BLUE SUN ROOM FAN FICTION - GENERAL

TUJIAOZUO

Retribution: Chapter 8
Tuesday, February 24, 2009

The New Haven Series; Post BDM; M/I, S/K: The lines converge upon Shadow


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 2517    RATING: 10    SERIES: FIREFLY

Niska was not tending to his 'guests' as he took a paper towel and dried his hands off. He was a cleanly man, and frequently washed the blood of his guests off of his skin as his sessions were known for being particularly brutal. He walked, from the galley to the helm, and weathered eyes landed upon the snow blanketed western hemisphere of Shadow, the planet's atmosphere glowing.

"We'll be down soon sir."

"Good." He smiled, the old head nodding slightly. "Very good. Put our guests in the cargo bay, all of them." Behind the glasses, eyes narrowed. "I want everyone there, so we can have big party for Malcolm Reynolds and his crew."

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

Simon was up first.

The day was to be different than the norm since most people were to be in the infirmary getting their annual first of the year physical. So he did not dress in his usual cowboy fare, yet had decided to dress professionally. Dark slacks, a pressed dress shirt and silk vest was what adorned Dr. Tam's well fit frame, though he did dress warm with wool socks. Being the first up, he immediately reached to turn on the coffee maker, however it was already on and dripping the pungent, dark umber liquid into the pot.

Zoe was up.

He took the kettle, and went to the sink to fill it with water. Waiting for it to fill, he admired the view of the prairie in thaw, and went through his list of patients for the day. Jayne would be first, because he was the least complaisant. Zoe would be next, since Mal favored her so much for work. She needed her usual physical plus an advanced scan of her chest cavity to monitor her lungs post Lilac Syndrome. Simon also wanted to give her an immune booster and oxygen treatment since he was privy to her still slightly labored breathing with the cold. He hoped to finish up Zoe right around lunchtime, and then move to Kaylee, a physical as well as checking her ankle she had twisted some a week back. Meilin would be up from her nap after that, and would be the next patient. It was then he planned on giving her another series of booster shots, sitting down with Inara and making sure there were no questions or worried that needed to be addressed, as well as talk the mother through what Meilin would be experiencing next, and how to make the transition to solids. Inara would be his next patient, and finally, if he had the time he had been asked to examine Shan-shan to make sure the core kitty was doing alright out in the country.

Shan-shan let out a deep yawn.

Simon shut the water off, and turned to see the cat stretch on the rug and stiffly lumber over to him. Going over to set the kettle on the stove, he turned back to the living room to find Inara and Mal, with Meilin, still asleep on the couch. Meilin appeared to have her fist in her mouth, unconsciously chewing it from time to time, yet other than that they seemed peaceful. The tiger sat down and scratched her ear with a hind foot. Gazing up at the doctor with wide, needy eyes she let out a whiny huff of air and padded over to the door to be let out. As he approached the door, the pet rammed the wood with her head.

He opened the door, Shan-shan trotting outside with the dogs running over to see their much larger playmate as Zoe was climbing up the porch steps, carrying two buckets. "Zaochen hao." He said quietly. "Did you get milk and eggs?"

"Some milk, that other cow you brought in's giving some. Alota eggs, but I found two dead chickens." Setting the buckets on the counter, they could both hear voices as she carried on. "Those birds haven't fared well against the winter."

"I wish I could do more, however my medication is not for poultry, nor does my skills as a human physician translate well to avian medicine." As Zoe set to work cleaning the eggs in the sink, he went about finding a bowl "It's nice to have eggs for breakfast though..."

"And cream in real coffee." She added, in a quiet tone as to not wake the captain and his family.

"And no stale protien." Simon gave a wide smile that showed his considerable appreciation for the absence of processed protein in their diet. Grabbing the frying pan, he turned to see Kaylee come down the stairs with a rather fuzzy sweater over her coveralls.

York however, let out a loud enough howl to wake those sleeping.

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

River stood at the helm.

It was the only place to gaze at the vast expanse of the universe, take in the feeling of being so miniscule in the infinite. That feeling, that endless horizon of stars was a welcoming rush to her. For there were so many things that weighed heavily on her mind. one in particular was making it impossible to rest.

Tasya came in from checking on the Operative's wounds. "Pretty part of the system." She announced, approaching the younger reader. The lights were dimmed, producing an eerie glow about the younger woman, it appeared to mirror her mood. "The core's crowded, filled with space trash, here it's just, space. Untainted."

Silence passed, River kept focusing on the stars, infinity.

"You also need to quit blaming yourself. Self loathing and guilt is my forte, not yours."

