i6It was a rare treat for Wash taking the Serenity to the repair depot in
the outer ring of the galaxy. The ship was quiet with only Kaylee and he
allowed to make the run. Their recent outlaw status had mad the group of
them easily identified in places with notorious reputations for selling
people out on bounties in exchange for fuel or parts. He and Kaylee would
blend in far easier to the crowd of pilots and mechs. Mal, Zoe and Jayne
would stick out as like deceleration brake on a falling ship. They'd be
picked up in the first hour and sold off to the alliance. And Simon and
Book they'd be lucky to make it off the ship before being robbed or taken
in a confidence scam. Yeah the depot was dirty, smelly and you constantly
had to on your toes looking for deal or scam. Aside from the Serenity in
short it was the closest thing that Wash had to a "home". He loved it.
The bars were full of stories impossible to believe until the pilot or mech
began rattling off the specs of the ship or the part that performed such a
feat.
But the trip there was almost as fun. The three days it would take would allow Kaylee and Wash a chance to crank old rock and roll and country music over the ships PA system. While the music blared out into the cosmos they took a careful inventory of the ships parts and ran diagnostics on all of her systems. At night they would break out a bottle of Mal's hidden whiskey. Mal would always expect to find the Serenity light 3 or 4 bottles of his whiskey after one of their maintenance runs and considered it as just part of the price of having a good crew. They would sit in the Serenity's cockpit watching the stars trail by as they figured out what they need to refit or improve on the ship. Their budget was extremely tight this time and some creative trading would need to get done. It was comparable to a couple of kids going through their baseball card collections with "got it, got it, want it, NEED IT! got it, got it. Wash used to really love these trips to the outer rim but since his marriage Zoe it had become bittersweet. He still loved the trip and the tech talk but there was always the pang of missing her. Normally he tried to be upbeat about life but this was something new. Something he hadn't counted on when he took the vow. Jokingly he told her "Well what do you know I DO have feelings.Who would've thunk?" It was a joke at the time but like with most his jokes there was a hint of pained truth to it. Feeling for someone was never in his equation before. He had never figured it into his life plan. As if his life had ever had a plan aside from making his next hop. His greatest joy before meeting Zoe was the sound of all 5 of the Serenity's engines firing in unison. But Zoe.Zoe was different. Her love hit him in the face like a shovel. It spun his universe around.and he loved the ways that shovel felt. He thought of all of this as the Serenity's engines hummed along and he stared deep out past the windows into the further reaches of space.
"Hey." it was Kaylee. "You're thinking about Zoe aren't you?" Wash blushed he didn't like being caught in these mushy 'love' moments. "Uh..No! In fact I was wondering if Mal has moved his whiskey hiding spot." Slyly Kaylee pulled out a bottle out from behind her back and to short glasses and poured them high with the potent liquid. "AH.My stomach was wanting dinner. Silly stomach!" he laughed as he snatched the glass from her hand. She giggled as she flopped down into the co pilots chair. "It must be nice.'love'". She said with a distant look of her own. "I'd recommend it but it's hard on the heart.a lot like this whiskey" he said as he grimaced and slugged down another swallow. "Are you sure you didn't get this from the hydraulics? Yish.Aye-choi!" Kaylee smiled "You'll be changing your tune after the third glass of this stuff." He joined her in the laugh, which slowly died back down and the sound of Serenity's engine hum returned to the cockpit. After a few minutes and a few system checks he glanced over at Kaylee. Who now took her turn gazing out into space. She was changing from a girl to a woman. He barely noticed they spent so much time together it was like watching a daisy grow. The first time you see it its just a little tender sprig and after awhile you look again and it's grown and beautiful. He never thought of her in a romantic it way. She was too much like a sister to him. Their mother being this ship Serenity. Really the ship was a mother to them all. Giving rebirth and a new beginning to each of them. "It must be nice to be missed.I wonder what its like?" Wash cocked his eyebrow, as he looked up from the system display "Anything you want to talk about?" "NO! Definitely not!" she said sharply quickly changing her pensive mood. "This is supposed to be our time! Our time to drink all night and swap jokes.Our time to moon passenger ships and outpost technicians.Our time to wear the same clothes for 3 days straight.". "OUR TIME TO PEE WITH THE SEAT DOWN!" Wash shouted. "Oh.EWWW!" retorted Kaylee. "Ok maybe its not quite that time yet.In the meantime lets go over our parts list." He said punching up his display. They snickered, filling their glasses again and began running through their lists.
Chapter 2
"Affirmative, 'Bad Whiskey' you are cleared for landing a repair/refueling bay 94." A controllers voiced crackled over the Serenity's radio.
