In Space, No One knows you're an alien
Chapter 6
Dru Zod stripped the old tee off, tossed it to one side.
I guess it was a good thing she decided to slash me with that knife instead of the others…
The tee was ruined, slashed right across the front; but if it had been any of the others, Kaylee, Zoe, Inara Serra, or any of the others; there might very well have been hell to pay.
River Tam's presence on Serenity was tolerated rather than accepted; only her brother's medical skills had prevented the Captain from tossing both off the ship at the first opportunity; that, and the fact that Kaylee likely wouldn't have forgiven Mal for doing such a thing…
Of course, being the victim of the knifing brought its own measure of complications…
Luckily, in the ensuing confusion, Zod had been able to find the kitchen knife, lying on the floor, snatch it, and straighten the bent blade out, without anyone the wiser…
"Todd!" that was Captain Reynolds hammering on his bunk door. "You all right in there?"
Zod opened the door and Reynolds climbed down.
"Dr. Tam told me what our Little Witch tried to do to you," he said. "You sure you're okay?"
"You tell me," Zod spoke dryly. He hadn't pulled on a clean shirt yet, so anyone with eyes could see River Tam hadn't succeeded with her attempt to hurt him.
Mal looked him over briefly, grunted in acknowledgement.
"Any idea why she decided to take a knife to you?"
You look better in red…
Zod had no idea what River had meant when she said that; only that she had said that, just before slashing at him with that big kitchen knife.
"How is she?" he asked.
Mal sighed.
"Doc's got her doped to the gills in bed," he said. "You sure you're okay? Kaylee says she saw the knife strike…"
"Look at me Captain," Zod picked up the clean tee. "You see anything?"
The impact had almost broken the knife, not Zod's flesh. There wasn't even a bruise. Not waiting for the Captain to speak, he pulled the tee on.
"The Doc wants to meet us in the kitchen, if you're well and all."
Lead on, Captain."
Simon Tam was pacing restlessly in the kitchen. He hadn't been there when River had…done what she did.
Instead, he had been in Sickbay, looking over his inventory-bandages, pills, and everything else a Sickbay should have; most of which his Sickbay didn't have. Oh, there was some gauze, and a smattering of pills; most of which Simon had brought aboard with him; anti-psychotics for River.
Money was tight on the ship, and Tam was beginning to realize it always would be. But he was now beginning to dread what would happen if he had to treat a serious injury; gunshot wounds, or…stabbings.
At least Drew Todd hadn't been hurt. But that was more a miracle than anything else; and-unless he found a way to fix his sister, it would happen again.
So, Tam decided to get…creative.
If I am to lead a life of crime, then maybe I can turn it to my advantage, and my sister's too.
Everyone else was filing into the kitchen now, and Simon ran his eyes over Drew Todd professionally. The man looked fine.
Kaylee had said she saw the knife strike into Todd's right shoulder. But Todd didn't seem to be showing any signs of pain; certainly nothing to indicate a stab wound requiring stitches.
Kaylee must have mistook what she saw…
Still…
"I must apologize," he spoke stiffly to Todd. "River isn't in her right mind…"
"She could have killed one of my people," Captain Reynolds said, certainly looking none too pleased at the moment.
Simon sighed. In spite of everything he had tried, all the knowledge he had brought to bear…
"She's getting worse," he hated admitting that; especially to Captain Reynolds.
We're here on his sufferance; and River stabbing Todd…
He didn't want to think of what might happen if Mal tossed them off his ship.
"I would like to hire you," this was a risky course to take with a man like Mal.
"Hire…us?" Reynolds raised an eyebrow.
"I still have some extra cash to pay you with," Simon faced the Captain. "And, if all goes well, we might also be able to fully stock the Sickbay inventory. Right now, we're shockingly low on things I would consider vital for any Sickbay."
"Let me get this straight…" Mal took a seat. "You have a…job for us?"
"Yes. I hear Ms. Serra is going to Ariel for her yearly Guild-Mandated physical examination?"
Reynolds turned to the woman herself.
"That true?"
"Nothing escapes you," Inara muttered darkly. Then, more loudly, she said. "Yes. In a week's time."
"Ariel City Hospital is one of the most advanced hospitals in the Core Worlds," Simon explained. "I can show you where the medical supplies are, pills, bandages, gauze, that sort of thing. But, if I can get into the Diagnostic Ward, use the 3D Neuro-imager, I'll be able to scan River, find out exactly what the Academy did to her."
