PAY DIRT- Part 1

Cast of characters

Sky Benton- Sam Rockwell Father Case Dempsey-Rip Torn Captain Mal Reynolds- Nathan Fillion Kaylee, ship mechanic- Jewel Staite Inara,Companion (heart of hearts)- Morena Baccarin Shepherd Book, Shepherd- Ron Glass Jayne, mercenary -Who do you think? Zoe, first mate- Gina Torres Wash- Alan (lizard man) Tudyk Simon- Sean ( the doc) Maher River- (Lady Terminator) Summer Glau

Balance of the players will be determined later

All characters and the Firefly verse are the brainchild of Joss Whedon and Company. It is with the utmost respect that I have for the creators of this show that I choose to write these continuing adventures of this little ship and her small crew. They have given me much joy and keep a level grin on my face when times are ruff. Thanks to all that were involved in the series.

Z

*****************************************************************************

Sky Benton found himself in two places at the same time.

He’d been here in this rundown mining town called Mudwater, on the lonely little moon of Hatcher seeking to make his fortune for some time now, all at the urging of a friend. That was the first place he found himself.

The second, well it actually couldn’t be called a physical place, more of a crossroads of the mind. He found himself toting a package destined for a spacecraft that had landed on the outskirts of town just that morning. The package had been given to him by the good Father Case Dempsey. Clergy of the Mudwater Believers of Faith Temple. A house of worship that Sky had just recently become a member of. Anyway, now he found himself as delivery runner to the church and the question of what was contained within the package was about to eat him up with curiosity. That crossroad of wanting to open the package was the second place he found himself in.

Now, Sky wasn’t the most highly prized and trusting citizen of Mudwater, hell he wasn’t even considered to be a citizen of the community, just a drifter. But he had been in Mudwater for some time and he was defiantly known by the locals and the town leaders.

The young man of twenty eight had decided to change his standing in the mining community and therefore maybe be considered for a better jobs. First step was to join the local church, second was to change the idea in town that he was a swindler and a beggar. The first part had been easy, this second part……well a little harder and would take some time.

Maybe this was a test. A test to see if he could be trusted. Opening the package to see what it contained would likely ruin any trust issues the township had and maybe even land him for a couple of days in the town’s holding facilities. POSTAL INVASSION was a transgression highly frowned upon in these towns of squalor so breaking this simple code of trust would likely lead to no good. Besides, he was trying to change his ways, or how he was looked upon. Not that he was a bad person, or ever had been, Sky just came across as a down on his luck nobody.

He meant to change that perception of himself starting with the town of Mudwater and continuing all the way to a place maybe like the City State of Ariel.

“ Senator Benton,” He whispered to himself as he strolled down the café and saloon porches of that dirty little town heading for main street, “Mud Pass” and his destination. Yepper, in a few years if he ever returned to this grimy two horse town they would be rolling the red carpet out for him. Today was the start of turning his life around and becoming the most admirable soul in the universe. He smiled at the thought but never believed that it couldn‘t happen.

**************************************************************************************

Kaylee sat in her chair at the bottom of the loading ramp of Serenity. Her colorful parasol shading her from the brightness of the noonday sun. Not that she was using the sun guard to attract clientele as she did on Persephone, heaven knew there wasn’t another living soul for miles around. In this case she really did need protection from the harshness of the elements.

Kaylee used her hand as a visor to scan the horizon. Sagebrush, rock and hills as far as the eye could see. She dropped her hand and began listening to the music from an old “Earth That Was” song playing over the intercom. Wash, Serenity’s pilot, was up in the cockpit and Simon and River were in their bunks playing a game. Preacher Book had been dropped off at the monastery back on Persephone for reeducation while the Captain, Zoe and Jayne had all taken the mule for a little steam letting at one of the local bars in Mudwater. As a surprise Inara had accompanied them. She’d said something about keeping Mal out of trouble while playing billiards. Kaylee wondered what she’d meant by that?

