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Archangel - Chapter Twenty Six
Wednesday, March 5, 2008

The crew meet an old friend, in company of an old enemy


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 1966    RATING: 0    SERIES: FIREFLY

Archangel - Chapter Twenty Six Author owns no rights to Firefly, and no copyright infringement is intended. Fanfic only. -------------------- Serenity touched down gently on Idlewild, two hours ahead of time. No one was surprised at that, having long become accustomed to River’s ability to shave time off their travel. “Good job, Albatross,” Mal told her. They were three miles from their delivery point. Close enough to get back and either unload the cargo or run, depending on what they found. “Of course,” River smirked, and Mal chuckled at that. “Let’s head out,” Mal ordered. The two of them went to the cargo bay, where Jayne already had the mule lowered and ready to go. “All right,” Mal told the assembled crew. “No idea what we’ll find here. Zoe’s in charge. Jayne and River’ll go with me to the meet. Kaylee, keep the engines warm, at least, till we know what’s what. Zoe can be ready to lift off in case there’s trouble. Button the ship up, and stay alert. Let’s go, you two,” he ordered Jayne and River. “You be careful,” Kaylee kissed Jayne softly. “Promise,” he winked, and climbed aboard. He took the rear seat, Mal driving. The mule fired up, and then, they were gone. “Close us up, Simon,” Zoe ordered. As the ramp came up, the group made no effort to break up. “Let’s all get where we need to be,” Zoe told them. She chafed at being left behind, but Simon had insisted that even the mule ride could re-injure her ribs. Inara watched her closely, worried about Zoe’s state of mind. She and Jayne hadn’t been able to put the past behind them, Inara knew. Zoe had been too harsh for too long for Jayne to overlook it. The incident with River had simply been the proverbial straw. “Well, I’ll be in the infirmary, preparing for when Mal’s plan goes awry,” Simon smiled, and Inara laughed softly at that. Carter followed, and Kaylee started for the engine room. “Guess I’ll head up to the bridge,” Zoe commented to no one in particular. Inara nodded, watching her go. One the one hand, Inara could see where Zoe’s attitude was reasonable. She’d apologized for her earlier behavior, and expected Jayne to forgive her. But, she conceded, Zoe’s behavior had, if anything, been worse than Mal’s in some cases. And while both should have been able to see that Jayne was telling the truth when River collapsed, Mal had, surprisingly enough, been the one who had been truly and honestly contrite. Zoe’s contrition had come reluctantly, Inara knew, and had been half-hearted at best. River had told Inara that Jayne was convinced that Zoe was offering her apology not because she meant it, but because she wanted to feel better about herself. Inara sadly recognized that this might well be the case. It had made things uncomfortable at times. Jayne had not been in any way out of line, at any time. But his coldness to the crew, to everyone aside from Kaylee and River, wasn’t lost on her, either. Jayne had worked very hard to make himself better, after Miranda. And, aside from herself and the two younger women, no one had noticed. Or cared. Jayne had been struggling to hold himself in check, and all anyone thought to do was berate him. Some things never change, Inara though, sighing in defeat. ------------------ “We oughta not just drive right up on’em, Mal,” Jayne cautioned. His voice was calm. He was offering advice, not grumbling. “Hadn’t thought on doin’ it,” Mal did grumble. “Sorry, Mal,” Jayne sighed. “Was just sayin’.” Jayne leaned back, silent after that. I shoulda stayed on Celeste, he thought glumly. Kaylee woulda stayed with me, and we coulda been happy there. Hell, I’d be the Marshal, chuckled mentally at that. “Don’t,” River ordered, turning to look at him. Jayne frowned, realizing that she had ‘heard’ his musing. “Can if I wanna,” he grinned back at her. She didn’t smile in return. “Don’t.” She turned back to the front, and Jayne shook his head. They were all on edge, he supposed. “Accordin’ to the directions,” Mal said, cutting off Jayne’s musing, “the delivery point is just over this rise.” Mal stopped the mule about one hundred feet from the top of the rise in question. “Let’s slip up there, quiet like, and see