Riddick: Bloodhounds: 9
"Pravda: The Pursuit of Satisfaction as well as Answers"
Author's note: Introducing a varied tangent into the Riddick universe….Using a bit of "creative moxie" to voice a little backstory between Riddick & Toombs, a bit of speculation and a lot of AU. My motivation is to present an alternate motive as to why Alexander Toombs seems to be in constant zealous pursuit of Riddick, and the answers may have more to do with an act of vengeance rather than just the pursuit of reward money.
Eve Logan has been with her Captain (Toombs) for a long time, still she doesn't agree with every decision he makes. Bugsy Benjamin, Lee Davies, Miranda Goff, Slink Williams, and Foster Mead (all OC) are presented in this story…. My thanks to you for reading, Z
Author's second note: As explained before, commentary in Bold lettering is Richard B. Riddick expressing his views in narration, thanks….
********** Who's Your Daddy **********
"So it comes to this, Toombs being in charge of a bunch of renegades that he's promised a hefty sum of reward money should they assist him again in putting me into shackles. Well, that shouldn't be a problem since I've told them where I was. Toombs always did seem to be after the golden carrot (reward money), as were Santana and Johns, only Toombs' motivation is more in-tuned with Boss Johns' rather than in-line with Santana's. Still I grant that I understand his reasoning. However…..
Eve Logan, after sparing your life on Crematoria… I was under the impression that you would have left Toombs by now. That you woulda started over with a new career, a new life? I understand that you have daddy issues and want to prove to an overbearing father that his little girl can achieve success all on her own, but if things get rough this time, I'm not sure that I can save you?
Now Toombs, as often as I've defeated the man I have to admit that the guy does have staying power. When others would have "thrown in the towel", he has remained persistent. And it does seem that his idea is…. not to kill me, but rather, to have me spend the remainder of my years in a torturous prison cell. He could have easily put a bullet into my brain on Helion Prime. But his hatred of me goes much deeper than that….. Beyond the satisfaction of watching me attain an easy death, beyond achieving reward money. No, Toombs wants me to suffer, and it had nothing to do with me locking him up between two Hell Hounds on Crematoria, no, it goes further back…
Back in my soldering days I had been tasked by a lieutenant to clear a cave of Spitfires on Sigma 3. This I'd done by tossing in a couple grenades. The mission seemed to be a success and the cavern seemed to be emptied of our foe, only it wasn't. The Lieutenant had entered and was killed by a surviving Spitfire. That Lieutenant's name had been Toombs, and as I found out later it had been Alexander Toombs' older brother (Lieutenant Toombs) who had died as a result.
So now, the younger Toombs blamed me for his brother's death. I took the blame…..only it seems now that I am constantly hounded by Alexander's thrust for vengeance. It's also the reason why he hadn't killed me outright; he wants my soul to suffer. I did harbor a sense of guilt over the event, my lax of judgment had cost a man his life, but I pay for my sins every day. My anguish is enough knowing that, many of the people I've befriended or loved have died on my account, I needn't be reminded.
…..So Toombs remains determined to track me down, but he won't kill me, not unless he has to. It has almost become a game between us, him chasing me, and me avoiding his capture. Too, I pay him the same respect, I wouldn't end his life unless unavoidably necessary. Pursuer and prey, we perform this lavish dance out in the universe, yet I point to this question, who is pursuing whom?"
Riddick
********** Who's Your Daddy? **********
As Dahl and Toombs circled around one another…..like two angry lions, each with a desire to dominate over the other, there came noises from beyond the circle of the light where they were holding their match. Both turned to witness Bugsy and Luna entering into the arena from the darkness.
"What the hell is going on," Bugsy questioned as he made his way into the illuminated circle?
It was obvious that there was a brawl being entertained, the question was why.
"Just a little disagreement being settled among friends," Alexander Toombs told him with that sheepish grin he always wore. As he spoke more blood trickled from his busted lip. Bugsy Benjamin was not happy that his boss looked so beat up…..
Behind Eve Logan, Bugsy took himself as being next in command over Toombs' brood, and he was fairly satisfied with the crew that Toombs had assembled upon their exit from Crematoria.
