Chapter 3: A Bent And Twisted Verse
Korra had mostly kept to herself over the last few days, mostly only coming out of her room to eat, and to learn what little she was comfortable with about life on a ship. As much as she tried to convince herself otherwise, she was still terrified by the very idea of being surrounded by so much cold, dark and empty space, with only a metal hull and some glass to keep it out. Or rather, to keep their comfortable and safe environment in as Kaylee had gleefully delighted in explaining to her captive, and quite dumbfounded, new guest. Suffice it to say, Korra had shied away from the cheery engineer after that, her mind only able to cope with so many surprises at once. To make it worse, her discomfort hadn't gone unnoticed by anyone, even the reclusive Bea, when she was sober anyway.
Then there were the sleepless nights where she would quietly wander through the ship when she had had enough of staring listlessly at the cracked and peeling metal on the ceiling above her bed. The last few days hadn't been kind to the Avatar. The stress of not knowing what was going on at home, coupled with the many unknowns of what lay before her had woken up bad memories within the deepest recesses of her mind. Which propagated themselves in the form of nightmares that would leave her gasping for breath, a cold sweat chilling her to the bone. The only thing saving her fragile pride was that she never allowed herself to cry out or break down in tears. Showing any more weakness around this odd, morally questionable, crew that had taken her in didn't seem like a very good idea. Fainting on the bridge in front of their captain had been mortifying enough as it was.
As for the nightmares she suffered from, they mostly consisted of the events surrounding her fight against Amon and his Equalists. Of how he had brutally seized control of Republic City. Of how he had been ruthlessly determined in his quest to hunt down those with the ability to Bend the elements to their will. Taking away that same ability, and leaving the victim, to some various degree, hollowed out. As if he had ripped out a piece of their soul along with their ability to Bend.
The old, recurring nightmares had never really left her, but they had come back in full force of late. They usually consisted of the man leaving her powerless before he blood bent her into a helpless, begging fetal position. But not before he did the same thing to her friends, her family, even Naga, letting her watch before finally finishing her off too. Korra always woke up from those dreams panting and on the verge of screaming her lungs out, but she hadn't yet, and she was determined to keep some semblance of dignity even with her heart feeling ready to jump out of her chest. Tonight would probably be no different, and she already knew her sleep would suffer for fear of being forced to relive her darkest inner terrors yet again.
"It seems we're more alike than I would have initially thought." Quietly 'enjoying' the gruel that passed for food onboard, Korra about jumped from her seat, having sat down at the mess table for an early breakfast. Inara had gotten the drop on her, again. One benefit of not being able to sleep soundly since arriving in this strange Verse, she was the first at the table for the scheduled meals the captain and his crew held about the same times every day. She was rethinking that 'brilliant' plan right about now, once again by herself with Inara, ensnared in the woman's compassionate brown eyes.
"Do you enjoy scaring me or is that just part of your charm?" Korra grumbled quietly as she poked at her bowl of slop.
Inara flashed her a smile before she started for the tea pot. Where she kept all of that tea, Korra hadn't been brave enough to ask, but every morning it was the same routine with the Companion. She'd come to the kitchen, make a fresh pot, and go about her day. "Honestly, a little of both. Being caught off guard can be revealing." Inara replied as she went about the small kitchen with her usual grace and practiced ease. She had done this countless times before, Korra was certain of that.
"I suppose you would know." Korra muttered under her breath, grimacing as she forced down another spoonful of her breakfast. That description was being overly generous, but it was either this or starve, as Mal had none too kindly told her when she had dared complain about what passed for food directly to his face. 'Feel free to starve if you like, more for the rest of us.', had been his less than generous advice. Like so many things, it seemed real food was hard to come by out here.
"It'll get easier." Korra looked up, and almost fell out of her chair when she saw Inara had gotten a fair bit closer while her mind had been drifting, the alluring woman's long, dark hair almost brushing against her bare shoulder. "So, why don't you ask me those questions you're just dying to have answered, but are far too polite, or afraid, to." The Companion said, smiling softly in her direction as she sat herself, on Korra's right side.
"I wouldn't know where to start. All this is just so….ugh, crazy sounds about right." Korra sighed, but managed a small smile when Inara handed her another cup of the freshly brewed tea. It was one of the few things she'd dare imbibe while on the 'Firefly-class' transport ship. The water was about the only other thing she'd risk, and only if she didn't have a choice since River had said it was recycled on a regular basis. Recycled from what, she didn't want to know and hadn't dared to ask Kaylee about it. Instead, she focused on the matter at hand, saying the first thing that came to mind. "Just...what is a Companion, Inara? I kinda got the general idea, from what Captain Moron hinted at."
Again Korra saw Inara's lips pull up into a small smile, no doubt guessing what Mal had said on the subject. "To put it simply, a Companion serves a client in whatever way he or she might desire to relieve stress and promote their well being. A good Companion knows instinctively what those needs are, and they try to fulfill them to the best of their abilities. Since I can guess what you're thinking, I'll get straight to the point. There is more to being a Companion than being able to pleasure someone physically, though that is certainly an important skill set. All of us are trained extensively in politics, history, even playing an instrument is part of a Companion's basic education. What it boils down to though is simply listening, and responding accordingly."
"You make it sound like you're a very….hands on spiritual guide." Korra replied, a bit surprised by how much was involved in Inara's line of work. Despite the fact she had admitted to taking her clothes off for most of her clients, the Avatar still found it surprisingly in-depth, what was required to make a good Companion. While Tenzin and Unalaq might disagree, she found it all rather interesting, what Inara had likely done in her time.
