Firefly: Carmen
Inara checked her message screen for her next client. An image of Mal caught her eye. "What is he up to?" She clicked on the image.
"I know I'm not quite the ladies' man, but I heard that the renowned Inara Serra was on the goodship Serenity. And what a coincidence! So am I! And I have two tickets to the opera on Sihnon. I couldn't think of anyone better to share them with."
She smiled.
"Knock, knock!" Mal walked into her quarters and noted his face on her screen. "Did you choose your client?"
"I was about to, but my selection process was interrupted by junk mail." She pressed the delete button on Mal's message.
"And I thought I played it by the book."
"Let me guess, you need an escort to the opera for some horrid job."
"I wouldn't say a horrid job. It's one that involves a night of sophistication for you."
"And why the opera? What's your target Mal?"
"The Gala Diamond."
"Mal! That's the largest diamond in the 'verse!"
"Kept in a vault below the Sihnon Opera House, the 'verse's most renown…"
"How did you afford the tickets?
"Liz's man, Mooney, called us up for the job. He actually wanted to give it straight to Liz, but I told him she was indisposed with Jayne. Kinda weird though, he seemed to be expecting that. Must not be the jealous kind."
"How is Lizane?"
"Still asleep. Hopin' that she wakes up by the time we reach Sihnon, otherwise I may not be able to pull Jayne out of med bay for the job."
"Even if you did, he would be distracted on the job." She closed her comm.-screen. "Have you ever seen an opera Mal?"
"No, but my mom had a recording of Carmen. She went around singing it on the ranch."
"Do you know French?"
"I had no idea that was French."
Inara smiled. "I'll go with you to the opera and help you with your next big heist."
"Sheh-sheh."
"And so that's when I knew I couldn't do schooling or anything like that. Had to go out and make money anyway possible. Had to get tough and survive." Jayne stroked Liz's forehead. "You got to get tough and survive."
"How's the patient?" Mal asked as he walked in to med bay.
Jayne pulled his hand back from Liz's forehead and back on her broken ukulele in his lap. "Couldn't tell you. She's in a goddam coma."
Mal leaned against a counter with his arms folded. "We got a job and I need you involved."
Jayne did not respond.
"You understand Jayne? I got a plan and you got a big part in it."
"What's the plan?"
"For you to walk softly and carry a big stick."
"The usual?"
"We're going to have a meeting in the dining room in an hour. Be there." Mal left.
"Pyen juh duh jiou cha wen," moaned Liz.
Jayne spun around, nearly dropping the ukulele he had been fixing. "Liz…" he cleared his throat to check his emotions.
"Did we get past that Alliance ship?"
"Yeah."
"I guess it worked. I really wasn't sure… I just…" she trailed off, staring at the ceiling.
"What's wrong?"
"The room is spinning. I'm just gonna close my eyes."
"Stay awake. Gonna get the doc…" He walked to the comm.
"Jayne…"
He paused. "What?"
"I'm sorry. I'll never read your mind again. I don't want to. If you know something, I know that you'll just tell me if you want me to know it."
"I will."
"And you just ask, and I'll… I'll tell you."
He frowned. "When you said you read my mind… you said I was different and that's why you liked me."
"Yeah?"
"Why?"
"You're in it for the money, but the money isn't for you. Most think you'd do anything for personal gain, but you're really doing it for your family."
Jayne's eyes glistened from tear drops.
"And that's why I started my line of work too. But I've forgotten what it's like to be noble. Till I found you."
"Don't talk like that."
"Like what?"
"All girly and stuff. Don't do that." He wiped his eyes quickly.
"Fine. I like you because you're a hot piece of ass."
"And that's why I like you."
"Very healthy relationship." She grinned.
He returned her smile and pressed the comm.-button. "Doctor, we got an awake patient."
The crew stood around Liz sitting in the chair.
"I think you have some explaining," Mal commented. "Like about psychics."
"Psychics. People who can read the mind of another." She shrugged. "I don't know much else even though I am one."
"How do you do it?" Simon asked.
