7) Night Has Always Pushed Up Day
Carolyn wasn't quite sure what to make of River at first. The girl was odd, though if she couldn't fly there was no way the Captain would call her the pilot. The man seemed affectionate (and if she was guessing, a little sentimental) but ultimately pretty practical in his dealings. She and Riddick hadn't let down their guard though. And Jack had gone quiet, doing her watching and waiting thing, and Carolyn couldn't really blame her.
Reavers. This ship had gone up against Reavers and survived. She exchanged a look with Riddick and knew he was thinking the same thing. These were not people with whom to fuck. Although knowing him, he could also be wondering just how far he could push. She'd never met anyone who seemed to love stepping over that line in the sand, one toe at a time, just to provoke reactions more than Riddick.
"Reactions reveal that which is hidden," The dark eyed girl looked at her thoughtfully. Those eyes… Until the past month Carolyn hadn't ever seen eyes like hers, as if they could stare right through you. Riddick had eyes like that. It seemed wrong to find his eyes in a girl who couldn't even be twenty. "Live with a man forty years. Share his house, his meals, speak on every subject. Then tie him up and hold him over the volcano's edge, and on that day, you will finally meet the man." Her voice had changed, her accent not quite Core or Border… Carolyn couldn't place it. The quote itself was unnerving and reminded her uncomfortably of the crash on that hell planet. She'd finally met herself and she hadn't liked what she saw.
"Whose bunks are the other two," Riddick changed the subject. No segue, not that she blamed him. There was no graceful way out of the topic of Reavers. And the less said about Shan Yu the better.
"One, empty, always has been," River shrugged. "The other…belonged to Jayne. Gunhand, mercenary in the most literal sense," She tilted her head. "The creed is greed."
"Guild?" Riddick asked the all-important question and Carolyn waited apprehensively for the answer.
"No affiliations," The slender girl shrugged. "Every man for himself. When the money is good enough…well…that'll be an interesting day." Her accent twanged Rim on the last phrase as if she were quoting someone. She shook her head, "Left to become his own Captain… Did not want to live his life laying low. May return someday if the money is good enough but eventualities are not certainties."
Jack shifted behind Riddick and River's eyes moved to the disguised girl, maybe answering some unasked question on the younger girl's face, "Crew bunks are not assigned until crew is certain." She began to lead them off the bridge, down the hall to the stairway at the entry off the galley. "Stairs lead down to catwalks and then to the lower decks. Doors off the galley and catwalks to the shuttle airlocks."
"Lots of hidey holes on a Firefly," Carolyn half smiled.
"Troublesome little nooks," River agreed with a drawl and a grin. She pointed at the airlock door nearest them, "Inara Serra's shuttle. Private. Knock and wait to be invited in."
"Serra," Jack spoke for the first time since they'd left the lounge. "Doesn't sound like a Rim name."
River's response seemed odd at first, her accent subtly different as she spoke, "Control was the first lesson. And the last. And these worlds are not like the Central Planets." Her voice reverted to its normal tones as she continued. "Inara is a Companion, from Sihnon," The slender girl explained as they walked along the catwalk to the opposite side of the ship. "But we can look at Shuttle two." She opened the airlock door as if unconcerned with the Captain's bellowing to the cargo hauling stevedores dealing with lumber beneath them. Maybe it was all routine to her.
The shuttle was typical of its type, smallish, one pilot chair and some curved benches, easily moved in order to accommodate cargo. A half head, similar to the bridge was squeezed into the aft section. "Easy to fly," River smiled patting the chair. "Little ladybugs."
Carolyn nodded. She had no doubt that for she or Riddick the shuttles would pose no difficulties. The Firefly itself might take a bit of getting used to but even so, they weren't considered overly complex to fly. To maintain, perhaps. Riddick might end up spending more time in the engine room than the bridge.
River smiled and began to guide them back down to the passenger lounge. "A lot of ways up and down," The girl remarked, echoing the beginning of the thought Carolyn had. Eerie how the girl did that, read someone's expression and figured out their questions. "Easy for someone to steal on board and stowaway."
