Chapter 1: Take What's Mine

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction based on the characters of the Firefly 'verse. No copyright infringement is intended.

Spoilers: Spoilers for Heart of Gold

Rating: T (for language)

Beta: This story has been beta-read by the brilliant and patient Ella Greggs, but all errors, of course, are mine.

"Nice day for a last stand" - Hoban Washburne

"Rance!"

The bordello's threadbare curtains fluttered gently in the morning breeze. Sunlight streamed through the spaces in the boarded up windows, casting haphazard yellow shards down the newspaper-lined hallway outside Petaline's room.

"Most of your men are either dead, dyin' or run off." Nandi wasn't lying, but she couldn't quite keep the quaver from her voice.

"Aw, that don't matter none," Rance crooned, levelling his huang tang-looking laser at her with his right arm as he cradled Petaline's baby in his left. "I got what I came here for."

Even as Inara appeared behind Rance in the hallway, Nandi kept her eyes trained on him, kept his attention focused on her. "Ain't leavin' here with it," she vowed.

"This is my blood, woman!" he bristled.

"No." Inara's knife was at his throat. "This is your blood." A trickle of crimson ran down his neck. Nandi spotted one of her girls, Joelene, in a room adjoining the hallway. She waved her over and pointed her towards Rance and the baby.

"Now you hand that child over nice and slow," Inara continued, as Joelene took the boy from him, "or I'll spill more than you can spare."

Joelene and the newborn disappeared around a corner. Another man might have conceded defeat at that point, but not Burgess. Nandi saw the muscles of his shoulder bunch in readiness, and from the determined set of Inara's jaw, she saw it too.

Mal was right, Nandi thought. The hundan won't stop 'til he gets what he thinks is his. For the sake of the child, and every other soul in the Heart of Gold – them were still breathing, leastways – this had to end here.

It's just a moment in time, Inara. Step out of it and let it happen.

Nandi didn't know if Inara read it in her face or merely reached her own conclusions, but as she watched, the Companion's eyes turned to flint. In the same instant Rance's elbow connected with Inara's stomach, she drew the blade clean across his throat.

Rance crumbled to the floor, the laser tumbling harmlessly from his grip. His eyes widened as he registered he'd been beaten, a scenario he'd likely never even considered. But the knowledge faded quickly, replaced with blind panic as rivers of red ran freely from the slice across his neck. His hands flew to the wound, but his efforts served only to bloody his fingers. Stray drops landed on the floor and glistened like rubies in the morning light.

Inara fell back against the wall. One hand rested on her already bruising belly and the other still clutched the wet blade, but Nandi doubted the younger woman was aware of either. Inara slid to the carpet, her delicate features frozen in horror as she watched Rance thrash and splutter in a futile attempt to draw breath.

Nandi was no sadist, but after seeing her own people taking Rance's bullets all morning, part of her got a certain satisfaction from seeing the bastard bleed out on her floor. Men like that deserved what was coming to them, and you didn't choose this life without being prepared to put a man in a pine box to prevent him doing you or yours the very same favour.

But Inara hadn't made the same choices as Nandi when she headed out beyond the Core. While Nandi had left the Companion's life behind, Inara had brought it with her. Even out here, she was still a part of that civilized world of dulcimers and tea ceremonies, and Nandi feared killing Rance required a sacrifice Inara hadn't been prepared to make.

She knelt down and took her friend into her arms. "You did the right thing, meimei. Did what needed doing," she soothed.

The door to the hallway burst open. It was Mal, rifle at the ready. Nandi saw his features dawn with understanding, then cloud in consternation as he pieced together the scene before him. He let the rifle drop to his side as Rance choked out his final breath from a pool of blood and sunlight.

In the moments that followed, the only sounds were distant shouts and a stray gunshot as the last of Rance's men hightailed it back to town. Nothing moved except the dust that swirled lazily in the air. Somewhere, the baby cried. Nandi took a deep breath and let her eyes fall closed. It was over.

She drew another calming breath in through her nose – and sat bolt upright. Those fucking assholes.

She launched to her feet, dragging Inara with her. "Fire!" she hollered as smoke began to filter into the hallway. "Everybody get out!"

