BLUE SUN ROOM FAN FICTION - GENERAL

RIVERSBOUNTY

Going On
Thursday, September 22, 2005

Okay, here's what was going to be the first chapter of a post-Serenity-movie fic, but is now, sort of my one-shot, open coda to the film. Hope you all enjoy. :-)


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 3186    RATING: 9    SERIES: FIREFLY

Ashrah was surprisingly lush for a border moon, a fact River Tam noted with a whispered smile, viewing the green landscape of the sizable clearing through Serenity's front windows. And despite a cloudy night, she could still crane her neck and see stars twinkling through. She drank in fully the scents of the moon's foliage and the harmonious calls from its nocturnal wildlife that wafted onto the bridge.

Weren't as if she had a choice, but just this once, there would be no cursing the Alliance doctors who stripped away at her brain. The only feelings coming from this place were ones tranquil, natural...and simple. A rarity in life; Serenity's especially. Meaning both the Firefly-class ship itself, as well as the now six others who made it a home. Though presently, she sat in the pilot's chair, very much alone.

Not Wash's chair, no. Only the captain sat there, which happened far from often; yet when he did, he took great care to avoid disturbing the dinosaur figurines along the rim of the console. She wondered where Wash had gotten them, what significance they'd held. Nostalgic toys from childhood mayhaps, or simply an impulse buy at a small, outer world market for amusement's sake. The latter fit, if that was the case.

Hoban Washburne was the kind of man who'd tried to bring levity and lightness to most situations, and flying for weeks in the blackness of space was a situation always welcomed a laugh or two. Even a smirk would do. Didn't matter what the cause, or how ridiculous--if it broke the tension of an argument or the stir-craziness brought on by a long journey, then it was worth the occasional, odd look.

And what was funnier than long dead, monstrous creatures who may or may not have roamed prehistoric Earth-That-Was, before succumbing to deadly pits of tar?

River had assumed piloting duties since Wash's death a month ago, but she knew this bridge was still his, and would remain so until the day Serenity could no longer float. She was just happily filling in, as she and the ship related quite well. There was a time that would've meant literally, however, with her sanity returned, their kinship became significantly more figurative.

She owed her completeness as a human being to those who decided she was worth saving. Her brother rescued her, the captain and Zoë believed in her, Kaylee befriended her, and Jayne...well, he tolerated her. On a good day. They saw her as a person, and as a result, she slowly remembered how to be one.

Likewise, Serenity, who'd probably been mere days from a scrap heap, was saved by her captain, because in her, he saw untapped potential. Decided she had more to offer. As she got fixed, took on passengers, she remembered how to be a ship again, and soared. In return, she warmed them, sheltered them...let them be free.

Except, though the seventeen-year-old loved this ship, loved to feel her feet on its passages and run her hands over its curved, solid walls, she couldn't discount the aliveness it gained when occupied with the absent, sorely-missed crew.

'Time to follow after the footprints.' She thought to herself.

Moving from the chair, she practically glided down the stairs leading into the foredeck hall, her bare toes well-accustomed to the metal grating. At the end, just before the dining room, she turned left to another set of stairs that emptied onto the large cargo bay's high catwalk. Looking to her right, she saw the "Mule" hanging from chains on the ceiling, and experienced a wave of nausea. Hovercraft made her airsick since Lilac. Such a pretty name for such a tragic place.

They bought the replacement vehicle with the coin earned selling the Lassiter; coin they regretted not possessing any longer, actually. But voices were close.

She found her way to the cargo bay floor, passed through the airlock, and descended the open ramp. Scents were stronger, and the owners of the voices were just off to the side, playing cards by a fire. Yes, it was comfortable here.

***

"{If that hand is truly legitimate, then may I have the testicles and penis of a fire ant!}" Mal Reynolds exclaimed disbelievingly in Chinese, looking at the six, metal, "winning" Long Pai cards just placed down on the blanket.

"What?" Jayne Cobb bristled, a little too indignant at the accusation.

