MIA part 3 --------------- Tortured Souls -------------- _____________________________________________________________________________

Malcolm Reynolds, Captain of Serenity, sat in his ship’s galley sipping his steaming cup of coffee well before any of his crew had awakened, well, save for the ship’s crewmember who’d happened to pulled watch duty all night, which happen to be Serenity’s pilot. Actually the Captain had looked in on Wash, and he was no less asleep than any of the others. His mouth open, he was snoring so loud that he could have drowned out a mortar barrage during the Battle of Serenity. Had he been down in the engine room, Mal would have thought he had another catalyzer problem. Zoe must stuff a spare hanky in there at times to stop all that noise, that is, if she wanted to get some sleep.

Bridge watch on Serenity was no more a chore than pouring yourself a glass of water. All one did was plot the course, set the proximity parameters, tweak the alarm system and sit back for a lonely evening of boredom. Still, a person might prefer to be in their bunk, not having to listen for alarms or any cortex messages that might be broadcast in Serenity’s direction ( ie…job opportunities from Badger). Those might not allow for a completely uninterrupted night’s rest on bridge watch.

Malcolm did enjoy the quiet early hours in the morning, although this particular time he’d gotten up extra early. The night before had been a restless one. Funny how the idea of morning and night were still marked by measured time in the Black. He thought about this sometimes when his mind wasn’t burdened with the crews wants and desires, or the pressures of other things. Actually, there were no mornings and nights in space, only perpetual darkness, and the beauty of the stars. Wars, long over, could almost be forgotten out here….almost.

Anyway, Mal remembered his attempted night’s sleep had been burdened with some of the worst dreams he‘d had in a long while. Dreams which tortured and troubled his soul. He still had nightmares about Serenity Valley, although they had become less frequent. But last night‘s was a dozy. He suspected Zoe knew of his haunted dreams, and experienced and suffered the same as well.

He was often plagued with the recollection of the soldiers he’d lost. He could see their faces, hear their screams of pain, feel their desperation, and he could do nothing about it. A person’s anguished memories cannot be undone, even when they are mixed in so well with happier times.

Of course, he thought a lot about Zoe, his Corporal, and about Tracy, and Private Bendis, and Lieutenant Baker. He also had nightmares which involved others under his command, like Corporal Malice Freemont, and Privates Gary Davy, Belinda Davis and Joe Pintue. And there were others, many, many others. He thought about the many battles and missions. The one’s that went well, and the one’s not so. He remembered also the night Corporal Brooland, Elaine Brown and Mathew Covington returned to the browncoat lines after the failed attack on the Alliance munitions post, and how the rest of their team were listed as KIA (Killed in Action).

Mal thought about his friend Lieutenant Gardner. His body was never recovered. Actually none of the bodies of that patrol had been, so instead of “Killed in Action” their status had been changed to MIA, “Missing in Action”. Not much of a difference really. Still, it gave their loved one’s a glimmer of hope.

Mal heard the approach of someone entering the galley. He change his posture from less of a dreamlike state to a more concentrated expression. Jayne arrived and was surprised to see the Captain up so early.

“Hey Mal, restless night thinking about Inara?”

The Captain shot him a meaningful glance. Jayne cowed down to his gaze.

“ I was just jokin,” the big mercenary recovered. Jayne knew how to cover his ass whenever he’d stepped over the boundaries.

“ No Jayne, I was just sitting here contemplating our next venture. We need to get some cash. Spending the last three months off the radar and off the charts has certainly taken it‘s toll on our liquid assets. Serenity needs refuelin, her battery cells are low, and except for the coffee here, there ain‘t much left in the kitchen stores. We need to re-supply. Also, I think it may be a good time to link up the Shepherd. Get some kind of idea what‘s been going on in that quadrant of the verse.”

Jayne took an interest.

“Hey I’ve got an idea!” he spoke as he seated himself across from the Captain with his own cup of java.

Mal wasn’t beyond listening to new ideas, even from Jayne. His crew more’n once had come up with a fine bit of criminal scheming. Hell, even Simon had come up with a ruttin genius plan one time. Why shouldn’t Mal let Serenity’s onboard muscle speak his piece?

“ Ok, lets hear it.”

Jayne smiled. It wasn’t often that the Captain showed interest in what he had to say. Better make good on this opportunity.

“ My cousin…Cody Cobb….”

“ I know who your cousin is, jackass,” Mal spoke matter-of-factly. It wasn’t intended to be mean or nasty, just pointed.

Jayne realized that “ my cousin, and Cody, had been enough to tell Mal who he was speaking of. He needn’t have added Cobb to the description. Anyway he continued with his story.

“ ….Yeah, well, Cody tells me there’s a shipment of platinum being ferried off *Shiloh (one of the small border moons off Athens) from a town called Absolution in a few days. It’s under the guise of boxed potatoes. It’s being transported by an Alliance hovercraft run by a contract security team, so wouldn’t be much trouble picking it off.”

Mal paused and looked over at the big man with a bit of suspicion.

