Movement caught their eye at the same time a shot fired. The Alliance co-pilot had miraculously survived the crash. Mal saw him as he started to crawl from the wreckage, and ended his journey. Buffy walked over to stand beside Mal, looking from the badly disguised Alliance ship to Serenity. River's words came back to her and she grabbed the unsuspecting Captain by the ear, pulling him toward her, and planting a lingering kiss on his lips. Buffy stepped back, smiling brightly.
Mal rubbed his offended ear. "What was that for?" A smile peeked out, even as he continued to rub.
"For showing how smart you can be underneath all that naughty. We need some paint and lots of rope. I'll go see what's available. Joseph should have something that'd make tearin' those Alliance ships into pieces easy enough. You're a genius, Mal." Buffy practically skipped away with River dancing happily behind her.
"If'n that don't beat all," Mal muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.
"You say something, Cap'n?" Kaylee walked up with Inara.
"No, just trying to work some such through in my mind."
"Shouldn't be too hard. Not too much up there to confuse you," Inara replied.
Mal didn't rise to the bait, causing Inara's eyebrows to rise in shock. "Zoë needs to speak to you on the bridge. She said twas important."
He bowed to them with a grin. "Ladies, best be seeing to that, then."
Inara stared after his receding back, eventually returning to reality when Kaylee shook her. "Nara, you okay?"
"I'm fine, mèimei. Let's go see if Simon needs our help." The companion gave Kaylee a soft smile that didn't completely reach her large, brown eyes. They walked off to find Simon among the rubble, searching for survivors.
Mal found Zoë waiting for him in the Cargo Bay as he boarded Serenity. Her expression told him that the news wasn't good and he braced himself to hear it. "They hit everyone, the Sanchez brothers, Li Shen and most others. Haven't been able to get a wave through to Badger or Mingo and Fanty. Thought you might want to be there should we get through? Strange how they took out the little guys clean like, while no one knows about the larger players," Zoë said, her beautiful face a cold mask of fury.
Wash came over the com system. "Zoë, tell Mal that you're getting an answer on your wave to Mingo and Fanty. Best double step it, not sure how long we can hold it."
"We're on our way, Wash." Mal headed for the steps with Zoë close on his heels. The blood pumping in his body raced to keep up with the rage that fueled his actions. Mal stepped through the bridge's doorway, seeming to cause the room to shrink. His presence took up every inch of space with the larger than life persona that was Captain Malcolm Reynolds. He straightened his ever-present browncoat, setting it about his frame then nodded to Wash. Zoë stepped forward, taking her rightful place beside her Captain as Wash threw the switch to open the communication wave to the twin brothers they last saw on Beamonde.
The snowy static cleared, showing Mingo's and Fanty's beaten bodies tied to chairs. A shadow ghosted across the screen before it went black. Mal turned to Wash. "Show me the others." The pilot flipped several switches, putting images on several screens at once. Mal stepped back, taking in the destruction and death in one large dose. The screens went black, and then a single white spot appeared at their center, growing outward until each screen was completely white.
The Operative's face appeared against the white. His majestic features and manner set off by the stark background. "I'm sorry," he said solemnly.
"You're what? Why are you doing this?" Mal stared at the man who had beaten him so easily with a sword. During the duel, the Operative could have ended his life at any time, but he didn't.
The corners of the Operative's mouth lifted into what could pass as a smile. "If you believe in something with everything that you are, you don't question it. Imagine a world without sin, a better world. That's what I believe in, Captain Reynolds."
Mal saw the conviction in the other man's face and heard it in his voice. "So, children, innocent folks, not to mention me and mine, are supposed to let you walk up and snatch away our lives so you can have your better world to live in?"
Soft laughter shook the other man's shoulders. "You misunderstand, Captain Reynolds. I believe in a better world, but I recognize what I am. I'm a monster and have no place in a world without sin, anymore than there'll be a place for you. The necessary evils I perform will happen. There's nothing that you can do to stop me. No one can, no one ever could. Why don't you simply give me what I want before this goes too far?"
"Might be a speck too late for the folks on Haven for that? Exactly what did murdering these people prove?"
"If the fox goes to ground, you send in the hounds to flush them out. I made you a fair offer. Did you really think that I would just let you fly away? That you aren't in anyway responsible?" the Operative said; his voice slid across the waves, smooth and dispassionate.
"You must like the sound of your voice; though have to admit it's kinda pretty. Won't be getting our location, even if you did, we'd be long gone afore you arrived," Mal said with a satisfied smile.
"If you're even man enough to hunt us yourself," a cold feminine voice joined the conversation as Buffy stepped up to Mal's side.
The Operative stiffened ever so slightly. "To whom do I owe the honor?" he inquired, bowing his head in greeting.
"Smart man like you, I'm certain you'll figure it out. Just want you to know one thing," Buffy paused, waiting for him to ask.
"And what is that, pray tell?"
"When your life crumbles around you, when everything you've ever believed in turns to ash and you pray for death, I'll be the bitch that denies you that peace. You… Will…Never…Touch…River." Buffy turned her back to the screen and glanced up at Mal. "Everything's ready when you are, just need you to decide where to put what." He nodded in understanding as she walked off the bridge.
"Lady said all that needs saying." Mal switched the screens off, turning to his second-in-command. "We have some work to do, 'spect we best be getting to it."
"Sir, have to say for such a small woman, Buffy sure has a way with a threat."
"That she does, Zoë; that she does. Not sure, I'd want her hunting my hide."
Book stood outside Serenity solemnly staring down at the slain bodies stacked haphazardly. When Buffy stepped down the gangplank, questions burst from his lips. "What are these men doing here? Why aren't they over with the others?"
"Ain't burying 'em," she answered, stepping by the stunned shepherd to pickup a badly injured body. Buffy walked several yards away before setting the body down and returning to the pile.
"What do you mean, you aren't burying them? I know they're Alliance, but they still deserve a decent burial."
