TITLE: War Stories – Aftermath
CHAPTER: Complete
LOCATION: Serenity, Moon in Shinon's orbit and Shinon
TIME LINE: Post "War Stories" Episode
AN: Thanks to all of you who've taken the time to read this story. If you have a second more, I could really use some feedback on this story. I've re-read/written it so many times, I may have lost my thread. You know what I mean. Thanks in advance!
You who never arrived in my arms,
Beloved, who were lost from the start,
I don't even know what songs would please you.
While Wash poured out his grief into the arms of his wife. Malcolm Reynolds woke for the third night in the cold sweat of a man whose demons had come too close. His ship was quiet. Too quiet. The demons would come again if he closed his eyes. He was trapped. The screams of the dying and the horrors would come looking for him again if he stayed here.
"Inara?"
"Hmm…? Mal?" She was fully awake now and recognized the form of Captain Reynolds standing in the hatchway. One hand clutching the spot on his chest where the torture device had lodged and the other hanging on to the door frame as if he wasn't sure if he wanted to propel himself in our out of the shuttle.
"Mal, please come in and sit down." She called softly, rising gracefully to slip on a robe. She knew at any moment he might back out she slowly crossed behind him and closed the hatch. Then without touching him she guiding him toward the bed.
"Better I should go."
"Just for a moment allow yourself time to rest."
He stopped.
She stopped.
"Feminine wiles."
"Yes, feminine wiles. Comfort and friendship. Evil emotions. I will stop immediately."
"Reckon I could sit down for a second. Mind, no funny business."
"That's a promise."
"No reason to make it sound so final."
"Then Mal, I am going to try something."
"Oh no, you're not. You'd best be thinkin' of other things."
"Try to be brave, Captain. If you will lie back, I will lay it across your forehead. When Mal finally swung his long legs over the bed, she was ready with the towel.
"What's that stink?"
"It's Lavender. It's soothing. Now be still."
The will to fight her seeped out of him under the firm pressure of her hand on his forehead and over his eyes. With every exhale, he began to drift. When she heard his light snore, she covered him and got comfortable on the lounger. The unaccustomed sound of Mal's breathing - her clients never spent the night - soon lulled her to sleep.
Two hours later Mal woke her for the second time that night. This time he cried out in his sleep.
"Mal. Mal, wake up. It's Inara. You're safe."
"Nowhere is safe," he laughed. "Don't you know that 'Nara?"
I'll damned if I seduce him, she thought, knowing she could. It was the easiest way to get him back to sleep. But that wasn't what he needed. What did she need? That was not a subject she allowed herself to think about. She was far too well trained for that.
"Sleep, Mal. Go back to sleep." She began to hum a song. A chant really. Gently repeating the words: 'Hari Om, Shiva Om, Hari Om, Shiva Om, Hari Om, Shiva Om.' When her hands felt him relax, she slipped out of the room.
Might as well put the coffee on, she thought. There would be no more sleep tonight. When she stepped into the galley there sat Zoe. Inara joined the first officer at the table. The first officer poured her some coffee.
"Captain okay?"
Inara didn't bother denying what Zoe had obviously figured out. She nodded.
"Wash is finally sleeping too. Inara, I've been thinking. Time for a vacation. Jobs been plentiful. More'n usual. We've got some coin built up."
"Zoe?"
"You take your shuttle and I'll take the ship. I'll meet you at Everdown Docks in three weeks."
At the look on Inara's face, Zoe added, "He can't blame you. You can say you were under orders. She pushed a bundle toward Inara. Here are some of his clothes and personal stuff."
"Then I'd better get going, Zoe. I don't know how long he'll stay asleep."
The two women nodded in agreement and went their separate ways. On her way out of the galley, Inara grabbed some tea bags and the bottle of scotch she knew Jane kept hidden behind the stove. The walk back to her shuttle grew long as she realized the consequences of what they were about to do. I guess he can't kill me, she thought. Well, at least not more than once anyway. He might space me though.
