Sayla Ragnarok, Looks like Mal has to think of something.
Wisdom of Insanity, Thank you I do the POV thing cause that is how it looks in my head.
Chapter 31: She Returns
-
Malcolm Reynolds felt his hand inching closer to the handle of his gun and paused when he realized it would do him no good. There was no way he could win against the three men standing before him. He might have been able to kill one, but the second the bullet had met flesh the other two would have killed him, either with pistols or steel, and if they didn’t then the rest of the navy would have taken care of him.
“Malcolm Reynolds?” Commander Hamiton repeated the name he had only heard a few seconds before and raised his eyebrows towards Beckett.
“That is his real name,” Beckett explained while removing his eyes from Mal. “Took on the phony name when he stole the uniform from a true soldier.”
“I knew there was more to you,” Hamiton said through clenched teeth as swiped the hat and wig from Mal’s head, causing Mal’s bangs to sweep down over his eyes. “I had thought you and the few other soldiers were close friends of Norrington, gathering together to form some sort of plan, a possible coup against Beckett. I had no idea you are not even a true soldier.”
“I am a soldier,” Mal stared deep into Hamiton’s eyes before he snatched his wig and hat back. He wasn’t exactly sure why he wanted that itchy mass of fluff back; possibly he didn’t like the way Hamiton just took it from him.
“You were a soldier,” Beckett corrected. “And could you please drop the accent and speak like the way you spoke in my office?”
Mal raised the corner of his mouth briefly. It was not the right time to be smirking. “What’s wrong, Becky? Don’t like the way I mimic you English folk?”
Beckett stared at him unblinking. His nostrils flared while his face turned pink. “You will address me as Lord Cutler Beckett or simply Lord Beckett.” He inhaled deeply. “I find it a bit easier for you to speak naturally.”
“Your use of our dialect is an insult to us,” Beckett’s henchman said. “Best if you keep that odd accent of yours.”
“I’ll have the others sent here,” Hamiton said before he walked away. “I will also keep an eye out for Norrington, when he returns.”
Beckett nodded. “I am looking forward to speaking with Mr. Norrington.”
“Don’t you mean Commodore?” Malcolm raised an eyebrow. He kind of new what Beckett’s reply would be. The shorter man knew Norrington was the one who provided Malcolm and his crew the means to escape.
“I believe he won’t be holding that title much longer.”
“I knew we should have never trusted him,” the majordomo folded his arms. “Once a pirate, always a pirate.”
“Mr. Mercer if you please.” Beckett held up a hand, silencing him. “Captain Reynolds you are very sure of yourself. I have come across several men like you before and their cocky attitudes is what caused them to get caught.”
“I think my big mistake was to let myself be seen,” Mal shrugged. “That and I didn’t get into the cargo hold fast enough to prevent Jayne from playing with Jonas’s contraption.”
“It would be best if you listen carefully before you speak,” Beckett turned when several people approached them. “Or your attitude might not just cost you your life, but the lives of those you care about.”
Mal blinked when he saw Hamiton and several other soldiers escort Kaylee, Simon and Inara towards them.
-
Of all the tasks, Jayne Cobb was ordered to perform; rolling a barrel across the floor of the gun deck was one of the easiest. They needed to gather as much explosives as possible on the upper deck and the few right below it. Captain Feng had also instructed that every powder from the guns were to be emptied onto the pile.
“Put your backs into it,” Sao instructed as he climbed the stairs.” We have to make sure it is altogether. Barbossa, I want you to supervise the men here.”
“Aye,” the older pirate nodded. “Try to make sure it is all concealed. We cannot have our plans go to waste if Jones and his lot manages to catch any sight of it.”
“Do not worry,” Sao said. His hand slid up and down the banister. “We just have to worry if this will be enough.” He glanced around, taking in the sight of the deck. It would be his last. It hurt him to loose his ship. Some might say he could rebuild it, but it wouldn’t be the same. Jayne could understand. It would be the same if somebody blew up Vera and told him to rebuild her. She wouldn’t be the same.
“We still have the other plan,” Barbossa said. “I have had word get out to the others about both plans.”
There was a second plan? Nobody told Jayne there was a second plan. “What’s plan B?” He glanced at one of the other pirates who were rolling barrels along with him. The other man didn’t know. “Do you know?” He stared at the monkey.
