The job had started out like any other – Zoe, Mal and Jayne were on point. Wash and Kaylee were running’ tactical support. Simon and River, well, they just needed to lay low on account of them being’ on the dodge. The plan was to unburden an Alliance outpost on St. Alban’s of their medical and food supplies, and then make a shiny profit from it. It was risky, but no more so than some of their other jobs. Little did they know this wasn’t going to turn out quite like they had thought- but how many jobs ever did? Within an hour, the four Feds on post were out cold and the central control panel was wearing laser burns to prevent a distress wave from being sent out before they were safely away. They were just about finished packing up the goods when Jayne made the mistake of looking into one of the storage rooms near the back exit, looking for more to steal. “Da xiang bao zha shi de la du zi! Mal - you better look at this!” he called out. “Every heist he’s gotta start yelling my name…” Mal mumbled and stalked over, peering into the small window on the door. There was a narrow stream of light coming from a bulb overhead in the compact room. He could make out a woman chained to a chair. Her head hung limply forward, hair covering her face. Mal couldn’t tell if she was even alive. She had been stripped down to her underwear, every inch of skin was mottled with bruises in different stages of healing; two of her limbs were facing at awkward angles. Mal felt his stomach knot something awful. He recalled his time with Niska, the cruel satisfaction that maniac and his goons took in inflicting pain on he and Wash just for the sake of it. They had been tortured for three days before help arrived. He recalled there had been times when he had just wished to die; not knowing if his crew would make it in time to rescue them. His practical self said that this wasn’t his business, to go on about his. He didn’t know this woman, and didn’t owe her nothin’. His conscience, however, was a constant trouble, usually getting him nothing but the same for listening to it. Zoe walked up to see what Jayne’s commotion was about and looked into the window. She looked at Mal, and an entire conversation passed between them with their eyes. Jayne began to nervously play with the clasp on this holster, staring anywhere but at them. It always gave him the creeps, the way they looked at another just so; like they was speakin’ without the speakin’. Mal nodded almost imperceptibly, and Zoe turned and walked back the way she came. “Jayne, get to a-helpin’ Zoe gather up. We ain’t gonna dawdle if there ain’t a need.” Mal finally said. He then turned and quickly went to work on the door code; it didn’t take much to get it open. Inside, it reeked of all manner of filth. Tian sha de e mo! And they called us uncivilized. Mal thought. He saw blood stains of varying freshness on the floor and the walls. There were chains suspended from the ceiling and another set bolted to the floor. He checked for a pulse on her neck. It was weak, but it was there. He quickly went to work on the locks, trying not to re-injure her already abraded wrists and ankles. She didn’t stir, which led him to assume she had been drugged or was just plain out from the torture. He picked her up gingerly and carried her to the Mule. He wrapped her tightly in a spare blanket, sitting her in the back seat. He situated her as near to him as possible, trying to keep her warm and protect from the frigid temperature. Zoe and Jayne had just finished stowing the last of the boxes; he nodded to Zoe and they started back. No one said anything on the ride back to the ship. Zoe radioed to Wash when they were five minutes from the ship, but then returned to silence. When they pulled into the cargo bay Kaylee, Simon and Wash were there to greet them. “We need you Doc…” Mal started. “Ren ci de Fo zu qing bao you wo me. What hap…?” Simon started, but was struck dumb when he looked in the back of the Mule. Simon began checking the stranger’s vitals. “Jayne, Mal, get me the stretcher. I need to get her to the infirmary right away” he barked. “She’s in pretty bad shape, I’m not sure if she’s going to make it.” “Do you think it’s shiny, bringing a total stranger, a prisoner of the Feds no less, onto the ship?” Wash murmured to his wife. “Ban jin ba liang” Zoe replied, her own expression blank. Wash glanced between his wife and the captain and shook his head. Somehow, he knew that this was the beginning of brand of trouble they could do without. They began unloading the Mule and putting the goods in the hidey hole in the cargo bay. After that, it was business as usual for the next few hours. They sent a wave to their buyer and arranged a meeting on Paquin. Kaylee badgered Zoe into recounting the adventure, what little there was of it. Jayne went to his bunk to…well no one really thought too much on what exactly he was doing in his bunk. Mal went about his customary circuit of his ship. He checked all the main areas and sleeping quarters; his last stop was the infirmary. Simon conveyed that the woman’s internal injuries were extensive, but he was able to stop the bleeding. She had a left broken forearm and her right leg had been broken in four places. Her collarbone, cheek, and jaw had also been damaged. Simon had set and cryo-wrapped her bones, but even with modern medicine it would take several days for them to heal completely. “She’s also suffering from severe dehydration and malnutrition. Intravenous feeding is optimal until her levels stabilize”. Since Mal said nothing, he continued. “Since we don’t know who she is, or what her mental condition is, I think keeping her in a drug-induced coma is the best alternative at this time.” Mal just continued to stare at the woman on the table. “Well, you go on about it then, doc.” Mal murmured, as if in a trance. He walked out of the infirmary without as much as a backwards glance. Ren ci de shang di, qing dai wo zou! Why do I even bother? The comatose patient is a better conversationalist. Simon thought with a sigh.

Da xiang bao zha shi de la du zi- explosive diarrhea of an elephant Tian sha de e mo - God*mn monsters Ren ci de Fo zu qing bao you wo men - Merciful Buddha protect us Ban jin ba liang - Not much of a choice between the two Ren ci de shang di, qing dai wo zou - Merciful God, please take me away