Thankfully, he was still asleep when she slipped back into the shuttle. Mal continued to snore peacefully as Inara and Zoe worked through the release and launch of the shuttle. From the cockpit, Inara watched Serenity's engines come to life and the little Firefly seemed to push away from the shuttle. Inara never tired of watching the Serenity in flight. She wondered where Zoe was taking them. She hoped it was peaceful and romantic. Inara set course for Shinon and waited for Mal to wake up.
An hour out from the planet Inara was started out of her doze by the sound of a very angry sounding masculine voice.
"Where in the Gorram hell are you taking me?"
In her calmest companion's voice, she replied, "On a vacation to Shinon."
With a roar, Mal swung himself out of bed and into the cockpit. Only realizing when he saw his reflection in the view screen that he was naked.
"Woman?"
"Inara waived at the bag on the other in the corner, "There's some of your clothes and help yourself to the shower. We're about an hour out of Shinon."
"Inara, I'm going to ask you this just once. Where is my boat?"
Inara looked over her shoulder at the naked Captain. "Mal you should put some clothes on."
"Why? You've seen plenty of naked men."
She ground her teeth together. "Yes, but it costs extra."
"Costs extra...? I'm on the clock?"
"Well of course, Captain Reynolds. Guild rates are very specific. A charge for each day, then there's meals, drinks, and overnight charges. In fact, I'd better check, because there are actual Companion Vacation packages available. Perhaps you'd be interested… ?"
Mal stormed off in the direction of the head. She waited until he was out of sight before permitting herself a satisfied smile. Gotcha!
Captain Reynolds was just pulling on his boots when the shuttle took sharp roll to starboard.
"Inara!"
He stomped his boots on and made it the short distance to the cockpit to find Inara struggling with the controls and broadcasting Mayday to Shinon Space Dock. Before another roll threatened to toss him against the bulkhead, he managed to grab the back of Inara's chair.
"Mayday. Mayday. Mayday. This is Registered Companion, Inara Serra on board Serenity shuttle one. My ship is under attack by unknown assailants, two people on-board and we are unarmed. I require immediate assistance. Mayday. Mayday. Mayday. Over."
"Why'n the specter of hell aren't they answering you?"
"I don't know, Mal. Can you see anything outside the ship?"
He craned his neck to look out the view screen, finally catching sight of a small ship.
"Someone's pulling us in. I can see the mechanical arm. Better shut the engines down or it'll tear us shuttle apart."
"Mal!"
"It'll be all right. I've got my... Gorram!"
"We are unarmed. Zoe and I didn't think we'd need... I'm sorry."
Once the engines stopped struggling, the shuttle settled into the arms of the transport vessel. They could both see it now. Usually, these types of ships were used on deep space construction sites. Unfortunately, they were also popular with pirates and slavers. Bagging both people and their ship was very profitable.
"I don't see any markings. Do you?"
"Nothing. We'll find out soon enough. The navigation computer shows us back on course for Shinon."
After another thirty minutes of flying, in which Mal and Inara said very little, the ship veered away from Shinon to one of its moons. After another hour, Mal's instincts were setting off alarms.
"This begins to explain a few things," he remarked.
"I don't like the sound of that. What few things?"
Mal pulled Inara out of the pilot's chair and gripped her hard by the shoulders. "Inara, listen to me. If anything happens to you. I want you to know something. I..." He pulled her close. I won't let anything happen to you.
The little shuttle bumped to a stop. Mal and Inara stayed close their arms still loosely wrapped around each other. The hatch opened.
"Mal. Let me go. If they think there's something between us they'll use it."
He nodded to her and stepped back, placing her behind him. His body tensed instinctively at the entrance of two men into the shuttle. Mal took quick note of the fact that they were both well armed.
"Well, well, well. Looky what we got here. The famous Companion Inara Serra and her Pimp, Cap'n Reynolds."
"She's as pretty as they come, Jake. Reckon me and the boys could have a turn at her?"
