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The Dr. Tam Journals - Part 17 - Serenity (BDM) 2
Friday, November 30, 2007

Kaylee reads on the big battle and the death of Wash as the crew finally comes to a crossroads that will decide the future of them all.


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The Dr. Tam Journals – Part 17 – Serenity (BDM) 2

Kaylee was about to say Simon’s name when she caught a look from the Capt’n.

“No need to know his name just yet,” said Mal quickly. “Got a need to trust you first. These folks like family to me and if you got any inkling to turn them in for the price placed on their heads, I’ll be seeing you at the end of a gun barrel next time.”

Beauregard just nodded. “He fixes my leg, he and his kin got no worries, and I don’t care for no stinking Alliance reward.”

Zoe gave him one of her steely eyed looks. “Money has way of changing people’s minds. It’s a lot.”

“Well, seeing as I have the only Cortex screen in town and there ain’t no Alliance authority about, no one but me will know about their past.”

Mal was suspicious. “You’re making this a lot easier than I conjured you would. That leg and that whiskey seem to have gotten to your head, P.T.”

He just grimaced in pain. “See that bed over there?” He pointed to the small cot in the corner. “That’s where I sleep, if I can. Horse threw me ten days ago and I wish I could cut that leg off, the agony it’s giving me. My thieving days and killing days is long past. And remember, we three wore the same color in the war. We had our differences in the past Mal, but I ain’t in no position to be refusing any help you got. I’ll see I hold up my end of the deal if this doctor does his.”

“What about the other folks?” Zoe asked.

“Can’t vouch for all of them but most are decent hard working people,” Beauregard started. “We need a doctor, that’s for sure, and they’ll be grateful if he stays.”

“Fair enough,” said Mal and then he took out his communicator.

“Serenity, this is the Captain. Bring the boat in closer to town, land near the river just outside. Tell the doc to get ready for a patient.”

Serenity landed nearby and soon after they returned with Beauregard with them. His men and Mal had to carry him downstairs and he was in agony the whole time. Kaylee quietly said to Zoe that Simon could have come to give him something for the pain but she said no, not till they had a look around town were Simon or River to get off the boat.

When they arrived, Kaylee leaped off the Mule and raced ahead of the others to the infirmary to explain what was going on to Simon. He was full of worry, thinking one of them had been hurt but Kaylee put his mind at ease. The Capt’n came and got a stretcher and he and Simon went to the cargo bay. They returned a few minutes later with Beauregard, followed by one his men, the one who had taken their guns back in town.

Mal looked at this man and said, “Be much obliged you give me your gun now.”

He hesitated a second and then looked at his boss and Beauregard nodded his assent. The man reluctantly handed over his pistol which Mal took and passed to Zoe, who promised to return it when he left Serenity.

“You the doctor?” Beauregard asked Simon, his eyes filled with pain and what Kaylee thought was hope.

“Yes. Now lie still and let me look at your leg.”

Simon got one look at Beauregard’s leg and Kaylee saw he was instantly concerned. He set to work, putting Beauregard to sleep and began unwrapping the bandages around his leg. Kaylee almost fainted at the sight of the leg, twisted oddly, and with a large gash where the bone had broken the skin just below the knee. The gash hadn’t healed properly and was full of yellow and green pus. Kaylee couldn’t stand the sight and ran out of the infirmary toward the fresh air of the cargo bay.

A large crowd had gathered, word having spread of the new arrivals and that their leader was being tended to by a real doctor. Folks kept coming up to the ship and asking if it was true, was there a doctor on board. Zoe, Jayne, Kaylee, and Inara couldn’t deny the fact since the word was already out. Several people asked to see the doctor and Kaylee and Inara took them on board, found some crates for them to rest on, and asked what their problems were and began to take notes for Simon. Zoe wasn’t liking this one bit and was on her guard but Kaylee and Inara didn’t care; these people needed Simon’s help so he was going to give it.

Farmers also brought their goods out and Jayne was standing on the ramp with a big grin, buying apples and pears, corn, lettuce, potatoes and carrots, fresh bread, eggs, slabs of ham and beef, gallons of fresh milk, bricks of cheese and butter, and everything else he wanted with his money from the Harrow payoff. They also had a good laugh when someone tried to sell Jayne a live pig. Jayne joked with the man and said he wanted a pet pig, but Zoe put a stop to that, saying the pig would have to live in Jayne’s bunk and two pigs in one bunk was one too many.

Jayne also took a young fellow aside and Kaylee, being busy talking to people about their health problems, couldn’t hear what they were talking about, but Jayne was waving money at him and the fellow was just staring at it and nodding and then he and Jayne just took off and nothing Zoe said or threatened could get him to turn around. Inara just said “a woman” and Kaylee knew in an instance that Jayne had corrupted some poor farm boy into being his pimp or at least to lead him toward the nearest whorehouse.

A long time later Simon and Mal came out to the cargo bay and all the people looked at them expectantly. Old Pete was among them, wanting Simon to check his rheumatism.

“He gonna make it, young doctor?” Old Pete asked for them all.

“Ah, appears so. The leg has been reset and I have given him anti-biotics for the infection, so we’ll just need to wait.”

Everyone thanked him and looked at him with extreme gratitude. Kaylee smiled brightly at her husband. “Got some more folks for you, Doctor.”

Everyone stared expectantly at him and he just turned to Mal and the captain said “Don’t let me get in your way, Doctor.” With that Simon, Inara and Kaylee set to work to help the people as best they could. Most just had aches and pains, with a few odd cuts and infections. Simon did what he could for them, passed out what medicine he had and advice he could give. One young girl was pregnant and Kaylee was surprised to find she was only 16 and married. Kaylee talked a long time with her about her pregnancy and how she felt. More and more Kaylee wanted to have a baby of her own.

