Flowers For Swine
Serenity was approaching the dusty looking planet when Inara heard her screen buzz to alert her to an incoming wave. She pulled a robe over her shoulders, tied it at the waist, and pulled her hair up into a knot. It buzzed again impatiently.
"I'm coming, I'm coming." She settled onto her footstool and made the connection. Mal's face filled the screen looking unpleasant as always.
"You gonna be coming out of there any time soon or will you be needing the cavalry?"
"As much as I appreciate your concern, Mal, I can assure you that I have everything under control. Or did you forget that this is my profession?" She smiled out of habit rather than desire.
"Hope you left him intact enough to be of use to us. Ain't worth the price if he can't hold up his end."
"He's fine. Is there anything else or were you just concerned for my welfare?"
"Just thought I'd wake the lovebirds. Coming up on Santo and Jayne's lookin' to get the toys out. Want to make sure that yang qui zi knows which end of a gun to hold." Mal didn't manage to disguise the loathing in his voice.
"I'll send him right out." She disconnected the wave and looked back over her shoulder at the man in her bed. It wasn't an unusual sight. Bare shoulders and back, muscled and obviously male, amidst the silk sheets. What was unusual was that she'd spent the last three hours tidying her shuttle and packing away the items she didn't use on a regular basis.
She'd done some thinking as well and had come to the conclusion that they had vastly underestimated this mere escaped prisoner. He was rough and callous and there was more fury in his eyes than she'd ever seen in a man whose name wasn't Malcolm Reynolds. But he was also controlled and calculating. She was certain now that he had never desired Kaylee as payment, that he had played her as skillfully as she had sought to play him. He'd realized that the crew of Serenity was her weakness, that she cared, and he'd used that against her. It was the very reason she so desperately needed to leave.
There was a killer lying in her bed, of that she had no question, but she had begun to wonder what kind of life had turned him to blood and what had happened to rattle him as completely as he was now. Something had shaken him to the core. This man knew violence, he knew blood and pain and there was no fear of death in him. But there was fear of something else and that teased at her curiosity.
"Riddick?" She settled beside him and reached out to touch his shoulder. Faster than her eyes could follow, his hand clamped down on her wrist and stopped her from touching him. "Riddick, you're hurting me."
Silver eyes blinked and once he recognized her, he let go quickly. He glanced around to get his bearings, tense and ready for an attack. When he spoke, his voice was almost too rough for her to understand. "Three hours already?"
"I'm afraid so." She placed her hand on his arm comfortingly. "Mal's in a particularly foul mood so you might want to watch your back."
"Appreciate the warning." He climbed out of bed and finished dressing. Joints cracked as he stretched and twisted to warm stiff muscles. There was a looseness in his shoulders that hadn't been there before and a new purpose in his steps.
"If you're ever in my corner of the verse again," she called as he headed toward the door.
"I won't be."
He didn't look back, disappearing from her shuttle as though he'd never been there and leaving Inara to forever wonder.
It was more than tempting to punch the speculative leer off of Jayne's face as their follically challenged not-quite-enemy emerged from Inara's shuttle. Mal had to admit there was something different about the man's footfalls that made his vision go hazy with red and green. None of that was going to help him be rid of the cargo and get paid for it, so he forced it to the furthest corner of his mind.
"You…Jayne here will give you the tour." He nodded toward Jayne's spread of guns and other weaponry.
"Name's Riddick." Silver eyes met his with an unspoken challenge.
"That may be, don't figure I'll have need for your name."
Kaylee's cheeks were bright red as she came through with an armful of extra ammunition. "Can't y'all play nice 'til this is over? Actin' like a bunch of babies is what you're doin'."
"Don't recall asking for your opinion neither."
"You didn't." Jayne peered down one of the gun barrels before twisting it off so he could clean it out. "Kaylee here just likes to be nosy."
"I know that," Mal ground out between clenched teeth. "Get to work, ju tou." He turned away before his fists decided to do something mighty stupid and headed back to the cockpit to watch Wash land the ship.
"So, Inara, huh?" Jayne prodded. "Bet she was somethin', all that trainin'."
Mal hesitated at the doorway, listening for Riddick's answer. When none came and he couldn't bear Jayne's badgering any longer, he left them to clean the guns and prayed the both of them would end up shooting themselves clean through. Couldn't get a handle on which of them he wanted more dead at the moment but he wouldn't say no to either of them meeting an untimely end.
"Talk to me, Wash." The planet's atmosphere seemed to race toward them at incredible speed as their pilot maneuvered them into a landing trajectory.
"Smooth sailing from here to dirt, Mal. Got good weather and they just waved us the coordinates." Wash kept one eye on the console and the other on the view in front of him.
"Hadlow seem a little iffy to you? Like maybe he's springing a trap for us to walk into."
"Most definitely. Said he had payment ready and waiting." Wash glanced up with a cheerful expression. "Looks like a good day for Jayne, he'll be so happy that he gets to rain violence down upon people as thuggish as he is."
