Firefly Fanfic Part 3
And finally. Hey, guess which character I played in the LARP!
The next morning Zoe walked into the galley at 0900 to find Wash stuffing a knapsack with what looked like carefully wrapped provisions. A twin knapsack sat beside it, already closed. Coffee was already percolating and an enticing smell came from the stove. Zoe smiled broadly and kept her questions to herself. Wash looked up and smiled, “Morning, Zoe.” He frowned for a moment. “Do you really think you need your gun?”
“Always take it with me unless side arms are banned.” She looked pointedly at Wash. “And I don’t really know where we’re going.” Truthfully, she had thought of leaving her shotgun behind. It seemed unnecessary. And just about all the cities on Prospect Stage were well policed and thus obvious weaponry attracted attention she didn’t like.
“And wherever side arms are banned I’m guessing you just switch to something more discrete. No, I don’t think they’re banned where we’re going.” Wash shook his head and began loading food onto two plates. He brightened as he gestured to a spot at the table for Zoe to sit. “Ready for some fun?”
Zoe couldn’t resist. “I am. Though I suppose I’ll settle for spending the day with you.” She couldn’t keep from grinning, though.
Wash tried to look abashed but failed. “I have a great day planned and you, sour-puss, are not going to ruin it!” Once she took her seat Wash served up a tidy breakfast of eggs, potatoes and toast and a mug of coffee for each.
Zoe’s stomach rumbled. “Did you pick this up yesterday? It smells terrific.”
“I did. Fresh food is the best. Too bad cap’n won’t let us use any of the cargo space for our own foodstuffs. Man wasn’t meant to live on protein packs endlessly.”
“Well, then, I’m surprised you’re digging in right away. Wouldn’t you want to save it for a special occasion? At least for something once we’ve left Prospect Stage?”
“See? That’s the difference between you and me. Every moment is special. That might sound like [sugary monkey’s balls] to you, but it’s meal time and here’s the makings of a fine meal! ‘Sides tomorrow morning I can pick up a few more things before we leave.”
“Well thank you for sharing, Wash. It’s really tasty.” The eggs were a little rubbery and the potatoes weren’t cooked all the way but, Zoe reasoned, she’d gotten used to far worse long ago.
Wash tried to encourage an attempt at eating mindfully but after a bite of undercooked potatoes decided it would be best to wrap up breakfast and get on with the day. Zoe tried to peek in the knapsacks as Wash cleared the table but he pulled them away and wagged a finger. Zoe was chastised and waited patiently until he was ready to go.
They each shouldered a knapsack and Wash led the way to one of the shuttles. Zoe maintained outward calm as Wash closed the shuttle doors and set about engaging the engine but had to acknowledge that inwardly, she was quite excited. She had always maintained she didn’t like surprises. She knew herself well enough to be honest about when she was uncomfortable. And she was almost inevitably uncomfortable when there were so many variables she couldn’t help but be at a disadvantage. Even in situations where she had to give her self-determination she kept her eyes open, determined to learn as much about the details of her predicament as possible. To resist the wish to know, to allow herself this mystery she would have once thought it impossible. But as she listened to Wash call to the control tower for a clear path out of the busy skies over Tin-jeon, she realized she trusted him and moreover that she wanted to receive his surprise with as much joy as he took to keep it. Briefly she recalled Anna’s knowing eyes and felt her face warm.
Wash sat back and immediately stiffened. He dug into a pocket at his hip and pulled out the traveling Buddha that Anna had given him. Somewhat embarrassed, he set the little statue on the communicator. “He’s going to be our mascot.” Once permission was secured Wash pulled on his seat straps and disengaged the shuttle from Serenity.
Tin-jeon was situated beside a broad inland sea. Wash’s course set out over the water and Zoe strained to see the lush greenery fall away. The water sparkled almost blindingly in the daylight. “Doesn’t this just beat staring at the insides of Serenity for another day?” asked Wash.
“Mh. It’s nice,” contended Zoe.
“Nice?! Oh I’ll give you nice. Just you wait and see.”
After a few minutes the water gave way to land yet again. It flew by as a patchwork of grids unevenly shoved together far below. Prospect Stage had been a roaring success for terra-forming largely because it was already very close to acceptable habitable parameters with many natural advantages to most worlds. There was abundant fresh water, two of the six continents had huge swaths of nitrogen rich soil, all but one of the continents were known to have great reserves of minerals and precious metals. In short order agriculture had become one of its booming industries and it became known as the breadbasket to the quadrant. Luxury space cruisers prided themselves on offering meals of fresh goods from Prospect Stage. Wealthy Core residents who fretted about overusing the land and reduced nutritional value of locally grown products sang praises to Prospect Stage. Furthermore, the planet boasted a lot of natural beauty caused by a still-dissipating Ice Age. Travelers went on holidays to the sheer white ocean cliffs and toasted the brilliant sunsets with highly valued Ziyhong wines. Adventurers took to the chasms at Mocambi and raced each other to the bottom in personal external gliders. And of course there was -
“Are we going to Kittering Ridge?” asked Zoe.
“Oh well, fine. If you’re going to figure out the surprise…” Wash glanced at Zoe with a grin on his face. On the horizon Zoe could see mountains fast approaching. Wash would either have to go to a greater elevation very soon or turn to avoid smashing into the mountains of Kittering Ridge. Instead, he slowed the shuttle and scanned the foothills for a place to land.
