She would like to avoid sand for as long as she could. This was something River thought on as she lay half awake in the Beast's den. Sleeping silent until she awoke, then his mind was alert, waiting and ready before settling into a calm state. Wasn't until she turned to face his chest that he calmed down once more. Weapons had been located, reaction plans figured; didn't need them yet. Was just thinking about things he didn't want to deal with. Wasn't thinking on them, contrary to the his thoughts.

Merely thinking on something other than sand. Would need to repack if she left for someplace cold. Would need to repack either way. Didn't know what lay in the Sidhe system, planned only to stay on New Mecca until she'd got enough coin to move on. So much to learn and study. So much. Company ruled everything here, but not under one banner. Separate systems and governments, their own laws but not a one without the law of The Company. Made it difficult no doubt.

"Wanna share what goin' through that brain of yours?"

River looked over at Riddick and shrugged. "Making lists of things to research to hide more effectively." He looked at her with a brow raised. "Have already read what is going through the ship's minds. Will seek prey of make predators out of those who would join them. Know his growls for what he is, no use to be a devil when they hunt for Beasts."

"Voice analyzers?" Not sure if he got it and worried that he did. Slight resignation when she gave him a look. "I don't fuckin' know what you're talking about half the time."

"Honest, she must give him that." River sat up and gave a delicate sniff to the air. The filtering system had taken care of enough, but there would be the lingering scent of her skin. The smell of his hands and his mouth invading her mind until she shook it from her head. "Must focus. He may find it amusing, but it will give away more than we'd like. If Shazza and Jack can smell sex on us, then certainly the mercs can as well."

"Not very scared of them, are you?" He was still laying back on the bed, arm cushioning his head as he watched her. "Been hunted, I know, seen you go huntress on em, but you're just not scared of them, are you?"

"She is more scared of where they would take her. Would take him too, if they could." River lay across his chest, smiling as his hand rose to twine in her hair. "She...I must try very hard to keep my mind clear for this. I'm not sure if they have records on me."

He was thinking things over too. Thinking on the model, figuring out where the docking bays would be and how easily they could nab a ship and take off. Wouldn't leave those he'd been bound to by experience and by words. Important to him for reasons she would never know, the book was broken and God was cruel.

"Maybe have to go back to how we were." Riddick's voice made her cheek vibrate against his skin. "Big bad chasing around little girls. Old enough to pass Ali off as your son, only barely, but enough."

"Would be better for Shazza and Imam to claim him as their own. Skin tones imply much, his affection would be more obvious if sh-I, took him for mine."

"One big happy family," Riddick offered. "Your sister got married, took you and Jack off your drunk daddy's hands and now you watch your brothers. Except he's actually yours, just doesn't know it."

"Da shion la se la ch'wohn tian! Forgetting the stone pilot," she gasped. She tried to sit up, but his hands were deep into her hair and she was kept against his skin until they untangled. Didn't go far, took her place and held his face with her hands. "She will destroy everything. Can't keep it quiet, won't, can't kill her either. Won't work."

"I'm regretting putting her on the skiff."

Minds flipping over and through to figure out how to calm her down or get her to cooperate with them. Too likely to start hunting them if they left her there, couldn't kill her for being stupid though. Did she know where they would go? Would she hunt to find them? No, maybe not.

"Calm down," the beast spoke beneath her. "Gettin' agitated, makin' my nose itch."

"Sorry," she shook her head. Shook pieces into place and pulled hints of an accent into her voice. Easier to copy than to make herself focus her mind. "Never had much luck on my side of things."

His eyes narrowed slightly and he wondered if she could make it higher pitched, could she fool a voice modulator with her talent.

"Never tried," She shrugged casually. Took on the accent Shazza had left behind "Never had to try. Suppose I could trick 'em for a bit, but Frye'd tell them the truth as soon as we got out."

"I don't like it," His lips twitched. Didn't like the voice. Went against how he knew her without scent or sight. Didn't like the fact that it was useless now either. Another time they mighta been able to keep quiet, but with the little bird singing in the back.

"If you respond, they'll know who you are, and come with a full security force. I'll respond to their hails, I'm smaller. Better known for her abilities to blow something up and rudimentary actions."

"My." He was correcting her speech patterns.

"My reputation is idealistic, rebellious." She leaned forward until their noses touched. "Safer for them all."

"Puttin' your neck out for me aint' exactly genius Riv."

"But it is crazy," she kissed him quickly. "Air is nearly cleaned, will have to tell the others within the next hour...Frye is running her gorram mouth."

He chuckled beneath her and his hands rest on her waist without the need to run them across her skin. Just the need to hold her. Was shifting away from the idea of holding a woman; worried her. She didn't desire to become a happy family on a rock, she could have done that on osiris, ignored the summons and married her father's business partner once she reached her majority. The beast wasn't thinking of dens though, wasn't thinking on dragging her with him or following her, merely holding her. Having a link with humanity, however tenuious it may be.

"Thinkin' much?" he asked her. Had guesses to what might be going through her head.

"Too much," she nodded. "Will focus on what is now and put my clothes back on. Otherwise we will not have the time to plan and share out knowledge with the others."

"We could," he argued. He was watching as she leaned over and pulled her clothes from the edge of the bed. "If we didn't care about the smell."

"Which I do," River rolled her eyes. "Not ashamed of sexuality, Not worried the others would find out, just don't wish to put it on display. I have been on display for enough people in my life. Under the glass like a bug, sticking in pins and dye to see what she does next."

He was still watching her. The Beast didn't think she was on display, this was his alone to watch. Things meant for two meant private. Wasn't judging her or testing, but admiring the curve of her back and the tumble of her curls. All the things he could never have but had tasted for just a second.

