Notes: Ta-Da! Is this.gasp.a new chapter.in record time after the other
was posted? Why yes, yes it is. Enjoy! Comments.PLEASE review! Thanks to
all my reviewers! :o)
Chapter 8
Alex found herself staring at the model, at the small globe which represented this planet they were on. Dark. All dark. Those things, those.whatever they were, came out in the dark. Emotions roiled within her, threatening to break through the exterior. She was afraid. People she could handle, it was all like a game. But these creatures, animals, brutal, killers, swarming.those she could not handle well. Ironically enough, she had loved animals before her ordeal. But now, these were unpredictable, and impossible to read like she did with people. Impossible to intimidate.
Yet now could not be the time for a breakdown. If Alex had learned anything, it was that she must, absolutely must, promote a tough exterior. She envisioned the flame, and put a hand to the sword hilt, tracing its exterior almost absently. The sword would protect her. They could only get so close, and then the sword would protect her.
Carolyn straightened, and then muttered something about seeing to the ship. She strode out of the building towards the skiff, Johns close behind her. Alex couldn't shake the feeling that even though he was helping, that man was untrustworthy. She casually followed them at a distance, trying to hear what they were saying.
Johns was trying to get Carolyn to wait on bringing the cells back from the crash site, and when she finally asked him what the fucking problem was, he said, "Maybe I should tell you how Riddick escaped," and motioned inside the ship.
Dammit, Alex thought. She couldn't hear them inside there without coming close enough to be noticed. She walked off a bit further, frustrated. What could he have to tell Carolyn that was so important? She went over to a building and leaned up against the side of it, in a temporary refuge from the sun, always beating down. She closed her eyes, trying to logically suppress her fears which hadn't really gone away. She heard a scuffing in the sand, close by, and opened her eyes with a snap.
Riddick stood not five feet away. Her heart pounded in her chest. He couldn't be willing to make friends with someone who pulled a sword on him, so why was he here? Don't let him see you are afraid. Intimidate, brush him off, her mind screamed. She hardened her gaze, and made ready to flip out the wrist-sheathed knife at a moment's notice. But with him this close, there wasn't a whole lot he could do. He could easily overpower her. Though she was not small of frame and every part of her body was muscle, his powerful build belied a strength that she couldn't come close to matching. The grey tank top he wore, marred only by dust and the oxygen canister he had taken from Shazza, revealed close-up that his arms could probably lift over 250 pounds. He could snap her like a twig.
"Now why is it that everyone else acts afraid of me and you don't?" he said slowly, coming a step closer.
Alex was taken by surprise. Of all the things to say, why wonder if she was afraid of him or not? And whatever she said, somehow he would know the truth behind it. He, too, could read people, and what his effect was on them. No use giving him more information than she was comfortable having him know. She decided to switch the subject. "Well now we've got other things to be afraid of, right?" she said, but hovering around losing control on her emotions. He was too close, if he wanted to he could cut her. He still had that curving metal piece from before, even if he didn't have it out. The key to staying out of trouble was to keep your enemies farther, not closer, to your body. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't draw fast enough to protect herself with the sword before he could get to her. But if she backed off, then he would know she was afraid. She couldn't even touch the sword for reassurance, because then he would know. She inwardly cursed for letting herself get into such a vulnerable position.
He smiled, the smile of a predator who knew something his prey didn't. "Yeah, those things. Who knows what will happen when the lights go out." She thought of his eyes. He would know what would happen because he could see when it was dark.
"By that time, I plan on being on the skiff getting the hell out of here," she blurted out without thinking. Fuck! She was letting her emotions get ahold of her, showing her nervousness, not thinking before she spoke.
"Ah yes," Riddick said confidently, "the skiff." He looked at it, then back to her. "Don't have enough power cells yet though. Not near enough. Don't even know if it will fly. Don't even know if everyone will make it onto that skiff." The last words were said with steel behind them in his voice, but she didn't know what he meant.
"Not everyone?" she questioned him. What were his plans, then?
Her curiosity had gotten the better of her, letting him think that he had more of an advantage. He put a hand on the wall and leaned closer to her. Now she couldn't escape.
"You see, Mr. Johns in there will do whatever he has to, to make sure that I'm brought in, for justice," he said "justice" in a mocking tone. "He'll do whatever he has to because I'm worth twice as much alive, and he'll make sure.that I am."
