Archangel – Chapter Ten

Author owns no rights to Firefly, and no copyright infringement is intended

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Jayne followed River to the cargo bay door, taking hold of her arm as the girl looked skyward.

“Have you called the Captain?” he asked, pulling her back from the door.

“Yes, but they are far away. He ordered me to lift off, but I refused. I told him to get back here and we’d wait.”

“Good girl,” he nodded. “Get to the bridge, and be ready to lift as soon as they get here, dong ma? Kaylee get the engines ready to go, and tell Simon to get up here, there’ll probably be folks runnin’ from the attack comin’ on board. Go on now!” he added when the two hesitated.

“I should help you!” River demanded.

“Ain’t no one on board right now who knows how to fly except you, River,” he reminded her gently. “You gotta be ready to lift as soon as the Captain and the others are aboard. Not for that, ain’t nobody I’d rather have with me, in this.” River nodded, accepting both his reasons, and the compliment without argument.

“What’re you gonna do, Jayne?” Kaylee asked, fear in her voice.

“What I can,” he shrugged. “Go on. I want you safe. Lock yourselves in, both of you.”

River ran off to return to the bridge. Kaylee waited long enough to grab Jayne and pull him to her, kissing him with near desperation.

“Jayne, I. . .”

“Me too,” he whispered. “Me too. Now go.”

As she departed, Jayne took a deep breath and walked to his bags. Book had trained him for something just like this. He’d sworn he’d never do it. Never give in. But now, he didn’t have much choice.

“You win, Preacher,” he sighed, opening up a case he’d never thought to open again. “You win.”

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Simon ran into the cargo bay and froze.

Jayne stood before him, dressed in some kind of armor, a very large sword in each hand. The armor looked like some kind of composite, and on the front there was a cross, adorned with angel wings, and two crossed swords. His head was draped in what could only be chain m