BLUE SUN ROOM FAN FICTION - GENERAL

JETFLAIR

Dream Sequence, chapter 8
Sunday, February 26, 2006

Simon, Zoe, and River begin a rescue attempt that defies all odds.


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 2960    RATING: 9    SERIES: FIREFLY

"River!" Zoe hissed. Seeing the girl continue to tremble and cry on the floor, she took a deep breath and slapped her firmly. River gasped as her eyes flew open, and Zoe laid a hand on her back, the apology written in her eyes. "Little one, you are scaring me beyond all belief. We don't have time for this, and they don't have time for this. Dong ma?"

River nodded, getting to her feet with quiet grace and leading out wordlessly. Zoe followed, uncomfortable with the whole notion of following the still misty-eyed River. Nonetheless, her instincts told her that the calm certainty in River's stride was informed by something she would do well to heed.

_______________________________________________________________________

Simon wandered the massive backstage of the coliseum, searching for a path to the giant, domed roof. Blue and purple stage lighting was flickering through from the arena to the darkened rooms as he made his way rapidly through the maze of equipment. He paused, spotting a flight of steep stairs constructed of metal grating leading up to a lighting derrick.

The doctor took a deep breath to steady himself and overcome the effects of the adrenaline surging through his veins. The lighting, the energy-charged music pounding through the walls, and the fear of discovery were contributing to a growing feeling of excitement. Remember why you're here, he reminded himself firmly as he began his climb up the stairs.

He reached the top, finding himself on a darkened lighting control platform just under the ceiling overlooking the entire stadium. His head spun sickeningly as he looked straight down through the steel grating he was standing on, seemingly miles above the thundering crowd. He grabbed the safety railing hard and forced himself to scan his surroundings.

There was a full section of seating directly below him, thousands of people in a giant, indistinct mass. I can't do it, he thought. I can't blow it here, I can't kill them all. He searched his surroundings, his eyes finding a large, heavily guarded entry gate at the near end of the oval arena. There was no seating behind the gate. There. If he could reach the lighting derrick above the gate, he could put a neat hole through the ceiling without crushing the audience or his crew. His heart heavy, he gazed down on the arena, hoping for confirmation that they were still alive, that there was even a point to all this.

There was a desperate struggle taking place throughout the far end of the arena, tiny figures fighting for the last minutes of their lives. No hope of picking anyone out of that crowd, nor the piles of limp bodies along the walls. His eyes traveled to the near end of the arena, to the horrors that claimed a smaller number of the victims of this appalling sport.

He spotted three familiar, distant figures in a flash of white light, and grabbed one of the spotlights on the platform, swinging it down in their direction. He checked the tiny device in his ear and said quietly, "They're here."

"Alive?" came Zoe's terse response.

Simon hesitated, looking down at the Wash's limp, unmoving form. "I think your husband's dead" might not be the most reassuring statement, he thought. "Yes," he lied. "I need another five minutes to get in position." __________________________________________________________________________

"Copy," Zoe replied, following River through a metal door into a vast, roaring mechanical room. She made her way to the huge tower fans at the back and scanned them for an access point. "River," she asked, pointing to the access panel over her head. "Can you open that?"

River tilted her head sideways, studying it for several seconds before pushing Zoe delicately into position under the panel. "Don't drop me."

"What?" asked Zoe, puzzled. She should have spared herself the breath; River was climbing lightly up her back, and within seconds stood gracefully on Zoe's shoulders, her fingers working at the screws on the overhead panel.

_________________________________________________________________

Simon found his way to the steps leading to the derrick overlooking the arena gate, and was halfway up the steep stairway when a hurried technician came bouncing down the steps, stopping sharply just before she ran into the startled doctor.

"Who - who are you?" she asked.

"Um......" Simon hesitated. He'd known he might get caught, he just hadn't devoted any time to thinking on how to react.

Understanding flashed quickly in her eyes, and she started to scream. "Secur......." Simon moved swiftly, pinning his hand across her mouth, and she reacted with a hard punch to his sternum, making his legs crumple momentarily with pain. He gathered himself rapidly and stepped forward up the stairs, shoving the technician backwards and throwing her off balance.

