Title: The Last Goodbye

Author: stella_pegasi

Rating: K+

Warnings: Some minor language, a bit of whump.

Spoilers: Story set post-Season Five

Characters: John Sheppard, Rodney McKay, Radek Zelenka, Crew of the Serenity

Word Count: 5, 254

Summary: They left Atlantis for the day to test an Ancient Device, what could go wrong?

Disclaimer: I do not own them; I would have treated them better.

Notes: This short story was written for a challenge for the Stargateland community on LiveJournal.

Day Trip

By stella_pegasi

Brilliant white light flooded the jumper interior from the spatial anomaly that materialized outside of the jumper window. A shudder rippled through the jumper. The intensity of the flash momentarily stunned the three occupants inside.

"Radek, what the hell did you do?"

The Czech scientist sputtered, "I did nothing, Rodney? The device, it just activated."

"Sheppard?"

"Don't look at me, McKay. I didn't do it."

"Well, somehow the damn thing activated."

Sheppard triggered the HUD, pulling up a star chart. "Uh, McKay…we aren't in Kansas anymore. There's what looks like a moon near by, and a planet, in the distance."

"What…?" Turning toward the HUD, McKay swallowed hard, "Where in the hell are we?"

"You need to figure that out quick, McKay. There's a ship out there, and it's heading straight for us."

~~ooOoo~~

Wash was daydreaming; Serenity was on a heading toward Marcus Colony with, for once, a legitimate cargo to deliver to the settlement. He was reading a book that Zoe picked up on their last stop; anything to pass the boredom of a routine cargo run. When intense, bright light erupted off the starboard bow, he was so startled he fell off his chair, slamming into the deck. Pulling himself up, he hit the com button.

"Mal, get up here. Something just happened."

Moments later he heard footsteps on the metal floor. Mal and Zoe burst into the cockpit with Jayne on their heels.

"What?"

"There was a super bright light. It just lit up the area; I have no idea what it was."

Mal checked the sensors, "Well, whatever it was, there is something in its place…a small ship. I don't recognize the configuration. Wash, head for that ship; we need to know who that is."

Jayne grumbled, "You think that's smart? We don't who that is, could be dangerous."

"Too little to do much damage; besides, we're bigger, we can outrun 'em."

Jayne frowned at the captain while Wash eased the Serenity into a new heading. Mal called Kaylee, his young engine mechanic.

"Kaylee, get ready, we may need to get out of here damn fast. We're coming up on a small ship; no clue where it's from."

Kaylee's voice floated from the speaker, "I'm ready, Mal."

~~ooOoo~~

"McKay? Where are we?" Sheppard was watching the sensors; the ship coming toward them was larger than the jumper. He couldn't tell yet if the ship was armed and decided not to take any chances. He cloaked the jumper, then turned to McKay who was sitting behind him at the science station. Radek was sitting across the aisle at the engineering station, peering over data from the Ancient device that was sitting in the rear compartment.

"McKay, it is polite to answer when someone asked you a question." Sheppard's voice sounded anything but polite.

"Bite me, Sheppard. I don't know yet, leave me alone."

Radek looked over his glasses at McKay, then swiveled his seat to face Sheppard, "Colonel, while Rodney is trying to discover where we are, I can tell you that the device did activate. It expended a great deal of energy."

"How much energy; do we have enough to get back?"

Radek shrugged, "There is power left, but enough…I do not….." He was interrupted by McKay.

"Son of a bitch; we've got a problem…wait…"

"What, McKay?"

Sheppard wasn't at all happy with the look on McKay's face as the scientist turned to face him, "We are so screwed."

"McKay."

"We hadn't figured out, exactly, how to set the device. We just wanted to see if you… we…could power it up using the jumper. We weren't planning on trying it out, in fact, I wasn't sure if you should even come along. I guess I shouldn't have allowed you to come with us." McKay was rambling but a stern stare from Sheppard brought him to the point. "It was pre-set, or at least there were coordinates in the system. I believe we're in an alternate universe, and in what would be the Milky Way galaxy in our time."

"In our time, Rodney, what do you mean in our time? Radek asked nervously, as if being in an alternate universe wasn't enough.

