Chapter ten
Riddick leaned forward a little, bending his knees shifting his weight back and forth. His arms bent, at the elbow, held parallel with his shoulders. Riddicks eyes never left the blade as he beckoned with his hands to the convict who was wielding the savage weapon. He could feel the sweat beading on his forehead and trickling down between his eyes. The pain in his back was pushed firmly to the back of his mind. The crowd of jeering guards and spectators seemed miles away as his focus centred on the one blade. The convict stood still watching his huge opponent sway from left to right back and forth gracefully. Saliva pooled in his mouth in anticipation of being the man to go down in the history books as the one who took out Richard B. Riddick. Suddenly fuelled by a renewed sense of victory the convict lunged blade first. Riddick dodged the swipe and faked to his left sending the convict the wrong way. Angered, the convict swung back and stepped backwards in one motion catching Riddicks upper left arm slicing through the first few layers of skin but not cutting through to the bone. As his confidence grew the convict put most of his weight behind another blow. Riddick dodged again and stuck out his elbow catching the convict in the face causing him to temporarily stall. It was enough time for Riddick to grab the convicts' wrist of the hand which held the blade and twist. The convicts arm bent at an unnatural angle and he felt his body being pushed forward as his arms was pulled behind him. His grip on the blade tightened, he knew what Riddick was trying to do and was determined not to relinquish his advantage. Riddick however had been well versed in acupressure points of the body and pressed his index finger hard into the mans wrist. The convict dropped the blade unwillingly. All control of his hand had disappeared. He felt a stabbing pain in his wrist as Riddick applied even more pressure making the convict cry out. With a simple almost gently twist the convict heard the bone in his wrist snap.
Agony overwhelmed him so much so that he didn't realise that Riddick had released his grip.
Riddick barely had time to breathe before another attacker came flying at him. Picking the blade up he threw it towards the new attacker. The blade plunged into his chest sending him backwards almost as though he'd been hit by a laser blast. Quickly Riddick ran to his latest victim and yanked the knife out of the cooling corpse. None of them spoke, he considered idly to himself, not one of them spoke…not even as they lay dying, no whispered orisons to their god of choice who would claim their tainted soul begging for forgiveness for their sins.
He turned and scanned the pit. The sand was covered in patches of dark brown as the blood from each and every opponent and most allies seeped into the ground. There was nothing here except murder, cold heartless bloody murder. A year ago, hell even a month ago, Riddick would have felt the adrenaline rush through his body setting his core on fire and igniting every fibre of his being, now it all seemed like such a waste. These men, the ones lying in their own entrails had done nothing to him and yet here he was driven by hate and the primal desire for freedom but more than that he had played right into Gabriels hands. Slowly he stood straight feeling the wound in his back scream in protest. Taking three steps forward he looked Gabriel straight in the eye. Gabriels hand was tightly around Karla forcing her to watch. Riddick couldn't help but steal a look at her just to see into her eyes to see if she had been turned by what she had been made to witness. Her face was ashen, her shining eyes bled salted tears of regret yet they remained open watching him watching her back. Then he caught it, anyone else would have missed it but with Riddicks keen eyesight he saw it, the slow movement of her head giving him the acknowledgement he needed. She looked down with her eyes and he followed her gaze to where it settled. Her left hand had been crushed into her side by Gabriels firm grip on her but her right hand had been left free, forgotten about and in that had Riddick saw a shiv, his shiv.
Karla heard Gabriel chuckle to himself.
"Look at your Furian now bitch" he mocked dripping saliva onto the gown she wore "He's an animal, a killing machine."
"You're wrong" she answered back through gritted teeth "You gave him no choice"
"Oh he had a choice Karla, he did have a choice, he could have rolled over and died like a good little doggy."
"You are one sick fuck" Karla answered him ensuring her words were loaded with as much venom as she could manage.
"You aint seen nothing yet" he grinned at her before pulling her into him for a rough kiss.
Pushing him away she took a step backwards slicing upwards with the shiv catching Gabriel on the shoulder.
"Bitch" he replied by backhanding her across the face sending her reeling to the stone railing of the balcony. He was on her in an instant pushing into her forcing her to bend back over the railing. He grabbed her wrist which held the shiv and dragged it up to her neck holding his hand over hers.
"Don't push me Karla" he warned.
"Fuck you" she spat.
She felt her hair tumble out of the plait and heard the clasp shatter as it hit a stone outcrop.
"Karla!" Riddick yelled launching himself at the stone cliff face. Inch by inch barely taking his eyes off her he began to scale the stone face.
"Stay back Furian" Gabriel warned.
The pit had begun to clear, Necha guards had swarmed into the pit striding over the bodies and ushering the survivors back into their cells. The spectators had been requested to vacate the premises for their own safety.
Riddick froze; what should he do? What could he do? Gabriel held Karla over the balcony railing with a shiv, his shiv, to her throat. If he continued to climb he would either slice her throat or push her over the edge, either was she was dead.
