BLUE SUN ROOM FAN FICTION - GENERAL

BADKARMA00

Inferno – Chapter Twenty
Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Jayne and River make a life changing decision, Mal is one up on Mister Fuller, Inara makes a discovery about her 'crew'


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 1951    RATING: 10    SERIES: FIREFLY

Inferno – Chapter Twenty Me no owny, me no makey money, me just having funny. :) ----------------------- For the second time in just over a week, Jayne was pulled from his sleep. He was upright in an instant, grabbing for the gun at his side by instinct. Chelsa Timmons was screaming. River was already awake, and took the girl in her arms, making simple soothing nosies. “They killed my parents,” she sobbed into River’s shoulder. “And they tied me up, and they. . .touched me, and told me all the things they’d do to me later, when they had time.” “I know, baby, I know,” River rocked the scared girl back and forth. She looked up at Jayne. He mimed himself leaving the bunk, and she shook her head furiously. Extending her hand, she waited for him to take it, and pulled him down to sit on the bed. Chelsa looked up at the weight shifting in the bed, and recoiled slightly. “Easy, nizi,” Jayne told her. “You’re safe here, I promise.” The girl cocked her head at that, her crying easing away a bit. “It was you,” she said softly, and Jayne didn’t know whether to nod, or not, so stayed quiet. River turned Chelsa’s head to look at her. “It was him, what?” she asked gently. “You answered me when I called out for my Daddy,” Chelsa said, forcing her gaze back to Jayne. “Well, yeah,” Jayne felt his face heat. “You was asleep, and I carried you down here, and you kinda woke up, but didn’t really, and when you. . .” “You killed the men who took me,” Chelsa interrupted, and again Jayne nodded. “Yes, Liam and I,” he amended. “We did. They’re gone, nizi. They’ll never hurt you again.” “But my parents,” Chelsa’s tears started again, and once more River enfolded her in her arms. “I’m alone, without my parents,” she sobbed. River glanced up at Jayne, her eyes questioning. ‘Are you sure, ai ren?’ he heard her voice in his mind. He nodded. ‘If this is what you want, I want for you to have it. Besides, she’s got no one. I know what that’s like.’ River’s eyes glistened with tears at that. She hadn’t considered how hard this might be on her precious Zhang fu. Dredging up old memories he’d rather leaved buried. But perhaps this would be good therapy for him, River decided. He would give someone else that which he was denied. “Chelsa, Jayne and I, we’d like to talk to you about something,” River began. The girl looked up, blinking. “I’m sorry I cried,” she sniffled. “I woke you up, and I’m sorry. . .” “Hush that talk,” Jayne said at once. “Ain’t your fault, child. None of it.” Chelsa looked at him, and smiled weakly. “No, that’s not what we want to talk to you about,” River smiled. “Jayne and I have been talking about you, and where you could go. We decided that we’d like for you to come and live with us. If you want to,” River added. “The choice is yours.” “Live with you?” Chelsa blinked at that. “You mean, stay with you? All the time?” “Yes,” River nodded. “We aren’t trying to replace your parent’s, sweetie, if that’s what worries you. We just want to help you, if we can. I’ve always wanted a little sister,” River smiled. “We can give you a home,” Jayne told her. “And we can stand in for your parents, taking care of you, make sure you get an education.” “Adopting me,” Chelsa stated, and Jayne nodded. “If that’s what you want,” he stressed. “We want it,” he took River’s hand again. “But not if you want something else. Understand?” “We won’t force you to stay with us, in other words,” River whispered, hugging the girl tightly. “We live here, on the ship, most of the time. So you will too. And I’ll teach you. And, if you do well at your studies, I’ll even teach you to fly.” “Fly?” Chelsa’s eyes came alive at that. “You mean fly the ship?” “And the shuttle,” River nodded, smiling. “Always use a spare shuttle pilot, isn’t that right, Zhang fu?” “Sure enough,” Jayne smiled. “And I bet you’d be good at it, too. I know you’re brave enough.” “I’m not brave,” Chelsa said, her voice small. “Are too,” Jayne tousled her hair. “You wasn’t even crying when I found you. That’s courage, girl, in anybody’s book.” River looked at her husband, eyes shining. “I think I’d like to live with you,” Chelsa said after a minute. “If I had a real older sister, she would take care of me now, wouldn’t she?” The girl looked up at River. “She surely would,” River nodded. “And it wouldn’t be like we were your parents, or trying to take their place. You can call us whatever you like.” “Hey now,” Jayne objected. “Let’s don’t get all free with the name callin’ and what not,” he looked stern, then all of sudden crossed his eyes, and stuck out his tongue. Chelsa broke into a fit of laughter. River smiled at the sound, as it warmed her heart. The girl had been badly hurt, if not physically, then emotionally. Jayne and River, between them, would come closer to understanding her plight than any other couple she was ever likely to meet. The three sat playing and laughing for a long time. ---------------- There was a uniformed member of the Astra Planetary Patrol waiting when Serenity touched down to refuel. Inara met her at the cargo door, papers in hand. “I understand you were attacked, Miss. . .Serra?” the woman found Inara’s name on her pilot’s license. “Yes,” Inara nodded. “We were fired upon, at any rate. We managed to outrun them, but it was a near thing.” “Lucky,” the woman nodded, casting a disparaging eye over Serenity’s hull. Inara bristled inwardly at that. But she had learned her lessons well, and smiled. “Yes, we were,” she agreed. “Well, we received your wave, and appreciate the information. We have two cutters patrolling that area now, so hopefully we’ll nail the hundan.” The woman finished her report, and handed a copy to Inara. “Your return route should be safe, with the cutters out there, but. . .” “I understand,” Inara nodded. “We’ll just have to be careful.” “Safe journey, Miss Serra.” ------------------- “Ma’am?” Inara looked up to see John standing nearby, hat in hand, uncertainty in his voice. “Yes, John?” “Ma’am, I gotta an idea, about them pirates,” he scuffed his feet a little. “Only thing is, I’m gonna have to tell you some’at about myself, and I’d. . .well, I’d take it as a kindness, you don’t hold it agin’ me, nor tell no one else.” “John, your business is just that; yours.” Inara assured him. John brightened. “When I told you I shipped aboard a freighter, before?” he began. “That wasn’t just the absolute gospel truth, ma’am. I was a crewman aboard a smuggler’s ship, back during the war. We tried to drop supplies and such into Independent forces, and the like.” “John, if you know Captain. . .Sheriff, Reynolds, then I’m sure you realize that something like that will only make you more welcome. . .” “I know that, ma’am,” he cut her off gently. “Thing is, I’m a wanted man, see. On account o’ all that. Under another name, but still wanted. Anyway, there was a trick we used to use, to spoof Alliance ships. And old trick brought over from Earth-that-was, actually. We could use something similar, was this to happen again.” “I’m listening,” Inara leaned forward. “Tell me what you have in mind.”

