BLUE SUN ROOM FAN FICTION - GENERAL

TUJIAOZUO

Retribution: Chapter 2
Monday, December 15, 2008

The New Haven Series; Post BDM; M/I, S/K: Niska keeps torturing for information, the operative needs medical attention, New Haven greets the morning and a Shao Long grows stronger, though her master's techniques are somewhat questionable.


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 2856    RATING: 10    SERIES: FIREFLY

Niska pursed his lips, confused that the short haired mechanic with the Londinium accent was not reacting properly to the fact that his man was suffocating her. He flicked his fingers up, and the rope was removed from her neck.

Roxy, beaten and bloody, caught her breath and smiled. "Can I have a cigarette love?" She purred, nearly groaning with pleasure to her torturer. "Drop yer pants and quit teasin' me." She reached up with her shacked hands and grabbed the man, pulling him down and getting ready to give a fervent kiss.

Virgil laughed. “A wo gao su liao nin yi xie ta juan mao.."

"Take her avay." The old man snarled.

Roxy smiled. "Best time ov my life Virg." She crooned as she was marched out of the room. "Come on stud, let's finish this 'n the ol' cell, you can be th' warden and I the naughty inmate."

The guard seemed to consider it.

"Have fun you angzang hundan." Virgil called out, weak, yet loving his moment. "You wanna invite someone else in or are you gonna kill me?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm surprised this hasn't killed you yet."

He winced, as he lay on the bed and she hovered over him, white gloves adorning her fingers, the furrowed brow of a medical professional in her face. They were free from the law, with a course set to St. Albans as she had taken to cleaning his wound. "Can you fix it?" He asked with a rattle in his voice, fatigue among other things. Though he was a well trained Operative, he was not medically savvy. The Alliance oversaw all health related matters when he was there man, top of the line healthcare, the best doctors and surgeons at his disposal. Such was no longer the case, and he had another fugitive that had lost her license to practice some time ago now tending to his wound.

"Not right now." was the serious response. "You need a few rounds of drugs which..." She picked up a syringe of clear solution, pushing the plunger to expel the have. "This Medkit doesn't have. All I can do is put a weave on it and give you something for the pain till we can get help at the temple."

His head lolled to the side, and he exhaled heavily, for part of him wanted the infection to take him and end his existence. For his sense of purpose and retribution was waning with this exhaustion.

She busied herself, in awe she was treating the man whom she wanted to kill a hundred times over. "So um.... this family." Tasya began quietly, eyes downcast as they focused on opening a weave kit and spreading it out for use. "You're gonna give them to these people."

"A proper upbringing, I think they deserve at least that." he explained, with equal hush.

"Why these people?"

"Because, they're the reason I saw the universe for what it was. It's the very least I can do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun was rising on Shadow.

It was an orchestra of color against the sky as the cock crowed and New Haven Ranch slowly stirred to life. Mal groaned, and pulled the woman he was holding closer, his nose running into the nape of her neck and the silken cloud of dark hair. Lazily, he kissed her neck.

"Hmm... Mal, it's early." She stretched her legs, calves pulling taunt under her skin as she settled closer against the warm chest.

"Sleep in some." He reluctantly let go of the woman that had his heart. Getting out of bed in his pajama bottoms (they were to the point of their relationship where Inara was indeed sleeping in the pajama tops), he snuck over to the bassinet and gingerly hoisted his daughter out and after a moment of holding her for his own sake, carefully setting her next to her mother on the bed.

Meilin stretched her nearly six month old body as her mother scooted closer to sleep with the infant. Her eyes didn't even flutter as she rolled over towards Inara and reached out, grasping a warm and safe arm. A sigh escaped, and she floated back off to sleep.

He went about dressing for the day, quietly, as he didn't want to disturb the ladies. The clothing was warm, for Shadow was still defrosting from winter, and was prone to melting in the day and freezing at night. Included were his wool chaps, the fur on the outside, twisting and clumped together from frequent use. Once done, he stole one last look at his girls, and clicked his fingers to summon the tiger that slept at the foot of the bassinet.

Shan-shan complied sleepily. A giant yawn escaped her maw, a display of her ferocious teeth and tongue the shade of bubblegum as she rose and arched her back to stretch. Legs were stretched, claws extended, and eventually she lumbered out the door with a soft grumble.

Cowboy and feline descended the stairs to the kitchen, where Zoe was already drinking coffee. "G'mornin' Zoe." He said drowsily, immediately going over to take a cup from her before heading to their front door to let Inara's pet out to do its business. "How are you this fine morning?"

"Shiny." She announced, though it wasn't entirely believable. It had been a considerable length of time since she had been herself, though the others had learned to live and respect her new attitude, though they worried about her. "I reckon I'll stay behind and feed the animals, you and Simon go and do a check of the pastures to make sure we don't got no straggling cows."

Mal flicked an eyebrow her way as he took a sip of the coffee. Zoe wasn't one to give an itinerary unless asked, and she generally stayed by his side through the day, just as if they were robbing folks instead of tending to a small cattle farm on a war ravaged planet. "Very well." He replied, cautiously, for it was clear she wanted some space. "We'll be back in a few hours, you get done go to work on the pole barn roof."

