ACT THREE
SCENE 7: EXT LIGHT SIDE MOON SURFACE FADE-IN
Finally the ship is able to land. Once it has touched ground, Henry confirms his oxygen readings by opening the main doors and stepping outside. As a precaution, he wears a small oxygen mask while taking collecting the data from a small hand device. It's not long before he pulls of the mask and informs the others that it's save to open the air lock.
HENRY
It's breathable but thin!
Impatient from the long journey, Mat and Marty rush to get out the vessel.
HENRY
I suggest we check the oxygen canisters on the all-terrain vehicles just in case.
MARTY
Fine, unload and set up camp.
Riddick is also releived to exit the craft but not as much as the others. Small spaces have been his home for a long time, sometimes even he feels too exposed if not surrounded by four walls. Fargo calls out to the two younger men who are still amazed at his engineering skills despite only having one eye.
FARGO
Henry and Mat! You're with me. Please try to get an area with less rocks this
time, my poor back is still recovering from your last camp site.
MAT
Sure old man, one soft pit coming right up.
SCENE 8: INT TIGER PRINCESS CARGO BAY ONE
While Henry and the other two depart from the ship to find a suitable base camp site nearby, Riddick sneaks back into the ship, something just seems off about cargo bay two. He makes sure that no one sees him as he tries to open the old rusted cargo bay door. Lucky for him it's not locked. Riddick sneaks in and takes a look around before his eyes catch somthing odd in the corner. There is a a human sized container, with the words 'handle with care' on it, that has fallen from it's restraints against the wall. Riddick makes his closer and realises that there is a blue fluid leaking from one of the container's edges. He know this blue liquid all too well as it has seen him throught many long journeys. Riddick kneels near the liquid and dabs some of the blue ooze onto his fingers and smells it to see how old it is.
RIDDICK
A cryo-pod, and it's fresh.
Suddenly, he hears voices and a man approaching, and quickly exits the store room. By the time Henry arrives, Riddick is in cargo bay one collecting some gear. Henry joins him and they both leave with gear in hand.
SCENE 9: EXT LIGHT SIDE MOON SURFACE CAMP SITE
The camp site lies a short distance from the ship in a small crevice. If we were to look out towards the light side of the moon, we would be able to clearly see strange trees and bushes. They are pale in colour as if covered by a layer of grey-green dust. The two all terrain vehicles are parked near-by and are fully loaded with the mining equipment.
Skrull stares into the darkness of the night side of the moon, they will be heading into the stillness soon after they have rested and checked the equipment. It's rather quiet and eerie on this abandoned moon that there is almost no sign of life except the haunting trees in the distance.
As the grown men sleep under the open sky, we GLIDE over them one by one as if to confirm that they are truly asleep. This is exactly what Riddick is doing. He on the other hand is wide awake. He moves like a shadow in the night and makes his way back to the ship only looking back once to see if any body has stirred.
SCENE 10: INT HALLWAY CARGO BAY ONE
Riddick has returned to cargo bay one but something's different. The doors are now suddenly locked as indicated by the active keypad next to them. He looks through the stained glass window to see if they have moved the leaking container. If it weren't for his altered night sensitive eyes, he would not have noticed that the inside of the cargo bay is exactly as he left it. Who ever locked the doors obviously did not check it's contents.
Riddick stands before the keypad and sighs. He attempts to guess the access code but fails. As impatient as he is, he spots a metal rod against the corridor wall near him and without giving it another thought, uses it to smash to key pad. The poor device dangles from the wall on a thin wire. This seems to have done the trick as the doors unlock. Riddick is so chuffed with himself for finally smashing something.
RIDDICK
Knew you'd see it my way.
He hurries to the leaking crate with the metal bar still in hand and wastes no time prying it open. Although he has his suspicions, the last thing he expected to find was a portable cryo-pod with an actual person inside. As if that was not enough, it appears that the dazed person is actually awake.
The pod has been slowly leaking the fluid for a few hours now. As a result, a cloud of vaporous gas has formed within the glass tube and is choking the young woman who is bound with restraints and has a gag over her mouth. Riddick can see that she is slowly suffocating and she struggles to free herself despite being weak, cold and damp.
Riddick is hesitant for a second before deciding to get her out. The first thing he noticed about her was the unmistakable prison collar around her neck. His thoughts drift briefly back to the days when he had a similar collar around his neck. He is called back into the present when he realises that she is drifting off and beginning to loose consciousness.
He releases the clamps on the pod and forces the heavy lid open. The vapour rushes out dispersing with the air around the crate. Riddick hoists her up out of the pod throwing her over his shoulder. The boys have some explaining to do.
SCENE 11: EXT LIGHT SIDE MOON CAMP SITE
Riddick purposely makes a commotion when he returns to the camp site. He places the girl on a make-shift chair and removes her mouth gag. As she gasps for air, Henry wakes.
HENRY
What the hell is she doing awake!
Leaving her restraints on, Riddick goes to sit by his designated resting spot. They are all up now and very much alert. Skrul has to be the odd one out and greets her with a cat like gesture.
SKRUL
Hello Kitty, Reow.
Mat reaches for his weapon but Henry already had his in hand when he woke up.
MARTY
Who's responsible for this?
