Dear Mother & Father,

Please do not respond nor seek out the geographical origins of this letter, searching will be fruitless and responses are not given. Regardless of such stringent restrictions I place upon this form of communication, I feel compelled, obligated to right to you.

You must not be angry at Simon and I for our warrants and the disturbance it caused in your social hierarchy. I apologize for any mar to the family name, however what Simon did was absolutely necessary and vital to my survival. He saved me, rescued me from Dante’s Inferno, the endless death of the soul. Forgive him for his sins against you.

Simon is doing well, he is happy, a boob, and in love. Simon still works as a doctor, and lives away from the core on a ranch. Simon likes his jobs, but loves a mechanic. He and his beloved are soul mates, it takes a unique and singular woman to put up with his lack of common sense and tendencies and I am glad he has found her. I assume he will purchase land, construct a house, exchange vows with her and eventually produce a handful of children (his thoughts, not mine).

As for I, I am no longer the River Tam you knew and love. The academy broke the model, made it fragmented, unsteady, a liability to the universe. Though through much care and love, I have been rebuilt into a new girl, not a better one, but a new version. River Tam 2.0, upgrade with a few bugs. The gift exploited by your government however, is strong and I train to curb and wield it. I hope I will become unconstrained, knowing what is trapped in my mind, and boundless in talent. I am happy by my current surroundings, and often think of you, Simon, and the family Simon and I were accepted into. You were my first parents, loved me dearly and were a good family unit to Simon and I.

I Must Go, River Tam

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

River slept with Fiyero.

It didn’t start out that way, however after an hour of lying in bed, he slid down onto the bottom bunk and kissed her. It didn’t go beyond that, as there were too many people, so they both settled in for the night, her new boyfriend shushing the fears. They were curled together, Boston at the top of the pillow like a furry halo.

’Shao Long.’

Her eyes snapped open, startled. The movement jarred Fiyero awake, as he hadn’t been included in the mental call.

“What’s wrong?” Fiyero whispered, freezing as there were footsteps and a lantern coming their way.

The Grand Master caught the couple.

They both stared, the buck and the doe caught in the headlights.

Boston growled and rolled over in his sleep. He was a grouch if he didn’t get a full night’s rest.

He wasn’t surprised. Come you two, dress and pack a bag. Quickly.’

What’s wrong? River flinched, startled she had just mentally spoken for the first time.

The Federal Army will be here in two hours, they are to do a surprise inspection and are in orbit. The Grand Master supplied as they both silently got out of bed and dressed. The others have a little while longer until they hear the announcement, but we must get you out of here Shao Long, you’re the only one they would know.’

“What about me?” Fiyero whispered, as he wasn’t ready to speak mentally. Pulling his shirt over his head, he pulled his hair back and set to put the rest on.

Boston yawned, groggily looking to River.

You can come with River, she will need company. He explained.

River tied her sash, then took her bag and rolled her blanket, stuffing it inside with everything else she grabbed. She reached for her katana.

’No, take this.’

Looking at his hand, she took the nandao with the dragon’s head hilt and the orange tassel. The dark eyes gazed up at her master.

’A practitioner should only wield a tool that matches her caliber.’ He explained. Turning, as Fiyero finished fastening his leg bidings, he handed them both their cloaks as the young man took up his staff and bag. We must make haste.

Grabbing Boston, they followed.

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

The hunt was about endurance.

The stag had seen the Salukis and taken flight. It had been nearly an hour of chasing, weaving, jumping, the dogs tireless, the horses tireless, the only strain put on the hunters patience. A few nobles gave up to return to the lodge and perhaps find another stag or something else sporting before retiring in for a game of majong and a glass of aged liquor.

