Out to the black Chapter 9

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.

Out to the black

Chapter Nine – Outing

Allan awoke at six am. Stretching a bit he crawled out of bed and dressed. It was his first morning on the official duty roster and he had to make breakfast for the crew. Making his way to the cargo bay, Allan retrieved items from his frozen food crates. With the resulting armload he made his way up the stairs to the galley.

Smiling, he opened the packet of real coffee and placed it in serenity’s coffee maker. Allan then set about making the rest of the meal. Doctoring up some of the ships store of protein based powdered eggs with some real cheddar cheese. Allan turned his attention to the sausage frying in the pan.

The smell of cooking sausage started to draw the crew to the dining area without even having to make a call on the com. First in was Mal, followed closely by Inara and River.

“Is that real coffee?” Mal asked sniffing the air appreciatively.

“Yep, and real orange juice, pork sausage, cheddar cheese and unfortunately, powdered eggs.” Allan replied.

“I’ll forgive the eggs since there’s real coffee” Mal chuckled.

Inara playfully smacked Mal on the arm as he poured himself a cup. River stood behind Allan on her tiptoes, looking over the big man’s shoulder.

“Mmmm, sausage,” the young girl said, “If you keep feeding us like this, I will not be able to keep my girlish figure,” River finished giggling.

“You could use some fillin’ out there girl” Jayne leered from the doorway as he entered, making a beeline for the coffee maker.

“I can kill you with my brain ape-man” River said sweetly.

“Uh, yeah,” Jayne mumbled.

River giggled and grabbed a sausage link from a plate. Stuffing it in Jayne’s mouth, smiling she said, “Good boy, here’s your treat. Now sit.”

Jayne sat. Much to the amusement of the others gathered around the table.

“Gorram moonbrain,” the big man muttered.

Kaylee and Simon entered the galley to the sounds of laughter.

“What’s so funny?” Kaylee asked.

“Looks like our lil’ Albatross is taming our Merc” Mal said still laughing.

“Not tame, domesticated perhaps,” River said quietly.

Simon stared at his sister mouth slightly agape. Finally he stammered out, “Mei-mei, What did you say?”

“Nothing Simon” She said quickly. “I am just tormenting the afore mentioned Ape Man.”

Jayne meanwhile, was trying his best to hide in plain site as he attacked his breakfast.

Zoë entered the room at that moment with a cheery “Good Morning,” breaking the sudden tension in the room.

Allan was a little confused at the situation. He wondered what was going on when his train of thought was disrupted when he looked at Zoë. She was seemed… different this morning. She had a big smile on her face. Her hair was loose rather then in the ponytail she usually had it in. She seemed softer. Her clothing seemed to accentuate her curves. Rather than the stiff utilitarian look she usually had.

Allan made his way to the table, taking his usual seat. Zoë sat opposite him. Mal shot his first mate a look, while Inara and River tried their best to hide grins. Allan smiled at the Amazon across from him as said, “Mornin’ Zoë”

“Mornin Allan”, she smiled back. Clearing his throat, Mal spoke up, “Now’s that we’re all here, we’ll go over the plan o’ the day. Tross, how long till we hit atmo on Aberdeen?”

“One hour, three minutes, thirty seconds.”

“Okay then, Allan, You and River’ll handle the landing. Once we’re dirtside, Me, Inara and River will do the drop. We’ve dealt with Henderson before so there shouldn’t be any problems. Kaylee, you an’ Simon handle getting any parts or med supplies we need. Jayne, you’ll see to fuelin the ship and then get us all ammo’d up. Should be a gun store or two near the docks.”

Looking to his first mate, Mal continued, “Zoë, you an’ Allan will take some of that… stuff Allan gave us and try to get it converted to cash. Then see to getting us provisioned up. Can’t be livin on Allan’s food forever. You can splurge a bit though. Get some fresh vegetables and the like.”

Zoë and Allan nodded. Jayne mumbled something about a house. Mal looked at him sternly.

“Ain’t got time for that Jayne, Need to be in the black by 18:00 ships time.

