A/N: Sooooo...I lied. I got caught up in packing my things and trying to do last-minute best friend lunch stuff...I miss them a WHOLE BUNCH! College is back in session, which means new classes and more work. I'm very proud of this chapter so enjoy it!

ALSO, I want to thank everyone who reviews on every chapter! I try to read at least one fic that each reviewer has written...it's only fair, ya know.

OH and I checked on the movie "Hackers"...the main character isn't named Kate Murphy but she is a Kate. Kate Murphy is just a name I liked...I don't watch LOST as religiously as I did, but I do need to give props to THAT Kate for giving me a little bit of inspiration for this character.

ANOTHER THING: Elements of TCoR in this chap. I have to say that the last time I saw TCoR, it was 10:30 at night and I had been working 8 hours at the movie theater with no break and one slushy (and you can't have just ONE slushy...). It was either TCoR or that Bobby Jones movie with the guy from Passion of the Christ. You make the choice...

Okay, fin with chatting and ENJOY!

"Who the fuck is that?"

I lifted my head back from the numbers I was banging in on the ship computer and looked over at the captain. His curly blonde head was still, big blue eyes set on the radar. Jherice and the Cap'n had allowed me up to the cockpit, despite our near-death skirmish a month before. Unhappily, they allowed me to help them weave in and out of the star systems, monitoring the vitals and making sure no viruses nor extraneous radars were sneaking into the mainframe. Riddick stayed tucked away, watching activity from the hatch and Jack and Imam busied themselves with their own projects; Jack ordered a knitting set from the NetVid and was busily knitting away at her first blanket. I thought it was cute but Riddick just scoffed it off as "chick shit" and went about being his usual asshole self.

"What the fuck..." the captain repeated, his breath coming in gasps and I checked the vitals. Normal and running.

"Wh..." I began but he turned swiftly to Jherice.

"Get the big ones. We gotta merc ship."

Merc ship? They didn't patrol this system...they didn't have the time or money. Except if it was for a large bounty. Jherice came back into the cockpit carrying a few large barreled guns and set them down.

"What you got on yours?" The captain looked at me.

"Nothing. Vitals steady and no tracing bugs."

"How'd these fuckers find us?" He turned back to the main screen and unbuckled his restraints, then pulled a few levers. The ship shifted hard and I followed, unclipping my belts and standing up. He went over to the pile of guns, picked one up and tossed it to me.

"Take it down to the bottom. Strap into one of the autos and start firin' at the motherfuckers. Gun's only if they try and board this fuckin' beast."

I strapped the gun on my back and climbed down the stairs. Jack, Imam, and Riddick sat silently in the living area and they all looked up as I hurriedly lowered myself into a compartment. As I began to close the door, my wrist was yanked up hard. Face to face with a pair of black goggles.

"We got a merc ship. Didn't bug our system and stayed off the radar. Make sure they're okay."

He squeezed tighter. "Been on our ass since New Mecca."

"How did..."

"Saw 'em being lazy and they drifted to the side. Looks like a big squad. Those 20 mils won't make a dent."

"Every ship's got a weak spot, Riddick." He released me and leaned down low.

"We ain't got enough firepower," he whispered, "might as well put the handcuffs on right now and lay down."

"I know but we gotta fight, don't we?"

"They're gonna put the kid in Slam."

"She's got me. I know the nooks and crannies of Slam...let me take care of it, Riddick." For a minute I thought Riddick was going to fling me up and finish the job downstairs, but he let go of my wrist and stood. I had permission?

I closed the cellar door and climbed into the seat where the large artillery gun was rigged. I strapped myself in and put on the goggles. Riddick was right – it was enormous, bigger than any merc ship I had ever seen in my life.

"You see the bugger?" Jherice climbed in, buckling and then cocking the gun.

"Yeah," I replied, "53 degrees, North, East. Bearing's kinda hard to shoot at but they gotta drift sometime."

And they did. Jherice's gun began to send round after round, shots blasting through space and then burying in the side of the merc ship. It jerked and I waited. Jherice kept drilling bullets out and I told her to stop.

"Why?" she yelled.

"Because you'll lose all your ammo quick. Then I'll have to use all mine."

"Fuck your logic, Omega," she yelled, putting a few more pits in the side of the large vessel.

Suddenly, orange sparks peppered the side of our skiff and I could see the shells hit the floor beside our pods. They were retaliating. And getting closer.

I sent off a few rounds and the sparks stopped from the right side of ship, where a few dozen of my shots had landed. One down. Jherice was quickly drilling the bullets from the gun and I stopped firing. Her rounds were getting low. She stopped, looked for refills and there was a sudden rocking motion that shook the whole ship. The mercs had launched a hook and it was now embedded in the cockpit above, a large metal chain attached to a pulley on the deck of the merc ship. Like fish, we were being reeled in.

"I'm outta this fuckin' place!" Jherice quickly ripped her belt and fled upstairs.

