The Black, February 2520
With Xander leaning against her, looking up at her the same way he used to after a particularly close call, everything else melted away. She rested her cheek on his head and tightened her arms around his shoulders as he dozed on and off. She didn't move until Spike cleared his throat from the doorway.
Lacey and Xander both looked up at him.
"Uh, hate to interrupt the intimate moment, pet, but unless you want an even less pretty repeat of the bar in Beaumonde, I suggest you give lover boy a quick explanation… or a sedative. Cap'n is on his way down."
Lacey's arms tightened around Xander, "Uh, Xan… you trust me?"
His eyebrows scrunched in confusion, "Of course."
Lacey heard Mal's boots outside the infirmary "Don't kill my captain."
The confusion deepened.
"He, uh… well, he looks exactly like Caleb."
Xander tensed.
"It's not him, I promise."
"Really not, mate." Spike interjected, "I'da been long gone if he was."
Xander tensed further and pressed back against Lacey, who wrapped her arms tighter around him, as Mal came through the door. Lacey really couldn't fault him for the wary glare.
Mal looked over Xander's head to Lacey, "This one ain't gonna try to kill me too, is he?"
Lacey shook her head, "No sir. He's good."
Mal shook his head, almost sympathetically, "This Caleb fella really musta done a number on you lot."
"Took my eye." Xander offered with a weak gesture toward his face.
Mal moved cautiously toward the bed, "Sorry I'm wearin' his face kid, but I am right fond of it, to be honest, and I'd take it as a kindness if you didn't try to muss it up."
Lacey felt Xander relax just a bit. Her heart swelled when he lifted his hand, "Xander Harris."
Mal reached out and grasped it, "Malcolm Reynolds."
New Melbourne, February 2520
The job for the rancher had gone smoothly. Well, smoothly by Serenity standards. Jayne and Lacey were the only ones who had been shot, and Lacey's was more of a graze that was already well on its way to being healed. The rancher had paid well enough that everyone's cut was larger than usual, and there was still enough for some much needed repairs and restocking. Lacey and River were picking up the last of the supplies when River suddenly froze, eyes frantically searching the crowded market.
The girl dropped to a crouch and threw her arms over her head, muttering quickly, and repetitively, "Two by two, hands of blue, two by two, hands of blue…"
Lacey's eyes went wide. She shouldered the pack before hauling the younger girl up to her feet, "River, look at me. Focus, mèimei." River did. "Can you tell me where they are?" River nodded. "Tell me, then go back to the ship. Avoid them."
River did as she was told, taking the supply pack with her.
Legacy doubled back until she was behind the two men. Her Slayer senses were on high alert. These men were human, but there was something inherently evil about them. She would only be able to get one of them back to the ship without attracting too much attention. And she couldn't take even one and be certain that he wasn't injected with some kind of tracker. If only she had Willow to do a cloaking… oh! She quickly unwrapped on of the bracelets on her wrist. A little blood or spit from whoever she put it on, and no tracking, magical or otherwise, would work.
When the two men turned into an alley she knew was empty, she knew they knew they were being followed. She paused just around the corner, remembering Jayne's warning about the 'stick things' the blue hands carried. Her only chance would be to catch them off guard. She took a deep breath and sprinted into the alley full speed. She took satisfaction in the looks of shock they weren't fast enough to hide. She reached the first and snapped his neck without remorse or hesitation. The second raised a slim silver wand, but Lacey jabbed him in the nose before he could do anything with it. As he fell to his knees, she hit him hard behind the ear, effectively knocking him out.
Glancing occasionally back to the busy street, Lacey worked quickly. Dislodging a crystal from the hollow heel of her boot, she dropped it on the chest of the dead blue hand and closed her eyes against the flash as his body disappeared. Lacey made a mental note to ask Willow exactly where the bodies went when they used those crystals. She quickly dabbed a little blood off the face of the unconscious one before securing the bracelet firmly to his wrist. She used his jacket sleeve to clear away the rest of the blood and fished dark sunglasses out of her own jacket and shoved them onto his face. Glancing around the alley, Lacey bent swiftly to pick up the dropped silver wands and shove them into her inside jacket pocket before hauling the unconscious man up and repressing a shudder as she draped his arm over her shoulders before making her way back onto the busy street.
"What're you on about, Crazy?" Jayne growled as he bent to pick up the spilled contents of the supply pack River had promptly dropped before starting to pace the length of the cargo bay doors, muttering under her breath.
River ignored him and kept pacing.
He righted the bag and moved to block her path, ready to snap at her again before she looked up at him and he saw the terror in her eyes, "What's wrong, girl?"
River's eyes were impossibly wide and she glanced back and for the between Jayne and the doors, "Wufa liánjié. Can't see. Too much." She suddenly dropped into a crouch and started rocking slightly, "Two by two, hands of blue."
Jayne caught on more quickly than anyone would probably ever give him credit for, "Tā mā de! They're here?"
