AN: Lots of universe background in this chap. If it gets confusing, let me know. It the italics don't show up, definately let me know;-)


Jack decided that it would be best if she went home that night. Leaving Riddick alone with the wicked witch any longer than she already had wasn't exactly an appealing thought, especially now that she knew he was being mind fucked.

Dom insisted on walking with her. She was grateful. Honestly, she didn't know the way back to her neighborhood. Even if she had, every house in a five mile radius of Riddick's humble abode looked like an identical twin. It was her hope that her sub-species human escort had been born with evolved orienteering skills, and even if she couldn't find it he would.

Besides, the part of town where ships were stored between trips wasn't exactly the most friendly area. Never mind that it was well after dark and the streets were crawling with people who were, to say the least, rough looking.

"Aren't you ever afraid, living on this side of town?" she asked him while they walked. Her hands were thrust deep in the pockets of her jeans and her glances at him were sideways, nearly hidden by the medium length dark brown hair falling in her face.

He chuckled calmly, never breaking stride. If he knew she was stealing looks at him, he didn't let on. "No, Jack. I'm not afraid of this side of town. There ain't a God damn punk in this city who could kick my ass. Plenty who think they could, but no one who could actually get the job done," he declared calmly. There wasn't any excessive ego present in his voice. He absolutely believed what he was saying. No bragging, just simple fact.

Jack snickered inside. Well, I used to know a guy, Dom. Right now you're probably right about him, at least. But if I have anything to say about it, someday soon, that's going to change.

She turned, walking backwards a few steps ahead so she could look him right in the face. "That's the second time since I woke up that you've talked like you're some kind of big man on campus, Dominic. I've always been curious, just how much time does one spend in the slammer before acquiring that 'my dick's bigger than your dick and even if it's not I can kick your ass anyway' mentality? Enlighten me," she invited sarcastically, just barely quirking one of her eyebrows.

Her tall escort tilted his head slightly, considering her for a moment before answering. "You do realize that there's a difference between me and any other tough guy you're ever going to meet, don't you? I'm not all talk. A hard knock life didn't make me who I am, Jack. I was born this way. If I hadn't been..."

"You wouldn't have survived, I know. So, you seriously think you're the toughest guy in town?" she challenged, eyes sparkling with mischief as she continued to walk backwards, soaking up everything about him.

Dom laughed. Jack was starting to love it when he'd do that. But she still wasn't quite sure why. Whether it was because she enjoyed making him laugh or because when he did he almost sounded like Riddick, she wasn't quite sure. Perhaps it was a bit of both. At the very least, she had a companion for once in her misadventures. And she planned to take full advantage of that fact.

"Yeah, I seriously think that I am absolutely the toughest guy in town. It sounds like bragging, but it's not so long as it's true. Don't you think?" he challenged back, considering her just as wholly as she was studying him.

Jack stopped walking, lightly crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't know what I think. What if by some weird chance some famous criminal lived in this town, and nobody knew about it?"

Dangerous game, Jack.

Dom too paused. "Like who?"

"Richard B. Riddick. You've heard of him, right?" she challenged again, adding more than a hint of sarcasm this time to see if she could really get under his skin.

If it's even possible to get under his skin. Face it, he's just about the coolest guy you've ever met.

He can't be like that all the time. Anger is essential to survival. Sometimes you've got to be too pissed off to get beat down. Too pissed to die...

Conte smirked, momentarily biting down on one side of his lower lip. "Yeah, I've heard of him. He was hot stuff back in his day...but now he's old news. He's been dead for what? Five years? Now that the orphans from the Fifty Twenty War are growing up, reaching adulthood, soon he'll be nothing but a pleasant memory to the mercs and law enforcement agencies within the Empire. Someday soon the guys in charge of keeping peace and order throughout the galaxy are going to start wishing that Richard B. Riddick was still the only thing they had to worry about.

"I've seen some of those kids in Juvy and the numbered slam I was in, Jack. They aren't human, and they aren't to be fucked with. I've heard rumors that they're being recruited into a resistance force that's going to try to overthrow the Empire. Imagine that, having all the most talented criminals in the galaxy united under one cause. Being trained to be the best disrupters of the peace that they can be. Rather frightening thought, isn't it?" he asked, his tone suddenly low and dangerous as he approached her, crossing the distance with three lazy strides.