The gravity of what he said hit Alex like a thunderbolt. She took in a swift breath through her nose, audible enough that Riddick heard it, and with her body language, knew she understood. Johns, passing himself off as a cop, or at least not dispelling that conception, wasn't a cop. He was a merc, bringing Riddick in for the money. A cop, at least, wasn't motivated by greed in everything he did. Mercs had a bad, bad reputation in the streets. They were absolutely ruthless, and if they killed a few innocent people during their lives to get the big payoff, then so be it. They were tolerated because they got the job done, but they were bad news. The fact that he was bringing back Riddick, but making himself out to be the good guy was just to get him into the good graces of the others. He could probably be just as ruthless as Riddick was. If push came to shove, Johns was probably quite capable of killing the others if there was a ghost of a chance that his capture of Riddick was threatened.
"You find out something you didn't know every day," Riddick slowly rumbled, with a smile.
Alex didn't know what to say to that. If it was going to be between Riddick and Johns, something told her she'd be better off with Riddick. He was intelligent, incredibly intelligent, and even though he was dangerous he didn't have an air of a man who would sell someone out. Johns might be a merc, but so far it seemed he had been telling the truth when he said that Riddick would stay bought once he entered a deal. He was waiting for her, waiting for her to defend Johns. Given her past but limited experience with Johns, that was the one thing she was definitely not going to do, merc or no merc.
"Didn't like him anyway," she said, raising her eyes to his. Her heart still pounded in her chest. Was it the right answer? "Mercs aren't any fun," she added, trying to add a confident smile. Whatever it was between Riddick and Johns, she wanted nothing to do with it. But if only one of them was left, she hoped to God it was Riddick because Johns was just untrustworthy. At least from Riddick she got the sense that he just wanted to scare them all, for the power he felt from it. He didn't have a reason to kill them. Did he? Would he kill the rest of them, to get away scott- free? The doubting voice crept quietly into her mind. Don't trust anyone, it said. But if anyone, she did trust Carolyn. She wasn't sure why, but she did. It was something about her. Carolyn would have to know this about Johns.
Riddick seemed surprised by her dismissal of Johns. "Most law-abiding citizens think mercs are the good guys.bringing criminals like me where they belong," he said, a smirk on his face. So he thought she was a wealthy little law-abiding citizen did he? She supposed it was her own fault, playing that bluff about the expensive case. Well, it was about time to dispel him of that little notion. She'd seen mercs streetside more than once, one of them had even bludgeoned a homeless guy almost to death, trying to get information out of him.
"I've seen mercs on the street. Don't give a fuck about anyone else except their payday. Mercs are sometimes worse than." she paused, looking Riddick up and down, "criminals like you. Don't know what kind Johns is, but so far he doesn't impress." Johns seemed helpful, but she couldn't imagine that he found Imam and the boys, Jack, Paris, or Shazza the strong points of the expedition. She decided it was time to end that confrontation, and quickly spun away so she was out of his reach, then started to walk away.
But not without a parting shot. "Oh, and human blood definitely would not taste copperish," she said, turning around, "It has iron in the hemoglobin only. Should've thought of that," and whipped her head around to continue walking. At least her science education would be good for something. Riddick, amused, chuckled at her back.
Alex started to hyperventilate as she walked away. All that fear repressed.but somehow it wasn't as intense as before. Okay, Alex thought to herself, at least now he laughs at you, and wouldn't kill you as fast as if he thought you were siding with Johns.
There wasn't much to do until they decided to go and get the remainder of the power cells, assuming that the hull checks went all right. She heard the ship behind her close the door, meaning Carolyn was starting those checks. Alex decided to explore a bit more, find something to get her mind off that conversation with Riddick. She thought she'd done rather well, but it was still nerve-wracking. She picked the building that they had their water in, and went in to find that all the others besides Riddick, Johns, and Carolyn were there. They all looked at her as she entered.
"Um, Carolyn's checking the ship with the power cell. Looks like she got it connected okay," she said, feeling the need to say something. That seemed to assure them a bit, because they had all been looking a bit down before. Probably remembering the boy's death, and the creatures.