Soft footsteps came down the stairs as the happily engaged couple came down. Simon was dressed similarly to Mal and Zoe, and Kaylee was in her coveralls and a warm jacket, holding the cat that had been adopted since it's owner's departure. "Mornin'." Kaylee drawled softly, making a beeline to the fridge as York, her nightly foot warmer, let out a demanding yaowl for his breakfast.

"Well Doctor, care for a ride around the ranch?" Mal quizzed.

Simon poured two cups of morning coffee, and took a dubious sip of one as the other awaited Kaylee. "With you?"

"Well... yes that's what it entails now don't it."

Taking a slow drink of the dark liquid, blue eyes slid to Zoe, who was always Mal's second as well as the official foreman of their quaint operation. The Amazon looked to be in a brooding mood, and the surgeon turned cowboy knew it was best to play along. "I don't see a reason why not, it's been awhile since we've bonded. I do believe the last time involved a gunshot wound and you being a generally unkind nurse." He replied dryly, making his sweetie giggle as she poured some cream into a saucer for the cat.

"I'm feelin' a touch hurt Simon." Mal announced, equally droll. "I thought I was a fine caretaker, worked hard to be all.. nurturing and what not."

"Tending to cows doesn’t necessarily translate well into tending a human." Simon kept drinking his coffee whilst offering his sarcasm. Kaylee was amused, however Zoe, who usually enjoyed it as well, kept quiet.

Mal drained his cup and gave a tight, dry smile. "Best meet me in the barn."

As he went to the door, thread his arms through his coat, took his hat and opened the door to head off to the barn. Shan-shan came in to try to lap up York's breakfast, be chased away by the seven pound cat, then trot back up the stairs to go and finish sleeping with Inara and Meilin. Simon too drained his cup to leave however the doctor went to his fiancé and sidled up to her.

Kaylee nuzzled up and kissed him sweetly, humming against his lips. Pulling away, a hand against his cheek, she smiled up at her significant other. "Have fun at work."

"Yeshi nin baobei." Simon kissed her forehead, brushing some hair thoughfully out of her face, and turned to leave.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The father is a doctor too."

He pulled her out of her thoughts, her absent staring at the children. They had come out of hiding, and had fallen asleep on the bed like a set of kittens, tangled together for warmth and safety. As Tasya had stared at them, focusing on the little girl who was smooshing the boy she had her head on, there was no affection from the reformed criminal turned fugitive, merely regret. Hearing his words, she turned her head as the Operative limped over.

"He's not a reader, but he carries the recessive gene." He further explained, watching how she braced herself and became stoic.

"The family will want them?" She asked, darkly, fixating herself on the pair of small children that had the potential to become lethal weapons.

His head nodded and he swallowed thickly. "They're good people..."

"He'll want her?" The question was even more quiet than the last.

"He is a very strong, caring man, to the point of being altruistic in regards to his kindred. He'll take her with open arms." He announced with a soft, reassuring tone. For he saw her eyes wide with doubt, remorse, fear and more as she began to shift the weight on her hips, bringing her hands up to wrap around her lean torso as if for momentary protection. "You don't have to worry about her acceptance. Either of them, though the boy wasn't..."

She turned away, for it was too painful to talk about. "You should rest, I can watch the helm. Ducking her head she walked past him. "We have a few hours till we dock."

"Don't lay all of the blame on your shoulders." He announced.

"I don't, wo zai nin tour u liao dai dou shuo ji nian qian." Tasya walked out to the helm, running her hands through her tresses, and left him to stand over their atonements.

He limped to a chair, and sank into it to attempt to fall into a restless sleep. He would dream of her, and her dark hair and deep eyes that reached fathoms of knowledge unknown to him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She did not entirely comprehend what he was doing to her.

Li Ten, the Dragon of the Ice, had brought her to his temple on St. Albans. A stone temple, a hidden fortress existing within the frozen taiga, the iced chain of mountains migrating musk ox, and caribou. There, in thicker robe to ward off the death wielding cold, he taught her.

He broke her.

She was worked till her bones ached, and her muscles felt as if they were to turn to glass, and she could no longer stand. Days were spent awaking from sleep, eating a hearty breakfast, and then being taken to the temple for her meditation.

The mediation, was the key to it all.

It employed the use of various degrees of incense, chants, and the mind manipulation from her master. He brought her to a plan of detachment, where her eyes dilated and she no longer thought of anything, where she became a machine that was drilled and fought and trained till the sun had set and she was soaked with sweat and blood. It was not unlike the state the Academy had put her into, a point of no emotion. When she collapsed, and she drew out of the trance from whence she came, that was when it was over. When his loyal followers picked her up and took her to her room. They dressed her wounds and treated them in a practice that sped up healing tenfold, and the fed her well before she fell into a deep sleep until the next day brought the same thing.

She was stronger, she knew it. It felt like rippling energy under her hide, it ran flush with her veins and she could feel it reach her fingertips and toes and encompass her head like a halo. River Tam could do things the Academy had only dreamed of, and she felt a control she had never dreamed of herself. There was a sureness in her stride, and a mend in her brain as the Master's teachings had helped her form her own mental filter, one that did not require what they had cut out, and with that her sanity was on the return.

