"String Theory." Chapter Five.
Story: String Theory
Chapter: Five: Reflection (5/?)
Character(s)/Pairing: Zoe/Wash; eventual Rayne
Rating: PG
Word Count: 3306
Disclaimer: Not mine. (I do own Bonny and Mike, though.)
-Author's Notes: The Tams wanted status confuses me. They're fugitives but nobody ever seems to recognize them. Unless it's someone like Early, of course. There seem to be no qualms about them going planetside, so that's just how I wrote it. Heh. And it's the longest chapter so far. I really didn't mean for that to happen - it just sort of... did. Good, though, I guess? (I did add in one unplanned scene, so that's probably why.) Enjoy, everyone!
String Theory
5. Reflection
River quickly became acclimated to the two new presences aboard Serenity. She did not trust them, but almost against her will she seemed to slowly grow to like them.
“Look at them,” Simon instructed, pointing towards River and Michael playing an involved game of chess on the floor of the hold. He shook his head.
“What?” Mal peered out to where Simon had pointed, but he didn’t seem to see whatever the doctor found to be so odd. “Looks like River’s teachin’ ‘im to play chess. Why’s that so peculiar?”
“Because,” Simon explained, exasperated with the imperceptive captain, “she was so adamantly against him. And now… Now, it’s almost like they’re friends.” He sighed, watching as his sister swiped a knight off the board with thin, deft fingers.
Mal shrugged, not half as concerned as Simon. “Maybe she’s tryin’ to lull him into a false sense of security. Could be as how she’s just watchin’ to keep him from tryin’ anything on us.”
Simon looked at the captain, his face scrunched up in incredulity. “You can’t really believe that.”
Mal grinned. “Just a theory, doc. Nothin’ but a theory.”
“Well.” Simon shook his head. “I just… I’m worried, naturally. I know that... i-it could be good for her to have a friend. They’re the same age - though they’re clearly vastly different in every other area… It's just strange that suddenly the animosity seems to be gone.”
The two men watched the game for a few moments longer, taking in the sight of the two combatants moving their respective troops across the field.
“Hey.”
A large hand landed on his shoulder and Simon whirled around, surprised to see Jayne standing there, with an expression of defeated impatience on his face.
“Y’all seen my socks?”
Mal scowled a little, not at all eager to deal with the large man’s whining. “Socks, Jayne? What the hell d’you mean by socks?”
“What do I mean? Well socks, Mal, I ain’t talkin’ ‘bout nothin’ but socks. You seen ‘em?”
Simon shook his head, blinking a few times in disbelief. “Socks, Jayne? No, I-I haven’t seen your socks.”
“That’s what I figured,” the merc muttered. He peered over Simon’s head to watch River and Michael’s chess game. “Your sister,” he growled. “I bet you anything that ruttin’ feng le little moonbrain stole ‘em right out from under my nose. Gorram little thief.”
“Why would River steal socks, Jayne?” Simon asked flatly.
“Hell if I know - she’s the crazy one, not me. But I do know she likes playin’ gorram practical jokes on me. Fillin’ my bunk with them weird smellin’ burny sticks, stealin’ the hat my mother made… She must ‘a’ stole the socks she made me, too.”
He quickly made to move towards the two teenagers, but Mal stopped him with an arm across his chest. “Not jus’ yet, Jayne. You ain’t got no call to be interruptin’ without proof. Look. Our little witch is makin’ a friend.”
“Puh.” Jayne glared at Mal for half a second before turning back to stare at River. The game had finished and Michael had gone; the girl was staring down at the chessboard intently, her whole being absorbed in her study. Long tendrils of her straggly hair brushed the pieces with soft, ghosting strokes. “Sure, Mal. Friends.”
Some time later, when dinner was over and the whole ship was switching to night-cycle, River watched Michael, Simon, Mal and book play a game of tall card. She stood at the doorway of the mess, peering in as Book dealt out the hands.
“There you are,” Jayne growled suddenly, his deep voice rumbling like an earthquake through her. River shivered and bounced a little on the balls of her sock-clad feet. Jayne looked down.
River grinned to herself as realization hit him. “Oh look,” she whispered. “He has found me out!”
“Them’s my socks, ni zi.” Jayne crossed his arms over his wide chest, glaring fiercely at the back of her head. “You best take ‘em off.”
She shrugged, half-ignoring him, still staring at the game.
“Hey.” She didn’t answer. “Hey.” Jayne poked her hard in the shoulder. “Hey!”
“What is it, man-ape-gone-wrong? I am observing.”
“Well first off I want my ruttin’ socks.” She rolled her eyes. “But what’re you starin’ at?”
“Our newest male passenger.”
Jayne nodded, shuffling closer to stare, as well. His body curved behind hers, close but not touching. “Yeah. Somethin’ ain’t right ‘bout him. You don’t trust him neither, right?”
