Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
This story takes off where the Firefly series, after the episode Objects in Space and follows up until the Serenity film with changes and added characters. All Mandarin phrases are translated at the end of each chapter. If anyone has any problems understanding River ask and I'll try and help. Try writing her, the girl's crazy but fun to write! Please R/R.
Lie to a liar, for lies are his coin; Steal from a thief, for that is easy; lay a trap for a trickster and catch him at first attempt, but beware of an honest man. - Arab Proverb
The Coin of a Liar
Chapter 1 – Loosening Purse strings
Mal didn't like the look of the place but then he never liked the look of most places he ended up doing business. He had wanted to met at the Maidenhead, even with its gun check point it at least was clean. This bar was dark, dirty and smelled far to much like a latrine trench for Mal's tastes. However, the people he tended to work for weren't often of the legitimate persuasion, didn't like meeting in nice well lit public type places and mostly had a shifty look about them. Which was why when a tall, handsome, middle aged blonde man dressed in Core style blue clothing sat down next to him, Mal was a little more than a touch surprised. He introduced himself as Bolton Hanson. He was a man in fierce need of a transport that didn't ask too many questions about what it was he was transporting and where it was he was transporting to. He'd be along for the ride and pay in untraceable Alliance credits that was three times the amount Mal usually charged for a two week run of this sort. Zoe sat in her usual stoic manner, a hand resting on her Mare's Leg while the two men talked business.
"Well, Mr. Hanson, I can't say as I'm like to get any better offers on this moon, 'cause I ain't," Mal said, sipping the tall drink and trying not to make a face at the bitter, watered down beer and protein mixture that this establishment favored. Jayne had taken to the bar, a heavy shot of rotgut whiskey in his fist, a lovely pale haired woman at his side, but his eyes on Mal and the man at the table. Mal appreciated that while the Merc had been in the Black for a spell he still had his mind on the job. It was more like that he had his mind on getting paid, which hadn't happened on Serenity for a bit too long.
"You see, Captain Reynolds, I require your special talents and you come highly recommended by a man by the name of Badger," Hanson stated, his hands folded on the table.
"Ah, Badger recommended us did he," Mal said, not liking this turn of events, while the last job had gotten done, he had gotten a wave from the derby wearing middle man that made it sound as though he weren't too pleased with how quickly they'd left on account of Shepard getting shot.
"Yes, he said something about this job being your way of making your last up to him, and that you wouldn't pry into my business," Hanson stated, leaning forward, his elbow now on the table, a delicate eyebrow risen in meaning. Mal nodded, inwardly thinking that Hanson's business would stay his own only as long as it didn't affect his family and crew. The two shook hands, Hanson's grip harder and more unyielding than Mal would have suspected from such a fine Core bred man, and agreed on a time to meet at the docks in a days time. The man left the bar, waiting until he was around the corner and out of sight before activating a Com link on what had appeared to be a simple wrist watch.
"Contact established, phase one a go," he stated, his expression changing to one of smug victory as he lowered his arm and disappeared into the crowded downtown area of New Dunsmuir on Beaumonde.
A day later Serenity was a buzz of work, the hull being filled with the crates for their newest run. River watched from a corner nook, her body pressed into the ceiling as Jayne and Mal hauled the crates into the hold, stacking them neatly under the watchful eye of their newest contractor. The man was quiet with an eerie sanitized feel to him, his clothing crisp and clean as he stood back and let them do all the work. Wash fired up the Mule to help pull up the final container, a metal box six feet long and far to cumbersome to be simply carried. Jayne attached chains to the hook holds of the box, noticing briefly the man walking down the ramp to stand closer to him.
"Be careful with this one, its contents are very precious," he stated curtly, the clean smell of him reaching Jayne's senses and overwhelming the sensitive nose of the Merc.
"Yessir, will treat it like a babe," Jayne said sarcastically, causing River to giggle from her hiding spot, Jayne always said what he was thinking, even if the person hearing didn't always understand. It made it easy to be around him and River often just sat quietly near the large man, to Simon and Jayne's ever growing annoyance. The sounds of the Mule pulling the box whizzed and whirled through River's ears as she closed her eyes to the sights and merely took in the hum of Serenity and the noise of her crew. The crate made it safely into Serenity's hold and the man inspected the box, running his hands over it like a lover. This vexed Jayne something fierce but he shook his head and ignored his curiosity as he removed the heavy chains. River however didn't ignore hers and poked at the outside of the lanky man's mind. His thoughts were dark, dusty and tasted like blood to River and she pulled away before she saw very much. But what she had was more then enough to set her on edge and she vowed to watch the blonde man very closely to make sure she protected her family.
