Authors Note: Thank you for all the reviews. Slight edits here and there as I learn how to use this interface, sorry for any inconveniences. Every now and then I come up with an idea I have to write down to get out of my head. This has become somewhat alive for me, however, so hang on, because even I don't yet know where we are going. When I began I was worried about the Chinese. Thanks to FireflySerenityChinesePinyinary, I have all I need. And boy, this chapter needed some…
Chapter Two: Persephone
The room seemed to fade away as everyone began offering their congratulations to Zoe, but Mal was unable to focus on any of it. He watched Zoe as if seeing her for the first time, unable to move. The well-wishing gradually faded and Zoe finally returned his steady gaze.
"Yu ben de fei hua, ti wo de pi gu." He muttered, turning away to head for the bridge passage.
"Captain!" Zoe called, but he was beyond hearing her.
He still felt dizzy when he slid into the copilot's seat. No coherent thoughts came to him, he could only stare at the nav display twisting away on the screen before him. A palm tree caught his eye, dragging his attention to the empty helm, the newly re-covered seat no longer able to prevent him from seeing his friend. The accusing look his mind pictured mirrored his forming thoughts.
"How am I supposed to take care of a baby?" Mal asked the mental image. It provided no answers, not even relenting its stare.
"Actually, that will be my job." Zoe responded softly from the hatch. Stepping gently, she rested in the seat behind Mal, following his line of sight. He turned to take her in.
"A boat like this is no place for a young'un." Mal started.
"River is young, and Kaylee not much older." Zoe noted.
"But they's all but grown. I don't need to worry 'bout them fallin' under a railing, or down a stairs." Mal whined.
"I know. Wash thought so to." She leveled her eyes at him. "I'm gonna tell you the same thing I told him. I ain't so afraid of losing that I won't try to have something."
"I think it's great, really I do." Mal continued, turning away from her. "It's about time something good came our way. Babes is always a good thing."
"I'm glad you feel that way, sir" Zoe answered, but he wasn't finished yet.
"So, you just let me know where you want to go, Serenity'll get you there. We'll work it in the flight plan, somehow." Mal turned back to the panel and started flipping switches. "I hear tell they's rebuilding Haven…"
"No, sir." Zoe said quietly.
"Well, there's other places…" he pressed a button to toggle the view.
"I don't want to go." Zoe stated. Mal started laughing, swinging around in his seat to look at her.
"I came up here thinkin' about Wash and you havin' a baby. Threw me a ways at first. I feel I owe it to him to give this kid somethin' decent, and I ain't got much. A ride someplace safe is the best I can do." Mal held her gaze firmly.
"Someplace safe?" Zoe inquired.
"Yeah, case you hadn't noticed, there's a war brewing out there again, and I've no mind to fight this time." He finished with a snort.
"I know. You started it." Zoe responded, receiving a flash of anger for her point, but her composure remained calm.
"Cai bu shi. The Alliance started it, I just…" He focused on her eyes, but she was walled off again, hiding some truth by baiting him. "There is no place for a child on a ship like this. Just because the Alliance has lifted the price on the Tams doesn't mean Serenity is safe." He softened his tone, turning to look back at the dinosaurs that decorated the helm. "We are on the edge, and our fingers are slipping. Most of our friends are gone, our enemies won't even look at us. What could I possible offer a baby?" Mal posed.
"A home"
Mal slid his long coat over his shoulders, for a moment remembering the first time he'd put it on. It seemed a lifetime ago. He headed out of Serenity's cargo bay in long strides, appraising the industriousness of his crew as he went. Inara awaited him at the top of the ramp, a slightly worn coat over her regal dress. Mal recognized it as one of Zoe's.
"What's with the coat?" he inquired.
"One of the ladies is bringing me a trunk, but until then, it's gotten chilly here." Inara replied evenly. Glancing out of the cargo bay at the strong sun shining down, Mal reckoned she wasn't talking about the temperature.
"Mmhmm." Mal noted. Turning to face the crew, he passed on his instructions. "Jayne, you make sure that when the crates get here, they're good and stowed. We don't want 'em shiftin' around none. Kaylee, make sure those cabins are ready." He guessed what she was about to ask him. "Yes, I have your list. I'll see what I can get of those parts you ken Serenity needs." Zoe approached the couple, straightening her jacket across her shoulders, followed by Simon. "You goin' into town as well?"
"Yes, sir. That appointment to keep. Doc here's coming to help." She replied. Mal narrowed his eyes a moment, then shouted up to Kaylee.
"Ship is yours, Kaylee, have her ready when we get back!" He whirled around and marched of the ship.
Serenity wasn't far from town. He'd chosen early morning to come in because they wouldn't have as far to go, and still would remain unnoticed. Not that the Alliance seemed any bit interested in them. The problem was, no one else was interested either.
He hadn't been lying to Zoe last night, most of their friends were gone, dead. Those that might have been called business acquaintances wouldn't even accept a 'wave from him. They were isolated, despite the fact that he was openly waltzing into town.
Inara, Zoe and Simon took their leave at the first intersection; Inara to make contact with the passengers, Zoe and Simon on some errand that Mal could only suppose was related to the baby. He looked around the square, typically quiet for an early hour, but still he felt something different. Persephone wasn't the same, perhaps no where in the 'Verse would ever be the same. Thinking of Kaylee's list, Mal decided he needed to cheer himself up a bit before he tried to swindle used parts out of a junk dealer. So, he headed for the cantina.
