DW/FF crossover fic: The Engineer's Gift (4/21)
Title: The Engineer’s Gift
Author: shan21non
Rating: PG-13
Beta Readers: buffyaddict13 and inkhand , who are the best!
Warnings: Swearing in Mandarin!
Pairings: Ten/Rose, Mal/Inara, a bit of Simon/Kaylee
Disclaimer: I don’t own Doctor Who or Firefly. How is that fair?
Summary: When the Doctor takes a wrong turn, he and Rose find themselves aboard Serenity. Confusion, explosions, mystery, romance, and adventure ensue!
Chapter one Chapter two Chapter three
A/N: Remember, for the Chinese phrases, all you have to do is hover your mouse over the Mandarin, and a translation will pop up.
CHAPTER FOUR
“Care to explain why your friend as two hearts?”
“Oh. That,” Rose said.
“Oh that? That’s her response?” Wash said incredulously. He whirled on Rose. “It’s not as if he said your friend has a weird mole, Girl-in-the-Fancy-Dress, he said two hearts!”
“Well, I mean, isn’t it obvious?” she replied. “He’s not human.”
There was a silent moment during which the crew stared blankly at Rose, followed by another during which they all looked at each other.
“He’s an alien. A Time Lord,” Rose clarified.
More silence followed. Finally, Mal spoke.
“Inara, is ‘Time Lord’ some fancy title on a Core planet I’m not aware of?”
“No, Mal, it is not,” Inara answered confidently.
They turned in unison back to Rose, expectantly. She threw her hands into the air.
“He can’t be the first alien you’ve encountered. You’re space travelers!”
“And I suppose you’re an alien too?” Wash asked slowly, as if he was speaking to a small child.
“Of course not,” Rose replied.
“Oh, of course not. You just travel with one,” Simon retorted.
Finally, Rose came to a troubling realization.
“Does… does no one here believe in aliens?”
“Wow. She makes River seem grounded and rational,” Wash muttered. Then he quickly added, “Sorry, Doc.”
Simon shook his head.
“No, I have to agree.”
Rose frowned.
“Who’s River?” she asked.
Wash’s eyebrows shot upwards.
“Tee wuh duh pee-goo! She’s no one,” he blurted, shooting another apologetic look at Simon. “Can we get back to the part where she thinks her boyfriend’s an alien?”
“Do you s’pose she banged her head on somethin’ back at the bar?” Kaylee asked helpfully.
“What is it with you picking up crazy girls, Mal?” Jayne asked.
“Ta ma de! Nimen de bizui!” the Captain shouted.
The group fell silent. Rose took this as her chance to correct what seemed to be a giant miscalculation.
“Okay then. Right. Just kidding!” she said, attempting a harmless smile. “He was born with two hearts. Freak birth defect.”
Mal looked entirely unamused.
“I want a straight answer out of you, and I want one now.”
Rose knew that whatever she said wouldn’t be sufficient. She needed the Doctor to back her up. Without him, she was just some crazy girl spouting nonsense.
“It’s complicated. I didn’t think-”
“Sir, no con woman would come up with somethin’ this bad,” Zoe interrupted.
“I’m inclined to believe you, Zoe, but I’ve been taken by a cunnin’ woman before, and I ain’t keen to have it happen again.”
“Ooh! Are you talkin’ about when Saffron smarted you outta your clothes, Cap’n?” Kaylee asked, clearly delighted.
“Damn it, Kaylee. Not in front of the possible con woman!” Mal huffed, sounding mildly embarrassed.
Kaylee looked abashed, but couldn’t quite wipe the smile off her face when she replied, “Sorry, Cap’n.”
Mal sighed.
“All right, let’s keep her locked up in the spare guest room while her friend recovers. Maybe we’ll get a straight answer outta him.”
“I’m telling you the truth,” Rose said.
“Sure y’are sweetheart. You’re playin’ road trip with a danged space alien,” Jayne replied.
“Oh, come on! This is the Twenty-sixth Century! Surely the human race has encountered-”
“The closest things to aliens are Reavers, and even they came from us originally,” Simon interjected.
“What are Reavers?” Rose asked.
The grave look that she received from Zoe was enough to chill her blood.
“You don’t wanna know,” the dark skinned woman said.
“Give you nightmares,” Jayne added. The grimace on his face made it clear to Rose that the man wasn’t joking.
“Zoe, Jayne, please escort our guest to her room and see that she stays put. Kaylee, find her a spare outfit. Zoe’s gonna have to confiscate that dress of hers. God knows all the places she could hide a knife in that getup,” Mal ordered.
Rose was about to protest, but Jayne spoke first.
“Why’s Zoe get to do it? I’d be happy to search her!” the mercenary complained.
Mal pinned him with a severe look.
“Jayne, if you can’t keep your hands to yourself, you won’t keep them at all.”
And with that, Jayne shut his mouth.
~0~0~0~
Kaylee watched Jayne and Zoe shuffle their “guest” through the same door the Doctor had been dragged through earlier, Simon following.
“Wash, get us ready for takeoff. As soon as our guests are well enough to talk and smart enough to get a story together that convinces me they aren’t a threat, we’re leavin’ them in our dust.”
Wash gave Mal a playful salute and made his way up the stairs.
“Shepherd, were you able to get some produce from the abbey?”
“Tomatoes, squash, and plenty of rosemary,” Book replied. He hesitated before continuing. “Captain, I hope you aren’t too harsh on the girl. After all, it wasn’t too long ago that another pair of passengers came to you looking for help and-”
“And they ain’t been any trouble at all,” Mal said sarcastically.
