Read: Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6

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Shepherd Book looked down to the gun at his feet. Despite his vows, there was more than his own life at stake here. He knelt slowly and reached for the weapon, never taking his eyes off the advancing Reavers. As his hand closed over the grip, the Reavers charged, and instinct took over.

Still kneeling, Book squeezed the trigger, dropping the closest Reaver.

“Five” whispered River.

The cylinder had scarcely rotated to the next chamber as Book fired again.

“Four”

Another chambered round. Another shot rang out.

“Three”

Book was on his feet now, moving sideways to draw the remaining Reavers away from Inara’s shuttle. He fired again.

“Two”

A Reaver leaped at Book from behind. He spun and the muzzle flashed once more.

“One”

Book suddenly realized he was down to his final round. And two Reavers remained. The larger approached him warily while the other paused, his head darting back and forth between Book and Inara’s shuttle. Its decision finally made, the smaller Reaver abruptly sprang toward the shuttle, moving inhumanly fast. Book did not hesitate. His final shot took out the smaller Reaver in mid-stride, but the larger was on him before he had even released the trigger. Its enormous mass bore the shepherd to the ground, where Book fought desperately to fend off his attacker. The Reaver’s teeth had been filed into vicious points and jagged metal hooks hung from its tattooed face. Book was being crushed under its massive weight. He struggled to breathe. He had only moments left.

As Book strained to reach the barrel of his dropped revolver, the Reaver suddenly straightened, then toppled forward to the ground. A knife protruded from the creature’s back. Book looked past it to the shuttle. Inara stood at the airlock. The companion gracefully tucked a second knife back into her sleeve as she walked over to help Book up. His arm draped over Inara’s shoulder, the injured shepherd limped back to the shuttle.

“I wasn’t aware the guild trained its members in the fine art of knife-throwing…”

Inara smiled, beautiful despite her reddened eyes and tear-streaked face.

“I think you’ll find companions who can handle a blade to be somewhat more common than sharp-shooting preachers.”

As they passed into the shuttle, River cocked her head at them and smiled. The innocent smile of a carefree child.

Despite the heat, Book shivered.

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Continue to Part 8