A/T: None of these characters, nor the ‘verse are mine and I get no monetary gain for fic writing…just fun…lots and lots of fun.

Chapter 7

River swayed back and forth with her eyes closed as if she could hear music and said in a sing songy voice, "Full pockets and an empty heart. Bodies couldn’t fight it…too weak…too soon. It's too soon to know..." As River suddenly halted her movements and opened her eyes she saw a body silhouetted in the doorway. "And too late for you..." *********

Mal looked at Wash expectantly as he and Book rushed into the bridge to meet him, Zoe, and Jayne who were already gathered there, staring out into a not so empty space. “Someone wanna tell me what the hell is goin’ on?” Mal spoke with concern but still radiated his ire from before. “Looks to be stranded.” Wash explained and looked up at Mal while flipping switches and adjusting controls. He sounded surprised as he said, “It’s a later model med-ship, maybe a 62-10. I’m reading no people onboard and no aux life support.” Wash paused and then offered, “Med-ships don‘t get stranded. There‘s way too much cash just built right into ‘em.” They all looked to Mal, waiting for instructions. Several moments passed and Wash started to make a comical face and urge Mal on with his expression. Zoe merely swatted his arm and opened her mouth to speak. Then suddenly from the back of the room Jayne spoke. “I’ll be a liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze fuh ur-tze, before we play this tune again. Mal, we ain’t like to get no boon outta this, same as last time. S’right time we cut our losses before we…” Jayne searched for how to finish the sentence. “…lose ‘em.” Everyone stared blankly at Jayne for a full three seconds, unmoving. “Sir, I think Jayne’s right.” Zoe stood to full height as she said this, in complete seriousness. “Did you really just say that?” Wash asked incredulously. Zoe twisted her face up as if she smelled something rancid, and then considered his question before looking at him and plopping back down to sit on the controls next to him. “Yeah, I did.” she said. Wash put the back of his hand up against her forehead and said with concern in his voice, “Maybe you outta go see the Doc. You could-” “Enough.” Mal scolded. He looked at Book and their eyes met and again yet another silence ensued. “Mal, we cain’t afford no other complications. Best thing’d be if we just kept mobile.” Jayne moved to stand in Mal’s line of sight. “Well, now I can’t believe I’m saying it, but Mal I think maybe Jayne’s got a point.” Wash agreed. “There any ‘o you can do more for Kaylee, more ‘an what the Doctor’s already doin’?” Mal raised his eyebrows and waited. Everyone averted their gaze from Mal and all he could hear in response was the humming of the controls. “Wash, you get us parked, but not before checkin’ to see if they got that nice welcoming present like last time, and Jayne go prep the suits. If there is something over there to be had…” his voiced died down as he contemplated. Simon entered the bridge taking in the situation. “I heard the alarm. Do you need me-” Mal cut him off. “No. You just go see to Kaylee. We‘ll call you if we need you.” Simon gave a nod of agreement and turned right back around to leave. Jayne lowered his voice and leaned in towards the Captain. “Mal-” “Decisions already been made Jayne. Dong ma?” Jayne noticed the tone of Mal’s voice and swallowed before leaving it be. As Jayne left the bridge, Mal leaned over the console and stared out to the derelict. Wash switched a control and maneuvered Serenity while he spoke. “Just hope this goes our way. “Yeah.” Mal chuckled sardonically. “Our way.”

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Mal, Zoe and Jayne walked through the airlock holding their firearms at the ready and stopped right at the airlock doors. “Sir?” Zoë’s voice was accompanied by the static of the com. “I know Zoe. But we can’t pass this by. Could be substantial coin over there.” Mal moved his arm to unlock the hatch and the whirr of compressed air gushed out at them as the hatch swung out. Each of them prepared for the worst, but when they were greeted with an empty room an audible sigh came from each of them. “Stay on guard.” Mal warned. “We poke our noses around, see what’s worth taking. No lingerin’.” All three entered the abandoned med-ship on guard. Mal motioned for Jayne to go to the left and Zoe to the right, while he continued on forward. The com in Mal’s suit switched on and he heard Zoe say, “Sir, other than the power, nothing is wrong with this ship. Supplies, machinery, everything is still intact.” They made quick work of searching the level they were on and gathered together by the lift doors. “Mal, this place is givin’ me an itch. Maybe we outta just think about gittin’.” Jayne’s voice was insistent. “There’s a not so small fortune on this level alone. Sides Jayne, when have you ever turned down a profit?” Mal walked into the lift and the other two followed. As Zoe and Jayne turned to face the closing doors of the lift, Zoe, completely serious, said, “Mayhap Jayne’s growin’ a conscience.” She turned to face Mal, somewhat awkwardly because of the suits. Mal stared at Zoe and Zoe at Mal and the only movement was that of the lift itself. Jayne just arched one eyebrow and twisted his mouth up in a confused expression. Zoe and Mal could only hold straight faces for all of four seconds before both erupting into ill restrained laughter. Jayne rolled his eyes and said, “Ha ha.” It seemed that all the bound up tension they had was now giving them a case of the giggles. Even Jayne was holding back a smile until the lift doors opened and what they saw silenced their laughter instantly. Every expression dropped from their faces as they looked out at all the bodies that littered the floor and furniture. “Guai guai?” Mal uttered just barely above a whisper.