"Yeah, well, we're also about five hundred years in the future."

"Rodney, can we get back?" Sheppard asked quietly.

"I don't know."

The three Atlantians sat silent as they assimilated the news. However, their reflection didn't last long. The proximity sensor bellowed a sharp warning. Sheppard spun around in time to see that a huge ship was bearing down on them.

"Where the hell did that ship come from?" He quickly raised the shield and took the jumper into a dive, just seconds before the large ship skimmed above the roof of the jumper. They could hear the crackle of the shield as part of the larger vessel came in contact with it.

McKay and Radek had rushed to the front, peering out the window. Radek gasped, "ACH Bože, ty jsou subjekty?"

"Bodies, those are bodies strapped to the hull." Rodney whispered in a shaky voice.

"What the hell..., Rodney, the sensors are showing high radiation coming from that ship. Why didn't we detect them before they were on top of us?" Sheppard asked.

"There is a small system very close, they must have been hiding behind that moon you spotted. The energy anomaly must have attracted their attention as it did the other ship."

"Crap, the other ship; where is it?" He searched the HUD and found the blip made by the first ship they had seen.

"They're running, are we close enough to determine that ship's weapons?"

"Colonel, the smaller ship, it has no weapons." Radek announced. As he spoke, the large vessel fired on the fleeing ship.

"Well, the zombie ship has weapons." He glanced at the HUD as the drone pods activated. "I don't like bullies. Let's equal the odds."

"We have to uncloak if you fire. They'll see us." McKay moaned.

"Not going to let them blow up that other ship." Sheppard fired a drone, which sought out the projectile that was hurdling toward the small ship. A bright flash of light announced that the drone hit its target. The zombie ship fired four more rounds, two toward the jumper.

"Oh boy, you got their attention."

Another volley of drones and Sheppard took out the two weapons heading toward them. The drones eliminated one of the other missiles, but didn't reach the forth one in time; it impacted the unarmed ship.

Determination set in; his lips pressed together in a thin line, Sheppard sent drones toward the large ship's engines. Within seconds, the drones hit their mark, and the zombie ship's momentum ebbed, sending it drifting in space. The HUD revealed the smaller ship was still moving, but slowly.

"Rodney, find a frequency, I want to talk to that ship."

~~ooOoo~~

"Ai ya, where did they go? They've dropped off the radar."

"What do you mean they dropped off radar, Wash."

"Captain, they just vanished."

"Maintain heading, they couldn't have disappeared."

"Hwoon dahn, where the hell did the Reavers come from?" Wash yelled.

Mal hit the com button, "Heads up everyone; we got Reavers. Kaylee, we need power now, and drop a cry-baby."

Kaylee didn't reply, but Mal immediately felt the Serenity's speed increase. Moments later, sensors indicated that a cry-baby had been released. The tiny radio transmitter with a small thruster engine was heading in the other direction. Hopefully, the Reavers would choose the wrong energy signal to chase. They didn't. Mal yelled to Kaylee to push the engines, then for everyone to brace for impact.

Wash was tracking the missile's trajectory when another blip showed up on radar. "Ai ya, that small ship is back and it just fired some sort of weapon."

Zoe asked, "At the Reavers?"

Wash shook his head, "No, at us."

Mal smiled, "No, not at us, wait."

Within seconds the Reavers' missile was blasted into oblivion. Jayne let out a big whoop.

"What did they fire at the missile?" Zoe asked.

"Wash said, "I don't know, but they better have more, the go se's fired again, at both of us."

They watched through the view screen as one by one, the bright lights that had been fired from the unknown ship destroyed three of the missiles. They held their breath as the last missile slipped past the bright weapon attempting to intercept it.

"Everyone, hang on, we're taking a hit."

The Serenity shuddered as the Reaver missile struck the port engine nacelle, rocking the ship violently. As the ship settled, forward speed was drastically reduced.

Zoe had fallen to the deck and as Jayne helped her up, she looked at Mal, "We can't outrun the Reavers, and I won't be taken by them."

Mal was about to reply when Wash yelled, "The Reaver ship's at a dead stop. They can't move."