"Toss my pants up, will ya?"

River smiled when they hit him in the face. Let her do it, she knew, but the sound he made made her laugh all the same. Made her squeal when he pulled her back towards him, faster than she, and held himself over her. Playful today as they lay naked in the darkness, jumping as fingers made muscles jump and he kept her giggling. The man under the sand was smiling at her and pulling the girl who was further into being. Reminded him that he wasn't all bad, wasn't all beast, wasn't required to watch her ass unless he wanted to.

~!~

"Wondered if you two'd killed each other," Shazza smiled over at them. She was grieving, but she was pushing it down as far as she could. She'd taken that hard ass, wise-cracking, soldier-girl thing to a new level. The kids were still sleeping, sharing a cryo bunk as they recovered from the strain of last night. Imam was praying again, doing the same thing as Shazza even as he gave thanks for the lives that were saved. It was only Frye who looked unhappy with everything. Course, he knew what it was like to be chained up by people you hated.

"What fun would that be?" he asked. "Seems to be a bit of a rumor that we've got something coming our way. Something a bit, unfriendly."

"Something worse than you?" Frye asked. She'd gone a bit sour in her scent since the partition had opened up. Then again, maybe it had been that way since she woke up. "I don't believe it."

"Don't need you to," River hummed as she adjusted her gear. Her blades were being taken from her belt and slid into her boots. Keeping them out of sight and at just the right place they might not be felt if she got frisked. Might be fun to test. "Had they not been advancing, I would have been happy to stay up front until we reached New Mecca. But they come to the call sent out, and we must take what we need from them."

"What kind of unfriendly are we talkin' on?" Shazza asked. "The kind that can give me a bath before they kill me? Or the kind that's likely to just sort of kill me?"

"Mercs," Riddick answered instead. "Might be the stand-up shiny kind, might be the kind who'll slave you out. Bad news for us either way."

"Slightly better news for the rest of us if it's the first kind though," Shazza shrugged. "So how long do we have until they reel us in?"

"Four hours," River hummed. "More or less depending on the patience of their pilots. All slept longer than is usual, but it is for the best to be rested. I must change your bandages now, please and thank you."

She drifted past him, kicking her scent up as she went to sit beside Shazza with her haphazard med kit. Pulled her hair up while they were getting dressed to expose the back of her neck and the ties of her blouse. Riddick decided to head over to Imam. Not a whole lot of room in this ship, so it only took a few steps to get to the holy man.

"Think you can deal with another life changing event?" Riddick asked him.

"I must," Imam answered. "If they are, as you say, shiny mercenaries-" River's voice carried over and corrected it to bounty hunters "-then there is every chance I can escape with the children and miss Shazza. I do not wish to offend you or your...River, especially after all you have done, but I must make sure we survive."

"Not offended at all," Riddick shook his head. "I'd do the same thing. Was thinkin' though, maybe you and Shazza could say you're married. Might keep you together, keep the kids safer than if we just wandered. Course, we got an issue, don't we?"

Frye glared at him and tested her restraints once more. Not a chance in hell they'd give.

"I see," Imam hummed. "Caroline, I do not hold a grudge with you for what happened. We are safe now, and you did make every effort to help us survive." There was the guilt. Priests always had a way of bringing the guilt out of a body. "Perhaps now, you could work with us again."

"Fat chance," Frye scowled. "As soon as they pick us up, I'm signing on."

There was a silence in the skiff. Only the sound of wrinkling paper and bandages being wrapped were heard. The pilot knew that would make her the enemy of a few people on board, but she was doing it for the attention, not the fact.

"Well, that gives me every right to slice you open, doesn't it?"

Riddick stood and the woman on the ground actually flinched a bit. Scent was all wrong though, only kind of scared, bordering on triumphant. Lot of lust getting mixed in too. He moved back towards her and leaned against the wall before his fist shot out.

And connected with the cryo controls.

"Gotta wake the kids up for school," he turned around. Away from Frye and her little head games. "Survival 101."

"You're not putting a gun in their hands," Shazza shook her head. "Or a knife. Are you?"

"Course not," River snorted. "But they do need to wake up and learn what is coming for us."

Riddick leaned back against a wall and watched as the kids woke up. Imam was trying to talk to Frye, to get her to atone or seek absolution, didn't matter in the end. Place he was gave him a real good view of everything. Let him see just how good River was at dealing with kids. He could keep 'em safe, teach 'em how to fight maybe, but reassurance? Emotional comfort? Better off talkin' to a wall. Shazza was slipping a tactical knife into her boot, something older and reeking of blood. That tingle told him it had been through the war. That it hadn't seen the light of day for the last seven years.

Riddick wasn't bothering to hide his shiv, it'd be grabbed off of him anyway. It was the knives he'd grabbed up from the colony that bothered him. Reasonably nice set, needed a bit of sharpening, but not something he wanted to give up just yet. Riddick shook his head. He was starting to get attached to things; He'd be attached to people next.

"You're not as much of a hard ass as you think," Shazza whispered over to him. Quiet enough that most couldn't hear it unless they were paying attention. Riddick merely raised a brow. "Got this whole thing going on, yeah, but you might want to watch those reactions of yours. Too detached from everything, makes it easy to tell when you aren't."

"I'll keep that in mind."

She nodded and leaned back against the wall of the ship. Her eyes drifted shut and the foxhole nap was under way.

~!~

River was unconcerned with the litany of curses and oaths that spilled from her lips as they were pulled in to the merc ship behind them. A whale compared to a clownfish, could have been a luxury cruiser, but it wasn't. Riddick was beside her, trying to manage his part of the skiff's controls while she attempted to break free of their Anti-LS field. Turning off the life support to force their prey into submission. Beastly, wild, didn't bode well for them at all.

