Things Fall Apart – Chapter 7

The Reavers picked up Lessing and Ossa, slung Wai-Lan over someone’s shoulders, kicked and dragged the rest to their feet and began a quick march towards the airlock. There was blood on the floor where the Reavers had lain in wait for them, and Mal felt a grim satisfaction that some of those being carried were their own men. It soon faded. Book was ahead of him, one arm hanging uselessly, and he saw Wai-Lan’s pale, terrified face looking back from over one of the Reaver’s shoulders. There were weapons all around him, but going for one would probably get him killed. No point doing that unless it gave the others a chance to escape, and there was no chance of that now. All he could do was wait for an opportunity to present itself.

They were taken through the airlock back into Section A, then on into the central stairwell where there were more Reavers guarding the access point to the upper decks. Their captors led them through a set of doors that had been propped open and into the banqueting hall.

Inara was ahead of him and Mal saw her hesitate and stumble as she was shoved forward. As he went through he saw why, and stared with a kind of dull horror at another vision of hell. The Reavers had set up camp. There were hordes of them scattered around the room, and every one looked as dangerous as their captors. Some were grouped around tables where an assortment of loot had been laid out – weapons, jewelry, clothing, anything that might have some value to be traded. Not far from the tables lay a pile of bodies, most of them stripped, many mutilated. They were below the balcony to the upper deck entrance. Captured soldiers had been strung up from the railings, dangling from their necks or their feet depending on the mood of their executioners. Mal hoped none of them were still alive, and tried not to look too closely as the bodies were pushed aside for them to pass.

The captives were marched to the far end of the hall beneath what had been the view port, although