A/N: All right, this is actually a paper for my English class, and it is going here a a short little exercise in writing Firefly/Serenity fanfiction. Try and guess who's who! --JS
The Problem with Files
THE job had been easy enough when the Captain had gotten the wave. They wanted someone to get into government files, copy out certain folders, then get the hell out of there. Easy enough, right? It should have been.
Of course, getting in had been the easy part. Once they'd broke through the encryption using multiple stolen bypasses and just plain old muscling through, however, that had made things harder. About twenty times harder, especially in the five minutes they had to find the files, print them out, stuff into a folder, and shove into the Mercenary's hands before he, the Captain, and the Lieutenant had had to bang out, fast.
This, of course, was how the three of them ended up running through the narrow streets, dodging bullets, crowds, and the occasional stupid patrolman who tried to be a hero and head them off. A move like that led the said trooper to crashing into the ground after making a rather unfriendly contact with the Mercenary's shoulder. They were nowhere near getting out of there when the Mercenary spared a glance back at the growing crowd of law-men behind them, his face forming a scowl as he glanced over to the Captain.
"Y'know what I jus' really hate 'bout jobs like this?!" he asked with a bitter edge to his voice. The Lieutenant couldn't suppress an exasperated sigh as the Captain shot the Mercenary a hard 'then why the hell are you even askin'?' look.
"Would it be the running, the putting our lives on the line to get good pay, food, and keep the ship all tidy, or neither?" the Captain asked as they hurtled around a corner, bringing the docks their ship was settled on into view. The Mercenary's scowl turned into a sarcastic smile as he struggled to keep the files from spilling out of his jacket.
"I'd say both," he answered with a faint guffaw, and the Lieutenant couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. There were times when the Merc really got on her nerves.
"So long as you don't say I told you so once we get back to the ship!" she warned him before tugging out her com to call up the Pilot and warn him about their company just as a bullet whizzed past the Mercenary's ear, making him jump and yell in surprise as the concrete just next to him shattered.
"I told you so!!" he shouted, and the Captain groaned to himself as they picked up speed again, merging into the crowds and forcing the law-men to not fire their rifles off into the masses of civilians, allowing the trio to quickly move towards the ship, but making sure that the Mercenary didn't lose those files.
Once they were up the ramp, the voice of the Pilot filled the cargo hold over the intercoms. "Hey, what's this about having company behind you?"
"Just get us in the air, baby," the Lieutenant informed her husband as the Captain headed for the door controls so the bay door didn't admit any unwelcome passengers that would cause trouble. The Mercenary grumbled to himself some as he dropped the files on a nearby crate and stumped off, mumbling something about getting something to eat.
The Captain picked up the files and started to head for his own bunk, determined to know why they were so important to their client when the Lady stopped him just outside her shuttle. "Captain."
"M'lady," he answered with a touch of sarcasm in his voice. He and his entire crew knew very well the Lady's profession was...less than ideal, but it added some more cash flow to their funds.
"I'd like to know exactly why you came running on board, carrying computer files," the Lady said coolly. The Captain hated when she used that tone; it made what he did sound like a crime. Which, technically, was, but, hey, if it brought money, it worked for him.
"Matter o' business, ma'am," he answered evenly, giving her a tense little smile as he started walking up towards the cockpit. He knew that she was watching, but, before the Lady could say any form of retort, the Captain raised a finger and added, "If I get caught, you get the first go at sayin' I told ya so."
He felt his smile grow as he heard the Lady turn back to her shuttle and headed in. Good; crisis averted, goods captured and going to get secured, money no doubt on the way. Yes, life was good.
Unless they got caught.