A/N: Sorry for the delay in updates, I've been over my dad's house more or
less all week. That reminds me, I've got some news. I started another
story. I know it's bending my principle about one story at a time, but this
is officially an amendment to the principle. My other news is that I've
added a couple(dozen) quotes to my bio. Mostly funny stuff, read 'em if you
feel like laughing. And read the first chapter of my new story if you dig
fantasy kind of fics.
"Soooo," Ali said slowly, shifting against her seat against a beam in Serenity's belly, "That's all we do? Sit and wait in the ship?"
Kaylee decided not to take offense at the comment, "Yup, that's 'bout it. Cap'n don't need us for the jobs. Well, not most 'uh the time." Ali didn't need to know just yet how dangerous certain jobs had gotten over the course of her residence on Serenity. She still had nightmares about Mal and Wash's brush with torture, and her own role in their rescue. She shifted on her side of the beam.
"Ali? Kaylee?" came a voice from the med lab. Kaylee glanced up from her musings to see Simon walking toward them. Her foul mood evaporated as she scrambled to her feet. Simon stopped in front of Kaylee, and said nothing. Ali stood up but stayed leaning against the beam, watching the doctor and the mechanic gaze at each other silently.
Eventually it stopped being cute, "Yeah, Simon?" Ali inquired a little loudly to break through the doctor's and Kaylee's hormone-induced stupor.
It worked, and both Simon and Kaylee blinked rapidly. Ali guessed to clear the stars from their eyes, "Yes. I, uh, I was wondering whether Kaylee and yourself would care to join River and me on a trip to the town near here." Kaylee's eyes lit up and she nodded enthusiastically.
"I'm not sure-" Ali started, her own head slowly shaking in the negative.
"Oh, yeah!" Kaylee said over her, "Def'nitely! Where's River? Let's go." She eagerly linked her arm in Simon's and walked back into the ship to search for River, Ali at their heels.
They found the dark-haired girl crouched in a corner of the catwalk, meticulously arranging bits of metal as if they were precious jewels or chess pieces. Simon moved behind River and gently lifted her to her feet, but her eyes stayed glued to her shiny collection. He turned her face to his and spoke in tender tones, "Mei-mei, do you want to go to town with Kaylee and Ali and I?" River smiled slightly and nodded, "Good. We're planning to leave now. Are you ready?" She didn't answer, only took her brother's hand and walked toward the stairs leading down from the catwalk.
"Guess that's a yes," Ali said and she and Kaylee followed the siblings out of Serenity.
Simon had an ulterior motive on this trip. Under Mal's command to "do a coupla' yer tests", Simon decided he had too little understanding of Ali's condition to even start. His goal on the planet Boros was to ferret out as many books he could find on brain injuries. If Inara'd be kind enough, he hoped to pull up even more information from her computer on her shuttle.
For all River's mind's complex mysteries, Ali's unique affliction fascinated the curious doctor to no end. Amnesia, the word even SOUNDED rare to Simon. Ever since he'd learned of her injury's complications he'd been constructing various experiments in his head, just itching for the chance to study her. And now he was under orders to do just that! Even River couldn't help but notice the bounce in his step as he walked beside and chatted with Kaylee. The two younger girls followed silently behind, River's eyes boring into her brother's back while Ali's scanned the wilderness around her.
"You're not like us," said River quietly.
"What?" Ali responded, her head turning away from an interestingly shaped tree to study her peer.
River wished she hadn't said anything. Why didn't she just keep her mouth shut?! She knew whenever she did try to communicate a thought to somebody it came out wrong. It got mixed with other thoughts on its journey out her mouth until it was completely unintelligible. Too late now, she thought, "You're not like us," she repeated, no louder than before.
"You mean not a part of the crew?" Ali asked. She didn't wait for River's response, "Well, yeah, that's true. But I'm just stickin' around 'til I get better," she paused, "Well, that and find a place ta' go-"
"You're different," River continued a little louder. Then she looked Ali in the face, revealing a beaming smile, "Like me." She giggled slightly then turned away and jogged ahead to walk with her brother.
