Author's Note: My story has also been posted on a General Hospital board. But I figure, why not share it with Firefly fans as well? If you know the characters Jason and Sam Morgan, enjoy! If you don't-this "episode" takes place in the Firefly 'verse, so give it a try!
Takes place after the show, before the movie. Shepherd Book has already left the ship.
Chapter 1
Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds poked his head into his ship's engine room. "How's my boat?" he asked. Mal's brown eyes twinkled as he hitched a thumb in his holster. It was warm down here, and he was starting to sweat in his flannel shirt.
"Shiny, Cap'n," Kaylee Frye replied with a smile. Her heart-shaped face glowed, even though there was a smudge of grease on her cheek. Kaylee was a perpetually cheerful girl, and her work coverall today happened to be emblazoned with a stitched teddy bear—but she was the smartest mechanical mind Mal could ask for. It was a fine quality to have in the ship's engineer, especially when the ship in question, Serenity, had more than a few miles on her.
"We'll need another port compression coil in about six months, but she'll fly true for now," she added.
"Good. We're landing soon, so get ready if you want to buy anything." Smiling at Kaylee's eager nod, he walked down the narrow corridor and banged on Jayne Cobb's door. "We're picking up two passengers and cargo," Mal said as the man appeared in the doorway, his powerfully built frame filling the entire space.
"Are they gonna need extra watchin'?" Jayne asked.
"Doubt it, but we should keep a close eye on them anyway. They work for Sonny Corinthos." Jayne stared blankly. "Mob kingpin who runs a medium-sized planet on the outer ring called Porcharle." There was still no flash of recognition, and Mal finally shrugged. "I reckon it doesn't matter. We're hauling a passel of crates to the planet's moon. Don't know exactly what it is that we're carrying."
"Long as we get paid, don't matter," Jayne said. He reached behind him for a large knife; snapping it in half to close it, he stuck the blade in his back pocket. "When are we landing?"
"About an hour."
Jayne nodded, scratched his chest, and wandered off to the galley in search of breakfast.
Continuing down the corridor, Mal reached the bridge, where Wash and Zoe Washborne, his pilot and his right-hand-woman, were chatting. They were a study in contrasts: Wash lounged in his seat, fair-skinned and sandy-haired, dressed in a Hawaiian-print shirt, while mocha-skinned Zoe stood up straight, her brown curly hair tied back in a neat ponytail.
"It's a desert moon, hon. We could relax, enjoy the sunshine, maybe lose some clothes…" Wash was saying suggestively. "Mal, tell my wife that taking a vacation is, in fact, recommended by health experts everywhere!"
"No can do," Mal replied. "We're not staying long. Got incoming cargo and a couple of passengers."
Wash slumped forward in disappointment, but Zoe's expression remained as stoic as ever. "Where are we headed, sir?" she asked.
"Planet called Porcharle."
"Any tropical beaches on Porcharle?" Wash asked wistfully.
"It's actually winter on the inhabited side of the planet right now," Mal replied.
"Well, we could find a ski lodge…" Wash muttered as he adjusted their course.
The landing zone was bustling with vendors of all kinds as Sam Morgan squinted up into the bright sun, twirling her parasol flirtatiously. She had already picked up a few interesting fabrics and some tasty sweets, and now she was stuck waiting for Jason. He was haggling over the price of a cache of handguns two stalls over, and Sam was starting to get impatient.
The constant dull hum of ships taking off and landing made her skin buzz with anticipation. Closing her parasol, Sam picked up her shopping bags and elbowed her way through the crowd until she reached her husband's side. "Jason, how much longer are you going to take? Just buy the damn things already!" she said.
He glanced down at her, and then looked back at his contact. "Cut the price by 10 percent, and we've got a deal." The other man nodded, and Jason turned to his wife. "Let's go."
He took one of her bags, and she linked her arm with his. They slowly walked to landing pad 74D, where the crates had already been delivered, and came to a halt in front of a slightly battered Firefly-class ship. "Is that it?" Sam asked.
"I think so," he replied slowly. Jason seemed… unsettled. Sam wondered why.
She cocked her head. "Are you sure it flies?"
"She ain't broken down yet." A man walked down the open ramp and extended a hand. "Malcolm Reynolds. I'm the captain of this boat."
Jason eyed him, a curious look on his face. Finally, he shook the man's hand and said, "Jason Morgan. This is my wife, Sam."
Sam smiled winsomely and waved. "Nice to meet ya." A couple of men and a pair of women emerged from the ship, and the captain introduced them as Wash, Zoe, Jayne, and Kaylee, Serenity's crew.
Jason nodded briskly at them all, and said, "I don't want to waste time. Let's get the cargo loaded." With a shrug, Jayne stepped forward to the nearest crate, along with Mal, Wash, and Zoe.
Kaylee sidled up to Sam, who was watching the proceedings without moving to help. "Your husband's not much for small talk, is he?" she said.
"I do enough talking for the both of us," Sam smiled. "Kaylee, right?"
"Yep."
"I'm glad there's another woman or two onboard," Sam said. "The last time Jason and I flew out, I was surrounded by eight burly men."
Kaylee giggled. "Well, that couldn't have been too bad."
"Oh, it wasn't for me. But poor Louie lost a tooth, and Chang got a black eye. My husband doesn't like to share."
"Would you like to share him?" Kaylee murmured, eyeing Jason's backside as he bent over to secure a box.
Sam laughed. "Not on your life. He's all mine." She picked up her shopping bags and gazed at Kaylee inquiringly. "Do you mind showing me where my room is?"
"No problem." Kaylee caught Mal's eye, and Sam thought she saw him shake his head in warning. But then the girl turned with a bright smile, and Sam decided she must have imagined it. "Come on—we'll cut through the galley," she said, leading the way.