Lunch was sandwiches and salad prepared by Zoe and River with the foodstuffs Jayne had bought. Many of the people had left except for Beauregard’s man who stayed near his boss to keep an eye on him and in case they needed anything. Kaylee and River sat on the cargo bay ramp and ate their sandwiches, looking at the gurgling river nearby, the fields and the town in the distance.

“It’s a nice place,’ said River. “So green and the air is so fresh. Lots of room.”

“It’s beautiful,” said Kaylee and they looked at each other and at the same time said. “I want to stay.” And then they broke out into a fit of giggles and Kaylee felt happier than she had in a long time.

“Things are going our way,” said Simon as he joined them.

“Seems to be,” Kaylee replied. “P.T. holds up his end of the deal, we can stay.”

“Bit of a coincidence him getting hurt just before we arrive and need his help,” Simon said and he sounded a bit suspicious.

“Just time for us to be lucky for a change,” Kaylee replied and then immediately checked herself. “Not that him getting hurt is lucky, I mean not for him, I mean for us maybe but…that didn’t sound right.”

“I know you don’t like to see anyone get hurt but we can’t deny that his misfortune is lucky for us,” said Simon and Kaylee knew that’s what she wanted to say. Sometimes he could be so articulate and other times, well…but that was mostly in the past now.

“When he wakes up I need to see him,” said River calmly.

“Yes,” answered Simon. ‘Find out his true intentions.”

“I think he’s honest,” Kaylee offered. “But Capt’n says he’s got a history of not being so.”

“We’ll always need to be on our guard,” Simon replied in a serious tone. “He heals up maybe he’ll change his mind. People can be corrupted by money, even people we thought we could trust.” And they all knew who he was referring to.

“We ain’t got many choices out here,” Kaylee said quietly, feeling again like she was at a crossroads and had to make that final choice and begin a new journey or stay on the same path.

“No, we don’t,” Simon said. “This or Serenity?”

“This,” said River right away and Kaylee could sense her enthusiasm and wondered if it was only because she had been locked up in Serenity for the best part of a year now that this place, any place at all, would seem like paradise in comparison. Kaylee turned to Simon and he was pensive, staring off over the fields and the town of Lancaster and finally he spoke. “It’s not Osiris or even Persephone. But it’ll do. For now, this.”

Kaylee hesitated and looked back at the ship and all that it meant to her and then out at the fields and town, the bubbling stream, the valley, the hills, the sun in the blue sky, and then she remembered the pregnant girl and the honest faces of the people and Old Pete and finally turned to Simon and said, “This for me, too.” All three held each others gaze looking from one to the other and Kaylee felt the warmth and the love from her two best friends in the verse.

“Jayne ain’t back yet?” said Mal as he approached them.

“Nope Capt’n. Expects we won’t see him till morning.”

“He’s getting on my last nerve,” Mal replied. “Taking off like that in a strange town. He gets in trouble we…well…guess we gotta go get him.”

“I won’t miss him,” said Simon very quietly.

“No, suppose you and him never became best of friends,” said Mal. “Guess me and you neither, Doc.”

Kaylee was stun that the Capt’n brought this up. “Capt’n, Simon ain’t been unfriendly to you.”

“No, but I was to him,” said Mal quietly and Simon and Kaylee shared a surprised look.

“Mal, I don’t have any hard feelings over anything that happened. All that is in the past,” Simon replied after a few moments.

“Suppose so,” was all Mal said and the two men looked at each other and Kaylee saw the respect they held for each other, respect that didn’t need to be said in words. The four of them stared off at the river and town for a few seconds, just enjoying the peace of the scenery.

“Guess we best talk on what’s to come,” Mal said at last. “What do you all think of this place?”

“A bit…quaint,” was all Simon said and what he really meant was backward and rustic but Kaylee knew he’d get used to it.

“It’s wonderful,” said River, closing her eyes and breathing the air.

“We want to stay,’ said Kaylee with conviction. ‘All three of us have decided.” And she looked at her Capt’n and he just nodded and Kaylee knew he knew it was finally over, the unspoken struggle to get her and the others to stay.

Zoe appeared just then. “Ready, sir?”

Mal nodded and looked to Kaylee. “We’re gonna take a walk about, check things more carefully, get a feel for the place. Guess we’ll drag Jayne outta whatever bed he’s in. You got the boat little Kaylee.”

“Yes, Capt’n,” she said and knew it might be the last time he ever said that to her.

“Close the ramp, don’t let no one else on board and make sure that friend of Beauregard’s don’t go wandering about the boat. Stay by the radio River case we need help or a fast get away.”

“Expecting trouble, Mal?” Simon asked, a bit concerned.

“No. But better safe than sorry.” With that he and Zoe walked off and Kaylee closed the ramp.

After they left Simon went to check on his patient and Kaylee also brought Beauregard’s man some lunch. He stayed by his unconscious bosses’ side in the infirmary, eating a ham and cheese sandwich and a glass of water which he thanked Kaylee for.

Kaylee looked at Beauregard as Simon checked his vitals. She turned to the man eating the sandwich.

“He got any family?” Kaylee asked in a shy voice.

The man looked at her slowly and thought a moment and then spoke. “He came back here two years ago from Beaumonde cause his momma was dieing. Folks asked him to stay on after she passed and run things so he said he was tired of his old life, took over the family farm and now makes sure folks get fair price for their goods and trouble makers stay away. Heard tell he had a wife somewhere, but she ain’t here. Maybe on Beaumonde. Might be a cousin or uncle somewhere on Boros, but not in Lancaster.”

“That’s too bad. Everyone needs family,” she said. She turned and Simon was looking at her with adoration and she felt his love pass silently to her. She blushed a bit and then told him she was going to check on River and Inara. And the boat, cause she was in charge.

