Part Four

Kaylee sat in the engine room, thinking. Why would Tala do something so nice for a person she barely knows? Why would she give up Simon, when she could have had him, and so clearly liked him? Why did Kaylee think that she herself deserved him? She looked at the ceiling and sighed, listening to the thrumming of Serenity and letting the thoughts try to sort themselves out in her mind. She started to drift off, and she heard boots thumping down the corridor toward her. She nearly fell out of her hammock, she got up so fast. She probably wasn’t supposed to be sitting around doing nothing, but there was nothing for her to do right now. Serenity was pretty healthy right now. Maybe she wouldn’t have gotten into trouble. She wished she hadn’t left the warm hammock. She wished it even more as Jayne walked in, a confuzed look on his face. “Where’s th’ Cap’n?” He asked her. She sighed and shrugged. “Dunno. Haven’t seen ‘em all mornin’. Why?” “I, uh…wanna talk to ‘em.” She could tell he wasn’t going to tell her what about, so she crawled back into her hammock and he left her to her thoughts, thumping out into the corridor again, and down to the bunks.

“Preacher!” Shepherd Book looked up from his readings, a sleepy River beside him, muttering something about him telling her a story. He wondered if anything from his Bible was getting through to her. Maybe she never understood it before, but if, somehow, she had something to believe in, it would help her to feel better. “Yes, Jayne?” “Where’s th’ Cap’n?” “I’m not sure. Where have you tried looking?” Shepherd Book could see River getting antsy in the chair next to him. She glared openly at Jayne. “I as’t Kaylee ‘n’ you.” “Is it important?” “Uh…na.” Jayne looked cornered, but the Shepherd let it go. River spoke suddenly, something neither of the men had expected. “He lies.” Jayne, immediately uncomfortable, ducked out of the room. “How did you know that?” Book asked the girl, who looked as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. She shrugged, and looked to him, slightly confused herself. “Just…did.”

“Cap’m?” A voice drifted up into the bridge where Mal sat in the pilot seat, Wash otherwise busy. Mal turned around in the seat, vowing to bother Kaylee to finally fix the squeal the chair let out below him. He looked up to see who was entering. Ah, here was Kaylee now. “Fix that squeak thing, will ya’?” He told her, and she nodded. She was twisting her hands in front of her, and she wasn’t smiling her usual insanely happy grin. He knew immediately something was wrong, and he sat back. “What’s wrong little Kaylee?” She walked over to the co-pilot chair and sat on its edge. “Uhm.” She fiddled with her fingers again. He waited patiently. He was in a decently good mood, so why not? “Yes…?” He prompted. Okay, not that good a mood. “I…I think there’s something…strange about Tala…sir.” “Well, I could tell that ta’ anyone!” He said, annoyed that was all he was going to tell her. “No, Cap’m…she…she has a coat, like yours. A brown one.” This caught his attention. “Like Independent-like?” Kaylee nodded, and her eyes kept flitting to the doorway, where, Mal figured, she feared Tala would waltz through. “Huh.” Was all he could say. Why would she hide the fact she’s an Independent? Shouldn’t she be proud of that? Was that why she ran from the Alliance? “Maybe her father was an Independent, and that’s what she meant by him betrayin’ the Alliance?” “No, Sir. She…she said it’s her mother’s.” “Her…?” Mal went silent, all sorts of thoughts running through his mind. Kaylee jumped violently as River stepped through the door, completely unheard. Mal looked up to her, seeing her, but not seeing her. He stood and brushed past River, who made a comment to Kaylee about the mission the captain was on. Kaylee quietly slid into the chair Mal had previously occupied. It was still warm.

