Jack sat up in the darkness and stretched looking at Riddick with a wicked grin. In the weeks she had been intimate with him, she had known pleasure, want, need and absolute love.

She was in love with him, not just in her fantasies, but also in reality, and reality was much better than anything she could dream. He was tender when he chose to, aggressive and demanding when he chose, and sweet when it struck him. She accepted all the sides of him without question and loved each part of him.

His harshness, something to be feared by so many, never phased her one iota. His mean, fuck off and die façade was scary if you didn't really know him. But she did know Riddick, intimately and he knew her.

She rose, looking at him sleeping, and wondered how he would look at 30, then 40. Would he still smirk at her like he did when she said something that shocked him or made him laugh?

She hoped so.

She showered, pulled her hair back and dressed not as a pilgrim, but as a bad ass. She wasn't going back with her tail between her legs, she was going back to kick ass and end the game she had to play with the magnificent seven. She wore black jeans, skin-tight long sleeved black shirt, mechanics boots, and the blood red choker around her neck, medallion tucked and secured between her breasts. A special leather belt was around her waist containing two shivs, and the bone shiv in her boot.

"Jack?" a groggy voice said in the darkness. His face and head had the scruff he would use to camouflage the face Mohammed had seen both in the market, and at the villa with Imam.

"Yes Riddick?" she asked brushing her hair.

"It's early still, stay." He requested patting the bed. His eyes glinted in the darkness and he waited for her to speak.

"I've spoiled you rotten." She quipped crawling on the bed like a cat.

"Yeah. Had to happen some time." He purred playing with her hair.

She laughed loudly and Riddick joined her. "I'll keep that secret for you. Wouldn't want to tarnish that rep now would you?"

"No, I'd appreciate that. Wouldn't want anyone to know you're my one weakness."

She hadn't thought of herself like that and she was immediately worried. "Relax princess, we stick together and we'll be just fine. Remember what I taught you. Remember everything you see and hear. Use it to your advantage."

"Yes Obiwan. I will use the force." She smirked kissing him. "Good morning Riddick."

A growl in his chest let her known how she pleased him. He kissed her back pulling onto him and rolling her onto her back. "Good morning Jack."

After a full minute of passionate kissing Jack pulled back giggling. "We have to land this ship and get cracking there you. I would have thought that you'd had enough last night."

"Baby, I'm never gonna get enough of you." He purred in her ear.

She laughed again and wiggled out of his embrace. "Shower then meet me on the bridge, we've got some people to kill."

Damn if that didn't get me going. Jack surprises me so often I've come to expect nothing less than the unexpected. She's not dressing like a pilgrim any more and I'm glad. Those frumpy ass skirts aren't good when you've got to fight. I showered and look in the mirror and don't recognize myself. Goatee beard coming in, dark shadow of hair on my head, and those contact lenses make me feel like I'm looking at a stranger.

"You know I kinda like the scruff, it's rough against my skin." She told me during the night.

What a night! She amazed me again. I've gotta say, I've had sex before but with Jack everything feels more intense. Every kiss, every time her tongue would touch me, I'd want to explode.

She felt incredible. Especially when she went down on you, that was the fucken best. my beast snarled remembering her lips on the head of my cock. Damn that was the best part. Said she was returning the favor.

I'm one lucky fuck.

She left here heading towards the med lab with her midi-disc in her ears singing and shaking that ass.

I'm gonna need a shower, a cold one or we'll never land this fucken ship.

"Good morning Jack, how may I be of assistance?" Sasha asked as Jack sat on the table and fiddled with a handle held pc.

"Sasha, please run a level one diagnostic scan. I'm tired this morning and I need you to find out why." Jack asked her yawning and laying on the table. A bright blue light started at her head and slowly moved down her body and ended after it hit her feet.

"Scan commencing Jack. I would think that if you were to actually sleep instead of engaging in sexual relations with Riddick that you'd be more rested. Granted, I have observed the elevated pheromone levels between the two of you and realize that being companions that is what is expected, but you must realize that you are pushing yourself towards exhaustion."

"Very funny Sasha. I'm not sick am I?" she asked laying on the table while she fiddled with the controls on the pc.

"Scan complete. No Jack you aren't. You're perfectly healthy." Was all Sasha said, knowing that they were returning to New Mecca. "Exhausted and perhaps a bit on the thin side but very healthy. I would eat more foods rich in iron to help fortify your strength but there is nothing abnormally wrong."

Jack sat remembering what she had told Sasha; the reason for her refitting that there was a reason for the new hardware.

"Sasha, what I'm about to tell you is very important. The reason why you're being upgraded is because things are gonna get messy when we reach Hellion Prime. Now in the event that we take on casualties, I need you ready to save whomever we put on the table."

"I will to the best of my abilities, what is that in your hand?" she asked illuminating a part of the table that still had hardware left to install.

"It's one of the portable versions of you. It's for triage, a mobile diagnostic tool. If we come in hot, then I'll need to know what to tell you so you can operate."

"That is very efficient Jack, I would have never thought about that," crooned Jack's voice back to her. "Will you and Riddick both have one?"

"Yes. There's a very good chance that I'll be captured, arrested and given to Faisal, and I need you to be able to save my life. I suspect a very bad beating will result if he gets his hands on me, and I can't count on big guy to stay calm. I need you to do that for me."