As the shuttle set down Zoe spied a series of large waterfalls in the distance, perhaps two miles away. She wondered if they were the famed Domai Cascades. Supposedly they had inspired a large number of songs and paintings. The area looked entirely natural, verdant, and free of people. However, once on the ground Zoe could see trails that had likely been created by previous visitors. A hush enveloped Zoe and Wash as they stepped out of the shuttle. Quietly they shouldered their packs, closed up the shuttle and picked a path into the forest and up toward the mountains. For a minute or two the only sounds Zoe could pick out was a thin whistling of wind in the top branches of the trees and the crunch of pebbles underfoot. But by and by she attuned to bits of birdsong and in the distance a thunder that must have been the Cascades spilling into the Vajrapani River.
As they walked on the sky become occluded by branches holding so many hues of green Zoe nearly felt undone trying to pick each one out. The forest had its own ceiling that vaulted overhead like the grandest temples, all soaring buttresses and complex eaves. The air was fresh and redolent with sap and flowers. On the forest floor it was a bit cool but from the pace they were setting Zoe knew they would be warm soon enough.
Zoe glanced at Wash and noticed him watching her with some amusement. He had picked up a walking stick. “You’ll turn into the Traveling Buddha yet.”
“I might at that. You ever been some place like this?”
“Not really. They say-“ Zoe stopped, unsure if the reference was appropriate in a such a peaceful place. She kept walking at a slower pace and Wash stayed beside her.
“They say all kinds of things. What do they say this time?”
Zoe took a deep breath and looked around, exhaling slowly. “They say Serenity Valley was as lush and beautiful a place as you could hope for. When I got there the forests had been mowed down. Heard once that the battles had wiped out three different kinds of animal when they couldn’t find somewhere else to live during the fight.” She allowed just a kernel of pity to manifest itself in the pit of her stomach. She looked at Wash. “I rarely went planetside before the U-war. Wherever the Browncoats took up arms, soon nothing grew taller than your knee and the only animals around were vermin.”
It was Wash’s turn to look into the depths of the forest. Zoe pushed away the pity and resumed listening to the forest. Beside her Wash poked his stick into the loam at every other step. Occasionally he pulled up the muddy end of the stick for close study. After a few minutes he spoke again, carefully and slowly picking his words and stringing them together like a jeweler with fine gems. “The U-war. It’s…it’s not done with you. Or Mal. Do you…do you ever wonder…. Do you think you might want to live without carrying it with you everywhere?” He nodded to Zoe’s shotgun before looking away again.
Zoe responded plainly, almost automatically. It kept the defensiveness from her voice: “I lost more friends and family than I care to say.” She fell silent for a minute. “There ain’t much business available that doesn’t require an Alliance stamp on it somewhere. At least the U-war taught us to do what needed to be done to get by. Useful for facing thugs and avoiding notice.” The pace picked up a little.
Wash puffed. “Hey, I may not have fought much during the U-war but I’ll have you know I’ve been through a few scrapes in my time. And I’ve even gotten my own self out of one or two of ‘em.”
Zoe laughed. “Did you tell knock-knock jokes until they plead mercy and let you go free?”
“Look, I may not carry a gun night and day but I know which end means business!” Wash held up his hands in the vague shape of pistols and fired them off with accompanying onomatopoeia.
The surroundings had changed subtly. The trail had started up the side of a hill and the ground became somewhat stonier. The trees were getting less leafy and more adorned with needles. In general the flora became more sparse. Zoe wondered if there were animals in the vicinity or if they cleared out at their approach. She admitted to herself with some chagrin that she would make a terrible hunter. At a fork in the road Wash led the way toward the top of this hill.
The view was stunning. From where they stood Zoe and Wash could see as well as hear the Domai Cascades crashing into the crystal blue Vajrapani. On the far shore Zoe could make out a doe and a fawn drinking from the river. The Kittering cliffs over which the Cascades fell were broad and bleached white. Zoe had heard that people sometimes climbed them to access caves loaded with treasure for the taking. The idea of gold and diamonds lying about without so much as a sign reading “keep out” was unlikely but there was certainly some allure to investigate the cliffs more closely. Wash was already on a path headed in their direction.
As the noise from the Cascades grew, Zoe had to raise her voice. “Did Anna Bigelow tell you about this place?”
“Yep. She thought I’d like to get outdoors and stretch my legs. Not a bad idea, I have to say.”
“Did she happen to mention it as an idea for you or something you could bring me to?”
“Ah.” Wash coughed delicately. “It may have been at that.” He blushed and avoided looking Zoe in the eye.
Zoe smiled to herself and said nothing. As they approached the cliff face Zoe wondered if Wash did indeed mean to climb it. She wasn’t so sure about moving on a potentially slick rock face without a rope and harness. The trail they were on widened to a point and then stopped before a drop off over the river. A few trees reached out from the hillside and hid part of the cliff side. Zoe could see the cliff wasn’t perfectly smooth and boulders jutted out here and there. There was almost a trail the hugged the wall until it disappeared under the water.
Wash took off his knapsack. He had to yell to be heard. “The rope is in your knapsack.” He dug into his and pulled out a handful of pitons and a mallet. “It was a little short notice so we’re going to have to be rudimentary.”
Zoe pulled off her knapsack and found the rope easily. It looked to be two pieces of at least 40 feet each. They were all that had been in her knapsack. She couldn’t begin to guess where Wash had found the pitons.
“We’re not actually going to be secure, but it looks like having a rope line to hold on to would be a good idea. The rocks are going to be slick and that’s at least a 200 foot drop into the drink.” Wash looked at Zoe suddenly. “You’re not afraid of heights are you?”
“Nope. If you can do it, I can do it.”
Wash looked like he was going to say something but then thought better of it. He found the end of one of the ropes and tied it to one of the branches of the trees leaning out over the cliff. He tugged on it and watched the branch wave around and then inspected the knot. “Pull on this line would you? And tell me if you trust it.”