Though it was at a price.

She collapsed, bruised and raw from her day of training, sucking on air as she felt her own thoughts and feelings return, as she had been at one with her surroundings and not of herself. She hated being detached, but it was what he pressed. Eyes focused, and she bared her teeth as Li Ten's men rushed to her. She was wrapped in a thick fur robe, warming her aching muscles as the Arctic wind whipped around the courtyard. River Tam gazed up at him, the white furred hood of his cloak ruffling against the snow, the scar on his face making him look like a great beast of war.

He nodded, though did not look entirely pleased.

She wet her lips as someone brought cup of hot drink to her lips. It was milky tasting, sweet and relaxing as she quaffed her thirst and the men put her on a small cart to push her back into the rooms. "shenme shi cou wudi wodi Shifu?" She asked in a hoarse voice, glancing back to see the ruined bodies of the men she had trained with laying on the floor. They too would be cared for, yet she was top priority.

"You could have gone on longer," he said as he walked in stride with the cart "However you cannot separate yourself from worldy desires."

Her eyes flickered, and she swallowed thickly. "I cannot give up everything." She countered. For what was left was her family, her family and Fiyero, that was her connection to herself.

He did not react to her declaration. "Go and rest, you deserve that much."

The room was dim and warm, there was a hearth that had a fire to keep it so. Li Ten was not a vegetarian like her beloved monks, and because of the cold taiga they existed in, furs were a way to keep warm and meat was a food that fueled them through the snow. They were the rugs, the boots, the cloaks, and the bedding of his order that adorned her room. Also in the room, besides her bed and wardrobe trunk, were her caregivers. Two women, somewhat stout and grey haired that tended to the Shao Long. They were there as the men lifted her and set her on the bed, the women scuttling over with their ancient medical supplies and knowledge, once also carrying over a bowl of hearty stew.

"Boston?" River called out, exhausted but needing what had become her security blanket.

"Shh Shao Long. Xiu xi." One of the old dames soothed, she was a muscled old woman, as old as the land and as wise to boot. She propped the leanly muscled, beaten frame up with pillows, and put the bowl to the young reader's lips.

River tasted the broth, and instinctively opened her mouth to swallow the thick goodness. The other caregiver untied her wolfskin boots and pulled them off of her feet that were throbbing from hours of relentless work.

Boston yaowled and leapt onto the bed. He was fat from all of the stew the old biddies had been giving him, and his lack of exercise since he preferred to stay indoors. Nonetheless, the winter weighted cat took the spot right next to his owner and he purred loudly, nuzzling her arm and licking her fingers.

Her lips pulled into a sigh of relief, and she scratched his chin as her robes were peeled off to reveal purple ribs and a sword's graze against her hip. Her fingers were mangled, and her knee throbbed as the women tisked and took a wet rag to her sweaty hide to clean it off. With some newfound strength, she got up, and shuffled over to the small tub near the fire, where the caretakers were able to clean her off more thoroughly. It was there they cleaned the sweat from her hair, and the blood from her knuckles, making her clean again and displaying her growing collection of scars. They dried the thin yet powerful body off, and put a silk robe on her, ushering her back to bed and allowing her to sit down once more as they properly took to her wounds. She ate her stew, feeding her plump cat some tidbits as liniment was massaged onto her to take away the pain, and they healed in other ways. Whatever they did was unprecedented, for she always were greatly healed by the next day, with little more than an ache from such injuries that should have taken days. She did not question their ways, she did not have that luxury. As like every day as soon as she finished eating, whether they were done working on her or not, she drifted off to sleep holding her plush cat.

And thinking of her loved ones.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What's wrong Doc?"

The question drew him out of his thoughts as Simon gazed up at Mal. "Nothing." He gazed around at their patch of Shadow, blanketed with snow. The dogs were off over a hillock barking at something that they were about to approach. "It's just, River... she hasn't sent us any letters lately."

Mal heard the concern in his voice, it was strong and a tone that was one that Simon rarely used.

"The last time she stopped sending me letters..." He drifted off distantly, reliving his old fears and what he had had to do the last time the letters had stopped. "She always writes."

"Reckon she's ok." The captain gave a reassuring lilt. "Knows how to take care of herself now, don't think very many would mess with her since all of those peace lovin' monks know she's extra gifted."

Simon nodded his head silently, unconvincingly, and gazed out to see the dogs were barking at a wild cat crossing their territory.

He was still worried.

*** *** ***

DEFINITIONS/TRANSLATIONS A wo gao su liao nin yi xie ta juan mao.: Ah, I told you some would think it kinky angzang hundan: Dirty bastard yeshi nin baobei: You too darling wo zai nin tour u liao dai dou shuo ji nian qian: I put most of it on you years ago shenme shi cou wudi wodi Shifu: What is wrong my master? Shao Long: Young Dragon Shh Shao Long. Xiu xi: Shhh Young Dragon. Rest yourself.

*Comments are always appreciated*

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