Jason sat on the narrow bed, watching Sam as she sorted through her clothes. Although it had taken a good hour and a half to load and secure the cargo (and do a random product check), he had arrived at the tiny bunk to find Sam giggling and eating chocolate with Kaylee on the bed. The girl had scampered off to check on the engines, and now Sam was slowly unpacking while Jason was trying to sort through the uneasy feeling he'd had since they stepped foot onboard.
"What do you think of this, baby?" she asked, dangling a black lacy object in front of his face. He swatted at her arm.
She snorted. "Well, I won't wear it for you, then." She gazed over his shoulder, a far-off look in her eye. "Mmm, I wonder what Chang is up to right now…"
Jason growled and pulled her onto his lap. "Don't tease."
Wrapping her arms loosely around his neck, she murmured, "You know I'm yours." With a breathless sigh, Sam lifted her head and nuzzled his cheek, working her way around his face until she was nibbling on his lower lip. Jason automatically held her closer, running a hand through her silky hair, but even having his wife in his arms didn't shake the vague sense of unease that was plaguing him. Sam pulled back, sensing his change in mood—as she always did.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"I don't know. I just feel it," Jason said slowly. "There's something… off about this ship. These people have something to hide."
Sam shrugged. "They're smugglers, Jason. Of course they have secrets. We deal with these types all the time."
Jason shook his head stubbornly. "This feels different."
"What do you want to do?" she asked, caressing his face.
He sighed. Sonny would have his ass if they didn't deliver the shipment, so they didn't have much of a choice. "Keep the guns close, and get home as soon as possible," he replied.
An few hours later, Captain Reynolds knocked on Jason and Sam's door to let them know that dinner was ready. When they reached the galley, where the crew was already seated, an exotic, graceful woman rose to meet them.
The captain waved in her direction. "Jason, Sam, this is Inara Serra. She's a—"
"A Companion," Sam said with excitement. "I've only met a few, but they are unmistakable." Jason's eyes widened at the implication, and he took a long second look at the woman standing in front of them with a guarded expression on her face. Companions were cultured, expensive, paid escorts. She certainly did not seem to fit in with the motley crew of Serenity, and Jason wondered what other secrets this ship was hiding.
"Nice to meet you," Inara said, with a glare at the captain. "Mal likes to spring me on visitors without warning sometimes. I think it amuses him."
Sam giggled. "I used to be a con artist, before Jason made me an honest woman—literally. I don't have any room to judge," she winked. "So, who's your favorite client? Somebody famous?"
Smiling, Inara replied, "I don't kiss and tell."
"She really doesn't. Believe me, I've tried to drag it out of her," Kaylee sighed.
"So is this everyone now?" Jason asked. "The whole crew?" He didn't like meeting new people once they were already en route.
"Yes, now you've met us all," Zoe replied quickly.
They all sat down to eat, and Jason was silent, letting his wife do the talking. Occasionally he nodded or responded when she poked him to be social, but he was content to just watch her enjoy herself. Sometimes Jason envied Sam's ability to connect with people so quickly; in just a few minutes, she was laughing with Kaylee and Wash like they were old friends. At one point, Jason glanced up to see Jayne staring at him speculatively, and he glared, daring the man to even think about challenging him. Jayne grunted, but kept his eyes to himself for the rest of the meal.
After dinner, Wash suggested a game of cards, so Sam and Kaylee helped clear the table while Jason excused himself to use the bathroom. He washed up and was on his way back to the galley when he caught a glimpse of Inara walking down the hallway to the other end of the ship with two plates of food in her hands.
The uneasy feeling grew.
Chapter 2
Sam yawned as she trudged into the galley. Jason had been up most of the night, still worried about the secrets Serenity might be hiding, and she never could sleep well when he was restless. Sandy-eyed and groggy, Sam looked around for Kaylee or Wash, but no one was in sight, so she poked around the small adjoining kitchen, hoping there was some leftover food to settle her stomach. She found a few energy bars, along with a pot full of the black sludge that was standard fare for most cargo ships. Sam shuddered; she was used to drinking real coffee each morning, since Sonny insisted on importing luxury foodstuffs to Porcharle. She stared at the pot, feeling her stomach rumble ominously.
"I was about to make a cup of tea," a voice called from the doorway. Sam turned to see Inara smiling at her. "If you like, you could join me."
"That would be great. Thank you," Sam said, following the woman to a shuttle door.
"You live here?" she asked, as Inara opened the hatch.
"Yes; it's easier to see clients this way," Inara replied.
Sam looked around the ornately decorated space in wonder as Inara gracefully moved to a nearby table and began to pour liquid from a ceramic teapot. The shuttle was draped with fabrics in rich, deep, sensual colors, and there wasn't a hard metal surface in sight. "This is amazing. It looks completely different from the rest of the ship," Sam commented.
"I pay rent on this shuttle, and it's my own," Inara said. She handed Sam a teacup. "When I arrived, it looked exactly like the other shuttle; bare and plain."
"Well, you set it up beautifully," Sam complimented the woman. She took a sip and sighed. "This is so good."
Inara shrugged her delicate shoulders. "One of my clients always gives me a selection of leaves when he visits. It's a considerate gift."
Sam swirled her cup. "You know, I've always wondered if the life of a Companion is as glamorous as I thought."
"Sometimes, it is," Inara said. "My job is to offer connection and comfort. In many ways, that's a very enjoyable way to live."
Sam sighed. "As a con artist, I offered connection, too—but only to get something I wanted." Something in Inara's dark eyes—empathy, maybe—made Sam continue. "When I met my husband, I was running a con on a wealthy businessman in the inner core. The Alliance was on my ass, and Jason got me out of a tight spot, simply because he thought I needed help. That's just how he is—and it made me fall in love with him."
