The Return Home – Part 20

Shepherd Book, six Alliance soldiers, and the pilot of their crashed shuttle were sitting in the wreckage of the shuttle as waves of Reavers attacked them through the surrounding forest in a park in Miranda’s capital city. All of them were injured in some way or another and ammo was getting low for the few weapons they had. The pilot had called for helped from the nearby Alliance battle cruiser Dortmunder but that help was still minutes away and the Reavers were pressing their attacks. Lying unconscious in the wreckage of the shuttle was High Chancellor Adam Cutter, the man Book swore to kill. He promised himself to save the last bullet for Cutter if the Reavers broke through their defenses.

Now a new wave of Reavers was running and screaming and shooting bullets and darts and many other projectiles at their place of refuge. A spear was thrown and caught one soldier square in the chest and down he went with a gargled scream. The pilot was the next to die as a bullet struck him in the face and he dropped without a sound. Two more soldiers went down from gun shots and Book couldn’t tell if they were dead or just wounded more. He himself had a broken left leg, a badly wretched back, and multiple cuts and bruises from the crash. Now as the Reaver attack reached the shuttle wreckage he knew it was time to make peace with God.

The Reavers were among them and it came to close quarters combat. Reavers died and then two more soldiers were dead and Book and the last two soldiers fired their last bullets from the interior of the shuttle wreckage and then they knew it was over as they prepared to use their guns as clubs. Book couldn’t even stand to turn around and kill Cutter as he had sworn and as a Reaver stood over him snarling and raising a nail studded club to kill him, Book said his final prayer. Then their was a scream of pain as red spots blossomed over the Reaver’s body and as he fell the others turned to see Jayne Cobb laying into to them with Vera on full auto. In a few seconds all the Reavers in or near the shuttle were dead and Jayne was there standing in front of Book.

“Come on, Shepherd!” Jayne yelled as he looked around for more Reavers. “Our ride is here and it ain’t gonna wait forever!”

Book just smiled wearily at his friend. “Can’t walk, Jayne.”

“Then I’ll carry you,” he said as he picked up the Shepherd with one strong heave and had him across his back. “Lets’ go!” Jayne yelled to the two soldiers.

“We cant leave the High Chancellor!” one of them yelled and then a dart sailed past Jayne’s face and ripped open the soldier’s jugular and fountains of blood sprouted as he collapsed.

“Forget Cutter!” Mal yelled from the nearby trees and he and River lay down covering fire at more Reavers approaching from the park and the trees. “Let the Reavers have him! Jayne! Move it!”

Jayne didn’t waste anymore time and he and Book and the last soldier moved toward Mal and River.

“Take this!’ Jayne said to the soldier as he handed him Vera. “And be gentle with her!”

“On the left,” River calmly said and then she was dropping Reavers with well aimed pistol shots as the soldier and Jayne joined her in shooting down the ravenous horde of park dwelling Reavers.

“Now!” Mal yelled and they broke from the treeline for the stream and the wooden bridge across it to where they had parked the shuttle on the far side. As Mal came into the area River said Book was at, he realized he couldn’t land the shuttle in the narrow space between the trees and the stream and so had landed on the far side of the stream. Now as they cleared the small forest Mal could see more Reavers on the bridge and some even surrounding their shuttle.

“River, up front!” Mal shouted and the teen assassin strode to the front and went straight for the bridge shooting Reavers left and right as bullets and darts and projectiles flew past her. Mal caught a dart in the left forearm and Jayne was nicked by a near miss with a spear. Then River was on the narrow bridge and her pistols were empty. Out came her knife and she strode into the Reavers and began to kick and slash and toss them off the bridge into the stream below. Mal caught up to her and fired one last time and then his pistol was empty. Suddenly they were in the middle of the bridge with Reavers coming from both sides and in the water below, snarling and trying to climb the bridge supports.

“Now be time for a great plan, Mal!” Jayne yelled, struggling under the strain of carrying Book and trying to shoot his pistol at the same time. He shot one Reaver in the face and then “click” his pistol was dry.

“Gorramnit!”

“Don’t swear, Jayne,” Book said in a weak voice. ‘God doesn’t approve.”

“Too many…” River said suddenly and Mal knew they had finally gotten to her as she let out a scream and clutched her head. “I can’t…Captain….its too much.”

Mal grabbed her and shoved her behind him as he pistol whipped a Reaver and tossed him in the water. Now at least ten more were facing him, between them and the shuttle. He looked back the way they had come and saw the soldier die with a spear shoved through his middle and at least twenty Reavers snarling and fighting to find space on the narrow bridge to attack these human. Three of them immediately jumped on the soldier and started ripping his clothes off. Jayne holstered his pistol, stooped and picked up Vera and fired into them until it was empty.

There they were, four humans on a bridge surrounded by monsters. Book was injured, River helpless, Mal and Jayne out of ammo. This was truly the end Mal thought. Just as two Reavers leaped for Mal, fire rained from the skies.

