| Chapter 2 The conversation gradually made its way into his consciousness. Some shmuck of a miner trying to scam someone into buying a ring he had to get rid of. He’d been intent on scanning the immediate area. Something he regularly did since landing on Dee7 five weeks ago. The other times he’d been caught had been because he let his guard down. Became lazy and complacent. The dream had left him in a heightened state of wariness. He had the feeling that it hadn’t been a onetime thing. That someone, something was sending him a message. Set in stone fate or just warning yet to be seen. It hadn’t made a reappearance. Yet. So it led credence to Zar’s contention that it had just been fluke of stress, tiredness and years of living as if the other shoe was about to drop. It made him realize that he didn’t trust happiness. But, fuck, who would blame him? The happiest he’d ever been was since Zar had come into his life. It didn’t stop God or Fate or whatever the fuck was running his life from screwing it six ways from Sunday. This search proved as benign as all the others. Nothing out of place, no strangers, nobody trying NOT to be obvious about watching him. So his mind finally let him tune into what was going on around him in his immediate vicinity. Richard B. Riddick, a.k.a. Rick Miller, sat with his fellow miners at an above ground commissary provided by the Delightful Mining Company. Zar had wanted him to use the name Richie Miller. She had gracefully, if laughingly, given the idea up when he’d asked her did she think HE looked like a Richie?! As she had made her way to the bathroom to take her nightly shower, she’d laughingly told him he could always call himself Dick. He smiled slightly as he remembered the punishment he’d handed out to her for her disrespectful suggestion. He was sure the long, hard, slow, wet, hot session of lovemaking in the shower had taught her a lesson about being insolent. In his heart he knew that if she had really wanted him to go by the name Dick, he’d do it for her. She had him that wrapped around her little finger. He might think he was the one in charge. And she let him believe it for his ego’s sake. But when push came to shove, she ruled his world. He’d do anything for Zarifa Cholena. As he leaned back against the wall, his lips twisted with derision at the hustler’s pitch. The guys name was Ed Rollins. Something about him reminded Richard of Elson Brenner. Maybe it was the greasy hair or it could’ve been the light blue eyes. Smallish in physique, of mixed race. His eyes were normal unlike the other three quarters of the miners. It seemed the majority of the miners of the Dee system had been altered ocularly in one way or another. Made Richard feel downright at home sometimes. Whatever the resemblance, it involved the physical aspect only. The man was such a loser that Richard doubted he had the guts to kill any one, even in self-defense. Like so many of the miners, he had a hidden past. If fencing or scamming had been his thing before, it was obvious why he needed the dangerous money of mining. The creep had to work on his delivery. He himself obviously didn’t believe the shit he was shoveling. It showed in the lack of interest among his fellow workers. It might have been a valuable piece of jewelry, but the guy was trying too hard to convince his prospective buyers of the fact. Because he came across as smarmy, they weren’t even bothering to look. They just laughed at him and told him to try his little act on some gullible fool. The bell rang, signaling the end of the half-hour break period. As everyone rose to head for the below ground elevators, Richard caught a glimpse of the ring as Rollins was putting it away. The band was either of white gold or silver. He guessed white gold. The simple round cut emerald was cornered by four smaller diamonds. Not an ostentatious piece of jewelry, but pretty nonetheless. It reminded him of Zar. They’d told everyone they were married. More importantly, as far as he was concerned, Zar was his wife. He didn’t need the official words spoken or a legal piece of paper. They couldn’t marry conventionally. That involved brining the both of them to the attention of the authorities. He needed to avoid the attention for obvious reasons. She did also to evade the murderous protection group that had killed her family on Jessup 3. A preliminary background check, encompassing the known galaxy, was done in order to assure the couple that the other was on the up and up. But even worse, a DNA test was required. Either inquiry would seriously test the web of lies they had created in order to live their lives in safety. Richard knew even a whiff of his DNA would set alarm bells off in every operational ASF base. Even being listed as dead after the Taurus 2 crash would not stop them from investigating. He was known for his ability to survive the unsurvivable after all. And for all he knew, Miriam Gonzalez had let the cat out of the bag. Frustrated and humiliated at his escape. Also, by not officially marrying him, Zar still had a chance at safety if the shit ever the fan. Besides, he figured she deserved a better name than Riddick. Between the atrocities attributed to him and the actual crimes he’d committed, it left a bad taste even in his mouth. No, marrying officially just wasn’t smart. But it didn’t mean he didn’t consider her his mate for life. It was a moot point to him on how long that life would be. She was his. He was hers. Period. The