CHAPTER FIFTEEN
See previous disclaimer.
FF
Companion was in the black, headed once more for Astra. Only this time, for the first time in far too long, River was once more at the helm.
Without Blade and Wart along, the ship was less lively, it seemed, but the crew was so happy to have River back, whole and healthy, that no one minded. The two former mercs would be missed, for sure, but they had a ship of their own now, and would soon be working the black at the helm of the newest addition to Reynolds' Shipping's small fleet.
"Have to start callin' Mal Admiral 'fore long," Jayne mused, leaning back in the co-pilot's chair. River giggled at that.
"Fitting, I suppose," she replied. "What do you think of our new business venture?"
"'Spect it'll work," he shrugged. "Ain't really got no head for business, woman, and you know it. Why I leave all that to you," he smirked.
"Man must know his limitations," River said seriously. "It's good to see you embracing your's," she added slyly.
"I'll embrace somethin' all right," Jayne growled, and River felt a shiver run down her spine.
"You did well with my finances, while I was sick," she pointed out, more seriously. Jayne snorted.
"Didn't do nothin'," he shook his head. "Just had Inara cash it all out, and get it somewhere's safe. Didn't know what else to do. And I had to think about what all you'd need, if. . .well, you was hurt real bad, and it didn't. . . ." he trailed off, not knowing how to finish.
"I'm so sorry, Jayne," River said softly. "So very sorry. I was foolish, and arrogant, and it cost us so much, and it's my fault. Completely."
"You. . .I. . .I didn't really help none," he said lamely. "I was just. . .well, I was mad, yeah. But more'n that, I was hurt, River," he admitted to her for the first time. "You just up and did all that 'thout even talkin' to me. Didn't even think about me and the girl. It hurt," he repeated, honestly.
"I know," River nodded. "I did not mean to hurt you," she added after a minute. "I was so set on my plan, I never stopped to think about what it would do to either of you. And I gave no thought at all to what my. . .what would. . .what it would mean to both of you, if I failed."
"It was painful," Jayne admitted. "Seein' you, not able to talk to you, 'count o' you not knowin' us. It hurt. Chelsa couldn't take it, really, and stopped even talkin' 'bout it for a while. I kinda blamed Mal for it. . . ."
"It was not his doing," River cut him off. "It was mine, and mine alone."
"Oh, I know that," Jayne assured her, and River winced slightly at the tone, but endured it, because she knew she deserved it. She had hurt this man, a man she had sworn to love and cherish forever. Hurt him deeply.
And he had stood by her, despite it all. Most would not have.
"Jayne, why didn't you leave?" she asked, almost afraid, but wanting to know. "I had betrayed your trust. I know that you felt I had chosen Mal over you, although I never thought of it that way. Once I. . .once you realized that I couldn't remember you, you could have left."
"Thought about it," he admitted, and River's heart hammered at that. "But in the end, I couldn't, really. Never was really an option. I had a long talk with the girl, and she wanted to stay, keep workin'. We had a home, here, and people what cared about us, and us them."
"Even though we knew there was a chance you'd never remember, it still just wasn't an option. We. . .I, always just hoped for the best. And for once, I got it," he added, smiling.
"I'm glad you stayed," River told him. "I love you, Jayne. More than anything."
"I admit, didn't seem that way at the time," Jayne told her. "It seemed like you loved us, but not enough to stay with us 'stead o' goin' off and doin' somethin' stupid."
"I'm sorry for that," River said yet again. "Please forgive me."
"I already forgave you," Jayne assured her. "Long time ago. I said a lotta things that night that were mean. I meant'em at the time," he admitted. "I was hurt, and angry, and never had felt so betrayed in my life." Tears fell from River's eyes as she heard him admit to the pain she had caused him. She was grateful they were in the dark.
"Didn't help that Mal came to talk to me later," Jayne went on. "I mighta threatened him a little, and I told him not to be botherin' me no more." He sighed, and stretched out a little more.
"Inara tried to talk to me 'bout it, but I pretty much just shut her down. For me, all I could see was you goin' behind my back to do somethin' that you knew I would have objected to. Had you not been so on me about us talkin' things through, and makin' decisions together, I might notta been so mad."
"Well," he added, "that and you not havin' the decency to tell me first, afore ya told every body else. I really thought I'da rated bein' told ahead o' time. But I guess you had your reasons."
"I meant to tell you, but run out of time," River admitted. "I had planned to discuss it with you before the meeting. I just. . .didn't get it done in time."
"Discuss?" Jayne's voice rose in timbre at that. "Don't ya mean tell? Wasn't gonna be no discussion, was there?" he asked, not unkindly, though. "You said it yourself, in front 'o ever body. It was your decision, and you'd already made it. Without me."