He looks to his crew but they are just as confused. Riddick makes no sudden claim and can feel the tension rise. Finally he confesses after leaving them to their suspecting thoughts.
RIDDICK
That would be me.
Riddick stands and helps himself to a packet of dried food. He seems extremely calm among the nervous bunch.
RIDDICK (continue)
You boys forgot to check your special cargo.
Fargo glances at Marty as if speaking with his thoughts, but Marty is just as confused.
RIDDICK (continue)
There was damage to the cargo bay when we passed into the
atmosphere. The pod must have broken loose, the sustaining fluids were leaking.
No-one moves keeping their eyes fixed on Riddick and the girl with weapons on the ready.
MARTY
Mat! I thought you locked the bay.
MAT
I did.
MARTY
Did you check her status?
MAT
Uh, no. I just assumed...
Marty lowers his weapon and puts it away. He is sure to keep it near and loaded.
MARTY
No worries, we had to let you
out sooner or later. Go check the cargo hold and release her restraints, she
won't be going anywhere here.
Fargo removes a key card from his pocket and unlocks the restraints around her ankles and hands. Mat runs back to the ship's cargo bay to see if Riddick was telling the truth.
MARTY(Sarcastically)
You poor girl. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you. I hope it wasn't too terrifying.
Almost instantaneously as Fargo removes the last restraint, she gets up and with every last ounce of strength, walks briskly towards Marty. He is greeted with a stern slap across the face. Henry nervously raises his weapon and aim it on her.
MARTY
Okay, I guess I had that coming.
Marty indicates for Henry to lower his weapon but just as he recovers she unexpectedly punches him hard forcing him to the ground. This causes both Henry and Skrul to aim their weapons at her. Riddick finds this amusing and doesn't budge while eating his dry travel food. Marty scrambles to his feet and seems rather surprised.
MARTY
I hope that's now out of your system, 'though I don't
know how you bypassed your collar.
We ZOOM onto her collar and notice that there are no lights on. Just then, the collar reactivates and a small yellow light comes on. The girls, CANDICE holds her neck as the collar is very annoying and discomforting.
MARTY
Ah, I see, the moisture from the cryo-pod must have temporarily
set it to safe mode, at least it didn't short out. But I see it's back on, comfy?
The boys hesitantly lower their weapons and Marty safely approaches her. He takes her by the arm knowing she can't act out now with the collar active. He drags her to Riddick and throws her at him causing him to spill his dried food.
MARTY
Seeing as you released her, you can be responsible for her. If she gives you
any trouble, just smack her around, she can't fight back as long as she's wearing
that collar. I'm sure you are familiar with it operation.
Riddick shoves her off his lap and stands up looking directly into Marty's eyes..
RIDDICK
I don't baby-sit.
MARTY
I'm not asking you to. She's a threat to this operation
and if this doesn't go down, you don't get paid. Just keep her away from us,
and don't be fooled by her innocent look - there's more to her than meets the
eye.
Riddick looks back at her, she looks weak and harmless like a new puppy. Marty indicates for Fargo to walk with him. They wonder off a short distance away from the camp to keep their conversation private.
FARGO
You know her parole expires in a day and then that collar is history.
MARTY
We just better make it to the site before then, then she's going to have a little accident. I can't
let her jeopardise our operations again.
Mat comes running back from the ship and heads towards Marty and Fargo.
MARTY
And?
MAT
It's like he said.
Marty slaps him over the head and slings his weapon onto his shoulder.
MARTY
Idiot! You know what's at stake.
MAT
It won't happen again.
FARGO (Looking schemishly at Marty)
Of course it won't. She's not going to be around for much longer.
Back at base camp, Skrul pours a hot drink for Candice and takes it to her. Riddick sits near her under the shade of a moon rock while cleaning the lenses on his slim line goggles.
SKRUL
Here ya go Kitty or do you prefer Kat. Then again, I always liked Candice.
CANDICE
Ah Skrul, always the hopeless one.
SKRUL (Upset)
That hurt bitch. I'm not second in command because of my looks y'know.
CANDICE
He's just using you because you don't challenge him which
means he can get away with more, but someone with half a brain would see that.
Skrul snatches the drink back from her and stomps away before gulping it down. Unfazed by his reaction, Candice lies down on her side with her back facing Riddick and tries to rest. When she curls into a comfortable possition, top lifts slightly exposing her skin. Riddick makes out a tattoo of a white tiger with orange wings on her lower back and raises an eyebrow in recognision. We ZOON INTO his shiny eye then FADE OUT into the next scene.
SCENE 12: EXT LIGHT SIDE MOON SURFACE
It's not long before the crew is all geared up to enter the dark side where the mine entrance is situated. Fargo, the engineer, is ordered to remain with the ship. They begin to load themselves into the two all terrain vehicles. Riddick walks past Candice as she walks in the opposite direction to get to the other side of the vehicle.
RIDDICK
I hope you're not afraid of the dark.
CANDICE
I am the dark.
Riddick grins at her remark but does not quite understand what it means. Marty takes the lead with Fargo navigating beside him and Skrul enjoying the ride in the back. Riddick is not far behind with Candice sitting silently beside him where he can keep an eye on her and both Henry and Mat in the back. They race off into the dark side with their lights on and soon disappear behind a large dune.
Continue to Act 4...