Four hours later, the ship was still running, and Kaylee was feeling tired in her bones. The captain had reported that they'd left three of the Reaver ships behind, but eight of them were still following Serenity.
Liam Riley had been a great help. He wasn't in her league as an engineer, but he hadn't been lying when he said he knew his way around an engine. He had convinced her to take a nap for little while, but she hadn't been able to sleep. After an hour of staring at the fancy dress hanging from the ceiling, she came back to engineering.
"All systems are running as well as ever," said Liam. "We can still make it to the Drift."
She patted the engine core. "Keep it together, girl," she whispered. "Keep it together."
"One hour to Albuquerque Drift," said Mal, over the ship's intercom, "and the Reavers are still closing. The Drift will be in sensor range soon, so I'm turning away. I am not going to be responsible for setting Reavers on a Drift full of defenseless people."
Jayne entered the bridge, followed by Ben Adams. "We turn, they'll just catch us quicker," said Jayne. He already had Vera slung over one shoulder. "We could probably take them if they don't hull us."
Mal started to say, "I can probably still stay ahead of them for awhile," but the speaker picked that time to squawk a 'wave.
"Xenophon acknowledged," came the transmission. "Fleet sighted. Serenity Now!"
"What does 'Serenity Now' mean?" Mal asked, as Ben couldn't refrain from smiling.
"Before your time," Ben said. "Don't turn from the Drift. We should see.…"
He looked at the sensor display, and then squinted into space. "…Yes, here they come now."
Two Alliance warships seemed to grow larger as Serenity approached them, while the fleet of Reavers still trailed behind.
"They recognized us," said Ben. "Just fly to the Drift. Do not communicate with them, under any circumstances."
Marcus came to the bridge. "Brought some friends, Methos?" He asked.
"Ben," corrected Ben, "and the fleet recently decided to hold war games nearby, with the specific location at the commodore's discretion."
The Alliance ships fired a brace of missiles that flew past Serenity.
"The Navy has evaluated the old ships that are following us as remote-controlled drones, barely suitable for target practice," continued Ben. "We're just a poor civilian ship that was in the wrong place, but I'm sure the ships' captains will overlook us as long as we leave posthaste."
"Nice of them," said Marcus.
Ben grinned. "I think so."
"Posthaste it is," said Mal.
Serenity flew between the Alliance ships. From their lack of reaction, the transport might as well have been halfway across the 'Verse.
"I see you kept a few contacts in the military when you left," said Marcus.
"An old general I know told me it was a good idea," said Ben. "I can only play this trick once, but there should be a few commendations for quick thinking in their future."
"The least you could do, I'm sure," said Marcus.
"When have I ever done more?" said Ben. "Now, Captain Reynolds, it seems our way to the Drift is open." With that pronouncement, he left the bridge.
Mal said, "He's always been a húndàn, I'm guessing?"
Marcus chuckled. "For at least the last three thousand years," he said, "and that's after he changed his ways. He probably deserves death more than any man alive."
"I got a couple of those on my crew," said Mal, "not even counting me."
"Captain?"
River entered the bridge. She had bags under her eyes and a haunted look on her face.
"You okay, little albatross?" said Mal.
"I'd like to take the con, sir," she said. "I'm feeling better."
"Are you sure?" Mal asked. "The way you look, might want to consider seeing your brother first."
"I'm sure," she said. She slid into the pilot's seat.
"With respect, Captain, I'm more than happy to stay here and keep an eye on her," said Marcus. "I'm capable of piloting if required."
"I'm good, Captain, I really am," said River.
Mal said, "Take the con, River. I'll be checking on your brother's patient. Let me know when we're about to dock."
"Yes, sir, Captain, sir!" said River. Mal smiled as he left the bridge.
The crowd around the med bay parted as Mal got close. The man they'd come to Minerva to rescue was sitting up in bed sipping something that smelled like soup, but Mal noticed he was still restrained.
"How's your patient, Doc?" He asked.
"Better than I have been in a long time," said the man on the bed. "Nick Wolfe, at your service, Captain Reynolds. I am in your debt."
"Your friends paid well, so let's leave it at that," said Mal. "I see you're up, if not quite around."
Nick's laugh came from deep down inside him. He wiggled his restrained arm. "Just in case I succumb again."
Simon coughed for attention. "We had to kill him twice since surgery, which was not something they taught me in medical school."
"I 'spect that's true," said Mal, "and more than likely for the best." He paused. "I've been giving our next moves some thought."
Inara said, "We're dropping that horrible man off at the drift, right?"
"Not without trouble, we aren't," said Zoé.
"My thinking exactly," said Mal. "One of his overzealous crewmen will have called ahead."
"A trap, then," said Nick. "I assume that good smugglers are excellent at avoiding traps."
"What makes you think we're smugglers, Sheriff Wolfe?" asked Mal.
Nick smiled. "My first clue was that you know Amanda," he said. "But don't call me 'sheriff.' I reckon I'm out of a job. But I'm still a good shot, if you happen to need one."
He held up a manacled arm. "Assuming I can be trusted by that point."
