BROWNCOAT RISING

Lost track of how far I've gone

How far I've gone, how high I've climbed

On my back's a sixty pound stone

On my shoulder a half mile line

Spirits above and behind me

Faces gone, black eyes burnin' bright

May their precious blood forever bind me

Lord as I stand before your fiery light

Sky of blackness and sorrow ( a dream of life)

Sky of love, sky of tears (a dream of life)

Sky of glory and sadness ( a dream of life)

Sky of mercy, sky of fear ( a dream of life)

Sky of memory and shadow ( a dream of life)

Your burnin' wind fills my arms tonight

Sky of longing and emptiness (a dream of life)

Sky of fullness, sky of blessed life ( a dream of life)

Come on up for the rising

Come on up, lay your hands in mine

Come on up for the rising

Come on up for the rising tonight

*

The Rising – Bruce Springsteen

*

[I'm not the greatest Springsteen fan, but this lyric sets the stage for what follows]

[May be character death [s]. This could go dark and deep before its done.]

[ But first, there's the Jayne-bot...]

*

Mudders Bar, Canton, Higgins moon

*

“Holy Mother of God! The Mudders have made a ruttin' love-bot outta me!”

Vera managed to find her voice, “*Love-bot? You sure? Could be a standard work bot. ”

Jayne gestured emphatically, “Look at that...that...*thing!”

Mal spoke next, “Looks like you.”

The MC on stage spotted Jayne, “Well, Jayne Cobb! Ain't seen you in too long; come on up!”

Eager Mudder hands pulled and jostled Jayne onto the stage alongside his mechanical doppel-ganger. The Jayne-bot's head turned with eerie fluidity to regard the flesh and blood man.

Kaylee got in first, “Oooh, a boy toy! Don't see many of 'em about, 'cept servicing sly guys. Never tried one myself, damn it. Don't need to now!” She smiled at Simon and got Sam and Lee comfortable against her chest. The potential show of Jayne on Jayne-bot looked like popcorn-eating fun.

“Are we going to be able to choose the right one to take with us, sir?”

Mal smirked, not able to stop himself, “Maybe the o