Chapter 2
Riddick sat up as the cryosleep disengaged and he took back control of the skiff. It had been a long journey and Riddick had lots of time to think about what to do. Preaz had told him that if he did not return within 3 weeks then the thing inside him would kill him. He touched the back of his neck, but he couldn't feel anything. He felt like he was once again back on a leash, a very long and invisible leash.
The planet Sevlyn came into view and he groaned slightly. Why did it always have to be a sunny, desert planet? It turned out Preaz was looking for the exact same thing as the old woman had told him to find. The light to hinder the darkness, though Preaz seemed to think it was going to be a weapon. Preaz had showed him a picture of a woman who he thought knew where this light would be. She had been pretty with black hair and crystal blue eyes. Lila was her name, she was not going to be easy to find though.
Riddick proceeded to land and was surprised that no one tried to stop him or ask his business on the planet. It was a far out system with no real law or police force. Once landed Riddick proceeded to find a bar, he needed something to drink. The planet was a desert with three story mortar buildings making up the cities. It was a safe haven for murderers, thieves and anyone who didn't want to be found. Yes, this was his kind of planet. He went into the first bar he could find and was stopped by what looked to be the owner.
"You got any guns on ye?" The big man asked with a one of a kind accent. He looked like he had never heard of a bath or any kind of hygiene for that matter. Riddick just shook his head and the man nodded.
"All right then. Been getting to messy to clean up after."
Riddick smiled slightly to himself with that, oh yes this was his kind of planet. The big room was dark and the smell of greasy miners and smoke seemed to over take the room. Riddick moved his goggles up on his forehead and did one clean sweep with his eyes, taking note of everyone in the large room. There was three men sitting in the corner, thieves bickering over prices. Miners were in a large group off to the left, it sounded like they were talking about a strike and then there was the bar that Riddick walked up to and sat at.
Two men who where not thieves or miners but looked more like they were hiding from the law, sat at the bar and their discussion was all about what was being shown on the old screen above the liqueur cabinet. It should people getting killed by these ruff, dirty looking, mad men. Riddick heard the name, "Maththroians".
"What can I get you?" Asked the Bartender who looked like he had drank most of his selection.
"Whatever's good and strong." Riddick replied and the Bartender nodded.
"This should knock you on you ass." He said as he set a shot class of lime green liquid in front of Riddick.
"So what do you think of these Mathroians? Supposed to be real nasty, just raided our neighboring planet I here. Good thing they don't go in order." The Bartender laughed with that, like it was all a joke.
"Mathroians." Riddick said holding up his drink and examining it. "Steal technology as the move along, but by themselves are dumber the rocks. A nuisance for all those rich politicians, not a real threat...as long as they don't catch you." This got the two men's attention who sat to Riddick's left and one spoke up.
"And what do you know about them? They came out of no where and no one seems to be able to stop them. If you were smart you'd get out of here before this becomes there next target." The man got up then along with his friend and proceeded to leave.
"Chickens." Riddick said as they walked away but they didn't hear him.
"You got some interesting eyes there." The Bartender said to Riddick, just now noticing them.
Riddick just grunted and said.
"Buttons up", as he drank his drink.
The Bartender gave a surprised look as Riddick just set the glass down and nodded for some more. His attention was stolen away though when another person came up to the bar. The figure was hooded and Riddick could only see the woman's hands. He knew it was a woman because her hands were delicate and had a ring on one of her fingers that was a serpent. He inhaled trying to catch her sent and he smelled a hint of perfume, maybe jasmine and soap. No this woman did not belong on this planet, let alone in this bar. She waved the Bartender away though and he went off to tend to other customers.
"I'm glad you came." The woman said not looking at Riddick but saying it only for his ears.
"Lila." Riddick replied knowingly, but what could have been the chances of her being here exactly where he was?
"Riddick." The woman said turning towards him and for a moment making eye contact before she bent her head and walked away, headed for what looked like the back entrance.
Riddick swirled around on his stool, that was the woman Preaz had should to him. He stood up to follow but he didn't get half way across the room before the front door to the bar was smashed in. In came none other then Mathroian warriors, guns blazing. The bar erupted in chaos as every thieve, murderer and even miners jumped up and pulled out their guns that they weren't suppose to have. Riddick made a dive for the back door as the room was filled with gun fire. He followed the corridor out into the street where people were screaming in terror of the ships that now flew over them and the Mathroians who ran through the streets, some with guns others with swords.
Riddick saw the flicker of a cloak disappear behind a wall as he put his goggles over his eyes. The five suns that laid in a straight line to the east were setting now, thankfully dimming the bright planet. As Riddick ran after the woman he was stopped by two Mathorians but was not in the mood. Ducking away from one of their swords Riddick pulled out his two knifes, stabling one man and slitting the others throat. In a matter of seconds Riddick was off again following the woman up a flight of outside stairs that lead to a landing dock for ships.
