Inferno – Chapter Four I don’t own Firefly, and I don’t get paid for this. But it’s so much fun. ------------------ True to his word, the fuel tech got Companion next. Jayne was waiting when the man hauled around to the ramp. “This ain’t gonna get you in trouble, right?” Jayne asked. “Nah,” the man smiled tiredly. “Most folks, when they hear, ‘eleven hour backlog’, just say to wake’em when we get to’em. They’ll never know the difference.” “Okay, then,” Jayne nodded, and turned to Kaylee. “All yours,” he smiled. “Thank you, Jayne,” Kaylee whispered, and Jayne winked. “Come on around this way, sir,” she said to the tech, and with that Jayne was alone on the ramp. “Jayne,” he heard Zoe’s voice behind him. Okay, he wasn’t alone. He turned. “We’re taking fuel,” he said neutrally. “We need to get some things straight, Jayne,” Zoe told him, and Jayne shrugged. “No, we don’t,” he replied. “You’re the Captain, and you don’t want me doing anything that ain’t your idea. I got that. And I won’t be. So we’re straight.” “Jayne, I don’t need this attitude, not right now,” Zoe shot back in exasperation. “Zoe, I ain’t gave you any attitude,” Jayne kept his calm. “All the attitude I’ve seen is coming from you. What I can’t figure out is why.” “I don’t like you making off and doing things on your own, without checking with me first,” Zoe told him sternly. “I already told you, just now, you got nothing to worry about on that score. I won’t be ‘making off and doing’ anything in the future. When you want something done, you’ll tell me, and I’ll do it. Otherwise, I’m just here, hanging out.” Jayne held his hands up in a gesture of peace. “Jayne,” Zoe warned, and that was the last straw for Jayne. “What!” he demanded, fist balled in anger. “What is it? We’re on a tight schedule, trying to get to Kaylee’s folks before they fall victim to whatever’s left to hit the place! I saved us nine hours on fueling time, with a few kind words, and got some good information in the meantime. Do I hear, ‘good work, Jayne’? No. I hear, attitude.” “I don’t really expect compliments from you, Zoe, nor Mal, either, it comes to that. But I damn sure didn’t expect you to get a burr under your saddle at me for helping solve a problem!” Zoe looked at Jayne for a moment, at a loss for words at the big man’s vehemence. “Jayne, I just want to make sure that you ain’t going off on some. . .” “That’s it,” Jayne said, starting back into the ship. “That’s the last time I want to hear that. I am not some damn kid, who goes off half-cocked. Yes, I’ve done things that you maybe didn’t like, or agree with. Tough. I did what had to be done. It’s not my fault you and Mal are so damn squeamish when it comes to dealing with trouble.” “But you can put your worries to bed, Zoe,” he went on, stopping to turn and look at her. “The minute this ship grounds again, at Argo, I’m done. Through.” “What’s that mean?” Zoe demanded. “It means, Captain,” Jayne almost snarled, “that I quit!” With that he turned on his heel, and stalked away, heading up the steps. Zoe watched him go, stunned.