"'Bad Whiskey'" questioned Kaylee "Call it.inspiration" quipped Wash waving one arm over his head dramatically as he slid his chair back to the ships navigational controls from the radio station. "I call it a bad hang over." Kaylee said with a smile. "I tell you the ship tags that Jayne provided have come through on more than one occasion." "Well that's about twice as many times that thug has come through. Are you good the plan once we touch down?" "Oh it's good" the tousled haired pilot said "..Arrange a fuel purchase. Trade up some oxygen converters and power converters a few quick hands of poker and we are out of here by daybreak. If either one of us gets in trouble hit the alarm on your personal radio". He said as he deftly applied the braking thrusters. "I thought Zoe said "no poker"" Kaylee questioned. "Actually she said 'I don't want to hear about you playing poker'. So in fact it is an order to YOU not to say ANYTHING. It's all in the interpretation." The freighter softly touched down on the planets surface. "Any chance someone spotted us coming in?" Kaylee winced. "Not a chance.we came in at night and the Serenity looks like a typical freighter. And if folks round here started looking up at the ships coming in they might never look down again".
They began walking towards the outer cargo door as the vacuum seal of the ship opened. And a rush of warm, humid, fuel smelling air smacked them in the face. "Oh I think I smell money!" giggled Wash as he danced down the runway. "Yeah? Ours or theirs?" Kayle hollered after him but it was too late he had rounded the corner and was down the street and out of sigh before you knew it. Wash.Marriage had changed him in a good way but deep down he was the same old 12 year old he'd always been. Wash was right.this place as noisy filthy and smelly as it was really was a vacation spot for the likes of them. She tugged on a mech cap tight and headed off into the streets of filled with stalls and shops for parts vendors. If it had engine and a part that could fall off, rust or be shot off this was the place were it could be found, bought and fixed. She had a long list the recent train job and sabotage by Mal's nefarious wife had left the serenity hurting. So many times as she had been patching the Serenity she had promised the ship the bright and shiny parts she was going to retool her with if only she held on a little longer. She cursed herself how much longer could she afford to patch Serenity's hurts with promises and hope. Mal would need to find them a bigger score soon if they wanted to have a ship to do shipping jobs. Funds have been so short that lately Mal, Wash and Kaylee had all forgone their shares in order barely refit the essentials. Only the 3 of them really new what kind of trouble they could be in for if they encountered any trouble in the future. Stress cracks were starting to find their way into some of the strongest part of the ship. Welding plates over them aren't going to keep working they needed replacement. This was not that kind of run this was strictly a tubes and wire run. But she was always on the look out for a bargain at the very least to talk a dealer into holding a part for her until she could get the money. Had her worries not gotten the best of her she may have noticed that someone was tailing her.
The door of the bar had swung wide as Wash stepped through exclaiming, "There is no mistaking a bar like Lonigans!!!"
"'Cept this ain't Lonigans no more." Grumbled the stout man behind the bar as he chawed his cigar.
"Pardon me? Its been Lonigans bar for nearly 9 years.I been coming here even before I was allowed to be I n this bar. "Lonnigans" is a name of history.why I ran from my first fight in this bar!" railed Wash
"Well, like I said it's not Lonigans.He lost it in a poker game. The place is called 'Smileys' now. "the man behind the bar seem to grow more irritated by Wash's behavior.
"Smileys!!!??? Smileys? What a dumb name for a bar." the bar keeps brow furrowed even more as Wash realized."unless your name.is.Smiley. Oh.crap".
Chapter 3
The man tailing Kaylee was good. She hadn't noticed him at all until the flat nub of his revolver dug into her side as he took a firm hold of her arm. "You'll want to come along quietly with me. I'm sure you would rather not attract any alliance attention." She already knew before he had to look. Bounty hunter. They were more abundant here than any other planet in the system. Many times they were captains doing whatever they could to fund a repair on ship so they could get off this rock. It was the dirty secret of this place many of the mechs and pilots were nearly indentured servants here. Doing whatever they could to pay off their docking fees for ships that would never leave the planet at least not under their command. They would slowly trade off parts until they would finally take a loan off some underworld boss.then they would try to slip out under the cover of night and usually be killed in the process. It was almost a math equation. So that's who this guy was most likely. Some down on his luck captain. She found it hard to hate him for it.but the gun in her side helped. She could easily see Mal, Wash and her all in a similar situation. Maybe that's what scared her even more than the gun. But above all.he was right she'd rather take her chances with him than some Alliance major who'd be out to make a name by busting part of the Mal's crew and grabbing their ship. Oh god.if they grab the ship. Oh god.Oh god. Might as well shoot me now because Mal would certainly do it if he lost that ship. Luckily.her captor had made his move in a fairly public place and with her hand already in her pocket. Her communicator. Wash. Pray that he's sober. She began tapping the "alert" button.
