Disclaimer: As per usual.

Author's note: Apologies for the delay, my hard drive went phutz (wail!). This has been done on borrowed PC’s, and has to take a back seat to the work that pays. Good thing I have learnt to back up most of my files. I have used Afrikaans for the Reaver’s language because that’s the only other language I can reproduce with any degree of accuracy. I still sound like a child’s primer to a first-language speaker.

Things Fall Apart - Chapter 6

The shuttle door opened and Zoe ducked out onto Serenity's deck, saying, "Move it, people! I want everyone off this shuttle as soon as, we're not keepin' the Cap'n waitin'." As the field medic went past she touched his arm, "Tran, I want you back with us in case we need you."

Simon was trying to flag her attention and saw two of Xuan's men step out of the shuttle carrying a stretcher. He glanced at the soldier on it, then at another who was leaning on the door frame behind them being helped over by a man in only slightly better shape than he was. Simon's mind automatically began cataloging the injuries and running through what he needed to do, but he was torn between duty and the need to know. He grabbed Zoe's arm and made her face him. She frowned, looked at his hand, and he quickly let go. "Is River on one of the shuttles?" he asked, struggling to keep his voice down. Zoe's eyes widened. "No," she said softly, "Isn't she here?" Simon closed his eyes, feeling light-headed. "Wu de tyen." "She's not here? You're sure?" Zoe asked insistently. Duvenage stepped out of the shuttle behind her and looked at them, puzzled. Simon felt sick. He shook his head, "No. We've looked everywhere. The shuttles were the last place left." He turned away from her and stood staring blankly into space, struggling against despair. Zoe put a hand on his shoulder. "She can't have been with us, we would've seen her. There were six of us on each shuttle and we left men behind when we went on board. She must be on Serenity."

"Are you talking about the girl?" Duvenage asked. Simon's head snapped around. Zoe blinked, then said casually, "Crew business, it doesn't concern you." Duvenage gave her a brief glance, unimpressed by the brush off, and told Simon, "She's on the station." "What?" The word came out as though Simon had been punched in the stomach. "The girl is on the station," Duvenage repeated. "I thought you knew this." Zoe's expression had gone cold. She faced him, hands on her hips. "And how would you know this?" She asked. "That's where she said she was going." "She said she was...wait a minute, you talked to her?" Simon asked incredulously. "When?" "About two hours before we left for the station. She was on her way to your Captain's shuttle." "And you just let her walk into the middle of-" Simon began, clenching his fists. "Doctor!" Zoe reminded him to control himself. Then in a quieter tone she asked Duvenage, "What exactly 'd she say to you?"

The security chief frowned a little as he recalled the conversation. "She told me she was on her way to the station and that she was meeting someone there, someone who was expecting her. At least I took that to be her meaning, I did not understand everything she said. I am sorry, I had thought you knew." "They're expecting her?" Simon's face had gone chalk white and he looked at Zoe, agonized. "Why'd you think we knew?" Zoe asked Duvenage, holding Simon's gaze for a long moment to keep him from doing, or saying, something stupid. Duvenage shrugged at her question. "Why wouldn't I? She's on your ship." Zoe frowned and cocked her head slightly, skepticism obvious. "And you didn't think anything of it, that a sixteen year old girl would be gettin' on a shuttle goin' into a Reaver's nest with our full knowledge?" "She said she had a purpose. She knew what she was doing." "She's sick!" Simon exclaimed. "She needs help!"

Zoe folded her arms and studied Duvenage closely. Something wasn't right here. This man was too damned smart not to figure there was something wrong with River, even if the child was having one of her better days. "Girl's got a finger-hold on reality at the best of times. Strange how you didn't think ta mention any of this until now." The man raised an eyebrow, so calm that it set her teeth on edge. "As her presence here was kept secret, I presumed you did not want us aware of it. I decided to remain silent until I knew whether my knowledge was likely to create further problems for myself or for my men. Of course, when I realized you did not know where she was I decided it was more important that I tell you what I knew."

