Law of the West: part 2

Malcolm Reynolds looked out past the expanse that lay in-between him and the rickety old bank he’d been scoping out for the past half hour.

Zoe had gone back to get the horses they’d used to get to their hiding point. The thing about small towns, strangers and outsiders weren’t welcomed and sure as hell weren‘t trusted. He’d decided to keep the crew of Serenity at a distance using only Kaylee to go in and visit her cousin, which was true, but also have Jayne tag along as her boyfriend, which was stretching the truth quite a bit if the town folk really knew Jayne.

Mal heard the beat of horse hooves on the ground approaching . Suddenly Zoe appeared all excited.

“Captain time to go, mission aborted!”

“What?”

“No time to talk! Time to move!”

He was up in the saddle in a flash and the two were storming forward in headlong flight back to Serenity.

“ What’s up Zoe?”

“Don’t know sir! Just got a message from Shepherd Book saying to abort mission.”

There was some commotion back in town behind them but they kept ahead, strait to the path.

Sprinting up to Serenity, Mal and Zoe could see that Shepherd Book stood in wait for them outside of the transport near the loading ramp.

“What’s up Shepherd, what’s this all about?”

“Donno captain. We just received word from Kaylee that the plans have changed and the mission should be canceled.”

“ That’s great! We were just about ready to make our move!” Mal said.

Zoe shot him a glance that told Book otherwise.

“ Said she’d tell us about it when she got here. Wash went to get her on the MULE.”

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Some time later they heard the sound of the MULE coming threw the brush. Wash brought the machine to a halt before them and Kaylee hopped off all dusty and looking a bit ruffled.

“ What’s going on Kaylee?” Mal asked as he stood watching her brush the dust off her clothes.

“ Well two things captain.” She said walking up to Mal, “ First, the cargo ain’t coming. There was some kinda disturbance at the ore mine and they changed their minds about delivery till tomorrow.”

“ And two?” Mal inquired.

“ Jayne got arrested.”

***************************************************************** Kaylee and Jayne had been waiting on the far side of town in a watering hole named “The Pitch Forward” only a couple hours earlier. They weren’t sure of what they were doing only waiting for a signal from Mal. It looked as if this thing was going to turn into a “by the seat of the pants” operation. The crew of Serenity had the layout of the town and knew a few of the main building which included the bank. Not much else to think about really. One street running east to west, one north to south. A few houses and businesses around town center.

“ You see that, “ an old, drunken prospector was trying to indulge Kaylee in conversation., “ I built that.”

“ Close your trap Jack. The young lady ain’t interested in hearin any of your stories about the old broken down stuff you’ve erected in this town.”

“ Broken down….? Well most of it’s still standin ain’t it! Besides like I’ve told you and the sheriffs a hundred times, I ain’t no carpenter. I’m a miner. So keep your flap shut or I’ll take down them shelves I put up for you last week.”

Jack looked over at the wall where just the week before he’d put up two liquor shelves for Reed, the owner of the Pitch Forward. They were nowhere to be seen.

“ Hey where’d they go?”

Reed just looked at the bearded fellow rolled his eyes and continued to polish the glass he was drying.

Jack gazed over at Kaylee.

“ Come over here and sit Miss.” He staggered over to a nearby table, “ I’ll buy you a drink.”

Kaylee looked over at Jayne. He’d had a few drinks himself but they sure as heck didn’t need any trouble now.

“I’ll go.” She whispered to Jayne.

Jack saw that Kaylee was talking to Jayne.

“ Bring your friend over. I’ll buy him a drink too. Made this chair just for you.” He said patting a wooden seat next to him.

Jayne and Kaylee walked over to the table and just as the Serenity mechanic began to sit the chair fell to a dozen pieces and she flopped to the floor.

“ I’m sorry Miss….” Jack was saying as Jayne walked around the table to pick her up.

“Come on Kaylee we sure in a ruttin pea patch don’t need this!”

“Hey wait a minute I’m apologizin……………….”

As Jayne picked Kaylee up he felt a sharp pain across the top of his head. He’d been hit by a bottle. Swinging his arm up he blocked the next blow then delivered a punch to Jack in the midsection. Air rushed from the lungs of the old man as he crumpled to the floor. In a flash there were lawmen all around and the next thing he knew…….. Jayne was in cuffs and headed for the lockup.

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“ I told them that it wasn’t Jayne’s fault but the sheriff told me that he would be in the jail for safe keeping and until he cooled off. I think part of it is because we’re strangers in town.”

“ That’s just great!” Mal muttered, “Jayne in the slammer and another night we gotta spend on this troublesome rock before we can get something worthwhile.”

“ Well just look at the positive side captain.” Kaylee said.

“ Yeah…..and what’s that?”

“ I found out the jail and the bank are the same building!”

End Part 2