Chapter 2
Serenity touched down in the middle of a field. The sun shined hot and bright as Jayne opened her doors and walked outside. Kaylee, Simon, River and the Shepherd closely followed him.
"Sure is nice to see the sun again, huh," Kaylee observed.
"Sure would be nicer if we knew what we was doing here," Jayne commented, spitting on the ground."
"I thought we were getting rid of this cargo?" Simon gestured at the boxes stacked in the hold.
"We are, but our buyer is messin' round with our heads. I don't like where it's going."
"I have the same feeling Jayne," Zoe said, appearing from the ship, and walking into the sunshine, "But all we can do is be prepared for what's going to happen."
She stopped for a moment, taking in her surroundings. Wash had put them as far from any farming land as he could figure, but there was still a chance, like always, that people had settled out in this area. Even though it wasn't as fit for farming as the other side of this rock, desperation drove people to do funny things.
"Jayne," she finally said, "You take the mule and do a sweep of the area. I want us cleared on all sides at least a few clicks. If you see any, I mean any, sign of settlers or Sully, you get on the pipeline and tell us where it's at. Dohn mah?"
"Will do," he said, and went to retrieve the mule.
"The rest of you," Zoe began, bringing her eyes to the rest of the crew, "Keep on your toes and tell me if you see anything that looks out of place. We don't know this world and it's grinding on me."
They all nodded and began to turn to go inside.
"Oh and Simon?" Zoe started, he turned, "You'd best be keeping a very close eye on that sister of yours. This is exactly the kind of time when we wouldn't want her walking off."
Simon nodded carefully, "Of course."
Everyone went inside, and with a roar, Jayne flew down the ramp and skidded onto the dirt. Zoe nodded him on and he sped off into the distance.
* * *
The crew were in the kitchen, sitting around a table having dinner. Talking was strained, and the tension was obvious. Finally Jayne spoke.
"How much longer are we gonna wait here Captain?"
"I don't want to be talkin' bout this around the table Jayne, but we can discuss it later," Mal replied.
"Later? We've already been here two days. I ain't happy, you ain't happy, and I know Zoe ain't happy cos she's been just about ready to kill everyone on this boat! Where the hell is Sully?"
"Chur ni-duh," Zoe said angrily, glaring at Jayne, "You've got no right to be speaking on my behalf."
"Why's that? Seems to me that you ain't got no way to speak up to the Captain yourse-"
"BEE-jway!" Mal yelled, "I'll have none of this nonsense on my boat! Sully will be here any time now, and we are ready for him. I'm not going to have my own crew bring me down. Are we clear?"
Silence echoed around the table. Wash's voice suddenly echoed out on the intercom.
"Captain, Sully is sending us a wave."
Grabbing his plate, Mal walked out of the kitchen, leaving the others to stew in silence. He quickly made his way to the cockpit, and handing resting his food on the controls he confronted Sully.
"I'm not impressed with this Sully. This waiting is just the kind of thing that would make a man not want to do business with someone again."
"No need to get yourself worried Mal," Sully said, his voice thick with fake sweetness, "We are heading towards you this very moment, in fact, I'd rather like to get this exchange out of the way as soon as possible."
"You mean tonight?"
"If you ain't otherwise engaged. Surely you're not wanting to sit on this rock for longer than is needed."
"You're right about that. How are we going to work this?"
"Seeing as you're parked and all, we'll just come to you. See you in an hour."
Sully disconnected the wave, leaving Mal to ponder his words. Mal turned to Wash,
"You'd better go and get some food there Wash, it's gonna be a long night."
* * *
Mal looked out over the field, keeping one eye on the sky as he waited for Sully's ship to arrive. Next to him, Zoe stood expectantly. The rest of the crew were inside, guns at the ready, except Jayne, who was posted just outside the circle of light, Vera in hand, as backup. Suddenly, the sound of motors filled the air and in the distance, a number of lights break over the horizon. Mal's mouth creased up.
"Mules!" he hissed, "What is that ri shao gou shi bing up to?"
"No idea Captain, but I think that we'll be finding out soon enough," Zoe said, tightening her grip on her gun.
Sully and his boys pulled up on their mules, and Sully sauntered on over to Mal with a grin on his face.
"It's funny Sully," Mal said, "But I thought that we had agreed on you putting your boat here next to mine, so we could make this exchange."
