Spartan's Quest – Chapter Eight
Author owns no rights to Firefly, and no copyright infringement is intended. Fanfic only.
--
Athena shadowed Serenity the rest of the trip to Nightside. As the two ships hit orbit, Mal eyed the small moon with some doubt.
"Not so bad as it looks, Captain," Amanda smiled from the co-pilot's seat. She had become friends with Willie, and the small pilot had begun teaching the girl the basics of flying the ship. Mal, thinking of another young reader who had once sat in that seat, and learned to pilot his ship, hadn't offered a word of argument.
"Well, I don't see how it could be worse," Mal muttered. "Looks like a gorram dust bowl from here."
"Good hiding place, though," she smiled again. Mal opened the cortex screen as the message light began flashing.
"Mal," Jayne said as the screen lit up. "We'll head in first. Just follow us down."
"Jayne, are you sure this is a good place for these kids?" Mal asked. "I mean, from here, it don't look like much."
"Don't let the looks fool you, Mal," Jayne smiled. "You'll see." The screen winked off, and Mal looked at Willie.
"You heard the man," he shrugged. "Let them lead us in."
--
"What is this place, Jayne?" River asked, as the ship entered atmo.
"It used to be where we hid, when people began to note that we'd been around too long," Jayne smiled. "Now, it's mostly just a small moon of farmers, with a few settlements here and there. Most of them," he looked at her, "are descendants of people who have served me through the years. This is their inheritance, more or less," he added.
"The whole moon?" River asked in amazement.
"Lock, stock, and defense platforms," Jayne nodded, pointing out the window at a small orbiting killer satellite. "This moon is rather well defended. That's why Prim chose it for the children, I imagine."
"You own an entire moon?" River was stunned.
"I paid for the terra-forming, so yes, I suppose I do," Jayne shrugged. "But the land belongs to the people who live here. I just made it comfortable to live on. In peace."
River fell silent then, mind working to calculate the expense in. . . .
"It's a lot," Jayne smirked, reading the look on her face. "But worth every penny."
--
As the two ships settled in, River could see a small dust cloud approaching.
"We have company coming," she told Jayne. He nodded.
"Expected that." He opened the hatch and walked down the ramp, noting that Mal was likewise emerging from Serenity, Neera at his side. Jayne hid a smile at the sight. Never any way to know what Neera would do.
"She's happy," River said softly at his side. "For the first time in a long while," she added.
"'Spect so," Jayne nodded. "Mal's a lot like. . .like someone she used to know," he caught himself. River smiled, but said nothing.
"Jayne, is this trouble, or what?" Mal asked, walking over the where Jayne and River stood.
"Shouldn't be," Jayne promised. "Anyone tries to land here, unauthorized, the sat's usually blow them out of space."
"That what those orbitals were?" Mal asked, eyebrows raising slightly.
"Yep," Jayne nodded. "Not many people know how to get through them. Whoever is coming should know it's me, or someone representing me. And," he added, pointing to a large manor in the distance, "that's my house, and this is my land. So there better not be a problem," he finished.
"Good enough," Mal nodded.
Three hover mules came into view, all crowded with armed men, and fanned out as they approached the ship. Jerl McCann and his team exited Serenity's hold, and took up defensive positions. The other team remained inside, with the children.
Atop the Athena, the dorsal turret turned to track the lead vehicle. An action that did not go unnoticed by the approaching vehicles.
A large man dismounted from the lead mule, and walked slowly toward them.
"Who are you, and by what right do you set down on this world?" he demanded.
"My name is Janos," Jayne replied calmly. "And my right is that of ownership, which you should know."
The man paled visibly at that, and his whole demeanor changed at once.
"I apologize, milord," the man said contritely. "We had no word of your coming, and then when the two ships sat down. . . ."
"It's fine," Jayne assured him. "Since you're here, however, there is a good deal of cargo to unload, and in need of transport to the manor. Have your men see to it."
"At once, milord," the man nodded, and turned to the three vehicles, snapping orders. Mal shook his head, chuckling.
"What?" Jayne asked, smiling.
"You did all that deliberate, didn't ya?" Mal asked, still laughing. Jayne shrugged.
"Ain't no point in us havin' to unload all that cargo," he pointed out.
"My days of underestimatin' you are at an end, Jayne," Mal assured him.
"'Bout time, too," Jayne nodded, then finally laughed.
"Let's see to gettin' things set up."
--
While not up to the standards of the exquisite manor on Londinium, the Nightside manor, known as Castellum, was impressive, especially by Rim world standards.
