Johns stepped out of the cargo hold. The sun beat down on him, threatening to ignite a searing headache through his skull. The lack of water, heat, and alcohol would certainly start effecting him soon. And once withdrawals hit, he'd be up shit creek. Until then, it was business as usual. And he'd spent enough time away from his payloads, it was about time to check on them. Johns walked along the crash trail toward the shuttle. His boots kicked up the dirt, filling his heavy breaths.

With his weapons in check Johns suddenly felt a wave of uneasiness sweep over him. Something wasn't right. He couldn't out his finger on what, though. All the survivors were accounted for and Riddick and Brisais were locked up for the time being. What could possibly be wrong now? Still, unsettled by the strange feeling, Johns picked up his pace toward the ship. As he drew near, his palms grew clammy. New beads of sweat rolled down his forehead as he approached Brisais' empty space. Johns all but threw himself into the ship, already knowing what sight would greet him. To his deepest fears, Riddick had escaped as well. Not one, but both convicts were free and loose somewhere on the planet. Johns quickly stepped outside. He drew his scope from his vest and peered around the area.

A glint of sunlight near sunset caught his attention. He lowered his scope and raced toward the glint. Fuming with anger toward himself and picked up the metal bit. Riddick's mouthpiece. Johns threw it back to the earth and took out the restraint control. He knew it wouldn't do nay good, but with the temperature as hot as it was, it was a good chance that Brisais might still be in the vicinity. He pressed the charge trigger and waited. He fumed when he didn't hear the satisfying screams of Brisais in pain.

"Motherfucker." Johns snapped. Like they needed another way to die.

He withdrew his pistol and began backtracking toward the cargo shuttle. Riddick had a thing with traps. And the only way to avoid them was to backtrack each step the way you came. Brisais was another story. She wasn't one for traps, she was more for sneaking up on them before killing them. After she took up your identity. If he found himself staring into a mirror, Johns knew he'd be a dead man.

Johns stormed into the cargo hold. "Paris, you got any kind of weapons, now's the time to get 'em."

The tone in his voice caught Fry's attention. She turned toward him, frowning "What happened?"

"Our guests have checked out." Johns answered shortly.

The entire cabin grew silent.

"Both of them?" Fry asked.

Johns nodded. "Yeah."

"Shit." Fry muttered. "Paris, you got any weapons in your hold?"

Paris blinked, momentarily surprised. "Um...yes. yes I do."

"Break 'em out." Johns ordered. "Everybody needs to arm themselves."

Paris nodded and set about fetching his gear. Johns took to his own job of breaking out his own gear. Zeke and Shazza searched through their gear, coming up with a pick axe and digging tools. Imam unsheathed a ceremonial dagger from his waist. Johns was impressed by the Muslims actions, he hadn't even thought the man would be one to arm himself. Paris came up with an assortment of weaponry...if it could be called that.

"What are these?" he asked.

"Marath crow-bill war-picks from Northern India." Paris explained as if it was obvious. "Very rare."

Zeke came up and lifted a small stick. "And this?"

"That's a blow-dart hunting stick from Papua New Guinea. And that's very, very rare since the tribe is now extinct." Paris continued.

Zeke snorted and lowered the blow dart. "Cause they couldn't hunt shit with theses things, be my guess."

Paris lowered the weapons and sighed. "Looks, what's the points? If they're gone, they're gone. Why should they bother us?"

"Maybe to take what you've got. Usually how Riddick works." Johns offered. He loaded several blue shells into his shot gun. "Maybe to work your nerve. Brisais' handiwork right there." He pulled on his tactical vest and loaded several shells into the pockets. "Or maybe he'll just come back and skull-fuck you in your sleep."

Shazza blanched. "Sounds like charmer."

Paris seemed absolutely terrified by the mere thought of Johns suggestion.

Behind him, Jack picked up a hunting boomerang and headed out with the others.

"Looks, I ain't gonna lie, having both of them out there isn't good. But if you want to be worried about one of them, be worried about Riddick." Johns explained. "Brisais is a Mimic, meaning she's extremely heat sensitive. If she's out there on her own without water, she's as good as dead in an hour. She ain't gonna be much trouble. Make sure everyone stays together."

Fry looked around the crash site. The threat of Riddick was still coursing through her mind, but they had more pressing matters. "Imam, if we're looking for water, we should go before nightfall, while it's cooler."

Paris came running out. "Excuse me, but I think you should see this."

Everyone followed Paris toward the back of the crash site. They were met with a startling sight. As the two suns set behind them, a third was rising just in front of them. This blue orb started rising over the horizon, casting a blue glow across the sand.

Jack turned toward Fry. "Three suns?"

"Bloody hell." Shazza gasped.

"So much for you nightfall." Zeke stated.

"So much for my cocktail hour." Paris muttered to himself.

