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 ” and “Guardians” Read those 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: Takes place both in the future and a month and a half post Guardians.

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Tales of the Rangers

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Chapter Three

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“So that's how you found Allissa and Mikey?” Hobie said to his mother.

“Pretty much,” Xue agreed.

“Isn't that the same time you found...”

“It is,” Xue said. Cutting he little boy off.

“I wanna hear that part!” Hobie insisted.

“Almost time for supper,” Scott remarked.

“Mom's bringing over some take out,” Xue said.

“Maxine still out with River and Jayne?” Scott asked.

Xue nodded, “Inara's watching Reagan for them.”

“Well it's not like Inara has much to do these days...” Scott chuckled.

“Just because Mal is away at the Senate doesn't mean Inara's bored.”

“Right. So she volunteered to watch the demon child...”

“Reagan ain't a demon child,” Xue replied, rolling her eyes, “She's a sweet little girl.”

“Who can shoot better than I can. Out cuss her father and knows what everyone's thinking nearly as well as Jess.”

“She is River and Jayne's daughter,” Xue admitted.

“Like I said... demon child.”

Xue grinned and smacked her husband on the arm.

“I wanna hear about...” Hobie interjected.

“Okay, Hobie... okay. We're still waiting on Mom anyway.”

Scott snickered at how much his little boy had his mother wrapped around his finger, “Way to lay down the law. Some Ranger you are,” Scott grinned.

“I'm on maternity leave... and hormonal... “

“Momma...”

“Okay, Baby mine,” Xue replied, “Where were we?”

XXXXXXXXXX

“Mia!” Called out Bobbie as she and River entered Serenity's cargo bay.

The nurse hurried from where she had been tending a wounded worker, “What is it?”

“Found some kids,” the dark skinned woman replied. The toddler in Bobbie's arms began to cry.

River was a step behind with a sniffling little girl in her arms.

“Are they hurt?” Mia asked.

“Don't think so,” Bobbie replied, “Scared and in the boy's case, more'n a little whiffy.”

Mia rolled her eyes, “You don't know how to change a diaper?”

Bobbie's face darkened slightly, “Guess I missed that class during advanced infantry tactics.”

River snickered slightly. Bobbie and Mia might not be couple yet. But they sure acted like one sometimes.

Mia sighed. She thought working the ER on Pelorum was hectic. Taking care of the survivors of a Reaver attack had left her last nerve on edge, “Give... give me five minutes.”

Bobbie turned her eyes down as she tried to calm the boy who was still hiccuping on her shoulder, “Sorry.”

Mia sighed, “Didn't mean to snap. It's just so...”

“S'okay, Mia,” Bobbie smiled. We'll head down to the common room with them.”

“Better make it my bunk,” Mia replied as she turned back to her patient, “Got a few more casualties in there.”

“Right. Come on River.”

With a smile, River carried the little girl after Bobbie and the boy towards the back of the ship.

XXXXXXXXXX

“We gotta take care o' theres bodies,” Mal remarked.

“Already seen to, Sir” replied a young Commonwealth Marine lieutenant.

“What's that LT?”

“Terriforming company called. Got a convict crew from one of the other atmo plants on the way from the southern continent. Be here in an hour or two.”

“Convict crew?” Zoë asked.

The young officer nodded,” Yes, Ma'am. Bunch of lifers are working the terriforming.”

“They better not be indentured,” Mal grumbled. One of the things the Commonwealth was working on was doing away with forced indenture.

“Hard core criminals, Sir. Been here a few years now.”

Mal grunted. If they had been on Mir for a few years. That meant that they were Alliance criminals. That meant that either they were political prisoners or the worst of the worst. They were the only folk sent to do hard labor on terriforming projects.

If the workers on the way were truly criminals. That was fine. But if any were political types. They should have been released when the Commonwealth took power. But Mal knew that on worlds like this. Folk slipped through the cracks.

