Back on Claxton…

The sun rose brilliantly and with the passing of the day it now stood high in the sky, radiating streams of intense light that baked at the surface of Inara's smooth skin. Inara shielded her eyes from the blinding light as she looked toward her destination that lay silhouetted beyond the shadow of the mountains. Inara had long since said her 'farewells' to her latest client Thomas and with the late arrival of Serenity she was going to visit Book at the Little Hope Abbey in hopes that he might know what was the cause of the delay.

Book stood outside of the nearly completed Little Hope Abbey and raised the hammer in his hands swiftly above his head, letting fall a mighty blow that buried the sharp tip of the sturdy nail into the final piece of wood that ended the completion of the abbey, his job was done. He stepped back to look at the finished product a satisfying grin crept across his face snagging at the corners of his mouth and pulling them skyward into a full blown smile. Book's smile broadened when he saw a very elegant Inara walking steadily towards him, it was good to see a familiar face.

Book was glad for Inara's company, they sat in the shade of a towering pine tree and she shared her concerns about the crew. Inara believed with her whole heart that they where in trouble and Book consoled her to the best of his abilities, not at all believing for one second there wasn't bigger reasons that had held up the crew from making a timely pickup. Book looked into Inara's glassy eyes and could see she was still deeply troubled, he was disappointed in the fact that he couldn't provide her with the comfort she seeked.

And although the Shepard lingered just above the point of being worried he put his faith in God to deliver his friends safely to them, trusting strongly in the fact that He would see things got set right. Book and Inara waited out the rest of the smoldering day under the cool embrace of the shade of the pine tree. Tiny browning pine needles fell from the top of the pine tree and rode swiftly to the ground on a fresh breeze that began blowing northerly. The aging pine needles landed broken at base of the tree until they had almost completely covered Book and Inara's feet, there still had been no word from Serenity or her crew.

It was not until the last hazy rays of the sun dipped behind the mountains and the ending of this day melted away into the birth of the next that worry began to creep over Book, settling itself heavily in his stomach. Book knew Mal had no intention of leaving them behind he was a man of his word and whether he would admit it or not, Book and Inara were part of his crew; that's were his loyalties lay. He would claw from the towering tip of the 'verse to the unending edge of it, if that's what it took to get to his crew, there was nothing that would stop him.

Inara and Book took their leave from the comfort of the pine tree to find rest in the halls of the abbey. But before they stepped foot inside Book took one final glance skyward, it was empty except for the swirling inky colors of muddy blue, and a deep glowing orange that came with the start of a new day. Book had hoped to see Serenity some where up there flying in and out of the colors of the rising sun but no such luck.

Something was wrong…

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If something had gone amiss then Inara and Book where the only ones who could help the crew but first they had to carefully asses the situation before they jumped 'balls to the walls' straight into danger. One thing was for sure their search had to start somewhere and the most obvious somewhere was Serenity. All they had to do was find Serenity and pray she held the answers to this disturbing turn of events.

Although Claxton was a welcoming planet those that dwelled here had little time or need for all the ‘bad’ that set in wait out in the Black. They where peaceful people, half of whom never had stepped further than planetside. They where faithful monks and preachers, well rounded teachers, modest farmers, or lawmen that dwelled in the code of right. These serene people didn't have the methods nor the means to help Book and Inara…and they had a mighty need for help.

But even amongst this community of saints there was someone who could provide them with the type of help they seeked. Inara knew that man; she had spent the better part of the week seducing him with both her body and her mind. Inara had intellectually and seductively plowed in and out of this man until he came to his knees in awe of her sexy physic and powerful mind.

During mid-day Shepard Book and Inara traveled to Carp the capital city of Claxton in search of Thomas, Inara's very previous client who just might have the services they required.

Carp wasn't a booming metropolitan it was a modest city if you could even call it that, it lacked most things that deemed a city a 'city'. There where no endless buildings that reached beyond the sky, there where no transport ships clogging up the airways, there wasn't an over population of diverse people running about, it was unpretentious and humble.

