PART SIX * Picking up tired feet. Back from a far horizon. Cleaned up and brushed down. Dressed to look the part. Fresh from God's garden, I bring a gift of roses... To stand in sweet spring water and press them to your heart. But this badge of honour is of tarnished tin. Light your guiding beacon to bring this fisher in. A Gift Of Roses – Jethro Tull * [Yes, I've used this song before as well! It's mostly 'Mal' in my mind; the first and last lines are the main 'hook' this time] [But first, a brief honeymoon interlude and then other people have to make up for lost time...] [So, warning for major sexing up before we go much further] * Jayne's jaw dropped, “What in all the ruttin' seven sphincters of hell is Mal doing as President?” Roberts blinked slightly at the colourful language, not being adapted to Jayne as yet, “A good job, by all accounts. The clean up here and on Ariel has gone very well; the old Alliance leaders are dead, awaiting trial or in prison. The police and armed forces have undergone a purge. Reynold's overseen new laws to make the system less top heavy and more egalitarian. Everyone over eighteen gets the vote across the 'verse, with triple checking against dodgy ballot box shenanigans. There's been something of a redistribution of wealth and there are squads out there checking on the terraforming on the more unstable worlds and moons, to see if things can be improved. Welfare's improved a fair bit across the 'verse and there's a couple of teams of hardened ex-military types have formed Reaver hunter squadrons, mopping up that problem as much as they can. Oh, and you guys on Serenity have benefited from a binding lifetime's immunity from prosecution and harassment, as long as you don't do anything *too illegal!” Vera grinned, “We've got a licence to misbehave!” Jayne rubbed one hand through a significant growth of full beard, “*I want me a licence to shave!” Vera looked at him, “Leave it for now, it's different and sexy.” She stroked the soft thickness with a certain gleam in her eyes. He turned to her, grinning, “Okay; but it's coming off, back to a goatee, after we've had serious reunion sex a few times!” Roberts blinked again. The libido inhibitor was being compromised and he could hardly believe it. No-one should have a libido that powerful; it would register off the charts. Well, maybe these two were an exception. He made a mental note to have the private rooms checked for a suite with extra soundproofing and en-suite facilities. * Small, tropical island, away from the crowds, Ariel * White beaches washed by limpid turquoise waves. A cluster of tiny islands, each with a small landing jetty, luxury cabin and 360 degree sea views. Each islet far enough away from its neighbour to stop being overlooked. Each cabin with a secluded garden of palms and rampant bouganvillia. A young, married couple are mooring their boat and carrying minimal luggage up to their cabin. Dress code here is swimming suits, sarongs or nudity; the last option is quietly assumed not to be the case if anyone motors over to the larger settlement on the biggest island to sightsee or have a meal out. Food enough for a week is provided in the cabin's kitchen, plus wine and beer. This couple have a pretty big bottle of champagne on ice awaiting them in their chalet. * Zhang carried River over the threshhold into their honeymoon cottage. He set her down, kissing as he went, “Princess; my wife.” “You kept your word.” Zhang frowned a little and River giggled, “Not to make love to me until after we were married.” Zhang smiled at her, “We got pretty close a few times recently.” River blushed and twirled, “I know; I *liked that. Makes me feel completely ready now.” * Zhang shrugged off his surprisingly understated Hawaiin shirt and gently plucked at River's blue sarong, which fell like a waterfall and pooled around her feet. She was wearing nothing but matching panties and sandles underneath. She kicked the sandles off and pointed to Zhang's feet. He removed his sandles and led her out to the garden. There was a bower there, covered in bouganvillia in several shades and a long seat underneath. Zhang stopped to remove his shorts and sat down on the seat, aroused and very ready. “We're going to make love out here?” Zhang nodded and held out his hands, “No-one will see us, River.” River slipped off her panties and walked over, blushing and radiant from head to toe. She bent down for a kiss, then Zhang's mouth moved down, first to her breasts, and then lower. She held his head tenderly whilst he pleasured her with his mouth, then when she'd peaked sweetly against him, she climbed on the bench, feet on either isde of his legs. “What are you doing, River?” She smiled down with him with the knowledge of all womanhood seemingly coursing through her veins, “Trust me, my love. One of the benefits of being with a dancer...” She started descending fluidly, legs pushing slowly out as she came closer. Zhang got it as River came a few inches above final contact, “Merciful Buddha; you're doing the splits over me!” She smiled into his eyes, her own warm and wild with passion, “I can go really slowly now, an inch at a time.” “Yes!” So she did, until they both trembled. Zhang made gentle intimate contact with River at last