Author's Note: A few things -
1. This isn't a 1:1 Firefly Glee Crossover. You'll notice that some of the Firefly crew quirks seem to mix up in our glee characters. This is because there really isn't an exact Mal as a Glee character, or an exact Kaylee. You'll have to excuse the liberties that I've taken with the characters and know that I've tried my best to make them unique in their own right.
2. This is a rather loose retelling of the pilot episode of Firefly called Serenity. Again, not 1:1, but you'll see it get tighter as the chapters go by.
3. I have no bothered to include a Chinese translation for the phrases I use in the stories. Just because I think they're pretty clear from context. If you'd like to know what they mean, you can always Google them, or what have you. But, you're not going to derive any special meaning from the phrases, they're just colorful (Though some are more 'colorful' than others!).
4. This is going to be a full fic, I'm thinking at least 40k words, probably closer to 50k, but the chapters are going to be slow updating, maybe once a month. I'm trading large chapter size for slower updates. Sorry about that.
5. This is a Troubletones/Brittana fic, but you'll see alot of my faves in this story. The main romance is Brittana, but the story is about the Troubletones, and the rest of the crew of the Songbird, along with flashbacks to the Unification Wars (which are noted in italics).
Sorry about all the chatter. Hope you enjoy!
13 years ago...
The explosion was still ringing in her ears as she ran.
Kitty raced down the hill at a breakneck speed, dodging rocks and debris and vaulting over other things that she'd rather not spend any time trying to think about. The air was thick with acrid smoke, and it was all she could do to keep from suffocating on it. Her res pack had been ditched hours ago, thrown to the bottom of some ravine that she'd passed, and not a second thought left behind with it. The heavy weight of it on her back had been fine when she was sitting in a trench, but when she'd had to move, it had only slowed her down.
She was glad too. She'd been running for what seemed like hours, and the pack would have been an unwanted burden on her back. Her lungs burned, but it only pushed her to run faster, away from where her squad had been ambushed, away from the screams of dying soldiers, away from the carnage, away from the destruction. She looked up at the sky for a moment, trying to catch a glimpse of starlight through the clouds. Trying to catch sight of anything that would help her to orient herself, but she didn't see anything. Only more pitch black. Only more night. Only more darkness. She had spotted the edge of a dune, and thought she'd noticed it has they had marched towards the battlefield, so she followed it slowly uphill for what seemed like miles. She didn't know where she was going, she just wanted to go home.
Her watch had stopped in the blast, showing the last time that some of her sisters and brothers had breathed their last breath. She had no way of knowing how long she had been running. She only knew she couldn't rest. She ran on.
She didn't notice the bit of metal jutting out from the ground until it was too late, a flash of light coming from overhead illuminated the gleaming steel and she only saw it for a moment before the impact. She slammed into it, screaming as the jagged shard tore a chunk of flesh from her leg, and sent her tumbling over the edge of the hill, and into the darkness, the world spinning as she fell.
When she finally came to a stop at the bottom, she lay on her back for a few more seconds, the life all but drained out of her. Her leg throbbed, and she could feel the warm blood spilling onto the charred ground. She looked up at the sky once again, and slammed her fist into the dirt, not minding the way that the movement jostled her newly opened wound.
Kitty screamed, the tears washing streaks of dirt down her face. She had been marching since dawn, full of anticipation and nerves, jostling with her squadmates, ready to fight the good fight, and now…. Now she wasn't even sure who was left alive.
She tried to remember what she'd learned in basic. She struggled, trying to will the pain that was coursing through her leg, that was coursing through her whole body, to quiet itself so she could think. She squeezed her eyes closed. What was it that the Lieutenant was always yelling at her about? She brought an arm over her face, and gingerly wiped the tears away.
"Gorramit."
She sighed deeply, and found herself lost in a fog. Either blood loss or shock (or both) was making her brain as addled as her bunkmate Azimio once he'd found himself on the losing end of a drinking contest. It was no use. Her Lieutenant was always telling her that she was a 拉屎 soldier. Now, her team had gotten attacked, and she hadn't been able to do anything except stay low until the attack was over, and then run away. She'd left everyone behind. She'd left Azimio behind. She closed her eyes against the smoke, and settled in, listening to explosions in the distance.
Suddenly a boom sounded nearby, and rattled the ground, jostling Kitty where she lay. She opened her eyes carefully, shielding them from the debris that sprinkled gently down around her, like a summer rain. As she looked to the heavens a single, bright spot of light dazzled at her.
A star.
Well, stars, plural. Somehow the smoke had cleared, and she could see through the ash, through the soot. She could see the sky. She thought back to her childhood days on Hera. She thought about her parents taking her and her little brother out camping, her mother pointing to the stars that touched the nearest points of their galaxy, and the solar systems that lay just beyond their home. She thought of that home that she was protecting.
"Med pack."
Kitty looked around wildly. There was no one there, but she'd heard the voice echoing all around her. Heard it as clear as day. It was her Lieutenant's voice, yelling at her like he always had. Telling her the things that she already should have known, but had forgotten. Kitty licked her dried, chapped lips, and brought her hands to her chest and repeated her superior's words.
"Med pack."
\
Present Day
"We're coming out of atmo, Cap'n."
"Good. Keep her steady. I don't want any problems today. Things gotta go nice and smooth."
"Like a new jar of peanut butter, Cap."
Mercedes rolled her eyes, and headed off the deck, turning back in the doorway.
"Brittany, this is gonna be your first real job as a part of my crew, and I don't want any trouble. Let's set the bar high with this one. 懂吗?"
"懂了, Cedes. You can count on me." Brittany said, giving a tiny salute. She turned back to the console, littered with tiny dinosaurs and using the steering column, arched the ship, and aimed her downward.
"This is Songbird-022015 requesting landing protocols."
"We read you Songbird, running credentials."