Imam and his boys looked pleased. "We take this as a good sign. A path and direction from Allah. Blue sun, blue water."

"Ever wondered why I'm an atheist?" Zeke muttered. He walked off, preparing for work.

"Bit of a bad sign." Johns said. "That's Riddick's direction."

Fry frowned. "I thought you said you found his restraints over there. Toward sunset."

Johns nodded. "Right. Which means he went toward sunrise." Which meant he had a chance of tracking down the killer. Johns reached into his holster and retrieved his pistol. "Zeke, fully loaded clip, safety's on. One shot if you spot him."

Zeke apprehensively took the gun from Johns. He didn't like the idea of the cop leaving the group. "Don't tell me you're going off too."

Johns nodded.

"But what happens if Mr. Riddick spots up first?" Paris asked.

Johns snorted. "They'll be no shots."

With his newfound freedom, Riddick took the east, or the direction east seem to be. With three suns, east was some fucking direction. He headed out toward the ridge, a good three miles from the crash site. Beyond the ridge, there seemed to be trees. Trees meant shade and water. The sun beat down on his exposed flesh, burning the energy from him. Riddick kept moving toward the ridge, not wasting his chance. He reached the top of the ridge and stopped in his tracks. What he had assumed to be trees, were bones. Monstrous bones of great creatures that had long since died away. The canyon was littered with the massive skeletons, all gathered around to die.

Riddick started down the canyon, sliding down the wall with ease. The moment his feet hit the bottom of the canyon, Riddick dove into the maze of skeletons. He weaved through the massive bones. He ran his hand over the rib, running across the grooves instead of smooth bone. Riddick frowned and examined the bone closer. He spotted jagged grooves dug into the bones, as if something ribbed it apart. He lowered his eyes to the ground. He dug through the dirt, coming up with chips of bones plucked from the carcasses. Riddick found a shiv sized bone and gripped it tightly. Amidst the dust and dirt, he caught the scent of sandalwood and sage. He didn't turned toward the scent to know she was following him. She wasn't his problem and he certainly wasn't going to help her out again. but if she cost him his freedom, he was certainly going to end her life. He turned from the rib and moved through the skeletons, hunkering down above the ground, on top of a shoulder blade.

Riddick heard their approach before he saw them. The damn pilgrim children certainly didn't know how to keep silent, especially when there was a killer on the loose. Riddick watched from his place as the children and their leader reached the top of the ridge. Riddick snorted as he spotted Johns within the group.

There were no words to describe the disappointment surging through Fry. The ridge had been their best bet of water. They had not expected a graveyard of massive creatures. The furthest bones of the creatures towered a good ways over the ridge. The ribs towered fifty feet below them. Still, they were massive skeletons. A chilling thought crossed Fry's mind. If these thing were so massive, what could have killed them by these great numbers?

"A communal graveyard, perhaps." Imam said. "Like the elephants of earth."

It was more pleasant thought compared to Fry's suspicions. But the sight in front of her wasn't comforting. "Is this whole planet dead?"

"Let's keep moving." Johns said. He took a hesitant step down the ridge. Loose rocks kicked up under his feet as he slid down the ridge. Johns struggled to keep his balance during the slide. the last thing he needed was to injure himself sliding down a hill.

The others followed Johns down the hill. The boys made the venture down a little game, racing each other down without a care. Fry and Imam came down last, closing the gap of their group. Johns moved through the maze of bones, scouting for any sign of his convicts. Ali found a small, flat bone and dragged it alongside the ribcage of one of the creatures. Riddick moved silently through the bones, following Fry through the gaps

Fry wandered through the canyon and took a puff form her breathing canister, only to receive nothing. She tried the trigger again, still nothing. Fry frowned and checked the gauge. She gave the o2 canister an extra shake, but still nothing. With a sigh, Fry leaned against the ribcage and sank to the ground.

Johns came around the side, carrying a bottle of scotch swiped from Paris' stash. "Drink?" She winced as the strong liquid hit her throat.

Fry reached out and took the bottle. "Probably shouldn't do this. Dehydrates you more."

Johns smirked. "Probably right."

Riddick eased his way toward Fry, bone shiv at the ready. He could take her out first, then Johns. He raised the shiv toward the base of her neck, fast kill, she'd never see it coming.

"You could've stayed with the ship." Johns said. "Probably should have. If we don't find water you know what happens."

Fry shook her head and capped the bottle. "I wanted to get away."

"Never seen a captain so ready to leave her ship." Johns stated.

That's it Johns. Keep distracting her. Riddick thought. Make my job easier.

Fry rose from the ground. Riddick's shiv hovered just inches from her neck. It was a miracle Johns hadn't even noticed him at all. "I think we should keep moving."

"What'd Owens mean?" Johns asked. "By not touching the handle?"

