nodded. "But we can always add a few more layers of security."
"We'll work on that," Riddick nodded to Jack. "Breaking out isn't much different from breaking in."
"From this point on, we keep everything locked down," Mal ordered. "Jayne, I'd like you go 'round with Kaylee, make sure all the doors are easy to open. Some of 'em stick. Be inconvenient if we close 'em and can't open 'em up again."
"Yeah," Cobb nodded. "We'd better get on that pretty quick Kaylee."
"Okay," Kaylee nodded. "Just don't want her messin' with Serenity again."
Without knowing the exact nature of the job they couldn't really make more plans, but Riddick kissed his woman firmly on the lips before she stood to go talk to Inara. "Yours," He promised her and pulled off his shirt. The tank tee he wore under it exposed his marks.
"Mine," She growled and nipped at his mouth.
"Fuck you're perfect," He grinned and handed her his shirt.
"Rick, you're with me," Mal stood. "Everybody just try to remember not to call him Riddick. My harpy of an ex-wife or whatever she is… wouldn't put it past her to tip off the Feds."
Riddick watched as Mal scanned through the crates obviously searching for one and tapped the man on the shoulder before pointing to one stacked next to two others, bullet holes in the lid.
Mal nodded, smiling his thanks and pried off the lid. Saffron was wedged with the protein packs, looking very uncomfortable, "All right. Tell me more about this job a' yours."
Her eyes widened as she caught sight of Riddick leaning against another stack of crates, a smirk on his face. She looked from him to Mal and back to him and he inhaled the scent of greed and arousal. Figured. She tried to seduce him; the job would be off because River would kill her.
"Forget it," He rolled his eyes. "Not interested in your lies. You aren't that good a fuck." Her jaw dropped at the crudity and his smirk widened, "Maybe it's all that pretending to be a virgin. Gotten outa practice."
Mal smacked his shoulder lightly, "Keep speculatin' on that Rick." The dark-haired man admonished in a mild tone. "As I recall you got on the wrong end of a mighty pointy finger last time you tangled with this one."
"Yeah," Riddick grinned. "Didn't think she'd be so possessive back then." But she was and damn if the animal didn't love it. No one had ever claimed him. Not to keep. But even then, half crazy, River had wanted him. "Never thought I'd like it so much either," He admitted.
"Just keep her from cutting Saffron's throat would you?" Mal put a hand under Saffron's arm none-too-gently and hauled her up out of the crate scattering foil packets everywhere.
It hadn't taken Kaylee and the others long to get the more sensitive areas of the ship locked down. He'd caught bits of a discussion between Kaylee and Cobb, Zoë adding her opinion, so it came as no surprise that half of the door 'maintenance' Mal had told them to do was to be done over the next couple hours in an effort to look as if it really was just regular maintenance. Everything sensitive on the upper deck and leading to the shuttles was already checked and working well. It was the rest of the doors leading to the mid and lower decks that needed work.
Simon had excused himself from the planning once Mal had gone to get his blushing psychotic bride. Saffron hadn't really gotten much of a look at him last time, too interested in conning Mal, Wash and Riddick. But the Doc had made a habit of avoiding people that weren't the crew as much as he could. Pretty good idea considering the circumstances. But the rest of them were there, sitting around the galley table.
River was sitting quietly in his chair, her hair only half up in a soft knot on her crown. She'd used her stiletto pins to hold it, the rest of that long dark silk falling down her back and streaked with multiple colors, some of which framed her jaw and cheekbones and made a fringe over her forehead. She'd made up her face to look exotic, darkened lips, prominent cheekbones and kohl around her eyes.
He would never fail to be impressed with how quick River could move when she needed to. He'd been in the store when she'd bought the cosmetics and the colored hair inserts, explaining to him in a low voice that most folks would see the makeup and hair and not notice her face much. She was right. The exotic and beautiful woman in front of him looked nothing like the skinny waif with big eyes drowning in her hair and too large dresses. Nothing like the shell-shocked image on her warrant either.
Jack sat beside her, idly sharpening a shiv and speaking to River in a low voice. River held a datapad and the two of them seemed to be working on something. But in actuality River was filling Jack in on their last run in with Saffron.
