FIC: And the War Raged On
Apr. 17th, 2006 01:06 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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firefly_fanficTITLE: And the War Raged On (Epilogue to the Riverrun Series)
RATING: R
PAIRING: River/Mal
SUMMARY: The aftermath of the rescue, and the changing face of war.
NOTES: Serenity spoilers. This is the very end, folks. I hope you've enjoyed this ride as much as I have. Thank you all so much for your encouragement and support.
"Are you Daddy?" the young blonde girl demanded, circling Mal in a predatory manner.
"Uh...no," Mal said, trying to back away. River had gone through the children, telling him which ones could be allowed to wake fully, which ought to be kept drugged until they were somewhere safer. He was questioning letting her make that decision now, even if it had eased the care of the teenagers significantly.
"But you saved us," she said firmly, following him.
A slim, red-haired boy joined her. "You did say your daddy would save us." He thought for a moment. "Of course, everyone says that."
"So you must be Daddy," she concluded triumphantly.
River moved in fast, snaking her arms possessively around Mal's waist. "He's my daddy," she said firmly, glaring at the other two, who backed off without comment.
Mal didn't say anything until they were safely back in their quarters, then collapsed on the bed. "Jesus. Beginnin' to see Jayne's point about the creepy. So I'm your daddy, huh?"
River smirked at him, following him onto the bed. "Only in the dirty way," she assured him, before lowering her head to capture his lips in a hot, hungry kiss.
*****
The first sight that greeted them when Serenity's ramp lowered three days later on Whitefall was Simon, looking as starched and proper as though he'd never been told that he was in a camp of war.
"Kaylee, didn't I tell you not to let him spend all the coin on vests?" Mal demanded easily, pulling his mechanic into a rough hug as River flew to her brother.
"Yeah, but he looks so shuai in 'em..." Kaylee buried her face in his shoulder, shedding a few tears of gratitude at the reunion. "Don't send us away again?"
"Won't mei mei, promise," he assured her strongly.
River was whispering a stream of inaudible words into Simon's ear, laughing and crying at the same time, clinging to him, and it was only the sight of Inara, going quietly to help Fess and Zoe with the children in the cargo bay, that made her release him. She danced over to Kaylee, her face joyful. "Couldn't let you go again. They need you so much, Kaylee..." She flung her arms around the other girl's neck.
Getting all the children, some waking, some awake but heavily drugged, some safe under, was a monumental proceeding, requiring a whole lot of time and attention, so any other reunion had to be saved for once the children were settled.
Zoe and Fess, tireless, agreed to sit with the children while the rest had lunch, and Zoe's face was contemplative as she gazed over the row of beds. "Inara done a good job gettin' all this ready."
Fess nodded. "She's an amazing woman."
She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Amazing how exactly?"
"Well, she's gorgeous and so caring, warm and wise..." Fess trailed off under Zoe's withering glare. "She's...she's not like you, though."
"Oh? Don't see how any woman could measure up to all that," Zoe teased.
"Mmm...well, maybe you're not a woman, then. Maybe there are some wings under there?" He pretended to check her shoulder blades playfully.
"Oh, do you know what happens to men who flatter 'round here, mister?" she laughed.
"Is it anything like what happens to the ones who try to kiss you?" he asked wryly. "Because that hurt."
"Worse," she said, with a mock glare. "You just settle down."
He did, and they sat in silence for a long time. Fess wasn't quite sure everything was all right between them until her hand reached for his, clasping it strongly.
"You ever think about this?" Zoe asked, finally breaking the silence.
"Holding your hand? Or do you mean children?"
"The latter, please."
"I don't know," Fess said honestly. "But these last few days..." He nodded towards one of the beds. "When Sarah started to wake up, she just...just smiled at me while I was feeding her, and I thought...it was..." At a loss for words, he looked down at his hand, held tightly by Zoe's warm, rough one. He looked up to see an unwonted warmth in her eyes. "What is it?"
"Nothin'," she said, a little roughly. "Just thinkin'."
"They're so confused when they're awake...it hurts to look at them. So beautiful when they sleep, though," he continued.
"Yeah," she whispered, smiling at him. "They are."
*****
"Hsst, River." Jayne caught River unceremoniously by the arm, dragging her aside as she walked towards the meeting hall Patience had converted into a mess.
"What?" she said, looking up at him, worried. He'd been unhappy and off-balance ever since the Academy.
"Them kids. They see things like you do?"
