2 – The Barrel
Of all the mercs currently aboard The Longshot Xen despised this one the most. Toombs' idea of value was what he could sling over his shoulder and sell, something that made her lip curl just as much as his stench; stale cigarettes and dirty leather. His uncomfortable habit of sizing her up with his tongue between his teeth had been rubbing on her nerves for weeks and she was one who prized decency above all else. This man was little more than a slug. Lucky for her he was just like them, a prisoner.
Toombs grumbled more curses under his breath as he slammed the metal door shut, locking them in with a bandaged hand. Reaching up with the other he pulled a handle on the wall and with an unsettling rumble the elevator began to rise into the thick warm blackness. His bristling energy closed around her like a fog.
"How's the finger holding up? Looks like Riddick didn't pull it out like he should have," Xen sneered.
A dull flush crept up Toombs' face and he smirked, casually giving her the finger with his good hand.
"So what does the captain want with me tonight?" Xen asked. She leaned against the side of the cage and crossed her arms. Captain Wahls had called Xen up to his quarters at least once a week since she had been picked up, sometimes for small jobs around the ship, errand running, sometimes to play cards. Cut from a different cloth than his thug crewmen, Wahls was gentlemanly and seemed stuck out of time. Circumstance had forced him to adopt a pirate lifestyle and his fair management quickly landed him Captain, a blessing for the nine survivors, including Xen.
His hobbies were varied; old-fashioned watch repair was a favorite, but he was also particularly fond of a strategic card game called Barquot. Many times he had invited Xen to play with him, as he seemed fond of her company and sharp mind and didn't even mention anything about her being a reaper. Something she wasn't used to. A healthy distrust kept her wary of these get-togethers as she always suspected treachery, but she figured she might as well play along at least for the time being. From her visits she was learning valuable information, enough that perhaps one day it would help everyone escape.
Despite her previous taunt Toombs managed to look her up and down shamelessly, a grin spreading across his face. Xen took a good guess at what was going on behind it and deeply considered smoking him in the face with her metal toolbox.
"Didn't say. Just mentioned he had something to give you."
Her tired brain strained at what that could possibly be.
"Well he's going to have to wait a little longer, I have something to do."
A knowing look sneaked onto Toombs' face.
"He knows about Riddick, girlie. He knows about these little secret meetings you're having during shift changes. Cozy," he sneered. "Not that it matters. He also knows Riddick is the most wanted fuck in this sector and just cause he hasn't done anything about it yet doesn't mean he won't."
Xen smiled, straight faced.
"Actually I was going to the ration kiosk to pick up tampons. But nice try."
The merc paled, averted his eyes, and said nothing more.
XXX
The elevator shook as it rose into cooler air, pricking at Xen's nerves almost as much as Toombs was. The ride to the next level of the ship was a crawling ten minutes, far too long to be in the company of a merc who wasn't taking advantage of his shower tokens.
They shuddered up into a shaft of yellow light. It seemed to come from everywhere and stung her eyes. Blinking like a newborn creature she saw the vast expanse before her and felt the familiar tug of awe in her chest. As much as she detested being a prisoner on board, she had to admit that the ship was an impressive one.
The crew apparently had a thing for nicknames for they called the enormous cargo bay The Barrel. This immense section was similar to The Guts in that it seemed to span on forever. The soaring ceiling dissolved into blackness where massive nets could just be seen suspended above them, swaying ever so slightly with the movement of the ship. Intended for massive transport, their ropes were thick as tree trunks.
As for The Longshot's cargo itself it filled the whole area almost up to the ceiling where the nets hung. Crates, metal chests, polymer transport containers, boxes of all shapes and sizes, and strange machines were just a few items currently stored. They came from all across the galaxy, goods of every kind. Weaponry, foods, clothing, equipment, and even smaller land transports like gliders and low-altitude fliers made up more of the assortment.
