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Old Blue Crate Chap. 5: Badger

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Chapter 5: Badger
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Halfway to Badger's hideout, Mal's luck seemed to run out, as usual.

"You want me to what?! Be your... your psychic hound? I will do no such thing!"

"Easy, Doctor, easy," said Mal, hand raised. "Just thought, man o' your talents could give us a hand with Badger, see if he's gonna be keepin' his word an' what not." He glanced around, hoping no-one was listening in on their conversation. "Really, not disrespectin' or nothing."

"Then what ruttin' use is he?" growled Jayne from behind him. "You said he was a Reader, an' not broken like the moon-brain. Even said he'd be comin' along ta keep Badger in line."

Mal glanced back at him. "Jayne?"

"Yeah?"

"Not helpin'."

He turned back to the Doctor. "I just thought, Doc, since you wanted to talk to him anyway, that-"

"That's how you've been using that girl? As a sniffer dog?" The Doctor looked disgusted. "Perhaps I misjudged you, Ca-"

Mal, abruptly stone-faced, cut him off. "Hold it right there." He set down his end of the box Jayne and he were carrying between them. "I think I've had quite enough of your preachifyin' on my motives. We've gone far out of our way in gettin the Doc what he needs to help his sister, and as far as usin' her as a trouble detector, well," he said, stepping closer, "everyone on my boat pulls their weight, in some way. Everyone. You have a problem with that, you can get your fancy duds and silly blue crate off my ship."

He stooped back down to grab the handle on the box, then straightened up. "Let's get movin'."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

As they approached the guards at the front door, Mal glanced over. "So you're following through on this after all?"

"I said I would be coming here," said the Doctor. "Besides, I never said I wouldn't help, just not in that fashion."

The guards took their time patting each one of them down... or at least that would have been their normal procedure. Instead, they got a dangerous flat look from Zoe as she handed over her gun, and an intimidating glower from Jayne as he did likewise. One younger-looking fellow stepped toward Jayne, but another, more seasoned hand held him back.

"Take it easy, kid," said the older fellow. "Jayne wouldn't hold out on us, now would ya, Jayne?"

"But how do we know he ain't holdin' out?"

Jayne smiled. "Ya don't."

Meanwhile, the Doctor had finally assented to a light pat-down from a (grudgingly respectful) middle-aged man with lank and manky black hair and an oily walrus mustache. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a short-handled metal device with a steel ball at one end.

"What is this?" he said, waving it in front of the Doctor's face.

"Oh, just a little gadget I picked up somewhere," said the Doctor, plucking it from the man's fingers."Sonic screwdriver. Completely harmless, see?" He pointed it at his hand and flipped a let out a low humming sound, but nothing else seemed to happen. The man stared at him a long moment, then waved the group on, pausing only to relieve Mal of his sidearm.

Jayne and Mal set the heavy box down, while Zoe and Jayne took up their usual positions. The Doctor still seemed preoccupied with his 'sonic screwdriver', waving it about a bit more before pocketing it again.

"Well, Malcolm, keeping us waiting as usual I see. Jayne, Zoe - 'ang on, who's the toff, then?"

Before them, behind his papers-and-garbage strewn, battered desk, sat Badger. As usual, he had opted for the ''ragged slumlord's parody of a businessman' look, right down to the greasy, battered bowler hat perched atop his none-too-clean noggin.

"This is the Doctor," said Mal. "Now, as far as payment-"

"A new sawbones, eh?" said Badger, leaning forward. "What, you running off with smugglers for one last thrill, old man? Or did 'Captain' Reynolds 'ere persuade you some other way?" He stood up, and walked around to the front of his desk, before turning again to address Mal.

"Sorry, then, Mal, but you see, someone done gone and been impolite to my buyer. Long story short, 'e went and got on the wrong side of a card game wiv Rocko Chiang and got hisself snuffed."

"Not seein' how that's my problem," said Mal in a slightly darker tone. On cue, Jayne and Zoe stepped forward. "My part of the job is done; you got your stuff. That's the part I get paid for."

"Not if I don't 'ave use for it," retorted Badger. "Just a bunch of scrap clutterin' up my storehouse, is what it would be."

"I'd say that, businessman that you are, you could honor your original contract and easily find another buyer, " said the Doctor. "The street value of those items could be-"

Badger rounded on him, livid. "You tellin' me how to run my shop?!"

"Well, no, I-"

Badger snapped his fingers, and two men stepped forward. "Soames, Tai, teach this old fop a lesson in manners!"

The Doctor found himself propelled forward into a clear space of floor, with the two men facing him. One held a short length of pipe, the other a wicked looking fighting knife.

The one with the pipe snickered. "Don't look like this should take too long."

Mal started forward. "Badger, wait-" He found several guns pointed at him, and stepped back. He glanced over at the scene.

