Many Meetings
Chapter 1- A Night in the Museum
She hated walking these corridors alone at night but she had a new inventory of artefacts to catalogue. Heading down the wide and dimly lit corridor Lorraine Claude-Felim swiped her ident card against the scanner and the glass doors retracted allowing her access to the warehouse beyond. Moving through she noted how many new crates had arrived and prepared herself for the long night ahead. Grabbing a data pad from the desk she began to move through the items checking them off one by one.
High above Bernadette a Firefly class transport known as Serenity floated silently through space in a perfect orbit.
'Such a pretty planet for a core planet' the voice belonged to a man sitting at the piloting station of the ship; he had ruffled ginger hair and was wearing a brightly covered flower shirt.
'I never get to go down to the surface...well there was that one time we went down together...can't say I was too fond of that experience' he turned his chair to face his Captain. Malcolm Reynolds.
'Yeah, ain't no one aboard this boat gonna forget how that one turned out Wash' Mal said.
'I'll stick to juggling geese' Wash said turning back to the controls.
'Just keep her stable above the capitol, we shouldn't be gone more than a spell, I'll send you a buzz when we're ready for drop off' Mal said turning to leave the cockpit.
'Just bring my warrior women back safe Mal' Wash shouted hoping the captain would hear him down the length of the gangway.
Entering the large cargo hold, Mal saw Jayne and Zoe standing their waiting for him. Moving slowly above him was River, she was going too, her abilities to read people and see 'into the truth of things' as Mal would say had helped them on a variety of criminal capers.
'Everybody ready? I don't wanna have to repeat the plan' he said, looking at his companions.
'One more time might be good for me boss' Jayne said, leaning against the Mule and polishing Vera.
'Okay, for Jayne's benefit here's the plan. Wash is gonna take us down low above the museum, that's when we rope down onto the roof, now if Tercius came through for us his plans have the building deserted and the loot in the main warehouse. We rope in, attach the loot and fly out. I see no problems with this plan. Nice, easy and simple, the way our jobs should be in this verse, dong ma?'
'Sir, meaning no disrespect but since when have our plans ever been easy and simple...and actually gone to plan?' Zoe said. They had been together since the Unification War and she still got a kick out of poking him once in a while.
'Well...this one will okay' Mal said, not rising to the bait.' You know what you need to do in this mei mei?' He said looking at River. She was helping them more and Mal was treating her like one of the crew, River liked this.
'I do, time to jump and steal the puddle' River said walking towards the ships rear doors.
'Fong luh' Jayne muttered under his breath.
'Jayne your mouth is moving and making sounds, unless it's constructive...zip it' Mal said. 'Let's get ready, Wash take us down' Mal said into the intercom.
'Going down' As if to emphasise Wash's words the ship took tilted forward and began to descend.
The team hooked up to the awaiting ropes and gathered round the door.
'20 seconds' Wash called over the intercom. Slamming his palm onto the control panel Mal opened the rear doors. The rush of air slammed into them and they braced against it.
'Alright everybody, line up ready for the drop' Mal called out, having to yell over the air rushing in.
'10 seconds'
'CAPTAIN REYNOLDS! You are not taking her with you' Simon came charging into the cargo bay and stared in horror at the four figures lined up ready to jump.
'Doctor, did I forget to mention this one...JUMP!' he yelled and they plunged over the side.
Lorraine was tired and staring endlessly at the data pad in her hand was hurting her head. She walked back towards the desk and sat down. That's when she heard it, a constant rushing sound, like a ships engines but muffled. Looking up for the first time she saw the ship above her through the glass ceiling.
'What in the name of tyen shiao duh?' She said out loud.
The glass above her shattered and four pairs of boots landed heavily onto the ground. She hid under her desk and hoped they never saw her.
'Alright, spread out and find the cargo, it's gonna be big...real big' a male voice said.
The feet spread off into separate directions except one, they were small and when they moved they moved with a slow grace.
'Hello?' the voice asked. It sounded so innocent, so sweet. 'You're curled into such a small ball with a desk on you head and drawers for your brain, come out, I won't hurt you' the voice said.
Lorraine was almost entranced and slowly came out from under the desk. In front of her stood a girl, no older than 17, a sweet and innocent smile on her face and eyes which radiated curiosity.
'The floor doesn't talk, I've tried listening but it's cold and hard'
'I know the floor has no voice, who are you?, what do you want?' Lorraine asked.
'We're looking for the ring so we can take it for a ride' the girl answered.
Footsteps running towards her forced Lorraine to take a step back.
'Who the hell are you?' the man was large, all muscle with a paranoid tone. He was tall and in Lorraine's opinion fairly handsome had that not been negated by the huge rifle he had pointing at her.
'Please I'm just a curator, I was just cataloguing the stock when you came in' she practically screamed.
'Well...ya don't look like no fed, so stay there nice and quite whilst we do us some crime and you'll be fine' he said.
'We found it!' another female voice called out.
'Jayne I'm gonna radio up to the ship and get Wash to hover over here, get here and help us with this, it's big and heavy...I hired you cos you're big and heavy, makes sense for you to help' Another male voice this time.
'We got us some company in here Mal!' Jayne shouted back.
'Well bring her and bring the doc's little sis, he'll be mighty angry if we forget her' Mal called back.
Jayne grabbed Lorraine by the hand and dragged her with him, the young girl following behind slowly.
'River hurry up girl, I want outta this place' Jayne called back.
Rounding a corner Lorraine saw the other two people standing next to a huge crate.
'The little one found her, she musta been hiding' somewhere, she's a curator or something...hell I don't know' Jayne called out approaching the other thieves.
'Well, seems we got a pickle here, we mean to be thieving from ya, but this place was spose to be empty' Mal said staring at her. 'Zoe, what do ya think we should do?' He said turning to the second lady of the group.
'Don't see no harm in letting her live, we'll be gone before the fed's arrive' Zoe said.
'I won't cause you folks no trouble, just take what you need to and leave' She said staring at them.
'Mal I'm over head, do you want Kaylee to drop the cables?' A voice asked from the radio Mal was carrying.
'Do it' Mal said. 'Now young Miss, I want you to stay right here where we can see ya until our ships gone okay' Mal said staring Lorraine in the eyes.
'That's fine I can do that' Lorraine sunk to the floor and curled up again.
More glass shattered as cables dropped down from the waiting ship and the team busied themselves attaching them to the crate and strapping themselves on for the ride.
'Pleasure to meet you' River said staring at Lorraine.
'Wash, take us up' Mal called into his radio.
Ascending through the air Lorraine watched the thieves and her artefact disappear into the night. She sat there not knowing what to do.
They slowly appeared in the cargo hold of Serenity the rear door sealing behind them. A successful heist at last.
'Wash full burn...get us outta here' Mal said.