Can't Stop Fighting 2 - Persephone
Can’t Stop Fighting 2/? - Persephone
Author: Rhiannon Morwenna
Summary: The transport Aurora lands on Persephone, and Liam meets an old acquaintance
Rating: G
Characters: Liam O’Connor/Angel, Mal, Simon, River
Pairing: none - gen
Warning: mild angst
Spoilers/Timeline: Post BDM
Sequel To: Can’t Stop Fighting 1
Series: Can’t Stop Fighting
Disclaimer: Don’t own any of the characters, they're all Joss's, so don’t sue. The story is the product of my crack-happy brain. Also, I’m my own beta-reader right now. Cross-posted to ff_fanfic and afterserenity.
Persephone.
Angel stepped off the Aurora and blinked at the bright sunlight after the relative dimness of the transport. It’s been decades since he set foot in this place, but after a few minutes of walking around he mentally noted what had changed, what was the same. He found a place that rented rooms, and rented one for a week, paid up front. He deposited his crates in the room, opened the crate of his personal belongings, and opened a compartment inside the lid, revealing an assortment of weapons. He strapped a gun-belt around his hips, checking he had 2 spare clips for the weapon. He strapped a long knife to his fore-arm, spring-loaded so it would shoot into his hand if he needed it. He put on his long black coat, concealing the weapons, and headed back out into the city.
Angel wandered Persephone City for several hours before deciding that the best place to hear what was going on in the Rim was to go have a drink. He found a bar near the spaceport, and went inside. He sat down at the bar, and ordered a drink. He sat there for a while, listening to the conversations in the bar, not hearing anything remarkable.
“Hello, Liam,” said a quiet voice from beside him. “It’s been a long time.”
Angel turned sharply, he didn’t hear anyone sit next to him. He saw a young woman with dark hair and wide eyes perched on the stool next to him, smiling brightly.
“I’m sorry, do I know you?” asked Angel.
“Not yet. Or always,” she replied cryptically.
Angel eyed her. “Young lady I think you’ve had too much to drink. I’ve never met you before in my entire life.”
“Don’t worry, you will.”
Angel looked at her again with a raised eyebrow, and turned back to his drink. He heard someone else come up beside him, next to the girl.
“River, what are you doing in here? I’ve been looking all over for you!” the man asked, worried.
Angel could smell the worry rolling off of him. He kept to himself as the two talked. Best to stay out of their business.
“I knew where you were, Simon. I’m perfectly safe. I’ve been talking to Liam here,” she turned to Angel again, smiling at him brightly. “Liam, you remember my brother, Simon, don’t you?”
Angel looked at the pair, looked at the front of his coat, then back to the pair. “Does it have my name on here somewhere? I don’t recall ever meeting either of you two before.”
River continued, ignoring Angel’s remark, “Simon, Liam used to come to the house when you were little, to visit father. They were friends, before I was born. You remember him.” It wasn’t a question.
Simon finally really looked at Angel, and his eyes widened. “Liam? Liam O’Connor? But you can’t be him, you look the same as you did 25 years ago.”
Angel silently swore. “I am Liam O’Connor II, my father was Liam also. You must have me confused with him. It’s nice meeting you, River and Simon. I didn’t catch your last names, though.”
Simon hesitated, but River, still beaming said “Tam. Our father is Gabriel Tam. Stop pretending you don’t know who we are. And you’re coming with us, you need family. There’s room on our ship.”
“River, mei mei, I think the Captain would like some say on who he takes on board his ship.”
Angel wasn’t paying much attention as what River had just said hit him. Gabriel Tam. These were Gabriel Tam’s children. He took a deep breath, inhaling their scent, confirming they shared the same blood with Gabriel. Wuh de tyen, ah, he thought. This couldn’t be happening.
“River, your brother is right. I can’t come aboard someone else’s ship unless without invitation. I don’t think the Captain would like a stowaway,” Angel reasoned.
“I’ve already had your belongings moved to Serenity. Come on, Liam,” River grabbed his arm, “You’re coming with us. The Captain could use somebody else on the crew right now anyway.”