Out of those that hadn’t given up on the sprinting stag, Mal and Inara were in the lead. She was quite the rider, few Core women rode without a sidesaddle, and few would gallop a horse to hunt. Dressage was a more acceptable sport for retaining ladylike dignity, however Inara was a matron of the House of Serra, a long Arabian line that was proud of their heritage horses, dogs and the ability to use them in hunt, so she had no qualms. Mal could see that as he rode alongside her, and began to ponder if she would ever take up riding on Shadow. Nothing fancy, but she was quite adept on a horse as they chased through some pretty country.

Suddenly, the hounds caught up with the stag. One of their dogs caught a back leg, and soon the others caught on and helped fell the massive buck. Mal’s adrenaline rushed, as Inara had told him that the dogs were trained to keep the stag pinned, and would not kill it, whoever got to the buck first had the honor of that.

Then Mal felt his horse falter.

The Arabian let out an unholy scream of pain as it’s foot had fallen into a gopher hole. It pitched forward, sending Mal flying.

Inara’s head flew back to see him hit the ground and bounce, the liver colored steed hitting the ground as it’s cannon was dangling in a fatal break. “Mal! Quingai depusa…” She rushed her horse over and dismounted. Crouching next to him, she feared the worst. “Mal, Mal can you hear me?”

“It’d be a kindness if you would please quit yelling.” He groaned, his hand going to his head. “Ahh.” He winced as he sat up.

“You may need to lie down.” She suggested, holding up his shoulders as she didn't want to hurt himself further by getting up.

“I’ve been thrown worse, I’ll live.” Mal reassured.

Cadoc flew past them to reach the stag first.

“The level of concern is touching.” He uttered sorely.

“Well if it’s any consolation you’re far more important.” Inara kissed a bruise on his forehead.

“Ow.”

William rode up to the scene. “Are you alright Malcolm?” He dismounted and went over to the fallen huntsmen.

“Been better, been worse.” He winced as William offered a hand and helped him up. “I can’t say the same for the horse though.” Mal said in sincere regret as the animal struggled on the ground.

William looked over at the steed. “Yes, pity, Serra Arabians are the purist stock around, it’s quite a thing to lose one of them.”

“What matters is that you’re alright though.” Inara saw him ache about his ankle. “The horse can be replaced.”

“You sayin’ I’m irreplaceable?” He teased, leaning against her shoulder.

“Well it would be hard to find someone with just the right amount of sarcasm and thick headedness.” She put his arm around her shoulder. “Mal, I think you need to sit down.”

“I’m fine, it’s probably just twisted.”

“Or you’re as bad off as the horse.” Inara pressed.

“We’ll dispatch the horse and then see if he needs dispatching.” William signaled for a squire to come over and take care of the horse as the others were coming in. He turned, and saw that Cadoc had killed the stag already. “Apparently you’re of little concern to Cadoc.”

“Take it he isn’t fond of me.” Mal gently put weight on his leg as the squire dismounted and brought a rifle to the ruined horse.

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

They went up above the glowing lake.

Where the air was wetter, and the green was thicker, was a cave with a shrine of Buddha. However going to the left of the cave provided a small hut made of stone and ceramic tile. Long ago it had been used for Monks who cloistered themselves away from all society, yet had become little more than a vine covered mouse hole for hiding. It was small, one room with a modest fireplace, table, basin for water and bed.

“When will they leave?” River said as the Grand Master set two bags down and Fiyero started a fire to combat the chill of the early morning. Their blankets and pillow had already been cast to the bed, where Boston burrowed underneath them to go back to sleep.

“I don’t know Shao Long, one a year they come to observe us, to make sure we do not speak against their ways. Sometimes it takes two days, other times longer as they try to exploit us, take us off of our sacred land, recruit students and challenge our way of life. Just meditate, practice, when they leave I will come for you.” He turned to Fiyero. “Keyi nuner dou lioubao xianju.”

River watched as the old, bow backed man left them, shutting the wooden door. She locked it, and went to the table to see what was in the bags. There were two spare blankets, plus a set of bowls, a pot, tea pot, two cups, knives, spoons and chopsticks in one. A bag of rice, a small assortment of vegetables, fruit, tea and canned tofu from the kitchen in the other. Enough for them to make it through a handful of days.

