I'm so happy that you guys likes the dress I picked for River! Big shout outs to NightStar28, chacra, , hideher, Rachet, serenitie1, Chibiboku, and hellsmile89 for your recent reviews =) I hope you guys like this chapter as much as the first parts of Shindig. As always, I own nothing, so don't sue the poor grad student please.
Chapter 26 Nothing at All,…I'm not Okay, and Love the Way you Lie Pt I
XXX
Riddick's POV
I'm finishing a set of dead lifts when Jayne walks in. "Here." He says as he hands me a bottle of something. It reeks of engine oil and something sweeter.
"What's this?" I say.
"Kaylee's inter-engine wine, smells bad but it tastes pretty damn good," He says as I take a swig. "It'll also get you fucked up pretty good when you need it to."
I laugh a little at his comment. "Who says I'm not already fucked up?"
"Never doubted that…you're on Serenity after all." He says as he takes the bottle and a swig of the alcohol.
XXX
After a good thirty minutes of heavy drinking both Jayne and Riddick are on their way to drunk, sitting in the cargo bay like a bunch of drunken frat boys, and discussing random little things they had picked up over the years…
"The human body…can be drained of blood in 8 seconds…given adequate vacuuming systems." Riddick says as he takes another swig.
"I take it you know (hiccup)…from personal (hiccup)…experience?" Jayne asks.
Riddick chuckles. "Something like that."
"I once hit a (hiccup) guy in the neck from (hiccup) 500 yards with a bent (hiccup) scope."
"Did you know if you mix equal parts of gasoline and frozen orange juice concentrate you can make napalm?" Riddick says with a devilish smile.
"No, I didn't (hiccup) know that…that (hiccup) true?"
"That's right... One could make all kinds of explosives, using simple household items." Riddick says.
"Really...?" Jayne says wide eyed like a child on Christmas day.
"If one were so inclined."
That's when they hear a pounding on the cargo bay doors. "What the hell?" Jayne says.
He opens the door and Badger walks in, holding a now bent crescent wrench from trying to force the door open.
"Your captain's gone and caused some trouble."
XXX
Riddick's POV
Jayne and I began to sober up real quick after hearing what Badger had to say. We called Zoe and Wash to the cargo bay, and Badger told us of how the girl had gone and got herself in a duel because the gorram idiot Captain.
"You got to be fuckin with me." I say as I reflexively tighten my hands into fists, girl just likes to find herself in all kinds of trouble.
"All right, so we just need to figure out how to get them out of there." Wash says more calmly than I would have expected from him.
"Do you know what lodging they're in?" Zoe asks.
Badger chuckles a little now. "This is embarrassing. Some of you seem to be misapprehending my purpose in being here."
Oh that shifty fucker. "You're here to make sure that we don't do what we're keen on doing." I say, growing more and more irritated.
"Penny for the smart man. Persephone's my home. I got to do business with the people here. I don't want it known I brought someone in caused this kind of ruckus. We'll just settle in, till this blows over, one way or the other."
"What's to keep me from gutting you right now? After all, you are in my way from doing what I want."
"Oh, I wouldn't." Badger says with a sly grin.
Jayne looks ready to beat this fucker down just as much as I do. "Why not?" He asks.
He snaps his fingers and in walks several of Badger's thugs with Kaylee and Book. They are both still dressed for the party, and share twin looks of unhappiness.
"Hi." She says flatly as a man cocks his gun behind her.
Gorramit this is just one of those days…and I'm beginning to think it's the only kind of day on Serenity.
XXX
River, Mal, and Inara had been shown to their accommodations by three rather burly looking men earlier. Inara had refused to accompany Atherton and had therefore been shown to the same room as Mal and River.
While Mal had initially tried to make light of the situation it quickly grew on Inara and River's nerves and they had both told him to shut his mouth. River had decided it was best to get some sleep before tomorrow and fallen asleep on the bed some time ago.
"Do you think she'll be alright?" Inara asks Mal while motioning to the sleeping girl on the bed.
Mal just shakes his head a little and smiles. "Well she is a government trained assassin; I think she'll probably give ol'Ath quite a run for his money. Who knows she might even improve his looks some making him all corpsified."
"Oh Mal, how can you joke around at a time like this." She says with mild indignation.
"What? You don't think she'll win?" He says turning towards her.
"I don't know. I'm just worried." She says while looking down at her hands.
