Notes: Spoilers for The Train Job... but I know you've all seen it. Right? Ooh, and, as per suggestions, here's a handy-dandy translation guide.
Beejway = shut up
Tyen sah duh uh muo = g-d--- monsters
Gaichi = idiot
.......................
Serenity had finally located the Juggernaut and, after the two slightly paranoid captains argued over meeting places, it was decided that both cargo bays would be opened simultaneously and the exchange of gold for credits would be completed as swiftly as possible.
Mrs. McGee had already arranged to have her 80% deposited to her account so once this meeting was finished, the crew was free and clear of any responsibility.
Wash had carefully matched the Juggernaut's orbit and brought them in to lock together. Jayne, Mal, and Zoë waited by the pressure doors in the cargo bay. Kaylee fluttered around, purging the vacuum and depressurizing the chamber.
"Okay, Captain! All set!" Kaylee exclaimed when she was finished, patting the doors appreciatively.
"Good job, now scat, little Kaylee. Tell Book we're starting." Mal was feeling a bit nervous. He was anxious for this job to be over with.
Kaylee darted up the stairs while Mal resumed his intimidating posture while waiting for the adjoining doors to open. His hand fidgeted over his empty holster. He and the captain of the Juggernaut had agreed to meet unarmed. Which was why Mal had Book stationed with a rifle up on the catwalk hidden behind a jumble of boxes - despite the Shepherd's determination to hit only knees if need be. Never hurt to be prepared.
Zoë stood on Mal's right, Jayne on his left.
"Okay, guys," Mal began, "look tough."
Zoë responded by arching an eyebrow and standing at attention like the soldier she was. Jayne took a more melodramatic route, striking various poses with his arms flexed while growling low. Malcolm sighed.
"Jayne, just act natural."
Jayne shrugged and resumed his previous stance: leaning against the carton of gold with his arms crossed.
They waited.
A loud creak followed by a hiss of air announced the opening of the Juggernaut's doors. Three men walked out of the ship. A pale, wiry man with a neatly trimmed black beard stepped forward, looked around briefly, then introduced himself.
"I'm the captain of the Juggernaut, Edison Scarlet," he announced. "This here's first mate, Kyle," gesturing towards a tall, blond man on his left, "and this is Raven."
Mal stared at the third, a dark, stocky man, and gaped at his oddly familiar facial tattoo.
"Aw, crap." Mal whispered, covering his panic with an overly-friendly smile towards the guests. Zoë shot him a knowing look. Jayne sidled up to the captain.
"Hey, doesn't he look an awful lot like that Crow what went through the engine?" Jayne stage-whispered.
"Beejway," Zoë warned under her breath, "Act smooth now."
Mal gestured towards Jayne, and Jayne started rolling the crate of gold towards the bay doors, and then lifted the lid to show the contents. Captain Scarlet did the same, motioning Raven off to pull out a bag of credits. Slowly, the two muscles approached one another, switched loads, and returned to their respective captains.
On his way back towards Mal and Zoë, Jayne paused, and turned back towards Raven, and called out:
"Hey, you don't have a brother, do you?"
"JAYNE!" Mal warned.
"Sorry, never mind..." Jayne waved a hand over his head, dismissing Malcolm's fear.
"Well," began the captain of the Juggernaut, "pleasure doing business with you." He saluted carelessly and began backing up to his ship, keeping a watchful eye on Mal.
"Well," Mal breathed, "that went smoothly for once," as the doors started to slowly close.
Naturally, River chose this moment to come hurtling out from the common area. She and Simon were supposed to be waiting quietly until Serenity separated from the Juggernaut.
River dodged Zoë and ran past a startled Mal to launch herself at Jayne. She wrapped herself around him, almost knocking him off balance.
"They see us!" She shouted, trying to claw her way up his body. "They're watching!"
"Not in front of guests, sweetie," Mal said through clenched teeth, trying to motion for Jayne to remove River from the Juggernaut's sights. Jayne quickly walked off with her, cradling her to his chest, whispering that it was all right.
But it was too late. Raven was staring oddly at River.
Mal knew they were humped.
..................
Mal stormed into the common area where River was. She was still wrapped up in Jayne's arms. Simon was pacing back and forth in agitation. When he saw the captain come into the room, he hurried up to him.
"Captain, I'm sorry. She just rushed off without any warning." He paused and ventured, "Did they see her? Did they recognize her?"
Malcolm scowled, "Yeah, they saw her. She comes running in and howling like a banshee. They definitely recognized her. Raven and that other guy were giving each other looks. We need to get out of here. Now."
Malcolm figured there was no point in yelling at Simon for not watching his sister better. He could see the dread filling Simon's face, and knew that there was nothing he could say to make him feel any worse.
Mal went up to the comm system and told Wash to start flying: fast and far. Then he called up to Inara's shuttle.