Zoe saw it was pressed against a smaller offshoot and so it wouldn’t slide as long as the knot held. She pulled with all her weight and the tie didn’t move. She handed the line back to Wash. “It’s good.”
The trail, such as it was, amounted to a ledge barely a foot wide. Each step had to be taken carefully. In some places all there really was to step on was a rock that couldn’t accommodate the whole foot. At every ten or so feet Wash wrapped the free end of the line around his waist and found a place to drive in a piton. In two places he found pitons already in placed that wouldn’t budge even when struck with the mallet. Carefully hugging the rocks he would then feed the rope through the piton. It got easier as there was less rope to thread. But at 40 feet, and still about a dozen feet short of the waterfall -Zoe now saw they would go behind it - Wash pulled the second rope from his shoulder and tied it to the end of the first rope. He cursed as he had to make the knot ever so slowly and carefully.
Zoe was becoming aware of an ache in her shoulders from holding on. Every shift in her weight made her position precarious and even though she was honestly unafraid of heights, she was not without respect for the considerable mess she would become if she lost her balance. She watched Wash work on the rope with considerable nerves tightening in her stomach. She pushed away any thoughts about what might happen and concentrated on staying on the wall.
The air was colder, wetter. The plume of mist didn’t reach as high as they were but there were still fine droplets of water in the air that clung to the stones and to their clothes. As her hands became cold and slick, Zoe was glad of the rope to hold onto. The thunder of the water made it impossible to hear anything else.
Wash got her attention and pointed ahead. There was a space of a few feet between the rock wall and the waterfall. The ledge they were on, however, all but disappeared for a about four feet, likely disintegrated by the water. Zoe looked at him quizzically. Were they just going to turn back? Wash pointed down and Zoe saw a pair of small rocks jutting out. They weren’t much for placing faith but apparently that’s all there was.
Wash wrapped the rope around him and carefully lowered himself to step on one rock, fingers of one hand curled into the rock face and the other hand wrapped in rope. Zoe admitted to herself that she had perhaps been hasty in boasting she could match him on a cliff, a good two hundred feet over a river. Gingerly he stepped to the next stone, in the process crossing his legs and extending the arm on the rocks as far as it could go. The line shuddered as Wash quickly switched hands. Zoe’s guts tightened until she almost couldn’t breathe. Wash paused to catch his breath. He looked up at Zoe and grinned. She found she couldn’t smile back. The far ledge was in his reach now, though it came up to his chest. One foot was on the rock, one hand held onto the rope tightly. The other foot and knee were wedged against the part of the ledge the curled under so that Wash was in the most ungainly pose. With his free arm Wash drove a piton into a wedge with great deliberation. He would slowly raise the mallet and each strike would send a hard shudder down the line. When he was satisfied with it he tossed his mallet onto the ledge. Wash then unwrapped the rope and threaded it through the piton. He wrapped the remains of the rope around his arm and hand and using his free arm and legs scrambled onto the ledge. It wasn’t particularly graceful but it got the job done.
Zoe pressed her lips together. She wasn’t going back. Wash was pulling the end of the line into a loop around his arm. He swung it out to her. She missed and it unspooled below them. He drew it up and looped it again. This time she caught the toss. Zoe wrapped the rope around herself the way she had seen Wash do and took several breaths before stepping down to the rock. She leaned against the rock face to switch her hands and nearly fell as rope twisted and she pivoted on her hip. Heart slamming in her chest, Zoe dug her fingers into a thin crack to right herself. The other hand was burning on the rope. She willed herself to stop shaking and carefully crossed her legs to step onto the next rock. She stepped onto it and was relieved to put a hand on the ledge. She smeared her free foot on the underhang and took up the slack on the line. Wash was crouched on the ledge, less than a foot away. Zoe started to pull herself onto the ledge the way she had seen Wash do but her boot slipped from the underhang and one hand was wrested from the rocks. The line bit fiercely into her arm and from the rush of air in her lungs Zoe realized she was screaming. A hand was wrapped around her free wrist and another grasped her upper arm. Her flailing leg bounced against the underhang and painfully bruised her knee. Pulling hard against the rope and with Wash’s help she gave herself enough leverage to pull herself up to her waist over the ledge. Wash grabbed her belt and pulled until Zoe was completely on the ledge.
Impulsively Wash folded Zoe into his arms even before she was done pulling the rope off her arm. Zoe could think of nothing but the strange comfort it was. With the great turmoil of the Cascades an arm’s length away, they were still. Zoe’s breathing steadied and she became aware of Wash holding her. Feeling much more certain of being able to keep from falling she pulled free of his arms and stood up. After a moment Wash followed suit. He picked up the mallet and put it in his knapsack without looking at her and continued down the ledge.
Zoe wondered if she had upset him. This was something…real. With real consequences. Zoe considered what she was doing and decided she was following Wash. And it was the right thing to do. Ahead, the Cascades continued on a slight curve for another seventy feet and Zoe couldn’t see anything but water and stone. Except there looked to be an opening in the rock. It was a crevice just slightly above the ledge and about the size of a footlocker. Wash gestured to it. Then he got on his hands and knees and crawled in. Wincing on a bruised knee and mangled arm, Zoe did the same.
Inside the cave seemed roomier, however it was dark. A grey light came from the crevice and the sound of the waterfall was already muffled. Zoe could dimly make out Wash searching his knapsack. Finally he produced a small lantern that blazoned with a twist. She saw that this was just the entrance to a cave that seemed to get bigger the further back it went. Here there was moss on the stones and bit away from the crevice the walls were lined with mushrooms. Zoe stood but found she had to stay crouched. The further back she went the more she could stand.