River cast a glance over her shoulder.

"It doesn't take clairvoyant powers to see you're hung up on taking lives." She explained. "It's good you value life still, but it was ncessary."

"You logic is your own, I could have handled it differently." She responded.

"They were going to kill us."

"So I should kill them? Endless cycle of slaying, adds to the problem with bodies piling up." The head shook tendrils of hair rustling as her her voice strained. "No, that's their way. It wasn't necessary, I was a monster, was driven by rage and I did what they trained me to do, what Li Ten trained me to do." Taking a deep breath, the head shook. "Could have incapacitated, spared them. Can't be the weapon, have to find control. Tame the dragon," River stared out into the void of space as a cold chill went up her spine "I won't be it again."

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

Everyone was gathered in the kitchen.

They were all sitting down to breakfast, a large platter of eggs, plate of some toast (Kaylee had scrabbled together ingredients to make fresh bread but a few days back), pot of hot congee, pitcher of milk and boat of cream. It was a good spread, everyone was enjoying the meal. Shan-shan was off to the side eating her bowl of chow and Meilin was in a basket chewing on her toy keys as Inara was enjoying some eggs and toast with Kaylee's homemade jam.

"Kaylee I forgot to tell you." Simon said after a sip of coffee. "River sent a wave over the cortex unit, but when I played it it shorted before she could even start talking."

"Receiver on the roof musta froze up again." She said, tongue stained a darker shade from her own jam as there was a plate of eggs before her and a glass of milk as well. "I'll go up and fix...." The mechanic paused as the sound of Vtol jets filled the air.

Everyone stopped eating, including the tiger.

As the sound grew louder, captain and first mate exchanged wary looks. Reynolds wiped his mouth and got up. "Jayne."

Jayne took a slurp of his coffee and rose with the other two. Which in turn made Simon, Kaylee and Inara join in.

Zoe took her mare's leg smoothly out of it's holster, standing next to the door and waiting.

The rough fingers of Malcolm Reynolds rested gingerly on the tang of his pistol.

Jayne racked his pistol and held it.

Simon stood in front of the girls, eyes locked onto the window, fingers twitching towards his own holster.

Shan-shan leapt up and pressed her paws to the glass of the window, gazing out as her hot breath fogged up the patch in front of her. "Rooowl."

A familiar bronze Firefly touched down.

"What..." Simon turned to Mal.

"Sir," Zoe met the captain's eyes "don't feel right."

"Did we tell Virgil where we are?" Inara probed, seriously.

"Yeah," Mal sighed "Zoe's right though, don't sit right."

"Virgil woulda sent word." his right hand explained.

"Simon just said the coretex unit was actin' up though." Kaylee reasoned. "Coulda had, just is we haven't received it."

The captain and his first mate both exchanged expressions. "Still don't like it." Zoe responded.

"Well," He let out a deep breath as the engines wound down "only one way ta find out what's going on." He pushed the screen door open and stepped out, slowly walking down the stairs as the small door located in the cargo bay door slowly opened. Zoe followed, signaling Jayne to hang back.

Jayne kept at the door, inside of the house. Inara and Kaylee stood by the giant sized pet and Simon peered out of the kitchen window.

Shan-shan snorted at the glass, flicking the ringed tail as she was curious as to who the new people were. A friendly 'woof' was emmited.

Mal and Zoe approached the ship, the dogs barking and running over. He saw a figure leaving the cargo bay, and paused, which caused Zoe to as well.

The crack of gunfire echoed on the ranch, making the dogs retreat as the canids recalled being shot at before.

Zoe skinned the mare's leg.

Jayne kicked the screen door open and raced out to the porch, firing blindly into the door.

Malcolm Reynolds hit the ground, his knee oozing blood.

"MAL!" Inara screamed.

Someone shot out the living room window.

Laser fire hit Zoe.

Simon ran over and grabbed Kaylee and Inara, shoving them to the ground.

The tiger ran to huddle under the dining table.

Niska's men, heavily armed, and armored poured out.

Mal, who had dropped his gun, struggled. Gnashing his teeth in pain, he crawled over towards his piece that lay on the cold dirt.

A boot kicked it away, and a man with a shaved head maliciously grinned down at him as his men fanned out and delivered a spray of bullets to the house. "Hello Mr. Reynolds." Reaching down he hauled the wounded captain to his feet. "Niska wants to see you."

The captain's eyes widened.

Two men grabbed Zoe, wrenching her gun away and telling her the same thing.

"All of you."

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

Zoe struggled as they pulled them into the Rising Sun. "It's Niska!"

