(Untitled)

[gonna_live]

Simon and Kaylee have been outside, so as not to be overheard. But as they're done with the part that's got to stay quiet, there are other things to be doing

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[simon_doctor]

Simon looks around in some interest as they start down the stairs.

"I've never been down this way," he says. "...I don't think I even knew this was here."

[gonna_live]

Kaylee's smile is a little tight. "I been down here before."

A lot.

The lights are a little dim downstairs; Kaylee goes ahead and punches the button to bring them up. "We're over in the corner."

A Firefly isn't all that small, and once they round a corner it's a little easy to see.

The cargo door is shut.

[simon_doctor]

He slows, then comes to a dead stop. Staring.

It's a Firefly. It's Serenity. With its outer hull scorched and scarred, and one engine missing, and --

And he's seen it looking something like this once before, oh yes.

[gonna_live]

"Believe it or not," Kaylee says, voice echoing a little even though she's troubling to keep it down, "the work goes a little slower when it's just two folks."

[simon_doctor]

A step forward, and another, slow.

In a whisper: "Where did it come from?"

[gonna_live]

She shakes her head. "Don't know." She's not whispering. "Captain just... showed her to me. I think he found her. And -- this was months ago. We been workin' on her ever since."

[simon_doctor]

He can see, now, as she's speaking, the places where repair work's been done on the battered ship.

"Why just the two of you?" No longer a whisper, but not much louder; there's no judgment in the question, only curiosity.

[gonna_live]

"The inside looks better," she says, a little absently. "We been doing more work in there. I guess we didn't want to put everybody through thinkin' about it all over again. Mal wants to save everybody from it. And I just want her whole so nobody worries."

[simon_doctor]

The inside looks better; he's remembering how it looked when they first returned to the ship, all of them injured in one way or another, unable to find any sign of --

"Can you show me?" he murmurs. "Inside?"

[gonna_live]

Kaylee's smile is a little sad.

"You sure you want to?"

[simon_doctor]

We agreed not to be scared.

He nods silently.

[gonna_live]

There's a handpad fitted loosely outside the cargo bay door. Kaylee presses her palm flat against it.

The light flashes green. The heavy door clicks. Kaylee shoves her shoulder against it, and it creaks open. "Keyed to me and the captain," she murmurs as she fishes in her pocket, "but we could change it. If it ever got to be a good idea."

She was fishing for her multitool, with the little penlight on the end. Shining it inside, she says, stepping up into the ship, "Wait here, and I'll hit the lights."

[simon_doctor]

The cargo bay's a cavern, but even in the darkness it feels smaller after the vastness of the garage. He knows the shapes outlined by the flicker of the penlight, knows where the floor stops and the walls begin, where the catwalks cross overhead.

He stands by the door, and waits.

[gonna_live]

Light.

It's not the right kind of light; it's a little harsh, and a little too small. Kaylee's had to rig up something with a lot of work-lamps and a little generator. Shielded bulbs are strung all over the walls, and up from the catwalks, and from the catwalks at the ceiling.

The deckplates aren't all whole: some of them are still crusted in what looks like burned flotsam and jetsam. Some of them are pulled up entirely. And some of them are way, way too shiny-new. Or shiny-repaired.

"Watch your step," Kaylee says, low, coming back over to him and slipping the multitool back in her pocket. "I'm not haulin' you out of here with a broken ankle. Or face."

[simon_doctor]

Of course, he thinks, after the first moment of surprise. No engine power, not even auxiliary.

"Hao," he says, moving to meet her. Carefully.

[gonna_live]

"This is where we been workin' most often."

Kaylee's speaking to the catwalk in front of the infirmary door. "Lately, anyhow. We got -- all that -- business -- "

Because what do you call it?

" -- hauled out from the bridge. Need to replace the screens, though. Kitchen's set arights, living space is all right, and we're about as done with the avionics as we can get without a real system to do it with. The shuttles didn't take much of a hit. Engine's next."