"That little ship took out the Reavers' engines?"

Before Wash could answer, static burst from the radio and a deep voice spoke, "Looks like that zombie ship is dead in the water, but you've taken damage. You guys, OK?"

Mal exchanged glances with the others, then answered, "Yeah; we need to put down for repairs. How did you take out the Reavers' engines? "

The voice chuckled, "Reavers; that's what they're called? Look like zombies to me."

Mal frowned, "If you don't know about the Reavers, where are you from?"

"Long story."

"Well, I got the time, if you do. We're headed for that moon, there's a settlement there. Join us on the surface, we'd like to thank you in person."

"We'll follow you."

~~ooOoo~~

"We're going to land?"

"You have a better idea, McKay?"

Yeah; I….well, no but we don't know who these people are. They could be killers."

"Rodney, they are traveling around in an unarmed ship in what appears to be pretty dangerous space. They're either stupid or brave, but I don't think they are going to kill us. You need to concentrate on finding us a way to get home."

Sheppard concentrated on the heading transmitted by the other ship, guiding the jumper toward the moon. As they entered the moon's atmosphere, the damaged engine nacelle on the ship they were following had begun to smoke badly. Sheppard was impressed with the skill of the pilot, keeping that bird level was not an easy task.

The terrain below them was dry; there was sand and scrub bush as far as Sheppard could see. The damaged ship landed near a small settlement; Sheppard landed the jumper along side.

Radek spoke, "The air is breathable outside, colonel, but it is over 80º with a light breeze."

"Come on, Rodney, nice and hot, just like you like it."

"Can't I stay here and work on getting us home?" Rodney whined.

"No, you're going to be sociable," Sheppard hooked his P-90 to his TAC vest, slipped on his sunglasses, and slapped the jumper ramp button. "Let's go."

The three men walked into the dusty heat. They walked over to the damaged ship, waiting as the large ramp began to drop. Sheppard stood at the foot of the ramp as a tall sandy haired man emerged to greet him.

The man glanced over at the jumper, "You disabled a Reaper ship with that little ship?"

Sheppard smiled, "She's beautiful on the inside."

The man laughed, "She's kind of pretty on outside, too. I'm Captain Malcolm Reynolds of the Serenity.

"I'm Colonel John Sheppard, and I agree she is pretty." At the word colonel, Sheppard had noticed that Reynolds' expression changed. He was waiting for the question he could see in the captain's face.

"Are you with the Alliance, colonel?"

"The Alliance, what's the Alliance?" Sheppard asked.

Reynolds attempted to disguise his surprise, "Not from around here, are you, colonel?"

Sheppard pulled his sunglasses off, "Are you, captain?" He looked past Reynolds as the three people still waiting in the shadows of the ship decided to join their captain.

"Colonel, this is Zoe Washburn, my First Mate, Hoban Washburne, my pilot, and Kaylee Frye, ship's mechanic."

Kaylee walked up next to Reynolds, smiling broadly at Sheppard, "Shiny; nice to meet you, colonel."

Sheppard smiled back, and then introduced his teammates, "This is Dr. Rodney McKay and Dr. Radek Zelenka."

"Hey, we got a doctor on board." Kaylee offered.

Rodney, who had not stopped staring at Kaylee, since she moved out of the shadows, responded in a matter of fact tone, "We're scientists, not medical doctors."

Zoe spoke, "Mal, let's invite our guests in, offer them food and drink and get to know each other."

Mal's eyebrows rose as he shrugged, "She's right; I am not showing my manners. Please come on board."

The Serenity crew turned and moved back into the large cargo bay, as the Atlantis trio followed behind. Just before Sheppard's boots hit the cargo deck, McKay grabbed his arm. "Did you see her? She looks…she looks…"

"Yeah, I noticed, Rodney. Kaylee looks exactly like a younger Jennifer, how weird is that?" He laughed and kept walking.

They followed the crew into the galley where the rest of Serenity's crew was waiting for them. Mal made the introductions. This is Dr. Simon Tam, his sister River, Sheppard Derrial Book, and Jayne Cobb."