The Alliance fighters came in low and shot the Reavers they could see nearby the stream and on the bridge. Bullets torn through the Reaver ranks and they collapsed in heaps. Mal managed to throw his last attacker to the stream below and then Jayne slammed his huge fist into another and stamped on his head as he lay on the bridge, tramping so hard the Reaver’s eyes popped out of its skull. And then the wooden bridge collapsed from the Alliance fighter’s gunfire.

One minute Mal thought they were saved and the next they were falling. It wasn’t far, but it was a shock and the cold water more of a shock. But as Mal came up gasping for air he realized he could stand, the water only up to his armpits. The stream banks weren’t steep and they could easily climb them. He also saw that the deaths of so many Reavers had shaken River out of her funk and she was back in the fight, leaping onto the back and snapping the neck of a female Reaver who was trying to stab Jayne as he was helping Book out of the water.

Mal looked up and could now see four fighters in the air. The fighters had gone high and were preparing to circle back to make another pass. Mal knew they had to be inside the shuttle before the Alliance fighters came back and those flyboys mistook them for Reavers. He had seen it happen in the war a few times, pilots in fast moving flying machines mistaking their own men for the enemy.

“The bank!” Mal yelled as he waded toward it. His crew members followed him, Jayne carrying Book again. River had to swim the short distance as the water was too deep for her. As they came ashore, River killed two more Reavers with a sword she picked up and then they were at the shuttle and aboard. Mal jumped into the pilot’s seat and immediately took off. As they rose into the air Mal looked out his cockpit windows and saw Adam Cutter’s final moments.

****************************************************************

High Chancellor Adam Cutter woke up inside the wreckage of the shuttle as the first fighter opened fire and killed the Reavers in the immediate area. Cutter shook the cobwebs from his head and then realized he was all alone. Around him were the dead bodies of the pilot and many soldiers and plenty of dead Reavers.

He stepped out of the wreckage and started waving his arms at the fighters as they flew low and attacked the Reavers near the bridge. Cutter could just see Mal and the others surrounded on the bridge and then watched as the bridge collapsed. He knew they wanted to kill him but he couldn’t stay here, not in this place. As he ran through the forest into the clearing, desperately shouting and waving his arms, he tripped and fell hard. Standing up, he realized he wasn’t alone anymore. Many Reavers were around him.

“Stay back!” he shouted. But they wouldn’t and he knew it. “We have a cure! We can make you human again!”

One of them smiled through jagged teeth. “We don’t want to be cured! We want to feast on your flesh!”

And then they were on him, clawing, ripping, sinking their teeth and nails into his flesh as his and their inhuman screams filled the air. Mercy, Cutter’s brain screamed, mercy, but he couldn’t voice his thoughts because his throat was ripped out. But there was no mercy for Adam Cutter, not for this man who didn’t believe in God and who had caused so much pain for so many in the galaxy. Mercy was too good for him and he knew it as he died. The last thought that went though his mind as his skull was cracked open with a rock was that perhaps justice had been served after all, him being killed by the very things he helped create.

********************************************

“Cutter’s dead,” Mal said wearily, taking no satisfaction in saying these words. When no one answered him he turned and saw why. Jayne and River were bent over the very still body of Shepherd Book.

“Shepherd?” Jayne said in fear and despair as he knelt over Book on the floor of the shuttle. Book was ashen and blood was all over his clothes. River and Jayne could now see that Book had taken more wounds than they first thought. Somehow in the fight, whether from the Reavers or the Alliance fighters, the Shepherd had been hit in the right side by two more bullets. Blood was now pooling under him.

“Jayne,” he gasped weakly as Jayne grasped his hand.

“Mal! Shepherd needs the Doc now!”

“On the way!” Mal shouted and then before he could even worry about Book came an intrusion from the comms.

“Shuttle, identify, over.”

“Civilian transport shuttle,” Mal said into the mic. “We have wounded and are heading for the nearby Firefly and its med facilities.”

“Roger that, we will escort.”

Hell, Mal thought, I hope we don’t need an escort. But then as he cleared the park and could see the Constellation and Serenity parked close by, he realized they did need an escort. Dozens of Reavers were coming though the trees and the streets of the nearby city, heading for the two ships, some already at the Constellation and going into the hole at the front of the cargo bay ramp.

**************************************************************

After Mal, Jayne, and River went to find Book, Zoe took charge and got things moving in the cargo bay of Constellation. While she did this Wash went back to the bridge to contact Inara and guide her to their location and tell her what was happening. Everyone else got to work patching up the wounded, with Simon giving directions and treating the most serious. Jonathan Frye’s legs wounds weren’t deep but he needed many bandages and a shot for the pain. Then he tried to stand but couldn’t and collapsed back on the floor of the cargo bay near the front ramp.

“We need a stretcher,” Simon said and he told Patterson where it was and the young Alliance solder went off to find it.

Simon then started treating the wounded sergeant. He had two bullet wounds and lost a lot of blood.

