Disclaimer: Characters created by Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy. I'm just messing with them, I promise to put them back, and I make no money from this.
Inspired by lyrics to "Comfort Eagle" by Cake, obligingly supplied by KC. No ownership implied, nor copyright infringement intended. :-)
The Cargo Drop
by lindseyjo
River set Serenity down without a bump on the surface of the newly colonized moon. Mal watched her carefully as she did so, making sure the new pilot followed all the procedures and didn't accidentally blow them up. The captain nodded to himself as River shut the engines down and turned to face him.
"Good enough, Captain?" she asked cheekily, smiling up at him.
"Good enough for government work, little one," he agreed with her, trying to resist the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Let's get this cargo offloaded and get back in the air. Got another job waiting for us on Persephone."
"Yes, sir," River replied, getting out of the pilot's chair and snapping him a jaunty salute. "I'll meet you in the cargo bay."
Mal watched her go, carrying her seldom-worn combat boots with her. Since the events on Miranda had unfolded, the teenager had shown an uncanny ability to be in her right mind. Mal couldn't remember a time since then when he'd worried for the rest of the crew's safety in her presence. Paired with her equally uncanny ability at the helm of his boat, the change was welcome, if only a bit creepifying.
True to her word, River was on the cargo deck when Mal arrived. She'd donned the boots, as well as an ill-fitting jacket that he recognized as one of Jayne's favorites. The mercenary was shuttling crates of supplies to the door, while Zoe and Kaylee pulled some other items from their hidden storage places. Simon walked out of the infirmary, medkit in hand, and put it down to help where he could. Mal walked around to the stairs and joined his crew.
"Just had me a look outside," he announced, adjusting the pistol holster at his hip. "Looks like a nice enough day, but the local populace is gathering at a pretty quick pace. Keep in mind we've already been paid to drop this cargo, so if somebody grabs for something, just let 'em take it. They've been here a while with pretty slim supplies, so I'm thinkin' the desperation has set in pretty good."
"Just as long as they don't grab nothin' that's mine," Jayne grumbled. He wrestled his last load into place and looked over at the captain. "I know this is a milk run, an' I know these people need this stuff, but couldn't we have pawned this off on somebody else? We ain't aid workers or nothing'."
"No, we ain't aid workers," Mal agreed easily. "We're a cargo ship. We take the jobs we can get, we take the money, we do the job, and we get back to flyin'. Stuff like this ain't exciting, I'll grant you that, but it's a job."
"Plus helpin' these people out ain't a bad thing at all," Kaylee put in. "I don't know what moon you grew up on, Jayne Cobb, but back home we took every bit of stuff we was given. Life's too hard out here to ask otherwise."
Jayne grimaced at the pretty mechanic and nodded grudgingly. "Whatever, lil' Kaylee. Can we just get this done?"
Mal hit the button to open the doors and the ramp. "Let's go."
The ramp descended with a groan, slowly revealing the men and women Mal had seen approaching Serenity. A stiff, dry desert wind blew into the ship, swirling River's hair around her head like a devilish brown halo. Men and women alike were dressed in clothes that had seen many better days, their faces streaked with dirt and sweat. A few stepped back when the ramp hit the ground with a thud, but they quickly stepped forward again.
The dark-haired man at the front of the group held up a hand, nodding to Mal. "Cap'n Reynolds?" he inquired, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"That's me," Mal acknowledged, resting his hand on the butt of his pistol. "That'd make you Whitman?"
"That it would," the man answered, lifting up his other hand to show it was empty. "Welcome to New Paris, Cap'n. We're mighty glad to see you and your crew, and you're welcome to stay as long as you will."
Mal nodded, gesturing to Zoe. "My thanks, Whitman, but we're on a bit of a tight schedule. We'll just offload your stuff and be outta your hair in no time."
Whitman stepped to the side for one of his men to take a crate from Zoe. "I heard tell you've got a medic on board—a real doctor. Think there might be a way he could see to a couple of people 'fore you take off again? We'd be happy to pay for his services."
Mal looked over at Simon, who nodded slightly. "Zoe, why don't you and the doc go see what you can do for these people while we're here? The rest of us will keep getting' this unloaded. Figure it'll take about an hour."
"Yes, sir," Zoe replied, handing another crate to Whitman. "We'll be back in an hour."
"Thank you, Captain," Simon murmured as he passed Mal. "These people surely need medical care, almost as much as these supplies."
"Don't go thankin' me yet, Doc," Mal replied just as quietly. "Don't know what you'll be seein' in there, do you? You got one hour, no more."
Simon met the captain's dark, serious eyes, nodded and followed Zoe.
River slipped up to Mal's side, watching as her brother and the first mate went to take a walk through the jungle of cardboard shanties and tents that was the moon's first settlement.
"It's good Zoe is going, too," she said clearly, but softly, pitched so only Mal heard her. "She'll keep them in line—and Simon, too."
Mal cast a rueful smile on his new pilot. "That she will, River. She's got a gift for that."
River looked solemnly back at him. "She has a fierce, commanding presence."
She turned and walked back up the ramp to grab another crate. "Not to mention one hell of a big gun."
The grin she shot Mal as she walked past him to the desert sand was pure delight, and he found himself grinning right back. "That she does, River. That she does."
Lyrics used denoted with
"Comfort Eagle" by CAKE
We are building a religion
We are building it bigger
We are widening the corridors
And adding more lanes
We are building a religion
A limited edition
We are now accepting callers
for the pendant key chains
To resist it is useless
It is useless to resist it
His cigarette is burning
But he never seems to ash
He is grooming his poodle
He is living comfort eagle
You can meet at his location
But you better come with cash
Now his hat is on backwards
He can show you his tatoos
He is in the music business
He is calling you "DUDE!"
Now today is tomorrow
And tomorrow today
And yesterday is weaving in and out
And the fluffy white lines
That the airplane leaves behind
Are drifting right in front
of the waining of the moon
He is handling the money
He's serving the food
He knows about your party
He is calling you "DUDE!"
Now do you believe
In the one big sign
The doublewide shine
On the bootheels of your prime
Doesn't matter if you're skinny
Doesn't matter if you're fat
You can dress up like a sultan
In your onion head hat
We are building a religion
We are making a brand
We're the only ones to turn to
When your castles turn to sand
Take a bite of this apple
Mr. corporate invents
Take a walk through the jungle
Of cardboard shanties and tents
Some people drink Pepsi
Some people drink Coke
The wacky morning DJ
Says democracy's a joke
He says now do you believe
In the one big song
He's now accepting callers
Who would like to sing along
She says, do you believe
In the one true edge
By fastening your safety belts
And stepping towards the ledge
He is handling the money
He is serving the food
He is now accepting callers
He is calling me "DUDE!"
Now do you believe
In the one big sign
The doublewide shine
On the bootheels of your prime
There's no need to ask directions
If you ever lose your mind
We're behind you
We're behind you
And let us please remind you
We can send a car to find you
If you ever lose your way
We are building a religion
We are building it bigger
We are building
A religion
A limited
Edition
We are now accepting callers...
For these beautiful...
Pendant keychains