"Everything's sealed tight." Jayne grunted as he entered the mess and dropped the last of the air tanks onto the table. "It'll keep what air's in there, so's when we get our part, we'll be able to move through the ship and fix her, but the system's only circulating through here and up to the bridge now."
"Good work, Jayne," Mal clapped him on his back as he surveyed the mess. Simon and Riddick were securing River's stretcher in the small alcove which housed the emergency seats; Wash and Kaylee were working on the bridge to boost the signal; Inara and Book sorted through the small crates they'd loaded up with blankets and thermal packs; while Zoe worked on the regulators. "Doc, how is she?"
Simon exhaled deeply before answering. "Stable, but her body went into shock from the blast."
"Why's she still out?" Mal asked as he crouched down next to Riddick.
"There's no clear answer for that, and the few I have as possibilities, I'm not so sure of myself. I still don't know what they did to her at the Academy, it could have an effect, or it might not have anything to do with it at all." He fought to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "The force of the blast is what hurt her, it could be another hour, it could be several. We just have to wait for her to come back to us."
/ Getting sick of waiting, girl. / Riddick mentally warned her but, just as every time before, only silence answered him.
Mal nodded and rose. He turned back to the table where Jayne now sat helping Zoe assemble the regulators. "How long will those buy us?"
"Should start using them now." Zoe said. "It'll lessen the amount of air we breathe in that Serenity's got left. They'll buy us another twelve hours, maybe less. If Kaylee's able to rig some kind of scrubber, we'll have more."
"I know the idea of sleeping may seem a bit incredible at this point," The Shepherd offered, "-but that will help preserve what air we have left. Conserve the energy in our bodies as well."
"He's right." Simon confirmed.
"Signal's as strong as it's gonna get." Wash interrupted as he and Kaylee came back down.
"I sealed up all the bunks too." Kaylee added. "Got the ventilation fans to pull out whatever air was trapped in there and routed it in here."
"Alright, then," Mal said setting his features. "We do this in shifts, two on the bridge to monitor our levels and wait for that help on high that the Preacher is so fond of talkin' about. The rest of us, bunker down in here. Save the thermal packs for now, it's cold but it ain't losin' appendages cold just yet. Jayne and Kaylee, ya'll take the first watch, so Kaylee can see if she can't rig that scrubber for us."
"Need to come up with a plan in case that help from on high turns out to be somethin' worse." Riddick spoke up from his position on the floor by River's stretcher.
"Riddick's right." Jayne affirmed. "Most like anybody out in these parts are bad guys like us."
"We ain't always bad guys." Kaylee said optimistically.
"Don't mean whoever comes a knockin' ain't gonna be." Zoe conceded as well.
"When we get the call." Mal refused to use the word 'if' at this point. "We hold our cards close, and deal with that as it comes. This is what's before us now. Alright, ya'll know what ya have to do, two hour shifts on the bridge. Kaylee, you get to work. The rest of us will finish up the regulators and then we keep activity and conversation to a minimal; anything to conserve energy and air."
*T*F*C*
The air on Serenity grew almost unbearably cold by hour four of their vigil and the crew lapsed into utter silence as they huddled together under the thermal blankets and, when the portable heater shorted out in hour five, they resorted to the thermal packs. Riddick accepted his share of rationed out packs. He cracked them and added them to River's stretcher.
The escaped convict had kept up a running mental dialogue with her; as one-sided as it may have been. He talked, or rather thought-spoke, more words then he had ever streamed together in quite possibility the last ten years. He had shared these thoughts with her before in the exercises they used to strengthen the bond, but this was more than just images. He told her about the homes he'd lived in as a child; the day the Alliance came and told him he was something special; of leaving behind Tanya, the little girl he'd saved from one of the staff workers and how she had cried and begged him not to go with the soldiers; and so much more. He told her about Rhea, the girl from Sigma Three. He told her what happened to the officer he'd slaughtered in her name. How it was the first time he'd felt control over that thing inside him. The first time he'd enjoyed a kill and tasted blood.
Riddick tried provoking her. Threatening her brother; threatening to leave her ass behind if she couldn't keep up. How the Blue Hands had picked up their trail and would most like take out the entire crew when they caught up.
