Chapter: 6
The Rising Star remained stationary as it had been ten minutes sense the Serenity's abrupt departure. Leaving Jayne and Shepherd exploring the Centaur transport, and Zoe and Kaylee inspecting the damage. Kaylee walked through the corridors of the Rising Star, remarking to herself that she did not know how forty families could survive in the cramped environment of the Centaur transport. She knew that the Centaur's were made to transport supplies. Never did she think she would see that the cargo carried were people. She passed numerous people ranging from the crew of the boat, to colonists, to even past several Colonial Defenders. An organized militia sent off on long range colonial crosses. To this day, the lack of Defenders on that boat the Serenity found a year ago that was raided by Reavers, was the reason why no one survived. As she continues aft towards the engineering compartment, a shadow figure stirs who is concealed in the lack of light. The figure wears a robe, and a hood is covered over his head. This figure watches Kaylee intently as she turns around the corner. On her way, Kaylee sees Zoe who is standing on the upper catwalk overlooking the family quarters in the cargo hold. Cots are scattered throughout the hold, as on the far side cattle and supplies are located. She see Zoe just standing, watching in silences. "Hey, Zoe? What the Captain leave so fast?" Zoe's thoughts are brought back to reality as she realizes Kaylee's standing beside her. "I don't know. But he'll be back." "Whatever it was, he needed Simon for i." "I'm sure they're fine," Zoe said as she smiled for Kaylee's benefit. Zoe could see that she was worried. The chatter of two girls beneath them in the hold attracts both of their attentions. Especially Zoe as she see the two sisters playing with one another. It's at this point that Kaylee sees something in Zoe's eyes and smile. "Does Wash know?" "Know what?" Zoe responded as the joy on her face was gone in a heartbeat. "It's not like your not transparent or anything. You're a woman, I'm a woman. We think on the same wave lengths about this sort of thing."
Zoe shakes her head. "I haven't told him. I don't even know if we've ever discussed it before." "Never? Never, never?" "Never. It's not like a transport constantly on the run from Alliance, Reavers, and into whatever business it can find is a good place to raise a child." "Your not, uh, not, you know?" "No. I've been taking the Orange Pill. Just thinking, that's all." Zoe said as she glanced once again at the two young girls as they moved away. "So, what about you and the doctor. Seems you two have been getting more acquainted." The abrupt change of subject catches Kaylee off guard as her cheeks blush brighter than a red dwarf. "If you can't take the heat, get out of the system. So, how is he?" "What?" "We're women. We think on the same wave lengths." Kaylee smiled a heart felt smile as she closed her eyes thinking of Simon holding her in his arms. "I've never been with someone more gentler, than him." "Anything permanent?" "Permanent? That's not fair. We were talking about you." "First mate's prerogative. Well?" "I've learned to take it five minutes at a time. If you don't, your bound for disappointments." "It's not always easy. You ever think of the idea of me and Wash ever getting together. It seemed to just happened. He just, seemed to grow on me." "Love him as much as you did the first day you met him?" Kaylee asked as they moved away from their perch and began to proceed towards the corridor that led down to engineering. "More and more, everyday." "You know, a funny thing, ever since Simon came onboard with River in that stasis crate, he took my breath away." "See what patience gets you?" "I've never been the patient type. Until him, that is." Zoe smiles as they walk side by side. Ever since Simon and River first came onboard, she could sense something between Simon and Kaylee. At first she didn't know what it was. But in two years time, she finally knew. "Go check on the diagnostic. We'll talk later." Kaylee salutes casually. "Aye, sir." "I told you, that's navy. You think I'm a navy shuyang?" Kaylee smiled as she reached the end of the corridor and turned the corner. As she did she bumped into a Colonial Defender. Well more of the fact that his presence startled her than literally bumping into one another. "I'm sorry," Kaylee said as she stepped aside to pass the Defender. "My apologies, ma'am," the Defender tipped his head forward as he stepped aside to let her pass. Until his hand thruster forward to stop her. When she did stop, she looked in her eyes and he in her eyes. It is then that she recognizes the lieutenant Colonial Defender as Mitch Maxwell. "Oh my, god. Kaylee, it's so good to see you again. I never thought I would see you again. I'm wordless. You look so wonderful." "Mitch, it's been a long time." Kaylee said with discomfort. She had never wanted to see him ever