Kaylee felt herself bristle.
“Hey! Simon’s been-”
“You let me worry about our guests,” Mal cut her off. “We’ll be rid of them soon, one way or another. Shepherd, you worry about fixin’ dinner, and Kaylee, get those clothes.”
“Yes, Captain,” Kaylee said, but she made sure not to sound happy about it.
Book gave the Captain a look that was full of judgment, but the Captain refused to be cowed. He waited until Book was the first to look away, and then followed the older man upstairs.
“Come on, mei mei,” Inara said, giving Kaylee’s hand a gentle tug.
With a sigh, she turned to follow Inara up the stairs. On the catwalk, Inara turned to her shuttle and Kaylee made to continue up to the engine room, when she paused.
“It’s just…” she started. “Inara, I can’t figure as that girl means us harm. She seemed real concerned for the Doctor. You can’t just fake that. She loves him; I’m sure of it,” Kaylee said in a small voice.
Inara turned back to the catwalk.
“That may be, Kaylee. The Guild trained me to read people, and as far as I can tell, that poor girl believes everything she said about the Doctor and aliens, but obviously it can’t be true.” Inara sighed. “Maybe she’s just confused. But maybe she’s a threat, and it’s Mal’s job to protect his crew from threats. For all we know, this pair is after Simon and River. There’s quite a bounty on their heads.”
“I know you’re right, ‘Nara. I just don’t like puttin’ this girl through all that when her fella’s lying in that chair with his insides spillin’ out.”
The Companion came to lay a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Kaylee. The Captain will make sure that everyone is taken care of.”
Kaylee shook her head.
“‘Course he will. I’m just bein’ silly.”
Inara gave her shoulder a squeeze.
“You’re being compassionate. It’s your greatest strength, Kaylee. Never apologize for it.”
Kaylee always felt better after talking to Inara. The Companion knew just what to say to brighten a person’s spirits. She bit her lip and tried to hold back the tears that suddenly threatened her eyes.
“Inara, do you hafta leave us?” she blurted out.
The graceful woman seemed taken aback by the outburst, but she quickly recovered, speaking in her soothing tone.
“It was the most difficult decision I’ve ever made, Kaylee. I don’t want to leave Serenity. I love it here, and I love all of you, but it’s what I need.”
Kaylee’s lip trembled.
“But what’ll I do without you? Zoe ain’t one for girl talk, and River… well, sometimes it’s like she ain’t even really a girl at all.”
Kaylee slapped her hands over her mouth, eyes wide with horror.
“I didn’t mean that!” she squeaked. “You know I didn’t, ‘Nara, it’s just… I’m gonna miss you so much!”
Inara stepped forward and Kaylee allowed the woman to envelop her in a hug. When the Companion spoke, her words vibrated against Kaylee’s neck.
“You’ll be able to send me waves whenever you like, mei mei. You’re too precious to lose track of.”
“What about the cap’n? He needs you too,” she murmured back.
There was a brief pause. Then Inara replied very carefully.
“Mal and I are too… volatile. I need peace, Kaylee, and you know as well as I do that Mal and I don’t… Anyway, he’s agreed to drop me off on Persephone after Paquin.”
Kaylee pulled back enough to blink the tears away. Inara gently wiped the wetness from beneath Kaylee’s eyes with the edge of her silk shawl, as a mother might do for a child.
“I’m sorry, Inara. I know you’re right about the cap’n, about all of it. I’m just bein’-”
“Compassionate,” Inara reminded her.
Kaylee swallowed the rest of her words and smiled.
“Now, you’d better go do as the Captain says, before he gets that unbearably authoritative tone on.”
Inara smirked, and Kaylee found herself returning the look. She nodded and the two parted ways, Inara stepping into her shuttle and Kaylee moving up the staircase towards the engine room. Kaylee knew she’d better make sure everything was shiny there before getting that change of clothes for Rose. The Captain seemed in the mood to take off as soon as possible.
The warmth of the engine room was like a welcoming embrace. Kaylee sighed as she stepped into the soft orange glow and ran her hand along Serenity’s metal heart.
“How’s my girl?” she murmured with a soft smile.
“She’s not crazy.”
Kaylee stumbled backwards with a yelp. A girl with long black hair lounged in the striped hammock that Kaylee set up in one corner of the engine room.
“River! How did you get up here without anyone seein’ you?” she gasped.
“Melted through the walls,” River said matter-of-factly. “She’s not lying either.”
Kaylee frowned.
“You talkin’ ‘bout Rose? ‘Course she is, River. Ain’t no such things as aliens.” She walked over and put a hand on River’s wrist. “Listen, sweetie, you shouldn’t be out and about with strangers on board. What if they recognize you? There’s warrants for you and your brother all over the Cortex. What if you get turned in?”
River’s eyes were unfocused. She stared through Kaylee as if she wasn’t there.
“She is the Bad Wolf. She creates herself.”
“River, I-I don’t understand. I’m sorry,” Kaylee said.
River smiled up at her.
“It’s okay. She doesn’t understand either. Doesn’t remember that once she controlled every atom of the universe with the swipe of her hand.”
Kaylee squinted.
“That seems like somethin’ she oughta remember.”
River nodded.
“It does. But she’s not lying, and she’s not crazy either.”
“River, you should go to your room. Simon’ll worry,” Kaylee said.