“Awright,” Jayne said, clearly disappointed.

The crew ate their breakfast at a leisurely pace. Savoring the mostly real food. When they finished eating, Zoë and River helped Allan with the dishes. Once that was done Mal spoke up.

“Ok people let’s be getting to work on the pre landing checks.”

Allan, River and Mal made their way to the bridge. River took her usual spot in the pilot’s chair, Allen in the co-pilots position. Mal stood behind River.

“How we doin’ Albatross?”

“Ten minutes from atmo, I was about to call for our clearance”

“Go ahead”

River grabbed the microphone from the overhead. “Aberdeen control this is the Firefly transport Serenity, requesting clearance for entry and landing at the New Glasgow docks.”

“Afternoon Serenity, welcome to Aberdeen. You are cleared to slip forty-five. Local time at the docks is 14:30. Weather is mostly clear with two-thirds cloud cover at 4000 meters. Ground temp is 23 degrees Celsius. Your routing is being uploaded to your Nav-Sat”

“Thank you Aberdeen, We have the route… Good Day,” River finished, hanging up the microphone.

Navigational information appeared on the screens in front of Allan and River.

“Talking to controller’s hasn’t changed much in four hundred years,” Allan commented. “Although the last one I spoke to was yelling at me because I had deviated from my flight plan… Of course that was the night I left Earth,” Allan finished with a slight chuckle.

River smiled and looked at Mal who nodded once. Turning back to Allan she said loudly, “Ship is yours Allan, follow steering on the display, I will monitor.”

Smiling like the proverbial Cheshire cat, Allan snapped a jaunty salute to his mentor. “Yes Ma’am.”

Taking the yoke in his hands, Allan brought his controls online and switched off the autopilot. Flipping three switches on the overhead console, he settled to his task. Allan pitched Serenity’s nose up to the optimum angle for reentry. Swiveling the ships engine pods down, Allan began to advance the throttles to begin slowing the ship. The next few minutes went quickly as River and Allan configured Serenity for atmo.

River, watching closely, winked at Mal who was a bit nervous about Allan’s first real landing. Pushing the button on the com she stated, “Atmo in thirty seconds”

“All set back here River,” Kaylee’s voice returned on the speaker.

“Bay’s secure” Zoë acknowledged next.

Allan felt a slight vibration start to build through the ship as superheated plasma began to become visible on the bridge windows. Following the nav data on the screen Allan began to maneuver Serenity lower into Aberdeen’s atmosphere.

“Traffic at one o’clock” River called out, “Another Firefly climbing out”

“Got it” Allan said as he sideslipped Serenity to the left to avoid any conflict with the other ship.

“Well done,” River smiled at the older man.

“I try” Allan said quickly.

Soon, Serenity was in the lower atmosphere and headed for the docks. Dropping low Allan kept the ships speed up as he guided Serenity onward. Feeling the air around the ship as he flew.

“Docks in forty-five seconds.” River said.

“Acknowledged” Allan said quickly.

“Um… Allan…” Mal started to say.

River giggled as she saw in Allan’s mind what her co-pilot had planned, “You might want to hold onto something Capn’ Daddy.”

Allan suddenly and smoothly pulled Serenity into a vertical climb while pulling the throttles back. Just as the ship’s velocity hit zero, Allan yawed the ship 180 degrees left in a perfect hammerhead turn, with Serenity’s nose now pointed at the ground.

Mal tried to speak but his mouth just opened noiselessly. River was laughing like a kid on a roller coaster.

Smiling, Allan let Serenity start to fall. Holding the angle for a few moments Altitude decreasing rapidly. Allan pitched Serenity back to level, while simultaneously swiveling the engine pods into the landing configuration and extending Serenity’s landing gear. Ten seconds later the ship settled into her appointed berth without even a bump. To anyone without the benefit of windows, the landing seemed perfectly normal, Serenity’s artificial gravity keeping everyone and everything in place on the ship. The maneuvers had been so smooth that no spikes had gotten by the inertial dampeners to toss things about.