Inara and Book trudged up the unpaved streets as clouds of dust gathered in little circles around their feet giving the illusion of smoke dancing at their heels. They continued forth marching purposefully into the heart of the city, their short journey ended when they had reached their destination.

Inara brought her delicate hand together in a fist and knocked patiently on the aging door that now stood before them. The rapping of Inara's knocks echoed across the side street and drifted lightly out of existence but there was no answer. Inara raised her hand again this time she placed a slight firmness into the bangs she rested on the door. The loud echoes reverberated off the frame of the door until they faded further than the reach of anyone's ear and they where consumed by silence but still there was no answer at the door.

Inara was going to raise her hand once more to knock when the door creaked from its resting placing reviling Thomas standing firmly in the threshold. Thomas pulled the door back fully and welcomed the waiting visitors into his sanctuary. Inara stepped forward first and Thomas received her with a heartwarming hug then releasing her he turned to shake Book’s hand. When all exchanges of introductions had passed Book and Inara informed Thomas of their situation.

Inara had only but to smile her glowing smile and Thomas practically jumped at the idea of helping her and Book find Serenity and give them a lift to her last known location. Thomas was a certified technical engineer who specialized in the trafficking and auctioning of vintage spaceships, spaceship parts, and other priceless spaceship collectibles.

He knew practically all there was to know about any and every ship that had ever touched sky. It was his job to locate the biggest and best ships for them that could pay, men so rich you could see the platinum sitting in their pockets. Because Thomas' job entitled him to pelage and plunder for ships, locating Serenity had been a walk on the moon, within the hour and with the aide of his equipment Thomas had found their girl. Two quadrants southerly and one quadrant to the left is where Serenity lay.

Book, Inara, and Thomas all ventured to Thomas' private port where he picked out a small older model C-class Dragoon for them to fly in. The older Dragoons where built for speed and seeing as time was not on their side they needed all the help they could get. The trio climbed the rickety stairs that where typical for a space craft of its era and reached the bridge in haste.

When they had all strapped in Thomas went over his pre flight sequence making sure the ancient ship would maneuver like he wanted her to. The Dragoon had been out of use for some time but she broke atmo with such vigor and drive it felt like an explosion had rocketed them skyward. The ride was smooth and the conversation between the passengers was limited filling the bridge with the rhythmic humming silence that came when a powerful machine was at work.

The Black blurred vibrantly past the view port, the rate at which the tiny ship flew and the way Thomas flew it gave a new meaning to the word ‘expedience’. The blinking red light on the console indicated Serenity's location, the faster that small light blinked the closer they where getting to Serenity. The seconds had eclipsed into minutes and the red light on the console twinkled energetically signifying Serenity would be coming up soon.

Book and Inara placed their faces close up against the cold glass of the Dragoon and watched intently as they flew closer and closer to a looming Serenity. She lay parked in abandonment bobbing up and down evenly as if captured in an invisible current. Beams of calming light filled Serenity's cloudy windows as if beckoning lost souls to come forth and find some comfort inside her safe haven. She was untouched, she was safe, she was home, and she was hope. That's all that mattered.

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Thomas pulled the Dragoon close up to Serenity’s side and released the latch that hissed noisily from the Dragoon’s hatch and clamped tightly around Serenity holding the two ships together. Thomas was still working at the latch controls making sure everything was completely secure so he didn’t see the light that flashed silently on the console indicating something was moving in their direction and pretty fast…

BANG

The Dragoon had been hit, it was a blow so hard that it shook the very walls of the ship causing great vibrations to move through the floor and bury themselves deep within the soles of Book and Inara’s feet. Inara had lost her balance and Book took a hold of her to give her some support so that she could steady herself.

“What the-,” Book trailed off, a little lost for words.

“I don’t know,” Thomas replied

Book was the first one to reach the window and although his face revealed no hint of recognition or disturbance Inara knew something was wrong. She walked toward where the Shepard stood and turned her head in the direction he had been looking in, if it hadn’t been for her Companion training Inara would have been standing open mouth gawking at the sight that lay before her, instead she relaxed her face into an expressionless grimace.