"You make a nice pair," Inara commented.
"I'm lucky to have him," Sam mused. Considering the numerous life-threatening situations he'd already survived and the many ways she could still lose him…. Sam glanced up to see Inara watching her, and suddenly felt flustered. "I don't know why I told you that," she said. "I... I don't usually…"
Inara raised an eyebrow. "I am a very good Companion, Sam."
Taken aback, Sam flushed and then grinned. "Yes, you are," she agreed, laughing at herself. "I must be rusty. I haven't practiced my people skills in quite a while now, though. Jason doesn't like it when I work other men. They tend to end up—injured," she winked. "But as a Companion, you don't have to worry about a jealous husband or lover."
The other woman's eyes flickered as she said, "That's true." It was a momentary slip, but it was enough to make Sam wonder.
Jason clenched his fist irritably. He planned to check on the cargo each morning, just to be sure that nothing would mysteriously wind up "missing" when they reached Porcharle—but the crew was making things difficult. "Are you hauling something else right now, too?" he asked Jayne, who was blocking the locked cargo bay door, arms folded.
"None of your business if we are," the man grunted. He was immobile, but Jason knew he was carrying at least one pistol, and he was pretty sure Jayne had a knife in his pocket as well.
Mal appeared in the hallway, and Jason turned to him to get some answers. "I need to check on Sonny Corinthos' merchandise," Jason said. "Unlock the door." He didn't bother with a 'please.'
The man's lip curled. "I don't take orders on my boat," he replied.
Jason had had just about enough of this, and his uneasy feeling made him blunt. "I don't like liars," he said. "You're hiding something."
"Well, we don't like nosy busybodies," the captain replied. "Whatever else is in our cargo bay don't concern you."
As they spoke, Jayne pulled out his knife and started twirling it. "Mal, can I shoot him?" he asked.
"You can try," Jason retorted, placing his hand on his gun. Seeing that, Mal moved to hover over his own weapon. They stared at each other, neither willing to back down. Jason knew he could take down both men easily without damaging the ship's hull, but before he took any action, a voice interrupted their standoff.
"What's going on here?" It was Inara, and she was coming down the hallway with Sam. The two women were staring at them, identical looks of disdain on their faces. Inara continued: "Can't you deal with each other like civilized people?"
"I don't tell you how to be a Companion; how about you don't tell me how to run my boat?" the captain asked. His hand didn't move from his holster yet, but he was looking much less hostile.
"I wouldn't have to, if you weren't about to get yourself shot," Inara retorted.
"At least it's all in an honest day's work," Mal sneered.
They were bickering like an old married couple, Jason noted—and as he turned to his wife, he saw that he was about to get an earful himself. "What's the problem?" she asked.
"Cargo bay's locked," Jason replied. He was about to continue, but Sam interrupted him.
"Honestly, Jason, that cargo's not going anywhere. It's not like someone can sneak onboard and steal it. Just let it be!" she said.
"But Sam…"
She leaned in and whispered, "Baby, I know you think this crew is 'off'—but I really don't think they're dangerous. And you can't blow the captain away, or we'll never get home."
She had a point. Jason and Mal looked at each sheepishly, and Jayne snorted. As the men dropped their hands from their holsters, Inara linked arms with Sam and said, "Let's go see what Kaylee's up to."
"Sounds great," Sam replied. "I have complete faith that the boys will work this out, don't you?" They both eyed Jason and Mal, respectively, and then turned to go.
Jayne watched them leave with a speculative look on his face, eyes following the swing of their hips. He grunted and said, "I'll be in my bunk."
With one final glare at the captain, Jason went back to his room to contact Sonny.
After dinner that evening, which was tense, given the hostilities earlier, only Sam, Inara, and Kaylee stayed in the galley. Sam was glad she stayed, since Kaylee took the opportunity to pull out her special engine-brewed moonshine and passed it around. The night wore on, and the large bottle gradually emptied as the three women chatted and played cards. Sam didn't have many girlfriends, but Inara was so calm and poised, yet warm-hearted, and Kaylee was the sweetest girl she'd ever met. They were easy to talk to, and Sam felt herself unwind, regaling both with tales of the jobs she'd run with Jason, skirting the Alliance and moving contraband from planet to planet.
When midnight approached, Sam shoved the cork back in the now-empty bottle and gave her drinking companions an unsteady salute. "Ladies, I have a burning hot man waiting for me in my room. So I'll bid you both... adieu."
"Fancy talk. Very polite. See, you could have been a Companion," Inara slurred.
Sam chuckled and headed for the hallway. "In another life, maybe. If I wasn't married and madly in love."
Kaylee waved cheerfully. "Have good sex," she called.
Oh, she intended to. Struggling a little to remember where exactly she was going, Sam eventually tumbled into her room to see Jason sitting on the bed, talking to Sonny on his personal comm. "Jason, you better put that thing away, and get ready for some lovin'," she said, a little louder than she intended. She heard Sonny's voice blare through the speaker, demanding an answer he would never receive as Jason shut off the device, and she pulled off her boots and socks, nearly falling over. Squeezing her eyes shut for a moment to regain her balance, Sam pulled her shirt over her head and looked down to see Jason gazing up at her.
"You're drunk," he said simply.
She nodded, unbuttoning her pants and stepping out of them. "Drunk and hot for you, baby." She crawled onto the bed, landing on her husband's lap, and ran a hand down his chest to his stomach, feeling his muscles contract through his shirt.
Jason fingered the strap of Sam's lacy black bra and slowly slid it off. His hands skimmed down her sides to grip her hips, pressing her tight against him. "I thought you weren't going to wear this little number for me," he murmured as he leaned forward to dust a kiss on her collarbone.
