Drive Chapter Five - The Means To An End

--

“You’re not serious about landing there, are you?” Simon was entranced by the moon Serenity was pointed towards. Its unmistakable white surface slowly filling up the view port. “Well I didn’t bring us here to look at it.” Mal sat in the copilot’s seat with his feet planted on the control dashboard. “’Sides, we haven’t been here for a while anyways.” “I almost got shot here.” “You almost got shot everywhere, doctor. At least here…you know…lightning never strikes twice.” “Aren’t you worried about Constance? Oh! And I don’t even want to know if Dobson is gonna be down there.” “I shot the man in the head! Almost positive he’s dead! What do you want from me?!” “Twice! You’ve shot him twice in the head so far. He just didn’t give up.” Simon said. “Yeah, well.” Mal chuckled to himself. “I made him give up. Probably still floating around at Sturges without a care in the world. With two bullets in his head and no eyes.” “Just…don’t see why we’re coming here.” He sighed. “Are you going to at least tell us who we’re meeting?” Mal stood up to walk off the bridge but turned back around at the entrance. “The person we’re meeting is not someone I wish to speak with, but to get out of this clean…we have to. So leave it at that.” He left the bridge. “It’s always mysteries and surprises with that man.” Simon said, hoping River would chime in. “Do you know who we’re meeting?” River shook her head to indicate, Can’t tell you. “Come on, River. Please.” “Keeping secrets is by business, Simon.” River said before going mute again.

--

“You lookin’ to get shot again, Cap?” Zoe asked as she got the Mule prepped. “Why are you leadin’ us to Whitefall?” “Why is everyone so worried about getting shot? Really, I’d be more concerned about Jayne shootin’ ya. The man’s been goin’ through withdrawals.” Mal slid the secret compartment open. “Have not.” Jayne argued. “Just have a dream been eatin’ me up inside.” “Very poetic.” Zoe replied. Mal pulled the small cylinder out of the compartment and put it into the tool case on the Mule. “Don’t bring that thing near me.” Jayne threatened. “Zoe.” Mal motioned for Zoe to come closer. “I think I’m gonna be needin’ you to stay on the ship.” She looked stunned. “Sir?” “Look, don’t take this the wrong way. It’s just…the individual we’re meeting out here, we ain’t exactly on speaking terms. The only reason I’m doing this is to get us out of this jam.” “Sir, I don’t know what impression you’ve had of me through the interplanetary war, the thieving and all the violence…I’m a big girl now. I think I can handle a little talkin’.” Zoe didn’t give Mal a chance to answer. She stepped up onto the Mule and loaded her weapon. “Okay, then.”

--

-Whitefall-

The Mule sped along the rocky, white-sanded terrain. While Mal drove, Zoe and Jayne passed questioning glances to eachother. Where is he taking us this time? Why all the secrecy? Do you think this plan will get us out of this mess? Jayne’s downward glances to his gun were ignored. “How much farther, Cap?” Zoe yelled over the engines. “Not much.” Mal replied. There was the shine of a metal structure in the distance. Weapons were loaded, just in case. They stopped the engines outside the small shack. It was hastily thrown together, but structurally sound. No loose debris, it was tidy for being out in the middle of the desert. There was only one plant, a tree, under that a small zen garden. “You gonna tell us now?” Zoe asked. Her voice reeking of annoyance. “’Member what we talked about, Zoe. We’re here for one reason and one reason only. They are good intentions and don’t think rotten of me.” The front door to the shack swung open. A man in hand-woven garments stepped out. “亲爱的天堂这无法是真正的…” Zoe said, drawing her weapon.

--

“I get the feeling that we’ve been playin’ second fiddle to whatever’s been goin’ on.” Kaylee had set up three chairs on the loading ramp for Simon, River and herself. They all had a bottle of water and took a quick drink when the cooling breeze died down. “How do you mean?” Simon asked, reclined and relaxed in his chair. His hand locked with Kaylee’s hand. “Well, whenever danger or thing are going down. We’re stuck here on Serenity doin’ nothin’. I ain’t even had much to fix an’ you haven’t treated a bullet wound in ages.” “Next think you know, I’ll be as anxious as Jayne to get someone shot.” Kaylee laughed. “Yeah, what’s up with that anyways?” “I fixed his gun.” River added. She was falling asleep in the relaxing heat. “Oh, well no wonder. I remember when we was just starting out, Jayne bought an upgrade for one of his guns and shot the merchant just to test it out.” “What? Really?” Simon asked, surprised. “Haha, no—Well, I mean he only nicked him in the leg.” “Only?!” “Oh, come on, Simon, I was only foolin’.” She laughed before falling unusually silent. “Do you think they made it there alright?” Simon was concerned about the whole situation. Before Miranda, he always had a small sense that no matter what happened, everything would be alright. After Wash and Shepherd Book died, he felt that the crew, his friends, were less than invincible now. “I think they’re fine. Whoever they’re meeting can’t be that bad.”