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Jayne sat restlessly at the ship’s controls with the autopilot enabled all he had to do was sit back and wait until he reached his destination; flying sure was boring work. Jayne’s eyes fluttered sluggishly up and down, heavy with the weight of a much needed sleep, at last they found comfort in being closed and Jayne slowly faded into a deep sleep.

As Jayne ventured deep within the realms of sleep a dark mound of debris floated dangerously up ahead progressing closer and closer to the side of his ship. The low beeping of the alert button stirred Jayne from his sleep and barely woke him in enough time to grab hold of the control and pull with a powerful tug at the yoke to avoid meeting the chunking debris head on.

The tiny ship jerked to life at Jayne’s command, the sounds of machinery struggling against machinery could be heard. Jayne held the yoke tight in his hands, his knuckles white from the strain and he made the ship veer with all it’s might to the right, barely missing a full force collision. The black rubble that so recently had been camouflaged against the ebony sky could be clearly seen as it hugged up against the aircraft digging its rigged edges deep with the ship’s side.

The floating rubble finished its destructive path and set a drift back into the Black, once again going unnoticed, a smokescreen hazard to unsuspecting travelers. It was not until the debris was clear out of Jayne’s view did he lean closer to the window to make certain that all danger had passed did he see the bomb fixed to the hull ticking away methodically.

As Jayne eyed the bomb counting down to its final tick he realized he was wrong in underestimating his all too seemingly easy escape. He was a dead man and either way they had won.

QUIT!!! HELL NO!!!

Jayne could give up sure as shit, but then Jayne had never quit nothin’ a day in his life so he wasn’t bout to start now, ‘sides he had a plan or what he prayed was a plan cause right now it was more like an idiot’s intuition. Only one way to find out though.

Jayne proceeded to the back of the ship where he found an EVA suit mounted right outside the cargo bay. After checking the suit for usability Jayne put it on with great ease and experience. Jayne headed to a ladder that led to an opening in the ship’s access roof which would lead out into the Black. Jayne climbed the ladder slightly hindered by the EVA suit which caused him to climb at a slowed pace. Once he reached the access hatch Jayne pushed it aside. Then he pulled himself up through the gaping hole in the ceiling and Jayne along with his brilliant plan stepped out into the comfort of space.

Jayne’s plan was just like him, straight forward, uncomplicated, and not 100% guaranteed to go exactly as you might like. JAYNE’S PLAN: climb half way down the side of the ship, position himself comfortably, grab a hold of the bomb, pull extremely hard, pray it came off the ship, then chug it super far away into the belly of the Black, simple right…

Jayne hurdled over the top of the ship then effortlessly slide his bulky frame down its side struggling to hold onto the smooth surface for fear that he might bounce off and set adrift into deep space. Jayne continued his short freefall until his feet hit the hard metallic surface of the left wing causing him to stand up right. Once Jayne was steady he positioned himself in front of the bomb and watched aimlessly as the numbers fell from the counter bringing him ever closer to the ‘getting torn up into itty bitty pieces’ part.

Jayne grabbed a hold of the tinny box encasing the bomb and pried with all his might at silver container hoping it would give and release its hold on his vessel. But no amount of pulling or tugging loosened the bombs from its surface and the more Jayne struggled the more frustrated he became.

Jayne was so busy trying to detach the bomb that he didn’t see what was coming straight at him nor did he hear the distant ring of the indicator alarm; not that it would have made a difference he would have never made it to the bridge in enough time to steer clear of any danger. The collision was going to happen one way or another, it just would have been better for Jayne if he was inside the ship rather than outside of it.

Jayne heard a great noise, it sounded as if someone was ripping a hole in the ‘verse, and he turned in enough time to see the Dragoon still tethered to Serenity both heading straight for him, but in actuality it was he who was heading into them. Jayne had nowhere to go, there hadn’t been enough time, there hadn’t been an open moment to execute any action and so Jayne settled with closing his eyes as his ship zoomed forcefully into the other two ships. The Dragoon was slightly longer than Serenity and because it preceded her in length it took the full grunt of the collision.

