BLUE SUN ROOM FAN FICTION - GENERAL

BADKARMA00

Inferno – Chapter Fourteen
Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Things go well, for a change


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 2037    RATING: 9    SERIES: FIREFLY

Inferno – Chapter Fourteen Author is not paid for his efforts, and own no rights of any kind to Firefly ------------------- “Jayne got back, yet?” Zoe asked, as Kaylee and several of the Frye’s labored to move her to the other side of the med bay. “Not yet,” Kaylee told her. “But Goldie just made a run back with Weldon Mann, shot in the stomach. They’re on their way down here with him now.” “Where was Jayne?” Zoe demanded. “Looking for the wife and children, Zoe,” Kaylee told her, exasperation clear in her voice. “They found the mister shot. Jayne brung him to Goldie and told him to get him back here to Simon. He and Liam went to see could they find the Mrs. And the young’uns.” “Goldie left them there?” Zoe asked in wonder. “Jayne ordered him too, Zoe,” Kaylee pointed out, speaking slowly, as if to a child. Zoe’s face heated at that. “Kaylee, I’m just trying to find out what’s goin’ on,” she said. “I know, Zoe,” Kaylee told her. “But we got other things to do, just now, than bring you up to speed. And it ain’t like you can do nothin’ to help, no way. So just lay back and be quiet for a while. When we get caught up, me or River one’ll come and fill you in on everything we know.” “Fine,” Zoe growled, and lay back down. -------------------- “River?” River turned to see Samantha Frye, ( she hadn’t learned her married name ) walking up to the bridge. River tensed, not knowing what to expect. “I. . .” Samantha started. “I wanted to apologize, for yesterday,” she managed. “I shouldn’t have said those things.” River looked at her for a moment. “No, you shouldn’t,” River agreed, and Samantha recoiled as if River had slapped her. “But grief causes us to do things we would not normally do. It is understandable. Please put it from your mind.” Samantha blinked at that. “I. . .thank you,” she finally said, and River nodded. “Of course.” Samantha looked at her a moment longer. “I understand that Jayne is your husband?” she asked. “Yes, he is,” River smiled. “We were married the day before we heard about the attack here. We were on our honeymoon.” Samantha’s eyes widened at that. “And you left it to come get us?” “We did,” River nodded. “Kaylee is family to us both. To all of us. We could not do otherwise.” This simple declaration seemed to throw the older woman off guard. “Thank you. For helping us, I mean,” she clarified. River smiled. “We’re glad to do it.” Samantha turned and walked away then, and River watched her go. She wished Jayne had been hear to here that. It would have made him feel better, perhaps. -------------- “Turns out, ole Tito had a surveillance system,” Toby Bontrager announced, walking into Mal’s office. “Ain’t all that sophisticated, but takes a very nice picture.” He inserted the disc in his hand into Mal’s cortex reader, and said pictures sprang to life. “There’s Tito,” Toby pointed to the large man. “And here comes. . .company.” As he said that, two men ran into the room, shoving Tito to the ground. What followed was. . .harsh. Mal turned to his investigator, once the reader stopped. “Is that enough to get a warrant, and convict this Chin feller?” Mal asked. “Sure is,” Toby grinned. “This film alone will convict him. And shut down three murder investigations at once. Quite a haul, huh?” “It’ll help,” Mal nodded. “Good work, Toby. Gather what folks you need, and go collect Mister Chin, and Mister Bodyguard.” “I’m on it,” Bontrager left the office in a rush, and for the first time in several days, Malcolm Reynolds felt almost good about taking the job of Sheriff. -------------------- Simon emerged from the infirmary, done at last with Weldon Mann’s surgery. The wound hadn’t been so bad, but being left untreated had made it difficult to deal with. Mann might still suffer from infection, though Simon was pumping him full of antibiotics hoping to offset that. The best medicine he could have, most likely, was to see his family here when he woke up. That was up to Jayne, of course. But, Simon knew, if anyone here could do it, it was Jayne. He sat down on the sofa for a moment, smiling at that