"The military are looking for me? What in blazes for?"
"I dunno, Doctor," said Mal, leaning against one of the med bay counters. "A more interestin' question to me is, who would be willing to pay enough to interest them and a whole lotta other folk in lookin' for you in the first place?"
There was a clink! as Simon placed yet another metal shard from Wash's arm on a blood-spotted tray. A sheet had been put up to block the view of the more gory aspects of the operation from the rest of the crew, aside from Zoe, who stood beside the table, gripping Wash's hand. They were resigned to the fact that it was happening; he was alive, at least.
The rest of the crew sat or stood around inside the bay. Inara had even put in an appearance, despite having an appointment for later that day in another town. She sat beside Kaylee, holding her hand and stroking her hair in a soothing manner.
"I haven't the faintest idea, Captain," said the Doctor, rubbing the back of his neck. "I haven't been to this sector of space before, at this time at least." He paused. "I wonder if I will, though..." He shook his head. "That's neither here nor there." He pulled out a hand held data pad. "Perhaps I could research out... no, we don't have the time."
"This is gettin' us a whole lotta nothin', " said Jayne in a surly tone. "We're dirtside, alive, an' we're just sittin' here with our thumb up our butt."
"If Jed's looking for us, he'll find us, sir," said Zoe. "I doubt they'll try anything with local law so close by." She looked down at Wash, then back up. "Wouldn't do to just lock ourselves in. We need supplies, and to make repairs."
Mal looked over to argue the point, but saw she had no more attention for him. She'd said her piece.
Simon nodded at her, setting the forceps aside. "I've done what I can," he said. He began to stitch the arm closed. "He'll need bed rest," he said, glancing over at Mal a moment, "or at least to keep that arm immobilized for a while."
Book spoke up. "Captain, if you're concerned that someone might recognize one of your crew if they leave the ship, perhaps I could go in their stead."
"You know the ins an' outs of gettin' a ship berthed, Shepherd?"
"I have some idea," Book said. "I'm confident that the local ground crews could help me fill in the gaps. Unless you have additional instructions?"
"Just a few," said Mal. "For one thing - Jayne, where are you going?"
Jayne had stood and was heading for the door. "Out o' my ruttin' mind just sittin' here," he said. "I ain't stayin' cooped up."
"Just- hold on, all right?" said Mal. "If everyone would just- Doctor, what are you doing with that?"
The Doctor looked up from the device. "Hm? Oh, just reading this message."
"What - message?"
"Sorry. It's a message from Badger. I may speak to him later, but this is the gist of it. He does tell me here about the whole business of bribed people looking for me, but I think he may be mistaken about the military."
"They're not looking for you?"
"Oh no, they are, just likely not for the reason he gives."
"Not very helpful," said Simon, who had finished stitching up the arm and was bandaging it. "I really don't like the idea of Alliance troops coming in-"
"You just stick with the patchin' up," said Mal. He turned to the Doctor. "I don't like that thought either," he said, "but that's all talk that Badger gave us earlier. What other info he give you?"
The Doctor paused. "It seems his agents have found the one I've been looking for," he said. "Someone matching her description was last seen on this moon not too long ago."
"Her? Who is she?" said Kaylee.
"My assistant, Jo. She vanished from my ship just before it became nonoperational. I was able to trace her down to this system, but no further."
Wash managed to sit up. "So this has been kind of a rescue mission for you?"
"Indeed."
"Hold on," said Mal. "Why didn't ya just tell me in the first place?"
"It didn't seem that you would have the time or specific resources to conduct such a search," said the Doctor. "You were already in the middle of a job, and between one thing and another, the subject never came up."
"Information that still coulda been useful," said Mal. "For both o' us."
"Couldn't ya just use yer Readin' ways ta find her?" said Jayne.
The Doctor frowned at him. "I don't have long-range psychic abilities. Besides, I couldn't easily sense her, any more than I could you."
"What's that supposed ta mean?" said Jayne.
"She's not a magic girl from beyond time and space," said River, over the intercom. "So far from home, but just a girl."
"You know, she's actually making sense," said Wash. He looked up at Simon. "Does that mean the drugs are still working?"
Simon ignored him. "Are you feeling better, River?"
"She's hidden herself," said River. "Away from the eyes, the whips. But she can see you, can whisper hidden. We must stay hidden..."
Her voice shifted to something flat and unemotional. "Captain. Men at the hold. Here to see you."
"圣洁马饼干 ," said Mal. "Outta the fryin' pan..." He checked his holster, then nodded. "Zoe, Jayne - with me. Book - see if you can get out without them noticin'. Real quiet like - don't be drawin' any fire."
"I think I can manage," said Book.
Mal then looked over at Inara.
"I'll take Kaylee to my shuttle," she said. "That is, if she can be moved?"
"It should be all right," said Simon. "Just try not to touch your face or your eyes, no matter how much it itches, okay?"
" 'kay," said Kaylee. "You all stay safe, 'specially you, Cap'n."
"Don't you worry," said Mal. He looked to Inara again. "Might be best you make that appointment."
"You watch yourself," Inara said. With a hand from Jayne, she got Kaylee to her feet and guided her out the door.
Mal grabbed Jayne's shoulder as he started to follow them. "I think she can handle her business on her own," he said. Jayne frowned, but stepped back from the door.
