CHAPTER TEN
Blah, blah, blah blah blah blah. No Virginia, I don't own Firefly.
FF
Jayne's eyes registered his surprise, and he couldn't help but look up to where River was standing. He found her staring straight at him. Their eyes locked, and she nodded, once. He nodded in return, and looked back to Simon.
"Ain't hardly no one knows my real name," he said softly, then turned to look at the group in question. "That one that grabbed me called Flint Chief." He thought for a moment, then turned back to Simon.
"I don't. . .I don't get it," he said helplessly. "There's no reason in the world for anyone to be lookin' for me, especially a Chief from Tokala. I. . .I thought there was somethin' familiar about the way they talked, but I just kinda chalked it up to having heard it somewhere. But. . .I think they're Yaquay."
"Why would they be looking for you?" Simon asked, his voice soft. "What reason could they have?"
"There ain't one," Jayne shrugged helplessly. "I ain't never been back since I left, Simon. Not even a single time. Ain't. . .ain't nothin' there for me no more." Simon instantly hated the group for making Jayne even think about what had happened to his family.
"What are you going to do, Jayne?" Simon wanted to know.
"I don't know," Jayne admitted. "On the one hand, I don't want'em around me for nothin'. But on the other," he paused. "On the other, if they're lookin' for me, it seems like a good idea to keep'em around. You know, where I can keep an eye on'em. What d'you think?"
Simon considered that. It was a valid consideration. If they were up to no good. . . .Simon's thinking stopped at that. What if they weren't?
"Jayne, what if they're looking for you for something important?" he asked. "I mean, there may not be anything sinister about this. I admit there could be, too. But, you see what I mean?"
Jayne nodded slowly, clearly considering.
"Thing is, I don't like the idea o' them bein' down in the dorms with you three. If they are up to somethin' I'd not want you in the middle of it."
"Well," Simon said slowly. "There is something we can do, but it will put some of the crew out a bit."
"I'm listenin'."
FF
"Liam, you're gonna bunk with Holly," Jayne told the teen quietly. "Just til we get home. I'ma let Simon and Kaylee use your room, so they ain't got to be down here with that bunch."
"Why are we taking them on in the first place?" Blade demanded. "Unless. . .we can space'em, once we're in the black," she looked hopeful.
"No, that's not why," Jayne shook his head. "I need. . .look, this is somethin' personal, at least I think it is. I can't go into it right now, but I. . .I want to keep this bunch where I can keep an eye on'em, at least for now. Will you trust me on that?"
"Course," Blade snorted, offended by the question. "But if they step outta line. . . ."
"I'll let you cycle the airlock," Jayne nodded.
"I'm good with that," Blade agreed, smiling unpleasantly.
"All right, then," Jayne breathed a sigh of relief. Blade could be a little blood thirsty at times, and she didn't really need to be angry like Jayne usually did, either.
"Chelsa, River is gonna have to stay with you," he said. "Is that gonna be okay?"
"Think so," Chelsa nodded, smiling. "We got along real well last night. It. . .it ain't like havin' her back, but. . .it's better'n nothin'."
"Good girl," Jayne smiled. "All right, Liam, go and help Simon and Kaylee get settled in your bunk, and Chelsa you go help River. Wart, I want you to hang around down here with me, just in case. The old man ain't gonna like what I say to him, and they may try to act up."
"I look forward to it," Wart growled, nodding.
"Blade, you and Holly go ahead and get us set up for departure. I'll check on the loadin', and then speak to Mister Flint."
FF
"So it's like this," Jayne told the waiting group. "We're clearing out the passenger dorms, so you'll have all five rooms. While onboard, you'll confine yourselves to the rooms, the lower lounger, and the galley. Any weapons you're carrying, you'll surrender to us, and get'em back when we touch down at Argo. Engineering, Bridge, Crew Billets, and the cargo bay are all of limits without my permission. You find that agreeable?"
"We cannot surrender. . . ." One of the younger men started to say, but Flint held up a hand. He had regained his self control somewhat during the wait, but was still angry.
"Those terms are agreeable. Thank you."
"Wart will take your weapons, and store them in the ship's armory, then," Jayne told them. "Don't try to hold out on us, either," he warned. "There ain't no law but mine on this ship when it's in the black. And that includes all of you. We'll serve lunch about noon. We'll call you when it's ready."