thought. Who would have thought, two years ago, that Simon Tam would be one of Jayne Cobb’s defenders? Certainly not Simon. But a lot had changed in those same two years. Jayne was now his brother-in-law. Had saved his life, and Kaylee’s, at least twice. Had been a balm to Simon’s wounded sister’s soul. He leaned his head back for a moment, closing his eyes. He’d rest for a minute, then go and find Kaylee, and they could get a bite. . . . . Kaylee found Simon like that an hour later, dead to the world. She smiled fondly at the site. Taking a blanket, she covered him with it, then slid beneath it with him, laying her head on his arm. The two slept like that, peacefully, as the world continued to move around them. -------------- Jayne had looked in every nook and cranny of the shuttle, but there was no girl. Whatever they’d done with her, he couldn’t locate her. There was only one option remaining. “You and the children, go on into that building over there,” Jayne pointed. “Wait just inside the door, and don’t make any noise. I need to have a chat with the two men who were holding you, and I’d prefer you weren’t here to see it.” Mann nodded, and shepherded her two smaller children away. Jayne looked to the compartment where they’d stashed the two slavers. He opened the door to find the one Liam had hit awake, struggling with his bonds. Jayne took him by the shirt, and hauled him out of the compartment, dumping him on the floor. “Me and you,” he told the man, “need to talk.” He released the man’s gag. “You. . .” the man started, but Jayne punched him. “I’ll ask questions, you give answers,” Jayne told him coldly. “If I don’t like’em, I carve on ya,” he lifted the large bowie knife, running the blade lightly across the man’s face. “Dong ma?” The man nodded, now compliant. “There was a girl brought on board, with her ma, and two young’uns. Where’s she at?” Jayne asked. “Don’t know what you’re. . .” the man’s sentence ended in a yell as Jayne applied pressure to the blade, and made a three inch cut on the man’s jaw. “I can bleed you a long time,” Jayne hissed. “Make you live three, four days. That what you want?” “She’s in the forward hold!” the man stammered. “There’s a small hold, under the cockpit. Only big enough for two, maybe three people. Her and another girl are stashed in there!” “Gonna keep’em fer yourself?” Jayne smiled, and the man grinned back, mistaking Jayne’s look. “Yeah,” he admitted. “You know how it is,” he leered. “Yeah,” Jayne chuckled, slicing the man’s throat at the same time. “I know how it is.” He stood, looking at Greggs. The young man nodded in approval. “Let’s see can we find this hold.” ------------------- Goldie flew the shuttle back carefully, staying low to the ground. The smoke, he noted, was growing thicker. That meant they’d have that much less daylight to work with, and he didn’t relish trying to mate the shuttle up in the dark. He could do it. He just didn’t like it. As he neared the area where he’d left Jayne and Liam, he noted that the other shuttle was still there. Taking a chance, he eased over behind it, seeing what he could see. There were two men lying in the street. His second of worry left him when he realized they were too small to be Jayne. Just then, Liam Greggs walked out of the grounded shuttle, and waved. Goldie waggled the shuttle slightly, and then sat her down behind. When he got the hatch open, Greggs was already standing there, with a woman and two children. “The Mann’s, I presume?” Goldie smiled, and Linda smiled back. Goldie’s charm and humor were contagious. “Yep,” Liam nodded. Goldie frowned at the blood stain on the boy’s leg. “Okay, kid?” he asked in concern. “I’ll live,” Greggs nodded. Goldie smiled. “You’re too much like Jayne,” Goldie laughed. Greggs seemed to stand a little taller at that. “That’s a good thing, though,” he said seriously, and Goldie nodded. “It sure is, kid. It sure is.” “I need to go check and see if he needs help,” Liam said. “Lock’er down till we get back.” “Will do,” Goldie nodded. Liam turned and limped back into the shuttle. --------------- Jayne finally found the lever that rocked the cockpit floor back, revealing a small hold. The man was right. It was large enough to hold three or four people at best. Right now all it held was two very terrified teen-age girls, both