Serenity's crew limped back to the ship.

“I didn’t think ya deserved it.” Kaylee noted quietly as she cradled her sore ribs, commenting on Mal’s sore punch inflicted face. She was walking close to a limping Simon, who was carrying an unconscious, bruised River. They were all roughened up, and quite addled by the defeat. No one could wrap around what had just happened; from River’s inability to pick up even an after thought, to the Rising Sun’s pirate crew, to everything they had heard Mal yell; they were all stunned.

Boston, who had been hiding in the infirmary, yaowled and galloped over to see River.

“In case you was deaf, Lil’ Kaylee,” Jayne locked the airlock door with a mighty twist of his arms “Mal lost his shit back there.”

“I did not.” Mal growled, though obviously guilty of bizarre behavior no one could decipher. No one except Zoe, who was indisposed of in a serious way. He looked around, pausing, and becoming very worried. Turning back with furrowed brows and well worn criticism, he stared at Inara. “You got out and you didn’t find Meilin?!”

Inara glowered, offended as she ascended the staircase with as much grace as her sore body could muster. “Your faith in me is astounding, really.” Her dark eyes narrowed into further slits, partially out of the anger of his comment, partially because he still wasn’t over someone and though companions were to be indifferent to such things, she believed they had a contemporary family unit already. A family unit that might not mean much to him in the face of an old flame. “I got out and found Meilin and hid her on my shuttle. What kind of mother do you think I am?”

“Oh.” Mal, blank faced, watched her from the rear view as she passed him on the stairs and headed to her shuttle. Jogging up the stairs, having to catch himself as the Rising Sun disengaged from Serenity with an obnoxious lurch, he peered in to see Inara kneeling. She took a panel out of the floor, and extract a basket. Meilin screamed furiously Inara took her out of the basket and held her close and tight, needing contact just as much as her daughter did.

“Shhh.” Inara kissed Meilin’s tiny nose and rubbed the child’s chest, fingers trailing up to caress tears away from a round cheek. “It’s over, it’s over. We’re safe now, ni bie dei shi er jing, mu-qin de zhe-li.”

Meilin clutched onto Inara’s dress, she had heard Kaylee scream when someone had grabbed her, and when her mother had rescued her, she had been shoved in a dark hole and left all alone. It had been frightening as she molded herself against her mother’s warm body, seeking comfort.

“Bao bao huai jung shuay.” She sung and rocked her body, sounding as if she was trying to calm herself down too. Pushing back the infant’s knitted cap, her lips pressed gingerly against the delicate scalp. Sighing, thankful her daughter had been safe, she gazed up at Mal.

“Why’d you fight?” He sounded frustrated, whether it was at her or at himself, it wasn’t clear.

“What did you think I was going to do?” Inara adjusted Meilin’s position so the baby settled snugly in the crook of her arm, the crying dying back. “Find her and huddle in a corner defenselessly? I still had to protect her….”

“I told you to stay back where it’s safe. You should’ve took her and locked yourself in here.”

“You needed help, you were way over your head like you always are. You put everyone in danger when you clearly didn’t need too…”

“I did what I had to…”

“You could have just sent him a wave, Mal. A wave! And he would have given you the medicine or told you where it was, all you had to do was tell him about Z…”

“You think it’s that easy?!” He raised his voice at her.

“Oh I’m sorry, I forgot how you hold grudges. Forgive me and remind me not to need your help when someone who’s peeved you off is standing in the way.”

“Zei di yi.... cao... guo pi-hua... You don’t know anything about what went on between him and I!”

“Then why don’t you enlighten me?! Enlighten me and the rest of the crew as to why you had to prove yourself and make things a hundred times worse! Endanger them! Lose your mind! Go and…”

Meilin shrieked, the cry trailing off to choking sobs as she gripped her mother’s dress. How upset she was by their raised voiced silenced her parents.

“I’m so sorry baby.” Inara cooed guiltily, immediately trying to soothe her daughter. “I shouldn’t talk like that around you. Xu wu ai, wo bao-qian he wo ai ni duo-ma."

“Shhhh.” Stepping in, he took a miniature hand and felt Meilin’s fingers grip his pinkie. “Tai mu-qin bi ni tai xiao yi. Ni you dou tai shou-zhi he zhi he wo-men shi zhe-bian. There’s nothing ta cry about.”

Meilin heard his voice, and her eyes that had been squeezed shut opened. Her mouth still gaping with a cry, the infant focused on the concerned faces of her parents.

