CHAPTER 6

The temperature dropped until it was just above freezing, the chilling wind nipping harshly at her face. Zoë zipped up her jacket and pulled her gloves tighter, raising the binoculars to survey the ranch again. Serenity was tucked safely in the north field, surrounded by all the herds. The Qian Chung ship, Talisman, landed just beyond the southwest pasture, making no effort to hide their presence. Two barns set in the south and west fields flanked the path to the ship, offering cover and blind spots. She could see the soldiers (were they soldiers?) spilling out of the Talisman and dispersing around the property. A ship that size wouldn’t have the manpower to surround them. For once, Zoë felt they had the advantage, having the best cover on the open range. To enter, they’d have to breach the field in open run. Mama Reynolds circled the roof, looking to the southeast, talking into the comm. “Keep low, Dekker. Pick ‘em off slowly. We ain’t manned for war.” Mal trotted up the stairs to the roof and came to her side, his browncoat flapping in the wind. “Zoë, report.” “They landed in the southwest field. Looks like they’re setting a perimeter.” “Right near the water pump,” Mal grumbled. “Son, you ain’t the only one made an enemy of the Qian Chung. You coulda hid anywhere and they’d come here just because it’s in the neighborhood,” Mama Reynolds informed, pulling out a small cross from a chain around her neck and kissing it. Zoë remembered Mal carrying such a cross in their war days. “They’ll probably take out the pump first, try to dry us out,” Mal reflected. “This ain’t a war, sir. It’s an extraction. They won’t wait for us to run dry. And they won’t start firing till they’re on the way out.” “Most like, they’ll try the Southeast passage,” Mama Reynolds spoke up. “That roll on the hill makes a blind spot from here.” “You got men there?” “Dekker and about five others.” “They got a flare in case there’s trouble?” Mama Reynolds didn’t answer right away. Finally she said, “Son, by the time we saw that flare, we’d already be humped… with a capital F.”

*~*

Inara had a clear view of the southwest border from her position on the second floor. The track lights of the Qian Chung ship gleamed, defiantly announcing their presence to any observers. She shifted uncomfortably in her borrowed cotton trousers. Despite her years away from the companion life-style, she had never grown accustomed to ‘practical’ clothing. Something about it always felt unnatural and false to her. Mal never complained. In fact, he often surprised her with a new satin dress or a velvet wrap. For her benefit or his own, she was never quite sure. Perhaps what made them so perfect for each other was that the simple gesture served them both. “One of the twelve.” River’s tiny voice startled Inara and she nearly jumped out of her skin. “River, you startled me.” “They won’t come this way.” She looked ominously out the window, her bare feet not making a sound on the wood floors. “Sweetie, I thought you were staying downstairs with the others.” “Come with me,” River pleaded. Inara worried for River and a part of her wanted to run to the basement and take shelter with her daughter, but she’d promised Mal she’d stay here. Buddha knew, they needed the manpower. “No, sweetie. I need to stay.” “No one sees her,” River lamented, turning to go. Inara reset her gaze out the window, scanning the darkness, adjusting her grip on the rifle to relieve her stiffening arms. What strange turns her life had taken.

*~*

Simon settled Kaylee on the floor, helping her to sit upright against the wall. He asked her three times if she was okay before he finally backed away. He was heading upstairs to fight along side the others, but a small part of her wanted to beg him to stay. Jackson crouched under a plastic folding table by the door, Emma holding his hand. They were cast into shadow by the single bare light-bulb that hung from the ceiling. The chill of the cement floor had already numbed her rear, and the unfinished plywood walls snagged at her clothing. “Where’s River?” Simon asked, looking around the room. “I thought she was following us.” Kaylee checked the dark corners, somewhat bewildered by River’s disappearance. They heard muffled voices from the corridor. “River?” Simon called, poking his head into the hallway. Dekker suddenly filled the door frame, making Simon back into the room. “Dekker, have you seen River?” Without a word, Dekker punched Simon square in the jaw, knocking him out. Kaylee yelped, but Dekker pressed a finger to his lips warning her to be quiet. “Dekker what’s going on?” she asked, if only to muffle the whimpering of the children as the man pulled Simon over his shoulders in a fireman’s carry. Suddenly Dekker was shoved into the room by two Qian Chung soldiers, dropping Simon’s body, but staying upright. The soldiers were older, muscular, one with an assault rifle, the other a machine gun. Kaylee swallowed hard as they stepped into the room, the taller one nudging Simon with his boot until he rolled over. If they noticed Jackson and Emma sneaking out behind them, they didn’t care. “Who is this You Qian slime we’ve been chasing round our ‘verse?” the taller one asked. “Don’t look like much to me,” his friend jeered, jabbing Simon in the stomach just as the doctor came to. Simon gasped in pain and surprise. Kaylee called his name. “He’s the one you came for,” Dekker assured. “Now take him and leave us be.” Kaylee’s jaw dropped, realizing Dekker’s betrayal. Squeaks came to her mouth that could not approximate words any more than her thoughts could approximate coherence. “Dekker, no,” she finally cried fearfully, using her good arm to drag her body across the floor toward Simon. “Go!” Dekker repeated, but the two men circled Simon’s body again. Finally, the shorter one yanked Simon to his feet and threw a corn-bag over his head. Simon swung a blind left hook in the general direction of his assailants, but received a harsh blow to the ribs for his trouble. “Take him,” the taller one commanded, letting his comrade drag Simon from the room. Kaylee would have screamed for help were it not for the gun pointed at her head. “You have him, Voorhes,” Dekker said again. “Now go and leave us be.” “I don't think so, Dekker. Your little ranch has been quite an eyesore to our territory for awhile now, standing in the way of our having a truly unified sector.” “We keep to ourselves; you have no qualm with us.” “Oh, but we do. And now that I’ve made it through your defenses, I’m thinking I might burn the place down a bit.” As Voorhes reached into his pocket, Dekker hollered and charged him. The man hardly flinched, raising the butt of his gun and catching Dekker in the jaw. Kaylee screamed and rolled herself out of the way as Dekker toppled backwards. Dazed, Dekker pushed himself up to his elbows, but the Qian Chung soldier had a new sinister look in his eye. “Perhaps I’ll just extract a tax,” he leered, circling Kaylee, then grabbing her hair and pulling her to her feet. “No!” Dekker grunted, and charged again. This time, Voorhes aimed his gun and fired, and a red stain appeared on Dekker's chest before he fell.

*~*

Inara shivered in the emptiness of the room, her eyes growing weary. The Qian Chung ship had landed nearly an hour ago, and she could just barely make out movement on the perimeter of the field with the scope on her rifle. The night was interrupted by a screech at the back door and movement. Ren ci de Shang di, please don’t let it be River! Inara suddenly wished she’d kept River by her side. But no! There were two – one pushing the other. Inara grabbed her comm. “Mal, someone’s running out the back.” “Wo de ma… Ma, they’re in the house!” Inara felt the blood drain from her face. “They’ve been inside? Mal, Emma!” “‘Nara, stay there. If you get a shot, take it!” Inara’s heart pounded at her rib cage like cannon fire. In the dark, it was hard to tell which of the two was doing the pushing, but one of those men out the window was Simon. The Qian Chung had Simon! How had they gotten in? Where was Emma? Inara wasn’t sure, but she felt her world shake as the first gunshot exploded. Somewhere downstairs. The basement! Emma! She grabbed the comm again. “Mal!” “Inara hold position! Don’t let them out of your sight!”

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