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BADKARMA00

Inferno – Chapter Ten
Thursday, December 27, 2007

Highs and Lows


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 2082    RATING: 8    SERIES: FIREFLY

Inferno – Chapter Ten I own no rights to Firefly, and claim none. I write only for the fun of it, and because I miss Firefly. ------------------ Serenity glided gracefully onto the landing pad at Guilford’s. Inara had become an accomplished pilot, Mal decided, watching from his mule. As the ramp came down, he drove over to the ship, and dismounted. “Hey, Sheriff!” John called, waving. “Glad to see you!” “Any problems?” Mal called out. John shook his head. “No sir. Miss Inara took right good care of us!” Mal smiled at that. His smile grew as he saw Inara coming down the steps. “Hey you,” Inara smiled, and Mal wrapped her in his arms, kissing her soundly. Inara’s arms circled his neck, as she kissed him back just as soundly. “Missed me, I see,” Inara smirked when they parted. “I miss you every second you’re not with me, woman,” Mal told her, and Inara felt her face warm. Mal had become a real hand with words in the last year or so. “I missed you too,” she admitted. “Rough trip?” Mal asked. “No, just long,” she assured him. “Everything went fairly well. We had that trouble with the coolant mix again, on the way home. But Holly says he thinks he’s got the cause isolated, and he’s going to fix it before we sail again.” “Good man,” Mal nodded. “The others work out okay?” “Perfectly fine,” she nodded. “Good men. Well mannered, and hard working.” “Nothing like me, then,” he smiled, and she laughed. “No, nothing like you, my pirate,” she kissed him again. Taking his hand, she started toward the stairs. “Where we goin’?” Mal asked. Inara looked at him over her shoulder. “I missed you,” was her only explanation. Mal smiled as her words sank in. “Oh, well,” he smirked. “If you missed me. . .” -------------- Jayne and Liam ducked back inside the door, Liam yelping in pain. “Okay, kid?” Jayne asked, and Liam nodded. “Grazed me,” the younger man said, looking at a wicked burn across his upper arm. “Likely live, though,” he grinned up at Jayne. Jayne winked at him. “Good man.” He turned to River. “Nothing,” she told him, wide eyed. “There was nothing that I could feel. But there are so many on the ship, I. . .” “Don’t,” Jayne told her. “Not your fault. Just wondered if you got anything now.” “Just vague feelings of fear,” she admitted, frowning. “I don’t think they’re bad people. Just hiding. And afraid.” Jayne nodded, pondering that. “Mister Frye,” he called out, and Caleb eased over to the big man. “Reckon this is someone else, hidin’ out? Using this place like we was going to?” “It’s possible,” the elder Frye nodded. “This place isn’t a secret, or anything. Lots of folks know it’s here.” “Reckon you could maybe holler out to ‘em,” Jayne asked. “See if they’re folk you know? I really don’t wanna shoot nobody who’s just trying to protect their family.” Caleb looked at Jayne closely, then nodded. Jayne grabbed him as he moved to the ramp. “No, not out there,” Jayne shook his head. “Just ease up to the bulkhead, and holler out. Don’t want you gettin’ shot. Kaylee’d be like to hurt me, you did,” he smiled, and Caleb laughed. “Well, I don’t want that to happen.” The older man did as Jayne instructed, and yelled out. “Who in tarnation is that shootin’ at old Caleb Frye, out there?” “Caleb?” a man’s voice called back. “Caleb is that you? Sure ‘nough?” “It’s me,” Caleb called back. “Lem Willis, is that you shootin’ at us?” “Land sakes, Caleb!” Willis called back. “I’m right sorry ‘bout that. Didn’t know it was you on there.” “If me and my friends come out, you gonna shoot anymore?” Caleb called. “No!” Willis almost laughed. “Come on out! I’m right glad to see you!” “Prove that by not shootin’ me!” Caleb laughed, and stepped outside, Jayne and Liam right behind him, guns ready. Just in case. As they walked down the ramp, Jayne saw an older man, and two younger ones, walk out of the woods around the clearing. All three were lean, and hard looking. Good rifles, he noted. “Lem, this here’s Jayne Cobb, and Liam Greggs. They work with Kaywinnet. Came to fetch us away from here. They got to find a couple more folks, so we was planning on hiding the ship here while they looked.” “Leavin’?” Willis asked. “You headin’ out, Caleb?” The elder Frye nodded. “Reckon so, Lem,” he replied. “Don’t think we gonna recover from this. Might be we’ll come back, if they get the fires out. See what we can salvage. But for now, I got to think about my family. Done lost one son, today.” Willis’ eyes went round. “Who?” he asked in a whisper. “Ethan,” Caleb said sadly. “Went looking for Charlie and Sam, and got shot by raiders.” Lem looked shaken at that. “I’m right sorry, Caleb, I am. Ethan was a good boy.” Caleb nodded his thanks. Lem Willis looked at Jayne. “You gonna carry Caleb and them out o’ here?” he asked. Jayne nodded. “Got room for us, you reckon?” Lem asked hesitantly. Jayne looked at him closely. “How many is ‘us’?” he asked. “Twelve, all totaled,” Willis answered. “Mostly young folks.” Jayne looked to Caleb, who nodded slightly. Jayne looked back at Willis. “We’ll take you. Get your folks aboard. Might ask you to help guard the ship. We gotta send some of us out looking for our boss’s sister.” “We can do that,” Willis agreed readily. “We’ll go and get our women folks.” As the three scurried off, Caleb looked at Jayne. “Thank you, Jayne,” he said quietly. “Lem’s one of my oldest friends.” “No problem,” Jayne shrugged. “We can carry eleven more, but that’s it. Once we hit that number, we can’t take any more. Systems won’t support that many.” “I understand,” Caleb nodded. Jayne walked back up the ramp. “Mister Willis and his folks are coming aboard,” he told River. “They’ll help stand a watch on the ship, while we’re looking for Mrs. Mann.” “Okay,” River nodded. “Who’s going to look for her?” “We’ll work that out tonight,” Jayne told her, looking at the failing light. “I think we’re out of the rescue business for today. I don’t want to be running around here in the dark. We’ll start looking at first light, tomorrow.” “Sounds like a good plan,” River said, leaning against him heavily. “I am so tired,” she said softly. “I think I could sleep for a week.” “Go on and lay down,” he told her. “We can manage, and we ain’t flying nowhere tonight, less we just have to. So go. Rest. I’ll be down once I’ve got things worked out for a watch.” River looked at him for a moment, then nodded. Standing on her toes, she kissed him. “Don’t be too long,” she whispered, and he nodded. “Promise.” ----------------- Jayne’s next stop was the infirmary. Simon was still working on Zoe, and Goldie was waiting in the lounge. Once the shooting had ended, Winnifred Frye had chased everyone back to the cargo bay, giving Simon quiet to work in. “How is she?” Jayne asked, sitting down next to Goldie. “Don’t rightly know,” the older man admitted. “Simon ain’t said nothing so far. One o’ Kaylee’s sisters, forget which, is a nurse, so she’s lending a hand.” Jayne looked up to see a woman in the infirmary with Simon. It wasn’t Samantha, for which Jayne was grateful. “Well, I’m glad someone is there to help him,” Jayne nodded. “Inara usually helped him out, back in the day. Zoe once in a while,” he added, then mentally kicked himself. “Well, she can’t help right now,” Goldie chuckled, but there wasn’t much humor in it. He looked at Jayne. “This how it was for you, kid?” he asked. “When River was in there?” “Pretty much,” he nodded. “Only that time, Ami was in there too.” “Too much,” Goldie muttered. “Too much for a man. I don’t know how you did it, kid.” “Cause I had to,” Jayne shrugged. “Just like you do. Sides,” he grinned, “time about’s fair. Zoe’s had to watch you go through this twice already.” Goldie grinned up at him, despite his worry. “Probably got shot on purpose, just to spite me,” he laughed, and Jayne joined him. “She might,” Jayne agreed. “If she took a notion. She’s a strong woman, brother,” Jayne continued, clapping Goldie’s shoulder. “She’s tough, and a fighter. Don’t get all worried, till Simon tells you to worry. And he will, if there’s a need,” he promised, recalling how Simon had told him about Ami’s impending death. “I know,” he nodded. “Can’t help it though. In spite of how mad she can make me sometimes, I really care about her, kid. A lot more than I’m accustomed to caring about anything. Or anyone.” “I could write a book on that one, Goldie,” Jayne said, and Goldie snorted. “Could if you could write,” he sneered jokingly, and Jayne looked hurt. “Hey, I been working on that!” he exclaimed in mock indignation. “I can write. Some,” he amended, and both men broke down laughing. “I gotta go, Goldie,” Jayne told him, standing. “Got a lot to see to, and I want to sleep some ‘fore I have to go look for Mrs. Mann. Still don’t know what I’m gonna do about that. Without Zoe, ain’t no one can fly a shuttle but River, and she’s the only pilot.” “I can fly it,” Goldie told him. “The shuttle, I mean.” “You can?” Jayne was surprised. “You never said nothin!” “No one asked,” he shrugged. “Didn’t want it to look like I was braggin’.” “Since when?” Jayne snorted in humor. “Well, I may want you to go with me, then. So try and get some rest, if you can. I know it’ll be hard, but we need to find this woman, and make with the gettin’ the hell outta here part o’ the plan.” “I’m on board for that,” Goldie agreed. “You need me, I’ll be ready,” he promised. “Night, then. Call if you need me.” “You got it.” -------------- Jayne slipped into their bunk as quietly as he could. He paused at the bottom of the ladder, his eyes on his sleeping wife. River was curled into a ball, dead to the world. He took a moment to look at her angelic face, so peaceful while she was resting. My wife. The word played over