She ignored him, repeating the process only leaving the body several yards from the first one. When she returned to grab the next body, Book grabbed her hand, stopping her. Buffy looked up at him with emotionless green eyes, causing Book to drop his hand almost as if she'd burned him. "Won't do us any good buried. We need to get to Miranda. Only way to go is through Reaver territory, best thing these purple bellies'll ever do is help us fake our way through. Now, either help me lay them out so that Mal can tie them down, or leave me alone to do it in peace. Either way, they're coming along for the ride."
"But, that's sacrilege," Book sputtered, shocked and helpless to know what to do.
Buffy stopped to stare at him slack-jawed. "You don't think its sacrilege killing innocent people to keep stupid secrets," she spat at him. "What kind of thinking is that? Those are bodies that can help us find a way to save this verse, I won't believe that any higher power would ever punish a person for doing that. A soul doesn't live in a body once it's gone, Book. Bodies decay and return to the earth."
Mal, Zoë and Wash heard Buffy's last words. Jayne walked up with Kaylee, Simon and Inara in tow. River was heading their way, marching her slender legs in the clunky army boots as her arms swung stiffly at her sides. When she came to a halt in front of Mal, she gave him a sloppy salute.
"Rounded up the troops. Reporting for duty, sir," River announced.
Zoë turned to Mal as her eyes took in the bodies stacked outside Serenity's doors. "Sir, what's going on?"
Mal stepped down to stand beside Buffy with River moving to join them. "Alliance aims to hunt us down and take River to keep the secret locked in her brainpan from seeing the light of day. Only one way to stop 'em, get to the secret first."
River nodded saying, "Miranda."
"That's right, little albatross, Miranda."
The crew started talking on top of one another until the only coherent words heard were 'No' and 'crazy'. A shot rang out, causing bodies to turn with guns drawn and pointed in the direction of possible danger.
Buffy smiled, putting her gun away. "Don't shoot, just shut up. Mal will tell you what the plan is and you can decide who's crazy or not." She nodded at Mal, letting him know she'd back him.
Mal gave her a fake glare before he winked at her. "There's people out there who think they got the right to kill whoever they want whenever they want. They did this," he waved his hands to encompass Haven, "to force us to give up River. Afore coming here, they destroyed three other settlements, killing over two thousand just to push Buffy into this fight. I've about had enough and am aimin' to misbehave."
River moved from Buffy side to stand next to Mal, a serious expression on her beautiful face, silently showing her support.
"Choice is yours, to come with or stay behind. Alliance is ready to kill us all to keep River's secrets from the verse. I say we go to Miranda and see what the fuss is all about. If you're gonna help, then I want Zoë and Simon to rope the bodies on after Buffy and I finish laying them out around Serenity. We need a goodly amount on the hull. Kaylee, we need the reactor core to leave a trail like a Reaver ship and we need it fast. Jayne, there are some large scraps waiting for you to pick 'em up on the mule. They need attaching and the rest need to get with the painting. Plenty of red paint splashed about to give it that crazy cannibal look."
Buffy left Mal to speak to his crew as she went back to laying out the bodies. River slipped away to follow after her mentor.
"You want me to tear into Serenity's engine?" Kaylee asked in a horrified voice.
"Kaylee, you have about two hours before Serenity leaves Haven. Do as I ask now." Mal's voice held the tone that Kaylee knew to follow without questioning.
Simon had no such problems. "This is crazy. You can't seriously think to fly through Reaver territory?"
"Already explained what I aim to do. If'n you don't plan to help that's on you, but River goes with me and Buffy. Now, I have things to do and 'pears as if you have some pondering to do." Mal walked off to join Buffy.
The crew stared at one another then turned to Shepherd Book for guidance, with the exception of Jayne. He walked back inside Serenity. "I kill 'em, don't string 'em up, and I damned sure don't paint."
Ignoring the gruff mercenary, all eyes stared at the solemn-faced shepherd. Book wasn't sure what to say and hoped the Lord would forgive him. "I don't feel right about abusing the dead, no matter who they are." He saw his feelings echoed on the others' faces. "But, if'n these poor misguided souls can help us save others from dying, well I have to say - string 'em up."
"You found your place. See don't have to straddle that line, wobbling always scared you'll fall into the black. Just take one step away from the shadow and you're in the light." River's soft voice came from behind Book, startling him since he didn't hear her approach. She gave him an innocent smile, before skipping back to Buffy.
"Is it just me, or is she starting to make sense?" Wash scratched his head, gazing after the girl in question.
"Maybe we're just getting good at understanding River speech," Kaylee offered.
"No, her sentences are more coherent," Simon said as a proud smile slowly started to spread across his lips until it blossomed into a full-blown mega-watt, teeth gleaming in the sun smile. "River is making sense." He picked Kaylee up and twirled her around, chanting the words as he spun.
"Doc, not that I ain't happy bout River not being as crazy today as she was yesterday, but we have a lot to before we can leave, best be getting to it," Zoë said, cutting the happy dance short. "Kaylee, you best get to working on Serenity's insides, we have lots to do afore we leave. Shepherd Book, can you help Wash rustle up those parts and attach them to Serenity?" Kaylee and Book nodded, not sure what else to do. "Good, then get going the both of you. Doc and me can get started on the other side. Nara, you look artful. Why don't you get started with the paint. I'll be back in a minute after I grab me one stupid Merc." Zoë marched into Serenity and bellowed for Jayne, threatening his manhood, followed by threats to his beloved Vera if he didn't come and help. She walked back out with a satisfied smile, kissed Washed and headed off to help Simon.
"That's my wife, large and in charge, ain't she prettiful," Wash said, smiling as he admired the graceful sway of Zoë's backside.
Shepherd Book cleared his throat. "Well, erm, I spose we should get to work. Haven needs some peace and we need some answers."
Inara stared down at the quickly dwindling pile of bodies. "Runtse de Fwotzoo, ching bao Yo wuomun." She quietly prayed for them to survive this journey.
Serenity in all her gory splendor rose from Haven's surface. An eerie silence encompassed the small mining planet. Its inhabitants stood watching their rescuer leave, heading toward what most considered the very pits of Hell. They understood that the people aboard the ship were their only hope to escape the Alliance's stranglehold on the verse.