Miriam Gonzalez’s of the world not withstanding. But Zar was sentimental. Being married before, the institution meant something to her. To him it was just words. He didn’t hold much value in words. Actions meant so much more. Maybe that’s why he never bothered to promise Zar he’d change. He just went about it day by day. It was a struggle more often than not. There were always assholes and fuckheads trying to drag him back to the way he used to live his life. But, she was always there, fighting for him even when he was too cowardly to fight for himself. He knew a piddley little thing like a ring would make her happy. “Hey, Rollins. Let me see that piece of shit you’re trying to pass off as a ring.” Rollins had been just ahead of Richard. Shoulders slumped in dejection, he’d been shuffling along. The sound of the big man’s voice had scared him at first. Usually the only time men like Rick Miller talked to him it was too tell him how much they were going to hurt him. Never mind that he usually deserved it. But then the gist of the words worked their way into his brain. He had a buyer! And oh God!...he really needed a buyer. He owed Big Lou, the busiest bookie on Dee7 the money by tonight. That’s why he was selling his mother’s wedding ring. The only thing he had left of her. Fuck! Why didn’t his bets ever win?! Turning on what he thought was charm, he spun back to Rick. He wouldn’t of thought of him as being the jewelry buying kind of guy. But Rollins knew he had a woman. Zor, Zer? No, Zar. That was it. Weird looking couple. Muscular, brown-skinned, bald and just plain mean looking, the man was just shy of being gargantuan. He was the phrase bad-ass personified. Rarely smiling and never talking other than necessary. You could just see him doing time in some penal colony or such. The woman was a short, pale smiler. Hung out with Esker and his wife Molly. On the plump side, with curly brown hair, her blue eyes always seemed wrinkled with good cheer. He wondered how a man like Miller ever ended up with a woman like that. She looked the kind to bake chocolate chip cookies and have dinner ready at 1800 hrs every night. He looked liked the type that killed women who made cookies and had dinner ready at 1800 hours every night. But when seen together, there was something there. Never far from her side, always listening to what she had to say. He didn’t get that “yeah, honey, whatever” look that most shackled men had. Still a bad-ass but an attentive bad-ass in a...scary...kind of way. Who’d of thunk it?! “Hey, Miller! Sure, man. It’s a beaut! Was my mother’s, God rest her soul.” Handing the ring to him, Rollins watched anxiously as the other miner inspected it. Right away Richard knew it was the real thing. Looked like it would fit Zar’s pudgy fingers too. “How much?” Soon after a price was agreed upon. Rollins had tried to bullshit for an extra thousand, but as the saying went, never try to scam a scammer. The ring was slipped safely into the inside pocket of his work overalls. Sitting appropriately over his heart. Waiting for the end of his shift. It came four hours later. With a sense of anticipation, a first that didn’t involve sex or death, he headed towards their living quarters. He looked around at the little apartment as he stepped in. It wasn’t that much different than the one on Polaris Station. Or for that matter, different than most living quarters for workers in space. This one was smaller though. You came into a small commons area that boasted a mock wood, four seater dining table with poly-resin chairs off to the right. On the left side of the room was a long sofa and a coffee table. The wall opposite had a sunk in vid-screen. Between the dining area and the viewing area were two doors. The left led to the bathroom, the right to their bedroom, the only sleeping quarters they had. Everything had a shiny, pre-fab, metallic/plastic quality about it. Bare taupe walls, medium brown cheap carpeting. Easy to clean, easy to replace. Very hard to make it look anything but cold and functional. Since they’d both been working so much, he at the mine, she at the commissary, little had been added to make it more homey. Due to the nature of the escape, nothing could be brought from Polaris. Not even a picture of Audrey and Hill. But it was home because Zar was there. And the sight of her face made up for all the pricks and assholes that seemed a permanent part of his day. Right now it was low lit. Not for him. With his enhanced eye sight he could see like it was day in the darkest of night. It was for Zar. She had horrible night vision. Evidently a side effect of the Orion Plague that had sickened her and claimed both her parents. Without the lighting, she’d as likely run into the wall as go into the bathroom if she had to make a late night run. The apartment was quiet so she must be in bed. Her shift at the commissary started an hour earlier than his at the mine. She was usually in bed when he came home due to his late shifts and her need to rise early. The only time they really saw each other was the one day off they both got. Luckily it was on the same day of the week. The ring was burning a whole in his pocket. He’d never given a gift to anyone before. Not even Zar. It just wasn’t his nature. Nobody had ever given him anything as a child or adult. Not unless there had been some ulterior motive. Zar had tried early in their relationship to buy little things for him. But gave up when she realized that