Mercedes left Brittany to it. It was the first time (that she knew of) her blonde pilot had ever set foot on Persephone, and the first time she'd be landing their ship without Mercedes' assistance. She didn't want her getting all nervous.
She climbed down the small ladder, towards the bunks and headed towards her own at the back of the hallway. They had been cruising through Lux system when her old pal Badger had sent them a wave. He needed someone for a discreet job, and he knew they'd be the ones to take it. He didn't mention the details, or the cargo, but Mercedes was hard up enough, that she'd put aside her feelings of distrust for Badger long enough to make a quick turnaround.
Captain Mercedes Jones had inherited the good ship Songbird from her uncle, who'd been one of the many casualties of the Unification War. Her father had told her that going out into space on that old rig was silly, but she had fought on the side of the Browncoats during the war, and returning home to farm potatoes with her family seemed like something she wouldn't be able to stand. So, she took her uncle's ship, which had been sitting in dry dock for almost a decade, and set about fixing it up.
She brought along her lieutenant from their regiment, Santana Lopez, one of her best friends from back home, Kurt Hummel, and went out among the stars. Lucky for her they didn't come much more loyal than Santana, meanwhile Kurt could make a toaster run like a purring kitten, so they made it just fine, skimming along the planets in the outer rim of the system. Along the way they'd picked up a stray or two, and now they had an almost complete working crew.
Though, working was a bit of an overstatement. They hadn't had any jobs in a few months (either over or under the table). Now, stores were running low, and tensions were running high. She'd had to break up two fights in the past week alone, and the chocolate she kept in her room was not going to be enough to get her through it.
She stopped in the hallway, listening to the thrusters to engage, which signified that they'd gotten clearance to land, and would be in Eavesdown before too long. She smiled, Badger had come through again. She could kiss him. Well, if he ever brushed his teeth, she might consider it.
Her attention was broken by the sound of arguing coming from the mess, and gritting her teeth, she strode forward, passing her bunk, and ducking her head to enter.
"I told you for the last time, Berry, those were mine!"
"And I told you, Santana, that I have to maintain ultimate and peak performance, and if I don't have fresh things every once in a while-"
"What? Your 小妹妹 is going to smell like tuna?"
Mercedes breached the doorway just as Rachel went red in the face, and took a deep breath.
"Enough, you two! Santana get up there with Brittany and give her a hand. Rachel, why don't you go back to your shuttle and prepare for landing?"
Santana looked like she wanted to argue, but nodded curtly.
"Yes, sir."
With that, she turned on her heel and headed back down the hallway, towards the bridge, huffing loudly. Rachel, seemed to calm down right away, and got a delighted look on her face.
"We're landing?! Oh god, I've been waiting all week for this. Finally some work!"
"I take it your dance card is full then?"
"Not as much as if I was on an inner rim planet, but it will do in a pinch. I've got to thank you, Captain. The Companions Guild and I owe you a debt of gratitude."
"No need to thank me, Ms. Berry, we needed the work as much as you do. We'll be here for a full twenty four hours, so that should give you more than enough time for a few of your clients."
"Yes, that should be sufficient." She smiled.
"Good, then." Mercedes turned to walk away, but stopped, turning back. "Oh, and Rachel, I know that you and Santana don't get on very well, but you'll want to stay out of her stash of strawberries. I've seen her kill folks for less."
Mercedes went on her way, and heard an audible gulp from Rachel. She couldn't help but smile. Santana wouldn't kill Rachel. Probably. But, there was no harm in giving everyone a break from Rachel's antics, at least for a little while.
Mercedes stopped for a moment, listening again to the noises from the ship, and thinking quickly, took a detour, heading down to the engine room. She saw a bit of brown, coiffed locks peeking from behind the engine column, and smiled.
"Kurt? What are you doing to my engine room? It sounds like a giant with a case of gastrointestinal distress."
Kurt looked up over the whirring engine and pursed his lips. "Well, Captain, I'm doing my best, but your new pilot is working the poor girl like she's a five dollar whore. I can only do so much."
"Brittany will get used to her, don't worry."
"If she doesn't crash her first."
Kurt sounded hurt, and Mercedes could sympathize. The two of them had been working on Songbird for years; treating her right, and learning her quirks. She didn't like the idea of anyone being rough with her anymore than Kurt did. But, Brittany would learn the ropes, and even though she was a quirky woman, Mercedes had never seen a better pilot.
"You've gotta trust her, Kurt. She's good, believe me. She'll take care of our girl."
Kurt huffed and went back to work under the engine. "Well, it's about time we landed anyway. We need two engine couplings, and a new compression coil and-"
"Look, Kurt. We'll have enough credits for the bare essentials. In the meantime, you've got to make do. The job ain't even begun, and you're already spending money."
"But Mercedes-"
"You'll make do. We land in a bit. Get ready to head out." That was the end of that discussion.
She didn't like being too firm with her crew, but she didn't have much of a choice. Credits were running low. That's what this job was for. She walked back towards the galley, and saw Puck, who was pouring a handful of protein into his mouth.
"Take it easy, Puckerman, there is actually food on this 大便 planet."
"Buh I wah owngy now." Puck said around his mouthful.
Mercedes ignored him, and patted him on the shoulder. "Grab your gear, Puck. We're going to see a man about a job."
\
On the bridge, Santana watched Brittany carefully. She noticed the way her eyes narrowed as she looked at her instruments, and the way her hands lightly held the controls as she steadily brought Songbird into the landing docks. More than once her eyes graced over Brittany's pink lips, her golden hair, her long fingers. She hadn't spent very much alone time with the new pilot, considering that she'd only been onboard the ship for a short time. And Santana didn't quite know what to think. Mercedes had chosen her because, "she liked the look of her." But all the same she'd definitely noticed her. The tip of a pink tongue darted out of Brittany's mouth as she grimaced in concentration.
