Author's Note: I do not own Riddick, more's the pity. I did not create Slam, merely this interpretation of it. I did not have any hand in the creation of Pitch Black. I did however create Spook, and the other characters not seen in Pitch Black.
Also, I extend my apologies for taking so long on the next chapter. Life interfered.
It was always the same. She always woke up like that.
Riddick patiently waited while she calmed down from the panicked bolt that always followed her return from dreams, the one that always left her breathless, wide eyed, standing pressed against the wall where she'd been sleeping. She shook for a moment longer, her eyes wide, staring about her into the darkness.
"I'm right here, Spook."
At his voice, the girl sagged, her small body sliding down the wall until she was again sitting on the bed.
"You got a big choice today. All comes down to you." She tilted her head as she listened. "We're gunna go find the doc. When we do, you got a decision. We can leave you awake, or I can remove the consciousness issue for you." She looked rather confused. He smiled in the eternal night and sat down on the cot facing her. "Today we're going to try for your Shine." He put a finger on her lips before she could speak, watching as she perked up, excited. "I want to warn you. This'll hurt like a motherfucker. As you well know, there's no way in hell to get anesthesia in here. Which leaves you two choices. You can be awake, at least until you pass out from the pain. Or, when we get there, right before the doc starts, I can knock you out. Think on that."
"Either way you'll stay with me?" There was a slight tremor in her voice. It brought the shadow of a smile to Riddick's lip for a brief touch.
"Yeah. I'll be right next to you the entire time. You think I'm going to let one of the beasts in here touch you without me there to make sure he doesn't try something?" His large hand rested briefly on the top of her head. "Get ready to go, Spook."
With a grin, she threw herself down on the pair of cots, reaching beneath to the cold little box. Once it was firmly in hand, she turned back to him, smiling, albeit nervously.
He watched her, that ghost of a smile lightly kissing his mouth again.
"You ready?"
She only nodded in return, her hands tightening around the box, hovering at his side.
"Y-you know where to find him?" His turn to nod.
"Unless he's moved since yesterday. C'mon." Riddick moved slowly at first, easing out into the dark corridor, his eyes near glowing in the blackness. He could feel the warmth of her, so close behind him. She wasn't even a full step behind.
Around them thugs were starting to stir, the ones who were going to wake were, and the ones who weren't would be discovered shortly. He slowed for a short step when he heard her falter, then again picked up his speed.
Twists and turns, a labyrinth of murky shadows, echoing darkness. Footsteps behind them, but only for short periods of time. Either not really following, or else they recognized their quarry and better judgment reared its head. Each time the footsteps resonated through the corridors Spook would move a little quicker, step a little closer, breathe a little faster.
At one point Riddick reached back, slipped his arm around her waist. He pulled her up beside him, growling low in his chest, a harsh sound, but with a strange note, almost a crooning note. The smaller body of Spook relaxed a little against the crook of his solid arm. He gave her a quick squeeze and then released her.
The corridors continued in echoing infinitum, turn upon turn, until Spook had no way of keeping track of where they were. They had left her mental map long ago.
Then light spilled into the passage, blinding and white.
It spilled, incandescent, from a single room accompanied with an odd scent that set her hair on edge.
Riddick motioned to the door with his head when she looked up in askance.
"Doc" was shorter than Spook had pictured. He stood in the glaring light of his self appropriated office, nearly a full head shorter than her. His pale hair was wild and matted, and a washed out straw color that did nothing to help the corpse-pale complexion of his nearly translucent skin. Watery eyes stared at them when they entered, sallow and near colorless. His face was nearly ugly, with a weak chin and long nose. His whole body gave the impression of a plague victim, waifish and gaunt. He wrung long, slender, spidery hands continuously, the long nails clicking together.
Riddick shielded his eyes from the flooding light. Spook cringed closer to the huge man, a near silent whimper escaping her, her eyes wide.
The room was small, about nine feet square. On a small metal table were shining blades, all remarkably, impeccably clean. Beside the table was the only other piece of furniture in the room. A cot. A cot stained an odd brown color.
A cot stained with old blood.
The scent of which permeated the room, mixing with an undercurrent of pain and adrenaline.
Spook inched closer to Riddick.
The little man edged away from the pair, his eyes focusing on Riddick's bronzed arms, where the muscles rippled as he reached casually for Spook.
"Show the man the box, Spook."
The little metal box appeared in her hands again, and the lid lifted. The diminutive man leaned forward, vapid eyes brightening as he took in the contents. He took a small step closer, then another. Spook snapped the lid closed as Doc reached one long finger towards the Menthol Cools.
"Ah ah. You work first, Doc. You know how this works. I hold the box." The massive caramel colored hand took the box from Spook's slender grip. "You fix her up with the Shine. There's at least 25, probably more. You get paid when I'm sure of your work. You get me?"
Doc's head bobbed on its spindly neck, the watery eyes fixed on the box.
"If the lady would take her place on the cot." The voice was reedy, hissed rather than spoken. His lower teeth showed prominently when he spoke.
"You ready Spook?"
"I-I think I-" Riddick's hand closed on the back of her neck. Light flared before her eyes for a moment, then darkness wrapped around her.
"She doesn't make it, you don't ever cut again. And it'll take a long time for me to let them find the first bits of you. Keep that in mind."