Shazza got up from where she was sitting in a chair, dusting her hands off. "I'm gonna go finish on that Sand Cat some more. If we can get those cells, we'll need it," she said, seeming to look at Alex for approval. Alex nodded, confused slightly over her sudden elevation to leader status. As Shazza left, she concluded that it must be in the absence of Carolyn and Johns. She wasn't quite sure that she liked it, even transiently.
They sat in silence after Shazza left, until Jack broke it, coming over to Alex. "So, why'd you give this to me?" she asked, pulling out the knife Alex gave her earlier. Paris and Imam looked on, curious.
Alex, looking down, thought carefully before answering. The kid was cute, and Alex found warm feelings for her surfacing, even against her vow that never again would she care for someone else. "It's because no matter how small, you should be able to protect yourself," she finally let out. "Against whatever, and whomever. I can show you how to use it, if you want," she said, smiling at the end of it. A real smile. She could help Jack, protect her, against Johns, or Riddick. Jack smiled back, and Alex held out her hand for the knife to show her a few basic moves.
The doors burst open as Shazza ran inside. "You should look outside, the sun, it's." and she trailed off, looking confused and panicked. She motioned for them to come outside, and Alex pushed the proffered knife back at Jack, telling her to keep it secret, for now. As she followed Paris outside, to where Shazza was standing near the sand cat, she followed Shazza's outstretched arm pointing at the horizon. Through the heat waves rising from the ground, she was able to make out the form of something slowly moving upwards.
"Oh God." Alex said. That was no mirage. That was one of the planets that would cause the eclipse. The eclipse was starting, and they didn't even have the power cells for the ship yet. Those creatures.those creatures would come out from wherever they were hiding, and tear them apart. Like the boy. But now was no time for thinking that.
"Hey!" she shouted at Imam's two boys, who were looking awestruck at the sky. "Go get Fry. Now!" They looked at her in surprise, then started running towards the ship, calling "Capitan! Capitan!" Alex resumed her scrutiny of the sky. The planet was moving fast. The boys must have found Carolyn, as she came up behind Alex. All of them, their entire little group, were so small. How many creatures were there on this planet?
"If we need anything from the crash sit I suggest we kick on. That sand cat's solar," Shazza said, running towards the cat and switching it on. It was solar?! Alex thought to herself. This could just not get any better. Hopefully they would reach the site and get back before the eclipse totally covered the planet in darkness. If not.but Alex put that thought out of her mind for now. That planet was moving awfully fast.
The entire group ran to get onto the sand cat. Alex was standing, holding on to the roll bars in the back. Jack yelled, "Where's Riddick?" He was nowhere to be seen.
"Leave him! He wouldn't wait for us!" Paris answered. Just at that moment, Riddick jumped onto the sand cat from the roof of a building, landing right in front of Paris, who smiled nervously. "Thought we'd lost you," he said to Riddick, then sliding back down to have a seat on the base of the sand cat.
"Johns!" Shazza called, then started up the vehicle, driving away. They passed Johns walking out of a building, and as he leaped up to get on the sand cat, Riddick grabbed his arm to help him up. The two stared at each other for a second, then Riddick pulled Johns all the way up onto the cat. Though the planet was still climing in the sky, the sun was intense, so Alex pulled out her glasses and put them on, relieving her squinting eyes. As they descended into the canyon where the ripcages of giant animals had been seen before, Alex swung down so she was underneath the roll bars, not sure if they would be able to clear it. They did, but just barely, causing the bones to collapse after they had passed.
Alex saw the crash site in the distance, and shouted to Shazza, "Can't this thing go any faster?!" They were racing the planet's ascent.
"It's as fast as it'll go, we'll get there!" yelled Shazza back.
They approached the part of the ship with the power cells in it and all scrambled off. Alex ripped off her glasses and ran after Carolyn, Riddick, Imam, and Johns into the hold, where they started disconnecting the cells. Alex pulled one out, grunting at the weight but still able to carry it over her shoulder. She followed Riddick, who was carrying two cells, outside, where Shazza had backed up the sand cat as close as she could get it. Alex carefully put the power cell in the bed of it with her remaining strength, and then looked up at the dimming light. The planet's rings began to cover the sun.
