Chapter 15: Loss

Riddick quickly began counter measures attempting to outrun the pursuing security ships into the neutral territory where the armed forces could no longer follow. Both Kyra and Riddick were kept very busy for the next several minutes; time seemed to hold still. Finally they were almost there, a few more seconds and they'd be free.

Suddenly the entire ship jolted, sirens sounded, and the power flickered.

"Fuck! We have a hull breach in section 3! We're hemorrhaging air." Kyra shouted, her fingers dancing over her flight console.

"Shut it down!" Riddick yelled back gripping the flight controls with intense concentration trying to keep the bucking ship under control.

Kyra quickly locked the damaged section down, closing the airlocks to preserve all retained oxygen and to create a tough shield against the vacuum of space.

They finally crossed over into neutral territory and the security ships reluctantly turned back. Riddick turned to Kyra and ask, "Damage?"

"I was able to shut down that section in time. We still have over sixty percent oxygen in our tanks and the entire section is blocked off. Our air recycling system should replenish our oxygen within a day. I think we're okay." She said, slumping back into her seat, "Those jerk offs just had to get a shot off huh? Shit." She turned to him and smiled.

Riddick couldn't help smile back when he saw the way her face lit up. They heard a sound from the back of the room. Turning back they saw Shirah standing in the doorway: She was covered in ash and there were burns on her hands and long robe.

"Oh, shit." Kyra said, dread was beginning to build in her chest. "Where is Lalia and Jack?"

"They're gone." Shirah choked, "They got caught in the blast. They were pulled into space. They're gone." She kept repeating it over and over as though she would understand it if she said it enough.

"Oh God, no!" Kyra stood quickly and stepped toward Shirah, but she held up her hand and slowly turned and walked out of the room. Kyra stood frozen, her back and shoulders stiff.

Riddick watched her as she stood. He could see the tension vibrating through her. "FUCK!" she screamed. Suddenly tears started to flow down her cheeks, she quickly tried to wipe them away but they just kept coming and coming. "Fuck it, Riddick." She said brokenly as her shoulders slumped.

Riddick stood slowly and walked up behind her. He put his hands on her upper arms, and Kyra turned around and wrapped her arms around his waist; burrowing her face in his chest. Riddick wrapped his arms around her and just held her as she sobbed, knowing that there was nothing that he could say that would make it any better. He knew her, and he knew that this wasn't just about Lalia and Jack's death.

Finally Kyra's sobs began to subside, and she asked quietly, "Why does everything have to end all fucked up?"

Pushing her away from him slightly, Riddick pulled off his goggles so he could look her in the eye, "Not everything, Kyra. You're alive. You come to appreciate that eventually." And he pulled her back into his arms.

The ship was quiet the next few days. Shirah was taking the loss by far the worse. She kept to her room and was only seen when it was absolutely necessary for her to emerge to eat.

Neither Kyra nor Riddick mentioned Kyra's break down again. They slipped into a comfortable routine, much like the one that they had back on the skiff after T2. They could often anticipate the other's moods and needs and rarely needed to vocalize them.

Kyra habitually went to the Necromonger practice room; just whenever she felt like beating stuff up. She would often fight against the practice dummies and practice throwing her many hidden blades. It calmed her nerves and made her feel like she had some control or power in her life.

One evening Riddick walked into the practice room and spotted Kyra doing push ups on the floor. He came to a halt, suddenly feeling as though all the breath in his body had been punched out. He saw her long, lean body showcased in some tight black shorts and a wife beater; every muscle was tight as she worked. The firm muscles in her arms, back and shoulders glistened under her sweat slicked skin. Her hair was damp and beginning to fall out of the low pony tail she had pulled it back in, framing her face. Her legs were straight and rigid as she pushed herself up over and over again. She looked dangerous and powerful. He could smell her; her sweat and something else that was unique to Kyra. "Beautiful." He thought.

He leaned against the doorway crossing his arms, enjoying the show. Kyra finished her push ups and tucked her knees under her chest and sat up. Feeling his eyes on her, she turned and looked at him. "Holy shit." She thought, noticing the way his muscles stood out under his golden skin even as he stood completely relaxed; he even was smiling that little half smile that had always made her heart stop. "Give it up," she inwardly kicked herself; "he will probably never see you as anything but a little girl. Or in any way you would ever want him to see you."

They remained looking at each other silently for several seconds before Riddick slowly turned and walked out of the room.