"Changed my mind," she said, yanking Jason's shirt over his head. "You got lucky tonight, Mr. Morgan."
"Very lucky," he whispered. He flipped her over, kissing his way down her chest to her belly button, and Sam sighed as she let her husband love her.
Kaylee yawned and shoved her chair back. "I'm going to check on my girl's engines before hittin' the hay. Night, Inara," she said.
"Good night," Inara replied automatically. The younger girl could really hold her liquor, and didn't seem very affected by the moonshine, but Inara's head was foggy as she walked down the hallway to her shuttle. One of the steps seemed to jump up at her, and she stumbled around a corner, right into Mal's surprised arms.
"Oops," she giggled, gripping his shoulders to keep from careening backwards. Mal held onto her tightly since she was still swaying, and Inara couldn't help but inhale deeply. The man smelled like gunpowder, burlap, and leather, and the scent seemed even more intoxicating than the booze.
"Were you drinking tonight?" he asked. The question seemed to be coming from a far-off place, and Inara thought hard to come up with an answer.
"Just a little," she finally said. Drawing herself up regally, she added, "Excuse me. You're in my way."
Mal let go, lifting his hands in the air, and let her pass. Unfortunately, the floor was wobbly, and she pitched forward again, mere feet away from her shuttle door. She didn't know how, but suddenly Mal's strong, warm hands were under her arms, supporting her as she walked inside. Inara felt herself heating up as he touched her, but then he let go again, and she sank down onto her bed. "I don't recall inviting you in," she murmured, flustered and fuzzy.
Mal sighed and turned to leave. "You should sleep it off," he said.
She was already burrowed into her silk sheets, cozy and warm from his hands.
As the Serenity crew slept, an Alliance ship cruised steadily through the blackness of space. The ship was fast—faster than Serenity—and since it was on the same course, it moved closer and closer every second.
Chapter 3
"I'm telling you, it was a gorgeous color. The pattern was perfect. I wanted it-nay, needed it," Wash described, eyes aglow. He was fiddling with his instruments on the bridge as Zoey sat next to him, back straight, patiently listening.
"Honey, you've got enough shirts as it is," she said.
"Yes, but this was the one that got away," he sighed wistfully.
Zoe nudged him playfully. "Well, why didn't you buy it? Was it made out of gold thread or something?"
"No, the guy refused to sell it to me… said he couldn't literally sell me the shirt off his back. Hey, wait a second." Wash poked at the screen in front of him, a puzzled frown on his face. "Do you see that?"
Zoey leaned closer. "Looks like we have a problem."
"I think it's an Alliance ship," Wash said slowly. He reached above him for the ship's comm. "Mal to the bridge; we've got trouble."
Prepare the needle... Note the initial brain activity … The subject is under... Begin Sequence 57.
Jason's eyes shot open, the dream receding quickly into the ether as it always did, leaving him with just the unsettling feeling of being restrained and utterly helpless. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart, and felt Sam stir in his arms. Pressing a kiss to her bare shoulder, Jason whispered, "Go back to sleep." He eased out of the narrow bed, taking care not to disturb his wife too much, and slipped on his clothes.
A short walk usually helped shake off the recurring nightmare, and even on a ship as small as Serenity, he could use a little physical activity to clear his head. As Jason made his way down the corridor, he heard voices coming from the bridge; noiselessly, he approached the open hatch where Mal, Wash, and Zoe stood.
"We'll land. Make like we're unloading a normal shipment, like law-abiding citizens," Mal said.
"If this ship following us is Alliance, and they decide to stop us…" Zoe said.
"They can stay where they are. They're both safe enough for now," Mal replied. "We just have to worry about our two passengers getting curious."
Wash snorted. "They already are. Jason Morgan already thinks something's up. So does Sam, for that matter. She just thinks it's normal nefarious business."
"As long as they stay put, they can think whatever they want," the captain said.
Jason waited, but apparently the conversation was over. He was frustrated, angry at the deliberate deception, and was about to burst into the room and demand answers—when he sensed a presence closing in behind him and whirled, drawing his weapon and aiming it squarely behind him.
To his surprise, it was a girl, barely out of her teens, with long dark hair and a slender, fragile figure. She tilted her head, approaching him on catlike bare feet, and studied his face intently. "The one who's split. Like an oak, hit with lightning. It keeps growing, strong and scarred," she said. Then her eyes shifted to the side, and she smiled to herself. "I wonder if the trees remember the storm?"
Jason glanced back at the open hatch, keeping his gun out. Zoe and Mal were coming into the hallway, having heard the girl speak, and he was in no mood for screwing around.
"River!" A young man barreled down the hallway after the strange girl, pulling up in chagrin when he caught sight of Jason. His eyes flicked to the hatch, where Zoe and Mal stood. "Sorry, she… she just left. I didn't notice until she got up here," the man said.
"Who are you." It wasn't a question. Jason glared at the duo, dismissing Zoe and Mal at his back. He was completely focused at the girl and man in front of him; they were the reason he had felt so uneasy since they shipped out, and he wasn't going to budge until someone started talking.
"There's no call to be brandishing that gun about," the captain said calmly, moving a hand to his holster.
Pushing down the rage, Jason realized he needed to establish himself as the authority figure in the room before anyone would start telling him the truth. With a fluid, graceful movement, he easily unarmed the captain, and a second later, brushed the weapon out of Zoe's pocket before she had a chance to draw it, whirling them both back against the hatch and onto the floor. With two threats rendered powerless, Jason jerked the unnamed, clearly unarmed man up and pushed him against the bulkhead, holding him by his collar.
Jason dealt with issues like this in his sleep. He could handle an entire roomful of potential dangers without ever losing control. And yet, inconceivably, before he could start demanding answers, Jason found himself lying on his back, looking up at the girl, who had been singing softly to herself just seconds ago.
