AN: Sooo… I bet none of you thought I would update this soon huh? (Squeals in delight) The plot bunnies have infested my mind and I had to listen to them. I hope you all enjoy this next installment. Thank you to Rachet, SeanHicks4, and The Doctor Rose for the recent reviews. As always, I own nothing…now on with the show!

Chapter 40 Hanging on and a small refund

XXX

…An hour or so later on Serenity…

River's POV

She's calculating…she trying to find the solution to the equation…So many variables, so many different outcomes.

The voices of the crew float around her…hover just above the surface…but they don't penetrate her mind right now…all that enters is the numbers and calculations.

"We need a plan." Zoe says with authority.

"We could pony up the money we have left from the meds." Kaylee says.

Jayne grunts. "You think Niska is likely to go for that?"

"Don't think that's like to happen. This guy has his own code, twisted as it may be. He's very excited about reputation. In his mind he's been wronged, and he'll do what he thinks is just." Book says.

Zoe says. "Could try and get Wash off with the money though."

"Could be he's harboring some resentment at us for putting his man through our engine." Riddick offers up.

The only voice that isn't crowding the room is Inara's…she's sitting rather passively, taking it all in…like mother, like daughter the girl supposes.

Its then that she catches a glance from Inara…just a small flick of her eyes towards the hallway, and the girl understands…Inara extricates herself gracefully from the scene and the girl waits a few moments before she follows…

XXX

Riddick's POV

A small amount of movement catches my attention from the corner of my vision. I briefly catch a glimpse of River exiting the room. Now where could she be off to?

"Riddick? What do you think?" Book says and this snaps my attention back to the discussion at hand.

"Full frontal assault isn't likely to work. We risk too much going in there guns blazing…and we are seriously lacking in numbers to pull it off."

"Anybody else got any other ideas?" Zoe says and everyone begins throwing out ideas.

"I might be able to get the schematics for Niska's space station from Mr. Universe." Book says after a moment. "We would at least be able to see what we are up against that way."

"Worth a try." Zoe says as she, Jayne, Kaylee, and Book all head towards the bridge.

As they leave I look towards the door that River went through earlier and cock my head to the side…what are those two up to?

XXX

River's POV

They stand conspiratorially in one of the passenger dorms…their voices hushed…their minds plotting.

"Are you sure?" Inara says with a look of trepidation.

"Odds are not in their favor…they possess enough creds to secure Wash…but Captain Daddy would still be in harm's way."

"But River what you're suggesting is just…well…borderline psychotic."

She just shrugs her shoulders and gives her a small smirk.

"What if I bargained for Mal?" Inara asks.

The girl chuckles. "Careful, your suggestion reeks of psychotics."

"Ah, so you and your mom are both wacked?" Riddick says as he enters the room.

The girl smiles a predator grin. "She is unsure. There's that whole nature versus nurture question…Was she born a cute, vindictive, little bitch or... did society make her this way? The girl goes back and forth on that..."

"Can you two please be serious for a moment?" Inara practically scolds and the girl rolls her eyes.

"We need a plan, one that doesn't involve mass stupidity and suicidal solo missions." Inara says.

The girl winces at her choice of words…she feels the pin pricks of Riddick's irritation.

"Care to explain that one Riv?"

She huffs. "Not really."

"I can make you." He threatens.

"She would enjoy that."

"River wanted me to pilot my shuttle to the space station and ask for an audience with Niska as a cover for her to sneak on board." Inara says to avoid any more veiled threats.

"Really." He practically growls.

"It was a plan with the best odds."

He cocks his head to the side now and the pricks begin to change…she can feel the wheels turning in his mind…She smiles when the gears click into place.

"You up for a game little girl?" he asks with a feral grin.

She returns his grin. "She thought you would never ask."

XXX

…On Niska's space station…

Mal and Wash are tied back-to-back, both being electrocuted via electrodes on their chests. They aren't screaming, but they're in some serious pain. Niska looks on with delight while the other man in the room mans the electricity…after a minute or so he turns the electricity off.

"I'm not... gonna say it... again. Shipboard romances complicate things." Mal says between rasping breaths.

"For who? For yoou?" Wash slurs.

"For everyone."

"Well, what about lo…" But he is interrupted when the electrodes turn on again, painfully zapping Mal and Wash. Again they stay on for awhile and then turn off.

Mal is trying to take in as many breathes as possible. "I ain't against it as a rule... but in situations… such as ours,… it tends to cause problems…. It splits loyalties."

"Knnoww wha I thinkkk?" Wash asks

"What?" Mal says with an exasperated breath.

The electrodes go on again, zapping Mal and Wash. Wash is beginning to falter a little, sagging when the electricity shuts off.