Sheppard introduced himself and the others, all the while, noticing that Cobb had been fingering the revolver strapped to his hip. Resisting the urge to put his hand on his P-14, he asked, "Who was in that ship with all the dead bodies?"

"They're called Reavers…crazed, wild creatures who rape, kill, and eat their prey. Most people would rather be dead than be caught by those bastards.

Jayne Cobb sneered, "They like to skin people alive, bet you boys have never seen anything like that before." He stood up, openly caressing his gun.

Reynolds turned to Cobb, "Jayne, shut up."

Sheppard drawled, "You'd be surprised at what we've seen."

Behind him, Sheppard heard Rodney snicker and repeat 'Jayne' under his breath. He looked over his shoulder, whispering, "Make fun of his name again, and I'll tell them your name is Meredith, understand?"

Reynolds took a step toward Sheppard, "Sorry for Jayne's…well, sorry for Jayne, but I do have some questions. We've never seen a ship like that before, or weapons like you fired. So, if you are not Alliance, then just who the hell are you?"

Sheppard had decided that the best thing, for the moment, was not to tell them who they really were or what really happened, so he lied. You're right; we're not from here. We hit a worm hole, had a nav malfunction, and ended up here. We're a long way from home."

"You're not from this star system?"

McKay started to speak and Sheppard cringed, hoping he would go along with the lie, "No; we come from a galaxy many light years from here." Sheppard released the breath he was holding.

Sheppard Book spoke, "You are travelers from another galaxy? How interesting, we have met our first aliens, everyone. I trust they have come in peace."

'We should welcome them properly then." A soft voice from the doorway caused everyone to turn. The men from Atlantis got their first look at Inara Serra. She walked into the room, stopping in front of Sheppard.

"Welcome to the Serenity, I am Inara Serra," her smile was dazzling.

"John Sheppard; pleased to meet you." His smile was as dazzling. He looked over Inara's shoulder to see a decidedly unhappy Reynolds. Quickly, Sheppard introduced his companions, both of whom had difficulty speaking.

Jayne laughed loudly, "Don't get too interested there, colonel, unless you got a lot of credits; she's a whore."

Reynolds spun around, "Jayne, no more, shut your mouth."

Inara smiled slightly and looked at Sheppard, "I am a companion; I belong to a guild of licensed courtesans. What I do is legal and necessary. Mal has given me the opportunity to travel with them for protection, and the use of one of their shuttles to conduct my business." She turned to Kaylee, "Come, let us prepare some food for our guests."

As Inara walked away with Reynolds' eyes never leaving her, Sheppard decided that she was beautiful to look at, but totally off-limits. Besides, they needed to concentrate on getting home and not be distracted by a beautiful woman. He laughed to himself; he wished just once, he could indulge that kind of distraction.

"Colonel, it will take a bit for them to get dinner; let me take you on a tour of the Serenity, because I would love a tour of your ship?"

"Captain, I'd love to see the Serenity, but I don't think 'tour' describes a look at my ship; step-in, then step-out is more appropriate."

"I think there is more to that little ship than you want to admit, and call me Mal."

Sheppard nodded, "I'm John."

"Not to interrupt here, but Zelenka and I are going to stay here and work on our little problem. You go on and have fun," McKay snarked.

"Good idea, Rodney; you get to work."

During the tour, Mal told Sheppard about the history of the Alliance and how he and the others had come together after the civil war.

They were sitting in the front of the jumper, staring at the Serenity. Sheppard asked, "So, the United States and China formed an Alliance to govern?"

"Yeah, we were all on the losing side of the war, so we stay to the fringes and try to make a living."

"Not an easy life," Sheppard remarked.

Mal gave him a melancholy smile, "Better than no life at all."

They saw River walk out on the ramp and wave to them. "I believe dinner is ready. John, thanks for letting me see this little mysterious ship. Funny, I've seen it but I still know nothing about it. Pretty secretive where you come from, I take it."

"Only until we get to know people…" They left the jumper, headed for dinner.

