Chapter Two: Serenity Part II
Simon tries to wrestle himself free of Jayne. "I need to check her vitals."
"Oh, is that what they call it?" Mal asks.
"She's not supposed to wake up for another week! The shock-"
"The shock of what? Waking up? Finding out she's been sold to some borderworld baron? Or, I'm sorry, was this one for you? Is it true love? Because you do seem a little-" Suddenly the girl lurches up, screaming. Mal yelps in surprise and turns around.
The girl keeps screaming and no one is quite sure what to do. She spills out of the box, crawling backwards, breathing hard and looking around her, wild-eyed. Inara takes off her robe, ready to cover the girl.
Simon finally pulls himself free of Jayne and kneels by the girl. "River?" He says. The girl screams at his touch and Inara moves forward. He holds on to her, trying to get her to look into his eyes. "River. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay, I'm here." He says softly. Finally she looks at him, trying to focus, still breathing hard. She looks at everyone before looking back to him. "River…"
"Simon…?" She whispers. "Simon…they-they talk to me, they want me-they want me to talk-"
"They're gone…they're gone. We're safe now. We're safe. We're safe, I'm here." He says, calming her down.
"What the hell is this?" Mal asks.
Simon, River clinging to him and crying, looks over at Mal defiantly. "This is my sister."
Everyone, save for Kaylee and River is gathered in the dining room. Simon stands in front of them.
Earlier
River is brought to the infirmary, wrapped in Inara's robe. She sees Kaylee's unconscious body and the operating room and begins to scream. She fights to struggle in Simon's grip.
"I am very smart." Simon explains. "I am very smart. best Medacad in Osiris, top three percent of my class, finished my internship in eight months. 'Gifted' is the term. So when I tell you that my little sister makes me look like an idiot child, I want you to understand my full meaning."
Simon finally manages to calm River down. She sits on a table, fresh tears in her eyes as he prepares a hypo with a sedative. She frowns at the object and looks at Simon as he injects her. Her lips forming soundless words. She drifts off to sleep while he holds her hand.
Present
"River was more than gifted. She…she was a gift." He says, the love for his sister clear in his eyes. "Everything she did, music, math, theoretical physics, even-even dance, there was nothing that didn't come as naturally to her as breathing does to us." He smiles in remembrance. "She could be a real…brat about it, too. I mean, she used to…" He trails off. Jayne stands, going to refill his mug. At his movement, Simon collects himself. "There was a…a school… a, uh, a government-sponsored academy, we had never even heard of it but it had the most exciting program, the most challenging. We could have sent her anywhere, we had the money, but she wanted to go. She wanted to learn. She was fourteen. I…" He takes a deep breath. "I got a few letters at first, and then I didn't hear for months. Finally I got a letter that made no sense. She-she talked about things that never happened, jokes we never…it was code. It just said…'They're hurting us. Get me out.'"
"How did you do it?" Trinity asks.
"Money. And, and luck. For two years, I couldn't get near her. Then I was contacted by some men, some underground movement. They-they said she was in danger, that-that the government was playing with her brain. If I funded them they could sneak her out in cryo. Get her to Persephone, and from there, I could take her…wherever."
"Will she be all right?" Inara asks.
"I don't know if she'll be all right. I don't know what they did to her, or why. I-I just have to keep her safe."
After a moment of silence Book speaks. "That's…quite a story, son."
"Yeah, it's a tale of woe. Very stirring, but in the meantime, you've heaped a world of trouble on me and mine." Mal glares at Simon.
"I never thought-" Simon starts.
"No, I don't imagine you thought. In consequence of which we got a kidnapped federal officer on board, we got the Alliance hard on our trail, and Kaylee…" He trails off.
Zoe turns to Wash. "How much does the Alliance know?"
"I can't say." He sighs. "I killed the message pretty quick, so they might just have had our position."
"Or they might have personal profiles on each and every one of us. 'Til that fed wakes up, we won't know." Mal says.
"So what do we do?" Jayne asks.
Mal looks around. "The job. We finish the job. I got word from Patience, she's waiting for us. We circle 'round to Whitefall, make the deal, get out. Keep flying."
"What about us?" Simon asks.
Mal looks at him a moment. "Kaylee comes through, you and your sister'll get off at Whitefall."
"If she doesn't come through?"
"Then you're gettin' off a mite sooner."
"That'd be murder." Book says.
"Boy made a decision."
"He didn't shoot her." Inara says.
"No, but somebody on this boat did and I'm scratching my head as to why we ain't dealt with him." Jayne says.
Trinity points to him. "That's a valid point."
The room gets louder as people begin to talk over each other. "Kill a Fed? Can you think of a stupider thing to do?" Zoe aks.
"He can I.D. us all."