“ So….. Jayne,” he took a sip of his coffee, “ you’re telling me that an official Alliance vehicle is being operated by a contract company and will be toting boxes of potatoes from a bank in Absolution, and no one is thinking this odd, or suspect, or anything? Sounds like a set-up and a hoax to me, and rightly one to get us thrown back into the lockup again. Seems we just got out of one of those a few weeks ago in Watsonville, you forget that? And just by the skin of our teeth.”

“ No, no, no, Mal, I ain‘t forgotten! But Absolution is a fairly new town, sprung up quickly due to the rich copper and nickel mines that have been recently discovered there,” he paused, “but that ain’t all, secretly there was a platinum vein found to run vertically with those copper and nickel deposits. The Feds use deception in hiding those platinum shipments in potato boxes while loading up the copper tills to ferries waiting in atmo off planet.”

Jayne stopped for a second to let all the info be absorbed by the Captain’s brain.

“Now these ain’t the kind of bountiful shipments that would turn a beggar into a zillionaire overnight, but they would fetch a decent price on the underground market. Nuff to re-supply Serenity and fix her hurts for the next several months. The bank is right next to a feed store, so, as some of the security personnel load up the copper and nickel onto the hovercraft, others return from the feed store with what looks to be supplies and rations. It’s fooled the townsfolk and miners that live there for years, and the few attempts at looting the copper and nickel shipments haven’t paid off well for those who‘ve tried. It seems to be almost a waste of time actually, that’s the reason there ain’t much interest in robbing the place. But the true treasure, the platinum, would be worth the effort.

Mal had to pinch himself,….and should give Jayne credit, but he didn’t. Not at the moment anyway, maybe he would later. Jayne Cobb was an excellent recruit. One that Mal deemed a success on his part. Sure he had hired some duds…..like Bester the mechanic, and Able Salary the ship’s first pilot. But those guys hadn’t lasted long. Mal knew that the success of Serenity would depend on employing the right crew. One that was good and versatile. Folk that were excellent in their jobs, could follow commands, and yet were able to plan, prepare and attack on their own. He needed a team that could make decisions, even in his absence. That’s why he felt that he’d acquired the best team in the universe. And it was one of the reasons why he chose to pay them 9.5% of the take instead of the standard sad 7.

Jayne Cobb, with all his flaws, fit into Mal’s gang as well as the old country cowboy legend of Jessie James and his gang back on ETW. Of course if one knows their history, it was rumored that Jessie had been betrayed by one of his own. Malcolm Reynolds meant for it not to happen to him. He liked the big mercenary, but he kept him under watch.

“ So Jayne! How are we ‘sppose to infiltrate this security team? And how does Cody know so much about this in the first place?”

“ Well Mal, he’s part of the contract security team in charge of transferring the loot up to the waiting cargo ships. You remember ,he was a Browncoat ferret during the War for Independence…..he’s got connections. He’s a mole, and can dig his way down deep to the good stuff!” (< ie meaning good information)

That made sense to the Captain. Jayne wasn’t a dummy, and didn’t make things like this up.

“Ok, how are we to become contract security guards?”

The big merc looked at Mal. It was his turn to scrutinized the Captain.

“ Remember those guard uniforms we got from Badger six months ago?” he paused to see if Mal recollected the event. He did.

Badger had thrown in a half dozen security uniforms after Serenity had completed a successful job for him one time. They really hadn‘t added anything to the payment. Badger had just thrown them in for good measure. Like a bank might give you a coffee mug if you made a sizable deposit with them. The uniforms were put into storage, likely to never see the light of day again. But Jayne remembered them.

“They look official. Official enough to pass as security personnel, and they mimic the contract company so close that I bet we could get away with the deception! We don’t need to infiltrate the contract security team, we merely need to sidetrack them and hi-jack their vehicle! Then we could arrive at the bank, upload the goods, and rob the place without firing a shot.” Jayne was proud of his plan.

“ Now wait a minute! I ain’t donning no Alliance looking uniform! No ifs, ands or buts. That’s solid and out of the question….no matter if it’d gain me a zillion square!” Mal was pretty adamant in his conviction.

“ Mal, these ain’t purplebelly uniforms! Guess you could call them lavender or something! Besides this isn’t about you, it’s about us, your team, and you have to get over the notion that Serenity is your home only! It’s ours as well! Ain’t nobody askin you to become a purplebelly, just a participant in a scheme that could net us some profit, and keep us flyin!”

At that moment, Kaylee entered the galley.

“ Who’s becoming a purplebelly?” She asked rubbing her sleep out of her eyes.

*********

Ex-freedom fighter Fredrick Gardner, along with twelve other inmates were being transported from a maximum detention center on Silverhold to a level 2 guardian post over at Fort Benning on Liann Jiun. Good behavior and a due amount of cooperation had gained the ex-brownghost lieutenant a certain degree of leniency after the review board, “Council of War Crimes Tribune” had scrutinized his file for his upcoming hearing.

The Council had judged in his favor, but only that he be allowed to finish the rest of his nine year sentence in a facility of lesser fortification. It was deemed that the Independence officer’s attitude and his possible release into the civilian population (some years down the road) presented an acceptable risk and no real threat to the powering government. Besides, prison tattoos and other identifying marks which now existed on the ex-soldier’s body would not allow him to go unnoticed or unrecognizable among the civilian population. It would be hard for him to retain employment, unless on the outer rim worlds, and it was deemed, though secretly, that he was likely not to entertain a very long life after his release from the lockup. What harm he could do?

