Re: Opening Salvos

[JanetJulian]

Xi grinned. "Misery loves company," she shot back. "No, cow, definitely cow. Thick chunk of meat." She sighed hopefully.

"Hmm ... no, not recently." She leaned forward and opened the line. "Hello down there. How are you guys doing? We're about three hours out of Greenleaf."

[Seth]

She chuckled. "I like chicken. And fish. A good chef - the better he is, the less he needs to do with a good steak. Best chicken in the verse, the chef still has to do something with it or i'ts boring."

She was greeted with a cheer from the area down below, at the three hours comment. There was a smattering of applause from all over inside the galley, and Llewellyn's voice came over the P.A. "Good news, Captain. Is the rest of the ship in the same state as engineering? Or can we start to... spread out a little. We're packed in a little, here."

Emily and the new doctor were still in the medbay, but they had plenty of space and sleeping patients, and they seemed to be enjoying a cup of coffee together on the cameras. The galley, by comparison, was packed end to end - most of the girls were sitting or laying down, but their wasn't exactly a lot of elbow room.

[JanetJulian]

Xi chuckled at Lisa's words. "That's why I like steak. Doesn't matter who cooks it, it's still good."

"Hmm ... let me check," she said, pulling up the internal readouts. "No, sorry, Llewellyn, best to stay put. There's a lot of areas that have suffered decompression, and I'm not sure i trust the seals on the others if we start to stress them. It won't be much longer."

She gave Emily the same update and then sent a call out to Greenleaf explaining the situation and that they'd need some special handling to disembark.

[Seth]

She chuckled. "No, see, people can ruin good steak! That's more the travesty. Someone doesn't make chicken that great - " she shrugged. "Enh. Someone messes up filet mignon? I want to storm back into the kitchen."

Llewellyn nodded on the camera. "Sure. We're fine down, here, and three more hours isn't so bad." She gave a small wave at the camera. "We've got food and bathrooms, so we're all good here."

Greenleaf responded quickly; they'd have shuttles seal the ship externally, and repressurize using the station's atmosphere. It would add an extra half hour or so onto the disembarking process.

[JanetJulian]

Xi chuckled. "You'd have to be really bad to mess up a filet." Of course she'd grown up eating food on Sihnon and then Tony's cooking, so she'd likely not ever had to deal with the worst the Rim could manage.

Xi smiled at Llewellyn. "We're out of food up here, so we're jealous. But it won't be much longer. We've gotten through the worst."

She spent a while chatting with Olympus' docking crew, making sure they knew to get the people in medbay and the galley before getting them out of the bridge. She also made sure they'd transfer everybody directly to Olympus medical facility, including her mother's cryochamber.

Once that was all done she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, ready to nap for a bit.

[Seth]

She wrinkled her nose. "Ever had one that tastes like carbon and lighter fluid?"

Patrick laughed. "Yes, a few times. Ant's the barbecuer, now. I've been cut off from the grill." Lisa laughed at that, then scowled and pointed a pen at him. "Destroyer of filets!" she cursed, making her voice extra venomous for the occasion.

They continued to bicker like siblings as Olympus confirmed her instructions, and Lisa was delivering another bruising kick to Patrick's shins as Xiantha drifted off.

* * *

"Olympus control to Sundiver, Olympus control to Sundiver," said the radio, waking her. They were minutes out from the approach, the station large in her viewscreen. The ship's autopilot had already begun decelerating, and despite her myriad concerns about how it could have killed them all, it seemed to handling the approach smoothly enough. It might not have been ideal efficiency, but it was certainly inside of tolerances.

[JanetJulian]

Xi looked appalled, turning to look at her new husband to be. "Hands off my steak," she said in tones of horror. She chuckled as he and Lisa continued to harangue each other, finally drifting off, happy to stay out of it.

She started awake at the sound of the announcer, stomach growling and blinked as she saw the station approaching rapidly. "Please tell me they're not still locked in to our auto-pilot," she commented to whoever was listening as she thumbed the switch off and began her own landing preparations, not willing to trust such a delicate maneuver to a computer.

She let one of the others handle any needed communication with the gunships, focusing on talking the tower and running the math necessary to ease the Diver into the dock without a jar or a rattle.

Only when it was done did she lean back in her chair. Her instincts were to leap up, but it would likely be half an hour before they got to them, so more waiting. She looked to the others and smiled wryly.