"May the black hold and keep you safe, Peacemaker," Joseph whispered softly.
Everyone stood gathered in the cockpit, facing the forward windows. No one said a word. What was there to say, when you knew you were flying into almost certain death. A situation that you could either die before you got to your destination, after you arrived, on the return trip, or if by some lucky chance you made it through, you could be met by the full force of the Alliance waiting on your doorstep. Yep, not much to say.
"We should break atmo in about ten minutes, then it should take bout near four hour till we reach the edge of Reaver Territory," Wash said, his bright blue eyes turned to Mal and Buffy who stood next to each other. "You two sure bout this?" They nodded in accord. "Best hold on, then."
The crew braced themselves. Inara clutched a steel bar to balance herself. She watched Mal and Buffy adjust their stances, keeping perfect balance as Serenity broke through Haven's atmosphere. It irked her that the small blonde seemed so at home on Serenity, fitting in on the ship in a way that Inara never could. Oh, she saw that there were problems between the couple, but it couldn't be a relationship if Mal didn't find a way to poke holes in it. Inara knew that Buffy came from a higher class, like Simon and River, but it didn't bother her one bit to do without the luxuries befitting her station in life.
She couldn't deny that played a large part in her decision to return to the Guild House. Inara knew it made her sound shallow and petty, but only those born into the upper classes could walk away from them without a backward glance. No, it was the ones like her family who once had it all and lost it that knew what it felt like to live without its comfort. Inara swore never to be without the comfort and protection her profession gave her. It wasn't as powerful as her previous life, for Inara it was close enough. She was too proud to explain her past to anyone, especially Mal. She'd rather he think she didn't love him than have him know the truth. That she wasn't strong enough, woman enough to stand beside him didn't reflect well on her and she would have to live with that for the rest of her life. The funny thing was that might not be much longer given the situation.
"We're clear for several hours, if'n everyone wants to have a bite to eat?" Wash flashed a hopeful grin at Zoë and Kaylee.
"Husband, I think that you would ask the Alliance for a break in the middle of a war for lunch," Zoë teased.
"Course, Lamby Toes, aren't there rules and stuff for war?"
Buffy ignored them, keeping her focus on River. The young girl drifted closer to the windows, placing a palm flat against the cold glass. Her eyes closed as her head tilted to the side. The intent expression on her face and the small wrinkle between her brows told Buffy that River was listening. Those voices that the powerful psychic mind heard whisper to her of future dangers. Quietly approaching the sister of her heart, Buffy slid behind River. She placed a hand over River's, intertwining their fingers. Her other arm wrapped around a slender waist as she laid her head against River's back. Buffy heard the girl's heart increase its pace.
She started talking in soft soothing tones that only River could hear. "I'm here mèimei. We'll face the black together and come out the other side. Miranda's waiting to stop whispering her secrets. She needs you to shout them long and loud until no one can ignore them any longer. We can do this, River; you can do this. You beautiful mind has gotten so strong. Remember, you control what comes out of the box and what doesn't."
River nodded, keeping her eyes shut. She held on tight to the small hands that were so strong, yet delicate to look at.
Shepherd Book took Kaylee's arm. "I believe it's my turn to help in the kitchen. Why don't we go see about filling everyone's stomachs before this adventure gets too bumpy." He offered his arm to the sunny mechanic, who took it with a grateful smile. They left with Simon and Inara following close behind.
Mal turned to Zoë and Jayne. "You two need to prepare for whatever we might come across on Miranda. Cargo Bay needs locking down. Don't need boxes knocking about, stirring up Reavers whilst were attemptin' to squeeze through playing crazy cannibals."
The cockpit felt empty now that only the four of them remained. Mal sent Wash a deep look that had him flipping switches then pushing back from his seat. He stretched his arms dramatically. "Think I'll stretch my legs, see what the wife's rustling up in the kitchen." Wash walked out, whistling a silly tune.
Mal sighed unsure how to approach the two still locked in their own world. River and Buffy resembled a dual goddess, half sun and half moon. Their arms wrapped around each other molded them into one being of light and dark. Mal couldn't remember when he had ever seen anything so hauntingly beautiful. He hesitated to interrupt the moment, but time wasn't on their side and he needed to know what if anything he could do to help his crew get through this alive.
Buffy sensed Mal staring at them and reluctantly pulled away from River. She smiled when she heard the soft protest. "It's okay, Mal." Opening her eyes, she found Mal close enough to touch, "Let me get River settled, then I'll meet you in the Cargo Bay. Bring everyone, they've earned the right to know, same as you." She touched his cheek gently, before allowing her fingers to trace over his lips. Her feelings lay bare for him to see in the green depths until she blinked them back into their hiding place.
He fought the urge to pull her into his arms. Mal wanted to taste those lips again, but somehow he couldn't seem to lean the few inches necessary to bring them into contact. His ma would tell him he was a stubborn fool that took after his pa. Solomon Reynolds was many things. One thing he wasn't even on his deathbed was quick to a decision. In the end, Mal did what he always did, nothing. He left the bridge with no words of encouragement or hope, not even a smile. He simply turned around and walked away to do what Buffy asked.
The scene was set. Buffy stood in the Cargo Bay, her back facing the crew, the Scythe held loosely in her hand and River sitting quietly a few feet from her. Her audience sat or stood in a semi-circle against the stairs, giving her the room she requested. She slowly turned to face Serenity's crew.