“Hey Xiao Xiong-mao.” He wriggled a finger against her tummy. “Shhh…”

The baby’s mouth fumbled for something to suck on and pacify herself with. Mal’s fingers were the closest thing, though Inara brushed his dirty hands away and pulled a pacifier out of one of her dress pockets.

“Ni wei yao qi zang zhi.” Inara offered the rubber nib to the tiny mouth, which wrapped around it and sucked gratefully. Turning the loud bawling to stifled whimpers and grunts. Shifting her hold, she held the baby so the little chin was propped on her shoulder, and the babe’s face nuzzled into her neck. “I think a bottle’s in order.” She said while a slender hand rubbed Meilin’s back. As her eyes left her child and sank to Mal, she couldn’t help but let out an exasperated breath. “Are you ever going to explain yourself?”

His eyes peeled up to Inara’s stern, confused, and somewhat hurt face. Opening his mouth, then closing it, then opening it again, he swallowed and shifted his weight to his left foot. His face sobered, and his jaw grew firm. “I was left behind. And that’s all I gotta say.”

The dark eyes of his lover cast down, and she left to tend to their baby.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

River, groaned to life.

“River?” Simon, hanging over her like a worried parent, gently wiped her forehead with a cool cloth. “Take it easy, you took quite a knock to the head.”

Boston purred, relieved and licking her fingers with his tongue that had the consistency of sandpaper.

River Tam’s eyes focused on the face in front of her. Slowly, Simon came into view, his fretful blue orbs relaxing as a hand smoothed out her hair. Turning her head, she found herself in a bunkroom, on the bed, with her brother’s portable scanner next to her on the mattress. Her reading capabilities were up and running, though her eyes narrowed and her mind slowly came out of the fog of jumbled thoughts and memories. “You’re hurt.”

“I can manage.” He helped her up, kissing her forehead and gently taking her wrist to examine it. “The captain’s flying the ship, so you can recooperate.”

“Everyone’s hurt.” Her voice whispered, feeling the pain. Grabbing her cat and hugging him. “Meilin’s scared. Nightmares. Nightmares from before, new and left alone. She remembers. Hungry and weak, dark, all alone.” The tone punctuating the air, anyone could feel the sadness she had as a reaction to Meilin’s thoughts.

“Inara and Mal will take care of her. She’s not alone.”

“Scared she will be.” River announced, her eyes moving back and forth as her mind was still rebooting from the blow and was scattered. Jumping to another subject, the dark brown wells widened, and her muscles drew taunt. “I couldn’t hear them.”

“Who?” Simon wiped her knuckles as they were bruised and raw. “You mean the other crew?”

“They have souls, but they have no echo. Humans without a sound.”

“I guess it’s nice to know they’re human.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“They ain’t human.”

Kaylee tromped in from the engine room, sinking into one of the galley chairs. Inara was at the next chair, still soothing a whimpering Meilin who worked on a bottle. Jayne was on the opposite side of the table, washing his wounds with a rag dipped in what could be assumed alcohol, and a tall bottle of whiskey and a shot glass not too far away. Kaylee turned to the merc, watching his gruff yet skittish demeanor.

“I mean, jus think about it. The way they came in, how theys got someone ta sneak over in a spacesuit, take down you girls and River can’t hear a damn thing in their heads. If she can’t hear nothin'… well then there can’t be nothin’ real up there.”

“You’re talking crazy Jayne.” Kaylee rolled her eyes, though she too was wary. “Just cause a buncha girls clobbered you down and River can’t read nothin’ don’t mean anything….” Pausing, her skepticism broke quickly. “I mean…. What else would they be? Only people do, people stuff. Right?”

“They’re ji-qi-ren, that’s what they are.” Jayne announced with great certainty.

Inara scoffed. “Ji-qi-ren?”

“Didn’t ya see the big one with the metal arm ‘n eye? They’re all like that I reckon, all their innards gears ‘n gyros ‘n parts. Like some big… toy… thing.. y’know, like a robo dog they sell on the core. Looks just like the real thing, acts like the real thing, but it ain’t the real thing. Arty-fish-el In-telly-gence.” He tapped his finger on the table top. “That’s what those creepy hun-dans are. That’s why instead of followin’ them to this moon we should flip around and haul it to Persephone. Get the meds without haven’t ta deal with 'em.”

Inara rolled her eyes. “Right, and this other captain won’t hunt us down and want retribution for not fulfilling our side of the bargain?”

“He’s gorram ji-qi-ren! He’ll get what he wants, kill the lot of us off ‘n build a buncha them that look just like us ta replace us.”

Kaylee didn’t know whether to be scared or fascinated mechanical workin’s came in human form. “But, why’d only one have metal? Wouldn’t the others?”