Simon shrugged apologetically as River guided Angel out of the bar and to the spaceport. Angel let her guide him toward whatever their destination was, still trying to figure out what those two were doing out here, and how River knew who he was. As they approached a cargo ship a man wearing a long brown coat walked out of the hold.
“River, you got somethin’ to do with this cargo showin’ up on Serenity?” he asked her. He then looked at the man she was pulling by the arm. “And exactly who have you gone and dragged with you?”
“Captain Malcolm Reynolds, this is Liam O’Connor, and he’s going to be a member of the crew. He’s a friend, we can trust him. You needed another crew member, and he needs a job. Those are his belongings I had sent here.”
Angel watched quietly as the Captain took River aside, and despite what the Captain might have thought, he heard every word. “Lil’ Albatross, I know ya can read people, so I trust you that he ain’t gonna be a problem. We came here lookin’ for a pilot, and you ain’t said nothing yet that say’s he’s one.”
“That’s because he isn’t one. You don’t need a pilot, you need an extra set of hands. Serenity likes it when I pilot her, just like she likes Kaylee taking care of her engines. Why don’t we show Liam his bunk?” River said cheerfully as she bounced back to Simon and Angel, not giving Mal a chance to respond.
Mal shook his head and followed. He looked at Liam appraisingly. “Well, since River trusts ya, an' I trust her you’re welcome aboard Serenity. Now, I don’t mean to hurry ya, but we do be needin’ to get goin’. If you’re gonna come with us, come on board. If not, I suggest you be grabbin’ your stuff ‘cause we are goin’ to be takin’ off real soon.”
Angel looked at River and Simon before looking back at the Captain. “If you could use another set of hands, I don’t have anywhere to be.”
“Right, then. Welcome to the crew of Serenity. Pardon me if I cut this short, we need to get out of atmo,” Mal turned to River. “Lil’ Albatross, get yourself up to the bridge, we’re takin’ off. Simon, if you would show Liam to a bunk, I got Cap’ny things to do.” With that Mal turned and followed River to the bridge.
“Don’t worry, Liam. The Captain is a great guy, once you get to know him. If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to one of the passenger dorms, which happens to be near River and I. If you like, I can give you the grand tour once we leave atmo, meet the rest of the crew,” Simon explained as he lead Angel to the passenger dorms.
“That will be good, I need to learn my way around here," Angel mentally took note of the layout of the ship as he followed Simon to the passenger dorms. "So, Simon, tell me how you and River ended up all the way out here? From what I remember of my father telling me, the Tams lived on one of the Core Worlds.”
Simon smiled sadly, stopping outside an empty passenger dorm, gesturing for Angel to enter. “That’s a long story. I guess we could talk while River pilots us out of here, if you don’t mind me coming into your room. I know she’ll be right back as soon as she plots a course for wherever we’re heading next.”
Angel stepped inside his room, surprised slightly by how large it was for a ship this small. He sat down on the bed, and gestured for Simon to come in. “I might as well have some company, and hear your story. My father didn’t tell me much about your family, mentioned your father a couple of times and that’s about it.”
Simon sat down and sighed. “Where to start? You’re right about us being from the Core. We lived on Osiris, in Capital City. River is a genius, and when she was fourteen our parents sent her to a special Academy for the gifted. I was finishing medical school when she left, and I started getting letters from her that were, well, odd. She was leaving clues that things weren’t right, so I looked into this Academy. The Alliance was experimenting on her, turning her into some kind of weapon. I used all my contacts to get in and managed to rescue her, but not after they left her severely damaged, mentally. She’s getting better, but her behavior is pretty much normal for her. Don’t let what she says frighten you, she’s not always aware of what she says, or does.” Simon paused, shaking his head. “So now we’re both wanted by the Alliance, on the run for almost a year now. All I ever wanted was to keep my mei mei safe, which now means we’re both hunted.”
“Ren-ci de Fo-zu! The gorram Alliance did that to a teenage girl? Tian xiao-de,” Angel swore. “Gods, Simon…” Angel trailed off, trying to digest what he’d heard, unable to say anything.