She jerked and floated as a grapple punctured the wing of their skiff. Wasn't as large as Riddick and her weight was less since she turned off the grav-generator to conserve power. River pulled herself back to her seat and anchored herself down, using her legs to make a brace between the console and the edge of her seat.

"Critical systems failure in five seconds...four seconds...three seconds..."

"Go hwong tong!" River shouted at the machine. "Tian di wu yowng..."

"Two seconds...one second."

The ship went dark and River scowled at the control panel. Fury was racing through her mind and impatience with those who would dare to hunt her like an animal. Fear was going through everyone else's. Except for the Beast. He was waiting, fingers drumming in front of his face as he still wondered where his could hide his knives and still get access to them later. Priorities. Priorities...waiting on her to give them a read on who or what was coming through the door in a few minutes.

"Unidentified craft, state your purpose and contents."

River followed the voice back, a little more concrete with every repeat of his question. Tall and twisted. Officer of the big shiny merc ship, hid the dirt and darkness of everything under glass. Operative, formerly, not hers but his, and glad to be out in the field doing what her loved. Fighting, causing pain, grinning in the blood for his mistress.

"Unidentified craft, state your purpose and contents."

"Name's Johns." Riddick answered the call after her words hushed through the cabin. "My ship got scrapped on a transport run. The only other survivors from that whole mess are with me. Outside of that, we got nothing."

Doubt.

"Tell me, Mr. Johns, what brings you to this lonely corner of space?"

"I'm a bounty hunter."

Should have told him he was looking for work.

"Then it appears we have something in common."

Calculations and algorithms told the truth of their contents. Didn't hear her voice, only his, only saw his bounty on the screen. Not too high. River looked over at him for a moment and couldn't help the grin on her face. The ship began to move, being reeled in like a fish and still she smiled before giggling.

"Nearly worth more than he is," she laughed. "Four thousand stronger than her."

"For political reasons," Riddick waved it off. He stood from his seat and grabbed up a half empty liquor torch. Ali hurried over to where she sat and climbed up into her lap. Needed comfort and calm, needed the scent of a mated couple to bring his animal mind peace. The torch was set on fire and held up to the fire sensor; impressed the holy man with his cleverness and Shazza was surprised he was actually going to do it.

"No offense, but I don't think that's gonna cut it against whatever it is that's coming for us," Jack spoke up.

"Don't need it to," River pulled a rebreather from the emergency kit by the console. She handed it over to Ali before offering one to Jack. The girl shook her head until Shazza grabbed it and pressed it into her mouth. "Only need to distract them. To bring them here so the rest of the family can flee if they need to."

"Hold your breath," Riddick gave the order. Extinguishing foam began to rain down upon them, filling the space and causing panic for only a moment. Frye had been loosed by the holy man and her panic was perhaps the sharpest of them all. The children could breath, Imam was being careful, and Shazza had given up her gun to keep the idea of helpless damsel up. Wanted to use it, to distract the mercs until they saw her as a threat over Sarge's girl. Wouldn't work though.

The foam filled the skiff completely as the merc's arrived outside of their skiff. A release fo pressure and surprise as one of them touched the amorphous shape that spilled out. Riddick felt the ripple against his skin and shot over to where it had come from like a spider. Alarm, fear, the feel of blood coming into the field of safety. Felt another by her side of things, hid mind beginning to panic and scream when her hand shot out and pulled him in. She gave a quick stab into his spinal cord, severing awareness from life with Riddick's extra shiv. Base weapon doing what it was meant for. Women were all around the edges, waiting with guns aimed.

Had to breath sometime.

One breath. Sent the thought out to everyone in the skiff, hoped it would worked and nearly smiled as they dove and went for it. Attacked by the rage and greed of the mercs. Couldn't take another breath without being at risk. Port, starboard, one-two-three go! Didn't worry about his safety; was his own to maintain and he was very good at it. Focused instead on taking out those who saw her face and knew who she was. Smiled at what she saw in their minds.

Worth twice what the beast had one his head. Not for long, but long enough. Turned her mind to the dance of it, to the motion it would take to free herself and them until they could run to another ship and flee. Not too far to go, could hear it in Ali's mind as he breathed and peeked out to see where they were. Nearly had his head taken off as she took the one of the woman in front of her. Kept to the shiv, to the weapons grabbed off of the mercs, wouldn't show her hand.

"I wasn't expecting this," the man spoke from his pedestal. Junner, dark and twisted with death and blood. "But you certainly know how to make an entrance."

Ignored him. Useless, wouldn't kill them without an order from the mind behind him. Female, worse than Junner. Noblewoman looking for a hobby.

"That's nothin' scarecrow!" Jack popped out from the foam. Only had eyes for the Beast. "He's gonna kick your ass so hard-"

Shazza's mind jerked her back in, scowling and frowning as Junner's mind clicked into place. Would take a hostage; read the reports on Richard Beathan Riddick, knew he had a soft spot for kids. Pushed over to the foam and grabbed her. Not her but Her! Looked young, she knew, soft white gauze and sweet little thing put her as a child in their eyes. Not fair at all until she read the scent his mind had picked up. Nothing overt or obvious, but the primitive side of human minds knew. Barely human.

"I think not," Junner called out as the beast came to rest at his place. "What do you say?"

River could have shot him. Could have pulled her gun and landed a bullet between his eyes without missing a beat for daring to touch her. Showed the hand though. Pistol was hidden behind leather that would not tell. The mind up above was watching still, knowing now why River's warrant gave precautions and labeled her a threat. Not so much of a threat if Junner could claim her; claimed everyone eventually though.

"Call off your lap dog," the Beast called up to her. "Before his trying to impress you gets him killed."

