Chapter 11

Vienna-17

"Why is she naked?"

Mal shook his head and was about to call for Zoë to bring a sheet to cover the girl so they could transport her back to the ship when the girl sat upright in the capsule and let loose with a scream.

Mal drew Winona in surprise and blinked as the girl stopped screaming and slumped against the inside of the capsule before trying to pull herself out.

"Ori, wait." Miranda moved and her sister looked at her, her gaze unfocused. "Mira?" she mumbled.

"I'm here. You're safe." Miranda said as she rushed a scan even as Zoë approached with a blanket.

Mal feeling stupid holstered his gun. "Tylee?"

"Not sure." The mechanic said as she tried to run a test.

Tapping his communicator he sent an inquiry to his pilot.

"Some sort of signal shot off in a tight burst." Tika said.

"Prep for dust off." Mal ordered. He called to Tylee. "Rig it!" he looked on as Miranda with help from Zoë moved the girl from the capsule to the waiting Mule and sled. "Get her to the ship." He ordered as his first mate nodded and the craft powered up and chewed up the short distance.

"Tylee?" he asked.

"Its rush job captain'." She said as she sealed the lid. "Anyone with half a brain will be able to defuse it."

"I don't see most of Cerberus endowed with an over abundance of brain power." He said helping her pack her tools and shouldering the bag. Looking around he made sure there wasn't a clue left and followed her back towards the waiting ship, the engines already powered up and the VTOL wings turned. He was already halfway up the ramp as Serenity lifted off and Zoë hitting the controls to cycle the boarding ramp shut.

"Where's Ms. Lawson?" he asked already knowing the answer.

"She took her sister to Med-bay." Zoë said.

"Captain, we have trouble." Tika's voice came over the intercom.

Not even bothering to swear Mal took the stairs to the catwalk two at a time and rushed to the cockpit.

"What's the what?" he asked dropping into the seat.

"The sensor registered something coming out of the relay before it was destroyed." Tika said as the ship cleared the atmosphere.

Zoë took her seat as Mal checked his screens. "The second one is wiped out, whomever they are, they seem to be in a hurry."

"Plans sir?" Zoë asked.

"Tika, head for that asteroid field we charted."

"Sir?" Zoë asked.

"Do it." Mal said not listening to his first mate. He tapped the intercom.

"This is the Captain speaking. We're are currently avoiding detection by an unknown ship. We're about to take shelter in the nearby asteroid field. All systems are to be shutdown. Tylee, standby."

"Entering the field…now." Tika said as Zoë was shutting systems down.

"Maneuvering thrusters only, short bursts." Mal said softly. "Hang us off one of the big ones."

Mal took his seat as the emergency lights kicked in, bathing the cockpit in pale red light.

Zoë was watching the few monitors. "Last space deployed sensor has been destroyed."

"Then they're in orbit." Mal muttered.

Time seemed to draw on forever and Mal thought several times that he should order Tika to move them.

"Sensor we left on the surface just registered an explosion." Zoë reported.

Mal sighed. "Give it time then shoot off another sensor." He stood and headed aft.

"And where will you be?" the First Mate inquired.

"Checking on the our new doctor and her sister." Mal said avoiding thinking of what they were going to do next.

XX

Serenity, Infirmary

Mal entered the sick bay in time to see the younger version of Miranda vomit into a bowl the older Lawson was holding.

"Hibernation sickness." Miranda said.

"I can't see." The younger said.

"Your eyesight will return in time." Miranda said putting the bowl down. "I'm going to give you some injections."

"I'm cold." The younger said.

"It will pass. Your body is in shock." Miranda said picking up an injector.

"This will help keep your muscles from seizing up." She said softly.

"Mira…why did they…they do….what did they do to me?"

"Oh, Ori, I don't know but we will find out. I'm never leaving you again." Miranda said.

"F-Father…he was there during some of it." The younger Lawson said.

Miranda was quiet.

"Mira? Miranda?" the younger was starting to panic.

"I'm right here Oriana. I was just trying to think of a way to pay that son of a bitch back for all he's done." Miranda said as she placed her hands on her sisters shoulders, she turned and then stiffened seeing Mal.

"Captain Shepard." She said.

"Ms. Lawson, how's your sister?" Mal said keeping his voice low so as not to scare the girl.

"She'll recover from the time in the capsule, but what Cerberus did to her…" Miranda hesitated, "The scans showed that they cut into her brain."

"Do what you can, we're playin' cat and mouse right now." Mal said. "Anything you can tell us what to expect?"

"Not really. Cerberus is divided into independent cells. The only one who knew everything is the Illusive Man."

Mal remained quiet as Miranda ran some more scans on her sister. "I'll leave you to you sister then Ms. Lawson." He turned and strode away.

"Mira?"

"Yes." Miranda said.

"Who was that? His voice sounded…nice." the younger Lawson inquired.

"That was the Captain." Miranda said.

"Oh…are you going to sleep with him?"

"ORIANA!"

XX

Serenity sat silent for four hours before there was a change and Tika summoned Mal to the cockpit.

"The sensors we launched registered activity. The Cerberus ship didn't head back to the relay, they left the system." the Quarian said.