Jayne did not like Hanson. It was obvious the men, just a hair shorter than the Merc, wouldn't like one another once their eyes had met on the older man's way out of the bar. Blue eyes had met hazel and something had passed between them, something unquantifiable but still there. A spark of the recognition of the bad in the other, setting each further on edge and Jayne's hands itching for Vera or Lux. As he, Mal and Wash finished stacking Hanson's crates the man kept a watchful eye on the largest container. The three men finished quickly, Mal wanting to get out of atmo as soon as possible. Which was actually impossible with Wash muscling boxes in the hold.
"I leave you gentlemen to mourn the absence of my radiant personality while I fly my second lady love off this rock," Wash called from the staircase once Mal'd dismissed them. Jayne nearly cracked a smile, he liked Wash, not that the dinosaur loving man knew, as he went over to his weights and starting his lifting regimen.
River had watched all the busy worker ants for the past few hours, each with their own purpose, their own job, something to do. But River had nothing to do, no job, no reason except to watch. The newest occupant of Serenity had sneered inside his mind at the ship and her crew, finding her acceptable because he thought her Captain was more of a fool than he really was. But River knew his secret, plucked it out of his brain, was easier now that she could quiet some of the noise around her with Simon's medicines. However it never lasted as long as she'd like, the clarity of thought, the surety of self. She must tell of the naughty deeds before she herself lost them as they swam away, quiet fishes in the dark of the Black. They had been out of atmo for half the day when a crew member finally past River's hiding spot. River landed without so much as a sound, and took Kaylee's hand as she passed from the crew quarters towards the engine room.
"Hiya, River," she said with a high pitched squeak as she started, her free hand finding its way to her chest. River smiled sweetly at her allowing Kaylee's calm spirit to warm over her, making it a little simpler to think out her words. Often Kaylee's thoughts hurt, too fast and thinking over too many things but she never hid how she felt, making her tolerable at those times when her mind was her own.
"The newest rider in Serenity hides much," River stated, clutching her best friend's hand like a life line.
"That's usually why most folk chose this ship, River, 'cause we don't ask many questions of our passengers and their goings on," Kaylee replied. River was glad she had understood, repeating herself made it harder to think.
"He's been a naughty boy, taking what isn't his, and it must be brought to light," she stated earnestly.
"Find something swimming around his head, Sweetie?" Kaylee asked, turning towards the sound of booted feet to find the Captain coming up the stairs in their direction.
"Not swimming, sleeping. Only this isn't his, he's taken Snow White while she is trapped in her glass coffin. There is no prince waiting for her when she wakes up," she said squeezing Kaylee's hand trying to make her understand, hoping the Captain had heard and she wouldn't have to repeat herself.
"You find somethin' I should know about Tiny Crazy Girl?" Mal asked, sidling up to the quietly conversing girls. Good, he had heard, and must know so that he can formulate a plan. Hopefully one that doesn't end with him or Jayne getting shot, it muddied up Simon's green nature.
"Yes, Captain, a girl sleeps, like me. She sings to me, sweet songs of sanity," River stated knowing she was losing her grip and grabbed the Captain's hand with her remaining loose one in hopes that he would ground her more.
"She was makin' more sense earlier, Capin'. Said the new passenger was bad news, that he stole somethin' that weren't his," Kaylee said as River nodded her head vigorously.
"The girl hears the thoughts and feelings of others, trained without her knowledge or permission while she slept. Snow White must be rescued for the Huntsman will not be releasing the princess to the freedom of the forest. He will give her to the wicked Sun who will eat her heart and make her its slave," she said trying to pull the Captain and Kaylee down into the hold.
"Whoa, slow down," Mal said as the tiny bird of a girl managed to yank them down the first few steps, "Let's suss out what you're tryin' to say first." River sighed but nodded.
"Okay, so you think there's a girl somewheres?" Kaylee asked, River nodded again rolling her eyes and gracing the mechanic with her 'you're a boob' look.
"She sleeps in the cold, frozen until she must be awoken," she stated confidently, pointing to the hold, "Jayne will understand, he knows the tale," she said pulling them down towards Jayne and his weights. The Merc didn't look up when he heard footsteps coming down into the hold, it was a common occurrence on Serenity that someone would run up and down the stairs for exercise. They all stopped before him as he hung the bar up, finishing his repetition, starting when he looked up at the three people staring down at him.
"Uh, yeah?" He asked, wiping his forehead on a towel. River wrinkled her perk nose at the her favorite ape-man's stench but tried to hide it least he become growly at her.
"River says you'll know what she's trying to tell us 'cause you know the story she's usin' to explain stuff," Kaylee said in the voice that made every man on the ship, even Shepard, do her bidding. Mal believed that Inara was the one with wiles but no one had sweet sisterly innocence down like Serenity's machinist.
"'Kay, try me," he shrugged looking at River to start.
"The Huntsman won't be letting Snow White go and the Wicked Sun will gobble her heart all up," she whined, her doe eyes encouraging him to see what she was trying to say.