“We’re almost to the part I thought you’d like to see.” Wash sounded deflated almost like he barely refrained from saying “if that’s what you want.”
Zoe was surprised both at the tone and that there was still more. “Oh, I thought the Cascades were it. What else is there?” She hoped she sounded light.
“Right this way.” Wash lifted the lantern and Zoe saw the cavern twisted and sloped downward. Ahead the walls seemed to glow in a variety of muted colors. Dodging stalactites and stalagmites, they walked about another hundred feet. Zoe observed crystalline structures in the walls becoming more pronounced. Another turn in the cavern and they were in a sort of room completely lined with crystals in riot of colors. The light from the lantern bounced around in blues and oranges and yellows and greens and reds and violets.
Zoe sucked in her breath. She stepped forward and just about twirled in the glow of refracted light. “My God. This is beautiful.”
“It certainly is.” Wash stood still for a moment, openly taking in the room and Zoe standing in the middle of it. Then he set the lantern down and pulled off his knapsack. “I thought this might be a good place to have lunch.” Again he sounded almost uncertain.
If Zoe was going to follow Wash it wasn’t going to be on a trail of self-pity. “Wash you said you’d been scrapes and you’ve gotten yourself out of a couple.”
Baffled, Wash said, “yeah…?”
“Do you know the easiest way to disarm someone?”
“Uh.” Wash considered. “I guess the easiest is…um…”
“You ask to see that someone’s gun.” Zoe crossed her arms and held his gaze. “You wouldn’t believe how easy it is.”
“But…” Wash looked from Zoe’s face to her shotgun and back.
“And how effective. Try it.”
Wash swallowed and forced himself to maintain eye contact. “Zoe.”
“Yes?”
“May I see your gun?”
“Sure.” With one hand Zoe pulled her shotgun loose and handed it over, handle first. Her arms returned to her sides as she watched him carefully.
Without so much as glancing at it, Wash took it and gently laid it over his knapsack. “Nice gun.”
“I think so.”
Wash took a step toward Zoe. “Zoe.”
“Yes?”
“I have a request.”
“What is it?”
He took another step and was in arm’s reach. “I’d really like to kiss you now.”
“I’d really like that.”
Wash and Zoe met in the center of the chamber lined with crystals. They warmed each other generously and held each other tightly. And when they kissed they were each made a little dizzy by it.
After a few minutes they broke apart, conceding hunger. They sat on the floor and Wash pulled out two small jugs of water. Zoe rolled up a sleeve and inspected the welts on her arm. The skin was broken in two places. She poured some of the water on her arm and hissed through her teeth.
“Sorry I don’t have any balm for injury or spare cloth. I should have thought of an aid package.” Wash was emptying his knapsack. He spread a small blanket and placed sandwiches and chunks of cheese in the middle.
“It’s ok. I’ve had worse. Come to think of it, that could have been much worse.” Zoe saw Wash blanche and knew he understood that. “Thank you.”
“Just glad I could be there.” Wash looked up. “Very glad.”
They ate their lunch quietly, the Cascades barely a hiss in the distance. As they cleaned up Wash considered the cave. “I wish I had a holo-recorder. I never want to forget this place.”
Zoe looked around as she stood, wishing to impress every detail on her memory. “I guess we’ll just have to remind each other.”
Wash put an arm around her waist. “You’re on.” He nuzzled her neck until she laughed and pulled away.
“We should be getting back.”
“Oh yes, Mal may have gambled away everything he just earned and will need your help to pick pockets for the toll off-planet.”
Zoe made a face. “That hardly ever happens. We’ve been gone from Serenity for a while. Kaylee might want a hand with the new parts she’s bought.”
“Well if you’re in that much of a hurry to try and kill yourself again…”
Zoe stuck her tongue out at Wash.
“Now I really wish I had a holo-recorder! Who would ever believe me that Zoe stuck her tongue out at me?” Wash picked up the lantern and headed into the cavern and back toward the waterfall.
“Nobody. Not that you will ever tell.” Zoe was smiling but she let the driving certainty in her voice let Wash know she wasn’t kidding.
“Hm. We shall see.”
With some trepidation they faced the ledge again. Wash again went first but left the rope in the last piton. He didn’t have the equipment to remove them, he said, so the pitons would have to stay. Zoe eased her way across the drop off and they both made it off the cliff with little excitement. Wash had been pulling the rope off the line as they went. Back under the trees he looped it and put it away. Then he picked up his walking stick where he’d left it and they both walked back to the shuttle.
At the shuttle a light flickered on the comm. - a hail from Serenity. Zoe returned the hail and Mal was soon on the line.
“Where the hell have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you for an hour! We need to get off planet now.” Mal looked more anxious than angry.
Wash and Zoe exchanged looks. “We’ve been at Kittering Ridge - the Domei Cascades. Cap’n something go wrong?”
“Oh no! Everything is just shiney! Except Private Bigelow got himself pinched for trading genetically modified seeds and now Alliance investigators want to know how they got planetside! Other than that, everything is [candied sheep excrement, a whore’s flea infested pillow, salt water offered to a drowning man]!”
“Copy, sir. We’re on our way right now.” Zoe nodded to Wash and he put the shuttle in the air.
“I hope Kaylee’s had time to put that new governor on Serenity.” Wash shook his head and glanced at Zoe. She was looking at him with a grin on her face. “What?”
“Oh, nothing.” She sat back in her seat. “It’s been a great day.”
They held hands for most of the way back to Serenity.
