Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own any of these wonderful characters, or even the setting and world of Firefly. They all belong to Fox/Universal and Joss Whedon.

James Norrington and related belongs to Disney, Gore and Ted and Terry.

Setting: Takes place right after Down the Aisle

Pairings: Kaylee/Simon, Mal/Inara

Can’t Stop the Music

Chapter 4: Bebop

-

Cyn chewed her bottom lip while she tried to figure out what the next line should be. It was a love song, about a young woman whose past relationships have all failed, all the guys were jerks, how she was frightened to meet with another guy and how she finally meets the right one. Cyn did not want the song to sound too hokey, cheesy, or cliché. She had to make it sound just right.

She stopped chewing when she felt the sensation of moving. The cargo ship was rising. It made sense, the woman she spoke with must have been the ambassador and now that she was back the ship was taking off. Cyn propped herself up and tucked in her knees. She felt like she could write better on a moving ship and even when it was in the middle of space and she could feel next to nothing, the words would flow to her mind; however this was not the case. She mumbled each line out loud, nothing worked, and nothing felt like it belonged to the song.

“Try on the other,” Cyn straightened her legs and set her note pad down on the small table next to the sofa. The other was the song she had been working on for over three years, the song that would carry out to everyone, so that everyone would know what had happened. She had tried to sing about it a few years ago, when she first received her guitar, but no one believed her, no one would listen to a street musician, except for another street musician. They would listen to the winner of the battle of the bands, the will listen now that everyone believes in Reavers and that story about Miranda came out. They will listen and they will know the truth.

“Still writing?” Amistance paused by the couch. Her hair was still tied back, a habit she made every night before she went to bed.

“I’m going to work on the message again,” Cyn said before she yawned and stretched her arms. “I ran into a case of serious block.

“Ray went to join with Dustin. I’m going to grab my keys.” Amistance continued her way to the passenger rooms.

“I’ll join you soon,” Cyn sat up. She had to at least read what was written so far before she could add another line, or remove a few words, and then she would grab Alfie and join the others. She slid back the striped cloth arm band over her right arm and stared at the spiral shaped scar in the flesh. She could still feel the hot leather of the lash when the tip wrapped around her arm. She had never regretted what she had said and done to earn such a punishment. The only thing she regretted was not being able to bring them with her.

-

Mal wish he could spit out the bitter taste he felt in his mouth after his little squabble with Inara. He wanted to annoy her. He had succeeded in that, but then not only had she turned the tables but she had also poked at an exposed nerve and he snapped at her. She shouldn’t have brought up the subject, but then, how was she to know?

“Bad,” River did not even look at him when he sat in the co-pilot’s seat. “Bad in more than just Latin.”

“I never claimed I was actually good at it.” He didn’t bother to fasten himself in. he was going to call the others to have a meeting in the dining area.

“I would laugh if I were not angry.”

“Why are you angry?” He turned to her. “Did any of those musicians set you off?”

“Not them, you.”

“What did I do?” Great, first Inara, now his co pilot, how many more people was he going to piss off?

“You yelled at her. You had a reason and she didn’t know. You won something from her. She sees you differently and now you broke it with your words.”

“You read me,” So that is what it is about. “How many times have I asked, correct that. How many times have I told you not to read me?”

“I couldn’t control it.” She stared straight ahead, eyes lingering up on the highlighted chart above the windshield to make certain they were keeping to the correct path.

“I thought you were getting better.”

“I am, and I heard shouting.” Her grip increased on the controls. “I only read a page, not even a chapter, although everyone knows this story, but there are too many chapters to the heart.”

“It was about the war, she reopened an old wound and I lost my bit of self control.”

“You need to fix it, make it less chapters, or the story will never end and the hero will never get the girl.”

“Gorram it,” Mal grabbed the sides of his head. “First Kaylee and now you, Guan Ni Zi Ji De Shi. It is my life.”

“I am just pointing out the obvious.”

“You don’t see me bringing up the subject about you and the Commodore,” his eyes widened when her face took on a pink tint. “I’m not wrong in saying you have feelings for him?”

“They broke my brain, not my heart.”

He nodded. “Inara and I were both right. Does he know?”

She shrugged. “I try not to read him. He has been hurt. I won’t push. I stopped reading when my heart saw him.”

