All disclaimers still apply.
Thrilling Heroics
Jayne Cobb was thrown face down onto the floor by the thinner suited man with blue hands. The thinner man, however, maintained his grip on Jayne's arm, wrenching it painfully behind the struggling merc. Jayne tried to roll himself over with his left arm, but it was kicked out from underneath him by the heavy-set man standing over him. Then there was a second kick to Jayne's face where he felt a sickening crunch. With warm blood dripping from his nose, Jayne knew they had broken it. Jayne then felt the heel of a shoe land squarely and painfully in the middle of his left hand. Then he heard a cry of pain, and realized it was his own.
"Jayne Cobb, I presume," the heavy-set man said grinding his heel into Jayne's hand. Jayne continued to struggle, but did not answer.
"Are you Jayne Cobb?" the thinner man asked nearly dislocating Jayne's right arm.
"Yeah!" Jayne cried out.
The heavy-set man asked, "Yes, what?"
"Yeah, I'm Jayne Cobb," Jayne answered despondently.
"Then you are the man who has engaged in intercourse with the subject," the heavy-set man stated.
"Don't know whatcha sayin'," Jayne responded, but this only earned him an added twist to his wrist from the thinner man.
"Sex, Mr. Cobb," the thinner man said evenly. "You have been engaging in sex with the subject."
Through the streams of blood running over his mouth, Jayne blurted, "Gui! How you know 'bout that?"
"We know much about you and the crew of Serenity," the heavy-set man said. "We have been following your ship since the Tams escaped custody on Ariel."
"Took long 'nough," Jayne said with a derisive laugh. The heavy-set man then kicked him sharply in the ribs, causing Jayne to bellow loudly.
"Serenity has been very elusive," the heavy-set man continued. "It does not stay in one place for more than a few days, and it stays out of the normal transport lanes."
"Captain Reynolds is quite skilled at avoiding notice," the thinner man said. "We tried to anticipate his moves."
The heavy-set man picked up the conversation again. "Three weeks ago, we learned of your captain's transport agreement with Oliver MacGrude. We convinced the recipients that it was in their best interest to allow the transaction to be completed without any complications."
"Should I thank ya?" Jayne interrupted. He regretted it immediately as the thinner man twisted the fingers on Jayne's right hand.
The heavy-set man paced in front of Jayne as he continued his story. "We attached a reconnaissance tracking suite to the hull of Serenity while you were completing the transaction." He removed what looked like a 50 caliber casing from his pocket and showed it to Jayne. "It is fired from a rifle and embeds in the hull. It has an effective listening range of 10 meters and its transmissions are masked by Serenity's engine flux."
"How's I get 50 of 'em," Jayne quipped.
The thinner man cuffed the back of Jayne's head. "We are telling you this to demonstrate what we know about Serenity. We know about your relationship with the subject. We know about the relationship between Kaylee Frye and Simon Tam. We know about Zoe Washburn's pregnancy. We know about Malcolm Reynolds emotions for Inara Serra and hers for him. It is pointless to resist!"
"Indeed," said the heavy-set man. "We have listened to the conversations on Serenity for the past two weeks. From them, we were able to determine when and where the ship would land, and how long it would be on the planet. We initially intended to use Mr. Black's men to assault the ship, but Mrs. Washburn's suggestion this morning provided us with a better opportunity."
"If'n ya know so much, why haven't ya kill'd me?" Jayne then asked.
"Your presence is fortuitous, Mr. Cobb." The heavy-set man picked up the computer tablet from the floor of the train car. "It will allow us to direct the subject's mental stripping more effectively. We need to know when the subject first became associated with you."
Jayne turned his head to the heavy-set man and gave a confused look. The thinner man then asked forcefully, "When did you first come in contact with the subject?"
Realizing what they meant, Jayne shouted, "Yer gonna make her forget me!"
