Predator

Chapter 34

Ares, Duncan, Brandon, and Brennan managed to hunt down and in some cases forcibly round up the straggling Prides that were hiding on various planets on the outer edges of Ariana space. The War God pulled all of the Alphas aboard his ship and told them what their choices were. The Nietzcheans learned a long time ago that when dealing with the Royal Family of the Shi’ar Empire there were no choices. You either followed their mandates or you died.

“Gentlemen, I was given orders to search out a number of Prides that crossed into Shi’ar territory without permission in order to avoid the Pride wars in your own space and I found you.” He glanced around the room at the assorted faces of worried Alphas. “I have got to admit it was awfully bold of you to enter our space to escape the larger Prides only to face possible death for coming here without informing the Majestrix.”

“We had no choice!” An older Nietzchean yelled out and startled some of the younger Alphas with his outburst. “It was either hide here or die there. At least here we had a small chance of escaping detection.”

“You really thought you could invade Shi’ar space and escape detection?” Duncan shook his head and chuckled at that incredulous notion. “You’ve been in our space for what 3 days now and it took us 2 of those days to round you up. In my opinion guys that wasn’t a good decision.”

“Alexandra instructed us to find you and relocate you permanently to a planet in our space if it is your intention to remain here.” Ares watched several mouths open up to argue and slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair. “I did not ask for any input!” Their mouths snapped closed and frightened eyes now looked upon the God of War. “Our Majestrix will allow all of you to stay on 1 world and 1 world only! If you cannot live together on one planet than you can leave our space now. What say you?”

The Alphas mumbled amongst one and other for several minutes with occasionally elevated tones to their voices before they reached a decision. “We will stay on your terms and ask that you pass on our thanks to the Majestrix.”

“Oh you can pass on your gratitude yourselves when you see her.” Brandon appeared in a burst of flames and smiled wickedly at the Alphas. “I just located a planet for your people to inhabit. As soon as they are all settled on Gemin, you and whatever cruisers and fighters you still possess will accompany us to the battleground.”

“What?” Many of them yelled.

“We will keep your ships in reserve on the off chance that the others are defeated. Let me make myself clear so you genetically enhanced idiots understand.” Brandon formed a ball of fire and bounced it in his palm. “I am not giving you a choice in this matter. Your people will be safe on Gemin but you and every warrior available will commit to aiding my mother’s cause or you will pay. Now get moving!”

“Well done, son.” Ares smiled at his oldest while the Nietzcheans scrambled to obey his orders. “I couldn’t have done better myself.”

“Thanks, dad.”

~*~

The next day came around and the mercs were still arguing over their payday with the guards. It came to such an impasse that hands went to weapons and one wrong move later had them firing on each other. Losses were incurred on both sides but Toombs’ people fared worse.

He escaped a bullet by grabbing on to the rope and sliding down in to the prison levels. His gloves finally got a grip and halted his descent before he hit bottom but when he looked up he found himself on the same level as Riddick. His ‘prisoner’ glanced up and back to Toombs as he set his legs and launched himself in the air. “No. Riddick! No!!”

Riddick grabbed on to Toombs vest and pulled himself up to eye level. “Shoulda taken the money, Toombs.” He hoisted himself up and used Toombs’ body and head to climb the rope. Using just his arms, he shimmied the rest of the way up and entered the control platform.

He looked around the control room at the dead mercs, guards and destroyed electronic panels. He glanced down and picked up a flexi that showed a Necro ship nearing the planet. He reached back to throw a switch and the gate buzzer sounded as it opened the doors.

He bent down next to the fatally wounded female merc and retrieved the keys to his broken shackles. He looked up into her fading eyes and she gasped out. “You gonna kill me?” He stood up and turned away from her to hit the button that opened the door to the sled and tunnel. It didn’t respond and he hit it again with no response.

The Guv, Kyra, and some other prisoners entered the room and looked around. Riddick picked up a monitor and saw the sled in ruins beyond the door. He hit another switch to change to a camera that monitored the tunnel and saw some of the guards running through the shaft.

“Mercs.” One of the prisoners said. “Some guards here, but this can’t be all of them.” He bent down and retrieved a weapon.