Simon smiled sadly at Angel, understanding the lack of words. “Liam, there’s something else you should know about River. The Alliance turned her into a Reader, a psychic. Believe me when I say she’s much more stable than she was when I rescued her, but her abilities have only increased. That has to be how she knew who you were, she gleaned the information from your mind and mine. She didn’t get all of it right, which is why she thought you were your father. The fact she is a Reader is why the Captain, Mal, let you on as crew at her recommendation. This crew is held together by trust. She saw something in you that makes her trust in you completely, so the crew will trust you in return. I hope that you can trust us in return.”
Angel nodded, and studied Simon. He could smell that Simon wasn’t lying, or at least he thought what he said was true. “I’m here, aren’t I? I could have collected my belongings and left after River introduced me to the Captain.”
Simon chuckled. “That’s what you think. River wasn’t going to let you go anywhere, and you couldn’t have stopped her from bringing you here. I only hope that you don’t resent her or me for it,” Simon stood and turned to leave. “Anyway, I’ll let you get settled in before the tour. I’m next door, and River’s room is across the hall. I’ll just be in my room if you need anything.”
“Thank you, Simon, I appreciate filling me in. Or is it Dr. Tam?” Angel asked with a smile.
“Simon is fine. Out here I can’t get anyone to call me Dr. Tam, so there’s no point in you being the only one,” Simon said through a genuine smile. River must be rubbing off on me, trusting someone so readily, he thought as he left.
Angel was left in his room to digest what he’d been told. The latest generation of Tams were on the run from the Alliance, out here in the Rim. He cradled his head in his hands. They were so out of their element. He didn’t know how he was going to do it, but he knew he had to protect River and Simon. A Reader. Angel shuddered. He only hoped that he could block her from reading the deepest parts of his mind, the places he tried desperately not to go.
Chinese used
mei mei - little sister
Wuh de tyen, ah - Dear god in heaven
Ren-ci de Fo-zu - Merciful Buddha
Tian xiao-de - In the name of all that is holy
Author: Rhiannon Morwenna
Summary: The transport Aurora lands on Persephone, and Liam meets an old acquaintance
Rating: G
Characters: Liam O’Connor/Angel, Mal, Simon, River
Pairing: none - gen
Warning: mild angst
Spoilers/Timeline: Post BDM
Sequel To: Can’t Stop Fighting 1
Series: Can’t Stop Fighting
Disclaimer: Don’t own any of the characters, they're all Joss's, so don’t sue. The story is the product of my crack-happy brain. Also, I’m my own beta-reader right now. Cross-posted to ff_fanfic and afterserenity.
Persephone.
Angel stepped off the Aurora and blinked at the bright sunlight after the relative dimness of the transport. It’s been decades since he set foot in this place, but after a few minutes of walking around he mentally noted what had changed, what was the same. He found a place that rented rooms, and rented one for a week, paid up front. He deposited his crates in the room, opened the crate of his personal belongings, and opened a compartment inside the lid, revealing an assortment of weapons. He strapped a gun-belt around his hips, checking he had 2 spare clips for the weapon. He strapped a long knife to his fore-arm, spring-loaded so it would shoot into his hand if he needed it. He put on his long black coat, concealing the weapons, and headed back out into the city.
Angel wandered Persephone City for several hours before deciding that the best place to hear what was going on in the Rim was to go have a drink. He found a bar near the spaceport, and went inside. He sat down at the bar, and ordered a drink. He sat there for a while, listening to the conversations in the bar, not hearing anything remarkable.
“Hello, Liam,” said a quiet voice from beside him. “It’s been a long time.”
Angel turned sharply, he didn’t hear anyone sit next to him. He saw a young woman with dark hair and wide eyes perched on the stool next to him, smiling brightly.
“I’m sorry, do I know you?” asked Angel.
“Not yet. Or always,” she replied cryptically.
Angel eyed her. “Young lady I think you’ve had too much to drink. I’ve never met you before in my entire life.”