The cold began to sting at him, and he closed his eyes and slowed his breathing; systematically slowing down his system and forcing his body to conserve energy. He fell back into the place inside of his mind where he went in cryo; to keep apart of himself awake and aware. It was the part that was ruled by instinct and survival; the part he knew separated him from others. The part, as River had so adeptly pointed out once, which made it impossible for him to fully rejoin the human race. He felt a tug. The slightest of pulls and the scent of volcanic ashes filled his nostrils.
I grow weary of waiting Furyan.He heard her voice first, and when he opened his eyes,
He was on the mountain side plateau.
It was full dark on Furya.
The violet clouds blocked out all light from the stars and moons which orbited his homeworld.
It was of little consequence.
His vision narrowed to the small figure lying in the grass beside where Shirah knelt. The figure's face was concealed by a wild tangle of hair;
He didn't need to see her face to know it was River.
The humid air seemed to magnify her scent;
The silence;
Her heartbeat.
Got problems of my own. His tone was angry as he stepped away from the trees and crossed to crouch down beside River.
As I am aware.Her voice was sincere as she brushed a few strands of hair away from River's face. You called me.
Never wanted you in the first place, why the fuck would I call you?
She turned to face him, but did not rise. There was no anger on her face, just sorrow. Long have I whispered, long have I waited for you to call me for your own.
And now you do.
For the sake of her, not for me, or your people.
My pride should be wounded.
Such a small, fragile creature. She regarded River.
But it is through her you will come to know.
Know what?
My dearest child, have you not questioned at all why you are able to speak with her as you do?
The Contract.
Shirah laughed. The sound itself was hauntingly beautiful.
You wanna share? He asked roughly as he regarded River as well; she looked more serenely at rest then he had ever seen her. What'd you do to her? He demanded.
You assume much.
Riddick snorted. She keeps saying that.
She is not innocent either. Shirah chided.
You didn't answer my question.
I have no power over your world. This-,she swept her arm out over the expanse of land and night turned to day, though the sun did not burn his eyes as the light filtered through the clouds to give the illusion of an endless dusk. -is all that remains of what I am, of what you are; here my domain begins and ends.
You make as much sense as she does. Riddick grunted as he laid the back of his hand against River's cheek to check her warmth.
Only because you do not listen.
She says that too. Why's she here than?
Because you choose for it to be so. This, is the sanctuary she finds in your mind. The quiet she feels, there is nothing left of our people to echo, he took the souls of those that died; And those that lived, died as something else, they died less than what they were.
She could not be here without your permission.
Let's pretend like that makes any kind of sense at all and go back to the part about why I can hear her and the others can't. Why is it I'm the Rock and not her brother? If it's not the Contract, then what?
It is part her gift, and part your birthright, Alpha Furyan. It is for the same reason I can speak with you and have been with you every moment of your life.
When are we gonna get to the part where you start making sense?
Shirah's eyes flashed a brilliant blue, visible to even his limited color range, and he found himself nearly crippled with pain. As quickly as it had come, it was gone.
You overstep yourself. She warned and while Riddick recovered she hummed softly to River as she picked up the young woman's hand and traced the lines of her palm. When you are ready to listen, I will speak.
It took every ounce of Riddick's self-control to bite back the snarl on his lips as he forced the air back into his lungs. How do you do that?
You are in my domain. Are you ready to listen? Or shall I send you back with no answers for your insolence?
Tell me.
His voice rumbled darkly. His eyes briefly flashed just as Shirah's had and a small smile graced the woman's lips.
There are other worlds then the ones they know, other systems, other races, assumption is a failing of the weak. The war their records speak of was not the first. We survived the first, the Necromongers did not. Our world did not. She looked away and into the burning valley below her.
The survivors sought a safe haven, hidden amongst a newly expanding race of people.
Generations passed and our blood mingled with theirs.
The Alpha lines were the last of the pureblood Furyans.
The last with eyes that mark us for what we are.
The world the government you know records as Fury; it was the haven the remnants of our people sought.
A second chance for us.
Your mate was not wrong.
Though her words were not for us.
There is no Haven for those that seek it. Others found the destruction we left in our wake.
You did not exist until she named you.
We would have remained safe.
From the ashes, they resurrected the words which had brought the downfall of our original enemy,
And so it began again.
This time, they were stronger.
This time, we did not survive.
You are the last of the purebloods.
This is why I can speak with you.
Furyans were not telepathic.
This is not telepathy.
This is not a trick of the mind.