“They’re keepin’ that one as a decoy. Like I said, mechanical dogs, artyfishel intelligence.” Jayne poured himself another shot and tossed it back to steady his nerves and minds eye that saw big metal humans.

“There are no dogs, nor any other AI program for that manner, as complex as something that can completely replicate true life.” Simon announced as he came in with River, who looked like she had been hit by a bus.

Kaylee opened her arms and River climbed into her lap like a needy kitten. “You feelin’ better xiao mei-mei?”

River nodded her head, gazing at Meilin.

Boston twisted his ears back, mildly offended as he was attention starved. He jumped up on the table and squatted into a ball right in front of Kaylee, squinting at the two.

“And how do you know that?” Jayne fired back.

“Because cybernetics is a huge part of medicine right now.” He took a stiff seat. “If you can’t receive a transplant or a lab can’t grow you a new organ, you receive a cybernetic prosthesis.”

Kaylee combed out River’s hair absently as spindly arms were wrapped around her torso. “I don’t get it, they’re the last bet?”

“It’s like parts for Serenity.” Inara tried to put it in reasonable perspective. “Eventually something like that will break down and have to be replaced. Transplants are much more permanent and even more cost effective if you want something that looks aesthetically like apart of your own self.”

“It’s true, Universal MedAid will pay for a basic prosthesis.” Simon divulged. “Like that Cyborg Sterling’s arm and eye, having something actually match your anatomy is an upgrade, not covered by government programs or private health care.”

“That’s all fine and dandy if and when one of us goes missin’ a piece.” Jayne snorted. “But it still don’t explain how they can’t have gears fer brains.’”

“Artificial Intelligence is not that far advanced.” The doctor responded. “The most advanced AI pets cannot replicate a realistic voice without sounding synthetic, nor can they have complex personalities. Robotics is still rudimentary compared to actual biology, they have a hard enough problem making an AI parrot look real, you don’t think a fully humanoid robot would appear a little off?”

“Didn’t you ever watch them movies as a kid?”

“Movies, Jayne. The emphasis is movies.”

“Says the guy who’s sisters brain got all twisted up till she was a wooly, warped killin’ machine.”

“We’re talking about computer systems, not biology, neurology and subliminal imprinting.”

“She’s still scared.” River whispered, catching Inara’s attention as Jayne went through the entire plot of some earth-that-was series about robots that not only enslaved the human race but also jumped through time and fought over some mankind savior named John. Reaching out, she touched Meilin gently. “Afraid of abandonment. Garbage bin all over again. She was scared, and you left her, no consolation. Then you yelled, scared even more.” Looking up, she was fully aware of the guilt that started to eat away at Inara, and the feelings of being a horrible parent and frightening her child, however River blinked, and appeared detached. “You’re a good mother, she needs maternal reassurance.” Letting go, River uncurled herself from Kaylee and drifted off.

Boston yaowled for her to wait for him as he leapt off the table and followed in his quick gaited trot.

Stepping lightly, she made her way to the helm, where she found Malcolm Reynolds gazing at the stars, following a streak of blue light in front of them, the Rising Star. Sitting in the co-pilot seat, and taking her cat in her arms she waited till he noticed her.

Eventually he did.

“Albatross, that brother of yours work the knock to your head out?”

“You behaved irrationally.” She announced, the middle of her brows fixed in dissaproval.

Mal blinked.

“You became blinded by your past anger. Malcolm Reynolds has been humped many times.”

His brows raised.

She cut him a sideways look. “Figuratively.”

“Of course.”

“However it hurt the most when Malcolm Reynolds was betrayed by a best friend. Best friend who stole the dream.” She flipped Boston onto his back and scratched his belly, making his throat sound as if he were more lawn mower than feline. “Stole the crew, stole the girl, stole the dream and got ahead. Left in the dust, picks up the pieces of the fragile things left. Zoe was left, constant companion, ever loyal, helped usher in the new life." Her voice slowed down, poigniantly. "Loves the new life, loves the crew that is more like kin, even loves living planetside.” Her head rolled to the right so her eyes could reach his own. “But it still hurts. Already left to die by the philosophy the browncoat fought for, alone on the battlefield, left to die, and when life returned it left the browncoat again. Reboot the plan the way it wasn’t intended. Years of turmoil, hardship, low rung of the social order while the East prospers like a pirate king. Basking in golden wealth when you settled for scraps. Had the best when you had the sub-par. Had…”

“I get it clear and loud that I ain’t on top.” He cut her off.