"I just look at them or focus my attention on them and think of what I want or need to do. It's just all natural, like breathing." She glanced at River. "She does it all the time because it's natural. She has no ability to stop the flow."
River glanced around at the crew, expecting fear. There was none.
"When I checked her brain, there were lacerations everywhere. The most significant was the cut on her amygdale. Tore it; doesn't function anymore."
"And if she can't control her powers… perhaps psychic capacities are controlled like emotions through the amygdale."
"Then why would they cut hers?" asked Zoe.
"They're able to sense psychic flows, or waves. If you want to keep tabs on the psychics you've captured, why not ensure they'll constantly or almost constantly be sending out those waves."
River walked out of the med lab without anyone but Liz noticing.
"What would they want with psychics?" Jayne asked.
"Blue Sun," Book responded. "Large corporation."
"You think they're using the psychics to find out what people want?" asked Wash.
"Or to psychically persuade people to buy their products," suggested Mal.
"Shah muh?" exclaimed Kaylee. "They're doing all of this to sell their stupid products?"
"Can't believe I bought their shirt," growled Jayne.
"There's got to be something more," claimed Zoe. "They seem to be going to great distances for just selling some shirts and food."
"Yeah. Isn't that what shwai shiong mao are for in commercials?" Wash agreed.
"Whatever it is, they're not getting their hands on River again," Simon stated.
"Or Liz," Jayne added.
"We'll learn as we go," Kaylee stated. "For River, to help her."
"And right now, we have a plan to discuss. Liz, you think you can function, even psychically?"
She sat up. "Yeah I can. Where are we headed?"
"Home," Inara answered.
"Sihnon," Liz repeated quietly.
"Here's the plan. The Sihnon Opera House is a five-floored building. The top-two are above ground, the rest is all basement. Normal folk can enter the seating on the 1st and 2nd floors by using the staircase in the foyer. Inara and I will be sitting in a private balcony seat sponsored by our dear friend Mooney. Now I need an opera star." He glanced around the table. "Anyone here sing?"
Jayne turned to Liz.
"Oh no I'm not."
"That's okay. I was going to make you do it anyway."
"I'm not quite an opera singer. Of course, I've never tired."
"Start practicing. Figured you can use psychic powers to at least pick up on your lines and performance." Mal unrolled a floor plan of the Opera House on the table. "Alright, the diva for this show has her own house rather than living in the opera house. She lives with her two servants who always accompany her to the shows: one man, her
bodyguard, and one woman. All three wear heavy make-up and costume outside of their house. It will be no problem impersonating them." He put his hand on Jayne's and Zoe's shoulders. "Liz, say hello to your new servants. You three will infiltrate the house, change to their costumes, and Liz will gather their information for you to take on their roles. Once that is complete it will be show time. Go to the Opera House, you will have access to the private rooms on the fourth floor. Wait for the show to start so everyone will be upstairs, including Liz. At the moment the show begins you will have twenty minutes to get downstairs to the bottom floor via the elevator. I know there are guards, I don't know how many. Liz will have to scan while you are still in the private room. Is that possible?"
"Yes," answered Liz.
"Apparently the bottom floor has two doors to get through to get to the diamond. Password entry."
"Did Mooney send the passwords?" asked Zoe.
"No, but apparently Madam Diva has a precious collection in Vault Two, meaning entry to both doors."
"It makes sense now that he wanted to give this job to Liz," remarked Wash.
"What if I hadn't of woken up?" she asked.
"Oh I had a plan for that, involving the service lofts, crawling in the elevator shaft, and handing Jayne a gun and telling him to rush in for the diamond. With you up for it, we can run this smoothly, grab more from the vaults than just the target."
"And the exit?"
"Once twenty minutes go by, a fire will start thanks to me. Emergency signals go off, and the diva with her servants run out the back where there are no sensors. We leave out the main entrance."
"Sounds brilliant," Zoe commented.
"I just hope my limited use of psychic waves does not alert any bodies."
"Carry a gun just in case."
Jayne picked up the vial of blue body paint from the diva's dresser. "You're supposed to wear this?"
