Disclaimer: The wonderful characters and the good ship Serenity all belong to Joss Whedon, or Mutant Enemy, or Fox, or whoever actually owns them, and that person or entity is definitely not me. Written for amusement purposes only. No copyright infringement intended or implied.
Rating: T, with rough language warning. May go up for later chapters.
Summary: Eight months after Miranda, the crew of Serenity still struggles to adapt to the "new normal." Constructing, and deconstructing, moments of her life, River attempts to assimilate her new and sometimes painful feelings for Jayne. - - Rayne, but will touch on other relationships. Post-BDM, of course.
Chapter 17: The Black Bird
Oh, god, now what? Mal thought, contemplating the interplay between River, Jayne and Simon. First River and Jayne are sparking off each other, that disconcerting spiky hum running between 'em, and now Simon's in the mix, looking snotty as usual, little witch is on the verge, and Jayne's bent all out of shape. This is not the time, people, he thought in annoyance.
They were only waiting for Zoë, who was on her way back from feeding and changing the baby, and Inara, whom Mal had asked to get some milk and cookies for Bev, to sit down again before they began.
"So what's this all about, Sarge?" Tasha demanded, after everyone was finally settled. "From what Zoë said it sounds like ya think the pitch is queer."
Mal nodded, getting to his feet to stand in the middle of the circle of crates. Time for the speech…again.
He cleared his throat.
"Now I'm not much for questioning easy money myself, but this job does seem a mite too painless for the kind of cash promised. It was pointed out to me… why would a guy this rich and connected need to hire a bunch of low runners like us to move his goods?" Mal coughed a little uncomfortably, avoiding Inara's eyes. To her credit, her expression remained serious and attentive. "Sounds like a guy that's desperate. So Zoë waved some of Wash's contacts before we got here."
Zoë stood up and handed a drowsy Hob over to an always receptive Kaylee, who cuddled him for a moment before standing up and wandering over toward the bay doors, away from the possibly loud conversation, rocking him slightly to encourage him to fall asleep. Simon turned to watch her with a slight smile.
"Badger explained this job as a straight transport. We pick up some goods, we drop off some goods, people get paid, everybody's happy," Zoë lifted her eyebrows, looking for agreement. There was a general murmur of consensus. "Well, turns everyone ain't so happy on Sergey. Shu Ungwele's been runnin' guns for black market gems and minerals for years, keepin' all the factions here hot and ready to go at each other, while he sits back, pockets the cash, and runs the planet his way from his fancy hotel up here in the mountains. But now Ungwele's got a problem, and that problem is named Ephraim Guynan. Up 'til we got here, this was about as much intel as we could pull on this guy. And for the last week, no waves been goin' out from Sergey, no lawforce, no newswave, no pop." Zoë pushed aside a baby blanket on her crate and retrieved a capture that had been half-obscured there. She held it up so that everyone could see the grainy image. It had been downloaded from the cortex, a luridly colorful headshot of a dark haired, dark-skinned man in a military uniform, stiff collar decorated with the usual sort of devices: a black falcon rampant, holding a red thunderbolt in its claw. It looked like it was taken from one of those propaganda murals.
Monty and Tasha leaned forward uneasily to see the picture, and Zoë handed the capture to Monty, who started to pass it along.
"But, Zoë, we been listenin' in on waves since we got here. I never heard a mention a this guy," Miles looked at the image blankly.
"Not surprisin', since Shu controls all the satellites. But since we broke atmo there have been some low level radio broadcasts that we were able to pick up. Here's a taste a one that Zoë got off the scanner this afternoon:" Mal took a small player from his pocket and clicked it on. "Greetings, fellow Sergeyians. This is Colonel Ephraim Guynan of the Free Nationals of Sergey. I bring you glad tidings. General Ong's deficiencies have been detected, his treacherous affiliations unmasked. His government is now overthrown by the revolutionaries. All sixteen governors no longer have power over the states they now govern. The planet's affairs will now be run by the military brigade commanders until further notice –" Mal clicked the player off. "That's been running continuously on that channel since we intercepted it, along with a recruitin' message and details on how to join the FNS militia, or what they call the Hong Se Feng. Looks like the people of Sergey found themselves a hero."
