He Didn't Come

It took a moment for her words to sink in, but in a second the full impact hit home. “Libbie, you hooked up with a pirate?”

“I didn’t know he was a pirate until after I was in too deep to get out! Anyway, I don’t regret it.”

“Regret what? And how did you get ‘in too deep?’”

Libbie just held up her left hand, and a gold ring glinted from her finger. She married him. Jack didn’t know what to think. Before she had a chance to think of anything to say, Libbie went on, “And I have two kids with him, too.”

It had been the farthest thing Jack was expecting. Being an aunt, she could deal with. But… pirates?

Libbie broke into her amazement, “But you. You’re traveling with a hatchet man! Are you crazy? Do you know what he could do to you?”

Jack shot back, “Libbie, you married a pirate! You gave birth to baby pirates! Who are you?”

“I’m your sister, and pirate or not, Brand is my husband.” Libbie didn’t speak for a moment. She and Jack looked each other in the eye wordlessly, trying to understand each other. Finally Libbie went on, “Now, explain yourself.”

“Explain myself? What do you mean, explain myself? It’s not like I’ve done anything wrong, here.”

“Shut up, Jackie. What are you doing with him? Why are you here?”

“My name isn’t Jackie! It’s Jack. Just Jack. Okay?”

Libbie seemed taken by surprise, but shook head dismissively. “Okay, fine. Jack. Why are you here?”

“I’m here because your psycho pirates attacked Riddick’s ship,” she muttered.

Libbie put her hands to her temples. “Grow up. You’re acting like a whiny kid. Just grow up and answer me, Jackie. Sorry—Jack.”

The look on Libbie’s face was one of simple exhaustion. There was a note of exasperated pleading in her voice that left Jack speechless for a moment before she could gather her thoughts enough to explain. “Well, I was running away from the hospital on New Germany when the ship I was on was attacked. By pirates,” she added, with particular emphasis.

Libbie blanched. She avoided the pirate comment and asked instead, “Why were you in a hospital?”

Jack smiled sweetly. “Psych ward. Post traumatic stress disorder.”

Libbie’s eyes grew wide. “What for?” she asked, but she didn’t look like she wanted to know.

“I was in a brothel for a year or so. Before then I was raped by a guy in my foster home who sold me for fifty creds to a hype, who used me for sex until he OD’d.”

Libbie was silent for a moment, and it was evident to Jack that she was having trouble taking it all in. “Oh my god. Jack… I’m so sorry.”

Jack shrugged. “There’s nothing you can do about it now. It wasn’t your fault that you left.”

Libbie looked horrified. “So, where does the murderer come into all of this?”

“You’re not much to talk about murderers,” Jack muttered resentfully.

“Never mind that. Riddick, then. How did you meet him?”

Jack smiled, knowing this would trip her sister out. “He saved my life from the ‘rats. He killed three or four of them to do it, too.”

Libbie appeared to be thinking. She muttered, “When did we make that run… a ship from New Germany… when was this?"

“A little over five years ago.”

Libbie’s eyes got huge. “That was just after I met Brand. It was the first run I helped to organize.”

Jack laughed bitterly. “And you were apparently in charge of the run that almost got me killed yesterday.”

Libbie protested, “I didn’t know you were on the ship, Jack!”

Jack snapped, “There are always people on those ships, Libbie. People like me. Sisters, mothers, fathers, sons. Do you ever think about it like that?”

Libbie muttered, “I try not to.” Louder she said, “It’s just my life, Jack. Why can’t you understand that?”

Jack shook her head slowly. “I do. That’s the worst thing about it.” At Libbie’s confused expression, Jack elaborated, “We’re both people we don’t want to be, I think. I killed an merc back when I was thirteen, and I killed one of your pirates yesterday. He would have killed me, though, because you told him to.” Her voice was accusatory, and she tried to care enough to ease up. It didn’t work. “I think we both have done things we’re not proud of.”

Libbie put her head in her hands. “I know. I’m sorry.” There was a sound at the door, and Jack and Libbie looked up at the same time. A little boy about four years old was peeping into the room with huge eyes. “What are you doing here, Anthony?” Libbie asked in surprise. “Where’s your dad?”

“We came to see you,” the boy said. “Daddy’s in the bay.” Jack assumed he meant the docking bay, which meant that either they had taken a small transport to the ship from the station, or they had docked already. If they had docked, however, then they hadn’t moved her. She was still in her hospital room.

Libbie looked unhappy about something, but she said, “Come here, sweetie. Come meet your Aunt Jack.”

Jack watched the chubby child scoot into the room. He had light brown hair and green eyes. Her eyes. He held his arms up to his mother, who scooped him into her lap and cuddled him briefly.

“Isn’t that a boy’s name?” he whispered to his mother.

Libbie shushed him. “Don’t be rude, Anthony. Say hello.”

Anthony turned his big eyes on Jack. “How’d you hurt your shoulder?” he asked in language surprisingly clear for a child so young.

Libbie quickly answered before Jack could even open her mouth, “It was an accident, sweetheart. She’s fine.”

Jack frowned briefly at her sister. She was having a hard time grasping the facts at the moment. She had almost been killed by a pirate’s bullet. Her sister was the wife of the man who was the ruler of those same ‘rats, the essential scum of the universe. Her nephew was sitting less than two feet from her. This was all so fucked up.

Jack suddenly had a thought. Maybe Libbie would know what the hell happened when she was little, “Do you know anything about Mom?”

Libbie shook her head. Dismay quickly chased the surprise from her face. “No. I haven’t heard a thing since she disappeared.”

Jack lay back down. She didn’t know what to say. Was there anything she could say? It wasn’t like she was expecting to see her sister again in the first place, so there was no reason for her to be disappointed. She couldn’t help feeling let down by Libbie, though.

Jack knew she was being hypocritical. Her sister was right. Jack didn’t have any room to talk. She was traveling with a contract killer, after all.

Riddick opened the door and walked back in. He stared momentarily at the child before asking Jack, “How you doing?”

“I’m fine. You okay?”

“Yeah,” he grunted. “I talked to the guy in the storage room about our ship. He said that the hull was intact and that for some money, he could reinstall the basics, enough to get us out of here.”

“Riddick, don’t just assume that I’ll do what you want.” Jack felt irritated. Much as she cared about Riddick, he wasn’t her master. He wasn’t the one pulling her strings. She was with him only because she wanted to be. Yes, she still wanted to be with him, but she hadn't seen her sister for twelve fucking years! Twelve years, and Riddick assumed that she would be ready to leave and forget all about Libbie? Fuck that.

“What are you talking about?” Libbie set down her son, stood, and glared. “Jackie’s not going anywhere. She’s staying with me.”

Jack’s fury only heightened as it switched targets. “Libbie, you can’t dictate where I can go,” she said in angry astonishment. “I’ll be just fine with Riddick. You don’t have any right to tell me what I can do.”

“The hell I don’t,” returned Libbie just as angrily. “You’re my responsibility and I’m not going to let you just fly off with a murderer.”

“I can take care of myself! I haven’t seen you in twelve years, Libbie. Any right you had to control me disappeared a long-ass time ago. Anyway, I’m eighteen now and have been for a while. And if anyone’s the murderer here, it’s you! Libbie, you’re a fucking ‘rat!”

“You shut your mouth,” said an unexpected voice. All heads turned to the door to see a handsome man with long hair pulled back into a blonde ponytail. “All of you. I don’t want to hear it.”

Libbie broke the ensuing silence. “Jack,” she began slowly, “This is my husband.”