"You wanna throw me out the airlock, fine, but River's not a part of this." Simon says.
"I don't agree with the whole Simon/River thing, but the Fed's gotta go." Trinity says.
"Can we maybe vote on the whole murdering people issue?" Wash asks.
"We don't vote on my ship because my ship is not the rutting town hall!" Mal says loudly.
"This is insanity Mal." Inara says.
"I happen to think we're a ways beyond that now, sir." Wash turns to Zoe. "Come on, we're gonna talk this through, yeah?"
"I'll not sit by while there's killing here." Book says.
Jayne smiles. "Shepherd's got a mean streak. We'd best walk soft."
"Nimen de bizui!" Mal shouts, sending the room into silence. "Way it is, is the way it is. We got to deal with what's in front of us."
"Mal, you know those two wouldn't survive a day in Whitefall anyway." Inara says. "You throw them out, I'm leaving too."
Mal looks at her, angry at being confronted publicly and upset by the thought of her leaving, but suppressing both. "It might be best you do. You ain't a part of this business." He walks out, leaving her startled.
Simon follows him. "What business is that, exactly?" He asks. Mal turns and gives him a murderous look, but Simon doesn't back down. "I'm a dead man, I can't know? Is it gold? Drugs? Pirate treasure? What is it that makes you so afraid of the Alliance?"
"You don't wanna go down this road with me, boy." Mal says lowly.
"Oh, you're not afraid of them? I already know you'd sell me out to them for a pat on the head. Hell, you should probably be working for them. You certainly fit the profile-" Suddenly Mal punches him in the face, knocking him down. Mal looks down at him and looks into the dining room, seeing the others watching.
"Saw that comin'." Jayne says, a smug smile on his face. Trinity pulls a large knife out and walks over towards Jayne. He looks at her and backs up.
"Relax." She says. "It's for when you interrogate the Fed. People aren't fond of having limbs cut off." She hands him the knife.
Jayne examines it, smiling. "I'm gonna get me an ear." He walks out.
Trinity walks back to her seat, taking out a small knife before she sits down. She lets the blade dance back and forth between her fingers.
Wash stares at her. "How many knives do you have?!"
Jayne and Mal sit across from the bound and gagged Fed.
Mal harshly pulls the tape from Dobson's mouth, making the man grunt in pain. "I'm in a tricky position, I guess you know. Got me a boatload of terribly strange folk making my life a little more interesting than I generally like, chief among them an Alliance mole. Likes to shoot at girls when he's nervous. Now I got to know how close the Alliance is, exactly how much you told them before Wash scrambled your call. So…I've given Jayne here the job of finding out."
Jayne pulls out the knife Trinity gave him. "He was non-specific as to how."
"Now you only gotta scare him." Mal whispers to Jayne.
Jayne smirks. "Pain is scary."
"Just do it right." Mal says before leaving the two alone.
"Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in?" Dobson asks.
Jayne sits on a chair across from him. "Gee, I never been in trouble with the law before." He says sarcastically.
"Not like this you haven't. You think this is just a smuggling rap? The package that boy is carrying-"
"It's a girl. She's cute, too, but I don't think she's all there, y'know?" He grins. "'Course, not all of her has to be…"
"That girl is a precious commodity. They'll come after her. Long after you bury me they'll be coming."
"Oh, I'm not gonna kill you, Dobson…what's your first name?"
"Laurence." He answers reluctantly.
"Laurence. No, I'm just gonna cut on ya' 'til you tell me how much they know."
"They know everything. They know every name, every record…they know how many nose hairs you've got." The man rants.
Jayne sighs, disappointed. "Ah, see, they don't know a damn thing. It's all over your face, I ain't even…was gonna get me a ear, too. Aren't you an officer of the law? Well, don't they teach you how to withstand interrogation? Can't even tell a damn lie."
"Okay. I can see you're not an idiot."
"Wish I could say the same, Laurence, but…this is disappointing as hell."
"Let me speak the language you will understand. Money. This girl is worth a lot of money. I mean a lot. You kill me, there's nothing. But if you help me out, you'll have enough to buy your own ship. A better one than this piece of crap."
"Does helping you out mean turning on the Captain?"
"Yes, it does." Dobson nods.
Jayne frowns in thought.
Mal quickly walks on the bridge and sees Wash watching the screen with an apprehensive look on his face. "How the Hell did they find us? I thought you said we could get around 'em."
"It's not Alliance." He says.
"You're sure?"
"It's a smaller vessel."
"Commercial?"
"Uh, yeah, I read it as an older model Trans-U."
"I didn't think Trans-U still operated."
"They don't."
"Get me a visual."
"They're still too far out to-"
"Get me something!"