"He's a terrible liar. Lacks conviction." River said, walking over to the two men and staring into the mercenary's guilty eyes. "There's been a miscount, and the math's all wrong."

"Now ain't this a odd happenstance? Comes to that subject, I think we might well be of like mind, darlin'." Serenity's captain talked to his new pilot, but his focus never left Jayne's scruffy features. "'Course, it wasn't that skill got him aboard, so on most occasions, that he's missin' it don't much matter. But tonight is far from qualifying. And when it's lyin' to cheat the folk who keep you in protein and the finest lumpy mattress money can buy--"

"Gorramn it." Jayne grumbled, and stuffed his "extra" three of Bananas card in his back pocket, giving him only a pair instead of three of a kind. "Weren't even bettin'."

"Right. So then the question wants answering is--why cheat?" Mal asked, now the winner with two pair, thanks to claiming the hand's Tall Card. Specifically, the plum. "Oh, and ya ain't dealer no more." He gathered up both decks, and placed them in their wooden box that sat on the blanket's edge.

"A man don't like to lose, Mal. At cards or anything else."

The way Jayne pointedly spoke, he was obviously trying to appeal to his captain's history, what with the man having been on the losing side of a war and not liking it all that much. Mal took a moment to size up the sincerity of the words, and he had a feeling Jayne was just being honest. As long as he fessed up and was forthcoming about his reasons, Mal didn't have a problem. Unless there was a repeat of Ariel.

But this wasn't worth arguing. "Has a truthful ring to it." Besides, he knew Jayne was the type who would do anything to come out ahead, no matter what the situation.

Probably because he got tired of always finding himself behind, like they'd all been recently, keeping a low profile so as not to give the Alliance a reason to come down on them. Following their publicly-anonymous, 'Verse-wide broadwave showing how the perfect government was responsible for the existence of their people's worst nightmare--Reavers--the Alliance hadn't made a move. Hadn't revealed the crew's names to the press, hadn't dragged them through the muck...nothing.

They were scraping by, but were also a frustrated bunch. Waiting for the hammer to drop tended to usually have that effect.

"We don't like to lose, either." River added as the men stood, feeling that her gender was being left out.

"Can't see how anybody would." Mal said before reaching behind himself to pick up a small bucket he'd filled in the stream flowing in the woods to the ship's stern, and used it to douse the flames.

The two men looked at each other again for a long moment, until laughter coming from that stream ended it, and Jayne made a displeasing face. "Vera's, uh, past due for cleanin'--gets her trigger stuck during a fight, well, them's precious seconds." He bent down to grab the Long Pai box, then extended his hand, silently offering to take the empty bucket into the ship with him.

"Thanks." The war veteran responded, handing it over. "See to her, but make sure you rest up. Either way, we're in the air come first light. Might try Harvest."

Jayne's brow rose and there was a flash of nervousness in his eyes that passed before Mal could inquire. He only nodded just as another round of laughter sounded, forcing him to gruffly state, "Doc ought better do right by her." Then he narrowed his eyes at River, before complaining under his breath as he turned and entered the bay. "{That union is unsettling and disturbing on levels beyond all human understanding...}"

Mal scooped up the blanket as River came beside him, and draped it over her shoulders before they walked forward a bit, listening to Kaylee and Simon's joy. The young couple wasn't nearly as concerned about things as he was, which could be detrimental in the future, but he'd let them have their peace for now.

"You got any feeling about--?" Mal began.

"I saw them having sex once." She interrupted, matter-of-factly.

He winced at that. Kaylee was as dear as blood kin to him, whereas Simon *was* River's blood kin. Her brother, in fact. "Did ya? Well, I'm near sure that's not, uh...pleasant to think on."

"I didn't consider the potential consequences...really bad idea." River confirmed. "If they start, it'll take them a minimum of sixty-three minutes--assuming they've slept and eaten adequately. I'm planning to hide in my room; already learned too much." She closed her eyes to try and will the images away, and then looked at him. "But at least they're happy."