"Like what you see?"
Santana jumped, nearly falling out of her chair, before straightening and clearing her throat. "Um, huh?
Her voice cracked a little and she cleared her throat again.
"I asked if you liked what you were seeing. You seemed to be enjoying the view from over there."
Santana stood up, and straightened her vest, smoothing her raven black hair that was tied back in a ponytail.
"No. I mean, yes. I mean, I was just, um-" She pointed to Brittany's console. "I was just admiring your plastic dinosaurs. Or, actually, wondering about them. Why do you, um, have them?"
Brittany raised an eyebrow, but turned a beaming smile at Santana. "I dunno. I like dinosaurs, I guess. My dad used to tell me stories about them when I was a kid."
Santana suddenly had the desire to know more about Brittany's childhood. Was she still close with her dad, or did they not talk anymore? When was the last time she had seen her family? And why in the gorram hell had she ended up where she'd joined the crew, on Athens, in the middle of nowhere?
Of course, Santana was not the kind of person to ask those types of questions. She stood for a moment, as Brittany looked expectantly at her, and strode over to the console, taking up a dinosaur in her hand.
"好酷."
Brittany regarded her carefully for a moment, and looked back at the flashing lights of the console.
"I think so, too. We're landing in a few. Are you joining the Captain on her little expedition?"
"Of course." Santana said, without any malice. "Where she goes I go."
"Do you always follow her orders?" Brittany asked, busying herself with pushing buttons and flipping switches.
"Yep."
"Why?"
"Because without Mercedes Jones, I would have died during the Unification Wars."
The answer seemed to satisfy Brittany, and she continued her work, taking control of Songbird, and quietly guiding her into a soft landing.
"Very good." Said Santana, with a hint of a smile on her lips.
Brittany blushed, ducking her head. "All in a day's work."
She pushed a few more buttons, and leaned back from the steering column, folding her hands behind her head.
"What about this Badger guy? Do you really think his job is any good?"
Santana shrugged. "I don't know if the Cap'n trusts him as far as she can throw him. But when he gives us jobs, we make it out alive, so, she hasn't shot him yet. Plus, he hasn't tried to shoot her yet, so he's got that going for him."
"Unlike that trouble we had at Whitefall."
"Exactly."
Santana turned to go, knowing that Mercedes would be waiting for her in the cargo hold, so they could go and meet their contact.
"Santana."
There's was a softness to Brittany's voice that Santana had never heard before. It stopped her in her tracks, and she felt a shiver go down her spine.
"Y-yes, Brittany?"
"Be careful out there, huh? I wouldn't want anything to happen to you."
Santana turned, and caught the playful grin on Brittany's face. She nodded. "S-sure, Brittany. I'll see you later."
Brittany gave her a wink. "I'll be waiting for you."
Santana went down the ladder quickly, almost missing a few rungs, and walked even more quickly towards the cargo hold. She wasn't paying much attention and nearly collided with Mike, a boarder they'd picked up a couple of weeks before. The bag he was holding tumbled out of his hands, and syringes and bandages spilled everywhere.
"Uh, sorry, Mike."
The both bent down to gather the items, and Mike gave her a soft smile. "没问题, Santana. I should have been watching where I was going as well. I know you're always dangerous after you've been spending time on the bridge."
Santana furrowed her brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that a certain blonde pilot has been flirting with you since she got here, and you don't seem to notice."
Santana's eyebrows went so high they almost reached her hairline. "You've got to be kidding me, Chang."
"Nope. I've seen it with my own eyes. And I've also seen the dumb look you get in response. You're pretty blind for a while afterwards."
"Whatever. Don't think because you stitched me up a couple weeks ago, I won't be willing to pop you one."
Mike held up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, fine. I'm just saying. You should talk to her, tell her how you feel."
Santana rolled her eyes, and shoved the last of the bandages in Mike's bag. "What have you got all this stuff for? Did someone get hurt?"
"Oh no." Mike said, laughingly. "I did a quick inventory of the med bay, and was trying to figure out what we should pick up while we're here. I might even be able to get some hypos that were manufactured this century."
"Cap'n won't like that. She's planning on saving money this trip. Not spending it."
"Well, Quinn and I have a few credits that we've managed to save up. I think it should be enough to get us started."
As if he were conjuring her up, his sister Quinn marched towards them, her head held high. She looked nothing like Mike, who was tall, with tan skin and round eyes that burned hazel. She was short, blonde, and kind of pale. Santana had never asked why they looked so different from one another, and it never came up. But they called each other brother and sister, and seemed to care quite a bit for one another, so she never pushed it. Besides, they were paying to stay onboard, and wanted to stay as far away from the Alliance as possible, just like she did, so there never was any need to get personal.
Not to mention Mike was a trained physician who would patch them up whenever they ran into trouble. He seemed to be rather good at it, in Santana's amatuer opinion, and that was worth loads out in the 'verse. Where things with the Captain tended to get a little hairy more often than not.
However, there was one thing she couldn't help but notice. While Mike was open and kind, patient and understand, down to earth and casual, his sister was the exact opposite. She was closed off, and watched things on the ship with much too keen an interest for Santana's taste. She was witty, but sometimes cruel, and seemed to think she was too good for their ship.
Unlike Rachel, Santana simply steered clear of Quinn. Not because she was afraid of her, but because they were paying customers (though Rachel was too), and she had a feeling that Mercedes would never forgive her if she shoved Quinn out of an airlock.
"Oh, Santana." Quinn only seemed to notice Santana a few moments after her approach, and nodded to her as if she were the help. "Do you know how long we'll be on the planet's surface?"
"Sure, Ms. Chang. It'll be a full day, twenty four hours."
"Good. Well, let the Captain know that we're going out. We will be back before night fall."