Who in the damn ‘verse did she think she was? Privacy wasn’t a right out here- it was a privelege. And those get taken away. Mal walked brusquely through the ship, popping his head through doorways looking for Tala and Tala only. He didn’t stop, not even when Simon demanded to know why Mal had flown through his infirmary. Simon followed him to Tala’s room, demanding an explanation, and raising his hands into the air with indignant gestures. Mal yanked open the sliding door to Tala’s room and found her laying across her bed, in a long shirt that stopped short of her knees, revealing a pair of brightly colored panties that both the men instantly tried to ignore. With a pad in her hands she had been reading, and looked up somewhat unfocused. “Captain?” She asked. He responded by crossing the room in a couple of long strides while Simon looked on from the doorway, silent. Mal took her pad from her, and threw it to her bed near her bare feet. She crooked her head and looked at him, but had only a second before he grabbed her by the upper arms pulled her from her bed and flattened her against the wall. “Who are you?” He demanded. He was practically yelling, and she flinched at the pain in her arms and the ringing in her ears. In the corner of the room was the mirror, and she could clearly see Simon’s reflection, an image caught between a desperate want to help, and an intense need to stay where he was. “I told you.” She told her captain in a soft voice. “My name is Tala. I’m from the outer planets and I’m just trying to get away.” “Why?” His voice was still loud, and his warm breath splashed across her face. “Get away from what? What did you do?” “I didn’t do anything!” She insisted, starting to struggle against his grasp. She couldn’t move, and she feared attacking him. If she attacked, she’d make yet another enemy, and she’d lose her ride to the outer planets. She fought his grip, but didn’t attack. “Captain, Sir!” Simon suddenly chimed in. It sounded strong, but the look on his face was absolute terror. “Doctor, I want you out of this room now or you, and your sister, are off at the next asteroid. Got it?” The captain didn’t even turn around. Simon’s mouth opened and closed, and he looked at Tala through the reflection in the mirror before he pounded on the doorway and walked away. He was gone. “You know, if you wanted to ask me questions you could have asked me without pinning me against the wall. And, Captain,” Tala said calmly, “If you aren’t planning on kissing me, I’d appreciate it if you’d please back. Up.” Mal, looking taken aback at her brazenness let her go, and the sudden weight back on her feet caused her to plop to the floor. She looked up at him, made a face, and stood, brushing herself off. She rubbed her bottom, which had smacked against the wall, and he backed away, looking uncomfortable. “Now, what did you want to know? I think that you are entitled to at least some information about me.” “Why are you running?” “Because I prefer to be alive and free.” “Who wants you?” “The Alliance.” “Why do they want you?” “My father betrayed them, and they want his kin dead.” “You’re not telling me anything I didn’t already know!” The captain yelled at her. “If you know everything why the hell are you here?” Tala yelled back. “Where did the coat come from?” He narrowed his eyes, studying her, his blood boiling with frustration. “What coat?” “You know damn well what coat! You mother’s coat!” Tala looked taken aback slightly. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, and the heat had gone from her face. This angered him more, but satisfied him at the same time. Kaylee had been right…he’d hit on something. Tala looked to the floor, up at him again, to the door, back to him. Mal wondered if she was planning an escape of some sort. That’s what he needed. There were enough places to hide on this ship she could be missing for weeks. “Jayne.” He barely heard it, but she had whispered it. “What about Jayne?” She looked up to him, obviously not thinking he’d heard her. “He told you, didn’t he?” “No. He didn’t. Kaylee did.” Revenge? For what? Tala ran through everything she’d done to piss off Kaylee…she’d been so forgiving though. Unless-? “You’ve gone and scared her.” Mal said, causing Tala to lose her train of thought. “Jayne went through my room the other night. He went through my things without my permission, and found the coat.” That seemed like Jayne, and Mal nodded, listening. He’s reprimand Jayne later. Maybe. “It was my mother’s coat.” “She was an Independent, then?” “Yes. She was.” “Was she part of why they want you? Is that why she’s dead?” It was so bluntly put and it touched a nerve. Tala flinched and nodded. “She the whole reason?” Tala shook her head. “Would you say something, Gorram it!” “Yes, Captain,” Tala