Blue Blood – Chapter Seven As always, I remind all and sundry that I own no rights to Firefly, and write solely for my own entertainment and pleasure. ----------------------- Mal was pacing again, on the bridge. Inara was trying to ignore him, but it was becoming harder and harder to do. “Mal, will you please stop that!” she finally implored, and Mal stopped short, looking at her in puzzlement. “Stop what?” “That incessant pacing,” Inara replied, rolling her eyes. “You’re going to wear a path in the bridge floor.” “Sorry,” Mal mumbled. “Just got things on my mind.” “I know,” Inara relented a little. “We’re all worried, Mal. Just try and keep a bit more calm, okay? There’s nothing you can do out here.” Companion was halfway through the return leg to Argo. Mal was skittish, still worrying over that inspection. He was sure the blue suited man he had glimpsed was a Blue Hand, and that he had influenced the inspection in some way in order to get a look at the ship’s crew. That had been the plan, Mal admitted. But for some reason, he was still worried. “I just. . .something feels off about all this, Inara,” Mal struggled to pinpoint the source of his worries. “Of course it does,” she nodded. “We were finally in the clear, until this. Now everything we’ve worked for is in jeopardy.” “Jayne’s not gonna be happy with me, either,” Mal almost groaned. “He wanted to end Sheriff Grippen last time, and I held his hand. Thought my way was better.” “It was better, Mal,” Inara soothed. “Try convincing Jayne of that,” Mal shot back. “It ain’t me and you that’s got to fear them Blue Hands.” “All of us have to fear them, Mal,” Inara pointed out. “Maybe some,” he nodded. “But it’s still River and Jayne that’s in the real danger, here. And Jayne, he ain’t like to respond well when River’s in danger.” “Would you ‘respond well’, if it were me?” Inara asked softly, and Mal smiled faintly. “No, I would not,” he told her. “But I ain’t the killer Jayne is, Inara. I ain’t got his strength, his ability, nor most importantly, his attitude. Jayne’s outlook on human life, and it’s value, is fairly straightforward. If you’re a threat, your life is worthless.” “That just makes you a better man, Mal,” Inara told him. “The fact that you place a higher value on human life. I like Jayne, love him dearly in fact,” she admitted. “But his callousness alarms me at times. I often wonder how River is able to accept it.” “Cause she’s the same way,” Mal said flatly. “Told me so herself. She and Jayne, for all their differences, are a lot alike. Probably why their relationship works so well.” “Maybe,” Inara mused. “But I still like you how you are, Mal. I don’t think I could love you like I do, if you were like Jayne.” Mal smiled at that, kissing her lightly. “That’s good to know,” he told her, hugging her gently. “But Jayne will still be upset, and this time rightly so. It’s him and River that may have to find a new home over this. Not us.” “What?” Inara pulled away from him, looking at Mal as if he’d suddenly grown a new head. “What do you mean?” “Well, if this little scam of mine don’t work, and the Blue Hands come after River here, then it won’t be safe for them to stay,” Mal shrugged helplessly. “They’ll have to head out.” “Alone?” Inara was incredulous. “Well, I expect Simon will want to go,” Mal frowned in thought. “And Kaylee will go wherever he goes, I imagine.” “Mal, are you saying that you’ll abandon them?” Inara asked, eyes wide with surprise. “Aban. . .what? No!” Mal looked aghast. “But we can’t just up and go on the run, either! We