Big Blue Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Joss, Fox, Universal Own em’. (Except for Allan) I’m just playing. No money being made.

This story takes place almost three years after Serenity (BDM) and has the established couples of Simon/Kaylee, Mal/Inara, ZoC/Allan and Jayne/River. Follows immediately after Out to the Blue.

A/N: This chapter has some strong English cuss words... Be warned.

Thanks again Chris for the Beta.

Big Blue

Chapter Two – Friend

Allan was exhausted. His sleep deprived brain figured that he had been awake nearly twenty two hours. After leaving Blue Sun headquarters, Allan had been escorted to his Alliance paid for hotel suite.

Despite his want for a drink, Allan knew that he would have fallen asleep in the booth after a couple of sips if he had gone to the pub like he originally wanted. Instead his two bodyguards piled him into a limo and whisked Allan to the New London Hilton (A Blue Sun Company) and led him to the presidential suite.

Not even glancing at the lavish decor, Allan strode directly to the master bedroom, kicked off his shoes and collapsed face down on the huge bed. He was asleep in moments.

After nearly twelve hours asleep, Allan's eyes shot open as his arm instinctively reached for Zoë and didn't find her.

Shaking his head to clear it, Allan stumbled to the huge bathroom to relive himself and take a shower. It took the engineer nearly five minutes to figure out the complicated water controls.

Feeling a bit more human, Allan dressed in some slightly more dressy clothes than he had worn the day before. Choosing dark blue trousers and a comfortable striped cotton shirt, Allan opened the bedroom door and stopped suddenly as he walked into an immovable object.

Standing in front of Allan was one of the largest men he had ever met. The man was six foot eight inches and well over three hundred pounds of pure muscle. Olive skin and slightly Asian features, all wrapped up in a very expensive custom tailored suit. The bulge under the mans jacket told him that the shift had changed on his bodyguard detail.

“Uh... Hi.” Allan said to the man mountain.

“Good morning Mr. Bryant,” The man said, his deep voice matching his size.

“And you are?”

“Lieutenant Ora Tangaroa, Sir.”

“Polynesian family?”

“Yes sir,” the man replied, “Can trace the family line back to Hawaii back on Earth that was.”

“Mind if I call you Ora? Tangaroa is a bit of a mouthful.”

“Actually my nickname is Oso sir.”

“Oso... that's Spanish for bear isn't it?”

“Yes sir, my mother is of Latin decent.”

“Well the name fits,” Allan chuckled, “I feel like some breakfast.”

“I'll get you the room service menu sir.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Allan wolfed down his steak and eggs while his laptop computer chewed on the data he had downloaded from the CEO's private computer. It looked to be hours before the files would be decrypted.

“How many on my detail Oso?” Allan asked the young officer.

“Ten total sir. All from the executive protection division. Two per shift. I am the detail chief.”

“I guess the Prime Minister thinks I'm important.”

“He does sir.”

“You know Reggie Michaels?”

“Major Michaels is my superior sir.”

“Thought so... good man,” Allan replied, “And knock off the sir stuff. My name is Allan.”

“Very well sir... I mean Allan.”

“I need to get out of this mausoleum while my computer tries to decrypt those files. How about giving me the tour of New London?”

“Is that wise Allan?”

“Probably not but I want to see the city. Never been to Londonium before. Besides I'm not exactly helpless,” Allan finished as he slipped his pistol and holster into the small of his back.

“Sir. Uh, Allan. Civilians are not allowed to carry firearms in public in New London.”

“Good thing I'm not a civilian then,” Allan replied with a smile, “I'm still a sworn Deputy Sheriff on Deadwood.”

“Let's go then Deputy,” Oso, chuckled.

XXXXXXXXXX

Zoë wasn't in a good mood. The whole crew knew it and the cause and did their best to stay out of her way. The cause of Zoë's bad mood was that she missed Allan. It had been hard waking up without him beside her.

Trying to bury herself in busy work, Zoë had re-cataloged the armory and did the safety checks on the life pods. After a busy morning, she had run out of things to keep her mind off Allan. There wasn't much to do on this trip. No real cargo other than Sheydra's casket. They were still four days out of Shinon and even the Honor Guard of Purple Bellies were behaving themselves. The soldiers offering to chip in with shipboard chores on their off duty time.

Alisha was trying to keep her sisters spirits up without much success. Second day out, Inara and Zoë had sat together for hours just talking. Inara had cried for her friend. Zoë had offered her shoulder for Inara as Zoë felt responsible for Sheydra's death. Inara had assured Zoë that it wasn't her fault and together the two women bonded more than they ever had before.

But without Allan there, Zoë was still in a foul mood.

River and Jayne waved Jayne's mother on Deadwood to let her know that the couple wanted to be married when they arrived in a few weeks.