"I'm picking up a lot of radiation they're operating without core containment. Well, that's jiānguǒ, that's suicide." He looks at Mal's face and realizes what's happening.
"Reavers." Mal says, looking towards the tiny speck that approaches them.
What was once a commercial spaceliner is now a war machine rigged with weapons and the word 'Savage' painted on the side.
"Oh god." Wash says in horror. "Oh god, oh god, oh god."
Book stands in the infirmary with a bible in his hands when Mal's voice sounds over the intercom.
"This is the captain."
Jayne stands in the middle of his room, holding a large gun.
Zoe stands outside of Simon's room, listening to Mal. Simon steps out, listening as well.
Trinity pauses in the kitchen.
"We're passing another ship. Looks to be Reavers. From the size, probably a raiding party."
Inara sits in her shuttle with a grave look on her face.
"Could be they're headed somewhere particular, could be they've already hit someone and they're full up. So everyone stay calm."
Jayne pulls down a decorative blanket to reveal an arsenal on his wall, a serious look on his face.
Trinity heads to her bunk at a silent but quick pace. She quickly enters and opens the cabinet, pulling out the swords she bought earlier.
"We try to run, they'll have to chase us. It's their way. We're holding course. We should be passing 'em in a minute, so we'll see what they do. Zoe, you come on up to the bridge."
Zoe begins heading towards the bridge but Simon stops her. "Wait, I-I don't understand." He says.
She turns to him. "You've never heard of Reavers?"
"Well…campfire stories…men gone savage on the edge of space, killing, and…"
"They're not stories."
"What happens if they board us?"
"If they take the ship, they'll rape us to death, eat our flesh and sew our skins into their clothing and if we're very very lucky, they'll do it in that order." She walks away.
Simon quickly goes to the infirmary. He moves towards River's bedside, sharing a look with Book.
The ships move past each other, slowly and silently.
Inara takes out a hidden box. She opens it, staring at the hypo-gun and the unmarked vial of black liquid.
Jayne loads large bullets into his rifle with shaky hands.
Trinity places a series of small blades into a vest with hidden sheaths and puts it on.
The large Reaver ship heads closer to the firefly.
Zoe silently walks onto the bride and lays a hand onto her husband's shoulder.
He covers it with his own and looks at the ship passing them. "There's a magnetic grappler. They get ahold of us with that…"
"Just tell me if they alter course." Mal says.
Everyone waits for the ship to pass by. After a few long moments Wash speaks. "They're holding course." Mal sighs in relief. "I guess they weren't hungry. Didn't expect to see them here…"
"They're pushing out further every year, too." Zoe says.
Mal looks through the window. "Gettin' awful crowded in my sky."
Later, Mal stands in the infirmary looking at River, who's still asleep.
"Hey, Captain." He hears. He turns to Kaylee, now awake but woozy.
"Hey. Hey little Kaylee, what's the news?"
"I'm shiny, Captain. A-okay. And I can't feel much below my belly, though. It's gettin' cold."
Mal moves to get her another blanket, lays it on her. "Well, you just gotta rest. Something's gonna break down on this boat real soon. Who else I got to fix it?"
"Well, don't you worry none. Doc fixed me up pretty. He's nice."
"Don't go working too hard on that crush, mei-mei Doc won't be with us for long."
"You're nice, too." She smiles.
"No, I'm not. I'm a mean old man."
"He wasn't gonna let me die. He was just trying to…it's nobody's fault. Okay? Just promise me you'll remember that?"
He takes her hand. "I'll keep it in mind."
"You are a nice man, Captain. You always looking after us. You just gotta have faith in people." She says. He doesn't respond. She looks at River's sleeping form and smiles. "She is a real beauty, isn't she?" Her eyes gently close and her hand falls limp in Mal's grip.
Simon stands in Inara's shuttle. She hands him a few packets. "Thank you." He says.
"This is just standard Companion immunization package." She tells him. "I'm not sure it'll help in this-"
"It won't hurt. Supplies down there are pretty rudimentary."
"Is there anything else I can do?"
"I don't think so. But I appreciate it."
"Kaylee's very dear. To all of us."
"I…I'm sorry. For my part in what happened. See…I've never… I mean, I don't know how to-"
"You're lost in the woods. We all are. Even the captain. The only difference is, he likes it that way."
Mal walks in. "No. No, the difference is, the woods are the only place I can see a clear path." He looks at Simon. "What's your business here?"
"It's my business." Inara says. "The usual. I gave the boy a free thrust, since he's not long for this world. What are you doing in my shuttle?"
"It's my shuttle. You rent it."
"Then when I'm behind on the rent, you can enter unasked."
Simon awkwardly looks between them before walking out.
Mal looks at Inara. "Thought you were leaving, anyhow"
"Well I guess that depends on you." She says.