“And regardless you have more, you are richer in other ways, it still hurts. Still six years ago, standing in the dust while they fly off, holding the ring, heart in two, dream shattered. A fragile thing and a heavy temper never mix.”

There was a void of silence, Mal leaned back and quirking his lips. “You know, ya better stop makin’ so much damn sense.”

“Crazy folk make the best sense.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The moon, Antilles, was a marauder's paradise. The small satellite globe of minerals left over from the Great Bang and formation of the 'verse was covered in an ion cloud (they were the norm for that quadrant of the system, if a planet didn’t have an ion cloud, there was one nearby), one denser then Mr. Universe's moon, though more aesthetically pleasing. It was also generally ungoverned by the Alliance because of the lack of importance, for while the electrons dazzling the sky were attractive, the ground was a mudball. A quagmire of humidity, swamp, mesquitos as big as catalyzers, water rats as large as beagles, swamp vultures as giant as horses and crocs as massive as hover mules with little that could be extracted for profit (they had attempted to extract the crocs for core related fashion, however the crocs were smart, and had a palate that seemed to enjoy the savoriness of a screaming trapper). What feds were there were paid off, so they posed no threat. That, combined with the fact that no radar or scanner above the moon could tell how many or what ships made berth there, made it the home base of many pirates.

The pirate that owned most of the moon itself.

Serenity’s ramp was down, her crew waiting in the cargo bay area, clustered together and acting like a family of wolves readying to meet another pack. Mal stood in front of them all, his hands on his hips as the alpha figure with a brawl mussed face. River was to his right as his beta, a bruise and cut on her lip as her only visible indication of a past fight, Boston her second on her shoulder like a brigand’s monkey. Jayne was to his left, strapped to guns and carrying the look of a poked grizzly bear, and the other three filled out the space behind behind. They had all cleaned their wounds, and weren't nearly half as bad as they had appeared after the scuffle. The six watched as the Rising Sun’s nine came from their docked boat. Virgil East leading the way through the muggy atmosphere, the rest of his crew filing in with military issue duffel bags. The cybrog was the only one carrying something extra, a huge wooden crate loaded with cookware. Their boots dusted with red silt from the boggy moon hit hollow on the ramp and their skin filmed with humidity induced sweat. Virgil came up to Mal, and thrust his hand out.

“I just wanna start this out on the right foot, seeing as it’s stepped on every other foot.” He explained, his eyes shifting over to the other crew for a moment. “We’re your guests, and under no circumstance do I wish for either of our parties to resort of violence.”

Mal studied the hand, then took it in a firm grip. "Shiny time?"

"Shiny as war brass."

"Good." Looking back, he turned sideways and displayed his crew. “My crew, I reckon Virgil doesn’t need an introduction, but this here’s River my temporary second, Jayne the merc, Kaylee the mechanic, the man who can’t whip a pistol to save his life is Simon the medic and last but not least this is Inara and our little one Meilin."

“Ah, so you do have family.”

"Pleased to meet you Captain." Inara came forward to extend her free hand for him to shake it, instead, she was pleasantly surprised when he took and kissed the top of her fingers.

Malcolm watched the kiss carefully.

"The pleasure is mine, Miss. Serra." He bowed genteely. "As well as the apology for putting you and your family at risk durin’ that little dust up. It was necessity I’m afraid." Looking up he smiled at her and then at the child. "Congratulations on the little one, as well as having the fortitude that it takes to be able to live with the ever so vainglorious Malcolm Reynolds."

"He does seem to have that reputation." She dismissed her lover's tight face.

Virgil pulled his hand away and stood to the side, gesturing to his group of eight. “Now I must introduce my lot. This is my first mate Genevieve, followed by Zebulon Pike the medic, Roxy the mechanic, Emma the condottiere, Fiyero the condottiere in training, Jovie the pilot, Wren the co-pilot..."

"And air combat pilot." The co-pilot reminded.

"And air combat pilot." He added humorously "And finally Mr. Sterling, cook, weapon's expert, and all around biggest sweetheart out of all of us.”

"Cook and weapon's expert?" Malcolm Reynolds mused at the hulk of a man carrying bag and crate. "Quite the title Mr. Sterling."

"Oh it's nothin' more then what th' 'Verse taught me." Sterling grinned, and promptly hefted his things over to Wren to take his cap off and bow so deeply his nose nearly hit his thick legs. "Tis' a pleasure ta make you're aquiantance Miss. Serra! You're as bonnie as a longboat with fresh paint and new sails." Smiling up to her he straightened himself and kept his cap in both hands as he eyed Meilin. "And isn't she just a peach of a wee lass if there ever was one!" He waved at the little one. "Warms me heart seein' lil' ones. Don't get much of any in me line o' work."

