Ch.24

I stood up and she grabbed my member saying. "It is a curiosity for me now. Perhaps an exchange then. You help me with my techniques and I help you relieve some stress then."

I frowned. "You've no idea what you're playing with. If you start down this path there is no safe word that gets me to stop until I'm satisfied or to tired to go on."

I could almost feel her body warming up with excitement at the prospects of what I spoke of. She shivered before nodding. "Deal."

I tackled her to the bed and entered her once more.

-One week later-

I slip out of her now sore sheath from the abuse I've given her. Following my exit a trail of thick fluids draped out of her while she moaned waking up a little more. I'd clearly been without a female too long as this one was to tired to go on. Even my physical body was having trouble keeping thoughts straight while we went at it.

She shifted a bit more and it poured out of her now in thick streams. I grabbed my pants and slid them on awkwardly before looking for my robe. I found it near the door along with my weapons belt and the box of toys.

The whip had frayed now as the ball gag was showing signs of being worn out as well. Inara woke up to my stumbling and leaned on a pillow asking. "What day is it?"

I grunted. "It's been a week since we entered this room and locked the door love. Best you close your legs or it might be two weeks before I leave to find my own room."

She looked down in surprise. We'd only left the bed long enough to eat food and use the loo. The room wreaked of sex and spent seed. Her thighs were caked with it and glistening from my recent release.

She closed her numb legs with difficulty and I wrapped my robe around myself before grabbing my belt and slinging it over my shoulder. I cleaned and tossed all the toys into the box before laving it on her couch. "Keep it, I've no use for these things any more anyway."

I waved her thanks off before telling her. "You're dealing with Mal, I doubt he'd appreciate this."

She frowned. "What ever do you mean?"

I snorted. "You two have been circling each other before I ever arrived on the scene. You know it as well as I so don't give me that look. He's a simple man and sees it one way. Until you stop being a companion, he won't ever be able to freely admit his feelings for you. He's a male after all and no male in their right mind wishes to share their mate or wife with others. Until that day, you'll only be hurting each other the more you do so."

I unlocked the door and left. I grabbed a shower and change of clothes in my bunk before heading to the mess hall for some real food. I received a few awkward looks but I brushed them off as Mal announced. "We should be arriving on Persephone in a day's time."

I bit into my sandwich while listening to him talk about looking for more work and some downtime for the crew. When he was done he asked me for a word. I followed him to the cargo hold where he asked. "What are you doing?"

I shrugged. "I blew off some steam with her if that's what you're asking. She clearly only has eyes for one man but then, she can't have that so she chose an easier option. I've been without for long enough and she looks like one of my wives enough to agree to her request. Just two souls unable to have what they really want and needing comfort is all."

I brushed him off and he caught himself several times trying to say all she'd have to do was say yes. Sighing I clocked him just hard enough to get his attention.

When he spit out a mouthful of blood, I scowled at him. "You ask her to risk it all while you risk nothing or little enough. I may not love her, but at least I'm honest with myself and her, up front even. If she did what you wanted she'd be completely at your mercy. No job, no way to support herself if things went bad between you. Yet she still pines for you even in other's arms. I get that you don't like her job, nor does she like yours but she doesn't say hurtful things every time you take a bad one. Degrading her when she's already a mess only serves to injure her further."

He was truly struck dumb as I shook my head sighing. "Straighten your priorities out Mal. Hate me, so be it, but don't hate what she has to do to survive. And certainly don't give crap excuses about finding jobs like you and the crew. You've barely managed to survive even with the thieving and risky shit you pull on the job. At least as she is she doesn't have to worry about dying a gruesome death. Until she's enough or vice versa, don't pull shit like our trip to Ariel."

I walked off and he sat down stunned and his mood fluctuating. I fully expected him to tell me to get off his ship but I didn't expect him to show up at my bunk door with the bottle of whiskey I left in Inara's room. "You're right. I talked with her and I can't seem to get your words out of my head. It's complicated is all."

I snorted and slid the door all the way open before grabbing two glasses and setting them on the small table. "Women always are."

He sighed and asked as he poured us glasses. "You said she looks like one of your wives?"