“Check their slots in the back—and be careful.” The Guv told the only man he considered his friend in this place, Sybar.

“Don’t bother.” Riddick said. “Guards ain’t there.” He walked from the back and his unlocked cuffs fell to the steel grating. “They figured out the Necros are comin’ for me. Plan was to clean the bank, ghost the mercs, break wide for the tunnel. And then somebody got a lucky shot off with this rocket launcher here…” He toed the weapon with his foot. “…and took out the sled. Guards took off on foot but rigged the door so no one could follow. They’ll take the one ship in the hangar and leave everyone else to die.”

Toombs had just hit the top of the rope when he heard the last half of Riddick’s words. He got to his feet and asked slightly out of breath. “How come you know all this shit?” The prisoners leveled their acquired weapons at him as he straightened up. “You weren’t even here.”

“Cause it was my plan.”

A slam of a cage door, a click of a lock, and a turn of the key left Toombs shaking his head in frustration. “I shoulda taken the money.” He was locked in an empty cage between 2 of the cats that snarled and swiped their claws at him between the bars. “Riddick!!!”

~*~

“Rhade, watch those fighters on your nine! They are trying to flank us!” Alex watched his carrier veer off to intercept the Necro ships and turned her attention to Jesse’s ship. It was sustaining heavy damage after the shield generators had failed and she had maneuvered her carrier closer to transport all the survivors onboard before the carrier was destroyed. “Jesse, how much longer? We can’t hold them off and defend both ships at the same time!”

“All the transporter rooms are operational and full! The essential personnel are leaving their posts and are on their way now!” He turned around and yelled for the bridge crew to evacuate to the transporter rooms before he finished talking into the comm. “We should be completely clear in about 3 minutes, mom!”

“Tell the bridge crew to stay put, Jesse!”

“Mom?”

“I don’t have time to wait for them to run there. Everyone hold still!” Alex stretched her mind out to the other ship, locked on to all the life signs on the bridge, and teleported them to her command deck. “Anyone who needs medical attention report to sick bay! If you can stand and fight, take an empty post and get to work!”

Jesse walked up to stand before his mother with a look of shock on his face. “Mom, you shouldn’t have done that.” He knelt before her and took her hands until she focused her attention on him. “You are not supposed to use your power like that.” He spoke into her mind to avoid the eavesdropping ears of the 2 Nietzchean Alphas that sat beside her. ‘You know you need to keep the force within you for the sake of the baby.’

‘Jesse, I can’t talk about this now. Take weapons control, son.’ She gazed imploringly into his eyes and he nodded his head before he went to his station. ‘Damnit! I can stop all of this with a mere thought and I’m sitting here helpless while all these lives are lost!’

“Alexandra?” Her mate opened a channel to her ship and reported in. “We are incurring major losses amongst the Ariana fighters. They simply are not capable of defending the Nietzchean ships and their own at the same time. I suggest we have them break formation and leave the Nietzcheans to their own devices so they can press their own attack!”

“Absolutely not!”

“My love…”

“I said no, Tyr!” She snapped at her mate and all eyes on the bridge turned to look at her furious expression. “I will not sacrifice the other ships just because my pilots are better. We need the manpower and I won’t leave anyone defenseless!”

“Whatever you say, Alex.” Tyr moved what remained of his fleet into position to give back up fire to the cruisers and fighters that were under his command. “Baby, I think Rhade is in trouble. I’m detecting several fighters that just impacted his hull on a suicide run and another wave is moving into position!”

“Bring it up on the main view screen!” She yelled at her helmsman. “No.” She growled and rose from her command chair to stand before the screen. His ship had breaches in its hull on several levels and flames burned in the vacuum of space. “Status report!”

“Propulsion is offline. Hull breaches on decks 5 through 12 and 17 through 23. Communications are offline but the transporters are still operating on the unaffected decks. My lady?” She turned to her helmsman. “We cannot reach them in time to effect an evacuation before their core goes critical.”

‘Rhade!’

‘Alex, things have definitely gone south over here! We are adrift, blind, and deaf!’

