Long Road Home – Chapter Five
And this is where I say: All previous disclaimers are still in effect :)
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Jayne, River, and Kaylee rose early the next morning, eager to get to the dealers and get a look at the new ship. They ate breakfast in the hotel's own restaurant, and then struck out immediately to the yards.
Three times Jayne had to drag the women away from store windows, and once they both had to drag him from one. All in all, the three of them were having a great time.
Right up until they saw the ship.
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"Ain't no way, and I mean no way, I'm flyin' in that." Jayne's arms were crossed and his mouth set in a thin line.
"It does look a bit. . .shabby," River agreed.
"It's a piece o' junk!" Kaylee wailed. "We came all this way for a ruttin' piece o' space trash!"
The ship was a Firefly '03. There any semblance between it and Serenity parted company. The hull was covered in a light coating of rust that shouldn't have even been possible. Stains on the struts indicated leaks in the hydraulics that had been there for some time. One of the exhaust manifolds on the port thruster looked. . .
"It's hopeless," Kaylee groaned. "It'll take weeks to get this thing flyin' again."
"It'll take longer than that to get me inside it," Jayne stated firmly. "I say we wave Mal, tell him this guy's a weasel, and head back to the hotel."
"I admit, it does look to be a lost cause," River nodded. Just then the dealer walked around the end of the ship.
"Morning folks," he said amiably. "In the market for a ship today?"
"We're here on behalf of Reynolds Shipping to inspect a Firefly '03 model that was advertised on the cortex," River said smoothly. "Please tell me this isn't it."
"This isn't it," the man replied.
"Really?" Kaylee asked, hope in her voice.
"No, but she asked me nicely to tell you it wasn't," the dealer told her. "What's the matter with this baby? Little elbow grease, some paint, and she's good as new."
"Next he'll tell us to kick the tires," Jayne mumbled.
"Sir, I don't mean to be rude," River said, glaring at Jayne, "but this ship bears no resemblance to the ship we saw over the cortex, outside the silhouette. If this is the ship you placed for sale, then I'm afraid our company's owner will be very unhappy."
"Okay, you got me," the man smiled. "It's not the ship. Just having a little fun. Name's Vincent, Rud Vincent. Come on this way, and I'll show you the ship Reynolds waved me about." Sighing in relief, the three followed Vincent to the far side of the yard.
"Well, it does look better than that tub," Jayne said grudgingly.
"It's quite a nice looking vessel actually," River added.
"It's beautiful!" Kaylee exclaimed, and Jayne winced. So much for the haggling. A look at Vincent confirmed that.
"We'll need to inspect the ship, Mister Vincent," River said. "And we'll require a test flight before purchase, preferably with you along."
"No problem. You folks seem to know your way around one o' these babies. Want me to leave you to look it over, or would you like me to stay." It was about this time that Jayne realized that 'Mister Vincent' was paying a bit too much attention to River. One look at the scowl on Jayne's face and Mister Vincent realized it as well.
"We'll be fine," River assured him, fighting a grin. "Should we need you, we'll seek you out." Vincent nodded and left them to it.
"Little. . ." Jayne muttered.
"Temper, Zhang fu," River scolded lightly. Inwardly though, she still reveled in Jayne's protective jealousy. The feeling was one which she was sure she'd never grow weary of.
"Well, let's have a look!" Kaylee beamed.
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"Well?" Jayne had watched as the two women poured over the ship. It had taken over three hours for them to check the engines, and the systems.
"Well," Kaylee sighed. "She's not in too bad o' shape, really. Engines seem to be in good workin' order, but I can't be sure o' that till we get her in the black."
"Controls and systems all seem functional," River agreed. "I admit, this is better than I expected."
"So do we take the test flight today? Or wait for tomorrow?" Jayne asked.
"I say we go today," River replied, and Kaylee nodded in agreement.
"Me too. That way we can spend tomorrow buyin' parts and stockin' the ship, and maybe get on our way by the day after."
""Suits me," Jayne shrugged. "I'll go find that little. . ."
"Jayne," River admonished sweetly. "Be nice to the little. . .man. We'll want a better price than he made to Captain Daddy. Can't get that if he's in the hospital."
"Yeah, whatever," Jayne grumbled, walking away to find Vincent.
"Don't that bother you?" Kaylee asked after Jayne had gone.
"What?" River asked, puzzled.
"How he's so. . .possessive," Kaylee said. "So jealous."
"He's not the only one," River smiled. "I am the same way. And no, it doesn't bother me. Makes me feel safe. Wanted. Loved." Kaylee looked at her friend for a moment, noting the dreamy look on River's face.
"Yeah, I'd guess feeling safe would mean a lot to ya," she said thoughtfully.
"Sometimes, I am not well," River pointed out. "It's rare, these days, but it does happen. Knowing Jayne is there helps ease my fears that something will happen that I can't handle, or that I will have an episode and not be able to protect myself. It's only when I am with him that I feel that way," she added wistfully.
"That's so. . .romantic," Kaylee gushed. "Like you two were meant to find each other."
"We were," River nodded firmly. "We were."
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Wonder of wonders, the test flight went smoothly, including a half hour at full burn. River noted the controls were sluggish, though not unresponsive. Kaylee had a list as long as Jayne's arm about the engines by the time they returned planet side.
And Jayne was about to boil over at Vincent's fawning over River. The salesman had to be smarter than that, Kaylee thought to herself.
"So pretty lady," Vincent asked River. "Everything satisfactory?" Then again, Kaylee decided, maybe not.
