Chapter nine: The Louse

"Your Mother?" Kaylee repeated the same word her husband had said and turned around to stare at the same woman he was looking at. She had heard of stories of Simon and River's parents, mostly from Simon but she had no idea if she would ever meet her.

"This is my mother," Simon said as he licked his lips. "What, is she doing here?"

"I believe she was invited," Murphy said in an obvious tone. "Do your parents not come out to Persephone that often."

"Always said it was too border like for her taste," Simon said and shuddered. "I used to think the same. God I was an awful snob."

"But you got better," Kaylee said and took his hand. "Do you want to talk to her?"

"Yes," Simon said and swallowed. "And no and…it's been so long…does she even remember us?" His voice dropped off at the end.

"You were estranged?" Dennis asked softly.

"River and I were fugitives and they didn't want anything to do with us."

"Fugitives?" Dennis asked and raised his eyebrows.

"Because Simon rescued his sister from being tortured at the Academy," Kaylee said.

"That place?" Tatum asked and frowned. "They sent your sister there. Do you know how many people ended up disappearing or dead, or in mental hospitals because of that place?"

"We didn't know," Simon said. "Not at the time, but she sent us letters and I tried to show them and they wouldn't believe me. She was in pain. They cut into her skull and brain several times. The damage was done when I rescued her and who knows what else could have been done to her, but I listened and they refused to believe."

"Trying to turn poor River into an assassin and wanted their weapon back and the fact she knew about Miranda," Kaylee added.

"I don't think they actually cared." Simon asked. "Seemed it got in their way of dinner parties and book clubs and golf games and events such as this." He waved his hand around. "I wouldn't be surprised if they acted like we never existed."

"What?" Dennis asked in a disgusted tone. "Your father disowned the two of you because You rescued your sister?"

"Because I disobeyed," Simon explained and rolled his eyes. "When you get right down to it it's because I broke the law, went against the law and disobeyed our father's orders. They both believed the Alliance to be always right. Can't ever admit he was wrong, not Gabriel Tam."

"What about you?" Kaylee asked softly.

"Me?" Simon asked. "I'm fine, fine now that River has recovered…mostly now that she no longer has that secret she carried all by herself. I have you, Kaylee and I love you with all my heart and soul and we have the crew, our family."

"What about her?" Kaylee asked and nodded towards the direction of Mrs. Tam and her friends as they immersed themselves deeper into the crowd. "Do you want to speak with her? Tell her all that has happened? Tell her she has a daughter-in-law now?"

"It is your decision, son," Murphy told him. "No one is going to force you to talk to her or keep you from talking to her. It's your life and your choice."

"No," Simon said and shook his head. "Not now. I thought speaking with her might give me closure, and maybe give her the same, but after thinking about the situation and talking about it I see that I don't need it, and she didn't seem like she was looking for it."

Kaylee kept staring a Mrs. Tam's direction until she could no longer see the woman and felt a hand stroke her hair. She looked up at the man she loved, her husband and stared into his beautiful blue eyes before she kissed him.

"Work hasn't been too steady," Mal said as he continued to speak with Harrow and Hammond. Mrs. Hammond was engaged in conversation with Zoe, the commodore had sought out Inara and her friend and he wasn't exactly sure where his pilot had wandered off to, possibly to use the restroom, but he wasn't sure. He saw Kaylee and Simon making friends and Jayne was still hanging out near the buffet table.

"More livestock?" Harrow asked with a grin. He had ditched the sash and gone with what looked like green costume that was more suited for one of Robin's merry men.

"Well there were chickens," Mal answered. "Stayed with us for a few weeks and then took them to an egg farm. Been moving a lot of cargo and took on passengers. We are also in protection for hire, heck we even helped out a friend of Jonas here and exposed an inside man who was working for the gang that kept on bird dogging him." He had to pause to scratch his chin it was either the hair in the fake beard or the adhesive used to keep it attached to his chin that was causing the bit of discomfort.

"They are quite skilled at getting the job done," Jonas said with a smile, exposing his plastic fangs. The man had quite the elegeant costume with a satin white shirt, dark purple vest decked out with brocade, black slacks and black cloak lined with purple and a high collar in the backn. He eve used make up to make him appear pale and dyed and slicked back his hair. "I wouldn't think of hiring anyone else for the same tasks that I hired them for."

"Including stealing a time machine that your boy invented?" Harrow asked and nodded at Melchior's direction

"Wait how-" Mal asked and pointed to Jonas who seemed to be as bewildered as he was.

"I knew about the Alliance hiring out Melchior and some of Hammond's top scientists and engineers to build a transporter and that they were transporting a few oranges back and forth in time."

"Oranges, people, ships," Mal added. "If you could believe all the way back to the 18th century and to Earth that Was."

"Now that is a bit farfetched," Harrow said and laughed. "Though you would fit in that time period with that costume of yours."