Ali wasn't sure whether to be insulted that she'd just been called crazy, or glad to be on River's good side. Kaylee'd told her that River had bad days, and a few of the consequences of being on her bad side on a bad day. Ali decided she'd rather be glad than insulted, and smiled herself as they entered the dusty, but more or less bustling town of Lineman.
Ali let her hands drift over the books' spines lazily, she scanned the titles as she walked. Suddenly her hand stopped and so did she. She pulled out the book that had somehow grabbed her attention and turned to a random page. The book was a chronicle of earth-that-was history. For some reason Ali's breath quickened as she turned the yellowed pages and she pressed the book to her chest. She glanced around the small bookstore as if she had something to hide in reading it. When she saw none of her friends she moved to a deserted corner and continued flipping.
Images flipped past her wandering eyes of ancient transport vehicles, grand sports arenas where thousands gathered to cheer their favorite teams, holiday celebrations of color and light, movie and music stars basking in unreal worship, until she reached the end. She closed the book slowly and wiped the tears she hadn't felt fall away from her cheeks and hugged the book tightly.
"Ali!" called a voice from the store's entrance, "We're headed out," it was Kaylee. Her voice sounded alarmed, "Now!"
Ali deliberated on whether to put the book back or not. She started to replace it, but took it back just as quickly.
"Ali!!" She didn't have much more time. Ali ran to the bookstore's counter, slammed down the book's worth, and dashed out of the store, where her friends and a blood-spattered Jayne met her.
"What the hell took you, girl?!" shouted Jayne angrily, he whipped around and strode away from them. Ali didn't answer, she was a little afraid of Jayne. Kaylee took her by the arm and followed the man, River and a multi-volume toting Simon right behind them.
"What's wrong, Kaylee?" Ali asked, trying to keep up with the mechanic.
Kaylee's worried face showed some consideration as she chose her words, "Er, cap'n's run into a lil trouble, we gotta leave."
"What kinda trouble, though?" She didn't answer, just gave Ali's arm another tug as she picked up the pace even more.
Mal and Zoe were just arriving on the three-person bike as Jayne, Kaylee, Ali, Simon, and River were walking into Serenity. Zoe held her gun at his side, as did Mal, and they both wore Kaylee's anxious expression.
"Nuthin' too bad, right, cap'n?" the mechanic said with a quivering voice.
"Bad enough," Mal answered, "'S time ta' leave, boys 'n girls. Gather up yer belongings and get in the gorram ship."
Just as the last of Serenity's crew were safely inside the common area, a group of a dozen or so men burst from the cover of the planet's few groves of trees and ran into the ship, guns blazing.
"Ta ma de," was all Ali caught from the captain before gunfire made hearing an impossibility. She was crouched with Kaylee and River behind a container in the common area, just passed the worst of the confrontation. Cries of pain could just barely be made out over the cacophony of the guns, thankfully none from the side of Serenity's crew. Kaylee made a motion to go for the entrance to the galley on the count of three. Ali felt the nausea rise in her stomach as Kaylee's fingers rhythmically dropped- one, two, three! She burst from her hiding place and towards the door, only to be snagged roughly by a cruel hand on her wrist. She squeezed her eyes shut and was immediately bent over in a strong kick to her assailant's stomach. Ali whipped around to face the wheezing but still intimidating thug, taking his wrist in her hand so that his palm faced him. Using her thumbs on the front of his hands, she pressed against his wrist, causing him to drop to his knees and moan in pain. She kept blindly pressing, even when he was on the floor and begging her to let go. She booted him in the stomach and the head until she didn't hear his voice any longer. Then, she opened her eyes.
The rest of the thugs had fled, realizing that they were not on their territory and the crew was better armed anyway. The only one left was the one bleeding and barely breathing at Ali's feet. Smoke from the various weapons drifted up around Serenity's ceiling.
"You would not believe," she said shakily. She sagged against the wall behind her, "how tired I am of my body doing stuff I didn't know it could do." Jayne and Wash lifted the thug and dropped him on the ground outside while Simon saw to a gash on Mal's arm from a thug's almost lucky shot. Ali couldn't ignore the change in the crew's eyes as they watched her sit down on Serenity's vibrating floor, carefully avoiding putting her foot in a puddle of blood.
