Rules:

1. Sheldon/Penny – They can be platonic, romantic, smutty, Super Heroes/Villains, etc.

2. Leonard/Amy's death MAY occur anytime from the Pilot thru Season 9

3. The death must be completed in a single chapter, although you are welcome to contribute as many different forms of death as you like as long as they are a chapter each.

4. The story must be no more than 1,500 words long.

5. Deadline is October 31, 2015.

100 Ways To Kill a Doctor: Hands Of Blue Execution

They'd allied themselves fairly quickly, but in these situations it wasn't unheard of. They'd all suffered equally, bore the results of the experiments with what grace they could muster.

Despite their collective brainpower they hadn't been able to make their escape until the girl had been 'elevated' to the upper program. Sheldon remembered her from the lower classes of the Academy and she was just as intelligent as he was. Thanks to her genius with encryption that they'd gotten the messages out.

"He is ready?"

Sheldon looked at the diminutive girl and nodded. "I am." He was a bundle of phobias and couldn't lie without a nervous tic but he was ready to leave.

Howard was anxiously rubbing his hands together. "River they're gonna take you for another procedure. I 'heard' them." His 'hearing' was more mental than physical but nobody argued his phrasing.

"It will be all right." Sheldon took a deep breath and gave the dark haired girl a reassuring pat. "He'll come before it gets too bad."

"I know." She smiled at them. "And they'll be right behind him."

"We all know the meeting place," Leonard was squirming.

Raj simply nodded. He was powerfully empathic now, but had lost the ability to speak more than a few words to anyone but males, due to the nature of the scientists who'd experimented on him.

The last of their group, two female scientists, also nodded. Bernadette had begun her work in microbiology and when she'd been transferred to the Academy she'd been horrified. After her objections to the experiments she'd been added to the group of 'subjects'.

Amy was simply sympathetic. She'd made her attraction to Sheldon clear and said she was helping them for his sake. Sheldon wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that. The abilities he'd developed due to the experiments weren't helpful in discerning motives.

They looked at each other one last time and split up.

River looked down at the orderly from her position on the ceiling and dropped down after he'd gone. Howard's voice told her he was taking the others out the back door. She followed Simon and assured Howard that they would all meet on Persephone's docks, showing him a mental image of her brother so they'd know who to look for.

Malcolm Reynolds was displeased. Jayne had gotten a wave and practically hijacked the ship to get them to Persephone in less than a day. They'd gotten through the salvage job without any incidents, mostly because Jayne had pushed them to rush through the gorram thing.

Imprinted goods burning a hole in his hull and his blasted gunhand had raced off the minute the ship touched Eavesdown. His first mate hadn't any idea what was going on either and that was even more unusual.

Badger had been his typical irritating self but at least they'd gotten paid. And Kaylee would be lining up some passengers so that was extra coin in their pockets. Now if he could figure out what'n the hell Jayne was up to Mal might just have been able to relax.

Sheldon nodded to the taller blonde who was hugging Bernadette tightly. The scientist's sister wasn't the genius her younger sibling was, but she was still pretty darn smart according to Bernadette. A psychiatrist apparently. Just not smart enough to get on the Academy's wavelength. Howard's mother and Raj's father had combined their resources and gotten in touch with Sheldon's family. They'd also provided funding. Now Sheldon's cousin who'd thrown him in the pond more than once loomed over the group. Taller than Sheldon and bulkier, the only thing they had in common were their blue eyes and dark hair.

River and her brother hadn't arrived yet, but Howard was turning and scanning the crowd of people outside their little rented warehouse. "He's there, straight ahead with the blue specs." He pointed and Bernadette's sister Penelope darted out to grab the man. He pulling a large cryo container and arguing with Penelope when he arrived, Leonard closing the door hurriedly after them.

"Shut up," Howard nearly hissed the words at him as he was pulled inside with the crate. "And for the love of Yahweh, where's River?"

"In here," Simon touched the container.

"Get her out of there," Sheldon recoiled from the box in horror. "It's made by Blue Sun. And it's been used before. By slavers!" His hand had brushed against the blue steel and in an instant he knew everything that had happened in its short ugly history. Object reading wasn't always enjoyable but he was never wrong.