"Hey, Inara. You might want to beat it. Find a planet close by. We're likely to have some unpleasant company soon. River made a guest appearance today during the trade. Likely they recognized her."
There was a pause from the companion's end. Then Mal heard her say, as calm as ever:
"I'll stay here. My reputation might be useful."
"Inara, no." Mal sighed. Gorram woman never did what he wanted. He kicked the wall and stormed up to her shuttle to order her around in person.
Jayne and Simon watched as Mal stomped out of the room and up the stairs. Simon then eyed Jayne warily and asked,
"Why are you holding her?"
"I ain't holding her," Jayne scowled, "She ran up to me. Can't get her off."
Simon narrowed his eyes as, contradictory to his statement, Jayne gathered River up more securely and clutched her tighter while trying to calm her with motherly shushes.
"Besides," Jayne continued, "doesn't anyone want to know what she was so worried about? Why are ya'll ignoring her?"
"She doesn't make any sense. She just rambles off whatever nonsense is firing off in her brain," Simon dismissed with a wave of his hand.
"No, she does make sense. You're just not listening!" Jayne scolded.
Simon was taken aback by Jayne's rather loud defense of his sister. He sat down, abashed.
"So, what did she say?"
Jayne shrugged. "That someone was watching us."
"And what does that mean?"
"I dunno! I didn't get a chance to ask her yet. Everybody was making great manly plans to run away." He bent his head to look at River.
"Hey, baby," he whispered down to her, "Who's watching us?"
River's tear-streaked face peeked out from the hollow beneath his chin.
"The petal-pluckers," she whispered in horror.
"Tyen sah duh uh muo..." Jayne spoke quietly with an edge of terror to his voice.
"What the hell does that mean?" Simon exploded in frustration.
"It means goddamn—"
"Not THAT... you gaichi... the petal business."
"For a genius you sure are dumb," Jayne countered.
"Humor me," Simon deadpanned.
Jayne sighed. "She means the Reavers."
"What... what do you mean... are you sure? River? Is it the Reavers?" Simon was definitely panicking.
"Yeah, she's sure. Go tell the captain, little man," Jayne ordered.
"Yeah, okay." Simon bolted out of the room to go find Malcolm.
Jayne settled down in a chair and arranged River in his lap, smoothing her hair and trying his best to comfort her.
"Don't worry none, little darling. I'll break everyone of their gorram necks and use their pinkies as toothpicks. I'll make us a nice, matching pair of jackets out of their hides. Naw, scratch that. I hear Reaver skins got too much puss on it."
Beejway = shut up
Tyen sah duh uh muo = g-d--- monsters
Gaichi = idiot
.......................
Serenity had finally located the Juggernaut and, after the two slightly paranoid captains argued over meeting places, it was decided that both cargo bays would be opened simultaneously and the exchange of gold for credits would be completed as swiftly as possible.
Mrs. McGee had already arranged to have her 80% deposited to her account so once this meeting was finished, the crew was free and clear of any responsibility.
Wash had carefully matched the Juggernaut's orbit and brought them in to lock together. Jayne, Mal, and Zoë waited by the pressure doors in the cargo bay. Kaylee fluttered around, purging the vacuum and depressurizing the chamber.
"Okay, Captain! All set!" Kaylee exclaimed when she was finished, patting the doors appreciatively.
"Good job, now scat, little Kaylee. Tell Book we're starting." Mal was feeling a bit nervous. He was anxious for this job to be over with.
Kaylee darted up the stairs while Mal resumed his intimidating posture while waiting for the adjoining doors to open. His hand fidgeted over his empty holster. He and the captain of the Juggernaut had agreed to meet unarmed. Which was why Mal had Book stationed with a rifle up on the catwalk hidden behind a jumble of boxes - despite the Shepherd's determination to hit only knees if need be. Never hurt to be prepared.
Zoë stood on Mal's right, Jayne on his left.
"Okay, guys," Mal began, "look tough."
Zoë responded by arching an eyebrow and standing at attention like the soldier she was. Jayne took a more melodramatic route, striking various poses with his arms flexed while growling low. Malcolm sighed.
"Jayne, just act natural."
Jayne shrugged and resumed his previous stance: leaning against the carton of gold with his arms crossed.
They waited.
A loud creak followed by a hiss of air announced the opening of the Juggernaut's doors. Three men walked out of the ship. A pale, wiry man with a neatly trimmed black beard stepped forward, looked around briefly, then introduced himself.
"I'm the captain of the Juggernaut, Edison Scarlet," he announced. "This here's first mate, Kyle," gesturing towards a tall, blond man on his left, "and this is Raven."
Mal stared at the third, a dark, stocky man, and gaped at his oddly familiar facial tattoo.
"Aw, crap." Mal whispered, covering his panic with an overly-friendly smile towards the guests. Zoë shot him a knowing look. Jayne sidled up to the captain.
