Chapter 13: Serenity Reborn
The Alliance said they were gonna waltz through Serenity Valley and we choked 'em with those words. We've done the impossible and that makes us mighty. Just a little while longer, our angels are gonna be soaring overhead raining fire on those arrogant cod, so you hold! You hold!
I don't believe there is a power in the 'verse that can stop Kaylee from being cheerful.
I believe that woman's planning to shoot me again.
If I ever kill you, you'll be awake, you'll be facing me, and you'll be armed.
This is my sister.
Jayne's right, Reavers ain't men. Or they forgot how to be. Now they're just nothing. They got out to the edge of the galaxy, to that place of nothing, and that's what they became.
As with other situations, the key seems to be giving Jayne a heavy stick and standing back.
That's the difference. Inara, he doesn't even see you.
They weren't cows inside. They were waiting to be, but they forgot. Now they see the sky and they remember what they are.
You're on my crew.
The special hell.
That's the last time you get to call me "whore."
One of you is gonna fall and die, and I'm not cleaning it up!
Take me, sir. Take me hardEverybody dies, Tracey. Someone's carrying a bullet for you right now, doesn't even know it. The trick is to die of old age before it finds you.
Am I getting any prettier?
It's just an object. It doesn't mean what you think.
It took six days to get to Persephone and pick up Wash and Zoë. And for that time everyone seems to be avoiding each other. Simon was avoiding all of them, seemingly holding a grudge about the kidnap; Jayne is avoiding Simon so he doesn't get another punch; River has taken to sticking with Jayne, and Mal is pretty sure she's moved all her stuff into his quarters; god knew where Kaylee was, probably rebuilding the entire ship around them; Wash was sulking because Zoë had made him sell the Dinosaur. And Inara…well she and Mal hadn't spoken since they…
He stomps into the dining room and takes his seat. He watches Wash wrestle baby Mal into the high chair. Zoë takes over and baby Mal goes quiet and behaves. She picks up a bowl of baby food.
"Gonna feed me too?"
Zoë throws him a withering look. "Of course Sir." She looks like she might throw the food at him.
"I'd better not have missed the food." Jayne jumps down the steps into the room in one bound. Then he turns and holds out his hand to River. She takes it with a smile.
"Anyone would think you've gone soft," Mal raises an eyebrow at Jayne.
Jayne gives him a look that would melt steel. "Not ruttin' likely." He sits down and grabs two bread rolls, but hands one to River.
Zoë is cooing to baby Mal in a way that makes Mal decidedly confused. He finds the motherliness quite becoming in his second in command. Was it always in there waiting to come out? Did he just never notice? And was Wash really this useless?
"Good evening all."
Now there's a voice to break a man's heart.
"Evening 'Nara," Wash grins.
Inara glides into the room wearing along burnished orange dress. Like liquid fire. She leans down and coos to baby Mal before taking a seat next to him.
Six years hasn't changed her. She can still make him sweaty and uncomfortable just by her presence. He realises he's missing out on food because he's too busy looking at Inara out of the corner of his eye. He grabs a bit of red protein.
"Six years in the future and we're still eating protein! Where's the progress people?" Wash is just Wash.
River leans forward and smiles at him. Mal sees the girl she used to be, and the woman she is now. Part of him mourns the fact that he misses seeing it, but he mostly rejoices that she made it.
Suddenly Kaylee appears in the doorway, dragging a sheepish looking doctor by the hand.
"Hi," she grins, lighting up the room.
Simon holds out her seat and sits himself, looking embarrassed. At god knew what now.
Mal catches a moment between Jayne and Kaylee. Just a look, a half smile, acknowledgement of a reformed friendship. Mal couldn't help but raise Jayne Cobb in his esteem now, just a bit. He did the right thing. Maybe Simon and Book rubbed off on him, more likely River. But maybe too much of the old Jayne rubbed off on Simon. He's harder, brittle. The wrong thing will make him snap. But the old doc is under there and their brilliant shiny mechanic will bring him back. Their little Kaylee can soften anyone. She still smiles, she still loves strawberries and she can still make Mal go fiercely overprotective about the slightest hurt. Mal will use the next six years making up for hurting her by staying away.
Mal had faith in them all, they are his crew.
He looks round the table. "Doc? Why have you got jam on you ear?"
Simon goes scarlet and Kaylee giggles in that girlish way which tells Mal she's been up to no good.
Inara takes his hand under the table and Mal knows everything is going to work out alright.
He finally had Serenity.
The End.
Translation Notes (from whole story in case I forgot any!)
Nimen dou bi zui - Everybody shut the hell up!
Daì ruò mù ji - dumb as a wooden chicken
Houzi de pigu - monkey's ass
Wo ai ni - I love you
Baobei – baby / precious
Luh suh – crap
Ni zhen bushi yiban ren -You're unbelievable
Meng gu di fu - Witch Doctor
Poq gai - go die in the street
Nuòfu – coward
Bu ci er bie - leave without saying good-bye