A/N: Here's the next chapter. I tried to get the characterizations and speech patterns right but I'm pretty sure I failed but I'll let you readers decide that. Please review, it means the world to me. Thank you to those that read, reviewed & read, and even those who just peaked in. Also, in between the chapter I switched to present tense but re-switched back to past tense so we'll see how that flows. I wanted to do something a bit different and this is the result. Hopefully I didn't screw it up too badly.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Firefly or Serenity.
"Horses! We were transporting horses and what happened? They stampeded. What were you thinking? I know the cattle transport went fine but horses are a lot more skittish."
"Capt'n," Kaylee started, trying to get a word in edgewise.
Simon had started in on Mal as soon as the crew had been conscious enough to process the activity around them. Kaylee could tell the Captain was barely restraining himself from saying anything but very nearly failing. It was clear in the way his eyes had gone stone cold as he stared at Simon with a faint frown.
"Capt'n," Kaylee groaned, still trying to get his attention, but Simon was starting to get on a roll and there wasn't anything that would stop him.
"I thought you were smarter than that! I mean, Mal, you were raised on a ranch," Simon finally ground out, running a frustrated hand through his hair.
Evidently that was the wrong thing to say because Mal immediately about faced like he was going to storm off. Kaylee, in her frantic scrabble to get Mal to turn his attention to her, took a few steps forward, reaching a hand out, intending to grab Mal by the shoulder to stop him. Instead of doing that though, Kaylee stumbled in her haste and bowled Mal over, sending them both to the floor.
Mal managed to catch himself with his hands and Kaylee slid off him to land on her side. The grating of the ships floor played havoc on her skin, scraping up her arm and a jolt was sent up the arm that had been dislocated a couple of hours previous. She gingerly pushed herself up with her good arm, gathering her feet under her to stand.
Looking down at the Captain brought a tightness to her gut.
'Maybe askin' him 'bout that engine part ain't real smart right now,' Kayle nervously thought to herself before turning and walking quickly if not nervously out of the cargo bay and down the hall to the engine room.
Mal feels the sting in his palms from landing hard on them, as the sensation jolts up his arms he nearly groans from the pain.
Instead Mal grimaces, pushing himself up without fanfare, his usual irritation wearing at him. He staggers for a moment, and thinks he's gonna fall over because his leg acts up again. He feels a steadying hand on his shoulder, looks into concerned blue eyes. He remembers what Simon said the previous day about bone chips floating in his leg, though that wasn't his exact words. The doctor jargon had flown right over his head and Simon had dumbed it down without prompting.
"Let me look at your hands," Simon requests and Mal isn't sure he wants to but he does because Simon is the medic he entrusted his crew to what seems like a lifetime ago.
Once Simon is studying the palms, Mal takes note of the scrapes that litter the surface.
"The minnow won't be a minnow much longer," River sing songs as she appears on the catwalk, skirt fluttering out as she twirls.
Simon hums and scrutinizes the palms for a few more seconds before finally letting go to turn his attention to River
"What's a minnow?" Mal is ignored as Simon stares at River's spinning.
When he persists, Simon answers even though his attention is still on River, "A, uh, fish, on Earth That Was. Often used as bait." Simon's tone is distracted and Mal almost doesn't ask his next question.
"Bait?" Mal asks, eyebrows raised in curiosity.
"Yes, for bigger fish." Simon isn't really processing the questions and the answers he gives are distant, voice faint as he stares at River. River stares back, expression grave.
"Not suppose to make sense, it'll happen," River warns, eyes narrowing before she smiles abruptly, slipping back down the catwalk.
Simon stares after her, not able to help it as concern, fainter than what he is actually feeling, crosses his face. He drags his attention back to Mal, still lightly griping his hands. Simon drops them abruptly, giving Mal an apology that isn't all there.
Mal didn't know what he was expecting when he walked into the engine room but it certainly wasn't this.
