The Syndicate

Ellie wrote:Location: Persephone, A bar in the Eavesdown Docks

A red-headed woman walked confidently into a drinking establishment and looked about the place as if searching for someone. No one took notice of her except the barman, and he only noticed because it was his job to notice customers. People that looked like her were a dime dozen around here. They were all looking to drum up a little business, some legal and some a little more complicated. Her eyes alighted on a table on the far side of the room with a man already sitting at it and she worked her way over to him.

"You know, I once knew a Sergeant with the Independents who told me it ain't a good idea to sit with your back facing a door. Can't see your enemies sneaking up on you," the woman commented with a smirk on her face.

The man replied, "Sounds like an educated fella... I saw your reflection in that there mirror," as he nodded to the mirror on the wall.

She laughed and shook her head as she pulled out the chair next to him and sat down, "You always did have to be a step ahead of everyone else Mal."

"Spared my hide more'n a few times. How you been Ellie?"

"Same as most of us I suspect. Tryin' to find my place in the 'glorious Alliance,' " she said this last phrase with more than a hint of sarcasm and went on, "but it ain't as easy as you'd think."

"That's no lie. I heard you were on Whitefall again, working as a sheriff in one those settlements. I would have stopped and said hello, but my relationship with Patience is a might tense seein' as how she tried to kill me... twice."

Ellie laughed lightly, "Patience is one of those people you just gotta know how to work around. She thinks more highly of herself than she should. You know the type."

"So if you got Patience handled, why are you here? Why did you call me El?"

Before she could answer, a woman joined them and Ellie smiled at her broadly, exclaiming, "Zoe!"

Zoe smiled warmly in response and sat down across from her, "Always good to see you Ellie, been way too long. I heard from Monty that you got married?"

"Yeah, but I guess you could say it didn't take."

"What happened," Zoe asked her.

"Nine weeks after we got hitched, I found out he was cheating on me. So I shot him. Nothin' serious, I just grazed his leg. Shoulda heard the man cry over it though, sah gwa! He's just lucky I was drunk 'cause I was aiming at his ji ba."

Mal cringed at the thought and hurriedly moved the conversation on, "So divorced then?"

"Nah, annulled. I guess the church sees shooting your husband as grounds for annulment," she shrugged and concluded, "Good riddance to bad rubbish I say."

She eyed Zoe for a moment and then said a bit more tenderly, "I heard what happened to Wash, Zoe. I was real sorry about the news, he was a good man."

The other woman nodded, and though her face stayed rather stoic, someone who knew her well could see the sadness in her eyes.

Mal commented, "Lost a lot of good people over the years. Think we'd get used to it, but it never gets any easier."

Ellie nodded thoughtfully and then motioned to barman who came over to their table. "Round of drinks for me and my friends here, on me. Make it something strong."

"So you wanted to know why I was here, Mal. Well, I'll tell you. I spent my energy tryin' to protect people on Whitefall and everyday watched as the Alliance either interfered or ignored them. So many strugglin' to make it everyday, and do they even care? Look at Ariel, they couldn't spare a one of them doctors to come help the people on a Border planet? After I saw what you guys sent out on all feeds about Miranda, well, I had my fill. I tried to live by their rules, I really did, but I'm done."

"Done?" Mal and Zoe shared a look between them and Mal leaned in, "You thinking about joining up with us on Serenity? 'Cause you'd be more'n welcome, we could use someone like you."

Ellie shook her head with another laugh, "Mal, we're too much alike to live on the same boat. We'd most likely shoot each other."

Zoe nodded a bit to Mal, "She's right Cap'n, I was always amazed you two didn't kill each other during the war, save the Alliance the trouble of doing it themselves."

Mal looked in surprise at the other two, "Gorram it woman, I've learned some patience over the years! Look at Jayne, I ain't shot him yet have I?"

"Well, my temper is the same as it ever was Mal. No, I got myself a ship of my own and intend to get in the transport business. Find my own little piece of freedom from the Alliance. I was hoping you would give me some advice on getting started."

Mal raised an eyebrow, "What class?"

"Dragonfly."

He nodded a bit, "Respectable enough, bigger than Serenity but I hear tell they handle just as well. You can probably use the extra room too. Carry more cargo."

"Well," he looked at Zoe, "what have we learned over the years that we can share? We don't want to give too much help to someone who's going to be competing for our business..."

Zoe simply raised an eyebrow as she looked at him.

"Alright, I'll tell you what. I'll have Kaylee get a list together of things you will most likely need. I'd let her come help you out, but I think she's the only thing keeping Serenity in the air and I can't spare her. We have a few tricks up our sleeve though, cry babies and the like. She can let you know what you need for them, how to put them together and where to get parts cheap."

Zoe commented, "We could probably give her a list of places that welcome a ship when they need to set down for a bit to let things cool off too."

Mal nodded in agreement, "Yeah, it used to be a longer list, but since what happened with that Miranda mess, a lot of places aren't as friendly to strangers as they used to be. But there are still some out there who are willing to befriend someone the Alliance doesn't like. We'll get it to you in a few hours. You parked on the Docks I assume?"

Ellie nodded and looked up as the barman brought over their round of whiskey shots. She paid him and raised hers in the air, "To Wash, and all our fallen friends!"

The other two followed suit and then threw back the shots. Ellie clanked her empty glass down on the table and stood up. "I wish I could stay and visit longer, but I got some people to contact. Still looking to fit out a crew. Ain't easy when you don't have an established reputation like the great Captain Malcolm Reynolds!" Ellie gave Mal a wink on this last statement.

Zoe snickered and Mal shot her a glare as Ellie turned to leave, but he grabbed her wrist and stopped her, "You want advice El, here's the best I got to give: always keep ahead of the Alliance and do whatever it takes to keep your bird in the air."

She nodded and smiled, "Thanks Mal."

As she headed out the door she called back over her shoulder, "When you're ready you can find me on the docks, look for Jenny Wren!"