In Space, No One Knows You're An Alien
Chapter 8
River Tam was having one of her Bad Spells today. What that meant was that she was hiding somewhere in the Hold; which was full today, Serenity on the way to Harvest to deliver all sorts of supplies; tractors and plows, and hidden within those, some contraband on behalf of a rather unsavory fellow called Badger…
So there were plenty of nooks and crannies for a disturbed little girl to hide in. Simon Tam was, of course, completely frantic with worry, as was Reynolds; although he was worried more about her spoiling the contraband.
Not that Zod could see the point.
It was just coffee. But it was real coffee; not the fake stuff that passed for coffee on most Rim Worlds, and worth its weight in gold hereabouts.
Fortunately, Zod's x-ray vision quickly located the girl, hiding under one of the plows…
Quietly, he walked over to the plow.
"Come on out, child," he said. "It's just us here."
"Too loud!" River was whimpering. "It's too loud, too bright, and too itchy!"
Zod sighed. Dr. Tam was right. She did feel everything.
But now, Zod had an idea.
"I can help you," he said. "I can teach you to master your senses."
River peered out from under the plow, looking up at him with tear-stained eyes.
"Stem the flood?"
"Maybe," he nodded. "But you have to concentrate."
When Simon Tam found them, around five minutes later, he found River Tam sitting next to the plow she had been hiding under, sitting in lotus, her right hand held in front of her eyes, staring at her fingers, Drew Todd sitting nearby, watching her, talking to her quietly…
"It was the oddest thing," Simon Tam said to Kaylee. "There Drew Todd was, sitting next to her, talking to her like he was her dojo instructor, telling her to focus on her hand, that it was the only thing in her universe; and it worked, Kaylee. River calmed right down, and I could take her back to Sickbay."
A thought occurred to him.
"You don't think he could be a dojo instructor?" Tam hesitated. "I mean…we know so little about him."
"I dunno," Kaylee shrugged. "Cap'n thinks Drew used to be Alliance military; high rank, like Admiral, or something. But Drew's so strange sometimes; there are things about the Alliance, and about us, that he just don't get. Like love, marriage, and baby carriages. He's sweet, but there are times I could swear he wasn't raised by normal folk."
"Maybe he really is from the Core Worlds," Tam spoke thoughtfully. "Our Family was of good standing. But we weren't anything like The Five Families…"
The Five Founders of Osiris…
Fabulously wealthy, with members in the Alliance Senate; the Five virtually owned the Seat of Prime Minister.
But The Five Families were also reclusive-barring those who entered public office-and some had quite the reputation for…oddness.
The name, Todd, wasn't one of the Five.
So, he's using an alias. Could he belong to one of the Five Families? And, if he is, what brought him out here?
Serenity landed on Harvest around three days later, and dropped off all of her goods. For once, payment was received in full, both for the plows and tractors, and the contraband.
Medical supplies were more than good, especially since Ariel, and no one had gotten hurt lately either. So Simon Tam was able to blow a little of his pay on a surprise for Kaylee; a small basket of fresh strawberries and real cream…
Then, Captain Reynolds dropped a surprise on the crew…
Simon Tam didn't know the woman Reynolds had brought aboard, but Zoe Washburne did, if her sneer was anything to go by. Drew Todd's distaste for the woman was also equally clear.
As for the woman herself…
She called herself Saffron, and she apparently had a job for the Captain…
"What's so special about this…Lassiter?" Drew Todd had asked.
"You've never heard of it?" Malcolm Reynolds was startled to hear this.
"No," Todd shook his head. "Should I have?"
"It's only one of the first true laser hand guns in history," Wash nodded as he spoke. "It's priceless, and I think we're going to steal it; right Mal?"
"That's what the…lady…is hiring us for," Mal nodded too. He swung his gaze back to Todd.
He couldn't be any kind of military and not know about the Lassiter.
Well, Drew Todd was a mystery, but it would keep until they had done the job…
Inara had also joined the group, and Mal felt a touch of glee.
What Saffron don't know…
Now I'm helping to steal a historic weapon from its legitimate owner…
Dru Zod shook his head ruefully as he got ready for his role in all of this…
Helping Kaylee reprogram a trash receptacle…
He convinced Kaylee to stay inside the ship.
You can relay the instructions on to me, and I'll do the actual reprogramming. No sense in both of us risking our necks doing this…
And, with Kaylee inside, there was no one to witness Zod risking a little flight to put him in reach of the little trash collector.
He followed Kaylee's instructions to the letter, sending the flying trash can off to the desired location. Then, he went back inside.
"Good to fly a little bit," River Tam was standing there when he walked down the hall by Sickbay.
"Captain Daddy's plan worked this time," she grinned.
"Yes," Zod nodded. "How are you today, child? Are you practicing what I taught you?"
"Yes," River nodded gravely. "The world is kind today."
A kind world, Zod thought as he walked down the hall. That would be nice…
Even though the Lassiter Heist was a total success, it could truthfully be said that the world was not being kind to Captain Malcolm Reynolds.
Naked…The captain is naked. Saffron took…his clothing..?
Reynolds seemed to be taking it all in stride, verbally sparring with Inara, who had been a special boon on this job, talking to Zoe Washburn, and ignoring her husband's giggles.
They had gotten the Lassiter, a priceless antique. There would be yet more money, a goodly bit of money, for Serenity, and her slightly unhinged crew…
River Tam sat quietly in the now-empty Cargo Hold, going through the Disciplines of Sul Van, and Drew Todd had taught them to her.
Focus on what you need to see, and only that…
She loved her brother, Simon. He had given up everything, wealth, his place in society, to save her. But now, all he had to help her were medications.
Pills that soothed her brain, but dulled her mind too.
What Todd had offered, however, was a way for her to control her own mind, her own senses.
Even now, after only a few days of this, she could feel the good it was doing her; the control and focusing keeping her senses and mind clear.
In a way, it was sad, though…
He gave me hope, but he has none for himself…