Simon had gone after River after apologizing to Mal and Mal had remembered that Kaylee had been trying to talk to him before. It hadn't taken long for Mal to make his way through the kitchen to the engine room. Once there, after cautiously peering around the corner, Mal walks fully into the room, gaping. The room is similar in appearance to what it looked like right before Niska's train job but ten times worse. Wires coming from the engine are all over the room, trailing off to connect to the walls and several sockets. For a minute, Mal can only stare at the mess but than he snapped out of it and freaked.
"KAYLEE!"
"Yes, Capt'n?"
"What happened to my engine room?"
"Well," Kaylee glanced down and than up, eyes flashing, "this ain't my fault, the compression coil finally blew and I had to do some reroutin'. I've been tryin' to tell you,'" Kaylee hissed, making motions with her hands.
"Well," Mal stumbled, "it ain't my fault, we haven't been near a-a, decent planet for a - long while."
"If that ain't the biggest load of bull I've ever heard," Jayne grumbled as he limped into the the cargo bay, using the support of crutches.
Simon ran in after him, a distressed expression covering his features. Jayne stopped next to Mal, leaning against one of the crates that had been to the side of Mal. Simon slowed slightly but still walked at a fast clip. He slide to a stop, nearly crashing into Jayne but managed to stop in time.
"God damnit Jayne! You can not walk yet, you could push the bone back through the skin and even if that did not happen, it could cause non-union or an infection."
Jayne winced but managed a grin, "Aw, doc', didn't know ya cared."
"I don't, but I'm a doctor first and foremost," Simon snapped back and than seemed to realize what he had said a second later and bowed his head, a hand coming up to press into his eyes. "Sorry, I didn't mean that, of course I care," Simon said as calmly as he could but than mumbled, "a bit."
Mal, Jayne, and Kaylee just stared at him until he looked up and he sighed, undertones of exasperation coloring it. "Look, the last thing I want to deal with is an amputation. Believe me Captain, you do not to deal with an post-amputation patient," Simon paused, face scrunching up lightly in though, "especially an post-amputation Jayne."
Jayne made an indignant noise but the pain of his leg prevented him from being his rudely snippy self. Kaylee made a small distressed sound in the back of her throat as she glanced at Jayne's leg.
"Well, I got to admit, Jayne's bad enough as he is," Mal agreed with a nod.
Simon sigh again, running a hand through his hair. "I mean, the infirmary is as clean as I can make it, but this a space ship. It isn't exactly known for its cleanliness."
When Mal agreed with another nod, Simon continued, "All I have is what I brought with me when I boarded and the supplies that came with the infirmary is the very basics. I don't have any more antibiotics. I need to get to a place to restock." Seeing Mal about to protest, Simon made a quiet motion with his hand and hurried to continue, "We don't have to go to a core planet, I know someone on one of the outer rim planets who runs a clinic. We met at Med-A-Cad, and if I'm right, he won't turn me in."
Mal tilted his chin upwards as he crossed his arms, "What if you're wrong?"
"Well," Simon sighed as he shrugged, "that's a risk I'm willing to take. As long as you promise to take care of River if I am wrong."
"Whoa, wait a minute there doc', who said your goin' alone, if I even go along with this idea?"
At that, Jayne looked up from staring at his leg as he had been doing since the mention of amputation, "I don' wanna lose my leg!" Jayne yelped.
"Jayne could die Captain, if I don't have the proper supplies."
Jayne's eyes bugged, practically out of his head.
"Well, I ain't-"
"Capt'n, we need to land anyway. Compression coil, remember?" Kaylee implored.
"Gorram it, fine!"
Just as Mal shouted that, Zoe joined them in the cargo bay."We'll be hitting atmo in six minutes sir."
"Thanks Zoe," Mal glared around at all of them, deliberately giving Zoe a thankful look, "At least someone around 'ere is competent."
"The pendulim will stop shaking, than it'll shatter. Tiny bits everywhere," River singsonged from the catwalk, startling all of them. "The grinch gets greedy too often."