again. "A long time? Is that all you have to say to a lover?" Around the corner, Zoe is standing against the bulkhead, shaking her head in dis-approvement. Don't hurt the boy, she thought to herself. She was never really big on the practice on eavesdropping so she moved forward to the bow compartment. "Former," Kaylee said strongly. She was confronting the one man that had hurt her so long ago. Leaving without ever saying good bye. Tears swelling in her eyes that she fought to keep at bay. "I haven't seen you in three years." "I know, the Colonial Defense sends you wherever they want you to go. Hell, I never thought you'd get off that dust world of ours." "My ship came into port, met with the Captain, and he hired me on the spot." "And your folks were okay with that?" "No. But I told them that I was twenty two years old and it was time for me to experience the 'verse. I was getting tired of Dust Ball." "I think everyone does." A smile flashes on his face as he peers deep in her eyes. "You see what attracted me to the stars? They're so exotic. "More attracted to them than me. More exotic to them than me." "Kaylee, dear, you that was not it." "It's okay, Mitch. I've been over you for years now. Excuse me, I've got to go about my duty." Once again Mitch reaches out for her. He steps close to her, and he hears her voice trembling. "Whether you believe it or not, I never stooped thinking about you. I never stopped loving you." "Stop," Kaylee said firmly as she got out of his reach and moved aft towards engineering. Mitch stood silent and still, watching her stride down the corridor. He always thought her walk was attractive. He straightened his uniform and blew her a kiss from behind.
Chapter: 7
The Serenity's drive engines flared out as the plumes of plasma dissipated as she glided on momentum until the braking thruster plumes ignited as Inara's shuttle was ahead. On the bridge, Simon did not move from the rear seat until he saw the braking thrusters ignite and Inara's shuttle heading towards their direction. In a flash Simon and Mal were both out of the bridge heading below decks towards the infirmary. By time they reached the cargo hold, they rushed to the starboard docking port and stood before the airlock. Waiting for the red indicator light to glow green. The time it turned from red to green seemed like an eternity for Mal and Simon as they could hear the vibration of Inara's shuttle docking. Green. Simon reached for the key pad and the hatch opened. Before the hatch was fully open he leaned forward and leaped into Inara's shuttle immediately heading towards the bed where River laid still. "River," Simon cried as he leaped onto her bed and pulled a diagnostic wan out of his kit and began waving it around River's head. "What happened?" Mal asked as all he could do was stand in the background. No matter how helpless he felt, but that was all he could do. The portable stretcher still folder in his hand. "She started panicking. Started talking strange. I had to wrestle her down and give her the tranq shots, Simon told me to give her if something happened." Simon reached for the syringe by River's bedside and examined it. "How much did you give her?" Simon said in a raised voice. "The tranqs weren't suppose to nock her out!" "The dosages you instructed. Nothing less, or more." Simon continues to analyze her with his device until he reaches his diagnoses "Oh, my god," Simon cried, his head bent forward. He sat motionless as Inara and Mal stood breathless. "Doc?" Mal asked as before he knew it Inara was holding his hand firmly. "Her respiratory critically low. Brain activity is below normal. Her temperature is critical. What happened? When did this happen?" "Two hours after we left the planet. I don't know what happened, Simon. Is she going to be okay?" Simon was silent as Inara started to shake a cry. "She should never had gone with me. I could had did this myself." "It was my decision," Mal announced. She's been on cargo runs before and she's been okay. You wouldn't had been away too long." Simon is breathless, as he drops his analyzer. He looks at her still form. He could hardly tell that she was breathing. Oh, Me'meh. She's in a comma." The ground beneath both Inara and Mal felt as if it shook as the Companion began to weep. Burying her head on Mal's chest as he put both his arms around her to comfort her. A tear falls down Simon's cheeks as he gets up and rushes the captain with a right hook that Mal blocks. As soon as Mal predicted the motion he pushed Inara out of the way. "See what you've done you bastard!" Simon shouted as he circled Mal like a predator with its prey. "Calm down, Simon. This isn't going to help, River." Simon charges again and this time Mal ducks and grabs the doctor from behind and shoves him against the bulkhead. "Are you calm?" Mal asked as Simon continued to struggle. He had to hand it to the young doctor, he was a warrior at heart. "Are you done?!" Simon