Sequel to 'On the Edge'
Broken Wings
Prologue
Trails of dark smoke rose high into the air. Pieces of wreckage were scattered around the forested landscape; plating and pipes were embedded in trees that had been snapped, their bark charred and leaves scattered. The eerie groan of settling metal echoed through the crushed remains of the ship, but there were no sounds of life within until a slim, bloodied hand reached upward from beneath the twisted console. It waved about slowly, deliberately, testing to see how truly trapped beneath the rubble the body connected to it was.
River groaned as she pushed all her weight against a large piece of metal and cried out in frustration when she couldn't get it to budge. Her body trembled as the pain from the crew rushed into her distracted mind, dull though it was since most of them were unconscious. But one cry, one intense jolt of anguish could be felt far above the others, and River strained with all her might to free herself. "Hold on, Kaylee. Please," River whined, tears sliding down her cheeks partly because of the discomfort caused by her own injuries, and partly because she knew she would not be able to free herself without help.
And by then, she knew it would be too late.
Just as she opened her mouth to let out a frustrated scream, a strong, solid hand grabbed hold of hers and squeezed it tightly.
"Hold on, there, Albatross. Let me find what's got you pinned."
The voice was strained, but a welcome sound to her ears. River closed her eyes with relief. She could hear the pain in the captain's voice, but she could also sense his intense determination, so great it nearly overshadowed all of the other pain – almost. He was injured, but it would not deter him from freeing her. She pushed as he pulled and after far too long a time, she was free.
She knelt briefly at his side as he leaned against the remains of what used to be the control console, panting, eyes closed for just a moment to regain some energy, some strength for the task she knew to be ahead.. When River touched his arm, those blue eyes snapped open and quickly searched her face.
"I'm sorry," she said softly, her face covered in streaks of blood, long hair matted to her face. "I couldn't –"
"We're alive, little one," Mal said, eyes darting around the wreckage. "And we'll find everyone else."
River suddenly stood on shaky legs. "I have to go." Feeling something warm on her skin, she glanced down. Blood ran steadily from a large gash on her upper thigh and she quickly ripped her dress, grateful that she'd thought to wear the leggings beneath it, and tied it tightly around the wound.
Off Mal's confused look, River said simply, "the baby."
The Reader could see her captain swallow convulsively and attempt to sit up. But he couldn't help her now. He knew that and she knew it, too. He was a bit too injured to go crawling through confined spaces. "No," River's voice intruded on what she knew was a single-minded determination to get to his mechanic. "You can't get through," River glanced toward the small space she'd need to crawl through to reach her family and paused so he would understand. Then her eyes swept around the room, saw a dark-skinned arm lying still beneath the rubble. "You need to get Zoe. I'll find Simon and Kaylee." She knew Mal had seen the hesitation and fear flash through her eyes but he simply nodded. She knew he didn't have the strength to fight her on this.
Without a backwards look, River pushed her slender body through the break in the debris, hoping, praying that she would not be too late – but knowing, deep down in her breaking heart, that she would be.
Maris stared unblinking at the cortex screen before her, listening distractedly to her commanding officer on the other end.
"We need those plans back. We've got a lead on the location of the ship Serenity met. You are the closest to their last known location," he said, his tone firm.
Desire to see if her husband and daughter had survived the impact warred with her intense desire to get back that which he had stolen from her; a professional slight for which she felt deeply betrayed and embarrassed. "I will set course for intercept immediately," she said.
"We will be right behind you," came the voice from the terminal. "We're a few hours out from your position…"
Maris was no longer listening. She flicked off the screen with a snap of her finger and scowled out the window at the planet looming ever closer before glancing down at the console below her, and at the man sitting before it. "Set course for intercept with the Independent ship. We'll return when we've retrieved those plans."
TBC