Disclaimer: Joss, Fox, Universal Own em’. (Except for Allan. He's mine) I’m just playing. No money being made.

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This story takes place four and a half years after Serenity (BDM) and has the established couples of Simon/Kaylee, Mal/Inara, Zoë/Allan and Jayne/River. Follows after Birthday and Recollections.

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A/N: Getting a bit closer to something happening...

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Thanks again Chris for the Beta.

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The Bash

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Chapter Five

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Frederica Cobb's mouth gaped open when she first saw the vast lobby of the hotel. Riding in a limousine was impressive enough on the young woman. The huge spires of New London's buildings left her in awe. Raised on a world where the tallest structure was a farm silo or a church steeple. Two thousand foot tall buildings were almost beyond Fred's comprehension.

Exiting the limo, they entered the hotel and approached the front desk, followed by a bellman with their luggage.

“Ah, Mr. And Mrs. Bryant. It is so good to see you again,” the Concierge smiled.

“Good to see you as well, Ms. Wi,” Allan replied.

“And who is this little one?” Ms. Wi asked after seeing the infant in Zoë's arms.

“Sara, our daughter.”

“She is adorable.”

Allan and Zoë just beamed.

“Did you get my wave?” Allan asked the woman.

“I did, there are now two beds in the second bedroom of your suite. As well as the requested baby items.”

“Excellent,” Allan smiled, “This is Marion Vorrasi, my security officer and Frederica Cobb, our... Nanny, I guess. At least for the moment anyway. She is a family friend.”

“I'll have two more key cards coded at once,” Ms. Wi replied, “And have them sent up. If you would follow me?”

The group followed the woman to the lifts and began the ride to the top floor.

“Here you are, your usual suite,” Ms. Wi smiled as she opened the door to the spacious room.

“Thank you, Ms. Wi,” Marion replied as she closed the door behind them.

“Tian xiaode,” Fred whispered as she began to wander around the room. Allan and Zoë shared a grin.

“Kinda over the top for my tastes,” Allan replied, “But it'll do.”

Fred's jaw dropped again.

Allan suddenly yawned. It might be early afternoon in New London but it was late evening to his internal clock.

Zoe and Marion had taken a nap before they left the Shinon Queen while, Fred was on a completely different time schedule.

“Why don't you go take a nap with Sara, Dear,” Zoë suggested, “And me and Marion will take Fred out for some shopping.”

Allan looked at his wife suspiciously, “Shopping?”

“Need a few new gowns for the upcoming shindigs. After the baby, my slinky dresses don't fit so well. Sides, Fred needs more appropriate core duds.”

“Just don't buy the planet... or get arrested this time,” Allan smiled before kissing Zoë on the cheek.

“Not happinin... well the arrested part, anyways.”

Allan shot her a lopsided grin as he took Sara from Zoë's arms, “I am so not looking forward to when Sara's a teenager.”

“Have a nice nap dear...” Zoë chuckled as she led Marion and Fred out of the room.

Allan stared at the closed door for a moment and chuckled, “You ready for a nap, Sara girl?”

“Mama!”

“I'll take that as a yes...”

XXXXXXXXXX

“Zoë... I don't know...”

“Freddie girl, you left home with five pairs o' pants six shirts and three dresses. All work clothes for the most part,” Zoë replied.

“So?”

“So,” Marion interjected, “That means you need some core style clothes.”

“I suppose...”

“Come on. We are beautiful women in an upscale clothing store with my Husband's nearly unlimited credit account...” Zoë grinned.

“If you put it that way,” Fred grinned.

After several hours and six stores, the three women were tired and thirsty. They had to look rather hard to find a bar where Fred wouldn't feel out of place. They found one several blocks from the port.

Zoë led the way into the drinking establishment. For a spacer bar it was damn clean, but that was the core for you. Even the dives were clean.

They found a table where they could watch the door. A habit both Zoë and Marion had both picked up in their years in the military.

Marion and Zoë had become friends in the last year that the younger woman had worked for Allan. Fred felt a little more at ease in their presence. Back on Deadwood, Fred Cobb was not a woman to trifle with. Here she was just a little lost rim girl in the big city.

“Oso know you're comin?” Marion asked.

“I told him that when the first ship that came by, headed coreward, I was gonna be on it,” Fred said after sipping her beer, “But I didn't know when.”

“How much money did you have saved up?” Zoë asked.

