Oh. Fuck. Oh. Such a fucking bad idea. Why was this the only thing she thought of?!
She dropped much faster than anticipated because of the added weight of the chains. She screamed out in surprise and grabbed at her chains, whipped them around the rope and held. She tightened the double loop of chain around the rope as tightly as she could and smelt the burning of the fibers as the chain created friction. She watched as the high dense quality rope streamed by her face so close she could feel the heat radiating off. She clutched tighter at the rope and he hands turned white from the pressure against the chain. The metal bite into her skin and she barely kept the scream in her throat from voicing.
"CARA." She heard Riddick cry out her name but she closed her eyes and clenched at the chain. Her descent slowed but not enough to really break her fall. She reached the end of the rope far too quickly and was suddenly free-falling. That was when her scream was ripped from her.
"Cara!" She heard another voice. A women's voice. A frightened high-pitched voice.
Cara rolled herself in the air to try and let her legs take the brunt of the fall but she didn't slam into the rock ground but a soft body. Riddick grunted as she crashed into his torso and fell back hard onto the ground. He had practically crash tackled her out of the air. He cradled Cara to his chest and was amazed that neither broke anything. Sure, both were bleeding and their bones were probably bruised but she hadn't screamed out in pain.
Riddick cradled Cara's head and forced her to look up at him, his heart beating hard. Her hair curled around his fingers and she lay on top of him in a daze. She blinked up at him until he came into focus and her breathing evened out. Her hands lay flat against his chest as she braced herself against him and they each froze, staring into each other's eyes. Or goggles in Cara's case. Their surroundings faded and Riddick wanted nothing more than to stay just like this. Staring into her open face, without her many masks. When he had seen her drop his heart had stopped. He knew what this was. The animal in him knew. Everything was about Cara now. What would make her happy. What would make her sad. What would make her his.
They each heard running footsteps and as one they turned to see a dirty thin man running at them, he had a piece of jagged metal raised above his head as if to strike out at them. Cara rolled off Riddick with surprising speed and Riddick flipped up into the standing position and turned to their attacker as Cara watched his back. Cara's eyes lighted upon two convicts that were already on the ground, dead. The welcomin' committee. Cara thought.
Cara's attention was draw to the man running at Riddick. A chain came whipping out of the darkness to snake itself around the attackers throat. It curled around tightly and he was ripped off his feet backwards. In a dramatic fall he landed on his neck and shoulders with his legs flying up over his head. There was a sick crunching noise as his neck snapped. He dropped down dead and his body relaxed as the chain was slowly coiled back into the hands of their savior.
Cara's eyes light up at the sight of her. It was Jack. Their little Jack. She felt a smile cross her face as Riddick ripped off his goggles and stared at her. Tha's right. Girls do grow fast'. Cara out right grinned at her and waved a little too excitedly. Jack had changed yet again, she was now a grown women whom could be on par with Cara herself. Jack's eyes found Cara's and if Cara hadn't known her so well, would have missed the smirk she shot her.
"There are inmates and there are convicts." The gravelly voice drew their attention to a man who slowly sauntered over. The man was a bit on the tall side and underneath his layers of clothing Cara could see he was lean. At one point in this man's life he had been portly but life in prison had a tendency to shave a few pounds off. His hair was choppy and close cut to his head as if he had done it himself, which he probably did. His face looked to be open kind but years in the penal system had made that face scared over with a snarky mild amusement for everything around him. "A convict has a certain code. And he knows to show a certain respect." Cara observed the way most inhabitants moved out of his way. He was obviously the big wig around these parts. Cara zoned out on the conversation and glanced at Jack, but she had disappeared in their moment of distraction. Nice. Cara felt a smile tug her lips. The man continued, "An inmate, on the other hand, pulls the pin on his fellow man. Does the guards' work for them." He seemed to please with this, "Brings shame..." He kicked one of the men on the ground whom Cara had thought was previously dead. But the pained scream that sound spoke otherwise. "To the game." He eyes Riddick from his boots up to his shined eyes. Then his gaze fell to Cara.
She had returned to ignoring them and sat down on the ground to pull at the heel of her right boot. Her heel had been hallowed out and inside was a very small set of lock picks that she deftly wielded toward her ankle shackles. It took but a moment to hear a click and she ripped off the chains and then switched to her hands. She stood and moved toward Riddick as she fiddled with it. Her hands were still very sore and she could see the blood blisters popping up under her skin from when the metal had pinched. It was a bit more of a challenge with the lock so close to her own flesh but after a moment it clicked open. She un-cuffed herself and let it fall to the ground. She raised her eyes to the man whom had been speaking. It had taken less than a minute for her to pick.
He frowned at her and then looked back to Riddick. His men slowly came up to flank him on either side, to show that he was the one with the power. "So, which are you gonna be?"
