firefly fic for charlie pt 2

[wytchcroft]

Independently Blue:

this fic is inspired by characters and situations created by joss whedon, tim minear
and brett matthews, i have no claim or copyright on this material.
PG-13 - part two.

Moving tiredly along the low-lit corridor Dr Huxley rubbed his eyes. He guessed the level of the lights must aggravate them less - but damn, it didn't help them stay open! Management. It was probably a funding issue - Things being what they were these days it was a miracle there was any funding whatsoever for projects formally known as 'special' but now, well, not so much.

Everyone was feeling the pinch. Even Blue Sun. Especially Blue Sun, point of fact. Well - it was hard to care really, in fact he hoped they'd hurry up and do whatever companies did, merge or dissolve or whatever. He was hungry and irritable.

And so he dragged his heels, actually pausing for a moment to sigh and gaze around elaborately at nothing.
Nothing was fortunate, because when he finally pushed himself through the exit door a lithe figure clad in an eccentric combination of wrap-around skirt and combat boots dropped to the ground from almost directly above where he had stood.

"River!" a voice hissed loudly, "Mei-mei are you -"
River Tam clapped a hand to her ear, counting to ten before saying quietly. "I'm fine. Stop shouting."
"Sorry - I mean, I'm sorry - I should be there with you, I -"
"Simon..."

Far up above, sat inside a disused porter-cabin and next to a pile of medi-kits and blankets, Simon was watching on his monitor, cursing the distance, the delay, and the impotence he felt just watching his sister at work. Kaylee had done her work well, the alarms had shut down without being noticed, the connection with River was clear and quick - but still... and he knew he had to be here but... it felt like nothing, like doing nothing. It didn't matter how well he knew the rational truth of letting go, of letting his sister have 'her turn now'...
To do nothing just wasn't natural for him, not when it came to River.

"Which is precisely who it must be." The man known as Quicksilver had said reasonably. He was never anything else than reasonable. "Simon we're not not forcing anything on you here - it's just the truth, the Underground doesn't have anyone else that could do this."

So, he could say no. He'd said no before. "I don't even have to listen," he said pointedly, "not to you."
"That's very true. And if you were Malcolm Reynolds I would simply be a speaker full of static by now. But you're not him and I'm not... who I was. Simon, I'm not doing this out of some misguided desire for atonement - I do what I do because it needs to be done and I can do it. And Captain Reynolds? He is an honourable man, he will see the repairs the Underground has provided as a debt he will want to repay. And so, with all that in mind, perhaps you should go and ask your sister."
"She won't want to."
"Maybe so. But we won't know for certain until you ask, will we?" Yes, always reasonable. Remorselessly so.

And River? She seemed to make her choices by whim, by mood - from violent rejection, to sullen acceptance to a kind of serene determination - then she would glow, take charge almost in her way. And Mal would look on grinning.
As he had this time.

"Hardly even a prison anymore?" Zoe had been the one to raise objections. In a good crew someone would always raise an objection - that could be chaotic, but Simon had finally begun to realise the wisdom of it. Mal too. Maybe. He shouted them down less anyway, just looked up and across from the galley table that still served for their meeting room and waited for Zoe to spit it out. "Hardly a prison? Then I have to wonder Sir, what it is exactly?"
"It's been forgotten about by everyone," Simon had filled in the blanks. "Calling it a prison was always a good cover - who would care? The prisoners were never political, who would care about serial rapists and child abusers. So it just... faded. It is what it always was."
"Hardly a prison."
"A laboratory."

"It's a zoo." River spat. Leaning forward with her dark hair falling. "Come see the animals!"
"Woah, settle down there! - Jeez!" Jayne had leant back fast and skidded his chair away. She still spooked him. Always would.
"You likely to know any of these folks?" Mal asked.
River's face came up abruptly - and she rubbed her face, hard.
"Know - I don't, no - would I know?"
Mal leant Simon. "Translation?"
"River still doesn't remember her time in the Academy - not in the way you and I remember anyway."
"Feeding time at the zoo... come and get it..." his sister said, her voice dropping so low it lost the next sentence altogether.
Simon was still talking. "Besides - they might not be, I mean... in their way, they're simply prototypes.."
Mal gave the expected HUH - but Jayne did a double take - his face changing expression.
"Wha - your sister's - what are you saying - she's a Bot???"
And damn if he wasn't looking at the girl in a whole new way.
Mal hissed at him in Chinese to shut up but that angered him some and clapping loud hands Jayne said,
"Well I don't get this at all. Mal, what's in it for us? You getting all hero minded again?"
Mal began to drum a finger on the table top.
Jayne ignored him. "Now that's noble maybe, but noble don't mean cashey money. Now we can be - hell, we've been most everything. Do it again too, you know that. But hungry ? Tyen-shur! Can you even remember the last time we..."
He stopped, his eye catching the spot the spot here Mal's finger was thumping down. Under his hand was a crude map. "What?"
"Mr Lee's Remarkable Den of Repose." said the captain. "That sound like an eatery to you?"
"Huh. Or a morgue maybe."
Simon shook his head. "No, no - it says here," fumbling with his notes. "Uh, oh - right, just outside the landing zone for civilians. Refuelling dump and, er, stopover."
"Well, then that's where I'm stopping." Cobb was adamant.
"Well Ok then." Mal agreed quickly.
Too quickly, Jayne thought to himself. But hell, long as there was dim lights, thick smoke and loud loud music, the rest could take care of themselves. Or leastways he could get good and drunk till they needed him - like they always did.

