KING D. AUGUSTUS III - BEGIN LOG ENTRY : 8 July 2528: 10:38

Ok. I’m back. All freshed up and ready to spill. I had some Kingly things to do early but I got those out of the way and I told my aides to leave me alone for a few hours. Not in so many words, of course. Where were we. Oh, yes. The journey to Jiangyn. I remember now someone told me it was a nine hour trip there. Can’t remember if it was Inara or Mal. I went into my bunk and my sulking session became a sleeping one. It was Inara who awoke me. Seeing that beauty when I opened my eyes I thought I was still dreaming. I asked her if we were there yet. I moved to switch on my ring recorder from underneath the covers. “Almost,” Inara answered. “It’s time for supper.” “I’ll just eat in here.” “Nonsense. On Serenity we eat dinner together.” “Oh...wonderful. So, is the cooking well enough here, or do I have to worry about my safety there too?” “Are you always this incorrigible?” “All my life.” “Hmm...I guess that would probably help you pose as a man of age, wouldn’t it?” I shot up from the bed like a cannon shot. “You...you knew that was me?” She stood and smiled. How I so wanted to melt in that smile. She then stated, “I do now.” I was played. By a Companion, no less. Not even my friends would have been brave enough to attempt to dupe me. She went on to admit that she had known the Companion I had asked for as a full grown gentleman. In fact, it was a Companion-in-training who I had asked for. It was one of Inara’s students and I was to be her first client. Instead, I turned out to be her first hard lesson. I apologized to Inara and she said it didn’t matter now, for the girl was now an accomplished Companion and doing well now. Or...then. You know what I mean. Inara left after telling me dinner was in five minutes. I freshened up, brushed my mane of white blond hair, and washed my face. I climbed up the stairs and came to a corridor where I had two directions. To my left was the way into the engine room. It seemed so small for what its purpose was. To my right was where I heard voices. I followed that path and came into the dining area and kitchen. The lights were dimmed but sitting at the large wooden table was a hydro-lamp providing all the light needed. The entire crew sat around the table and they busied themselves by passing food around. Inara was just sitting down when she saw me in the doorway. “Come sit with us and eat something.” Then it hit me. All my life I had been surrounded by friends, aides, Oscar, and my father the King. I never experienced a sense of family since I had no mother. It wasn’t until that moment seeing all of the crew together when I felt that sense of family. I couldn’t show that to them. I had to project an image of strength. To them it probably read as cockiness. I read a wise man once say that cockiness is the illusion of confidence. I sat down at the empty chair and was impressed with the array of foods displayed. A main meal was in a large bowl that looked to be a combination of beef and noodles. Whole tomatoes. Various fruits. I spotted a bowl of strawberries sitting in front of Kaylee. She was busy placing food in Simon’s mouth, so I took advantage to reach for it. Without warning, I was slapped by Kaylee’s hand. “Do you know how to ask for things?” she demanded. Upon seeing my embarrassment, Simon took his ‘sticks and placed some strawberries on a plate. “I have learned in the past months, Deke, that not even I can come between Kaylee and her strawberries.” He handed me the plate and added, “I’m sure she can relinquish a few.” He looked at her and smiled. “Well, ok,” she surrendered. “He can have some. But, that’s all.” River remarked, “My brother has ulterior motives with those strawberries and her later tonight.” Jayne uttered, “Let’s not go into any form of detailin’ on that.” I nodded my thanks and took the plate. I bit into one and it was so fresh. “Wow, those are good. What is that stuff in the bowl?” “Beef Wellington. It was Book’s...” Inara paused a flutter and finished with, “recipe.” The crew all seemed to carry on a silence at that point. I went and asked the obvious. “Book?” “A former crew mate,” Mal supplied. “And honorable friend.” This came from Jayne of all people. But, instead of me keeping with the honorable tone, I had to be who I was then and make matters worse. “You mean he died, too? Boy, I’m really feeling safe around this ship already.” “He didn’t die on the ship,” Jayne growled. I kept digging my hole. “Ok, but that’s two people I know of who has died in connection with this ship. Does this ship have some kind of curse or something? I knew this was a bad idea. When my father finds out that you folks are incompetent–” And that’s when it hit me. The roll all