A minute or two passes before she speaks again. "I am grateful, you know, for the ill-conceived and high-handed attempt to defend my honor."
"I think Bit there kinda stopped me before I could do any of that."
"Still, you would have."
"Gracious as that is, looking back, I probably should have stayed out of your world." He says a little dejectedly.
"My world? If it is that..." She says with a little chuckle. She turns and looks at him square in the eye now. "I wasn't going to stay, you know."
He brightens a little when he hears this. "Oh yeah? Why is that?"
She shakes her head a little as if thinking of all the reasons. "Oh, someone needs to keep Kaylee out of trouble. And all my things are there." But she takes on a more serious note for her next comment. "Mal, what did she mean when she said you weren't a lie?"
He stiffens a little; he was hoping she wouldn't ask about that bit. He sighs and looks away from her. "What do you think she meant 'Nara."
XXX
…Back on Serenity…
The crew is gathered playing cards in the cargo bay, and whispering conspiratorially. Badger and his henchman are standing about, mostly doing nothing but looking vaguely threatening. Badger is busy slicing up and eating an apple.
"He said not to do anything. They'll join us after she wins the duel." Kaylee says trying to dissuade Jayne, Riddick, and surprisingly Zoe from the plan they are concocting.
"It doesn't hurt to have a contingency plan, Kaylee." Zoe says.
"This is River we are talking about though, not the Captain." Book says as he tries to reason with them, but neither Jayne or Riddick seem willing to listen.
"What we need's a diversion…I say Zoe gets nekkid." Jayne says with a lecherous grin.
Wash who is sitting on the floor with his head on knees answers first. "Not happening."
Jayne tries to rebuttal. "I could get nekkid."
Everyone quickly answers in unison. "No!"
XXX
…Reality shifts…
…Let the whole world fall away
And fall into my arms
Stay with me…
The words float through her mind. They aren't hers…but that doesn't make them any less true.
"When I was still a little child, I admired the hardened convict on whom the prison door will always close; I saw with his eyes the blue sky and the flower-filled work of the fields; I followed his fatal scent. He had more strength than the saints, more sense than any explorer - and he, he alone! was witness to his glory and his rightness."
…I don't know how long we've got left
And so I'm asking you
To forgive me
I learn as I go…
His memories play in her head like an old earth-that-was movie reel. The bloodshed, the anger, the pain…and the pleasure.
…To float far away
Into silence
And just watch your face
And find some kind of grace
In that quite bliss…
Now she stands with him. She doesn't know where they are, she just knows that the men fighting in front of them are standing in their way.
"River?" He asks her. "Remember that favorite game of yours?"
She turns to him now and smiles darkly. "Who's the better killer?"
…Will you walk into the grave with me
Will you leave this empty world
Soft and wistful
To sink into the dark, dank earth
And never reappear would be blissful…
"Let's play."
…Reality shifts again…
XXX
"Mal…" Inara says as she moves a hand to his shoulder. He quickly gets up and moves to stand near the window though.
"It's not easy…you know that right?" He asks her, still facing the window and his back to her.
She gets up and moves to stand near him. Tentatively she places her hand back on his shoulder. He turns to face her now.
"I got no solid answers for you, Inara. I got no rudder. Wind blows northerly, I go north. That's who I am. But you…" He says as he looks at her and moves a hand to cup her cheek. "You fog things up. You always have…you spin me about."
She places her hand over his but then slowly backs away. "I…I need time…to think about what you're saying Mal."
He simply nods his head and lets her turn and walk back over to the couch they were sitting on earlier. He just turns back around and looks out the window at the sun peaking up over the horizon line.
XXX
…Back on Serenity…
Riddick's POV
I should probaly slip these chains and open up a few arteries, Badger and his men would be easy pickings…but then I would have to deal with Mal, and that would just tip the girl off to what's coming…
It's time to take a different approach with the girl… Let's see how she deals with me when the chains come off…I am for damn sure getting some answers out of her.
So I'll just sit here…all back of the bus now…waiting.
XXX
…Cadrie Pond at Dawn…
River's POV
Atherton had made sure she was provided more suitable fencing attire, and she wore a white button up, a pair of trousers, and black boots. As the porter came around with a selection of blades Captain Daddy moved closer to her to whisper in her ear.
"You don't have to do this Bit," he says to her in a low hushed voice.
She gives him her signature stare before she picks up one of the lighter blades.
