The Last Spartan – Chapter Two
Author owns no rights to Firefly et. al, and receives no money for his work
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Jayne Cobb sat bolt upright in his bunk, eyes wide. He looked around frantically for a moment, then relaxed as his surroundings looked familiar.
The damn dream, again, he thought to himself. He'd not been visited by that dream in a long time. He rubbed his face vigorously, trying to erase the images from his mind. He glanced at his clock.
Two in the friggin' morning, he groaned. Might as well get up. Won't get any more sleep for a while after that. He pushed the blankets away and stood, dressing quickly against the cold of Serenity's night cycle.
He decided to work out. Thinking for a moment, he reached under his bunk and removed a large weapon case. With everyone asleep, he might just get in a workout with this.
Exiting his bunk, he headed for the cargo bay.
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River Tam made her way along the railing of the catwalk high above the cargo bay floor. She enjoyed the exercise, and the challenge, but all too often others would complain. Demand that she get down.
So she prowled like this when she couldn't sleep. And walked the rails in solitude. Her head came up suddenly.
Jayne was having a nightmare. An old nightmare. She tasted his emotions, which was rare for her. Only when Jayne was asleep could she get more than he allowed the others to see.
But there was something dark in Jayne. She could feel it. Not just dark, but old. Ancient might be a better term. And there was sadness. A great sadness that no one was ever allowed to see.
She vaulted off the rail, sensing his approach. There was no way to get out without him seeing, so she withdrew into the shadows. Likely he would be coming to exorcize his demons with weight training. She smiled at the thought.
Though almost everyone on board treated her as the proverbial virgin princess, at nineteen she was not only grown, but fully mature. And not at all repulsed by the sight of a well muscled masculine body working hard enough to build up a sweat.
These thoughts drifting through her mind, River settled in to watch.
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Jayne walked into the cargo bay lugging the heavy case. Inside were mementos from his past, things he rarely looked upon, and even less often took from their hiding place. But tonight's dream had been so very real to him that he'd decided to use them. No one would be the wiser, he knew. And he enjoyed the task.
Mind numbing at times, it often let him clear his head. He smiled faintly at that. Anyone on the crew would have scoffed at the idea that he needed to clear his head. They were so easy to fool. No one wanted an intelligent merc working for them. Over the years he had 'dumbed down', allowing others to see him as simple-minded.
It was easier that way. And far less dangerous. The Shepard had been a start. Jayne had watched him come aboard with some trepidation, curious that he would just happen to pick Serenity to travel on. He had the smell of a hunter, and Jayne had avoided him at first.
The two had established an uneasy truce, once the Shepard had realized who Jayne was. That truce had evolved, over the months, into true friendship, wonder of wonders. Each had set aside his nature to befriend the other.
Jayne shrugged off such thoughts as he reached the cargo floor. They were less than useless now. Book was gone. Like so many others over the years.
Setting his case aside, Jayne began to stretch, easing his long ignored flexibility into use. No sense in ignoring his other disciplines. He had several hours.
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River tried not to ogle, but the sight of Jayne entering into a martial art routine was almost more than she could stand. She had never observed him making even an attempt at being graceful, yet here he was, flexing and moving with a grace, an agility, that was completely out of character for the big man.
She sat transfixed as Jayne began to increase his speed, hand becoming a near blur of strikes, blocks, and counter strikes. She leaned forward, feeling the discipline and control of Jayne's mind, awed at his ability.
Was this Jayne Cobb? The same Jayne Cobb who, day after day, stomped and stumped around as if he were the proverbial bull in the china shop?
It didn't seem possible. How could he have fooled them all so easily? Fooled her so easily? Wasn't she a psychic? A trained assassin? How could she possibly have missed this? Over looked this?
But she had, River was forced to admit. Her eyes were seeing the evidence of it, leaving no doubt that there was so much more to Jayne Cobb than even she had envisioned. Her eyes glowed as he began to slow, winding down his routine.
Then, he went to the case.
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Jayne opened the case carefully, viewing the contents. Odds and ends of armor, weaponry, and clothing from ages past. Reminders of who he was, had been, and where he had been. Things he had done, places he had visited. Battles fought.
He ignored the most prized of his possessions, a short sword and long spear, taking instead two identical items from the back of the case. He whirled them about, testing their balance. Like reacquainting himself with old friends, he quickly found their balance, and moved once more to the center of the open area.
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River goggled again. Would tonight's surprises never end?