------------- “Quit?” Simon blinked at that. Kaylee nodded. “I heard him say it,” she told Simon. “Zoe was givin’ him what for about something to do with the fueling, and he just went off.” “Jayne was the one who got us fueled so fast!” Simon objected, and Kaylee nodded again. “I know,” she said softly. “He did it so we could go on and help my folks. Simon, I feel so bad!” “None of that, now,” Simon hugged her to him. “Jayne wouldn’t want you to feel bad about this, Kaylee.” “We can’t let him quit, Simon!” Kaylee looked up at him. “Um, this is Jayne we’re talking about, you remember?” Simon asked. “No one really ‘lets’ him do anything, Kaylee. If he’s decided to leave, I don’t think we can stop him.” “River can,” Kaylee said confidently. “I’ll talk to her.” ----------------- “Quit?” River cocked her head at Kaylee. “That’s what I heard him say,” the mechanic replied. “That once we got home, he quit.” River shook her head, sadly. “Zoe must have started in on him again,” the little pilot told her. “I had him talked out of it, I thought.” “What?” Kaylee looked shocked. “You mean he’d said something before?” “Yes,” River sighed. “Mal and Zoe don’t seem to trust Zhang fu,” she said sadly. “It hurts him, because he has worked so hard to gain their trust, and to make himself better.” “Don’t trust him?” Kaylee asked in bewilderment. “Why in the world would he think that?” River looked at Kaylee. “Well, consider that Zoe was angry with Jayne for shaving the time off our refueling, for one.” “Why?” “Didn’t want him making ‘arrangements’ for ‘her’ ship,” River told her flatly. “Methinks that Zoe has learned too well from the Captain Daddy Manual of Leadership.” “Of all the. . .” Kaylee broke off, not knowing what to say. “I’ll talk to him,” River promised. “But he has his heart set on working the land that Mister Guilford gave us as a wedding gift. I don’t know if I can persuade him or not.” “River, what will you do?” Kaylee exclaimed. “I don’t know,” River admitted. “But I don’t think I’ll want to keep flying, if Jayne is not with me.” -------------------- “So you managed to run the kid off, then?” Goldie asked, as he and Zoe sat at the table. “Can you be a little less sarcastic, and happy with yourself?” Zoe growled, and Goldie chuckled. “My, we are in a snit, aren’t we?” he shot back. Zoe glared at him. “All I was trying to do. . .” she started. “Was to grind him under your heel,” Goldie finished for her. “That won’t work with him, Zoe. You should know that, by now.” “I can’t let him. . .” “He won’t, Zoe,” Goldie told her gently. “You really think he’d do something to interfere with us getting to Kaylee’s parents as quick as we can? If you do, then you don’t know him at all. Kaylee’s like family to him. Family is the most important thing in the entire ‘verse to that boy. After River. Which, she’s family too, of course.” “It would be funny, if it weren’t so sad,” Goldie sighed. “I mean, you trust him to rip a bomb off the hull, but not to fix it so you can get fuel faster? How does this make any sense, Zoe?” Zoe opened her mouth to reply, but as the words sank in, she hesitated. Goldie had a point. They all trusted Jayne to take care of them, to watch their backs, to eliminate threats. Why was she so upset with him for something so simple as making an arrangement to get their fuel much faster than they otherwise would have done? “I. . .” Zoe started, then stopped. Goldie looked at her sympathetically. “You’ve got a lot on your mind,” he told her softly, taking her hand in his. “We’ve all been under a good bit of strain, lately, and this trip is enough, by itself, to make anyone worry.” “I shouldn’t have took it out on Jayne,” Zoe mumbled. “Or anyone else, for that matter.” “He’ll get over it,” Goldie told her, kissing her hand. “Just give it time.” -------------- But Jayne wasn’t getting over it. Fact was, he felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his wide shoulders, and he was feeling pretty good. The big man was lifting weights in the cargo bay when his wife glided softly to his side. He set the bar back on the rack and sat up, reaching out to ensnare her. River deftly sidestepped him. “Sweaty,” she pointed out, laughing as she evaded his grasp. “Didn’t seem to bother you last night,” he grinned. “I was sweaty, last night,” she giggled, slapping his hands away. She leaned in to kiss him, and he grabbed her. River shrieked as Jayne enveloped her. “Now you’re sweaty today,” he growled, and felt a shiver run through her. “Got something you want to tell me?” River asked, looking up at him. His good mood, oddly enough, didn’t go away. “Yep,” he grinned. “I gave my notice, so to speak. When we hit home, again, I’m done. Quit.” She looked at him carefully. “I thought we were going to have that discussion after we finished the business at hand,” she reminded him. “I know,” he nodded, and his good mood did falter at that. “But Zoe started in on me again when the tech showed up to fuel us, and I decided that enough was enough, baby. I can’t make them trust me, and I’m tired of trying to convince them. Either of them. If they can’t depend on me to do the right thing in this situation, they