"Some, not all. Why?" She tilted her head. "And what kind of things?"
"Them...them things from before. Like you seen..."
"You mean Christmas," she said quietly. "Are you going to hate them too? For knowing that?"
Jayne shifted uncomfortably. "Don't hate you none," he said gruffly.
"You do. Want me dead and obliterated, so I won't know who you are." River's tone wasn't angry, but matter-of-fact.
"Well...not as much as I used to. That oughta count for somethin' right?"
"I suppose it's a start," she conceded.
"But what about that kid Chang. He see like you?" Jayne asked, returning to the important inquiry.
"Chang sees."
"But...he stupid or somethin'?" Under River's inquiring silence, he continued. "He—you know what he called me the other day? Hero," he said, before she could tell him.
She smiled a little. "Yes."
"So what the hell's wrong with him? Only people ever thought I was a hero was drunk half the time and covered in mud the rest," Jayne said contemptuously.
"Chang sees," she repeated.
"Sees what, in God's name? How could he think that when I...?"
"When you saved him? When you did something so brave that it was worth more than any treachery? When you joined a war waged by the weak, facing the strong without fear? How could he think you're a hero?" River was openly laughing at him now.
"You mean you—you think I...?"
She reached up on her toes, kissing his cheek. "You're a hero, Jayne. Promise." She moved a few paces from him, then looked back. "I'll kill you if you hurt them."
"Like you a lot better when you ain't threatenin' to kill me," he retorted.
She smiled a little. "Just remember," she said, then continued on her way.
*****
Mal pushed aside the coffee cups, laying out the large map of the solar system. "All right. Spent my afternoon catchin' up on what's been happenin' last few days." He drew a finger across it, cutting off the system at Osiris. "Everything up to here, ain't under Alliance control no more. There may be a few little moons here an' there with Alliance presence, but we're weedin' 'em out slowly before we push any further. Now y'all may notice that includes more'n one core planet."
"I don't understand," Simon said, brow furrowed. "Those planets were a part of the original Alliance. Before Unification. Osiris has always been Alliance."
"That's right." Mal leaned back. "It's a hard decision we're makin' here, but I don't think there's a one of us here who thinks the Alliance, as it stands, is fit to be in power over anyone. We've seen what they done. Takin' over core planets, holdin' up trade, torturing children and drugging an entire moon to death. Anyone here think that's particularly a good method of government?"
"Yeah," Patience interrupted, "but hell, Mal, them folks in the Core ain't our concern. Let 'em look out for themselves."
"And I say," Mal said, with quiet intensity, "that they are our concern. That every gorram person in this solar system is our concern. They deserve to know the truth, and they deserve a chance to choose something better. Now right now, Higgins is puttin' together a broadwave of all the information we have on the Academy. Might just be a few parents pretty anxious to know about that." He glanced at Simon obliquely.
Simon shrugged. "I doubt mine are holding their breath. You said we're on Osiris now. Is..."
"Nothin's bein' done to any civilians, 'part from a few food raids. Your folks might've lost a few tins of fancy food, but unless they took up arms, they ain't like to've been troubled too much." Mal was softening the truth, of course. Armies were like locusts; it was an undeniable fact of life. The Tams were probably pretty hard-pressed.
"Our aim now is more than just to liberate the planets that didn't want Unification in the first place. Our aim is to bring down the corruption that's been plaguing us for more'n a century now. Make no mistake, I know too well the Alliance has done a lotta good. Them core planets are prosperous an' peaceful. Ain't a bad thing to aim at. But the price is too high." He looked at River. "Much too high."
"So you're just going to replace corrupt order with complete disorder? Are you out of your mind?" Simon demanded.
"Not just yet," Mal said dryly. "And I don't conjure to do anything like that. What I mean to do is make every single planet, right down to Sihnon and Londinium, free. They want to choose to form another Alliance, then I won't stop 'em. But they ain't never been able to choose knowingly before, and it's high time they had the chance to start."
"But in the meantime—" Inara interrupted.
"Meantime," Mal said, sighing, "we got a war to win. I take it you mean directly after that, though?" She nodded. "There'll be martial law for a little. Wouldn't be fair to just turn 'em loose to chaos. We'll be workin' with local people, though, helpin' 'em set up what they need to keep things in order there. Frankly, though, this ain't my primary concern right now. What I got to worry about is holdin' that line. We gained a lot of ground, but this ain't over by a longshot. Them purplebellies are just musterin' strength, tryin' to find the kind of support that we already got. Don't conjure they'll find as much as they think, but they'll be pushin' back soon, and harder than they have before. We have to be ready."