He looks at her for another moment before leaving. He sees Simon walking and calls out. "You'll ruin her, too, you know." Simon turns around. "This is the thing I see you're uncomprehending on. Everyone on this ship, even a 'legitimate businesswoman' like her, their lives can be snatched away because of that Fed. You got a solution for that? You got a way round?"
"I don't." Simon says.
"Comes time, someone's gonna have to deal with him. That should be you, but I don't think you got the guts." He pauses. "And I know you don't have the time."
"What do you mean?"
"Kaylee's dead." Mal says in a steely voice. Simon looks at him, devastated. Mal turns and walks towards the bridge.
Simon runs to the infirmary only to fine Kaylee sitting up, weakly talking to Book. He looks in the direction Mal left him in shock. "That man's psychotic."
In the bridge, Mal, Wash, Jayne, Zoe, and Trinity all laugh.
"You are psychotic." Wash says.
"No, but you should have seen his face." Mal chuckles. "Oh… I'm a bad man."
"And Kaylee's really okay?" Trinity asks.
"Yeah. Tell the truth, I didn't expect her to heal this quick. Doctor knows his trade, I'll give him that."
A noise sounds from the console and Wash checks it out. "We're being hailed."
"That'd be Patience." Mal says. "We're close enough for vid. Put her up."
An old, weathered, pioneer looking woman pops onto the screen. "Malcolm Reynolds?"
"Hello, Patience."
"I have to say I didn't look to be hearing from you anytime soon."
"Well, we may not have parted on the best of terms. I realize certain words were exchanged. Also, certain…bullets. But that's air through the engine. It's past. We're business people. Besides, your days of fightin' over salvage rights are long behind you, what I hear. What are you, mayor now?"
"Just about. You telling the truth about that cargo? 'Cause your asking price is a bit too reasonable for that much treasure."
"It's imprinted…Alliance…hence the discount."
"Oh, government goods, huh?"
"That doesn't work for ya, no harm. Just thought you could use-"
"Alliance don't scare me. Just collating data, as they say. I like that you're up front about it. We can deal. I'll upload coordinates for a rendezvous point outside of town."
"See you in the world." He hits a button, ending the talk. He stares down at the console for a long beat. "I believe that woman's planning to shoot me again."
"She meant to pay you, she'd'a haggled you down some." Jayne says.
"Just a little effort to hide it would've been-" Wash is interrupted by Mal angrily knocking something off a counter. The object hits the ground with a loud clang.
"Sir, we don't have to deal with her." Zoe says.
"Yes, we do." He says, anger in his voice.
"Here's a little concept I been workin' on. Why don't we shoot her first?" Jayne asks.
"It is her turn." Trinity says.
"That doesn't get us what we need, either." Mal says.
"There's moons on this boat we ain't seen." Zoe says. "We could try our luck-"
"Our luck?" Mal asks. "You notice anything particular about our luck these past few days? Any kind of pattern?" No one answers. "You depend on luck, you end up on the drift…no fuel, no prospects…beggin' for Alliance make-work. And towed out to the scrap belt. That ain't us. Not ever. Patience has got the money to pay, and she will, one way or another. There's obstacles in our path, and we're gonna deal with them. One by one. We'll get through this. We will."
Meanwhile, Dobson saws away at his bonds with a tiny, jagged piece of metal.
Serenity touches down on the dry, desert land of Whitefall. Zoe and Mal walk down the ramp as Jayne zooms past them on the mule.
Zoe and Mal look down at a valley. "Nice place for an ambush." She says.
He nods. "That it is."
Jayne walks up to Mal, handing a bar from one of the crates. "I buried 'em good. The equipment's back on the boat." He speaks into his com. "Testing. Testing, Captain, can you hear me?"
"I'm standing right here." Mal deadpans.
Jayne continues speaking through the com. "You're coming through good and loud."
"'Cause I'm standing right here."
"Yeah, well…but the transmitter's…"
Mal steps forward as Jayne trails off, looking around, thinking. "All right. Patience is gonna figure we buried the cargo. Which means means putting us to our ease 'fore there's any action. She'll come at us from the east, talk the location out of us. She'll have the coin to show us first. We get it, give the location, snipers hit us from…" He points. "There. And there."
"You figure they're in place yet?" Jayne asks.
"Should be. Feel like taking a walk around the park?"
Jayne grins. "Sure you don't just wanna piss yourself and back down like you did with Badger?"
Mal stares at him 'til he stops smiling. "Walk soft. I want Patience thinking they're still in place. Don't kill anyone if you don't have to. We're here to make a deal." He watches Jayne leave.
"Don't think it's a good spot, sir." Zoe says, looking at the meeting spot. "She still has the advantage over us."
"Everyone always does." He smiles at her. "That's what makes us special."
