BLUE SUN ROOM FAN FICTION - GENERAL

TUJIAOZUO

Sierra (Chapter 4)
Friday, June 8, 2007

Continuation of 'Stang'. Regardless of a rocky trip, Serenity lands for a well needed vacation just in time for repairs and the winter holiday... However....


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 2417    RATING: 9    SERIES: FIREFLY

They ended up at a parts shop.

Kaylee and Wash dug around and picked up parts for Serenity, plus some new oil, coolant, bolts and washers. There were plenty of seedy men leering at the sweet mechanic for Ru to give several sobering looks as she played bodyguard. One man was particularly unsettling, so she deftly brushed her coat back to show one of her guns.

Making sure he got the message she turned to the pair, both had switched out of their nicer civilian clothes and were back in their coveralls. She noticed the amount of parts and whistled. “I don’t think we can carry all of it back.”

“We’ve been flyin’ for a long time with just luck.” Kaylee explained. “All of these are things were really need cause the parts ‘n Serenity are about ta turn ta dust.”

“It amazes me what you’ve done with the ship considering the budget Mal gives you.” Wash said while inspecting a coil. “Methinks we should have exploded a looong time ago.”

“That’s dandy, but we have ta lug all this back.” The gunhand told them, glancing over to a rather thoughtful Kaylee. “What are you thinkin' ‘lil one?”

“What to get Simon…. And Serenity.” She sighed. “Can’t find a hydraulics board.” Glancing over to Ru she gave a curious look. “Any thoughts?”

“Simon or the part.”

“Simon. I dunno what ta get him. Not like I can get somethin’ simple cause he used to be rich ‘n all. But I can’t afford nothin’ fancy, I send most of my earnin’s back home.” There was a hint of plaintive tone in her voice. “I wanna get him somethin’ perfect ya know? I think he finally likes livin’ on Serenity and we gotta shot at somethin’ and it’s Christmas…” Kaylee scuffed her shoe on the ground and let out a huff of air that curled into a cloud due to the cold “Things are goin’ so well, I wanna get the right gift.”

“Kaylee,” Wash clasped his hand on her shoulder. “When in doubt, whatever you do, do not get a man a sweater. Ok?”

“But Simon likes sweaters.”

The pilot’s face went blank as he mulled it over. “Well I guess he’s the exception then.”

“You think I should git him a sweater?” She asked the other young woman.

“What’s the rules of gift giving on this crew anyhow?” Ru probed, sifting through a box she pulled out a hydraulics board and tossed it to Kaylee for inspection.

“Usually, we all just buy the crew a gift, something to share on Christmas Eve.” Wash found some gage wire and looked it over as he needed a few feet for the console. “Like Jayne usually buys whiskey, Zoe ‘n I buy a turkey for dinner, Kaylee gets dessert, Mal tries to give everyone a little bonus… You can get individual presents if you want to, but we sort of keep that geared towards significant others.”

“Well sounds pretty…” Ru froze, and gawked at whatever was over the younger woman’s shoulder. “Hey, check out this.”

Kaylee furrowed her brows and looked over to see a dingy yellow hovercraft. “Wash, lookit that.”

Ru took a basket of parts from Kaylee and motioned over there. “Check her out, see if you could get her to run for cheap.”

“Well you’ll get her for cheap.” Wash noticed the price markered on the windshield as he tossed the shotty wire and followed Kaylee.

The younger girl went over and bent down, checking out the workings of the craft. “I could get her workin’ right now, got my tool belt under my jacket.” Lifting her head up. “Think this would replace the mule?”

“Be better than the mule, it’s bigger, travel faster.” Wash smiled with a hint of excitement. “It’ll be cooler to drive.”

“Could store it by hanging from the ceiling of the cargo bay with a wrench and some cables.” Kaylee planned, putting on a thoughtful smile as she saw the price painted on the windshield. “She’s cheap too, Cap'n'll like that.”

“And she’ll be cooler to drive… did I mention that? Did I also mentioned I call dibs on driving her back?”

Ru saw something and walked behind their new mule. Her brown eyes doubled in size.

Furrowing her brows, the mechanic walked over to see a beat up looking ship. It was tiny, from what she could see the body was lean but small, a bit smaller than the hovercraft and thinner, the wings were folded in but could unfold for impressive flying, and the cockpit held two seats, one in front of the other in fighter pilot style.

She walked past the mechanic. “You know what kind of ship this is?” A grin spread across her face.

“Ummm… can’t say?” She replied back while following.

“The suicidal pencil of doom?” Wash offered with a look of disgust.

“Ares B-84 fighter.” Ru said wistfully, giving the ship a warm look. “It’s a browncoat ship.” Reaching out she touched the rusty metal and patted it like an old friend. “Craziest thing in the ‘verse to fly, damn fools little boat, but hui zhe shi fe.”

“This is the thing you flew in all those shiny war stories?” The pilot asked, making a face. “No offense, but she ain’t a looker.”

“They were built to be portable, could stack ‘em up close on a transport ship, then unleash a huge fleet if they had to.” She explained. “When those wings open up, she’s gorgeous.”

“If you say so.”

