Toombs found an acceptable crew about two days later. He wanted men that would obey his commands but keep this bounty to themselves. He didn't need the entire universe knowing his business.

Janis, a woman in her early forties stood on the med deck checking the computer and inventorying supplies. "Nice ship Captain. I've worked on worse."

He immediately liked her. She was tall, brunette, and built like a brick shit house. "Thanks Doc."

"Janis, call me Janis." She said actually blushing. He smirked, no one had ever blushed at anything he said. But, he thought, there's a first time for everything.

"Sure Janis, we're in for a long haul and no cryo. So get used to being stuck with a bunch of horny bastards." He said laughing.

"No cryo, why?" she asked sitting down on the stool next to the drug cabinet.

"No cryo for us, just for the rest of the crew. Gotta monitor the tracking beacon." He told her, "Got a big payday and I need to adjust course when he does."

"Who might that be?" she asked suggestively.

"Richard B. Riddick." Was all he said.

"You're kidding, he's dead." She said shocked. "Nope. Slipped away again. Like a fucken cockroach he is."

"Any body else?" she said suddenly curious. She signed on knowing that he was a merc and that he'd just gotten a huge payday and she wanted to get paid, then she could get away from New Mecca for good.

"A girl." He told her handing her a dossier. "Holy man had her for a while after the crash of the Hunter Gratzner, and then Riddick came and got her, but came back to clear the payday on their heads, fucked up a very wealthy client's family. Old man's paying big to bring em back."

Jack. Bastards want Jack.

The breath in her chest stopped before she could speak. Her face was a mask of composure as she shrugged off the picture of her daughter and son in law's savior and continued to inventory her supplies. She had nothing now to keep her on New Mecca and she knew that Jack had saved them both from a life worse than death.

"She's a hot little piece isn't she?" she said batting her eyes and trying to remember if she still had the codes to contact Jack. "How we gonna find her in this big bad universe."

"That Janis, is the beauty of it. Tracking beacon, placed on her landing gear. Can't remove it without letting us know either. I love technology."

Really, so do I… she thought trying to still the oncoming panic in her heart.

So do I.

"Riddick," Jack asked as she finished her kata in the gym. "how long until we hit land?"

"Three hours, whatcha got in mind there princess?" he said winking.

"Nap. I'm getting tired. Sasha told me to rest this afternoon and I wanted to be strong for the walking and shopping. How are we on money?"

"Well," he said picking her up and walking towards their room, "We have four different credit chips still unused, and that's not even counting the account I have before I came back, so we're good, why?"

He laid her down on the bed and straightened out her legs. Sasha had told him that keeping her legs straight promoted good blood flow to the baby.

"How much was this ship?" she asked.

"150,000 credits why?" he asked not liking the line of questions. This was his ship, his baby and he liked it fine.

"Just curious. Hey, my laptop is beeping, bring it over here please?" she asked trying to sit up. Her waist had ceased to exist and he laughed because she had been so thin to begin with and now had a ball forming around her waist and he loved seeing her squirm when she forgot about it and tried to manuver around.

She opened it and a message was flashing.

"It's in Arabic and not on any channel I normally use anymore." She said confused.

"Translate it." he said sitting behind her and allowing her to lean back putting the laptop on her small pouch. "Cute Jack, look your own table."

"Riddick, shut up, you ass." She said running the encryption software.

Jack, my beloved friend. I am sorry to have to tell you this, but you are in danger. I will contact you soon. Your ship has a tracking beacon and you are being tracked. Land immediately and leave the ship, take everything you have and flee.

Do not attempt to remove it. On landing gear. Will alert Toombs, Toombs a merc has been recruited to find you, payday 2.25 million for you and your friend. My children are well and will bless me with grandchildren in spring.

Because of you they live. I am on the ship as doctor, didn't know why we were going just got told, now can't go without blowing my cover.

Stay safe.

Raphella Janis.

"Can we EVER get a break?" she asked him leaning back and almost throwing the machine across the room.

"That was our break princess." He said kissing her neck. "Fucking Toombs. Son of a bitch can't get enough of tracking me." he growled. "Sleep a bit, I'm gonna talk to Kalifa and Salim. Looks like we're buying an new ship. Can we take Sasha with us?"

"Yeah, no problem all I need to do is down load her and reinstall her on the new med computer. OW!" she said leaning back against him. "Your child is kicking my side again. Sasha said I can feel him already because there is no fat on me and I was so thin to begin with. Rub please?" she pleaded wincing.

He obliged trying to think what to do. "How big a ship will we need?"