Trinity knocks on Inara's door. "Come in." She hears.
Trinity opens the door and enters the shuttle, the door sliding closed behind her. "Hey." She greets.
"Hey." Inara smiles, motioning for Trinity to join her on the bed. Trinity lies down folding her hands behind her head. Inara watches her. "Did you just come here to relax?"
After a moment Trinity speaks. "We got ourselves into one hell of a situation didn't we?"
"So this is about our guests."
"I don't think that we should kill them, well we can kill the Fed but not Simon and River."
"Mal's not going to kill them."
"He's going to leave them here; it might as well be the same thing."
"I've never known you to have a problem with Mal's orders like this. There are some you disagree with but you still let him follow through. Why is this one different?" Trinity doesn't answer. "Is it River?"
Trinity rolls her eyes. "It's not like that. The guy was just trying to protect his sister. Everything he did, he did to protect her. After what he told us…I don't know, it just doesn't seem right to leave them here."
"What are you going to do about it?"
"What can I do about it? Once Mal has something in his mind, there's no changing it."
Book looks between the infirmary and the passenger dorm where Dobson is held with a conflicted look on his face. He goes towards dorm and knocks on the door. "Lawman, it's Shepherd Book." He opens the door. "I believe you're in more danger than-"
Dobson slams the Shepherd in the face with a makeshift truncheon, sending him flying back into the hall. He hits him in the head viciously twice more. Book slumps, unconscious. Dobson looks out to make sure no one heard and drags Book into the room.
Zoe and Mal walk across the valley, their eyes peeled and hands near their holsters.
Patience and six men crest the hill on horseback. Another man drives a mule off to the side. Patience is in a weather beaten duster, grey hair flyblown about her face. "Ah!" She laughs. "Mal! How you doin', boy?"
"Walkin' and talkin'." He says.
She squints. "Is that Zoe? You still sailin' with this old bum?"
"Awful lot of men to haul three crates." Zoe says.
"Yeah, well, I couldn't be sure my Mal here wouldn't be lookin' for some kinda payback. You understand."
"We're just on the job, Patience. Not interested in surprises." He tells her.
A sniper is set to take a bead on Mal. Jayne gets the drop on him and knocks him unconscious. He grabs his rifle and takes his position. He finds a mark and smiles, aiming at Mal.
Dobson burst into another dorm and moves to his suitcase. He opens it and grabs a small device. He hits an icon that reads 'CONNECT TO CENTRAL CORTEX'. He waits for a moment and a message pops up reading 'INTERFERENCE: UNABLE TO CONNECT'. He hurls the device at a wall, smashing it to pieces. He digs into his suitcase, pulling out two guns.
"I don't see my cargo anywhere." Patience says.
"And you're not gonna, 'til I'm holding two hundred in platinum." Mal tells her.
"Oh, come on, Reynolds. I'm supposed to take it on faith you've got the goods?"
Mal pulls out the bar from the crate and tosses it to Patience. She rips the foil off and sniffs it. "It's pure, Patience. Genuine A-grade foodstuffs. Protein, vitamins, immunization supplements. One of those'll feed a family for a month. Longer, if they don't like their kids too well."
She takes a small bite and nods. "Yeah, that's the stuff." She pulls a pouch from her pocket and tosses it to Mal. "So where's the rest?"
River shoots up in bed, fear on her face. "Simon."
"What's wrong, sweetie?" Kaylee asks.
River moves to the door where Dobson grabs her, holding a gun to her head. "Look at you, all woke up." Kaylee starts to move but he aims another gun at her. "Oh, I'm sorry about what happened before. But make so much as a sound, the next one goes through your throat." He threatens. Kaylee watches in horror as he pulls River away.
"Then east half a mile, bottom of the first hill. You'll see where it's been dug." Mal says.
"I reckon I will." Patience tells him.
"Well then."
"Yep."
Nobody makes a move. "I'd appreciate it y'all turn around and ride out first."
"Well, you see, there's a kind of hitch."
"Both made out on this deal. Don't complicate things."
"I got a rule. I never let go of money I don't have to. Which is maybe why I'm running this little world and you're still on that dinky old boat, sniffing for scraps."
Jayne aims at Patience and her gang as Mal tosses the money to her.
"Got the money back. There's no need for killin'." Mal says.
"We're just gonna walk away, sir?" Zoe asks.
"Guess that's up to Patience here." He looks at Patience. "Could be messy."
"Not terribly." She chuckles. "Mal, you just ain't very bright, are you?"
Mal steps forward, nodding at one of her men. "That's quite a rifle. Boy must be your best shot to carry that."
"He's called Two-Fry. Always makes it quick and clean." She explains. Two-Fry smirks, adjusting his top hat.
