Chapter: 12
Shepherd reached the bridge where Chambers updated him on Jaycee's situation. "Good, God," he cried. "Jayne wants to talk to you," Chambers said as he pointed Book to the comm terminal. Book moved to the terminal and activated the terminal. "I'm here, Jayne." "I ah, I need you to do me a little something." "Anything, Jayne. What is it?" "I ah, I want this on a secure line." Shepherd nodded as Chambers pressed the appropriate keys that secured the line with Shepherd and Jayne. Chambers excused himself and left Boat on the bridge alone. An idea he wasn't to crazy about. "We're secured, Jayne. We can talk freely now." "I think, I need you to rescue me. No, that's not right. What happens when you Shepherds help someone." "In what way, Jayne. We help in many ways." "What 'cha call it when you get someone ready to, to die." "Are you asking me to save you, Jayne?" "Save! Yeah, that's what I'm talking about." "Jayne, do you acknowledge to the maker himself that you have sinned?" "Lots of times," Jayne answered. "A simple yes or no, Jayne." "Yes, I have sinned. Lots of times." "Do you stand now before the maker, and ask forgiveness for you transgressions?" "I do. I ask forgiveness for my transgressions." "My son, you are saved," Shepherd announced, a soft and gentle tear rolling down his dark cheeks. "Y a know Shepherd, I really didn't like ya' when you came onboard, Serenity." "I know." "But in the end, well, what I'm trying to say is, I've never really had much friends when I was growing up. Hell, oops, sorry there Shepherd. I really never had many friends at all." "Everyone on Serenity are your friends, Jayne. We're a family that will never be separated." "I know, but I just wanted ya' to know, I'm glad you became my friend." "It was an honor, and a pleasure, Jayne. Now be at peace. Do not fear death, for it is only the next step." "I ain't afraid, Shepherd. For the first time, I feel fine. No pain, no fear, nothing." "Than you are ready to pass to the next plain, my friend. You know, people say that you never live life fully. Have you heard that." "Yeah, I've heard that a few times." "You know what, Jayne?" "What's that, Book?" "You do live life fully. On the eve of your death, that is when you have lived life fully." "Sort of makes sense. Kind of, in a weird way." Joy filed Book's heart. A lost soul was found, and soon would come home where Jayne would feast at the table of the maker, God. "is there anything I can do for you, Jayne?" "Yeah, tell River when you see her again, that I'm sorry." A part of Shepherd wanted to question Jayne further. But he knew that it was not the right thing to do. "She'll know what I'm talking about. I've held onto the guilt for a long time. And in the end, I wish I could had told her that I was sorry." "You have my promise that I will do such as you ask, Jayne." "Thanks for everything, Book." "Thank you for an event-full two years, Jayne." "It's been--------fun------Shepherd," Jayne said as his voice began to degrade to static. As Book looked at his terminal, he could see that the Rising Star and Jayne were out of range. "God be with you, Jayne Cobb. May you go gently into the night." And with that, Book bowed his head in a solemn prayer for his friend.
Zoe and Kaylee were in the airlock taking their EVA suits off as Kaylee began to cry uncontrollable. Even as Zoe put her arm around Kaylee to soothe her the crying continued. All the guilt that was building up on her since she arrived on the Rising Star was catching up to her. Assaulting her on all sides. "Do not fear, Kaylee," Book announced as he entered the airlock and placed his arms around both Zoe and Kaylee. "His presence has been declared by the Maker's side." "It was my fault. I didn't think. I was stupid!" "All things happen for a purpose, Kaylee. You can not take this guilt. If this was Jaycee's time to pass, than there is no other way to stop it." "He wouldn't be out floating in space if I didn't hook up!" "Death is nothing to be feared, Kaylee. It is only the next step in life. The final step. And where Jayne will walk, will be by far a better place than we can imagine." "It doesn't help, Shepherd," Kaylee cried. "I know dear. I know." The three held one another, mourning the loss of Jayne. Of all the encounters all three had with Jayne, in the end their arguments, disagreements were reduced to nothing more than tears of pain and joy. The pain that they would loose someone they considered a friend. And the joy that in the end, he would be in a better off place.