‘Get the crew to group together as close as possible! You have another wave of suicide runners coming at you and I plan on getting you out of there before they arrive!’

‘We only have 6 operating transporters left! There is no way we can evacuate the whole ship before they get here!’ She heard a man tell him that the ships were moving in and to brace themselves. ‘We are out of time, love. Tell my boy that I love him. I love…his mother too.’

She watched on in horror as the ships began their run and she felt her power crawl beneath her flesh. “No!” She felt a love-filled goodbye sent to her from Rhade and looked through her now flaming eyes as the wave dove towards his carrier. “TELEMACHUS!” A hand encased in cosmic fire reached out towards the view screen and the mouths present dropped open in awe as the ships blew up before they reached their target.

“MOM!” Jesse yelled as he watched the flames spread over her body. “You can’t do this!”

“Core breach is imminent on Command Carrier 3.” The helmsman called out. “They have 30 seconds before complete meltdown.”

“I’m coming, baby!” The Phoenix erupted on the bridge causing everyone to shield his or her eyes from the intensity of the fire. She phased through the bulkhead and streaked through space destroying every Necromonger ship that was within reach as she headed towards Rhade’s ship. It took her 10 seconds to reach him and appear on his bridge. “Hi there, handsome.”

He spun around when he heard the sweetest sound to ever grace his ears and pulled her into a hug. “What are you doing? You shouldn’t be here.” He pulled back and held her at arms’ length. “You can’t risk doing this…”

“I can’t risk you. We need to get out of here.” She grabbed his hands and reached out with her power until the Phoenix encased the whole ship. Her son and everyone on the command deck of her carrier watched as Rhade’s ship blew up as the mystical bird of power streaked back towards them. A moment later, all the people she carried within her were deposited on various decks of her ship and she, Rhade, and the Alphas appeared on her bridge. She smiled at Rhade and he gave her a stern look in response. “I couldn’t leave you and you know that so don’t give me that look!”

“That was incredibly stupid!” She released his hands and walked to the view screen while Rhade ranted to her back. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Riddick will kill me if anything has happened to…”

“Enough! If I have suffered any damage, it has already been done so it won’t hurt if I finish this once and for all!” She let her power loose from her body once again and directed it out in waves of destruction on all the enemy ships. “I’ve had enough of your shit and I refuse to watch another being die by your hands while I sit helpless!” The cosmic flame burned through the heavens and one by one each ship was reduced to dust.

“All Necromonger ships have been destroyed.” Jesse said from weapons control as cheers rang through on the open comms. He looked up at his mother who lay prone in Rhade’s arms. “No!”

“Alex, what the hell just happened?” Tyr’s voice bellowed through the open channel. “Alex!”

“Dad, you need to get over here now!”

~*~

Riddick worked the levers that raised the control platform to the surface of the planet.

“What is this?” One man asked. “What is he thinking?”

Another said. “Once that sun comes up…”

“We’ll last five minutes.” The Sybar finished for him.

“Five minutes. We ain’t gonna last 30 seconds out there.” He replied back. “It’ll light you up like a match.”

“Twenty mile buffer zone and 30 klicks to the hangar.” Another said.

“Thirty klicks over that terrain?” The Sybar said worriedly as he looked out the window at the landscape.

The Guv replied. “It’s moving in the right direction. We could make it.” He glanced at Riddick as he turned to them and leaned against the panel. “Stay behind the night, ahead of the sun.”

“There’s gonna be one speed—mine.” He stood up and looked over them all. “If you can’t keep up, don’t step up. You’ll just die.”

Riddick took lead with Kyra right behind him. The Guv, Sybar, and two others decided to brave the run for freedom. The terrain was treacherous with several obstacles in their path from lava pits to twisting paths that cut through the planet’s skin in a maze.

One of the guards running down the tunnel had a bad feeling that something was wrong and asked the warden to open up one of shafts that led to the surface so they could check it out. They saw Riddick’s group keeping up with theirs in their flight to the landing pad. They had already passed the shaft the guards were watching from so they proceeded ahead to the next one to try to stop their progress.

