Disclaimer: Joss, Fox, Universal Own em’. (Except for Maxine and the rest of my OC's. they're mine) I’m just playing. No money being made.

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Continuing on the storyline I started with “New Blood” Read that first so you will know who is who and what has happened in the 'Verse.

Warning: This storyline includes 'gasp' fem slash. It won't be graphic but I know some are offended by any depiction of homosexuality. If you don't like this kind of thing... stop reading right now.

AN: Just when things are going well...

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Guardians

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Chapter Three

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The town of Colbyville was deceptive. Appearing at first glance to be a rustic backwater, upon closer examination modern touches could be found.

Electric streetlights, a modern food market and the horses were nearly outnumbered by the hover mules and ground cars. Even the port was a bustling enterprise.

Of course, this had only happened in the last three years. Ever since Patience had started allowing the slave markets to set up shop in the warehouses near the docks. The influx of cash had done many things.

None of them good for the average citizen of Whitefall. The bars were rowdy and a dangerous place for those not either under Patience's protection or working for the markets themselves.

Even the whores in the bordellos were under either indenture or held as slaves.

And the queen of it all was Patience. An old shrew of a woman who thought nothing of placing her fellow man in bondage. It was just business.

As most mornings, the queen held court in the town's largest Hotel/Whorehouse/Saloon. Since she owned the place and over eighty percent of the usable land on Whitefall, Patience ruled the moon with an iron fist.

At first glance, she looked like an old washed up prairie farm wife but the rough exterior held a sharp mind and not a single sympathetic bone in her body.

As she ate her breakfast, surrounded by her trusted lieutenants, she was not happy at being interrupted.

“What is it Joshua?” Patience growled.

The man gulped, “There's new ship down in the port. Must have come in during the night.”

“So? We get ships all day and night... you think it's those gorram Rangers?”

“Don't think so, Ma'am... ain't a fancy boat... it's a Firefly...”

“Firefly!” Patience bellowed, “Iffin' you tell me it's called Serenity. I might just shoot you!”

Joshua blanched, “It is,” he said and winced.

“Tai-kong suo-yo duh shing-chiouh doh sai-jin wuh duh pee-goo!” Patience swore, pushing back from the table, “Round up at least twenty o' the boys. I'm gonna put paid Malcolm Reynolds permanent like!”

XXXXXXXXXX

Three hours earlier...

River gently alighted Serenity on the hard concrete of the only open landing pad in Colbyville's port. As the engines spooled down, the ventral cargo bay doors opened slightly. Just enough for two black clad figures to slip away into the darkness.

“They're clear, Captain,” Kaylee's voice came over the com.

“Good enough, Kaylee. Now get to the engine room and button up,” Mal ordered.

River stood and shrugged on her Browncoat. Slipping the harness for her sword over her shoulders.

“Ready, Albatross?”

“Ready, Captain,” River replied as she checked the loads on her matched pair of automatic pistols.

Mal turned to the two youngest members of the crew, “Soon as we clear the bridge, lock up tight.”

“Aye, Cap'n,” Xue acknowledged as she took River's vacated pilot's chair.

Jessie nodded and slipped into the co-pilots chair and brought the Firefly's newly installed weapons systems on line.

The rest of the crew, minus Simon gathered in the cargo bay. Jayne was laden down with as much weaponry as the big man could carry. Foremost was Vera hanging from a strap around his shoulder.

“Everyone ready?” Mal asked.

“Good to go, Sir,” Zoë replied as she holstered her mares leg.

“Inara... you up for this?” Mal asked as the former Companion adjusted the pistol on her hip.

“I'm ready, Mal.”

The Captain grinned and then kissed her, “Always thought you were beautiful in your fancy duds. Have to say, you look right fetchin in brown, Darlin.”

Inara smiled. She was wearing tan cargo pants tucked into boots. A simple cotton shirt and a short brown leather jacket. Prominent on her left chest was a circled star badge.

“Why thank you, Captain. You are wearing your armor, aren't you?”

Mal knocked on his chest, “Yep. You?”

“Of course.”

“Good,” Mal smiled, “Tross, Jayne, Zoë?”

“All got our armor, Sir,” Zoë replied.

“Same here,” Crackled Maxine's voice across the group's coms.

“Me too,” added Bobbie on the com.

“You ladies in position?” Mal asked.

“I'm in position on top of the feed store, Captain,” Maxine replied.

“I'm on the market roof Cap,” Bobbie stated.

“Good. Keep an eye peeled, soon as Patience shows up, we'll drop the ramp.”