"Is that what we agreed?" Sully flashed another rotten grin, "Because alls I remember sayin' is that I was gonna meet you at your ship. I don't believe I ever specified that my ship would also be in the picture. Now, where's my cargo?"
"Where's my coin?"
Sully pulled out a bag and shook it, allowing Mal to hear the reassuring sound of coins clicking against each other. Mal gestured behind him and Wash pulled the crates into view on a trolley.
"Well," Mal said, "Seems to me that everything is in order."
He reached out for the bag of coins, but Sully snatched it away.
"Not so fast Mal. You see, I'm afraid I have a little problem."
Mal tensed, "And what might that be?"
"I've heard from a certain pretty woman that you have something a mite more valuable than this here cargo, and I can't see the point of trading for meager coins when I can have more. Papers more in fact."
"I can't say I know what it is you're talking about Sully, nor can I say I want to know. What I do want, if you would be so kind, is my coin and for you to take this cargo, as was promised."
"A girl is what she said. A girl and her brother. The Alliance will pay good money for em'. Good money indeed."
"This woman wouldn't happen to have tried to marry you would she?" Mal asked, "Because if she did I'm afraid you'll find no truth in what she says. She's my wife see, and we didn't exactly part on the best of terms."
Sully pointed his gun at Mal's head. "Shut your mouth Mal. I'm sick of hearing you talkin'."
Sully put his fingers to his mouth and whistled. Out of the dark came a hulking man, and in his arms, caught in a headlock, was Jayne. Mal cringed, and swore under his breath.
"Now, if you should be wanting this here man of yours back, I'm going to need to have my men here search your vessel."
"I wouldn't be so quick to assume that you will be able to search my boat Sully, nor that I care in the least about that oaf you got there. I've been meaning to drop him on some deserted moon anyhow."
"I can't believe that Mal, good man like you." He shook the gun pointed at Mal, drawing everyone's attention to it. "Now, step aside."
"I can't do that."
Sully cocked the gun, the click seemed to echo out over the landscape.
"Do it," he threatened.
* * *
Mal and Sully were still trying to stare each other down when hell broke loose. It started at the back of Sully's posse, with a man who gasped in pain, and feel to his knees. Buried deep in his neck was the wooden shaft of an arrow.
"What the he-" Sully started. He never finished. The next arrow went through his ear, and he fell like a stone, hitting the ground with a loud thump.
Panic set into his men, and they swung around trying to get a look into the dark as to their secret enemy. The next man took an arrow in the eye, the man standing next to him screamed and ran off into the distance, forgetting about the mules. He took two to the back before the screaming stopped. Now there were three. The man holding Jayne looked warily around him, Jayne's eyes were filled with panic.
"Get me out of here Captain," he managed, before his captors hold increased, and he couldn't speak.
"Who's out there?" Jayne's captor yelled into the darkness. "Show yourself."
There was silence, until the familiar whooshing sound of feathers and wood sliced through the quiet, and two more arrows found their marks in the other men. Groaning and crying in the dirt, they twitched as they began to bleed out.
Panic was beginning to show on the remaining man, who was more than aware that the Firefly's crew appeared to be safe from this attack. He turned to the darkness, using Jayne as a shield.
"Beware!" he yelled, "You wouldn't want to hit your crewman!" He turned to Mal, "Stop them, I will give this man up. You can take the coin too, just don't kill me!"
"Now," Mal said, "I have to say that whoever's out there, ain't apart of my crew."
"Then who is-" He took a sharp intake of breath, his last, as the arrow found it's mark, via his back, in his heart. With a startled yelp, Jayne untangled himself from the arms of the man, and stumbled into the ship behind Mal.
"What the hell is going on?" Jayne asked, his voice shaking.
"I'll be damned if I have a clue," Mal replied, and then he yelled into the night, "We mean you no harm! Show yourself!"
"We mean him no harm?" Jayne whispered, "Far as I see it, he's the one harming everyone!"
Mal turned to Wash, Simon and the girls, who were still in the ship, observing the happenings.
"Best be making yourself scarce about now I think," he said, and they made to go to higher ground, where they couldn't be seen.
But everyone stopped and turned, as there was a sound of a twig breaking on the plain. Outside the circle of light, Mal could make out the shadow of a person. He felt Jayne and Zoe tense up behind him. The shadow walked into the light, and Mal's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"What the hell?" Jayne exclaimed.