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 6: Dissonance

The conversations around meal times were usually large, full of funny anecdotes and serious discussion about upcoming jobs, with the new guests aboard the conversations took on new turns. Most of the crew did have some questions about the lifestyles about the musicians and they, in turn, had a few questions about the crew of Serenity. There had been no cases of awkward silence and there had been at least two different conversations going on at once.

Except there should still be more it seemed to Zoë. She had observed James, Simon, Kaylee speak with Cyn and Alfie about the different genres of music and favorite bands. Inara, Amistance and Ray were in a conversation about the latest report on the arson. Jayne had discovered that Dustin loved cheesy movies with ex military men going up against terrorists, kidnappers, Reavers and all sorts of big bad uglies with every type of weapon and ammo you could imagine, films that oozed one liners and testosterone.

“I know a good explosion shouldn’t look like that,” Jayne said after he had shoveled more food into his mouth. “But it was real shiny when all that stuff flew into every direction and impaled that one guy, Maxwell.”

“He looked like a porcupine,” Dustin nodded. “He did have something worth crying about for once.”

“I actually laughed,” Jayne grinned. “Whiny little shrimp had no place fighting against those mutants.”

She, Mal and River were discussing work, or they should be. Mal had become even more sullen than usual, withdrawing more and more into himself. The only words out of his mouth were commands and questions. Zoë wasn’t sure, but he seemed to avoid contact with their guests. He did not even smile once during dinner. River had seemed to try to avoid Mal, except when he walked into the bridge and even when he was there she refused to talk to him. During dinner whenever he asked her a question she only looked at Zoë when she answered. She had even noticed Inara try to avoid Mal at all costs and while they ate she had shot the occasional icy stare at the captain.

“Zoë?” Mal had his eyebrows raised and his favorite glass in his hand. “Did you send out any more waves?”

“Sorry,” Zoë blinked and set down her chopsticks. She had no idea how long she had them raised in the air. “We only sent out one today.”

“Only one?” Mal raised the glass. “You are aware that even with the nice little payments we have recently received that it will only last about a bout a month? We need to restock once we land and once those funds run out we will be living off of crumbs.”

“I am aware,” Zoë kept her voice down. How long has been with Mal? He knew she would know about the simplest facts about their job. “I was actually supervising. James had sent out his first wave. I will send another after dinner.”

“Make certain that you do.”

“Try to make yourself a little more visible. I don’t know where you are half the time.”

“Won’t,” River said softly. Her chopsticks were poking at her dinner, moving the noodles around. “His anger affects him, became an infestation. He uses it to create a cage and only he can unlock it.”

“What is going on?” Zoë asked.

“He won’t let me tell.” She narrowed her eyes at Mal.

“And you need to grow up,” Mal pointed at her. “This little sulk session of yours is getting old real fast.”

“I have noticed it started with you, Sir.” Zoë remembered the last time he was like this, right before their little bank robbery on Lilac. “Your attitude is going to start driving people away.”

“Again,” River added before she turned towards the others.

“And you should know this is something I need to sort out on my own,” Mal stood up causing the various conversations to come to a halt. “Don’t mind me folk. I’m pretty much done.” He grabbed his near empty dishes and walked towards the sink.

“You have no idea what started this?” Zoë asked, her eyes were on River.

“I can’t tell,” the young pilot answered. “It starts where it always starts.” She nodded towards Inara.

Zoë nodded and watched as the woman laughed. After she had sent the second wave she was going to speak with the companion.

-

Inara stared at her reflection. Her hand held onto a brush that glided through her hair, the bristles removing what few tangles and snarls she did have in her dark waves. She had hoped to try to cheer up Ray during dinner and she had managed to cause the drummer to crack a few smiles, hopefully he will come out of his depression and Mal will not bring him down further with his attitude. Why did he have to harvest that attitude and allow it to fester? She could tell he had also snapped at River and that would explain why the pilot refused to talk to him. He had been so touchy about the reason why he won’t play. He wasn’t the only one who was carrying a secret. Cyn hadn’t completely revealed her story. It was none of her business though and she was not going to press on even if had intrigued her, but it hadn’t intrigued her as much as the secret Mal was holding back.

The knock at the door to her shuttle caused her to nearly drop her hairbrush. “Mal?”

“Not him,” Zoë answered. “It is me. Can I come in?”

“You are always welcome,” Inara set her brush down and stood up. “Is there something wrong?”

“Nothing wrong,” Zoë answered when the door slid open. “I just wanted to talk.” She slipped through the curtain of beads. “I just noticed you seem to try avoiding Mal lately.”

“How is that unusual?” Inara asked. It was true she hadn’t spoken with Mal since he had snapped at her.

“Whenever you see him approaching you turn around and walk the other way. You sit as far away as possible from him during meals and you both refuse to talk to each other. I want to know what happened.”