I nodded. "Her name's Adria. She was something like a warlord on the outer rim if you'd believe it. She had dozens of ships under her command and her people looked at her like she was a goddess. When I met her she was in a bad place I helped her out of it. She married me shortly after with only my other wives as witnesses."

I showed him a holo image of her and my other wives pointing them all out. He sighed. "They could be twins."

I nodded. "You understand why I gave in then. If Inara looked like anyone else I wouldn't have bothered. A man is weakest where his wife is involved. I truly meant no slight to you and her and I think a part of you knows that now."

He sighed and took a draft before asking. "Any idea how to get on her good side?"

I snorted. "She's not Adria. My Adria's only good side is towards the innocent and her sister-wives. She even gave me hell when she thought I was being an idiot. My one and only suggestion that seems to work with all women or all that I've met anyway is to listen and care. Take her words as if they have real weight to them and some day when you feel they do, it might mean it's time to tell her the rest."

He drank with me for the rest of the day before saying. "Since this whiskey costs so damn much, I'll let it go along with that punch you threw."

I chuckled lightly. "Didn't cost me a damn thing. That along with all our tabs and the broken bar was charged to the idiots who bragged about selling slaves."

His eyebrows shot up. "That's a hell of a lot. You sure they didn't have the money to cover it?"

I shook my head. "Not a chance. I snuck aboard their ship and robbed them blind before setting their current load free. Even if they managed to pay off their debts with the bar after selling their ship, they'd be killed for loosing their clients and benefactors so much money."

He chuckled. "And the proceeds?"

I shrugged. "I split it amongst the slaves. It didn't seem right leaving them with nothing on a planet they had little chance to survive on with said nothing. Don't get too uppity, Kaylee scored a new fiber optics scanner from their rig and should be finished installing it in Serenity by now. It'll allow for thermal signatures and easier targeting for the weapons. If you can see the fuel supply of a vessel-"

He grinned. "Now ain't that something."

I nodded and took my last swig while he took the bottle. I grabbed a quick shower and crashed, taking some long needed sleep. When I woke up, we'd just landed on Persephone. Inara was a bit sore when she left so I hit her with a silent healing spell before going to the market with Mal.

When he commented on Kaylee wearing a fancy dress being like teaching a sheep to walk on it's hind legs, I face palmed while Jayne laughed. Sighing I told him after the females left. "A hint, don't compare women to barn yard animals, ever. If it helps just think about things that would make Jayne laugh, then say the opposite."

Jayne snorted. "Hey, I'm not a complete idiot. I can find a women just fine."

I shook my head. "Either she's desperate or your paying for it. Neither bode well for any romantic notions and I refuse to believe otherwise."

He shrugged. "Desperate women need love to dummy."

Shaking my head I gave Mal the signal that we were being followed. He caught it just in time to avoid a gun being pointed at his head. I moved and cut the man down that did the pointing and worked my way through them until Mal ordered. "Stop!"

I was inches away from cutting what appeared to be their boss's head off. I pulled back and stood back while Mal asked the man. "Badger, What brings you out of your castle."

He was watching me wearily until Mal caught his attention by snapping his fingers in Badger's face. "Don't you be worried about him. You're alive because I stopped him, now answer my question."

He bit out. "Heard you was in town, figured you might be interested in a job I've been finding difficult to line up. I could use a bit of your help here but first, where in the gorram verse did you find someone like that?"

He pointed a finger at me and Mal smirked. "Funny you should mention it. I picked him up here on Persephone a few months back. He was the one that killed those three pickpockets you were complaining about last time. They tried to split off into straight up blade work and ended up picking him as their first target."

I hummed while Jayne collected the guns, money and ammo off the would be thugs. He pocketed the money and slung the guns and ammo into the bag he was carrying. Badger didn't really mind except for the guns part.

He looked a bit miffed until Jayne told him. "Don't look at me, he's the one that said to loot all the idiots that are dumb enough to pick a fight with us."

Jayne jabbed his finger in my direction and I shrugged nonchalantly before wiping my blades clean and sheathing them. I popped the holster on my plasma pistols this time and Mal smirked as Badger went pale. "Sure, fine, take us to this meeting place you got. I'm in a good mood and I'm looking for work."