"Well, there's more than one way to become one with the spiritual energies around us, not to mention deep inside us... Sometimes you need another to help you achieve that level of bliss." Her tone had sounded innocent, but, Korra was certain Inara had laced every word with more than a few suggestive promises. Something in the Companion's deep, wise gaze said as much.
"Um….right." Korra stammered out, her cheeks beet red yet again. Inara seemed to have that effect on her even when they were having a normal, civil conversation.
"Mornin' 'Nara." Bea grunted, a hand pressed to her forehead as she rummaged in the cupboards without so much as a glance at Korra. "Who gorram moved the bourbon?" She grumbled, before sighing when she came up empty handed. "Let me guess, Jayne hogged it all again?"
"No, River hid it." With a smirk, Inara opened a drawer, and watched as Bea practically jumped over the table to reach her, only to pull out a box of food cubes. "And I have no idea where."
"Ta Ma De Hun Dan!" Bea was clearly less than amused. "Never figured you for the cruel type Nara. You ain't gonna make me suffer, I know ya too well. Where is it?"
"Apparently not well enough. There's a fine line between the occasional buzz, and stumbling around drunk Bea. You cross that line far too often and I'm not the only one that feels that way. River, Simon, Mal, Kaylee, even Jayne's starting to worry. You know it's bad if he's concerned."
"Ha! That Gou Cao De, Ho Tze Duh Pi Gu don't give a crap 'bout me! 'Bout any a' you niether. Hell, probably get em' to hand over a bottle if I go an' drop trou in his bunk."
"Wow, you really are a selfish moron Bea. Not to mention desperate." Korra grumbled as she put her cup down, her narrowing blue eyes solely focused on the raven haired woman. "The crew is worried, and you throw it back in their face by being a stubborn turtle mule? Here's a thought. How about you stop feeling sorry for yourself and make up for the lives you lost?"
Bea could only stare dumbly at the brown haired young upstart, before her hand fell lightning quick to the pistol on her hip. Korra was already up and all but flying over the table, jerking the gun to the side, and knocking it from her hand, sending it sliding across the deck before punching Bea in the throat in the time it took Inara to stand up from her chair in surprise.
Standing over the gasping former resistance leader, Korra crossed her arms and sighed. "I know you're hurting Bea, but what you're doing won't bring them back. It sure won't help your cause, drinking yourself into an early grave. You want to grieve, fine, but find a way to do something about the mess you're in." Sighing, Korra knelt down next to the gasping woman and offered her hand.
Bea glared up at and her, and wincing, slowly grabbed her hand, allowing Korra to pull her to her feet. "Such a cute little moonbrain, think I'll add some charm to that pretty face a' yours!" With a sneer, Bea lashed out with a small blade she had hidden in her boot, only to yelp in pain as Korra spun her around, twisting the taller woman's other arm behind her back.
"Really? And I'm the moonbrain? Whatever that means. Someone tries to help you and you pull a knife?" Korra grunted and rolled her eyes in annoyance, twisting harder until she heard Bea's knife clatter on the floor. "Now that I have your attention, if you try anything stupid like that again, I can't be held responsible for any painful injures Simon will be busy dealing with." With a final jerk, Korra pushed Bea away after releasing her arm, sending the taller woman tumbling across the mess, and right into Jayne's chest as he walked in right ahead of Zoe and Mal.
"Ah Hell. What'd I miss? Knew I shoulda got up early today." Jayne shook his head as he went to grab himself a mug of coffee. "Not even a finely polished Vera is worth missing a gen-u-ine catfight."
"Wasn't much of a fight, from what I saw of it. Proved my point pretty well though, 'bout you being capable of defendin' yourself. My problem with that is when guns get pulled." Mal said as he picked up her discarded weapon from the deck before turning to frown at Bea. "River hid the booze on my order. We drop you off, the glorious New Resistance can deal with your raggedy hide. Until then, you ain't gettin' another gorram drop that don't consist of nice 'n borin' water or some of Inara's fine tea. Last thing I need's a gorram hole in Serenity's hull. Already used the last patch kit as is. Since we're on the subject though, you feel the need to stir up the snakes, I suggest you bite that urge darlin'."
"And what's to stop me from blowin' you outta the sky the minute we ain't docked no more?" Bea asked, pushing away from Jayne before directing her furious gaze on Mal next.
"Guess I just won't then. Undock that is. Gonna be an odd life, bunched up on some rusty hulk, constantly arguing over where to go next, but I am nothin' if not adaptable." For those that didn't know Malcolm Reynolds, that comment would have seemed innocent. But from the way Inara's face hardened and she took a step back from Bea, Korra had a bad feeling something was brewing behind that goofy grin. Something dangerous and deadly in its own way. "Also helps that your folk ain't makin' the rendezvous like was planned. Just commed us not ten minutes ago. We're takin' ya straight to one of their outposts."
"I think it would be best if we all just took a moment and-" Inara started, but she didn't get a chance to finish as she put a restraining hand on Korra's shoulder. She didn't need the Companion to tell her violence was fast approaching, and it was directed solely on Bea.
"Oh, I already took my moment, had a nice five seconds of pure bliss just 'fore I walked in." Mal's smirk shifted into a cold stare as he bent to pick up Bea's blade as well and strode over to the woman before shoving it and her pistol against her chest. Bea never saw the left handed haymaker coming before it laid her flat on the deck. "I see you drawin' down on any a' my crew again...you'll be findin' yourself takin' a very short walk outside. Dohn-Luh-Mah?" Bea only nodded her head, sprawled out on the deck as she was, not even daring to rub at her jaw before Mal walked away. "Good."