"Seems like." That was plain enough to see. "Still, just so's you know, first opportunity? I'm makin' mention to your brother that if he *ever* treats Kaylee improper--"

"Don't worry, Captain," River assuaged, cutting him off again, anticipating the general threat, "Simon's very clear about what will happen, and, he avoids danger fairly well. I'll be monitoring the situation closely."

He smirked. "Least till they stow themselves somewheres private."

Her comical expression said both, "Absolutely" and "NEVER AGAIN."

Mal chuckled low in his throat, his gaze drifting to the lights of Indian and Chinese-style lanterns that were giving away the position of the Companion Training House. Nestled high in the mountains ahead, it seemed far from their little boat, but he liked this spot. The clearing was much prettier than the gorge they'd tucked away in last visit. They'd returned because Sheydra, the house's priestess, waved Inara asking when she planned to return. After he and Inara last exchanged words, her mind hadn't yet been made up about whether or not this was a one-way trip.

If she walked out of that monastic-looking building again or didn't, they were gone tomorrow. While he made it known--being as straightforward as he'd ever been with her--that having her onboard these past, few weeks was a welcome sight, that he missed having her around, and that her shuttle would fall into disrepair if she wasn't its occupant, because he wasn't renting it to anybody else, he wasn't going to push.

It was her life, her career, and he knew she had a lot of things to weigh. Obviously he wanted her to stay, but personal reasoning aside, this also gave them a chance to probe. To see what the buzz was from the Alliance and their citizens on the Central Planets. Because Sheydra, though semi-isolated, remained in contact with the Guild, that answered to the government. He sent Zoë along to bring back any information.

Given her gender, his second-in-command would be well received. And on top of info, he wanted Inara protected, just in case. Plus, he was hoping a mission and time away from the ship would do Zoë good. Quietly mourning as she was. So it was difficult to look at the House with a silent mind; he had questions that entirely surrounded the two women inside, and he'd continue to until Inara's shuttle docked.

Would she be piloting it?

"You lie, too. It's not fair." River said suddenly, placing her hand on his shoulder. "To her."

"You don't think I wish it was a might simpler, Little Albatross?" More than anybody else on the crew, Mal adjusted easiest to the fact that she could read his mind. Tended to make conversations go smoother.

Smile. "It's simpler than you think. Trust first. Besides, it isn't like you can't see through each other clear to the other side." Here, her brow furrowed.

"Don't make a whole lotta sense, does it?"

"Nope." Sometimes they both forgot she was a seventeen-year-old girl who had many life experiences to go yet.

"Yep, full aware of that." Sighing, he drew his eyes away from the House for the first time. "How's my boat?"

"Waiting for you."

He then had every intention of retreating inside, but was distracted by River's feet. Unless she had no choice, she chose to walk with them bare to the world, and it was hard not to notice. "Ain't you cold? I mean, um, s'there a tale tells why ya don't care for shoes?"

"How else would I know if I was touching the ground?" The look she shot at him was very plainly, "Duh."

Mal kind of shook his head and moved on. "Fair enough."

No need to call in his mechanic and doctor as they were camping out by their lonesome, so psychic and captain went to the ramp. With one, final glance at nature, he stepped into the bay and closed up. Whereas River headed to her quarters to sleep some, he headed to the dining room to ponder, because he knew sleep wasn't in the cards tonight.

***

In a drafty, stone corridor, a tired Zoë Warren Washburne had just resumed her post outside an ornately crafted but not overly-thick, wooden door. Unable to help hearing the conversation on the other side, she tried to respectfully be elsewhere until it finished, but she was asked to keep watch by Mal. Just had to focus on that. She had gotten the impression almost immediately, that there was more to this than simply asking Inara to return, and it was being proven right.

It was the look in Sheydra's eyes as they were greeted--worry, concern. There was a tension in her walk that no amount of learned, Companion presentation (or deception, depending on the view) could cover up. Either there was a trap set to be sprung, as would've been her first thought in the war, or the woman was just scared, and the why of it didn't involve imminent danger. Which was sometimes worse, however, Zoë's specialty was life-threatening situations. This wasn't one.