"Well," she said purring at his touch, "Damn honey, you make me feel sooo good. I love it when you put little guy right to sleep. Salim been sleeping on a mat in the gym, Kalifa in the mess on the couch and Anne in my old room."

"You mean the room you stayed in for a few days." He quipped remembering her midnight jaunts to his bed.

"Yes." She said playfully through her teeth. "One for the baby, sleeping quarters for a crew of 5 at least and a kick ass med lab, Sasha got spoiled you know."

He laughed and the baby kicked against his hand making him smile. "I love you." he said to the lump.

She began to cry. "God you're killing me here."

"Sh, I love you too." He said kissing her neck again. "Baby, you both are my world and if I have to change ships ten times, then so be it. We should get a good price for this one, with the upgrades we've put on it, and plus it hasn't been sh-"shot at…

"Don't say that word, you'll jinx us." She said hushing him with her fingers on his lips.

He laughed loudly.

"Lay down baby and I'll talk to the others, can't see where its gonna be a problem. Anything to get the mercs off our necks." He said laying her down and putting a blanket on her. "Love you Jack."

"Love you too Riddick." She said closing her eyes.

Damn, fucking Toombs. The one motherfucker that won't let it go. "Salim, Kalifa, I need to talk to both of you, meet me on the bridge."

Both me know me well enough now to know when the shit is hitting the fan. They've killed with me, that's something.

"Riddick?" Kalifa asks when they both arrive. "What's wrong?"

"Mercs. Tracking us right now. Jack got a message from an old friend who just happens to be on a merc ship. You know Raphella Janis?"

"You mean Dr. Janis ?" Salim asks looking at the floor. Now ain't that interesting.

"I guess." I say cause I can smell embarrassment on him, and it's pretty fucked up, even Kalifa notices it. But my look to Kalifa and we move on.

"Good woman, widow. Both girls married and killed in their first year. I set her up with Jack so she could save her youngest. It has been almost a year since I spoke with her. Why?" he tells me and I know that there's more to the story than that.

"Contacted Jack. She's with a merc named Toombs, only goes in for big paydays. High profiles." I tell him. Fucking asshole, uses the god damn bit and cryo to torture me. Twice he got me and I escaped. He won't get a third…

"And I suspect that Faisal's father's brother wants you both now that he has engaged this merc. Barbarous." Salim says pacing.

"We're needing an new ship. You both okay with that?"

"You're the captain Riddick, you lead we follow." Kalifa says and that feels good someone else who thinks I more than a convict.

"We land in two hours, tell Anne to pack everything up, and don't wake Jack, she's sleeping." I order.

"Yes, Riddick, I mean captain." Kalifa says and winks. Salim stays behind for some reason.

"You got something you want to say Salim?" I ask him prepping the ship to land.

"Yes." He tells me and I feel the fatherly vibe coming on strong.

"Say it, have a seat." I tell him showing him the co-pilot's seat.

"I have known Jack for almost 5 years. I have seen you since you returned and again once you returned to Hellion Prime, and I must say, I have never seen her so happy. You were known to me as a murderer, and a dangerous man, but I always form my own opinions. You are a man that is honest, true and loyal. Whatever life you had before the crash on that deadly planet Riddick, this one is the one that will make who you are. Nothing before it matters. I have seen death in your eyes, and watched you bring it, but I have also seen love, compassion and know that that is truly who you are. Son, you are a good man I wanted you to know that."

He says that shit to me, bows and leaves me alone on the bridge.

What am I supposed to say to that?

What can you say dickey boy, the man's right. You changed, my beast boasts, feeling content like a cat getting stroked.

You've got one reason you're that way. JACK. My beast purrs in my ear next. It's right. Because of Jack, I'm better than I was.

"Jack, wake up." Anne says and Jack looks up groggy.

"What?" she asks looking around, she's all sleepy and rumpled, my favorite kind of Jack.

Anne smiles cause I'm standing at the door. "Cause you need to sit your ass down so I can land this puppy."

"My lord beckons." She tells me smirking. "Sure, keep your pants on."

She is moving slow and I know it's because she's feeling like shit. Ever since she gave the med computer AI I use it to get some tips on being sensitive, hey I'm not fucking perfect. Plus she knows Jack, she's programmed with Jack's personality, so its an advantage I'm exploiting.

She's been having nightmares again. Started up last night and she's needing some sleep, good uninterrupted down time. Once we're back on our way she's gonna get that. Plus a lot of pampering, cause I feel like it. She deserves everything and I get off on seeing her happy.