Silently he cursed, he was beaten. Slowly he backtracked back down the cliff face to the pit.
"Obviously you're not worth dying over" Gabriel whispered to Karla pushing her further and further. "Perhaps I underestimated him, perhaps you are his Achilles heel." He shrugged "Never mind, I'll make it quick"
Karla knew she was dead. If she was Riddicks Achilles heel, his weakness then her dying would send him over the edge.
On the ground the Necha held Riddick and were forcing his hands behind his back to be cuffed.
Karla wasn't about to go down without a fight. The more Gabriel leaned over her pushing her further over the railing, the more of his weight was shifted. Using her back she pushed upwards and rolled holding Gabriel with her legs she took him with her as they fell over the railing. Gabriel screamed, Karla remained silent as they fell. Her last thought was that at least Gabriel would be dead too, she took comfort in that.
Without warning her hand caught something solid, she clung to it and it brought her to a dead stop jarring her arm out of its socket. She reached dropped the shiv blade which hit the ground the same time as Gabriel. Riddick pushed away from the Necha un cuffed and grabbed his blade slipping it into the back of his pants before hurling himself at the cliff face again.
Karla reached up to the stone outcrop which had saved her and held onto it with her good arm, her legs dangled helplessly trying to find a small purchase, there was none, the face was slick.
The Necha had lost their leader, they swarmed around Gabriels body giving Riddick the time he needed to climb the rock face.
"Karla!" he called "Hang on"
The pain in Karlas arms was numbing and she feared that her grip would fail not because she was weak but because of the numbing sensation she couldn't feel what she was holding onto or how tight. The shoes she had been made tow ear were ridiculous for climbing, heeled strap sandal type shoes in silver to match her eyes.
She felt her grip slip and she was falling again this time death was waiting for sure she thought. Riddick saw her fall, slipped his hand into a crevice in the rock face and gripped hard. As she tumbled past him he reached out and grabbed her wrist. Once more she came to a juddering halt but this time it wasn't her holding onto a rock. She dared to look up and her heart leapt into her throat. Riddick held her fifty feet above the pit and he was looking right back at her, sweat pouring from his face.
He didn't speak, slowly she felt herself begin to swing, he was swinging her to a safe spot, somewhere where she could hold on and catch her breath. Taking a large breath in he swung her up, he let out a roar as he swung her pushing every last ounce of strength into his effort. She gripped the rock face next to him and kicked off her sandals. Breathless they looked at one another.
"Lets go" Riddick told her.
Karla nodded and they began to climb. Pain shot through Karlas dislocated arm as she climbed but she knew it was better than the alternative. Nearing the balcony they could see it filled with five Necha waiting for them. They knew they would be arrested but at least they were alive and if they were alive there was always a chance of escape.
Jack burst through the doors leading to the balcony hoping to god she wasn't too late. The Necha turned and watched as she calmly entered the balcony. She could feel their eyes burn into her as she walked past them. In their eyes she was one of them, she had brought Riddick to them, she was no threat. A thin smile spread across her lips as she lashed out without warning taking one Necha down immediately with a fatal blow to his throat. Turning on her heel, fists raised ready to defend herself she waited as the Necha began to retaliate.
Two Necha went flying over the balcony freefalling past Riddick and Karla to the bottom. Riddick looked upwards towards on hearing the commotion and centred his senses. He smelled her, strong and pure.
"Jack" he rumbled slowly from his gut and began to climb again.
Reaching the top Riddick swung himself over the stone railings landing on his feet with catlike grace ready to launch into attack. One Necha ran towards him. Riddick straightened himself and offered the Necha a brief smile before lifting the Necha and using his momentum to throw him over the balcony. Riddick leaned over the balcony to ensure that the guard had not cheated death by holding on to the rock face. He reached down with one hand and grabbed Karlas wrist hauling her the last few inches.
"Duck" she told him upon landing safely. Riddick ducked as Karla thrust her good fist forward punching an oncoming armed guard in the face. As he doubled over in agony Karla kicked out catching his ribs sending him flying backwards into three of his comrades.
Karla eyed Jack cautiously; Jack, the girl who had betrayed both Imam and her to Gabriel, the girl that Riddick had thought dead and now here she was.
Karla grabbed Jack by the shirt and pulled her forwards until they were almost touching.
"Wait, Karla" Jack protested.
"Why so you can turn us in again. I don't think so honey." Karla pulled back her fist but just as she was about to unleash her anger Riddick caught her hand in his holding it back. Karla turned her head slightly not wanting to take her eyes off Jack.
Riddick didn't speak, he didn't need to; once Karla saw his eyes, the pain that lay behind them, she relaxed. Jack heaved a sigh of relief and dropped her guard a little.
"We need to move, now!" Jack spoke with a sense of urgency. "It won't take long for the Necha to get their dumb asses up here." She looked to Riddick first who nodded his head in agreement before looking towards Karla who sent a stern glare of warning that Jack understood all too well.