~~ooOoo~~

Dinner was actually quite delicious. McKay ate with gusto after establishing that there was absolutely no citrus in anything. Sheppard offered a toast to the cooks, causing Kaylee to blush. After dinner, he sat down next to McKay, who was pounding away on the pad's keyboard.

"Any luck, McKay, or are we going to be stuck playing smugglers with the Serenity crew?"

McKay glanced up, "Smugglers, really?" Sheppard nodded and McKay looked back at his pad. "John, I just don't know. Zelenka's finished the equations that I had him do, but we could be in trouble here. The only hope we have is to recreate the conditions that caused the device to activate. But even if we could do that, I don't know how to reverse the coordinates. I don't know where to go." He looked back at Sheppard, his eyes full of fear.

Sheppard slapped him on the back, "If anyone can do it, you can."

Mal approached, "John, did you say Zelenka is an engineer? Kaylee's running into trouble trying to fix the engine, think he could help?"

Sheppard looked at McKay, who nodded, then replied to Mal. "Sure, Radek can give her a hand."

Zelenka took off with Mal toward the engine room, while Sheppard Book sought out Colonel Sheppard. The next couple of hours were spent quietly as McKay worked to get them home, and Sheppard conversed with Mal, Zoe, Wash, and Simon. During that time, River had gone to sit next to McKay, watching him work.

McKay had ignored her at first, then finally looked up, "Do you need something?" He was actually trying not to sound snarky for a change.

"Your formulas are wrong. You are missing the main equation."

Her large dark eyes captivated him. As he stared into the deep dark pools, he realized the depth within them. He wasn't able to snark; he knew she was right.

"Wrong, what do you mean by wrong?"

"Let me show you?" She took the pad from McKay and began to type.

Watching from across the room, Sheppard was stunned. "I've never seen Rodney turn his pad over to someone before."

Dr. Simon Tam smiled slyly, "She is quite brilliant, colonel. I have no doubts she can help him."

Sheppard looked at River's brother for a moment, "McKay's quite brilliant himself. This could be interesting."

The calm continued for another couple of hours, then Wash, who was in the cockpit running diagnostics, yelled over the com. "Reavers; the Reaver ship is overhead."

Mal yelled, "We're sitting ducks. We can't get far on one engine."

Sheppard sprang up, "Come on; let's get to the jumper. Rodney, stay here: you and Zelenka keep inside. Mal, Jayne, with me."

Sheppard grabbed his vest and P-90 from the side table and rushed toward the cargo bay. Mal grabbed his gun and followed Sheppard. Jayne caught up after rushing to his quarters for his favorite weapon, Vera. Sheppard raised an eyebrow when he saw the weapon.

Jayne smiled, "Callahan full-bore auto lock with customized trigger double cartridge thorough gauge. I call her Vera."

"Impressive," Sheppard chuckled, while Jayne preened.

"Come, on, we need to get to the jumper. The drones are our only hope."

They slipped out of the small door in the ramp, screams from the settlement drifted toward them on the hot breeze, as the Reavers' presence became known.

"Those screams, they've dropped some of those damn go se's into the village, now they are looking for us."

They raced to the jumper, Sheppard signaling the jumper to lower the ramp as he ran. Rushing inside with Mal and Jayne on his six, he raised the ramp and powered up the jumper. The HUD popped up, and the Reaver ship was visible on the screen. Lifting off, Sheppard guided the jumper around and headed for the Reaver ship. He engaged the shield as the Reaver ship fired on them. He took the jumper straight up into space, the Reaver ship following, continuing to fire.

When he thought he had gotten the ship far enough from the moon, Sheppard leveled out. Slamming on the breaks, he slid the jumper underneath the Reavers' ship, while engaging the drones. Within seconds, the bright drones spiraled away from the jumper and tracked toward the Reavers' engines. Once he cleared the ship, Sheppard took the jumper into an overhead turn and faced the Reavers' ship again. He fired more drones toward the top of the ship, then pulled the jumper into a steep climb using maximum power. He wanted as far from that ship as possible before the nuclear powered ship exploded.

"Rodney, the Reaver ship is about to explode….nuclear blast…got them far enough away from the moon, I think. Get everyone away from the viewports." No sooner did Sheppard get the words out before the Reaver ship exploded. Intense bright light flooded the jumper, as Sheppard kept climbing.

