Out to the black Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Joss, Fox, Universal Own em’. I’m just playing. No money being made.

This is my first Fan Fic ever. Constructive reviews are shiny.

A/N This part of the story takes place two years after Serenity (BDM) and has the established couples of Simon/Kaylee and Mal/Inara along with a Jayne/River friendship. May become Rayne but I'm not sure yet. I'm kinda making this up as I go along

Chapter one – Lost soul found

River loved looking out at the stars. It helped her focus so she could block out the other minds around her on Serenity. It was deep in the night cycle on board and most of the crew were in their bunks. In the two years since the crew’s discovery of Miranda and the loss of Wash and Shepherd Book, River’s “insanity” had nearly gone away. She still had the occasional bad day when emotions on the ship ran high and a few nightmares now and again, but for the most part, she had become the young woman she should have been, had the Alliance left her brain alone.

Now she was able to separate her feelings from those of others and from the memories that while still in her head, were not hers.

River slowly opened her mind to the crew, one by one. Her mind slowly drifted down the passageway from the bridge down to the crew bunks. She did this several times a night when she couldn’t sleep herself to make sure everyone was all right. River wasn’t trying to pry, she used her abilities and her newfound sanity to keep her crew, her family safe.

Jayne was asleep, dreaming of guns and buxom blondes. River began to giggle. Jayne always dreamed of the same things unless it was a nightmare, then it was reavers and the helplessness he felt when he saw River dive through the blast doors on Mister Universe’s moon. He didn’t have that particular nightmare very often. Time does heal all she thought.

After Miranda, River and Jayne had come to an understanding. Jayne knew she was dangerous, as did the rest of the crew but he saw through that to the person she could be now that she was mostly sane. River and Jayne had become partners in keeping the small family that was Serenity safe. He still called her Moon Brain or Crazy but he meant them in the same way that Simon called her Mei Mei, his little sister. River called him Ape-man and Neanderthal right back to his face and Jayne would growl and then grin. They watched each other’s backs and therefore watched over the crew together.

River’s mind then moved over to Zoë’s bunk. Her dreams were better now. For the first six months or so after Wash’s death River thought that Zoë’s grief would drive her mad again. River absently touched Wash’s Dino’s still on the console in front of the pilot’s chair on the bridge. Zoë had tried to remove them once but River told her no. Wash’s dinosaurs helped her fly Serenity. Zoë had smiled that day for the first time in months. She nodded her head and agreed. Zoë began to heal that day. Zoë dreams this night were of pterodactyls wearing Hawaiian shirts flying through space.

Rivers mind then flowed down the corridor to Kaylee’s bunk. “ Oh ick”, she suddenly said, out loud. Her Brother Simon and Kaylee were awake and doing something that River didn’t want to see her brother and best friend doing.

“What’s so icky Lil’ Albatross?” Said Mal as he entered the bridge making his final pass around the ship before he turned in for the night.

“Simon and Kaylee are having sex again” Replied River tersely.

The Captain shuddered a bit, “didn’t need to know that darlin”.

“You did ask,” giggled River.

“What’s our ETA to Boros?” asked Mal, trying to change the subject of his Doctor and Mechanic’s sex life.

“Ten hours, twelve minutes, twenty-eight point three five seconds… approximately”, River said with a grin as she pulled her legs up to her chest in the seat.

Mal shook his head and said with a chuckle, ”Yer Brothers right, you can be a brat”.

River glared at him with her “I can kill you with my brain” look and then stuck out her tongue at him.

Mal snickered and turned to leave the bridge. “I guess I’ll turn in, I’ll uh be…”

“In Inara’s shuttle”, River finished for him, “doing something I don’t want to see either”.

“Um, Yeah…” the Captain sputtered as he stepped through the doors to the forward corridor. “Don’t stay up too late there Albatross, I need you alert on the job in the mornin”

“Aye aye Capn’ Daddy. I’ll…” River started to reply but was cut off by the sudden beeping of the proximity alarm. Mal rushed to River’s side as she turned quickly in the chair and brought Serenity’s sensors on line.

“What is it?” Mal said quickly, all business.

River focused the sensors on the object that was on a converging course with Serenity. “It looks like some type of ship, but nothing like I’ve seen before”, she said with a slight waver in her voice.

“Reavers?” Mal said, a bit of an edge in his voice.

“It has a radiation signature but the containment seems stable and it’s powered down, no lights, and almost no infrared signature as well.”

