A/N Anyone who has not seen Dark Fury should check out the 'toon by Peter Chung right away. Once you do you'll see I don't own a thing...
Thanks to all those who review. I enjoy every last one. (Chapter updated to correct spelling of Lujjan's name).
Hero Worship Gone Wrong.
It was amazing how fast the backup group of mercs moved out into the blood and body filled docking bay once the order was given. The ex-ranger surveyed the group of mangy men. Most were out of shape. One in particular was so out of shape that he resembled an upright overfed pig as he wobbled forward on squat legs. Some of the others relied on implants of various types to get the job done. All in all he doubted that they would give him much trouble in a normal situation. Only his life had taken a rather abnormal turn, he remembered. He now had a mate, and that complicated things. She was his strength and his weakness. The rash impulsive actions of his past were too risky until he'd trained her to fight with him. Fighting was the one thing he had not been able to train her in due to lack of space on the skiff. Still, she'd grabbed a gun in zero-grav and seemed prepared enough to use it.
The tall white haired woman floated out and down making her way to Junner as the mercs moved to snatch Fry and Imam out of the foam bubble occupying the area between the skiff and the main door into the Kubla Khan. Neither the docking pilot or the holy man put up much of a fight. It was obvious that the survivors, if one could call the four people extracted from the ratty little lifeboat that, had been on their last legs. Even with the low pressure of the atmosphere in the bay they acted like the air was richer than what they had been breathing. Even weakened as they were, it seemed that one couple had weathered being inside a tin can in space far better than the other did. It was really no surprise then that the blonde woman and the robed man had no fight left. They could barely stand.
No it was the other pair that was the problem. The young woman and the known killer acted like they had just been picked up off a luxury yacht. They were full of fire. Defiant in spite the overwhelming odds. In short, they weathered the desperate conditions that had to have existed on that tiny short-range vessel much better than their companions did. So where it took two mercs to handle Pilot Carolyn Fry and Imam Abu al-Walid it took six to handle Richard B. Riddick and the unknown girl. The killer currently had five guns leveled at him. He glowered at the fake-badges and put his hands out. One of them was brave enough to step forward and slap cuffs onto his wrists. Of course the girl still had Junner's gun pointed at her forehead to ensure his compliance.
Once the ex-ranger was secured Jackie found herself scooped up like a kitten by the scruff of her neck and tossed into the care of a waiting Merc. Junner turned to his mistress, one Antonia Chillingsworth, a member of one of Kova's highest-ranking families. Chillingsworth was eyeing the young woman that Junner had previously pinned to the floor as Jackie tried to clobber the rather piggish fellow who took her from the second in command. Another merc stepped up leaving four of his associates to watch the shackled killer. His associate struggled with the woman in his grasp. Chillingsworth watched him shake the chains at the woman as he threatened her with the same treatment the large man received. It had the opposite impact the pair of mercs had hoped for, causing the slim figure to erupt into quite a struggle. Junner simply stepped back to his mistress' side and watched. Finally they slapped the chains onto her, but not before she'd given the second one a nice kick to the groin. It took a look from Riddick to settle the young lady down. Only then were the four survivors led away.
That was odd enough to take note of. Not only did Riddick sound pained when pressed about the girl, but she acted absolutely wild until he ordered her to stand down. And like Riddick, the girl's fire was protective and proud. It made the 'goll woman remember a magnificent, but dead, race. A race that had supposedly died out a generation before. There were other clues, too. And she had samples to check to girl by. Chillingsworth tilted her head to the side as the thought, 'Unusual spunk, and even more telling, unusual golden brown eyes. I've seen that color only one other place… Something to have the girl tested for.'
Junner waited for his mistress' attention to focus back on him. He stepped forward with a humble posture, "My apologies."
It only took a moment for her to look over at Junner briefly as the last of the four disappeared through the service door; "You know how worthless those are to me. You did well. People die in this line of work, Junner. A handful of men? A small price to pay." Her manner was like someone stroking the chin of a favored poodle. The conversation echoed lightly down the hall so that the words, although distorted, were understandable.