Not the kind she handled, anyhow.

"...travel all this way under false pretenses, just to say that the Guild...no longer requires my services..." Inara's voice had risen, but she faltered there, allowing Zoë to hear the gasps from further down the corridor. "Can-can you see how it might appear somewhat ill-intentioned? Especially considering that this could've been a topic of conversation two days ago when you waved my ship, saving us all many wasted hours. Not to mention fuel cells."

My ship? Well that strongly implied that a decision to stay floating had been made. And prior to now, most likely. For her captain's sake, Zoë was enormously grateful.

"Will you and I be all right?"

"I honestly hope so, {dear, old friend}, but being in the midst of trying to find my footing makes objectivity...difficult."

"It wasn't my choice, Inara. After I was called to Sihnon, I asked Li Na why this had to be done in such a {secretive and unnecessarily drawn out} fashion, but she only said I wasn't to be involved any further beyond allowing you to collect your things, and giving you this. I am sorry." Sheydra's sincere response came followed by silence.

The ex-career soldier restrained her surprise at what seemed to be Inara's firing, trying not to jump to conclusions about what might've caused it, and went instead to investigate the gasps. Asian-patterned wall rugs and various-colored silks adorned the passage, which was lit at regular intervals by candles. While distancing herself from Sheydra's bedroom door, Zoë realized something.

Every other room she walked by belonged to trainees, and there was not a single door. Beaded curtains hung from the entryways, which added a whiff of mystery and exoticism for visitors who paid to get a glance at the latest generation of Companions, but didn't permit much in the way of privacy. Also too, based on what she'd seen, these girls probably only earned privacy when they completed training.

Worse than the military. And she had a feeling there were even stricter rules, so when she saw them not inside, she couldn't exactly blame them for their small rebellion. But they were going to get themselves caught real soon, and she didn't want that to happen. Easily discovered around the corner, they'd all huddled on the spiraling staircase that led both down, and up another flight.

Her imposing figure elicited a second wave of gasps. "Hour's late. Should think about movin' along back to your beds."

The six girls, if Zoë had to guess, ranged in age from 17 to 24. Each one had their hair up, and was wearing the same, midnight blue nightgown. There were many more girls on the grounds; this was just the section where the advanced students were permitted to sleep. Though the way Inara talked in the shuttle, Sheydra was quick to "advance" them, and wrong to do so.

Four hurried without word to their rooms, leaving two behind. One was stubborn, and the other was trying to get her to cooperate.

"Kaya! {Shut up!}" The stubborn girl hissed, who was about twenty. Of Latin-descent, she had fire in her eyes.

"But, Meda..."

Zoë looked at the hurt Kaya, who was a younger, waif-like, blonde. "Go on."

"We only wanted tea, Miss." Kaya offered in explanation, before scampering off.

And she'd thought she was quiet. The second she briefly left her post, they must've all snuck by, making not a peep. Impressive.

Meda stood, and stared down her discoverer with bravado. Only a twinge of it false. "You don't have authority over us. And you have no idea how much they expect; we're in the middle of nowhere with no freedom to do anything."

The first-mate's look strongly advised the Companion-to-Be not to continue that line of argument. "You choose this life, Young One?" Nod. "Then you can choose to leave it. Most in the 'Verse can't say the same; and some don't have but themselves to lay claim to." Meda wisely cast her eyes downward, Zoë's softened. "Piece of advice? Take advantage of what's yours...before comes a sun-up when you wish you had."

A beat, and then meekly, "Yes, Miss...good night." Meda retired to her room.

With a deep breath, Zoë took a moment to figure out where that advice came from, which didn't take long. Since burying her late husband, she personally wished she'd followed it. Not because she ever took him for granted, as any second they could find, they spent together--sometimes in coitus, sometimes just sharing company--but because even though she appreciated him and showed him so, he was gone, and it wasn't close to enough.

