(Revised 05.05.2022)


Johns had opened each of the pods and checked for vital signs. With a proper flow of power no longer keeping the ship's facilities running, no oxygen had been flowing into the pods; they had all suffocated. Which was probably a better fate than what had befallen the ones in the pods that were missing. They didn't even register they had passed away.

"How come our pods didn't open like the others did? Isn't there safety protocol to keep people from suffocating in them?" Nova asked, tears prickling her eyes.

It registered with Nova quickly that she could have died in hers had someone not taken the time to open it.

"They were supposed to. The ship must've been really messed up on your side." Johns stated. He turned and looked at the only other pod that had been opened; smashed. "Fuck me." He whispered harshly.

"What?" Nova responded.

"Stick close. We still have someone to look for." Johns said, snaking his hand around Nova's waist to grab a firm hold of her cuffs. "Just making sure you stick close." He tried justifying his actions.

Nova gave Johns an incredulous glare but didn't fight him. She realized the pod belonged to the beast of a man she had seen earlier. Had he been the one to free her? As they wandered around the ship she couldn't help but jump at every noise. It was a bit hard to tell if it was something moving around the ship, or the ship still crumbling around them. She had also been curious of what it could be but she still only smelled the two of them, and sometimes faint hints of others that had been there some time before.

'Ship.' Nova thought, as she heard more creaking.

"I'm still getting you to your designated slam." Johns stated, cutting the silence. "Your officer didn't make it." He finished.

"Well, that's assuming help can even get here in time, or we can even get off this planet. From what was said earlier we don't even know where we crashed and the ship is done for." Nova said, starting to sweat from everything continuing to register, and Johns' proximity to her.

Nova tried to pull away from Johns but he pulled her back tighter.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Johns asked, sneering at Nova.

"It's too hot to be this close to each other. I'm not going to run. You can even keep hold of the handcuffs, just please take your arm from around me." Nova said, trying to be as polite and as civil as possible, when what she really wanted to do was knee Johns in the groin and then proceed to kick his ribs in.

Johns hesitated at first, then he slowly started to move his arm. His purposeful snail pace annoyed Nova, and when she thought she couldn't be more uncomfortable he slowly swiped his hand across her buttocks. This caused her to have an outburst.

"YOU PERVERTED FUCKER!" Nova screeched at the top of her lungs. She was about to swing her arms at Johns when a pair of legs with chains on them came down and started to strangle him, causing her to fall backwards out of surprise. "Holy shit!" She exclaimed.

Johns was furiously struggling with the legs before he pulled his night stick out and started beating them. Whomever it was eventually fell because the pipes they were holding themselves up with gave way, which allowed him to be freed.

'The Beast.' Nova thought, somewhat grateful for what they had just done. More curious than angry, now.

Johns had gotten up and was about to hit them with the night stick again when they held up their cuffed hands in cooperation, making him decide to lower it.

"One of these days someone's going to get hurt, and it's not going to be me." Johns said.


Johns had taken them both to another part of the ship for temporary holding. Nova had been following slightly behind, still a bit nervous that another scuffle could break out but still very much intrigued by the man before her. Johns had decided to chain him to a pole to keep him from escaping again.

"Alright, you stay here and keep each other company. I'm gonna figure out how to proceed with this nonsense." Johns said.

"You're going to leave me free?" Nova asked, a little surprised Johns hadn't also chained her to something.

"I don't think I have much to worry about with you. Riddick, on the other hand." Johns said, looking in Riddick's direction with a hint of disgust.

Nova's face paled when she heard the name. She'd heard stories of the type of man Riddick was. She had become far more nervous and began to weigh her options. She could go with Johns, but she didn't want him to touch her again. She could stay here with Riddick and find out if he knew what went down in the prisoner's cabin, but she was also scared for her life. She had taken too long and Johns left before she could even humor the thought of leaving with him.

"H-Hey." Nova managed to stutter out, getting Riddick's attention.

Riddick reacted to Nova's voice. Even with the blindfold on it seemed like he was staring directly at her. She slowly got closer before cautiously bringing her cuffed hands up.

"I'm going to remove the horse bit. Is that okay with you?" Nova asked, before trying anything.

Riddick slowly nodded his head. Nova carefully fingered at the clasp that was keeping it in place and slid it out of his mouth. She looked at the device and then his lips to see that it had been slowly starting to slice into the sides of his mouth and bruise his lips.

"That's crazy." Nova said, in a hushed tone.

Riddick stood up as straight as possible and started to pop his arms out of his sockets while lifting them over his head. He let out a groan indicating that it hurt, and once he got the chains over the pole he popped them back into place. He pulled his blindfold up to see Nova's horrified expression; that was the first time she had seen his eyes were shined.

"That was horrifyingly impressive." Nova said, breaking the silence.

Riddick grunted a response and was getting ready to leave when Nova stopped him.

"Wait! I-I was hoping you could answer some of my questions." Nova said.

Riddick looked back at Nova amused.

"Maybe. Maybe not." Riddick said, voice deep and gravely.

Even though he sounded the way he looked Nova still couldn't help but be shaken by his voice.

"Be quick, I've got places to be." He said, emphasizing the last part.

Nova snapped out of her temporary stupor.

"Right." Nova said, gathering herself. "Are you the one who let me out?" She asked, remembering the handprint while looking down at his hands.

Riddick nodded in response.

"How come? Why me and not the others?" Nova asked, pressing him for an answer.

"There wasn't as much time as you think there was." Riddick said, starting to walk away. "Plus, you felt familiar." He finished, before leaving.