"You sure you're up for this?" I ask walking with her. "We need to get you something that fits, something that's more comfortable. What do you think?"

Hey, I'm trying to be sensitive here.

"I'm fat." She tells me. Yeah with my baby in that belly of yours. Growing fat is good princess.

"You're not fat, just expanding to bring my 'strapping' son into the world." I tell her as smug as I can make it. Got to fuck with her a little.

"We'll know the sex in three more weeks bucko so don't bet the farm on a swinging dick yet." She smirks. OUCH. Damn Jack that was good.

"We need more fresh fruit, and veggies. Sasha's orders, that and meat." She tells me and this I know, Doc and I are buddies now that Jack is pregnant. I want to know it all and I won't be kept in the dark if I can help it.

"Jack, I talked to the guys. We're getting a new ship. I need you and Anne to pack up our stuff. Get everything you can and what you can't we'll ditch. Is there anything you want in particular when I look for something?"

"A huge bath tub." She laughs. "Something ORCA the killer whale could fit in."

We are both laughing cause I know she's feeling big. "Okay, princess, any other requests?" You haven't seen big yet, wait till you're nine months…

"A big ass bed, with fluffy pillows and a lot of candles, so you won't have to wear your goggles."

Now there's an idea. Natural light works best for me and I wouldn't have thought about it.

"Don't worry Jack, I've got good ideas, plus Kalifa and Salim are coming two, we're a team now. It's not just you and me anymore, we're all a team. You okay with that?" I ask her cause these guys are all the family she's got, besides me.

She's teary again. Damn, hormones are good and bad. "Don't cry princess, we'll be fine."

"I know. I'm just so, freaking sick of these hormones…" she laughs and we walk onto the bridge where the others are sitting. "They make me such a wuss."

I laugh, they make you my Jack kid, so get over it.

"Hey guys. Dr. Janis contact me." she starts to say and they all stop her with "We know."

She's pissed cause she's behind the curve. Get over it Jack, let's land and shake this bulls eye and go on.

"New London, this is the Hot Tamale, requesting permission to land." Riddick said, wearing his contacts, a white dress shirt, black slacks and his black boots.

"State the nature of your visit." A female voice asked over the comms.

"Refit, refuel and three days visit to local merchants for supplies." He crooned and she responded very favorably, much to Jack's displeasure.

"Well, captain if you need anything, just let me know, my name's Candice." She flirted back and he shook his head. Jack's gonna kill me… But I got to fuck with her a little. She's glaring I can feel it. This is too much fun…

"Not a problem Candice, my name's Roger." He said in his sexy purr getting a death glare from Jack accompanied by a prominent finger.

"Land on pad MC-914. Welcome to New London Roger, I get off at 1300. Local time is 1149." She said as her voice drifted throughout the cabin.

Anne could barely contain a laugh as Riddick put down. Kalifa, knowing Jack very well, just tried to concentrate on the blue sky. "Jack?" he said looking at her with his best sucking up face. "Jack?"

"Yes, Roger?" she asked looking away trying not to laugh.

"Baby, you know I love you right?" He tried to look apologetic but was flattered that she was jealous, very jealous.

She answered with a put on "Uhuh." Then broke out into fits of hysterical laughter. "Stud, I was sooo impressed."

Everyone broke out laughing after that including Riddick.

"So, here's the plan. We're going to go get the ship first. Then, come back here, get everything loaded, then get our supplies." Riddick said taking Jack's hand and kissing it. "I want to be gone in twenty four hours."

"No problem. Once we buy the ship, or trade this one, we can start moving our belongings." Salim said, "I will stay with the women. I will guard the ship while you and my son go and see about buying us something better."

"Good." Riddick said looking at Jack and Anne as they walked to the med lab. "Jack?"

"Yeah babe what?" she asked as he pulled her into his arms.

"See ya soon." He said kissing her and putting his hand on her stomach. "Bye kid. Let's go." He told Kalifa who walked beside him smiling. "I know a guy who deals nicely. Bought my ship brand new, let's see what he's got for me now."

"No problem my brother." He said and Riddick just looked on, a small smile gracing his lips.

"Hey, how's it going?" A fat, bald man said sitting at the bar. Riddick smiled, looked at him and slapped him on the back.

"Good. How the hell are you Fat Tony?" Riddick said sitting next to him. "This is John, John, this is Fat Tony."

"What are you going by these days my friend?" Fat Tony said tossing back a shot.

He weighed about 300 pounds and was no taller than Jack. "Reynolds, Jim, Reynolds."