This is what we were.
What we are.
What you call instinct, is an inferior word.
Our minds are different.
Different doors and pathways.
Her mind has found those pathways.
You chose to open the doors.
They made her as she is.
You were born to be as you are.
If all that's true, Riddick began, though the truth of it echoed through his blood, why couldn't I hear her from the beginning? Why after Triumph?
Had you ever tried to listen? Had you ever tried to block her out? I merely showed you what you had forgotten. How else did you think you survived? What you call instinct, that thing which tells you where your enemy is the weakest; how you can be awoken from a deep slumber by the sound of a footstep, or a change in breathing or heartbeat? In this you strength is greater than hers. She was made, you were born.
Riddick managed a slight chuckle. She's gonna be so pissed. She hates bein' wrong, and we were wrong about everything.
Assumption is a failing of the weak. Everything you know will change.
She makes sense when you listen. She trailed her index finger along River's palm.
They wanted this one.
Yeah, no shit. Riddick snorted as he tried to process everything he had been told.
Not who you think.
Who?
All in time. The knowledge serves no purpose now. Furya will have her vengeance. This little one, will have her blood. Shirah gently placed River's hand into Riddick's.
She is yours Furyan.
Hunt with your clan,
And all will fall before your feet.
My clan? Riddick repressed the urge to laugh.
She is yours. She ran her fingers gently along River's cheekbone.
And others will follow.
She ain't following anything like this. Riddick retorted as his eyes rested on the hand Shirah had given him.
Again Shirah laughed.
Somethin' funny about this? He nearly growled but checked himself at the memory of pain and the quick flash of Shirah's eyes.
You are an Alpha, call her, and she has no choice but to follow.
She was made, you were born. She is yours.
Shirah reached over and held River and Riddick's entwined hands between her own two and lifted them to her lips.
Awaken, Furyan.
*T*F*C*
"Firefly Serenity... This is ...tain Jerran ....rivate salva... S.S. Walden ...distr... beacon..do you re... " The cortex screen flickered and crackled to life.
"Zoe..." Mal swallowed hard as the large salvage ship came into view from the bridge window. "Zoe." He called again and this time her head jerked.
"That really there, sir?" She croaked out from behind chapped lips.
"Tell the crew."
*T*F*C*
"Quarry, D. Adams," Twelve brought up the image of an elderly dark skinned man. "Former commander for The Company Branch on Sigma Three and known associate of Quarry R. Riddick; has evaded capture since conviction." His fingers continued to move across the holographic keyboard as he brought up an image of each member of Serenity. "Quarry M. Reynolds and Z. Washburne, both awarded medals of valor for The Battle of Serenity. Quarry J. Cobb, wanted on six worlds, crimes ranging from petty larceny to murder. Quarry K. Frye, no record. Quarry H. Washburne, no record; it is worthy to note, however, he was actively courted by Alliance military, Special Flight Operations. Quarry I. Serra, a complication, her face is distinguished amongst the guild, especially within the House of Madressa."
"It will need to be a terrestrial confrontation." Nine remarked. "Two former Independent soldiers, two Company operatives, and a mercenary."
"She has entrenched herself well."
"We will have to strike at the parts separately; to attack the whole would be unwise."
"Agreed."
"The Companion is too public a figure; she must be dealt with discreetly. Our traditional methods will not do." Nine swiveled around in his chair to face his counterpart. "Bring up her Companion registration."
Twelve's fingers raised another sub-screen and a moment later the Companion's complete history appeared before them. "Can she be recalled to Sihnon?"
Nine filtered through the text. "No. She is not House Bound." He frowned slightly.
"She is, however, bound by guild law." Twelve's voice held a hint of pleasure as he highlight her current status. "She is due for her yearly re-registration. She has two weeks remaining."
"Place of registration?"
"Where one door closes, another opens. Ariel."
Nine laughed. The sound was so startlingly out of character the action seemed almost slightly painful. "They are so very generous to bring her home to us."
"I shall set course."
Nine turned back to his screens.
*T*F*C*
"I'm sorry for your troubles Captain, they sound many; but you do understand I can't invite you and yours aboard my vessel. I have my own to look to. I don't know you." Jerran looked slightly less than sympathetic to Serenity's plight, and Mal bit back the retort on the tip of his tongue.
