"The Monkey Chased The Weasel"
Warnings and Declaimers': Same as before.
A.N. A huge shout out to Missguenever for beta reading and adding insights. A clever MyLady.
Previously:
Kaylee has visited Dr Harvey at Emrata's Hospital and Research Facility. She confronts the Doctor regarding her suspicions and they argue. Unintentionally Doctor Harvey gets knocked out and ends up in a Bio- pod that has been loaded with medical supplies on Serenity. They are on a mission to a Skyplex. Kaylee realizes thet the doctor is in the Bio pod and is convinced by River to release her and fess up to Mal about her interference.
The Bio-pod lid popped opened and slowly rose until the lid flipped sideways and bounced on its hydraulic hinges. Doctor Ashleigh Harvey dragged herself out of the small cavity, disorientated and unsure of her footing.
Kaylee and River never took their eyes of Mal. Watching his expression transform to utter confusion, "What in the sphincter hell?"
CHAPTER 14
Green Eyed Girls
Mal had followed the girls from the galley, his gut telling him there was something not quite right. He was a little confused but a right might curious about the fevered discussion his two adolescent crew mates were having. He couldn't believe his eyes when he looked down from the mezzanine and saw the bio-pod open and a disorientated Doctor Harvey stagger out.
"Whatin the sphinctergui is going on?" yelled Mal as he descended the stairs into the cargo hold and marched over to the trio standingby the bio- pod. "Doctor Harvey, why are you stowed away on my ship?" This was a giving him a headache; it was déjà vu; or whatever that gorram word that Inara used.
"Believe me, captain it was not my intention to accompany you on this journey. And in actuality I need to get back to my hospital immediately."
"That jist ain't true,Cap'n she ain't got no mind of getting back. I heard her sayin' she was goin' away for two weeks. A mighty big co-incidence ifin ya ask me,"snapped Kaylee.
The two women squared off at each other. Ashleigh turned to Mal, and in her most professional and authoritarian tone declared, "Captain I do not know what your crewman is talking about. All I know is this mentally deranged woman turned up at MY hospital, asking all sorts of questions about the arrangements. Questions and details I thought were made absolutely clear to both you and Dr Tam."
Jayne Simon and the others had spilled out of the galley and had made their way down to the cargo bay, intrigued and mystified as to the confrontation taking place and the unexpected presence of one rather unhappy Doctor Ashleigh Harvey.
Jayne had Anthony balanced in the crook of his arm and plopped him on the ground as they reached the bottom. The boy immediately made his way to his fallen and dismantled gym, piled in the corner. Pouting he kicked at the poles; loosening one on the bottom of the pile. On hearing the clunk and roll of metal,Jayne quickly sprinted and hoisted the child up before the poles rolled onto him. They clattered to a standstill, wedgingthemselvesbetween thecrates of cargo, "It done broked again, Jayne," he declared.
"Cin you jist stay outta trouble for five minutes maa lau…Jist five gorram minutes," sighed Jayne. "Now git!" Swatting him lightly on the backside, he put Anthony down, sending the small boy back towards the rest of the crew, who had by now encircled Kaylee, Doctor Harvey and Mal.
Anthony pushed through a pair of legs and stopped next to Kaylee, then pulled frantically on her arm, "Kaylee fix gym now! You comes, here!Here!" he pointed.
Mal picked up the child, "No Anthony, Kaylee's a might bit busy. That right ain't it, Kaylee; you like ta explain the situation here?" Mal asked with a warning frown and tone; a tone that he usually used on Anthony when he was being naughty.
River had merged into the crew circle, unnoticed until her sing-song moon-brain voice began chanting and cut off Kaylee's response, "Green eyed girls are not the demented, and leaves her in despair. Who is the one my green eyed girl playing the deadly game." Taking a big breath she puffed her chest out, "You got the wrong Moonbrain crazy head gal." River announced to Dr Harvey, imitating Jayne's voice and mannerism.
Anthony clapped at the dark haired girl's performance, "You git!" He said pointing at Ashleigh. "Go 'way."