and then his erection was sliding in as she descended, with almost excruciating slowness. Finally, she was all the way down and he was all the way in. “Stay still, princess; I'm dying with need here!” River closed her eyes, “Feels so *good!” She began rocking and Zhang hung on to control with difficulty. Then he rocked back, in sympathy with her and River came a second time. This was too much for Zhang and he joined her, gasping with pleasure. River and Zhang kissed and she grinned at him, “*Now you're my husband!” Zhang finally caught his breath and lifted himself and River, their bodies still joined. She wrapped her legs around him as he walked back into the house. He fell with her onto the bed, “And you're my wife and now it's *my turn to take control!” ** From the notes of Simon Tam: subject, Zhang Avon * Both Zhang and my hunches were right. His white blood cells are resilient to the point of being able to resist any infection. He's also got incredibly fast healing capabilities generally; his DNA has mutated slightly as a result of everything he's been through. Still 99% human, though. His gametes have changed as well; he's highly unlikely to be getting any regular woman pregnant. Advised him of that. He said that he and River might manage one neice or nephew for me, if they manage to make love with her fertile and in a deep meditative state. I've offered my services if they want to try IVF techniques; injecting one of his sperm into one of her eggs *might just result in successful conception. Zhang reckons they'll stay happily childless with each other, but might raise a modest number of adopted/fostered fighters. I hope he was kidding. Anyway, he's as close to indestructable as flesh and blood can get. Being beheaded, severely burnt or blown up would kill him, but not much less than that. * Jayne woke up in his hospital bed a few days later. His stomach had appreciated getting to grips with solid food and the physiotherapy had been minimal to bring his muscle tone back to what it had been before. The thin white lines all over his body were still there; in fact Doctor Roberts had advised that he and Vera would probably bear them for life. There were a few places where the skin was puckered in burn scars in spite of the doctors' best efforts to encourage the skin to grow back smoothly. Luckily, they weren't on his face or groin and didn't impede movement. Anywhere else he could live with. He looked over to Vera's bed, but it was empty. “Where's my wife?” The nurse smiled, “In the small garden, standing on the verandah, out of the sunlight.” He smiled and started going that way, “Think I'll join her.” The nurse gently touched his arm, “Please stay out of the sunlight for now; your skin's nearly ready for that experience, but not just yet.” “Won't be long, will it?” “Hopefully after your stay in the private suite, you'll be ready to check out.” Jayne went out and joined Vera. She smiled and came into his arms. * “Any word from Mal?” “Nah; got a wave from Simon and Kaylee and my parents, plus a whole slew of photos from Val.” Vera smiled, “Can I see?” Jayne fished in his dressing gown pocket and fished out a vidpod and viewer, “Here we go. Val, Mary-Jane and the quads a year ago.” “Two of each. Bet they were rushed off their feet!” “Yeah, they sure were. Val junior, Mary-Jane junior, Allison Jayne and Lucy Mattie. They've grown since then, though.” Jayne showed Vera some later snaps. “So; are we going to Ariel to see if the Presidents have got a job for us?” Jayne chuckled, “Can't see Mal as the President type; not no how.” “Nor me; do you think he was coerced into it?” “Mebbe it started out temporary and wound up permanent.” Vera nodded, “Sounds plausible. I wonder where Serenity is.” “Near Mal,” Jayne stated, “There's no way he'd let her outta his sight.” A smile curved over Vera's face, “Yes, that's true.” Jayne grinned back, “So, when we've done some serious work on makin' up for the last year without sex...” Vera finished, “We go and see whether Zoe, Sarah, Mal and Inara need rescuing!” * Doctor Roberts approached Jayne and Vera, with a portable medical scanner in his hand, “Okay, let's check you over. Skin healing nicely, internal organs healthy, muscle tone excellent. The micro joins between the sheets of skin – those are the white lines – have knitted very well. I consider you fit to leave the hospital after your stay in the private suite.” Jayne grinned, “You gonna give us back our mojo?” The doctor smiled, “Let's go to the suite I've had prepared. I'm expecting that the return of your libidos will prove somewhat overwhelming. The suite has ensuite and a phone so you can request food. You're two of the crew of Serenity; you're basically heroes of the 'verse now!” Jayne made a slight protest, “I ain't a hero!” He was grinning, so it didn't quite come off. Vera smiled at him, “I guess we'd better get used to it, Jayne.” The doctor looked at them both, “Ready?” He injected them with a hypospray, then backed off rapidly as Jayne and Vera dragged each other inside the suite. * Jayne backed Vera against the door as it closed, kissing all the way. Vera had her hands in his hair and was kissing right back. The wild fire between them when they touched was back with a vengeance. They