18. The Last Pain
Crip-Ornay loomed on the horizon and Riddick watched their approach through wary eyes. They would be landing ten miles away from Gin's old home in two hours and no one knew what to expect. Everyone was on edge.
Gin could feel the taunt grip on control that Riddick was grasping, and it seemed that Jack could too. She'd gone from short sentences to monosyllabic replies to not even speaking at all. Both females were tense, but Gin hid it far better than Jack could. Riddick had been hovering over Gin protectively ever since they'd left Dres a month earlier. They'd spent three weeks in cryo-sleep, but he was back at it now, his eyes seeking her out whenever he felt she wasn't close enough to him.
Thankful that advances in ship engine technology had shortened the once four month trip to a quick month long journey, Gin stared at the rising planet before them.
Riddick seemed to be making an effort to make Jack feel like she was someone important, but Jack was quiet and withdrawn, burying herself in one of Gin's books and sleeping for long periods of time. The wary cynicism in her gaze hadn't diminished at all.
Seeing Riddick's dark gaze locked on Jack's still form and the pinched set of his features as he fought off exhaustion, Gin reached out to him and whispered his name. "C'mere," she murmured. He stepped close to her, and she enjoyed the heat of his body seep into her senses. She laid her hands on his chest and closed her eyes, concentrating on alleviating the weariness that plagued him. Gin opened her eyes slowly and saw a look of mild wonder fill Riddick's eyes just as she slumped against his chest. He caught her, instantly concerned.
"Are you all right?" he questioned, his deep voice rolling over her senses like a blanket.
She smiled wanly and nodded. "You were tense. No good, I'll be good soon, though. Don't worry, just need sleep." And with that she fell asleep.
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Riddick carried Gin into their room and laid her gently on their bed, brushing the lengthening strands of blonde hair from her eyes.
On his way back to the living area, Jack shot him a worried look. "What's wrong with her?" she demanded quietly.
"Nothin', she just exerted herself. She'll be good by the time we land. She just needs some sleep," he answered, glad to know Jack cared about Gin. She should after what Gin did to save her back on Dres.
Jack nodded, looking a little out of sorts, the wary cynical look he always saw in her eyes momentarily gone. She nodded again, absently, and then the frightened look was gone, and the old wary cynical one was back, locked firmly in place and ready to flash a cold smirk at him. The little girl with the tough attitude was gone. Now there was a young woman, with big fears, who really was tough standing in her place. The kid knew too much about how things were; she knew nothing was easy, everything was hard, and nothing came for free. He wished she didn't, because she had the same look he'd had at that age, and he hoped she didn't end up like him.
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Jack averted her eyes from Riddick's face and curled back into her chair, opening the book in her hands to a dog-eared page, slipping back into the fiction that helped her distance herself from everything going on around her. She knew they'd be landing soon and that made her feel better. In this land of little light and quiet company she felt cold and empty. Gin talked to her sometimes, seemingly trying to recapture the rapport they'd had two years before. Riddick started conversation sometimes. The first time had given Jack a start she didn't think she'd ever forget. He almost never talked unless he had to, and now he did it with her at least once a day. She wasn't sure if she should rejoice or ask him if he felt all right. Jack decided to just keep quiet, though, ignoring the whole thing and acting like he'd always been willing to make pleasant conversation.
She tried to feel excited about seeing Ven and Brand again, but whenever she thought about why they were chasing the brother and sister team down, a sick twisting ripped at her guts. Jack didn't want to get her hopes up, afraid that when they finally got to the pair, it would be too late, and Brand would be gone from her forever. At least, back on Dres, there'd always been the hope that Brand would come back. If she had to see him dead, that dream would shatter.
Gin seemed to understand her, but Jack didn't know why she felt that way, or why Gin understood so well. Gin had never told Jack anything about herself, except to call her Reese Drake and that she was a convict with a bad record. A weird feeling of irony came over her as she realized where she was. Back on Hell's own planet everyone had been scared out of their wits of Riddick, the bad ass murderer. She'd been fascinated by him, but also terrified deep inside.