They sprinted through the corridors both Karla and Riddick silently hoping that Jack knew where they were headed.
At the end of the corridor was a huge door. Jack pushed against it but it was locked. She turned round and kicked the floor with her foot.
"Fuck!" she exclaimed turning back around and slapping her open palms on the huge door frame and exhaling and hanging her head.
"It's locked" she spoke, sounding defeated as she heard Riddick near her.
"Depends on how you look at it, Jack." Riddick spoke with a cocky drawl before pulling the key card from the back of his blood stained pants. It was a little crooked after the beating he had taken in the Pit.
"Is it still good?" Jack asked stepping to one side allowing Riddick access to the card slot.
"Only one way to find out" he slid the card into the slot jerking it around a bit to force the creases through the scanning device. After a moment the huge bolts on the door unlocked.
Jack smiled and pushed open the door. "Now we can get outta here" she breathed.
"Wait." Karla said pulling Jack back. "Imam, he's still in lock up."
"She's right" Riddick confirmed
"We'll have to come back for him later." Jack concluded
"You're out of your mind if you think I'm leaving this shit hole without him. They'll crucify him." Karla argued.
"No they won't" Riddick said softly "First they'll use him as bait to lure us back then they'll crucify him…then us." Jack knew where this was headed before Riddick finished his speech.
"We go back and get Imam, and then we get outta here."
Jack sighed in protest but she knew it was a wasted effort.
The alarms that rang though the cell blocks were disorienting not to mention fucking annoying. Loud high pitched whining was how Riddick would describe it. His heightened senses went into overdrive and he put hand hands over his ears as they ran. He centred himself listening to the sound of his breath as it echoed through his rib cage and out of his mouth in long breathless gasps. The sweat and stench of stale urine was a clear marker as to which way to run to get to the cells. Occasionally they had to swipe the key card o gain access but, as the stench became more pungent, Riddick knew they were close.
From behind Jack could see they were being followed and as they rounded a corner she pulled Riddick into a nearby doorway, Karla kept on running.
Riddick struggled against Jacks grip as she pushed her body harder into his crushing him into the wall nearby. He winced as the wound in his back reopened and the skin tore a little further under Jacks weight. She put her hand firmly over his mouth and begged with her eyes for him to remain silent and allow the Necha to pass them by.
Not once did her eyes leave the silver pools of Riddicks, she watched him for any signs that he was about to blow their cover. She tensed as the heavy boot clad footfalls fired past the closed doorway. When se could no longer hear them she slowly removed her hand from Riddicks mouth and placed her lips where her hand had been tasting the salt from her sweaty palms.
Riddick pushed her away and almost sent her tumbling into a nearby stack of shelves. She regained her footing quickly and eyes him cautiously.
"Well, just like old times…old timer" she purred. "It's just you an' me, what's say we ditch the bitch, ride the wind topside and get the fuck off this crazy planet." She grinned at him like she used to as a kid when she was trying to impress.
"Not without Imam and Karla; what the fuck kind of stunt was that out there!" he thundered.
"I saved your ass Riddick." Jack argued back
"The hell you did Jack…" he lowered his voice. "The hell you did".
He ran his hands over his head and exhaled loudly.
"Great" Jack scoffed "I risk my life coming here for you, have you any idea what they'll do to me? And all because you're homesick". Jack stopped suddenly and bit her lip hoping Riddick didn't catch the last part.
"Homesick?" Riddick questioned. "What the fuck are you talking about Jack?"
Riddick thought for a moment, then, it dawned on him.
"You know something you're not telling me."
Riddick felt her fear before he could smell it. He watched her throat constrict as she swallowed hard. For a moment, the alarms outside didn't matter, nothing mattered except finding out how Jack knew he was trying to get home.
"Jack" Riddick began backing her up against a wall resting his arms either side bracing himself against the roaring pain in his back. "I'm gonna bring a world of hurt your way if you don't tell me what you know."
Jack couldn't hold his gaze, guilt ridden she lowered her head and allowed a tear to fall from her cheek.
"Larendaron" she said in barely a whisper.
Riddick closed his eyes and raised his head up inhaling sharply through his nose before punching the wall to the left of Jacks head. She jumped but didn't lift her head.
"What?" he asked, his voice shaking and rumbling as he fought to remain in control of the beast that raged within.
"It was a trap. I didn't know who he was until it was too late Riddick I swear." She looked up into his eyes. "I had no choice" she shook her head. "I didn't know it was him. He took the lens, downloaded all the information from your ships computers and then blew your ship. I swear I didn't know Riddick, I swear it."
Riddick grabbed Jacks arm and threw her across the tiny room sending her into the shelves she had avoided only moments earlier. She jarred her ribs and crumpled to the floor in agony. Riddick knelt beside her; he felt remorse over hurting her so badly. He pushed her hands aside and ripped at the shirt she worse exposing her bruised ribcage and a dozen deep silver scars. A gasp escaped his usually cool lips and he rested back on his haunches.
