The Return – Part 12

Jayne had kicked open the doors to the left of where Shepherd Book was giving his sermon behind his makeshift altar. As Jackson had said his last words and Jayne gave his quip in reply he realized he had made a serious mistake. Ten more armed men were here near the far door, to the right of Book and behind Jackson, their weapons already coming up as Jayne spoke. He should have run but he had Commander Samuel Jackson in the sights of his machine pistol and he wasn’t going to miss this opportunity. Jackson had captured Jayne, took Vera away, drugged him, made him say things he didn’t want to say and kept him locked in a room for almost two days with nothing but critter food for sustenance. But worse of all he had done the same or worse to some of his crewmates and despite his disagreeable nature and his me first everyone else second or even better last or not at all attitude, Jayne Cobb was kinda growing attached to these eight people, even moon brain and her stuck up brother. Time for some payback.

The stunned audience had no time to scream or shout and Jackson stood absolutely still as Jayne emptied a full clip into him. Or he thought he did. The shouts and screams came as Jayne pressed the trigger, the dining facility turned into a place of worship for the funeral of the six moon base people filled with a horrendous din of gunfire and people’s shouts as they dove for cover, Gregori grabbing his son-in-law and toppling both of them backwards out of their chairs where they had been directly behind Jackson.

Jayne was an expert shot and knew that Jackson was as good as dead at this range. But Jackson wasn’t hit and nobody around him or the walls or tables or chairs were hit by anything. Jackson smiled.

“Oh shit,” said Zoe in Chinese and she and Jayne both realized the same thing at the same time.

“Blanks!’ said Jayne in disgust and looked at the Alliance weapon in his hands. “Thought it felt a little light!”

“Yes, Mr. Cobb, blanks,” Jackson said. “None of the guards near your