Mal noted that River had visibly started. What had he said? Hong Se Feng? The Red Wind? Red wind…he looked down at the reddish dust and sand on the bay floor, tracked in on their shoes. Red wind certainly seemed reminiscent of a sand storm, or simoom, or whatever River had called it. Oh, this is gettin' better and better, he thought sarcastically, trying to keep the dread at bay.
"Who the hell is General Ong?" Jayne demanded.
"The premier, or most likely, ex-premier of Sergey. Takes his marching orders from Shu," Mal answered grimly.
"So there's some kinda civil war goin' on here?" Kaylee asked from her stance nearest the doors. She turned to look outside with a puzzled look on her face. The hotel buildings in the distance were dancing with color. There was a laser light show of some sort on display, flashing on the buildings, making them glow green and pink and gold against the velvety dark sky. Faint music reached them even at this distance. "You'd never know it, would ya? So how is it that all them people are still over there?"
"Doubt they know. The war is something takin' place down there in the desert. Don't affect their lives none as long as they get fresh lemon-scented towels on time." Zoë gave a cynical shake of her head.
"Well, this is all mighty interestin', but what does this have to do with the job? You think Shu's gonna try and get us to fly into some war zone? That ain't what Badger said. Said this was off-world transport." Tasha scratched her head skeptically.
"And I haven't heard anything about any a this. Stuff on the cortex all sounds normal...kind of the same stuff over 'n over, but nothing about fightin' or this Guynan fellow," Miles frowned. Seemed like he couldn't fathom how anything this big could be happening almost under his nose and not hear about it on the cortex. "If this is some kinda planetary war, why wouldn't the Feds be all over it?"
"Maybe the Feds are hanging back and waiting it out, watching to see who comes out on top. Maybe they want to get rid of Ungwele and this General Ong," Alexander suggested.
Inara nodded at this reasonable implication, her worried eyes on Mal.
"Alliance don't much take to revolutionaries, Al," Zoë said dryly. "Don't think they know about any a this, either. Shu must have wave inhibitors even on the Alliance satellites."
"Tasha's got a point. Still don't see where any a this is our concern," Monty interjected frankly, shaking his head. "I've run guns afore, and so have you. What ain't you tellin' us, Mal?"
That my resident psychic had a very bad notion? Of any of them, Mal wished he could take Monty aside and explain.
"Just got a feelin' things don't add up, Monty."
"But what if that General Ong is tryin' to call the Feds for help? Ain't they on the same side?" Kaylee asked anxiously.
"Call for help?" Mal pondered. "I'm thinkin' Shu don't want help…" he mulled that thought over slowly, and suddenly his face cleared as thought he understood. "Damn it…who's the first to bolt off a sinkin' ship…"
Jayne caught his drift almost immediately.
"You think this gan ni niang is bugging out, and we're his ruttin' lifeboats," he growled.
"That's why he got all waves and the cortex locked down, that's why he keeps the hotel operatin' like it's all just dandy…he's gonna cut and run before the shit storm hits, before the FNS even realizes he's made his move," Mal shrugged.
"And that's where we come in?" Reg asked tentatively.
"Dubious sub-contractors," Mal gave a derisive laugh, and this time he did look at Inara. "No link to him or his business… smugglers, who know how to slink about the black, avoid the Alliance like the plague, and get him and whatever he's takin' with him well on his merry…"
Alexander glanced at the capture of Guynan and put it down on the edge of Kaylee's empty seat. Another gust of desert air, stronger this time, wobbled the capture and it clattered onto the floor at River's feet. She leaned over curiously to give it a closer perusal. Mal watched as her expression loosened, and her eyes widened and grew vacant. She reached out one slim little finger and traced around the edges of Guynan's tan military uniform, ending by swirling around and around the insignia capping the tips of the pointed lapels.
She sat up, her eyes still distant and unfocused.
"The black bird beating its wings against the window," she uttered in her spooky voice.
It was strange enough to draw everyone's attention, and there was a sudden quiet.
Mal tensed. Oh, shit, she's goin' bughouse… Serenity's crew held a collective breath, waiting to see if this moment could be glossed over or not.
River nodded at Jayne of all people, quite calmly, as if he would certainly understand what she meant. Jayne frowned, and bent down to retrieve the capture off the floor, having noticed her looking at it. He studied the image for a second.
"Hey, Simon, I think your sister could use a breath a fresh air –" Mal began casually, and Simon nodded slowly, starting to rise. He reached for River, but before he could take hold of her arm, she dipped her shoulder to elude him. She darted over to stand in front of Jayne.