"Looks like we just might be gettin' some of that action you were whingin' about," said Mal, checking his pistol. He then stalked out the door in the direction of the hold. Zoe followed close on his heels, after making sure Wash was comfortable.
Jayne pulled out his pistol, checked it over, then re-holstered it, leaving it in a ready position. "It's about gorram time," he said, and left.
"All right," said Mal, his hand on the main doors control. "Let's get this over with." He flipped the switch. The main doors ground open to reveal at least seven figures standing in the fading evening sun.
"Hello, Mal," said one of them in the lead, removing a pair of sun shades.
"Jed."
Jed turned and nodded to a pair of heavyset, officious-looking men standing nearby. "It's all right, I'll handle the paperwork on this one."
The nearer one looked like he was about to protest, but the other just grabbed him by the shoulder and nodded. "Sounds fine, Mr. Kathan," he said. "We'll just drop by later to pick it up."
They put on a surprsing turn of speed in ambling away. Jed turned back and started walking up the gangway, followed by several men. All were wearing at least one belted gun, and two carried high-powered hunting rifles.
"No sudden moves," Mal muttered. "Somethin's up."
"Don't gotta tell me twice," Jayne said, keeping his hands casually clear of his belt.
Jed stopped in front of Mal. He took a puff on his cigar. "I hear you want to talk to me about somethin'. Well, seeing how your ship is banged up..." He glanced around, a sympathetic look on his face. "...I guess we could skip the formalities. What-"
CRACK!
Mal's fist took Jed solidly in the jaw, sending him caroming off into the Mule, catching himself just before falling.
"饥饿的火猴子!" said Jayne, his hand coming up filled with pistol, while at the same time Zoe fast-drew her hogleg and aimed it at the nearest thug. As usual in these kind of situations, though, they found themselves staring down the barrels of quite a few more weapons than they had.
Mal kept his hands where they could be seen, though he held his punchin' hand in his other, gritting his teeth in pain.
Jed brought himself back to his feet.
"Ya'd better have a damn good reason. Fast."
"That gorram 'favor' I was doin' you nearly got us all killed."
Jed drew up short. "Killed. Really."
"Yer full o'-" one of his men said.
Jed held up a hand. "Hold on. This could be interesting."
"But sir-"
"Remember Mike."
The other men looked various degrees of uncomfortable. "Y- yes, sir."
Mal looked around at the suddenly cowed men. "You knew somethin' was up with that box?"
"Only after the fact. Just some comment the man made, but a suspicion nonetheless." He turned to Zoe. "Did it cause some trouble?"
"Damn near took the ship apart," said Zoe. "Even had some back-up system that almost finished the job on re-entry."
"Well, God-damn," said Jed. He nodded at the group. "Pardon, but I don't care to disguise my disgust in another's lingo." He stroked his chin. "Not that I don't trust your word of honor, Corporal Allyene-"
"Washburne," said Zoe.
"Right. I still would like a third party opinion." He turned toward Jayne. "You're a merc, I take it."
"Yeah," said Jayne, a touch wary.
"I pay for your honest opinion, you'll give it," said Jed. "Nothing hostile to Mal, just what you saw."
"Well-"
Jed took a small pouch from one of the men and tossed it to him. He caught it, then looked inside. Eyebrow-raisin' ensued.
"Just your honest assessment of the situation, as a seasoned fighting man. No more, no less. Is what they're talking about true? That box really caused that much trouble?"
Jayne balanced the pouch in one hand, considering it. He looked up.
"Man to man." He stepped forward, hands at his sides. "With all that happened, what took hold 'a me..." He closed his eyes, then looked back up.
"I ain't never been that afraid for my life. For my 樱桃饼吃 soul." He shook his head, and glared at Mal and Zoe. "Don't you say a gorram thing."
"I don't think they will," said Jed, looking at their faces. "I think you just earned that gold, Mr. Cobb." He turned red. "That bastard!"
"So-"
"Oh, I think I know what's going on, now. Just one more thing."
He motioned to a large fellow nearby-
WHUD.
A ham-sized fist drove right into Mal's gut, doubling him over.
He crumpled to the ground, stars dancing in the rapidly graying light, as his lungs betrayed him.
Jed knelt down beside Mal as he clutched his stomach, struggling to gasp for breath.
"You know, I don't hold that sock to the jaw against you," he said in a quiet voice. "Not as itself. Do you know why? Because I understand."
He paused to pick the cigar he'd been smoking off the floor.
"I saw the war from both sides. Officer and grunt. The stupidity, the cowardice, of the orders that disregarded good intelligence, that killed our men."
He studied the cigar a moment, then continued.
"It was slaughter. It's one reason I've gone into the business I have. To avenge them. To make those hypocritical bastards pay in the one way closest to their hearts. Their wallets."
He knocked the ash off the end of cigar and held out his hand. One of his men put a lighter in his hand, and he re-lit the cigar. Gave it a few puffs, watching the end flare each time.
"The reason I took offense is that you disrespected your own. This cigar?"
He took a long drag.
"One of the last batch off Shadow. See, I saved this for seein' you, Mal. One of your moon's last survivors, and you knocked it to the ground. That," he said, pausing to blow a cloud of smoke in Mal's face, "I can't abide."
He stood back up. "I also can't stand double crossin' 'customers' who think they can play fast an' loose with my supply lines." He nodded to Zoe and Jayne. "You get him upright and come with us," he said. "I'm gonna need more hard data if we're gonna deal with this guy right."