Disclaimer: Joss, Fox, Universal Own em’. I’m just playing. No money being made. The situations come from my own twisted mind as do my original characters.

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This story takes place about a year after the conclusion of Heritage.

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AN:

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Cast of characters:

Parents: Malcolm Reynolds 53 Inara Serra-Reynolds 45 Allan Bryant 69 Zoë Bryant 49 Kaylee Tam 42 Simon Tam 44 Jayne Cobb 53 River Cobb 37 Kids: Jefferson (Jeff) Reynolds 17 Emma Reynolds 12 Sara Bryant 16 Rebecca Tam 17 John (Jack) Tam 13 Rachel Cobb 10 Jesse Cobb 8

Triad-Chapter Eight

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They were in a hurry. That's how it happened.

Bobbie Sutherland had just taken off in the prototype Apollo courier ship carrying Inara, Simon and the younger children along with Israel and Olivia for security. They planned to head for Capital City to keep the kids safe and out of the way. Besides, as a prototype, the Apollo was unarmed and worth enough credits to put a dent in even Allan's, bank account.

Meanwhile, Allan, Kaylee, Mal and Jayne struggled to get the weapons pod fitted to Serenity. Allan never threw anything away. The pod he had designed to fit over the old Firefly's belly hatch had been placed in storage in Kaylee's workshop. Every six months or so, he or Kaylee would run diagnostics on the unit.

Every five years, Allan would replace the missiles and change the ammunition... just in case.

Tonight was a just in case situation. The internal wiring harnesses and control consoles had never been removed from Serenity so transforming the ship from transport to gunboat was a relatively simple chore.

Just a time consuming one. Using a hover lift, they had maneuvered the bulky pod into the cargo bay. Jayne and Mal proceeded to do the heavy work of bolting it down while Allan and Kaylee hooked up the cabling to the bridge displays.

While all this was going on, Zoë with the assistance of Sara, Jeff and Rebecca, prepped Sara Jane for takeoff. The new Firefly's weapons were built into the hull and needed only an authorization code from either Allan of Zoë to activate the systems.

Allan kneeled on top of the pod, connecting the last cable to the connector on top, he keyed his earwig com, “River, last cable is connected.”

On the bridge, River saw the telltales on the weapons console change from red to green, “Copy, Allan. Talk back is good. The computer is running diagnostics.”

“Okay. I'll be heading over to Sara Jane,” Allan said as he stood up... too quickly.

Allan wavered as his vision grayed out for a moment. The next thing he knew he was toppling over the side of the pod towards the hard deck, six feet below.

He put out his hands to protect himself as he struck the deck. He felt the bones in his left wrist shatter.

Allan's cry of pain brought everyone running. Jayne swore as he rounded the pod to find his friend laying on the deck, cradling his left wrist and blood running down his face from a cut over his right eye.

“Allan!” Kaylee cried. Mal and Jayne shifted him to a sitting position.

“Wrist's... broke,” the engineer grunted between clenched teeth.

“Gorrammit, Simon's off on th' other ship,” Mal stated

“Get Becca... she can splint it,” Allan gasped out. Both of Simon's children were well skilled in both engineering and medicine.

“Can't fly like that,” Mal grumbled, “I'll wave Bobbie...”

“No time... be dawn in an hour and a half. Take em' at least half an hour to get back. Bad guys will be here by then.”

“Then we'll just take Serenity,” Mal replied.

“Too much risk. Don't know what we're facing.”

“Call the Feds?”

“I already checked. All their gunships are down for maintenance. Might have one flyable. That's what happens when you don't buy the Blue Sun design,” Allan chuckled through the pain.

“River's gotta fly Serenity. Can Zoë handle Sara Jane?” Mal asked.

“Not in combat,” Allan grimaced, “She hasn't flown the ship in nearly a year.”

Mal growled and looked around, thinking.

Allan came to a decision, “Sara can do it.”

Mal looked at him, sceptically, “You sure?”

Despite his pain, Allan grinned, “She's sixteen and nearly as good as me. Give her another year and she'll be as good as River.”

“Your decision,” Mal replied as Zoë and Becca ran into Serenity's cargo bay.

Zoë dropped to her knees next to Allan, “Husband, what in the gorram hell did you do?”

Becca knelt next to her uncle and began to examine the injury. Zoë took over for Mal in holding the Captain's handkerchief to the cut still oozing blood on Allan's forehead.