At that moment Wash's voice came over the com. "Zoe, you there?" "Yeah!" She said, catching the edge in his voice. "One of the Reaver ships is on the move. I think it's heading for the BC airlock." "Shee-niou guay, that's where we're meetin' the Cap'n. We gotta get going," Zoe said grimly, and fixed a glare on Duvenage. "Since you seem ta have a better understandin' of what's happening on this ship than we do, you're comin' too." Zoe stood aside, leaving the hatch to the now empty shuttle clear.

The medic, Tran, came clattering up the ramp and stopped, looking uneasily between them as he sensed the atmosphere. Simon faced Zoe, turning his back to the security chief. "I want to go with you," he demanded. "You got patients, an' you stitch better than you shoot," Zoe replied, implacable. He glared at her, fists clenching. Zoe's hand hovered, ready to grab for her gun if necessary, but Simon took a quick, gasping breath and seemed to regain a little common sense. "Bring her back," he said fiercely. "I'll do what I can," she replied. Simon abruptly turned and pushed his way past Tran, running down the ramp towards the infirmary. Duvenage watched him go, his expression thoughtful. "He loves her very much," he observed. "You're wastin' time," Zoe told him. He sighed, a little rueful, then ducked through the hatch door back into the shuttle.

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Mal had taken point on the return trip through Section B. He was as jumpy as hell, although there was no more reason to be than when they'd come through the first time. No more chance this time that they'd run into Reavers, except that they were too gorram close to getting what they came for.

They were five minutes away from Section BC airlock when his com crackled. "Sir! Sir, it's Zoe. Can you hear me?" Quickly cupping his hand around the mouthpiece he said, "Yeah, I can hear you. You about ready to haul us off this piece of fei-oo?" "Sir, you've got incoming. There's a Reaver ship at the airlock." Lessing swore and Inara drew in a quick breath. Mal felt no surprise, only a cold resignation. Everything had been going so smoothly that it was almost a relief when it didn't. "Which hatch they going for?" He asked "Lower deck." "How far away are you?" "Ten minutes. We ain't gonna make it, sir." "Gorram it, we were nearly there."

Mal stared into space, his mind racing. Did they know they were here? It didn't matter, he had to assume they did and plan accordingly. He wondered absently when he was going to get mad. If he was going to fight it helped to be mad, but right now all he felt was a cold regret mixed with an even colder resignation. He recognized the feeling. It was the same one he'd had waking up each day after the surrender and realizing again that the ships hadn't come, that more people were going to die and there wasn't a gorram thing he could do about it. He thumbed the com link. "Gonna have to backtrack, try make it to Section AB lock. Maybe the hatch still works." "Sir, they see the shuttle they're gonna know where you are. That hatch doesn't work you're trapped." "I know. I know." Mal gritted his teeth. "Maybe we can hold the airlock for a bit, jam the doors. Managed to fix one before, shouldn't be too hard to unfix it." "What about we send the second shuttle?" Zoe asked. "Draw their fire. Buy us a bit of time to get you out of there." "There's eight of 'em, Zo," Mal said gently, "No way you can outrun them all, an' you'll just end up leadin' 'em back to Serenity. Best thing is to hold the airlock, get Serenity out of here an' wait for the Alliance ta show up."

"We got a problem there too, Cap'n." Zoe said quietly. "Tian Yehsoo, what now?" "Seems like you had a stowaway on board when you left Serenity, sir." "What? Who-?" And as he asked he knew. "You have got to be shittin' me." "No sir, dan nang. Duvenage spoke to her." "He spoke to her?" "Yes sir. She said she was goin' to the station, somethin' about a promise to keep." "When did this happen?" Mal asked again, incredulous. "No, forget I asked, we ain't got time. She's on this station she's on her own, ain't nuthin' I can do about it." "Alright sir. You want us to try for Section A airlock?" "No, wait until we get there. If it looks like we can get the hatch workin' an' the Reavers ain't payin' us no mind, I'll wave you. Otherwise you take Serenity outa here, dong ma?"

