Chapter Two: Introductions
Riddick sat in the pilot's chair and started flipped several different switches and pressing numerous buttons. The engines followed in turn and started firing up, sending a gentle humming sound throughout the ship. The sound a pressure releasing changed his direction of thought and he turned around to face the ladder that led down to the quarters, and eventually to the cargo bay.
River cursed under her breath at the amount of noise the door made as it was shutting. Well done dumbass. Shaking her head she glanced round the small cargo bay, there was the occasional supplies crate but otherwise it was almost completely empty. Great, where the hell am I meant to hide now? Approaching boot steps forced her into immediate action, she half dived half rolled towards the nearest and largest crate and crouched with her back to it. River closed her eyes tight and clenched her fists in anticipation. My nerves are made of steel, my nerves are made of steel, my nerves are made of steel, my nerves are made of steel…
Riddick jumped from half way down the ladder and landed on his feet with a thud. He glanced around the cargo bay suspiciously, turning the lights off when he noticed the switch beside him. Come out, come out, wherever you are. Pulling his goggles off, his silver mercury eyes picked up every detail in the blackness. There was a new smell in the air that wasn't here when he first boarded. He started forward, placing his feet down silently, muscles honed for attack.
River was shaking as the darkness consumed her vision; she stayed as still as she possibly could. Turning, she tried for a quick glance around the side of the crate and just managed to see something moving in the shadows, the dim light coming from the top of the ladder was useless in helping her make anything out. She attempted to move in the opposite direction when her foot slipped out from under her. Shit! Oh God oh God oh God…She clenched her teeth and screwed her eyes so tight she saw stars. It was then that she realised that she could feel hot breath on the back of her neck, coming from above. She froze, hardly able to breathe from fear, then something washed over her and she just opened her eyes and looked up, strangely feeling safe, despite her most likely pending doom hovering above. A large, strong hand reached down and picked her up into the air by the scruff of her jumper.
"And what do we have here?"
After what felt like a lifetime at staring at what seemed to be a pair of floating silver eyes, she realised she'd been biting down on her bottom lip and there was blood running down her chin. River remembered suddenly actually how afraid she was and blacked out in the grip of a monster.
Riddick stared at the tied up lump on his bunk for some time before he decided to go back to the cockpit. She was pretty in her own way; long wavy brown hair, big bright blue eyes and plump lips, despite the cuts. She was slender, a wisp compared to him, but he could feel the toned muscles covering her when he picked her up. Whoever the hell you are, were probably gonna end up being a big pain in my ass. He slumped down into the pilot seat once he'd set in the course. Furya.
River groaned as she woke up, her head felt like it was floating a few feet above the rest of her.
"Where the hell…"
"You're on my ship."
The deep husky voice roused her from her sleep completely and she put her head up to look at the owner who was stood in the doorway. He was a silhouette to her, broad shoulders, muscular arms, a bold head, he was at least six two from her estimations and built to kill. She tried to sit up, to find her hands and feet were tied together.
"Hay! What the? Untie me!"
"Tell what the fuck you're doing on my ship and might just think about it."
She was off in her only little fit of rage and was ignoring everything he said.
"I swear if you did anything while I was out, I'll-"
Before she could finish her sentence he was pinning her down with a shiv to her jugular. River wriggled pointlessly under him, trying to loosen her legs to kick him off. Eventually she stopped struggling when she realised she wasn't going anywhere any time soon.
"You gonna kill me?"
"You didn't answer my question."
"What?"
This guy's crazy!
"What are you doing on my ship?"
She rolled her eyes in confusion and disbelief to the calm tone he was speaking in.
"I need to get off planet."
"Why?"
She started wriggling again, turning her face away from him. No way am I answering that.
Riddick sat on top of her watching the expression on her face change from outrage to stone cold. This girl really is gonna get me in trouble. He hardened his pin down on her, causing her to yelp slightly from the pitch on her chest.
River suddenly felt a wash a calm run down her and she stopped wriggling, she merely turned her head to face Riddick and stared at the goggles shielding his eyes.
"Richard B. Riddick. Wanted criminal. Convicted of multiple murder and theft. Escaped from Butcher Bay. Escaped from Ursa Luna Double Max Slam. Escaped from Tangiers Penal Colony. Escaped from Ribald S. Correctional facility. Escaped from Altair Prison Network. Escaped from Crematoria…"
"How the fuck do you… are you a fucking merc? On my ship!"
She shook her head, blinking several times as if waking from a dream.
"What? No! I'm no fucking merc, asshole!"
Riddick climbed off her and picked her up into midair, before slamming her into the wall and putting the shiv back to her throat.
"Then who the fuck are you?"
"Cutting my throat won't get you your answer."
Riddick threw back down onto the bed and leaned his fists against the wall sighing heavily. What the fuck is goin' on? He looked at her from the corner of his eye as she rubbed her throat. How does this girl know me? Just as Riddick headed for the door to go and ponder of the revelations in the pilot's seat River finally spoke up.
"My name's River Cobb."