Kept his hand on the merc's throat, letting him suffer for what he did. Didn't know the full truth, but he could smell the crime on the man's skin. Didn't care to watch him, instead watched as a woman in white approached them. Making an entrance of her own, pride chafing to see one younger than herself, affecting the same hues and playing the Beast's game with him. Grabbed her attention as well. Illuminated the girl called River Tam as something a bit more than just a terrorist. Still not on the Beast's level though.

"Am I so Obvious?" The woman asked.

"Call it what you will," River answered for him. "Tell him to stand down, now." The rest of the family was out of danger, could fire upon him without fear of hitting them. No wish to end his life, but the girl would if a favorable answer was not given. If the man's blade did not leave her skull she would share the contents of his. Red was his color, could paint the room with it.

"You'll have to excuse Junner's excitement." The woman in white was increasingly full of herself as she disrobed, less skin to show than the girl, but more provocative and less sweet thing. "It sometimes makes him a touch...quick." Wasting time, showing them power she didn't truly have. The will of the mother over her child. "Though I can't say I blame him. You see, he's just heard so much about you, Riddick."

River spread her mind out and read several mercs coming closer. Running out of time to take care of the man and run.

"Yes, I know your name. Quite a bit more about you, I think." Her attention was on River though her eyes stayed on the Beast. "Of course, there's always surprises."

"Careful," Riddick rumbled out. "You mind find what you're digging for."

"I'm willing to share, of course, but I must ask that you surrender your weapons...before any more of my apparently overpaid associates...come to an untimely end."

Wanted the control she could never have. Gallery owner, waiting for the desperate artist to sell for less than he was worth. Priceless, didn't she know that? OF course she did. Floated along the river for another second and scowled. Too late. Out of time to take care of it now and fast. No way to run and no place unaware of their presence. Told him, let him know that the time for physicality was over for now.

"Mmm, not gonna happen."

So stubborn. Junner squeezed the trigger a hair tighter, fear blooming throughout the cabin as he did so. The other's still in the foam, waiting and watching the world through a filter. Frye concerned for the type of person she would sign on with. The foam was falling apart now, dropping it's load down to the steel grated floor and flaking away into dust. The boy who wasn't and the boy who was theirs resting first, closest to the bottom while the other three followed suit. Waiting, watching, listening for their fate.

"The girl" Riddick began. "Is nothing to me."

Ali was watching with fear greater than on the planet. Beast were beasts, but men were cruel. Faith that she would survive because she had to. Faith in a thing that was lost in time but young eyes meeting her own. Don't worry. Don't look. Don't listen. Would be home soon. Riddick's grip tightened ever so lightly at the actions of Junner; stupid name.

"Then enlighten me," Chillingsworth began. A viper in the grass, waiting for mice and slithering about her treasures. "Why would a stone cold killer such as yourself go to all the trouble of keeping the likes of her alive? Unless of course, you've grown attached."

Watching him, waiting for the answer they wanted and the one they feared.

"Cover story," the Beast rumbled, "nothing more. You shoot her now, and you'll be saving me the trouble."

"Don't fucking listen to him," Frye's mouth opened, spilling bile and destroying the game. "That's his fuckin' wife!"

"Tian fan di fu!" River grumbled out. "Has less sense than a box of hair. Ai chr jze de duh fohn diang gho..."

Junner began to squeeze down on the trigger, mind full of the rage he would face to shoot the Beast's mate. Too much mercy, letting the blonde live amongst human beings. Letting the fool use her to paint the room instead. A single action, a flash of thought and the rifle was sent upwards and away from her head. Triumph and new plans for them all. Gave their hand like they knew she would, but what now, how would they adapt to fit out the door...

"Now just ain't the time," Riddick rumbled out.

"Perhaps not," Chillingsworth smiled wickedly. Would have them both for her private collection and torture each before the other. "Lock them down. We're done here."

~!~

Dumb bitch. Riddick was really starting to rethink saving her silly ass. At least now she was off getting processed and tested by the mercs. Real shiny outfit they had runnin' here, probably nothing too bad. At worst they'd train her to be a decent shot. Thought he'd finished with women's head games, but now there was a third one added in. One knew how to fight, one had a fuckin' army at her disposal, and one did anything to survive. Brilliant.

Now he was being cuffed again. Still dirty, still covered in blood and dried sex, last one wasn't so bad, but it itched and he was getting really annoyed as his day progressed. Never could have a good thing goin' without something to bring it crashing down. He'd been frisked, checked over, watched as a female merc did the same to River. Didn't find anything on her though. Didn't check too carefully either. Either way. The kids were chained together, Jack holding tight to Ali's hand while the other two were tiredly used to this kind of thing. Been off of earth for years and still getting profiled, one for being near them and a browncoat, the other for being a bit darker than the rest.

His final strap was tightened and he couldn't help the grin. River was scowling up a storm as they cuffed her and chained her to his gurney. Cute when she got angry, real cute. Didn't like the chains so much, too many people around for that, and too much of a risk that he'd say something and get choked for it.

She obviously didn't agree with that. Had an idea that she'd rather have him as he was before the memory of last night flickered up. Riddick laughed out loud at that. Maybe the day wasn't going so bad.

"Quiet down," a piggish looking merc called out. Been leering at the women since he saw them, even Jack, especially Jack. The rumor of his 'wife' was floating through though, and now all of them were glancing over at her, wondering if they could even try to get a hold.

"Inside joke." Riddick tapped a finger to his head. This kind of fear and unease was the kind he liked. Right up his alley.

They started ushering them along through a hall, guns pointed at those mostly free to keep them moving. Didn't give River or himself much of a choice, but then, doing so would just result in a lot of dead mercs. Not exactly something he wanted to deal with without a shower first.