Mal reached over the console for the microphone for the ship wide com. “This is the Captain, there’s an unknown ship closing on us. Zoë, Jayne, get to the Bridge, Doc, Get offa Kaylee and get her to the engine room and stay there with her… bring your gun. Inara lock down the shuttle and stay there.”

Within seconds bunks were slamming open. First to the bridge was Zoë in nothing but shorts and one of Wash’s old Hawaiian shirts but carrying her mare’s leg Winchester. Jayne was right behind her in boxers and boots carrying Vera. “Moony, catch” said Jayne as he tossed Mary, one of his smaller handguns towards River, knowing that she hadn’t had time to get her own gun. River snatched it out of the air with her left hand without looking and then snuck a quick grin at Jayne over her shoulder as she set it on the console in front of her. Zoë moved to the co pilot’s station on the other side of the bridge to help with the sensors as Mal and Jayne stood behind River in the pilots seat.

“We’re set in the engine room Capn’”, said Kaylee’s voice over the com.

“Lock the door and get set for full burn if we have ta’ get outta’ here in a hurry”. Replied Mal.

“Mal, what’s happening”, came Inara’s frightened voice next.

“Got an unknown ship out there Nara’ not sure who’s, hang tight till we find out what’s what.” Mal said as he clicked off the com.

“Anything Zoë?” Asked Mal.

“Close enough to get something with the cameras now Sir” she replied.

An image popped onto the screen over the helm showing an oblong object slowly tumbling end over end. As it got closer more detail could be seen. At what looked like the forward end was an arrowhead shaped white and black vehicle with short stubby wings and two small engine exhausts on the aft end. Aft of that was a cylinder shaped section with numerous hatches along its circumference. Further back was what looked like a huge lozenge shaped fuel tank that had two holes. One forward and one aft. At the furthest end of the ship was a golden sphere and a small engine nozzle that looked amazingly like the aft end of Serenity herself. Overall it was about three times longer than Serenity but not as solidly built.

“Looks like a derelict Sir” Zoë said quietly

“I agree Zoë”, Mal replied. “Tross’ bring us in a bit closer so we can get a better look”.

River nodded and slowly moved Serenity closer to the ship now visible out of the bridge windows. “Gorram thing looks old… real old” said Jayne from where he stood behind Mal. “almost like it done got left inna’ sandstorm fer’ a year” he finished.

“Micro-meteoroid damage” River said quietly. “The extent of the damage showing on that ship has to have taken a very, very long time, perhaps hundreds of years”.

“No ruttin way that ships that old,” Jayne protested.

“River, can you backtrack it’s course, see where it might have come from?” asked Mal.

“I already did Capn’, it came in from beyond the Rim”. River pointed to the Nav-Com screen on the console. Backtracking its current heading, the course leads all the way back…”

“Back where?” Mal said cutting her off.

“Earth that was” River almost whispered.

“Huh” was all that Mal could say

Jayne and Zoë had shocked looks on their faces. Mal snapped the internal com back on, “Inara, Kaylee n’ Simon come on up to the bridge… and Simon bring that fancy encyclopedia o’ yours with you.

“River, do you, um, feel anything from that ship” Zoë asked breaking the silence that had fallen back over the bridge.

“Nothing specific. It’s almost like there’s something there but yet there’s nothing”

“That made a gorram lot o’ sense” mumbled Jayne

River matched speeds with the drifting ship and held station a short distance away, as the derelict slowly rotated in front of them.

“Capn’ what’s goin… oh wow!” exclaimed Kaylee as she saw the ship visible outside the bridge.

A moment later Simon and Inara arrived on the bridge as well. “What is it” Simon said quietly staring out the windows.

“It’s a ship dumbass,” Jane said not quite under his breath.

Inara shot Jayne a dirty look. “Mal, whose ship is that?” “Not rightly sure Nara but I think we might want ta’ find out.”

“Do you think it’s safe over there?” Simon commented, knowing he’d have to practically tie Kaylee to Serenity’s engine to keep her from going over to explore the mysterious ship tumbling in front of them.

“Safe enough I think”, said Mal, “what ya’ think there Lil’ Kaylee?”

“We’d have ta’ do it EVA, nothin looks like we can dock onto w’ Serenity anyhow. Might be a bit tricky gettin on with the spin but if we go to the middle first we should be able ta’ do it.”

