The Convicts Captain (Riddick Fanfic)

Chance Encounter at the Slammer

" Bulgaladon correctional facility." Each word Itiri spoke carried a worried edge to it as she read the ones splayed across the control panel. Her breath halted in her lungs when she realized she was mere hours from the prison. And not just any prison, one of the most hardcore ones in the entire galaxy.

Normally, Itiri would have been nowhere near this part of the galaxy. Her efforts would have been spent avoiding this system at all costs if only it meant she didn't have to pass the planet. But she had a job to do, and her circumstances weren't normal, they hadn't been for a while.

Itiri, to put it simply was an intergalactic trucker. Instead of hauling shipments of supplies cross country, she took them across systems in the galaxy. From space stations to new forming colonies, as well as prisons. As well as a few other places her coworkers mentioned they went to.

The particular company she worked for paid their pilots extra to travel to the worst of the three. When a handful of employees refused to take the job, the payment began to go up. Sweetening the deal to get workers to accept the shipments. It was either that or lose a long time customer to a rival company. Still, no one stepped forward. Until Itiri's supervisor approached her and offered triple her current salary.

Itiri wasn't sure why the others refused, nor could she afford to care. Being picky over small details of her job was not something she was in a position to do. Her ignorance, however, offered her no bliss or escape from her nerves.

"It's just a regular job." Itiri reminded herself. Leaning down she flipped on the auto-pilot switch. She still had a few more hours before she would reach the planet. However, it was always best to change out of her striped pajama bottoms as soon as she could. "Just a regular job."

The pilot had delivered to many prisons before, this would be routine. Drop off the shipment, sign some paperwork, make some small talk before finally leaving. She had delivered to prisons before, but none of them were like this one. Sure a lot of them were well known, a few even made people shiver or grimace at the sound of their names. Those slams though weren't located on mostly water planets, and few didn't house the worst criminals the universe had to offer.

Breathing deeply, Itiri gave her control panel one last examination. Checking to see everything was in order before slipping out into the hallway.

The ship she piloted was decently sized, built with fairly priced, and strong materials. There was enough room on it for two sleeping quarters, a kitchen, a small washroom, and even a little storage area tucked above the cargo hold below.

Her parents had saved up a long while to give her this spacecraft, and it was all worth it in the end. For both them and Itiri. The sturdy metal walls and lights that flickered occasionally were all she had left of them now.

It was after their disappearance that Itiri found a good use for the second room on the ship. housing her little brother Asher. Itiri passed the brightly colored door on the way to hers. A small smile pulling across her face at the worn down stickers plastered on its metallic surface. The festive energy it held put her plain green door to shame.

Each sticker her eyes roamed over brought a flood of memories to the forefront of her mind. All from a simpler time when she only took safe jobs and didn't travel alone. Back when her long hours didn't go by at a snail's pace.

It was nice having another person aboard. Especially someone as energetic as Asher who enjoyed the trips just as much as Itiri did. Every job was an adventure with him around.

With a slow steady breath, Itiri turned from his room and pushed open the door that led to hers. The memories were always painful, just a reminder that she was indeed alone. Thousands of miles away from home, and the only person in the universe she truly loved. It made her small ship feel so big.