Disclaimer: All belongs to Joss. I own nothing but my imagination, and the OOC's.
A/N: You can all thank Cassie for helping increase the speed of this update (btw, I am open to more bribes…). Now where's my cherry???? Thank you to the rest of my wonderful reviewers, you all made me blush with the sweet things you said. Your reward is a super-fast update. Enjoy!
A/N 2: Also, I got some mixed reviews and valid points about calling River "lil' albatross", so I think for now I'm going to leave that nickname out. I might work it into the story later on… I've found a few other nicknames for her instead, I hope you like them!
"Alright, River, what happened next?"
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River talked for hours, frequently interrupted by exclamations from her enthralled audience. She told them nearly everything she had seen and done in the past 4 years; nearly, but not all.
She told them of the 6 months spent training with Nicos and Sia, regaining and reshaping her sanity and her fighting abilities. The 9-odd months spent looking for the other escaped students, finding 11 of them in total, her two friends Kaen and Yuri among them; Kaen on Bellerophon and Yuri on Persephone. How they all spent close to a year planning an attack on the Academy. Shuddering in remembrance, the genius spoke of the harrowing journey they had taken during that time, in response to a long-awaited dream of hers. With Sia's help in mastering precognition, she had unlocked the door to that important knowledge and using it, they had traveled through reaver-space to the forgotten planet of Miranda and retrieved the secret hidden there.
From there, they had made their next forceful move. River and Kaen had arranged a meeting with the Board of Directors of the Academy, telling them in no uncertain terms exactly what would happen if they did not disband the project within 2 weeks. Her voice tightly controlled, River divulged what had happened when the Directors had ignored their warnings; the very deliberate killings that had followed their refusal.
The genius described how, nearly three years after her initial disappearance, they put their plan into action and attacked the Academy. With careful detachment, she spoke of how she and her friends had attacked the Academy, burning it to the ground and killing as many as they could. She also told them of the heavy price they had paid for that victory.
"Fourteen of us went in, 5 came out. Nicos very nearly didn't survive, neither did I…" Her hand fluttered to her stomach, fingers hovering for a moment before returning to the table. "We knew the dangers going in. We all decided that the end result was worth the price we would, and did, pay. None of us regret our choice." Here she looked up at the crew, her gaze absolutely fierce, as though challenging them to tell her that she and her friends had done wrong. When no comments were forthcoming, she returned to her story.
The remaining 5 students had then met, barely healed, with some of the most powerful people in the Alliance government and had told them exactly had just happened and how, and what would happen if the program were ever restarted. They also warned of what could happen if the 5 of them, and Simon Tam, continued to be hunted as fugitives. Kaen, gifted with a form of telecoercion, facilitated the government officials with making their decision. Two days later, all warrants for the arrests of River and Simon Tam, Kaen Ling, Nicos Angelove, Yuri Hanyu and Dessia Draco disappeared from the cortex.
"Barely four days later, they retaliated." She said quietly. "We were so tired, and very nearly unprepared. We divided up, everyone going in separate directions, but not before we released the Miranda wave. Our own retribution," she said, a faint smile on her face.
They had each spent nearly all of the next year being chased all over the 'verse by the Alliance, who had apparently decided to deal with the 5 fugitives in secret this time. They saw each other a few times, meeting up briefly before escaping back to their personal bolt-holes, as the Alliance once again caught up with them.
"They chased us for months, before finally deciding that the continuing damage we were inflicting on them was not worth the effort of trying to catch the carriers of a secret that was already exposed to the universe as a whole. We finally saw each other again about 5 months ago; we stayed together for over two months, taking some much-needed rest and enjoying each others' company, before I went off on my own again."
"Where did you go?" Jayne asked, his voice slightly rusty with hours of disuse.
Her own voice nearly hoarse, River had smiled faintly and quietly finished her long tale. "I have spent most of the last 2 months with a dear, trusted friend. Her home is my safe haven and she has hidden and protected me there many times over the years. I owe her a great deal for her loyalty and bravery.
"I spent the last 2 weeks on Persephone, waiting for your arrival. I decided while staying with my friend that I wanted to come home, that I owed it to you all."
