Disclaimer: As it ever was and always will be, this little universe belongs to Mr. Whedon, and whoever else is on the contract. I'm just visiting and having heaps o' fun.

My apologies for the time it has taken me to get this up here. I do hope y'all are enjoying the story. The next part should be the last. Ah-ha, but the last for who?

Harmony was, indeed, very much like Fairfield and hundreds of other planets and moons. So many of them had been terra-formed to be dull, unprosperous little worlds. In most cases, it would take many generations for them to be any kind of pleasant. No threat to the alliance. A little after midday, Serenity approached to land in the nearest clearing to the small town. It was on a low hill some distance north of the cluster of buildings.

Mal stood on the bridge behind Wash as the ship turned toward the landing area on a low hill. Zoe, standing next to him, leaned forward to see a small group of men waiting on the edge of the landing area. “Looks like we have a reception committee, Sir.”

“Yep. I just hope Miss Adel and her kids are ready to go.”

“Is there a problem, Sir? We’re not in any hurry, are we?”

“No, no problem. Anxious to be gone is all. Wash, keep an eye out for other ships.”

Wash looked askance. “Expectin’ someone?”

“No, just don’t want to be caught with our pants down.” He picked up a couple of earbud transceivers, and handed one to Zoe before starting down the stairs between the pilots’ seats. He stopped halfway. “Anything happens, let me know.”

“Sir?” Zoe raised her eyebrows.

“Anything.” He disappeared as the pilot and first mate exchanged puzzled expressions.

Wash looked up in supplication. “Wu de ma.”

Down in the passenger quarters, Simon stood at his sister’s door. “River, honey, it’s okay to come out. It’s a very nice day. We can go for a walk in the sun.”

“No. Can’t stay. Need to leave.” Her voice came high and quavering through the door. She was clearly frightened.

“We won’t go far. Just outside.”

“No.” She was firm.

Mal came into the corridor. “Doctor. She in there?”

Simon nodded. “River, you can ask the Captain yourself. It’ll be okay.”

“River, sweetheart?” Mal’s tone was warm. “Come open the door.”

The door slid open, but River quickly retreated to sit on the bed. The Captain ducked inside. Simon was left in the corridor, trying to understand what he was seeing. Without turning, Mal beckoned Simon into the room.

“Come in.” The Doctor obeyed, standing just inside the door. Mal knelt in front of the girl. She frowned and tried to back away, but he caught her hand and held it. “River, it’ll be okay. Trust me.”

She shook her head. “Need to leave.”

“We will soon. I want you to do me a favor, sweetheart. Can you do that for me, please?”

She nodded hesitantly, her eyes not leaving his.

“I need you to focus. Okay?” He waited until she nodded again. “If you feel something is going to happen, tell me or Simon. Can you do that for me?”

She still looked unsure, but nodded.

The corner of his mouth quirked up a little. “Promise?”

When she didn’t answer, he gently pressed her hand.

She sighed. “Promise.”

He smiled and kissed her on the forehead as he stood up. “Good girl.”

He turned to Simon, whose expression was a duplicate of the one he had the previous night. “Doctor, your mouth is open again.” The mouth closed with a snap.

“I want you to stick with your sister. If she says anything is headed this way, tell me, Zoe or Wash, ma shong.” Mal pushed a transceiver into his hand and waited, but the Doctor just stood there, looking from River to the Captain to his hand and back again. “Dong ma?”

Simon blinked at Mal. “Yes, yes. I understand.”

“Good. I aim to make this stop brief as possible, but nothin’ on this boat ever seems to go smooth.” He left the room, fitting a one of the small transceivers to his ear.

River bolted to the door, shouting at his retreating back. “Run!”

Mal’s voice came from around the corner. “Promise.”

Jayne and Book waited in the cargo bay. When Mal appeared and nodded, Jayne hit the button to drop the ramp and open the doors, revealing a late fall chill. As they waited, Mal stowed his sidearm near the door. Zoe joined them as they walked out into the weak afternoon sun. Without even a glance, Mal said to them, “Everyone sticks close. No wanderin’ off.”

Four men came into view from the side. They were bundled against the cold air. A smiling, average-sized man stepped ahead of the rest, hand offered in greeting. He appeared to be in his forties, but it was hard to say. Life on these worlds could age a man, or woman, long past their years.

“Cap’n Reynolds? I’m Carl Browning, Adel’s husband. Very good to meet ya.”