Reynolds chewed his lip, stood there deep in thought. Finally, he stirred.
"Zoe? Todd? What do you think?"
"We could use the supplies, sir," Zoe spoke first. "It was pure luck Todd only lost his shirt. Could've been worse, and we really are low on medical supplies."
"Todd?"
Todd shrugged.
"As Zoe has said, we need the supplies," he said. "And, if he can find out what they did to his sister, maybe he'll be able to formulate a treatment for her."
So, it was decided…
Much to Dru Zod's bemusement, the plan had gone off without a hitch. Wash and Kaylee found an Ambulance Shuttle that Kaylee pronounced repairable, and some fake coffins to transport the Tams to the hospital in. Zod helped Zoe secure fake IDs, and uniforms, for everyone while Simon Tam prepared a list of pills to for Mal and Zoe to steal from the hospital's medical stores.
Some of those pills would restock the Sickbay's dangerously depleted stores. But, if they could steal enough, there would be a considerable profit to be had by selling the extra to patients out on the Rim.
Then, they went out to…do the job…
Security personnel let them through with no questions asked. Now, it was time for the group to split up, Reynolds and Zoe off to do the stealing, using the coffins lately used by the Tams, to hide the stash, the Tams, with Zod guarding them, off to the Diagnostic Ward, and the 3D Neuro-imager.
Along the way, Zod saw Simon save a patient's life, and give the attending physician the scolding of his life.
Then, they were there, in the Diagnostic Ward. And Simon got to work, gravely ushering his sister through the process of being scanned. The girl was trembling, but she didn't seem out of it right now. Certainly, she obeyed all of her brother's instructions to the letter.
"Is there anything I need to do?" Zod asked the doctor.
"Actually, yes," Simon turned to him. "I forgot to put something on the list I gave to Captain Reynolds. We need a functional Mender. The one on the ship is on the fritz. The Hospital won't have those in the same place as the pills. I was able to check the Hospital menu a few minutes ago."
Tam gave Zod precise instructions as to where the Mender was stored, which Zod committed to memory. Still, he hesitated.
"Will you be-"
"We'll be safe here," Simon waved him off. "And we'll stay here until you get back."
Zod nodded at that.
Guess I'll have to swipe a backpack, or something…
Getting to the place was easy enough; and his ID worked just fine to get inside. Someone had left a shoulder bag just inside, and the Menders-two or three of them-were there, looking in mint condition.
He stuffed the best-looking one into the shoulder bag, slid out again, with no one seeming to pay him any attention. Then, it was back to the Diagnostic Ward.
Call it years of experience in the Kryptonian military, call it caution, but something made him approach slowly, with care. The Tams were not alone…
Zod's X-Ray vision recorded the presence of several men-wearing the uniforms of what looked to be law enforcement-and another, a man around Simon Tam's age, who had a somewhat apologetic look in his eyes. Zod's hearing was almost as good as his sight…
"Reggie, you didn't have to do this," Simon was saying.
"Sorry, Simon," the man was saying. "But I thought it was you, and you're a wanted man. The bounty was too good…"
River was shivering, her hair a curtain covering her face, and she was babbling on about hands of blue, two by two…
How do I get them out of this?
The pair was already handcuffed, and being led away.
Probably to the nearest holding facility.
There wasn't really any chance of getting the Tams out of this right now.
Maybe I'll be able to find something when they get to the jail, or whatever they call it here.
It was a security substation, and fortunately, someone had left an outer window open on the fifth floor. It was a risky thing to do, but Zod allowed himself a little flight, to get up to that window. Once in, it was simply a matter of moving like he was supposed to be there, like he belonged there.
No one questioned him on it; especially after the reaming he gave the lowly subaltern for leaving that "gorram window" open.
After that, judicious use of his X-Ray vision enabled him to locate the Tams, in a separate cell on the first floor. They had the cell entirely to themselves; and there were ducts and hatches all through the building; even ones that led to different floors.
He would have to do an awful lot of crawling, but he would get there, and he would rescue the Tams.
So now, Zod was in a hidden overhead passage, just above the main Federal Office, peering through a grate, when he saw two men who didn't seem to be Feds.
Zod's breath caught.
They're wearing blue gloves…
They were…killing the Federal Officers, each and every one of them.
Blessed Rao, they're using sonic weapons…
He knew exactly where the Tams were being held.