"Earth-That-Was didn't end for the reasons people believed. There are Higher Powers responsible for keeping the balance." She saw the confused expressions on their faces, and the objective ready to burst from Book's lips. "I'm not talking about God, Buddha, or whatever your religious beliefs. The Powers are the middle guys. They sit up there," she pointed to the sky, "and decide when things are bad enough that it threatens the balance. The Powers in their infinite wisdom chose a warrior to return the balance, which they consider a great honor." Buffy couldn't hide her bitterness, regarding the Powers attitude toward their warriors. "Alliance doctors found a way to track and capture the warriors." She couldn't stop herself from turning back to River, who gave her a soft smile. "To give the Powers their due, they aren't used to dealing with the evil humans do to one another. Their more experienced with creatures like Reavers. A few warriors survived the Alliance sweeps, or their parents were powerful enough that they couldn't touch the children. I've been their warrior since I was fifteen. Some of you know parts of my story," she smiled at Mal, "others know all of it." Her hand sought River's, who took it willingly, while her eyes went to Shepherd Book. "Since we're going to Miranda and have to tiptoe through Reavers to do it, I thought everyone deserved to know the truth."
River sat quietly, not saying a word just lending her silent support to her mentor, her big sister. She knew that Buffy didn't want to share her past with the crew. What Buffy didn't understand was this action would allow her finally to put her old life on Earth-That-Was to rest. The Powers, or whoever sent River the voices, told her that Buffy's past would fade and that she and her story would become a true part of the verse. River wanted that for Buffy; she also wanted it for herself. She never told anyone, although she suspected that Buffy knew that her greatest fear was that the Powers would send Buffy back to her world. River didn't think that she would survive if that happened.
The blonde Slayer felt an odd sense of déjà vu as she told her story. It was her life, yet somehow it wasn't. Buffy knew that a silver ribbon of memory that was there only moments before faded away to nothingness as she spoke. She couldn't understand what was happening. With each word she spoke, lightness as if a heavy burden had lifted from her shoulders continued to build.
"The Powers changed my Slayer dreams to tell me when and where the Reavers would attack. These weren't normal Reavers, if there is such a thing; the Alliance found a way to control them. I killed two men wearing blue gloves on every planet that I stopped an attack."
Mal's eyes narrowed, remembering the blue-handed men that haunted River's dreams and almost captured her on Ariel. "The gorram blue-handed devils sent Reavers out to kill a'purpose? Why didn't you tell anyone? People would have banded together across the verse to take down the Purple Bellies."
"That's exactly why. This verse has seen enough war. The people who would suffer the most are the ones that they were already targeting. Don't you understand, Mal, this verse can't handle another great war? The Powers enhanced by powers and sent me to clean up the Alliance's mess." Jayne snorted loudly when Buffy spoke about her Slayer powers. She stopped speaking, handed the Scythe to River and moved over to the cleared out Cargo Bay. "Okay, planned to leave the demonstration for later. Since Jayney volunteered to help me with a little demo, I'll go ahead and show you that I'm not crazy. Well, not about this anyways."
Jayne reluctantly stepped across the short distance to tower over the petite Slayer. He gave her a smirk when he moved into her space, ignoring the soft growl that emitted from his Captain. Buffy returned his smile before picking him up and throwing him across the bay with one hand. The room went silent, except for Jayne's cussing and the crash his body made when it hit the far wall.
"Any questions?" The rest of the crew nodded vehemently in the negative. "I'm also fast, can use any weapon and heal quickly. Now, back to the story," she paused, waiting for Jayne to return to his place. "The Alliance found the next warrior, the one that could save this verse, and took her from her home when she was small. They discovered her powerful mind, but she refused to give up her secrets to them. So, they did what they always do; they broke her mind down and then they went in and took what they wanted. They thought they hit the mother lode. What they didn't expect was for Simon to break River out of the Academy. She's what this is all about." Buffy gently caressed River's head where it leaned against her leg.
River couldn't bring herself to look at the others, especially Simon. She knew her brother loved her; she just wasn't sure how he felt knowing that she was responsible for creating the new Reavers.
"Stop it, mèimei, you aren't to blame," Buffy said reading her thoughts. "No one here blames you for what the blue-hands did." Green eyes blazed a warning to the crew, specifically Jayne, not to say or do anything to upset the young girl. Standing there, all small and blonde, with River at her feet, Buffy was every bit the tigress defending her cub.
Simon stepped forward, going to his sister's side. He sat on the floor next to her and gently turned her face toward his. "River, I love you and there is nothing in this verse that can change that. We're going to find the answers we need at Miranda, then we'll find a way to stop the Alliance from ever coming after you again." Simon kissed her forehead, remaining seated beside her, showing everyone where his loyalties lie.
Mal knew that Buffy was the Slayer, but he didn't know that she was a superwoman too. Oh, he had seen her fight and do things most other women couldn't. It didn't register with him that it was out of the ordinary, not after fighting with Zoë by his side all these years. The majestic black woman handled herself in dangerous situations and there wasn't much that she wasn't capable of if she put her mind to it. The part he was having a hard time coming to grips with was that Buffy, for all her small, soft beauty was a true warrior. That she could kill him with her bare hands and not even break a sweat was daunting for any man to handle concerning his woman. His woman, his woman, when had he started to think of Buffy as his woman? Mal couldn't say when it happened, all he knew was that when he looked at himself long and hard that was what she was to him - his.
She held her breath when Mal started walking toward her. His expression didn't give away his feelings and Buffy feared that this was the straw that broke the camel's back. Her heart beat faster with each step he took until he stood directly in front of her. She guarded her own feelings, locking them away, ready for him to tell her that he didn't trust her anymore, that this was one secret too many. Mal's hand came out brush the hair away from her face. His hand continued its journey until it wrapped around the slender neck. He pulled her close to him, wrapping his other arm around her waist to hold her secure against him. His lips caught hers in a breathtaking kiss that even had the jaded Inara blushing.
Mal didn't let her go as he leaned back to stare into the green depths of her eyes. "Guess I should be used to a woman that can kick my butt." His head gestured toward Zoë, who 'humphed' at the statement. "No more secrets?" he asked softly. Buffy nodded, letting him know that he was seeing her, the real Buffy with all her secrets laid bare. "I can live with that," he said loud enough for the others to hear.
Buffy sighed with relief, snuggling into his side, enjoying the short reprieve from reality. "We should rest while we can. I doubt anyone will want to sleep as we float down Looney Lane." She squeezed Mal's hand before going over to River and putting out her hand. "Come on, mèimei, we need to rest. You're going to have a lot to deal with in a little while." The two quietly walked off toward Buffy's shuttle bay, arms wrapped around each other deep in a whispered conversation.