Jack tried wiping off the cat's solar generator, which was spinning slower and slower. They all stopped to look as the planet went higher, Shazza muttering as the sandcat's engine totally stopped. Alex felt adrenaline pumping through her veins, from the frantic pace they had ran into the ship, stopped by the awesome sight of the planet beginning to cover the sun. As the light got dimmer, they heard shrieking, and howling, like the creatures in the chimneys. Those chimneys which were not too far away from the ship. The entire planet was alive with the noises.
Suddenly, in the dim light Alex could see the creatures begin to fly out of the chimneys. So many of them, together in a flock.
"How many are there?" asked Johns, walking towards Riddick, who was staring at the chimneys.
Thousands of the dark shapes streamed out of their holes, looking now more like a swarm of angry, incredibly dangerous insects, circling, waiting for enough of them to gather.
Alex faintly heard Riddick whisper, "Beautiful," even he seemed to be in awe of them.
"People!?" came Paris' voice from the other hold of the ship, "just a suggestion, perhaps you should flee!"
It stirred them into action. "Let's go!" shouted Carolyn, running off towards the more protective part of the ship where Paris was. Shazza still tried for a moment to get the sandcat running, but Alex saw her and grabbed her arm.
"Come on!" Alex said, pulling her out, as Shazza screamed "Shitttt!" in frustration. Without the sandcat they couldn't bring the cells to the skiff. But right now they had to run.
It was Shazza, Riddick, and Alex further behind the rest, just a few hundred meters ahead of the swarm that was closing fast. "Don't look back!" Alex shouted to Shazza, knowing that behind her was Riddick, and behind him was the swarm.
The swarm flew past the ship. "Get down!" Carolyn yelled at them. As they topped the rise, the three of them jumped and hit the dirt, a second before the swarm passed over them, shrieking. They remained absolutely still, Alex wondering if they could go, if they could outrun the swarm. Ten seconds passed. Alex knew that the swarm would circle back. But Shazza got up and started running towards the ship.
"NO!" screamed Alex, stretching out a hand as if to catch her. But Alex remained where she was, knowing that the swarm would get her too. She could hear Jack yelling at Shazza to stay down, stay there, but then Alex flipped onto her back, as flat as possible, as she heard the swarm come up behind her. It passed over her, but as Alex followed it with her eyes, it caught Shazza only a moment after she had started running. Hundreds of the creatures attacked her, grabbed onto her with what could only be razor- sharp teeth. And then she started screaming. Alex closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of them attacking her, ripping her flesh. And then came the sound of what could only be a body being torn in half. Shazza kept screaming, worse than before, and Alex opened her eyes to see the upper half of Shazza's body being carried into the sky. And then the screaming stopped.
Alex, horrified, kept looking at the sky. The creatures didn't come back. She couldn't move, couldn't do anything except stare with wide eyes at the sky, feeling nothing but pure and utter terror. God, oh god, she thought, that could have been me. Nothing she could do could take away the fear she felt. Suddenly a face came into view and when she focused on it, it was Riddick. He stared at her a moment, then put out his hand. She took it, and he pulled her up, then immediately let go, brushing his hands to get rid of the dirt. She swallowed, watching his back for a moment, and then started to walk quickly towards the others at the ship, who were still staring at the lower half of Shazza, left on the ground.
"Please, don't you think we should go inside?" Paris said softly, holding Jack, "we have to be inside, have to close the door, come on let's go!" he was yelling, pushing Jack ahead of him into the dark hold. Yes, safety inside, close the door. Alex stopped once she got to the ship, when Carolyn looked into her eyes she met them with a glassy gaze, still unable to get past the fear. Alex walked past her and was starting to get into the ship when the three of them heard a new noise, a louder shrieking, coming from the chimneys. And the sound of rocks falling, as if the sides of the chimneys were falling down. They turned around, Riddick stepping away from the ship a bit. Riddick bent his head to remove his goggles, revealing his shined eyes, and looked out towards the chimneys.
"What is it, Riddick? What is it now?" Carolyn asked, the fear in hear voice as well. Alex fumbled in her pocket for the glasses, suddenly remembering the night vision function.
"Like I said," Riddick slowly spoke, "it ain't me you gotta worry about."
Alex put on the glasses and pressed the side button for nightvision with shaking fingers, suddenly seeing everything with a slight green tinge. A momentary flash disturbed her, the final rays from the sun before it was totally covered by the planet. Then she looked towards the chimneys.