Mike pinched the bridge of his nose. "Quinn, don't start this again. You have to stay on the ship. It isn't safe for you out there."
Quinn rolled her eyes. "So, what, you get to be the only one to walk on solid ground after six weeks because I'm a delicate flower?"
"What? No, that's not it. It's just that-" Mike stopped short, looking quickly to Santana. "Sorry, Santana. We'll, um, go below decks."
Santana just nodded as Mike ushered Quinn away, both of them still arguing in hushed tones. Their reasons for going or staying had nothing to do with her. She had one job. She walked quickly to the cargo hold, and saw Mercedes waiting for her. Her captain look pretty good, she had to say. She was wearing her long brown duster, one that had served her well for many years during and since the Unification War. Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she was doing her best to project a calm, powerful aura. Her pistol hung by her side within easy reach, and Santana knew that Mercedes had at least two other guns stashed around her person. The one she nervously tapped on at the moment was an old side shooter that she'd had since before the war. Before the Unification War Mercedes had never even touched a pistol. Her father had given her one to help with pests on the farm, and she'd been loathe to shoot it. It was a single barrell, with a wooden handle rubbed smooth by years of use. The stock shined brightly from generations of gun oil and polishing cloths. After she'd gotten rid of her service pistol, and had felt the blood of another person under her nails, the gun had become her constant companion, and she was never far from it.
But the Mercedes before her wasn't the woman she'd met on their first day of boot camp. She wasn't the enthusiastic leader who made her troops feel safe. She wasn't even the broken woman who'd watched her friends die. Here she was simply Captain Jones; worried about her crew and her family, and trying to make a better life for them. Santana smiled as she approached.
"Nervous?"
Mercedes blinked. "What? No. Of course not. It's just a regular job."
"You can lie to all of them, sir, but you can't lie to me. You're doing that thing where you tap your thumb against your holster."
Mercedes looked down at her right hand, which was indeed hitting the side of her gun. She snatched it away.
"Look-" She began in quiet tones. "You know as well as I do how much we need this job. We can't keep hoping that the money from Rachel, Beiste and Changs will keep us afloat. We need new capital, 好快. We're taking this job, and Kurt's going to try and secure us some passengers. And maybe, just maybe, we can start to turn a profit on this thing."
Santana nodded, not saying a word. Mercedes was right of course, and she knew it. She felt the familiar butterflies start to circle in her own stomach, but then felt a reassuring pat on her back.
"San, we've been in worse spots than this. We've got this."
Santana nodded, feeling a bit of the weight lift off her shoulders, like she often did when her captain comforted her. They didn't emote very often, honestly. They'd spent countless hours together, hunkered down in bomb shelters, fighting off enemies, floating through space. They knew almost everything there was to know about each other, and they trusted each other. In the end, it was all they had.
The moment was broken as Puck strode in, his favorite gun by his side.
"You ready, Cap'n?
"我的天啊, Puck. You're bringing the rifle? This is a peaceful gathering. Beth won't be necessary."
Puck stroked the gun as though it were a long lost friend. "But, she'll be lonely otherwise."
"No buts, Puckerman. You leave it in the mule, and take your standard side piece only."
Mercedes voice was firm, and Puck didn't bother arguing. He stowed the gun away and secured his holster.
"Gorramit Cap'n. You said I can't get any whores, you won't let me bring Beth. You never let me have any fun."
"It's not supposed to be fun, Puck. We do the job, we get paid. I don't reckon that sentence mentions fun at all."
The firm edge was gone from Mercedes voice, but Puck got the message.
"Fine. I'm ready when you are."
Mercedes nodded and looked to Santana, who nodded as well.
"Shiny. Let's get going."
\
Kitty woke up in a hammock.
She enjoyed it for a moment; swinging back and forth, feeling the warm sun on her face. If there was a better way to spend a long summer afternoon, she hadn't found it. She grimaced. Wait, no, that was impossible, why would she be in a hammock? If the Lieutenant found her in a hammock, there would be hell to pay. She was probably supposed to be doing KP, and had fallen asleep again. Azimio had tried to cover for her last time, but it wouldn't work again, and the Lieutenant would have her peeling potatoes for the rest of her natural life. She tried to sit up.
"Whoa there, private, relax."
A voice sounded above her and she struggled to open her eyes.
"She's awake, Mace. Let's put her down."
"Mat, Sarge says we've gotta be back by 0100, and I expect to be. If we're late, she'll fry us."
"It doesn't do any good to have her jostling about. What if she falls out of the sling? Anyway, a minute or two rest won't hurt us, and we can check her out."
There wasn't really room for argument, but Mason appreciated his sister giving him the illusion of choice. He sighed and sat the sling down, and squatting beside it.
Kitty had her eyes back open, and was jolted back to reality. The swinging of the hammock had been the sling that she was being carried on. Even from where she lay she could see the deep blood stains that were set into its fabric. Her own blood had left its mark as well. The two voices belonged to a man and a woman. They were Browncoats, that much was clear. They wore the deep walnut dusters that all members of the rebellion wore, and the red shirts underneath. The looked like simple folk, probably from a back world like she was, far from home, but fighting the good fight. They both had glassy skin the color of eggshells, and dark, black hair that hung in loose curls around their faces. They were related, that much was clear, they looked too much alike to be anything but siblings.
Mason grabbed some gauze from his bag with a huff. "Fine. Let's just not waste too much time."
Madison nodded sharply, and stood up, walking away from the him. "I'm going to keep a look out."
Mason didn't respond, but kept digging through his bag, looking for just the right tools. He pulled out a few more things and felt a set of eyes on him.
"How are you holding up there, soldier?"
Kitty swallowed hard. "I-I'm-." She cleared her throat a few times, but couldn't seem to clear it.
Mason rushed towards her. "I'm sorry. I should have done this first."
He held up a flask to the Kitty's mouth, letting her drink deeply. "You must be parched."