"What will you do with them." Junner's voice sounding rather pleased made it difficult for Riddick to keep the inner beast in check. What he really wanted at this moment was to get his bare hands around that smug bastard's throat. He'd forgotten how satisfying death could actually be when someone deserved it. The fact that Junner dared to threaten Jack and enjoyed doing so pissed Riddick off. Payback was gonna be a bitch.
Then the woman's voice floated toward the con's ears, "Slowly, Junner. Bring Riddick and the girl to my conservatory. I have something beautiful in mind. And Junner, unfreeze some more mercs." He tightened his face and clamped down on his human side. It was going to be a bloody process getting out of this one. There was no time for morals here. He began to take note of the sounds around him, pinpointing likely directions for the engines, the control rooms, and the docking bays. He quickly realized that he needed to see more of the ship in order to figure out how everything fit together.
The halls they were now being escorted and bullied through were dim and dark colored affairs. The ceilings were lower than the average height for such things. Riddick kept his shoulders hunched to avoid bumping his head on the lower beams and pipes that ran along the sides, crossing at odd intervals overhead. There were just inches to spare at his height. He figured these were service tunnels and passages. Places that the owner of the ship would never lower herself into. He had to admit that the cramped darkened areas were clean and well maintained though. Someone took pride in his or her bottom-of-the-totem-pole job. The trip took about a quarter of an hour from docking bay to cell bay.
The cell bay was a bit less cramped and a lot better lit. Most of the doors had indicator lights that their occupants were in cryo. That wouldn't be too hard to slip out of he guessed, if they were going to get lucky. The area looked to be converted over from some type of storage hold. Chillingsworth's words didn't inspire him to believe that their fate would be so simple though. She had something else planned. Damn the complications. After a short trip through the cell bay the four of them were halted in front of a door that had the 'awake prisoner' indicated.
"Here you go. Your new home. Play nice and you might get lucky," the merc in charge teased. The door opened and it was made clear that there was really no other choice. Imam helped Fry into the room following Riddick and Jackie. Inside was another woman. Riddick had smelled her before the door opened due to the rather expensive perfume that lingered on her. She hid her fear well as the four came into her cell. "Sorry about this, Princess. We got no other cells prepped at the moment. They shouldn't give you any trouble." The merc gave the pair in chains a warning glance. "Stay away from the dangerous ones and you'll be fine," he concluded.
She twitched her eyebrow at the mercs tossing the four newcomers inside. Riddick and Jackie were left in chains, the mercs not even attempting to take them off. Imam helped the docking pilot keep feet. The other woman stood, her long silky hair catching the limited light and glistening as she moved, "She does not look well." The voice had a pleasant, if regal tone, to it. Carolyn tried to smile at the woman, thinking to reassure her. Instead she found a thin, but strong, arm slide around her back as she was guided to the rather lumpy cot. The dark-skinned woman kept her eyes on Imam as they walked the blond over to it. Settling down the docking pilot she introduced herself, "I am Lujjan, daughter of…"
"There is no need for a formal introduction here, Your Majesty." Imam cut her off. He looked at his hands and thought of how long it had been since he'd had a proper bath then noticed that Lujjan didn't seem to notice or care as her hand was still extended in greeting. He shifted his feet. She blinked at him. He took her hand in a gentlemanly fashion, holding it lightly and placing his other hand over hers. She slowly smiled a sweet sad smile. Warmth spread through his being. It took a moment for him to find his breath, "I am Abu al-Walid, Imam of the temple of Chrislam in the New Meccan quarter of Helion prime." He tipped his head in deference to her station before continuing, "You are known to me, Lady. But how did you end up here? Were you not married to…"
Lujjan extracted her hand although part of her rather wanted to keep it where it was. With a sigh, she waved her situation off, "He tired of me, and like his other political marriages mine was less useful than he thought it would be. So he sold me. Such are the risks of things I suppose." She took a few steps away from the handsome holy man as a slight fear settled like a smothering blanket over her, "So far I've not been hurt, but I can only fear what will happen to you. Antonia Chillingsworth is not exactly a nice woman." She could see that both Imam and the man in chains took note of the name like they had encountered it before.