She'd seen hundreds die, maybe thousands, but had never been in love with them, wed to them. This was a new experience; new emotions she hadn't readied for. So she went with familiar and internalized everything. But unlike in the war, she had daily, tangible reminders that she couldn't disassociate from. Wash's Hawaiian shirts, photos, knickknacks...the necklace he bought her on Persephone on their "re-supplying," one-day honeymoon, that she still wore around her neck.

Part of her wanted to clear out those things to make the grieving easier, but she couldn't bring herself to. And the memories would still remain. She was used to having a plan--how was this supposed to go? When would it be over? How long until it got to be too much? The captain thought she'd be okay, and she believed it a month ago, but time continued to pass without an end in sight.

Like Inara, she was trying to find her footing. What would she--?

"Zoë?" And that was Inara's voice.

She hadn't registered her presence. Hell. Some guard. 'Rutting...pull it together, soldier.'

Her friend had what looked like a letter in her hand, and a sad but determined look on her face. "What's--?" Zoë couldn't get more than that out.

"I wanna go home."

***

"You should have let me rouse the help." Sheydra said a short time later, seeing her friend carrying the last of her four bags in both hands, while Zoë placed a box of more fragile things in the shuttle.

The "help" consisted of girls who had the misfortune of not being born well-to-do, but were desperate to be trained and educated. They earned their chance doing all manner of tasks and chores whenever called upon. Seemed a fair arrangement, however, the Guild had certain standards of physical beauty. By the time most girls had done what was required, they were tired, ragged, and often sickly, leaving the Guild well within its rights to deny enrollment, returning them to their homes worse off than before--a disgusting practice.

Because those girls weren't wanted to represent the profession in the first place, everything possible was done to make sure they didn't, and no wages had to be paid. Inara Serra cast a blind eye to these less "enlightened" aspects of her former employers and the government once, but as uncertain as she was, she was also glad to be disassociating herself from both institutions. Ever since Miranda, the Alliance made her ill. Well, not just the Alliance.

"They would've been unnecessary; we were quite capable, and it really wasn't so taxing." Inara continued to walk to the shuttle door, perfected smile in place, the priestess in step beside her.

Her shuttle, one of two belonging to Serenity, waited some ways to the right of the House and its steep, numerous, front steps. The grassy cliff on which they began was large enough to accommodate Serenity when it dropped Inara off, so the drastically smaller shuttle had no trouble landing. Reaching the door, she entered, placed the bags with her others, and returned to stand just outside it.

Sheydra had a few years on her friend age-wise, but her beauty hadn't diminished. With honey-blond hair and understanding, green eyes that held promises and experience, she was the model which most up and coming companions strived to copy. But unfortunately, she wasn't the greatest instructor, a failing she well knew of. Having Inara as support had been a great relief, and now, she was again stuck.

Inara had no choice in the matter; all she could do was pass on luck, because the woman did truly mean well. Even if the Alliance could do no wrong in her mind.

They took turns chastely kissing each of the other's cheeks, and in a formal hug, exchanged goodbyes. "Would another apology border on redundant at this point?"

"Please don't, Sheydra. Li Na was right to keep you from this, and my tone was inexcusable. Forgive me, I reacted badly." Inara requested, hopeful.

"There's nothing to forgive. I only ask that you accept my best wishes for wherever your journey takes you."

"Thank you, I'll need them." This smile was more genuine. "And I offer the same--you'll do fine. Just remember your own training."

Sheydra smiled back, and took a deep, preparatory breath. "{May the wise Buddha safely guide us both in our endeavors.}" Then her eyes twinkled. "But go find your pirate. I won't delay your tryst any longer."

Before Inara could respond, Sheydra was already walking back to the steps, leaving her to stand there and blush--is that why the woman thought she was let go? Mal? Well, that was partially correct, only, not for the reasons she was entertaining.