The Doctor had fallen back into a fighting stance, circling about carefully. The two men, seeing this, had fallen back a little themselves, but the evil grins had not left their faces.

"Well, Malcolm," said Badger with a smirk," If you can't discipline your own crew, I'll have to do it for you."

Mal, along with Zoe and Jayne, was looking over Badger's shoulder with increasing surprise, and not a little mirth. Jayne had a half-smirk on, himself. "Ol' guy can move," he muttered.

Badger turned- to find a very different scene than he had expected.

The Doctor and the two men circled as before, only now, both men had lost their cocky looks; there was also evidence that their attacks hadn't just been dodged. The man with the pipe now had a slightly unsteady gait, as well as several bruises. The knife-wielder was bleeding from several cuts on his upper body.

A few men on the sidelines were adding their own cheers or catcalls.

The Doctor sidestepped another swipe from the pipe, 'helping' the man past him with a hand to his elbow. The man staggered forward, then turned with a growl.

"Ah, are you watching now, mister Badger?" said the Doctor, sounding a little nettled. "Could you tell me when my 'lesson' is supposed to start?"

"What're ya waiting for?" yelped Badger. "Take 'im out!"

"Very well," said the Doctor. As the man with the pipe charged him again, he sidestepped, then brought his hand down on the back of his neck in an open-handed chop.

The man wobbled forward a few more feet, before dropping into a heap on the floor.

"Now then, Mister Badger..."

The man with the knife had drawn up and launched himself at the Doctor's back, the blade in his hands an almost indistinct arc of spinning fury.

The Doctor simply stood there, his back to him, a grim smile on his face. The man approached, closer and faster...

"Hai!"

Without turning around, the Doctor's hand shot back, easily avoiding the flashing blade and latching onto the man's wrist, yanking forward. Then, with another move, the Doctor somehow suddenly lofted the man over his head and into a small knot of the gunmen, scattering them like ninepins!

Fortunately, a solid wall soon stopped his flight, and the man collapsed to the ground, out cold.

Badger had seen enough.

His hand darted toward the top secret panel of his desk...

He felt the flat, cold steel of a knife on the underside of his chin, and froze.

His eyes went left, tracing down the remaining length of the knife, the arm, and onto Jayne's practiced feral grin.

"Gotta tell you, Badger, we've been feelin' a mite neglected over here," drawled Mal.

"You're finished here, Reynolds, you hear me?" said Badger through gritted teeth. "Finished! 'Nother member of your crew puttin' on airs and-"

Mal chuckled. "I was tryin' to tell you, right off. He ain't my crew."

Badger's eyes went back over to the Doctor, still standing sedately a few feet away. His injured men had since gathered themselves up, and most of the rest had their weapons trained in the group's general direction. "Then who is he?"

"He's ridin' in my ship, true enough, but just as a passenger. He said he might be interested in doin' business with you." Mal glanced back over at the Doctor himself, then shook his head. "Can't imagine why; after all, I told him all about you myself. But he seemed pretty sure... leastwise, he was before we got here. Can't say you havin' your boys try to rough him up would help his buyin' mood."

Badger's eyes went back to Mal, then over to Zoe. "Is that so?"

"It is," said Zoe.

"Well, as long as that's settled," said Badger, irritated, "would ya mind calling off your dog, 'ere?'

Mal kept his eyes on Badger. "Jayne!"

"Aw, Mal, you heard what he called me!"

"That's far enough, Jayne. Don't want to upset the nice gentlemen any further." He glanced around at the muzzles of the guns which had stayed on them, and noticed that the Doctor had wandered over to the box, pried it open and was looking over the odd contents with interest.

"Doctor!"

"Hm?" The Doctor let the box close and stepped back. "Sorry, just wanted to ascertain what was so valuable and worthless all at once."

"He's right, actually," said Badger, who had gone back around his desk and sat down. He looked a bit more at ease without a dagger at his throat, but not by much. "The bloke who was lookin' to pay for it was offering a lot... but near as I could find out from my other sources, I wouldn't be able to get a single other buyer. It's junk." He leaned back, and favored Mal with a tolerant smile. "So you see, Malcolm, I wasn't lying. I did intend ta keep our deal... really not good business otherwise. But in point of fact, I can't afford it now."

Jayne bristled. "We came crawlin' into this 猴子舔 rat's den for nothin' ?" He started to step forward, but Zoe's arm went across his chest. "Easy, Jayne, not here," she said.

The Doctor spoke up suddenly. "I believe I could solve both your problems," he said.

Both groups turned toward him.

"Mister Badger," he said, "What would you say if I could guarantee a buyer for these items?"

"I'd say you're barmy," said Badger with a smirk. "Really, who would want it?"

"You'd be suprised," said the Doctor calmly. "I've some contacts of my own who would be very interested in such things." He leaned forward, fists on the table. "Here's the deal I'm going to make you, and everyone leaves happy," he said.