"Hmm, violence seems to be a more efficient means of communication." Iris observed, walking into the mess alongside River, the pair closely followed by a sleepy looking Simon.
"Depends on the person." Korra heard River say before they disappeared down the hall.
Only after Bea had slunk off to a quiet, dark corner of the ship did Korra finally ask the question that was on her mind. Even for a man who didn't seem like the most sociable person to begin with, Mal's already short fuse seemed to be non existent today, and she wanted to know why.
When Korra finally asked, Inara sighed heavily before she stopped and considered how best to explain what was going on. "What do you know, about the War he and Zoe were a part of, Korra?" The Companion asked after several long tense moments of silence.
"Only what Zoe's told me. That she and Mal were in the last big battle on Hera after serving together throughout most of the War, and that the resistance was crushed that day in Serenity Valley. Find it a little weird he'd name his ship after that fight, but I've heard of far stranger things." She replied with a shrug before all but falling into her chair.
"Then you don't know that his home world was one of the first planets to side with the Independents. It was a central world for them, and it was one of the first worlds the Alliance all but destroyed during the war. Now it's a barren waste, no one's able to live there because the Alliance saw fit to poison its atmosphere and bomb its population centers in an effort to quell any resistance."
That certainly got her attention. Korra's blue eyes shot open in shock while her mind struggled to imagine the level of devastation Inara was describing. "What?! Why? Why destroy an entire world just to-"
"Excuse me..." Simon quietly asked as he slipped past Korra, to quickly grab a mug of coffee and walk out of the room as fast as he could without making it look like it. Iris and River watched him go before sharing a plate of rations and quietly seating themselves away from the other women.
"That's the way of this verse, Korra." Inara continued, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. "The Alliance understands only extremes. Total obedience is what they expect, and what they usually get. Anything less, any form of defiance whatsoever, is unthinkable to them. It….took me a long time to see them for what they are. I even supported them during the Unification War in my own small way, only to feel all the more a fool when I finally saw just what they were truly capable of. A part of me is glad they took my licence, because then I would still be within their grasp, practicing under their rule."
Korra didn't know what to say in the face of such barbarism. The horrors of Inara's world were starting to make the evils Amon perpetrated seem like a kindness in comparison. To destroy an entire world, it was intolerable, to say the least, unimaginable in it's horrific scope at worst. Korra couldn't believe someone would even consider such an act, regardless of the reason behind it, let alone actually commit it. "No wonder people rebelled. And we're going to this place... Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, if it's as badly poisoned as you say it-" A sudden thought dawned behind Korra's inquisitive blue eyes. "There's a hidden base there...placed where no one would think to look."
Inara smiled and nodded her head when Korra figured out exactly where they were going. "People aren't the only thing that can be healed. The planet is still far from being livable, but yes, there's still places people can hide even on Shadow, which is indeed a shadow of its former beauty. It was an agricultural world before the war. I've seen images from the Cortex before….it was comparable to some of the core worlds in it's natural beauty before it was destroyed. Mal was fortunate to call such a place home while he was growing up."
Korra slumped forward in her chair, looking forlorn at the revelation Inara had dropped on her lap. "And he has to see it as it is now, thanks to Bea. No wonder he's grumpy. I'd probably be acting even worse if I was him."
"I certainly wouldn't take anything seemingly cold hearted or even cruel he'll likely say or do personally. Just try to avoid him for now, I'm sure he'll even apologize in his own way later." Inara replied softly, more in an effort to sooth the young woman's nerves than fear of being overheard by the captain.
"Easier said than done, on a ship this small." Korra muttered, but nodded her head all the same.
"Korra! You done muckin' about yet? There's work to be done in the hold!" Mal yelled from down the corridor, clearly on the war path, just as Inara had warned her.
"Duty calls." Korra grunted as she took one last bite from her cold slop before going to see what Mal wanted. Before she left the mess though, she turned and offered Inara a small smile. "Thanks for telling me all this Inara. I'll try not to beat him senseless in the meantime. It's the best promise I can make."
"Don't worry, I've had the urge a few times myself." Inara countered, a smirk forming on her full lips as she watched Korra leave. She just hoped the poor girl would come back from Shadow the same way she left, her head held high. Inara doubted it though. Seeing something as horrific as a planet turned to ash wasn't easy to forget.
With a knowing frown that soon found itself turned into a forced cheery smile, Korra jogged to the upper deck of the cargo hold, gracefully sliding down the stair railings feet first before landing near Mal with an exaggerated back flip.
"Done showin' off?" Korra huffed half heartedly at Mal's steely blue glare, crossing her arms, but saying nothing. "Good. 'Cause where we're goin', you gonna want to save those fancy moves, this goes sideways. Chances are slim of that happenin' mind ya, but my luck ain't exactly somethin' I'd call good. More a fickle mistress at the best of times." Korra 'unexpectedly' laughed at Mal's dead serious mutterings, getting a satisfying half grin out of the man. "On that happy notion, might want to grab a suit, air ain't exactly what it used to be." Korra's puzzlement gave way to understanding when Jayne came out of a storage compartment, carrying what looked like an uniform of some kind, completely self contained if her eyes didn't deceive her.
"Amazin' what you can do with some glass and mylar." Jayne mused as he chucked the suit at Korra, quickly followed by a pair of boots and mismatched gloves. "Just don't get yerself dead kid. One tear and you'll be gaspin' in seconds, and then not gaspin' shortly there after."