"Oh my God."
Chapter 8
Alex found herself staring at the model, at the small globe which represented this planet they were on. Dark. All dark. Those things, those.whatever they were, came out in the dark. Emotions roiled within her, threatening to break through the exterior. She was afraid. People she could handle, it was all like a game. But these creatures, animals, brutal, killers, swarming.those she could not handle well. Ironically enough, she had loved animals before her ordeal. But now, these were unpredictable, and impossible to read like she did with people. Impossible to intimidate.
Yet now could not be the time for a breakdown. If Alex had learned anything, it was that she must, absolutely must, promote a tough exterior. She envisioned the flame, and put a hand to the sword hilt, tracing its exterior almost absently. The sword would protect her. They could only get so close, and then the sword would protect her.
Carolyn straightened, and then muttered something about seeing to the ship. She strode out of the building towards the skiff, Johns close behind her. Alex couldn't shake the feeling that even though he was helping, that man was untrustworthy. She casually followed them at a distance, trying to hear what they were saying.
Johns was trying to get Carolyn to wait on bringing the cells back from the crash site, and when she finally asked him what the fucking problem was, he said, "Maybe I should tell you how Riddick escaped," and motioned inside the ship.
Dammit, Alex thought. She couldn't hear them inside there without coming close enough to be noticed. She walked off a bit further, frustrated. What could he have to tell Carolyn that was so important? She went over to a building and leaned up against the side of it, in a temporary refuge from the sun, always beating down. She closed her eyes, trying to logically suppress her fears which hadn't really gone away. She heard a scuffing in the sand, close by, and opened her eyes with a snap.
Riddick stood not five feet away. Her heart pounded in her chest. He couldn't be willing to make friends with someone who pulled a sword on him, so why was he here? Don't let him see you are afraid. Intimidate, brush him off, her mind screamed. She hardened her gaze, and made ready to flip out the wrist-sheathed knife at a moment's notice. But with him this close, there wasn't a whole lot he could do. He could easily overpower her. Though she was not small of frame and every part of her body was muscle, his powerful build belied a strength that she couldn't come close to matching. The grey tank top he wore, marred only by dust and the oxygen canister he had taken from Shazza, revealed close-up that his arms could probably lift over 250 pounds. He could snap her like a twig.
"Now why is it that everyone else acts afraid of me and you don't?" he said slowly, coming a step closer.
Alex was taken by surprise. Of all the things to say, why wonder if she was afraid of him or not? And whatever she said, somehow he would know the truth behind it. He, too, could read people, and what his effect was on them. No use giving him more information than she was comfortable having him know. She decided to switch the subject. "Well now we've got other things to be afraid of, right?" she said, but hovering around losing control on her emotions. He was too close, if he wanted to he could cut her. He still had that curving metal piece from before, even if he didn't have it out. The key to staying out of trouble was to keep your enemies farther, not closer, to your body. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't draw fast enough to protect herself with the sword before he could get to her. But if she backed off, then he would know she was afraid. She couldn't even touch the sword for reassurance, because then he would know. She inwardly cursed for letting herself get into such a vulnerable position.
He smiled, the smile of a predator who knew something his prey didn't. "Yeah, those things. Who knows what will happen when the lights go out." She thought of his eyes. He would know what would happen because he could see when it was dark.
"By that time, I plan on being on the skiff getting the hell out of here," she blurted out without thinking. Fuck! She was letting her emotions get ahold of her, showing her nervousness, not thinking before she spoke.
"Ah yes," Riddick said confidently, "the skiff." He looked at it, then back to her. "Don't have enough power cells yet though. Not near enough. Don't even know if it will fly. Don't even know if everyone will make it onto that skiff." The last words were said with steel behind them in his voice, but she didn't know what he meant.
"Not everyone?" she questioned him. What were his plans, then?
Her curiosity had gotten the better of her, letting him think that he had more of an advantage. He put a hand on the wall and leaned closer to her. Now she couldn't escape.
"You see, Mr. Johns in there will do whatever he has to, to make sure that I'm brought in, for justice," he said "justice" in a mocking tone. "He'll do whatever he has to because I'm worth twice as much alive, and he'll make sure.that I am."