Chapter: 13
Hours had passed since Jaycee's last transmission. And all was quiet on the Rising Star as there was still no word from the Serenity. For the crew of the Serenity away from their ship, life seemed to come to a stand still. Book sat in a quiet area of the ship in the aft compartments, siting on the floor with his Bible in deep thought and prayer for his friend that had passed onto the next plain. Zoe was sitting silent at one of the support terminals on the bridge as she stared at the comm frequency spectrum. Hoping for a word from the Serenity. Any word. Kaylee sat in the airlock with the door shut. The emergency lockout protocols to prevent the airlock hatch opening while she was inside the chamber without the confines of an EVA suit. Tears rolling down her cheeks as her thoughts went to Jayne and Simon. "Oh go, why?" She cried as she rocked herself. Hoping that the rocking would ease her actions. "Jaycee's dead because of me. Because I didn't tether ourselves to the ship," Kaylee said as she stood up and paced the floor. Her arms swinging in the air as if trying to knock out an attacker. Standing outside the sealed airlock hatch, was the black robed figure who noticed Zoe a few hours before. He stood, looking in on her turmoil. Wondering if the girl would be okay. And if he would live to see the day that he accomplished his calling.
On the bridge, the only one on the deck was Zoe as her eyes began to grow heavy as the comm spectrum remained on her display. Just a spike in the spectrum. Just a word from Serenity. Please! As she pleaded to whoever was listening for a word from her husband, everyone's home, she began to doze off repeatedly. But each time before sleep seized her, she snapped back to reality. Her eyes never leaving her display except for occasionally looking out the canopy of the bridge. Imagining that the Serenity was heading towards them. She could easily imagine the Serenity gliding towards them with Wash seated at the FireFly's controls, waving at his wife. "Honey, I'm home," He would say. "Where are you, dead?" Zoe asked as sleep began to assault her once again. But this time her weariness surrendered and she began to sleep. The only sound that awoke her from her restless slumber was the alarm from her terminal. As she opened her eyes, she gained focused and saw a spike in the spectrum. And a waiting communication feed. "This is the Rising Star, over," Zoe announced as she crossed her fingers. Please answer, Wash. Please. "Rising Star, this is Serenity," Wash's voice announced. "We're back." "It's good to hear from you, Serenity. Wash, I love you." "I love you too, baby. We'll be docked in twenty five minutes. See ya' then. Serenity out." Zoe literally jumped out of her chair and headed for the compartments of the ship where her fellow crew mates were settled in. Literally weaving through the traffic of the colonists as she saw Chambers approaching her. "What's the hurry?" "Serenity's back." "That's good to hear," Chambers smiled as he proceeded to the bridge.
Mal sat in his cabin in silence, listening to the deep hum of the Serenity. Mal called the deep hum the Serenity's heart beat. And as long as the heart was beating, so was his. "Mal," Wash's voice was carried through Mal's comm. "Go," Mal breathed. "We're three minutes from docking." "I'm on the way," Mal announced as he stood up from his bed and climbed up the ladder to the central corridor. "I'll be in the cargo bay." "Aye," Wash answered as he guided his hands over his terminal. In a split second after the key sequence was entered in his terminal, the engine nacelles grew black and the breaking and maneuvering thrusters began to fire as the Rising Star loomed closer and closer through his view on the bridge.
The deck shuddered as Mal and Inara stood side by side as Simon entered the cargo bay. Contact as the two starships became one and the airlock's began to pressurize. "It will be good to see everyone again," Inara announced. Attempting to lighten the mood for Mal and Simon. But it did not work. Inara stood silent as the airlock pressurized and the hatch began to open. I wonder if this is how Serenity will be for now on? The airlock hatch opened as Zoe, Kaylee, and Book entered with solemn faces of their own. As the trio entered the Serenity, they noticed that Mal, Inara, and Simon of all of them had solemn faces of their own. "Status report," Mal said as the noise of feet running on the upper platform echoed as Wash entered. His wife ever in his sights. "Kaylee's done everything she could do. They'll have to be towed to the nearest port." "Understood," Mal nodded as he looked at Kaylee and Book. Simon raised his head that was down up to this moment and looked at Kaylee who seemed to be ignoring him. Book stepped forward. "We return, with one less," he announced as he stepped forward to shake Mal's hand. "So I see. What, Jayne decide to take a walk outside?" With that remark, Kaylee began to cry where Simon walked to her side. "Kaylee, it's okay," Simon said. "No it's not!" "Believe me, it is. Jaycee's asleep in his cabin." With the last statement Kaylee's eyes opened wide. "He's what?" "We picked up our sight seer right before his air supply ran out." "The most beautiful thing I ever heard," Wash said as he had his arm around his beautiful wife. "Got a spike on the comm spectrum and what do I hear? Snoring." The crew smiled for the first time that seemed to had been a long time. Some things were changing. But no one would know if it was for the better. "Everyone get settled in," Mal ordered. "Prepare to seal the boat. I'm going over to talk to the captain and I'll return shortly." The crew nodded their heads as the group split up. "Where, River?" Book asked Simon whose eyes went back to the deck before he walked off slowly and his shoulder slumped over. "What happened, Wash?" Zoe asked. Dread filling her senses that something bad had happened to the poor girl. "She deteriorated. Simon had to put her back into the stasis crate." "Oh, my," Book said as he bowed his head. Kaylee left the group and walked up the steps to follow Simon as the rest of the group slowly separated to their duties.
