Revised (06.01.2022)


"So, we got one cutting torch, we got two hand lights. There's got to be something we can rip out of the crash ship." Fry said.

"Spirits. Anything over 45 proof burns rather well." Paris said.

"How many bottles we got?" Fry asked.

"I don't know, maybe ten?" Paris said.

"Okay. Johns, you got a few flares. So, maybe we've got enough light." Fry said.

"Enough for fuckin' what?" Johns questioned.

"We stick to the plan! We get the four cells back to the skiff. We're off this rock." Fry said.

"Look, I hate to ruin a beautiful theory with an ugly fact. That sand cat is solar. It won't run at night." Paris said, now sitting over by Fry.

"So, we carry the cells. We drag them, whatever it takes." Fry said.

"You mean tonight, with all those things still out there?" Jack asked, rocking to try and comfort himself.

Nova put her hand on Jack's shoulder for comfort. Her nose caught the scent of blood; she waved it off as being Riddick's chest wound.

"Alright, now how long can this last? A few hours? A day, tops?" Johns tried to reason.

"I had the impression from the model. The two planets were moving as one, and there will be a lasting darkness." Imam informed them.

"These suns gotta come up sometime, and if these creatures are phobic about light, then we just sit tight and we let the sun come up." Johns said.

"I'm sure somebody else said that. Locked inside that Coring Room." Fry said.

Imam reacted to Fry's words as he thought about how Ali was killed.

"We need to think about everybody now, especially the kids. How scared are they going to be in the dark?" Johns said.

"Regardless of fear, it makes more sense to at least try and get out of here." Nova countered.

"You don't have to pretend to be brave." Johns said.

"I'm not the one who's pretending." Nova challenged, looking at Johns with a serious expression.

"Don't use them like that." Fry said, grabbing their attention.

"Like what?" Johns asked.

"As a smoke screen. You deal with your own fear." Fry said.

"Why don't you shut your fuckin' mouth for 2 seconds and let me come up with a plan that doesn't involve mass suicide?" Johns spat.

Johns heard the bioraptors on the outside of the hull.

"I'm waiting." Fry said, her gaze never leaving Johns.

Johns stayed silent.

"How much do you weigh Johns?" Fry asked.

"What's it matter, Carolyn?" Johns countered.

"How much?" Fry insisted.

"Around 79 kilos, to be exact." Johns answered.

"'Cause you're 79 kilos of gutless white meat, and that's why you can't think of a better plan." Fry berated Johns.

"Is that fuckin' right?" Johns seethed.

Johns got up abruptly, ready to harm Fry, but Riddick stopped him.

"Where you goin'?" Johns threatened, pointing a gun under Riddick's chin.

"This solves nothing." Imam said.

Riddick took his goggles off and looked Johns in the eye. Riddick started tapping his shiv near Johns' groin as a warning.

"Okay." Johns said, lowering his gun and swallowing hard.

Johns sat back down and smirked at Riddick.

"They're afraid of our light. That means we don't have to be so afraid of them." Fry said, trying to comfort Jack.

"And you are sure you can get us there? Even in the dark?" Imam asked.

"No, I can't, but he can." Fry said, looking at Riddick.

Hearing this made Riddick turn to look at Fry.


They left the hull with Fry leading the way with the cutting torch.

"Stay close. Wait, wait." Fry instructed.

Once they were near the sand cat Fry turned back to the group.

"Riddick." Fry called.

Riddick went to see if it was safe, pulling up his goggles so he could see.

"Looks clear." Riddick said, pulling them back down.

Johns approached the sand cat with his gun at the ready and when he was close enough one of the bioraptors flew out, making everyone duck.

"You said clear." Johns said.

"I said it looks clear." Riddick said.

Johns looked up for a moment.

"Well what's it look like now?" Johns asked.

Riddick looked up also.

"Looks clear." Riddick said, after a brief moment.

"You're kind of a jerk, you know that?" Nova said, getting up from the ground, somewhat amused.

Riddick turned to look at Nova.

"I'm a little surprised, that's the worst thing you've called me so far." Riddick said, getting up.

"What? Am I supposed to just be verbally abusing you, like the others?" Nova questioned.

"No. I mean, I would hope not." Riddick revealed.

"Well, I mean I did assault you earlier." Nova said, referring to the unintentional headbutt.

"You know what, that's true. You're just like the others." Riddick teased.

They smiled wide at each other and chuckled. Riddick was fiddling with his hands a bit, and looked like he wanted to say something more. When nothing was said Nova began to walk away.

"Hey -" Riddick started, making Nova turn back around. "Say we do make it off this rock. Do you think this has an any actual momentum?" He asked, motioning between the two of them.

Nova's face started to heat up.

"I-I mean we wouldn't know unless we tried." Nova answered.

"I'm pretty sure that's what I've been doing this entire time." Riddick said, referring to all of their previous encounters. "The way things have been going, I would've thought we'd have at least kissed by now. Among other things." He said, giving her a very suggestive look.

Nova thought about how Riddick's advances made her feel weak and powerless, but in a sensual way. If their literal lives weren't currently in danger, she probably would have given in to him several hours earlier. But this was neither the time or place for intimacy.


Everyone went into the ship to get as many glowing tubes as they could, along with the remaining power cells and Paris' Spirits.

"We're running about ten paces ahead. I want light on my back, but not in my eyes. And check your cuts, these bad boys know our blood now." Riddick said.

"Are we actually going to do this?" Paris said.

"We stay together, we keep the light burning. That's all we got to do to live through this thing." Fry said.


The bioraptors continued to make nerve racking noises, hoping to find something, or someone, to eat. Fry went back inside to go get Johns. Riddick and Nova were standing by the door of the ship.

"Are you ready Johns?" Fry asked.

"Yeah." Johns said, sounding sedated.

"Look, we're just wasting light here." Fry said.

"You give him the cells and a ship, and he'll leave you all out there to die. He'll probably even leave his criminal girlfriend behind if she ends up slowing him down any." Johns said.

Riddick started to tighten his grip on the strap holding the lights to his back and clenched his jaw. Seeing this indicated to Nova that he could hear them talking as well, though they weren't that far away from them in the first place.

"Easy." Nova said, placing her hand on Riddick's.

Nova's actions didn't seem to do anything, so she pulled her hand away.