I stayed quiet throughout the whole affair and listened to the short man that reminded me of Crowley from the supernatural show I'd watched with Buffy and Faith. He talked about a ball we'd need to go to to get the info on the job.

He'd scored two invites for tomorrow night. When we left there with enough money to buy Kaylee and Mal a dress and tux for the party, I told Mal. "If you run into trouble remember to name me your second there. The nobles duel with swords and I doubt you've the skill to survive a sword duel in one piece. This way you can back out and I'll fight in your place."

He nodded slowly. "Got it. You reckon you can take on the noble snobs with a sword fight?"

I snorted. "It's to the death captain, and yes, no Noble can hope to match me in skill or speed. Both of which are essential for expert swordsman and above."

He nodded. "Stay close then in case things go south."

I shook my head. "I'll be on the ship. Just name me as your second. My full name is Osiris Masters. Or at least, it's the one they'll recognize. If they say I'm needed presently tell them where I am and that I'm a member of the merchant guild. That should buy you enough credibility for them to send people to get me."

He nodded his head. "Got it."

I headed back to the shop while he picked up Kaylee for a shopping trip. The next evening I played a bit of poker with chores as the wager. I was a bit ahead with the majority of the freebie chores in my pile when river flipped out. Sighing I folded and took my pile of free passes before stopping her from trashing the kitchen.

I held her while she muttered and cried about them tearing into her mind. Simon gave me a sad look but left me to it as she calmed down. I fixed the cans, marking them with a marker to tell what they were.

After that I carried her to my room and let her sleep in my robe on my bunk. She was sound asleep when I heard a knock on the cargo door. I left her there, answering it in my silk shirt and leather pants with my weapons belt full and obvious.

The group of nobles asked. "You've been named as a second for Malcom Reynolds in a sword duel on the marrow, to you accept?"

I nodded. "Sure."

The leader with a red sash said. "You'll need to leave your weapons here. The swords will be provided by a neutral third party."

I whistled and Jayne came out with the shepherd. I tossed him my weapons belt saying. "Put that in my room. Be careful she just got to sleep. I gotta go pull captains ass out of the fire. We'll be back after-"

I looked at the sashed man who answered. "The morning."

I shrugged. "That's not very specific but whatever, we'll be back after I kill the noble the captain challenged to a duel. Shouldn't take long so just sit tight."

Jayne being well, Jayne, asked. "If you die can I have your stuff?"

I shrugged. "Whatever the captain doesn't want, you can have. But you'd better make damn sure I'm dead before you go strapping on my weapons. They tend to explode when used by others."

He paled and nearly dropped the belt. I snorted and followed the nobles back while the one with a red sash commented. "Your captain has challenged Lord Atherton to a duel. I feel I must warn you, lord Atherton is an expert swordsman and has killed twelve people in duels."

I chuckled. "If that's his number than he's a dead man. I'm no expert swordsman, I've long since mastered the blade and have taken to wielding two as a challenge to my skills. In single sword combat I've yet to meet my equal."

I met Mal and Inara in the apartment he was being kept. After proving my claim of being a member of the merchant guild, the nobles let lord Atherton know that I was being accepted as Mal's second. He stopped by and took Inara with him for the night, though she showed up again when he went to sleep.

I chilled and smoked a bowl with Mal while we waited for morning. Inara asked. "Are you sure you're up for a sword duel? It's not like killing petty criminals."

I chuckled. "It's far from my first duel. No, come morning there will be no more lord Atherton. By my rights of conquest his properties and wealth will be mine long enough to sell it to whomever bothers to offer. I've no use for a title or money."

Mal snorted. "You must be pretty good to talk like that. Don't get me wrong, I've seen you in action and it scares my blood cold the thought of taken you on even with a gun, but if he's as good as these people seem to think then you might need to warm up."

I shrugged and asked Inara. "Care to help me warm up then. I'm sure Mal here could use a demonstration. If nothing else you might learn a thing or two."

She grabbed a fencing sword and I grabbed the long swords by the chest. I dual wielded both as easy as she seemed to wield one. We clashed a few times until I cut a strip of cloth from her dress. I then buried the first long sword in the pillar next to the door saying. "Now, let me show you what my real skill level is."