"Good for Jayne," Mal snapped.
"Na de xin qing bu hao."
"Wouldn't you be?"
"You mean if my wife just spent three hours…three hours? I mean, one or two, yeah, but three…never mind." Wash turned back to the console.
"You expectin' to still have a job once you land this ship?"
"Sorry, sir. Yes, sir." There was silence for a few moments before Wash glanced up again. "It was for a noble cause, right? I mean, you could have asked Kaylee…"
"Jian ta de gui! That hundan ain't never touchin' Kaylee long as I have say in the matter." Mal scowled out at the rising planet, forced to hold on to the console as they thundered into the atmosphere.
"But Inara's free game?"
Mal ground his teeth together to keep from shouting. "Inara knows how to handle a man. More likely she weren't in danger."
Wash considered that for a moment. "Wonder why he didn't want money. It's not like he has any of his own."
"That is a mighty good question, Wash, but you might be attributing him more brains than is warranted. Man has escaped from prison, after all. Ain't likely they have any like Inara where he come from."
"Good point. She's really more of the one in a million kind of deal."
"That she is," Mal agreed softly.
They were coming up on what looked to be the nearest major settlement. It had all the characteristics of a bustling outer planet metropolis, surrounded by fields of what Mal hoped were actual food-bearing plants. Bad enough that Badger hadn't given them proper warning about what they'd be walking into, they didn't need any more surprises than they already had. Time to rouse the rabble.
"Comin' up on the landing, people. Don't have to tell you none that we ain't expectin' smooth sailing. Stay on your toes and mind your backs." The hand unit clicked back into place. "Wash, you keep her ready to go at a moment's notice. Chances are we ain't gonna get a moment."
"She'll be waiting, sir."
Mal worked on clearing his mind of any distraction on the way back to the cargo hold. Serenity swayed as they landed and he grabbed hold of the wall to keep himself up. Simon and River were holed up in the kitchen where they weren't out in the open for anyone to see and knew where to hide if they got boarded. He found Jayne and Zoe gearing up in the cargo hold. Kaylee was watching anxiously from the side and the person he least wanted to see in particular was leaning against one of the crates looking too casual for his liking.
"Here's how it'll go down." Mal checked his gun over as he addressed them. "Once we take the crates off, there's a chance they'll make a play for the ship. These folks are vultures; pick clean to the bone anything they can find. Might just want our supplies, might just want our women. Might just be they're in the mood for killin'. Your type of folk, Eyeballs, sure you'll fit right in. Jayne and Zoe will be with me making sure we get paid for our trouble so it'll be left to you to make sure ain't no harm comes to the rest of my crew." He took a menacing step toward Riddick. "I find out you laid a finger on Kaylee, there ain't no words in the verse for what I'll do to you. We clear?"
"Crystal," Riddick said dryly.
"Goes without saying that applies to River and everyone else we leave behind. Odds are they have more firepower than we do, so we need the extra gun. Don't mean I care for you none." Mal sensed Zoe at his side and glanced over. "You got somethin' to add, Zoe?"
She held out Riddick's goggles. "He won't be much use to us if he can't see, sir."
Mal wasn't sure what he hated most, having to deal with scum or having to rely on that scum to watch those he cared for. "As much as it would pain me for you to encounter an unfortunate accident, that would mean exposin' my crew to whatever hero saved me the trouble. You cross me and mine, you won't live to regret it."
"Anything else?" Riddick took the goggles from Zoe and slipped them over his head.
"Yeah. Point the thing that shoots bullets toward the bad guys and try to hit a few of 'em, would you?"
"This end?" Riddick held up the gun and nodded toward the open end of the barrel.
"That the one. Zoe, let's get this started."
The big doors of Serenity opened with a clang and a groan, pouring sunlight into space that had seen only the black for too long. Mal led the way through the crates, his boots sending vibrations down the ramp with each step. No sooner had he reached the bottom than they were met by two odd looking hovercrafts and a smaller passenger transport craft. He waited at the end of the ramp with Zoe and Jayne at his side until four men climbed out of the smaller craft and started toward them. Armed from the look of them, more than one piece of hardware each, and solid clothes built for hiding knives.
"Captain Reynolds." The man in front was medium height and build with no distinguishing characteristics other than a nose that had been broken at least once. "Happy to see that you found your way to our humble world."
"Voyage weren't bad," Mal answered cautiously, eyeing the other two crafts suspiciously.
"They're for the crates. Those things can be tricky on the ground. Don't worry, my men will take care of hauling them."
Mal couldn't see a way to turn them away even though it meant they were more outnumbered than he'd anticipated. The crates were too heavy for a man to move on his own and there didn't seem to be more than a handful of men on each craft. Numbers weren't in their favor but they weren't under fire yet. If Kaylee'd done her job, they wouldn't notice the cracks in the crate and the sewn up packages had been hidden deep inside.
"Sir?" Zoe watched them unreel thick cable from the hovercrafts.