It was Kaylee who first broke the silence following the ending of River's tale. "Who was the friend ya stayed with?" River looked up at her old friend.
"You can't guess? Any of you?" The crew shook their heads, collectively. Zoe had an inkling who it might have been, but she wasn't about to voice it until River confirmed or refuted it. The younger woman's next words proved her intuition correct.
"It was Inara; I hid at the Training House with her." That brought on a variety of reactions. Mal's head came up sharply, his hard eyes fixed on River, a dozen thoughts and emotions running through him at the mention of the beautiful Companion. Zoe merely smiled serenely, though she kept an eye on the captain, just in case. Kaylee squealed loudly and began asking rapid questions about the state of her absent friend. Jayne raised an eyebrow in mild surprise, his emotions carefully controlled and hidden, as they usually were. Wash shared in Kaylee's excitement, while at the same time trying to emulate his wife's stoicism, which didn't really work the way he might have hoped. Simon barely reacted to that bit of news, still too caught up in the other events his suddenly not-so-little sister had shared. It was Jayne, surprisingly, that asked the next pertinent question.
"How is it you weren't noticed? Ain't Companions s'posed to be all smart n' observant? Wouldn't they have noticed a known fugie, all banged up n' bloody most like, wandering 'round their home?" Only River and Simon were not shocked by the merc's insight. They had both discovered, in their own ways, that the older man was quite a bit smarter than he let on, however he might choose to act.
Smiling mischievously, River asked the table at large if they had heard of the Veiled Ones. Only Simon nodded. She explained who they were for the rest of the group. "The Veiled Ones are a very closed and exclusive religious order, made up entirely of women, who mainly reside on the central planets. Their vows include the wearing of a veil at all times and a peculiar vow of silence which is only in affect when they are out in public or in the presence of strangers."
"But what does that have to do with you n' Nara, n' being at the Training House?" Kaylee asked, confused by the connection.
"I posed as a Veiled One whenever I was at the House. It was a very effective disguise; it prevented me from being recognized by face or voice and hid the wounds I usually had when I was there. Inara and I created an explanation of how we were childhood friends from before she entered House Madrassa and before I, supposedly, took orders. Very few people questioned it. I had a private room connected to Inara's and I have spent many months there over the last few years, healing and recuperating from my fights with the Alliance. As I said, I owe her a great deal."
"Mei mei, are you saying you pretended to be a Veiled Priestess, a federal offense, and spent months hiding from the Alliance in a Companion Training House?" Simon wasn't sure how many more revelations he could take from River. Was there nothing she wouldn't do?
River smiled sweetly and nodded. "Yes and yes. It was a very useful disguise and a perfect bolt-hole. Who would think to look for a fugitive in a place full of Alliance supporters?" There were some small murmurs of agreement, the crew had to agree that it seemed like a right smart plan, and apparently it had worked well for years.
Thoughts were interrupted when River abruptly stood.
"My purpose in once again revealing myself to you all was simple; I wish to come back on board. In what role, passenger or crew, is at your discretion. The most immediate dangers I posed for you have been eliminated, which was my original intent upon leaving. I will give you time now to decide whether you wish to have me back on board, and in what capacity. I may be found in the cargo bay when you have reached your decision." Without another word, she gathered up her possessions and glided out the door.
Jayne was the first to move, breaking the stillness she had left in her wake. Moving into the kitchen, he pulled out a large jug of Kaylee's inter-engine wine, as well as 6 mugs. Carrying them back over to the table he poured himself a healthy dose then slid the jug and the cups over to Simon. The mess was nearly silent as each person poured themselves a stiff drink. Several fortifying sips were taken before Mal decided to break the silence.
"Well, suppose we'd best get to makin' our decision, since she's waiting an' all. Won't say I'm entirely comfortable with what she told us, and what she ain't, but I see no reason to keep her off. Zoe, what do you think?" He turned to his first mate and the person he trusted most in the 'verse. She was silent for a long moment, before making her decision and weighing in.
"We let her back on. Anyone can see how much better she is now, than 4 years ago. She's done some things might take some getting used to, but no different than I'd do in her place. She won't harm us."
The captain nodded, "reckon yer right. Wash?"