When he and Mal brought Saffron in, everyone gave a very good impression of being surprised. Open mouths, wide eyes and in some cases, clenched fists. River was actually glaring at the way his hand was gripping Saffron's upper arm. "You got her Mal?" He got a nod in reply and let go. River's face eased slightly as he moved towards her and Jack, scooping River up and settling into the chair with her in his lap. Pressing his face against her neck and nuzzling her mark satisfied something in him and the stiff lines of her spine eased. Thankfully the cosmetics on her face didn't taint her natural scent.
"Nothin's gonna happen 'tween me an' that harpy," He murmured against her ear. "I promise. I'm yours."
"Trusts him. Not her," River replied in the same soft tones.
They both gave their attention to Mal and Saffron as the harpy began to make her pitch, "The mark's name is Durran Haymer. Maybe one of the biggest collectors of Earth-That-Was artifacts in the 'verse. Guy's got warehouses full of stuff. But his prize piece is sitting in his parlor, an antiquity of unspeakable value: The Lassiter. The original hand-held laser pistol. One of only two known to still exist. The forerunner of all modern laser technology. Haymer got lucky, picked it up during the war for nothing."
"But it wasn't just luck," Mal shook his head. "Tell them."
Saffron explained, "Haymer's Alliance. Bio-weapons expert during the war. He'd target neighborhoods with valuables, wipe out every living soul without ever damaging the goods. Go in, take whatever he wanted."
Riddick considered what she was saying and slowly nodded. He could smell some truth to her words, mostly when she said Haymer was Alliance and that he made bio-weapons. But when she started talking about his kill and loot policy there was a lot less truth to her words. It didn't make a lot of difference to him, but it might to Mal.
"He's living fat on a private estate on Bellerophon," Mal told them as Saffron tossed some data discs on the table.
She seemed pretty proud of herself, "I managed to get ahold of his schedule for the next eighteen months; the layout of the estate grounds...and every security code for the place."
No one around the table moved to even touch the discs. They may as well all have been imitating Zoë for the reactions given. Mal continued, "Saffron's got a notion we can just walk in; take The Lassiter right off his shelf."
They were all still staring at Saffron and finally Wash commented, "I'm confused..."
Saffron seemed to think she was way ahead of him. "You're asking yourself if I've got the security codes, why don't I just go in and grab it for myself; why cut you in?"
Wash shook his head, "No. Actually…I was wondering..." He looked at Mal and Riddick could tell the Pilot was up to some mischief. "What's she doing on the ship? Didn't she try to kill us?"
Riddick rubbed River's back as his woman growled when Saffron rolled her eyes, "Please. Nobody died last time." She frowned, suddenly uncertain, "Right? Where's the old guy with the hair?"
No one answered as Wash continued to press Mal, "We're in space. How'd she get here?"
Riddick concealed his smirk behind River's shoulder as Mal gave the short answer, "She hitched."
Wash really was going to make either Mal or Jack crack up laughing if he didn't get off this line of questioning, "I don't recall pulling over..."
The Captain endeavored to take control of the conversation again, "Look. Point is, there's more'n one of us here wouldn't mind sticking it to a hóu zi qiáng jiān Alliance bastard. Besides that, this could be a very lucrative venture for all of us. This ain't no wobbly-headed doll caper. This here's history."
Cobb had obviously been thinking very hard, his brain must be feeling the strain. In fact Riddick was surprised that he didn't smell smoke as the merc raised his hand, "Okay. I got a question. If she's got the security codes, why don't she just go in a grab it for herself; why cut us in?"
Riddick couldn't be completely certain that the merc wasn't messing with all of them, or if he was just that dumb. The corner of mouth Cobb's twitched just a touch and Riddick barely kept from rolling his eyes. Screwing with all of them then, but that he had enough brains to do it meant the merc bore watching. Meant all the playing dumb he did was more of a show than everyone realized. Riddick joined the rest of the crew, along with Saffron, in staring at Cobb for a moment before Saffron quipped dryly, "Good point. Getting through the door and putting our hands on the Lassiter is easy. Getting out with it...that's the tricky part."
Mal nodded, "It's tagged and coded. Second it passes through the door…alarms, security, Feds."
"This isn't a one-woman operation." Saffron began, "To do this right, I need—"
River had clearly been reading Saffron while she'd explained her plan to Mal and Riddick, in order to explain to Inara what was happening, because Inara walked in right on cue to interrupt Saffron. "Idiots."