In situation like this Cara let Riddick take over. "Us?" Riddick glanced at the prison leader and slowly slid his goggle back down over his eyes, "We're just passin' through." Riddick walked by the man and walked deeper into the cave systems. Cara followed and grinned up at the man as she passed. She trotted to keep up.
The steam from the ground was hot against her skin and it quickly engulfed them into obscurity but she didn't miss the man calling out to them, "Welcome to Crematoria." After a few minutes Cara's body began to ache. Her adrenaline had helped stave off the flow of pain but in her relaxed state it was coming back. She groaned to herself and stretched trying to get out all the little kinks. She watched Riddick as his head swung back and forth. She saw his nostrils flare and realized he was hunting. Jack most likely. Cara felt the sudden urge to leave them be. It was between them, this argument. Cara and Jack had their own going on.
"Oi." Riddick turned to look at her, "Ye go on. Imma gonna find a place ta sit."
Riddick frowned at her and looked at her. She hide it well but she was hurt. Her fingers trembled even so slightly and he could see nasty lookeing bruises up and down her arms, although he couldn't see the rest of her he was sure she was battered. He frowned. He didn't like that. He didn't like that she was in pain. In pain and didn't tell him. Strange, caring for something that could be hurt so easily. It made him worry.
"Oi." Her voice was dry. "Donna go lookin at me as if I'm decrepit. Imma just tired, haven't got any real sleep in some time."
Riddick had a flash back to her wakening on the ship, she had been groaning and almost crying in her sleep. He had pretended not to notice, because she didn't want him to know. He respected her enough for that much.
He nodded to her and reached out his hand to her. Slowly he cradled her hand in his and he felt his heart give a strange squeeze. He led her to some scaffolding that over looked the large hole. With his free had he pointed up to a ledge high above, "Rest there, no one below will see you and no one from above can get to you." He watched her eyes plotting a course up the wall. "You be careful." He watched her eyes widen.
"I will." Cara didn't look at him, afraid that he may not have noticed the tender concern for her well-being he had interwoven into that simple statement.
Riddick nodded once and then let her hand slip away. He turned and disappeared into the steam. Cara watched his back and then turned to look at the awful climb she was going to have to do before she could rest. She glanced at her hands and clenched them once, twice, feeling how the numerous blood blisters ached deep under her skin. This was going to suck.
Commander Vaako
Vaako stood with his back straight and his hands clasped behind his back, one hand gripping the wrist while the other was fisted. His face was blank as he watched the three portals in front of him for any sign of Riddick's trail. But that wasn't what he saw in reality. In reality he saw the punishment the Lord Marshal was bestowing upon him. The contempt the Lord Marshal had for Commander Vaako. How Vaako hated the Lord Marshal. Hated the command he had over Vaako.
Vaako felt his jaw clench even tighter and then turned his thoughts to his pray, Riddick and the women Cara presenting a distraction for the moment. While Riddick was in fact a warrior, Vaako was more concerned with Cara. She was an unknown factor. They knew nothing of her. His fingers absently brushed at the small wound she had inflicted on his throat. She would have had killed him if Riddick hadn't stopped her. Vaako gritted his teeth. Him, a veteran commander of the Nercomonger fleet, nearly killed by a woman who didn't even reach his shoulders.
Vaako felt a strange thrill run though him. A women in battle that could kill him. He felt a strange drive to grapple with her. No weapons. He felt heat build under his collar.
His mind flickered to Dame Vaako, his wife. A beauty to be sure but her snake like quality often left him bereft. She was seductive and he was often satisfied with her, but the purification had left her mind with only one drive, to bet the strongest power. Her aspiration for him to be Lord Marshal was often an argument they had. She believed that he could do it, kill the Lord Marshal. But Vaako had tested those grounds. And he found himself foiled again and again.
His mind suddenly jumped to the look Dame Vaako had when she looked at Riddick. He felt anger at her open display of lust for another man. Maybe she though Riddick was more powerful than Vaako himself? His hands clenched behind his back. Vaako glared at the portals in front of him.
He became aware of the soft swift steps coming up behind him. He forced his face and body to relax but remained vigilant. The Purifier came to stand beside him. Watching the portals as well, he began to speak. "They can be quite a test,…" Vaako already felt his patients for the Lord Marshal's spy wane. "…these deep runs tests of our inner selves. Don't you find that true?" The Purifier turned toward him with a quizzical expression.
Vaako let himself frown and he turned to view the others in the room. The only three others in the room could arguable be considered not human, they were the pilots, their only function to track and fly. No emotions, no speech capability. So virtually, Vaako and the Purifier were alone. "Some men do." He responded calculatingly. He let his attention turn to the screen the pilot was hunched over.
"Just being so far from the armada, the mind can start to fill with…" He paused his back to Vaako. "…strange thoughts, doubts." Turning to Vaako, "Don't you ever have doubts, Vaako?"
Vaako couldn't help but be shocked. It was as if the Purified had been listening in to his own thoughts. Vaako quickly masked his emotion as only a Necromonger could. "Doubts?"
