Abulurd grimaced in pain, his blood soaking his shirt, red life draining from his being. His face was paling a mite rapidly, which meant not much good for all of them. Abulurd staggered around a bit, not looking at all well. He tripped on a small twig, which showed how fast he was becoming weak. He fell practically on top of the headless hundan. Sampson looked down on him with a feral grin, a hunter over its dying prey. "You've lost your touch, Abulurd. Never would this have happened in your old life, before you went soft." He raised his bloody sword over his head, ready to bring it down on the fallen mans innards. This, of course, was Abulurds que to take up the operatives gun and roll to the side. It came to Mal as no real surprise when he shot Sampson in the left eye. He looked over at Mal. "Well, captain, I think that I have saved your life yet again. Now, get the mule back running, if you please. I am a bit weak now. We need to be back in the black soon." "What 'bout Ricky?" "Hes dead. The alliance can't aford any more 'loose ends.'" Mal obeyed, still in shock at what had happened. He got the mule off of the tree, with Zoe and Jayne still groaning in the back. "River-" "Here I am." Damn, but that crazy lil' un had a way to set a man off balance. "Uh, right. Well, help him in. I'll get Billy in." River looked sadly down at the boys broken body. He had had a crush on her, which happened rare enough. Never, actually. Abulurd looked at Mal meekly. "Mal, we don't have time for this." "No, I made him a promise, an I'm keepin' it." To his credit, the former operative aceppted it quietly. Zoe chose that moment to come awake, followed by Jayne. She looked right at the operative-cum-savior, and looked like she wanted to shoot him. For good reason, mind. Mal, not particulary liking the look in her eyes, said "Zoe, stand down." She took the order stoically enough, but gave him her your-my-captain-an-I'll-do-as-you-say-but-I-don't-have-to-gorram-like-it. SIR!!! *** Simon looked at Mal disbelievingly. "What?" Not waiting for an answer, he went over to his mei-mei, who was currently staring at the floor, rocking back and forth, hugging her knees. "Mei-mei, what happened to you?" He saw the state of her clothes. "And what happened to your clothes?" He cast a rather accusing look at Jayne, who didn't even notice it. Mal spoke up. "Now, I had been gracious enough in all this, but I don't really wanna know what lil' Kaylees saying when you two are...doin' whatever. Now, iffin ya'll don' or cant control your carnal-nes, then I'll have ta put a stop to it for good. An', gorramit, doc, go an' figure out why Rivers done channeled Kaylee, an that ain't at all normal, even for her." River spoke up just then, stopping any more tirade that Mal was revvin' to unleash. "Couldn't stop it. Got distracted, couldn't block it out. Couldn't stop it, so she became it." Disturbing indeed, not the least of it was that she had referred to herself in the third person for the first time since Miranida. "Wha' gorram drabble is that moonbrain spillin' now?" asked Jayne in his usual manner. Simon didn't rise to the bait, but answered anyway. "I really don't know. This has never happened before." River looked at him, wet eyes clear. She said, "Two by two, hands of blue. Come to look for me and you." "What was that?" That was Simon, feeling rather alarmed. "Doc, has she ever said that afore?" ZOe looked at him quizacally. "Um, yeah. After Ariel, remember? She stopped it when we got out of the system." "Two by two, hands dressed blue. Come to hunt down me and you." "Wait," said Kaylee. "Didn' we get into some serious trouble last time she said that?" "Yeah," said Mal, casting a meaningful look at Jayne. "What, I didn't do nothin' here this time, I swears it!" No one looked like they believed him. "Arggh, doc, shut that gorram moonbrain girl up, or I'll shut her up for ya!" "Hey, back off!" "Two by two, hands gloved blue. Coming after me and you." "Doc, seriously, get her fixed, willya? And I still gotta talk to ya about you an' Kaylee." "Right, I'll give her a smoother to calm her down. "Two by Two, hands-" "ENOUGH!!!!" Mal shouted loud enough to make them all wince, 'cept for River, but she was off in crazy town sampling the local color. Mal pointed at Simon. "You, take her to the 'firmary. You, don't go with 'em," to Kaylee. "'Nara, make sure she don't! Jayne, Zoe, go do somethin'. I gotta go do...captainy things!" They all scurried off, not liking the particular gleam in his eye. Before they left, Jayne muttered to Zoe, "tain't right, those two ruttin' like hares every gorram hour of th'day." River said loudly from across the room, "Well, at least he dosen't sit alone in his room, masturbating and thinking on all the women hes ever had." *** "Mal, you comin' or what?" Jayne fidgeted nervously in the