Unexpected
Title: Unexpected: Chapter Four
Author: Ceslas
Characters: Zoe/Jayne, Crew
Disclaimer: Firefly owns me, I own words
Rating: PG
Word count: 1195
Comments: The fourth chapter in a collaboration between
bookaddict43 and myself, a bit of a different pairing for both of us…
Organizational Post: http://ceslas.livejournal.com/24571.html
Unexpected Chapter 4
Dim light of night flight illuminated Jayne sitting at the galley table, cleaning the guns he had used that day. He had disassembled them carefully, wiped the grime and carbon off each piece. Weren’t thinking too hard on the plan to leave Mal off the boat, just knew that the Doc had better keep the irascible Captain sedated until after Serenity broke orbit and left. Jayne figured Mal would get up and grab onto the ship at lift off if he weren’t out.
“Couldn’t sleep?” Nisham’s quiet voice broke the soft noises of Jayne’s hands reassembling the weapons.
Jayne had heard the man approaching, a waft of spiciness preceding him. Curry Jayne decided. Everyone had their scent catalogued in Jayne’s mind. He wrinkled his nose slightly, “Nah, just takin’ care a’ my girls is all. Not smart ta put a weapon up dirty. Never know when ya may be needin’ her again.”
“No quarrel with that logic my friend.” Nisham replied, moving to make a cup of tea.
Jayne stiffened a little at the ‘my friend’ remark. He hadn’t disliked the man when he met him a year earlier on a run to Santo. The crew of The Valiant, a deep space transport vessel was not unlike Serenity’s crew. Both were folk who had become family through years of living and working together. But being called friend, Jayne wasn’t sure about that.
“Want some?” Nisham offered by gesturing with the teapot. Jayne merely shook his head. Nighttime was for engine juice, not hot tea was his thinking. He kept his focus on a tricky trigger mechanism he was fiddling with. It was getting worn and he knew he would have to fabricate a new slide for it soon.
Nisham sat down across from the concentrating merc. He admired the attention to detail Jayne showed his guns. “May I?” He asked and pointed to a revolver lying near Jayne’s elbow. Jayne grunted in assent, not even looking up.
Nisham smiled slightly, wryly. He could feel the distaste Jayne had for him being there.
The gun was beautiful her lines were spare and elegant. Nisham gently turned her over in his hands, feeling the light sheen of oil making her soft across the curved edges of the barrel.
“Beautiful. She is an incredible partner,” he murmured.
Jayne stopped his assembly of a smaller pistol at the words. He looked up to the other man sitting quietly waiting for a response.
They appraised each other both holding guns and neither one thinking that that was what Nisham was referring to.
~~~~~
Zoë was sitting in the infirmary, cupping a warm mug of tea, considering her unconscious Captain. Inara was holding his hand, seated next to him.
“He will be very upset he has been left behind.” Inara said in the quiet.
“That’s so. Not a thing we can do different if he wants to get back to Serenity.” Zoë replied.
“Will you be ok with managing for the time he is gone?” Inara continued.
“We’ll be able to make the runs we have scheduled. Got a good crew. They all know what needs doing.”
“Jayne?”
“More so than I thought to be truthful. Man hasn’t gone and become all thinking and civilized, but he surely seems to know what needs doing without the usual complaining. He done good when I weren’t maybe the best I coulda been.” Zoë replied.
Jayne had been pulling more than his weight since Miranda Zoë knew. After the fight on Mr. Universe’s the merc had become more intense in his protectiveness of the crew, had covered for her when the grief of losing Wash threatened to pull her under. Mal never acknowledged her weakness on some days and maybe haps that was cause the big man never let it affect the success of a job. Course, he didn’t get paid if a job didn’t go smooth, so maybe that was it too.
“You will be sure to not take any extra chances.” Inara said, eyes pleading with Zoë to be careful.
Zoë grinned a little at that, “Extra chances are the Captain’s way of limiting boredom. Don’t got that particular problem my own self.” The women both laughed a little at that truth.
~~~~~
Serenity broke atmo on Puhn Yo two days later. The moon orbited opposite Whitefall around Athens. As the ship rose through a slight cloud cover, Kaylee looked wistfully out the windows above the galley table where Jayne was enjoying his first bowl of rice without the company of Nisham.
“Sure was a nice world wasn’t it?” Kaylee said wishfully.
“Weren’t any different than most moons ‘round here. Hill folk crawlin’ down ta see the excitement of a ship is all.’ Jayne said half-sourly.