"Shut your hole! She's not used to such rough talk. This is a lady. Leasty-ways one trained to be a lady. Okay you two. Let's go. And, Captain Reynolds? These shotguns are loaded with homemade buckshot. Don't reckon I need to describe to you what sort of wound that'd make."
Gallantly sweeping a filthy cap from his equally filthy hair, the first man indicated to Inara, "Ladies first."
The room they stepped into was brightly lit by generator lamps. Malcolm noticed they were actually underground. Underground on a moon? That meant there was something here to create both a stable gravitational field and a breathable atmosphere. Pirates, slavers or just plain thieves, folks made enough money to finance this much tech were professionals. Hiding inside the moon accounted for why they hadn't been discovered by Shinon or Alliance authorities. He counted a couple dozen armed men.
At the back of the cavern, two women were huddled over a cooking small fire. The older of the two handed a bowl to one of the men. He took a bite and spat it out. Malcolm watched him backhand the woman hard enough to knock her flat. She didn't move again. Inara had seen it too. He dared not look her in the eye. Worried that what he might see there would cause him to start tearing this place apart. He might get a few of them down, but eventually one of them would blow a hole in him. Then Inara would be alone.
"I'm okay, Mal. I'm okay," she whispered.
To their captors, Mal asked, "To whom do we owe the pleasure of this little side trip?"
"Me'n my men here were just planning our next foray, when who should show up on our sensors but a Firefly class shuttle. Otto over there quickly jammed yer Comm. Then, nice as you please, Ms. Serra identified herself with the Mayday call. So in case you're thinkin' help is on the way…
Otto yelled from across the cavern. "No one heard your call but me!" He laughed heartily.
The first man nudged Inara with the barrel of his shotgun. "Looks like Lucy needs help with supper. You go on over there'n help her out."
Once Inara was out of hearing range, Mal turned to the first man. "I take it you're the leader?"
"Well ain't you the smart one. I am the boss and 'cause o' me we eat good and enjoy our little pleasures."
"You live in a moon." You filthy pig.
"Naw, this is only when we're working. We take summers off'n live it up on Shinon."
"Well, obviously you've got a profitable thing out here. You got tech, a ship and a good group of men. So what's the plan for Inara and myself?" Better to know up front.
"Ain't 'exactly decided yet."
On the other side of the cavern, Inara knelt down next to the remaining woman. "Is your friend okay?"
"Shh! Don't ask. If he sent you over here to cook, then let's just get it done. 'Less you want some of that or worse." Nodding her head at the unconscious woman.
Inara took over cooking the meal. Just barely saving the stew from becoming a burnt mess and pronounced it done.
"No it ain't done yet! You'll get us beatin'!"
"Lucy, trust me. Please."
Inara helped Lucy place the food on the table and went back to the fire. She intended to stay out of reach. But once they'd tasted the food, she was called back.
"Hey, Lucy. Bring that high class whore over here."
Reluctantly, Inara headed over to the table. She was more concerned over what Mal might do, than what these men might do to her. She'd been taught to manipulate men from an early age. The final exam at the Academy had been tougher than this bunch.
"What did you do to this food?"
"Don't you like it?" Inara asked, with a first-year Companion pout displayed prettily on her face. It always worked and no sense wasting the good stuff on them… yet.
The men nodded that they did. A couple of them shouted, showing her the food in their mouths, to prove their enjoyment. She shot Mal a quick look of warning with a slight shake of her head. Do nothing! She hoped he understood.
Inara loosened her hips slightly as she walked slowly towards the leader. "I'm so glad you like the food. I'm a pretty good cook."
"I bet you're pretty good at a lot of things, lady."
She slid onto his lap as he grinned at her. Inara's stomach clenched at his double row of rotten teeth. She bent her head to whisper in his ear.
"You know my name, but I don't know yours."
She felt him shift under her.
"My name is Jake, ma'am. My mom always called me Jacob."
"She did? And when you were a good boy how did she reward you? His eyes widened. Did she read to you or sing?"