Hundreds of crewmen and 'guests' alike were moving about the area as if it were a high-strung office, clipboards and all. Some were even in suits. They seemed to be organizing smaller cargo, preparing for incoming shipments, and other sundry errands. The place was packed with the sounds of shouting orders, chains clanking, and of course the deep mechanical hum from the engines. For the amount of people it was surprisingly cool. The air was much more pleasant up on this level.
To either side of their elevator many others spanned on, coming and going while lineups gathered in front of them. Toombs yanked open their own elevator door and people immediately began filing in, forcing them out into the loading area. He grabbed Xen's arm before they were separated by the crowd, his fingers digging in painfully.
"Wahls expects you in ten, reaper. Don't make me into a liar."
This level was where Wahls' apartment was located. It was a simple flat tucked into the wall on the second story. He had a far larger living space in the upper levels but Wahls had told Xen that he preferred to spend most of his time down below. Something about the air being easier to breathe. Despite not trusting him she appreciated that about him. It showed he was different.
Xen hissed in reply and pulled herself out of Toombs' grasp, yellow eyes alight. She gave him a scathing look before allowing herself to be swallowed by the mass of people. Guy was on a goddamn power trip from being Wahl's lapdog and Xen was sick of it. As she joined the flow of warm bodies she fantasized about various ways to kill him, or at least seriously injure. The thoughts brought a smile to her face and she relished the day she returned to power. It didn't last long before the fantasy dissolved through a jaw-cracking yawn.
Prisoner shifts worked in ever-changing cycles that kept them tired and disordered. Xen had been working nights for two weeks straight but was then switched with a day's notice onto early mornings, a complete turnaround of hours. Still, Riddick and Xen had been finding just enough time during shift switches to secretly get a few words in together, mostly to try and plan a way out. It had to be in a different place every time; Toombs wasn't Wahls' only lapdog and as kind as he was he kept a sharp eye on his prisoners and they couldn't risk developing any kind of pattern. Toombs was probably just bluffing when he said that the Captain knew. He had to have been.
Choosing to ignore the headaches that came with barely any sleep, Xen knew she had precious time before her meeting with the Captain and she had to use it wisely. The place was absolutely bursting with people forming traffic lines and intersections. At the moment she was shouldered between a sweaty man talking loudly into an earpiece and an elderly woman carrying a crate of sparking equipment. Looking like small metal tennis balls, they were giving off sharp trills and emitting small clouds of gritty smoke every so often. They gave Xen an idea.
"Bad roombas?" She offered, speaking loudly over the din.
The old lady gave a barking laugh.
"They're pipe inspectors. Roll 'em in there and they can tell you anything you need to know on the inside. These got wet and were dropped on a live wire, poor bastards. Off to the compressors they are."
They seemed to spark and chirp in response.
"Do you mind if I take one?" Xen asked.
The woman looked at her and raised an eyebrow.
"You're not the first to want them - someone just took an entire crate off my hands not ten minutes ago. I can't understand it, they're useless things, completely non-functional. Not that I minded really, these old hands aren't what they used to be and my back is stiff as a board -"
Cutting through the old woman's babble, Xen eagerly grabbed two from her and tucked them into her toolbox. Seeing an opening in the crowd, she moved towards it.
"Thanks very much!"
"Makes my load lighter," the woman shrugged as Xen left, "but they'll explode if you drop 'em, so just be careful!"
XXX
The crowd finally thinned out when it reached the end of the section.
Xen was now in one of the loading docks, a separate area just off from the main cargo bay where the trading portals were located. Another massive section, it was the main area for cargo delivery and boasted a row of huge hydraulic doors that lined the right wall. These were literally doors to other worlds, perfect for trading illegal materials and smuggling equipment. Over twenty feet high and just as wide, they could be opened to anywhere like some kind of intergalactic face-time call, except these calls could send and receive cargo as well.
All were open and different environments could be seen through each transparent shimmering forcefield. One showed the inside of a small star-jumper where only a couple of boxes were being unloaded, watched over by its burly captain with a narrow eye. Another showed a luscious valley with a soaring blue sky into which workers were loading crates the size of small boulders. A quaint village could just be seen nestled in the hills beyond, soaked in sunlight. Another door simply showed blackness. Workers weren't filing in and out of this one but were instead hucking crates inside where they disappeared as if down a well.