"Have you ever seen anything like this before?" Imam asked quietly. He was watching the bodies lining the walls. Kinda like glass coffins, putting everyone on display. River was having an issue or two, mouth drawing tighter and that glassy look fluttering into her face and wooly in her scent. Kept her eyes off of everything except him and he doubted she saw him at all.

"Merc ships?" Riddick asked. "Plenty. Just trying to figure out how it all goes together."

"A plantation operation," River hummed softly. Not quite creepy, but certainly unnerving. "Used to carry colonists, out to the forgotten worlds, far from house to make home. Animals on one side, people on the other. Took it's pay in things that grew in the dirt..."

"Merchant rig's don't usually harvest people," he agreed. More for Imam than anyone. Ali knew what this was. He'd been on one before, as a colonist probably, but he knew every place to hide and how to get them all to safety once the shit hit the fan.

"Captured bounties on one side," Shazza gestured. "Contracted manpower on the other."

"Just add heat." Jack was still holding on to Ali, but she was fascinated now. Kept glancing at him too. Glances all around and a twinge in his nose and in his head. Getting woolier than before and that tingle was fading just a tiny bit.

"Must be a special kind of desperate dick signs on to this," He spoke. The rifle to the face wasn't pleasant, but it served to get River back in reality and the tingle of her mind in his came back and mellowed out. Turned into a soft hum instead and thanks were fluttering around.

"Shut up!" The merc shouted at him. Got a happy feeling from it all.

"You're the exception of course," Riddick sniffed to get the blood in or out. "For you it's life experience."

They were slowing down now. More scents coming in, exactly four, two female, two male. One of the women had a thing for the other and the men were too focused on money or violence for either.

"So what's the plan?" Jack asked. "It's not like we haven't gotten out of worse. The way I see it, we can take these jerks-hey!"

One of the women had grabbed her by the shoulder. Not too gentle, but not mean either.

"This is where we get off princess," she started pulling. Shazza was cooperating with them, doing her duty while the CO's went to negotiate. She was ushering Ali along before the bigger merc could pick him up.

"You too preacher," the remaining man waited. A bit of respect for the cloth, but not too much.

"I will pray," Imam nodded to Riddick and River both.

"Useless," River hummed again. Gave a little stumble when they started to wheel them off in another direction and that wooly feeling was coming back to her. Stronger this time, bit more chaotic.

"I won't leave without you Riddick!" Jack shouted. "I'll find you!"

She was going to get herself killed if she followed through with that. He had the feeling she'd try too. For all that she's been Robin's sister on Hades, she'd clung to him whenever River wasn't around. Followed him, watched him at the worst times, and then took on his appearance. He'd have to ditch her as soon as they hit dirt. Couldn't let her keep going like this; one crazy woman following him was enough.

Hardly following him. That cool hum was focused again, but it was still fluttering every so often. She was only vague insulted by his words. Only crazy when she was crazy, and only following because she couldn't choose not to. Sure. Whatever she said. They were coming to a room now. The mercs were drifting off as he was wheeled in and set upright, River pushed into the room in front of him and stumbling again. Getting awful crazy.

"Set him down and leave," Junner instructed. Stupid fuckin' name, Junner. Didn't seem to match the room they were in. Chilly, and filled with things that weren't quite statues.

The straps were released, but the cuffs hadn't come off of himself or River. Instead they got linked up with maybe two feet of slack between them. River was bouncing between crazy and not now, made him worry a bit that she'd go killing machine and take everything out. She was following him down the steps though, trying to cling and focus on anything around them and having too much trouble. Riddick thought on that chain between them, more than words, right? An actual link putting them together. Didn't need another liability; didn't want to chop her hand off to get them out.

"Does not desire to become the Venus," she huffed. Good.

Riddick paused in front of one of the statues and River was thinking real hard on it. On the thoughts going through it while Riddick wondered if she'd finally snapped or if her had too. The damn thing had a scent.

"Killer of Men," she sang out. Made the room a bit creepier. "Furya."

Weight to those words, even she knew it. Didn't register to him what was so odd until he touched the lip of the statue and got licked for it.

"The hell..."

"Kiss kiss," she laughed lightly. She was not making this room better. "Pay him a copper now, else Popeye will come for his dues."

Didn't have time to come up with anything to say to her. Junner had injected him with something and the pain took him to his knees, River tumbling down beside him and letting out a whimper to match his own growl. Sick fuck was getting off on this. So was his mom, sitting there with a glass of wine on the edge of her seat. Bodies making the creepiest gazebo he'd ever seen and possibly less clothes now than she'd had before.

"All right. Now you have my attention."

"A necessary precaution," Chillingsworth shrugged. "You attempt anything uncivilized, killing me, for instance, I detonate the explosive charge Junner's just implanted and sleep very well tonight." She stood up with a sway and approached him. "Walk with me."

"Not putting me on a pedestal," Riddick told her as they moved along.

"Of course not," she looked at the both of them. "You two will be strictly for my...private collection."

"Hung like a Picasso," River sighed as she followed along, trying not to get a read on the people around them. "Has a new idea for those she's claimed, new layout plans for a frozen garden."

Chillingsowrth turned and looked at her with a cold smile.

"Indeed I do. Now that I have a matching set."

"You go through all the trouble to catch these guys and this is what you do with them." The Insanity of this woman was quickly out pacing River's.

"You're missing the point," Chillingsworth shook her head.

"What point?" Why not kill them and turn in the bounty? Why let them sit, frozen and unaware save for that one guy back by the steps...two...four..seven other furyans in cryo and knowing they were here. River was trying to focus again, but the hum was spread out now, finding other minds and making Riddick dimly aware of them. The mercs were becoming dimly aware of his silence and of River's flickering eyes. "You got a million UD's standing around collectin' dust."