Every man at the table was now listening to the conversation. She held their attention as they leaned forward to catch Inara's quiet whisper.
"She liked to sing to us, Miss Serra. Me'n my brothers and sisters."
"Jacob, if you think your men will behave, I'd be willing to sing for you. Pay for our supper so to speak."
"Sing! Sing! Sing!" The men shouted.
"Okay, boys. All right. Quiet down and give her a place to sit. Lucy! Get a bowl of stew for these two."
As Inara slid slowly off his lap, she felt his - Great Buddha, when they got out of here she was going to open a tea shop on an outer planet - leaving her no doubt as to his state of mind and his grin completed the picture.
Someone handed her a pipa. They gathered around her she tuned the instrument. One of the men shyly handed her the finger picks. The story she wove with her voice and music was an ancient ballad from an even older story. On the second time through the men began to doze off. As the last notes faded, Inara looked up through her lashes at the men. Most of them were sleeping now. Nodding over their empty plates and mugs. She'd picked the slowest saddest song she could remember. Anything to put them to sleep. That it was full of lewd language and frank sexual descriptions seemed to have been lost on the men. She guessed correctly that they would not understand the old Chinese dialect of the lyrics. Lost on everyone, that is, except Malcolm Reynolds. He stood slowly and walked away from the table. Indicating, with a stern look, for her to follow him.
When they were out of sight of the men, he grabbed her by the shoulders, swinging her around to face him.
"That's the second time you've grabbed me." Shrugging his hands off her arms.
"What were you thinking? What if, even one of them, cottoned to the meaning of those lyrics? What would you have done then?"
"They would have enjoyed the story. My goal was to put them to sleep and I succeeded. I've bought us a little time and maybe we should use it to figure out how to escape rather than arguing about nothing."
"When he assaults you, then tosses you to his men, it won't be about nothin'!"
"Perhaps you should let me worry about that alleged moment and you worry about whether or not we can use that shuttle to escape. Listen to me for just a moment, Mal. She wrapped her hands in the lapels of his coat. That instrument? It wasn't some Fringe knockoff. The carvings and the inlays were made by an artist, with authentic material."
"Expensive?"
"Yes, How could these men afford such an instrument and why would they even have it here?"
"You're right. Let's listen closely and maybe we can hear about a larger boss in control here"
"Inara!"
They both heard the sound of a shell being slid into the chamber. They froze. Inara saw him first.
"Oh thank goodness it's you!" Inara ran to Jake and slid her arm through his.
"Was he bothering you, Ms. Inara?"
"It's okay. No harm done. Let's walk back to the camp."
Mal watched Inara work Jake, by clinging and rubbing up against him. She managed it so that Jake forgot all about leaving Mal standing all alone, next to the shuttle. Once they were out of sight, he turned his attention to the shuttle. Stuffing away his anger and jealousy. Turning that frustration into figuring out how to get them out of here. The exterior shuttle appeared undamaged. Xiǎochǒumen: They left the hatch open.
With a quick look around, Mal entered the shuttle. They'd been so interested in their prisoners they'd failed to secure it. The little shuttle had been brought in here on a tractor beam. So could he just fly it back the way they'd come?
The mechanism for the tractor beam was easy to locate. A simple on/off switch and guidance controls. He made quick work of it: It would never function again. At least, not without a mechanic. Mal was back in the shuttle when they found him.
"Hey! What are you doing in there?"
Mal raised his hands in the air and turned slowly. One of the men shoved a shotgun muzzle under his chin and the other jerked his hands behind his back. His hands were now bound. They shoved him out the hatch door so that he fell and rolled to a stop at the bottom of the ramp.
Mal bit down on a groan as the men dragged him up by his hands, nearly pulling his arms out of the socket. They dragged him over to Jake and one of them kicked him so that he rolled very close to the fire and came to a stop at Jake's feet.
As he came to a stop he looked up and found Inara. For the first time genuine fear in her eyes. They couldn't afford for her to act as if she cared about him now.
