based on the world of Firefly by Joss Whedon _____________________________________________

“Got Kaylee and Kitty safe inside 'Nara's shuttle. Told 'Nara if it got too bad, that she's to head Persephone. Should have enough fuel to get there safely.” Mal spoke to Cat, her body tense as she sensed her enemy getting closer.

“They won't follow the shuttle, at least not until they have finished with us.” Her voice whispered as she turned to face him, eyes glowing green. “We need to kill the lights. Crew knows your boat well enough to manage in the auxiliary. Reavers won't.”

“More advantage.” He walked over and grabbed her hand. “We'll get through this.”

“I'm not worried about what the Reavers will do, Mal. As much as I would love to tell you it's the approaching mob I fear...” She let go of his hand, away from his touch. “You and I both know the truth.”

“The Valley, the Compound, Falcon...” He counted the words on his fingers.

“What?”

“All the gorram shit we've been through and ain't a one of us fallen to your beast. Don't think I didn't know there was a darker you. Went through a war with you, Boa Bei. Watched a man get tore apart by those things while you tried like hell to keep us from fallin' prey,too.” He stopped a minute to allow her to absorb what he had just said before continuing. “Way I see it, we all got dark sides to ourselves. Mine raises its ugly head around U day every year as well as when one of mine is in trouble...don't make me any more me. Just got to learn to control it.”

“Why do you believe in me the way you do, Malcolm Reynolds?”

“Wise man once told me to find something to believe in so I decided to believe in my crew. It wasn't until you came along that I realized. I never stopped believing in something, that something just stopped being around for me to believe in.”

"You always this good with words." It was a touching moment, in spite of the darkness filling Serenity.

"I'm the Captain of this here boat. Fanciful speeches are part of the allure." He smiled, reminding Cat of so many battles before.

"We're ready." Zoe's voice ended the moment as she appeared from Serenity's aft, Mare Leg catching some of the light.

"Simon manning the lights?" Mal asked catching a sideways glance from Cat. He was always a step ahead of her on some things. Maybe it was why they were such a well oiled machine.

"Yup. Told him to take his sorry ass with the womenfolk, but he said he'd stay on account of his sister." Jayne followed Zoe down, a few choice guns lining his person. Cat watched him place Vera, the big one he seemed to worship behind a crate, figuring to use it if things got really bad. Chances were they would.

"Doc's come along way, Jayne. No need treatin' him all proper like any more." Mal chastised, but Jayne only groaned.

"Ah, Mal, you know I'm just playin'. Someone's got to lighten the mood 'fore we all die." Cat glared at the merc before leaning to listen. The metallic groans meant someone was docking, someone that hadn't been invited. They could resist, let the Reavers be forced to open the door, but it would only damage Serenity's hull and that wouldn't be good.

"Give Simon the signal." She whispered, motioning for the crew to hide as Cat saw River the shadow dropping from the catwalk to stand by her sister.

"They aren't hungry, just curious." The girl whispered and she had to smile.

"Yes, well, we all know what it did to the cat."

"Stupidity got the cat killed. Curiosity was framed." River commented matter of fact, listening to the doors began to open.

"Whatever you all do, don't let them grab you and take you back through the hole. I don't really want to go into the lion's den after you." Cat called back as darkness descended and red light poured over the cargo bay. Shadows and hissing proceeded as eyes made red and green from the soft light began to fill the opening doorway.

She could smell the anger, the fear, and the blood of thousands of lives before. Reavers never smelled the same twice, from the skin they carved off their victims to those they ate to satsify their blood lust. Unlike her, there was no control, no reason they did what they did...what was even more disturbing was the same chemicals that had made them the way they were also had made other turn into nothing more than lifeless souls.

"You ready, Little Sister?" She spoke, a raspy purr by her leg a signal that Batha had joined the ranks.

"They know we are here, yet they still come." River questioned and Cat couldn't help but joke.

"Must of heard of Kitty's party. She is quite the planner."

"I don't always understand humor in the face of death."

"So, being sad and serious going to change the outcome?"

"No."

"Well, you see, Little Bit, when I die, which is not today, I plan on going down laughing. Any way else is just foolish."

"They're just about in, Cat." Mal's voice echoed behind them.

"Just hold your ground and stay put. Shoot them off and leave the up close and personal to us." Cat shot back. "And Jayne, you get too excited and toss a grenade and you'll be going home with them."

“I ain't got any with me.” He growled, but it was too late as the area erupted in wild bodies. Cat grabbed the first and broke his neck as Batha let her long claws sing. River grappled with another grabbing the scythe shape ax from its hands and using it to mow down three more.

Gunfire followed, bodies dropping as Cat allowed her body to take over. Blood spilled across the floor dripping through the metal mesh as her bare feet slid in it, a satisfying sensation that wasn't part of her, but of the darker half.

“They're getting through.” River screamed as the ax swung wild, Cat ducking as the blade sang over her head, decapitating the Reaver she had been fighting.

“Ain't helping if try to slice off my head in the process.” She yelled back, hissings from each and every shadow making it hard to hear. A scream twisted Cat's body, Zoe trying to reload the Mare as a Reaver moved toward her. Like second hand nature, Cat's hand reached for a discarded sword, old and rusty from ill use. Her fingers flexed as she let it fly, embedding into the gut and out the other side of Zoe's Reaver. “Don't watch my back. Keep an eye on yourselves.”

Teeth sunk into her shoulder as she screamed, breath that smelled of decaying flesh causing her stomach to lurch. Claws emerged from her fingertips, sinking deep into the eyes of her attacker. Maybe not long enough to hit the intended target of the brain, they provided enough leverage to flip the creature over her back and onto the ground, her other hand driving itself deep with the throat of the offending beast. Blood dyed her hands a brilliant red.

Sadly though, it was a short celebration as a spear thrown by a crazed critter smashed into her thigh, its tip burying itself deep into the flesh. It only stopped when the stone blade had met her powerful femur. Again, she reluctantly thanked her makers for infusing her bones with something strong.

Her hands wrapped around the shaft of wood, leaving blood fingerprints as the muscles in her forearms drew the spear up and out, a scream echoing in her ears....her scream. Blood flowed down her leg, but there was little time to see to a patch job. Hopefully, her healing would do what needed done before she lost too much blood. One thing was for sure...without her and River, Serenity didn't have a prayer.