"You talk to Bourne 'bout ships and weaponry?" Zoe asked.
"I did. They're workin' as fast as they can, and our fleet grows every day. Kaylee's already found our service yard out back. What d'you think, girl?" The service yard held the less space-worthy of the vessels that had been volunteered and commandeered.
"Oh, they don't need too much, just a poke here an' there." Kaylee rubbed some grease off her nose. "Them boys y'all got workin' on 'em don't know much, though. Can have 'em better soon, though, Cap, promise."
"That's good," Mal said, favoring her with a smile. "'cause we got more volunteers signin' up everyday. Places where the Alliance still is, they're doin' things that don't precisely endear 'em to the population. We need vessels for 'em, and then we can see about guns and such. Now the next thing about holdin' this line is that we need good intelligence. Doc, what's your prognosis on these kids we got?"
Simon rubbed his chin. "A few of them have only been there a month or so—not long enough to cause significant damage. They're...less weapons than the others, but they're also incredibly brilliant and can be very useful in a number of areas. Of the ones who have been there longer...there are none quite like River," he said, a note of pride in his voice. "None of them have the same combination of skills and gifts, but one or two are even more strongly psychic."
"They see what isn't," River interposed.
"The future, you mean?" Mal said, his eyebrows rising. River nodded. "Well, now, ain't that handy." He thought for a moment, then shook his head. "First thing is to get 'em stable, though. Second's to make sure they know what we're doin' and want to help. Ain't freed 'em just to put 'em through more hell. We'll sort 'em out then, see who's best suited for direct combat, or sentry work, or what. Even one more of 'em could be a big help in this thing. We need someone to see trouble for it comes, and River can't do everything."
"Sir, what do we do next?" Zoe ventured. "We just stayin' here and conducting, or what?"
"Think you know better'n that, Zoe," Mal said with a grin. "We'll catch a few days' rest here, an' when we're ready, Serenity and a couple other ships'll go start shakin' the Alliance out of those holes they're hidin' in. We know where they are, but our forces inside are spread thin. They'll need help. Ain't no commander to hide behind my men. We all know what we're doin', then?"
There were nods all around the table, but he continued anyway. "Patience, you'll keep runnin' the camp here. Doc, you get those kids squared away, and Inara'll help him. Kaylee, you get as many of those ships in order as you can. River, Zoe, Jayne, Fess and me'll be quartering here for a few days, then off to Boros, where the fighting's startin' to get a bit hot." He grinned down at River. "You up for seein' a little more action, darlin'?"
"Till it's finished," River said, her face worshipful. "Promise."
*****
"It's frightening," Simon said, as he moved among the sleeping children, feeling a pulse here and there, checking the makeshift charts that Zoe and Fess had begun for him, occasionally frowning or administering an injection.
"What, them? Simon, they's harmless enough. Well, you know. Just like River, though, right?" Kaylee said, her face worried.
"Not them. They're sick, and since we've gotten River so much better, I understand what they need, more or less. I understand sick people. I mean...I mean all this. Fighting a war, liberating core planets...when did that happen? I don't even know how all this happened. I—I tried to save my sister, and the next thing I know, I'm medic for a revolutionary army." Simon sounded more bewildered than anything else.
"Not exactly what you had planned for your life, huh?" Kaylee moved through the beds after him, smoothing a brow here and there, giving a sip of water to dry lips.
He shook his head. "And it's...it's not that I mind, exactly, but sometimes I wonder...when did I lose all control over my life? When did things just start happening? Sometimes I think it was the day they took River away, but..."
"But you had a choice then, right? I mean, you didn't hafta go after her like you done," Kaylee said, smiling at him.
He stopped, tugged her into his arms. "Oh, I did. But you're right. That was the moment. Not when she went, but when I went after her. That was when it happened." He gave a little, bewildered laugh. "Kaylee...sometimes I wish we were back on Ezra, but even there, nothing was normal after the war started. I just...do you think we'll ever get a normal life?"
"Nope. Genius assassins and angry captains ain't never gonna have a normal life. But I can't take bein' apart from 'em, Simon. Even with you," she whispered against his shoulder.
He smiled a little. "Neither can I. That's what frightens me. We've hitched our wagons to...something, and there's no going back. No normal, ever again."
