Out to the black Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Joss, Fox, Universal Own em’. I’m just playing. No money being made.

This is my first Fan Fic ever. Constructive reviews are shiny.

This fic takes place two years after Serenity (BDM) and has the established couples of Simon/Kaylee and Mal/Inara along with a Jayne/River friendship.

Allan sets foot on a new planet but when an old enemy of Jayne’s comes calling, things go quickly pear shaped.

Out to the black

Chapter four –First Fight

“One small step for man. One giant leap for mankind.” The words repeated in Allan’s head, a wistful smile on his face. “Always wanted to say that.” He thought to himself.

Turning, Allan strode back up Serenity’s ramp, his back straighter and a small smile visible under his bushy firefighters style mustache. He looked to where Kaylee and Simon stood arm in arm and River leaning against the bay opening with a knowing look on her face.

“First step in the dream”

“Yes,” Allan replied. “The biggest”

“What ya’ got in the crates there Allan?” Kaylee asked.

“A little bit of everything.” He said with a smile,” The four big blue ones have food for one person for three years… That is if my idea for multi century food preservation worked”.

“Food?” Simon asked incredulously, “still edible after four hundred years”

“Should be, the biggest one has about two hundred pounds of frozen beef, pork and chicken.” Allan said with a smile. “All vacuum packed, irradiated and flash frozen in liquid nitrogen. I left the heat off in my ships cargo bay and the cases are super insulated. If the content isn’t all decayed which I doubt, it should be fine. The other cases have various other foodstuffs all preserved the same way.”

Allan bent down and started disengaging the latches on the large case. With a hiss and a blast of super cooled air, he lifted off the top and looked in. Kaylee, River and Simon looking over his shoulder.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about.” Allan said with a smug look on his face. Inside the case were numerous individually wrapped and frozen meat portions. All perfectly preserved. “Ah, the wonderful world of modern cryonics. Who’s up for London Broil for dinner tonight?”

Simon’s eyes were almost bugging out of his head and Kaylee tried to stifle a squeal. River bent low from the waist over the case looking at the contents.

“Better keep Jayne away from this… Otherwise it will be gone in a week” River said deadpan.

Simon began to laugh at that comment with Kaylee and River giggling. Allan joined in after a moment.

River suddenly stood up and turned to look at the open ramp of Serenity, her right hand dropping the grip of her revolver.

“Trouble” She said darkly. “Six minds with evil intent looking at the ship.”

“Ge Ge, Get Kaylee to the engine room, and lock it up. Stay there until either Allan or I get you”

“River…” Simon began.

“Now!” River commanded, “We have perhaps three minutes before they arrive at the ship”

Simon pulled an obviously frightened Kaylee away and up the stairs. Turning to Allan River looked at him with a serious look on her face.

“Are you proficient with firearms?”

“Quite, but what’s happening?”

“One of Jayne’s old partners recognized Serenity, he and five cronies are approaching seeking vengeance. There are extra guns in the locker over there” River said pointing to a corner of the cargo bay. “Arm yourself, but stand loose, perhaps we can convince them that Jayne is no longer here”

“I have my own guns,” Allan said quickly, “Light, medium or heavy weapons?”

“Light with medium available”

“Got it.” Allan quickly moved over to one of the small red crates in his pile. Opening it quickly he gazed inside. Being the grandson of a retired, pre Alliance US Marine Aviator turned dairy farmer. Allan knew his guns. Most were his grandfathers that had been handed down to him.

Reaching inside the case Allan quickly pulled out and strapped a tactical holster to his right thigh. Moving aside the foam packing material, he reached down and removed his grandfathers and his favorite pistol, a real US Marine issue Colt 1911 .45 caliber semi- automatic. Pulling the slide back to make sure the passage of time hadn’t gummed up the action, Allan slammed home a magazine in the grip, checked the safety and released the slide. Satisfied that the gun was operational, Allan slid it in the holster on his leg. Reaching back into the case, he removed three more magazines and stuffed them in his right back pocket. Pulling out a second gun, this time a Glock 9 mm, he repeated the actions he had just performed on the Colt. Putting two more magazines in his other back pocket. He slipped the Glock into his belt at the small of his back.

