“What is going on here?” Mal turned on Wash. “What ship was that?” “The Ulaang. Positioned near the outer-rim. Oh my God…” Wash froze. “They’re destroying their own fleet to contain the infection….” “So the Alliance agree with the disease theory? How would a disease travel between ships?” Wash looked at Zoë. “I don’t know…But it somehow seems to be doing just that…” *

Jayne looked around the Naneman.. It was a ghost ship floating in space. The ship had fallen prey to the ‘virus’; but the captain had decided that they needed what was on board. And so, despite Jayne’s worries, they had come aboard and found three hundred bodies all dead from lack of oxygen. Or at least, that was what Jayne hoped they had died off. How did Mal know that the humans couldn’t fall pray, the same way the ships did? How did Mal even know that there would be anything of value on the ship? But somehow he did, and somehow, there was. And now they had come aboard. In suits. How ruttin ridiculous was that, to come aboard a ship that had suffered mechanical failure, and be wearing a suit who’s technology was the only thing that would keep him alive? Captain and Zoë could risk their lives like that, but why should he have to? * Kaylee began digging through the engine. “A Capison 38 …” she muttered. “This thing was just waiting to die; it’s a wonder she lasted this long…” She hated working in these suits, but they were needed. “Kaylee!” Wash’s voice came down her radio. “Have you found anything wrong with the engine?” “Well, asides from the crappy quality parts they got buried in this pile of junk, there ain’t nothing wrong with the engine…” “Yeah, I’m getting the same thing with the on-board computer up here. Its as though the engine just…stopped working!” “Any chance of fixing the thing?” Mal’s voice interrupted the conversation. “We sure could use the money a ship like this would bring?” “Cap’in, to be honest, this ship is in perfect working order already. It just don’ work is’ll.” Kaylee’s confusion was clear in her voice. “Hey…wait a second.. If we’re all here, who’s left on the ship?” * Worry spread across the bridge of Serenity. Incoming Alliance, with the rest of the crew left on the Nanman. And for River, Simon, Book and Inara, this was not looking like a very good situation. ”What are we gonna do?” Simon looked worried. “The Alliance will destroy the ship to stop the infection that they are obsessed they believe in, and then they will turn on us.” Book looked around. “Either we try to rescue them and we both get destroyed, or we run, and risk destruction.” “Their long range radio isn’t working,” Inara looked around. “I can’t see any other option. We gotta run.” “And just leave the captain?” Book looked shocked at the suggestion. “We don’t have another choice,” Simon said. “Yes, let’s all play Simon Says.” Everyone looked at River. She just smiled. Suddenly, a little hologram appeared from the desk. “Gee, I hope no one ever sees this thing…” The miniature Mal looked around, scrapping the back of his head. “Well, whatever’s going on here, this recording activates ‘cause theres a danger of the Alliance getting this ship. Well I’m saying this now. The alliance took one serenity, they ain’t getting this one. Run. Leave me. Now.” The blue recording flickered and died. “Well that seemed pretty self explanatory.” Simon looked around. “Let me tell Kaylee, she won’t be happy.” Book looked uncomfortable. “Kaylee is on the ship, Simon.” “WHAT?” Simon suddenly jumped. “I thought she was in the engine room! We gotta save them!” But when Simon went to the controls, they simply bleeped at him. “I don’t know what to press!” He started pressing random buttons, until Inara shoved him aside. “Somethings not right…” Inara struggled. “The ship isn’t responding…” The console next to river bleeped, and the ships started to move. Away from the dead ship. “River! I said we were going to rescue them!” Simon ran over to her. “You locked the controls didn’t you! We were gonna go the other way!” River looked at Simon simply. “You didn’t say Simon says.” * Mal happened to look out of the window at just the right moment. The moment when he saw the Alliance cruiser and Serenity heading away in opposite directions, he quickly grabbed his radio. “Inara, what in the gorram ‘verse do you think you’re doing for my ship?” There was nothing but a crackle. “Zoë!” “Yes captain?” Zoë’s voice came over the radio. “Is your long range radio working?” “No sir, it isn’t all I’m getting is static.” “Ruttin recordings are coming back to haunt me… Remind me to change those things as SOON as we get back to say 'never leave me behind again.'” “You mean the ‘leave me to die’ recordings, sir?” there was a slight smile in Zoe’s voice. But it wasn’t the sort of smile that people liked to hear. It was the smile that people had because they knew there was nothing left to do in life, except for smile. “Yes I do, and I also mean the Alliance cruiser flying at us with guns that are looking as though they have a mighty powerful urge to blow us into dust.” Mal paused. “Who else feels like going to the shuttle?” “Now way the shuttle can get us anywhere other then black space, sir.” Wash’s voice joined in. “It would just lead us to death the same way as these guys.” “Cap’in, if we connect the main ignition booster to this ship and then hook the primary central fuel line into…” “Kaylee! Give me the short version!” Mal was impatient. “Sir, we might be able to get this ship started, give me and Wash a few weeks.” Kaylee sounded unsure. “Kaylee, the Alliance will be on us in under an hour. If they scan the ship, then they will come aboard, most likely kill us for being horrid criminals. If they don’t they will most likely kill us for being on a broken ship. You have thirty minutes to get us power.” * “Sir, we have found another ship that was reported as missing. It seems to have gone down.” The ensign looked over to the Captain who was in charge of the cruiser. “Do we have orders?” The captain came over. “Standard orders are destroy all ships that are infected.” “Yes sir, but there are heat signatures on the ship that could indicate people…” “And they probably have either gone mad or are only clinging to life. Destroy it.” “But Sir…” * Mal looked around the cockpit. “How are we doing Wash?” “Well, with another few days we could get life support running…” “And in another few moments we’ll be floating piles of dust!” * The Captain looked down at his crewmember. “How dare you question my authority…” “Sir, I don’t think we can legally destroy those people…” “I don’t give a damn what you think, Ensign,” the Captain looked down at the Ensign. “You are a low ranking member on this ship, do you understand that?” “What I understand, SIR, is that the Alliance is supposed to be here to help bring civilisation to humanity, NOT to destroy them!” The captain sighed, and turned around. He walked forwards two steps. ”Sir, what I mean is…” The words were stopped there. The captain span around and fired twice into the young crewmember’s chest. ”Nobody, and I repeat, NOBODY argues with me. Am I clear?” Another shot was fired. The first mate stood there, gun in hand, as the captain collapsed. “You’re crazy.” He simply put the gun away. “The war is over, we don’t need to survive at all costs any more.” The captain lay there on the ground, and with his last few words muttered: “The war…is back…” * “Kaylee, we’re all ready on this end!” Wash hit some buttons on the keypad. Kaylee’s voice came back. “Alright, hold onto your knickers!” There was a noise, the lights flashed, and then failed. “DAMNIT!” Mal bellowed, and kicked the flight console. The lights whirred back on. “Yes!” Wash got up excitedly. “How did you do that?” Mal asked. “The problem wasn’t in the parts on the ship, it was because part of the circuit had burned out. We replace that part by linking the two edges of the burnt out circuit and voila! We have the magic!” Wash grinned. “Now all we need is a couple of dinosaurs…” “So how did the circuit burn out?” “I dunno.” “How is that transferring between ships?” “I dunno.” “Do we know anything?” “We know we can move.” “Good enough.” * The new captain looked at the Naneman. “Fire at will.”