She straightened herself and we clashed once before I moved to fast and accurate for her to react as I made blindingly fast cuts on her dress. When I stopped and held up my sword in a salute, her dress fell away and she was nude.

I was a bit surprised she was wet already until I realized it was probably Atherton's seed and menstruations. I grabbed a dress from the chest and tossed it to her saying. "Sorry about that, I expected undergarments. I meant to merely show you why I needn't fear a snobbish noble, not to cause you embarrassment."

She raised a challenging eyebrow and I snorted before she blushed slid the dress on. Mal was in shock by both her nudity and how it came to be. I tossed him the sword saying. "Never, I mean never, challenge me to a sword duel unless you've become suicidal. I don't hold back as duels of that nature are meant to be between those who are prepared to die by the blade. It would dishonor swordsman everywhere if I did anything less than my best in a sword duel."

I sat down by the fire place and poured myself some fruit wine and lit another bowl of hash. Inara left not long after that, reassured that neither of us would be dead by morning.

Mal was a happy sort now as he knew Atherton was a dead man walking. When I followed him and the nobles to the field that had picked out next to a small lake, I laid eyes on my opponent as he flicked about with his sword.

When they showed me the blades they had ready, I chose a claymore. It was almost as tall as myself but felt light enough in my hands if I used both the wield it. When he saluted Mal, Mal stepped down saying. "I yield to my second."

Atherton narrowed his eyes before saying. "If your second dies, so do you, by rights."

I chuckled as I stepped forwards. "And I claim right of conquest. Should you fall by my blade little lordling, all that is yours shall be mine."

They all went into hushed murmurs as it was a calculated risk to do that. If he owed debts, I'd be the one forced to pay them off. But if he didn't and he had substantial wealth like I already knew he had, then I'd be set up as a lord in his place.

He accepted and saluted me, I mimicked his movement before engaging him in a flurry of thrusts and parries until I sliced his arm open. He was shocked and called for his second immediately so that he could have time to get stitched up.

It was bad enough that he'd been forced to drop his sword or lose the arm. His second was decent barely worthy of being called an expert. He died honorably as I separated his head from his shoulders in the third swing. I whipped the blade around to clear the blood off of it as his head fell away from his body in a bloody fashion.

I traded my blade in for a katana now and walked back to the field where they were clearing the body away. Lord Atherton had been sown up when he returned to the field. I told him coldly. "You won't last to the seventh stroke, make your peace now."

My words had the nobles gasping as I saluted the would be lord. As soon as we engaged, it was the first three strikes that shattered his sword before fourth and fifth took off his arms and a swing so fast most missed it took his life.

I sheathed the blade as a thin red line appeared on his neck. The wind blew and he fell forwards as his head fell backwards landing where his ass was, mouth facing inwards. I turned to the red sashed noble. "By my right, I claim all titles and properties of monetary value. If any amongst you wish to dispute my claim, step forward now so I can take yours as well."

The arrogance in my words didn't slip passed them but most felt it was rightly deserved. Sir Warwick Harrow as he introduced himself now, mentioned buying off all of the lands and properties owned by Atherton from me and I obliged immediately as I wanted nothing to do with it.

As the lands went, so too did the titles, thank the goddess. He offered to immediately have his property moved to Mal's cargo hold knowing we'd fight and kill just as quick to keep it safe.

I deposited nearly a hundred million in alliance credits into my accounts and set them up to be inherited to Simon, Mal and the rest of the crew. It was of course transferred into something more valuable than alliance credit after that, platinum coin.

Once we were loaded up and flying again Mal asked about how much I got from killing that lordling. I brushed it off saying. "One day maybe I'll show you, but for now, it's not something I'm willing to share."

He was confused now as I'd shown I hadn't cared about money before until River ruined it while talking like Badger. "He done left it all to all of us he did. Set us up nice and pretty should he die. We won't hafta scrape and scrounge as we'd be proper society rich."

I stilled and luckily only Simon understood what she was saying was a fact. Mal brushes it off as it wasn't something she'd rightly know about. When he looked to me I'd already relaxed and bowed to River. "Care to dance my lady, I hear the dining establishment can be tucked away into a proper space to stretch our legs a bit."

She took my hand and skipped to the mess hall. Along the way I stopped for some music crystals and my player. Once we got to the dining area, I moved the table and chairs out of the way.