The light faded and Sheppard eased off the climb, "You guys, OK?"

"Yeah, fine…Sheppard that was some flying." Mal uttered, his breathing shallow.

Sheppard smiled, "Way too much practice. Did you say there are probably Reavers on the planet?"

"Yeah."

"Then, let's go get them." Sheppard took the jumper into a steep dive and within minutes, landed in the center of the settlement. Fires were raging in some of the huts, and they spotted a Reaver chasing a young girl.

"Oh no, you don't," Sheppard yelled. Barely giving the ramp time to deploy, Sheppard, Mal, and Jayne raced toward the Reaver. Sheppard stopped and fired his P-90, striking the creature as he grabbed the girl. She ran away.

Screams from another direction sent them toward a group of Reavers, who were trying to break into a building where several settlers had taken refuge. A spray of P-90 fire, a few blasts from Vera and Mal's weapon, took out most of the Reavers. A few managed to run away, and the trio took after them.

The street the creatures ran down was dark and deserted, but the foul stench of the Reavers was prevalent. They were nearby. Mal took one side of the street, Sheppard the other; Jayne stalking the center of the street. They passed several darkened huts before they ran into trouble.

A Reaver, armed with a sharp piece of metal, jumped out from behind a doorway and slammed Sheppard to the ground. The sharp metal tore into his thigh, and he blacked out for a second, but not before the Reavers crazed, mutilated face loomed above his, the sharpened teeth ready to rip into his flesh. He came back to reality when he heard the loud blast of Jayne's weapon. The Reaver dropped across his chest; Mal pulled the creature off of him.

"Tzao gao, you've been cut, lie still."

"Bandages in vest," Sheppard muttered through gritted teeth.

Mal rummaged Sheppard's TAC vest until he found the pressure bandages and wrapped a couple around the wound. "Can you walk?"

"Yeah…we need to get the rest of these bastards." Mal pulled him to his feet.

"You're hurt; we need to get back to Serenity, Simon can patch you up."

"No, not until we kill them all."

Mal grinned, "You sure you want to go back home; we could use you."

"Nice offer, but I want to go home."

Jayne barked, "Let's get these bastards."

They spent about thirty minutes sweeping the small settlement, taking out another four Reavers. The settlement was fortunate. They only lost three of their members to the horror of the Reavers. Mal assisted Sheppard back to the jumper while Jayne kept watch for any creature they missed.

Once they returned to the Serenity, Sheppard was taken straight to the medical bay. He was lying on the examination table while Simon cleaned and sutured the long gash in his thigh.

"Shiny." Kaylee said, as she walked into the med bay. Sheppard's face turned red. His BDU pants were pants were lying across a chair; he was only wearing his plaid boxers.

"Ooh…he's bashful; I like that." Kaylee smiled.

Simon looked exasperated, "Kaylee, please; you shouldn't be here."

She smiled at Simon, then turned to leave uttering, "Jealous, doctor?"

"Sorry, colonel; she's a bit forward. You were lucky. There's no nerve or vessel damaged, straight cut through the muscle. It should heal well. I've given you something for pain; you need to rest."

Sheppard started to talk but the pain med kicked in, and he drifted into darkness.

~~ooOoo~~

"You're sure about this?"

Zelenka had just returned from the engine room to hear Rodney ask River the question.

She smiled at him, "Yes, I am certain. If you input these coordinates at the precise time that the anomaly reappears, you'll return home." Abruptly, she rose from the table and left.

"Rodney, do you know how to get us home?"

"Yeah, I think I do…but I wouldn't without River's help. Don't ever repeat this, but she is the smartest person I have ever met, I…" McKay didn't continue that thought. "The problem is we don't have much time. Is Sheppard awake yet? Doesn't matter, I can fly us out of here. We have to go now."

"I'm here; you got this figured out?" Sheppard looked a bit groggy, but was upright, limping badly.

"Maybe, but not without help..." His eyes drifted to River. "We need to leave. The anomaly reappears regularly for a period of time, allowing travel back and forth. She understood the Ancient equations, as if they were simple math."

