A/N: TCoR re-imagining - sequel to "Animal Side". Enjoy - the boys aren't looking forward to the next chapter.

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction using characters from the Pitch Black universe. I do not claim any ownership over them or the world of PB/TCoR. This work is solely for entertainment purposes and is not considered canon (not by a long shot).


Slowly Riddick raised the prison control room to the dismay of the convicts with him. Vaako stood by Riddick and sighed, then reached up and tore the sleeves from his shirt. Riddick grinned at him. The inmates were murmuring behind him, knowing his plan and trying to convince themselves it was possible.

"20 mile buffer zone ... and 30 klicks to the hangar," One of the Guv's lackey's mused.

"30 klicks ... over that ..."

The terrain that stretched out before them was the melted and blasted remnants of a world that gave a view of hell in two extremes. It was as uneven and treacherous as any of the inmates could imagine.

The Guv looked at the sky and calculated. "It's moving in the right direction ... we could make it. Stay behind the night, ahead of the sun."

Riddick leaned back against the control panel and looked at the group for a moment. "There's gonna be one speed ... mine. If you can't keep up, don't step up. You'll just die."

Riddick walked past Kyra without looking at her, but his words were directed toward her ... a warning. She looked after him with an uncertain gaze and then her eyes landed on Vaako. The two of them hadn't seen one another since she left Helion Prime to look for Riddick. Vaako hadn't been the warmest of guardians but he had tried to keep his promise to Riddick on her behalf. She wondered if he blamed her for what had happened to him. Vaako walked up and stood directly in front of her, looking down at her. She watched him with wary, feral eyes.

"No, young one, I don't blame you," Vaako replied to her unspoken question. Kyra's eyes widened. Vaako put his goggles on and regarded her steadily. "I don't blame you and I regret ... I regret I wasn't able to stop what happened to you. Being slaved out ... it can destroy a person if they aren't strong enough to survive it."

"Yeah? What would you know about it?" Kyra said with a sneer. "You someone else's bitch in slam ... besides his?"

Vaako's face revealed no reaction to her taunts. Instead, he held up an arm that was now bared. On the underside, close to his armpit where it wasn't easily seen, was a faded scar. Kyra's eyes narrowed. She knew the symbol. It designated a body slave - a slave whose only purpose in life was to be used physically. She looked up at him. Vaako lowered his arm. "I was ten. You were twelve. We each survived in our own ways. I failed him by letting you come to this pass ... don't fail him by surrendering to it."

Vaako followed Riddick out into the Crematoria twilight. Everyone had donned long coats for the initial foray since the air had not warmed yet. The control room sank slowly back into the pit behind them.

Having fun, beautiful?

Vaako's face revealed a rare grin displaying teeth. A wolf's grin. Vaako loved being able to run and Riddick knew it. He was easily as fast as Riddick and the two men were unconsciously pushing one another as they moved in a ground-eating pace.

Below them, the guards ran through their little warren. Vaako tracked them easily - their thoughts were not complex nor quiet. One of the guards, Anatole, paused briefly as though he'd heard or sensed something. He had been referred to by his boss as having a "nose for trouble". Vaako knew better - Anatole was a latent telepath. He just didn't know it. Unfortunately, if Riddick had his way, Anatole would never know. He'd be dead and they'd have the ship.

Riddick leapt over a large open crater and Vaako was not far behind him. They dodged through several jagged up-croppings and then Riddick dashed down a narrow canyon with Vaako on his heels.

Guide 'em, beautiful.

Vaako growled, but paused as Kyra and the others ran into the dead end canyon, afraid that Riddick and his partner had abandoned them to their fate. Rounding a corner, they nearly ran into Vaako who had his hands laced together into a step. Without breaking stride, Kyra stepped into his hands and was boosted up to Riddick's waiting arms.

The others were left to their own devices as Vaako turned and quickly scaled the rock. They followed his impromptu path, discarding their coats as they did so. Vaako didn't glance behind but felt the first drippings of sweat on his brow. He laughed as his body gave him another burst of speed. Riddick grinned broadly. It was good to hear his beautiful animal laugh again.

Riddick ...

I see 'em ... 'nother gopher hole up near the volcano fields ... catch 'em there, in the ash.

Vaako did not respond but Riddick knew he'd been heard and understood. Vaako often saw and grasped the same things that Riddick did ... link or no link. It let them move in an eerie tandem with one another. Riddick was again reminded of his solitude on UV6 and how foolish it had been to take that on alone. Vaako, above anyone else in his universe, could have filled the empty silence on that frozen hell. Riddick did not intend to forget that ever again.