River nodded slowly. Her messy hair tickled his hand; crossly, Jayne shook it off. “Correct. Too many secrets, too much buzzing in his brainpan.” She shook her head, tugging lightly on a lock of her hair. “He continues to hide.”
“Huh.” Jayne snorted, amused by a sudden thought. “Mal an’ that hun dan brother o’ yours think y’all are gettin’ friendly. Saw you playin’ a game in the hold ‘round lunch time.”
“Yes. We were playing chess. Involved game - he proved to be a beyond-worthy opponent.”
Jayne shot an annoyed look down at the top of her head. “Am I s’posed to care?”
She nodded again, turning to stare at him with wet, lucid eyes and an enigmatic smile. “You should,” she said simply. “Because he beat me.”
“He beat you? How the hell’s that matter? What, crazy-girl don’t like - “
“Fool!” River hissed. She glared up at him, her mouth turned down in an exasperated frown. “Girl is a genius; she can outwit sharpest of minds and strongest of intellects.” She snapped her head back to peer at the four men playing, crouching behind the doorframe so only her face could be seen. Her eyes flickered back to Jayne and she grabbed a fistful of his shirt. “This way.”
Huffing a little in irritation, Jayne reluctantly followed the girl away from the mess. She tip-toed her way to the hold, moving as stealthy as some covert operative on a top-secret mission. Jayne just stomped along behind her, wondering what River was doing and the hell she needed his assistance.
“We shall be unseen,” River whispered, sinking down behind the far side of his weight bench. It was a terrible hiding spot and Jayne just sighed, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling. River rapped on the toe of his boot with her knuckles and defeatedly Jayne sank down, as well.
“Now what in the sphincter o’ hell’s so important we gotta sit on the gorram floor to talk about it?”
River looked around suspiciously. “You do not trust these interlopers.”
“Y’mean the passengers? Bonny an’ Mike?”
“Yes - they are the invaders, intruders: the outsiders to whom I refer.”
“Huh.” Jayne gave her a blank stare for a moment before shaking his head a little and saying, “Uh… right. I don’t trust ‘em. I done told you that.”
“Had to make triply sure, man-called-Jayne. The girl does not trust them, either - for good reason.” Her eyes widened and she looked at him significantly, as though trying to convey some vital information through her stare alone.
She was moving inch-by-inch closer; Jayne growled and pushed her away. “Moonbrain, what are you doin’? You got somethin’ to say, then just ruttin’ say it.”
“Does the mercenary not find it strange that a normal young man beat a mind-reading genius in a game?” She lifted her head up a little. “A game,” she continued, “known worlds-wide as one requiring intelligence and strong grasp of strategy?”
Jayne scowled, clearly unimpressed. “Stop bein’ sore that you lost, girl. It ain’t - “
“No!” She grabbed his arm and shook a little. “Think, man-called-Jayne! Think. The girl has never lost before. And she employed every strategy she could to gain victory.”
He glared at her hand, which according to his own personal space rules had no right to be on his arm. River sighed but removed the offending appendage. “’Kay. Let me get this straight. Even though you tried real hard, you couldn’t beat him. An’ that’s weird… ‘cause you ain’t never lost before? And ‘cause you’re a gorram genius an’ he ain’t?”
“Yes! Precisely, man-called-Jayne. Precisely! Something is rotten in the state of Serenity. I fear he has designs.” They sat in silence for a moment, letting the realization sink in. But suddenly, River sat up, looking like a startled deer.
“What?” Jayne peered around, trying to see what had caught her attention. “What is it?”
“He approaches.”
Jayne made a face, utterly unappreciative of the cryptic language.
“Hey,” Michael said, walking in the hold. Jayne clenched his jaw, realizing that was what River had been trying to tell him. “What the hell are you two doin’?”
“Nothing,” they both said, looking at him with narrowed eyes.
Mike’s face split into a wide grin. “Oh. O’ course.”
“Why are you so amused?” River asked. “Our actions are none of your concern - and you realize this. But you find this situation… amusing.” Her eyes narrowed. “You are pleased.”
Michael’s grin immediately fell and he scowled ferociously. “Pleased? Gorram, you weirdo, ain’t got nothin’ to be pleased about. Puh. Do all the nothin’ you want. I’m goin’ to my dorm.”
River and Jayne watched him go, their eyes on him until he had completely disappeared.
“Think you’re right, moonbrain. Boy’s up to somethin’.”
River stuck out her hand. “Truce? By our powers combined, we will discover the truth.”
For a moment, Jayne hesitated. But then he took her hand and pumped her arm up and down. “You got it, moonbrain. A truce.”
xXx
They landed on Beaumonde not long after that. “Here we are!” Wash said happily, looking over his shoulder at Mal. “Ready for another round of exciting adventures planet-side, lambie toes?”
