Overlanders 2517 Part five

There was still just enough confusion going on around her to allow Penny to slip back into the stronghold.

But where to find Sheldon that was the problem? When they'd split up, although he'd never told her, Penny had known he was going for Adelei Niska, but as she looked around sadly the walls won't signposted: 'This way to super-villain' she needed information.

Moving now with purpose down the dark corridor, Penny smiled to herself the first it seemed in a long time. When she found Sheldon she intended to make him apologise to her. He'd always said, 'Penny your far to impulsive' well nuts to him!

The encounter with the guard now lying prone on the ground hadn't been impulsive! It clearly showed that a boot on the throat worked just as well as talking, now she knew where Sheldon was.

Zoe stood at the doorway to the infirmary, waiting for Simon to finish whatever he was doing with the captain. Finishing his examination Simon removed his gloves throwing in the bin. Turning he smiled as he looked at Zoe, seeing the question on her face before she could say anything, "It's alright he's stable," looking back over his shoulder, "I've stopped the bleeding it's just a matter of rest now, he'll be up and about soon,"

Zoe looked across at the other occupied bed, "How about him?"

Jayne realized they were looking at him, "Hi I'm wounded here, and I could have died!"

Simon the ship's Doctor started to laugh, "You had a stab wound in your upper leg, go rest in your own cabin."

Zoe walked up to the bottom of Jayne's bed, "You were stabbed by a woman in a bar. I'm sure the Captain is going to be very interested in that once he wakes up." Zoe made no effort to disguise her distaste in Jayne's activities.

It did not take Penny long to find Sheldon. He lay crumped on the corridor floor. Penny gave out a sob as she kneelt next to him she could see the large dark stain on his back. He seemed to be barely breathing; she needed to get him back to the ship.

So half dragging, half carrying him Penny slowly made her way outside. She looked around, she needed transport. Seeing a small truck over by the wall she made her way over. Penny was in no mood to discuss ownership with the two men sitting in it, so the discussion was painful and brief.

Placing Sheldon in the truck she took a moment to check him over. He had clearly been shot in the back but there was no exit wound. She had to find a Doctor and soon.

As Penny drove over to where she'd landed Bounty, she glanced over at Sheldon he was still breathing but it was shallow, his face was pale the skin had sheen of sweat covering it.

Penny drove over the last rise before the landing site. Once on broad she could fix him up till they could found a Doctor.

Penny stood next to the truck staring in disbelieve. She was gone. Her Bounty was gone, and the only thing to show she had ever been there was a patch of burnt earth.

It was lucky no one passed by at that very moment as Penny would surely have killed them on the spot, so intense was the fierce rage now building inside her.

Penny dropped to her knees beating the ground with her fists, her eyes burned with the tears that ran uncontrolled down her face.

Suddenly she sensed someone kneeing beside her, an arm went around her shoulders. Penny made to shrug the arm away to turn and hit out at whoever was there, but the arm tightened around her, "Penny I swear we'll find her, if any harm has been done to her someone will pay," Sheldon's voice was barely a whisper.

Penny buried her face in his chest, the two friends, lovers, comrades they had so many names, both now kneelt next to one another out in the desert. One sobbing for loss of something that was far more to her then a mere ship and a man who kneelt allowing this woman. That was not right; this was his woman that he now held tightly in his arms as she quietly cried.

He swore a silent oath; he would kill who ever had done this.

Sheldon was now near to collapse, he could feel himself slipping in and out unconsciousness, but he refused to give in, refused to leave Penny.

Till the darkness finally overtook him.

He become aware of voices around him, someone was holding his hand. A voice he knew only too well was speaking, "Oh! Thank God you're awake,"

Sheldon looked up into Penny's face as she leaned over him squeezing his hand.

She smiled back at him kissing his forehead, "Bob, you had me so worried,"

Looking around his surrounding he was laying in some kind of medical bay.

She could see the look of confusion on his face. He looked at her as if to ask, 'Bob?'

Penny looked over her shoulder making sure the Doctor was out of ear-shot. She whispered in Sheldon's ear, "We're on an Alliance medical ship. Seems we were both passed out when they found us. They don't know who we are," Penny kissed his cheek, "Your Bob and I'm Ann, just play along ok?"

Within in three days Sheldon/Bob was well enough to leave the medical bay. The pair kept themselves to themselves apart from meal times staying in their cabin as much as they could. Their excuse being Penny/Ann was frightened of space travel.

It was easy enough to slip away once the ship made its next planet fall. That's the one thing about Doctors and medical people their so trusting.

Zoe could not believe her eyes on seeing Captain Reynolds sitting up in bed, with hardly any ill effects from what they'd been through.

"Glad to see you're feeling better Captain," Zoe said smiling. She would never have told anyone not even Wash, but for a little while she had wondered if she would ever see her Captain alive again. She realized with a start, Mal was talking to her, "Sorry Captain what?"

"I said have all our passengers left?" He said smiling

"Yes we dropped Raj and his men off on Jonas six they have a ship waiting for them."

Mal nodded, "All good men, I'll have to catch up with Raj later and think him myself," he gave out a slight sigh, "Any word on our other two friends," a look of anguish crossed his face, thinking about the ones they had left behind.

"No. nothing yet but the radio has been real quiet. May be a good sign." Zoe said hopefully.

Mal nodded, "Yeah take more than few Reaver's and the Alliance to stop those two," Making his way out of the infirmary he turned to Zoe, "Come on, we need to find us a cargo."

The end of Overlanders, but Sheldon&Penny will return in the 'Gunfighter'