"Gorramit," His cousin grabbed a crowbar and pried the lid off. Jayne Cobb might not understand a whole lot about what was going on but Shelly didn't talk in that tone of voice without good reason.

"Well shit," Jayne looked down at the naked girl and pulled off his khaki jacket. "Shel, this won't bug her will it?"

"Coming out of cryo so suddenly—"

"Won't be worse than being stuck in a slave crate," Penelope interrupted Simon quietly and Sheldon smiled at her gratefully for the support.

River's eyes flew open and she drew breath to scream but in one of his lightning fast reactions Jayne grabbed her, wrapped her in his coat and kept his hand over her mouth. "Yer safe. Shelly's right here. See?" He pushed her toward his cousin and Sheldon wrapped his arms around the diminutive genius.

Penelope, 'call me Penny', grabbed the bag of clothing she'd brought for her sister and pulled out a skirt, underwear and a shirt along with some stretchy slippers. "Here, put these on sweetie." She got Bernadette to help her hold up a piece of canvas as a makeshift curtain.

By the time she was dressed River was slightly more coherent, murmuring. "We are betrayed." She looked at Howard and pointed at Leonard, 'keeping watch' at the door.

"Where is Dr. Fowler?" Bernadette asked slowly.

"Two by two, hands of Blue." River whispered and Sheldon turned a horrified gaze to her.

"They're coming here?"

She nodded and pressed against Sheldon's side, her worry obvious.

Penny smiled at the two dark haired geniuses. "Don't worry. I might not be as smart as Bernie but I can shoot a lot better. Can either of you?" She pulled a couple of Ladysmith's from her bag and offered them to Sheldon and River.

"We were taught." Sheldon nodded, exchanging a half smile with Jayne. He might not know Penny well but he could appreciate her practicality and warmth. River took a gun with a tiny smile for the blonde woman.

"I can't." The elder Tam shook his head, regretful that he wasn't of use. "But I'm a doctor so I'm useful afterwards.

'Walk with purpose, but not panic' Penny had told them. Jayne had taken the rear guard as the little group of escapees made their way to Jayne's home ship. Penny was with Jayne, as two were less suspicious than one, Bernie and Howard had sandwiched Raj, while Sheldon, Simon and River led the way. River's clairvoyance and Reading abilities showing her where they were headed.

They all carried bags, filled with cash, clothes and tools. All scrounged or purchased in preparation for life on the rim.

"Jayne Cobb, you wanna tell me why I should let you back on my boat?" The tall man in the browncoat looked unthrilled to see Jayne and his company.

"Because they can pay, and 'cause you ain't paid me yet," Jayne hustled everyone into the cargo bay and pulled the little girl in overalls and a flowery jacket in behind them before he shut the doors. The argument he might have gotten was forestalled as River stared at him and smiled before handing him a bag of platinum.

"Payment for our passage." She informed him solemnly.

"Goes a lot farther now that we don't have the two traitors along with us." Howard muttered to Bernadette.

The Blue Hands, as River called the Academy contractors, had armor everywhere but their skulls and they'd fallen to bullets easily. Leonard calling out to them, drawing their attention to the warehouse had confirmed his betrayal and Dr. Fowler's presence with them made plain where her allegiance lay.

Thankfully the warehouse was locked from the outside and no one had bothered to pay for their use of it. The bodies would be hidden for quite a while.

The captain looked at them curiously. "Well, we're headed for Boros and beyond, guess ya'll can share your tale once we're in the Black. Rest yourselves in the lounge an'—" He pointed to an area beyond the cargo bay.

The loudspeaker interrupted, announcing, "The Ambassador has returned."

"Well I guess we'll be leavin' right about now then," The captain grinned. "I'm Malcolm Reynolds and this is my boat."

"No better boat in the 'Verse," Jayne told them, ushering them into the passenger lounge. "Ya'll be safe aboard Serenity."

Author's Note: So Penny and Sheldon, beginning to be friends. I have a head canon here that Penny and Jayne would be a cute couple while Sheldon and River would be sweet together once they get past their issues. But the escapees and their allies will be good firm friends. In case no one was certain, Jayne, Penny, Sheldon and River killed the Blue Hands along with Leonard and Amy. All flaming trollish reviewers are thanked for driving up my pageviews.

Hope you enjoyed.