"Let Harrow fight! He's your second after all."
She smiles a little now. "And spoil the deal with him?"
"No deal is worth you dyin' on me. Besides…I don't want to explain to your boyfriend how you got all corpisfied."
"She will make sure to tell Riddick you called him that." The girl says as she walks towards where Atherton, the porter, Harrow, and Atherton's second are now standing.
"Last chance to bow out." Harrow says as she approaches, but she simply shakes her head in the negative.
"If you would both go to your respective marks then." The porter announces as he and the seconds step back.
She can feel them all looking at her...watching…waiting…it's time for her to put on a show. Well if it's a show they want…it's a show they'll get…
…Well if you wanted honesty that's all you had to say…
"On guard." She says as she raises her sabre.
Atherton is the first to advance. She easily dodges him by stepping to the side and parrying.
…I never want to let you down or have you go
it's better off this way…
He attempts another attack, using a lunge to close the distance between them, but again she sidesteps and parries.
"Is it just me or is she toying with him?" She hears Mal ask behind her.
…For all the dirty looks, for photographs your boyfriend took.
Remember when you broke your foot from jumping out the second floor?
I'm not okay. I'm not, okay. I'm not okay, you wear me out…
"What's the matter Atherton? Not as easy as you imagined?" She says taunting him.
Her remark gets the desired effect and he rushes her wildly, she executes a Passata-sotto by dropping a hand to the floor and lowering her body under the Atherton's oncoming blade.
…What will it take to show you that it's not the life it seems?…
"Where exactly did your niece learn to fence?" Harrow asks Mal.
"Boarding school." Mal replies without taking his eyes off of her.
…For the last time, take a good hard look…
Now she begins to attack Atherton. She feints, then doubles, and then finishes with a lunge. The blade slashes Atherton's upper arm and he howls in pain and his eyes scream bloody murder.
...Forget about the dirty looks, the photographs your boyfriend took.
You said you read me like a book, well the pages all are torn and frayed out…
Atherton runs at her, blade pointed straight at her, but she just stands there.
"MOVE RIVER!" Inara screams from the sidelines.
…But you really didn't listen to me because I'm telling you the truth,
I mean this I'm okay- trust me.
At the last second the girl spins and stabs Atherton in the abdomen. The blade pierces his flesh and protrudes out the other side.
…I'm not okay. I'm not okay…
She comes in close to Atherton's face now, even though he stands a good few inches taller than her he is slowly but surely falling to the ground.
"…the little cho yade…"
She smiles. "Oh yes,' he thinks, 'Women. With their subversive sexual tactics have no place in this game…It is no accident that the queen is the deadliest of pieces; the manly pawn: the weakest." She says as she pulls the blade from his abdomen and he falls to the floor.
…Well, I'm not okay, I'm not o' fucking kay.
I'm not okay. I'm not okay (okay)…
She hears people rush up behind her, feels Mal and Inara place their arms around her, but she refuses to look away from Atherton.
"He's down. You have to finish it. For a man to lie beaten, and yet breathing? It makes him a coward." Harrow says to her.
"It's humiliation." Inara says.
"Hell I say let him live and bleed Bit." Mal says which earns him a sharp look from Inara.
"Let him bleed, maybe he'll learn something from it." She says as she turns away from him, Mal, Inara, and Harrow following her.
"Inara. Inara!" Atherton says calling after them. "You set this up, whore. After I bought and paid for you. I should have uglied you up so much no one else'd want you. Well get ready to starve. I'll see that you never work again." He says from the ground while spitting out blood.
The painted flower turns now, and once again the girl catches something familiar in the way she looks at the fallen man…it's something deadly. "Actually, that's not how it works. You see, you've earned yourself a black mark in the client registry. No Companion is ever going to contract with you, ever again."
Harrow casts one last look of contempt at the young man at his feet. "You'll have to rely on your winning personality to get women. God help you."
XXX
As Inara walks with an arm around River back towards her shuttle Harrow pulls the Captain back slightly.
"You have quite an incredible niece there Captain Reynolds."
Mal looks at the two women walking in front of him and smiles. "Yeah she sure is something huh."
"You would have done anything to convince her to walk away from the duel wouldn't you?" The older man asks.
"I would've, but hell, you saw her, stubborn as a mule that one." Mal says with a chuckle.
"Well if you're willing to protect my property with that same stubborn quality…I'll have it in your hold before midnight." He says as he extends a hand for Mal to shake.