The monkey tilted his head to the side before he ran across the floor and climbed up Barbossa’s back.
“Best ye stay up here, Jack,” Barbossa gave his pet a small pat on the head. “Ye might get in their way.”
“Hey Barbossa,” Jayne stood up and wiped the layer of sweat from his brow. “What is the second part of the plan?”
“Did we tell ye?” Barbossa furrowed his brow. “I guess we didn’t. The second is part is that if we cannot kill the monster is we aim the cannons and shot at the device that summons the beastie.”
That did seem logical. “Why don’t we do that in the first place?”
Barbossa rolled his eyes. “Because whoever tries to attack Jones’s ship becomes the next target.”
“If the monster is still alive after we blow it up, wouldn’t it still attack whoever shoots at the Dutchman.
Barbossa smiled and waved a finger at him. “We thought about that part. As soon as the explosion takes place we fire our cannons at the device.”
“That would work,” Jayne rubbed his fingers across his chin. Even if it didn’t die, the monster would need some healing time before it could attack again. “Do we have enough fuses?”
“We have plenty.”
“What about a big one.” Jayne pointed to the roof. “It connects to the explosives above and through a hole we put in the ceiling.”
“I doubt Sao would appreciate us doing that,” Barbossa stared up. “It wouldn’t matter. We are going to destroy his ship. Are ye certain we are going to need a fuse that long.”
“Most likely the explosion from above will be enough to set off the bottom,” Jayne said. “But if we light both fuses at once then it most likely both loads will ‘splode at the same time, in sync with each other and we wants us a big boom.”
“Aye,” Barbossa nodded. “That we do. Ye are a bit of an expert at this sort of thing?”
Jayne grinned. “I been in a lot of fights. I fired many a gun and I made a lot of things blow up.”
“Bring us a pile of fuses,” Barbossa ordered. “And a few knives.”
“I already have enough knives for the both of us.” Jayne pointed to his artillery.
“Tell me about some of these battles,” Barbossa winked.
“Only if ya tell me some of yours.” Jayne said.
Barbossa nodded. “Agreed.” He sat down as soon as one of Sao’s men placed several fuses at his feet.
“Here is a good one,” Jayne kneeled next to him and pulled out a couple of knives. “Takes place during the last Unification Day.” He handed one of the knives over to the pirate and grabbed a couple of fuses.
“Unification Day?” Barbossa raised his eyebrows.
“Holiday in the future. Now unbeknownst to Zoe, Mal requested that I scope out a few of the local drinking holes of the planet we are on, tryin to make sure we find one that is pretty gun ho for the alliance.”
“He was tryin t’ start something?”
“Oh yeah,” Jayne chuckled at the memory. His smile faded when he felt the pain of being away from the terrain he was used to. “I go in and give the all clear, before I looked for a place to sit.” He used the blade to slice into the material length wise, creating three split ends. “That was when I noticed this argument between two local women.”
“Were they working women?” Barbossa raised his eyebrows repeatedly. He managed to split a couple of fuses the same way as Jayne had began to splice two of the fuses together.
“They had jobs,” Jayne wasn’t exactly sure what Barbossa meant by workingwomen. “One was a blacksmith and the other worked in a shop.”
“They were not wenches then?”
“Oh.” Jayne’s eyes widened. “You mean whores. Naw, they wasn’t whores, but they were mighty looksem. I decided to try to help settle their argument by being a gentleman. I said ‘Ladies lets see how yas handle a game of darts. I buy the winner a drink.’” He finished tying two more fuses together.
“Go on.”
“Well we didn’t even get to the game. They both insisted on buying a drink for me.”
-
Malcolm smiled weakly at his crew when they were brought together. He received the same expressions from them, although Kaylee’s smile was genuine if brief and Simon only stared down when he made eye contact with Mal.
“This would be most of the lot,” Mercer said and approached the doctor and snatched away his hat and wig. “Dr. Simon Tam.’
“Miss Kaylee Frye,” Beckett nearly knocked off Kaylee’s headgear. He paused when several of the soldiers gasped at the sight of Kaylee’s hair fluttering in the breeze. “And Miss Inara Serra.” He nodded at Hamiton who removed Inara’s bonnet. “I take it Mrs. Washburne and Mr. Jayne Cobb are on the stolen ship.”