"Laren?" he asked.
She nodded "I didn't know Riddick, swear to God I didn't know. He was just gonna take you back, that's what he said, he was gonna take you back to slam and then he said he'd let my family go, he promised to let my family go."
She was lost in her own world of hurt. Riddick pieced together what he could of her sorry assed situation.
She had a family, Riddick could appreciate that, for a while he looked at her as family, his little sister and then something else, something deeper that he still couldn't put a finger on.
She had a family.
Riddick rose to his feet and extended his hand to help her up.
"Let's get outta here." He offered.
Jack took his hand and revelled in his strength in her weakest moment, the moment when she had crumbled. She could never understand how he did it, she had brought his world crashing down around him and still his composure was faultless.
"What about Imam and Karla?" Jack asked as they left the room.
"They're coming" Riddick said. As he finished he looked ahead and saw Imam and Karla running around the corner towards them.
As Imam ran past he looked at Riddick "Better get moving we're bringing a whole universe of pain behind us"
Riddick could already smell the Necha that were following, the scent was strong which meant there were more than half a dozen, more than a dozen, more than they could handle.
Riddick took the rear ensuring Jack didn't pull another stunt.
As they made their way up towards a fire escape laser rifle charges followed hitting left and right showering lumps of concrete and burning metal splinters over the escapees.
Riddick charged at the door with Imam and they burst through into the night. The cold air took Karlas breath away at first. They ran across the compound with laser fire following them. One by one they scaled the metal fence dodging the spotlights that danced in the night trying to find them. Once over the fence they ran into the night disappearing into the warren on darkened alleyways with the moon as their only guide.
The moment they stopped running, Imam doubled over and vomited out the contents of his stomach. Karla rubbed his back as he rested his hands on his knees and retched between stolen breaths.
"He alright?" Riddick asked.
Karla looked up and for the first time Riddick saw the flawless beauty of her eyes in the night. In the pit they had been obscured by lighting but here, in the natural darkness, the way they should be seen, they were breathtaking. He wondered if that is how other people saw his eyes.
"He's fine just not used to running, are you Pilgrim."
"Good, come here" he ordered.
"I think I should stay with…"
"Come here." He repeated. "Jack, make sure Imam is okay. Jack eyes Karla before walking to Imam and standing over him.
Karla walked towards Riddick.
"What's troubling you Riddick" she spoke softly.
"That arm, I need to pop it" he gestured to her dislocated arm.
"Fuck, it's gonna hurt isn't it" she said flatly.
He didn't answer.
"Okay, let's do it" she said defiantly.
Riddick took her arm slowly capturing her gaze with his. She reached for a nearby railing to hold on to with her good arm. She saw him breathe in deeply and she held her breath waiting for the inevitable. He did not blink, his stare did not waver. She felt the sharp tug on her arm and stifled a scream, her eyes watered and she could feel her lips quivering, her head felt hot suddenly and her legs began to shake. She squeezed her mouth shut biting down hard on nothing except her teeth. Riddick rolled her arm back into its socket and slowly lowered it. He could see her complexion had paled and her forehead beaded with perspiration. Slowly, without saying a word he knelt on the floor in front of her legs and ran his hands up the back of her calves to her knees where he felt her pulse quicken and occasionally skip a beat. While looking up at her he took hold of the emerald material and ripped it pulling off a section of fabric to make a sling for her arm.
He held her arm to her chest while he tied the sling around it. As he leaned over her to tie the fabric Karla inhaled slowly, savouring the musky scent
"We need to get to the ship" she said slowly.
"Ni ship" Riddick replied glancing over his shoulder at Jack then back at Karla "Long bad assed story."
"Imam needs to rest, he's still weak." She persisted
"I know a place" Jack interrupted. "We'll be safe there, at least for tonight."
Karla used her strongest side to help Imam stand upright enough to walk. The stab wound he had received on Mara was still leaving him in a weakened condition.
They followed Jack as she led them through a maze of alleyways and derelict buildings. The sky had darkened and the heavens had opened pouring rain onto the group, icy and cold it felt like tiny needles puncturing the skin as it pitter pattered on their bodies.
They moved quickly and silently through the shadows until Jack took them into an abandoned building. Up a flight of stairs she led them and then through a door into a large room with a mattress and several cardboard sheets lying around covered in filth.
"It's not much" she panted "but it will do."
Karla led Imam over to the mattress and helped him to lie down.
"Child, what nonsense is this. I do not require comfort to gain strength." Imam whispered as he settled.
"I know" Karla told him softly stroking his sweaty forehead "But you're gonna have to kick my ass to change my mind" she half smiled at the Pilgrim.
"I see your point" Imam succumbed to the softness of the mattress and allowed it to swallow him up. He lay still and silent.
"Where can I get water?" Karla asked.
"Does this look like a café?" Jack scoffed back at her.