"Ain't lookin' for a ride, we just need a little push is all." He managed to say with a passable amount of civility. "I got five people of my own needin' to breathe and a girl dangling on the end of the thread."
"Right, your mechanical trouble." The Walden's captain leaned back in his chair, unimpressed. "Your compression coil you say?"
"It was the catalyzer." Mal clarified.
"Not even the coil?" The captain scoffed. "Catalyzer's a bit part."
"It's nothin'... 'Til you don't got one, then it appears to be everything." Mal clenched the side of the console in a white knuckled grip.
"Well, it is possible we might have somethin' for you. We just came off a big salvage job near Ita Moon. I'll have my crew dig around, we'll be in touch." The captain leaned over and killed the connection on his end.
"Lan bi za zhong qi yan fen tu ye (rotten cunt, half breed,-his words are shit-)!" Mal swore as he leapt up from his chair and kicked the console. He immediately regretted it as he doubled over and grabbed for his regulator; forcing air into his lungs.
"They're gonna kill us and take the ship?" Wash tried to translate.
"Either we invite them onboard, or they wait it out; wait for it to get real desperate or just wait for us to die on our own." Zoe added through a clenched jaw.
"Get me in an EVA suit, Mal." Jayne growled. "We saved two just in case; I'll come back with that part."
"Ain't a half bad idea, Jayne." Mal mused.
"Cap'n!" Kaylee admonished. "No! Ain't happenin'! You ain't goin' in there all feng le-like (crazy) by yourself Jayne Cobb!"
Jayne was about to bite off a retort but thankfully Mal saved him from digging that particular grave. "Ain't talkin' like that. Kaylee-girl, iffin' I told you you had ten minutes to make me up something that goes boom, could you do it?"
Jayne chuckled darkly; the intention was clear even to him. "Hell, Cap, grenades and plastic explosives is somethin' we got plenty of. I could do that. Just need Kaylee to wire me a remote. How big a boom you talkin'?"
"Nothin' that would blow us too, just somethin' big enough to a breach their hull; somethin' our out board camera's can look at so's we have somethin' to show our guests. Can you wire that remote, Kaylee?"
"Sure, Cap," she agreed readily; relieved the plan did not involve Jayne diving headlong into a spray of bullets on a strange ship. "Less time than you can spit."
"Get it done then. They mean to make us wait it out for their answer; well my Ma, she was fond of sayin' idle hands are the devil's mischief."
"Ain't that the truth." Jayne grinned. "Let's build us a bomb, girl." He smirked at Kaylee as he threw his arm over her shoulder and lead her down the stairs.
*T*F*C*
Riddick's eyes opened to land on the Shepherd, who was standing at the foot of River's stretcher. The expression on his face was one of contemplation. "Believe I warned you about your proximity to her before, Derrial." Even the lack of oxygen didn't prevent him from speaking in a menacing, gravelly tone as he raised his head.
"She knows things." The Shepherd replied.
"Yeah, no shit, old man."
"Not talking about the reader part." Book shook his head.
"Then you best stop talking." Riddick warned as he slowly stood, his muscles coiled.
"She said some things the other day. Things about numbers and secrets hidden between the lines of things."
"You got a point?"
"Eleven, important number, prime number, one goes into eleven, eleven times." Book quoted and then added, "Numbers, chapter eleven verse eleven, 'And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? And wherefore have I not found favor in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?'"
"You got a point?" Riddick repeated himself.
"Our River has a secret. A secret they want back, doesn't she?"
"She ain't "our", old man." Riddick's voice dropped low as his fingers reflexively twitched for his shiv.
"Wash away my sins; kill in His name and they are exalted. Kill in their name and carry their sins so the blood will never touch them." Book quoted again. "She's not just a psychic is she?"
Riddick closed the distance between himself and the Shepherd before the man had time to register he'd moved. He did not falter from where he stood. He held his ground and though he had to look up he held the convict's eyes as well. "I. Will. Not. Tell. You. Again. She ain't yours to concern yourself with."
"I thought perhaps you would be interested in seeing what River wrote between those particular verses." The Shepherd continued calmly as he reached into his pocket and removed the tattered page; he handed it to Riddick. "They're coordinates. I tried to trace them but they are outside our charted 'verse."
Riddick snatched the page from the Shepherd's hand. "You will keep this to yourself."