Jayne stood completely still, holding a sword in each hand. And not just any swords. But matched katanas, swords the likes of which had not been seen in many ages, save in museums. The weapons were obviously old, and showed signs of use, but they were well cared for. Lovingly cared for, she amended. Jayne had a soldier's love and appreciation of his weaponry.
As she watched, he began yet another routine, this one more deadly. A more intricate dance, blades flying slowly about him in an easy, gentle rhythm. Gradually, almost imperceptibly, the blades began to move faster, as Jayne worked the routine into a frenzy. Thrust, slash, block, recover. Over and over again, the blades flashed in perfect unison.
This was something River could understand. Identify with. Appreciate. She, herself, had skill with edged weapons, something she had proven on Universe's Moon amongst a room of reavers.
But her skill could not match that of the giant warrior beneath her. His movements were like water. Flowing, smooth, no wasted motion.
Like a dancer, the thought came to her unbidden. Jayne moves as if he is dancing. A dance of death.
River felt flushed. She tugged at the neckline of her sweater. Despite the cold air around her, she was warm. Why? Her sweater was adequate, but no so much so that she should be overly warm. Warm and. . .tingly.
Did that mean she was attracted to the big man? No! Of course not, she pushed the thought aside. She was simply reacting as any normal woman would, given the stimuli before her.
Simple physical reaction, she concluded. No emotion involved whatsoever. She and Jayne had established a friendship, of sorts, in the past year. But nothing more. He had shown no interest in her beyond that of a working partner, and she certainly entertained no such thoughts of him!
Fixing that clinical explanation firmly in her mind, she leaned forward a bit more. Just to see the swordplay, she assured herself. That's all.
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Breakfast the next morning was interesting to say the least. River sat quietly, watching in fascinated amusement as Jayne clomped his way into the galley. It was she could do to keep a straight face at his actions.
After last night, it would difficult to continue thinking of him as a bumbling, brutal, mindless ape. But she knew if she didn't, he'd suspect something. Couldn't have that. Might spoil her fun. . .clinical observation, River chided herself. There was no fun involved, no stimulation other than that of an interested observer.
Simon noted River's half grin.
"What's so funny this early in the morning, mei mei?" he asked quietly, and River sighed. Since Simon and Kaylee had 'parted ways', he'd had ever so much more time to devote to her. She loved him dearly, but his attention was somewhat smothering.
"Nothing," she sing-songed, returning her attention to her food. "Just happy, that's all," she added in the little girl voice that usually made Simon relax. It worked this time as well.
"Well, I'm glad you're happy," he smiled, and returned to his own meal. River continued to observe Jayne from the corner of her eye while seeming to devote her entire attention to the plate before her. She saw him perk up, and looked to the door.
Kaylee Frye was walking into the galley, dressed in her usual coveralls. Her normal cheerfulness was fully in place, and River fought a scowl at Jayne's smile when he saw her.
"Morning, Kaylee," Jayne said to her.
"Morning Jayne," Kaylee chirped back, laying a hand on his shoulder as she walked by, taking the seat next to him.
"Good morning, Kaylee," Simon said, trying to keep the stiffness from his voice.
"Simon," Kaylee nodded, and didn't smile. "How are you this morning, River?" Kaylee asked. There was a smile for her.
"Fine," River forced herself to smile back, wondering what was wrong with her. "How are you?"
"Oh, I'm a fit as a fiddle," the little mechanic replied with a grin.
Silence fell upon the table again as everyone concentrated on their food. Mal, Zoe, and Inara joined them after a few minutes, and the crew began to talk back and forth about the day ahead.
"Albatross, conjure we'll be on Beaumonde on time?" Mal asked, turning toward business.
"Barring the unforseen, we will arrive in orbit over Beaumonde in six hours, twenty-nine minutes, and eleven seconds," River nodded. "Approximately," she added.
"Close enough," Mal nodded, missing her attempt at humor entirely. Inara smiled faintly, and Zoe covered her mouth to hide a grin. Jayne shook his head, Kaylee smiled so bright it threatened to overcome the black, and Simon beamed.
So predictable, River thought to herself, and immediately corrected herself.
Except Jayne, she reminded herself. After last night, he was anything but predictable.
"Jayne, you and me'll be making the delivery, so I want you ready when we hit dirtside. Dong ma?" Jayne nodded.
"I'll be ready, Captain." Mal frowned just slightly. In the year since Universe's Moon and Miranda, Jayne had been the very model of good behavior. Always addressing Mal as Captain, save for rare social occasions, never arguing about work assignments, not even extra duties.
