The Last Spartan – Chapter Three
Author owns no rights to Firefly, receives no money for his work. All done I in fun.
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Kaylee lay awake in her bunk, staring at the ceiling. Serenity was on night cycle, and she listened to the thrum of her girl's systems on reduced power. It had been a year since Miranda, and life had gotten back to normal. Or at least what passed for normal on Serenity since the wave.
Wash was gone, and so was Shepard Book. Many of their friends away from Serenity had also died, including all the people she had known on Haven. It had taken them a long time to get Serenity space worthy, and even longer to rebuild a list of contacts who could provide them with work. Things had been thin for a while, but were now looking better.
Inara had stayed with them, Mal having finally gotten his head out of hi pi gu and asked her too. She had given up being a Companion for him. Thanks to her, Serenity was doing well, moving cargo steadily and being paid without a hitch. Mal still took the occasional 'questionable' job, Kaylee thought more for the thrill than the money. She couldn't deny the money was good though.
Simon, on the other hand, had been unwilling to give up much of anything for her. The spark they had shared after Miranda had flared briefly, then fluttered, and finally died. She had chased him for so long, been like a moon-eyed girl for months in fact, that it had never occurred to her that Simon might no be quite as shiny as he appeared.
He was a good man, there was no doubting that. Anyone who would give up all that he had for his sister couldn't be anything less. He just hadn't been the right man, that's all. They had come to that conclusion together after two months. Things wouldn't work out, and that was that.
Sighing in frustration at her inability to sleep, Kaylee rose from her bed. Throwing on her robe to ward of the cold of the night cycle, she exited her bunk and went to the galley. As she rummaged through her food locker, looking for something to nibble on, she heard a faint noise from the cargo bay.
She froze. Serenity had been invaded before. Her blood ran cold as she remembered the bounty hunter, Early. She still had nightmares about that, even knowing he was long dead. Carefully she eased the locker shut, and went to the doorway.
I'll just see what's there, and then run and get Jayne, or the Captain, she promised herself. Might be someone else on the crew that, like her, that couldn't sleep. She was almost on tiptoes in her effort to be silent, as she reached the door leading out to the catwalk.
Down on the floor of the cargo bay was Jayne Cobb. He was shirtless, wearing some kind of baggy pants that looked to be tied at the waist and ankles. As she watched, he looked almost as if he was dancing. A slow, taunt dance.
His arms moved with a precision she didn't know Jayne could muster. His muscles were taunt with tension as his feet moved through an intricate series of steps, while his arms, hands extended and rigid, flowed back and forth around him.
She almost goggled when Jayne's body stretched out, legs to each side, and he held himself upright with only his leg muscles, while his arms continued to move. She'd seen River do something similar, when she practiced her dance moves, but this was like no dance she'd ever seen.
Suddenly Jayne leaned forward on his hands. His weight went forward, and he brought his knees down, legs flying together and settling on the bay floor. He sat back on his ankles, back straight, and continued to moved his arms a bit, breathing long and deep.
Kaylee realized she was staring, but she'd never imagined Jayne to be so. . .nimble. Flexible was the word that came to mind next. Another word entered her mind as well, unbidden. Erotic.
As he came to his feet, Kaylee withdrew, lest he see her there. She made her way back to her bunk as quietly as possible. If he caught her watching, he'd like as not stop, and she didn't want that. In fact, she wanted to watch him again.
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From her spot on the opposite catwalk, River had watched Kaylee watching Jayne. Transfixed by what she had seen. She sighed, realizing that she would no longer have this time to herself to observe the big man in his true environment. Showing his true self.
She'd been careful not to let on that she knew anything about Jayne, knowing he would likely be angry. The younger woman had been watching him for over two months, nearly every night, in fact, since the first. River had been as mesmerized as Kaylee that first night, having never suspected that Jayne was capable of something so intricate.
So much more to Jayne than met the eyes. Some of the moves she now recognized as part of the Tai Chi routine she herself often practiced. But others were unfamiliar to her. The little assassin waited until Jayne was out of the bay before rising to return to her room. She no more wanted Jayne to see her here than Kaylee had.
River liked Kaylee, thought of her as a sister even. But the idea of having to share Jayne's workout with her was. . .frustrating, for reasons she preferred not to explore. Mostly because she didn't understand them herself as yet.
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The next morning, as the crew gathered for breakfast, Jayne was back to the semi-clumsy, grumbling oaf he'd always been. Kaylee had to bite her lip to keep from asking what he had been doing. While he might tell her in private, ( she doubted it ), he'd be angry if she mentioned it in front of the crew.
As she fought with herself, she happened to glance over at River, and was surprised to see River staring at her with a half-amused grin. Did River know what she was thinking?
