Captain Vigril East stood at his helm.

He was a decently tall man, fit of shape, sharp brown eyes, dark skin and close black hair as well as a goatee. Clothed in polished knee high boots that had titanium metal plating on the front to protect the length of the shin, snug dark slacks held up by a large oval belt buckle that shone, a crisp white shirt under a silk maroon waist coat with thin dark pin striping, side arm and finally his coat. His buccaneer coat, double breasted with the large cuffs and buttons that were as shiny as his belt buckle, like newly minted nickles. The coat itself was a dark brown, nay black, the double breasting and cuffs tawny in color. He was the captain, and he looked every bit the part in his expensive clothing. At the moment his crew was asleep, as they were all still running on Eastern Mountain Perspehone time.

Well most of them were.

His pilot and co-pilot, both with their coveralls rolled down to their hips with their t-shirts exposed, were up. They had to be, as navigating through an ion cloud was tricky as it mucked up navigation. The two women, the pilot of mid-size stature and Aquila orient decent, the co-pilot the tall frame, dark brown hair and light eyes of a southern Paquinite, looked ready to back to return to their respected bunks and lovers. They were both slender yet well muscled in the way women of combat are, fighting the weariness of what was a job in the middle of the night.

“Good job.” He rested his hand on the shoulder of the seated co-pilot. “Go tuck in for a few hours, ain’t morn’ yet and we still have some time before reaching home.”

“Aye captain.” The pilot stretched and rose to her feet.

“Don’t have to tell me twice, just make sure Sterling’s got the coffee hot.” The taller scratched her scalp as she padded off. Pushing down on her bunk door, the muffled sounds of her beloved could be heard.

“Are we square?” As he stood there, terse in the face, a woman came up to him. She in green army pants with black combat boots, a ribbed tank top that was brown and a black combat vest that was bulky and unzipped. There was a drop holster strapped to both thighs, along with a combat knife and spare magazine cases on her military issue belt. Brunette hair short as she took a deep breath, sharing his peeved behavior as her fit frame stood at ease.

“You mean besides being filched?” He shifted his shoulders, like an eagle ruffling its feathers in agitation. “I got no payment, Vieve, damn near touching down on my rock and I find out I got paid in counterfeit.”

“Gotta give them credit, was pretty damn good counterfeit.”

Captain East smirked the way a predator smirks when thinking of new prey and left his helm, the Rising Sun flying itself as he meandered into the galley. It was a moss green, a coretex screen in a wall for the added luxury of watching news and entertainment feeds, the small common area niched into the corner featuring a hammock with a young man sleeping in it. A foot hanging out of said hammock whilst shallow breathing commenced. “All the more reason to cut that hun-dan’s throa…..”

Without warning, the ship pitched with a bellowing moan of metal hitting metal, throwing anything not bolted down to the floor. East hit the counter, Genvieve Wilhelm collided with the table, and the lanky teen boy fell out of his hammock.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From space, anyone could see that the less pristine Firefly had rammed it’s cargo door against the other’s.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kaylee gave her captain the signal as she had hotwired Serenity to forcibly unlock the Rising Sun’s airlock and hatch.

“Good work, now go lock yourself in the engine room.” He gestured her to hurry off, as he had his mechanic and family locked away at the engine and helm, just in case anything went amiss. Behind him, Jayne stood strapped to the nines with Vera as his choice weapon, Simon had a rifle, spare handgun and holster (decked in his brown coat and usual ranch clothing, surprising but no less a welcome sight to Mal as he actually looked the part), and River had three guns (and her brown coat), and her sword which she appeared more readily to use. Taking a deep breath, he opened their airtlock hatch, then kicked on the other Firefly’s hatch. It burst open, and they charged in.

Jayne fired a few shots up in the air as the rest fanned out, denting the thick hide of the ship. From the bowels of the Rising Sun, weapons could be heard. Pins clicking, readying for fire.

Then there was silence.

The four stood there, eyes roving in anticipation for a brawl, a bloodbath, something as they were instilling a heist.

Jayne, after a minute of uncomfortable silence, gulped. “Why ain’t they comin’ out?”

River furrowed her brows, as if she had no information on what was happening.

"River." Mal breathed out. "You gotta little somethin' to share with the rest of us?"

"Um... no?"

He gave her a sideways look, face pursed and puzzled. "Whadaya mean no?"

"Can't hear anything." She announced, startled herself.

"Shen-me?"

"There is no cerebral activity for me to glean."

“That.. sounds… not so good.” Simon gripped the tang of his pistol in his holster while also gripping his rifle with the other hand.

"Agreed." Mal heard footsteps and tightened his muscles.