said sharply, “she was part of the reason for this. Not all of it.” “Tell me all of it.” He told her, his voice low. “No.” She said flatly, folding her arms across her chest. Her heart was pounding, and she felt hot. She briefly wondered if Mal was a good kisser when his anger was provoked. She shook the idea from her mind quickly, slightly disgusted by her own thoughts. “You are a guest on this ship.” Mal said slowly, pointedly. “You are ordered to explain yourself to me, your Captain, and now.” “With all due respect, Captain,” Tala said to him, looking him in the eye, “No.” Mal raised his arms and came at her like he was going to strangle her, then raised them up above his head and clenched his hands into fists. He turned his back to her, frustrated and thinking wildly. Tala caught movement in the doorway, at an angle she knew Mal couldn’t see. Simon was standing there, clearly listening, and not realizing that she could see him. She didn’t look directly at him at first, then, when he peeked inside to see why there was silence, they made eye contact, and he backed away. She carefully motioned for him to stay there. He nodded, and she signed for him to be quiet right as Mal whipped around to look at her. Her hand dropped to her lap. “While on my ship, you listen to me, you hear? I can, and will, throw you off. Got it?” “No you won’t.” Tala relaxed, smiling now. This annoyed Mal more. “Oh, really?” “Yup. If I get caught by the Alliance, you don’t know I won’t sing like a canary- All. About. You.” Tala grinned innocently. Mal narrowed his eyes at her in a glare. He crossed the room and Tala saw Simon disappear from sight. The Captain got onto the intercom. “Jayne, meet me in the cargo bay, wouldja’ please?” He didn’t wait for an answer, just grabbed Tala’s wrist and pulled her quickly from the room. She stumbled, barely keeping footing as he dragged her to the cargo bay and practically threw her down. Imbalanced, she fell anyway onto the hard floor, splayed out until she pulled herself inward and sat with her legs crossed, looking up to Mal, who stood there, his thumbs in the belt of his holster. Jayne popped through the doorway upstairs and looked over the rail. He saw her sitting there in her nightshirt and raised an interested eyebrow. He wondered why she was there, and why the Captain had called him there too. “Okay,” Tala said, calmly looking at Mal, but well aware Jayne was coming down the stairs staring at her blatantly. “What?” Mal smiled now. Tala was unnerved. This wasn’t a friendly smile. He was doing something and she feared what. Rightly she should. The man had a gun! “Well, little lady, Jayne here,” Jayne was at Mal’s side now. “is going to toss you into the airlock for me. I won’t have no blood on my hands, and I’m sure Jayne here wouldn’t mind, would he?” Jayne, still staring, and seemingly pleased at the prospect of being able to actually touch her, even without her concent, nodded. She glared openly at him. Then at Mal. “You realize that he wouldn’t get near me, right?” She asked him. Jayne seemed confused. “I’ll fight, I warn you.” She shrugged, calm. “Ain’ no woman ‘live can take down a man!” Jayne said, convinced of the truth of the statement. Tala felt slightly insulted. “I’ve taken down a few. Didn’t you see me take them down during the fight with Blackwell’s men?” She asked Jayne directly. He made a face as he thought back. “But ya’ had a gun then. Ya’ ain’ got one now!” She smiled, standing up and dusting herself off. “Brilliant observation, Jayne. Brilliant.” She could tell by the look on his face that he had no idea how to take this statement. “But, I don’t need a gun to keep you away from me.” She looked to Mal. “Or anyone, really.” Mal crossed his arms over his chest. “Jayne?” Was all he said. Jayne had crossed the gap in an unexpected instant and suddenly Tala was up in the air, in Jayne’s arms like a new bride beind carried across the threshold of a new home. She dug her fingers into his shoulder, not trusting that he wouldn’t drop her, and with a quick motion reached up her shirt and pulled a small knife from a holster fastened around her thigh. It glinted and Jayne tossed her up a bit. “None a’ that now!” He said as if it would make her suddenly cooperate. She put the knife tip to his throat instead. “You, quiet.” Mal hadn’t seen the knife. “You’re not taking me to the airlock. You’re going to put me down, one way,” she pushed the tip to his skin slightly, but not enough to harm him, “or another.” He nodded. Mal noticed something was up. “Jayne?” He asked tentatively. “It’s nuthin’ Cap’n. She’s heavier than she looks ‘s all.” Tala made a face at Jayne and he tried to shrug an apology. “When I say so, Jayne, you’re going to put me down, and back away. I don’t want to hurt someone who’s being so