Vera was ecstatic at the news. Even Gabriel and Regan Tam were happy when they found out. They were even more happy to learn that their warrant's had been canceled by the Prime Minister himself. Gabriel had access to his bank accounts once again and he began preparing for his daughters wedding.

For once, the crew of Serenity was having some good luck.

XXXXXXXXXX

After a brisk walking tour accompanied by his security detail, Allan returned to his hotel suite. Checking his laptop to make sure there were no problems with the decryption, Allan relaxed on the large sofa.

“When do you go off duty Oso?” Allan asked his bodyguard.

“In about ten minutes.”

“Good, could you grab me a beer out of the mini bar? By the time I finish the first one, you can join me when I have my second.”

“Not sure if I should...”

“Don't worry about it Oso, Way I figure it. Your boss Reggie, is mooning so bad after my fiancé's sister... He might end up my brother in law. I think I can put a good word in for you.”

“Thanks Allan,” replied Oso with a chuckle.

Allan's laptop beeped. After five hours of number crunching, it had finally brute force decrypted the CEO's personal files.

“Son of a bitch!” Allan swore as he began to sift through the files, “Good thing Zoë killed that bastard. Lassiter had his paws into everything. Bribes to Parliament members, other corporations, military officers... everyone.”

Opening another file marked “special projects” Allan swore anew.

“Here it is,” Allan said to his bodyguard.

“What is it?”

“All the evidence needed about Miranda. Who, what, when, and where. All of it... fuck!”

“Sir?”

“The bastards knew about the side effects of the Pax. Knew it might kill all the people on that planet. And create the Reavers”

“I thought Miranda was a hoax or Browncoat propaganda.”

“It's real Oso, it's real. My fiancé was one of the ones who got the message out. Her first husband was killed in the process.”

“I don't think you should tell me anything more sir... Allan. This is waayyy over my security clearance and pay grade.”

Allan slipped a data stick into the adapter he had built to store data using the current day format. He quickly copied the data from the laptop to the stick and then encrypted it.

“Get an armed escort here now. I want this data stick in the Prime Minister's hands in twenty minutes,” Allan ordered, “I want you to take it Oso, I don't trust anyone else.”

“Are you sure you can trust me?”

“If I couldn't... I'd be dead right now.”

“Good point.”

XXXXXXXXXX

“My god Allan,” Said the Prime Minister over the secure wave.

“My language was a bit more colorful Richard.”

“This is just... Incredible.”

“Lassiter was always a sanctimonious prick,” Allan fumed, “I'd lay odds that within five years he would have overthrown the government and set himself up as some kind of dictator or emperor.”

“I'm not taking that bet Allan,” Richard agreed, “I think I will pin a medal on Zoë for killing him.”

Allan snickered at that, “That might be interesting to see.”

“Back to more serious problems. The Academy project here in the files. This is what was done to Miss Tam, correct?”

“Yes,” Allan said looking at the data, “River was their greatest success but as far as I can tell from the information so far. There may be as many as ten of these trained psychic assassins roaming the 'verse.”

“That is... frightening.”

“You're telling me. Imagine someone with River's abilities fully under someone's control. It would take a score of men to stop someone like that.”

“I agree.”

“What's next Richard?” Allan asked.

“I am truly glad Parliament is on vacation. It gives me much more... latitude, in dealing with this without political pressure.”

“Thank heaven for small favors.”

“Indeed. I will be dispatching a team to Osiris to shut the academy down. Then they will destroy the facility itself.”

“A good start,” Allan agreed.

“More arrest warrant's are being drafted as we speak. I'm afraid that after all is said and done. Over half of parliament will be incarcerated.”

“Looks like.”

“Once this goes public, Blue Sun will take a huge beating.”

“I don't care if it goes into bankruptcy,” Allan snarled.

“You cannot be serious about that...”

“Not really,” Allan admitted, “When are you going public?”

“Part of me wants to say never. But I cannot hide this. Monday at noon. I have a press conference scheduled. I will announce it then.”

“Good, that will let you use the weekend to get things organized,” Allan replied, deep in thought, “I better call a trustees meeting Monday morning.”

“A wise idea Allan. What of the Blue hands?”

“I sent a recall order but I haven't gotten any replies. I'm guessing that they will go rouge. In the file marked 'cleanup'. There is a list of the transponder and pulse beacon codes used by their ships. If it were me in charge, I'd say shoot first and ask questions later.”

“Those are the orders I have given the fleet.”

“I hope it's enough.”

“I hope so too, my friend.”

XXXXXXXXXX

“What do you think of the recall order?” the troubleshooter asked his partner.

“Most distressing. The CEO is dead, yet we received orders in the proper format with the proper codes.”

“Our task is clear then. We must continue our search for the Tam subject. If not issued by the CEO the orders are not valid.”

“I agree. We must contact our fellows to plan our strategy.”

“Indeed. I will... What?”

