Introduction:

Welcome to Big Damn Heroes: As it should have been. My first fanfic, Big Damn Heroes, has been deleted and discontinued due to a horrific lack of proper planning and writing sense on my part. In the months since the discontinuation of my original story I have attempted to improve my writing style. I have also been able to see all of the Firefly episodes, and thus, I believe I now have a better understanding of the characters I'm dealing with.

The original idea of the story is the same, as are some of the scenes and plot twists, but most (if not all) of the writing will be new. I hope you enjoy it, and please do continue to give me constructive criticism.

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Prologue

Jayne was the last one to reach the lounge, and it was obvious that he wasn't happy about being there. His complaints could be heard, though not understood, just above his breath.

"Thank you for fitting us into your schedule, Jayne." Mal scoffed, and then continued. "Alright everyone, we're gonna be landing on Beaumonde within in the hour. Jayne, Zoe, and I are going to look for a job. Kaylee, you can take Simon shopping for parts and food. Inara, you can do whatever you like, long as you're back on the boat by sunset. And River, get on the Cortex. Send word out that we're hiring."

The room had been relatively relaxed up until that point. Now the tension could have been cut with a knife.

Jayne, who had hardly been paying attention straightened up, "Say what?"

Zoe stared hard at the captain, "Sir, I believe that, for once, Jayne speaks for us all."

Mal cleared his throat. "We're short handed. You're all doin' a fine job right now, but we're gonna need at least one more man 'round here when things get rough again."

"You think they will?" asked Kaylee, "Get rough again, I mean."

Simon put her arm around her.

Zoe snorted, "That's pretty much guaranteed. Only question is, how rough?"

Simon spoke his peace, "Well, I can see things being at least somewhat calmer for now, since the warrants for all of us were rescinded some weeks ago. We may just go back to regular thieving."

Mal smiled, "Well, we can all hope. But even if we're just thieving, we need another hand on deck."

"Will she be able to fly?" River asked softly.

Mal walked over in front of her, then dropped down on one knee. "Albatross, long as I'm doin' captainy things on this boat, you're flyin'."

Inara put her hand on River's shoulder. "I don't think there's a better pilot in the 'verse."

"But," Inara turned to Mal, "what kind of person are we looking for?"

"A gunhand, I guess." Mal replied, while Jayne twitched visibly, and then he continued, "I mean, we have all the other posts covered: captain, first mate, pilot, mechanic, medic, respectability..."

Inara smiled and started to respond, but Jayne interrupted, "And you already got yerself a gunhand."

Mal stood up, "Jayne, no body's arguing the fact that you're a fine gunhand, but we can always use a spare. Now go on, we've all got work to do."

With that, Serenity's crew quietly dispersed.

********

Stacy and Kally both sat in front of a large cortex screen. On the screen were the images of the thirty-five other members of Fallen Sun, a guild comprised entirely of high-risk tradesmen.

The Moderator hit the buzzer that signaled the end of one topic, and the beginning of the next. "Mr. Wing," he said in a monotone voice, "I believe it's your turn now."

Atherton Wing's image became prominent, and he began to speak. "As you all know, Malcolm Reynolds and his crew were the instigators of the Miranda incident three months back. Such behaviour has made a bad name for some of the other freelance shippers in the system, which causes other problems for us. For example, high-risk trading vessels are more prone to be searched. In short, Malcolm Reynolds, and his crew, are bad for business."

Various murmurs of assent and disagreement were heard, but the Moderator kept order, "What do you propose we do, Mr. Wing?"

Atherton cleared his throat. "Well obviously, the damage has been done, and cannot be reversed. I think it would be beneficial to us all though, if we prevented such a thing from happening again."

"I'll do it," said a man wearing a small hat, "Reynold's is an... associate of mine. But I'd be appreciative if I could make some coin while doin' it, you understand. Just send him to me on a job, if any of you hear from him."

There was silence, or relative silence, as Stacy and Kally conferred for a moment. Then Stacy spoke up, "Do you really think this is necessary?"

"I do." Atherton affirmed.

The Moderator asked, "Are we all agreed then?" and listened to the confirmations.

"Very well then." He continued as he hit the buzzer again.