“Stood up too fast up on top of the pod... got dizzy and fell.”

Zoë's face hardened. Allan cringed. Not from Becca manipulating his wrist but from the look on his wife's face, “Who's gonna fly the boat?”

“Sara,” Allan grunted as Becca moved his wrist a bit too enthusiastically.

“Sorry, Uncle Allan,” the teenager apologized.

Zoë stared back at her husband. Her eyebrows climbed into her hairline, “You sure?”

“I am. She can do it.”

Zoë nodded once, “You okay here for a spell?”

“Go,” Allan smiled.

With a quick kiss, Zoë stood and jogged back to Sara Jane. Becca shifted her attention from the now splinted wrist to the cut on Allan's head.

“How you doing, Uncle Allan? Any dizziness?”

“No... just a bit of a headache. Put a weave on the cut and then give me just enough smoother to take the edge off.”

“Okay,” Becca replied.

“Looks like we need to be shiftin folks around,” Mal said.

“I'll take Becca as my mechanic,” Allan replied. “If it's okay with you, I'll keep Jeff with Sara. It'll help keep her focused.”

“Good thinkin,” Mal mused, “I'll keep Jayne. Kaylee will take care o' Serenity while River flies.

Allan nodded, “Help me up. We needed to be in the air, five minutes ago.”

Becca helped her Uncle walk back to Sara Jane and to the bridge. The smoothers made him a little unsteady on his feet. He dropped into the navigators chair while his wife and daughter ran the final launch checks. Becca then ran for the engine room.

“You okay, Daddy?” Sara asked, pausing in her task.

“I'll be fine. You just see to what you need to.”

“You ain't gonna be able to fly... are you?” Sara asked, trying to hide the tinge of excitement in her voice.

“No, but you will.”

A smile flashed on Sara's dark face.

Allan turned to the young man standing behind Sara, “Jeff? You mind helping Becca in the engine room?”

“Got it, Uncle Allan,” the young man replied before trotting off the bridge.

Sara grinned at her father.

“Ready to lift,” Zoë stated from the co-pilots seat.

“Copy, Mom,” Sara replied professionally. She grabbed the overhead mike, “Serenity, this is Sara Jane. Ready to lift.”

“Copy Sara Jane... good hunting,” Replied River's voice.

In matching flashes of blue fusion fire, the two Firefly's left the ground and turned in opposite directions, flying off into the lightening sky. As the ships flew out of sight, an image flickered to life in the ships place. A hologram had appeared that made it appear that the two Firefly's were still parked on the pad.

Two hundred yards away, a portal opened in the middle of a field and a long metal box emerged from the ground. The box was mounted on a flexible mount. The box contained four, surface to air missiles... just in case.

XXXXXXXXXX

The initial headrush of the smoothers had worn off and and Allan was able to stand without assistance next to his daughter as she flew the ship. With practiced ease, she settled Sara Jane to the ground on a bare mountaintop ninety five miles from Serenity Acres.

Likewise, Serenity had landed on a hilltop eighty miles from home in the opposite direction. Zoë entered the commands into the computer that networked both Firefly's sensors together. Anything bigger than an eagle and moving faster than thirty miles an hour would be tracked in an oblong bubble nearly five hundred miles long and two hundred fifty wide. The top of the bubble extended well into low orbit.

It was impossible for a ship to sneak up on them.

“Sensors are linked,” Zoë said, “And we're getting the feed from traffic control.”

Allan nodded, “Good. Best guess, whoever is coming won't call for landing clearance.”

“Not likely,” Zoë agreed.

“Mom? What's happening with the warehouse?”

“Feds are sitting on it. Anyone who leaves is being followed. Last I knew, no one's left yet. I figure they're waitin to see the results o' their little surprise.”

“They're the ones bein surprised,” Sara smiled grimly.

Allan placed his hand on his daughters shoulder, “You up to this? I mean it, Sara. This is no game.”

“I understand, Daddy. These hundans want to kill us and destroy our homes. I don't stand for that.”

Allan squeezed Sara's shoulder, “That's my girl.”

“Got something,” Crackled River's voice over the com.

“I see it too, River,” Zoë replied, “Just breaking atmo, no flight plan.”

Allan turned to his daughter, “Enter one, six, f, h, nine...”