He was escorted to the prison transport vessel “Fox Terrier” under heavy surveillance, yet the guards on the craft seemed to be lax in their duties. They had likely done this type of prisoner transfer dozens of times and the eventless and by-the-number routine had dulled their awareness about the danger of the mission.

Gardner sat chained to one side of the craft along with five other inmates, while opposite sat the six others. There were four guards, a pilot, and co-pilot aboard this vessel, which was deemed adequate and usual security personnel.

The Sergeant at arms stood up in front of the inmates, and before lift-off, uttered his arranged and memorized speech just as the transport’s door was being locked down tightly.

“ Now listen up you low-life scum of the verse! My name is Sergeant Peaches, and it has been deemed necessary by powers beyond Sergeant Peaches control that you be transported to another facility. Not that it will be better for you there, only different! My orders are to see that you get there in fair condition, but if necessary…….in any condition! Full body, or in pieces! This means any break for freedom and you will be shot! Any suspicious movement and you will be shot! Any annoying sounds or noises and you will be shot! And any mumbling to one another or talking out loud and you will be shot! It that understood?”

The Sergeant looked around. There was no reply, “IS THAT UNDERSTOOD!!?”

“ YES SERGEANT!” one inmate announced. The Sergeant immediately swung his automatic weapon at the prisoner who’d spoken and prepared to fire. The fellows eyes grew wide around as anti-tank mines.

With his eye still barreled down the scope, Sergeant Peaches began to laugh, then his fellow guards began to laugh with him.

“ Good! At least eleven of you know the rules,” he lowered his weapon. He walked over to a communication mic on the wall.

“ Guard Sgt. to pilot.”

“ Go ahead Sergeant Peaches,” came a female voice.

“ Captain Meadows, we are ready for take off sir!”

“ Roger Sergeant, strap in and hang on!”

The transport suddenly lifted off with a jolt into the air.

*******

The trip to Fort Benning was uneventful, at least for the first six hours. There was total silence in the containment cabin. Not a peep was heard from the prisoners. The final hours looked to be a long and boring adventure.

Suddenly there was a great ***BOOM*** which rocked the cabin. The security personnel fell to the floor, and a few of the prisoners fell from their perches as well.

“ WHAT THE GORRAM HELL JUST HAPPENED!!?”

Sergeant Peaches struggled to the com mic.

“ Captain Meadows…what’s going on sir?”

“ We’re being followed, and forced to halt before we’re blasted to smithereens!”

“ Notify base sir! Tell them we’ve been intercepted by unfriendly…..”

“CAN’T! Communications are down! Sorry Sergeant….looks as if we’re gonna have to play by their game rules, at least for now! Prepare to be boarded, OUT!”

The guards did as presented by the Captain of the “Fox Terrier”. A goon squad of heavily armed and well equipped individuals soon came aboard. Their faces were covered with hooded masks, and they wore goggles. Dressed in solid black and decked out to the “T”, these folk looked professional.

“ Where are the prisoners?” one commanded. His speech was barely audible under the mask. One of the guards at the entry hatch lead them over to the containment room, and they followed him inside towards the chained inmates.

“Release them then get over there,” the dark hooded man spoke and pointed with his weapon. The security guards did as they were told.

“ We’re taking your prisoners,” the assailant told them, “ and your pilot and co-pilot too! You’ll be locked down here, and as soon as it’s safe, we’ll contact a recovery party for you. The door to the bridge will be wired. Any attempt at getting in, and you’ll blow yourselves to bits. Understood?”

The guards showed that they did. The containment room was then closed and locked, and the sound of the magnetic attachment port being released could be heard. There was no more after that.

********

Aboard the other vessel some of the men were dazed and confused, others seemed just to be happy being away from the “Fox Terrier”. The co-pilot of the prison transport, Lieutenant Nora Brookland, watched as the pilot of her craft recognized one of the prisoners. The Captain of the “Fox Terrier” ran up and threw her arms around him. She kissed his face and squeezed him tightly. They stayed together for a while.

After some time, the Lieutenant walked over to the man.

“ Lieutenant Brookland at your service commander!” she saluted.

Fredrick Gardner, ex-Brownghost Freedom Fighter recognized his demolitions expert from Serenity Valley.

“ Good to see you Lieutenant,” he smiled.

She went to shake his hand but he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly instead.

Later, when they were alone, Lieutenant Brookland asked Captain Meadows about her relationship with the old Serenity Valley commander.

“ Captain Meadows, I noticed your reaction to Commander Gardner in the cargo bay. Was he an old relation of yours? A lover or such……during the war?” The Captain looked at her strangely. Then smiled a sheepish grin.

“ That wouldn’t be appropriate, do you think? I mean it was war and all, and he is a bit older than I am,” she paused, then added “ and actually my real name is Felicia Gardner. Fredrick Gardner is my older brother by twelve years. I was sixteen during the “War of Unification”.

End Part 3