Mal took the work-roughened hand and smiled. “Call me Mal, Mr. Browning. Marcus and Katie send their regards.”

“Name’s Carl, son. Appreciate yer doing this little job fer us. My Addie and her sister ain’t seen each other since Katie ‘n Marcus got hitched. Ain’t never seen each other’s kids. This’ll be a right treat fer ’m both.” He turned to introduce the men with him. “This here’s my brother, Tom, and my cousins, Frank and Jeb.”

“Our pleasure, Carl. Katie and Marcus are good people.” Mal introduced Zoe, Book and Jayne, and then looked around. “Uh, where is Miss Adel?”

The older man chuckled. “I understand yer need to git goin’, but I hope yer not in too great a hurry, Mal. She ain’t never been in a spaceship afore. Don’t think she’s been more’n twenty miles from town, come to think of it. She’s sayin’ farewell to everyone five times over.”

“No problem. We can leave whenever she’s ready.”

“Well, let’s go fetch her. She’ll work herself up into a fine state if we wait too long. My Adel’s a fine woman, and I don’t wish them to be gone, but it’s right that her ’n the kids see their kin. Though, I must say the comin’ winter will be right lonely till they’re back on Harmony.” He guided Mal and the welcoming committee down a path toward the town.

At the cargo bay ramp, Book saw Zoe fit the transceiver over her ear. “I noticed the Captain had one of those, too. Are we expecting trouble?”

Jayne scoffed. “Trouble? Here? Ain’t nothing here to cause no trouble.” He started looking around. “Is there?”

Zoe’s smile did not reach her eyes. “No, not expecting any.”

Jayne adjusted his sidearm. “Well, I’m gonna take a look. Been cooped up in there too long anyways.” He buttoned up his coat and stepped off the ramp.

Once they were alone, Book frowned at Zoe. “Is there something going on here? Folk seem to be acting more than a little strange lately.”

Zoe studied him for a long moment, as if trying to decide whether he could be trusted or not. “Don’t rightly know, Shepherd. You are right, though, folk are acting mighty strange.” She turned and started back up the ramp. “I expect it’s just a passing thing. Like the Cap’n said, though, stay.”

He watched her disappear into the shadows. “Yeah.”

Mal, Carl and the other men emerged from the lightly wooded hillside to a huddle of unpainted buildings. Six chattering teenagers approached, a few with bundles. Both groups stopped, Carl introducing his two children, Ethan and Jana, and the others. The boy was about sixteen and the girl a shade younger. There were also cousins and friends.

“Where’s yer Ma?” Carl smiled affectionately at his children.

The boy laughed. “She’s at home, with Mrs. Green and Aunt Bev, showin’ ‘em where everything is for the tenth time. Wants to make sure they look after you proper ‘n all.”

“Don’t be sassy. I take it kindly that she’s worried about me.” Carl scowled with a smile. “I expect you two to mind her, now. And, yer Aunt Katie and Uncle Marcus.” He lightly cuffed the boy’s shoulder.

“Aw, Pa, ‘course we will. You worry too much.” The youngsters laughed as they headed towards Serenity. At that point, the other men left Mal with Marcus, promising to meet later.

Later, Mal thought too much later, he was headed back up to the landing area with what seemed to be all of the thirty or so townsfolk in tow, including Miss Adel, who appeared to be a younger, smaller version of Katie. She walked beside her husband, clutching his arm. Carl kissed the top of her head and patted her hand. A couple of the women sniffled, telling her they would watch over him in her absence.

When they crested the hill, Mal saw Zoe, Book and Jayne, arguing. Kaylee stood by, looking in the direction the town. He left the crowd behind, saying their good-byes to the passengers. The argument stopped when Mal approached.

“Is there a problem here?” His voice was low.

Jayne looked at his feet. “You told her to stick close. It weren’t my responsibility to watch her.”

Zoe and Book glared at him.

“Who?” Mal looked at each of them in turn.

Before anyone could answer, Carl ran up. “Uh, Mal?”

Mal turned to him, smiling. “All ready to go?”

“There’s a small problem. My Jana ain’t here.” He looked off into distance. “Seems her boyfriend ‘n her have gone for a walk. And, we ain’t quite sure where they got to, but we’ll round her up quick. Ethan says they mighta gone back to town.”

At that moment, they heard a scream from deep in the ship. Simon stumbled down the ramp. He stopped breathlessly in front of the Captain.

“They’re coming! She says they’re coming!”

“Who’s coming?” Mal grabbed his arm.