what we can see.” The three of them dismounted, and carefully made their way to the top of the small hill. Lying flat, they worked their way to a spot where they could see over. The valley below was dotted with small buildings, and numerous tents. Vehicles of all manner were running back and forth, and large groups of men, and women, were scattered across the valley floor. “Looks like a base, almost,” Mal said quietly. “Ain’t much discipline as they oughta be, but the camp’s in good order.” “Why ain’t they got sentries out?” Jayne wondered. “They do,” River whispered. “Just not this far out. They don’t really think it necessary, think they are safe here. For now.” “Well, they should be,” Mal nodded. “Long as the Alliance don’t find out about it. We’re pretty far out, ‘Tross. This is good country, too. Water, plenty of open land for drill and such. Firing range. Whoever set this up knew what they were about, no question.” “Well,” Mal continued, sliding back a ways, and getting to his feet, “let’s head on down there, and see what the deal is. We gotta delivery to make.” ------------------- Sure enough, the mule made it perhaps a quarter of the way from their observation point to the ‘camp’ when they hit a roadblock. It was sloppy, to say the least, with no uniforms and little organization. But the men manning the roadblock were efficient, and knew their work. “Private property, friend,” the man in charge of the post warned. Three others were covering the mule with rifles. “Don’t doubt it,” Mal nodded. “Name’s Reynolds. I gotta shipment from Aberdeen to deliver, and these was the co-ordinates. Who’d I see about that?” “Shipment?” “Supplies of one variety or another,” Mal nodded. “Point of contact is a feller name o’ Book. Gerald Book.” “Hold on,” the man ordered. “I’ll call it in.” Mal and his crew members sat quietly while the man went to a radio phone and called in his information. He returned in just minutes, smiling. “Shoulda told me you was Malcolm Reynolds,” the man said, his voice friendly. “We been ‘spectin’ you. Head on down this road, and turn left onto the main street there, where the permanent buildings are. Be the third building down, on the left.” “Thanks,” Mal nodded. He didn’t like that ‘expecting’ bit. He put the mule in gear as the other men raised the road barrier, and then they were heading into town. “‘Spectin’ ya, huh?” Jayne asked warily. Mal nodded. “That’s what he said. Ferrel musta waved ‘em we was bringin’ their goods.” “Uh huh,” Jayne grunted, and River turned to look at him again. “Don’t do that,” she warned. Jayne scowled at her. “Do what?” he demanded, having had enough of her cryptic warnings. “Don’t be that way,” she told him. “Not yet. There is something happening. Let us see what it is before we make up our minds.” “I done made up my mind,” Jayne told her stubbornly. “I ain’t interested in fightin’ no war.” “This may not be the case,” River pointed out. “Like you need all this,” Jayne waved his hand at the drill fields, “to fight reavers? Reporter done said there was a new Independent Movement, mei mei. I’m startin’ to think we been tricked into joining.” “Monty was the one who recommended us for this job,” Mal pointed out stiffly. “And he called you himself?” Jayne countered. “Or did Ferrel just tell you that? Ain’t no secret you and Monty is tight.” Mal thought that over. He hadn’t heard it from Monty. Ferrel had mentioned him. Maybe Jayne had something. “We’ll be watchful,” he ordered, and Jayne snorted, but offered no other comment. Mal guided the mule down the dusty road, and made the turn. He was surprised to see guards on the doors of the buildings. Shouldn’t need something like that, if they were assembling here to fight reavers. But it was military people, and habits died hard. They pulled up in front of the desginated building. “Well, let’s see about gettin’ paid,” Mal ordered, and the three dismounted. Mal led them up onto the porch, only to be stopped by the guard. “State your business,” he said evenly. “I’m sposed to be makin’ a delivery here. Name’s Reynolds. Man on the road block sent me to this building.” “No weapons inside,” the guard ordered. Mal frowned. “Son, if your boss don’t want the goods I brung him, that’s fine. But me and mine, we don’t go anywhere unarmed. Not in these times. So what’s it gonna be? We make the delivery or not?” “No weapons inside,” the young guard repeated. “Well, that’s