Mal looks over his shoulder towards Wash…concern growing on his face.."What, Wash? What do you think? Because…I'm interested." He says as he tries to keep Wash going.

Wash lifts his head weakly…"This "policy" you got against shipboard relationships - that's just you projecting…your own intimacy issues on everyone else."

And Niska signals for the electrodes again. Wash and Mal shake and writhe in pain until the electricity goes off.

"Course, could be a lot simpler than that. Could be I just don't think you're good enough for Zoe."

"And I don't give a good gorram what you think." Wash yells.

"Oh, don't you? Zoe and I, we got a history, and I figure you gotta be asking yourself some fundamental questions as to the nature of that history."

Wash almost chuckles. "You never slept with my wife."

"Oh? That a fact? You know that for sure, do you? You ever ask her?" Mal taunts.

And the electrodes go on again, making the two men shake in pain. When the electricity shuts off, Wash's head is hanging.

"Hey. We been together for a long time before you came along, Wash. And she's a damn fine-looking woman." Mal says as he laughs.

Wash can only respond weakly. "Never happened. Know how I know?"

"How? Tell me." Mal taunts in effort to keep Wash talking.

"This whole Captain thing isn't Zoe's trouble. It's the-guy-she-never-slept-with thing. Hell, Mal, I wish you had slept with her. Then at least she'd be over it."

"Oh, you want me to sleep with her? Would that make you feel better?"

"It might." Offers weakly.

"Oh, I'd imagine it would do wonders for her, too."

Wash finds the strength to yell now. "Screw you!"

"Get in line!" Mal yells back.

And there go the electrodes again. When the electrodes shut off, Wash slumps down, nearly unconscious, and pretty damn dazed.

"Okay, Wash, I'm gonna do it." But Wash isn't answering now and Mal is alarmed. "Wash! Wash, listen! First thing we do when we get back..." but Wash still isn't responding. "Listen to me!" Mal yells and he can feel Wash stir a little. "First thing when we get back, I'm gonna... I'm gonna take your wife into my bed."

"Yeah?" Wash ask weakly.

Mal visible releases a breath as he hears Wash speak. "I'm gonna get me a piece of…"

And we're back to the torture.

XXX

…Back on the bridge of Serenity…

"Oh Derrial…your Captain certainly knows how to piss off the wrong people…" Mr. Universe said on the comm.

"Yes, he does have a knack for that." Book says with seriousness. "Is there any way to repay you for getting us these schematics?" Book says as he moves to pull up the file that Mr. Universe had just sent over.

"Oh no, the crew of Serenity is the most amusing thing I have had to watch in awhile. Consider it on the house. And please tell that delightful River Tam I say hello." Mr. Universe says as he cuts off the connection.

"Hey where is Riv?" Kaylee asks.

"Here." She says as she enters the room followed by Riddick and Inara.

"We have schematics for Niska's space station." Zoe says as Book pulls them up on the screen.

"And we have a plan." Inara says much to everyone's surprise.

XXX

…Inara's Shuttle…

Zoe sits quietly piloting the shuttle towards the space station, River and Riddick standing behind her. Both are dressed in black cargo pants, black tee shirts, and have a variety of small weapons strapped to their bodies.

"I'm not sure about this River." Zoe says as they approach the space station.

"Your apprehension is unfounded." She says as she reassuringly places a hand on Zoe's shoulder.

"Niska isn't the type to let things go."

"He won't kill them. He wants to play with them first. By my calculations we have at least ten hours before he will commence with killing."

"Yeah, that's all kinds of reassuring." Zoe says sarcastically.

XXX

… A few minutes later…

Zoe docks the shuttle and powers down. River and Riddick had moved to their position before Zoe had docked the shuttle and were safely outside the shuttle in their space suits hanging on to the edge of the shuttle. The plan was to enter through one of the exterior air vents that they had discovered in the schematics that Mr. Universe had sent over. Zoe would ransom Wash off the space station and then return to pick them up after getting back to Serenity and arm up. It was risky…but when were they not up for a little risk?

Zoe walks through the double doors with her hands raised… holding the bag of ransom money. Five or six armed guards meet her and pat her down.

"I'm unarmed…I wanna talk to Niska."

XXX

Riddick's POV

"You every worry our plans always involve us hanging off of something?" I say as River works on unscrewing the air vent screen.

She doesn't turn away from her work to answer me. "Occupational hazard."

As she unscrews the last screw the screen begins to float off.

"We're in." She says as she begins to move into the vent shaft.

I chuckle. "And here... we... go…let the game begin."

XXX

…Elsewhere…

Zoe is escorted by four armed guards through the space station. She passes by a large, circular shaft filled with machines assembling parts and mental shudders. She knows that River and Riddick are going to have to traverse that room at some point.