“You a doctor?” the sergeant asked in a weak voice.

“Yes. Now lie still,” Simon ordered as he cut away his uniform and began to treat him.

Outside Serenity came in over the edge of the city and Inara guided it to a soft landing close by and behind the Constellation.

“That wasn’t so bad,” she said to herself, proud that she had managed to fly the big ship. She kept the VTOLs running and then switched on the comms.

”Wash, we’ve landed just behind you” she said. “I’ll send over the rest of the Miranda people with the….” But she never finished what she was saying as suddenly she saw below and to the front, about a dozen Reavers running full out from the treeline of the park directly toward the Constellation. “Wash!! Reavers coming for you!”

“Don’t open your ramp! Keep everyone on board” Wash shouted back and then he shouted a warning through Constellation’s intercom. “Zoe! Reavers heading straight for us.”

But the warning had come a bit too late. Kaylee had hobbled to the cargo bay ramp controls and tried to lower the front ramp but the explosion had damaged it so badly it couldn’t open. That turned out to be lucky for them all. Patterson and one of the unwounded soldiers were in the process of lifting Jonathan on the stretcher and were starting to head out the gap in the ramp when the Reavers arrived and blood was shed immediately as the soldier took a knife to the back. His scream alerted the whole cargo bay they were no longer alone. As he was stabbed he dropped his end of the stretcher and collapsed and for second Kaylee’s father lay at the feet of a mad eyed blood thirsty Reaver. Kaylee couldn’t even scream she was so terrified. Just as he was bringing his knife down Zoe pumped two bullets into his chest from her Winchester and he fell with a thud on the cargo bay floor.

“We got company!” Zoe yelled and everyone except Simon started grabbing weapons from the floor. Patterson pulled Jonathan’s stretcher back from the gap and then he raised his stun gun and blasted the next Reaver through the door. It took two shots to drop him and then Jonathan was crawling out of the stretcher and away from the open gap.

“Daddy!’ Kaylee screamed as she finally found her voice. “Help him someone!”

The Miranda men moved toward Jonathan and as Zoe and Patterson covered them they dragged Jonathan away from the danger.

Zoe realized what a fix they were in. Too many wounded and not enough people to carry them and the gap in the front the only way out, now that the shuttle was gone. But she knew Serenity was coming.

“Fall back!” she ordered. “Get the wounded to shuttle two entrance! Kaylee! Tell Wash to get Inara to bring over shuttle two from Serenity!”

Kaylee hobbled to the intercom. “Wash! We need shuttle two from Serenity! Reavers everywhere!”

“Roger that,” Wash said trying to remain calm even though he wasn’t. He relayed the command to Inara and then dashed back down to shuttle two’s entrance. As he stood on the catwalk he could see the Reavers trying to get through the door and the bodies piling up. He stood and fired his pistol down at them and then shouted to his wife.

“Shuttle on the way. Get up here!’

“I can’t move him!” Simon told Zoe, looking at the sergeant. “He needs to be stabilized. We have to wait!”

“No time, Doc,” Zoe said as she fired at the next Reaver through the door.

“Give me a gun,” said the badly wounded sergeant. “I’ll cover you.”

Zoe looked to Simon and just nodded as she fired again. Simon handed the sergeant a nearby machine pistol and clips from his wounded men.

“Now go! I’m dead anyway,’ he said as blood dribbled from his lips and Simon knew he was bleeding inside and didn’t have long if he couldn’t get him to a med facility. Simon gave him a look of despair and then grabbed his med kit and went to help Kaylee and Jonathan up the stairs.

“I can walk,” Jonathan said as the painkillers started to kick in and with extreme effort and pain filling his face he managed to get to his feet and the three of them started up the stairs.

Some of the wounded soldiers managed to get to their feet and started toward the stairs, helped by the Miranda men. Cutter’s other bodyguard was up, only wounded in the shoulder, and had his pistol out, firing at the Reavers who had now managed to get in the cargo bay. Givens was still out cold and Patterson moved to help him get up.

Zoe could see that the young soldier was about to get cut off by several Reavers and at that crucial moment her Winchester went dry. She waded into the Reavers swinging it like a club, smashing in jagged teeth and brains and with the bodyguard and the sergeant covering them she and Patterson picked up Givens and headed for the stairs.

“Time to go!” she shouted to the bodyguard and he looked at the sergeant on the floor and the mass of Reavers now coming into the ship and then he just fired once more and headed for the stairs. Zoe headed up and at the top of the stairs she saw the swarm of Reavers trying to get to the man lying on the floor, his gun barking loudly in the cargo bay and then they were on him and as Zoe crossed the catwalk to the shuttle entrance she stopped and fired a shot from her pistol, hitting him dead on in the head. The Reavers looked up at her in anger, being deprived of live flesh and screamed and hurled themselves up the stairs. Others began to paw and rip the flesh off the dead in the cargo bay.