Badger leaned forward, smirk still in place, ready to shoot him down.

"I can absolutely guarantee finding a buyer for those items - and at a better price than what you were going to get," he said. "All you have to do is pay Captain Reynolds what you agreed - no more, no less - and once it's in your possession, I put you in touch with them."

Badger sat back, staring thoughtfully at the Doctor for a full minute. Finally he spoke.

"All right, I'll bite," he said. He opened a drawer and pulled out a small bag, weighing it in his hand. He tossed it to Mal, who caught it and shook it. It jingled.

"It's all there," said Badger. "Count it if you like."

"I'll trust you," said Mal. "For now."

"Well, 'Doctor'," said Badger, a slight edge to his voice, "so who's your mysterious buyer? Keep very close in mind, just who is surrounded by whose heavily-armed men."

The Doctor smiled. "Why yes, Mister Badger, I'd be glad to purchase these items from you."

"Eh?"

"WHAT?"

The first was from Badger, the second from Mal and Jayne, a chorus.

Mal sidled very close to the Doctor. "Are you tellin' me," he hissed, "that this was your plan the whole time?!"

"Of course not, Captain," said the Doctor. "I had no idea what was in that crate of yours, just like you have no idea what's in mine. However, plans can be such changeable things, can't they?"

"That they are," said Mal, stepping back.

Badger came back around the desk, smiling. "Right,then! That'll be three hundred pla-"

"Not just yet!" said the Doctor. "Now, we dicker."

"Dicker?" Badger's face clouded. "You said-"

"I said you'd get more than you had been promised otherwise," said the Doctor. "I don't think that you would value just money, would you? Social contacts, invitations, that sort of thing- that has to have value to you too, correct?"

"Well..."

"I'm sure you have a negotiations area that's a little more secure than this?"

Badger nodded, then, giving a signal to his men, ducked out of the room under a large cloth hanging. The Doctor followed.

"We going to be waiting for him, sir?" said Zoe.

"Looks like," said Mal. He took another look at all the men surrounding him, then back at the box.

"Dunno what he wants in there, but at least we got paid this time."

Fifteen minutes later, and they were getting a little antsy.

"Hope things are going all right in there."

As if in answer, Badger and the Doctor came back into the room. They were talking in an animated fashion, and Badger was laughing uproariously at something the Doctor said.

Badger walked up to Mal, wiping his eyes. "Oh, my. You sure missed out on this one, Mal - he'd probably have been better for your crew than a few of the others! Shrewd!" He shot the Doctor an admiring look. "Kinda reminds me of me old man."

He allowed them out without further comment, having their weapons returned. He even offered to have transport for them back to their ship, but Mal declined.

On the way back...

"What did you trade him?"

The Doctor chuckled. "Oh, some platinum, the names and letters of introduction to some fellows I know off-planet, and a few old Alliance stocks I had lying around."

Mal frowned. "Alliance?"

The Doctor turned his head toward him. "From before the War, Captain Reynolds. Long before."

They walked in silence a bit longer, then Jayne spoke up. "Givin' in ta what he wanted, ain't it gonna make it harder for us to deal with the next time?"

"Oh, I doubt it," said the Doctor. "If he does happen to use those contacts, he's going to find himself going from 'top of the heap' as it were, to being a very small fish in a vast ocean." He started to laugh.

After a moment, the others joined in as well.
A fancily-dressed older gentleman buys passage on Serenity for himself and his large blue crate, with no specific destination. Who is he, and what's his real agenda? Strange things are afoot. Doctor Who (Third Doctor crossover with the Firefly tv series, as told from the viewpoint of that show's characters.
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Mal's meetings with Badger seldom go smooth. With the Doctor there, though, what will happen is anyone's guess.






Chapter 1: Friendly [link]

Chapter 2: Useful [link]

Chapter 3: Pepper [link]

Chapter 4: Doctor [link]

Chapter 5: Badger [link]

Chapter 6: Prey [link]

Chapter 7: Red [link]

Chapter 8: Ruckus [link]

Chapter 9: Complication [link]

Chapter 10: Gallifreyan [link]

Chapter 11: Questions [link]

Chapter 12: Revelations [link]

Chapter 13: Turncoat [link]

Chapter 14: Turnabout [link]

Chapter 15: Preempted [link]

Chapter 16: TARDIS [link]

Chapter 17: Teatime [link]

Chapter 18: Harbinger [link]

Chapter 19: Arrival [link]

Chapter 20: Invitation [link]

Chapter 21: Nightmare [link]

Chapter 22: Grant [link]

Chapter 23: Nostalgia [link]
© 2010 - 2024 Kingrat1
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karshtakavaar's avatar
aww, three is so awesome - this is such a great read - you really have a knack for characterisation :D