can’t depend on me at all.” “Sean, are you sure you’re not reading too much into all this?” River asked, sitting up. “I mean, everyone is tense. We’ve been through a lot, lately.” “I know that,” he sighed. “But this isn’t just about Zoe. It’s about all of it. Mal always acts like he can’t depend on me to stay calm, to do the right thing. Like he’s got to keep me on a leash, or something. I mean,” he smiled, “blow up one crime lord, and everyone gets so touchy.” River laughed at that despite her edginess at what Kaylee had told her. Jayne loved to hear her laugh. It was like music to him, soothed his soul. “Well, I can see where that would be disheartening,” she told him. “But still,” she grew more serious, “don’t you think it would have been better to make your decision when you weren’t angry? Or upset?” “I wasn’t really angry,” Jayne shrugged. “I guess I was upset, a little. It just seemed so unfair, you know? Zoe acting like I would do something to hurt our chances to help Kaylee’s family.” “I know, sweetheart,” River soothed, reaching out to caress his jaw. “If this is what you want, then fine. I just want you to be happy.” “So long as you’re in my life,” Jayne told her, “then I’m happy.” He leaned in to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing back. “Thought you was worried about gettin’ sweaty,” he mumbled, and she giggled again. “Already sweaty, now,” she mouthed against his lips. “What’s the point?” ------------------ “Miss Inara, it’s time for the watch change.” Inara sat up, suddenly wide awake as Hollins’ voice piped through her shuttle. She hit the com. “Okay, Holly. I’ll be up in a minute.” “Yes, ma’am.” Inara stood, stretching. She’d slept in her clothes, something she’d never have done in her life as a Companion, so all she needed to do was put on her shoes. She checked to make sure her pistol was in place, and left her shuttle, locking it behind her. When she reached the bridge, Hollins was waiting. “Everything’s quiet, ma’am,” he assured her. “And I just took a turn through ship, before I called you. We’re in good shape.” “Thank you, Holly,” she smiled sweetly. “I’m sorry this is so difficult. . .” “Don’t be,” the young man shook his head. “After all that’s happened, lately, it’s a smart precaution. We can manage, no longer than it is to Astra and back.” Inara patted his shoulder fondly, and watched him go. “Call me if you need me,” he said over his shoulder. Inara nodded, closing the door behind him, and locking it. She took a seat in the pilot’s chair, eyes automatically reading over the instruments. Everything was normal. She leaned back with a sigh, wishing Mal was there. With all the alarms set, Inara allowed herself to drift in and out of sleep, awakening automatically every few minutes to scan the panel in front of her. One more day to Astra, she thought with a smile, and I can sleep through the night. --------------------- Mal walked into the office to find both the Greggs brothers waiting for him. Both were now in uniform, and wearing sidearms. “Morning, boys,” Mal nodded, eyeing the four others sitting in the room. “Morning, sir,” they replied. “Sheriff, these are the new applicants you were expecting,” Evelyn said, handing him their completed paperwork. Mal took it, noting who had recommended each one. “Boys,” he addressed the Greggs brothers, “I’ll be a little while. Want you to take a turn around the town, just walk through, and be seen. Have any problems, call me. Once I’m through here, we’ll head out.” The men nodded, leaving quietly. Mal looked at the three men and one woman sitting patiently. “Miss. . .Baker?” he asked, looking at the woman. She nodded, and stood. Mal cast an appraising eye over her. She reminded him of Zoe in build, though her shoulder length red hair and freckles were at odd contrast to Zoe’s dark beauty. Good looking, in the country girl, plenty of fresh air and sunshine sense, but with an air of tomboy about her. “Yes, sir.” “Come on into the office, and let’s talk a bit,” Mal nodded to his door. “Gentlemen, I’ll be with you in turn, in just a bit.” The three men nodded, and Mal walked to his office. Great way to start the day, he groused mentally. He tried to keep thoughts of his crews pushed away, but it was difficult. Zoe and the rest, tearing through space to get to Kaylee’s family. Inara and Holly alone with three men he didn’t know on the trip to Astra. Yes, George had vouched for them, but that wasn’t the same thing as knowing them himself, for all that he trusted Harwell. He’d never imagined that taking the post of Sheriff would be so hard on him in this way. Having to send his people in different directions to deal with both regular business and emergencies such as Aberdeen. He’d been sorely tempted, as the departure time had drawn near, to resign, and go in Zoe’s place. Or at least to go with Inara. But River had been right. He needed to learn to delegate. To trust those under him to do the job when he wasn’t right there looking on. That it was right, though, didn’t make it one bit easier to deal with. He forced those thoughts away, turning to the business at hand. “Tell me a little bit about yourself, Miss Baker.”