Damaged Goods chap 3: No Rhyme nor Reason

Prologue:

Mal Reynolds and the crew of Serenity are in trouble, or better to say, they’ve acquired it. Is bringing another academy fugitive aboard ship a good thing? Maybe the big mercenary’s opinions are in line with the fate of the stars this time? Read on to find out……

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Damaged Goods part 3

Mal Reynolds, Captain of the small transport Serenity moved quickly up the steps to the ship’s bridge to join his pilot who was extremely busy at the moment.

“ Wash! Get us outta here fast!”

“ Working on it Captain!” The Serenity pilot said never taking his attention away the ship’s console.

“ Did you delete the descriptive data link-up to the Felix Ray?”

“ Already done! Now will you let me work?” Wash seemed a bit agitated at the disruptions. He was the pilot, he knew what he was doing!

Mal made an exit and found himself, along with Jayne, Zoe, Book, River, and Simon…..along with an unknown passenger in the cargo hold.

“I want details!” He looked at his crew.

“Zoe! Report!” The military training that was so ingrained within the first mate came through in a snap.

“ Hatch link-up has been disconnected sir! We are free to make a run for it!”

Mal looked at the ship’s big mercenary.

“ Jayne?”

“ I unlocked Corporal Doriday’s bunk Mal, he can get out any time.”

He looked over at the preacher.

“ Shepherd! How about take the doc his sis……and……..” He did not yet know the name of the young girl who‘d just come aboard his ship. He made a gesture with his hand to include her.

“Take them all up to the galley for now. I’ll be there as soon as we‘re clear of danger!” He finished.

The group disbanded. Each following orders from the captain, and each preparing for whatever might come next. *************************************************

Twenty minutes later:

Malcolm Reynolds joined most of his crew in the ship’s galley. He was NOT a happy man.

He had just come from Serenity’s bridge where he and Wash had discovered that the object which had been approaching the transport at a high rate of speed had been none other than a saloon sized space rock.

Serenity’s pilot gave a little chuckle when it was found that it was only a icy bolder that had caused him to sound the alarm. Mal wasn’t so tickled.

“ Mal! The sonar wasn’t set to specify Alliance vessel, space alien or what. It was set to detect objects entering our sphere of influence. I couldn’t tell whether it was a huge space crystal ready to Titanic us or a deep verse security patrol looking for answers.” The captain was a little hesitant in his response, so Wash added an extra coating of sugar to his defense.

“Given an option of being smashed to bits by cosmic debris or thrown into jail by Alliance officials, I figure neither scenario suits my constitution. I may be a leaf on the wind, but I’d be as frail as a baby seal in prison.”

Wash‘s argument had been valid one, the captain knew. It was better to be on the safe side of a false alarm then to take chances with the unknown. Still it didn’t make him feel any better.

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Malcolm Reynolds sat at the table of his dinning quarters. The balance of his crew, save Wash and were there with him.

“ So! Let’s talk,” He spoke looking over at his ship’s mechanic. “ Kaylee, you first.”

“ Well, I’m not sure what you’re askin Captain? I was in the engine room. Simon and River stowed away, and I was ready to hit the throttle full speed if anything should happen. Ain’t that what I’m s’pose to do, I mean, we did have to make a run for it.”

It was and excellent answer. Malcolm really couldn’t be mad at Kaylee for responding the way she had. He said nothing, but looked over to the next person in line.

“Simon?”

The doctor spoke up.

“ I was in the infirmary. I told River to stay hidden. Scuttlebutt was, that there may be injuries aboard the Felix Ray. I was ready to lend assistance if necessary.”

Another fine defense. Mal was looking for a target to vent his anger, but was finding none. He looked over at River standing next to her friend. She simply smiled. He changed his attention to the girl standing beside her.

“And your name?”

“ Amanda, Amanda D.”

“ Well, Miss Amanda Dee, what’s your story, let’s hear it.” The Captain needed some sort of satisfaction as to why he’d just put his ship and crew at risk for the rescue of one lonely little girl?

“ It’s my story.” River spoke up, “……..and I will tell it.” She paused.

“ Amanda is a friend of mine. Same region of the academy . We have a connection, a kinship. Sorry captain if you,” She looked over at Jayne, “ And others, mistook my expression of the word jewel as meaning something other than heartfelt. But I saw a chance to free a college of mine, a friend ……” River stopped to give Amanda a giant smile. It was reflected in the face of small girl as well. Then the young Tam looked over to Jayne.

“ She is a jewel, in my estimation.”

The big merc’s face grew flush with anger.

“Gorramit Mal!” He slammed his fist on the table.

“I joined on with this crew with the idea of taking acceptable risk for profit…..but this little episode coulda put us all in dire hardship over nothing! Another misleading adventure like this and we could all turn out to be ice-planets. I think it’s time we shed the excess baggage!”

He wasn’t totally alone is his assessment, still Mal thought it was best for him to simmer down before others voiced opinions which may agreed, or disagreed with the big man’s ideas.

“ Jayne! Get to your bunk! You need to cool off a bit!” Mal’s decision to cool down the situation was the right one.

Once the big mercenary was gone the captain looked over to the folk still remaining in the galley.

“ He’s right. River put us in a situation that could have ended …….not so pleasant.” He began.

“ Doc, you and your sister are here for certain reasons. Making plans for what Serenity does and where we go ain‘t one of ‘em.” He paused to look at the young girl Amanda before continuing.

“Now……there‘s an extra body aboard. One that I didn’t plan for. One that breaths air, consumes grub and adds to the depletion of supplies. She may be a good girl, but we aren‘t here to ferry good folk around the verse. My ship isn’t a holiday cruiser. She’s your responsibility until I figure out what to do with her, dong ma?”

“ Can I say something.” River spoke aloud. “ Amanda may be a jewel, but she’s isn’t the treasure I was speaking of……..there is a treasure Captain. Only it’s not here. It’s somewhere else. If you‘re still interested, she knows where it is.”

The galley fell silent for a moment, then there was a crackling noise, the sound of static coming across the air-waves. There had been a hand-held communicator left open on the galley table. Everyone looked towards the little instrument.

“ I’m interested.” Came the excited voice of the big mercenary who’d just left the room.

“Let’s hear what she has to say……”

End Part 3