River looked up and him and nodded, tears in her eyes, "Jiějie sent the girl back. Told her to focus. Wanted to protect her."
Jayne thought quickly, "She coming back?"
"Wufa liánjié. Can't see." River repeated, eyes going back to the door.
Jayne reached down and hauled her up to her feet, "Don't look with yer brain, Crazy. You got faith she's coming back?"
River got a faraway look, like she was lost in a memory, before nodding.
"Then you do what Lacey told you. Focus. Go get this pile of fèi tiě ready to fly. Everyone else is already on board. Soon as she's on board, and I lock the doors up, you lift off, dǒng ma?"
River nodded and scampered off as Jayne turned his head toward the door, one hand the controls, the other on his gun.
Lacey was grateful to see Jayne waiting for her, but held her hand up to signal for him not to hit the locks right away. She quickly stripped the blue hand of his suit, so he was bare as the day he was born (save the bracelet she'd put on him), and chucked it out the doors and onto the docks before letting Jayne close the doors. The big merc glared down the unconscious man at their feet and, recognizing his face, kicked him hard in the ribs, as if he couldn't help it. Lacey didn't blame him. The very second the doors sealed, Serenity was lifting off, and Mal was stumbling across the catwalk, cursing.
Spotting his two mercenaries scowling down at a naked man in the cargo bay, Mal decided they must have something to do with his ship liftin' off without his command. He abandoned his path to the bridge and joined them in the cargo bay, regaining his balance as he went.
He stopped just behind them, "What in the gorram hell?"
Both spun to face him. Lacey turned to Jayne and nodded to the body, "Take him to the passenger dorms, truss him up good, don't take your eyes off him, and make sure that bracelet stays on him."
Mal was shocked when the mercenary did exactly as he was told without even grumbling.
Lacey turned back to the captain, "I'll explain in just a minute, right now we need to get to the bridge and give River a heading."
River had a white-knuckled grip on Serenity's controls. Sensing Lacey stepping onto the bridge, she let go completely to turn and throw her arms around Lacey. Lacey held the younger girl tightly, but simultaneously dropped into the pilot's seat, River ending up in her lap, to grab the controls before they could crash. River had her face buried in Lacey's neck and didn't even comprehend the possible consequences of her actions. Lacey guided the ship around and landed in an open field on a more uninhabited portion of the planet, ignoring Mal's sputtering demands behind her.
Turning around, Lacey found all of Serenity's inhabitants, save Jayne, had crammed onto the bridge. River had stopped shaking in her lap and seemed to have calmed. She looked up at Lacey with clear eyes and smiled almost wickedly, "Function as pairs. Lost without the other. Huàile. One pillar cannot support the doorway."
Lacey grinned back, "You saying he's gonna crack under the pressure?"
"Not right away."
"I got nothin' but time, mèimei."
River laughed as she stood and moved to perch in the copilot's chair.
Mal's patience was gone, "This is the last time I'm gonna ask. What in the gorram hells is happening on my boat?! Why did we lift off without my command? Why is my albatross freakin' out then goin' all creepifyin'? And why is there a naked man trussed up in my passenger dorms?"
Kaylee let out a bit of a choking sound at the last one, and even Zoe looked a bit surprised.
Lacey answered straight as she could, "Those 'hands of blue' River was on about before I showed up? He's one of them. Bastards almost caught us in the market, but River made 'em first. Thought it might be profitable to see if I can't get some answers outta him."
Everyone had paled.
"What happened to the other one?" Simon asked, almost silently.
"Snapped his neck." Lacey answered calmly.
Simon nodded, "Good." Lacey had to admire the gratified malice she saw in the doc's face.
Always the voice of reason, Zoe asked, "What if he's got a tracker?"
"Already took care of it." Lacey told her.
Mal debated briefly with himself, but decided this was too important to be mad at his crew for not takin' the time to fill him in, so he just looked to Lacey and nodded.
Before she could panic at sight of the blue hand, River felt a heavy hand fall on her shoulder. She looked up to see Jayne. She reached out tentatively toward his mind; he had his walls built so strong that his mind had become her safe place. Not that she could ever tell him that. He would be angry. But his thoughts were solid and calm. His mind was her anchor. She was safe there with only the shallow thoughts he let surface. She recoiled momentarily at the boiling tide of dark red rage that poured out of him toward the blue hand. When she worked past it, she found a little of something else had trickled past his walls. She drew in a little gasp when she recognized it. He was worried about her. He cared. He didn't want her hurt again. Especially not by the ones who'd cut into her brain.
When the blue hand started to stir, Jayne's hand tightened on her shoulder and she pressed back into the solid wall of his chest, silently accepting the uncharacteristic protection and support he was offering.
Lacey leaned over the blue hand as he started to stir, her mind planning quickly how to handle this.
"What are you going to do to him?" Book asked from the doorway where the crew was gathered.
Lacey smiled devilishly, "Channel my inner Faith."
