The dark of the ship was normally comforting to her, a steady companion within the vast expanse of endless space, a close presence even in the face of the murderer she traveled with. Always with her, always the same, it held none of the terror that the darkness of Slam had instilled in her.
But now she felt eyes in the dark.
There was a fear about her, something gripping her like a cold winter wind. No matter where she huddled within the metal shell of the small ship, no matter if the normally strangely soothing savage presence of Riddick was near her or not, she felt trapped, hunted, haunted.
In the darkness, she felt like a small child.
She couldn't explain why, and her cold-eyed companion simply shrugged when she raised her voice in furtive attempts to explain the eerie sensation that followed her from system to system. She had begun to loath the crowded aisles of the port hubs that she had previously delighted in- for in them she found only a deepening, heightening of the feeling of cold, cruel eyes upon her. Her icy companion had definitely noted the change; his eyes had begun to show a new distance, a gaze of curious detachment when he viewed her. His touch was still heavy, and she still took strength and comfort from the rare caresses, but the stare only aggravated her discontent, made her feel more on edge and wary.
For his part, he had noticed her strange wariness. It heightened his own; she was too often an early alarm, a hound baying at something unseen in the night without knowing what the threat was. Time had shown him that, and he learned his lessons swiftly; if she was leery of something, then there was something there.
And he kept his hound close at hand.
No longer did she wander out into the ports they made berth in alone; Riddick bundled himself in heavy clothes, wore the odd lenses that the girl had found and accompanied her into the bustle of the population.
But only for brief visits.
The scent of the bodies so close, the squalling of the people, the arrogance of the populace all drove him to retreat into his coldness, made him finger the handle of his shiv concealed within his clothes. With each stop he drew more within himself, and with each stop the girl became more uneasy.
The chill of space, the void, the gentle thrum of the sensors, these things soothed the beast within him. For hours on end, he would stare off into the deep dark of space, the points of light reflecting back in a cold, unwavering shined stare. At his side, wrapped tightly in a worn blanket, her pale face resting against his thigh, Spook would doze. When the ship was exceptionally cold, she would rest in his arms, her cheek against his shoulder, her own eyes staring out to the same stars that reflected in his brooding eyes.
His thoughts dwelled on the bounty hunter who had found them, on what that meant for his future. He pondered the anxiety of the girl, and on what her symbolism in his life was; the alerts always included her, painting her as Bonnie Parker to his Clyde Barrow.
The last alert had sported a new body count; they definitely were on his trail, and had attributed several murders in the dark sections of ports correctly to him. They warned of his ruthlessness, of his unpredictability, of his bloodlust. They also warned that his "companion," described only, never named, was equally dangerous; the information that she was Psi had been eliminated.
Curious. Very curious.
He softly breathed in her scent, listening to her slow breathing as he read over the latest report about them, smiling slightly. Subjects have been positively identified in the Uriah, Camael, Rannas, and Enier systems. No pattern to their port choice has been identified at this time. Current count adds twenty-three new fatalities to the file, all attributed to Richard B. Riddick, in addition to the personnel murdered during the escape.
Details regarding the female suspect have not been released at this time, but she is known to be a Psi of unknown level, according to earlier alerts. This female suspect is believed to have been a heavy factor in the escape of the pair, and reports place her still in his presence; an ID from the Atreides station in the Camael system has her still traveling with him, and, if witnesses are to be believed, she will react violently should the pair be threatened.
If sighted, do not attempt to apprehend; contact GPLE immediately and allow trained GPLE personnel to apprehend these dangerous criminals. Repeat: These escaped criminals are highly dangerous. Do not attempt capture.