nice.” He played into her hands and smiled, albeit nervously. She wanted to laugh. He was like a child in some ways. She felt horrible that she had to do this. “Now.” He stopped walking and immediately dropped her. Completely not expecting this, she screamed and landed on her back, the air flying out of her lungs. Jayne backed away quickly. She lay there, trying to breathe for a second, even though she knew that Mal was coming for her. She clutched the knife and slowly sat up. Mal put his hand out. “Could I have the knife please? Before you hurt yourself?” Annoyed, she made a face at him, thinking. “My word, no airlock.” She sighed and handed it over. If she fought this it would make things worse. “Ya’ alright?” She nodded and he helped her up. Why? His hand that she held to get up shifted to her waist and took hold of a fistful of her shirt. She wasn’t going anywhere. Not now anyway. Inara appeared at the railing above them, having heard Tala scream. “Mal? What are you doing?” She asked, almost like she were talking to an insane man, trying to keep him from jumping to his death. “Oh, just havin’ some fun.” He told her. Inara looked at Tala, then Mal, then Jayne, then Tala again. “You aren’t hurting her are you?” She asked. “Nope.” “Then why did she scream?” “Jayne dropped me.” Tala told her. Mal hadn’t expected her to speak, and he looked at her with a look of mild surprize. “Um…what’s going on?” “They’re trying to scare information out of me.” Tala said flatly. Inara looked horrified. Then, she decided to get into the row. “Sounds like an Alliance tactic to me.” Mal stiffened. He still had Tala by the shirt. An idea popped into her head, and she knew it was not going to end well, and that Inara would kill her for sure, but she went with it anyway. She whipped around and kissed Mal square on the lips. Shocked, he dropped the knife with a clang to the floor. Tala herself was shocked as to how the kiss felt, and she stayed there longer than she had ever intended. When he started to kiss back, however, she shoved away from him and tried to run. His grip retightened on her shirt, and her tug on it caused it to tear. Part of her side was exposed, and, panicked, he let go. “What’d ja’ let go for?” Jayne demanded. Mal said nothing, he was staring instead at Tala’s bare waist. A flesh-colored diamond lay flat against her skin. “Get the doctor.” He told Jayne. Jayne, annoyed he had to leave, muttered and jogged to the door that was the quickest route to the infirmary. Tala chanced a look at Inara as she tried quickly to cover her side, hoping that Mal hadn’t seen what she feared he did. Inara was looking at her strangely, as if she didn’t know how to react to what she’d done. Tala tried to put the loose cloth back together with the shirt itself somehow, but she couldn’t cover her side before Simon came in. River peeked around a doorframe but said and did nothing else. Simon’s walk slowed, and he stared at Tala. She ws suddenly aware of the fact that her hair was a mess, she was probably covered in dirt, and was wearing nothing but a torn nightshirt. He set his medkit down, seeing that he wouldn’t need it. “Captain?” He inquired slowly, not taking his eyes off Tala, who was now holding the torn piece of cloth in place to cover her side. “Doctor, do me a favor would ya?” Mal asked, his arms crossed across his chest. “Wouldja’ see what she has on her side there? Oh, and be careful,” Simon looked at him questioningly, “She might kiss ya’.” Tala’s eyes widened, and Simon, confused, tilted his head at Tala as if she would explain. She started to slowly back away. She hadn’t even realized that Jayne had disappeared. He reappeared behind her when he grabbed her wrists and pulled her arms behind her back firmly. He pulled her close to him, and she didn’t struggle. Simon slowly walked to her and studied her eyes. She must have looked as terrified as she felt. The torn piece of cloth dangled awkwardly on the side of her shirt, and Simon looked at it, then back to her. His hand ran across her bare waist and she jumped. Jayne made a funny noise, and Tala was breathing hard, trying not to look at Simon. She tried to put the image of Kaylee’s hurt face into her mind every time he was close enough to kiss her, but it didn’t work. She tried not to let it show. His soft fingertips caught onto the flesh-colored diamond and he started to peel it away, his fingers sliding around trying to get a grip on an edge. He pulled it off of her, and caught the little black square that fell from it. “What…?” He asked no one in particular, inspecting the square closer. His eyes widened slightly and she bit her lip and looked at him. “It’s a data chip, Captain.” He said, still watching Tala. He seemed afraid of her, ashamed of her, and yet…curious, at the same time. Mal, watching