“Don’t worry, you will.”
Angel looked at her again with a raised eyebrow, and turned back to his drink. He heard someone else come up beside him, next to the girl.
“River, what are you doing in here? I’ve been looking all over for you!” the man asked, worried.
Angel could smell the worry rolling off of him. He kept to himself as the two talked. Best to stay out of their business.
“I knew where you were, Simon. I’m perfectly safe. I’ve been talking to Liam here,” she turned to Angel again, smiling at him brightly. “Liam, you remember my brother, Simon, don’t you?”
Angel looked at the pair, looked at the front of his coat, then back to the pair. “Does it have my name on here somewhere? I don’t recall ever meeting either of you two before.”
River continued, ignoring Angel’s remark, “Simon, Liam used to come to the house when you were little, to visit father. They were friends, before I was born. You remember him.” It wasn’t a question.
Simon finally really looked at Angel, and his eyes widened. “Liam? Liam O’Connor? But you can’t be him, you look the same as you did 25 years ago.”
Angel silently swore. “I am Liam O’Connor II, my father was Liam also. You must have me confused with him. It’s nice meeting you, River and Simon. I didn’t catch your last names, though.”
Simon hesitated, but River, still beaming said “Tam. Our father is Gabriel Tam. Stop pretending you don’t know who we are. And you’re coming with us, you need family. There’s room on our ship.”
“River, mei mei, I think the Captain would like some say on who he takes on board his ship.”
Angel wasn’t paying much attention as what River had just said hit him. Gabriel Tam. These were Gabriel Tam’s children. He took a deep breath, inhaling their scent, confirming they shared the same blood with Gabriel. Wuh de tyen, ah, he thought. This couldn’t be happening.
“River, your brother is right. I can’t come aboard someone else’s ship unless without invitation. I don’t think the Captain would like a stowaway,” Angel reasoned.
“I’ve already had your belongings moved to Serenity. Come on, Liam,” River grabbed his arm, “You’re coming with us. The Captain could use somebody else on the crew right now anyway.”
Simon shrugged apologetically as River guided Angel out of the bar and to the spaceport. Angel let her guide him toward whatever their destination was, still trying to figure out what those two were doing out here, and how River knew who he was. As they approached a cargo ship a man wearing a long brown coat walked out of the hold.
“River, you got somethin’ to do with this cargo showin’ up on Serenity?” he asked her. He then looked at the man she was pulling by the arm. “And exactly who have you gone and dragged with you?”
“Captain Malcolm Reynolds, this is Liam O’Connor, and he’s going to be a member of the crew. He’s a friend, we can trust him. You needed another crew member, and he needs a job. Those are his belongings I had sent here.”
Angel watched quietly as the Captain took River aside, and despite what the Captain might have thought, he heard every word. “Lil’ Albatross, I know ya can read people, so I trust you that he ain’t gonna be a problem. We came here lookin’ for a pilot, and you ain’t said nothing yet that say’s he’s one.”
“That’s because he isn’t one. You don’t need a pilot, you need an extra set of hands. Serenity likes it when I pilot her, just like she likes Kaylee taking care of her engines. Why don’t we show Liam his bunk?” River said cheerfully as she bounced back to Simon and Angel, not giving Mal a chance to respond.
Mal shook his head and followed. He looked at Liam appraisingly. “Well, since River trusts ya, an' I trust her you’re welcome aboard Serenity. Now, I don’t mean to hurry ya, but we do be needin’ to get goin’. If you’re gonna come with us, come on board. If not, I suggest you be grabbin’ your stuff ‘cause we are goin’ to be takin’ off real soon.”
Angel looked at River and Simon before looking back at the Captain. “If you could use another set of hands, I don’t have anywhere to be.”
“Right, then. Welcome to the crew of Serenity. Pardon me if I cut this short, we need to get out of atmo,” Mal turned to River. “Lil’ Albatross, get yourself up to the bridge, we’re takin’ off. Simon, if you would show Liam to a bunk, I got Cap’ny things to do.” With that Mal turned and followed River to the bridge.