Looking at the House and feeling...less than expected, Inara closed the shuttle door with some finality. Zoë was already in the co-pilot's chair, so she took hers beside it. Fingers went to the switches responsible for bringing the craft to life, and then palms rested on the controls. It was here that she stopped, thoughts overtaking her. But not thoughts of the tough road ahead, the adjustments that had to be made, or what she had to confront...no, they were thoughts of Mal.

Thoughts that inspired the question that came next:

"Zoë, how did you know you were in love with Wash?"

Her temporary co-pilot was silent a moment, not expecting that, but then her lips started to curve upwards. Teeth didn't show, yet it was a start. "Man made me laugh. Honest and from the gut. First I had since before the Valley." For another first, Zoë's memories of Wash weren't automatically sad to recall. As she continued the story, she lost herself in it. "'Bout six weeks after his hire, we were on our way to Athens for a drop. Shouldn'ta taken more'n four, five days, but we had this dirt-brained mechanic--Kaylee was a ways off yet--who {fucked up like a blind, inebriated spider monkey}, and the engine looked to bust if we pushed her too hard.

"Turned into a week and a half because. Everyone was tense, nothin' to do, and the cap'n was at the end of his tether. So Wash had this idea," Her smile broadened, and she chuckled some, "to kill the cargo bay lights, snatch the gas lamp off the dining table, and make shadow puppets on the gorramn walls. Never seen a more ridiculous..." She laughed harder now, Inara joining in as a picture formed. "All he could manage was a rabbit and a duck...with just a horsehair's difference between 'em. Sounded a hell of a lot alike, too.

Their mirthful sounds got gradually softer and tapered off, when Inara saw that Zoë's eyes looked watery. And not just from the humor. "Didn't matter, though. He had me goin' so long, there was no stopping till it ran its route--that's when I knew. Not to say I didn't try on 'denial' for a spell, 'cause I was sure he...bothered me. Intensely. 'Cept the man wore me down. At least his damn bug-fuzz got shaved off before I agreed to a wedding." Inara reached over and squeezed the widow's hand. "Seems like he's still able to. Make you laugh."

"Yeah. Guess he can." Maybe there was value in memory after all. Sniffing, Zoë wiped her sleeve across her eyes, attempting to recover her "all-business" demeanor. "Ready for takeoff?"

"Yes, I, um..." Inara stuttered, the story having made her dwell on the progress of her own feelings, which weren't hidden from her features. Though Zoë--who battled a grin--and the entire crew had known for some time. "Uh huh."

"Captain'll be pleased."

Said with faux-ignorance, "Well that's...you think so?" Her hand fell to her robe pocket for a split second, checking to make sure the letter Sheydra delivered was still there, and actually real. She would tell him immediately, and him only, until she got his take on things. How much, she hadn't decided.

Zoë could only shake her head--the two of them were so transparent. But she bit her tongue as the shuttle lifted into the air, and Inara informed Serenity of their imminent arrival over the Com.

***

"...docking in three minutes." Inara's voice echoed throughout the ship, finding a captain beginning to doze off, contemplation having tired him. Sleep might have not been in the cards, but it was apparently in the dining room. "Mal? Are you there? Anyone?"

Her third attempt jolted him alert, but the haze of being in between sleep and waking hadn't worn off. "Wherewuzzahuh?" Saying so, he kicked his foot into a table leg at the same time. Which hurt. A good deal. "Mother-humping--"

Gritting his teeth through the pain, he hobbled as fast as he could through the foredeck and up to the bridge, where River was already answering Inara's call.

"Good. She hates missing pieces that belong to her." She responded, and he guessed that her newly-found sanity didn't come with straightforward talk. Or she just preferred being abstract. "We'll be waiting. Over and out." She giggled, something about that last bit amusing her.

"Weren't ya supposed to be counting wooly creatures or somesuch?" Mal rightly asked, when she put the Com receiver back.

River turned her chair to face him. "Was, but the angel's voice would have none of it. And my eyes refused to see the value of cooperation--they're picketing."