The fun-loving pilot looked unwontedly serious. "She's done things we might not be comfortable with, but I can't really blame her for them, she had a good reason. I'm in favour of her staying." Wash turned to look at the mechanic sitting across the table from him. "Kaylee?"
"I missed her, Cap'n, be nice to have her back on board. Everything else will work out shiny." She beamed her 100-watt smile at the crew, her optimism firmly in place. All eyes turned to the unusually silent doctor sitting beside her.
"I will admit that some of what she said disturbs me greatly, but she's my sister and I love her. And I've missed her." The crew watched the final member, who was toying idly with his mug of wine, waiting for his decision. What he said surprised those who were still of the opinion that Jayne hated River as much as he used to hate Simon.
"Ain't no one here can blame her for the things she's done. She had a right, and they had it comin'. Don't think anyone here will disagree with that." That said, he nodded his answer to the captain and drained his mug.
"Alright then, I'll go tell our little witch that she can stay on board." Mal pushed away from the table and left the mess, Zoe a few steps behind him. The remaining 4 looked at each other for a moment, before getting up and hurrying after the two soldiers.
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Still feeling a slight headache from dealing with the crew's uncontrolled emotions, River settled herself on the floor in the middle of the bay. Using a conglomerate of meditation techniques learned from Inara and Sia and specifically geared towards dealing with her psychic abilities, she sank down into her own mind, loosening her awareness of the outside world. With the utmost patience, she reorganized the thoughts and memories in her head, separating the ones that were hers from the ones belonging to the crew and to the man who had propositioned her outside the ship. She sifted briefly through the ones from the crew, picked up accidentally from when their emotions ran high, and finding nothing crucial and in need of keeping, she expelled them from her mind. This was a technique she and Sia had spent weeks creating and perfecting, basing it loosely on psychic exercises once used at the Academy. It was hard and had required a great deal of concentration and effort; thankfully she had become quite adept at using it since then.
Once her organizing was done, River focused on calming and centering herself, as she allowed her mind to slowly drift back upwards into awareness. It was at this point that the crew arrived in the cargo bay, watching her as she sat in perfect stillness. Jayne, watching her closer than he had any business doing, knew the moment she sensed them there above her; her shoulders tensed slightly and her head cocked to the side, a gesture he inexplicably recognized from years ago.
Mal motioned for the crew to remain up on the walks as he made his way down to the girl now rising to her feet, alert and patiently awaiting the verdict. He frowned as he caught a glimpse of something on her bared stomach as she raised her arms and stretched lightly. It looked very much like the tail-end of a ruttin' nasty scar, and he wondered briefly what had caused it and when she had gotten it.
"Crews' decided you can stay on, little River, though I s'pose you already knew that."
"Don't read minds anymore, captain, not unless I need to. I learned control over my abilities." She reminded him gently. "And thank you. Where will I be staying?"
Mal opened and closed his mouth a few times; he hadn't really planned that out yet. The doc was all but living in Kaylee's bunk, so the passenger rooms were all empty. He wasn't sure, though, if she would want to stay down there by herself. Before he could reach a decision, River made it for him.
"If it is permissible to you captain, I will take over the rental of Inara's old shuttle."
"What – mei mei, do you have the money for renting the shuttle? Captain, how much…" Simon was more or less ignored as Mal and River eyed each other.
"Perhaps if you were to lower the rent, I could pay you half out of pocket and work the rest off as a crew member? Would that satisfy?" Mal thought a moment, and then nodded. Really, there weren't no reason for her to not live in the Companion's old shuttle; weren't like he was waiting for the space's original tenant to come back. Nope, no reason at all.
River watched the captain's internal struggle with knowing eyes, before deciding to do them all a favor. Really, she was tired of watching Inara pretend that she found life at the Training House fulfilling, and she could see that she would quickly tire of Mal's constant denial of his true feelings.
"If you were to ask her, I'm sure she would look into coming back." That said she turned and walked away. Passing the crew on the catwalks, she smiled at them before disappearing inside her new home.
Reviews are love and I love my reviews!! Let me know what you think. Also, I apologize for any past, present and future grammar/spelling/Firefly 'verse errors; all my stuff's unbetaed.
-Druid