“Nah, they were shiny. Nice folks. Maybe a little protective at first, but real nice once they knew we was friends.” She said defensively.
Jayne snorted, “Yeah, real friendly after takin’ measure a’ us over the sight o’ a barrel. Glad ta be goin’ is all I got ta say.”
“Don’t be so grumpy. They agreed ta take good care of the Captain and were real nice about ‘Nara staying on to help.”
“Hell sure they were, a whore stayin’ ain’t exactly a bad thing.” Jayne leered.
Kaylee slapped him hard upside the back of his head. “Don’t go to talkin’ that way ‘bout ‘Nara! You know she gave up her Companion card near a year back.”
Jayne yelped a little in surprise, “Gorramnit Kaylee, I didn’t mean nothin’ by it, you know that.” He looked a mix of hurt and angry at being struck by the mild mechanic.
“You are just being mean cause you are mad that Nisham was here for two days and that Zoë likes him.’
“Ain’t so!” Jayne blustered back, “I don’t care about him, and less how Zoë feels…”
“How do I feel?” Zoë asked as she came walking into the galley.
“Nothin’, just talkin’ is all.” Jayne replied while trying to bury himself back in eating.
“Jayne’s being a boor about Nisham is all.” Kaylee answered, spark of irritation in her voice.
“Oh? And how is that Jayne?’ Zoë sat down and folded her hands on the table.
“Nothin’. I didn’t say nothin’ bout him. Kaylee’s just sad she couldn’t stay and fool with the Doc planet-side fer longer.” He glared at the mechanic at that.
“Oooo, you are bein’ mean now!” Kaylee retorted.
“This is ridiculous. I don’t have no time for this kind of silliness. Call when dinner is ready Kaylee, it’s your night.” Zoë got up and stalked out of the galley.
“Now see what ya gone and done.” Kaylee accused.
“Me? I don’t done nothin’… yer the one that had ta go and bring Zoë inta this.” Jayne blurted back.
“Well ya were bein’ all grumpy and nasty about those nice folks, takin’ the Captain and ‘Nara in like one a’ their own!” Kaylee retorted.
“Well, just cause they done that don’t make ‘em all shiny. That Nisham just done what he done ta get on Zo’s good side.” Jayne sneered.
“You are impossible Jayne Cobb!” Kaylee finished with a little tear.
Author: Ceslas
Characters: Zoe/Jayne, Crew
Disclaimer: Firefly owns me, I own words
Rating: PG
Word count: 1195
Comments: The fourth chapter in a collaboration between
bookaddict43 and myself, a bit of a different pairing for both of us…
Organizational Post: http://ceslas.livejournal.com/24571.html
Unexpected Chapter 4
Dim light of night flight illuminated Jayne sitting at the galley table, cleaning the guns he had used that day. He had disassembled them carefully, wiped the grime and carbon off each piece. Weren’t thinking too hard on the plan to leave Mal off the boat, just knew that the Doc had better keep the irascible Captain sedated until after Serenity broke orbit and left. Jayne figured Mal would get up and grab onto the ship at lift off if he weren’t out.
“Couldn’t sleep?” Nisham’s quiet voice broke the soft noises of Jayne’s hands reassembling the weapons.
Jayne had heard the man approaching, a waft of spiciness preceding him. Curry Jayne decided. Everyone had their scent catalogued in Jayne’s mind. He wrinkled his nose slightly, “Nah, just takin’ care a’ my girls is all. Not smart ta put a weapon up dirty. Never know when ya may be needin’ her again.”
“No quarrel with that logic my friend.” Nisham replied, moving to make a cup of tea.
Jayne stiffened a little at the ‘my friend’ remark. He hadn’t disliked the man when he met him a year earlier on a run to Santo. The crew of The Valiant, a deep space transport vessel was not unlike Serenity’s crew. Both were folk who had become family through years of living and working together. But being called friend, Jayne wasn’t sure about that.
“Want some?” Nisham offered by gesturing with the teapot. Jayne merely shook his head. Nighttime was for engine juice, not hot tea was his thinking. He kept his focus on a tricky trigger mechanism he was fiddling with. It was getting worn and he knew he would have to fabricate a new slide for it soon.
Nisham sat down across from the concentrating merc. He admired the attention to detail Jayne showed his guns. “May I?” He asked and pointed to a revolver lying near Jayne’s elbow. Jayne grunted in assent, not even looking up.
Nisham smiled slightly, wryly. He could feel the distaste Jayne had for him being there.
