All disclaimers apply

Ch. 31- Loose Ends

With a gun to Simon's head, the Alliance soldiers had no trouble herding him, David, and River down to the cargo bay. River kept alert for any openings, but when Trace saw her checking his soldiers one by one, he ordered a second guard to place his gun on the other side of Simon's temple. David was behind Simon going downstairs, and Trace pushed River along himself, her hands chafing from the plastic ties.

They were lined up along the backside of the cargo hold, near Jayne's weight bench. River kept glancing around for something, anything that could slice through her bindings. Trace walked up to her and harshly smacked her across the face.

"That was partly for your little stunt involving my head the other day. Don't worry, I don't plan on damaging you much, you're too valuable to me," he snarled.

"Apparently someone hasn't read their morning cortex lately, there is no reward anymore," snipped Simon, trying to appear brave in front of his sister. He knew though that she could feel his fear. He had to figure out how to get them out of this.

River eyeballed Trace. "Not for the reward, Simon. He's going to sell me to the highest black market bidder," she stated evenly.

Trace smiled. "Ah, yes, think of the credits a psychic weapon sex slave will bring on the open market." Simon lunged angrily without thinking and got a gun butt in the shoulder for his trouble.

David was mortified at Trace's words, but wasn't letting that interrupt his assessment of their current circumstance and how he could get them out of it. He decided to feel out the situation a little more.

"Ah, excuse me, Sir, what are you planning on doing with me?"

Simon scowled at David, angry that anyone could be so self-centered when his sister was at stake. River, however, nodded encouragingly at David. She had noticed a particularly jagged edge along the back part of the weight bar holder and was sliding surreptitiously over to start working on her binding. David stumbled through his words, but continued.

"I mean, well, are you going to sell me too? I'm okay at writing code, but I don't know about the sex slave thing."

Simon looked at David, aghast. What the hell was the little puke thinking? Stupid, selfish, little geeky idiot…

"You stupid jerk!" Simon was peeved. He took a step closer to David and kicked him in the shin as his bound hands prevented him from strangling the weasel. David yelped and began hopping up and down on one foot, giving Simon an incredulous glare. The doctor couldn't be that slow, could he?

David quickly glanced at River out of the corner of his eye; from the front, one would have thought she was merely standing off to the side, but from his side view he could see her rubbing the edge of her binding against something, looked like the weight bench bar. Hmm, she must have found an edge. He decided to keep the attention on himself to give her time to…time to do what? Get her hands free and bolt? He had a feeling it was unlikely she would leave her brother behind. Whatever she was planning, it was sure to be interesting.

So he figured the least he could do was keep the distraction going. In his past heists he had always had his partner be the distracter while he hacked his way into whatever they were into- it would be interesting to see if he could play the other part.

Lt. Trace never answered his question, just shook his head disgustedly and walked away to speak to one of his soldiers. And when Simon had kicked David, Trace's only response was a glance. Until Simon kicked his other shin.

"Ow! Cut it out! I thought you were supposed to be a doctor! You remember, fix people, not hurt them!"

Simon knew he wasn't thinking straight, but when Trace had mentioned the word 'slave', he thought he was going to lose his mind. Not his sister, not his precious mei-mei.

River wished she could catch her brother's face to let him know David was acting, but his back was to her as he faced David. So she kept sawing at her bindings as the two continued to bicker.

"Enough!" bellowed Trace. "Shut up, or so help me, I'll shut you up permanently!" He turned away to speak to his guards. "Do not take your eyes off of them." He stomped out of the bay into the light of the rising moon.

River's hands were free by this time- and her mouth already was. Donning her previous 'Companion' persona, she purred at the nearest guard and took two steps forward. She held her hands behind her as if they were still bound.

"Well, if I'm to be proficient at my future profession, don't you think I should get a little practice in first?"

Simon whipped around, slack-jawed. "Mei-mei?" he squeaked.

David cringed. While her acting this time was definitely more exaggerated than when she had played him, it still brought back painful memories. Still, he understood she was working to save them all this time.

The soldier River had addressed was young: young and foolish. He too quickly dropped his guard, let his rifle fall slack to the side, and took a couple steps closer to her. A second soldier, only a few feet away, immediately attempted to reprimand his associate.

"Soldier! What do think you're doing! Step away from the prisoners!"

But it was too late. Like bees to honey, or, more appropriately, like bees to the person threatening to knock out their hive, the scene played out in front of a shell-shocked David in slow motion. With a simple roundhouse, River took out the first soldier before the second had even gotten to the word 'prisoners'; as he rushed forward she took one step to meet him and kicked straight up with her other leg into the underside of his chin, slamming his head backwards to crack off his upper back.

A third flew in from the right. River chopped his rifle away before he could finish lifting it, then swung the same arm right in an opposing chop to the side of his neck. As he dropped, another soldier managed to get in a kidney punch to her left side: it was the only hit he got as River swung around and slammed her foot into his gut. As he flew backwards and hit the wall, the few remaining soldiers in the cargo bay rushed River at once.