back, holding Vera closely, checking her ammo every other minute or so. "Yeah, one sec." Mal looked down at the mans severed head, the man who had ended the life of the boy he held in his arms. He knew about everything anyone and everyone said about the sanctity of the dead. But they were never in Serenity Valley. So he had no qualms at all at giving the head a light kick. It didn't go very far, as heads are heavier than you would think. But it was the meaning that mattered, was all. He gently placed Billys body in the back, where Zoe and Jayne sat, and Abulurd lay panting. A whole lotta blood was now in the mule, wheras it was supposed to be in him. Probably gonna stain it, thought Mal. He hopped in next to River, who sat in the drivers seat. She still wouldn't look at any of the bodies. When Mal was in, she took off, mule going slower due to extra dead weight. *** Simon sat wearily in the lounge area, near enough to the infirmary. River lay on the chair thing in it, sleeping easy due to the smoother. Simon heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and briefly nursed the hope that it was Kaylee. No such luck. Mal hove into view, looking a mite angry. There was a gleam in his eye, gleaming a gleamish gleam. "Now, doc, I think ya've got a bit o' tellin' ta do." Simon sighed wearily. "Well, this has never happened before." "I'll say. I think I'd a remembered someat like 'at, River givin' a commentary a Kaylee bein' sexed by you." "Yes, well, either way," stammered Simon, blushing. "Well, she usually just ignores us when we...y'know." "I do" "Yes, well, she must be really out of it to do something like this. And she is a unique case, which makes it even harder to diagnose. You say she 'channeled' Kaylee?" "Yep. I seen folks channel dead 'uns, but live people. 'Specially ones makin' love." "Theres nothing I can do about it until I learn more. Until then, you should just take her word for it: She got distracted, couldn't fight it, so she just let go into it." "But why, pray tell, was she distracted as all get all?" Sarcasm was thick in Mals voice. "I honestly have no clue." "Hmmmm...I know that I'll regret this, but where did 'Nara find you two?" Simon looked at Mal meaningly. "You really want to know?" "No." Mal beat a hasty retreat back up the stairs, not really wanting to find out the details of their little sexcapades. Simon relaxed a bit when Mal left, but tensed again when he heard more footsteps on the stairs. This time it actually was Kaylee, which was a good thing. She looked her usual cheery self when she sat on Simons lap, coming in silkily, hair streaming down Simons back. "So, did the Cap'n ask about..." "Nope." She relaxed even more, if possible. "Good. Would'nt be at all good if he found out that we did it in his bunk." "So long as Inara doesn't tell." "She wont." From the cockpit, Mals voice came down. "Say, Kaylee, that gorram light in my bunk fixed yet?" "Its just shuny, cap'n!" Kaylee pulled Simon in for a long, slow kiss. *** It took almost ten minutes to get back to Serenity, whatwith the mule going slower. Simon, Kaylee, and Inara had all paced the floor nervously when they were gone. Now, they rushed back to them, stopping short at the sight of the two dead looking bodies in the bottom. Mal hopped out, followed by River. Jayne and Zoe dragged Abulurd out, him being not so cordinated right then. He said, "No time to be standin' round. Doc, help ol' Abulurd here, hes lost a bit a blood on the way. River-" But River was nowhere to be seen. Instead, twenty armored Alliance feds were at the ramp, guns trained on them. The fast ground carrier they used was empty now, all its contents disgorged. Someone said, "Hands up, you are ll bound by law!" The seargent spoke into his comm unit. "Targets secure. Do we have a kill order? DO WE HAVE A KILL ORDER?!?!" A cold, low sonorous voice chimed out, "Yes, Seargent. Fire at will." "Fire on my mark." Oh, noble stood those seven souls, staring down the mercilous barrels of the cold guns. Cold eyes looked upon them, vizored and lifeless. Only the seargents eyes were unmasked, and they were a slate grey, as cold and mercilous as the gun he toted. Fingertips danced lightly on the tounges of iron demons, ready to unleash cold flames of oblivion. "Fire on my mark." The command came down with all the force of doom. Simon and Kaylee were fidgeting, each trying to get in front of the other, to die so their lover may live just a little longer. Mal and Inara stood side by side, hands held in waiting for the last sleep. Jayne and Zoe supported Abulurd, each sending looks of hatred at the cold men of a broken god. Mal closed his eyes as the fed rifles were readyed. Readyed to send out fiery shards of broken oblivion, ready to tear, to burrow, to kill. With a cry of anguish, the angel sped down frow the heavens. TBC