Jayne, River, Mal and Neera, along with Yu, went ahead, leaving the children in the care of the staff, and guarded by the two teams of Brethren. The men who had arrived to challenge them were off loading the cargo even now, under the watchful eyes of Zoe, and the crews of the two ships.
"Nice place," Mal noted drily.
"It's okay, for a vacation spot," Jayne nodded, and River giggled in spite of herself.
"I haven't been here in ages," Neera said cheerily. Yu nodded.
"Long time since we've had the need."
"Well, we shouldn't have 'the need' again," Jayne frowned, "but it's a perfect place for the children, I have to admit. And there's room for the others, once we collect them."
"Others?" Mal asked, eyebrows raising.
"Prim believes that the Core children should be safe," River told him. "But those who live on Rim worlds may be in danger, especially now that the orphans are beyond Brockman's grasp. Once things are seen to here, we'll need to begin relocating those families to this world. There's no other way to keep them safe. Not until we find Brockman, and eliminate him," she added darkly.
Mal frowned at the vehemence in River's voice. It seemed that her 'change' had left her a bit more blood thirsty than he remembered.
Or could be I just never noticed it before, too, he thought drily.
"How long's this place been abandoned?" Mal asked, looking around. The grounds were well kept, and the house was in good repair.
"It's never abandoned," Jayne told him. "There's a caretaker, well a couple, actually, and then there's a bare bones staff to keep the house up. Never know when you might want to be alone for a while," he added with a grin.
"I imagine," Mal chuckled.
"It looks nice," River said softly, and Jayne looked down at her.
"Like it better than home?" he asked.
"No," she smiled. "Just saying."
"It is nice," Yu agreed. "And the grounds are beautiful."
River and Mal nodded in agreement, taking in the landscaping.
"Who are you, and what d'you want?"
Everyone turned at the sound of the voice. The speaker looked like an old earth Viking. Tall and broad shouldered, with a flowing red beard, and his long hair braided behind, he stood at least a head taller than Jayne did.
"Hello, Eric," Jayne smiled. "How are you and Ursa?"
"Janos?" Eric's voice softened. "Janos! By Odin's beard, boy, why didn't you tell us you were coming!" The large man came forward and embraced Jayne warmly, slapping his back with a blow that Mal was sure would have killed him.
"Didn't know until the last minute," Jayne returned the embrace warmly. "And it's a bit hush hush, too," he added, more serious. "I've brought a pack of trouble to your door, old friend, make no mistake."
"Good!" Eric boomed. "Been too quiet around here for me, anyway!"
"And that's how I like it!" a woman's voice said scathingly, making the giant Norseman wince. Jayne smiled at Eric's wife, Ursa. The woman was nearly as tall as Jayne, with flowing blonde hair, and eyes so blue that Jayne's looked pale in comparison. She was a beauty, no doubt, but a strong and stern woman, as well.
"Hello, Janos, you scoundrel," Ursa smiled, hugging Jayne tightly. "And what trouble is it you've brought us?"
"Might as well go inside, Ursa," Jayne shrugged. "It's a long story."
"Isn't it always," the woman replied with a long suffering sigh. "Well, come inside then. It's not as if any of you are strangers to. . . ." She broke off, then, spying River, and then Mal.
"And who are they?" she asked, looking back at River knowingly.
"This is Malcolm Reynolds," Jayne introduced Mal first. "A friend of mine."
"Ma'am," Mal nodded politely, and Neera snorted faintly. Jayne grinned, and turned to River.
"And this, is River Tam," Jayne said, taking River's hand in his own. "My bride to be."
"What?" Ursa was stunned. She looked at River more closely.
"Come inside, child," she urged with a smile. "There has to be a story here worth hearing."
--
"Where are we on the Rim world children, Inara?" Simon asked, walking into Inara's office. She looked up at him, a harried expression on her face.
"Getting there," she told him. "There were several of them, you know."
"I know. At least fifteen, as I recall."
"Well," Inara sighed, settling back in her seat. "We used cut-outs to return the children to their families. As you can imagine, they are quite reluctant to listen to anything anyone has to say about their children."
"I hadn't actually considered that," Simon grimaced.
"Neither did I," Inara admitted. "And, since we can't just come right out and tell them, 'hey, remember us? The people who saved your children from the monsters they were being tortured by', we're having a bit of trouble convincing them to listen."
"Not good," Simon sighed. "Those children, and their families, are in even more danger, now that the children from the orphanages are gone."
"Exactly," Inara nodded. "So, we're having to establish a rapport with their families, and that's taking time. Too much time," she added darkly. "I can't stand the thought of even one of those poor children ending up back with these. . .these, monsters, Simon."