"There's sex, though," Kaylee said hopefully. "You like sex, right?"
He gazed down at her tenderly. "I certainly do."
*****
"Do you think it'll be like this forever?" River asked dreamily, staring up at the ceiling.
"Jesus, I hope not," Mal replied, his voice grim.
She turned over to look at him, brow furrowed. "Do you...do you wish you hadn't come? To Serenity, to find me?" Hurt and doubt made her voice thin and weak.
"Xin gan," he scolded gently. "Didn't mean that, nî bù dông ma ?"
"Not always." She smiled nervously at him. "Tired tonight. Tell me?"
He pulled her tight into his arms. "Don't always want to be in the middle of a war, River. Tears people apart...this ain't over yet, not by a long shot, and it'll be worse before it is. There are people dying right now, for us, for what we believe."
"I don't want to die," she whispered, sounding almost child-like.
"Me neither," he said honestly. "But it could happen. And the only thing that makes it worthwhile is knowin' that we're doin' what's right. Giving people a choice, a chance to make things better. But this...we make this for ourselves, this camp, each other, lookin' out for each other. And it's good. But it ain't what I want for us, forever."
"What do you want?" she asked, listening to his slow, steady heartbeat.
He smiled at her. "A place. Place for us to live. Maybe not always, but sometimes. Want to watch you sleep with the moon shinin' on your face and wrinkle up your eyes at the sun. Want to ride out in the day and come back to you at night. Maybe some children, someday, when you're ready. Us and the others, Simon and Kaylee and Zoe—"
"And Fess," she added.
He looked surprised. "And Fess?"
She giggled. "Just trust me."
He shook his head. "We could keep Serenity, transport goods here and there, but have someplace to stay when we wanted earth, wanted things clean and quiet and wholesome. That's what I want for us, little albatross. What I want for you."
"But first the war," she whispered, sadly now, feeling that bright future separated from them by a monstrous wall of darkness, of pain, death, loss, and violence. But...but there was Patience and her roast chickens, and Kaylee with grease on her nose, and Jayne so unwillingly loyal, and hodgeberries and people to help...they would survive.
He nodded, holding her tight. "But first the war."
THE END
RATING: R
PAIRING: River/Mal
SUMMARY: The aftermath of the rescue, and the changing face of war.
NOTES: Serenity spoilers. This is the very end, folks. I hope you've enjoyed this ride as much as I have. Thank you all so much for your encouragement and support.
"Are you Daddy?" the young blonde girl demanded, circling Mal in a predatory manner.
"Uh...no," Mal said, trying to back away. River had gone through the children, telling him which ones could be allowed to wake fully, which ought to be kept drugged until they were somewhere safer. He was questioning letting her make that decision now, even if it had eased the care of the teenagers significantly.
"But you saved us," she said firmly, following him.
A slim, red-haired boy joined her. "You did say your daddy would save us." He thought for a moment. "Of course, everyone says that."
"So you must be Daddy," she concluded triumphantly.
River moved in fast, snaking her arms possessively around Mal's waist. "He's my daddy," she said firmly, glaring at the other two, who backed off without comment.
Mal didn't say anything until they were safely back in their quarters, then collapsed on the bed. "Jesus. Beginnin' to see Jayne's point about the creepy. So I'm your daddy, huh?"
River smirked at him, following him onto the bed. "Only in the dirty way," she assured him, before lowering her head to capture his lips in a hot, hungry kiss.
*****
The first sight that greeted them when Serenity's ramp lowered three days later on Whitefall was Simon, looking as starched and proper as though he'd never been told that he was in a camp of war.
"Kaylee, didn't I tell you not to let him spend all the coin on vests?" Mal demanded easily, pulling his mechanic into a rough hug as River flew to her brother.
"Yeah, but he looks so shuai in 'em..." Kaylee buried her face in his shoulder, shedding a few tears of gratitude at the reunion. "Don't send us away again?"
"Won't mei mei, promise," he assured her strongly.
River was whispering a stream of inaudible words into Simon's ear, laughing and crying at the same time, clinging to him, and it was only the sight of Inara, going quietly to help Fess and Zoe with the children in the cargo bay, that made her release him. She danced over to Kaylee, her face joyful. "Couldn't let you go again. They need you so much, Kaylee..." She flung her arms around the other girl's neck.
