Beyond Wonderland: Chapter 1
Title: Beyond Wonderland
Author: Solarbaby
Rating: T
Disclaimer: All I own is the plot.
Words: 1033
Summary: The past has a way of returning. Rasey.
Spoilers: Series finale for Jungle Fury and (set after) Serenity for Firefly.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
Chapter 1: Welcome to Serenity
Casey gave another yawn as he stretched out in the pilot’s chair, letting his eyes flutter close. It was nice and quiet and would be the perfect place to meditate. Unfortunately the seat, as comfortable as it was, wasn’t exactly the prime place for it.
“Persephone.”
“We’re not more than a few hours out.” He opened an eye and looked over at the person who had joined him. She had a slight figure and dark hair that fell down mid-waist. River didn’t look like she was someone who could harm a fly. But he knew better than many people what kind of abilities could lie under the surface. “You should be in bed. Your brother will be upset if he finds you haven’t been sleeping again.”
She shook her head and pulled her legs up into the other pilot’s chair. “Kitty cat doesn’t sleep.”
He smiled at her, amused. “I sleep when I need to. You don’t have to worry about me, lil’ bit. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time.” A very long time.
A searching look crossed her face. “Didn’t want to. Forced to. Couldn’t trust him. Wolf in sheep’s clothing. Tried to take away the cat.” A grin crossed her face. “Didn’t work. Found out his kitten had claws.”
Casey blinked, trying to ignore the shoot of pain that made his way through him. He turned his attention back to the controls, more to take his mind off of the conversation then really check progress.
“I’m sorry.”
He glanced back over to her to see River looking at him sadly, apologetically. “About what?”
“Bad memories. Shouldn’t have said anything.” She crossed her arms over her legs and rested her head on them. “Sometimes I say things. I can’t stop myself.” A reassuring smile was sent her way. River tilted her head slightly, looking inquisitive. “Cats are nocturnal.”
Casey let out a laugh at the off handed comment. “Not true. But doesn’t matter out here in the black anyways. You can have a day or night without a sun. Just synchronized sleep cycles.”
She shook her head. “You need to sleep. Gotta big day a head. Changes.”
“Don’t I know it. I didn’t think the Captain liked taking on passengers. Especially after last time.” He teased.
River just looked at him, shrugging.
“It not like I can sleep anytime soon. Someone’s gotta make sure we don’t die in a fiery explosion as we crash into the planet.” Casey saw the concerned look her face and smiled. “Now you need to go back off to bed. I’ll crash in my bunk when we hit planet side. Will that make you happy?”
She nodded and bounced over to him, giving him a peak on the cheek. “So much taking care of. Just like Simon.” With that she bounded out the room, presumably heading for her own bunk.
Shaking his head, Casey settled back in his chair, grabbing a holo-book from the top of a console.
He still had a few hours to kill and he needed to stay awake.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Captain Malcolm Reynolds shook his head as Casey was shooed into his bunk by River. The boy didn’t put up much of a protest, just laughing as she told him not to come back out for a few hours. He shook his head, taking in the circles under the boy’s eyes and how pale he looked. Maybe River had something there. “You bossing around my pilot now?” He asked her, amusement lacing his voice.
River just replied with a sigh. “Don’t know how he survived. Needs someone to keep an eye out for him. No one ever has in a very long time.”
He sighed and patted her on the shoulder. “Many of us have had to out here. He’s crew so he’s got us now.” Mal nodded her off. “You should head off and find your brother before Inara’s friend shows up. Zoe’s got take off.”
She nodded a walked off, heading the wrong direction.
“River!”
But she was gone. He sighed, hoping that she’d find her brother before the man arrived or at least hid out in her bunk.
Mal really didn’t have time for this.
He headed down into the cargo bay, only to find Inara, Zoe and Jayne standing there waiting. The Doc apparently decided to make himself scarce, not wanting to take chances, while Kaylee was still in the engine room.
“So where’s this friend of yours?”
Inara sent him a look of annoyance. “He’s on his way, captain.”
“Remind me again why he’s decided to take up as a passenger here other than one of the more classier boats that could cater to him?” Mal questioned her, his arms crossed. The truth was that if they hadn’t needed the money he wouldn’t have even considered taking on a passenger connected with the alliance. But Inara assure him that it would be a quick drop to New Melbourne with no trouble.
“He felt that riding in a ship such as this would be safer.” This comment was answered with a snort from Jayne. She ignored him and glanced back out onto the dock. “And there he is.”
The man approaching them was tall and clean cut. A core-worlder, obviously. As he reached the ramp Mal noticed that his hair was cropped short and his clothes looked moneyed. Easy money, just like Inara said.
“Chancellor.” Inara greeted him.
“Inara.” He bowed to her and kissed her hand in greeting. “We have much to talk about.”
A curious look came across her face before she realized what he must have been talking about. Casey. A clearing of throat caused her to take notice of the other. “Of course. Chancellor, this is Captain Reynolds, his first mate, Zoe, and Jayne. I would like to introduce you all to Chancellor Requiem Finn of New Melbourne.”
“It’s a pleasure.” The Chancellor replied, bowing to them.
Mal replied by holding his hand out. The core-worlder looked at it for a moment before accepting the offering. The grip was strong and sure, none of the wimpy grasps he gotten from them before. A slight smile crossed his face.