"See, we can't make no sense of it," Mal said trying to extract his hand from River's own. But the girl held on, looking him in her creepifying way that stalled his movements.
"Well, it's an old story from Earth-that-was, Snow White, 'bout a princess who's put under a sleepin' spell of sorts. Her stepmother sent her out with a hunter who was supposed to cut out her heart but he let her go," Jayne stated embarrassment clouding his voice.
"See, Jayne knows all manner of things," River said proudly, a beaming smile on her face.
"Okay, so how does this help solve our understanding River's problem?" Mal asked.
"Well let's figure out who each character is," Kaylee stated, her voice telling both men she found this to be a fun activity.
"Alright, River, who's the Huntsman?" Mal asked, looking down at the girl, who promptly rolled her eyes in that 'are you an idiot' way that always left the recipient feeling, well, idiotic.
"He walks the ship with his nose in the air, we know his name but he isn't who he says he is and his newness stinks up the passenger cabins," she stated, looking at Jayne, then Kaylee.
"Oh, Hanson!" Kaylee stated excitedly as though she were playing a trivia game.
"The points are yours but they are worthless numbers," River said smiling.
"Alright, then Snow White," Mal said, nearly laughing at the intense look of concentration on Jayne's face, his blue eyes looking deeply confused. The man wasn't made for deep thought and it looked as though it pained him something fierce.
"She sleeps, like River when she first came to Serenity's belly," River stated, trying to give them clues they would understand with as much information as she could formulate into a sentence.
"Like when you first came," Mal repeated with a pause, his brows furrowing in concentration, "Gorram it, she's in Cryo?" Mal asked and when River nodded he spat out some choice words in Mandarin. "Just what I need on my ship, someone transporting people. Again,"
"She must be rescued, the huntsman will give her and her heart to the Wicked Sun," River whispered in a high pitch tone even though she felt like shouting, but kept her voice just low enough that anyone eavesdropping couldn't hear.
"The Wicked Son, River-Girl, you got it all wrong, it's a Queen 'member," Jayne stated as softly as his deep voice would allow trying to sooth her crazy spell.
"No, you boob, not SON, SUN, with a U," she said, finally releasing Kaylee and Mal to trace the line of the scar she had given him through his shirt.
"Sun?" he asked, getting that same pained look as before.
"Lan Ri," River stated, her voice so soft only Jayne heard it.
"Blue Sun? What does a huge corp got to do with anythin'?" Jayne asked feeling that they had indulged her long enough and moving to stand.
"No, Jayne must stay and help the others understand the Crazy Tiny Girl, she barely understands herself at times. The Sun shines on the school that took River and molded her, they have modeled Snow White while she slept and mean to have her in their clutches again. She must be rescued by the handsome crew of Serenity," she stated in a whine, tears in her eyes. Kaylee's hands had gone to her mouth, that she had understood, well mostly understood.
"The Blue Sun Corp is responsible for The Academy?" Mal asked, fuming. River nodded tears streaming down her face, her eyes wide with fear. If Mal thought he was mad it was no match for the look on Jayne's face. Something had happened between Cobb and the Tam's since Ariel; it had started so small that the Captain wouldn't have noticed if Shepard Book hadn't said something to him. Jayne had taken to the kids, treating them like an annoying set siblings that he had to care for, and did so with little argument. Telling River stories for one, helping Simon put supplies away, seemingly small things for any other man that weren't Jayne Cobb.
"Where's the glass coffin, River," Jayne growled, standing and taking the girl by the elbow. The girl trembled, but not from any fear of Cobb but in that he finally understood what she'd been saying and she could let go just a little bit. Her graceful arm came out and pointed to the longest metal crate in the hold as she wrapped arms around Cobb. "Mal, you need to call a Hoop Ball game over the intercom."
"Oh, I do do I, why's that?" Mal asked, not liking to take orders from Jayne but having a feeling he was coming up with a good plan.
"'Cause Hanson won't come anywheres near the hold if he thinks we're playin' at somethin' so beneath him," Jayne stated. Kaylee looked up at the Merc like he were some knight in shiny armor, the look nearly reflected in River's black eyes. Mal didn't like it, but he didn't have to like it to do it. He walked over to the Com and announced that all crew were required to attend a rematch game of Hoop Ball, his voice sounding rowdy yet comically commanding. As the crew filtered in, Shepard Book among them, Mal gave a sigh of relief when Hanson didn't make an appearance.
"Captain, what's this all about, the rematch isn't until Friday and as this is Wednesday and not Friday we can't be having a rematch," Wash said with his usual candor, Zoe coming up behind him and crossing her arms.
"There is someone we must help, Zoe says we're big damn heroes, so we help people," River stated, walking over to Zoe and grasping her hand. Mal's second smiled down at the girl indulgently, pulling her into a sidelong embrace and stroked her long hair. Seeing her like that made Mal think perhaps Wash's fight against a baby were a bit hasty.