Getting all the children, some waking, some awake but heavily drugged, some safe under, was a monumental proceeding, requiring a whole lot of time and attention, so any other reunion had to be saved for once the children were settled.
Zoe and Fess, tireless, agreed to sit with the children while the rest had lunch, and Zoe's face was contemplative as she gazed over the row of beds. "Inara done a good job gettin' all this ready."
Fess nodded. "She's an amazing woman."
She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Amazing how exactly?"
"Well, she's gorgeous and so caring, warm and wise..." Fess trailed off under Zoe's withering glare. "She's...she's not like you, though."
"Oh? Don't see how any woman could measure up to all that," Zoe teased.
"Mmm...well, maybe you're not a woman, then. Maybe there are some wings under there?" He pretended to check her shoulder blades playfully.
"Oh, do you know what happens to men who flatter 'round here, mister?" she laughed.
"Is it anything like what happens to the ones who try to kiss you?" he asked wryly. "Because that hurt."
"Worse," she said, with a mock glare. "You just settle down."
He did, and they sat in silence for a long time. Fess wasn't quite sure everything was all right between them until her hand reached for his, clasping it strongly.
"You ever think about this?" Zoe asked, finally breaking the silence.
"Holding your hand? Or do you mean children?"
"The latter, please."
"I don't know," Fess said honestly. "But these last few days..." He nodded towards one of the beds. "When Sarah started to wake up, she just...just smiled at me while I was feeding her, and I thought...it was..." At a loss for words, he looked down at his hand, held tightly by Zoe's warm, rough one. He looked up to see an unwonted warmth in her eyes. "What is it?"
"Nothin'," she said, a little roughly. "Just thinkin'."
"They're so confused when they're awake...it hurts to look at them. So beautiful when they sleep, though," he continued.
"Yeah," she whispered, smiling at him. "They are."
*****
"Hsst, River." Jayne caught River unceremoniously by the arm, dragging her aside as she walked towards the meeting hall Patience had converted into a mess.
"What?" she said, looking up at him, worried. He'd been unhappy and off-balance ever since the Academy.
"Them kids. They see things like you do?"
"Some, not all. Why?" She tilted her head. "And what kind of things?"
"Them...them things from before. Like you seen..."
"You mean Christmas," she said quietly. "Are you going to hate them too? For knowing that?"
Jayne shifted uncomfortably. "Don't hate you none," he said gruffly.
"You do. Want me dead and obliterated, so I won't know who you are." River's tone wasn't angry, but matter-of-fact.
"Well...not as much as I used to. That oughta count for somethin' right?"
"I suppose it's a start," she conceded.
"But what about that kid Chang. He see like you?" Jayne asked, returning to the important inquiry.
"Chang sees."
"But...he stupid or somethin'?" Under River's inquiring silence, he continued. "He—you know what he called me the other day? Hero," he said, before she could tell him.
She smiled a little. "Yes."
"So what the hell's wrong with him? Only people ever thought I was a hero was drunk half the time and covered in mud the rest," Jayne said contemptuously.
"Chang sees," she repeated.
"Sees what, in God's name? How could he think that when I...?"
"When you saved him? When you did something so brave that it was worth more than any treachery? When you joined a war waged by the weak, facing the strong without fear? How could he think you're a hero?" River was openly laughing at him now.
"You mean you—you think I...?"
She reached up on her toes, kissing his cheek. "You're a hero, Jayne. Promise." She moved a few paces from him, then looked back. "I'll kill you if you hurt them."
"Like you a lot better when you ain't threatenin' to kill me," he retorted.
She smiled a little. "Just remember," she said, then continued on her way.
*****
Mal pushed aside the coffee cups, laying out the large map of the solar system. "All right. Spent my afternoon catchin' up on what's been happenin' last few days." He drew a finger across it, cutting off the system at Osiris. "Everything up to here, ain't under Alliance control no more. There may be a few little moons here an' there with Alliance presence, but we're weedin' 'em out slowly before we push any further. Now y'all may notice that includes more'n one core planet."
"I don't understand," Simon said, brow furrowed. "Those planets were a part of the original Alliance. Before Unification. Osiris has always been Alliance."
"That's right." Mal leaned back. "It's a hard decision we're makin' here, but I don't think there's a one of us here who thinks the Alliance, as it stands, is fit to be in power over anyone. We've seen what they done. Takin' over core planets, holdin' up trade, torturing children and drugging an entire moon to death. Anyone here think that's particularly a good method of government?"
