Chapter 7
They had been on the skiff for a little over two hours and Fry was starting to wander whether or not they'd ever be saved. Sitting in the cockpit with Riddick keeping silent was killing her with worry. The man next to her was making her nervous. He was a murderer, also said to be rapist, and they were alone in the cockpit. She looked over the main cabin. Meera, as well as Jack, was sleeping in the back of the ship on one of the seats, while they sat in the cockpit.
"So where you going when we reach wherever?" she asked, trying to fill the silence.
"Don't know." She turned to look at him. He stared straight ahead as if he had never spoken.
"What about her?" she asked, referring to the girl.
"What about her?" This time she saw him speak, and she wasn't sure if she liked his tone.
"I was under the impression that you would-"
"I will."
"-take her with you." She was also under the impression that he would talk a little more. As if sensing what she was thinking he turned and raised his eyebrows. They held each other's eyes until she looked away at the view port.
"What about you?"
His question confused her. "What do you mean?"
"Where are you going when we hit wherever?"
"Oh. I don't know." She looked back and saw Jack sleeping across from Meera with Imam sleeping on the floor. "Don't know what I'm going to do with Jack either."
"She's a big girl, she can take care of herself."
Fry could not believe what she was hearing. "So can Meera," she shot at him.
His jaw set. "That's different," he told her in a no-nonsense tone.
She was slowly growing less afraid of him. Squaring her shoulders, she asked, "How different?" He opened his mouth to answer.
"What's that?" Meera's voice startled the both of them. The girl looked at Riddick and then looked down. "Sorry," she said softly. Fry looked over at him and frowned; he had a hold over this kid and it scared her.
"Go on, Meera. What's what?" she asked the girl. The girl raised her eyebrows quickly and walked between the two chairs. She pointed to a moving object in the distance. "Dunno. If it's a ship it'll contact us," Fry answered. She looked at Riddick expectantly and smiled, he still had a question to answer.
"What?" he asked.
"This is the S.S.Craft. Identify yourself," a static-filled voice commanded over the scanner.
Everyone looked at the machine in surprise. They were saved! Fry picked up the CB, put it near her mouth and pressed the comm. button. "This is the emergency skiff for commercial transport ship Hunter Gratzner."
"How many in your crew?" the voice asked.
"Captain, two security and two passengers. Five total." She looked around the skiff. Lights, that looked as though they would go out at any second, dimly lighted the cabin. The steal benches, that doubled as beds, were rotting and rusted. And the floor looked as though it was about to collapse into the engine room at any possible second.
"Shut down main sys. Prepare to dock within one hour."
"Copy that. Shutting down main system." She did as the voice asked. For the next hour they would be floating in space. She put the CB down and turned to face Meera.
"What?" the girl asked in a small voice.
"You and Riddick are security, so I need you to share some of your blasters."
"Right." She started to unsnap her thigh holsters. "Wait. Got any crystals? I'm kinda empty on two." She raised a questioning eyebrow at Fry and Riddick, who stared at her blankly. "Two crystals are dead," she explained dully as if everyone should have known what she meant.
"Um, actually, check storage underneath in the engine room."
Meera took off her vest and shoulder holster and handed the holster - with blasters - to Riddick. Then she unhooked her belt and it - with the two weapons and holsters - to him.
"What are you gunna use?" he asked. Fry could hear the tid-bit of edge in his voice and he was rewarded with a bright smile.
"Every magician has her secrets. Be back." Lifting a hatch behind the main cabin, she disappeared into the belly of the ship.
Fry turned back to Riddick. "How is she different?" She was waiting for him to say that she gives the best blowjobs in the galaxy. Instead, he looked at her through sad eyes.
-----
Meera had heard them talking. Heard Riddick say she was different. How am I different? she thought as she touched the floor and crouched. While waiting for her eyes to adjust, she pulled up her left pant leg revealing an ankle holster. She pulled out the weapon and looked around. Feeling relatively safe she started to walk around, looking for a storage closet.
