Chapter 11 - The Monster Mash
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Simon bumped into Kaylee several times as he shadowed her every step around the mess while they, or more realistically she, prepared breakfast for the crew. Each time, she gave him a funny look but he just kept following her. The wait for everyone to join them drove him to distraction. He was ( Read more... )

Mal watched Inara walk to the sink, their bowls in her hands. She put the bowls down and turned back to the table, smiling when she saw him watching her. He returned his own grin, happy for the ability to gaze at her openly at last. He walked past her to get a bowl, filling it to take to Zoe. He joked, “You don’t reckon the doc having dish detail ( Read more... )

Jayne followed River as fast as she went through the common area and up the handful of steps to the cargo hold. Where did she think she was going? Just when he was about to ask her what the hell was going on, River ran straight for the compartment she was supposed to be avoiding. That really got him to wondering. “Should you be gettin’ so close ( Read more... )

River did the calculations herself; they all knew the numbers were right. There was nothing left for them to do but wait, wait the 23 more hours until Serenity could dock in Ariel City, the one hour after that they should have until sunrise, the one hour they had in which to get the stone to Michelle Morgan before the daylight forced her into ( Read more... )

Zoe manned the cockpit for the final leg of their gauntlet. The time alone was almost refreshing after the last few days’ forced togetherness. Noting their position and running a final calculation of their arrival time, she patched into the cortex to send a wave.

Michelle Morgan’s visage came on the cortex screen, silently awaiting Zoe’s ( Read more... )

Jayne carried River through the bedroom door Ms. Wells held open for him, moving past the woman quickly and into the room far enough that he could see it all. He didn’t think he’d ever seen so many expensive things in one place as this house held. The part of his brain that always kicked in when money was around started listing items he could see ( Read more... )

Ms. Wells informed the crew of Serenity, one room at a time, that they were to be in the dining room at twilight for dinner. So, Mal and Inara went downstairs a few minutes early, the Captain hoping to arrive first and get the lay of the land. He paused on the grand staircase and looked over the edge of the railing at the dining area. ( Read more... )

Inara’s stomach leapt into her throat. ‘Mal is too observant sometimes for a man that can be so blind at others,’ she thought but kept her mouth clamped shut by sheer force of will, attempting to buy some time. She only hoped it would be enough to make good on her vow.

“What do you mean where’s…” Simon started to ask while everyone looked ( Read more... )

Mal felt the tug on his arm and only realized Inara meant to use him as a shield when they stood next to Jayne, who had recently returned from a trip for supplies with Zoe. Jayne didn’t look up but just kept on sorting guns. Mal and Inara stood watching Jayne work, Mal wishing he knew how to help Inara with her distress at having caused Jayne pain.
( Read more... )

Jayne ran straight for River, only faintly hearing Mal calling after him as if from a far away place. What was he yelling? Was it something about a torch? Oh. He felt the weight of the blowtorch in his arms, having run out with it instead of stopping to grab a gun. Fat lot of good it would do him or River when a gun didn’t seem to stop these ( Read more... )