She had swept his feet out from under him and was gazing with concern at the young man, who was wheezing on the ground where Jason dropped him.
"The protector can't protect himself," she said, nudging his gun away with her foot.
Jason rolled easily to his feet, eyeing the girl warily and feeling his face redden with anger. "Who are you?!" he repeated, completely losing his cool.
Zoe, Mal, and the man had scrambled back up as well. They looked at each other, and Jason felt his teeth start to grind. "You can't hide in the empty space," the girl whispered to him. "The sunlight gets mixed up with no place to go." Jason stared, feeling uneasy all over again.
Then the man seemed to reach a decision. He stepped forward and offered a hand. "I'm Simon. I'm the ship's doctor. This is my sister, River," he said.
Jason eyed the others, who were focused on the girl (who was now studying a crack in the wall, ignoring them all). "Why were you hidden on this ship?" he said. "Seems to me a doctor would be spending time in the sickbay. I saw that you had one."
"Uh, we, uh… we didn't want any Alliance trouble," Simon said.
Jason cracked his neck menacingly. "None of us do. There are two tons of illegal goods in the cargo bay. You'll have to explain better than that. What does the Alliance want with you?"
The other man's eyes shifted. "We're petty thieves. We pulled a minor theft on an outer rim planet, so we're lying low." Jason's eyes narrowed. Simon was obviously lying.
"He understands, best of all," River said, staring directly at him. "He's the same. There's no space between us."
The captain quickly said, "Simon's sister here's got a fancy way of making folk feel uncomfortable, so we like to keep her to ourselves. We're used to the crazy talk. Seems like home to us, but for outsiders, it can be a tad unsettling."
"I'm more unsettled by hidden crew members sprung on me halfway through a trip," Jason bit out.
"We're cautious travelers," Mal replied. "But you're not our only client. You don't need to know everything we do."
"Sonny Corinthos didn't sign up to be a side job," Jason countered. "We expect full service and attention."
"That's what…"
Wash's voice interrupted from the bridge. "Maybe the accusations can wait, Mal—we've still got that Alliance ship tailing us. Explaining later, when we're all clear, might be a good plan?"
Mal squinted at Jason, who sighed and shoved his gun in the back of his trousers. He didn't like it, but avoiding the Alliance was priority number one. Jason stepped back and watched as Mal got on the comm. "Jayne? Meet us on the bridge. We're landin', and we might be greeting a welcoming party." The captain turned to Jason and said, "You and the doc might as well as well make yourselves useful and check on the cargo. Take the goods out of the crates and move 'em back into the hidey hole. Leave the crates in the open. If we're boarded, they won't be able to find the contraband, lickety-like. And if they're feeling lazy, they'll be on their merry 'fore we need to worry."
Simon hustled along the corridor to the cargo hold, keeping a careful eye on the larger man striding next to him. Before they had taken more than a few steps, Jason reached out and seized his arm in a painfully tight grip. "I know you were lying," he said. Simon's stomach dropped. "I also have no intention of ever setting foot on an Alliance ship ever again," Jason added. "But I hate liars. I will kill you and take my chances with the rest of the crew." The man's eyes burned intensely. "Or you can tell me the truth, and it ends now."
After a few tense moments, Simon surrendered, shoulders slumping in defeat. They were screwed either way. Jason knew enough to start digging and find the warrants anyway—he might as well get the real story, not the vague list of crimes plastered all over the Cortex. Maybe his aversion to the Alliance was genuine.
"My sister is… gifted. Special, smarter than me," Simon began. "She is incredibly talented, and the Alliance took an interest and started experimenting with her brain. They sliced and diced, and ended up basically splitting her mind." He sighed, wishing it had all been different. Wishing he had stopped them before it was too late. "God only knows what it did to her. Their experiments... changed her. I broke River out, but the Alliance wants her back—to continue their tests. That's the truth."
Simon glanced at the other man to gauge his reaction, and was shocked to see Jason standing ramrod-straight, staring at nothing.
A soft, feminine voice floated in from the corridor. "Jason? What's the matter?" A petite brunette (she must be Sam Morgan, Simon thought) was yawning, clearly half-awake, as she walked into the cargo hold. "You weren't there when I woke up, so I went to the bridge, and they said… hey, baby, are you okay?"
"Two by two. Hands of blue," Jason whispered.
His eyes fluttered shut, and he began to slump to the floor. "Baby!" Sam shouted.
Simon's medical training took over, and he rushed to the man's side, feeling for a pulse and peeling open an eyelid to check pupil dilation. Jason wasn't seizing, but his skin was pale and clammy, and his breathing was far too rapid and shallow. "Help me ease him down," he said.
Sam's face was strained as she stared down at her husband. "What's happening?"
Simon stared down at Jason. Two by two... hands of blue... He suddenly felt like he was going to throw up. "I don't know."
River sat in her small room, locking her fingers together as she sang. "Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are." Her gaze faltered. "They all wonder what you are." She pulled her knees to her chest, huddling into a tight ball.
"They're coming."
The Alliance ship had slowed a bit, and the captain turned to glance at the two agents behind him. "Are you sure this is the right vessel?" he asked. "It looks like a beat-up cargo ship."
The first agent nodded and adjusted his tie with a blue-gloved hand. "Keep them in sight, but let them land," he said.
The second agent said nothing. He stood in the back corner quietly and pulled up his datapad for another look at their quarry. The files were comprehensive and heavily encrypted; the information was meant for only those with the highest military clearance. The agent's expression remained impassive as he studied the names on his pad, flicking through the information with a blue-gloved finger.
