Hello everyone, this is my first story ever submitted so let me know what you think. The first three chapters are all about the OC so you can kind of get to know her. The story is going to go mostly cannon, and some of the characters may go OOC upon occasion. FYI there will be perspective swaps between Rehtaeh and Riddick, but they will be on a chapter by chapter basis and upon occasion you will get some perspective overlaps. The story is from their point of view so some of the movies plot lines are going to be missed, but hey, that happens. Oh, and I plan to carry this story all the way to the end, so as new movies come out more chapters will too.
I do not own Pitch Black, Dark Fury, Chronicles of Riddick, or Riddick, nor do I own their characters or the story lines. I own only Rehtaeh and any new characters that I may add, and any plot changes that may happen within.
I really hope you enjoy the story! :D
Chapter 1
*Rehtaeh*
The year was 2052, her mother had desperately wanted children, but her father was sterile. So they opted to get a donor and have an in vitro operation. They wanted strong children, the world was a harsh place and they wanted their children to thrive. Her father had hopes that his sons would follow in his footsteps and join the military or space programs. So they meticulously chose a donor; someone with a high IQ, better than average health, stamina and physique. The donor chosen was also similar in coloring, bone structure and size as her father, which would make it easier to avoid the inevitable questions about heritage and ancestry. It would also help him to avoid extra attention from the media. This was important because as a high ranking military man he was often in the media, relaying information put forth by the Company Rangers Intergalactic Research Division.
His wife had been moved into a top secret medical facility to ensure privacy and security. The fact that multiple births were predominant in her mother's family history, and the increased odds due to in vitro fertilization, meant that she would need a safe quiet place during her prenatal care. This was to ensure her health as well as the health of the babies. It wasn't long before the couple was informed that she was indeed carrying multiples. In 2053 the family was blessed with septuplets, seven babies all at one time. It was a very difficult pregnancy, followed by an extremely risky natural birth. Somehow, all of the children survived and her mother made it through the ordeal in good health. Six boys and one girl, their family was immediate and large and boisterous and loud.
Her father was a very strict military man. He insisted that his children be trained in a military style from a very young age. As soon as they could walk their training began. All of the children were expected to attend both physical and artistic development programs. The physical aspect was easy, every one of them were enrolled in a martial arts academy that taught several different types of hand to hand combat. When it came to the arts programs her father insisted that they be trained specifically in music. The children had different tastes. While her brothers chose piano, cello, violin, guitar, saxophone and trumpet, she had a hard time finding an instrument that she would commit to learning. She tried playing several instruments before she chose percussion. The drums specifically, she played with a punk rock band much to her father's chagrin, to appease him she also took classical vocal lessons. She also took art classes, she loved painting, drawing and writing. Her days were filled from the time she woke to the time she went to bed.
When the children turned five they were enrolled and educated in the Alliance Military Cadet Program. They were all exemplary students all of them took the rankings at the top of their classes. The boys were out going and surrounded themselves with friends and their peers. She preferred being in her own mind rather than integrating into the social norms of her family and those outside of her family. She did not have many friends and rarely socialized with her classmates. Many of her teachers and mentors worried about her intensely anti-social behavior; it wasn't until her mid teen years that she was diagnosed with a severe sensory issue that kept her from being comfortable around other people.
She preferred hobbies such as painting and drawing as they helped her to release her inner thoughts without creating turmoil for those around her. To outsiders she would come across as a beautiful diminutive wraith, but her brothers could attest that she was a fierce opponent in the sparring ring and she could easily take them down in a match. Her quiet demeanor hid a deeply passionate side, she was not afraid to voice her opinions or defend her views, yet she was open minded and held a deep respect for others. On top of this she was smart, to the point that she excelled in her education, and earned scholarships from every post-secondary facility she applied to.
Her father pressured his children into selecting the Galactic Military University, which offered the best military training. They all chose fields of study that would take up to twelve years to master. They all completed their studies by the age of twenty-four, eight years early. They were all over achievers and competitive to a fault. None of them liked being left behind, or allowed failure, they had to be the best of the best. Like their musical choices, the boys all chose different fields of study; Medicine, Physics and Galactic Mapping, Engineering, Architecture, Physics and Political Law.
She couldn't make up her mind so she chose a variety of courses that appeased her curiosity. She trained in multiple martial arts, had perfect aim and accuracy on the gun range and excelled in the field in every ops mission that she had ever been on. Her military instructors were very happy with her skills, results and her performance, but she had a hard time following orders, especially when she did not agree with them. They worried about her, as she seemed to run solely on instinct, allowing her most base emotions and needs run her life. This had gotten her into trouble several times, as she had a hard time staying within protocol, and she often started intense debates and arguments. She had earned top ranking in all of her studies and had been selected for the Intergalactic Medical Research Program with the Company Rangers. In her other studies she also earned a doctorate in Health and Nutritional Sciences as well as in Behavioral Sciences with specialization in Music Therapy. On top of that she graduated with Honors in the Kinesiology program.