Mal shakes hands with Harrow, smiles and laughs, and Harrow walks off.
Mal runs a bit to catch up to River and Inara and throws an arm around each of them. "Mighty fine shindig."
XXX
As Inara finishes docking her shuttle back on Serenity Mal is the first to exit the shuttle. He is greeted by the sight of his entire crew half asleep on boxes in the cargo bay, and Badger and his henchman milling about.
"Did you ever see such a lazy crew." He says in a booming voice that wakes everyone up from their half asleep state.
"Captain!" Kaylee says with a smile plastered to her face. She runs up and gives him a huge hug as he reaches the bottom of the stairs. Inara and River are not far behind him.
"You get us a deal then?" Badger says as he moves toward Mal.
"I got a deal. Now get off my ship." He says while walking over to where the rest of his crew sits.
"Ta very much for a lovely night, then." Badger whistles and motions to his gang, and they leave Serenity.
"We was just about to spring into action, Captain. Complicated escape and rescue op." Jayne says as he gets up.
Wash holds up his hand. "I was going to watch. It was very exciting."
As River draws closer to the group Riddick stalks over to her and whispers in her ear. "You and I need to have a talk…dong ma?" And he turns and storms out of the cargo bay, heavy footsteps echoing in his wake.
"Out of the frying pan and into the fire." River says with mild frustration.
"Want me to talk to him Bit?" Mal asks with fatherly concern.
"No, she can handle this." She says as she leaves.
XXX
River's POV
She sighs…she doesn't need to follow his music to understand where he is going…their bunk. The hatch slams shut in front of her and she opens it and drops into the dark room.
She feels his hands wrap around her throat and push her up against the ladder…She wasn't expecting this…and music floods her mind…
…Just gonna stand there and watch me burn
But that's alright because I like the way it hurts…
He's putting more and more pressure around her throat now, and she brings her hands up in attempt to loosen his grip.
"So tell me…why shouldn't I squeeze the life out of you right now…hmm?"
She brings her elbow down hard on one of his arms now and his grip loosens enough for her twist out of his grasp. She quickly grabs one of his knives from on top of the dresser and turns back towards him.
…Just gonna stand there and hear me cry
But that's alright because I love the way you lie…
She manages to draw the blade across his upper arm before he picks her up again and slams her against the other wall. This time he doesn't move to choke her though…the blade pressed against your esophagus is a decent deterrent.
…I love the way you lie…
"Why?"
"Why, what River?"
"Why…are you doing this?" She says as she presses the blade a little harder against his skin.
"I can only tell you what it feels like, and right now it's a steel knife in my windpipe." His gravelly voice rasps out.
… I can't breathe but I still fight while I can fight
As long as the wrong feels right it's like I'm in flight
High off of love, drunk from my hate,
It's like I'm huffing paint and I love it the more I suffer, I suffocate…
"That's not an answer." She says. She can see a tiny drop of blood begin to pool around the blade now.
"It's better than the go se you usually give me." He quickly moves a hand to hers and she allows him to wrench the blade from her grasp. He throws it against the other wall and she hears it clatter to the floor. His other hand has tangled itself in her hair and holds her directly in front of him.
"You once told me you had answers…I want them…NOW." He barks out.
…You ever love somebody so much you can barely breathe
When you're with 'em
You meet and neither one of you even know what hit 'em…
She cannot help but want to taunt him…the petulant little child and his temper tantrum. "Be more specific." She says.
"Don't give me that crap…you know what I mean."
…But your temper's just as bad as mine is
You're the same as me…
A minute or two goes by before she answers him. "Not until you tell the girl what you really feel." She challenges.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" He asks skeptically.
"Admit to her what you fear saying out loud...she can see it in your mind…she sees it when she looks through your eyes. Everyone else sees it too…"
…But that's alright because I love the way you lie
I love the way you lie…
He growls into her face. "You're a good fuck…nothing else."
"Liar, liar. She can light your pants on fire if you wish?"
"Fuck you River!"
"You have and you enjoy it every time."
He slams her into the wall again and his hands tighten around her arms. "You don't know who the fuck your dealing with little girl."
XXX
AN: Ouch, River and Riddick are going to have some serious bruises after this one. Don't worry there will be some resolution of the whole Riddick wants to kill River thing. Hope you all enjoyed the end of Shindig…till next time ;)