Copper for a Kiss by Lady Cleo
All Disclaimers' Apply
Chapter Twelve: The Black, Serenity
2518 Mid June to early July.
"What's the ruttin' plan?"
"Plan," Mal questioned. "Don't you have a plan? You were the one so gung ho about the assault." The captain glanced down the table to where Jayne stood sulking.
"I'm paying you- you come up with a plan."
"We could sail in with powered down engines. Niska wouldn't know a thing until we hit dock," Wash suggested. Leaning back in his chair, he ran a hand across his chin. "It isn't the easiest thing to do, but I can handle it."
"What the hell are we waiting for than?" Jayne stood up and glanced towards the cockpit. "Let's move! While ya'll are sittin' here chattin' it up, he's probably stickin' her with needles."
"How do we find her once we get in?"
"Look, you just get me in there and I'll find her." The crew turned skeptical glances towards Jayne. "Niska keeps his playthings on the level just above the dockin' platform." A few eyebrows lifted in puzzlement. "What? Ya' don't think I went in there totally unprepared. Had information, just didn't have a chance to use it."
Zoe turned back to Mal, "There will be guards. Once we dock Niska will have a good idea of what's going on."
"We could load the mule with blasts," Book supplied from his corner of the table. "The charges will create a smoke screen and take out anyone waiting to greet you."
Jayne's forehead wrinkled as he glanced over Book, "You're a Shepard?"
"We'll need someone to stay back and hold down the fort." Mal turned to Wash and Kaylee.
"You can count me in, captain," Book added.
The table went quiet for a second. "Preacher, don't the Bible have some pretty specific things to say about killing," Zoe voiced the question on everyone's mind.
"Quite specific." A small smile cracked at the corners of Book's face. "It is, however, somewhat fuzzier on the subject of kneecaps."
-
Simon worked his way quietly down the transport hall, eyes buried in the medical documents that he carried. "Damage to the left cerebral-" His body impacted with that of another, knocking the breath from Simon's lips as he stumbled, dropping the documents.
"Pardon me, Doctor Tam."
Simon glanced up at the unfamiliar voice, a young man stood before him, fiddling with his hands as he reached down to assist Simon in collecting the document. He wasn't wearing any kind of identification, which immediately set Simon at unease. This was a private Medical Transport. As far as he was concerned, the only people onboard should have been the frigates personnel, a comatose father, and a worried mother.
"I'm sorry, Doctor Tam. I'm guess I wasn't looking where I was going," the young man explained as he handed Simon the document. "Having some troubles loading supplies, must not have been focusing on where I was going."
"Yes, of course, it's understandable, crewman-"
"I'm the Dock Manager, Crewman Dobson, sir."
"Don't worry about it, I think we may have both been at fault in this case." Taking the document from the other man, Simon turned away. Starting once again for his own private corridors, Simon paused, "Mr. Dobson." The other man froze, "Do you have any idea when we'll be ready for departure?"
"Just a couple hours and we'll be underway."
Simon nodded briskly. Turning back he stepped into his quarters and headed for the desk, slowly lowering himself into the plush chair that waited. Something wasn't settling right in his head. He had a sneaking suspicion-
The door opened and his mother stepped into the room. Her pale face looked twice its age, the worn lines of age stretched across her face and illuminated by the artificial lighting of the ship. "Your father's all settled now. We're just waiting for that fumbling idiot to get his crew together and the supplies loaded."
A smile cracked across Simon's face, "I see you've met Crewman Dobson."
"The idiot nearly dropped your father's suitcases, can you imagine if he had. All you father's things would have been spread across that dirty floor." Regan Tam settled down into a chair across from her son. "With such a crew it'll be a miracle if we make it to Sedona in one piece."
Silence settled into the air as Regan began picking at the folds of her skirt. Simon furrowed his brow as he continued reading over the report. "Simon-" her voice dropped down to a hesitant whisper, "Simon, have you heard- have you heard anything lately?"
Simon glanced up from the report, "anything?"
"Yes, anything about- anything about anyone?"
"Mother really, you can say her name. The Alliance won't swoop out of the closets if you say it."