Inara was busy in the kitchen putting away the food they bought so Kaylee helped her and then Inara went to take a rest. Kaylee showed River the vids from the town as they sat on the bridge later, both commenting on how small it was, but also quiet and that’s what they needed, at least for a time. Kaylee did a walk about the ship and everything was in order so she went off to her room after checking in on Simon and making sure all was well. She found herself curled up on the bed with the journal in her hands once again and decided to finish reading as much as she could because the next few days and weeks would be an extremely busy time for her and the others.

The last part she had read was about Shepherd Book’s death. Then there was a gap of two weeks and she knew she had come to the worse parts of the past year and steeled her heart for what was to come. His writing was shaky but still legible and she knew he had written this while he was still recovering from his wounds.

“I don’t know how I can write anymore…sometimes I feel like it has all been a dream, a nightmare. I am lying in my room on Serenity after being transferred here from a hospital run by the Alliance. They aren’t arresting me or trying to kill me. In fact, they have treated my wounds. We found Miranda, we found the secret River had, and we found hell in the form of the Reavers.”

“Our run through Reaver space, while terrifying, was successful and we managed to pass by without being attacked. The world of Miranda lay before us. Wash picked up some kind of beacon but no other electrical activity was present. As we flew over the land we saw that it was perfectly normal, with no volcanic activity or other instabilities. We also saw cities and towns, farms and machinery lying about. We landed near the beacon and after a quick recon to establish that the air was breathable, all eight of us made out way toward the source of the beacon. As we progressed with care, we discovered hundreds of dead bodies, all resting peacefully, decomposed and dead but with no visible cause of death. Some even appeared to have just fallen asleep. It was horrifying and mysterious at the same time. Why had we never heard of Miranda? Why was there no information about it on the Cortex? What was the big secret the Alliance was trying to hide? Why had all these people died?”

Those bodies, all that horror, came back to Kaylee and she closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. Then they found the beacon and it got much worse.

“The beacon was from a search and rescue team sent to find out what was happening on Miranda. The team was all dead but they left a vid recording of what had taken place. It was fascinating and hideous. I guess the whole galaxy has seen it by now, a woman describing what happened and then being eaten alive by Reavers. And that was the secret, the Alliance, in their attempt to pacify this world by putting chemicals into the atmosphere, had murdered 30 million people and turned the survivors into Reavers. They are the by product of this experiment in pacification, a small percent of Miranda’s population who had the complete opposite reaction to the chemicals, turning into ultra violent raving psychotics”

“The chemical, G-23 Paxilon Hydroclorate, is normally used in urban pacification for riot control and in some prisons and mental institutions for extremely violent offenders. It is quite safe and has been used for years. But here, on Miranda, they must have used a derivative of the chemical as it has made the people extremely passive to the point where they did not ever try to work or eat or survive.. Book’s and Wash’s deaths have been like a knife to the heart for me and the crew. But 30 million dead? I cannot even comprehend these numbers. It’s genocide on a scale not seen since the wars and famines of the mid-twentieth century on Earth That Was, if the history books are accurate.”

Genocide. The massacre of a people. Maybe the government or leaders or someone on Miranda agreed to or were forced to use their planet as a testing ground but Kaylee knew most of the people had no idea what was going on. They didn’t want to be made “better”. They didn’t ask the Alliance to add the paxilon hydroclorate to the atmosphere. They just did it. And killed everyone. Almost everyone.

“We contacted Mr. Universe to use his facilities to broadcast to the whole galaxy the vid recording made by the search and rescue team. Mal wanted the verse to know what the Alliance had done and the crew was behind him. We didn’t yet know what the price would be. Perhaps we would have decided to run and hide if we had.”

The Capt’n had made an inspirational speech to the crew and no one protested. Perhaps they should have said something, gone through Reaver space again and then just run out there, in the black, hid until that Operative died or gave up. But it wasn’t the Capt’n’s way and they went into that fight with all good intentions.

“We left Miranda and headed to Mr. Universe’s little ion-cloud shrouded moon. As we passed through Reaver space, Mal was suited up and went on top of the ship to fire a gun we had mounted there, the same one Shepherd Book had used to shoot down the Alliance gunship on Haven. Mal started firing that gun at the Reavers and that brought the wraith of the whole Reaver fleet on us. They chased us all the way to Mr. Universe’s moon where Mal had figured the Operative would be waiting for us. And lucky for us he was correct and had a whole fleet with him because we were barely ahead of the Reaver fleet and they would have caught us eventually. I think it was rather a bold move on the captain’s part, daring the Reavers to chase us based on the assumption that the Operative had already found Mr. Universe and was waiting for us. Mr. Universe wasn’t exactly hiding who he was, but for the Operative to be there waiting was a bold stroke of luck on our part as things turned out.”

Luck? What the hell…? The Operative was their enemy! He killed Mr. Universe and he sent the ship that destroyed Haven. Luck that he and his fleet were waiting for them? Did it make sense? Kaylee thought on it. What would have happened if there had been no Alliance fleet in the sky over the moon? The Reavers would have caught them and they would be dead now, dead in a most horrific way. Maybe it was luck. Kaylee liked to think the Capt’n knew all along what would happen. But then again, that was giving him a bit too much credit.

“We flew out of the ion cloud into the middle of at least twenty Alliance ships. The Reavers followed us and a massive space battle just above the moon’s inner atmosphere began. I didn’t see much of the space battle, trying to get Kaylee from the engine room and trying to get her and the others seated and strapped in as the things went very badly for Serenity.”

Their artificial gravity kept them safe while in space and Wash was dancing a ballet around Alliance cruisers, Reaver ships, rockets and laser blasts but as soon as they hit atmo and planet side gravity began to take over everything went topsy-turvy. Then a massive EMP bolt hit the ship and right away Kaylee knew what it was, her electronic boards and systems in the engine room going haywire, a small fire starting and then Simon was at her side, dragging her away to find a secure seat in the dining lounge.