I love feedback, please tell me what you thought!
The next morning Zoe walked into the galley at 0900 to find Wash stuffing a knapsack with what looked like carefully wrapped provisions. A twin knapsack sat beside it, already closed. Coffee was already percolating and an enticing smell came from the stove. Zoe smiled broadly and kept her questions to herself. Wash looked up and smiled, “Morning, Zoe.” He frowned for a moment. “Do you really think you need your gun?”
“Always take it with me unless side arms are banned.” She looked pointedly at Wash. “And I don’t really know where we’re going.” Truthfully, she had thought of leaving her shotgun behind. It seemed unnecessary. And just about all the cities on Prospect Stage were well policed and thus obvious weaponry attracted attention she didn’t like.
“And wherever side arms are banned I’m guessing you just switch to something more discrete. No, I don’t think they’re banned where we’re going.” Wash shook his head and began loading food onto two plates. He brightened as he gestured to a spot at the table for Zoe to sit. “Ready for some fun?”
Zoe couldn’t resist. “I am. Though I suppose I’ll settle for spending the day with you.” She couldn’t keep from grinning, though.
Wash tried to look abashed but failed. “I have a great day planned and you, sour-puss, are not going to ruin it!” Once she took her seat Wash served up a tidy breakfast of eggs, potatoes and toast and a mug of coffee for each.
Zoe’s stomach rumbled. “Did you pick this up yesterday? It smells terrific.”
“I did. Fresh food is the best. Too bad cap’n won’t let us use any of the cargo space for our own foodstuffs. Man wasn’t meant to live on protein packs endlessly.”
“Well, then, I’m surprised you’re digging in right away. Wouldn’t you want to save it for a special occasion? At least for something once we’ve left Prospect Stage?”
“See? That’s the difference between you and me. Every moment is special. That might sound like [sugary monkey’s balls] to you, but it’s meal time and here’s the makings of a fine meal! ‘Sides tomorrow morning I can pick up a few more things before we leave.”
“Well thank you for sharing, Wash. It’s really tasty.” The eggs were a little rubbery and the potatoes weren’t cooked all the way but, Zoe reasoned, she’d gotten used to far worse long ago.
Wash tried to encourage an attempt at eating mindfully but after a bite of undercooked potatoes decided it would be best to wrap up breakfast and get on with the day. Zoe tried to peek in the knapsacks as Wash cleared the table but he pulled them away and wagged a finger. Zoe was chastised and waited patiently until he was ready to go.
They each shouldered a knapsack and Wash led the way to one of the shuttles. Zoe maintained outward calm as Wash closed the shuttle doors and set about engaging the engine but had to acknowledge that inwardly, she was quite excited. She had always maintained she didn’t like surprises. She knew herself well enough to be honest about when she was uncomfortable. And she was almost inevitably uncomfortable when there were so many variables she couldn’t help but be at a disadvantage. Even in situations where she had to give her self-determination she kept her eyes open, determined to learn as much about the details of her predicament as possible. To resist the wish to know, to allow herself this mystery she would have once thought it impossible. But as she listened to Wash call to the control tower for a clear path out of the busy skies over Tin-jeon, she realized she trusted him and moreover that she wanted to receive his surprise with as much joy as he took to keep it. Briefly she recalled Anna’s knowing eyes and felt her face warm.
Wash sat back and immediately stiffened. He dug into a pocket at his hip and pulled out the traveling Buddha that Anna had given him. Somewhat embarrassed, he set the little statue on the communicator. “He’s going to be our mascot.” Once permission was secured Wash pulled on his seat straps and disengaged the shuttle from Serenity.
Tin-jeon was situated beside a broad inland sea. Wash’s course set out over the water and Zoe strained to see the lush greenery fall away. The water sparkled almost blindingly in the daylight. “Doesn’t this just beat staring at the insides of Serenity for another day?” asked Wash.
“Mh. It’s nice,” contended Zoe.
“Nice?! Oh I’ll give you nice. Just you wait and see.”
After a few minutes the water gave way to land yet again. It flew by as a patchwork of grids unevenly shoved together far below. Prospect Stage had been a roaring success for terra-forming largely because it was already very close to acceptable habitable parameters with many natural advantages to most worlds. There was abundant fresh water, two of the six continents had huge swaths of nitrogen rich soil, all but one of the continents were known to have great reserves of minerals and precious metals. In short order agriculture had become one of its booming industries and it became known as the breadbasket to the quadrant. Luxury space cruisers prided themselves on offering meals of fresh goods from Prospect Stage. Wealthy Core residents who fretted about overusing the land and reduced nutritional value of locally grown products sang praises to Prospect Stage. Furthermore, the planet boasted a lot of natural beauty caused by a still-dissipating Ice Age. Travelers went on holidays to the sheer white ocean cliffs and toasted the brilliant sunsets with highly valued Ziyhong wines. Adventurers took to the chasms at Mocambi and raced each other to the bottom in personal external gliders. And of course there was -
“Are we going to Kittering Ridge?” asked Zoe.
“Oh well, fine. If you’re going to figure out the surprise…” Wash glanced at Zoe with a grin on his face. On the horizon Zoe could see mountains fast approaching. Wash would either have to go to a greater elevation very soon or turn to avoid smashing into the mountains of Kittering Ridge. Instead, he slowed the shuttle and scanned the foothills for a place to land.
