XIV.

Hope didn't know what had shocked her more … the announcement of her upcoming death or Aereon's giving her a piece of her mind and then leaving her there just like this.

Hope hadn't slept a minute that night; she had a lot to think about … Riddick, his demeanor, hers.

'Would it really have hurt him that much to tell me about his feelings?'

Does he really need to … don't you already know?

'At least I had the guts to tell him.'

Yeah, whom are you kidding? The words slipped per accident out of your mouth; that much for guts.

'Yes, but he doesn't know. And I still hate him.'

Yeah, keep lying to yourself. He tells you in his own way. Is it really that hard to cope with his over protectiveness in view of all his good quality?

'I hate his macho demeanor.'

Again … he had good reason. Even her inner voice started to get a bit inpatient with her. He didn't make that decision thoughtlessly. He was convinced that …

Tyr's voice pulled her out of her revery.

"Hope, why do you waste my time with a sparring like that? A five year old would do better than you. Concentrate or stop bothering me with that sorry excuse of a workout."

Hope let her hands drop to her sides. She knew that her performance had sucked but met Tyr's inquiring gaze with a glare.

Tyr wasn't impressed. "Oh come on, don't go all ballistic on me now, you know it's the truth."

"Did he ask you to watch over me?"

If he was surprised by her question he didn't show it. "No, why should he? He knows that you are able to stand up for yourself."

"Does he? Then why did he leave without me? He knew I wanted to come with him."

"What happened that you didn't tell us? Something really must have gotten to him to ignore your decision. After all he is a warrior; he does what's necessary to keep the one he loves safe."

"How can you know that he loves me? He never bothered to tell me."

"You don't?" Tyr shook his head in absolute disbelieve. "Hope, you know about his history, you can't expect him to do all that sweet-talk. Protecting you even at the risk of losing you is the way he shows you. Put yourself in his place, just for one second. What would you do … and be honest. Besides that I've seen the way he looks at you."

"Yeah, like his possession."

"Like the most precious thing he's ever seen. He adores you."

"He constantly ignores my decisions."

"Regarding what?"

If she was honest with herself there was just one thing that came to her mind. "My safety?"

"SO? You should cut him some slack there; when he comes back you shouldn't be too hard on him, he doesn't deserve it. And … no offense meant, Hope, but you are the most stubborn and blind person I've ever met."

He was rewarded with another angry glance. "Thought you'd met Riddick." she murmured under her breath and left the gym. "Men ... all in cahoots with each other." It would have been enough if he'd just have answered her questions. She didn't need the insights of a warrior. Did she?

Hope was on her way to her workroom when Kerry shouted at her. "Hope, I've got Charlie on the com. He needs to talk to you. He's got a problem and needs your decision." Since it was Kerry's day of com duty she had taken Charlie's call.

"They aren't in any danger, are they?"

Kerry shook her head. "He doesn't look worried but he didn't tell me what exactly it is he needs help with."

Hope hurried to follow Kerry inside. "Charlie, how are you, what's wrong?" concern making her voice hoarse. "Tell me you are safe! You aren't in any danger, are you?"

Charlie smiled his handsome bright smile. "We are safe, mom. Sorry to have worried you, everything's all right. We are in no danger."

Hope let out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding. "Smartass. Then what's your problem?" his smile was intoxicating and she just had to smile back.

"You know, we've found that family we were looking for but they won't come with us as long as we don't also take those relatives with us. I've already gathered their data and did some background research on them." He leaned forward and pressed a button. "You should get everything any minute. I need your decision whether they may come along or not."

A sign on the screen indicated that the data transfer was completed.

"I'll look it over and come back to you. Are you in any hurry? Are there any problems with the authorities or any other?"

The young Furyan shook his head. "Nope, it's really nice here, take your time."

She was still reading the data when George changed shifts with Kerry. Com and monitor duty was more that boring for most of them and Hope didn't mind when he offered his help with reading through the curricula vitae. She had studied the data for another hour when she heard George snort behind her.

She gave him a puzzled look. "Did you find something important?"

George grinned at her and she didn't like his grin at all; in fact there was something about that boy that made her uneasy although she tried to not show her feelings; what an Alpha she would be making differences between her people?

"Important? Oh yes, you bet! Except of the family we where looking for they aren't Furyan. None of them is, not even partially. They must be crazy to believe we would let them come to Furya. Relatives, my ass!"

Hope was stunned; she couldn't believe it. She didn't like George but she never had thought of him as a supremacist. "They are not good enough for us because they have no Furyan genes, is that what you want me to tell?"

George nodded his head fervently. "We have a great chance here. We are superior to all the others races; give us enough time and we'll rule the universe."

Hope didn't know what to say; she'd never heard such bullshit before and she had to get that boy straight before he'd become a problem for them.

"George, you can't mean that! How can you possibly think that Furyans are better than everybody else? Each race has its strengths and weaknesses, its assets and limitations; in respect thereof we are no exception. You know what makes the universe go round? Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations! THAT's the way. What I want to say is as long as they follow our rules, live up to our credo they are welcome no matter what race they are; they will be a valuable contribution. There won't be any discussion about that.

And as for you, George, didn't I read in your vita that only your grandfather is Furyan? You are 'just' partly Furyan yourself, so what do you think makes you 'worthy'?"

George had a stunned look on his face. "HOPE! I thought you were different! I thought you'd see the picture when you got rid of that convict. I thought you'd finally cleanse Furya from that scum. But you are nothing better!"

Hope stood up. "Enough! Don't you dare and talk like that about Riddick! You are not fit to hold a candle on him! Who the hell do you think you are? And to speak in your terms: other than you Riddick is 100 pure Furyan" She was so angry she had a really hard time not to smack that moron.

"But I thought you'd like me. You smiled at me when nobody else could make you smile.

Hope shook her head; what a psycho. "George, I don't like you more or less than I like all the others here ..." She wasn't able to finish her sentence.

"But you smiled at me!" George was completely beside himself; that talk didn't go according to plan. And then realization hit him: "No, you didn't smile at me … you laughed at me!"

Hope sighed. That was beyond her; she was tired arguing with George, she would need help with deciding what to do with him; he could get a real threat for all of them. "No, not at all; you've been just so ... cute; I assure you I did not laugh about you."

But he didn't listen anymore; with a roar he shoved her aside and stormed outside. Hope didn't hold him back; maybe some time to cool off was exactly what he needed. In the meantime she'd make sure he wasn't able to leave the planet. "Damn you Riddick, where are you when I need you?"