"Beka! What the hell do you think you're doing? We don't know this man and you're going to meet him...alone? Are you crazy?" Dylan stood over his first officer, his height and build intimidating. His anger made him appear even larger than he was, his eyes boring into Beka as she raised her head, meeting his gaze evenly.

"Exactly what do you think I did before I joined your crew Dylan? You know as well as anyone that I haven't always been on the right side of the law. Do you honestly think that I haven't dealt with people like this before? I was brought up in places like this, I know how to handle Xander's sort!" her eyes flashed with fury as she looked up at her new captain, disgusted with his attitude. A hologram of a woman appeared between them, arms crossed across her chest as she stared first at Dylan and then at Beka.

"Are you two quite finished?" she asked, her tone scathing. Both looked at her in surprise, they'd never heard her use that tone before.

"Rommie, we're only talking..." Beka's voice was marginally apologetic as she looked at the holographic version of the ship's AI.

"No, you're arguing and I'm sick of listening to you to snipe at each other. Beka, Dylan is only saying what he is because he's worried about you," she told the first officer as she looked at her, a slight smile softening her words. She turned to Dylan then, her smile gone, her eyes hard. "Captain, Beka is more than capable of looking after herself. If I may, I suggest we let her go and take care of business. If you're so worried about her safety we can monitor her life signs through the nanobots she carries. If we think she's getting into trouble, we can always go and help her..." the comment was left as a suggestion, one for her captain to agree or disagree with as he saw fit.

"Very well. As long as we do not lose the signal from the nanobots. If for any reason we start getting data that suggests you might be in trouble, we're coming after you. OK?"

"OK! But I'll be fine so you've nothing to worry about," a slight wink to Rommie and Beka strode off towards the Maru, leaving her shipmates staring after her, Dylan in concern and Holo-Rommie wearing a mysterious smile.

********

When Beka walked into the bar once more, it didn't take her long to adjust to the dim lighting as night had fallen on this side of the moon. She spotted Xander instantly and smiled, walking over and taking a seat opposite him.

"So, can you get the parts we need?"

"I can but it's gonna take a few days," his voice sent shivers down Beka's spine as he spoke. She looked at him carefully, not sure whether she believed him or not. Shrugging slightly, she nodded her acceptance of what he'd said, knowing it could take months to find another supplier.

"Fine. So now what?"

"You eaten yet? The food here is shit but if you're hungry, I've got food on my ship. Care to join me?" he watched her as he made the offer, the first stage of his plan having gone exactly as he'd hoped. She smiled slightly and nodded, getting to her feet and waiting for him to lead the way. She was hungry, but food was not the only thing on her mind as she looked him over again. She followed him from the bar, the buzz of the market only slightly lower than it had been earlier. Wandering past the stalls, she didn't notice a man watching them, her mind going over a hundred different possibilities for the way things could go once they got to Xander's ship.

********

The darkness in the ship raised goose bumps on her skin as Beka followed Xander up the ramp and through into the main living area of the ship. A dim light came on at his command and she sighed, not realizing she had been holding her breath. She wasn't sure why she suddenly felt so nervous, just that she knew there was something different about the man at the food unit. She was glad he had his back to her for the moment as he prepared the food, she didn't want him to see her unease and it gave her a chance to study him a little. She couldn't explain her unease, she just had a feeling that there was more to this man than he was saying, that maybe he wasn't completely who he claimed to be. She jumped slightly as he turned around, flashing her a quirky grin as he walked the few paces to the table and placed two plates onto the plastic surface. Beka quickly took her seat, smiling across at him as the aroma of roast chicken bombarded her senses. With a slight laugh she tucked in to her food, suddenly ravenous. He watched her with amusement, his eyes roaming her once more as his own hunger grew, devouring his own food although he didn't really want it.

********

"Where is she?" the thought echoed round his head for the hundredth time as Dylan stood on the Observation desk, looking out at the moon they were orbiting. The nanobots they were monitoring were sending back signals suggesting Beka was just fine but it didn't stop Dylan from worrying all the same. The faint sound of footsteps behind him caused him to smile wryly, not bothering to turn around as he knew who was approaching.

"I know. She's fine..." he trailed off, not sure how to explain what he was thinking, what he was feeling.

"I know Dylan. She's fine but you're still worried about her. I am too but she can look after herself," spoken softly, the words summed up everything he felt. Turning to look at the beautiful woman before him he smiled again, though it never reached his eyes. He nodded slowly, knowing she was right about everything she had just said. He turned back to the view port, placing his large hand over the smaller one of Rommie's humanoid avatar as she joined him, both standing silent vigil until their friend returned to them safely.

********

Physical hunger stated for the moment, Beka leaned back in her chair and watched Xander as he finished his food. There was something predatory about him, like a hunter resting after a successful hunt while thinking about his next. She was unaware that she was the prey in the next hunt, a hunt to satiate a different kind of hunger, one he hadn't felt for a long time. She watched as he raised his head, looking directly at her, his dark eyes intent, sparkling with mischief and anticipation. She studied his face, noticing small scars she hadn't seen before, wondering idly where they'd come from.

"What did the other guy look like afterwards?" the thought came to her without warning and she hid her smile, somehow knowing that this ma would always win a fight, even if it meant killing the person he was fighting. She wondered what else she didn't know about him, whether there were secrets he would never share, if there was a wife or family out there somewhere? At that moment she realised she didn't care, he was here with her now and she was going to make the most of his attention, even if it was only for a short time. She shook her head slightly, getting to her feet and coming round to her side of the table. Leaning over him, she slowly picked up his empty plate, her own occupying her other hand, intensely aware of their close proximity. As her arm brushed his she gasped, the feeling of a thousand tiny pins on her arm where their arms touched surprising her. Suddenly she wanted to bolt as his large hand closed gently around her wrist, drawing her hand away from the empty plate as he captured it, claiming his first piece of her.

Riddick looked up at the beautiful blonde woman standing beside him, her right wrist clasped gently in his hand, his hunger rising with each touch. With excruciating slowness he began stroking the back of her hand with his thumb, feeling her slight shiver at his ministrations. A tiny smile tugged at his lips as he watched her eyes close, her body leaning towards him as she enjoyed his caress. A soft, almost inaudible moan escaped her lips as his other hand came up to her waist, moving up to cup one of her breasts and he smiled, knowing he would have no trouble getting what he wanted....