ACT FIVE
SCENE 23: EXT DARK SIDE MINE ENTRANCE
With baited breaths Skrul, Candice and Riddick swiftly exit the mine. They head directly towards the closes vehicle and waste no time firing it up. Candice looks back one last time before Riddick takes off.
We fly OVERHEAD as they drive back towards the ship. In the distance there is another large vessel near their ship however they are yet unaware of it's presence. Skrul removes a small pair of binoculars and scouts the route back to the ship. To his surprise, they were not alone.
SKRUL
Hey man, there's another freak'en ship!
Riddick too can now see it just over the next dune and quickly turns to hide them behind a nearby ridge. He switches off the engine to avoid the air currents from alerting the arrivals of their presence. He's not planning on introducing himself in this life.
SKRUL
Aw man, it's the sector police. We're so dead.
RIDDICK (to Candice)
Your collar.
CANDICE
We have to go the rest on foot. We can make it to the
ship.
Skrul is outvoted and has no choice but to go with them. Of course, he can always go on his own but looking back at the mine, he decides to take his chances with Riddick and Candice instead.
As they get out of the vehicle and prepare to leave, Candice secretly slips a thin rope into the back of her pants. They walk a small distance closer before crouching behind a sandy mound to assess the situation. Skrul takes another look through the binoculars.
SKRUL
Hey, that's our engineer. He's probably telling them where
we are.
RIDDICK
I thought he had no tongue.
SKRUL
Yes well, he can write, I think.
RIDDICK
You're starting to get on my nerves.
Candice suddenly changes the subject and tone of her voice. Like everyone else on this little shindig, she too has other plans. Now that Marty is gone and her patrol has expired, she's a free woman and like anybody starting life fresh, she needs credits and she needs them fast.
CANDICE
Riddick, I think now's a good time to answer my question.
RIDDICK
I recognised your tattoo, you know, the one on your back. I don't quite remember
where, but there was a rumor about an elite force of 'genetically modified'
people. Apparently the project was terminated, or should I say you terminated
it. At first I wasn't sure if it was you but the name of the ship and what you've
just demonstrated only proves it.
SKRUL
Yeah man, that's Kitty the Tiger Princess.
Skrul suddenly realises that he's with two of the most dangerous people alive and turns white as the thought sets in.
SKRUL (continued)
I'm so screwed.
Riddick suddenly turns and punches Skrul with the back of his fist. Candice does nothing as she has had a similar urge herself.
CANDICE
Is that all?
RIDDICK
I heard more rumors later about the elusive Tiger Princess.
CANDICE
Well then, you know as much about me as I do about
you. So don't take this personally.
Suddenly she draws her blade like weapon and swings it at Riddick who manages to catch her hand and force lose her weapon before any damage can be done. Skrul totally loses it and scrambles on his hands and knees to avoid getting between them.
SKRUL
What the hell, you guys are just freak'en mad!
Candice just as quickly kicks him across the face forcing him to let go of her hand. She turns, crawling, to reach her blade but Riddick grabs her feet and drags her back. She pushes herself onto her knees under him and grabs his arm. Putting one foot out for support and balance, she used her enhanced strength to throw Riddick over her shoulder while very quickly looping one end of the rope around that wrist. Candice slides onto her bum and locks her legs around his neck and secures his other wrist with another portion of the rope.
SKRUL (continued)
Kat! What the hell are you doing?
She brings his two wrists together and swiftly enforces it with a series of knots before looping more of the rope around his neck. One sturdy tug and the choking rope around his neck tightens.
CANDICE
They never removed the bounty on your head Riddick, despite the rumors of your
death. Those minerals are useless to me and I'm not leaving here empty handed.
I owe a lot of people a lot of money and your bounty will more than cover it.
Candice steps over him leading the rope down to secure his feet. He tries to kick up but she blocks and maneuvers the rope around the ankle that kicked up and then the other. Yanking the rope even tighter, forces Riddick's knees up making the distance from his neck to his ankles reasonably short. If Skrul didn't know better, he can swear she's done this a few time before, the question is, was he next?
CANDICE
If you struggle you'll only tighten the rope around
your neck.
She rolls him onto his side and ties the remaining rope around his waist. She then removes his knife from behind him and confidently collects hers from the ground. Candice seems so sure of herself but Riddick can see through her doubt and anxiety. He knows about her past and her fears. Can she do what must be done?
RIDDICK
You could never get me on the ship without being seen and who's going to fly
it?
CANDICE
Skrul can fly it and I'll have no problem dragging your firm ass onto that ship.
There's no one guarding the rear, no pun intended.
SKRUL
Hey Kitty, I don't know man.
Candice grabs her blade and in one easy stroke, flings it at Skrul. It lands a near two inches from his groin.
SKRUL (continued)
Sure Kitty, you da man, I mean, what ever you
say.
CANDICE
Let's go.
SCENE 24: EXT LIGHT/DARK RIM BOARDER
Before Candice even begins to drag Riddick an inch, the ground rumbles and shakes and a dull but loud noise sounds. The bomb has finally gone off and due to the high levels of ore, it's destruction was multiplied causing the entire mine system to collapse. Now all that remains of the mine is a huge sink hole.
The blast however catches the attention of the sector police who assemble within seconds to investigate what happened. Convinced that the engineer is no immediate threat, only two men remain behind to guard him.
Candice takes the ends of the rope and slings them over her shoulder. With great effort, she begins to drag Riddick behind her heading towards another mount to avoid being seen by the passing sector police. Suddenly Candice stops and takes a moment. The men and woman of the sector police are almost past them and haven't yet spotted the vehicle behind the ridge.
