THE MOTHER LODE BY ABRAXIS

Chapter 33 – Negotiations

This time Riddick didn't bother with blocking the door. He lounged back on the couch, sitting with his feet up but on his guard. Casmir was ready to deal or Rommy wouldn't have offered to take Riddick to him. But before that happened, Riddick needed to figure out what Rommy was trying to tell him with that act he had put on. There was also the question of what Rommy was trying to find out for Casmir as well.

Riddick had known from the minute that Nagia remained with them, rather than going back to report on their injuries, that the room was probably bugged, most likely both audio and video. Rommy's mention of the 'snooper' stuff had confirmed that and also that Rommy knew it. The pale smuggler was between a rock and a hard place here. He had a contract with Riddick but Casmir and whoever was aligned with him were probably a big part of his daily bread and butter. Casmir could also turn Rommy to the local authorities without risking anything himself. Now, what other messages had been sent his way.

The first thing out had been a heavy warning that Casmir didn't appreciate foreign involvement in New Meccan politics, was probably totally pissed about it. But, what had the next message been? Was Casmir a kid out of his depth or was he a heavy player who had been raised to follow in his father's footsteps, fed palace intrigue with his pabulum and a match for Sulleman?

Riddick decided that Rommy's opinion was probably a mix of both but Casmir wanted Riddick to believe the first, underestimate him, while the Prince himself believed the second. Riddick also decided that Rommy probably believed that last part, that the kid didn't want the top slot for himself but thought that now he didn't have any choice if he was going to keep Sulleman out of it. It would be interesting to find out how the father had died. Had that been another of Sulleman's dirty tricks?

But what had that last bit of Rommy's been about? Riddick had never known which side of the street Rommy walked on because Rommy never mixed anything personal with business. He didn't even do the usual liquor, tea or coffee routine when talking a deal. The Rommy Riddick had known would have remained standing against the door and immediately began talking business. He wouldn't have gotten comfortable with a glass of wine and then asked about Syrus. The man had been leading into that personal conversation from the minute he walked away from that door. Why?

Riddick's first thought was that it had nothing to do with Rommy having the hots for him and that he still didn't know which way Rommy swung. No, the whole thing was to find out what Riddick's relationship with Syrus was and it was Casmir who wanted to know. Otherwise Rommy wouldn't have dared to use the insult to Casmir to initiate it.

The key to why Casmir was interested was Rommy's including Rafferty in the conversation. Add in Nagia's comment that Casmir had questioned her as to who was the true leader of the group and it was obvious that Rafferty had been trying to make a deal himself while Riddick was in that stinking cell but, probably after a long talk with Rommy and then with Nagia, Casmir was still undecided as to who to deal with. His little act was Rommy's way of proving to Casmir that Riddick was what Rommy had been claiming he was, not what Rafferty had been telling him.

Now, Riddick was wondering how much more dancing around and useless conversation he was going to have to put up with before Casmir would get down to business. He really hoped that it wasn't much because he had just about reached his limit for bullshit. The more bullshit the less he would be inclined to trust Casmir to keep a deal.

As if he had spoken that last thought aloud, it was answered by a firm knock on the door; knuckles this time not boots. Riddick answered it in Standard. Better to avoid the ruffles and flourishes of New Meccan for this one.

"Come ahead."

The man who entered wasn't someone Riddick would call a kid. Oh, he was young, probably somewhere between Ben's and Jenna's ages, but the confidence with which he carried himself and the cool intelligence behind his eyes, as they catalogued Riddick, reminded him a lot more of Jenna – with a large shot of Sen thrown in. He was slim for his two-meter height but Riddick guessed he had the same whipcord strength as Syrus. With black hair, light brown eyes, deep olive skin and sharply drawn features, Casmir was a pretty boy but one that would age into a strong looking man rather than a doughy caricature. As the man took the same chair Rommy had occupied, his eyes flicked to Nagia who had returned to sit by Syrus sometime during Riddick's silent thinking.

"You will speak in front of the woman or would you prefer that she leave?"

Riddick smirked. Now was the time to cut to the bottom line.

"I've got nothing to hide. Have you? Besides, she's got a stake in this. What have you done to find her daughter?"

Casmir showed no surprise at this sudden attack.

"My agent has traced the child to the south. She is one of eleven children purchased here by the same merchant. Luckily, he wanted them to train as servants in his personal household and his business, rather than for resale. However, there were five females; three of which are old enough to be the child you seek. Without asking too many indiscrete questions, my agent cannot be sure of the child's identity without the woman's presence. As soon as your companion is improved sufficiently, I will have her sent to him."

Eleven kids, all Sissua's age or younger; Riddick didn't even have to think about it. He knew exactly what Jenna would want him to do.

"Have your man buy them all, boys and girls. We'll pay you for the other ten since Sissua was the only one you promised to rescue. Give the merchant a big profit on them but make sure he's scared shitless about what will happen to him if he says anything to anyone about it."

This did surprise Casmir. It also made him suspicious.

