The usual disclaimers apply. The characters are not my own, but very gratefully borrowed.

The previous chapter was more of an introduction, and sets the scene for this one. It takes place approximately 4 months after Heart of Gold, which was aired last in the series over here. Spoiler alert for anyone who hasn't seen that yet.

For those who may not know….

Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity.

(excerpt from The Second Coming, W.B. Yeats)

Things Fall Apart - Chapter 2

The bar is crowded, dirty, noisy and obviously not in the expensive end of town. It’s mid afternoon and the place is full of a variety of spacer riff-raff from the nearby shuttle-port. A vid-screen is playing a noisy re-run Western above the bar, and a couple of pool tables are seeing heavy business. Wash, Zoe and Jayne are sitting at a table near the entrance, and by the number of empties it’s obvious that they’ve been there a while. Jayne put down his mug. “Hey, I’m jus’ sayin’ that we can’t sit around hopin’ something better’ll come along. We gotta be thinkin’ of our options, is all.” Wash, who has one arm around Zoe, shrugged. “I don’t see the Captain going for it. Heck, I wouldn’t go for it if we had anything else likely on the horizon.” He looks to Zoe. “We got anything else likely on the horizon?” “Nothing that pays,” she replied. “And we haven’t got the fuel to get us somewhere that might.” Jayne scowled into his beer. “We ain’t had nothin’ worth doin’ since Inara left. Never would’ve thought one whore could make such a diff’rence.” “Jayne,” Zoe said, voice icy, “You use that word in the same sentence as Inara again – ever – and I’ll let River play with you.” “And I’ll be selling the tickets to the show,” Wash added. The big man flinched and said defensively, “But the Cap’n called her that all the time!” “That was between him and her,” Zoe held his gaze. “Dong ma?” “Yeah,” Jayne grimaced, looking sheepish and annoyed about it. “’s just I don’t unnerstand howcome we ain’t had a good job in near on three months.” “He’s right, you know,” Wash said to Zoe, then blinked and shook his head. “Now there’s a thing I don’t say often. We pretty much been in this slump since Inara left. I hate to say it but she was the only claim to respectability that we had. When she left, our reputation pretty much left with her.” “Well then we’re just goin’ to have to make ourselves a new one,” Mal said, appearing over Wash’s shoulder with a handful of drinks.

Wash visibly jumps, “(Tzao gao) Hey there! Sorry Mal, I didn’t mean–I meant I wasn’t–you know I wasn’t saying nuthin’-” “Shut up, dear,” Zoe said quietly. Mal takes a seat and a long drink of beer, his expression bland. “No need to apologize, it’s good to know what everyone’s thinkin’. Cards on the table and all that. Wouldn’t want no-one sayin’ they couldn’t complain right to my face if they wanted.” Wash looks uneasy, but Jayne leans forward and says in an earnest tone, “Then what about that freighter contract? ‘s good, steady money, no-one shootin’ at us, bit of smugglin’ on the side to make it worth our while-” “Nope,” Mal said flatly. “We ain’t even got the fuel to get off this rock!” Jayne waived a hand at the dingy saloon. “We got no choice!” “I ain’t workin’ for another man and that’s final,” Mal matched Jayne’s stare. “You gotta problem with that, I ain’t keepin’ you.” Jayne swore, got up and stormed off to the bar.

Mal sighed and looked at Zoe. She returned his gaze without comment. “Ain’t like we can’t get ourselves some respectable trade,” Mal said, trying not to sound defensive and knowing he was failing. “Just going through a dry spell right now, is all.” He rubbed the back of his neck and sat back, his face set mulishly. “’sides, we’re too damned near that space station. Place is crawling with Alliance brass. Sure as shit happens someone’d have a problem with that.” He didn’t mention River and Simon by name, even though it was damned unlikely anyone here’d know who they were. Alliance soldiers could afford better quality drinks in a better quality establishment. Still, it never hurt to be careful. “We gotta get a job heading back out to the Rim, where we belong.”