The name shifted goggled man's attention from the young woman he was carefully checking over. His fingers froze on Jackie's forehead just below the wound. He went over the rumors he'd caught in the Kovan penal system. Chillingsworth was a well-known, well-connected family. They had regularly gotten special favors from the prison boss and those unlucky sods that had been 'invited' to the parties were never quite the same afterwards. Definitely Kovan. Being known for wealth, he had to wonder what one of them doing out here in space looking for the 'most wanted' list? This Antonia posed a danger great enough to spark visions, but what was her game? He had a feeling that it was not going to be a slave auction or a trip back to slam but something far more devious and deeply evil. Something only a 'goll could pull off…
Had Abu's mind been just a bit clearer he might have been thinking along the same lines as Riddick. As it was, however, his mind was rather blown away by the woman standing in front of him. Where her hand had rested briefly in his still tingled. He found that his concern was entirely for her, "Are you being taken to Kova then?"
"That I do not know. Let me get your friend some water. There is some food here, not much but enough to share," Lujjan indicated a small table as she walked over to the sink in the room. She poured a glass of water and moved back to Carolyn. "Here." The blond took the glass and weakly smiled thanks. The docking pilot sipped at the water. Imam moved over to the small supply of food and portioned it out. As he took two fifths of it over to the pair in chains, Lujjan's voice drifted back into his ears like music from heaven, "What happened that placed the four of you here and why are two of you in chains?"
Imam glanced at the convict and young woman as he neared them. The results of Riddick's training program over the time they were in the skiff were far more evident as Jackie stood next him with her hands shacked together than they had been previously. She was tall, slim, and wiry. Honey brown hair stood up from her head making her appear even more exotic. Although she wore layers of clothing her sleek physique was all too evident. Imam thought about how difficult it had been to keep her inside the foam, and allowed some awe shift onto his face as he looked at the pair. Jackie's face was hard with anger. Her golden eyes glittered like broken glass caught in the sun. Height-wise, she came to nearly large man's forehead already. The simple fact was that Jackie could have done some damage with that gun she'd grabbed if he hadn't pulled her back.
The holy man considered his words carefully, "They think that Mr. Smyth and Miss Badd are a threat, apparently." Jackie noticed the food he was offering and her face softened with a grateful smile as she took it without a word. That done, Abu moved back to Lujjan and Carolyn. The rest of the food was given out although he had trouble convincing the regal woman that it was necessary to eat now while they had the chance. He finally expanded his previous words, "If Chillingsworth is a bad as you suggest, my lady, I fear the worse about our being placed in the same cell as you. Please, find it within you to trust me on this and eat. I beg you." Lujjan looked deep into Abu's eyes and realized that he was absolutely sincere in his belief and terrified to the core of his being.
Riddick watched his friend unwisely move his heart out onto his sleeve. This was going from bad to terrible. He wanted to stride over and grab the holy man by the shoulder and shake him. He wanted to demand that Abu pull his shit together and forget about saving this so-called princess. He wanted to cry that his friend was setting himself up to get hurt very badly because that was all that love was good for. Instead he focused on Jackie before Imam could gaze at him with his lovesick eyes and attempt to make him promise everyone would make it. "Give me your shiv, Babe. That pack is nothing but dead weight."
Jackie put her ration between her teeth to hold it, looked over at the trio on the cot, and fished her blade out so Riddick could cut the straps of her pack. She straightened up and felt the weight gradually shift as the straps were sliced. He handed the blade back. Jackie settled down on her knees. Riddick joined her and the two of them begin going through the odd assortment of items left. Jackie pocketed the jewelry, and anything else that was small and could have value later, making sure that the pocket 'puter was well protected. Any scavenged clothing she was not wearing, tools, and bits of metal underwent careful consideration for its usefulness. Riddick passed the tools off to Imam who concealed them in his small bag next to his holy book and prayer rug.
Lujjan watched them, "Not a threat enough to search? Or perhaps too much of one?"