"You underestimate their value, Riddick." Chillingsworth had he hands on one of them, one of the seven others that was tryign to chat at River and making her move every so slightly towards Riddick. "They are priceless. Each, at one time, the most wanted man or woman in the known universe." She inhaled and let out a shuddering breath. "The number of lives ended at the hands of those living and breathing in this room is incalculable."

"Hardly what I would call living," River scoffed at it.

"I imagine you wouldn't, River Tam...or is it something else now?" The woman was draping herself over the frozen Furyan and Riddick had to bite his tongue. Didn't need anyone finding out about this shit. Didn't want to blow the whole fuckin' joint either.

"Just the same, I assure you they are all very much alive. Each one sustained in state of cryo so profound..."

"Vulgar," River corrected. "And primitive."

"That seconds seem weeks…" Chillingsworth gave her an icy stare. "And to blink an eye is a day's work. The brain, however, continues to function unimpeded. The mind continues to think and feel, swarming with whatever dark thoughts it's trapped alone with, as it will be for hundreds of years." Riddick was picking up a fervor in her scent, not wooly, but fur that was matted with blood. Turned something that was probably beautiful into a rabid beast. "So much more fitting a fate than dropping them off at the nearest slam. Here, they are appreciated for what they truly are, transformed into objects on par with their lives' work. And why? Because I gave them the audience they so desperately desired, the recognition they bought with the blood of others. I understood their actions, stripped free of moral convention. Don't you see? They're something greater now. Something more than they ever were before...Art."

"Hardly," River countered. She didn't say much more than that.

"Lady, your taste sucks," Riddick summarized.

"I expected as much," the woman pursed her lips. "I thought to become your muse when you boarded, I even dressed up, but you seem to have one already."

She turned away from them and began walking towards a smaller room. Junner just behind Riddick and River, pushing them forward with his ego and the gun he still had in his hands. Stupid name, and a stupid gun. The room they ended up in was a bit creepier than the one they'd come from. Two women stood at the head of a large mattress, holding the legs of a woman as she arched to the middle at met with a man in a pained kiss. His legs were held by two men at the foot of the bed, like some kind of twisted fairy tale this lady dreamed up.

"Rest, for a moment," Chillingsworth ushered them in. River's cuff released her and she started to go wooly for just a second as his released as well. Too many minds and now they were in the room with the other Furyans. "I think you will like the surprise I've planned for dinner."

Chillingsworth left the room and the door slid shut behind her. Seemed to ease River somewhat, having a wall between here and the screaming minds behind them. Hundreds of people stuck awake in cryo couldn't be fun for anyone.

"Wants to watch a show," River whispered. "Wants to see the artist in his natural form, and roll about in the silks as he watches, frozen, above her."

Riddick raised a brow at her and went about the room. Pretty big, so far as bedrooms went. Had all sorts of things in it, but nothing very useful. Take more time to make a shiv than to just wait it out.

"She comin' back soon?"

"Not until she gets her show." River pointed at the wall opposite them with a stone face. "Always a spectator." She pointed to three more places and the blink of a camera flickered in each. "Sitting, waiting, wishing she was in the girl's place and scowling because she knows the truth."

"Classy," Riddick snorted. He came a bit closer to River, wanting to know about the other bodies that would be watching them. Why were they special? What had they done? She was swaying again, moving to some sound he didn't hear so he sat down to watch. All but dancing through the room from place to place, opening doors and looking a panels, light switches. Good.

The lights went down and the sound of the cameras was clearer as they shifted to another spectrum. He could see them now, the eyes of the people above him. Eyes to match his on three of them. Shine job, maybe, but he had the feeling they weren't. Just like he had the feeling his weren't either.

"Thinks to become mother Nyx," River hummed as she joined him. Took her seat on his lap and leaned closer to whisper into his ear. "They watch unwillingly, brothers and sisters of Furya, fourth planet of the Sidhe System." she placed a kiss beside his ear and moved to the other side, blocking Chillingsworth's view of his face and mouth. "Remember how to get to Somnia, how to get home."

"You got your people watching over you then?" Riddick turned to kiss her neck, gentler than he might normally. Something about this wasn't right, outside of their audience, and he was wondering if he could give a show. Being peered at and studied like a bug... "Get what you mean."

"Starting to," she agreed. Her lips were still on his skin, shifting only when she spoke and making him more aware of what was around them. "Knows the planet he was born on, that her family hails from, wants to study them."

Took him a good second to figure it out. Wasn't letting himself focus too much on her skin or her scent, was trying really hard to keep up pretense so they could make a plan. This was new though.

"You sayin' we're next to our countrymen?" he pressed his lips to her collar bone. Nipped the skin lightly before letting his teeth show for the camera. Still made her gasp though. "Some kind of thing I should know about?"

"Arcane ritual," she breathed, her hands rest on his shoulders and she leaned forward so her hair hid them from sight of everyone. "Mate before a council of elders to solidify bonds between tribes. More than words of union."

"Whole fuckin' verse is out to get us," he rumbled. "They know?"

"Knew since they walked into the room." River leaned back and her hands entwined behind his head, watching him and nudging him to start undressing her. The only way out of this thing was backwards.

Fucking fuck him. Some kind of performance piece the ice bitch wanted to watch before she killed them off. Didn't have faith in words, but in this, River Tam was about as skittish as a rabbit. Meant something to her and to him, even if it was arcane. The top slipped down her skin and he paid more attention to her than the room and the women and men around them. How could he not? Lookin' like an angel in the devil's own lap.

"You feelin' okay?" he asked.

"Feeling many things," she leaned forward and kissed him. Soft and delicate until he bit at her lips and pulled her to fall onto the bed with him. "Must trick the evil queen to free our people."

