Chapter Three, Unbelievable
I watched as Jack set the morphpac on the small bed and began extracting data pins, plugging them into a portable unit she had brought with her. There was a network access unit over by the opposite wall she could have used but obviously what was on those file pins were not for the eyes of the rest of the world. She sat on the bed and began typing on the unit, drawing up a holo-screen for me. She scrolled to the top of the screen and said, "Read this. They're logs I found written by a Dr. J. Cohen and Dr. Price. Apparently they were on the planet at the same time we were."
I stared at the woman before me for a moment than assented finally, eyes skimming over the words quickly. Investigation of the rock pinnacles at Y16/Z21, sonar imaging tests, Bio-soundings, giant, creature infested "termite mound"…They were all dated months before we had even crashed onto the planet.
I looked at Jack, gaze immediately drawn to the low glow of her eyes. I definitely remembered her not having eyes like that. Of course, I'd been in cryo for most of the time I'd been away from the kid and holy-man, memories of her were somewhat like remembering yesterday-not that long ago.
What had she been doing all these years?
"Well, what do you think?" Jack asked, interrupting my thoughts.
I tilted my head back, staring at the ceiling and gave a shrug. "So a bunch of idiot scientists knew about the planet and those things before we did. Mind blowing, really."
I heard a choking noise and smiled slightly.
"Fine. If that doesn't tell you anything, I will. These guys were from the Newtonian Institute. The Newtonian Institute is based upon on a preservation-basis-system. They preserve and spread endangered species, species that are not capable of surviving on their own."
"So you think that those fuck-ups down on the planet were endangered."
"Yeah, I do. Check this." She opened a new holo-screen and I read it aloud.
"Planetary conditions of Y16/Z21, better known as T2 in the M-344/G System…" Quinner System, I supplied in my mind. "have been labeled unstable. There is a cosmic breakdown in effect already, scheduled for a last-life of seventy-nine standard E.E. years. With this unusual and accelerated rate of compaction occurring combined with the already strange and complex celestial dynamics of the system, W.C.L. and Council have decided to regenerate more of the creatures that were found on the planet. The surviving creatures left over after the primary tests on the planet will be relocated with the regenerates and will be absorbed by the new generation. The natural predators survive on the large and live prey level, thus calls for necessary actions. The creatures will be relocated to Planet Y781/Z18 for further testing. Signed, D. O." I finished, amusement lacing my voice. Just what did Jack expect of me? To run in, give the evil men a swat on the hand, and save the day?
I don't think so.
Jack flipped to a new screen. "D. O. stands for Daryl Olso. President and ex-owner of Olso Shipping Corporation."
"Why the hell should I care, Jack?" I asked. Personally, I didn't give a flying fuck as to what those corporation types did as long as they stayed out of my way.
She stared up at me, pretty face startled. I believed she actually thought that I would care. For a moment I felt something stir in my mind, but then it was gone before I could identify what it had been.
"Riddick, don't you see what happened?"
I gave a short release of breath. "Look, I'm gettin' real tired of these games you're playin' round me, so get to the point."
She traded holo-screens again, and set the port unit on the bed, standing to face me. "The point is, Riddick," she spat out and I saw something of the young kid I remembered so clearly, "Is that Olso Shipping Corporation is owned by Alliance Shipping, where anyone who's smart enough knows that it's a Chartered Company that has ties with the Newtonian Institute. Daryl Olso also works with the Institute. Which means that the crash of the Hunter-Gratzner was no accident because the Hunter-Gratzner is owned by Olso Shipping. It was all staged by Alliance and Newtonian for the perfect test subjects—us, whom no one would particularly miss." She stopped to take a breath and I arched a brow at her little speech, for it was interesting. She tilted her head forward, looking at the floor. Her impractically long braid slipped over her nicely-formed shoulders.