"Break the glass and free the bird before the storm," she ordered him. When Jayne didn't react immediately, she made an impatient sound. Jerking the capture from his hand and raising it high, she smashed the slender frame violently against the rim of his crate, scattering shards of glass. There was a small electronic frizzle and the shattered screen blanked out. Everyone jumped, except Jayne, whose eyes were locked with River's.
Okay, not really in glossin' over territory any more, Mal had to concede.
"River!" Simon's voice broke the tense silence. He looked in alarm at the sharp debris sprinkled like crystallized needles around River's bare feet.
"S'okay, doc. She's all right. It was just an accident." Jayne lied with such blithe confidence that Mal almost believed it himself. Jayne took hold of River's wrist firmly and removed the remnants of the capture from her hand, tossing it carelessly behind his crate. He shifted up, and in one fluid movement he swept River into his arms.
Mal's first thought was admiring: pretty smooth move. His second was baffled, headin' quickly for irate: Jayne looks altogether too comfortable at that, seems like he already knows exactly where his hands fit. And River, tucked up against him like she belongs there. What the hell?
Tasha leaned over and gave Mal a look that questioned his sanity.
"That's your pilot?"
"She's a tad excitable," Mal admitted.
"A tad? That girl ain't right," Tasha shook her head.
Monty and Miles exchanged an ill-at-ease glance, while Inara smiled reassuringly at Alexander, as if to say, oh, this all very normal, nothing to worry about here.
"Put her over here, let me check her..." Simon directed Jayne anxiously. Jayne crunched across the broken glass and bent slightly to lower River gently to the crate she'd been sitting on. Almost immediately she turned her attention to the open bay doors. She spun out of his arms and slid lithely to her feet, drifting toward the open doors of the bay, the focus of every eye in the room. Her head tilted, and Mal knew that gesture. She was listening in a way that none of them could.
"Someone's comin'," Kaylee announced a few seconds later, half in curiosity and half in alarm. She backed away, the sleeping baby still on her shoulder, instinct telling her to put him somewhere quiet and safe. She looked at Zoë, who nodded her agreement, and Kaylee went to lay him in his cradle.
A moment later a flash of headlights from the access road moved across the interior of the bay, and there was the faint rumble of more than one engine.
"It's Shu," River cried out softly, still blinking from the blinding beam. Her trembling hands came up and grasped her upper arms tightly, as if she were suddenly very cold.
The urgent sound of crates scraping back filled the bay as everyone got to their feet and came to the top of the ramp.
Mal looked out and saw a convoy of long, stream-lined hovercraft passing by that made his dearly purchased mule look like an ugly redhead.
A man sitting in the second car, olive skin darkly tanned, the headlights of the vehicles gleaming on his bald head, turned to look at them. He was wearing dark glasses, and his broad face split into a wide, white smile as he saw them watching. He lifted his hand in a regal half-wave, and Mal knew that River was correct, and he was looking down at Shu Ungwele.
The convoy halted, and Shu, accompanied by two very large, very armed men clad in similar dark grey suits, emerged from the vehicle. Shu himself was husky in a powerful way, the lines of his casual, short-sleeved white silk shirt strained across his broad and meaty shoulders. The thick gold collar at his neck bounced slightly as he charged up the ramp, rubbing his hands together as if in happy anticipation, looking at them all with delight.
"We are having a party, Captain Reynolds? Such fun." His head turned unerringly to Mal, which Mal did not find reassuring. "All along the way I go, and I stop at the ships, and I hear, big meeting on the Serenity. I stop at the Daland, and the Remarque, and the Juno, and the Hotspur, and all tell me the same." He let his gaze wander from Miles to Tasha. "I think to myself, meeting? Why a meeting? It must be a party."
"Just some old friends gettin' together," Mal answered coolly. "And it's your business exactly how?"
Shu stared at him for a moment, and then broke out into peals of laughter. "Oh, you are amusing! Of course it is my business. That is exactly how it is – my business." He was able to imbue his pleasant words with subtle menace.
"I take it you're Ungwele, then?" Mal smiled a little, lifting an eyebrow. Did you take evil dictator classes, you asshole?
