Saw That Coming : Part 2

Players:

Crew of Serenity

Prologue:

Another day on Serenity out in the black, and like most days, dull, and for the most part boring. But there is something looming on the horizon. Can ya guess?

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Mal Reynolds stretched out on his bunk. It was mid morning and he still hadn’t gotten up to face the new day. Not that the weather forecast would show that the new day would be bright and sunny. Out in the black every day started the same, extreme darkness with the 100% possibility of more extreme darkness, literally speaking.

There was a reason Mal had been a little lazy when it came to getting up that day. Although a captain’s duties were usually ordained to started bright and early……….at about midnight, the previous time period ( 00:00 universal time), he had relieve Wash from his pilot duties so that Serenity’s pilot could go get some rest.

Wash was having a bout with a cold and even though Mal’s ship had on board one of the best surgeons in the verse, Simon still couldn’t keep every single crewmember from getting sick at one time or another. Wash had taken some remedies and gotten a bit of sleep, and he had come back to relieved him at about 6am, but he still looked like a pile of sheep sh*t. Mal would send the doc up to see him later, and have Zoe pilot Serenity the rest of the day, till he husband felt well enough to resume his duties.

Speaking of duties, Mal sat up, went to his wash basin an rinsed his face, then headed over to his monitor consol to take a look at the latest work-for-hire waves that Wash usually bounced down to him for review. The smell of a well constructed breakfast reached his nose, and although Mal knew he had missed eating grub with the rest of the crew, he was sure Kaylee had set aside an extra bowl of protein for him somewhere. If she hadn’t then the captain was sure to be grumpy, and when the captain ain’t happy, nobody is.

Mal opened the screen and took a look at the latest list of job opportunities, both legit, and not so. There wasn’t much to speak of, and there was nothing from Badger.

The first was a shipment of mules needed to be transported from Jiangyin to Triumph. That one the captain marked off the list.

The second was a rather impression cargo of broom and broom handles to be transported form Beaumonde to the outer worlds. The pay wasn’t bad but it really wasn’t what Mal was looking for.

Three, had earmarked packages and mail to be ferried to an outpost on the rim.

Mal went on down the list.

Four was in code, seven was in code and # fifteen was in code also. Three out of fifteen jobs were questionable as to their legality. Which meant that they were very likely highly illegal and subject to danger, therefore they paid more. Mal plugged in the “Capture” that was sitting next to the monitor to run a deciphering test on them. Just then another job posted up on the screen. Mal looked closely but could make neither heads nor tails of the gibberish.

“ That’s odd.” he said aloud as he decided to load the final listing into the decipher program also. Once complete Mal viewed the decoded messages.

The first read, eight kegs of illegal whiskey to be ferried over to Persephone from Demeter moon. Second, twenty two crates of untaxed engine parts, and third, twelve boxes of toxic chemicals meant to go to a testing lab out on Whittier.

Mal viewed the list. The first job wasn’t paying enough. The second was too large for Serenity to handle at the time, and the third, Mal didn’t known what kind of chemicals had been swiped, but corrosives or something more dangerous and health risky was certainly out of the question.

The last item on the list, # 16, still hadn’t deciphered well. There were bits and pieces that Mal could read but much of the main body of the note was beyond his knowledge of code. He could see the payment though. A price worth taking risk for if he only knew the cargo and location.

Mal unplugged the “ Capture” and decided to take it up to the galley for viewing later. He straightened his pants, adjusted his suspenders, strapped his boots and headed up the ladder towards Serenity’s kitchen.

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Mal sat at Serenity’s galley table with a bowl of porridge before him. He’d forgotten that Wednesday was porridge day on Serenity or he might have just skipped breakfast.

“ So Cap….what’s in store for our next venture of illegal plundering this side of the verse?” Kaylee asked.

“ Don’t know yet.” Mal said as he wolfed in a utensil full of high protein and vitamin supplements from the blow on the table.

“ Got two maybes, thirteen refusals and one I can make neither heads or tails of.” The captain said.

“ Maybe I could take a look sir.” Zoe said as she neared the galley table and took a glance over at the “Capture” Mal had set next to his bowl.

“ Nope! Can’t understand that gibberish either.” Mal’s second in command said.

“ Here, let me!” Jayne spoke as Kaylee and the rest of the crewmembers inside the galley rolled their eyes at the big mercs volunteering at solving the issue.

“ Well! I’ve been known to solve a riddle or two in my time.” Jayne spoke as he’d witnessed each one’s look of amusement at him trying to solve the puzzle. One look and Jayne knew it was well beyond him.

“ Aaaaahhhh, the hell with you all! You can all eat 8&%$#@ (squirrel tail) for what I care!” he said as he marched off to his bunk.

“ Mind if I take a gander captain?”

Book was the last to pony up after the attempts by the others had failed.

“ By all means, take a look Shepherd.” The captain replied.

Book walked over to the table. Cup of steaming hot java in his hand. He looked down and put a finger on the table….then looked up.

“It’s a weapons shipment.” He voiced. “ From what I’m seeing hardcore with plenty of firepower. Something that would get the feds attention very quickly…….and not far from here, on Osirus.” He noted.

Mal’s mouth swung open.

“ How’d ya………! Never mind. One day preacher, one day.” He said.

The preacher only gave Mal a knowing smile and with his eyes still fix upon the captain took a deep sip of his brew

End Part 2