Mal thought for a moment, weighing his options. He didn’t really want to bring Kaylee on the first trip over but needed her expertise. “Ok, Here’s what we’ll do”, said Mal “ Jayne, Kaylee n’ Me’ll suit up and head over there. Tross’ keep a close eye on us in case someone gets tossed off. Be ready to go pick up anyone thrown. Let’s go”

Ten minutes later River had moved Serenity as close as she dared to the ship. Slowly the forward airlock door opened in Serenity’s cargo bay and three figures floated out into the void. Kaylee and Mal in the dark green construction style EVA suits and Jayne in his more conspicuous yellow suit. Slowly they floated closer to the slowly spinning ship in front of them using a small handheld thruster unit for propulsion. On closer examination as they approached there were handholds and even ladders on the exterior of the ship.

The trio aimed for the least moving piece of the ship and grabbed on. For a moment they had to scramble as their bodies twisted with the centrifugal force but no one lost their grip. “Woo wee, that was interestin’”, Kaylee laughed into her suit radio.

“Not from where I’m sittin’”, Jayne gasped, swallowing hard to keep from throwing up in his suit.

“Lets move out”, said Mal into the radio, head forward on the ship, feet first. We’re gonna start feelin more gravity from the spin soon’s we get out near the end of the ship. Keep looking at the hull so you don’t get dizzy.

After ten minutes of careful climbing on the superstructure of the ship, they reached what was obviously an airlock. Located on the top of the arrowhead shaped forward section of the ship. The spin was giving them just enough gravity to have to hold on with one hand to keep from being flung into space.

“Airlock’s pretty simple Capn’ all mechanical, no electronics. I just don’t have the strength to open it one handed here. Jayne, can ya’ gives it a try?”

Jayne reached over with his free hand and started to crank on the small hand wheel in the center of the hatch. A moment later hatch popped open allowing the trio to peer inside the airlock. “Looks big enough for all of us in there” said Mal, Jayne, go in first, it might get a bit tight if you go last.

“I don’ wanna go in first, you go first Mal”

“Jayne Cobb, don’t you go bein a wuss” Kaylee scolded. You’re the biggest, then Mal goes in, then me, then we’s close the outer hatch to get inside”

“Awright” Jayne growled

It was tight but the three of them were able to fit into the airlock. Mal closed the outer hatch. Kaylee looked around and her eyes opened wide. In English was a simple diagram showing how to operate the lock. Kaylee pulled a lever and a moment later a small green light illuminated and the lower hatch began to open by it’s self.

The trio slowly made their way into the darkened ship. Kaylee clicked on her small flashlight and began to look around. “All the sign’s, placards an’ such are in English Capn’.

“I can see that”, Mal said quietly.” Jayne, stay here by the airlock, Kaylee an’ I’ll look about.

“Okay Mal” said Jayne nervously as he glanced around. “Place is givin’ me th’ creeps. Feels like a gorram ghost ship”.

“River can you copy?” Mal spoke into the com.

“Just a little static but the signal is adequate” River replied.

“We’re on okay, gonna’ start lookin’ about some. Call you again in a bit”.

Mal began to shine his own light around the interior of the ship. All the fittings were well made but had a slightly odd set to them Mal thought. It looked almost hand made by someone who cared about the quality of the work, rather than the somewhat rough edges found on a commercially produced ship like Serenity. Of course some of the oddness stemmed from the fact that he was standing on a wall rather then the floor. The ships spin had turned gravity ninety degrees off kilter and made movement a bit difficult.

Kaylee must have sensed the same thing as she spoke,” She’s set up fer’ artificial gravity way the bulkheads and floors are set up Capn’. I’m gonna’ see ifin’ I can get to the bridge and maybe get this spin stopped. That’s is if she’s still got any power left”.

“Right behind ya’ Lil’ Kaylee”

Kaylee was grinning widely behind the faceplate of her suit. She loved the challenge before her. A totally unknown ship had dropped into her lap but yet is seemed vaguely familiar. She slowly lowered herself through the hatch into the small bridge. And stood on the back of what seemed to be the pilot’s chair. Looking around slowly, she let her gaze land on the instrument panel before her. Three large dark screens evenly spaced dominated the panel in front of the two seats on the small bridge. Over the seats there was a large panel with many switches. With headings for electrical power, hydraulics and life support.

“What ya think Kaylee” Mal asked from his spot behind her, “can you get things powered up?”

“Think so Capn’, it’s kinda’ clunky and old but straight forward ‘nough”. Kaylee started to reach for a switch on the overhead panel but stopped her hand when she spied a red and white striped door on the left of the pilots seat marked “Emergency Restart”. Kaylee opened the small door and found a single large red button. Kaylee bit her lower lip, closed her eyes and thought “Sometimes you gotta’ have faith in people” as her finger pushed the button.