Inara landed the shuttle on the cradle without a hitch but no one was on the bridge to bring the shuttle into the ship. She leaped from her seat and opened the door to the shuttle then stepped across the small space and opened the interior door. Wash was there with a wounded soldier and he limped past and collapsed inside the shuttle. More wounded came, the Miranda men, then Kaylee and her father, Patterson and Givens and at last Simon, the wounded bodyguard and Zoe, who had her pistol out and was firing back into the ship before she leaped across and slammed the door behind her.

“Go!” she shouted and Inara needed no more encouragement and had the shuttle off in a second. As they rose Mal’s shuttle came in over the park and the four Alliance fighters began spreading death and destruction over the Reavers on the ground.

“Mal!” Inara shouted through the comms.

“I’m here. What’s the news?”

“Many dead and wounded,” Zoe said as she grabbed the mic from Inara. “You get Book?”

“Yeah, but he’s in bad shape. Inara land first, get Serenity in the air and then we’ll land in the cargo bay.”

“What?” said Wash and then he remembered that Serenity now had two shuttles and Mal had one from Constellation which made three.

“No, Mal,” Wash said into the comms. “We land, I’ll get Serenity off the ground and Inara will fly off her shuttle and then you land Constellation’s.”

“Sounds better. Let’s do it.”

In a few moments Inara guided the shuttle into the left docking bay and she and Wash ran into the ship, Wash to the cockpit and Inara to her shuttle. In a few moments Wash had shuttle two pulled in and locked to the ship and Zoe and Simon supervised the movement of the wounded into the ship. The remaining Miranda people who had stayed on Serenity came to their aid and soon the infirmary was full. But Simon had heard what Mal said about Book so he waited by shuttle one’s entrance. As soon as Mal had landed Simon had the doors opened and he was by Book’s side in a second.

Simon had seen death and had saved lives from the brink of death and one look at Book told him he was too late. Jayne was sitting on the floor, holding Book in his arms and the big merc was near tears. River sat on the floor beside them, her hands and arms covered in blood as she pressed on Book’s bullets wounds, tears filling her eyes.

Mal came back and just stood and looked at the scene, not believing the Shepherd was dieing. He then repeated what he said earlier, hoping to give Book some strength from the words. “Cutter’s dead. Reavers got him.”

Book almost smiled and then coughed and blood came from his mouth.

“That’s good news,” he said in a hoarse whisper.

“Simon,” Jayne said in a quiet voice. “You gotta save him.”

“No,” said Book in almost a whisper, his throat gurgling from blood that dripped from his lips. “I’ve been saved already. It's time...to go.”

Simon's mind went on automatic, not seeing his friend dieing but a patient, like the time when Kaylee's heart had stopped. He ripped open Book's shirt and Simon was startled by the size of the bullet holes which gurgled blood. They were big and could only have come form the Alliance fighters. He knew it was hopeless but said nothing and started to work, injecting Book with blood clotting agents, with pain killers and filling the wounds with clotting cloth but he knew the internal damage was killing him. Book was ashen grey, his breath was ragged and gurgled with blood and Simon knew it was the lungs, pierced and collapsed and unable to hold breath, filling with blood. Book gave one long sigh and then was still.

“Infirmary, now!” Simon ordered in despair, but then River spoke.

“He’s gone,” she said in a voice choked with emotion and Simon looked into Book’s eyes and they were fixed and dilated and Simon knew it was over. Shepherd Book was dead.

**************************************************

Serenity headed for space after a brief stop in the hills outside capital city for Mal to fly off Constellation’s shuttle and get back aboard while Inara landed her shuttle. Wash was busy flying and making communications with the Dortmunder so he was the last to find out Book was dead. He put the ship in orbit around Miranda and then came down to tell Mal the Alliance were extremely interested in talking with him to find out what happened and especially to find out where Adam Cutter was.

Wash found them in the cargo bay, all except Simon, and there was Book lying on the floor. River was sitting on the floor next to the body, just staring at Book. Kaylee and Inara were sitting on a crate, crying and holding each other and Jayne was standing like a statue, his face filled with anger and sadness and a million other feelings. Mal and Zoe stood by, both of them talking in low whispers, telling their stories about what had happened.

“Oh, God,” said Wash as he realized Book was dead. He hadn’t seen the Shepherd in over ten days, since he had snuck off Serenity on Persephone. “He’s….”

“Yeah,” said Jayne quietly.

“It ain’t fair!” said Kaylee through her tears. “He's supposed to marry us. Why him? Why did he have to die?”

“Cause it’s his time,” Mal said and that wasn’t much comfort for them but he had no words of wisdom. That had been Book’s job and now he was gone. Mal knew they needed more and reached back in time to what someone had told him when he first joined the Independent forces at the beginning of the war.

“A long time ago on Earth That Was someone said ‘All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.’ Well, you all know I ain’t one to do nothing. And neither was Book. Cutter’s dead and evil has been stopped. But there’s a price to pay and Book knew that could mean his life. Let’s take some small comfort knowing he died fighting for us and for our right to live free from men like Cutter.”