The door slammed shut.

"Get them in back!" Jayne growled over his shoulder.

"The.. the Captain and Zoe..." Kaylee rambled fearfully as Inara collected a fussing Meilin before retreating to the back near the staircase.

Shan-shan let out a fearful roar from under the table.

"Go upstairs." Simon pushed them up the stairs.

"Simon.."

"Just go up, keep away from the windows."

"Shan-shan." Inara called out anxiously for her pet.

Shan-shan kept huddled under the table, ears pinned flat against the mighty head. Eyes wide as she was a pampered Sihnon pet, not used to gunfights or any form of violence.

"Shan-shan laidao." She commanded. "Laidao!"

Simon ran over and grabbed the tiger by the collar, struggling to get the cat up. "Shan-shan qu yu nuhai, qu!"

Shan-shan raced up the flight of stairs.

Inara took the group to the master bedroom, furthest away from the gunfire. Meilin was wrapped up and placed in her bassinet, and the tiger who was more pussycat than lord of the beasts settled for the closet. Kaylee wrung her hands together as Inara busied herself.

"They've outnumbered us." The mechanic announced tearfully.

Inara went over to a chest and crouched next to it, producing a key to unlock the trunk.

"And..." she took a step back. "They got... the Captain... and Zoe."

Throwing the trunk open Inara pulled out her pistol in it's holster and belt, she up it on.

"Oh gawd."

Inara turned. "Kaylee," she saw the mechanic near tears, fraught at their situation. "Meimei, I need you to help me move this chest to the bunk room."

Kaylee came over and helped take it across the hall and set it next to a window, Inara ushered her back. "Nara what are going to do?"

"Do what we always do, fight back." She was rattled, but keping strong as she went over to Mal's dresser, opened his sock drawer and pulled out his secondary pistol, loaded it, racked the bullet in, and went over to her friend. "Kaylee sweetie I want you to stay here with Meilin."

The younger woman shivered. "But..."

"I need to help, and I need someone to watch Meilin and Shan-shan and the last thing you need to do is be apart of this." Taking the small, shaking hands she gingerly wrapped them around the gun. "Only use this when you absolutely need too. If they come in the house put the furniture in front of the door, if you have a chance to run keep Meilin in her sari and go out the window, I think the lattice has held up well enough to climb down. If not hole up in the closet, Mal might have a few more guns in there." She explained quickly.

Her lower lip trembled.

Inara cupped Kaylee's face. "You can do this, just breathe meimei, I'll be right across the hall." Letting go, she stole a quick glance to the bassinet before going to the bed. Crouching she pulled a shoebox out from underneath, then grabbed Mal's shotgun that rested against the wall. Leaving she shut the door and raced down the stairs. "SIMON."

Simon gazed up from his place at the kitchen window. Jayne was still outside.

"Here." She tossed the box on the counter and the gun to him.

"Xiexie." He muttered, heart rattling in his chest.

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

"Zoe,"

Mal and Zoe were set in chains, hanging from a hook that was being lifted into place via a wrench. The wounded knee, and badly burned torso, only made the situation worse. Around them, were similar bodies, some hanging, some chained to posts, a few slouched in the cargo cages. The once pristine cargo bay of The Rising Sun was now soiled with blood and sweat that dripped from flesh or had at one point spattered across.

Zoe bared her teeth as the white hot burn made her want to vomit. Laser burns were never so severe, it had to be a new type of gun, higher beam intensity. "Yes Sir?"

"I think we're in a very detrimental position." His voice rattled, regardless of the blood loss taking in his surroundings and the absolute horror that gripped his mind. That was Inara and Meilin being at the merciless hands of Niska, who would in all likelihood torture his helpless baby girl to death while her mother looked on.

"You're very astute, Sir. Any plans on getting out of the detrimental position?"

"Still working that angle." He saw a familiar face. "Hey Virg."

Virgil, near death lifted his head.

"Take it things have gone askew?"

*** *** ***

DEFINITIONS/TRANSLATIONS

Zaochen hao: Good morning congee: traditional chinese porridge made from rice. congee is common lower class fare, making it is often a way to stretch rice. Shan-shan laidao: Shan-shan come Shan-shan qu yu nuhai, qu!: Shan-shan go with the girls, go! meimei: sister xiexie: thank you

COMMENTS

Wednesday, February 25, 2009 3:51 AM

BRIGLAD


And Ash is back!!!!

Okay, on pins a needles here. Please update soon.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009 4:35 AM

SERENITYRIDDLE


Wow! Talk about ramping up the angst! Looking forward to more.


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