Pipe and vents, even rafters, cluttered the small space, making standing straight very painful and fast movements relatively impossible. Still she found what she was looking for quickly. The box full of blaster crystals was stored in a three-foot high locker labeled 'Ammunitions Locker.' She took the box back with her to the hole.
When she reached the hole she placed her gun back where it belonged, then tossed the box up to the cabin, knowing that Riddick would catch it. Once it was out of her hands, she jumped and grabbed the edge of the hole; she hoisted herself up and sat down on the cool steal floor.
Meera grabbed the box from Riddick and tore it open like a child eager to open a present. "Let's see here," she said to no one in particular. "Crystal, crystal, crystal, crystal. Wow! It's a box full of crystals." She looked at Riddick and Fry with wide eyes. "Wow mummy, daddy, a real dolly." She smiled at her own joke. When they both gave her strange looks, she shrugged. "Repressed memories are bound to come out in the open." Again they looked at her strangely. "You were talking about me, weren't you?"
He gave her a half smile. "Guess you'll never know." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Let's go. Less than an hour, load the crystals and go put the box back."
She looked at him, then turned to the bench that she had fallen asleep on earlier. There was a handle around the edge, she remembered finding it before she fell asleep. Maybe there was something inside the seat that she could stuff some things into.
"Sweet!" The handle snapped up when she pressed an unseen button. After pulling up the handle, the top of the seat came up revealing a deep-set trunk.
Someone walked up behind her. "What?" Riddick asked.
"Just found some stuff." Meera stuck her hands inside and began to sift around. Her left hand brushed against some kind of fabric and she grabbed it, giving a short yelp of victory.
"What you got in there?" he asked her, crouching down to her level.
"Looks like a case of some kind," she said, bringing the bag out of the trunk. It was a small, brown leather sack with two thin straps.
"What's it got inside?"
"Dunno."
He took the bag from her and dumped the contents onto the floor. "There's an easy way to find out."
"Usually is," she muttered to herself.
-----
Riddick watched as Meera sifted through the objects on the floor; she turned and looked at him. She smiled and shook her head, as if trying to talk herself out of something.
"What?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow.
A roll of bandages hit him in the chest. Next thing he knew, she was giving him instructions: "Take care of Fry's shoulder and yourself. Then check out Imam and Jack." He looked at her in shock. This was something entirely new to him. Richard B. Riddick was not someone who was told what to do.
"Yes, ma'am," he said, taking the orders like a man.
"What are you doing?" Fry looked at him through squinted eyes when he turned to her.
"Huh?" He didn't understand what she meant. What was the problem?
"The bandages. What are they for?"
"Oh. You. Let me take a look at your shoulder," he said, walking towards her. She hesitated, a faint blush creeping up her face, and turned her back, granting him a perfect view. Her shoulders were marred and bloody, a look that did not suit her silky skin. "Looks like they got you pretty good."
"Yeah, hurts like a bitch, too." Not waiting for her to give the go ahead, he called to Meera for medical tape and waited. When it hit him in the head he continued, smiling all the while. The girl had good aim. He cut the tap with his teeth and placed it around the edges of Fry's shoulder bandages. The whole thing took less than two minutes to take care of.
"Thank you," Fry said, turning to look at him. "Your turn."
He raised an eyebrow and smirked. "My what?"
Blushing again, she said, "Take off your shirt. Let me look at your cuts."
Off to the side he could hear Meera laughing quietly. The girl was enjoying herself, and he wondered, briefly, how long she would be enjoying herself. How long until he came clean?
Twenty minutes passed and everyone, except Meera, who appeared to have not a scratch on her, was bandaged up. Most of his cuts and bruises were gone, but he still had a deep gash in his left calf and one across his chest, both of which would take two or so hours to heal. The beauty of Peacekeeper blood. They all waited in silence for the call over the radio.