Anatoli targeted Kyra from the next shaft. “No more run for you.” He looked around to spot Riddick and couldn’t see him through the falling ash. “Where did the big guy go?” His intended target was perched atop the cover to the shaft with a long chain and metal mace-like object at the end swinging around in circles. He released it on a downward swing and it smashed into Anatoli whose shots fired wildly hitting one prisoner.

The others returned the warden’s fire as they scrambled for cover. They exchanged gunfire for a few moments before some of the bullets ricocheted around the warden and he yelled out to the men below. “Close it!”

Kyra closed in firing into the opening as it descended. It sealed and she stomped on the cover in anger. Riddick gave her a disapproving look before he turned and continued his run. When he let her catch up to him, he mumbled to her. “What was that? You don’t care if you live or die?”

“If I kill them first, not really.”

They jumped a chasm together and when they landed in a crouch, he said solemnly. “Maybe I do.” Then he growled out. “Keep moving!”

Sunrise was quickly approaching from behind them as they scaled a cliff-side that stood between them and their goal. Riddick, the Guv, and Sybar were nearing the top while Kyra and the other prisoner were lagging behind. Riddick vaulted over the edge and saw the landing pad down the next hill. He turned back and gazed at the sunrise in its deadly form almost upon them. “Kyra?” He called out in warning when she didn’t answer he yelled with authority. “Kyra!”

“What?” She yelled back in frustration.

He pulled his goggles back into place and growled. “Get that ass moving!” She glanced back and quickly scrambled to make some kind of headway. Riddick pulled the Guv and Sybar over the edge just as the sunlight hit them. They all moved back behind the shelter of the rocks as it heated up the cliff-side instantly.

Kyra and the other man were stranded on the side and quickly hid behind some rock outcroppings. She tried a couple of times to get a handhold on the surface and pulled her hands back as they sizzled in the heat. She slid down behind the rock in defeat and yelled out. “Riddick?” She didn’t like the fact that she couldn’t do this on her own and suddenly felt like the little girl her hero once saved. “Remember what I said about not caring if I lived or died?” He looked down with remorse on his face as he heard the tremor in her voice. “You know I was kidding, right?”

Guv shook his head when he saw Riddick contemplate saving the girl. “One speed.”
They all looked at the paraclastic cloud that heralded daybreak rumbling towards the cliff-face. Kyra stood up facing her nearing death. “Temperature differential.”

“Your rope.” Riddick said.

Sybar sat down with his back to rock. “It’s too late. We’re never going to make it.”

“Your rope! Gimme your rope!” He yelled and Guv threw it to him. “And your water. All of it!” He caught the water bottle and pointed towards the landing bay. “Stay in the shadow of the mountain. Don’t wait for me. Run!”

He poured the water over his head to run over his exposed skin, made a double loop on the end of the rope, and leapt over the side lassoing a rock as he went by. The cloud impacted with face of the cliff and climbed its way up. Kyra’s eyes went wide when she saw it coming and screamed. “Riddick!!”

He flew out in an arc and just before the cloud of flames reached her, Riddick snatched Kyra from her alcove and held her close as his swing whisked them over the top. The prisoner burst into flames seconds after Riddick swung by. They landed hard and when Kyra looked up at Riddick he was already on his feet and steam rose from his body. Her mouth dropped open in shock when he looked back at her.

They caught up with the others and Riddick grabbed the Guv’s ankle to stop his progress. “Listen.” They moved up the outcropping a bit and saw the Necro ship depositing some Lensors and troops on the ground just outside of the hangar. Vaako was leading the men.

They ducked back behind the rocks and Kyra turned to Riddick. “Let me guess. Necros.”

“And a whole lotta Necro firepower.”

“Shit! I hate not being the bad guys.” Kyra exclaimed.

The Lensors zeroed in on their heat signatures and began to screech in warning to their handlers. Vaako turned and glanced over his shoulder in the direction the Lensors were indicating. He sent a full contingent of troops towards the rocks while he, the Purifier, and another contingent waited by the hangar door. A look in that direction showed the fiery dawn’s imminent arrival.

Kyra fastened her hair back as she looked back at the dawn. “I figure we got three minutes before the sun hits us again, burns out this whole valley.”

“Wait.” Riddick said patiently.