“Brought you clothes,” River replied, revealing a pile of cloth in her lap. “Captain said the Bad Wolf needs new clothes.”
Kaylee took the garment and held it out in front of her. It was one of River’s simple prairie dresses-pink paisley with ruffles along the hem.
“Well, thanks, River. She’ll look much more like herself in this than my stuff, I guess.”
“She’s used to jeans and trainers,” River murmured.
Kaylee chuckled at her own foolishness.
“Right. I forgot she’s not a real Companion.”
“The first time she met him, he had an older face. Big ears. Daft grin. But he said, ‘Run!’ and she took his hand and did just that.”
Kaylee didn’t even try to understand the girl’s mutterings at this point. She tugged on River’s hand.
“Let’s go back downstairs. Everything looks good here.”
The younger girl shook her head.
“I have my own way. Don’t like the cargo bay anymore. Little spies hum in boxes. I prefer to melt through the walls.”
Sometimes River really was a puzzle. Kaylee gave the engine one last glance as she replied.
“Little spies? River, those are just bugs. Nothin’ to-River?”
By the time she turned back to the hammock, it was empty; the girl was gone. Kaylee couldn’t help but wonder if maybe River could melt through walls. It was a fleeting thought. River was just a girl, regardless of what was done to her by the Alliance. She was smart, sure, and she might be more perceptive than most, but she wasn’t magical.
Shaking her head, the mechanic exited the engine room just in time to hear the pilot calling for the captain.
“Mal! We got a wave here.”
Kaylee craned her neck to hear them from the other end of the hallway.
“From who?” the Captain asked.
“Local law enforcement, looks like. They want to check our cargo.”
Mal groaned.
“That’s just what we need right now. All right. Tell ‘em to come around. I’m goin’ to send a wave to Moop, double check there’s nothin’ slipped in with those bugs he gave us that’ll cause any delay.” He looked up then and caught his mechanic’s eye. “Kaylee, I thought I told you-”
“I’m goin’, I’m goin’!” Kaylee snapped.
Her feet pounded on the metal steps and she jogged past the humming boxes in the cargo bay. She slowed when she crossed the threshold into the next room. Jayne was sprawled out on the couch in the lounge.
Kaylee ignored him and stared through the glass infirmary doors. She saw Simon wiping something brownish on the Doctor’s stitches. The man looked pale and feverish, and the scene made Kaylee shudder.
“Zoe’s disrobin’ our new crazy friend. I offered my assistance, but no such luck,” Jayne said, shooting a longing glance down the hall to the guest rooms.
“Right,” Kaylee replied, rolling her eyes.
“Kaylee, is that you?” Zoe called.
“Comin’!” Kaylee called back. She turned the corner into the spare room and was met with the sight of copious amounts of green fabric and very little else.
“Zoe?” she asked tentatively.
“I’m beginnin’ to think the dress itself is the weapon,” Zoe’s voice, muffled, called out from someplace behind the fabric.
“Sorry. It’s the petticoats. It’s like the dress is bigger on the inside,” Kaylee heard Rose reply.
With a strong tug, Zoe managed to pull the dress free from the blond, and Kaylee stepped aside to allow her to drag it into the hallway.
“There. That’s better. I’ll be searchin’ this for knives,” she warned Rose.
Rose sat on the small bed in nothing but a pair of green satin flats and a thigh-length slip.
“You won’t find any,” she said confidently, arms crossed over her chest to preserve her modesty.
“Good,” Zoe nodded.
Kaylee went to enter the room, but Zoe grabbed her elbow and pulled her out of Rose’s view.
“I don’t think she’s a danger,” the first mate whispered. “She might need a kind word. You got this?”
Kaylee nodded.
“Jayne’s right outside if anything happens,” she assured Zoe. “You go on up with the Captain. There’s a call from local law. They wanna see the cargo.”
“Oh, good. The Captain’s mood will only have improved,” Zoe replied sardonically.
Kaylee gave her a commiserating look and watched her go. She straightened up, put on her brightest smile, and entered Rose’s quarters.
“It’s not as fine as what you were wearing, but,” she said, holding out River’s dress.
Rose stood and took it without hesitation.
“This is fine.”
She slipped the dress on and immediately plopped back down on the bed with a deep sigh. Kaylee took the liberty of perching herself on the edge of the mattress.
“Hey, everything’s gonna be all right,” she said.
“It always is. The Doctor’ll be up soon and he’ll explain it all,” Rose said. Whether she was trying to convince Kaylee or herself, the mechanic wasn’t sure.
“Sure he will,” Kaylee agreed.
“I want to see him. Now,” Rose demanded, standing suddenly.
Kaylee frowned.
“Didn’t you pop in when you walked by the infirmary?” she asked.
Rose shook her head.
“Zoe let me stop outside the doors. He looked pale. Well, paler than usual. I need to see him.”
Kaylee couldn’t help herself.
“Okay,” she said.
The blond’s eyes lit up.
“Really? I expected more of a fight,” she said.
“Why?” Kaylee asked.
Rose hesitated.
“Well, I just thought… I dunno, because your captain thinks that I’m a devious con artist who stabbed her own friend to get onboard his ship in order to do you all harm?” she offered.
Kaylee’s eyes widened.
“Oh, yeah. Well, there’s that.”
“But I’m not,” Rose quickly added. “I mean, I’m not up to anything. I just want to get the Doctor back, safe and sound, and we’ll be on our way.”