that, then,” Mal sighed. “Delivery refused. Let’s go,” he ordered Jayne and River. The two started back down the steps. “Sir, if you’ll wait, I’ll call the sergeant,” the guard offered. Mal stopped. “I can wait that long, I reckon,” Mal smiled. The young man lifted his com, and spoke quietly. He replaced it on his belt after a minute. “Sergeant of the Guard is on his way, sir,” the guard told Mal. “Thank you, young man,” Mal said amiably. “We’ll just keep you company till he get’s here, I guess.” Mal sat down, back against a post. River leaned on the post, behind him, while Jayne turned to watch the other direction, and the street. In less than a minute, he spied a short detail of six men, led by a man wearing Sergeant’s stripes, heading directly for them. “Mal,” he spoke softly, nodding at the procession when he had Mal’s attention. “Precaution,” River told them. “Does not intend treachery.” Both men considered that, and relaxed. Slightly. “You Reynolds?” the sergeant demanded as he walked up. His men fanned out behind him, and Jayne’s hackles rose. “I am,” Mal smiled. “I got a delivery for you, from Aberdeen. Man on the roadblock called about it, sent me here. This young man don’t aim for us to keep our guns, and I don’t aim to let’em go. He called you to settle the issue.” “You’ll surrender your weapons,” the sergeant ordered. Mal smiled again. “No, we won’t,” he shook his head. “Not gonna happen. If’n you don’t want the delivery, that’s fine. I can’t make you take it. But we ain’t gonna be unarmed. Not with things like they are right now. And not in a camp where everyone else is armed.” “There’s eight of us, and three of you,” the sergeant huffed. “You start anything, and there won’t be eight o’ you, for long,” Jayne warned darkly. “Jayne,” Mal snapped at his gunhand, though secretly pleased with Jayne’s words. “Man’s just doin’ his job. Ain’t no call to make it harder on him.” Jayne nodded, knowing Mal wasn’t really mad, and turned his attention back to the six men behind the non-com. River would take the door guard, he knew. “No one’s allowed into the building armed, Mister Reynolds,” the sergeant said stiffly. “It’s Captain Reynolds, Sergeant,” Mal pointed out. “And that’s fine by me. We were leavin’ peaceably when the young man on the door asked us to wait for you. We did.” “I can’t let you leave without delivering those supplies,” the Sergeant warned. Mal frowned. “I don’t much care for that ‘let’ me leave train o’ thought,” he said flatly, all pretense of friendliness gone. “I ain’t much on lettin’ people ‘let’ me do or not do anything other than I please. So, you can get someone out here to discuss delivery, and payment, or you can let us in the building, still armed. Or we can leave. And I gotta tell you,” Mal added, “leavin’ is right up there at the top, at the moment.” Before the Sergeant could sputter an answer, a booming voice cut across the porch. “What in tarnation is all this hubbub?” ------------- Mal turned at that, knowing the voice as well as his own. “Monty!” he beamed. “Mighta knowed it was you causin’ all this trouble.” “‘Pears to me you’re the one causin’ the ruckus,” Monty grinned back, pulling Mal into a bearhug. “You bring our goods?” he asked, after letting Mal go. “Sure did,” Mal nodded, smiling. “Was just tryin’ to get in to see ‘bout delivery.” Monty looked at the Sergeant. “There a problem?” he demanded gruffly. “No sir,” the Sergeant stiffened into a brace. “Then ain’t you got something you need to be seein’ to?” The Sergeant saluted and left, taking his men with him. Monty looked back at Mal. “Bring your ship it, Mal,” Monty ordered. “You can set down behind this buildin’ and we’ll unload ‘er for ya.” “Be back in a bit,” Mal nodded. “We can talk, then,” Monty slapped his back. “Got things to say to ya.” -------------------- “I ain’t fightin’ no war, Cap’n,” Jayne said as soon as the mule was on it’s way back to Serenity. “Done promised Kaylee.” “I ain’t fightin’ one, neither, Jayne,” Mal assured him. “One was enough for me. We’ll make our delivery, get our money, and be on our merry.” “He will want you to stay,” River said tonelessly. “Needs leaders. Need’s icons to draw too, and to firm up his ranks.” “I ain’t neither,” Mal shrugged. “No problem.” “You are, and you know it,” River told him quietly. “No sense in denying it, Captain Daddy. War hero.” “River, is all this about the reavers, or