A/N: So I've had this idea rolling around in my head for a while now about how adding an OC (the details of whom will be revealed shortly) would change a story. I couldn't get the thought out of my head, so I wrote it and I really like the way it's turning out. Chapters will start out short, but I anticipate them getting longer in the future.
Story starts at what would have been the beginning(ish) of Shindig, shortly after they've landed on Persephone.
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon is awesome, and obviously I don't own or profit from any of his awesome show.
She appeared as out of nowhere. One minute Mal was mentally tallying the odds of their getting work on Persephone, and the next there was a girl on Serenity's ramp. The fact that she'd managed to get so close to their hold without his noticing was impressive enough – the fact that she'd managed to do so in a cumbersome wheelchair, of all things, made Mal worry he was beginning to drop his guard a bit too low on Persephone. While the planet was certainly one of their more frequent destinations, it would not do to get attached, as he firmly reminded himself.
Mal surveyed the girl before deciding what to do with her. Pale skinned, good posture – hallmarks of having been raised on a Core planet. The brunette was slight of build and couldn't have seemed less physically threatening if she'd tried – yet, something about the look on her face made Mal instantly wary. His gut told him the girl meant trouble, and Mal always listened to his gut.
Mind made up, Mal pivoted to address her.
"'Scuze me, Miss, but you seem to have misplaced yourself," he said, in an outwardly jovial manner that nonetheless made his displeasure clear. "We're not taking passengers."
"Oh, I'm not a passenger," she replied steadily, meeting his eyes. "I'm crew."
Mal's face contorted in an expression of sardonic disbelief before he smiled cynically and said, "Either I misheard you or you're on the wrong boat, because I know my crew and you ain't one of 'em."
"I will be," the girl said, with the kind of certainty that could make a man question whether the sky was blue.
"And why," Mal asked, patience wearing thin, "would I even want you on my boat in the first place, much less as crew? Doesn't seem as you'd be much use," he added, staring pointedly at her wheelchair.
"Eventually, it will be because you care about me. In the shorter term, you'll have me on because I'm worth my weight in gold, whether you realize it yet or not. And in the immediate period, it'll be because your current crew is headed back here now, Feds hot on their heels, and if you don't take me with you I'll tell the Feds all the information I have on you and your crew."
"Listen lady, I don't know what you think you know about me – "
"- Malcolm Reynolds, captain of this boat. Records suggest you're 49, but you're actually 31. Born on Shadow, sergeant for the Independents during the war, current smuggler – need I go on?" the girl asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Because we really need to get going if we're going to avoid the Feds."
"他妈的混蛋！"Mal swore colorfully. He knew in his gut the girl was telling the truth about the Feds, or at least believed she was telling the truth and that was enough for him. He flipped the switch on the comm. "Listen, Wash, we may have a situation down here. Get ready for a quick exit if things turn bad."
He barely registered Wash's reply, he was so focused on the problem at hand. As if on cue, Kaylee, Zoe, and Jayne burst into view, out of breath from having raced to get back.
"Captain, we've got a problem," Kaylee burst out. The remaining two crew members slowed as they approached the ship and sized up the mysterious new girl, Zoe because she'd (correctly) assessed her to be a threat, and Jayne because apparently his lecherous nature didn't mind if a girl was able bodied or not.
"Feds are after us!" Kaylee continued, voice awash with emotion. "I don't know what we did, but Zoe caught one of them tailing us on the way back here. We don't have long before they're – "
" – I get the idea, Kaylee, thank you," Mal said, externally calm, internally fighting the urge to punch something. "Wash," he said, pushing the comm button again, "that take off would be great any time now."
"Anything for you, captain," Wash said, ever cheerful, although an undercurrent of tension was evident in his voice, no doubt wondering at the cause for this sudden change in plans.
"Zoe, button her up," Mal said, quickly deciding on a plan of action and feeling the better for it. "Jayne, watch our newest 'passenger'. Keep her here in the hold, don't take your eyes off her."
"No problem," Jayne said, with an obvious leer at the girl.
"On second thought, swap with Zoe," Mal said, thinking better of his original plan. Jayne looked as though he meant to object, then beheld the hard look in the captain's eyes and moved to obey, grumbling all the while. Zoe moved to cover the girl, steely eyed and gun unholstered.
"You'd best have a good explanation," Mal told the girl dispassionately, voice loud enough to be heard over the whirring as the ramp closed. "Or you've just signed your own death warrant."
"You won't kill me," the girl replied, as steadily as ever.
"Maybe you don't know me as well as you think," Mal replied, before leaving her at Zoe's mercy.
A/N: I just really liked ending it at that line...it just felt so Mal to me. Please review. I'm really getting into this story and it's flowing for me in a way no other story has done before. Moreover, unlike everything else I've ever written (save for tiny one-shot) I actually have the whole (broad version) of the plot already mapped out. The whole thing. So no possibilities for plot bunnies to besiege me and hold the plot hostage because, well, I already have it all. I can't wait to hear your reactions to the plot as it unfolds, because it's fairly twisty and fun. :)
Please review!