“Can’t say I like it any more’n you do, sir.” Zoe said calmly. “But Jayne’s right. We ain’t got the fuel to get us off this moon without a payin’ job. And there’s no-one heading out to the Rim right now, not with all the Reaver attacks that’ve been happening. People are scared. No-one wants to be flyin’ too far from home these days.” She pauses until she sees Mal’s expression turn from stubborn to thoughtful. “Way it’s been going, it may be that we’d all be safer closer to the Alliance,” she added. Mal grimaced. “Haulin’ freight. Nyaow suh, never thought it’d come to this.” “Ain’t such a bad job,” Zoe leant her elbows on the table. “No need to give a passenger manifest on a cargo ship, so no-one’d be askin’ us more’n how many’s on board. We got lotsa ways to hide a body if it comes to that. Get us a six-month contract, some credit in the bank, wait until the Reaver activity dies down and people be headin’ back out to the Rim. Could a few of us do with not bein’ shot at for a time.”

Mal glanced at Zoe again, at Wash sitting with his arm around his wife, and found himself feeling suddenly achingly lonely. He knew that Zoe was right, but it irked him more than he could say to be forced into considering hiring his ship and his crew out to some second-rate, low-down, under-handed – he’d even go so far as saying ‘petty’ - freight hauler with a reputation almost as low as their fuel tanks. How’d he ever let it get this bad?

He knew he should’ve started looking for someone to take on the rental of Inara’s shuttle – crap, there he went again calling it ‘her’ shuttle as though she’d actually had some stake in Serenity – but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. It hadn’t helped that Kaylee had taken to spending almost all her free time in there, when she wasn’t staring calf-eyes at Simon that is. And then there’d been that day when River had disappeared and they’d searched Serenity high and low, only to find her asleep on the floor of the shuttle three hours later. They all missed Inara, even Jayne in his way, and the way her name kept cropping up in their conversations was like salt in an open wound. Maybe that was what made it so hard for him to forget.

“We’ll give it till the end of the week,” Mal said. “We got until then to accept. Zoe, you an’ me see if we can’t come up with something better. If not,” Mal stared into his beer, feeling a weary sense of resignation settle on his soul, “if not, well then we know we ain’t got God on our side.”

The three of them sat at the table staring into their drinks, a small island of silence in the middle of the crowded room.

---------------------------------

Not so far away, in a less noisy, less crowded, less grimy bar in a slightly better part of town, Kaylee and Simon sat having a drink and watching the vid screen above the bar. “I don’t understand,” Simon said, frowning at a woman wearing not much clothing pictured on the screen. “I mean, it’s hardly flattering is it? There’s nothing to it.” “Funny how some people can look good in almost anything, isn’t it?” Kaylee said with a smile. “Now me, I’d just look like a prize idiot wearing something like that.”

Simon looked slightly disconcerted and Kaylee wondered if he was picturing her in that outfit. If so, his expression wasn’t what she’d been hoping for. And he didn’t take the opportunity to tell her that she looked good enough as she was either. Kaylee sighed. Here she was giving the man chance after chance, and he seemed completely oblivious. Perhaps what Inara had said about him was true after all. “So what should we do now?” She asked. “What?” Simon looked puzzled. “I said, ‘What shall we do now?’” Kaylee repeated patiently. “I mean here we are, nothing to do but amuse ourselves all afternoon…” He was still frowning. “Kaylee, we’re flat broke.” “Well, yeah, I know.” She toyed with a placemat. “I can think of a few ways to keep ourselves occupied that wouldn’t cost nuthin’.” The frown stayed. “I guess we could go down to the river again if you want,” he said reluctantly. “Or we could go back to Serenity. I should check in on River soon. I imagine our good Shepherd has had about enough of her by now.”