As soon as the music started River took my hand and we started ballroom dancing. We switched dance numbers and types with the songs until she tired out. Once she was tucked away I switched to a more jazz type music starting with Human by Rag'n'Bone Man.

I lit a bowl and passed it to Mal asking lightly while the others were there. "You do realize these cattle are going to shit and piss all over the place right? I mean, some of it could be sold as high priced fertilizer for the outer rim worlds but unless you're going to kick my ass, I ain't gathering it. I vote Jayne."

The girls quickly voted the same and left only Simon, Mal and Wash to possibly vote for someone other than Jayne and since Wash was on Zoë's side, there was little chance Jayne wasn't doing it. Mal parred Jayne's shoulder. "Way to take one for the crew."

Jayne snorted into the pipe he was smoking on while trying to avoid a coughing fit and protest at the same time. Sighing I told him. "I'll give up all my free dishes chores to you to make things easier on you. As for what they give up, that's up to them."

I gave him a stack of papers which was nearly a months worth on it's own. His grumbling went down a bit while he looked to Simon and River's room with a sly smile. I whacked him upside the back of the head. "You try messing with a mentally unstable girls head just to get out of chores and I'll have to apologize to Mal after I flush your corpse out the airlock."

He shivered and rubbed the back of his head saying. "I wasn't gonna do nothin. At least nothin provable in a law room."

My blade was out of it's sheath and at his neck before he could flinch. I spoke coldly. "Do we need to have a more serious conversation about how not to treat vulnerable females?"

He gulped and a thin trail of blood leaked from a slight wound created from such a swallow with my blade so near. Mal spoke up. "That's unnecessary, Jayne, I see you messing with that poor girl and you and me will be having this conversation at gun point and face to face."

I sheathed my blade and got off the table stretching. "Well, I beat out everything back before doing my workout and heading to bed."

They moved out of the way while I worked to the sound of Lindsey Sterling's violin. A quick workout in my bunk room and a shower later and I was off to la la land. For the next month Jayne shoveled shit into sacks while secretly healed the cattle and kept them at perfect health, or as close to it as they could get.

When we landed on Jiangyin they were almost as excited, from the feel of it, to be off the ship as the rest of us. The extra storage room was nearly full of sacked cow shit now. All of it worth it when we sold it separately to a nearby crop farmer.

It was a legitimate sale and with it being so fresh and sealed, the farmers who bought it were getting a fair bargain. When River started talking to the cattle in the pins, I told her quietly. "They can hear you, you know. Their souls any way. Such bright things, souls. They can feel good from bad and that's what makes up what we refer to as instincts. It's also how animals speak, through their souls, it's pure in a way."

She smiled and listened as she fed the cows some hay. Sighing when Mal came over, I told her. "You know I won't leave you on this rock right?"

She looked to me confused before nodding with a clear smile. "Box of rocks make the universe spin spin spin."

I rubbed my forehead before shrugging. "Perhaps, but then, what is a rock but a universe on a smaller scale."

She thought it over while Mal told Simon to take her for a walk while we did business. What I was trying to do was introduce her to the concept of quantum mechanics and wormhole theory only with her mind so shredded, it would take time.

Once her mind was working properly again, hopefully she'd still have the faded spark I sensed in her. With a little luck and a deep brain dive, I should be able to help her repair the worst of the damage. Hopefully I'll be able to do it in such a way as to not be found out, but for now there was crime to be done.

When the two idiots came to pay for the herd and haggle, I told Mal. "I'm gonna take a walk and make sure we're not interrupted. Holler or simply discharge your weapons and I'll know negotiations have failed and whom to eliminate next."

He nodded with a smile while the two redneck cattle rustlers paled as I disappeared into the forest. The first thing I did was stun the lawmen bearing down on our position.

With them out of the way I circled back around and cleared out the three idiots planning to kidnap Simon and River to get him to be their hick town doctor. I killed these three as I'm not a fan of bible thumping idiots that would burn a girl alive if they thought she was a witch.

Adria lead the way back while I watched the exchange go down from afar. Once the two idiots paid handsomely for the herd, I came out of the bush. They were surprised to see me but less surprised to hear. "There's a group of law men twenty minutes walk from here that I stunned without being seen. They are looking for you two from the looks of it. If you're smart you will take the herd and be gone before they wake in a couple hours."