covered in butter grease hit me square on the forehead leaving a dripping spot that oozed down my face. I looked up to see who the hurler was and by then all the crew was in hysterics. All but River. She just kept eating. I had crossed her off as a suspect. Until Jayne said, “Nice shot, Albatross.” How could this little girl not much older than I hit me dead on without even looking? I wiped the grease off as I was subjected to more embarrassment. After the commotion died down, I asked another question I wasn’t supposed to ask. “What are we doing in Jiangyn?” “We are finalizing a job that your problems so rudely interrupted,” Mal answered. “When the King of Londinum calls for you, there is no hesitation,” Inara explained. “And you’re not even related to him,” I quipped. “I just can’t believe he picked us,” Jayne said. “Little ole us.” Simon put in, “Well, we are indirectly the cause for the establishment of the Coalition.” “It’s basically the same as the Alliance, minus purple bellies,” Jayne countered. Simon said back “They’re not after us. That’s a difference.” “Alliance still wants us,” Mal said. “And now with all this popularity with the King and all, it may not be hard for them to find us,” Jayne replied. I had to weigh in with, “No, my father said he wouldn’t expose you. My father may be spineless when it comes to me, but I assure you his word is solid.” Simon replied, “That may be true, but the days of staying under the radar may be ending.” “The price of fame, I guess,” Mal stated. He paused before he addressed me, “Anyway, as I told you, we are going to do what we aimed to finish and you are staying here.” Kaylee brightened. “Yeah, me and Simon can keep you company.” I sneered. “You sure you two don’t want that time alone?” “Trust me, they’ve logged all kinds of alone time,” Mal interjected. The couple went red for a few seconds until Kaylee recovered. “We don’t have a bracketball field but we have other games. Horseshoes, Jacks, and we have a game with a hoisted O-ring we can set up.” “I’ll try to contain my excitement,” I dead-panned. The mechanic’s eyes widened and turned to Mal. “You are taking the Mule, right?” “Yep. I assume it’s ready.” “It is for low speeds. The left thruster will stick a bit in high gear. I s’pose I don’t have time to work on that.” “You’re right. We’re not looking to being chased, anyway.” “Are we ever?” Jayne muttered. Mal ignored it and addressed me again. “So, Deke, you can either join in on one of those many exciting games or you can rest yourself up in your bunk. I will confess that those hours we had on the trip here were so quiet and peaceful.” I ignored Mal’s stab and then I considered something that I will explain in a moment. To them I just stated, “No, I’ll be in my bunk.” Jayne snickered and asked, “So, you’re old enough for that too, huh?” “Old enough for what?” I asked in confusion. The only reply came from Inara, who said to Jayne indignantly, “You’re pathetic, Jayne.” They went back to eating and conversing amongst themselves despite my confusion from Jayne’s obvious inside joke. Now, to my earlier mention of what I was considering. As I stated in the last entry, I had experienced nothing that would even come close to a real adventure. I always made my own adventures with my pranks and tricks. It wasn’t enough and I wanted more. I never got that chance to expand my wants I that area. Until I was on Serenity. Because Mal was nondescript as to what their task was on Jiangyn, my curiosity got the better of me. Right there at that dinner table, I formed a plan. I took a healthy portion of the Beef Wellington and started eating it. Very fast. It actually wasn’t bad. Though, in order for my plan to begin, I had to leave the table early before they were done. In the middle of eating, I dropped my ‘sticks and placed my hands on my stomach. I feigned moans of pain and asked if I could be excused. Zoe took her chance to scold me. “You keep eating at the pace you were it’s no wonder you’re in pain.” But, then Simon almost ruined it. “Is the pain high near your chest or low in your colon?” Damn. I forgot he was a Doctor. I had to improvise. “Uh..more below my stomach. Think it’s the beef that didn’t agree with me.” “Or you could have food poisoning. There’s no discoloration in your face, but that isn’t always a good indicator. I have something that could help.” “Uh...maybe later. I find that rest usually works.” “Just don’t hurl here,” Jayne grunted. Dr. Tam kept on. “Does it feel like you could regurgitate?” “If that means barfing, then no. Just a small pain.” He nodded. “Yes, it could be food poisoning.” He started to get up. “I’ll go get my bag–” “No! I mean, it’s ok. I’ve had this before. Like I said, rest does the trick. I have