Mal walked through the corridors of the Rising Star. The first time he had ever set foot on a Centaur transport before. Not unlike the FireFly transport, the corridors were cramped. But where the two were truly separated from comparison, was the Centaur carried a boatload of colonists. The FireFly only carried nine troubled souls. And one of those souls was asleep. But Mal knew her troubles were still following her wherever her thoughts went. "Captain Reynolds," a voice from the shadows said that alerted Mal as he reached for his sidearm. His hand gripping the handle but not lifting the gun out of the holster. "What of it? What do you want?" "I want your help, Captain Reynolds," the robed figure said as he stepped from the shadows and into the light where he removed his hood. "You son of a bitch," Mal cursed as he remained ready to draw. Especially at the person that was standing before him. "Don't think I ever caught your name, Commander." "It hasn't been commander for seven months," the figure said. "The names Marcus Devons. Formerly of the Alliance." "How could I forget," Mal remarked as the man standing before him was the same man that took his crew into custody when they found that transport adrift after it was thrashed by the Reavers. The same man that sent him ahead and un-armed as he searched for the young Reaver spawn that was loose on his ship. In a swift motion, Mal raised his fist and threw it at the former captain. Upon contact, Devons fell back and hit the deck hard. "What was that for?" "For sending me searching for the Reaver spawn un-armed. Now what the hell do you want?"
Shepherd reached the bridge where Chambers updated him on Jaycee's situation. "Good, God," he cried. "Jayne wants to talk to you," Chambers said as he pointed Book to the comm terminal. Book moved to the terminal and activated the terminal. "I'm here, Jayne." "I ah, I need you to do me a little something." "Anything, Jayne. What is it?" "I ah, I want this on a secure line." Shepherd nodded as Chambers pressed the appropriate keys that secured the line with Shepherd and Jayne. Chambers excused himself and left Boat on the bridge alone. An idea he wasn't to crazy about. "We're secured, Jayne. We can talk freely now." "I think, I need you to rescue me. No, that's not right. What happens when you Shepherds help someone." "In what way, Jayne. We help in many ways." "What 'cha call it when you get someone ready to, to die." "Are you asking me to save you, Jayne?" "Save! Yeah, that's what I'm talking about." "Jayne, do you acknowledge to the maker himself that you have sinned?" "Lots of times," Jayne answered. "A simple yes or no, Jayne." "Yes, I have sinned. Lots of times." "Do you stand now before the maker, and ask forgiveness for you transgressions?" "I do. I ask forgiveness for my transgressions." "My son, you are saved," Shepherd announced, a soft and gentle tear rolling down his dark cheeks. "Y a know Shepherd, I really didn't like ya' when you came onboard, Serenity." "I know." "But in the end, well, what I'm trying to say is, I've never really had much friends when I was growing up. Hell, oops, sorry there Shepherd. I really never had many friends at all." "Everyone on Serenity are your friends, Jayne. We're a family that will never be separated." "I know, but I just wanted ya' to know, I'm glad you became my friend." "It was an honor, and a pleasure, Jayne. Now be at peace. Do not fear death, for it is only the next step." "I ain't afraid, Shepherd. For the first time, I feel fine. No pain, no fear, nothing." "Than you are ready to pass to the next plain, my friend. You know, people say that you never live life fully. Have you heard that." "Yeah, I've heard that a few times." "You know what, Jayne?" "What's that, Book?" "You do live life fully. On the eve of your death, that is when you have lived life fully." "Sort of makes sense. Kind of, in a weird way." Joy filed Book's heart. A lost soul was found, and soon would come home where Jayne would feast at the table of the maker, God. "is there anything I can do for you, Jayne?" "Yeah, tell River when you see her again, that I'm sorry." A part of Shepherd wanted to question Jayne further. But he knew that it was not the right thing to do. "She'll know what I'm talking about. I've held onto the guilt for a long time. And in the end, I wish I could had told her that I was sorry." "You have my promise that I will do such as you ask, Jayne." "Thanks for everything, Book." "Thank you for an event-full two years, Jayne." "It's been--------fun------Shepherd," Jayne said as his voice began to degrade to static. As Book looked at his terminal, he could see that the Rising Star and Jayne were out of range. "God be with you, Jayne Cobb. May you go gently into the night." And with that, Book bowed his head in a solemn prayer for his friend.