Meanwhile across the depot. Wash's communicator began to flash. This would have been all well and good if it was on him. In fact it was slung over the back his chair at a poker table covered with all sorts of denominations of cash, several parts receipts and in one small blue folder supposedly the radio frequency of the command circle of the alliance. Wash tilted back in his chair.savoring his cigar. Smiley.well, Smiley was sweating if his luck kept up the bars name would be "Wash's" soon. Smiley made his play.3 queens. Wash's eyes flashed with surprise. A wide grin spread across Smileys sparse toothed mouth. "OH.that beats my 2 pair. But did I happen to mention they were 2 pair of Aces! That's right 4 Aces.Good night!" He stood and reached for his vest and immediately saw it flashing. Oh no.how long had it been going off? Kaylee.was in trouble. He was on the streak of his life and Kaylee could be hurt.kidnapped. Anything. He began scooping up his winnings he'd knew he'd need them if there was one thing that was better than a gun here it was cash he stuffed a pile of receipts in his pocket. These prepaid items could be picked up later. He zipped the frequency book in his pocket. He doubted the codes would work but they passed a few outposts on the way here and it would be good for a joke on the way home. He cursed himself and hurried past a flustered Smiley who sat spitting out a stream of obscenities and protestations about cheating. Wash pushed past him and out into the smoky streets. Dawn was coming. What should he do? He rubbed his hand through his greasy, red, mop hair. What should he do? Try to pick up a lead from one of the stores Kaylee was supposed to stop at. Should he get back and check on the ship and try to get a message to Mal. Or should he try contacting some of the shadier types of this town and hope to buy some information or even hire a gun. Lets face it. Wash was a pilot. Mal, Zoe and Jayne they were the action types, he was the fly in and get the hell out type. He thought that he should get back to the ship and try to get a message to Mal. He had a few pilot friends that were headed in Mal's direction and they could get word to them. He could figure out the rest after that. His communicator was still flashing which was good it meant Kaylee was still alive
Chapter 4
After a few hurried minutes pushing and running through the crowded waking streets of the city. As he walked through the doorway to the docking bay. He immediately noticed that the Serenity was being prepped for take off. Her thrusters were pointed down and steam from the cooling fuel lines was pouring down. His eyes grew wide as he backpedaled out of the hangar. They grabbed Kaylee and they were going to highjack the Serenity. She was easy enough to fly but they would have never gotten around its homemade security measures without Kaylee's help. And seeing she was a Mech it would only make sense. Kidnapping your mech is one thing but stealing a man's ship. He really took offense to that. Wash peeked around the corner and it looked like Kaylee was tied to one of the ships footings with some big stranger standing over her with his back to Wash. Well it wasn't right to hit a man from behind. But it was even wronger to kidnap a mans crewmate and steal his ship. "How come they're never tiny?" he whispered to himself. He began to psyche himself up. He was going to lay this guy flat on his back with one punch because lord knows if he doesn't this guy is going to dismantle him. He moved fast across the floor of the hangar. Kaylees bounty hunter didn't hear him until the last two or three steps but it was too late. He started to turn to face Wash but Wash was already swinging. He was focusing all of his rage into his willowy right arm. Drawn back it swung straight and hard. His fingers wrapped tight around his thumb into a fist. Just before he connected he heard Kaylee.
"NO! WASH WAIT!" she shouted.
But it was too late for both the bounty hunter and Wash. His fist cracked hard against the bounty hunters jaw. Spilling him across the floor. His gun six shooter skidding over the cement and then falling through a venting grate in the floor. Then the screaming started.Wash's screaming unfortunately he spent a lot of time watching Zoe without actually watching her throw a punch. If he had he would have learned you NEVER throw a punch with your thumb inside. The price of that lesson was a broken thumb. He wailed for a second before sticking the throbbing thumb into his mouth. Kaylee rolled her eyes."Wash.". "What do mean ""Wait""?" asked Wash said with his thumb stuck in his mouth.
"I meant.WASH, DUCK!" she hollered.
For the fighter he wasn't wash did have exceptional pilot reflexes and he had turn and ducked just in time to avoid the bounty hunters punch slower but far more powerful punch. Kaylee now stepped forward and put herself between the 2 men. "Stop!". They did. Wash was glad. "Lets get things straight before Wash breaks his other thumb."
"I saw him standing over you tied to the footing. " began Wash. "No, you saw him standing next tome while I was working on the footing" replied Kaylee. "Wash meet Josiah Lamb" She began to tell Wash the whole story of her abduction in the marketplace and their return to the repair bay. Where he finally did properly apologize and introduce himself. Lamb was a captain turned bounty hunter that found himself stuck here without a ship. Another victim to the "equation that had claimed many a good man. He was deeply indebted to a local crime boss. He had been tracking them for while and since a warrant for their arrest was issued shortly after the Train Job.
"We have warrants?" moaned Wash.
Yes indeed they did and these days with warrants came cash. That initially attracted his attention but their style and their courage is what gave him a new plan. He knew they would be headed back in this direction and he figured a group like this would be his best ticket out of here. His best chance at a new start. What he hadn't planned on was that Wash and Kaylee would be here with out the rest of the crew. He figured we could talk to their captain man to man. Maybe strike a deal to work on his crew or at the very least make some kind of barter to take him off this planet. This god-forsaken rock. But now he had to hope this mech and her pilot people he had held a gun on and took a swing at. Not the best way to ask a favor. If it were his crew they would have tied him to a damper and dragged him out to space. But they weren't like his crew. They were for lack of a better word.different. A better kind of.different.
"So Wash." Kaylee went on. "You didn't notice your communicator when I needed help. Why didn't you hear it when I called to tell you I was ok?".
Wash thought and reached for his communicator. A communicator that wasn't there.