“I don’t know. She said something about eating, and then started to scream. I have to go.” The Doctor pulled away and ran back up the ramp.

Mal touched the transceiver in his ear. “Wash, anything coming?”

Only the Captain and Zoe heard the response. “Ah, don’t see anything.”

Mal started to look around the landing area. “Keep checking.” Who’s missing?” It hit him. “Inara?”

After a moment, Book said, “She was talking to a young girl and boy. They were here no more than a few minutes ago. I was gone only long enough to go to my room for a coat.”

Mal held his hand up and touched his ear. Zoe’s eyes widened in alarm.

“Mal, there is something coming.”

He turned his back to the crowd. “What is it?”

“Hard to say, they’re at extreme range. Wait a second.”

“Wash! Is it Reavers?”

“Can’t tell yet. Wait. Wuh de tyen. Could be the ship that chased us a few months back. Same kind of energy signature. And, they’re headed this way.”

“Get her started.” The Captain turned to look at the crowd closing around him. “How far out?”

“No more ‘n twenty minutes, which means we gotta be gone five minutes ago.”

“Kaylee! Gotta go, ma shong.” She turned and ran up the ramp as they heard the engines start up.

Mal then spoke quietly to Carl. “We got Reavers headed this way. Get your people on the ship.”

The older man nodded, and turned to the crowd, who had heard some of what was said and were becoming increasingly restless. “Folk, we got big trouble headed this way. Reavers. There’s no chance fer us if they land here, and it seems that’s their intention. Captain Reynolds asks we get on board his ship.”

A couple of them said, “What about our homes?”

Mal raised his voice, “Look, if you leave, the town will be destroyed. If you stay and fight, you’ll die and the town will be destroyed. Result’s the same, except you’ll be dead, and you’ll die bad. We leave in five minutes.”

When they didn’t move, he shouted. “Now!” He turned to his crew. “Get ‘em onboard, and get the ship ready to go.”

Adel rushed to her husband, Ethan firmly held by the hand. “Jana. Zachary, we can’t leave our baby.”

“I’ll find her, pet, don’t worry.”

“We won’t leave her, Miss Adel. I got a missing person, myself. They can’t have gone too far. You go with the Preacher here. We’ll be back in a few minutes.” Mal pulled the frightened woman from her husband and handed her to Book, who put his arm around her and guided her to Serenity. She was quickly surrounded by several women who coaxed her and her son to the ramp.

Mal pulled Carl to the side, the latter watching his wife with worried eyes. “Where are they?”

Book and Jayne began to usher everyone on board. Zoe approached with his weapon. “Sir?”

“Thanks. Zoe, get everyone on board, including yourself. Close the doors so they can’t get out and go for some precious do-dad. Just leave the ramp down for us. We’ll be back in a few minutes.” When she hesitated, he glared at her. “Go.”

An elderly man stepped up. “Captain, name’s Donal.” Mal nodded. “Carl, the Restons didn’t come up the hill. Said they needed to get their young’un to bed.”

Book walked up to the three men, a couple of weapons in hand. He passed them over. “Mal, I’d like to help.”

“No, Preacher. Make sure everyone stays on the boat. Zoe’s gonna need you to keep everyone in line. You too, Donal. Thank you.” Mal clapped Book on the shoulder, who headed back to Serenity with the old man.

The Preacher stopped, turned and said, “God’s speed.” He returned to herding people up the ramp.

Mal and Carl ran down the slope toward the town. As they broke into the clearing at the edge of the buildings, they saw three figures leaving a house at the far end of the short street. Mal slowed to a walk, while Marcus ran to them.

“Wash, how long?” His breathe fogging the air.

“Less than fifteen minutes, Mal. Where y’all at?” The voice was tinny with fear.

“Too far. Go.”

“Sir?” Zoe’s voice was strained.

“Take off, get out of here now.” He was walking towards the others, who were knocking on the door of another house. A man came to the door, listened for a moment and then disappeared back into the house.

“Sir, we’ll come down and pick you up.”

“No place to land and too many to haul up on a line. Get out of here. That’s an order.”

As he approached, Mal watched Carl send Inara and the two teenagers into another house. Carl beckoned Mal to follow him back to his own house. They went in and quickly gathered provisions.

“Had a feelin’. They’re all goin’ for warm clothes and food. There’s a place we can hide, son. Kids found it years ago. You could walk by it and not even know it was there. We best leave now, though, to be far enough away when they get here.”

