Chapter 4. I want to thank all of you for the reviews, They really mean a lot to me, and got me to writing this chapter. I thank you so much! Ive tried really hard to keep them in character, hopefully suceeding. TY!
When she awoke, Riddick was already back at the controls of the ship. She wondered if he had gotten any sleep at all. She tried to make as much noise as possible getting out of bed, so he would know she was up. Something about his character told her it wouldn't be a good idea to startle him.
He half turned his head in her direction to let her know that he knew she was awake, however, they didn't make eye contact. He quickly went back to the controls.
She laced her shoes back up and then crept back to the co-pilots chair that Riddick had dumped her in the day before.
Just sitting there, in silence, she watched him work. Not only could he pilot, he was good at it. Slowly, she started noticing how handsome he was. His black prison tank top stretching over his upper body. His long arms reaching for the controls, causing the muscles to flex. There was still a few flecks of blood on his jeans from when he killed the guard.
She realized that she was gawking so she turned her attention to the stars in front of her, but she could still see him in the reflection of the glass. His eyes looking so serious on his expressionless face. There was no change to that face when an alarm started to go off. Only cold determination to find the problem.
"Is that a systems failure alert?" she asked, trying to peek over at Riddick's helm screen. He was already searching for the source of the failure.
He muttered a curse under his breath as he switched the screen over to a view of the surrounding planets, but not before Racheal saw the problem.
One of the cooling stabilizers was malfunctioning causing the life support systems to over heat. They only had a few more hours before the oxygen was at a toxic level.
"Looks like there was a reason this thing was deserted." She said to no one in particular. "Can we fix it?"
"Not up here, we can't." he said fastening his harness. She took his cue and fastened hers.
"So we're landing?" she asked hesitantly. He didn't bother to answer her. He jerked the ship back around to another heading.
Her head reeled from the motion of the ship.
They were heading for a planet. Racheal didn't recognize it. From this height it looked green, and she hoped it was safe.
The landing was surprisingly smooth.
"Come on." he said once they had touched down onto the surface.
Wiping the sweat from her palms onto her uniform pants, she followed him out to where the gate hatch was. He fixed on his goggles before throwing the switch. It opened slowly revealing a lush landscape. Lush blue-green grass swaying under a light green sky. A small brook was trickling near by, and what looked almost like a cross between a forest and a jungle stood nearby.
"I can see why you chose this spot." she observed. It felt good to be out of the dimly-lit transport ship.
"Here." he said handing her a water-bag from the ship's emergency reserve. "Go fill this up."
"Yes, sir." she said half-sarcastically. If he noticed, he didn't seem to let it show. He just started welding into the side of the transport ship. She looked over at the babbling brook and decided it was better than having to weld.
There was no path so she had to make her own thru the knee-high grass. She knelt down at the water and saw her reflection. Naturally her hair was a mess, having slept on it that night. She scooped up some water and ran her fingers thru it until it laid straight. Satisfied, she filled up the canteen and started back towards Riddick.
When she handed him the water, he chugged all of it at once. He tossed it back to her when he had finished. She caught it, but barely. Without a word, he went back to welding the rest of the hole. She wondered if he was purposefully being distant because of what had happened the night before when she had touched his cheek.
When he had finished he crawled inside the hole. After disappearing into the hull for a few moments he came back out, still with that expressionless look on his face.
"Its worse than I thought." he said digging through the emergency repair kit for a certain tool. "Get comfortable, we'll be here awhile." He walked back into the ship. Racheal followed him.
"Awhile….as in overnight?" she asked as he went to open the control panel that was right inside the gate hatch.
"At least." he grunted, trying to open the panel, but it wasn't budging. It was sealed with a computerized lock.
"Try this," she said tossing him her Company ring that doubled as a door key and identification pass. He stuck it into the opening and surprisingly it worked. The panel slid off easily. Riddick cut the power to the whole ship, then he slid the panel back on and relocked it. He didn't, however, return Racheal's ring. Standing up he looked at her for the first time since she had awoken that day.
"I'm going to get started on the ship. It will be dark soon. I want you to find some fire wood and drag the bunk mattresses out here. We'll be sleeping outside tonight. It will be too stuffy in here." He walked back outside and crawled back under the hull breech.
Racheal only hesitated a moment, rubbing her temples, before she went to do what he had told her.
A few hours later she had a pretty decent looking camp site going. She had gathered enough fire wood to last through the night, the cots laying on the burnt ground where the ships thrusters had burned into the grass. Only seeing Riddick now and then when he would pop out to grab a tool from the emergency kit. She had grabbed 2 cans of green beans and a can opener from the make-shift kitchen. Riddick looked impressed when he finally decided to take a break, which was way after dark.
Racheal was glad not to be alone anymore in the dark night.
He sank down onto his cot. Racheal handed him one of the green bean cans that she had set next to the fire to get warm. She rubbed the dirty fork she found off on her shirt, before handing it to him too. He ate quickly and silently. His goggles sitting on top of his head, and his eyes glinting with the fire light.