“We spun through the air like a rock and my stomach did flip flops and my brain screamed in despair and we all thought we were going to die. Wash by some miracle restored enough power to make a landing but it was rough. While in the hospital Kaylee had come to see me and told me all the damage that was done to Serenity. The landing gear tore off, one VTOL engine was sheered away and the rest of the ship was dented and ripped in a dozen places. Not to mentioned the mess that all the shaking and bouncing did to the inside of the ship and its systems. After Wash managed to save us from both the Reavers and the Alliance, he died, in a horrific way. We didn’t know until later how he had died and I don’t think Zoe or Mal have told the other crew yet, but Mal told me what happened as we lay next to each other in the hospital. Mal, Zoe and Jayne, and I were the only ones requiring extended hospitalization. I hadn’t wanted to ask Mal what had happened but I had to know and he understood. A Reaver ship fired a wooden stake through the cockpit window and impaled him to his pilot’s seat.”

God. It was so…awful, Kaylee couldn’t imagine. Poor Wash! And Zoe and the Capt’n had seen him die. She knew now how he had died, had known for some time, but when she first heard it, it was too unreal, Wash dead, killed by a stake through the body. Absolutely shocking. Kaylee didn’t know why but Wash’s death had hit her harder than her mother’s or Shepherd Book’s. She knew her mother was going to die, knew for many weeks, but it was still so very difficult to deal with and Kaylee thought she’d never get over it and maybe she still hadn’t.. Shepherd Book’s death was heart wrenching but he was older and when an elderly person passes, no matter how, there is a sense that they have had a good life and accomplished much, and it is easier to let go. But when the young die, and the young often die in unexpected, violent, and horrible ways, that’s the hardest. And Wash had been so young and full of life. And now he was gone.

“The captain and Zoe raced out of the bridge and told us to arm ourselves. We went straight to the cargo bay and to the weapons locker under the stairs and soon everyone had a weapon or two. The ramp came down and we dashed into the complex, expecting Reavers or the Alliance at any second. As the captain and Zoe made their plan of defense Kaylee realized that Wash wasn’t with us. Zoe simply told us he wasn’t coming and that’s how the rest of us found out our beloved pilot was dead.”

“He ain’t coming,” was all she said and in those few words conveyed the horrible news that her husband was dead.

“We didn’t have any time to grieve because soon the enemy would be upon us. As we prepared our defense, River started having an episode, with the rage of the Reavers consuming her mind. I had no time to deal with her, no time to deal with anything except to prepare my weapon and have my med kit standing by to treat any wounds. We needed to draw the Reavers to us, to keep them away from the captain while he went to give Mr. Universe the vid recording to broadcast. Unknown to us, Mr. Universe was already dead and most his broadcasting equipment destroyed.”

Stabbed with a sword. But he had a backup unit which the Capt’n found about. And the Operative was waiting for him. Kaylee never understood all that. If the Operative knew about the backup unit why didn’t he destroy it, too? The Capt’n got the info from Mr. Universe’s love bot so maybe the Operative did too and didn’t know about the backup until later. The Capt’n’ figured he had been on his cruiser during the battle and had landed after Serenity got past him. But no one knew for sure exactly what happened to the Operative or how he came to be at the back up unit.

“As we waited for the Reaver onslaught I had a moment where I suddenly knew I had to say something to Kaylee…”

Oh, here it was! At last!

“We were crouching behind some crates, waiting for death, and Kaylee was starting to lose control of her fears and if that had happened she would have been lost to us as a defender. I had to say something to give her hope and I had to tell her how I felt and then in an instance I knew I had come to that place where there was no reason not to say anything to her. I finally confessed to her that my only regret was never being with her. She asked if I meant “as in sex” and of course I did mean that and a whole lot more. There was an instant change in her attitude and she suddenly had a very good reason to live and found heart in knowing that I wanted to be with her. I had no time to say anymore or to even give her the kiss I so badly wanted to give her as the Reaver onslaught was upon us.”

Oh God, she had felt so stupid the instant after she had said “as in sex”. It had come out the wrong way, but Simon had been so indirect with her in so many conversations she just had to make sure he was saying what she thought he was saying and to her joy he was. She had wanted to say more but there was no time. But he had said he wanted to be with her and Kaylee did find heart in that moment, thinking she was going to die and then she had all the reasons in the ‘verse to live.

“The Reaver’s had a mix of weapons, guns, swords, missiles, and of course themselves. Immediately Zoe became a casualty as she left the barrier we had erected and began a one woman assault on the things that had killed her man. She was doing well, but we could not fire to help her for fear of hitting her. Then a Reaver sword stroke sliced open her back and she went down. Accurate fire from Jayne and Inara killed the Reavers and Jayne managed to drag Zoe back to behind the barrier. The cut was long but did not injure her spine so I applied a quick drying liquid bandage and we got back into the fight. Then Kaylee was hurt and my heart skipped a few beats as I rushed to her side. Three darts struck her in the neck, on the left side and she immediately began to go into a paralytic shock. I believe they were a poison of some sort.”

Gosh, he remembered so much. The battle was all a blur to Kaylee. She thought she had killed at least one Reaver and remembered firing her gun, remembered Zoe getting hurt, but then she had been hit by those darts. It was like someone had punched her in the neck. Simon was quickly at her side, ripping out the darts but some poison had already gotten into her blood and she began to feel her body go numb. She had thought they were all going to die at that point.

“Jayne was also wounded in the shoulder somewhere at this point and our defenses began to collapse. One of the Reavers broke through and attacked Inara but I threw him off her and killed him. More accurate fire from Jayne and Zoe brought us a brief respite and we managed to get behind a series of blast doors that Kaylee had rigged to close behind us. Unfortunately they didn’t close.”

That had been her job and Kaylee still felt bad that she had somehow made a mistake. Simon had carried her and lay her down on a crate behind the blast doors. Then the nightmare became much worse as Simon was shot. It seemed unreal, the shot loud in the corridor, his body flying backwards and all Kaylee could think of was he’s going to die just as we finally got to that place I wanted to be for so long and it was her fault caused she screwed up rigging the doors.

