Categories > Movies > Pitch Black > Darkness, Be My Friend
Chapter Two : Shadows in the Noon Sun
It figures that there's three suns in a place like this.
Riddick let out a low growl, glaring at the horizon through his goggles as he crouched down atop the ridge, waiting. Why he was waiting was a puzzle right then, he should have left the kid behind at the crash ship, but for some reason he found that he couldn't. The way she'd looked at him with those round green eyes of hers and how she'd thanked him for getting her out of that cryo-locker...
Wasn't expecting it...no one's ever thanked me for anything before...stupid kid...
He heard her scramble up the slope to stop somewhere to the left and downwards a bit and he could feel her staring at him. The kid had trailed him from the crashed passenger cabin to what was left of the flight deck buried in the sand at the beginning of a clump of dirt packed spires. The damage to that section of the ship wasn't as bad as the passenger cabin, but the minute he'd climbed inside Riddick had caught sight of one body. Judging from the jumpsuit, the body was that of a crew member. There had been two intact corpses inside there, their jumpsuits making them easily recognizable as a part of the crew.
It was the body of the pilot, or what was left of it, that led him to believe that there might be something else alive other than him and the kid. There was hardly anything left of it or the cockpit and nearly every surface was stained with blood. The window was entirely shattered, but the entire nose of that section had broken down into a sort of cavern from which he could hear a faint screeching sound.
Yes, there was definitely something else alive.
But the girl, Jack, hadn't said a word since they'd left the cabin and she continued to be silent even when she saw what remained of the ship's crew. While he had surveyed the damage he had watched her out of the corner of his eyes and, when she thought he wasn't looking, she had gone over to the body of the navigator and knelt down next to it. It was only later, as Riddick left to go back outside the ship that he saw what she had done. Before the dead man's eyes had been open to stare forever at nothing, but Jack, without a single qualm, had closed them.
It was a surprisingly adult act for someone who gave off this almost alarming amount of innocence.
And she had continued following him all the way here to this ridge without saying a word or asking any questions. She had to have known that he could have killed her any number of times in the hour that had passed; she'd looked like she'd recognized him from that gaping expression she'd had when he'd freed her from the locker. So she knew what he was yet she'd kept on walking after him.
Briefly he considered taking her life, just turning around and snapping her neck. It'd be quick; she wouldn't even know or see that it was coming. Besides, he didn't need some kid tailing him.
Not just some kid...she's dressed up like a boy, must've been pretending to be one...no wondering why...eyes like those'd attract attention...
Riddick shrugged the thoughts off and turned his attention to what lay bleaching in the sunlight beyond the ridge. Hundreds of skeletons ranging in dimension from the size of a small skiff to that of a large house, some falling apart with age. He heard a gasp to his left and saw that Jack had climbed up the last few feet to stare wide-eyed down at the bone yard.
"Wow," she breathed, glancing at up at him and then back, biting her lip again.
Riddick felt her eyes flick to him once more as he stood and started down the slope towards the bones. It took only a second before he heard the dislodging of stones as she scrambled to follow him down.
Kid, you need to walk quieter...
Riddick walked past one of the skeletons, casting a glance upwards at the bone ridges sticking out of the spine. He turned away, then stopped, noticing that he was no longer hearing the kid's footsteps. Shrugging inwardly, he kept moving, turning past the tail of another skeleton to investigate something he'd noticed from the ridge. It was the beginning wall of a canyon, the slopes cutting sharply upwards with spires similar to what he'd seen near the crash site sticking out near the top.
Movement out of the corner of his eye alerted him to Jack's returning presence, she'd somehow managed to climb up one to the skeletons near the wall. She was picking her way carefully over the back plates, stopping just a few steps past the highest point to look up at the sky. Silently, Riddick stepped down to the left, out of her field of vision, peripheral or otherwise, but keeping her in his sights none the less.
