Shadow, Chapter 10
Fic Title: Shadow
Setting: Post-series, pre-BDM
Pairing: See above
Rating: PG
Warnings: 1 curse word
Shadow Organizational Post
Chapter 10
“I think it’s about time you tell us about the job, sir,” Zoë said just moments after Wash brought Serenity down. Thankfully the landing had still been smooth.
“Nice job,” Mal said distractedly, turned on his heel and left the cockpit.
“That was Mal, right? Not someone cloned to look like him?” Wash asked in surprise at the unexpected compliment. Zoë’s lips tightened as she gave her husband’s shoulder a squeeze before following after the Captain.
“How far are we from the meet, sir?” Zoë asked as she caught up with him. When he got this quiet about a job was usually when the damn fool thought it’d be better if he did it on his own, and she wasn’t about to let that happen. She placed a firm hand against his back.
He froze in place, shoulders tense and jaw clenched. This wasn’t something she ever did - touching him - and the significance of when last she’d done such a thing wasn’t lost on him.
“This ain’t like you, sir. Normally we have a plan,” she said, treading carefully. This was unfamiliar ground, and until she’d learned where they were going, she hadn’t realized how desperate things had to be for Mal to accept any job nearby, let alone on Shadow itself.
“It’s cargo we’re here for, Zoë. Most likely illegal from what they’re promise’n to pay, but cargo nonetheless.”
“Why Shadow, then? The cargo can’t be from here - there’s nothing left. So if it’s a meeting place they need, I could give you ten better moons just as remote and you could likely do me twenty better,” Zoë asked, grateful that the crew wasn’t within earshot.
“Shannon’s cousin married an off-worlder,” Mal said in a low voice. Zoë immediately stilled. It shocked her to even hear him speak her name. “He settled with Mary on Shadow, but it’s his kin that contacted me.”
“That still doesn’t explain why you don’t have a plan, or why you didn’t want to tell us in the first place, sir,” Zoë said, hating to have to pursue it but knowing it was necessary.
“Knows it’s a lie, remembers who they were, and thinks that no price is too high. Gotta keep flying. Gotta stay free,” River’s voice whispers from the shadows, and Zoë has to force herself not to flinch. Not many can sneak up on her, and it unnerves her how often River does.
“Sir, if you think it’s not a smuggling job, then why are we here?” Zoë asked, seeing how River’s words hit their mark.
“I’m not saying it’s not,” he protested as River stepped in front of him.
“You hear voices, too. They say the job’s legit, but not like you thought,” River said gently. “But they’re waking up. They know Daddy’s come, and they’re waiting for you.”
Zoë flinched at the raw expression in Mal’s eyes.
“I ain’t no one’s daddy, lil’ albatross,” he said gravely.
“Mal? We got company,” Wash’s voice called over the comm. Within seconds Jayne was out of his bunk with Vera in hand.
“Expectin’ company?” Jayne asked, his teeth wrapped around a soggy cigar and eyes gleaming for a fight. Simon appeared as well, coming to stand beside River doubtfully.
At Zoë’s look he said, “The infirmary’s already prepped.” She nodded in approval as she rushed past to the gun locker.
“Do they look like they’re friendly, husband?” Zoë asked as she strapped on her holsters. Mal’s revolver was already in hand as he headed towards the doors.
“Not really,” Wash’s voice said doubtfully. Shepard appeared from his quarters with guns of his own. “The good news is, the atmo’s good enough to breathe, because those stealthy men with weapons don’t have any suits or regulators on,” he supplied.
“Expecting trouble, Shepard?” Zoë asked, causing Mal to turn and look as well.
“Something caused Serenity to go blind,” he supplied coolly. “I’m guessing it wasn’t a natural phenomenon.”
A whimpering sound caught Zoë’s attention. Simon had his arms around River, who was hunching in on herself and looking as terrified as she’d ever seen the girl.
“Mei mei, what is it?” Simon asked, holding her tight as she seemed to be trying to shrink in on herself.
“They’re here, and they want to collect their lost sheep,” she whispered. “But you can’t go back, can you, Simon? None of us can. But they can make us disappear. Two by two, hands of blue.”
“They’re here? Now?” Simon asked, confused. “Outside?”
“Kaylee, how long ‘till we can get Serenity up again? And more importantly, will we be able to run at full burn?” Mal asked into the speaker.
There was no hesitation between when River spoke and his prompting Kaylee for a status. Zoë frowned at that. It was true the girl was intuitive, but his faith in her predictions was disconcerting.
“Twenty minutes, Captain, but only if you promise not to try to burn up the sensors again!” her voice scolded from the engine room.
“Do faster if you can, darlin’. We might not have that kind of time,” he said and Zoë swore she could have heard the sigh even without the intercom.
“I’ll try, Cap’n,” she replied.
“Uh… Mal?” Wash’s voice asked in a tone that made everyone freeze. The sound of gunfire could suddenly be heard outside the ship, and as quickly as it started, it ended.
“What was that?” Mal asked in an odd voice.
“Are those smugglers you’re looking to hook up with old war buddies?” Wash asked, and suddenly, it all clicked into place for Zoë, who began cursing violently in Chinese.
“What? What is it?” Simon asked with concern as River continued to squirm in his arms. The Shepard met Zoë’s eyes and she realized he understood the full ramifications, too.
“It never was a smuggling job, was it? They don’t need Serenity at all. They need you,” she said, and the expression on his face told her all she needed to know.