Kitty didn't respond, but just took a few more sips of water, nodding when she'd had her fill.
Mason went back to sorting through his equipment, giving Kitty time to gather her thoughts. Not that this was an easy task. She'd been jolted out of a deep sleep back into this nightmarish hellscape, and she wasn't too happy about it. But what was the alternative? Spend the rest of her life dreaming away? She tried to sit up, but the pain that had been almost ignorable screamed back to life. Kitty hissed at the sudden pain, grasping the edges of the sling.
"Hey, hey, 小心. Relax." Mason squatted beside her, bringing his equipment and giving her leg a friendly pat. "When we found you, you were in pretty bad shape. Thank goodness you'd had the wherewithal to seal your wound up before you bled out. That was good thinking on your part. But you still lost a lot of blood, and we're going to want to get your wound checked out once we can get to a facility. You just did a patch job, Private, you don't want to push yourself."
Kitty didn't respond, but watched Mason carefully as he pulled the fabric away from her leg, and looked at her wound carefully. He began to work steadily, cleaning it of debris and adding another layer of sealant, and finally a bandage. Kitty admired his focus, and his expertise. It was clear he'd done this before, and was very good at it. He gave her a shot of something, 'for the pain', and once he'd finished, he cleared away the detris, giving her another sip of water from her flask.
"Private First Class Mason McCarthy, at your service!" He nodded in the direction that Madison had walked off into. "And that's my sister, Madison. Corporal Madison McCarthy, and trust me, she won't let you forget it. Won't let me forget it either. You'd think that us being twins would mean that we're better than all that petty birth order 垃圾, and yet here we are. Though, with the way things are going right now, I would be surprised if I was a Corporal by the end of the day."
He strapped the flask back onto his waist and stood up, stretching his legs a bit as he stood nearby.
"We're out looking for survivors, and doing what we can. We weren't supposed to travel far, but we heard your screaming, and found you down at the bottom of the ravine. What were you doing down there anyway?"
Kitty didn't respond, and Private First Class McCarthy didn't seem to be waiting.
"Anyway, you must have gotten all turned around, cause you were making a beeline straight for those purple bellies. If we hadn't of found you when we did, who knows what would have happened. I mean, you probably would have run into them, and that wouldn't have been good. What with your wound an all. A bit of 晦气 if you ask me. But then lucky for you we spotted you, and brought you here."
Kitty tried to speak, but found her voice scratchy and dry. Mason leaned in close to listen, stopping the flow of nervous chatter that seemed would never end.
"Company C?" Kitty tried again.
Mason scratched his head. "You were with Company C, huh? I don't know anything about them. We've been listening to the radio all night, but in shifts, so I might have missed some news-"
"Let's go, Mace. Let's get her up."
Madison's voice cut through the darkness, and startled Kitty, she hadn't even known the other woman was nearby. Kitty found it hard to miss the significant look that Madison gave to her brother, but chose to ignore it.
"Where?" She croaked, pointing in the direction they were heading.
"You just sit tight there, Private Wilder." Madison huffed. "We're going to see our commanding officer. She'll know exactly what to do. Shouldn't be long now."
Kitty focused on the slowly moving scenery and let the combination of the sway of her sling, and whatever Mason had given her lull her back to sleep.
\
Badger's place wasn't the most disgusting den of iniquity that Puck had ever been in. Hell, it didn't even have any companionship that he could take advantage of. But, the Captain had made it clear that he wasn't supposed to get distracted, so he tried to keep his focus on the job. They'd walked across the Eavesdown Docks, and Puck kept his ears and eyes open, sweeping the perimeter for anyone who looked suspicious. He probably got distracted by some bare leg hanging from an awning once or twice. At most.
This was his second time at Badger's and the guy wasn't a role model, but he was a straight shooter, and he and the Captain tended to get along pretty well. He certainly wasn't worried about an ambush. But the last time he'd gotten distracted flirting with some girl, the Captain had docked his pay, and put him on latrine duty for a month. So, he shook himself and kept an eye out.
He felt like he was doing a pretty good job until they showed up at Badger's front door, and knocked. It was a nondescript three story shack in Eavesdown. If they hadn't been here before, Puck might have just walked past the place. But it was a bona fide operation. And Badger kept enough people paid off to keep out the riff raff. The door opened and they found themselves on the barrel end of a pair of rifles.
"See? I told you we should have brought Beth along." Puck whispered to Mercedes.
She rolled her eyes, and put her hands in the air. "We're just here to see Badger. He's expecting us."
"Just a little precaution, Captain." Said a voice inside. "Please, a bit of cooperation is all we ask."
One of the hands holding the rifle reached out, and Mercedes pulled her pistol out of the holster, handing it over. Santana followed suit with the shotgun strapped to her thigh. Puck thought about resisting, but a slight eyebrow raise from the Captain made him rethink his decision.
"Very good. Please, come in." The voice said again.
Puck could see inside now, and noticed two men standing near the door. They brushed past them, and entered, going through another small door, and to a much more nicely furnished waiting room. Sitting in front of them was Badger. He was a dealer in all kinds of objects, and one of the wealthiest men on the planet, which was saying something as Persephone was one of the more lucrative places of business in the White Sun system.
"Good to see you, Captain Jones. Santana." Badger smiled thinly.
"If it's so good to see us, what's with taking our weapons?" Santana snapped, sneering at Badger.
"Well, it's more for your protection than ours. The men at the door work for my client. Not particularly good at their jobs, it would seem." Badger lowered his voice. "They missed the four guns you've all got stashed around your bodies, so I would think you've got arms to spare, no?"
"Why don't we quit wasting time reminiscing, and get down to it, Badger?" Mercedes offered, ignoring the remark.
"Of course. I just thought with us being friends and all, it wouldn't hurt to catch up."
"We can catch up when you're giving us the money for a job well done."