........................................

Chauncey Roberts hated his job. Watching - that was all it was. Day in, day out - just standing in the little makeshift watch tower, a crude pagoda of chicken wire and wood that didn't even keep the rain out. And in this damn valley it rained all the time. He dreamed of making a break for the sunny side - over the crags and out to the refuelling station - oh I could have myself a time...

Squelching from foot to foot. I'm as much of a prisoner here as anyone... he knew it.

He pulled out his walkie-talkie and shook it - there was a pathetic crackle of static. Never did work right - but the battery seemed dry that was something.

In the dark of the downpour the little screen display was the most cheery thing he'd seen all day. The tiny face glowing.

Certainly it seemed a deal friendlier than the face of the woman who appeared out of absolutely nowhere. And a whole lot friendlier than than the shotgun in her hands.

Be careful what you wish for had always seemed such a dumb phrase - well, if the price of an education was a bruise black egg on the back of his head and a swollen lip where his face hit the wet metal floor - then hell, I shoulda stayed ignorant, was the last coherent thought he had before, with a resigned sigh, he lost consciousness.

....................................

Losing consciousness had became mighty fashionable of a sudden on the dirt moon of Scudder 518aa54C. All the best people who doing it. The interior of Mr Lee's rest stop being now littered with the bodies of those indulging suddenly in oblivion.

One of these was Inara Serra - now bundled across the broad shoulders of Malcolm Reynolds as he fought his way towards the door. That was normally the easy part of a brawl - people most often WANTED him out - but these folk, hell if they didn't block the way with loopy wide grins and howls of sheer bloody fun. One of them was Jayne Cobb - who with little sense of giving a rut was whaling wide and hard on all comers.

He did however pause long enough to glance critically at Mal and the woman he was holding.
"This part of the plan then? Seems kinda stupid."
Mal ignored him, he was looking for another exit. Trouble was the other exit was something they'd counted on for entirely different reasons - because it lead to the link-way out back and from there were pouring purple bellied guards, several shabby looking bruisers of no fixed affiliation and - a woman with a large metal - what was that? a ladle? She was whacking it upside some fellas head anyhow.

"C'mon Mal!" yelled Jayne, as he flattened another man, "we can - oh..." the pile of the fallen was actually blocking the route out now worse than when they was standing and swinging.
"...Ok."
He shrugged - catching a small head in one large hand. And spinning a confused assailant away.

"Stairs," Mal pointed.

The pair began to windmill their way across the room. There was a groan from Inara as Mal span around - actually using her shoe heeled feet as weapons. If she was awake I'd catch hell for this... Mal thought to himself. Not that I won't be catching hell anyhow soon as she comes too, never gonna believe this distraction was Zoe's idea.
Mostly.

........................................


Inara was not coming too - she was still sinking through the layers of her memory - falling into them like a stone into a lake; there were bubbles, ripples, but she was still going down.

And the Reavers had never made it to the ship...

Wash had seen to that - as only he could - and so she'd carefully put the box back and clamped down her emotions - willfully losing herself in the adrenaline and excitement of events - the thrill of the chase they were in. Serenity dodging from place to place - from sand to snow and from peace to noise, from fear to adventure.

Willfully... she told that lie to herself sometimes, but rarely believed it. Truth was she had to fight just as hard against that - to not show her exhilaration. THS was what Sheydra had meant - what all the girls meant - when they talked of her adventures with the Space Pirate.

Such romantic notions...

Easy to cling to something like that when you're young and troubled - when you've run from hard hands and worse and finally found some sort of sanctuary in the calm of Sheydra's moon. The beauty of a morning where the sun would rise glistening like the waterfalls below and urging the jungle greenery to flourish and rise.

And she'd wanted to disabuse them, of course she had. Seeing the smile on Sheydra's face as they chatted together over a balcony breakfast. It made her...
and so when that man had - when that Operative appeared, and the calm retreat was broken and despoiled, then some small voice in her head, small but insistent, called out, "You made him come! You made him come!"

And as the shuttle began to dip towards its destination, as Lenore hummed away beside her, as the cockpit screens lit up and streamed the landing data, Inara wondered if Sheydra felt that way too.

.......................................

Moving slowly down the iron steps, River wished she were barefoot, she missed the feel of things, trailed a soft hand out onto the rail just to to touch the cold solidity for a moment. Even here, a place she did not want to be, a place that should not be touched.