The gravity of what he said hit Alex like a thunderbolt. She took in a swift breath through her nose, audible enough that Riddick heard it, and with her body language, knew she understood. Johns, passing himself off as a cop, or at least not dispelling that conception, wasn't a cop. He was a merc, bringing Riddick in for the money. A cop, at least, wasn't motivated by greed in everything he did. Mercs had a bad, bad reputation in the streets. They were absolutely ruthless, and if they killed a few innocent people during their lives to get the big payoff, then so be it. They were tolerated because they got the job done, but they were bad news. The fact that he was bringing back Riddick, but making himself out to be the good guy was just to get him into the good graces of the others. He could probably be just as ruthless as Riddick was. If push came to shove, Johns was probably quite capable of killing the others if there was a ghost of a chance that his capture of Riddick was threatened.
"You find out something you didn't know every day," Riddick slowly rumbled, with a smile.
Alex didn't know what to say to that. If it was going to be between Riddick and Johns, something told her she'd be better off with Riddick. He was intelligent, incredibly intelligent, and even though he was dangerous he didn't have an air of a man who would sell someone out. Johns might be a merc, but so far it seemed he had been telling the truth when he said that Riddick would stay bought once he entered a deal. He was waiting for her, waiting for her to defend Johns. Given her past but limited experience with Johns, that was the one thing she was definitely not going to do, merc or no merc.
"Didn't like him anyway," she said, raising her eyes to his. Her heart still pounded in her chest. Was it the right answer? "Mercs aren't any fun," she added, trying to add a confident smile. Whatever it was between Riddick and Johns, she wanted nothing to do with it. But if only one of them was left, she hoped to God it was Riddick because Johns was just untrustworthy. At least from Riddick she got the sense that he just wanted to scare them all, for the power he felt from it. He didn't have a reason to kill them. Did he? Would he kill the rest of them, to get away scott- free? The doubting voice crept quietly into her mind. Don't trust anyone, it said. But if anyone, she did trust Carolyn. She wasn't sure why, but she did. It was something about her. Carolyn would have to know this about Johns.
Riddick seemed surprised by her dismissal of Johns. "Most law-abiding citizens think mercs are the good guys.bringing criminals like me where they belong," he said, a smirk on his face. So he thought she was a wealthy little law-abiding citizen did he? She supposed it was her own fault, playing that bluff about the expensive case. Well, it was about time to dispel him of that little notion. She'd seen mercs streetside more than once, one of them had even bludgeoned a homeless guy almost to death, trying to get information out of him.
"I've seen mercs on the street. Don't give a fuck about anyone else except their payday. Mercs are sometimes worse than." she paused, looking Riddick up and down, "criminals like you. Don't know what kind Johns is, but so far he doesn't impress." Johns seemed helpful, but she couldn't imagine that he found Imam and the boys, Jack, Paris, or Shazza the strong points of the expedition. She decided it was time to end that confrontation, and quickly spun away so she was out of his reach, then started to walk away.
But not without a parting shot. "Oh, and human blood definitely would not taste copperish," she said, turning around, "It has iron in the hemoglobin only. Should've thought of that," and whipped her head around to continue walking. At least her science education would be good for something. Riddick, amused, chuckled at her back.
Alex started to hyperventilate as she walked away. All that fear repressed.but somehow it wasn't as intense as before. Okay, Alex thought to herself, at least now he laughs at you, and wouldn't kill you as fast as if he thought you were siding with Johns.
There wasn't much to do until they decided to go and get the remainder of the power cells, assuming that the hull checks went all right. She heard the ship behind her close the door, meaning Carolyn was starting those checks. Alex decided to explore a bit more, find something to get her mind off that conversation with Riddick. She thought she'd done rather well, but it was still nerve-wracking. She picked the building that they had their water in, and went in to find that all the others besides Riddick, Johns, and Carolyn were there. They all looked at her as she entered.
"Um, Carolyn's checking the ship with the power cell. Looks like she got it connected okay," she said, feeling the need to say something. That seemed to assure them a bit, because they had all been looking a bit down before. Probably remembering the boy's death, and the creatures.