"Imam needs fluids now either tell me where I can find some or I'll go and find out for myself." Karla was in no mood to play bitchy games.
"There's nothing here; I wasn't expecting to come back to this place." Jack admitted
"Okay" Karla made for the door "I'll be back soon."
Riddick grabbed her good arm and pulled her to a halt "I'll go" he murmured.
"Riddick, it's okay. Stay here with Imam and Jack. Given what's happened within the last few days what else can possibly go wrong?"
Riddick didn't like watching her leave and so chose to follow her staying well in the shadows.
The rain had not let up. The emerald green dress was dulled by the water and left her skin cold and clammy. Nevertheless she wandered barefoot around in the darkness on a planet which was alien to her. Imam needed her to be string and yet with every step she took she could feel her strength waning. She could feel the claws of defeat slowly scrape up her body to clasp her heart and claim it as its prize. Pushing it away into the furthest regions of her mind she continued. Away from the group., away from Riddick and Imam, shrouded in darkness, she had the opportunity to relive what had happened to the over the last few days. Exhausted she half stumbled against a brick wall as she recounted how Laren had told her he was her father. She remembered the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach only too well as it returned leaving her with the sudden urge to retch. Forcing it back she carried on following the distant music she heard.
Assuming that where there was music there would be water…or something, she followed it until she reached its source. Groups of people filtered out of the open doors to the music source. A bar I the middle of a deserted building site. The dishevelled shack boasted a neon light on the front advertising the place as "Oblivion"
"Been there" Karla muttered as she poised herself to enter.
Riddick followed her inside.
Karla made her way to what looked like the bar.
"Can I get some water?" she asked above the din.
"Sure" the bar tender replied "For fifty credits"
"Fifty credits for fucking water, you have got to be kidding me."
"I never joke about profit sweetheart." The barman leered at her.
Karla reached into her hair and pulled a pin from it unleashing all her hair.
"The stones are real, the gold is real. I figure it's worth at least ten pints of water." She held out the pin to him and allowed him to inspect it.
He rolled it over his fingers and leaned over the bar "Who'd ya kill?" he asked.
"No one…yet."
"And what if I refuse your offer?"
"Then I take you apart, piece by piece." Karla spoke strongly although her energy was lacking. She prayed to whatever god was listening to please yield in her favour just this once. If it came down to it the barman could take her easily and leave her to die in some darkened distant corner of this hell hole of a planet never to be seen again.
"Tell you what silver" he referred to her eyes "I'll take you up on your offer" he pocketed the pin in his back pocket. "Seal the deal with a kiss and you can be on your way."
Riddick entered the bar and could sense the bar mans arousal from fifty paces easy. A low growl erupted in his face. Striding over to Karla stood by her.
"I believe the lady asked for water."
"Riddick, I…" Karla closed her mouth when she caught the hard eyes of Riddick looking back at her.
The bar man tossed a plastic bottle of water on the bar top and scowled at Riddick.
"He a friend of yours, Silver?" he asked gesturing casually with his head in Riddicks direction.
"We have to go" Riddick lowered his lips close to Karlas left ear; feeling his breath so close on her skin sent tiny shivers along her spine.
"Thanks for the water." Karla said as she felt Riddick tugging on her good arm.
As they made their way back through the doors to the outside world Karla shook herself free.
"What the hell was all that about?"
"Imam needs help and you're wasting time getting off with some looser." Riddick scolded her and for a moment she felt like a child.
"I don't fucking believe you Riddick. If it wasn't for you I'd be living my own life. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have to be running from planet to planet dodging my father. If it wasn't for you, you and your fucking home world I wouldn't have spent my life in Slam. The one time, the one fucking time I manage to get away from all of you for a second and not have some crazy assed bandit on my tail and you make me feel like I'm six years old."
"You behave like a fucking six year old damnit. I wish to God I never met you my life would be a hell of a lot simpler without you in it!" He pointed his finger and jabbed her in the chest. His words hurt, he saw it in her eyes for a moment only but it was there, deep and raw.
"I don't understand you Riddick. I tried to help you, tried to save you."
"From WHAT!" He thundered "YOU!" He turned and backed her up against a wall. "You had the only thing that I lived for and now even that's gone." He turned away so she couldn't see the pain in his expression. He should have known better.
She waited for a moment before lightly resting a hand on his muscular shoulder. He felt warm against her cold skin.
"Laren has the coordinates to Furia" Riddicks voice was broken; the man she saw in front of her was loosing his will to fight. A primal growl escaped and turned into a roar as Riddick threw his fist against the wall by Karlas head. She jumped suddenly afraid. He whirled around a caught Karla across her face sending her spiralling into the side of a nearby building.
Her world turned black.
Riddick hadn't meant to hit her, it was an accident. Engulfed immediately in guilt he roared at the sky until he felt that his lungs were on fire. The frustration had gotten the better of him and the beast had broken free of its restraints for a moment.