“Soon as they get here. I want to look em over,” Mal ordered.

“Sir... they are prisoners.”

“I realize that. But you know as well as I do. Projects like Mir are where the old Alliance sent people they couldn't kill but wanted out of the way. Sides. This is a civilian Law matter so it's in my jurisdiction rather than the fleet's.”

“Aye, aye, Sir,” the Lieutenant replied before turning on his heel and rejoining his men.

As soon as the officer was out of earshot, Zoë turned to Mal, “Think there might be some political prisoners in this bunch, Sir?”

“I'm thinkin, Zoë. This is the kinda place the Doc might have ended up, if he'd been caught. That is iffin they didn't kill im' outright.”

“I tend to agree with you.”

“Agree with what?” Maxine said as she approached the pair.

“Got some convicts on the way from another atmo plant to help with the bodies,” Mal explained, “Be here in a few.”

“Oh...” Max replied.

“Gonna look em' over. Some might be Politicos that should have been turned loose.”

Maxine nodded, “I'll be ready. Want Jayne here too?”

“And Bobbie,” Mal answered.

“I'll go get em'”

XXXXXXXXXX

He'd had a name once. A wife he loved. Good friends. A good job. Now it was all gone. Snatched from him by some Alliance Hwoon-dahn on Pelorum.

He membered being stunned. Then waking up on a cold medical table. A teenage girl came into the room. Flanked by men with blue hands. He'd been drugged he was sure but he still knew that the blue hands were bad.

Another man was wheeled in on another stretcher and placed beside him. The other man's face was hidden by a hood. The girl stood between them and placed one hand on the other mans forehead and then on his own.

His brain felt like it was on fire and he passed out.

He woke up in chains. On a ship bound for a terriforming project on Mir. That's all he had been able to find out.

Mir... He knew people on the nearby world of Meadow, If he could just escape and find a shuttle. He would be safe.

He never got the chance.

Until today.

Two and a half years he had broken his back at hard labor. Just enough food to keep him alive and working. Just enough medical care to keep him from dieing. It was existence. Not living.

At night he would stare at the faint stars visible through the hole in the roof of his barracks. He dreamed of the stars and his wife.

It had been night when the guards had burst in and woke the workers up. They needed warm bodies on the other side of Mir to clean up after a Reaver attack.

He eagerly sat up. It would take being in a shuttle to get there. The click of handcuffs and leg irons dashed his hopes of escaping.

Now seated by the only window on his side of the small ship. He smiled a secret smile. They had just broken atmo and if only for a little while. He was in the black again.

It didn't last long as the shuttle began to reenter. He thought that the pilot was an idiot the way he was coming down. He would never abuse a ship like that.

Swooping low over the now day lit side of the small world, he spotted the looming shape of the Atmo plant in the distance.

As they got closer, he saw the crashed hulks of three Reaver ships and three other smaller Reaver vessels that had obviously been strafed. He smiled slightly. Someone gave those devils a taste.

As the shuttle swooped in for landing, he saw several dozen ships parked all over the complex Mostly gunships and assault shuttles.

But in the center of the landing area sat an old transport ship. Parked like she was the Queen of all she surveyed.

He gasped when his 20/200 eyesight made out the name painted on the neck of the Firefly.

Serenity.

XXXXXXXXXX

Bobbie left River with the two children. Pausing to gather additional weapons. River had been joined by Mia who had efficiently changed Mikey's diaper. Xue had joined the psychic since no one would let her off the ship.

River was smiling as she played a game of patty cake with Mikey. Allissa had fallen asleep.

“Cute little fella,” Xue remarked.

“He is,” River remarked wistfully, “As is his Je-je... renci de fozu!”

“What is it, River?” Xue asked. Frighted at her mentor's change of attitude.

“Watch the children... stay here.”

“But...”