"You'll do fine." Mal muttered when he took notice of Korra's less than heroic expression. "Just keep your head and you'll come out alright. 'Sides, this is supposed to be a friendly port o' call for us brigands anyway." When he handed her a gun belt and a spare pistol though, what small confidence she had gotten from his little speech vanished.
"That ain't never caused us to drop our guard before sir." Zoe retorted as she helped Jayne and Kaylee remove several large crates from various bolt holes saturating the bulkheads of the ship. Korra hadn't expected to see half as many secret compartments. "Smugglers don't last long, they don't have places to hide their goods." Zoe explained at the incredulous look on the Avatar's face. "You gonna stare, or you gonna help?"
"Yeah….sorry." Korra muttered, set down the suit Jayne had tossed her way, along with the gunbelt, and went to help unload the crates on the waiting transport that they called a 'mule'. Between the four of them, it didn't take long to have the boxes pulled out of their hiding places. Then came the interesting part when it came time to put on the suit.
What followed was a hilarious, to everybody but Korra at least, exercise in futility as she struggled to cinch the odd material over her waist, determined not to ask any of the grinning crew around her for help. Zoe finally took pity on her, save to smirk at her inability to don a space suit, and had her properly dressed and sealed airtight in the snug outfit after a few minutes of muttered curses from Korra.
With a grin, Kaylee pushed a lever on the small transport in the center of the hold as a finally suited Korra leaned closer to examine the vehicle, and jumped back a few feet when the mule started to float on a cushion of what looked like boiling air. "Best be careful round this beat up wreck huh?"
"Would it help if I said I'm sorry for bad mouthing your ship?" Korra asked, feeling a tad claustrophobic within the outfit with her own voice echoing in her head. The last time she had felt this confined was when Torlacc had put her in a coffin like metallic box.
"It'd be a start." Kaylee replied, a mischievous grin on her cheerful face. Hopping off the transport with a skip in her step, the happy go lucky engineer made sure to look over Jayne and Mal's suits with a critical eye before doing the same for Korra. "Not a bad job for your first walk outside. You'll be alright, Cap'n will keep ya safe. Might make ya cry in the process, but can't have everything I suppose."
"Be careful out there ya hear?" Zoe said, staring at Korra first before looking to the rest. "Got a bad feelin' something ain't right."
"Mother's intuition?" Mal asked as he finished suiting up, mildly surprised to see a chastened Bea entering the hold and grabbing her own set of gear.
"Just got a bad feelin' sir." Zoe said with a shrug.
"You say that every time we do a job." Mal countered.
Zoe crossed her arms and stared down at the four of them before saying simply, "And how often am I right?"
Korra shared a look with Mal before the captain cleared his throat. "Movin' on... Bea, get your gorram pi gu in that gear, ain't got all day to wait around. Sooner we're done here sooner we can leave."
"Shut your pie hole Reynolds, reckon I'll be done just a tick slower than you are with 'Nara. Figure minute n' a half and I'll be good to go." True to her word, Bea was dressed and ready to go in no time flat, and had her knife and gun strapped to her suit just as Korra's mental count reached eighty-seven seconds. Glancing at the buckled knife sheath and gun holster on her own belt, Korra's hand was immediately jerked away when she curiously reached for the stranger of the two weapons.
"I'd rather not have you shoot yer own gorram foot off, or breach your suit for that matter. My advice, keep with what you're good at darlin' until we get ya some proper schoolin' in the fine art of gunplay. But, keep it on ya, just in case." Mal said, a sly grin on his face at the uncomfortable grimace he saw behind the helmet's faceplate.
"Right." Korra muttered, and gently jerked her hand away from Mal's grasp before taking a steadying breath when they boarded the odd hovering mule. After everyone else had rapidly departed the cargo hold, the suited quartet headed for the slowly opening ramp. When the door slammed shut behind her a short time later, she just resisted the urge to jump in the back seat next to Bea, who roughly shoved her back on her side of the cramped vehicle. She hardly noticed when they started through the barren wastes that Shadow had become.
The South Pole, where the Southern Water Tribe and a contingent of White Lotus clan guards had set up shop, was a wasteland of ice, snow, and biting wind in the middle of their winter months, but even the ice held some semblance of life for those that knew where to look. While she had been eager to leave it behind, the Southern Water Tribe's home had been beautiful in its own way, especially when the sun hit the ice in just the right way, making the land shimmer and dance with light.
Everywhere around her, she only saw death. In the inky black clouds, which let little sunlight through them, and in the craterous pock marked terrain. In the distance, she could almost make out what might have been a decent sized city once upon a time, now reduced to massive piles of scrap and rubble. The ground itself looked sick, if such a thing were possible, oozing noxious gases and slimy water. It reminded her of a badly infected, pus covered wound. She instinctively knew that if she had even thought about Bending on this rock, she'd have likely died horribly from whatever the Alliance had done to this world. It was one of the few times she was glad she couldn't use her natural abilities.
"Ain't right, seein' a place like this." Jayne muttered, surprising them all to some extent. "What? It's true."
"Have to agree with you. Funniest thing. See that ridge yonder?" Mal asked, nodding his head towards a distant spot of blackened ground. "Family had a ranch up on a ridge like that. Ma raised cattle and horses mostly, along with a couple dozen farm hands. Me? Got bored one day, met a fine city girl. First time, seein' the city up close, got into some trouble, but had a gorram good time despite it all. Damn shame, see it now. Gave me my first kiss when I played merry with the law, got us out of a jam. Old oak tree, sun at our backs, best day of my life. Well, one of 'em anyhow. Doubt it's still standin', acid rain and such probably wore off the carvin' in it long time ago."