"Thanks fer the compliment, mate," Mal said trying to sound like Sparrow.

"Though they might see through your façade with your swordsmanship skills."

"I have been informed they are actually improving," Hammond said. "The newest member of Reynolds crew is extremely skilled and has been teaching him."

"I like to meet this new fellar," Harrow said. "Maybe even have time for a sparring session."

"Love to introduce you to him," Mal said as he looked around in the crowd to where he had last seen James and Inara.

"I feel like I might be ill," James said as he placed his hand over his stomach. He had been on edge the entire evening. His stomach burned and tickled and it was difficult for him to breath. He had to tell River how he felt, but he couldn't and he couldn't be near her, not when she probably already knows since she could read him, if only he could read her. That was probably why she ran off. She knew how he felt and wasn't comfortable.

"Is it because you are about to confess your emotions or because you also saw Jayne pick his nose?" Inara asked.

"The first part. I am grateful I haven't seen Cobb's disgusting behavior."

"What you need to do first is breath," Inara said as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Breath in deeply and try to imagine you are Elvis. He seemed confident to you when you learned about him and watched him perform?"

"Very confident," James said and posed. He gyrated his hips. "Thank you, thank you very much."

"Now we will see if you can-"

"Marilyn Monroe and Elvis," a man dressed as a 1930's era pilot said as he approached. "Sorry if I am intruding but I have to compliment your costumes." He was holding a nearly empty champagne flute and James could tell that wasn't his first glass, far from it.

"Thank you," Inara said and gave him a polite smile. "Yours is also well put together."

"My wife's idea," The man said as he held out his arm. "Her latest hobby is everything about the 20th century. She's dressed as a flapper."

"Like Ella Fitzgerald?" James asked as he remembered what he had read from the 1920's

"Exactly," the man said. "You seem quite educated."

"I have been brushing up on my history lately."

"I like how you went with the more original look of Elvis instead of that tacky vegas style from the seventies right before he died."

"Ah the shiny ball era," James said as he sought out Inara who nodded. He hadn't reached that decade yet. "I felt the whole decade was in poor taste."

"There are more to time periods than just fashion and music," Inara said. "There are books and theater and learning about when certain devices were invented."

"Well the technical advances made in that decade and century is fun to read about," James added.

"I have to say it is such a delight to come across an intelligent young couple."

"Oh we're not together," Inara said.

"We are just friends," James added. "We are both single." He blinked when he saw River approach them.

"It's a shame. If I had children I would introduce them to you."

"You do have children," River said, causing the man to nearly drop his glass. "One of each and I waited, waited for you to come but you never show and I want, just want to be the same, but it won't. It can't because they cut and I'm an adult and not a child, be a child to keep the wolves away, but they always attack."

"River," the man spat out her name. "What are you doing here? You should be locked up."

"Gabriel Tam," River's voice was steady. Her expression was an impasse. " Son of Colbert and Harriet Tam, Husband to Regan Tam, father to Simon Albert Tam and River Agnes Tam."

"I have no children." The man's complexion had faded as fast as his calm composure. "Not since that boy stopped caring about his future and his family and chose to break the law and became a fugitive and you agreed to go along with him."

"That was not true," Inara said. "River and several of the other students were experimented on. They were tortured. She was only a fugitive because she learned what the Alliance had done to the colonists of Miranda."

"And you believe her?" Gabriel asked in shock. "Yow two know and associate with her?"

"Gladly," James said and stared at the man in shock. How could a father talk like this about his only daughter?

"She threw away perfect future. She and that brother of hers went against my orders and the orders of the Alliance. She was supposed to stay until she graduated-"

"Or be killed," James interrupted. His own fear and unease and melted away to feelings of anger and loathing. "Your children have done no wrong. Your daughter is a beautiful genius and your son has saved several lives, including mine."

"I thought had you two figured to be standard upright citizens, but you fell in with these lying traitors to our government."

"You believe them over your own flesh and blood?" Inara asked. She was just as disgusted as James.

"Where we children?" River asked. Her voice had wavered. "Or accessories for the portrait. You only wanted perfection. To look right, to look better have everything perfect if it's not perfect you throw it away and wash your hands. Mother was very upset."

"She is having a bit of trouble forgetting but she will come around, especially when she sees this. My daughter had potential, both my children did and what is she now?"

"A pilot, I fly the ship I take her to find work. My crew is my blood."

"Let me guess traipsing across the galaxy with a bunch or ruffians."

"With us," James said and did not care if he sounded angry. He could feel his hand s clenching into fists. "She is with us and I'm proud to be a member of the same crew."

"As do I," Inara said.