“As I realized I had forgotten my medical bag a bullet struck my lower left body, just below my ribcage. I was flung back and collapsed. There was no pain at first, only shock and a sensation of numbness on my left side. Inara was quickly beside me and I searched out for Kaylee and my sister.”

Kaylee’s mind had refused to believe it, not now, not after he had finally said what she had wanted him to say all these months. He just fell and she knew he was hurt and she prayed for him to be strong, to be alive, to survive. She had craned her neck around trying to see him, to see what happened, but her body had been going numb and she couldn’t even see his face.

“I really thought I was going to die, the pain began to come in waves, and I told River I was sorry to leave her. Then she suddenly became the weapon again. There was no trigger, no subliminal message. She saw me hurt and the others in peril and she turned it on herself. Later, she told me she did not know how she did it, it just happened. All her fears were gone in an instant and she knew what she had to do. She leaped back through those blast doors, retrieved my medical bag and closed the doors. The last we saw of her she was being dragged away by the Reavers and I thought she was about to die. But the Alliance, in their infinite wisdom, trained my sister to be an assassin, a killing machine who was more than a match for dozens of Reavers.”

“As we could do nothing to help River, I began to instruct Inara, who was the only uninjured member of our team, in first aid for everyone, including myself. She gave Kaylee a shot to counteract the poison I suspected was in her system, and gave a shot of adrenaline to myself to prevent my heart from going into arrest from the trauma I had suffered. She checked Zoe’s back bandage and it was in good condition and tried to look at Jayne but he just said it was nothing.”

Kaylee worried she’d be paralyzed for life but as the medicine Inara gave went into her bloodstream she had some sensation returning to her limbs. Not enough to get up but she knew the medication was working.

“While we had been fighting for our lives Mal had been fighting for his, waging a vicious hand to hand battle with the Operative at the lower broadcast station. Both men suffered severe injuries, with the captain receiving a stab wound through his left side and multiple contusions, cuts, and at least three broken ribs. I do not know the full extent of the Operative’s injuries but he lay for at least a day in the hospital and was in visible agony as he walked about with a limp while giving orders in a hoarse voice in the days that followed. Mal did get the message out, broadcast the truth about Miranda to the galaxy, and the repercussions of this are as yet unknown to us. River, to our utter astonishment, survived her assault on the Reavers, and she literally saved me and our wounded comrades from a fate too horrid to contemplate.”

River had saved them, the Capt’n broadcast the message but then came a moment of uncertainty as Alliance soldiers, their blood up, came bursting into the area, ready to kill them until the Operative told them to stand down. A long moment of uneasiness followed until the Capt’n demanded medical aid for his people, to which the Operative assented. The rest was very confusing for Kaylee. She remembered her and Simon being taken away on stretchers, a tent with doctors and blood and burnt and wounded Alliance people, and the looks of hatred they all sent her way. Simon disappeared into a closed off area and Kaylee was lain on the floor. Inara was at her side as was River. The Capt’n staggered into the tent and then collapsed and he was quickly moved off to have surgery also. Jayne sat on a crate and let a medic look at his shoulder, growling the whole time, eyes darting everywhere, looking for signs of trouble, until he too went in for surgery to remove the bullet from his shoulder, a surgery that wasn’t quite a success as they had recently found out. Zoe refused medical attention at first and she and Inara went off to look at Serenity and to take care of Wash.

“I do not remember much of what happened next. Kaylee told me I was taken into an operating tent where I assume the bullet was removed. I awoke in a bed in a building that was converted to a temporary hospital. The first person I saw when I awoke was my sister and her smile was like sunshine for my soul. Next to her was Kaylee and both my ladies were safe and that was enough for the moment as I passed out again. Sometime later I awoke again and it was nighttime. Around me in other beds were Jayne, Zoe, and Mal. Kaylee was asleep in a chair next to my bed and River was asleep also, draped over the foot of my bed. Inara was sitting by Mal and as she saw me awake she came over and filled me in all that had happened. Wash was definitely dead and when I asked how she just shook her head and could not go on.”

“She said Kaylee had only been in bed for one day and then was fine. At that point Kaylee awoke and came over and gave me a big kiss, our first real kiss and it felt wonderful, even through my fog of pain, drugs, and confusion. Inara just smiled but it was forced and then I saw why. Our little corner of this building had several guards. Kaylee said they were there to protect us, on orders from the Operative, because many of the Alliance survivors of the attack found out who we were and wanted us dead to avenge their many losses from the Reavers. The Operative was still in charge and he was protecting us. My mind could not grasp this change of events and my injuries were painful and my mind clouded with confusion.”

Those were the terrible days, Kaylee remembered, not knowing what would happen from moment to moment. She had been able to move and walk on the second day and then went to the side of her comrades. Jayne only stayed in bed for two nights then got up, restless, and went off to Serenity. Zoe followed the next day and they secretly brought in a few guns which were hidden under Simon and the Capt’n’s mattress, just in case the Operative changed his mind or lost control of the situation. Kaylee went out with them to start the clean up of the ship and it was a mess. She went around and wrote down every problem and she despaired at all that was wrong with her lovely lady. The Capt’n sat in his bed and read and re-read the list and his face got a look of despair and he just shook his head and handed the paper back to Kaylee.

But the next morning he seemed to have regained hope and he gathered them all around his bed and put it to them: fix Serenity or abandon her. As one they all agreed to fix their home and he started barking orders again and after a few seconds just flung his blanket aside and demanded his clothing. He needed a bit of help because of his broken ribs but after he was ready they walked out of the hospital, all except Simon, who couldn’t move yet and River who refused to leave his side. The Capt’n ordered Jayne to stay behind to protect the Tams in case of trouble. And then he saw the ship and his face got that look of despair for just a second but it passed and he turned to her and said “OK, little Kaylee, you’re in charge. What do we need and what needs to be done.” After she told him everything he got on the Cortex and waved everyone they knew and called in every favor owed him, begged and borrowed the money and parts.