this happen, wondered if he should have let Jayne do the honors. Simon seemed odd around Tala. Jayne did too, but his was a different type of odd. This was Simon-around-Kaylee odd. “Data? What kind of data would you be carrying, little miss?” Mal asked, strutting over to her. Simon was still by her side, Jayne still holding her hands behind her back. She froze. “What are we going to find on this?” He took the chip from Simon. She thought quickly. Clearing her throat nervously, she spoke. “It’s…information the Alliance knows about me. Knew. I…I took it off their computers and wiped my file from their database, so they wouldn’t know where to find me.” She lied, quite convincingly. River walked over beside Mal, shaking her head. “No.” “Hm?” Mal looked down to her, and Simon took his eyes off Tala to study his sister. “What is it River?” Tala knew she was in trouble now. That girl would be her end. She tried to plead silently for River not to tell them. River laughed quietly, and almost detachedly. “I have to tell them, you know. Everything.” Tala looked fearfully at her, then a quick glance to Simon, then back to River. “Well, mostly.” River amended. Tala relaxed slightly. Mal raised an eyebrow. “She’s lying.” She told the Captain, and Mal turned to her, listening. “That isn’t what’s on the chip.” She said. “What is?” Jayne asked loudly, right next to Tala’s ear. She jumped badly. Even Simon felt it. “Put it in the computer and find out.” River told them. “Wait!” Tala yelled out, and it was Simon’s turn to jump. Jayne’s hold on her arms tightened, but he ran his fingertips lightly across her skin. She pulled against him. “Oh would you let me go you oaf!” She snapped, stomping her heel onto the toe of his boot. Instant pain shot up her leg and she almost fell, pulling her foot off the floor and gritting her teeth in pain. He didn’t even flinch. “Ouch! That was stupid.” She muttered, mostly to herself, but Jayne chuckled behind her, forcebly pulling her close to him again. “Get him off me?” She pleaded, “I won’t run. Swear.” “Jayne, let her go.” She still had the hurt foot in the air when he let go and gave her a slight shove. She tumbled forward and Simon shot forward and caught her, helping her up. She slowly put her foot back on the floor, and let go of Simon’s arms, which she had grabbed onto. He gave a little smile and, confused, she backed away from him and crossed her arms across her chest. “What’s on the chip?” Mal asked, bringing everyone back to the matter at hand. “It’s…information I did steal from the Alliance. About…about experiments they do there. On people. Like her.” She pointed to River. Simon moved to in front of Tala, blocking her view of Mal completely. “What did they do to her?” “I don’t know.” Tala told him quietly. “I haven’t gotten to this chip yet.” “There’s more than one?” Mal demanded of her. Simon moved. Tala nodded. “How many?” “Three, in total. It’s a lot of information. I’ve been reading through them while in my bunk.” “And where are the other two?” “The first two I still have.” “In your bunk?” “I stored the other two like I stored that one, Captain. They’re on me.” “Doctor?” Tala’s arms shot out to stop Simon’s approach. “No! No. That was the only one I’m letting you get to. The other two are…um…for me to get.” She said, then distanced herself from the men and kneeled on the floor, putting her hand up her shirt once again and pulling off the flesh colored diamond from her upper inner thigh. Then, the second chip came from down the top of her shirt. The men tried not to watch her remove them, and instead tried to avert their eyes until she walked over to Mal to hand them over. Reluctantly, she gave them to the Captain. He closed his hand over them. “So you stole the information and were going to just read it and destroy it or something?” Simon asked. She shook her head. “You said your father betrayed the Alliance and that’s why you were running.” Mal said, going in a different direction from Simon, “what do these chips have to do with him?” “Um…” Tala fumbled around for an explanation, but, seeing as how she was trapped into this, offered only the truth. She had no other choice. Two of the three men around her had firearms, and who knew what other weapons Jayne was hiding? “He was Alliance.” She started. “He did their work, and said nothing against it. Then he met my mother, an Independent. He switched sides and fought in the war as an Independent.” After the war my parents found a town on one of the central planets where they hid, changing their names and eventually having me.” She took a deep breath, all of the memories of her childhood rushing back to her. When she opened her eyes she saw River making a face. She wondered if River could see what she was seeing. “I was nine when they found