"Two-Fry. Nice hat." Just as Mal finishes speaking, Two-Fry is shot off his horse by an unseen Jayne. Patience's gang yells in surprise and take out their weapons. Mal and Zoe draw their weapons and begin shooting as well. Zoe is hit in the chest, sending her flying back.
Mal shoots the man who shot Zoe before diving behind some brush as Patience and the remaining two fire at him, their horses rearing in panic, one of them drops off his and fires at Mal.
"You should think about asking the captain to drop you somewhere else. Whitefall ain't exactly civilization in the strictest sense." Wash explains.
"You don't have to worry about me." Simon says.
"Zoe's out on a deal, I always worry. So…it's not out of my way-"
Kaylee's voice sounds over the com. "He took her." She whispers weakly. "He took River."
Simon bolts out of the room. Wash is about to as well, but there is a beeping, a proximity warning.
He stops and looks at his screen. "Oh, don't. Don't you dare."
Mal jumps up and fire's his gun. Jayne picks people off from his spot on the hill.
Simon runs out and sees Dobson with River below, his grip on her loose as he looks around, heading for the closed airlock. He hits the release button and the cargo bay doors start opening.
Simon jumps down, landing on Dobson and they tumble to the floor. River backs into a corner, wild with terror.
Trinity turns her head towards the door. "What was that?" She gets up.
Jayne picks off Patience's men. He misses own a looks up. "Hwin dan!" He yells.
The last man on his horse starts to ride away in panic but Zoe, still on her back, raises her gun and shoots him in the back. He falls off the still moving horse.
Patience and one man remain. He fires at Mal but only manages to graze his arm. Mal shoots him in the hip, sending him to the ground screaming.
Patience has her shotgun propped on the saddle, using her horse for cover.
Mal stands from his cover. "Zoe?" He grunts.
"Armor's dented." She pants in pain, pulling her shirt, showing the dented Kevlar.
"Well, you were right about this being a bad idea."
"Thanks for sayin', sir."
"Mal, don't you take another step-" Patience says but Mal fires, making her horse fall on top of her.
Mal stalks forward and aims his gun at Patience's face. "Now I did a job. I got nothing but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regard to my character so let me make this abundantly clear. I do the job." He takes the money back. "And then I get paid." He moves his gun from her face. "Go run your little world."
Jayne runs up to him and Zoe, panicky and out of breath. "Mal! It's Wash! We got a ship coming in. They followed us. The gorram Reavers followed us!" He tells them.
Mal and Zoe look at each other, fear in their eyes.
The Reaver ship heads towards Whitefall at a fast pace.
Dobson lunges for his gun and Simon throws himself on top of him. They can both barely stand from their crash before. They struggle until Dobson gets an elbow free and jerks it into Simon's face. He gets free enough to crawl for the weapon, but Simon rolls around and grabs the other one.
He aims at Dobson. "No, don't! Don't move!"
Wash's voice sounds through the com. "Reavers! Reavers incoming and headed straight for us. We are in the air in one minute."
"I guess they got hungry again." Wash says before he starts warming the ship up.
Dobson sees Simon's hands shake as he holds the gun. "You gonna do that? You gonna kill a lawman in cold blood. I know what you did for your sister. I understand. It doesn't make you a killer." A barely conscious Book comes to the entrance, holding onto it to stay up. Inara's shuttle door opens and Trinity cautiously steps out. "I don't wanna hurt anybody. I have a job to do. To uphold the law. That's what we're talking about here."
The Reaver ship breaks into atmo, headed down to the planet.
Wash's eyes widen. "Come on, come on." He holds up his com. "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS?!" He yells.
Mal, Zoe and Jayne ride on horseback as fast as they can.
"There's nowhere you can take her the law won't find. Nobody is going to hurt her. Unless you hurt me." Dobson says. Trinity slowly moves her hand behind her back.
Dobson tries to stand and Simon panics. "No, I said, I said don't-don't move!"
"It's your call."
Simon looks at River, conflicted.
Mal, Zoe, and Jayne ride up to the ship.
The airlock starts to open, the noise and motion distracting Simon long enough for Dobson to grab his gun and fires, missing but sending Simon diving for cover.
Trinity holds her hand up, motioning for Inara to stay back when she tries to come out.
Dobson grabs River and puts himself behind her, gun to her head. "I'm not playing anymore. Anybody makes so much as a-" He doesn't get to finish as Trinity releases a throwing star and Mal comes walks from behind Simon, shooting him. Dobson flies back, letting go of River; he's dead before he hits the floor.
Mal stalks over, making sure he's really dead. Zoe and Jayne appear behind him, walking up the ramp. "Jayne!" He calls, bending down and pulling the throwing star out, tossing it to the side. The man jogs up behind him, grinning.