Fry looked sideways at her. "Mr. Smyth just killed 11 mercs in under the span of a few minutes…" she paused, "They were shooting at us, so I'd call it self defense, really."
Lujjan looked at Riddick with surprise. "Ex-military," he grumbled as if it was reason enough. The regal woman got a look of understanding and turned to Imam. Jackie noted that the holy man was rather smitten with this new woman. She hoped their captor didn't turn that against them.
It did not take long after the food was gone for the mercs to open the door back up. "All right, everyone up." The lead fellow glanced at the five of them. "You too princess. Looks like it is time for you to go."
"Go?" Lujjan asked. "Are we planetside already?"
The merc snarled at her, "Don't go making trouble. You've been a charm to escort; I think the preacher's credits might get you off this boat… but I don't know for sure. Junner will tell you."
Jackie didn't like the sound of that. To her way of thinking that meant that they had been watched the entire time and Imam's clear infatuation with Lujjan pulled her into what was already a bad situation. One of the mercs leveled his gun at the slim young woman. "Stay back, got it?" Jackie backed away from Riddick at his slight signal. The mercs wheeled in a table and Riddick was immobilized. He was moved out and the merc with his gun on her ordered, "Move." Jackie followed the table out. Lujjan, Fry and Imam were ushered out under guard. Their path took them down even more twisted service passages. Eventually though they found them selves in the long center of the ship, which was lined with cryo-chambers.
"Have you ever seen anything like this before?" Fry whispered, awestruck by the sheer size of the ship and the advanced state of the technology. Having only worked with the lower scaled shipping sector, the slick round tubes of plexi with their chrome fittings were beyond anything she'd imagined.
"Merc ships? Plenty." Riddick answered. "Kovan ships? A few. Just trying to figure out how it all goes together." He was rather more confident at this point though that he would in fact figure out that particular puzzle. It helped that they were generally being taken up through the layers of the ship, and he figured that the escape route he'd want would be that direction. He looked at Jack who was being rather quiet. He wanted to reassure her, but he didn't want to get her into even more trouble. She was avoiding his eyes at the moment, and her face had settled into the unreadable calm that he'd drilled into her. Part of him was proud of that accomplishment, and part of him was kicking itself for insisting upon teaching her that skill.
The soft shuffle of their feet and swish of clothing took over for conversation until a soft voice interrupted, "It is a plantation operation." Riddick shifted his gaze from his mate to his friend as Imam continued, "A boat like this loads up a port, signs on as many men as it can hold, then goes out for months, sometimes years at a time. However long it takes to fill their stores."
It took a moment for the ex-ranger to deal with his slight surprise that Imam knew so much. He'd assumed that the holy man's relatively sheltered life had no place for such horrors, "Except a merchant rig's usually harvesting ore, maybe crops, not people." It was with some difficulty that Riddick tore his eyes off his friend's troubled face and set them back on Jackie. He finally managed to make eye contact and realized that she blamed herself for this turn of events. Of course she couldn't know that they were on a pirate's ship that had a closed database. Even if the rest of the 'vers thought him dead, this ship, in its isolation knew otherwise.
"Maybe I fucked up the vid, I don't know. The guild should've paid Johns' estate for the death-bond and dropped it," Jackie whispered. Riddick passed her a look that read 'you've done nothing wrong, babe.' She managed a weak smile back. That expression made her feel a million times better. The uncertainty of the situation still weighted on her shoulders, but at least she knew that he did not blame her for this mess.
"Captured bounties on one side, contracted manpower on the other?" Fry asked. Although it seemed like no body heard her, Carolyn noticed that Riddick was paying attention. He gave her a nearly invisible shrug. She made a face about the merc breathing down her neck, before glancing back at the rows of deathly still bodies that graced the corridor. It was hard to tell if the scruffy men and women suspended at death's door were prisoners or mercs anyhow. They all looked the same.
"Just add heat," Lujjan added. Her comment was said lightly and mostly ignored. She didn't mind really. It was clear that the other four had been through a lot together and that they communicated on a level that was not altogether verbal. It was a subtle language of looks, movements, and inflections that she realized only time would reveal to her.