----------------- “Well, Sheriff, I see you’ve managed to clean up some things, already,” Braz Guilford smiled as he walked into Mal’s office. “Well, we’re workin’ at it, sir,” Mal smiled, genuinely pleased to see the man. “Can I invite you into my office?” “Certainly,” Braz smiled. Mal looked at Evelyn. “I know. Only if it’s important,” she smiled, and Mal nodded. “Good help is hard to find,” Braz noted as Mal closed the door. “Better be good to that girl.” “She’s gotta raise coming on her next check,” Mal smiled. “She don’t know it yet, though.” “Mum’s the word,” Braz chuckled. “How are things?” “Might rough around the edges, but I think we’re gettin’ there,” Mal told him. “We managed to tidy up the triple murder case, and we busted a fence for stolen goods, as well. My new investigator is workin’ out pretty well.” “Toby?” Braz raised an eyebrow. “Known him all his life,” Braz nodded. “Good man, solid, dependable. Doesn’t have an ounce of back-up in him, that I know of.” “I’m convinced of that, myself,” Mal nodded. “He’s been a right blessing to me, I know that.” “How about your manpower shortage?” “Short term, it’s still a problem,” Mal admitted. “But I’ve hired seven new men, well six men and one woman. Right now I’ve got them trainin’ on the job with seasoned officers. Waitin’ for available spots in the Planetary Lawman’s Academy.” “Good,” Braz nodded. He leaned forward. “I think you can expect trouble from Fuller, Malcolm. He’s already been to see me, trying to stir the stink over the little fight at your bachelor party for your man Cobb.” “He hit me as well, over a headline in the paper,” Mal nodded grimly. “Newsie woman just made up a buncha go se, and Fuller bit hard on it. Luckily, I had the proof to back up what I was sayin’.” “That’s good,” Braz nodded. “But don’t depend on luck, Malcolm. Harmon Fuller is a political player from way back. He is an expert at making mountains from anthills.” “I’ll be cautious, sir,” Mal nodded. The light on his screen blinked. “Excuse me, sir.” -------------------- “Reckon I best wave Mal,” Jayne told River softly. Chelsa had managed to go back to sleep after much talking and joking among the three. River nodded, reluctant to leave the girl alone. “You should stay with her,” Jayne solved the dilemma for her. “When she wakes up, the two of you can come up to the bridge. I’ll snag Liam long enough to see Zoe.” “Thank you, Sean,” River said softly. “For everything.” He leaned down, kissing he lightly. “You’re welcome, xin gan,” he winked. “Get some rest yourself, if you can.” She nodded, settling back on the bed beside Chelsa. Jayne eased out of the bunk, running into Goldie. “How’s Zoe?” he asked, slipping into his boots. “Was fine earlier,” Goldie told him. “Was on my way down to check on her,” he added sheepishly. Jayne smiled. “Tell her I’ll be down in a bit, once I get hold of Mal.” “Will do,” Goldie nodded, and continued on his way. When Jayne got to the bridge, Liam Greggs was reclining in the pilot’s chair, as comfortable as he could with his injured leg. “How’s the leg, kid?” Jayne asked, waving the younger man back into his seat. “Hurts like hell,” he grinned, “but Doc says I’ll dance again.” Jayne laughed. “That’s good to hear. Can you stay on a bit longer? I need to contact Mal, and then go and see Zoe. River’s with the girl we took outta the shuttle.” “Chelsa?” Liam asked, eyebrows raised in interest. “Yep,” Jayne fought the urge to grin. “River and I are gonna adopt her, looks like,” he added. “So get them thoughts outta yer head,” he added, scowling playfully. “Thoughts? Me?” Liam grinned back. “I ain’t had a thought in days, boss.” “Hm mmm,” Jayne grunted, sitting down in front