bound and gagged. Their eyes blinked rapidly at the light streaming in, having been in the darkness a good while. “Don’t be afraid,” Jayne told them softly. “The slavers are gone. We’re gonna get you ought’a here.” He reached down with his knife, noting the fear on both girls’ faces. He stopped, and pulled back. “Just gonna cut them ropes, girls,” he assured them. “That’s all. Easy, now.” He reached in again, and this time there were no struggles. He quickly freed both girls, and they tore out their gags. “One o’ you Linda Mann’s daughter?” Jayne asked. “I am,” the near one squeaked. Jayne nodded. “C’mon, your momma’s near frantic worried over you.” He looked to the other girl. “You got anyone you can go to?” Jayne asked, kindly. The girl shook her head. “Not anymore,” she said softly, tears welling in her eyes. “Come with us, then,” Jayne said at once. “We’re gettin’ off planet. If you ain’t got family what’ll be expecting you, you’re welcome to come with us.” The girl nodded, and he helped her up as well. “Jayne, did you. . .” Liam stopped short, catching site of the two women. “I guess you did,” he nodded. “Goldie’s back. I put the Mann woman on the shuttle, with her young’uns.” “Then let’s get loaded and get gone,” Jayne ordered. Liam led the way out, with Jayne taking the rear, the two shaking girls between them. When they reached the ramp, Liam halted. He glanced at the compartment, then to Jayne. Jayne reached into his boot, and pulled a knife, which he tossed to the boy. “Make it quick,” he ordered. “And make sure he’s awake,” he added. Liam nodded, and Jayne took the girls by the arm. “Let’s go ladies,” he said brightly. “Our ride’s awaitin’.” Liam Greggs watched them go, then turned back to the storage compartment. -------------- “Where’s the boy?” Goldie asked, as he helped Jayne get the two girls on board. There was a squealing, tearful reunion as the Mann’s rejoiced at their missing number’s return, and Jayne waited for that to settle before answering. “Had something to take care of,” was all he said, but Goldie nodded, understanding. “He need’s to make it quick.” “He will.” Liam appeared seconds later, wiping the blade of the knife on his pants. He clambered aboard, dogging the hatch. He avoided the women, moving forward to the cockpit. There he held the blade out to Jayne. “Thanks.” “Keep it,” Jayne said, looking into the younger man’s eyes. “Man needs tools.” Liam blinked at that, but nodded. “Thanks,” he said again, and Jayne winked at him. Goldie, smiling, lifted the shuttle off the ground, and headed for the ship. ----------------- Zoe was fuming. Stranded in bed, she was being kept out of the loop. She deserved to know what was happening. She looked around for something that would summon a crew member to her, but there was nothing. This was the longest she’d gone without someone being in here to check. . . “Hiya, Zoe,” Kaylee beamed, walking into the infirmary. She was carrying a tray steaming with food, and coffee. “Meant to be down here sooner, but thought you’d like some dinner.” “Thanks,” Zoe replied. “I was thinking you’d all forgot me.” “Nah, just busy is all,” Kaylee sat down beside her. “Mister Mann should be okay, Simon thinks. We just got a garbled up call from the shuttle, they’re about ten, fifteen minutes out, with the rest of the Mann’s onboard. Liam got shot in the leg, but it ain’t bad, he’s walking.” “River’s gettin’ set to get us off world, on account’a the smoke seems to be gettin’ worse by the minute. Fire’s is spreadin’ in a hurry, now. More and more ships is comin’ in, and River ain’t sure they’re friendly. One overflew us a little while ago, and she didn’t like that. Lem Willis, one o’ his boys, and my brother Gerald is out making sure ain’t no one around.” “We’re doing good on food, and the like, total number o’ folks on board, counting what Jayne’s bringing, is gonna be sixty-seven, looks like. River says we should make the fueling station with no problems. And the environmental controls won’t be too overburdened, what with us running under the max.” “May still need a over-haul, mind,” she warned. “But we’ll make home, no problem.” “Is that it?” Zoe smiled, and Kaylee grinned. “Yup,” she nodded. “So much has happened in the last two days, Zoe,” she sighed. “I almost ain’t had time to even grieve for