"Your eyes." she said quietly, almost sure he didn't even hear her.
"What about them? he asked not looking up. So, he had heard.
"Why did you decide to get them shined?" she finished.
"Why do you think?" he asked, without any hesitation, a touch of resentment in his tone.
"Because…" she fidgeted a little, mad at herself for being so naïve. "There isn't much sunlight in Slam."
"Very observant," he smirked before taking his goggles completely off and laying himself down on his cot. Racheal did the same.
It was eerie how quiet it had become suddenly. She looked over at Riddick who had seemed to notice it too. He was on his feet in a moment.
"Stay here, right inside the hatch. I'll go check it out." Riddick disappeared out of the view of the fire light. Racheal inched her way to the space ship. Once inside she curled up in a corner until she heard foot steps. Figuring it was Riddick, she got up and walked back outside. She didn't get far before she realized what a mistake she had made.
Racheal couldn't believe her eyes. It was Johns, he was smiling that same smile as before. His gun pointed directly at her.
"I guess the price was right." Racheal said apprehensively.
"More than enough to make my year actually. Now what's the deal here?" he asked. "You his hostage, or did you help him escape?"
"I was taken by force." she said flatly.
"Doesn't look that way to me." Johns smirked, looking around.
"Well, you're an idiot." Racheal popped off, she didn't know where that statement had come from, but it felt good to say.
"Is that right?" he asked, almost looking pissed off. "Either way, you're coming back with me, and you're gonna help me get Riddick."
"I don't know where he is." she lied. "I haven't seen him since we landed here. He took off and left me to die."
"And I suppose he left these here for you?" Johns asked holding up Riddick's goggles.
Racheal pursed her lips and looked off into the dark night. She hoped Riddick was somewhere close by, and listening to this so he could stay away, she thought to call his name to warn him, but she thought better of it, he may think she was calling him for help.
Johns walked forward, slowly. He had his gun pointed at her. She almost ran but since there wasn't a price on her head she thought he would kill her and blame Riddick for it, if she tried anything.
"Hold out your hands." he said when he got up close to her.
"You're going to cuff me?" she asked. "I don't believe this. I'm your superior."
"You've been consorting with criminals." he laughed. "I'm taking you in as one."
The cuffs were on Racheal before she even knew what was happening. Johns squeezed them tight to her wrists, making sure it hurt.
"Ow!" she exclaimed.
"That's for the idiot comment." he grinned. "Now come on."
She etched a J into the dirt with her foot before he dragged her off.
I was wondering if Racheal should continue with Riddick up to the crash, and possibly after the crash?? I didn't know if I should keep it going that far or not…any opinions? thanks *cosmic*
When she awoke, Riddick was already back at the controls of the ship. She wondered if he had gotten any sleep at all. She tried to make as much noise as possible getting out of bed, so he would know she was up. Something about his character told her it wouldn't be a good idea to startle him.
He half turned his head in her direction to let her know that he knew she was awake, however, they didn't make eye contact. He quickly went back to the controls.
She laced her shoes back up and then crept back to the co-pilots chair that Riddick had dumped her in the day before.
Just sitting there, in silence, she watched him work. Not only could he pilot, he was good at it. Slowly, she started noticing how handsome he was. His black prison tank top stretching over his upper body. His long arms reaching for the controls, causing the muscles to flex. There was still a few flecks of blood on his jeans from when he killed the guard.
She realized that she was gawking so she turned her attention to the stars in front of her, but she could still see him in the reflection of the glass. His eyes looking so serious on his expressionless face. There was no change to that face when an alarm started to go off. Only cold determination to find the problem.
"Is that a systems failure alert?" she asked, trying to peek over at Riddick's helm screen. He was already searching for the source of the failure.
He muttered a curse under his breath as he switched the screen over to a view of the surrounding planets, but not before Racheal saw the problem.
One of the cooling stabilizers was malfunctioning causing the life support systems to over heat. They only had a few more hours before the oxygen was at a toxic level.
"Looks like there was a reason this thing was deserted." She said to no one in particular. "Can we fix it?"
"Not up here, we can't." he said fastening his harness. She took his cue and fastened hers.
"So we're landing?" she asked hesitantly. He didn't bother to answer her. He jerked the ship back around to another heading.
Her head reeled from the motion of the ship.
They were heading for a planet. Racheal didn't recognize it. From this height it looked green, and she hoped it was safe.
The landing was surprisingly smooth.
"Come on." he said once they had touched down onto the surface.
Wiping the sweat from her palms onto her uniform pants, she followed him out to where the gate hatch was. He fixed on his goggles before throwing the switch. It opened slowly revealing a lush landscape. Lush blue-green grass swaying under a light green sky. A small brook was trickling near by, and what looked almost like a cross between a forest and a jungle stood nearby.
"I can see why you chose this spot." she observed. It felt good to be out of the dimly-lit transport ship.
"Here." he said handing her a water-bag from the ship's emergency reserve. "Go fill this up."
"Yes, sir." she said half-sarcastically. If he noticed, he didn't seem to let it show. He just started welding into the side of the transport ship. She looked over at the babbling brook and decided it was better than having to weld.