"Well, yeah," The former docking pilot nodded. "With all the airlocks and decks and stairways…"
"Only one person ever successfully snuck aboard Serenity," River shrugged. "Two really but we don't really count the first. And the second wasn't as sneaky as he thought."
"Oh," Riddick tilted his head inquiringly and Carolyn would admit to some curiosity herself.
"Ask the Captain at dinner," The girl's face was a study in mischief.
"Uh…I don't think so," Carolyn shook her head. "Ain't eager to put the man's back up."
Riddick chuckled, that low unnerving sound that slid over her skin and made her hair stand on end, "Not scared are you Carolyn?" She rolled her eyes at him, and he chuckled again when she didn't take the bait. "Spoiling my fun." He smirked at her.
"Should rest before the meal," River suggested when they reached the lounge. "Refresh yourselves. Books and games in the lounge cabinet if you like. Talk amongst yourselves…" With that mysterious (or not really) suggestion she left them there and headed out to the cargo bay at a run.
Carolyn tilted her head as she heard the girl singing to the Captain merrily, "Sigh no more ladies sigh nor more, men were deceivers ever; One foot in sea, and one on shore, To one thing constant never."
Her Captain laughed, "Are you sayin' I'm inconstant Lil Albatross? Said it before, wind blows northerly I go north."
"Liar," The girl's voice denounced fondly. "She goes to set a course."
"You do that little thing," Captain Reynolds sounded like an indulgent parent and Carolyn looked at Riddick to see what he made of the conversation.
"What'n the hell was that," Jack muttered the question before Riddick could say anything.
"Not really sure," Riddick motioned them into the room he'd taken and shut the door after one long look in the direction River had gone. "Got a theory, but…it's a little crazy and it might be coincidence. Actually, it's a lot crazy."
"A theory?" Carolyn wondered what he was thinking. No one did inscrutable like Riddick, though it looked like River might be able to give him a run for his money. "Mind sharing?"
He shook his head. "Like to see what impressions the two of you get. Could all just be coincidence. It's a fairly impossible theory. No point bringing up specifics until I've got proof."
"She's weird," Jack said promptly. "Half the time it's like she's speaking in another language."
"Yeah," Riddick nodded as Jack sat heavily on the end of the narrow bed. How Riddick would contrive to sleep Carolyn had no clue. The bed might be bigger the width of his shoulders but only by an inch or two (and saying two was being charitably optimistic since she eyeballed it at something like an inch and a half). Diagonal like he had on the Mirabelle? "Besides the theory I'm working on… found it interesting that she didn't hesitate to put her back to me."
"Stupid and weird," Jack's tone held a question even if her words hadn't.
"I don't think so," Carolyn shook her head. "She moves the way you do," She told Riddick. "Soundless."
"So maybe she's more than a pilot," Riddick caught on to what she was saying. The man was quick on the uptake, she'd give him that. Carolyn hadn't met many that were quicker. Made a lot of sense when she considered it, he'd have to have brains to constantly escape every prison he'd been in.
"What do we do," Carolyn wasn't sure what the wisest course of action would be. Get off at New Melbourne and hope they could find another ship? Their money wouldn't last long if they couldn't work to pay their way. Try to become part of this ship's crew?
"Wait and see," The twist of Riddick's mouth suggested he knew very well what she was thinking. "No point in making plans yet. We don't know how they'll react to us."
Carolyn shivered slightly. She and Riddick might occasionally sleep together, or have sex, but that didn't mean she was blind to how dangerous he was. He seemed afflicted (a particularly apt word) with his own version of chivalry, but that didn't mean much when she took everything else he was capable of into account. She wasn't an idiot; Riddick was still thinking over his position about rejoining the human race. Until he made a decision one way, or another the entire situation was precarious (she really couldn't think of a better word). And of course, the man flirted with anything female. Like a cat playing with a mouse (or another cat). Which was River?
Lumber made for unwieldy cargo. Mal sometimes missed Jayne when it came to dealing with freight. The gunhand might grouse but he'd get the work done. Doubly fast if he had help to gripe to and work with. For all that he disliked people in general, Jayne was more comfortable in a group of some kind. Hopefully, he'd found himself a good one.
