Mal glanced at his lil' albatross. She was wearing those ridiculous goggles again, even though there weren't any bugs in space to be protecting her eyes from, and she was wearing a mish mash of casted off clothing. But the most interesting thing of all was how intently she seemed focused on flying the ship. Mal wanted to lean back in his chair and smile, she clearly didn't any help from him at all at landing his ship.
Suddenly Serenity jerked forcefully to the right and then rapidly up and down. Mal was nearly thrown to the ground and he heard a crash in the walkway behind him. Before he could turn to see what it was Jayne yelled up at the cockpit.
"Gorrammit watch what yer doin' up there crazy!" Mal couldn't help but agree. River looked mighty pleased with herself over there, and Mal got a sinking feeling on why she had been focusing so intently. He could here Jayne muttering to himself as he walked away, something along the lines of "Hur Bao Duhn Ai Chr Jze Se Duh Fohn Diang Gho"
River smiled sweetly at Mal and said "Ma Jong Hwa."
"Yes he is. That why we were tossed about like coins in a purse, to make Jayne curse? Hell, I'm sure if ya asked him to he'd be more than happy to curse at ya all day long were that the case. Don't much appreciate ya manhandlin' the landin' to make a point albatross. Side's I need him intact for the job, possessin' all his limbs an' such?"
River nodded, still with a twinkle in her eye that made it hard for him to be truly mad at her, but at least she knew how to handle Serenity. That was a comfort. Then suddenly her face changed from one of merriment to one of sadness. He could hear footsteps in the walkway, and before she spoke he knew it was Zoe. She had a touch of panic to her voice, and he knew why. This scene recalled a bit too forcefully the disastrous landing that no one was speaking on.
"We crashin' sir?"
He smiled back at her and replied, "Just lil' albatross keepin' Jayne on his toes." Her eyes weren't really looking at him, they were focused on the dinosaurs, so he wasn't quite sure she'd heard him until she nodded, said a terse sir, and headed back down the walkway. Mal repressed a sigh, there was a time she'd have joined in the merriment and told River one or two of the ways she'd kept Jayne on his toes when he'd first come aboard.
"Soon." River said dreamily from beside him. He sincerely hoped she meant Zoe would be more cheerful, but seeing as how they were in the process of breaking atmo, he couldn't be sure she didn't mean landing.
"Shiny. 'm glad to know ya ain't lost yer aptitude." River grinned at him, then turned back to the controls. Her grin was short lived though as he continued "Just keep it steady on the way down next time dohn-ma? No more wei shan pranks."
River sighed, and nearly pouted, but he continued with his fatherly lecture as he got out of his seat and headed out of the cockpit himself, "Can't have ya pullin' pranks with my ship, been through 'nough as is."
He threaded his way through the ship, which felt oddly empty, until he reached the cargo bay. As he saw his crew gathered 'round he felt tension he didn't know he was carrying ebb away from his shoulders. Kaylee was working on the mule, she was constantly tuning any machinery she could get her hands on. Jayne and Zoe were both doing a final check on guns, ammo and armor while Simon and Inara leaned on opposite sides of the entryway to the common area. Now that the ship was nearly down, it was time to get to business.
"Stop fussin' with 'er Kaylee" He said good naturedly, but she still pouted up at him. The girl loved to work on engines, and always hated to be interrupted. "She got banged up awful bad Cap'n, makin' sure she'll ride smooth for ya." She paused in her grousing, "An I gotta take a look at my girl, see what made her jump about like that. " Mal wanted to chuckle, he had stopped her worrying on one problem, only to have her worry on another. At least he could put her mind to ease on that one.
"T'weren't nuthin', just River knockin' Jayne about." Everyone excepting Jayne and Zoe looked amused, the latter still had a mostly frozen look to her. He turned to her
"Zoe, yer with the ship."
"Sir?" It was amazing how many things she could make that one word mean. For instance right now, it meant she was annoyed with him. Well fine, but he wasn't about to let her put herself in peril, herself and the little one he was pretty sure she was carrying. Course wouldn't do to tip her, or anyone else for that matter, off, so he followed up with, "Gonna take the resident crazy, see if we can't discover 'nother way to keep Jayne on his toes."
Of course, this meant that he now had Simon and Jayne annoyed with him as well, but before the doc could start fussing River bounded down the stairs with such exuberance that Simon didn't have the heart to tell her she couldn't go along. Mal smiled, "Guess ya know yer part in this then?" he asked her.
Of course being River she cryptically replied, "Do you?" as she clambered up into the driver's seat of the mule.
Mal couldn't help himself, he rolled his eyes as he lectured once again, "Now, none of that nonsense today. Just do the job." Course she wasn't listening, too preoccupied with sticking her tongue out at Jayne.
He and Jayne slung themselves aboard, Jayne taking care to stow some grenades at the back with the extra ammo for his three, very visible, guns. As they headed out into the dust Zoe closed the bay doors, her face still frozen.
As the bay doors closed Kaylee sidled up to Simon and whispered in his ear. He quickly went from being annoyed with Mal to a grinning school boy. Before Inara could speak to either of them, they headed off, probably to Kaylee's bunk, or rather their bunk.
