"Wanna beer Doc?" Toombs asked trying to be a gentleman. Dinner consisted of some vegetables, and stew meat with steaming mashed potatoes. He watched her, every time she moved, spoke or took a breath, his eyes were always on her (something she used to her advantage).

"Sure, whatever you're having." She said putting the dishes in the sink. She felt his gaze even when her back was turned and she knew that she was in control of the entire situation.

Mentally, all afternoon, she tried to find a way to keep him occupied without having to actually resort to physical relations. There was no way she would defile her body with his even for Jack. She resorted to engaging him in conversation until the beer or alcohol put him down, and if that didn't work, she'd slip him a Mickey and blame it on a virus.

He returned with a two bottles and she noticed that he'd washed his hands and tucked in his shirt. Trying to impress me Toombs, how utterly pathetic.

"So Doc," he said leaning against the counter. She was so nervous and preoccupied during dinner that she hadn't noticed that he shaved. "How's the kids?"

Inwardly, she rolled her eyes, he was trying to be suave…

"They're good. Wanting us to hurry." She told him drying the plates.

"Yeah, we should be on Talos prime sometime late next week." He said confidently. "Damn Doc, good food, good beer, man the only thing's missing is a good… sorry."

She laughed, playing him very well. "Men think along those lines, I have heard it many times."

He blushed slightly, and continued, "So how long were you married?"

"Twenty two years." She volunteered. Twenty two years of sheer hell and torture.

"Damn that's a long time." He replied as they walked to the couch. She sat on one end, he sat on the other.

"Too long. My husband's only meaningful contribution was three beautiful girls."

"Where are the other kids?" he asked making the connection that she only talked about one.

"Dead. They died three years ago, within months of each other." She said looking away.

"Damn sorry, shit Doc." He said feeling bad and he thought they were hitting it off pretty good until he fucked it up by asking the wrong question.

"That's why my youngest was smuggled off the planet, to avoid the same fate. The men you work for peddle not in light and energy Harold, but flesh. Young women who come of age and are not wealthy enough to benefit from what money can provide are married against their will to people like Faisal Mohammed. So don't think less of me when I applaud Riddick for killing him."

Well shit Doc, didn't know you had it that bad… "Ain't my problem. I get paid, and I'm just glad your kid's safe."

"Well, enough talk about that. I have an idea, I have a vid disc we can watch, I brought it with me, a friend of mine gave it to me. It's an old earth disc."

"As long as it ain't no girlie movie. Hate that kissing shit."

"Too bad, sometimes girlie shit can be fun." She told him smiling and moving to get another beer.

Well I'll be fucked. That was an honest to goodness come on…

Riddick brought Jack coffee and rubbed her neck when her eyes rolled back into her head for the third time in the span of five minutes.

"Tired?" he asked and she nodded. "What's that shit?"

"Toombs' personal log. Audio only. I can adapt it to Sasha. Arrogant fuck. Listen to this." She said taking off her earphones.

"Day 1 out of New Mecca. 2 million! WAHOO! Fuckers think I give a shit about Riddick. Told me to take good care of him. YEAH RIGHT. He'll be breathing… After this payday, it's easy street. No more jaw jackin pieces of shit trying to fuck me over and no more eating bad shit. Gonna live it up…"

Then she played several others one after another while he sipped his own and checked on Layne.

"Janis has a great ass. For a woman her age she must pound like an 18 year old."

"What's it with you guys and asses?" Jack asked shaking her head.

"It's a guy thing Jack." He told her patting hers and sitting down.

"Saw the video from the massacre. Riddick's a fucken artist. Shame about the girl though, fuckers shouldn't have touched her. I remember her on the helipad the day he left. Watched them. His face I won't ever forget. Ripped my gut to watch, it was like he left his heart in her little hand. Man, watchin them made me a believer."

"Did it really hurt that day?" she asked taking his hand and looking into his silvery eyes. In the candlelight he looked so tender, inviting, and vulnerable.

"He was right. I left my heart that day, didn't get it back until I saw you again." he said touching her cheek.

"Wow." She whispered as his lips kissed her forehead.

Love you Jack. His eyes told her.

"What else does that asshole got to say?" he said wondering why he suddenly felt so threatened to hear Toombs talk about him like that.

"Janis fucked us over. I'm gonna beat her ass and slit her throat while she sleeps. Fucken BITCH."

"Roper is convinced she's cool, down with us. Maybe I over reacted. The little bastard actually asked me if I was sweet on her."

"Farad contact me. Wants a progress report. Told the old fuck that we're getting there and didn't give him particulars. Don't want him trying to send another team to get my marks before I do. Gonna ask for half up front I think. Put Riddick on the bit, let him feel it and then get paid. But Jack, don't want to fuck her up. They did her ugly on HP. I'll give the bastard that, he didn't let them get away with it. Fucken perfection to watch…He loves her. Damn…" Toombs actually sounded jealous and Riddick sat up straighter feeling very smug.

That's my Jack motherfucker and you'd better secure that shit…

Jack scoffed reading him right and sighed. "Riddick, stop. He's entitled to his opinion, as fucked up as it is. Remember, opinions are like assholes, everybody's got one."

Riddick laughed as he looked at the printout of the weapons manifest. Jack stood up and stretched and he stopped to stare at her smiling mischievously.

"Look much?" he just wiggled his eyebrows and smirked at her. "Okay, we can now assume that Toombs is gonna use that against you." she told him as he looked angrily at the screen.

"How do you figure?" he asked sipping the mug of hot liquid.

"That's what I'd do." Was all he said and he swelled with pride at her answer.

"New London was a fucken bust. Son of a bitch switched ships. What the fuck!"