Jayne’s arm lay limply at his side and when he opened his eyes he could see the sharp piece of metal that had pierced him, pinning him securely to the spot he stood in. Tiny rivulets of blood flowed out of the space where the metal engraved itself into Jayne’s skin, the streaming blood caused a plummeting cascade of red specks to freefall down his arm, defy gravity and fly sideways into space until they where no longer visible.

Inara and Book stood stock still looking in dismay and unbelief at the carnage that now entangled the Dragoon into a heap of twisted metal and billowing gray smoke. But it wasn’t so much the fact that the front end of the Dragoon was now buried deep within this wreckage but more so because it was Jayne who was entwined in the ruins.

“Is that-“ ‘Nara fell short of finishing her thought she wasn’t sure if what lay before her was completely real.

“Jayne.” Book completed for her. “What in God’s ‘verse is he doing?”

“It’s not so much as to what he’s doing, more like what’s being done to him. Looks like he’s in trouble, some serious trouble.” Thomas stated.

“That it does.” Book agreed his brain already working rapidly to formulate a plan. “By the looks of it he is pinned in tight between the two ships and it appears there is an explosive device mounted to his ship. Might could be why the boy decide to take a stroll outside.”

“What are we going to do, we can’t leave him there.” Inara said.

“First we have to stop that bomb from exploded ‘cause last I checked we was still apart of this wreckage and one tiny sneeze mite just blow us all sky high.” Thomas pointed out.

“I’ve seen that bomb before, at least that model before, back when…let’s just say I wasn’t a preacher. I think if I get close enough I might be able to disarm it before we are all, as you lightly put it, blown sky high.”

The trio walked to the back of the Dragoon where Thomas fitted Book into one of the EVA suits, then without hesitate he unlocked the emergency hatch and Book drifted across the edge of the ship until he was face to face with Jayne.

“Preacher is that you?” Jayne asked confused at seeing such a familiar face.

“Yes, Jayne it’s me, and try not to move so much, you may not have noticed this but there is a bomb attached to your ship. Offended the wrong people did you?”

“You could something like that. Oh hell preacher this ain’t no time for jokes, just get me outta here afore we both get downgraded to itty bitty smoking pieces of flesh. I ain’t ready to die, especially like this, caught like a fish in a net except I feel more like bait at the moment.”

“Relax son, I believe I can get you out of here. I’ve seen this model of hardware before; of course I’ve only seen it under the control of three groups of people, the Alliance, the Feds and them who seek to end the Alliance and the Feds.”

“So what is it that you are exactly planning on doing…you do know what you’re doing right preacher…‘cause this is Jayne Cobb’s life you got in your hands, it’s not everyday people get to say that.”

“Don’t worry son all I plan on doing is to try and attempt to disarm the bomb so I can then free your arm with out upsetting anything.”

“How do you plan on doing that? I suppose they taught bomb disarming 101 at the abbey, was that before or after ‘Revelations’, or did they try to surprise you and throw it right in with ‘Genesis.’

“I thought it was you who so recently said this wasn’t the time for jokes. You know before I decided to walk on the straight and arrow the path I marched down was long and dark, I took many things with me from that twisted journey…things I won’t ever forget.”

“Sorry pre-“Jayne broke off mad at himself for causing Book any awkwardness

‘’It’s okay but for the sake of now lets hope I remembered well.” Book closed his eyes and forced his thoughts to wander to the deepest darkest part of his mind and unlock certain knowledge he prayed would stay forgotten forever. Like an ancient chest resurfacing from the depths of a watery chamber all that Book was, the person he tried to heal with bandages embedded with God’s will, came rushing forth to float in a place that long since abandoned them.

When Book finally opened his eyes, he was still Book, he was still on the side of a ship, and his aging hands still cradled the bomb in their grasp. Book’s eyes moved from the bomb and locked with Jayne’s strong eyes, even now the big man did not waver in his emotions; a lesser man might have given up or broke down and cried. It was in Jayne’s eyes that Book found strength and whatever hesitations or difficulty he had soon vanished becoming thoughts never quite born into emotions and for that Book was grateful.

