with apologies to Robert Heinlein for the bastardization of one of his titles…

previous story segments: pt 01,pt 02,pt 03,pt 04,pt 05,pt 06,pt 07,pt 08,pt 09,pt 10

Several story elements were initially based off of stories from other writers. The stories that were used are Jubal’s New Bounty by AINTWEJUST and Journey Home and Journey Home, chapter 1, both by Rielpryn. If you have not read them, I recommend them, both because they are good stories and they will help to make my stories to make sense.

- - - - -

The entire ship shook with the impact of the smaller craft. The lights flickered and the speed slowed significantly, having a contradicting force pressing against the hull outside the cargo bay. Mal frantically looked around, trying to figure a way out of this situation. Jayne had a case for Vera now, maybe they could suit up…no, that would take too long. It looked like the best option was to wait in the cargo bay with guns drawn, hoping like hell to drop anything that came through the door before it could damage him or any of his crew.

Mal stood, drawing his pistol, and started to leave the bridge. The ship began to vibrate violently, creating a low, resonating hum. Mal’s vision blurred as he grabbed the lockers for support, the vibrations traveling through his body creating a cold, stabbing pain in the pit of his stomach.

- - -

Zoe still stood in the cargo bay, her hands idly exploring the feel of the white pistol that Book had sent to her. As the ship began vibrating, and her vision blurred, she lowered herself to the floor, instinctively pulling her legs into a fetal position.

-

She saw Wash, sitting in the pilot’s throne, having just come to a screeching halt in the tunnel of Mr. Universe’s bunker. “I am a leaf on the wind. Watch how I...” Time was slowed almost to a standstill. She saw the massive spear fly through the window, piercing his chest and pinning him to the chair. The smile on his face grotesquely morphed into a look of extreme pain as his eyes saw her for the last time, the light slowly fading from them. She couldn’t see much blood because the spear was still plugging up the hole. She rushed to him, telling him it was time to get moving, not fully believing that he had been taken from her by a bunch of gorram cannibals.

-

She was in the bunker on Hara, deep within Serenity Valley. Bendis was hit, falling beside Mal, who stood dumbfounded, staring out at the Alliance warships afloat on green flames. They were the only two left in this fortification. There was no help coming. They were truly alone.

-

Now she was in the infirmary, gripping tightly to hands belonging to Mal and Jayne. Her feet were up in stirrups, and she was bearing down and pushing as Inara wiped her face with a cool rag. She heard Simon’s voice over her own anguished thoughts, “One more push and he’ll be out.” Setting her jaw, she pushed with her last ounce of strength. She felt the release as the small body separated from hers. Simon brought him around to her, a look of sadness and concern on his face. “I’m sorry Zoe, but there is nothing I could have done for him, I’m so sorry...”

- - -

Simon was in the infirmary when the vibrations started. Steadying himself on the counter, he felt a cold stab in his stomach that he had only felt once before, running from the feds on Ariel. Doubled over in pain, his vision hazy, he could only think about River and Kaylee and how he had failed them both.

-

A bullet flew by his head as he fell backwards, having been distracted by the opening of the cargo bay door. He saw Dobson with a gun to River’s head, threatening that he was no longer playing. Simon had the other pistol pointed at him, unsure of how he would get out of the situation.

-

He heard the retort from the finely crafted weapon before he felt the pain in his leg. That didn’t matter now. He had to save River. Jumping on Jubal from behind, he knocked him down, punching him as he got up. Jubal responded with several blows, knocking Simon down upon the sharp stairs. As he walked away, rounding the corner, Simon wondered if he would ever see his sister again.

-

Simon stumbled into the engine room, a look of horror on his face. On the floor lay Kaylee, a metal bar from the engine through her stomach. Simon rushed to her, cradling her in his arms and checking for her pulse. His eyes filled with tears as he hugged her limp body to his, crying out at his own failure to save her. Looking through the tears, he saw the bloody, lifeless form of his sister underneath the engine that had mangled and destroyed her body.

- - -

Mal clutched his stomach, remembering the last time he was on the bridge with such a pain in his stomach. He had gone through hell to get the ship working again. Being shot by the ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng had been a surprise, and luckily Jayne had stowed that gun on the mule. Walking through the ship, bleeding, he had given himself a shot of adrenaline, which let him move but increased the pain considerably.

-

The current flowed through his body, sending pain through every nerve in his body. Wash hung limp beside him, his head rolling about. Zoe took him away, then Niska stuck the powerful electrode to Mal’s chest that made the earlier pain a mere tickle. He was dead, seeing family and friends long gone, then brought back to the pain by more electricity being pumped into his battered body. The dirty pliers held by Niska’s assistant began to cut into his stomach, new pain beyond pain he had known in a long time.

-

Mal stood in an open field, dusty wind blowing his bloody coat all around him. He looked at the smoldering wreckage of Serenity, tears and blood mixing as they ran down his dirty cheek. Another explosion within the wreck knocked him off his feet, his head hitting hard stone, his vision slowly fading to complete black.

- - -

Inara was lucky to be sitting in her bed when the vibrations started. She felt the cold pain, falling upon soft red and gold pillows.

-

She was standing over Mal’s body, lying on the floor of his bunk. What did she do to him? He didn’t look like he was breathing. How could he be so gullible to fall for that shee-niou bitch? She would never get to tell him what she really felt deep inside of her.