A/N: Chew on THAT for a while. Not too long a while, of course. You would not believe how long I've been waiting to write that scene! Again sorry for the delay. Ugh, I finally have it done and ff.net's not even WORKING! Review please!
"Soooo," Ali said slowly, shifting against her seat against a beam in Serenity's belly, "That's all we do? Sit and wait in the ship?"
Kaylee decided not to take offense at the comment, "Yup, that's 'bout it. Cap'n don't need us for the jobs. Well, not most 'uh the time." Ali didn't need to know just yet how dangerous certain jobs had gotten over the course of her residence on Serenity. She still had nightmares about Mal and Wash's brush with torture, and her own role in their rescue. She shifted on her side of the beam.
"Ali? Kaylee?" came a voice from the med lab. Kaylee glanced up from her musings to see Simon walking toward them. Her foul mood evaporated as she scrambled to her feet. Simon stopped in front of Kaylee, and said nothing. Ali stood up but stayed leaning against the beam, watching the doctor and the mechanic gaze at each other silently.
Eventually it stopped being cute, "Yeah, Simon?" Ali inquired a little loudly to break through the doctor's and Kaylee's hormone-induced stupor.
It worked, and both Simon and Kaylee blinked rapidly. Ali guessed to clear the stars from their eyes, "Yes. I, uh, I was wondering whether Kaylee and yourself would care to join River and me on a trip to the town near here." Kaylee's eyes lit up and she nodded enthusiastically.
"I'm not sure-" Ali started, her own head slowly shaking in the negative.
"Oh, yeah!" Kaylee said over her, "Def'nitely! Where's River? Let's go." She eagerly linked her arm in Simon's and walked back into the ship to search for River, Ali at their heels.
They found the dark-haired girl crouched in a corner of the catwalk, meticulously arranging bits of metal as if they were precious jewels or chess pieces. Simon moved behind River and gently lifted her to her feet, but her eyes stayed glued to her shiny collection. He turned her face to his and spoke in tender tones, "Mei-mei, do you want to go to town with Kaylee and Ali and I?" River smiled slightly and nodded, "Good. We're planning to leave now. Are you ready?" She didn't answer, only took her brother's hand and walked toward the stairs leading down from the catwalk.
"Guess that's a yes," Ali said and she and Kaylee followed the siblings out of Serenity.
Simon had an ulterior motive on this trip. Under Mal's command to "do a coupla' yer tests", Simon decided he had too little understanding of Ali's condition to even start. His goal on the planet Boros was to ferret out as many books he could find on brain injuries. If Inara'd be kind enough, he hoped to pull up even more information from her computer on her shuttle.
For all River's mind's complex mysteries, Ali's unique affliction fascinated the curious doctor to no end. Amnesia, the word even SOUNDED rare to Simon. Ever since he'd learned of her injury's complications he'd been constructing various experiments in his head, just itching for the chance to study her. And now he was under orders to do just that! Even River couldn't help but notice the bounce in his step as he walked beside and chatted with Kaylee. The two younger girls followed silently behind, River's eyes boring into her brother's back while Ali's scanned the wilderness around her.
"You're not like us," said River quietly.
"What?" Ali responded, her head turning away from an interestingly shaped tree to study her peer.
River wished she hadn't said anything. Why didn't she just keep her mouth shut?! She knew whenever she did try to communicate a thought to somebody it came out wrong. It got mixed with other thoughts on its journey out her mouth until it was completely unintelligible. Too late now, she thought, "You're not like us," she repeated, no louder than before.
"You mean not a part of the crew?" Ali asked. She didn't wait for River's response, "Well, yeah, that's true. But I'm just stickin' around 'til I get better," she paused, "Well, that and find a place ta' go-"
"You're different," River continued a little louder. Then she looked Ali in the face, revealing a beaming smile, "Like me." She giggled slightly then turned away and jogged ahead to walk with her brother.
Ali wasn't sure whether to be insulted that she'd just been called crazy, or glad to be on River's good side. Kaylee'd told her that River had bad days, and a few of the consequences of being on her bad side on a bad day. Ali decided she'd rather be glad than insulted, and smiled herself as they entered the dusty, but more or less bustling town of Lineman.