As the shuttle set down Zoe spied a series of large waterfalls in the distance, perhaps two miles away. She wondered if they were the famed Domai Cascades. Supposedly they had inspired a large number of songs and paintings. The area looked entirely natural, verdant, and free of people. However, once on the ground Zoe could see trails that had likely been created by previous visitors. A hush enveloped Zoe and Wash as they stepped out of the shuttle. Quietly they shouldered their packs, closed up the shuttle and picked a path into the forest and up toward the mountains. For a minute or two the only sounds Zoe could pick out was a thin whistling of wind in the top branches of the trees and the crunch of pebbles underfoot. But by and by she attuned to bits of birdsong and in the distance a thunder that must have been the Cascades spilling into the Vajrapani River.
As they walked on the sky become occluded by branches holding so many hues of green Zoe nearly felt undone trying to pick each one out. The forest had its own ceiling that vaulted overhead like the grandest temples, all soaring buttresses and complex eaves. The air was fresh and redolent with sap and flowers. On the forest floor it was a bit cool but from the pace they were setting Zoe knew they would be warm soon enough.
Zoe glanced at Wash and noticed him watching her with some amusement. He had picked up a walking stick. “You’ll turn into the Traveling Buddha yet.”
“I might at that. You ever been some place like this?”
“Not really. They say-“ Zoe stopped, unsure if the reference was appropriate in a such a peaceful place. She kept walking at a slower pace and Wash stayed beside her.
“They say all kinds of things. What do they say this time?”
Zoe took a deep breath and looked around, exhaling slowly. “They say Serenity Valley was as lush and beautiful a place as you could hope for. When I got there the forests had been mowed down. Heard once that the battles had wiped out three different kinds of animal when they couldn’t find somewhere else to live during the fight.” She allowed just a kernel of pity to manifest itself in the pit of her stomach. She looked at Wash. “I rarely went planetside before the U-war. Wherever the Browncoats took up arms, soon nothing grew taller than your knee and the only animals around were vermin.”
It was Wash’s turn to look into the depths of the forest. Zoe pushed away the pity and resumed listening to the forest. Beside her Wash poked his stick into the loam at every other step. Occasionally he pulled up the muddy end of the stick for close study. After a few minutes he spoke again, carefully and slowly picking his words and stringing them together like a jeweler with fine gems. “The U-war. It’s…it’s not done with you. Or Mal. Do you…do you ever wonder…. Do you think you might want to live without carrying it with you everywhere?” He nodded to Zoe’s shotgun before looking away again.
Zoe responded plainly, almost automatically. It kept the defensiveness from her voice: “I lost more friends and family than I care to say.” She fell silent for a minute. “There ain’t much business available that doesn’t require an Alliance stamp on it somewhere. At least the U-war taught us to do what needed to be done to get by. Useful for facing thugs and avoiding notice.” The pace picked up a little.
Wash puffed. “Hey, I may not have fought much during the U-war but I’ll have you know I’ve been through a few scrapes in my time. And I’ve even gotten my own self out of one or two of ‘em.”
Zoe laughed. “Did you tell knock-knock jokes until they plead mercy and let you go free?”
“Look, I may not carry a gun night and day but I know which end means business!” Wash held up his hands in the vague shape of pistols and fired them off with accompanying onomatopoeia.
The surroundings had changed subtly. The trail had started up the side of a hill and the ground became somewhat stonier. The trees were getting less leafy and more adorned with needles. In general the flora became more sparse. Zoe wondered if there were animals in the vicinity or if they cleared out at their approach. She admitted to herself with some chagrin that she would make a terrible hunter. At a fork in the road Wash led the way toward the top of this hill.
The view was stunning. From where they stood Zoe and Wash could see as well as hear the Domai Cascades crashing into the crystal blue Vajrapani. On the far shore Zoe could make out a doe and a fawn drinking from the river. The Kittering cliffs over which the Cascades fell were broad and bleached white. Zoe had heard that people sometimes climbed them to access caves loaded with treasure for the taking. The idea of gold and diamonds lying about without so much as a sign reading “keep out” was unlikely but there was certainly some allure to investigate the cliffs more closely. Wash was already on a path headed in their direction.
As the noise from the Cascades grew, Zoe had to raise her voice. “Did Anna Bigelow tell you about this place?”
“Yep. She thought I’d like to get outdoors and stretch my legs. Not a bad idea, I have to say.”
“Did she happen to mention it as an idea for you or something you could bring me to?”
“Ah.” Wash coughed delicately. “It may have been at that.” He blushed and avoided looking Zoe in the eye.
Zoe smiled to herself and said nothing. As they approached the cliff face Zoe wondered if Wash did indeed mean to climb it. She wasn’t so sure about moving on a potentially slick rock face without a rope and harness. The trail they were on widened to a point and then stopped before a drop off over the river. A few trees reached out from the hillside and hid part of the cliff side. Zoe could see the cliff wasn’t perfectly smooth and boulders jutted out here and there. There was almost a trail the hugged the wall until it disappeared under the water.
Wash took off his knapsack. He had to yell to be heard. “The rope is in your knapsack.” He dug into his and pulled out a handful of pitons and a mallet. “It was a little short notice so we’re going to have to be rudimentary.”
Zoe pulled off her knapsack and found the rope easily. It looked to be two pieces of at least 40 feet each. They were all that had been in her knapsack. She couldn’t begin to guess where Wash had found the pitons.
“We’re not actually going to be secure, but it looks like having a rope line to hold on to would be a good idea. The rocks are going to be slick and that’s at least a 200 foot drop into the drink.” Wash looked at Zoe suddenly. “You’re not afraid of heights are you?”
“Nope. If you can do it, I can do it.”
Wash looked like he was going to say something but then thought better of it. He found the end of one of the ropes and tied it to one of the branches of the trees leaning out over the cliff. He tugged on it and watched the branch wave around and then inspected the knot. “Pull on this line would you? And tell me if you trust it.”