"You may, Captain Reynolds, you may." Shu clapped his hands together, rings flashing. He looked around interestedly. "Quite a diverse assembly you have here, hmm?" The gleam of his sunglasses bounced from Monty to Inara to Bev Waarf, when suddenly they seemed to register River, who stood off to the side, still shaking visibly. His head moved back and forth inquisitively, like a dog following the curious movement of a squirrel. Shu moved toward her, and Simon jerked in River's direction involuntarily, as if to intervene. Shu noted this with a brief smile, more intrigued than before.
"You seem very familiar to me, young lady. Have we met?" he queried. He took off his sunglasses to see her better, revealing eyes of such a pale grey they almost appeared white, shocking in his deeply tanned, fleshy face. River made a tiny sound of alarm.
Mal's jaw tightened. It wouldn't be surprising if Shu kept an eye out for high level Alliance fugies. It didn't matter that the bounty had been lifted. He didn't want Shu any more interested in Serenity than he already was.
River shook her head unsteadily.
"Dear heart, are you unwell?" Shu asked kindly, taking another step toward her. "We have very fine medical facilities here at the Orrica."
River flinched, and suddenly Jayne, who had been leaning against the door frame behind her, reached out and gripped her shoulders firmly, pulling her against the solid wall of his chest. He looked down at Shu with a distinctly territorial message in his insolent eyes.
Watch it, Jayne…this guy isn't reactin' well to insolent, and you do insolent better'n anybody in the 'verse, Mal advised silently.
River pressed back against Jayne, closing her eyes briefly. Mal watched wonderingly as the shaking diminished, and the hunted look drained out of her face. When she opened her eyes again, she looked at Shu directly.
"I'm better now, thank you," she answered calmly.
"I see that," he smiled, impressed. "He's a strong man, yes?" His eyes flickered up at Jayne, whose expression had only gotten colder.
"Yes," River agreed softly.
"Good, good. I like strong men to work for me." Shu laughed a little bit, and turned away, done playing. "I have two other strong men here, Archer and Kang. They will be staying with you on the Serenity as my liaisons until our work is finished. This is acceptable, yes, Captain Reynolds?"
"It's just Serenity. The name of the ship. And I got a feelin' that Archer and Kang will be stayin' on whether I find it acceptable or not," Mal noted with an unpleasant twist to his mouth.
"Very true. Not long now, and we'll begin. Archer will keep you abreast of my orders." Shu slid his dark glasses back on. He linked his hands behind his back and gave them one last avuncular smile. "Such good friends, working together. Just like the old times, hnn?"
"Yeah," Mal nodded. "Just like."
"Serenity," Shu looked up at the ship thoughtfully, and then he laughed to himself. "Appropriate."
He waved all around, like their favorite friend taking his leave, and marched energetically back down to his hovercraft.
The convoy pulled away a moment later, leaving Archer and Kang standing on the ramp.
"Go on back in. If you others want to go back to your ships, you check with me first." Archer motioned with his head. Kang's hands tightened on his large automatic weapon, and he planted himself on the ramp, looking out across the landing berths. Made Mal wonder if he was expecting trouble from the outside, rather than the inside.
The Waarf brothers began dispersing back toward the crates, looking uneasily at Archer.
"I'm gettin' back to my ship now," Tasha said worriedly.
Monty nodded. "I'm like to think that we each got a Archer and Kang of our own waitin' on us back there. Reminds me that my first mate ain't checked in since I got here." He took a com out of his pocket and clicked the receiver to see if it was still functioning.
"Go back and sit a spell, folks, we just might have some new information," Mal said quietly, eyeing River and Jayne. Jayne still had his hands on River, and Mal moved his jaw to one side thoughtfully. That was a situation that could bear some lookin' into when he got a handle on the current insanity.
"How's that, Sarge?" Tasha challenged, confused. "Pretty sure I heard every word said here, and other than Shu givin' the eye to Nervous Nellie over there, I didn't learn nothin'."
"I learned I hate that pompous little ji ba," Jayne muttered. He caught Mal's pointed stare, and his hands slid away from River as he stepped back from her and returned to his shoulder to the wall.
Kaylee, Inara and Simon had both moved over to River in concern.
"Are you all right, mei mei?" Simon questioned. He looked up at Jayne grudgingly. "Thank you for what you did for her."
Jayne shrugged, and looked away.
"He was a scary man," Kaylee's eyes followed the lights still disappearing in the distance as the convoy continued on its way over to the warehouses. "Did ya see his eyes, Simon? They weren't…normal."