Kaylee smiled.
“I believe you,” she said.
She stood and held out her hand, which Rose accepted gratefully. The pair walked the short hallway to the lounge when they were stopped by a gruff voice.
“Cap’n gave you one job to do, Kaylee: Get the girl dressed. What’s she doin’ outta her room?”
Kaylee held up the hand that she still held in hers.
“Look at her hands, Jayne! We gotta get her cleaned up and the infirmary has the biggest sink,” she lied.
Jayne’s eyes flickered from the blood on Rose’s hands to Kaylee’s face and back again. Finally, he leaned back on the couch.
“Fine,” he grunted. “Just make it quick. And I’ll be watchin’.”
But Kaylee could see that Rose was no longer listening. Her eyes were fixed on the Doctor. She opened the infirmary door.
“Go ahead,” she told Rose.
Simon’s head shot up at the sound, and his eyes widened when he saw who was there.
“Kaylee, what’s going on? She isn’t supposed to be in here,” he protested.
Kaylee entered the infirmary and shut the door to block Jayne out.
“She just wants to see him, Simon. Just for a second.”
She gave Simon her best pleading look. The young doctor looked highly uncomfortable with Rose hovering over his patient, but after a moment his shoulders sagged.
“Fine. He’s still stable. I was just checking his vitals again.” He turned to Rose and added, pointedly, “Both hearts are functioning fine.”
But again, Rose wasn’t listening. She was crouching next to the Doctor now. Her left hand held his, clutching it as if she couldn’t quite believe it was real. The fingers of her right hand threaded through his hair, affectionately stroking his tresses.
“Her hands.” Simon looked started at the sight of the blood covering Rose’s fingers.
“It’s his,” Kaylee said.
She saw the realization hit Simon and that stiff expression that so often graced his face melted into something softer.
“Let’s get you cleaned up,” he murmured, gently taking Rose by the shoulders. She resisted, but he managed to pry her hands from him and urge her toward the sink, saying, “Don’t worry. He’s not going anywhere.”
As Kaylee watched Simon rinse the dried blood from Rose’s hands, she couldn’t help the warm feeling that was bubbling up in her chest. Simon was just so shiny. He might act all cold and formal sometimes, but all a person had to do was see how loving he was with River and they could have no doubt that he was capable of tenderness.
“His coat.”
Both Simon and Kaylee looked at Rose’s words. Her eyes were locked on the long brown overcoat that the Doctor had been wearing earlier. Now it was draped over the far right counter.
“What about it?” Kaylee asked.
Rose was suddenly in motion.
“There’s something in the pocket. I need it.”
Simon jumped in front of her.
“Hold on,” he said.
“It’s not a weapon or anything,” she assured him, trying to move forward.
Simon held up his hands, refusing to let her pass.
“Just tell me what it is.”
“What’s goin’ on in there?” Jayne asked. The mercenary had entered the med bay, and he brought his gun with him.
“It’ll explain everything,” Rose insisted, gesturing at the coat.
“You stay put, Girlie,” Jayne growled. “Kaylee, I told you you shoulda kept that girl in her room.”
“I’m sure it’s nothin’ to worry about,” Kaylee replied nervously.
“You stay there. I’ll get it for you,” Simon offered.
Rose glanced back at the coat and then at Jayne’s gun.
“Fine,” she said.
Simon reached the counter and held up the coat, awaiting further instruction.
“The breast pocket,” Rose said.
Simon nodded and reached in. What he pulled out looked a bit like a small flashlight. It was a short metal cylinder.
“What is this?” he asked.
Rose shook her head impatiently.
“I didn’t mean that. I meant the wallet.”
Jayne cocked the gun.
“The doc asked you a question.”
“That’s really not necessary,” Rose told him, pointing to the gun.
The merc was unmoved.
“I say it is.”
Rose seemed ready to retort, but thought better of it.
“It’s nothing,” she sighed.
Kaylee frowned.
“Looks weapon-y.”
“It’s not. It’s a sonic screwdriver.”
“A sonic what?” Simon asked.
“It’s not important. There’s something else in that pocket. It looks like a wallet. There’s a piece of paper in it that will explain everything,” Rose said quickly.
Simon started to ask another question, but cut himself off when the Captain’s voice rang out from the cargo bay. With each word, he sounded closer.
“Doc, you’re gonna want to stay hid in a moment. We got local police coming on board to inspect the-Kaylee!”
Mal stopped short in front of the infirmary.
“What the guai is going on in here! I thought I told you-”
“Captain, I told her-”
“She just wanted to see him and then-”
“Get her back in that room!”
“Hold on, Cap’n, she says-”
“This is not up for discussion!”
“Stop! Everybody just stop talking!” Simon shouted above everyone else.
In the confusion, Rose had pushed past Kaylee and grabbed the wallet from the Doctor’s pocket. She held it out to Simon like it was a shield, and his eyes were glued to it, wide with surprise.
“What’s it say, Simon?” Kaylee asked tentatively.
“Captain,” Simon said, staring past Kaylee at Mal. “I think you’re going to want to see this for yourself.”
Chinese Translations:
Tee wuh duh pee-goo = Kick me in the bottom
Ta ma de! Nimen de bizui! = Everybody shut the hell up!
mei mei = little sister (not literally, but a term of endearment)
guai = hell
End Notes: For those of you who are missing the Doctor, I promise you that he's back in full form in chapter five!
Please review! It’s exactly what the Alliance doesn’t want you to do. Fight the power!
