(no subject)
The next installment of the Firefly summer cliffhanger series ;)
Title: Bodies in Motion
Chapter: 4
Rating: PG
“River, I’m okay, I’m fine,” Simon spoke covering his shoulder with his right hand. “It’s just a graze.” At one time the thought of a gunshot wound would have sent him into cold shivers but this was his third time feeling the metal enter his body and he had learned to adjust. He had become like the rest of them- able to deal with the horrors of the world.
“You shot him,” River said, nearly in a whisper, but her big eyes looking questioning at Mal.
“I...I didn’t mean to,” Mal answered not being able to look directly at the girl.
“I know you didn’t. You must control your emotions,” River answered him.
“If Kaylee had left things alone...”
“Don’t blame me, Captain, for putting a loaded spitfire on another man.” Kaylee brushed back a strand of Simon’s hair from his face.
“I can’t explain what came over me,” Mal began.
“Love,” River answered. “Your love is so great it clouds your vision. Like fogged glasses over your eyes.”
Mal looked at her and couldn’t help but grin. “Fogged glasses huh? Could you foresee the future when bad people with ships are trailing us and warn us. I reckon that would help more than explaining to me what I may feel.”
“What you do feel,” River answered, him stressing the word “do”.
He looked at Inara, still not stirring. “Doctor, do what you can. I’m going to get the medical supplies from the ship.” Mal stood up.
“Don’t move thy muscle,” a voice said from behind Mal. “Put down the gun slowly, Mr. Reynolds.”
“It’s Captain Reynolds and I don’t aim to put down my weapon when I sense you have a gun on me. That seems a bit unfair.” Mal couldn’t see the man standing behind him but he saw the worried expression on Kaylee’s face.
“I don’t quibble with games, Mr. Reynolds.”
Kaylee’s face grew whiter as Mal looked at her.
“If you will not respond to thy request I will have to shoot the young lady here.”
Mal dropped the gun into the sand. “Only a coward makes such threats. You want a fight, I’ll give you one but like men.”
“I don’t want a fight, Mr. Reynolds...”
“Captain, it’s Captain Reynolds.”
“...all I want is the girl.”
“Kaylee is not going anywhere with you,” Mal said gruffly.
“Not Kaylee, me,” River responded, “he’s here for me.”
“Very good, my girl.”
“She’s not your girl!” Simon’s voice was heated and he stood at once. “My sister is not going anywhere with you.”
“Oh, yes she is my dear boy, you’re welcome to come with her if you like.”
“No one is going anywhere with anyone,” Mal said but his mind was racing with ways to get out of this jam. Where in the hell were Zoe and Jayne?
“You made them sleep,” River shouted. She held her hands near her ears. “Jayne dreams of money, Zoe of Wash. They sleep. Night, night.”
“You killed them?” Kaylee cried out.
“No, just a gas that will make them sleep for the next thirty minutes. Thy aim is not to kill unless it is necessary.”
Mal’s hand tightened into a fist. He looked directly at River hoping to open himself enough to her that she would know what he was telling her to do. “It seems we differ on killing. See I have no problem ending someone’s life if need be. And if that someone has pointed a gun at my crew then I am likely to not only kill but be real happy about it.”
River’s head nodded- she had understood what his mind was trying to tell her.
She let out a piercing scream as Mal whipped around punching the man. The man fell to the ground and his pistol fell out of his hand. Mal grabbed the man’s pistol and pointed the barrel at his face.
“Now, give me one compelling reason why I shouldn’t kill you.”
“I can save her,” the man said. His hair was brown and trimmed short. He was around 50 years old it appeared and had good bulk to him.
“River doesn’t need your help,” Simon spat out.
“No, not help River, her” he pointed to Inara. “I have supplies in thy ship that could mend her.”
“Gan xie, for letting us know. We’ll be sure to raid your ship after you’re dead,” Mal said beginning to press the trigger.
A shock wave went through his system. He heard Kaylee grunt and River mumble something. They were all on the ground and four other men with stun lazers were standing over them.
Mal could hear the man’s voice through the ringing in his ears- “You didn’t really think I would come alone, did you?”