When it came everyone jumped in surprise. "Hunter Gratzner, this is the S.S. Craft. Prepare for docking."
"Copy that Craft," Fry spoke into the CB. She turned to him and Meera, "Go sit by the hatch and strap in. It's going to be a bumpy ride."
Riddick followed Meera to the back of the skiff. That's when he noticed the two guns in the back of her waistline, he had totally forgotten all about them. "Remind me to ask about the guns," he said, as he sat across from her.
"No prob, bro," she said, not looking at him, because she was too intent on strapping in.
"About the "bro" stuff-"
Giving her straps a final tug, she looked up. "You want me to stop?" Riddick looked at her in shock, he could swear she looked upset.
"No." I want to tell you about your parents.
"You going soft on me, Riddick?" She smiled softly.
"No," he said indignantly. "I-" Something rattled the skiff, cutting him off, and then the hatch lowered. He took this as his cue to unhook himself and stand up. Meera followed his example and stood completely still.
A young looking gentleman boarded the ship. He stuck his hand out to Riddick. "I am Benedict. Captain of this ship."
"Sergeant Lowe, Chief of Security." He answered after shaking the man's hand. He quickly looked at Meera: "Lieutenant get the passengers and Captain off the skiff." She quickly grabbed the brown bag, which she had stuffed with crystals, and turned to him.
With a quick, "Yes, sir," she left with Fry, Imam, and Jack following her down the gangway.
"I'm afraid to say, I only have two rooms free, Sergeant," the captain told him.
On this ship? Riddick was sure that there was a whole lot more than that. Despite his thoughts he politely thanked the captain.
"It's nothing," Benedict said, dismissing it with the wave of his hand. They walked out of the ship. "Now, if you'll all just follow me..."
-----
Fry looked around; it was like she was on a giant planet. The ship had everything anyone could have hoped for. Railings looked out at holo-pictures of waterfalls and forest scenes, giving the ship's common a much more calming atmosphere. People moved around busily, walking briskly this way and that.
Captain Benedict walked up to her. "Everything to your liking?"
"Yes, it is. It's so kind of you to take us in, sir."
"What happened to the rest of your passengers?"
She glanced over at the calming holoes. "They were killed."
"I see."
Fry turned to Meera; Riddick had instructed the two of them to stay together while he got Jack and Imam settled. She closed her eyes and shuddered. When Meera was shooting the creatures, she was sure that she would get hit. But the girl obviously had good aim, which only made her all the more dangerous.
"Lieutenant, would you join me in the cafeteria?" Fry asked.
"Yes, ma'am." Meera stayed right next to her as they walked. And oddly enough, even though she was only seventeen, Fry felt safe with her watching her back. They entered the cafeteria, got their food, and sat down. "So you and Richy seemed quite cozy earlier."
Fry played stupid. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You like him, don't you?"
"No." Meera raised a questioning eyebrow and Fry gave in: "Yes, I'm stupid."
"No. He's a good guy."
"He's a murderer."
"Not no more."
"You're right." She sighed heavily and tilted her head to take in the other girl. "What's up with that? I mean, he's completely different around you."
Meera's brow furrowed. She took a bite of her slop and said, "I don't know. Don't worry, though, you have no competition from me. One thing I do know is-"
"What's that?" she asked.
The girl looked around, then leaned in to whisper: "I definitely need a shower and a new pair of clothes." Fry sat back and smiled, but then looked up. Behind Meera a young man, seventeen, maybe eighteen, walked passed. She raised her eyebrows as he kept his eyes fixed on Meera's back.
"That's a good thing to know," she said, keeping the conversation going.
"Thought it would be." The girl turned to see what she was looking at, but the guy had already moved on. "What was that?"
"What was what?"
"You blinked."
"I what?"
"Blinked. Looked over my shoulder and blinked."
"Blinked?"
"Blinked."
"What's that?"
"You know, paused, stopped paying attention, went off into space?"
"Oh. It was nothing."