-

Nandi fucked Mal?!? How could she? Inara had hesitated in making a move on him, and a man like Mal certainly had his share of needs in that area. Why did she have to go to Nandi’s room this morning, and why did she have to see Mal leaving? Inara clutched her legs to her chest, openly crying as any semblance of her usual collected composure melted away.

-

Mal’s body lay beaten and broken upon the sharp rocks, the shattered and useless Lassiter still in his cold hands. A single tear escaped her eye as the ship took off, the dirty, greasy men looking her over with lustful, hateful eyes. She was very much alone, no hero left to save her. She sighed and turned to face them. Going willingly would be easier and less painful than trying to resist. She was numb to everything around her, her mind flying to happier times as the men closed on her, their hands grabbing and tearing.

- - -

Kaylee dropped the wrench she was holding, a loud clanging filling her ears as her arms wrapped around her midsection. The dusty heat of the engine room faded to a muddled cloud of cold loneliness.

-

He shot me? Why did he shoot me? Who is he really? I don’t want to know their stories any more. We have a doctor on board now, he can help me. Why isn’t he helping me? Gorramit Mal, you kuh-ooh duh lao bao-jurn! Don’t let me die Mal, don’t be so gorram stubborn.

-

I can’t shoot these guys, and they are going to kill me. They will kill me and kill the others and all because I am a rutting coward. Not long now, they have me pinned down here. River, what is she doing here? She has my gun, and she killed all three of them! River killed them. How can this sweet girl be capable of such horrors?

-

Kaylee stood at the altar, resplendent in her bridal dress, a slight bulge to her tummy. She looked down the aisle, waiting. He was late, which was not like him at all. The door opened, but the man entering was not Simon. The look of glee faded from her face as Mal walked back up the aisle, shaking his head. Did this mean he didn’t really love her? Was he afraid of the commitment, afraid of being a parent, or just being his usual noncommittal self?

- - -

Jayne couldn’t resist tasting the liquor, despite the weird news they had just received. It smelled wonderful, and he thought back to the first time he had tasted the smooth drink. He took a shot. As he stood up to find the cigars, he wondered why the drink had produced cold pain instead of the usual happy warmth such a drink usually created in him.

-

Jayne was 13 again, his mother’s screams coming from the bedroom. His father was drunk in the living room again, the useless niao se duh doo-gway. There was no way that ma would survive this birth without major help, and he wasn’t sure that Matty could move fast enough to get Maeve here in time. When she did get here, she would think he was a failure, and never want to see him again, for anything.

-

This wasn’t part of the gorram plan. That lying liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze duh bun ur-tze fed played me for a fool. Now I’m really up shit creek. The girl knows it was me, and soon the rest of them will. What am I thinking? We are in federal custody, and they’re all armed with those ruttin’ force cannons. Gotta make my own luck, I suppose, but it does seem a bit hopeless.

-

Jayne stood, hands raised, as Vera was leveled at his head. Why did I get greedy? Money that good always has a catch. This is my payback for tossin’ ol’ Stitch outta that hovercraft on Canton. Go ahead and put a bullet in my gorram head, quit talkin’ like you’re the gorram mayor or somethin’.

- - -

River had been in her bunk, holding the cold metal box tightly against her chest. She felt them before the impact, the vibrations shaking her brain and giving her the all-to-familiar feeling in her gut. She hurriedly opened the box, knowing what would be coming next.

-

Dobson had his gun to her head, marching her through Serenity.

-

She was tied to a stake, about to be burned for witchcraft she didn’t commit.

-

Her brother had been shot, and it was her fault.

-

No. She shook her head, trying to fight back the memories. She could beat this. She could beat them, and they knew it. She dug her hand into the box, searching for, searching...

-

She was sitting on the exam table, needles in her skull and eyes, men all around her poking and prodding and making notes.

-

She picked up the gun and shot the men, putting a fear in Kaylee that was deeper than any other.

-

Focusing on the box, she pulled out what she was looking for. The small white box was plain and unmarked. She opened it, looking at the contents. A sudden lurch of the ship tossed the tiny metal triangle from the box and onto the floor.

-

Reavers. Full of hate. Filling her head. Simon, Kaylee, Zoe, Jayne, all hurt. Mal fighting the assassin below. No choice but to fight. To kill. Kill them before they kill us.

-

River bent double at her waist, hair brushing the floor. She reached out her arm and picked up the little chip. She placed it on her forehead, pressing firmly, just as she was instructed in Book’s second letter to her. Taking a few deep breaths, she straightened up, quickly heading for the bridge.

- - -

River found Mal curled up in a ball on the bridge, his eyes rolled back in his head. She couldn’t do anything for him directly, so she stepped over him and took the controls. She tried several maneuvers, attempting to shake loose the smaller ship’s hold on Serenity.

This wasn’t going to work. She saw another ship on the radar, closing fast.

River gave Serenity all the juice she could in a final attempt to shake the ship loose.

The small ship came into view, a cannon on its hull training on the ships.

- - - - -

pt 12

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Translations ( from http://fireflychinese.home.att.net/episode.html ):

ching-wah TSAO duh liou mahng – frog-humping sonofabitch

shee-niou – cow sucking

kuh-ooh duh lao bao-jurn – horrible old tyrant

niao SE duh DOO-gway – piss-soaked piker

liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze duh bun ur-tze – stupid son of a drooling whore and a monkey