Title: Fresh Air, With a Side of Trouble
Title: Fresh Air, With a Side of Trouble
Chapter: 1 of 2
Author: Yuri-san
Rating: T, I guess. Because of the violence. . . ?
Summary: After being in the air for too long, Serenity's crew is more than willing to answer a distress call if it means getting to leave the ship for a while. Involves a mysterious illness, an injured doctor, and a quest for meds. Pre BDM.
Pairing(s): Jaylee if you squint.
Notes: Inara is away and Sheppard Book is. . . also away. Convenient, I know.
The majority of the crew had been cooped up on board Serenity for just over three weeks (the last few jobs had been dangerous Mal and Zoe only type deals) and were getting mighty anxious to be outside again. So when a distress call came in from a nearby planet, everyone jumped at the chance to be involved.
"Zoe and Jayne and me will be going," Mall announced. "As well as Simon, beings that this is likely a doctorly type visit."
"I'm coming," River said, as if it were a fact, not a suggestion.
"Me too," Kaylee added, less certainly.
Mal hesitated. "River, you can come."
"What about me Capt'n?" Kaylee asked.
Mal looked at her sternly. "What if my ship gets broke and my mechanic isn't there to fix it?"
"Mighty hard to break a ship what's landed already," Kaylee pointed out. "It's not that at all is it? You think I'll just get in the way, or get hurt. I'll be good, I swear! I've been all locked up inside for too long Cap'n. . ."
"I believe she should be safe with us, shouldn't she Captain?" Simon interjected, looking very pointedly at the weapons strapped to Mal, Zoe, and Jayne.
Mal sighed. "I suppose. Now, this planet is lusher than most, meaning Wash will get us as close as he can, but we're going to be walking a good long ways. Anyone who isn't up for that better say as much now cause I won't be standing for any whining later." When no one spoke up, Mal turned to Wash. "You'll be staying with the ship, of course."
"Of course," the pilot agreed good-naturedly, and then added, "We're almost there."
"Good Mal said, having so speak louder than normal to be heard over Kaylee and River's excited chattering. "Will you two quiet it down?!" The girls seemed to ignore him, but moved out of the room.
Mal's brief description of the planet (lusher than most) was a little lacking. The planet was actually almost entirely forest. Wash had trouble finding a place to land, but as soon as he did, the River and Kaylee nearly ran off of the ship.
"Now ya'll stick close to someone, you hear?" Mal called after them. Lowering his voice he asked Simon, "You got everything you're gonna need there doctor? Cause that pack looks mighty small."
"I do have to carry it an undetermined, but assuredly long ways," Simon said. "It will be sufficient."
"Don't matter if they die of old age before we get there," Jayne muttered, shoving past them. "We gonna get going or what?"
It took a good hour's hike to reach the town, which was more like a small village carved out of the woods, but no one seemed to mind too much, seeings that the alternative was being stuck back on the ship.
Mal told everyone to hold back while he and Zoe cautiously approached the village. A strong looking young man came forward to greet them. "Are you here to help?" he asked anxiously. "Thank the lord!"
"Yes, we're here to help," Mal said. "What's the problem?"
"Well, it's hard to explain. Do you have a doctor?"
Mal nodded and sent Zoe to get the rest of the group. When they appeared, he waved Simon forward. "This is Doctor Taylor, Mr. . .?"
"Jatin," the man responded. "My name is Jatin." He looked to Simon, A.K.A. Dr. Taylor. "Something happened to my people Dr. Taylor. I can show you if you'll follow me." He led Simon to a house and opened the wooden slate shutters on the window. "Look inside, but be careful."
Simon peered inside, scanning the entire room. "I don't see anything," he said slowly shaking his head."
Jatin was about to respond when a hand reached through the one of the slits and wrapped around Simons wrist. The doctor cried out in shock and pulled away quickly. The hand released him, but left deep claw marks on his wrist.
Jatin stared at him in an odd mixture of sadness and horror.
"What was that?!" Mal demanded, speaking up for Simon, who was oddly silent and unmoving.
"One of my people, infected by an illness. I don't know what it is, but I'm afraid your friend is now infected. We'll have to confine him soon."
Everyone looked down at Simon, who was frantically rummaging through his pack. "I know what this is," he explained quickly. " I know this, I know how to fix this, where IS IT?!"