The Blue Hand's ship made just a brief flash in the black. Unseen, the small Alliance fighter turned and returned to it's carrier.

XXXXXXXXXX

Allan was very nearly sick. He had found several video clips in the data recovered from the CEO's computer. Under the pax files Allan found clips that showed that over about a week of exposure to pax, A human would become listless and then just fall asleep. Another tape showed what happened to the small percentage of those exposed to the pax. It was hard to watch as a young woman descended into madness and began to self mutilate herself. One of the pax sedated subjects was introduced to her cell. The maddened woman tore the man to shreds, then began to eat his flesh. The worst part of the video was that all the human test subjects were Browncoats. POW's captured during the war.

Allan cut the video and stood up. Walking slowly to the window, Allan gazed out across the gleaming lights of the city. What John Lassiter had done rivaled... no exceeded the horrors fostered by Hitler. Thirty million dead. Human experimentation on POW's The Reavers...

Allan decided he needed to get very drunk.

Pouring a double shot of Bourbon, Allan sat back on the sofa again and scrolled through the video files. One suddenly caught his attention... R. Tam sessions.

With a heavy heart, Allan opened the first file. On the small screen Allan saw a very young River Tam. She smiled, she giggled. She asked a question.

“Will I still be allowed to dance?”

As Allan watched more and more of the footage, his eyes became wet and his blood began to boil. How could they have done this to the young woman he considered his niece in all but name. The bastards.

“I can see you...”

Allan stopped the clip, his anger flaring. Allan hurled the now empty glass across the room. Glass shards went everywhere.

“Son of a bitch! Those god damn mother fuckers!”

Alerted by Allan's yelling and the sound of broken glass, Allan's door burst open as his bodyguards entered, weapons at the ready.

“Sir! Are you all right?”

“I'm fine gentlemen. Just... pissed off.”

“Are you sure...”

“Go back to your post son. I'm heading for bed momentarily.”

“Very good sir.”

Shutting his computer off, Allan shuffled to the bedroom. Undressing, he slipped beneath the covers.

It was a long time before he could sleep.

XXXXXXXXXX

Allan awoke at 7:30. Dragging himself from under the covers, he slipped into the shower to try to wake up. As he showered, he vowed himself not to look at any more of the CEO's files today. He needed to go out. See real people who loved and laughed and didn't turn each other into Reavers. He felt he would go mad if he didn't. God he missed Zoë

Dressing in casual clothing, Allan exited the bedroom and entered the living room of his suite.

Allan found Lt. Tangaroa waiting for him with a cup of coffee.

“Thought you might need this.”

“Oso, you are a lifesaver,”

“From what I head from the last shift I figured that you needed a little time out and about today.”

“You a reader Oso?”

“Excuse me?”

“You read my mind. Actually I do need to finish some Christmas shopping. There a mall or something nearby?”

“East End Mall is about six blocks away,” the big man replied.

“Sounds good, but first, I want some good old fashioned diner food for breakfast. Anything like that around here?”

“I know just the place.”

XXXXXXXXXX

After a filling breakfast at what looked like an old fashioned corner diner. Allan and a casually dressed Oso made their way to the East End Mall. Trailed discreetly by two more security officers. Allan spent the next few hours Christmas shopping for his family back on Serenity. In a small jewelry store, Allan found the perfect wedding rings for Zoë and he.

An electronics store was a bonanza of gifts for River, Simon and Kaylee. In a leather shop, Allan found gifts for Mal and Jayne.

Pausing in the food court, Allan bought Oso a slice of passable pizza. The two men fell into comfortable conversation.

“Where are you from Oso?”

“Ariel,” the big man replied between bites, “You?”

“Not gonna believe me,” Allan chuckled.

“Try me.”

“Earth.”

Oso stopped chewing. Allan thought he had stopped breathing for a second.

“Say that again?” the big man squeaked.

“Earth that was,” Allan replied smiling, “I'm very well preserved for my age.”

“How... how old are you?”

“Subjectively, I'll be fifty three next month. Chronologically, I'm a bit over four hundred and fifty years old.”

“That's impossible.”

“I spent about four hundred years in cryo.”

“You're him.”

“Huh?”

“You're the Allan Bryant that built the exodus ships,” Oso said excitedly.

“That's me,” Allan admitted.

“And founded Blue Sun.”

“Yep.”

“Wow.”

“That about covers it,” Allan chuckled.

“I... I was a history major in college,” Oso explained, “I concentrated on the late 20th century up to the exodus.”

“I'm in there a few time's,” Allan said with a grin.

“Wow.” Oso said again.

“Kinda what I said when I got here.”

“How did you get here?”

“Long story, but we got time.”

Allan spent the next hour or so telling of his adventures from the time he left Earth through his rescue by Serenity and his adventures since then.

When he was done with his tale, Allan knew Oso was more then his bodyguard. He was a friend.

TBC