Frederika Erneston was special. Everyone called her Freddie, and her Dad was a big power in the Blue Sun. At the start of this story, Freddie is four years old... Her blonde hair and blue eyes gave her this indefinable quality that her Dad had exploited since her birth. But, at the tender age of four, she had already exceeded expectations for her Dad. So, when she asked for the unthinkable, he didn’t know what to say. ‘Daddy, I want to go outside.’ He looked down at her, his heart breaking, but at the same time, this proved one of his firm beliefs. What he was doing was wrong. ‘Sorry sweetheart, you need to stay in here, there is too much fighting outside.’ He lied. ‘But Daddy, I don’t want to stay hidden. Why do I have to hide?’ ‘I’m so sorry sweetheart, but you have to trust me, you are safer here.’ He bent over, and kissed her forehead gently, before turning and leaving the room, and locking the door behind him. Freddie looked around the room again, it was filled with all the toys she could ever ask for, but none of the luxuries she wanted. She had been locked in this dungeon for months, and she was beginning to think she would never leave. *************************************************************************** Every time Andrew Erneston locked his daughter away, he felt as though he had died that little bit more. He knew what he was doing, he knew what he had to do. He didn’t have a choice. His team was responsible for finding these children, and Freddie was no different. But, to bury your own daughter, so soon after finding out how special she was, killed him. She had been trained to fight, trained to think, and all in the name of the all mighty Alliance. All the while, he was beginning to doubt all of his faith, his methods. *************************************************************************** The team had more success, the news of a gifted young girl, who could dance as gracefully as the ballet dancers of Earth-That-Was, solve equations more advanced than her years in seconds, and could read a situation so simply. She was the daughter of a wealthy family, the Tams were highly respected, and the eldest child was almost as gifted as the youngest, but not the sort of child they were looking for. Dr Andrew Erneston was charged with recruiting this young girl, which he found was easier than he had expected. She was so excited by the Academy, and she was thrilled to be offered the chance to exceed everyone’s expectations, she jumped on board. With such a promising student, he knew the work would begin the day she started, and he still recruited her. *************************************************************************** Everyone makes a choice. His choices defined who he is, who he was, and how he died. Two days before he died, he levelled the truth to those he cared about. He sat down, and told his only child the horrific truth of her imprisonment. ‘Why did you do it?’ She asked again, in disbelief. ‘I tested you, like I tested all the children we admitted to the academy. When I saw the result, I knew I had no choice.’ He explained, slowly. ‘So, you threw me into this dungeon?’ ‘Not before I ensured I could cover my tracks.’ He said, slowly. ‘You killed me? You faked my death, put my Mother through hell in believing I was dead, and then tortured me with daily training. You isolated me from everything!’ She replied, full of emotion, but staying calmer than he was expecting. ‘I protected you. I tried to show you everything I could, I wanted to let you walk under the sun again, let you go to school. Everything you should have been able to do. But I could not risk it.’ ‘I understand. What about this other girl, the one that released this broadcast?’ She asked, now curious about the child she could have become, if he hadn’t done what he had done. ‘I recruited her to the academy. I had to appear to keep working for them, or they might have found you. River Tam is a psychic, like you, and she trusted me. She trusted me for the entire time she was in the academy. I never let anyone torture her while I worked with her. And, I think she knew about you. When they realised I wasn’t training her the way they wanted, they stopped me working with her. I was trying to teach her about the Browncoats, teach her how wrong the Alliance was. I had been helping her smuggle letters out to her brother, Dr Simon Tam. He started to look for people to help him get River out. I made sure the information he needed found him. I met him, on your grave. I gave him every piece of information he would need to help get his sister out. It is going to cost me my life.’ He was honest, and blunt. He always had been with Freddie. Freddie nodded. ‘And this companion? Inara?’ ‘I contacted her, I asked her to get you away. She said she would be here in a few hours. You will need a cover story.’ ‘I can manage that. What about you?’ Her concern for her Father was somewhat hidden, but it was there. ‘I can die happy, knowing they will never find you. Take your weapons. Go with Ms Serra, she will help you.’ ************************************************************************* Dr Erneston was sitting with his glass of brandy, when there was a knock at the door. He hadn’t managed to stand up when the Operative walked in. ‘You have sinned’ He said, coolly. ‘I have, make it quick.’ Said Andrew. ‘I won’t, come with me, I’ll help you hide.’ Said the Operative, and they both left together. As they took off, and watched from atmo, the house they had just left exploded.