Korra couldn't think of anything to say, not that anything would have helped with what Mal was likely going through. There were no words she could say that would bring any measure of comfort. She was starting to understand why Mal was the man he was though, and she forgot her earlier annoyance and frustration with him. Now, she could only picture that happy young boy, lost long ago to the horrors all around her.
Korra lost track of time after that, trying not to think about how twisted this 'verse' was compared to her own, not realizing how far they had traveled until Mal turned around to give her transparent faceplate a playful tap. "We're here. You stay and keep an eye on our ride Jayne. Korra, Bea, you're with me. Figure ya might as well get your feet wet...so to speak." Mal grimaced as he glanced at a bubbling puddle of acidic ooze. "On second thought, best keep your feet dry." Without a word, he led the way to what looked like just another cratered hole in the ground. The small etching on the wall told another story though as they descended into a cavern complex.
With a nod to Bea, she took point, gun drawn. "Few mutants have been found down here. Nothing dangerous, if you're prepared for 'em." Bea explained, warily eyeing their surroundings as she slammed her glove against a bare patch of stone, only for it to pop open a moment later. Tapping at the hidden control panel underneath, a section of the wall slid away, revealing a large airlock that looked eerily similar to the Serenity's. "Told you, NR liked you more than was wise by my reckonin'."
"I'm touched. And also very disturbed." Mal dead panned as the three of them crowded into the compartment. It didn't take long for the poisoned air to be cycled out of the chamber, and when it was done, the door in front of them opened up. Korra almost grabbed for the knife on her belt when a dozen guns were jammed in their faces the moment the door pulled up. "This at least I can understand." Mal said with an approving nod to their heavily armed welcoming committee. "Howdy. How ya'll doin' this fine day?"
"It's fine Mills, it's just me." Bea grunted as she pulled her helmet off and shook her short, multicolored raven hair out of her face. "Put the gorram leg irons down already."
"Not a chance in Hell girl. How we know this ain't some trick?" One heavily muscled bald man grunted, his right arm covered in tribal tattoos.
Bea shook her head and sighed. Then promptly kneed her accuser in the groin. "Anyone else have a stupid question?"
The one she called Mills hesitantly raised his non gun hand. "Did ya bring the supplies like you said you was gonna?"
"Most, but it's gettin' gorram close to impossible to lay hands on high end antibiotics these days." Bea explained as she took a step closer to the man, who promptly took a step back, along with the other resistance members. No one was eager to get in the woman's path.
"Shoulda robbed another Alliance hospital." Mal muttered to himself, just loud enough for Korra to hear him. "Long story. Might tell it to ya later. Feel free to mention it to Jayne, just to see the look on his face if nothin' else."
"You robbed a hospital?" Korra asked, torn between being impressed and appalled by the admission.
Mal rolled his blue eyes, showing something other than somber reflection or frustration for the first time in hours. "Did ya not hear the part where it was an Alliance ran one?"
"A hospital. That you robbed." Korra reiterated with an irritated growl.
"Wasn't on a whim ya know. The doc wanted to do a fancy scan of his sister, the payout was a bunch of meds we was able to sell for a shiny penny." Mal said in his defense. "'Sides, Alliance ran hospitals don't go without for long. Took only a few hours to replace what we took, 'cording to the doc."
"That doesn't make it right...just less harmful I suppose." Korra grudgingly admitted.
"Glad we could come to an understandin'." Mal said, just as Bea turned to him. "Ready to get those goods off my boat?"
"There's a problem Mal." Bea stated, something in her voice sending alarm bells going off for Korra and Mal.
"And what's that exactly?" Mal asked, having a feeling he knew where this was going. He wasn't disappointed.
Mills took that moment to open his mouth. "See sir, some of us remember servin' with ya. Some of us ain't too happy with how it turned out. Some of us have gotten it in their head to go blamin' your fine leadership skills, 'specially with that recent raid we did for ya. Lost a few good men to that pint sized freak of a girl that showed up with that shuttle full of troops. So maybe we cotton that we don't owe you one shiny gorram penny and just take what's rightfully ours. Course, that might not be enough to settle up. But some alone time with any women folk you got onboard might."
Mal's answer was very succinct. Korra had seen people move fast, fast enough to block a barrage of ice shards, but she never saw the man's hand move until his gun went off. Mills screamed in pain as he clutched at his profusely bleeding right knee, only to wail in agony a split second later as Mal snatched the knife off Korra's belt and buried it in the screaming man's left thigh.
"Now, I realize you're in a world of hurt at the moment, I really do, but I need you to listen to what I have to say. I do a job, I get paid. I don't get paid, I can't keep flyin'. I can't keep flyin', I can't keep helping you fine folk with your little resistance. I owe ya for the job I asked you to help me with, I'll give ya that, and you fine folk asked me to deliver cargo, which I've done." His voice, already hard as ice, dropped lower still as Mal took a step closer to the downed Mills. "But if you ever again imply the want to dishonor any of my crew who happen to be of the female persuasion in my immediate presence, I won't stop with just your legs... Might go a bit higher next time. Dohn-Ma?"
"Yes! Yes! Please, just don't kill me sir!" Mills shouted, all but blubbering from the massive amount of pain he was in.