“Stay here,” River ordered before leaping to her feet and running from the room.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal, Zoë, Jayne, Max and Bobbie waited for the shuttle hatch to open. Each was heavily armed. After a moment the hatch slid open and a pair of armed guards stepped out. Shortly thereafter. A line of ragged men shuffled out into the bright sunlight. Most had the look of hardened criminals. The man at the end hesitated and the trailing guard hit him between the shoulder blades with the butt of his shotgun.

“Move yer ass, seven eight three!”

“Pok-guy,” the man snarled back.

“Insolent little...” the guard began as he raised the gun to strike the man in the face. He froze when the sound of a pistol cocking reached his ears.

“Put down the scattergun... nice and slow.”

The man began to protest until he saw the badge on the man's long brown coat, “Yes sir.”

Mal looked at the prisoner the guard had nearly struck for the second time. Gorram if he didn't look familiar.

The man was scruffy to be sure with a couple of years worth of beard and hair growth. A tattered prison jumpsuit was his only clothing. His eyes were bright blue and rather then downtrodden, looked alive with excitement. A wide smile poked out from under the fuzz.

He licked his lips once and spoke, “Hiya, Mal.”

“No rutting way!” Mal bellowed.

“What is it, Sir?” Zoë asked. Walking over from where she had been inspecting some of the other convicts.

“Zoë!” the bearded man cried out. Trying to run forward but held back by his chains.

“It can't be!” Zoë cried out, “We buried you!”

“Ai-ren?” Maxine asked as she stepped up next to her trembling fiancé.

“This is a dream.... all a bad dream...” Zoë chanted.

“Zoë? It's me...”

“You can't be,” Mal said as he found his tongue again, “Saw you killed with my own eyes. Me and Doc dug the hole...”

All question to the man's identity were answered when he was suddenly tackled by one hundred pounds of psychic, assassin, pilot, “Wash!”

The bearded man was knocked down by the force of the tackling hug, “Ri... River?” he gasped out.

Mal turned to the guard, “Turn him loose right now.”

“Sir, I...” the gun cocked again.

“Right away.”

“You stink,” River said as she sat back.

A very familiar laugh was her answer.

Zoë had sunk to her knees, “... can't be... can't be...”

“Zoë? Come on, Baby. Snap out of it...” Maxine implored.

“Mal? Whats wrong with Zoë... rutting hell!” Jayne exclaimed.

“Hey Jayne,” the bearded man said.

“No ruttin way. We planted your ass on Haven.”

“Who's this?” Bobbie asked as a group of marines led the rest of the prisoners away to be medically checked.

“Planted? What are you taking about? I'm right here, guys.”

“Then who the hell did we bury on Haven?” Jayne asked.

“Doppleganger,” River said, “False Wash.”

“A what?” Maxine asked.

“A clone.”

“You're kidding...” Mal said.

“I'll explain later.” River said

Wash crawled over to where a very attractive redhead was holding his wife, “Lambytoes?”

Zoë stopped rocking. Her eyes locked with Wash's, “I don't believe it's you. I refuse to...”

Wash leaned forward and kissed Zoë hard.

“Hey!” Maxine cried out before Jayne pulled her back.

“Give em' a sec, Red,” Jayne cautioned.

Zoë seemed to melt slightly and tears began to run down her face. Wash grinned and Zoë suddenly clocked him with a wicked right cross.

“Ow!” What the hell was that for?” he cried.

“You liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze fuh ur-tze! I thought you were dead! It broke my gorram heart!”

“It's not my fault!” Wash replied, rubbing his jaw.

“Why, you...” Zoë snarled as she lunged at Wash.

“Jayne!” Mal bellowed. It took both Jayne and Maxine to pull Zoë away.

“Cap? What the hell is going on?” Wash asked, “And why the hell are you all wearing badges?”

Mal pinched the bridge of his nose, “That... is a very long story...”

XXXXXXXXXX

Zoë had locked herself in her bunk. Going so far as to change the combination so Maxine couldn't get in.