Serenity's Captain lowered Anthony's hand and pinned Kaylee with a stare before he spoke to the young mind reader, "River let Kaylee do her own talkin'," growled Mal.
"Mal… Ummm… Well, Cap'n, it twas like this. I picked up the thermal regulator and seein' I wasn't too far from the hospital I went ta check on the progress of the cargo."
"She said you had given her orders to do the size, weight, and balance checks. SWAP analysis I believe is one term for it." Ashleigh showed off her knowledge to Kaylee who seemed to shrink even further into herself. But then she started accusing me of being in "cahoots;"I think her charming rim world term was, in cahoots with the Alliance," charged Dr Harvey.
"Snitch" quipped River.
"River, don't interrupt," admonished Mal. "I won't be asking again."
Kaylee took Anthony from Mal, hoping his glare and demeanor would soften some with the cute kid in her arms. "Well, Cap'n she was speakin' to an Alliance officer and she gave him somethin', then she says she's gonna take off for two weeks, and that kinda sounded a might…"
"A might what?" Ashleigh demanded.
"A might bit fishy ifinya ask me. I mean with that and the bio- pod, I was thinking that meybe she's gonna try and kidnap Anthony."
"Of all the stupid, idiotic conspiracy theories," snapped Ashleigh.
"You said ya self Cap'n; that she was far too interested in him for your likin'."
Anthony watched the conversation like it was anEarth-That-Was tennis match, as did the rest of the crew, though Zoë thought it looked more like Shuttlecock or Badminton as Simon called it.
Simon finally spoke, annoyed at the turn of events and confused about the animosity between Kaylee and Ashleigh, "Kaylee, I knew about the bio- pod. Dr Harvey contacted me earlier this morning; she suggested that it be used to transport the sea cucumbers back to Emrata. I didn't get a chance to tell Mal, he and Jayne were busy with Anthony and the toppling Jungle gym."
"Yep, runnin' for our lives," laughed Jayne, reaching for Anthony, then propped him up again in his huge tree trunk for arms, "now that I think bout it musta looked kinda funny. Hey maa lau, seem like a circus I bet; crazy little kid chasin' us around in a mule."
Anthony gripped the big merc around the neck then paused at the last volley of banter to turn and give his Captain a HUGE toothy smile. A smile that melted the entire crew's heart. It was a smile that showed a sense of innocence which the entire crew of Serenity feared lost.
Mal nearly laughed, but quickly turned and gave his young mechanic a stern gaze. "So you'retellin' me: You done go an' eavesdrop on the doc without no need ta be there in the first place, then ya go lock her in a bio-pod. What in the gorram sphincters hell was ya thinking? How's kidnapping the doc helpin?Jist don't make sense Kaylee, it ain't like you." He shook his head. "Don' make no sense." The Captain's increasing levels of irritatedness showed in his speech patterns; he was slipping back into the colloquialisms of his youth; the colloquialisms of Shadow.
"Yeah, lil' Kaylee wouldn't hurt a fly," supported Jayne.
Anthony, not sure about what was being said, intuitively felt Cappy's displeasure with his big sister and one of his many protectors, "Kaylee, not naughty," he declared, reaching this time for affirmation from Mal.
Kaylee watched Mal's expression as he took Anthony into his shielding arms, "Wait a minute I didn't lock her in no bio-pod. Musta been some kinda of accident. When I left the transport bay she was standing there, fit as a fiddle. Mighten'I done sorta give her a poke, but then I said my piece and come home."
"She assaulted me and then spun on her heels hitting me in the left mandible with her loaded up bag, knocking me out. Next thing I know I'm here. Here, on this…"
River laughed and spun, "Green eyed girl, a mistake that needed to be."
"River sayin somethin' that makes a mite bit more sense, and maybe the way things have turned out wasn't ya intention. But you spying on the lady doc," Mal was careful to differentiate between Simon and Ashleigh. "Yer curiosity' bout her an yer jealous, didn't help matters none. Ya should have come to me ifin ya was concerned."