medicine if it does get worse.” Simon asked me if it was a certain type of medicine that I couldn’t remember now or even pronounce. Yet, my plan wouldn’t work if he checked on me and found nothing. I did my best to keep lying. “It’s a form of that. My dad has it too.” “It can be hereditary. Still, I would feel better if I helped you.” “I don’t need your help! I told you I’m going to rest and that’s that!” Mal looked up from his plate to ask, “You talk to your father the King that way?” “All the time,” I sneered. “He must be having a grand peaceful ol’ time right now,” Mal shot back. “Why won’t you let the Doc look at you?” “I told you, I will be fine when I rest.” Seeing that my answer wouldn’t be enough, I asked, “All right. When are you leaving on the surface?” “We land in a half hour. Why?” I turned to Simon and said, “How about I rest for an hour and you check up on me after that? If I’m not better by then, I’ll be your patient.” Simon answered, “Ok. Call it an official house call.” After he agreed, I excused myself. I made sure the crew didn’t follow and stayed in the dining room. My plan was on. I hurried to my bunk where I reached into my bag to clutch a wad of clothes which I started stuffing under the covers. It was the oldest trick in the book. I used to use it on the Royal guards to sneak out of the Palace. They’d peek in my room to find a lump in the bed which they would mistake for my body when I was really out and about performing dastardly deeds. After I formed the clothes nice and plump to match my form, I went out quietly to check on the crew. They were all still in the dining room. I then went over to the hovercraft in what Kaylee called The Mule. I looked in and saw that it was rather small. Only five seats and not much room. Behind the seats, though, there was a nook small enough for me to squeeze through. I wasn’t exactly a skin and bones formed kid, but I still wasn’t chubby by any means. I found a small tarp hanging nearby that I grabbed and I worked my way in the crevice and covered myself with the tarp. Then, I waited. It wasn’t long until I heard the crew climb down and prepare to leave. Mal gave his orders and despite the fact I couldn’t see, I could guarantee they were carried out with no argument. At one point, Mal gave a strange warning. “Be careful with the canister. We don’t want the ashes to spill and not get paid.” I was dumbfounded. Ashes? I listened more. There was mention of me. Mal asked, “You gonna check on Prince Charming soon?” Simon answered, “I just did. He’s sleeping.” “Good. Try to keep him that way. Dope him if you have to.” “Captain’s orders.” I felt something land in front of me which was probably just their gear. Which in their line of work meant artillery. Jayne must have come up to Simon to say something I didn’t understand. “Since we’re back on Jiangyn, we can go look for those hill folk who kidnaped and tried to burn you and your sister the last time we were here. You can have a reunion.” “You’re so high-larious, Jayne. Besides, Mal assured me that village is on the other side of the planet.” “Well, wish in one hand...” He didn’t finish and trailed off. I could feel them get inside the craft. It was Mal, Zoe, Jayne, and for some reason, River. Why would an eighteen year old girl be needed on a mission like this? This crew was hard to figure out. Soon, we were off. The jerky motion and speed of the wind against us was so great I had to hold myself to the floor just to keep my place hidden. It was cramped as it was and my foot pushed against the side of the wall of the craft to stay in one place. Between the sound of the engine and the rush of the wind, it was hard to hear anything. The noise was ongoing for at least twenty minutes. Finally, we stopped and my ears were in relief. I could now listen to the four of them with ease. Well, three. River wasn’t exactly a chatter mouth. “Is this the place?” “The coordinates are correct, sir. Johansen said he’d be alone with his bodyguard.” “Yeah. Alone with what kind of guns?” “Eh, I don’t see Johansen reacting that way. We got what he wanted. He’s paying a pretty penny for it.” “Better be more than a penny.” “This place looks secure enough. That’s what I like about far outstretched flat land. No surprises.” “Doesn’t mean there won’t be any, sir.” “True. But, we are all kinds of prepared for them.” “Plus we’re early.” “As I always like to be. Throws a monkey wrench in most people’s plans against us. So, we wait.” After a small silence, Zoe blurted, “Are we going to talk about the brat Prince?” “He’s a good kid,” Mal remarked. A pause and then, “Deep, deep down inside maybe.” “Still...a lot of money for babysitting.” Finally, River joined the conversation. “A rich Prince with no