stops struggling as he begins to cry. "Take it out on me later, son. Right now, we need to get River to the infirmary." "There's nothing I can do for her." Simon announced as he fell to the deck and leaned against the bulkhead. "That doesn't sound like the Simon I've know these past two years." Mal said as he reached down and pulled Simon up to his feet and shoved him against the wall. "You would have never given up on her. You would have never given up on any of us. You never have. Now what are your options?" Simon continues to weep as Mal raises his hand and slaps Simon on the face. The action kicks the weeping out of him as he begins to think. "Don't get spacey on me, Doctor. Not now. What are your options"? "Keep her on life support indefinitely. Hope she wakes up." The medical training kicking in, pushing his personal feelings behind him. Never before had he had trouble of separating his feelings from his duty. But never before was his patient his only sister. "And?" Mal continued as Inara walked up to Simon and placed her arm around him. "Don't," Mal commanded. "I need him focused. What else Doctor!" "Put her to sleep, indefinitely!" "Not an option. What else?" "She's getting worse. There's nothing I can do. Except--," Simon abrupt stop made Mal think that the doctor had a plan. He always did. "Except what?" Mal said as he walked away from Inara and Simon and to the bed where River laid still on. Mal never really liked River. He thought of her as a loaded gun about to go off on someone. Hell, she attacked Jayne with a kitchen knife. An act which Mal didn't automatically believe he didn't deserve. She proved to be an expert marksman when the crew sprung to action to save him. She was an unknown variable. But the past two years, Mal and likened to River. He would hate to see anything bad happened to the girl. God knows she's been through enough already. Simon lurched forward to the bed and grabbed the stretcher from Mal's hand. "Help me get her to bay 2." Why bay 2?" Inara asked as soon as the answer sounded in her mind. "You can't! You can't do that to her! She told me how much she feared it." "It's the only way until I can find a treatment for her." Simon said as they unfolded the stretcher and lifted River and placed her gently on it. "Maybe the stasis will help her recover from the trauma." "Big ifs, Doctor." Mal said as they both lifted the stretcher. "It's all we've got." Simon announced as they headed towards the hatch with Inara in tow.
In the small to compare cargo hold, the storage room where in the middle amongst the other items and empty cargo trunks sat the stasis crate that River first came onto the Serenity on. Mal and Simon set her gently down on the deck as the doctor reached for the key pad to activate the crate. Please let it still come on! Simon pleaded to anyone that would listen. Whoever the superior being, the creator of the universe was. The crate opened and the generators began to run. He examined the temperature read out. "Let's go," Simon said as he and Mal placed her gently into the crate. As soon as her innocent still body was in the crate, Simon pressed the close button and watched breathless as the crate door closed. Simon stood, looking at the vital readouts as the crate was filled with the mist of suspension. The matter that suspended River's vitals to the level of hibernation. "She as stable as she can be right now." Simon said as he looks at Mal. "Captain, I'm--" "Don't." Mal said as he placed his hand on Simon's shoulder. "You don't even have a thing to apologize for. I'm worried about River to, She's one of the family. I want her to be well just as everyone else. And it was my call for Inara to take her to Delphi 9. She had been doing much better. I didn't think anything was going to---" "You don't have anything to apologize for, Captain. There was no way to know what would had happened." "Doctor, your tired." Mal announced the obvious. "River's safe. Get some sleep. You haven't had a good nights sleep for two years. "I can't," Simon shook his head. "I have to continue my research." He announced as he walks out of the bay and towards the infirmary. Leaving Inara and Mal embracing one another as they both look onto the active stasis crate. "Doctor?" "Sir?" "How long will that crate stay operational?" "It's got enough stasis for at least two months." "And what happens after that?" Inara inquired as she unconsciencely reached for Mal's hand. "We hope she wakes up," Simon said in dread as he exited the storage room. Mal and Inara stood in silence, holding one another's hand. Their silence and embrace was broken as Mal's comm at his side sounded. "What is it?" Mal asked in a somber voice. "We've got a problem." Wash said as he paused. "It's the Alliance." "Damn," Mal cursed as he stepped towards the hatch leading to the cargo bay. Inara standing silent as still, looking at the crate, imagining river curled in her fetal position as she slept.
