Notes: Thanks for all the reviews! This is my attempt at action-packed stuff. Let me know if it's silly.
Ai ya: damn
Fei-oo: useless
Hwoon dahn: bastards
Lao tyen, boo: oh g-d, no
River's mind exploded in a cloud of pain the moment the Reavers breached the hull. She heard their voices screaming through her head and obscuring her vision. Her stomach turned as the intruders' thoughts raped through her brain.
Her legs gave way and she tumbled towards the ground. She felt strong arms stop her fall, wrap around her, and lift her up, away from the shrieks that swirled around her feet. The last sane part of her knew she was probably crying, screaming. She fought to emerge from the fog that blinded her to reality.
She smelled something on the verge of her brain. Something she had to get to. She mentally sorted through her cerebral anatomy: her medulla, occipital lobe, amygdala, following the scent as it got stronger and stronger. It smelled like...
"Fire! Fire!" River screamed, clawing at Jayne's face.
Jayne stopped his running abruptly, shifting her body away from him to scan her face.
"Where?" he asked.
River swung her arm out behind her while reburying her face in his neck.
"Ruttin' hell," he sighed as River gestured wildly towards the entrance to the shuttle. It was supposed to be a damned good plan. Nothing ever goes right.
He turned and tore down the corridor, back towards the cargo bay. Back towards the Reavers. He passed a confused Simon and Kaylee as he went, shouting "Run!" without pausing in his flight. Simon and Kaylee exchanged nervous glances then hurriedly followed.
Suddenly, the ship shifted violently, toppling them as they ran. An explosion ripped through the shuttle and sent a great ginger-orange fireball pouring through the corridor they just left.
Kaylee quickly leapt up to close the heavy doors behind them, sealing the atmosphere, but locking the only passage to the shuttle.
"Ai ya. I'm sorry, sweetie," Kaylee cooed as she pet the wall of the ship.
Jayne stood up, setting River on her feet. She promptly sank to the floor and curled in a ball. Jayne moved over her body, protectively standing astride her, while he addressed Simon and Kaylee.
"Reavers blew the shuttle. We gotta get to 'Nara's before they leave without us."
"But," Simon started, "the Reavers will be in the cargo bay by now."
"But that's the only way through," Kaylee murmured in dread, reaching for Simon's hand. Simon held on to her tightly.
"It's the only option, isn't it?" he asked with resignation.
"'Fraid so."
Jayne crouched down next to River.
"Hey, girl. We gotta run. You know I won't let them touch you, right?" he whispered to her.
Her eyes were still tightly closed, but she nodded and curled her arms around his neck. He lifted her up and set her on her feet. Jayne glanced at Simon and Kaylee. He hoped they could keep up.
"Okay, I'm the biggest, so I'm in charge," he said, half to himself as he checked his weapon. "Let's go check it out."
He took River's hand and started stalking towards the cargo bay. Simon and Kaylee cautiously followed.
Peering through the doorway, Jayne looked down the steps into the bay. It was teeming with Reavers. The stench of rancid skin was everywhere. The Reavers were searching through the containers strewn about, fighting amongst themselves for the items inside. All were well armed – with knives, guns, and other fun, pointy objects.
"Okay. They haven't gone up to the catwalk yet. We'll have to run for it. Simon, you and Kaylee go first."
Simon looked at Jayne suspiciously. "Thanks. I've always wanted to know what bait feels like."
Jayne narrowed his eyes at him. "Don't be stupid. I'll cover you." He patted the stock of his gun. "I don't trust you to cover me, is all." Jayne looked meaningfully at the tiny six-shooter Simon grasped.
Simon sighed. "All right. Come on, River, let's go."
He reached out for River's arm, but Jayne pulled her back. "No, I'll follow you with her."
"But," Simon sputtered indignantly, "She's my sister! My responsibility! And... I don't like you."
"Don't much care for you, either, fancy-pants. But you know I can take care of her better than you. Find some new responsibility."
Simon stared at him for a moment, looking lost. His life for the past four years had been defined by his responsibility to his erratic sister. He was the only one to protect her, look out for her. He was still the only one on ship who could find the right medication to help her.
But now... he glanced down at the Reavers. Wild men. One snatched a weapon from another. He retaliated by tearing off a piece of the catwalk and impaling him with it. Simon blanched. He was not qualified for this situation. He was brains, not brawn.