And just like that, like a switch had been flipped, Mal was all smiles and cheer. "Well that's just great. Thanks for paying attention to my borin' lil lecture. Korra, get on the horn, tell Jayne we got a deal." With a vicious tug, Mal retrieved the bloody knife, cleaned it on the whimpering man's pants, and stuck it back in its sheath before Korra could even flinch. "Bea, get yourself cleaned up. You're too good a fighter to go to waste at the bottom of a bottle. Besides, somebody's gotta keep these boys civilized, and you're such an understandin' soul compared to me. Sorry 'bout the mess by the way." Bea only nodded, before she ripped Mills' pant leg off with a look of disgust before she yanked the blood soaked cloth tight around his stabbed leg, getting a satisfying yelp for her trouble. "Knew I liked ya for a reason."
"Just get those supplies off your boat Mal." Bea grunted over her shoulder before returning to the task at hand. She paused though and sighed heavily, before standing to her feet. "Thanks for getting me this far. And for tryin' to help mend what's broken. Can't promise you'll find me better off, but I'll rightly try."
"That's all any folk can ask Bea. Yer dad'll rest easier, knowing I tried to leave you in a better frame of mind, despite recent events and all. He'd be proud, for what you're doin' here. Never doubt that if nothin' else." Mal turned to Korra, who had just finished passing word on to Jayne who was getting things arranged with the crew. "Ready to start getting that boat load of supplies moved on over then?"
"Yes Captain." Was all the Avatar said in reply, still shaken up at how easily Mal had dispatched Mills.
She was no stranger to violence by any means, but this was different somehow. Darker, more primal in a way, considering how Mal had drawn his gun with practiced ease and shot the man down without even flinching. It didn't help that Mills had wanted to 'spend time' with the women of the crew, of which Korra had taken away only one meaning for what he and the other people here had wanted from them, but that didn't excuse Mal's reaction completely. It just seemed a bit extreme to her. But the fact he was so overly protective of his crew did make him a better man than most she had met thus far. Even if she didn't like his methods, he, as Korra was quickly starting to notice, always 'got the job done.' Besides, with what she had seen of his former homeworld, she couldn't really blame him for being the excessively violent and jaded man he was now.
Going back outside, properly sealed up in her suit with Mal's help, they boarded the mule and started back for Serenity's hold to start loading up the supplies they had delivered for the New Resistance. The few members that were left anyway, after the Alliance had raided the rest of their outposts a couple weeks ago, according to Mal.
"What's on your mind Korra?" Mal's question had Jayne and her looking at him in mild confusion, Korra because she had been lost in thought, Jayne out of sheer curiosity. "Come on, I can practically hear your mind turnin' as fast as the worlds 'round Georgia's yellow glow. Speak your piece, we got the time, comin' and going with the crates we get to off load."
"Was it necessary, shooting Mills and stabbing him?"
Jayne sat forward immediately, his gaze holding an immense amount of interest. "You shot a guy Mal? And cut on 'im too? And I missed it? Gorram it, I always miss all the fun."
Ignoring Jayne's disappointed look as he focused on not flying them into a particularly sharp outcropping, Mal whacked the gun hand's helmet and jabbed a gloved thumb towards the back seat. With a grumble, Jayne slid in next to Korra and gave her a gentle shove forward. Once she was settled in next him, only then did Mal start speaking again. "Necessary? Maybe not, but some people only understand violence as a means of communication. 'Specially with what that's been happenin' lately. Mills and those that had a similar mind to take advantage of my crew, you included darlin', they don't deserve to be talked down. Swift and decisive action is what's needed sometimes darlin'."
"Just for the record, I don't need you to defend me. I could have handled him on my own." Korra grumbled quietly in response.
"I'm sure you could have Ponytails." Mal gave her a brief grin when Korra shot him a glare at the nickname he had just dropped on her. "Wouldn't have been enough though. Man like that can take a punch, but a shot to the knee? That's something you don't forget in a hurry. You might be tougher than your average fella, I'll give ya that, but this place is a lot harder than wherever you came from. And I think you're conveniently forgetin' his less than gentlemanly friends, all of 'em packing leg irons."
"I could have taken them too." Korra stated confidently, but even Jayne wasn't fooled by the less than confident look on her face as she turned to glance at Mal.
Mal saw through her just as easily. "Uh huh. That before or after they riddled ya full of holes? Or worse. And trust me, they intended worse for ya." Mal gave her a moment to let that thought sink in, slightly surprised when Jayne was quick to agree with him.
"Cap'n's right. Fer once. Best get used to the idea you ain't playin' by your fair n' square rules no more girly. You win or ya don't, that's all that matters in this here Verse. I for one like be on the side that's still breathin' after a nasty tussle." Jayne snarked, before he kicked his boots up on the vacant seat next to him and got comfortable. "Just heartbroke I wasn't there to crack a few stubborn skulls. Woulda had a right good time of it too!"
"Not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not." Korra muttered and crossed her arms over her chest.
"That's just Jayne's way of sayin' he's disappointed he wasn't there to help out. All mother hen like under that manly, truly ugly exterior." Mal explained, slightly surprised he had said anything of the sort. "I might not like ya very much yet, what with your odd choice of hairstyle and the way you're prone to a bad case of verbal diarrhea..." Mal skipped the rest of his very clever and observant examples when he tilted his visored head to see Korra's murderous blue glare. "But you're still a part of my crew. That means until you make a mistake that gets ya on my overly abundant list of enemies, I'm gonna do my gorram best to protect ya Ponytails." Mal smirked at the rosy tinge in her cheeks he managed to catch before Korra rapidly turned her head forward. "Even if you're a pig headed pi gu who ain't got a lick of sense and very clearly don't know your way around this here Verse. You're still here, you're still a part of my crew, so that makes ya my responsibility kid. Might want the doc to take a look at ya when we get back." Korra turned to give him a questioning glance. "...You sure do blush overly often for such a rough and tumble young lady."