"Are you sure that your Captain would approve of such extravagance simply to save a little time?"

Ok, Rafferty had been talking way too much.

"My Captain would have my hide if I didn't take the opportunity when I had it. She hates slavers and so do I."

"That's a very 'political' stance for non-political people."

"It's not political, it's personal. Buying a few kids when I got the chance isn't the same as planting bombs all over your slave markets or cutting the dealers' throats. Besides, buying just Sissua could be a fast trail right back to us. Buying them all will muddy the water."

Casmir's pretty mouth curved in a slight smile.

"Point taken. The children will be here late this evening or tomorrow morning at the latest. There will be no need for reimbursement as long as you and your Captain are willing to take the responsibility for the training and future welfare of the children." At Riddick's nod of acceptance he continued. "Now to our business. Mr. Logan has advised me that I should speak plainly with you. Therefore, I will. You seem to have problems very similar to New Mecca's within your own people. I must assure myself that my choice between you and Mr. Rafferty is the proper one. What will you tell me to convince me that you are that one?"

Riddick could imagine the kind of social kissy-face Rafferty had been playing at. Well, that wasn't his style. Nor was he going to give Casmir even more information than the merc already had.

"Nothing. I'll tell you my deal, that's all. You decide who's telling you what you want to hear and who's telling you what they can deliver. You might keep in mind that if Rafferty promises you something else, he'll have to go through my Captain to do it and she's just about as bad as I am. She already took him out once at Imam's compound."

Casmir raised an eyebrow.

"Interesting, if true."

Unexpectedly, a weak chuckled came from Syrus, obviously not as out of it as he had pretended.

"She was exceptional before she met our First Officer. Now, I would describe her as 'death walking'. Rafferty is playing out of his league, physically and mentally."

Casmir turned a cold eye on Syrus.

"I had thought that you and that gentlemen were ... envolved?"

Another, even more sardonic chuckle, "I find him entertaining. My confidence in this matter, however, must rest with my Captain and her choice of First Officer. As I said, Rafferty is quite outclassed in both cases."

Syrus went silent, simply returning Casmir's hard stare. Casmir flinched first and turned his attention back to Riddick.

"What then do you offer me?"

Riddick was ready.

"Two things. I'll get rid of your immediate problem and then I'll take your man to the Princess to negotiate for a marriage. I won't promise that she'll say yes but I'll promise that she'll listen. I'll also promise you that if she does marry you and you don't live up to your end of it, my Captain will take it as a personal insult and I'll be back to talk to you about it. "

Casmir flinched slightly at this threat but he didn't look away. However, when he spoke it was of the first part of Riddick's offer.

"I must make certain that I understand you clearly. You are offering to murder Prince Sulleman?"

Riddick liked Casmir's cold choice of words.

"Yes. I can make it a bloody show or he can just disappear, your choice. And before you ask, yeah, it's personal. I've wanted him ever since I pulled Imam out of here. Four days of torture just added to it. With your help I can get to him a lot easier and a lot quicker but you aren't starting anything that wasn't going to happen anyway. I figure that it's better for you if it happens sooner rather than later."

Casmir was quietly thoughtful for a long time before speaking again.

"As much as you would assure me that Sulleman's death at your hands is inevitable, it is something that I must consider carefully before I abet you in it. I do not doubt that it would be an efficient solution to present problems. Nor do I doubt that he deserves death for his crimes against my Emir. However, I am reluctant to lower myself to his level in this, to hire an assassin. For, though no money would exchange hands, that is the truth of my part of it."

Riddick gave him the only answer he could.

"When you need to get rid of someone like Sulleman, Prince, sending something worse to do the job is your best bet."

Casmir rose.

"I'll will consider your offers and speak with you again when the children have arrived. Rest without care. No harm will come to you under my roof."

As Casmir approached the door, he paused before continuing through it. "You are a hard man, First Officer, and not what most would consider a good man. But, if you are worse than my cousin, it is in a manner that I find more palatable."

As soon as the door closed behind Casmir, Syrus let out another chuckle causing Riddick to growl at him.

"Don't say it!"

"Say what? That you seem to have a remarkable ability to win the unwarranted trust of the young and idealistic? Or ... that just possibly ... Jenna was right in her analysis of you from the very beginning?"

"Just what the fuck does that mean!?"

"That you are the rarest of creatures, a totally honest man. You pay back in kind exactly what you receive. And you're such a juggernaut that the only way to stop you from doing that is to kill you. My God! No wonder they wanted to lock you up and throw away the key! How did you avoid the death penalty?"

"Too many bleeding-heart groups demanding open trials and providing high- credit lawyers. Nobody gets the big pop. Easier and cheaper to let us rot. Makes more jobs that way, too. Keeping the citizens safe from people like me is a big business. I thought you'd know stuff like that."

With a last sneer, Syrus rolled over and pulled his blankets tighter around him. "Economics bores me stiff. That's why I signed with the Institute. Goodnight." Then with another derisive snort, "You made a good call on the children but please keep in mind that I don't do babysitting. You and Jenna are going to have to find a way to sucker Sasha into that. I wish you luck."