No one said anything, taking in Mal’s words and for a long moment they were silent, remembering Book and the time they spent with him. Jayne final spoke.

“Guess Shepherd was as close to a friend I ever had,” he began. “Don’t mean I don’t like the rest of you. But…anyways…he died fighting that there evil…sometimes I think I ain’t a good man…maybe even a bit evil myself….But I know what’s right and wrong. My Momma beat it into me when I was a kid, so much so I think she beat all the good out of me. But Book made me see a lot of what I am is just a man who strayed a bit from the path of goodness. He always said I can come back anytime, that God would forgive me for my sins. That’s best thing anyone ever said to me. I’m gonna miss him.”

“He was looking for forgiveness himself,” said River, but she didn’t elaborate on that statement. They all knew Book had secrets about his past life, but no one wanted to know them at the moment. Later, when the pain of his loss subsided, then they would want to know, but not now.

Wash knew he had to break the spell of mourning. “Mal, there’s a cruiser out there with some anxious folks who want to know what happened on Miranda.”

Mal nodded. “Ok. I’ll go tell them a few truths and a whole pile of lies and the rest get ready to skedaddle when I give the word. I’m guessing Simon needs a hand also.”

But no one moved, all too deeply saddened by what had happened.

“Look,” Mal began. “We ain’t out of trouble yet. There's time for saying goodbye later. Let’s not let all this be for nothing.”

Slowly they began to move, Kaylee helped by River up to the engine room, Inara moving off to the infirmary after giving Mal a big hug, Zoe and Jayne also going to the infirmary to keep an eye on the wounded Alliance soldiers and Cutter’s bodyguard.

After they left Mal took a tarp from a crate and looked at Book again. Mal crossed himself and said a small prayer and then covered Book with the tarp. After a silent moment he headed for the bridge, already thinking of a story that would cover all that happened. Now he just had to hope the Alliance would buy it. If not, it was time to run again.

************************************************

Simon was bloody and exhausted and had a sad sense of déjà vu. He had spent more time treating battle wounds in the last few months than he ever imagined he would. Being a trauma surgeon on Osiris he had seen his fair share of car accidents victims and industrial accidents, even a few gunshot wounds and laser burns, but nothing like he had seen since leaving his home world.

He sorted the wounded into most critical, serious, and slightly wounded, a system called triage used since the First World War on Earth. He got Brenda to look after the slightly wounded, those with cuts, minor bullet wounds, and superficial shrapnel wounds from the missile explosion. He took on the rest, working on the most critical first. Unlike Book or the sergeant he was fairly confident all had a chance to survive. Simon put the thoughts of Book out of his mind, knowing he needed to concentrate to save these lives.

Zoe and Jayne talked on things as they stood guard over the Allaince people in the passenger lounge.

"He was a good man," Zoe said.

Jayne was silent for a moment and then spoke in a reverent tone. "One of the best."

Zoe could see he was hurting and decided to change the subject. “Say, Jayne, what happened to that Alliance engineer?”

Jayne was silent for a moment, thinking, then almost grinned. “Oh, he’s fine. He’s in the engine room.”

Zoe looked at him like he was crazy. “On the Constellation!”

“Oh, yeah, that’s right. Guess he’s Reaver meat by now. One less fella to worry about. We got enough worries with this bunch of Alliance boys here who got some stories they’ll tell when they gets back to their ship,” said Jayne in a low whisper. “And them stories gonna be about a big Reaver in a box and us shooting at them, not him. I say we space ‘em all right now.”

“Ain’t gonna disagree but Mal has the final word. Let’s let him see what that cruiser got planned.”

“Cutter’s dead,’ said Jayne. “That’s what this was all about. I say we beat it outta here.”

‘We still ain’t clear of all the crap Cutter threw at us,” Zoe reminded him. “Maybe Mal can get us a deal.”

Jayne just grunted. “Huh. No way them Alliance fellas gonna deal with us while they think we killed Cutter.”

********************************************

Fortunately, by the time Mal was in touch with the Commander of the Dortmunder, the four fighter pilots had returned and one of them reported seeing a human that looked like Adam Cutter being overwhelmed by Reavers.

“I saw the same thing,” Mal said on the open channel as Wash listened in. “What we’d like to know is what the High Chancellor was doing on your ship in the first place, Captain Reynolds?” the Commander asked.

“What? He didn’t tell you?” Mal asked in mock surprise.

“No. That’s why I’m asking.”

“Well, we got us a scientist on board, fellow name of Professor Stanley Drummond. He has a cure for the Reavers. And Cutter came to confirm it.”

“A cure? For the Reavers? Sounds fantastic.”

“That’s what Cutter said. So he came on board to check it out. We had a Reaver that was a prisoner, was going to test the serum on him in front of Cutter so he could see with his own eyes. Well, that plan didn’t turn out to be so smart. This Reaver escaped and started killing your boys and in the crossfire a few people got shot, some by accident, sorry to say, and then that missile exploded. You know the rest.”