The smell of burned hair and flesh stung Inara's nose and eyes. She almost cried out as she watched the fresh burn blister on his forearm and shoulder.
"Mal!" I'm so sorry. This is my fault! Her voice cried out in her mind. Then she reached toward him.
"Mal, I'm so…"
"Shut your face, Biǎozi! If you cared anything about me we'd never have gotten into this fix. Don't start pretending now."
The force of his words knocked her back in her chair. It took all of her training to compose her features. Until one of the guards kicked Mal in the lower back. This time, he cried out.
"She's a lady, not just some whore! You watch your mouth."
The arrival of Otto broke everyone's attention from Mal. "Boss, he's on his way!"
"Doesn't surprise me now that he know'd about our famous guests.
Inara leaned against Jake. "Visitors?"
"Yeah. Mister Niska his'self is coming."
Otto added, "Says he's got some unfinished business with you and the lady here."
"When?"
"Twelve hours."
Mal watched helplessly as Jake led Inara away. He spends the next several hours in sleepless agony.
Time dragged and Mal's fever worsened. The burns and lack of water took their toll on him. At some point, he felt gentle hands on him. Someone loosened his bonds and dripped water between his cracked lips.
He whispered. "Hang on to that knife, Inara"
"I will," she said, and pressed her lips against his cheek.
"Wait, you changed clothes… Inara, did he? You didn't…"
"Why do you always assume the worst of me Mal? Just be ready."
"I'm sorry… Sorry I called you a whore."
"Oh Mal, you call me a whore all the time."
After covering him with a blanket and leaving the rest of the water where he could reach it, she headed back to Jake.
"Where you been?" He asked warily.
Blushing prettily she said, "I had to relieve myself."
When he settled back down, she ventured a question. "Jake, just who is this Niska?"
"You don't know? Why, he's one of the most powerful bosses out here."
"Oh, I thought you must be. You've got all this," she said gesturing around the room.
"He supplies the coin. Now, come on over here."
Inara sat down next to him on the cot and carefully placed a hand on each side of him. This would take all her skills, to keep him from… She didn't even want to think about it.
"I like being my own boss. I entertain who I wish and avoid the unpleasant side of my profession." Inara commented.
"Don't think it ain't crossed my mind." One of his hands moved up to her breast. His dirty fingers fumbling at the neckline.
"Think about this, Jake. When your boss gets here, why don't you take care of him? All this could yours. You seem like a smart businessman to me - his fingers pinched a nipple through linen fabric of her shirt - I've got money saved up and we'll have use of the shuttle and Niska's ship."
"I like the way you think, pretty lady. Now just how do you suppose we get rid of those bodyguards?"
She leaned into his groping hand. "You could lay a trap for him?"
"We'll lay a trap for 'em! Move yerself off me! No time for this now! Got plans to make."
After his rough handling, Inara picked herself off the floor. She noted the time; they had about two hours before Niska's arrival. Looking quickly around his quarters, Inara noticed the gleam of a combat knife. Slipping it under her clothes she headed out to check on Mal. She was still sitting next to him when Niska's shuttle entered the cavern.
"Come on, Mal. We've got to get ready to get out of here." She said, helping him stand. She handed him the combat knife.
Niska's body guards proceeded him down the ramp. One shot per man and they were vaporized by Jake's men. This left Niska alone on the ramp. He tried to run back into the shuttle, but Jacob shot him in the leg. The old man screamed, clawing at the ramp and trying to reach safety.
Inara and Mal made it to their shuttle. While she tried to pull Mal inside, he stopped and headed back out.
"No! This is our only chance. Come on!"
"I have some palavering to do." In the seconds between the Jake's shot and the men's surprise, the Captain put the knife to work. It flew true, lodging in Niska's gut. He hadn't missed. Far from it. A gut shot meant a nice long death for the monster.
With one final look, Mal joined Inara in the shuttle. She was ready and the little shuttle launched toward the opening. Open space had never looked so good as they flew free into the darkness.
"Serenity shuttle. Respond."
"It's Jake!"