The gun was beautiful her lines were spare and elegant. Nisham gently turned her over in his hands, feeling the light sheen of oil making her soft across the curved edges of the barrel.
“Beautiful. She is an incredible partner,” he murmured.
Jayne stopped his assembly of a smaller pistol at the words. He looked up to the other man sitting quietly waiting for a response.
They appraised each other both holding guns and neither one thinking that that was what Nisham was referring to.
~~~~~
Zoë was sitting in the infirmary, cupping a warm mug of tea, considering her unconscious Captain. Inara was holding his hand, seated next to him.
“He will be very upset he has been left behind.” Inara said in the quiet.
“That’s so. Not a thing we can do different if he wants to get back to Serenity.” Zoë replied.
“Will you be ok with managing for the time he is gone?” Inara continued.
“We’ll be able to make the runs we have scheduled. Got a good crew. They all know what needs doing.”
“Jayne?”
“More so than I thought to be truthful. Man hasn’t gone and become all thinking and civilized, but he surely seems to know what needs doing without the usual complaining. He done good when I weren’t maybe the best I coulda been.” Zoë replied.
Jayne had been pulling more than his weight since Miranda Zoë knew. After the fight on Mr. Universe’s the merc had become more intense in his protectiveness of the crew, had covered for her when the grief of losing Wash threatened to pull her under. Mal never acknowledged her weakness on some days and maybe haps that was cause the big man never let it affect the success of a job. Course, he didn’t get paid if a job didn’t go smooth, so maybe that was it too.
“You will be sure to not take any extra chances.” Inara said, eyes pleading with Zoë to be careful.
Zoë grinned a little at that, “Extra chances are the Captain’s way of limiting boredom. Don’t got that particular problem my own self.” The women both laughed a little at that truth.
~~~~~
Serenity broke atmo on Puhn Yo two days later. The moon orbited opposite Whitefall around Athens. As the ship rose through a slight cloud cover, Kaylee looked wistfully out the windows above the galley table where Jayne was enjoying his first bowl of rice without the company of Nisham.
“Sure was a nice world wasn’t it?” Kaylee said wishfully.
“Weren’t any different than most moons ‘round here. Hill folk crawlin’ down ta see the excitement of a ship is all.’ Jayne said half-sourly.
“Nah, they were shiny. Nice folks. Maybe a little protective at first, but real nice once they knew we was friends.” She said defensively.
Jayne snorted, “Yeah, real friendly after takin’ measure a’ us over the sight o’ a barrel. Glad ta be goin’ is all I got ta say.”
“Don’t be so grumpy. They agreed ta take good care of the Captain and were real nice about ‘Nara staying on to help.”
“Hell sure they were, a whore stayin’ ain’t exactly a bad thing.” Jayne leered.
Kaylee slapped him hard upside the back of his head. “Don’t go to talkin’ that way ‘bout ‘Nara! You know she gave up her Companion card near a year back.”
Jayne yelped a little in surprise, “Gorramnit Kaylee, I didn’t mean nothin’ by it, you know that.” He looked a mix of hurt and angry at being struck by the mild mechanic.
“You are just being mean cause you are mad that Nisham was here for two days and that Zoë likes him.’
“Ain’t so!” Jayne blustered back, “I don’t care about him, and less how Zoë feels…”
“How do I feel?” Zoë asked as she came walking into the galley.
“Nothin’, just talkin’ is all.” Jayne replied while trying to bury himself back in eating.
“Jayne’s being a boor about Nisham is all.” Kaylee answered, spark of irritation in her voice.
“Oh? And how is that Jayne?’ Zoë sat down and folded her hands on the table.
“Nothin’. I didn’t say nothin’ bout him. Kaylee’s just sad she couldn’t stay and fool with the Doc planet-side fer longer.” He glared at the mechanic at that.
“Oooo, you are bein’ mean now!” Kaylee retorted.
“This is ridiculous. I don’t have no time for this kind of silliness. Call when dinner is ready Kaylee, it’s your night.” Zoë got up and stalked out of the galley.
“Now see what ya gone and done.” Kaylee accused.
“Me? I don’t done nothin’… yer the one that had ta go and bring Zoë inta this.” Jayne blurted back.
“Well ya were bein’ all grumpy and nasty about those nice folks, takin’ the Captain and ‘Nara in like one a’ their own!” Kaylee retorted.
“Well, just cause they done that don’t make ‘em all shiny. That Nisham just done what he done ta get on Zo’s good side.” Jayne sneered.
“You are impossible Jayne Cobb!” Kaylee finished with a little tear.