He reached the top in time to see the woman run into what looked like a merchant ship. As Riddick got closer he saw that it was decked out with guns and weapons...a pirate ship. Hearing the noise of an engine behind him, Riddick turned around to see a Mathorian Skiff, weapons locked and gunners ready. Taking a deep breathe Riddick made a run for the pirate ship who's boarding dock was closing. The ship had already taken off from the ground and was heading away from the dock. Riddick ran and with procession caught the corner of the boarding dock. He forced himself to clime in as it finally closed. He sprang to his feet taking in his new surroundings.
It was in a fairly beg bay area that was mostly empty. There were stairs at the back leading up to the second story where the engine and bridge looked to be. Two men ran along the railing trying to steady themselves as the ship was fired on.
"Halley! Get me power to the thrusters! Nocks! Get down to the engine room we are going to need more power! Sara do something about that landing gear, get it up! Sigs! Get us the hell out of here!"
Yelled a man who seemed to be the captain. It was a light crew, Riddick thought to himself. It wouldn't be heard to get the ship. Everyone seemed to be completely ignoring him, though they did have other things to worry about. Everyone but Lila who stood in front of him steadying herself again the rises and falls of the ship.
"You are late." She said over the cracks and booms of the ship.
Riddick straightened and once again took account of her. Her cloak was off now and her hair was pulled tightly back in a pony-tale. She wore tight black pants and a tank with a jacket over it. She walked up to him calmly and narrowed her eyes slightly.
"You have a creature in you." She said taking a deep breath but not varying away.
Riddick cocked his head as he studied her, it wasn't very often that he met someone who didn't show the slightest amount of fear at meeting him. Her eyes were furrowed in confusion as she stared at him.
"Your not here because of the Necromongers, you are here because of Preaz."
She finally decided on with what seemed like anger. Riddick shook himself slightly, there was something about this woman that disturbed him.
"That's right." Riddick said with a deadly voice. "Now I'm short on time so you can either come with me or make me make you. I recommend the first option."
It was in that moment the wall became the floor as the ship flew side ways. Riddick had just enough time to catch Lila as they both went tumbling to the side. That is when he saw the crate break free and come barreling towards him. With lightly reflexes Riddick jumped over the railing and laid on the wall. Taking a deep breath he looked over and saw Lila laying on her stomach as the ship shook and things started to come flying out from everywhere. She seem to wake up though and she jumped to her feet shielding herself. A voice came over the enter-calm cursing.
"Sigs! Get her evened out or I swear will kill you myself! Hang on people."
The last part was a warning, though a little late. The ship evened out then, though it still shook. Riddick found himself standing on the walkway facing Lila who wasted no time in jumping over the side and landing with ease at the bottom like a cat. Riddick raised his eyebrow with that, for a pretty girl she moved pretty quick. He jumped off the railing landing with ease on the bay floor. With a slight growl Riddick shook his head to the girl has a warning. He was once again going to attempted get her and then get the hell out of there, when a voice stopped him.
"Hey!" Shouted the captain with authority as he climbed down from the railing, facing Riddick.
"I don't know who you are and I don't care at the moment. If you want to live though I suggest you get the hell over here and help me!"
The last part was more of a scream then anything and Riddick followed the man to the back of the ship where one landing gear was stuck open.
"Where going to have to do it manually." The man said as he sat down and grabbed the landing gear, trying not to fall out in the open sky. Riddick reached over and cut him as he slipped and almost fell. He knew that if they didn't get the landing gear up this ship was going to crash and one thing you did not want was to be caught by Mathorians. Reaching down and grabbing the gear together Riddick and the captain pulled it up. Riddick held it up as the captain clamped it in place and immediately hit the calm yelling.
"We got it! Go Sigs!" Riddick hung on to the wall as the ship took off at full speed and engaged into hyperspace. He could tell this ship was designed differently then any skiff, it was more like a deep space recon ship.
"Hang on." The young captain said afterward. He looked at Riddick for a moment, then walked back into the bay area.
"Lila, who is this?" He asked Lila who now stood with a gun in hand, seeming to have regained her composer.
Riddick followed the captain into the bay and smiled slightly at her who had a slight scratch above her brow and strands coming down for her pony-tale.
"Sexy." Riddick murmured under his breath.
"This is Riddick, Skot." Lila said like that explained everything.
"Okay." Skot said shaking his head slightly. "Is that supposed to mean something to me?"
"Don't tell me you've never heard of me." Riddick said coming around to stand in front of Lila.
"He's a murderer and now apparently a Merc." Lila said accusingly. If Riddick didn't know better he would say he had hurt her feelings in some way. He narrowed his eyebrows with the last part, not liking this situation one bit.
"There's a oxysemoron for you. But I wouldn't know I stopped getting caught a long time ago." Skot said looking Riddick up and down. There was a loud noise then and sparks came from under the paneling in the floor.
"Halley!" Both Skot and Lila ran to there friend who came out of the crawl space bleeding. The main panel had short-circuited
"Nocks! Watch him." Skot said to one of his men as he picked the young girl up and carried her up the stairs and off to the right wing of the ship. Lila paused for a moment but then followed Skot.
Riddick looked at the man Skot had named Nocks, he was the brute force of the team it looked like. He had long black hair which were in dreg locks and every type of weapon known to man on his body. Riddick just smiled, it was time to be going and no one was about to stop him.