"So how about that local sports team?"

[Seth]

"Gunships already docked," promised Patrick. "They got some sort of secret landing bays. Invisible from the outside. Pretty cool," he admitted.

Control gave them a lane for approach - they were being redirected to the shipyard, which had all the appropriate equipment to safely dock a partially decompressed ship. It was an easy docking, all told - likely given the utmost priority by Pryor, or one of the lieutenants in Ops.

Lisa laughed at her question. "I hear they're really good," she grinned. "The Greenleaf Gazelles," she made up. "But I hear the other teams in the League think they're juicing, since they're all so tall." She put a hand to the side of her mouth. "I think it's something in the water."

[JanetJulian]

Xi lifted her brows. "Sounds cool."

She got them landed and kicked back, smiling as Lisa picked up her joke and ran with it. "Well of course they're juicing, it's Greenleaf after all, home of the largest fruits and vegetables in the 'Verse.

"And they're tall, but they got no meat on their bones."

She traded jests and quips with Lisa for a while, listening as the dockers clanged around the ship. She called down for updates as often as she dared, waiting impatiently for them to be freed.

[Seth]

Lisa gave a snort, not even realizing the added double meaning of 'juice' in her witty repartee. "Oh, that's bad," she laughed, the dance in her eyes suggesting she found it anything but that. She laughed even harder as she cracked about meat on their bones.

The process went quickly - there was actually an enormous bubble that was extended and placed around the Sundiver, once the docking clamps were in place and the airlock joined. She watched as they moved to evacuate the girls and the medbay first, but it was only a span of minutes - and Llewellyn chose to wait on the ship, rather than setting foot off, coming up to wait outside the bridge with baby Annabelle. Inara waited as well, a tiny black bundle of adorable malice under her arm.

There was still an awkward moment when the doors opened. The bridge door slip, and hands scooped around Xiantha, lifting her and giving her a spirited kiss. She felt Josie's enthusiasm before she saw who it was - and felt a possessive twitch from Patrick, his hand instinctively going to the gun at his side.

[JanetJulian]

Xi was on her feet, pacing about the small space once she knew they were close, eager to get out of this small space. She could feel the others on the far side and she waited by the door as they worked to open it. She gave a little eep as hands pulled her out and she found herself being kissed quite thoroughly by a mouth that wasn't precisely strange to her. She blinked at him and pulled back. "Josie!" She said with a laugh. "It's nice to see you too. Thanks for getting us out. But we should get the others out as well."

She was talking too fast, but she didn't precisely want Patrick to shoot him, nor did she want to introduce them as her fiances when she hadn't even told her mom and dad. She stepped aside and turned around, reaching a hand to help whoever was next.

[Seth]

He gave her a big hug, grinning, happy to see her. His mind was filled with memories of their last encounter, of riding her hard to release before Pryor walked in on them. There was guilt there, too - a recent memory flashed in his mind, of working beneath the cooling system of Nike's grav drive, only to have Teala suddenly and unstoppably take him into her mouth. He'd sent her away precisely to avoid her advances, and when she'd returned to the station he'd worked at, had somehow presumed those things had sorted themselves out. He felt the need to tell Xiantha, but shame and guilt made it hard to figure out exactly how.

"Sure, sure, you guys are the last ones. Ship's repressurized," he grinned. "And everyone else is already being sent to medbay for a physical." Llewellyn smoothly intercut him, with the baby Annabelle in her arms.

"Could you take her, dear?" She asked, wearing a sweet smile. "She's been fussing, and I think she wants her sister." She'd easily stepped between them as well, cutting Josie off.

The woman was an uncanny reader of body language.

[JanetJulian]

Xi stared at Josie for a moment. She could hardly blame him for Teala - she was what she was - but she turned away anyhow, gladly taking the child from Llewellyn. "Thank you," she told the older woman, "for taking care of her for us." She kissed the top of her fussing little baby head and shhed her softly, bouncing her a little against her body while she waited for the others.

[Seth]

Josie was busy introducing himself to a grumpy Patrick and Ant, who both seemed a little protective of Xiantha in their own way. Ant didn't show it, but both the brothers brooded a little.