"GET THE FUCK BACK DOWN HERE, JHERRY! JHERRY!" I screamed and hundreds of shells hit again, now rolling beneath my feet. My hands shook on the gun but I gripped it, sending off a load more rounds. Two, three, four pods went black and I took a deep breath. A few more rounds and five more pods died down and I tried to reload but there were no extra rounds. Fuckers! I quickly unbuckled myself and grabbed my gun. There was forceful jerk on the skiff and I tumbled back down, slamming my head at the bottom.

Shit, shit, shit! I checked the back of my head for blood, but there was none. A big welt maybe, but no blood. I sat up and climbed back up the staircase, listening. Hard feet and then a few barking orders. The feet stilled and I heard screaming.

"There he is! Sanders! Look..." THUMP. A body.

"TURN THE FUCK AR..." and then another hard THUMP. Riddick's body count was now two but mine was ten, unconfirmed, but I had shoved a few hundred bullets in their pods. They HAD to be dead.

It was silent and I cautiously put my hand on the hatch door. Lifting it up slowly and only a slit, I peered into the cabin. Jack and Imam were on their knees and Jack was crying hard, her little dirty hands palms down on the ground. Imam's eyes were closed, his lips moving slightly. Behind them stood two very clean mercs, semi-autos tucked under each armpit. They didn't look familiar. I switched my eyes to the mercs beside them. Jherice was also on her knees but I didn't see the captain. Blood stained her legs, streaking down her thighs. Captain's dead, probably got trigger happy.

A crowd of tall, bulky mercs stood around one person and I strained my neck to see who it was. Riddick was also kneeling, hands bound and resting lightly on his crotch. The merc behind him held a large bit around his neck like a collar and it was pulled taut, like a collar. His face was blank and dotted with blood droplets. Aterial spurt. A pair of heavy feet padded into the cabin and I ducked back under.

"She ain't in the passenger galley or cockpit." The deep voice paused. "You're already fucked for life, Riddick." There was another pause and I heard Jack whimper. The feet moved again and I lifted the hatch again, just a tiny slit and saw a tall merc in front of Riddick, a long dagger unsheathed and close to Riddick's throat.

"You wanna die for this bitch?" The sharp end of the blade traced along his collarbone and to his shoulder. "Where is she, Riddick?"

Riddick spat in his face and the merc wiped it off silently, smiling. Riddick let out a growl as the blade dug deeply into his chest, blood rapidly spurting from the deep wound and I felt the bile rise in my throat. It was too deep, the cut...

Another wail came from Jack and a merc was holding her up by hair as she cried over Riddick. My blood was boiling. I closed the hatch and checked my ammo. Enough for one clear shot. I could clear them all out, piece of cake...right?

The hatch door opened ever so slightly again for the barrel of my gun and chaos was erupting. Riddick clasping his bleeding arm, Jack wailing for Riddick, Imam begging them to let go of Jack's hair. The merc only pulled harder and then butted Jack in the back with his gun.

I cocked my gun back.

A single shot and I slid my gun back quickly into the hatch. I heard the merc's body flop down and Jack collapsed, the hold of her hair gone and a bleeding merc beside her.

"Where the fuck did that come from?" they all said simultaneously and I suddenly heard the wheel of the hatch turning. I cocked my gun back again. The door flung open and I shot the poor bastard who opened it. Stepping out I shot the next one and then turned it to the tall merc.

Holy Mary mother of God.

"Kate." His sideburns were still just as fucking ugly and his smile was still as revolting.

"No, you..." I began, cocking my gun back again. I was gonna shoot the bastard like I should have done so many years ago...

I heard the simultaneous cocking of semi's and Toombs held up his hand, stopping their shots. "You still look good, Kate."

"I'll shoot you in the goddamn head, Toombs, I swear to God, I will." I was shaking, gun quivering back and forth under my grip. This guy had to be old. Hell, I'd beat his face in with my fists. It'd be more fun.

"Is that the way to treat an old friend?"

I threw the gun down. "I'll kick your fucking face in..."

He smiled and laughed, "Don't play games you ain't gonna win, Kate. You're still that same hyped up little girl..."

My fist almost landed on his mouth, but his heel caught the backs of my knees and brought me down hard on my back. The welt that had already formed earlier was now throbbing with pain and Toombs' boots straddled my torso. "Kate," he grinned, "why Riddick?"

"Fuck you Toombs," I groaned and he looked at the now bandaged Riddick, who kneeled tensely. He was pissed.

"What?" Toombs looked down at me, "C'mon, Kate, I know you got bad taste but Riddick?" he leaned down close, lowering his voice, "He ain't even your color."

Another swift kick and now Toombs was on his back and my knees were straddling his body. Guns pointed quickly at me and Toombs held up his hand. Didn't want to kill his money.

"I'll kill you," I said, "don't think I wouldn't hesitate, even with this kid in here." He looked into my eyes hard. "But you let them all go and I'll come with you."

"You shittin' me?"

"Nope."

"Little bitch, do you know how much Riddick's worth? His filthy ass brings me twice as much as you."

"Toombs, you'll get money with me. But you wanna be alive, don't you?"