"Well?" asked Kaylee. "I may.may have left it in a bar." stuttered. "Dumbass...if the wrong person gets that." Kaylee scolded. ".they can trace it back to your communicator here." he finished. "Right, was there any 'wrong 'people at this bar?"' "It was a bar.THEY ARE ALL WRONG PEOPLE!" he exploded. "Right, did you happen to 'wrong' any of them?" she continued. Wash winced. "You mean aside from the bar owner that I took for roughly 100k in parts and credits in poker and screamed ""thief"" as I ran from the bar aside from him, no, no one at all.". Kaylee grabbed her communicator.it started flashing. Too late. They were being traced. By now they already had a rough fix on them. Most likely it would be that Alliance Major who wanted to make a name for himself. The one she wanted to avoid before. "They are on to us. Once they run our faces and the ships real ID we're screwed. Lets finish prepping and get out of here hopefully before they can form a welcome party" she said with knowing the odds weren't in their favor. Wash knew it too. Lamb probably new it the most of all. "Mr. Lamb if you wouldn't mind giving us a hand we all can be on our way." Lamb cocked his eyebrow and said "Are you sure this is a mighty undertaking without your cap'n's ok.". "Look if by some miracle we get out of here how do you reckon either of us are gonna be able to sleep knowing you're still here. And right now with the amount you owe people here if it gets back to anyone you were trying to skip payment yer as good as dead anyway. I'd rather have you in the cockpit with us in case we have to do any tricky maneuvering when we get out in space. Your knowledge of this system is our biggest asset."
In the mean time you can go and unhook us from those fuel hoses. Lamb smirked and took off to the other side of the ship. Kaylee and Wash unlatching some of the diagnostic cables. "Mal is really not going to like and extra captain on board."..Wash said thumbing a cable loose. "Yeah but think how more upset he'd be if he lost his ship.'sides Wash, you know it's the right thing to do.". "Yeah".
Wash ran up the front cargo ramp and got to the cockpit and began warming up Serenitys engines.Kaylee was right behind him. Maybe this might work. And just as the luck of the luck of the ship and crew would have it. The Alliance showed up. Wash was the first to see them on one of the aft monitors. "Uhhhh., Kaylee bad new just showed...and its got and armed escort". Kaylee ran to the monitor but the image seemed somewhat calm. Lamb was gesturing and pointing around the hangar. Wash started punching some buttons hard. "I knew it. He's selling us out!!!." protested the ships pilot. "No wait...he's bluffing. Turn up the audio!" she retorted. It was true. Lamb was telling the major how he was a simpler freighter captain and he was alone in the hangar. A couple of kids had run through earlier but he was alone now. Just gassing up and heading out. The major started to buy into his story until he noticed the Captains papers were out of date by 4 years. Then it all went wrong. One of the deputies whispered into the majors' ear and pointed to the cabin. " They scanned us!" cursed Wash. And with that Lamb let loose with the fuel hose blasting a cloud of dry ice steam across the repair well and made a dive for the grate where his gun had tumbled. The clumsy deputies fired waywardly in every direction. All the monitors and the cockpit windows were covered in steam. Kaylee shouted..."I'm going after him..." as she flew down the main corridor. She met Lamb as she turned around. "Lamb!" she shouted. "I think the major has cleared us for take off..." he said through clenched teeth. They both tumbled into their chairs forced down by the acceleration as the Serenity shot straight up into the smoggy sky. "Before we get too excited...I'm sure they radioed ahead" said Lamb in a weak gasp.
"We might have an answer to that" gleefully chuckled Wash. As he tapped his vest pocket and pulled out the shiny, blue book of command frequency codes. "Did you happen to catch that Majors name?" "I did...Restin". Wash clapped his hands together and then his fingers began rattling over the keys at the Comm station. Then he officiously spoke into the radio. This is Major Restin...I have captured Firefly and am escorting ship and crew to nearest Processing facility. Clearance code", he breathed deeply, "Tango, Tango, Zulu, Eight-four-niner". "Niner?" asked Kaylee. "I know, that sounded pretty good, huh?" replied Wash. Kaylee rolled her eyes. But with a sharp crackle over the radio "Clearance code authorized..." Wash and Kaylee slapped hands and pumped their fist as Wash turned and opened up the engines. Kaylee turned "Well Mr. Lamb. I think we are out of danger. Oh no!". Wash turned and recoiled in shock. Lamb laid slumped backward in his chair eyes fixed gazing infinitely out into space. His shirt soaked in blood and it was now dripping onto the deck. But he did have a sly smirk locked onto his face. Hours later they but him in cargo pod and released him into space. "Its the best place for a man like that" said Wash. "Out in the stars. That smile of his was weird though huh?" "I don't think so." Kaylee spoke from inside. "He was finally off that planet and for just a short while again he was riding a starship. He finally broke free and clear. Isn't that what any of us want...is to be free and clear." Wash nodded silently. They were quiet for a long while on the way home. They would tell Mal and Zoe the details but they didn't think they would tell anyone else. They weren't quite sure any of the others would understand. The good news, if there was any, was that with Wash's winnings and parts receipts. They would be able to buy the parts the Serenity needed. She wouldn't need to be held together with Kaylee's hopes and promises. But when Kaylee thought about it she thought about that seemed to be the strongest weld of this crew. Hope and promise.