“Again, a fantastic story, which I’m sure my soldiers will confirm when you return them to us.” This was said with a heavy dose of skepticism that was not lost on Mal.

“I’m sure they will," Mal replied, knowing there was no way in hell they were sticking around after they handed over them soldiers. The fight had been chaotic but he knew some of them boys would recall Mal and Zoe and Jayne aiming their guns at them and not Colonel Hopkins the Reaver. Maybe they should just space them all and run, Mal thought as the Commander spoke again.

“A few more questions, Captain. Who is Jonathan Frye and why was he a prisoner on my ship?”

“No idea. He was wounded also. Would you like him back, too?”

“That is up to him. We have orders to release him. Directly from the Prime Minister.”

“That so. Maybe I should be talking to her.”

“No, Captain, I’ll handle this matter. Now, we need to make arrangements to return our soldiers.”

“I’d say the best idea is for us to leave them in a quiet spot on Miranda and then you give us an hour to leave and you can come in and get them.”

“No. You bring your ship, Serenity, Constellation, whatever name it is, you dock with us and we’ll treat them here. We have better med facilities and many doctors.”

“The day I dock with an Alliance battle cruiser is the day I get the Doc to examine my head. You want your men back, but I want to be as far from you guys as possible.”

Suddenly there was a chime and Wash hit the comm mute button and looked at a screen and then turned to Mal. “Incoming wave.”

“Who from?”

Wash looked and then shook his head in disbelief. “From Londinium…that’s impossible…not face to face.”

“Wash, who is it?’ Mal asked impatiently.

Wash turned and looked at him with wide eyes. “The Prime Minister.”

“Open comms to that Commander.”

“Captain Reynolds…..the Prime Minster has been listening in on our conversation…and would like a word.”

“On screen,” Mal said as the Commander ended the call. Mal put on his biggest brightest smile as Susan Blakely came on screen. Mal's clothes were soaking wet, his left arm was bloody from the Reaver dart, his hair was everywhere, he was a mess. But Mal really didn't give a good gorram right now. Let her see me as I am.

“Howdy,” Mal said. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Let’s cut through the bullshit, Captain Reynolds,” Blakely began, not even batting an eye, and Mal liked her already. “Is Adam Cutter really dead?”

“Yeah. Reavers got him. Kinda poetic justice if you ask me.”

“I can’t disagree,” she said with a sigh. “My military commanders have ways of watering down news so that’s why I decided to listen in. Now as for Jonathan Frye and Shepherd Book, where are they?”

“Frye is alive, wounded, not too bad. Book…Book is dead.”

He could tell that upset her. “I’m sorry to hear that. I knew him only briefly but he seemed like a good man. Captain, Shepherd Book informed me of everything that has happened, all about the Tams and Cutter’s desire for revenge. On my desk I have pardons for Simon and River Tam. They are free.”

Mal sighed. ‘That’s good news. As for the rest of us?”

“Captain, I cannot ignore the crimes you and your crew have committed. I’m at the Ministry of Internal Affairs as we speak. The events of the last few weeks as far as we know have been examined and a report is sitting in front of me. In light of the gross misconduct in regard to her father’s civilian rights, we are pardoning Kaylee Frye on condition that her family takes no legal action against the Alliance. As for yourself, Hoban and Zoe Washburne, and Jayne Cobb, we will be charging you with various crimes, including those arising from recent altercations on Greenleaf, Taos, and Persephone.”

“All done because Cutter and the police wouldn’t leave us be.”

“That’s beside the point. Murder, selling stolen jewelry, assault on Alliance personnel, all these are serious charges that cannot be ignored.”

Mal knew they would never be free, not as long as those charges were on the books. Time to up the ante. “Drummond does have a cure. That weren’t no lie.”

She stared at Mal and he knew he had gotten to her. “I known that name. Stanley Drummond was a well respected scientist. But he disappeared more than fifteen years ago.”

“He’s been on Miranda, trying to find a cure.”

“He made the broadcast.”

“Yeah.”

“That broadcast has started a new rebellion.”

“Let’s cut though the bullshit, as you fondly like saying,” Mal said to her and that produced a small smile. “That rebellion is like an ant attacking that big Parliament building you got there. They’ll never win. They ain’t nothing like the Independents, don’t have the organization or the firepower or the support. No one wants a new war. I hate the Alliance but I can see the wisdom of having someone in charge. But I got the proof that Cutter created the Reavers. I got Drummond and I got other stuff. Now real proof that the Alliance created the Reavers, now that might turn this little flame of rebellion into a raging fire. You think on that.”

“And you want your freedom in return. Why don’t I just have you killed?”

Mal smiled again. “Cutter’s been trying to do that for the last five years. Think you’ll have any better luck?”