“We gonna do this or not?”

He held up his hands and indicated her to stay in position. “Just wait.”

Guv turned his wedding ring on his finger and looked up at Riddick. “Ellen.” The big man turned to him. “Her name was Ellen. I never really forgot.”

The Necros advanced on their location just as the guards pulled the lever to open the hangar door. The squad turned to the door as it started to grind its way open. The guards were caught by surprise and a firefight broke out. The team advancing up the hill turned when they heard the gunfire and started back to help the others.

“Remember that favorite game of yours?” Riddick asked as he wiped his hands.

“Who’s the better killer?” She answered.

“Let’s play.” He drew a blade from his boot and turned to run over the hill.

“Let’s go!” Kyra yelled at the other two and they followed guns drawn.

The guard in back turned to see Riddick flying down at him blade in hand. It was his last sight as the blade was driven into his forehead. Riddick picked up a pulse rifle and fired at another striking him in the chest with out even looking in his direction. He pulled the blade from the downed man and slashed it across the throat of another.

Kyra fired at another and yelled to the others. “On the right!”

Vaako turned and caught sight of Riddick as he blasted another Necro in the chest and slashed his blade across the neck of another man. The others were firing randomly at every body in the way of them and long awaited freedom. Riddick fired two more shots.

“Watch out!” The Guv yelled.

“Behind you!” Sybar added.

“Kyra!” Riddick yelled at her and she released the blades in her boot heel. He held on to the strap of the pulse rifle and she grabbed the gun itself. He swung her around in a circle spinning as she flew horizontally through the air and connected with 3 more Necro necks in the process.

Vaako turned to look at the guards falling to his troops and turned to see Riddick pull twin saber knives from the back of his belt which he used to slash his way through anyone who stood before him. His companions continued to fire. Vaako stalked forward with his rifle drawn and fired into the chest of Sybar. The force of the blast sent him sailing over Kyra’s head.

“Sybar!” The Guv yelled out in anguish.

He landed in a heap with a huge hole in his chest. Guv turned back and fired in righteous anger. Riddick used the claws to slice his way into anything that was within reach. He reached back, grabbed Kyra by the hand, and swung her in an arc over his head. She landed on a Necro’s shoulders and imbedded her boot heel shivs into his chest.

The Necros wiped out the guards in the hangar. Riddick leapt into the air and decapitated one Necro and dug the claws into the chest of another when he landed on his feet. He looked up at a blade wielding Necro and did a back flip that kicked the weapon from the man’s hand up into the air. He clotheslined, flipped and pummeled anything in his path with his now bare hands.

A Necro grabbed Kyra around the neck just as Riddick caught the airborne blade behind his back. He slashed another throat and threw the blade into the skull of Kyra’s captor. Riddick grabbed another man and had him in a headlock just as Vaako fired at them both and sent them flying on to the runway.

“No!” Kyra yelled as she saw him sail through the air.

Vaako and the remaining troops moved in on Riddick’s writhing body when suddenly Guv slammed into Vaako’s side and took him rolling to the ground. Guv smiled and took to his feet. Vaako launched himself in to a horizontal spin and drove a fist to Guv’s chest that planted him face down on the ground. Vaako picked him up over his head and Guv screamed before his back was driven to the breaking point on Vaako’s knee.

Vaako pushed off the irritation and stalked towards Riddick. Kyra cut through 2 men approaching Riddick and turned towards him as she ascended the hill. “Get up. Get up!” He caught her gaze and she pleaded. “Please get up.” Some more Necros began to chase her up the hill leaving Riddick alone with Vaako and the others.

Riddick struggled to his knees as Vaako walked up with guns in both hands. “So, you can kneel.” Their forward motion began to slow before Riddick’s eyes until Vaako remained frozen in place with both guns aimed at Riddick’s head.