Inara turned to see Zoe, she stiffened when she saw the couple head deeper into the ship hand in hand. Her face didn't give away much, but her body language was clearly readable to one trained as well as Inara was. Zoe was hurting. Inara smiled at her and asked, "Would you like some tea?"
She knew Zoe probably wasn't one for drinking tea, but the other woman smiled as she answered "Sure."
The two of them hadn't spent much time together, and most of that time they had been accompanied by either Mal or Wash. Zoe and Wash hadn't been married that long, and they spent most of their down time together, leaving little room for girl talk over a cup of tea. But Zoe was alone now, and she desperately needed someone to talk to. As Inara put the kettle on and hunted around for the actual tea Zoe sat stiffly down at the table.
"I hope Jasmine tea is fine, that's all I've got left." Zoe nodded, "Don't think I ever drank 'nuff tea to form a fondness fer one kind over another." Inara smiled as she sat kitty corner from Zoe, "The tea ceremony was one of the first things we learned at the Academy." She smiled as she remembered her early days at the Academy. "I'd had plenty growing up, but since I hadn't ever served it myself I had never been given the choice of which kind to drink. Once we had mastered the tea ceremony we were then free to decide which tea to serve. Most companions would stick with known favourites, but I find it much more interesting to try and pick the tea to suit the drinker. I myself prefer jasmine, but I think you would be more partial to a Chai." Zoe didn't say anything, and as she poured the tea Inara continued.
"Chai has a rich, deep flavour that can't be appreciated up on a first sip. The longer one holds the cup and enjoys the aromas the more one appreciates how much more complicated it is than at first appearance." Inara smiled kindly, "Of course Chai alone isn't complete." Zoe looked up at her, her eyes shining. "No, it requires milk to round out its flavours and really bring it to perfection."
Zoe didn't say anything, just stared down at her cup. Inara sighed contentedly and took a sip from her own, hoping Zoe would feel comfortable enough to say something, anything about her late husband.
"It's true ya know. " Inara didn't say anything, knowing silent understanding would draw Zoe out better than any words.
"He did. You didn' know me before it was me an' Wash, but when it was jus' me I wasn't, I wasn't." She paused, beginning to cry in earnest. Inara leaned over and put a hand on her shoulder. Zoe didn't say anything for a while, just sobbed for a bit while Inara rubbed her back gently. When the sobs finally began to die down, Zoe spoke again, haltingly.
"Don' know what I'm gonna do without him. Especially-" Suddenly she stopped, and the spell of the tea was broken, Zoe went silent. Inara waited a moment, perhaps Zoe would start speaking again, but when she didn't Inara decided to acknowledge her loss.
"We all miss him, I suspect we always will. He had a way of breaking the tension, helping us all to see the funny side of whatever situation we were all in." Zoe nodded, smiling softly and Inara continued. "And I know I'll always be grateful to his kindness, and his bravery."
Inara rose, and began cleaning up the tea service. "I'd love to take tea with you again Zoe. Perhaps after we've had a chance to resupply. I'm afraid that the was the last of it; I've completely run out of any kind of tea."
"Yes." Zoe turned to leave, then paused, "thank you. For the tea, and,"
Inara interrupted kindly, "You are most welcome. Any time." As she watched Zoe leave Inara smiled genuinely, it would be good to have a friend to talk to. For both of them.
"We supposed to be meetin' someone?" Jayne asked, his voice full of annoyance. It was a fair question, the warehouse looked completely deserted. Jayne had a way of voicing Mal's thoughts before he had a chance to. Course, that also meant he voiced things Mal would have preferred to keep the others from noticing about situations. Not that that would work with River anyhow though.
"Godot." Although, based on what she'd just said, maybe it would have. At that thought River smiled at Mal while Jayne growled at her, annoyed, which was his usual emotion around the little pilot.
"What?" Jayne groused.
"Waited for him, but he never came." River said absent mindedly.
"Kuh ai harebrain." Jayne said meanly.
Before the pair of them could descend into insults and outright fighting Mal held his hand up, glared at them, and cautiously approached the warehouse. Jayne quickly unholstered his pistol, his eyes darting about the dusty, seemingly deserted area, while River stared dazedly off into space. Mal sincerely hoped that meant nothing was like to go awry.
Suddenly a sound registered to his right, as he and Jayne quickly turned, Jayne raising his weapon, a large, well rotund really, man appeared from behind some crates. He was well dressed, and had that smug look on his face that men like Badger always wore when dealing with space trash like Mal and his crew. It irritated Mal far more than he liked, but he was here to do business.
"You three are a might jumpy." The man looked over the three of them, pausing on River, who now seemed to be contemplating her hair.
"You bring your kid along for the ride, Reynolds?" He asked incredulously.
"Just here to pick up the goods."
The man leered at River, who shrunk back a little from his gaze. Mal felt himself bristle, and of course Jayne moved closer to River, once again as if acting out Mal's impulses.
"And half the money." Mal tried to sound nonchalant, but this whole thing smelled a little ripe to him. Deserted warehouse, unnaturally quiet town, only one man to meet them, it was all adding up to an ambush, he just had that feeling.