“Copy,” said Max.

XXXXXXXXXX

“Bobbie... thirty meters, your two o'clock. Sniper.”

The former Gunnery Sargent clicked her mike on and off to acknowledge. Slowly she moved her rifle barrel onto the man Maxine had spotted. She carefully centered the his head in her cross hairs.

The idiot was watching Serenity from a building facing the port. Patience's men hadn't thought that Mal would deploy a counter sniper team.

Bobbie's rifle popped nearly silently. The suppressor on the barrel doing it's job. The sniper fell dead.

“Target down,” Bobbie hissed into her com.

“Confirm,” Max replied, “No other... go-se!” she hissed.

“What?”

“Someone just opened the door to the roof where I am,” Maxine whispered.

Bobbie shifted her aim to where Maxine was. Another man was creeping low behind the parapet, a scoped rifle in his hands. Bobbies rifle popped again.

“You're clear, Max.”

“Thanks, Bobbie...”

Roberta Williams was a good sniper. But even good snipers can have bad luck. She was just settling back into her overwatch position when she heard a noise behind her, She rolled, trying to bring her rifle to bear when the man behind her and holding a rifle had his head explode.

“Just returning the favor,” Maxine's voice crackled.

Bobbie let out a deep breath, “Thanks Max.”

“You two okay?” Mal voice asked.

“Shiny, Captain,” Bobbie replied, “Three bad guys down.”

“Looks like movement heading your way, Cap'n” Max added, “Bout eighteen by my count. Looks like a woman in the lead.”

“That would be Patience... keep a look out ladies.”

“Roger that...”

XXXXXXXXXX

“Malcolm Reynolds!” Patience bellowed outside the ship.

Slowly, Serenity's ramp began to lower. As soon as Mal's face came into view, Patience hefted her shotgun and pointed it at the Captain.

“Mornin Patience,” Mal smiled. His crew was well armed but kept their hands away from their weapons. Besides, one word from him and either Bobbie or Max would splatter Patience's brains all over town.

“You got a lot o' gumption showin your ugly mug around here!”

“I wanted to steer clear myself,” Mal began, “But seein that I'm on official business...” Mal slowly pulled the lapel of his coat back to expose the badge pinned to his shirt.

“No ruttin way,” Patience growled, “Boys...”

Mal thought the words 'warning shot' and things happened in quick succession.

River picked this thought up and relayed it to Jess on the bridge. Simultaneously, Jess said the same thing into the com while Xue hit a switch on her console.

Two puffs of dirt shot up next to Patience's feet while a clamshell door overhead on Serenity's neck opened. Exposing the wicked looking multi barrel rail gun mounted underneath. The gun pointed unerringly at Patience.

One of Patience's men went for his gun and died where he stood, a bullet through his head from Bobbie's silenced rifle.

Patience stood stock still, glaring daggers at Mal, “Get. Off. My. World.”

“Ain't your world no more, Patience,” Mal replied.

“Bought and paid for.” she snorted.

“Bad investment then. Didn't you read the fine print when you bought out the Terriforming contract?” Mal asked, grinning.

Patience's brow scrunched up, “What fine print?”

Inara stepped forward, “Per the Terriforming and Homestead Act of 2468. Any world, After being certified as habitable for human colonization, shall be deeded to the citizens living on said world fifty years after initial colonization.”

“Say again?”

“Essentially, you old hag,” Inara snarled, “Fifty years after the terriforming company certifies the planet, the people living on it inherit the planet from the company. You now only own the plot of land where your house sits... as of two months ago.”

“That's Go-se!”

“It's the law,” Mal replied, “And I intend to enforce it. Everyone on this world is a citizen of the Commonwealth. And eligible to run for office and elect their own government.”

“Why you...” Patience started to say as she took a step towards Mal. She stopped short when a laser cut a furrow in the hardened concrete at her feet. Another hidden weapon mounted on Serenity's hull.

In one last futile act of defiance, The old woman who thought she ran Whitefall gave her final order, “Kill em' all.”

The words had hardly left Patience's mouth when River began moving. In one swift move, the psychic had cut down two of Patience's men with her sword and shot another three with her pistol.

Four more fell to Max and Bobbies rifles before Jayne brought Vera into play. He scythed through three more while Inara shot one in the leg and Mal accounted for another two. The last pair were taken care of by Zoë.

As the gun smoke settled, only Patience was still standing. She tried to draw her pistol.

Mal's pistol barked once.

A surprised look on her face, Patience fell backwards onto the concrete. She wouldn't get up again.