There was no path so she had to make her own thru the knee-high grass. She knelt down at the water and saw her reflection. Naturally her hair was a mess, having slept on it that night. She scooped up some water and ran her fingers thru it until it laid straight. Satisfied, she filled up the canteen and started back towards Riddick.
When she handed him the water, he chugged all of it at once. He tossed it back to her when he had finished. She caught it, but barely. Without a word, he went back to welding the rest of the hole. She wondered if he was purposefully being distant because of what had happened the night before when she had touched his cheek.
When he had finished he crawled inside the hole. After disappearing into the hull for a few moments he came back out, still with that expressionless look on his face.
"Its worse than I thought." he said digging through the emergency repair kit for a certain tool. "Get comfortable, we'll be here awhile." He walked back into the ship. Racheal followed him.
"Awhile….as in overnight?" she asked as he went to open the control panel that was right inside the gate hatch.
"At least." he grunted, trying to open the panel, but it wasn't budging. It was sealed with a computerized lock.
"Try this," she said tossing him her Company ring that doubled as a door key and identification pass. He stuck it into the opening and surprisingly it worked. The panel slid off easily. Riddick cut the power to the whole ship, then he slid the panel back on and relocked it. He didn't, however, return Racheal's ring. Standing up he looked at her for the first time since she had awoken that day.
"I'm going to get started on the ship. It will be dark soon. I want you to find some fire wood and drag the bunk mattresses out here. We'll be sleeping outside tonight. It will be too stuffy in here." He walked back outside and crawled back under the hull breech.
Racheal only hesitated a moment, rubbing her temples, before she went to do what he had told her.
A few hours later she had a pretty decent looking camp site going. She had gathered enough fire wood to last through the night, the cots laying on the burnt ground where the ships thrusters had burned into the grass. Only seeing Riddick now and then when he would pop out to grab a tool from the emergency kit. She had grabbed 2 cans of green beans and a can opener from the make-shift kitchen. Riddick looked impressed when he finally decided to take a break, which was way after dark.
Racheal was glad not to be alone anymore in the dark night.
He sank down onto his cot. Racheal handed him one of the green bean cans that she had set next to the fire to get warm. She rubbed the dirty fork she found off on her shirt, before handing it to him too. He ate quickly and silently. His goggles sitting on top of his head, and his eyes glinting with the fire light.
"Your eyes." she said quietly, almost sure he didn't even hear her.
"What about them? he asked not looking up. So, he had heard.
"Why did you decide to get them shined?" she finished.
"Why do you think?" he asked, without any hesitation, a touch of resentment in his tone.
"Because…" she fidgeted a little, mad at herself for being so naïve. "There isn't much sunlight in Slam."
"Very observant," he smirked before taking his goggles completely off and laying himself down on his cot. Racheal did the same.
It was eerie how quiet it had become suddenly. She looked over at Riddick who had seemed to notice it too. He was on his feet in a moment.
"Stay here, right inside the hatch. I'll go check it out." Riddick disappeared out of the view of the fire light. Racheal inched her way to the space ship. Once inside she curled up in a corner until she heard foot steps. Figuring it was Riddick, she got up and walked back outside. She didn't get far before she realized what a mistake she had made.
Racheal couldn't believe her eyes. It was Johns, he was smiling that same smile as before. His gun pointed directly at her.
"I guess the price was right." Racheal said apprehensively.
"More than enough to make my year actually. Now what's the deal here?" he asked. "You his hostage, or did you help him escape?"
"I was taken by force." she said flatly.
"Doesn't look that way to me." Johns smirked, looking around.
"Well, you're an idiot." Racheal popped off, she didn't know where that statement had come from, but it felt good to say.
"Is that right?" he asked, almost looking pissed off. "Either way, you're coming back with me, and you're gonna help me get Riddick."
"I don't know where he is." she lied. "I haven't seen him since we landed here. He took off and left me to die."
"And I suppose he left these here for you?" Johns asked holding up Riddick's goggles.
Racheal pursed her lips and looked off into the dark night. She hoped Riddick was somewhere close by, and listening to this so he could stay away, she thought to call his name to warn him, but she thought better of it, he may think she was calling him for help.
Johns walked forward, slowly. He had his gun pointed at her. She almost ran but since there wasn't a price on her head she thought he would kill her and blame Riddick for it, if she tried anything.
"Hold out your hands." he said when he got up close to her.
"You're going to cuff me?" she asked. "I don't believe this. I'm your superior."
"You've been consorting with criminals." he laughed. "I'm taking you in as one."
The cuffs were on Racheal before she even knew what was happening. Johns squeezed them tight to her wrists, making sure it hurt.
"Ow!" she exclaimed.
"That's for the idiot comment." he grinned. "Now come on."
She etched a J into the dirt with her foot before he dragged her off.
I was wondering if Racheal should continue with Riddick up to the crash, and possibly after the crash?? I didn't know if I should keep it going that far or not…any opinions? thanks *cosmic*