Shazza got up from where she was sitting in a chair, dusting her hands off. "I'm gonna go finish on that Sand Cat some more. If we can get those cells, we'll need it," she said, seeming to look at Alex for approval. Alex nodded, confused slightly over her sudden elevation to leader status. As Shazza left, she concluded that it must be in the absence of Carolyn and Johns. She wasn't quite sure that she liked it, even transiently.
They sat in silence after Shazza left, until Jack broke it, coming over to Alex. "So, why'd you give this to me?" she asked, pulling out the knife Alex gave her earlier. Paris and Imam looked on, curious.
Alex, looking down, thought carefully before answering. The kid was cute, and Alex found warm feelings for her surfacing, even against her vow that never again would she care for someone else. "It's because no matter how small, you should be able to protect yourself," she finally let out. "Against whatever, and whomever. I can show you how to use it, if you want," she said, smiling at the end of it. A real smile. She could help Jack, protect her, against Johns, or Riddick. Jack smiled back, and Alex held out her hand for the knife to show her a few basic moves.
The doors burst open as Shazza ran inside. "You should look outside, the sun, it's." and she trailed off, looking confused and panicked. She motioned for them to come outside, and Alex pushed the proffered knife back at Jack, telling her to keep it secret, for now. As she followed Paris outside, to where Shazza was standing near the sand cat, she followed Shazza's outstretched arm pointing at the horizon. Through the heat waves rising from the ground, she was able to make out the form of something slowly moving upwards.
"Oh God." Alex said. That was no mirage. That was one of the planets that would cause the eclipse. The eclipse was starting, and they didn't even have the power cells for the ship yet. Those creatures.those creatures would come out from wherever they were hiding, and tear them apart. Like the boy. But now was no time for thinking that.
"Hey!" she shouted at Imam's two boys, who were looking awestruck at the sky. "Go get Fry. Now!" They looked at her in surprise, then started running towards the ship, calling "Capitan! Capitan!" Alex resumed her scrutiny of the sky. The planet was moving fast. The boys must have found Carolyn, as she came up behind Alex. All of them, their entire little group, were so small. How many creatures were there on this planet?
"If we need anything from the crash sit I suggest we kick on. That sand cat's solar," Shazza said, running towards the cat and switching it on. It was solar?! Alex thought to herself. This could just not get any better. Hopefully they would reach the site and get back before the eclipse totally covered the planet in darkness. If not.but Alex put that thought out of her mind for now. That planet was moving awfully fast.
The entire group ran to get onto the sand cat. Alex was standing, holding on to the roll bars in the back. Jack yelled, "Where's Riddick?" He was nowhere to be seen.
"Leave him! He wouldn't wait for us!" Paris answered. Just at that moment, Riddick jumped onto the sand cat from the roof of a building, landing right in front of Paris, who smiled nervously. "Thought we'd lost you," he said to Riddick, then sliding back down to have a seat on the base of the sand cat.
"Johns!" Shazza called, then started up the vehicle, driving away. They passed Johns walking out of a building, and as he leaped up to get on the sand cat, Riddick grabbed his arm to help him up. The two stared at each other for a second, then Riddick pulled Johns all the way up onto the cat. Though the planet was still climing in the sky, the sun was intense, so Alex pulled out her glasses and put them on, relieving her squinting eyes. As they descended into the canyon where the ripcages of giant animals had been seen before, Alex swung down so she was underneath the roll bars, not sure if they would be able to clear it. They did, but just barely, causing the bones to collapse after they had passed.
Alex saw the crash site in the distance, and shouted to Shazza, "Can't this thing go any faster?!" They were racing the planet's ascent.
"It's as fast as it'll go, we'll get there!" yelled Shazza back.
They approached the part of the ship with the power cells in it and all scrambled off. Alex ripped off her glasses and ran after Carolyn, Riddick, Imam, and Johns into the hold, where they started disconnecting the cells. Alex pulled one out, grunting at the weight but still able to carry it over her shoulder. She followed Riddick, who was carrying two cells, outside, where Shazza had backed up the sand cat as close as she could get it. Alex carefully put the power cell in the bed of it with her remaining strength, and then looked up at the dimming light. The planet's rings began to cover the sun.