"Yes, Mr. Cobb," the heavy-set man said. "Love is a powerful emotion that will interfere with her reintegration. We must remove all references of it from her mind. Now tell us when you first saw the subject."
"NOOO!" Jayne roared. Using his legs, Jayne managed to roll himself on top of the thinner man. Jayne quickly head-butted the thinner man with the back of his head which caused Jayne's right arm to come free. The heavy-set man then tried to stomp on Jayne's face, but Jayne caught his foot with both hands and twisted it. This sent the heavy-set man crashing against River's crate. Quickly rising to a crouch, Jayne turned to see the thinner man doing the same.
Grabbing hold of the thinner man with his left hand, Jayne punched him hard in the gut with his right, followed by an uppercut to his jaw. This sent the thinner man crashing against the wall of the train car. Jayne then unholstered his revolver and turned to the heavy-set man.
The heavy-set man, however, had watched Jayne's hands and was ready. Back on his feet, the heavy-set man kicked the revolver out of Jayne's hand and sent it bouncing into the hole left by the still-opened access panel. Jayne watched in dismay as the revolver fell in, but he looked back just in time to avoid two round-house kicks from the heavy-set man. When the heavy-set man made a third kick, Jayne caught his leg with his left hand and punched the heavy-set man in the groin with his right. The heavy-set man crumpled to the floor in pain.
Suddenly, two hands were on him from behind. One was grasping his left shoulder, while the other was reaching around him and gripping his throat. Jayne knew it had to be the thinner man, and tried to break the grip on his throat. The thinner man's grip on Jayne's throat, however, was surprisingly strong and Jayne was unable to break it. Choking, Jayne used his weight to throw the two of them against the car wall, but the thinner man did not release his grip. Jayne then tried to elbow the thinner man, but he couldn't get an angle. As a haziness began to set over his eyes, Jayne saw the heavy-set man rise to his feet.
"Release him," the heavy-set man said to the thinner man. The thinner man complied and Jayne shakily staggered forward towards the heavy-set man. The heavy-set man then hit Jayne with a powerful right hook. Jayne continued to stand, seeming too dazed to know he was supposed to fall down. He then tried to mount a counterattack on the heavy-set man, but he was too slow. The heavy-set man caught his right arm and punched Jayne in the armpit. Jayne then tried with his left, but the heavy-set man countered in the same way. Exasperated, Jayne tried lunging at the heavy-set man only to receive a back-handed fist across the face, and a hard kick in the stomach.
Jayne fell back against the rear of the car. He was now coughing up bits of blood and his eyelids drooped. The blue handed men approached him.
"Do you now see how pointless it is to resist us?" the heavy-set man asked.
"Don' matter," Jayne gasped. "Ain't gonna help ya."
The blue handed men looked at each other and nodded. Looking back, the thinner man said, "Then, Mr. Cobb, you are no longer useful to us."
The heavy-set man stepped over to Jayne's right and opened the rear door. Jayne could hear the sound of rushing wind come from the other side. He did not have long to wonder why he was hearing that, because the blue handed men hauled him up and faced him out the door. Looking out, Jayne saw that the rest of the train was missing. In its place was maglev track and landscape rushing away from him.
"Ruttin' hell!" Jayne exclaimed. "Whatcha do with the train?"
"The rest of the cars were disconnected when we learned you were on board," the thinner man answered.
"It is irrelevant!" the heavy-set man yelled over the wind. Looking at Jayne, he said with finality, "Good-bye, Mr. Cobb."
The blue handed men pushed Jayne towards the door, but Jayne splayed his hands and feet around the doorframe. The blue handed men paused for a moment, and then tried pushing him, but Jayne held fast to the doorframe. The blue handed men then alternately punched Jayne in the kidneys. Jayne gritted his teeth against the pain, but would not release his grip on the doorframe. Finally, the blue handed men stepped on Jayne's knees, forcing him to kneel, but his arms stubbornly remained on either side of the opening.