Mal and Saffron turned, and Saffron finished her sentence, "Partners"
"Dupes," Inara's words could have come out even with the edge Riddick's shivs for sharpness. "And that's what you'll all be if you trust her."
Riddick kissed River's hair and murmured in her ear, "It's like battle of the bitches." Her silent laugh filled his nose with her sweet scent and he grinned.
"Could be that's so," Mal's tone was pointed. "Lord knows ain't none of us 'criminal-masterminds'. So if you got something better, Inara; something not 'petty' we'd sure be willing to hear it."
The only thing that spoiled the theatre of the whole little snark fest for Riddick was Saffron's obvious enjoyment of the tension between the Companion and Captain. Inara turned to leave, "Nǐ men dōu shì shǎ guā."
It wasn't Mal who got the last word though, Jack got that honor, muttering under her breath, "Stuck up biǎo zi." Funny how Jack'd learned that word pretty quick. Riddick smirked as Inara's back stiffened minutely at the insult, but she didn't turn or react otherwise. He doubted anyone else would have noticed. Sad fact was, Inara was a decent sort, a bit rigid but she cared about the crew. If she'd learn to bend a little she'd be a lot happier.
Mal looked at the crew, "Okay. So the question remains; how do we get the artifact out without setting off the alarms?"
Kaylee shook her head and looked at River and Wash, "You don't. Not through the door, anyway." She reached for a data disk, "This the layout?"
Saffron nodded, "Full blueprints of the entire grounds."
The mechanic looked at the disc thoughtfully, "Could be we look hard enough, we find a way."
Mal smiled, that was definitely what he wanted to hear, "You dig into that, little Kaylee." His gaze turned to Zoë, "Zoë. You ain't said a word. Time to weigh in."
The First Mate looked contemplative, "Take sounds ripe enough. That's assuming we can fence it."
Saffron, of course, had an answer for that too, "I know a guy on Persephone. He's already got half a dozen buyers on the bid. The split is gonna be sweet.
Zoë wasn't done, "But Inara's not wrong;" She kept her eyes on Saffron and ignored Jack's mumbled insult to the Companion. "She can't be trusted."
Thankfully the Captain was smart enough to not argue that point. "I ain't asking you to trust her," He shook his head. "I'll be with her on the inside the whole time."
Saffron couldn't keep her mouth shut though, "See there? Only one thing you gotta do if you want to be a rich woman, hon; and that's get over it."
Zoë wasn't impressed, "Mmmm. Okay." Quick as a wink, her right arm pulled back and snapped forward, hitting Saffron right in the mouth and knocking the duplicitous woman down on her rear. If Riddick hadn't been holding River he'd have applauded as Zoë smirked at the woman, "You, too. Hon." She looked at the Captain, "I'm in."
Mal had tasked Cobb and Riddick with bringing the Doc some protein and water packets, so he could hide safely in his room for the duration of Saffron's stay. He didn't seem nearly as concerned about her recognizing River, and that made a certain amount of sense. His thinking followed the same lines as Riddick's had earlier. River's face had changed with maturity, her figure was a woman's not a girl's. With the addition of cosmetics and the colorful hair inserts she bore very little resemblance to the wanted bulletins.
Simon though, was unchanged and easily recognized, something they should put some thought into rectifying once the job was done. A beard would be easy enough to grow, or a curly mustache like the Doc had joked about after the St. Lucy's job.
"Captain says you're to stay put," Cobb was pontificating, and Riddick rolled his eyes behind the merc's back, much to Simon's amusement. "Doesn't want you runnin' afoul of his crazy bride. Pretty as piece a trim as she is…she's meaner'n a rattlesnake. She figures out who you are, she'll turn you in 'fore you can... say... 'don't turn me in, lady'." Yeah, like Simon hadn't figured 'meaner'n a rattlesnake' from the bitch setting them up to sail into that net.
Simon remarked dryly, "The bounty on us just keeps getting more exciting."
Cobb was making sure there was enough food and water to last, "Well, I wouldn't know."
River slipped up beside them, leaning against Riddick in the doorway, "She's a liar."
It was Cobb's turn to roll his eyes, "That don't exactly set her apart from the rest of us. And the plunder sounds fun enough."
Riddick looked down at his woman as she repeated herself, "She's a liar and no good will come of her."
Funnily enough Cobb was actually making semi-civilized conversation, "Well, I say as a rule that girlfolk ain't to be trusted."