"I was gonna, then I saw the cargo arrive and that officer and it was obvious that I had made a mistake."
"Obvious! I told you that. Your Captain knew about my affiliation with some of the alliance officers here. They support my research. They want their families, the people on this planet and other rim worlds to benefit from it; not be excluded as a result of the alliance restrictive and elitist protocols."
"But what about the bio-pod, ya don't need a bio-pod to transport gorram cucumbers." Kaylee mocked.
"They are very delicate," intoned Simon.
"It may not be needed," added Ashleigh, "they maybe best transported exactly how they are. The bio-pod is simply a precaution. If it's not needed we will bring it back empty." A bio-pod was simply too expensive to abandon.
"I will need to examine Niska'sgrandson. If need be he can be transported in stasis in the bio-pod. But Kaylee it was never meant for Anthony. Your fears are unfounded." He was on his protective high horse now. "And frankly I'd say a little tainted with envy," said Simon.
And I'd say you'regetting the wool pulled over yer eyes, thought Kaylee; however, she decided not to voice her concern. Everything she'd said so far just made her look like a jealous and mischievous kid. She wished she was better at expressing herself, her belly was telling her to be wary of Doctor Harvey, her heart was telling her to snap the bitch.
Ashleigh could sense Kaylee's discomfort yet unwavering resolve. She quickly added, "Niska's grandson may be just as valuable as Anthony. If he needs to come back to Emrata for better treatment, then that's what we will do. And like Anthony his existence and condition needs to be kept from the Alliance. The manifest will read that the bio- pod holds organic medical supplies. The boy deserves the same chance as Anthony. His prognosis is very serious."
Mal was not impressed with this last bit of information and he handed Anthony back to Kaylee. That action soothed Kaylee; knowing deep down that Mal was probably feelin' a little antsy about all this. Mal knew that Kaylee would protect Anthony. He trusted her, even considerin' her current behavior.
The captain turned to his inquisition to his ships doctor, "So you Simon was gonna make that decision? When were you gonna be telling this crew and asking its captain about bringing back a live specimen," admonished Mal, tryin' to find a fancy Simon word to use.
Simon looked rather sheepish. "I was going to discuss it once we got to the Skyplex; once I had examined the boy and his particular situation. It was not a plan devised, just a consideration we could pursue if the boy needed medical attention we couldn't give him there."
Kaylee gripped Anthony tighter and subconsciously drew him sideways further away from the untrustworthy lady doctor, "See Cap'n I knew she weren't bein' up front with us."
"All that was a theoretical consideration; purely hypothetical. At the end of the day, Captain Reynolds all decisions will be at your prudence, your discretion and that of your expert medical officer," emphasized Ashleigh.
Mal nodded as if he understood. "Fine, but from now on, all talks and spec...specu…"
"Speculation and theories, Sir," inserted Zoë.
"Yeah that…All decisions or ya thinkin' about what's best for my crew are up front," warned Mal.
"I presume that goes for everyone?"Questioned Ashleigh. "Including your engineer. She came to me with unfounded accusations and then threatened me, then assaulted me…"
"Cap'n she called me names!"
"Oh Simon really, this charming little backwater…"
"Ashleigh!" Scowled Simon.
"Sorry, I… Yes Simon, I apologize that was quite uncivilized of me, name calling. I'm just angry and annoyed. This girl's ignorance and flighty reactions has thrown a real spanner in the works."
Inara stepped forward next to Kaylee and gently transferred Anthony into her arms. She spoke softly to the doctor trying to quell the rising tension in the room. "I would be happy to escort back to you Emrata. We are still within range for my shuttle to make the trip. We will have you back in no time."
"No Inara," said Mal, "we'd still have to layover until you got back. We need to get that cargo delivered and back within ten days. Time lines tight 'nough as it is."
"Well if I could just contact Doctor Humphries, he was the only one expecting me. The hospital administration thinks I'm on vacation."
"Well that's convenient, Sir," added Zoë as she now took Anthony.