In fact, Mal acknowledged, Jayne had taken on several of those extra duties unasked. Zoe had been a wreck after Miranda, though she had hidden it well for days. Finally, she'd broken down, and spent the next two weeks in her bunk, alternating between crying and cursing, and drinking herself numb.
She'd finally emerged, but only as a shell of the former friend and first mate Mal had known for so long. Jayne had been right there, seeming to always know what to say, or do, as if he'd gone through the same thing.
And taking a load of work and worry off Mal in the meantime. At first Mal had eyed Jayne's interest in Zoe with a jaundiced eye, recalling how he'd always hit on her before. But never was there a word out of place. Just a helping hand and willing ear when she needed it.
Meantime, Jayne had done much of the drudge work about the ship, including the duties that were usually shared amongst the crew. Finally Mal had decided that Jayne had simply changed, as all of them had, after Miranda. He'd even stopped aggravating the doc and his sister.
"Good," Mal nodded, returning his thoughts to the job. "Once we get things took care of, we'll see to provisioning, and Kaylee can get whatever parts she might need. I think we'll stay planet side, tonight, if all goes well. Conjure everyone can do with a night off."
Smiles and nods met this statement, and thanks flooded the table as everyone began thinking on what they'd like to do. Despite a rough few months after Miranda, the ship was doing well, and the crew was making more money than they had in years.
"Think I'll find a hotel with a bar and bathtubs," Zoe remarked, and Kaylee squealed at that.
"Ohh, tubs," she smiled at Zoe. "A nice, hot soak in a tub! That'd be like heaven about now."
"It does sound nice," Inara chimed in, and Mal's eyebrows raised. It was an open secret that Inara was no longer an active Companion, hadn't been since well before Miranda. She and Mal seemed to have finally gotten the cogs out of their relationship, though both vehemently denied any such 'entanglements'.
"What about you, Jayne?" Kaylee asked suddenly, and Jayne seemed to freeze.
"Prob'ly just stay on board, Kaylee girl," he replied after a pause. "Got some errands to run, but likely can do them after the job," he glanced at Mal, who nodded.
"Ammo and such, I 'spect?" the Captain asked. Jayne returned the nod.
"Don't need much, just odd and end stuff. Won't take long."
"You can't just sit here on the ship, Jayne!" Kaylee objected. "You need to get out, too!" Mal frowned at that. Since when did Kaylee take an interest in Jayne leaving or staying when leave was on the table.
Come to that, Jayne hadn't been very. . .interested in visiting much. Not since Miranda, in fact. His notorious 'visits' were apparently a thing of the past. As were drunken brawls and the like.
"I ain't got nothing special I want to do, lil' Kaylee," Jayne told her. "Like I said, just need a few things from town, and I'm good. Might pick up some kinda food and bring it back, though," he smiled. Jayne's appetite hadn't changed, no matter what else had.
River watched all this with interest. If Jayne meant to stay on board, alone, then he must be planning to use his blades again. She would have to find a way to get rid of Simon. And Kaylee, she acknowledged after a moment. Kaylee's interest in Jayne was just not. . .River stopped.
Why should she care about Kaylee's interest in Jayne? Why had it irritated her so when Jayne had smiled at seeing Kaylee come into the galley? Kaylee was her friend, despite the fact that she and Simon hadn't 'hit it off', as Kaylee had put it.
So why the feeling of intrusion? Suddenly it hit her. She was jealous! Jealous of Kaylee's effect on Jayne Cobb!
But why? It had never bothered her before this morning. Why was it so different today?
Because now you know, she admitted to herself. Now you know that Jayne Cobb isn't what he appears to be. She was attracted to Jayne!
No, no, no, NO! her mind screamed. I am not! Jayne is a friend, but that's all! His physical prowess is not the basis for any type of romantic notions. As much as she might admire him, Jayne was not a suitable companion for her. They had nothing in common, save their fighting abilities, and that was certainly not sufficient grounds for any type of personal relationship, outside that of friendship.
All this rolled through her mind as she sat quietly, unaware she was being observed.
Inara watched River warring with herself, and wondered what was wrong. Until she followed the younger woman's gaze. Jayne. She was staring at Jayne. Inara looked down quickly to hide her smile. Simon would go nuts! Not to mention Mal. Controlling her features, Inara looked back up.
Oh my, she thought wickedly. There are interesting times ahead.