"Ok." Fry could tell that she did not believe her, but still the subject was dropped. They ate in silence for a few more minutes. Many passengers of the Craft walked into and out of the cafeteria. When Fry was finished eating she looked over at Meera.
"Finished?"
The girl nodded. "Yeah, let's motor. A little crowded in here." They both stood up and walked out of the cafeteria.
Fry walked over to a security guard, leaving Meera behind to look like a seriously mean bodyguard. "'Scuse me?"
The guard looked at her. "Yes, ma'am?"
"Can you tell me where Captain Benedict put the refugees?"
He looked at her then at Meera, assessing them both. "One second." Then he turned slightly and talked quietly to his wrist. After a few seconds he turned back to her. "Level C, rooms two-oh-three and two-oh-five."
"Thank you."
"Have a nice day, ma'am."
"You, too," she tossed over her shoulder, as she walked to her guard. "Ok, we get to look for an elevator."
"He should lose his job."
"Why?" She looked behind them. That boy from the cafeteria was tailing them.
"Because, he's not supposed to just give out that information," Meera said, waving her hands in a dismissive gesture.
"Oh. We've got a tail." Fry glanced behind them again.
Meera turned slightly and looked at her backside. She straightened up and retorted, "I don't know 'bout you, but I'm tail-free."
Fry smiled. "That's not what I meant."
"I know what you meant. I was making a joke. Elevators are this way." The girl moved to the right and she followed. Five seconds later, they were waiting for an elevator.
"Oh, I get it."
"Yup, and I noticed. He started following us from the mess hall."
"I think he's following you." She smiled slyly at the girl.
"What gives you that idea?" She asked as they walked onto the elevator. Fry caught a glimpse of the kid as the doors closed.
"'Cause I caught him staring at you in the caf."
"Oh. Am I supposed to go all girly now?" she asked dully.
"Well you could get a little excited." Fry watched her mouth twitch ever so slightly. "A-ha see!"
"Enough about this! We'll talk about Richy now." Fry stopped smiling, she hadn't defined her feelings completely. Yes, she was attracted to him, but what now? Would they be traveling together forever? Or would he just leave? "I'm guessing from your silence, I hit an off-topic?" Before she could answer, the elevator stopped and the doors swept open. "Let's look for our room." The girl smiled slightly to lessen the now dark mood and started out of the elevator.
"Ok."
-----
Riddick sat in a chair while Imam and Jack slept on the two beds in room 203. Room 205 was the adjoining room. He was waiting for Fry and Meera to get back and hoped everything was OK with those two. Fry was a little hesitant about going with Meera and he knew it, but Imam and Jack just seemed to trust him a little bit more.
The door buzzed and he turned to see who was entering. Laughter filtered in from the hall and the girls walked in, but when they saw him they sobered up. "Hey, Richy-Rich, you're looking a little worn. Why don't you get some sleep?" Meera inquired, giving him a lopsided grin.
"Waiting for you two." He had to tell Meera about their parents. "Can I talk to you?" Riddick asked, pointing to the next room.
"Sure." She turned to Fry. "Don't go nowhere. We have a conversation to continue." Then she followed him into the other room and he closed the door while she sat on one of the beds. "What's the haps, bro?"
"There's something you should know," he spat out after a few minutes of silence. "About your parents."
She stiffened and set her jaw in a way that was oh-so familiar. "What do you know about my parents?"
"A few years before they had you, they had a little baby boy."
"I know, he-"
"He didn't die during labor. They dumped him in a liquor store trash bin," he told her calmly.
"How do you kn-"
"He didn't die. The owner found him, my father raised him."
There was silence before Meera swiped her eyes and sniffled. "You know my brother? Why didn't you tell me?" she locked her eyes on him and he cringed, knowing just from the look in her eyes that this was an emotion that she was not used to showing.
"Would you believe me if I told you: that I'm your brother?" he asked patiently, unsure of how she would react. He kept his eyes on her so she knew that he was serious.