Jack tried wiping off the cat's solar generator, which was spinning slower and slower. They all stopped to look as the planet went higher, Shazza muttering as the sandcat's engine totally stopped. Alex felt adrenaline pumping through her veins, from the frantic pace they had ran into the ship, stopped by the awesome sight of the planet beginning to cover the sun. As the light got dimmer, they heard shrieking, and howling, like the creatures in the chimneys. Those chimneys which were not too far away from the ship. The entire planet was alive with the noises.
Suddenly, in the dim light Alex could see the creatures begin to fly out of the chimneys. So many of them, together in a flock.
"How many are there?" asked Johns, walking towards Riddick, who was staring at the chimneys.
Thousands of the dark shapes streamed out of their holes, looking now more like a swarm of angry, incredibly dangerous insects, circling, waiting for enough of them to gather.
Alex faintly heard Riddick whisper, "Beautiful," even he seemed to be in awe of them.
"People!?" came Paris' voice from the other hold of the ship, "just a suggestion, perhaps you should flee!"
It stirred them into action. "Let's go!" shouted Carolyn, running off towards the more protective part of the ship where Paris was. Shazza still tried for a moment to get the sandcat running, but Alex saw her and grabbed her arm.
"Come on!" Alex said, pulling her out, as Shazza screamed "Shitttt!" in frustration. Without the sandcat they couldn't bring the cells to the skiff. But right now they had to run.
It was Shazza, Riddick, and Alex further behind the rest, just a few hundred meters ahead of the swarm that was closing fast. "Don't look back!" Alex shouted to Shazza, knowing that behind her was Riddick, and behind him was the swarm.
The swarm flew past the ship. "Get down!" Carolyn yelled at them. As they topped the rise, the three of them jumped and hit the dirt, a second before the swarm passed over them, shrieking. They remained absolutely still, Alex wondering if they could go, if they could outrun the swarm. Ten seconds passed. Alex knew that the swarm would circle back. But Shazza got up and started running towards the ship.
"NO!" screamed Alex, stretching out a hand as if to catch her. But Alex remained where she was, knowing that the swarm would get her too. She could hear Jack yelling at Shazza to stay down, stay there, but then Alex flipped onto her back, as flat as possible, as she heard the swarm come up behind her. It passed over her, but as Alex followed it with her eyes, it caught Shazza only a moment after she had started running. Hundreds of the creatures attacked her, grabbed onto her with what could only be razor- sharp teeth. And then she started screaming. Alex closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of them attacking her, ripping her flesh. And then came the sound of what could only be a body being torn in half. Shazza kept screaming, worse than before, and Alex opened her eyes to see the upper half of Shazza's body being carried into the sky. And then the screaming stopped.
Alex, horrified, kept looking at the sky. The creatures didn't come back. She couldn't move, couldn't do anything except stare with wide eyes at the sky, feeling nothing but pure and utter terror. God, oh god, she thought, that could have been me. Nothing she could do could take away the fear she felt. Suddenly a face came into view and when she focused on it, it was Riddick. He stared at her a moment, then put out his hand. She took it, and he pulled her up, then immediately let go, brushing his hands to get rid of the dirt. She swallowed, watching his back for a moment, and then started to walk quickly towards the others at the ship, who were still staring at the lower half of Shazza, left on the ground.
"Please, don't you think we should go inside?" Paris said softly, holding Jack, "we have to be inside, have to close the door, come on let's go!" he was yelling, pushing Jack ahead of him into the dark hold. Yes, safety inside, close the door. Alex stopped once she got to the ship, when Carolyn looked into her eyes she met them with a glassy gaze, still unable to get past the fear. Alex walked past her and was starting to get into the ship when the three of them heard a new noise, a louder shrieking, coming from the chimneys. And the sound of rocks falling, as if the sides of the chimneys were falling down. They turned around, Riddick stepping away from the ship a bit. Riddick bent his head to remove his goggles, revealing his shined eyes, and looked out towards the chimneys.
"What is it, Riddick? What is it now?" Carolyn asked, the fear in hear voice as well. Alex fumbled in her pocket for the glasses, suddenly remembering the night vision function.
"Like I said," Riddick slowly spoke, "it ain't me you gotta worry about."
Alex put on the glasses and pressed the side button for nightvision with shaking fingers, suddenly seeing everything with a slight green tinge. A momentary flash disturbed her, the final rays from the sun before it was totally covered by the planet. Then she looked towards the chimneys.
"Oh my God."