Zoë chuckled at her husband, resting one worn, feminine hand on the back of his neck. “I’d have to say that depends on what kind of adventures.”
“Oh, the good kind. The very good kind. The take off all your clothes and let me attend to my husbandly duties kind.”
“Mmm.” A sensual grin spread across the first mate’s face. “Definitely ready for that kind of adventure.”
Mal grunted. “An’ you best save that ad-venturin’ until you’re off my ship.”
Wash’s eyebrows raised and he looked at his wife. “Zoë,” he stage-whispered, “I think the captain’s in a bad mood.”
She just sighed and patted his shoulder. “That he is husband.” She cast Mal a sidelong glance. “That he is.”
Kaylee had gotten a wave from Inara the day before; the Companion had been doing well and, by sheer coincidence, would be on Beaumonde while Serenity was there. The mechanic had been delighted by the news and had immediately wanted to make plans to see her. She couldn’t have kept it a secret from Mal, she knew, and when she’d told him he’d immediately gone silent.
“Sure she can visit, li’l Kaylee,” he’d said. “But if you want to have comp’ny over, then you can stay on ship an’ wait to see her.”
Kaylee had agreed, sensing how tumultuous mere mention of the Companion could make her captain feel. She’d stay and see Inara, who’d leave before Mal ever got back.
Zoë had half-heartedly tried to convince Mal to at least talk to Inara, but that had gone over exactly as she’d expected.
“Time to go,” Mal said. “Don’t want to keep our contacts waitin’.”
Wash and Zoë watched him go, exchanging a significant look. “He gonna be all right?” the pilot asked.
“He’ll be fine,” Zoë assured him. “I’m just not sure he knows that yet.”
The crew made their way down the ramp and out of the ship about twenty minutes later. “Jayne, you’re comin’ with me to set up the deal. Zoë, don’t really need you, but if you want to - “
“No, sir, I think me an’ mine have got other plans.”
“I got us a room for the night,” Wash told her, one arm around her waist. “Very, very good plans.”
“An’ I’m stayin’ here with Book an’ River!” Kaylee said happily. “You got that list o’ stuff I gave ya, Simon?”
He smiled nervously, holding up a ragged, oil-stained sheet of paper. “I…” He cleared his throat. “Yes, Kaylee, right here. And is, uh… is River sure she wants to stay?”
The mechanic sighed. “Yeah, Simon, I already asked her. She says she’s got plannin’ to do ‘r somethin’ like that. Talkin’ ‘bout combined powers.”
Jayne grunted, nodding his head.
They all turned to stare at him.
“What?” he asked defensively. “Y’all don’t think it’s good that crazy keeps ‘erself busy? If’n she’s got stuff to do, it’s likely she ain’t gonna get no more ideas ‘bout stabbin’ folks or possessin’ space ships in that crazy head o’ hers.”
“She will not get better simply because she’s busy,” Simon said angrily. “Don’t - “
“Well it might help! Just ‘cause you ain’t noticed don’t mean that - “
“Noticed?” The doctor took a step towards the merc, looking worried. “Noticed what?”
Jayne let out a loud exhale, arcing his head from left to right in exasperation. “S’now you listen. You get awful bent out o’ shape ‘bout that sister o’ yours, but you don’t even see she’s gettin’ better? She hadn’t had one o’ her fits since we got those two.” He gestured towards Mike and Bonny.
“Wha…” Simon gawked at the two passengers. “Th-that… Getting better - do you think she could be?” He whirled around to face Kaylee. “Kaylee, do you… do you think so, too? I knew River wasn’t having any nightmares, b-but I didn’t place any particular significance on it.” He stared at the ground, a look of wonder on his face. “She could be… getting better.”
Kaylee smiled nervous, her lips twitching a little. “I, uh… Well I sure hope she’s gettin’ better. Jayne’s right - she ain’t had a bad fit in awhile; not since when she got up on the table yellin’ at Mike. So she sure could be healin’.” Her eyes softened as they ran over the doctor’s prone form. “She sure could be.”
“It’s real good to hear, doc,” Mal said gruffly.
“Yeah,” Wash agreed. “I think I’ll miss being able to say that we have a real life crazy person on board, but it’ll be nice to hear that pitter-patter of combat boots without hearing Jayne running away from them.”
“Best shut up, little man,” Jayne growled.
“Don’t fight, boys,” Zoë commanded. “I want to keep this one in one piece.”
Wash grinned cheekily, wrapping an arm around his wife’s shoulders.
Jayne just rolled his eyes. “Mal, can we go? I ain’t got the stomach for all o’ this married bliss ‘round here.”
Mal grunted. “I’m with you there, Jayne. We’ll see y’all later. Back at the ship by 900 tomorrow, Zoë.”
“Don’t worry ‘bout it, sir.”
Kaylee grinned happily. “Bet y’all are gonna have a real nice time.”