Mal raised an eyebrow and I shrugged. "They have nothing on us so far and I don't owe these two anything much less killing lawmen."

He nodded and told Jayne. "Radio the others and have them start heading back to the ship. I want to be good and gone before these lawmen wake up."

Tweedle dee and dumb asked. "Why didn't you just kill them?"

I snorted. "It'd be messy and there's a alliance cruiser not but a couple hours away in space. I ain't bringing that down on us if they're found by local yahoos. You want them dead, you do it yourselves, If you can find them in time instead of moving your herd."

I pulled a joint from behind my ear and lit it while heading back to the ship. The females were the first to arrive, then Simon and River not long afterwards. River was looking excited as Simon explained. "She found a dance party and joined in."

I nodded before heading to grab a shower. These back water planets made me feel dirty in odd places. Our next stop after a duel station was Triumph. It took a couple weeks to get there for a simple bandit killing operation.

Mal insisted on wearing a dress while Zoë and I stayed in the back of the cargo boat we used as a set up to trap the bandits. When they didn't surrender, I and Zoë opened fire. After I collected their guns and bullets, Mal took their bodies, horses and cash. The bodies were proof of the completed job.

That night the village who hired us threw a party. When I saw a female about to put a wreath on Mal's head I grabbed her wrist stopping her. "Sorry girl, but captain doesn't exactly seem the type to get married out the blue. Best you be on your way."

She pulled away and Mal asked drunkenly. "What's happening?"

I sighed. "Outer rings back waters marriage. If she put that on your head and you drank the wine she'd prepared for you, you'd be married after a little dance. Can't imagine you'd be happy about it in the morning."

Jayne snorted. "Lucky bastard."

I shrugged. "Well, if you feel that way go find her and get hitched. Just don't expect to be taking her with us when we leave."

Zoë and Wash came over a few minutes later asking what all that was about. Sighing I told them before heading back to the ship. There, I stood guard to prevent any stays from trying to sneak aboard.

Come morning time the crew came back with some of the villagers to load up the supplies they brought. For a while I stood guard till I saw Jayne trying to sneak the girl aboard the ship. Sighing I let it be and went to begin working on my next small project while River watched in fascination.

When we broke atmo, the girl Jayne snuck aboard, Saffron, made herself known to the crew. Jayne got an ear full a more besides but I had a notion and told my thoughts to Mal, Wash and Zoë and let them deal with it.

When the girl tried to pull a junk and run on us by trying to disable the ship, she was caught when the cockpit sealed itself with her inside before shutting off all power and controls leaving her trapped inside.

The upgrades caught her off guard and with no wires to splice she was humped. Mal has her dropped off at a nearby planet after he fired upon the ship net station with the ships ion cannon. After the ship was back under our complete control, Mal came and informed me my guess was right while asking. "How did you know?"

I snorted. "Have you met a women who wasn't desperate or paid to willingly go to bed with Jayne? Besides, you all should've figured it out when she accepted marrying him as a reasonable alternative."

River giggled before poking the device i was working on, drawing Mal and everyone else's attention to it. Mal frowned. "What is that?"

River smiled. "A matter to matter energy transference platform."

They each looked confused and I chuckled. "She's right. I saw a few examples of testing trials over the alliance deep science research system and decided it might come in handy if I can perfect the device."

They looked at me for a moment until Kaylee spoke up amazed. "It's a teleportation device!"

I nodded and Mal asked. "Is that even possible?"

I sighed. "More than possible, it's almost done. Once I've finished and fine tuned it, you should be able to teleport anything tagged with it's specific energy signal to the ship's cargo area. I've got an idea for beacons-"

I held up some tag slips and continued. "If you wear it or stick it to something then we'll be able to pull your asses out of fire and onto Serenity. So long as it's within sensor range there shouldn't be any issues."

Mal was both surprised and touched. "You're doing this all to keep us safe?"

I shrugged. "And make stealing lots of things easy. Imagine if you never have to worry about exiting a bank vault after you've tagged the loot. Once anything or one is tagged they'll be transported to the cargo bay. With such an easy accommodation, we could in theory make jobs a hell of a lot easier."

