Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy or Firefly…unfortunately.
I apologise to those who caught the original first chapter. I decided it wasn't quite up to scratch and so I re-wrote it and decided to post it as two separate chapters. There are slightly different events, but still pretty much the same concept. Hope you think it's better, or at least just as good…
Where are we?
Kaylee sat on a crate, staring out across the sandy expanse before her.
"Where d'ya suppose we are?" she asked of Simon who was stood resting his head against the metal of Serenity's hull just inside the cargo bay door, the shade protecting them from the burning heat of the desert sun.
"Well…" he began uncertainly, "could be we just crashed a small way from a settlement on a rim planet, and the Captain will come back with supplies and the parts you need for repairs." He said with false optimism, trying to cling to this hope and failing miserably.
"Alternatively were miles away from anyone and are going to die out here in the heat."
"Well you sure are comforting," Kaylee responded glumly to his second option.
"Or perhaps we've stumbled on a new and exciting planet, where fabulous adventures await," Wash suggested chirpily from behind them. Kaylee turned to smile at him.
"Any luck with the shuttle's nav sat?" she asked hopefully but the blonde shook his head.
"Seems the wormhole fried half our system. Plus the bumpy landing smashed the shuttles up so they're in no flying state. Seems we're land based for a while, best hope the others get some useful information on where we are."
"Any word yet?" came Inara's calm tones from the catwalk above. It was amazing how they could come through a wormhole and crash land on an unknown planet and still she looked exquisite, with not even a hair out of place in her elaborate hair arrangement.
"Not a sound," Kaylee responded, "but Captain said they'd only stop out an hour or so. Should be back any time now." Inara nodded her understanding and came to join them.
"How's River?" she enquired of Simon with empathy.
"She seems to be okay. Calmer at least."
He knotted his brow in confusion as he was prone to do when discussing his sister's condition.
"Shepherd Book's looking after her. She suddenly decided she wanted to draw his portrait. He had no complaint so…"
The young doctor shrugged his shoulders indicating that it was best not to argue as long as his sister was occupied and calm. It seemed, however, that this was not to be the case for long as presently the troubled brunette appeared in the cargo bay, quickly followed by a slightly flustered Book.
"River, really it's not quite right to take things like that. I thought we'd talked about this?" He called after the girl who now marched over to her brother, her floaty skirt flying behind her, and planted a small leather bound book in his hands.
"He herds his flock into a realm of falsehoods and lies. Denies corporeal existence, refuses to admit the reality of the wrongs. Woman was the conqueror, with her shimmering fading knight…must be taught the err…shown that they are wrong…Yevon does not forgive nor forget…"
"Mei mei!" Simon tried to pacify his sister who was talking in a voice fast becoming hysterical.
"Shhh, it's okay. I thought you and Shepherd Book were getting along?"
Over his sisters trembling back he sent the older man a questioning glance to which he shrugged his shoulders, while River continued to murmur about fallacies and deception although her voice was beginning to calm.
"She was fine and then suddenly she was talking about the 'vanquisher of sin.' She wanted to read the book so I gave it to her but it just got her more worked up." He pulled out a wad of papers from his pocket and held them up.
"She took a particular objection to the New Testament."
Inara hastily hid a slight smile, instead trying to help Simon calm River as Simon began blurting out a bumbling apology to the Shepherd.
The incident was quickly forgotten, however, as Kaylee announced the return of the mule, and sure enough it could be seen approaching in the distance, sending a cloud of sand up behind it. The Shepherd joined Kaylee in watching from the doorway.
"They seem to be coming in a mite fast…" Book observed as the mule quickly became increasingly clear.
"Is something wrong?!" Inara asked in alarm.
Her question was quickly answered as Jayne drove the mule straight into the bay, screeching to a halt before Mal jumped out of the passenger seat.
"Shut the doors. Now!" he bellowed at Simon who was closest.
"Mal?" Inara asked in excited concern. "What happened?"
"We sure as hell ain't in Kansas anymore darlin', that's what!"
XXXOOOXXX
Wash wasn't listening to their exchange, however. He was too busy eyeing the two huge scratch marks across his wife's back, and the way she remained sprawled in the back of the mule half conscious.
"Zoe?!" he cried, rushing to her side and Simon, alerted by his cry was with him in seconds.
"I need her in the infirmary! Right now!" He ordered, and there was a bustle of movement as Jayne scooped her up effortlessly and everyone else dissolved into panic.
"Oh god, captain what…"
"Mal what happened?!"
"…that didn't look like a weapon wound…"
"Bi Jweh!" bellowed Mal, silencing them all at once.
"Let the doc see to Zoe, and then we'll have a chance to explain everything."
Half an hour later Simon had sewn up the two gashes. In reality, they weren't too deep, and she hadn't lost a lot too much blood. There was no sign of any other trauma either. But still Zoë's condition seemed to be deteriorating despite's Wash's heartfelt pleas for her to wake up and Simon's best efforts. He had his suspicions however, but he needed more information about what had caused her wounds before he attempted further treatment.
"Was it an animal? The thing that did this?" Simon asked the Captain who was pacing at the foot of the infirmary bed.
"Sure as hell wasn't human," he responded.
"Ain't ever seen anything like it in the 'verse."
"What was it?" asked Kaylee, a scared look in her eyes.
"Like a big bird thing. Real big. And ugly," Jayne spoke up. "Was 'most the size of the gorram ship!"