“I’m sure we will,” Wash agreed. “When’s Inara coming? We wanted to say ‘hi’.”
“Guessin’ she’ll be here pretty soon.” The mechanic shrugged. “Don’t know ‘zactly what time, though.”
“Well we’re going to look around for a bit an’ come back later. See you later, Kaylee!” Wash waved as he and Zoë walked off into the crowd.
“I think I’ll be going, too,” Simon said. He smiled. “I have a list.”
“Well you take care,” Kaylee told him. “An’ don’t forget to come back to see ‘Nara.”
Simon nodded. “I will.”
Kaylee watched him wander off, humming a little to herself. “Guess it’s just me, then,” she said brightly. Bonny and Michael were still standing off to the side of the ramp, talking together in quiet voices. “Are y’all headin’ off, too?” she asked loudly, getting their attention. “Gonna look for your ship?”
Bonny nodded. “That’s right. I guess we better be off.”
“Okay.” Kaylee felt a momentary pang. She didn’t know them very well, but already she felt like they were almost a part of the crew. They just fit in so well, and she and Bonny were growing close. It was too bad they had to leave. “I wish you the best o’ luck. Hopefully they’ll be here!”
“Yeah.” Bonny nodded again, though her smile faltered a little. “Hopefully.”
“Let’s go,” Michael said impatiently, tugging gently on her elbow. “Won’t find ‘em just standin’ ‘round here.”
“Right. We’ll see you, Kaylee.”
They walked off, too, and Kaylee was left alone on the ramp. She sighed, watching absently as the normal dock crowds meandered by. She could probably talk River into playing a game, or maybe Book could tell another story. It was a fairly nice day, though, and since captain had basically confined her to the ship she wanted a chance to at least get some reasonably fresh air. A sudden idea struck her and she raced back inside, heading to her bunk to get a new book she’d picked up on the last stop. She’d sit outside under her parasol and read until Inara got there.
”My parents will never allow it, Courtenay. They don’t… they don’t understand! They’ll tear us apart and I shall die - I shall just die! They don’t know how I need you, my love!”
“Yeah,” Kaylee breathed, turning the page. She’d been engrossed in Selena’s torrid affair with Apollo Courtenay for about an hour and finally they were about to consummate the relationship she’d been following since page 39.
But just as strong hands were tearing silk off a lily-white young body, something plopped down beside her little chair.
Kaylee looked over. “Oh hey, Bonny!” she said. “You - “
“No luck,” the girl said, shaking her head. “We looked everywhere, but we couldn’t find a single trace that they’d been here. Guess we just gotta keep looking.”
“We’ll leave soon as we pay the captain,” Mike said. “Might be they do come through here later.”
“Well…” Kaylee put her book down with a frown. “It ain’t fair for y’all to wait here when they might not even come.” She grinned. “Bet if I talk to the captain he’ll let you stay onboard. Yeah! He seems real mean an’ angry but he’s real cuddly underneath. If we talk to him about - “
“Talk to who about what, li’l Kaylee?” Mal asked, walking up to the ship, a large, grumpy merc in tow.
“Bonny an’ Mike couldn’t find their ship,” the mechanic explained quickly. “So they were gonna stay here, but I was thinkin’ that maybe we could help ‘em out an’ take ‘em to - “
“Now just hold on,” Mal interrupted. “I hadn’t even gotten all my credits for this trip. Why should I take ‘em anywhere else?”
“They’ll pay you!” she said stubbornly. “An’ it’d be jus’ horrible of ya to leave ‘em here when they don’t even know how long it’ll be ‘til their ship might come by!”
“I really don’t think so,” Mal hedged.
“Please?” Kaylee turned a pout and two wet eyes full blast on him. “C’mon cap, please?”
Mal rolled his eyes. “What do they think ‘bout this?”
Bonny and Mike looked at each other for half a second.
And Bonny had just opened her mouth to speak when suddenly a jovial voice shouted “Kaylee! We have presents!”
All eyes shot to Wash coming towards them, wearing a broad, triumphant grin.
“Yes,” Bonny blurted out. “I mean… We’d really appreciate it, captain Reynolds. An’ we would pay you.”
“Bonny!” Michael hissed. “Bonny, what do you think you’re - “
“It doesn’t matter!” she answered, waving a hand to quiet him. “It’ll just take longer to get home; it doesn’t matter.”
Wash and Zoë had made their way to the ship by then, both looking pleased about something. Zoë’s shot to Mal. “Made a bit of a find while we were lookin’,” she said.
“Ooh, shiny!” Kaylee rubbed her hands together excitedly. “What ya got?”
Inara stepped out from behind Zoë. She smiled. “Hello, mei mei.”
~~~
-Quick Note: If anyone cares, I sort of picture Bonny looking like Leona Lewis. I haven't decided exactly how I see Michael yet.