Mal smiled. "This is good, we can use this."

I shook my head solemnly. "There's a catch captain. If the alliance ever got word of this technology being completed and working properly, they'd blow Serenity out of the sky or capture us at all costs. It's simply to valuable to be used openly. They'd kill us all and anyone else that new about it after they got their hands on it. No witnesses means they can utilize it without restraint."

He fidgeted but nodded. "We use it frugally and only in extreme emergencies. It'll be a life saving tool or I'm serious cases, a way to move cargo undetected."

I agreed and River spoke up. "This ship's power supply is incapable of utilizing this advanced a technology. You'd need a S class power supply unit with its own dedicated energy output station."

I chuckled. "That's the easy part. I've a contact on Arial with what we need. I'll arranged a meeting once we head there for Inara's yearly check up in a few months. That'll give me enough time to finish the device and set the protocols in place to keep idiots like Jayne from teleporting cargo into space instead of into the ship."

Simon asked. "What are the limits and can it be used to transport someone down to a planet or perhaps a specific room?"

I shook my head. "Sorry doc, it's a receiver only. The computers we have access to and what this ship has simply isn't powerful enough to calculate variations to avoid teleporting you into a floor or wall. Odds are your matter would fuse with the object in question and a form of cold fusion would take place."

Mal asked. "You wanna run that by me again?"

River snickered. "You'd explode like a nuclear reaction. It's one of the reasons Osiris doesn't want the alliance to have it. They'd be able to deliver nuclear warheads anywhere they wanted or the equivalent of it anyway. No one would be safe. Imagine, one minute you're safe and fine until a nuke goes off in the center of the planet you're on. Total annihilation, bam, exploding like a star going supernova right underneath your feet."

Her excitement weirded them out but had Mal worrying all the same while he asked. "Is that possible?"

I shrugged. "It's theoretically possible, but then, so was a working teleportation device before now."

Mal gulped before telling them. "No one tells Jayne about this. Odds are he'll try blowing up a few planets if he thinks he can get away with it."

I snorted. "Hence the reason I'm putting protocols in place to prevent such a thing. It'll be up and running in a few months, until then it's just a project."

For a good deal of time after that I talked theory with River while she was lucid. Our next stop was on a satellite station Mal had contacts with to find and line up jobs. It wasn't until we landed on Higgan's moon that I decided not to participate in this job.

I told Mal. "I've work to do and a bit of hacking on the side so unless things get bad I'm gonna stick to the ship. Oh, and I know you rent one shuttle to Inara, I was hoping to talk to you about a price I could rent the other one for. Same rules apply and I'd make it my quarters so my old one would be free to become a shower room or your personal quarters if you so desire."

He frowned but gave in on the job as I was actually busy with the teleporter and I do work jobs free for him. "Fine, help Zoë keep the ship safe. And for the love of all things material, keep River out of trouble. I know Shepherd promised to watch out for her but other than the doc you're the only one she really responds to. As for the shuttle, it's the last emergency pod we have so it'll cost you. We'll talk more when I get back from this job."

I nodded. "Done. Send a com if the go-se hits the fan."

He sighed. "Alright, lets head out."

I grabbed his arm and placed a vibro blade in his hand with the wrist band I strapped to his arm. "Just in case. They don't allow guns but they don't have a law against swords."

He smiled lightly and gave it a swing, I dodged as it tore a blade gash in the ground where I was standing before. I snorted. "It's a vibro blade captain, one swing while short range can cleave a man in two at twenty feet. Made them myself and they are unique. I don't use that feature often but it still exists. Try not to swing it at anything you don't want dead or destroyed. A flick is enough to kill so be careful."

He gulped and nodded as he slid it back in it's sheath. "Thanks I guess."

I nodded and Jayne asked. "You wouldn't happen to be willing to let me borrow the other one would you?"

I shook my head. "Captain I trust, you on the other hand I'm less certain about."

River grabbed my other blade handle at my waist and my hand covered hers. Her eyes met mine and I shook my head. "You're to broken to be touching this. A stray thought or feeling could see someone dead or seriously injured."

Her lips parted before she withdrew her hand and backed away slightly before heading inside.