"Well thank you Mr. Sterling, the pleasure is all mine." Inara couldn't help but love the man, as odd of a compilation of metal and human, he was a charismatic chap. As he went over to greet Kaylee with more humility.

“Miss Kaylee, I jus want ta apologize fer hows I held ya durin’ the fight. If I was rough ‘n hurt ya I didn’t mean ta be so. Th’ ol’ cyborg arm dn’t know its own strength sumtimes.” Reaching into the pocket of the apron that came out under his massive belly, he took out small scraps of metal and a thin wire. The mechanical hand whirred and clicked as three of his fingers turned to various tools as the wire was kept firm between the thumb and index finger. In a manner of seconds and sparks, the tools had twisted and welded the scraps into a metal rose, which he presented to her with a flourish.

“Why thank you.” Kaylee took it happily, marveling in his craftsmenship as he went over to the others to meet and great.

"Wren, pleasure to meet you." The brunette haired woman smiled in a friendly manner, Unable to shake Inara’s hand as she had a crate to tote. "Congratulations on the baby, and being able to handle Malcom Reynolds, if that isn't stepping out of line."

Mal griped softly. "I think it's a little over the border...."

The air combat pilot gave him a cheeky smirk. "C'mon Mal. It takes raw talent to handle you for a long stretcha time, and that's just from general observation."

Inara kept her laughter down to a demure chuckle.

Meilin hid her face in her mother’s neck, there were too many new voices.

“Mal, where can I set Sterling’s stuff down? The old space dog said he had ta cook for ya.”

“Upstairs, this boat has the same layout as your own.”

Fiyero, approached River who glared at him warily.

River blinked, her mouth twitched to hide what she felt, and she wasn't entirely sure how to handle the situation. "You hit me."

Jayne was approached by Jovie. “Sorry we took ya down.” She shook his hand, her bag slung over her shoulder. “Jovie Matsumoto.”

“Cobb, Jayne Cobb.” He grumbled, not liking the sight of any passengers, but these ones in particular. They were crazy robots for Pete’s sake. “Matsumoto eh? You one of them Japanese folk from Aquila?”

“Yes as a matter of fact.”

“That’s a nice world, knocked over a bank there once.” He said in a tone that meant he didn’t believe she was from Aquila, nor human for that matter.

Pike approached Simon, who had been smacked on the back by Sterling and was catching his breath. “I just wanted to apologize for pointing my gun at you while you were examining your mechanic. I know how it feels being threatened while on the job.”

Simon quirked a brow, studying the man with growing interest as he took his hand and shook it. A corner of his lip pulling into a questioning smile, he said. “Thank you… you sound like… you’re from Londinium, Northeast Londinium?”

“Slategrove, born and raised matter of fact.” Pike smiled. “You’re familiar?”

“My family bought a winter lodge in Slategrove.”

“Well I feel as though we’re neighbors already.”

Genevieve had greeted everyone, and wandered off to the infirmary.

Roxy headed over to Kaylee in her careless gate, a cigarette betwixt her lips and a black cat on her shoulder. "Roxy Crick." The mechanic stepped forward and introduced herself. "And this is Dinah."

Dinah mewed at her name. She was very curious about the shoulder cat she had seen a little while ago.

"Nice to meet cha both." Kaylee reached out and scratched the cat's chin to make friends. "So you're the mechanic?"

"Yeah. In fact, here." With thin roke of smoke from her mouth, she took a part out of her tool belt and handed it over to Kaylee. "Housewarming gift."

"A drive router! How thoughtful."

**** **** ****

TRANSLATIONS/DEFINITIONS

ni bie dei shi er jing, mu-qin de zhe-li: You don't need to be so scared, mother's here

Bao bao huai jung shuay: Sleep, you're safe with me

Zei di yi.... cao... guo pi-hua...: Son of a... f***ing... dog shit...

Xu wu ai, wo bao-qian he wo ai ni duo-ma.: Hush my love, I am sorry and I love you so much

Tai mu-qin bi ni tai xiao yi. Ni you dou tai shou-zhi he zhi he wo-men shi zhe-bian.: Your mother hid you safe little one. You have all your fingers and toes and we are right here.

Xiao Xiong-mao: little panda

Ni wei yao qi zang zi: you don't want that dirty finger

ji-qi-ren: Robots

hun-dans: bastards

xiao mei-mei: little sister

****As always, the writer appreciates all comments whether they be positive, negative, or suggestions.**