"About the campaign. About Lord Marshal." His voice was soft as he clarified for Vaako.
Vaako let indignant anger fuel his words, "First and always, I am a Necromonger commander." He turned to walk back toward the Purifier to make his point resolute. "So if you're here to test my loyalty, you succeed only in testing my patience." He stood tall next to the other man.
The Purifier was unimpressed with the display of power, he stated in a calm voice, "Oh, no. No, that's not why I'm here at all." He paused to let that sink in, then slowly at his own pace he turned and walked away.
Vaako stood there pondering what he could have possible intended. A veiled threat of some kind? Perhaps he was over thinking it. Vaako is not sure how long he has stared off into space when a soldier comes forward, "Commander Vaako. Dame Vaako is on the ether and is requesting an audience." He saluted and quickly returned to his post. Vaako frowned. Dame Vaako never contacted him when he wasn't in Necropolis.
Vaako walked to the privet chamber to converse with his wife. "What do you think you're doing?" The creature he bent over was similar to the quasi-deads.
"Why hello, dear husband. I have some interesting news for you." Her voice sent a shiver down his back. "Are we alone?"
Vaako glance around, "Yes."
"One of the prisoners of war from Helium Prim was an Elemental. She has been aboard for days now and has not been killed, purified, and any harm done to her whatsoever. Doesn't it strike you odd?" Her voice sounded like a very pleased cat.
"What did you do?" Vaako demanded.
"Well we had a little chat. Don't worry, she is unharmed, but did give me quite a bit of information about Riddick." Her voice was amused. "The Elementals have a foretelling. One of their oldest. It speaks of a young warrior who consulted a seer. He was told a child would be born on the planet Furya, a male child, who would someday cause the warrior's downfall." She whispered the last, like they were conspiring, which they were. "Cause his untimed death."
Vaako paced thinking furiously fast. "Furya? Furya's a ruined world. No life to speak of."
He heard her make an amused sound, "For good reason. This young warrior mounted an attack on Furya, killing all young males he could find, even strangling some with their birth cords." She paused as if recalling something, "An artful stroke, wouldn't you say?". 'Artist' was their 'code' word for the Lord Marshal.
It dawned on him, "So this warrior, the one who tried to outwit the prediction, would later become..."
She hissed a whispered, "That's why he worries."
"The Lord Marshal." Vaako breathes out more than says, amazed at this new information. "Which would make the man-child..."
"He worries he missed killing that child in its crib." Dame Vaako supplied.
"Riddick." Vaako stares down at the quasi dead with his wife's voice in astonishment. "That's why it's so vital to him."
"Wait." Dame Vaako orders quietly.
Vaako continues, "It's about a prophecy."
"Wait! Wait!" She snaps.
Vaako pauses and waits for her to continue. "Are you there?" He questions after a minuet.
She doesn't respond quickly but eventually says, "You do what your lord asks. You cleanse Riddick for him, and in doing so..." She pauses, making Vaako hang on her words, "You prove your undying loyalty. And perhaps then he'll finally let down his guard." She doesn't say any more. They don't need to. Vaako slowly returns to his station his mind reeling with the possibility of being Lord Marshal.
Vaako never notices that deep in the shadows the Purified is waiting. Listening to the conspirators conversation. A slight frown upon his face.
Hello everyone, sorry about that crazy long wait! You ever have those days were you can't seem to find the chance
to rest or even eat for that matter? Well I just had continuous events in my life just happen!
Crazy! CRAZY! CRAZY TIME! Ugh, and all I wanted to do was at least get a chapter posted so
all the new family members of our gang can enjoy! And can I just say Holy COW!
Do we have so many new people to say Hi too haha!
So here we go!
Artemis450, AriesTanotage, Atari86, Avarianna, Black Thorns Entangled K, BrokenHeartAlchemist, ChaosArcana, Creshirecat, clhatfield15, Cherokeefox20, Crazychicalol, CuriousHearts, DestroyMe, Domonation, fanbook10, Gaarakitty, iAltoSax, jennygirl1996, je'wella19, kiera666, kelsey112, Kr1ssy, ks vamp girl, LiliAnn , ackson, Leckie, Lynn Kyzar, missylu145, Morana - Goddess of Nightmares, Muccle, NekoShina, Nina Franco, panodrasboxofcookies, peacewithinchaos, poisedrose, Sammysteal, ShadowObsessor01, Sidina, StoryReader1996, Specnicality, Something-, heMonkey, Tex-y, TheGreatWhite, the outsider19, Thetroublewithex's, WillingDragon, oXxgeorgiaxXo, x0Skay0x, xXSweet Little BumblebeeXx, XxVampiricxDemonxX
I really hope that all of you :/, I don't wanna leave anyone out ya know? :)
Thank you all for reading enough to favorite my story or comment or just follow haha!
I really means a lot and I'm so glad I'm back in the grove again!
Hope the chapter is okay! review? please?