Though the boys all entered into a different field, and each worked in a different department of the military, they all worked in the same military unit with the Ranchers Inter-Galactic Research Division. So their team was one of the most diverse and compatible of units. They differed greatly in personality, attitude, and ego, yet they were so in tuned to each other's needs wants and desires that they could almost communicate without speech. This strange connection between them created an infallible bond which made it difficult for them to be separated for any length of time. All six of them were connected to each other by some sense or instinct. So when the call came for deep space exploration and population transplantation, it was no wonder that all of them chose the same mission, on the same planet. Their mission was to find a habitable planet and set it up for repopulation of the human race. There were over forty such teams, each one consisting of one hundred members in each planetary unit. The planet they chose was in the farthest reaches of the universe. The climate was harsh in the best of terms and yet because of the boys' leadership and strength it was overall a successful mission that resulted in the planet being named after them.
Her brothers were all well trained seasoned warriors, each one tall in stature, over six feet and all of them were lean and muscular. By all accounts they were considered to be perfect male specimens of the human race. Each one would be considered handsome, They had strong facial features, with high cheek bones, strong jaw and a straight nose that was neither too long nor hooked. Their high brow spoke of above average intelligence, their thick dark hair told of overall health and wellness. Their bright silver grey eyes, framed with long dark lashes, shone with mischief and laughter. All six of them were considered to be 'identical' though the immediate family could easily recognize the differences between them. Whether it was a slightly different hairline, a mole, or a birthmark, they each had a telltale mark that set them apart from the others.
She was the odd ball. She had never been considered 'normal' even by her own family. She had been the smallest of the septuplets, the fourth born, the middle child, the only girl and of course the smallest. Like her brothers she was athletic, strong, healthy and intelligent. Yet she did not share a single physical feature with her brothers. Where they were tall and broad of shoulder, she was short only 5'3"; her build was muscular yet she was small boned with a voluptuous womanly figure. Her face was oval, with a high brow and a slightly pointed chin, she had a pert button nose and full cupids bow lips which framed a beautiful white smile. Her bright silver blonde hair hung in heavy waves down her to her lower back. Her most unique feature was her eyes. In the light of day they were so dark they seemed to be black, though they were truly a dark storm colored purple, at night was when they shone, literally bright silver like a cat in the darkness.
Upon graduation, she turned down the position offered to her in the Rangers Medical Research Center. Instead she became a mixed martial arts fighter and began to enter tournaments in the hopes of becoming a professional, and joining the Pro Fight Circuit. Her father had been livid, he had never agreed with her choice of career, and she had overheard her parents arguing more and more often in the previous months. Usually about her, and the choices she was making. As far as he was concerned she should have gone with her brothers. She should never have turned down the Company Ranger's job offer. Her mother had staunchly taken her side, she was a grown woman, it was her life, she needed to make her own choices, and she was bright and talented.
He had effectively kicked her out of their family home and she was forced to get a full time job as well as enter into her competitions. So she found a place of her own in Las Vegas and got a job as a dietitian and trainer at a local gym, her education made her overqualified for the job and she had almost not gotten the job because of it. She had insisted on an interview and had told the Gym's owner about her dreams of going pro. Instead of just offering her the job she had applied for the man had given her a spot on his fight roster so that he could get advertising for his Gym if she was successful. She had been more than happy to accept his terms. Unlike all of the other outsiders she had ever met, her boss, Dean, did not cause her discomfort to be around. To her he gave off the same vibe as her mother did. With his help and training in the ring she was more successful than she ever could have imagined. She had not yet been defeated in the ring and was working her way towards a title match when everything fell apart for her.
It was late at night after a major qualifying match and her parents were waiting for her in their hover car in the parking lot of the arena, and she was excited to tell them that she had officially made the circuit and would soon be on the professional fight schedule. She was in a hurry; her parents had already been waiting for over a half an hour, as it was she had stayed behind to shower and change. She had dressed in her usual red baby t-shirt and softened black jeans, and pulled on a pair of black hiking shoes. It had been chilly that day so on top she had worn her new Pro Circuit white soft-shell jacket. She packed her hand wraps and refillable water bottle into her back pack along with her gym-strip, towel, bath stuff, and make-up. She also carried a cross body purse that had her house keys, her wallet and ID, mini-music player and its solar recharger, facial tissues, lip balm and her cellular phone.
She was approaching the hover car when she noticed something wrong; there was movement in the shadows surrounding the vehicle. She could see her parents inside the vehicle, they looked to be in a heavy debate, she could hear their voices from where she was and yet she could not quite make out the words.
Suddenly her mother slammed open the door and came around the car, she was walking quickly towards her, "Come Rehtaeh, we need to get out of here. This way."
"Wait, Mom? What's going on?" Rehtaeh stopped and looked back at the car and her father, who was opening the door and stepping out. He seemed angry, enraged. He was still wearing his military uniform, which was never a good sign.