“Captain, either you have the biggest brass balls in the galaxy or have a screw loose to talk to me in such a manner. I should add blackmail to those charges. Not that it matters, because I take your point and I’m sworn to defend the Alliance even if I have to make deals with people like you. So blackmail it is. You shall have your pardons, for all your crew.”

“Signed by you and set by wave/fax to the Dortmunder. Have them boys print them out and when we meet them we’ll collect.”

“Very well. Now you say Drummond’s alive and has made a cure for the Reavers. Have you seen it work?”

“Yup. On his own daughter. Only one problem. Well, maybe two. First Drummond’s dieing of cancer and Simon only gives him a few weeks.”

“That’s terrible news.”

“It gets worse. He’s got the secret to the serum in his head and we need to go back to Miranda so he can show others how to make it. Second, the Reavers don’t want to be cured.”

“That is a problem.”

“Your boys already made a head start on wiping them out. Might as well finish the job.”

“No, Captain. We are going to do what my predecessors were either too lazy or too cowardly to do. We are going to save the people of Miranda no matter what it takes.”

“Gonna be a hell of a job.”

“We have the resources and we will do it. Please leave Professor Drummond, his daughter, and all information you have found on the cure with the Dortmunder. Now, you will have your pardons shortly. Then what are your plans?”

“Go our own way,’ Mal said. “Wherever the stars take us.”

“Very well, Captain. I will inform the Commander of the Dortmunder of our arrangement. Good day.” And then she was gone.

Wash just looked at Mal. “Is she serious? Pardons? For all of us?”

“Guess we’ll know when we meet them.”

“Question is, where?” Wash asked as he brought up the charts of Miranda Serenity had been scanning and logging into its nav computer since they had arrived days earlier.

“Somewhere we know, somewhere we can look down on them and keep them in the open and in our sights.”

“The prison?”

Mal nodded. “The prison.”

“Mal, she said nothing about Earth or the FTL. Think she knows?”

“Don’t know. But I’m hoping Cutter kept that to himself.”

********************************************

Back on Londinium in Adam Cutter’s office in the Ministry of Internal Affairs Susan Blakely finished signing the pardons and had them immediately wave/faxed to the Dortmunder by Cutter’s very obedient assistant. As soon as he heard Cutter was dead he spilled his guts on everything, showing them Cutter’s secret files and the computer codes needed to open them. Blakely had immediately quashed all the stories about the council members, threatening the editors of some media outlets with their own secrets if they choose to proceed. It wasn’t freedom of the press, but a necessity in the circumstances.

Admiral Shin found her sitting at Cutter’s desk.He sat down opposite her and began to make his report. “We’ve been through all the Ministry of Internal Affairs records. Besides the recent reports from Greenleaf, Taos, and Persephone there is nothing on Serenity anywhere for the last four years. Before that the usual things, a few altercations with the Alliance, birth records, education for some, Simon Tam’s medical training and practice on Osiris, marriage license for the Washburnes, pilot license for Hoban Washburne, registration of Serenity as a mid-bulk class cargo carrier, but that lapsed years ago. Cutter either had everything for the last four years erased or that ship and those people didn’t exist for four years.”

“I’d like to believe they aren’t ghosts arisen from the dead. How could four years of their lives be missing?”

“The only logical explanation is that were off the grid, laying low, doing something illegal, but something that kept them out of any contact with the Alliance. In light of the efforts made by Adam Cutter to find the ship and River Tam, I’d say that crew did a remarkable job staying hidden.”

“What about the reports from the fleet about that Firefly moving faster than any ship ever seen. The same reports from Greenleaf I believe.”

“It is difficult to put together, Madam. That ship is an old Firefly, but it could have some modifications to increase its speed. I need more time to go through Cutter’s records and to question the commanders of the fleet and at Greenleaf.”

Blakely pursed her lips and thought about it for a few moments. She knew there was something funny about that Firefly but she had made a promise to Reynolds. True, he did blackmail her, but Adam Cutter’s crimes were so horrific that if word got out she’d be finished and maybe even the Alliance itself. That would lead to chaos. She made a decision. “Admiral Shin, I want you to cease all examination of any incidents regarding Serenity and its crew.”

He was clearly surprised. “May I ask why, Madam?”

“The risks are greater than the rewards.”

“If you say so, Madam.” She could see he was not happy and perhaps would continue to look into matters on his own, but she would be keeping an eye on him.

“Admiral, after the transfer of the wounded is made and Drummond and his information collected, Serenity shall be free to go where it wishes. Captain Reynolds may re-register as a cargo carrier. As long as he keeps his nose clean we will stay out of his affairs.”