In that group there was….Miranda Goff, an expert pilot, Slink Williams and Lee Davies, ex-military men gone-bad, and Foster Mead was a celestial charts expert (or a heavens navigator as it was sometimes jokingly referred to), and then there was himself, Bugsy. Bugs was an ex-military man also, and the least moral of the crew. A bully because of his size (near comparable to Riddick), he was under the assumption that…should something happen to Toombs; he would be next up to fill in the gap as chief. There was Eve Logan to contend with, however, and in his way of thinking, Foster, Lee and Slink would not be inclined to follow a woman over a man. It didn't seem acceptable that she could rule over a crew of mostly men (yes there was still chauvinism in the Riddick universe). Not that Bugs had anything against Eve, but he did consider that the only reason she fell in line for being Toombs' second in command was for the simple reason that she had been with him the longest. Also Bugsy knew, along with everyone else that, longevity didn't always qualify a person the ability to lead. The Big man felt that he should take over should Toombs fall….
Giving it a second thought, he considered, maybe he should let Dahl beat the shit out of Toombs. Then he could step in and assume command over the Fairy Godmother. He patted the weapon underneath his belt for assurance.
Toombs turned to Luna who was obviously holding a new part for the Fairy Godmother.
"That the salvage part?"
Luna rushed over to Dahl. He seemed very concerned about her injuries.
"Are you alright," he asked?
She gave him a smile suggesting that she was OK. Toombs again attempted to gain the man's attention.
"Hey, is that the new engine part?"
"Yeah," Luna answered.
Toombs looked around.
"Where's Foster?" He questioned, the two men returning from the salvage yard looked stunned….as if they hadn't realized that Foster wasn't with them.
"Don't know chief, he was behind us earlier," Bugs answered. "He may have stopped off at the brothel just opposite the Starlight Mission. The girls there were offering a pretty decent discount, and you know Foster."
"Crap," Toombs voiced! "Another delay," he paused and looked around, "Slink, you go with Bugs. Find Foster and get him back here, I'll deal with him once we're in the air."
He then turned to look at his pilot Miranda, "Go inside with Luna. Install the part and make sure he does it correctly. I want this beast humming by the time Bugs and Slink return with Foster."
Miranda understood her direction, and she nodded.
Toombs then dipped inside the Fairy Godmother and retrieved his weapon.
"Enough of this bullshit," he spoke, "I haven't the time to deal with you now Dahl,"
He hesitated before continuing…..
"I'll just quote you an old expression that I'm rather fond of, To them that have the bigger weapons, so say go the rule makers."
He viewed the expression on Dahl's face, a mixture of distain and repulsion, he then added…..
"You will follow my orders, or instead of shooting you, I'll put a bullet through pretty boy Luna there. Is there an understanding between us?"
Of course there was an understanding. Toombs had now shifted the ball into the opposite corner. If Dahl disobeyed any of his commands, she wouldn't suffer; it would be Luan who paid the price. Toombs was a smart man, and was able to shift gears when necessary. All Dahl could do was follow his bidding, obey his commands or suffer the guilt of having a crew-mate murdered.
"Hey, hold up there Chief…!" came a voice from the darkness.
In a brief moment Bugsy and Slink returned carrying the bulk of Foster Mead. They lay him on the ground at Alexander's feet.
"What's this," Toombs questioned?
"D'know boss," Bugs answered, "Found him in the bushes just a few feet away."
Foster's neck had been convincingly broken, and there seemed to be an obvious bulge in his pants. Eve Logan walked up to the corpse (now laying on the ground surrounded by Bugs, Toombs, and Slink). She spoke her piece...
"Looks as if he still has a stiffy."
Toombs looked down at the man; the bulge seemed to be more in his pocket, rather than his pants.
"That's no woody," the bloodhound announced." Toombs reached inside Foster's pocket and pulled out a gargantuan amount of cash. All who were around the body were astounded by the wad of money held in their bosses hand.
From inside the Fairy Godmother there came a voice over the loud speaker. It was one obviously recognized by Toombs and Dahl and Eve….Riddick!
"I'll say it again….Take the money Toombs."
The three that had recognized the voice stood bewildered, was Riddick here, watching them now? Their question would be soon answered.
END PART 9