Regan Tam shook her head fearfully. "No, Simon. There are too many ears aboard this ship, too many people who can not be trusted. Look what they did to your father for trying to discover the truth. I can't imagine what they would do to you if they ever thought that maybe you knew where she was."
"The Alliance isn't stupid, mother. I'm sure they're well aware that I've been searching for their favorite fugitive." Simon set the report down and stood. Crossing the room he leaned against the chair and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. "All too well aware."
-
"You really think this'll work," Jayne questioned as he glared out the cockpit window at the growing skyplex.
Wash nodded as he focused intently on his steering. "Except for the comm static I'm piping out on all frequencies, we've been completely powered down since I fired the attitude thrusters a half hour ago. We should show up on their screens as a radar glitch if they aren't looking too close."
The mercenary straightened, "What if they are looking too close?"
"Hell, I'm just glad we're on course," the pilot quipped.
"It's like throwing a dart and hitting a bulls-eye 6,000 miles away," Zoe explained with a proud smile. "That's my man."
"You guys better get down to the bay. We'll be at their front door in less than a minute."
Jayne turned away from the scene, clutching Vera close he moved quickly through the ship and down the stairs into the cargo bay. The preacher was busy strapping some containers onto the mule while Kaylee played with the door panel.
"We're good, captain." Zoë called out as she descended the stairs a step behind Jayne.
Mal appeared from the guest quarters. Strapping on another weapon he nodded to his second before facing the Shepard, "How we doing?"
"Ready when you are."
"Kaylee, how about that override sequence?"
The engineer dropped a tool back into her toolbox and wiped her hands on her jumpsuit, "Pretty sure this'll pop their airlock doors if Wash can get a seal on the first try."
The comm. buzzed as Wash's voice filled the cargo hold, "We're set."
"Okay, people," Zoë called out, "If it moves, shoot it."
"Unless it's my girl."
-
River curled tightly into a ball, pressing her body into the corner of her holding cell. Scrambling to block out the voices that invaded her head, she brought up her hands, covering her ears and head. The pain laced through her head as her body trembled almost uncontrollably, "Delirium tremens, fever, convulsions – Dysphoria." Bringing a trembling hand down she brushed her fingertips over her face and curled tighter into her corner, "Jayne-"
-
The rapid fire of bullets seemed to bounce continuously down the halls. Jayne snorted at the annoyance preventing his movement. Shoving another round into his weapon, he poked his head around the corner and let a blaze of bullets into the nearest victim.
"Kaylee, you got that cell number for me yet?" The static buzzed through the shoulder comm. as Mal ducked behind the coverage of the wall.
"It ain't exactly a picnic over hear cap't-" her voice suddenly cut off into a yelp.
A hint of panic raced through Mal's head, "Kaylee?"
"Two thirteen – newest arrival's in two thirteen."
Pushing down the relief, Mal glanced over at Zoe, "Now let's see if we can find-"
"Captain," Zoë's motioned with her head to the nearest door.
Squinting over at the inscription, Mal snorted as he read the bolded numbers, two ten. "Should be just around the corner. That makes sense-" Mal peered out into the hallway as he attempted to count the number of guards stationed on the other side. "Nothing's easy it."
Swinging the weapon over his shoulder, Jayne grimaced, "let me handle this." Pulling out his two pistols, Jayne stepped around the corner.
"He's ruttin insane," diving around the corner, Mal raced after the mercenary.
Jayne moved down the hall with purpose, aiming his shots carefully he inched down towards the doors, randomly taking cover against the wall. Two eleven - two twelve – two thirteen. Jayne fired off another round, clearing himself as Zoe and Mal moved past him, diverting the gunfire. Taking a step back, Jayne aimed both weapons at the security panel and fired. Electricity shot through the system as the bullets impacted. Tucking the weapons into his pants, Jayne grabbed the handle and yanked, manually prying the door open.
His eyes found the small huddled form.