She knew she was close. She was biting back bile and unbidden images - I can do that, I can do that now - I've learned... I'm not not - I'm whole now - they don't own me - pieces of me there are no pieces of me here, kept here in glass cages and fed on mush and needles, under hot lights and the voices asking question after question and wondering how the sticky on her fingers would taste.

Not here. There were monsters here. But not me, I'm not -

She froze as she rounded the bottom of a stairwell and found herself face to face with a lab-coated man. He looked at her for a seconded bewildered - but then his face changed, he had recognized her.

He knows me...

"River Tam..." the man's voice was almost awed. "It IS you..."

River raised a knuckling hand.

"Wit, wait!" the man said quickly. "This - this is such an opportunity - do you realise? Now you're here? We - we could learn so much - we should, we should talk!"

"Talk?" River's voice sounded strange in her own ears, the dead echo from this metal room and she shaped the words as if they were foreign and strange. "What could you say to me?"
The man looked thoughtful - but River said again, and with angry accusation. "What could you possibly have to SAY?"

The man shrugged."Well, uh, you know, er, oh hey, how about Eta kooram nah smech!"
There. Like a magic spell. Bad wizard, bad -
For one raging second River's eyes screamed NO! and then she slipped away and into herself.

end of pt 2..

....................................................

one more chapter to go... still having major server issues, sorry if i come and go randomly!

Comments

[stoshagownozad.livejournal.com]

ogo!
Inara in trouble... River knocked out with few Russian words :)))
go on, go on please!

LOL!

[wytchcroft.livejournal.com]

actually, when you saw the movie - did they use different words???

Re: LOL!

[stoshagownozad.livejournal.com]

words are perfectly correct :))) But when the movie is dubbed, everybody speak russian and there is no such nice effect

[charlie-bz.livejournal.com]

Oh, wytchy, I love this! you've crofted...ahem...quite a story here.

This line...this line right here delighted me to know end: Losing consciousness had became mighty fashionable of a sudden on the dirt moon of Scudder 518aa54C.

And your Carnivale is showing. not a complaint either. Management. love it! And Jayne thinking River was a bot. Mal using Inara's unconcious feet as a weapon. Lastly, I really like how you have Simon working with the underground. That makes perfect sense to me.

Can't wait for the next part!

Yippee!

[wytchcroft.livejournal.com]

i'm so glad you're enjoying this:):)

and yes, there are indeed a few carny winks in there i hoped you might like:)

btw - posted to the BSR and got todays latest virus:
'HTML/Crypted.Gen [virus]'
can't fault them for a lack of variety!!! *snort!*

Re: Yippee!

[charlie-bz.livejournal.com]

Viruses love you. What is going on over there??

I've spent the entire day writing. Was sick (not as sick as I claimed) and used my time wisely. That is the only excuse I can offer for the "delighted me to know end" remark above. My head is bowed in shame.

Still love the Samson icon. Many favorite characters in that show but the guy that really sparked my interest was Lodz. Great show.

Re: LOL!:)

[wytchcroft.livejournal.com]

i thought 'know end' must be something clever!
well, i frakk up my typing ALL the time!

oooh you are writing... this is a good gorram good thing:)

and mike/samson is a god as far i'm concerned.

Re: LOL!:)

[charlie-bz.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes. I was being clever. That's it.

I'm almost done with chapter 1 but I'm going to hold off posting until I have most done. There are going to be six chapters but as this is a plotty fic, I don't want to jump the gun and post unless I'm sure all little threads are in place. Adventure for our crew! Danger! Swamps! Snoring Jayne! And maybe a piano.

Did you ever watch Twin Peaks? Samson was the man from the other place aka that guy's arm.

typos negative!

[wytchcroft.livejournal.com]

i'm keen to read your fic!

but i know what you mean, i couldn't cope without having the whole thing written before i post! (although i like to do a final final redraft of upcoming chapters between posts, once i get some feedback. and sometimes seeing the pieces on a neutral site - makes me realise all kinds of stuff that just reading at home doesn't spark, i aint just talking typos ha ha!)and get well soon!:):)


did i see Twin Peaks - hell yes!

http://wytchcroft.livejournal.com/22667.html#cutid1 plug! plug!

i loved that show - scary though it was, and the movie actually sent me into shock! Mike's in Mulholland Drive too... i remember seeing a documentary on him that was pretty cool.

[recycledfaery.livejournal.com]

oh jeez! bad wizard, bad eep
did i see a carnival ref? *giggles*
*rushes off to see if part three is up yet*

[reginaclarejane.livejournal.com]

Okay- just got to read this... man, I like your women characters!
River sounds very interesting!
:)

thanks:)

[wytchcroft.livejournal.com]

but i didn't invent them - i just get to have fun exploring them a little:)

and, wow - i mean, thanks for reading!!:):)

[reginaclarejane.livejournal.com]

True, but you must infuse them with your own little twinklings... I like that. :)