Simon watched his sister go with the small blonde with mixed feelings. He was thankful to Buffy for helping River advance as far as she had, but in other ways, he resented the place that she had taken up in River's life - his place. Simon had always been her protector, the big brother that she looked up to, even if she was zhen de shi taincai. He wasn't sure what his place was in his sister's life anymore. Did River even need him anymore, now that she had Buffy? Feeling a prickling down his back as the hairs on his neck rose, Simon looked up at the catwalk to find large, dark eyes staring down at him. A soft whisper reached his ears. "I'll always need you, ge ge." He watched her gracefully pirouette around before disappearing down the grated walkway.
The crowd started breaking up as everyone decided to follow Buffy's example. Inara's floating steps led her to her accommodations followed Jayne's gruff, "I'll be in my bunk."
Kaylee went to offer Simon a hand up and a reassuring smile. He accepted them willingly, once on his feet, the young doctor offered to escort the pretty mechanic to her bunk, which had the two blushing as naughty thoughts entered their minds. They walked off with Simon listening to Kaylee's happy chatter. He would occasionally comment or nod his head in agreement, but when she got wound up, there wasn't much room for anyone else in a conversation.
Wash and Zoë by an unspoken mutual agreement exchanged smiles, then took off racing toward their bunk. They knew from experience to take advantage of any alone or down time when they could.
Mal good naturedly rolled his eyes at their antics. Looking around the Cargo Bay, he realized that he stood there alone with Shepherd Book. The older man's eyes, which normally held such patience and wisdom, seemed shuttered. If Mal didn't know better, he'd say that Book was afraid, and not of Miranda or Reavers, but of Mal. It was a ridiculous thought, yet he couldn't shake the feeling that he was right.
"Well, Shepherd Book, looks like it's you and me. Care for a cup of coffee and some conversating? Never could rest when I'm s'posed to, used to drive my Ma batty when I was a tyke."
Shepherd Darius Book stood a man divided. He didn't know what to do. No, he took that back. He knew what he should do, what he needed to do, but was afraid to take that last step. Book wanted to share his past with Mal, feeling that his friend deserved to know. It was different, though, when faced with the opportunity to actually put into words his need to resolve the matter of his past. Mal was the closest thing that Book had to a best friend. The internal struggle to share his past with the younger man or leave it in the past where he had shoved it to the back of his memories for so long must have shown on his face.
"You all right, old man? Need me to go get the Doc?"
"I'm fine, Mal, no need to bother the lovebirds. Why don't we go and get that cup of coffee? I have a story of my own to tell you, and I think that you should hear it before we hit Reaver Territory."
Mal nodded, not knowing what to say to this turn of events. Whenever he'd asked the shepherd about his past, the man of the cloth always told him that his past was exactly that, his. He wondered if listening to Buffy's story had something to do with Book's out of the blue willingness to share his own.
The two men walked side by side in silence up to the kitchen. Mal went about the process of making the coffee while Book retrieved two cups and the necessary fixings. They finally sat down across from each other, hot beverage in hand and stared into each others eyes.
"Not that I'm not flattered with the attention, Shepherd, 'ceptin I thought you wanted to get some such off your chest."
Book gave Mal a half-smile. "You're right, Mal, I did want to speak to you. I'm just having a hard time trying to figure out where to start."
"Beginning has always worked well for me," Mal said, leaning back in his chair to study the other man as he fidgeted in his chair.
"Told you before that I wasn't born a shepherd." Mal nodded at the odd beginning. "Let me explain to you how I was raised. My father believed in the Alliance and all they represented." Book saw Mal stiffen, although he didn't say anything. "His father before him and as far back as when my ancestors lived on Earth-That-Was, my family served a council of men. Each son grew up to take his father's place in the field, while daughters married into other families that believed the same as we did. The original purpose for our service seems to have changed over the generations. We're known as keepers. Although, we didn't operate at the same level that the Operatives do, we were no less as effective. I was taught from the time that I was old enough to understand that my duty was to the Council and the Alliance, in that order, always in that order. The Alliance doesn't know the power that the Council still maintains, or it does and can't stop it, or just doesn't care since they're so efficient. My father was one of the best, and expected me to be better than him when it was my time. I did everything in my power not to disappoint him. My father was my hero and I wanted more than anything to be just like him, to make him proud of me and to carry on the great work that was my honor and duty to uphold."
Book stood up from the table, setting down the cup before he started to pace the confines of the room. "I followed in my father's footsteps blindly as most sons would. He was bigger than life and seemed to be able to do anything he put his mind to." A wistful tone entered Book's voice as he spoke of his father. "Ezekiel Book Solomon wasn't a man to be taken lightly." He said the name softly with equal parts reverence and revulsion.
Mal didn't know how to wrap his mind around what he was hearing. Shepherd Book the man who threatened him to a special hell if he took advantage of Saffron was the son of a high-powered agent of the Alliance.
"Xactly what did you do?" Mal asked in a hushed voice, not wanting to interrupt Book's memories.
"Whatever they asked me to," came the simple reply, "I'm not going to recall every sordid detail for you. Simple put, we set out to keep the internal laws of the Council intact and anyone that broke them were eliminated, or punished based on the transgression."
Coffee spewed across the table as Mal sputtered out, "You were a gorram Alliance assassin, a hunter for their cause?"
"From yours and finally my own viewpoint, yes. That's the problem you'll face with the Operative, same as anyone did with me. We're bred and raised to believe that what we do is the right way, the just and only way. The Operative is a different matter. He came to his conclusion another way from something within himself and found what he was missing in the Alliance. They are his Mecca and his God, and he will worship at their feet, especially since he sees himself as being unworthy of them. He feels honored just to be allowed to work for them."
"Is that what you felt, fanatical, didn't ask any questions no matter what they asked?" Mal worked hard to keep the disgust from his voice.