“Mal.” There was the commanding voice of a man from the lower level common area. It was none other than East himself, walking confidently towards the party bent on robbing him. By his side was his first mate, and though her eyes fell on Mal and turned worrisome, they quickly switched to a hard military glare. Neither pulled their guns, they walked confidently, as if reuniting with old kin. "Look at you, you old grunt barker. Whatcha doin'?"

"Bein' a scallywag... you know... what comes natural." his eyes fixated on the two, not showing any signs of drawing their weapons.

"Look at these weapons, rifles, swords, automatics, and one cowboy lookin' fool who don't know what the hell he's doing." He gestured with a nod of his head to Simon. "Son, I'd suggest you focus on one weapon, the rifle or the pistol. Can't use 'um both.”

Simon moved his hands completely to the rifle, trying hard not to be conspicuous.

“There it is, good job, now just glare all threatening like and you’ve got yourself a good look there. It’s sad your captain, army man he is, hasn’t taught ya the basics.” He feigned scorn to Mal, shaking his head and tsking in disappointment.

Mal’s eyelid twitched.

“Better yet, if you wanna do yourself a favor you can drop your weapons and come over here, all a ya.” He enticed with the smoothness of a salesman. “See if you drop weapon and join me, I'd promise a job a sight better than the one this detriment to the criminal way has employed you for. We actually get paid, this outfit has such a reputation that it doesn't find much opposition, plus, we’ll make sure you’re tip-top fierce some shape. How to hold that gun and everythang."

Jayne didn't even flinch, Like the others, it was for Zoe.

Genevieve and Mal’s eyes snared one another, the look was awkward before she peeled away first.

"It's either that or you're all about to get holy, and not in the godly way." He noticed none were wavering. Usually someone always wavered. Virgil gave them kudos for steadfastness as he carelessly rolled his shoulders and slanted his eyes as a unhumored sigh went to Mal. "Now why would you try something this hair brained?"

The other captain cast his automatic rifle to the side and smiled. Wetting his lips, he heard the others weapons lower. "Thought it would be fun, you know..." He noticed Virgil's hand twitch, and continued to smirk and talk. "Have a little reunion, raid and sack this ship, make a grand catspaw out of the system's greatest pirate. Just some good, wholesome fun."

"Sounds like a riot."

Suddenly they both whipped their pistols and trained them on one another.

Mal's crew retrained their weapons.

Genevieve pulled two military issue forty calibers and trained one on Jayne and the other on River. Simon looked so out of place he was hardly a threat.

Jayne trained Vera on Genevieve.

River did the same, yet she looked unsure. Not being able to read took her confidence as she gripped the gun tight, sliding her katana into the frog at her hips.

And six crew members emerged from the upper level, standing on the catwalk pointing their weapons. One weapon including a cannon that appeared to attached to a man's arm.

"What are you up to, Mal?" Virgil asked calmly.

"It appears I’m pointing a gun at you." turning, he addressed the second in command. "Genevieve."

"Malcolm." The woman growled through clenched teeth.

"You haven't changed one bit, darlin."

"I return the compliment." Genevieve Wilhelm dryly replied. "Though I don't remember you stooping so low as to coming after other brigands."

"I mix it up to keep it interesting."

"I don't remember you being stupid enough to attack a crew like this either."

Jayne and Simon's eyes moved from the captain to the woman continuously. The doctor's mouth dropping open slightly at all of the jabber.

Mal scowled at the comment. Frosty blue eyes narrowing. "You and the finest captain that ever sailed still bunkin? True love, all that marshmallow fluff?"

"Did you finally lose that loose wing nut?" Virgil asked. "Because it sounds like you came all the way ta my patch of sky to pull a gun on me and ask about something I figgured you woulda gotten over a long time ago."

"Mal, one of 'um's gotta cannon for an arm." Jayne whispered, not knowing where to aim.

"Sterling''s a cyborg." East explained cooly. "He's a walking swiss army knife that can kill you ten ways to Sunday."

"This is some fine plan Mal." The merc snarked, clearly not amused. "You come in all half assed and hurlin' accusations, now we're gonna get the gorram firin' squad."

"Shut up." Malcolm hissed over his shoulder.

“River?” Simon whispered, his heart pounding in his throat.

“There’s a brick wall. Sound proof, not even an echo.” Her voice was low and with a near whimper. This wasn’t something she had ever encountered, and the feeling of helplessness was slowly creeping in. “Doesn’t logically compute.”

"Mal?" The questioning tones came from three of the opposing crew members. The pilot and co-pilot, both in military issue flight suits with service weapons, hair in ponytails, and a man middle eastern decent. His long, curly black hair was pulled back, facial hair well trimmed. Cargo pants, a grey t-shirt, boots and an old service weapon pulled and ready. His voice came in in a different cadence, the tone of the earth that was british roots, which meant he came from Northeast Londinium.

"Jovie, Wren, Pike, nice to see you all so... fit and nicely employed." Serenity's captain nodded his head to acknowledge them. "Pike, Wren, you two still together?"