“You can’t steal what is ours,” Inara said.
Beckett met her gaze. “Once the East India Trading Company has seized a ship it belongs to us. The Haven is ours and you stole it.”
“We didn’t know about that rule,” Kaylee piped up. “And you can’t have her. She loves us, not you.”
“Your rules are different than ours,” Beckett continued to pace in front of them. He lowered his voice so that even Hamiton couldn’t over hear. “But this is no longer your time. There is also the matter of how you came across her in the first place.”
“You ever hear of finders keepers?” Mal asked. He was lucky neither Becket nor Mercer had swiped their weapons again, also lucky they hadn’t ordered the rest of the Intrepid crew to take them either.
“Ever hear of a sudden drop and a short stop?” Mercer asked.
“You have some serious charges against you,” Beckett nodded at Mercer.
“Stealing a ship of the East India Trading Company,” Mercer read off the list he pulled out. “Harboring a branded pirate, threatening a soldier, attacking and robbing from soldiers, impersonating soldiers.”
Mal only half listened to what Mercer said. He had noticed a familiar face in the crowd, slowly inching towards Beckett. Mal could guess the bulge under Beckett’s vest was what Sparrow was after.
“Mr. Reynolds,” Beckett addressed him.
Mal raised an eyebrow. “Hmmm?”
Beckett sighed. “Very well, Captain Reynolds, were you listening?”
“Yup,” Mal placed his hands on his hips. “Sounds like a pretty big list.”
“You are aware of the consequences of your actions?”
“I guess it’s too late to apologize.”
“That is where you are wrong,” Beckett’s lip turned up into a cruel smile. “You and you crew can still redeem yourselves. You are aware of my previous offer?”
Mal was right about the man. He did know how to blackmail and Beckett didn’t want to kill Mal or his crew, not when it meant loosing the opportunity to use their technology. “That would be something along the lines of me and my folk joining your cause?”
“Captain?” Kaylee had a questioning look in her eyes.
“Easy Kaylee,” Mal held up a hand. “You know me.”
“I take it you are still refusing my offer?” Beckett raised his eyebrows, questioning him. “It would not be wise. You are not really in a position to refuse. Take a look at our ships verses those like yours. You will loose this battle. There will be many hangings once this is over.”
“You don’t seem to need my help in this fight,” Mal said.
“It is not just this battle. There is still much more you can do for me.”
Mal turned around to face the battle at sea and turned to face Beckett. “I will not be your tool. I was told that folk like me cannot change history.”
“Do you not understand what will happen to you and your crew if you do not comply?”
Mal stared into the eyes of Simon and then Kaylee, and finally Inara. “I understand.”
“And you still seem to refuse his offer,” Hamiton had yet to remove the smug grin from his face.
Mal breathed deeply. “What is your request again?”
“Mal,” Inara gasped. “This isn’t you.”
“Silence,” Mercer hissed at her.
“I just want to know the details, perhaps we can do a bit of negotiating.” Hopefully the small talk will be enough to buy time for Jack to get the heart and possibly Zoe to come through with a plan.
-
Zoe stayed near Anamaria as the other woman steered the Haven after Sao Feng’s ship. They and the crew on the Black Pearl were to be close, yet not too close to the Empress for two reasons. The first was to pick up those in the long boats when they row away before the fuses are lit, and the second reason was to fire their cannons at the summoning device.
“Do you think this plan will work?” Anamaria asked.
“It does involve a pretty big sacrifice,” Zoe nodded in agreement. “The plan does sound solid, almost wish I had thought about it.’
“You did think up the second part of the plan,” Anamaria pointed out.
Zoe nodded. “It does seem the most logical.” She had seen the crew on the Dutchman turn some sort of wheel and whenever they turn that particular wheel was when the Kraken was summoned. “Once that thing is gone we can attack Jones’s crew.”
“That will only leave us with the navy.”
“Gibbs believes the tides will turn once Jones is defeated.”
Anamaria shrugged. “I cannot believe they hadn’t suspected we would try something like this.”
“Not everyone thinks the same,” Zoe folded her arms; proud she had contributed to this battle. She knew her captain was doing his part and Jack Sparrow was doing his part to help them, now it was her turn.