Quiet and to himself, he voiced a thought, unaware. "She is at that." As a slow, sincere smile spread across his face, a grin spread across his pilot's, and covering up was impossible. Ready to tease, never more so had she looked like the teenager she was. "Whatever words it is wants to slip past your lips, bottle 'em up. Right now. 'Sides, you and your eyes got a dispute shouldn't be drug out. Best settle it." His authoritative tone was blustery, which she didn't have to be psychic to know.

"You want to leave as soon as she's whole again." She stated, and his eyes read something to the effect of, "Obviously. Point?" "I'm in charge of the wheel."

He *really* had to find his balance. "You, uh, know what course to set?"

"Harvest moon."

"Fine." Mal cleared his throat, and tried very much to make this sound like an order. "Get us off this, 'so pretty the All-Mighty'd spit' rock, then it's back to bed, {understand}?" Just as he turned his back, she stuck her tongue out. "Don't make faces, girl."

"Aye-aye, Captain." She saluted him, though not quite maintaining a serious face. Then she picked up the Com again, and flicked a switch so she could be heard outside the ship by Simon and Kaylee. "The stars wanna meet us. We promised not to be late, and our word is all we have...so you better quit touching."

She could also be heard by the wildlife, and birds scattered at her announcement. As Mal exited the bridge imagining Simon's horrified expression at being caught by his sister, it almost made up for the whole debacle he just left behind. Losing who he'd lost--from Inara temporarily to Book and Wash permanently--and getting the signal out, were responsible for helping him feel certain things more than he used to. A side-effect of which, was the occasional "angel" comparison.

He walked by Jayne, who was coming up the ladder from his bunk as the ship hummed to life. "We goin' already?"

"We are." Mal confirmed, and the mercenary fell in step with him as he went to the cargo bay. "And how come you're stirred? Seen you slumber through moonquakes."

Jayne ignored that question, choosing instead to press on with his own. "Why for?"

"'Cause Inara finished her business here sooner'n was planned, and I don't see any reason to linger." The captain glanced at his crew member before they took the steps down from the catwalk. He remembered Jayne's face when he mentioned Harvest outside. "Unless ya got issue with our destination, don't see a reason why you'd wanna hang about, either. Those girls're still bein' schooled, Jayne, so it ain't like they're gonna service you. Even if you bow and ask polite."

"Ain't after quim, Cap." He hesitated for a moment, fingers picking a blade of grass off the sleeve of his T-shirt, while Mal strode to the control panel and opened the ship back up. "Just, Harvest's where I'm from, and it's...been a stretch since I landed. Folks work a dirt farm east of Duvall; send cash when I can, but I never exactly told 'em how I make my way."

This stopped Mal for a second. One, he hadn't known that Harvest was Jayne's home. Here he was thinking the man rescued the town's lady fair by accident and they made an obsessively giant quilt in his honor, because they happened to do great needlework when they weren't farming.

Two, he was somewhat taken aback by the idea that this selfish, bullheaded, often ruthless mercenary was scared by the prospect of his parents discovering what he did for a living. But then again, even the most hardhearted criminal was someone's son. The loving apple of his mother's eye...and who would want to tarnish that?

And lately, he'd admit, there'd been a slow change in Jayne. Losing Shepherd Book, losing Wash, and seeing Dr. Caron's message and demise, had seemed to really get to him on a level Mal hadn't expected, but he recognized it. Didn't dare broach the subject, though.

"Possible I'm mistaken, but my recollection is, Duvall's on a side of the world that's gone through a rough patch last buncha years. Dry spells and the like. You really think they'll care how the money got earned, long as it keeps 'em livin' regular?"

There was that scared look. "Ya don't know my father."

Simon and Kaylee started to come in, the embarrassed doctor with his head down. Their captain responded to Jayne before acknowledging them. "Well, nothin' says you gotta leave the boat when we touch down. I'm hoping to find us a nice, smooth job that won't have need for gunplay, anyhow. Your choice."

"I still get a cut?" Jayne asked, which was all-too-familiar.