Kneeling down by the side of the unconscious girl he saw the bruise already beginning to form on the side of her face. He pocketed the bottled water, scooped up Karla, tossed her over his shoulder and carried her back to the safe house.
Jack looked at him questioningly.
"Long story." Was all he said to her before laying Karla on the floor next to Imam who lay on the only bed.
"Can you…help him?" Riddick looked towards Jack. She nodded only once before tending to the holy man.
Riddick ripped a piece of fabric which was covering another window in a separate room and returned laying it over Karla. Jack kept glancing over her shoulder at Riddick remembering how he had cared for her many times.
Karla was a child again, standing in the centre of a circle. Leaves fell from the trees and danced on the ground where the children skipped and played around her singing c songs and giggling like only children can. Joy filled every fibre of her being as she watched her friends dancing and laughing. Suddenly, black clouds shrouded the whole planet. Laughter was replaced by screaming, dancing replaced by running, light replaced by darkness and fear replaced joy. Karla stood alone, breathing heavily she turned around following the sounds of frightened people. Then, all was silent.
Something brushed past her face. She jumped and stepped back until she backed into the trunk of an ancient tree.
"Karla" A voice whispered through the dark carries on a gentle breeze.
"Karla"
"Who are you?" she asked
"You're too late Karla, I'm almost there, almost home."
"But, this is home" she replied straining her eyes against the darkness to try and find any indication of what or whom was whispering to her.
"This is my home." She dared not yet and did not know why but something just felt uneasy.
"No, Karla. This is not your home." As soon as the words ended she was slammed by a harsh wind knocking her off her feet. Debris flew in her face forcing her to close her eyes until the stinging had subsided. Gradually her eyes cleared themselves and watered out the dirt. The darkness had been replaced by fire, bright, tall orange flames licked the onyx sky.
"This is you home Karla. This is Furia."
"No!" Karla yelled and opened her eyes. Gasping for air she backed away from Riddick who was kneeling by her on the floor. She pushed herself into the tightest corner and pulled her knees up to her chest and rocked slowly back and forth shaking.
"She's awake then?" Jack spoke matter-of-factly.
"Karla" Imam called from the bed. "Come to me child."
Riddick offered his hand to help her stand, she slapped it away and stood on her own. The bruise on her face covered one half, her left cheek had swollen, her nose had bled a little and her lip had split. Riddick was ashamed of what he saw, knowing he was the one to inflict the pain albeit unwillingly but still he wondered with the beast being a part of him could he really excuse himself?
Slowly, Karla sat on the edge of the bed and took Imams hand in her own.
"You look a little better Imam" She tried to smile.
"I saw" Imam whispered to her maintaining eye contact. "Furia" He took a needed breath "The same fire that burns on that planet burns in your heart also." He placed his hand over her chest where her heart was beating wildly.
"You're wrong Imam." Karla stood and bolted for the door escaping the room she stood on the landing and breathed deeply waiting for her body to catch up with the shock her mind was reeling from.
She was Furian. In that same tumbling moment the rest of her life suddenly made sense. Laren knew she would never betray the location of Furia to anyone other than another Furian. He also knew that should she ever know she was Furian she would take the location and the planets secrets to her grave. She had been played from the start by a man who beat her senseless and then claimed to be her father. She had suffered the loss of the planet she had though was her home; she considered that it must have been her home at some point in her brief free existence, she felt it when it was destroyed the loss, the bewilderment, the fear. The pieces still felt like a mis-matched jigsaw puzzle.
"Thought you could use this" Riddicks voice broke through her reverie. He held out the water for her. "S'alright, I ain't gonna hurt you." She detected weariness in his voice. The two of them shared a common thread; that same thread that was pulling at his core was also drawing her in.
"Thanks" she offered.
Riddick slowly moved his hand to her face, she shied away at first unsure of what to expect after finding out just what the barbarian was capable of.
His touch was gentle against her bruised skin. She leaned into his hand slowly and watched his eyes for any change. She saw compassion in his silver orbs staring right back at her. He traced his thumb over her lip. Her hair tumbled over his hand, his allowed his fingers to feel it, to revel it its softness.
"I'm sorry" His words matched the softness of his touch and that was the moment Karla Dawn fell to pieces. So many years spent running, so much time spent searching for the truth, so much hurt and pain and nightmares in between; it was overwhelming and exhausting and suddenly she felt older than her years and incredibly tired.
"Sorry for hurting you; you have been hurt so much I can smell it. Every scar, every time you bled, every time you cried at night, every time they touched you. And now you think I'm just like them." His fingers teased old scars at the back of her neck.
"I'm tired Riddick, tired of all of this. Laren is almost there, he's almost reached Furia and when he does there will be no more Furia. My life had purpose, it had a reason and that reason was to protect the location no matter what. Now it's all been for nothing and there's nothing I can do. I'm lost Riddick."
She felt him gently pull her to him, her head rested on his chest. She could hear the pounding of his heart, it was so loud she thought it would break free given half a chance.