"Yeah," Patience interrupted, "but hell, Mal, them folks in the Core ain't our concern. Let 'em look out for themselves."
"And I say," Mal said, with quiet intensity, "that they are our concern. That every gorram person in this solar system is our concern. They deserve to know the truth, and they deserve a chance to choose something better. Now right now, Higgins is puttin' together a broadwave of all the information we have on the Academy. Might just be a few parents pretty anxious to know about that." He glanced at Simon obliquely.
Simon shrugged. "I doubt mine are holding their breath. You said we're on Osiris now. Is..."
"Nothin's bein' done to any civilians, 'part from a few food raids. Your folks might've lost a few tins of fancy food, but unless they took up arms, they ain't like to've been troubled too much." Mal was softening the truth, of course. Armies were like locusts; it was an undeniable fact of life. The Tams were probably pretty hard-pressed.
"Our aim now is more than just to liberate the planets that didn't want Unification in the first place. Our aim is to bring down the corruption that's been plaguing us for more'n a century now. Make no mistake, I know too well the Alliance has done a lotta good. Them core planets are prosperous an' peaceful. Ain't a bad thing to aim at. But the price is too high." He looked at River. "Much too high."
"So you're just going to replace corrupt order with complete disorder? Are you out of your mind?" Simon demanded.
"Not just yet," Mal said dryly. "And I don't conjure to do anything like that. What I mean to do is make every single planet, right down to Sihnon and Londinium, free. They want to choose to form another Alliance, then I won't stop 'em. But they ain't never been able to choose knowingly before, and it's high time they had the chance to start."
"But in the meantime—" Inara interrupted.
"Meantime," Mal said, sighing, "we got a war to win. I take it you mean directly after that, though?" She nodded. "There'll be martial law for a little. Wouldn't be fair to just turn 'em loose to chaos. We'll be workin' with local people, though, helpin' 'em set up what they need to keep things in order there. Frankly, though, this ain't my primary concern right now. What I got to worry about is holdin' that line. We gained a lot of ground, but this ain't over by a longshot. Them purplebellies are just musterin' strength, tryin' to find the kind of support that we already got. Don't conjure they'll find as much as they think, but they'll be pushin' back soon, and harder than they have before. We have to be ready."
"You talk to Bourne 'bout ships and weaponry?" Zoe asked.
"I did. They're workin' as fast as they can, and our fleet grows every day. Kaylee's already found our service yard out back. What d'you think, girl?" The service yard held the less space-worthy of the vessels that had been volunteered and commandeered.
"Oh, they don't need too much, just a poke here an' there." Kaylee rubbed some grease off her nose. "Them boys y'all got workin' on 'em don't know much, though. Can have 'em better soon, though, Cap, promise."
"That's good," Mal said, favoring her with a smile. "'cause we got more volunteers signin' up everyday. Places where the Alliance still is, they're doin' things that don't precisely endear 'em to the population. We need vessels for 'em, and then we can see about guns and such. Now the next thing about holdin' this line is that we need good intelligence. Doc, what's your prognosis on these kids we got?"
Simon rubbed his chin. "A few of them have only been there a month or so—not long enough to cause significant damage. They're...less weapons than the others, but they're also incredibly brilliant and can be very useful in a number of areas. Of the ones who have been there longer...there are none quite like River," he said, a note of pride in his voice. "None of them have the same combination of skills and gifts, but one or two are even more strongly psychic."
"They see what isn't," River interposed.
"The future, you mean?" Mal said, his eyebrows rising. River nodded. "Well, now, ain't that handy." He thought for a moment, then shook his head. "First thing is to get 'em stable, though. Second's to make sure they know what we're doin' and want to help. Ain't freed 'em just to put 'em through more hell. We'll sort 'em out then, see who's best suited for direct combat, or sentry work, or what. Even one more of 'em could be a big help in this thing. We need someone to see trouble for it comes, and River can't do everything."
"Sir, what do we do next?" Zoe ventured. "We just stayin' here and conducting, or what?"
"Think you know better'n that, Zoe," Mal said with a grin. "We'll catch a few days' rest here, an' when we're ready, Serenity and a couple other ships'll go start shakin' the Alliance out of those holes they're hidin' in. We know where they are, but our forces inside are spread thin. They'll need help. Ain't no commander to hide behind my men. We all know what we're doin', then?"