RIDDICK
Tired already?
Candice drops the rope, takes her blade and sits on Riddick's side holding the blade to his neck. She takes another second before cutting the rope that leads from his feet to his neck, the main rope that is holding the entire assortment together.
CANDICE
You're free to go.
SKRUL
No, don't let him go, he'll kill us both!
She continues to cut him loose regardless of Skrul's pleas. She knows that Skrul is probably right and as predicted, Riddick seizes the opportunity turning the tide on her. Within mere seconds, she finds herself unresistant and face down on the ground with the cold steal of her own blade against her throat. Riddick hesitates before tossing the blade aside. He flips her over onto her back as if she were a rag doll and sits on her pinning her hands down on the cold ground.
CANDICE
Just do it, get it over with, I'm not taking you in!
RIDDICK
Why the change of heart?
CANDICE
Because I hate what the flying tiger stands for. It used to be a sign of strength
but now it's nothing more than death. I won't do it. That's not who I am anymore.
RIDDICK
But you still carry the symbol around, because you know
as well as me, you cannot escape your past.
Riddick releases her and she rolls over into a fetal position upset with herself. Skrul totally freaks out again and throws the pouch at Riddick.
SKRUL
You're both insane! Take this damn stuff, I don't want any part of it.
He runs out towards the sector police waving his hands in the air like a lunatic. This was all just too much for him to comprehend. The fact that he is still alive in itself seems like a miracle. On second thought, he rather take his chances with the law than spend another second with either of them.
SKRUL (continued)
Hey! Over here, help me, they're mad! They
were going to kill me!
Before, Riddick would have just left Candice to wallow in her own self pity but recently, he learned to give a damn. Grabbing her arm, Riddick forcefully pulls her to her feet and begins tugging her towards the ship.
RIDDICK
Come on woman!
Unfortunately, they are spotted by a member of the passing group who also tries to signal the two men back at the ship. The engineer catches on quickly and manages to punch the one guard out cold. The other guard shoots the engineer dead in apparent self defense and quickly adjusts his aim towards Riddick and Candice. They find cover behind some crates but not before Riddick gets a bullet in the stomach.
Thankfully, above the crate is a gun that was carelessly left unattended. Candice braves an appearance to obtain the weapon while they are distracted by Skrul who is taken into custody. Candice and Riddick have the same idea to get to the ship as soon as possible.
CANDICE
On three?
RIDDICK
Three!
Candice helps Riddick make a dash for the Tiger Princess. He is forced to rely on her totally but tries not to put all of his weight on her either. Candice manages to get off a shot at the pursuing guard and is successful in injuring him. Time is short as they only have a few seconds to board and start the engines before the others are close enough to actually stop them.
SCENE 25: INT TIGER PRINCESS COCKPIT
Thanks to Candice's extra strength and agility, they make it to the ship just as the other sector police arrive. Once sealed in, they are pretty much safe from any hand held weapons, but that doesn't mean they weren't shot at.
They scramble to the cockpit but Candice suddenly stop just before the doorway. Riddick shoves past her and sits on the main pilots chair and starts the engines. He knows that he must act quickly if they are to escape the sector police, who are now rushing to their own ship in an attempt to pursue.
Candice holds on tight as they take off into the atmosphere. Being that she hasn't secured herself in the co-pilot seat, she consequently falls back as Riddick navigates out the icy layer the surrounds the moon. We see a shot from the exterior of the ship as it escapes the atmosphere and flies off. Back in the ship, Riddick calls to Candice. He looks at his wound and is struggling to stay conscious.
RIDDICK
Get in here woman!
CANDICE
I can't.
RIDDICK
I need you to take control. They're sure to follow and I don't know how long
I can stay awake. It's easy.
CANDICE
You don't understand, I really can't!
Riddick doesn't have time for games even though he knows it's not a game. To her, the fear of being in charge of a ship is all too real since both her parents were pilots, and they both died due to 'pilot error' on separate occasions. She is utterly convinced it's a family curse.
Riddick finds the strength to get out his chair and grab Candice. He pulls her unwillingly into the co-pilot seat and fastens her safety belt before collapsing back into the pilot's chair.
RIDDICK
There that wasn't so hard.
CANDICE
I'm sorry, it's just…
RIDDICK
I know about your parents but you can't live your life in fear. You're better
than that. I'm going to program in co-ordinates of a good friend of mine. I'm
also sending ahead a code transmission explaining our situation. When you reach
her space she'll be ready to assist you with the sector police that are right
behind us. *Uhhhh*… This ship is faster so they can't catch up. All you need
to do is monitor her.
CANDICE
Why, where are you going?
Riddick strains to key in the codes and before he is able to answer, his body goes into a state of unconsciousness despite his protest. Now Candice is their last hope. Strange how she has turned from the confident warrior into a scared little child.
CANDICE
Riddick? Riddick!!!!!
SCENE 26: EXT SPACE NAGAR SYSTEM STELLA'S SPACE
The Tiger Princess flies past at a great speed but not far behind are the sector police. Candice begins to panic and her mind flashes back to her parent's deaths. Just when she thought it was all over, two ships suddenly appear and begin to open fire upon the pursuing ship. No one must know about their escape, no one will. What's left of the sector vessel is mere rubbish fit for a scrap yard.
SCENE 27: INT TIGER PRINCESS COCKPIT FADE IN
Riddick is still out for the count and his wound has been neatly dressed by Candice who used it as a way to not think about past events. Seconds after the destruction of the sector police vessel, Candice receives a transmission.
STELLA
Tiger Princess, this is Stella. We have you on guidance
and we're bringing you in.
End.