She didn't seem to be looking for him though, instead her gaze was focused off somewhere in the distance, beyond the canyon wall. Her pale face took on a puzzled frown and she raised a hand over her eyes, squinting and standing on her toes. It would be so easy to just leave her there in the bone yard right then; she'd never know where he'd have gone, wouldn't know which way to go even to get back to the crash site. Riddick was turning to leave, to drift back into the shadows of another skeleton, when he heard her shout.
"Hey! I see something!" Jack cried and he looked back, watching as she scrambled back down the skeleton, jumping down onto the ground when she got low enough. She glanced around, looking for him now, turning her head back and forth to scan the bones. Suddenly there was fear in her eyes again, just like before when he'd been about to leave her at the crash.
Really doesn't like being alone, does she?
She began walking between the skeletons, peering through the bones every which way, her steps drawing her closer to where he was standing. When she was less than three feet away he stepped out, coming up behind her while she was turned the other way.
"What did you see?" he asked, keeping his voice slightly lower than usual. Startled, she jumped, turning around to see him standing there, eyes widening in surprise. Riddick had to fight to keep a smile from creeping onto his face; the expression she wore was a strange combination of surprise and relief. Instead he kept his face in its usual uncaring scowl and stared down at her, waiting for her answer. "Well?"
"It looked like some kind of antenna," she told him, that startled look disappearing almost instantly. "Like a radio relay or something."
"Where?" Riddick asked, suddenly finding all of his attention on her.
"It's beyond the canyon I think," Jack answered, waving a hand towards the wall. "A little to the right maybe, but I saw it!"
Yeah kid, you said that already.
Riddick stepped past her, heading towards the canyon, not bothering to look back to see if she followed. The answer to that particular question could be found in the footsteps that echoed after his own silent ones.
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He talked to me again...okay, so it was only five words, but at least he actually said something. That's what, three or four sentences in all?
Jack trailed after Riddick, taking three steps for each of his longer strides, her shoes kicking up sand every so often because the soles were starting to peel away. Sooner or later they'd fall off completely and she'd have to find another pair; maybe this time she wouldn't have to steal them.
Her stomach growled, but she ignored it, she'd gone a lot longer without food before, even though technically she hadn't eaten anything in over five months. Cryo slowed down the digestive process along with everything else, so really it was more like a day and a half without food. That was just a mere fraction of the longest time she'd managed between meals, something she didn't want to repeat.
Jack looked up to see she'd fallen behind somewhat and increased her pace, jogging back to about three or so feet behind Riddick before she slowed down again. The canyon walls had risen up to several dozen feet above her head, those same spires sticking up even higher along the top.
I wonder what those things are...they look like those termite mounds you see on the nature films about Earth...
The spires abruptly thinned out as they reached a narrow portion of the canyon where another large skeleton loomed like a gate over the path. Jack glanced up at it momentarily before once again being forced to nearly run in order to keep up with Riddick. He walked so fast, it was rather amazing to her; she'd never expected anyone as tall and built as he was to be able to move so quickly.
It had scared her back at the bone yard when she'd lost sight of him, because there she was, surrounded by the skeletons of whatever those creatures had been in a place that seemed so hauntingly empty. Jack disliked being alone, even though she wasn't actually afraid of it; hell, sometimes it was a relief to be alone, but not here on this planet. It was too much of a dead place for her to feel comfortable enough to deal with being alone.
Jack had been relieved to find that Riddick hadn't left her in the bone yard, and her mood had lifted when he actually asked her what it was she had seen. She was happy to tell him despite the fact that he'd snuck up behind her and nearly made her jump out of her skin.
He's so quiet...how does he do that?
She found herself admiring him; the way he walked so casually yet seemed ready to strike at whatever danger might present itself. He looked so very strong, not like a body builder or something like that, but like someone who actually knew how to use his strength. It was easy to see how others could be scared or intimidated from his presence, he seemed to radiate this 'don't fuck with me' aura.
Jack's inner curiosity was urging her to voice all the questions that kept popping up in her head, but she knew that he wouldn't answer her if she did. He'd probably just give her a look and walk away; maybe even leave her behind and she didn't want that. So she shoved her curiosity concerning Riddick to the back of her mind and started focusing on where they were going.