River looked up as he entered the bridge, giving him a half smile, "So? What's the scoop on our little bundle of passengers?" He took a seat in the Captain's chair regarding her thoughtfully.
"Running," She shrugged. "Dangerous. In different ways."
"Got that from the size of Mr. Swearengen," Mal hesitated over the name. "Sounds like he comes from Deadwood."
"Sounds like," River's voice suggested otherwise. "Won't harm us, so long as we don't turn on him. Don't turn on his ladies."
"So, the little one is a girl," He nodded. He'd wondered as much. Something about the way the kid moved suggested it. "Well, she wants to go about as a boy that's her business. Got no doubt she thinks it's safer." Mal wondered if she realized that pretty boys were just as much prey as pretty girls.
"Aware but it is not immediate," His pilot told him quietly. "Not like other dangers."
"And the blonde," Pretty woman, core of steel in her looked like. Strong too.
"Carolyn," River nodded. "Not…overtly dangerous. Was like Jayne…self before others. Changed. Still feels guilt…wants redemption. Met herself and did not like what she saw on the edge of the volcano."
"I expect that's a good thing," He nodded. No sense judging her on her past. Not if she really had changed and wanted to leave it behind her. And River wouldn't say it if it wasn't true.
"He…theorizes about her. What she is… wonders but also thinks it is an impossibility, crazy. They all worry about the secrets they carry." She shrugged, "Tried to reassure them. Words became slippery in her mouth, new people, unsure of proper interactions. Partial success."
"Are they a danger to you?" Now that he would not have. She deserved to feel safe on Serenity.
"Mutually assured destruction," That enigmatic curve of her lips, promising mischief and knowledge.
"Guess that's all we can hope for." He shook his head with a sigh. "And him? Obviously, a dangerous man. Moves lighter than Jayne, near light as you I notice."
"Has done…many things. Some bad things," River shrugged. "But has also done much good. Trying to rejoin the human race. Be a person."
"Not sure that puts my mind at ease," Mal rubbed the back of his neck. "Is he a danger to us?"
"Repays treachery with treachery. Honors his word," His little pilot considered the question. "Will not kill without cause. But cause has yet to be determined. Money is a means to an end, not a goal in and of itself. An extremely dangerous man. But for all that he is hazardous to the health of others, he is still less of a risk to our safety than Jayne. Does not believe a life can be measured in coin."
He nodded, not entirely satisfied with the answer but if River felt that the man was less of a threat than Jayne Cobb… Either Jayne was much worse than Mal had realized or Riddick was an honorable man, albeit a 'bad man'. The bit about lives versus coin was a good sign. So long as none of them woke up dead… Mal leaned back in his chair, "Gonna need to find cargo when we get to the fishy planet. And most goes out on the huge transports, not middlin' ones like our girl here."
"Opportunities will present themselves," She shrugged. "We have clearance for departure," She added as the screen lit up with a text wave from the docking authorities.
"Take us out of the world then Lil Albatross," Mal half smiled. "I'll go and let the folks know about dinner."
"Zoë wakes, no need to knock," River called after him as he walked down the hall toward the galley. He felt Serenity lift off, twist, turn and slip the surly bonds of earth. Gettin' fanciful in your old age, Mal shook his head at his own thoughts.
A smile for Kaylee as he walked through the galley to the aft stairway, trotting down to the lower deck. Rap on the infirmary window for Simon and knock on the door of the passenger dorm the big man had dumped his bag into. "Folks, 'bout time for the meal," He called quietly. "We're headin' into the Black."
The door slid open and all three of his passengers looked at him, the two females on the bed while the huge hún dàn Rick Swearengen stood in the doorway. "Give us a half minute," He turned and nodded at the women. The blonde slipped past him with a wry grin as he deliberately crowded her with a smirk. The little one simply ducked under his arm and mounted the ladder besides the door to grab a sweater from her bunk, something she'd half muttered as she passed. "Gets cold in the Black," Rick said quietly. "They're used to sailing in cryo mostly."
"Yeah, climate controls are always better in the units than out of them," Mal could understand that. "You don't seem bothered."