"Could you break away from something that is perfectly normal to you? How can you know that it isn't right, if its all you know? You have to understand that my father, even my mother, lived and breathed the Council every day of my life for as long as I can remember. Could you do it, Mal? Could you stand up to your parents, without any reason, and tell them they're wrong and then walk away from the only life you'd ever known?" Dark, soulful eyes bore into Mal's own blue ones, searching for some recognition that their friendship would survive this conversation.
"What made you change, Book? Why would you turn such a life around? You already said that it's all you knew and that you believed in what you did. So, I'm sitting here scratching my brainpan, wondering what could turn you around, what with all your duty, honor and destiny."
Book grimaced, knowing that Mal would want the gory details. He came back over to the table to sit. Book wasn't sure that he knew how his body would react as his mind took him back to that time in his life. "My father was right. I was more than good, I excelled at what I did with an ease that clearly proved to me that it was what I was meant to do. The lessons my father and other teachers forced me to learn came to me whenever I needed them. No mission was impossible for me. The Council knew that I enjoyed the challenge and never failed to come through with a mission that caught my interest. I gloried in the work I did and never thought to doubt it or myself. That was until my last mission. I've killed in my day, Mal. You've even seen me do it since taking my vows. I believed that the missions that I carried out ensured that I helped make our world better, until the Council sent me to kill a child, a small innocent, no more than a babe. I didn't know that at the time. They gave me the high points, outlay of the area and the target. I snuck into a house and made my way to the room where the target lay sleeping. When I slipped inside and moved toward the bed, my heart stopped when I didn't find a person sleeping. It was a crib with a child only a few months old. Mal, I stood there for the rest of the night, simple staring at the bundle of innocence that I was supposed to murder in cold blood."
He raked a hand through his hair, then buried his face to take a deep breath. "The baby girl I watched over slept in a peaceful slumber while my world fell apart. Her parents woke up the next morning in a panic when they found me standing over her bed with a large knife still clutched in my hand. I explained to them what was happening and helped them escape. I never returned. The Council sent others to find me, and I sent them back either broken or dead. We came to an agreement that they would leave me alone and I'd leave them alone. I entered the Abbey as soon as I knew that they planned to keep up their end of the bargain."
Mal sat quietly in his seat, wondering about the man in front of him. He tried to see him as a cold, callous killer that did what he was told, but the images of Shepherd with Serenity's crew and the people they came in contact with along the way couldn't be erased. Could a man really change that much, turn over a new leaf and simply walk away from everything that he believed and even fight against it if necessary? The silence between them grew thick with doubt.
"That's a right interestin' tale you spun, Shepherd Book. Not rightly sure, how I'm sposed to put it in my brainpan to come out as something that don't make me a might uncomfortable. Whatever happened to that little girl and why was she so important to your head honchos?"
"Ah, yes," Book smiled, thinking about the bundle of pink and white that stole his heart all those years ago. "I heard from the parents not too long after they went into hiding. They gave their baby to relatives that couldn't have children. Turns out the woman's sister married way up, they figured that best way to protect the little girl was to hide her in plain sight."
"It worked," a soft voice said from the doorway.
The two men jumped at the intrusion. Their heads turned to find Buffy smiling at them softly. "What do you mean it worked?" Mal asked, his eyes widened in understanding.
"My aunt told me the whole story, long ago after I came back from the asylum they sent me to. She wanted me to know that she really did love me and that her taking me in was the proof of that. She wasn't a bad woman, and I know that my father and she both loved me, they just didn't know what to do with me. They blamed the problems I had, the differences they saw on my real parents. I learned quickly that it was better to make them believe that I had put it all behind me, rather than face their disappointment or going back to the institution. So, you see Book, it worked. I hid in plane sight all these years and the Alliance never knew that the little girl they desperately wanted dead, lived. Not only did I live, I grew strong enough to cause them all the hell they feared I would."
Suppressing the urge to giggle, she walked over to take the seat beside Mal. Buffy did something totally out of character, she leaned her head against Mal's shoulder and moved her hand to join the one he had laying on the table. She squeezed the large, calloused hand. "Wasn't my secret to tell, Mal," she whispered softly. He nodded his head, rubbing a thumb against the soft skin.
"The verse for all its largeness can be a small world too," Book said, he reached across the table to place a withered hand on top of the clasped hands. "It's time that I stood up and helped end the wrongs being done to this verse. I can't hide away behind my shepherd's vows any longer." He withdrew his hand before scooting his chair away from the table and quietly started from the room.
Mal watched the retreating back and would have let him go without a word, except Buffy had other ideas and squeezed his hand, hard. She nodded toward Book then gave Mal a look that told him to talk or face the consequences. "Book," he called out after the shepherd.
Book stopped, turning part way to listen. "Thanks for telling me," he paused, a heavy beat before continuing. "Takes a lot for a man to turn away from the only life he ever knew and become a new man. You're part of this crew Shepherd Book and have been since you come aboard that day more'n a year ago on Persephone. Don't make me no matter what you used to be, I only know what the man you are now, and that man's my friend. Best be getting yourself some rest and saying a few Amens for this crew. I have a feeling we're going to need all the help we can get."
The two men exchange rueful smiles, nodding in understanding of where they stood with each other. Book turned to continue on his way to his cabin, his step lighter than only moments before.
Serenity's crew used their down time wisely, either sleeping or resting in their cabins. Mal and Buffy settled on the couch in the galley to sit quietly with their arms wrapped around each other. They enjoyed the silent support they gave each other amidst the exchange of soft kisses of reassurance. All to soon the idle time was over, as Wash's voice came over the com to warn them that they were fifteen minutes away from Reaver Territory.
Mal stood up, holding a hand out to Buffy. They walked up to the bridge, their hands clasped together, neither wanting to break the contact. River stepped out of the shadows, startling Mal and causing the girls to giggle. He leveled a stern glare at them, which they ignored. The three walked onto the bridge to find Zoë and Book talking quietly, while Wash navigated the Firefly through the black with ease.