A shiver ran down Jack's spine. She'd heard a few things about what members of the non-human species could do. Like just about everything else in the animal kingdom they were stronger, faster, and in some cases mentally superior on the average when compared to classic human beings. And when the Empire had discovered this was almost universally true, there had been a crusade to 'take back' the galaxy. A galaxy that hadn't belonged to humans or even sub-species humans in the first place.

The Fifty Twenty War.

Billions of people had been slaughtered. The Empire had come to be the reining government, ruling over the galaxy with an iron fist by the time the dust settled. Fifty species had been obliterated, leaving behind only a handful of survivors over the time span of a mere twenty months.
All because they'd been considered a threat to the human race.
Some of them were definite hazards, bent on wiping out other 'unworthy' races without rhyme or reason. But they weren't the only ones targeted. Every species that didn't have a solid alliance with the Empire was subjected to the genocide, regardless of the level of threat they posed.

"How many of them are left? Of the children? The ones they created the numbered prisons for. The ones they didn't put in zoos or labs to experiment on?" Her eyes were fixed on a point on the ground, she didn't have to look up to know that he was shifting his weight from foot to foot.

She could sense it, sense his nearness.

"Tens of thousands," he rumbled, his voice lower than she'd ever heard it before. Almost as low as Riddick's. Did he purposely try to keep it at a slightly higher pitch, to sound...what? Younger? She listened, enjoying the close familiarity of the tone he'd so suddenly fallen into, as he continued to speak. "The Empire spared all the young ones they didn't have to work hard to catch. Offered bounty hunters five hundred common per head for them. Would've been better for everyone if they'd just slaughtered them too. Officially, they said they were going to spare them, allow each species to continue through members they would program to be human from early childhood. You do know why they really spared them, don't you, Jackie?"

"To steal the strong parts of their genetic codes," she whispered. "To splice DNA and make the human race stronger. To cure cancer, to increase intelligence, to work towards making every human perfect."

"Exactly," he affirmed immediately, sounding very pleased that she'd caught on so quickly. "And it makes me wonder sometimes, when I'm going to be next. Cause whether you're non-human or sub-species human, you always end up in the same slammer when the Empire gets their greasy hands on you. Riddick would've known that. He was a sub-species. Wouldn't have ended up in Slam City if he wasn't."

Jack looked up at him suddenly, more than slightly stunned. Her eyes narrowed. "Why the fuck are you telling me all this? I asked you if you thought you could kick Riddick's ass, not if you'd like to lay a gigantic guilt trip on me for the sins of my race. It's not like I'm huge supporter of the Empire myself, in case you didn't notice..."

Dom smirked. "I know, Jack. I'm just telling you because tonight you found out how bad people can hurt you, stab you in the back. You were a runaway once, so I can talk about this shit with you. No one else would believe me. Lots of humans, they don't need Seka, they brainwash themselves. You're sharp, but you've been off your game for years. In case things go bad for you again, I want to make sure you know what the Empire's capable of, what your race is capable of, so that you're aware of what's out there. I don't want to see you getting hurt, babe. Now how bout I get you home, huh?" He slung an arm around her shoulders, lightly knuckling her on the chin, making her smile before he turned them both in the direction of her neighborhood.

After a moment's hesitation Jack slipped her arm around Dom's waist, letting it rest at first just above his belt line, then a bit higher, seeing as he was packing a gun on his back, in his waistband. He'd hidden it from view under a loose t-shirt.

Well, at least now you know he's not really stupid enough to think he's invincible. Wouldn't be packing backup if he did.

Think it might be about time that somebody started watching out for you again, Jackie?

Absolutely.

"Twice any day of the week, and three times on Sundays." His sudden interruption of her thoughts was so random and unexpected Jack couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"What the hell was that, Conte? You forget to take your medication today or what?" She snickered.

He grinned, letting a bit more of his weight rest comfortably on her shoulders as he pulled her tighter against his side. "You asked if I thought I could kick Riddick's ass, and that's my answer. Bring him back from the dead, Jackie, and I'll rumble with him anytime, anywhere. And that promise has the Dominic Conte guarantee of approval sticker stamped all over it."

Jack laughed, hard. She couldn't help it. The guy was incorrigible. Mentally, she taunted her companion...

Wait and see, Dom. Wait and see. Cause I'd bet money that Riddick would give you more than a run for your pride. You'll see, when I bring him back.

Back from the dead...