and over in his mind as he pondered the twisted path his life had led to get him this far. He’d never imagined, not even once, that he could be as happy as he was at this very moment, watching the woman he loved more than his own life, sleeping peacefully in their bed. He carefully undressed, laying his things quietly to the side. He was loath to wake her, or even take the chance on waking her. Smiling faintly, he took a blanket and spread it on the floor by the bed. Stretching out, he lay with his hands behind his head, looking at the ceiling. So much to do yet. They had to find the Mann’s, had to keep the ship and the Frye’s safe, had to get off this planet while they still could. Zoe was still down, and even when Simon was finished with her, she’d be out of action. Like it or not, he was going to have to step up. Without Mal here, it fell to him to make sure things got done. He pondered what to do. River would stay with the ship. She wouldn’t like it, but she was the only one who could get the ship off the ground in an emergency, so they couldn’t risk her not being there. Kaylee and Simon would have to stay as well, not that he’d consider taking either one into what might be a shooting situation. He’d never risk Kaylee like that, and Simon wasn’t much use in a fight, for all his uses as a doctor. Besides, Zoe would need him, It looked like he and Goldie, and maybe Liam, would have to go and find the Mann’s. He was hesitant to leave the ship unguarded, but Lem Willis and his two sons would help. And there were several Frye men on board. If any of them had the sand that Caleb’s brother, Wolf, had shown, they should be fine. In a pinch, River could always lift off, and the shuttle link up with them elsewhere. He was still mulling over his options when sleep finally claimed him. ---------------- In the infirmary, Simon sighed in relief as he finished Zoe’s operation. The damage had been bad, but he’d seen worse since taking the post on Serenity. Zoe would be fine. He walked out into the lounge, to find Goldie waiting patiently on the sofa. “I’ll be in bay if you need me Doctor,” Sophie, Kaylee’s older sister said quietly. “Thank you for helping,” Simon told her gently, and she smiled. “Least I can do after what you’ve done for us. Goodnight.” “Night.” Simon watched her go, then went over to sit down by Goldie. “Well, Doc?” the older man asked. “How is she?” “Well, she’s weak, of course,” Simon told him. “And she’s still out, will be for the rest of the night. But I’ve repaired the damage, and she’s doing fine. She should make a full recovery, although she won’t be working for a few weeks.” “That’s good,” Goldie breathed. “The recovery part I mean,” he added. “She won’t like the being laid up part.” “No,” Simon chuckled, “she won’t. But look on the bright side. It’ll give you a chance to wait on her.” Goldie brightened at that. “Hey it will, won’t it?” he smiled. He’d be able to pamper the warrior woman without her being able to get angry over it. “Yes,” Simon laughed quietly. “But I wouldn’t push it too far. As I said, she will make a full recovery.” Goldie considered that. “Might be good advice, Doc,” he nodded. “Only kind I give,” Simon told him loftily, and the two men shared a laugh. Simon stood. “There’s another bed in there, you know,” he pointed out. “Go on in, and get some rest. You’re technically still recovering, yourself.” “It has been a long day,” Goldie nodded tiredly. “I’ll take you up on that.” “If anything happens, call me.”

COMMENTS

Friday, December 28, 2007 12:29 AM

KIMBER


YAY!! Inara finally comes back! *grinning sarcastically* I wonder what she meant that 'I missed you'... though we didn't see much of them. *sigh* I was a bit worried about Zoe getting hit an all, maybe it could be a chance for them to clear up =)

Keep flying ;)

Friday, December 28, 2007 2:34 AM

AMDOBELL


I'm so glad that the folk shooting at them weren't more enemies, just folk assuming the worse from a ship they didn't know. Can understand them shooting first and asking afterwards though very happy none of our people got badly hurt. Inara's reaction to seeing Mal again made me smile however unlikely that seemed. In the show she was always so prickly and like to take offence at the slightest thing. Seeing the two of them so lovey-dovey is a nice change. Ali D :~)
You can't take the sky from me

Friday, December 28, 2007 2:42 AM

AMDOBELL


Ooops, I wasn't thinking about Zoe there. At least we know she is going to survive and recover enough to kick ass when needs must. Her current incapacity though gives Jayne a chance to let it sink in just how trustworthy he really is and maybe that will be the push she needs to actually do what she should have done already and give the man a proper apology. Won't think much of her if she is too dense or thick skulled to do the right thing in the end. Ali D :~)
You can't take the sky from me


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