Click here to continue to chapter 5...
Author: shan21non
Rating: PG-13
Beta Readers: buffyaddict13 and inkhand , who are the best!
Warnings: Swearing in Mandarin!
Pairings: Ten/Rose, Mal/Inara, a bit of Simon/Kaylee
Disclaimer: I don’t own Doctor Who or Firefly. How is that fair?
Summary: When the Doctor takes a wrong turn, he and Rose find themselves aboard Serenity. Confusion, explosions, mystery, romance, and adventure ensue!
Chapter one Chapter two Chapter three
A/N: Remember, for the Chinese phrases, all you have to do is hover your mouse over the Mandarin, and a translation will pop up.
CHAPTER FOUR
“Care to explain why your friend as two hearts?”
“Oh. That,” Rose said.
“Oh that? That’s her response?” Wash said incredulously. He whirled on Rose. “It’s not as if he said your friend has a weird mole, Girl-in-the-Fancy-Dress, he said two hearts!”
“Well, I mean, isn’t it obvious?” she replied. “He’s not human.”
There was a silent moment during which the crew stared blankly at Rose, followed by another during which they all looked at each other.
“He’s an alien. A Time Lord,” Rose clarified.
More silence followed. Finally, Mal spoke.
“Inara, is ‘Time Lord’ some fancy title on a Core planet I’m not aware of?”
“No, Mal, it is not,” Inara answered confidently.
They turned in unison back to Rose, expectantly. She threw her hands into the air.
“He can’t be the first alien you’ve encountered. You’re space travelers!”
“And I suppose you’re an alien too?” Wash asked slowly, as if he was speaking to a small child.
“Of course not,” Rose replied.
“Oh, of course not. You just travel with one,” Simon retorted.
Finally, Rose came to a troubling realization.
“Does… does no one here believe in aliens?”
“Wow. She makes River seem grounded and rational,” Wash muttered. Then he quickly added, “Sorry, Doc.”
Simon shook his head.
“No, I have to agree.”
Rose frowned.
“Who’s River?” she asked.
Wash’s eyebrows shot upwards.
“Tee wuh duh pee-goo! She’s no one,” he blurted, shooting another apologetic look at Simon. “Can we get back to the part where she thinks her boyfriend’s an alien?”
“Do you s’pose she banged her head on somethin’ back at the bar?” Kaylee asked helpfully.
“What is it with you picking up crazy girls, Mal?” Jayne asked.
“Ta ma de! Nimen de bizui!” the Captain shouted.
The group fell silent. Rose took this as her chance to correct what seemed to be a giant miscalculation.
“Okay then. Right. Just kidding!” she said, attempting a harmless smile. “He was born with two hearts. Freak birth defect.”
Mal looked entirely unamused.
“I want a straight answer out of you, and I want one now.”
Rose knew that whatever she said wouldn’t be sufficient. She needed the Doctor to back her up. Without him, she was just some crazy girl spouting nonsense.
“It’s complicated. I didn’t think-”
“Sir, no con woman would come up with somethin’ this bad,” Zoe interrupted.
“I’m inclined to believe you, Zoe, but I’ve been taken by a cunnin’ woman before, and I ain’t keen to have it happen again.”
“Ooh! Are you talkin’ about when Saffron smarted you outta your clothes, Cap’n?” Kaylee asked, clearly delighted.
“Damn it, Kaylee. Not in front of the possible con woman!” Mal huffed, sounding mildly embarrassed.
Kaylee looked abashed, but couldn’t quite wipe the smile off her face when she replied, “Sorry, Cap’n.”
Mal sighed.
“All right, let’s keep her locked up in the spare guest room while her friend recovers. Maybe we’ll get a straight answer outta him.”
“I’m telling you the truth,” Rose said.
“Sure y’are sweetheart. You’re playin’ road trip with a danged space alien,” Jayne replied.
“Oh, come on! This is the Twenty-sixth Century! Surely the human race has encountered-”
“The closest things to aliens are Reavers, and even they came from us originally,” Simon interjected.
“What are Reavers?” Rose asked.
The grave look that she received from Zoe was enough to chill her blood.
“You don’t wanna know,” the dark skinned woman said.
“Give you nightmares,” Jayne added. The grimace on his face made it clear to Rose that the man wasn’t joking.
“Zoe, Jayne, please escort our guest to her room and see that she stays put. Kaylee, find her a spare outfit. Zoe’s gonna have to confiscate that dress of hers. God knows all the places she could hide a knife in that getup,” Mal ordered.
Rose was about to protest, but Jayne spoke first.
“Why’s Zoe get to do it? I’d be happy to search her!” the mercenary complained.
Mal pinned him with a severe look.
“Jayne, if you can’t keep your hands to yourself, you won’t keep them at all.”
And with that, Jayne shut his mouth.
~0~0~0~
Kaylee watched Jayne and Zoe shuffle their “guest” through the same door the Doctor had been dragged through earlier, Simon following.
“Wash, get us ready for takeoff. As soon as our guests are well enough to talk and smart enough to get a story together that convinces me they aren’t a threat, we’re leavin’ them in our dust.”
Wash gave Mal a playful salute and made his way up the stairs.
“Shepherd, were you able to get some produce from the abbey?”
“Tomatoes, squash, and plenty of rosemary,” Book replied. He hesitated before continuing. “Captain, I hope you aren’t too harsh on the girl. After all, it wasn’t too long ago that another pair of passengers came to you looking for help and-”
“And they ain’t been any trouble at all,” Mal said sarcastically.
