Author's Notes: Sorry for the long wait. The past few years have thrown unexpected challenges my way, making it tough to stick to a consistent schedule and find the inspiration to continue my stories.

Interestingly, I had actually written half of this chapter a while back, but never got around to posting it. Although I can't promise regular updates, I'm determined to eventually finish this.

Chapter 10

Power Cells

It didn't take much convincing for the others to agree and make the outpost their new base. I started packing after checking up on Owens and making sure the jug of water was within his reach. I also refilled my water bottle and found a metal mug among the clutter in the ship. Owens could use it without having to drink directly from the water jug. There wasn't anything more I could do for him or in the Nav Bay, so I went looking for a new shirt to changed into.

I found a long-sleeve olive shirt at the bottom of a random container. I quickly washed up and burst into a flash of heat energy to dry off. It was so quick that not even my wristwatch registered the change. It was also hot enough to kill any possible bacteria on my skin and clothes. However, the shirt I changed into belonged to someone who was much taller and with particularly large shoulders, but I made do by tying the end into a knot and rolling up the sleeves.

I checked on Owens one last time before standing at the entrance of the ship for a few minutes. I watched as everyone went about their business with military precision, packing oxygen units, liquor, umbrellas, weapons, canned delicacies, the Koran, and whatever qualified as essential. I headed to the ship's battery bay and I found Imam already there with Fry. They had pushed most of the debris aside to clear a path for the power cells. They were currently struggling to remove one of the power cells from its container.

"Need any help with that?" I asked, stifling an amused smile at them.

They stopped to looked at me. Sweat covered their foreheads, and their cheeks were flushed with exertion.

"Yes, that would be greatly appreciated," Imam relaxed, panting lightly and letting go of the power cell.

Fry did the same and took a couple of hits from her respirator. "I think this one is jammed," she said once she caught her breath. "The debris must've smacked into it. Thought we could force it, but...well, you could see for yourself."

They both stepped back, giving me space to inspect it. I pushed the power cell and rotated it into the unlock position, but it wouldn't turn all the way. While keeping it steady, I ran my fingers along the casing and identified the problem.

"There's a minor misalignment between the shaft and bearing housing," I said, as I looked around for something that could fit between the narrow space. "It's an easy fix, but I'll need to find something small and shaped like a flat-head screwdriver to stick in there, to pop out the dent that's causing it."

"There are some tools in the utility locker that could work," Fry sighed, wiping the sweat from her face with a rag from her pocket. "I'll go check."

She left, and Imam leaned against the wall, wiping the dust from his spectacles with a handkerchief. I straighten up and nudged away a loose dead bolt with my shoe. If Fry and Imam weren't here, I would've pried the power cell out by now with a piece of debris. I exhaled and checked the condition of the other cells. I felt relieved to see that they were all fine.

Hassan entered, holding up a flat-head screwdriver and waving it in the air. He said something about it that I didn't quite catch. I turned to look at Imam. He just shook his head and gave Hassan an amused smile. I plucked it out of his hand with a quick thank you in Arabic.

I carefully stick it into the thin gap, straightening out the metal and testing the power cells' rotation each time. From the corner of my eyes, I can see Hassan exchanging a couple of words with Imam before leaving.

"It seems Johns has some concerns regarding our decision to bring the power cells with us," Imam said, carefully folding his handkerchief back into his pocket. "This is why Miss Fry has sent Hassan to us to deliver the tool."

I nodded, not surprised at the news. "He'll want us to split them up, making it another obstacle for Riddick. If given the chance, I'm sure he'll swoop in as soon as we're all set to go, and we'll be in trouble."

Imam hmm'ed in response.

"Are you not worry?" I asked, pocketing the flat-head screwdriver.

"Allah is with us," he said, unequivocally.

"Of course," I remarked, playfully. "I'm not sure why I'd expected another response."

Imam chuckled lightly and smiled.

"Well, I'm done," I said, patting the fixed power cell. "Could you give me a hand with this?

He rose from his position and helped me pull the power cell from its container. I carried most of the burden, but pretended to still struggle with it by adjusting my grip on it. After all, for a normal person, the cell's lead exterior made it extremely heavy. It should've felt like I was carrying a full beer keg, but instead it felt more like it was an empty one. I don't think I did a good job of distributing the weight, because Imam kept throwing me glances as we slide it out and placed it onto the floor.