"Hey, doesn't he look an awful lot like that Crow what went through the engine?" Jayne stage-whispered.
"Beejway," Zoë warned under her breath, "Act smooth now."
Mal gestured towards Jayne, and Jayne started rolling the crate of gold towards the bay doors, and then lifted the lid to show the contents. Captain Scarlet did the same, motioning Raven off to pull out a bag of credits. Slowly, the two muscles approached one another, switched loads, and returned to their respective captains.
On his way back towards Mal and Zoë, Jayne paused, and turned back towards Raven, and called out:
"Hey, you don't have a brother, do you?"
"JAYNE!" Mal warned.
"Sorry, never mind..." Jayne waved a hand over his head, dismissing Malcolm's fear.
"Well," began the captain of the Juggernaut, "pleasure doing business with you." He saluted carelessly and began backing up to his ship, keeping a watchful eye on Mal.
"Well," Mal breathed, "that went smoothly for once," as the doors started to slowly close.
Naturally, River chose this moment to come hurtling out from the common area. She and Simon were supposed to be waiting quietly until Serenity separated from the Juggernaut.
River dodged Zoë and ran past a startled Mal to launch herself at Jayne. She wrapped herself around him, almost knocking him off balance.
"They see us!" She shouted, trying to claw her way up his body. "They're watching!"
"Not in front of guests, sweetie," Mal said through clenched teeth, trying to motion for Jayne to remove River from the Juggernaut's sights. Jayne quickly walked off with her, cradling her to his chest, whispering that it was all right.
But it was too late. Raven was staring oddly at River.
Mal knew they were humped.
..................
Mal stormed into the common area where River was. She was still wrapped up in Jayne's arms. Simon was pacing back and forth in agitation. When he saw the captain come into the room, he hurried up to him.
"Captain, I'm sorry. She just rushed off without any warning." He paused and ventured, "Did they see her? Did they recognize her?"
Malcolm scowled, "Yeah, they saw her. She comes running in and howling like a banshee. They definitely recognized her. Raven and that other guy were giving each other looks. We need to get out of here. Now."
Malcolm figured there was no point in yelling at Simon for not watching his sister better. He could see the dread filling Simon's face, and knew that there was nothing he could say to make him feel any worse.
Mal went up to the comm system and told Wash to start flying: fast and far. Then he called up to Inara's shuttle.
"Hey, Inara. You might want to beat it. Find a planet close by. We're likely to have some unpleasant company soon. River made a guest appearance today during the trade. Likely they recognized her."
There was a pause from the companion's end. Then Mal heard her say, as calm as ever:
"I'll stay here. My reputation might be useful."
"Inara, no." Mal sighed. Gorram woman never did what he wanted. He kicked the wall and stormed up to her shuttle to order her around in person.
Jayne and Simon watched as Mal stomped out of the room and up the stairs. Simon then eyed Jayne warily and asked,
"Why are you holding her?"
"I ain't holding her," Jayne scowled, "She ran up to me. Can't get her off."
Simon narrowed his eyes as, contradictory to his statement, Jayne gathered River up more securely and clutched her tighter while trying to calm her with motherly shushes.
"Besides," Jayne continued, "doesn't anyone want to know what she was so worried about? Why are ya'll ignoring her?"
"She doesn't make any sense. She just rambles off whatever nonsense is firing off in her brain," Simon dismissed with a wave of his hand.
"No, she does make sense. You're just not listening!" Jayne scolded.
Simon was taken aback by Jayne's rather loud defense of his sister. He sat down, abashed.
"So, what did she say?"
Jayne shrugged. "That someone was watching us."
"And what does that mean?"
"I dunno! I didn't get a chance to ask her yet. Everybody was making great manly plans to run away." He bent his head to look at River.
"Hey, baby," he whispered down to her, "Who's watching us?"
River's tear-streaked face peeked out from the hollow beneath his chin.
"The petal-pluckers," she whispered in horror.
"Tyen sah duh uh muo..." Jayne spoke quietly with an edge of terror to his voice.
"What the hell does that mean?" Simon exploded in frustration.
"It means goddamn—"
"Not THAT... you gaichi... the petal business."
"For a genius you sure are dumb," Jayne countered.
"Humor me," Simon deadpanned.
Jayne sighed. "She means the Reavers."
"What... what do you mean... are you sure? River? Is it the Reavers?" Simon was definitely panicking.
"Yeah, she's sure. Go tell the captain, little man," Jayne ordered.
"Yeah, okay." Simon bolted out of the room to go find Malcolm.
Jayne settled down in a chair and arranged River in his lap, smoothing her hair and trying his best to comfort her.
"Don't worry none, little darling. I'll break everyone of their gorram necks and use their pinkies as toothpicks. I'll make us a nice, matching pair of jackets out of their hides. Naw, scratch that. I hear Reaver skins got too much puss on it."