"Well, Jim, what can I get for you? I like you, you pay up front and no questions. My favorite kind of deal." He said ordering something for his new friends.

"Need a new ship." He told him.

"Business doing that well? Good for you." he told him. "Any requests? I've got 10 ships now ready for launch. One a special order that went through. Captain got ghosted by a gambler at one of the casinos. Bad for my business. Top of the line. You interested?"

"Sure. How about now?" he asked looking around the bar for anyone familiar.

"No problem. It's bigger than yours, rich guy, with a bigger crew. More expensive."

"How much more expensive?" Riddick asked taking a drink of the beer Tony had ordered him.

"With your trade, an extra 100,000." He told him getting off the stool, which looked as if would break at any moment.

Riddick shrugged and told Kalifa with his eyes not to worry. "We'll see."

Fat Tony didn't walk, he waddled and Riddick knew him well enough to know that whatever ship he got, wouldn't go without a bit of haggling. He also knew that he was a straight shooter.

"Business good?" he asked making small talk.

"Yes, makes for nice presents for the wife." He said probing a bit, Tony's wife was a bitch, but all his girlfriends were beautiful. "But better head from the girlfriends though. Ha, ha. Get yourself one, it's a trip, the minute you settle down, you're looking around for new ones…"

Not for me. I like mine just fine. "So John, you know our friend long?"

"Years. Bit rough around the edges but hey, we all can't be smooth." He scoffed fitting right in.

"This one's got a more advanced nav computer, better propulsion, six cryo tubes in the hold, and a new med suite. Got two beds in it just in case you have trouble. No takers in six weeks."

"No tracking devices?" Riddick asked looking at him.

"No and I can do a sweep of the ship if you want. Or just give you the software. You got a geek on your crew?"

He smiled when he looked at Kalifa, "Yeah, I got one. Serious nerd." He said thinking of how Jack would kill him if he heard him. Kalifa smiled.

"That's a serious grin there Jim. Something I should know?" Fat Tony asked laughing.

"Inside joke." Riddick replied. "Damn Tony, you aren't kidding. How much cargo can she hold?"

"Three full bays, and the mess is the size of a diner. This guy had a crew of twenty. Do me a favor, take it. I like you, you never give me trouble. It even has an office off from the master suite."

"Did you say master suite?" Riddick asked slightly interested. But inside, he thought about converting it to a baby room. "Really."

"Yeah, home in the big blackness of space. This guy liked pleasure." Tony said unlocking the black space ship.

"Don't we all." Kalifa said looking at Riddick then at Tony. All three men laughed loudly and continued up the gang plank.

They toured the ship for an hour and Kalifa knew from Riddick's wink that this was what they were going to get. No others would do, it was big enough for what they wanted. Plus Jack would be pleased, it had soft sheets, a big bed and a huge bath room.

Plus they had a time schedule.

"My ship, plus 75k?" Riddick asked looking at Tony who sat in the mess looking out into the blackness of space.

"85 and you have a deal Jim, I need to move this." He said tired of waiting.

"Done. You got a bank you want me to transfer it to?" Riddick said looking at Tony.

"Here," he said handing him a chip that had all the codes and account numbers on it.

"Let's go John, tell the crew to saddle up." Riddick told him. "One hour Tony, and thanks."

When they arrived back at the ship, Jack was asleep in the mess. Salim and Anne had finished packing their things and everything waited for them in the hold on pallets. Kalifa and Riddick noticed under the recess panel a blinking red light no bigger than a fist and Riddick cursed out loud before he entered his ship for the last time.

Salim stood guard just inside waiting like a sentinel. "We have a new ship. Where's Jack?" Riddick asked walking onto the ship.

"Sh. Your woman is sleeping." Salim told him. "She has downloaded and wiped all the computers of our presence and we are ready to go. All we need is something to remove our belongings. Anne took all the medical supplies. I have secured the weapons. Jack took care of your personal belongings."

Tony was sending men to move the pallets to the new ship and take ownership. Riddick smiled looking at her and thought he was a lucky son of a bitch.

"Princess, time to wake up." He said nipping her ear. She grinned at looked up.

"Hey." He couldn't stop smiling. He loved when she woke up and smiled at him. Unguarded Jack loved him unconditionally and he couldn't get enough of that.

"Hey." He said sitting down. "Time to go."

"Okay, let me get my coat." She told him while he helped her up.

"Tired?" he asked and she nodded. "We'll get on the new ship and you can get some rest. Then tomorrow we get supplies."