There was a silence. "Zoe, you get me?" Mal asked again. "It ain't gonna end like this, sir. Not like this." Mal could hear the pain in her voice. He knew exactly what he'd be feeling if she was the one sitting waiting for the Reavers, and it hurt like hell to think she was feeling that. "It ends how it ends," he said bluntly. "Ain't got no choice in the matter. You know that by now, Zoe." "You give 'em hell sir." "I've got a mind to. Now get outa here, wait for my signal." "Yes sir."

Lessing and Ossa stared back at Mal grimly. The child clutched at Inara, who had taken the Shepherd's hand and was looking at Mal with frightened determination. "You heard," he said to them. "We got Reavers waitin' for us at the airlock. Maybe they know we're here, maybe they don't. Our best chance is to make it back to the other airlock and hold it until the Alliance get here. Anyone got any bright ideas about how to get us off of this tin can, now'd be the time." No-one spoke. "Then we'd better move." He looked at Wai-Lan, pale with exhaustion. "Inara, can you carry the girl?" "I'll take her," Book offered when she hesitated. "No," Inara said quickly. "You're the better shot. I'll manage." From down the corridor they heard the warning siren of the airlock door. "Run!" Mal hissed.

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Inara concentrated on breathing, staying on her feet and keeping up with the pace set by the men ahead of her. They fled down a confusing maze of corridors, door after door, dodging and turning and not daring to look back over their shoulders at what pursued them.

Wai-Lan grew heavier and heavier in her arms, clinging to her with painful strength. When they paused to allow Lessing and Book to check the way ahead, Inara gratefully put her down for a moment, leaning against a wall and wondering desperately how much further they had to go. She knew that she and Wai-Lan were slowing them down, but there was nothing she could do to go any faster. "I can run for a bit," Wai-Lan said, her jaw set in determination. Inara smiled and brushed the child's hair back from her face. "Don't worry about me, we'll be there soon," she reassured her.

Inara knew that the girl must be exhausted. They'd been awake, running and hiding, for the better part of two days now. Wai-Lan had barely said a word in the last few hours and had been moving like an automaton, doing whatever Inara told her to do without question. She was too tired even to cry. Looking at her and knowing that she still believed that somehow Inara would manage to get them both to safety, Inara found herself struggling against despair. She remembered talking to Simon and the Shepherd about what they'd seen on the derelict ship they'd found once that had been attacked by Reavers. All the bodies were grown men, not women and children, although there had been whole families on board. Inara wasn't stupid, she knew what that meant.

She looked up and caught Mal watching her. "Here," he said, and held out one of his guns. "Take it. You've got fifteen rounds, one chambered." She took it, checked it, then held his gaze. "Thank you." "Before, when you jumped me-" Mal started to say, then broke off. "It's OK," she said quickly. He frowned a little. "You were hoping to keep them from finding Wai-Lan, weren't you?" They stared at each other. Inara looked away first, at the gun. "I didn't have a choice," she said softly. "You have one now."

Inara looked at Wai-Lan and had to take a slow, calming breath. She couldn't cry, it would frighten the child. "I don't know if-" she began, and stopped, biting her lip when Wai-Lan leant wearily against her. "Sometimes there ain't no good choices left," Mal said quietly. "You just make the best of the ones you have." Inara didn't dare look at him and held the girl tightly to her. It took every ounce of training she'd ever had to smile when Wai-Lan looked up, but it was rewarded when she saw the child's tentative smile in return. Then Lessing and Book signaled and they were moving again.

The noises behind them grew closer - running feet, a whooping cry, a quick rhythm beaten out on a wall or door, signals to others somewhere out of sight - and Inara could feel panic creeping over her, a blind desire to run and run and be free of this nightmare. "Why don't they just get it over with!" She gasped on one of their brief halts, more for her and the girl's benefit than anything. Mal looked at her sharply, then at Book. The Shepherd swore, startling Inara even now. "They're driving us," he said. "Why?" Mal asked, glancing back over his shoulder. "Maybe they want us careless," Book suggested, poking his head around a corner before following after Lessing and Ossa. "Thought they just wanted us dead!" Mal snapped, taking aim and firing off a shot into the dark. There were whoops and yells, but the sounds of pursuit paused for a moment. Mal sprinted to catch up with the others. "They could'a killed us many times over by now," Book shouted back at him. "There is another reason for this." "I don't think I'm gonna like it." Mal replied. "Me either," Book agreed. "Shall we make a stand?" "Could get us killed." "Never figured I'd be walking out of this alive as it is. Prefer to go down on my own terms," Mal said. "Me too," Inara agreed. Book and Mal both looked at her and the child. "Tell Lessing," Mal said to Book. "We make a stand next place as looks good for it."