Llewellyn smiled,. "It was a pleasure, really. I'd... love to come see how she's doing, in a few days. Maybe bring a few presents?" She cocked her head, wanting to make sure it was okay. She leaned in and pecked Xiantha's cheek.

Inara stepped forward as well, coddling Blackie much like Xi was with Annabelle. "Fraid I'm going to have to escort him all the way home," she said with a smile. "See how... River is doing."

Josie gave Lisa a greeting as well, and Lisa's grin had the tiniest hint of lasciviousness to it, as she she gave Josie a thorough checking out. The pretty blond mechanic made her raise an eyebrow, and she thought loudly, trying to broadcast it to Xiantha.

You will be dishing on him when we have some time, she warned.

[JanetJulian]

Xi nodded distractedly at Llewellyn, keeping an eye on the male greetings. "I'm sure mother would love that," she said, looking up at Inara and Blackie. She grinned. "Thanks for watching him," though she had a feeling that Inara had enjoyed it as much as Blackie had.

She shot Lisa a look and made a small hand gesture that suggested he was all hers. Then she turned and lead the group of them back to the docks, feeling certain they were going to run into her parents standing at the outermost air lock. She burbled at the baby as she went, kissing her plump cheek as she walked, talking nonsense to her.

[Seth]

Inara shot a sideways glance at Lllewellyn when Xiantha unsubtly mentioned her mother. She looked tempted to stomp on Xi's foot for a moment, then decided Llewellyn would take it as some strange 'in memoriam' kind of thing. Inara chuckled. "He's had his way with my bras," she warned. "Don't leave them out, he seems to think they're perfectly suited for kitty shredding."

Lisa smiled, and thought, Still dishing! but shifted her body posture just a bit more invitingly, smiling at Josie and falling in step with him as they headed towards the airlock.

[JanetJulian]

Xi blinked and shot Inara a guilty look. With all the stress and little sleep she'd completely forgotten. She bit her lip. "I mean, she would have appreciated it. Thank you, Llewellyn. It's very kind of you."

She smiled at Inara. "Well, they are all lacy and everything."

Xi looked back at Patrick and Ant, moving to put herself between them as they exited the ship.

[Seth]

The hangar's exit was still a little cluttered as they made their way off the ship - the civilians and women from Jarrod's ship were mostly being moved on, though Simon was doing traige of actual injuries on site before they transferred up to the medbay - they simply didn't have enough beds and doctors for everyone, so anyone who seemed in perfect health was being transferred to a quarters.

Pryor held Amara's hand patiently, squeezing back with enough strength that she knew she wasn't bothering his hand. He was confident and certain, but just as eager, fidgeting in the chair while he kept a lookout.

"There she is," he said softly, nodding towards the approaching group.

Amara saw what she'd been waiting for - Xiantha emerged, flanked by Ant and Patrick, a small, dark haired bundle in her arms. Llewellyn and Inara followed behind, Inara with a dark haired bundle of her own perching on her shoulder like the prince of the 'Verse.

Josie and Lisa followed behind, keeping their distance for the moment. Lisa slowed Josie down when she spotted Pryor and Amara.

[JanetJulian]

Amara broke when she saw them, dropping his hand and running forward to her daughters. Xi pulled up when she saw River running towards her, bracing herself. "Hi River," she said, holding Annabelle close. "Did you want to see my sister?"

Amara pulled up and stared at Xi for a moment, swallowing, face harrowed. "Yes, could I ... could I hold her?"

Xi smiled softly and offered her the baby. "Of course you can, River. Just be real careful with her, you have to hold her head up, like this." She set her in her mother's arms, and then put her arm around her shoulder, pressing her forward towards her father and the others.

"Come on, Dad needs to meet his daughter."

Amara's eyes teared up, holding the small child close to her, taking a deep breath. She'd carried her inside her for nine months, and now she had her back again. River or not, she wasn't letting go of her any time soon. "Of course," she said, deciding that maybe she could surrender her to Pryor. For a little while anyway. She kissed the top of Annabelle's head, far too aware of all the prying eyes.

[Seth]

Other eyes were soft as they watched - Ant, Patrick, Inara and Lisa all knew what Amara had lost and gained again, and Inara blinked back tears at the sight of River pleading to hold her. They were all quiet when Xiantha handed her over, and even Llewellyn seemed taken by the poignancy of the moment. She fluttered a bit, leaning heavily on the bulkhead, closing her eyes and gazing out towards Greenleaf.

