Note: First Firefly fanfic I've done. Been watching the show recently, so I figure I'll get the characters down good. Post-BDM. Please, review and comment. I do not own Firefly nor any of the characters.
The Unfamiliar Friend
Chapter 1
"So, whereabouts you need this taken?" Mal asked, eying the large silver container with apprehension.
"Ariel, Captain. We're delivering the contents of this to Ariel." The leader of the three men replied.
"That's a ways."
"We'll pay what rate you set."
"Let me talk this over."
"Of course."
Mal walked back into Serenity's cargo hold.
"So, thoughts?"
"Last time we picked up a crate like that, we ended up with two great heaps of trouble." Jayne said. "Not that, uh, I think they're trouble now." He said hastily, as River glared at him.
"Guys seem a bit shifty. We could be taking on something we might not much like." Zoe offered.
"Well, what we like don't much matter now. We need the money, and these guys claim they're willing to pay whatever we think is fair," Mal said "Within reason." He added, as Jayne opened his mouth. "They need to get their package to Ariel, so I'm thinking an extra ten percent for us going to a Central planet, our relationship with the Alliance being what it is."
"A Central planet? Hell, run up an extra fifteen."
"Extra ten, and we'll put it down to something other than Parliament wanting our heads on pikes. Those men didn't seem to recognize us. Best we keep it that way."
The men rolled the crate up into the cargo hold.
"Never did catch your names." Mal said.
"I'm Davis." The leader said. "That's Chang," he pointed to the wiry Asian man with a knife on his belt "and that's Geff." then pointing at the gray-haired man with a long braid and hard jaw.
"Pleasure. Well, come on, time for the tour."
River gazed down at the container from the steps leading to the dinning room.
"Another one. Less broken. But still hurt. Angry."
Several hours later, everyone was sleeping. River was mumbling, turning and tossing in her bunk.
"What are….No, no that's not…"
She woke up, screaming.
Lights flashed on, and a half-minute later, Simon slid the door open.
Before he could say anything, there was loud metallic banging from the cargo hold.
"Awake. Out. Thirsty." River babbled.
Taking the steps two at a time, Davis ran to the railing, and nearly fell down to the deck, thirty feet below.
"What the hell?" Part of the safety rail had been torn out.
Then he saw the crate. Opened. The top slid clean off, cryo-mist still curling off the inside.
"Geff! Chang! Get down here, now!" He yelled. The two ran down the steps and joined him.
"Oh, crap. That's bad. That's really, really bad." Chang said, looking at the container.
"What the hell is going on here?" Mal called as he came down.
" It's, ah, nothing major. Don't-"
Chang didn't finish the sentence.
A man, stark naked, dropped from the ceiling and landed on top of him, burying the torn bit of the safety rail in his chest.