Tam, River
Quartermaine, Jason
Chapter 4
Subject is exhibiting signs of cognitive fracture. Increase dosage to 50 ml.
No! Jason breathed hard, feeling the sweat bead on his forehead as he lay, helpless and unable to move. Trapped.
Begin round 32. Test.
The blackness was pulling at him, willing him to submit—to give in. Hands were clutching at him, feeling his pulse—making sure he was powerless to resist.
Subject is nonresponsive. Begin shock therapy. Clear!
With all his strength, he yanked free of the restricting arms. In the distance, he heard a loud crash, and the darkness began to fade.
Jason... Jason!
Jason finally opened his eyes to see Simon on the other side of the cargo bay, flat on his back, and Sam cautiously crouched a few feet away. Her hand was outstretched, to either help him or ward him off. "Jason, can you hear me?" she asked, keeping her distance.
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Licking suddenly dry lips, he nodded and said, "I'm okay."
Relief flooded over Sam's face as she moved forward to take his hand. Her skin was warm against his chilled fingers, and he pulled her close, needing the contact. "You were completely out of it. What happened?" she asked, stroking his cheek.
"I don't know." Jason looked over at the doctor, who had managed to struggle to his feet. "Sorry. I didn't mean to throw you."
Simon brushed off the apology. "Do you remember what you said before you collapsed?" he asked.
Jason shrugged. "No," he lied.
The doctor looked unconvinced. "You were very specific. You said, 'Two by two, hands of blue.' What does that mean?"
Jason's jaw clenched, but Sam stepped in between the two men before he could do anything else. "He said he doesn't remember. Back off." Sam cocked her head. "Who are you, anyway?"
Simon reached out a hand. "My name is Simon Tam. I'm the ship's doctor." As Sam shook the man's hand, he looked directly at Jason. "I think you can help me."
"With what?" Sam asked.
Jason glanced away, already knowing what the man would say. "My sister."
The engines whirred as Serenity prepared to land. Mal peered at the instruments, hoping to see the ship that was following them turn around and fly off—but of course, it didn't. He cursed under his breath. "They've definitely tagged us."
Jayne grunted. "Or they're after our fine, upstanding passengers," he said. "I say we boot Morgan and the woman when we land. We can keep on going to Porcharle while they're being sorted out."
"We won't get paid if we show up alone. Sonny Corinthos is known for being loyal to his men," Zoe countered. Inara had also joined them and was standing quietly to the side, listening. Mal wished she would have stayed put in her shuttle. He never liked it when she participated in their shadier dealings.
"We'll just say he got pinched and we made it out with the cargo," Jayne shrugged. "Corinthos would never know."
"Unless Morgan or Sam escape the net," Mal pointed out.
"I'm not scared of a small-world mobster."
"Well, I don't think we should write off yet another lucrative contact," Mal said. "Corinthos pays well, and he's not dealing in drugs or weapons. We can't afford to keep cuttin' off potential buyers, especially when the sky seems to be getting smaller and smaller around us."
Jayne snorted, but remained silent.
Mal continued: "Not to mention, they could hand over even more information to the Alliance. Morgan knows about River—you think the Alliance might be interested in hearing that she's still on this ship?"
"They don't know nothing new besides the fact that we're still flyin'," the other man said.
Mal rubbed his forehead. "I'm not interested in having this conversation with you. We're not shoving our passengers out the door. It's too risky." Plus, it didn't feel right to abandon anyone on his boat, but Jayne didn't need to hear that. He should appeal to the mercenary's prurient interests. "We just have to finish the job and get paid."
Sam frowned. "Who's your sister?"
Before Simon could reply, Jason said, "I can't help you." He turned around and headed for the cargo bay door, pulling Sam with him. "We have to go."
The doctor rushed forward, trying to stop them in their tracks. "But you're the same! She's broken, and I might be able to help her if you let me do some scans..."
"No."
"What's going on?" Sam asked, bewildered. Her husband was practically dragging her with him at this point, and she tugged on his sleeve when he failed to answer. "Jason? Tell me what's happening." She had never seen him this rattled—and she'd never seen him pass out on a job, either. It was really starting to scare her.
"No time," he replied shortly. "We have to talk to the captain." They walked quickly through the ship with the doctor trailing behind them. When they reached the bridge, they heard the captain and his crew arguing through the open hatch, and Jason didn't even break stride as he moved forward into the room.
"There's still a chance they just want a standard fee or bribe..." Wash was saying.
"They're not here for a routine inspection or even for Sonny's cargo," Jason said, while everyone whirled to face him. "They're here for River."
Sam didn't understand what that meant, but everyone else traded worried looks. "How do you know that?" the captain demanded.
"I just... know." Simon shifted, about to speak, and Jason speared him with a glare. "Letting them onboard for any reason is a mistake," he said.
"I don't see a way to stop them," Zoe said. "Their ship can shoot at us, and we can't outrun them."
Wash tapped at the screen. "Does anyone have anything even slightly resembling a plan?"
"I might have an idea," Inara said quietly.
Mal sighed and folded his arms. "Let's hear it."
Jayne was not happy. The plan might not work, and it would be easier to just dump Morgan and his woman off and fly away with the goods.
Kaylee, skipping out of the door into the bright sunshine, didn't share his foul mood. Their landing pad was quiet, since the moon wasn't large or densely populated, but the smell of roast dog lingered in the air as a few food carts beckoned off-world visitors with a home-cooked meal. "It's a gorgeous day out, isn't it?" she exclaimed happily.
He grunted in response. Inara rolled her eyes and followed Kaylee more sedately.
"Oh, come on. We have to take care of those parts, but we can at least enjoy the fresh air while we do it!" she cajoled them both.