Ali let her hands drift over the books' spines lazily, she scanned the titles as she walked. Suddenly her hand stopped and so did she. She pulled out the book that had somehow grabbed her attention and turned to a random page. The book was a chronicle of earth-that-was history. For some reason Ali's breath quickened as she turned the yellowed pages and she pressed the book to her chest. She glanced around the small bookstore as if she had something to hide in reading it. When she saw none of her friends she moved to a deserted corner and continued flipping.
Images flipped past her wandering eyes of ancient transport vehicles, grand sports arenas where thousands gathered to cheer their favorite teams, holiday celebrations of color and light, movie and music stars basking in unreal worship, until she reached the end. She closed the book slowly and wiped the tears she hadn't felt fall away from her cheeks and hugged the book tightly.
"Ali!" called a voice from the store's entrance, "We're headed out," it was Kaylee. Her voice sounded alarmed, "Now!"
Ali deliberated on whether to put the book back or not. She started to replace it, but took it back just as quickly.
"Ali!!" She didn't have much more time. Ali ran to the bookstore's counter, slammed down the book's worth, and dashed out of the store, where her friends and a blood-spattered Jayne met her.
"What the hell took you, girl?!" shouted Jayne angrily, he whipped around and strode away from them. Ali didn't answer, she was a little afraid of Jayne. Kaylee took her by the arm and followed the man, River and a multi-volume toting Simon right behind them.
"What's wrong, Kaylee?" Ali asked, trying to keep up with the mechanic.
Kaylee's worried face showed some consideration as she chose her words, "Er, cap'n's run into a lil trouble, we gotta leave."
"What kinda trouble, though?" She didn't answer, just gave Ali's arm another tug as she picked up the pace even more.
Mal and Zoe were just arriving on the three-person bike as Jayne, Kaylee, Ali, Simon, and River were walking into Serenity. Zoe held her gun at his side, as did Mal, and they both wore Kaylee's anxious expression.
"Nuthin' too bad, right, cap'n?" the mechanic said with a quivering voice.
"Bad enough," Mal answered, "'S time ta' leave, boys 'n girls. Gather up yer belongings and get in the gorram ship."
Just as the last of Serenity's crew were safely inside the common area, a group of a dozen or so men burst from the cover of the planet's few groves of trees and ran into the ship, guns blazing.
"Ta ma de," was all Ali caught from the captain before gunfire made hearing an impossibility. She was crouched with Kaylee and River behind a container in the common area, just passed the worst of the confrontation. Cries of pain could just barely be made out over the cacophony of the guns, thankfully none from the side of Serenity's crew. Kaylee made a motion to go for the entrance to the galley on the count of three. Ali felt the nausea rise in her stomach as Kaylee's fingers rhythmically dropped- one, two, three! She burst from her hiding place and towards the door, only to be snagged roughly by a cruel hand on her wrist. She squeezed her eyes shut and was immediately bent over in a strong kick to her assailant's stomach. Ali whipped around to face the wheezing but still intimidating thug, taking his wrist in her hand so that his palm faced him. Using her thumbs on the front of his hands, she pressed against his wrist, causing him to drop to his knees and moan in pain. She kept blindly pressing, even when he was on the floor and begging her to let go. She booted him in the stomach and the head until she didn't hear his voice any longer. Then, she opened her eyes.
The rest of the thugs had fled, realizing that they were not on their territory and the crew was better armed anyway. The only one left was the one bleeding and barely breathing at Ali's feet. Smoke from the various weapons drifted up around Serenity's ceiling.
"You would not believe," she said shakily. She sagged against the wall behind her, "how tired I am of my body doing stuff I didn't know it could do." Jayne and Wash lifted the thug and dropped him on the ground outside while Simon saw to a gash on Mal's arm from a thug's almost lucky shot. Ali couldn't ignore the change in the crew's eyes as they watched her sit down on Serenity's vibrating floor, carefully avoiding putting her foot in a puddle of blood.
A/N: Chew on THAT for a while. Not too long a while, of course. You would not believe how long I've been waiting to write that scene! Again sorry for the delay. Ugh, I finally have it done and ff.net's not even WORKING! Review please!