He glanced down at himself. Average build. Slightly pasty. With a fei-oo six-shooter that he wasn't even sure how to work. He looked at Jayne. The brute was huge. And was wearing at least four different weapons. At least that he could see. Simon sighed. Jayne was right. He could take better care of River. For now, anyway.
"All right. What do we do?"
Jayne chewed his lip. It was kinda awkward having the doc so obedient.
"Okay, when I say so, you and Kaylee run like hell across the way, try to get through to the shuttle and tell 'em to wait for us. If the hwoon dahn see you, I'll shoot 'em in the head."
"Very sophisticated," Simon snarked. Jayne ignored him.
"Then we'll follow after." Jayne motioned towards River. "I can get enough of them before they get up the stairs. I think."
Jayne glanced down at the Reavers. He thought about throwing one of his grenades down there, but decided that it might break the catwalk. Then they'd be screwed. One of the Reavers broke off from a scuffle over a smaller crate and started up the stairs. Go se.
"Now, now!" Jayne shouted as he shoved Simon and Kaylee onto the catwalk.
As they ran across, Jayne lifted his gun and trained it on the Reaver. The noise that Simon and Kaylee made running across the catwalk alerted all the Reavers to their presence. Struck by the sight of the pair, they all began to swarm for the stairs to get at them. Jayne fired. The Reaver toppled down the stairs, tripping the throng that followed.
The Reavers began throwing their knives, others were shooting at them. Kaylee squealed in panic and Simon grabbed her around the waist and jumped through the doorway on the opposite end. Panting, they both got to their feet. They turned to check on River and Jayne.
Jayne had River pressed behind him as he moved flush against the railing. He was wielding two guns, and mowing down the Reavers as they attempted to climb up the stairs. Jayne almost laughed. Like shooting fish in a bucket.
They were halfway across when a blast shook the catwalk. One of the Reavers had planted explosives on the catwalk's scaffolding. A horrible scream of metal rending burned through the air.
Jayne paused as his stomach dropped. This could not be happening. He turned and swung River up in his arms, preparing to jump for the door.
But the catwalk suddenly dropped beneath his feet. River screamed as they fell through the air.
"Lao tyen, boo," Kaylee whispered as she watched Jayne and River drop towards the Reavers.
Simon dug his fingers into her arm, holding his breath. The walkway had fallen halfway down, but had snagged on the staircase.
Jayne was hanging by one arm. His other was still securely wrapped around River's waist. He pushed her up onto the broken platform, and was about to pull himself up when a Reaver threw a knife into his calf. He grunted, but didn't fall. River leaned over and began pulling at Jayne's waistband, helping to haul him up. He stood up and yanked the knife out of his leg. Turning fluidly, he threw it at one of the beasts leaping around, catching him squarely in the neck.
Jayne tossed River over his shoulder and then began to climb back up the broken catwalk to the corridor they had come from.
There was no way he could get back to the other side. Reavers were continuing to pour through the hole in the hull. Jayne glanced across at Simon and Kaylee. He saw the defeat in their eyes. He sighed then waved at them.
"Go on, hurry up."
Kaylee had tears in her eyes as she stared across at her friends. Simon was heart-broken. All his work, all he had been through, and his sister would die, killed by those monsters!
"Jayne," he shouted across the cargo bay, "my sister... you can't... they'll hurt her!"
Jayne shook his head. "Won't happen. Trust me."
Simon and Kaylee still weren't moving.
Jayne sighed and turned away, keeping River in front of them. They'd better hole up somewhere. He knew what he had to do.
With a hiss, a bullet pierced Jayne's shoulder, knocking him against River's back.
"Gorrammit..." Jayne turned and saw a legion of Reavers climbing up one another to get up to the catwalk.
He fought past the pain and shot as many as he could before disappearing down the passageway with River.
Kaylee and Simon were left to watch them go, helpless.
"Come on, Kaylee. We have to go." Simon held his hand out to her but wouldn't meet her eyes. She saw the tears on his cheeks, and knew how hard it was for him to let go. She had half-expected him to leap into the fray down below to try to save River. Why hadn't he? She took his hand and they ran towards Inara's shuttle. Kaylee hoped desperately that they were still there.