“Welcome to Serenity, Chancellor.”
Author: Solarbaby
Rating: T
Disclaimer: All I own is the plot.
Words: 1033
Summary: The past has a way of returning. Rasey.
Spoilers: Series finale for Jungle Fury and (set after) Serenity for Firefly.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
Chapter 1: Welcome to Serenity
Casey gave another yawn as he stretched out in the pilot’s chair, letting his eyes flutter close. It was nice and quiet and would be the perfect place to meditate. Unfortunately the seat, as comfortable as it was, wasn’t exactly the prime place for it.
“Persephone.”
“We’re not more than a few hours out.” He opened an eye and looked over at the person who had joined him. She had a slight figure and dark hair that fell down mid-waist. River didn’t look like she was someone who could harm a fly. But he knew better than many people what kind of abilities could lie under the surface. “You should be in bed. Your brother will be upset if he finds you haven’t been sleeping again.”
She shook her head and pulled her legs up into the other pilot’s chair. “Kitty cat doesn’t sleep.”
He smiled at her, amused. “I sleep when I need to. You don’t have to worry about me, lil’ bit. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time.” A very long time.
A searching look crossed her face. “Didn’t want to. Forced to. Couldn’t trust him. Wolf in sheep’s clothing. Tried to take away the cat.” A grin crossed her face. “Didn’t work. Found out his kitten had claws.”
Casey blinked, trying to ignore the shoot of pain that made his way through him. He turned his attention back to the controls, more to take his mind off of the conversation then really check progress.
“I’m sorry.”
He glanced back over to her to see River looking at him sadly, apologetically. “About what?”
“Bad memories. Shouldn’t have said anything.” She crossed her arms over her legs and rested her head on them. “Sometimes I say things. I can’t stop myself.” A reassuring smile was sent her way. River tilted her head slightly, looking inquisitive. “Cats are nocturnal.”
Casey let out a laugh at the off handed comment. “Not true. But doesn’t matter out here in the black anyways. You can have a day or night without a sun. Just synchronized sleep cycles.”
She shook her head. “You need to sleep. Gotta big day a head. Changes.”
“Don’t I know it. I didn’t think the Captain liked taking on passengers. Especially after last time.” He teased.
River just looked at him, shrugging.
“It not like I can sleep anytime soon. Someone’s gotta make sure we don’t die in a fiery explosion as we crash into the planet.” Casey saw the concerned look her face and smiled. “Now you need to go back off to bed. I’ll crash in my bunk when we hit planet side. Will that make you happy?”
She nodded and bounced over to him, giving him a peak on the cheek. “So much taking care of. Just like Simon.” With that she bounded out the room, presumably heading for her own bunk.
Shaking his head, Casey settled back in his chair, grabbing a holo-book from the top of a console.
He still had a few hours to kill and he needed to stay awake.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Captain Malcolm Reynolds shook his head as Casey was shooed into his bunk by River. The boy didn’t put up much of a protest, just laughing as she told him not to come back out for a few hours. He shook his head, taking in the circles under the boy’s eyes and how pale he looked. Maybe River had something there. “You bossing around my pilot now?” He asked her, amusement lacing his voice.
River just replied with a sigh. “Don’t know how he survived. Needs someone to keep an eye out for him. No one ever has in a very long time.”
He sighed and patted her on the shoulder. “Many of us have had to out here. He’s crew so he’s got us now.” Mal nodded her off. “You should head off and find your brother before Inara’s friend shows up. Zoe’s got take off.”
She nodded a walked off, heading the wrong direction.
“River!”
But she was gone. He sighed, hoping that she’d find her brother before the man arrived or at least hid out in her bunk.
Mal really didn’t have time for this.
He headed down into the cargo bay, only to find Inara, Zoe and Jayne standing there waiting. The Doc apparently decided to make himself scarce, not wanting to take chances, while Kaylee was still in the engine room.
“So where’s this friend of yours?”
Inara sent him a look of annoyance. “He’s on his way, captain.”
“Remind me again why he’s decided to take up as a passenger here other than one of the more classier boats that could cater to him?” Mal questioned her, his arms crossed. The truth was that if they hadn’t needed the money he wouldn’t have even considered taking on a passenger connected with the alliance. But Inara assure him that it would be a quick drop to New Melbourne with no trouble.
“He felt that riding in a ship such as this would be safer.” This comment was answered with a snort from Jayne. She ignored him and glanced back out onto the dock. “And there he is.”
The man approaching them was tall and clean cut. A core-worlder, obviously. As he reached the ramp Mal noticed that his hair was cropped short and his clothes looked moneyed. Easy money, just like Inara said.
“Chancellor.” Inara greeted him.
“Inara.” He bowed to her and kissed her hand in greeting. “We have much to talk about.”
A curious look came across her face before she realized what he must have been talking about. Casey. A clearing of throat caused her to take notice of the other. “Of course. Chancellor, this is Captain Reynolds, his first mate, Zoe, and Jayne. I would like to introduce you all to Chancellor Requiem Finn of New Melbourne.”
“It’s a pleasure.” The Chancellor replied, bowing to them.
Mal replied by holding his hand out. The core-worlder looked at it for a moment before accepting the offering. The grip was strong and sure, none of the wimpy grasps he gotten from them before. A slight smile crossed his face.
“Welcome to Serenity, Chancellor.”