The only one besides those on the bridge who had any inkling that Serenity was doing anything strange was Kaylee in the engine room. Her power output displays showing the wild maneuvering.

River hit the com, “We’re down Kaylee”

“You showin’ off again River?”

“Not me. That was Allan”

“Tell im’ if’n he breaks my girl, he’s gotta fix her”

“I will”

Allan was still smiling until he saw the expression on Mal’s face. “Oops” he thought.

Mal had regained some of his composure and looked first at his pilot who was grinning and making puppy dog eyes at him. Shifting his gaze to the older man in the co-pilots seat. He began to grin himself.

“Damn,” Mal said. “Wash couldn’t have done any better.” Shaking his head, Mal turned and left the bridge.

“Did I pass muster?” Allan asked River.

“Indubitably”

The crew gathered in the bay a few minutes later. Zoë and Jayne had lowered the mule and began to load the cargo. Once the mule was loaded, Mal hopped into the drivers seat with Inara beside him and River in the rear. River pulled on her oversized goggles, topping her outfit off with her Stetson.

Simon lowered the ramp and the trio departed, picking their way through the crowds of the spaceport. Walking to the door opening, Allan looked around. Compared to New Edmonton on Boros, New Glasgow was quite high tech. High-rise buildings were visible in the distance. Closer to the ship, the buildings were older and mostly of stone and masonry construction. Much like the city’s namesake on Earth. Behind him Zoë was giving out orders to the rest of the crew.

“Jayne, get Serenity fueled up then go get the ammo. Try to stay near the ship if you can. Should be safe here but we’ll keep her locked up when no one’s here. Be back by 1730”

“Okay Zoë.” The big man replied as Zoë gave him a small pouch of platinum coins.

Turning to Simon and Kaylee, Zoë handed them a bag as well. “Try not to get too distracted by the pretties… Or the Doc Mei-mei” Zoë told the younger woman with a smile.

“I shall endeavor to keep us on track” Simon smiled.

“Right, Be back by 17:30”

“We will Zoë,” said Kaylee as she dragged Simon down the ramp into the crowds.

“Ready to go?” Zoë asked Allan as he stood in the doorway.

“Just about, we going armed?” Allan asked noting Zoë’s Mare’s leg and Small pistol.

“Just a sidearm and maybe a backup piece.”

“Okay, Back in a minute.”

Allan went to his bunk and strapped on his Colt automatic. Slipping a spare clip in his back pocket. Allan then strapped a small holster on his right ankle. Sliding in a small frame 9mm Auto. Unlocking the crate in the corner, Allen removed three small bullion sized gold bars from the box. Slipping them into a fanny pack he had. Allan decided to bring a few of the Diamonds he had as well. Just before leaving Earth, Allan had converted most of his liquid assets into Gold, Silver and Diamonds. At the prices currently in effect when he left, there was about 240 million dollars in stones and precious metals that crate, as well as all his Blue Sun stock certificates. They might not be worth much now but maybe he could sell them later as antiques.

Allan hurried back to the bay. While he was gone, Zoë had closed the ramp and was waiting for him by the smaller door.

“All set?” She asked.

“Yep, where to first?”

“Thinking maybe a jeweler. A bank might be a bit too curious about gold from Earth that was.”

“I was thinking the same, I have a few diamonds as well.”

Zoë’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head, “Diamonds?”

“Yeah, nothing major, none over two carats.”

Zoë stood shaking her head. “You sure don’t act like a rich man.”

“I wasn’t always. Only reason I was able to go to college for my first degree was because of a full scholarship. If not for that, I’d have probably still been a farmer for the rest of my days. Or at the most, flying an orbital shuttle. And the exodus probably wouldn’t have happened.”

As the pair left the ship, locking the hatch behind them. They were unaware of two pairs of eyes observing them.

“Any sign of the Tam’s” the first asked the second.

“No. Perhaps they left before we arrived”

“We shall wait and observe then”

“Indeed” the second said, adjusting the blue gloves on his hands.

TBC