"You know I can be trusted, Riddick." Book said simply. "You and I both know they won't stop looking for her. I may have been out of the game for awhile, Riddick, but I can help you, and you know that."
"Ain't lookin' for help from a man of God." Riddick mumbled.
"No, but you need the help of friends. You cannot take those that will come looking on your own. The Company is not forgiving."
"Neither am I, Book." Riddick warned as he stepped away and sank back onto the chair next to River's stretcher. / Anytime you're ready to explain yourself, girl. / Not expecting her to answer. "Besides, thought you were running off to go play shepherd."
"I may be rethinking my destination. River seemed quite adamant on that point." Book said, a semi-smirk quirking over his lips. "I left the Abbey to walk in the world for a spell, perhaps I'm not finished walking it. Perhaps Serenity could use a cook."
"'Are no safe havens.'" Riddick grunted as he reached down and adjusted the blankets over River.
"Riddick." Mal called him. "Get suited up, you and Jayne are taking a walk."
"We got trouble?" Riddick asked without taking his eyes off River.
"Aim to make some." Mal smiled darkly.
"About fucking time."
*T*F*C*
An hour later...
"Well, guess it's your lucky day, Captain Reynolds; got a part that can be fit to your coil."
"I'd appreciate it greatly if we could do a deal." Mal played his part well.
"There's a bit of trouble to that though," The captain drawled out.
"And that would be?" Mal asked; once more finding himself gripping the edge of the console.
"How do I know your story's true? Ambush could be waitin' on me and mine."
"By now you've scanned me, you know I ain't got no power, life support, temperature readings are cold. I'm just a transport ship; Serenity ain't got no guns mounted. Just askin' for a bit of help."
"And what's an honest ship doin' out here in dead space?"
"I could ask the same about you and yours."
"Fair enough, captain." He nodded and waved his hand a bit. "That puts us at a... what's the word for it, Jesse?" He turned around to ask the woman who stood behind him.
"Impasse, Boss." She smiled in dark amusement at the cortex screen.
"That'll do it," he nodded and turned back to Mal and the camera. "Impasse, Captain Reynolds."
"Captain, I ain't got a whole lot of air left over here, so if we ain't got business than you'll understand why I ain't up for the social chat." Mal ground out.
The captain of the Walden chuckled. "We can do business, a hundred platinum."
"That's a mighty steep price for such a bit part there, friend." Mal replied tersely.
"I imagine it might seem like that, but see, it's all about the law of supply and demand. If, o'course, you're not interested you could hope a better deal drifts along out here." He chuckled again. "Ain't your friend, just a like minded businessman."
"Hundred platinum. Shiny." Mal spit out.
"And one more thing Captain Reynolds, before that airlock opens I wanna see all five of ya, even the bit you say is down, and I wanna see hands up; and in one of those hands a sack of coin. You understand, o'course."
"Just as you understand I wanna see the part 'fore I open it on my end."
"You got yourself a deal." He smirked and the transmission died.
"Jayne," Mal said without turning his eyes away from the darkened screen.
"Yeah, Cap?"
"Get Vera."
"No sweeter words." Jayne chuckled darkly. "Been waitin' to try out them new plastic bullets."
"Plastic?" Wash questioned.
"Can shoot all I want, without worryin' 'bout blowin' a hole in the hull." Jayne smirked.
"Blow a nice big hole through somebody's skull still." The corners of Riddick's lips twitched nearly imperceptibly as he and Jayne turned to head down the bridge stairs.
"Can only hope they give me a reason." Jayne chuckled.
"Kinda glad they're on our side." Wash remarked to Marshall. The T-rex couldn't have agreed more.
*T*F*C*
Riddick tied off a length of black nylon cord to the head of River's stretcher as Simon began taking her off the heart monitor.
"I'm really not comfortable with this." Simon openly protested.
"Ain't got a choice, Doc." He didn't think Simon would believe him if he told the doctor that he could hear her heart better than the machines anyway. "If we start shooting, I gotta be able to pull her to cover, those machines won't let me."
"Won't they notice that?" Simon asked referring to the long cord.
"Look around you Doc, whole bay's trashed to hell, one cord won't call attention. They won't be lookin' to her anyway."
"Riddick." Jayne barked and Riddick caught the tossed rifle one handed without looking up. "Plastic bullets." He informed him before moving on to Kaylee.