Kaylee stared at him, then stared mournfully into her beer, wondering if she was ever going to get Simon to pay her half the regard he paid his sister. “Don’t you think the Cap’n’s been kinda strange these last few months?” She asked, changing the subject in self defense. “Uh, what?” “He’s been kinda…grouchy, I guess. Grouchier than usual anyway. I haven’t seen him smile in a while neither.” Simon looked surprised, and Kaylee could see him giving the problem serious thought. She smiled a little, thinking how he always took stuff so seriously, even her wayward conversations. It was one of the many little things she loved about him. “He’s probably worried because we haven’t had much work recently,” he said after a while. “It’s been pretty bad, hasn’t it?” “Yeah, I guess,” Kaylee played with the placemat some more. “But I think it’s more’n that. I think he misses Inara.” “I think we all miss her,” Simon said, looking at the wistful expression on Kaylee’s face and wanting to see her smile again. Talking about Inara only ever made her sad. He tried to think of a way to change the subject, to cheer Kaylee up, but he was drawing a blank. “No, I meant I think he really misses her,” Kaylee said with some emphasis. “He just ain’t been the same since she’s been gone. Like he’s lost something precious.” Simon’s eyes widened. “You think that the Captain and Inara were…that they…No, Kaylee, I’m sure that wasn’t the case.” Kaylee gave Simon a ‘Don’t be stupid’ look. He looked astounded. “But they fought all the time!” “And any fool would know that they were sweet on each other because of it,” Kaylee said. “It’s so sad that they never got together. I think they’d make a wonderful couple.” She drifted off into a reverie, sighing deeply. “I wonder why they didn’t never do anythin’ about it?” Simon was still struggling with the concept, shaking his head. “I…I just don’t see it Kaylee. I mean, she’s a Companion. Surely they have some kind of rule forbidding that kind of thing? Besides, I don’t see how Mal would allow…” his voice trailed off.

Kaylee wasn’t listening. She was staring over his shoulder, her eyes huge and her face pale with shock. “Kaylee?” He asked softly, then when she ignored him, “Kaylee! What is it?” She’d put one hand up to her mouth and he could hear her whispering something under her breath. She pointed with the other hand and made a sound like a stifled sob. Simon spun around in his chair. She was pointing at the newscaster, which was showing pictures of fire and darkness and running figures. At the bottom of the screen was a legend, and Simon squinted to read it. “Breaking news: Reaver attack on Nexus 7.” There was a subtle change of atmosphere in the bar as people began to notice. The manager, sensing interest, turned up the volume. A presenter was speaking while the footage of chaos continued on the other half of the screen.

“Breaking news this hour is that an attack by so-called ‘Reavers’ has been reported on the space station Nexus 7. Initial reports indicate that this is the biggest single offensive ever carried out by these heavily armed and extremely dangerous anarchists, with an estimated 12 ships involved in the attack on the Alliance stronghold. Heavy fighting is ongoing between Alliance troupes stationed on the Nexus 7 and the Reavers, with reports of casualties mounting as the Alliance attempts to prevent the Reavers from gaining control of this vital link between the Core and its outlying settlements. There are also an estimated seven hundred civilian personnel and travelers on Nexus 7. We do not as yet know whether any evacuation attempt has been made. We have not been able to establish a direct communication link with Nexus 7 command and so we are unable to bring your more details at this time, but please stay tuned for the latest developments.”

“Wu de tyen ah,” Kaylee said softly, and Simon turned back to find her with tears streaming down her face. “Kaylee, it’s alright,” he said, reaching across the table and catching her hand, “We’ll be safe here. Besides, there are troupes stationed on Nexus 7, they’ll be able to hold off a lot of disorganized rabble like the Reavers.” “You don’t understand!” She almost shouted at him, “Simon, Inara is on Nexus 7!” He stared at her, gaping in shock. “How…how do you know that?” He asked numbly. “Because we’ve been sending each other waves every week since she left,” Kaylee said helplessly. “I didn’t tell you because I thought it’d upset the Cap’n if he found out, and I didn’t want you to be in trouble as well. She told me three days ago that she was on Nexus 7. Oh God, Simon, we’ve got to tell him!”