Kaylee felt herself bristle.
“Hey! Simon’s been-”
“You let me worry about our guests,” Mal cut her off. “We’ll be rid of them soon, one way or another. Shepherd, you worry about fixin’ dinner, and Kaylee, get those clothes.”
“Yes, Captain,” Kaylee said, but she made sure not to sound happy about it.
Book gave the Captain a look that was full of judgment, but the Captain refused to be cowed. He waited until Book was the first to look away, and then followed the older man upstairs.
“Come on, mei mei,” Inara said, giving Kaylee’s hand a gentle tug.
With a sigh, she turned to follow Inara up the stairs. On the catwalk, Inara turned to her shuttle and Kaylee made to continue up to the engine room, when she paused.
“It’s just…” she started. “Inara, I can’t figure as that girl means us harm. She seemed real concerned for the Doctor. You can’t just fake that. She loves him; I’m sure of it,” Kaylee said in a small voice.
Inara turned back to the catwalk.
“That may be, Kaylee. The Guild trained me to read people, and as far as I can tell, that poor girl believes everything she said about the Doctor and aliens, but obviously it can’t be true.” Inara sighed. “Maybe she’s just confused. But maybe she’s a threat, and it’s Mal’s job to protect his crew from threats. For all we know, this pair is after Simon and River. There’s quite a bounty on their heads.”
“I know you’re right, ‘Nara. I just don’t like puttin’ this girl through all that when her fella’s lying in that chair with his insides spillin’ out.”
The Companion came to lay a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Kaylee. The Captain will make sure that everyone is taken care of.”
Kaylee shook her head.
“‘Course he will. I’m just bein’ silly.”
Inara gave her shoulder a squeeze.
“You’re being compassionate. It’s your greatest strength, Kaylee. Never apologize for it.”
Kaylee always felt better after talking to Inara. The Companion knew just what to say to brighten a person’s spirits. She bit her lip and tried to hold back the tears that suddenly threatened her eyes.
“Inara, do you hafta leave us?” she blurted out.
The graceful woman seemed taken aback by the outburst, but she quickly recovered, speaking in her soothing tone.
“It was the most difficult decision I’ve ever made, Kaylee. I don’t want to leave Serenity. I love it here, and I love all of you, but it’s what I need.”
Kaylee’s lip trembled.
“But what’ll I do without you? Zoe ain’t one for girl talk, and River… well, sometimes it’s like she ain’t even really a girl at all.”
Kaylee slapped her hands over her mouth, eyes wide with horror.
“I didn’t mean that!” she squeaked. “You know I didn’t, ‘Nara, it’s just… I’m gonna miss you so much!”
Inara stepped forward and Kaylee allowed the woman to envelop her in a hug. When the Companion spoke, her words vibrated against Kaylee’s neck.
“You’ll be able to send me waves whenever you like, mei mei. You’re too precious to lose track of.”
“What about the cap’n? He needs you too,” she murmured back.
There was a brief pause. Then Inara replied very carefully.
“Mal and I are too… volatile. I need peace, Kaylee, and you know as well as I do that Mal and I don’t… Anyway, he’s agreed to drop me off on Persephone after Paquin.”
Kaylee pulled back enough to blink the tears away. Inara gently wiped the wetness from beneath Kaylee’s eyes with the edge of her silk shawl, as a mother might do for a child.
“I’m sorry, Inara. I know you’re right about the cap’n, about all of it. I’m just bein’-”
“Compassionate,” Inara reminded her.
Kaylee swallowed the rest of her words and smiled.
“Now, you’d better go do as the Captain says, before he gets that unbearably authoritative tone on.”
Inara smirked, and Kaylee found herself returning the look. She nodded and the two parted ways, Inara stepping into her shuttle and Kaylee moving up the staircase towards the engine room. Kaylee knew she’d better make sure everything was shiny there before getting that change of clothes for Rose. The Captain seemed in the mood to take off as soon as possible.
The warmth of the engine room was like a welcoming embrace. Kaylee sighed as she stepped into the soft orange glow and ran her hand along Serenity’s metal heart.
“How’s my girl?” she murmured with a soft smile.
“She’s not crazy.”
Kaylee stumbled backwards with a yelp. A girl with long black hair lounged in the striped hammock that Kaylee set up in one corner of the engine room.
“River! How did you get up here without anyone seein’ you?” she gasped.
“Melted through the walls,” River said matter-of-factly. “She’s not lying either.”
Kaylee frowned.
“You talkin’ ‘bout Rose? ‘Course she is, River. Ain’t no such things as aliens.” She walked over and put a hand on River’s wrist. “Listen, sweetie, you shouldn’t be out and about with strangers on board. What if they recognize you? There’s warrants for you and your brother all over the Cortex. What if you get turned in?”
River’s eyes were unfocused. She stared through Kaylee as if she wasn’t there.
“She is the Bad Wolf. She creates herself.”
“River, I-I don’t understand. I’m sorry,” Kaylee said.
River smiled up at her.
“It’s okay. She doesn’t understand either. Doesn’t remember that once she controlled every atom of the universe with the swipe of her hand.”
Kaylee squinted.
“That seems like somethin’ she oughta remember.”
River nodded.
“It does. But she’s not lying, and she’s not crazy either.”
“River, you should go to your room. Simon’ll worry,” Kaylee said.