A guard opens Niska's office door with a keycard. They pass through the office to another room and Zoe steps into the room where Mal and Wash are being tortured.

Mal and Wash look terrible, but she steels her nerves. Niska grins maniacally.

Wash looks up and his expression becomes one of horror when he sees his wife. "No, no, no, no... Run, run..." he says weakly.

Zoe approaches Niska and hands him a roll of cash. "It's five times what you paid us for the train job."

"Yes. You have had, you say it, good times... I see that."

"Should be more than enough to buy back my men." She says stoically.

"This is your opinion, is it?" Niska asks with a twisted grin.

"It is."

"They are perhaps damaged now. Are they worth so much to you?"

"Yes." She answers quickly, and she immediately knows where this is going to go.

"And to me, they are worth more. I think this is not enough. Not enough for two. But sufficient, perhaps for one…Ah... you now have…"

She points at Wash immediately. "Him."

Niska looks almost surprised. "I'm sorry. You were going to ask me to choose, right? Did you want to finish?" Zoe asks.

Niska motions for Wash to be released. He slumps to the floor as his bindings are undone. Zoe moves to help him up.

"He is yours. We are ended now." Niska says with a wave of his hand as if dismissing an errant child.

Zoe drapes Wash's arm over her shoulders and supports his weight. Wash can barely walk.

"Mal..." Wash says weakly.

Wash looks over his shoulder at Mal. Mal shakes his head.

"Shh. Just keep walking." Zoe says under her breath.

She gets to the door before Niska speaks again. "A moment, please."

Zoe mentally curses her husband at that moment. She squeezes her eyes shut and steals her nerves for whatever Niska has in store.

XXX

River's POV

She can feel the apprehension rolling off Zoe…they aren't far now, maybe two or three stories away…it's not close enough to pick up all of emotions swirling in the room, but it's enough to give her an idea of what is going on.

"Something up?" Riddick asks from behind her in the vent.

They are crawling on their bellies through the ventilation system, making their way to the central chamber where they will have to scale the walls up to reach the next vent.

"Pain…apprehension…Captain Daddy is in trouble."

"When is he not?" Riddick says sarcastically.

She glances over her shoulder and give him her signature you're a boob look.

"I love it when you look at me like that…like you want to murder me with your eyes."

She tries to suppress a small smile and her eyes narrow. "She can kill you with her brain." And she turns and continues on.

"As long as your ass is the last thing I see I'm okay with that he says."

She rolls her eyes.

XXX

…Meanwhile…

Zoe and Wash carefully turn. Zoe props Wash up against the door frame.

"This money, it is too much." Niska says to Zoe. He then turns and speaks in Czech to the torturer.

He turns back to Zoe. "You should have some small refund."

The torturer then takes a machete off the table nearby and walks over to Mal and cuts off his left arm. Zoe watches impassively. Wash turns his head and looks as if he is going to be sick while Mal screams in agaony.

Niska then takes Mal's arm and hands it to Zoe. "Now we are ended."

Without a word or a blink, Zoe takes the arm. Then, as Mal screams, she supports Wash as they walk away from the torture chamber.

XXX

River's POV

When she feels the pain…it hits her like a tidal wave…she can barely support her own weight…and she screams through gritted teeth.

"River?" Riddick says behind her.

"Daddy…" She can barely say with tears welling in her eyes. "His wings have been clipped."

"Let's move." Riddick says.

She slowly nods and pushes onward. She quickly takes a turn and reaches another vent screen. She unscrews the screws holding it in place and twists her body to where her feet can kick the screen out.

She crawls out on to a small ledge, Riddick following right behind. They look up and down…taking in the scene.

The girl repeats what she said earlier. "Occupational hazard."

"Uh huh, whatever you say."

XXX

After what feels like a lifetime of painful steps Zoe helps Wash into the shuttle. Wash goes down on his knees. Zoe joins him on the floor, comforting him as best she can.

"He's insane."

"I know it." She says sympathetically.

Wash is panting and catching his breath. "I mean, you've told the damn stories. Saved you in the war…I-I didn't know..."

"You mean Mal?" She says with some surprise.

"He's crazy. He wouldn't break, Zoe…He kept me from..."

"It's okay." She says hugging Wash tightly.

"I wouldn't have made it."

"Shh..." Zoe whispers to him.

"Niska's gonna kill him."

"We already got a plan in motion baby. We just need to get back to Serenity." Zoe says.

"Then what the hell are we sitting around here for." Wash says with renewed enthusiasm, and he moves to the pilot's seat and fires up the shuttle.

XXX

AN: Yes, yes, I know you are probably not happy with me for cutting it off here. (Yes, that was an intentional pun). But let's face it, the cliffhangers make you want to read more (and hopefully review to vent your frustrations lol). I promise to update soon…till next time ;)