She saw him talking to the Operative one morning and overheard him say that the Alliance would have no part in repairing his ship and they were on their own. A local operator of a ship dock and scrap yard had been a friend of Mr. Universe and he sympathized with their plight and helped them move the ship from its crash position to his dock and asked for no payment. He secretly thanked them also; what with all the crashed Alliance and Reaver ships nearby he was making a mint on salvages the Alliance was paying him for. He even managed to get some parts off those ships without his Alliance watch dogs discovering and they found their way into Kaylee’s hands and into Serenity. That was the big step, the most important one and from then they worked like dogs for a month to get everything back in shape. And Kaylee finally had that moment she had wanted with Simon for so long.

“My last night in the hospital Kaylee and I finally consummated our relationship. She has been tending me since I was wounded. She came one night, when it was real quiet and all the others had gone and she finally reminded me of the words I said to her just before the battle. As she spoke on this memory she drew the curtains around my bed and slowly started taking off her clothes. I protested that I was still hurt, that it was a public place and the guards were still nearby, but she just came to the side of my bed, kissed me and told me to shut up. Her lips were so soft and wonderful and then she was completely naked and my eyes marveled at the sight of her lovely form. She pulled up the covers and then lay next to me and the next moments were pure bliss as we made love for the first time. We did it two more times before morning. The doctor who came to check on me at dawn saw us together and said if I could spend the night with a woman in my bed than I was ready to leave his hospital.”

Kaylee felt warm all over remembering that first time. Oh, he had been reluctant, worried on everything as usual, but she had waited long enough and she had him alone at last and almost helpless so she took charge and did what they had both wanted to do for so long. It had been magical and the desires that had consumed her body, dreams, and many a waking thought were finally released in sweet pleasure.

“Today we said goodbye to Wash, Mr. Universe and Shepherd Book. We found a little section of land off from the complex and built three small monuments to our friends. Kaylee rigged some holographic images of the three from recordings we had and it was a fitting tribute to them. Wash and Mr. Universe were cremated and their ashes placed in urns under the monuments. Book will have to wait until we return to Haven, but we will give him a proper send off as we had promised him.”

That had been a sad day and Kaylee still struggled with the reality of what they had lost. As she closed the journal and thought on her friends, Simon came in.

“Hi. Mal and Zoe are back.”

Kaylee put down the journal and followed him to the cargo bay where the Capt’n and Zoe stood talking to River and Inara.

“How’s everything?” she asked, a bit concerned since Jayne was not with them.

“No worries,” said the Capt’n. “Peaceful little town, has a few shops, church, one school, barbershop, trading company, nice houses, an electrical generating house, and one bar.”

Zoe looked at her. “Guess where we found Jayne?”

Kaylee pondered for a second in a mocking way. “Mmmmm let me see…the bar?”

Inara chimed in, “Which also doubles as a whorehouse. Apparently there is one lady of my profession in this little town and Jayne refused to leave the warmth of her bed until morning.”

“Not a big deal, let him have his, ah, fun,” said the Capt’n. “Didn’t see a gun anywhere except them few fellows working for Beauregard. Had a drink, talk to the old timer, Pete, and he said ain’t no trouble here, people minds themselves, farm their land, come to town for a few drinks, have a fight once in awhile but nothing serious.”

River looked at Mal and Zoe. “There’s a house.”

“A house?’ Simon asked. “River, what about a house?”

Zoe smiled. “She’s right. Your new home. Old Pete said they had a house where the old doctor lived. He died about two months ago, had no family. Office on the first floor, living quarters on the second, some furniture. All yours if you stay.”

Kaylee couldn’t believe it. “A house? For…us?”

“Yup,” said Mal. “Nice one too, dark green with blue trimmings, got electricity by looks of it. We’ll wait till morning. Beauregard should be up by then, Simon?”

“He seems to be doing well. I’ll know more in the morning, but…it looks good.”

A silence fell as they all realized what this meant and Kaylee was suddenly afraid of what was to come. Mal finally broke the silence.

“Let’s have a drink,” and they all broke into grins and headed for the dining area after they closed up the ramp and locked up the ship.

They all got good and drunk except Simon who had a patient to be responsible for, and Mal, who had many drinks but didn’t seem drunk. Supper was late for once as Kaylee and Inara spent more time giggling and spilling things than doing a proper job. It was still delicious and Simon brought some to Beauregard’s man in the infirmary and Mal even sent him a glass of sake, for which the man was much obliged. Simon later told them he showed the man to a passenger room where he could rest and Simon promised he would call him if anything happened to his boss.

Meanwhile the drinking continued late into the night. River played games with them trying to guess what object or number or event they were thinking on and she was always right. When it was Kaylee’s turn she had been looking at Simon, who had come upstairs for a brief while to get some coffee and she couldn’t help but think of making love to him. River blushed and told Kaylee that she shouldn’t have such nasty thoughts about her brother and everyone howled with glee and both Simon and Kaylee turned a might redder.

As they were drinking Kaylee noticed the Capt’n drank as much as the others but didn’t get drunk, like he wanted to be in control of his faculties in case of trouble. In fact, Zoe, River, Kaylee, and Inara drank the most and before Kaylee knew it her head was droopy and she was telling everyone she loved them and would miss them all and they were always welcome in their house anytime. The way they talked it was an accepted fact that three of them could very well be leaving on the morrow. The last thing Kaylee remembered was Simon taking her to bed and giving her a goodnight kiss. She tried to drag him into bed with her, but he had to take care of his patient and soon she drifted off to dream world, her mind filled with thoughts of green fields and a little house. ********************************************************************

Kaylee awoke and was instantly worried because Simon wasn’t at her side. She sat up quickly and regretted it at once as her head spun and she nearly got sick. She steadied and calmed herself and then remembered they were on Boros, she had drunk a lot last night, and Simon had a patient in the infirmary, a patient who would be their benefactor if all went well. She slowly pulled herself out of bed, put on Simon’s robes, grabbed a towel and soap and staggered off to the bathroom, not even caring if anyone was around.