Got to get there before those Blue Gloves get there…
River was curled up into a fetal position, whimpering like a small child, Simon doing his best to comfort her. But, right now, he didn't have any comfort to give.
Reginald DuMaurier…My best friend in Pre-med…We got drunk on Graduation Day, made utter fools of ourselves, promised we would be friends forever.
Reginald DuMaurier had betrayed him; condemned him to death, and his sister, River, to an eternity in hell from which there would never be an escape. For money…
Now, all Simon could do was stroke his sister's hair and make soothing noises.
For what little time we have left together…
Abruptly, River jerked upright, tear-streaked face turned up, looking at the grate overhead.
The grate was shifting, moving. Then it was gone, and Simon could hear it being settled to one side. He barely dared to hope…
Drew Todd poked his head out, staring at them, seemingly upside down.
"You need to get out of here now," he said as he offered a hand to River. She took it, and now he was hauling her up, through the grate hole. Then, with her up with him, he offered his hand to Simon.
"There are men wearing blue gloves here," he said. "They're using sonic weapons to kill the Feds."
Simon didn't need any encouragement after that. He grabbed Todd's hand, and Todd hauled him up too; every bit as easily as he had hauled River up.
His upper-body strength must be…incredible.
"Follow River," Todd spoke tersely as he settled the grate back into place. "She's going in the right direction."
"But-"
"I'll tell her when to stop," Todd reassured Simon. "For now, move!"
There were a few minutes of silent crawling, and then Todd told them to stop. He moved ahead-that took some awkward maneuvering on the Tams' part to let Todd through. Then, Todd set to work on releasing this grate.
Once standing, he caught River as she dropped from the hatch, and Simon too.
"Drew," Simon was feeling rather breathless. "I don't know how to thank you-"
"We're not out of danger yet," Todd cautioned him; and-as if to lend emphasis to his words-the door at the end of the hall began to open.
Todd quickly shoved both Tams behind him.
Surely he's not going to fight whoever comes through that door…
Then, quite suddenly, Todd exhaled, a sigh of…relief?
The door opened…
Two forms stood, backlit against the brilliant daylight; one male, the other female.
"Captain Daddy," River, too, sighed in relief, as she ran to meet them.
"What happened with you guys?" Reynolds demanded.
"We hit a bit of a bump," Todd spoke dryly. "But we're all here now, and I would strongly suggest getting the hell out of here."
"I'll explain everything on the ride back to your ship, Captain," Simon was almost sagging in relief.
"Did you get what you came for?"
"Oh, yes, Captain," Simon slipped the scans he had taken of River's brain out from under his shirt.
Dru Zod, sitting at the kitchen table with all the others, listened incredulously as Dr. Tam gave his report on what he had discovered.
They stripped her amygdala? Blessed Rao, why would anyone do that to a healthy brain? No wonder the poor child is the way she is…
"Do you think you'll have a chance of fixing that?" the Captain had asked.
"I don't know," Tam's shoulders were slumped; he looked weary beyond belief.
"She feels…everything," he explained. "She can't not."
But, as it turned out, Tam was beginning to formulate a treatment plan for his sister. Only time would tell if it would help any.
On the other hand, the…thievery side of the job had gone way better than expected. Sure, Mal and Zoe had found pills, tons of pills, of every kind, and for every need.
They had also found money there, cashy money, tons of untraceable money.
"For once," Mal was grinning like a loon. "We're actually coming out ahead. Way ahead."
Just as well…
Simon's going to need a substantial amount of money to fund his treatment for his sister…
After the meeting, Zod fled to his room, feigning weariness, and a need for sleep.
What he needed really, was just to be alone for a spell.
He rinsed his face with cold water from the sink by his bed, caught his reflection in the mirror.
The years away from Krypton, the years of hiding, had changed his appearance.
What would Jor El think if he saw me now?
His hair was longer now, no longer short-cropped as it had been when he was Krypton's Military Commander.
Now, it was a tousled mess, and the beard he had grown to disguise his features was heavily grizzled.
But, every time he saw a red star out in the black, he was pierced by such home-sickness.
Krypton is gone, he reminded himself. And Rao only knows if Jor was able to find a place for our people.
Lying down on the small bed in his bunk, though, he realized that he loved the people he now worked with; the prickly Captain, his stoic Second, her flighty husband, sweet Kaylee with a smile for everyone, Shepherd Book, always with good word of advice for anyone who came knocking at his door, the generous, and highly educated Companion, and the Tam siblings…
They were Dru Zod's people now.