Hello. Iverik here. Just a reminder: This story uses characters created by someone other than me.
Facing the Black
Kaylee nudged some of her other things aside to make room for the pot. The apple had produced four seeds, and it was a cinch to make a make-shift pot and grow-light. Mal would probably be furious to come back and find a tree growing in his cargo bay- but hey, she was the captain. Technically, she owned this boat, so why couldn't she add a little greenery? 'Specially 'cause it would ease the burden on the life-support.
Watching the pot, Kaylee's thoughts drifted back to the apple. Shiniest thing she'd ever eaten, that. Shiny feller who'd given her the apple, too. This wasn't the first time Simon had gone out of his way to do somethin' nice fer her either.
'I'm gonna have to think of some way to get him back for this,' Kaylee thought dreamily. It would be nice to just run up to him and plant a kiss on him- but she suspected that, with his core-bred manners and all, he would just be embarrassed. Pleased later maybe. Probably. But in the mean-time, what would mean as much to Simon as the apple had meant to her?
"Flowers." Kaylee jumped. River was peering in through the hatch of her bunk.
"Flowers, huh?"
"Any color but pink," River nodded sagely.
"Since when did he like flowers?" Kaylee was thoughtful.
"Always had a vase on his desk back home," River paused, then decided it was best not to mention that Simon's old vase had been hydroponic, a luxury unheard of out in the black. "Something to look at besides broken people," she added.
"Hey, thanks Riv! That's a good idea." The pair shared a grin, then River skipped away. Kaylee hopped to her feet and climbed out. Simon was on watch. As good a time as any to relieve him.
He didn't notice her until she was right on top of him. Kaylee's heart sank at the new worry lines criss-crossing his face.
"The Alliance is still losing ground," he noted, pointing at articles on the cortex, "the Autodemarchy-"
"The what?"
"Autodemarchy. I guess that's whatever these raiders call themselves."
"Kinda've a mouthful."
"Yeah. Incidentally, Mal was right."
"About not taking Serenity into..."
"Yeah. Every civilian transport within a five light-second radius of Bisphon has been destroyed. That would have been us."
Kaylee shivered. Instinctively, she took Simon's hand. He squeezed it. They stood there for a long time, not moving, watching the reports come in from the start of a war.
The sensors blipped. Simon was the first to look. "Someone's coming!"
"Oh!" Kaylee was off like a shot, heading for the engine room. "Go dark!" She yelled over her shoulder. River scurried past. Kaylee careened into the maze of food boxes, struggling through.
"If they're Alliance, they've seen us already," Simon's voice echoed over the intercom.
Kaylee reached the engine room. Frantically hitting switches, she managed to trip over a box and fell down hard, cutting her lip. The last switch was just out of reach. She struggled up, took two long steps, and smacked it.
Serenity went dark just before a sensor sweep washed over it.