She fell back on the steps, landing painfully but still managing a firm upwards kick to Simon's knee. Simon fell forward, landing on top of the girl, who once again tried to scream for help. Simon put his hand across her mouth again and slammed her head back against the metal step as hard as he could. He felt her body go limp underneath him, and he quickly checked her breathing, reassured to find that it seemed strong and steady.

Simon stood and resumed his progress to the top of the stairs, a troubled expression on his face. Is this what I've been reduced to? he wondered. Beating up girls and setting off bombs in sports arenas? I should be getting off work right now on Osiris, not playing thug on this backwater planet.

And for what? he wondered. For a disagreeable mercenary who sold me and my sister out to the feds for a quick piece of change. For a violent, domineering captain who'll probably get himself killed next week. For a good-hearted pilot who looks to be dead. For a disarming girl who looked me in the eyes and asked me to save her dearest friend from being eaten by a tiger. For my sweet little sister, about to release a potentially lethal medication on a stadium full of innocent people.

He shook off his confusing thoughts, and balancing precariously on the railings, he carefully affixed the explosive charge to the ceiling above his head and checked the remote Kaylee had affixed. It seemed to be communicating, and he slid back down to the platform with relief.

___________________________________________________________

"Zoe?"" said Simon's voice in her ear. "Ready on my end, I've got the charge set on the west end of the building, directly over the entry to the arena."

"You clear?" Zoe asked.

"As far as I can be and still have this remote work," Simon replied, his voice a whisper despite the din around him.

"Okay," said Zoe. "Inara, you clear of the building?"

"I'm docking with Serenity now," Inara's smooth voice responded.

"Kaylee, what's your status?" Zoe asked, rummaging through the bag she had brought and tossing River one of the respirator masks.

"I'm maybe twenty minutes away from you, I think," came her somewhat timid reply. "This - is this really going to work?" she asked after a moment.

"Reckon it'll work out just fine," said Zoe soothingly. "We've faced worse odds than this."

"No - no we haven't," protested Kaylee.

Zoe reflected for a minute, running all of the details through her mind, trying to ensure she hadn't missed any factors that she could control. She withdrew Simon's canister from the bag, turning it over in her hands. This day had escalated so horribly. Kaylee had a point. The biggest robbery they'd ever attempted had turned into their biggest, most desperate rescue effort. Did they really think they were going to take over a stadium filled with fifty thousand people? At least we'll go out with a bang, she thought ironically.

"Simon, River, masks on," she said quietly. She and River carefully affixed theirs, tightening the straps firmly. Above the stadium, Simon was doing the same.

"Mask on," Zoe heard Simon's confirm, a tinge of excitement in the doctor's voice.

"Okay," she replied. "We're gonna go for it here. You wait until this stuff takes effect, then you blow it. I don't want any distress calls going out, dong ma?"

"Got it," Simon replied as River once again scrambled to Zoe's shoulders. She carefully positioned the canister and opened it, then closed the access panel and sprung lightly to the floor.

"It's done," Zoe said briefly as she and River began to make their way back through the endless hallways that would lead them to the arena, to Jayne, to her husband, and her captain.

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COMMENTS

Sunday, February 26, 2006 3:35 AM

TAYEATRA


Wow. Your dream was intense, i'm getting jealous.

Zoe slapping River was definitely something I could see happening in a crisis, and poor Kaylee, at least Inara's with her now.

Loved the comment about Simon thinking, '"I think your husband's dead" might not be the most reassuring statement'!

Time for some thrilling heroics!

Monday, February 27, 2006 4:16 AM

MAL4PREZ


Cool, two chapters waiting on Monday morning!

I agree, great Simon section. Excellent setup, can't wait to see what happens now!

Sunday, March 5, 2006 5:26 AM

BELLONA


oh lordy, this is getting better as it goes on. and wash better be okay!!!!

b

Sunday, February 4, 2007 11:19 AM

GIRLFAN


>Simon hesitated, looking down at the Wash's limp, unmoving form. "I think your husband's dead" might not be the most reassuring statement, he thought. "Yes," he lied.

Quick thinking there Simon!


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