The shower was invigorating and brought her back to her senses. She stayed for a long time, having disabled the timer after remembering they were parked next to a river and were on a planet with plenty of water. As she combed her hair in the mirror a knock came to the door.

“Kaylee?” It was Simon. “You OK?”

“Yes. Just a minute, dear.”

She came out and he grabbed her and gave her a big hug and kiss, long and loving and Kaylee felt wonderful in his arms as always.

“Mmmmm, what did I do to deserve that?” she murmured.

“I’ve got wonderful news,” he said with a big grin and Kaylee waited for more but he just looked at her, grinning.

“Well, tell me, don’t kept me in suspense!”

“Beauregard is awake. River she, ah, checked him out, and he seems honest in his intentions. He said he’d give us the house, the town will pay me a salary, not much but what they can afford. Folks can also pay in food and what not. Told him you were my wife and he said he’d already met you and said he sure could use a mechanic around here, too.”

It was all happening so quickly Kaylee wondered when it all took place. “What…you…mean…wait a second…what time is it?”

“Hmm, almost eleven am,” he replied and she just shook her head in disbelief.

“You let me sleep all morning!” and she started hitting him with the towel and chased him into their bedroom until both collapsed on the bed. In an instant they both knew what they wanted to do and Simon leaped up and shut the door and was out of his clothes a few moments later and Kaylee and Simon made love aboard Serenity for the last time…ever.

The days that followed were full of joy and heartache. The town welcomed them with open arms and they moved into the little house with the doctor’s office on the ground floor. Simon immediately saw that they needed a whole slew of things for his clinic and made a long list. He persuaded Beauregard that the town surely needed these things and Beauregard hired Serenity for a cargo run to Persephone. When folks heard a ship was making a cargo run out came the little piles of money they had saved and before Mal knew it he had dozens of orders for farm machinery parts and orders from the merchants for hundreds of items, odds, and ends for the few shops and the bar in town. He waved Harrow on Persephone and Harrow said he’d have his people get together the order and also asked the Capt’n to arraign some connections with the local farmers for their produce. Beauregard was more than happy to make a new business arraignment and it appeared that everyone would make out on this deal. Mal kept waiting for something to happen to screw things up like always but nothing occurred and even he began to relax for a change.

Kaylee and River got to work making their new house a home. The bachelor lifestyle of the previous owner, the now deceased doctor, had left the house a little bare. The two women got some paint and set to work and also added a few nice curtains, a painting or two, and gave it all a thorough cleaning, which was a start. As soon as the bathtub was clean Kaylee spent a few hours in luxury and before long the other Serenity women were lined up for the chance at this little piece of pleasure.

Jayne finally staggered out of the bar/whorehouse after three days and sheepishly said all his money was gone but it was well-worth it. A scantily clad blond woman hung out the second floor window and told him to come back next pay day, at which Jayne said sure, but to the others quietly said that she was so lustful he might need to wait a few months to recover.

Kaylee found herself in increasing demand outside the home as she soon got a reputation for fixing things after she restored Beauregard’s little vehicle to running status again. He drove that machine everywhere it could go and it was lucky for him because he limped about with a cane for many weeks after the operation before his leg was finally healed. He was truly grateful for Simon for fixing his leg and Kaylee for fixing his machine.

Serenity left on its cargo run and Kaylee knew they would be back in a few days but she still felt a pain of loss as the old Firefly took off and she and Simon and River were left alone. It didn’t happen the way she had envisioned or dreamed, cause they weren’t saying goodbye permanently and they would be back soon. What really hurt was the fact that for the first time in a long time she knew she wouldn’t be going with them and her worries multiplied. She knew the Capt’n had piloting experience and Zoe and Inara could in theory also fly Serenity, having flown the shuttles many times, but she worried over the engines and worried if anyone got hurt. Before they left the Capt’n took her aside, far from the others near the river bank.

“Had a wave from Harrow. Said he can get that inspector back if I want. Think she’s up for it?”

“Yes, Capt’n….”

“Don’t have to call me that no more.”

She was stunned for a moment, having always called him that. “But…I mean…I always…no, I can’t call you nothing else. You’re the Capt’n and always will be.”

He smiled and nodded. “Guess so. Guess Zoe will be calling me ‘sir’ till we’re old and grey.”

“Don’t wait that long. Please.” And she looked at him with worry in her eyes.

“What you on about, little Kaylee?”

“You and Inara. Don’t wait. Marry her, make a family, find a peaceful corner of the verse, enjoy your lives, away from the Alliance, be safe.”

“Yeah, she’s been talking about that. Don’t know if I can be anything else.”

“Yes you can. You’re a good man, you set your mind to something, it’ll get done. Lots of people need a man like you, a leader, and not in any war, just in a small corner of the verse, like Beauregard has done here, someone to stand up for folks and help them when they need it most of all.”

“Well, that was a mouthful. Reckon that’s what Inara’s been trying to say to me.”

He gave her a big hug and looked her in the eyes. “I’ll give your words a lot of thought. Simon got a good notion there, and I know you’ll be happy here, but you know you can always come back anytime.”

“I know. Be safe,” and she held him for a long time until finally they walked back to Serenity and she said goodbye to the others. She held back her tears, knowing it was only for short time but still it felt like the last time. When the ramp went up, she and Simon and River walked back to get away from the take off blast and when they were a safe distance they turned. The low rumble of the VTOL’s came and then the fiery blast scorched the grass by the river as the old Firefly, her home for four long years, rose up and up and then turned and was soon far away and lost to sight.