Fiyero grimaced. “All of the wood left here was extra dry, so we should be good.” Rubbing his hands together for warmth, he went over to the bed and set to straighten it out.

Boston yaowled in protest. He had been warm in his burrow.

River stood still as her mind receded into itself.

They were coming.

The brain eaters.

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

There was little pity given to Mal.

A few people asked if he was alright, it was found he had sprained his ankle, and was given one of the horses the squires rode. The Arabian was shot and a disposal crew was called, as the stag was lashed to a pack horse and they headed out.

Mal still ached, and Inara had to gesture to him to keep a civil tongue as he endured hearing Cadoc tell the tale of how he snagged a gorgeous stag with a full antler rack. The man did his best to sound humble, but he was a pompous stuffed cock, and nearly everyone fed him the praise he milked for.

“I must say though, Malcolm would have had the stag if his horse hadn’t tragically fallen.” He told them all.

“Wouldn’t know how to shoot the damn thing.” Mal replied tightly, one of his hands curled to his chest as he had sprained the wrist. “I’m unfortunately un-savvy to the ways of the bow.”

“I’m sure you could had killed the stag, if not by shooting it up close, then I’m sure you’re handy with a blade. Probably killed a few chickens for dinner.”

“A few, but never with a blade, it’s a might easier if you just wring their scrawny necks like everyone has since creation.” Mal corrected. “But only those that had worked a day in their life would know such a thing.”

Cadoc tried not to glare as his nose was slightly up in the air “Pity to those that haven’t been raised on the Core. For while we may lack knowledge of slaughtering animals we do excel in other areas.”

“Judgment before speech is one of the areas we are supposed to excel in.” Inara quietly hissed.

Mal looked to a herd of bison, mammoth creatures of shagy fur and muscle, and reined his horse towards the bison and one of the mounted squires. Without asking, he reached over and pulled the rifle out of the saddle holster. Whistling sharply, he attracted the attention of the dogs, which followed him out.

Inara turned, puzzled. “Mal?”

“Ha!” He sent the horse into a gallop, the dogs picking up speed as well.

The group stopped, a few ladies clustering around Inara. “What on earth is your swain doing?”

She watched. “I’m not….” The color drained from her face as she realized what was going on. The dogs bolting off and nipping at the bison, which in turn began to run. “Oh… that idiot.” Gripping the reins of her ride, she pressed her jaw tight and breathed through her nose.

Cadoc’s smugness disintegrated

“Ha! Ha! YEEEAAHH!”

“Dare say since the fall didn’t kill him, this just might.” A young baron in a topaz sash quipped, not sounding all that concerned. Malcolm Reynolds was in fact a rim man.

“YEEAAAH! COME ON! HA!”

Inara put on a smile that attempted to keep some grace with the situation. “Well, if this doesn’t kill him,” she batted her lashes and muttered “I just might.” She watched in horror as he galloped alongside one bison as the others coursed around him, a threat to gore his horse as well as himself. He had dropped the reins and had the stock of the rifle against his shoulder.

The rifle crackled.

A large bull dropped.

The herd scattered, and Mal stopped along the dead beast as the rest of the hunting party came to him.

“Good shot old fellow!” William praised. “Why you were right in the thick of the brutes!”

”And it was bracing at that.” Catching his breath he handed the rifle back to the squire as several rounded up the dogs. “Far more adrenaline than standin’ over a deer and killin’ it.” He emphasized to Cadoc with a smug grin. With his hands on his hips, he smiled to Inara. “Didja see?”

“Yes.” She gave him a look that meant ‘We’ll be talking later.’

*** *** *** TRANSLATIONS/DEFINITIONS Quingai depusa: Dear Buddha Keyi nuner dou lioubao xianju: May you to stay safe

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