Riddick stood and led the cord to his chosen spot, a small niche between the ATV and stacking of crates which would shelter River. He ran his eyes along the path the stretcher would have to travel; ensuring it was clear. He judged the lighting in the bay and decided it was worth whatever small amount of pain and pushed his goggles back.
/ Missin' some shit here, girl. Anytime you feel like waking your crazy ass up. /
"Everybody know their part?" Mal asked and was answered by nods and vague grunts. It was good enough he figured. "Kaylee?" He held out his hands and Kaylee tossed him a handheld cortex screen. "This linked?"
"Ya-huh." She nodded as Jayne pulled down the top of her coveralls and knotted it at her waist. He slid the gun he had given her into the back waistband and pulled down her shirt to cover the bulge.
"Let me see you pull it, girl. Click the safety in the same motion, just like I showed ya." He grunted as he stepped back. He watched with a critical eye as she executed the action. "Bring your second hand up so's they can't see it shake girl, plant your feet to take up more space."
"Like this?" She asked, proud her voice shook less than her hand.
"Yeah." He pulled her close for a brief second. "Listen to me." He whispered low as he bent his head to rest against her forehead. "You ain't gonna be shootin', them hun dans (bastards) ain't gonna be dumb enough to fire at us once they see that nice piece of boom we attached to their ship. All this is for show. Ya hear me?"
"Ya-huh." She whispered back.
"They's start shootin', I'm right behind you. Tell me how many steps."
"Ten back, three to the right." She recited mechanically.
"Here's the safety," Zoe pointed out to Inara and Simon. "Leave it on." She had about as much faith the pair could hit something as she did that this would go smooth. "Shootin' starts, just dive for cover."
"Thought the Bible frowned on killin' Preacher." Mal joked as Book joined him on his left.
"Kneecaps, Captain." The Shepherd replied as he checked the clip of the handgun he'd been given. "I won't stand by and be slaughtered."
"Ain't really plannin' on havin' to use them anyhow." Mal shrugged as he placed the screen, powered up at his feet. "Ain't a captain willing to risk a hull breach."
"They're lining up their airlock." Wash called as he dropped down from the ladder which led from the bridge to the bay. He caught the handgun his wife tossed him and took his place to the left of his captain.
Mal, Wash, Zoe, and Book took up their positions in the center of the bay; their bodies half concealing River, still unconscious on the stretcher. Simon, Kaylee, Inara, Riddick and Jayne took up their spots of concealment they had arranged throughout the bay. Mal gave the scene a once over as the red signal light began to flash. Riddick and Jayne had put their idle time to good use; at first glance it looked exactly as it should for a ship which had been through Hell. Only a skilled eye would find the pattern in the carefully ordered chaos.
The red light flashed to green and the now all too familiar face of the captain of the Walden appeared in the airlock window, he held up the catalyzer. Mal nodded to Zoe as the crew centered in the bay raised their hands and Zoe jogged over to the controls to open the air lock door. She caught Inara in her peripheral and gave the semi-terrified woman a nearly imperceptible nod.
The doors opened and the first breath of fresh air Serenity had tasted in the last eight hours rushed into the bay. The crew of Serenity took a collective inhale as the crew of the Walden stepped aboard; guns drawn.
"Check 'em, search the ship." Captain Jarren smirked.
"Point of interest." Mal said before the Jarren's crew could take a step, and gave the powered up cortex screen a slight kick with his foot; as he did so the second half of Serenity's crew popped from their hiding places; guns drawn; the first half stepping closer together to completely shield River's body."This would be an impasse."
"Got eight guns to your five." Jarren gritted out; unfazed, though his crew did not follow his order to disband across the ship.
"And I got a nice piece of shiny attached to your ship." Mal's smirk turned into a full blown grin as he jerked his head down to the cortex screen he'd kicked over.
Cautiously and without lowering his gun or his eyes Jarren bent down to pick up the screen. "What's this?"
"That would be a Hell of a 'fuck you' attached to your ship." Jayne called out; as he did so he raised a small compact black rectangular box.
"I should point out as well," Mal added conversationally. "Man that's holdin' the trigger is a mite tetchy seein' as we been on the edge of death last few hours, and seein' how's he's also not fond of givin' up good coin I'd say it be a good idea to negotiate that price back down to its actual value, fifty platinum."
"Man's got an unhealthy obsession with blowing things up." Riddick informed them in a deadly earnest voice.