The child had been passed around from crew member to crew member, just like he was some sort of ancient talking stick. Ashleigh Harvey had noticed this subliminal ritual that had taken place and decided to mollify any further scrutiny by this very protective and suspicious crew. "I wouldn't say convenient, but lucky that I will not be missed."
"Well looks like you're here to stay. Who's this Doctor Humphries?" Mal inquired.
"A colleague of mine; he runs a fertility clinic in the outer town area. My research into lgE2 has been most beneficial for many of his patients. I give free clinic hours there."
Mention of the fertility clinic captured more of Zoë's awareness. She reflexively kissed Anthony on the head and held him a little closer gently bouncing him in a very comforting manner. She and Anthony both looked at Simon and Mal, silently seeking assurance.
", get yourself some food and rest. You can help Simon in the clinic. Zoë you wanna fix her up with some quarters, I think there's a spare next to Rivers." He smiled reassuringly at them; Zoë, the warrior queen and her cub.
"No t a problem, Sir."
Mal turned to Kaylee and grabbed her by the arm, "Kaywinnet Lee Frye, you and I need to discuss a few things in private. Let's go to the engine room."
Zagou, he's done gone and used my full name, jist like pop, jist like when pop twern't happy with me. Thought a now blushing Kaylee, "But Mal, I promised to check Anthony's gym frame thingy."
Anthony, jumped at that news, wriggled his way out of Zoë's arms and ran up to the nervous mechanic, hopping up and down on the spot.
"No, that can be done in the mornin', just like you and Jayne had planned. I'm thinking the thermal regulator needs checking."
Anthony looked dejected and a pout formed on the child's lip, "Zagou" he cussed.
Everybody looked surprised and tried to smother their smirks, except for Kaylee.
"Seems to me River ain't the only one can take Jayne off," quipped Mal.
"Hey Maa lau, no cuss words. Ya frame will be up and as good as new in the mornin'."
Zoë led Ashleigh to the galley, while Inara took Anthony's hand. "Come on little one, you can help with KP, I think Kaylee and Cappy are going to be a little busy."
"Then bed and a story," said Mal.
"No bed!" scoffed Anthony.
"Yep bed and a story, soldier; that's an order," said Zoë.
Anthony nodded glumly; then crisply saluted. "Yes sir."
Everyone dispersed as River twirled behind them; her complicated dance steps separating Mal and Kaylee from the group, sending each of the small groups with her fluid arms seemingly sending tendrils down the individual passageways and the crew down those passages. Simon glanced back at Kaylee, disappointment clearly written on his face. Kaylee's eyes meet his, and both then turned them away from each other.
River continued to spin, "Seeing the right in all the wrong. Within the wrong lines are the tones of truth; seeing, understanding not condemnation."
Mal stopped and watched the teen spin, slowly he released some of the pressure on Kaylee's arm, "River, you best get some rest mei mei."
River walked up to Mal, standing on the point of her toes, she kissed his cheek, "Yes Cap'n daddy… She may be the Moonbrain crazy of the family; but she's can fly and she's our Moonbrain crazy." She stated, giggling she skipped up the metal stairs on her way to the cockpit.
oOo
Kaylee knew she was in trouble. Mal had almost frog-marched her to the engine room once the others were out of site and deposited her firmly on an empty upturned crate near the engine. He said nothing for some time, just paced with his hands in his pockets thinking.
Mal didn't like mysteries; he didn't like not knowing what was going on. Most of all Mal didn't like being disobeyed. He didn't like his people making decisionsthat affected the entire crew without at least some discussion. Ya didn't like nobody ta take the caper into their own hands, unless it was life threatening. In the end, he gave the orders, based on the risks and with everybody's consent if it was threatening their safety. That's what Captains do.
Yes, Mal was not happy with his young engineer, he understood some of her concerns, he couldn't explain it either, somethin' wasn't quite shiny about all this, and he sure didn't like havin that woman here, around Anthony. But Kaylee should have thought this through.