"Bet she wishes he was a gynecologist." Jayne quietly muttered to himself behind them.
"You think Simon and- Eew! Why would you-I mean- gah!" Korra slammed her fist into Jayne's shoulder hard enough to make him wince before turning her fiery glare on Mal next. "Just get us back to the ship already!"
"Wasn't overly amusin' the first time Jayne. You'll keep a civil tongue in that mouth of yours, or I will sew it shut. Bought the thread and everythin' just in case." Mal snapped, his tone dropping down to the ice cold timbre he favored in times like this before turning to Korra. "Already have enough problems to deal with Ponytails. Beatin' up on Jayne might be fun, but until this job's done, I want him up and able. I don't like goin' back in there, with how we left that idiot on the floor. They might respect Bea, they might respect me even, despite pullin' the trigger, but there's a lot more of them than there are of us. Odds are gettin' dicy, us walkin' away after puttin' one of 'em on the deck. Rather have all my cards on the table, just in case we need 'em. Because it'll be your turn to keep an eye the mule this time."
It was Korra's turn to shoot forward in her seat the moment Mal stopped talking. Her blue eyes flared with indignant rage at the insinuation he had dropped on her lap, even if he hadn't come right out and said as much. "Oh come on! I know exactly what you're doing, leaving me behind. I'm not some delicate flower!"
"So she gets to sit on 'er ass while we do the heavy liftin'. Gee Mal, why don't we just get 'er some tea and dumpling's while we're at it? Wouldn't want to get a stray hair out of place on her pretty lil head, now would we?"
"You do remember I left you a drooling mess on the floor right? Because I can do that again anytime I want."
"Ya bushwhacked me! Them ain't kosher rules little' missus. Wouldn't a' gone down that way otherwise."
"Keep telling yourself that ape man."
"Enough, both of ya! Decision's been made." Mal's tone left no room for argument, but he softened the blow a little when he sighed and regarded his newest crew member. "I know you're far from helpless, but this ain't just about you Korra. This deals go south, there very well might not be another one. We end up on the drift, chances are we'll end up dyin' before we find safe harbor, or the Alliance will drag us to the scrap belt, force us into one of their 'volunteer' mining posts 'till the day we die. And that's bein' generous. So I gotta do what I can, make sure this goes well."
"So I'm not weak and defenseless... just a loud mouthed liability instead?" It wasn't much of an improvement in Korra's less than humble opinion.
"She finally sees the light. But you've been catchin' on fast darlin'. That's not nothing, 'specially out here."
Jayne loudly snickered from his lounging position behind them. "Way she gets all doey eyed round Inara, she'll be catchin' somethin' alright."
"Korra, mind if I borrow that knife again?" Mal asked with a blank expression, before he stuck his gloved hand out towards her.
"Just funnin' is all." Jayne muttered before crossing his arms and going oddly silent.
"I'm going to hurt you. ...Again I mean." Korra vowed with an irritated huff, before hesitantly glancing towards Mal after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence. "Um, just out of curiosity-"
Mal laughed and shook his head before answering the question he knew had been coming. "I'll have no gripe with ya talking with our friendly Companion. So long as it remains as such. Well, 'less Inara insists, convinces me ya need a bit more... one on one time, but she never serviced crew, so I doubt that'll be a problem. 'Sides, much as I don't like what her job entailed, I respect her for who she is. Crews like ours, they don't hold together long without someone like her, keepin' us together."
Jayne perked up at the mention of Inara, a huge grin on his face. "Speakin' of togetherness-"
"You speak one more word and I might just break out the sewin' kit right here an' now."
"What?" Korra asked as her blue eyes flicked between the two men, who were both suddenly unable to meet her curious gaze.
"Nothin' to worry your pretty little head with Ponytails. Just an old argument between me and the man ape behind ya." Mal was quick to say, but Korra had a feeling he wasn't being completely honest. There was no point in arguing further though, so she remained quiet for the rest of the trip back to Serenity. As soon as they pulled up to the cargo hold, they got to work.
It took several trips back and forth to off load the supplies they had brought for the New Resistance, with Korra never being allowed to set foot in the base again, and by the time they were done, Korra was dead on her feet. I could've really used my Air Bending today... she quietly groused, only allowing herself a fleeting moment of self pity before helping Zoe and Kaylee stow the mule. Lifting heavy metal crates singlehanded wasn't exactly her forte. Not that she wouldn't drop dead from exhaustion first before admitting that out loud. That was one indignity too many in her opinion.
Barely making it into the mess, with Zoe conspicuously within arms reach the entire time, she could only grin stupidly at the heaping pile of food Kaylee slid in front of her with a knowing smile. Turning in that night after dinner, which she barely remembered eating, Korra fell into her bed, but didn't fall asleep right away. Too many thoughts were racing through her head, most of which centered around what she had seen on Shadow. A dead world, inhabited by desperate people just hoping to make a better tomorrow, even if some of them weren't exactly pleasant. Then there was Mal, the way he had shot that man down without even flinching, protecting his crew the only way he knew how. Too many things had happened for Korra to rest easily, even as tired as she was.