The Rising Star remained stationary as it had been ten minutes sense the Serenity's abrupt departure. Leaving Jayne and Shepherd exploring the Centaur transport, and Zoe and Kaylee inspecting the damage. Kaylee walked through the corridors of the Rising Star, remarking to herself that she did not know how forty families could survive in the cramped environment of the Centaur transport. She knew that the Centaur's were made to transport supplies. Never did she think she would see that the cargo carried were people. She passed numerous people ranging from the crew of the boat, to colonists, to even past several Colonial Defenders. An organized militia sent off on long range colonial crosses. To this day, the lack of Defenders on that boat the Serenity found a year ago that was raided by Reavers, was the reason why no one survived. As she continues aft towards the engineering compartment, a shadow figure stirs who is concealed in the lack of light. The figure wears a robe, and a hood is covered over his head. This figure watches Kaylee intently as she turns around the corner. On her way, Kaylee sees Zoe who is standing on the upper catwalk overlooking the family quarters in the cargo hold. Cots are scattered throughout the hold, as on the far side cattle and supplies are located. She see Zoe just standing, watching in silences. "Hey, Zoe? What the Captain leave so fast?" Zoe's thoughts are brought back to reality as she realizes Kaylee's standing beside her. "I don't know. But he'll be back." "Whatever it was, he needed Simon for i." "I'm sure they're fine," Zoe said as she smiled for Kaylee's benefit. Zoe could see that she was worried. The chatter of two girls beneath them in the hold attracts both of their attentions. Especially Zoe as she see the two sisters playing with one another. It's at this point that Kaylee sees something in Zoe's eyes and smile. "Does Wash know?" "Know what?" Zoe responded as the joy on her face was gone in a heartbeat. "It's not like your not transparent or anything. You're a woman, I'm a woman. We think on the same wave lengths about this sort of thing."
Zoe shakes her head. "I haven't told him. I don't even know if we've ever discussed it before." "Never? Never, never?" "Never. It's not like a transport constantly on the run from Alliance, Reavers, and into whatever business it can find is a good place to raise a child." "Your not, uh, not, you know?" "No. I've been taking the Orange Pill. Just thinking, that's all." Zoe said as she glanced once again at the two young girls as they moved away. "So, what about you and the doctor. Seems you two have been getting more acquainted." The abrupt change of subject catches Kaylee off guard as her cheeks blush brighter than a red dwarf. "If you can't take the heat, get out of the system. So, how is he?" "What?" "We're women. We think on the same wave lengths." Kaylee smiled a heart felt smile as she closed her eyes thinking of Simon holding her in his arms. "I've never been with someone more gentler, than him." "Anything permanent?" "Permanent? That's not fair. We were talking about you." "First mate's prerogative. Well?" "I've learned to take it five minutes at a time. If you don't, your bound for disappointments." "It's not always easy. You ever think of the idea of me and Wash ever getting together. It seemed to just happened. He just, seemed to grow on me." "Love him as much as you did the first day you met him?" Kaylee asked as they moved away from their perch and began to proceed towards the corridor that led down to engineering. "More and more, everyday." "You know, a funny thing, ever since Simon came onboard with River in that stasis crate, he took my breath away." "See what patience gets you?" "I've never been the patient type. Until him, that is." Zoe smiles as they walk side by side. Ever since Simon and River first came onboard, she could sense something between Simon and Kaylee. At first she didn't know what it was. But in two years time, she finally knew. "Go check on the diagnostic. We'll talk later." Kaylee salutes casually. "Aye, sir." "I told you, that's navy. You think I'm a navy shuyang?" Kaylee smiled as she reached the end of the corridor and turned the corner. As she did she bumped into a Colonial Defender. Well more of the fact that his presence startled her than literally bumping into one another. "I'm sorry," Kaylee said as she stepped aside to pass the Defender. "My apologies, ma'am," the Defender tipped his head forward as he stepped aside to let her pass. Until his hand thruster forward to stop her. When she did stop, she looked in her eyes and he in her eyes. It is then that she recognizes the lieutenant Colonial Defender as Mitch Maxwell. "Oh my, god. Kaylee, it's so good to see you again. I never thought I would see you again. I'm wordless. You look so wonderful." "Mitch, it's been a long time." Kaylee said with discomfort. She had never wanted to see him ever again. "A