"Always brightens my day." Jayne scowled.
The captain of the Walden turned several shades of red as he stared at the image he was holding. "You blow that thing, it'll hit you, too."
"Well, we're pretty much dead anyway without that part. So's it makes no difference to us at this point." Mal gave a dismissive wave of his already raised hands. "See the girl with the pigtails there?" Mal jerked his head back towards Kaylee. "One of your boys is going to lay that part down real careful like in front of her.
Jarren chewed on his lip and exchanged a look with his first mate. "Part's worth eighty." He spat out.
"True," Mal shrugged, "but usually those two scary men behind me manage to rustle up a bit of a discount and given those two little red lights centered on your forehead, we figured you'd be agreeable to it."
"Got a new word for you, Jarren," Zoe broke the silence that had fallen over the bay. "Sanguine."
"Hopeful?" The Walden's captain grunted in confusion.
"Interestingly enough," Mal continued to grin, "also means bloody. Now I'm hopeful you'll take your coin and be on your merry. I'm a businessman, only a crook when I have to be. I'm willin' to pay for that part square. I'll throw in that trigger switch too; but make no mistake, I'll go bloody."
"Ain't a better way to go." Jayne grunted as he cocked Vera.
"We can do business."
*T*F*C*
River let her fingers run along the wooden banister of the Tam's winter estate. She jerked her head around back from the way she came and tilted it slightly to the left.
Odd, she had time to think.
Whispers.
She'd thought she'd heard.
The wood was cold; icy to the touch.
She could see her breath as a fine mist in the air.
Odd, she had time to think.
"River Marie Tam!" Regan Tam's voice could be heard echoing through the front foyer.
With a small sigh; River joined her at the bottom of the stairs.
"Well, I hope you're happy, little miss. We are going to be terribly late now, thanks to you. Everyone has been waiting!" Regan scolded.
/River, come on, girl. Know you can hear me. Open your fucking eyes! /
River stumbled backwards into the steel grip of Regan Tam.
"Why can't you behave?" The woman demanded; but her voice was cold and emotionless. "They've come to watch you dance."
"No. Not real. Not really real." River mumbled as she shook her head.
Somewhere, Mother was aching; somewhere her bones were cold and she was screaming.
"River, listen to your mother." The woman said coldly.
"No. not real ." River shook her head violently. "She was born anew, she's not yours. You can't keep her. He is waiting. Doesn't like to be kept waiting. The River needs her Rock. She's not yours, you can't keep her. "
"River, behave." The woman's voice shook the foundations of the house. "They're waiting, waiting to watch you dance."
"Wo shang mei er, mei xin, bian shi tou."
(I will close my ears and my heart and I will be stone.)
"River, they're waiting. Tell them what you see!"
"Wo shang mei er, mei xin, bian shi tou."
"Just tell them what you see!" Regan Tam roared and the house around them shuddered violently.
"Tell me what you see."
/ Open your fucking eyes! /
"She's not yours!" River shrieked.
Reality twitched.
Electricity.
"Subject E-7, the image." Lab rat number sixty four. Third progeny to Jin Long and Pauline Karleen, daddy was a steel worker. Momma was a whore. Not really daddy's son, He knew it. They all knew it. Bastard Boy. He listened at the door.
Electricity.
"E-7, the image." Pen. Scratches. Notes. Secrets.
Electricity.
"E-7, the image." End him. They'll send another. And another. And another. And another.
Like ants. Ants that chew on bones.
Chew. Chew. Chew.
Electricity.
"E-7, the image." Chew. Chew. River looked up; she laughed.
Electricity.
"E-7, the image. I don't understand what is so difficult. Just tell me what you see." Dao. You wouldn't understand. They weren't meant to see. She wasn't meant to see. Cut. Poke. Slice.
Bullet to the brain pan.
Squish. Squish.
Look at her twitch.
Hehe. Hehe.
/ What I tell you about dying, girl?/
Electricity.
"E-7, the image."
"There is no freedom in death River; just the echo of God laughing at your ass for letting him win."
Electricity.
Reality twitched.
/Brother's really beginning to piss me off, girl./
"River it's me. It's Simon, your brother " His words cut through the darkness and edged into her nightmare.
Simon. Find Simon. He's the key. The key that set her free. Led her to the Mother. Mother. Find Simon.
