1:23 Ch. 06

"Man, Harriet really messed her up," Kent said.

"She escaped from Harriet with just minor burns," Neffie said. "A bunch of those monsters ambushed her. Even near death she still summoned a protective shield for us."

"She brought us precious time," Natasha said

"She saved our lives," Yukio added.

Kent dropped to his knees at the sofa and put his hands on poor Theodora. The scratches on her face faded, her breathing softened. Her eyes flickered open and she smiled at Kent.

"Sorry I'm in no shape for another romp," she said weakly.

"Doubt I'm in any shape to have another go myself," Kent said softly. Wicked witch or not, Kent had to admit he had developed an affection for her after the so called romp not too long ago. "We got a ride out of here," he said as he made to pick her up.

"No point, I'm dying," Theodora whispered.

"I can heal," Kent said as he lifted her from the sofa. He had no Idea how to heal her exactly but he did his best to focus all his power on her.

"It's too late," Alice said.

"The pain is gone, thank you for that," Theodora said barely above a whisper. "You are too kind to an ugly old witch."

"You ain't ugly," he said meaning it. "I love your face." He kissed the end of her crooked long nose.

"Oh what a world," Theodora whispered then was gone.

"Shit," he said as tears trailed down his face.

Alice squeezed his arm. Kent lowered Theodora back down on the sofa. Natasha found a red blanket nearby and covered the body. Neffie laid the witch's crooked broom on top of the red covering.

"Get to the ship now!" Zoe said.

Neffie led them to the other door that wasn't clogged with rubble and threw it open. Three uglies lingered nearby. Natasha gunned them down. In spite of the sadness of Theodora's passing, Kent couldn't help but ogle the Black Widow's naked ass as she held her shooting stance. Let's hear it for stupid male hormones, he thought. Threat vanquished, they charging up the ramp into Serenity. The wing and belly guns started up again.

"They're coming back fast," Zoe said on the overhead. "Hang on to your butts. Soon as I'm clear I'm going into instant warp."

"You better let River take the wheel cause I don't think that it's a good—" Kaylee started to say on the communicator but didn't get to finish. Everyone in the hold were knocked off their feet as Serenity lifted off the moon. A few seconds later, the world lost defining edges. An undetermined amount of time later, the world came back into sharp focus again. Kent's head hurt and he felt like puking.

"I HATE instant warps!" Kaylee said.

Zoe cursed in Chinese. "Somehow they're following. I'm putting a brick on the peddle. Everyone to the common room for parley."

Minutes later everyone sat in the common room at the meeting table. Someone had provided Natasha and Yukio with suitable bottoms to wear.

"I don't think we can out run them," Zoe said sounding tired.

"We go back to the old plan. Find Harriet," Kent said.

"Kate is now devouring Kent's fold," River said. "We have to destroy her to save ourselves."

"There is a place safe from Kate," Yukio said.

"Harriet's fold," Natasha said. "Kate wouldn't dare mess with us there.

"Harriet has a fold?" Alice asked.

Neffie nodded. "Kent's been there. To be honest, I thought that it was yours, Alice."

"Mine?" Alice asked. "Why would you think that?"

"It was dark and twisted," Neffie said. "I kind of made an assumption ... sorry."

"The naked bottom place and the freaky clowns was Harriet's?" Kent asked.

"I had no idea I was hiding out in Harriet's fold," Alice said. "Am I safe if I go back?" She had no love for Harriet and sounded doubtful.

"Kent has to call up a door but I think so," Natasha said.

"Let's do it," Kent said.

"I'm not going," River said.

"You'll die if you stay hear, River," Inara said.

"If Kent's fold is destroyed I have no world. My brother, Malcolm, everyone I love will be gone," River said as she nervously picked lint off the front of her dress. If Kent hadn't seen her kill with ruthless calm, he'd thought her as a vulnerable young women in need of protection.

"I would stay and fight too, River," Zoe said. "But its hopeless against that endless horde. If they can chase us through the vacuum of space there is no place for us to hide in Kent's fold."

"She's right, it's hopeless, River. We have to run," Kaylee said.

"We have hope," River said. She pointed at Kent. "He can call forth the broken ones."

"The what?" Kent asked.

"You can't mean the Reavers?" Kaylee said.

Are you out of your (Chinese cuss word) mind River?" Zoe asked. "They are mindless murdering monsters."

"They're abominations, River," Inara said.

"They scare the crap out of me," Kaylee added.

"That is exactly what we need," River said. "Killers, abominations, scary monsters. And besides, all the things said about them has been said about me." The room went quiet. River looked at Kent. "Call them forth."

Kent looked at Zoe. She gave him a small nod.

"Um ... Reavers come hither."

"Come hither?" Neffie said doing her best not to laugh due to the seriousness of the moment. Alice frowned and nudged her hard.

An emergency siren kicked in. Zoe ran to the nearest control panel and a spherical holo image appeared over the meeting table. Countless little dots of lights blinked on inside the sphere. "Thousands of reaver ships are blipping out of warp just ahead of us!" Zoe said

"Oh no," Kaylee said covering her mouth with both hands.

Were going to pass right through the middle of them!" Inara said.

"We're passed!" Zoe said.

"None are following!" Inara said.

"They are going to meet the devourers," River said. "Even abominations need a place to live."

"You are one brilliant spooky chick!" Kaylee added as she gave River a shoulder hug.

"I'll turn the ship around and join them," River said.

"Not alone you're not," Zoe said. "Kent, make that door and get everyone off."

"I'm staying too," Kaylee said. "Malcolm will be pissed if we don't bring his ship back in one piece."

"This is my world too," Inara said. "I'll take the wing guns."

Before rushing off to action, each crew member of the Serenity took a moment to give Kent a goodby hug, even serious Zoe Washburne. River lingered after the others left. "Thanks for my existence," she said in his arms. She kissed him hard and long. After the kiss she looked at Alice. "You need to discover what you really are."

"I'm a doppelganger, some leftover echo of the real Alice Mihara who wore the brain tube helmet sometime ago," Alice said flatly.

River shook her head. "You are a true Batu," she said, gave Kent one last hug then rushed out of the common room leaving Alice befuddled.

"Would you please make us that door, Mr. Orlando?" Natasha said.