"Sorry, am I interrupting something?" Jacks face appeared from around the door. "Imam can be moved; I have a ship waiting not far from here, if we move ass we can get there before dawn and not get caught."
"You have a ship?" Riddick asked "Since when?"
"Since about thirty seconds ago. I remembered passing the docking bay, there were a couple of stellar class ships docked for repairs. I just contacted a guy I know who works here, he's given me the location of one of the ships. The repairs aren't complete but she's flight ready." She disappeared to grab Imam and then reappeared with Imam propped up on her shoulder. "C'mon, are we leaving this hell hole or what?"
"Jack?" Riddick warned.
Jack rolled her eyes at him reminiscent of when she was younger.
"C'mon old timer" she joked with him "We got a ticket to ride"
Riddick groaned as her obsession with a twentieth century music group from Earth had obviously not left her.
They reached the docking bay just as the sun had begun to rise over the Naspeolan Mountains. Liquid gold lit the jagged mountainside like lava running in rivers. The sky took on a pinkish hue.
"K, this is the bird "Freedom"" she read the ships name from the hull.
"I wish" Karla murmured.
Jack pulled with wires from the loading ramp and rigged the switch so that they could all board the ship. It didn't take long for Riddick to find and familiarise himself with the piloting controls. Jack set to work on the ships computer altering its signature so that when the ship was discovered missing, the heat signature from the engines would not match hopefully buying them the much needed time to get far enough away.
The ship rocked away from its docking clamps and launched successfully into the atmosphere. Seconds later it punched through the atmosphere and into space.
"Man, I can not believe we just pulled that off!" Jack grinned from ear to ear and stretched out in her co-pilots chair.
Riddick gave her a sideways stare.
"Scan for Larens ship." He ordered.
"There's no way the heat sig will still be stable enough to give us a heading Riddick." She suggested.
"Just do it, Jack" He wasn't in the mood for messing; now that they were airborne his primary objective was to find Laren and tear him apart.
"Checking" Jack mumbled as she punched a few computer keys" But you're wasting your time." She exhaled a loud sigh making it obvious she disagreed with him.
"Keep checking; let me know when you have something." He rose from the pilots chair.
"Right, cuz you'll be?" Jack was prying although she tried not to look devious some people are just borne that way.
"Around" Riddick finished.
Riddick set about making himself at home on the new ship. It wasn't as large as his ship but it would accommodate them as far as they needed to go. He found empty quarters and rifled through several drawers before landing himself a vest to wear. His stomach growled and so he left to find the galley hoping that the owners of the ship had a food replicator. Passing by several doors he tried them all one by one until he found one that would open. The door slid open revealing a half dressed Karla. Her emerald green dress lay in a messy heap on the floor and she had found some black combat pants and was clutching a white tank top to her chest.
"Riddick! You startled me." She didn't know what else to say.
"What are those?" he asked sending her embarrassment.
"Clothes, figured I'd change, I can still smell Gabriel on me."
"No, what are those?" he gestured with his finger to her midrift.
"Oh," she glanced down at the silver scars running horizontally across her abdomen. And around her back. "Those are discipline." She told him. "How's your back?" she asked shifting the concentration from her onto him. "I saw you get pretty badly hurt, do you need anything for the pain, I found something that looks like a med bay, there's nothing much but there should be some pain meds and bandages." She stopped talking when she ran out of breath. She felt nervous around him and was unsure why.
"Pain isn't bad and it stopped bleeding a while back. I was on my way to get food, join me?" he asked her.
"I'll come find you, just need to get this damned shirt on single handed, my shoulder still doesn't work properly. She gestured to the shoulder that had been dislocated.
"You might have ripped a few tendons; it will take a while to heal." He took a step forward and she instinctively took a step back. He held put his hands, palms first to show that he meant her no harm. Slowly he turned her around so that her back was to him to save her grace and keep her dignity in tact. He tugged at the shirt and slipped it over her head. His fingers grazed the scars on her back, he heard her inhale sharply. He pulled the shirt down and slipped his hand through her hair to pull it out of the top. That was the first time he noticed that her hair smelled of sweet almonds. She guided her sore arm through the arm hole in the shirt gritting her teeth through the pain.
"Thank you." She whispered.
They walked through the rest of the ship and eventually found the galley. It had a replicator.
"Aldarhan Ale" Riddick told the machine. When it materialized he passed the glass to Karla. She drank thirstily.
"Pyrean nut cakes" Riddick ordered the machine and then he took the plate out of the machine and sat with Karla at a table for two. He fetched his own drink.
"What are these?" she asked inhaling their sweet scent.
"Nut cakes" Riddick answered. "They're loaded with energy, you should try one."
Karla took a nut cake from the stack and sampled a small bite. The sweet salty flavour mixed with some cinnamon and nuts was delicious she thought.
"We should take something for Imam" Karla suggested standing up. Riddick put his hand over hers to stop her leaving
"Holy man is sleeping; I passed him before finding you."