"Move now, we are under attack." Her mother whispered urgently. Rehtaeh looked deeper into the shadows and saw men in uniforms waiting there, every instinct screamed at her to listen to her mother, and so she did. They ran for an alley, and heard footsteps behind them.
"Tranquilizers only!" She heard her father yell at the men, he was issuing orders to the soldiers. "We need her in perfect condition. Her genetics are the only ones that will work for the program."
"Keep moving Rehtaeh!" Her mother whispered at her, as they ran through the darkness. There were no lights in this alley, but that was not an issue for Rehtaeh, she had always been able to see perfectly in the darkness. They were about to pass a door, and Rehtaeh tried pulling her mom into it. Her instincts screamed at her to go into the shelter. Her Mom pulled back. "No, Rehtaeh, this way!"
When they came out on the far side of the alley, they ran straight into an ambush. There were bright lights pointed at them and Rehtaeh groaned at the pain as her eyes struggled to adjust. They were surrounded with military men and women, fully armed their weapons directed at them. Her father's car pulled up behind the soldiers, and their pursuers surrounded them from the back. Then her mother did something completely atypical from what Rehtaeh would have ever expected her to do. She started to fight. She was on the attack, Rehtaeh had been trained to fight and yet she had never seen anyone fight as wildly as her mom. She joined in protecting her mother's back.
Her training enabled her to become lethal with only her hands and though she gave the mandatory verbal warning about her training, the soldiers laughed her off. She fought hard. She went feral, every instinct was about survival. Punch to the throat, elbow to the kidneys, knee to the groin, and heel hard into the instep. She gouged at their eyes and ears. Punched and kicked at anyone who approached, she had disarmed and knocked out three soldiers and killed four more before she was pinned to the ground with a gun to her temple, her hands behind her back.
Her father walked up to them, both Rehtaeh and her mom, lying prone on the ground. They were lying close together and looking directly into each other's eyes. He took out his hand gun and knelt beside her mom. "I told you not to get attached. She is not even really human, just a bunch of mutations in an egg. Now your impulsiveness has lead to this. Goodbye Rene."
He pressed the gun to her mom's head and shot her in the temple. Rehtaeh watched in slow motion as the bullet entered her brain ricocheted against the pavement and back out of her and into her father's eye. He fell on top of her mom's body and she watched in horror as the light in his eyes faded away. By shooting his wife he had in essence committed suicide. Rehtaeh started to scream, in terror, in pain, in shock. She was inconsolable.
In one instance she had gone from the glory of finding out she had reached her professional career goal, to being an orphan with murder charges against her. She was thrown into jail for manslaughter, assaulting military personnel, for treason, and conspiracy against the Alliance. She had acted purely in self defense and there was no evidence that she had ever broken conspiracy or treason laws since she was not in any position to do so. That had not stopped them from finding her guilty though. What evidence they couldn't find, they planted, they had her in a vice. She was enraged at her circumstances, but they had all the evidence pointing at her, and she had no way out.
So there she was barely twenty-five years old and sentenced to one hundred years in prison, never to see daylight again, unless she went for option number two. Cryo-stasis experimentation for the duration of her brother's lives on their mission planet. For recompense she would be paid one million per year, in the current valid currency in exchange, upon waking. Either way she would never see her brothers again. However, the second option allowed her to help her brothers survive on their hostile mission base, and when they passed on she would be rehabilitated and released in to the public. She chose option number two; the least she could do was help her brothers. She would have done anything to keep some form of connection to her family.
She was stripped naked and put into a cryogenic pod, and her body filled with odd chemicals meant to put her into a deep sleep and to freeze her body, keeping it from ever deteriorating or aging. Something went wrong from the beginning. She didn't fall unconscious like they said she would. She was awake and aware of every horrifying moment of it. Her body froze, she was paralyzed, and she could not move could not make a sound. To make the situation worse, her eyes would not close, as many times as her doctors tried to close them for her, they would re-open of their own accord and she would watch the medical staff come and go. She did not sleep; her mind just would not allow itself to be shut off. She tried in so many ways to communicate with those around her but they could not hear her and she could not move.
They called her Voodoo, because of all the pins, needles and other things they injected into her body. They used her body for their experiments, pumping her full of various viruses just to try to find a cure. They would inject her with venoms and find the appropriate antivenin. Same with poisons, diseases and any other troubles that her brothers and their teams encountered on their planet, they would inject her with the toxin and then use her natural genetics to eliminate the problem. Because her body was frozen she could not relay the pain that they were causing inside of her. She screamed in pain and writhed in anger, burned with fever and she cried out from the sickness, but it was all in her head the doctors and scientist had no idea that she was in any duress. So many times she wished that she could just die and be done with everything and everyone. The side-effects of the experiments never became apparent, at least not until they finally woke her up and started taking her off of the cryo-stasis chemicals.
Five hundred years later, she had undergone fifty three research terms, each of which included countless experiments, she was finally being released.