There were nods all around the table, but he continued anyway. "Patience, you'll keep runnin' the camp here. Doc, you get those kids squared away, and Inara'll help him. Kaylee, you get as many of those ships in order as you can. River, Zoe, Jayne, Fess and me'll be quartering here for a few days, then off to Boros, where the fighting's startin' to get a bit hot." He grinned down at River. "You up for seein' a little more action, darlin'?"
"Till it's finished," River said, her face worshipful. "Promise."
*****
"It's frightening," Simon said, as he moved among the sleeping children, feeling a pulse here and there, checking the makeshift charts that Zoe and Fess had begun for him, occasionally frowning or administering an injection.
"What, them? Simon, they's harmless enough. Well, you know. Just like River, though, right?" Kaylee said, her face worried.
"Not them. They're sick, and since we've gotten River so much better, I understand what they need, more or less. I understand sick people. I mean...I mean all this. Fighting a war, liberating core planets...when did that happen? I don't even know how all this happened. I—I tried to save my sister, and the next thing I know, I'm medic for a revolutionary army." Simon sounded more bewildered than anything else.
"Not exactly what you had planned for your life, huh?" Kaylee moved through the beds after him, smoothing a brow here and there, giving a sip of water to dry lips.
He shook his head. "And it's...it's not that I mind, exactly, but sometimes I wonder...when did I lose all control over my life? When did things just start happening? Sometimes I think it was the day they took River away, but..."
"But you had a choice then, right? I mean, you didn't hafta go after her like you done," Kaylee said, smiling at him.
He stopped, tugged her into his arms. "Oh, I did. But you're right. That was the moment. Not when she went, but when I went after her. That was when it happened." He gave a little, bewildered laugh. "Kaylee...sometimes I wish we were back on Ezra, but even there, nothing was normal after the war started. I just...do you think we'll ever get a normal life?"
"Nope. Genius assassins and angry captains ain't never gonna have a normal life. But I can't take bein' apart from 'em, Simon. Even with you," she whispered against his shoulder.
He smiled a little. "Neither can I. That's what frightens me. We've hitched our wagons to...something, and there's no going back. No normal, ever again."
"There's sex, though," Kaylee said hopefully. "You like sex, right?"
He gazed down at her tenderly. "I certainly do."
*****
"Do you think it'll be like this forever?" River asked dreamily, staring up at the ceiling.
"Jesus, I hope not," Mal replied, his voice grim.
She turned over to look at him, brow furrowed. "Do you...do you wish you hadn't come? To Serenity, to find me?" Hurt and doubt made her voice thin and weak.
"Xin gan," he scolded gently. "Didn't mean that, nî bù dông ma ?"
"Not always." She smiled nervously at him. "Tired tonight. Tell me?"
He pulled her tight into his arms. "Don't always want to be in the middle of a war, River. Tears people apart...this ain't over yet, not by a long shot, and it'll be worse before it is. There are people dying right now, for us, for what we believe."
"I don't want to die," she whispered, sounding almost child-like.
"Me neither," he said honestly. "But it could happen. And the only thing that makes it worthwhile is knowin' that we're doin' what's right. Giving people a choice, a chance to make things better. But this...we make this for ourselves, this camp, each other, lookin' out for each other. And it's good. But it ain't what I want for us, forever."
"What do you want?" she asked, listening to his slow, steady heartbeat.
He smiled at her. "A place. Place for us to live. Maybe not always, but sometimes. Want to watch you sleep with the moon shinin' on your face and wrinkle up your eyes at the sun. Want to ride out in the day and come back to you at night. Maybe some children, someday, when you're ready. Us and the others, Simon and Kaylee and Zoe—"
"And Fess," she added.
He looked surprised. "And Fess?"
She giggled. "Just trust me."
He shook his head. "We could keep Serenity, transport goods here and there, but have someplace to stay when we wanted earth, wanted things clean and quiet and wholesome. That's what I want for us, little albatross. What I want for you."
"But first the war," she whispered, sadly now, feeling that bright future separated from them by a monstrous wall of darkness, of pain, death, loss, and violence. But...but there was Patience and her roast chickens, and Kaylee with grease on her nose, and Jayne so unwillingly loyal, and hodgeberries and people to help...they would survive.
He nodded, holding her tight. "But first the war."
THE END
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-17 08:58 pm (UTC)oh well, i suppose the story is more or less done, and it is quite shiny, but i still want more!
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-18 02:22 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-18 02:32 am (UTC)