discipline.” “That may be so,” Mal admitted. “I wonder what he witnessed?” Zoe asked. “What? The reason for the trial?” “Ain’t he the key witness?” River spoke again. “I have an idea.” The next thing I knew the tarp that was hiding me was lifted and I was revealed in my hiding place. River finished her thought, “Why don’t you ask him in person?” They all turned to look at me and Mal ejected with, “What in gorram hell is this?” Right then and there, Mal’s comm went off. He reached and shouted in it without hearing who it was. “I’m a little on the busy side here.” Simon’s voice came through. “Uh...we can’t find Deke. He pretended to be in bed.” “Are you looking all around the ship?” “We’re doing that now.” “Well, stop, because he’s right here with us.” “Why is he with you?” “Funny thing about that. I was about to find out when you called.” He didn’t give Simon a chance to sign off. He then did something I really didn’t expect. He reached quick as lightning for his pistol and pointed it directly at me. “Now, I have never shot a child, but there’s a first time for everything. You best explain yourself now since we don’t have that much time before you start dreaming of lead.” I wore my famous sneer and retorted, “You won’t kill me–” The shot came too fast for me to realize that I wasn’t actually hit. It sure did come very close between my legs to hit the metal floor of the craft. “Who said anything about kill? I would be happy at injured myself. Why? Now.” I was shaken a bit and I was quivering at my answer. “I...thought it’d be..fun.” “Fun?” Mal repeated. “What we do, my boy, ain’t exactly considered fun.” Jayne put in, “I don’t know, Mal....I’m having a blast right now.” I then put on a tantrum. “Fine! You want to shoot me? Go ahead! If you don’t want me here, I’ll walk back to the ship.” It was a way I had to induce guilt in the ones against me. It didn’t seem to work with this group. Mal finally lowered his weapon and asked River, “You know, I don’t think you were even this much of a fuss when you first were brought on board.” “I had a lot on my mind then,” she replied sweetly. I then turned to make like I was getting out of the craft to walk back to the ship. I turned back to look at where we came. Or at least where I thought we came. I saw a vast flat land of desert. No ship in sight. “Um...which direction is the ship?” I asked embarrassingly. Mal feigned ignorance and stated, “You know, I’m not quite sure.” He pointed in one direction. “Was it there?” He pointed in another direction. “Or maybe it was that way. Zoe, can you remember?” “Can’t seem to recall, sir.” “Jayne?” “I’m drawing a blank.” Before he could ask River’s opinion she just stated, “Don’t even ask.” Zoe mentioned, “It was too bad that tarp was too thick for you to see where we were going.” I remember closing my eyes in defeat. Mal laid it out. “Guess you’ll have to stay with us. Unless you want to wander the desert in search of the ship. It’s sundown now, be pretty dark soon. Actually, that doesn’t sound half bad.” “You can’t just leave me here in the middle of the desert,” I cried. They all took turned in pondering and all agreed. All of them, including River said in unison, “Yes, we can.” “How do you figure?” Jayne explained. “Well, King Daddy said you just needed to be healthy. Didn’t exactly say in what condition you was to be healthy.” “Good point, Jayne.” Mal said. Then the sound of another vehicle approaching turned their heads to see a pristine four wheeler come from behind them and park in front of The Mule. Inside was a thin man wearing rimmed glasses who was the passenger. Next to him driving was a hulk of a man with various tats on his arm and face. Before the thin man got out of the vehicle, Mal turned to me and whispered, “Not a word from you. We will handle this.” He turned back to face the thin man and he got out of the craft. “Jayne,” he called. Jayne then handed him a small metal cannister with a locked lid. Mal took it but not before he looked at River. “Be ready for anything.” “Always am,” was her reply. He walked toward to meet the thin man face to face. “Johansen.” “Malcolm. You’re late,” cried the man. Mal scoffed. “Why do people still use that ruse to intimidate. You know for a fact we’re early.” “You have it?” “Right here in my pretty little hands.” “Let me have it.” “Well, what I see is this canister in my hands. What I don’t see is a bag of coin in yours.” The man Johansen gave a nod to the other still in the drivers seat. The big man reached underneath to reveal a bag of coin. He threw it toward Jayne and he caught it. Johansen said, “You got what you want. Your turn.” Mal proceeded to hand the man the canister. The man held it like it was a long lost trophy. Which, in fact, it was. “The