The thinner man gripped Jayne's neck and started choking him once more. "Your stubbornness is disappointing," he said. "Surely, you must realize that you are not a hero. You are a mercenary, a hired gun. You are supposed to kill without remorse, without compunction, without feeling. Only heroes have feelings."
"Got's feelings," Jayne choked out.
The heavy-set man then spoke up, "Nevertheless, you cannot be a hero."
Jayne's vision was becoming dark and the words the heavy-set man spoke sounded distant.
"Your name is inappropriate." Jayne's consciousness was slipping. "Jayne is a girl's name."
As the blackness was about to overtake him, Jayne thought he heard a distant heavy thud, and then a high-pitched voice yell, "Jayne is not a girl!"
Suddenly, the grip around Jayne's neck was released, and Jayne gasped for air. The darkness slowly receded, and Jayne realized that he somehow managed to hold on to the doorframe. Jayne then noticed a commotion behind him in the car. Pushing himself back through the doorway and turning around to his right, Jayne saw River fighting the blue handed men. She was standing in between them, and appeared to be more than up to the task of handling them both, even in that situation.
Taking a few moments to recover, Jayne decided to watch the battle between River and the blue handed men. Granted, Jayne had seen her fight off throngs of men a couple of times since that time in the Maidenhead when she was triggered. This fight, however, seemed to be somewhat different. Every kick, punch, spin, block, and jump that River made looked just as graceful as ever, and yet Jayne couldn't shake the feeling that there was more meaning behind each one. Slowly, Jayne began to notice that River was saying something with every movement as well.
"Won't…Go…Back!" River said lowly while fighting the men. Her voice became louder as the fight continued. Eventually, she was shouting.
By this time, Jayne was feeling more lucid and had made his way over to the maintenance shaft. He reached down and managed to fish out his revolver. Holstering it, Jayne found the access panel, and placed it over the hole. He didn't want anything else accidentally falling in. Standing up, Jayne carefully waited for his moment to join in. He had to be careful, because there had been occasions where he jumped in at the wrong time and met up with River's flying boot.
Suddenly, the heavy-set man wrapped his arms around River's torso, trapping her arms. The thinner man ran up and appeared to be reaching into his jacket, but River pushed up with both legs and kicked the thinner man with both feet. This sent the thinner man tumbling back towards Jayne. Seeing this opportunity, Jayne caught the thinner man by the back of his collar and sent a pile-driving hit down on his head. The thinner man collapsed to the floor dazed. Jayne then picked him up and hauled him to the rear door.
Opening the rear door, Jayne said to the thinner man, "Since I ain't supposed to feel nothin', guess I won't get choked up 'bout this."
Jayne then threw the thinner man out the rear door. Jayne watched his body make a small cloud of dust as it hit the ground.
Turning around, Jayne saw the heavy-set man with his arms still wrapped around River, but his eyes seemed wider than they should be. Stepping over to get a better look, Jayne saw River's right hand painfully gripping the heavy-set man's crotch. Jayne winced noticeably since he could remember a time when he was in the same situation. River managed to free her right arm and elbow the heavy-set man in the face. The heavy-set man instinctively covered his face and River spun around him to deliver a roundhouse kick to the back of his head. This sent the heavy-set man stumbling towards Jayne who grabbed the front of his suit with his right hand while applying a back-handed fist to the man's face with his left. The heavy-set man fell to the floor.
Ensuring the remaining blue handed man was still nominally conscious, Jayne hauled him to the rear door. Opening the door once more, Jayne said to him, "Mebbe my name ain't right for a hero, but at least I gotta name. So g'bye mister ah…"
Jayne thought for a moment, and then cocked his head to the side and gave the man funny smile. "G'bye Mister!" Jayne said as he threw the heavy-set man out of the train car.
Shutting the rear door, Jayne looked back to find River walking towards him. Tears were filling her eyes and her bottom lip trembled. Jayne noticed how she now looked less like a ferocious warrior and more like a frightened little woman. It amazed him how such small changes on her face could completely change her presence.
