After three worlds, two moons, and a couple of rundown space stations he’d finally found the man he was looking for in a seedy bar on some no name rock on the outer rim. The bar was past rundown. Looked like it hadn’t been cleaned since this poor excuse of a rock had been terra formed. It wouldn’t have even been here if it wasn’t for the docks. This place wasn’t more than a stopping point. Somewhere to refuel and buy supplies. Not the kind of place a person tried to settle down in. But this was just the kind of place to find a man like him. Out here on the edge of the ‘Verse, far from any Alliance patrol. At least that was the case a month ago. Now it didn’t really matter. These days, the Alliance didn’t make it far past the core worlds. No sense in trying to control the whole ‘Verse when you can’t even keep your own home in check.

He saw him sitting alone at the end of the bar. Walking up he signaled the bartender for a drink and took the stool next to the man. He looked up and watched as images of riots flashed across the vidscreen above the bar. “Look at them. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. But do they really think this will change anything. Riots. Calls for emergency elections. Leave it to the core worlds to try and fix bureaucratic go-se with more bureaucratic go-se.” He paused and looked to see if the man was even paying attention. He could tell the man had no interest in what he was saying. He had to be upfront. “You changed everything. You know that, right? One transmission and the entire Alliance is turned upside down. Some call you a hero. Others, a terrorist. So tell me, Captain Reynolds, how do you see yourself these days?”

“You seem to have me at a disadvantage,” Malcolm Reynolds raised his drink and finished the glass and while motioning the bartender for another, he turned toward the man and said, “which leads me to believe you have a reason for being here at this bar, sitting in that seat. So tell me, why shouldn’t I get up and walk away right now?”

“The name is Justin Li and I have a proposition for you.” Li held out his hand and Mal reached forward, ignoring the man and taking his drink from the bartender.

“What’s the cargo, and where do you want it to go?”

“I’m not interested in cargo.”

“Then this conversation is over.” Mal turned from the Li and looked down into his drink.

“I’m not here to ship cargo. Goods aren’t really my profession, Captain Reynolds. That is.” Li pointed toward the vidscreen.

The vidscreen showed images of hovercrafts flying into town centers and detonating, causing massive explosions that leveled the nearby streets. Citizens were running from the chaos, injured and pleading for help. The image shrunk and a reporter appeared on screen, commenting on the events. “Today’s craft-bombing on Ariel is the third such event since the mysterious Miranda transmission was released across the ‘Verse just one months ago. Though specialist are still verifying the validity of the transmission, many have come to accept that Reavers, once believed to be merely a horror story told on the outer rim planets, are actually the product of a failed Alliance project. Riots have ensued on many of the core planets as citizens have demanded answers, and along with those answers a solution to fix what some call the unbalance of power within our government. Others, such as those responsible for this bombing and those on Osiris and Bellerophon, have taken it one step further. One can only assume that these bombings will continue until these terrorist are apprehended or civil war breaks out again.”

“So you see Captain, we are in the same business. We both want to change the ‘Verse into a better world. And with your help I think we can do that. The organization I work for has seen your war record. They know you’re the one who sent that transmission, and the lengths you had to go through to do it. That’s why I was sent here today. With a proposition. We need someone to lead our army. A man people respect; a man others would be willing to follow. A man who’s willing to risk it all just to make this ‘Verse a better world. We believe that someone is you.” Mal sat there and watched the vidscreen throughout Li’s speech. He quietly listened as he Li spoke of a new world, one without the Alliance. A new world that Mal had set in motion. He raised his glass up to take a drink, but stopped about halfway. Instead he turned towards Li again. He sat there quietly without saying a word. Li sat there, uneasily, awaiting a response. After a few moments had passed, he asked, “So Captain Reynolds, what should I tell my organization when I return? Do you accept our offer?”

In one swift motion Mal smashed the glass into the side of Li’s face. Shards of broken, bloodied glass flew across the bar floor. Li tried to regain his balance and raise his hands to protect himself. Moving quickly, Mal grabbed the back of Li’s head and bounced his forehead off of the counter. As Li fell limp to the ground Mal stood over him, motioning towards Jayne in the corner (who was starting to get excited as he thought this was going to be another boring trip) to stay where he was. Mal placed his heal on the back of Li’s neck and leaned down as he spoke into his ear.

“You think that just because you have guns that makes you a soldier. Soldiers fight for something, not against someone. You can tell your organization this. I may not like the Alliance, but it‘s people like you that really piss me off. And if I see any of you again, I’ll turn you into the Alliance myself. That is if I don’t kill you myself.”

Lifting his foot off the man, Mal headed out of the bar. Jayne got up to follow, kicking Li hard in the side as he passed by. When the two men had reached the door the bartender shouted, “Hey, what about this mess?”

Mal walked back towards the counter and reached down and grabbed Li’s wallet out of his trousers and tossed it to the bartender. “Yeah, sorry about that.”