ashes of Emperor Horito of the thirty-third Dynasty. And it’s in my hands.” “Yep. Now if it ain’t any trouble, we have more to get into.” Johansen looked up at Mal to remark. “Not the greatest bunch of protectors you have there, Malcolm. Your shadow, Zoe Alleyne, is still with you, I see.” “It’s Washburn,” she snarled. “Pardon me. I thought you would have gone back to your maiden name after what happened. My condolences on your loss.” He paused and continued. “Jayne Cobb, the criminal. And, what’s this? Not one, but two children.” Mal stated proudly, “You’ll find I’m well protected. You have your muscle. I have mine.” Johansen laughed. “If you think Jayne here can best Hogan here, be my guest.” “I didn’t say Jayne, did I? River? Best you come up to the front.” River moved out of the craft so gracefully it was almost as if in slow motion. She drifted over to Mal’s side. Johansen chuckled. “That’s cute, Mal. But the games are over.” Suddenly at the same time, Johansen and Hogan quickly pulled out their artillery. Hogan wielded a huge canon that looked like an automatic. Johansen pulled from his shoulder holster a small silver pistol. He then said in a polite tone, “I’m gonna have to ask for that bag back, Mal.” Mal sighed and breathed out, “Why does this all seem so familiar? Why, Johansen?” “Do you know how precious this artifact is, Mal? There will be all types of people coming for it after they find out it was you who stole it from the museum on Persephone. We can’t have you captured so as to reveal who your buyer is.” “You know us, Johansen. We don’t sell and tell.” “I can’t take that chance. I really hate you for making me hurt children.” “River’s no child.” He leaned his head toward her. “Have you seen enough?” “I have,” she answered in monotone. Ok. The next thing I saw, or thought I did was utterly amazing. Two things happened so fast it was hard to realize they happened. And I was there. River moved like a flash in taking hold of Johansen’s gun. It dropped to the ground. She pulled it behind his back, turned him to face Hogan. She also revealed two small sharp knives hidden securely from behind her back. One she used to hold the blade at Johansen’s throat. The other she flung toward Hogan. All of this happened within seconds. Seconds. Not only that, the knife she flung at Hogan did not touch flesh. The point of the knife ran into the barrel of his gun! What kind of precision was needed for that move I will never know. All I know is that if I hadn’t have seen it, I wouldn’t have believed it. Who was this girl? She kept holding Johansen by blade. After that happened, Mal seemed casual, as if this happened on a regular basis. He said to Hogan with a gentle tone, “Now, you best not fire that thing with that knife stuck in there like that. Those things might backfire. And, as you can see we have your boss in a predicament. All you have to do is to leave here sans the bag of coin and forget us.” “We can track you when you leave. You can’t escape.” Hogan said this with too much confidence. “Oh, I think we can. How was it you were going to track us again?” Johansen chuckled as much as he could with a blade to his throat. “Your pulse beacon. We can follow it.” Mal came up in front of him and reached inside his coat pocket. It was some small contraption with wires sticking out of it. My guess was that it was the pulse beacon. “You know, it’s a good thing these are a dime a dozen and easy to reinstall. People keep using this to track. So predictable.” “I don’t care.” Johansen squealed. Mal looked at River. “He doesn’t care.” “I don’t like it when they don’t care,” she said in a chilling cold voice. “See, now you got her pissed. You won’t like that side of her. She once defeated an army of Reavers without getting so much as a scratch on her. Incredible.” “My shining moment,” River commented. “Now, are we settled here? We did a job and I expect to get paid. We ain’t gonna tell anyone who we sold it to. We do have principles.” “We do?” Jayne quipped. “Well...most of the time.” He addressed Johansen. “Now, I didn’t hear the agreement on your end.” The man breathed and finally agreed. Mal nodded for River to release him and she did. Johansen stumbled back to his vehicle and Hogan drove them away. Whew. And that ladies and gents, was the Serenity crew in action. I was speechless on the way back. River kept the same quiet and peaceful manner as she had before she became a machine. My heart is pumping now even after ten years. And that took a lot out of me. Having said that, I’m retiring the entry for now. I do have a busy schedule to keep as King. I can’t spend all day at entering this. There is more to disclose. Maybe tonight.

KING D. AUGUSTUS III - END LOG ENTRY : 8 July 2528: 12:16