"Whatever you say, captain." She smirked as he escorted her out and down the gang plank.

Tony was down at the dock where the new ship had been moved to and he smiled when he saw Riddick. "And who is this?" His eyes looked Jack and Anne up and down and he smirked, giving Riddick a covert approval. Females… Damn, you must be getting some good ass from those two…

"Angel." She said holding her hand out. "This is my father Sam and my sister Alice, we're hitching a ride to Tangier 2. That's where we're going to stay, back home finally after getting to see the big bad universe, right Dad?"

"That is true. We are tired of trying to find someplace suitable." He told the man holding out his hand as well once she had shook it.

"Taking passengers, good Reynolds." He said to Riddick. "Let's get you moved. I see you made some upgrades and no bullet holes or pulse blasts. I'll say one thing, you do take care of your equipment."

"Yeah, I'm like that, a hands-on kind of guy." He told Tony glad that Jack's coat covered her body so well. Better no questions. Jack was also quick on her feet throwing him off the trail. They were going nowhere near Earth and even if Toombs got to Tony, he wouldn't be able to tell they were going the other way.

"Hey Janis?" Toombs shouted running from the mess to her quarters off the med lab.

"What?" she asked taking her glasses off and looking up giving him her best smile.

"Pay dirt. They hit New London. Checked the computer and it's blipping like crazy. We're a week out. Gonna have fun now!"

"That's good, after wanna get a drink?" she asked looking at him and smiling.

"Sure toots, anything you want." He said winking before running back to the bridge.

"Reynolds," Tony said walking to the office where he'd sign the papers. "What name and who's the captain?"

"The Flying Dutchman." Riddick said smug, he always wanted to name his after a phantom ship. "James, Brendan Reynolds and John Reynolds on the manifest."

"You didn't tell me he was your brother." Tony said, surprised.

"Well, there you are." He said and Kalifa could have kissed him. Right on the mouth he was so happy.

"Always good for the family to go into business. Saves on trying to fit a crew around strangers." Tony added. He watched as the money was credited to his account and slapped Riddick on the back. "Like I said, I love a man who pays up front."

"Thanks Tony. See ya." Riddick said as he walked with Kalifa towards the new ship. He watched the pallets loaded and Jack and Anne disappear up the plank.

"Tonight we celebrate, but at another hanger, and outside the city limits. I want nothing to go wrong this time. New London's where shit got fucked and I'm not putting her though that again."

"Whatever you say my brother. Whatever you say." Kalifa said walking aboard beaming.

Riddick heard Jack gasped when he walked up through the opening. She was gawking and it couldn't have sounded better. "Jack? Oh Jack?" he sang looking for his best friend, lover and soul mate.

"I'm speechless." She said looking at the mess.

"Had to happen sometime." He quipped. "Welcome to your new home baby. Hope it works for you."

She laughed and smacked his arm. She rolled her eyes as if to say, DUH. "Just when I was getting good at hide and go seek."

"All bets are off now, you'll have to try harder to hide." He smirked kissing her forehead.

"You know what this means don't you?" she asked grinning the way she did when she was wanting some.

"Yup." He said lifting her up and walking down the hall.

"God you're so easy. Where's the fun, the chase?" she said in mock disgust.

"Wait, you'll see." He smirked pulling her inside a dark room. "Lights 100 percent."

"Holy shit. This is our place?" she asked as he put her down. It was a large bedroom, a huge bed, on a platform. To one side there were two dressers and a closet, a desk, a large screen TV, a bathroom, and a couch and two chairs.

On the floor was a deep red rug resembling her persian one back in New Mecca and lamps with soft lighting were strategically placed around the room. There was a door to another room she didn't bother with and she looked at her and stood speechless.

"Stunned into silence twice in one day. Must be a record." He told her sitting on the bed. "Try it out, you know you want to."

"Beast." She said smiling but demurely decline.

"Damn right." He said crooking his finger. "Come here princess."

She walked over grudgingly, playful and smiling a big pout on her face. "If I have to."

She jumped in his lap and laughed. "Spoiling me will get you everywhere."

"I knew that."

"I bet you did."

His hands pushed her down against him and when his lips touched hers it told her everything she needed to know.

I love you. I value you. I want you to know I care what you think.

All these things she had been so deprived of for years. "I love you Jack. I'm glad, you like the ship."

"I think it's great, big enough for us all and then some. Get a good deal?"

"A bit over priced but we're all right." He said kissing her neck and listening to her growl. "Love that sound Jack."

He kissed her again and again until her growl matched his own.