*****************************************************************

As the large Alliance medical transport came to a landing outside the prison’s main gate Mal stood by himself with many guns on the walls behind him, including Jayne and River with the sniper rifles. Serenity had landed inside the prison compound an hour ago and had to take care of a few Reavers to secure the place. But the area was strangely Reaver free and Mal was guessing that a lot of them had been aboard the ships that were destroyed over Haven and a lot had been killed in the recent battle in the park. A quick search revealed that much of Drummond’s lab had been destroyed and they couldn’t find the bag with the vials of serum. Drummond told them it didn’t matter as everything was in his notes and in his head and once aboard an Alliance ship he hoped he could reproduce it. Mal also finally had his arm wound from the Reaver dart looked after, giving in to Inara’s nagging that it was more than just a scratch. He and Jayne and River also took time to change out of their wet and bloody clothes.

The ramp of the medical transport came down and Mal waited while a single Alliance officer came toward him, a sheaf of papers in his hand.

“Captain Reynolds?”

“That’s me. You got what I asked for?”

“Yes, all of them are here.” The officer handed over the papers and Mal checked them carefully. They were seven of them, each embossed with the Alliance seal and each had Blakely’s signature. All had the words “Official Pardon” at the top and everyone’s name was on them, everyone except Inara, who was never identified as a member of the crew. And Book.

“Seems to be in order,” Mal said, indicating the papers.

“Your names have been also taken off the Cortex wanted boards and all police stations galaxy wide have been notified to cease their search for you.”

“I’ll be checking that,” Mal said. “But this is good enough for now for your wounded.”

“I’ll get my men to collect them,” said the officer but Mal shook his head.

“No way anyone is stepping on my ship. I got it all arranged.”

Mal turned to the prison walls and gave a thumbs up and then after a moment, the main gate opened and the wounded soldiers were brought out, some walking, some on stretchers being carried by the Miranda people. Simon came with them.

“I need to speak to your medical officer,” he said to the officer.

“That’s me,” said the officer and they talked as Simon went over the list of wounded and what treatment he had given so far. As they spoke many Alliance people in medical garb came off the transport and took the soldiers, not allowing any of Mal’s gang on the ship.

Givens and Patterson also came out and went on the shuttle. Patterson had decided to go back, worried on his folks on Boros, and Jonathan and Kaylee had thanked him for saving Jonathan’s life. Givens had few recollections of the battle and they told him he was knocked out by the explosion. All of the other soldiers had had their backs to Patterson during the fight and hopefully none had seen him shoot Givens with the stun gun.

“Now, about Professor Drummond and this Reaver cure?” the officer asked Mal after Simon gave his report.

Mal turned back to the prison wall and nodded to Zoe and again she passed the word to the compound below.

Drummond came out on a stretcher with his daughter Angela and Brenda walking with him. Jerry was also carried out and the rest of the Miranda people followed, with their luggage and all of Drummond’s files.

“Ah, what’s all this?” the officer asked, a bit bewildered.

“This is Professor Drummond and his people,” Mal started with a touch of anger in his voice. “They’ve been fighting for their lives and the lives of their fellow citizens of Miranda who were turned into Reavers. Now they are gonna teach you and the rest of the Alliance how to cure them, how to catch them, and how to treat them with the respect they deserve. Any questions, you can ask Susan Blakely in person.”

“No, no questions,” he stammered. “All are welcome aboard.”

As they passed Mal and Simon stopped and had a last word with Drummond.

“Do you trust her?” Drummond asked.

“No,” Mal said. “But she isn’t Adam Cutter and I was there when they were going to arrest him on her orders. If we have to trust someone I guess we could do worse than her.”

“She will have to do. Thank you for all you have done Captain Reynolds. The galaxy needs a few more foolish heroes like you,” Drummond said and then shook Mal’s hand. Then he turned to Simon. “Doctor Tam, thank you for giving me these last few weeks so I may save my people. I just hope those Alliance fools aren’t bent on killing them all.”

“It will take time. It will be difficult and yes, some will die,” Simon said. “But it’s all the hope they have.”

Drummond just nodded and shook Simon’s hand. “Goodbye Doctor. I hope you have a happy life with Kaylee. Please say goodbye to everyone for me.”

“I will,” Simon said, sick at heart, knowing this was the last time he would see the Professor.

And then Drummond was carried aboard the medical transport and Simon and Mal said goodbye to the rest of them and then in a cloud of dust they took off and were soon gone from sight.

As the dust cleared Mal and Simon stood alone.

“We’ll never see him again,” Mal said.

“No,” Simon replied. “But his memory will live on. Someday all of this will be alive again, with happy people, with life and love. All because of him.”

“Guess that’s something his daughter and the rest can be proud of.”

“Will they blame him for the new rebellion?” Simon asked after a few moments.

“Maybe. But Blakely knows it can get worse. She’ll keep her end of the deal.”

They turned back to the prison, collected their crew mates and for the first time in many days they were the only ones on Serenity, with the exception of Kaylee’s father. Mal gave the order to take off and in a few minutes they were in the air and then in the black. Wash kept a close eye on the Dortmunder but there were no missile launches, no one sent fighters after them, no gunships were about.

“Where to?” Wash asked Mal.

“Haven first. We got a cargo of iron ore to collect. And then we’ll say goodbye to Book.”