Mal left that unanswered, hitting the button again once his crew members were inside, and one of them, his mechanic, looked distressed.

"Captain, you said we had till dayrise--what's goin' on? I mean, we was *just* done foreplayin'. Ain't fair." She complained.

"Kaylee!" Her boyfriend gasped sharply, horrified and turning redder by the moment.

Jayne shot the pretty boy a dirty look and went over to the exercise equipment, as he suddenly felt the need to work out just then. Except, when he realized once more that he didn't have anyone to spot him, he paused out of respect before settling on doing pull-ups using the grating and straps above his head.

"Do you wanna chance Inara maybe havin' a change of mind?" That was all Mal said, and he watched Kaylee's face light up like the sun.

"She's comin'? Really? This is so shiny!" She exclaimed, and then started running towards the infirmary, where she intended to take the stairs to the aft passage. "Lemme just go check and make sure everything's squared away. Stabilizer was twitchin' some when we hit atmo." Disappearing around the corner she called, "And don't muck it up this time!"

He deserved that, so he took the hit, and then approached a fidgety Simon. "Why don't you go keep your sis company, Doctor? Find her on the bridge."

Simon liked that idea very much, and nodded. "Yes, I think that sounds...good. I'll do that. Now." The way he was being stared at, he didn't know if he should leave yet or not. "Thank you?"

Mal slapped him on the back in a typically friendly gesture, yet the fugitive jumped. "Happy to help. Oh, one more thing." He smiled a slightly frightening smile--at least to Simon it was. "It'll take us about twelve hours or so to reach where we're headed, and sometime in those next, twelve hours, you and me are gonna have one of our chats. Know how much you like 'em. Few things we need to be clear on, is all."

Gulp. "I-I look forward to it." He raced to the bridge, his action suggesting that that might've been a lie.

The ship's leader returned to the catwalk just in time to see *that* shuttle door opening, and got scared a little himself. Zoë exited first, saw his face, and smiled in encouragement, but went to her quarters having uttered nary a syllable.

Inara was right behind, with near the same expression as he. As they started to smile at seeing one another, they felt the ship rise into the air. Standing there looking in silence, both tried to figure out what to say. Mal went first:

"Hi." Fortunately his eyes weren't picketing, and they grabbed up the slack where his vocal chords failed.

"Hi." And so did hers.

COMMENTS

Thursday, September 22, 2005 1:37 PM

NUTLUCK


Very nice, a much better chapter length this time. Look foward to what comes next.

Thursday, September 22, 2005 2:51 PM

RIVERSBOUNTY


Thanks for saying so. :-) It was a lot of fun to write. The last scene especially.

Thursday, September 22, 2005 11:02 PM

MISSJASADIN


great fic.

completely ruined the movie for me, but still...

thats my own fault. I should have waited just a week longer...

Friday, September 23, 2005 1:38 AM

RIVERSBOUNTY


missjasadin--geyahh. I'm so sorry anyway. Glad you liked and all, but, I'm so sorry.

Both Anonymouses--thanks. :-) Got a big smile on my face.

Thursday, November 10, 2005 4:50 PM

MISSKITTEN


Sweet, loved Kaylee's comment :P


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OTHER FANFICS BY AUTHOR

After Present's Past, Ch. 2
A settler in a new town on Dakota Moon, meets Kaylee Frye when "Serenity" comes to help. Post-OiS and the comics, and a crossover with BtVS. Buffy/Kaylee femslash. Bracketed words are meant to be spoken as Chinese.

After Present's Past, Ch. 1
A settler in a new town on Dakota Moon, meets Kaylee Frye when "Serenity" comes to help. Post-OiS and the comics, and a crossover with BtVS. Buffy/Kaylee femslash.

Bracketed words are meant to be spoken as Chinese.


Going On
Okay, here's what was going to be the first chapter of a post-Serenity-movie fic, but is now, sort of my one-shot, open coda to the film. Hope you all enjoy. :-)