---------------------------------

Back at the saloon the inhabitants are crowded around the newscaster, which has been switched over from the Western to the local news broadcaster. The normal noise level had dropped several decibels as people watched with varying degrees of disbelief, confusion and fear. Mal, Zoe, Wash and Jayne stand around staring glumly at the screen. “I don’t get it, sir,” Zoe said, folding her arms and frowning. “Reavers attacking together? That’s not their style.” “Mayhap they changed their style,” Mal replied. “Got bored with picking us off one by one.” Jayne shuddered. “Shee niou! last thing we need is for Reavers t’ git organized.” “We don’t know it’s Reavers for sure yet, do we?” Wash asked, looking worried. “I mean, it’s not like they have some sort of uniform or anything.” Mal stared at the screen, looking thoughtful. “Can’t think of anyone else it’d likely be. Imagine we’d of heard if there was any Independents out there thinking of makin’ a last stand,” he shared a glance with Zoe. “No-one else I can think of ‘d have the will and the means to bring such an attack.” “Neither did the Reavers so far as we know,” Zoe commented. “But these last few months may mean that’s changed. Could’ve got themselves a leader.” “Why’d they attack the station, though?” Wash asked. “I mean, settlements and ships I can understand, but what’ll they do with several million tons of metal in the middle of the black?” Mal shrugged, “Can’t say I know how a Reaver’s mind works, but mayhap one of them’s gone and got ambitious. Wants his own empire, one to rival the Alliance. Best way to control this sector of the galaxy is to hold that station. Either that or they’re lookin’ ta hold the place for ransom. Trouble is, makes you an easy target. Once you hold it, you gotta keep it, an’ that place don’t support itself.” “Mayhap they gotta plan for that too,” Zoe said softly. Mal looked at her, frowned. “The planet?” He asked as softly. “What, the planet we’re circling right now?” Wash asked, his voice going up several octaves. “You think they’re heading this way?” Several people suddenly seemed to be taking an interest in their conversation. “Bao bei, you think you could keep your voice down?” Zoe said gently, with a hint of steel in her tone. “Don’t want to be startin’ no rumors or panic, not with us in the middle of it.” Wash cleared his throat and looked embarrassed. He laughed, threw and arm around Zoe and kissed her on the cheek. “Now don’t go taking on so, darlin’. We’re perfectly safe here,” he said loudly. “Whole town’s full of Alliance troupes, you ain’t got nuthin’ to worry about.” The eavesdroppers lost interest, and Wash said under his breath, “Go se, sorry Cap’n.” Mal let it go. “We’d best be thinkin’ of ways off this rock, and fast,” he said. “Trouble like this, we could be headin’ for a state of emergency. Then no-one’s going nowhere without Alliance’s say-so.” “An’ jus’ how we gonna do that?” Jayne asked, leveling a glare at Mal. “Ain’t got ourselves enough fuel to make it nowhere but the planet as it is.”

At that moment Kaylee comes through the crowd, elbowing people out the way and calling for the Captain. Kaylee is crying, and Simon has one arm protectively around her. Mal immediately takes a few steps towards them and helps them through, taking Kaylee by the shoulders as she reaches them. “Kaylee sweetheart, calm down! What you makin’ all the fuss about? Got us a town full of Alliance troupes here, an’ the Reavers’ already got their hands full.” “Cap’n, I’m so sorry...” Kaylee sobs, but she can’t seem to say any more. Mal looks at Simon in concern. Simon takes a breath and blurts out, “Inara’s on that station.” There’s a frozen moment where they all stand staring at each other. Then Mal says in a cold voice, “What?” “It’s true,” Kaylee manages between sobs. “Inara’s on Nexus 7,” Simon added. “She and Kaylee have been corresponding, and she’s been on the station these last few days.” “Wu de tyen ah,” Zoe whispered under her breath. Both she and Wash looked at Mal, sympathy etched on their faces. Mal let his hands drop and just stared at Kaylee. Her face crumpled. “Oh Cap’n, please forgive me. I never meant to lie to you, but she’s my friend. We promised each other we’d stay in touch. Cap’n, we have to help her. Please!” “Mei mei, there’s nothing we can do,” Zoe said gently, taking Kaylee’s hand.

Mal took a step back, distancing himself from Kaylee and Simon. He couldn’t get breath in the crowded, smoke-filled saloon. He rubbed his mouth, then noticed how badly his hands were shaking. God, it hadn’t hit him this hard in years. He’d kinda got used to not loosing people. Even if Inara hadn’t been on Serenity, he hadn’t known how much comfort he’d taken from knowing she was somewhere out there, safe and well. Until now.