The others soon joined them until all were accounted for. Wash had lowered the internal lights on Serenity so as to not draw attention to the ship while they attempted to pass through the floating Armada.
Buffy's eyes went from face to face, trying to decide whether she should say something or not. She turned to Mal, who nodded his head. "We shouldn't have any trouble passing through to Miranda. Everyone just keep still if any lights come our way. Reavers don't attack each other, which is kinda weird, but good for us on this ride. The problems will come on the return trip. I have an idea to make it easier, but a lot of that will depend on River and what we find at Miranda."
"We are entering Reaver space in five, four, three, two, one. Alright people, quiet time, don't want to piss of the guys that like to eat your face for appetizers."
The silence on the bridge was thick with tension and fear. River covered her ears to close out the voices of everyone's emotions. Buffy wrapped an arm around her, giving her the extra support she needed. The need to touch someone spread throughout the tomb-like atmosphere, as each person grabbed the hand of those next to them. Even Jayne wasn't immune as he squeezed his large frame in between Inara and Book.
Serenity kept to a slow, steady course as she maneuvered between the large horrific ships full of Reavers. The ships looked like vultures ready to pounce down and tear the flesh from any weakened prey they found. Buffy's senses were on overload as the Slayer fought to be set free, amongst so much evil. She felt her body practically vibrating as she warred within herself to maintain control. Mal must have sensed some inner turmoil, because he mimicked Buffy's actions and wrapped his own strong arms around her, lending his strength to her fight.
Bright lights from a large Reaver ship passed over Serenity as if to ensure the others that there wasn't something wrong with this unknown ship. The passengers inside held their collective breath until the ship moved on, leaving them with a clear path to Miranda. They carefully kept the slow pace as if drifting away from the group by accident rather than intent. No sudden moves that would alert the ever-present enemy that could sweep down at any moment and destroy them.
They saw their goal drifting peacefully just ahead, appearing as a beautiful blue sphere beckoning them onward. The onlookers each wondered how something that seemed so benign, so peaceful could be at the center of so much controversy. Serenity broke through Miranda's atmosphere, flying as close as they dared to the surface.
Zoë searched the monitors for any signs of dangers, what she found confused her even more. "Everything appears normal. Oceans, river, land, homes and buildings, I don't understand why they claimed it couldn't be terraformed."
"No power, maybe that's what happened," Wash suggested.
"Nothing, all that and no power anywhere?" Mal didn't understand this rock. It bothered him that everything looked normal, but wasn't.
"Wait. I found something. It's faint, but still there. A pulse but its awful weak."
"Take us to it, Wash. Best place to start far as I can recollect."
Serenity touched down outside a large building complex. The gangplank was let down and four people stepped off suited up and armed. From the varying sizes and walks, it was easy to discern that it was Mal, Buffy, Zoë and Jayne. Zoë carried a scanner that took air readings. She nodded at Mal, giving him a thumbs up. Mal removed his helmet, taking in a tentative breath.
"Its pure, no smell, no traceable contaminates. This don't make no kinda sense. There is everything anyone could ask for to survive right here just floating in space." Mal waved a hand back at Serenity and the remaining crew quickly joined them.
Buffy kept her eyes on River. The young girl tentatively stepped away from Serenity. Her dancer steps barely touching the ground as she glided toward the small blonde. Buffy reached out a hand and River took it gratefully.
Mal and Zoë take point with Buffy and River directly behind them and Jayne covering the rear. They slowly made their way through the eerie quiet. Zoë spotted a shape and motioned for the others to stop. She moved around the corner, lowering her carbine to take aim and found a decomposed skeleton. Mal quickly moved forward to turn it over, searching for injuries. They couldn't find even one.
"There's nothing, not a bullet, or even a knife wound," Zoë said.
"Poison?" Mal asked, trying to come up with a logical answer.
"There's another'n over here," Jayne yelled.
Immediately the crew went to investigate. They found Jayne leaning over a hovercraft with the pilot's skeleton still holding the controls. While the others searched for more bodies, Buffy kept her eye on River. The young seer paled until her dark eyes seemed to fill her entire face. Her body hummed with fear as she fought the voices in her head. She tried to remember the lessons that Buffy taught her, but there were so many she didn't think she was strong enough to close them all out. The group slowly moved toward the building where they found hundreds of bodies laying, sitting, kneeling in place all perfectly preserved.
"How come they're just sitting there?" Kaylee asked horrified at what she was seeing.
"Why ain't they skeletons like them others?" Jayne tapped on the glass, peering at a blue-skinned man.
"Power must've sealed 'em inside when it blew." Mal moved over to stop Jayne's tapping.
Simon studied them, searching for an answer. "There's no bloating, no signs of pain."
"Doc, ain't there some gasses that could do that?"
Inara spoke for the first time. "But, they didn't fall down or even look like they fought for air. They just lay down, stopped as if they didn't care anymore."
"It looks like starvation more than anything else." Simon moved closer to the windows.
"Bet that they had plenty of food. Something happened to make em not want it."
Buffy watched River become more upset by the minute. Suddenly, River breaks away from Buffy to run forward, falling to her knees. Her hands clutching her ears as she keened softly and rocked her body.
"RUNtse duh SHANG-DEE, ching DAIwuhtzo. Make it stop, make the voices stop. They're in my head, in every breath I breathe. They're everywhere, they're inside me but they won't speak. They won't tell me what they want me to know. Make them stand and speak, please they say nothing and it's so loud. GET UP! PLEASE, Get up! WUOshang mayer, maysheen, BYEN shr-to. Please let me close my heart, my mind and soul, before they tear me apart. Let me be a stone…"
Buffy rushed to her side, gathering the shaking girl into her arms, whispering soothing words to calm her fears. The two closed out the world as they tried to calm the voices in River's head.
"Oh great, now Moony decides to go off her gourd. Can't the Doc shoot her up with something? I liked her better when she was drugged," Jayne whined.
Dark green eyes burning with an angry light landed on Jayne. He unconsciously took a step backward without even realizing that he was doing so. Zoë interrupted to admonish the large man. "Jayne."