Setting: Post-series, pre-BDM
Pairing: See above
Rating: PG
Warnings: 1 curse word
Shadow Organizational Post
Chapter 10
“I think it’s about time you tell us about the job, sir,” Zoë said just moments after Wash brought Serenity down. Thankfully the landing had still been smooth.
“Nice job,” Mal said distractedly, turned on his heel and left the cockpit.
“That was Mal, right? Not someone cloned to look like him?” Wash asked in surprise at the unexpected compliment. Zoë’s lips tightened as she gave her husband’s shoulder a squeeze before following after the Captain.
“How far are we from the meet, sir?” Zoë asked as she caught up with him. When he got this quiet about a job was usually when the damn fool thought it’d be better if he did it on his own, and she wasn’t about to let that happen. She placed a firm hand against his back.
He froze in place, shoulders tense and jaw clenched. This wasn’t something she ever did - touching him - and the significance of when last she’d done such a thing wasn’t lost on him.
“This ain’t like you, sir. Normally we have a plan,” she said, treading carefully. This was unfamiliar ground, and until she’d learned where they were going, she hadn’t realized how desperate things had to be for Mal to accept any job nearby, let alone on Shadow itself.
“It’s cargo we’re here for, Zoë. Most likely illegal from what they’re promise’n to pay, but cargo nonetheless.”
“Why Shadow, then? The cargo can’t be from here - there’s nothing left. So if it’s a meeting place they need, I could give you ten better moons just as remote and you could likely do me twenty better,” Zoë asked, grateful that the crew wasn’t within earshot.
“Shannon’s cousin married an off-worlder,” Mal said in a low voice. Zoë immediately stilled. It shocked her to even hear him speak her name. “He settled with Mary on Shadow, but it’s his kin that contacted me.”
“That still doesn’t explain why you don’t have a plan, or why you didn’t want to tell us in the first place, sir,” Zoë said, hating to have to pursue it but knowing it was necessary.
“Knows it’s a lie, remembers who they were, and thinks that no price is too high. Gotta keep flying. Gotta stay free,” River’s voice whispers from the shadows, and Zoë has to force herself not to flinch. Not many can sneak up on her, and it unnerves her how often River does.
“Sir, if you think it’s not a smuggling job, then why are we here?” Zoë asked, seeing how River’s words hit their mark.
“I’m not saying it’s not,” he protested as River stepped in front of him.
“You hear voices, too. They say the job’s legit, but not like you thought,” River said gently. “But they’re waking up. They know Daddy’s come, and they’re waiting for you.”
Zoë flinched at the raw expression in Mal’s eyes.
“I ain’t no one’s daddy, lil’ albatross,” he said gravely.
“Mal? We got company,” Wash’s voice called over the comm. Within seconds Jayne was out of his bunk with Vera in hand.
“Expectin’ company?” Jayne asked, his teeth wrapped around a soggy cigar and eyes gleaming for a fight. Simon appeared as well, coming to stand beside River doubtfully.
At Zoë’s look he said, “The infirmary’s already prepped.” She nodded in approval as she rushed past to the gun locker.
“Do they look like they’re friendly, husband?” Zoë asked as she strapped on her holsters. Mal’s revolver was already in hand as he headed towards the doors.
“Not really,” Wash’s voice said doubtfully. Shepard appeared from his quarters with guns of his own. “The good news is, the atmo’s good enough to breathe, because those stealthy men with weapons don’t have any suits or regulators on,” he supplied.
“Expecting trouble, Shepard?” Zoë asked, causing Mal to turn and look as well.
“Something caused Serenity to go blind,” he supplied coolly. “I’m guessing it wasn’t a natural phenomenon.”
A whimpering sound caught Zoë’s attention. Simon had his arms around River, who was hunching in on herself and looking as terrified as she’d ever seen the girl.
“Mei mei, what is it?” Simon asked, holding her tight as she seemed to be trying to shrink in on herself.
“They’re here, and they want to collect their lost sheep,” she whispered. “But you can’t go back, can you, Simon? None of us can. But they can make us disappear. Two by two, hands of blue.”
“They’re here? Now?” Simon asked, confused. “Outside?”
“Kaylee, how long ‘till we can get Serenity up again? And more importantly, will we be able to run at full burn?” Mal asked into the speaker.
There was no hesitation between when River spoke and his prompting Kaylee for a status. Zoë frowned at that. It was true the girl was intuitive, but his faith in her predictions was disconcerting.
“Twenty minutes, Captain, but only if you promise not to try to burn up the sensors again!” her voice scolded from the engine room.
“Do faster if you can, darlin’. We might not have that kind of time,” he said and Zoë swore she could have heard the sigh even without the intercom.
“I’ll try, Cap’n,” she replied.
“Uh… Mal?” Wash’s voice asked in a tone that made everyone freeze. The sound of gunfire could suddenly be heard outside the ship, and as quickly as it started, it ended.
“What was that?” Mal asked in an odd voice.
“Are those smugglers you’re looking to hook up with old war buddies?” Wash asked, and suddenly, it all clicked into place for Zoë, who began cursing violently in Chinese.
“What? What is it?” Simon asked with concern as River continued to squirm in his arms. The Shepard met Zoë’s eyes and she realized he understood the full ramifications, too.
“It never was a smuggling job, was it? They don’t need Serenity at all. They need you,” she said, and the expression on his face told her all she needed to know.