is it something else?” Mal asked. “Reavers are a good excuse,” River shrugged. “And they will fight them, if they attack here. But the goal is to resurrect the Independent Movement. You knew that when you took the shipment.” Jayne growled at that, but Mal ignored it. “How does the Operative fit into all this, you reckon?” “Unknown,” River replied. “Assume we will find out, when we get to the ‘talkin’ stage of the evening.” ------------------ Once Serenity was in the air, it was only minutes until she was over the camp, landing in the designated area. When Mal lowered the ramp, a detail was already waiting to off load the ship. Monty spirited Mal and Zoe away at once, leaving Jayne and River in the bay. “True what you said?” Jayne asked her. “That Mal already knew this?” He was angry. “Yes,” River nodded, knowing it was useless to lie. “He had no direct knowledge, but his instincts told him. Monty was a surprise, in a way, though it explains why he was unavailable to carry this cargo.” “So Mal more or less lied to us, then,” Jayne’s anger flared. “He knowed, basically, that we was comin’ out here to some kinda Independent camp, ‘stead o’ just a buncha ex-soldiers, wantin’ to fight the reavers.” “He did not lie,” River said carefully. “He had no actual knowledge. Only his suspicions. But it was an opportunity to find out, and to make coin while doing it. That was his thought process. He had no intention of joining them.” “Had?” Jayne demanded. “As in, he’s got intentions now?” “He is wavering,” River admitted. “Monty’s presence is the cause of it.” “Great,” Jayne muttered. “That’s just great. I. . .he’s practically shanghaied us into a gorram war with the Alliance.” “He hasn’t yet,” River pointed out. “He is merely listening.” “And if he up and joins, what about the rest of us?” Jayne snarled. “We can join him, or be stuck here, no way to go home.” “He would not do that,” River told him, though she wondered in her heart if Jayne was correct. “You got a heap more faith in him than I do, then,” Jayne sulked. Just then Kaylee came bounding down the stairs. She bounced over to Jayne, kissing him soundly. “Whatcha doin’?” she smiled. Her smiled faded as she recognized Jayne’s mood. “What’s wrong?” she demanded, looking from Jayne to River, and back again. “We’s just discussin’ a turn of events,” Jayne told her, smiling faintly. “That’s all.” “Monty is here,” River told her. “Apparently, there is a new drive being planned for Independence,” she added, and Kaylee frowned. “A war?” she asked, worriedly. “I don’t wanna be in no war.” “None of us do,” River assured her. “We were discussing what Captain Daddy may do, now that he knows of Monty’s involvement.” “You think he’ll join’em?” Kaylee asked, wide-eyed. “He promised he wasn’t gonna do that!” “Promises don’t mean much to Mal,” Jayne muttered. “Not when they get in the way o’ his bein’ a hero and all.” “Jayne, that ain’t nice!” Kaylee huffed. “It ain’t nice to bring us all the way out here, knowin’ what’s what, neither,” Jayne shot back. “I done promised you I ain’t fightin’ in no war. And I ain’t gonna break it, neither.” Kaylee smiled at that. “Good,” she murmured, hugging him tight. “I told you, he had no direct knowledge of what was happening,” River sighed in frustration. “Just suspicions.” “Which he didn’t bother to share with us!” Jayne said flatly. “Or did he share’em with some of us?” Jayne’s eyes narrowed slightly. River looked at him. “He said nothing to me, if that is what you mean,” she told him evasively. “But you knew, didn’t you,” Jayne stopped short of accusing, but his anger was back. “I knew his suspicions, yes,” River nodded. “Hard not to. They were on his mind constantly.” “And you chose not to share that with us, why?” Jayne demanded. “Jayne, I don’t share anything I glean from the minds of others,” River said shortly. “Yours, Kaylee’s, anyone’s. It isn’t right.” “Jayne, don’t you start, now,” Kaylee warned. Jayne sighed. “I didn’t mean it like that, River,” he told her softly. “I just. . .Mal’s always goin’ on about trustin’ me, but maybe he oughta take a look in the mirror, once in a while.” “I bet Zoe knew,” Kaylee chewed her lip. “He tells her everything.” “She may have,” River nodded. “I don’t know.” “Well, we’re here, now,” Jayne stood up. “Ain’t no help for it, but to wait an’ see what Mal says when he gets back.”

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