Chapter Twelve: Heading for the Ball

Soundtrack suggestions: "Walk Like an Egyptian" – The Bangles, "Amish Paradise" – Weird Al

Down the hall, Zoë, Mal, Wash, and Jayne were meeting in Zoë and Wash's room, which was the farthest one down the hallway and therefore more private. "Here's the plan," Mal said for about the fourth time. "Jayne will… uh… seduce Sergeant Flavez and somehow get her back t' th' ship, where Wash will be waitin'. Once Jayne has conveniently tied her up er somethin' like that, Wash'll fly th' ship t' meet us at Hays' Market Museum."

"How're we gettin' t' Hays' Market?" Zoë asked.

"Easy. That's where the ball is bein' held. It'll be a piece o' cake fer us t' get on th' tram t' the ball with everybody else."

"There's a tram?"

"Sure thing. Jimena told us 'bout it, it'll be the fastest way t' get there."

"Sounds like a good plan, sir," Zoë said. "What time are we leavin'?"

"'Round seven," Mal answered. "Tram leaves at seven-forty-five. Ball starts at eight-fifteen. Zoë, yer goin' with me. 'Nara's got a date, and that just leaves our troublesome duo and the trio of passengers. And Kaylee. And, the crew of Stoïque will be meetin' us there."

"Kaylee kin go with Simon," Jayne suggested. "They've both got th' clothes fer it."

"And River… we could dress her up like a miniature Mother Mary," Zoë suggested. "There's got to be a community o' Followers o' the Second Coming here we could borrow some clothes from. That could help her hide. We could put the foil inside the bonnet," Zoë said, surprised at her own idea.

"Good idea," Mal said to Zoë, nodding. "You get with Mother Mary 'n ask her 'bout the clothes. Jayne, you'd better get plannin' what yer gonna do with Sergeant Flavez."

Jayne nodded. "You bet I've got a plan." He smiled, a bit eerily.

"Sir, you'd best get findin' yer suit fer the ball," Zoë said to Mal.

"We'll meet back here 'round seven," Mal said. "Everybody understand their assignments?"

He was met with three nods.

"Good. Let's move."

Things moved quickly. Mal found his suit for the ball and made sure his holsters would fit underneath. Jayne ordered takeout and bought some "special clothing" from local merchants. Zoë and Inara compared outfits for the ball, and helped Kaylee fix her hair. Zoë also talked to Mother Mary, who was able to call up one of her Followers of the Second Coming friends, Brother Asher, whose teen daughter had left the sect only a few months ago, leaving all her clothing behind. Miraculously, she was almost the same size as River, and Mother Mary managed to use her sewing skills to take them in as was necessary. Surprisingly, Mother Mary didn't ask why they were requiring River to fake being a Follower of the Second Coming. Jayne put foil into the bonnet. Wash put on a fresh shirt and combed his hair, even though he was going nowhere near the ball. Then they all reviewed the plan laid out on the galley table.

"Now, mei-mei, you just do whatever Mother Mary and Kate say, hear me?" Simon asked as he fixed his tie. He had chosen one of his more striking suits, dark gray with a starched white shirt and a burgundy-and-gold tie. His cufflinks were onyx and gold, and his shoes were brightly shined and buffed. He looked very sharp.

River, on the other hand, looked more like a miniature Mother Mary. She wore a light blue long-sleeved dress than fell all the way down to her thick-soled brown shoes. The sleeves covered her bandaged arms, although Simon could do nothing about the wounds on her hands. He had covered them as best he could with skin glue to hold the slices together. The dress's high neck completely covered both the catheter, and the Shepherd's locket, which she had refused to take off. There was the typical star pin at the middle of her collar. Mother Mary had twisted up the younger girl's hair into a heavy bun and settled the foil-lined bonnet over it. "Stay with bird. Not leave."

"Right. What happens if you hear something going on, like a fight?"

"Smack heads?" Simon glared at her, and she reconsidered. "No. Stay with Mother Mary. Good, pretty, moral girl of God, not fighter. No dancing. Stand and take care of bird."

Simon nodded. "That's right." He tried to straighten his tie again. "And what's your name for tonight?"

She thought for a moment. "Sister…"

"Sister Rebecca. You can remember that, can't you?"

She looked at him, wrestling with his tie. "Simon," she said in a very small voice, "are you going to make me hear Charlotte again?"

He looked over at her. He couldn't tell what she was thinking. "Only if it's necessary. And even then, I will make sure it is the last resort for Jimena and her crew."

She tilted her head and smiled a little bit. "You used to love her. She used to light up your world. You were supposed to marry her."

"Sometimes things don't go as planned," Simon said quietly. "You know that."

"You don't love her anymore."

"No, I don't. I have Kaylee now."

"She loves someone else," River said meaningfully, glancing down the hallway. "He thinks he's in control, but she really is."

"Who are you talking about? Jayne?"

Before she could answer, Kate appeared in the doorway. "My, you look handsome," she said to Simon.

"Thank you," Simon answered graciously. He was thinking the same thing about her; she wore a black strapless dress with a teal underskirt and teal flowers embroidered down the front. Her blond hair was done up in a twisted coil. Her eyes were bright, and she looked beautiful.

"Is she ready?" Kate asked, as though River was not in the room. Simon nodded. "Just be careful that she doesn't rip out the tube in her chest."

"Oh," Kate said, as though she hadn't thought of that.

"She probably… won't." Simon turned to his sister. "Remember what we talked about?"

She nodded. "Moral good girl. No fighting. No dancing. Be good."

"That's right." He kissed her on the forehead. "Goodbye, Sister Rebecca," he said, smiling, and she and Kate left.