Read This First... Travelin' Through Chapter 1: Exile

Travelin' Through Chapter 2: The New Danger

The evening meal had been… interesting. Try as he might Ennis could not relax. He and Jack had went at each other a total of three times in their little room and despite having made use of the shower cubbies in the hall, Ennis could still smell Jack in his pores and the hairs that lined his nostrils. He entered the room shuffling along as he was wont to do, in the new shirt that Matron had bought him (this at Jack’s insistence they NOT look like bumpkins their first night out of the world). As with most things Jack lead the way, him also wearing Matron’s gift. He had a big opened smile for those assembled. Ennis recognized a twin smile coming at them full wattage from the galley area over to the table.

“Come on, no need to be bashful!” Kaylee invited as she sat colorless mound of what looked like Government Issue at the center of the table. Ennis shot a small grateful smile at her but did not look up at the others assembled. They seemed to be the last to arrive so all eyes were on them. Ennis just wanted to melt into a chair and be ignored for the rest of the meal.

“Howdy folks!” Jack said brightly beside him. Too loud by half, but then that was Jack’s general way of speaking. “Sorry for being late.”

“No, no it’s shiny. Won’t late at all.” Kaylee said flagging her hands in their direction. She took up a seat at the other end of the table. Ennis spared a small look at her and noticed that she was sitting next to two of the most beautiful people Ennis had ever seen in his life. The woman wore a long pink kimono that seemed to be made to hold her bosoms just so. Her long black hair was up in a careless but attractive bun and her eyes reminded Ennis of a foal that he helped birth late last year. Ennis figured if there was any bit of normal in him he would have felt some stir behind his pecker at the sight of her but he won’t normal so there was no stirring. The man was dressed in a black sweater, his dark hair was styled dandily and some bit of familiar between he and the cute mechanic clued Ennis instantly to the fact that this was Ms. Kaylee’s fellah. His first thought after that was “Jack could like that if he had something rich to wear.” The coloring was similar and although the other man’s features were more fine, Jack’s were more striking, his eyes especial. Didn’t nobody have eyes like Jack. Ennis felt himself blush so he tried to cut his thoughts off before he embarrassed himself.

“Well now, seems we got ourselves almost a full compliment.” Captain Reynolds remarked and without further adieu barreled into the food full boar. Those who had a mind to pray did so silently for a few moments before the table was a alight with activity. The newcomers were a bit reticent at first but after a while everyone relaxed enough to eat their fill. As promised Ennis and Jack met the rest of the crew and passangers. The achingly beautiful woman was named Inara and she was a Companion. Jack let out a reverent whistle at that. Ennis just offered a shy “Ma’am,” as his only response. She smiled kindly at them both before shooting an unreadable look over to the captain but he busied himself spreading butter on his bread. Jayne grunted a hello at them before diving into his food like it might try to escape his plate. Zoe gave a low but warm "Evenin'"

The beautiful man was the medic of the ship and his name was Simon. The elderly man who had booked passage, just as Jack and Ennis had, was named Mr. Wong. He was an appraiser from Boros who was returning from a job in Victory assessing a ranch for a family looking to sell. He wasn’t’ a talkative sort but he seemed charmed by the conversation as it whipped around the room.

Finally, a small bird like woman – a girl really, entered the room from where Ennis supposed was the front of the ship. She stopped at the door and looked quizzically around the table until she stopped on him. She then nodded her head once and relaxed her face as if she had just figured something out.

“Mei-mei,” Simon called to her and lifted the napkin from the plate he had made for her. She smiled at him gratefully and padded in her bare feet over to the seat on the side of him where Kaylee wasn’t. As she passed them both she gave their shoulders a squeeze.

“And this here’s Doc’s little sister, River. She may look young but she knows how to fly a ship.” Captain stated off-handedly. “What’s our time looking like, Little One?” he continued through a mouth full of food.

“At our current velocity and with regard to the universal spin …” Captain Reynolds looked on her stern. “We’re on schedule Captain.” She stated and offered a small self concious smile.

“Good to hear it, then. Eat up.” He said gesturing to her plate with his chopsticks. River curled herself until her bare heels resting at the edge of her seat, knees forming two little peaks over which she placed a piece of bread in her mouth. She went at this new task with the delicate ease she did most things.

