River’s Run – Part 11

“We’re here,” Wash said to Zoe as she stood on the bridge behind him.

“Exactly where is here, dear?” Zoe asked her husband. She felt good being back here, on the bridge, and not one shred of guilt for stealing back a ship that the Captain had sold for a great deal of money because deep in her heart she knew Shin and the military were responsible for Blakely’s death and Mal and any of his associates were next on the list.

“Middle of nowhere and I don’t know,” Wash said with a grin. “About halfway between the Core and the Rim, outside traveled corridors. Good place to sit till we decide what to do”

Mal walked on the bridge at that moment and they turned to him. “So, how is she?” Zoe asked with concern.

“Her injuries ain’t too bad, some bruising, busted lip, few loose teeth, nothing permanent. But she’s mighty shook up,” Mal said. “Doc her gave a sedative to calm her. She’s sleeping in the infirmary now.”

“Were they really going to throw her off the balcony?” Wash asked in disbelief.

Mal‘s face became grim. “Looked that way…if River hadn’t sensed her in trouble…if we hadn’t heard her scream…if we’d been few seconds late…” But he didn’t want to say the last.

“But you weren’t, sir” Zoe said. “And she’s safe and home. That’s all that matters.”

“Yeah,” Mal said and he didn’t know what he would have done if he had lost her, after only finding her so recently. He shook off these thoughts. Time to be a captain. He sat in the copilot seat, looked at the screens. “Any pursuit?”

“Not a lick,” said Wash with a smile. “You got out, we got out, no one even noticed a thing. Makes me think Core would surveillance isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”

“Maybe. But maybe all that fancy flying did the trick,” Mal said as he stood and patted Wash’s shoulder. “You are the king of all pilots. Next time we steal a crown, it’s yours.”

“That’s my man,” Zoe said proudly, then got more serious. “Sir, we know why they wanted to…harm…Inara? And who exactly did you and Jayne send for a fli