Summary: Here's to xiǎotōu zhī jiān de róngyù

Sit, eat breakfast, be semi-polite and socialize with the Squad and Mal or take River back to bed…one of the harder decisions he'd had to make. River took it out of his hands by starting to cook, which meant he was sitting and staying out of her way; tā mā de niǎo.

Mal kept giving him some hard looks, not that he really cared too much about the man's opinion about him and River. About other things, yeah, Mal had proven himself. What happened between them had nothing to do with the Captain.

River looked at him over her shoulder and smiled, "We few, we happy few."

"So what're the plans for after this," Riddick smiled back before he looked at the rest of the Squad. "Figure on picking up where you left off? Or lying low?"

"I'm for lyin' low," Waylon rumbled. "Find me a planet with a swamp, set up house, live quiet."

"You can sail with Serenity until you find a place that suits," Reynolds offered. Decent of him, but River had mentioned that her Captain's virtues could become flaws when taken to excess. Loyalty being one of them. "We generally go, or did, all over the 'verse."

"Figured I'd head for Deadwood, or Haven," Chato nodded. He didn't elaborate, not that his lack of words was out of character. The most he'd spoken at one time the whole mission had been in the bar.

"Might want to go to Persephone," River suggested from her place by the stove. "Eavesdown Abbey is a quiet place, suited to contemplation and restitution."

"You think they'd have a hún dàn like me?" 'El Diablo' looked dubious, as well he might.

"Tattoos can be removed, hair grown," The Reader reminded him. "If you wish atonement, changing how you look would be a start. Renounce the devil."

"I'll think about it," The reformed gang banger nodded.

"Think I'll hook up with Mr. J and see where we go from there," Harley grinned at them. Riddick chuckled, he'd give even odds that either Harley or the Joker were back in a lockup in less than a lunar year.

River shot him an unnecessary look, it wasn't as if he planned to voice that particular opinion, though Lawton had no such qualms, "Harley that is a recipe for disaster if there ever was one. That's diān dǎo. Zhè fēng kuáng." He chuckled, "Ain't that how you ended up in Belle Reve to begin with?"

"Yeah, but it was a lot of fun gettin' there," Harley's grin tilted maniacally, and Lawton held up his hands in surrender. Obviously Harley thrived on crazy and had no qualms about returning to it.

"S'pose you'll go back to bank robbing with nary a blink," The sniper commented to Digger.

"Plenty a folks out there with more shiny'n they know what to do with," Harkness agreed. "Can't stand to see shiny rottin' in a vault. Gotta let 'em see the sun."

"How altruistic," River commented dryly. Riddick smirked but the comment sailed completely over Digger's head, as most of her conversation tended to do.

"What about you," Reynolds looked at Lawton. "Goin' back to work?"

"Got a daughter to take care of," Floyd mused. "Wanna do that right, gotta make the coin."

"She might like having you around more than she likes money," Mal suggested. "Seemed damn glad to see you."

"Yeah, but it ain't like take your daughter to work day'll be a good idea with the jobs I do." That was for damn sure. It seemed wrong to Riddick that River knew more than half the room about assassination tactics, it had taken him the better part of two decades pick up as much as he had. Exposing an eleven-year-old to that kind of life…not something a good father would do. And whatever else he might be (possible textbook sociopath), Deadshot tried to be a good father.

Reynolds nodded and looked over at Riddick. Before he could speak a word River leaned over from behind the stove and smacked the Captain on the back of his head. "Ow! River! Zěn me huí shì! What-!"

The Reader stared at him, "Riddick stays with me. Or I with him." Her flat tone didn't give much room for argument. "Whether we sail with Serenity remains to be seen. Reception of Riddick was mixed at best, before we claimed each other."

"Yeah, they were very distinctly un-thrilled with me. Now…" Riddick nodded his agreement, "Well, you obviously don't care for your little girl carrying on with a convict like me. Doubt her brother would take to the idea with gusto either. Your gunhand and First Mate…"

"Jayne dislikes everyone," River shrugged. "But has not warmed to Riddick in subsequent meetings and waves. Zoë… does not approve of the association. Criminals…not so bad. Murderers…"

"Plan to make it real clear to anyone who objects that they can talk all they want but what's between us is our business and it won't change with words from them," Riddick informed the Browncoat. "Means we sail on our own, well… that'll be up to you."

"Up to me," Clearly Reynolds hadn't expected that.

"Captain is the Captain, word is law aboard ship," River reminded him.

"Funny how folks only remember than when it works in their favor," Mal groused.

"Well you hire us on as crew then it's a done deal. Disapprove all they want, can't make me leave unless you fire me or I quit," Riddick shrugged. "'Course if you don't, we'll make our own way, send you waves now and again."

"So it's both of you or neither of you," Reynolds' expression radiated unhappiness.

"Now the Captain has grasped the situation," River nodded approvingly.

"Fine," The tone didn't matter, capitulation did. "You two come back to Serenity as crew." Mal looked over at Floyd. "You want to come along? Your daughter is still on board. You want her educated ain't none to touch River for learning or Simon for teaching."

River nodded as she brought breakfast to the table, Chato rising to help her as only someone who'd once been married did instinctively. "Would be happy to design an educational program. Practical and book learning."

Floyd hesitated but nodded, "Think I'd like that. See about more…honest work."

"More honest, but not completely," River laughed and got a grin from the rest of them. "Serenity is no place for honest men."

"We meet up with our boat, and whoever can fly this bird can take it and go your ways," Mal nodded. "What's our course?"

Riddick smirked, "Registered or the actual course?" He grinned as River pressed a kiss to his mouth before sitting beside him, "Said we're headed for Boros. Reality is we're set for Persephone, or Pelorum if we need to shift last minute."

"Persephone's a good spot," Mal agreed. "We 'bout a day an' a half out?"

"Yep," Riddick grinned at River. "Plenty of time to lay some plans."

Digger's appreciative chuckle and Harley's crazy laugh echoed around the galley. Riddick exchanged grins with River.

The 'Verse wouldn't know what hit it.

Author's Note: Okay… that's it for this installment of the Independent Heathens 'verse. I hope you all liked my ending. A little vague but we didn't have any major deaths. I've got another that's longer and I'll post that as a one shot 'I Tried To Warn You Just To Stay Away'. That should be up next week. Same Bat time; same Bat channel.

Chinese Translations:

xiǎotōu zhī jiān de róngyù (honor among thieves)

tā mā de niǎo (goddamn it /lit. 'His mother's dick')

hún dàn (bastard)

diān dǎo (To turn upside down / to reverse / back to front / confused / deranged / crazy)

Zhè fēng kuáng (that's crazy)

Zěn me huí shì (what's the matter? / what's going on? / how could that be? / how did that come about? / what's it all about)

Quote Sources:

We few, we happy few – Henry V, William Shakespeare