“Zoe, you hear that?”

“Yes, Sir, but…”

“No buts, Zoe. Get those folks to Marcus. Be careful. Reavers ain’t gonna be too happy findin’ no one home.”

This time, her voice was flat. “Yes, Sir.”

“Just make sure you keep my boat in one piece.” Mal pulled the transceiver from his ear and shoved it into a pocket. As he followed Carl, he mumbled under his breath. “Never goes smooth.”

They all heard Serenity rise, gain altitude and fade over the hills.

Zoe’s fingers dug into her husband’s shoulder as the ship left atmo. Wash grimaced, but said nothing. He knew the chances of finding them alive in the morning, much less the five days it would take to make the round trip to Fairfield, were slim to none. He gripped the yoke harder and waited for his wife to let go. It didn’t take too long. The Doctor charged onto the bridge, transceiver in his hand.

“For the love of God, what are you doing?”

“Leaving.” Zoe released Wash’s shoulder and turned, her face a mask.

Kaylee’s voice came over the intercom from the engine room. “What are you doing? We can’t leave them!”

“You can’t just leave them. They’ll be killed. You said yourself…” Simon shouted at the same time.

Zoe wanted to scream, but kept her voice steady. “Kaylee, we have to. Doctor, I know what I said. We have to leave.” She took the transceiver from his and held it up. “You heard the Captain? There is not enough time. Everyone on this ship will die if we wait any longer.”

He was deflated, knowing what she said was true. “But, we can’t just leave them.”

“Browning said they have a place to hide. Captain’s smart. They’ll be okay.”

“But, Reavers.”

“I know. Remember, Mal’s been through years of war and some of the worst fightin’ anyone’s seen. They’ll make it. They have to.” She felt behind her for Wash’s shoulder and found it. His hand came up and squeezed hers. She turned to stare out into a blue sky rapidly blackening into space.

As Simon left the bridge, Zoe took a deep breath. “Can we draw them a way for a bit? Just to give them a few more minutes to get away.”

Wash glanced back at his wife. “May not need to try. They saw us the moment we lifted off. If they decide to come for us, we may not have the head start or the speed to outrun them. We were lucky last time, sweetie. Better tell our guests to hang onto something. Kaylee, we made need some of your magic. Okay?”

She had tears in her voice when she answered. “Yeah. Tell me when.”

Zoe hit the ship-wide intercom button.

In the hold, Book and Jayne were settling down the townsfolk. They were orderly enough, but clearly frightened and bewildered. The Preacher divvied them into family groups and assigned them “quarters”. Some were to remain in the hold, some in the dining area and some in the lower common space. He decided to leave the second shuttle free, just in case it was needed.

Everyone stopped when Zoe’s voice came over the intercom. “Listen up, everyone. We hafta do a little creative maneuvering to get away. Hold onto something and stay calm. This’ll take a few minutes. Jayne, go help Kaylee.”

“Gorram Reavers! I’m beginnin’ to think they’re followin’ us.” Jayne muttered as he passed Book on the way to the engine room.

Simon heard the announcement as he reached River’s room. He quietly entered, closing the door behind him. She was curled up on the bed, staring, unseeing, into some distant, inner place. He sat next to her and stroked her hair.

When River spoke, her voice was barely audible. “Daddy.”

A few minutes later, Wash looked over at his wife to see her watching him. He shook his head slightly.

“They diverted for a minute and made like they were going to chase us, but…”

“Not taking the bait?” She closed her eyes for a long moment.

“No. Want to try again?”

She shook her head. “Sooner we get these folk to Marcus, the sooner we get back.”

“Won’t the Reavers just trash the town and leave? They’ll have to figure we got everyone off world.”

“Maybe they will, but just because they’re crazy don’t mean they’re dumb. Probably just think we’ll leave the system for a bit, then come back. So, they’ll probably do the same, after they’re sure no one is left in town. Like Mal said, they’re not gonna be too happy findin’ the larder empty.” She thought for a moment. “What kind of time are we looking at for the round trip?”

“Five days, minimum.”

“Five days?” Zoe got up to look over his shoulder at the gauges.

“We’ll burn too much fuel if we go faster. There’re no fueling stations between Fairfield and Harmony. And, the nearest is two days in a different direction from here. So, we gotta go the round trip and then another two days.” He took her hand. “I’m sorry.”

She kissed him, and then headed down the stairs. “Not your fault. I better go see how our passengers are doing. I’ll be back soon.”