Badger tsked. "You really must be hard up, Captain. I would have thought you'd be turning down jobs with that crack crew of yours."
Mercedes didn't respond, but followed Badger as he turned around, and strolled out another door, down a long hallway.
Puck wasn't sure about Mercedes or Santana, but he was nervous. As far as he knew, Badger usually would tell them the job, they'd do it, get paid and be on their way. None of this cloak and dagger stuff. It didn't sit well with him. He liked people who would say what they wanted outright, and this certainly was not that. He moved left a few more feet to put some space between himself and Mercedes, conscious of the footsteps that came even farther behind him. He didn't bother putting his hand in a position to get his gun. He didn't want anyone watching to know that he still had two weapons on him. But the job they'd done earlier of taking their more obvious weapons didn't leave him with the impression that they were particularly skilled. He'd have no problem taking them out if it came to that. But, he wanted to be prepared. So, he slowed his steps down a bit more, and followed behind.
The hallway opened up into an office of sorts, and Badger gestured towards some chairs that were set up in the corner. Sitting there was a middle aged guy who Puck had never seen before, looking very pleased with himself. From how much his suit probably cost, he looked like was old money. He followed Mercedes and Santana, and stood behind the two of them.
"Please, have a seat." The man gestured towards and chairs.
Mercedes didn't hesitate, having a seat, and Santana took up the position behind her. Puck figured since Santana was standing, he might as well take a load off, and sat next to Mercedes.
"And might we have the pleasure of getting introduced to this fine gentleman?"
Mercedes gestured towards the stranger who smiled.
"My name is Al Motta. You've no doubt heard of me. The Motta family is well known in these parts, and all across the White Sun system."
Al's voice was pompous and pretentious, and Puck could tell his captain was trying not to roll her eyes.
Mercedes nodded. "Sure, we've heard of you."
"And I've heard of you, Captain Jones. Your crew is known to be one that will get the job done and not ask too many questions, and that's what I need. I have some family business that needs to be taken care of, and I need someone who will do what I ask and not try to get creative, if you catch my meaning."
"You'll have to excuse me, Mr. Motta. I'm not sure I know exactly what you've heard of us, but we try to stay out of family business."
The implication was clear to all those involved. The Motta family was as well connected as it got, and they ran everything from weapons to drugs to people. And if they were having problems with another family, the last thing the crew of the Songbird needed was to be caught up in some mafia war. Mercedes shook her head, and made to stand up.
"Thanks, but no thanks."
"Hold on a moment. It's not-" Al cleared his throat. "It's not that kind of family business. It's much more delicate than that. Please, let me explain."
Badger interrupted. "I wouldn't have invited you over here, Captain, if I'd thought for a second this would be a job you'd refuse. Hear the man out."
Mercedes settled back down into her seat. "Fine."
"It's my daughter. Sugar."
Al's voice lost that bragging quality, and because much more quiet, more humble.
Mercedes cocked her head but didn't speak.
"She's um, well, she's troublesome. Daughters are sometimes that way. But, she's my only child, and someday the business will be hers. She has to be ready."
"So, where do we come in?"
"I need an escort. A discreet one. Who will take her to an agreed upon location, and get her there safely and in one piece."
"I don't get it." Santana said, breaking in. "Why don't you just buy her a luxury line ticket across the stars? You've got the money for it."
"I need to make sure she gets there and no one knows. Also, you'll find her a bit reluctant."
"Reluctant?" Mercedes said.
"She doesn't want to go. At all. I'm hiring a guard, so all you have to do is move them to where I want them to be."
"I assured Mr. Motta that you would be happy to help. For the right price, of course."
"Of course, of course. I've talked it all over with our mutual friend, Mr. Badger, and I think we've come to an amount that we can both agree on. And it's more than reasonable."
"I got the wave. I wouldn't have been here otherwise." Mercedes stood up, and walked towards Al. "I've got one rule, Mr. Motta. Al. Can I call you Al?"
"Certainly. I-"
"I've got one rule, Al. We do the job. We get paid. 懂吗?"
"Then it's a deal? You'll escort my daughter to Constance?"
Mercedes stuck out her hand, which Al jumped up to shake. "It's a deal."
He seemed relieved and even snuck a small smile at Badger, who looked like the cat that caught the canary over there in the corner.
Mercedes released her grip, and nodded to Santana before turning back to Al. "So, where's our precious cargo?"
Al scoffed. "Well, I certainly couldn't bring her here. It's no place for a lady. Present company excluded of course."
Mercedes laughed, and Santana hocked loudly and spat on the floor.
Al shivered. "She's at Motta towers. Near the city center. I'll bring her to the docks tomorrow at dawn. You should be ready to depart by then?"
"We're certainly planning on it."
"Good, then I'll see you then."
Mercedes nodded, and turned to shake hands with Badger. They were almost out the door when Al spoke up again.
"And remember, Captain Jones. What I said about discretion."
"Oh, I can assure you, Al, my crew is nothing if not discreet."
With that, they were back through the darkened hallways, and back on the streets. The market was bustling, and Puck lost himself in the bright and inviting storefronts as the Captain and Santana chatted behind him.
"All of this secrecy for an escort mission to the Red Sun system? Why would Badger put us through all this?" Santana said, an edge in her voice.
"I'm sure he has his reasons. I ain't going to be the one to question it, quite frankly. And you won't either. We'll get his daughter on our boat, get her to where she needs to be, and be done with it. The price that Badger is getting us-"
"That's the point, sir. The price is too high. For a simple babysitting? He could get people just as good for half the price."
"I've thought about what it means, Santana. I know it's a stretch, but there ain't many straight shooters left on this moon, and I trust Badger. Well, trust is a strong word. I like to believe that Badger won't rob us outright. We don't have an overabundance of friends here on Persephone. It ain't like we've got much of a choice."