The young doctor appeared at the door to Petaline's room, eyes alert, despite the long night he'd had. His sister stood behind him, her face as calm as the surface of a pond.

"Doctor, can you get Petaline down the stairs?" Nandi asked. The young man gave a curt nod and disappeared back into the room.

"Mal, get Inara out of here." But even as Nandi said the words, the doctor's sister took the Companion's trembling hand and led her towards the staircase.

Nandi took off through the house, covering her mouth and nose with her hand as smoke muddied the air."Fire! Everybody out! Get out now!" she shouted.

She passed Emma and Lucy on the balcony. "Keep your heads low and keep movin'!" she ordered as they hurried past her.

Smoke taunted the back of her throat. She pressed on, checking rooms and shouting directions. As she rounded the next corner, the wall of heat forced her steps to slow. Flames climbed to the ceiling and licked the doorframe of her room.

"Nandi!" shouted a voice behind her.

"Thought I told you to get out of here, Malcolm Reynolds." The smoke was so thick she could barely see him.

"Ladies first!" he shouted back over the crackling flames.

That's mighty chivalrous, Malcolm, but I'll fry before I leave here empty-handed, she thought, as she dove through the flaming doorway into her bedchamber.

The flames roared like a furnace and the framework of the bordello creaked and groaned with its desire to surrender to the blaze. Mal's eyes were watering from the sting of the acrid smoke. Every breath rasped past his tonsils, despite the handkerchief he held over his mouth.

Gorram it, what in the sphincter of hell is she doing?

He was about to launch himself after her into the burning room, but Nandi was already vaulting back through the doorway. She had a wooden case under her arm, the one she kept her pistols in. He would have given her an earful about how there wasn't a piece in the 'verse worth risking your life for, but she wouldn't have heard him over her hacking cough. He took the case from her and gave her his handkerchief, then wrapped an arm around her waist to steady the both of them. Together they headed for the stairs. At least, he hoped there would still be stairs by the time they got there.

Somehow, they made their way down the flaming banister and out the front door into the sun. Nandi's people were gathered outside, a sea of worried and tear-stained faces. Some were clutching the few possessions they'd managed to save, others were consoling friends and nursing wounds. Nandi took the wooden case from Mal with the briefest of smiles, then disappeared into the frightened throng, checking if anyone was missing and offering words of comfort.

Mal did a quick scan for his first mate. She was already on her way over to him. "Report?" he wheezed, leaning forward to rest his hands on his knees.

"Rance's men have withdrawn and the crew are all accounted for," Zoe said. "Looks like all of Nandi's people made it out, too, 'cept those were gunned down before the blaze. Wash and Jayne are taking injured folk back to the ship, and Doc's got Inara and the Shepherd with him in the infirmary."

"Kaylee's water cannon?" he asked.

"Fire was lit on the other side of the building. Couldn't even see it from where we were. Then the hundan snuck round and lit one right under us. Had to abandon the post for fear of it collapsing," she replied.

He nodded. Nothing to be done now but let the fire burn itself out. "Let's move these people back a little further, just to be safe."

Zoe nodded and pivoted on her heel to carry out his instructions. Mal straightened up and turned back towards the whorehouse. The shiny solar sheeting looked moth-eaten, the fire had chewed so many holes in it. Through the ground floor windows he could see the lobby furnishings – tapestries, lounges, indoor plants – all succumbing to the hungry flames. Smoke billowed from every opening to join the ominous black plume that hung in the otherwise clear sky, signalling to all for miles around that the Heart of Gold was closed for business.

There was a loud crack, followed by a thunderous crash, as part of the roof caved in. A spray of sparks and flaming debris spewed into the air. It was, he realized, the section of roof over Nandi's room. The room the two of them had spent the night in. The room that contained every last one of Nandi's worldly possessions, except for that case and the clothes she had on.

The rest of the crowd had moved back at Zoe's request, but one figure stayed rooted to the spot. Mal looked over to see Nandi standing rigid in the dust. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks as she watched her Heart turn to ashes.

Chinese Translations

huang tang – ridiculous
hundan – bastard
meimei – little sister

A/N: Reviews are shiny!