“Seven, three,” Sara replied cutting him off, “I hacked the weapons code out of the system months ago.”

Allan growled slightly, “When this is over, we're going to have a little chat, Daughter o' mine...”

Zoë snorted from her seat across the bridge then replied professionally, “Missiles on line. Gun on standby.”

“Zoë, take the gun. Sara, you got the missiles and countermeasures.”

“Got it,” Sara nodded.

“Contact is firming up... looks like a large transport... Go-se!”

“What?” Allan asked. Looking at the screens.

“Looks like they just launched smaller ships.”

“Shuttles?”

“No,” replied River's voice over the open com, “Angels.”

“Go Sara,” Allan ordered.

Nodding once, Sara advanced the throttles and Sara Jane lifted in the air. Zoë donned the virtual reality glasses that provided the targeting data for the gun. All she had to do was look at the target and the gun would follow her movement. It projected imagery from the camera bore sighted with the gun. It saw in both visible light and infrared.

It also displayed sensor data for target tracking. Serenity's gun system wasn't as sophisticated and relied on the computer for most of it's control. Serenity could also fire in all directions from the belly mounted gun. Sara Jane was limited to the forward arc from it's chin mount under the bridge.

Allan tuned in the standard ship to ship guard frequency and keyed his mike, “Unidentified vessel, this is the lawforce gunboat, Sara Jane. Recall your fighters and head back into space. We know what you're doing and where you're going. This will be your only warning.”

Allan's reply was the sensor lock alarm.

“ECM full power. Sara, start jinking,” Allan ordered.

The teen complied. Sara Jane's electronic warfare suite was straight off an Alliance Frigate. The targeting locks were broken instantly.

“Fighters are splitting up,” Zoë said. four for us and two escorting the primary.”

“What's it's course?”

“Direct line for the acres.”

“Mal,” Allan called on the com.

“Go, Allan.”

“We'll take the fighters, you get the big one. If you can get a fighter, fine but we'll handle the bulk of them.”

“Okay, iffin you think that will be better...”

“I do.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Bridge of the Jade Dragon:

“... Be your only warning.”

“Lock weapons on that qingwa cao de liumang,” The captain of the pirate vessel ordered, “And launch the fighters.”

Aye, sir,” Replied the gunner, “Target acquired. Looks like a Firefly... Cao!”

“What is it?” The captain asked.

“That ain't no regular Fly. Just burned through our missile lock like it weren't there.”

“Vector the fighters to intercept. Keep two with us.”

“On it sir,” Replied the pilot.

“Another vessel closing from the starboard... another Firefly. It has missile lock!”

“Rutting hell. Evasive and launch countermeasures. Can you get a lock on it?”

“No sir, has the same jammers as the other one.”

“Don't tell me someone dug up a pair of old war surplus Firefly gunboats,” The captain muttered.

Serenity:

“River?” Mal asked.

“Just a moment, Captain,”

“Um, you do know that they's targeting us...”

“And we them. Cluck cluck.”

Mal's face got grim, “No playin chicken with the boat. You ain't so old I can't take you over my knee...”

“Like to see you try,” River replied with a sweet smile. Jayne just guffawed behind Mal in the navigators chair.

“In range in ten point eight seconds,” River said, attention back on the displays. She flipped the switch to extend the weapons pod below the hull.

“Missiles away. Captain, the gun is yours,” River stated as four smoke trails accelerated away from Serenity. Heading for a the dark dot looming in the lightening sky.

Jade Dragon:

Jammers to full power!” Ordered the pirate captain, “Get us outta here!”

“Can't maneuver this deep in the atmosphere!” The pilot yelled back, “Can't get away!”

A moment later, there came a muffled crump as two missiles impacted the ship. Alarms began ringing all over the bridge.

“Damage report!”

“Gravity drive's fried! Only got sixty percent engine power!” cried the pilot.”

“Can you get us down?”

“That part will happen weather we want it to or not. Question is how hard!”

“Where's our escorts?”

“Gone!” yelled the gunner as he clutched his console against the buffeting while the pilot tried to fly the ship. “They fired four missiles. Only two hit us!”

“Cao!” swore the captain just before the ship began shearing off treetops as it plowed into the downslope of a hilltop, thirty miles from Serenity acres.

Sara Jane:

“Four fighters inbound,” Zoë said calmly, “Trying for missile lock.”