"Can't help it. I'm weirded out enough. Moony's right though they're all dead for no reason."
Wash walked up to take his wife's hand. "Let's go find the beacon. The sooner we find out, the sooner I can get back to my dinosaurs." His silly smile was infectious, breaking the tension.
Buffy helped River to her feet, keeping a strong arm around the slender waist. Simon joined them and positioned himself on her other side. River's normally graceful glide was halting and hesitant. Each step she took seemed labored. Buffy exchanged glances with Simon, who nodded in understanding.
The group moved slowly away from the building, following Wash's lead toward the faint beacon. A deserted landing strip came into view with an Alliance shuttle lying on its side. They approached cautiously. As they got closer to the shuttle, the first signs of violence show. The outer doors have been pried open, and the interior shows damage to the consoles. There aren't any bodies, which gave the shell an even eerier feel. The crew stepped aboard continuing their search.
River pulled away from Buffy and Simon. She shook her long hair away from her face, and then set her shoulders. Stepping forward she goes straight to small disc recorder and turned it. River stepped back when the disc activated a hologram. She put her finger to her mouth, blowing softly in a shushing motion.
Horrific images of the corpses across Miranda played across the screen. A woman steps into the screen view. She stated that her name was Dr. Caron. "You've only seen a few images, but you can clearly see that the situation is out of control. Miranda is dying. It's not from a war or event. It's the Pax, the G-32 Paxilon Hydroclorate that we added to the air. It worked. The Pax suppressed the aggressive traits from the population. It stopped them from fighting, and then they stopped everything else. They stopped working, talking…eating." The woman tried to control her emotions before continuing with her tale. "Thirty million people allowed themselves to die. Most just starved to death wherever they stopped. The power grids overloaded starting fires - those caught in them burned to death sitting in chairs or laying in bed. They just let the fires take them." She jumped when a loud bang sounded from outside. Dr. Caron squared her shoulders determined to finish the story. "I don't have much time. We crashed when we landed and have no way to fix the damage. We can't use the abandoned ships here…" The banging became more persistent. "There are - beings. The Pax - it affected them differently, making them overly aggressive to the point of madness. They've become little more than animals. They've killed the others in horrible ways…doing things to them first…horrible things."
Wash's hushed tones spoke over the woman's. "They created them - Reavers."
"I know that my end is inevitable, but the world has to know what happened here on Miranda." Tears course down the woman's face at the realization of her actions. "We wanted to help create a better world. A world where no one fought, where they lived in harmony…a paradise. Oh…God...what have we done." A loud crash interrupted her. She grabbed a gun to fire at whatever came through the door before turning the gun on her. She's too late, a Reaver entered the screen knocking the gun away and biting into the soft cheek. Her screams echoed in the quiet as everyone watched the Reaver biting her and tearing her clothes away.
"Turn it off," Jayne said quietly. The large man was visibly shaken by what he had seen.
Wash turned off the recorder. No one moved or said a word. Mal walked outside with Inara following behind him. His steps were unsteady as he made his way away from the vessel. Mal held out a hand to stop Inara then changed his mind grabbing her for support. She returned the gesture, laying her hand around his waist.
"The death I seen in my life… I've been up to my knees in blood and gore. Watched friends blown to pieces before my eyes as I stood there stupid and helpless."
"Mal..." she said softly.
"They all died fighting or trying to get away. They all were doing something to survive. But, this is…" He couldn't find the words needed to explain what he had seen.
"Mal, I need you to help me understand, because I don't, I can't…" Tears filled her beautiful eyes as she shook from the horrors she'd witnessed.
He turned around, pulling her into his arms. They pressed together feeling the need to feel another living being, to know that they were still alive after the horror they witnessed.
River fell to her knees, vomiting. Simon knelt beside her, rubbing her back and holding her hair out of the way. It stopped as quickly as it started. River put a hand against the wall to balance herself as she climbed back to her feet.
Simon tried to stop his sister from approaching the disc, as if the evil it contained would contaminate her in some way. "River."
She turned to give him a tentative smile. "I'm all right, Simon. The voices are quiet now. They don't whisper to me anymore."
Buffy decided it was time to leave. She looked around for Mal, but couldn't find him anywhere. "Wash, grab that disc and let's get out of here. Miranda's given us all her secrets. Now, we have to decide what to do with them."
He popped the disc out, throwing it across the short distance between him and his best friend. "My dinosaurs are calling my name."
"We best not leave them alone any longer, Ducky. They may get together and decide to stampede." Buffy winked at him as she pulled River along with her as she left the shuttle. She felt better knowing they had the information they needed to continue. Things were looking up. Buffy stopped dead in her tracks, causing everyone behind her to run straight into her. Her eyes took in the scene before her as her heart went numb.
There stood Mal and Inara wrapped in each others arms. Their eyes closed as they pressed their bodies closer together. River growled, bristling as she channeled Buffy's emotions. Her large eyes narrowed as she turned to her friend taking in the pale face and stricken expression. Buffy tried to pull River along with her back to Serenity, but the young seer refused. Unable to face the tableau any longer, the small blonde walked on alone, always alone it seemed. Wash took off after Buffy while the others stood back to watch what would happen next.
River stomped over to the couple still frozen in their embrace. She thumped Mal on the back of the head, getting an instant reaction. The captain's head came up, searching for any sign of trouble while he protected Inara's body with his own. He found River staring at him.
"What did you do that for, little girl?" Mal rubbed the offended area.
"You are a stupid man. She gave it to you, and you tore it apart. I hope that she kicks your butt. And you," she turned to Inara, "why are you following after him like a bitch in heat. You set him free, so you can't come back when you please." Turning sharply on her heels, River stomped off with her army boots clapping against the cement.
"Would someone tell me what in the gorram hell is going on here?" He looked toward his crew for an explanation.
"Buffy came out and saw you and Nara canoodling. She weren't too happy with what she saw and took off for Serenity. Seems Moony decided to take up for her friend and whack you in the head for being a man whore," Jayne explained with a smile.