Mercedes stopped, turning towards Santana. "Anyway, that's what I keep you around for, right? Thinking of the things I ain't thought of yet. You'll keep your eyes open. And I know I can trust you on that."
Santana made a face, but nodded anyway. "If you think it's okay, so do I."
"Good. Then that's that. Now, let's get back to the ship and see how Kurt-"
Mercedes paused and her face broke into a smile. Santana followed her line of sight and saw something that brought a smile to her own face.
There in the crowd was a more than welcome sight. It was Shannon Beiste, a passenger on Songbird who'd joined them almost a year ago. She was a big woman with broad shoulders, who was taller and stronger than most of the men Santana had ever met. But, she was a gentle soul. A shepherd by profession, she tended to the lost souls that came their way, and found refuge on Songbird like so many others before her.
They approached Shannon, Puck walking more quickly to shake her hand. The two had a friendly rivalry, always working out on weights in the cargo hold to see who could outlift who. In the end, they got along even better.
Shannon saw them, and smiled. Santana was a step behind Mercedes, and looked cheerful as well, but her smile fell when she saw who was beside the shepherd.
"Why hello my fellow travelers!" Came Rachel's shrill voice. "I'm so glad we could run into each other here, and spend some time together as a crew. It seems that sometime we don't do that, and it's really a shame."
"Rachel? I thought you had clients?" Mercedes said, jovially.
"I did. And do. But I'm finished for the morning, and thought I would get some shopping done. You won't see me until tomorrow after this."
"Thank God for small miracles." Santana muttered under her breath.
Rachel didn't hear (or pretended not to), and grasped Mercedes arm. "We're having a lovely time. While this certainly isn't the most chic place I've ever been to, it's still got it's charm. In fact, I was just telling Brittany-"
"Telling me what, Rachel?"
The voice came from behind them, and before Santana could react Brittany threaded her arm through Santana's own, and was walking beside her. Santana did her best not to stiffen while simultaneously melting into her touch, and managed only a slight hobble as she strained to keep her senses.
"Oh, I was telling you about the charm of this city. Eavesdown does have a certain je ne sais quoi. Let me tell you."
While Rachel babbled on in front of them, Brittany pulled on Santana's arm a little, slowing her down, and leaving them a bit behind everyone.
"How'd the meeting go this morning?"
Santana cleared her throat. "Um, it was fine. Captain did the talking, as usual. And the pay is good."
"What's the quarry? Bank heist? Train job?"
"Nope, nothing that serious. Just a simple escort mission."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, you'll found out all about it soon enough. I'm not sure how much the Cap'n wants out there. We're supposed to be playing it close to the chest."
"Yeah, I understand. It wouldn't be much fun otherwise."
Santana looked at Brittany, who was smiling brightly, and smiled herself. "You're always surprising me, did you know that?"
Brittany looked at Santana, and seemed to smile even brighter. "I'm glad. I like keeping you on your toes, Corporal Lopez."
Santana didn't reply, but could feel her face getting warm under Brittany stare. She turned her attention ahead, and groaned as she caught the tail end of Rachel's speech.
"Oh! This place has a karaoke bar! I know where we'll be having lunch!"
\
Getting back to the ship had been easy enough after they'd detached themselves from Rachel who only stopped singing (her fifth! song) because she was supposed to be meeting with her client soon. They returned back just in time to see Kurt chatting with a tall man who looked like he hadn't had an original idea since he came out of the womb. The rest pushed past, but Mercedes stopped for a moment.
"Who've we got here, Kurt?"
Kurt gestured between them. "Cap'n, this is Finn Hudson. Finn, this is Captain Jones. She's the owner of this fine vessel you see before you, Songbird. She's the one you'll be paying transit fees to."
Mercedes reached out her hand and Finn shook it. "Where are you headed, Mr. Hudson?"
"Well, Kurt here was telling me you all might be going to the Red Sun system. I'm going to New Melbourne. I can pay."
"We might be going that way. Can't say for certain. Might be a few weeks 'fore we make landfall at New Melbourne."
"I'm not too picky. I just need transit. I can pay 120 credits a week."
Mercedes tried not to show it, but it was certainly a bit more than their usual asking price for boarders. Especially ones that didn't mind she'd be taking the scenic route to their final destination.
"And what's your business in New Melbourne, Mr. Hudson?"
"Work. My uncle owns some land out there, and he wants me to take over, get a bead on the family business. It's not my first choice, but it's something to do, that's why I'm in no rush. And he's paying for it, so I can't complain."
Mercedes nodded a few times, and then looked at Kurt. "Why don't you help Mr. Hudson with his things, and get him squared away. Afterwards you can join me on the bridge. Did you find anyone else?"
Kurt looked away guiltily. "Sorry, Cap'n, this is it. Pretty slow now, tourist season has come and gone, you know."
Mercedes turned back to Finn. "You can entrust Kurt here with your first weekly installment. It's good to have you on board."
With a small smile she turned from the two men, and walked up the loading bay ramp, and onto the ship. It wasn't perfect, but the small bump in cashy money on hand would help with the things they needed right away. Later, once they got the Motta job done, they'd be in even better shape. Things were looking up for the crew of the Songbird, but Mercedes wouldn't quite call herself happy. She tended to be a pessimist that way.
"Why the long face, Captain?"
Shannon stepped out of her bunk, climbing the last rung, and coming to a stop beside Mercedes.
"I'm just thinking of all the ways that this can go wrong, Shepherd. And there are more than enough ways for that to happen."
"Worried about Badger?"
"Santana's got me thinking. And that's never good, as, believe it or not, she's the voice of reason in a lot of things. I'm not a rash person, but this could make or break us, this job. I reckon even if there was a bright, flashing light that said 'DANGER' we'd have to take it anyway."
Shepherd Beiste chuckled to herself. "Santana is the voice of reason?"