“Thirty five hundred platinum,” Fred replied, “Gorram Captain on the ship I took offa' Deadwood charged me a thousand for the ride and then when we hit Newhall, gave me a bill for everything I used on the trip. Even the ruttin toilet paper,” Fred growled.

Zoë looked pissed, “Captain's like that give the rest o' em' like Mal and Monty a bad name.” Had you just been a regular passenger, we would'a charged you lessn' three hundred platinum for a run like that.”

“If not for Monty, I'd still be on Newhall.”

“Why didn't you wave Jayne?” Zoë asked.

“Too gorram proud I reckon. Wanted to prove I could see the 'Verse by myself. Guess I got proved wrong,” Fred said with a sigh.

“He would've either sent you the fare for a real transport or we would have come and got you with Serenity,” Zoë pointed out.

“I know that... now.”

“Just remember, you got us too...” Zoë cut herself off as three slightly drunk spacers wandered over to their table.

“Evenin ladies. Interested in a little company?”

“No, go away,” Marion said flatly.

“Not very hospitable...”

“Too bad,” Zoë replied.

“See, we don't get to the core much and I been thinking how nice it would be to have some real fine core girls for company...”

“Sorry to disappoint,” Fred replied, “Cause I'm from Deadwood.”

“I'm from Boros,” Marion smiled.

“Same here. Besides,” Zoë began, “I'm married. My friend here is sly and the other one o' us' boyfriend is six foot eight and at least three fifty.”

“Sly? Well that's cryin shame for a filly as nice as you,” the leader leered.

“Deal with it,” Marion growled.

“Maybe it's cause you never had a real man...”

Zoë glared at the men, “You got ten seconds to walk away while you still can.”

One of the men reached out and grabbed Fred by the collar of her jacket. He was quite surprised when Fred's fist connected with his nose. Even more surprised when he found himself on the floor from the force of the punch with a bleeding and broken nose.

“That done it!” roared the leader as he pulled a gun.

His gun hadn't hardly cleared his holster when Zoë slid smoothly to her feet, reached out and grabbed the gunman's wrist with her right hand and connected with his jaw using her left. The man staggered.

The third man made a grab for Marion and she replied with a roundhouse kick to his temple. He dropped like a rock.

With a quick twist, Zoë broke the leaders wrist and his gun clattered to the floor.

“You broke my gorram wrist!” the man bellowed.

Before anything else could happen, four police officers burst through the door.

“Stand fast! You're all bound by law!”

“Not again,” Zoë mumbled as she raised her hands.

Marion stepped forward with her Blue Sun ID out, “Stand easy fellas...”

The corporal took Marion's ID, “Blue Sun Security?”

“I'm the CEO's director of security, Marion Vorassi. Here on my right is Zoë Bryant, the CEO's wife and on the left, Frederica Cobb, Mrs. Bryant's Nanny.”

“And why are you in this place?” the corporal asked.

“We were shopping and stopped in for a drink before heading back to the hotel,” Zoë replied.

The other cops hauled the two men who were awake to their feet. The corporal wasn't impressed yet.

“Care to explain what happened?”

“Them three whores attacked us!” the man with the broken wrist screamed.

“Bi zuie!” the corporal ordered.

“The one over there with the broken nose, grabbed my... Nanny. She hit him in self defense. The noisy one there pulled a gun. We defended ourselves,” Zoë stated flatly.

“I see...”

“Excuse me... officer?” the barkeeper said as he walked up.

“Yes?”

“Happened just like the lady said.”

“You have the security feed?”

“Yes sir.”

“I'd like to see it.”

“Follow me.”

Two more officers arrived to take charge of the spacers still standing while paramedics arrived to deal with the knocked out man on the floor.

Zoë looked over at Marion, “How hard did you kick him?”

“Wasn't how hard, but with what... got him with my prosthetic foot. Mostly titanium and carbon fiber,” Marion grinned.

A moment later the corporal returned, “I'm sorry for the delay ladies. I had to be sure of the particulars. You are free to go. And I must say, from the feed, you ladies handled yourselves quite well.”

“Wasn't always a society wife,” Zoë grinned, “Spent near on seven years as a soldier. Marion used to be a special forces sargent and Freddie there is the daughter of a sheriff. We can handle ourselves.”

“I believe you can. I would however suggest you stay out of these more... uncivilized areas of the city.”

“We will, Corp,” Marion replied.