"Simon." She was behind him as he turned. "They know you're here."
"We can't make it to the surface from the inside."
/ Shows how much your brother knows. /
Inside. She's inside. Need to find a way out. Need to find a crack. River flows through the cracks.
Purpose. The girl has a purpose.
Not just a sty.
The body is moving without the parts.
The politic is off.
Reality twitched.
Electricity.
"E-7, the image."
Electricity.
"E-7, the image." Pen. Scratches. Scratchy pen. Secrets.
"They get close, pretend it's a pen."
Electricity.
"E-7, the image."
/ Getting sick of waiting, girl. /
Electricity.
"E-7, the image."
Electricity.
"E-7, answer the question."
Electricity.
"E-7, the image. Tell me what you see."
"Pen."
"That wasn't so hard."
River lunged.
Reality Twitched.
Numbness.
Words that rolled like sandpaper.
They didn't burn.
Not her.
They were a caress.
Blood and Secrets.
He spoke of them.
She listened.
/ Anytime you're ready to explain yourself, girl. /
"Wo shang mei yan mu, mei xin, bian shi tou."
(I will close my eyes and my heart and I will be stone.)
/ Missin' some shit here, girl. Anytime you feel like waking your crazy ass up. /
"Wo jiang jiang qiang yuongyan shi tuo."
(I will be forever stone).
"Shi tuo kan kan bu dao."
(Stone does not see)
*T*F*C*
"Lights out." Riddick's voice was nothing more than a graveled whisper as he removed his goggles.
/ Spending way too much fucking time in this room, girl. / He wasn't expecting an answer, and he didn't get one. Absently he twisted a strand of her hair as he stared at her.
Call her, and she has no choice but to answer.
He closed his eyes and forced his heart to slow. Once more, he systematically slowed down his systems and retreated into himself. He exhaled and pushed himself out.
What you call instinct is an inferior word. Our minds are different. Different doors and pathways. Her mind has found those pathways. You chose to open the doors.
Different pathways. Find her. He wrapped his mind around her. His awareness narrowed until he could no longer hear the engine repairs above the sound of her heart; until the lingering traces of smoke and engine grease dissipated beneath her scent and he could taste her on his tongue. He felt each individual strand of hair as he ran his fingers through it; he saw nothing, but her.
/RIVER/
He xuao shi le liao liao, Shi tou reng ran.
(River is gone, Stone remains)
/Can't be stone, girl. Can't both of us be blind./
He xuao shi le liao liao, Shi tou reng ran.
(River is gone, Stone remains)
/ You're mine. Ain't for you to say. You're mine. You come back to me. /
Riddick's head ticked slightly at the sound of Serenity's engines roaring back to life. River's eyelids fluttered. Slowly she turned her head. A pair of mercurial eyes. His lips crashed against hers. There was nothing gentle about his kiss. It was brutal and raw. It demanded and left no room for refusal. He drank her in. He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers; breathing her in deeply, savoring the scent of her skin.
/She is broken./ She breathed him in as he did her.
/Feel whole to me./ He ran his fingers across her cheeks. He tore himself away as though it had never occurred and a tiny smirk played at his lips as he grabbed the comm. "She's up."
*T*F*C*
"Yep, a real beauty, ain't she?" The portly salesman continued, unaware his fish on the line was no longer listening. "A right smart purchase, this vessel. I'll tell you what, you buy this ship, treat her proper, she'll be with ya the rest of your life." The salesman turned to nudge his fish. "Hey! Hey, son!" He yelled out and walked away from the ship he had been showing and down the line to where his fish was standing, staring off into one of the scrap fields. "Son, you heard a single word I said?"
Mal hadn't. His eyes had fixated themselves on the lone, busted up Firefly in the yard. "That's the one."
"Girl ain't nothing more than a bunch of busted up parts." The salesman scratched his head.
"Nah, you ain't lookin' at her right."
The salesman chuckled. "That's all she is. Parts. Broken up bits."
"She'll fly. She's mine."
Endnote: Jayne's bullets were not really plastic, he just called them that; designed for riot suppression, however fired at the head, or close range and they are perfectly lethal. There maybe even a one-shot off- shoot for the story behind how Jayne came to acquire "non-lethal" bullets in the first place, but no promises. I hope you all enjoyed, this one nearly gave me an aneurism.
Much luv
'Til After Now.