"Five to ten says they left their own sensors behind." Mal said looking at the Galaxy Map.

"So what do we do?" Zoë asked.

"We can't stay here that's a given." Mal said.

"But could we make it to the relay?" Zoë asked. "They could be sitting just beyond range."

"Give it another hour." Mal said and headed aft.

"Where are you going sir?" Zoë asked.

"Nowhere fast." Mal said.

XX

"Captain Shepard."

Mal looked up from the table in the galley where he was cleaning his guns to see Miranda.

"Yes, Ms. Lawson?"

"With the equipment here I've done the best I could for Oriana." She said.

"I hear a but coming." Mal said.

"Despite the files we recovered when we found her, I need to see what they've done to her."

"When we get to Omega," Mal started but she shook her head. "Cerberus has agents stationed there." She said. "We need a clean lab."

Mal chuckled. "Our options are not that open Ms. Lawson. I'll keep an eye open and see what comes up."

"Thank you." She said giving him a nod.

"So, where is your sister?" he asked.

"She's sleeping in one of the passenger cabins. I'm heading back to her, should you need me I'll be there."

Mal watched her go and shook his head as he found his eyes drifting towards her posterior which was clad in very form fitting material. I swear she's not wearing anything under that catsuit.

XX

"Alright Tika, take us out."

"How should I fly?" the Quarian pilot asked.

"Try casual." Mal said. "Act like we belong here." He sat back in his seat while the Quarian maneuvered the ship out of the asteroid field. While they had been waiting, Zoë had the bright idea to put several tons of rock in the cargo hold which they were planning to use as cover as miners.

Zoë was keeping an eye on the sensors. "Still clear." She answered his unasked question.

They cleared the field. "Give us a bit more." Mal ordered and Tika increased the speed.

They were making good time and were just entering the system with the relay when Zoë called, "Contact!"

XX

Mal cursed as the other ship seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"Any ID on them?" Mal asked.

Zoë spun her seat, "Negative, they're running silent."

Slapping the intercom Mal barked orders. "Tylee, open 'em up." Mal stood, "Tika, get us the hell out of here, pull out all the stops." He was to the door, "Zoë, bring the weapons online." He was out and heading towards the galley where he climbed a ladder and into the seat as the turret raised up to the hull.

The computer came alive as he put the targeting visor and headset.

He gripped the control yoke and smiled as the turret responded to his touch.

"Captain, sensors show their launching four fighter craft." Zoë's voice came to him clearly.

"Copy." Mal said lining up his shot and saw it was a modified one-man fighter.

"Eat this." He thumbed the button and space lit up with tracer rounds. The first fighter exploded as the other three scattered.

"Hell yeah! This Firefly has teeth."

Mal was happy with Tika's piloting. "Girl could be a combat pilot." He muttered as he kept the fighters from getting close.

"Either someone get the belly turret, or Tika ya need to spin the ship to keep them in my field of fire." Mal said over the headset.

Serenity shook as some of the shots from the oncoming fighters scored hits on the hull.

"Captain, belly plates can't stand up to many more hits." Zoë's voice came over the headset.

Mal heard the belly turret open fire and wondered who was in it, but put it out of his mind as he focused on the battle.

XX

CSV-31

"Sir, the fighters are meeting heavy resistance."

"You're telling me four fighters can't handle and contain a simple transport?"

"Its been modified. Its got military grade armor and weapons."

"We need that ship. They came from where we found the container. Tell the pilots to target the engines."

"Their trying sir."

"Do it! Or I'll feed them to the science division!"

XX

Serenity, Cockpit

Matika'Zorel nar Valen piloted Serenity, her touch was making the ship seem nearly untouchable.

"Zoë, I need you to take over maneuvering thrusters." She said and the first mate moved her seat into position.

"On my mark." Tika said and she spun the ship. "NOW!"

one of the attacking fighters had been trying to maneuver under the ship found itself shooting past and both turrets tore it to shreds.

"Captain's a good shot."

Zoë chuckled, "Mal is like a big kid, and considers the guns a video game. Something you can relate to."

Tika grumbled and hit the intercom to the guns. "Sir, that cruiser's falling behind, it we shake the last fighter we should be able to hit the relay unmolested."

"Copy that. Tell Zoë she's doing some damn fine shooting."

Pilot and first mate shared a look. "Whose in the belly gun?" Zoë wondered.

XX

Mal smirked as the last fighter exploded. Tapping the headset, "Nice flying Tika, now get us the frick and frack out of here."

"Hitting the relay in three…two…one…"

the countdown was punctuated as Serenity took a massive hit as it entered the relay and shot away.

XX

CSV-31

"Sir!"

"Where are they?"

"The gunnery crew hit the port thruster, but their engine still connected and they still managed to make the jump."

"If they survive, who knows where they'll come out into real space, or be debris." The captain growled. "Send a signal, the ship and all aboard are lost, I'll have to report to the Illusive Man with the loss of Subject X."

XX

AN: Oriana is out but it seems Serenity is lost. Where will they end up? Plus there are plans for Noveria. And many are asking why Mal isn't having visions…well there's a reason for that and will be revealed in time.