"I don't like to think on it, myself," Simon nodded. "Especially not after treating them all for. . . ." He stopped short as Inara's head snapped up. "What?"
"That's it!" Inara beamed. "The children may not know who saved them, but they'll remember you! And Kaylee!," Inara added. "She was right there, hovering, alongside you."
"Well, yes," Simon agreed, not seeing the significance. "But I don't see how that will help. . . ."
"The children will trust you, Simon," Inara told him. "And they will tell their parents that you were the one who treated them. We can use that to at least establish ourselves with them. It's something to build on."
"Okay," Simon nodded, catching on. "I can see that. Then what?"
"Well, the plan is to relocate all of them, families and all, to Nightside. The moon is very well protected, and Prim intends to keep at least one element of the Team there from now on to bolster security. And that's in addition to several others of the Brethren who already call Nightside home, and ensure that things are in good order."
"Well, that should do it, all right," Simon mused. "I take it that Mal will be the one to relocate them?"
"Probably," Inara replied. "I really don't know. Prim will see to all that, actually. And it might not be a good idea to use Mal and Serenity for that job, anyway. He's already tied to what's happening, you know." Simon nodded at that. River had sent them a report of the ship they had destroyed as it was preparing to attack Serenity.
"So what do we do?" Simon asked.
"First thing," Inara said, rising from her seat, and waving Simon into it, "is to contact the families again, using you as the go-between. I'll start calling, while you start working out what you're going to say."
"What am I going to say?" Simon asked, looking at the screen with some trepidation.
"You're very smart, Simon," Inara smiled at him. "You'll think of something."
--
"Sounds like trouble, right enough," Eric nodded, cracking the knuckles on his huge hands. "There'll be no takin' o' children at this house, I can promise you that!" Ursa nodded in instant agreement.
"I agree," she said darkly. "This is. . .barbaric, to say the least. Anyone who comes sniffing around here will wish they hadn't."
"Remember that Neethos was involved in all this," Jayne warned. "There's always the possibility that, well. . . ."
"Aye, and we can deal with that, right enough, need's be," Eric growled. "Never woulda thought it of him, Janos, lad. Knowed him a long time, I did."
"Nor would I," Jayne said sadly. "But. . .Neethos is no more, my old friend."
"You?" Eric asked, looking at Jayne knowingly.
"Yes," Jayne admitted quietly. "I. . .he could not be allowed to continue to. . ."
"Hush that," Ursa told him flatly. "Of course he couldn't. You did well, lad. Very well. I know it was hard on you, child."
Mal frowned at the terms 'lad' and 'child'. Ursa saw that, and smiled.
"Yes, Captain," she told him. "Eric and I are far older than we look. Far older in fact. Older than your 'friend' here, as well, I might add," she chuckled.
"Yes'm," Mal nodded, having learned the value of respect and short answers among these people. Neera laughed.
"Seems you've had a dampening effect on my paramour, Ursa," she smiled, slipping her arm through Mal's.
"I tend to have that effect on men," Ursa grinned wolfishly, then cut her eyes at her husband. "Most of them, anyway," she muttered.
"Mind your tongue, wench!" Eric shot back, then laughed as his wife simply stuck her tongue out at him.
"No respect at all for the man o' tha' house, Captain," he boomed, grinning at Mal. "None o' tall. Mind that one," he pointed at Neera accusingly. "She'll be no better, I warn you fair."
"Be quiet, you old buzzard," Neera replied, laughing. "You'll scare him off!"
"If he ain't already cut and run from you, then there's more to him than meet's the eyes, I warrant," Ursa said, and Mal felt his face redden at that. Fortunately he was saved from any further comments as Jerl McCann and Zoe walked into the house.
"We're set," Jerl told Jayne at once. "Hello, Eric. Ursa," he smiled at the couple.
"Ursa, you and Yuki may want to go and see to quartering the children. I didn't know what to tell them. The staff has them corralled in the main hall, at the moment."
"We'll need to assign rooms for the staff that came with us, as well," Yu told Ursa. "There are six in all, plus the team that will be providing security."
"Let's see to it, then," Ursa rose from her chair. "We'll need to start cooking early, I imagine, with so many to feed."
"Brought a cook with us," Yu smiled. "And a laundress. They'll see to all the children's needs. And the staff as well."
"Figures," Eric grumped.
"Well, they brought their own security, too, you old windbag," Ursa shot back. "It's not like you'll have any extra work to do. Though, Odin knows, it would do you no harm."
"Be about your work, woman!" Eric shouted at her departing back. "Leave a man in peace!" Jayne laughed, shaking his head.
"I see some things never change."