"Thank you, Captain," Annassa bowed slightly, her smile very bright. "We appreciate this."
"Know what's it's like to have to be somewhere in a hurry," was all Jayne said. "Now, you'll excuse me, I got work to do."
The party handed over their weapons, including a large ornate looking knife from the three younger men and one woman 'attendants'. None of them seemed to care about their guns, but parting with the knives seemed to hurt.
Wart didn't really care, and carried them to the armory where they were unceremoniously dumped in a bin. He slammed the door shut, and secured it.
Jayne watched carefully as the party took their bags and headed to the now empty dorms. He'd have to play this one by ear, and that concerned him.
And he still had no idea what they could possibly want with him.
FF
With the new room assignments set, and the loading complete, Companion lifted on time, headed for Argo. The passengers were in the lower lounge, and had made no attempt to leave it.
Jayne made his way to the bridge, where he was surprised to find River, sitting in front of the Cortex screen. She looked up when he came on the bridge.
"George Flint, age fifty-seven, Tribal Chief of the Two Bears clan, holds their seat on the Tokala Tribal Council, ruling body of the moon Tokala. Population undisclosed. Daughter Annassa, sole and only child of the Chief, and heir apparent."
"I see," Jayne nodded. "Thanks. I appreciate that."
"Their intentions are not admirable," she told him flatly, eyes lidded. "Inadvisable to allow them on board." Blade snorted at that, but remained silent, otherwise.
"I had to," Jayne admitted. "I need to know what they want."
"They aren't looking for you," River accused him. "They're looking for. . . ."
"I know who they're lookin' for," Jayne cut her off. "I want to know why."
"Is the man they seek known to you, then?" she all but demanded.
"He is," Jayne nodded once.
"Could he be wanted?" she asked, calculating.
"Not by them, and not on that world," Jayne told her flatly. "So there's something else going on. I wanna know what, so here they are."
"They might be a danger," River argued.
"Not with this crew," Jayne shot back, and River heard her own words echoed. "Ain't a soul on this boat ain't worth three o' them in a fight. Period. We're just fine."
"Then why move us all up here?" she demanded.
"Makin' room," he said simply. "Now, if you're done questionin' my captainy decision makin' skills, I got work to do." He stomped off the bridge again before she could say anything else. She looked at Blade, who was very blatantly ignoring them both.
"Is he always so. . .so. . .pigheaded?" she almost spat.
"Yep," Blade nodded. "Ever since I knowed him."
"How long is that, if I may ask?" River changed gears quickly.
"Hm," Blade thought about that a minute. "Have to say, at least fifteen years, give or take. Ain't been with him that whole time, mind you," she added. "Started working with him again about a year or so ago, I guess."
"Do you like it?"
"Gotta say I do," Blade admitted. "Never a dull moment, it seems," she smiled.
"So it does," River sighed. She rose from her seat and left the bridge herself.
"If she ever gets her memory back, it'll take three days to clear the carnage away," Blade murmured to herself. "At least three days."
FF
The rest of the day, and most of the next, went somewhat smoothly. There was tension in the air, and there was little interaction between the passengers and the rest. River glared at Annassa Flint with undisguised hostility that she herself couldn't understand. She remained silent, however, knowing that anything she said might cause further problems. She was frustrated by her lack of memory, and that made her. . .uneasy. There was something she was missing, and she could almost. . . .
"I understand you are a physician," Flint remarked to Simon, sitting across the table. It was the second day of the voyage, and everyone was assembled for the evening meal.
"Yes, I am," Simon replied, once he got over the shock of Flint actually talking to him.
"Do you have your own practice, Doctor?" Annassa asked politely.
"I do," Simon nodded. "I have a small clinic at an Agri-Industrial plant. We're a fair distance from any town, so it keeps me somewhat busy."
"I see," she smiled.
"I'd imagine you see a good many patients, then," Flint commented. "With being the only clinic for such a distance."
"I do. The nearest office other than mine is roughly fifty miles. For those in our area, in any direction, I'm the closest physician they have. Or surgeon," he added.
"I understand that Argo is primarily an agricultural moon, yes?" Flint asked, seemingly just making conversation.
"There is some industry, but yes, Argo is ninety percent farm, ranches, or orchards. And much of the industry is related to that, incidentally."