"He can't touch us now. Answer him if you want to."
"This is Inara."
"Just wanted ta let you know, Niska is dead. Truly dead. He bled out pretty quick."
"Do you plan to come after us, Jake?"
"No pretty lady. Ain't coming for you or the Captain. That was a fine display of loyalty back there. You two make quite a team. Wanted to say… Well, just wanted to say… thanks. Captain Reynolds?"
Mal moved toward the view screen. Jake nodded. "You take good care of that lady of yours. She's special. 'Course, looked like she was the one taking care of you." He chuckled, running his hand through his hair and replacing his cap.
"We're almost out of range. You have something to say?"
"Okay. Just wanted ta say, if you ever need to shelter or fence goods, just give me a call. I'll be here. From one businessman to another, you know. Inara? I put something in your shuttle for you. I'll never forget how pretty you played."
"Understood, Jake. Good luck."
~0~0~0~0~
The smell of jasmine assaulted his nose. The sound of birds woke him. The soft slide of silk whispered across his bare chest and arms confused him.
"What the…?" He sat up quickly. His arm and shoulder were bandaged. He was in a comfortable bed, with silk sheets and an embroidered quilt. The room was done it rich earth tones and natural materials. At one end of the room stood a Buddhist shrine and the large doors behind it were open to the outside. He swiveled his head around and there was Inara, sleeping soundly in an upholstered chair. Mal noticed a blanket pooled at her feet and covered her. As he tucked the blanket around her shoulders, his heart warmed by the sight of her. She'd taken care of him and saved his life.
"Thank you," he whispered to the sleeping woman.
Inara caught the hand hovering near her face and whispered back, "You're welcome. Anytime." For a moment, she rested her cheek against his knuckles. How are you feeling?"
"Much better. Almost no pain."
"There won't be any scarring."
"So how about that vacation?"
She had to break this spell. It would only complicate things to give in to her feelings. Too well trained and instinctively circumspect to allow anything to happen which was not under her control, she said, "This is a working vacation for you, Mal."
He waited.
"I spoke to the headmistress. Once you're feeling better, we plan to allow the junior students to practice on you."
To put some distance between herself and the captain she stood and began folding the blanket. "Shouldn't miss a training opportunity like this one. I should warn you though, they're a giggly bunch."
His hand shot out from under the sheet and caught one of her's. He gently pulled her down to the bed and captured her under his body. Pushing her hair back from her face with his hand. "I reckon that'd be okay. But I plan to start with you."
The kiss she'd always been afraid of was happening and she wasn't afraid.
You Who Never Arrived
You who never arrived
in my arms, Beloved, who were lost
from the start, I don't even know what songs
would please you. I have given up trying
to recognize you in the surging wave of
the next moment. All the immense
images in me - the far-off, deeply-felt
landscape, cities, towers, and bridges, and
Unsuspected turns in the path,
and those powerful lands that were once
pulsing with the life of the gods-
all rise within me to mean
you, who forever elude me.
You, Beloved, who are all
the gardens I have ever gazed at,
longing. An open window
in a country house-, and you almost
stepped out, pensive, to meet me.
Streets that I chanced upon, -
you had just walked down them and vanished.
And sometimes, in a shop, the mirrors
were still dizzy with your presence and,
startled, gave back my too-sudden image.
Who knows? Perhaps the same
bird echoed through both of us
yesterday, separate, in the evening...
Rainer Maria Rilke
"This mantra honors Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. It is a celebration of the masculine Principle. May it go some way to restore the balance in our men folk, encouraging and challenging them in these times of great potential and transformation."
Hari Om, Shiva Om. Embrace, 2002 by Deva Premal: you tube watch?v=MsuB2-wVI2Q
Xiǎochǒumen - idiots!
Biǎozi – Whore
Wikipedia . com: The pipa is a four-stringed Chinese musical instrument, belonging to the plucked category of instruments. Sometimes called the Chinese lute, the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body with a varying number of frets ranging from 12–26
Examples of pipa music
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