“Oh so you’re the pilot?” Jack asked with a smile. The air shifted. Everyone seemed to look down then over to Zoe who had stopped eating but continued to look down at her plate. After only a moment she resumed eating. “I fly the ship but … no, I’m not the pilot.” River said not looking at Jack but at Zoe. Zoe looked up and regarded the younger woman steadily. They held one another’s gaze for a bit before letting it fall.

The visitors were lost but thought it best not to dwell on it. Looking for a quick change of subject Jack looked over at the married couple, Sylviana and Redman, and asked them what brought them out of the world. The woman beemed at Jack. The man smiled as well though not as big. “We’re gonna start fresh. Tired of livin’ in that dustbowl of a colony. There was a wave Redman seen, couple’ a months gone ‘bout work at the shipping yards down Boros way. Figured we’d save up some and come out.” She looked at her man and squeezed his hand. They nuzzled quickly then the girl returned the question to Jack just as Ennis knew she would.

“How ‘bout y’all?”

“W-We heard the same thing… bout the work I mean. Looking to get some moneys together, maybe own a ranch somewheres.” Jack said. Ennis winced and couldn’t’ stop a flush from creeping up his neck. Why’d you go and say “we” Jack?

“Ah, well that’s mighty fine then.” The groom said. His smile had changed, Ennis noticed, had bled from his eyes but he was still bearing his teeth.

If anyone was curious about the “we” of Jack and Ennis no one let on. The meal went on for a bit, folks shared what bits of gossip they knew all of which completely enthralled Jack and fascinated Ennis despite himself. It was an education to be hearing from such traveled people. After dinner, Kaylee and Doc Simon cleared the dishes. Folks broke into their little conversation pockets. The captain, Kaylee and Zoe were talking about supplies and the like, while Jayne was trying to convince Mr. Wong to appraise his gun and knife collection for fun. Inara and Simon were discussing music that Ennis and Jack had never heard of and River just sat back sneaking peaks at everyone, especially Jack and Ennis.

Ennis was suddenly struck by a sense of uneasy familiarity with this girl who flew a space ship and as far as Ennis could tell was almost too young to drive a tractor back on their world. It was not possible. River had never been to Sage or Victory or Signal and Ennis had never left the planet til now but still she gave him the dejavu’s and the willies all wrapped up into one. After a bit, Inara left the room and came back with several small cans of mandarin oranges which she passed out to everyone present for desert. Mal put on some hot water for brew and everyone settled into the little unexpected treat. Ennis mostly listened while the others talked.

No one had ever even slipped and called River “the pilot” knowing that, that position was reserved in perpetuity so when Jack had used the word with such jovial carelessness, River was as startled and uncomfortable as anyone. She wanted Zoe to know that whatever her job was no one could take the place of Wash. Wash was one of a kind and River missed his good humor terribly, especially since River felt responsible in some vague way for how he died. It was River’s secret that brought Serenity into the vision of The Operative and the Alliance. It was River’s secret that dragged them through Reaver space and had them stand against Goliath with a horde of demons at their backs. Wash was the sacrificial lamb, a true innocent skewered and bleeding. Lifeless from the sins of others. Zoe never blamed her though and this is what made things bearable for her. Zoe still held the same guarded affection for her as she did before but there was another layer. In fact there was another layer to everyone’s relationships, even Jayne and Mal, the two most likely to butt heads. They had literally stared down the maw of evil together and survived. No, in point of fact, they had kicked evil’s ass.

“We’re gonna start fresh. Tired of livin’ in that dustbowl of a colony. There was a wave Redman seen, couple’ a months gone ‘bout work at the shipping yards down Boros way. Figured we’d save up some and come out.”

A field mouse trying to run a small general store. Big dogs come barking, demanding tribute and a place to sell their chemicals. Half the township is hooked but that’s never enough. Can’t hide the shady dealings from ‘his best gal’ much longer. Must get her away from this. The dogs are making threats in her direction and her obliviousness could get her killed. He made up some lie about selling the store and having seen about work in Boros. He has to keep his gal safe like his daddy was never able to do for his mama when the dogs barked at him.