They stood for a long time looking at the sky and finally Simon turned to her and said, “Let’s go home.”

Serenity returned five days later, on a clear wonderful sunny morning, landing in the same spot, the engines shutting down just as people came running to see what she had brought. As the ramp came down Simon, River and Kaylee ran up and greeted their friends with big hugs and handshakes. The cargo bay was stuffed and Jayne and Zoe got to work with the locals to unload the ship, with Simon making sure they were extra careful with his medical supplies. As they went about this task Mal took Kaylee aside and lead her down the ramp to the side of the ship, keeping her back to the ship. She was confused as to what he was doing but just let him, knowing he had to have a good reason for acting so strangely.

“Now, you recall how we talked about making Serenity a legit cargo carrier?”

“Yes, Capt’n. But that man said you needed to change the name of the ship.”

“That he did, and he came and inspected her and she passed with flying colors thanks to you and River and the work you did. But then we came to the name on the licenses and inspection report and I had me a hard time. You know this here name has special meaning for me and Zoe, maybe me more than her, but you know, I thought long and hard on what we last talked about, and after much thought and a few misgivings I decided to change the name.”

She immediately tried to turn around to see what happened to the big “Serenity” logo but he held her shoulders. Kaylee could see the rest of the crew had come out of the ship with Simon and River and they were all standing there looking at her and Kaylee began to get a bit worried.

“Now I had to think on what name and it had to be something special, something to remind me of something special, or in this case, someone special.”

“Some…one?” she said and then she knew what he had done but couldn’t quite believe it. All the others were beaming at her and slowly Kaylee turned and looked up and then just gasped.

The Serenity logo was gone and in its place was the familiar orange yellow disk but it was now surrounded by red roses with the ship’s new name in stylish white lettering in Chinese and English in the center:

“Little Kaylee”.

Kaylee was struck dumb by this act of…what it was she couldn’t quite place it but it was so….shiny! She turned to him and was just speechless and he grinned. “Couldn’t think of a better name. Hope you like it.”

“Oh my God, you…oh I love it of course…but Serenity is now…me!”

Zoe put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “She’ll always be Serenity, but she’ll always be you also, Little Kaylee.”

Kaylee looked around at the others. “Inara?”

“I painted it of course, but you can fix it up if you want.”

“No, no, it’s fine.”

“I wanted to call it Vera but I was outvoted,” said Jayne and Kaylee couldn’t tell if he was joking or not.

“You get a ship named after you. All I got was a hamster,” said Simon in mock disappointment and then he grinned and came over and hugged her and stood looking up at the logo.

“It’s nice,’ was all River said. “But Zoe’s right. She’ll always be Serenity.”

“Yes,” agreed Kaylee. “She’ll always be Serenity.”

They all stood and looked at the ship and then at each other and felt the special bond that held them even after all the trials and tribulations, ups and downs, and the pain of loss and the joy of love.

“Let’s get back to work,” Mal finally said and they moved off to help with the cargo.

A long time later in the evening they sat in the new house in the kitchen just off from the doctor’s office and had a wonderful meal Kaylee had cooked and then out came the bottles and more than a few drinks were had, but Kaylee didn’t have any. As the party got louder, Kaylee went outside for a breath of fresh air. After a few minutes Simon found her and they stared up at the stars and the infinite black of space beyond.

“Tell me we did the right thing,” she said to her husband.

“Time will tell, but I think we did,” he finally said after a long moment.

“I hope so, cause I have something to tell you,” she said and was very serious, looking him deep in the eyes and she could sense he was worried.

“What’s the matter?”

And she just grinned and said, “I think I’m pregnant.”

Simon’s eyes widened and then he just held her and said “How?”

She laughed, “Jeeze, you were there!”

“No, no I mean how do you know?”

“Cause I am late. Ain’t never been late before, not ever”

“Oh, my lovely lady, you’ve just made me the happiest man in the verse,” he said and they hugged and kissed for a long time.

“We should tell the others?” she whispered to him.

“Not till I run some tests in the morning. Need to be sure. But for now no more drinking, no coffee, need to eat lots of greens and….”

And they talked about it for a long time and then made their way back to the house when the others called for them. Before they entered Kaylee paused and looked again at the stars and thanked God for bringing her this man, and this baby, and those friends inside and promised to be good all her life if he would protect those she loved and let her and Simon and River have a little peace, even for a little while, so she could raise this baby and make a home for her new family.

Author’s Note: One more piece, an epilogue, to come.

COMMENTS

Friday, November 30, 2007 11:30 AM

SHAMROCK


*Shrieks with glee* EEEEE!!!! I'm so happy they decided to get off. I think this will be a wise descision. Based on what the Beauregard man is like, and considering Simon has fixed up his leg, I think things might run lovely now. I liked how it tied in with the 2nd hal of the movie. Poor Wash... I hate the fact he's dead. Ugh. This was a fabulous chapter. I enjoyed reading it so much. And now Kaylee is pregnant! Oh wow. (possibly, but most likely.) And I wonder how River will be now... I can't wait for the follow up chapter.

Friday, November 30, 2007 4:11 PM

MERRYK


I loved this chapter! Both the current time and the diary parts made me want to squee. :-)

Saturday, December 1, 2007 3:27 AM

BLACKBEANIE


Fantastic, but I'm sad 'cause there's only one bit left *sniff*.

Saturday, December 1, 2007 5:24 AM

AMDOBELL


This was so shiny I kept waiting for the angst to kick in, then when it didn't I dared to think things might turn out right after all. While I am so happy Simon, Kaylee and River have found a place to settle among folk who seem to need and appreciate them part of me will always lament the fact that they are no longer on Serenity. Ali D
You can't take the sky from me

Saturday, December 1, 2007 5:51 AM

LEIASKY


You've worked the dilemma of them leaving well. Am looking forward to the epilogue!


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