"The entire moon's economy revolves around agriculture then?" Annassa inquired, again, seemingly just to create conversation.
"Pretty much entirely," Simon agreed.
"How do you fit into that economy, Captain?" Flint asked. Jayne started slightly, having been intent on just listening.
"We just provide shippin' for the moon's products to Astra," he shrugged. "For the company that house's Simon's clinic, in fact."
"You do nothing else?" Flint asked.
"Keeps both ships busy just shippin' for one company," Jayne nodded. "We sometimes bring freight back, if there's room, and on occasion we take passengers back and forth. Usually folks from Argo making a round trip. We do get folks such as yourselves that are visitin' on business, but that's pretty rare."
"Which would explain the shortage of berths for our needs," Annassa nodded. "We are indebted to you for making arrangements for us, especially on such short notice."
"No problem," Jayne assured her. "Fortunately for you, the other occupants were family, so we were able to move around some crew quarters temporarily. Makes for a tight fit, but it's only for a bit."
"So all of you are related?" Flint asked, frowning slightly.
"One way or another," Jayne nodded. "Some by blood, some by marriage, and some just by plain choice."
"Interesting," Annassa commented.
"So what's bringin' you folks to Argo?" Blade asked, smiling. "Not that it ain't a nice place, cause it is. But. . .well, we're a mite off the beaten path."
"Our business is of a personal nature," Flint told her a bit cooly. "However, it's entirely possible you might be able to assist us. We're looking for someone from our homeworld. Someone who's been missing for a very long time. He is needed, urgently needed I should say, at home."
"And you reckon he's here? On Argo, I mean?" Blade asked, frowning slightly.
"Almost certainly."
"He got a name?" Kaylee asked. "We see a lotta folks at my shop. Might be we can help ya hook up with'im."
"Your. . .shop?" Annassa asked, disdain clear in her voice.
"Mrs Tam owns one of the largest machine services on the moon," Jayne informed her, with a smirk. "And the most successful. Operators come from all over to hire her company's services."
"Yep," Kaylee smiled. "Ain't nothin' we can't fix."
"Indeed," the other woman sniffed. "You must be very proud."
"You betcha," Kaylee shot back. Jayne decided that Kaylee's hormones must be changing a good bit. He'd rarely seen her hackles raised like that.
"The man we're looking for is named Ironhorse," Flint told them, watching for some reaction. He was disappointed.
"Never heard the name, I'm afraid," Simon shook his head. "It's a unique sounding name, so I feel sure I'd remember it."
"He was, at some point in the recent past, employed aboard the ship Serenity," Flint played his trump card.
"Uh, not to be objectionable," Wart said, looking around, "but, well, we've worked for this company a little while now, and. . .well, I've not heard that name at all. Are you sure you folks ain't on a wild goose chase?" The fact that so many at the table didn't know Jayne's real name allowed Jayne to sit back, and watch, for now.
"We're quite sure," Annassa replied cooly. "Our sources are quite reliable."
"Well, I ain't sayin' he ain't on Argo," Blade told her flatly. "But he ain't on Serenity, and that's just a cold, hard fact. Ain't no way. We know everyone who works for the company, and like Peter said, that's not a name we'd likely forget."
"It's completely possible that he's using a different name," Flint shrugged. "He is not a very reputable person, I'm afraid. In fact, he has abandoned his family, and refused to honor a family obligation of some importance."
Jayne knew the old man was trying to bait him, but didn't fall for it. He was willing to give the old man credit for being cagy. Unfortunately, not everyone realized what he was doing.
"That's a damn lie!"
Firefly we miss you!
A/N: The moment you've asked about is getting close. Things get a little sticky in the next chapter. Thanks for reading, and for all the reviews. I really appreciate it. Also, many have asked about why River hasn't 'read' things already.
She can still 'read', but as you've seen, she gets confused, wondering if what she's reading is real or memory, or just what she wants to be real. She's trying to work through it, but Simon, and at his behest the rest, are making her work through it rather than giving it to her. This is actually based on some actual treatment remedies that are in use today. Someone who has lost their memory due to trauma is often treated by living surrounded by those she knew, but not having been told how they know them. It is believed that doing such will increase the chances that the victim will recover their memories on their own.
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