It was clear to River that Serenity had a talent for picking up those who ran or hid.

”My daddy’s ranch aint doin’ so good now. Me and my … fr… cousin need to get some work at Boros so we can maybe send some back to the family so they can get out from under the bank.

The smell from earlie. Sex-smell filled her nostrils but it was okay because like earlier it was thought-smell. It was Ennis's remembrance of what him and Jack’s spent seed smelled like as it mingled with the perfume of their sweat and filled the small space where they bunked. Ennis was scared and a little ashamed of what he and Jack did with each other so the smell was his mind toying with him, punishing him into thinking that everyone could smell Jack all over him. River knew well how the mind could flog and punish.

Before Miranda, River, most likely, would have blurted out what seemed so apparent to her nose. The funk of sex was heavy in the air. Now with the secret of the Reavers out in the ‘verse, the immense pressure of it doesn’t tax her mind anymore. Ever since Miranda, she can sort things better, control herself more, and read things clearer if not as strongly which suited her just shiny since she didn’t want everyone’s thoughts crowding into hers anyway. Before Miranda she had memories of gutting Alliance soldiers and battlefields so soaked in blood one can taste it on the air. These were not her experiences, they were stray thoughts pilfered from either Mal or Zoe. She had faught her way out of bars as Jayne Cobb. She had saved lives and witnessed people die on operating tables as her brother Simon. She had lived so many things that she had not really lived and it was slowly destroying her, the person who existes seperate from others' wants, desires, and memories.

Guilt flowed into her as she remembered the communion she unwittingly shared with Jack and Ennis earlier that day. She should have shut her mind from them as soon as she realized what was happening, she had that much control over this thing now and she should have exercised it then but she allowed herself to ride the wave until she was caught up in the riptide. She had spent many nights with Wash and Zoe in this way as well, the only difference is her mind would take her there whether she liked it or not and then just as soon flick to some other stray thought in the air like a feather catching varrying breezes. She felt guilt and embarrassment but it was so tied up into other more erratic and intense emotions that it just became a part of the mental mud that she had to swim through everyday just to function in the world,. After spending the night in session with Zoe and Wash, River always avoided Zoe the next day, as she almost always processed the experience through Wash’s more open, more undisciplined mind.

This afternoon was different. She allowed her thoughts to drift down below decks as she prepared Serenity for launch. She had a clear mental picture of each of the new passengers including the two handsome boys that were only a little older than her. River had never had much experience with boys. She was sent away to the Academy at 14 and they were strict about that sort of thing right from the beginning. Other than a few stolen kisses and a little hand holding, River had never come close to experiencing lovemaking with her own body so when she had gotten lazy about her thoughts and had let the space lull her mind into drifting she didn’t’ stop herself from seeking out and finding the two handsom boys from earlier. Of course once she drifted into their minds she was drowning in their intense lust and deep love. She gasped and her loins began to ache. They were mid coitus and she was immediately seized and gasping for air while she squirmed in her seat involuntarily.

River was not a complete child. She knew of sly men but she had no idea the primal urgency that men could feel for one another. Their lovemaking was very different from Zoe and Wash’s. As they copulated it was like River was not only experiencing the lovemaking they were sharing now but also the lovemaking that had come before it, each man filling the other with his seed, the bighting, the licking, the sucking, the rushing stream nearby, the canopy of trees overhead, the birds and woodchucks their only witness. As River gripped the console in front of her she couldn’t’ stop herself from tumbling over the point of no return and as she climaxed her entire vision was filled with the most beautiful range of mountains she had ever seen. For long moments all that she could do was catch her breath and wait until her shaking limbs subsided.

“Well, I think w – I’m off to bed.” Jack announced. Mr. Wong had crept off to his bunk a half of an hour prior. “It’s been great knowin’ y’all. I’ll see ya tommara” Jack tipped the brim of a his non-existant hat in the direction of the rest of the table. Ennis stood as well. “Yah.. I-It’s been a long day. Thank you for supper.” He added. The two men retreated leaving knowing smirks, disinterested sniffs, and guilty sighs in their wake.