The Journey

Riddick dismissed everyone, and Kylie stood, stretching before heading to the training grounds. She was followed by the hellhound.

As she stretched, she looked at the animal. “I have no idea why you’re following me around, but I suppose I should think of something to call you. Least besides number three, like on your ear tag.”

The animal only made a soft chuffing noise in response, curling up with her head on her paws, eyes on Kylie.

Kylie stretched, legs spread in nearly a split, she reached her hands to her toes. She pulled on her legs that way, stretching out her muscles.

“How about Misty? Do you like that?”

The animal chuffed at her again, closing her eyes.

“Take that as an I don’t care then. Not a tough one, but it’s easy to remember, and easy to say, which is more important.”

She stood, starting to slowly go through a series of movements, various forms of fighting, her body moving fluidly from one to the next. She kept repeating the punches, kicks and spins, over and over, faster and faster.

She let herself sink into the movements, not oblivious to the world around her, but ignoring it. Only the snarl of Misty let her know that there was more then an observer there.

Standing in the doorway was Goldy. Misty’s scales were shifting from their slate gray color to an angry red.

“Oh, it’s just you, what are you doing here, thought you had stuff you had to do.”

“Wanted to let you know that Kate has it out for you. She thinks you want her place in the squad, and she wants your spot closer to Lord Riddick.”

A voice came from the shadows on the other side of the training room. “Knew you’d run and tell her.”

Both women looked at Kate. She was standing there with one hand on her hip. She glared at Kylie. “Watch your ass breeder. Not like you’re wanted anymore, I’m sure it’d be easy to replace you in his favors. Just a matter of time.”

With that she left, blending into the shadows.

“Figures.” Kylie muttered to herself as Misty calmed down again.

“None of the others are behind her, so if she does anything, it won’t be with our help.” With that Goldy left too, leaving Kylie alone with the hellhound.

She sat on the training mat, rubbing her head with one hand. “If it’s not one things it’s another.”

Days went by, Kylie being careful to avoid Kate.

When they reached the planet where the settlement was, the first ship down was helmed by Kylie, who had Riddick, Kyra, and Vaako with her, with them went two of the hellhounds, refusing to be left behind, Scar, who had a tag in his ear with the number 5, and Misty.

As they walked into the clearing, Kylie gasped, taking off running. Misty was hot on her heels.

What had been a small town when Kylie left was a mass of ruined and scorched buildings. There were bullet casings littering the ground, and as she ran to what had once been the hangar where her ship had been sheltered, Kylie went to her knees.

Sticking out from under a collapsed wall was the bruised and bloodied body of Sam, who had been a friend.

“No…no no no..” Kylie sat there in stunned silence. Misty let out a mournful whimper.

Kyra knelt and put her hand on Kylie’s shoulder, staying there with her as Vaako and Riddick looked around.

“Found a few more bodies inside the edge of the woods.” Vaako found the women sitting on a stump near what used to be the bath house. “Whoever did this dragged some people off that way. Whatever happened was less then a week ago judging by how old the tracks are.”

Kylie nodded, turning as she felt Riddick getting closer.

”Get your people, just your squad Vaako, let’s find out exactly what happened.”

Vaako nodded, acknowledging Riddick’s order and headed back to the ship, accompanied by Kyra.

As they passed out of sight, Kylie stood, walking to the remains of the hangar, starting to dig into the rubble. She moved the smaller bits of concrete first, tossing them aside as she tried to dig out Sam’s body.

She could feel him standing there watching her, and she was getting angry. She hefted a large piece and pushed it over, out of her way.

“There a reason you’re staring?” She didn’t care if he knew she was angry. For once she wasn’t going to hold back with him.

When he grunted, she growled. “Damnit Riddick, either fucking help me, or go the fuck away. I am sick and tired of putting up with your cowardly bullshit!”

She whirled around, hands clenched at her sides, blood dripping from a cut across her palm. “No matter what I do, you treat me like nothing more then an inconvenience, like something to put up with because I was helpful once upon a fucking time.”

She stood there, heart pounding in her chest as she unloaded all of her anger and hurt with him. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, what I’ve done wrong, but I won’t abandon you. I would have thought that by now you would know that, but obviously you’re too damned dense. You need to either accept that fact, and me, and get on with it, or tell me you don’t want me around, because you can’t keep fucking around with me like you have.”

His face was clouded with anger, but before he had a chance to react, both of the hellhounds turned towards the woods, their scales turning red as they started growling in unison.

Before Kylie could turn around, she heard a whistling, and felt something thump hard against her back, knocking the wind out of her. She was driven to the ground, a net over her body, the spikes around the edges digging into the soil. She didn’t allow herself to show the pain she felt from the spike that dug its way into her leg.

The hellhounds snarled, starting to go for whoever was there in the woods when two sharp cracking noises sounded. Kylie cried out when she saw them fall, some sort of darts sticking out of their haunches.

Riddick growled, looking into the trees, and pulling out a pair of knives. As the metal cleared the loops that held them, a group of six men stepped out, all of them carrying guns of some sort.

“Looks like it paid off to hang around guys. These animals will sell good, and so will she.” The man who looked like the leader of the group grinned, looking at Misty and Scar. “Big guy, you’d be useful, wanna do the smart thing and join up? You’d get a good cut. We’re gonna make a good profit on this run.”

Riddick stood there, looking the group over, and finally nodded. “Sure, could always use more creds.”

Kylie’s eyes widened before she heard another pop, and felt the dart hit her in the thigh. Slowly her vision blurred and things went black.