Anyway, after about thirty minutes of sun-baking Kaylee heard a sound coming from the brush. She looked over to see a young fellow in his mid to late twenties emerging from the bushes.

“Hello Miss!”

Kaylee laxly pressed a com button at her side.

“ Wash we have company.” She whispered.

“ Affirm.” Came his answer.

“Hello Mr.?”

“ Benton, Sky Benton….” He held his hand out to her.

“ Hi Mr. Benton. What brings you well out of the way out here?” Kaylee questioned. A sound coming from the cargo bay told her that Wash was just inside and ready to assist her if needed. She relaxed a bit.

“ I’m here to deliver this.” The young fellow brought forth a package all sealed and security stamped.

“It was handed to me by Reverend Dempsey back in town and asked that I deliver it to this location soon as morning services were over.” He explained.

“ Oh I see, “ The young mechanic voiced a little surprised. Mal had told her to be ready for something, he just hadn’t said what.

Sky handed it to her and she looked at it and placed it in her lap.

“ Well that’s about it.” The young man spoke softly.

“ Yep, guess so. Thank you.” Kaylee responded.

It was kind of a odd situation . Sky just stood there, giving Serenity a look-over. He hadn’t really any place to go or any time to be there.

“ Would you like some tea?” She proposed.

“ That would be nice.”

The mechanic got up and headed toward the galley. Wash had come to the top of the loading ramp and was just standing there quietly. Arms folded he just watched the young deliveryman. Sky avoided his gaze and just looked at the outer-carriage of the transport vessel. He began to whistle a tune to relieve the tension.

On her way up the stairs Kaylee looked at the package. “BOOK” was written on it’s plain brown wrapper. She laid it on the galley table and fix Mr. Benton a suitable drink of sweet tea with a jigger or two of mudders milk. She topped it off with a frozen decoration of strawberry, not a real one but the genetic “Blue Sun” simulated kind, ain’t no way she was wasting the real thing. She smiled and headed down to the cargo bay.

Back at the ramp she noticed her chair occupied by the young delivery person with Wash standing a few feet away. They seemed to had started a conversation.

Sky jumped up quickly.

“Sorry Miss, it was a long walk……thank you.” he said as Kaylee offered him the glass of tea., “Nice boat!”

He drank the drink down quickly.

“She get good mileage?” He asked. It was a silly question, but one that let Kaylee and Wash know that Sky didn’t have much to do, and that he may be around a while before his long hike back.

“ She gets us there and her needs are few………she don’t eat much. “ Wash said. Not giving away to much Intel about Serenity. Kaylee concurred.

Just then the sound of an approaching hovercraft came to everyone’s ears. The mule was back and Mal parked the craft just outside the landing bay.

Zoe and Inara helped Jayne inside……………he looked as if he needed assistance.

“ What’s wrong with him……drunk?” Wash quizzed

“ No! Just a tussle over a billiard game. Jayne was attempting to put a cue stick where the sun don’t shine in his opponent. It wasn’t shiny!” Mal stated, “ The bartender wasn’t amused. Had a stun gun behind the counter.”

Mal looked over at Sky.

“who’s this?”

“ Delivered some mail.” Kaylee informed him, “ I left it on the galley table for you.”

________________________________________________________________________

A few moments later Mal Reynolds, captain of Serenity held a small, plain colored package in his hand. He had gotten Jayne’s scary knife from the mercenary’s bunk and began opening the sealed package. He pulled out the contents. There were some paper clippings just to give the envelop some bulk, and a folded note. Mal opened the note…….It read.

“ Mudwater = Pay Dirt. I am being watched. Reverend Dempsey is an old friend. Back with more info and details later.”

It was signed “Book”

“ This is interesting. Sounds as if the mining town of Mudwater might be a place for us to make a little cashy money. No wonder Book suggested we port here.” Mal whispered to himself. He hit the com button in the galley compartment.

“ Attention crew this is the captain……something’s come up. Might extend our stay a while. How about a leisurely game of cargo hoops?”

End Part 1