"What I'm trying to say is that there were forty-four people on our ship, three were crew, and thirty-nine were passengers. That leaves two unaccounted-for persons that were on ship that we didn't know about. Those two survived, as was planned, and were there to make sure we stayed on the planet until the eclipse came." She looked back up at me, eyes seemingly glowing brighter and her mouth forming a scowl. "We were just fucking lab-rats to them, Riddick. We were the damn primary test. Except you, Imam, and I weren't supposed to survive it."
She ran a hand over her forehead, smoothing back her hair. "They're planning on using Olso's Ships to move the creatures."
I have to admit, the information was something I hadn't expected and I felt the familiar stirring of anger, like too many bees buzzing around inside my head. Liquid heat filled my gut and I flexed my arms, though they were still locked together. There was the urge to lash out at something; make it hurt, make it scream.
But I didn't. I haven't lost control but twice before in my life and now was not the time to start making a habit of it. Mouth tight and face grim, I finally loosened my arms and lowered them.
"Figures those monkeys would pull shit-jobs like that on us."
"So you'll help me?"
I already knew the answer, but asked anyways—see if she was as nutty as I thought. "Help you what?"
When she answered, her voice was lighter, hopeful. "To stop them from relocating the creatures to Y781/Z18."
"Do you even have any idea what planet that actually is?"
Her voice lowered then. "Yeah. Accolade Ax, Deleriz System."
Well, well, well, I thought. Accolade Ax, a densely populated planet with a twenty-nine hour rotation time, twenty-five of those hours being spent in darkness. They were planning on a world-wide wipeout.
"You're cracked. No fuckin' way." I announced, reaching up to take my goggles off. The sun was going down, the light not so bright anymore. I moved past her and picked up the bag I had thrown in. I tossed it on the other side of the bed after I was finished with it, getting out the cred card I had acquired back on Erus Mavia.
"But they'll kill everyone!" Jack cried, stumbling against the side of the bed as she moved closer to me again. Well, it looks like Jack was as graceful as ever…
"Good intentions kill faster than bullets, Jack." I said, remembering the thought from back on T2. "I'm not willing to take bullets much less anything else for some people I don't know nor give a shit about."
"How long have you been in cryo since I last saw you?"
I glanced over at her, amused by the change in subject. Odd question to ask, that was. "Sixteen years."
"That's why I need you. You should be able to remember everything like it was yesterday and I can't. For me, it's been thirteen years because I've spent so much less time in cryo than you did afterward and for you, it's been only two years. You remember them, I don't. You know things and I don't. Riddick, you're the only one who can help me. Please. Come with me."
I stopped what I had been thinking, frozen by her words. Come with me. Carolyn had said the same thing to me, made the same assumptions. Of course, in the end, I had gone back with her. Truth be told, it had been a bit of morbid curiosity that had driven me to go back. I had wondered if the girl and holy man were still alive. And it was somewhat of a surprise to discover that they had survived the however small amount of time I had left them.
I realized Jack was still staring at me.
"No." I said and moved past her to the door. I was partially hoping by the time I got back, she would be gone and headed back to New Mecca on her own.
I opened
the door and left it wide behind me. I heard feet scrambling on the floor and
then the door shut.
Damnit, she was following.
I went
down the steps and started down the small alley towards the food district,
staring up at the dimly shinning stars above. I heard Jack stumble down the
stairs behind me and I wondered briefly what the hell was wrong with her.
I turned half-way to glance at
her and saw her standing at the foot of the stairs, staring out at the alleyway
in front of her.
Her head darted from side to side, eyes searching for something. Her movements became almost frantic and birdlike and her voice, when uttered, sounded small and whispery. "Ri—Johns? Johns!"
I stopped in my tracks and turned completely around to stare at her, wondering if this was some kind of joke she was pulling. What was her problem? I was fucking standing right here.
Her slim, curvy body was tense, her arms half-out, searching for something—me, I assumed. Some hair had escaped her tight braid and fell down her face, twitching in the wind and her eyes were wide and glowing like two small beacons.
I heard her mutter something, then, "Shit. Shit!"
I realized something right then and groaned.
"You've got to be kiddin' me." I said.