Opening another case, Allan removed his trusty, Remington 12 gauge shotgun. Allan quickly racked the action loading the weapon with alternating buckshot and slugs.

Meanwhile, River had calmed herself, affecting the airs of an air headed teenage girl and not the living weapon she actually was. Smiling on the outside, she watched closely as a grungy heavyset man with dark hair approached Serenity’s ramp, five other similarly disheveled men closely followed him. All were armed.

“Kin I helps ya’” River said to the men smiling and sounding a great deal like Kaylee.

“Where’s Jayne Cobb?” The man in the lead demanded gruffly.

“Never heard o’ her” River replied sweetly, “Who might’s you be?”

“Names Marco, and Jayne’s a he not a her”

“A fella named Jayne, huh, doesn’t that beat all. Ain’t that right Uncle Allen?”

“Sure does there girl.” Allan said stepping from behind some crates, catching on to the ruse River was using. ”Strange name for a fella, sure you got the right ship?”

“This is Serenity isn’t it?” Marco said sharply.

“Yep,” Allan replied with a firm smile “But I ain’t never had no one named Jayne on board in the two years I’ve owned her.”

Allan had detected a slight Italian accent from Marco and disturbingly he had noticed that the men following Marco had begun to spread out into a semi circle at the base of Serenity’s ramp… Not good.

River had remained smiling during the exchange but had slowly moved back a few steps and had moved her hand closer to her gun.

“You own this Boat?’ Marco asked, clearly getting more pissed off by the moment. “What happened to the old captain?”

“Don’t rightly know, Bought the ship from a broker, I liked the name so I kept it”

Marco growled and stepped up on the ramp, “I don’t care where you bought it, I’m checking this ship for Cobb…”

Allan’s Colt appeared in his right hand almost as if conjured there. “You make one more step on this here ship and it will be your last” Allan growled back as he pointed his .45 between Marco’s eyes.

Marco’s eyes squinted down into narrow slits “Gun him”

Before Marco had finished his words, River had started moving. Extending her right arm, gun in hand, she promptly put a bullet between the eyes of the leftmost man standing behind Marco. Dropping into a crouch just before a bullet passed through the space she had previously occupied. River kicked out both her legs, balanced on her left hand, striking Marco in the chest, dropping him to the ramp stunned.

Allan took half a step to the right and put two rounds into the chest of the man who had been standing directly behind Marco. River’s revolver spoke again and another of the assailants fell.

Marco’s two remaining men started to break for cover snapping off shots at Allan and River, trying to keep them pinned down. Allan ducked down to the left as rounds came his way. River forward rolled to her feet, twisting with a roundhouse kick to the nose of one of the two remaining men, killing him instantly as the cartilage was shoved into the frontal lobe of his brain. Allan finished off the last henchman with two rounds center mass as he tried to get a bead on River.

Marco had regained his breath on the ramp and pulled himself to his feet while drawing his gun. He pointed it at River’s back “Bitch…”

Time seemed to slow down. Allan shifted his aim to Marco, but his arm seemed too slow. Allan heard the wet thud of a bullet striking flesh, followed a half second later by a gunshot…

River had started to turn…

Marco’s left knee exploded in a spray of blood, nearly amputating his lower leg. Marco dropped to the ramp screaming. The bullet intended for River’s back going wild…

Time sped back up and Allan looked in the direction he had heard the shot come from. Moving quickly through the crowd still scattering from the gunfight. Allan saw the Mule approaching with Jayne standing on the rear seat holding an intimidating looking rifle. Mal had his gun out and was scanning the crowd for more trouble. Inara appeared frightened and Zoë looked like she could kill with a look alone.

“Vera has spoken” River said with a strange smile on her face, “Jayne always has my back.”

Allan holstered his Colt and sat down heavily on the ramp. Heaving a deep breath, ears still ringing from the gunshots he muttered, ”I’m getting too old for this shit.”

TBC