"Roper found out where they've gone. Where that kid gets it I've no fucken clue, but hey, however he does it, I could give a shit. Consider me motivated. Riddick's a horny mother fucker. Nailed the girl and knocked her up. Way to go stud! But who wouldn't? She's fucken hotter than any woman I've met, well, maybe there's one…"

"I figure, get the money, ditch the kid, deliver the two of them, and it's easy street. But who the fuck would take a convict's brat off my hands, just can't kill it. I got some fucken morals. I could have the Doc take it. She keeps talking to her kids. Kid ain't my problem. I just don't think Farad wants another brat in his fuck palace. Too bad about Jack. They're gonna rip her to shreds. But when the fuck did I get a fucken conscience."

"See greed is his creed. All fucken mercs are that way." Riddick growled listening.

"Told you he's gonna ask for the money up front. That confirms it." Jack said trying not to think about what Toombs had just said.

"I'm gonna kill that fuck if he lays one hand on you or Layne." Riddick promised pointing at the screen.

"I have no problem with that. But remember, Toombs running is sooooo much better…" she told him starting the data download. "I'm accessing ships files and manifests."

Daniel Roper: Cryo age 27 after cryo deduction age 23,

Born August 22

Position: pilot

Computer specialist; experienced pilot

5'7 hair brown, glasses, weight 150 lbs.

scar on left eyebrow tattoo of bugs bunny on left bicep

Miles Cavanaugh: Cryo age 55 after cryo deduction age 47

Born December 5

Position: Gunner, retrieval specialist.

Fought in Tangier uprising 2137

Experienced weapons expert,

left eye blind due to knife fight.

5'11 balding blonde hair. Weight 165 pounds

Metzger: Cryo age 34 after cryo deduction age 29

Born September 15

Position: Gunner, retrieval specialist

Special ops training, former guard Lupos 5 Penal colony.

5'10 brown hair, weight 200 lbs.

tattoo of a bulldog on right forearm, scars on neck.

Olaf Johannson:Cryo age 27 after cryo deduction age 25

Born January 1

Position: Gunner, retrieval specialist

Enforcer for mob on Tangier colony.

Specialty hand to hand combat.

6'4 white blonde hair, weight 255 lbs.

"the Swede" tattoo of Tangier mining colony on shoulder

Known for using a knife.

Dr. Rafaela Janis: Cryo age 46 after cryo deduction age 42

Born May 17

Position: Ship's doctor.

5'7 deep black hair, brown eyes, weight 150 lbs.

Harold Marvin Toombs: Cryo age 49 after cryo deduction age 43

Born July 1

Position: Captain

5'10 reddish brown hair, facial scars weight 175 lbs.

"Well, I can see we've got our worked cut out for us." She said sitting back and letting the last of it down load. "Looks like you've got your work cut out for you. Big guy with the knife fetish, seems like that's right up your alley."

"Look," he said getting up, and pacing. "they're all dead anyway, cept for the Doc, that's not my call. She's held up her end." He told her looking at the photos and committing them to memory. "You about done?"

"Yeah just backing out just as slick as you please. Both Toombs' and their com's computers are copied. I've got everything down to how many tooth brushes are on board. If we need to jack back in I've got that covered. Just as easy as getting you hard big man. One stroke and I'm in. Let's get to sleep. Little guy will be awake in an hour." She said cocky.

"Good." He said walking over towards him. "Can you still nurse? Do we have something we can give the little guy if you can't? I don't think there's a market anywhere close, it's not like there's a 7/11 around."

"Baby, you watch too many old earth movies. Jeez! Sasha's got it in the lab. I'll get it." She said starting to get up.

"No, I'll do it. I want you in that bed when I get back." He ordered smiling. When she hesitated he growled playfully pointing. "Move that ass Jack."

"Keep your pants on big guy." She told him signaling Janis she was finished.

Janis noticed a dimming of the lights and she knew that Jack had pulled it off. Since they were watching Die Hard With A Vengeance and the mess was dark, Toombs didn't even notice.

Thankfully, Janis didn't have to endure his advances which surprised her. Men of his sort didn't usually exhibit such restraint. She was fully prepared to retaliate against his advances but part of her actually enjoyed his company. She had to keep him at bay, but he didn't seem the bad man that she knew lay just under the surface.

"Had a good time there Doc." He told her. "Been really nice talking to you like a fucken human."

"Why, because you're the type to "pay for the pleasure"?" she asked as she clicked off the vid screen.

He laughed hard and loudly. "Can't lie about that Doc. Gotta get some whenever you can and if you gotta shell out, well, that ain't a bad way to go."

She laughed, he was pathetic and sad but funny. He trusted her and she wanted that to continue until she reached Talos Prime. "You're funny Harold, truly funny."

"Ya know, no one calls me that but you and my mother. And she's dead." He admitted putting his feet up.

"Well, there's a first for everything." She replied cleaning up.

"I'd like to do this again, you know, eat and hang out, I mean it's just us and it's pretty boring out in space."

Ever the gentleman aren't you Toombs?

"Are you trying to get in my pants there Harold?" she quipped ready for the 'pounce'.

"Might be, you never know…" he said smiling. "Night Doc."

And then he walked out laughing like he'd just won a huge payday at the blackjack tables.

Damn Doc. That face was priceless. He said walking awkwardly to his quarters. His dick was as hard granite and he wanted to be nice, for once in his life. He wanted to know what normal felt like, and he thought he'd been a good boy the entire time. She smelled wonderful, she smiled at him and he was so turned on he wanted to jump her all through the movie but did nothing.

He closed his door, went to the shower and began to alleviate the source of his frustration satisfied that she didn't turn him away and the might, just might, not have to do that so often in future.