“Brought you clothes,” River replied, revealing a pile of cloth in her lap. “Captain said the Bad Wolf needs new clothes.”
Kaylee took the garment and held it out in front of her. It was one of River’s simple prairie dresses-pink paisley with ruffles along the hem.
“Well, thanks, River. She’ll look much more like herself in this than my stuff, I guess.”
“She’s used to jeans and trainers,” River murmured.
Kaylee chuckled at her own foolishness.
“Right. I forgot she’s not a real Companion.”
“The first time she met him, he had an older face. Big ears. Daft grin. But he said, ‘Run!’ and she took his hand and did just that.”
Kaylee didn’t even try to understand the girl’s mutterings at this point. She tugged on River’s hand.
“Let’s go back downstairs. Everything looks good here.”
The younger girl shook her head.
“I have my own way. Don’t like the cargo bay anymore. Little spies hum in boxes. I prefer to melt through the walls.”
Sometimes River really was a puzzle. Kaylee gave the engine one last glance as she replied.
“Little spies? River, those are just bugs. Nothin’ to-River?”
By the time she turned back to the hammock, it was empty; the girl was gone. Kaylee couldn’t help but wonder if maybe River could melt through walls. It was a fleeting thought. River was just a girl, regardless of what was done to her by the Alliance. She was smart, sure, and she might be more perceptive than most, but she wasn’t magical.
Shaking her head, the mechanic exited the engine room just in time to hear the pilot calling for the captain.
“Mal! We got a wave here.”
Kaylee craned her neck to hear them from the other end of the hallway.
“From who?” the Captain asked.
“Local law enforcement, looks like. They want to check our cargo.”
Mal groaned.
“That’s just what we need right now. All right. Tell ‘em to come around. I’m goin’ to send a wave to Moop, double check there’s nothin’ slipped in with those bugs he gave us that’ll cause any delay.” He looked up then and caught his mechanic’s eye. “Kaylee, I thought I told you-”
“I’m goin’, I’m goin’!” Kaylee snapped.
Her feet pounded on the metal steps and she jogged past the humming boxes in the cargo bay. She slowed when she crossed the threshold into the next room. Jayne was sprawled out on the couch in the lounge.
Kaylee ignored him and stared through the glass infirmary doors. She saw Simon wiping something brownish on the Doctor’s stitches. The man looked pale and feverish, and the scene made Kaylee shudder.
“Zoe’s disrobin’ our new crazy friend. I offered my assistance, but no such luck,” Jayne said, shooting a longing glance down the hall to the guest rooms.
“Right,” Kaylee replied, rolling her eyes.
“Kaylee, is that you?” Zoe called.
“Comin’!” Kaylee called back. She turned the corner into the spare room and was met with the sight of copious amounts of green fabric and very little else.
“Zoe?” she asked tentatively.
“I’m beginnin’ to think the dress itself is the weapon,” Zoe’s voice, muffled, called out from someplace behind the fabric.
“Sorry. It’s the petticoats. It’s like the dress is bigger on the inside,” Kaylee heard Rose reply.
With a strong tug, Zoe managed to pull the dress free from the blond, and Kaylee stepped aside to allow her to drag it into the hallway.
“There. That’s better. I’ll be searchin’ this for knives,” she warned Rose.
Rose sat on the small bed in nothing but a pair of green satin flats and a thigh-length slip.
“You won’t find any,” she said confidently, arms crossed over her chest to preserve her modesty.
“Good,” Zoe nodded.
Kaylee went to enter the room, but Zoe grabbed her elbow and pulled her out of Rose’s view.
“I don’t think she’s a danger,” the first mate whispered. “She might need a kind word. You got this?”
Kaylee nodded.
“Jayne’s right outside if anything happens,” she assured Zoe. “You go on up with the Captain. There’s a call from local law. They wanna see the cargo.”
“Oh, good. The Captain’s mood will only have improved,” Zoe replied sardonically.
Kaylee gave her a commiserating look and watched her go. She straightened up, put on her brightest smile, and entered Rose’s quarters.
“It’s not as fine as what you were wearing, but,” she said, holding out River’s dress.
Rose stood and took it without hesitation.
“This is fine.”
She slipped the dress on and immediately plopped back down on the bed with a deep sigh. Kaylee took the liberty of perching herself on the edge of the mattress.
“Hey, everything’s gonna be all right,” she said.
“It always is. The Doctor’ll be up soon and he’ll explain it all,” Rose said. Whether she was trying to convince Kaylee or herself, the mechanic wasn’t sure.
“Sure he will,” Kaylee agreed.
“I want to see him. Now,” Rose demanded, standing suddenly.
Kaylee frowned.
“Didn’t you pop in when you walked by the infirmary?” she asked.
Rose shook her head.
“Zoe let me stop outside the doors. He looked pale. Well, paler than usual. I need to see him.”
Kaylee couldn’t help herself.
“Okay,” she said.
The blond’s eyes lit up.
“Really? I expected more of a fight,” she said.
“Why?” Kaylee asked.
Rose hesitated.
“Well, I just thought… I dunno, because your captain thinks that I’m a devious con artist who stabbed her own friend to get onboard his ship in order to do you all harm?” she offered.
Kaylee’s eyes widened.
“Oh, yeah. Well, there’s that.”
“But I’m not,” Rose quickly added. “I mean, I’m not up to anything. I just want to get the Doctor back, safe and sound, and we’ll be on our way.”
Kaylee smiled.
“I believe you,” she said.
