"We need those cells from the crash ship.” Carolyn Fry announced. “Shit, still gotta check out the hull—---patch up the wings--.” She turned to Shazza and Kaylee. “Get a start on it.”

The mechanic and the Australian nodded before hurrying out of the Coring Room towards the skiff. Kaylee stopped in the doorway and turned to River and Riddick, who were still in the room.

“Come you two, we’ll need help.”

Riddick gave Johns and Fry a look before leaving.

River silently followed, yet when no one was looking she hid behind a couple of barrels. Johns was giving off heated vibes, and since she didn’t trust the handsome blonde (and couldn’t read his mind) she’d stayed behind to hear what he was obviously itching to tell their pilot.

Once he was sure that the others were gone, Johns turned to Fry. “Let’s wait on those power cells.”

“Wait for what?” Fry snapped, rounding on him, disbelief darkening her words. “Until it’s so dark we can’t even find our way back to---?”

“We’re not sure when it happens,” Johns was obviously beginning to lose his patience with the only person he could truly consider his ally on this planet. “So let’s not--.”

“Get the fucking cells over here, Johns.” Fear had turned Fry into a vicious tigress ready to strike at anything in her way---even handsome, blue-eyed devils. “What’s the discussion?”

A muscle twitched in Johns’ cheek, yet to his credit he kept his growing annoyance out of his voice. “Ever tell you how Riddick escaped?”

Fry looked up at him, frown turning confused. “What does that have to do with anything?”

River watched them from her hiding place, hearing all of Fry’s conflicting, frightened thoughts, and Johns’ empty blankness. Why was it that she couldn’t read Johns? With Riddick she knew there was a barrier that kept her out, but with Johns it was just silence.

Of course, it would be her luck that the only person she wanted to hear the thoughts of would be completely silent.

Johns looked around before taking a closer step to Fry and speaking in a s