“You won’t see me trying to push him or you,” he stood up. “Time for a crew meeting. When it is over you can read me, find out what happened.”

-

Kaylee could not leave for the meeting, not until she knew everything was in place and working properly, none of the coils were over heated and none of the wires were flailing around. The engine was spinning just fine. She was going to need a few plugs for the grav boot, but they could hold well for a few more weeks at least.

“Kaylee,” Mal’s voice buzzed through the intercom. “We are all waiting for you.”

“I’m coming,” Kaylee wiped her face with the back of her sleeve and ran out of the engine room as fast as she could. She didn’t even bother to remove her boiler suit.

“This meeting shall be short and sweet,” Mal said as soon as Kaylee sat down. “Not much to do about the band, well I guess it does since our trip to Beaumonde is because of them.”

Kaylee hoped she could break away from the engine room to speak with some of the band members. She was enthralled by the stories Inara had told her and she knew Cyn and the others had some similar fascinating tales for them.

“Hope the trip will be short and sweet,” Jayne stared down the barrel of the gun he was cleaning. He had to have been in the middle of organizing and cleaning his weapons when it was time for the meeting.

“The quickest path is a little over a week,” Zoë said. “I am certain the time will fly, and it won’t be long till both Amistance and Cyn will come to the same conclusion about you.”

“They were talking about me?” Jayne set the gun down and sat up. “What had they said?”

“They haven’t said anything,” Zoë did not loose her smile. “I just know they will think the same of you.”

“They are both going to want me at the same time?”

“Jayne,” Mal closed his eyes.

“What Mrs. Washburne is saying are they will eventually realize you are a disgusting human,” James said. “That is if they would even think of you as a man.”

Jayne glared at him. “Are you trying to start something?”

“No,” Mal slammed his hand down on the table. “And Jayne, you will keep you distance from our guests. Zoë brought up another point I should be concerned about, but that is not what this meeting is about.” His arms relaxed and mouth closed.

Kaylee turned in her chair to see what caused him his silence. Inara had entered the dining area.

“Don’t mind me,” she said as she rummaged through the pantries. “I just need to get some tea.”

“We were just having a meeting,” Kaylee said. “Talking about the band and going to Beaumonde.”

“This is who the tea is for,” Inara had turned to smile at her. “Once it is prepared I am going to invite them to my shuttle.”

“You are not going to offer your services to them,” Mal said in a tone, Kaylee had recognized has half joking and half serious.

“Tantrum is over and you are back to your regular self,” Inara had said.

“Tantrum?” Kaylee repeated.

“Is that what you are calling it?” Mal asked.

“Well since you do not want to talk about it, I will be on my way.” Inara selected a small package and slipped away, leaving Kaylee and the others to stare at Mal in bewilderment.

“Forget she even came in here,” Mal waved his hand. “Back to business and our guests. By this time tomorrow we will be coming up to a checkpoint. Alliance run of course. They may way us off, but then again they might want to talk.”

“Should we be worried?” Simon asked.

“Haven’t heard much of a peep from them,” Zoë brought up. “Even checked the waves on the cortex, couldn’t find a single bounty for you two.”

“They won’t know about the doc and his sis, and even if they did they won’t care,” Mal said. “They are no longer a priority with them. If they are going to check, it is to make certain the engine is running smoothly and we have enough fuel.”

“They will want to talk to me?” Kaylee sat up.

“And me since I am the captain,” Mal nodded. “Might even want to see our guests since they are our cargo.”

“Should we let them know?” James asked. “They are uninformed about the checkpoint.”

“I’ll let em know in a few minutes,” Mal paused when a few guitar twangs were heard. “Also need to discuss prospects of future business.”

“What business?” Jayne asked. “Don’t know anyone on Beaumonde, not since that God soldier sent guys after-“

“Don’t say it,” Kaylee frowned. Mingo and Fanty were not her two favorite people, neither was Patience since she shot her captain that one time, but the fact they were murdered along with Book and the folk on Haven, along with Mr. Universe had upset her.

“We will find knew people,” Mal answered. “Zoë, I want you and the commodore to send out waves, advertise us as a transport service. It will be a good time for James to learn how to send them. Jayne, once you are done cleaning your guns clean Zoë’s and mine and James’s as well.”