Riddick focused on Abu; "You know a lot about this shit… For a holy man."
"I hear things," Imam mumbled. They walked a few meters in silence, the only sounds the boots on the metal floor and the faint whir of the table as it bore its cargo.
Of course Riddick just couldn't stay quiet for long, as the merc who had been in charge of Jack before was the same one annoying Carolyn with his rather suggestive intrusion into her personal space. Fry was being quite strong about it but clearly she was uncomfortable with the attention. The situation had gone on long enough for Riddick to be feeling just slightly pissed off about the harassment she was suffering. Time for it to stop. The killer quirked an eyebrow at the overweight man, "Must be a special kind of desperate dick signs on to this." That got his attention off the docking pilot, as did the glare Riddick managed even with the goggles in place. He got slammed in mouth with the guy's gun for his trouble.
"Shut up!"
The merc had no idea who he was fucking with. Riddick moved his head with the blow to lessen the damage but slit his eyes as he tasted blood in his mouth. He casually licked the wound as he thought about how he was going to kill the man. Danger crackled off him even though he was securely bound to the table. The recoil from the blow was rather slow and controlled; the voice that he spoke with filled with menace; "You're the exception, of course. For you, it's life experience." Delivered like a threat, meant as a promise. Sadly the merc was too dense to understand that his life was already forfeit, as Riddick would not exit the ship until he'd made sure the promise was kept.
They reached the end of the hall and came to a stop. "You do have a plan?" Fry asked sounding panicked that she was being forced into the mercy of men that could do horrible things to her. Riddick twitched at her, willing her to stay calm and not do anything stupid. The con could feel her clutching the edge of the table in a bid for just a moment more of safety. He looked at Imam. The holy man read his silent message to keep an eye on the pilot so that she didn't crumble under the pressure. "You've gotten out of worse," Fry continued, "Hey!" One of the mercs grabbed her shoulder. Imam took the blonde's hand to assist the mercs in getting her away from Jackie and Riddick.
Lujjan was already following the guards' suggestions and had moved away. But Carolyn fought being separated. "Come on princess. This is where you get off." He said.
"You too, preacher," said another. Imam nodded and pulled Fry toward him, seeking to protect her from her own foolishness. They began to move off down another dim hallway heading opposite of where the pair in chains was going.
Riddick tried to plead with one of the mercs in the other group that was taking Imam and Fry, "Take the girl with you." It was a last ditch effort on his part to keep them together as much as possible. The mercs ignored him. Jack felt a cold fear settle in her gut at the separation.
"I will pray." Imam stated as he, Lujjan and Carolyn were led off.
Abu's words drew Richard's eyes toward him, "Not for me," he countered. But the look shared between friends spoke volumes. 'Yes, for you, my most honored friend. And for all of us, because I have faith in you even if you have none in yourself,' the dark eyes of Imam met the goggles but reached the quicksilver orbs behind them. Their eyes locked until Riddick's table was turned enough to break the contact. The ex-ranger felt at though his heart would burst. So much trust, so much faith – in him. He'd never seen the likes of it before, aside from the eyes of his mate. He knew at that moment that someone was going to die. He had no doubt that fate was going to rip one of his, did he dare think it? – Friends – away from his life forever and there was not a damn thing he could do about it.
Riddick and Jackie were ushered down another hall. Jackie had a big gun at her back, like this new Merc thought she was a serious danger. Jackie stole a look at Riddick. His face was unmoving. Jackie couldn't be sure but she thought he was fearful. 'Riddick, afraid? That's a laugh.' But she couldn't shake the feeling that he was scared and that frightened her more than anything did. There was one small blessing to this, she reflected. At least they were together even if she did have a miniature cannon aimed at her back. The Mercs moved them into a sterile room and locked Jackie down to a table. Then they did the same to Riddick. They were given a few moments alone as the guards positioned themselves in the hallway. "You okay, Riddick?" she whispered.