"Don't worry," the man assured them. "Crates are made to hook in and drag out. Might scrape up the floor of your ship, sorry about that."
"Plenty of scrapes already there, a few more don't matter none." Mal waved his crew to the side of the ramp to wait.
It went three crates per craft; one at a time strung up with the cables on two sides and dragged slowly out of Serenity's belly. Metal shrieked and howled as each one bumped down the ramp, then only the sound of wind as they were hauled up to dock into the craft. It was a perfect fit. They held their breath as the damaged crate slid along the floor and tumbled out onto the ramp. Still holding as it teetered through the air and finally locked into place.
He tried not to be too obvious in exhaling and smiled tightly at their welcoming party. "You got yours, how's about we talk payment."
The man smiled, tipping his head to listen to one of his henchmen before turning back to Mal. "Got your payment all set but it ain't with us."
"See, that don't make me too comfortable dealing with you." Mal stepped back to the end of the ramp, protective of his ship and the suddenly exposed inside.
"So suspicious, Captain Reynolds. We're merely offering hospitality in an inhospitable world. Might make a man wonder if you'd be trying to pull a fast one." He took a moment to size up the three of them. "Come with us, collect your payment and take whatever you need to continue on your journey; water, fresh food. Finding transport willing to come here ain't commonplace."
"We ain't lookin' to burn you, just want our payment and to go on our way." Mal was getting increasingly nervous at the man's desire to get them away from the ship.
"I have my orders. I'm to bring you back. If you refuse to come with us then I'm afraid you won't get paid." The man shrugged. "Your choice, Captain."
"Sir?" Zoe shifted closer to him.
Mal spared her a glance and nodded. "Right then, we'll take your hospitality but make no mistake, we will be paid."
"Mal? You sure that's a good idea?" Jayne hissed.
Mal looked back into the cargo hold at the man standing inside, head shaved and goggles down over eyes he would never trust. He took a deep breath and motioned for Zoe and Jayne to follow. "Let's just hope Inara's worth her weight in bullets."
They climbed into the rear compartment of the smaller transport vehicle and buckled in for the ride. Fields and buildings sped by through plastic darkened by red dust, barely ghosts in the mud of civilization. He could see the hovercraft up ahead and watched as they cut away while the transport ship kept on a straight path. Trees crowded the view but eventually opened up to reveal a rambling style ranch with fruit trees in flower.
The transport came to rest and they climbed out, brushing off the dust that had risen during the landing and covertly looking around for new guns. Their welcoming committee led the way into the house; cool, processed air hitting their faces as they stepped through the door.
"Malcolm Reynolds." This man was distinguished, stood out in a crowd with sandy hair cut short and broad shoulders framed by a fancy suit
"Don't believe I know you," Mal responded carefully.
"Raif Hadlow. Sort of governor in these parts. I can't tell you how grateful I am that you agreed to transport my merchandise." Hadlow held out his hand and waited for a beat until it became apparent that Mal wasn't going to shake. He smiled again and waved them into a large dining area.
"Bit of overkill, you welcomin' us like this. Not that we ain't appreciative but we're a mite unaccustomed to such finery." Mal looked around uneasily.
"I'm trying to win you over. Does the idea of steady work appeal to you?" Hadlow motioned for them to sit. "One shipment every month, a personal account on Persephone you can draw on from anywhere in the system. I make no requirement on any other jobs you take so other than my one shipment, you'd be free to do as you please."
"Sounds mighty temptin' but temptation usually come with entanglements."
"You're a smart man, Captain Reynolds. There is one small catch."
"Mind tellin' us what that is?"
Hadlow motioned to one of his men, who produced bottles of liquor and several bowls of fresh fruit. "The catch is that I'm not asking."
Mal felt the hair on his neck stand on end and noticed that they'd been joined by several more armed men who weren't looking friendly. "I decide what my ship transports and for who."
"I respect that and again, I'm only asking for one shipment a month."
"No how, no way."
"Are you turning down an offer for steady work?" Hadlow cocked his head to the side and took a sip of his drink. "Life out here can be mighty tough on smugglers like yourself. Serenity's a good ship, you've taken care of her."
"Won't be handing her over any time soon if that's how you're lookin' to take this conversation."
"Captain Reynolds," Hadlow began pleasantly. "As soon as you left, my men fired a concussion grenade into the cargo hold of your ship, took care of that hired gun of yours. He wasn't on your crew manifest and my man seemed to think that an indication that you're aware of the contents of those crates." He didn't notice Mal twitch and continued with the smug assurance of someone who was always in control. "They have taken control of Serenity so she's my ship now. Look around, I have you surrounded and there are ten more for each one of these men. You will transport my cargo as I ask and in return you will be allowed to keep your ship and you will be handsomely paid for it. I fail to see how this is anything but a good deal for you."
Mal ground his teeth furiously. They'd known it was a trap and still walked into it blind. He looked to Zoe and Jayne, seeing the same frustration echoed in their faces. All that was left to do was bide their time and hope for moment enough to break free and fight their way back to the ship.