"Nah," The huge man shrugged as he pulled a waffle knit shirt over his head after discarding the jacket and tee-shirt he'd worn. "I don't feel the cold as much as other folks. Just used to it I guess." Didn't seem over concerned about nudity either.
"So what'd you think of my girl," Mal was curious as to how the man would interpret the question.
"You got a few of those from where I'm standing," Rick chuckled as he pushed up his sleeves. "Serenity's an old beauty…" He casually reached up and rapped the ceiling, "Jack, show a leg already."
"I'm comin'," Jack's voice called. "My sweater got caught in the belt buckle."
Mal took a step or two back so he wasn't in the immediate doorway, leaning against the wall of the blonde's dorm. "And the rest?" The dorms weren't huge but the one thing they did have were decently high ceilings. Eight feet, not much by dirt standards but enough that the rooms felt spacious in the Black. The last thing he'd want would be to crowd the huge hún dàn coming out of the little dorm. Man made the ceilings seem low.
"Well, don't really know them well enough to form an opinion," Rick shook his head. "Near as I can tell you've got four beauties, plus a Companion on board. Seems like you throw a stone anywhere you'll hit pretty."
Jack laughed as she climbed down the ladder. Mal looked up, idly curious and noted the legs and pì gu above them. Definitely female. Likely older than she looked. "Got the strangest way of giving out compliments," She smirked at the huge man like he couldn't snap her in two.
"Wasn't a compliment, just a statement," The goggle wearing man shook his head. "'S like sayin' I'm tall, Captain's a Browncoat, Carolyn's blonde. Facts."
"You know Rick isn't the type for flowery language," Carolyn slid the door to her dorm open and stepped out, closing it behind her.
"Honest evaluations shouldn't require flowers and fluff," Rick retorted. "I know beautiful when I see it. But a snake can be beautiful. Same as a cherry tree."
"A cherry tree," Jack repeated. Plainly the comparison stymied her.
"Let's continue this over dinner," Mal suggested. He could see that conversations could easily get away from him with these three. Same way it could get away from him with River, Kaylee, Simon or Wash. He recalled the last with a pang of sorrow. Somehow he managed to surround himself with folks could just talk their way down a conversational rabbit trail.
The teasing between the three of them continued up the stairs and into the galley with Jack persisting as she was shown to her seat. "I don't get it. What does a cherry tree have to do with 'beautiful'?"
River brought tea to the table and began to pour, elegant as any Companion while her brother entered and began to help Kaylee serve. Mal brought over the prescribed milk (powdered and rehydrated) for Zoë as his First Mate sat. If he held her chair she'd likely clock him. Inara came in from her shuttle's air lock, pausing for a moment to take in the room, and then took her place at the table. Mal wasn't quite sure if anyone was going to explain what Riddick's comparison meant or if Jack would persist with the question all the way through dinner.
The meal on the table and smelling much finer than regular rainbow protein should, River half smiled, "Loveliest of trees, the cherry now is hung with bloom along the bough, and stands about the woodland ride wearing white for Eastertide." She looked down the table at Jack before she continued, "Now of my threescore years and ten, twenty will not come again, and take from seventy springs a score, it leaves me only fifty more." Dark eyes saw something entirely different than the galley around her, "And since to look at things in bloom fifty springs are little room, about the woodlands I will go to see the cherry hung with snow."
Rick, of all people, nodded and pointed at River, "Yeah. That."
"What was that?" Kaylee smiled as she passed the dishes. "It sounded pretty."
"A E Housman, a nineteenth century poet," Simon smiled at his sweetheart. "When she was about seven River made a study of the Earth That Was poets of the seventeenth through the twentieth centuries."
"Still remember most," River nodded. "Cherry trees are like wild plum."
"Orrick wrote that one," Simon recalled. "Seems to suit all of us."
Mal tilted his head, "Sorry to say I don't remember it."
"Still have my books," River offered. "I'll put them in the lounge." She tilted her head at Inara meaningfully and Mal took the semi-subtle hint.
"Ah, well, now that we've made a start fillin' our bellies," He sipped his tea. "Ya'll didn't get to meet Inara." He nodded at the Companion sitting next to Kaylee, "Inara Serra, from Sihnon. She's a registered Companion. Rents the shuttle. Those are her personal quarters and not to be entered without permission."
