Freedom’s cry

Spoilers- up to Objects in Space, no movie spoilers. Disclaimer- characters don’t belong to us, except Rae, kinda. xxx

Chapter 1

Meal time on Serenity.

Weren’t nothin’ better than sittin’ down to a meal after a big job. Sure the meal ain’t nothin’ to be proud of, basically a whole lotta protein dressed up nice so’s it looks like food, but it gave Mal time to sit with his crew, to see how they were. Even if watching Jayne eat was akin to a Reaver attack, the man had no clue about manners and a strange inclination to make his own symphony of gorram chewing sounds. Mal woulda asked him to keep his mouth closed but he tended to shy away from being sprayed with food. Jayne liked to talk with his mouth full more often than not.

“Sure is a fine meal, lil’ Kaylee.” Mal said, gesturing to the plate in front of him.

“Ain’t nothin’,” Kaylee replied with her usual sweet smile. “Just a bunch of protein.”

“Well, we get to share it with each other and that makes for a fine meal.”

A loud noise echoed through the dining room and for a moment everyone thought there had been an explosion aboard Serenity. Turned out to be Jayne releasing one of his unwelcomed belches.

“Jayne, you’ve reached rock bottom.” Mal told the burly mercenary. Jayne simply glanced at Mal and belched again. “And now you’re startin’ to dig. Next time you do that, you’re excused from this table.”

Jayne didn’t look at Mal and that meant he knew he was serious. Mal tolerated Jayne to a certain extent but he always drew the line at one point or another. This was one of those times. Weren’t nothin’ gonna interrupt this meal again.

“Mal.”

The crackling voice over the comm shattered the silence and with it any hope of an uninterrupted dinner. Mal got off his chair still chewing the bite of food he’d just taken. He walked over to the comm terminal against the wall and pushed a button.

“Yeah, Wash.”

“Mal, you got a wave.”

“Patch it through to here.”

“Righty-o captain.”

Mal fiddled with the controls and brought the vid feed for the wave up on the newly installed screen. He hadn’t particularly felt a comm in the dining area would serve any great purpose but a number of his crew had asked for it, so he obliged. Only ‘cause he’d acquired it cheap, mind you, and slightly illegally. Turned out he was gettin’ use outta the thing himself anyways.

“Malcolm Reynolds, I know you're a big shot captain now but that's no excuse not to wave your mother.”

Now that there voice was a blast from the past. One he knew all too well, bein’ as how she’d raised him and all.

“Ma!” he exclaimed, partially by way of bein’ surprised to hear from her and another part of him bein’ all embarrassed. “You look good,” he added, tryin’ to act composed.

He hadn’t seen her since the war had ended. He walked out the homestead door on that last day he’d been there and he’d promised he was comin’ back; never did though. Alliance took a hold of Shadow and never let up their grip, that weren’t somethin’ Mal wanted to return to. Sure he’d gotten a letter or two from his Ma, first one was only short, tellin’ him that she was existin’ fine. Second one told him she’d married again. Someone not his Pa, with kids of his own. Mal hadn’t waved her, he could never handle bein’ asked to come back to Shadow, bein’ asked to accept his new brothers and sister like they was blood.

“Mal, I need your help.” his mother told him, while everyone at the table listened in all intent like.

“Are you alright, Ma?” he inquired allowing the genuine concern of an only son to fill his voice.

“It’s your brothers and sister. They’re tryin’ to start and uprisin ‘gainst the Alliance.”

Mal wiped his face with his right hand, breathin’ in deeply.

“They ain’t my brothers and sister. They ain’t even your kids, Ma. They go teasin’ the Alliance like that, surely gonna get ‘em killed. But you can’t be askin’ me to help them what ain’t blood to me. Sorry for them bein’ in that situation, but I can’t be runnin’ half way across space to bail ‘em outta it.”

“They maybe not be my children, but I will not let them destroy their lives this way.” Rae Reynolds stated determinedly.

“Ain't there lives I'm worryin' bout, Ma. They ain't sent me so much as a wave since you married their Daddy. I don’t know ‘em none. You best get out o' there. Alliance gets a sniff of what’s transpirin' in their minds, hammer's gonna fall on Shadow hard'n it ever has.”

While Mal was talkin’ to his mother Jayne leaned over to Simon, causing the doctor to lean away.

“That’s awful weird.” the mercenary said. “Mal's got a mother.”

“And why is that weird?” Simon asked, knowing he’d probably regret it.

Jayne gave him a strange look as if he should know what he was talkin’ about.

“Cause it's Mal.”

”You've got a mother.”

”Yeah.” Jayne replied not gettin’ the point.

Simon simply shook his head.

“Never mind.”

Back at the vid screen, Mal was havin’ a hell of a time with his Ma. Ain’t nothin’ changed since last he saw her.

“Malcolm Reynolds, here I was thinkin’ I raised you better’n that. They's family and we're gonna help 'em. Or so help me god you'll feel the back of my hand.” she warned.

It was a threat made over a screen but still in all it was real enough.

”I'm in space, Ma. ’Sides, mean no offence but the back of the Alliance's hand's got a mite bigger sting to it.” Mal rebutted, knowin’ the only reason he said it was the distance between them.

“Don't you sass mouth me, Mister. I'm your mother and you will do as I say. Even if I hafta drag you back to Shadow myself.”

Seated at the table, Inara grinned. “I like her.”

Mal’s shoulders drooped. He knew he’d be headin’ back to Shadow. He’d be gettin’ a wave every hour ‘til he did.

“Give me nine hours. Gonna take that long to get my crew together and get us anywhere near your end of space.” he conceded. “And Ma, don't embarrass me.”

“Now, dear. You know I’d never do that.”

Jayne chuckled, gettin’ Mal’s attention.

“You're mother lies worse'n mine.” xxx

Now it’s Willow Fireheart’s turn…