Zoe and Kaylee were in the airlock taking their EVA suits off as Kaylee began to cry uncontrollable. Even as Zoe put her arm around Kaylee to soothe her the crying continued. All the guilt that was building up on her since she arrived on the Rising Star was catching up to her. Assaulting her on all sides. "Do not fear, Kaylee," Book announced as he entered the airlock and placed his arms around both Zoe and Kaylee. "His presence has been declared by the Maker's side." "It was my fault. I didn't think. I was stupid!" "All things happen for a purpose, Kaylee. You can not take this guilt. If this was Jaycee's time to pass, than there is no other way to stop it." "He wouldn't be out floating in space if I didn't hook up!" "Death is nothing to be feared, Kaylee. It is only the next step in life. The final step. And where Jayne will walk, will be by far a better place than we can imagine." "It doesn't help, Shepherd," Kaylee cried. "I know dear. I know." The three held one another, mourning the loss of Jayne. Of all the encounters all three had with Jayne, in the end their arguments, disagreements were reduced to nothing more than tears of pain and joy. The pain that they would loose someone they considered a friend. And the joy that in the end, he would be in a better off place.
Chapter: 13
Hours had passed since Jaycee's last transmission. And all was quiet on the Rising Star as there was still no word from the Serenity. For the crew of the Serenity away from their ship, life seemed to come to a stand still. Book sat in a quiet area of the ship in the aft compartments, siting on the floor with his Bible in deep thought and prayer for his friend that had passed onto the next plain. Zoe was sitting silent at one of the support terminals on the bridge as she stared at the comm frequency spectrum. Hoping for a word from the Serenity. Any word. Kaylee sat in the airlock with the door shut. The emergency lockout protocols to prevent the airlock hatch opening while she was inside the chamber without the confines of an EVA suit. Tears rolling down her cheeks as her thoughts went to Jayne and Simon. "Oh go, why?" She cried as she rocked herself. Hoping that the rocking would ease her actions. "Jaycee's dead because of me. Because I didn't tether ourselves to the ship," Kaylee said as she stood up and paced the floor. Her arms swinging in the air as if trying to knock out an attacker. Standing outside the sealed airlock hatch, was the black robed figure who noticed Zoe a few hours before. He stood, looking in on her turmoil. Wondering if the girl would be okay. And if he would live to see the day that he accomplished his calling.
On the bridge, the only one on the deck was Zoe as her eyes began to grow heavy as the comm spectrum remained on her display. Just a spike in the spectrum. Just a word from Serenity. Please! As she pleaded to whoever was listening for a word from her husband, everyone's home, she began to doze off repeatedly. But each time before sleep seized her, she snapped back to reality. Her eyes never leaving her display except for occasionally looking out the canopy of the bridge. Imagining that the Serenity was heading towards them. She could easily imagine the Serenity gliding towards them with Wash seated at the FireFly's controls, waving at his wife. "Honey, I'm home," He would say. "Where are you, dead?" Zoe asked as sleep began to assault her once again. But this time her weariness surrendered and she began to sleep. The only sound that awoke her from her restless slumber was the alarm from her terminal. As she opened her eyes, she gained focused and saw a spike in the spectrum. And a waiting communication feed. "This is the Rising Star, over," Zoe announced as she crossed her fingers. Please answer, Wash. Please. "Rising Star, this is Serenity," Wash's voice announced. "We're back." "It's good to hear from you, Serenity. Wash, I love you." "I love you too, baby. We'll be docked in twenty five minutes. See ya' then. Serenity out." Zoe literally jumped out of her chair and headed for the compartments of the ship where her fellow crew mates were settled in. Literally weaving through the traffic of the colonists as she saw Chambers approaching her. "What's the hurry?" "Serenity's back." "That's good to hear," Chambers smiled as he proceeded to the bridge.