Epilogue
"An improper code was given but the general ordered that Firefly "Serenity" be allowed to go on their way.". The radio man nervously concluded his report to the Alliance council.
"Care to explain yourself General?" asked a shadowed voice from the corner of the room. "Of course...When I grab the Serenity its not going to be a mech and a gambling pilot.. When I we take her it will be with her whole crew. Including its captain the insurgent Reynolds! And the only way we can do that is to trace the ship back to him."
There were several nods from the darkened heads in the room. "Very well, General. Carry On."
But the trip there was almost as fun. The three days it would take would allow Kaylee and Wash a chance to crank old rock and roll and country music over the ships PA system. While the music blared out into the cosmos they took a careful inventory of the ships parts and ran diagnostics on all of her systems. At night they would break out a bottle of Mal's hidden whiskey. Mal would always expect to find the Serenity light 3 or 4 bottles of his whiskey after one of their maintenance runs and considered it as just part of the price of having a good crew. They would sit in the Serenity's cockpit watching the stars trail by as they figured out what they need to refit or improve on the ship. Their budget was extremely tight this time and some creative trading would need to get done. It was comparable to a couple of kids going through their baseball card collections with "got it, got it, want it, NEED IT! got it, got it. Wash used to really love these trips to the outer rim but since his marriage Zoe it had become bittersweet. He still loved the trip and the tech talk but there was always the pang of missing her. Normally he tried to be upbeat about life but this was something new. Something he hadn't counted on when he took the vow. Jokingly he told her "Well what do you know I DO have feelings.Who would've thunk?" It was a joke at the time but like with most his jokes there was a hint of pained truth to it. Feeling for someone was never in his equation before. He had never figured it into his life plan. As if his life had ever had a plan aside from making his next hop. His greatest joy before meeting Zoe was the sound of all 5 of the Serenity's engines firing in unison. But Zoe.Zoe was different. Her love hit him in the face like a shovel. It spun his universe around.and he loved the ways that shovel felt. He thought of all of this as the Serenity's engines hummed along and he stared deep out past the windows into the further reaches of space.
"Hey." it was Kaylee. "You're thinking about Zoe aren't you?" Wash blushed he didn't like being caught in these mushy 'love' moments. "Uh..No! In fact I was wondering if Mal has moved his whiskey hiding spot." Slyly Kaylee pulled out a bottle out from behind her back and to short glasses and poured them high with the potent liquid. "AH.My stomach was wanting dinner. Silly stomach!" he laughed as he snatched the glass from her hand. She giggled as she flopped down into the co pilots chair. "It must be nice.'love'". She said with a distant look of her own. "I'd recommend it but it's hard on the heart.a lot like this whiskey" he said as he grimaced and slugged down another swallow. "Are you sure you didn't get this from the hydraulics? Yish.Aye-choi!" Kaylee smiled "You'll be changing your tune after the third glass of this stuff." He joined her in the laugh, which slowly died back down and the sound of Serenity's engine hum returned to the cockpit. After a few minutes and a few system checks he glanced over at Kaylee. Who now took her turn gazing out into space. She was changing from a girl to a woman. He barely noticed they spent so much time together it was like watching a daisy grow. The first time you see it its just a little tender sprig and after awhile you look again and it's grown and beautiful. He never thought of her in a romantic it way. She was too much like a sister to him. Their mother being this ship Serenity. Really the ship was a mother to them all. Giving rebirth and a new beginning to each of them. "It must be nice to be missed.I wonder what its like?" Wash cocked his eyebrow, as he looked up from the system display "Anything you want to talk about?" "NO! Definitely not!" she said sharply quickly changing her pensive mood. "This is supposed to be our time! Our time to drink all night and swap jokes.Our time to moon passenger ships and outpost technicians.Our time to wear the same clothes for 3 days straight.". "OUR TIME TO PEE WITH THE SEAT DOWN!" Wash shouted. "Oh.EWWW!" retorted Kaylee. "Ok maybe its not quite that time yet.In the meantime lets go over our parts list." He said punching up his display. They snickered, filling their glasses again and began running through their lists.
Chapter 2
"Affirmative, 'Bad Whiskey' you are cleared for landing a repair/refueling bay 94." A controllers voiced crackled over the Serenity's radio.
"'Bad Whiskey'" questioned Kaylee "Call it.inspiration" quipped Wash waving one arm over his head dramatically as he slid his chair back to the ships navigational controls from the radio station. "I call it a bad hang over." Kaylee said with a smile. "I tell you the ship tags that Jayne provided have come through on more than one occasion." "Well that's about twice as many times that thug has come through. Are you good the plan once we touch down?" "Oh it's good" the tousled haired pilot said "..Arrange a fuel purchase. Trade up some oxygen converters and power converters a few quick hands of poker and we are out of here by daybreak. If either one of us gets in trouble hit the alarm on your personal radio". He said as he deftly applied the braking thrusters. "I thought Zoe said "no poker"" Kaylee questioned. "Actually she said 'I don't want to hear about you playing poker'. So in fact it is an order to YOU not to say ANYTHING. It's all in the interpretation." The freighter softly touched down on the planets surface. "Any chance someone spotted us coming in?" Kaylee winced. "Not a chance.we came in at night and the Serenity looks like a typical freighter. And if folks round here started looking up at the ships coming in they might never look down again".