"You're joshin' me!" she let out a tiny, nervous laugh and looked away. Her right hand came out and began to play with the blanket on the bed that she sat on.
"Not really. I'm the other person in the tag," he said, pointing to her dog tags.
"I never told anyone that there-" She ran her hand through her hair. "No way."
"When I was twelve, they had you." He looked down at his hands and took a deep breath. "We looked so much alike," he heard himself say softly, surprised to hear the words leave his mouth.
"I don't believe you," her voice cracked.
"I've watched you grow up, Meera. Your hair used to be jet black," he stated, trying to convince her.
"Anyone could tell that, my roots aren't died."
"I watched over you." He was getting frustrated, not expecting her to take it this way. "I sent the scout for the fight club. Of course that was after I went away for a few years."
"How many?" His hopes began to climb, maybe she was starting to believe.
"Last time I saw you you were seven, next time, fifteen."
"Eight years? Why so long?"
"I was sent to the Orion."
"For what?" She looked at him with a look of sheer interest.
"Murder."
"Did you know mom and dad were murdered?" she asked, looking down at her tags.
"You were there."
"I know."
"Were you scared?"
"Shitless. But he let me go!" He watcher her lower lip trembled at the memory.
"Ever wonder why?" he prodded gently.
She sniffled and sat up straighter, and he knew that showing her pain was driving her crazy. "I've thought about it."
"Maybe he didn't want to hurt-"
"A little girl? That's what I thought. How'd you feel when you found out they were your parents?"
Riddick pulled up a chair and sat in front of her. "I was eighteen when I confronted them. I'm a spitting image of Dad, just to let you know."
She smiled softly at him. "I knew you looked familiar."
"They wanted nothing to do with me."
"Jesus, I'm sorry. If it's any consolation, they were self-obsessed. I always had a baby-sitter. Hell, she practically raised me. They didn't care about me," she said harshly. "I was just an ornament."
"They got what they deserved, then?"
"Wasn't like I knew them all that well, I didn't cry when I found out they died. I didn't care."
That was a relief. "So this kid who killed them. He ever get caught?" She had to know what he did; his mind was made up.
"Um, yeah, they did catch him."
"Ever wonder why he let you go?"
"You asked me that. Yes, I'd love to know why he let me go."
"Maybe he didn't want to hurt-"
"A little girl?"
"-his seven-year-old sister."
"Sister?" Her jaw dropped and she blinked. "You killed them?" she asked incredulously.
"And I've watched over you for the past, God knows how many years." Meera stood up off the bed and paced the length of the room for a while. Riddick stood and followed her with his eyes. "Meera?" She stopped directly in front of him, then she threw her arm back and punched him square in the jaw. He saw the move coming but decided it was best to let her hit him.
As if realizing what she did, both her hands flew to her mouth and she moved away from him. Her eyes open in pure horror as she said, "I'm sorry. Please don't hurt me."
Riddick's jaw hit the floor and he frowned. This was not going well, she actually thought he would hurt her? You killed your own parents, asshole! Mirroring her, both his hands went to his mouth. "Meera I would never hurt you." I love you. You're my baby sister, he added to himself.
She backed into the wall, her eyes searching for an escape and he saw them rest on the door. Riddick heard her swallow hard. "Can I please just go?" From her voice he knew she was near tears.
He looked away and nodded. "I'm not going to hold you back." He didn't watch her leave, only hear the door open and slam shut. Then he sat back down on the chair and put his head in his hands. Way to go Riddick. He just hoped that she didn't go and get herself into any trouble. She was too irrational at the moment, and would end up getting herself killed. He made a resolution to give her an hour before he went out to find her. After a few seconds he heard a door open and click shut.
"You all right?" Fry asked, her voice soft and melodic in his hears. He heard her inch forward in and unsure manner.
"Yeah."
"Where'd Meera go?"
"I don't know." He never looked up.
Stay tuned for the next chapter.
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Thanks.
~Litl A~