“Betcha she’s be awfully pretty all cleaned up.” Kaylee petted the little ship and thought about it. “Probably wouldn’t take much. I mean, most of the stuff you need’s probably here, strip her down, get her workin’, put some new buffer panels and a new coata paint and she’d be a stunner.”

The brown eyes glanced over with a special flicker in them. “If I buy her and the parts, you think you could help me put her together? I’d pay you.” She saw the beaming smile on Kaylee’s face along with how her green eyes lit up as she shrugged her shoulders with a smirk. “It’s an awfully little ship, made to be that way….”

“We could hook her up to some cables and wench her up for storage on the ceiling of the cargo bay with the new mule.” Kaylee offered, nearly bouncing with excitement. “That way they won’t take up much space.” She then turned and gave an incredulous expression. “And you don’t gotta pay me, just fiddling with it’s ‘nuff.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

Wash chuckled.

“What?”

“Nothin’, just love the girl bonding over mechanical stuff.”

“You know Wash,” Ru smiled. “You’re welcome ta help too.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If there was supposed to be male bonding while getting groceries, there wasn’t.

Mal gave Gambit one half of the list, and they split up, wordlessly going and getting everything. Finally, they met back up at the counter, with a crate of milk, slabs of meat, breads, rice, fruits, vegetables and other foodstuffs they considered rare in their diet. However, as the grocer was ringing up the enormously large bill and Malcolm was swearing about the price, someone walked in.

Gambit, sensed there was something amiss as he glanced over his shoulder. Observing now nervous the newest patron was, he quickly smelled anxiety to go with it as well as saw the gun the man was fiddling with. He let out a low growl.

Malcolm glanced over to the blonde.

He motioned with his aqua eyes to the man, then touched the baton-like object strapped to his thigh.

The captain nodded his head in understanding and gently put his palm on the handle of his gun.

The man pulled the pistol, screaming at the top of his lungs as nearly everyone in the grocer shrieked. “THIS IS A STICK UP!”

Within that instant, Mal whirled around, drawing his gun, while Gambit grabbed the metal baton and flicked his wrist so that it snapped out into his long bow. Pulling a arrow from the quiver on his back, within those two seconds there was an arrow pointed at the robber’s chest, and a gun at his skull.

The man dropped his gun and put his hands up. Wide eyed, shaking in fear at the weapons aimed at him. He let out a whimper, as his plans were foiled and it seemed he was going to die.

“Gambit, if ya don’t mind.” Mal told him.

He walked over, putting his arrow away, then clubbed the man on the side of the head with his bow so it knocked him out. Retracting the bow back to the portable size, he put it back in its holster and pulled out a cable from his pocket. binding the man up by the wrists and ankles, then tossing him to the corner of the store.

“Good job.” The captain holstered his gun. “Ya didn’t kill him.”

“It’s that restraint thing I’m working on.” He replied simply.

“Thank you!” The owner of the store caught their attention as they turned around to look at him. “Thank you so much for saving us all!”

“Us?” Mal gave a quizzical face as he pointed at himself and then at Gambit. Getting it, he flashed a smile. “Well now… don’t got ta thank us…” He puffed his chest out, then gave a suggested thought. “But if ya’d like… little discount would be nice…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

River, was having a grand time.

They were at the general store, where she was happily flitting about in a jacket that was so big it hid her hands at the cuffs and a cap that often slipped down to her eyes, entranced by all of the sparkly tinsel and ornaments. She grabbed some gold tinsel and twirled herself so it flew off the shelf and wrapped around her.

“River.” Simon went after her like a mother with a toddler, fearing she was going to break something.

Zoe moved in and shooed him away with the flick of her wrist. “That one River?”

River nodded her head eagerly. “Reflects the joy of the season with its metallic consistency. Looks good on trees as well.”

The first mate carefully removed the tinsel from the girl and draped it over her arm that was storing up a few more strands of tinsel. Zoe had been letting River choose the decorations, which, the teen delighted in. “Here, take this to the counter and relax.” She handed the tinsel to Simon who took it over to their growing pile of lights, tinsel, ornaments, and one tacky Santa Claus statue. She rolled her eyes a bit at the doctor’s lack of ease, knowing why they had been paired together. Wash and Kaylee usually attempted to do some kind of Christmas decorating, however they were loading up on parts. Zoe, was the next closest thing to being a decorator on the account that Mal would just get a few things that were cheap. And since River was involved, there was no need to put the Tam siblings in a grocer where the younger of the two may have a food hurling episode. “She’s doin’ fine. Right good decorator.”

Simon set the tinsel down and decided to try to relax as much as he possibly could. However, having River out and about made him jumpy. As he roamed the store, he found some women’s dresses, and began to study them.

“Lookin ta buy yourself some new wears?” Zoe sidled up teasingly. “Think blue’s your color.”

He looked at her sideways and taking the fabric of a dress between his fingers. “Just thinking about Kaylee and my lack of gift.”

“Sound nervous.”

“Yes… well I have the propensity to screw things up. Therefore, I’m horrified of buying the wrong thing.” Simon was trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

“Kaylee ain’t too hard to buy for doc.” She sighed. “She’s happy with just the simplest things.”