Zoe saw it was pressed against a smaller offshoot and so it wouldn’t slide as long as the knot held. She pulled with all her weight and the tie didn’t move. She handed the line back to Wash. “It’s good.”
The trail, such as it was, amounted to a ledge barely a foot wide. Each step had to be taken carefully. In some places all there really was to step on was a rock that couldn’t accommodate the whole foot. At every ten or so feet Wash wrapped the free end of the line around his waist and found a place to drive in a piton. In two places he found pitons already in placed that wouldn’t budge even when struck with the mallet. Carefully hugging the rocks he would then feed the rope through the piton. It got easier as there was less rope to thread. But at 40 feet, and still about a dozen feet short of the waterfall -Zoe now saw they would go behind it - Wash pulled the second rope from his shoulder and tied it to the end of the first rope. He cursed as he had to make the knot ever so slowly and carefully.
Zoe was becoming aware of an ache in her shoulders from holding on. Every shift in her weight made her position precarious and even though she was honestly unafraid of heights, she was not without respect for the considerable mess she would become if she lost her balance. She watched Wash work on the rope with considerable nerves tightening in her stomach. She pushed away any thoughts about what might happen and concentrated on staying on the wall.
The air was colder, wetter. The plume of mist didn’t reach as high as they were but there were still fine droplets of water in the air that clung to the stones and to their clothes. As her hands became cold and slick, Zoe was glad of the rope to hold onto. The thunder of the water made it impossible to hear anything else.
Wash got her attention and pointed ahead. There was a space of a few feet between the rock wall and the waterfall. The ledge they were on, however, all but disappeared for a about four feet, likely disintegrated by the water. Zoe looked at him quizzically. Were they just going to turn back? Wash pointed down and Zoe saw a pair of small rocks jutting out. They weren’t much for placing faith but apparently that’s all there was.
Wash wrapped the rope around him and carefully lowered himself to step on one rock, fingers of one hand curled into the rock face and the other hand wrapped in rope. Zoe admitted to herself that she had perhaps been hasty in boasting she could match him on a cliff, a good two hundred feet over a river. Gingerly he stepped to the next stone, in the process crossing his legs and extending the arm on the rocks as far as it could go. The line shuddered as Wash quickly switched hands. Zoe’s guts tightened until she almost couldn’t breathe. Wash paused to catch his breath. He looked up at Zoe and grinned. She found she couldn’t smile back. The far ledge was in his reach now, though it came up to his chest. One foot was on the rock, one hand held onto the rope tightly. The other foot and knee were wedged against the part of the ledge the curled under so that Wash was in the most ungainly pose. With his free arm Wash drove a piton into a wedge with great deliberation. He would slowly raise the mallet and each strike would send a hard shudder down the line. When he was satisfied with it he tossed his mallet onto the ledge. Wash then unwrapped the rope and threaded it through the piton. He wrapped the remains of the rope around his arm and hand and using his free arm and legs scrambled onto the ledge. It wasn’t particularly graceful but it got the job done.
Zoe pressed her lips together. She wasn’t going back. Wash was pulling the end of the line into a loop around his arm. He swung it out to her. She missed and it unspooled below them. He drew it up and looped it again. This time she caught the toss. Zoe wrapped the rope around herself the way she had seen Wash do and took several breaths before stepping down to the rock. She leaned against the rock face to switch her hands and nearly fell as rope twisted and she pivoted on her hip. Heart slamming in her chest, Zoe dug her fingers into a thin crack to right herself. The other hand was burning on the rope. She willed herself to stop shaking and carefully crossed her legs to step onto the next rock. She stepped onto it and was relieved to put a hand on the ledge. She smeared her free foot on the underhang and took up the slack on the line. Wash was crouched on the ledge, less than a foot away. Zoe started to pull herself onto the ledge the way she had seen Wash do but her boot slipped from the underhang and one hand was wrested from the rocks. The line bit fiercely into her arm and from the rush of air in her lungs Zoe realized she was screaming. A hand was wrapped around her free wrist and another grasped her upper arm. Her flailing leg bounced against the underhang and painfully bruised her knee. Pulling hard against the rope and with Wash’s help she gave herself enough leverage to pull herself up to her waist over the ledge. Wash grabbed her belt and pulled until Zoe was completely on the ledge.
Impulsively Wash folded Zoe into his arms even before she was done pulling the rope off her arm. Zoe could think of nothing but the strange comfort it was. With the great turmoil of the Cascades an arm’s length away, they were still. Zoe’s breathing steadied and she became aware of Wash holding her. Feeling much more certain of being able to keep from falling she pulled free of his arms and stood up. After a moment Wash followed suit. He picked up the mallet and put it in his knapsack without looking at her and continued down the ledge.
Zoe wondered if she had upset him. This was something…real. With real consequences. Zoe considered what she was doing and decided she was following Wash. And it was the right thing to do. Ahead, the Cascades continued on a slight curve for another seventy feet and Zoe couldn’t see anything but water and stone. Except there looked to be an opening in the rock. It was a crevice just slightly above the ledge and about the size of a footlocker. Wash gestured to it. Then he got on his hands and knees and crawled in. Wincing on a bruised knee and mangled arm, Zoe did the same.
Inside the cave seemed roomier, however it was dark. A grey light came from the crevice and the sound of the waterfall was already muffled. Zoe could dimly make out Wash searching his knapsack. Finally he produced a small lantern that blazoned with a twist. She saw that this was just the entrance to a cave that seemed to get bigger the further back it went. Here there was moss on the stones and bit away from the crevice the walls were lined with mushrooms. Zoe stood but found she had to stay crouched. The further back she went the more she could stand.