"Before you ask, captain, they didn't teach anything related to this in medical school," said Simon, "but my patient's continued sanity is a good sign."
"Keep him sane, Doc," said Mal. "We may need another gun hand before too long."
River picked that moment to announce their arrival over the intercom. "All hands, stand by for docking. Repeat: all hands, stand by for docking."
River made the docking announcement while she directed the ship precisely at the assigned docking port. She didn't sense anyone waiting, but she knew that someone would show up soon.
Down below, Jayne stuck his head in the infirmary.
"Cap'n," he said, "you want I should go first, scare 'em a bit, see who's waiting?"
"Take Duncan with you," said Mal. "I have a feeling he can be scary, too."
"The man's okay," said Jayne. "I'll let ya know when we're ready to leave."
He passed Liam at the door. "Captain Reynolds", he said, "Kaylee said to tell you that we need fuel after that chase. Apparently there are no places close enough. We will, of course, pay for it."
"I don't want to stay here that long," said Mal. "Dumping Niska off here is risky enough."
Mal toggled the intercom to the bridge. "River," he began.
"Nothing in range, Captain," she said. "Also I'll keep an ear out for Duncan and Jayne."
She closed the channel. Mal sighed.
"Sorry, Captain," said Simon. "I'll talk to her."
"Won't do a bit of good," said Mal. He turned to Liam. "Tell Kaylee I want enough fuel to get us gone, but not a full tank."
"Whitefall is close," said Liam.
Mal grimaced. "Best pick someplace else."
Liam frowned, and adopted his strange accent. "Sign o' a misspent youth, I'm sure." Dropping the accent, he said, "Shadow's the next closest safe world. Is maybe a quarter hour fueling time good for you?"
Mal said, "It will have to be. Go ahead and request the amount we need. If you'd tell Jayne and Duncan to be on their guard for the fueling.…"
"I'll tell them," said Liam, and ran out.
"Nobody lets me finish sentences anymore," said Mal.
The drift began sending fuel into their tanks, and still there hadn't been any trouble. Mal was forcing himself not to get his hopes up. Duncan and Jayne were guarding the space dock. Niska was being held at sword-point just inside the ship, waiting until Serenity was ready to go.
Kaylee interrupted his thoughts.
"We've got enough fuel to get us there, Captain," she said. "The engines are ready for the run."
"Nothing amiss?" said Mal.
Kaylee shook her head. "Nothing, Captain," she said. "I checked. There's nothing out of the ordinary. I had Liam right next to me the whole time. He didn't see nothing neither!"
"I believe you, Kaylee," said Mal.
"He just doesn't trust a 'Verse where nothing goes wrong," said Inara. Softer, she said, "I don't either."
Mal sighed, and said, "I suppose we'd better carry out our end of the deal. Inara, would you tell our pilot to be ready to leave as soon as the airlock closes?"
Inara kissed him on the cheek. "Aye, aye," she said, and walked away.
Mal touched his cheek, and walked the other direction.
Duncan and Jayne were waiting in the front, next to Ben Adams and Annie Devlin, who were guarding the prisoner.
"Captain?" said Jayne.
"We're fueled up," Mal said. He turned to Niska. "Just to be crystal clear, we're letting you go, and you're going to stop looking for both us and them. Dong ma?"
Niska smiled. "That is the agreement, and I shall keep it, if only for my own well-being," he said. "Have no fear. We shall ignore each other."
"Fine," said Mal. He pulled his gun. "Let's go."
"You aren't going to release me?" said Niska.
"I don't trust you to close the airlock," said Mal. "Walk."
Niska held up his tied hands.
Mal said, "Your men can cut those off. Go."
Niska tilted his head to one side, and moved into the airlock tunnel, followed by Mal. Two men appeared at the other end.
"We'll take it from here," said one.
"I have to close the door anyway," said Mal. The men pulled guns.
Mal poked his revolver into Niska's ribs, making the gangster flinch.
"Gentlemen," said Mal, "we have an arrangement with your boss. Kindly step back, or this will end badly for everyone."
He heard a gun loudly cocked behind him. "Captain," Duncan MacLeod called out, "Mr. Cobb has one man in his sights, and I have another. Say the word."
"Gentlemen," said Mal, again, "you really don't want to bet on either of them missing their shot. Now step back, and let me deliver your boss."
Niska spoke up. "Yes, do so," he said. "You are wasting my time."
The men stepped back. Mal held Niska at the door.
"Remember our deal," said Mal.
"I do, and will," said Niska.
"Good," said Mal, and gently pushed him through the airlock door, pulling it shut on the opening. He pressed the release button for the 'lock, but nothing happened.
"Jayne," he called back.
River's voice came from the PA system. "We're still locked in," she said, "but you already knew that."
Mal turned and ran back towards Serenity, yelling at Duncan and Jayne.
"Get back inside!" he said. "We're being attacked!"
He turned and squeezed off a shot when the heard the door he'd just closed open back up. He heard Jayne's gun, Vera, open up on the intruders at full auto, and much more accurately than Mal's shot. Duncan, the only one of them who would come back to life if shot, had already made it inside, much to Mal's annoyance.