The man tossed a bag of money, an easy catch, then slipped his hands into his pockets."Of course, heard tell Captain of Serenity had an amazon, yao nu, not be messed with. Didn't expect a little girl. Guess, I heard wrong." He said, studying the three of them.
Jayne chuckled, as Mal counted the coin. Trying to keep things strictly business he asked about the goods. "So where's the goods we're supposed to be deliverin'? Or are ya givin' us a bag of coins fer just stoppin' by?"
"Down to business ain't cha?" The man replied, then gestured into the darkened warehouse, "They're through there."
Definitely planning an ambush then. Which River quickly confirmed with a non sequiter, "He is." The girl was a right gift horse.
Their contact seemed confused, "Beg your pardon?" And before Mal could attempt to smooth things over and avoid any gunplay River began babbling in an oddly calm tone of voice at first.
"Killed a man. Killed three, four. They all say things, don't want to listen. Bi jweh! Bi jweh! Wuo dwei nee boo ting boo jen!" By the time she got to Chinese she was sobbing and nearly hysterical. The contact looked decidedly unnerved and started to reach for his gun.
"Ya don' wanna do that." Jayne said calmly, whilst pointing his own at the man's head. The man glared at Mal, all pretence at affability now gone. "Captain, you want the goods or not? I know Sierra won't be pleased if they aren't delivered on time as promised." He threatened angrily.
Seeing how he was unnerved by a quietly sobbing River and intimidated by the indifferent Jayne, Mal glared right back at the man and replied, "Seems to me I'll get them whether or not ya bring 'em to me." He smiled a friendlylike, the man once again looked at River and Jayne, then finally ending his internal debate, whistled. Three men appeared from the warehouse, each carrying a crate, which they loaded onto the Mule, Jayne covering them with his gun the whole time. No one spoke, until Mal smiling affably at the contact said "Pleasure doin' business with ya."
As the four men drifted back to the warehouse, the three of them climbed up on the Mule and headed back to the ship. Mal felt like grinning, they'd successfully avoided an ambush. Just as he turned to River to congratulate her on a successful creeping out of those trying to kill them, shots rang out.
Instantly Jayne drew, a large weapon this time, and Mal had his pistol up as well. They both turned to face back the way they came, assuming it was from the warehouse, but there was nothing and no one there. Suddenly River swerved wildly, missing a large knot of people outside the local fed station, and with a sinking feeling Mal knew exactly where the gunfire had come from. No wonder the report of the rifle had sounded familiar, Alliance issue that.
"Go back to your homes!" A voice rang out from a loudspeaker. The crowd roiled and yelled back in retaliation, a few stones were thrown at the feds.
"Disperse now. Return to your homes." The crowd only roared louder, and suddenly they were surging forward. A few more shots were fired, and Mal saw a body or two drop in the crowd, but the feds were outnumbered and the crowd soon enveloped them. Slowly the fight moved to one side, revealing bodies that were much too small, and a woman lying in a puddle of blood.
Mal clenched his jaw in rage, but then River moaned piteously. She had a glazed look to her eyes and her skin looked paler by the minute as she mumbled softer than he could hear. She continued to drive back to Serenity, which meant he and Jayne could cover if everything went sideways, and upon arrival collapsed at the controls.
"Jayne." Mal looked pointedly at River, whom he quickly picked up as Mal closed the bay doors. Jayne headed for the infirmary while Mal hustled to the cockpit, anxious to lift off the rock before a full lock down was set by the feds. As he hurried along he bellowed Simon's name. Simon appeared looking flustered, and half dressed just as he reached the galley.
"You best get to the infirmary." Mal forced out. Simon opened his mouth to ask why, but quickly shut it upon seeing Mal's glowering rage and headed to the infirmary. Mal quickly started up Serenity, relieved to see no landlock in place and began taking her out. As the ship rose into the air he began to relax, although the rage didn't dissipate nearly as quickly as the wary tension. Zoe entered the bridge, concern evident on her face.
"Sir?" She queried.
"Crowd stormin' the fed station, couple of shots fired. Some bodies in the street." He murmured his answer more to the dinosaurs than to her. "Got the goods, an' the coin." Why'd it get so gorram complicated?
"Any particular reason why yer flyin' the ship?"
"She ain't shot, just sort of collapsed." He sighed and realized he was tired, and as he heard Zoe sit heavily in the copilot's seat he suspected she was too.
"Ai yah tien ah" she murmured, then they both fell into silence and stared at the dinosaurs framed by the black.
Author's note: I don't know anything about tea, if I got it all wrong please correct me so I can fix it.
CHINESE TRANSLATIONS
I do not speak Chinese at all, these translations are from: .com/wiki/Dictionary
Hur Bao Duhn Ai Chr Jze Se Duh Fohn Diang Gho Flat chested crazy dog in love with its own feces
Ma Jong Hwa Cursing (literally "chastise with dirty words")
wei shan Really dangerous
Kuh ai Cute
yao nu Demon woman
Bi jweh! Shut up!
Wuo dwei nee boo ting boo jen! I neither see nor hear you
Ai yah tien ah merciless hell