She kicked the blue hand in the head, making sure he's stay out for a bit longer.
Xander puzzled over Lacey's choice of words. Then her heard River laugh. Then remembered what the mechanic, Kaylee, had said. River was a reader – a psychic. Then Xander laughed, getting an idea of what Lacey might do. He looked at River, who nodded her head in confirmation. Xander settled back against the wall to watch, knowing the good doctor and the Slayer who was the object of his, and everyone else's at the moment, attention, would be irritated with him later, and he'd be sore and tired, but it would be worth it.
Lacey borrowed a really big knife from Jayne, grabbed an apple from the mess, and then slouched into a chair, the naked man at her feet. As he started to stir again, Lacey kicked him again, this time in the ribs where Jayne had kicked him earlier, and grinned in satisfaction as he groaned and opened his eyes to glare up at her. Lacey began slowly and methodically cutting a slice out of the apple.
"Morning, sunshine!" she greeted cheerily.
Glare.
"Mmm… lookin' like you woke up on the wrong side if the bed."
Glare.
"Got a name? Don't suppose I've ever heard a proper one for you."
Glare.
"How about I call you Bob? No? Okay."
Glare.
"Sure you don't have a name?"
"Where is my partner?" he finally ground out.
"Oh! He speaks!" Lacey grinned and sarcastically feigned shock.
"Where is my partner?"
"Oh, right! Sorry. 'Bout that… 'fraid he won't be joinin' the party."
Glare.
"You know those pesky little vertebrae that keep the mind connected to the rest of the body? I might have decided he didn't quite need those anymore and wrenched his head around a mite further than a human's head is meant to go." Lacey explained calmly. Almost like an afterthought she added, "Though to be honest, I have a hard time thinking of you bastards as human."
The blue hand paled. Then he started to struggle against his bonds. Lacey kicked him again, by all appearances the kick was almost casual, even light, but Xander knew how much power was behind even the smallest of the Slayer's touches, if she wanted it there. The blue hand winced and grunted in pain as he stopped struggling and Lacey leaned forward to tilt his chin up with the point of the knife. She shook her head admonishingly before casually leaning back again to cut another slice from the apple.
"Now, I've got some questions. You're gonna answer them."
He spat toward her feet.
"You're gonna answer them, or I'm gonna let the big guy there," Lacey used the knife to point to Jayne, "convince you. Don't much care how he does it."
"I am not frightened by some piece of scum hired gun from the Rim." the blue hand sneered.
Lacey shrugged, cutting another apple slice, "I wouldn't be either under normal circumstances." Lacey leaned forward, acted like she was whispering conspiratorially, "But between you and me, 'cause he wouldn't ever admit it, he's got a soft spot for the little girl you're after. He don't take too kindly to the fact that someone went in and played 'round with her brain. And the man really likes causin' pain. It's been a mite long since we let him draw blood just for the sake of it." She leaned back again.
The blue hand glared, "My people will find me. And you will pay."
Lacey laughed, "No one's gonna find you. I took all your toys away and added an extra caution besides."
The man finally seemed to notice he was naked and tried ineffectually to cover himself, "You can't take out the tracker they planted on me."
"Don't need to. You can't shake off the cloaking spell I planted on you."
His eyes widened.
Lacey set the apple core aside and began twirling the knife idly around.
"Magic?" the blue hand finally asked.
"You don't seem particularly surprised."
His eyes flicked toward River before he could stop them.
Lacey's eyes narrowed, "You know what she is, then."
His eyes snapped back to Lacey and widened even further.
"I'll take that as a yes. I'm the same. But I'm older, I'm stronger. And I'm as close to someone like me can be to sane."
The glare came back, but this time it was tinted with fear.
"You don't want to be afraid of our merc, fine. I'm worse anyway. And you're going to tell me everything I want to know, or I'm gonna close that door and you and me are going to spend some quality time introducing you to what the power you tried to control in her can do in someone with a sound mind."
Xander was scared for the guy, even if he deserved it and worse. Ace was one scary chick when she wanted to be. Hell, all his girls were, but Legacy and Faith were the worst and this was Legacy channeling Faith's cocky bravado. It was simultaneously scary and hot. He noticed when the implications of Lacey's words sunk in and suddenly the words were pouring out of the naked guy's mouth, and Lacey's satisfied smirk turned into a mask of horror as the man went on. Her expression was mirrored by the rest of the crew.
By the time the hand of blue stopped talking, River was still standing only because Jayne was holding her. The rest of the crew dispersed silently to deal with the revelations they'd been presented with in their own ways.
When they were the last ones present, Lacey exchanged one look with the big merc and silently traded him places, shielding River as Jayne laid into the man.
Translations:
mèimei – little sister
Wufa liánjié – no way to connect
Tā mā de – shit/f***
Jiějie – older sister
fèi tiě – scrap iron
dǒng ma – understand
gorram – damn
Huàile – It's broken