"I'll shoot you in the fucking head, Katie. Ain't got no guilty conscience about that."

"They all go or you die a poor man."

He paused. His eyes were trained behind me. Shit...My head jerked back and I was on my back again, a merc's boot on my chest. Now the spot on the back of my head had to be bleeding. Toombs crouched over me and grabbed my chin forcefully, dragging my head down to his face. His hot breath spread across my mouth and cheeks and he grinned.

"I'm takin' you all." He looked at them all and then eyes came back to me. "You're goin' to a special place." I was flipped over, cuffed, and shoved into a small pod with Riddick. Our knees touched as the ship jerked to a start and Riddick lifted his chin.

"Sorry," I managed and he shrugged.

"Matter a time, that's all. Shoulda stayed under that hatch then we wouldn't all be headed for Crematoria."

I swallowed. If I owned Hell and Crematoria, I'd rent out Crematoria and live in Hell. I tilted my head, "How'd you know we're going there?"

"Pays the most for us. And the kid and Imam? They'll just be collateral."

"How much?"

"If he's smart, he'll get 150 thou for me and about 10 for you."

I frowned. "I thought I was worth more."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, sweetheart." He brought his hands down, the chains lacking any tautness and he set them in his lap. I lowered my hands as well, resting them at my sides. He held his hand out and motioned to my head, "Lemme see your head."

I felt the back of my head and blood had dried and matted my hair. I bent my head forward and his hand reached around, feeling the bump. I lifted up my head and he gently pressed his fingers against the wound.

"Clotted nice." His hand gently ran down to my neck and pulled me up close to his face. His knees quickly trapped my upper thighs and my chest thrusted toward his. His other shackled hand slowly traced behind my thigh and around my ass, giving it a hard squeeze and then slipping between my legs.

I sucked in a sharp breath. "You like me all tied up, Riddick?"

He grinned, teeth shining. "Like you more with your panties off and mouth closed." He leaned in and ran his lips over the slope of my jaw and then to the point of my chin, caressing my bottom lip with his upper. The bristles of his lack of shaving drew chills up my spine and right to my breasts. The hand between my legs moved in deliberate circles over the top of my clit, slowly bringing fire to the chills that coursed through me. He was mindfucking again, using our imprisonment to his advantage. What a control freak.

"You think you got me all figured out?" I gasped through the intervals of the thumb making waves in my body. I pushed involuntarily against his thumb and he pressed harder. Stupid, skullfucking mind games!

"Pretty much." He was now watching the reaction of my body to his finger, probably thinking he was the shit because I was chained up, turned on, and still pissed.

"I don't think you do."

He cocked an eyebrow, "You don't?" His hand was still going and I pulled my hands toward his head, wanting to push against his shoulders to get my thighs from his knee lock. Another second and my arms were jerked back, the chains snapping stiffly and I squeezed my fists. Riddick just smiled and slid his hand from between my legs. It slipped underneath my shirt and pushed aside the second tank top, stroking each sensitive nub at the peak of my breasts. My skin went into waves of a prickling sensation and I tried my best not to cock my head back and sigh.

I tried to make a sensible sentence amidst the groping. "What do you see in me?"

He cocked his other eyebrow, signaling that he didn't fully understand my question. I tried again. "Why do you stay? Why don't you just go and flaunt your bloody escapades on your own ship in another system?"

"You don't want me?" His fingers passed over each breast, trying to tease them into an even more painful arousal.

"No..." I mumbled, "It's just that you always seem like the kind of guy who needs no strings attached."

"I am."

"Then why do you stay?"

"Maybe because I like to bang you."

"Eat shit. But tell me the truth."

He paused and slipped his hand from my breasts to my stomach. My heart leapt. I was about to be treated to a special episode of Riddick's Secrets: Don't Tell Anyone Because You Might End Up With A Mutilated Corpse. He was silent and then looked up.

"There are two kinds of people in Slam: Me and Them. Me takes care of Me and Me alone. Them likes to bullshit Me and pull stunts that makes Them end up in the Med or in a box, headed for the edge of the Galaxy. I ain't met a lot of Me."

I was confused. "So am I Me or Them?"

"Just shut up and let me finish." I obeyed and he continued. "So, when you told me you were in Slam, I thought you were a Them. Scared, stupid, and blind. But I see you take out Johns and I reconsider. Maybe you're a Me. Just with all that emotional crap and a pussy."

"So, what you're saying is that I am a Me, which is you, only different?" Thoroughly confusing.

"Yeah."

"Wow. That's deep." Riddick withdrew his hand and pushed me back on my bench. The door to our prison suddenly opened and Toombs stood there, a smile on his face.

"Ready, pups?"

I rolled my eyes and he glanced at me, and then his eyes shot to my breasts.

"You cold, Kate?"

I looked down. Obviously my breasts hadn't gotten the memo from the rest of my body. I was still excited from where Riddick had felt me up and I blushed.

Toombs licked his lips. "They're gonna like you two in Crematoria."