The canyon walls were falling away now, leveling out into another flat plane of glaringly blinding sand. There was low rise, nothing more than a shallow hill, and beyond that was a collection of buildings, the greatest sight in the world just then. But that swelling bubble of happiness at this sign of civilization suddenly burst as she realized that this place, like the rest of the planet, was entirely empty.
"There's nobody there," she whispered, glancing up at Riddick. "It's all empty isn't it?"
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Empty...this place is more than empty...it's got the feeling of a graveyard...
Riddick had walked from building to building, stopping only in the doorways to look inside before moving on to the next. The girl had followed him through the compound as well, though the glint in her eyes told him she wanted to explore further than just looking inside the doors. He could smell the curiosity coming off her in waves even though she tried to hide it by mimicking his apathetic scowl. It was only when he stopped to inspect a run-down vaporator near what might have once been a garden that she gave off any visible signs of curiosity.
"What's that?" Jack inquired of him as he knelt down to pry off one of the panels. Her voice sounded cautious, as if she was afraid he might get angry at her for asking a question. It was the first time he'd actually heard or felt anything akin to fear from her regarding his presence. He glanced at her and saw that she was biting her lip again.
"Vaporator," he told her with a frown, turning back to examine the panel. It was old, at least two decades, but otherwise in good condition. All he had to do was replace some of the external wiring. But the silence that had followed his answer to the kid's question drew his gaze back to her. She was still biting her lip, a nervous gleam in her eyes.
What, is she afraid to ask questions?
"Not going to bite your head off if you talk, kid."
Jack blinked, surprised, the hesitant glint dissipating somewhat, but not disappearing entirely.
"So, um, what's it do?" she asked, glancing up at the machine as he stood up.
"Pulls water from the air," Riddick explained, turning back towards compound. He frowned again, there was something reflective glinting in the sunlight beyond the metal storage sheds. He started towards it, aware that she had asked another question, but he ignored it, rounding the corner as she ran to catch up with him.
There, sitting just beyond the sheds, was the unmistakable yet slightly dented hull of a skiff. It was covered in dust and dirt from the wind picking up the sand from the ground, but otherwise it seemed to be in good repair. Riddick walked around the side, heading towards the open landing ramp and vaulting up it in nearly one stride, crossing the cramped cabin in another two steps.
Old...but if it works...
"Holy crap," came the whispered voice of Jack from the ramp.
He shot a glance back at her as he climbed into the pilot's seat; he'd almost forgotten she was there. Her steps were cautious as she climbed up the ramp, peering at the inside of the skiff, that same curiosity never more evident on her face. She came up behind him, watching over his shoulder as he tried to get one of the main computers running. None of the screens lit up, so he stood, stepping away from the pilot's chair.
Jack scrambled out of his way, hopping onto the left line of auxiliary seats as he knelt down and lifted up one of the grated floor panels. There was a ninety-gig standard cel beneath the floor, but the little green light that usually indicated a charge was dead.
"Fuck," he cursed, slamming the panel back down with more force than was completely necessary. He looked up to see Jack staring at him, a questioning flicker in her eye, but she was biting her lip again so he knew she wouldn't voice it. The girl's mannerisms were surprisingly easy to read. "You going to say something, kid?"
"No power," she whispered in response and he nodded, standing up again. Riddick walked back outside, recalling the power cels back at the crash site. He hadn't inspected them up close, but it was more than likely that they still worked and if so, he could rig up an adapter. Jack trailed after him, stopping at the edge of the ramp to look out at the buildings of the compound before voicing a chilling question. "We're going to die here, aren't we?"
Riddick turned to stare at her, and saw a strange expression on her face. She was staring at him with a hopeful look, as if seeking an assurance that her question wasn't true, but the glint in her green eyes was one of despair. On the inside it seemed she had already accepted death, but it was the fact that she'd come across that conclusion so quickly that threw him off.
Jack couldn't be any older than thirteen and she was already contemplating her own death; while it wasn't exactly a weakness per se, it was a sign of deep trouble. And for some reason Riddick didn't like seeing that look in her eyes.
