Shades of the Past – Chapter Twenty
Don't own it, just playing, don't sue, please:)
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Serenity lifted into the night, fully fueled and cargo on board. River guided the ship gracefully into atmo, and then into the black, on a heading back to Argo.
Watchful eyes followed the ship until it was out of sight, then made a short comm call. His job done, the watcher walked slowly away.
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"Captain, we appear to have company."
Mal limped to the bridge at River's call. He'd been afraid of something like this, one of the reasons he'd decided to depart in the dark. He had hoped that would throw off anyone waiting for them. Apparently it hadn't worked.
"What've we got, Albatross?" he asked when he reached the bridge.
"Looks like one ship," she pointed to the scanner screen. "They're trying to shadow us," she added.
"Feel'em?" he asked.
"Some," she nodded. "Waiting for something."
"Any idea what?" She shook her head. Mal considered for a moment, then paled. He grabbed the mike from overhead.
"Jayne! Upper airlock, and hurry! Zoe, you too!" He turned to River. "Got any ideas?"
"Has to be outside," she whispered. "Couldn't have made it inside, except for the cargo bay while we were off loading, or loading." Mal grabbed the mike again.
"Kaylee, Simon, Cargo bay! I'll be there in a minute!" He replaced the mike and headed off the bridge. "Keep an eye on'em, Albatross. Call me if anything changes."
Jayne was on the hull, EVA, looking for anything that didn't belong. Mal, Zoe, Simon and Kaylee were doing likewise in the cargo bay. They all jumped when Jayne's voice came over the comm.
"Mal, I think I found it." His voice was tense. "There's a grey box attached to the hull, just below the fuel intake. Looks like it's attached by magnet. One red light on the near end, and what looks like a readout panel on the far. Nothing showing on that."
"Jayne," Kaylee was on the comm, "look real careful where the box touches the hull. See if there's any sign of a wire, like a ground wire, or maybe looks even like a loose one. But don't touch it!"
"Yeah," Jayne called back after two minutes. "There's a wire almost the same color as the hull, looks like it runs right into the ship. I can see sealant, or epoxy or something on it." Kaylee nodded, though she knew Jayne couldn't see her.
""Right Jayne, now listen. That wire is a failsafe, most like. They may have the bomb on a timer, or maybe it's set to be activated by transmission. I'm going with a timer, cause transmission ain't dependable in the black from very far. There's probably a delay built in to it, say five seconds."
"If you can rip the bomb off and toss it in a hurry, you should have several seconds 'for it decides to detonate."
"Kaylee, did you hear how many 'ifs, should's and might's' there were in all that? I mean, I did." Jayne's voice was strained. "And don't get me started on the 'probably's and maybe's'" he added with a snort.
"It's all we got Jayne," Kaylee was apologetic. "Probably set to go off 'bout midway through the trip, far away as possible from anywhere. But it could be set to go off in the next ten minutes for all we know."
"Kaylee, if you're trying to make me feel better, I gotta tell ya mei-mei; you suck at it." Kaylee couldn't help but giggle.
"Sorry, Jayne," she smiled into the comm. "Just lettin' ya know the score, s'all."
"I 'bout got that figured out, myself," Jayne didn't quite mutter. "Cap'n, might be best you get everyone into the shuttles. I trust Kaylee to know her business, but. . ."
"I got you," Mal said into the comm. He turned. "You heard the man. GO!" The others scrambled for the shuttles. Mal hit the comm. "Albatross, you head for the shuttles as well. You can't help from up there."
"I'll stay," came the reply, shaky though it was. Mal bit back a curse.
"River, you can't help from there, and you ain't needed at the helm for the next few minutes. If this goes bad, we'll all have to take the shuttles and head back to Astra." There was no answer. Jayne suddenly cut in.
"River, baby girl, you can't help me," he said soothingly. "I gotta do this, try and save the ship if I can. It's our home. But it would be a might easier on me knowin' you was safe in the shuttle when I yank this thing off here." He was quiet for a minute, and heard no response.
"Please?" he added, his voice gentle.
"Jayne, I. . ." she started.
"I know, baby girl," Jayne's voice came back. "I know."
"If you die, I will never forgive you," River finally answered. "Never. I'm headed to Inara's shuttle, Captain." Mal released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, and could hear Jayne's sigh over the comm as well.
"Thanks, Jayne," he said quietly.
"Didn't do it for you," Jayne shot back, and Mal swore he could hear the smile. "I already did plenty for you today. Know how much that gun cost?" Mal couldn't help but chuckle. He knew that Jayne was just easing tension.
"I know what they wanted for it on Persephone," he answered. "Wasn't cheap."
"And what do I get in return?" Jayne groused in good humor. "I get blamed for you gettin' shot. Like you need any help gettin' shot," he added with a snort.
"I admit, I do seem to get hurt more often than most," Mal chuckled, releasing some of his own tension. "But if you had. . ."
"I got the guy that got you," Jayne pointed out.
"And I thank you for it," Mal nodded, though Jayne couldn't see it. "Jayne, I'm curious about something. You've spent a good deal of coin today, and I know it didn't come from me. You got a second job I don't know about?"
"Now that just plumb hurts, Mal," Jayne replied. "I don't work for no one but you. Ain't even thought on working no where else in a good while." Mal smiled at that admission.
"Mal, you might better head to the shuttle," the timbre of Jayne's voice changed. "Im'a 'bout ready to yank this thing, and I don't rightly know. . ." his voice trailed off.
"If'n somethin' happens, goes wrong I mean," Jayne said after a minute. "There's a couple letters in a box under my bunk. One of 'em is from Book. The other is the location of a safety deposit box, with the key and instructions on how to get to it. If. . .if I don't. . .well, give it to River, okay?"