sank to the floor and their hospital gowns got ripped off. They were both intent on what might be termed the aperitif or amuse bouche before the major course banquet which was going to follow. Jayne rolled onto his back and Vera hungrily plunged to take him in as he tilted his hips to meet her. She came; he came. It was brief and explosive and took the edge off a raging appetite. Jayne gently held her still afterwards, with him still inside her, “Mi mei gui.” Vera nodded, seeing the unusually vulnerable look in his eyes, feeling the same reflected in herself, “Darling wan nao; I know. We should have died.” She smiled tenderly, “But I for one want to celebrate *life!” Jayne's eyes turned hot with lust, “Hell, yeah!” . After their breaths had slowed down and Jayne's knees had stopped feeling weak from the intensity of the experience, they moved to the bed for a second helping; then a third. * After they finally emerged from the suite, the nurse on the burns ward gave both Jayne and Vera a bundle of clothes left by Simon before he'd left Osiris. There was even a gun each with bullets in the ward safe, as well as a modest purse of coin. Jayne loaded his gun, checked the safety was on and tucked it in his pants. They both thanked the medical staff and left, heading for the Osiris space port. The coin easily bought them passage to nearby Ariel. * When they stepped out into what was early morning at the Ariel end, some familiar faces were there to greet them. Vera soon found herself hugged and kissed by Kaylee, then just hugged by Simon and Zoe. Even Jayne accepted hugs. Twin toddlers and a little redhaired girl with big blue eyes stared at them. Vera crouched down, “Hello Sarah, Lee, Sam; I'm Vera.” Sarah just stared. Zoe commented, “She'll get used to you soon; won't you, darling?” “Any of you seen Mal?” Zoe sighed, “Only from a distance, on the regal palace balcony, all this past six months.But I'll tell you one thing, he's unhappy and trapped. He's been signalling for rescue with his hands as often as he can.” “No way into the palace past the guards on foot?” Vera asked. “Not a chance; security's tight as a drum.” Jayne grinned, “So we steal a mule!” “Sounds like a plan; there's a garden on the roof where Serenity is resting. I wanted to wait for all of you, because once we break Mal and Inara out, we'd better be ready to get going!” “You think Serenity's ready to fly?” Vera asked. Zoe's lips curved into something close to a smile, “Bet my life on it!” * Within a couple of hours, they'd hired a medium sized mule for a 'pleasure flight over Ariel' and were heading by a slightly indirect route to the palace. When they got close enough, the roof-top guards were picked off by Zoe, Vera and Jayne. Even as they were landing, Mal and Inara were running towards them. “Jayne, Vera; really good to see you alive and well. Glad to see you got my message, Zoe. Everyone on board; she's stocked and ready to fly. Go, go, go!” “River and Zhang?” “Sent a coded message; they're cutting their honeymoon short due to 'family illness' and joining us en route. We're going back to the black.” Serenity lifted off. “So, you didn't want to be President, sir.” “Ta mah duh! Not rutting likely! Tried to pass as many half decent laws as possible and kept my head down. The palace may be the swankiest place I've seen, but it's a prison.” “Won't we be followed, sir?” “No. Soon as I saw you coming, I quickly enabled a sneaky computer program which advises all official and unofficial folk that Serenity and everyone currently on the crew and their offspring are to be granted safe passage. Presidents' binding orders.” Vera laughed, “Nice work, Mal!” “It'll do for now. Ah, two 'passengers', as expected. Slowing down; hovering. Mule entering hanger; closing hanger. Good to have you on board, Mr and Mrs Avon.” * Jayne stomped onto the bridge, smiling, “Got all my guns!” Simon commented, “I told you they were safe.” “Just needed to see 'em and handle 'em a bit.” “Where are we going, sir?” Sarah was in Zoe's arms, sucking her thumb. “Anywhere but here. I'll tell you how utterly tedious and boring it was being joint President later if you like. Best thing to come out of it was a huge white wedding – as in everyone wearing white - which went on for *days; but at least Inara and I got 'officially' wed. Sorry I couldn't invite you, but it was sprung on us and we were basically strong-armed into it.” Mal looked at Inara, “Not that I didn't want to marry you and all one day, just not like *that!” “I know,” she smiled warmly, “It was *very over the top. The dress that was designed for me was hideous; all flounces and frilly things,” thinking of Kaylee, she quickly went on, “Would have looked *gorgeous on Kaylee, but I don't do frilly!” “We've still got that invite from Cliff on Beltane.” “Yes, and I'm thinking all of us would like to say thanks and goodbye to Hori. He did us proud.” “That a plan, sir?” Sarah pointed, “Star!” “Yeah; lots of stars and you're your mother's daughter all right. Beltane's over that way, mei-mei.” River entered the cockpit and silently hugged Vera, “Are you going to say it, or shall I?” Mal smiled and gestured for her to join him, “Be my guest, married woman!” “Second star to the right and on till morning.” **