Kaylee didn't have to be River, a mind reader to know what her captain was thinking. She made a mistake and deep down accepted that. She knew Mal would hear her out and forgive her. She knew that there were going to be consequences, for her actions based on her foolish conspiracy theory as that Ashleigh person had put it. However, recalling the look on Simon's face, she knew that he was a different matter all together. Hopefully everything would turn out alright and her minor infraction would be soon forgotten.
"Mal stop pacin' it's givin' me the jitters."
Mal stopped and stood in front of her crossing his arms. "Kaylee I don't know where ta begin."
"Well let me,Cap'n. It's not what ya think. I don't have a good feelin about thet doctor."
"That's why ya went there when ya were given strict orders ta stay away?"
"No I was just in the vicinity is all."
Mal leant real close, "Kaywinnet Lee Frye , you best jist stop for a minute and start thinkin, cause lying ain't in yer best interest, lying ain't in yer nature, and I won't put up with another one." He stood up and picked up Kaylee's large bag with the thermal regulator still tucked in there.
Kaylee looked at her satchel. "Ya know these things are hard ta come by, I always try to make sure we got a spare."
Mal placed the large satchel carefully on the grabbed the young mechanic by her arm and propped his foot on the upturned crates Kaylee used for a foot stool in the engine room . Without a word he flipped Kaylee over and landed one very hard wallop to her overall clad backside, then sat her back down on the same crate.
"That's your last warning. Talk straight or ya won't be sitting comfortable for a month."
"Okay Cap'n', but ya know ya givin me a job on my daddy's terms twernt supposed ta be taken so literal an all."
"That's cause your daddy knew it was gonna be more then jist a job. Now I know for you it is. Serenityis for all of us. But you went to the hospital outta pure curiosity," Mal paused and then added, "and jealously."
"Okay you're right, but then I got there and I saw her talkin' with the officer, which ya gotta admit looked snakey like, then she called me names, got me all riled up and I hit her, not real hard like, not as hard as I would have liked I might add. Anyways I must a clocked with the thermal regulator that was in my bag. I wasn't sure she was in the bio pod when it turned up at the cargo bay, but I was a little suspect when I saw the dial all lit up, then River starts talking about suffocating and I'm thinking; I'm in deep cow shit here, and I was always gonna get her out an all; ya know jist a matter of time afore I could get the gumption to do is all. But, I'd like ya ta be aware that I had no murderous intentions towards that uppity doctor lady. I jist don't trust her is all."
"You know all that makes perfect sense ta me."
"Gotta, I reckon; you the only one understands River, gotta understands me."
"Yep, I do. And I ain't saying your gut is wrong; mines tellin me somethin' too. But like I said; ya should jist come ta me. Instead ya took a chance going there, maybe being caught attacking a medical doctor at an Alliance facility. Wouldn't' be fairing too well if you was detained fer a cat-fight in the hospital transport bay. When ya belly's tellin ya something wrong, ya don't take chances like that. Ya come ta us. Yer love life ain't my concern unless it puts you or any of us in danger and ya do that when ya don't follow orders, dong ma."
"Dong ma. Simon ain't too happy with me none either."
"Like I said; that ain't my concern, ya need to sort that one out yerself. Though, I would suggest not hitting Doctor Harvey."
"Thanks Mal, I best go and try talkin' ta him."
"Oh no we ain't finished mei mei. UP!" He called her to attention.
"Cap'n you don't hafta….OW!"
Mal didn't give Kaylee the chance to formally object. He took up his previous position with his foot on the crate and put Kaylee across his knee, then laid a dozen hard swats to her back side.
He stopped when he heard he sniff, "Dong ma Cap'n."
Mal left her there and held her, "ya promise me Kaywinnet; like ya promised ya pop; like I promised him; ya keep yourself safe. Ya follows orders." Smack Smack!
"Ow, Ow, I promise."
"Good," he said standing her up and ignored the scowl on her face, "now you get this engine room spic and span, then you get ta bed. You can sort things out with Simon in the morning."