"Tell her to use it wisely, and live the life she was denied. Do that for me?"
Mal's throat was tight, and his eyes burned a little. He should be the one doing this. But his leg wasn't up to it.
"Mal?" Jayne said into the silence.
"I hear ya, Jayne," Mal answered. "I promise, I'll see to it. Give ya' my word."
"Well, that's good enough for me. Had me worried there for a minute. Now you need to git. I'll give ya thirty seconds, and then I'm pullin' the plug 'for my nerve runs out."
"I'm going," Mal said, the left at as fast a pace as he could manage.
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River sat huddled in Inara's shuttle, the older woman's arm wrapped around her. She was trying valiantly not to cry, and so far not doing well at it.
"River, I'm sure Jayne can do this," Inara soothed her, trying to project confidence. It wasn't easy.
"Too many variables," River muttered. "Too many unknowns to calculate chances of successful outcome. Odds are. . .high."
"River, sweetie," Inara tried again, "if anyone in the 'verse is good at beating long odds, it's Jayne Cobb. I mean, look at what he's accomplished in life. It may not seem like much, but consider that he started at fourteen, on his own, with no one to look out for him, or help him along his way." She lightly kissed the top of River's head.
"He's a strong and stubborn man," she added, smiling. "Too stubborn to die on the hull of a ship in the black, with someone like you inside who loves him."
"I think he loves me, too," River said quietly. "Afraid to show it, afraid to feel it. But I have worn him down," she said proudly.
"Well, I knew you would, eventually, if you were patient, and kept trying. And I think he loves you too, if it helps. As to his fear," Inara sighed, "Jayne has lost so much in his life, River, that his fear is understandable. He is afraid because he doesn't think he can bear to lose anyone else." She considered for a minute and added, "And, I could hear in his voice, when he was speaking to you, that he is afraid to lose you. Which means, in all likelihood, that yes, you have worn him down."
River sobbed, her small frame shaking from it.
"He has the worst timing."
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Jayne looked at the box. It was like a single red eye, staring him down. Daring
him to try and live. Challenging him to be better than it was. Stronger.
As he waited for Mal to have time to reach the shuttle, Jayne pondered on many things. It was odd, he thought, the things that could run through a man's mind when he was facing almost certain death. He wasn't stupid. Even if the bomb waited five, or even ten seconds before going off, it would likely kill him.
He thought back to his family. If he hadn't been gone on the 'raising', he'd have been there when the Alliance commandoes attacked. He'd have been killed alongside his family, and that would have been that.
Then he thought about his meeting Stormy, and her taking him under her wing. If she hadn't, then he would likely have died somewhere in some Alliance camp, over-reaching himself in his attempt to hurt the Alliance as they had hurt him. And Stormy would be dead, left to die on a cross, when she was captured.
Things happen for a reason, son.
Book's voice sounded in his ears. He resisted the urge to look around for the older man, the man who had been a second father to him, even for so short a time. The man who had spared the mysterious Shade, number one on the Alliance hit list, even when he had him dead to rights. He'd never given a thought to the meal he'd give the old man. Didn't remember it at all, until he read Book's letter. It had been a passing kindness, for someone he thought had been displaced by the war. There hadn't been any thought in it, really. It just happened.
Things happen for a reason.
He thought about Miranda. How Wash had died, while he lived. How they had all suffered. He had managed to drag Zoe away from the reavers, but not win the battle. That had taken River, and the assassin training forced on her by the Alliance. He'd never been ashamed of that. River was strong, and she had stepped up when she was needed. Saved them all.
All in all, River Tam was a hell of a woman. Jayne didn't figure a man could do any better.
But she could do better than him. They'd never have met if he hadn't shot Marco and took Mal's offer. He never did give much thought to that. Didn't even know why he did it.
Things happen for a reason.
"What's the reason, Book," he said softly, forgetting the comm. "I mean I believe ya, and all. You never once lied to me, and I don't think you ever would. So what's the reason? Why have I lived so long, wantin' ta die, only to find a reason to live, and be faced with death? I don't get it. I mean, I ain't afraid to die. Never have been, and you know that. Better'n anyone 'cept maybe Storm. But if I'm gonna die, well, why give me a reason to live? Don't make no sense."
"I tried to do what you asked, Book," he went on. "I stayed, looked after 'em best I could. That's what I'm doin' now, matter o' fact. But why do things have to get so complicated? Why can't it just be simple? There's a reason I try not to care 'bout people, you know. Why couldn't you leave well enough alone?"
"I guess though, if I wasn't here, then maybe the bomb might kill 'em all," he said after a moment. "Be like losing my family, all over again. So maybe that's the reason? I made it all this way for them? I can live with that." He laughed at his choice of words. "Okay, I can die with that," he amended. He looked up, though that was relative in the black.
"Preacher, I know you're up there somewhere, watchin'. If'n you could put in a good word for me about now, I'd take it as a kindness of the highest order. One way or 'nother."
With that, Jayne gripped the box with both hands, and yanked as hard as he could. The box came loose with little trouble, and Jayne saw the red eye blink at him.
He threw it as hard as he could, away from the ship, and then scrambled for the airlock.
He almost made it. Almost.
He was aware of the bomb going off, and then felt a giant fist slam him against the hull. He tried to keep going, but nothing seemed to work, and his vision was kind of screwy. He felt himself floating free, into the black.
But I ain't losing another family, he thought, oddly satisfied. Only one regret flashed before him as the darkness closed in.
"I shoulda at least told ya I loved ya. Always was a coward. . ." he muttered, then the world went black.