"It would be my pleasure to help Riddick. He is very good to you. Do you love him?" Sasha asked updating her software. "Does he return those feelings?"

"Yes, and that's why I need you to be strong for him if something goes wrong." Jack told her pushing buttons and adjusting the new instruments. "I've got you equipped with a laser, a stasis tube if the injuries are too severe for you to repair, and also a special table that will allow you to be fully operational in case you have to perform surgery. Can you handle the big show Sasha?"

"I can handle everything and anything, as long as it's within my specified parameters. But yes, I can handle it." She told her as Jack went through the inventory of supplies.

"But Jack you will not attempt to put yourself in harm's way, will you?" she asked while Jack checked some data on the vid screen.

"That is not my intent. But I can't leave anything to chance. Synthesize my blood will you? Take this and make sure I have at least two liters on stasis, take Riddick's blood sample and do two liters as well. We may be coming in hot and heavy and I'll need you to be able to get started quickly. What do you think I should equip on the hand held, I think maybe some pain meds, stuff to stabilize and maybe some antidotes to counter act some of the nasty stuff those women have. I'll need counter sedating agents, two counter paralytics and adrenaline. Put them with rapid delivery systems and we'll be in business."

"As you wish Jack." She answered looking at the medications. "There is a list on the vid screen with dosages and the darts are in the cabinet."

"There you are." Riddick said looking at Jack who was deep in thought sipping coffee in the med lab.

"Good morning Riddick." Sasha told him beeping as her files were modified.

"Good morning Doc. How's our girl today?" he said coming up behind Jack and kissing her on her neck.

"Tired, in need of a break to be honest Riddick, your sexual appetite is causing Jack's body to require more rest. Give her a break big guy. She might like it when you have intercourse, who wouldn't given your size and physical dimensions, but she's got her limits. Her body needs more rest."

"Shut up Sasha. He's not done anything I haven't wanted to do. Don't listen to her, she's just mothering me again." She told him finishing her blood sample and inputting it into the computer's laboratory diagnostic tool. "I'm fine."

"Doc, what do you mean?" he said suddenly concerned. His scowl at Jack was very familiar. He stood with his hands folded against his chest and he was listening while Jack avoided his gaze altogether.

"She has been experiencing increased periods of sleep deprivation and I worry that she's going to drop from exhaustion." She said as Jack rolled her eyes. "Despite her athletic body, Jack has her limits. You need to remind her of that since she ignores my indicators to the contrary."

"Is this true?" he asked feeling his anger rise. She'd been keeping that from him and he wasn't going to let her wear herself down.

"I just had a scan and she said I was perfectly healthy. Didn't you Sasha?" she said glaring.

"That is true. But I also said you needed to eat meat rich in iron. That you needed rest or you would collapse and if you choose to be in harms way you need to be at your best."

"Doc," he said glaring at her "what do you recommend?"

"I recommend, besides keeping her away from stressful situations, (that might not be possible given your mission to stop the bounty hunters), that you make her eat fresh meats high in vitamins, and make her sleep. The condition her body is in requires that she needs to pay attention to sign of physical exhaustion. She will not be able to maintain the level of strength without a break in the routine."

His death-glare at her made her feel guilty. "Traitor." She snapped as she went back to the console.

"Jack why didn't you tell me you weren't sleeping. I mean, you're supposed to tell me when something's wrong." He said walking towards her. "Pushing yourself isn't smart. That's a weakness we can't afford right now."

"Riddick, contrary to pain in the assover there, I'm fine. I don't need her telling me that working my ass off so we can get this bounty off our heads, is stressful. I'd appreciate it if you both gave me a break. I'll rest when this is over, not before."

"Jack." He said low and determined. "You're no good to me if you drop. Doc, what can we do in the short term?"

"More sleep, fresh food, limited sexual relations, no all-niters Riddick, an occasional tryst is acceptable but no marathons."

Jack blushed furiously. Riddick laughed loudly. "I get it Doc, but that's kind of hard, seeing that she's such a beautiful woman. But I understand. Moderation."

"Thank you Riddick. Jack needs her rest or she will drop, it's only a matter of time. And if she's taken she'll need all her strength to fight off the pilgrims that wish to harm her." Sasha said despite the vocal protests from Jack.

His hands fisted at his sides when he realized that his medical computer knew that she could be harmed as a result of the plan they had in the works. "You told her?"

"I explained why she was being refitted yes. Get over it." She snapped feeling betrayed.

"Jack that shit is not happening." He growled pacing around the med lab. He's not getting his hands on you.

"You can't be sure of that and I want to make sure that if something goes wrong that we have our asses covered. Deal with it."

She took the loaded med tools and put them into her bag and walked out of the med lab so angry with the two of them for being so nosy that Riddick stood there a full five minutes thinking.

"Riddick?" Sasha asked as he sat on the stool and looked out into the hallway.

"Yeah Sasha. What aren't you telling her?" he asked walking around looking at the console.

"She's terrified you're going to leave her or die. I know she doesn't say it but she's experiencing periods of heightened levels of anxiety and it's consistent with the elevated blood pressure I scanned this morning."

"Tell me how I can help." He asked sitting on the stool and rubbing his face and hands.

"Calm her, tell her how you feel, often...and don't die." Was all she told him.

"Thanks Doc, I will." He said walking towards the bridge.