"Wash! We're on!" Zoe says into the com before hitting a button, making cargo bay starts to close.
Mal and Jayne pick up Dobson like a rag doll, running him across the cargo bay and tossing him off the closing ramp. They run back in, narrowly missing the closing airlock doors. The hatch is still closing as the ship takes off.
Mal and Zoe come up to Wash, Jayne close behind.
"How close are they?" Mal asks.
"About twenty seconds from spitting distance." Wash says.
"Well, lose 'em!" Jayne grunts.
Mal turns to Zoe. "Give me rear vid."
She hits a button and sees the ship approaching from behind. "Ai ya, women wanle."
Mal turns to Wash. "How close do they need to be to fire those grapples?"
"C'mon, Wash, you dumbass, dodge 'em!" Jayne shouts.
"If everybody could just be quiet a moment." He says in a calm voice before veering hard. The Reavers stay on them but Wash continues to pilot with serene expertise. "I need Kaylee in the engine room please."
"Can she even-" Zoe starts, but Mal interrupts her.
"Get her in there. Now." He tells Jayne, who runs, passing Inara and Trinity in the hall. Trinity follows after him. Mal looks at Inara. "I want you to get in your shuttle. Get the civilians, be ready to go."
"We can't just leave you here." She says.
"Thought that was the plan."
"Mal, don't do this-"
"We get boarded, you take off, head for town. We might be able to stop them from following."
"They'll kill you."
"Inara." He says softly. He puts a hand on her shoulder and gently pushes her away. "Go." He turns back to the bridge.
She walks away, looking at him over her shoulder.
The Reaver ship is hard on Serenity's heels.
Jayne carries Kaylee out of the infirmary and Trinity follows after him.
Inara enters and looks at Simon, River, and Book. "You three. Come with me."
"I think I can help Kaylee out." Book says.
"Should I-" Simon starts.
Book motions towards River. "Take her. Keep her safe." Book and Inara share a glance before they go their separate ways.
"Can't keep this up, they get a bead, they're gonna lock us down."
Wash speaks into the com. "Kaylee, how we doing?"
Trinity props Kaylee up in the corner of the engine room, Jayne and Book are at the ready.
"Gonna need a little push here."
"You want me to go for full burn?" Kaylee asks.
"Not just yet, but set it up."
Kaylee looks at Book. "You know where the press regulator is?" He looks around and heads to a part of the engine, pointing at a panel. Kaylee smiles. "Head of class." She coughs, wincing in pain.
Trinity looks at her. "Are you okay?" She asks.
Kaylee nods. "Just shiny."
Inara settles into the pilot's seat of her shuttle, Simon and River strapped in behind her.
"We're ready for full burn on your mark." Kaylee says over the com.
"Full burn in atmo?" Zoe asks. "That won't cause a blowback? Burn us out?"
"Even if it doesn't, they can push just as hard, keep right on us." Mal says. "Wash, you gotta give me an Ivan."
"I'll see what I can do." Wash says before speaking into the com. "Kaylee, how would you feel about pulling a Crazy Ivan?"
"Always wanted to try one." Kaylee smiles. "Jayne. Open the port jet control. Cut the hydraulics."
"Where the hell is-" He starts.
"Look. Look! Look where I'm pointing." She says. He opens a panel near the floor. "Okay. Now it's real simple."
Jayne looks at the tangled cables in disbelief.
The Reaver ship has Serenity locked in. The magnetic grappler warms up, latches flying off.
Zoe watches the Reaver ship out of a porthole. "They're on us."
"Kaylee…?" Wash speaks into the com.
Black smoke billows out of the Reaver ship as it closes in on Serenity.
"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon…" Mal mutters.
"Okay." They hear Kaylee's voice.
"Everybody hold on to something." Wash says. "Here's something you can't do…" He mutters softly to the Reavers before slamming a lever down. Serenity's port jet flips the other way and the ship lurches into a perfect one-eighty, the jet flips back and it's headed straight for the reaver ship, which dodges at the last second. "NOW!" Wash shouts into the com.
Book hits a button, Jayne pulls on a lever, and suddenly the engine turns faster, glowing brightly.
The end of Serenity lights up, sending ripples of fire bursting into the atmosphere as the ship blasts out of there, gradually arcing up toward space.
Wash pulls at the controls with all his might. Finally he eases off, quietly pleased. Mal and Zoe are amazed.
"Knew I hired you for somethin'." Mal says.
Jayne looks around and pumps his fist in the air. "Whoo! Woo-hoo!" He cheers, making Trinity smile.
Zoe leans over the back of Wash's chair. "Ain't no way we they can come around in time to follow us now."
Mal hits the com. "We're good, people."
Inara and Simon sigh in relief.