"Married. Question, are we going to kill Malcolm?" Pike asked dubiously.

"I don't think you should kill Malcolm." Reynolds himself commented, though his gun was muzzling Virgil's chest.

"Hew's Malcolm?" A deep voice with a heavy accent came from the cyborg Sterling. He was a beast of a man, tall, built solid with a bull's neck as well as a great round belly and thick legs. His chest didn't sag with fat, but was strong from lifting, as was his barrel thick arm and giant hand. His other arm was equally thick, with a metallic meld of gears, gyros and hydrolics under a partially wrap around metal panel that kept the outer elbow to the outer wrist covered as the cannon hummed and glowed blue. On his face, above his muzzled jaw yet below his black beanie that hid a crop of hair, was his equally cyborg eye on the same right side that whirled and clicked. He was in a white shirt, unbuttoned a touch to show the curls of hair on his chest, with brogues, stockings and knee breeches on his lower half.

"That's what I'd like to know." The thicker, more lower class Northeast Londinium accent announced from the catwalk, along with the quick rack of a shotgun, Mal's crew looking up to see the young woman. Her hair was short, brown yet dyed to various shades of blonde, long bangs sideways and brushing her eyebrow. Eyes surrounded by dark eyeliner, the caligraphy tattoo of 'lucky' on her neck. It wasn't the only tattoo. The faded grey coveralls that covered her long, lean body had the sleeves ripped off, showing the elaborate koi fish design that went from her right shoulder to her right wrist. As she had spoken the words, she had an enormous shotgun aimed at Mal. "Who's the new friends? And if we take ‘em under lock ‘n cuff, I wanna keep the big hairy one."

Jayne was startled, as was everyone else on Serenity’s crew.

“Big ‘ands, big feet,” She quirked, regardless she was a least ten years Cobb’s junior. Her gaze was smoky, hungry and telling. “Big…”

"Old friend, war buddy." Jovie cut her off, sounding a touch possessive and a pinch hurt.

"Ohhhh." The three, including the boy who had kept quiet, all responded.

“Don’t worry, I still luv ya. And I’d share ‘em with ya Jove. If we got bored he’d make a lovely man pet.”

"Ji-du wei ta-men you zu-yi ren zhe-li?" Jayne muttered as he wasn’t too keen on what he was hearing, he looked to River, who seemed overwhelmed and more and more helpless.

River did feel helpless. She couldn't hear anything, she couldn't know the first step before if came to pass. There was no advantage, no comprehension. Her eyes were dull and frightened.

“Relationship I take it?” Mal asked Jovie.

"What are you doing here Mal?!" Vieve quizzed seriously.

"Do you always call the enforcements?" He snapped back in a hushed voice.

"Enforcements are what separate the mighty from the weak. Thought you learned that in the war." Virgil told him as a woman, lean with muscle came into the cargo bay from behind them. Her brown hair was pulled back, eyes brown too as they slanted and she walked with great purpose. She was in loose shaolin monk trousers tucked into worn silk buskins tied to her calve. Her long sleeve shirt, was hidden under the leather brigandine that protected her chest and shoulders, the leather stamped with designs of orient flowers and dragons. Her cotton sleeves were also hidden by the pair of bracers as she held the nandao against Kaylee's neck.

The crew paled. Simon’s face grew dark and protective, though he could see there was nothing he could do. Jayne let out a deep, bearish growl. River was even more shaken that someone had slipped aboard without her knowing. Mal went through a mental list of every profanity he had ever known.

The woman whispered something in the mechanic’s ear, the soft sound like venom soaked lace.

Kaylee nodded her head, eyes glossy and very frightened. “Nara’s tied up on the helm, Meilin’s in the engine room.”

"Now," the impressive pirate holstered his gun and signaled Pike to muzzle the other captain. They had no way out, the rest of their crew was down, and the situation was void of all sudden and unpleasant scenarios. "since my hands are free and your attention is had, let's talk." Giving another signal, the warrior marched Kaylee over to stand behind Virgil and Genevieve. “Don’t worry about her, only way she gets hurt is if you are imprudent.”

"Don't feel too smug, Virg." Mal stowed his gun, raising his hands as he counted nine crew members total. Five he knew to be military trained and excellent soldiers, the others would be no doubt as nearly as competent. "River, Simon, Jayne. Stow it."

The men lowered their weapons.

River's eyes narrowed as panic from being disabled was overcome by anger.

"River..."

**** **** **** TRANSLATIONS/DEFINITIONS

hun-dan: bastard

shen-me?: What?

Ji-du wei ta-men you zu-yi ren zhe-li: Christ do they have enough people here?

nandao: Chinese broadsword

******

**As always, the writer appreciates all comments whether they be positive, negative, or suggestions.**