"Was there hearts?" River asked. "There were gifts, clothes and I was a princess. I had everything and I wanted to attend. I was wrong, but you can't be wrong, never and they are never wrong. You say Miranda wasn't real the news was fabricated, but how can you say and be like that how can you chose to have no heart because they say so and you say so?" Tears were forming. "They broke me. I want to be me, but I can't and I grew up and I want to be an adult. I been everywhere even to yesterday and I'm in love and can't say. I work and I want to show all I can do. I can't go there. Your home is not my home, but I want my daddy." Tears were spilling and she was shaking, no longer able to hold it together.

"And I will never be your daddy. My children are dead. They were the ones who listened. Who behaved and never embarrassed me." He pointed at her. "They are dead and you are this little Cuowu that I pray that I never see-"

James shot his fist forward. His knuckles struck Gabriel in the side of the face hard enough to send the older man sprawling to the ground.

"No," River cried. "Monster has eaten your soul."

"You are the most despicable human being I have ever came across," James said. "Nǐ kěyǐ zài dìyù lǐ ránshāo ma."

There was no mistaking the sound of a punch and Jayne turned the second he heard it. He promised he wasn't going to start the fight but if he had to he would join in. To his surprise it was Jimbo who had decked someone.

"Huh," Jayne said. "Bet the other guy deserved it."

"Do I have to break someone up?" Brusque asked

"Can I see how this plays out?" Jayne asked. "Might need my help if it gets ugly."

"What the?" Mal asked and turned towards the direction of the commotion.

"Someone got laid out, sir," Zoe said.

"Looks like we might attend another duel," Harrow said. "Lucky you are not one of the participants this time."

"Please don't be Jayne," Mal said. "Please don't be Jayne, please don't be Jayne." He turned to where the scuffle broke out. His eyes widened when he saw who had done the punching. "Well that's a bit of a surprise."

"You know him?" Harrow asked.

"Yeah that's my sword teacher," Mal said. "What the hell just happened?"

It was hard to see through the crowd but Kaylee stood on her toes to see what was going on.

"Did somebody faint?" Tatum asked as she also tried to peer over shoulders.

"More like somebody got hit in the face," Dennis said. "With a fist."

"How come every time I go to a party on Persephone somebody gets punched?" Kaylee asked as she continued to look. Her eyes widened when she saw who was standing over the struck man. "Oh it's James. He did the punching."

"No," Simon said. "It can't be." His eyes grew even wider. "Father?"

"What?" Kaylee asked.

"James just struck my father," Simon said before he shoved past the crowd.

"Wait for me," Kaylee said as she weaved through the crowd and stopped a few feet in front of an older man who was rubbing blood away from his nose.

"Gabriel what happened?" Regan asked as she grabbed onto her husband.

"Our degenerate former offspring was invited to this event," Gabriel said after he finished dabbing his face with a cloth. "Came across one of the former fugitives who thought she could still come home with us and this insane friend of hers struck me."

"That was not what I saw," a woman in a cat costume said. "Or heard. You verbally disowned that poor girl and that man was the only one to defend her honor."

"Father?" Simon asked.

"You," Gabriel pointed at him. "This is your entire fault."

"My fault?" Simon asked. "I'm the one who loved her enough to rescue her."

"You. Broke. The. Law."

"I wasn't going to let her die, but apparently the law is more important than the health and lives of your children."

"Simon, stop," Regan begged.

"No mother. Don't you dare defend him. I'm sorry your image of the perfect family was destroyed."

"What is going on here?" Jonas Hammond asked. His usual calm demeanor was gone.

"A mistake was made," Gabriel said. "Coming out here to this lowlife planet and here."

"Well we can remedy that," Hammond said. "Brusque?"

"Got it, boss," Brusque grabbed Gabriel by the shoulder. "Let's go." He turned to Regan. "Madam I aint forcing you to move but it might be best if you followed."

"I understand," Regan said. "I wish it were different." She followed behind Brusque and her husband.

"Oh no," Kaylee said softly and grabbed her husband's hand. "I'm sorry, Simon."

"Don't be," Simon told her. "I had a feeling this day would come."

"It is my fault," Jonas told them. "I have done business with your father in the past. I am a bit of a sentimental fool and was hoping for a warmer reception when I invited them."

"Don't be hard on yourself," Mal was right behind Jonas. "Didn't know what kind of ass the doc's father was."

"River?" Simon asked. "Where is she?"

"She ran off," Inara said. "Just as James was punching out her ex father."

"Where is James?" Kaylee asked and noticed the ex commodore was also not around.

"He went after her," Inara said.

"I need to look for her ," Simon said. "She needs me."

"No," Inara said and placed her hand on Simon's shoulder. "He will find her."

"He needs to be the one," Kaylee said. "He will find her and bring her back and then we will dance and eat some food and have fun." She embraced Simon. "I'm sorry about your family."

"Not my family," Simon said as he pulled both Inara and Kaylee closer. "You are."