"We're out of the woods."
Jayne whoops with delight. "Woo-hoo-hoo! Yeah!" Even Book smiles.
Kaylee runs her hand along the hull. "That's my girl. That's my good girl." She looks at the boys and beams.
Wash looks at Mal. "We should have just enough left in us to hit a fuel station. We'll need to do some patching up. I hope we got paid today."
"We did." He nods.
Zoe exchanges a look with Wash. "Sir? I'd like you to take the helm, please. I need this man to tear all my clothes off."
Mal says nothing, just smiles and indicates the way out.
Wash climbs out of the chair and exits with Zoe. "Work, work, work."
Mal throws himself down into the pilot's seat. He sighs in relief and starts flying the ship.
Serenity breaks out of atmosphere into the deep silence of space.
In Inara's shuttle, Book sits as Inara stands in front of him and takes a cloth from a bowl, dabbing his head. "You should really have the young doctor look at this."
"It's not so bad." He says.
"Well, I'm sure you'll be fine." She tells him.
"I didn't say that." He looks up at her and she sees how upset he is, how lost. "Is this what life is, out here?"
"Sometimes."
"I've been out of the abbey two days, I've beaten a lawman senseless, I've fallen in with criminals. I watched the captain and Trinity kill the man I swore to protect." He sighs. "And I'm not even sure if I think they were wrong."
"Shepherd…"
He shakes a bit as his eyes tear up. "I believe I just…" He gives her a pained smile. "I think I'm on the wrong ship."
"Maybe. Or maybe you're exactly where you ought to be." He lowers his head and she puts her hand on it.
Simon tucks River into bed. "The shot I gave you will help you sleep."
"I slept for so long." She says.
"Just a little while. Then we'll find a place. We'll find a safe place." He lies, smiling at her.
She sends him a sad look. "I didn't think you'd come for me."
Tears well in his eyes. "Well, you're a dummy." He takes her into his arms, holding her tight.
Mal is still at the helm as Jayne speaks to him. "The lawman said they'd keep looking for her. Something about her brain being all special. Important to the Alliance brass. Sooner we dump them two, the better."
"Suppose so." Mal says and Jayne gets up to leave. "Funny how the lawman got out of his room. You having tied him up so well and all."
Jayne looks at him. "I didn't have nothing to do with that. Anyway it all turned out just fine. Buzzards're the only ones gonna find him."
"But he did try to make a deal with you, right?" He looks at Jayne, who says nothing. "How come you didn't turn on me, Jayne?"
"Money wasn't good enough."
"What happens when it is?"
Jayne grins. "Well…that'll be an interesting day."
"Imagine it will."
Jayne leaves, rudely bumping into Simon, who is on his way in. Simon comes up next to Mal. He sees Mal's arm is a bit bloody. "You need me to look at that?"
"Just a graze." Mal says.
Simon hesitates before speaking. "So, where do you plan on dumping us?"
"There's places you might be safe. You want the truth, though, you're probably safer on the move." He turns to him. "And we never stop moving."
"I'm confused. No wait, I…I think maybe you're confused."
"It may have become apparent to you that the ship could use a medic. You ain't weak. I don't know how bright you are, top three percent, but you ain't weak and that's not nothing. You live by my rule, you keep your sister from doing anything crazy, you could maybe find a place here. 'Til you find a better."
"I'm trying to put this as delicately as I can…how do I know you won't kill me in my sleep?"
"You don't know me, son. So let me explain this to you once: If I ever kill you, you'll be awake, you'll be facing me, and you'll be armed."
Simon smiles. "Are you always this sentimental?"
"Had a good day."
"You had the Alliance on you, criminals and savages…half the people on the ship have been shot or wounded including yourself, and you're harboring known fugitives."
Mal looks out at the black sky. "We're still flying."
"That's not much."
Mal answers, almost to himself. "It's enough." After a moment, Simon leaves.
Later on, River wakes up and looks at Simon's sleeping form. She silently gets up and leaves the dorm. She silently walks around the ship and on the bridge of the cargo bay. She watches Trinity as she practices with two blades in her hands.
Trinity follows through with another kata and sees movement out of the corner of her eye. She turns around and sees River. "What are you doing here?" She asks. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"
River stares at her for a moment before speaking. "The music woke me."
Trinity's brows furrow in confusion. "What music?" She asks. River begins to hum a tune and Trinity's face hardens. "How do you know that song?"
River walks down the stairs. "I heard it."
"Where?" Trinity asks. River continues humming. "Answer me!" She says quietly.
River looks at her. "She sang it to you so you would fall to sleep."
Trinity steps closer to her. "What do you know about my mother?"
River's eyes cloud and she looks at Trinity in confusion before walking away. Trinity watches after her.