Book turned his attention back to the explosive still held firmly between his hands and gently removed the front casing which after much struggle floated away into open space. To disarm the explosive all Book had to do was simultaneously pull specific colored wires out of their places then touch the ends of the hot wires together, draining the juice out of the bomb causing it to lose power and be nothing but an empty shell. Now was it blue wire and red wire or red wire and yellow wire?

Book had remembered the wire combination but had it been blue wire and red wire for the T-Conga series or was that for the T2-Conga series? This was crucial no mistakes could afford to be made, Book had to be 100% sure, there where no seconds chances and reset buttons where something you only found in ‘Sims’.

Blue wire, red wire, Book was sure the combination would disarm the bomb…he was somewhat sure, only one way to find out…

Time seemed to slow down to the slowest possible degree as Book took the blue wire and red wire in both his hands and with a rapid pull the wires both released from their places and Book place the exposed tips of the wires together. Great sparks shot from the newly formed connection creating tiny orange fireworks that disappeared into the Black. To Book’s dismay the counter still read 5:00 and when he let go of the sparking wires the numbers on the counter still fell purposefully into transition waiting until they reached their destination of 0:00 and set into motion a fiery ball that would result in a sensational death.

What had gone wrong? Had the preacher chosen wrong? What was going to happen?

Jayne who had been standing as still as he possible could during the whole ordeal closed his eyes tight holding back tears that would never fall as he looked at Book’s crestfallen expression. It could mean only one thing; this was the end of the line for Jayne Cobb.

“Thanks Preacher, I’m guessing this was the way it was meant to be, but it don’t make no sense for both us to go out like this. Go on preacher leave me be, get flying and go as far as you can so you don’t get burned.”

And with that the Preacher turned gravely back to the Dragoon, Jayne was taken aback at Book’s hasty departure; there had been no hesitation, no good bye’s, and no parting words. Jayne thought it very unlike Book but then he suppose the Preacher was just a man after all and no matter what, a man will always act according to what works in his favor.

In less than a minute Jayne would be blown sky high into a billion tiny pieces, in less than 30 seconds Jayne Cobb would no longer exist. Jayne secretly wondered if he would be missed at all, then he wondered just how soon it would be before he might meet some of the rest of the crew ‘cause it wasn’t exactly like they was out of danger either; he prayed this would be a journey he took alone.

Jayne forced himself to look at the time on the counter, he wanted to know exactly when it would be okay to scream…5…4…3…2...1 BANG!!!

Jayne couldn’t see, why couldn’t he see, was this what dying was like; no Heaven or Hell just a black vast emptiness. If this is what Jayne had to look forward to for the rest of eternity…’how boring’ was all he could think. Just when Jayne was about to except his fate the dark vision that nestled itself into his eyes began to vanish and when his vision was back to normal the biggest smile ever know to man crept across Jayne’s face. There was Book sitting atop Serenity, Vera was cocked back familiarly in his hands smoke spiraling from her barrel a reminder of the rapid shot that was just fired.

When Book had failed to disarm the bomb he decided he’d blow the bomb off the ship before it blew the ships and all their occupants into smithereens. It was a long shot, literally, but it had worked they where safe and now all he had do was get Jayne and get some gorram answers…too much overly exciting things had happened for him not to have faintest idea about what the hell was going.

“You really are beautiful, you have this undercover beauty that shines all the way to the surface, plus you can take out any man which ain’t too bad either. Maybe Jayne will let me take you out somewhere nice when this is all over.” Book finished stroking Vera admiringly as he bounced down to set Jayne free.

“So Jayne you going to tell me what happened?” Book asked as he slung Vera over his shoulder and grabbed a hold of the metal piercing through Jayne’s skin. Book pulled with all his might until the pole passed back out of Jayne’s arm and set him free from his makeshift prison.

“You know this is all Mal’s fault.” Jayne started.

“I figured as much, the man does have a way with people.”

“I tell you the whole story once we’re ‘not on the side of a floating shipwreck stuck in the ass-end of the ‘verse like to get shot at by space pirates’ because that just the type of luck we have.”

And so Book and Jayne bounced sided by sided in the middle of the Black, their friendship forged deeper because of the events that had just taken place, knowing death had almost took both their lives and realizing then and ever nothing could undo what Serenity had started.