One might think these doorways apt methods of escape – but they would be wrong. Whereas one had relative safety within the walls of The Longshot reinforced by rules and worker regulations, the worlds beyond these portals were less forgiving. Many times they led to other ships, ships that usually did not take well to outsiders or carry-ons. If a worker decided to commit mutiny and try his luck with one of those he was risking actual imprisonment, torture, or death. Most of the time it was death. Pirates didn't deal well with mutineers of any kind.
If a worker thought that perhaps another planet would be better than a smuggling ship they would be hunted down by Wahls' thugs before they could run fifty feet through a portal. That pretty valley was as good as nonexistent.
Xen, having long ago abandoned the idea of escape through the portals, quickly and quietly made her way to the far end of the area where some cargo was being piled by the wall. Secrecy and swiftness was key. She knew they only had moments to speak before their absence was realized; this ship ran a tight schedule.
She found an obliging crate that was well-hidden from the open area and folded her knees to her chest. Out of her shorts' pocket she pulled the scrap piece of paper that Riddick had pressed into her hand two days ago. He had left it with a wink and the unspoken promise that they would meet again soon, and it had been burning a hole in that pocket for those two days. She had read and reread what was scribbled on it countless times. He had surprisingly elegant handwriting.
Bad weather in a couple days.
What else could he be referring to but a cargo portal? He had been stationed there since they were captured and had spent two long months loading and unloading goods from every gritty corner this galaxy had to offer. The only weather anyone experienced aboard The Longshot was through those portals, and what amazing weather it could be. Riddick told Xen he once witnessed the transportation of goods to a world where lightning fell from the sky like rain and another where perpetual tornadoes twisted slowly and harmlessly as they made their way along the countryside. She could only imagine what bad weather might mean.
As if on cue, a deafening crack sounded.
Xen whipped her head around just in time to see one of the far portals explode. Flames burst from the archway, crackling loudly as they licked their way up the sides of the portal, giving off greasy smoke. Workers who had been retrieving goods from within were thrown backwards as if yanked by puppet strings, landing with surprised 'oomphs!" a dozen feet back. Thick black fumes followed in waves.
Alarm raced through Xen's system at the chaos that was quickly ensuing – workers were scattering and stumbling over abandoned cargo crates in their attempt to get away from the conflagration. It was quickly replaced with realization. This had to be what Riddick was talking about.
Abandoning her attempt at anonymity she leapt from the crate. He had to be here. Looking around wildly she only saw workers fleeing everywhere, shouting, with the fire still poured from the portal. Where was he? Six foot tall, made of muscle, well-goggled - the man was hard to miss.
Distracted for a moment by another burst of flame, she didn't notice the large figure approaching until it was too late. One of the workers, a particularly ugly grunt, grabbed her roughly by the neck and slammed her into the wall.
Exquisite pain exploded in the back of her head and she gave a gasp of shock. Nauseating dizziness accompanied it and rolled down her body in a sickening wave. She scrabbled weakly at the hand that gripped her. Her lack of energy was proving to be a severe disability; she would have been able to fight him off with no difficulty if she had been at full capacity.
"Tell me what you did and maybe I'll let you live," he sneered, cruel beady eyes alight. "You should have been running and not admiring your handiwork, scum."
His face was rough and weathered and his breath was putrid. Obviously he thought she had somehow caused the explosion. His dirty fingers were digging painfully into her neck and his odor was making her gag. She didn't have time for this - Riddick was waiting somewhere and this idiot had her pinned against the wall like a damn butterfly on display.
She had just begun to choke when there was a sudden flash of steel and a spurt of warm blood dashed across her face. The grunt staggered backwards screaming, clutching an arm that bore a wide gash down to the bone. The smell was thick and tangy.
Riddick caught Xen before she slid down the wall.
"The amount of times I've saved your ass, girlie, you owe me one."
She could have kissed him.