Chapter Fourteen


It was a sadistic game of hide and go seek. Large barrels and crates dotted the hanger floor, creating numerous places to disappear for a moment or two. Both he and the creature took full advantage.

He spotted the small tug almost immediately. The craft was tucked in an off set alcove. It was a slight thing, lots of power and pull but little get up and go. Large passenger ships used tugs to take them out of orbit, since they were only capable of traveling in supralight speed. Docking thrusters were all they had to supplement the smaller's efforts.

A tug was loaded with one jump, just in case. It had a one shot supradrive, so that a tug could double as an escape pod if needed. It was.

Riddick didn't make for it first. Why bother checking to see if it still had that jump? It was his only option. If it worked it worked. If it didn't... at least he'd go down fighting.

Onto task number two: Get into the control room.

He slid behind another crate.

Scratch that. Task number two: Get rid of the murderous tag along.

Needing to pin point its exact location, he unstrung the useless flashlight from around his neck and threw it into the open. The critter fell for it, pouncing like a rabid dog. He took a random glance at the crate and realized it was half opened, the crow bar still wedged between its lip and lid. As quietly as he could, he with drew it. By the time he was wielding it, the predator had lost interest in the small, unmoving object.

Moving with stealth, a fleshly specter, he relinquished his hiding place. The animal, sensing him, quirked its head to one side. After a beat it charged, jaws snapping wide. Riddick barreled into it, holding the crow bar vertically in front of him. The bar entered the predator's mouth and stuck, propping it permanently open.

It howled in frustration, swinging its head frantically from side to side. It skid across the floor, trying to back away from its inanimate tormentor, but to no avail. In a sudden burst of anger it lunged at Riddick once again, trying to run him through. Riddick skillfully spun away.

In an instant, the fifth predator of the night lay sprawled, dead on the floor.

All right, now it was time to find that control room.

To his left, very near the large, outer hanger doors, was another door. It was small, black, and seemingly insignificant, but he knew it must lead into the booth. He yanked it open fiercely, and found a narrow flight of stairs. Up he went. Then there was another door, to his left again. This too he barged through. Inside the only light came from a low, red work light on what oddly looked like a sound board.

With a slight shrug to himself, he started playing with things. He flipped every switch in sight, turned a few dials, but avoided all of the buttons. Buttons were bad, he'd had a nasty experience pressing buttons once. Long, unimportant story, he noted.

Through his tweaking and turning, he accidentally hit a play list who's volume had been left full bore. Engulfing, hard rock, vibrated in his chest. There were no words, just the stiff melodies, harsh beats, and rough rhythms. Anthem of my life, he thought with a grin.

x.X.x

"This is not right!" Jack stomped her foot to punctuate the point.

Kali turned on her, tired of the brat, "Look, kid, you've got it all turned around. I'm not sure how Riddick was able to brain wash you into believing he was some sort of god, but he's not. He's not common, no, but he is a murderer. He killed innocent people. I won't let him go, that's not right."

"Instead you left him to die!"

She bent down, almost pressing her nose against the disguised girl's, "If he's half the man you think he is, he'll live to see the inside of another cell." She stood up, adultly turning her back on the conversation, "Would he have let us live if he came aboard this ship? I told him I would hand him over. Do you think he'd take that for what it was and go with the flow? I saved your life, boy, and that burns you up." She walked off, swinging her hips dramatically.

Imam didn't say anything, but Jack warned him any way, "I don't want to hear it. Not from you too." She spun around, fore finger pointed accusingly at his face, "You betrayed him. He saved your ass and you'd sooner see him rot in a slam than free to save it again. You're a traitor." He gently concealed her raised hand in his, trying to succor her. She yanked it away, "Don't. Don't touch me."

Imam shook his head as he watched her stalk off, steam pouring out her ears. He frowned. She would be upset for quite some time, he knew. That wasn't what was bothering him, however. What to do with her when they reached New Mecca? What to do?

x.X.x

The doors were activated. All he had to do was hop in the tug and jet off. That was just what he did.