“Gun-hoe-tze-bee-dio-se!” Mal swore, “Feng-le, Crone!”

Zoë kicked the surviving man's gun away, “Everyone okay?”

Everyone nodded although Inara was a bit pale. Patience's men had only gotten off a few badly aimed shots.

“Tross, Jayne, go fetch the local undertaker,” Mal ordered, “Inara, get Simon to look at this one's wound. Rest o' you. Stand watch.”

“What about us, Cap?” Bobbie asked over the earpiece

“Keep a sharp eye. Patience had a lot more men than this.”

XXXXXXXXXX

After the bodies had been removed, Mal found himself standing on the second floor porch of the hotel addressing nearly half the town.

“Listen up! My name is Malcolm Reynolds. from the Commonwealth Rangers. I'm here to tell you, Patience Colby is dead.”

A murmur went through the crowd.

“We were sent here to establish true law and order on Whitefall. Patience may have said she owns this moon but as of two months ago. Her ownership expired. Every one o' you who has been payin rent to Patience the last two months now own your land. And as landowners you're entitled to establish your own government here.”

Mal paused for a moment to gauge the crowds reaction. So far so good, “In the next couple o' days, some folk from Athens are gonna arrive. They'll be here to help set up an interim government and get you folks ready for elections.”

A small cheer ran through the crowd.

“What about the slavers?” called out a voice from the crowd.

“If there's any slavers here, you point em' out to me or any o' the other Rangers. We'll see to it.”

“Every one o' those warehouses by the docks is got slaves in em” said an older man in the crowd, “Not all offworlders neither. Slavers like to take the local girls.”

Mal's face hardened, “We'll be dealin with them directly”

Near the back of the crowd, several men began to run. “Informants,” River whispered.

“Bobbie, Max... stop em.”

Of the five men who broke away, all of them were felled by silenced rifle fire. None of the wounds were fatal but it kept them from warning their bosses.

Mal picked up his com, “Nara, get to the port office, land lock every ship but Serenity. Then meet us at the warehouses.” Mal turned to the rest of his crew, “Lets go.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Mia Slater was scared. She'd been taken right out of her own bed two weeks previous on Pelorum. One minute she had been asleep in her small house and the next she was dragged kicking and screaming to a shuttle. All she knew that she was scheduled to be sold into slavery. Probably as a sex slave.

Dried tears streaked her dirty face. She huddled in the corner of the metal box she was held in. All she had for clothing was the remains of her tattered nightgown. She'd been raped once already by one of the men that had taken her. He had given her a black eye when she tried to fight back.

When she heard shouts and screams outside the box, she curled into a tighter ball. The sound of gunshots made her yelp in fear.

It became very quiet.

Most of the slaves had been herded into large communal cells. Mia had been separated because of her beauty. Just twenty eight, she had long brown hair and ample curves on an athletic frame. Her eyes were a piercing blue. Her mother had always told her she was beautiful enough to be a Companion.

Instead, Mia wanted to be a nurse. She had recently finished school and had earned her degree. Now, she was simply another body to some nameless slaver.

Her tears flowed again.

“Tian xiz shou you de ren dou gai si,” Jayne muttered as he looked around the large space. Nearly seventy women and children. Some as young as one or two were crowded into a small forty by fifty foot cell. All of them were scared, dirty and malnourished.

Simon and Inara were quickly triaging the worst for immediate treatment. Mal had already called in to Athens for medical personnel and some troops to help secure the area. They would arrive in a few hours. In the meantime, a few townspeople had gathered the few guns they owned and were helping secure the area.

The slavers who had survived the raid were tied up in the center of the room, guarded by Maxine, Zoë and River. Mal absently wondered if something bad was going to happen soon. So far the operation had been smooth sailing.

Bobbie wandered around the periphery of the room, looking like she wanted to kill someone.

Some more of the towns folk were bringing in food and water for the captives. Long prevented from helping by fear of the slavers and Patience's men. They now were helping as much as they could.

Mal stalked back into the room. Grabbed one of the slavers by the collar and dragged the bound man to his feet, “This all of em'?”

“Chu ni duh!”

Mal drew back his fist and punched him, “Ain't gonna ask you again so nice.”

“Go rut yourself,” the man replied , trying to spit blood on Mal.

The Captain shoved the man at Jayne, “Find out.”

Jayne grinned and drew, Binky. His huge knife, “We're gonna have some fun...”

“Basement... special cells. The best lookin o' the women! Only a couple down there now. Rest got shipped off world yesterday!”

“Damn... I was gonna get me an ear too...”