"That's right, little one, we're big damn heroes when the time calls for it. Is it called for, Sir?" Zoe asked, her voice even and calm. A tone belying her true feelings of nervousness and a regret that River could feel in the area of her womb.
"I believe so, Zoe. See, our psychic has read somethin' from our newest passenger," Mal said waving everyone over to a corner so that he could speak more quietly, "Seems Hanson is havin' us transportin' human cargo," he admitted reluctantly,
"Again? How many times are we going to do that?" Wash asked throwing his hands into the air and shaking his head.
"Seems one more time. See the cargo from the Academy, you know that happy little school River came from," he said pointedly. The expressions from his crew ranged from shock, to anger, to something completely unreadable from Simon. A boiling rage filtered up in the Doctor until he collapsed on Jayne's still warm bench. River untangled herself from Zoe, squeezing her hand before she moved away, and glided to her brother.
"Simon has lost his green tones, exchanging them for icy blue uncertainty," River stated, pulling Simon's face up with gentle pressure to his chin.
"Yes, I'm very angry and afraid. I never thought we'd encounter another, I'd hoped you'd be it," he stated as she sat down next to him, her arms wrapping around him in a strange reversal of comfort, "Wuh de ma,"
"What?" Mal asked, looking up at Simon's uncharacteristic bout of swearing.
"If Hanson is from the Academy, he's probably here for River too," Simon stated, pulling River closer to him. A chorus of swearing came up from the crew, but none louder than the Shepard.
"Liou coe shway duh biao-tze," He spat out.
"I'm inclined to agree with you, Shepard," Mal stated running his hand over his face.
"There are many more, Snow White is lucky, she has many heroes to aid her in her quest for freedom. Neither girl will be taken on Captain ba ba's watch," River said, resting her head on his shoulder. Everyone shifted not knowing what to do, waiting for Mal to speak up.
"I say we open it," Jayne said into the silence with his special brand directedness.
"We can't just open a Cryo unit, Jayne," Simon replied his voice slow as though he were talking to an especially simple child, still holding onto River in comfort, whether it was for his benefit or hers he did not know.
"Why not?" Jayne asked.
"Because we don't know when she's suppose to be woken up, you saw how badly River reacted to being woken early. Plus, I don't know how long she's been in there," Simon stated plaintively.
"The hourglass has broken and the sands of time have scattered all over the floor and I can't seem to pick them up to set them into any linear order," River stated.
"Okay, didn't get that," Jayne said. River sighed in frustration, rolling her eyes.
"Her sleep has been so lengthy that seeing back how far is very arduous and strains my eyes," River restated her eyes squinting as she tried to focus on speaking.
"That long?" Simon asked.
"Longer, she's an antique, refinished and ready for sale," River said, extending her mind to the woman set in stasis, she dreamed of older times, times so far back they were forgotten to history. Of blue oceans, green lands, tall buildings made with breakable glass and bendable steel. Of wickedly polluting people, grayly paved streets and animals left on a dead planet to filter off into extinction. Her world was one River had never seen, but one she knew in theory. It was the first home to them all, mother planet, so long abandoned that its location was nearly lost but to a few.
"Then I don't even know if I can wake her without the proper instruments," Simon stated defeatedly, unknowing of River's wanderings.
"You can, vitrification solution have been used, she now sleeps like I did," River stated, patting Simon of the back, "Her waking will be a shock without a prince's kiss, we are two more than the seven, not mining dwarfs, but we will help her past it. The other boxes contain the reminders and remains of her past life. She will be amiable towards us once she understands,"
"Alright then," Mal said gaining everyone's attention, "I think we all agree that the Academy is bad and we won't be lettin' them have their way with any folk. So this girl, is in fierce need of our help,"
"Ah, Mal, you don't need to be gettin' with the speech givin', just tell us the plan," Jayne said, moving to sit next to River and Simon on the workout bench.
"'Fore I was interrupted I was about to say that we need a plan. And we all know how my plans tend to run themselves afoul of bad luck," He stated.
"Yes, they do, Mal," came a voice from behind them, Inara coming down the stairs, "Your luck, however, is holding as I decided to watch out for Hanson when I saw you all looking for all the worlds like you were planning a heist, you should have had this meeting in the cockpit."
"How much did you hear?" Mal asked
"Everything, he would have as well if he'd even been at the top of the stairs. Really, Mal, you wonder why half your jobs go so poorly," Inara said, shaking her head.
"You got any better ways of doin' things speak up," he said sarcastically, not fully expecting her to say anything in response.
End Chapter 1
Lan Ri- Blue Sun
Wuh de ma – mother of God
Liou coe shway duh biao-tze – son of a drooling whore
ba ba - daddy