"No," he told her quietly, turning back away. "We're not going to die here."
It figures that there's three suns in a place like this.
Riddick let out a low growl, glaring at the horizon through his goggles as he crouched down atop the ridge, waiting. Why he was waiting was a puzzle right then, he should have left the kid behind at the crash ship, but for some reason he found that he couldn't. The way she'd looked at him with those round green eyes of hers and how she'd thanked him for getting her out of that cryo-locker...
Wasn't expecting it...no one's ever thanked me for anything before...stupid kid...
He heard her scramble up the slope to stop somewhere to the left and downwards a bit and he could feel her staring at him. The kid had trailed him from the crashed passenger cabin to what was left of the flight deck buried in the sand at the beginning of a clump of dirt packed spires. The damage to that section of the ship wasn't as bad as the passenger cabin, but the minute he'd climbed inside Riddick had caught sight of one body. Judging from the jumpsuit, the body was that of a crew member. There had been two intact corpses inside there, their jumpsuits making them easily recognizable as a part of the crew.
It was the body of the pilot, or what was left of it, that led him to believe that there might be something else alive other than him and the kid. There was hardly anything left of it or the cockpit and nearly every surface was stained with blood. The window was entirely shattered, but the entire nose of that section had broken down into a sort of cavern from which he could hear a faint screeching sound.
Yes, there was definitely something else alive.
But the girl, Jack, hadn't said a word since they'd left the cabin and she continued to be silent even when she saw what remained of the ship's crew. While he had surveyed the damage he had watched her out of the corner of his eyes and, when she thought he wasn't looking, she had gone over to the body of the navigator and knelt down next to it. It was only later, as Riddick left to go back outside the ship that he saw what she had done. Before the dead man's eyes had been open to stare forever at nothing, but Jack, without a single qualm, had closed them.
It was a surprisingly adult act for someone who gave off this almost alarming amount of innocence.
And she had continued following him all the way here to this ridge without saying a word or asking any questions. She had to have known that he could have killed her any number of times in the hour that had passed; she'd looked like she'd recognized him from that gaping expression she'd had when he'd freed her from the locker. So she knew what he was yet she'd kept on walking after him.
Briefly he considered taking her life, just turning around and snapping her neck. It'd be quick; she wouldn't even know or see that it was coming. Besides, he didn't need some kid tailing him.
Not just some kid...she's dressed up like a boy, must've been pretending to be one...no wondering why...eyes like those'd attract attention...
Riddick shrugged the thoughts off and turned his attention to what lay bleaching in the sunlight beyond the ridge. Hundreds of skeletons ranging in dimension from the size of a small skiff to that of a large house, some falling apart with age. He heard a gasp to his left and saw that Jack had climbed up the last few feet to stare wide-eyed down at the bone yard.
"Wow," she breathed, glancing at up at him and then back, biting her lip again.
Riddick felt her eyes flick to him once more as he stood and started down the slope towards the bones. It took only a second before he heard the dislodging of stones as she scrambled to follow him down.
Kid, you need to walk quieter...
Riddick walked past one of the skeletons, casting a glance upwards at the bone ridges sticking out of the spine. He turned away, then stopped, noticing that he was no longer hearing the kid's footsteps. Shrugging inwardly, he kept moving, turning past the tail of another skeleton to investigate something he'd noticed from the ridge. It was the beginning wall of a canyon, the slopes cutting sharply upwards with spires similar to what he'd seen near the crash site sticking out near the top.
Movement out of the corner of his eye alerted him to Jack's returning presence, she'd somehow managed to climb up one to the skeletons near the wall. She was picking her way carefully over the back plates, stopping just a few steps past the highest point to look up at the sky. Silently, Riddick stepped down to the left, out of her field of vision, peripheral or otherwise, but keeping her in his sights none the less.
She didn't seem to be looking for him though, instead her gaze was focused off somewhere in the distance, beyond the canyon wall. Her pale face took on a puzzled frown and she raised a hand over her eyes, squinting and standing on her toes. It would be so easy to just leave her there in the bone yard right then; she'd never know where he'd have gone, wouldn't know which way to go even to get back to the crash site. Riddick was turning to leave, to drift back into the shadows of another skeleton, when he heard her shout.
