Revised 06.06.2022
"He was a really shitty person, but that was still a pretty horrible way to go." Nova said.
Nova could see Riddick's light and hear his footsteps coming in her direction. She placed her light on the ground behind her, careful not to knock it over. He came to a stop in front of her and watched her as she rose to a standing position. They were both silent. They could still hear the bioraptors making a meal out of Johns, but it had become more like white noise to them in that moment. He reached his hand down and touched her face, then he ran his thumb across her lips before he leaned down to kiss her. She didn't feel nauseous like she had felt the very first time he had done so. She kissed him back and placed her hands on either side of his face, stroking his stubble with her thumbs. He pulled away from her too soon for her liking.
"You should have gone with the others." Riddick said.
"Why?" Nova asked, confused at his abruptness.
"All these monsters? You're lucky what's happening to Johns didn't happen to you." Riddick said sternly.
"They were far more interested in the chaos you and Johns were creating." Nova said.
"Doesn't matter now. Where are the others?" Riddick asked.
"They ran off when you guys started fighting." Nova said.
"Alright, let's go gather the herd." Riddick said.
They watched as the group looked around frantically, not really paying attention to their surroundings, only the bioraptors. This made it easy for them to sneak up on the group. The group yelled out in surprise when they all turned around to see Riddick in front of them suddenly, Nova was a little ways behind him.
"Back to the ship, huh? Just huddle together till the lights burn out." Riddick said.
"You get away from us." Fry demanded.
"'Till you can't see what's eating you. That the big plan?" Riddick said.
"Where's Johns?" Imam asked.
"Which half?" Riddick said seriously.
This made Fry gasp.
"We're gonna lose everybody out here. Should've stayed at the ship." Jack said, looking in the direction of the noise the bioraptors made.
"He died fast, and if we have any choice about it, that's the way we should all go." Riddick said, making his way over towards Jack.
Jack started to cry.
"Don't you cry for Johns. Don't you dare." Riddick said.
Jack did her best to stop.
"Come on." Nova said, grabbing hold of Jack's hand.
Riddick and Nova had gathered wood and flammable debris and started a fire and sat down huddled around it for warmth. She didn't notice how cold it was until they were able to rest in that moment. He noticed her start to shiver and wrapped his arm around her. She leaned her head against the side of his chest and started to relax.
"So- " Nova started.
"So-" Riddick encouraged.
"What's the plan now?" Nova asked.
Riddick sat silently. Nova sat silently with him. A lengthy amount of silence went by before he spoke up.
"That's the skull of one of those monsters." Riddick said.
Riddick slowly unwrapped his arm from Nova and stood up to go over to it. A bone on the right side of it's skull had fallen off; he did his best to hold it back in place.
"Blind spot." Riddick said analyzing it.
"Shall we pray together?" Imam asked, startling Riddick.
Riddick let the bone fall and turned around quickly. He went to sit down on the log opposite of Nova; Imam sat next to him.
"I have already prayed with the others." Imam said.
Riddick stayed quiet as he started tying the power cells together.
"It is painless." Imam said, trying to persuade him.
"It's pointless." Riddick said, glancing at Imam.
"Because you do not believe in God, does not mean he doesn't believe in you." Imam said.
"Think someone can spend half their life in a slam, with a horse bit in their mouth and not believe? Think they can start out in some liquor store trash bin with an umbilical cord wrapped around his neck, and not believe?" Riddick said, his face seemed to hold emotions from the past. "You got it all wrong, Holy Man. I absolutely believe in God, and I absolutely hate the fucker." He finished.
Riddick was finished tying the cells together now. Imam shook his head.
"He is with us none the less." Imam said.
"Two of your boys are already dead. How much faith do you have left, father?" Riddick challenged Imam.
Imam stayed quiet but kept a stern face.
"What about you?" Imam asked, facing Nova now.
"I don't really see myself as religious. My mom tried to raise us with religion, but with everything that happened I just couldn't keep the practice. I would say that if I had to believe in something, it's nature itself. Time and time again nature has shown us just how much power it possesses." Nova said.
"Ah, so you're a practitioner of Paganism?" Imam asked.
Nova appreciated how his tone was curios and not judgmental.
"I guess in a way, yeah. I never really thought about it." Nova said.
"What deity gives you the strength to keep going?" Imam asked.
"I actually don't worship any particular deities." Nova said.
"Then what is it that keeps you going?" Imam asked.
Nova thought before answering Imam.
"The fact that there are people somewhere out there that are expecting to see me again one day, and I'm expecting to see them as well. The fact that I still have a life to live; I refuse to die still in the prison system. The fact that I have unlimited love for the people in my life who I consider close enough to be family, and would fight and die for them if given the chance to prove how much they mean to me." Nova said, looking Riddick straight in the eyes while saying the last part.