She stood and held out her hand, which Rose accepted gratefully. The pair walked the short hallway to the lounge when they were stopped by a gruff voice.
“Cap’n gave you one job to do, Kaylee: Get the girl dressed. What’s she doin’ outta her room?”
Kaylee held up the hand that she still held in hers.
“Look at her hands, Jayne! We gotta get her cleaned up and the infirmary has the biggest sink,” she lied.
Jayne’s eyes flickered from the blood on Rose’s hands to Kaylee’s face and back again. Finally, he leaned back on the couch.
“Fine,” he grunted. “Just make it quick. And I’ll be watchin’.”
But Kaylee could see that Rose was no longer listening. Her eyes were fixed on the Doctor. She opened the infirmary door.
“Go ahead,” she told Rose.
Simon’s head shot up at the sound, and his eyes widened when he saw who was there.
“Kaylee, what’s going on? She isn’t supposed to be in here,” he protested.
Kaylee entered the infirmary and shut the door to block Jayne out.
“She just wants to see him, Simon. Just for a second.”
She gave Simon her best pleading look. The young doctor looked highly uncomfortable with Rose hovering over his patient, but after a moment his shoulders sagged.
“Fine. He’s still stable. I was just checking his vitals again.” He turned to Rose and added, pointedly, “Both hearts are functioning fine.”
But again, Rose wasn’t listening. She was crouching next to the Doctor now. Her left hand held his, clutching it as if she couldn’t quite believe it was real. The fingers of her right hand threaded through his hair, affectionately stroking his tresses.
“Her hands.” Simon looked started at the sight of the blood covering Rose’s fingers.
“It’s his,” Kaylee said.
She saw the realization hit Simon and that stiff expression that so often graced his face melted into something softer.
“Let’s get you cleaned up,” he murmured, gently taking Rose by the shoulders. She resisted, but he managed to pry her hands from him and urge her toward the sink, saying, “Don’t worry. He’s not going anywhere.”
As Kaylee watched Simon rinse the dried blood from Rose’s hands, she couldn’t help the warm feeling that was bubbling up in her chest. Simon was just so shiny. He might act all cold and formal sometimes, but all a person had to do was see how loving he was with River and they could have no doubt that he was capable of tenderness.
“His coat.”
Both Simon and Kaylee looked at Rose’s words. Her eyes were locked on the long brown overcoat that the Doctor had been wearing earlier. Now it was draped over the far right counter.
“What about it?” Kaylee asked.
Rose was suddenly in motion.
“There’s something in the pocket. I need it.”
Simon jumped in front of her.
“Hold on,” he said.
“It’s not a weapon or anything,” she assured him, trying to move forward.
Simon held up his hands, refusing to let her pass.
“Just tell me what it is.”
“What’s goin’ on in there?” Jayne asked. The mercenary had entered the med bay, and he brought his gun with him.
“It’ll explain everything,” Rose insisted, gesturing at the coat.
“You stay put, Girlie,” Jayne growled. “Kaylee, I told you you shoulda kept that girl in her room.”
“I’m sure it’s nothin’ to worry about,” Kaylee replied nervously.
“You stay there. I’ll get it for you,” Simon offered.
Rose glanced back at the coat and then at Jayne’s gun.
“Fine,” she said.
Simon reached the counter and held up the coat, awaiting further instruction.
“The breast pocket,” Rose said.
Simon nodded and reached in. What he pulled out looked a bit like a small flashlight. It was a short metal cylinder.
“What is this?” he asked.
Rose shook her head impatiently.
“I didn’t mean that. I meant the wallet.”
Jayne cocked the gun.
“The doc asked you a question.”
“That’s really not necessary,” Rose told him, pointing to the gun.
The merc was unmoved.
“I say it is.”
Rose seemed ready to retort, but thought better of it.
“It’s nothing,” she sighed.
Kaylee frowned.
“Looks weapon-y.”
“It’s not. It’s a sonic screwdriver.”
“A sonic what?” Simon asked.
“It’s not important. There’s something else in that pocket. It looks like a wallet. There’s a piece of paper in it that will explain everything,” Rose said quickly.
Simon started to ask another question, but cut himself off when the Captain’s voice rang out from the cargo bay. With each word, he sounded closer.
“Doc, you’re gonna want to stay hid in a moment. We got local police coming on board to inspect the-Kaylee!”
Mal stopped short in front of the infirmary.
“What the guai is going on in here! I thought I told you-”
“Captain, I told her-”
“She just wanted to see him and then-”
“Get her back in that room!”
“Hold on, Cap’n, she says-”
“This is not up for discussion!”
“Stop! Everybody just stop talking!” Simon shouted above everyone else.
In the confusion, Rose had pushed past Kaylee and grabbed the wallet from the Doctor’s pocket. She held it out to Simon like it was a shield, and his eyes were glued to it, wide with surprise.
“What’s it say, Simon?” Kaylee asked tentatively.
“Captain,” Simon said, staring past Kaylee at Mal. “I think you’re going to want to see this for yourself.”
Chinese Translations:
Tee wuh duh pee-goo = Kick me in the bottom
Ta ma de! Nimen de bizui! = Everybody shut the hell up!
mei mei = little sister (not literally, but a term of endearment)
guai = hell
End Notes: For those of you who are missing the Doctor, I promise you that he's back in full form in chapter five!
Please review! It’s exactly what the Alliance doesn’t want you to do. Fight the power!
Click here to continue to chapter 5...