Out of Gas – River’s Timeline

by PapayaK

4/2013

oO0Oo

oO0Oo

“I got nine people here – all wantin’ to breathe.”

oOo

“We send both shuttles off in opposite directions. Betters the chance of someone getting’ seen – maybe picked up.”

oOo

“What about you?”

“Four people per shuttle. That’s the arrangement. Evens the odds. I’m staying with Serenity.”

“Captain…”

“We sent out a beacon. Even managed to boost it a little. If by some chance we get a response, someone’s gonna have to be here to answer it.”

oOo

“I’m not leaving Serenity.”

“Mal, you don’t have to die alone.”

“Everybody dies alone.”

oOo

“When your miracle gets here – you just pound this button once. You’ll call back both shuttles.”

.oO0Oo.

They had all looked at him as if he were committing suicide; everyone except River. She alone had understood. Mal had no choice. He couldn’t leave Serenity - not now – not like this. Not when she needed him so desperately. If River had been given a choice she’d’ve done the same-- no – that wasn’t quite so. Even if she had been given a choice, she’d have left so as not to take his air.

Rather than try to explain something they couldn’t possibly understand, he distracted them: gave them jobs to do, instructions to follow. Focused them on what was coming not what they were leaving. He was good at that – a good captain. Looked after all the needs of his crew.

‘Course – it also served to divert himself as he knew he wasn’t truly delivering them… Just buying them a bit more time- more’n he’d have, most likely.

.oO0Oo.

Everything was very quiet in the shuttle.

Wash was busying himself with the shuttle controls – trying not to think about Mal, left behind – Trying not to panic about Zoe, clinging to life.

Simon was quiet – tending to Zoe – thinking of her needs and the best possible treatment he could provide given his meager supplies.

Zoe was the only one truly quiet. She was deeply unconscious. Healing.

____

River…

River looked at all