They began walking towards the outer cargo door as the vacuum seal of the ship opened. And a rush of warm, humid, fuel smelling air smacked them in the face. "Oh I think I smell money!" giggled Wash as he danced down the runway. "Yeah? Ours or theirs?" Kayle hollered after him but it was too late he had rounded the corner and was down the street and out of sigh before you knew it. Wash.Marriage had changed him in a good way but deep down he was the same old 12 year old he'd always been. Wash was right.this place as noisy filthy and smelly as it was really was a vacation spot for the likes of them. She tugged on a mech cap tight and headed off into the streets of filled with stalls and shops for parts vendors. If it had engine and a part that could fall off, rust or be shot off this was the place were it could be found, bought and fixed. She had a long list the recent train job and sabotage by Mal's nefarious wife had left the serenity hurting. So many times as she had been patching the Serenity she had promised the ship the bright and shiny parts she was going to retool her with if only she held on a little longer. She cursed herself how much longer could she afford to patch Serenity's hurts with promises and hope. Mal would need to find them a bigger score soon if they wanted to have a ship to do shipping jobs. Funds have been so short that lately Mal, Wash and Kaylee had all forgone their shares in order barely refit the essentials. Only the 3 of them really new what kind of trouble they could be in for if they encountered any trouble in the future. Stress cracks were starting to find their way into some of the strongest part of the ship. Welding plates over them aren't going to keep working they needed replacement. This was not that kind of run this was strictly a tubes and wire run. But she was always on the look out for a bargain at the very least to talk a dealer into holding a part for her until she could get the money. Had her worries not gotten the best of her she may have noticed that someone was tailing her.
The door of the bar had swung wide as Wash stepped through exclaiming, "There is no mistaking a bar like Lonigans!!!"
"'Cept this ain't Lonigans no more." Grumbled the stout man behind the bar as he chawed his cigar.
"Pardon me? Its been Lonigans bar for nearly 9 years.I been coming here even before I was allowed to be I n this bar. "Lonnigans" is a name of history.why I ran from my first fight in this bar!" railed Wash
"Well, like I said it's not Lonigans.He lost it in a poker game. The place is called 'Smileys' now. "the man behind the bar seem to grow more irritated by Wash's behavior.
"Smileys!!!??? Smileys? What a dumb name for a bar." the bar keeps brow furrowed even more as Wash realized."unless your name.is.Smiley. Oh.crap".
Chapter 3
The man tailing Kaylee was good. She hadn't noticed him at all until the flat nub of his revolver dug into her side as he took a firm hold of her arm. "You'll want to come along quietly with me. I'm sure you would rather not attract any alliance attention." She already knew before he had to look. Bounty hunter. They were more abundant here than any other planet in the system. Many times they were captains doing whatever they could to fund a repair on ship so they could get off this rock. It was the dirty secret of this place many of the mechs and pilots were nearly indentured servants here. Doing whatever they could to pay off their docking fees for ships that would never leave the planet at least not under their command. They would slowly trade off parts until they would finally take a loan off some underworld boss.then they would try to slip out under the cover of night and usually be killed in the process. It was almost a math equation. So that's who this guy was most likely. Some down on his luck captain. She found it hard to hate him for it.but the gun in her side helped. She could easily see Mal, Wash and her all in a similar situation. Maybe that's what scared her even more than the gun. But above all.he was right she'd rather take her chances with him than some Alliance major who'd be out to make a name by busting part of the Mal's crew and grabbing their ship. Oh god.if they grab the ship. Oh god.Oh god. Might as well shoot me now because Mal would certainly do it if he lost that ship. Luckily.her captor had made his move in a fairly public place and with her hand already in her pocket. Her communicator. Wash. Pray that he's sober. She began tapping the "alert" button.