“Don't get too close, Sara,” Allan ordered, “Might have short range heat seekers.”

“Copy,” Sara replied tersely as she threw Sara Jane into another turn, trying to keep the four fighters closing on them in front of them. That way any heat seeking missiles would have a harder time locking on.

“Missile launch!” cried Zoë as eight smoke trails started heading in their direction.

Sara triggered the flare and chaff launchers mounted on Sara Jane's aft hull and yanked the Firefly into a screaming turn. Leaving more flares and metal foil chaff in her wake. As the missiles turned to follow, a small low powered laser mounted just above the aft control jets began firing at the missiles. Instead of destroying them, it's beam dazzled their infrared sensors, causing all eight to miss the firefly by a wide margin.

The problem was that now all four fighters were now behind Sara Jane and had the edge on speed and maneuverability. Also the Firefly couldn't shoot behind her.

“Daddy, I think I need to do an Ivan,” Sara said calmly as she continued maneuvering the Firefly.

“Set it up,” Allan replied.

Unlike Serenity, all that was needed to execute a Crazy Ivan on Sara Jane was to remove a safety interlock in the engine control system.

“Set,” Sara said after a moment.

“Targets are locked,” Zoë said from her seat.

“Two missiles at the closest pair,” Allan told his daughter, “Your Mom can get at least one with the gun as we go the other way. Let them close to three miles before you do it.”

“Okay,” Sara grinned.

Allan hit the internal com, “Jeff, Becca? Hang onto something. Pulling an Ivan in about twenty seconds.”

“Ready, Mom?” Sara asked.

“Go for it,” Zoë replied, her thumb hovering over the button to fire the gun.

Allan grabbed the back of Sara's chair with his good hand, “Do it.”

Sara nodded once and her hands flew across the controls. The left engine pod swiveled one hundred eighty degrees causing the ship to buck. In a moment, the entire Firefly pivoted on it's axis and was now flying backwards. A moment later, two missiles erupted from their launch rails buried under the cargo bay floor. Exiting the ship through specially built doors in the bottom of the ship.

Sara Jane's speed had dropped to almost nothing as the pods swiveled to the vertical, holding the ship in a hover. From under the bridge, the chain gun spun up to speed and began spraying steel in the direction of the closing fighters.

The two closest disappeared in a flash of fire as the missiles found their mark. The third fighter took heavy damage from the gun and began to plummet towards the ground, trailing smoke and fire. After a moment, the pilot ejected.

The fourth fighter tried to turn away, hoping to keep out of reach of Sara Jane's chin mounted gun. Sara simply yawed the ship to keep the former Independent fighter craft in her Mother's gun sights.

The spewing steel from the rotary gun tore the wing off the small craft and it began tumble. Like his wingman, the pilot was able to eject.

“Got em!” Sara crowed from the pilots seat, “Good shootin, Momma,”

“Not so bad yourself, Sara girl,” Zoë replied with a grin.

Allan looked out the bridge windows at the two orange and white parachutes descending in the brightening sky, “We better go pick those two up before they get to any mischief on the ground.”

“Good idea, Husband,” Zoë replied.

“How you doing?” Mal's voice crackled across the com.

“All targets splashed,” Allan replied, “You?”

“Two fighters and their transport. Hit kinda hard but it looks like it might have been survivable. Gonna go check it out.”

“Copy that Mal. We'll be with you directly. Soon as we pick up the two fighter jocks who ejected.”

“See ya soon,” Mal replied.

Allan turned to his daughter, “Lets go get em'.”

Sara nodded and began preparing the ship for landing. Allan grabbed the internal com, “Jeff... meet Zoë in the bay. Heavy arms. We got a couple of hundan's to pick up.”

“On the way, Uncle Alan,” Jefferson replied.

Allan turned back to where his wife was grinning at him.

“What?”

“Hundan's?”

“Hey, I'm bound to pick up a word or two hanging around Jayne, you know.”

Zoë grinned and rose from her seat. She gave Allan a quick kiss and headed for the cargo bay.

Allan stepped behind the pilot's chair and kissed his daughter on the top of her head while she landed the ship in a clearing near where the two pilots had come down.

Sara looked up at her father, “Dad?”

“Yeah, Princess?”

“Can I paint the kills on the hull?”

Allan couldn't reply. He was laughing too hard.

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TBC