“Kaylee! What’re you…” Mal started to yell but lost his train of thought as he felt himself begin to fall.

Mal, Kaylee and Jayne suddenly found themselves lying on the floor as gravity changed ninety degrees and jumped up to earth normal in a heartbeat.

Groaning, Mal tried to sit upright, “Kaylee, gorramit, what in the sphincter o’ hell are you playin’ at”

“Sorry Capn’” She giggled in reply, Guess I found the “on” button. You okay back there Jayne?”

“Other than fallin’ on my ruttin pi-gue I’m fine” Jayne growled into the com.

As Mal got to his feet beside Kaylee he began to see lights and screens on the panel coming to life as well as the cabin lights.

“Capn’ I think we got atmosphere in here now, my suit don’t feel so stiff all’ a sudden” Kaylee said as Jayne stomped onto the small bridge.

Mal looked at the status display panel on the left forearm of his suit and saw that Kaylee was right. The atmo status light was showing a steady green instead of the flashing red it did in vacuum. Pushing a button on the small panel indicated a standard twenty one percent oxygen atmosphere at normal pressure on the small display.

Mal took a deep breath, cracked open the faceplate of his helmet and let out the breath. His is breath condensed in front of him. Mal cautiously sniffed the air, and then took a deeper breath. The air felt cold but seemed to be warming by the second. “Air seems fine,” he said as he removed his helmet. Kaylee nodded and removed hers as well. After a quick glance around so did Jayne

“Zoë’s voice crackled across the com”, Sir, Kaylee, Jayne, Y’all right over there? Ships lights just turned on”

“We’re fine Zoë, We just got power, gravity and atmo goin over here…” Mal started to reply but was cut off by a loud beep from the console and an obviously synthetic computer voice announced,” AUTO STABILAZATION ACIVATED”.

“What the hell…”Jayne started to say but cut himself off as he heard the faint whoosh of attitude control jets. The slowly turning star field visible out the bridge windows slowed and then stopped. Mal looked out the windows and was startled to see the bulk of Serenity come into view.

River moved Serenity in closer to the phantom ship. Now that it was no longer turning end over end, she could make out the faint lettering on the hull. On either side of the nose was the image of what was appeared to be a Bald Eagle in flight with the words “Free Bird” superimposed over the eagle’s image. Written in large block letters on either side of the hull aft of the bridge windows were the words “UNITED STATES” along with a what appeared to be a red and white striped flag with a blue square in the upper corner that held a number of white stars. River thought that it looked very familiar.

“United States?” whispered Inara. As a student of history, she knew the significance of the words written on the hull.

So did Simon as his eyes widened. Zoë had a puzzled look on her face.

Inara continued, a bit louder this time as she gazed out at the ship hanging before Serenity.” The United States was a country on Earth-That-Was. It founded the Alliance along with China before the Exodus and led earth in technology. The United States was the first nation to place a human on Earth’s only moon in the mid to late twentieth century”.

“No way that ship can be that old”, Zoë replied with an edge in her voice. “That ship would have to be over five hundred years old”.

“Five hundred forty two… approximately”, River replied. “If it was built just before the formation of the Alliance.” This revelation brought silence to the bridge again.

River maneuvered Serenity so that its bridge windows were only fifty feet or so from the mysterious ships bridge windows. Kaylee sitting in the pilots seat looked up from her work and saw River waving from Serenity’s bridge. Smiling, Kaylee waved back.

Meanwhile, Jayne and Mal explored the small ship. Just aft of the on the bridge on left side was a small but well equipped galley. Across from that was a small stateroom and head/bathroom. Aft further still was the Airlock that they had entered through. In a cabinet they found two space suits of a design neither had seen before. Through another hatch in the aft bulkhead, Mal and Jayne entered a small cargo bay filled almost to overflowing with various crates and containers.

Kaylee had found a thick manual that held various checklists for operating the ship. Following the procedures Kaylee was slowly bringing various additional systems on line. After five minutes or so worth of work, a chime sounded from the panel and a computer voice announced that the reactor was online and main power was available. Absorbed in her work, she didn’t hear the quiet sound of a panel opening behind her on the rear bulkhead of the bridge.

What did draw her attention was a loud hiss and a blast of cold air. Slowly she turned her head to look over her shoulder in time to see a naked man topple to the deck next to her chair.

Kaylee screamed.