They heard a yell from up ahead and a wild burst of gunfire. Then there was a crash from the corridor behind them and a burst of smoke and flames. They all hit the floor, coughing and choking. "Stun grenade!" Mal yelled as soon as he had enough air. "Be ready-" But that was as far as he got. Suddenly there were shrieks and figures surrounding them. Book was up, firing, Mal rolling to one side and getting off a round, then Book cried out and went down beneath flying bodies. Mal's gun was kicked from his hand and he was dragged up and flung against the wall, a knife against his throat. He heard another shot and Wai-Lan shriek in fear. For a second he feared the worst - that Inara had tried to end it and missed - but then he saw Wai-Lan being picked up by some nightmare creature, kicking and screaming. Inara was on the ground and shooting, but a Reaver flung himself on top of her and wrestled the gun from her grasp. He lifted her bodily, holding her immobile in a grip that would break an arm if she tested it. Mal stood frozen, staring into a face he could barely call human. There was a knife at his throat, another at his gut, but he wasn't dead and by rights he should have been. Mal he looked into the man's eyes and landed a solid punch to his jaw. The Reaver went flying backwards and instantly two others took his place, each grabbing Mal by an arm and slamming him back against the wall. One landed a couple of punches in his gut, the other grabbed his hair and thumped his head against the wall.

"Hou op! Ons wou nie hom vermoer nie, ons het hom nodig." The beating stopped. Mal sagged to his knees, dazed. He heard Book groaning some way further up the corridor and Wai-Lan was still screaming. The Reaver holding her backhanded her across the face and she shut up. "Well, well, Sergeant Reynolds. I never thought to see you again, this side of Hell anyways," said the voice that had ended the beating. Mal's head jerked up. The man in front of him was dressed pretty much the same as the rest of the Reavers, which meant he was wearing more weapons than clothing, bare-chested, skin covered in tattoos and scars. Only this man had boots, unlike the majority of his men. Mal studied a face covered with tattoos, scars and a dozen piercings, utterly unfamiliar to him. Then he noticed a tattoo on the man's neck and narrowed his eyes. He'd see that tattoo somewhere before, years ago.

"War's over now," he said cautiously, struggling to hold on to the recollection. "Ain't no Sergeant any more." "Figured that, since you was on the loosin' side," the man said, grinning without humor. "Last I saw you, you an' the company were retreatin' off of the hilltop where you'd left me for dead." Mal frowned. "There were a lot of hilltops. Lot of men got left for dead. Maybe you noticed it was a war." "Oh, I noticed," the man said. "Always figured you did me a favour leavin' me back there, seein' as how I wasn't dead." Mal was silent. The man shrugged. "Agh, not very likely you'd have noticed me back then. I was just another dumb kid with a rifle and nothin' left ta loose. Looks like we've both moved on."

There were noises from further on up the corridor and a group of Reavers came back, dragging Lessing and Ossa. They dumped the two men on the floor. Ossa moved, Lessing didn't. "So's we got some understandin'," the man said, staring at Mal, "You're alive because we want you that way. For now. That changes, an' how you die is gonna depend on how much trouble you an' yours give me an mine." "You harm my people, you'd better make sure you kill me," Mal answered coldly, but the man was already turning away. "Kom, hulle wag vir ons," he said to his men.

End of Chapter 6

Glossary:

Chinese Wu de tyen - God in Heaven Shee-niou guay – shit urine hell Fei-oo – junk Tien Yeshoo – Sweet Jesus Dang nang – I’m almost certain of it Dong ma – understand

Afrikaans Hou op! Ons wou nie hom vermoer nie, ons het hom nodig – Hold it! We don’t want to kill him, we need him. Kom, hulle wag vir ons – Come, they’re waiting for us.