With two steps Jayne crossed the cell and lifted the trembling girl into his arms. River gave a startled squeak, her hands moving quickly to wrap around his neck. Ignoring the sound of continuing gunfire, Jayne glanced down over her, "Damn, woman, you're burning up. What the hell did he do with you-"
"Hate to interrupt your lovely little reunion, but I think we ought to cut out of here." Mal shouted in from the doorway. "Looks like more company's coming. Hate to stay and chat with them."
Tightening his grip on River, Jayne moved back out on the hallway, retreating back towards the waiting ship. Breaking into a run, Jayne skidded around the next corner-
"Mr. Cobb, you would not be so ungracious as to leave without speaking with your host, no?" Niska smiled down at the pair, tapping his fingers together almost gleefully. "My friends and I would be very disappointed." The smaller man motioned of the line of guards surrounding them.
"Wouldn't want to be doing that now would I," Jayne questioned through gritted teeth. Setting River down on her own feet, Jayne dropped one hand down to a weapon, the other keeping a supportive hold on the trembling River. Mal skidded to a sudden halt behind him, cursing as Zoë rounded the corner.
"Aw, Mr. Reynolds, what an unexpected pleasure." Niska chuckled, "Many times have I wondered when we would meet again. There is some unfinished business between us, yes."
"Reckon another plan would be real handy right now, wouldn't happen to have any suggestions," Mal questioned Jayne and Zoe quietly. His fingers twitched across his weapon as he glared down at the smaller twisted form of Niska. "Really don't wanna find out how Niska plans on finishing our business deal."
"Let me handle this."
For some reason Mal was convinced that in another lifetime things would have been reversed.
Jayne pulled River flush to his chest, "You coherent, baby?" River gave a weak nod, burying her warm face against his chest. "Got a job to do, need ya to focus for me." Her hands dropped down to his belt, tracing the leather. "Don't hit the two idiots behind me-" River nodded. Her hand grasped the guns tucked into his belt. Jayne felt the gun moved and dropped away from river, grabbing the started pair behind him he yanked them down to the floor as the first shot rang through the air.
The world seemed to slow down for River as she spun up to her toes, a leg extending out, she danced to the silent music in her head, arms extending as she pirouetted around. The fever spiked, her body trembling through the gracefully movements, lights flashing, faces blurred as the smell of gunfire permeated the air. Her head swinging back as she felt the flow of music move through her veins, washing away the pain as she spun gracefully to a halt.
The smoking guns dropped down to the red covered floor as River pulled out of the daze, blinking away the fog as she starred down at the multitude of bodies laying before her. The sounds crashed painfully back to her ears as she stumbled backwards. Releasing Mal and Zoe, Jayne jumped back to his feet, arms wrapping around the trembling girl. "River, River, you okay?" His voice had a strange ringing in her ears.
Slowly pulling himself up, Mal turned to the vision of carnage that lay before the group. "Wo de mah. What the hell-"
Jayne turned a glare to the other man, silencing him. "Time we got out of this death trap." Swinging River back up into his arms, Jayne turned back towards the dock.
"Jayne-" her small voice startled him, her hands reaching up to cling to his shirt. "Eyes, Jayne – need the eyes."
"Screw the eyes- I ain't risking y-"
River's grip tightened, "Eyes Jayne- I need the eyes."
The growl that slipped up his throat spoke more of frustration than anger, "Get that girl of yours on the line- see if she can't find where the bastard keeps his head scanner."
-
The doors parted, light flooding the small cold room. Still clinging tightly to the small women in his arms, Jayne crossed the room to its soul component: a stark cold infirmary chair. Still cradling River close, Jayne gently lowered her to the chair.
"You mind telling me why we made this little detour?" Mal questioned from the doorway. Zoe fidgeted with her weapon beside him, glancing down the halls. "Ships crawling with-"
"You wanna get paid you can wait- else the girl and I can find our own way off this trap." Turning back to River, Jayne pried her fingers from his shirt. "If'n we're gonna do this you gotta tell me what to do."
River gulped down a deep breath and turned her head towards the lone standing controls. "Should be a blue data key- a red button." Jayne moved back across the room to the panels, blue eyes locking onto the key. "Hit the button, turn the key."
