Battle Scars

Chapter 4.2- Face-Off

The Setup

Malcolm Reynolds, with his loyal first mate Zoe, and his second mate Jayne have just taken a load of Alliance verse officials under their control. Is this a good thing? Well, hope the captain knows what he’s doin!

Anyway, things are to become a little clearer soon. Has Mal gone bonkers???? (Zoe and Jayne are still entertaining those thoughts)….still, he is their captain and they’ll follow his orders even if it cost them their very lives. That is the trust they have in the captain….

Read on to find out it the crew of Serenity live…..or if they parish in the blackness of space?

BATTLE SCARS - Face-Off 4.2

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Mal Reynolds had just taken the captain of the Alliance vessel, Stephen J. Hawking hostage. If he were right then, he, and his crew may have just dodged a bullet to the brainpan….. If he were wrong, then he would be sure to hear about it if they finished the trip to Jiangyin alive.

“ Let me repeat my last request gentlemen! Lay down yours arms or your captain acquires an unfortunate amount of lead to his thinking parts.” Mal repeated his request rather calmly.

Two of the three troopers that had accompanied their captain inside Serenity’s cargo hold did as they were told by the captain of Serenity. The other trooper was off searching the upper levels of the transport vessel. Mal would deal with him at a later appropriation, he thought. Right now he had to control what was in front of him.

“ That’s better!” He said. Relaxing his situation a bit.

“Do you have any idea of what you’re doing captain?” Commander Baggard asked the Serenity leader.

“ Oh, I have a pretty good idea.” Mal answered back. “ You see, normal protocol for an Alliance patrol ship making a stop like this is to inform the nearest Alliance port, or another Alliance vessel that they are in the process of making an inspection stop, “ He paused then continued, “This way the port, or other vessel has the name, captain of command, and ship type all on record if anything should go wrong. “ He looked around the cargo hold, “ Your ship, my friend, never made any such transmission ( verified by Wash on the bridge)………This leads me to believe that you are not who you claim to be. Therefore, the real question is, who in the ruttin hell are you?”

With hands raised, Baggard’s smile led Mal to believe that he was spot on with his summation.

“Well, seems captain Reynolds that we are of the same fold,………and in the same boat, so to say.” Baggard looked around.

“ Just two individuals trying to make a living and trying to provide for a crew that have come to depend on them.”

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So, Captain Baggard, if that was his real name, and his crew of the Stephen J. Hawking were just a bunch of pirates the same as Mal and his crew on Serenity? That was his claim.

Pirates stealing from pirates. Well, it certainly wasn’t a concept unheard of. It actually was, the unwritten dominating law of life on the open sea, or blackness of space in this case. The bigger (or more clever) the fish, the more it took domination over the smaller ones. Swallowing them whole in some cases.

Pirates such as Baggard and the likes of his crew were a dangerous band of thieves though, bloodthirsty. The kind that could kill without question or reason. No problems, no regrets. Mal was certain he’d just stopped he, and his crew from being murdered. He pushed the SJW captain forward so that everyone could get a good look at the commander.

“ Take my advice commander….” Mal knew it was time to bring his crew up to speed and clarify the situation, “ Next time you shoot an Alliance officer in the back…..make sure to remove his uniform first.”

With this Zoe and Jayne noticed evidence of a clear and distinguishable bullet hole in the back, lower shoulder of the purple uniform Baggard was wearing.

Mal had been right to keep his crew at the ready. These weren’t Alliance officials, they were pirates just the same as Serenity, only worse. They murdered when there was no need. They then became aware that the others of the police force had holes in their uniforms as well. Most likely the real crew of the Stephen J. Hawking were out floating in the blankness of space somewhere. Victims of an unfortunate rendezvous with the likes of Captain Baggard and his crew of cutthroats.

Baggard turned to look at the captain of Serenity, “Ok Mal…..if that is your real name, which I doubt, we seem to have something of a situation here!” He paused just long enough to study the crew of Serenity.

“ We may have openings on our vessel….soon to become available. Mayhaps a vacancy of two, three or even four! What’s say you? Want to enter into an agreement?”

“ Mal? Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad idea!” Jayne said, “ You know,…..couple up with another vessel for a while. Get the heat off our backs.”

“ Jayne? You just forget what you’ve witnessed with your very own eyes? These folk aren’t just renegades, they’re killers.” The captain told him.

Just then Shepherd Book entered the cargo bay from the upper catwalk with the one remaining member of Baggard’s team who had been scouring the upper levels. Shepherd held a gun to his head.

Baggard looked up and notice the collar on the tall man.

“ Doesn’t speak well of a preacher holding a gun to a man’s head!” He spoke, “ Might look ill of a Shepherd making a sermon on the holy day come time for a preachin,” He paused, “ That is if you truly are a holy man?”

Shepherd Book just looked down into the cargo hold.

“ I just plan on being alive to make that sermon!” The Shepherd informed him.

Baggard looked back at the captain.

“ Well sir, looks as if you have me at an advantage.” A grin crossed his sour mug that Mal thought maybe shouldn’t have been there. Then Baggard continued, “……but just like you, I come prepared for surprises.” He then raised a small transmitter that was contained within the palm of his hand. He brought it to his lips.

“ Bentley, you there?” He quieried.

“ Yeah!” Came back on the receiver.

“You have the merchandise?” Baggard queried.

“ Roger! Putting her on now!”

Both crews listened for the transmission that came next.

“ Mal, Mal….are you there?”

It was Inara’s voice. The Captain of Serenity was stunned, as were Zoe, Jayne and Book…….as were the entire team of the Firefly transport being that the com message was transmitted to all sections of the boat.

“ Inara! Yes! I’m here…….you okay?” Mal felt his stomach turn a triple summersault.

“ Yes, we’re okay! Ri…..!” The companion stopped, but recovered quickly, “…Rebecca, is a little unsettled though! She keeps murmuring gibberish. I think she’s a bit stressed right now.”

Malcolm Reynolds recognized Inara’s rouse to keep River’s identity contained.

“That’s understandable.” Mal said. He was in a fix. It would take some major brain power (or bargaining) to get him and his crew out of this.

Baggard then turn and made the motion to Mal and his crew that they should lower their weapons.

The crew of Serenity complied.

“ Well,” Baggard looked over the entire crew of Serenity, “ Seems we have a little bit of a different situation now!”

“Captain Reynolds!” He continued, eyeballing the Serenity commander, “ I wasn’t born yesterday. Any time a transport ship such as yours is hailed and ordered to stop, but postpones that stop to a new location can mean only one thing. There’s cargo to be dumped and returned for later. The crew of my sister craft homed in on your little shuttle, and we know that there is likely something of value onboard.” He paused,

“I don’t know who these people are, or what their worth is to you, I only know that they were worth getting off your boat. So, my question…………….who are they and what‘s their value?” He looked at Mal.

“………..and what are you willing to pay to get them back alive?” He finished.

End Part 4.2