"Many things," he gave a sour smirk. "Not worried about her."

"Shouldn't lie," she kissed him again. "Not if you can't do it better than that." He growled at her for that. "Of course she knows what you're speaking of." Her hands ran up along his side, sliding under his shirt until her let her pull it off of him. Demanding little thing, River Tam. "Words are for birds, Richard, Beathan, Riddick." Each word so soft and hushed that he heard them more in his mind than any place else. Pushed further into his head with each kiss on his skin; she was trying to push reality from her mind as much as he was.

Riddick pulled her just a bit higher onto his waist and pulled her head just a bit closer to kiss her a bit harder. Couldn't have this teasing bullshit, too much time for his head to wander about this place and think about how he was going to kill the fucker watching him.

He kissed her until she was the only thing he could taste, remembered all of the things he wanted to do to her in that room back on Hades and couldn't. Felt her humming back against his mouth and in his head, pulling bits and pieces from this or that and lighting them up, bringing them forward until it was just them. Them and thought and feel. The weight of her in his lap, the soft skin in his palms and tightening between his fingers as he pinched and toyed with her nipples. Every sigh and coo she made had him thinking of making them louder. River gasped as he bit down on her shoulder, not enough to break skin or cause pain, but just enough that she was his only audience now.

She was under him then, under and all around him as her arms and legs twined around his waist and shoulders. She was starting to get that blue light under her skin, but so was he. Slipping the skirt off would have been a lot more hassle than it was worth and River had already shimmed out of her panties. Something naughty about the whole thing, fucking her half dressed, boots still on while in someone else's bed. His pants were pushed down below his ass and her skin was perfect against his dick.

The skirt went to her waist and it brought that beast inside closer to her. The smell of her, of him, of them, was spread out across her skin and his and pushed him over that line from man to animal. Sliding in made her moan and her nails dug into his skin when he pulled back out. Perfect and hot, holding on and taking all he had to give while his name fell from her lips. Her pulse fluttered under his lips, matching with his own like their hips did. Hotter and tighter, begging him to be what he wanted to be and screaming for who he was until he let go. He stood upright and watched as River moved on the bed, fists holding tight to sheets for some kind of anchor to the real world and every curl clinging to sweaty skin. Watched her pale skin against dark sheets until he met with her eyes and everything changed.

Riddick slammed into her until words stopped coming out of her mouth and all he could see was fury blue and River. Roared out to match her and all he could feel was white pleasure and River.

When he fell, bracing himself above her smaller shaking form, he knew something was different. This was different than a couple of words in the desert. Just as barren and inhospitable, but more was at stake this time. It was a helluva lot more than a pep rally and even though those bastards above them were stone still and silent, he knew they were judging he and River both.

"Feels like every time, I'm just a bit further away from being a man," he grumbled against her shoulder.

"Not supposed to be civilized," she spoke against the Beast's skull. "Not supposed to be. Neither Beauty nor Beast walk in reality, storybook pages and fairy tales...a room full of them, more than a kiss before the court."

He couldn't figure it out, but he would. Eventually. Already there was a stirring in his mind and the blue joy was mixing between them all. The six above them and even out to the seventh in the conservatory. Crude cryogenic stasis deemed inhuman for subjects, cast aside in favor or the kinder version. Left minds awake to judge and decree.

"The court finds neither wanting," she told him softly. Liked the feel of his skin under her lips, smooth and prickling at once. Tried to bite it and gained only a chuckle. "Wrong actions for the wrong head. Time to get up soon. Will come around once she has bathed and take them to opposite ends of the room."

"The white bitch?" He turned when she gave him a look; felt it on the back of his head. "You know I ain't talkin' about you. Even if I was, probably just call you my bitch." He kissed her and the blood rushed about in her head and made her swim from it. "Then again, I kinda like callin' you Beautiful. Fits."

"Never been called as such before the Beast came along," she admitted. Didn't know why she felt embarrassed or shy about such a thing. Didn't make any sense at all. Thought she was cute now, couldn't see the blush but could see the way her blue adjusted beneath her skin. Kissed her again and it got worse. Had seen so much of her already, places few had ever been or would ever be again, but to share such as this made her unsure.

"We live through this, you'll hear it a lot more." He was pushing himself up and giving a glance to the ones watching. The woman had gone away from her false wall to cleanse herself and change, leaving only to Furyans.

"Had better," she started to push herself up. "Else she will burn his dinner and soil his clothes."

"Only 'cause you can't cook," he bent and tossed her shirt over. "Probably can't wash clothes either."

"Can he?"

There was no answer for that, only amusement and grins as they redressed and cleaned up as best they could. Let it spread across the sheets and over the fine linens. Seeds could not grow without the right system...both paused at once as a thought fluttered through shared minds. Not shared on purpose, but closer now than before perhaps and thoughts such as those were loud and screaming. Grew into things that walked and talked.

"Must hurry," she reordered her thoughts. Couldn't sit and contemplate variables for a later date. Needed to go in and see how to get them free. Find out where the release button was to let their people go. Too far from the one with the key; all they knew was pain and needles to keep them frozen. "Will separate from him after act two, take the children into the ducts to find a suitable ship."

"And?" Knew that was't all. Thinking on why the words meant so much and wanting them from criminals and his own kind rather than some merc bitch who wanted to mount him...and mount him.

"Serum to release cryo can't be far." She looked around them room. Seemed a foolish thing, to place them in her room, just to roll about in stained sheets and hope a child would quicken in her barren womb. "Apologizes."