"That's true," River's voice was small. "I shouldn't have done that."
"No, you shouldn'a," Jayne shrugged. "Is what it is, I guess," he sighed.
"Are you sure you've forgiven me, Jayne?" River asked.
"What ya mean?"
"It sounds as though you still harbor strong feelings about this," she said, her voice small. "I understand if that's true."
"I do feel strongly 'bout it," Jayne nodded. "Don't mean I ain't forgave you, 'cause I have. Don't make me like it any better."
"No, I suppose not," River agreed. "How can I make it up to you, my Jayne?"
"You can't," Jayne's reply cut deeply. "It's water under the bridge, River. You can't undo it, and ya can't change it. You can't make the pain go away or not have happened. It'll always hurt. Still don't mean I don't forgive you. I do. Even understand, at least some, why you did what you did. Took me a while, but I do."
"That don't make the hurt any less, though. And it don't take away the feelin' that you betrayed my trust in doin' it the way you did. I can't help that," he told her plainly. "I don't hold it against you, and you'll never hear it from me, less we're talkin' about it like this. I won't. . .I can't do that to you."
Silence reigned after that. There really wasn't anything else to be said. She had betrayed him, and she knew he was right to feel that way. Her intentions had been good, but myth had it that the road to hell was paved with them. They meant nothing when you hurt the ones you loved, and that loved you.
Of all the things she had endured, knowing that Jayne felt that way was the hardest, she thought. And despite it all, he remained true to her. Never far away, always there if she needed him, always caring. Loving.
It was more than she deserved, River thought. For once she had been wrong, and it had cost her so much. Had very nearly cost her everything, including her life. She shuddered as a sob wracked her, and couldn't contain it.
"River," Jayne was beside her in a flash. "River, don't do this," he whispered. "It's behind us. Let it stay there, and move on. It's over and done with."
"I'm so sorry," she sobbed, leaning into him. "Oh, my God, Jayne, I am so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. Any of you. I don't know how you can forgive so easily. You have every right to hate me."
"I love you," he said simply, wrapping his arms around her. "That's just a plain fact. I love you, and that's all there is to it. Nothin' else matters. Especially not now, that you're back here, where you belong." He picked her up, holding her to him, and sat down in her seat. She curled around him, crying like she had not in a long time.
Jayne simply held her, rubbing her back, crooning to her smoothly. She finally fell asleep in his arms, cried out to exhaustion. When Liam reported for his stint on the bridge, Jayne carried her to their bunk, and laid her gently on the bed. He joined her there, and soon both were fast asleep.
It would, perhaps, take time, but they would heal. And be stronger. Together.
FF
"This man has a blood debt to our clan," Flint told the assembled warriors. "His wife is an outsider, and her presence keeps him here. Moreover, his is betrothed to my daughter, and has refused her." The four men and one woman stiffened slightly at that. That was a serious insult, and breach of custom.
"This woman has to be dealt with," Flint told them. "With her gone, at least part of the stain will be erased. Moreover, her removal will rid him of the last objection to honoring his debt."
"You wish the woman dead," the leader stated, more than asked.
"I do," Flint told him. "I wish it very much. With her gone, he will be forced to return, and uphold his obligation."
"Where do we find him?"
"He is coming to you," Flint smiled. "They will arrive here sometime in the next two weeks. All you need do it watch, and wait."
"Be warned, however, that they are both formidable. You will need to take precautions. This must not be traced back to us."
"We will take care of it," the leader promised. "Have you a photo of the woman?"
"No, but she's easily recognizable. Small framed, brown hair, very petite actually compared to him. He is a large man, heavily scarred and well muscled. They will likely be together. Eliminate her, but do not harm him in any way. Do not accost him. Once the job is done, I will take care of him. Understand?"
"Yes, sir," the leader nodded. "We will be waiting."
"Do not fail me," Flint warned. "Too much is at stake."
"We will not."
FF
"Well, I gotta say, sir, things appear to be shapin' up rather well." Zoe stood beside Mal, looking at Muad'Dib's name being added to the ship's hull. "Hell of a name for a ship, though, you don't mind me saying."
"Inara's idea," Mal replied, as if that should explain everything.
"Kinda masculine, for a ship," Zoe continued.
"Inara's. Idea." Mal repeated, separating the words.
"Yeah, I got that," Zoe nodded, her face still stoic. Inside, she was choking off laughter. It felt good to needle him again, even a little. And it felt wonderful that she was able to.