long time? Is that all you have to say to a lover?" Around the corner, Zoe is standing against the bulkhead, shaking her head in dis-approvement. Don't hurt the boy, she thought to herself. She was never really big on the practice on eavesdropping so she moved forward to the bow compartment. "Former," Kaylee said strongly. She was confronting the one man that had hurt her so long ago. Leaving without ever saying good bye. Tears swelling in her eyes that she fought to keep at bay. "I haven't seen you in three years." "I know, the Colonial Defense sends you wherever they want you to go. Hell, I never thought you'd get off that dust world of ours." "My ship came into port, met with the Captain, and he hired me on the spot." "And your folks were okay with that?" "No. But I told them that I was twenty two years old and it was time for me to experience the 'verse. I was getting tired of Dust Ball." "I think everyone does." A smile flashes on his face as he peers deep in her eyes. "You see what attracted me to the stars? They're so exotic. "More attracted to them than me. More exotic to them than me." "Kaylee, dear, you that was not it." "It's okay, Mitch. I've been over you for years now. Excuse me, I've got to go about my duty." Once again Mitch reaches out for her. He steps close to her, and he hears her voice trembling. "Whether you believe it or not, I never stooped thinking about you. I never stopped loving you." "Stop," Kaylee said firmly as she got out of his reach and moved aft towards engineering. Mitch stood silent and still, watching her stride down the corridor. He always thought her walk was attractive. He straightened his uniform and blew her a kiss from behind.
Chapter: 7
The Serenity's drive engines flared out as the plumes of plasma dissipated as she glided on momentum until the braking thruster plumes ignited as Inara's shuttle was ahead. On the bridge, Simon did not move from the rear seat until he saw the braking thrusters ignite and Inara's shuttle heading towards their direction. In a flash Simon and Mal were both out of the bridge heading below decks towards the infirmary. By time they reached the cargo hold, they rushed to the starboard docking port and stood before the airlock. Waiting for the red indicator light to glow green. The time it turned from red to green seemed like an eternity for Mal and Simon as they could hear the vibration of Inara's shuttle docking. Green. Simon reached for the key pad and the hatch opened. Before the hatch was fully open he leaned forward and leaped into Inara's shuttle immediately heading towards the bed where River laid still. "River," Simon cried as he leaped onto her bed and pulled a diagnostic wan out of his kit and began waving it around River's head. "What happened?" Mal asked as all he could do was stand in the background. No matter how helpless he felt, but that was all he could do. The portable stretcher still folder in his hand. "She started panicking. Started talking strange. I had to wrestle her down and give her the tranq shots, Simon told me to give her if something happened." Simon reached for the syringe by River's bedside and examined it. "How much did you give her?" Simon said in a raised voice. "The tranqs weren't suppose to nock her out!" "The dosages you instructed. Nothing less, or more." Simon continues to analyze her with his device until he reaches his diagnoses "Oh, my god," Simon cried, his head bent forward. He sat motionless as Inara and Mal stood breathless. "Doc?" Mal asked as before he knew it Inara was holding his hand firmly. "Her respiratory critically low. Brain activity is below normal. Her temperature is critical. What happened? When did this happen?" "Two hours after we left the planet. I don't know what happened, Simon. Is she going to be okay?" Simon was silent as Inara started to shake a cry. "She should never had gone with me. I could had did this myself." "It was my decision," Mal announced. She's been on cargo runs before and she's been okay. You wouldn't had been away too long." Simon is breathless, as he drops his analyzer. He looks at her still form. He could hardly tell that she was breathing. Oh, Me'meh. She's in a comma." The ground beneath both Inara and Mal felt as if it shook as the Companion began to weep. Burying her head on Mal's chest as he put both his arms around her to comfort her. A tear falls down Simon's cheeks as he gets up and rushes the captain with a right hook that Mal blocks. As soon as Mal predicted the motion he pushed Inara out of the way. "See what you've done you bastard!" Simon shouted as he circled Mal like a predator with its prey. "Calm down, Simon. This isn't going to help, River." Simon charges again and this time Mal ducks and grabs the doctor from behind and shoves him against the bulkhead. "Are you calm?" Mal asked as Simon continued to struggle. He had to hand it to the young doctor, he was a warrior at heart. "Are you done?!" Simon stops