So it came as no surprise to her when she suddenly found herself once again being pinned down in front of a gloating Amon the moment she had finally given in and closed her wary eyes. Only this time she wasn't on Aang's Memorial Island, she was on the stage Amon had used to officiate his 'Revelation' to his followers. But instead of Bolin, Mako, Tenzin and his family, and the Chief of Republic City's police force, Lin Beifong, bound and gagged right beside her as usual, she gasped as she saw a bound Mal and the rest of his crew rising onto the stage in their place.
"Knew I shouldn't have trusted you from the moment I laid eyes on ya Ponytails." A beaten looking Mal accused her, staring at her with something far worse than anger and hate in his glacial blue eyes, it was crushing disappointment.
"Lost girl got us mixed up in her affairs, and we're paying for her mistakes. Should have killed Amon when she had the chance." River whispered quietly, yet was still loud enough to be heard by a shocked Korra. "I saw it coming, but you didn't listen. You heard, but didn't listen. No one to blame but yourself for what happens next."
"We trusted you to protect this ship and her crew Korra. It seems our faith was misplaced." Inara said in that soft, calm tone she favored, but it was edged in glacial ice sharp enough to cut holes through solid steel.
"How could you let this happen?!" Zoe shouted, the strong willed woman now a sobbing mess as Korra, horrified, noticed the small bundle in her bound arms. Amon removed his mask and walked over to the terrified mother, gently brushing his fingers through Emma's dark hair.
"Knew ya should have shot her first chance ya had cap'n." Jayne growled through his teeth, making a valiant effort to break his bonds, but they were too tightly done for him to move more than a few centimeters.
By then, Amon had closed the distance between the crew, his hands folded behind his back. "NO! Don't do this! Don't hurt them!"
"They took you in young Avatar, harbored you. They collaborated with the enemy of all non benders, and so they too must pay the same price as you and the rest of your kind." Amon retorted sharply, his real face a mask of apathetic indifference. "If it's any consolation, I would never pass the same sentence on an innocent child. She will live, the rest of your foolish allies will not."
"No please, I'll do anything!"
"Anything?" Amon turned to gaze down at her with a satisfied smirk. "I must say, I never would have believed I'd hear such words from you. Then again, I did say I'd destroy you before finishing you off. Still, it's an interesting proposition."
"I'll do whatever you want, just... please don't hurt them!"
"But I already have what I want, young Avatar." With an insidious grin, Amon pressed his fingertips against Zoe's forehead as Korra screamed for him to stop, right up until she slumped over and went still.
The echoes of Emma's inconsolable cries resounded in her mind as Korra jolted upright in her bed, letting out a blood curdling scream that had most of the ship's occupants running for her cabin. Panting, covered in sweat from head to toe, Korra jumped when the door to her room burst open. She didn't immediately recognize who had rushed in until she felt warm hands pulling her into a tight, comforting embrace. "Ssssshhhh, it's alright Korra. Just breathe, you're safe here. You're safe."
Korra gazed up with tear streaked blue eyes at the woman holding her. "Zoe?"
"Yeah, it's me. Gave us quite a fright-" She never got a chance to finish her sentence when Korra threw herself at the surprised First Mate, sobbing as she embraced her tightly with no sign of letting go anytime soon. Shocked, Zoe stared blankly down at Korra for a moment before gently pressing the girl's head against her chest. It was some time before she calmed down, and by then everyone had passed by the door, only to find the rough and tumble girl crying her eyes out against Zoe's chest. Anyone who dared linger received a look that promised a very slow, painful death if they didn't move along in short order.
Everyone save Mal, Inara, and Kaylee, in that order, as they filed past. Mal she only stared at for a moment, nothing needing to be said between the two them to explain what had likely gotten such a strong reaction from Korra in the first place. Inara and Kaylee, she told them they'd have to ask her when she was willing to talk, although Zoe had the impression Inara had already guessed what had woken Korra up. Few things got past her. Sorely tempted to commit some needless violence when Jayne poked his head into the room a second time, Zoe was more than a little surprised when he set a mug on the small dresser next to Korra's bed.
"Warm milk." He offered in way of explanation. "Ma always said it cured a bad dream." He muttered before all but running out before Zoe could change her mind about letting him go.
"That's disgusting...but they say it's the thought that counts." Korra muttered, wiping at her moist, reddening eyes.
Zoe chuckled and rubbed at the embarrassed young girl's back in small, comforting circles. "You gonna be alright now?"
"I really don't know….I really don't." Korra whispered as she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them again.
"Most honest answer I've heard in a long time. You need anything though, you know where to find me." Zoe replied softly before slowly standing to her feet. She stopped at the door for a moment and looked over her shoulder. "Whatever happened in that nightmare of yours, you have nothin' to apologize for Korra. Far as I've seen, you ain't done nothin' worth being sorry about."
"I wish that was true. I've done things...I'm not proud of. You had your war for Independence, I had mine. Only difference is I was fighting to save a city, not trying to take on an entire tyrannical government."
"War's war no matter what the stakes are. War never changes. Whether you're fighting for a handful of people dear to you, or the entire Verse, makes no difference." Zoe sagely replied before gently shutting Korra's door behind her, leaving the shaken girl to ponder what she'd said.
Before she got too comfortable in her curled up position on the bed, Zoe stuck her head back in. "Drink your milk before it gets cold. Might taste horrible, but Jayne's mother is right, it'll help you sleep." With a grimace, Korra downed the mug in one massive gulp. "Pleasant dreams Korra, and if not, don't fret none, we won't be far." With a grateful nod thrown towards the dark skinned woman, Zoe offered Korra a small smile in return before shutting the door again. True to her word, Korra soon drifted off after drinking down the mug's contents, into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.