Blue Blood – Chapter Nine

As always, I own no rights to Firefly, and no copyright infringement is intended. I receive no pay for my labor, and write only for my own enjoyment.

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The smaller Blue Hand had restrained Mal and Zoe, and shut off the paralyzing device that had placed them on the ground. He had then walked to the ramp to look outside.

“You okay Zo’?” Mal asked, looking at his former first mate.

“Seen better days, sir,” Zoe admitted. “What’d you think’s happening?”

“I’d say Jayne got at least one of’em,” Mal smiled. “Other than that, your guess is as good as mine.”

“Ain’t too good at guessing, right now,” Zoe told him. “Think I’m hurt inside.”

“Me too,” Mal nodded. “I guess plan A wasn’t the way to go after all.”

“It was worth a try, sir,” Zoe said gamely.

“Your friends will be in custody, by now,” the Blue Hand said, walking back to them. “You should have simply given them to us. We could have avoided all this. . .”

“Hey!”

The Blue Hand looked up sharply just as a bullet entered his head. The man stood stock still for a moment, then collapsed on the floor as if every bone in his body had been removed.

Liam Greggs ran down the steps into the bay, and released Mal and Zoe.

“You two okay?” he asked.

“Not really,” Mal told him. “But maybe we’ll live. You?”

“Once he shut that. . .thing, off, I was,” Greggs nodded. “Sorry it took so long, boss. Took me a minute to clear my head.”

“You’ll hear no complaints from me,” Mal assured him. “Check on Jayne and River, but be careful.”

“Right,” Greggs nodded, and moved to the door. Before he reached the ramp, Jayne appeared, carrying River in his arms.

“Jayne?” Mal asked.

“Likely broke her arm,” Jayne told him. River was out, her arm cradled in her lap. “Let’s get all of you over to the hospital.”

“You go on,” Greggs said. “I’ll see to them,” he nodded at Mal and Zoe. Jayne nodded, and set off.

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Grippen had fired up his mule at the gunshot, but remained where he was. When he saw the merc wa