Feedback always appreciated!
Previous ♥ Next
Chapter: Five: Reflection (5/?)
Character(s)/Pairing: Zoe/Wash; eventual Rayne
Rating: PG
Word Count: 3306
Disclaimer: Not mine. (I do own Bonny and Mike, though.)
-Author's Notes: The Tams wanted status confuses me. They're fugitives but nobody ever seems to recognize them. Unless it's someone like Early, of course. There seem to be no qualms about them going planetside, so that's just how I wrote it. Heh. And it's the longest chapter so far. I really didn't mean for that to happen - it just sort of... did. Good, though, I guess? (I did add in one unplanned scene, so that's probably why.) Enjoy, everyone!
String Theory
5. Reflection
River quickly became acclimated to the two new presences aboard Serenity. She did not trust them, but almost against her will she seemed to slowly grow to like them.
“Look at them,” Simon instructed, pointing towards River and Michael playing an involved game of chess on the floor of the hold. He shook his head.
“What?” Mal peered out to where Simon had pointed, but he didn’t seem to see whatever the doctor found to be so odd. “Looks like River’s teachin’ ‘im to play chess. Why’s that so peculiar?”
“Because,” Simon explained, exasperated with the imperceptive captain, “she was so adamantly against him. And now… Now, it’s almost like they’re friends.” He sighed, watching as his sister swiped a knight off the board with thin, deft fingers.
Mal shrugged, not half as concerned as Simon. “Maybe she’s tryin’ to lull him into a false sense of security. Could be as how she’s just watchin’ to keep him from tryin’ anything on us.”
Simon looked at the captain, his face scrunched up in incredulity. “You can’t really believe that.”
Mal grinned. “Just a theory, doc. Nothin’ but a theory.”
“Well.” Simon shook his head. “I just… I’m worried, naturally. I know that... i-it could be good for her to have a friend. They’re the same age - though they’re clearly vastly different in every other area… It's just strange that suddenly the animosity seems to be gone.”
The two men watched the game for a few moments longer, taking in the sight of the two combatants moving their respective troops across the field.
“Hey.”
A large hand landed on his shoulder and Simon whirled around, surprised to see Jayne standing there, with an expression of defeated impatience on his face.
“Y’all seen my socks?”
Mal scowled a little, not at all eager to deal with the large man’s whining. “Socks, Jayne? What the hell d’you mean by socks?”
“What do I mean? Well socks, Mal, I ain’t talkin’ ‘bout nothin’ but socks. You seen ‘em?”
Simon shook his head, blinking a few times in disbelief. “Socks, Jayne? No, I-I haven’t seen your socks.”
“That’s what I figured,” the merc muttered. He peered over Simon’s head to watch River and Michael’s chess game. “Your sister,” he growled. “I bet you anything that ruttin’ feng le little moonbrain stole ‘em right out from under my nose. Gorram little thief.”
“Why would River steal socks, Jayne?” Simon asked flatly.
“Hell if I know - she’s the crazy one, not me. But I do know she likes playin’ gorram practical jokes on me. Fillin’ my bunk with them weird smellin’ burny sticks, stealin’ the hat my mother made… She must ‘a’ stole the socks she made me, too.”
He quickly made to move towards the two teenagers, but Mal stopped him with an arm across his chest. “Not jus’ yet, Jayne. You ain’t got no call to be interruptin’ without proof. Look. Our little witch is makin’ a friend.”
“Puh.” Jayne glared at Mal for half a second before turning back to stare at River. The game had finished and Michael had gone; the girl was staring down at the chessboard intently, her whole being absorbed in her study. Long tendrils of her straggly hair brushed the pieces with soft, ghosting strokes. “Sure, Mal. Friends.”
Some time later, when dinner was over and the whole ship was switching to night-cycle, River watched Michael, Simon, Mal and book play a game of tall card. She stood at the doorway of the mess, peering in as Book dealt out the hands.
“There you are,” Jayne growled suddenly, his deep voice rumbling like an earthquake through her. River shivered and bounced a little on the balls of her sock-clad feet. Jayne looked down.
River grinned to herself as realization hit him. “Oh look,” she whispered. “He has found me out!”
“Them’s my socks, ni zi.” Jayne crossed his arms over his wide chest, glaring fiercely at the back of her head. “You best take ‘em off.”
She shrugged, half-ignoring him, still staring at the game.
“Hey.” She didn’t answer. “Hey.” Jayne poked her hard in the shoulder. “Hey!”
“What is it, man-ape-gone-wrong? I am observing.”
“Well first off I want my ruttin’ socks.” She rolled her eyes. “But what’re you starin’ at?”
“Our newest male passenger.”
Jayne nodded, shuffling closer to stare, as well. His body curved behind hers, close but not touching. “Yeah. Somethin’ ain’t right ‘bout him. You don’t trust him neither, right?”