struggling as he begins to cry. "Take it out on me later, son. Right now, we need to get River to the infirmary." "There's nothing I can do for her." Simon announced as he fell to the deck and leaned against the bulkhead. "That doesn't sound like the Simon I've know these past two years." Mal said as he reached down and pulled Simon up to his feet and shoved him against the wall. "You would have never given up on her. You would have never given up on any of us. You never have. Now what are your options?" Simon continues to weep as Mal raises his hand and slaps Simon on the face. The action kicks the weeping out of him as he begins to think. "Don't get spacey on me, Doctor. Not now. What are your options"? "Keep her on life support indefinitely. Hope she wakes up." The medical training kicking in, pushing his personal feelings behind him. Never before had he had trouble of separating his feelings from his duty. But never before was his patient his only sister. "And?" Mal continued as Inara walked up to Simon and placed her arm around him. "Don't," Mal commanded. "I need him focused. What else Doctor!" "Put her to sleep, indefinitely!" "Not an option. What else?" "She's getting worse. There's nothing I can do. Except--," Simon abrupt stop made Mal think that the doctor had a plan. He always did. "Except what?" Mal said as he walked away from Inara and Simon and to the bed where River laid still on. Mal never really liked River. He thought of her as a loaded gun about to go off on someone. Hell, she attacked Jayne with a kitchen knife. An act which Mal didn't automatically believe he didn't deserve. She proved to be an expert marksman when the crew sprung to action to save him. She was an unknown variable. But the past two years, Mal and likened to River. He would hate to see anything bad happened to the girl. God knows she's been through enough already. Simon lurched forward to the bed and grabbed the stretcher from Mal's hand. "Help me get her to bay 2." Why bay 2?" Inara asked as soon as the answer sounded in her mind. "You can't! You can't do that to her! She told me how much she feared it." "It's the only way until I can find a treatment for her." Simon said as they unfolded the stretcher and lifted River and placed her gently on it. "Maybe the stasis will help her recover from the trauma." "Big ifs, Doctor." Mal said as they both lifted the stretcher. "It's all we've got." Simon announced as they headed towards the hatch with Inara in tow.
In the small to compare cargo hold, the storage room where in the middle amongst the other items and empty cargo trunks sat the stasis crate that River first came onto the Serenity on. Mal and Simon set her gently down on the deck as the doctor reached for the key pad to activate the crate. Please let it still come on! Simon pleaded to anyone that would listen. Whoever the superior being, the creator of the universe was. The crate opened and the generators began to run. He examined the temperature read out. "Let's go," Simon said as he and Mal placed her gently into the crate. As soon as her innocent still body was in the crate, Simon pressed the close button and watched breathless as the crate door closed. Simon stood, looking at the vital readouts as the crate was filled with the mist of suspension. The matter that suspended River's vitals to the level of hibernation. "She as stable as she can be right now." Simon said as he looks at Mal. "Captain, I'm--" "Don't." Mal said as he placed his hand on Simon's shoulder. "You don't even have a thing to apologize for. I'm worried about River to, She's one of the family. I want her to be well just as everyone else. And it was my call for Inara to take her to Delphi 9. She had been doing much better. I didn't think anything was going to---" "You don't have anything to apologize for, Captain. There was no way to know what would had happened." "Doctor, your tired." Mal announced the obvious. "River's safe. Get some sleep. You haven't had a good nights sleep for two years. "I can't," Simon shook his head. "I have to continue my research." He announced as he walks out of the bay and towards the infirmary. Leaving Inara and Mal embracing one another as they both look onto the active stasis crate. "Doctor?" "Sir?" "How long will that crate stay operational?" "It's got enough stasis for at least two months." "And what happens after that?" Inara inquired as she unconsciencely reached for Mal's hand. "We hope she wakes up," Simon said in dread as he exited the storage room. Mal and Inara stood in silence, holding one another's hand. Their silence and embrace was broken as Mal's comm at his side sounded. "What is it?" Mal asked in a somber voice. "We've got a problem." Wash said as he paused. "It's the Alliance." "Damn," Mal cursed as he stepped towards the hatch leading to the cargo bay. Inara standing silent as still, looking at the crate, imagining river curled in her fetal position as she slept.