Zemma

So the voice behind her made her jump. Then grind her teeth for being caught unawares.

"So, you think you know me, now?"

Sarcasm. Irritation. And that old favorite, the challenge.

How long had she been so engrossed in the computer? Her stomach rumbled in answer.

Min shrugged. "I know your name now." She kept her voice light, downplaying what was essentially her spying on him as inconsequential. How long had he been back there watching her? She didn't turn around but added, "Riddick isn't a Furyan name," by means of explanation.

"What is?" Cold voice, angry... but he was offering her a chance to square it. He wanted her name. Not MinFerrin, not 'daddy's girl,' but her real name. Min felt her stomach roll over slowly as she remembered the very last time she had said her name out loud: 'Momma, it's me, it's Zemma...'

"...Zemma Enan W'neta." She still didn't turn to face him. She spoke softly, feeling guilty, and waited for his reaction.

"Pleased to meet you, Zemma." Forgiveness came with a soft voice and none of the earlier sarcasm or challenge. He'd accepted the olive branch.

She saved the files she had found, and deleted the originals from the database, before she turned to face him. No one else would be able to get this information.

When she turned around he was standing not far away, examining one of the few things she had decided she wanted from her old life. A tiny metal figurine of an armored cat with blue jewel chips inset for eyes.

"I gave orders for our next destination while you were asleep," he said offhandedly. "Does your zoo have room for two more armored cats?"

Min, as usual, covered her surprise. "Yes," she said simply. She was glad to talk about something other than her snooping and he seemed willing to drop it. "The 'Monger's didn't realize that the cats pair bond. The pair we have now wont have kits together. The queen tolerates the male they put in with her after her krugeri died but it might have been kinder to kill her too. She's been so sad." She hoped the two he intended to retrieve were pair bonded. "It would be nice to have kits again."

"I don't know if these two are male and female," he laughed, "I didn't look between their legs."

Min smiled at that; a real smile.

"If they pair bond, why don't you have two of these?"

Min didn't say, 'Because that bitch Lady Vaako stole it from me and squashed it under her heel to try to make me cry.' What she did say was, "I lost it." But something in her voice made him turn his head sharply towards her. Damn Riddick's perceptiveness! Damn hypersensitive freak. She held his gaze steadily but he didn't press.

Go on, say it, another thing you like about him. She ignored the voice.

"Would you like to meet them?" She asked, and didn't need to explain who 'they' were.

Riddick cocked his head sideways at her like he did when he seemed to catch what she was thinking. What was he catching now?

But all he said was, "Can we get there without anybody seeing us?"

"Of course." She answered and kept the perplexity from her voice.

"Good," he nodded. "I'm tired of everybody staring at me out there." He grumbled irritably.

Min smiled. They were both going to have to get used to it before long.