"Yeah, I know, I know. She doesn't say much to you all, but I get earfulls, trust me." Mercedes laughed as well.
"So, why not say no? There are plenty of jobs to be had. You just have to walk in faith."
"That's all well and good for you, Shepherd, but I've got five crew, four passengers, and two more on the way that I've got to keep in good spirits, and fine food. Not to mention the parts for the ship Kurt keeps asking me for. Songbird is barely hanging on as it is. No, we need this job, we need it, and there's nothing to be done about it. We'll face whatever comes, when it comes."
"That's a rather lassiez faire attitude, Captain."
"You sound like Rachel, Shepherd."
Shannon rolled her eyes, and scoffed. "I love the girl, I do, in the way that we are taught to love and cherish all of God's creatures, but she would challenge the patience of a saint!"
"I'm surprised that Santana hasn't shoved her into space already."
"I would have thought you'd have discouraged that kind of thing, Captain."
"I didn't say I'd approve. I do, however, think it would be mighty hi-larious."
Mercedes and Shannon parted ways, and Mercedes kept walking towards the bridge.
Santana heard her footsteps, and straightened up, trying to pretend that she hadn't been staring at Brittany for the past ten minutes. Brittany had stopped pretending not to notice, sending a lopsided smile Santana's way every so often. She liked it when Santana watched her. It made her feel safe and adored. She knew that something was brewing between them, but she didn't want to push Santana any more than she absolutely had to. After all, she'd only known her for a little over a month. So, she bided her time, and smiled a little too long in Santana's direction, or held her arm for a little longer than usual. It wasn't much, but Brittany couldn't get enough of the way the tips of Santana's ears turned red when they had their moments. She loved the idea that she could make Santana feel that way.
Brittany heard Mercedes approach as well, and turned back towards the console. She knew what her Captain wanted to figure out their next journey. She really liked Mercedes, actually. She'd known a few Browncoats in her time, and even had done some interesting work during the Unification War, but Mercedes didn't strike her as one of the meat heads that she usually ran into. She was thoughtful and kind, fiercely loyal, and smart. She trusted her crew, but she didn't accept people lightly. Her relationship with Santana was even more interesting.
Santana was quiet, but seemed to have a bubbling anger right under the surface. She was what Brittany would call prickly. But Mercedes kept her in check. And since joining the crew, Brittany had gotten glimpses of the two of them that she was sure not many people got the chance to see. They played off each other, and trusted each other.
Brittany smiled as she saw Santana try to get her focus back. She was always such a soldier when Mercedes was around. Brittany wasn't sure why, but they always seemed fall back into old roles when they were together. Maybe it made things easier for them. She wasn't exactly sure.
"What are we looking like for take off tomorrow?" Mercedes said, not bothering with a greeting before clambering onto the bridge.
"You should probably talk to Kurt about that, Cedes. We're shut down at the moment with the repairs that he's had to make but we should be ready to go soon."
"Captain, I've got a preliminary route plotted out. It'll take us a few extra days with the stop over in Greenleaf, but I think it should be fine."
"Good, Santana, bring it up for me."
Santana touched a few keys on her console, and a holographic projection spread out on the screen.
"According to a wave I got from Tina, there's a big build up of Alliance cruisers about half way between us and Constance. We'll head towards Osiris, double back towards New Melbourne, and then onwards."
Mercedes nodded. "好啊. That''ll take us a few extra days, but it'll be worth it to avoid any purple bellies."
"Yes, sir. Agreed, sir."
"New Melbourne?" Brittany broke in. "What are we doing in New Melbourne?"
Mercedes touched a few keys on the pad, bringing up the power levels for the ship. She trusted Kurt wholeheartedly, but liked to check up on things when she had a spare moment.
"We got ourselves a boarder. Just joined today. He's going there for work, and paying us a bundle for the trip."
Brittany's face scrunched into a question mark. "That big, dumb looking guy who we took on in the docks? I dunno, Cap'n, he looks shady. I don't know if I trust him."
"Well, he's paying good credits and I have no intention of turning down the cash. We take him, we do the job, we move on with our lives. And, we can use it. Unless you've got any better ideas of how we can make some money fast."
Mercedes' sharp tone would have kowtowed most other of the crew mates, but the bright smile returned to Brittany's face and she only beamed.
"No, ma'am, I reckon I'm plumb out of ideas. New Melbourne it is!"
Whether she was confused by Brittany's sudden change of heart of not, Mercedes paid her no mind.
"Good. Now, unless you two think of anything else, I'll be in my bunk, getting some well deserved rest. We've gotta be up by sunrise to take care of our newest crew member. Once we get her on board, we break atmo, and get the hell off this godforsaken planet. Any questions?"
Brittany raised her hand like she was back in grade school, and Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Yes, Britt?"
"Can Santana stay up with me for a little while?"
There was a moment of indecision on Mercedes part before she nodded slowly. "I don't see why not. Though, she really doesn't need my permission. Why didn't you ask me yourself, Santana?"
Santana balked. "Sir! I didn't- She didn't- I wasn't-"
Brittany didn't give her a chance to continue, standing up from her console, and wrapping her arm around Santana's. "太好了! This is going to be fun. Like a sleepover. Maybe you can come sleep in my bunk, Santana, and we can tell scary stories."
Mercedes smiled, and left the two to their own devices. It had taken everything she had not to just laugh out loud. The pilot had the biggest crush on her first mate, but it would take forever for Santana to see it. Until then, it would be pretty funny to see Brittany drive her up the wall with her antics. She considered saying something, but it would be much more fun to see Brittany torture Santana until she realized how much she liked her back. She was looking forward to it.
Even though it was barely dusk, Mercedes felt the heavy weight that had settled on her shoulders cause her eyes to droop. It was going to be a long trip to New Melbourne. She could feel it already.