(act5)

“Mal! Mal! Oh god Mal he said you were still alive”

“Malcolm Reynolds you low life Wake up! She shouts ‘urh I didn’t do eet’ he slurs ‘aarrhhh I’m in pain’

“obviously” Inara rolls her eyes

‘did you hit me?’

“no I haven’t had that pleasure yet”

‘what happened did anyone get the number of that mule?’

“Is a smart man with simple but handsome features the last thing you remember?”

‘don’t know everythings a blank’

“tawny yellow hair”

‘what did you say?’

“tawny yell…”

‘shush woman I’m thinking – why that little Ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng – bastard shot me’

“a stun charge”

‘huh’

“he fired a dart into you that electrocuted you – he did the same to me”

‘I’m gonna kill im, I’m gonna kill im’

“it’s Atherton – he’s behind this”

‘Atherton wing – fancy guy with the perchance for knives and swords’

“yes”

‘Why the Huh choo-shang tza-jiao duh tzang-huo – I should have finished him off when I had the chance’

“he hates you for humiliating him and me for having the guild veto him – now he has used his entire fortune to extract vengeance”

‘were going to die’

“you first and after Atherton is fed up with me I’ll join you”

‘relax Zoe will rescue us’

“one problem”

‘what’

“no one knows where we are or who has us – they probably haven’t realised that were missing yet”

‘ahh well since plan A is sorta flawed we’ll…well its simple’

“good so are you”

Ignoring the jab he continues ‘so we switch to plan B’

Serenity is flying over trees and grassy hills

“I’m not so sure this is going to work hon” states Wash at the controls

‘they won’t be expecting us to drop in on them’ answers Zoe

“only you and Book can handle a gun – we should have found Jayne”

‘no time to find him – Inara and the captain are in trouble’

Meanwhile at the Wing estate

“they are approaching now” declares one of Atherton’s henchmen – from a security/control room

‘good good” Atherton is triumphant “let them enter the estate and then get them’

He strides off through his mansion – motioning for his lieutenant with the tawny hair to follow

‘have Reynolds and the bitch taken to the duelling grounds, make sure the ship lands their – I want his crew as well’

The lieutenant shakes his head but follows the orders

At the grounds (similar to shindig duel location) Serenity has been forced down and Atherton’s private army has assembled outside the ship – the cargo bay doors are open but the crew are holding their own

The lieutenant strides forward

‘if you don't surrender and come out immediately – the companion shall be maimed and killed very slowly – and you will listen to her screams’

Zoe slowly emerges and tosses her gun, Kaylee and Simon emerge – Kaylee is scared and grasping Simon who is stone faced and showing no emotion, Wash appears with his hands up he is nervous, River skips out last – oblivious to Simons anxious glance (obviously she was to remain in the ship) the soldiers point their weapons at the crew but do not fire

River skips up next to Inara who is standing near the lieutenant

“Beauty is safe – the Beast has not harmed her” she whispers

She looks at Mal standing afar

“faith has suffered but is still faith”

Three of the soldiers enter Serenity to check that all the crew have been accounted for

Mals bonds are cut and he’s pushed into the middle of the enclave

Atherton throws him a Sword

The lieutenant is upset by this ‘why can’t he just kill him’ he sighs

Atherton and Mal encircle – Mal is warier this time but he cannot avoid the fight, blade hits blade and Atherton forces Mal back – at one point he hits mal in the face with the flat edge of the blade – Mal is disarmed and Atherton snatches Mals blade hurling it away towards Serenity

Mal is like a corned beast and attacks Atherton who knocks him back without using his sword

Atherton stands above Mal an evil grin on his face “I win this time Reynolds”

But a commotion occurs near Serenity distracting him as Jimmy walks down the ramp Calm and at ease bare from the waist up and carrying no visible weapons

Serenity’s crew freeze – but Atherton’s goons only see another kid like River

He stops at the blade embedded near Serenity and admires it

‘fancy – very fancy, a strong sword, a lethal blade, in the right hands’

“where are my men” demands the lieutenant

‘sleeping – they let me out of my room and decided to have a nap’ he smirks 4ever

Atherton has seen Jimmy’s interest in the sword and leers manically “come on then boy let’s see if you are better than Reynolds”

Jimmy smirks again ‘anything Captain Reynolds can do I can do better’

Only River isn’t fooled – she guesses his plan and looks on with interest as Atherton moves in to claim another victim

Swords clash – Jimmy barely holding his own, “this appetiser is over” declares Atherton stepping back and brandishing his sword “time to die”

River shouts ‘look away’ she turns mumbling ‘can’t look can’t look’ knowing that whatever happens it won’t be pretty

Jimmy’s desperation evaporates quicker than a glass of 7up in the Sahara Desert – and is replaced by grim determination – moving superhuman fast he slashes Atherton’s arm and snatching Atherton’s sword he cuts Atherton’s knees to ribbons forcing Atherton to collapse on his hands and legs – still holding his head up high

Jimmy places the swords in an X shape either side of Atherton’s head and pulls

Snick and Atherton’s head rolls of his body and across the grass while his body slumps lifeless to the ground, twin splatters of blood sprays in an arc from the swords

Jimmy grins – it’s his first kill since he ripped apart some soulless Reavers – acting quickly he throws one of the swords at the lieutenant – piecing his left eye the blade smashes out through the back of his skull, with his last sword he charges the soldiers who when faced with a homicidal maniac who has just slaughtered their boss – do what any self respecting crack soldiers would do and run like hell

Tossing the sword into the back of a retreating soldier and still grinning he turns round to be shot twice by Zoe who has picked up her gun, Simon and Kaylee help Mal onto Serenity – Wash is running to the bridge to lift of immediately – river frees Inara and rushes to Jimmy who is still conscious and staggering towards Zoe – she pulls his arms behind him and pushes him towards Serenity – he protests with a growl

Once on Serenity they take off

3 hours later after picking up Lord Harrow, Sheppard Book and Jayne Serenity is on its way to the core

Inara is in her shuttle – Mal barges in – she doesn’t complain – she just sits their

“you’re leaving” he states

‘as soon as we reach the core’ she replies her eyes flash at him

“when will you tell the crew” again another statement

‘I will tell them shortly’ was Inara’s curt reply

Mal lingers and then leaves

A single tear runs down Inara’s cheek

In his cell Jimmy is brooding again

I didn’t have to save them – nonsense River could have been killed – Killing was fun my first – no he sneered forgetting in the heat of battle that he had dispatched the fools in Serenity

Sighing he realises that he did not have to stay – he could have fled – could have been free but how can you be free of her?

!River!

(end of act 5)

Ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng = Frog-riding bastard

Huh choo-shang tza-jiao duh tzang-huo = Animal-fucking bastard