Course she knows, ya twit, Kaylee scolded herself. She's a reader!
River smiled outright at that, and returned to her breakfast. When she was finished she excused herself and headed for the bridge. Kaylee wanted to follow, but it was her turn at the dishes. Once they were done, the Captain had grabbed her about some problem he was having, and Kaylee soon forgot about it.
But she didn't forget about Jayne. She was still thinking on what she'd seen the night before when River's voice startled her.
"So, what did you think?" the younger woman asked. Kaylee jumped.
"You scared me, River," Kaylee exclaimed. "Think about what?" River smirked at her, and then gave her the 'boob' look normally reserved for Simon.
"Don't play innocent with me," River scolded playfully. "You know exactly 'what'." Kaylee flushed, realizing she was busted.
"It was. . .interestin'," Kaylee hedged.
"More like mystifying," River grinned, and Kaylee nodded.
"I don't think I ever seen nothin' like that before," she admitted. "And sure not from Jayne, of all people. Looked almost like you do, when you're doing your dance stuff." River nodded at the comparison.
"It's very close, actually," the pilot said. "An ancient dance of sorts. Parts of it I recognize, other parts I don't." River's words took a minute to sink in, and she grinned.
"You been watchin' him too!" she exclaimed, and it was River's turn to blush.
"Simply observing the mercenary in his natural habitat," she blustered. "Observing without influencing."
"Uh huh," Kaylee smirked. "You thought it was hot, too!" Both women broke out in giggles.
"He is an attractive physical specimen," River agreed. Kaylee nodded.
"He's all kinds o' swai, no doubt." The two women looked at each other for a long moment, then River smiled.
"See you tonight?"
"You bet!"
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That evening the two women met early, before Jayne came down. River had his schedule memorized, and they had time to hide effectively. As Jayne started his workout, River tried to hide a smirk. Kaylee was in for a treat tonight, if Jayne stayed with his regular schedule.
Sure enough, after a half-hour of stretching that had both girls goggling, he reached into the large bag he had carried down with him, and withdrew the two swords. River's hand shot out to cover Kaylee's mouth as the engineer started to squeak. Below them, Jayne froze, cocking his head to one side and listening. Both women held perfectly still.
Finally the big man decided it was nothing, and walked over to stand in the clear. As Kaylee watched, Jayne began to swing the long swords about, working faster and faster, cutting, slashing, stabbing and parrying invisible foes. It was obviously a routine he was long used to.
Kaylee found herself immersed in the scene before her. She felt her throat begin to tighten as she watched him go through move after move. She began to feel warm, like the heat was still on, even though Serenity was on night cycle. The temperature was around sixty degrees Fahrenheit, and both she and River were wearing an extra layer of clothes.
Just as Kaylee had decided she was gonna have to do something about that, Jayne stopped. Looking at her watch, Kaylee realized he'd been at it for over an hour.
She and River stayed silent until Jayne was gone, then looked at each other.
"Wow," Kaylee said silently. River nodded agreement.
"Makes quite a change from the bumbling and grumbling we're used to, doesn't it?" she grinned.
"Sure does," Kaylee was still whispering in awe. "That was something. Can you do all that?"
"No," River admitted after a minute's thought. "One reason I was watching, in fact. I hope that I'll be able to persuade him to teach me."
"One reason, huh?" Kaylee grinned wickedly. "Bet I can name another!" River blushed.
"He is something to look at, isn't he," she murmured. "Such grace and power make a fine aphrodisiac." Kaylee hadn't gone to school in the core, but she knew what an aphrodisiac was.
"River Tam!" Kaylee all but squealed. "You got the hots for Jayne Cobb!"
"I do not!" River retorted. "My interest is in finding a way to convince Jayne to share his knowledge with me! You, on the other hand," River trailed off, smiling wickedly.
"Me?" Kaylee strangled. "Why, I ain't got eyes for Jayne! And 'sides that, he ain't never. . ." Kaylee trailed off herself, remembering when Jayne had first come aboard.
"Yes?" River prompted, causing Kaylee to turn an interesting shade of red. Suddenly, both women sighed in unison.
They fell into giggles at that. After a moment River rose gracefully from her seat, offering Kaylee a hand up.
"Same time tomorrow night?" Kaylee asked. River shook her head.
"He has the bridge watch tomorrow night," River informed her. "Night after, he'll be back."
"How long you been watchin' him, to have that all figured out?" River blushed under Kaylee's gaze.
"A while," she admitted bashfully. Kaylee giggled.
"I oughta be mad, you keepin' this all ta yaself," she laughed. "But I can see where you wouldn't wanna share," she added, and River's flush deepened.
"I'm for bed," River said. "Night Kaylee."
"Night River," Kaylee replied.