"Hey! I see something!" Jack cried and he looked back, watching as she scrambled back down the skeleton, jumping down onto the ground when she got low enough. She glanced around, looking for him now, turning her head back and forth to scan the bones. Suddenly there was fear in her eyes again, just like before when he'd been about to leave her at the crash.
Really doesn't like being alone, does she?
She began walking between the skeletons, peering through the bones every which way, her steps drawing her closer to where he was standing. When she was less than three feet away he stepped out, coming up behind her while she was turned the other way.
"What did you see?" he asked, keeping his voice slightly lower than usual. Startled, she jumped, turning around to see him standing there, eyes widening in surprise. Riddick had to fight to keep a smile from creeping onto his face; the expression she wore was a strange combination of surprise and relief. Instead he kept his face in its usual uncaring scowl and stared down at her, waiting for her answer. "Well?"
"It looked like some kind of antenna," she told him, that startled look disappearing almost instantly. "Like a radio relay or something."
"Where?" Riddick asked, suddenly finding all of his attention on her.
"It's beyond the canyon I think," Jack answered, waving a hand towards the wall. "A little to the right maybe, but I saw it!"
Yeah kid, you said that already.
Riddick stepped past her, heading towards the canyon, not bothering to look back to see if she followed. The answer to that particular question could be found in the footsteps that echoed after his own silent ones.
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He talked to me again...okay, so it was only five words, but at least he actually said something. That's what, three or four sentences in all?
Jack trailed after Riddick, taking three steps for each of his longer strides, her shoes kicking up sand every so often because the soles were starting to peel away. Sooner or later they'd fall off completely and she'd have to find another pair; maybe this time she wouldn't have to steal them.
Her stomach growled, but she ignored it, she'd gone a lot longer without food before, even though technically she hadn't eaten anything in over five months. Cryo slowed down the digestive process along with everything else, so really it was more like a day and a half without food. That was just a mere fraction of the longest time she'd managed between meals, something she didn't want to repeat.
Jack looked up to see she'd fallen behind somewhat and increased her pace, jogging back to about three or so feet behind Riddick before she slowed down again. The canyon walls had risen up to several dozen feet above her head, those same spires sticking up even higher along the top.
I wonder what those things are...they look like those termite mounds you see on the nature films about Earth...
The spires abruptly thinned out as they reached a narrow portion of the canyon where another large skeleton loomed like a gate over the path. Jack glanced up at it momentarily before once again being forced to nearly run in order to keep up with Riddick. He walked so fast, it was rather amazing to her; she'd never expected anyone as tall and built as he was to be able to move so quickly.
It had scared her back at the bone yard when she'd lost sight of him, because there she was, surrounded by the skeletons of whatever those creatures had been in a place that seemed so hauntingly empty. Jack disliked being alone, even though she wasn't actually afraid of it; hell, sometimes it was a relief to be alone, but not here on this planet. It was too much of a dead place for her to feel comfortable enough to deal with being alone.
Jack had been relieved to find that Riddick hadn't left her in the bone yard, and her mood had lifted when he actually asked her what it was she had seen. She was happy to tell him despite the fact that he'd snuck up behind her and nearly made her jump out of her skin.
He's so quiet...how does he do that?
She found herself admiring him; the way he walked so casually yet seemed ready to strike at whatever danger might present itself. He looked so very strong, not like a body builder or something like that, but like someone who actually knew how to use his strength. It was easy to see how others could be scared or intimidated from his presence, he seemed to radiate this 'don't fuck with me' aura.
Jack's inner curiosity was urging her to voice all the questions that kept popping up in her head, but she knew that he wouldn't answer her if she did. He'd probably just give her a look and walk away; maybe even leave her behind and she didn't want that. So she shoved her curiosity concerning Riddick to the back of her mind and started focusing on where they were going.