"Apparently," answered Liz as she scanned the unconscious diva tied to her servants on a giant bed. "Can't wait to see what you have to wear." She moved her hand over the bodyguard.
"He might have worn this…" Zoe pulled out a black, leather speedo with gold chains. She smirked.
"Oh wow," Liz sighed.
"Don't even think about it," Jayne growled.
The psychic walked to the closet, pulling out the needed costumes and paint for the heist. As Joe and Jayne worked on their finishing touches, Liz tucked the speedo into her pack. "Ready to go?" she asked as she put on her headdress.
"Let's go," Zoe announced, concealing her last knife in her costume belt.
The three walked out to Wash waiting in their transport. "I'm so glad you get to keep the clothes," Wash commented as he eyed Zoe. She threw her bag in the back with Jayne's and Liz's bags.
"Remember that I can kill you with my pinky."
"I tell myself that every day."
"I've been thinking about leaving again," Inara whispered to Mal as they settled into their private seats. "And since we're here at Sihnon…"
"I don't want to hear it. We're here on a job." He stubbornly stared forward.
"Mal! If we don't talk about it now, when will we talk about it?"
"Never as far as I'm concerned."
"Why don't you want me to go?" She stared at him, hoping he would break.
"Because… because you're part of my crew Inara. You play a vital role…"
She turned away with a huff. "You're such an idiot Mal."
"What do you want me to say? I'd tell Kaylee the same thing if she ever…"
"I'm not Kaylee, Mal. Or Zoe, or Wash or Jayne…" She glanced at him. "I'm a Companion who rents a shuttle, and I want to end my lease."
Mal stared silently ahead, refusing to answer.
She folded her arms and kept her gaze from falling on him.
Liz, Jayne, and Zoe sat in the Diva's private quarters. "I think four are downstairs. Two pair. If I use more power, I might be detected."
"We can handle them," Zoe ensured her. "You just stay in character, the show is about to start."
Liz nodded her head and left to the elevators. "Diva Sodeli! Diva Sodeli!" A young girl ran to her. "I was told I should not speak to you, but it's just such a honor…"
The psychic closed her eyes behind her headdress's heavy veil. She knew the real Diva would wave away the girl, and it pained her to do the same.
The girl stood stunned.
Liz rode up the elevator alone and proceeded to take her position behind the curtain.
"We are ready when you are Diva Sodeli."
She cued for the curtains to rise to an ovation.
"(in Chinese) When the earth will fall…" She began, spreading her blue arms out before her.
"(in Chinese) Will the springtime come?" sang the chorus girls as they danced forward.
"(in Chinese) When day becomes night…"
"(in Chinese) Will the summer light die away?"
Jayne nodded at Zoe. "Let's go."
They walked forward, noting that the private rooms were empty. However, when the elevator doors opened, the girl that spoke to Liz stepped out. She noted the intended direction of the elevator. "Why are you going to the basement? That's the vau –"
Zoe knocked her on the back of the head to silence her and dragged her into the elevator.
Jayne stepped over the body and pressed the close-door button.
Inara stared transfixed at Liz's character. "She's amazing; she should become an opera singer instead of a petty thief."
Mal stared transfixed at his watch. "She's amazing, too bad I'm cutting her job as an opera singer off in fifteen minutes. Too bad she's got that petty thieving to do."
"(in Chinese) Then the rain will fall, blue shall show the way. Night and darkness fall, we won't know the day. Thousand years pass…" sang the chorus girls.
"(in Chinese) Thousand years shall pass," repeated Liz.
"(in Chinese) We won't see the day."
The doors of the elevator opened to Zoe instantly throwing her knives at the guards.
"I call the next two," Jayne mumbled as he dragged the unconscious girl into the room.
She knelt next to the keypad. "61139." Then she grabbed the hand of the nearby dead guard and used his thumb for the scanner.
The door clicked open.
"Shift break," Jayne announced as he lifted his newest gun. Two silent bullets hit the next two guards. He glanced around the vault. "Like a goddam bank down here. Deposit boxes."
"Ignore them. The good stuff is in the next room." She entered the next key code and used a guard's thumb and eye. "Here we go."
