BLUE SUN ROOM FAN FICTION - GENERAL

JUBALISEARLY

Firefly 02X01- Good Luck Charm pt. 3
Wednesday, August 23, 2006

An infection strikes the crew with little warning, can they survive Mal's past?


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 2522    RATING: 9    SERIES: FIREFLY

“It’s been over twenty years since a case…but she has it.” Simon said as looked in on the girl locked in the Galley store room. She had a sad look on her face, as if she didn’t understand what she had done wrong.

“You wanna tell me what we should expect?” Zoe said without hesitation.

“Please say this isn’t one of those drop you in 12 hour bugs?” Wash said with a gulp.

“The virus works on the areas of the brain that store traumatic or stressful memories, as your body overheats the memory cortex is stimulated causing a compulsive sensory expierence to encompass your entire sensory input channels in an oblique manner.” The Doctor said quickly, and folded his arms trying to think.

“Ok, back up and tell me in plain English.” Zoe said with the same deadpan glare.

“That was English?” Jayne said totally confused.

“Well, if the captain has been exposed, then we can expect him to hallucinate…wildly. He’ll be coherent, but not compliant for the most part. From his past I’d say we can expect violent outbursts, and irrational behavior.”

“Wait, how is that different from the way he is now?”

“This virus incubates incredibly fast…and this isn’t just a passing dream, he’ll be conscious and if we aren’t careful, he could kill one of us without even knowing it.”

“So what do we do? We can’t barge in there and tell Mal to hand over his gun.” Wash said growing worried about the situation.

“We need to sedate him, until I can figure out the right ratio of Gerisital to give him. If I get to him in time with the right dosage, we can cure him without any memory loss.”

“Memory loss?” Kaylee said with sort of a whimper. “You mean he could-“

“How much could he lose?” Preacher asked cutting straight to the heart of the matter.

“If we don’t treat him in less then 21 hours, he could lose days or even years, I just don’t know.” Simon said, looking down at his feet.

“Could he…die?” Kaylee asked fearing the worst.

“It’s possible that if the fever gets too bad…his body will shut down, and go into arrest.” Simon said casually explaining the risks.

“There is another problem.” He continued turning back to the room.

“I’ve isolated her for the moment, but we can’t risk leaving her at Tai Chi,”

“Well why the hell not!” Jayne said as confronted the Doctor.

“She’s a carrier, probably why she was tied up, the journals I studied said that 1 out of every 2 million people with the virus cause a genetic deformity in their children. In effect they become carriers for life. It becomes active around age 5 and while she may remember her name, she doesn’t experience new memories…or learn from old ones.” The doctor said looking in on the girl with the odd mixture of sadness and compassion that others had come to know him for.

“If we leave her on Tai Chi she’ll just start an epidemic.” Zoe said with a shake of her head.

“You mean she don’t even remember meeting me?” Kaylee said with a tear in her eye.

“Or anything else for that matter…nothing that would help her to understand. She’ll never learn anything past a five year level.” Simon put his hand on Kaylee shoulder and then quickly removed it, unsure if she wanted the comfort.

“So she’s,…like Jayne?” Wash said seriously, but as was usually the case he was ignored by all except Jayne who simply glared.

“She needs care in a permanent facility, something Tai Chi doesn’t have.” The Doctor continued and what he was about to offer next didn’t go over well.

“So wait, what are you saying…we fly to a core world and say, were sorry about all that nefarious crime, but here is a sick little girl with a disease wiped out 20 years ago, can you please adopt her?” Jayne shot forth, having a hard time believing the conversation was even occurring.

“We could just leave her at a hospital…with a note…” Kaylee said trying to convince Zoe of how to proceed.

“I told you nothing good would come out that thing.” Jayne got in as he walked towards Zoe and pointed in the direction of the sealed room.

“Hey, she’s a person, not a thing, stop acting like she’s a gorram piece of go se.” Kaylee said in outrage.

“Oh yeah defend her, when Mal ends up on his back like a turd in the hot sun, you’ll –“

“Nee mun doh BEE-jway!” Zoe yelled interrupting the back and forth starkly.

“We ain’t going to start going to pieces, What do we do Doc, how do we fight this?” She asked calmly trying to keep a level head.

“First off, no physical contact with anyone else until I have all of you tested. If you touched her or something she touched you could be infected in short order. If I can catch it within time, I can kill the infection with a simple bio wipe. I’ll prepare the dosages first so that if I’m infected I can be treated.” Simon said laying out the best procedured to ensure that everyone could be treated.