Jayne stepped forward to meet her and they wrapped each other in a strong embrace. River started sobbing and buried her face in his chest. Jayne comforted her by running a hand through her hair. He felt a tingling in his hand as he realized how close he came to not feeling its softness ever again.
"Almost lost you," River blurted against Jayne's chest, but Jayne didn't hear her too well.
Looking down at her, Jayne asked, "Whatcha say?"
River looked up and Jayne could see her now tear-stained cheeks. "I almost lost you."
"But ya didn't," Jayne said as he gently caressed her face.
"It was uncertain until the very end," she said guiltily. "I was covered in darkness. Couldn't see." River pressed her forehead against Jayne's chest. "I heard voices, their voices. I tried to run away, but the darkness trapped me, held me."
River looked back up at Jayne. "Then their voices left and I heard yours. You said that you were going to help me. I saw a light, a small pin-prick. I followed it, but it was very far away. Then I heard their voices return and you argued. I knew I had to hurry. Your light began to fade as I reached it."
Jayne held River tighter as he listened. "I opened my eyes and heard them taunting you, saying that Jayne is not a hero. The big man said 'Jayne is a girl's name.'"
River allowed a small smile come to her face. "But Jayne is not a girl."
"See there," Jayne sighed. "S'Alright, ya saved me."
Taking a calming breath, River said, "We saved each other."
They leaned in and kissed each other gently. As they backed away, Jayne asked, "Y'all right now?"
"Not broken," River responded as she looked Jayne over. "But my Jayne is."
River reached up and held Jayne's cheeks with both of her hands. Before Jayne knew what was happening, River had placed her thumbs on his nose. Jayne felt a sharp snap of pain and recoiled from River's grip.
"There, now you are fixed," River said.
Jayne lightly felt his sore nose and realized that it was straight once again. "Coulda let me know whatcha was doin'."
"You're resistance would have impeded the correction," River responded sweetly.
Jayne knew that there wasn't any point in arguing with her, so he looked around and said, "Well, guess we need to figure how we're stoppin' this train."
River nodded. She turned and walked to the front door as Jayne followed her, picking up Vera. They left the first car and found themselves standing in front of the door to the train engine. It had a keypad lock on it. Just as Jayne was about to use a few choice curses, River calmly reached up, punched in a code, and the door slid open.
"How'd ya…," Jayne started to ask, but when River gave him the 'you're a boob' look, Jayne just said, "Read his mind, huh?"
With a smile, River nodded, and then they entered. The inside of the train engine was cramped. It only had a small corridor that would allow a medium sized man to walk in either direction. For Jayne, it was too small, but for River, she was able to move easily. It sort of reminded Jayne of Serenity, only smaller.
River reached the controls, and sat in the single seat in front of them. Jayne hunched behind her as she worked the controls. After she pressed some buttons and flipped a few switches, Jayne noticed she was receiving a lot of alarm tones in return. Concerned he asked, "Somethin' wrong?"
River looked back. "The controls have been locked."
"Cantcha unlock 'em?" Jayne asked.
River shook her head. "It's an emergency override. The train station is controlling it."
"Can ya tell them to unlock it?" Jayne asked pointing to what looked like the comm.
River picked up the handset and said, "Jericho Station, Jericho Station! This is Blue Sky Transit 238, over."
There was silence. "Jericho Station, Jericho Station! This is Blue Sky Transit 238, please respond."
Jayne was becoming nervous when the comm crackled back at them. "Blue Sky 238, this is Jericho Station, go ahead."
Relieved at the response, River continued. "Jericho Station, request unlock of transit controls."
"Blue Sky 238, negative!" River and Jayne looked at each other grimly.
"Jericho Station, please explain,"
"Blue Sky 238, have received report of possible hijacking. Monitors indicate disconnection of all cars rear of the primary. Station will not unlock controls until engine and remaining car are secured by federal marshals at the Station." Jayne did not follow everything that was said, but he knew enough that they were in trouble.