"Stop drooling over her brain power, Rodney. Let's go."

The entire Serenity crew gathered as the trio departed.

Sheppard Book grasped the colonel's hand, "Go in peace, you were sent here to help us. I am certain of it. May you find your home."

Jayne grunted, "You; you can fight. I'd fight with you anytime."

Sheppard smiled, "I have a friend at home who would love to go a few round with you. Keep Vera safe." Jayne beamed, laughing out loud.

"Colonel, thank you; we'd be dead if you haven't been here." Zoe told him.

Wash added, "We owe you."

Simon and River were standing together, "Colonel; you get medical attention as soon as you return home." He looked at River, who was staring into the dawn sky, "She is brilliant, but troubled. Right now she may not ever realize that she helped you, but I have no doubts she did."

"Thank her for us, when you think you can."

He turned to speak to Mal when a tiny blur grabbed him and kissed him, "Colonel Handsome, thanks. That little cutie over there," pointing to Zelenka, " he made my engines purr, just like you do. Looking forward to you coming back to see us." She then ran to Zelenka and kissed him. Mal grabbed her, and pulled her away.

Inara approached him, "I will spare you the kiss, colonel. Thank you, these people are important to me. You kept them alive; I will always be in your debt." Her smile was still dazzling.

He spoke softly, "Some, or one, is more important than the others, am I right?" Her eyes flashed toward Mal. "Maybe you should tell him."

She cocked her head, "You are more than a pretty face who's good with a gun aren't you?"

"Don't tell anyone." He kissed her on the cheek. "Jealousy can serve a purpose."

Mal was waiting at the bottom of the ramp to help him to the jumper, "You never told us anything about you, but River knows. Simon said she's been repeating over and over, Ancient aliens and another universe. A lot to take in, but I have learned she is not often wrong. The other thing you didn't ever tell me is how you could fire those drones, maneuver the jumper, do all those things that you did without pushing a button or a lever or anything. You've got some sort of gift, or ability, or something; whatever it is, thanks."

"No problem, glad we were here to help."

"Safe journey, Colonel John Sheppard, I hope you find home."

"Safe journey to you, Captain Reynolds, " he replied as he shook Mal's hand.

Zelenka helped him into the jumper and to the pilot's chair. He sat down gingerly, "Ready, McKay."

"Are you? You seemed to be enjoying your goodbyes," McKay snarked.

Sheppard stared at him for a moment, then laughed as he realized that McKay was miffed.

"You're mad because Kaylee kissed me. It wasn't Jennifer, Rodney, stop being jealous."

"I'm not jealous." However, he didn't look at Sheppard.

"Yeah, right…let's go home." He eased the jumper into the air and headed for the coordinates McKay had given him.

A short time later, they were at station keeping in the exact spot where they had appeared. Silence filled the jumper as all three men were holding their breath.

Finally, Sheppard spoke, "When is this anomaly supposed to show up?"

"Stop whining like a five year old, any time now…." An intensely brilliant white light appeared outside the viewport and the jumper shuddered. The light became so intense that they were momentarily stunned.

As the light faded, Sheppard could see McKay checking his pad. "McKay? McKay?"

The scientist smiled, sighing deeply, "We're home."

Sheppard headed for the space gate they had come through, it was orbiting a nearby planet. "We'll be at the gate in twenty minutes; then home to Atlantis." He heard a soft, 'thank goodness' from Zelenka.

McKay simply sat back in his seat and said, "I hate these day trips."

The end.

Thanks for taking time to read Day Trip; I hope you enjoyed it. The prompt for this Stargateland challenge was chosen by selecting a number, then a randomizer gave the prompt of create an alien, ability and a list of crossover fandoms to select. I chose Firefly and this is the result. Although a fan of Firefly, I have never written for Firefly before, so I hope that I have done justice to the characters. For this prompt, I made Sheppard, McKay, and Zelenka the aliens and Sheppard's ATA gene was the ability.

The Chinese slang used in the story can be found on the Firefly Wiki.

I would love to know what you think, comments are always appreciated.