Now she was traveling with him and another Slam City escapee to a planet she'd never been to, but had been told was wild and savage and full of all sorts of life threatening goodies. Ironic, she said to herself silently. I'm safer with two killers than I am anywhere else. What a life.
And with that she fell asleep.
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The landing was smooth, the craft taking the brunt of the atmosphere impact easily, and setting them down at the right coordinates without even waking up its passengers, who were all sleeping soundly in their beds.
Gin woke first, stretching with animalistic grace and letting out a low purr of satisfaction. Riddick twitched an eyelid at her, lifted one corner of his mouth in a half smile then closed the lid and drifted off again. She continued to stretch then grabbed her goggled off the bedside table. She tugged them on, allowing them to rest on top of her head, then pulled on her pants and shirt. Gin drifted quietly down into the cargo hold and opened the hatch. She stared at her surroundings for a moment then walked down the ramp to feel the cool, green grass beneath her bare feet and between her toes.
She wanted to see her old house, but they were miles away from it still. It had been a good sized establishment, boasting four bedrooms, two baths, kitchen, den and living room. It had taken Gin a lot of work and money to have the place built. Ven and Brand had helped bring in the cash, too.
Judging the state of her surroundings, Gin recognized the look of an area long deserted. No one had been there for some time. No trampled grass and the birds were loud and sang joyously for the sun. Gin took a deep breath of the fresh air and grinned, despite the seriousness of her mission.
A sharp pang suddenly clouded her vision and she dropped to her knees, clutching her temples with her hands, her head lowered until her forehead touched the ground. A heavy hand dropped to her shoulder and she lashed out, swinging wildly, a growl of frustration and pain ripping from her throat.
"Gin!"
Gin forced her eyes to focus as she crouched in the grass protectively. Riddick's harsh face swam into view and she shook her head violently to clear the fog clouding her senses. "Riddick..." she breathed and fell sideways in the dirt, wrapping her arms around herself. Riddick leapt forward and scooped Gin up against his chest.
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Damning sixth senses and her love of family, Riddick carried Gin back into the ship. He put her over his shoulder in a carefully balanced fireman's carry and climbed up the latter and then into their room. Jack stepped out of the other room, her pants zipped but not buttoned and hanging low on her narrow hips
"Is -"
"She's fine," Riddick cut Jack off before she even finished her thought, and placed Gin carefully on the bed in their room, where she seemed to be spending most of her time. Jack came in to find Riddick sitting on the edge of the bed staring down into Gin's face and pushing the hair away from her eyes. It had grown a lot since he'd found her and he wondered if she'd cut it again.
"I don't know how she's going to help her brother and sister if she keeps getting these pains that knock her flat," Riddick said after a prolonged silence.
Jack shifted slightly on her bare feet and buttoned her pants. She tugged on her tank top over the tight black undershirt she'd been wearing before stepping closer to Riddick's shoulder. "Maybe they'll stop when we get close."
Riddick lifted one massive shoulder and sighed. "You're going to stay here, Jack." He lifted his head to look at her, his eyes shielded by the goggles. "Here in the ship. I'm not putting you in danger again."
Jack narrowed her eyes at Riddick. "I might be here with you, Riddick, but the only thing I care about is Ven and Brand." She stuffed her hands in her pockets and rocked back on her heels, glaring down at him from behind hooded eyes. "They watched out for me, but it was my job to take care of myself. I've been doing it for a long time, Riddick. You don't have the right to tell me what to do. You left me already." That said, Jack swept out of the room and Riddick heard her moving around, probably putting on her shoes and finding her goggles before the sound of the closing hatch signaled that she'd left the ship. He knew he should go after her, but as she'd so adequately put it, he'd left her already, and she could take care of herself.