“I would say it had something to do with the fact he did not tell me about the band,” Inara stared at her vanity table. “But then again you know that is the wrong answer.”

“I just want to know what is wrong. I need to diffuse the situation before it gets even worse. He has angered River and it won’t be long before he has everyone pissed off at him. Our guests are not going to want to ride with a cranky crew.”

“It started in the music store ,” Inara explained. “While you were with Simon I was with Mal in front of the guitars. I have accidentally insulted the instrument and he played one of them.”

“I had heard a guitar being played,” Zoë nodded. “I had figured it was one of the other customers in the store. That wasn’t the first time he had played since the war.”

“Not the first time?”

“It was on Santo, after you and the others had left the campfire. One of my relatives had left their guitars behind and he wanted to see if it wasn’t broken.”

“And after he tested it he had played it.” She had seen the look in Mal‘s eyes when he studied the display and when he played. He respected the instrument. “He loves the guitars. Why does he refuse to play and why won’t he tell me.”

“It was the war,” Zoë sighed. “I know that is an incomplete answer, but it is the main reason. The main heart of the reason. I have never received a full explanation why myself. All I know is he had played for his platoon and a few of his soldiers had asked for a song or two.” Her eyes filled with tears. “For some of them it was their last request.”

Inara felt her knees grow weaker. “I should have known.” Her words came out in a weak gasp. “I knew it dealt with the war. He had lost so much and here I am asking personal questions and trying to goad he into doing something that hurts.” She grabbed onto the nearest table to help keep her steady.

“You didn’t know,” Zoë said. “You wanted him to play again. I don’t blame you. He was good, but now I know what had started it and maybe either you or I should talk to River.”

“I want to speak with her,” she stood up and tall. “But I need time to digest what I have just learned.”

The military woman nodded. “I will speak with her.”

“I need to sit down,” Inara inched herself closer to her bed. “Thank you for letting me know.”

“Your welcome,” Zoë nodded. “Will you be all right?”

Inara nodded. “I just need time to think.” She would be better after a good night sleep and in the morning she would apologize to Mal.

-

The heat from the sun beating down on Cyn wasn’t the worst part, neither was the dry wind whipping at her and spraying sand against her exposed skin. It was the combination along with the course feeling of baked sand and gravel underneath her bare feet. She had been running for hours and the blisters had burst, causing her to leave bloodied footprints behind.

“Faster,” the others cried in front of her. For a brief while they had seem almost too far away, but she had reigned in her strength and forced her legs to move even faster. She had to keep up.

“You will never get away,” those that kept her shouted from behind her. Their voices were accompanied by the cracking of dry leather. “We will find you.”

Never. She will leave with her siblings and return someday for her mother. They will be freed. Once the Alliance knows about what had happened they will come for their lost colonists and punish those who had destroyed their new home.

“The ship,” the others in front of her had called out when a ship had come in for a landing.

Cyn cried out in delight. “We are leaving the bad place. Apollo, Sally, hurry. We got to hurry.”

“I can’t,” Sally cried. “My legs are not fast.”

“You have to be,” Apollo told her.

Clouds of dust and sand formed around the three children. “Grab my hand,” Cyn shouted. She felt Apollo’s hand against her palm. “Apollo, grab Sally’s hand.” The cloud grew thicker and she could not see her siblings, nor the others or the ship. She felt another hand against hers, one that was much bigger and covered with calluses. “Let go.”

“I’m taking you to the ship,” the man answered and pulled her. Cynthia felt her brother slip away from her. “So we all can be free.” He continued to drag Cyn until they both had reached the metal stairs of the ship.

“Apollo, Sally,” She cried out and turned to where they were.

“Cynthia.” They both ran towards her. The cloud thinned, revealing those who destroyed their home to be standing behind them.

“No,” Cynthia tried to run towards them, but the strong arms of the man held her back. “I can’t leave them.”

Leather whips coiled around her siblings, covering them like the bandages of ancient mummies before their captors pulled back on the handles and dragged the children towards them

“We can’t leave,” Cyn tried to wrench her free from the man, but they were both being drawn into the ship. We cannot leave without them.”

-

“Can’t leave,” Cyn shouted the words as she bolted upright in her bed. She stared at the darkness surrounding her. The temperature aboard Serenity was not hot; it was regulated to be comfortable. “I didn’t want to leave you.” She whispered. “I’m coming for you. I am sorry it took so long, but I have tried to tell everyone before, but they wouldn’t listen.” She needed something to drink.

Cyn wasn’t the only one awake. As soon as she stepped out of her room she had nearly knocked her head against the ship’s pilot. “Sorry.”

“Not your fault,” River told her. She just stared at her in that way that made Cyn feels uncomfortable. There was something about that girl.

“Can’t sleep?” Cyn asked.

“Can’t sleep,” River answered.

An alarm started to buzz, causing Cyn to jump. “What was that?”

