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The Zero - Episode III: Stole --- Part 5
Wednesday, June 16, 2004

Original characters in the Firefly universe. Brief flashback, followed by finishing the job. Part 5 of 5.


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 1671    RATING: 0    SERIES: FIREFLY

Yeah, it's been a few months since I added to this series (I was doing robotics competitions). If you haven't read Liberty (6 parts) and/or Aquaphobe (5 parts), I'd suggest you find them and read them (they can be found in the fanfic section here) as it explains some of the things in this story. Disclaimer: anything recognizable is property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, etc. The story, however, is mine. Also, I had to take some creative liberties, but only on stuff not explained in the series. I also used my own translator for the Mandarin, so it may be off (although it's still comical). On to the story:

It was midnight on Ariel, raining as it does a lot on that planet. I was there to meet someone at a small restaurant on the outskirts of Ariel City. It was the outdoor part, under a pavilion. I saw a lightning bolt hit the water a couple miles out. Then, a tall woman walked up to me. I sat down at the closest table. “You look shocked to see me.” Serra Ng sat down across from me. “Let’s just say you’re not the Eddie I was expecting to see.” I tossed her a pouch. “What’s this?” she asked, taking a peek inside it. “It’s what I owe you, monetarily speaking anyway.” She raised an eyebrow. “How did you get all this so quickly?” “You’re still in disbelief that I would actually pay you back.” I stared at her. “I pulled a few jobs out on the rim. Got real lucky with one of them. Oh, and incidentally, you were very difficult to find.” “Yeah, I got transferred to one of the underwater labs here.” Serra stared out to the water. “It’s beautiful down there. I’d take you, but, well, you know.” “Six months ago, you helped me escape The Darkness.” I turned out to the ocean myself. “You’ve done more than enough.” “You know, you seem less, well, childish in the head than when I last saw you.” Serra turned her attention back to me. “How did you find me anyway?” “I met a few people on a borderworld that know Alliance personnel procedures. And the craziness left soon after I was gone. I’m even told I have a sense of humor.” I turned back to her one last time. “You should go. I don’t want to put you in any danger. If-”

-----------------------

I heard a small clank on the catwalk overlooking the cargo bay. It was Libby. “Another daydream?” “Yeah. Those things are pretty random these days.” Libby stared down at the girl we picked up. “Did you get anything out of her?” “Not much.” I looked down to the corner of the cargo bay where she was. “Her name is Sydney, and she was doing the dancing for the money. Apparently, it pays pretty decent on this rock. If you ask me, she’s a victim of the tough times.” Libby was curious. “You didn’t read her mind?” “I don’t want to have to resort to that,” I explained. “She’s troubled; I know that even without reading her mind. But if she wants us to know her troubles, she’ll tell us.” Libby tossed me an interesting question. “What do we do with her?” “I don’t know.” I thought about that for a moment. “We could use a dedicated pilot, and she is damn good.” “Ship’s kinda nervous at the prospect of a new pilot.” Libby did that electronic communication thing she does. “And what do we do with her if she doesn’t take the offer?” “Not much else we can do, I’m afraid.” I then took a quick glance at our cargo. “How long until Geraldo arrives?” “Few minutes,” she told me. “You want the door open?” “Sure.” I started down the stairs to the floor. Libby had thought open the door. “Oh, and arm yourself. Just in case.” I continued my trek to the now open cargo bay ramp. Tobias and Bill were out there. I caught part of a story Tobias was telling. “…and so it turns out the guy we were supposed to kidnap was our informant. We had been fed false information.” Tobias noticed me coming. “Hello there, lad. “Seen anything?” The sun was just about down, and we now had that haze that comes with a sunset on the horizon. We were parked on the outskirts of the city where we were supposed to meet our contact to transfer the goods. “Other than dust?” Bill was trying to lighten my mood a little. That, and Ares is a pretty dusty place. “Not funny.” I turned around only to see that Sydney had followed me from the cargo bay. Bill and Tobias went back to their story, while Sydney sat down on the dirt to the side of the ramp. I walked over to her. “Here’s one I don’t get. How does one like yourself learn to fly like that?” She spoke softly. “Racing hovercars in the city streets. I had nothing better to do.” “You’re right about this being a craphole of a planet,” I continued. “And these are tough times. I can get you off of this rock. I’ll pay you to fly this thing for me.” “Even after I stole that transport out from under you?” “That was just a wrong place, wrong time thing. Consider it your audition.” I sat on the ground next to her. “And you seem like a good person. What little you’ve told me has been truth.” That got her attention. “And you know this how?” I never even noticed Libby standing behind us listening. “I thought you didn’t do the mind probe thing?” “Mind probe thing?” Sydney inquired, now with a slight confused look on her. “I didn’t. I only did the lie detector empathic thing.” I turned back to the girl. “And it’s a long story. I’ll explain in the air. Assuming you take me up on this offer. Even if it’s only until something better comes up.” “Compared to my life the past sixteen years, this is shiny. Looks like you got a pilot.” She got up and walked up the ramp. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to acquaint myself with this Firefly’s control system.” No sooner did Sydney leave then Geraldo arrive with a small hovertruck and some men to carry the cargo. “Ahh, Mister Eddie, I see you pulled off the job successfully, even with unforeseen theft.” Tobias and Bill came to my side, with Libby on the ramp behind me. Geraldo continued. “The boss is pleased with your work. He would like to invite you and your crew to a Unification Day dinner to express his gratitude.” Not wanting to spend any more time on this rock then I had to (especially with the Alliance presence we had run into earlier in the day), I quickly turned him down. “Sorry, we got a schedule to keep. Once you get these off my boat, we’re out of here.” “Of course.” He directed his men to the boxes in my cargo bay. “Looks like its all here.” He tossed me a pouch with our pay. “If you’re ever on this planet again and need work, you know where to find me.” “Good to know.” I handed the pouch to Libby. “Divvy this up.” Geraldo and his men were gone within ten minutes, off to who knows where. The sun had now completely set. Libby was overseeing the small operation. When it was over, she joined me on the outside. “Eddie, I’m locking down.” “Yeah, I’ll be there in a sec.” I took one last look at the now completely dark Ares and walked up the ramp. It shut behind me, and the inner airlock closed. Libby was waiting in the cargo bay for me. “You haven’t told her about me being a robot yet, have you?” “I’m personally wondering how I’m supposed to explain myself to a kid.” I walked to the back of the cargo bay to the door. “So you’ve got to explain yourself and me,” she said, following me. “Top that off with explaining Tobias and Bill. Then add your history with Serra.” It then hit me like a load of bricks. “Fun…”

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