She heard him shift slightly and turned her head to see him looking at her, "Yeah – babe. You?" Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. She bit her lip. It was something he had not seen her do in a very long time. "I can't promise anything, babe."
"I know. It's alright." She looked away as her face became closed off again. He was grateful for the goggles and found himself wondering when she'd become better at hiding her emotions than he was. Her next words made him grin inside, banishing the pain like the sun chasing away fog, "I'm still waiting for you to kick their collective asses, you realize? You aren't gonna let me down are you?"
"I'd never dream of it, Jack." He watched as she looked back over to him with a knowing smile that he matched in spite of himself.
The sound of the door opening made the shared smiles fade back into masks of indifference. Junner entered with a medic. The second man was rather a kindly looking fellow, dark haired and slightly tanned. There was no sign of cyborg enhancement on him and unlike Junner he carried no weapons. As Junner stood watch, The medic picked up a device and moved over to Jackie. "It's going to feel like liquid fire, and there is little I can do to change that, miss. It will pass," He then implanted something into her neck. Jackie was bowled over by the intense pain that shot through her from whatever the medic had injected into her. It was so overwhelming that she didn't even feel him take a blood sample. Nor did she notice that Riddick received the same treatment. When she became aware of the room again the medic was running tests on his blood samples. He commented, "Chillingsworth's tastes are getting younger each year. What did she do?"
Junner raised an eyebrow at the medic, "Just tell me yes or no. That is all you need concern yourself with."
The medic looked at the screen, then in an amazed voice said, "Um -- yes. And she's already under vinculum."
Junner raised an eyebrow at the medic, narrowed his eyes at the killer as he took in the meaning of the medic's words. This would create a wrinkle in his mistress' plans but then, it could be useful. "Heal the wound to her face, you fool."
Jackie looked over at Riddick. 'I'm sorry,' she thought as he continued to look at the ceiling. The medic came over and cleaned the wound then applied an instant healing spray to it. Then they were let up and Riddick was put into the same type of cuffs as Jackie wore. "Why the girl?" Riddick asked. The medic looked at him and realized that he didn't understand. For a moment the medic considered answering, but he had no time before he was dismissed. The young woman gave the medic a reassuring look that was strangely wise.
Junner ignored the ex-ranger and indicated for he and Jack to walk. Jackie brushed her mate's arm as she passed, and Junner noticed that he took the suggestion from her, stepping in beside her protectively. He wondered how much his mistress had noticed or if this bit of news would sweeten the pot. Junner made sure that he kept pace with his charges. The Merc squad followed behind them. The hall took them into a large creepy room, lit in blues. Riddick instantly knew it was that room. He froze on the threshold. Junner headed down the stairs ahead of them.
"Leave." Junner ordered the mercs.
Jackie and Riddick walked down the steps into a gallery filled with the most twisted, realistic statues either of them had ever seen. Jackie stayed close. Riddick let out a disgusted grunt as he took everything in. They walked around a large central cone of bodies twisted into sick parodies of the human form. Jackie tried not to look at it too closely. Riddick drew her over to one stature, than past it to another. Jackie dug in her heels. She froze at the sight of the plaque underneath the seated, corded-muscled, silently screaming nude form. It read "Killer of Men: Furya." Suddenly she knew why she was here instead of with Imam and Carolyn. This was what the test was for. Her eye were glued to it, her conscious world shrank down to this single figure.
Her mate felt the ice settle inside, "Umm," he commented. So, that was why they wanted Jackie. Gotta play it cool here. Riddick raised a hand to touch the figure, curious about how they had gotten it to look so realistic. The skin texture, the contrast with the teeth and the tongue… And it licked him. There was no mistaking it. These were not statures. "The Hell--" he pulled back in horror before clamping down and getting control of himself. An unseen door opened. Junner dropped them both to their knees. Jackie crumpled to the floor with a moan, "All right." Riddick rumbled dangerously, "Now you have my attention." He clenched both hands into fists as Jackie slowly raised herself back into a kneeling position.