“Don’t worry, Liam. The Captain is a great guy, once you get to know him. If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to one of the passenger dorms, which happens to be near River and I. If you like, I can give you the grand tour once we leave atmo, meet the rest of the crew,” Simon explained as he lead Angel to the passenger dorms.
“That will be good, I need to learn my way around here," Angel mentally took note of the layout of the ship as he followed Simon to the passenger dorms. "So, Simon, tell me how you and River ended up all the way out here? From what I remember of my father telling me, the Tams lived on one of the Core Worlds.”
Simon smiled sadly, stopping outside an empty passenger dorm, gesturing for Angel to enter. “That’s a long story. I guess we could talk while River pilots us out of here, if you don’t mind me coming into your room. I know she’ll be right back as soon as she plots a course for wherever we’re heading next.”
Angel stepped inside his room, surprised slightly by how large it was for a ship this small. He sat down on the bed, and gestured for Simon to come in. “I might as well have some company, and hear your story. My father didn’t tell me much about your family, mentioned your father a couple of times and that’s about it.”
Simon sat down and sighed. “Where to start? You’re right about us being from the Core. We lived on Osiris, in Capital City. River is a genius, and when she was fourteen our parents sent her to a special Academy for the gifted. I was finishing medical school when she left, and I started getting letters from her that were, well, odd. She was leaving clues that things weren’t right, so I looked into this Academy. The Alliance was experimenting on her, turning her into some kind of weapon. I used all my contacts to get in and managed to rescue her, but not after they left her severely damaged, mentally. She’s getting better, but her behavior is pretty much normal for her. Don’t let what she says frighten you, she’s not always aware of what she says, or does.” Simon paused, shaking his head. “So now we’re both wanted by the Alliance, on the run for almost a year now. All I ever wanted was to keep my mei mei safe, which now means we’re both hunted.”
“Ren-ci de Fo-zu! The gorram Alliance did that to a teenage girl? Tian xiao-de,” Angel swore. “Gods, Simon…” Angel trailed off, trying to digest what he’d heard, unable to say anything.
Simon smiled sadly at Angel, understanding the lack of words. “Liam, there’s something else you should know about River. The Alliance turned her into a Reader, a psychic. Believe me when I say she’s much more stable than she was when I rescued her, but her abilities have only increased. That has to be how she knew who you were, she gleaned the information from your mind and mine. She didn’t get all of it right, which is why she thought you were your father. The fact she is a Reader is why the Captain, Mal, let you on as crew at her recommendation. This crew is held together by trust. She saw something in you that makes her trust in you completely, so the crew will trust you in return. I hope that you can trust us in return.”
Angel nodded, and studied Simon. He could smell that Simon wasn’t lying, or at least he thought what he said was true. “I’m here, aren’t I? I could have collected my belongings and left after River introduced me to the Captain.”
Simon chuckled. “That’s what you think. River wasn’t going to let you go anywhere, and you couldn’t have stopped her from bringing you here. I only hope that you don’t resent her or me for it,” Simon stood and turned to leave. “Anyway, I’ll let you get settled in before the tour. I’m next door, and River’s room is across the hall. I’ll just be in my room if you need anything.”
“Thank you, Simon, I appreciate filling me in. Or is it Dr. Tam?” Angel asked with a smile.
“Simon is fine. Out here I can’t get anyone to call me Dr. Tam, so there’s no point in you being the only one,” Simon said through a genuine smile. River must be rubbing off on me, trusting someone so readily, he thought as he left.
Angel was left in his room to digest what he’d been told. The latest generation of Tams were on the run from the Alliance, out here in the Rim. He cradled his head in his hands. They were so out of their element. He didn’t know how he was going to do it, but he knew he had to protect River and Simon. A Reader. Angel shuddered. He only hoped that he could block her from reading the deepest parts of his mind, the places he tried desperately not to go.
Chinese used
mei mei - little sister
Wuh de tyen, ah - Dear god in heaven
Ren-ci de Fo-zu - Merciful Buddha
Tian xiao-de - In the name of all that is holy