What followed was a blur to David and Simon. Swinging kicks, chops, punches, elbow slams- River became a whirling dervish in front of their eyes. What perhaps made the biggest impression on David was that she never became excited. Every swing, turn, step, seemed calm, pre-determined, ordinary even. In only a few seconds she was surrounded by downed men, professional soldiers who were no match for a young girl tampered with, and trained by, their own government.

River glanced back at Simon and nodded; he solemnly nodded back. He started toward the infirmary to grab something he and David could use to cut their hands free while River moved off to the side so she could continue toward the door without being readily seen. As she neared the edge of the doorway, she could hear Lt. Trace's voice. She took a quick peek around the corner. He was on his comm link.

"Yes, that's right; I have both the Tam girl and the cryptographer. I think I'll have them sedated for the trip. I'm not putting up with any trouble from her. Yes, we'll be there by tomorrow night." He clicked off and turned to re-enter the hold.

River waited along the wall until he was a full three steps inside the hold. In the half second it took for his eyes to adjust and see his soldiers heaped on the floor, River had stepped up behind him and taken a swing at his head with her right foot. But this time he was ready.

He ducked quickly under the swish of her foot and spun around, hooking his hand behind her left knee and yanking her off her feet. She was surprised, but her behind only hit the ground for a second as she bounced back upright and feinted a right hook. He fell for it, ducking left, right into her rising left knee. Jawbone and kneecap connecting, Trace grunted as his head flung back.

River took the opportunity of his unbalance to follow up with a series of gut and kidney punches. He shook those off, however, and stepped forward and smacked her across the face, open-handed. She stopped, momentarily taken off guard by the low level of the counter attack.

Trace smiled. "Listen, little girl, I really don't want to hurt you. I would like to deliver you as unbruised as possible." As he talked he slowly slid his hand down his side toward his holster. As if River wouldn't notice the movement. She waited until his fingertips just grazed the butt of the gun before returning the smile.

"I don't think so," she said simply.

David and Simon had just exited the infirmary and paused at the standoff in front of them. When River smiled, Simon knew what was coming. David, however, froze in surprise at the malice she managed to input into a normally jovial expression.

In slow motion, everyone saw Lt. Trace draw his pistol. Simon, despite the fact that he was well aware that he was too far away to do anything, took an involuntary step forward as if to help. Trace, backed by an unchallenged quick draw reputation amongst his peers, grinned his confidence. River, fully able now to turn on and off her combat instincts, turned them on. As Trace's arm swung up, so did hers; she swatted him away effortlessly, continuing her spin into something resembling a ballerina roundhouse. Everyone heard the clear snap as her foot connected to Trace's neck. His look of surprise had barely begun to register as his body dropped to the floor.

"River!" "Mei-mei!" Jayne came running up the ramp as Simon broke into a run across the cargo bay. No one in the cargo bay had heard the van screech up; no one could blame them for being distracted. Jayne grabbed River around the waist and pulled her close as Simon reached her and skidded to a stop. He didn't necessarily see himself in a group hug with Jayne, however, Jayne looked up to acknowledge him and waved him closer.

As Simon stepped forward, Jayne released River, who protested at being let go, only to be swept into Simon's arms. Both men's eyes met; a silent pact to mutually take care of the woman in Simon's arms being sealed.

Mal and Wash came up the ramp supporting each other; Mal was guiding directionally as Wash held the Captain up. Inara pulled up, wheels sliding to a stop in the dirt. She, Kaylee, and Zoe piled out, Zoe running up the ramp toward Wash. He turned and looked straight at her, opening his arms. She hugged him tightly.

"You can see," she whispered.

"Not completely, things are still a little fuzzy, but getting clearer every minute."

"Wash, what happened?" A concerned Simon let go of his sister and moved toward the pilot.

"He got sprayed by some deterrent the Alliance soldiers were carrying," explained Zoe. "I think it's only temporary, but could you check him out, Doc?"

"Absolutely," Simon grasped Wash's elbow and went to guide him in toward the infirmary. He paused and handed Wash's elbow off to Zoe. "I'll meet you both in there." He turned around to greet Kaylee who was just coming up the ramp. He grabbed her and held her close, and keeping one arm around her they continued on up the ramp.

"You're safe, bao bei."

"Yeah, we're fine. Inara is a great driver! River's okay? What happened?" She stopped, surprised to see the pile of bodies in the cargo hold.

"Well, we had a little excitement here of our own."

Kaylee gasped when she saw the body of Lt. Trace. She ran to River.

"You okay?" She hugged her tightly. River pulled back and nodded.

"Hey! What about me! A l'il Captain-y help here!" Mal whined. Jayne smiled at River and went to help the Captain to the infirmary.