“No problem,” Jayne’s smile was cut when he heard more guitars followed by drum beats. “They are already causing a problem.”

“They are not violating any rules,” Kaylee said in between the musical gaps.

“No they are not,” Mal sighed. “Next time I’ll just request they don’t perform while we have a meeting.”

The music continued, the rest of the instruments joined the first and played an arrangement of quick and upbeat pieces. Kaylee found herself tapping her toes along with the beat.

“Is that jazz?” James asked while his brow was furrowed. “I have only heard it once and they played it off course.”

“It is a type of jazz,” Simon nodded. “I am trying to remember what it was called. River would know. She was better at musical studies than me.”

“We could go and ask,” Kaylee stood up. “The engine room is shiny.”

“You go ask,” Jayne picked up his gun. “I don’t really care.”

“Captain?” She stared at Mal, using what she had called her hopeful-give- the-puppy-a-cookie-look.

Mal looked like he was about to tell her no, but then he sighed and shrugged. “Might as well let them know about the quiet at the meetings part.”

“Thanks Cap’n,”

-

“Too fast,” Cyn said softly while the others were still playing. “I said too fast.” She repeated herself only louder. “Dustin you were playing too fast.”

“I thought we were playing jazz,” Dustin set his guitar down. “I was just keeping up with the tempo Ray set up.”

“And you are leaving the rest of us behind,” Alfie pointed out.

“We are playing two different types of jazz,” Cyn set her guitar down. “Ray and Dustin, you two are doing swing while the rest of us are playing blues.”

“I am surprised Ray isn’t playing the blues,” Amistance said.

“When he is a funk he plays faster,” Alfie explained. “I think it is good for him, keeps his mind on the music.”

“What if we settle on something in the middle?” Dustin asked.

“Terra Incognita?” Amistance suggested with a shrug.

“Always a good warm up piece,” Cyn picked up her guitar and rested the bottom against her hip. “On three. One, two and three.” Her fingers struck against the strings while Alfie played. Amistance and Dustin followed before Ray laid the beat down. Cyn felt the music flow through her veins. She was about to become a part of it again, her ears listened to her own playing before she focused on the others. “Wait.” She came to a stop. “Amistance you are off.”

“How am I off?” the keyboardist asked.

“You started about half a second too late,” Cyn explained.

“I think Alfie is a little off,” Dustin said.

“Just slightly,” Cyn nodded. “And Ray, you were starting to speed up again.”

“Sorry,” Ray grumbled.

“Think of the new ship you will get,” Dustin pat the drummer on his back. “Once we get the money, and we will get the money once we win.”

“And that means we have to be good,” Alfie said.

“Not good,” Cyn shook her head. “Not even great. We have to be the best. Now again, on three.”

“Hold it,” Captain Reynolds called down from atop the catwalk. Nearly the entire crew was there, except for the pilot and the ambassador.

“Is there a problem, captain?” Cyn called up. They had respected their rules so far. They tried to stay out of their way the best they can and they were going to put their instruments back around bed time.

“Just need to let you know a couple of things,” Captain Reynolds held up two fingers. “The first is kinda my fault. Didn’t know how the sound of the music would carry over up here. We tend to have the meetings in our dining area. When we have a meeting I’ll let you know when it begins and ends.”

“Doesn’t sound like it would be a problem.” Dustin said. He was right, the captain’s request sounded perfectly reasonable.

“Number two,” The captain continued. “We are going to come into a checkpoint tomorrow. They might want to talk to you.”

“Think they well shed a light on what happened to our old ship?” Alfie asked.

“Alfie,” Amistance slapped his shoulder before turning to offer a sympathetic smile to Ray.

“They might,” Mal shrugged. “Then again word might not have gotten to them. They tend to spread themselves thin out here and are not much use to anyone.”

“Sounds about right,” Dustin said under breath.

“Thank you,” Cyn said before she turned to the others. “He is right, spread to thin and they don’t know everything.”

“They won’t know who burnt our ship?” Alfie asked.

“They will probably find out,” Cyn shrugged. “Local authorities might tell them. In other cases they won’t help because they don’t know.” She and the others will tell them, once they have won, once they have the message perfected, once it is played, then everyone will know.

-