“I know,” He sighed. “But I….”

“Hey!”

Kaylee’s voice made them look out the window of the store to see her, smudged in grease, sitting in a hovercraft. She parked it and jumped out to meet them inside. Both doctor and first mate gawking at the machine.

“What on earth is that?” the soldier asked.

“Our new mule.” She beamed.

“But it’s not a mule.” Simon turned his head sideways and checked out the new ride with a studious eye. “It’s an antique of a hovercraft.”

Kaylee, was so happy about her find that his declaration of it being an antique didn’t faze her. “I know, but we’re callin’ it the mule ‘n memory of the old one. Like it?”

Simon realized he could say the wrong thing very easily. So he kept his mouth shut, and just slowly nodded his head.

“As long as it didn’t cost the Cap’n too much.” Zoe smirked towards Mal’s frugalness. “You know how he is with his pennies.”

“Nah, it didn’t. In fact we got it dirt cheap ‘n all I had ta do was tighten up the gravity matrix ‘n fix the coolant hoses cause someone crossed ‘em the wrong way.” Kaylee beamed proudly. “Ain’t that shiny? Wash drove it back to the ship, then after we unloaded Ru picked up the Cap’n ‘n Gambit, now it’s my turn ta collect you guys.”

“I’ll go git the bill settled.” Zoe turned around and went to retrieve River who had decided to eat some rock candy that they now had to pay for.

The mechanic’s eyes moved down to what Simon’s fingers were touching. “Whatcha doin’ with that dress?”

“Hm?” He looked down and quickly let go “Oh… nothing… River needs some new clothes?” It was like he was asking her more than lying to her. However, before she could call him on it, he stepped in and gave her a smile that made her forget the half-ass lie. “What would you like for Christmas?"

Kaylee stepped in and wrapped her arms around his waist. She felt the initial tension from him as it was a public place, however, he relaxed. The fact that he was trying so hard made her get on her tiptoes and peck him on the lips. “You don’t need ta git me nothin’, I’m just happy we’re sweeties.”

“I think you deserve a bit more than that.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zoe drove the mule back to Serenity while Simon and Kaylee sat with River who had gotten some bubblegum at the store and was trying to blow bubbles. They pulled in, and when they saw the look on Mal’s face, they sensed something was amiss.

Kaylee knew what it was as she gave a forced smile. “Hey Cap’n.”

“You wanna tell me why a junked up fighter ship is in my cargo bay?” He pointed to the Ares B-84.

The mechanic looked to Ru who was just coming out to see the ship that had been delivered since they couldn’t take it with them when they left. Ru, heard Mal’s tone, and stopped. “Yeah.” Kaylee mustered as she jumped down from the mule. “That’s ‘Stang.”

“Shen-me?” Mal asked.

“We named her ‘Stang.”

*****

*****

***** TRANSLATIONS

*hui zhe shi fe: can these things fly

*Shen-me?: What?

COMMENTS

Friday, June 8, 2007 3:31 PM

BLUEEYEDBRIGADIER


Ya know...I can totally picture Kaylee and Ru teaming up to get Mal to agree to keep the old fighter. Might take them awile...but they'll do it;)

Gotta say...while I doubt you had this in mind, I can totally see the designers mocking up something like a 26th century version of the Me-163 Komet micro-fighter from WWII. Thing was a giant rocket with wings...but it definitely sounds like the same kind of idea as the Ares;)

Oh, and the conversations by Kaylee and Simon with their chore partners? Spot on and all kinds of cute;)

BEB

Friday, June 8, 2007 4:09 PM

LAMBYTOES


“You don’t need ta git me nothin’, I’m just happy we’re sweeties.”

“I think you deserve a bit more than that.”


Awwwwww... That is all kinds of cute. :)
I always kinda wondered why they called the new hovercraft the mule, when it was nothing like their original one. I like your reason.

Saturday, October 8, 2011 10:36 PM

SHINYZOEKAYLEE


“It amazes me what you’ve done with the ship considering the budget Mal gives you.” Wash said while inspecting a coil. “Methinks we should have exploded a looong time ago.”
Bwahahaha Wash<3

“Kaylee,” Wash clasped his hand on her shoulder. “When in doubt, whatever you do, do not get a man a sweater. Ok?”

“But Simon likes sweaters.”

The pilot’s face went blank as he mulled it over. “Well I guess he’s the exception then.”
Heeheehee I love Kaylee and Wash together!! XD


“And she’ll be cooler to drive… did I mention that? Did I also mentioned I call dibs on driving her back?”
Boys and their cars, er, I mean, hovercraftsXDXD


“The suicidal pencil of doom?” Wash offered with a look of disgust.
Couldn't. Stop. Laughing.


“Nothin’, just love the girl bonding over mechanical stuff.”
Love this line!!^^^^^


“Lookin ta buy yourself some new wears?” Zoe sidled up teasingly. “Think blue’s your color.”
Bwahaha Zoe<3

“You don’t need ta git me nothin’, I’m just happy we’re sweeties.”

“I think you deserve a bit more than that.”
AWWWWW<3<3 so the boob can talk to girls!^.^


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