Both Fry and Riddick stopped. Riddick watched Fry's stance shift completely. The bastard had her in his grasp now. Riddick shook his head. Fry was gonna spill her guts to him.

"This is between you and me, Carolyn." Johns swore.

Don't fall for it.

Riddick thought to himself.

"I'm not your captain." Fry answered. "During the crash, when things were at their worst, Owens was at his best. He's the one who stopped the docking pilot from dumping the main cabin. Passengers."

"And the docking pilot being?" Johns asked.

Fry said nothing.

It didn't take a genius to know who was the docking pilot. Riddick couldn't help but be impressed by her confession, and her guts to do what she needed to do to survive. No wonder I like her.

Johns snorted. "Guess I'm a little more glad to be here than I thought." He slipped his hat on over her head and kept going.

Riddick quiet cut a small lock form Fry's hair. All I need, for now. He watched the group pass through the canyon, out of sight. He looked at the strands of hair in his hands. The woman certainly had guts. How interesting.

Shifting rocks and bones caught Riddick's attention. He spun around fast, shiv at the ready. As he moved, he caught the scent of the Mimic again. He turned toward the sound, only to find nothing around him. The ground continued to shift around him. Riddick slowly turned, following the scent, but still saw nothing. Just as quickly as the scent and sound occurred, it stopped. He looked back down at the hair and released it. "How interesting."

Of all the planets to crash land, it was to be one with three suns. Not one or two, but three suns. Constant searing heat radiating upon the earth, threatening to kill the survivors that much quicker. Great risk of never finding water. A greater risk of being caught. Brisais exhaled heavily. Her lungs worked twice as hard just to allow her to catch her breath since she woke in her tube, but now that she was running, trying to breathe seemed to have become the impossible. She tugged at the hood attached to her vest, pulling it further down her face. She wasn't wearing much, hardly ever needed to, but what she did wear did both help and hinder her survival on the planet. Her shirt and vest left much of her torso exposed to the sun, her vest and pants were both trimmed in black and dark red, focusing the heat on her body further.

The sand burned beneath her feet as she pressed on. She'd caught sight of Riddick moving toward the ridge after releasing her. Riddick, that was another problem. Everything she knew about the man suggested he would have killed her rather than help her. But he'd done the opposite not once, but twice. He'd broken the opening in her tube that saved her from suffocating and he'd freed her from her restraints. Brisais shook her head. Logically, if both of them were on the loose, Johns would have to divvy up his focus. And in truth, he'd go after Riddick. His bounty was worth more than hers, not that she cared. But it told her that his 'selfless' actions toward her weren't really selfless, which suited her just fine.

Brisais heaved another sigh as she reached the top of the ridge, barely catching a glimpse of Riddick moving into one of hundreds of skeletal remains. Trying not to imagine what had killed the creatures, Brisais started down the ridge. In the distance, she could hear the pilgrim children praying and calling out to their god. She cursed internally as she hit the bottom of the ridge, if they were already moving, what were the odds that Johns was with them? Pushing herself up from the earth Brisais race into the shelter of the skeletons.

The moment her body dipped into the shadows, a rush of coolness washed over Brisais. She closed her eyes, relishing in the coolness of the shade. To most, shade was just convenient, but to her people it was a saving grace. And water was worth more than any bounty. Brisais focused hard and slowly shifted her face, concealing her white tribal tattoo. She flattened her nose and thinned her lips. Next she shifted her ears. She curved their tips and decreased their size. The white braids darkened to a dreamy brown color. Brisais exhaled slowly as her shift ended. It was all she could manage at the moment. Another few minutes, and she could risk camouflaging into her surroundings. In her current state, Johns could easily overtake her. But it was better to be caught in a familiar shift, than in her real form.

The sounds of the pilgrims broke her line of thought. Brisais drew along the shadowed bones and watched through and opening. The three boys made their way down the mountain, followed closely by the ships captain, their mentor, and Johns. Brisais growled darkly and moved deeper into the graveyard. She was not going to waste her newfound freedom by allowing Johns to catch her so easily. She made her way through the remains, moving silently. She ducked to the ground as the group passed by and closed her eyes. Slowly, her body began blending in with her surroundings.

Brisais opened her eyes and rose slowly. She moved through the skeleton without a second glance. She slipped inside another skeleton. Her foot caught on a bone, causing a sudden shift in her footing. Motion behind her caused her to turn around. Riddick stood several feet from her, holding a bone shiv. Brisais stood her ground for a moment before she realized that Riddick couldn't see her. She moved slowly from her spot, easing passed him. All the while, Riddick followed her steps, but never moved toward her. Brisais eased herself further down the remains until she found an opening leading up. She quickly climbed up the reminds. AS she climbed, she caught Riddick's last words. "How interesting."

kind of a long chapter...sorry bout that. just fyi, gonna ship the shuttle discovery scene. we all know it happens. please review to let me know you're reading this