It didn't make much difference to him. If this (he cursed in Chinese) plan fell through, all the fresh air in the world wouldn't make up for Mal's stupid notions of loyalty. Mentally cataloging all the other crews he might join when Mal and company were caught and thrown in a detention center somewhere, Jayne threw his hand up to flag down a ride at the edge of the landing port. As they climbed into the crowded cart, the girl slipped her arm out the window to feel the breeze while they rode, and Jayne's mouth twitched into a reluctant smile. Sometimes Kaylee was too cheerful for her own good.
Jason stood in the corridor leaving a message for his boss, and Sam slipped an arm around his waist. "I thought this was supposed to be easy," she murmured. "Remind me to tell Sonny that he's giving us at least a week of time on a beach somewhere to make up for this mess."
Smirking, Jason turned and wrapped her up in a tight embrace, lowering his head to inhale the scent of her hair. "We'll be all right as long as we stick together. We always are." After one last squeeze, he pulled back and grabbed her hand. "Let's go."
The rest of the crew was either on the bridge or off the ship, and Sam followed behind Jason, footsteps falling with dull clangs on the steel walkway, as they walked toward the second empty shuttle. They reached the hatch and it slid open noiselessly. "Are you sure about this?" she whispered.
Jason didn't answer.
Wash fiddled with various dials and buttons as Zoe re-checked her rifle. "Hon, do you really think you're going to need that?"
"You can never be too careful," she said.
He sighed and folded his arms behind his head, leaning back in the chair and staring at the small, blinking red dot that represented the Alliance ship. "I really wish we were on vacation."
Mal strode down the corridor, pistol in hand, on his way to the second shuttle. He fingered his comm, ready to call Zoe and Wash at any minute.
The first agent looked at the second agent and nodded. They were ready. He cracked his neck, and then punched the ramp controls, forcing them open immediately and semi-noiselessly. They moved in, flash-bomb grenades ready, but there was no one in the cargo bay. The steady blink of the lock by the door was easy to disable, so they continued forward, exiting the room and moving into the corridor. The first agent cocked his head, listening to the sound of raised voices and crashing metal coming from one particular direction.
This would be easy.
River held her hand in front of her face, peering through her fingers at the wall. "Peekaboo. I see you," she said.
Chapter 5
Indistinct shouting echoed down the corridor as the two agents moved forward, guns drawn. They followed the noise cautiously, walking slowly but purposefully toward their target. This firefly-class vessel was small, so it didn't take long to reach the closed hatch that stood between them and their quarry.
The first agent reached into his pocket and removed a small device; when turned on, it would emit a high-pitched frequency that would kill everyone in the room in seconds (well, everyone except River Tam, Jason Quartermaine, and themselves, of course; the unique brain chemistry of the escaped subjects and their own protective chips acted as a barrier). The first agent raised an eyebrow and the second agent nodded, lifting a blue-gloved finger to open the hatch.
They stepped inside, only to find darkness—and an open comm broadcasting the shouts and yells they'd followed. The hatch behind them slid shut, and an ear-splitting explosion caused them to fall to their knees, hands over their ears as the floor dropped away below their feet.
After only a second or two, the ship hit the ground, sending them both tumbling across the deck. The yelling had stopped, and both agents looked around wildly, unable to figure out what was happening. The truth finally dawned on them as the telltale sound of an engine firing up hit their ears. The hatch was the entrance to the spare shuttle. The agents looked through the window of the cockpit—belatedly realizing that the "explosion" they heard was really the sound of the docked shuttle being forcibly ejected—to see the rest of the ship rising into the atmosphere behind them.
The shuttle's comm crackled to life, and the captain's voice blared through the speaker. "Sorry, boys. It looks like you're about to make an unexpected landing," Mal Reynolds said.
The first agent cracked his neck slowly. "Just how far do you think you're going to get?" he asked calmly. "Our ship will follow, and it's faster than yours."
"Oh, no doubt about that," Mal replied. "But it's powerful hard to fly without your main engine coils."
In the engine room, Kaylee flicked various switches and tightened screws to ensure maximum engine output. Jayne was standing next to her, arms folded, still irritated by their little caper. Sure, Inara had distracted the guards long enough for him to knock them out, and Kaylee was able to grab what they came for with ease. They could have been caught, though, and for what? To protect random passengers and the Tam siblings? Jayne knew that if he wasn't careful, he'd catch a bullet in the back of the brain for his troubles one of these days, and there wasn't even a decent payout to make it all worthwhile.
None of that seemed to bother his companion, though. Kaylee happily examined their stolen goods; "It's a shame that these coils won't fit in a Firefly-class engine. They're state-of-the-art," she chirped.
"So, you can sit tight in that shuttle for now," Mal finished. Sam looked across the bridge at her husband, who was standing stiffly, armed folded. The plan seemed to have worked so far, but she was still feeling pretty nervous about Jason. She'd never seen him pass out like that before.
"You're harboring two fugitives now." The calm voice transmitted through the comm, sounding coolly confident. "Do you even know who you're carrying? What you're carrying?"
"I'm not all that nosy," the captain snarked. "Live and let live without getting involved in other people's business, I always say. Well, we have to get going. Enjoy your time planet-side. Maybe get some fresh air while you're waiting." Mal thumbed the comm off and sighed. "Waste of a perfectly good shuttle," he muttered.
"We'll compensate you," Jason spoke up.
"You'd better."
"We're not being followed," Wash reported. "Looks like Kaylee did a number on that ship's engine. They can't fly."
"Great. Take us to Porcharle as soon as possible," Mal replied. The pilot nodded, flipping a few switches to set their course. Then the captain turned to Jason and said, "I don't know what's going on, exactly, or why you're so valuable to the Alliance. But I don't think I want to know."
Jason shook his head. "You really don't."