Safe, the thought came ringing from her mind, and tears began to flow silently down her cheeks. She bent slightly, her back bowing under all the strain she'd carried, all the need to stand tall and confident. Her tears remained silent, spilling for all the dignity she'd lost, pain she'd endured. She didn't care to let the Daig's see her cry, but there wasn't any way for her to keep it in any longer. Inara slipped closer, gliding a hand up her back, quietly empathizing with her. They were tears of pain, but also relief, relief she'd never be able to verbalize or explain to anyone.

Annabelle was sleeping when she handed over, but she gave a small squirm at the jostling, her tiny eyes opening. Pretty amber eyes regarded River thoughtfully, looking deep and serious. After a moment she balled her fists and tucked against River's breast, ready to go back to sleep.

Pryor was bursting with pride as they approached. Their was awe in him, amazement - he met eyes with Xiantha, knowing what she'd managed to accomplish in a ship never meant to pass through an asteroid field, and certainly not with suck precious cargo aboard or Reavers at their tail. He was more proud of her than he could say, at the woman she'd become, at the hero that stood before him. He rose, shakily, from his chair, crossing to embrace Xiantha. He was weak, but he held her tight, whispering in her ear.

"I love you, so much."

Then he turned, his eyes glistening, looking down at baby Annabelle with his heart soaring.

"Hey little girl. Welcome to the family," he said softly, leaning on Xiantha and stroking a finger down the baby's cheek. He slid his hand down Amara's back, and leaned in to whisper to her. "Look what we did," he said with a smile, still stroking the babe's cheek.

Annabelle giggled, eyes opening, toothlessly smiling.

[JanetJulian]

Xi glanced back at Llewellyn with a soft gaze as she steered her mother forward, glad to see Inara moving to her side. Part of her wanted to go back and say something to the woman, but perhaps here and now were not the best place. She knew Llewellyn's dignity and how fiercely she held to it. Let her have what little she could manage.

Amara looked down into her child's bright eyes, smiling at her. "So pretty," she cooed at her, kissing the top of her head and holding her close.

Leaving those behind her, Xi focused on her father. It was so good to see him, even in the wheelchair, and she was surprised when he forced himself to his feet, moving to embrace him, almost afraid he might fall and do himself damage. "I love you too, Daddy," she told him, holding him just as tightly for a long moment. "I'm glad you're alright." She kissed his cheek, her own eyes shining as she heard all things he couldn't quite find a way to say out loud. Though she wanted to say it was really Lisa's program that had saved them as much as her flying. But she held her piece. There was time for protestations later.

Now she let him go so he could turn to the newest member of the family, keeping an arm around him to make sure he stayed on his feet as he peered over River's shoulder to look down at the child.

Amara looked up at him, tears slowly running down her face as she beamed, leaning to offer Xi a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for bringing her back to me," she said quietly, trusting that there was enough intervening bodies to keep those not in the know from hearing.

Xi shrugged. "What are sisters for?" She said with a breezy smile like it had just been a short jog across town. "She is awfully cute," she said, smiling at the giggling baby.

Then she took half a step back, letting her mother and father have a moment while she turned to Patrick and Ant, grabbing each of their hands with one of hers, giving each a quick kiss before looking back and then around at the too crowded dock. "Why don't we all head back to the house?" She said, wanting a more private place for talking.

Amara, still cooing at the baby, looked up and nodded. "Yes, that's a good idea. Pryor, sit back down before you fall over," she said fondly, helping him back in the chair and then, after only a slight hesitation, handing him the child while she moved to push his chair. Xi looked amused, well used to her mother organizing them all, not quite sure how it was going to look to everyone around them but not sure in that moment that she much cared.

[Seth]

When the procession began to pull away, Inara glanced up - she would catch up with them, but for now she needed to stay with Llewellyn. She owed her that much, and as much as she wanted to be part of the happy family reunion, she couldn't ignore her pain. She gave Xiantha a small wave, and an unspoken promise to come up and visit later.

Lisa steered Josie away from all the proceedings - it deserved to be Daig family business, she thought, and she felt the need to track down Teala and Tiao. And Jason, she added belatedly, feeling a little guilty she'd nearly forgotten about him completely. She'd drop by later, curious to hear more about Josie from a friend.