“We’re almost to the part I thought you’d like to see.” Wash sounded deflated almost like he barely refrained from saying “if that’s what you want.”
Zoe was surprised both at the tone and that there was still more. “Oh, I thought the Cascades were it. What else is there?” She hoped she sounded light.
“Right this way.” Wash lifted the lantern and Zoe saw the cavern twisted and sloped downward. Ahead the walls seemed to glow in a variety of muted colors. Dodging stalactites and stalagmites, they walked about another hundred feet. Zoe observed crystalline structures in the walls becoming more pronounced. Another turn in the cavern and they were in a sort of room completely lined with crystals in riot of colors. The light from the lantern bounced around in blues and oranges and yellows and greens and reds and violets.
Zoe sucked in her breath. She stepped forward and just about twirled in the glow of refracted light. “My God. This is beautiful.”
“It certainly is.” Wash stood still for a moment, openly taking in the room and Zoe standing in the middle of it. Then he set the lantern down and pulled off his knapsack. “I thought this might be a good place to have lunch.” Again he sounded almost uncertain.
If Zoe was going to follow Wash it wasn’t going to be on a trail of self-pity. “Wash you said you’d been scrapes and you’ve gotten yourself out of a couple.”
Baffled, Wash said, “yeah…?”
“Do you know the easiest way to disarm someone?”
“Uh.” Wash considered. “I guess the easiest is…um…”
“You ask to see that someone’s gun.” Zoe crossed her arms and held his gaze. “You wouldn’t believe how easy it is.”
“But…” Wash looked from Zoe’s face to her shotgun and back.
“And how effective. Try it.”
Wash swallowed and forced himself to maintain eye contact. “Zoe.”
“Yes?”
“May I see your gun?”
“Sure.” With one hand Zoe pulled her shotgun loose and handed it over, handle first. Her arms returned to her sides as she watched him carefully.
Without so much as glancing at it, Wash took it and gently laid it over his knapsack. “Nice gun.”
“I think so.”
Wash took a step toward Zoe. “Zoe.”
“Yes?”
“I have a request.”
“What is it?”
He took another step and was in arm’s reach. “I’d really like to kiss you now.”
“I’d really like that.”
Wash and Zoe met in the center of the chamber lined with crystals. They warmed each other generously and held each other tightly. And when they kissed they were each made a little dizzy by it.
After a few minutes they broke apart, conceding hunger. They sat on the floor and Wash pulled out two small jugs of water. Zoe rolled up a sleeve and inspected the welts on her arm. The skin was broken in two places. She poured some of the water on her arm and hissed through her teeth.
“Sorry I don’t have any balm for injury or spare cloth. I should have thought of an aid package.” Wash was emptying his knapsack. He spread a small blanket and placed sandwiches and chunks of cheese in the middle.
“It’s ok. I’ve had worse. Come to think of it, that could have been much worse.” Zoe saw Wash blanche and knew he understood that. “Thank you.”
“Just glad I could be there.” Wash looked up. “Very glad.”
They ate their lunch quietly, the Cascades barely a hiss in the distance. As they cleaned up Wash considered the cave. “I wish I had a holo-recorder. I never want to forget this place.”
Zoe looked around as she stood, wishing to impress every detail on her memory. “I guess we’ll just have to remind each other.”
Wash put an arm around her waist. “You’re on.” He nuzzled her neck until she laughed and pulled away.
“We should be getting back.”
“Oh yes, Mal may have gambled away everything he just earned and will need your help to pick pockets for the toll off-planet.”
Zoe made a face. “That hardly ever happens. We’ve been gone from Serenity for a while. Kaylee might want a hand with the new parts she’s bought.”
“Well if you’re in that much of a hurry to try and kill yourself again…”
Zoe stuck her tongue out at Wash.
“Now I really wish I had a holo-recorder! Who would ever believe me that Zoe stuck her tongue out at me?” Wash picked up the lantern and headed into the cavern and back toward the waterfall.
“Nobody. Not that you will ever tell.” Zoe was smiling but she let the driving certainty in her voice let Wash know she wasn’t kidding.
“Hm. We shall see.”
With some trepidation they faced the ledge again. Wash again went first but left the rope in the last piton. He didn’t have the equipment to remove them, he said, so the pitons would have to stay. Zoe eased her way across the drop off and they both made it off the cliff with little excitement. Wash had been pulling the rope off the line as they went. Back under the trees he looped it and put it away. Then he picked up his walking stick where he’d left it and they both walked back to the shuttle.
At the shuttle a light flickered on the comm. - a hail from Serenity. Zoe returned the hail and Mal was soon on the line.
“Where the hell have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you for an hour! We need to get off planet now.” Mal looked more anxious than angry.
Wash and Zoe exchanged looks. “We’ve been at Kittering Ridge - the Domei Cascades. Cap’n something go wrong?”
“Oh no! Everything is just shiney! Except Private Bigelow got himself pinched for trading genetically modified seeds and now Alliance investigators want to know how they got planetside! Other than that, everything is [candied sheep excrement, a whore’s flea infested pillow, salt water offered to a drowning man]!”
“Copy, sir. We’re on our way right now.” Zoe nodded to Wash and he put the shuttle in the air.
“I hope Kaylee’s had time to put that new governor on Serenity.” Wash shook his head and glanced at Zoe. She was looking at him with a grin on her face. “What?”
“Oh, nothing.” She sat back in her seat. “It’s been a great day.”
They held hands for most of the way back to Serenity.
I love feedback, please tell me what you thought!