At that moment, Fry returned and looked relieved to see that we made progress with the power cell. "I've got the sled ready outside."

"What did Johns have to say?" I asked, nudging Imam's attention back to help me as I tipped the power cell onto its side. It would be easier to rolled it out onto the sled instead of carrying it.

She scowled at the mention of his name. "Because of Riddick, we'll need to be extra careful. He wanted us to take only one, but I've convinced him that it was a better idea to take two in the first trip."

"How many will be needed?" Imam inquired.

"Five," I guessed, getting the second power cell ready by twisting it to the unlock position. "Hmm, base on the skiff's model, one should be enough to power the lights and run a systems check, but we'll need more to take off."

Fry nodded. "That's what I thought, too. We've also got supplies and two injured people to haul as well. We obviously won't be able to carry all of that in one go, but we can try to get the bulk of it out of the way."

"Was anything else decided without our input?" I huffed in annoyance and began to roll the power cell across the floor. Imam quickly assisted me and Fry held onto the sled to keep it from sliding backwards.

She nonchalantly shrugged. "I don't think Johns is gonna leave Riddick behind."

"Oh, of course not," I said, rolling my eyes. "He's not gonna leave an extremely dangerous criminal unsupervised. He'll probably make use of him then, but that comes with its own risks."

"If Johns believes he can control Mr. Riddick, we must trust in his judgment," Imam remarked. "He has not given us a reason not to. Our survival rests on the bonds we forge together; it's through unity that we'll discover a path forward."

"I haven't seen much to convince me he's got a leash on that guy," I retorted, pursing my lips. "I get the feeling that we'll eventually get caught in the middle of their cat-and-mouse game."

Fry glanced at the sled, a brief, determined nod accompanying her words. "Guess we'll find out. Right now, though, there's a load of work waiting for us."

With her assistance, Imam and I successfully secured the remaining power cells for the skiff onto the sled, which we then maneuvered outside. I watched as Jack worked with Paris in transporting a small chest filled with food and whiskey. Shazza remained by Zeke's side, but Johns was notably absent.

Seizing the moment, Fry briefed everyone on our plan. At first, it was decided that in the first trip we'll take Zeke and two of the power cells. I volunteer to stay behind with Owens, but Shazza mention that something could go wrong during the trip and would rather have me there. Surprisingly, Paris contributed a helpful suggestion: crafting a makeshift sled from a section of the ship debris to transport Owens. This solution ensured that no one would have to be left behind.

While Imam checked on Owens, Fry and I wasted no time in constructing a makeshift sled. Fry was very helpful, as she knew enough to get me the precise tools and parts I needed.

The young ones would often wander over in curiosity to observe my work, especially when I ignited the blowtorch to fuse metal parts together. They were fascinated by the sparks.

I had to remind them several times not to get too close, emphasizing the danger involved and stressing the importance of wearing proper safety equipment when using such a tool. I did not want them to get any ideas of playing with it once I was done. But it appeared that my warnings went unheeded.

Suleiman attempted to help, but it became apparent he lacked the right words to explain. He had to go get Imam for them to listen. Fry noted my patience with the kids, mentioning that many others would've been annoyed by that point. I explained that their behavior was just fueled by curiosity and boredom, neither of which warranted getting upset about.

Considering their restless energy, I thought about crafting a toy for them using the available scraps. This would not only keep them occupied, but also ensure they stayed out of everyone's way. Initially, the idea of a slingshot crossed my mind, but I promptly dismissed it. The risk of someone getting hurt, possibly even themselves, was too great. Instead, I settled on a couple of spinning tops or even paddle balls—a safer alternative that would provide them with hours of enjoyment without the potential hazards.

However, that had to be saved for later. Getting the sled finished took priority, and the sooner we finished, the better off we'd all be. Having more hands to help would have sped up the work, but everyone was busy with their own tasks. Johns still hadn't return. I wasn't sure what he was doing, but I sensed him hanging around Riddick. I hope he wasn't antagonizing him; we already have enough to deal with.