“Gorramit, Zoë! Open this damn door!” Max bellowed.

“No!” came the muffled reply.

“Don't make me go get Kaylee or Xue to come take the lock apart.”

It was quiet for a moment. Then the lock disengaged. Carefully Max climbed down. Zoë was face down on their bed, sobbing.”

“Zoë?” Max asked as she carefully sat down next to her, “You okay?”

Zoë rolled over, “What do you think?” she snarled.

“Don't take that tone with me, Missy,” Max answered back, “You ain't the only one who's in a spot cause of this.”

“Shenme?”

“How the hell are we supposed to get married when your formerly dead husband shows up... if it's really him that is.”

“I don't know!” Zoë cried out before rolling back over and sobbing again.

“Don't know it it's him or what to do about it?” Maxine said as soothingly as she could at the moment.

“Both,” came the muffled reply.

“Then we're in the same boat,” Max replied.

Zoë took a big sobbing breath and rolled back over, “I love you.”

“I love you too, Zoë,” Maxine said.

“And I still love Wash too.”

“I...know,” Max said after a moment.

“What the hell are we gonna do?” Zoë asked.

“Whatever we do. We'll do it together.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal and River led a bewildered Wash into Serenity., “So... the Alliance is gone?”

“Yep,” Mal replied, “Got a new Government. Commonwealth o' Worlds.”

“And you're a lawman now,” Wash asked.

“We all are. Cept' Kaylee and the Doc. And Mia and Xue and Jess...”

“Who?”

“Jessie is Kaylee's second cousin. She's like me. A reader,” River explained.

“I just can't get over that you're making sense, Ni-zi,” Wash grinned.

“Took a while,” River admitted, “Continuing. Mia is a Nurse we rescued from slavers on Whitefall. She helps Simon.”

“Okay,” Wash answered.

“Roberta is a former Alliance Marine and now a Ranger.”

“Who's Xue?” Wash asked as he walked into the infirmary.

Hearing the voice, Simon spun around, “Holy...”

“Hi Simon,” Wash grinned through his whiskers.

“Gun-hoe-tze-bee-dio-se...”

Wash sighed, “Yes it's really me. And when did you learn to swear like that?”

“My Jayne has been teaching him,” River grinned.

“Your.... WHAT?” Wash exclaimed.

River grinned at him, “Jayne and I have been a couple for over a year and a half.”

“I think I'm going crazy,” Wash said in a hushed tone.

“Welcome to my 'verse,” Simon muttered.

“Check him over Doc. Not to be doubtin, Albatross here but do a DNA scan.”

“Got it Captain,” Simon replied..

“I understand, Mal,” Wash replied. With a nod, Mal exited the infirmary

Wash looked around at the new equipment in the room, “Dressed it up a might in here...”

“We overhauled Serenity a few months ago,” River answered.

“So... Who's been flying the ole' girl?” Wash asked, “Don't tell me it's been Mal...”

“Mal sometimes but mostly me,” River grinned.

“You?”

“Mostly not crazy anymore. And Inara helps sometimes. And Xue is an excellent pilot for her age.”

“Xue? Who is she?”

“I hear my name?” Xue asked as she popped her head into the infirmary.

Wash stared at the teenaged girl in front of him. She looked vaguely familiar.

“Think they can take it?” Simon asked.

“I have Xue. You take Wash,” River replied.

“Huh?” Xue asked.

“Hoban Washburn. Meet Xue Li Washburn... your daughter.”

Xue looked like she was going to faint at River's words.

Wash did.

Simon sighed, “River, make sure Xue sits down and then fetch Mia for me.”

“On it, Ge-ge,” River replied as she steered the stunned teen out of the room.

“This is going to be a long night,” Simon muttered out loud.

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TBC

AN 2: This is a plot bunny that hit me last night (They hit hard too) I just needed to write this and bring Wash back in a slightly plausible way.