"A necessary precaution." It was the cybernetic witch-bitch. Jackie rolled her eyes, but it was hard to tell if it was from pain or annoyance. Antonia circled to stand in front of them, her clothing making a silky rustle as she moved, "Either of you attempt anything uncivilized – Killing me for instance – I or Junner will detonate the explosive charges implanted in your necks and sleep very well tonight." She and Junner held up matching remotes as Chillingsworth ran a hand under Jackie's chin, tightening her grip as she lifted the woman-child up to her feet. Riddick stood. "Walk with me." She let go of Jackie after noting again her rich honey-colored eyes.
"You're not putting us on pedestals."
"No. Of course not." The woman turned away, "You're strictly for my private collection." She indicated the cone in the center of the room, "But the girl—is another matter." She led them through the collection as if showing it off to a buyer rather than a couple destined to join it.
Riddick decided that he really didn't give a shit, but was puzzled as to why she was doing this, "Um. Okay. You go through all the trouble to catch these guys, and this is what you do with them." Jackie kept herself close to Riddick as they walked but stayed quiet.
"You're missing the point." Chillingsworth said as if speaking to a child.
"What point?" he argued, "You got a billion UD's standing around collectin' dust." Riddick did not like the fact that this crazy woman was looking to add he and Jackie to the collection either.
"You underestimate their value, Riddick. They are priceless. Each, at one time, the most wanted man, woman, or race in the known universe." She gestured around and stroked on of the female forms as they passed. Jackie shivered. "The number of lives ended at the hands of those living and breathing in this room is incalculable."
"Ain't what I'd call living." Jackie had to agree with Riddick's assessment. These poor sods were likely insane from the awareness, tormented right out of their minds. No matter what they had done, none of them deserved the half-life that this horrid form of cryo sentenced them to. Chillingsworth's next words confirmed her fear.
The bitch-witch was stroking one of the males now, "Just the same, I assure you that they are all very much alive. Each one sustained in a form of cryo so profound that seconds seem weeks and to blink an eye is a day's work. The brain, however, continues to function unimpeded. The mind continues to think and feel, swarming with whatever dark thoughts it's trapped alone with, as it will be for hundreds of years." Jackie had gone numb and barely noticed that they had started moving again, passing through a red curtain. "So much more fitting a fate than dropping them off at the nearest slam. Here they are appreciated for what they truly are, transformed into objects on par with their lives' work. And why? Because I gave them the audience they so desperately desired, the recognition they bought with the blood or others. I understood their actions, stripped free of moral convention. Don't you see? They're something greater now, Riddick. Something more than they ever were before. -- Art." They stopped in a circular curtained room with a low table and lounge in the middle.
"Lady, your taste sucks." The comment jolted Jackie back to the present, and if she hadn't been so mortified at what this insane woman was gonna do to her and Riddick she might have found Riddick's answer hilariously funny.
"I expected as much. Junner." With that Junner raised the curtains to reveal a pit, "You see, Riddick, there is a fundamental difference between you and I."
"Yeah. You're a psychopath."
That got an annoyed look from the 'goll woman. Antonia shook her head at Riddick before answering, "You don't appreciate art. But I believe the reason for this is something very different…" she reached up and touched Riddick's face and Jackie found herself growling, some primitive, deep sound that she would have never guessed she could make. "…than you or anyone else might think. You're an artist."
Riddick echoed Jackie's growl and shook the woman's hands off his face. "I've been called a lot of things in my day. That ain't one of 'em."
"You make art, Riddick, not analyze it. You shape it with your own hands," The woman turned her attention to Jackie and raised her shirt looking at her lean, defined form. She ignored the continued growling from the pair, "carve it from flesh and bone." She moved away from the young woman, "But a man like you does not understand such a thing by being lectured." Mercs entered the room at that point and positioned themselves along the walls. "You must experience it." She signaled Junner again and the lights went blood red.
"Oh, shit." Riddick walked out to the ledge to see Carolyn, Lujjan, and Imam hanging by their necks, cuffed and balancing on globes
"Imam, Fry!" Jackie tried to run forward only to have Junner pull her back.
"I do hope you have a plan…" Carolyn said up at him.