"Mister Vincent, there are a number of deficiencies we will be forced to address before returning this ship to our employer," River said deftly. "With that being said, the ship is, overall, satisfactory, but I fear your price of five thousand credits is too high, considering the work the ship needs." She looked at Jayne and Kaylee, who shrugged, and started for the cargo bay.
"Thank you for your time," River concluded, and turned to follow.
"Hey! Wait a minute now," Vincent called after them. "This is a good ship. Sturdy, dependable, fuel efficient. . ."
"This isn't our first Firefly, Mister Vincent," River assured him. "We well know their qualities, which is why we've made such a long trip to see this one. As I said, despite the satisfactory condition of your vessel, the price is simply too high, considering the work that will need to be done to bring the ship back to battery." Again the three turned to go.
"Look, now," Vincent ran after them. "No need to just walk off like that. Come back to the office with me, and let's see what I can do. Maybe I can get the price down some." River looked as if she were debating her choices, then looked at Jayne and Kaylee.
Both shrugged, as if it made no difference to them. River turned back to Vincent.
"Very well," she nodded. "We have some time before our transport is ready to leave." Vincent looked relieved at that, and set out at a fast clip, leading them to his office.
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An hour and a half later, Reynolds' Shipping had acquired a new Firefly, for the re-negotiated price of three thousand nine-hundred credits. Vincent had moaned and groaned the whole time that he was giving the ship away, but smiled broadly when the deal was finally struck.
Paperwork in hand, the three shook hands with him, Jayne rather grudgingly, and prepared to return to their hotel. As Jayne exited the office, Vincent made his play.
"I don't suppose I could interest you in having dinner this evening, could I?" he asked River, smiling. Kaylee immediately looked to see if Jayne had heard, fearing the worst.
"Well, Mister Vincent," River smiled sweetly. "I'd be delighted." River let him bask for all of three seconds. "If you can convince my husband to let me go," she added, pointing to where Jayne was looking back, waiting. Scowling.
Vincent's face paled at that. Suddenly he remembered something very important he had to get done, right away, and excused himself. Kaylee snorted, trying to hold in a laugh. River didn't bother. As the two women hurried to catch up with Jayne, Kaylee managed to gasp in between laughs;
"Okay, I see now why you like him all growly and possessive."
"It does have it's uses," River giggled.
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Unaware that his wayward trio had just saved him over a thousand credits, Mal was watching Serenity touchdown at Guilford's. Before long Zoe was walking toward him.
"Any problems?" he asked, as always.
"None, sir," Zoe assured him. "How are things?"
"We got a small problem, looks like," Mal admitted. Zoe raised one eyebrow.
"'Small problem'?" she asked. "Sir?"
"Well, it might, maybehaps, turn into a bigger problem," he admitted slowly. He filled her in on the events of the day of his and Inara's picnic.
"You took Inara on a picnic, sir?" Zoe asked, amusement in her voice.
"Zoe, three armed ship owners?" Mal reminded her. "Het up over our arrangement with Harwell?"
"A picnic?" she demanded again, threatening to laugh.
"Can we move on past the picnic part, and get to the part with the threats and the gunplay?" Mal demanded.
"Sorry, sir," Zoe said with a straight face. "It's just that. . .the idea of you, on a picnic. Well. . ."
"What's so odd about me on a picnic?" Mal demanded, threats and gunplay forgotten. "Can't a man go on a picnic?"
"Of course, sir," Zoe assured him. "Just never thought of you as the picnic type. That's all."
"There's a specific type for a picnic?" Mal demanded, face red. "I'll have you know it was a fine picnic, until Withe and his associates turned up and spoiled it."
"I have every confidence in your picnic abilities, sir," Zoe replied smoothly. "Now, what about the gunplay, and the threats?"
"No! We're gonna settle this whole picnic issue we got here, 'fore we move on to that!" Mal shot back, indignant.
"I wasn't aware there was a picnic issue, sir," Zoe said, struggling to keep her stoic straight face.
"There wasn't until you made one," Mal said crossly.
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Half an hour later, the picnic 'issue' firmly behind them, 'and I mean I don't want any more snide comments about me picnicin', Mal and Zoe were seated on the sprawling front porch of the house.
"Sounds like a bad time for Jayne and River to be away, sir," Zoe commented.
"It is," Mal nodded. "I knew there was some grumblin' o' course, always is with folk like that. Folk what want what somebody else worked for. But I didn't 'spect it ta escalate such as this so fast."
"What are you planning to do, sir?"
"I don't know as yet," Mal admitted. "Thought you an' me could hash it over somewhat. If they hold off another couple, maybe three, weeks, then Jayne and River oughta be back. With them at our backs, I'm confident we won't have no trouble."
"Long time for them to pull something, sir," Zoe pointed out.
"I know," Mal nodded. "But right now, we ain't got a whole lotta options available to us. With them three gone, we're a might short handed."
"We'll make do, sir," Zoe said confidently. "So long as we protect the ship, we'll be fine."
"Was thinking that myself," Mal nodded. "I'm thinking we need to move back aboard, for the time bein'. I don't think we can protect the house, and we need every hand, short handed as we are."
"Might not be a bad idea, sir," Zoe agreed. "Always move back when the trouble's over. We lose the house, we can get another. Lose Serenity. . ." she trailed off.
"Lose Serenity and we're humped," Mal nodded. "I ain't risked life and limb, nor crew and ship, to find us a steady job and good home, only to stand by and see it took. We do what we have to, until we're all back together. After that, we can take it too 'em if they want it that bad." Mal's voice was firm.
"Sounds like a plan, sir," Zoe nodded. They'd faced much worse in the past. They'd get by.
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