The small group ran into a cloud of ash spewing from the multitude of volcanoes in this particular area. It was a thick, suffocating snow that blanketed them. Vaako saw the small turret rising and quickly pulled Kyra behind a nearby boulder just as the guards fired, striking a convict. Riddick had leapt up on the top of the turret and was swinging one of the large hammers that the guards had used in the prison. It gained momentum and he brought it down to strike one of the guards inside. Anatole fell to the bottom of access ladder. Vaako felt his mind evaporate like smoke.

Vaako emerged as he saw the turret beginning to descend and cursed abruptly as Kyra charged past him, firing her stolen weapon until the clip was empty. He raised an eyebrow, but said nothing and ran past her to regain his place beside Riddick.

Riddick looked at Kyra impassively until Vaako was beside him and then he turned and took off again, the two men pacing each other easily.

Kyra caught up to them and bore the brunt of Riddick's frustrated wrath.

"What the hell was that?" Riddick shouted. "You don't care if you live or die?"

"If I kill them first," Kyra said between breaths. "Not really."

Vaako growled low in his throat at this admission. He'd spent years as a Necromonger because he'd wanted to find Kyra and ensure her safety. He'd promised Riddick. To find out she was this reckless made his efforts and the consequences he'd suffered seem worse than foolish. Riddick's anger flared in Vaako's mind and he knew his lover was furious. It wasn't often that Riddick let anyone in ... he did not take it kindly to have that thrown back at him. He tempered his reply but Vaako thought Kyra probably got its meaning.

"Maybe I do care," Riddick snarled. "Keep moving!"

Riddick hit the sheer cliff face at a run and raced up it a good seven feet before he had to start seeking hand holds. Vaako followed suit, but his lesser weight and better parkour skills let him pass Riddick ... a little. Riddick chuckled and the two were soon playing a game of chase with the rising sun as the deadly third player.

They crested the cliff easily and turned to watch the others moving up the face of the mountain. Riddick began to pace anxiously. The light was growing brighter with each breath. Vaako began uncoiling the rope he carried as Riddick went to the edge of the cliff and called to the girl.

"Kyra?" Riddick's deep baritone carried even when he wasn't shouting.

No response was forthcoming.

"Kyra?" Riddick's voice was more strident.

"What?!" Kyra responded with some frustration.

"Get. That. Ass. MOVING!"

Vaako winced as Riddick's voice boomed along the rocks. He pulled his goggles back and handed his lover the rope he'd already fashioned a slip-knot in for anchoring. Riddick looked at it as though he'd never seen a rope before.

"I told her one speed, beautiful."

"You'll have to get two more ropes to make the jump, though." Vaako said, ignoring the comment.

Beautiful ...

Either you do it or I will, Riddick.

Riddick jerked Vaako into a kiss. They broke apart when the Guv's hand appeared over the edge of the cliff. Riddick helped him up and Vaako grabbed the second convict. Before the other two could make any further progress, the sun appeared in all its hellbound glory. Vaako dove behind an outcropping just opposite the big man. A faint voice drifted up from the cliff side.

"Riddick? You know when I said I didn't care if I lived or died?" Kyra said weakly. "You ... you know I was kidding, right?"

Vaako reached out to Riddick but was sternly rebuffed.

"Stay outta my head, beautiful. Ain't thinking civilized things right now."

Vaako cocked an eyebrow at that, but said nothing. Riddick seemed to debate something with himself then he looked at the Guv and the other convict. A roaring brought his attention back to the approaching hell and he saw a sight that in any other circumstance he might have called beautiful. The temperature differential created its own entrance by throwing fireballs and other incendiary displays ahead of it. Riddick's decision was made.

"Give me your rope ... and your water-all of it!" Riddick ordered, pointing. "Stay in the shadow of the mountain. Don't wait for me ... RUN!"

Means you too, Vaako.

The hell it does, Riddick, Vaako sent defiantly.

Not risking you again, beautiful. Go. We'll be right behind.

Vaako knew the unsaid part was "Or we won't." He bowed his head as he fought with himself over obeying Riddick or not. He looked up finally - his jaw set.

No.

Dammit, Vaako ...

Get going or you'll miss your chance.

Riddick took the rope and ran for it. Vaako watched as he lassoed a rock and used his momentum to pendulum swing along the side of the cliff. He swept Kyra out of the fissure and they flew over the edge of the rocks just as the flames slammed into the mountain. Vaako caught Kyra as Riddick tossed her before landing just beyond in shadow. She looked at Riddick, standing in front of her with the water he'd taken evaporating from his seared skin. Vaako shook his head slightly.

Never boring, Vaako mused.

The trio raced down the shadow side of the mountain toward the hangar. Vaako could sense the running convicts below. He ached for the chance to use his skills in combat again. That desire hadn't come with the Necromongers - he'd possessed a bloodthirsty streak long before ever running across the Lord Marshal's army.

Not long now and we can play Kyra's favorite game.

Who's the Better Killer, Vaako said, grinning. The Jaguar and the Wolf ran the surface of hell to meet up with destiny.