Mal sat in his cabin in silence, listening to the deep hum of the Serenity. Mal called the deep hum the Serenity's heart beat. And as long as the heart was beating, so was his. "Mal," Wash's voice was carried through Mal's comm. "Go," Mal breathed. "We're three minutes from docking." "I'm on the way," Mal announced as he stood up from his bed and climbed up the ladder to the central corridor. "I'll be in the cargo bay." "Aye," Wash answered as he guided his hands over his terminal. In a split second after the key sequence was entered in his terminal, the engine nacelles grew black and the breaking and maneuvering thrusters began to fire as the Rising Star loomed closer and closer through his view on the bridge.
The deck shuddered as Mal and Inara stood side by side as Simon entered the cargo bay. Contact as the two starships became one and the airlock's began to pressurize. "It will be good to see everyone again," Inara announced. Attempting to lighten the mood for Mal and Simon. But it did not work. Inara stood silent as the airlock pressurized and the hatch began to open. I wonder if this is how Serenity will be for now on? The airlock hatch opened as Zoe, Kaylee, and Book entered with solemn faces of their own. As the trio entered the Serenity, they noticed that Mal, Inara, and Simon of all of them had solemn faces of their own. "Status report," Mal said as the noise of feet running on the upper platform echoed as Wash entered. His wife ever in his sights. "Kaylee's done everything she could do. They'll have to be towed to the nearest port." "Understood," Mal nodded as he looked at Kaylee and Book. Simon raised his head that was down up to this moment and looked at Kaylee who seemed to be ignoring him. Book stepped forward. "We return, with one less," he announced as he stepped forward to shake Mal's hand. "So I see. What, Jayne decide to take a walk outside?" With that remark, Kaylee began to cry where Simon walked to her side. "Kaylee, it's okay," Simon said. "No it's not!" "Believe me, it is. Jaycee's asleep in his cabin." With the last statement Kaylee's eyes opened wide. "He's what?" "We picked up our sight seer right before his air supply ran out." "The most beautiful thing I ever heard," Wash said as he had his arm around his beautiful wife. "Got a spike on the comm spectrum and what do I hear? Snoring." The crew smiled for the first time that seemed to had been a long time. Some things were changing. But no one would know if it was for the better. "Everyone get settled in," Mal ordered. "Prepare to seal the boat. I'm going over to talk to the captain and I'll return shortly." The crew nodded their heads as the group split up. "Where, River?" Book asked Simon whose eyes went back to the deck before he walked off slowly and his shoulder slumped over. "What happened, Wash?" Zoe asked. Dread filling her senses that something bad had happened to the poor girl. "She deteriorated. Simon had to put her back into the stasis crate." "Oh, my," Book said as he bowed his head. Kaylee left the group and walked up the steps to follow Simon as the rest of the group slowly separated to their duties.
Mal walked through the corridors of the Rising Star. The first time he had ever set foot on a Centaur transport before. Not unlike the FireFly transport, the corridors were cramped. But where the two were truly separated from comparison, was the Centaur carried a boatload of colonists. The FireFly only carried nine troubled souls. And one of those souls was asleep. But Mal knew her troubles were still following her wherever her thoughts went. "Captain Reynolds," a voice from the shadows said that alerted Mal as he reached for his sidearm. His hand gripping the handle but not lifting the gun out of the holster. "What of it? What do you want?" "I want your help, Captain Reynolds," the robed figure said as he stepped from the shadows and into the light where he removed his hood. "You son of a bitch," Mal cursed as he remained ready to draw. Especially at the person that was standing before him. "Don't think I ever caught your name, Commander." "It hasn't been commander for seven months," the figure said. "The names Marcus Devons. Formerly of the Alliance." "How could I forget," Mal remarked as the man standing before him was the same man that took his crew into custody when they found that transport adrift after it was thrashed by the Reavers. The same man that sent him ahead and un-armed as he searched for the young Reaver spawn that was loose on his ship. In a swift motion, Mal raised his fist and threw it at the former captain. Upon contact, Devons fell back and hit the deck hard. "What was that for?" "For sending me searching for the Reaver spawn un-armed. Now what the hell do you want?"