“Sir?” It was Zoe, her eyes dark with sympathy and an understanding that no-one else could share. “Sir, I think we should go back to Serenity. Kaylee’s not doin’ too well.” Hell, he wasn’t doing too well, but he was glad she knew better than to make that point. “We must be able to do something!” Kaylee was saying, her voice cracking with the strain. “Inara’s smart, she can look after herself. Space station that size there’s sure to be somewhere to hide! And those soldiers? Couldn’t they hold out against the Reavers for a time?” “Mebbe,” Jayne said. “Mebbe not. Reavers don’t fight by no rules them Alliance soldiers ever learned.” He’d taken out one of his guns and was giving it a careful look over. Wash glared at the big man and said, “She’s right, it is a big place. Lots of ways to hide yourself on a station that size,” He looked at Zoe, trying to sound hopeful. Zoe smiled a little wistfully at him, but didn’t reply. He took her hand. Kaylee was leaning against Simon, and suddenly turned to bury her head against his shoulder. “Hey,” Simon put his arms around her and stroked her back awkwardly. “You’re right, you know. Inara is clever, if anyone can think her way out of this it’d be her.”

Mal’s thoughts were chasing themselves around in circles. She’s gone. It’s a big place, a space station like that. Inara’s smart, she can look after herself. She’s gone, and none of it means anything. What about the soldiers? The newscast hadn’t said that the station had fallen to the Reavers, only that there was heavy fighting. Perhaps she had made it to a safe place. Reavers don’t take prisoners and they don’t leave anyone behind. God, don’t let her die like this. Not like this. They wouldn’t be fighting by any rules those Alliance flyboys would be familiar with. This was a guerilla war. You’ve taken so much from me, don’t take her as well. Think, think! What do you know?

He took a breath. “Simon, take Kaylee back to the ship. Wash, Jayne, I want Serenity shut up airtight. No-one is to go on or off unless I say so, you hear?” Kaylee began to protest, but Mal raised a hand. “Me an’ Zoe will be goin’ over to the local law enforcement, find out what’s what. As soon as we know anything, we’ll tell you. Alright?” Kaylee subsided.

Mal turned to Wash and Jayne. “Situation like this, people gonna be actin’ stupid. Plenty of them gonna try to make a run for it, maybe try to sneak on board, take Serenity. That’s not going to happen.” He said flatly. Wash nodded hurriedly, Jayne scowled and hefted his gun. “You keep those airlock doors shut until you hear me or Zoe outside. On no account open them for nobody, not even Alliance brass, got me? If it looks like they want to commandeer Serenity, get her off this rock. Don’t care where you take her, just don’t loose my ship to no Alliance soldier.” Wash nodded again and Jayne grinned. “Well? What you still here for?” Mal asked. Jayne moved, and people looked at him and moved out the way. Simon, Kaylee and Wash followed in his wake.

“Sir, you got an idea?” Zoe asked quietly. “Nope,” Mal replied. “Just don’t want them knowin’ that.” He started to make his way out of the saloon. The streets outside were crowded, people going every which way, most looking like they didn’t know what they were going there for. People just wanted to be moving at times like this. Zoe and Mal paused to look around. “Ai ya, but this brings back some memories,” Zoe commented. “Mostly not good. You think maybe Inara made it?” Mal sighed, didn’t look at her. “Can’t say. Depends on too many things, none of which we know right now. Kaylee’s right, she’s not stupid. If there’s a way, she’ll find it.” As if realizing he was allowing himself some hope he said, “Still, not my kind of odds.” Zoe studied the dirt. “Kinda forgot what it was like,” she said softly. “Ain’t lost a person in a long time. It’s not a feeling I needed to be reminded of.” “Me either,” Mal said shortly. Lifting her head and shaking off the dark mood in a way Mal remembered and was ever thankful for, Zoe looked around speculatively. “Times like these maybe we can make some kinda way. I figure they’re gonna try for evacuation, bein’ as we’re so close to that station. We got a ship can take a couple ’a hundred people if they be travelin’ light. All we need is some fuel.” “Knew there was a reason we was still friends,” Mal said, even managing a slight smile. “Lets go make us a deal.”