"However much you may do so," Inara murmured the teasing dig with a little smile.
"Inara," Kaylee smiled at her friend. "This's Rick Swearengen, an' Caroline Miranda. An' this's Jack Owens. They've booked passage to New Melbourne."
"And since we're a little shorthanded, and Rick and Caroline are pilots, we're using the travel time to get to know each other, see how we'll do with them on the crew," Mal added. He looked down the table, "Sorry if we're sayin' your name wrong Caroline. Didn't see how it was spelt until lately."
"My mother may have spelt it like Caroline, but she always pronounced it Carolyn," The blonde pilot shrugged. "I'm not fussed about it. Caro for short, like when there's engine trouble."
Mal chuckled, "Well we don't have trouble per se…just…"
"The occasional adventurous landing," Zoë scrutinized the three passengers with her stoic eyes. "Any experience with those?"
"I've had my share," Rick nodded and so did Caro.
"More than I'd like," She agreed.
"I'll say," Jack muttered (most likely she thought under her breath).
"Yeah," Mal watched the three of them. Under his eyes Caro leaned back and sipped her tea, Rick maintained his position and Jack stiffened slightly. No exchanging glances, no backing away. "Well…if anyone on the boat says the landing is gonna get interesting…"
"Hang onto something," Simon advised.
"Interesting means 'oh god oh god we're all gonna die'," River advised as she passed the dish of protein down to Rick, Jack and Caro so they could partake of seconds. Mal was willing to bet the three of them hadn't had three squares in a while. Rick and Jack looked like they might want to fight to the death over thirds.
Simon frowned, "We will need to do a physical." He glanced down at Mal and got a nod of agreement. "I'll want to be certain your inoculations are up to date. Some bloodwork and we'll know if any of you need nutritional supplements or have other dietary requirements."
Mal frowned as Simon's concerns went over like a ton of bricks. Well lending Captainy authority to his Doctor's words would be the thing to do, "Ain't just for all of you. It's for us too. Anybody picked up a bug or parasite or nasty little timebomb of a disease, we wanna nip it in the bud. All we've got is each other, don't want anything untoward happening."
"Makes sense," Rick nodded slowly exchanging a look with Caro and Jack.
"If it helps," Simon half smiled. "No one here cares how Jack wants to dress. Being disguised as a boy is a sensible precaution. Until you're skilled enough with weapons to protect yourself."
Mal watched as the girl froze and thankfully River intervened before her worry could turn into full blown panic. "Experienced fighters here, and all should know how to care for themselves."
Simon chuckled, "That's true. Perhaps River, you might show Jack a kata or two?"
Mal nodded his agreement, "It's a good idea Doc. An' we've got just enough room in the cargo bay." He was all for River hiding the fact that she was a Reader. But any chance for her to show her more martial skills was a good thing (to an extent anyway). Most men'd think twice about groping a girl who could hand them their pì gu on a platter. And a girl River's size and build, Core heritage, martial arts would be something almost expected of her.
Author's Note: So unlike some of my other stories I didn't want Riddick to figure out River was a Reader immediately. The crew is going to be very careful about discussing her abilities and with her in control of her brain it won't be as easy for Riddick to figure out since she's not going to repeat what he's thinking so obviously as she might have before Miranda.
How do we think River and Jack will get along?
Chinese Translations:
hún dàn (individual who has at least two biological fathers and one biological mother - bastard / scoundrel / bastard / hoodlum / wretch)
pì gu (butt)
Quote Sources:
Sigh no more ladies sigh nor more, men were deceivers ever; One foot in sea, and one on shore, To one thing constant never. – Much Ado About Nothing – William Shakespeare
Loveliest of trees, the cherry now is hung with bloom along the bough, and stands about the woodland ride wearing white for Eastertide
Now of my threescore years and ten, twenty will not come again, and take from seventy springs a score, it leaves me only fifty more
And since to look at things in bloom fifty springs are little room, about the woodlands I will go to see the cherry hung with snow. – Loveliest Of Trees – A.E. Housman