“Proximity alert,” River stared at the ceiling. “We are coming across something.”

“Right, you do your job and I’ll just get some water,” hopefully afterwards she will have a blissful night of sleep and won’t have anymore of those dreams.

-

Mal hated having to be waken up at all and in his currant state he was more than likely to bite someone’s head off for even daring to rouse him out of his bed, but the fact that it was a proximity alert he cooled down a degree and grabbed a shirt before he ran to the helm.

“What do we have darling?” He asked as soon as he had stepped through the door, and was a bit surprised he wasn’t the first one to be there. He was the third, after Zoë and James.

“Another ship coming up,” Zoë pointed at the small white ship flying in closer.

“What do they want?” Mal asked. He recognized the ship as a Star Eagle model.

“If they do not change courses they are going to ram us,” James said. “Unless we veer out of the way.”

“Send a wave to them,” Mal instructed. “And try to hard to port.”

“Star Eagle class ship,” River stared at the softly glowing screen. “This is the Firefly class ship Serenity. State the purpose of your course.” She pressed a button and grabbed the wheel.

“Let me know if you need any help with the ship.”

“Sir, I think they received the message.” Zoë said.

“And?” Mal turned to see a glowing blast head straight towards them.

“Duck,” James cried out as the three of them either forced themselves to the floor or grabbed onto something to steady themselves.

The blast struck them head on, causing the whole ship to shake for a few seconds.

“That answers that question,” Mal rose to his feet.

“Pirates,” River pointed to the screen where an image of skull and crossbones appeared.

“This is the Commodore’s area of expertise,” Zoë said.

“Sea faring pirates,” James corrected. “I do not know how much these space pirates differ.”

“As much difference between sea and space,” Mal said. “How would you normally handle them?”

“We would attack in turn,” James answered, smiling briefly. “We would fire our own cannons upon their ship until we were close enough to board and then attack with pistols and swords. However this ship does not have any weapons of their own and we do not know their numbers.”

“Exactly,” Mal felt an idea forming in his mind. “We have to take them by surprise. River I need you to send out a distress call. If the Alliance are patrolling these waters like they said they would pick it up. Zoë I need you to wake our guests. Have them go to the unused bunk in the crew’s quarters and seal themselves inside.” He turned to James. “Commodore I need you to find the others and have them meet in the cargo bay.”

-

The plan was simple enough. Everyone save for the musicians had hid themselves in various nooks and crannies inside the ship. Mal had hunkered himself down between a couple of unused boxes and the stairs. He stared up at the catwalk where Jayne had himself placed underneath the bottom. The mercenary held himself with one arm while he held Vera in another hand. All they had to do was wait

They didn’t have to wait long. They felt the other ship locking in with their own. Another minute went by and the airlock opened. Mal held his breath when he heard the sounds of two pairs of boots walk along the metal fort.

A loud bang followed, along with a grunt. More pirates ran into the area, everyone was looking around.

Several more shots followed, and a few of the pirates when down, grabbing where they were wounded.

“Up there,” One man shouted and shot his weapon towards Jayne. The second the tiny projectile had been fired from his small gun he was knocked out from the back by River’s strong kick.

“What the hell was that?” Jayne shouted and continued to fire. “You just shoot a little needle at me. A bee sting aint gonna make me…want to buy you slippers…for the dance.” The mercenary dropped his gun first before he fell to the ground.

They shot him with a tranq? Mal blinked and felt his grip increase when he heard the familiar shouts and grunts from Zoë and James, along with fists striking flesh.

“River,” Simon shouted before his gun peeked out of the crate he was hiding in and fired.

Mal watched as Zoë and James were fighting hand to hand against the pirates. James was using his sword and Zoë was using the blunt end of her rifle to strike against the crow bar and pipe being used by the pirates. River was motionless, surrounded by several unconscious pirates. A tranquilizer dart was stuck in her side.

Mal fired at several other pirates as they entered. He aimed for their legs and arms. All of them carried the tranquilizer guns. It seemed they just wanted to knock the crew out and it wasn’t right to just kill them, even if they were invading his ship.

“Zoë?” the pirate who slipped by stood in shock after Zoë had knocked out the man she was fighting against.

“Careful captain,” another pirate addressed the woman. “This crew is a sneaky bunch.”

“So you are the captain,” Mal leaped out of his hiding place and aimed his gun at the back of her head. “Maybe I could convince you to just grab your wounded comrades and get the hell off my boat.”

“Sergeant Reynolds?” The woman spun around.

Mal stared at her, trying to place the face and voice with a name. “Katy?”

“Katy Chalmers?” Zoë had also recognized her.

“Hold your fire,” Katy cried out.

“Stop,” Mal shouted. As far as he was concerned this battle was over.

-

Replies:

Dreamflight, thank you.

Ogreatrandom, thanks. I do try to hear them in my head before I write them.