The cops left with the offending spacers in custody. Leaving the three women standing in the middle of the bar.

“So... what next?” Fred asked.

“More shopping?” Marion asked.

“Sounds like a plan,” Zoë smiled.

XXXXXXXXXX

Allan was sitting on the sofa watching the news on the coreview when he heard the door open. Sara was in his arms sucking on a baby bottle of fruit juice.

“Have fun?” Allan asked.

“Yep,” Zoë replied as she kissed the top of Allan's head, “Sara behave?”

“She's been an angel. We had a nice nap, I gave her, her bath and now she's having a snack.”

Sara disengaged her lips from the bottle, “Mama!”

“And she's been yelling for you for the last half an hour,” Allan grinned.

“You miss your Momma, angel?” Zoë cooed as she picked Sara up.

“Mama!”

“That's my girl.”

Allan glanced back at the coreview and saw three people he recognized.

“... And in local news. Three unidentified women were forced to defend themselves against three spaceport ruffians this afternoon...”

Allan watched the video clip as Fred, Marion and his Wife mopped the floor with three men. One of whom had a gun.

“... As captured by security footage, the women were able to easily subdue the three off worlders...”

“Sooooo, you had fun, huh?”

“Surely did,” Zoe replied with a grin, “Haven't been in a good bar fight since Kaylee's bachelorette party.”

Allan rolled his eyes, “You did notice they were armed.”

“So were we,” Marion replied as she entered the sitting room from the second bedroom, Fred a few steps behind.

Allan just shook his head and then smiled, “Nice right cross, Fred.”

“Thank you,” she replied.

“Let me guess... they came on to you three. You told em' to get lost and they took umbrage at that...”

“Pretty much sums it up, Boss,” Marion replied.

Allan chuckled, “Kinda hard to be the man around here when there's three women about who are more badass than me.”

“And don't you forget it dear,” Zoë said before she kissed him.

XXXXXXXXXX

“You sure he's gonna be there?”

“I'm sure.”

“And getting inside?”

“No problem. I got us invitations. Near the head table.”

“What about security?”

“Handled by a private company.”

“Doesn't he have a bodyguard?”

“A woman. No threat.”

“Not gonna make much difference anyway. One bullet will settle things.”

“But you know you're not going to be able to get away.”

“No matter. Cancer's eatin me up. I'll be dead in a few months anyway.”

“I'm sorry to hear that. Have you tried other methods to get Blue Sun to acknowledge their culpability?”

“Tried every legal way. Company killed my children in that gorram Academy o' theirs. Since it was authorized by Parliament, the lawyers said I can't sue em'. I gotta have some retribution for what they done. My wife done killed herself from grief when it came to light what actually happened in that place.”

“The man you're after... he wasn't even in charge then.”

“No matter. He's the voice o' Blue Sun. I mean to silence that voice. Just like they silenced the voices o' my family.”

“Okay... I can help as far as being there and smuggling in the gun. After that, you're on your own. I'll leave before you make your move.”

“Good enough. I... I appreciate what you done so far.”

“I owe him some payback too. If not for Bryant, I'd still have my cushy, well paying job at Blue Sun.”

“What made em' cut you loose?”

“I... I'd rather not talk about it. Makes me too angry.”

“I understand. Like I said. I appreciate all what you done.”

“No problem Mr. Baer... no problem.”

XXXXXXXXXX

“So, what's the schedule at this big testimonial dinner, Eddie?” Allan asked his assistant as they sat in his office the next day.

“Dinner, followed by a multi media presentation of Blue Sun's history. Then a few speeches from members of the board then one from you...”

“I need to make a speech?” Allan grumped.

“It's expected.”

“Fine,” Allan sighed, “I'll come up with something.”

“Then after the speeches. Drinks and dancing.”

“Zoë will appreciate that part. What about security?”

“Contracted firm. Londonium Security Associates. Ever since you sacked most of the security department... we barely have enough personnel to patrol the factory and headquarters building.”

“I had too. Security ran those damn Blue Hands. Anyone tainted by that was no longer welcome at Blue Sun.”

“I understand, Sir... Allan.”

“Is Durin making a speech?”

“A small one.”

“Good. At least I won't be alone.”

“Very good. Is there anything else you need?”

“No... I'm good Eddie. I guess I better start on my speech.”

“I'll have Public Relations send up a copy of the presentation for you.”

“Thanks Eddie.”

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TBC