got a home, now. Can’t be giving that up,” he reasoned. “So we’ll just let them fend for themselves?” Inara asked, eyes narrowing. “I don’t know that it will come to that,” Mal replied, wondering what he’d done now. “I ain’t just gonna kick’em out, Inara. They want to stay on, they’re welcome to! I just don’t expect they’ll want to stay where they know the Blue Sun can find’em so easy. That’s all.” Inara calmed somewhat at that, not having completely worked out what Mal was saying. No, Jayne likely would not want to keep River somewhere that Blue Sun knew about. Not from fear, she knew, at least not for himself. There was no doubt in Inara’s mind that Jayne would die protecting River. No, his fear would be for after he was dead. When River would be vulnerable. “We’ll work it out,” Mal told her, seeing the emotions working across her face. “We’ll work it out.” --------------------- Goldie woke up suddenly, the second day back on Argo. One minute he was sleeping, the next he was awake. Zoe was sitting by his bed, where she’d sat almost every waking hour since they’d arrived. “What the. . .” Goldie tried to talk, but found his throat was dry as dust. Zoe jerked to attention, and grabbed a glass of water from the bedside tray, holding it out to him. “Drink some of this,” she told him gently. “You been out for a while,” she added, as Goldie sipped the water through a straw. “Do you remember what happened?” “I remember being on the hull,” Goldie said, looking around him. “Where are we, Captain?” Zoe’s face fell at the term ‘Captain’, but Goldie didn’t see it. When he turned back to her, she was firmly in control of her expression. “You were hit by a small meteorite,” she explained calmly, forcing her voice to be professional. “Jayne hauled you back inside, and we cut your suit off. Mal was behind us, with Serenity, and Simon was with him, so we turned about and met up with them. We moved you over to Serenity, and Mal and his crew went on in the Companion to make the run. We brought you home.” “Well,” Goldie said, thoughtfully. “Guess I need to get the kid a good bottle then, don’t I?” he asked, grinning slightly. Zoe chuckled. “Probably wouldn’t make River happy,” she pointed out. He nodded. “Cigar, then,” he decided. “How long I been out?” “Almost three days,” Zoe told him. “Well, sorry about all the fuss, Cap’n,” he told her. “If I’d known it was comin’, I’da ducked or something.” “These things happen,” Zoe told him. “But Simon says you’ll be fine.” “Indeed he will,” Simon smiled, walking into the small room. “Glad to see you up and awake.” “Well, I’m fairly pleased to be awake,” Goldie said. “Don’t think I feel up to the ‘up’ part o’ that, just yet.” “No,” Simon chuckled, “I imagine not. And I’d prefer you didn’t try it, at least for another couple of days. But you will be fine.” “That’s good to know, Simon,” Goldie said earnestly. “Well, I need to get back to the ship,” Zoe said suddenly, standing. “Thanks for checking on me, Cap’n,” Goldie smiled, a friendly action, but without the heat it once would have had. “Have to look after my crew,” was all Zoe said, nodding. “Let me know if he needs anything, Doc.” “Okay,” Simon nodded, frowning. “Well, that was odd,” he said aloud, once Zoe was gone. “What you mean, Doc?” Goldie asked. “She’s been here at your side for nearly the whole time, holding your hand, talking to you, just being here. Then you wake up, and she’s got to go?” Simon shook his head. “I’ll never understand women.” “Me neither, Doc,” Goldie got a thoughtful look on his face. “Me neither.”