--

“You’re a son of a bitch, Sir.” Zoe was furious. Mal didn’t reply, he just watched as the man from the shack scanned his visitor’s faces. “Captain Reynolds.” The man said. “I can honestly say I’m surprised to see you here. I can only assume there is a rather extravagant reason for you coming to me.” “There is.” Mal said. “There would only have to be.” “Of course.” The man turned to Zoe, who was still aiming the gun to his head. “I would not blame you if you did, Zoe.” “Put the gun down.” Mal ordered. “Why the hell did you bring us to this scum?!” Zoe held the gun firm. “You gave me your word you wouldn’t let this get out of hand.” “You’re gonna have to paint me a liar, Captain.” Her trigger finger tensed. “The last time we saw this man, he was destroying all that we hold dear. If it weren’t for him, Book and…and Wash would still be around.” “I’m the one who left him alive. I did so for a reason. Put…down…the gun.” Mal wasn’t asking. Zoe’s arm trembled. The man, the operative, didn’t blink. Her grip loosened and the gun fell to her side. “…That was tense.” Jayne muttered. “Might I ask how you found me?” The operative asked out of pure curiosity. “You’re not the most liked person in our industry. Word gets around.” Mal answered. “Of course. What is it you wished to talk about, Captain?” The operative asked. “We ran into a bit of a problem. If it was typical Alliance trouble, it wouldn’t be a deal. But we stole something that they really want back.” Mal held up the case. “Ah. Well you are in a bit of trouble now, aren’t you?” The operative took the case in his hand and pulled out the map. “They move it around constantly so that even Alliance personnel aren’t tempted to have a look inside. It’s not a safe business they’re in.” “How long have they known?” Mal asked. “For as long as humanity has been here. Only a few maps were made and kept safe in case we ever decided to return to Earth-That-Was. But that was before the Alliance came to power and the Unification Wars began. If the map ever got out, there would be a mass exodus that they would be unable to stop. The power that they’ve fought to attain would be drastically reduced.” “On any other day, I’d say that’s quite a noble cause. But…” “They’ve come after you. No, Captain, you did the right thing bringing this to me. There’s not a chance that you would have survived long otherwise. This is one secret that the Alliance would destroy worlds over. Not worth putting your crew through such things.” “So you can help with this? Get them off our tails?” Mal wanted to be assured. “I will use my remaining contacts within the Alliance to call off the hunt. But I will have to return this to them.” “If I ever conjure up an army, I many need it again in the future. Until then, get it the hell away from us.” The operative smiled. “You have my word. Goodbye, Captain.” He returned to his shack. Mal, Zoe and Jayne piled onto the Mule again. No one said a word until they got back to the ship.

--

“I did what I had to do.” Mal kept telling himself. He was more than glad when he saw that their faces were not longer plastered all over the net, but he felt like he had sold his soul to do so. He continued to be struck with bad dreams. One where he found himself driving the Reaver spike into Wash’s chest. Wash staring Mal in the eyes until his color faded. “I shouldn’t have done it.” He thought.

“It’s not your way, Mal.”

Let it pass. It’s over and done with. You can either sit adrift or raise the sails. See where the current takes you. He pulled out a small piece of paper he had scribbled on. The coordinates on the map were so vividly engraved in his memory that it was easy to copy down. He put it in a drawer next to his bunk. “I’ll be back for you.” He told the paper. Smiling that he had done so. River’s voice came over the intercom. “Should I get us heading towards Persephone, Captain Reynolds?” “You certainly can, darlin’. We’ll pick up Inara, get our money and…maybe a vacation.” He clicked off the intercom. Vacation sounds nice. He heard a shot go off somewhere on the ship. “Jayne!!!” Kaylee screamed from her cabin. “My dress!!!”

--

“have we retrieved the map?” “we have.” “have they been destroyed?” “no, sir. our ex-operative contacted our forces and returned it.” “have him destroyed. i don’t want this happening again.” “right away, sir.” “is there a chance that one of the crew on the firefly might have seen it?” “there is that distinct possibility.” “then we still have a problem then. don’t we.”

-FIREFLY-