"As big as the ship?" Inara asked incredulously, "Surely…"
"He ain't lying," Mal cut in. "We tried to shoot it down only the thing had other ideas…" He gestured to Zoë's prone form as evidence of what had happened. Then the Captain turned to Simon who was still attending to his first mate.
"What you thinking doc?" he asked, eyeing Simon's concerned and thoughtful face.
"Poison," came the reply.
"Poison?!" Wash asked incredulously, grasping his wife's hand tighter still. Simon nodded.
"It's the only thing that explains her condition. A debilitating venom, probably in the talons. To subdue it's prey."
"Can you treat it?" asked Mal, trying to remain focused and practical, rather than linger on the idea of Zoe as prey. Again the doctor nodded but less certainly.
"I can slow it's effects, but I need an antidote in the next forty-eight hours. Something I don't have here."
Mal looked at the doctor as his prognosis sunk in, while Wash tried to block out his words. The captain turned to face the rest of the crew who, still badly shaken after the crash, were now looking increasingly pale in the face of this latest calamity. His eyes lingered particularly on Inara, and he hated to consider her being harmed at the claws of a monster like that which he had already encountered. The scene was creepily familiar to their situation on Simon's birthday only a couple of months earlier. At least this time they weren't like to run out of air anytime soon he consoled himself.
"Seems like we got two options here," Mal began. "We can stay here and wait for more of those bird things, and whatever else is out there to find us. Or we can take our chances and head out. Hope to find someone can help us."
"I thought it was just a wilderness out there?" Inara asked him, eyebrows raised.
"True enough, we saw a hell of a lot of sand, but seems to be traces of machines out there. Evidence there's some life on this rock somewhere. We've just got to find it."
"You want us to just abandon Serenity?" Kaylee asked in a small voice, subconsciously stroking the hull of the ship she loved so much.
"Now don't go frettin' none li'l Kaylee. We'll be back for her."
"What about my wife Mal? You gonna come back for her too?" Wash spoke up in angry tones.
"We'll take Zoe in the mule. If she needs an antidote best have her with us when we find it. Now I'll hear no more arguing on the subject, this is what's happening. Jayne, get what food and weapons we need. Doc and I'll get Zoe settled in the mule. The rest of you, get ready to go."
"Don't have to," River spoke up now, staring solidly at the captain.
"She wants to stay, let her," Jayne growled, heading towards the mess.
"Heathens come to see the silver bird." River smiled nonchalantly. "Knock knock at the door."
XXXOOOXXX
At her words a large banging could be heard coming from the cargo bay. The rest of the group froze in shock and terror.
"Da shiong la se ch'wohn tian!" Jayne exclaimed, cocking Vera who had been hanging from his shoulder since their return to the ship earlier.
"Girl gets creepier by the second."
The noises got louder as the group seemed frozen to their places, contemplating the worst.
"Rude to keep them waiting!" River admonished the captain, her words almost deafened by an explosion that rocked the ship. Spurred into action, be it by the noise or River's words, Mal headed towards the cargo bay.
"Ta ma duh! Who's blowin' a whole in my gorram ship!" he bellowed as he left the area, closely followed by a heavily armed Jayne, and belatedly the other members of the crew. As he entered the bay, however, the sight that met him was unexpected to say the least. He came to a complete stop causing Jayne to run into him, followed by everyone else. There, stood around the mule, were a dozen or so armed figures dressed in rubber suits and goggles and all of them with their rifles trained on him and his crew.
"Who the gorram hell are you, and why you on my ship?" he asked the silent crowd as his stunned crew filtered into the bay behind him.
"Mufain ouin faybuhc!" came the aggressive response.
"That ain't ruttin' Chinese," Jayne muttered, still clutching Vera to him and eyeing the intruders with distrust.
"Mufain ouin faybuhc yht oui fuhd pa rind!" the nearest figure shouted again.
"If you're gonna try and take my ship at least do it in a language I understand!" shouted an exasperated Mal. There was a shuffling at that moment and for a moment Mal thought his words had provoked a reaction. Moments later he realised the strangers were moving back to allow a new figure entrance. The figure seemed shorter and rounder than his companions, but he appeared to command respect and what was more, he wasn't wearing face obscuring goggles.
"They want you to lower your guns boy!" he announced in a booming voice reminiscent of the farm hands Mal had encountered back on Shadow.
"You say this here's your hunk of junk?" the man questioned Mal, but before he could reply with an aggressive affirmative Kaylee cut in to the exchange.
"Serenity ain't junk!" she cried in indignation.
"Hush Kaylee!" Mal responded trying to subdue his mechanic, but to no avail.
"She ain't Cap'n can't go letting him say she is!" the brunette fixed the intruder who reminded her of her daddy with a glare full of pride, the slant on serenity making her forget the danger.
"She mightn't be lookin' her best right now, but a few repairs and she'll be right as rain. She ain't junk!"
Mal winced. In his experience captors with the upper hand didn't like to be shouted at. This figure, however, appeared to be the exception to the rule. He knocked his head back and let out a great guffaw of laughter at Kaylee's words, patting the perturbed girl heartily on the shoulder.
"Spoken with true Al Bhed spirit! The name's Cid. Now you fancy telling me how you wound up out here in the middle of Bikanel Desert?"
XXXOOOXXX
Thanks for reading, please review. More to come soon…