River nodded slowly. Her messy hair tickled his hand; crossly, Jayne shook it off. “Correct. Too many secrets, too much buzzing in his brainpan.” She shook her head, tugging lightly on a lock of her hair. “He continues to hide.”
“Huh.” Jayne snorted, amused by a sudden thought. “Mal an’ that hun dan brother o’ yours think y’all are gettin’ friendly. Saw you playin’ a game in the hold ‘round lunch time.”
“Yes. We were playing chess. Involved game - he proved to be a beyond-worthy opponent.”
Jayne shot an annoyed look down at the top of her head. “Am I s’posed to care?”
She nodded again, turning to stare at him with wet, lucid eyes and an enigmatic smile. “You should,” she said simply. “Because he beat me.”
“He beat you? How the hell’s that matter? What, crazy-girl don’t like - “
“Fool!” River hissed. She glared up at him, her mouth turned down in an exasperated frown. “Girl is a genius; she can outwit sharpest of minds and strongest of intellects.” She snapped her head back to peer at the four men playing, crouching behind the doorframe so only her face could be seen. Her eyes flickered back to Jayne and she grabbed a fistful of his shirt. “This way.”
Huffing a little in irritation, Jayne reluctantly followed the girl away from the mess. She tip-toed her way to the hold, moving as stealthy as some covert operative on a top-secret mission. Jayne just stomped along behind her, wondering what River was doing and the hell she needed his assistance.
“We shall be unseen,” River whispered, sinking down behind the far side of his weight bench. It was a terrible hiding spot and Jayne just sighed, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling. River rapped on the toe of his boot with her knuckles and defeatedly Jayne sank down, as well.
“Now what in the sphincter o’ hell’s so important we gotta sit on the gorram floor to talk about it?”
River looked around suspiciously. “You do not trust these interlopers.”
“Y’mean the passengers? Bonny an’ Mike?”
“Yes - they are the invaders, intruders: the outsiders to whom I refer.”
“Huh.” Jayne gave her a blank stare for a moment before shaking his head a little and saying, “Uh… right. I don’t trust ‘em. I done told you that.”
“Had to make triply sure, man-called-Jayne. The girl does not trust them, either - for good reason.” Her eyes widened and she looked at him significantly, as though trying to convey some vital information through her stare alone.
She was moving inch-by-inch closer; Jayne growled and pushed her away. “Moonbrain, what are you doin’? You got somethin’ to say, then just ruttin’ say it.”
“Does the mercenary not find it strange that a normal young man beat a mind-reading genius in a game?” She lifted her head up a little. “A game,” she continued, “known worlds-wide as one requiring intelligence and strong grasp of strategy?”
Jayne scowled, clearly unimpressed. “Stop bein’ sore that you lost, girl. It ain’t - “
“No!” She grabbed his arm and shook a little. “Think, man-called-Jayne! Think. The girl has never lost before. And she employed every strategy she could to gain victory.”
He glared at her hand, which according to his own personal space rules had no right to be on his arm. River sighed but removed the offending appendage. “’Kay. Let me get this straight. Even though you tried real hard, you couldn’t beat him. An’ that’s weird… ‘cause you ain’t never lost before? And ‘cause you’re a gorram genius an’ he ain’t?”
“Yes! Precisely, man-called-Jayne. Precisely! Something is rotten in the state of Serenity. I fear he has designs.” They sat in silence for a moment, letting the realization sink in. But suddenly, River sat up, looking like a startled deer.
“What?” Jayne peered around, trying to see what had caught her attention. “What is it?”
“He approaches.”
Jayne made a face, utterly unappreciative of the cryptic language.
“Hey,” Michael said, walking in the hold. Jayne clenched his jaw, realizing that was what River had been trying to tell him. “What the hell are you two doin’?”
“Nothing,” they both said, looking at him with narrowed eyes.
Mike’s face split into a wide grin. “Oh. O’ course.”
“Why are you so amused?” River asked. “Our actions are none of your concern - and you realize this. But you find this situation… amusing.” Her eyes narrowed. “You are pleased.”
Michael’s grin immediately fell and he scowled ferociously. “Pleased? Gorram, you weirdo, ain’t got nothin’ to be pleased about. Puh. Do all the nothin’ you want. I’m goin’ to my dorm.”
River and Jayne watched him go, their eyes on him until he had completely disappeared.
“Think you’re right, moonbrain. Boy’s up to somethin’.”
River stuck out her hand. “Truce? By our powers combined, we will discover the truth.”
For a moment, Jayne hesitated. But then he took her hand and pumped her arm up and down. “You got it, moonbrain. A truce.”
xXx
They landed on Beaumonde not long after that. “Here we are!” Wash said happily, looking over his shoulder at Mal. “Ready for another round of exciting adventures planet-side, lambie toes?”