To be continued...
Title: Bodies in Motion
Chapter: 4
Rating: PG
“River, I’m okay, I’m fine,” Simon spoke covering his shoulder with his right hand. “It’s just a graze.” At one time the thought of a gunshot wound would have sent him into cold shivers but this was his third time feeling the metal enter his body and he had learned to adjust. He had become like the rest of them- able to deal with the horrors of the world.
“You shot him,” River said, nearly in a whisper, but her big eyes looking questioning at Mal.
“I...I didn’t mean to,” Mal answered not being able to look directly at the girl.
“I know you didn’t. You must control your emotions,” River answered him.
“If Kaylee had left things alone...”
“Don’t blame me, Captain, for putting a loaded spitfire on another man.” Kaylee brushed back a strand of Simon’s hair from his face.
“I can’t explain what came over me,” Mal began.
“Love,” River answered. “Your love is so great it clouds your vision. Like fogged glasses over your eyes.”
Mal looked at her and couldn’t help but grin. “Fogged glasses huh? Could you foresee the future when bad people with ships are trailing us and warn us. I reckon that would help more than explaining to me what I may feel.”
“What you do feel,” River answered, him stressing the word “do”.
He looked at Inara, still not stirring. “Doctor, do what you can. I’m going to get the medical supplies from the ship.” Mal stood up.
“Don’t move thy muscle,” a voice said from behind Mal. “Put down the gun slowly, Mr. Reynolds.”
“It’s Captain Reynolds and I don’t aim to put down my weapon when I sense you have a gun on me. That seems a bit unfair.” Mal couldn’t see the man standing behind him but he saw the worried expression on Kaylee’s face.
“I don’t quibble with games, Mr. Reynolds.”
Kaylee’s face grew whiter as Mal looked at her.
“If you will not respond to thy request I will have to shoot the young lady here.”
Mal dropped the gun into the sand. “Only a coward makes such threats. You want a fight, I’ll give you one but like men.”
“I don’t want a fight, Mr. Reynolds...”
“Captain, it’s Captain Reynolds.”
“...all I want is the girl.”
“Kaylee is not going anywhere with you,” Mal said gruffly.
“Not Kaylee, me,” River responded, “he’s here for me.”
“Very good, my girl.”
“She’s not your girl!” Simon’s voice was heated and he stood at once. “My sister is not going anywhere with you.”
“Oh, yes she is my dear boy, you’re welcome to come with her if you like.”
“No one is going anywhere with anyone,” Mal said but his mind was racing with ways to get out of this jam. Where in the hell were Zoe and Jayne?
“You made them sleep,” River shouted. She held her hands near her ears. “Jayne dreams of money, Zoe of Wash. They sleep. Night, night.”
“You killed them?” Kaylee cried out.
“No, just a gas that will make them sleep for the next thirty minutes. Thy aim is not to kill unless it is necessary.”
Mal’s hand tightened into a fist. He looked directly at River hoping to open himself enough to her that she would know what he was telling her to do. “It seems we differ on killing. See I have no problem ending someone’s life if need be. And if that someone has pointed a gun at my crew then I am likely to not only kill but be real happy about it.”
River’s head nodded- she had understood what his mind was trying to tell her.
She let out a piercing scream as Mal whipped around punching the man. The man fell to the ground and his pistol fell out of his hand. Mal grabbed the man’s pistol and pointed the barrel at his face.
“Now, give me one compelling reason why I shouldn’t kill you.”
“I can save her,” the man said. His hair was brown and trimmed short. He was around 50 years old it appeared and had good bulk to him.
“River doesn’t need your help,” Simon spat out.
“No, not help River, her” he pointed to Inara. “I have supplies in thy ship that could mend her.”
“Gan xie, for letting us know. We’ll be sure to raid your ship after you’re dead,” Mal said beginning to press the trigger.
A shock wave went through his system. He heard Kaylee grunt and River mumble something. They were all on the ground and four other men with stun lazers were standing over them.
Mal could hear the man’s voice through the ringing in his ears- “You didn’t really think I would come alone, did you?”
To be continued...