----------------------- When Companion touched down, Mal was unsurprised when the first face he saw as the ramp descended was Jayne Cobb’s. He’d expected it, in fact. That didn’t make him any happier to see him. Or the scowl on his face, for that matter. “Did it work?” Jayne demanded without preamble. “Had a good trip, Jayne, thanks for asking,” Mal replied sarcastically. “Ain’t caring about your trip,” Jayne growled. “I know,” Mal sighed. “And yes, I think it worked. I got a glimpse of one of the Blue Hands giving us the once over. We had a surprise inspection, which I’m sure was their doin’. I made sure he could see Inara, and since she’s the pilot, and he’ll find that out, that may be that.” “Or it may not,” Jayne said flatly. “Or it may not,” Mal nodded. “I’m sorry Jayne.” Jayne’s scowl faltered at that. “For what?” he asked. “For not lettin’ you kill that hundan before,” Mal said bluntly. “I. . .I honestly thought our problems with him were behind us. I was wrong, and I’m sorry.” Jayne just looked at Mal. He’d been prepared for a knock-down, drag-out confrontation with the Captain. Mal’s admission of being wrong, and his apology, had taken the wind from his sails all at once. “Ah, hell,” he finally grimaced. “Can’t do nothin’ ‘bout it now. But this time, Mal, he dies.” “I won’t stand in your way,” Mal told him plainly. “But wait long enough to see if the Blue Hands do him in for lyin’.” “I’m hopin’ that don’t happen, seein’ as he may lead’em right out here to us,” Jayne said quietly. Mal started. He hadn’t thought of that. Jayne snorted. “Didn’t think of that, I take it?” “No,” Mal admitted, crestfallen. “No, I didn’t, Jayne. I’m sorry.” “We’ll just have to see what happens,” Jayne sighed wearily. Without another word, Jayne turned away, walking toward the main building. Mal watched him go, unable to get over the feeling that he had failed two of his crew while trying to do what he’d thought best. -------------------- Evelyn McAdams had been the Sheriff’s secretary for five years. In that time, she’d learned a number of things about Grippen, none of which were flattering. Thus when George Harwell, and old friend of her family’s, had approached her about keeping tabs on Grippen, as much as she could without getting into trouble, she had agreed. George Harwell was an important man, she reasoned. If anyone could bring Grippen down, it was him. She was working at her desk, filing routine reports, when the door opened. She looked up, seeing two men in identical blue suits walk into the lobby of the office. Her breath caught as she realized who they were. “How can I help you, gentlemen?” she forced herself to smile sweetly, and put on her best ‘dumb’ look and act. “We’d like to speak with the Sheriff, miss,” the larger smiled. He looked plastic, Evelyn decided. “Let me see if he’s busy,” she nodded, smiling again. She walked to the sheriff’s office door, knocked lightly, and opened the door when bid. “Sheriff, there are two men out here asking for you,” she told him sweetly. “I think they’re from that Sun Bond thingy,” she added, deliberately mispronouncing it as always. The Sheriff looked up. “Good, good,” he smiled at her. “Been expecting them. Show them in.” “Okay, sir,” Evelyn nodded. “Oh, I’m going to eat lunch in just a few minutes. I’ll turn the machine on, so you won’t be bothered.” “That’s fine, sweetie,” Grippen replied paternally. “Thank you.” “Yes, sir.” Evelyn walked back to her desk where the two men apparently hadn’t moved. “The sheriff will see you, sirs,” she smiled. “Right through that doorway, right there,” she pointed. The smaller one smiled, this time. “Thank you,” he nodded, and the two men went to the door, entered, and closed it behind them. ------------------ “Well, gentlemen, I trust you have a hefty reward somewhere in those suits of yours? Grippen asked. He was startled when the larger of the two grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall behind his desk. The smaller smiled. “My friend is a bit, upset, shall we say?” he said conversationally. “It seems that your information was incorrect, Sheriff Grippen. He dislikes being lied to, I’m afraid.” “What. . .what are you. . .talkin’ ‘bout,” Grippen managed to croak out. “We investigated your report,” the smaller replied, his voice friendly. “There was no River Tam aboard the ship that landed on Astra. The pilot was a woman, yes,” he added. “But not River Tam.” “Bo. . .both his pilots is. . .is women,” Grippen again croaked. He never bothered to wear his gun in the office, a policy he was rethinking even now. “Both?” the smaller man asked with interest, and the grip the larger man had on him eased somewhat. “He’s got two ships,” Grippen managed to gasp, now that he was getting a bit more air. “Just alike. Both ships have a woman pilot.” “We were not made aware he had two vessels.” “Didn’t think on it, since it was her ship that was on the run,” Grippen admitted. “Other pilot is a dark haired woman. Quite a looker. Usually flies with Reynolds.” “Indeed.” The larger man had released his hold on Grippen, but had not stepped back. “Then it is possible that this is all a misunderstanding.” “Likely,” the smaller mused. “Sheriff, I think you should take a ride with us. To wherever these ships are located. You can correct your oversight by helping us now.” Grippen looked from one to the other, and realized he had no choice. He started to reach for his gun, but the smaller stopped him with his voice. “You won’t be needing that.”