The canyon walls were falling away now, leveling out into another flat plane of glaringly blinding sand. There was low rise, nothing more than a shallow hill, and beyond that was a collection of buildings, the greatest sight in the world just then. But that swelling bubble of happiness at this sign of civilization suddenly burst as she realized that this place, like the rest of the planet, was entirely empty.
"There's nobody there," she whispered, glancing up at Riddick. "It's all empty isn't it?"
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Empty...this place is more than empty...it's got the feeling of a graveyard...
Riddick had walked from building to building, stopping only in the doorways to look inside before moving on to the next. The girl had followed him through the compound as well, though the glint in her eyes told him she wanted to explore further than just looking inside the doors. He could smell the curiosity coming off her in waves even though she tried to hide it by mimicking his apathetic scowl. It was only when he stopped to inspect a run-down vaporator near what might have once been a garden that she gave off any visible signs of curiosity.
"What's that?" Jack inquired of him as he knelt down to pry off one of the panels. Her voice sounded cautious, as if she was afraid he might get angry at her for asking a question. It was the first time he'd actually heard or felt anything akin to fear from her regarding his presence. He glanced at her and saw that she was biting her lip again.
"Vaporator," he told her with a frown, turning back to examine the panel. It was old, at least two decades, but otherwise in good condition. All he had to do was replace some of the external wiring. But the silence that had followed his answer to the kid's question drew his gaze back to her. She was still biting her lip, a nervous gleam in her eyes.
What, is she afraid to ask questions?
"Not going to bite your head off if you talk, kid."
Jack blinked, surprised, the hesitant glint dissipating somewhat, but not disappearing entirely.
"So, um, what's it do?" she asked, glancing up at the machine as he stood up.
"Pulls water from the air," Riddick explained, turning back towards compound. He frowned again, there was something reflective glinting in the sunlight beyond the metal storage sheds. He started towards it, aware that she had asked another question, but he ignored it, rounding the corner as she ran to catch up with him.
There, sitting just beyond the sheds, was the unmistakable yet slightly dented hull of a skiff. It was covered in dust and dirt from the wind picking up the sand from the ground, but otherwise it seemed to be in good repair. Riddick walked around the side, heading towards the open landing ramp and vaulting up it in nearly one stride, crossing the cramped cabin in another two steps.
Old...but if it works...
"Holy crap," came the whispered voice of Jack from the ramp.
He shot a glance back at her as he climbed into the pilot's seat; he'd almost forgotten she was there. Her steps were cautious as she climbed up the ramp, peering at the inside of the skiff, that same curiosity never more evident on her face. She came up behind him, watching over his shoulder as he tried to get one of the main computers running. None of the screens lit up, so he stood, stepping away from the pilot's chair.
Jack scrambled out of his way, hopping onto the left line of auxiliary seats as he knelt down and lifted up one of the grated floor panels. There was a ninety-gig standard cel beneath the floor, but the little green light that usually indicated a charge was dead.
"Fuck," he cursed, slamming the panel back down with more force than was completely necessary. He looked up to see Jack staring at him, a questioning flicker in her eye, but she was biting her lip again so he knew she wouldn't voice it. The girl's mannerisms were surprisingly easy to read. "You going to say something, kid?"
"No power," she whispered in response and he nodded, standing up again. Riddick walked back outside, recalling the power cels back at the crash site. He hadn't inspected them up close, but it was more than likely that they still worked and if so, he could rig up an adapter. Jack trailed after him, stopping at the edge of the ramp to look out at the buildings of the compound before voicing a chilling question. "We're going to die here, aren't we?"
Riddick turned to stare at her, and saw a strange expression on her face. She was staring at him with a hopeful look, as if seeking an assurance that her question wasn't true, but the glint in her green eyes was one of despair. On the inside it seemed she had already accepted death, but it was the fact that she'd come across that conclusion so quickly that threw him off.
Jack couldn't be any older than thirteen and she was already contemplating her own death; while it wasn't exactly a weakness per se, it was a sign of deep trouble. And for some reason Riddick didn't like seeing that look in her eyes.
"No," he told her quietly, turning back away. "We're not going to die here."
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