The man wet himself. Jayne dropped him on the floor, “Cap... basement, special cells.”

Mal nodded, “Bobbie, take River and see to them.”

The former Marine nodded and headed for the stairs in the corner. River on her heels.

XXXXXXXXXX

There were eight metal boxes in the corner. Each just large enough for someone to sit up and perhaps stretch out if they weren't too tall.

“Son of a bitch...” Bobbie breathed.

River went to the first box and opened it. She let out a small squeak. The girl inside was obviously dead. And had been for at least a day. Bobbie growled.

The second box was empty. River pointed at the last box in line. Bobbie opened it...

“Get away from me you, ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng!” screamed a woman's voice.

Bobbie did her best to look non threatening, “Take it easy. We're the good guys, okay?”

“Good guys?”

“Yep. I'm Roberta and this is River. We're Rangers,” Bobbie explained as she showed the frightened woman her badge.

“What's your name?” River asked softly, even thought she knew it already from reading the woman. She was nearly sick with what they had done to her.

“M... Mia.”

“Come on out, Mia... we're not going to hurt you. We just want to help.”

Mia nodded and slowly crawled out of the box. In the light they realized that all she had for clothing was a tattered nightie. River slipped off her coat and wrapped it around the woman.

Mia snuggled into the coat. She had been cold all the time. This was the first warmth she had felt in weeks.

Bobbie was still dressed in her tactical gear and pulled a canteen from her belt. Mia accepted it and nearly drained it in one gulp.

“Feel better?”

“A... a little.”

'Come on. We'll get you checked out by the doc.”

“Okay.”

“Don't worry. He's a very good doctor,” River smiled, And my brother.”

Mia tried to walk and stumbled. She hadn't walked in weeks. River and Bobbie each took and arm and helped her up the stairs.

XXXXXXXXXX

Just as River and Bobbie half carried the woman they had found to the top of the stairs, a well dressed man strode into the warehouse.

“Just what the hell do you think you're doing with my property!”

The man paled suddenly when several gun barrels leveled at his head.

“Who might you be?” Mal inquired.

“Steven Hastings... these are my warehouses and my property.”

Mal stepped forward and placed the muzzle of his gun against Hastings forehead, “Mr. Hastings. They ain't property... they're people. Holdin slaves is punishable by hangin.”

“Says who? Where's Patience? She guaranteed me...”

“Patience is dead,” Inara said coolly as she stepped up next to Mal, “We are representatives of the Commonwealth. And you Mr. Hastings are bound by law.”

“What...”

“Steven Hastings. You are bound by law on the charges of Slavery, Conspiracy to Commit Slavery, Kidnapping, and anything else I can think of,” Mal said with a cold smile on his face as Zoë snapped handcuffs on the man.

Hastings growled, “You won't leave this world alive. I've got armed ships at my disposal.”

“So do I,” Mal replied.

At that moment, Mal's com crackled, “Captain!” cried Xue's voice.

“What is it Xue?”

“There's a ship breaking atmo... looks like a modified surplus frigate...”

Hastings smiled, “That would be my ship, Captain.”

“Xue! Get in the air now!”

“Cap...”

“Now!”

Xue nodded even though the captain couldn't see her, “Kaylee! Spin her up. We gotta fly now!”

As soon as the status lights indicated the powerplant was hot, Xue spun up the engines. The Frigate was only a hundred miles away and closing fast.

Serenity leaped into the air as Xue pushed the throttles to the stops. She needed to get some distance so she could maneuver. In the co-pilots seat, Jess hung on for dear life.

As she gripped the yoke in her hands, Xue could feel the air currents, the eddies in Whitefall's gravity field. The sensors almost became part of her.

Twenty miles from town and supersonic, Xue turned Serenity to face the frigate, “Unknown vessel, this is the Ranger Transport Serenity. Kill your sensor locks and land at the port immediately or you will be destroyed,” Xue ordered over the ship to ship com like she had been instructed by River weeks previous.

The frigate's reply was to fire a pair of missiles at Serenity.

Jessie yelped and Xue simply grinned, “You wanna play rough huh?” she said as her fingers stabbed Serenity's own missile launch buttons. Simultaneously, the newly mounted anti-missile laser system began probing the sky for the incoming warheads.

As two blooms of fire and smoke appeared in the sky between the two ships, Xue grinned.

More missiles began to fire from the frigate. As well as the white beams of a particle beam weapon.

Xue smiled even wider, “I am a leaf on the wind...” she whispered as Serenity flew closer to the ship trying to blow her out of the sky.

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TBC