Chapter One: Cradence
The Story Begins
Looking back, Crematoria wasn't that bad. At least we had a certain feeling of freedom having all that room to run and fight among ourselves and the guards. I was a problem for them from the beginning.
My first week, I managed to kill ten inmates and two guards. Pretty weak considering who my ancestors are. One being the notorious Richard B. Riddick; escaped convict, murderer, and ex-leader of the Necromonger race, if the rumors hold true.
My last day in that Hellhole started like all the others, a giant blur of repetition. I'd threaten a fellow criminal, smile as they let my beastly friends out to play, and pretend I could handle myself as Jane, a guard who'd befriended me despite my best efforts, tried to help. If I'd only listened to him. Maybe I wouldn't be here now. Maybe he wouldn't. But I'm getting ahead of the story.
After they sent my little Hell hounds away, I started destroying Jane in a little workout we'd do from time to time. "Reid, you should think about leaving." I paused to look at him.
"I'm not really in a position to do much moving about, am I?" I took a moment to throw a bad punch and smiled as he caught it and fell for my trap.
"Listen. It's time to for some leavin' and I figure a fair warning's in order." I twisted his arm and turned him around so my arm was around his throat.
"If you know something I don't. Maybe you should find it in your kind heart and soft skull to tell me." I knocked on his head and he slid out of my grip falling to the floor.
"The scanners picked up something today. A ship." Sarcasm thick in my throat I wallowed in his comment.
"A ship? Oh, no! Anything but that! Really, Jane, I think this rock's getting to you." He didn't stand up instead he lifted his hands above his head and grabbed my waist.
"Never seen anything like it before. Ever. Zach says it's a sign." He flipped me over him and sat me on the warm ground. "Seems to think death follows it."
"Zach? You're putting a lot of stock into something that nut has to say." Zach was a nice enough guy, if you could get past the boozing. But you can't really justify anything he brings to the table.
"Yeah.. Well, this time, he seems to know what he's talking about. I've tracked the ship back to several planets. None of which have had anything pleasant to report.." He stood up and started walking to my cell. I followed close behind listening intently. "They all say the same thing."
"Which is?" I prompted when he didn't continue.
"Kidnappings. And death. No one's sure where it goes. But once you're on that ship. Nobody will ever see you again and that's if you're lucky." He left me some water and walked to the guard's station.
Grabbing the water. I was left to my thoughts. If you're lucky. His words repeated in my head… Who's in that ship? I figured I'd find out soon enough. What could anyone want on Crematoria? I was rudely interrupted, before I could find an answer, by the alarm.
I ran out to see what all the commotion was, when three men came out of nowhere and attacked me. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm a fighter. But these men.. They were stronger than anything I'd ever seen. One of them grabbed me from behind and another tried to cuff me.
Jane came after the one with the cuffs and the third man snatched him up. "Jane!" I screamed trying to get loose.
That's the last thing I remember before being taken to that fucking excuse for a planet. Trapped. A captive. On Cradence.
I stepped into a bright room and had to shield my eyes. I was given a ridiculous pair of goggles by a strange man with an even stranger accent. "Welcome to Cradence." The man said as he led me through the room of people. Everyone seemed so drained, and I knew I'd have to find a way out. Shouldn't be hard, right? Wrong.
He took me to a room, more a hallway, with four beds on both walls and a door at the end. "Name. Race. Planet of previous occupancy." Ignoring the man I remained silent and he looked up from the clipboard he had grabbed off the edge of one of the beds. "Beg pardon. I am Doctor Jaxon Matthews. I am a Zenotial, but before coming here, I called Furya home."
I was shocked to hear "Furya" on the lips of my capture. Hiding my surprise, I answered coldly, "Camin Reid. Furyan. Crematoria." They already knew where I was taken, there was no way I was telling ANYONE where I was born. The doctor gave me a scrutinizing look, but quickly turned his attention back to the clipboard.