"I think it's a good, heroic name, actually," Mal sniffed a little, and Zoe finally lost her battle with the laughter. Mal mock glared at her.
"What's so gorram funny?" he demanded.
"You are," Zoe managed to reply between gales of laughter.
"Har-de-har," Mal grumbled, but inside, he, too, was enjoying it.
"What do you think, Mal?" Inara called, from where she'd been painting.
"Looks wonderful, bao bei!" he called back, sending Zoe into another bout of laughter.
"What now?" Mal demanded.
"You are well and truly hooked, sir," she told him. "I never thought I'd see the day."
"Yeah, well," Mal kicked the ground, looking like an embarrassed little boy.
"Don't get me wrong, Mal," Zoe placed a hand on his shoulder. "I think it's great. And I like what I see. You ain't. . .you're different, now. I like it. It suits you," she finished firmly, accenting the comment with a nod.
"Thanks, Zo'," Mal grinned. "I think so too."
"Mal!" Inara called down again. "Where do you want the sandworm?"
"What's a sandworm?" Zoe asked.
"It's a big ole gorram worm that lives in the desert," Mal told her.
He had to wait for Zoe's next peel of laughter to calm before he could reply to Inara.
FF
River was on the bridge alone when the cortex indicated an incoming call. She looked at the address, and answered it.
"Hello, Mister Thorne," she smiled.
"There's been a development, ma'am," the detective informed her.
"Oh?" River asked, sitting down.
"Yes ma'am. Three. . .no, four days ago, a group of five people arrived here on Astra, and met with Mister Flint. They stayed the night at the same hotel, and we have photos of them dining with him."
"I see," River sat back. "Have you discovered the significance of this meeting?"
"Partly," Thorne replied. "We were able to get some sound equipment close enough to hear what was being said at times. We couldn't get it all. The wind was a little high, and that interfered. I'm sorry about that, but we didn't want to tip them to our presence."
"I understand," River nodded. "What were you able to learn, then?"
"Flint referred to the group as the Five Fingers of some kind of fist. We missed the word in front of fist due to interference. The group consists of four men and one woman. My man got photos of them all, and said they look very much like mercenaries. At the least, they're well trained soldiers, he's sure."
"They move with precision, they're always aware of their surroundings, and they're extremely fit. Their movements also, and I quote, 'compliment each other'. I think that he's trying to say they move, and act, as a group. By that I mean as one, rather than a group of individuals. You understand my meaning?"
"I do indeed," River assured him. "Where are they now?"
"Well, that's the thing," Thorne replied. "We're still keeping them under surveillance. Right now they are, for lack of a better description, scouting the area around the docks. For what we haven't been able to discern."
"Anything else?" River asked.
"Not at the moment," Thorne admitted. "We're trying to get some more information on them, but so far, other than to backtrack their travel, we've come up empty."
"Where did they arrive from?"
"Their last transfer was from Hera, but they originated at a small rim moon on the far side of the 'verse called. . .Tokala."
"I see," River didn't allow her voice to show any familiarity with the name. "Thank you, Mister Thorne. Please keep me advised. I'm currently on my way to Astra now, and should be there in two days. I'll see you then, but call me at once if you develop any new information, no matter how trivial it may seem."
"Will do, ma'am." River cut the connection and sat back, considering.
This could only mean that Flint was prepared to continue his false vendetta against her husband. Perhaps against them all. Her eyes narrowed at that. Flint and his daughter had been warned in no uncertain terms to let things lie. They were apparently not going to do so.
And that meant they would have to be dealt with. She made a note to have the pictures sent to her. She wanted to know the face of her enemies. Flint had been correct about one thing.
There would be a reckoning.
FF
"Simon, reckon we can go to Astra next time?" Kaylee asked. "Sure would be nice."
"I don't know," Simon considered. "It's a week away, and we were just there a month ago. I have to work at least some, bao bei," he smiled. "Not to mention that I plan to be off at least a week after the baby's born. And that won't be long," he added with a grin.
"That's true," Kaylee smiled, and rubbed her belly lovingly. "Thing is, here we are, finally doin' good and not livin' hand to mouth no more, and we still can't go nowhere!" she complained. She was still smiling, however.
"Kaylee, you can go without me, you know." Simon told her, smiling. Kaylee looked up at him.
"You wouldn't mind?" she asked. "I hate to be away from you so long, Simon."
"Well, it's not like I enjoy you being gone," he kissed her nose. "But I also don't worry near as much when you're with River and Jayne. And I feel sure that River would look forward to spending time with you."
"Yeah, that'd be nice," Kaylee smiled. "Well, then if you don't mind, I think I might."
"I don't mind at all," he promised.