Chapter Seven: Schemes and Stratagems

Serenity: The Tam's Quarters

River sat up. Simon turned and was at her side in a moment. "River, what's wrong?" He asked. She didn't answer, only screamed.

"River! River are you in pain? What is it?" Simon's voice had an element of panic. "River?"

"Pain is transitory," she answered. "Replacements are always on standby. The game is never simple."

"I don't understand. What game?"

"The game of schemes and stratagems," she leapt out of bed. "plots and counter-plots," River was almost out the door almost before Simon realized.

"River, wait."

"No time," she called over her shoulder. "It's all a matter of timing. Dream too long and the seconds slip through your fingers like coffin blood." She halted suddenly. Simon almost ran into her. "He doesn't know all the faces," she said urgently. "His eyes are open too wide."

"Simon," Kaylee came running in from the engine room. "what's wrong?"

"I don't know. I just gave her the meds, she should be fast asleep…"

"Bang, bang," River interrupted. "two balls of lead one for either heart. The machine whirs and hums, marking time till doomsday," she stopped and looked right at Kaylee. Her eyes were perfectly clear. "The captain is in trouble," River said.

Icarus: Prison Cell

Sefton smiled at his prisoners. Metal restraints held all three tightly to the wall.

You must be Captain Reynolds," he said. "I've heard so much about you." Mal just glared in return. "You did a good job for me on Artaris, efficient, discreet. Yet here you are, on my planet. Breaking into my home. See, this is why I hate mercs: no loyalty, no gratitude. . I seem to recall paying you a great deal of money, and I don't appreciate you coming here and stealing from me." Sefton nodded, and one of the guards struck Mal hard.

"Don't you have some machine that needs tending," Mal asked.

"Yes," Sefton said. "let's talk about my machine. Your new friend has tried very hard to stop me. The Doctor is a pathetic little man scared of change. Weak men always fear power, and he is weak. Men like him skulk in the shadows, and fight with words and schemes, because they lack the courage to pull a trigger. You and I are men of action."

Mal laughed. "If you're trying to get my help, then this little speech of yours ain't exactly convincing."

"No? I guess I should have realized. You're a brown coat aren't you Captain. Just another weak man frightened of change." The guard punched Mal. "And now you limp about the Rim, just another pirate," a blow to the face. "scavenging off better men." Mal coughed up blood. "The war is over Captain, you lost. Change always wins. The Doctor's box is finally open, and I have everything I need. The power is already being uploaded into the system. I would be there to supervise, but this is much more fun."

"I don't see what you're so excited about," Jayne said. "the Doc wanted you to have the gorram box anyway." The room was completely silent. Then slowly Sefton smiled. Without a word he and the guards turned and left. Behind them the force field snapped on.

"Jayne!" Mal growled.

"What, what did I say?"

Icarus: The Machine

Kaylee stared up at the machine. She and River were at the bottom, fifty stories down. There had never been anything quite like it before.

"Cold metal tries to listen, tries to hear time's whispers, but it can't," River said. "All rotten through. The flesh hears but won't listen; metal listens but can't hear. It's not meant to be." River stopped suddenly and pointed. "There," she said. The junction box looked so innocent and ordinary. "Machine heart goes pitter pat." Without another word River turned and ran. Her bare feet made little sound, and then she was out of sight.

"Don't worry about me," Kaylee muttered staring out at where River had gone. "I'll be fine." With a sigh she bent over and pried open the junction. Peering in at the wires she was lost for a moment in admiration. River had steered her the right way. Everything was routed through here. So many wires, systems interconnecting, it was beautiful. Then the moment passed. Sefton had to be stopped, even if it meant damaging the machine above her. But something was not right. The more Kaylee studied it, the less it made sense. Finally, belatedly she understood what was wrong. Kaylee whistled. Someone had beaten her to it. The machine had already been sabotaged.

"Someone's been busy," the Doctor said. Kaylee turned startled. He was right behind her peering over her shoulder.

Ace was bleeding. A bullet had grazed her cheek. The guards after her now weren't green. They knew what they were doing. Systematic sweeps closing in on her. They had the advantage. This was their territory not hers. They had her pined now. Maneuvered into a dead end. She peered around the corner. There were maybe six of them. She saw one of them pull a device out of his pocket, the same device Sefton had used to control the chip in her head. Ace took careful aim, held her hand ever so steady. The tiniest amount of pressure with her finger and…bang. The device shattered, ripped apart. Mr. Hayes turned and glared at her. The shards of the remote control fell from his hand. Snarling he opened fire. Ace scrambled back around the bend, and Hayes's men crept a little closer to the turn. The two corridors formed an L, and Ace was trapped. It was only a matter of time.

"It wasn't me," Kaylee said.

"No, it wasn't." The Doctor paused, and it seemed as though his mind was elsewhere. "I need you to do me a favor," he said at length. "I want you to fix it."

"What, the machine," Kaylee asked, shocked.

"Yes, that's right, the machine."

"But I thought you wanted to stop Sefton."

"Trust me," the Doctor said.

"I don't even know what most of this does," Kaylee nodded at the exposed cables.

"Don't worry. Let it talk to you. Listen to what the machine says."

"Time's whispers," Kaylee murmured.

"Hmm…what do you mean? Oh…River's here."

"That's right. She ran off though."

"Interesting. Just do your best," he gestured towards the junction box. "Have faith in your talents Kaylee, after all, I do."

"I'll try," Kaylee said.

The Doctor nodded. "Shiny," he grinned.

Ace watched the stun grenade arch through the air and land at her feet with a clang.

"Oh," she said. "shit!" Then it exploded and her world went dark. Mr. Hayes turned the corner and stood above her prone body. He touched his earpiece and made his report.

"Sir, we've got her."

"Excellent," came Sefton's voice. "Take her to the machine. I'll be there shortly to plug her in. I now have everything I need."