A portal opened beyond them and he heard Alex’s voice. ‘I think you know now.’ The vision spread, the Necros faded from sight, and all he could see was his wife standing before him. ‘I think you know who tore Furya apart.’ She brought her palm to her heart. ‘This mark carries the anger of an entire race.’ She moved her energy filled palm and laid it over his chest. ‘Your power is unleashed now for you to use as you see fit. I don’t have to remind you that with great power comes great responsibility. Over the years I lost sight of that knowledge and I hurt a lot of people. I destroyed Valusia and Boria for the attack upon my son. The entire race did not deserve to die for that but it didn’t stop me. I destroyed D’Bari by accident but their deaths are on my conscience for the rest of my unnatural life. The Nietzcheans suffered horribly by my hands just because I was angry with Tyr. I’m hoping that I’ve made up for that indiscretion today but I just don’t know. The first time you use your birthright, it will be very satisfying…but it’s going to hurt.’ She let the energy flow into his body which began to quake with the full potential of his Furyan power and the inherited power of the Phoenix.

He convulsed as it spread through his system. She faded from sight and Vaako stared at a glowing Riddick with confusion on his face until a wave of power was unleashed from his body and swept through everyone nearby. They flew in all directions before impacting on the ground some dead and some just stunned.

Kyra looked upon Riddick’s still form as the sun finally reached the valley. She crouched down behind some rocks as the Necro ship hovered over her head issuing a call for the troops to evacuate. She looked back on his seemingly dead body that began to sizzle in the deadly sunlight. She sighed in anguish as she weighed her chances of survival without Riddick and boarded the Necro ship just before it left the ground.

As thoughts of his mate drifted through his semi-conscious mind, Riddick vaguely felt the sensation of being dragged away from the deadly heat. He snapped awake, and rose to his feet in the safety of the hangar and stared at the ship as it took off. “Kyra?” He whispered. He could sense she was aboard the ship and felt a part of his heart die. ‘I lost her too.’

‘You’ll get her back. She thought you were dead and had to think of her own survival. She would’ve died in the sunlight or rotted in the prison without you and the merc’s ship was damaged in the firefight. She couldn’t think of another way.’

‘Are you okay? Coming here and doing what you did was risky.’

‘I’ve seen better days.’ She sighed mentally and he could hear the tension in her voice. ‘It has been a hard battle and has cost me dearly but it is over now. The ships are regrouping and we are evacuating the ones that are unsalvageable. There are a lot of injured and the death toll…’ He could hear the hitch in her voice that sounded so desolate in his mind. ‘I am almost done here and will be joining you soon. I love you.’

‘I love you, baby.’

“I was supposed to deliver a message to you…” Riddick turned to see the Purifier remove his jewelry and his badges of authority. “…if the Vaako failed to kill you. A message from the Lord Marshall himself. He tells you to stay away from Helion, stay away from him, and in return, you’ll be hunted no more.” He picked up the blade that Riddick had won during his fight and walked up to him. “But Vaako will most likely report you as dead. So this is your chance. Your chance to do what no man has ever done.”

Riddick snapped an arm out and grabbed the Purifier’s throat in a painful grip. “The girl.” He growled as he applied pressure. “Where will they take her?”

Gasping for breath, the Purifier pulled his jacket to the side and showed Riddick a glowing handprint on his chest that matched the one Alex left on his own chest when she released his Furyan power. Riddick released him and glanced at both of the glowing marks of his wife’s touch. “We all began…as something else. I’ve done…unbelievable things…in the name of a faith that was never my own. And he’ll do to her what he did to me.”

The former Purifier moved slowly past Riddick and looked out at the armor of the dead Necros that blew around in the radiant heat. “The Necromonger in me warns you not to go back. But the Furyan in me…hopes you won’t listen.” He smiled and dropped Riddick’s blade to his feet. “God knows…I’ve dreamed of it.”

Riddick watched the Purifier walk out into the fiery sunlight. He took a couple of steps before a wave of heat staggered him slightly to the side. He put one arm up in defense of the heat and it turned to ash instantly. He fell to his knees as his body was overwhelmed by the sunlight but he valiantly rose to his feet and took a few more steps before his body was completely reduced to smoldering ash.

Riddick watched his body blow away in the torrential wind before he bent to retrieve his blade. He signaled his slipfighter and the ship decloaked hovering above the runway. A mental command later and it set down within the confines of the hangar. Riddick boarded the fighter, took the controls, and left the atmosphere of Crematoria behind.

~*~