of the terminal. ---------------- “Sir, it’s a wave. From Companion!” she added, unable to contain her delight. “I need to take this, sir,” Mal said at once. Braz waved, smiling. Mal hit the screen. He frowned slightly at seeing Jayne’s face, rather than Zoe’s. “What’s up Jayne?” Mal asked, smiling. “Just wanted to bring you up to date, Captain,” Jayne smiled back. “We’re on our way back, mission accomplished. It wasn’t easy, though, and we lost some folks. Zoe took one in the belly, but she’s fine,” he hastened to add. “Screeching like a wildcat cause Simon’s keepin’ her abed.” Mal laughed, both in relief that Zoe was okay, and that she was acting herself. “We lost one o’ Kaylee’s brothers, Mal. Ethan, the youngest. Went with me and River to fetch two of the older siblings, and caught a round in the head. We took on a family of friends o’ theirs, then lost one o’ them when the ship was attacked.” “Attacked?” Mal asked. “Planet’s a mess, Mal,” Jayne frowned. “Slavers and pirates everywhere, and the locals ain’t much better in some cases. Found the Mann’s,” he added. “They’d been took by slavers, and the Mister shot, left for dead. We got him back to the Doc, and he should be fine. Me and Liam, we took care of the slavers, and got the woman and children back unharmed.” Mal nodded at that, sensing a vast, untold story in those few words. “We took some damage gettin’ off world,” Jayne went on. “Lost the port-side scrubber unit. With so many on board, it was a problem. We crammed everyone into the ship, and vented the bay into vacuum. Kaylee says we’ll make it fine, to the refueling station, and we can likely find what we need for her to fix it there.” “Sounds like you’ve had a rough ride,” Mal commented. Jayne nodded. “It’s been rough at times, sure enough. Hell of a honeymoon,” he added with a chuckle. Mal couldn’t hold the laugh at that. “How are you all holdin’ up?” Mal asked. “Dead tired, Mal,” Jayne admitted. “But we’re looking good. Should be on home in a week, or so.” “Good, that’s good, Jayne,” Mal replied. “You did good.” “Thanks, Captain,” Jayne answered, and Mal frowned at the formality. He wouldn’t bother Jayne about it now, though. “Anything I can do for you?” he asked instead. “Well,” Jayne seemed to hesitate, then shrugged. “We found this girl, on the slaver’s shuttle. She’s about fourteen, fifteen. Parents was killed in the takin’. You can imagine what she’s been through in their hands.” Mal nodded. “River wants to adopt her, and so do I,” he surprised Mal. “Can you sorta look into what we’d need to do, and how to do it for me? She ain’t got no family, nowhere else, and she needs lookin’ after.” Mal was stunned for a moment, but he recovered quickly. “I’ll look into it as soon as we break the wave, Jayne,” Mal promised. “Thanks. Means a lot. I’m gonna make a walk through, make sure nothin’s come loose while I slept a spell, and check in on Zoe. I’ll wave you back when we know for sure when we’ll be along.” “Okay, Jayne. You be careful, and come home safe,” Mal smiled. The screen went blank, and Mal looked at Braz. “Would you like to give George the good news, Braz?”

COMMENTS

Wednesday, January 9, 2008 9:34 AM

BROWNCOAT135


You have got to have one of the best fanfic sagas I've read.

The Shade saga is INCREDIBLE!!!!!

Wednesday, January 9, 2008 2:29 PM

AMDOBELL


Loved this and glad that in about a week the crew will start to be getting back together, hopefully with Serenity not far behind Companion. Sounds like that Fuller though is going cause all manner of trouble for Mal, or at least try to. Can't wait for the next part! Ali D :~)
You can't take the sky from me


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