“Mrs. Washburne?” Elizabeth Swann addressed her in a weak tone of voice.
“Is something the matter?” She turned to face the girl.
“There is something coming,” Elizabeth said. She along with several other members of the crew were staring at the sky. Her eyes were wide with uncertainty
“I thought it be a bug at first,” Gibbs said as he and Will both turned to face the direction Elizabeth was staring at, “then I thought it be a bird, now I’m not so sure.”
“Something?” Zoe wondered what the strange thing was and turned to face what they were staring at. She felt her heart leap up into her throat at the sight of her ship, their ship, and their true ship was heading straight towards them. There was nothing more beautiful to her eyes than the sight of the old transport ship.
“What is it?” Will asked. He was aiming his rifle at it.
“Serenity.” Zoe smiled and approached him. “It’s our ship. The one we have been searching for.” She pushed the rifle down
“It’s,” Will licked his lips as Serenity veered towards the navy side. “I don’t have any words.”
“Something no one expected to see,” Anamaria said. “I did not know it could fly, nor look like an animal.”
“They do call it a firefly model for a reason,” Zoe explained.
“A ship like that would have a lot of powerful future type weapons,” Gibbs cast a hopeful glance towards Zoe. His wounded arm was secure in a makeshift sling. “Something that could destroy the enemy, one ship at a time?” His smile faltered when Zoe shook her head.
“It’s a transport ship,” the smile on her face did not fade. “but they don’t know it doesn’t have any weapons.”
-
Mal could not believe the Go Shi that was falling out of Beckett’s mouth. The little twit expected Mal and the others to serve him for six months as privateers, using their weapons and technology to hunt pirates and any other unsavory type of folk. If Mal and the others agreed to sign it then the whole crew, including Gavin and the others would have their lives spared.
“You are asking a lot.”
“I don’t believe you have much of a choice.” Beckett said. “You will agree to my offer.”
“I don’t believe I remember reading about any fancy weapons taking out pirates in any history book.” Mal covered his face with his hands and massaged his forehead. Beckett was causing a bigger headache than Sparrow had.
“You still believe you cannot change you’re possible future.”
“I was told by some forces that I cannot know or explain. Forces that have helped us out so far-“ He thought of Tia Dalma and what she had said and done. She did provide the Mal and the others with The Haven and told them they way to find Serenity was through Jack Sparrow and while the goof ball didn’t know his compass did.
“Captain.” Kaylee interrupted.
“So far in this situation that we got stuck in. I don’t want to create any time paradox situations-“ He had seen too many films and movies with such paradoxes, trying to follow some of those plots had made his head hurt.
“Mal,” Inara tried to get his attention.
He waved her off without even looking at her or anyone else. “And I doubt I can if I tried.” He noticed Beckett had finally shut his yap and he looked at him. The lord, his henchman, Hamiton and the rest of the navy were not looking at him, but above him. Even Jack had stopped to stare at the same direction. His own crew was also looking past him, but instead of shock and awe their expressions were that of relief
“What’s going on?”
“River did it,” Simon smiled.
Mal didn’t even have to think about what that meant. He instantly knew from Simon’s words plus everyone’s expressions. He turned around in time to see Serenity close in on them.
“What is that?” Hamiton asked.
“It’s my girl,” Kaylee smiled. “She came back.”
Mal felt himself step back, along with everyone else as soon as Serenity was within inches of the deck. His ship hovered several feet above the water before the air lock opened and the docking platform lowered, revealing a figure that was familiar to Mal and the rest of the navy.
“Captain Reynolds,” Commodore Norrington smiled at him. “This ship of yours is quite amazing.”
“Yes she is,” Mal grinned.
“Not one step further,” Lord Beckett had gotten over his shock and stepped in between Mal and Serenity. “Mr. Norrington, explain yourself.”
Norrington held out his arms. “There is really not much to explain.”
Beckett shook his head at him. “There are some new charges against you, however we can have them dropped since you have returned with this strange craft.” He took one step towards the loading platform, and froze when Norrington drew his sword.
“I cannot allow you to do that.”
“There is not much you can and cannot allow me to do,” Beckett said as he and Mercer both unsheathed their own swords.