The lights flashed brighter for a second, her exoskeleton flashing in above her body. River let her eyes flutter close, the images burning in her mind, the fear creeping along her spine. "Second panel on the right, select the first button – head should appear." Jayne slammed down on the button, watching as the exoskeleton vanished, replaced only by four quadrants of her brain. "Hit the blue button on the first panel."
"Got it, now what?"
"Wait – when light flashes blue turn the data key back."
Mal clenched his weapon closer teeth, "Don't reckon we could move this along, I ain't endangering my crew."
"I'll make it worth your while-"
"Ever man's got his price limit and I don't intend on-"
Jayne ignored the other man, flipping the key and pulling it out he shoved the disk into his pocket. Racing back across the room Jayne lifted the girl back into his arms. Shifting her weight around he turned back to the waiting pair. "Got it, lets go."
-
The ramp pulled up, hissing at it sealed. Beneath them the ship trembled as she pulled away from the space station, engines blasting as she shot off into the black of space. "You mind telling me about that little detour now?" Mal's hands dropped down to his belt.
"Needed answers-" Ignoring the captain's glare, Jayne set River gently down on her own feet. "You did your job, pay's on Haven like I promised."
"Seems to me so long as you're on this ship and endangering my crew I got a right to know-"
"This don't got nothing to do with you or your ruttin crew. It's between me and my gal here." Jayne's hand flexed down to the gun at his side, his mouth drawing into a hard line as he took a step towards the captain. "So unless you're suddenly a part of this here marriage I suggest you keep your ruttin' nose where it belongs and worry about flying your ship."
Mal straightened, starting to step forward he paused, gaze falling to the trembling girl as she lifted fevered eyes to him. Temporally shaking off the anger, Mal turned for the stairs. "We can finish this later. Dinner's at nineteen hundred hours." Clambering up the stairs he moved off towards the cockpit.
Shaking his head in annoyance Jayne turned back to River; worry knotted his brow as he ran a hand down her arms. The back of his hand flew up to her forehead again, "You're still burning up- what the hell happened on that station."
"Nothing-" Pushing away his hand, River shook her head and backed away. Her footsteps faltered and the small girl wobbled unsteady. "It's changed – genetics altered, the symptoms, the equation."
A hint of panic seeped into Jayne's voice as he watched her quiver unsteadily on her feet, "You ain't making any sense to me."
"He took, he took," the tears started welling up in her. "Didn't work without. Broken, I'm broken. All the symptoms- couldn't function. Doesn't make sense, just wanted to be, just wanted to see but it's changed." Her knees caved in and the girl dropped down to the floor. "Not supposed to happen like this."
Crossing the cargo bay, Jayne reached down and pulled her back to her feet. "It's all over now. I ain't letting that happen again." Wrapping his arms around her waist he pulled her tightly to his chest. . "Look you and me- we're set now. Ain't nothing gonna be able to keep us apart for long. Family don't ever separate for a long time, their always getting' back together, cuz it's blood ties, girl. You made us blood ties. Ain't nothing stronger than that."
"You don't understand." River shook her head, nails digging into his skin as she clung to the larger form. "Doing what they wanted. Without is dysphoria, nauesa, inability to be. With comes spike of adernline, racing heart, ability to be. Keys are all set up, locks just have to be placed."
"Gorram it, woman, what happens happens - Aint' a day gonna go by that I ain't gonna riskin' my neck for more money, or ta save your skinny hide. Ain't no hole in the 'verse big enough to hide us from the world. The Alliance is gonna be on our ruttin tales til death- ain't no if 'bout it. If'n we fall into the damn trap we just gotta climb back out of it, hell woman, it was you that taught me that, so's why am I havin' to teach the damn teacher?" Releasing her , Jayne moved his hands up to cup her face, "It's you and me through hell and- hell and whatever the hell else can be thrown at us. Just you and me, you and me agiasn't the whole damn 'verse girl."
"Don't understrand-"
Jayne's head sudddenly dropped down to hers, his lips pressing tightly to hers, silencing any thought she would have voiced. A hand dropped to the small of her back, crushing her smaller body to his, lips pressing agisnt her with all the force of years of repression.