"I knew you'd forget something," Mal muttered. "What do you need? We can go get it."
"Not him," Jatin said quickly. "He has to stay here."
Simon frowned, the scribbled something onto a piece of paper. "Bring this to me. It's in the infirmary. It's there on the . . in the the . . .with the. . . hnnn. . ." Simon passed out.
"That's helpful," Jayne said, unhelpfully. "It's on the, in the, with the. Wake up and finish your sentence!"
"Oh, he'll wake up soon," Jatin assured the mercenary. "He won't be doing much speaking though. Or much of anything besides trying to tear us up for that matter. I'll lock him in a spare house, just hurry."
"I'll stay here." Zoe volunteered. "In case there's any trouble."
"Maybe you'd better stay too," Mal said to the other girls.
Kaylee looked at Jatin and the locked houses nervously. "I think I'd rather not Cap'n." River agreed, and so they were off. They traveled at an expedient rate until they hit a proverbial bump in the road.
"It forks," Kaylee said morosely. "And there's no footprints. What do we do?"
"Split up and whoever has the right path hurries back with the medicine," said Mal decisively. He copied the medicine name onto the bottom half of the paper, ripped it off and handed it to Jayne.
"I'm going with Mal," River announced.
"Okay," Kaylee agreed. Though she'd never admit it, she felt safer with Jayne any day.
And so they set off again, Mal and River to the right and Jayne and Kaylee to the left.
River was humming as the walked, a pretty but indefinite tune that shifted as her thoughts did. Out of the blue she stopped and asked Mal, "What if we're wrong?"
Mal considered this, then answered, "Then we keep walking until we're sure we're wrong and then turn around."
River nodded and resumed walking. "I hope we're wrong," she said. "For Kaylee."
And even though he had no idea why, Mal secretly agreed.
"You know, it's mighty pretty here, surrounded in all this green," Kaylee said cheerfully. Jayne grunted in a way that couldn't really be interpreted positively or negatively. Kaylee continued on her monologue anyway. "We don't really get to see wildlife very much. Usually all the planets are hot and sparse and deserty. It's a nice change. Too bad we-"
"Shh!" Jayne snapped, cutting the mechanic off mid-sentence. He had stopped walking and drawn a gun. "I think I heard some wildlife you won't be appreciating so much."
Kaylee froze, scared stiff. "Like what?"
"Dunno." He stared into the trees to their left. "Wait a gorram second, those figures look human!"
"Don't sound human." Kaylee whispered.
Jayne looked at her, and something clicked. "Run."
Her eyes widened. "Run where?"
"I dunno. Away."
"Are you running too?"
"Yeah," Jayne lied. "I'll be right behind you. Go!"
And Kaylee dashed off into the foliage in the opposite direction of the figures. It wasn't until she heard gunshots that she realized that Jayne wasn't behind her. "Jayne!" she cried out, turning back the way she had come. She was torn momentarily. He'd told her to run, but he could be hurt. And besides, she wasn't safe without him. Resolutely, she turned back and went to find him.
"Kaylee!" River screamed. A small flock of birds took off in fright and Mal turned sharply to the girl.
"What is it Albatross? Is Kaylee hurt?"
River shook her head slowly. "Not hurt. Scared. Petrified. Her bullet-man is wounded. Can move, but barely. They might come back. And he's heavy. Doesn't know where to run. Where to hide." The girl knelt to the ground, holding her head. "Lost. Unfamiliar. He's bleeding so much. Gives her his gun. Almost drops it. Doesn't know what to do. Wishes he would tell her. Wishes he could tell her. So much fear. So much. . .pain." River collapsed to the ground, out cold, leaving a very confused Mal to sort out the mess.
As far as he could tell, Kaylee and Jayne were attacked and Jayne fought them off, but got hurt. And now Kaylee has to protect both of them. . .? But attacked by what? Or who? And why did River pass out?
Mal scowled and hefted River up, slinging her over his shoulder. Hopefully he was on the right track, and if he was, he must be close to the ship. Hopefully.
To be concluded in the next chapter. . . which will likely be up in the next day or so. My first Firefly fic. ) Yes, I hurt Simon. And Jayne. It doesn't mean I don't love them.