Zoë chuckled at her husband, resting one worn, feminine hand on the back of his neck. “I’d have to say that depends on what kind of adventures.”
“Oh, the good kind. The very good kind. The take off all your clothes and let me attend to my husbandly duties kind.”
“Mmm.” A sensual grin spread across the first mate’s face. “Definitely ready for that kind of adventure.”
Mal grunted. “An’ you best save that ad-venturin’ until you’re off my ship.”
Wash’s eyebrows raised and he looked at his wife. “Zoë,” he stage-whispered, “I think the captain’s in a bad mood.”
She just sighed and patted his shoulder. “That he is husband.” She cast Mal a sidelong glance. “That he is.”
Kaylee had gotten a wave from Inara the day before; the Companion had been doing well and, by sheer coincidence, would be on Beaumonde while Serenity was there. The mechanic had been delighted by the news and had immediately wanted to make plans to see her. She couldn’t have kept it a secret from Mal, she knew, and when she’d told him he’d immediately gone silent.
“Sure she can visit, li’l Kaylee,” he’d said. “But if you want to have comp’ny over, then you can stay on ship an’ wait to see her.”
Kaylee had agreed, sensing how tumultuous mere mention of the Companion could make her captain feel. She’d stay and see Inara, who’d leave before Mal ever got back.
Zoë had half-heartedly tried to convince Mal to at least talk to Inara, but that had gone over exactly as she’d expected.
“Time to go,” Mal said. “Don’t want to keep our contacts waitin’.”
Wash and Zoë watched him go, exchanging a significant look. “He gonna be all right?” the pilot asked.
“He’ll be fine,” Zoë assured him. “I’m just not sure he knows that yet.”
The crew made their way down the ramp and out of the ship about twenty minutes later. “Jayne, you’re comin’ with me to set up the deal. Zoë, don’t really need you, but if you want to - “
“No, sir, I think me an’ mine have got other plans.”
“I got us a room for the night,” Wash told her, one arm around her waist. “Very, very good plans.”
“An’ I’m stayin’ here with Book an’ River!” Kaylee said happily. “You got that list o’ stuff I gave ya, Simon?”
He smiled nervously, holding up a ragged, oil-stained sheet of paper. “I…” He cleared his throat. “Yes, Kaylee, right here. And is, uh… is River sure she wants to stay?”
The mechanic sighed. “Yeah, Simon, I already asked her. She says she’s got plannin’ to do ‘r somethin’ like that. Talkin’ ‘bout combined powers.”
Jayne grunted, nodding his head.
They all turned to stare at him.
“What?” he asked defensively. “Y’all don’t think it’s good that crazy keeps ‘erself busy? If’n she’s got stuff to do, it’s likely she ain’t gonna get no more ideas ‘bout stabbin’ folks or possessin’ space ships in that crazy head o’ hers.”
“She will not get better simply because she’s busy,” Simon said angrily. “Don’t - “
“Well it might help! Just ‘cause you ain’t noticed don’t mean that - “
“Noticed?” The doctor took a step towards the merc, looking worried. “Noticed what?”
Jayne let out a loud exhale, arcing his head from left to right in exasperation. “S’now you listen. You get awful bent out o’ shape ‘bout that sister o’ yours, but you don’t even see she’s gettin’ better? She hadn’t had one o’ her fits since we got those two.” He gestured towards Mike and Bonny.
“Wha…” Simon gawked at the two passengers. “Th-that… Getting better - do you think she could be?” He whirled around to face Kaylee. “Kaylee, do you… do you think so, too? I knew River wasn’t having any nightmares, b-but I didn’t place any particular significance on it.” He stared at the ground, a look of wonder on his face. “She could be… getting better.”
Kaylee smiled nervous, her lips twitching a little. “I, uh… Well I sure hope she’s gettin’ better. Jayne’s right - she ain’t had a bad fit in awhile; not since when she got up on the table yellin’ at Mike. So she sure could be healin’.” Her eyes softened as they ran over the doctor’s prone form. “She sure could be.”
“It’s real good to hear, doc,” Mal said gruffly.
“Yeah,” Wash agreed. “I think I’ll miss being able to say that we have a real life crazy person on board, but it’ll be nice to hear that pitter-patter of combat boots without hearing Jayne running away from them.”
“Best shut up, little man,” Jayne growled.
“Don’t fight, boys,” Zoë commanded. “I want to keep this one in one piece.”
Wash grinned cheekily, wrapping an arm around his wife’s shoulders.
Jayne just rolled his eyes. “Mal, can we go? I ain’t got the stomach for all o’ this married bliss ‘round here.”
Mal grunted. “I’m with you there, Jayne. We’ll see y’all later. Back at the ship by 900 tomorrow, Zoë.”
“Don’t worry ‘bout it, sir.”
Kaylee grinned happily. “Bet y’all are gonna have a real nice time.”