"Bear with us, Tash," Zoë jerked her head over to the crates, indicating they should move back that way. She and Mal approached the group surrounding River. Mal glanced around to make sure Archer was at a sufficient distance.
"Tell me a story, little witch," he said tersely, leaning in. "Preferably one explainin' what the hell is going on here. And if I hear the words simoom, or black bird, come out your mouth one more time, I am not going to be happy."
"The black bird –" River began.
"What did I just say?" Mal broke in, not joking.
"The black bird is that Ephraim guy," Jayne hissed impatiently from over River's shoulder, giving Mal a back-off glare. "He got that black hawk on his collar. I think crazy was tryin' to tell us that Shu's got him prisoner somewhere."
"Yes, yes," River whispered slowly, turning to look at Jayne with amazement. "Shu is using him as a shield to keep the Hong Se Feng at bay while he prepares his escape. But they're getting impatient, and they're getting angry. Guynan was the coalescing force that kept them organized as a military entity – they are ready to break apart into clannish hordes once again. They're coming for him, Captain." She lifted her haunted eyes towards the bustling hotel complex. "They're almost here…and they want blood."
"You ever got any cheery updates?" Mal looked at River inquiringly. "Somethin' that's not along the lines of 'sunny, with a slight chance of, oh, let's see, massacres'?"
"All them people…" Kaylee gazed out at the hotel sorrowfully. "Never even gonna know what hit 'em. Families…honeymooners…" she trailed off, and looked at Simon.
"There must be something we can do." He took her hand. "Some way to warn them."
"Anyone wanna hear my suggestion?" Jayne asked, lifting a finger.
"No." That was unanimous.
"Too bad. I say we kill those two, get gone, and feel real bad about the whole thing tomorrow." Jayne looked over at Archer and Kang.
"Shut up, Jayne. If we rescue Colonel Guynan, he may be able to put a stop it." Zoë spoke up thoughtfully.
"Yes. They will listen to him." River nodded unhappily. "But…there's more."
"Of course there is," Mal gave a mocking smile. There always was.
"General Ong did request help from the Alliance, but they are stretched thin in this sector and inured to sectarian violence on Sergey. Shu got their attention with one word."
There was a long pause.
"Independents," Zoë said faintly.
"Badger," Mal said abruptly. "Ruttin' Badger…that was botherin' me…why Badger? What do you want to bet Shu picked him 'cause he deals with a lot a Browncoats?"
"Think Badger knew?" Zoë asked harshly.
Jayne gave a snort of disgust that conveyed his opinion. "Prob'ly gave a discount for Mal."
"I see it. Alliance shows up lookin' for Independents fomentin' rebellion –" Mal shared a bitterly amused glance with Jayne. " – and Shu makes sure they find some. And hey, after we're all bound by law for gun-runnin' and causin' anarchy, Feds might as well clean up that big fuckin' mess goin' on down there in the desert."
"And Shu starts out on top all over again." Jayne smirked approvingly. "Nice play."
"What kinda time we got, little one?" Zoë asked.
"Ungwele is stalling…Alliance, a fleet of cruisers, will be here tomorrow. He thinks the Hong Se Feng will hold off as long as they believe Guynan is still alive, but he's wrong. I feel them all the time now, like a drumbeat of madness and rage running under the sand. It won't be long." River shivered. Simon put his arm around her shoulder protectively.
"So all we gotta do is rescue Ephraim from Shu and his plentiful and well-armed security forces, stop the FNS army bent on destruction, carnage and all-around unpleasantness, and make our escape before the Alliance gets here." Mal glanced around at each of their faces with a manic little grin, while inwardly he was thinking, we're entirely humped, and we all know it.
"Sounds about right, sir," Zoë gave her dry little smile.
Mal's eyes came to rest on Inara, whose face was white with tension. How she was holdin' in that "I told you so," he couldn't figure.
Jayne laughed unexpectedly, and they all turned to look him as he shook his head with ironic acceptance.
"What it sounds like is a total cluster-fuck. Ain't that our specialty?"
&&&&&&&&&
Chinese:
gan ni niang – motherfucker
ji ba – prick
A/N: I really, really wanted to name this chapter Tonight on Nickelodeon: River Explains It All. But it wouldn't fit. Thanks for reading! Gem