"Voice recognition not recognized," a feminine-computer-voice announced.
"What the…"
Liz hit a high note that echoed downstairs.
"Voice recognition recognized." The door opened.
"That was weird." Zoe's eyes landed on the diamond. "Wuh duh ma huh ta duh fung-kwong duh wai-shung doh."
"You get that; I'll collect some more good shit." He walked over to a small chest made of gold and stuffed it in his hip bag.
"(in Chinese) Don't close your eyes; don't shed a tear."
"(in Chinese) The sun will cure your fear," responded Liz.
"What the hell is up with these lyrics? Some goddam Alliance hippie…" Mal started.
"I think it's beautiful," Inara retaliated.
"Yeah well you were also for the Unification."
"So what if I was?"
"Sh!" yelled the people in the next balcony.
"You don't believe in freedom then, do you?"
"How dare you…"
"Sh!" they repeated.
Zoe glanced at her watch. "Okay, five minutes. We need to head back up."
Jayne stuffed a pearl necklace into his bag. "Alright."
The music sped up. "in Chinese And now the night has come. And now the night has come," repeated the chorus girls.
"(in Chinese) The bad men won, and turned us into one," sang Liz.
"Oh my God," Zoe stammered as they entered the backstage area and heard Liz's singing. "Were those the right words?"
Mal lit a match. "Better end this show before the Alliance break in and arrest our star diva." He dropped the match on the hat of a woman below them and sent another on the ground nearby.
"Fire!" a man shouted. "Fire!"
The music abruptly stopped, and Liz stormed off the stage.
"Let's go before the Alliance arrests you," Zoe called as she grabbed Liz's arm and rushed out the back to Wash and the awaiting transport.
Jayne glanced around to ensure no Alliance guards followed them, then hopped in. "Clear. Drive fast."
Mal and Inara calmly followed the crowd out of the opera house.
"I can't believe Diva Sodeli said such blasphemous words against the Alliance!" yelled one man.
"She only sings what was written for her."
"It might not have even been about the Alliance…"
"Sounded like Browncoat talk to me."
"Well at least they have a scandal to talk about before realizing they've just been robbed," Mal whispered. "Think we should get back to the ship."
"Mal – I'm staying." Inara firmly stood her ground.
"Where you going to go? Back to the whore house?"
"It's not a whore house. The House of Madrassa…"
"I don't want you back there. I want you to stay with me!"
"Mal…" she started anxiously, hoping for him to say why.
"Come on. We need to go." He grabbed her arm and rushed her off to Serenity.
"Everyone ready for a great unveiling?" Wash asked as the still-costumed Zoe and Jayne set their packs on the table.
"I think the best part are their costumes," Kaylee joked. "Inara might be borrowing from Zoe's closet now."
"I can't complain," Wash agreed.
Liz wiped the blue paint off her arm.
"What was with those words? There's no way that those were the lyrics," Mal asked her.
"I knew the twenty-minutes were up. Might as well make a statement."
"And what if Alliance guards arrested you for saying that?"
"Well they didn't, so all's good."
"You should be a little more careful on a core…"
"I spent most of my childhood on Sihnon, Captain. And Londinium before that. When it comes to core planets, I understand."
"Now we shall see the glorious Gala Diamond!" Wash announced.
Zoe pulled it out of her pack.
"Ooh look at that shine!" Kaylee shouted.
Liz stretched out on Jayne's bed. "Pretty successful job, y'know. They've labeled the bitchy Diva as a Browncoat, plus blamed the heist on her and her servants thanks to that girl you ran into."
"Would have been a great job if it weren't for the costumes."
"I don't know. I think you look pretty good in it."
Jayne walked to his bed in the black speedo with gold chains. "I better get something good for this."
"Oh, oh, wait." She grabbed his orange, ear-flap hat and put it on his head. "Now we're talking."
He pulled the hat off his head. "My mom made me that hat…" He hid it under some clothes. "It can't see me like this."
She laughed and kissed his chest. "Yeah you're right. I don't want your momma to see what I'm about to do to you." She spanked him.