Not to the Beast, who caught her when she began to sway on unsteady limbs, but to the ones above and in front of her. Needed to see what they'd seen and the only way back was in. Different views, different ideas and hatreds spilling over and still she swam forward, careful not to disturb too much and to dodge those which held no use to anyone. Made contact with them, with the women who'd watched and found him appropriate. Gentle and blue, guiding her along until she found what it was she needed. Pushed her up and out of the river made by streams. Back into her own head and into the Beast's arms; sat scowling above her, unhappy with what she'd done and wondering why the hell he kept on with a crazy girl and why everything had gotten so fucking complicated.

"He likes that word," she tried to push herself up. "Fuck."

"It's really fuckin useful," he helped her to sit. "Can't have you goin' wooly like this Beautiful."

"Didn't, dove, sought thoughts in the stream until she found the stone she needed." Took another moment to stand fully and hurried steps stumbled as she went to the vanity. Code had been memorized so well by those who watched that it was second nature to punch it in. To pull it out and move back to the bed and strip the stains away and to the floor.

"You must have a helluva thing for cons," Riddick spoke behind her.

Still helping her though. Held her by the waist as she injected the top most female. Softer, more lightly boned than the man she'd been kissing for years. Fell from her place to the soft and supple, not quite able to move under her own volition, but the Beast pulled her out of the way and River injected the highest man. Riddick pulled her quickly from the bed, out of the way of the large man and far from another beast. Not aware of the second part, not fully. Took the gun from her then, jabbed the last four quickly and then tossed it to the first woman who'd awoken. Let them deal with the Killer of Men.

"Don't suppose you thought on how to hide that we just took her bed apart?" Riddick asked her.

"Door isn't locked," she waved it off. "Guarded before, not now. Junner has gone to wash Mommy Dearest's back."

Disgust in the all, six minds resigned while the seventh, Her Seventh, wanted off of this ship yesterday.

"Must go rescue the family," she hummed. Reached up and out to touch his face and blooms in her chest when he pressed ever so lightly into her hands. "Must take the lead now, and she will fall back and watch his six."

"Not a doubt in my head." Kissed her hand and walked out the door. Knew she would follow or go her own way; either would be beneficial to one or both of them because they had been so far. Left the others behind them, bringing themselves back to reality and watching as the set left them to survive or die. Smart enough, strong enough, could find the docking bay and leave or get things prepped for departure.

River followed her beast out, swaying and trying to hide the limp he always gave her. Wasn't the same as last time. Something different about an act without words and too much meaning. The limp wasn't the same either. Wasn't a secret to hide but a study under glass.

"Feels a film on her skin," she hummed out as they wandered through the gallery. Eyes on her form, noses smelling sex and madness creeping in to her mind with aching slowness and grubby fingers. Grabbing at her ghost until her swaying made her unsteady. "Wool will not gather, builds up in her head and catches fire. The girl is on fire and the shadows hold no relief for them."

The Beast took her in hand and shook it away, light but firm enough to get it out of her brain and affix her to the now and to him.

"Don't make me leave you here."

Leaving her would mean a corpse on the cold ground; only way he'd actually want to. Only way he could right now. His mark, his tribe, newly forged bonds and the words of arcane rituals ringing in her ears and his instincts.

"Will endeavor to focus, but they scream in her ears, grab at the ghost of her in their head and know what she watched because they can smell it in the air." Tried not to lean into him, to let him be the Beast and thr brute, but there was nothing else for her. No anchor to tie herself to other than him. Let her lean but didn't hold her close; they were watching. Waiting.

"You with me?" he asked, still held firm to her biceps, didn't want to shake her again, didn't want to keep dealing with this. Chillingsworth was judging from the shadows.

"Always," She whispered. "But she is mad now, reading too deeply as she clings to safe harbor."

The Beast growled and gave her a life raft. A memory that tickled in the back of his head that he wanted her to go find. Go look in the stream of his consciousness. Hide away if she had to, but he needed her with him and watching his six; no lies. Never lie and never feel pain.

He felt her starting to look in his head. Actually felt it. Not that tingle, because the tingle felt like something was a bit wrong. Like he might actually need a doctor or some asprin real soon. This was...different. The scent of madness took a backseat, still there, just like it would always be, but there were grapes around him again. Fuckin' grapes.

Let her loose just a bit to see if she stayed that way. Thank god she did. The white bitch was coming closer, been watching them for a while now but this was the moment she chose to leave the shadows. Different dress now, and some expensive soap or other, didn't make him like her any more. The fat that she was showing more skin didn't endear her either. Nothing wrong with older women, but this one looked weathered, cracking like her head. River stayed close to him as he walked through the conservatory and closer to where Chillingsworth was waiting. Wanted off this fucking ship and he knew he wasn't done 'performing' for this bitch.

"Riddick, I am glad to see you are refreshed, but perhaps I could convince you to come with me for a moment."

Riddick raised a brow and the maiden swimming in his head didn't seem happy about what was in store for them. In fact, she was getting pretty damn pissed off by whatever was floating around in the merc's head. Had to follow her though. That was the direction he picked up at the end. They had to follow her and they'd be really pissed by whatever it was they found. With Junner grinning like a fucking idiot and holding another set of chains in his hands, Riddick was damn sure he was probably going to fucking hate it.

So, this one is probably only going to be three chapters at most. And that's only because I'm involving Serenity's crew into it and a day or so on New Mecca. Still haven't decided if Riddick is going to hide away on the ice planet or tag along with his twice made wife to the Sidhe system. Jack's still going to end up in prison though, in case you were worried or wondering. Still debating if River goes back and lives up to the title the Alliance gave her.

For those of you who might not know, Sex has a definite smell to it. And! if you have Netflix, there's this documentary called "The Science of Sex Appeal" that you should watch. It's where ig to the grapes and her smelling him part. But can anyone deny that they just like the scent of someone?