us. I was upstairs, and the soldiers were only looking for my mom and dad.” A tear slid down her cheek and she slapped it away. “They killed them, and I managed to get away. When the Alliance found my things in my bedroom upstairs, they realized that my parents had a child. They saw my pictures and decided that I was already a threat, but not a large one. They figured that my parents’ deaths would be a warning to me not to betray the Alliance.” She sniffed, ashamed she was crying, especially in front of these people. She looked up and saw Wash, Inara, Zoë, Kaylee and Book standing at the rail, listening intently. She looked to Mal, then continued, “I obeyed the rules and was the perfect little girl for quite awhile- disappearing from Alliance radar, and learning to defend myself. Then, I decided to work with the Alliance. I figured if I worked with them, then they wouldn’t want to kill me.” “Good logic.” Mal said quietly. “I was going through some files on…on a fugitive when I discovered River’s file. Most of what they were talking about referenced a certain place in the database, and, when I wasn’t being watched, I hacked into the security cameras and made sure they couldn’t see me upload the information onto these disks. I missed one camera though, and they figured out what I did. I ran, naturally, and I took a few different ships, ending up on Persephone where I heard tell of your…business. I joined with Blackwell, and, here I am.” “Yeah, here you are.” Mal said, taking in all of the information. “What do you plan on doing with the information?” “I…I was going to go to a border planet, and get in touch with a connection I have. I was going to give him the information, and he was going to get it into the public. I wanted to tell the world about what they were doing to these kids.” She said. “What does it say about River? What were they doing to her?” Simon looked at her desperately, and wanted to know the answer so badly that he had reached out and taken her hands into his. She looked into his eyes, then down to the floor. “I don’t know. I haven’t read anything that says anything about her in particular. I know what they were doing with her was different from what they were doing to the others. She was special to them.” He seemed to catch on that he held her hands, and he dropped them quickly. “Why didn’t you tell us this?” Mal demanded. Tala looked him in the eye. “I trust no one, usually. I wasn’t sure if I could trust you. And seeing as how our relationship isn’t exactly the friendliest, I didn’t really want to tell you anything at all.” “Why are you now?” “You, Zoë and Jayne have guns.” Tala said with a short and nervous laugh. “I think we can trust her, Captain.” Book’s low voice came from up at the railing. Inara was coming back to the railing and Tala jogged over to catch a soft silk robe that Inara had tossed down to her. Tala put it on and tied it closed, thanking her. “Yeah.” Was all Mal said, and soon, the investigation was over, and Tala was back in her bunk. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“So, you’ll be gone tomorrow?” Tala looked up and saw Simon standing in her doorway. She put down the pad she was reading, and sighed. “Yea, I will. As soon as we land.” Tentatively, Simon walked further into the room, closing the room door behind him. Intrigued, Tala watched him. He sat next to her, and looked at her. She took a deep breath and tried to remain relaxed. He was Kaylee’s. He belonged with her. But he was suddenly kissing Tala. She did nothing at first, taken by surprize and completely off guard. The kiss was soft, gentle, and almost fearful, but Simon became more and more daring. Tala wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. She tried to burn this feeling, this moment, this kiss into her mind for forever. She wanted him. She wanted him to come with her when she left. Better yet, she wanted to stay. She could belong here now. She was a rogue of sorts, against the Alliance, and wanted. She had no problem doing illegal things, and she could defend herself. She got along with mostly everyone, and she might actually come to understand Jayne if she was here long enough. And Simon was here. When they parted she realized that she couldn’t. River and Simon were already fugitives, and if she stayed…it would be even more dangerous to them, and to her, than otherwise. Besides, she needed to try to get in touch with her contact and get the information about these human experiments out into the public. She wasn’t sure it would work, but she could try. She knew she had to leave, and her heart sank and she came to terms with it. So, for right now, she’d remain tightly and happily in Simon’s arms, wrapped up in him. And tomorrow…tomorrow she’d leave, getting off Serenity and never looking back.