Mina was crouched behind the counter, searching through little bottles and boxes. Cascading red curls fell about her face as her icy blue eyes scoured the shelves. “Where in ruttin’ heck are ya?… Ah!” She reached into the back and retrieved a small bottle of pills. She picked up a pen and clicked the end of it against her chest. She handed the bottle across the counter to a young man as she ticked his name off in a big book. “Okay, darlin’. Be seein’ you.” The young man smiled and nodded a ‘thank you’ before leaving. She dusted off her short green dress, which fell about half way down her long, slender legs. Her calf-high boots scuffed as she walked around the shelves that separated the counter from where her boss done his business. “Darryl, I’m goin’ out!” she said, swinging on her knee length brown coat. “Won’t be but a half hour.” She hopped over the counter then rushed around to the general store, also located in the Trading Station. “Eleonora!” “Wuh de tyen, ah!” She turned around, startled. “You scared me!” She appeared the same age as Mina, which was mid-twenties, and had long straight, brown hair. “Time for lunch already?” “Yuh-huh!” Eleonora buttoned up her fitted black jacket, flicking her hair out from under the collar. She called back to someone in the store as she left, “Be back ‘for you know it!” The two linked arms and started for the main doors of the Trading Station. “So, how’s things down your way this mornin’?” Mina asked as they reached the entrance. “Oh, you-” she began but was interrupted by a man’s scream, one that burns your blood with fear. “-REAVERS!?” The town broke out into hysteria. Children were grabbed and rushed to safety. Doors were barricaded and people took up arms inside their homes-then prayed they wouldn’t have to use them. The two women turned around, only to be met with a slammed door. Mina banged against it, “Gorram it!” She quietened a second, then grabbed Eleonora’s hand and ran to one side of the building. “Where are we going?!” She stammered, her eyes becoming glossy. “Now is the time we’ve been planning for. We gone hop in that shuttle and get ourselves gone!” She stopped abruptly at the corner and peered around the wall to see the bodies of four dying people, Reaver’s feasting on them. Tearing into their flesh. All the poor son’s-of-bitches could do was scream. Mina jumped back a step then they took off running to the other side of the building front. She slammed to a halt at this side too, there was no way she was gonna be skinned and raped as she lay there helpless. She checked around the corner, choking down a big gulp this time. She could see the annexe up ahead, with nothing in the way. “Almost there, El,” Mina whispered before they sprinted towards the building. They had been renting this place to house the shuttle Eleonora had flown to Lilac in some years before, as well as housing themselves there. The shuttle had taken a beating with her crash landing, but they had been fixing it up to the best of their ability in hopes of leaving that moon as soon as they’d earned enough money. Since both their jobs paid next to nothing, they though they would have more time to complete the shuttle. Next to the great doors was a small screen, onto which Mina punched in a code. After a short ’beep’ the doors opened and they clambered inside the small shuttle. Eleonora began to flick switches and press buttons. The engine began to hum and within seconds they were in the air. “Wuh de ma! I hope this piece of luh-suh stays up” Mina muttered, staring down at the massacre. As soon as she could see clear desert she allowed a sigh of relief. “My God, El, I think we’re-” Suddenly the shuttle dipped and tilted, descending the whole time. It shook and shifted as they both grabbed onto the dashboard for an anchor. They saw a large patch of desert coming towards them quite quickly. The nose bounced into the sand, slid a few metres then settled. Mina sat on the floor of the ship leaning against the dashboard while Eleonora was in the pilot’s seat, doubled over it. Mina’s eyes opened as she feebly rubbed her head, wincing at the pain. There was a cut just below her hairline and her lip was split, both gushing blood. She stood up, stumbling a bit. Grabbing her right leg in pain she now saw the shard of metal stuck between her calf and shin. “Eleonora…” She nudged her friend who was still slouched over the controls. “Wake up!” She groaned and lifted her a head a little. “..Wha…” “C’mon, El..” She helped her up. Eleonora was dipping in and out of consciousness after taking a brutal blow to her head and was bleeding heavily. They staggered out of the wreck and into the hot Desert Gulch. Expecting to see miles of nothingness, they were shocked to see a handful of onlookers and a ship, Serenity. Eleonora swayed a moment before fainting. Mina collapsed to one knee. “Please..” Mal and Jayne were already on their way over to them. “..Please help us!” Mal bent down next to her, carefully slipping his arms under her legs and around her back, just as Jayne done the same with Eleonora. Mina wrapped her arms around Mal’s neck and leaned in close to his ear, “..Reavers…” He and Jayne brought them back aboard Serenity, “Zoe, tell Wash to take us out of the world just as fast as he can. There’s Reavers here.” She pressed some buttons and the doors shut, then she hit the com, “Wash, take us up, baby. Town got Reaver trouble.” “Tzao gao, okay, I’m on it.” Mal made his way to the infirmary, followed by Jayne. “Where’s the good doctor?” He asked, laying Mina down on the table. “Off bein’ pompous elsewhere, I wager.” He replied, doing the same with Eleonora. Mina reached up and held Mal’s hand, “Thank you..” A tear rolled down the side of her face as she blacked out. Mal gently placed her hand back by her side before leaving to find Simon.