he had a hard time accepting them. It made him uncomfortable and therefore defensive and sarcastic. A knee-jerk reaction. He just didn’t know how to handle kindness. In the giving or receiving. He figured he could just leave it on the table. Let her find it in the morning. But a small part of him wanted to see her face very badly when she saw it. Is this what other people felt? Normal people? At birthdays, Christmas? This sense of wanting to please and surprise someone they cared about? The waiting in suspense to see if the thought and effort you put into a gift would be appreciated? Shit...if so...it sucked! Felt like a ball wedged somewhere up under his gut. Ugh...the things men did for women. He still didn’t understand why they did them, but now he at least understood that they had to do them. Couldn’t help themselves. Welcome to the human race Riddick. The bedroom was dark except for the light coming from the green digital wall clock. It smelled of his dirty clothes, the scent of washing detergent and the unique smell that was Zar’s alone. Part natural body smells, part perfume, part cookie dough. He could hear the soft, even sleeper’s breathing coming from her spread out form. For someone who loved to sleep right up against him (something he had to learn to deal with, not being used to someone staying long enough to sleep after sex), she sure hogged the bed when he wasn’t there. “Ten percent light.” The room lightened to a soft glow. Just enough light for her to see, without hurting her sleep accustomed eyes. Discarding his clothes quickly, he slipped into bed next to her. Right on cue, she turned over and snuggled into his chest. An unconscious smile lighting her face at his touch. She wasn’t really awake, but a part of her knew he was there and all was right with the world. He whispered softly in her ear, “Hey...wake up. I’ve got a surprise for you.” He rubbed her shoulder lightly, hoping to make the waking process less jolting. The automatic gentleness whenever he touched her still confounded him. He’d no idea where it came from. He had never been on the receiving end, that was for sure. But with her, it came naturally. Brought awake at the sound of his voice, she blinked her way to full awareness. Before her was Richard’s hand. Held in between his index finger and thumb was a ring. In profile all she could see was it’s silvery band and the prongs that held the jewels. He watched with a serious face as she frowningly tried to figure out what she was really seeing. Taking her right hand from his chest, he slipped the ring onto her third finger. It was a bit loose, but he was sure they could get it fitted easily. Zar held her hand out before her face. Turning her hand this way and that. Studying the ring and how it looked on her hand. Giving herself time to get a grip on what just happened. She could feel the tension in the body next to hers. This was something very important to him. More meaningfully, it was a big step for him. He’d never given her anything but necessities before. She knew what the ring meant. Though she didn’t need any tangible evidence of his commitment, it touched her to know that he wanted her to have that evidence nonetheless. She wouldn’t ask where he got it. That would just seem to lessen the gesture. She would just trust that he got it legally. Knowing she wouldn’t like it if someone got hurt in order for her to be given a gift. Tears started to pool in her eyes, soon spilling down her cheeks. “It’s beautiful!” He felt as if a large weight had been lifted off his chest. Palm to palm, he mirrored her hand with his. Marveling at the smallness of her bone structure, for all the padding it contained. The tips of her fingers fell just short of the knuckle below his nails. The palm of her hand dwarfed by his wider grip. Lifting her head, she brushed her lips against his. “Thank you. Though you know you didn’t have to.” “I know. I just...I don’t know...I saw it and it...” Unable to finish, he threaded his fingers through hers, enclosing her hand. The ring winked in the subtle light. “But it’s no big thing.” She wanted to shout that it was indeed a “big thing.” But she knew that would just make him uncomfortable. So she did what he would be most comfortable with. Gave him a simple thank you. As they settled down to sleep, she played with the ring. Astounded by the man who rested next to her. Never in her life would she have figured it. A man like him with a woman like her. Both had changed to fit with the other. On the surface it looked liked she had made the bigger change in order to be with him. In reality, it was the other way around. She’d always been capable of love. With Richard all she did was allow herself to love a different kind of man than she normally would have. But for Richard, it was totally different. He’d never known love before. Had only experienced the opposite in fact. Now he’d come to the point that he felt the need to express it. It boggled her mind at his transformation. Awed at his growth, she doubted she could have done the same. How did one LEARN to love when one had never BEEN loved?! SEEN love? FELT love? She didn’t know the answer, but the proof that it could happen encircled her finger. It enfolded her in flesh and blood arms. Gifted her with an intangible presence whenever they were in the same room together. As she drifted back to sleep, one word kept repeating in her mind. “Amazing.” |
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