"Well, I do," a voice called from the doorway. Simon Tam stood there, feet planted firmly in an aggressive stance. Sam was surprised the young man had it in him. "Let me examine you."
"No." The refusal was automatic, and Sam stepped forward to place a hand on her husband's arm.
"Jason, it might be a good idea. You've never passed out like that before. You could be in real trouble…" she said.
"No," he interrupted her. She recognized the stubborn look on Jason's face when he added, "Let's just get the job done and go home." He left no room for argument. As Jason turned and walked away, Simon started to protest, but Sam raised a hand in warning and held him back.
"He's not going to budge. I'm sorry." The doctor looked mutinous, and the rest of the crew didn't look too happy, either, but she shrugged at them all and followed her husband to their bunk.
Jason sat on the bed, fists clenched, as he thought about the two agents they just ejected from the ship—and what their presence meant. Lost in his memories, he almost didn't hear the door open as and Sam slipped quietly inside. "The crew is pissed," she said. He didn't respond. The bed creaked as she sat down next to him, careful not to intrude on his space. "Please talk to me," Sam pleaded.
He closed his eyes. He never wanted to talk about his past, and she'd never pushed—but now he couldn't really avoid it.
"My name is Jason Morgan now, but I was born Jason Quartermaine," he started. "You've heard of the Quartermaine family?"
"Of course. They own land on all the central planets. I've even tried to con the family's only son."
His head started to throb. "You mean AJ," he said. She nodded. "He's my brother."
Sam was shocked into silence. He cleared his throat and continued. "When I was younger, I was a genius-literally. I wanted to study medicine and become a doctor, but there was this government program for gifted students, and my parents decided that I should join it."
"So, you were in a special academy?"
"Not exactly. It was a training facility where they experimented… well, they tortured us. We didn't know what was happening at first, but eventually I realized that they were trying to create the perfect government agent: a cross between a soldier, a spy, an assassin, a general, and a weapon."
Jason looked down, and Sam squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I don't know if it was intentional, but one of the side effects of their manipulation is psychological ability," he said slowly. "Sometimes I can… feel what's going to happen. That's why I collapsed today."
He couldn't meet her eyes anymore. He didn't want to see fear—or worse, pity. "Most of the kids in my group died or went insane after the treatments. I was the only one to make it, but one day my handlers got sloppy, and I was able to escape."
"How?"
Jason shot her a look. "I'm smart, remember." He didn't want to tell her about the woman whose neck he'd snapped to retrieve a key card—the man who lost an eye when he didn't move quick enough—the guards who died trying to keep him away from the transport.
Mercifully, Sam didn't press. "So why didn't you go home?" she asked.
"It was too dangerous," he replied. "I'm not the same person anymore. I used to be a carefree kid, and now I'm basically a lethal weapon. I knew my parents couldn't handle it, and the Alliance would be after me forever, so I ran. They think I'm dead. I eventually met Sonny, who gave me a job moving under the radar. It was perfect."
"Does Sonny know about all of this?"
"Nobody knows. I haven't told anyone before." As Jason said the words, he realized just how much he'd kept hidden from Sam-how much he'd risked. While she didn't look angry, he was suddenly ashamed. "I'm sorry," he murmured.
"For what, baby?" Her voice was soft. Comforting.
"I should have told you all of this a long time ago. I shouldn't have married you, making you a target. I'm dangerous—I could end up just like that girl, crazy and unpredictable. I should never have allowed myself to love you…"
He never finished his self-blaming tirade, because Sam reached out and pulled him into a long, forceful kiss. "Don't you ever say that to me," she demanded, keeping her hands on his face. "Don't you dare apologize for loving me. We're in this together, just like always."
He nodded, blinking back sudden tears, and let himself sag forward into her waiting arms. "I love you," he whispered against her shoulder.
"I love you, too, Jason—no matter what."
Two days later, Serenity docked on Sonny's private landing strip in Porcharle. A few of the kingpin's men arrived to help offload the merchandise, and Jason oversaw the final details, including payment, with Mal.
"No offense, but I'm glad to be seeing the last of you," the captain said.
Jason grunted. "The feeling's mutual." He stuck out a hand, and Mal shook it.
Across the cargo bay, Sam was hugging Kaylee and exchanging farewells with Inara and Wash. "I'm going to miss you!" she exclaimed.
"Me, too. Keep in touch, will ya?" Kaylee said.
"Count on it."
Jason shook his head, wondering at his wife's ability to make lifelong friends in a few days. He bent down to pick up his duffel bag, and Simon, the person he'd been avoiding, stepped forward to get his attention. "I'm begging you, for the last time, Mr. Morgan—please let me examine you," the young man pleaded.
"I already told you no."
Simon's shoulders slumped. "It's for my sister's sake" he said. "If I know how you survived, maybe I can help her. Look at you! You're functioning and rational, so there's hope for River, too—if you just agree to a few scans."
Jason sighed and glanced over at Sam, who gave him an encouraging smile. "Fine," he grumbled. "Make it quick."
A few hours later, Jason had escaped the medical bay and was standing with Sam near the launch pad. He slipped an arm over her shoulders, and they both watched as Serenity rose into the sky.
"Do you think they'll be all right?" Sam asked.
"I don't know," he shrugged.
"Jason?"
"What, Sam?"
"We could really use a vacation."
As Serenity breached the atmosphere, River wandered down to the infirmary where Simon was already poring over Jason's medical reports. "Trees don't always split the same way when they're struck by lightning," she said conversationally. "The cracks don't match."
He didn't look up. "Even if they don't, the cause of the injury is still the same."
The girl smiled at her brother. "You're learning," she said.
This time, Simon looked up and smiled. "I am now."
"You have hope."
"Yes, I do. Thanks to Jason Morgan."
THE END