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“Sure, Mal. I’ll send him right over.” Wash hung the receiver back on its hook and stood to leave the bridge. He quickly made his way to the infirmary and when he descended the stairs he could see Simon on a stool right beside Kaylee. Wash let a little smile spread across his face as he stood in the doorway and looked at them. Simon was propped up on his bent right arm only inches from Kaylee’s face and his head hung heavily on it from where he had fallen asleep in that position. In his lap, his left hand loosely clutched Kaylee’s chart. Wash admired Simon’s devotion for a moment and then walked over to him gently shaking his shoulder to wake him. Simon groggily shook his head and rubbed at his eyes, “I fell asleep.” Wash let out a humorous breath of air before his countenance turned serious. “Turns out our abandoned med-ship wasn’t so abandoned.” “They found survivors?” Simon sounded hopeful. Wash shook his head ‘no’ and Simon sighed, “So then they don’t need me.” “Actually, Mal wants you to suit up and get over there right now.” Simon looked at Kaylee and Wash continued, “I’ll be here to watch Kaylee.” Simon stood and exchanged her chart for his red bag on the counter and opened his mouth to speak but Wash interrupted. “And River.” Simon nodded once and made his way aft. As he approached the locker where the suits were kept Simon saw Shepherd Book prepping one. At his questioning look, Shepherd explained, “I know you don’t care much for these, son. Thought I’d help.” “Thank you.” Simon’s voice revealed his fatigue. Book helped Simon suit up in a comfortable silence but before he moved to place the helmet on his head he hesitated. “You’re a very extraordinary man, Simon.” Simon’s brows rose high up on his forehead and he questioned, “Extraordinary?” His tone quickly turned cynical. “Right. River’s getting worse everyday. None of my treatments are working as I’d hoped. And Kaylee…I don’t know if I’ll be able to…if there’s brain damage…” Simon pulled himself out of his rant. “I’m far from extraordinary.” “Man is a selfish creature.” Book retorted. “S’not often that he will choose self sacrifice.” Simon looked at Book and with a gleam of ‘duh’ in his eyes as he argued, “I didn’t have any other choice.” The shepherd just smiled as he raised the helmet to above his head. “You just proved my point for me, son.”

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Simon knelt over one of the bodies with the most bewildered look on his face. “So?” Mal asked impatiently. Zoe, Mal and Jayne stood hovering over Simon while he examined the latest body. All three waited anxiously for Simon to speak. The Doctor leaned back and his eyes glazed over while his brain assessed and reassessed, evaluated and reevaluated, and shuffled through everything he discovered. “Doesn’t make any sense.” Simon muttered. “Mal I told you this weren‘t right. I’m done askin’ questions. We need to git back.” Jayne’s voice was harsh through the com. Mal just ignored Jayne’s little outburst and waited for Simon to diagnose. Jayne continued his diatribe. “Shoulda just kept on going. Doc cain’t even tell us what they’re dead from-” “I can.” Simon halted Jayne’s rhetoric. “It just doesn’t…it’s not…they shouldn’t be dead.” “Be plain, Doc.” Mal said on edge. “What did this?” “Influenza. They all died from the flu.” Simon’s voice was coated with disbelief. “Didn’t they find an inoculation for influenza like two hundred years ago?” Zoe chimed in. “They did.” Simon agreed. “Everyone gets it at a very young age now. These people shouldn’t…I’d like to take some samples back to study.” “Jien tah-duh guay!” Jayne took a step forward. “There ain’t no way you’re bringin’ that on.” Mal sliced his hand through the air silencing Jayne. “That really a good idea?” he asked of Simon. “I’ll take every precaution. I may be able to diagnose more accurately.” “Fine. What about…all this?” Mal gestured at all the equipment they wanted to salvage. “Assuming we’ve all been vaccinated?” Simon waited for them to nod their heads and then continued. “Our bodies are immune. Should be completely safe if we sterilize it all.” “Take your samples then, Doctor. Posthaste though, dong ma?” Mal turned to Zoe and motioned for her and Jayne to start moving equipment. Jayne complained, “If any-ruttin’-body would just listen to me-” Zoe hefted up one side of a very large bulky machine with Mal. “Who would wanna do that, Jayne?” Jayne grunted at Zoe and then they each proceeded to go about their tasks as quickly as possible.

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River walked into the infirmary and didn’t even acknowledge Wash’s presence as she looked around at every possible surface in the room. She walked up to Kaylee’s side and leaned down to whisper in her ear. Wash tilted his head to grasp at what she was saying. “…can’t obliterate…keep in there…” River placed one hand gently on her forehead for a mere moment and then removed it, standing up. She turned and walked right back out of the infirmary. Wash looked at the now empty doorway and then back at Kaylee and then back at the doorway with a look of utter puzzlement. He just shook it off and repositioned to record Kaylee’s vitals like Simon had instructed. ____________________________ liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze fuh ur-tze - Stupid son of a drooling whore and a monkey Guai guai? - What the hell? Jien tah-duh guay - Like hell! And if you don’t know ‘dong ma’ by now…tsk tsk

____________________________ MORE TO COME in chapter 8 Comment guys. Lemme know what your theories are, what you liked and didn’t like. It’ll only make me a better fic writer. Thanks.