my brother, or my uncle. Or worry about all of us here having to breathe this smoke, losing my home. My family being homeless and all.” She sighed again. “But we’re together, and it could’a been worse.” “Yes, it could,” Zoe nodded. “Thank you, Kaylee. For the talk, and the meal. I really appreciate it.” “You’re welcome,” Kaylee smiled, rising. “I got to go and get us ready to leave. River wants to go as soon as they get back.” “Okay. Tell Jayne to come see me, once we’re in the black.” Kaylee frowned a bit at that, but nodded. “Okay.” She left the infirmary, and Zoe settled back on her bed. She needed to try and fix the mess she’d made. If she could. Being bed bound in the infirmary had left her with a lot of time to think on what had transpired during this trip. She thought, now, that she understood Jayne’s attitude better. And she knew she had a better grip on her own. The pressure of being in command had made her edgy, something she wasn’t accustomed too. True, she’d been in situations before where she’d had to make decisions, some of them in the life or death category. But the mission to Aberdeen had, for the first time, placed her in command of the entire operation, where every decision had been her’s to make. Her responsibility. And the stakes were high. Kaylee’s family, and the family of George Harwell’s sister, were literally at stake, as were the lives of everyone on the ship. She’d come to trust Jayne over the last two years or so, but she’d never really let him know that. Without that assurance, he was still untrusted, so far as he was concerned. And, if Zoe was truthful, Jayne’s proclivity toward violence, overwhelming violence, made her nervous. She’d not realized, until Zhang, just how much destruction Jayne was capable of. Nor what kind of cold-blooded killer lurked underneath. Zoe wasn’t, by nature, afraid of much. But Jayne was enough to scare anyone who was in their right mind, and didn’t have a death wish. And she’d allowed that apprehension to flavor her attitude toward the big gunhand. Zoe had believed that the only way to keep Jayne from sliding out on his own, wreaking havoc as only he seemed able to do, was to keep a firm hold on him. She realized, now, that she’d been wrong. Jayne would never do anything that endangered the ship, and by extension, River. If there was anyone in the ‘verse that Jayne Cobb would willingly give his life for, it was River Cobb, nee Tam. She knew that, yet hadn’t taken it into consideration. She should have. Now, if she could only get Jayne to realize that, and maybe, possibly, give her the chance to make things right. Even if River stayed, which she probably wouldn’t, Zoe didn’t like the thought of facing any future troubles she might encounter without Jayne nearby. Decision made, Zoe lay on the bed, waiting for the opportunity to make things right.

------------------ Hope you're enjoying the story so far! Let me know how I'm doing, or if you're getting bored with Shade. Don't want to wear him out, lol. Happy New Year everyone!

COMMENTS

Wednesday, January 2, 2008 2:23 PM

AMDOBELL


At last, Zoe is starting to see some sense. I was getting very short of patience with her unending and unreasonable attitude. Loved the rescue and Jayne finding out where the rest of the kids were hidden. Hope they get reunited with Serenity soon. As for Mal I am all kinds of frustrated about his so called role of Sheriff as all he seems to be doing is sitting on his backside in that office which is not something he would do, he is a man of action. Toby is actually doing the Sheriff's job and Mal just seems to be sitting there waiting for him to find things out and then act on the information which is not how it would work. I would have expected Mal to go out on jobs with Toby and give leadership, be there to make decisions and such while being open to listen to Toby's experience in the field. Otherwise it makes a nonsense of him being in that post in the first place. I am pleased that it looks as if we will finally get to see Zoe apologise properly to Jayne and get everybody reunited. Ali D
You can't take the sky from me

Thursday, January 3, 2008 3:48 AM

JANE0904


It looks like Liam is going to grow up just like Jayne. No bad thing, if he can handle it.


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