She smirked at him, "Jayne is a girl's name."
The merc bristled, "Well Jayne ain't a girl." He glared at Simon as if the man had any control over his sister, "She starts on that 'girl's name' thing, I'm gonna show her good an' all I got man parts."
Riddick growled, "You can try. You'll be holdin' 'em in a basket when she's done with you. Then I'll go to work on you."
"I'm trying to think of a way for you to be cruder," Simon sighed, his tone addressing Cobb more than Riddick. "It's just not coming."
"I just heard enough ab—" Jayne began to bluster.
Doc Simon cut him off with a wearily dismissive wave of his hand, "Zǒu dé hěn yuǎn hěn kuài."
Unfamiliar phrase and Riddick looked at River who translated for him sotto voice, "Go far away very fast." Thankfully Cobb wasn't inclined to stick around being annoying.
"And I was gonna leave you a deck of cards..." Cobb went, happy he had gotten the last word at least.
Simon smiled, "Great. Another exciting adventure in sitting."
River frowned thoughtfully, "Afraid."
Simon misunderstood, "No, we'll be okay. Why the captain is trusting that wú qíng de pō fù is beyond—"
She shook her head, her eyes faraway for a moment, "Not us. Jayne."
Riddick had wondered if River knew about the stunt Cobb had pulled during the St. Lucy's job. Looked like even if she hadn't realized at the time she sure did now. Simon shook his head, amused, "Afraid? Since when?"
"Since Ariel," River murmured, and Simon's half smile fell off his face like a meteor. "Afraid we'll know."
Author's Note: Soo…I'd been planning this for a while, Simon demanding answers and Riddick giving him more than he bargained for. Partly because he doesn't feel anyone has the right to question River's decisions. And partly because he wants to remind Simon of just who he's dealing with. So he's deliberately crude in his language. It's a little over the top but at the same time he's more than a little pissed off.
The flurry of Chinese between Simon and River is something I always pictured them doing. I've got friends who are bilingual and when they get emotional they tend to slip in and out of English to Spanish. It's a little confusing for anyone who doesn't speak both languages (and sometimes for those who do).
And... Saffron is back. The episode kind of glossed over all of the sneaking around Mal and the crew would have had to do in order to fool Saffron so I wanted to put a bit of that in at least. I know it seems like I'm making Inara be more unreasonable than she was but there's a point to it. Anybody have any guesses as to how the job will go?
Chinese Translations:
Mèi mei (little sister)
Xǔ zì (betrothed)
Bì zuǐ (Shut up)
sè zì tóushàng yī bǎ dāo (lit. there is a knife above the character for lust / fig. lascivious activities can lead to bitter consequences)
fēngliú zhài (lit. love debt / fig. moral obligation in consequence of a love affair / karmic consequences of a love affair)
yúchǔn hé duǎn shì (foolish/stupid and short sighted)
wú suǒ wèijì (without any fear of consequences / totally devoid of scruples)
hǎohàn zuòshì hǎohàn dāng (daring to act and courageous enough to take responsibility for it (idiom) / a true man has the courage to accept the consequences of his actions / the buck stops here)
xiàn 'ér gǔ zhī (lit. to tune one's zither then play it; fig. to live by the consequences of one's actions / to make one's bed then lie on it)
tán liàn 'ài (to court / to go steady / to be dating)
duì qīn (courting / meeting for purpose of marriage / to settle into a relationship)
Nǐ dào dǐ dǒng bù dǒng (Do you get it or not?)
Jiàn huò (bitch / slut)
Zài dì yù de dì qī gè guā yuē jī zhōng shì shén me (What in the seventh sphincter of hell)
xiǎo tài mèi (little tomboy / schoolgirl tough)
tián měi de nǚ hái (sweet girl)
hóu zi qiáng jiān (monkey raping)
Nǐ men dōu shì shǎ guā (You're all fools)
biǎo zi (whore/prostitute)
Zǒu dé hěn yuǎn hěn kuài (Go far away very fast)
wú qíng de pō fù (relentless shrew/harridan)
Quote Sources:
So by day she'd weave at her great and growing web—by night, by the light of torches set beside her, she would unravel all she'd done. – The Odyssey - Homer
I long—I pine, all my days—to travel home and see the dawn of my return – The Odyssey - Homer
Much as you long to see your wife, the one you pine for all your days. – The Odyssey - Homer