“I’m sure we will,” Wash agreed. “When’s Inara coming? We wanted to say ‘hi’.”
“Guessin’ she’ll be here pretty soon.” The mechanic shrugged. “Don’t know ‘zactly what time, though.”
“Well we’re going to look around for a bit an’ come back later. See you later, Kaylee!” Wash waved as he and Zoë walked off into the crowd.
“I think I’ll be going, too,” Simon said. He smiled. “I have a list.”
“Well you take care,” Kaylee told him. “An’ don’t forget to come back to see ‘Nara.”
Simon nodded. “I will.”
Kaylee watched him wander off, humming a little to herself. “Guess it’s just me, then,” she said brightly. Bonny and Michael were still standing off to the side of the ramp, talking together in quiet voices. “Are y’all headin’ off, too?” she asked loudly, getting their attention. “Gonna look for your ship?”
Bonny nodded. “That’s right. I guess we better be off.”
“Okay.” Kaylee felt a momentary pang. She didn’t know them very well, but already she felt like they were almost a part of the crew. They just fit in so well, and she and Bonny were growing close. It was too bad they had to leave. “I wish you the best o’ luck. Hopefully they’ll be here!”
“Yeah.” Bonny nodded again, though her smile faltered a little. “Hopefully.”
“Let’s go,” Michael said impatiently, tugging gently on her elbow. “Won’t find ‘em just standin’ ‘round here.”
“Right. We’ll see you, Kaylee.”
They walked off, too, and Kaylee was left alone on the ramp. She sighed, watching absently as the normal dock crowds meandered by. She could probably talk River into playing a game, or maybe Book could tell another story. It was a fairly nice day, though, and since captain had basically confined her to the ship she wanted a chance to at least get some reasonably fresh air. A sudden idea struck her and she raced back inside, heading to her bunk to get a new book she’d picked up on the last stop. She’d sit outside under her parasol and read until Inara got there.
”My parents will never allow it, Courtenay. They don’t… they don’t understand! They’ll tear us apart and I shall die - I shall just die! They don’t know how I need you, my love!”
“Yeah,” Kaylee breathed, turning the page. She’d been engrossed in Selena’s torrid affair with Apollo Courtenay for about an hour and finally they were about to consummate the relationship she’d been following since page 39.
But just as strong hands were tearing silk off a lily-white young body, something plopped down beside her little chair.
Kaylee looked over. “Oh hey, Bonny!” she said. “You - “
“No luck,” the girl said, shaking her head. “We looked everywhere, but we couldn’t find a single trace that they’d been here. Guess we just gotta keep looking.”
“We’ll leave soon as we pay the captain,” Mike said. “Might be they do come through here later.”
“Well…” Kaylee put her book down with a frown. “It ain’t fair for y’all to wait here when they might not even come.” She grinned. “Bet if I talk to the captain he’ll let you stay onboard. Yeah! He seems real mean an’ angry but he’s real cuddly underneath. If we talk to him about - “
“Talk to who about what, li’l Kaylee?” Mal asked, walking up to the ship, a large, grumpy merc in tow.
“Bonny an’ Mike couldn’t find their ship,” the mechanic explained quickly. “So they were gonna stay here, but I was thinkin’ that maybe we could help ‘em out an’ take ‘em to - “
“Now just hold on,” Mal interrupted. “I hadn’t even gotten all my credits for this trip. Why should I take ‘em anywhere else?”
“They’ll pay you!” she said stubbornly. “An’ it’d be jus’ horrible of ya to leave ‘em here when they don’t even know how long it’ll be ‘til their ship might come by!”
“I really don’t think so,” Mal hedged.
“Please?” Kaylee turned a pout and two wet eyes full blast on him. “C’mon cap, please?”
Mal rolled his eyes. “What do they think ‘bout this?”
Bonny and Mike looked at each other for half a second.
And Bonny had just opened her mouth to speak when suddenly a jovial voice shouted “Kaylee! We have presents!”
All eyes shot to Wash coming towards them, wearing a broad, triumphant grin.
“Yes,” Bonny blurted out. “I mean… We’d really appreciate it, captain Reynolds. An’ we would pay you.”
“Bonny!” Michael hissed. “Bonny, what do you think you’re - “
“It doesn’t matter!” she answered, waving a hand to quiet him. “It’ll just take longer to get home; it doesn’t matter.”
Wash and Zoë had made their way to the ship by then, both looking pleased about something. Zoë’s shot to Mal. “Made a bit of a find while we were lookin’,” she said.
“Ooh, shiny!” Kaylee rubbed her hands together excitedly. “What ya got?”
Inara stepped out from behind Zoë. She smiled. “Hello, mei mei.”
~~~
-Quick Note: If anyone cares, I sort of picture Bonny looking like Leona Lewis. I haven't decided exactly how I see Michael yet.
Feedback always appreciated!
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