"Oh," Karla sat back down.
"What did he say to you, earlier today?"
"I don't want to talk about it." She answered. What she had learned today still left her with an uneasy feeling in her stomach; part of her thought that it was just another cruel trick, another one of Larens mind games. Knowing how much she wanted to find her family, if she had one. The lure would be too great, he knew she would try to follow him, the question was, why. Why did she need to be a part of his plan anymore; he had the coordinates, she knew what he intended to do.
"I don't want to go after Laren." She said.
Riddick sat back in his chair.
"Don't mess with me Karla."
"I'm not messing Riddick; it's just…I can't keep doing this." She looked at him pleadingly "I can't keep watching him destroy everything that is me."
"You? This isn't about you, this is about Furia, my home world."
Karla looked down at the table. "You don't understand"
"Then help me understand damnit!"
Karla ran her hands through her hair "I'm so confused, I just don't know what to do anymore. A few days ago I was a different person, everything was so clear."
"And…"
"And now it's just not so clear anymore."
"Bullshit girl!"
"Riddick please."
"I'm going to find Laren with or without your help you just let me know so…"
"What, so you can drop my ass out the air lock, we've been there already you sonofabitch."
Riddick pushed back on his chair and stood up.
Karla buried her face in her hands "I can't bear to see more destruction, more death." She spoke softly, from her heart. Riddick stopped by the door and glanced backwards waiting for her to carry on.
"If Imam is right, if that dream wasn't a dream; if it were a sign, a message then…" she allowed her head to fall onto the table between her elbows, "Damnit, there's just not enough left of me to fight anymore." She sounded defeated. Slowly she looked up and inhaled a long breath. "What if I'm Furian?" she asked.
"What makes you say that?" Riddick asked still not turning around.
"I had this dream, like the ones I used to have of my home world, when we were on Mara. I thought nothing of it until Imam told me that he saw Furia."
"I don't follow"
"My dream, it wasn't Aldarha, well, it was in the beginning but at the end it was Furia, engulfed by fire. Imam told me that the same fire burns in me, something like that."
"That's impossible" Riddick spoke matter of fact.
"Is it Riddick, really."
"Come with me." It wasn't a suggestion it was an order. Karla followed him to the Med bay.
"Sit down over there." Again it was not a suggestion. She sat on a chair and waited. Riddick pulled his shiv and sliced through the palm of his hand. Pearls of blood erupted from the fresh wound; he collected some in a test tube and slid it into a small computer like machine. After pressing a few buttons he turned the monitor around so that Karla could see.
"That is Furian blood, Karla."
Karla watched the flow or red and white cells as they mingled and danced in random patterns across the monitor.
"You want to find out if you're Furian, there's only one way that I know of." He produced his shiv blade again and held out his hand. "Give me your hand." He could hear Karlas heart beat quicken, she was afraid but of what, of him or of the blood test.
She looked up at him, her pools of silver marred by salted tears threatening to fall.
"What if it's true?" she whispered.
"Are you scared, Karla, scared that you'll be like me, a monster…a barbarian?"
Karla shook her head "I'm scared of finding out that my whole life has been a lie, that from day one I've been used. I'm scared that if it's true then Laren, being my father, must also be Furian but what I'm most scared of is loosing everything I've ever come to respect I don't want to loose that, I don't want to loose you." Her voice grew quiet and a slight sob dared its way out of her lips.
Riddick pulled her to him and held her tightly cupping the back of her head and pressing it against his shoulder feeling her tremble there as she fought the overwhelming emotions. His next move was already planned. He moved slightly to look at her. He placed a lone finger on her lips stopping her almost silent sobs before placing his lips on hers stealing a kiss. Too stunned to notice the shiv in his other hand she pulled away as soon as she felt the cold steel bite into the skin of her hand. Their eyes met, hers brimming with fear his cold and hard. She tried to writhe out of his grasp but his hand held firmly onto her wrist. He reached for a test tube and collected several drops of blood before releasing her hand. In an instant she balled up her wounded hand to punch him hard across the face.
"Bastard" she spat at him.
Riddick didn't speak; the punch knocked him off centre for a moment only before he grabbed her shoulders and marched her backwards until her back was pressed up against a bulkhead. Defiance reigned in her eyes, he could see it, he could smell the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Without thinking he lowered his head and captured her lips again. Taken by the moment, a pure moment on insanity she responded tasting, exploring, savouring his taste.
Breathless, she pushed his away.
"No" she said out loud.
"No?" Riddick questioned softly.
"I can't Riddick, Gods, I wish I could but to get close, too close to you…to anyone…would be a mistake neither one of us would survive."
Riddick cocked his head to the side and inhaled the delicate scent from her neck.
"Trust me" Riddick whispered.
Karla looked up and saw strength in the man before her, strength and honesty.
"I will protect you." Slowly he reached out with a strong hand and lifted her chin. She didn't speak, there were no words.