"Acknowledge with personal security code," the voice over the comm said, but River simply switched it off.
"Now whadda we do?" Jayne asked. "We can't jump 'less'n we want ta end up like the other two."
"We'll jump once we've slowed down," River answered as she pulled up a train schematic on the screen in front of her.
Confused, Jayne asked, "How're we gonna slow down? We don't got control!"
"We don't have dynamic control," River corrected. "Some magnets lift, some magnets push."
Seeming to find what she was looking for, River stood up and squeezed her way around Jayne. "Follow me."
Jayne quickly followed River back down the corridor until she stopped and opened a panel. She looked in for a moment before stepping back and saying, "Shoot it."
Stepping towards her, Jayne unholstered his revolver, and then took a stance between the open panel and River. Looking away, Jayne fired a shot into the panel and sparks erupted out of it. Instantly, Jayne and River were jerked slightly forward as the train began to decelerate. Smiling, Jayne turned to River to find her smiling back. Grabbing his hand she said, "This way, they're almost here."
"Who?" Jayne asked as she led him back into the first car. Inside, River continued to lead Jayne to the rear door. She opened it and pointed out.
"There!" she said breathlessly. Jayne followed her finger, and saw ship flying above the tracks in the distance. It was Serenity!
"YYYAAAHHOOO!" Jayne yelled as he pumped a fist in the air. He then grabbed River and spun with her in his arms. They ended their celebration with a tender kiss.
Placing River down, Jayne then became curious and asked, "How'd you know?"
"The blue hands knew," River said. "They heard the Captain tell the crew that you were on the train when he got the Mule back. They knew he was coming."
Jayne nodded. Having a reader as a girlfriend had its good points. "Guess we wait 'til the train stops, then they pick us up."
River shook her head. "The train won't stop before the station. We will have to jump sooner."
Jayne gave River a concerned nod. River then said, "But first, we must let the crew know we're safe."
River moved to the side cargo door and opened it. Jayne stepped up beside her and saw that they had slowed some. Looking back Jayne could see Serenity had caught up with the train and was flying along side. River waved and Jayne followed.
"You think they see us?" Jayne asked, but she didn't answer as Serenity rocked gently from side to side.
"They seen us. Now what?" Jayne asked.
"Waiting on the Captain," River answered.
At that moment, Serenity dipped lower to the ground, and her loading ramp lowered. Suddenly, the Mule shot out of the cargo bay and started racing along side the train. Serenity then pulled up and gracefully turned off. Looking back at the Mule Jayne saw that it was Mal who was driving.
Making a double-take, Jayne asked, "If Mal's drivin', who's flyin'?"
"All questions will be answered later," River said. "Get ready!"
Then Jayne realized what they were waiting for as Mal eased the Mule next to the train car.
"Jump in!" Mal ordered pointing to the rear seats. River jumped first landing gracefully in the back. Jayne followed her much less so. Mal then drove the Mule away from the train and headed to where Serenity was setting down. River and Jayne watched as the train disappeared from view and then they hugged and kissed each other.
While they kissed, Mal asked without looking back, "So, you two had enough thrillin' heroics for today?"
Jayne and River continued kissing. At the silence, Mal asked, "Jayne? River? Everythin' all right?"
Breaking the kiss, Jayne answered, "Yeah, it's all right. We're doin' fine."
"Ya sure?" Mal probed.
"Yeah, it's all right. We're doing fine," River said insistently.
"So fine," Jayne added as he and River snuggled closer.
"Well then," Mal said ominously, "seems to me that we have some settlin' up to do after this little caper."
Jayne noticed Mal's tone and asked, "How's Zoe?"
"That's something we gotta settle up," Mal answered. A sinking feeling entered Jayne's gut and he held River closer. Serenity was looming large in front of them.
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