Patrick and Ant followed behind Xiantha. The news she had to sure could wait as long as was necessary. Both of them felt their eyes soften at the look on Amara's face when she held her baby. Anabelle continued to be the center of attention, enjoying it, wiggling precociously with so many eyes on her. Pryor agreed with the plan to go to the house, and sat back down at Amara's bossy tones, smiling in secret humor at Xiantha. He was a little surprised when Amara turned over the baby so quickly. It made him melt inside, and he held her like she was made of spun sugar, liable to break or melt in his hand. He tucked her carefully against his side.

"Hey, little princess," he smiled, stroking her nose and laughing when she giggled again. She studied him with the same quiet intensity she'd studied Amara. Soon., they were at the tube - although it could really only hold Xiantha, Amara, and Pryor on the first round up, with Annabelle in Pryor's lap.

"We'll follow in a moment," said Patrick, giving Xiantha a soft kiss. Ant nodded and followed suite.

[JanetJulian]

Xi returned Inara's small wave, sure that her mother would want to reunite with her old friend once she had settled in with her family. She almost missed Lisa and Josie moving away, but was glad that they seemed happy in each other's company. Josie was a good guy and Lisa deserved to enjoy herself as well.

Amara and Xi both smiled as Daig bonded with his baby daughter, sharing a knowing look as Amara pushed the chair towards the lift. Xi squeezed the hands of her men, feeling warm and happy and glad to be surrounded by the people she loved.

At the tube she hesitated, thinking maybe she should just send her Mom and Dad up alone, but Amara insisted she could fit, so she kissed each of the brothers in turn and then stepped inside, watching as the tube lifted them away, waving from the glass container until they were out of sight.

Amara was watching Annabelle again, reaching out to stroke her precious little head. "She's beautiful," she said softly. Xi chuckled. "I think you're biased, Mom, but she will be a looker I think. Even if she couldn't possibly be half as cute as I was.

Amara snorted at her daughter and then wrapped arms around her, pulling her close. "You were adorable too. Guess we just got lucky." She kissed Xi's cheek and then moved back to Pryor, putting her hand on his shoulder as he held the little girl. "At least you got to see this one a little younger," she said wryly.

[Seth]

Daig chuckled as Xiantha claimed how much cuter she'd be than the baby Annabelle, giving Xiantha a light swipe at the thigh for her humility. Even if he'd have been at full strength it wouldn't have been designed to hurt, and with his weakened state it felt like getting a firm punch from a cottonball. He smiled up as mother and daughter bantered, continuing to hold the precious package close, and lifted her to kiss her tiny nose.

"I do," he said, without a hint of sadness that he'd never gotten to see Xiantha at this age. He'd long forgiven Amara for that, and he instead slid his hand into hers, as they reached the top of the station and the immense house he'd built for Amara and his family. There wasn't yet a wheelchair access - he rose up and out of it carefully, carrying Annabelle up the steps. He waited for someone else to get the door and fidget his wheelchair up the steps, then returned to it with a smile.

"Patio?" he asked. "Or Annabelle's room."

Any chance at either was delayed by arrivals - Hammer and Eve, both homing in like heat seeking missiles. Eve arried MJ, breaking into a smile at the sight of Annabelle. Hammer caught up Xiantha in one of his soon-to-be trademarked hugs, giving her a small spin as if she were still ten. "Xi!" he grinned, before turning and regarding the little baby. The tiny babies still made him a little nervous to hold - immensely aware of his size and strength, and he much preferred a small touch to carrying them.

[JanetJulian]

Xi chuckled, grinning at the swipe Daig made at her. Once they were clear of the tube she sent it back down after the brothers and carted the wheelchair up the stairs while Amara helped Pyror up them and opened the door.

"Patio," Amara managed to get out before they were swept up in new arrivals. She grinned at Eve, showing off her daughter proudly, while Xi giggled and eeped at the Hammer-powered hug, thumping on his back happily.

"So Eve had her kid too, huh? That's great." She stepped in to coo appropriately over MJ, beginning to think that there might be entirely too many babies around here for her peace of mind. But it was interesting to see that Hammer and Eve seemed to still be getting along. She wouldn't necessarily have pegged that one to last, but she was very fond of Hammer, so she was glad to see him beaming proudly.

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