“The ship will need to be disinfected, and everyone needs to be observed for 72 hours. I can handle that part with Book and Wash’s help.”

“Ok, then that will leave me and Jayne to round up the captain.”

“I’ll watch River, Simon.” Inara said quietly but suddenly it was apparent that River was gone. “River!…River? Has anyone seen her?”

----------------------------------------------- “It’s quiet…” River said as she sat on the top of a metal box near the entrance of the bridge.

“Yeah, well them purple bellys like the quiet. You just sit a spell, they’ll be along directly.” Mal said holding his pistol in front of him looking down into the lower decks.

“I don’t understand, why-“ River began before Mal cut her off.

“Ain’t much to comprehend, we got to hold this here ship till we get word to move out. That’s what were gonna do. Now no more questions. Where the hell did you come from anyhow?” Mal said shaking his head and wiping the copious amount of sweat from his forhead.

“Simon doesn’t know where, but the plan is for you to function right.”

“I’m fine. You know your not as old as Tracey, gorram recruits keep getting younger and younger. Come a day I’ll be an old man and we’ll both look back and say weren’t we just the best damn heros this side of Londonium.” Mal said leaning back trying to relax a moment.

“You’re already old.” River responded in an offhanded manner.

“Gorram, your right. Now where the hell is Zoe. Haven’t heard from her since we landed on this Rock. Could use her help.” Mal said as he looked out from his vantage point again.

“Your face is wet.” River said as she wiped Mal’s face with her bare hand.

“It’s damn hot I know it, but we ain’t afraid a little heat are we boys?” Mal said to the nonexistent soldiers he felt around him.

“They are coming.” River said to no one in particular.

“Where…I hear them…alright you go left, I’ll draw their fire right until you get a good shot. You don’t miss you here me? Or I’ll be a might angry when I get back.” Mal said already to aim his gun at the first figure to appear. “You fire and you don’t stop till you see stillness am I clear?” Mal yelled back to the same nonexsitant men.

“Sir…” Zoe said approaching, with her arms up.

“Zoe! Damn good to see you. My flank is wide open here-” Mal said as he waved her to come to him.

“Sir, I need you to come with me.” She said in a calm soothing voice.

“Who the ruttin hell is that.” Mal said as he looked at Jayne with a quizzical look

“Mal, it’s me…Jayne, uh sir…” Jayne said with a gulp.

“That’s a gorram girl’s name. I know you?” Mal said to Jayne with a frown. Turning to River he nodded. “Your relieved go get me some intel on the next assault and do it fast.”

“Jayne go, take River…”

Jayne was careful to prod River along, afraid he might catch something. Meanwhile Zoe turned back to the captain.

“Sir, just put the gun down and come with me.” Zoe said again, her tone was uneven and she could tell Mal wasn’t in a playing mood.

“Put the…Zoe, our orders ain’t changed, we hold this gorram place to hell comes.”

“Sir…please…give me the gun. You have to trust me.” Zoe said again.

“Zoe, I’m gonna imagine I didn’t hear you…now get back in line…” Mal used a stronger tone now, intent on his order being followed.

“Sir, listen to me”Zoe tried once more. But Mal was having none of it. He pulled the gun to her face.

“Get back in line or so help me I’ll shoot you.” He said as a bead of sweat rolled down his eyes.

COMMENTS

Sunday, August 27, 2006 6:13 PM

BLUEEYEDBRIGADIER


Things just got a mite bit worse, didn't they? Cuz Mal holding a gun on Zoe is the height of nuttiness:(

BEB


POST YOUR COMMENTS

You must log in to post comments.

YOUR OPTIONS

OTHER FANFICS BY AUTHOR

Firefly 02X01- Good Luck Charm pt. 3
An infection strikes the crew with little warning, can they survive Mal's past?

02x01 Firefly - Good Luck Charm pt. 2
A neglected child brings aboard more then just another mouth to feed.

Revenge is Early - Pt. 2 'Wrong Time to Die.'
Early has gone from Purgatory to Hellfire, can he survive the trip through the inferno?

Firefly 02x01 pt. 1 "Good Luck Charm"
Before Serenity, a few weeks after 'Objects In Space.' Mal takes something onboard that might be a good luck charm, or a black spot.

Revenge is Early pt. 1 "Well...here I am."
You didn't think he'd be the type to lay down and die did you?