Meanwhile across the depot. Wash's communicator began to flash. This would have been all well and good if it was on him. In fact it was slung over the back his chair at a poker table covered with all sorts of denominations of cash, several parts receipts and in one small blue folder supposedly the radio frequency of the command circle of the alliance. Wash tilted back in his chair.savoring his cigar. Smiley.well, Smiley was sweating if his luck kept up the bars name would be "Wash's" soon. Smiley made his play.3 queens. Wash's eyes flashed with surprise. A wide grin spread across Smileys sparse toothed mouth. "OH.that beats my 2 pair. But did I happen to mention they were 2 pair of Aces! That's right 4 Aces.Good night!" He stood and reached for his vest and immediately saw it flashing. Oh no.how long had it been going off? Kaylee.was in trouble. He was on the streak of his life and Kaylee could be hurt.kidnapped. Anything. He began scooping up his winnings he'd knew he'd need them if there was one thing that was better than a gun here it was cash he stuffed a pile of receipts in his pocket. These prepaid items could be picked up later. He zipped the frequency book in his pocket. He doubted the codes would work but they passed a few outposts on the way here and it would be good for a joke on the way home. He cursed himself and hurried past a flustered Smiley who sat spitting out a stream of obscenities and protestations about cheating. Wash pushed past him and out into the smoky streets. Dawn was coming. What should he do? He rubbed his hand through his greasy, red, mop hair. What should he do? Try to pick up a lead from one of the stores Kaylee was supposed to stop at. Should he get back and check on the ship and try to get a message to Mal. Or should he try contacting some of the shadier types of this town and hope to buy some information or even hire a gun. Lets face it. Wash was a pilot. Mal, Zoe and Jayne they were the action types, he was the fly in and get the hell out type. He thought that he should get back to the ship and try to get a message to Mal. He had a few pilot friends that were headed in Mal's direction and they could get word to them. He could figure out the rest after that. His communicator was still flashing which was good it meant Kaylee was still alive
Chapter 4
After a few hurried minutes pushing and running through the crowded waking streets of the city. As he walked through the doorway to the docking bay. He immediately noticed that the Serenity was being prepped for take off. Her thrusters were pointed down and steam from the cooling fuel lines was pouring down. His eyes grew wide as he backpedaled out of the hangar. They grabbed Kaylee and they were going to highjack the Serenity. She was easy enough to fly but they would have never gotten around its homemade security measures without Kaylee's help. And seeing she was a Mech it would only make sense. Kidnapping your mech is one thing but stealing a man's ship. He really took offense to that. Wash peeked around the corner and it looked like Kaylee was tied to one of the ships footings with some big stranger standing over her with his back to Wash. Well it wasn't right to hit a man from behind. But it was even wronger to kidnap a mans crewmate and steal his ship. "How come they're never tiny?" he whispered to himself. He began to psyche himself up. He was going to lay this guy flat on his back with one punch because lord knows if he doesn't this guy is going to dismantle him. He moved fast across the floor of the hangar. Kaylees bounty hunter didn't hear him until the last two or three steps but it was too late. He started to turn to face Wash but Wash was already swinging. He was focusing all of his rage into his willowy right arm. Drawn back it swung straight and hard. His fingers wrapped tight around his thumb into a fist. Just before he connected he heard Kaylee.
"NO! WASH WAIT!" she shouted.
But it was too late for both the bounty hunter and Wash. His fist cracked hard against the bounty hunters jaw. Spilling him across the floor. His gun six shooter skidding over the cement and then falling through a venting grate in the floor. Then the screaming started.Wash's screaming unfortunately he spent a lot of time watching Zoe without actually watching her throw a punch. If he had he would have learned you NEVER throw a punch with your thumb inside. The price of that lesson was a broken thumb. He wailed for a second before sticking the throbbing thumb into his mouth. Kaylee rolled her eyes."Wash.". "What do mean ""Wait""?" asked Wash said with his thumb stuck in his mouth.
"I meant.WASH, DUCK!" she hollered.
For the fighter he wasn't wash did have exceptional pilot reflexes and he had turn and ducked just in time to avoid the bounty hunters punch slower but far more powerful punch. Kaylee now stepped forward and put herself between the 2 men. "Stop!". They did. Wash was glad. "Lets get things straight before Wash breaks his other thumb."
"I saw him standing over you tied to the footing. " began Wash. "No, you saw him standing next tome while I was working on the footing" replied Kaylee. "Wash meet Josiah Lamb" She began to tell Wash the whole story of her abduction in the marketplace and their return to the repair bay. Where he finally did properly apologize and introduce himself. Lamb was a captain turned bounty hunter that found himself stuck here without a ship. Another victim to the "equation that had claimed many a good man. He was deeply indebted to a local crime boss. He had been tracking them for while and since a warrant for their arrest was issued shortly after the Train Job.
"We have warrants?" moaned Wash.
Yes indeed they did and these days with warrants came cash. That initially attracted his attention but their style and their courage is what gave him a new plan. He knew they would be headed back in this direction and he figured a group like this would be his best ticket out of here. His best chance at a new start. What he hadn't planned on was that Wash and Kaylee would be here with out the rest of the crew. He figured we could talk to their captain man to man. Maybe strike a deal to work on his crew or at the very least make some kind of barter to take him off this planet. This god-forsaken rock. But now he had to hope this mech and her pilot people he had held a gun on and took a swing at. Not the best way to ask a favor. If it were his crew they would have tied him to a damper and dragged him out to space. But they weren't like his crew. They were for lack of a better word.different. A better kind of.different.
"So Wash." Kaylee went on. "You didn't notice your communicator when I needed help. Why didn't you hear it when I called to tell you I was ok?".
Wash thought and reached for his communicator. A communicator that wasn't there.