Mal slung the shot back without even tasting it. Sliding the glass at the bartender who'd not even had time to set the bottle down, he gestured for another. This time, he turned and sat before sipping a bit off the top. Now he remembered why he avoided tasting the slimy liquid.
The room was preternaturally quiet. Soft conversations coming from the tables at the edges of the room, and a steady buzz from the Comm channels on the big screen made for background noise, but the usual hum of energy in a room like this was absent. Mal's skin crawled at the missing of it. Slugging the remainder of his drink, he wished the first would kick in. His mood was starting to wear on himself. He threw his hand back for a refill, trusting his ears to let him know when the liquid was available. In his present state, this was the last one he could afford, which only depressed him more.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a small gaggle of men sidling up to him. Recognizing trouble, but starting not to care, he greeted the businessman.
"Badger." He clipped.
"Malcolm Reynolds." Badger responded. Mal thought fuzzily that nothing good ever happened after he heard his entire name. "Buy you a drink?" Now Mal was wary, but since he was still thirsty, and no where near inebriated enough to suppose it was a friendly offer, he accepted.
"Sure." Badger laid several notes on the bar, and received a glass of his own. He took the seat next to Mal, his minions slinking off to a table out of the earshot of regular conversation.
"You've been busy." Badger started. Mal couldn't help a snort at the understatement. "Makes it a bit difficult to keep in business, I 'magine."
"We're doin' alright." Mal defended.
"I see." Badger continued. "Then, ya wouldn't be interested in partin' with that boat." Mal stood up as if he'd been slapped, the free drink forgotten.
"Qu ni de. Never gonna happen." The lackeys perked up at the interchange, but Badger waved them down.
"Captain, relax. Finish your drink." Badger soothed. Mal returned to his stool, but the angry scowl on his face remained. "It was just an idea, a bad one, perhaps…" he trailed off, watching warily as Mal swigged the drink.
"What do you want, Badger?" The Captain demanded, his patience thin. He was one word away from walking out.
"I need to move some things." He hedged. Mal gave him a sidelong look.
"And gettin' Serenity helps you how? You got a land-based operation, near I recall."
"Things are getting warm here." Badger turned to face the bar, dropping his voice secretively. "The next war won't be fought on little desert moons, it'll be fought in these big cities. The troops is all twitchy, even legal trade gets extra scrut'ny. It's gettin' so even a business man like misself can't do proper business."
Mal pondered his words a moment. Even through the ethanol-induced warmth he was gaining, he noted the tone of desperation in Badger's voice. Wars in cities. He remembered something vague from Earth-that-was history, but his experience didn't cover that. Civilians lived in cities, that's why you fought in open areas, deserts away from people, unpopulated moons. Sure, occasionally things got close, a few non-military casualties happened, but life was too precious out here to waste on pointless killing. Miranda being the exception…
"What kind of cargo you needin' to move?" Mal asked, hoping he wouldn't regret it. "I have a full ship now, but I s'pose we could work something out."
"A full ship." Badger stated. "Well, not all of it has to go now. I could whittle the payload down a bit." He mused.
"I guess we have an arrangement, then." Mal finished.
Mal swayed slightly as he returned to Serenity. He'd have to apologize to Kaylee for forgetting about the parts. Maybe the passengers would be patient for an hour so she could go after them. Badger had been too free with the drinks, and too tight on the details, making Mal a little sick thinking about how bad this could become. Then again, it could just be the cheap alcohol disagreeing with him.
Serenity came fully into view. Her dinosaur-shaped nose was visible from a distance, but the full sight of her never failed to amaze him. It wasn't until River was fastening Wash's dinosaurs to the helm that he realized what had attracted the pilot to Serenity at first. She bore an amazing resemblance to one of his favorites.
His gaze drifted down to the activity in front of her, and suddenly his happy buzz disappeared.
"Guai guai long de dong!" He exclaimed. The hold was nearly full, floor to ceiling, with crates. Even the mule was packed in tight. A large group of fancy ladies gathered at the bottom of the ramp, Inara noticeably among them. Zoe and Jayne were continuing to move the few remaining crates into place. Mal strode up to his first mate.
"What is going on?" He demanded. Zoe hefted a crate and spoke while she continued working.
"Slight change in manifest, sir, but we got it all covered." She answered.
"How are we supposed to get off the ground with all this le se?" He asked, following her up the ramp.
"She's all fueled up, sir, and plenty of rations as well." Mal glanced around, his confusion growing. "Kaylee even got her spare parts."
"How did…" Mal stuttered.
"Just a hunch, sir." Zoe responded cheerfully.
"But, how…" he tried, following her back down the ramp.
"The passengers paid in full, up front." Zoe supplied. Mal mentally did the math, and even through the fog he knew it didn't add up.
"There wouldn't…" he started. Zoe paused her work to look at him directly.
"We've got a few more passengers than we originally thought. Seems word of mouth…" Mal cut her off, looking around at the crowd of women.
"How many more?" He breathed.
"Total of nineteen." She stated.
"Lao tian ye." Mal answered.