Nagia forced another nutrient tonic down Syrus before he drifted off into a truly deep sleep. Then she turned her attention to Riddick.

"I do not think that you need worry about Mistress Sasha being willing to take on the responsibility of the children. She has been very kind to both Mira and me. The rest of you frighten her; make her feel unnecessary. The children will need her and that will be good for her."

"You aren't staying to help with that?"

"I must go where my Princess goes. I believe that she will do what is right, what she was born to do for her people."

The look in Nagia's eyes reminded Riddick too much of Imam on a bad day, one of the days when listening to him had given Riddick a headache and sent him out for a long hard run. The last of those days had been the final push that had sent Riddick off planet and into his life on Darius 4. Why was it that people who had found the answers that satisfied them always thought that they should fit everybody?

With a repressed growl, Riddick turned his back, curled into the couch and settled himself to sleep. He would have to warn Jenna to keep Nagia away from Mira as much as possible while the girl was considering Casmir's proposal. But that was future business. Right now, he needed to see that he was in the best shape possible for what was to come next. Casmir might be young and idealistic but, if he read him right, he was also a realist. Sulleman better enjoy this day. It was going to be his last.

Riddick had the whole day and evening to recuperate from the stay in Sulleman's dungeons. The children arrived shortly before midnight. Sissua was one of them and Nagia collapsed in relief, able to do nothing more than sit, holding the child and rocking, as she sobbed out the misery of the many months of their separation. Syrus, well rested and quickly regaining his strength, belied his previous statement by commandeering two of Casmir's guards and organizing bathing, feeding and bedding for the remaining herd of frightened, exhausted children. With no knowledge of the local language, he was remarkably successful at communicating his orders to the guards and calming and reassuring the children with pantomime.

Watching him with the children, how he treated them gently but with a respect most reserved for fellow adults, how he pushed them to find and use their inner strength but never beyond what they were actually capable of and how they in return strived to live up to this higher expectation, Riddick began to understand Syrus' role in Jenna's life a great deal better than he had before.

As the initial chaos finally settled into his organized pattern, Syrus carefully lowered himself onto the couch beside Riddick, taking pains to protect his damaged ribs. Riddick couldn't help taking a small verbal jab at him.

"I thought you didn't do babysitting?"

Syrus threw him a savage look.

"My control lasts only so long. I would prefer to be shut of the little buggers before they learn to run from me screaming in terror."

"Somehow I can't see Jenna ever doing that."

"No, she didn't. She came at me with one of my own scalpels. Luckily, I was able to avoid her strike. I found an eight year old, who not only knew the location of the femoral artery but was willing to take advantage of that knowledge to equalize her lack of height, worth the effort of more long term positive attention."

At Riddick's raised eyebrow he continued. "No. She wasn't born a homicidal maniac. Before they died, her parents were planning to immigrate to a first- settlement world. They had adjusted her education to maximize her ability to survive in such a primitive environment."

Suddenly, Riddick wished he had let Syrus die in the dungeon.

"And you and Sen just continued where they left off, didn't you? What was it? Some experiment for the Forces to see if you could intentionally create the kind of killing machine they usually have to scourer the sewers for? Something like me but built to order? Maybe with a heavy streak of blind loyalty since that's the first thing that the streets kick out of you?"

If Riddick had expected some sort of contrition or discomfort, it certainly wasn't what he got. Instead, Syrus looked wickedly pleased with himself.

"First, you continue to surprise me with the depth of your perceptions. That was Max's plan. However, I decided to try a little experiment of my own; see what a nice dose of romantic chivalry, following one's personal code of honor and heart's desire against all opposition, would do to his Machiavellian plotting. He's always been such an overconfident prick. I can't wait to see his face when he finally realizes that she's going to take a pass on his 'perfect' utopian colony and keep the ships.

"I really must thank you for giving her the last necessary push for that. In return, I'll give you a warning. Max isn't very pleased with your influence over her. Watch your back. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Rafferty has been instructed to see that you don't return from this little jaunt. By the way, he lied about being unable to pilot."

Ok, even if his motivation was nothing more than a twisted rivalry with Sen, Syrus' scorecard was back in the positive numbers. Actually, Riddick trusted that more than he would have any claims of more noble impulses. But then, maybe Syrus had him figured out well enough to know that. It really didn't matter. Syrus was obviously on Jenna's side and fairly certain to stay there. That made him too valuable not to return him to her.

"If Rafferty tries to pilot either the skimmer or the BC, don't ride with him. In fact, don't be anywhere within a mile of the skimmer and ten miles of the BC."

Syrus answered this with a snort.

"As if we would even be able to find either of them without you? Be assured, First. I promised Jenna to bring you back and I always try my best to keep my promises to her. It's the one weak point in my armor of indifference." Then, as Casmir walked through the door carrying Riddick's shiv-sheath belt, "Well, it looks like you are going to be busy tonight. Do take care and give Sulleman a little extra attention for me."