"Well?" asked Kaylee. "I may.may have left it in a bar." stuttered. "Dumbass...if the wrong person gets that." Kaylee scolded. ".they can trace it back to your communicator here." he finished. "Right, was there any 'wrong 'people at this bar?"' "It was a bar.THEY ARE ALL WRONG PEOPLE!" he exploded. "Right, did you happen to 'wrong' any of them?" she continued. Wash winced. "You mean aside from the bar owner that I took for roughly 100k in parts and credits in poker and screamed ""thief"" as I ran from the bar aside from him, no, no one at all.". Kaylee grabbed her communicator.it started flashing. Too late. They were being traced. By now they already had a rough fix on them. Most likely it would be that Alliance Major who wanted to make a name for himself. The one she wanted to avoid before. "They are on to us. Once they run our faces and the ships real ID we're screwed. Lets finish prepping and get out of here hopefully before they can form a welcome party" she said with knowing the odds weren't in their favor. Wash knew it too. Lamb probably new it the most of all. "Mr. Lamb if you wouldn't mind giving us a hand we all can be on our way." Lamb cocked his eyebrow and said "Are you sure this is a mighty undertaking without your cap'n's ok.". "Look if by some miracle we get out of here how do you reckon either of us are gonna be able to sleep knowing you're still here. And right now with the amount you owe people here if it gets back to anyone you were trying to skip payment yer as good as dead anyway. I'd rather have you in the cockpit with us in case we have to do any tricky maneuvering when we get out in space. Your knowledge of this system is our biggest asset."
In the mean time you can go and unhook us from those fuel hoses. Lamb smirked and took off to the other side of the ship. Kaylee and Wash unlatching some of the diagnostic cables. "Mal is really not going to like and extra captain on board."..Wash said thumbing a cable loose. "Yeah but think how more upset he'd be if he lost his ship.'sides Wash, you know it's the right thing to do.". "Yeah".
Wash ran up the front cargo ramp and got to the cockpit and began warming up Serenitys engines.Kaylee was right behind him. Maybe this might work. And just as the luck of the luck of the ship and crew would have it. The Alliance showed up. Wash was the first to see them on one of the aft monitors. "Uhhhh., Kaylee bad new just showed...and its got and armed escort". Kaylee ran to the monitor but the image seemed somewhat calm. Lamb was gesturing and pointing around the hangar. Wash started punching some buttons hard. "I knew it. He's selling us out!!!." protested the ships pilot. "No wait...he's bluffing. Turn up the audio!" she retorted. It was true. Lamb was telling the major how he was a simpler freighter captain and he was alone in the hangar. A couple of kids had run through earlier but he was alone now. Just gassing up and heading out. The major started to buy into his story until he noticed the Captains papers were out of date by 4 years. Then it all went wrong. One of the deputies whispered into the majors' ear and pointed to the cabin. " They scanned us!" cursed Wash. And with that Lamb let loose with the fuel hose blasting a cloud of dry ice steam across the repair well and made a dive for the grate where his gun had tumbled. The clumsy deputies fired waywardly in every direction. All the monitors and the cockpit windows were covered in steam. Kaylee shouted..."I'm going after him..." as she flew down the main corridor. She met Lamb as she turned around. "Lamb!" she shouted. "I think the major has cleared us for take off..." he said through clenched teeth. They both tumbled into their chairs forced down by the acceleration as the Serenity shot straight up into the smoggy sky. "Before we get too excited...I'm sure they radioed ahead" said Lamb in a weak gasp.
"We might have an answer to that" gleefully chuckled Wash. As he tapped his vest pocket and pulled out the shiny, blue book of command frequency codes. "Did you happen to catch that Majors name?" "I did...Restin". Wash clapped his hands together and then his fingers began rattling over the keys at the Comm station. Then he officiously spoke into the radio. This is Major Restin...I have captured Firefly and am escorting ship and crew to nearest Processing facility. Clearance code", he breathed deeply, "Tango, Tango, Zulu, Eight-four-niner". "Niner?" asked Kaylee. "I know, that sounded pretty good, huh?" replied Wash. Kaylee rolled her eyes. But with a sharp crackle over the radio "Clearance code authorized..." Wash and Kaylee slapped hands and pumped their fist as Wash turned and opened up the engines. Kaylee turned "Well Mr. Lamb. I think we are out of danger. Oh no!". Wash turned and recoiled in shock. Lamb laid slumped backward in his chair eyes fixed gazing infinitely out into space. His shirt soaked in blood and it was now dripping onto the deck. But he did have a sly smirk locked onto his face. Hours later they but him in cargo pod and released him into space. "Its the best place for a man like that" said Wash. "Out in the stars. That smile of his was weird though huh?" "I don't think so." Kaylee spoke from inside. "He was finally off that planet and for just a short while again he was riding a starship. He finally broke free and clear. Isn't that what any of us want...is to be free and clear." Wash nodded silently. They were quiet for a long while on the way home. They would tell Mal and Zoe the details but they didn't think they would tell anyone else. They weren't quite sure any of the others would understand. The good news, if there was any, was that with Wash's winnings and parts receipts. They would be able to buy the parts the Serenity needed. She wouldn't need to be held together with Kaylee's hopes and promises. But when Kaylee thought about it she thought about that seemed to be the strongest weld of this crew. Hope and promise.
Epilogue
"An improper code was given but the general ordered that Firefly "Serenity" be allowed to go on their way.". The radio man nervously concluded his report to the Alliance council.
"Care to explain yourself General?" asked a shadowed voice from the corner of the room. "Of course...When I grab the Serenity its not going to be a mech and a gambling pilot.. When I we take her it will be with her whole crew. Including its captain the insurgent Reynolds! And the only way we can do that is to trace the ship back to him."
There were several nods from the darkened heads in the room. "Very well, General. Carry On."