Kaylee crossed he arms, sighed then chewed on her lip, thinking of a way ta explain things ta Simon. Mal dwelled at the door then returned to his young crewman. He took her by the shoulders of her folded arms and kissed the top of her head, then looked down into her eyes, "If ya want my advice, you best let him cool down a might. Get it right in his head. He's on our side, if there is anyone that's going to see through Ashleigh Harvey it will be him, but not if you're cloudin' his mind."
Kaylee looked back up at her captain, her friend and head of their family, "When did you get so wise in the ways of the heart?"
"Always been wise, jist ain't that brave." He declared and kissed her forehead as he left to her task.
oOo
Most of the crew had retired and the ship was eerily quiet. Mal had gone to see Inara and help settle Anthony, who they had decided might best sleep in with Inara instead of being by himself in River's room. River sat at the cockpit and watched the stars enjoying the relative peace for the time being. The calm before the storm. She mused amused herself by visualizing animals formed by the shapes of the stars.
Simon had finished up in the infirmary, when Ashleigh came in. "All set?" he asked. .
"Yes thank you. I'd just like to send that wave to Dr Humphries if I could."
"Sure. Is it secure?"
"Oh yeah."
"Fine , here use this comm." He indicated the comm screen on the workbench behind him.
"Thanks." She said and waited for him to leave her alone, "I'll flick the lights."
"Good, yeah, well thanks." Said Simon and left for his bunk, pausing slightly to ponder the empty corridor that lead to the engine room then back to Kaylee's quarters. Chewing on his bottom lip, he continued in thought to his old empty room.
Ashleigh punched the address into the Viscomm and within seconds a middle aged man visualized, "Ashleigh, where are you?"
"I'm okay George; there's been a change of plans, all good I hope. We may not have to intercept Serenity after all."
"Ashleigh, wait we've got bigger problems."
"What's happened?"
"The facility has been raided. Well not the whole facility just your offices. Alliance officials of some kind. They identified themselves as the research administration body. They've confiscated all your research!"
"What?"
"Yes Files, test studies, samples; everything."
"What about your people?"
"No, nothing here, but it may be only a matter of time."
"What about Anna and Carl did they get to you this afternoon?"
"Yes they are here, Anna is safe, and so are some of the others here, though I dare say any test subjects you had registered at the facility will be of interest to them as well. I'm getting everyone out of here. You know wherewe'll be. Get there when you can."
"I may need help at Niska's."
"We will see what we can do in a couple of days, but be careful. You don't want them searching for you, they will be, eventually; once they figure out some of those files. They think you're on vacation. Carl has done well; there is no record of Serenity having anything to do with the facility. So you will have some time up your sleeve, but be alert. Contact me in a couple of days."
"Fine George, but I'm worried, we've tried so hard."
"Hey, Ashleigh Louise Harvey, you stay calm just be cautious. Watch Niska; she could be a friend or adversary, depending on the circumstances."
"What about the captain and his crew. I hate keeping this from them. But they wouldn't understand. They're risking so much."
"I leave that up to you, you know who you can trust, though right now, go with the original scenario. I've got to go we're moving out now."
"Damn" said Ashleigh. "Well Doctor Tam seems your little girlfriend has done us all a favor. Now all I need is something for this fucking headache!"
Jiù xiàng yī duī yán shí de tòng kǔ nín kě yǐ xuǎn zé jìn xíng fù zài rēngzàirén zhǐ shìngtātǎngzài nà lǐ huònínkě yǐ
"Suffering is like a pile of rocks. You can choose to carry the load, throw them at someone, just let it lay there,
Gòu jian yīzuòtán or you can build an altar."
TBC
Chapter 15
All the Rights.
A.N. Sorry this story is taking so long. I have the ending all sorted out, it's just getting everyone there in one piece that's taking time and consideration. Thanks to Missguenever for keeping me true to the verse. I can't make any promises about how soon the next chapter will take. I have a sick child, very much on the mend but time is precious. Please review, mylady deserves some praise and I could do with the pleasant distraction.